Yellow & Mellow: a spring risotto

Little darlin, it's been a long cold lonely winter. Little darlin, it feels like years since you've been here.

Here comes the sun.

Here comes the sun.

And I say, it's alright.

The downpour of the last four days has finally stopped and the sun has never looked better. I was really missing it after several days of gray and dreary. But even through the rain yesterday, I noticed CSA members were all smiles and downright giddy about getting the first box of the season. I even bumped into a dear friend from a job I had long ago - how funny that we would be at the pick up spot at the same time! I'm sure we'll share a few CSA inspired meals now that we found each other again!

Last night after organizing & separating the goodies from the box, I pulled out the green garlic and asparagus for dinner. Green garlic, also known as baby spring garlic are the fresh shoots of an immature garlic plant. They look almost exactly like scallions, but a quick whiff will prove otherwise. While it's certainly milder, there's no doubt it's garlic. I only used the white and pale green parts for the risotto.


Leek and Green Garlic Risotto
Adapted from "Local Flavors" by Deborah Madison

Green Garlic and Leeks:
4 medium leeks, white parts only
3 large heads green garlic
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup white wine
salt and pepper to taste

Rice:
6 cups of vegetable or chicken stock
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/2 cup chopped chervil or parsley, and/or leftover green garlic tops
Zest of 1 lemon, finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Quarter leeks lengthwise, cut them crosswise into 1/4-inch slices, and wash well. Remove any tough papery husks from garlic, then finely chop bulbs.

Melt butter in a sauté pan. Add leeks and garlic, stir to coat, then add wine and cook over medium-low heat until leeks are tender, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and set aside while you cook the rice.

Have stock simmering on the stove. Melt butter in a wide soup pot over medium heat. Add rice and cook, stirring for 1 minute.

Pour in wine and simmer until it is absorbed, then add 2 cups of the stock. Simmer until it has been absorbed, then raise heat to medium and begin adding stock 1/2 cup at a time. Stir energetically and continue adding liquid after each addition is absorbed. Rice is done when tender with a slight bite, about 35 minutes. Stir in leeks, cheese and herbs.

• I didn't have any leeks last night, so I used three small shallots in it's place. I thought it added a lovely sweetness to the dish. However, cutting shallots always makes me cry! No matter what I do...
• You know, I usually make risotto on the weekends because of the time factor. But the truth is, once you get the hang of it, it's not so hard to make. You definitely need to commit to standing in one place for 30 minutes. That's for sure. But it's worth the stirring effort. At least I think so.
• Don't skip the zest!
• I steamed the asparagus - which was absolutely beautiful- sliced it, and added it at the very end.

Like a kid in a candy store

Dear Williams-Sonoma,

I love you. Very very much. Your bright and shiny kitchen tools beckon me to enter through your hallowed doorway. You seem to have something new for me everytime. It's like you knew I'd be coming and wanted me to feel welcome.

On this Valentine's Day, I ask you just one thing in return for all the marvelous things you gave (sold) me. For the love of all things holy, please let me go. Please. I simply can't afford you. One day soon when I walk past you in the mall, just look away. Like we never meant anything to each other.

Oh, I love you. And how I'll miss you. But if you ever think of me (by slashing your prices), I'm just an email away.

Warmly (350 F),

Karen

Williams-Sonoma: Essentials of Healthful Cooking:
I can't believe I haven't mentioned this book before! It's absolutely one of my favorites. I go back to it time and time again. If you've tried "my favorite side dish of all time" - sweet potatoes and cranberry hash, then you know that this book contains some real gems.

The recipes, stunning pictures and helpful techinques within this book is just the tip of the iceberg. When I first started out cooking with health in mind, this was my playbook. The first few pages offer an ingredient list for a healthy kitchen. Then later it illustrates which kitchen equipment and tools are essential for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. I sincerely believe this is a "must-have."

One last thought, that many of you will appreciate: the pages don't stick! This is a well made book and takes a beating well. Even my puppy has chewed on the hard cover edges and it kept on ticking.

Goat Cheese and Potato Gratin
from Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Healthful Cooking

2 t extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 lb small round white potatoes
2 T finely chopped Italian parsley
1 t fresh thyme
1 T all purpose plain flour
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
3 oz crumbled very cold fresh goat cheese (about 3/4 cup)
1 1/4 cups 1 percent fat milk
1 T grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Brush an 8 in. square or other shallow 1 1/2 quart baking dish with olive oil.

Using a mandoline or a large sharp knife, slice the potatoes paper thin.

