Pesto Penne

After our trip to Tanglewood I had some extra pesto and mozzarella to do something with, so I whipped up this super-simple pasta dish. First, I cooked some whole-wheat penne. Meanwhile, I sliced some cherry tomatoes in half and roasted them in the oven at 475 degrees for about 15 minutes. Last, I just mixed the pasta with the pesto, tomatoes, and diced mozzarella cheese. Done!

Tanglewood!

On Sunday, the hubby and I trekked out to Lenox, MA to visit Tanglewood, the summer home of the BSO. This was part of his anniversary gift to me, and a very nice gift it was! Since this is a cooking blog, I'll try to get through the music stuff quickly. Their program included three pieces: Suite from Iberia by Albeniz, Lalo's Cello Concerto (performed by Yo-Yo Ma!), and Symphonic Dances by Rachmaninoff. I wasn't super familiar with any of these pieces, so it was nice to hear some new things. I think if we'd been in a concert hall (I'll explain momentarily), my favorite would have been the cello concerto. In this case, my favorite ended up being the Rachmaninoff. I'm definitely going to need to get a recording.

Anyway, Tanglewood has a few different performance venues, this concert being held at the Koussevitzky Music Shed, which has a few sections of covered seating close to the stage, but then a huge lawn area in the back for people to picnic (do you see the food connection now?) and lounge while they listen to the music. The thing I love about it, is that unlike many other outdoor concerts that I have attended in the summer of jazz and rock/pop groups, people are really here to listen intently to the music and when the concert begins everyone is quiet (except for the small children who do their best to keep things under control!). It's really quite nice.

OK. On to the picnic! We wanted to keep things simple, but delicious. We started with some pesto, tomato, and mozzarella finger sandwiches. For these I just sliced up some ciabatta bread, spread a little pesto on each slice, and layered each sandwich with a slice of tomato and a slice of fresh mozzarella. Easy!


I did make my own pesto using this Cooking Light recipe. I really like this version because it's not as oily as store-bought.

Pesto
Recipe courtesy Cooking Light

Ingredients...

• 4 garlic cloves, peeled
• 4 cups packed basil leaves (about 2.5 oz)
• 1/4 cup pine nuts **I used walnuts
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Directions...

Drop garlic through food chute with food processor on; process until minced. Place basil and next 4 ingredients (basil through pepper) in processor; process 10 seconds. Combine water and oil in a measuring cup. With processor on, slowly pour oil mixture through food chute, processing just until blended.



Next, we had some strawberry spinach salad (not pictured), which consisted simply of baby spinach, sliced strawberries, walnuts, salt, and pepper with your favorite balsamic vinaigrette.

After salads...and some rain in the middle of the cello concerto (which is why I cannot call it my favorite...sadly, I couldn't hear the whole second half due to the sound of the rain on our umbrella)...


...we moved on to Brie with Grape Jelly and Wheat Thins. This is honestly one of our favorite treats ever! It was of course accompanied by a nice bottle of merlot. Notice how the sun is now shining brightly. The weather was quite fickle that day.


Finally, during Rachmaninoff, we reached dessert. I wanted something chocolaty, but fairly light. I found this recipe and then simply subbed light ingredients.

Dirt
Recipe courtesy of Recipe Zaar

Ingredients...

• 1 180z package Oreos, crushed **I used reduced fat Oreos
• 1 box instant chocolate pudding mix
• 1 8oz container Cool Whip **I used light
• 1 8 oz package gummy worms **I left these out and put in some sliced strawberries instead

Directions...

Make the pudding, fold in the Cool-Whip. Place half the cookie crumbs on the bottom of a glass bowl **I used three cookies each on the bottom of individual serving dishes. Spoon in the pudding mixture and place the worms, half in, half out, on top. **I just put some strawberry slices on top. Top with the remaining cookie crumbs. Chill.

The following photographs are examples of why I portioned everything instead of having us share out of one dish. I always feel like I'm racing. In the second photo, hubby's dish is on the left and mine is on the right - about 2 minutes after we started eating...

Nice and Light

I've been trying to cook and eat healthier lately, so I was pretty excited when I saw this meal posted on Joelen's blog. I knew I had to try it right away! James and I both really enjoyed this meal and it was filling, but still pretty healthy. I did have a couple of issues however, which I think I know how to fix for next time. First, I couldn't get the breadcrumb/macadamia nut mixture to stick to the fish. I think the nuts were not crushed small enough, so next time I think I need to be more diligent about that. The other problem was that I couldn't get baby bok choy at the grocery store - only the larger variety. I think with the larger variety it's probably necessary to chop the white stems smaller than I did so that they will cook a little bit faster. Like I said, neither of these issues will be difficult to resolve the next time I try this recipe! Thanks Joelen!

Macadamia Nut Crusted Tilapia
Recipe courtesy of Joelen

Ingredients...

