A special project next week

I won't be posting a recipe today because of a very special project next week. Tune in on Monday for the Janet & Julie & Julia Project. I'll be featuring recipes and photos every day from Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking."

It's my homage to "Julie & Julia," which opens next Friday. Plan to see it. It's really a hoot.

Look for Monday's easy weeknight meals menu a day early. It'll pop up on Sunday.

Have a great weekend and think of me Sunday as I am making Boeuf Bourguignon, Julia-style!

Cheers

A shrimp recipe to call my own

I like to tinker with recipes. If a recipe calls for feta, I might use goat cheese. If shallots are on the ingredient list, I am likely to use whatever onion I have on hand. They want thyme? I add dried Italian herbs. 

Maybe tinker is the wrong word. Maybe it's really desperation substitution because I just don't have everything on hand and can't stomach the idea of getting back into a hot car and heading for the store.

Such is the case with Monterey Shrimp, a promising recipe I spied on the back of a box of Publix spaghettini. I didn't have seasoned salt so I used a few shakes of one of those new McCormick herb-spiked crusting blends, the 1/2 avocado became a whole one, I left out the pesto, added more shrimp and a bit of olive oil to finish the whole thing. It was delicious and a keeper. Plus, it was done in about the time it took to cook the pasta. 

Feel free to tinker away. I certainly did. Here's how I made it:

Monterey Shrimp
8 ounces thin spaghetti
1 medium avocado, peeled and diced
3 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt (this is where I used the crusting blend)
1 1/2 pounds peeled medium shrimp
2 tablespoons butter
2 medium cloves garlic
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese
1 to 2 tablespoon olive oil to finish (optional)

Prepare spaghettini according to package directions.

Place flour and seasoned salt in Ziploc bag; shake to mix. Add shrimp, seal tightly and shake to coat.

Preheat large saute pan on medium-high for 1 to 2 minutes. Add butter and swirl to coat. Crush garlic into pan. Add shrimp and saute 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Reduce heat to low. Stir in avocado and remaining ingredients. Simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens. Toss spaghettini with shrimp mixture. If mixture looks to dry, drizzle with olive oil.

Garnish with scallions if you'd like.

Serves 4.

Source: Adapted by me from a Publix recipe; photo by me

Rotisserie Chicken Wednesday

Some Wednesdays, rotisserie chicken is fodder for something else. On other weeks, it is what it is. Today is one of those other days. Carve the bird and serve it - white and dark meat, what the heck - with Squash and Orzo Salad. The simple instructions come via the Food Network magazine. It's a perfect no-brainer side dish for hump day. Make enough and bring it for lunch tomorrow.

Here's the deal: Saute diced zucchini, yellow squash and scallions in olive oil until tender. Toss with cooked orzo, minced fresh parsley and dill, little pinches of goat cheese (or crumbled feta), and salt and pepper. That's it. Honestly. Serve it warm or at room temperature.

Photo from Food Network.

Of goats and farms and me

C'mon. Aren't these goats the cutest things you've ever seen? I promised you a photo of me with the goats at Harley Farms Goat Dairy in Pescadero, Calif. Could I look more silly? The Jackie-O glasses didn't fool these girls. They knew who was boss.

Here's a weird coincidence. I've been loving the book "Goat Cheese" by Maggie Foard (Gibbs Smith, 2008) for quite a while. Maggie moved to a Northern California farm from the big city a few years ago and fell in love with goats. (What is it about grown women and goats?) As I am looking at the book two nights ago, I realize her farm is near Harley Farms! And in fact, the cheese she used to test her recipes came from there. Small world. So here's me with the goats and a delicious simple recipe for salmon tacos that are draped with a cream sauce spiked with goat cheese.

Salmon Tacos with Roasted Corn and Chile Adobo Cream
3 cups corn kernels, cut fresh from the cob or frozen
1/2 red onion, diced
1 red or orange bell pepper, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 pounds salmon fillet
8 small flour tortillas
Garnish:
Sliced avocado, cucumber and cherry tomatoes
Chile Adobo Cream:
4 ounces chevre
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 to 3 tablespoons canned chipotle chilies in adobo sauce

Heat a charcoal, gas or stove top grill for the salmon. Preheat oven to 400 degrees for the corn. Toss the corn, onion and bell pepper in 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast in an ovenproof dish for 20 to 25 minutes until the corn is lightly brown and fragrant.

While the corn is roasting, brush the salmon with the remaining olive oil and place on the hot grill, about 5 minutes per side. Once the salmon is off the grill, let it rest a few minutes, keeping it warm, wrapped in foil until you are ready to assemble the tacos.

Warm the tortillas briefly on the grill. Wrap in a kitchen towel to keep warm.