In a small bowl, stir together the parsley and 1 t thyme. In another small bowl, stir together the flour, 1/4 t s and a grind of pepper. Place the goat cheese in a third bowl.

Arrange 1/3 of the potato slices, slightly overlapping them, in the baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with half of the herb mix, half of the flour mix and one third of the goat cheese. Arrange 1/2 of the remaining potato slices on top, again overlapping them slightly. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining herb mix, flour mix, and half the remaining cheese. Arrange the remaining potato slices in a layer on top and sprinkle with the remaining goat cheese. Pour the milk evenly on top.

Cover the dish tightly with foil. Bake until the potatoes are tender with pierced with a knife. About 1 hour. Uncover, sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano, and continue to bake until golden. About 15 minutes longer. Remove from oven and let stand 15 min. before serving. This will allow it time to thicken.

Garnish with thyme leaves and serve.

• Can anything with potatoes and cheese ever be bad? Even if you're not a goat cheese fan, this dish might win you over. Thank you to my hubby for introducing me to goat cheese several years ago. I've loved it - and you- ever since.

Happy Valentine's Day everyone.

Sniff. Sniff. Is this still good?

My husband has witnessed this scene many times before. It's early in the morning. We've just finished feeding the dog and I'm grabbing the milk for breakfast. The sun is not even up yet and the only light is coming from the open refrigerator door. "Honey, come and smell this!" He swears that something traumatic dealing with cows happened to me in my childhood. I just can't handle milk that's over four or five days old. Yes, I know this is extreme.

Which leads me to my upcoming challenge of the week. He is leaving on a business trip from Tuesday to Sunday. I just came back from grocery shopping with many perishable items. In a few days, I will have no one but the dog to turn to and she is very flexible when it comes to sell by dates.

So I thought I would ask my friends here for some suggestions. I'm definitely going to freeze some things and make half of some selected recipes. Here's what's currently in the fridge tick- tocking away: lemons, limes, oranges (mostly for zesting and juicing purposes), broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, scallions, red peppers, white and sweet potatoes, kale, spring mix, spinach, parsley and romaine. Oh and buttermilk leftover from the muffins I made a few days ago. Thoughts?

Last night I kicked off this week of cooking with two fairly well received dishes.

Curried Potatoes with Kale
from "Greens, Glorious Greens" by Johnna Albi & Catherine Walthers:

2 lbs white, yellow finn or red potatoes, peeled
1 T canola oil
2 t curry powder
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
salt to taste
1 1/2 cups of water
3/4 lb of kale (about 6 cups chopped)
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 lime, cut into 6 wedges

Cut the potatoes into 3/4 inch cubes and set aside. Heat a 10-12 inch skillet over med. heat. Add the oil and swirl in the pan. Add the curry powder and cook for 1 minute, taking care not to burn it. Add the onions and saute over med. heat for 5 minutes, or until they begin to soften.

Add the potato cubes and toss to coat with the curry and oil. Season lightly with salt, add the water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Meanwhile wash the kale well, then strip the leaves off the stalks. Discard stalks and chop kale into bite size pieces. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a 10-12 inch skillet in a tight fitting lid. Add the kale and cook, covered, over high heat, stirring occasionally, until tender. Approx. 5 minutes.

Stir cooked kale with the potatoes. Heat through and season to taste with pepper and salt (if necessary). Serve hot with a squeeze of fresh lime juice.

• I used the wrong potatoes here. I went with white when the authors said they favored yukon in this dish because of its creaminess. I bet this would have taken this dish to a different level if I followed their advice. I just used what I had on hand.
• Even though this dish was well seasoned, I didn't feel like I was enjoying the curry, as much. I expected it to be the lead actor, but it only had a "walk on" part. Next time I'll add more during the steaming phase.
• This dish took a lot longer to prepare than I expected, too. The cooking time was pretty accurate, though. I did add two minutes of microwave time at the end so the pototoes would get a little softer.
• In the end, it was just okay. Neither of us reached for seconds. I will try this again with the adjustments I mentioned.
• Quick update - I just took this out of the fridge to heat up for lunch and the potatoes will a deeper orange color. I guess they made friends with the curry last night. I added grated Parmesan-Reggiano to it (about 2 T) and heated it up. It was outstanding. Like a completely different dish entirely. My suggestion for this dish is to let it sit in the fridge for a few hours before serving. And add the cheese.

