In A Nutshell

This recipe was inspired by Claudia Roden's beautiful cookbook  Arabesque ; it is so flavorful and is lovely with za'atar flatbread or pita. We are having a Middle Eastern cooking theme this March in conjunction with our friends Mike & Jackie (fantastic cooks, btw!!!) so it's been fun to try some different things. The plan is to get together after we are fully vaccinated and cook our favorites together. Tomorrow... homemade harissa! 1 medium eggplant, peeled and diced (roughly 1/2" dice) Evoo 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped 1 t sugar 2 pints cherry tomatoes 1 1/2 T pomegranate molasses 14 oz. can chickpeas, drained chopped parsley Preheat oven to 425º; toss tomatoes and eggplant onto a rimmed baking half sheet pan and drizzle generously with olive oil. Salt and pepper as well- don't be stingy. Roast for 20-23 minutes or until everything looks nicely roasted and charred. Meanwhile in a large saucepan, heat the garlic and 1 T EVOO just until the garlic starts to...

This is an absolutely fabulous salad! I set it up like a Cobb salad with the pita chips lining the bottom of the bowl because it just looks so beautiful like this. You can toss it right before eating. Obviously good tomatoes and cukes are the key. Adapted from Food & Wine. Greek Vinaigrette : 3 T red wine vinegar 1 minced garlic clove 1 t Dijon mustard 1 t chopped fresh oregano 1/2 t lemon zest 8 T extra-virgin olive oil For the Salad : grilled chicken, sliced  (this is my go-to recipe) diced tomatoes diced cucumber (seeded and peeled) diced red bell pepper sliced peperoncini diced feta pitted kalamata olives thinly sliced radishes salted pita chips, broken up with your hand Line the bottom of the bowl with some broken pita chips and arrange the remaining ingredients in the prettiest fashion. Drizzle with some of the dressing and then serve the dressing on the side as well.

Chickpeas are one of my favorite foods; I love them in most everything and also straight out of the can! This recipe is adapted from Food & Wine magazine. Because there are so few ingredients in this salad, it is important to have good quality tomatoes (preferably from the garden or your mom's garden!). 2 cans chickpeas, rinsed (I think Goya are the best) 1 cup of diced tomatoes or halved cherry tomatoes 1/2 cup diced cucumber (seeded) 1/2 red onion, small diced 2 T EVOO 1 T veg oil 2 T fresh lemon juice 1 t ground cumin 1/8 t cayenne pepper (or more, to taste) In a bowl, combine the lemon juice, oils and spices along with a generous pinch of salt and some freshly ground pepper. Add the diced onion and let it mellow in the dressing for about 10 minutes (I prepare the remaining ingredients during this time). Add the everything else and stir. SO SO easy! 

This is another modified Rachel Ray recipe. You feel like you're eating buffalo wings but much healthier! If you want to unhealthy it a bit, serve with Fritos, sour cream and a beer!!! 1 T olive oil 2 T butter 2 lbs ground chicken 1 large carrot, finely diced 3 ribs of celery, finely diced 5 cloves of garlic, minced 1 T smoked mild paprika 1 bay leaf 2 t kosher salt 1/4-1/2 cup Frank's hot sauce (to taste) 1- 15 oz. can tomato sauce 1- 15 oz. can crushed tomatoes or fire-roasted diced tomatoes 1 bunch cilantro, chopped Toppings: blue cheese crumbles shredded lettuce shredded carrots sliced celery sour cream? Heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat in a large pan and add the chopped vegetables; I cook those for about 10 minutes or until lightly browned and softened. Add the paprika and stir to coat the veg. Add the chicken to the veg and increase heat to high; cook the chicken, breaking up with a wooden spoon. Add both types of canned tomatoes, s...

This is adapted from Chrissy Teigen's book  Cravings ; my daughter got me this book for my birthday last year and I really really wanted to hate it!  A Sports Illustrated swimsuit model??? Really??? But I have to admit I love the recipes and she is just a damn hoot! This is delicious- low carb but you don't miss the carbs, I promise! For the Sauce : 3 T Thai sweet chili sauce 3 T hoisin sauce 3 T soy sauce 1-2 T Sriracha (depending how hot you want it) 2 T veg oil 1 t sesame oil 1 1/2 T unseasoned rice vinegar 2 T minced garlic 1 T minced ginger (I used the paste in a tube from Trader Joe's- awesome invention BTW) Combine ingredients. For the Filling : 2 lbs ground chicken 3 T veg oil 1 bunch scallions, white and green separated 1 T minced garlic 1 T minced ginger (again, I used the paste) 1/2 cup finely diced water chestnuts 1 sweet red pepper, finely diced Heat the oil in a skillet; add the white part of the green onion, the garlic and red peppe...

