Deviled Eggs, Potato Salad, and Triffle

Megapost! Mother's Day Brunch was a heck of a lot of fun and the eating was good. Most everything we served was ready to go hours before anyone showed up, which made having both my mother and mother-in-law over (love you guys, but no one makes a girl nervous quite like her mother and mother-in-law) easy-peasy.

Deviled Eggs

Ingredients
1 dozen hard-boiled eggs
3 tablespoons mayonaise
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
fresh ground black pepper

How To
Peel the eggs, cut them in half, and separate the yolks and whites:

Look how pretty the whites are on this bed of greens:

Mash the yolks, mayo, mustard and pepper with the back of a fork until nice and smooth:

Pipe the filling into the eggs using either a pastry bag or a freezer bag with the tip cut off:

Potato Salad

I love roasted potatoes in a potato salad. They're easier to make than boiled potatoes and have better flavor. In retrospect, I should have added capers. Good thing I can make it right with the leftovers!

Ingredients
2 pounds little yellow potatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt, pepper, and garlic powder
2 celery ribs, chopped
5 radishes, chopped
1/4 cup mayonaise
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
1 tablespoon dill
1 teaspoon capers

How To
Wash the potatoes and place on a baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and season generously with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Roast at 450 for 25-35 minutes or until the potatoes have good color and a fork easily breaks a test potato in half.

Let cool completely (I baked the potatoes the night before and assembled the salad in the morning) then cut the potatoes into 8ths. Combine with the celery and radishes:

Mix the remaining ingredients together to make a dressing and toss with the potatoes. Serve chilled:

Triffle

I'd planned to make these complicated little lemon tarts for dessert but everything seemed fated against that plan. So I said why fight city hall? and made a very easy triffle instead.

Ingredients
1 pound cake, cut into cubes
1 pound strawberries, cut up and dusted with a teaspoon of sugar
whipped cream
1 jar lemon curd

How To
Layer cake, berries, whipped cream and lemon curd, ideally in a container that shows the layers. How cute is this dessert in this jar? Adorable! Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

Roasted Cauliflower

I'm cheating again. I posted this recipe for the first time last year but it's worthy of a repost with pictures-- it's too yummy! And it makes a believer out of former cauliflower haters (like my husband.) Spicy and crunchy and savory and oh, so good!

Ingredients
1 medium or large head of cauliflower
1/3-1/2 cup olive oil (depends on the size of the cauliflower)
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
salt and pepper

How To
Mix the olive oil, red pepper, fresh ground black pepper (about a teaspoon) and garlic together. Wash the cauliflower and remove the florettes, cutting as much of the stems off as possible. Break the florettes up into bite-sized pieces and place in a bowl.

Drizzle with the olive oil mixture and sprinkle with salt, about a tablespoon.

Mix well. Let "marinate" for 20-30 minutes while preheating the oven to 400 degrees.

Spread the cauliflower over the bottom of a shallow baking pan and place in the oven.

Roast for 20-25 minutes, occasionally stirring in order to achieve even browning. Serve hot.

Here is is, served up with pork chops, mashed pots and homemade gravy:

Garlicy Buttery Spinach

I love spinach. I made this last night to go with some chicken curry and naan. The not-very-secret ingredient? Homemade chicken stock.

Ingredients
1 bag frozen spinach
3 big cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 cup chicken stock
3 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper

How To
Saute the onions and garlic in the butter until translucent. Have you ever heard the trick of cooking onions and garlic before guests arrive for dinner, even if they're not part of the meal? I think my mom taught me that one.

Add the spinach and chicken stock. Cook until the spinach is bubbling and bright green. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If you're feeling naughty, lob another tablespoon or two of butter into the pan just before serving.


This does a great job of cutting through the spiciness of curry, though this could also easily be a creamy accompaniment to steak or grilled chicken with the addition of some Parmesan cheese and a pinch of nutmeg.