Lemon Orzo with Parsley from Williams-Sonoma's Essentials of Healthy Cooking

1 1/2 cups orzo

Kosher salt

2 T unsalted butter

2 T of fresh lemon juice

2 t of grated lemon zest

1 T finely chopped fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley

In a large saucepan over high heat, bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Stir in the orzo and 1 t of salt. Cover and reduce the heat to medium. Cook until the water is absorbed and the pasta is tender. About 15 minutes. Add the butter, lemon juice, zest and parsley and stir to blend. Serve warm.

• High marks for this one. I absolutely loved it. Have you ever dipped lobster in lemon butter sauce? Okay, so there's no shellfish present here (but it would be great with grilled shrimp), but just a touch of the lemon butter mixture evokes happy memories for me. You don't need a lot. The zest itself is prominent. More flavor. Less calories.
• I usually use chicken broth instead of water when I make bulgur, couscous or rice. With this, I took a chance and stuck with water. I figured the sauce might compete too much if the pasta had the broth flavor.
• We reached for thirds with this dish. The leftovers are going fast. It won't make it past lunch today.
• Quick update: there was about a cup leftover for lunch today, so I dressed it up and gave it to my husband. I added steamed broccoli and crumbled feta cheese. And a few squeezes of fresh lemon juice. He was at the bottom of the bowl before I could ask him how it was...

Looking forward to hearing your comments on how to use up the remaining perishables in five days!

Feeling a little nutty?

The other day I was perusing Mollie Katzen's website and found a number of recipes that I would like to try. One in particular caught my eye because the flavors sounded just wonderful to me. It was "Wild Rice with Cherries and Hazelnuts."

In my pantry, I am storing a wide variety of all kinds of nuts. I have found that a handful of nuts and dried fruit really satisfy me between meals. This was the first opportunity I've had to use the hazelnuts and dried cherries in a recipe together. According to the Hazelnut Council (which in my mind are just ten squirrels sitting in a board room), hazelnuts are a rich source of dietary fiber, vitamin E, magnesium, and heart healthy B vitamins. They are also rich in antioxidants and disease fighting nutrients.

I didn't feel like waiting the 45 minutes to cook rice according to Mollie's recipe, so I took out my leftover cooked bulgur from the fridge. You can find the recipe for basic cooked bulgur in my post about a Mediterranean dinner.

I had about one cup's worth of cooked bulgur left. So, I took a 2/3 cup of fresh unsalted hazelnuts and placed them in a ziplock bag and smashed them with a rolling pin. That was really fun. I scared my dog, though. Sorry Sami. Then I took about 1/2 cup of dried cherries and roughly chopped them. I added both the chopped hazenuts and cherries to the bulgur and added approximately 2 T of natural maple syrup (Whole Foods brand). I mixed it all together with a pinch of kosher salt and heated it up in the microwave for 45 seconds. The aroma of warm hazelnuts immediately hit me as I sat down at the table for lunch. I love it when a meal engages so many senses. I wasn't prepared for how fragrant this would be so that was a happy surprise.

I can't even begin to describe how delicious this easy, fast and nutrient packed dish was. My mouth was making, how should I put it - yum yum noises.

Aren't I the articulate one?

Mollie's original recipe can be found at: http://www.molliekatzen.com/recipes/recipe.php?recipe=wild_rice_cherries

A Mediterranean meal on a cold winter's night

Brrrr. Winter has arrived and it's sticking it's heels in deep. Our front yard is frozen solid and we're almost sure to see more snow tomorrow. On a night like this, I just want to escape to a friendlier climate. I don't have enough airline miles saved up yet, so I served up Mediterranean flavors for dinner instead. After a fun (and freezing) day hanging out downtown with my best buddy, I came home too late to consider dealing with the flank steak in the fridge. This is where a stocked pantry and fridge full of fresh veggies has it's benefits! I reached for Ellie Krieger's new book - I know, I know. I'm clearly obsessed with it. An hour later, our dinner plates looked gorgeous. Bright green spinach and chickpea salad with orange infused yogurt dressing. Roasted, carmelized honey sweet potatoes and a side of cooked bulgur. Here we go:


Chickpeas and Spinach Salad
with Cumin Dressing by Ellie Krieger



2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed


1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley


1/2 cup chopped red onion


1/4 cup olive oil


3 tablespoons lemon juice


1/2 teaspoon lemon zest


1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin


1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper


Salt and pepper


4 cups baby spinach leaves



Yogurt with Orange Essence, recipe below, optional


2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh mint leaves, optional



In a medium bowl combine the chickpeas, parsley and onion. In a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, zest, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the chickpea mixture and toss to combine. Serve the chickpea salad over a bed of spinach leaves. Top with the yogurt sauce and a sprinkle of mint, if using.

