Christmas Morning Eggs Benedict

We had a busy Christmas morning. After indulging in a festive but huge dinner we just couldn't make it out to the Christmas eve service. So we got up early made some coffee and opened up our stocking presents, took the dogs out and then hopped in the car and raced over to Breckenridge for the 9am service. Returned home and plopped on the couch to open up presents... and keep opening up presents. Man, did we get spoiled this year (and every year). By the time we were finished it was 1pm. We headed into the kitchen and whipped up our favorite eggs Benedict. Oh it was so good. So good in fact that I forgot to take a picture before digging in, hence my half eaten plate. I couldn't even finish my second English muffin because it was so big! We received a gift package of English muffins from Nancy and saved these huge ones for sky scraper eggs Benedict!

I really think that eggs Benedict is a pretty easy recipe but oh so elegant and so good! This recipe goes way back in and brings back some great memories. We moved to Colorado in October of 2000. We thought that it was just the four of us (Casey, Chris, Dave and me and George) Over the next year we found out just how many moved out west. There was something like 30 of us between Boulder, Denver, Summit County, Vail and Aspen. It was lots of fun and made living so far from family not so hard. So needless to say our couches were always full on weekends. I made lots of breakfasts for our couch surfers! One in particular was eggs Benedict. In fact my two roommates from college Leila and Erin bought me a egg poacher! I remember opening it and thinking, hmm, this is interesting but why do I need this kitchen gadget? I quickly found out why, they both told me this was so I could make eggs Benedict more easily. Now I got it!! It was not just to ease my time in the kitchen but to make it more frequently!! Needless to say I think of them each time we make this and it brings a smile to my face to think of all the great times we had with our college group before most of them moved back east. Good times!

Sky Scrapper Eggs Benedict
2 sticks unsalted butter
3 egg yolks
1 T fresh lemon juice
white pepper
salt
2 English Muffins
4 eggs

Melt the butter and set aside. After the butter has rested, carefully skim off the white fat. Leaving behind the clear butter. (This is clarified butter.). In a saucepan over very low heat whisk the egg yolks constantly until thickened, about 3-5 minutes. (Be careful not the scramble the yolks.) Add the butter one spoonful at a time to the yolks, whisking constantly. Do not add the solids that have separated and fallen to the bottom of the butter bowl. Once finished adding the butter remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the lemon juice a dash of white pepper and salt.

Toast your muffin and poach your eggs and assemble topping your sky scrapper with the decedent and sinful Hollandaise.

Topping your muffin:
We change it up, but never the traditional Canadian bacon.

Here are a few ideas:
Saute a large handful of fresh spinach with a touch of evoo, lemon juice and salt and pepper
Sliced avocado
Sliced tomato
Bacon
Vegi Sausage

Christmas Eve Dinner

We had a wonderful evening sitting near the fire just the two of us sipping Champagne and eating shrimp cocktail before our delicious dinner.

One the menu this chilly evening:

Simple Greens with vinaigrette and shaved Parmesan

Mushroom Risotto

Scallops for me

Fillet for Dave

Sliced Pears for dessert

Lemon Mushroom Risotto

1 C arborio rice

6-8 C chicken broth

1 shallot, finely diced

1 garlic clove, minced

2 T butter

1 t evoo

6-8 mushrooms diced

1/2 C freshly grated Parmesan

lemon zest

salt and fresh cracked pepper

Heat broth in a pot until warm and cover. In another heavy bottomed saucepan melt the butter and evoo, saute the shallot, garlic and mushrooms until translucent. Add the rice and cook for 2 minute. Add enough broth to cover the rice and cook stirring frequently until most of the liquid in absorbed. Once absorbed add another ladle full of broth and continue stirring until most of the liquid is absorbed. Continue process until the rice is tender but firm to the bite about 35-45 minutes. At this point the risotto should be creamy and delicious looking! Remove from heat and add the zest of one lemon, salt and fresh cracked pepper and grated Parmesan.

For the Steak:

Allow the filet to come to room tempurature. Salt and pepper each side. Dave broiled his steak because it was way too cold to venture outside to the grill. He broiled it for 8 minutes for a perfect medium rare steak.

For the Scallops:

Remove the tough muscle from each scallop. Wash and pat dry. Lightly salt and pepper each scallop. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 T of butter and a touch of evoo. Gently place the scallops in the pan and cook with out touching for 2 on each side, until they carmelize and have a nice brown crust.

It's Christmas Time!

Yep, We are all decked all decked out in the freezing tundra of the Rockie Mountains. We have had a very cold Holiday Season but enjoyed our time at home decorating the house and making some of our own traditions since we couldn't be home with our families this year.






Here is the Mountain Man cutting down our chosen tree.

And here he is carrying our charlie brown Christmas tree!

Saly really enjoyed this outing. She was happy to be trecking through the woods with us on this snowy day.

Here are the stockings hung by the chimney with care.

And here is our beautiful tree coved in our wonderful ornaments.

Merry Christmas everyone!!

Swiss Chicken Cutlet

Okay, this is a childhood favorite. As many of you know I come from a very long line of amazing cooks. Coming from a pretty large and close Italian family goes hand in hand with really good eating. I mean really good! So after many years of eating this I can finally say that I have made it!

My Aunt Linda is the keeper of this recipe. I feel blessed to have finally added it to my recipe box. Thanks Linda!

Here is a little glimpe into the Bertolami clan. So you can see what I am reminded of each time I think of this dish. Between Thanksgiving and Christmas lies my cousin Truckie's birthday. (In fact about 90% of my family's birthdays are between September and December.) It became a family tradition to celebrate Truckie's birthday each year even if he wasn't present. As we all got older and went on to college his birthday was still celebrated... without him! For some reason I can't remember any other main dish served at this gathering even though I know we probably didn't eat it all that often. What can I say about a young girl's food obsessed mind, tunnel vision!

Swiss Chicken Cutlet

5 chicken breasts, butterflied

salt

2 beaten eggs

1 C fine dry bread crumbs (or as much is needed to coat chicken)

1/4 C evoo (or as much is needed to cook chicken)

3 T butter

1/4 C flour

1/2 t salt

1/4 t pepper

2 1/2 C milk

1/2 C dry white wine

1 C shredded Swiss cheese

Avocado slices

Tomato slices

Butter fly each chicken breast to make two pieces out of each breast. Place chicken between two pieces of wax paper. Pound out toa bout 1/4 inch thickness using a meat mallet. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Dip in beaten egg then in bread crumbs.

In skillet heat 2 tablespoons of oil. Brown chicken cutlets in batches adding more oil as needed. Set browned chicken on a paper towel lined plate and set aside.

