Baked Ham and Cheese Sandwiches

This is a recipe from Sunny Anderson's new food network show Made in America. When Jacob and I saw the lady make these sandwiches we new we had to try them. Incidentally, these sandwiches won a $25,000 contest and are Paula Deen approved :)

Yields 12 sandwiches
cook time: 40 minutes total, including prep.

You will need:

• 1 container (8 ounces) cream cheese
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives
• 1 pinch dried thyme
• 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated onion
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 package (12 count) Hawaiian rolls
• 8 ounces Black Forest deli ham, thinly sliced
• 8 ounces gruyere, grated

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, chives and thyme. Mix until well combined and set aside.

In a separate bowl, mix together the butter, onions, Parmesan and Worcestershire sauce. Set aside in a warm spot to keep the butter from solidifying.

Cut all 12 rolls in half. Place the roll bottoms in a 9- by 13-inch pan. Place equal amounts of ham (about 3 slices) on each roll. Top with the gruyere. Spread a generous amount of the chive and cream cheese on the roll tops. Place the tops on top of each sandwich bottom.

Pour the butter mixture over the top of the sandwiches. Cover with foil and bake until the cheese is melted, about 20 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake an additional 5 minutes to toast the buns.

Mac and Cheese (Carnation Brand Recipe, Pollock Family Favorite)

This is the mac and cheese Jacob was raised on. Now it's a Finnley, and soon to be a Penny, favorite too.

You will need:
- 1 and 2/3 to 2 cups dried macaroni noodles, cooked and drained
- 2 T butter
- 2 T corn starch
- 1t salt
- 1/2 t dried mustard
-  1/4 t pepper
- 1 can evaporated milk (12 oz)
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups grated cheddar cheese (or cheese combo of your choice, pepper jack is awesome)

Directions:
 Pre heat oven to 350 degrees.
Melt butter in sauce pan over med-high heat. Whisk in corn starch and spices until thickened (only takes a few seconds to thicken up). Add evap milk and water and allow to thicken, still over med-high heat (will take 7 to 10 minutes) stirring often. Turn off heat and add cheese.

Pour cheese sauce over macaroni noodles in a 9x13. At this point I like to mix in sauteed kielbasa sausage, and/or add thin slices of salted and garlic-ed tomatoes over top. This is of course optional, but Jacob and I love it.

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes (or until tomatoes look roasted and yummy). Then eat and enjoy!

Bruce's Dip

The name of the dip says nothing about it. This recipe is my favorite so far from Gwyneth's cookbook "My Father's Daughter."

Named after her father (apparently his favorite summertime snack), this is a mayo/sour cream based dip flavored with capers (yum!), and fresh herbs. I have eaten said dip in an avocado half, and died and went to heaven. But when you eat through all your avocados you can use your leftovers on a roasted chicken sandwich!

I ate my sammy with a side of Sauteed Baby Beans with Artichokes and Green Olives (find that recipe HERE).

Eating Gwyneth food makes me feel sexy. And that is priceless.

You will need:

- 1 cup Vegenaise (because it's healthier, but feel free to use regular good quality Mayo)

- 1/2 cup Sour Cream

- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon Mustard

- 2 scallions, finely sliced

- 1 clove garlic, pealed and minced or pushed through a press

- 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

A few fresh grinds black pepper

Pinch coarse salt

- 1 1/2 tablespoons capers, finely chopped

- 1/4 teaspoon celery seeds

Directions:

Mix it all up.

Sweet Corn and Bacon Empanadas

These are great for two reasons: they are yummy, and you can make them up ahead of time and freeze till ready to bake. Love them for brunch, lunch or dinner parties. They also make great midnight treats!


