A Quinoa Salad for Melissa

Last week I hosted a bridal shower for my daughter Melissa.  I made the decision to have the party at my home for a few reasons.  If Melissa had her way, she would be getting married in our backyard...The yard where she napped in the shade of the maple tree as a wee little baby...The yard where she spent countless hours on her beloved swing trying to touch the sky with her toes and swinging upside down from the trapeze...The yard where she and the neighborhood kids played red light green light, caught fireflies and splashed in the pool...The yard where she had her Sweet 16 and discovered that the four person hot tub could really hold ten.  But a wedding?  I can't make that happen, but a shower on the other hand, I could handle.

I also knew that Melissa would appreciate a mostly vegetarian menu that I could create, keeping her likes and dislikes in mind.  I was right.  I'm not going to lie, it was a lot of work and thank God for my good friend Barbara whose help was invaluable.  I owe her big-time.  This was truly a labor of love and I enjoyed every minute of it.  I wish I had taken photos of the process, but I knew that playing photographer would slow me down.  Everything was homemade with the exception of the rolls, which were purchased at a local bakery and the mini cupcakes, courtesy of Mike's mom Diane.  In the end, it was all worth it.  It turned out to be a beautiful day and Melissa has yet another backyard memory.

Zucchini, Bacon and Gruyere Quiche or Zucchini Explosion Part lll

Are you tired of zucchini yet?  Yes, like everyone else who has a vegetable garden, we've been eating a whole lot of zucchini.  When zucchini isn't the star of the meal, we've been eating the obvious side dishes: grilled zucchini, sautéed zucchini, zucchini with tomatoes sprinkled with a little feta cheese and on and on and on....
So the other night when Paul said, "I don't think we have anything in the house for dinner."  
I quickly replied, "Are you kidding, we have zucchini!"......  I thought I heard a groan.
I poked my head in the fridge and saw we really didn't have much in the house.  There was a small piece of Gruyere, eggs, milk, a little bit of cream, a few strips of bacon, some berries, salad greens, cucumbers, and two bottles of Guinness that have been hiding in the back for several months.  I opened my freezer drawer and saw a pie crust from...I don't know when.  Looks like we are having quiche.  Having a pie crust in the freezer made it a no brainer.   Although I would usually prefer to make my own crust, it was a warm humid night and even with the AC on, it wasn't the best of conditions to start messing with pie dough.  We were hungry, not picky.  It was already 6pm, so I defrosted the frozen dough in the microwave, grabbed the Gruyere, eggs, milk, cream, bacon and a few shallots I found hiding in my onion basket.  By 7:15 we were enjoying a piece of silky quiche, green salad and glass of Pinot Noir.  Not bad for having nothing in the house!

Zucchini Explosion!

Zucchini has taken over my garden.  We've had a bounty of zucchini over the past few weeks.  Several days ago, I checked on my garden before I left for work.  I eyed several young zucchini, and decided they needed another day to grow and planned to harvest them the following morning.  The following day came along with torrential rain, so I never made it out to the garden.  The day after that was hot and steamy.  I was running late that morning and didn't get a chance to check on the zucchini until I got home from work later that evening. To my horror...my zucchini turned into 10 inch monsters that resembled stubby baseball bats.  I'm guessing the rain and the intense heat accelerated their growth and left me with these monsters.  I know some people intentionally let their zucchini grow like watermelons, I'm just not one of those people.  Bloated zucchini tend to become seedy and flavorless.  It was depressing.  Never-the-less, I made the best of it.  I picked about a dozen of  the oversized beasts.  As I picked, I thought about all the things I would not be able to do with them.  One thing for sure, I could stuff them.  The other thing I could do, was give some away along with this recipe!

Don't be afraid to use what you have on hand.  You can add mushrooms or diced summer squash.  Make them meatless and add some cooked rice or quinoa.  The possibilities are endless.

