Fusilli alla Caprese

We have tomatoes coming out of our ears and as a result, we have been enjoying an unhealthy amount of BLT's.  Nothing is better than a juicy, salty, and crisp bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich, but for fear that our arteries were clogging beyond repair, a more heart healthy dinner option was in order.

Our whole family loves caprese salads, so naturally caprese + pasta = mom is a super hero.  The dish was creamy, delicious and it tasted like summer.  

1 pound fusilli pasta
1/3 cup Basil Pesto
3 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered (about 1 1/2 pints)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves, torn
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, diced (about 1 1/4 cups)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta into a large bowl and reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.

In a medium skillet heat the pesto over medium heat. Add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper. As the tomatoes cook and soften, smash them with a fork. Continue to cook until the tomatoes make a chunky style sauce, about 4 minutes. Transfer the tomato sauce to the bowl with the pasta. Toss to combine. Add the basil leaves and mozzarella. Stir to combine. Add the reserved pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time, until the pasta is moist. Serve.

S'mores Cheesecake

Summer is OVER. I cannot believe it. My kids have started school and the pool is closing this weekend.  Why doesn't February ever fly by like this?

I have been a horrible blogger, and a horrible baker/cook etc all summer, so in a ditch effort to redeem myself for months of nothing, I whipped up this S'mores Cheesecake.

The recipe is easy, but you have to make sure you start it a day ahead of when you want to serve it.  If you are a s'mores fan, pin this *&$%.  It is creamy, chocolaty and delish.

S'mores Cheesecake - Bon Appetit

INGREDIENTS:
CRUST
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (made from 9 whole crackers finely ground in processor; 1 packet)
3 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted

FILLING
9 ounces high-quality milk chocolate (I used half milk choco and half dark choco), chopped
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
3 large eggs

TOPPING
1 cup sugar
2 large egg whites
3 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon salt
12 large marshmallows, cut into quarters with wet kitchen scissors
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

RECIPE

FOR CRUST
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Mix crumbs and sugar in medium bowl. Add melted butter; stir until mixture is evenly moistened. Press onto bottom of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Bake until set, about 12 minutes. Remove from oven; cool. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.

FOR FILLING
Stir chocolate in top of double boiler set over barely simmering water until smooth. Remove from over water and cool to lukewarm, stirring occasionally.
Combine cream cheese, sugar, and salt in processor and blend until smooth. With motor running, add whipping cream through feed tube and process just until blended. With motor running, add melted chocolate, then add eggs 1 at a time, blending and scraping down sides after each addition until mixture is smooth. Pour batter over crust in pan.
Bake cake until outer edge is slightly puffed and cake is barely set in center (center will look shiny and move slightly when pan is gently shaken), about 55 minutes. Transfer cake to rack. Run small sharp knife around cake to loosen. Chill uncovered until cold, 8 hours or overnight. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.

FOR TOPPING
Whisk sugar, egg whites, 3 tablespoons water, cream of tartar, and 1/8 teaspoon salt to blend in large metal bowl. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water; whisk constantly until sugar dissolves and mixture thickens and is hot to touch, about 3 minutes. Remove bowl from over water and stir in marshmallows (keep water simmering in saucepan). Let stand until marshmallows soften, about 3 minutes. Set bowl with mixture over simmering water; using handheld electric mixer, beat until stiff shiny peaks form, about 4 minutes. Beat in vanilla.
Scrape topping onto cheesecake. Using offset metal spatula, spread topping to edges of cake, swirling decoratively. Let stand until set, about 15 minutes.
Using kitchen torch, lightly brown topping in spots. (Or preheat broiler; place cake at least 4 inches from heat source and broil just until topping is lightly browned in spots, watching closely to avoid burning, about 2 minutes.) Chill cake until cold. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and keep chilled. Remove pan sides. Place cake on platter.

Pork Chops with Rhubarb Sauce

My neighbor has mutant rhubarb plants. Supposedly she brought them with her when she moved from Colorado, but they are clearly from another planet. It is only May and the plants are bigger than most of the bushes in our yard. Luckily for me, the freaky plants produce so much fruit that my neighbor has been delivering rhubarb to us on a weekly basis. 

