Green and White Bean Gratin

This green and white bean bake was a perfect vegetarian main course for a cold winter night. We paired it with a salad, some bread, and a movie. Exactly what you want to eat when it's cold and rainy outside, and you're snuggled up under a blanket. The pureed beans made the gratin seem so smooth and creamy, and even with cutting back on the cheese it was nice and cheesy. I liked that the cheese was balanced out with a lack of cream, to keep the dish from being too rich.

This makes a great vegetarian main dish, and would also be great served with roast chicken or pork tenderloin. The lunch leftovers were terrific as well. I'd also like to experiment with using broccoli or sauteed kale for the vegetable portion of the gratin.

Green and White Bean Gratin

From Moosewood Restaurant Farm Fresh Meals

2 cups fresh green beans, cut into 2 inch lengths and blanched (or frozen green beans-- don't bother defrosting)
2 cans white beans
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons of dried thyme, finely chopped rosemary or sage
Pinch of salt and black pepper
1 cup grated Gruyere or cheddar cheese
1 cup bread crumbs
1 cup Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons butter, melted


Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 9 inch square baking dish, and spread the green beans in the bottom of the dish.


In a food processor, combine one can of white beans (undrained) with the garlic, herb(s), salt and pepper until smooth. Pour over the green beans in the baking dish, and sprinkle with the Gruyere or cheddar cheese. Drain and rinse the second can of white beans, and spread the whole beans on top.


In a small bowl, mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan and melted butter. Sprinkle lightly over the top of the gratin. Bake, covered, for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake about 10 minutes more, until golden brown and bubbling.

Mediterrenean Grilled Vegetable Wraps

These wraps were inspired by a recent lunch we hosted at The Chopping Block. I love eating wraps at restaurants, but haven't messed around much with making them at home. When we made a bunch of these sandwiches at work, I realized how easy it was, and how one night of grilling could result in 3 nights of lunch or dinner. The pieces of this wrap stayed separate until it was time to make dinner, so everything was fresh tasting and ready to go. I did all the grilling at once, then peeled and sliced the red peppers, and sliced up all the other veggies. I mixed the cooked vegetables with salt, pepper, and just a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar. This mix of grilled vegetables went into the fridge, where it sat waiting to become a fresh Mediterranean wrap.

Grill the peppers until they are completely charred, then put them into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let them steam in the bowl for 15 minutes or so, and then take the plastic wrap off to let them cool. When the peppers are cool enough to handle, the skins should easily peel off. Then, cut out the seeds and core inside the pepper, and slice the peppers into bite sized pieces.

Grill each vegetable until it is done. The mushrooms are easy on skewers, or also great in a grill basket. The eggplant, mushrooms, and zucchini will cook at different rates, so take each vegetable off the heat when it is grilled to your taste.

Now, to assemble the wraps, start with a large tortilla. Mine were spinach flavor, and made specifically for wrapping. Smear on some hummus, and top with fresh spinach leaves. Pile on some grilled vegetables, then top with crumbled feta cheese and freshly ground pepper. Wrap like a burrito, cut into two halves, and enjoy!

I made a total of six wraps out of the following ingredients:

Wrap-size tortillas (pack of 6)

One tub of hummus

1 pack of organic baby spinach (some spinach was leftover)

2 red peppers

1 large eggplant

2 medium zucchini

1 package baby bella mushrooms

4 ounces Greek feta cheese

Tuna Pasta Salad

About three years ago, Joe and I made a big decision and decided to give city living a try by moving to Chicago. We liked Kansas City, but felt drawn towards a bigger city, full of people and excitement. It was quite a leap of faith, and thankfully it has worked out better than we ever expected. I always thought I was a city person-- when I was little I used to talk about owning an all black and white apartment in New York City! Now, I have to laugh at what a city slicker I've become. I love tall buildings and busy sidewalks (well, except busy, slow sidewalks on Michigan Ave where everyone walks so slow I want to scream!), and I usually want to just visit other cities when I leave this one. Some people love the open sky in the countryside at night, but it just makes me jumpy because it gets so dark out there!

