Strawberry Almond Butter Tart

I had planned to make Pine Nut Cookies tonight, as a quick dessert for an impromptu dinner party with old friends. Then I came home and facebook informed me that it was one of said friend's birthday, so plans quickly changed.

Yesterday I bought a case of strawberries because they were on sale (and I had delusions about finding time to make jam during this seriously busy week). I raided the strawberries, and the pantry, and found all the ingredients for this quickly assembled, yet impressive, tart.

The recipe comes from the cookbook Short and Sweet: Sophisticated Desserts in 30 Minutes or Less, which I often turn to for quick and impressive desserts. Although this tart pushes the 30 minute time frame, it is excellent and really doesn't take much longer. Unless, like me, you've broken multiple egg slicers using them on strawberries, and in fact are in between egg slicers and have to slice the strawberries by hand. Then I'd say it takes closer to an hour.


I always slice the strawberries, I think it looks better that way. This time I did wedge three whole strawberries in the middle.


Everyone enjoyed this dessert! Happy Birthday, Stacey!

Strawberry Almond Butter Tart
8 servings

1/2 cup (4 ounces) canned almond paste, broken into 6 pieces (I always use the whole 7-ounce tube, with no other adjustments--works every time)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 15 pieces
3 large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup purchased lemon curd or 1/3 cup lemon or apricot jam or preserves (I've used both lemon curd and apricot preserves, both are delicious)
2 pints strawberries, hulled

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a 9- or 10-inch tart pan (with or without a removable bottom) with nonstick oil spray. In a food processor, blend the almond paste with the sugar and butter until smooth, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides, about 20 seconds total. (this always takes me longer than 20 seconds)

Add the eggs and process until blended, about 10 seconds. Add the flour and process until blended, about 5 seconds.

Spread the dough in the prepared pan. Bake until the top is golden and springs back when lightly pressed, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the pan on a rack for at least 8 minutes. (The pastry can be stored at room temperature, covered, for 1 day or frozen for up to 1 month).

Spread the top of the pastry with the lemon curd or jam. Leave the berries whole if they are small or slice them if they are large. Cover the top with whole berries, hulled sides down, or overlap the sliced berries to cover the top. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 4 hours before serving.

Brussels Sprouts and Hazelnuts

You probably remember when my son was starting 1st grade, and I sort of freaked out and got a bunch of "fast" cookbooks for weeknights. Well, this is one of the winners. So far every recipe has been great. And fast. That's probably why they named it Great Food Fast.

Tonight, I had some Brussels sprouts we needed to use up. And we also happened to have some hazelnuts around (this is rare because although we love them, you can't buy them around here). So this recipe was a perfect accompaniment to our Turkey Burgers. (the burgers are something new the boys are excited to try)

One boy loves Brussels sprouts. One boy does not. (but I bet he would if he tried!) Number One and I thought these were tasty. (even if I left off the salt and pepper)

The camera battery was dead~sorry no picture today! They were bright green, speckled with nuts!

Brussels Sprouts and Hazelnuts
Serves 4

1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and scored
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons chopped blanched hazelnuts
Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper

In a large skillet over medium heat, bring 1 cup water and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil. Add the Brussels sprouts; reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 20 minutes (add more water if the pan becomes dry).

Uncover; raise the heat to medium-high, and cook until the water has evaporated. Add the butter and hazelnuts; cook until the nuts are fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Garlic Shrimp Pasta

Once upon a time, we had a Housewarming party. (okay, I'll admit it was just a few months ago) In addition to the real-life party, I opened it up to virtual participation. One guest showed up online, and it was the lovely steph from a whisk and a spoon. She brought Southwestern-style Garlic Shrimp Tapas, and guacamole and oven-baked tortilla chips! I've been drooling over steph's shrimp since then.

When a night came that I didn't know what to have for dinner, but had a bag of uncooked shrimp in the freezer, I thought of steph's shrimp. My shrimp had some issues, namely it was frozen, sort of small, and still had the shell on. I couldn't make the shrimp spicy and serve it up to the boys, and I wanted to serve it with pasta.

