FETTUCCINE WITH ASPARAGUS
This comes from Pierre Franey in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Pierre wrote, “Finding a 30-minute dish that's elegant enough for a dinner party is no simple task, but this warm-weather pasta is one to fit the bill. It is gleefully easy to put together. Just toss slices of blanched asparagus with a tangle of cooked fettuccine slicked with butter. Shower with grated Parmesan and serve.” Yield: 4 servings; Time: 25 minutes.
Not sure how to cook asparagus? Read ”How to Cook Asparagus”, David Tanis’s guide to cooking this wonderful vegetable. (David Tanis writes The New York Times’s City Kitchen column. Many of his recipes are posted in the Times’s cooking e-newsletter.)
To view Pierre Franey’s Fettuccine with Asparagus recipe online, click here.
Ingredients
6 fresh asparagus spears, about 1/2 pound
10 ounces fresh fettuccine or 3/4 pound dried fettuccine
2 tablespoons butter
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil or parsley
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Freshly ground pepper and salt to taste
Preparation
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
Cut off tough ends of asparagus spears. Cut each on the bias into 1-inch lengths. There should be about 1 1/2 cups. Rinse well and drain.
Add the asparagus to the boiling water and cook about 2 minutes. Remove asparagus with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Drop the fettuccine into salted boiling water. Let cook to desired degree of doneness (cooking time will range from about 2 to 2 1/2 minutes for fresh pasta to 9 minutes or more for dried). Reserve 2 tablespoons cooking water. Drain the pasta.
Heat the butter in the pot in which the pasta was cooked. Add the asparagus pieces and the fettuccine. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add the reserved 2 tablespoons of cooking water and basil. Toss to blend. Serve hot with Parmesan cheese on the side.
WHOLE GRAIN BLUEBERRY MUFFINS WITH ORANGE STREUSEL
This is from Julia Moskin, also in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Julia wrote, “This master recipe for juicy, whole grain berry muffins is both extremely flexible and extremely rewarding. It is sweet but not sugary, packed with whole grains but not dense, and reasonably rich in fiber, protein, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats. The fresh berries and nuts are interchangeable with dried fruit, coconut or sunflower seeds. And the muffins freeze beautifully; they can go from a 300-degree oven to the breakfast table (or the car) in about 20 minutes.” Yield: 18 to 24 muffins; Time: about 2 hours.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
For the Muffins:
2 cups all-purpose flour, more as needed
2/3 cup whole wheat flour or wheat germ, preferably toasted
2/3 cup fine-ground yellow cornmeal
2/3 cup rolled oats (not quick-cooking)
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons nutmeg or allspice (or use additional cinnamon)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups buttermilk, more as needed
1 1/3 cup coconut oil, or neutral oil like safflower or canola
2/3 cup maple syrup
4 eggs
2 cups grated carrots or tart apple
1 1/2 cups blueberries
1 cup chopped toasted walnuts or pecans (optional)
For the Streusel (Optional):
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup coconut oil or cold unsalted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest
Preparation
Make the muffins: In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flours, cornmeal, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, mix the wet ingredients: buttermilk, oil, maple syrup and eggs.
Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and gently mix just until blended. Don’t worry about a few lumps or streaks of flour. Stir in the carrots, blueberries and nuts if using. (If you'd like, reserve a handful of blueberries for sprinkling on top of the muffins just before baking.)
Set batter aside at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes to allow flours to absorb the liquid. Check batter after 15 minutes by giving it a light stir. It should be thick, not runny (this will help the muffins rise). Thin with a little more buttermilk or thicken by adding 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour. Set aside for 5 minutes more, check and adjust texture again, and repeat until batter is thick and fluffy.
Heat oven to 425 degrees and place rack in top third of oven. Butter or spray a muffin tin (regular or jumbo), or line the cups with paper liners. Make sure to also butter or spray the top surface of the tin to help the muffins release.
Make the streusel if using: In a small bowl, mix and pinch all the ingredients together until blended and crumbly. (If using butter, cut into small pieces first.)
