Cannoli Cupcakes with Marsala-Chocolate Whipped Cream

Cannolis always remind me of my Italian/German side of the family. I can’t think of a Christmas that these little delicious desserts didn’t make an appearance. My sister was downright obsessed with them as a kid, if she got to the dessert table first, there was no chance of getting one. So when I was sent Grace’s Sweet Life: Homemade Italian Desserts, I was really hoping to find a recipe for cannolis so I could make some for her. Well, the cookbook did me one better: Vanilla Cupcakes filled with Ricotta Cream, topped with Marsala-Chocolate Whipped Cream. And to make them even better, they are topped with a mini cannoli!
Grace is a blogger over at La Mia Vita Dolce. The website is absolutely fantastic. Just the names of the recipes are enough to make your mouth water. Her new cookbook is no different. It is filled with recipes for the very traditional (Pizzelles – those Italian waffle cookies that look like snowflakes) to the super creative (Chocolate Salami, you read that correctly!) The photography is stunning. The titles of the desserts are in both Italian and English which I thought was a nice touch. (The title of the cupcakes in Italian is Piccoli Torta alla Vaniglia con Crema di Ricotta, Panna Montata al Cacao e Marsala in case you were wondering.) Grace breaks down the recipes into easy to follow steps, which is really helpful, especially for a recipe like the cupcakes I made. I changed bits and parts to her recipe just due to what I could and couldn’t find.
Ingredients:
  For the cupcakes:
1 3/4 cups cake flour (you can substitute all-purpose flour)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature (3 sticks)
1 1/4 cups superfine sugar
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup milk (I used skim milk)
 For the ricotta cream:
1 1/2 cups ricotta
3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup miniature chocolate chips
  For the marsala-chocolate whipped cream frosting:
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon marsala
24 mini cannolis

Superfine sugar is just normal sugar that is ground into a finer grain. If you can’t find it in your local supermarket, just add a little more than 1 1/4 cups sugar to a food processor and blend for 1-2 minutes. Just make sure that you have 1 1/4 cup of sugar at the end.
So, I really wanted to make my own mini cannolis. I really did. But I couldn’t find anything to wrap the cannolis around to make mini ones, all the places I looked only had the metal tubes for regular sized cannolis. So then, I tried going to bakeries to ask for mini cannoli shells. They all either didn’t have any or were unwilling to give them to me without filling them first. Sigh. So the cannolis on top of these lovely cupcakes are not my own making. But, they are the best cannolis in Philly (in my humble opinion), from Termini Bakery. On to the cupcakes!
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners.
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Set aside. Cream the butter and sugar at medium speed for about 4 minutes or until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs and egg yolks to a measuring cup with the vanilla extract. Lightly beat with a fork.
With the mixer running (if you’re using a hand mixer, you might need a baking buddy for this step), gradually pour the egg mixture into the butter mixture.
Reduce the speed of the mixer to low. Add the flour mixture 1/3 at a time alternating with adding the milk in two additions. (1/3 flour, then 1/2 milk, 1/3 flour, 1/2 milk, 1/3 flour). Beat until just combined after each addition.
Divide the batter evenly in the muffin cups. Fill each tin 3/4 of the way full.
Bake for 20 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean. Allow to cool.
To make the ricotta cream, beat the ricotta on medium speed for 2-3 minutes or until smooth. Add the confectioners sugar as beat until smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips and transfer to an airtight container. Refrigerate until ready to use.
To make the frosting, sift the cocoa and the confectioners sugar into a small bowl and whisk to combine.
Beat the heavy cream, cocoa mixture and the marsala on medium high speed until stiff peaks form.  Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until cold, about 15 to 30 minutes.
To assemble, use a pairing knife to cut a 1 1/2 inch deep cone shaped piece of cake from the center of each cupcake. Trim off the top of the cone piece into a round, flat disk that you’ll use to top off the cupcake. Add the ricotta cream to a large pastry bag (or a ziplock bag with a corner cut off). Pipe the cream into each cupcake, filling almost to the top. Top with the disks of cake.
Add the frosting to a large pastrry bag or ziplock bag. Pipe the frosting on top of each cupcake.
Top with the mini cannolis. How fun are these??
Although it seems like these cupcakes would be really heavy and overwhelming, they were actually light and airy (I have no idea how). The cannoli added a fun touch, but these cupcakes can hold their own without them.
The ricotta cream inside was fantastic. I loved the flavor of them with the vanilla cupcakes and the chocolate chips were a fun addition.
Be sure to go check out Grace’s Sweet Life cookbook!

