Mushroom Marsala on Gorgonzola Polenta w/ Arugula Salad

meatless meal in minutes...

It was a busy weekend and I've had little time to think about my blog and this post. So, I needed something quick and easy tonight. One of my favorite things to make when time is short and I need to make dinner is polenta - it cooks in 3 minutes, much quicker than pasta. It's a lot like grits if you've never had it before. And it's really good with butter and cheese...especially with Gorgonzola cheese. Yum!

Polenta is an Italian staple, so I'm topping it with a classic sauce - Marsala. Typically chicken is served with this sauce (and that's what I made for my husband; he hates mushrooms). But, to make this a vegetarian meal, I just left it out and doubled the amount of mushrooms. This simple supper is nearly a whole meal as well, just serve it with your favorite green vegetable. Need a deliciously easy meal in minutes? Make this for dinner, here's how...

Ingredients - Serves 4
Mushroom Marsala
2 T Olive Oil
1 lb. Sliced Mushrooms (such as crimini)
1 Clove Garlic, minced
1/2 T Fresh Thyme, chopped
2 T All-Purpose Flour
1/2 C Sweet Marsala Wine
1/2 C Vegetable Broth
2 T Unsalted Butter
1/4 C Fresh Parsley, chopped

Gorgonzola Polenta
1 Box Quick-Cooking Polenta (4 servings)
1/4 C Half & Half
1 T Unsalted Butter
4 oz. Gorgonzola Cheese, crumbled

Arugula Salad
2 C Baby Arugula
1/2 Lemon, juiced
1 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Kosher Salt & Black Pepper

Directions
Following the directions on the polenta box, bring 4 1/2 C of water to a boil in a sauce pan.

Brown the mushrooms: Heat the olive oil over medium. Add the mushrooms and cook until browned about 5 minutes. Hold off salting them, this draws out liquid and keeps the mushrooms from browning. Stir in the thyme, garlic, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook for another minute.

Make the sauce: Add the flour to the mushrooms and cook out, about one minute. Pour the Marsala into the pan and boil down for a few seconds. Then add the vegetable broth and simmer for a minute to reduce the sauce slightly. Stir in the butter and parsley. Taste for seasoning and keep warm.

Make the polenta: Salt the boiling water and slowly whisk the polenta into it. Turn off the heat and continue whisking for 2-3 minutes or until cooked through. Whisk in the half and half and butter. Finally stir in the crumbled Gorgonzola cheese.

Plate the dish: In a bowl combine the arugula, lemon juice, oil, and a pinch each salt and pepper. Toss to combine. In a shallow bowl put down a bed of the polenta, top with the mushroom Marsala, and finish with the arugula salad. Serve with your favorite green vegetable. Enjoy!

Curry Chickpea Tikka w/ Cool Cucumber Dipping Sauce

golden as the setting sun...

For this next series of posts I'm focusing on curry powder. There are many varieties of curry powder, but ironically, they don't exist in or come from India. Instead, curry powder is thought to have been invented by the English to help recreate dishes had while in India. Thus, we have many varieties of what we call "curry powder" here in America.

So, I've created my own version of curry powder and will then incorporate it into each recipe for this series. Traditionally whole spices would be used. They would be toasted in a dry skillet and then ground with a spice grinder. I'm taking a few short cuts and using all ground spices. I hope that makes it more feasible for you to make this at home. Once the golden curry powder has been made, it can be stored for months in a cool dry place (with other spices). First, let's make the curry powder...

Ingredients - Makes ~1/2 C
2 T Ground Cumin
2 T Ground Cardamom
2 T Ground Coriander
1/4 C Ground Turmeric
1/2 T Ground Cloves
1 tsp. Ground Red Pepper (Cayenne)
1 tsp. Ground Black Pepper

Directions
In a small bowl combine all of the spices. Whisk together. Store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Next, lets make the appetizer...

I've created this appetizer by fusing my Indian curry powder with a Middle Eastern favorite - falafel. These delicate "tikka" or chickpea balls are made in a food processor, rolled in panko, and originally were to be fried. However, I found that the tikka were too delicate to be fried. So, to avoid disaster, I put them into a well oiled mini muffin tin to bake. This recipe is quite delicious, but it was definitely trial and error on my part. I've therefore adjusted this recipe and I believe it will work just fine for you! Let me know if it doesn't. Here's how to make it...