You Will Need:
- 2 anaheim chile peppers
- 3 strips bacon
- 2 cups fresh or frozen sweet corn kernels
- 1 1/2 cups shredded white cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup diced scallions

-your favorite pie dough, either homemade or store bought

Directions:
Have your pie dough made up and ready to go.
Roast chile peppers over a gas burner or in a hot oven until they're blackened and blistered. Wrap chilies in damp paper-towels for about 10 minutes, until cooled off and skin peals off easily. Peel chilies; discard skin. Slit chilies lengthwise, scrape out and discard seeds, remove stem, and dice chilies. Should yield about 1/2 cup diced chilies.
Fry bacon in a saute pan over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove to a paper-towel-lined plate.
Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from pan; add corn; saute over medium-high heat until edges of corn begin to brown, about 8 minutes. Stir in bacon, chilies, cheddar, and scallions. Chill filling thoroughly.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Roll out pie dough on a work surface, lightly floured if necessary. Using a 3 1/2 " biscuit cutter, cut circles from dough; repeat with remaining dough, rerolling scraps once. Arrange dough rounds on prepared baking sheet.
Place 1 T filling in the center of each round. Fold rounds in half, pinch to seal, then crimp edges with a fork. (Freeze if desired.)
Blend one egg yolk with 1 T water; brush over empanadas. Sprinkle empanadas with smoked paprika; then bake until golden, 15-18 minutes.

Muffuletta Sandwich

Jacob and I were road trippin' it on Friday, making the long drive from Salt Lake City to Newburry Park, California. I hate fast food. (Not really, but if I say it enough I am hoping to make it true.) In order to avoid the usual multiple fast food stops I planned ahead. It wasn't just about buying all of our favorite snacks at the grocery store the night before, though I did that. I also wanted to make something that would be so delicious and filling that there wouldn't even be room left for a small order of french fries. Muffuletta Sandwich, mission accomplished. And after I ate my half I had so much energy! Usually I am so tiered the entire drive, and Jacob always makes me drive the second shift.

Recipe by: The Neely's (Foodnetwork.com)Ingredients:

- 3/4 cup mayonnaise

- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 red onion, diced(I used half, and that was PLENTY)
- 1 cup diced carrot
- 1 cup diced black olives
- 1 cup diced green olives
- 1/2 cup diced marinated artichoke hearts
- 1 cup diced piquillo peppers(I used a half cup of pepperoncini peppers, it was yummy)
- 1/2 cup diced celery
- 1/3 cup freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley
- Kosher salt
- 1 muffuletta or round Italian loaf (10 to 12 inches in diameter)
- 2 ounces each thinly sliced Genoa salami, hot sopressata, mortadella, and smoked turkey
- 2 ounces each thinly sliced imported Swiss cheese and aged provolone

Directions:

Whisk together the mayonnaise, olive oil, vinegar, honey, lime juice, red pepper flakes, oregano, and 1 teaspoon black pepper in a large bowl. Add the onion, carrot, olives, artichoke hearts, peppers, celery, and parsley; toss, and season to taste with salt. Cover with plastic wrap and allow the salad to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Slice the bread in half, and pull some of the interior from the middle of the roll to make room for the other ingredients.

Spread a generous amount of the olive oil salad on each half. (You will probably have some salad leftover; it holds for 2 or 3 days in the refrigerator.)

Layer the meat and cheese on the bottom half, alternating layers of each meat with thin layers of cheese. Cover with the top half of bread, press gently, slice into wedges, and serve.

Creamy Green Bean and Orzo Salad (7/6/2010)

I would like to declare a victory for myself in this latest battle of Carissa vs. Blogger. I have been trying for forever to get a certain gadget I have since learned is called a "LinkWithin" to appear on my blog. A huge thanks to Holly at Phe.mom.enon for answering the big question. Now at the end of every post there will be links to similar recipes/posts.
May I tell you all a little about were I am living? I live in an apartment complex called Remmington in Midvale, Utah. I have lived here for almost exactly 3 years. The first two passed without incident, but this last one (and I blame it on the economy, really) has been, as Gwen Stefani so wisely puts it, B.A.N.A.N.A.S.