This is what I came up with, I totally used steph's techniques and recipe, just left out a couple ingredients. I encourage you to try steph's Southwestern-style shrimp, but if you need a quick family meal, you've come to the right place.

I thawed the shrimp by placing them in a bowl and running cold water over them until they were ready. Then I drained the shrimp. I left the shells on because I just didn't want to deal with peeling that many shrimp, and I decided it would add an element of fun to the dinner table--look, boys, you get to take the legs off your shrimp!

I marinated the shrimp and put some water on for pasta, this time we used about 1/2 pound of spaghetti.

I'll just get on with the recipe. This garlic shrimp pasta was delicious and light, and easy! Everyone loved it. (and I forgot to add the parsley)


Garlic Shrimp Pasta
adapted from a whisk & a spoon
serves 4, with a bit leftover

half a pound of pasta, al dente

about 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined if you wish
6 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 bay leaf
1 Tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley

Place an oven rack in the middle position and preheat oven to 500°F. In a bowl, combine the shrimp with about one third of the minced garlic, two tablespoons of olive oil and salt. Let shrimp marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature (this should be long enough for your oven to preheat).

Once the oven is hot, pour the remaining olive oil into a medium-size, shallow casserole or baking dish (or a seasoned Spanish cazuela). Add the remaining minced garlic and the bay leaf and bake until sizzling, about 3-5 minutes.

Add the shrimp and marinade to the sizzling oil, and return the dish to the oven. Bake (stirring once) for another 3-4 minutes, or until the shrimp are cooked through. The shrimp is done when there is no more gray, but rather all the shrimp are whitish-pink. For me this took several minutes longer, just keep an eye on it. Remove shrimp from oven. Throw out the bay leaf and season with additional salt (if necessary).

Meanwhile, drain cooked pasta and put in a large bowl. When shrimp is done, toss shrimp and oil with the pasta, until pasta is coated. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately.

*If you don't peel and devein the shrimp, make sure you tell your family they'll have to do it at their plates.

Southwestern Hummus

Although I love a good hummus recipe (recipes here and here), I really wanted something that would go well with tortilla chips. (Pita bread is hard to find around these parts)

Last spring, when I started planning our housewarming party, I was inspired to create this Southwestern Hummus. We shared it with a select few friends to test out the recipe. I kept the recipe under wraps until our Housewarming Extravaganza! Now, here it is. Super easy, fast and oh-so-delicious!

You can easily half or double the recipe to serve how ever many people you want.

Sorry for the blurry picture! Hummus is in the red & white bowl.

Southwestern Hummus

2 good-sized scallions (green onions), cut in 1-inch lengths
2 cloves garlic
handful of fresh flat parsley or cilantro
2 cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
2 handfuls pine nuts (about 1 cup)
olive oil, about 1/4 cup, more or less, to adjust consistency
juice of 1 lime
1 can diced green chiles or jalapenos
1 to 2 teaspoons kosher salt, to taste

Add all ingredients to food processor and puree until smooth. Add more olive oil as needed to adjust the consistency until the puree moves smoothly in the processor and everything is well combined.

Let stand about 1 hour. Serve with tortilla chips or crostini. You can also make this up to two days in advance, store, covered, in refrigerator. Allow to come to room temperature (about 1 hour) and stir before serving.

Braised Chicken with Mushrooms

I've been wanting to make this recipe all week to use up the last of our mushrooms. Tonight, we finally had time, were home in time to cook, and Number One cooked it up for us. I made mashed potatoes to go with it, delicious with the chicken-mushroom "juice."

It's another recipe from Everyday Food: Great Food Fast. It's turning out to be a great little cookbook, especially for rushed weeknights.


Braised Chicken with Mushrooms
Serves 4
Prep time: 30 minutes
Total time: 55 minutes

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (6 ounces each)~we used chicken thighs
Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound white mushrooms, cleaned and sliced 1/2 inch thick (we used baby bellas)
4 garlic clovers, halved
1/2 cup dry white wine (optional, we didn't have a bottle opened so we left it out)
1 3/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (we used one whole can)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish

1. Sprinkle the chicken breasts with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the chicken; cook until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.