I wasn't always such a fan of the cement jungle, though, because growing up in Colorado meant there were lots of outdoor adventures with our family. I went to summer camp a couple times, had a season pass to snowboard at Breckeridge and Keystone, and used to really enjoy hiking on the weekends. My mom, ever the gourmet, made sure we were fed well even when exploring the parks and hiking trails. This salad was a staple of many of our hikes, and I always get nostalgic when I make it. I love dill and don't cook with it often enough, and I think it's that herb that makes this dish taste like summer. And besides cooking the pasta, this meal avoids the oven and stove. Being a one dish combination of protein, carbs, and veggies makes it a simple dinner, and I always make extra to take to work for lunch. Doesn't this beat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for your next hike or day at the beach?

Tuna Pasta Salad

from my mom... and maybe a cookbook from her collection?

4 cups cooked small pasta shells

1 1/2 cups tuna (cooked shrimp are also great for this!)

1/2 cup peas

1/2/ cup green onions

1/4 cup parsley

Combine above ingredients in large bowl.

Make dressing:

1/2/cup plain yogurt

1/2/ cup mayonnaise

2Tbsp chopped fresh dill

2 Tbsp lemon juice

2 tsp lemon zest

salt and pepper

Toss pasta mixture with dressing. Chill and enjoy!

Turn off the Oven! Cool Summer Tomato & White Bean Salad

I don't know about where you live, but here in Chicago it's been hot! I'm usually kind of crazy, and keep using my oven and stovetop all summer, but this week I decided to actually try to keep our kitchen cool. This white bean and tomato salad was part of an easy weeknight dinner, and I didn't turn on a single burner as I prepared our meal. I served this with grilled veggies that I had put on skewers, and with a chilled avocado soup (which I didn't love). This salad was a gem! I felt like it was a good source of protein, with lots of vitamins from the tomatoes, and enough olive oil to keep it from tasting healthy! I can't wait until local tomatoes show up at farmers markets in our area, because I know fresh tomatoes would take this salad over the top!



The original recipe called for dill, which I think screams summer. But I happened to have a ton of extra rosemary in my fridge, so that's what I used! Rosemary is a natural pairing with the dressing that this salad marinates in, so it blended really well. This was great for lunch, too, and extra frozen (then thawed) or grilled veggies could be mixed in for a complete 1-dish meal.

I couldn't resist these colorful "Mixed Medley" cherry tomatoes from Trader Joe's!

Tomato and White Bean Salad
Modified from Bon Appetit, June 2o10

•2 15-ounce cans cannellini (white kidney beans), rinsed, drained
•2 1/2 cups halved grape tomatoes (about 12 ounces) or cherry tomatoes
•2/3 cup diced red onion
•2 sprigs rosemary, minced
•1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
•3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
•1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
•2 garlic cloves, pressed

Toss all ingredients in large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Let marinate at room temperature 1 hour.

DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring salad to room temperature before serving.

Tempeh Tacos with Spinach, Corn, and Goat Cheese

I love creative combinations for tacos, and this quick recipe from Real Simple fits the bill perfectly. I'm sometimes underwhelmed with the simplicity (aka blandness) of some Real Simple recipes, but a little extra seasoning made this dish flavorful and so easy to pull together! I originally planned to serve this filling in homemade tortillas, but we got caught up shopping on State Street got home later than I expected. I scored TWO Juicy Couture hoodies for a total of $40, though, so I think it was worth sacrificing homemade tortillas this time around. This filling was so good, and Joe and I kept raving about it after each bite. That's a really good sign, isn't it? Imagine how good this would be with fresh corn and homemade tortillas in the summer!

Tempeh Tacos with Spinach, Corn, and Goat Cheese
Adapted from Real Simple Magazine

Ingredients

* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 package tempeh, crumbled
* 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
* 1 teaspoon cumin
* 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
* kosher salt and black pepper
* 1 10-ounce package frozen corn (2 cups), thawed
* 1 5-ounce package baby spinach (about 6 loosely packed cups)
* 8 small flour tortillas, warmed
* 3/4 cup crumbled fresh goat cheese (3 ounces)
* 3/4 cup store-bought refrigerated salsa

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tofu, chili powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes.
2. Add the corn and cook, tossing, until heated through, about 2 minutes. Add the spinach and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper and toss until wilted.
3. Fill the tortillas with the tofu mixture, goat cheese, and salsa.

If you live anywhere near us, save some effort and buy fresh guacamole from Harvest Time. It is better than I've ever made by myself! Then you can spend that extra time and energy making margaritas! Just make sure to invite me over, ok?