Place everything on the table and let everyone assemble their own tacos, passing the Chile Adobo Cream.

To make the cream, whisk together the chevre, buttermilk and chipotles in a bowl or in the blender. Pour into a small serving dish.

Serves 4.

Source: "Goat Cheese" by Maggie Foard (Gibbs Smith, 2008)

 

Easy weeknight meals, from vegetable empanadas to Italian cheeseburgers

Use your noodle for something else this week. And thank us for coming up with your weekly meal plan.

Monday: Veggie tales

Savory turnovers filled with vegetables can be made quickly using prepared pie crusts. Vegetable Empanadas (recipe below) are hearty enough for dinner, especially when served with a spinach salad with sliced strawberries and almonds.

Tuesday: Bountiful fruit
Markets are loaded with the scrumptious stone fruit of summer right now. Good deals, too, for these rocky times. Grilled peaches pair great with grilled pork chops. Set the chops on the grate, then brush halved peaches with a bit of melted butter. Grill on each side for a few minutes. A salad of  peppery arugula and goat cheese dressed with balsamic vinaigrette rounds out the meal.

Wednesday: Rotisserie Chicken
Keep it easy and quick tonight. Carve the bird and serve it with Summer Squash Carpaccio, an idea from the creative mind of Rachael Ray. To make the side dish, slice 1 yellow squash and 1 zucchini paper thin. Arrange on a platter and sprinkle with minced shallot and chopped fresh herbs then drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and add a few big shaves of Parmesan.

Thursday: Little shrimp, big taste
Check out the freezer case for a bag of popcorn shrimp, which will be the featured ingredient in tonight’s Crunchy Shrimp Salad. Prepare the shrimp according to package directions. Make a green salad with ice cold Romaine and thinly sliced green or red pepper and red onion. Place warm shrimp over the top and halved hard-boiled eggs on either side. Dress with Thousand Island or your favorite creamy dressing.

Friday: Italian flair
Make Italian Cheeseburgers by stuffing your patties with a large cube of mozzarella cheese. Make sure to add some dried Italian seasoning and tomato sauce to the meat mix. Dress however you like and serve with pasta salad.

Vegetable Empanadas
2 zucchini
1 onion
2 potatoes
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Salt and pepper
2 prepared, unformed pie crusts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Trim and discard the ends of the zucchini and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Peel the onion and potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch pieces.
Place the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium het. Add the zucchini, onion and potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Drain the juice from the tomatoes and add them to the pan. Add the crushed red pepper and cook for 5 minutes, or until the tomatoes are warm. Season with salt and pepper.
Unfold or unroll the pie crusts on a flat surface and cut each one in half. Spoon one-fourth of the vegetable mixture into the center of one half circle of dough. Wet your finger and dampen the entire edge of the dough, then fold the dough over and press all around he edges with a fork to seal. Cut a slit in the top of the dough and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. Bake for 30 minutes, or until gold brown and serve immediately.
Serves 4.
Source: “College Vegetarian Cooking” by Megan Carle and Jill Carle (Ten Speed Press, 2009).

Photo from www.whatscookingus.com

Chicken meatballs, Gourmet-style

I made these chicken meatballs from the August Gourmet magazine earlier this week, let them cool and froze them for a meal midweek. I recommend them highly. I didn't make the peperonata to serve alongside because I just couldn't swallow the price of 3 red bell peppers. So instead we had penne with some jarred vodka sauce and sauteed spinach.

Here's the other deal, I was jet-lagged at the grocery store so I bought prosciutto instead pancetta. Whoops. I used it anyway and it tasted great. I needed a bit more vegetable oil in the skillet though because the prosciutto doesn't release the fat like pancetta.

Baked Chicken Meatballs with Peperonata
For peperonata
3 red bell peppers, cut into strips
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 1/2 tablespoons drained capers
1 teaspoon red-wine vinegar
1/8 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
For meatballs
3 slices Italian bread, torn into pieces (1 cup)
1/3 cup milk
3 oz sliced pancetta, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 small garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 large egg
1 lb ground chicken
3 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon tomato paste

Accompaniment:garlic bread made from remainder of Italian loaf

Make peperonata: Preheat oven to 400 degrees with racks in upper and lower thirds.
Toss bell peppers with 1 Tbsp oil, then roast in a 4-sided sheet pan in lower third of oven, stirring occasionally, until tender and browned, about 35 minutes.

Stir together capers, vinegar, red pepper flakes, and remaining 1/2 Tbsp oil in a medium bowl and set aside.

Make meatballs while peppers roast: Soak bread in milk in a small bowl until softened, about 4 minutes.
Cook pancetta, onion, and garlic in 1 Tbsp oil with 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat until onion is softened, about 6 minutes. Cool slightly.