Incident One: Jacob goes down to the soda machine to get a soda and sees a couple having sex in our apartment pool. I can't believe it, so I walk down to check it out. Yep. My response? Call apartment management. Yuck.

Incident Two: I stop by the Walgreen's located immediately across the street from my complex, and witness a prostitution deal go down involving a girl who looks about 17. And yes, I am SURE that's what it was. You don't just wear cut-off denim booty shorts and fishnets in the middle of winter. Not in Utah (unless you want to be stoned into unconsciousness by members of the Mormon Relief Society). My response? Call 911.

Incident Three: A mere 2 months later Jacob and I are awakened by the sound of fighting. We look out our window into the lot next door to our complex and see two party vans, one white, one black, parked but still running. A couple has gotten out of one of the vans and is arguing. The man proceeds to push the woman against the wall and strangle her. Seriously? I mean, really? My response? Call 911. However, as I am on the phone with the operator I notice Jacob is gone. I then see a flash of white darting across the apartment parking lot three stories below, hear yelling and the exchange of threats, realise that Jacob is downstairs in his underwear and trying, unsuccessfully, to pull the terrified woman over a six foot cement wall. It all ends in the couple getting back into a van when Jacob yells out "I called the cops!" And no follow up by the police whatsoever. I expected at least to see a cop car sweep the lot.

Incident Four: Looking out from our patio across the above mentioned lot we can see directly into someones back yard. They seem to be having a party. Couples, families, and kids are all sitting around when out of NOWHERE one of the guys starts beating on people with a baseball bat. Apparently someone called the cops because they show up shortly there after and begin searching for the guy who Jacob and I can SEE hiding behind a large bush. We can see that the cops aren't able to find him. Jacob drives over there and saves the day! But, seriously? A baseball bat?

If anyone knows of a cool place for rent...

Creamy Green Bean and Orzo Salad, with Buttermilk Chive Dressing

Ingredients:
(for the dressing)
- 2 Tbsp. buttermilk
- 2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
- 1 Tbsp. cider vinegar
- 2 tsp. snipped fresh chives
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
(for the salad)
- 1/3 cup uncooked orzo pasta
- 1 cup diagonally sliced green beans
- 1 Roma tomato, seeded and cut into strips
- Kosher salt and black pepper

Directions:
Whisk together buttermilk, mayonnaise, vinegar, chives, sugar, and Dijon in a bowl to dissolve sugar.
Cook pasta in boiling salted water according to package instructions. Add beans during last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain pasta and beans; cool to room temp.
Add pasta mixture to tomatoes and dressing; toss until coated. Cover salad; chill until ready to serve.

Chicken with Tabbouleh

Recipe by: Ina Garden from Barefoot Contessa, Family Style
Cook time including inactive prep: 1 ½ hours, Serves: 8


You will need:

- 1 ½ cups boiling water
- 1 cup bulgur wheat
- ¼ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
- olive oil
- kosher salt
- 1 whole (2 split) chicken breast, bone in, skin on
- fresh ground black pepper
- 1 cup minced scallions, white and green parts (1 bunch)
- 1 cup chopped fresh mint leaves (2 bunches)
- 1 cup chopped fresh parsley (1 bunch)
- 1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, halved lengthwise, seeded and medium-diced
- 2 cups halved cherry or grape tomatoes

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a heat proof bowl pour the boiling water over the bulgur wheat. Add the lemon juice, ¼ cup olive oil, and 1 ½ teaspoons salt. Stir. Cover with plastic wrap and allow the bulgur to sit at room temp for about an hour.


Place the chicken breast on a baking sheet and rub it with olive oil. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until just cooked. Set aside until cool enough to handle.
Remove the chicken meat from the bones and discard the skin. Cut the chicken into medium dice and add to the tabbouleh. Add the scallions, mint, parsley, cucumber, tomatoes, 2 teaspoons salt, and one teaspoon pepper. Season to taste and serve immediately or cover and refrigerate. The flavors will improve as it sits.