I tried this pork recipe last night and it was delicious.  The rhubarb sauce is savory and the cherries add a hint of sweetness.  It is a super healthy way to dress-up a pork chop and it is an easy weeknight meal that you can make for the whole fam. 

Pork Chops with Rhubarb Sauce - Martha Stewart

1/2 cup dried cherries (or any other dried fruit)                    
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
8 to 10 ounces rhubarb, ends trimmed, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces (2 cups)
3 tablespoons sugar
Pinch of ground nutmeg
Coarse salt and ground pepper
4 pork loin chops, (each 1/2 inch thick and 6 to 8 ounces)

DIRECTIONS

In a small bowl, combine cherries with vinegar and 1/4 cup hot water; let stand 10 minutes to soften.

In a small saucepan, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium-low heat. Add onion; cook until softened, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.

To the saucepan, add cherry mixture, rhubarb, and sugar; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer until rhubarb has softened, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in nutmeg; season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat; keep warm.

Generously season both sides of pork chops with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Cook pork (in two batches, if necessary, to avoid crowding the pan) until browned and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Serve topped with warm sauce. ** I grilled the chops on our outdoor grill. 

More delicioso rhubarb recipes here, here & here

S'mores Brownies

I am hanging on the the end of summer in every way possible and to me, S'mores represent not only summer, but family, campfires and good wholesome fun.  This super simple recipe allows you to enjoy this gooey dessert year-round even here in Wi when the winters are sub zero.

S'mores Brownies

Prepare a 19.5-oz. box of brownie mix in a 9x13 baking dish, according to package directions. I lined my baking dish with parchment paper letting it hang over 2 inches on each side - this made it much easier for me to remove the brownies from the pan once they were done cooling.

While the brownies are baking, combine the following ingredients in a bowl:

8 graham crackers, broken into pieces
3 cups miniature marshmallows
4 large Hershey's bars, broken into pieces

With 5 minutes of baking time left, remove the brownies from the oven and top them with the graham cracker/marshmallow/chocolate mix. Place the brownies back in the oven for the remaining cook time. Once the baking time is done, remove the brownies and turn the broiler on. Once the broiler is ready, return the pan to the oven and broil for no more than 2 minutes, or once the marshmallows just start to brown.

Remove the brownies from the oven and let cool to room temperature. Remover brownies from the pan, cut into squares and serve. Store, covered, at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

For more yummy S'mores recipes, click here, and here!

Salted Caramel Apple Hand Pies

It is hard coming off of a 3 day weekend. In theory the extra day is for relaxing & refueling so you feel revitalized and prepared for the week ahead.  This is not how I spent my extra weekend day.  I will not bore you with details, but I was so exhausted that I went to bed the same time as my girls (7:30!!).
I did manage to make 3 batches of these apple hand pies this weekend and they were the perfect dessert to bring to parties/picnics/WHATEVER, because they do not require utensils, plates, nada.

apples + caramel + salt + buttery crust + quick + easy + no fuss eating = the perfect dessert





Salted Caramel Apple Hand Pies - Recipe adapted from King Arthur Flour
yield: 10 (3-inch) Pies

INGREDIENTS:

For the dough:2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1/2 cup cold sour cream


For the filling:
2 cups small diced (peeled) Granny Smith apples
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
8 store-bought soft caramels, roughly chopped
Large flake sea salt
Egg wash (1 egg lightly whisked with 1 Tablespoon water)
Crystal sanding sugar (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
Make the dough:
Whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder in a large bowl.
Add the cubed butter to the bowl and use your fingers to work the butter into the flour until the mixture is the consistency of wet sand.  Stir in the sour cream (the dough will be very wet), and then turn the dough out onto a well-floured work surface.
Knead the dough a few times until it comes together, adding more flour, 1 teaspoon at a time, if the dough is too sticky to handle. Roll the dough into an 8x10-inch rectangle and dust both sides with flour before folding it into thirds as if you were folding a letter.
Rotate the dough 90º and roll it out again into an 8x10-inch rectangle. Fold the dough again into thirds then wrap it securely in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes while you make the filling.