Ingredients - Makes ~20
Curry Chickpea Tikka
2 Cans Low-Sodium Chickpeas, rinsed & drained
2 Cloves Garlic, roughly chopped
1 Inch Ginger, peeled & roughly chopped
2-3 Green Onions, roughly chopped
1/2 C Cilantro
1/2 Lemon, juiced
1 T Curry Powder (recipe above)
1 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1-1 1/2 C Panko Bread Crumbs
Cooking Spray

Cool Cucumber Dipping Sauce
1 C Low-Fat Greek Yogurt
1/2 Cucumber, shredded & squeezed dry
1/2 Lemon, juiced
Kosher Salt
Black Pepper

Directions
Make the curry powder following the directions above. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Combine the chickpeas, garlic, ginger, green onions, cilantro, lemon juice, and curry powder in a food processor. Pulse 10-15 times to finely chop everything. Then, with the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil and continue to process until a thick paste forms. Don't add too much oil. This will cause the paste to become too soft and you won't be able to make the balls.

Next, make the tikka by rolling ~2 T chickpea mixture into a ball. Roll the ball in the panko, pressing a bit to help it adhere. Continue making the tikka until all of the chickpea mixture has been used up. Then, liberally spray a mini muffin pan with cooking spray. Put the tikka into the mini muffin cups and then liberally spray each with the cooking spray. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes. Cool and serve.

While the tikka cook, make the dip. Combine the yogurt, shredded cucumber, lemon juice, and a pinch each salt and pepper in a bowl. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Place the room temperature Curry Chickpea Tikka on a platter and serve with the Cool Cucumber Dipping Sauce. Enjoy!

Black Bean Hummus

little black beans...

This past week our church, Crossroads, hosted their annual "beans and rice week" to save money and change lives. We've attended this church for the past 3 years and have participated in this fundraiser each year. The idea is that for one week you eat rice and beans (or eat cheaply - we just eat whatever we have in the house), then subtract that cost from your usual weekly grocery bill, and then donate the difference. You can learn more here. So for this series I'm repeating (for the first time in 3 years - yes, I've been posting to my blog for that long!) an ingredient - black beans.

There are so many different things you can do with black beans, so even though I'm repeating this ingredient, these recipes will be original. Also, all of these recipes will start with dried beans instead of canned. I'm starting off with a black bean hummus. This recipe is quick and easy to make. You can adjust any of the ingredients to your liking - make it spicier with more cayenne or a add a diced jalapeño, make it smokier with more cumin, or load it up with freshness by adding more green onion and cilantro. Use what you have on hand and make this recipe (that's what I did). Here's how...

Ingredients - Serves 6-8
2 C Prepared Black Beans (1 C dried beans)
2 T Tahini Paste
3 Green Onions, chopped
1/4 C Cilantro, roughly chopped
1 Clove Garlic, minced
2 T Lemon Juice
1/2 T Chili Powder
1 tsp. Ground Cumin
1/2 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
~1/2 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil, more for drizzling
Kosher Salt
To Serve: Tortilla Chips and Assorted Veggies

Directions
To prepare the beans: The night before, put 1 cup dried black beans in a pot and cover with water by an inch or two. Cover, refrigerate, and soak until ready to cook. The day of, drain the beans, put them back into the pot, and just cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, and simmer with the lid on. Cook until tender, about 35-40 minutes. Salt about 10 minutes before the beans are done cooking. Drain, cool, and store. You will end up with 2-3 cups cooked beans.

Make the hummus: Put the beans, tahini paste, green onions, cilantro, garlic, lemon juice, chili powder, cumin, and cayenne pepper into a food processor. Pulse about 10 times, or until the beans are coarsely chopped. Next, with the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil until the hummus comes together. It will be smooth and creamy. Season with salt to taste.

Scrape the black bean hummus into a bowl and drizzle with a little more olive oil. Serve with tortilla chips and assorted veggies. The hummus will stay good refrigerated in an air-tight container for up to 10 days. Enjoy!

Snap Pea & Asparagus Salad with Mustard-Dill Vinaigrette

spring forward to spring green...