2. Add the remaining tablespoon oil to the hot skillet. Add the mushrooms, garlic and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cover; cook over medium heat until the mushrooms release their juices, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the lid. Cook over high heat, tossing occasionally, until the mushrooms are golden, 4 to 5 minutes.

3. Pour the wine, if using, into the skillet; cook, stirring, until evaporated, 1 minute. Add the stock and parsley; cook over medium-high heat until the mushrooms are tender and the liquid has reduced, 8 to 10 minutes.

4. Return the chicken to the skillet. Cover; simmer over low heat until the chicken is cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes. Serve the chicken topped with the mushrooms and a drizzle of cooking liquid. Garnish with additional fresh parsley.

Mushroom Ragout with Pasta

Another night, another 5:00 scramble for dinner. We're so busy trying to finish up the last touches on our house addition that sometimes dinner time just sneaks up on us. For the second night in a row, I turned to Everyday Food: Great Food Fast for a quick, delicious recipe. (it even has a Make Ahead option, see below!)

We had a bunch of mushrooms that needed to be used up, and a search for "mushrooms" in the index yielded this simple recipe. It even has bacon in it! Perfect.

Number One helped me by cooking the bacon and the pasta while I chopped mushrooms and picked parsley and rounded up the other ingredients from our newly-built and newly-organized pantry!

Simple yet satisfying, this mushroom bacon sauce is excellent without being overpowering. The flavors are just right, even the boys loved it. As H-Bomb said, "Mushrooms and bacon! Yum!"

We even had leftovers for tomorrow. Here you go.

Mushroom Ragout, before Pasta

Mushroom Ragout with Pasta
Serves 6 Prep time: 30 minutes Total time: 1 hour

4 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces (we used 1/2 pound of bacon)
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 packages (10 ounces each) cremini mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
2 packages (10 ounces each) white mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
(we used about 12 ounces of creminis and a package of oyster mushrooms)
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 pound spaghetti
Shaved Parmesan cheese, for garnish (optional)

1. In a large 5-quart saucepan with a tight-fitting lid (that will be used later), cook the bacon over medium heat, uncovered, stirring until crispy, about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel to drain. Set aside.

2. Add the onion to the saucepan; stir until golden, about 1 minute. Add the mushrooms; cover. Cook until the juices have evaporated, about 20 minutes.

3. Stir in the tomato paste, thyme and 2 cup water until combined; cover. Cook until the sauce has thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the parsley and vinegar. Add the bacon, reserving some for garnish, if desired.

4. Meanwhile, cook the pasta until al dente according to the package instructions. Drain and return to the pot.

5. To serve, toss the pasta with the ragout. Garnish with the reserved bacon and shaved Parmesan, if desired. Serve immediately.

*The sauce for this dish can be made a day or two ahead (keep the bacon separate) and refrigerated. Gently reheat as the pasta boils; add the bacon to the sauce during the last few minutes of heating.

Tandoori Chicken with Yogurt Sauce

Even though it's Friday, and we got home at 2:15 instead of 4:15pm, I'm tired. I really didn't want to spend much time on dinner. I pulled out my Everyday Food: Great Food Fast cookbook, and flipped through the index. Tandoori Chicken caught my eye, and we happened to have all the important ingredients!

I really thought I had grown cilantro this year, but I didn't see it when I ran out to the garden, so I grabbed some flat-leaf parsley for the yogurt sauce. I also decided to pick some mint to add to the sauce.

This chicken is fast and delicious! I forgot to charge my camera battery, so you'll just have to imagine a succulent piece of roasted chicken, tinged yellow from the turmeric, complemented by a white apple yogurt sauce speckled with fresh, green herbs...


Even the boys are loving this chicken, although H-Bomb initially said "it's too spicy" but then sat down and ate it ALL. Sawed Off had no complaints at all.