Thai Chicken Salad

Today was a glorious day in New York.  It felt like it was mid May.  The sun was shining, the birds were singing and it was one of those days that I had to get outdoors the minute I got home from work.  We've had a mild winter and things are blooming, budding and growing (and people are sneezing) earlier than usual.  I had to remind myself not to jump the gun and start planting my garden too early.  It will only lead to disappointment.  It isn't too early though, to start some peas, snap peas and radishes in my raised beds.  I spent the afternoon playing in the dirt and potting some pansies as well.

Trying to eek out every last ray of sunshine would cut into dinner prep time, so I opted to prepare a big salad for dinner.  A while back I found this recipe for Thai Chicken Salad in a Cooking Light magazine and thought it would be a perfect, quick dinner.  Again, this is a great thing to make if you have a rotisserie chicken from Costco or your grocery store.  If you read my blog, you already know I think Costco rotisserie chickens are a great time saver and frequently work their way into my cooking repertoire.  I guess I could say they are my favorite time saver.  The interesting thing about this salad is that the peanut dressing is heated and tossed into the salad while it is warm.  If you don't plan on eating it all at once, divide your salad and save some dressing on the side.  Just remember to heat up the dressing before you toss it. I'm looking forward to a delicious lunch tomorrow.  Oh and did I mention, it's less than 300 calories a serving? ...... that is, unless you go crazy with the peanuts like someone I know.

Cajun Jambalaya

I thought it only fitting to make something Cajun for dinner on Fat Tuesday.  Well, that was my original intention.  I thought I'd get a jump on things and make part of it last night, and finish it off tonight when I got home from work.  I had some leftover soup in the fridge for last night's dinner anyway.  Like I said, that was my original intention.  Once I got started with this Jambalaya there was no going back.  I got caught up in the moment.  Once that spicy aroma filled the air, I decided that soup could wait another day, and... who cares if we celebrated Fat Tuesday on Monday!  So Monday night was Jambalaya night.  I figured heck, this recipe serves four people anyway, we can have leftovers tomorrow.  Again, that was my intention, but Paul sort of fell in love with this Jambalaya.  He truly got into the spirit of Fat Tuesday and overindulged.  At the end of the night there was only one serving left.  I tucked it in the fridge and promised him that he could finish it off tonight.  Guess who's having soup?

Rethinking Split Pea Soup

Disclaimer:  I am not a pea soup aficionado.  I don't have much experience with pea soup.  For years I didn't think I liked pea soup. (That was a learned behavior)  For years I wouldn't try pea soup because I was told by my mother that I wouldn't like pea soup. (She HATED even the sight of pea soup). Then one day about 15 years ago I made a ham.  When we finished eating the ham, my husband said, "You've never made me pea soup.  Why don't you make pea soup with the ham bone?"  I looked at him like he had four heads.  "I don't do pea soup, you foolish man, where have you been the last 15 years of our marriage?" was my reply (or something like that).  He insisted that pea soup was delicious and I could not possibly dislike a food that I have never tasted.  I begrudgingly agreed to make my first pea soup.  I decided on a recipe that I found on the back of the bag of split peas (I was not being very resourceful).  He was happy, but I was not particularly impressed.  Truth be told, it wasn't awful, it was just a bit pea-ish, and peas have never been my favorite vegetable.  So every two years or so, usually prompted by a ham bone, I would make Paul some pea soup.

This past Christmas I made a delicious ham for dinner.   After days of eating ham morning, noon and night, and Matt and Lauren went home (Lauren loves ham like nobody's business - sorry Lauren, your secret is out), I stuck the ham bone in a freezer bag and popped it into the freezer for safe keeping.  Last week I found that ham bone and decided to commit myself to making a better pea soup.  I'd been analyzing why pea soup doesn't do it for me (besides being pea-ish).  Then it dawned on me.  It's sort of one dimensional and I object to its pasty texture.  I started researching pea soup recipes and decided to use Ina Garten's recipe as my starting point.  I've come to trust Ina, except when it comes to her use of butter and salt...it can be over-kill for me. 

I have to say, this soup was a winner!  Maybe pea soup purists would scoff at it, but this is exactly what I wanted my pea soup to taste like.  I will be making it again for sure, but I won't be waiting two years this time.  If you like pea soup, give this recipe a try.  If you don't like pea soup, suspend your belief and broaden your horizons and maybe, just maybe, you'll be a convert like me.