When I made my batch, as you can see above, I used the hour while the tabbouleh sat to prep and combine my other ingredients. It was a lot of choppin'... This chicken tabouleh tastes great on its own, but I loved it in a pita pocket with mayo. This would be delish without the chicken too, for all you non meat eaters out there.

Steak Sandwiches.

The delicious steak sandwich:
But first...
I am back from ten days with my in-laws in Newbury Park, and issue one: none of my pants fit. Issue two: I have until Wednesday when we leave again, this time to Escalante, to loose enough to get me back into said pants. Issue three: I am pretty sure I will not loose enough because Wednesday is the day after tomorrow, and I don’t really care enough to try anyway… So, look out for muffin-top in the extreme coming your way if you live in or around Escalante.

My sister in law’s wedding was beautiful! They did so much themselves, including making hundreds of these delicious little cheesecakes (with the help of many of their friends):

Recipe HERE.

Jacob and I flew in on Sunday afternoon and of course the first thing I wanted to do was make something to eat. When you haven’t been in your house for a while nothing warms it up like getting something cooking on the stove. Anyway, while I was throwing some pasta together, putting away dishes, unpacking, getting Finn settled, lamenting the newly fallen snow, etc. I happened to drop some garlic on the kitchen floor. Here is the scenario:


The garlic fell underneath the dishwasher, so of course on my way up my head connected at top speed with the open cupboard. It seriously looked like I had a bullet graze to the head, and if it hadn’t hurt so bad, and I hadn’t been preoccupied inventing new swear words and swear word combos, I might have thought it looked pretty cool. Today, it hurts if a breeze brushes the right side of my head. Huge goose egg. Moral of the story, don't forget to look around before you attempt your next Legally Blonde style "bend and snap."

P.S. The Webster’s definition for lament: to feel deep sorrow or express it as by weeping or wailing.
There was much to lament that Sunday night…

P.S.S. I would like to thank you Jon and Jason for calling me on Thursday night while you were all hanging out, and making me feel totally sad and left out. Here is the thing; the day I convince Jacob to move to San Diego will undoubtedly be the day that you all pack up and decide to follow Jack back to Utah. But I suppose a phone call is better than being completely cast aside and forgotten.

P.S.S.S. Obama called me. I couldn’t get to the phone, so he left a voicemail. (The above mentioned Jon and Jason were behind this.)

Today Ina Garden was making steak sandwiches, and I decided that sounded like a good idea. Here is how she did it, and how I improvised (because who really keeps three different kinds of mustard on hand…Ina.)

Cook time: 40 minutes-ish, Serves: 2
You will need:

- 1 (12-ounce) 1-inch thick New York strip boneless beef top loin steak
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Olive oil
- 2 yellow onions, sliced in rings
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 recipe Mustard Mayo, recipe follows
- 2 mini focaccia buns, sliced in 1/2
- 1/2 cup baby arugula

Season the steak liberally with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium sauté pan over high heat until it's almost smoking, then sear the steak on each side for 1 minute. Reduce the heat to low and cook the steak for about 7 to 10 minutes, turning once, until very rare in the middle. Remove to a plate, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Slice the steak into strips.
Using the same sauté pan, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and thyme and sauté for 10 minutes, until the onions are brown and caramelized, stirring occasionally.
To assemble the sandwiches, spread a tablespoon of Mustard Mayo on the bottom half of each bun. Place a layer the steak strips on top of the mayo, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and top with the caramelized onion rings. Place the baby arugula on top of the onion rings, and cover the sandwiches with the top half of the buns.
( I used dried thyme because I couldn’t find fresh at my grocery store, and Instead of focaccia bread I used a ciabatta loaf, because it looked right and I’m not really sure what the difference is anyway. My ciabatta loaf was only $1.92, and I could easily have made 4 huge sandwiches out of it! I am always surprised when the yummy bread is less expensive than the regular bread.)