This is adapted from Fine Cooking magazine. It is delightfully fresh; I served it with blue cheese burgers and it was the perfect foil to that rich main course. 1/4 cup chopped red onion 3 cups thinly sliced napa cabbage 1 pink grapefruit, segmented 1 rib of celery sliced 1/4 cup coarsely grated carrot 1 small red pepper, small-diced 2 T grapeseed oil 1 1/2 T seasoned rice vinegar 2 t lemon or lime juice 1/2 small jalapeno, finely diced 1 t sugar salted pepitas (optional) Put the grapefruit and red onion in a large bowl while you are prepping the remaining ingredients. Add the cabbage, celery, carrot, jalapeno and red pepper; season with salt and pepper. Whisk the dressing ingredients and toss over the salad. Sprinkle pepitas over the top if desired (I forgot to do this).

I don't think a person exists on this planet who loves pizza more than I do.... I love it in all its incarnations: deep dish, pie cut, square cut, fancy Neapolitan-style pizzas but most of all the awesome mom-and-pop pizza that you can find in any neighborhood in Chicago and the outlying area. Having said that.... if any of the following scenarios apply: attempted weight loss via low-carb diet, gluten = tummy-shame or diabetes, this pizza is truly a good alternative. It tastes really really good (please believe me because I don't even like cauliflower very much) and can scratch that itch for pizza-- maybe not as a forever substitute but on occasion. My daughter found a good crust recipe from  Detoxinista  that holds up after baking-- we've modified it a bit. As for the toppings, you can put anything you like on there. For me pizza is a way of using up leftover ingredients that are hanging around the rotter drawer of the fridge. In this case, I sautéed swiss chard from my...

I had never eaten persimmons before and discovered that they are rather delightful though a little strange because they are reminiscent of tomatoes in texture and appearance. This is a delicious flavor combination-- I will have to remember to use the crisp prosciutto in other recipes as well. Unlike most salads, this is quite good the next day as well (although if you plan to make enough for multiple days, only add hazelnuts and prosciutto to what you are using right away). Adapted from Epicurious.com 3 oz. prosciutto 1/3 cup hazelnuts, toasted and chopped 1/4 cup plus 2 T fresh lime juice 1 t Dijon mustard 1 T finely chopped shallot 1 t honey 1 small garlic clove, pressed 1 t salt freshly ground pepper 3/4 cup EVOO 2 bunches of kale, stemmed and thinly sliced 2 Fuyu persimmons, halved and thinly sliced goat cheese crumbles Preheat oven to 350º. Lay out prosciutto in one layer on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until crisp, around 20 minutes or so. Let it completely c...

This is from Barefoot Contessa Parties ; it's really the best Caesar salad ever. You can sub in kale on occasion for a change of pace. The dressing is so lemony and delicious that you'll never want to buy a bottle from the store again! For the dressing : 1 organic egg yolk, at room temp. 2 t Dijon mustard 2 garlic cloves, pressed 8 anchovy fillets (optional- I leave this out) 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice 2 t kosher salt freshly ground pepper 1 1/2 cups olive oil (do not use extra-virgin olive oil or it will separate) 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan In a food processor, place the egg yolk, mustard, garlic lemon juice, salt and pepper and process until smooth (ish). With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil through the tube and process until thick. Add the Parmesan cheese and pulse a few times. For the salad : chopped romaine lettuce roasted cherry tomatoes (drizzle with EVOO, salt and pepper and roast at 450º for 20 minutes) cooked choppe...