Beet Risotto

I love the taste of beets, but preparing them is so time consuming that I tend to avoid buying them. Most recipes involving beets require you to roast the beets and then peel them. I came across a recipe for beet risotto in Food and Wine that just cooked the beets on the stove top in significantly less time. This risotto recipe is supposed to turn a beautiful red color from the beets. I didn’t get the same bright red color but I still love how it looks!
Ingredients:
  • 3 cups chicken stock or water
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 large shallot, finely chopped
  • 2 large beets peeled and finely chopped, plus thinly sliced beets for garnish
  • 1 cup arborio rice
  • 2 ounces young pecorino cheese, freshly grated
  • 1 teaspoon poppy seeds, plus more for garnish

Continue reading Beet Risotto

Butternut Squash Agnolotti with Toasted Hazelnut Cream Sauce

What is it about nuts that go so wonderfully with pumpkin and butternut squash dishes? Walnuts, pecans, and hazelnuts just pair so nicely with the flavors of squash. When I first received Buitoni’s Butternut Squash Agnolotti, I knew I wanted to make a hazelnut cream sauce with it. Hazelnuts, like most nuts, taste significantly better when toasted. I have no idea why this is, but I feel the need to always heat nuts for a little while to increase the flavor.
Ingredients:
  • 1 package of Buitoni’s Butternut Squash Agnolotti
  • 1/2 cup hazelnuts, blanched
  • 1 stick of butter
  • 1/4 cup sweet vermouth
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • a pinch each of ginger, allspice, and nutmeg (1/8 teaspoon or less)
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Sage leaves, for garnish

Continue reading Butternut Squash Agnolotti with Toasted Hazelnut Cream Sauce

Snapper with Zucchini and Tomato with Parsley Orzo

My CSA this year allows me to choose 6 items each week to be in my share. Every single time so far, I’ve chosen zucchini as one of the six. I just love it. But with 3-4 pieces of zucchini a week, I am absolutely in search of as many different recipes as I can find. Cooking Light’s latest issue had this wonderful recipe for Snapper with Zucchini and Tomato that I just had to try. They also suggest pairing it with some Parsley Orzo. Note: this recipe makes 2 servings. Multiply as needed.
Ingredients for the snapper:
  • 4 teaspoons coconut oil, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
  • 2 (6-ounce) snapper fillets
  • 2 tablespoons white wine
  • 1 cup diced zucchini
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons minced shallots
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
  • 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 
  • Ingredients for the orzo:
  • 1/2 cup orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
  • 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

Continue reading Snapper with Zucchini and Tomato with Parsley Orzo

Butternut Squash Agnolotti Pasta Salad with Walnuts, Golden Raisins, and Snow Peas

If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you might have picked up on my obsession with pumpkin and butternut squash. I attempt to limit my gourd intake to the September and October months, but every now and then I still need my fix outside of those months. Butternut squash seems to be more socially acceptable, especially in pasta form. Buitoni’s Butternut Squash Agnolotti is the perfect way for me to have this delicious ingredient year-round.
Agnolotti is just a type of ravioli. This specific agnolotti is a “half-moon pasta filled with oven-roasted butternut squash, Impastata Ricotta, aged Parmesan and Grana Padano cheeses, accented with amoretti cookie crumbs.  I traditionally use a brown butter sage sauce with butternut squash ravioli because they are a perfect pair. I wanted to try something a little different with this agnolotti, so I instead made a cold pasta salad. It has been so unbearably hot in Philadelphia that I thought this would be a perfect (and timely) twist.Also, don’t forget to enter my giveaway to win a bunch of Buitoni goodies and free Buitoni pasta!
Ingredients:
  • 1 package of Buitoni’s Butternut Squash Agnolotti
  • ½ cup butter
  • 1 shallot, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh sage leaves, roughly chopped
  • ½ cup walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
    A handful of golden raisins, or to taste
  • 1 cup snow peas
  • The juice of one lemon
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Continue reading Butternut Squash Agnolotti Pasta Salad with Walnuts, Golden Raisins, and Snow Peas