Using an ice-cream scoop or small ladle, divide thick batter among muffin cups, filling almost to the top. Mound the batter slightly in the center of each cup; this will help make a domed muffin top. If you reserved blueberries for topping, press them lightly into the muffins. If you are topping with streusel, use your fingers to divide streusel over batter and press lightly onto the surface.
Place muffin tin in oven and reduce heat to 400 degrees. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until a tester inserted into center of muffin comes out moist but clean. Rotate the pan halfway through baking. Cool muffins in pan on rack, then remove from tin.
Repeat with remaining batter. If there is not enough batter remaining to fill all the cups, fill every other cup with batter. Pour water into the empty cups to protect the pan in the oven.
Tip:
To freeze extra muffins, wrap them individually in aluminum foil. Reheat, still wrapped, in a 300-degree oven for about 20 minutes. Or unwrap and reheat in a microwave.
CHEDDAR AND BACON TWICE BAKED POTATOES
This comes from Diana Rattray, About.com’s Southern Food expert. Diana wrote, “Bacon, cheese, and green onions add fabulous flavor to these twice baked potatoes. Use large baking potatoes for this recipe, preferably russets.
“These make an excellent side dish to serve with steaks, chops, ham, or a roast.”
Prep Time: 25 minutes;Cook Time: 75 minutes; Total Time: 100 minutes; Yield: 8 Servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
4 large baking potatoes
olive oil
kosher salt
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup sour cream, plus more for serving
1/2 cup milk or half-and-half
8 ounces shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (2 cups), divided
4 tablespoons chopped green onions, divided
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
8 strips bacon, cooked, drained, and crumbled, divided
Preparation
Heat the oven to 400° F.
Scrub the potatoes and pat dry; rub with olive oil and sprinkle with the kosher salt.
Arrange the potatoes on a baking sheet and prick all over with a sharp fork or skewer.
Bake until fork tender, about 1 hour. Reduce the oven temperature to 350° F.
Let the potatoes stand until cool enough to handle. Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise.
Scoop the potato out of the shells into a bowl.
Place the shells back on the baking sheet and set aside.
Mash the potatoes with the butter. Blend in the sour cream, milk or half-and-half, and half of the Cheddar cheese.Stir in 2 tablespoons of the chopped green onions. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
Spoon the mixture into the potato skin shells.
Combine the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese with the remaining 2 tablespoons of green onion and half of the crumbled bacon.
Sprinkle each stuffed potato with 2 tablespoons of shredded cheese mixture; press down lightly to pack onto the potato.
Bake the potatoes until the cheese melts and the potato filling is set, about 15 minutes.
Sprinkle with the remaining bacon before serving.
PEANUT BUTTER PIE
There’s also a story that goes along with the Peanut Butter Pie. I’d driven cab for several years. One Friday afternoon, I got a call to pick up a single dad from the store. When I dropped him off, his son and daughter came out of the trailer to help bring in the groceries.
“Did you remember to get the stuff for the peanut butter pie?” his daughter asked. They were taking it to an early Thanksgiving gathering that weekend.
“Sure did,” he answered.
“Peanut butter pie?” I asked, as we finished unloading the groceries. “How do you make that?”
“With peanut butter, confectioner’s sugar, and a few other things,” came the answer.
The following week, I managed to pick the dad up again. This time, I managed to get the ingredients: pie crust, peanut butter, confectioner’s sugar, cream cheese and Cool Whip. It wasn’t until the third (and final) time I picked him up in as many weeks that I got the exact amounts. He used 1/3 cup each of peanut butter and sugar, both of which I upped to 1/2 cup each.
8-ounce tub of Cool Whip (see note)
8-ounce block of cream cheese (see note)
1/2 cup peanut butter (smooth is preferable)
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
Pie crust (see note)
Put Cool Whip, cream cheese, peanut butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. With beaters, beat on high. Pour into pie crust, smooth out, and freeze for 1 hour.