Spicy Corn Cakes with Black Beans

My mom and I frequently rehash our best dinner recipes when we're catching up on the phone. We both love cooking and trying new recipes, so we have a lot of fun sharing our most successful meals with each other. This recipe came from her, and it sounded so good I requested she send the recipe my way immediately. It took a little extra nagging, but my patience paid off and I had the recipe in my inbox within a week.

I was so glad I begged for this recipe! The corn cakes were delicate and studded with pieces of corn, and they were perfect for scooping up the soupy black beans. I played up the seasoning on my black beans, so there was cumin and oregano with a bit of spice from the paprika and jalapeno. The can of tomatoes was important, because my mom had advised that the beans have some "saucy-ness" to them. Cheese, sour cream, and avocado slices topped off a satisfying and flavorful vegetarian meal. This was a simple weeknight dinner, and could also be a fun different approach to a taco bar when having friends over for dinner. Just add some Mexican beer or margaritas and you're party ready!


Spicy Corn Cakes with Black Beans

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 jalapeno, seeds removed, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp hot smokey paprika
1 can black beans, drained
1 can diced tomatoes, with liquid
2 tsp. dried oregano, chopped

Heat the olive oil over medium heat, and add the jalapeno. Saute until starting to soften, about 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic, and saute an additional 30 seconds. Sprinkle the chili powder, cumin and paprika, and stir. Saute for about 30 more seconds, until the spices are fragrant. Stir in the black beans, tomatoes, and oregano. Bring to a slight simmer, then turn down to low to keep the beans warm as you prepare the corn cakes.


2/3 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup flour
¼ tsp baking soda
1 tsp. chili powder
salt and pepper
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
½ cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
2 tsp. canola oil

Whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking soda, chili powder 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/8 tsp pepper.

Whisk together butter, buttermilk and egg until well combined.

Quickly mix wet and dry until just blended, leaving small lumps, fold in corn.

Heat large cast iron frying pan over med. High heat. Brush with 1 tsp oil. Working in batches, add batter ¼ cup at a time. Cook pancakes until brown and fluffy, about 4 mins., turning once. Transfer to warm plate and cover loosely. Stir batter and wipe pan with oil between batches.

Divide pancakes among plates and top with beans.

You can add cheese, or sour cream, cilantro, etc….as toppings.

Portabella Pizzas

These portabella mushroom pizzas were an idea from a blog I really enjoy, Proud Italian Cook. She had posted them as a New Year's Eve party snack idea, but I thought they would also be perfect for a regular dinner. I made the pizzas with a salad and some slices of No Knead Bread... perfect dinner! This could easily have been a vegetarian dish, but I saw some chicken Italian sausage at whole foods that I couldn't resist.


This recipe was so easy! Just scrape the gills out of the mushrooms, and roast them under the broiler for about 5 minutes on each side. Them top with tomato sauce, sausage (pre-cooked in a skillet), spinach, and cheese... or whatever you want! So much flexibility. Portabellas are not the cheapest ingredient, but I'll keep an eye out for them at a decent price, because I'd love to make this again. It was so easy for a busy weeknight, but still felt special and slightly gourmet. Check out Proud Italian Cook for tons of other fresh and deliciously simple Italian recipes.

A New Kind of Fajita

You know you've found a good recipe when you make the same exact thing for dinner two nights in a row. This is totally different from leftovers... I literally went back to the store and bought more of the ingredients to make the same exact dish again a day after trying it the first time. I can say this happened for a few reasons. First, it was stinking good! This taco filling was a twist on typical fajitas, with red onions, baby bella mushrooms, and poblano peppers. The flavors blended but still held their own, and the cumin sprinkled over top tied it all together. Adding slices of avocado and fresh pico de gallo put it over the top. I have to admit the other reason I made this was because the ingredient list is short and simple, and I was just not inspired to create anything that involved actual thinking. This recipe will be showing up in my kitchen again, I promise. Black beans on the side add protein and make it a well rounded meal, and I also think cut up grilled chicken would be amazing.

I saw this recipe in Bon Appetit when it first came out, but I have to give props to my friend The Kitchen Witch for inspiring me to actually try it. I owe you girl, because these were awesome!