Easy Enchiladas with 20 Minute Enchilada Sauce

We returned from Orlando last week and eased back into the work week.   I needed to do some food shopping before heading back to work.  I picked up a few items to get us started, but soon realized that a run to Costco was in order.  I made a short list of Costco worthy items and convinced Paul to do the Costco run.  I don't know why I did that.  I should know that he will come with everything on the list as well as everything else that tickles his fancy and his fancy is easily tickled.   One of the things that Paul can't seem to pass up is the rotisserie chicken.

Now, if you've been reading my blog you know that I think Costco rotisserie chickens are a shortcut made in heaven.  My Green and White Chicken Chili and Polenta Crusted Chicken Pot Pies are two favorite recipes that use rotisserie chicken.  It's just that we've been eating so much Turkey since Thanksgiving.   Lauren and Matt made a fantastic Thanksgiving turkey, but I had to make another turkey breast for Paul when we got home so he could have the turkey sandwiches and leftovers he so loves.  I was a little roast poultried-out ( yes, I know it's not a word).  The last thing I wanted to see was a Costco rotisserie chicken.  I think I snarled when I saw it sitting on the kitchen counter and said something like, "I hope you can eat a whole chicken"  Well, he couldn't.  So for his penance, he stripped it off the bones, cut it all into bite sized pieces, in hopes that I would transform it into something that doesn't scream chicken.

Grilled Tequila Lime Chicken

I bought a sack of limes at the market the other day.  After I brought them home, I realized that I now had an obligation.  I hate having a food commitment.  I'm more of a shop-as-you-go kind of person.  What was I thinking?  One cannot live on Margaritas and Mojitos alone, so I decided to grill up some Tequila Lime Chicken, the quick version.  I've made Ina Garten's version many times.  I've also modified it many times.  Ina uses a LOT of citrus in her marinade and she lets it sit in the marinade at least 8 hours.  I've had two major issues with this.  For one thing, all that lime juice reacts with the chicken and starts to "cook " the chicken.  Not cook, in the sense that you will be able to eat it, but the thinner parts of the chicken start to look opaque.   Sure a long marinating time helps to impart flavor into the chicken, but  I'm kind of turned off by that "white edged" chicken.  My other issue with the original recipe was the length of time it needed to marinate.  Long marinating times = planning.  Planning is not always practical, and hey, why shouldn't you enjoy a flavorful grilled chicken that you didn't have to think about the day before?   I figured out that if I give the chicken a little extra kick of spice,  I can marinate it for an hour and get a version of tequila lime chicken that I liked even better.

Meet the main players:

                                           

Attack of the Roasted Cherry Tomato Plants

Recipe: Mediterranean Pasta 

I've written about my crazy tomato plants in previous posts, but they have gotten a bit crazier lately.  I'm not quite sure how to describe them, but if they were human, I'd say they are bionic or maybe some kind of mutant possessing super human strength.   Last year I grew one of these crazy Sweet Millions tomato plants.  I named her Audrey II.  Remember Little Shop of Horrors?  It took on a life of its own.  This year I have two Sweet Millions.  Well, two that I planted.  Remember that cult movie "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes"?  I'm beginning to wonder about mine.  Let me show you.

Cedar Planked Salmon with Dill Sauce, Heaven on a Plank

Have you ever tried cedar planked salmon?  For that matter, have you ever tried cedar planked anything?  Well if you haven't, it's time you did.  You can cook almost anything on a cedar plank, but my favorite is salmon.  The cedar imparts a wonderful flavor to the fish.  I have converted non-salmon loving people into salmon-eating monsters.  As salmon recipes go, I think this one is my favorite.


Until recent years, I didn't have a whole lot of experience with salmon.  Having grown up in New York,  salmon conjured up visions of lox served with cream cheese and bagels.....not the kind of salmon I'm talking about.  I'm talking about fresh wild caught salmon.  I remember when my mother returned from a trip to Ireland, how she raved about the wonderful poached salmon served with dill sauce that she had eaten several times on her journey.  She said the salmon and fresh dill were the perfect combination and worth a trip to Ireland just to experience it!

