Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Tortilla Pizzas, Revisited

I posted on these a while ago, but they bear a write-up again. Jacques Pepin has a wonderful recipe for quick and simple pizzas that are delicious. Great as an appetizer, simple meal, or dinner for your kids...In these months of busyness and houseguests, you really should give them a try.

Preheat oven to 500.
Oil both sides of flour tortillas with olive oil and lay on baking sheets. layer with fresh, thin slices of tomatoes, or if that doesn't suit your fancy, spread on a bit of your favorite pizza sauce*.
Using a microplane grater, grate a bit of parmesan cheese over the sauce, and then lay pieces of mozzerella (preferably fresh) over that. Drizzle with a bit more olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until cheese is golden brown and bubbly--about 8 minutes. Sprinkle slivers of fresh basil over the top. Cut into wedges and enjoy.

*A great, quick pizza sauce: 1-2 cloves minced garlic mixed/mashed with about 1/4 t kosher salt, mixed into a 6oz can of tomato paste along with 2-3t olive oil, 1/2 t oregano, freshly ground pepper, and (no matter what you think you think) 1/4 t anchovy paste. Spread thinly over pizza crust.

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Maple Vinaigrette!

A great Autumn-tasting salad:
baby spinach
blue cheese, crumbled
pear, chopped
dried cranberries
walnuts broken into chunky pieces

For the vinaigrette:
2t dijon
2t apple cider vinegar
2T maple syrup
1/4 C canola or grapeseed oil
put in a jar and shake...adjust to your preferences. With the above salad I like it very sweet and maple-y...It made me want to eat pancakes while laying in a pile of fallen leaves. Wouldn't that be sticky?

Friday, November 5, 2010

Thanksgiving Ideas

I made a thanksgiving meal this past weekend for family that will not be with us on the actual day, and decided to post the new recipes that were good as well as my old stand-bys.
Turkey
I always make Alton Brown's brined turkey because it is quite simply, the best. Brining is really easy and only requires a bit of work the night before the big day...which of course means your turkey must be thawed! BTW, the juices from this brined turkey are extra tasty so you can make a fabulous gravy by mixing a slurry of chicken or turkey stock with a bit of flour and stirring it into the drippings after the bird is removed. Bring to a boil while stirring and season to taste!
Green Beans
This weekend I tried Alton's green bean casserole. It was good--very similar to the traditional, from-a-can-of-mushroom-soup casserole that has some many devotees, but fresh and therefore much better for you! For a very similar dish that requires a bit more work but is totally worth it, go for green beans with mushroom-madeira sauce--my reigning favorite for this particular meal.
Cranberry Sauce
It's hard to admit, but I love cranberry sauce from a can. I know, so do you. But I usually end up making this cranberry apple sauce because it's fresh, easy and really delicious.

3 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 C cranberries (fresh or unthawed frozen)
1 C water
7 T sugar

Bring all ingredients to a boil. Cook, covered, over medium heat, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes. Serve at room temp.
*This is a pretty smooth sauce, but if you don't want any chunks you can blend it up one it is finished cooking.
--Best of Gourmet 2000

Stuffing
I love stuffing. I have probably made a different stuffing every year that I've made Thanksgiving dinner and am still searching for that one that completely knocks my socks off. Here are a few that were close.

Leek and Wild Mushroom stuffing
Country bread stuffing with smoked ham, goat cheese and dried cherries
Savory bread pudding with mushrooms and Parmesan cheese
Apricot and Walnut Stuffing *

* I am a fan of savory rather than sweetish stuffings--so I am admittedly biased. This last stuffing was written of in such glowing terms in a recent issue of Saveur that I had to try it. It was good--much better than I anticipated, but it was less savory than sweet, so while I had seconds, I wasn't dancing in the aisle...but you may be. In the interest of full-disclosure...

Lastly, squash doesn't thrill me so I've got nothing to say about it, and I figure everyone knows how to make sweet potatoes even sweeter and mashed potatoes mashed...so I'll end this long post here. More on desserts later.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Spanish Bean Soup

*Note I have only ever made half of this recipe and it still makes a ton of soup!

4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
5 cans garbonzo beans
1 C tomato sauce
1 t garlic salt
1 t pepper
1 t cumin
1/2 t salt
1 t basil
1/4 t oregano
4 links chorizo, sliced
1 large onion, chopped
1.5 lbs cooked ham, diced
1 packet yellow rice seasoning (vigo or goya, or alternatively, you can use some saffron and salt to taste)

Boil potatoes for 15 minutes. Add cans of garbonzo beans, draining only 2 cans. Boil for 10 minutes more. Add reminaing ingredients, stir and cook on low for 2 hours.

This is a thick, hearty stew. Definitely a meal all by itself.