• 4 frozen tilapia fillets
• 1-2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1/2 cup crushed macadamia nuts
• 1/2 panko breadcrumbs
• salt & pepper to taste

Directions...

In a small bowl, whisk eggs with water for egg wash.
In a shallow baking pan, combine the nuts, breadcrumbs, salt & pepper.
Dip each tilapia fillet in the eggwash and dredge in the nut/breadcrumb mixture until fully coated.
Plate coated fish on a plate and chill for 10-15 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
Place coated fish on a light greased baking sheet and bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes.

Baby Bok Choy and King Oyster Mushroom Saute
Recipe courtesy of Joelen

Ingredients...

• 3-4 baby bok choy bunches
• 1 1/2 cups king oyster mushrooms (or any kind of mushroom)
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 gloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon lite soy sauce
• 1-2 teaspoons sesame oil

Directions...

Heat large skillet or wok over high heat. Meanwhile, prep your veggies by cutting bottoms of the bok choy and rinsing any debris between the stalks. Cut off the green tops and set aside.

For the mushrooms, slice them and if you prefer, remove stems. When skillet or wok is hot, add oil to coat the bottom. Add garlic, ginger and bok choy bottoms (not the green leafy tops!). Stir until stalks are softened; then add mushrooms. Stir until mushrooms start to brown and soften.
Add the oyster sauce, soy sauce and salt & pepper to taste. Stir and then add bok choy greens.
Remove from heat, add sesame oil and toss until greens wilt. **I also garnished with a few sesame seeds

Dinner Party #...I forget

Annabel and I decided to take on some good, comforting Italian-American cuisine last week. Eggplant Parmesan is one of my favorite Italian dishes, but it can be so heavy with all of the breading and oil that's used to fry it. I really like this eggplant dish because it doesn't have any noodles or breading at all, but it's still really delicious. I've also been wanting to try meatballs on the stove as I usually bake mine. These came out wonderfully! There's not much more to say but "yum"!

Eggplant Ricotta Bake
Recipe courtesy of John Barricelli on Martha Stewart's Website

Ingredients...

• 2 large eggplants (1-1 1/4 lb each), sliced lengthwise into 3/4 inch slices
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for baking dish
• salt and pepper
• 1 15oz container part-skim ricotta cheese
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 3 tablespoons fresh chopped oregano (or 2 teaspoons dried) **I also added some chopped fresh basil
• 1 jar store bought marinara sauce (16 oz)

Directions...

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Arrange eggplant slices in a single layer on two rimmed baking sheets. Brush lightly on both sides with oil; season with salt and pepper. Roast until eggplant is tender and golden, turning halfway through, 25 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together ricotta, eggs, 1/2 cup Parmesan, oregano, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Brush an 8-inch square baking dish with oil.

Lay a fourth of eggplant slices in bottom of prepared dish; spread with half of marinara sauce. Top with another fourth of eggplant; spread with half of ricotta. Repeat layers, ending with ricotta; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan. Bake until bubbling and golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

Italian-American Meatballs and Marinara Sauce
Recipe courtesy of Food Network

Ingredients...

• 2 slices white sandwich bread, stale
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 1/2 pound ground veal
• 1/2 pound ground beef chuck **I purchased a meatloaf mix, which contains all three of these
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 medium onion, grated (about 1/4 cup)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large egg, beaten
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup olive oil, divided
• Quick Marinara Sauce, recipe follows

Directions...

Grate the bread or pulse into crumbs in a food processor. In a small bowl toss the bread crumbs with 1/3 cup cold milk to re-hydrate.

In a large bowl, combine the bread crumbs, pork, veal, beef, Parmesan, parsley, salt, onion, garlic, and egg and mix until combined. Season the meat mixture with pepper.
Using your hands, gently form the meat mixture into 18 slightly larger than golf ball-sized balls. (Packing the meat mixture too tightly together will result in tough meatballs). Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.

Heat half the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, until well browned on all sides, about 6 minutes. Transfer the meatballs to a plate. Drain the oil and wipe out the skillet, return to the heat, and repeat with the remaining oil and meatballs.

Drain and wipe out the skillet again. Return all the meatballs to the skillet and pour in the marinara sauce. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, covered, swirling the pan occasionally, until the meatballs are cooked through about 15 minutes. The cheese in the meatballs will start to melt when the meatballs are ready. Serve immediately with the Quick Marinara Sauce and spaghetti or on sandwiches. If serving with spaghetti, toss with 1/3 of the sauce.These meatballs can be stored, covered in the refrigerator for 3 days, or frozen for up to 6 weeks.

Marinara Sauce

Ingredients...

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 medium onion, diced (about 3 tablespoons)
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced
• 3 (28-ounce) cans whole, peeled, tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 small bunch fresh basil, leaves chopped
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions...