Chicken Marsala Ravioli with Spinach and Mushrooms

I am a pasta addict. I love it. I will never ever be carb free because I don’t want to know what life is like without pasta. I am a huge fan of fresh pasta because 1. I personally think it tastes better and 2. takes about half the time to cook. When Buitoni contacted me about a new ravioli they were introducing (it should be available in early July), I was already sold. But then they told me what kind of ravioli it is: Chicken Marsala Ravioli. Chicken Marsala is one of my ultimate favorite recipes so I was beyond excited to work with this ravioli!
The Ravioli, “generously filled with all natural white meat chicken, roasted portobello mushrooms and caramelized onions with impastata ricotto, aged parmesan, and asiago cheeses accented with marsala wine”, is one of Buitoni’s new Riserva line of pastas. Other pastas include: Butternut Squash Agnolotti (which I will have a post on soon!), Chicken and Four Cheese Ravioli, Spicy Beef and Sausage Ravioli, Quattro Formaggi Agnolotti, and Wild Mushroom Agnolotti. How fantastic do they all sound?? The Butternut Squash Agnolotti and the Chicken Marsala Ravioli are only available in the Northeast, but the rest are available in grocery stores nationwide. Look for them in the refrigeration section, you can see if your store carries Buitoni products here.
This pasta would probably be fantastic just with a light butter sauce, but I decided to highlight the flavors of the ravioli that were already present in the pasta through a marsala sauce with mushrooms. Caramelized onions and marsala can both be pretty sweet, so I added some spinach to the mix to counteract that. Buitoni was also generous enough to send me a Buitoni apron, a Buitoni cutting board, and a few free coupons so one lucky winner can try these new pastas themselves! More information is below…
Ingredients:
  • 1 package of Buitoni Chicken Marsala Ravioli
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • 2 garlic cloves (or 1 garlic scape), minced
  • 1 package of baby bella mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 package of shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and sliced
  • 1/4 lb pancetta, cubed (or prosciutto, that was actually my original plan!)
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 cup baby spinach leaves
  • 1 cup Marsala wine
  • 1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1/4 tsp or less of truffle oil (optional)
  • Parmesan cheese, grated, as garnish
  • Parsley, chopped, as garnish

Begin by bringing a large pot of water to a boil.
While waiting for the pot of water to boil, mince your shallot and garlic. I used a garlic scape from my CSA share, it’s perfectly fine to use garlic cloves. Slice your mushrooms. Be sure to remove the stems of the shiitake mushrooms, they can be really woody tasting.
In a large saute pan, add 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Add the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. (You’re adding pancetta or prosciutto to this dish so have a light hand with the salt. You just need some to draw the water out of the mushrooms).
Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms cook down and the liquid has evaporated.
While waiting for the mushrooms to cook down, cube the pancetta and add to a small saute pan over medium high heat. Cook for 4 minutes.
Your pot of water should hopefully be boiling. Add 1 teaspoon olive oil to the pot of boiling water and add the ravioli. Cook for 6 minutes and drain.
Add the Marsala and the broth to the mushrooms. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Add the pancetta to the mixture when it is finished cooking.
Don’t wipe down the saute pan that had the pancetta. Just add the 1 cup of spinach leaves and cover. Cook until wilted, about 1 minute.
Add the ravioli to the mushroom mixture and toss. Remove from heat, add a very slight amount of truffle oil if using, and mix in the wilted spinach.
To serve, add the ravioli to a plate. Spoon the sauce, mushrooms, spinach and pancetta over the pasta. Top with parsley and Parmesan cheese.
The pancetta adds the perfect amount of saltiness to the dish to bring out the other flavors. The spinach works to counteract the sweetness of the Marsala. Mushrooms add an earthy flavor to the whole dish.
I loved the ravioli by the way. It has a ton of flavor and really did a great job of capturing the flavor of chicken marsala into a pasta! My boyfriend absolutely loved this recipe. In fact, he ate a good three servings of this in one sitting!
What kind of sauce would you serve with your Chicken Marsala Ravioli?

Now on to the giveaway. Please be sure to use the widget below to enter. Each person can enter up to 7 times, but only the first entry (writing in the comment section what Buitoni pasta you want to try and how you’d prepare it) is mandatory. Good luck!!

