Romaine Salad with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes & Blue Cheese Recipe I grew up eating blue cheese, and my boys inherited those genes! In this dish, I partner the tangy crumbles with caramelized roasted tomatoes and lettuce, then I nestle everything under a delightful honey mustard-spiked dressing. This is excellent with pasta dishes, steak, and chicken. Yield : Serves 4 Prep Time : 10 minutes Cooking Time : 25 minutes Ingredients Cooking spray2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half½ teaspoon salt6 cups chopped romaine lettuce¼ cup crumbled blue cheese¼ cup garlic-flavored or regular olive oil2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar2 teaspoons honey mustardSalt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Directions 1. 2. 3. 4. Notes Make it a meal kit: Roast the tomatoes and make the dressing (the olive oil through the salt and pepper). Morph it: Roast a double batch of the tomatoes and morph the extras into Mixed Cherry Tomato Salad. © 2008 Robin Miller Note from Cookstr's Editors Nutritional information includes 1/4 teaspoon of added salt.
Macaroni & Cheese There’s nothing that can be said. But there is much to be eaten. Come, my child…come. I shall take you by the hand and take you where you need to go. I shall show you the food that is solely responsible for my bones and tissues multiplying and growing at a young age. It’s macaroni and cheese. Come…come, my child. I shall show you the way. Elbow macaroni. You’ll need butter. And just note that I pretty much never use unsalted butter except for a few select baking recipes. All-purpose flour. WHOLE MILK. Dry mustard. 1 egg. And cheese. But today, it’s all cheddar, all the time. Cook 4 cups dried macaroni until it’s very “al dente”. Nutshell: Undercook the macaroni! Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk the egg. Add a good teaspoon or so of salt to the water. Now, in a large saucepan or dutch oven, melt 1/4 cup (1/2 stick OR 4 tablespoons) butter. Sprinkle in an equal amount (4 tablespoons) flour. Whisk the mixture together over medium-low heat (careful not to burn!) Whisk it together…
Curried Chicken Pasta Salad I had some visitors on the ranch last week. I made the beds, dusted the furniture, and did what any self-respecting hostess would do: I bought ‘em a bunch of ready-made salads at Whole Foods, stuck ‘em in the fridge at the Lodge, and left my guests a note that read “Have at it!” It’s the kind of hostess I am. Okay, listen. I was happy as a clam, too, when my guests left and I moseyed up to the Lodge to tidy up. Within seconds, I’d retrieved a fork from the drawer and was feasting on the salad like there was no tomorrow. Last night, I whipped up my own variation, adding some pasta to the mix to round things out a little more. But whatever you do, make it. Here’s what you need. Mayo… Sour cream… Heavy cream. Curry powder. Salt… Pepper… And a little bit of sugar. And some celery. You’ll also need some golden raisins or currants. Can you hear that violin playing? Can you hear the voices? Sorry. You’ll also need chicken. Start by throwing the chicken into a pot of water. Cut it into strips… Look! Freaky.
Roasted Yellow Tomato Salsa Recipe with Cilantro How am I occupying my fevered little brain as we wait (not so patiently) for more house showings? How do I keep my spirits up as we start this selling process all over again? I dream up recipes. I lay in bed at 3 AM with visions of salsa in my head. I imagine frittatas with leftover pasta. Vanilla cupcakes with mocha icing. Pecan crackers. This is my life. Sorry to get all Chuck Palahniuk on ya (and I admit up front this isn't a feel good post; though the recipe is party worthy I am in no particular mood to dance). A woman I used to know would offer platitudes in times like this. I have learned that ownership may indeed be overrated. And I have learned how hard it really is to escape the template of childhood. But I am going to try on a new season. If you cannot find these tiny heirloom yellow tomatoes, any grape, pear or cherry tomatoes will do. Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Ingredients: In a roasting pan combine: 2 pints of yellow cherry or heirloom tomatoes, halved 1 small red onion, diced Add:
The Best Lasagna. Ever. I’m sure everyone has his own favorite go-to lasagna recipe, but I’d just like to offer that this really is The Best Lasagna Ever. Part of its appeal is that the ingredients used are totally basic; you don’t have to hunt down fresh basil or buffalo mozzarella or Parmigiano-Reggiano or handmade sausage from from an Italian mama in old Napoli. Anyone can make this, anywhere, anytime. And it’s the easiest thing in the world. Aside from the simplicity and availability of ingredients, however, this lasagna is just dadgum good. I’ve made this lasagna for various categories of humans since my mom first scribbled it down for me: men, women, democrats, republicans, dimwits, scholars, and foreign dignitaries. The Cast of Characters. Are you ready? In a skillet, combine 1 1/2 pounds ground beef, 1 pound hot breakfast sausage, and 2 cloves minced garlic. Cook until brown. Then, unless you have a particular fondness for arteriosclerosis and angina and cellulite… And 1 teaspoon salt. Mix together well.