In a saucepan melt butter, wisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Add salt and pepper. Wisk in milk and cook until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in wine. Pour half of the sauce into a baking dish. Arrange chicken cutlets atop sauce. Top with remaining sauce.

Cover and chill for several hours or overnight. Bake covered in 350 degree oven for about 40-50 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinke with cheese, top with avocado and tomato. Return to oven for 5-8 minutes or until cheese is melted. Makes 10 servings.

Source: My Aunt Linda

Potstickers

I've been wanting to make these for a while now. After looking through each and every issue of Cook's Illustrated that we own (to make some room on the bookshelf) I fell upon this recipe and decided it must be made! Yes, time consuming but well worth it. I made them two Sunday's ago and froze them so we could have them on a work night. I try to make at least two meals each weekend so we don't have to worry about preparing an entire meal after working all day. As you can see from my picture I could only find square wrappers so our potstickers were triangular rather then the traditional dumpling but just as good. Oh and I chose chicken instead of pork since I don't each pork. To grind your own chicken, use your food processor and pulse quickly. Don't over pulse or your chicken will turn to mush. Delicious and easy if you take the time to prep them beforehand. Enjoy!

Potstickers

3 C minced napa cabbage leaves

1/2 t salt

2 chicken breasts, ground

6 T minced scallions

pinch of ground black pepper

5 T soy sauce

1 1/2 t grated ginger

2 garlic clove, minced

2 egg whites

24 round gyoza wrappers or square wonton wrappers

4 t vegetable oil

Scallion Dipping Sauce

1/4 C soy sauce

2 T rice vinegar

2 T mirin

2 T water

1 t suracha sauce

1/2 t sesame oil

1-2 scallions, minced

Combine all dipping sauce ingredients and set aside.

Combine all filling ingredients in a boll and mix thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate until mixture is cold, at least 45 minutes or up to 24 hours.

Place 4 wrappers on work surface. Place one slightly rounded tablespoon of filling in the center of each wrapper. Using your fingertip, moisten edge of wrapper with water. Fold each in half and pinch edges together firmly to seal. Making sure the press out any air pockets. Repeat with remaining wrappers. Filled dumplings can be refrigerated over night or frozen.

To freeze place dumpling in a single layer and not touching on a baking sheet. Once completely frozen transfer to a plastic bag and place back in freezer. Do not thaw before cooking. They will defrost and cook during the remaining process.

Add 2 teaspoons oil to a nonstick skillet and heat to medium high. Arrange dumplings in skillet, lying flat on one side and just slightly overlapping if necessary. Cook without moving until dumplings are golden brown on the bottoms, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add 1/2 cup of water and cover. Cook until most of the water is absorbed and dumplings are slightly translucent. Uncover, increase heat to medium high, cook without stirring until bottoms are browned and crisp. Transfer to paper towel lined plate and repeat process with remaining dumplings. Serve immediately with dipping sauce.

Source: Cook's Illustrated March & April 2006

Sun-Dried Tomato Jam

Yumm, this is a keeper. I wanted to make an appetizer for Thanksgiving since we all know that we need just one more thing to eat on this holiday! This was perfect. I made a few changes to the original recipe from Giada De Laurentiis. My first was subbing regular sun-dried tomatoes for the oil packed and the other was adding in balsamic vinegar for the red wine. It took a lot longer to reduce to a jam then the directions said. I'm glad I started it the night before, I think all in all it was on the stove for at least 45 minutes. It was delicious on the crostini with the thyme flavored goat cheese.

Sun-Dried Tomato Jam

2 C sun-dried tomotoes

2 T evoo

1/2 onion, sliced thin

1 clove of garlic, minced

2 T sugar

1/4 C balsamic vinegar

1 C water

1/2 C chicken broth

1 t fresh thyme, chopped

1/2 t salt

1/2 t fresh ground pepper

Crostini

1 baguette, cut into slices (or use store bought, pre-sliced)

evoo

salt & pepper

Goat Cheese

5 ounces goat cheese

2-3 t fresh thyme

Place a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped tomatoes, evoo, onions and garlic. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until the onions start to brown. Add the sugar, vinegar, water, broth, thyme, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cover for 30-40 minutes. Remove cover and continue to simmer until reduced to the consistency of jam. Remove from heat and cool completely.

Pre heat oven to 400 degrees. Place baguette slices on a baking sheet and lightly coat with evoo and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until lightly toasted, about 8 minutes.

Place the softened goat cheese in a bowl and stir in thyme.

To assemble:

Spread crostini with jam and top with goat cheese.

Chocolate Overdose Cake

This is by far the hardest desert I have ever made! It was so rewarding to hear the silence around the table after everyone took their first bite! I don't have a sweet tooth so I haven't even tried a bite of this cake. I just KNOW it is to die for. The effort it took to stay focused and work step by step was quite tiring. I hit a few bumps in the road but the final outcome was simply amazing. I took my time making this. In fact it took me three days. I decided to make the brownie base the first night, followed by the cake and then I finished off the mousse, ganache and assembly the final day. I think I could have crammed it into 2 days but could never have done it in one. I noticed the original recipe was done in one day. It must have taken at least 6 straight hours between the cooling and washing of dishes to the decorating. I would say it took me somewhere between 4-5 hours all said and done. My pictures don't even compare to the beauty found in both blogs (Annie's Eats & Confections of a Foodie Bride) but I'm still pretty proud of my final product!

I obviously didn't changed any of the ingredients or measurements. I did follow Annie's advice and used parchment paper as well as spread it over a couple of days. I ran into one problem with the cake layer. It started overflowing in the oven and created quite a mess so make sure you put your cake on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drippings. I'm sure this doesn't need to be mentioned but since I'm a rookie baker I made sure all my ingredients were layed out before I tackled each layer. I also made sure my brownie base was separated from the springform pan before I started assembling and adding the mouse and cake. I kept the cake chilled for at least an hour before spreading the ganache and made sure to put parchement under the bottom before the final layer of ganache.

Chocolate Overdose

for the brownie base:

1/2 C plus 2 t cake flour

1/4 t salt

1/2 t baking powder

3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped

6 T unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 1/8 C white sugar

2 eggs

2 t vanilla extract

for the chocolate cake:

2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1/8 C Dutch-processed cocoa

1/4 C hot water

7/8 C unbleached all-purpose flour

3/4 t baking soda

1/2 t salt
1/2 C buttermilk

1 t vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 egg yolk
6 T unsalted butter, soft

for the chocolate mousse filling:

6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

1 7/8 C heavy cream

1 T sugar

for the ganache:

1 1/2 C heavy cream

2 T unsalted butter

18 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

Directions:

To make the brownie base: line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with a round of parchment paper and spray the sides with cooking spray. Center rack in the oven and preheat to 325 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine the cake flour, salt and baking powder. Stir with a fork to mix. Melt the chocolate and butter in a large heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth.