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Chicken Marsala Ravioli with Spinach and Mushrooms

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 package of Buitoni Chicken Marsala Ravioli
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • 2 garlic cloves (or 1 garlic scape), minced
  • 1 package of baby bella mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 package of shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and sliced
  • 1/4 lb pancetta, cubed (or used prosciutto, that was actually my original plan!)
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 cup baby spinach leaves
  • 1 cup Marsala wine
  • 1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1/4 tsp or less of truffle oil (optional)
  • Parmesan cheese, grated, as garnish
  • Parsley, chopped, as garnish

Instructions

  1. Begin by bringing a large pot of water to a boil.
  2. While waiting for the pot of water to boil, mince your shallot and garlic. I used a garlic scape from my CSA share, it’s perfectly fine to use garlic cloves. Slice your mushrooms. Be sure to remove the stems of the shiitake mushrooms, they can be really woody tasting.
  3. In a large saute pan, add 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes.
  4. Add the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. (You’re adding pancetta or prosciutto to this dish so have a light hand with the salt. You just need some to draw the water out of the mushrooms).
  5. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms cook down and the liquid has evaporated.
  6. While waiting for the mushrooms to cook down, cube the pancetta and add to a small saute pan over medium high heat. Cook for 4 minutes.
  7. Your pot of water should hopefully be boiling. Add 1 teaspoon olive oil to the pot of boiling water and add the ravioli. Cook for 6 minutes and drain.
  8. Add the Marsala and the broth to the mushrooms. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Add the pancetta to the mixture when it is finished cooking.
  9. Don’t wipe down the saute pan that had the pancetta. Just add the 1 cup of spinach leaves and cover. Cook until wilted, about 1 minute.
  10. Add the ravioli to the mushroom mixture and toss. Remove from heat, add a very slight amount of truffle oil if using, and mix in the wilted spinach.
  11. To serve, add the ravioli to a plate. Spoon the sauce, mushrooms, spinach and pancetta over the pasta. Top with parsley and Parmesan cheese.
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Chilled Creamy Cucumber Soup

Cucumbers are everywhere right now, and as much as I love just eating them raw, I thought it might be a nice change to try to use them cooked. Cucumber soup, chilled, sounds oh so refreshing doesn’t it? I found this recipe for Chilled Creamy Cucumber Soup from Eating Well.  It uses an avocado and some plain yogurt, making a really creamy delicious soup. Plus, it only takes 35 minutes to make (it is additional time to chill).
Ingredients:
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 4 cups peeled, seeded and thinly sliced cucumbers, divided
  • 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth, or reduced-sodium chicken broth
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
  • 1/2 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt

Begin by prepping all your ingredients. Mince the garlic, dice the onion, peel, seed, and slice the cucumber, and dice your avocado. (I added a squeeze of lemon juice over the avocado to keep it from browning).
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add your onion and garlic to the pot, stirring occasionally. Cook for 4 minutes.
Add the lemon juice and cook for another minute. Add the cucumber, broth, salt, pepper, and cayenne (optional) and bring to a simmer.
Reduce heat and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the cucumbers are soft.

Add thesoupto a blender (be careful), removing the center of the top of the blender. Add the avocado and parsley.

Place a paper towel over the open hole before blending.  Blend on low until smooth. (I just do all of this in the pot using an immersion blender, I find it less hazardous hehe).

If you want to eat the soup hot, pour into a serving bowl and stir in the yogurt. Top with cucumber slices and garnish with parsley. If chilling the soup, refrigerate for at least one hour, then stir in the yogurt and garnish before serving.

The soup is smooth, a little tangy from the Greek yogurt, and ends with a slight hint of spice. I like mixing in the parsley and chopped cucumbers into the soup to give it some texture.

I love what I call “after work recipes.” I can make this when I get home and can eat before 8 pm. For an even more refreshing soup, try substituting mint or dill for the parsley.