The book says: "Grated apples are an unusual but welcome addition to yogurt sauce. Ours is a variation on raita, the traditional accompaniment to many Indian dishes; its cooling effect counterbalances the spiciness of the meat."

Tandoori Chicken with Yogurt Sauce
Serves 4
Prep time: 30 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes

1 cup plain low-fat yogurt, divided
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground ginger
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
4 bone-in, skinless chicken breast halves (10 to 12 ounces each)*
2 Granny Smith apples (I used 2 Jonathans)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro (I used about 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley and about 1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh mint)

*I used bone-in chicken thighs (with skin) because they were on sale today at the grocery store--$0.66 per pound! I bought 12 packages (the limit, and I'll buy 12 more on Monday if they've got them!)

1. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. In a large bowl, mix together 1/2 cup of the yogurt,the garlic, turmeric, ginger, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add the chicken; turn to coat.

2. Transfer the chicken to a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast (avoiding the bone) registers 160 degrees F, 25 to 30 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, peel the apple; coarsely grate into a medium bowl. Add the cilantro and the remaining 1/2 cup yogurt; season with salt and pepper. Serve the sauce alongside the chicken, with rice, if desired.

Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower, Parsley and Breadcrumbs

Here's another one from Everyday Food magazine. They are my heroes for quick and tasty recipes from scratch. This one seemed to take a bit longer, but H-Bomb was napping and it threw off my "Dinner @ 5:ish" schedule. There were lots of little prep things to do also. So I really can't give an opinion regarding their total time estimation.

The cauliflower and garlic smell amazing in the oven (mostly the garlic). I used a few slices of Artisan Bread to make the breadcrumbs because we really don't buy sandwich bread any more! (did you read that Becky? Yahoo!) I also used a LOT more Parmesan, as always.

I didn't use a big enough pan for the pasta, not realizing that there would be mixing of everything else in the pan later, so I had to grab a large bowl for mixing. I tell you what, I will be happy when everything I need is in my kitchen, in its place!

The pasta is delicious, if difficult to photograph, of course it doesn't help when two young boys are having screaming meltdowns for various reasons...better luck to you in your kitchen! This would be delicious with a glass of red, and even though Number One isn't back from the fields yet, I just might have a glass by myself!

Oh and yes, the cauliflower is surprisingly nutty! (see below)


Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower, Parsley and Breadcrumbs
Serves 4 Prep time: 10 minutes Total time: 30 minutes
Cauliflower tastes surprisingly nutty and sweet when roasted--break it up into small florets to help it cook quickly.

coarse salt and ground pepper
1 head cauliflower (about 2 1/2 pounds) cored and broken into small florets
1 medium red onion, halved and cut into thin wedges
5 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
1/4 cup olive oil
4 slices white sandwich bread
12 ounces cavatappi or other short pasta (we used penne)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Preheat oven to 475 degrees F, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Set a large pot of salted water to boil. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss cauliflower, onion, and garlic with 2 tablespoons oil; season with salt and pepper. Roast on lower rack until lightly browned and tender, 20 minutes, tossing once. I probably will roasted mine a bit longer next time.

Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine bread and remaining 2 tablespoons oil; pulse until coarse crumbs form. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake on upper rack until golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes, tossing once.

Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water; drain pasta, and return to pot. Add cauliflower mixture, Parmesan, and parsley; toss to combine. Tossing pasta, gradually add enough pasta water to form a thin sauce that coats pasta. Serve topped with breadcrumbs and, if desired, more Parmesan.

Cuban Black Bean Stew with Rice

I was looking through a few Everyday Food magazines today while I waited for H-Bomb to get out of 1st grade (after visiting a few local businesses for the PTA this morning and a fun lunch with friends). I wanted a recipe that was fast and for which I had all the ingredients. It's hard when we don't get home until 4:00 and try to have dinner on by 5:ish.

So this recipe was the winner today. It truly took only 30 minutes, and it was delicious to boot! You really can't beat that. I even used a yellow bell pepper from our garden in the stew! We served ours with rice and lime wedges, and the magazine suggests chips or tortillas as an alternative. Number One and I think this would be delicious for breakfast, topped with a fried egg and some salsa!


