deliciousness

spicy parmesan green beans and kale

via giada de laurentiis
serves 6-8

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, sliced
1/4 pound cremini mushrooms, trimmed and quartered (about 14 mushrooms)
1 1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed and slice into 1-inch pieces
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 bunch kale (1/2 pound), rinsed, stemmed, and roughly chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1/2 a lemon)
3 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan

Warm the olive oil in a large, heavy saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms, green beans, salt, and pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Add the wine and continue cooking until the green beans are almost tender, about 5 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and the kale and continue cooking until the kale has wilted, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice and the Parmesan cheese. Toss to coat and serve immediately.

sausage stuffing with fennel and roasted squash

via epicurious
serves 8-10

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
4 cups 1/2- to 3/4-inch cubes peeled seeded butternut squash (from one 13/4-pound squash)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
3 cups chopped onions (about 1 pound)
2 cups chopped celery (4 to 5 stalks)
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped fresh fennel bulb (about 1 medium)
1 1-pound pork sausage log
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
2 tablespoons chopped fresh marjoram
12 cups (generous) 1-inch cubes day-old pain rustique or ciabatta bread with crust (about 1 1/4 pounds)
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 cup (or more) low-salt chicken broth

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray. Scatter squash on sheet in single layer; sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Roast squash until tender, stirring occasionally, about 55 minutes. Transfer to large bowl; cool.

Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, celery, and fennel. Sauté 8 minutes. Add sausage. Sauté until vegetables are tender and sausage is cooked through, breaking up sausage with fork, about 10 minutes. Add all herbs; sauté 1 minute longer. Add to bowl with squash. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool, cover, and chill.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Divide bread between 2 rimmed baking sheets. Bake until bread is crusty but not hard, reversing sheets after 5 minutes, 10 to 12 minutes total. Transfer to very large bowl and cool.

Butter 13x9x2-inch baking dish. vegetable mixture into bread. Whisk salt, and pepper in small bowl to blend whisk in 1 cup broth. Add egg mixture stuffing, tossing to combine evenly and adding more broth by 1/4 cupfuls if dry. Transfer stuffing to prepared dish.

Bake stuffing uncovered until cooked through and brown and crusty on top, 60 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes.

oven-roasted veggies

via ina garten
serves 4 

2 small fennel bulbs, tops removed
1 pound brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half
Good olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Cut the fennel bulbs into 6 wedges each, cutting through the core to keep the wedges intact. Place on a sheet pan. Drizzle olive oil over the fennel and season with salt and pepper. Make sure everything is evenly coated.

Place the brussels sprouts on a separate sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss with your hands.

Roast the vegetables in the same oven for 35 to 40 minutes, tossing once while cooking.

Combine the vegetables in a large serving bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

Notes: I’m not sure why the recipe wants you to separate the fennel and brussel sprouts in the oven when it’s seasoned exactly the same and roasted for the same amount of time. Also, since I had some leftover bacon to use, had a lot of time, and needed to warm up the veg, I chopped up and browned some bacon and tossed the brussel sprouts in the leftover oil.

homemade pizza

adapted from Mario Batali
serves 4

1/4 cup white wine
3/4 cup water
1 1/2 ounces fresh yeast (13 1/2 tbsp)
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
3 1/2 cups flour

Place wine, water and yeast in a large bowl and stir until dissolved. Add the honey, salt and 1 tablespoon olive oil and mix well to combine. Add 1 cup of the flour and mix with a wooden spoon until it becomes a loose batter. Add 2 more cups of the flour and stir for 2 to 3 minutes, incorporating as much flour as you can with the wooden spoon.

Instead of kneading the dough by hand, I used a standing mixer with the dough hook attachment. Knead for about 15 minutes and check if you can form a baker’s windowpane. Watch AB for more on kneading. Place in a clean, lightly-oiled bowl, using remaining tablespoon of oil and cover with a towel. Let dough rise in the warmest part of the kitchen for 45 minutes or in the refrigerator overnight.

Toppings: arugula, mozzarella, sausage, basil, tomato sauce. Don’t add arugula until after pizza bakes for 10-12 minutes.

nian gao

via use real butter

1 pound rice cakes (ovals), left to soak for the afternoon or couple hours
1 medium head napa cabbage or bok choy, washed
5 green onions, julienned
3 tbsp ginger root, julienned
5 tbsp vegetable
oil
salt to taste
1/2 pound pork loin, cut into strips
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
1-2 tbsp cornstarch
1-2 cups chicken broth

Slice the cabbage leaves into 1-inch wide segments. In a medium bowl, mix the pork, soy sauce, sesame oil, and cornstarch together until the pork is evenly coated. In a large pan or pot, heat 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil, half of the ginger and half of the green onions over high heat. When the onions and ginger begin to sizzle, add the cabbage and sauté. Sprinkle a little salt to taste. When the cabbage is almost cooked, remove it to a bowl. Heat (on high) the remaining 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in the same pot and add the remaining ginger and green onions. When the ginger and onions sizzle, add the pork and sauté until the meat is nearly cooked through. Pour the cabbage back into the pot and stir the pork and cabbage together. Drain the rice cakes and add them to the pot along with a half cup of chicken broth. Add more broth as needed or desired. Stir the contents of the pot around to prevent sticking. When the rice cakes are soft and chewy, remove from heat. Serve hot.

herb chicken tenders and warm potato salad

via avec eric and cook sister
serves 4

8 chicken tenders
oil, salt, pepper
herbes de provence
3 russet potatoes
2 eggs
1/2 pound green beans
less than 1/2 diced red onion
2 tbsp. mayonnaise
1 tbsp. whole grain dijon mustard
dill

Season chicken tenders with salt, pepper, and herbes de provence. Heat pan with oil and brown chicken over medium high heat. Take off heat and let rest.

Meanwhile, boil potatoes and eggs, then remove from heat until cool enough to handle. Blanch green beans in salted water. Peel and chop potatoes and hard-boiled eggs into bite-size pieces.

Dice chicken into bite-size pieces and combine with the other ingredients. Add salt and pepper to taste.

salsa fresca

via smitten kitchen
yield: two cups

2 large fresh ripe tomatoes, chopped
1/2 large white onion, peeled and minced
1/4 teaspoon minced raw garlic, or to taste
1 habanero or jalapeño pepper, stemmed, seeded and minced, or to taste
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice or
1 teaspoon red-wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper.

Combine all ingredients, taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. Let the flavors marry for 15 minutes or so before serving, but serve within a couple of hours.

thanksgiving redux

lamb sausage in puff pastry
baked mashed potatoes with parmesan and bread crumbs (note: use less butter) homemade gravy
spicy parmesan green beans and kale
ciabatta stuffing with chestnuts and pancetta

thanksgiving 2008

spiced turkey breast
parmesan mashed potatoes and gravy
spicy parmesan green beans and kale
pecan pie from whole foods

overall, delicious and easy. turkey was still a little pink in the middle after sitting in the oven extra and resting for thirty minutes, but after carving and microwaving for a minute, it turned out perfectly. mashed potatoes and gravy was delicious of course. veg was a little spicy for mom’s taste but everyone else thought it was good. tiny pecan pie was just the right size for five people. prep always makes life easier. moms complaining and worrying over your shoulder is not as fun. but yay for grandmas eating.