Make the filling:
In a small bowl, combine the apples, lemon juice, cinnamon, sugar and flour, stirring until thoroughly mixed. Set aside.  Assemble the pies:

Preheat the oven to 425ºF.  Remove the dough from the refrigerator and unfold it onto a well-floured surface, rolling it out to a 14x14-inch square. Using a 3-inch circular cookie cutter or cup, cut out as many circles as possible. Re-roll the scraps and continue cutting out circles until you run out of dough, ensuring you end up with an even number of circles. (You should have approximately 20 3-inch circles.)

Place six of the dough circles on a Silpat or parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Spoon a small portion of the apple filling into the center of each circle, leaving enough of a border around the filling. Top the apple filling with a portion of the chopped caramels and a pinch of sea salt. Place a second dough circle atop each filled circle then use a fork to crimp the edges together, sealing each pie.
Brush each pie with the egg wash, and using a sharp knife, cut two or three vents on the top of each pie. Sprinkle the pies with crystal sanding sugar (optional).

Bake the pies for about 15 minutes, or until they're golden brown.  Remove the pies from the oven and allow them to rest for 10 minutes before serving. Repeat the filling and baking process with the remaining dough circles.

Notes:
The cubed apples should be no larger than the size of corn kernels to ensure they become tender during the quick 15-minute bake time.

Strawberry Bruschetta

This appetizer is the perfect way to celebrate the end of summer. The ingredients are fresh and the bruschetta is a cinch to assemble.  I have made this sweet & savory treat about 5 times in the past few weeks and I have had multiple requests for the recipe....so here it is!

Strawberry Bruschetta  (from Jill Zimmerman)

1 cup strawberries, hulled and diced
1 tbsp. sugar
1 french baguette, sliced on a bias
4 oz goat cheese
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup minced basil leaves
freshly ground black pepper

Combine the strawberries and sugar in a small bowl; toss to combine.  Let the berries macerate for about 30 minutes so they begin to release their juices.

Spread a thin layer of goat cheese on top of each baguette slice.  Top each slice with spoonfuls of the strawberry mixture.  Drizzle lightly with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  Top off with basil leaves and cracked pepper to taste

* A few notes
1. I usually double the recipe
2. I have found that if I lightly toast the bread, that it doesn't get as soggy with the fruit
3. If you are in Madison, I love the sourdough baguette from Madison Sourdough
4. Thanks Jill!!!

BLT w/ avocado and fried egg

You cannot beat a garden fresh tomato, unless of course it is topped with bacon, lettuce, and squished in between two slices of crusty mayo-slathered bread.

Whoever invented the BLT was a genius

Last night we tried a new variation of the classic sandwich, by adding avocado and a fried egg.  The result was exactly what you would expect.....f***ing amazing!!!   The lighting was bad, so the pictures do not do it justice.

Ingredients for 2 sandwiches:

6 slices thick-cut bacon, baked at 400 degrees until crispy
4 slices whole grain bread, toasted
1/4 cup mayonnaise
lettuce
2 tomatoes, sliced + seasoned with salt and pepper
1/2 avocado, sliced + seasoned with salt and pepper
2 fried eggs

Assemble the sandwiches: spread mayo over the toast. Top with lettuce, tomato, bacon, avocado and eggs, making sure to season each layer.

Zucchini & Shrimp Tacos

As you may have noticed, Jenny and I love cooking with in-season fruits and vegetables, especially zucchini. Although my zucchini is not ready in my garden, the farmers market has plenty, keeping me busy. Chris and myself are BIG fans of Tacos, a weekly staple in our house, so when I found this new recipe on Bon Appetit I couldn't wait to try it. They are light, filling and have amazing flavor, a new weeknight favorite! And the best part, they only take 15-20 minutes from start to finish, the perfect healthy dinner after a long day.

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons canola oil, divided
1 large zucchini halved lengthwise, cut crosswise
1 small onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3 garlic cloves, diced
Kosher salt, pepper
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
corn or flour tortillas

*Assorted toppings

Heat 1 Tbsp oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add first 5 ingredients. Stirring often, cook for about 6-8 minutes or until softened. Season with salt and pepper and set aside in a large bowl.

Wipe out skillet and add remaining 1Tbsp of oil. Heat over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and chili powder; season with salt and pepper. Cook stirring often for about 4 minutes. Add shrimp to vegetable mixture. serve with warm tortillas and garnishes.