Cuban Black Bean Stew with Rice
Serves 4 Prep time: 20 minutes Total time: 30 minutes

Rice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 red bell pepper (ribs and seeds removed, chopped)
2 cans (19 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14.5 ounces) vegetable broth (all I had was beef broth; I'm sure any kind of broth would work just fine)
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
coarse salt and ground pepper
garnishes (optional): lime wedges, fresh cilantro, and sliced radishes

Prepare 4 servings of your favorite rice according to package directions. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium. Add onion, garlic, and bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 8 to 10 minutes.

Add beans, broth, vinegar, and oregano. Cook, mashing some beans with the back of a spoon, until slightly thickened, 6 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Fluff rice with a fork. Serve beans over rice, with garnishes if desired.

Min's Fast, I mean FAST, Smothered Chicken

Lately I can't seem to get it together to have plans for dinner. I guess Bad Girls have off-days too. Could be the to-the-minute Thanksgiving planning (for more than a week ahead of time) that wore me out...anyway. This is what happened.

Tonight, I really wanted to make my beloved Pechugas de Pollo con Rajas. But I waited just a bit too long and ran out of time. The last-minute search was on. I have been looking at Shell's Smothered Chicken recipe for months now. Honestly, she posted it in June! You'd think I could have tried it by now.

Shell's recipe is for a slow cooker. Obviously, I didn't have that kind of time since it was already 5:15pm. But, I had everything for this recipe except mushrooms, so I went for it. We have a small family, so I just pulled 2 large chicken breasts out of the freezer and thawed them a bit in the microwave. I diced them to bite-sized pieces, and it was just the right amount. A batch of Minute Rice, and we had dinner.

It was fast, easy and delicious. And on the table by 6:pm. What more could you ask for? With mushrooms and/or zucchini it would have been perfect. Thanks Shell!

Now, if I could just figure out something for tomorrow...


Min's Fast, I mean FAST, Smothered Chicken
Adapted from Shell's Smothered Chicken
Serves 4

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large or 2 small onions, sliced
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced (would have been ideal)
1 small zucchini, diced (optional, I think it would be good)
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
1 can baby corn, drained
2 cans Cream of Mushroom soup
1/2 can milk
salt and pepper to taste
thyme to taste

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onions, mushrooms and zucchini, if using, and saute for about 5 minutes or so while you dice the chicken. Add chicken, and cook until done. Add baby corn, soup and milk, salt, pepper and thyme, and simmer gently for 5 or 10 minutes until heated through. Serve with rice. That's all.

Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip

This is a recipe I've had for a long time...I can't remember where I got it. I love this. Number One loves this. If you make some, you'll love it too. Tonight, we ate ours with Fritos. (You can't buy pita bread in this town, much less pita chips. Ya gotta improvise).

A good, quick snack or a great appetizer to take to a party! I had a picture, but I can't find it right now...and honestly, I don't think it was very pretty. Just trust me, you want to make some of this!

Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup grated Romano cheese (I just used 1/2 cup Parm, it's what I had)
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
salt and pepper to taste
1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (I didn't measure, just sprinkled it on top until it looked good. I probably used about 1/2 cup or more)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.


In a medium bowl, mix together cream cheese, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, Romano cheese, garlic, basil, garlic salt, salt and pepper. Gently stir in artichoke hearts and spinach.


Transfer the mixture to a small (8x8") baking dish. Top with mozzarella cheese.

Bake in the preheated oven 25 minutes, until bubbly and lightly browned.


Serve with pita chips, tortilla chips, celery, carrot sticks, or anything you feel like dipping.

Homemade Boursin Cheese

This is the first time we have made this recipe. It's from a little pamphlet-type cookbook called Easy & Elegant Hors d'Oeuvres. I LOVE Boursin, so I just couldn't resist trying this recipe. What better time than at Thanksgiving? It sounds festive and delicious. Since we are having guests, I'm crossing my fingers this tastes good, and I am making a double batch to yield 2 cups.