When the chocolate is completely smooth, remove the bowl from the saucepan and gradually whisk in the sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking after each additional until thoroughly combined. Whisk in vanilla. Add in the flour mixture in two additions, folding with a rubber spatula until completely incorporated.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth with a spatula. Set aside, prepare cake batter and bake the two layers at the same time if you so choose.

To make the cake: line the bottom of a 9-inch round cake pan with a round of parchment paper Grease and flour the sides of the pan. Combine the chocolate, cocoa and hot water in a medium heatproof bow; set the bowl over a saucepan containing 1-inch of simmering water and stir with a rubber spatula until chocolate is melted, about 2 minutes. Add 1/4 cup of sugar and stir until combined. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in another bowl, set aside. Combine buttermilk and vanilla in a measuring cup.

In the bowl of the stand mixer fitted with the whisk, whisk eggs and yolk on medium-low speed until combined. Add remaining sugar, increase to high and whisk until fluffy and lightened in color, 2-3 minutes. Switch out the whisk for the paddle attachment.

Add the cooled chocolate mixture to the mixing bowl and mix on medium until thoroughly combined, pausing to scrape down the sides of the bowl when needed. Add softened butter one tablespoon at a time. Add about 1/3 of the flour mixture followed by 1/2 the buttermilk mixture, mixing until incorporated after each addition. Repeat using half the remaining flour and remaining buttermilk. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add remaining flour and mix on medium low speed until thoroughly combined. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth.

Bake the brownie and cake layers at the same time (if you choose). The brownie base should take about 25-30 minutes and the cake about 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Transfer pans to wire cooling rack. Allow the brownie to cool completely, remaining in the pan. The cake should cool for 15 minutes in the pan and then you can invert onto wire rack, allowing it to cool completely.

Once the brownie layer has cooled completely, run a knife around the edges to separate it from the sides. Remove the springform ring but leave the brownie on the base. Form a collar of parchment paper around the brownie and extending up the sides of the springform pan. Reclose the springform so that the parchment fits tightly inside.

To make the chocolate mousse filling: place the mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer or fridge. Heat 1 inch of water in the bottom half of the double boiler over medium heat. Place the semisweet chocolate in the top half of the double boiler. Tightly cover with plastic wrap and allow to heat/melt for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir until smooth. Set aside to cool.

Place heavy cream and sugar in the well chilled bowl and whisk with well cooled whisk attachment. Whisk on high until stiff peak form, about 1-2 minutes. Remove bowl from mixer. By hand, whisk 1/4 of the whipped cream into the melted chocolate until well incorporated. Add chocolate mixture to remaining whipped cream and gently fold together.

To assemble cake: Evenly spread the mousse over the top of the brownie base. Place the cooled cake over the mousse and press down gently. Chill the cake for at least an hour.

To make the ganache: heat the heavy cream and butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a gentle boil. Turn heat to low and add the chocolate. Stir until smooth. Chill 1 cup of ganache for 1 hour (if you want to do some piping). Allow the remaining ganache to come to room temperature, about 40 minutes.

Remove the springform ring and parchment collar from the assembled cake. Place a dollop of ganache in the middle of your serving plate and carefully transfer cake to serving platter. Gently press cake to adhear to plate. Using a spatula, smooth the room temperature ganache over cake and sides. Use the chilled ganache to pipe some "pretties" if you so choose! This is a good idea if you would like to indicate servings.

Serve cake chilled an store leftovers in the fridge. Cut cake with a hot, dry knife.

Give Thanks

A lot has changed in my life over the last few months. When faced with aversion I always try to stay positive and keep my eye on the good. This Thanksgiving was a special day. I was ready to give thanks to all that I have around me each and every day and to all those who I hold close to my heart. My day began early. Not only is it Thanksgiving day but it is also the love of my life's birthday. I HAD to get up and put the Pumpkin Coffee Cake in the oven early so we could enjoy a little birthday breakfast before Dave had to head to work. Don't bother scrolling down the page to look at the recipe because there isn't one. The coffee cake sucked! I was excited to try it but very disappointed in the outcome. So I won't waste any space on this recipe. Oh and I need a bunt pan. (Maybe this is why it didn't turn out how it should have.)

Dave headed off to work and I worked on stage 2, 3 and 4 of his epic birthday cake, which I feel needs its own post. I heard my phone chirp and tried to find it through the thin layer of smoke that was quickly filling my house (yes, the epic cake was for some reason, overflowing it's pan and dripping all over my oven as it cooked). When I made it to the phone I saw a wonderful message from my very best friend in the whole world wishing me a happy day. My heart welled with love as I thought of how lucky I am to have Tess in my life.

The morning continued in normal holiday cooking fashion. Stirring, spilling, cleaning dishes, making more dirty dishes and cleaning them up again. Opening the door to let the smoke clear, tripping of dogs as they tried to clean up the never ending items hitting the floor and finally a beautiful late morning run with Saly on my favorite trails on earth.

My time out on the trails gives me good perspective. I was able to think of all I am thankful for. First and foremost my family. I have a beautiful new nephew that I was able to spend lots of time kissing and holding a few weeks back. My sister-in-law and her amazing putanesca sauce that she made for us while we were home (RB if your reading this I need that recipe!) My brother for being such a good dad. I was so amazed by his gentleness. My Dad for always making me smile with some dadism he says over the phone. My Mom for calling me on speaker phone as they all sat down for dinner surrounded by my family all wishing me a happy day and Dave a happy birthday and making me feel like I was sitting right there.

I am thankful for my extended holiday family. We have started our own holiday traditions and I believe we have only missed 3 Thanksgivings. We have created some great memories over the years and I love looking back at all that we have done together and it brings a smile to my face.

Although there are so many things that make my life full and I am so thankful for I would like to end with this. My life is full because of what I have chosen to surround myself with. I have chosen a great partner to go through life with and feel blessed by the love Dave gives me. Today is a special day because not only is it a day that I give thanks but it is also the birthday of the one person who gives me the strength to get up each day and make the best of it no matter what!

Happy birthday Dave enjoy each and every minute!

Shrimp Fried Rice

I have to be honest here. Up until now I haven't found a fried rice recipe that compares to good old Chinese take out... until now. This one definitely takes first place. It was very easy and came together quick. It can serve an army but great for lunches over the next few days. I made two cups of uncooked rice which makes something like 6+ cups of cooked rice. I found some great tips from Simple Recipes about not touching the food so much as it cooks in the wok. I tried my best to follow this rule and the final outcome was delicious little browned rice bits that remind me of, yes, the fried rice at our favorite little Chinese restaurant in town. Take a look at this recipe to follow her step by step guide to cooking fried rice. I think you can add what ever vegetables you want. I didn't have peas in the freezer and subbed edamame and added mushrooms and napa cabbage because I had some left over from making pot stickers over the weekend. I had scallions but forgot to add them so maybe add them to your ingredient list.