Yogurt with Orange Essence by Ellie Krieger


1/3 cup lowfat plain yogurt


1/4 teaspoon orange zest


2 tablespoons orange juice


1/2 teaspoon honey

In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, orange zest, orange juice and honey.

• The more I cook, the more comfortable I am substituting an ingredient that I have on hand for one that's called for in the recipe. Instead of red onion, I went with diced red pepper. A few years ago, I used to run out to the store if I didn't have something!
• I used a fresh orange for the juice in the yogurt sauce and it was slightly bitter. I added more honey to balance the taste. This is a good example of letting loose and not always following the recipe directions to the letter (which I always used to do!) All oranges are not created equal, so one must sample and adjust.
• After I mixed the yogurt with the spinach and the spinach with the chickpea mixture, I decided this dish would benefit from additional dressing. So, I used organic fresh squeezed orange juice, honey and yogurt in equal parts. It was really sweet, much sweeter than the dressing I used to coat the spinach. I thought it really enhanced the whole dish.
• I didn't have any fresh mint available. But I will definitely get some next time. I think it would kick this up a notch.

Honey Roasted Sweet Potatoes by Ellie Krieger

2 pounds red-skinned sweet potatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into 1-inch pieces and put in a 9 by 13 baking dish. In a small bowl whisk together olive oil, honey and lemon juice. Pour mixture over potatoes and toss to coat. Sprinkle with the salt, and bake, stirring occasionally, for about 1 hour, until potatoes are tender.

• I really needed to switch gears from my "go to" roasted veggies recipe. I usually only use olive oil, salt and pepper. The honey and fresh lemon really bring out the natural flavor of the sweet potatoes. No one, not even your pickiest eater, will be able to resist this dish.
  

Basic Cooked Bulgur


2 cups of chicken broth

1 cup of bulgur (rinsed first)


Combine chicken broth and bulgur and bring to a quick boil. Decrease heat to a simmer and cover. Bulgur will be finished in 12-15 minutes. There might be excess broth. Drain and serve.

• Bulgur seemed like the perfect grain to balance out this meal. In a way, this whole meal is a de-constructed tabbouleh salad.
• My husband encouraged me to "mix it all together" on the plate. He felt the sum was better than the parts.
• Superfood alert. Sweet Potatoes, nonfat plain yogurt, honey, spinach, oh my!

It's not easy being green....

Last year I hired a holistic nutritionist to review what I was eating and offer some insight to help me regain my energy and skip in my step. For six months, she introduced me to a whole new world of nutrient dense food whose purpose was to "nourish" good health. All of my current cooking adventures are a result from this very transformative experience. But I have to tell you, I was kind of skeptical at first. Especially the morning I received a gift from her the first week I signed on.

It was this book:

I was pretty shocked when I looked through it. To me, even the cover picture looked foreign! Each chapter described one new dark leafy green. Swiss chard (was it a cheese?!) Kale- curly and dino! Bok choy. Dandelion greens - um, is that what's growing on my lawn? I thought, what have I gotten myself into?


Truth is, I really trusted my nutritionist. Also, I've never been afraid of trying something new. I started out slowly with something sweet like sauteed kale with pinenuts and raisins. It turned out to be darn tasty. Soon I was learning which dark leafy greens I needed to boil or steam first to make more tender and which benefited from Asian flavorings like dark sesame oil. And just like my foodie mentor promised, I actually started to crave them! To this day, though, I still haven't tried those dandelion greens.

Are you still with me, or do you already miss the post about chocolate and pumpkin?

My favorite leafy green by far is rainbow swiss chard. I'm still trying to get my hubby to like them as much as I do. Yesterday I finally won him over with a bit of a twist on an Ellie Krieger recipe. I replaced the cabbage with chard.

Sesame Stir-Fried Chinese Greens by Ellie Krieger

1 T sesame seeds
2 t canola oil
2 pounds of bok choy or napa cabbage, cut across into 1 inch wide strips
2 T low sodium soy sauce
1 T rice wine vinegar
2 t toasted sesame oil

Toast the sesame seeds in a small dry skillet over medium-high heat until golden, about two minutes, stirring frequently; set aside.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over high heat until very hot but not smoking. Add the bok choy or cabbage and stir fry until it begins to soften slightly, 1-2 minutes. Add the soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil and cook until just done, 1-2 minutes longer. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and serve immediately.