Stuffed Potatoes

I'm cheating. I wrote this up a while ago but had no pictures. What fun is a recipe without pictures? These can be prepared well in advance of when you plan to serve them and can even be frozen and baked as needed.

Ingredients (per serving, multiply as needed)
1 medium-large russet potato
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon sour cream
1 heaping tablespoon sharp cheddar cheese, shredded or cubed (Patrick is a big fan of the cubed!)
1/2 teaspoon chopped green onion
fresh ground pepper
shredded cheddar cheese and crumbled bacon (optional) to top

How To
Prepare potatoes according to the Steakhouse Potato recipe. Let potatoes cool until you can handle them comfortably.

Cut each potato length-wise. Using a soup spoon, scoop out the center of each potato, making sure to not scoop all the way out to the skin-- you want to leave some potato in the skin to give your skin some stability.

Arrange the skins in a shallow baking dish.

Put the scooped out skin in a heavy-duty freezer bag (1 pint-1 quart depending on how many you're making.) A freezer bag? Yes, a freezer bag. You'll thank me, I swear. Add the butter, sour cream, cheese, onions and pepper. Close the bag and squish the ingredients together until very well combined (my husband likes to do this step for me.)

Cut the corner off of your bag and squirt the filling into your potatoes.

Wasn't that easy? Now you don't have to clean a bowl or mashing instrument or nothing. Top the potatoes with the additional cheese and bacon (man, I love bacon. No bacon this time though.)

At this point, you can either bake the potatoes at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or you can refrigerate/freeze them for later use. We had these last night with tri-tip, chicken and grilled asparagus. Our friend Nora brought this gorgeous cake that I caught her boyfriend taking a picture of:

Weekday Pasta

Working from home is a tricky business. There are obvious perks but the downsides are there-- it can be lonely, you have to be organized and motivated, there's no IT guy when your computer freaks out* and you're surrounded by all those little things that need to be done around the house-- dirty dishes, bills to pay, and so on. Still, I love being able to make myself a simple lunch like this.

Ingredients
2 ounces of dry spaghetti (I use Barilla Plus. I don't like whole wheat pasta.)
3 slices of cooked, crumbed bacon
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
1 teaspoon butter
black pepper
1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, grated
capers or caperberries

How To
Bring salted water to boil for the pasta. While the pasta cooks, in a separate pan saute the garlic, rosemary and pepper until the garlic is soft. Add the bacon. Once the pasta is drained, add it to the other pan and toss with the bacon and butter. Pour onto a plate and top with cheese and capers.

This is the perfect portion for a single person, but this can obviously be doubled and tripled to accommodate more people.

*My husband plays a darn good IT guy though. He rescued me from the blue screen of death on Monday. Thanks, baby! You're my hero!

Avocado time...

This post is for my friend, Jennifer, who confessed she doesn't know how to cut open an avocado. This reminded me of a story one of my professors in college told. She'd grown up on the east coast and came west to attend UCLA. At a party, she had her first taste of guacamole. She asked the host for the recipe and went to try making her own batch.

Because she didn't know, she bought hard unripe green avocados. Remembering the softness of the guacamole, she decided to boil the avocados in their skins. After 20 minutes of boiling away, one exploded, plastering her apartment's kitchen with green mush.

So, start with a ripe avocado. A ripe avocado has a black skin that gives easily when you hold it in your hand and press your thumb in. Get a nice sharp knife and cut the avocado in half by slicing it down the center and rolling the avocado around the pit until you've come full circle.

Put down your knife and take the avocado in both hands with one half in each palm. Give it a good twist.

Voila!

Now, how do you get that blasted pit out? You can dig it out with a spoon, but the most elegant and economical way to remove the pit is to use a knife.

This part takes a little faith and a little practice-- thunk your knife blade deep into the pit of the avocado. Don't worry if you have to strike it a time or two.

Pick up the avocado in one hand and the knife in the other and twist them in opposite directions. The pit will stick in the knife and lift neatly out. Whee!

Cut each half into quarters for easy pealing. If you're looking to have fancy-schmancy avocado cups for crab salad or what have you, take the more difficult path and don't cut.