*We used cilantro, greek yogurt, avocado and lime, which were all amazing!

Zucchini Fritters

It is like Christmas in July!!!

I have been the lucky recipient of my families' garden rejects/over-stock and I love it.   

I have produce coming out of my ears and I have spent way too much time on Pinterest trying to find new recipes that the whole family will like.  

One of my "pinned" items stuck out when I was searching for a zucchini recipe and most likely it was because it contained the word "fritter".  The recipe is from Bonappetit and the fritters were super easy to prepare. 

I loved them, Dan loved them and drum roll.... so did the girls!   

More zucchini recipes here, here and here!

Ingredients

Soy Dipping Sauce
3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
Crushed red pepper flakes

Fritters
1 1/2 pounds zucchini (about 3 medium), grated
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more for seasoning
1 large egg
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup vegetable oil

PreparationSoy Dipping Sauce
Mix vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, and a pinch of red pepper flakes in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved. Set aside.

Fritters
Place zucchini in a colander set in the sink and toss with 1/2 teaspoons salt. Let stand 10 minutes, then wring zucchini dry in a clean kitchen towel. Place zucchini in a large bowl and gently mix in egg, flour, chives, and cornstarch; season with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Working in 2 batches, drop 1/4-cupfuls zucchini mixture into skillet, flattening slightly; cook until golden and crisp, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer fritters to a paper towel–lined plate; season with salt. Serve with soy dipping sauce.

blueberry & yogurt muffins

I am really making an effort to use all of my produce without having any spoilage/waste.  I have found my favorite vendors at the Farmers' Market and I try to buy only what I think that our family of 4 can eat in one week.  With that being said, it is berry season and I have a hard time resisting the tempting pints of delicious looking blueberries, strawberries and cherries.   Thankfully, I found this recipe from thepioneerwoman.com and not only is my extra pint of  blueberries gone, but so are these awesome muffins.

The Awesome-est Blueberry Muffins (thepioneerwoman.com)

3 cups minus 2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
Heavy pinch of salt

Dash of Nutmeg
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 generous cup plain, unflavored yogurt (throw in extra if you want)
2 cups fresh blueberries
Vanilla Extract
Softened Butter, for muffin tins
Turbinado sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 385 degrees.  In a large bowl sift flour, baking soda, nutmeg, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In another large bowl whisk together sugar, oil, cap-ful of vanilla, egg, and yogurt. Add the dry ingredients and stir to a count of 10.  Add blueberries, reserving 1/2 cup, to mixture and stir 3 times.

Add mixture to well-buttered muffin pans. Sprinkle remaining berries on top and press down lightly. Sprinkle turbinado sugar over top. (Brown sugar can be used instead.)

Bake 20 to 25 minutes and allow to cool completely.

Mixed Berry Pie

Well, I did it. I managed to eat and drink enough over this past holiday weekend to offset all of my exercise and healthy eating in 2013. The only good thing to come of this is that now I am at square one again - which means that I can have my 3rd slice of this amazing pie.

I started off making a blueberry pie, but I ended up running out of blueberries (of course), so I added in some raspberries and strawberries making it a mixed berry treat.


Ingredients:
All-purpose flour for dusting
Pate Brisee
8 cups (about 4 pints) blueberries,strawberries and raspberries picked over
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon heavy cream

On a lightly floured piece of parchment paper, roll out one disk of dough to a 12-inch round. With a dry pastry brush, sweep off excess flour; fit dough into a 9-inch glass pie plate, pressing it into edges. Roll out remaining dough and transfer (on parchment) to a baking sheet. Chill pie shell and dough until firm, about 30 minutes.

Place berries in a large bowl; with your hands, crush about 1/2 cup of berries, letting them fall into the bowl as you work. Add sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice; stir to combine. Spoon mixture into chilled pie shell, mounding berries slightly in the center. Dot with butter. Remove dough from refrigerator, and place over blueberry filling. I used a lattice design, but you can do whatever you want. Gently press both layers of dough along the edge to seal, and crimp as desired.

In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolk and cream. Brush surface with egg wash, being careful not to let it pool. Freeze or refrigerate pie until firm, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees, with rack in lower third.