This is a grain salad for olive lovers. Although I'll admit I was skeptical of the outcome, the combination of flavors is very good- don't leave out the walnuts-- they really make the salad! This recipe hinges on using your absolute favorite olives in the world (in my case, the spicy olives from the Whole Foods olive bar). I did not have golden raisins, so I can't in good faith vouch for that particular ingredient but I would guess that they would enhance the salad even further. Adapted from Food and Wine magazine. 1 1/4 cups farro, cooked according to package directions and cooled 1 cup walnuts, chopped and toasted 2 1/2 cups coarsely chopped olives of your choice 4 scallions, chopped chopped chives 2 T golden raisins 1/2 t crushed red pepper 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 3 T lemon juice 1 T honey salt and pepper shaved Pecorino cheese, for serving (I forgot to do this) Combine the EVOO, CRP, lemon juice, honey, salt and pepper in a bowl. Add the remaini...

This could easily be made into a vegetarian soup by using vegetable broth and leaving out the bacon bits topping. The recipe was ever so slightly adapted from Food Network magazine. 2 butternut squash (about 4 lbs total) 2 T EVOO 2 corn tortillas, torn into pieces 4 carrots, chopped 1 red onion, chopped 2 Fresno chiles, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 t cumin 2 t chili powder 1 T vegeta or chicken bouillon 8 cups chicken broth Toppings : pomegranate seeds toasted, salted pumpkin seeds bacon bits (or pancetta) chopped green onion sour cream with lime zest Preheat the oven to 400º; poke holes in the squash with a fork and place on a foil lined baking sheet. Bake for about 1 hour 10 minutes until you can pierce the squash easily. Let cool. Discard the seeds and string stuff and scoop out the flesh. Heat the EVOO in a large pot and add the carrots, onion, chiles and garlic; saute over medium heat for about 8 minutes. Add the tortilla pieces and cook for 3 or 4 m...

After some binge-eating at a Mexican restaurant the night before, I decided that a nice yet satisfying salad would be just the thing for the next evening's meal. The recipe is adapted from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook ; she uses fresh grilled tuna-- I know it's low-brow but I like canned tuna better.... If you don't feel like grilling the potatoes, you can easily get by with merely boiling them. I won't give proportions here- just make how much you want or need. For the Salad : green beans, cooked in salted water for 4-6 minutes (depending upon how al dente you want them) hard boiled eggs sliced tomatoes tuna, fresh or canned arugula nicoise olives potato-scallion salad (recipe follows) champagne vinaigrette (recipe follows) flaked sea salt freshly ground pepper Arrange the salad as pictured above with the arugula as a base below the potatoes; drizzle with the vinaigrette and sprinkle with flaked sea salt and fresh pepper. For the Potato Salad ...

This was so hearty and delicious; I love the smell in the house when something has been cooking in the crock pot all day-- especially on a cold and gloomy day. This is adapted from Food and Wine. It goes with either red or white wine, according to the magazine. I have a crock pot that can be used on the stove top which is very convenient as it then only requires the one pan.  1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or about 5 or 6) 1/2 lb Italian sausage (you can use pork, chicken or turkey) 2 T olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped 1 medium fennel bulb, cored and diced 1 carrot, diced 4 garlic cloves, chopped 1 t fresh rosemary, chopped fine 1/2 to 1 t thyme (to taste) 1 1/2 cup chicken stock 2- 15 oz. cans cannellini beans, drained but not rinsed For the topping : 1/2 cup panko 1 T EVOO 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese Season the chicken thighs generously with salt and pepper; in either a large skillet or a crock pot pan, brown the thighs in the...

I love this soup in the cool weather- it is hearty enough for a meal, especially if you have a nice crusty bread to go along with it and could not be easier to make. 1 T olive oil 8 garlic cloves, minced 8 cups chicken broth (preferably home made) vegeta seasoning or chicken bouillon  12 oz. cheese tortellini 2- 14 oz. cans diced tomatoes with their liquid (Muir Glen fire-roasted are best for this soup) 1 lb baby spinach leftover chicken from a roasted or rotisserie chicken (optional) grated parmesan Heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the garlic cloves, stirring until fragrant. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Add vegeta and a pinch of white pepper. Add the tortellini and cook according to package directions. Stir in the spinach (it will wilt immediately) and serve with parmesan cheese alongside.