Squeeze bread to remove excess milk, then discard milk. Lightly beat egg in a large bowl, then combine with chicken, pancetta mixture, bread, and parsley. Form 12 meatballs and arrange in another 4-sided sheet pan.
Stir together tomato paste and remaining Tbsp oil and brush over meatballs, then bake in upper third of oven until meatballs are just cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.

Toss bell peppers with caper mixture. Serve meatballs with peperonata.

Serves 4.

Source: Gourmet magazine, photo by me!

Veggie tales from the Carle sisters

I am digging "College Vegetarian Cooking," the new cookbook by sisters Megan and Jill Carle (Ten Speed Press, 2009). They've already written three others books: "Teens Cook," "Teens Cook Dessert" and "College Cooking." They aren't teens anymore but graduate students at Arizona State University.

We should all be so successful.

Anyway, the new book is filled with great recipes for going meatless, a trend that even carnivores are trying one day a week. Read more on the Meatless Monday trend here. Yeah, I know, it's Thursday. Lots of delicious sounding recipes to share but Crisply Polenta with Sauteed Vegetables. The sisters provide instructions on making the polenta from scratch, which usually tastes better, but they know us Stir Crazy folks all too well and concede that polenta from the tube works just as well. If you use a roll, trim off the ends and cut into 8 slices. Brown two slices each for each serving.

I'll add grated Parmesan to the polenta before adding the veggies.

Crispy Polenta with Sauteed Vegetables
2 cups water
1 vegetable bouillon cube
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup uncooked polenta
1 clove garlic
1 red onion
1 zucchini
1 yellow squash
1 red bell pepper
3 tablespoons canola oil
Salt and Pepper
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Line an 8- or 9-inch baking pan with plastic wrap.

Bring the water, bouillon cube, and butter to a boil in a saucepan. Slowly pour the polanta into the pan, stirring constantly. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring frequently, for 20 to 25 minutes, or until creamy. Spread the polenta evenly in the prepared pan and refrigerate until completely cooled, about 30 minutes. (IF YOU BUY THE POLENTA IN A TUBE, YOU CAN SKIP THIS STEP. READ INTRO FOR DIRECTIONS.)

While the polenta is cooling, peel and finely chop the garlic or pass it through a garlic press. Peel the onion, cut in half, then cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Cut the zucchini and yellow squash into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Cut the bell pepper in half, remove the seeds and membranes and cut into thin slices.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet and add the garlic, onion, zucchini, yellow squash and bell pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the balsamic vinegar. Remove the vegetables from the pan to a bowl and set aside. Wipe the plan clean with a paper towel and return it to the stove.

Cut the cooled polenta into 4 squares, then cut each square into 2 triangles. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in the pan over medium-high heat and add the polenta triangles. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until lightly browned, then flip the squares over and cook for 4 to 5 minutes on the other side.

Place 2 pieces of crispy polenta on each of 4 plates and top with some of the vegetables. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Source: "College Vegetarian Cooking," by Megan and Jill Carle (Ten Speed Press, 2009).

Rotisserie Chicken Wednesday

The thing I love about California in the summer is the big bunches of fragrant, fresh basil that are in every grocery store. One bunch sets you back only a couple of bucks. I don't often see basil sold like that in Florida.

So when I go back home, I make pesto and other dishes with basil. I made Tortellini Caprese Salad twice earlier this month, once for a Fourth of July party and another time for a family barbecue. It's quick to throw together and you don't need that big bunch of basil. One small bundle in a plastic bag will work, you know, like the one you find with all the other herbs.

Another beauty of this salad is that it can be served at room temp. Make a bowlful and carve up a rotisserie chicken for an easy Wednesday meal. I use Newman's balsamic vinaigrette and the amount is to taste. Be warned, the pasta soaks up a bit.

Mangia!

Tortellini Caprese Salad

1 pound frozen cheese tortellini
1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved
3 or four large balls of fresh mozarella cheese, cubed in 1/2-inch cubes
Fresh basil leaves cut into ribbons, about 1/3 cup or to taste
Balsamic vinaigrette, to taste

Cook the tortellini according to package instructions. Drain and place in a large bowl. Add enough vinaigrette to moisten and stir. Rerigerate for about an hour.

Remove from the fridge and stir to separate pasta. The tortellini might stick but you can pry them apart with a spoon. Add tomatoes, cheese and fresh basil. Add more vinaigrette to taste and stir to combine.

Serves 6.

Source: Janet K. Keeler

Grilled scallop recipe for a summer night

Long time no blog regularly! I've been out West for a couple weeks visiting my family in California. Yes, I will share photos of me with some lovely lady goats at Harley Farms Goat Dairy in Pescadero. We got to eat very fresh goat cheese and you know how much I love that.