Here's the full recipe, and if you're like me you can just make the filling and put it into plain soft tacos, or even make bigger burritos. Do follow the Kitchen Witch's advice to add avocado, and other yummy taco toppings you have around. Sky's the limit here! Also, I discovered that the leftovers are quite tasty over some brown rice, topped with cheese of course :)


Poblano and Mushroom Tacos
Makes 4
from Bon Appetit Magazine

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 fresh poblano chile, halved, seeded, thinly sliced into long strips
1/2 small red onion, sliced
3 ounces crimini(baby bella) mushrooms, thinly sliced (about 1 1/4 cups)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 corn tortillas
4 thin slices Monterrey Jack cheese
chopped fresh cilantro
crumbled feta or Cojita cheese
Assorted toppings (such as shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, and hot sauce or salsa)

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add poblano chile, red onion and mushrooms; saute mixture until brown, about 5 minutes. Mix in ground cumin. Season to taste with salt. Transfer mixture to medium bowl.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add tortillas in a single layer, draping up the sides of skillet to fit. Divide mushroom mixture among tortillas, mounding on only 1 side. Place slice of Monterrey Jack cheese atop filling in each tortilla. Fold plain tortilla halves over filling and press firmly. Cook until tortillas are brown, about 1 minute per side. Transfer tacos to plates. Open tacos; sprinkle with chopped cilantro, crumbled feta or Cojita cheese, and toppings.

4 Ingredients, amazing results

I'm starting school this week, and also my new job. This means 10 hours of class and three part time jobs. As you can imagine, I'm anticipating being quite busy this fall! But the last few weeks have been scattered through with days of doing nothing around the house, and I've worked hard to soak up that calm feeling. I made this pasta for lunch one day, which was a luxury I won't have with my new busy schedule.

Honestly, this recipe came about as I was working on cleaning out my fridge and pantry. I had two partial boxes of short pasta, some green beans that were starting to turn a little less green, a potato that was growing sprouts, and some pesto Joe made last week. I was flipping through my Everyday Food cookbook looking for dinner ideas for the week, and I happened upon a recipe that called for all the ingredients I wanted to use up. Perfect!

Pasta with Pesto, Potatoes, and Green Beans
from Everyday Food

serves 4

2 medium potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes (peeled if you want, I skipped it)
salt
8 ounces short pasta
8 ounces green beans, trimmed and halved
1/2 cup pesto
pepper

Place the potatoes into a large pot of boiling water, bring to a boil. Add one tsp of salt and the pasta, return to a boil, and cook two more minutes. Add the green beans, return to a boil, and cook until the vegetables are tender and the pasta in al dente, about 6 minutes. Drain, toss with the pesto, and season with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tuscan Tuna & White Bean Sandwiches

There are many things I crave around dinner time, but sandwiches are not one of those things. Don't get me wrong, I like a good sandwich, I just tend to classify them in the lunch category. But I saw this recipe on the Love and Olive Oil blog, and I just had to try them out. I adore cannellini beans in any form, and had recently bought some tuna packed in oil (from Trader Joe's, in case you want some too!). These sandwiches were perfect on a hot night when you don't want to heat up your house. I did Grilled Potato Salad, too, which only had one step of stove top cooking. This was a quick, satisfying, cool meal for a hot summer night.




Tuscan Tuna and Bean Sandwiches
Recipe from epicurious

Ingredients
For beans
1 (14- to 15-oz) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley or basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For tuna salad
2 (6-oz) cans Italian tuna in oil, drained
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil or flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup pitted Kalamata or other brine-cured black olives, finely chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

For sandwiches
8 (1/3-inch-thick) slices rustic Italian bread (from a round crusty loaf) or 4 (4-inch-long) oval panini rolls
1 cup loosely packed trimmed watercress sprigs

Directions
Coarsely mash beans with a fork in a bowl, then stir in garlic, lemon juice, oil, parsley, salt, and pepper.

Flake tuna in a bowl with a fork, then stir in basil, olives, celery, onion, oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper until combined.

Spoon one fourth of bean mixture on 1 slice of bread, then top with one fourth of tuna salad, some watercress, and a slice of bread. Make 3 more sandwiches in same manner.

Bread Baking for Dummies

I am a huge planner. I plan my recipes each week. I plan what day I'll clean the bathroom, and what day I'll wear my new sweater. I plan vacations far in advance. And yet, when it comes to baking bread, I NEVER plan in time! I cannot tell you how many times I've had a free weekend afternoon when I've tried to bake some kind of yeast bread, and every single time I seem surprised that almost every recipe requires a 16 to 24 hour rest or rise period. Therefore, I rarely manage to bake fresh bread.