Curry Clay Pot Chicken

I was recently sent a clay pot from Romertopf to try out and review. Cooking in a clay pot is something I never really thought about, or even considered.  You just cook your meal in a clay pot which has been soaking in water. This releases steam while it cooks and keeps the food moist. Clay pots have been used for cooking dating back to Roman times and are still used around the world.  The clay pots are perfect for making roast chicken, paella, ratatouille, or even dessert!
I honestly had no idea how to go about finding a recipe to try out my new spiffy clay pot. So I just used a recipe from the Romertopf website as my first attempt.  The Curry Clay Pot Chicken sounded right up my alley. (https://www.romertopfonline.com/chicken-recipes.htm)
Ingredients:
  • 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh ginger
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 6 small new red potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch slices (I forgot to cut mine! Make sure you do though!)
  • 6 baby carrots
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
  • 2 tablespoons curry powder
  • 1 medium tomato, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce (or coconut aminos to make gluten free)
  • 1 teaspoon sugar

Continue reading Curry Clay Pot Chicken

Slow-Roasted Salmon with Baby Bok Choy and Coconut Rice

Tuesday I received one of my most anticipated ingredients (aside from tomatoes, can’t wait!!) from my CSA share: Fuyo Shumi, or Baby Bok Choy.  I am absolutely in love with this vegetable. It’s just a mini version of bok choy which has a cabbage flavor and is very popular in Asian cooking. I personally am not a fan of cabbage (sorry to my Irish roots), but love the subtle taste and crunchy texture of these little guys.  I’m always looking for new methods to cook salmon so this recipe from Cooking Light was the perfect opportunity. This recipe slow cooks the salmon to keep it really moist. Keep in mind you’ll need a good 30-40 minutes to make this dish.
Ingredients:
Salmon:
8 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray 
Rice:
2 cups uncooked basmati rice
1 1/2 cups light coconut milk
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon salt
Bok choy:
2 teaspoons canola oil
16 cups bok choy, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces (about 4 pounds)
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1/2 cup sake (rice wine)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Sauce:
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
1/2 teaspoon red curry paste (such as Thai Kitchen)

 

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Season the salmon with salt and pepper. Place the salmon on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray, skin side down.


Bake for 30 minutes or until the fish flakes easily. Cut off all the drippings.



While the salmon is cooking, rinse the rice in cold water and drain. Combine the rice, coconut milk, 1.5 cups water and ¼ teaspoon salt in a sauté pan. Bring to a boil over high heat and stir. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes. 
Cut the baby bok choy pieces in half
 

While the rice is standing, heat the canola oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the bok choy and ginger and sauté for 1 minute. 
Add the sake and ¼ teaspoon salt, cover, and cook for 2 minutes until the bok choy wilts. Remove from heat and keep warm.

Add the lime juice, rice vinegar, cilantro, brown sugar, fish sauce, and red curry paste to a bowl. Whisk to combine.


Serve over the salmon, rice, and bok choy.
Um. Yum. What an awesome dinner! The flavors go so well together. The sauce has a little tanginess that I really liked with all of the parts of this dish, but especially the rice. The salmon, because it was cooked at a low temperature, came out really moist. And the baby bok choy was crunchy, wilty, and flavorful all at the same time.
This will definitely become a staple meal for me!

Gemelli with Yellow Squash Zucchini and Basil

One of my favorite parts of the CSA share is having a plethora of zucchini and summer squash at my disposal. I love these ingredients with a simple pasta, so I was happy to come across a Martha Stewart recipe fthat incorporated these ingredients. I thought I still had some snap peas left over and was going to throw those in, but I unfortunately was all out. Plus, I didn’t have any frozen peas in my freezer. If you have those, be sure to include them. I threw in a zucchini also because I had one on hand.
Ingredients:
  • Coarse salt and ground pepper
  • 8 ounces gemelli or other short pasta
  • 3 medium yellow squash, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
  • 1 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
  • 4 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan
  • Torn fresh basil leaves, as garnish

Cook pasta in a pot of boiling salted water. Cook 2 minutes less than required for al dente (my pasta had to cook for 6 minutes).
While waiting for the pasta to cook, slice your squash and zucchini.
Add the squash and zucchini to the pasta and water, and cook for 2 minutes.
Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water. Return the pasta to the pot.
Add the butter, lemon juice, 1/4 cup Parmesan, and 1/2 cup pasta water.  Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine.
Spoon into individual bowls and top with basil and sprinkle with Parmesan.
At first bite, I thought this might be missing something. But all it really needed was another seasoning of pepper and an extra squeeze of lemon. After that, it was quite yummy.
To really up the flavor, a few red pepper flakes would go a long way.
The flavor of this was nice and fresh. It was a solid vegetarian dish, but I think it works best as a base. I feel like you could really turn this into something special with some additional flavors included.
What would you do to customize this dish?
Print
Gemelli with Yellow Squash, Zucchini, and Basil