For the Mustard Mayo you will need:

- 3/4 cup good mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Whisk the ingredients together in a small bowl. Serve at room temperature.
Yield: 1 cup
(As I said before, multiple kinds of mustard?! Comon. I happened to have Dijon so I kept all the measurements the same except I omitted the salt, and instead of whole grain mustard I added some yummy spices as follows:

- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon lemon pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning

You could also add garlic powder…)

May I conclude while I am thinking of it, by telling everyone how much I love (or rather hate to love…) the new grocery store that just popped up in my neighborhood, Winco. It’s exactly like Food4less in San Diego, except I never shopped at Food4less. I can go in with 30 bucks and get everything I need for a weeks worth of dinners. The bummers include out-of-it, unknowledgeable workers (the woman at the meat counter didn’t know what prosciutto was), you have to bag your own stuff after they ring you up, and you have to shop around all the other poor people. Yes, I am totally prejudiced against my own kind and prefer to associate as little as possible with other “needies.” Winco, I hate to love you, but I do.

Tomato Soup and Parmesan Bruschetta.

For the past few nights Jacob has totally commanded the computer because he has been finishing up a power point presentation on an anthropologist named Edward Sapir. He wasn’t that excited about his report at first, but for the past few days it has been all he has talked about. I think Edward Sapir is amazing for two reasons: first, he is a linguist who worked primarily with North American Indians, and I think linguists are the smartest people on earth. Second, not only did he publish his linguistic findings, but he also published a collection of poetry. I love me a smarty with a sensitive side!




I found an awesome tomato soup recipe on the food network site that you should ALL try! (–Jon, this could easily be vegan-ified.) It is hearty and bright, and I had two bowls of it this afternoon when I wasn't eating ice cream-nutella-chocolate chip cookie sandwiches!

Cook time: 50 min (including prep.), Serves: about 6 people
You will need:

- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 onion, peeled and chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 15-ounce can cannellini (white) beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 sprig of fresh rosemary, plus 1 teaspoon, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2/3 cup creme fraiche
- Zest of one lemon

In a large soup pot melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, and garlic and cook until the vegetables are tender (about 4 minutes). Add the beans, tomatoes, broth, bay leaf, 1 teaspoon rosemary, and red pepper flakes. Bring the soup to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, covered.

Puree the soup in a blender in batches, and be careful to remove the bay leaf before hand. Return the soup to a soup pot and keep warm over low heat. Season with salt and pepper.

In a medium bowl fold in the lemon zest and the remaining teaspoon of rosemary to 2/3 cup creme fraiche. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and dollop each bowl with the lemon rosemary creme fraiche. Serve immediately. Note: Crème fraiche costs about eight dollars per container and can be very hard to find. Instead of using crème fraiche I combined about 4 ounces of cream cheese with about a half cup of heavy cream, then added the lemon zest, and just stirred that mixture right into my soup. I thought it came out wonderful, so you can try it that way if you like!

I don’t have a picture of the soup because I was too hungry to set one up, but perhaps I will post one later. I do have a picture of the bread I made to go with it.

This bread is easy, fast and delicious! It is a Guy Fieri recipe he calls “Pomodoro Fresco Sourdough Bread.”



You will need:

- 1 (12 to 16-inch) sourdough baguette
- 2 garlic cloves, halved plus 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- about 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for garnish
- 2 cups diced Roma tomatoes
- 1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Cut the bread in half lengthwise, and place it on a sheet tray. Drizzle a little olive oil on top of the halves and season with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven until lightly brown (about ten minutes). Rub the crusty bread with the garlic cloves. Drizzle with more of the olive oil and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Return to oven to melt cheese.