Peel the skins back carefully. It should come off in one big piece and leave you with a lovely chunk of avocado meat. If your avocado is very ripe, the skin might come off in crumbly bits that you have to pick at.

Slice your avocado up and squirt with lemon if you're not planning to serve it right away-- lemon will keep it from turning brown. If you're planning to eat it right away, all you need is a little salt and pepper.

The Best Pork Chops

An easy week-day meal that fills the house with unbelievable good scents. Watch out for thin pork chops-- you want some nice, thick chops for this recipe. The apple is optional. You can skip it and just make the sauce.

Ingredients
2 thick pork chops
1 apple, peeled and sliced (optional)
1 teaspoon chopped, fresh rosemary
1/2 cup apple cider
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 heaping tablespoon whole-grain mustard
olive oil
salt and pepper

How To
Heat oil in a pan while seasoning both sides of each chop generously with salt and pepper. Brown the chops for about 5 minute on each side. Once the chops are browned, pour the apple cider and apple cider vinegar in the pan. Let the pork chops simmer in the juice for 10-15 minute or until no longer pink inside.

Once the chops are done, remove the chops and let them rest, covered in foil. Add the mustard, rosemary and apples to the pan, letting it simmer for about 5 minute or until the sauce has thickened and the apples are cooked. Cover each chop in apples and sauce and serve.

Dutch Baby

My husband says this is like having Yorkshire Pudding for breakfast. This dish looks quite impressive but is actually easier than pancakes.

Ingredients
1/4 cup butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar

How To
Turn your oven up to 425 degrees. Place the butter in the bottom of a medium-sized dutch oven and place it in the oven. While the butter melts and the dutch oven heats, combine your other ingredients very well in a bowl. Once the butter in melted and a little foamy, pour in the batter. Let bake for 20-25 minutes or until the mixture is puffy and golden brown. Remove and let cool for a moment or two (the center will fall, so you might want to whisk it out to the table at this point if you're trying to impress someone.) Serve in slices like a pie and top with maple syrup or powdered sugar.

Apple Crumble

I'm not a huge pie person. I guess I've had too many wooden pie crusts that left me wary. Besides, the star of any pie is the filling, right? I'd rather have a big portion of lovely fruit with a crunchy salty-sweet topping any day. Besides, then you don't have to feel guilty about pairing this with some vanilla ice cream. Yum.

Ingredients
For the filling:
6 medium apples, peeled, cored and chopped into large chunks (I like to use granny smiths)
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter, melted

For the topping:
3/4 cup old-fashioned oat meal
2 tablespoons flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons of cold butter

How To
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Combine all the ingredients for the filling and mix well, then pour into a pie dish. Place in the oven and let bake for 15-20 minutes or until the apples begin to soften and become fragrant.

While the apples bake, combine all of the ingredients for the topping, save for the butter. Combine very well. Chop the cold butter into small chunks and add to the topping mixture. Use your hands to incorporate the butter until the mixture is very crumbly. Once the apples are ready, sprinkle the oat mixture on top and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the oats have a nice, golden color. Serve warm or hot.

Roasted Baby Tomatoes

I'll admit it-- I made a batch of these a few days ago for my husband and I to have with dinner and I gobbled them all up before he came home.

These tomatoes are delicious served warm from the oven but are also wonderful pizza toppings or combined with buffalo mozzarella and basil as a twist on the classic caprese salad.

Ingredients
1 pound cherry tomatoes (or any small tomatoes you can find)
6 garlic cloves, pealed and coarsely chopped
1/4 onion, chopped
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

How To
Combine all the ingredients while preheating the oven to 400 degrees. Spread the tomatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake, stirring occasionally, for 20-25 minutes or until the tomatoes wilt and collapse in on themselves and everything caramelizes a bit. Serve warm or let cool for future use.

Carbonara

Part of my New Year's Eve celebration was arguing over the proper way to make pasta with a carbonara sauce. Cream, peas, onions, bacon? All wrong.