I've experimented preparing salmon with glazes and breadcrumbs and sauces and different cooking techniques over the years, and then last weekend I came to the realization,  this is the one!  I made this recipe for a small gathering last winter and everyone asked how the salmon stayed so moist.  Sure I could poach the salmon to keep it moist and juicy, but once again I have to remind you that I hate the smell of fish cooking in the house.  If a fish dish can be prepared outdoors, I'm a happy camper.  I think by basting and planking the salmon,  keeping the fish off of the direct flame, the salmon cooks up moist, flakey and delicious.   The dill sauce is the perfect accompaniment.  Serve it with a seasonal green vegetable and some garlic-dill roast potatoes.  Add a nice glass of Pinot Noir, and I am in heaven!

Getting Back on Track...

Before I start rambling about my tofu, I have to tell you that I started this post a month ago.  I've started several posts, none of which I have been able to finish.  I knew I would get around to finishing them sooner or later, I just wasn't sure when.  I've been distracted.  My mother, whom I have written about many times in past posts, passed away on May 10th.  She lived a beautiful and full life for 92 years.  I watched over her for past 11 years and was with her at the end of her long struggle.  As sad as it was, it really was a blessing, a blessed passing, a friend of mine called it.  The past few years had been difficult, maybe more for me than for her, watching her fade away both mentally and physically.  Since her passing though, I've felt a little lost.  Such a strong presence in my life is gone and life as I've known it, will never be the same.  But my mom would not want me wallow in sadness.  She would be the first one to tell me to remember the good times.  There were many.  Life goes on and my mom will live in my heart forever.

Dorothy Lieske 1919-2011
Taken Christmas 2004, her last Christmas at home

Whew.....now how do I segue to tofu????

A Favorite Tofu Dish

Tofu wasn't one of those foods I knew growing up.  I believe my first tofu experience took place in California.  When I first moved to Santa Cruz, I stayed with a family who had a much bigger influence on me than I realized at the time.  Peggy was my friend's mom, and Roger was his step-dad.  They were a sweet couple, who enjoyed just being together. I often think back on their relationship.  They would have  picnics at the beach at sunset.  They drank champagne "just because".  They loved to plant flowers and would watch the hummingbirds feed on their deck for hours.  They would listen to classical music and eat breakfast in bed every Sunday morning.  They also spent quite a bit of time in the kitchen together.  Both Roger and Peggy were excellent cooks.  They would often cook together.  They found such joy in the kitchen, whether Peggy was making waffles on a Saturday morning or together they were making a half dozen quiches for a weekend workshop they were hosting.  Roger was more of the "mad scientist" in the kitchen, and Peggy was forever cleaning up after him.  They would experiment with new ingredients,  new  cookware and different cooking techniques.  They opened my eyes to a new culinary perspective.  I may not have jumped on the the bandwagon at the time, but I took note. I now see their culinary influence on my life almost everyday.
The first Christmas I spent in California, Christmas dinner was non-traditional to say the least.   Roger prepared an Asian feast, complete with a carved winter melon soup.  It was not like any Christmas dinner I had ever had.  Yes, I am a sucker for tradition, but I remember admiring his passion and abandon when he was cooking.  If I recall, Roger had a restaurateur friend in San Francisco who taught him about Chinese cooking.  On a busy week night, Roger would often whip up a platter of Tofu with Green Onions in Oyster Sauce.  It was quick.  It was easy.  It was nutritious.   It was a great dish that  became my "go to" dish during my vegetarian days.  I may have burned out on it back then and filed it away in the back of my mind.  I found myself thinking about it lately.  Unfortunately, I never wrote this recipe down.  I recall the basic flavors and have now added or subtracted (who knows) ingredients to create a reasonable facsimile of the original dish.  I've added snow peas which you can leave out if you so desire.  I like the contrasting crunch, without an overpowering additional flavor.  If you do not have a well seasoned wok, and I mean WELL seasoned, tofu is best cooked in a non stick wok or skillet.