Total Time: 15 minutes

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients

  • Coarse salt and ground pepper
  • 8 ounces gemelli or other short pasta
  • 3 medium yellow squash, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
  • 1 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
  • 4 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan
  • Torn fresh basil leaves, as garnish

Instructions

  1. Cook pasta in a pot of boiling salted water. Cook 2 minutes less than required for al dente (my pasta had to cook for 6 minutes).
  2. While waiting for the pasta to cook, slice your squash and zucchini.
  3. Add the squash and zucchini to the pasta and water, and cook for 2 minutes.
  4. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water. Return the pasta to the pot.
  5. Add the butter, lemon juice, 1/4 cup Parmesan, and 1/2 cup pasta water. Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine.
  6. Spoon into individual bowls and top with basil and sprinkle with Parmesan.
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Peanut Butter Cookie Dough-Filled Crepes with Bananas

Food is just as much about the joy of the process as it is about enjoying eating the dish. So when I was sent The Cookie Dough Lovers Cookbook, I was excited to be more whimsical than I usually am when cooking. The cookbook is filled with recipes that incorporate an egg-less cookie dough, which means it is safe to eat it raw. Recipes range from breakfast foods to desserts. The photos are stunning as well, I had a tough time choosing a recipe! What I really love about this cookbook, though, is that it allows your creativity to wander. The recipes listed are probably fantastic as is, but can also work as a base for whatever you want to change. The cookbook is also filled with really helpful tips to successfully complete the recipes inside.

 

I was also asked if I wanted to take part in the Cookie Dough-lympics. Now who in their cookie dough loving mind is going to turn down a chance to be in the Cookie Dough-lympics? The competition is a month long, where me and other food bloggers have adapted recipes within this lovely cookbook. I’m the last (and hopefully not the least) blogger to participate so I hope you’ve had a chance to check out all of the other bloggers creative posts. If not, I have links to their blogs listed below.

 

I decided to make the Cookie Dough-Filled Crepes. I must have had some inspiration from Elvis because I decided to use a peanut butter cookie dough instead of a traditional chocolate chip. I also added some nutella to really make it delicious. I topped the crepes with sauteed bananas to complete my decadent breakfast.
Ingredients:
  For crepes:
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooked to room temperature, plus more for cooking
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  For cookie dough:
  • 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoons milk or cream
  • 3/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • Nutella, to taste
  For bananas:
  • 1 ripe, but still firm, banana
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Continue reading Peanut Butter Cookie Dough-Filled Crepes with Bananas

Ratatouille

With the influx of vegetables in my life from my CSA, I am swimming in quite a large amount of highly perishable produce. So to preserve (and use) a bunch of my CSA veggies, I decided to try my first hand at Ratatouille. I looked at a bunch of recipes online and they can get really quite complex! There are some that cook each vegetable separately to bring out the flavor of each, some that layer the ingredients into a beautiful casserole. Well, I’m making this on a weeknight after work. So this is one of the easier versions, a one pot wonder if you will. One day, I will make the other version, but tonight, I just want a delicious meal that I can freeze for later.
So what is ratatouille, besides a really cute kids movie? It’s basically a stewed vegetable dish, usually served with bread, or maybe egg noodles or polenta (something to sop up all the deliciousness). There are many different recipes for the dish, but most include eggplant, zucchini, peppers, and onions. The spices can range from thyme or marjoram to herbes de Provence.
I found this recipe on MarthaStewart.com and kind of messed with the ratio of ingredients, so be sure to check out the original recipe to see if that is more to your liking.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil (or enough to cover the bottom of your pot)
1 medium onion, chopped (I used a sweet onion)
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 small eggplants,  cubed
2 large zucchini, cubed
Salt and ground pepper, to taste
2 yellow or bell peppers, ribs and seeds removed, cubed (use any color pepper you want)
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
Chopped fresh basil, for garnish