This is adapted from Rachel Ray magazine. It's a beautiful salad- best served the day it's made. 1 medium red cabbage, shredded or cut very very thin (I used the mandoline for this) 1 large beet (raw), peeled and shredded (I used the food processor for this) 1/4 cup chopped parsley 1/4 cup chopped walnuts 1/4 cup dried cherries or cranberries 3 T EVOO 3 T balsamic vinegar 1 T cherry jam (I used Smucker's homestyle Cranberry-Cherry jam) 1 heaping teaspoon Dijon mustard 1/2 t kosher salt pepper Whisk the EVOO, jam, vinegar, Dijon, salt and pepper in a large bowl.  Add the beet, dried cherries and cabbage and mix well. Garnish with the walnuts and parsley right before serving. Add more salt and pepper if needed. Let stand about 15 minutes before serving.

This is adapted from Rachel Ray magazine; it's my farewell to summer dish... For the Chicken : 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts juice from 2 small lemons 8 garlic cloves, chopped fine 1 t kosher salt 1 t Dijon mustard freshly ground pepper 2 T extra-virgin olive oil Mix the marinade ingredients; poke holes in the chicken with a fork and put into a glass dish along with the marinade. Let sit for at least a few hours. Grill over high heat for 6 minutes per side. For the Saute : 3 zucchini, cut lengthwise in half and then sliced crosswise into half moons 2 ears of sweet corn, kernels cut off the cob 1 bunch green onions, sliced 1 Fresno pepper, diced 1 cup cherry tomatoes 1/2 cup chopped parsley hearty handful of arugula 2 T EVOO 1/2 T butter Heat the EVOO and add the corn; saute over high heat for a few minutes. Add the zucchini, green onion and Fresno pepper and stir over high heat for about 3 or 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and then the butter. When t...

This was super flavorful and very easy to make. Adapted from Fine Cooking magazine. Tilapia fillets (however many you need) coconut oil charmoula spice blend Charmoula Spice Blend : 2 T ground cumin 1 T ground coriander 1 1/2 t chili powder 1 1/2 t sweet paprika 1 t ground cinnamon 3/4 t ground allspice 3/4 t ground ginger 1/2 t cayenne 1/2 t turmeric Season fish with salt and pepper; rub both sides with some of the spice blend to cover well. Heat 1 T coconut oil in a large skillet over medium high heat and cook for about 2 minutes per side. I served this with lemon wedges.

(with a couple of teeny tiny little anchovies)... I would not describe myself as an anchovy fan, frankly they gross me out a little. But... I think they really add a depth of flavor to foods; in this pasta, you would never guess that there are a couple of little anchovies in there.  If you want to do a vegetarian version, leave out the anchovies but bump up the garlic to intensify the flavor. Not the greatest picture but the pasta was absolutely delicious (surprisingly so given the few ingredients). Adapted from Bon Appetit. 2 T butter 2 T extra-virgin olive oil 4 large garlic cloves, sliced hearty pinch of crushed red pepper (optional yet recommended) 2 anchovies 2 lbs garden tomatoes 8 oz. spaghetti mixed chopped herbs of your choice (I used chives and parsley) While the spaghetti is cooking, heat the butter, EVOO, anchovies, CRP and garlic. Cook over medium high heat until the anchovies have broken down (the house will smell delicious at this point!); add the tomat...

This salad is stealth delicious. The flavor combination is simple yet perfectly balanced. It is adapted from Fine Cooking. 5 oz. arugula (I also threw in a handful of baby spinach because I had only a 4 oz. bag of arugula) 2 dark plums, cut into wedges 2 T EVOO 1 1/2 T white wine vinegar good pinch of salt 1/2 red onion, sliced thinly toasted slivered almonds crumbled feta Whisk the EVOO, vinegar and salt in a bowl. Add the red onion and let it macerate for about 10-15 minutes to take the bite out of it. Add the remaining ingredients and toss.

A very flavorful chicken marinade- the leftover grilled chicken works really well chopped up in quesadillas or salad with a Latin flair. This quantity of marinade was enough for 4 chicken breasts. 2 T EVOO 1 T Maggi sauce 1 t chili powder (I used McCormick) 2 T lime juice 1/4 t chipotle flakes 4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped 1 t salt Whisk marinade ingredients and marinate the chicken for at least 4 hours but preferably overnight. Grill over medium high heat for around 6 minutes per side, depending upon how thick the chicken breasts are.