Hoisin Glazed Salmon with Wasabi Cream

I'm always looking for new ways to prepare salmon.  Several years ago I had a memorable salmon dish at Blue Stone in Ithaca, New York.  It lingered in my mind for a long time.  The salmon was roasted with a hoisin glaze, and had a kick of heat to offset the sweetness of the hoisin.   A while back, when I was visiting Matthew in Florida, he requested that I make salmon for dinner one evening.  I decided to recreate that memorable salmon I had eaten in Ithaca.  At the time, it never occurred to me to check the restaurant's website to see if they had a menu where I could gather more clues and figure out what was in that great dish.  I was flying by the seat of my pants and I was at the mercy of my memory.  As it turned out, my final product was a hit, not exactly the same as the Blue Stone, but what the heck, why does it have to be the same?  I guess you could say it was Blue Stone inspired, but definitely my own creation.

Hoisin Glazed Salmon with Wasabi Cream

Click here for printable version

Serves 2

Preheat broiler to high 

• 2 Salmon fillets (skin removed) figure 4 - 6 ounces per person
• salt
• pepper

Glaze:

• 2 heaping tablespoons hoisin sauce - don't level
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 2 tablespoon of fresh orange juice
• 1 tablespoon of fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon finely minced fresh ginger
• 1 clove finely mined garlic
• a pinch red pepper flakes

Wasabi cream:

• 2 teaspoons wasabi powder mixed with a few drops water or 2 teaspoons wasabi paste
• 1 tablespoon sour cream
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise

Directions:
Preheat oven to broil. Line baking sheet with foil.
Mix glaze ingredients in a microwavable mixing bowl or cup.

Mix wasabi cream ingredients together in small dish and set aside.

Season the salmon with salt and pepper both sides. Place on baking sheet. With a spoon*, drizzle glaze onto the salmon and using a brush, cover the surface with glaze.

Broil for 3-4 minutes.
Take out of oven and gently turn over. Again, drizzle glaze onto the other side of salmon, brush glaze to cover.
Return to broiler for approximately 4-5 minutes, depending on thickness of the fillets.
Microwave remaining glaze about 30 seconds until hot and gooey.
Place salmon on a bed of rice. Drizzle glaze over top and drizzle with wasabi cream. Serve with stir fried vegetables.

* Do not put brush directly into the glaze. Use a clean spoon because any leftover glaze will be added after the salmon has finished cooking.

Simple and Satisfying Chicken Marsala

A few weeks ago I was checking my email when my son Matt popped up on G chat.  We frequently "talk" on G chat, and I have to say,  I am grateful for technology.  It gives me the ability to "bump into" my kids, have a quick chat, and not feel like a pain in the butt mother, constantly bothering my children with phone calls at inopportune times.  Quick chats, texts with and without photos, help keep us connected, where ever their journey takes them, we can keep in touch.

Anyway, Matt popped up on G chat and asked if I could help him out with a Chicken Marsala recipe.  He wanted to surprise Lauren with a homemade dinner when she got home from work that evening.  Lauren was the one who usually had dinner waiting for Matt on nights when he worked late.  Now she is working some late nights and going to school as well.  How sweet I thought to myself, Matt can be such a considerate mush.  I was impressed by his ambition.  Not that Matt wasn't capable, I've just never known Matt to be a "cook".  He makes an awesome smoothie, but he was more of a frozen pizza kind of guy.

I was happy to oblige.  Actually, I had been planning to blog about chicken marsala that weekend and had an easy recipe.  I never got around to writing the blog, but Matt ran with the recipe. Lauren was impressed.

I picked up some nice mushrooms at the market today and Paul asked for a Chicken Marsala dinner.   I figure now's the perfect time to finally write this post.