To make, add the olive oil to a Dutch oven or other large pot that has a lid. Heat over medium heat. While waiting to heat, chop your onions, garlic, eggplant, and zucchini.
I want to take a minute to discuss a method of cutting eggplant. I googled this just as I was about to make the recipe so it was new to me too and it worked quite well. I found the method on recipetips.com.
To cut the zucchini, remove the skin using a knife by cutting the zucchini into a square shape (or close to a square.)
Slice the zucchini into smaller square disks.
Stack a few of them, and cut into fours to make smaller squares. This doesn’t have to be uniform, you just want them to be the same general shape so they cook evenly.
Add the onions to the pot and stir occasionally. Cook for 5 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in the eggplant and zucchini and season with salt and pepper. Add 3/4 cup of water, cover, and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring once half way through. While waiting for the 5 minutes to pass, chop your peppers.
Add the peppers to the pot and simmer, covered, for another 5 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and thyme and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. The recipe said to stir often. I didn’t. I got distracted and walked away. Oh well.
Remove from heat and serve.  Top with a few slices of basil.
If freezing, leave the basil out and freeze.
For being vegetarian, doesn’t this look fabulously hearty?
I paired mine with day old bread which was a perfect amount of crispiness to go with the veggies. It may not be terribly pretty, but it was comforting and really flavorful.
I ate one serving and froze the rest for nights when I don’t have time to cook. I’m glad I did or I’d still be sitting here eating it!

TIP #1 for T-fal’s Healthy Summer Challenge, Eat More Vegetables

Today is my first of five different blog posts over the summer with a resolution on how to eat healthier. T-fal is hosting a 2012 Healthy Summer Challenge where I and five other bloggers will work towards a healthier lifestyle through some changes in our diet, exercise, etc.  I will, of course, share my food resolutions rather than my exercise ones because, well, I’m a food blogger! 🙂 My first resolution of the summer is to eat more vegetables.

 

I find one of the easiest ways to do this is to find vegetables you actually like. No one is forcing you to eat broccoli if you don’t like it. Why not try that baby bok choy you’ve seen in the supermarket, or maybe throw a few slivers of radishes in your next salad instead of cheese? The change also doesn’t have to be extreme. Try to incorporate 1-3 more vegetables into your diet per week and go from there.My veggie intake is also being aided by joining a CSA, or Community Supported Agriculture (I use Red Earth Farm). I did a CSA last year as well, but this year, I get to choose what vegetables are in my share! The CSA has just begun so I plan on trying out as many new vegetables as I can to expand my veggie horizons.

From last year’s share, I already know kale and I are not friends. Swiss chard is another toughie for me. But, I found out I really enjoy radishes. And zucchini. And a ton of other yummy veggies. So I can’t wait to see what comes my way this year! My first post uses one of my favorite vegetables: sugar snap peas. Even if you aren’t a normal pea fan, try these little guys out. I enjoy them more for the texture than for the taste honestly, the crunch is just so wonderful.

 

This recipe is a wonderful option for those that aren’t the biggest fan of vegetables and don’t want to just eat steamed veggies. The peas are mixed in with couscous and a vinaigrette that adds a ton of flavor.
Ingredients:
1 cup couscous
1 cup water
8 cups water
6 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed
The zest and juice of 1 lemon (grab a larger lemon if you can)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon sugar (I used Stevia just because that’s what I had)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic scapes
1 tablespoon minced dill
2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese

Begin by cooking your couscous. Add 1 cup of water to a small pot and bring to a boil. Add the couscous, mix, cover, and remove from heat. Allow to sit for about 5 minutes and fluff with a fork.

 

While waiting for the couscous to absorb the water, bring 8 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. Add the peas and cook for 30 seconds. Drain and add to an ice bath to stop the cooking process.

 

Combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, mustard, sugar, salt, pepper, and scapes in a bowl. (Garlic scapes are the green part that grows out of the earth while the bulb is growing in the ground. They have a subtle garlic taste which is really appealing. They can usually be found in the spring and early summer. You can substitute in 2 minced garlic cloves if you don’t have scapes. They were in my CSA share this week too!)

 

Stir with a whisk.

 

Add the peas and toss to coat.

 

Combine the peas with the couscous and 1 tablespoon minced dill.

 

Top with Parmesan cheese and serve.

 

I ate this with a simple grilled salmon and it was just perfect. The dressing with the peas helps bring out their fresh taste and the couscous is a wonderful complement. I actually saved some of this for lunch the next day and it was great then too!