We all lost an hour today, which sucks, but it really is good news because it means that spring is just that much closer (only 12 more days!). It has been warm and sunny this weekend - it's hard to believe we had snow last week. Most of the snow has melted and I'm really hoping we are done with it for this year. I guess we will see...

For this series I'm focusing on snap peas. Little more makes me think of spring than green, green peas that is! This recipe celebrates both snap peas and green peas along with asparagus, another veggie that makes me think of spring. These vegetables are blanched and then tossed in a Mustard-Dill Vinaigrette to create a simple side salad to welcome the up-coming spring season. Here's how to make it...

Ingredients - Serves 6
Salad
1 lb. Snap Peas
1 Bunch Asparagus
1 C Frozen (or fresh) Peas

Vinaigrette
1 T Dijon Mustard
1 T Fresh Lemon Juice
1 1/2 tsp. Sherry Vinegar
1 tsp. Capers, roughly chopped
1/2 tsp. Caper Brine
3 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 T Fresh Dill, chopped
Kosher Salt & Black Pepper

Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt generously.

Trim the asparagus and then cut into 2 inch pieces. Drop the snap peas, asparagus, and frozen peas into the boiling water. Blanch for 2-3 minutes. Remove to an ice bath (bowl filled with ice and water) to shock the veggies and stop their cooking. After 5 minutes, drain and pat dry.

Meanwhile, make the dressing: In a large bowl combine the mustard, lemon juice, and vinegar; whisk. Next, add in the capers, brine, and a pinch each salt and pepper. Whisk in the extra virgin olive oil. Stir in the dill.

Add the dried peas and asparagus to the bowl with the dressing. Toss well. Refrigerate up to 2 hours before serving. Stir and serve. Enjoy!

Crispy, Crunchy Cornmeal Encrusted Cod w/ Lemon-Dill Tartar Sauce

fish fry Fridays...

'Tis the Lenten season of the fish fry. Although I'm not Catholic and didn't grow up that way, much of Cincinnati is. So, when Lent rolls around each year there are so many fish fries on Fridays you could go to a different one for the entire season and still not hit up even half of them. Here's a list for the 2015 Lenten season you can search by neighborhood, so it should be easy to find one near you. And, hey, it's Friday, so grab some friends and go check one out.

Or, you could stay home and make my Crispy, Crunchy Cornmeal Encrusted Cod w/ Lemon-Dill Tartar Sauce. It's quick and easy to make. And, quite inexpensive to feed a crowd - I guess the Catholic Church knew what they were doing when they instituted these meat free Fridays!. Even if you aren't Catholic, sometimes its fun to be part of a tradition. You know what they say, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. If you do decide to stay in (it is freezing out!) keep the fish fry tradition alive. Here's how to make my fried fish...

Ingredients - Serves 4
Fried Fish
1 1/2 - 2 lbs. Cod, skinned
Kosher Salt
Black Pepper
Vegetable Oil, for frying
1/2 C All Purpose Flour
2 Large Eggs
2 T Cold Water
2 C Yellow Corn Meal
1 tsp. Dried Parsley
1 tsp. Lemon-Pepper Seasoning (suggest Mrs. Dash, no salt added)
1/2 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
To Serve: Lemon Wedges & Cole Slaw

Lemon-Dill Tartar Sauce
1/2 C Mayo (suggest w/ Olive Oil)
2-3 T Fresh Dill, chopped
Zest 1 Lemon
1 T Fresh Lemon Juice

Directions
Cut the cod into 4 fillets. Season with salt and pepper on both sides. Set aside. On med-high, heat a large castiron skillet filled with enough oil to shallow fry the fish to 350 degrees.

Meanwhile, setup the dredging station: Put the flour on a plate, beat the eggs in a shallow bowl with the two tablespoons of water, and put the cornmeal in another shallow dish. Add the dried parsley, lemon-pepper seasoning, and cayenne pepper to the corn meal. Mix well.

Next, dredge the fish: Coat the fish in flour, then egg, and finally press into the cornmeal mixture. Repeat this process until all of the fillets are coated. Carefully add the fish to the hot oil and fry for 5 minutes on each side until medium-golden brown. Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain.