Note: Cool whip (or store equivalent) can be fat-free. Cream cheese can be regular cream cheese or the 1/3 less fat kind, but do not use fat free, as the pie won't set up right. I usually use a store-bought graham cracker crust for the pie, which is what the man used to make this. However, you can also use an Oreo cookie crust.
CHICKEN AND AVOCADO RANCH BURRITOS
This is from Chungah Rhee, whose blog, Damn Delicious®, is really great! If you haven’t signed up for her emails, you should! I know, I’ve mentioned several blogs and food websites here, but for every cooking e-newsletter and cooking blog that I mention as one that’s worth signing up for, I probably see a dozen or so that I’m not wild about, and therefore don’t pass along. Chungah’s blog Damn Delicious® is worth signing up for!
For this recipe, Chungah wrote, “These come together with just 15 min prep! You can also make this ahead of time and bake right before serving. SO EASY!” YIELD: 4 servings; PREP TIME: 15 minutes; COOK TIME: 15 minutes; TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes.
To view this online, go to http://damndelicious.net/2016/05/29/chicken-avocado-ranch-burritos/.
Ingredients
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks*
1 (1.25-ounce) package taco seasoning
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 burrito-size flour tortillas, 10 inches each
2 avocados, halved, peeled, seeded and diced
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup Ranch dressing
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Directions:
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season chicken thighs with taco seasoning. Add chicken to the skillet and cook until golden, about 3-4 minutes; set aside.
Heat tortillas according to package instructions.
Working one at a time, place chicken, avocado, cheese, sour cream, Ranch and cilantro in the center of each tortilla. Bring the bottom edge of the tortilla tightly over the filling, folding in the sides. Continue rolling until the top of the tortilla is reached. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
Heat a grill pan over medium high heat. Add burritos and cook, pressing gently with a spatula, about 3-4 minutes per side, or until golden brown and the cheese has melted.*
Serve immediately.
Notes:
*Boneless, skinless chicken breasts can be substituted.
*This can also be baked at 375 degrees F until heated through, about 15-18 minutes.
THREE-PEPPER CALZONES
Years ago, there was a show on The Food Network (or possibly one of the localPBS stations) called Breaking Bread With Father Dominic. (I'm leaning towards the Food Network, but...) Anyway, this particular show featured a monk! And he was talking about baking bread! Anyone who knows me knows I love baking bread. Haven't had enough time to do that in recent years, but it's so cathartic and makes the house smell so good (not to mention that homemade bread just tastes so wonderful!) that it's still a favorite thing to do.
The show is no longer on the air (darn!), but if you're interested in checking out Father Dominic's cookbooks, you can check here.
YIELD:4 calzones.
Ingredients:
Dough:
2 1/4 to 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
1 envelope FLEISCHMANN’S RapidRise Yeast
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup very warm water (120 to 130 degrees)
1 tablespoon olive oil
Three-Pepper Cheese Filling:
1 1/2 cups sliced bell peppers (combine red, green and yellow)
1 medium onion, sliced
2 ounces pepperoni, cut into thin strips
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) grated mozzarella cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) grated provolone or fontina cheese
Olive oil
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
Directions:
In large bowl, combine 1 cup flour, cornmeal, undissolved yeast and salt. Stir water and oil into flour mixture. Stir in enough remaining flour to make soft dough. On lightly floured surface, knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes. Cover; let rest 10 minutes.
Divide dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll each into 8-inch circle. Place about 1 cup Three-Pepper Cheese Filling on one half of each circle; moisten edges. Fold dough over filling; press with tines of fork to seal. Place on greased baking sheet. With sharp knife, make 3 1-inch slits across top of each calzone. Brush tops with olive oil. If desired, sprinkle with crushed red pepper.
Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes or until done. Serve warm.
Three-Pepper Cheese Filling: In large skillet, combine bell peppers, onion, pepperoni and garlic. Cook over medium heat until tender, about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Let cool. Stir in cheeses.
Suggested Variation: ALL-VEGETABLE CALZONES: Prepare filling as directed except replace pepperoni with 1 tablespoon olive oil and add 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Proceed with recipe as directed.
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