• First, I cut the chard leaves off their colorful stems and threw the stems away. I know I could of cooked them too, but I just decided to make this a leafy side dish.
• I think that chard can be rather tough if I don't boil them for a few minutes before the stir fry. Just 5 minutes will do it. Drain them well then add them to the skillet.
• I served this with baked turbot (white fish fillet similar to sea bass.) The whole meal, greens and all, took less than 20 minutes from prep to table!
• If you're interested in buying "Greens, Glorious, Greens, check out this website http://www.simpleliving.net/main/item.asp?itemid=1046
• If you're at all curious about what guidance a holistic nutritionist provides, check out her website at http://www.heidirothbard.com/. I didn't meet in person with Heidi, but rather we held our sessions over the phone and by email. It was an extremely effective program which I recommend highly.

Your family will love this dinner

My final thoughts on Ellie Krieger's new book, is to run, not walk to the bookstore and get yourself a copy. If I was really ambitious, I would make every recipe in her new book this year. Not only is Ellie dedicated to healthy fare, but these recipes have a prep time of 30 minutes or less. She really has written this for parents out there with little time on their hands but a dedication to raising healthy kids. These two recipes below - which can be found in her book and online at the Food Network website - are a perfect example of a weeknight meal for a family of four. Even your most picky eaters will love these dishes. I made the meatloaf last night and I've made the mac and cheese several times in the last few months. My thoughts on each recipe below.

Mom's Turkey Meatloaf by Ellie Krieger



3/4 cup quick-cooking oats



1/2 cup skim milk



1 medium onion, peeled



2 pounds ground turkey breast



1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper



2 eggs, beaten



2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce



1/4 cup ketchup



1/2 teaspoon salt



Freshly ground black pepper



1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a small bowl, stir together the oats and milk. Thinly slice 1/4 of the onion and set aside. Finely chop the remaining onion. In a large bowl combine the turkey, oat mixture, chopped onion, bell pepper, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, salt and a few grinds of pepper. Mix just until well combined.

Transfer the mixture to a 9 by 13-inch baking dish and shape into a loaf about 5 inches wide and 2 1/2 inches high. Pour the tomato sauce over the meatloaf and sprinkle with the sliced onions. Bake for about 1 hour or until an instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees.F.
Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 to15 minutes before slicing.

• I only had 1 lb of ground turkey meat, so I wound up halving this recipe. This was perfect for a dinner for two. I thought I would have more leftovers, but my husband ate three pieces (that's a good thing, right?) For those of you who want to do the same, bake it for 45 minutes instead of an hour.
• Before I set this on the table, my husband was a little skeptical. His memories of meatloaf from the school cafeteria wasn't stellar. And he kept repeating the lines from the movie "Wedding Crashers." Remember that scene when Owen Wilson visits "Chaz" (Will Ferrell) who is a ladies man but still lives with his mother. "Mom! Meatloaf!" Okay, I digress...
• We both loved this recipe because it was the most moist (say that three times fast) meatloaf we've ever had. It was the tomato sauce. Don't skip this step. If you have don't have an 80z can of tomato sauce, just use some marinara sauce.
• I was missing two ingredients. Usually I would run out to the store, but we were blanketed with snow here yesterday so I made do. I didn't have instant oats because I use the kind that takes 15 minutes. I didn't want to chance it, so I used panko - whole wheat bread crumbs from Japan - instead. I was also missing a pepper since I made the roasted red peppers a few days ago.
• In the future, I'm going to add sauteed swiss chard or spinach to the meatloaf.

Macaroni & 4 Cheeses by Ellie Krieger




Cooking spray



1 pound elbow macaroni



2 (10-ounce) packages frozen pureed winter squash



2 cups 1 percent lowfat milk



4 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated (about 1 1/3 cups)



2 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated (about 2/3 cup)



1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese



1 teaspoon salt



1 teaspoon powdered mustard



1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper



2 tablespoons grated Parmesan



2 tablespoons unseasoned bread crumbs



1 teaspoon olive oil


Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until tender but firm, about 5 to 8 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.

Meanwhile, place the frozen squash and milk into a large saucepan and cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally and breaking up the squash with a spoon until defrosted. Turn the heat up to medium and cook until the mixture is almost simmering, stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the Cheddar, Jack cheese, ricotta cheese, salt, mustard and cayenne pepper. Pour cheese mixture over the macaroni and stir to combine. Transfer the macaroni and cheese to the baking dish.

Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan and oil in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the top of the macaroni and cheese. Bake for 20 minutes. Then broil for 3 minutes so the top is crisp and nicely browned.

• I have to admit that growing up in my parents home, I always thought that mac and cheese came in a box. I never had real, baked macaroni and cheese. I didn't even know what it was! It wasn't until I was in my twenties and a friend's parent treated us to the real thing. I thought I had died and gone to heaven.
• Of all the different versions of macaroni and cheese that my hubby and I have tried (that I've made), this is by far our favorite. The squash adds a distinctive and pleasant taste. Plus, we feel great eating a treat like mac and cheese guilt free. When we have a family, we are planning on making this a staple.
• Just you know, don't expect this dish to look real cheesy. There's no "gooey-ness." So, when you make it and see what I'm talking about, don't fret. It still tastes divine.
• I've made this several times and have used less and less bread crumbs. It just doesn't need it. It even dries it out a little.
• Has anyone ever found whole wheat elbow macaroni? I've never ever seen it and I would love to try it.

Easy, Fast, Delicious Asparagus

This is one of my favorite side dishes for any meal. It's so quick - literally 10 minutes of prep and 15 minutes or less of cooking. Also, asparagus is packed with nutrients. Cooking Light says, "Eating this tender veggie is an excellent way to help protect yourself against heart disease, as it contains lots of folate, as well vitamins E, A, and C. In addition to helping your heart, folate (a B vitamin) helps cells regenerate; vitamin E fights Type II diabetes; and vitamins A and C help hold cancer and cataracts at bay. Asparagus also contains potassium, which helps lower blood pressure and perhaps even cholesterol."

My favorite thing about this recipe is I always have the ingredients on hand. These are pretty typical items found in everyone's pantry. When you're picking out the asparagus, pick spears that are thin. They will also cook more easily if they are around the same size.

Brown Butter & Balsamic Asparagus

Ingredients
4 pounds fresh asparagus
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1/4 cup butter
4 teaspoons lite soy sauce
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

Preparation: Snap off and discard tough ends of asparagus. Arrange asparagus evenly on a lightly greased 15- x 10-inch jelly-roll pan. Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Bake asparagus at 400° for 15 minutes or just until tender. Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, 4 minutes or until butter is lightly browned. Remove from heat; stir in soy sauce and balsamic vinegar. Drizzle over asparagus, tossing to coat. Serve immediately.

• I made this dish last night with a side of squash souffle. The mix of the sweetness of the souffle and saltiness of the soy/balsamic dressing was out of this world. We were literally licking our plates. So, I would suggest making an entree with this side dish that has a sweet flavor, like a beef or chicken dish with a honey-based marinade.
• I added another layer of flavor to this dish by sprinkling some zest of lemon peel before serving. I have been using so many lemons, oranges and limes for zests recently that I can't keep up with the extra fruit I have lying around. So instead of wasting them, I decided to experiment with two additions to my spice rack: McCormick's Grated Valencia Orange Peels and Grated California Lemon Peels. I'm sure that fresh produce is always superior, but I'm going to try this for a while and see if it has the desired effects. I'll let you know how it goes.

Papa Can You Hear Me? It's me, Lentil.

That was my shout out to "Yentl" Hey, you try to come up with a catchy post title every time.

I made this delicious side Lentil and Rice Salad with swordfish this summer. I think it's a perfect match for any grilled fish because it complements the flavors of the fish, especially if you squeeze fresh lemon juice on it. The salad has a light citrus flavor due to the parsley and lemon zest.


Lentil and Rice Salad

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons

1 carrot, peeled and finely diced

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/4 cups dried green lentils

2 1/2 cups chicken broth, plus 2 cups

1 bay leaf

1 cup long-grain white rice

1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel

Salt and freshly ground black pepper



Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large saucepan. Add the carrot, onion, and garlic and saute until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the lentils. Add 2 1/2 cups of broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Decrease the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer gently until the lentils are just tender, about 15 minutes. Drain well. Transfer the lentils to a large bowl.

Meanwhile, bring the remaining 2 cups broth and bay leaf to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add the rice and return the broth to a simmer. Cover and simmer gently over low heat until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes (do not stir the rice as it cooks). Remove the saucepan from the heat. Fluff the rice with a large fork. Transfer to the bowl with the lentils. Add the olives, parsley, thyme, and lemon peel. Toss the rice mixture with the remaining 3 tablespoons oil to coat. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.


Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

I adore this recipe because it looks like a lot of work, but it really takes no time at all. The "hardest" work you will do is chopping the carrot, onion and garlic. I think this entire dish, prep and all takes 30 minutes.