Shrimp Fried Rice

10-12 raw shrimp, shelled and deveined
1/2 t kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 t cornstarch
2 T canola, divided
3 eggs, beaten
6 C leftover rice, grains separated well

2 carrots, diced

1 C shelled edamame

5 mushrooms, chopped

1/2 a small napa cabbage, chopped

1 t fresh ginger, small diced

2 T soy sauce

1 1/2 t sesame oil

1 T butter

Toss the shrimp with the salt, pepper and cornstarch. Let sit for at room temperature for about 10 minutes.

Heat a wok or large sauté pan on high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the cooking oil and swirl to coat pan. Add the shrimp, quickly spreading out around the cooking surface area so that they are not overlapping. Let fry, untouched for 30 seconds. Flip over and let the other side fry for 30 seconds, or until just cooked through. Remove the shrimp from the pan onto a plate, leaving as much oil in the pan as possible. Turn the heat to medium, let the pan heat up again. Add the eggs, stirring in a quick motion to break up and scramble the eggs. When the eggs are almost cooked through (they should still be slightly runny in the middle), dish out of the pan into the same plate as the cooked shrimp.

Use paper towels to wipe the same wok or sauté pan clean and return to high heat with the remaining 1 tablespoon of cooking oil, swirling to coat. When the oil is very hot, add the mushrooms and carrots fry for 1-2 minutes. Add the ginger, edamame and cabbage and cook for 30 seconds. Add in the butter and rice and stir well to mix in with the vegetables. Spread the rice all around the wok surface area and let the rice heat up, untouched until you hear the bottoms of the grains sizzle, about 1-2 minutes. Use the spatula to toss the rice, again spreading the rice out over the surface of wok.5 Drizzle the soy sauce all around the rice and toss. Add the the cooked eggs, shrimp and sesame oil, tossing to mix the rice evenly with all of the ingredients.

Let everything heat back up again, until the rice grains are so hot they practically dance! Taste and add an additional 1 teaspoon of soy sauce if needed.

Mexican Chicken Soup

My Brother has been sending me pictures of what he has been making for dinner so I finally took the hint... he wants to be on my blog. So in honor of the 100th post I give you this delicious recipe made by Matt and Rebekah. All for you Matt, all for you! (Maybe this will make more people visit this site, now that I have a guest writer. Don't all log on at once and cause the internet to crash!)Mexican Chicken Soup

2 chicken breasts(EVOO, S&P, cook for 40min at 350)

2 C chopped yellow onion

1 C chopped celery

2 C chopped carrots

4 garlic cloves chopped

2.5 quarts of chicken stock

1 28oz can of whole tomatoes in puree, crushed

2-4 jalapeno peppers

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander seed

1/2 C chopped cilantro

6 (6inch) tortillas

garnish:

sliced avocado

sour cream

grated cheddar

tortilla chips

Cook chicken and let cool, then tear and separate meat from skin and boneHeat 3tblp's of EVOO and add carrots, celery, onions- cook until onions brown. Add garlic 30secs). Add chicken stock, tomatoes and puree, peppers, spices, and some salt and pepper, and cilantro. Cut tortillas in half and then cross wise into 1/2inch strips and add. Bring soup to boil and then simmer for 25min. Add chicken and season to taste.

...thanks Ina Garten

Seared Chicken with Apricot Sauce

I tore this out of my EatingWell magazine a while ago and even bought the apricots a while ago but just couldn't seem to get it on the weekly menu. Now that the weather has turned the corner comforting warm dishes have been occupying my mind more often. Dave took the reigns on this one and made the entire meal start to finish so I could sneak out for a very cold run on the trails before it got too dark. I came home to a warm fire in the living room and delicious aromas coming from the kitchen. Dave made glazed turnips as well. As you can see from the picture, I didn't even have time to take a picture before I hit the chair closest to the fire and dug in!

Seared Chicken with Apricot Sauce

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon canola oil
3/4 cup dry white wine
1 medium shallot, minced
20 dried apricots, chopped
2 tablespoons apricot preserves
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon

Butterfly each chicken breast and pound until flattened and an even thickness, about 1/2 inch. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Place flour in a shallow dish. Dredge the chicken in the flour, shaking off excess.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned and no longer pink in the center, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate, cover and keep warm.

Off the heat, add wine and shallot to the pan. Return to medium heat and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until slightly reduced, about 3 minutes. Add apricots and cook until the fruit begins to break down, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in preserves, tarragon and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Return the chicken to the pan and cook until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve the chicken

with the sauce

White Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bars

I decided that since I had finally found canned pumpkin at the grocery (apparently there is a shortage of pumpkin this year) I should make something sweet. I found this recipe on the web after a search for pumpkin on Martha Stuart. As you can see, I don't really have a sweet tooth... at all. I can be persuaded into eating a Swedish fish or gummy bear once in a while but never understood the world's love affair with a piece of chocolate. So when I saw this recipe with a recommendation to switch up the dark chocolate for white chocolate I decided to give it a go.

White Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bars

2 C all-purpose flour

1 T pumpkin-pie spice

1 t baking soda

3/4 t salt

1 C (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temp

1 1/4 C sugar

1 large egg

2 t vanilla extract

1 C canned pumpkin

12 ounces white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving an overhang on all sides.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pie spice, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth; beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in pumpkin puree (mixture may appear curdled). Reduce speed to low, and mix in dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely in pan.

Lift cake from pan (using foil as an aid). Peel off foil, and use a serrated knife to cut into squares.

Creamy Fettuccine with Brussels Sprouts and Mushrooms

I had tagged this recipe a couple of days ago and decided that instead of it sitting on the very long list I should make it right away! Oh man, am I glad I did! It was delicious. I never have creamy pasta dishes because they make my stomach hurt. I decided to try this one because of the milk rather then the heavy cream. It was a hit on both sides of the table. I know there is a huge aversion to Brussels sprouts but we love them. Slice them nice and thin and maybe you will too. This recipe has a simple ingredient list as far as it goes. I used Sherry wine so I cannot vouch for the vinegar. I did increase the salt and pepper but otherwise kept to the recipe.