Place pie on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until crust begins to turn golden, about 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Continue baking, rotating sheet halfway through, until crust is deep golden brown and juices are bubbling and have thickened, 40 to 50 minutes more. Transfer pie to a wire rack to cool completely. The pie is best eaten the day it is baked, but it can be kept at room temperature, loosely covered with plastic wrap, for up to 2 days.

Southwest Turkey Burgers

Summer is here; Hooray! To celebrate the start of our favorite season, we decided to try a new burger for dinner.   I am generally a bit wary about turkey burgers - they tend to be dry and bland, but not this one.  Rachel Ray's Southwest Turkey Burger was spicy, moist and delicious.  WE LOVED THEM!

Southwest Turkey Burgers (Rachel Ray)

Ingredients:

8 slices turkey bacon or turkey bacon with black pepper or applewood smoked bacon
1 1/3 pounds ground turkey breast, the average weight of 1 package
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 large shallot or 1/4 red onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves, optional - parsley may be substituted
1/2 small bell pepper, green, red or yellow, seeded and finely chopped
1 serrano or jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 to 2 teaspoons cayenne hot sauce, several drops (recommended: Tabasco)
2 teaspoons grill seasoning blend (recommended: Montreal Steak Seasoning by McCormick)
Vegetable oil or olive oil, for drizzling
1/2 pound deli sliced pepper jack cheese
4 crusty kaiser rolls, split
Red leaf lettuce

Sweet Pepper Relish

Ripe Avocado, mashed

Directions:
Chop your garlic and veggies.
Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat until crisp. Wipe excess grease from pan and return skillet to heat.
While bacon cooks, combine turkey meat, garlic, shallot or onion, thyme, cilantro or parsley, bell pepper, serrano or jalapeno pepper, cumin, hot pepper sauce, grill seasoning or salt and pepper. Divide mixture into 4 equal mounds then form meat into patties. Drizzle patties with vegetable oil to coat. Cook in skillet over medium high heat for 5 to 6 minutes on each side. Place sliced cheese over the patties in the last 2 minutes of cooking, use 1 or 2 slices for each patty, as you like.
Pile cooked cheeseburgers into buns. Spread sweet relish or jelly on bun tops and set red leaf lettuce into place, using the relish or jelly as glue. (I topped ours with mashed avocado bc we did not have any sweet pepper relish - delish) Top cheeseburgers with 2 slices of cooked, crisp bacon..

S'mores Rice Krispie Treats

My floors have been ripped out. You can see into the basement from a few different spots in the kitchen. We do not have an oven, refrigerator or dishwasher and my kids have been confined to the upstairs bedrooms. I will not really get into the fact that the girls have had the flu for the past few days, but this week has been a doozie.

I know that our "kitchen update" will be worth all of this hassle, but right now, I just want to complain about it.

On the bright side, I have had to get creative with the microwave cooking. None of them are good enough to share, with the exception of these fabulous S'mores Rice Krispie Treats. 

The treats are gooey, chocolaty and they taste like summer.  I will definitely be making S'more, because it will be a week before I can use my oven again!  

** if you get on a S'mores kick, do not forget about the recipe for these AMAZING s'mores bars that B made last summer.

Ingredients:
6 cups Rice Krispies Cereal
1 bag of marshmallows
1/4 cup (4 Tbsp) unsalted butter
1 and 1/2 cups graham cracker pieces
1 cup chocolate chips

Instructions:
Spray 11x7 baking pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.
In a large microwave safe bowl, heat the butter and marshmallows for 1 minute and stir to combine. Heat the mixture for another 30 seconds or until butter is melted and mixture is smooth. 
Pour in the rice krispie cereal and graham cracker pieces. Mix together well.

Add chocolate chips and gently stir - you want most of the chips to hold their shape and not to completely melt. (Next time I will also add in about 3/4 cup mini marshmallows along with the choco chips). Immediately press rice krispie treats into prepared baking pan. Use the flat side of a spatula sprayed with nonstick spray to flatten the rice krispie treats down evenly.  Let the squares cool and sit for at least 30 minutes before cutting.

Original sub-floors - circa 1940

progress.....