• A wonderful tip I learned from L'academie du Cusine (http://www.lacademie.com/) is regarding the rice. First, always make rice with chicken broth rather than water. It just plain tastes better, no matter what recipe you're doing. Especially if you're serving the rice alone. Please promise me you'll try it once. You'll never go back to doing it the old way again! Okay, here's the big tip from the cooking school. When you're chicken broth starts to boil and you put the rice in the saucepan at the moment you would usually turn the heat down to simmer, DON'T. Instead take it off the stove and put it in the oven at 400F for 17 minutes EXACTLY. The rice will soak up the liquid completely and not burn. The best part of it is that it's off the stovetop and you'll have room to do other things. You won't have to keep checking on it's status. Just don't forget it to take it out at the 17 minute mark!

• Back to this recipe, when using lemons, limes or oranges for zesting purposes, try to buy organic fruit. Since you're eating the outside of the fruit, it's not a bad idea to enjoy it pesticide-free.

• By the way, I have never tried this recipe with olives. I would be willing to, but my husband doesn't like them. Oh well. If you try it, tell me how it is.

• Lastly, anytime you're using oil as a dressing, like in this dish, go for a best quality you have the pantry. It really does make a difference.

My Favorite Side Dish of All Time

I've always been an "Autumn" person. I love reds and oranges as accents in my house (and yes, even in my hair.) I make the most out of the season in the kitchen, as well. This dish has it all: gorgeous color and the perfect balance of sweet and tart. It's filling as the main course at a vegetarian dinner or a showstopper as a side dish. Here's the recipe. My thoughts below:

SWEET POTATO AND CRANBERRY HASH
3 orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, about 2 lb.
total3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided use
1 Fuji apple, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup sliced green onion
1 cup cranberries, coarsely chopped
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground allspice
1/4 tsp. kosher salt, plus more, to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F.Set the sweet potatoes directly on the oven rack and bake until they still feel slightly firm when pressed, 50 to 55 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature. Place the sweet potatoes on a plate, cover loosely and refrigerate overnight. (Chilling them firms the flesh, making it hold together better in the hash.) The next day, peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into 1-inch pieces. Set aside.In a nonstick fry pan over medium-high heat, melt 2 Tbsp. of the butter. Add the apple cubes and saute, stirring occasionally, until the butter browns and the apple cubes start to caramelize and brown around the edges, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining 1 Tbsp. butter to the pan. When it melts, stir in the green onion and cranberries and cook until the green onion wilts, about 1 minute. Stir in the cinnamon and allspice, add the sweet potatoes and cook, stirring frequently, until they are heated through, about 4 minutes. They will break up somewhat, but try to smash them as little as possible. Add the 1/4 tsp. salt, or more, to taste, and season with pepper. Transfer the hash to a serving dish and serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

Servings: 6Adapted from source: Williams-Sonoma, Essentials of Healthful Cooking, by Mary Abbott Hess, Dana Jacobi & Marie Simmons

• Okay, let me tell you a secret. This week when I made this recipe I forgot that it called for 50 minutes of baking time for the sweet potatoes. I was hungry and hubby was coming home in twenty minutes. I decided to improvise, peel the potatoes first and bake them in the microwave. I put all three of them in for 10 minutes. It wasn't enough. I put them back for a few more minutes until they were slightly firm when pressed (as the recipe suggests.) The hash came together nicely in the frying pan. I didn't realize that the potatoes weren't fully cooked until I went in for a taste. I wound up putting the entire hash back in the microwave for another 3 minutes until the potatoes were soft enough. In the end everything worked well together. I hate using the microwave to "cook", but I was in a jam this time. My advice is to follow the recipe instructions the first time you try this dish. Then, you'll know how firm the potatoes should be and can improvise the next time.


• The simpliest rule of eating healthy is to fill your dinner plate with color. If your plate has several colors of the rainbow, you're in great shape. Think green and red (sauteed swiss chard), yellow (roasted butternut squash) and purple (beet salad with goat cheese!). There's a great article on the Whole Foods website which talks about the benefits of eating a variety of colorful foods. Here it is:

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/wholebody/wellness/colorofhealth.html

Something old, something new....

Okay, so when my husband said he wanted a lighter version of his favorite meal for his birthday I thought this would be a challenge. Ready for it?

Fettucine Alfredo.