Creamy Fettuccine with Brussels Sprouts and Mushrooms
1 package fettuccine
1 T evoo
4 C sliced cremini mushrooms, sliced
4 C Brussels sprouts, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 C dry sherry or 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 C low-fat milk
2 T flour
1 t salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 cup finely shredded parmesan, plus more for garnish


Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender. Drain, return to the pot and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and Brussels sprouts and cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms release their liquid, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add sherry (or vinegar), scraping up any brown bits; bring to a boil and cook, stirring, until almost evaporated, 10 seconds (if using vinegar) or about 1 minute (if using sherry).

Whisk milk and flour in a measuring cup, add to the skillet with salt and pepper. Cook stirring, until the sauce bubbles and thickens, about 2 minutes. Stir in cheese until melted. Add the pasta to the sauce and gently toss. Serve with more cheese, if desired.

source: EatingWell

More Pizza

Yep, more pizza. We had pizza night this past weekend and made three different kinds. This one was my favorite. We tried a different crust recipe and I thought it was the best one yet. It was nice and thin and just the right bit of chewy, mmm I loved it! Dave "liked it" but would rather have a nice thick crust. We can agree to disagree!

We decided on a white pizza:
First we brushed warm evoo and sauteed minced garlic over the entire crust. Topped with a sprinkle of mozzarella then caramelized onions, pineapple chunks, sliced pepperoncinis and dollops of ricotta cheese and then just a bit more mozzarella.

We didn't change a thing from the original recipe: Williams-Sonoma Kitchen

Pizza Dough
2 t active dry yeast
1 t sugar
1 C warm water
2 C bread flour
1 1/2 t salt
1 T olive oil

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook, stir together the yeast, sugar and warm water. Let stand for 5 minutes.

Add the flour and salt and start the mixer on low speed. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil and knead the dough for 5 minutes. The dough should come together into a large ball and pull away from the sides of the bowl; it should be moist but not sticky.

Stop the mixer, remove the dough hook and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let stand at room temperature until the dough is doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces and roll each into a ball. Set on a flour-dusted baking sheet and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let stand at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes. Alternatively, if you will not be using the dough immediately, refrigerate the dough balls (without letting them stand at room temperature) for up to 6 hours; then remove the dough from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes before using.

Place a ball of dough on a floured work surface. Roll out the dough into a 10- to 12-inch round about 1/8 inch thick, dusting with flour as needed. Top and bake as directed in your pizza recipe.

Makes four 10-inch pizzas.

Rotisserie Chicken

Wow! I love this thing! I can't wait to experiment with more. Dave bought me a rotisserie for our grill as an anniversary present and I couldn't wait to get it in the mail. It finally arrived on a snowy weeknight. This didn't deter me from trying this baby out. Dave ran to the grocery for a chicken and we got to work. It was delicious and cooked in about an hour. We served it with some roasted broccoli and mashed potatoes. It was heaven on a cold snowy night!

Herbs de Provence Rotisserie Chicken

1 T softened butter
2 to 3 t herbes de Provence
Zest of 1 lemon
2 t kosher salt
1 t freshly ground pepper
1 chicken, 3 to 4 lb.

In a small bowl, stir together the butter, herbes de Provence, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Gently slide your fingers under the breast of the chicken to loosen the skin, being careful not to tear it. Rub some of the herbes de Provence mixture underneath the skin and the rest on the outside of the chicken. Using kitchen twine, tie the wings behind the back and truss the legs together. Let the chicken rest for 1 hour in the fridge so the flavors can incorporate.

Roast at 400°F according to the manufacturer's instructions until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast, away from the bone, registers 160°F and the thigh registers 170°F, about 55 minutes. Remove the chicken from the rotisserie and lift it off the roasting rack. Place the chicken on a carving board, cover loosely with aluminum foil and let rest for 10 minutes.

Recipe Source: Williams Sonoma Kitchen

Italian Wedding Soup

I've been meaning to make this soup for a while now. My grandparent's and aunt made it this quite often for family gatherings and I always loved it. I didn't really have a recipe so I kind of made it up. I think it turned out pretty tasty. I used spinach instead of escarole and added tortellini instead of a small pasta. I was so good! We ate it for dinner and then for lunch over the weekend.

Italian Wedding Soup with Tortellini

1 t butter

1 t evoo

1 medium onion, diced

2 large carrots, thinly sliced

1 garlic clove, minced

2 sprigs of fresh thyme

8 C chicken broth

2 T fresh parsley

1 bag of frozen cheese tortellini

a few handfulls of fresh spinach

Meatballs

1/2 pound of ground turkey

2 T finely minced onion

1 egg white

pinch of salt

pinch of dried basil

2-3 T freshly grated parmesan

1 T breadcrumbs

For the meatballs:

Gently combine all ingredients and form into small balls (about 1/2 inch in size). Set a side.

For the soup:

Melt butter and evoo in a large stock pot. Add onion and carrots and cook until onions are soft. Add thyme and garlic and cook for 3 minutes. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Gently drop meatballs into soup and simmer for 10 minutes. Add spinach and tortellini and continue cooking for 4-5 minutes. Season with salt a pepper to taste.

Note:

I made the soup one night and added the tortellini on the day we had it for dinner. It was even better after it had sat for a day or two in the fridge.

Stuffed Turkey Meatball Subs

I had some lofty goals and planned on succeeding on each one the minute I got home from work yesterday! I wanted to take Miss Saly for a hike and decompress from the work day and enjoy some time with her. I then planned on heading right into the kitchen for some much needed cooking therapy. I've neglected this blog lately and have really missed my cooking. First on the list was Meatball Subs. With the remaining ground turkey I made my version of Italian Wedding Soup. More on this recipe coming. We had a huge amount of mozzarella to use up so I decided to stuff each meatball with a little cube before baking. Add some homemade sauce and a crusty toasted sub roll and you've got a great meal. We chose a nice cesar salad to accompany. They turned out quite tasty and hit the spot on a cold fall night.
Stuffed Turkey Meatballs

a palmful of bread crumbs

1/2 white onion diced

1/2 green pepper diced

2 T Parmesan chees

2 T fresh parsley, minced

1/2 t Italian seasoning

1/2 t garlic powder

pinch of red pepper flakes

1 pound of lean ground turkey
1 egg

2 T tomato paste

salt and fresh cracked pepper
8-12 1/2 inch cubes of mozzarella

Combine onion through red pepper flakes in a large bowl. Add tomato paste and gently combine to coat. Add turkey and egg and lightly mix to incorporate. Form into "meatball" size balls and gently flatten. Place mozzarella in the center and then roll back into a ball enclosing the cheese. Place on a lightly oiled cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Honey Wheat Buns

There really isn't anything like homemade bread, is there? I keep telling myself that I should be making all our bread and rolls from scratch. Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn't! I've had this recipe bookmarked for a while now and finally found the time to make them over the weekend. We served them with barbecue pulled chicken in the crock pot. Delicious! Check out Annie's blog for some amazing pictures and recipes. I think most of my bookmarks come from her site! The buns were moist and had a great honey taste. We ate them for the next few days and enjoyed each one!
The only change I made to the original recipe is adding about 1/4 cup of additional flour while mixing. After making the buns I think that I would have raised the oven temperature to 375. I think this would have created a bit of a crust to the buns. I just felt that 350 was too low of a temperature. Next time I make these I will try this formula out, baking for 10-12 minutes instead.