In a medium mixing bowl combine the tomatoes, minced garlic, basil, vinegar, remaining olive oil, salt and pepper, and let sit for 5 minutes at room temperature.
Remove baguette from oven and top with the tomato mixture. Garnish with basil and extra Parmesan cheese.

Home made Chicken Noodle Soup (...great for those of you battling swine flu! Be strong out there!)

I have never measured it out, but I would guess this recipe -as is- gave me about 8 hearty servings when I made it the other night.

You will need:
- 3 tablespoons butter or olive oil
- Kosher salt, fresh ground pepper (and I use a couple cloves of fresh garlic, mashed in a garlic press) to season.
- 2 celery
- 1 onion chopped
- 4 carrots chopped
- 2 small potatoes, chopped
- 10 cups of liquid: 8 cups of water with 6 to 8 chicken and/or beef bouillon cubes to season.
- 2 chicken breasts
- 2 cups small shell pasta, or your preference of noodle
- chopped fresh parsley to taste (optional)
- juice of 1 lemon (optional)

Directions:
Melt the butter in the bottom of a large soup pot and add the vegetables as well as salt and pepper (and garlic, optional). Allow them to soften over medium high heat, about 10 minutes. Once the veggies have had a chance to get tender, add your chicken breasts and liquid. Allow chicken to cook in liquid about 20 minutes, until cooked through. Remove chicken breasts and shred or cube meat, then return to pot. Add your noodles. When pasta is done check your seasoning, and parsley and lemon, then serve!

Fried Buffalo Chicken Wraps, for Laura's Little Ghetto Superstar.

Jeremy, it would be cruel to simply mock your taste in food without offering you a more appetizing replacement. Here is a cheep new chicken dinner that will hopefully satisfy some of the same flavor cravings as the original, without making your son puke at the dinner table. All of the ingredients are things that, if you don’t already keep them on hand in your fridge, you can easily start. The recipe is for fried buffalo chicken wraps. They are just as good reheated the next day for lunch (or dinner round two) as they are fresh.

Not my most beautifully photographed meal, but who am I kidding, I’m not that great with a camera…

You will need:

- 1-4 chicken breasts cubed, depending on how many people you are feeding and if you want leftovers. I always cook up four at a time.
- Buffalo Sauce, which ever brand looks good to you.

- Ice burg lettuce
- Ranch dressing
- Tortillas (I would love a recipe for home made tortillas if anyone knows of one…)

I like to marinade my chicken in the buffalo sauce for about an hour before I start cooking, but it really doesn’t matter. I also like to dredge the marinated chicken chunks in flour and fry them up in oil because I like the extra flavor and the crispiness that results. If you don’t feel like going through the extra effort then just fry up the chicken chunks in a non-stick skillet until done. Roll the chicken up in a tortilla with the lettuce, ranch dressing and a little extra buffalo sauce if you like it spicy.

Super easy, super inexpensive, and all the ingredients can be used in other recipes as well so it’s not like you have something random hanging out in your fridge that you will never use again. Jeremy, I care about you, and Laura and I both think you deserve better than cheez-it crusted chicken—no offence to your mom, really, Laura always has the most wonderful things to say about her. It’s just the chicken…

Linguine with Lemon and Cream, my personal favorite!

Yesterday I looked up The Little Einsteins on Youtube for Finn. Now whenever I sit down at the computer he comes running up to me screaming “Rocket! Rocket!”

At about nine o’clock last night, right before I decided to go round four with Sleepless in Seattle, I got to feeling like I needed something tasty to eat. You can only stand so much romance before the emotional eating drive kicks in, am I right? This is my favorite pasta. It’s got your butter, it’s got your cream, but it doesn’t make you feel heavy when you eat it because all the lemon brightens and lightens it up. You need to try this pasta, especially if you are not a meat sauce/ red sauce person. I promise it will change your life for the better!