This weekend was the same scenario as usual, but when I decided to make bread at about 3:00 on Sunday afternoon, I decided I just had to find a way around the typical time constraints. I searched the web, and found the ideal recipe on the King Arthur Flour website. (Side note-- do you like to bake bread? They have a million and one great sounding recipes on their site, so go check it out!) I wanted a true loaf of Italian style bread (not a foccacia or another typical quick bread), and The Easiest Loaf of Bread You'll Ever Bake was exactly the recipe I'd been dreaming of! In less than three hours, I could have a lovely loaf of fresh baked bread. This recipe was really simple, with only ingredients you have around the kitchen, and produced a really great tasting loaf of bread. Was it the fanciest, most delicate and crusty bread ever? No. But it's a great place to start your bread baking adventures, and I've found it to be quite inspiring towards baking other types of bread in the near future. Now if only I could plan ahead enough to make that a reality...

The Easiest Loaf of Bread You’ll Ever Bake

from http://www.kingarthurflour.com

1 T sugar

5 1/2-6 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

1 T (1 packet) yeast

1 T salt

corn meal

2 cups warm water (not over 110°F)

boiling water

MIX IT

Add sugar and yeast to warm water and let dissolve. Gradually add salt and flour to liquid and mix thoroughly until dough pulls from sides of bowl. Turn out onto floured surface to knead. (This may be a little messy, but don't give up!)

KNEAD IT

Fold far edge of dough back over on itself towards you. Press dough away with heels of hands. After each push, rotate dough 90°. Repeat process in rhythmic, rocking motion for about 3 minutes. (Lightly sprinkle flour on board to prevent sticking.) Let dough rest while you scrape out and grease mixing bowl. Knead dough again about 3 more minutes until bouncy and smooth.

LET IT RISE

Place dough in bowl and turn over once to grease the top. Cover with damp towel or plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in bulk (1 to 2 hours).

SHAPE IT

Punch down dough with fist and briefly knead out gas bubbles. Cut in half and shape into 2 Italian or French-style loaves. Place on cookie sheet generously sprinkled with corn meal. Let dough rest 10 minutes.

BAKE IT

Quick Method: Lightly slash the tops 3 or more times diagonally and brush with cold water. Place on rack in cold oven. Bake at 400°F for 35 to 40 minutes until crust is golden brown and sounds hollow to the touch.

Traditional Method: For lighter, crustier bread, let loaves rise 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 450°F for 15 minutes. Pour 2 to 3 cups of boiling water into roasting pan. Carefully place on oven bottom. Place bread on rack above pan and bake 20 minutes. Turn oven off and allow bread to remain for 5 more minutes. Remove, cool and devour!

** Notes: I did a half recipe, and it turned out great. I did the traditional method to bake the loaf. I also used my Kitchen Aid mixer to knead the dough.

Pappardelle with Chicken and Mushroom Ragù

I just ate the leftovers of this pasta for lunch, and I would have to say that it was one of the best pastas I've ever made. Seriously, delicious. I picked out this recipe from epicurious.com earlier this week when I'd had a crazy day at work and just wanted to go home and cook something fun for dinner. I am a huge mushroom lover, and eat chicken more than any other meat, so this recipe jumped out of the "quick and easy recipes" list as a perfect pasta dish. I was intrigued by the pappardelle, because it's a type of pasta I've heard of but never actually tried. The picture on epicurious sealed the deal; a stop at Whole Foods on the way to the train, and this pasta would be tonight's dinner.

Chicken thighs make this taste more 'meaty' than white breast meat, which makes it quite satisfying. I also like that it called for crimini mushrooms instead of regular white button mushrooms; again, very satisfying. I added artichoke heart quarters to this dish, because I had them in the freezer from Trader Joe's. They're frozen like regular veggies and not marinated in oil, so they don't taste too heavy. Artichokes were a perfect addition to this dish. I really loved the pappardelle, too. It was wide, which made it very easy to scoop the perfect sauce to pasta ratio onto the fork. I think Pappardelle would be one of the easier pastas to make by hand, too, and I would love to sometime try to make it from scratch.

The recipe is easy, satisfying, and quick to make. With a nice salad and tasty bread, this could make a great pasta meal to serve friends. And the flavors were perfect for fall, with the cooler weather we've been experiencing lately. This is from the October issue of Gourmet, so you might even be able to find it on the news stand still, if you hurry!