Made properly, carbonara is rustic, rich and mysterious. Yes, it lends itself to additions like sauted mushrooms or grilled shrimp, but don't insult the power of this very simple sauce by adding cream.

Ingredients

1 pound of pasta (I like a thick spaghetti or penne)
6 ounces of pancetta, chopped into small cubes
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon of olive oil
4 raw egg yolks
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
lots (three or four tablespoons) of fresh ground black pepper

How To

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. While waiting for it to come to a boil, heat the olive oil in a large saute pan and saute the garlic and pancetta. Add the pasta to the boiling water.

In a large bowl, combine the pepper, egg yolks and Parmesan cheese. Once the pasta is cooked, take the saute pan off the heat, then drain and add pasta to the bowl of egg yolk mixture. Toss the pasta until it is all well coated. Then, pour the pasta into the saute pan and mix well. Serve hot.

Candy Cane Pretzels

I love the gifts of food and drink. The nature of them is temporary and celebratory, just like the season. I'll be posting several recipes for cookies, candies, and other gifts in the coming days. The one below is very easy and always a big hit. White chocolate is very easy to work with and a great choice for first-time candy makers!

Ingredients
1 pound bag of mini pretzels
2 pound2 white chocolate (I get mine from Trader Joe's-- they get theirs from Ghiradelli)
1 dozen peppermint candy canes ( I like Bob's)

How To
Chop the white chocolate up into big chunks. You can melt it in the microwave by heating it in 30 second intervals, stirring well in between. I actually melt mine by putting it in the crock pot on low for about 20 minutes, stirring frequently. When it reaches the right consistency, I turn the crock pot to warm and begin using it right away. White chocolate is very forgiving but don't abuse it by overheating it.

While the chocolate is melting, unwrap the candy canes and put them in a plastic freezer bag. It's important to try and avoid touching the candy canes as much as possible because the sweat from your hands will make them sticky. Crush them with a rolling pin.

Dip the pretzels in the white chocolate until they are totally covered. I use a fork and tap the pretzel against the side of bowl a little so the shape of the pretzel is clear. Place on a piece of waxed paper. Sprinkle with candy cane. Let cool. Yum!

Stuffed Tomatoes

These tomatoes are yummy and healthy. Of course, you have to like anchovies to like these. Lucky for me, I do! These can work as an appetizer or a light lunch for 2. If you have leftover filling, it's terrific on a piece of crusty bread.

Ingredients

a dozen small tomatoes (obviously, the smaller the tomato, the more you'll need)
1 can canelli (white kidney) beans, drained and rinsed
4 anchovy fillets, diced
1 tablespoon capers
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for sprinkling
pepper

How To

Prepare your tomatoes by cutting a small slice from the bottom, making it easier for the tomato to sit upright. Cut the top off the tomato and scoop out the seeds and pulp. Place the tomatoes upside down on a paper towel as you do this, giving them time to drain while you prepare the filling.

In a bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Generously fill each tomato and place on a non-stick baking sheet. Broil at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes or until the tops of the tomatoes are a deep, golden brown. Let the tomatoes cool for at least ten minutes.

The bigger the tomato you use, the more likely it is you'll end up eating them with a knife and fork. Not that that's a bad thing!

Fresh Cranberry Sauce

Super easy and impressive! I eat this by the spoonful, all by itself.

Ingredients

1 bag fresh, raw cranberries
1 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon Triple Sec
the zest of 1 orange (I always use an organic orange for this)

How To

Simmer all ingredients together until the cranberries start to "pop" and the sauce turns thick and bright red. Serve hot or cold.

Mom's Stuffing

Stuffing is baked inside the bird while dressing is baked in a pan. Mom made both at Thanksgiving because we were a family of stuffing hogs. This year, I'll be making the standard obscene amount, though I'm not sure we'll be stuffing the bird itself, which adds cooking time to the turkey.