This cheese is a close approximation to actual Boursin, and significantly cheaper to serve! It is very delicious, and the spices are just perfect. This was a Thanksgiving hit as well. We are going to be serving this at many a holiday dinner.

Post-Thanksgiving Update: This cheese is awesome. While it is certainly not Boursin, if you're not familiar with Boursin you wouldn't know that. And the spices do a fine imitation...it is a perfectly acceptable imposter. This cheese is good! So good, that H-Bomb has declared it is His Favorite. I will be making this again, especially since those little rounds of Boursin have gotten so expensive lately...

Note that this has to be made 12 to 24 hours in advance.

Homemade Boursin Cheese
Yield: 1 cup

8 ounces plain whipped cream cheese or soft cream cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon chopped chives
pinch dried marjoram, crushed (I put the marjoram and thyme in my mortar and pestle to finely crush them)
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper

In large bowl, beat cream cheese. Add other ingredients, and beat until well blended. Refrigerate 12-24 hours. Serve on crackers. (also good on celery, etc!)

Five-Spice Lamb with Spinach

Tonight, I was looking for a lamb recipe that didn't require any marination, as it was just 40 minutes until dinner time. I found this recipe in my Food & Wine Annual Cookbook 2007. Despite the fact that we didn't have any spinach, it sounded great. And, without the spinach, it was done in less than 30 minutes!

It went well with the acorn squash I had the foresight to throw in the oven earlier, and the "baked" potatoes we tossed in the microwave. The spinach sounds excellent, so one day when this meal is actually a plan, we will have that as well.

The lamb is tasty, and I still can't believe how fast and easy it was. Our lamb chops are small, so I only cooked them about 5 minutes on a side, and they were perfectly done. I also halved the cayenne pepper because of the boys, and just sprinkled the spices on both sides of the lamb instead of "coating" (I had some of the spice mix leftover). It was just about right: spicy enough for us, not too spicy for them. It's a delicate balance!

(The flash on my camera does nasty things to lamb, and it's dark outside, so this is the best I can do for the moment. Trust me, it tastes much better than it looks!)






Five-Spice Lamb with Spinach
Total: 30 minutes
4 servings
Wine pairing: Round, deep-flavored Syrah

1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I used 1/2 teaspoon)
Eight 8-ounce lamb loin chops
Salt (I use kosher)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 medium shallots, thinly sliced
1 pound clean bagged spinach, tough ends discarded

1. In a small bowl, mix the spices. Season the lamb with salt; drizzle with olive oil. Coat both sides of the chops with the spices.

2. In a very large skillet, heat the 1/4 cup of olive oil until shimmering. Add the chops and cook over moderate heat until browned and medium rare, 7 minutes per side.

3. Meanwhile, in a large, deep skillet, melt the butter. Add the shallots and cook over moderate heat until softened and golden. Add handfuls of the spinach to the skillet and cook over moderate heat, stirring and adding more spinach after each batch wilts. Season with salt, mound on plates and serve with the lamb.

Sunny Chicken with Shallots, Artichokes & Mushrooms

This dish came about when both the boys were sleeping (a rare occasion), I was by myself in the house (ditto) and I remembered one lonely chicken breast in the freezer. I took the opportunity to experiment, and decided if the boys didn’t like it when they woke up, they could just eat pasta.

Sunny Chicken with Shallots, Artichokes & Mushrooms

Makes 4 servings

1 – 2 tablespoons olive oil

1 shallot, minced

1 potato, diced

kosher salt

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced

6 cremini mushrooms, sliced

½ can artichoke hearts, drained

1 cup frozen corn

1 cup frozen green beans

juice from ½ lemon

buttered egg noodles

I heated the olive oil in a frying pan over medium-low heat, and sautéed the shallot. I added the potato and stirred, then covered the pan so the potato would steam a bit and cook faster. I don’t mind a browned potato, but I did stir them every once in a while. Meanwhile, I (carefully) diced the frozen chicken breast, then added it to the pan, salted and stirred everything and covered it again so the chicken would thaw.