Pappardelle with Chicken and Mushroom Ragù

from epicurious.com and October 2008 Gourmet Magazine

Ingredients
6 ounces cremini mushrooms
3 garlic cloves
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/4 pounds skinless boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 small onion, chopped
3/4 teaspoon chopped rosemary
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes in juice
1/2 pound dried pappardelle
5 ounces baby arugula (about 8 cups)


Accompaniment:
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Preparation

Pulse mushrooms and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped.

Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Season chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until just golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl.

Reduce heat to medium and cook onion, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes.
Add mushroom mixture, rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring constantly, until beginning to brown, about 4 minutes.

Add vinegar and cook until evaporated. Add chicken and tomatoes (with juice), then simmer, breaking up tomatoes with a spoon and stirring occasionally, until sauce is just thickened, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook pappardelle in a pasta pot of boiling salted water (2 tablespoons salt for 6 quarts water) until al dente.

Add arugula to sauce and stir until wilted. Stir in drained pasta and cook 1 minute.

Who knew polenta could be so cute?!

I can't believe how infrequently I've been posting this month, but I warned you all August would be busy! We've been traveling or hosting visitors every weekend, and random things keep coming up mid-week, too. Not to mention I now have 10 weeks until bikini time down in Mexico, so I've been trying to watch what I eat more than usual. Mostly that just means portion control and less snacking, but I do have to cut back on my sweets and cheese loving habits. All this means that the time I've actually spent in the kitchen hasn't produced too many blog worthy recipes.

This polenta, however, what a fun experiment that I'm sure I'll repeat again. I got the idea on Proud Italian Cook, a blog I frequently am inspired by. Her recipes are always very manageable, but also impressive looking. The polenta was a great example of that... adding seasoning and using tart pans gave polenta a major make over. I'll give you a simple picture tutorial, but really this is a great recipe for each cook to interpret their own way. Have fun with this recipe, and share it with friends!

First, grease your tart pan. I have these cute mini ones I've been dying to use, so I buttered six of them.


Next, chop all your mix-ins for the polenta. I did Gruyere cheese, sun dried tomatoes, basil, and rosemary.

When your mix-ins are ready, cook the polenta. The instant kind cooks up really quickly, and once it's thick you can add your other ingredients. Be sure to season with salt and pepper, too!

While the polenta is still warm, spoon into the tart pans. Smooth the tops, and let the tarts cool. If you're in a hurry, you can pop them in the fridge to hurry the process along.

When the tarts are cool, gently remove from the tart pans. You can serve veggies along side or on top, depending on your fridge supplies and other inspiration. I made enough polenta for two dinners, so we did it different each night.

The first night I did roasted veggies to go along side the polenta. I did a mix of butternut squash, zucchini, onion, and mushroom. It was a tasty combo, but it's hard to get all those different veggies cooked evenly.

The second night was the winner for me. I sauteed garlic in olive oil, then added fresh chopped roma tomatoes. When they had softened and let out their juices, I added sliced mushrooms and kale. With a little salt and pepper and a splash of white wine, it turned into a tasty sauce that really complemented the polenta. I've only discovered kale in the past six months, but it's surpassed spinach as one of my favorite vegetables to add extra flavor and nutrition to any meal. It's got better texture than spinach, so it doesn't wilt quite as much when you cook it. Try it out if you haven't!

Now off to bed... still two more busy days this week, then two more busy weekends to get through. I promise, though, come September I'll be back to blogging more regularly. I miss you all!

20 minute chicken with tomatoes

This is one of the best quick meals I've ever made. So many times you see simple shortcut type recipes, and they end up seriously compromising flavor for the sake of speed. Not the case here. I think the seasoning was the most important part... I've finally gotten the hang of proper salt and pepper ratios. This came from Real Simple magazine, which I had to buy this month when I saw the 20 minute meals cover feature. In honor of the simple meal, I'll keep this as a simple post. Enjoy!

Chicken Cutlets with Tomato Saute
Real Simple August 2008 (p.154)
Time: 45 minutes | serves 4

1 ½ lbs small chicken cutlets (8-12)
Kosher Salt and Pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ pints grape or cherry tomatoes
½ cup dry white wine (Such as sauvignon blanc)
4 scallions, sliced
2 tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves, chopped

Season the chicken with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in two batches, cook the chicken until browned and cooked through, 2-3 minutes per side; transfer to plates.

Add the tomatoes to the skillet and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until they begin to burst, 2-3 minutes.

Add the wine and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the scallions and tarragon and serve with the chicken.