Ingredients

1 stick of butter
2 ribs of celery, chopped
2 medium onions, chopped
2 boxes of stuffing (we always used Mrs. Cubbison's Seasoned Stuffing)
3 cups good chicken stock
1 pound spicy sausage, cooked and drained (we always used pork but I'll be using turkey sausage this year.)

How To

Melt the butter in a saute pan and add the onions and celery. Cook until the onions are translucent. In a large bowl, pour the stuffing. Pour the onions and celery, sausage, and stock over the stuffing and mix very well. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cupcakes

Yummy. If you're looking for a lower-calorie option, bake this up in a bundt pan and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Bonus: your home will smell wonderful as they bake.

Ingredients

1 box of spice cake mix
2 eggs
2 cups canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
8 ounces (1 box) cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon orange juice
the zest of one orange
1 pound (1 box) of powdered sugar

How To

Preheat your oven according to the directions on the cake mix box. Combine the cake mix, eggs, pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice. Mix well and pour into cupcake holders in a cupcake pan. Bake according to the directions on the box. They may take slightly longer than stated on the box. Be sure to check them with a toothpick to make sure they are done.

After the cupcakes are baked and cooled, mix the remaining ingredients together to make the frosting. Frost and refrigerate to set the frosting.

Savory Apples

I'm making these for Thanksgiving! The sauce is lovely. Be sure to not overcook your apples and to use fresh rosemary. Good as a side dish or served with roasted chicken or over pork loin. Serves 4 but can be doubled and tripled as needed.

Ingredients
2 large apples, pealed and sliced
1 cup apple cider or hard cider
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon fresh, chopped rosemary
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 cup dried cranberries (optional)

How To
Combine all ingredients (except for the apples and cranberries) in a large saucepan. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the apples and cranberries. Cook until the apples are soft and the cranberries are plump. Remove the apples and cranberries, then bring sauce to a boil and let thicken. Pour over the apples and serve warm.

Spinach-Stuffed Potatoes

Yummy!

Ingredients
2 potatoes, baked and cooled
1 16-ounce bag of frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed to remove as much water as possible
2 ounces of gruyere or swiss cheese, chopped into very small pieces (not shredded)
4 tablespoons crumbled bacon
1 teaspoon granulate garlic
4 teaspoons butter, melted.
2 tablespoons cream cheese
freshly ground pepper (to taste)

How To
Cut the potatoes in half and scoop out the insides to create a little boat (you won't be using the removed potato. Potato pancakes for another meal, perhaps?) Combine the remaining ingredients, save for the butter. Fill the potato skins with the spinach mixture. Drizzle with melted butter. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. Serve hot.

"Grilled" Asparagus

People always rave about my asparagus and it's one of the easiest things on earth to prepare. Generally, I throw it on the grill alongside whatever we're grilling that night, but you can also pop it in the oven.

Ingredients
1 bunch asparagus with the tough, woody part snapped off
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon granulated garlic (fresh garlic can scorch and turn bitter easily on a hot grill)
salt and pepper

How To
Take two sheets of aluminum foil and lay them across one another so they form an X. Place the asparagus in the center. Drizzle with olive oil. Season with the granulated garlic and lots of salt and pepper. Wrap the seasoned asparagus tightly in the foil. Grill or bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Yogurt Chicken Skewers

Great on the grill with a side of rice pilaf or couscous.

Ingredients
1 pound chicken breast, cut into chunks
1 small (8 ounce) container of plain, non-fat yogurt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 large pinch crushed saffron threads
1 dash of cinnamon
1 tablespoon minced ginger
3 crushed garlic cloves
grilling vegis cut into chunks-- I like red onion, summer squashes, bell peppers, and baby tomatoes

How To
Combine the yogurt and spices. Pour over the chicken and let marinate for several hours, preferably overnight. Heat your grill and begin assembling the chicken and vegis on skewers (soak the skewers in water beforehand to minimize burning.) Sprinkle with salt and place on the grill. Cook for about 20 minutes, turning occasionally. Serves 2.