Cook time: 30 minutes, Serves: 2-3 people
You will need:

- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 8 slices prosciutto (bacon will work in a pinch)
- 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 4 teaspoons lemon zest
- fresh ground black pepper to taste
- ½ lb dry linguine
- 1 cup parmesan cheese grated
- extra lemon zest to garnish (you will want this, so don’t skimp!)
- shredded mozzarella cheese to top

Start by bringing a large pot of water to boil for the pasta. While pasta cooks prepare the sauce, it will come together pretty fast as long as you get all your ingredients prepped before hand.
Melt butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add prosciutto and sauté until pieces begin to crisp (about 5-7 minutes). Add broth and cook for an additional 1 minute. Reduce heat to low and stir in cream, lemon juice, pepper to taste and 4 teaspoons lemon zest. Cook for two minutes. Keep sauce covered and warm while you wait for pasta to finish. When pasta is done add to the sauce, then add the cup of parmesan cheese and stir. To serve garnish with additional lemon zest, fresh ground pepper, and mozzarella cheese. (This recipe is from Cuisine at Home magazine, Issue No. 59 from October 2006.)

Chicken Salad with Orange and Fennel (9/22/2009)

Yay fennel! So delicious, so cool looking.

I love chicken salad. My Aunt makes a mean chicken salad, and it was my favorite, then I found this recipe in my Cuisine magazine. I had a sandwich for dinner with some of my soup from last night, and wow!

You will need:
-2/3 cup mayonnaise
-2 tbsp orange juice, plus zest of half and orange
-2 cooked chicken breasts, diced
-1 cup grapes, halved (red or green)
-3/4 cup diced fennel bulb
-1/4 cup slivered almonds (toasted, optional)
-2 tbsp chopped fennel fronds
-1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
-Salt and pepper to taste

Toss all ingredients together in a bowl, chill.
That’s it! So easy, so yummy—just like me!... What? Um. I hope you like it. The chicken salad is so good on just about any type of bread, or mixed with lettuce for a salad.

P.S. To those of you who knew me when I was seventeen/ eighteen…even nineteen, why didn’t any of you ever say anything to me about the over plucking of my eyebrows? I was looking through old pictures and I was shocked! My alien head, sure, I heard about that. My shovel teeth, yep, that too. But the one thing I could actually do something about… nothing. Thanks a lot.

Curried Sweet Potato Soup

I spent this morning cleaning my house, bathrooms mostly. Ugh. So I was in the mood for something yummy and easy. This soup comes together really fast, and unlike most soup/ stew recipes you don’t end up with a truck load of leftovers! To all you non-drinkers out there, this recipe calls for white wine. It’s not like I drink, but I cook enough that I keep white and red wine on hand. You don’t need anything expensive, and the flavor is amazing so I would encourage you to give it a try.

For this recipe you will need:

-1/2 cup chopped onion
-1/4 cup diced carrot
-1/4 cup diced celery
-1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger (I left this out, not crazy about the flavor)
-1 bay leaf
-pinch of red pepper flakes
-2 tablespoons vegetable oil
-1 &1/2 cups sweet potato, peeled and cubed (I used canned)
-1 teaspoon curry powder
-1/4 cup dry white wine
-4 cups chicken broth
-1/2 cup canned diced tomatoes, drained
-1/4 cup brown lentils
-1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
-juice of ½ a lemon
-Plain yogurt or sour cream to top (I used sour cream, yum!)

Directions:
Sauté onion, carrot, celery, ginger, bay leaf, and pepper flakes in oil in a pot over med-high heat until soft, about 8-10 minutes. Add sweet potatoes and curry and sauté for another minute.
Deglaze with white wine; simmer until almost evaporated, then stir in broth, tomatoes and lentils. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, until lentils and sweet potatoes are tender, 25-30 minutes.
Off heat, stir in 2 tablespoons of the cilantro, lemon juice, and salt to taste. Garnish each serving with sour cream and some of remaining cilantro.