As the fish fries, make the lemon-dill tartar sauce: In a small bowl combine the mayo, chopped dill, lemon zest and juice. Stir together and set aside.

Finally, serve the fish with the tartar sauce, lemon wedges, and your favorite Cole slaw. Here's to the Lenten season. Enjoy!

Easy Caesar Salad w/ Cornbread Croutons

waste not, what not...

It is a winter wonderland here in Cincy. We've been getting snow since Monday and it's only stopped briefly. I think we have about a foot as of today...it's just a bit much. But, it is February. Given the weather we've had, I haven't made it to the store this week. So, I was quite limited for this post to what I had in my refrigerator and/or pantry. So, I'm getting creative with this series. I'll be focusing on corn meal and the variety of things you can make with this versatile ingredient.

To start off I've made a simple Caesar salad. To put a twist on this classic salad I'm using leftover corn muffins I made earlier this week to create cornbread croutons. If you don't have leftover cornbread, just buy a pre-made loaf from the store. I like the Jiffy Cornbread mix personally and use it all the time. Other than the croutons, this salad is pretty standard. I'm finishing it with a dressing from Anne Burrell of Food Network fame and lots of cracked black pepper. If you are stuck inside like me and have these ingredients on hand, make this salad tonight. Here's how...

Ingredients - Serves 4
Salad
2 C Cubed Cornbread, 1 inch pieces
1 Romain Heart
1/2 C Shredded Parmesan Cheese
Cracked Black Pepper

Anne Burrell's Caesar Salad Dressing
1/2 C Grated Parmigiano Cheese
1 Lemon, zest & juice
1-2 Cloves Garlic
1 T Dijon Mustard
2-3 Anchovy Fillets (I used 1 T anchovy paste)
2 Shakes Worcestershire Sauce
1/3 C Olive Oil
Kosher Salt, as needed

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Make the croutons: Put the cubed cornbread on a large baking sheet. Cook for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through. The croutons will be dry, crisp, and browned. Set aside to cool.

Make the dressing: In the bowl of a food processor, combine the parmigiana, lemon zest and juice, garlic, mustard, anchovies, and Worcestershire sauce. Puree until the mixture is smooth, 15-20 seconds. With the machine running, add the olive oil through the feed tube. Let the processor continue to run another 10-15 seconds. Taste and season with salt if needed.

Make the salad: Chop the lettuce and divide among 4 bowls. Top with the cornbread croutons, shredded Parmesan, Caesar dressing, and lots of cracked black pepper. Toss lightly and serve immediately. Note: To make this a dinner, split among two large bowls and add some cooked shrimp or chicken! Stay in, stay warm, but eat well. Enjoy!

Kalamata Olive & Feta Stuffed Chicken Breasts in White Wine Sauce over Couscous

a balancing act...

Continuing on with my goal to eat better in the new year, I'm coming to the realization that I need to have a more balanced diet. While I've been mostly a pescetarian for the past 10 years, I've decided that I need to eat a little bit more meat. That said, I still won't post recipes with pork or beef, but instead, lean white meats such as chicken and turkey will appear more regularly. In that vein, I'm starting with this dinner.

There are many parts to this meal, but each one is very easy to do, and creates a balanced dish. The kalamata olive and feta stuffing is rich and provides moisture to the chicken as it cooks. The chicken is a lean protein jazzed up with the stuffing. And, the white wine sauce finishes off the dish with a little bit of decadence and a pop of acidity. I round out the meal with a simple couscous. When you need a bit of balance in your life, make this dish. Here's how...

Ingredients - Serves 4
Stuffing:
4 oz. Light Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 C Kalamata Olives, pitted & roughly chopped
1/2 C Feta Cheese, crumbled
2 Oil-Packed Sun Dried Tomatoes, roughly chopped

Chicken:
1 T Olive Oil
4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, trimmed
Kosher Salt
Black Pepper

White Wine Sauce:
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
1/2 C White Wine
1/2 Lemon, juiced
2 T Butter
Kosher Salt
Black Pepper

Couscous:
1 T Olive Oil
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
2 C Chicken Broth
1 (10 oz.) Box Couscous

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Make the stuffing: In a small bowl combine the cream cheese, Kalamata olives, feta, and sun dried tomatoes. Stir until well combined. Set aside.