Grilled Chicken with Lemon Basil Pasta I have another lemon pasta recipe on this site, and it’s always been a summertime favorite of mine. If you haven’t traveled to the land of mixing lemon and pasta, it can seem a little foreign at first. But the fact is, it’s a dreamy and delicious pairing that knocks my socks off every time. I added some grilled chicken to the top of this pasta dish at the end…but the grilled chicken is really secondary. It’s the pasta here—a creamy concoction of lemon, cream, and basil—that deserves top billing. I’d pounded some chicken breasts until they were uniform thickness, then marinated them for about 24 hours in the following concoction: Olive oil Juice of four lemons Dijon A tiny bit of honey A dash of salt Grill ‘em up, set ‘em aside and kept ‘em warm. Boil some pasta. Oh, you didn’t know penne was my life? Penne. This is important: When you drain the pasta (cook until al dente), be sure to reserve a good cup of the hot pasta water. You’ll need another four lemons and a bunch of basil. Ingredients
Stuffed Grape Leaves: That's the Stuff! A while back, I wrote about my adventures stuffing some huge nasturtium leaves. I had blanched them and filled them with the rice mixture normally used for dolmades, which are grape leaves stuffed the traditional Greek way. For comparison I stuffed grape leaves, too, but that late in summer they were disappointingly tough, even after blanching. So this year I gathered them at the perfect moment and tried again. This year’s stuffing mixture contained brown rice, pine nuts, raisins, grated onion, cumin, olive oil, pepper and salt. Because I had no idea how long to cook them when using brown rice (Greek recipes use white) I placed them seam-side-down in a pan, added water to submerge them and put them covered into the oven. Luck triumphed over ignorance. Next time I’ll add garlic and swap out the raisins for capers and chopped olives. If you have a grapevine, check the leaves now for tenderness.
Sour Cream Noodle Bake Raise your hand if you love recipes with the word “Bake” in the title. This is a classic old recipe shared with my mom by her friend Betty Daley. I always loved it growing up, but the first time I made it for my own household years ago, it was met with mixed reviews. The original recipe calls for quite a bit of sour cream, and since my nuclear family is a little sensitive to large amounts of the stuff, I’ve adapted it through the years to suit the picky palates of the people I live with. Picky palates of the people. Thursday morning alliteration for you. You’ll need ground chuck. Okay, fine. But ground chuck is best. You’ll need tomato sauce. You’ll need sour cream… Cottage cheese… Green onions… And grated sharp cheddar. Please grate your own. You’ll also need egg noodles. Oh, and I like No Yolks. No Yolks No Yolks No Yolks. Sorry. Begin by browning the meat in a large skillet. Drain off the excess artery-clogging material… Then pour in the tomato sauce. Stir it together… Then throw in some salt…
Sour Cream Enchiladas This was such an easy throw-together meal last night. Reminded me of the meatless days of yore. They’re cheesy, sour creamy enchiladas straight from an old church cookbook of my mama’s. I added a little cayenne for some spice (I’m always doing that) and I loved the way they turned out. Add a little shredded chicken if you’re into that sort of thing, and sprinkle on a little cilantro for freshness if you have some on hand. I ain’t got no cilantro. Here’s how you make ‘em: Start by lopping off the tops of a bunch of green onions. You’ll need about a cup when it’s all said and done. Like, totally. Add the green onions to two cups of sour cream, then measure a half teaspoon of ground cumin… And a fourth a teaspoon of cayenne. This adds a nice spice, so if you can’t HANDLE the heat, knock it down to an eighth of a teaspoon. Add a good amount of grated sharp cheddar. Confession: I used the pre-grated stuff. And I didn’t feel like exerting myself. Roll it up… Yum. Hot and bubbly! Divine! Love, P-Dub
Cowboy Pinto Beans Recipe Makes: 6 to 8 servings These beans taste like you’re on the Chisholm Trail fresh from a cattle drive. They’re a bunch of work, but they’re worth it, for the flavor is straight from the Old West—other than the Worcestershire sauce, that is. Tip: Julia Child’s method of soaking beans is to cover them with plenty of water and boil for 2 minutes. 1 pound dried pinto beans, debris removed, soaked overnight, and drained (see the Tip)1/4 pound salt pork8 cups water, plus more as needed1 (14-ounce) can whole tomatoes with juice4 cloves garlic, crushed1 large onion, chopped2 tablespoons chili powder1 teaspoon ground cumin2 jalapeño chile peppers, seeded and chopped1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce1 cup barbecue sauce or ketchup1 teaspoon kosher salt Wash and pick over the beans, removing wrinkled or shrunken beans. This recipe, while from a trusted source, may not have been tested by the CHOW food team.
martha’s macaroni-and-cheese I’m sorry. I know, this isn’t right. Not fair. Totally cruel. We’re just weeks from bathing suit season and this here is no friend to lycra. But I had to. You see, I gave you a recipe last year for something that was honest-to-goodness-ly the easiest macaroni-and-cheese recipe ever invented. But when I made it for a second time in January, something wasn’t right. So I turned to the one recipe I had heard from ten thousand people (and their mothers) was the bee’s knees. I just melted into a puddle remembering how good it was. One year ago: Corniest Corn Muffins This week: We’re on vacation right now. Martha Stewart’s Creamy Mac-and-Cheese Adapted from Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The Original Classics Now, please be warned, this makes a ton-a mac-and-cheese. This is particularly delicious with a big, crunchy salad and a steamed vegetable, like green beans or broccoli. Serves 12 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Grilled Chicken and Roasted Red Pepper Panini I love panini. I love all varieties of panini. I whipped this one up yesterday. It’s nice and basic, and can be adapted by using storebough/rotisserie chicken if you’d like to omit the marinating/grilling process, and adding things like artichoke hearts and olives if you want the thing more loaded. To me, panini are like pizza or quesadillas: the combinations and permutations are endless. And delicious. We’re going to begin by making a concoction. Throw them into a food processor or blender. Add a little olive oil, a little lemon juice… And a little salt. Next, grab some prepared pesto. Where has all the basil gone? Add a good amount of pesto to the mix… Then pulse up the mixture until it’s all combined. Next, throw half of the mixture into a ziploc bag with two chicken breasts. Seal the bag, smush it around, then refrigerate it for several hours or overnight so the chicken becomes lovely and flavorful and happy and emotionally fulfilled. We all want that for our chicken breasts, don’t we? Yummy.