Honey Wheat Buns

1 1/4 C warm milk

2 1/4 t yeast

2 C bread flour, plus 1/4-1/2 cup more for adjusting as needed

1 C whole wheat flour

1/2 t salt

1 egg, at room temperature

1/4 C honey plus 1-2 T, divided

2 t butter, melted

Measure out the warmed milk in a liquid measuring cup, add in the yeast and stir to dissolve. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the bread flour (2 cups), wheat flour and salt. Mix briefly on low speed to combine. Add the yeast-milk mixture, egg, and 1/4 cup of honey to the mixer bowl and mix on low speed just until a dough has formed. Switch to the dough hook. Continue kneading on low speed with the dough hook until the dough is smooth and tacky but not sticky, adding extra flour 1-2 tablespoons at a time as needed until the dough clears the sides of the bowl and has the desired consistency. I added close to a 1/4 cup of additional flour. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turn to coat, and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2-2 hours.

Once the dough has risen, transfer the ball to a lightly floured work surface and gently deflate the dough. Divide the dough into 9-10 equal sized pieces Form each piece of dough into flattened round, 3.5-4 inches in diameter. Transfer the shaped rounds to a baking sheet. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise until nearly doubled, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Combine the melted butter with 1-2 tablespoons of honey and lightly brush the tops of the rolls. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired. Bake for 14-15 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking, until golden brown and baked through. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Recipe came from this wonderful blog Annie's Eats and like she says, these are amazing!

Chicken Enchilada

By far the best enchiladas ever. I mean it. This is the most requested meal by our friends and family! I put them on the menu this week and just realized that I have never posted the recipe. Unbelievable! If you don't make these you are truly missing out. The sauce is amazing and the warm chicken tossed with cilantro and scallions is delightful and smells amazing! We can make this with our eyes closed but I do remember the first time we made them. The kitchen walls were splattered in red and the sink was over flowing with dishes! I think it takes two people to assemble, one to roll and one to dip the tortillas in the sauce. All the labor is well worth is and I promise you will replace your other chicken enchilada recipes with this one. The original recipe was created by my good friend Nancy. She created this amazing cookbook and we love just about every dish in it! Over the years I have made a few modifications but would never take the full credit for this delicious meal! We do enjoy some other enchilada and burrito recipes. Two favorites are the black bean and sweet potato burritos and chipotle rice and black bean burritos.

Chicken Enchiladas

2 chicken breasts

2 C water
2 garlic cloves, mashed

8-10 whole peppercorns

1 bay leaf

3 scallions

1/2 C cilantro

1/2 t dried oregano

salt and fresh pepper

1 T vegetable oil

2 C tomato sauce

1 garlic clove, minced

1-2 T chili powder

1 T cumin

pinch of cinnamon

2 T flour

2 C reserved chicken cooking liquid, broth

2 C sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded

8-10 tortillas

Poach chicken in water, garlic, peppercorns and bay leaf until cooked through. Remove chicken and let cool slightly, reserve 2 cup of cooking liquid for later. Shred warm chicken and toss with chopped scallions, minced cilantro, oregano and salt and fresh cracked pepper. Set aside.

In a large skillet (big enough to place tortillas in) heat oil. Add garlic and saute 30 seconds. Add chili powder and saute 1 minute. Add flour, cumin and cinnamon and stir 1 minute (mixture will be dry). Whisk in 1 cup of chicken broth, stirring until smooth. Stir in remaining broth and tomato sauce. Cook over low heat until thickened, about 5 minutes. Cool slightly.

Working with one tortilla at a time, using tongs dip into sauce and gently coat each side. Place on a cutting board or plate and spoon 3 tablespoons of chicken filling onto tortilla. Sprinkle a little bit of cheese and roll. Place seam side down in greased baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas, sauce and filling. Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Bake enchiladas for 15-20 minutes until hot and bubbling. Serve with guacamole and sour cream.

Orzo with Tomatoes, Peas and Sausage

We seem to be going through a pattern here. One week we grocery shop the next we scrounge around and become creative with our dinners. I had high hopes of going the the store last night on my way home just like I did the night before. Since it didn't' fit into my schedule (I had to pick up Dave's anniversary gift, much more important) I created this quick meal. We always have a can of tomatoes in the cubbard, peas in the freezer and pasta, always a box of pasta! This was really great! The splash of half and half added a nice dimension and created a light rose sauce. We added mozzarella stuffed chicken sausage to round out this meal. You could leave the meat out or even substitute chicken. Versitile and yummy!

Orzo with Tomatoes, Peas and Sausage
1 box of orzo
1garlic clove
2 C chicken broth
2 C water
1/2 onion, diced small
1 14oz. can of tomatoes, slightly drained (I think fire roasted tomatoes would be really good)
3 chicken sausage, sliced thin
1/2 C frozen peas
3 T half & half
Parmesan cheese
evoo

Cook orzo in broth and water with the garlic clove. Heat skillet over medium high heat. Add a splash of evoo and sliced sausage and cook until lightly browned. Next add onions and continue cooking for 3 more minutes. Add tomatoes, peas and half and half. Continue cooking until heated through. Toss orzo and sauce together and serve passing cheese.

Chicken Cutlets topped with Spinach, Mushrooms and Blue Cheese

I think Dave is a better cook than I am. There I said it. Let it be known to the 5 people that visit my blog each week! At least I know that I'm not admitting it to the world!

I had a meeting after work so Dave was in charge of dinner. No problem he says. We had chicken in the fridge. As I ran out the door in the morning I remember saying that there was spinach and blue cheese that needed to be used up. I came home to the most amazing meal. I should have known that we would be having chicken cutlets. He absolutely loves chicken cutlets. We go through stages where I ask him what he wants for dinner and it always seems to be chicken parmesan or spicy chicken cutlets or chicken parm calzone. He is very creative with his chicken cutlets! He always wants to make more then we need to he can eat them for lunches. Needless to say we haven't had chicken cutlets in a really long time so it was a very nice surprise!