When the chicken was about halfway cooked, I removed the lid and sautéed everything more, then added the mushrooms and artichoke hearts. I added the corn and green beans, and squeezed half a lemon over everything. I stirred and replaced the lid again. When the corn and beans were heated through, I turned off the heat and waited for my egg noodles to finish. (should have started them just a bit earlier)

This was a good dinner, and fairly quick at just over ½ hour. Everything came from the pantry or freezer, and it ended up making 4 healthy servings, even without the noodles. (I bet you never thought a single chicken breast could feed a family of four!) The lemon and artichoke hearts gave everything a little bit of brightness, just a hint of flavor without overpowering.

I didn’t add spices other than salt this time, but I would be open to suggestions! What would you have done with these ingredients?

John's Salsa

This recipe brings back fond memories from the time JennyLee and I took a road trip with our combined four kids (plus one in Jenny's belly) to her sister (Lori) and brother-in-law's (John) house in Arizona. We filled up the minivan and just drove. It was an adventure! It was fun to see where JennyLee grew up, meet her mom, her family, her friends.

Lori and John were so welcoming, and their home is amazing. They whipped up this salsa in no time. It is perfect for when you have no fresh tomatoes, but want a great-tasting salsa to accompany your chips or chorizo and eggs with fresh tortillas. Thanks, Lori and John, for making us feel at home and sharing this awesome recipe.

This is the first time I have tried this recipe, and unfortunately our cilantro didn't survive this year, so I used basil. I will also reduce the sugar by at least half next time, this batch tastes a bit sweeter than I remember. I used 3 peppers instead of 2 because Number One has a nasty head cold and I'm trying to help him clear his sinuses. A good, fast salsa.

Feel free to try this at home...


John's Salsa

• 2 small green onions cut about 2"
• palm full of cilantro
  
• 2 Mezzetta hot chili peppers

Mix together in blender or processor then add:

• Large can of whole peeled tomatoes (drained)
• Can of diced green chili
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt

Blend till you get consistency you like.

Port Wine Vinaigrette

This recipe is from The Culinary Institute's Gourmet Meals in Minutes. This vinaigrette is simple and flavorful, and I used it to top the Mixed Green Salad with Pears, Walnuts and Blue Cheese for lunch today. It would be lovely atop almost any salad.

Port Wine Vinaigrette
Makes 2 cups
Preparation time: 5 minutes

1/2 cup tawny port
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Whisk together the port and the vinegar. Gradually whisk in the oil. Season with the salt and pepper if necessary. Refrigerate until needed. Whisk to recombine before using.

*I just put everything in a jar with a lid, and shook it up. It worked fine.

Mixed Green Salad with Pears, Walnuts and Blue Cheese

This recipe comes from The Culinary Institute's Gourmet Meals in Minutes. I prepared this salad for guests for a fall luncheon today, to accompany my Irish Beef Stew, bread and butter, and Cowboy Cookies. I was sad that one of my friends, originally planning to be here, could not attend. Come down soon, Alice!

I used organic fresh pears from a tree in one of our fields on the ranch, romaine lettuce, and gorgonzola.

Mixed Green Salad with Pears, Walnuts and Blue Cheese
makes 8 servings preparation time: 20 minutes

Though easy to prepare, this is an elegant starter for every day or when entertaining guests. Port Wine Vinaigrette provides the perfect finishing touch for this marriage of sweet and piquant flavors.

1 1/2 pounds red leaf lettuce or baby romaine, washed and dried
1/2 cup Port Wine Vinaigrette
6 ripe Seckel pears, quartered and cored
1 cup walnuts, toasted
1 cup blue cheese, crumbled

Toss the lettuce with the vinaigrette. Divide the lettuce between 8 plates. Top with 3 pears and about 2 tablespoons each of the walnuts and blue cheese.

Note: Other pears may be used, depending upon seasonal availability.