Prepare and stuff the chicken: Pat each chicken breast dry. Using a sharp knife, cut a slit along the side of the breast, from top to bottom and about 3/4 the way in. Be careful not to cut all the way through the breast (essentially, you are creating a pocket). Divide the stuffing mixture and evenly distribute between each "pocket". Stuff the mixture into the "pocket", moving it around to evenly fill the breast.

Cook the chicken: Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over med-high. Add the oil and each breast. Cook on each side until browned, 6-8 minutes. Remove to a roasting pan and put in the preheated oven to finish cooking, about 20 minutes.

As the chicken cooks, make the sauce: In the skillet used to cook the chicken, add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Deglaze the pan with the wine and lemon juice. Reduce by half, add the butter, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm.

Make the couscous: In a medium pot add the oil and heat over med-high. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, cook for about 1 minute. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Stir in the couscous, remove from the heat, cover, and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and keep warm until ready to serve.

Serve the dish: Plate the couscous on the bottom, top with chicken, and drizzle with the sauce. Serve immediately with a small salad and a glass of your favorite red wine. Enjoy!

Kalamata Olive Tapenade with Homemade Pita Chips

new year + new goals = new you

It's a new year and with that comes new goals, ambitions, and a vision of a better life. Many of you will have goals of exercising more (me), watching less TV (yes, me), and eating healthier (yup, you guessed it).  I like to think that I eat healthy now, but there are definitely days, weeks, and December that mess that up. So, it's a new year and I'm starting off on the right foot with this easy appetizer.

This tapenade is full of kalamata and black olives, which are very good for you. They are low in calories, contain healthy monounsaturated fat (good for your heart), and can help with pain (they contain a compound that has anti-inflammatory properties, mimicking pain killers). As with anything, moderation is key as they are high in sodium. So, try out this appetizer and only have a little! Here's how to make it...

Ingredients - Serves 6-8
Tapenade
1 C Pitted Kalamata Olives, drained
1/2 C Pitted Black Olives, drained
2 Cloves Garlic, roughly chopped
1/4 C Flat-leaf Parsley
1 T Anchovy Paste
2 T Capers, drained
1/2 Lemon, juiced (~2T)
1-2 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Pita Chips
2 Whole Wheat Pita Pockets
Cooking Spray
Kosher or Sea Salt

Directions
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

Make the pita chips: Cut each pita pocket in half. Cut each half into 4 wedges. Separate each wedge by cutting or tearing long the "pocket" side. Each pita pocket will yield 16 pita pieces (32 pieces total). Line the pita pieces up on a large baking sheet and spray them liberally with cooking spray. Flip and spray on the other side. Sprinkle with a little salt. Bake for about 20 minutes, flipping halfway through.

Meanwhile, make the tapenade: Combine the olives and garlic in a food processor. Pulse 6-8 times or until roughly chopped. Add the parsley, anchovy paste, capers, and lemon juice. Pulse a few more times to combine everything well. Stir in the extra virgin olive oil, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serve the tapenade with the homemade pita chips. Enjoy (in moderation of course)!

Lemony Roasted Brussels Sprouts

leafy green...

This simple side dish is just what the holiday season ordered. I'd never had Brussels sprouts until I made them for myself a few years ago. I didn't know what to expect, but I love broccoli and cabbage, so I figured I'd like Brussels sprouts too. Like is an understatement, I love them! They are especially tasty when roasted.

If you've never had Brussels sprouts or it's been a while, make this recipe. It only takes about 30 minutes to make and 20 of those are letting the Brussels sprouts roast in the oven. So, when you need a quick and healthy vegetable to pair with dinner try out some roasted Brussels sprouts. Here's how...

Ingredients - Serves 4
1 Bunch Brussels Sprouts, cleaned & cut in half lengthwise
2 T Lemon Flavored Olive Oil
1 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/2 tsp. Ground Black Pepper
1/2 Lemon, zest & juice
1/4 C Grated Parmesan Cheese

Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Spread the Brussels sprouts out on a baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Roast in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until charred.

Put the roasted Brussels sprouts into a serving dish. Add the lemon zest, juice, and Parmesan cheese and toss well. Serve immediately. Enjoy!