Yea. Ever have this dish out at a restaurant and then you get home and your stomach is still digesting it? How about all night long? Yep. This was a toughie. Then, lo and behold, Cooking Light magazine had a healthier version of the recipe that received rave reviews on line. So Fettucine Alfredo is my "Something Old" with a lighter twist. Here's the recipe:

Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 1 1/3 cups 1% low-fat milk 1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided 2 tablespoons 1/3-less-fat cream cheese 1/2 teaspoon salt 4 cups hot cooked fettuccine (8 ounces uncooked pasta) 2 teaspoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley Cracked black pepper

Preparation
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in flour. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk. Cook 6 minutes or until mixture thickens, stirring constantly. Add 1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, cream cheese, and salt, stirring with a whisk until cheeses melt. Toss sauce with hot pasta. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and chopped parsley. Garnish with black pepper, if desired.

Serve immediately.
Yield
4 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 399(30% from fat); FAT 13.5g (sat 8g,mono 3.4g,poly 1.1g); PROTEIN 21.3g; CHOLESTEROL 34mg; CALCIUM 451mg; SODIUM 822mg; FIBER 2g; IRON 2.1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 48.9g

Mary Creel/Alison Ashton ,
Cooking Light, JANUARY 2007

My thoughts on the recipe:

• If you can't find Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (I can never find it at Giant), you can use grated Parmesan cheese. I did and it worked well.



• When you're cooking the garlic on the first step, definitely keep a watchful eye. This is not the time to walk away from the stovetop. If it burns, start again. It didn't happen to me last night, but it's happened to me before. Since the cooked garlic is setting the stage for the flavor of the alfredo sauce, this is important to get right.



• I used spinach pasta instead of whole wheat or white pasta.



• I only used a pinch of fresh parsley. Flat leaf parsley belongs to the same family as cilantro. It has a citrus flavor to it. Flat leaf parsley also has a much stronger flavor than curly parsley that you're used to seeing. I'm not a fan of either parsley or cilantro. But I keep trying to get myself to like it because it's a common herb to flavor a dish.



• This dish was quicker to make than I expected. I was combining the cooked pasta and the finished sauce just when my hubby called and told me he was running twenty minutes late. The texture of the dish changed in that short amount of time. Basically this is a perfect dish when your family is ready to sit down to dinner. When they say "serve immediately" they weren't kidding! It was still tasty just "stickier."



• Try a little oil in the saucepan when cooking the pasta. The noodles won't stick together so much.

Something New!

So what do I serve as a vegetable with the fettucine alredo? The pasta was already spinach based so I didn't want to use green leafy vegetables. Since the sauce was white, I decided to go with that same color palette and make Roasted Cauliflower. I have never in my life tried this before. I've never even eated cauliflower raw off the crudite platter at parties. I can't believe I was going to try this for the first time for my husband's birthday dinner, but I've heard so many great things about cauliflower (made right), that I had to try it. Also, I've been roasting veggies for so long now, I knew that the technique was a sure fire hit.

I received a hint about the technique at cooking class. But the recipe is really made up. Here it is:

Roasted Cauliflower

One head of Cauliflower, cored and cut into florets, 1-2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, Kosher salt, and fresh ground black pepper.

After cutting the cauliflower into florets, I dunked them in a bowl of cold water for 25 minutes. Apparently this helps keep the moisture in the veggie while it's roasting. After draining them in a colliander, I laid the florets out evenly on a 9X12 casserole dish and added the oil. Then I tossed them with a pinch of kosher salt and pepper. The oven was preheated at 375F. I knew it would take 30 minutes, but I set the timer to go off every ten minutes so I could add 1-2 tablespoons of water to keep it moist. I also took the opportunity to push the florets around to make sure all sides were browning evenly.

I read somewhere that roasted cauliflower tastes delicious with fresh lemon juice. I place a lemon cut into four halves on the table with the cauliflower.

So how did it turn out?? I couldn't believe it. It was extremely yummy!! It just melted in my mouth. I'm totally serious. I had no idea that roasted cauliflower could be so good. I'm definitely putting in my rotation of side dishes. I will probably start serving it at dinner parties, too.

Cauliflower is a cruciferous vegetable because the leaves form a cross underneath it's head. Here's a great fact about cauliflower that I found online:

"Cauliflower and other cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cabbage,
and kale, contain compounds that may help prevent cancer. These compounds appear to stop enzymes from activating cancer-causing agents in the body, and they increase the activity of enzymes that disable and eliminate carcinogens." (from http://www.whfoods.com/)

I also learned that cauliflower is in season from December to March. So try it now! I promise you will LOVE it.

Karen