I just put the lettuce in a huge serving bowl, tossed with vinaigrette and topped it with the walnuts, cheese and pears. It looked great in the bowl (forgot to take a picture though).

Texas Caviar Dip

Now this is not any sort of real caviar. Rather its more of an upside down salsa, with beans being the larger ingredients, rather than tomatoes. It’s quite tasty, and addictive with chips.

Ingredients
1 small onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped (green preferable)
1 bunch of chopped chives
1 tablespoon garlic salt
2 cans of diced tomatoes, jalapeño flavored
1 (8 ounce) bottle of Italian Dressing (I find store brands work best for this)
2 (15 ounce) cans of hominy (garbanzo beans are a good substitute if you can’t find hominy)
2 (15 ounce) can black-eyed peas, drained
1 bunch chopped fresh cilantro
Shredded parsley if desired.

Mix all ingredients together in large bowl, than serve as a dip. It goes best with corn chips or some sort of salty cracker. It also tastes better after 24 hours, after it has time to marinade itself.

Bittersweet Chocolate Drops

This is another recipe from my Short and Sweet cookbook. If you only buy one cookbook I recommend, and you love quick and easy desserts, this should be the one you purchase. I threw a batch of these delicious little nuggets together in about 20 minutes total, including baking time, right after we were invited at the last minute to a dinner party. They were well-received, tasty, and so easy to make. You probably have most (if not all) of the ingredients in your kitchen right now!

I am going to make another batch of these very soon!
Stay tuned for pictures!

Here's what the cookbook says: "These easy cookies combine the pure chocolate of brownies with the crispness of drop cookies. If you like nuts in your cookies, stir in about 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts."

Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, broken into pieces
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a large baking sheet with nonstick oil spray. In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, stir the chocolate and butter until both are nearly melted. Blend in the sugar. Working quickly to prevent curdling, whisk in the egg. Then stir in the flour and baking powder to make a stiff dough.

Drop round tablespoonfuls of dough about 1 1/2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the cookies are set and the tops are crackly, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet for about 2 minutes, then transfer to a rack. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature. (The cookies can be stored, tightly covered, for up to 5 days or frozen for 1 month.)

We didn't have any cookies left to worry about storing them...

Frittata

This dish comes from my trusty Better Homes & Gardens New Cookbook (which in my home, is quite old and well-used by now). It is a perfect way to use up leftover meat or vegetables, and is quick and easy. You can have dinner on the table in about 20 minutes!

I've used just vegetables, or a combination of meat and vegetables, depending on the leftovers. Tonight, I didn't have any leftover vegetables or meat, so I sauteed some potatoes, carrots, onions and broccoli in olive oil, until the potatoes were nicely browned and everything was cooked. I bet I had about 2 cups of vegetables, rather than the 3/4 cup the recipe calls for--it's quite forgiving, so feel free to make it your own.

There are also two ways to cook it, I prefer the oven method. But, no matter the method, there is one very important thing I must tell you. After the pan comes out of the oven or broiler, don't forget that the handle, which 9 times out of 10 is normally cool, IS FREAKIN' HOT. And trust me, it will burn you every time. You might just slide an oven mitt right over it to be safe. And have an ice pack, and perhaps a cold beer, on standby.

Frittata
A frittata is an Italian egg dish that resembles an omelet.
Makes 3 to 4 servings

6 eggs
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon butter (I used olive oil tonight, with a little salt)
3/4 cup cooked vegetables and/or meat
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan or Romano (or any kind of cheese. tonight, cheddar)

1. Beat eggs and pepper, set aside. In a 10-inch broiler-proof or oven-proof skillet cook onion and garlic in butter till tender. Stir in vegetables or meat.


Oven method: Use an oven-proof skillet. Pour egg mixture into skillet over vegetables or meat. Bake in a 350 degree F oven about 15 minutes or till a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Sprinkle with cheese. Cut into wedges and serve.

Broiler method: Pour egg mixture into skillet over vegetables or meat. Cook over medium heat. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes or till top is just set. Sprinkle with cheese. Cut into wedges and serve.