 

Cherry Pie and Review of Taste of Home Cooking School Cookbook

I was recently sent the Taste of Home Cooking School Cookbook to review.  Paging through the cookbook, I really loved the number of how-to’s included in the book. Everything from how to cook an omelette to what kitchen utensils every beginner cook needs. The recipes are really simple with beautiful photos to help you throughout; it’s basically a better version of my blog! 🙂

 

The cookbook isn’t just for beginners though, there are plenty of recipes that are helpful for any level of at-home cook. There is a recipe for gnocchi I can’t wait to try! (I attempted to make gnocchi once before, but they didn’t end up being happy little pillows of deliciousness; they were pretty dense. Sigh)
I decided to try to make their cherry pie. I have only made pie crust once before so I was excited to try again. Plus, I recently bought a Babycakes Pie Maker and had yet to try it out. The recipe for the cherry pie was followed by a how-to for making a lattice pie top so I wanted to try that out as well.

 

Ingredients:
   Filling:
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 cup cranberry juice
4 cups frozen pitted tart cherries, thawed
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pie crust:
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup shortening
7 tablespoons cold water


Note: I will give the directions as if I was making a large pie and will add commentary where the mini pie maker has different instructions. (I’m guessing most people don’t have a mini pie maker lying around!)

To make the filling, combine the sugar and cornstarch in a large saute pan.

Stir in the cranberry juice until smooth.

“Smooth” might be more appropriate

Bring to a boil, stirring for 2 minutes or until thickened.

Remove from heat and add the cherries, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla.

 

To make the crust, combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Cut in shortening until crumbly.

Gradually add the cold water. Start with 5 tablespoons and add 1 or 2 tablespoons more if needed. Toss with a fork until a ball forms.

Divide the dough in half with one ball slightly larger than the other. (You don’t have to do this if making mini pies.)

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the larger ball to fit in a 9-inch pie plate. When ready to transfer to the pie plate, loosely roll the dough around your roller and unroll into the pie plate. Trim dough 1 inch beyond the edge of the plate. (The mini pie maker comes with a cutter so I used that to get the correct shape. I then used another tool that comes with the product to push the dough into the mini pie plate.)

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Add the filling. (For mini pies, this is about 2-4 tablespoons of the filling per pie)

The book also goes through how to make a lattice-topped pie! Roll out the remaining pastry dough into a 12-inch circle. (I just used the cutter provided with my mini pie baker). With a pastry wheel (? No idea what a pastry wheel is. Feel free to use a pizza cutter or a knife), cut the dough into 1/2 inch to 1 inch wide strips.

Take half the strips (I just went every other that was cut) and lay them across the pie in with 1/2 inch to 3/4 inches between them.

Fold back every other strip.

Take one strip of dough and lay it perpendicular to the strips already on the pie. Unfold the folded strips over the perpendicular strip and fold back the strips that are running underneath that strip.

Lay down a second strip and continue the process until the lattice top is finished.

Trim the strips to fit in the pie and fold bottom pastry up over the edges of the strips and seal. (I couldn’t do this for mine, but I bet they would have looked much nicer!)

Bake at 425 F for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 degrees and bake for 45-50 minutes longer or until crust is golden brown. Allow to cool on a wire rack. (I baked mine for 15 minutes and cooled on a wire rack).

 

I was quite happy with how these turned out. I think they needed a bit more sugar, but I think I used the wrong type of frozen cherries (mine were no sugar added). I also think a little lemon zest would really up the flavor of these quite nicely.
I also made a normal topped pie

I’m so excited about the lattice top! I obviously added a bit too much filling because it spilled over, but when I make a real pie, I now know how to do the lattice on top, yay!

 

To sweeten it up, I just topped the mini pies with ice cream. That solved the problem!

Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread

I am in love with all things warm-weather related, but one of my favorite parts of summer is the outdoor eating (surprise surprise). I used to work at a camp on the Chesapeake in Maryland and would spend one day a year stuffing myself with steamed Old Bay crabs. I now have friends who live in the general area and was thrilled when they decided to have a crab feast this past weekend. I, of course, wanted to bring something to eat with me and really had a hard time deciding what was appropriate: I needed a complimentary food that didn’t involve a fork and knife (when you’re covered in Old Bay, the last thing you’re reaching for is a fork). I finally realized the perfect accompaniment: cornbread!
This Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread is one awesome recipe, just be sure to limit your intake of these delicious squares, they are pretty darn decadent!
Ingredients:
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus extra to grease the pan
  • 8 ounces aged extra-sharp Cheddar, grated, divided
  • 1/3 cup chopped scallions, green parts, plus extra for garnish
  • 3 tablespoons seeded and minced fresh jalapeno peppers
Continue reading Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread
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