Dijon Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb with Garlic Herb Potatoes

What can I say?  I love rack of lamb.  It's something I don't eat often.  As a matter of fact, I hardly ever cooked lamb because my kids and husband wouldn't eat it.  It all started one Easter when my children were very young.  I decided to make a leg of lamb for dinner.  Paul made it known that he wasn't a fan.  I was convinced that he did not like lamb based upon some bad lamb experience he had as a child.  I was going to change his mind.  As soon as the lamb hit the oven, and its aroma filled the house, Paul began making baby lamb noises.  Melissa began to cry, and Matt decided at that moment, he will never eat lamb.  Paul continued to make his baaaaaaa... baaaaaaa sounds, until the roast was done.  I ate alone that Easter,  like I was the monster that killed the lamb?  It really wasn't fair; no one ever made moooing, oinking, or clucking noises when I cooked their favorite meals!

Fast forward about 15 years.  Paul begins to open his mind to lamb...Matt still wouldn't eat it, Melissa hardly ate any meat.  I would occasionally order it when we would dine out; perhaps lamb in a Merlot reduction, grilled baby lamb chops or my favorite, rack of lamb.  Paul would taste it with an open mind.   A friend once served a grilled, marinated leg of lamb and Paul decided that lamb was not so bad after all.  Yes, I think he was traumatized by overcooked mutton before I met him.  Now that the kids are living on their own, I am free to cook what I please without fear of traumatizing anyone.  That's exactly what I did this past Sunday.

I knew Paul would be watching the Daytona 500.  I was feeling ever-so-slightly guilty because I kind of put the kibosh on taking a trip down to Daytona and Florida this week .  I wasn't quite ready for a vacation.  I'm also not a race fan.  I've humored Paul by going to a few races, I just can't share in his enthusiasm.  To make up for my selfishness, I decided to make Paul a special dinner, one that he wouldn't have had in Daytona.  Rack of Lamb, I decided.  I'm going to make him LOVE rack of lamb!  I figured if I encrusted the lamb in enough garlic, herbs, spices, and crunch...how could he resist?  As long as I was mincing up fresh herbs, I minced up a few more for some roasted potatoes.   A good bottle of red wine didn't hurt either.  You know what?  I think I have a full fledged convert on my hands!

Scallops Provencal, a Perfect Dish for a Monday Night Valentine

I've been really busy lately.  I haven't had much time to devote to my blog and I'm a little surprised to say, that I've missed it.  It's not that I haven't been cooking, I have.  But cooking with the intent to blog and photograph, takes time and patience, neither of which I've had much of lately.  On my way home from work yesterday I realized I had not given dinner a thought, and decided to stop at Kings Market, where I had not been for quite some time.   Kings carries quality products.  You may pay a little more, but it is well worth it.  Their fish is always fresh, and they display where it caught or harvested.  I was excited to see that they had "dry" sea scallops yesterday, and they were on sale to boot!  I purchased 3/4 of a pound then headed over to the produce department.  As soon as I saw fresh baby spinach, I knew what I  was making.  I also knew that I would have to get this blog out in a hurry, because this is an impressive, quick, knock your socks off, delicious meal, perfect for a Monday night Valentine.

I can't stress enough, if you want to make this dish, you need to find "dry" scallops.  Scallops are either wet or dry.  Wet scallops are treated with phosphates.  They are soaked in water that is treated with phosphates.  The scallop absorbs the water, increasing their weight. When you purchase them wet, you get fewer scallops per pound than dry scallops.  Cooking the scallops causes the water to release, and the scallops are left dry and tasteless.  They will not brown.  Dry scallops are natural.  They do not release liquid when cooked and caramelize nicely.  They are sweet and have a superior flavor.  If your fish monger can't tell you if they scallops are wet or dry, go somewhere else to buy your fish!

Green and White Chicken Chili

As I begin to  write this post, I have to channel my thoughts in another direction, as my inspiration for this dish flew out the window last Sunday is no more.  I no longer can give this recipe the name that inspired me to write this post.   So let me back up and you will understand my dilemma.   Two weeks ago Paul hosted the Jets - Patriots game at our house.  I made pulled pork for the occasion.  A few hours before game time I thought to myself...how stupid!  I should have made something more "Jets-like" like a green pepper studded white chicken chili, you know, the Jets colors?  I like to be thematic.  Well,  it was too late to change the menu so I made the pulled pork anyway.  I bridged the gap to the football game by calling it pigskin sliders, with Jets green and white coleslaw, and bake-those-Bostons baked beans!  The beverage rule for Jets games is this: it must come from a green bottle.  Traditionally that would be beer.  It was blasphemous, but I also served Zinfandel, which goes nicely with pulled pork, and adheres to the green bottle rule.  The Jets won, so no harm was done.