Don't skip pounding the chicken and double dipping the chicken in the eggs and breadcrumbs this makes them so tender and perfectly coated. I actually don't typically do this step but it was a nice addition, as I said this is Dave's recipe!
Chicken Cutlets topped with Spinach, Mushrooms & Blue Cheese

2 chicken breasts
1/2 C Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
1 egg
2 T milk
2 C fresh spinach
1/4 C diced onion
8-10 mushrooms, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 C Blue cheese, crumbled
1/4 C chicken broth
evoo

Cut each chicken breast in half, lengthwise to create four pieces. Pound chicken between wax paper until thin and even in thickness. Beat egg and milk in a medium sized bowl. Pour breadcrumbs into a pie dish. Place chicken into egg mixture and toss to coat. Meanwhile, heat enough evoo to coat the bottom of a cast iron skillet until almost smoking. Using a fork or tongs move chicken from egg mixture to breadcrumbs and coat both sides. Gently dip chicken back in egg mixture and them back into the breadcrumbs. Cook chicken on both sides until lightly browned. Remove to paper towel lined plate. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Carefully wiped skillet out with a paper towel to remove browned bits. Turn heat down and add a touch of evoo and the garlic. Add onions and cook for 5 minutes. Next add the mushrooms and continue cooking until onions are translucent. At the last minute throw the spinach in and cook until just wilted.

Place chicken in a large baking dish and spread spinach mixture evenly over chicken. Finish dish by sprinkling blue cheese over top. Pour chicken broth around chicken and bake for 15 minutes or until cheese begins to melt.

Cheddar Ale Spread

For book club last night I decided to make an easy dip. I'm trying to expand my appetizer list with minimal ingredients, quick no fuss recipes. This one definitely fits the bill.

Cheddar Ale Spread

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

2 t Dijon mustard

2 C extra sharp Cheddar cheese

1 T milk

1/4 C good beer

3 T fresh leaf parsley

pinch of kosher salt

Combine cream cheese, mustard, cheese, milk, salt and parsley in food processor. Pulse for 30 seconds. Add beer and continue processing until smooth. Place in refrigerator up to 4 days. Serve with sliced vegis and pretzels.

Source: Brown Eyed Baker

Lemon-Parsley Pesto

Do you get really nervous about wasting food? I do. We leave for a long weekend rafting trip in Utah tomorrow night after work and I needed to use quite a bit of food. We shopped on Saturday after doing a week of "scrounging" meals. So of course we bought more then we needed for 4 days. I think we did a pretty good job. I needed to use up two bunches of parsley and decided on a pesto. Not only is it a beautiful color but makes a great and simple pasta dish. We were able to get all of our gear together and sit down to a quick meal. Now all we have to do is fold the mountain of laundry on our bed!

Lemon-Parsley Pesto

2 bunches of flat leaf parsley

1/4 C Parmesan

3 T toasted pine nuts

1 lemon (zest + 2 t of juice)

2 garlic cloves

1/4 C evoo (about)

Cut parsley leaves from stems. Combine parsley, Parmesan, pine nuts, lemon juice and zest, and garlic in a food processor. Pulse until smooth. While motor is running add evoo until combined.

makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Oregon

We had an amazing trip to Oregon to visit with Pete for the week. We planned lots of adventures beginning in Portland, traveling through Corvalis to see where Pete is residing, heading to the coast for a few nights to surf and boogie board then off to Hood River to wind surf, go white water rafting, hike and see a few the fruit trees then back to Portland where we ate at a wonderful restuarant named Pok Pok, see the beautiful rose garden and walk through Washington Park, and drink fabulous coffee. Yes, we did A LOT!

Here's where we stayed at Otter Rock, just north of Newport

We had beautiful views and fabulous surf!

This neat house was purched on the rock overlooking the beach where we ran each morning and surfed with the locals.

After we left Otter Rock we headed north to Hood River, the wind surfing capital of the world. It was an amazing town right on the Columbia River, separating Washington from Oregon. We staying at this beautiful B&B called Seven Oaks.

Indian Chicken & Spinach

As I said in this post, it was a busy night. We whipped up this meal quite quickly and really enjoyed it. The first course of Eggplant Spread was really great. This was even better. I drew my inspiration from Big City Cooking. With some changes to the original recipe (added chicken since it was defrosted) we created a delicious meal. Letting this simmer for about an hour made gave it another depth of flavor. Dave ate the leftovers the next day for lunch and thought it tasted even better. So I would suggest making it at least a day before serving it for extra flavor.


Indian Chicken & Spinach

2 chicken breast, chopped
10 oz frozen spinach, thawed & drained
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
1/4 C sour cream
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t grated fresh ginger
1 T evoo
1/2 t Suracha sauce
t t curry powder (plus more for chicken)
1 t cumin
1/2 t garam masala
salt and pepper

Heat evoo in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger and cook 2-3 minutes. Dust chopped chicken with curry powder, salt and pepper. Add chicken to saucepan and cook until lightly browned. Add tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Stir in all remaining spices and hot sauce. Add spinach, turn the heat down very low and cover, 20 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in sour cream and serve.

Roasted Eggplant Dip

Yum! This was so good. I whipped up dinner so fast tonight! We were working after working at one of our side jobs and were not motivated for "working" in the kitchen after working until 7:30pm! I kept my eye on the task and created a nice little dinner. Dave sat at the kitchen table looking for flights to Mexico, Oregon and Massachusetts. (Yes we have some trips planned.) We wanted to go to Mexico but I think the other trips will take precedence. We have a new Nephew to meet, a Brother's wedding reception to attend and Christmas to celebrate. We may throw in a trip to North Carolina for a job interview in there as well. Yes, BUSY!

To keep Dave on task I made this eggplant dip after seeing it on this blog. We followed the appetizer with a nice Indian Chicken and Spinach also found on the same blog. This dip is very versitile. It makes more then you think with one eggplant. I mixed it with some fresh spinach and popped it in the microwave for a nice little lunch a few days later.

Roasted Eggplant Dip
1 medium eggplant
4 garlic cloves
1 small tomato
1/4 C onion, roughly chopped
2 t evoo
1 t suracha sauce
salt

Wash eggplant and make slits in it with a knife. Stick garlic cloves into the slits. Roast in a 400 degree oven for 20-30 minutes, turning once. When eggplant is soft, slit the charred skin lengthwise and scrape out the pulp with a spoon. Discard skin. And place eggplant, suracha sauce, salt and garlic in food processor. Meanwhile add 2 tsp oil to a pan over medium heat and cook the onion and tomato until onion is translucent. Then add to the eggplant mixture. Pulse till combined adding more salt to taste. Serve with warm naan or pita bread.

Our weekend adventure

We decided to go backpacking this weekend. It's getting to that time of the summer when we have to start making our list and packing it all in before the snow flies. This was one of the things that was on our list. Here are some picture from our hike on the Wheeler Lakes Trail across from Copper. This is the view from our tent. We had a great time relaxing by the fire and hiking around the area.