Best meal was at The Girl and the Fig restaurant in Sonoma. We sat on the patio with twinkly lights above us and a roaring fire nearby. It was nippy in the evening even in July. A fig tree loaded with fruit rustled in the breeze. (In this photo from Fine Living mag, we sat in the table in the very back corner.) I had the best piece of fish I've ever eaten: sauteed Alaskan halibut over Yukon potato puree, leek confit and crawfish-brandy reduction. Heavenly. If you ever get out that way, order the chocolate panna cotta for dessert. The surprise is one or two grains of sea salt that hit you at the end of each bite. Brilliant.

I am back to earth today and thinking about dinner. The August Everyday with Rachael Ray offers up this simple recipe for sea scallops.  A green salad on the side and you've got a lovely and light summer meal.

Scallops with Herbed Raw Tomato Sauce
1 garlic clove, smashed
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons fresh herbs, chopped (such as basil, mint, thyme, dill, parsley or cilantro)
salt and pepper
24 sea scallops, patted dry (about 1 pound)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons butter, room temperature
4 lemon wedges

Rub the inside of a large bowl with the garlic. Add the garlic to the bowl along with the tomatoes and herbs. Season with salt and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Discard any large garlic pieces.

Preheat a grill to medium-high. Thread the scallops on skewers and brush with the olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Grill, turning once, until firm and slightly charred, about 8 minutes. Remove from the skewers and add to the tomato mixture.

Add the butter to the scallops mixture and gently toss until melted. Serve with the lemon wedges.

Serves 4.

Source: Everyday with Rachael Ray

Easy dinner ideas, Monday through Friday

From Meatless Monday to Greek Tacos to an easy weeknight picnic, we've got you covered. Here is your Monday-through-Friday meal plan:

Monday: Meatless
Veggie and Jack Quesadillas are hearty enough to make you forget meat tonight. Mix corn kernels, diced zucchini, drained and rinsed canned black beans and salsa together. Layer on flour tortillas with generous handful of Monterey Jack cheese. Top with second tortilla and heat in skillet coated lightly with olive oil. Flip to brown both sides; heat until cheese melts. Serve with Spanish rice.

Tuesday:  Hey Boo-Boo
How’s about a pic-a-nic tonight? Stop by the store and get fried chicken (we’re partial to tenders), a watermelon and macaroni salad. Keep the ice cream sandwiches in the freezer until after dinner. Take the rest into the backyard for a sunset picnic. That’ll be about 8:25 p.m. so you’ll have plenty of time to shop after work. Do not forget the bug spray.

Wednesday: Rotisserie Chicken
Roasted Chicken Salad with Fennel and Black Olives (recipe below) is your chance to try fennel if you haven’t before. Fennel looks like celery’s chunky cousin, and crunches like it but with a slight licorice flavor. It’s refreshing but you can substitute celery in this recipe if you’d like, though you won’t get the interesting taste. Serve with crunchy breadsticks and a glass of crisp pinot grigio.

Thursday: Opa! and ole!
Make Greek Tacos by stuffing Greek salad — iceberg, tomatoes, cucumbers, feta cheese and Kalamata olives — into taco shells, store-bought or home-fried. Pump up the protein by topping with grilled shrimp, brushed with Greek salad dressing before hitting the grate. Serve buttered orzo garnished with fresh parsley alongside.

Friday: The perfect food
Yes, I think it’s grillled cheese sandwiches and soup. Get good-quality Cheddar and grill it on thick sourdough slices with ripe tomato slices. Heaven. Prepare whatever soup fits your budget, time and talents on the side. Tomato is always fitting.

Roasted Chicken Salad with Fennel and Black Olives
Meat (dark and white) from 1 rotisserie chicken
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 medium heads fennel, trimmed, halved and cut lengthwise into 1/8-inch slices
1/2 cup oil cured black olives such as Kalamatas, rinsed, patted dry, pitted and coarsely chopped
3 tablespoon fresh flat-leaf parsley
Finely grated zest of 2 lemons
1 small red onion, halved, thinly sliced into half moon (if you have time, soak them in ice water for 1 hour before using to cut the bite. Drain and pat dry before using)

Pick meat from chicken; discard bones and skin. Refrigerate while preparing rest of salad.
In a small saucepan, combine olive oil wit the chopped garlic. Heat slowly until the garlic begins to brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Pour into a small bowl to cool. The garlic should be slightly toasted.

In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken with the mayonnaise and lemon juice and toss gently. Add the fennel, celery, olives, parsley, lemon zest and toasted garlic with its oil. Add onions. If salad seems a bit dry, add more mayonnaise. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Put the salad on a platter or in a serving bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Serve cold.

Serves 6.

Source: Fine Cooking.