As the week went on, I still had that chili in my head.  Maybe the fact that it's been the coldest, snowiest winter in God knows how long, or that the mountain of snow piled outside my kitchen window is now about 5 feet high, or maybe because the weatherman is talking about another midweek winter storm...maybe that's why I'm thinking of chili?  We were not hosting the Jets-Steelers game, but I decided that I would have to be prepared with a Green and White Jets Super Bowl chili, just in case they pulled off a win, which as we all know, they did not.

Mind you, I am not a football fan.  I did not slip into a deep depression like some people did; I've moved on.  So that idea of chili that was intended for the Super Bowl party will live on. Why?  Because it is a great winter meal that you will enjoy, and a break from traditional red chilies.

I spent the better part of a day searching for fresh poblano chiles. I can find them easily in the summer, but this time of year it is hit or miss.  Wholefoods is your best bet to find them around these parts.  If you want to know a little more about chili peppers,  this is an interesting site.    This time, I also made this chili with one of my favorite ingredients....COSTCO roasted chicken.  Yes, you heard it.  If you are new to this blog, you will learn that I think COSTCO chickens are a time-saving, all around efficient convenience as I use them in countless recipes.

This recipe is an adaptation of a  Cooks Illustrated, White Chicken Chili.  No, they don't use COSTCO chicken, the chicken is cooked in the chili. I have made it several times and is quite delicious.  It is just more time consuming and the flavor of chili does not suffer if you take my shortcut.  They have you brown the chicken, cook it in the sauce, wait for it to cool enough to handle and on and on..  Quite frankly, I think my version is just as good and takes half the time. Try it for yourself, then you decide.  This recipe is made with ease if you use your food processor.  If you don't have one, you'll need to do a lot of fine mincing, and will eventually have to use a blender or an immersion blender.

Snow Day Chicken Pot Pie with Polenta Crust

I am going to start out by saying, I've never liked chicken pot pie.  Actually, I think I had only tasted it once as a child.  It was of the frozen variety and I was quite grossed out.  Fast forward to about 2007.  I was watching the Food Network and Rachel Ray was making a 30 minute meal, pot pie with polenta.  She succeeded in getting my attention.  I love the pairing of roast chicken with a well executed polenta.  This, I thought, had potential.

The first time I made her recipe, I followed it to a T.  First of all, it took me way longer than 30 minutes.  It was tasty, but it was too rich.  I've played around with this recipe and tweaked it over the years and think I have come up with a pretty darn good pot pie.  Not only does it taste good, it is quick to make and I'll go out on a limb here and say, it's not bad for you if you use skim milk and low fat cheese.  What makes this version quick is to start out by using cooked chicken.

I am a self-proclaimed Costco chicken junkie.  I think the the rotisserie chicken sold at Costco is reason in itself to buy a membership.  I have fed Paul and I: 4 nights of dinners, 2 lunches and made chicken stock to boot on one $4.99 Costco rotisserie chicken.  It's the best bargain in town.  If you do not share my enthusiasm for Costco chicken, you can use any roasted chicken, store bought or leftover.  I have also used baked or poached chicken breast (cooked in white wine, lemon and herbs) with equal success. You can also play around with the vegetables and cheese that is used in this dish.  Use what you have on hand.  Some things you wouldn't want to change as they give the pot pie its flavor.  I will indicate which ingredients you may want to switch out in the recipe.

If you are looking for an easy, convenient warm comfort food that looks somewhat impressive....here it is.  If you are like me, it will also give you a chance to use some of those nifty bowls you may have picked up at Home Goods or Crate and Barrel like these...