Here is a look at Copper Mt.

Here's an artistic picture of Saly!

Here's Hound Dog II all ready to go!

Grilled Chicken Tenders with Cilantro Pesto

No one ever told me that food photography and camera flashes don't mix. No one! I just found out this little tid bit of information on Friday. Hmm, maybe that's why I have no visitors to this site! My pictures make food look very unappetizing. Well things are changing around here! I will be taking much better pictures from here on out! This was a really great meal! As I was munching away, I even dared to say to myself that this was the best dish of the summer! I was different and fit our mood perfectly. I think I said this about the Chicken Gyros. Either way, it's definitely up for contention! I really try to find recipes that use ingredients that we always have on hand. In this case, we always have chicken in the freezer, soy sauce in the cubbard and fresh vegetables in the fridge. Add a few more ingredients and you have the making for this fabulous chicken. I love my EatingWell subscription. The magazine doesn't come every month so I subsidize my obsession for the healthy yet delicious recipes by going to their website. I found this recipe on their website and just increased some of the measurements. (Next time, I will double the Cilantro Pesto. It was that good!) I served this with a simple green salad tossed in evoo and balsamic and Quinoa with Latin Flavors (also found at EatingWell. Kate and Walid have been away and they gave us free range of their garden. We have been indulging in their lettuce and arugula for a week now!

Grilled Chicken Tender with Cilantro Dipping Sauce

1/4 C lime juice
1/4 C reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 T canola oil
1.5 t chili powder
2 Chicken breasts, sliced into tenders
1-2 bunches of Cilantro
2 scallions, chopped
2 T toasted sesame seeds

Whisk lime juice, soy sauce, oil and chili powder in a large bowl. Reserve 3 tablespoons of the marinade in a small bowl. Add chicken to the remaining marinade; toss to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Preheat grill to medium-high. Meanwhile, place cilantro, scallions, sesame seeds and the reserved marinade in a food processor and process until fairly smooth. Remove the chicken from the marinade (discard marinade) and grill until cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, about 2 minutes per side. Serve the chicken with the cilantro-sesame pesto.

BBQ Shrimp Po' Boys

I have been craving Shrimp Po Boys for a long while now! I'm not even sure I have ever had the real thing before but for some reason I knew we would love it! I have seen lots of renditions on a few different sites and finally added it to the weekly menu. I took my inspiration from this recipe Cooking Light. The shrimp marinade added great flavor. This is a simple dinner sandwich. Make sure you use a nice crusty baguette!

BBQ Shrimp Po' Boys

1 t garlic powder

1/2 t of the following

onion powder

dried thyme

dried oregano

paprika

salt

black pepper

1/4 t red pepper flakes

2 t onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

2 T lime juice

2 t Worcestershire sauce

1 T butter, melted

1/4 C light mayo

10-20 medium shrimp, deveined

sliced tomato

sliced red onion

bib lettuce

baguette

Combine garlic powder through butter in a medium bowl. Take 3 T of garlic mixture and combine it with mayo in a small bowl and refrigerate. Add shrimp to garlic mixture and coat well. Let the shrimp marinate for about 30 minutes. Heat grill to high and barbecue shrimp for 2-3 minutes flipping half way though. (You can use skewers if you want.) Assemble sandwich: spread a thin layer of mayo on each side of cut baguette. Top with shrimp, lettuce, sliced tomato and onion.

The newest eddition to the family!

Let me introduce my nephew Elliot Joseph Bertolami! Isn't he beautiful! He was born on July 24th at 6:08 pm. I'm the very proud Aunt and can't wait to meet the little bugger! Congratulations Matt and Rebekah!!

In Loving Memory of George

Sadly we lost the most amazing dog to ever chase tennis balls on July 21st. It was one of the suckiest days and we are trying to focus on all the good times we had with George. He was the absolute best friend to Dave and I and Saly. Here is the last picture we took together with the Doughd. Here's to you buddy! You will always be missed and loved.

Pinwheels- Mom in the kitchen

Another Cook's Illustrated recipe! For some reason the East Coast receives magazine subscriptions faster then Colorado. My parents had already made this recipe before I had even gotten the magazine in my mail box! In this situation, it was a good thing because it is a more complicated recipe and took a bit of time to put together. My parents were out for their first visit in the summer since we moved here nine years ago! They had been here in the early fall and always in the winter but never to experience the amazing summers we have here in the mountains. We had a fabulous time and packed in a lot of activities.

As I've said before, I love cooking with my parents. They are each talented cooks and I love sharing recipes with them when they come out but this time they took the reigns and made this delicious and fun dish. Here are a few pictures of my Mom prepping the pinwheels. After taking a look at Christopher Kimball's Blog (the founder of Cook's Illustrated) he shows a nice picture of the pinwheels. Take a look at his blog. You can keep track of his adventures. We made them in the morning so that they had time for the flavors to meld. As you can see we used two flank steaks. One was more then enough for 4 people. They key to this dish is having a tight roll, an extra pair of hands to tie the twine and a sharp knife. Depending on the size of the flank steak, you will have 8-10 pinwheels per log. Insead of using one skewer per wheel we put 3 wheels per skewer.

Pinwheels
2 Flank Steaks about 2 pounds each (butterflied)
10 slices of provolone

8 slices of fresh mozzarella

1/2 C Flat leaf parsley

3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 C sun dried whole tomatoes

1 medium shallot, minced

1 t fresh minced sage leaves

3-4 T evoo
kosher salt and ground black pepper

butcher's twine

skewers

Combine garlic, shallot, parsley, sage, olive oil and a pinch each salt and pepper. Butterfly and pound steak into a rough rectangle. Spread parsley mixture evenly over steak. Layer tomatoes over parsley.

Finish with a layer of provolone and mozzarella. Make sure you leave a 2-inch boarder along the edge.Starting from the bottom edge and rolling away from you, roll beef into a tight log and place on cutting board seam-side down. Starting 1/2 inch from the end, evenly space 8-10 pieces of butcher's twine at 1-inch intervals underneath steak. Tie the middle string first and then the two outer, finish the remaining. Skewer beef directly though the seam and through the string. Using a sharp knife, slice roll between pieces of twine into pinwheels. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Preheat grill for 15 minutes on high. Turn one side of grill to low. Carefully brush grill with oil to prevent sticking. Grill pinwheels for 3-6 minutes until well browned. Flip and continue cooking for 3-5 more minutes. Move to cooler side of grill and continue cooking until desired doneness. Transfer pinwheels to plate and tent with foil to rest for 5 minutes. Remove skewers and twine and serve.