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute the onion and garlic, stirring, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, the herb sprigs and basil and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for about 15 minutes or until thickened

Remove and discard the herb sprigs. Stir in the salt and season with pepper, to taste. Serve or store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.

**We served this meal with spaghetti and roasted zucchini

Fresh Herbs

Let's start with one known fact. Fresh herbs from the supermarket usually suck. Who knows how long they've been sitting on that shelf (or in that plastic package). Half the time I buy basil at the supermarket, when I'm desperate and it's the middle of winter, I get home and open the package and half of it is brown already! In addition to the sub-par quality of supermarket herbs is the often outrageous price. OK - maybe it's not outrageous and maybe I'm just a little bit cheap thrifty. But I hate paying $3.00 for a small bunch of basil that is wilted and half brown OR $2.00 for a GIANT bunch of cilantro, when I only need a little bit for one recipe.

Anyway, this rant brings me to one of my favorite summer time hang outs - Small Farm in Stow, MA. If you are in the area, I strongly encourage you to make a stop here. Small Farm's farm stand is a great place to get fresh veggies, like corn, garlic, scallions, eggplant, zucchini and summer squash, among others that I'm forgetting at this moment. They also have pick your own flowers, tomatoes, and HERBS!!!! Yes! For the small price of $1.50 you can fill up a small plastic bag (about the size of a quart ziploc) with whatever herbs you want! They usually have thyme, oregano, mint, pineapple mint, basil, purple basil, dill, chives, and lavender. So if you only need a couple sprigs of mint for your mojito, but you want a TON of basil to make pesto, then that's what you pick! Since living in the area, this place has been my all-time favorite discovery. You know the herbs are fresh because you're picking them yourself, the price is right, and you can get the exact amount of herbs you want! All of the herbs pictured fit in one bag!

Tasty AND Healthy!

I often like to hit up our town library for new cookbooks to try. One of my favorites that I've found there is called Saving Dinner by Leanne Ely. The book is geared toward busy working moms and is organized by season and then by week. The idea is to get a healthy, easy to prepare dinner on the table for your family every night of the week, all year long. Each chapter includes enough main dishes for a week, along with a shopping list, and suggested side dishes. While I am not exactly in the targeted demographic, I have found some interesting new recipes in this book.

This cashew chicken recipe isn't exactly authentic, but the sauce is really tasty (if not a bit too sweet for some). It's also really versatile - you can really throw in any veggies you like.

Cashew Chicken
Recipe courtesy of Saving Dinner by Leanne Ely

Ingredients...

• ¾ cup orange juice
• 1/3 cup honey
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 1 T cornstarch
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp pepper
• 2 T vegetable oil, divided
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 2 large carrots, sliced
• 1 celery stalk, sliced
• **I also added some chopped bok choy and sugar snap peas
  
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch strips
• 1 cup cashews

Directions...

In a bowl, combine juice, honey, soy sauce, cornstarch, and seasonings.

In a wok or large skillet, heat 1 T oil until it begins to smoke. Stir-fry vegetables for several minutes until the onions become fragrant. Set aside and keep warm.

In the same skillet, heat another tablespoon of oil until smoking and stir-fry chicken strips until browned and tender.

Add cooked vegetables, cashews, and sauce mixture. Continue cooking until sauce bubbles and thickens.

**I served over brown rice.

I don't like Quiche

Normally, I really don't like quiche - and neither does James - but when my mom decided to throw a brunch birthday party for my grandfather's 85th birthday, it seemed that quiche was almost necessary! I set out to find a recipe that had a good ratio of vegetable to egg (it's the overly egg-y quiches that I really can't stand) and after going through a number of recipes found this one on All Recipes. I doubled the recipe and instead of making them in pie pans, I decided to use muffin tins to make them easier to serve to a lot of people. Overall, I really liked this....when it was warm. I will say that a lot of people mentioned in the recipe reviews that this can also be served at room temperature, but I thought that it was really at its best when still warm from the oven. I did make a couple of changes to the recipe after reading a lot of reviews. You can see those changes in bold below.

Oh. And James still doesn't like quiche.

Crustless Spinach Quiche
Recipe courtesy of All Recipes

Ingredients...

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 5 eggs, beaten **I added an extra egg
  
• 3 cups shredded Muenster cheese **I used 2 cups of an Italian blend
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• **I added 2 cloves of garlic, and a diced red pepper

Directions...

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9 inch pie pan. **I used muffin tins instead

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, peppers, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft. Stir in spinach and continue cooking until excess moisture has evaporated.

In a large bowl, combine eggs, cheese, salt and pepper. Add spinach mixture and stir to blend. Scoop into prepared pie pan. **I filled each tin about 3/4 of the way and, after doubling the recipe, got about 26 mini quiches

Bake in preheated oven until eggs have set, about 30 minutes. **In muffin tins they baked for 15-18 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.