Dreaming of Sunshine, Grilled Tuna Steaks with Pineapple Salsa

This weekend the Food Network featured shows that were healthy and on the lighter side for the New Year.  I tuned in for a few minutes and saw Paula Dean making smoothies, a fruit crisp and grilled fish.  Really???  No mayonnaise, no butter?  I couldn't believe my eyes.  At the very last minute, she broke down.  She couldn't do it.  She had to put a scoop ice cream on top of her fruit crisp...shame, shame.

Just because summer is a faded memory, doesn't mean that we've abandoned our grill either.  We grill all year long.  There are some things that I refuse to cook indoors.  Fish, with the exception of shellfish, is something that I prefer to grill outdoors, no smell and easy clean-up.  Just dig your grill out of the snow and remember to let it heat up a little longer.  After a "Season of Eating" it feels good to serve something fresh and simple.  It's something healthy, a reminder of summer or maybe a trip to someplace tropical?  Yes, it's January in New York.  I've spent a good part of the day reading about cruises and trips to the Bahamas....not to mention gardening blogs.  I think the mention of an impending "big" snow storm has me a little crazy.  Hurry and make this while you can still find the grill!

Inspired Cooking, Beef Daube

Santa really listened to me this year.  I had a short list of cookbooks that I've been eyeing and boy, did he deliver!  I have an ever growing collection of cookbooks.  I haven't actually counted them, but I think it would be safe to say I have close to 100.  The first cookbooks I ever bought were the Gourmet Cookbooks, Volumes 1 & 2.  I remember how excited I was when I ordered them and had my name embossed in gold on their covers.  That was almost 35 years ago.   They still sit on my bookshelf and now have a lot of company.  I honestly think that they were the last cookbooks I bought for myself.  Over the years, I've received most of my collection as gifts.  I love getting new cookbooks.  This Christmas I've added four more to my collection.  I was excited to receive Nigella Lawson's Nigella Kitchen: Recipes from the Heart of the Home, Ready for Dessert: My Best Recipes, by David Lebovitz and Dorie Greenspan's Around My French Table.  A gap was also filled in my Ina Garten collection, after receiving Barefoot Contessa Parties!

I was inspired by our recent NY blizzard to dive into Dorie Greenspan's new book, Around My French Table.  This book is beautiful.  What else can I say?  The photographs are gorgeous.  It has made me look at French cooking in a whole new way.  It is one of those books that I will want to cook through the recipes, cover to cover.  Now I know why it is listed in the Top 10 cookbooks of 2010.  Thank you Lauren.

With almost 2 feet of snow on the ground,  and a quiet day alone, I thought I would make a comforting stew.  Matt and Lauren were spending the day in the city and I knew they would be hungry and cold when they returned.  I can pretty much count on Matt being hungry anytime he comes home for a visit.

Mussels in Spicy Wine Sauce

If you like mussels, I guarantee that you will love these!  They are simple to make, and pack a lot of flavor. I'm a little crazy about this recipe.  They are a fantastic appetizer, double or triple the recipe and they would be an impressive addition to a holiday buffet or, if you are like me, you'll eat them as a main course with a salad and a crispy baguette to sop up the sauce. 

I've played with this recipe for quite a while.  I've learned a few things that I'd like to share before we start cooking.  First, buy the freshest mussels you can find.  If fresh local mussels aren't in season, I buy Prince Edward Island mussels from someplace like Whole Foods, where they label the bag of mussels with a harvest date.  This recipe calls for a lot of shallots.  I've substituted onion when I forgot to buy shallots. I have to say, the flavor that the shallots give the sauce is superior; go for the shallots and only use fresh flat-leaf parsley.   If I have fresh homemade tomato sauce or frozen sauce, I use that.  If I don't have any homemade sauce on hand, I use a good jarred sauce.  You only need a little so I like to use something like "Vincent's Original Sauce".  Lastly, use a dry white wine like a pinot grigio.  Even a semi- sweet wine will ruin this dish.  Oh, and if you are not mollusk savvy, you can refer to my note about clams in this post.  The same goes for mussels.  Be sure to discard any that do not open during the cooking process as well.