Eric and I will be celebrating our six year wedding anniversary next month, and that means we’ve had our current cookware for the same length of time. We had no idea then that our cookware would be used as frequently as it is or that we would be taking it through three out of state moves. If you were to take a peek at our saucepans and skillets, you would find them well used (that’s what happens when they’re used almost daily). The nonstick coating has begun to chip away, and it’s obvious what that cookware has been through in the six years since we received it.

One of the goodies I got from Big Summer Potluck last year was an Anolon “Everything Pan,” and Eric and I have used it so much in the almost year since we’ve had it. I hadn’t heard of Anolon before BSP, but I’ve been a fan of theirs since first cooking with that pan. So when Anolon contacted me to see if I’d like to review another piece of cookware and give one to a lucky reader, I jumped at the opportunity. Since I already knew how much we liked the Everything Pan, I decided to try another piece of cookware from the Nouvelle Copper Stainless Steel line, this time the 3 Quart Covered Sauté Pan. This pan is every bit as versatile as the Everything Pan, and it is quickly on its way to becoming the most used pan in our kitchen. It has high sides, which makes it perfect for pan-frying, sautéing a bunch of greens, making sauces (which are easier to pour thanks to the shape of the pan and the helper handle) and loads of other things. Like I said, it’s really versatile.

I was actually planning to make risotto in mine but ultimately decided to make a recipe that would involve testing it on the stovetop and in the oven, which is how I ended up at this recipe for pan-roasted chicken. It was the perfect way to test out our new pan because it involved searing, roasting and sauce making, all of which the sauté pan handled wonderfully. Since our family of three rarely needs an entire roast chicken, unless we’re planning to make something with the leftovers, we decided to change the recipe up a bit and use bone-in, skin-on breasts and thighs. The chicken is first seared to achieve a crispy skin and then roasted to finish cooking. Once it’s done roasting, shallot, cognac, Dijon mustard and fresh thyme come together in a simple but flavorful pan sauce. It takes just over 30 minutes of cook time for this to go from stovetop to table, something that obviously isn’t possible when roasting a whole chicken. We loved this meal, and Clara devoured the chicken. We made mashed potatoes (to soak up some of that wonderful pan sauce) and broccolini as sides, and it was the perfect Sunday dinner. We’ll be making it again soon, but not before we try a few other recipes in our new favorite pan.

Anolon has kindly offered to send one of you lucky readers a 3 Quart Covered Sauté Pan, so head on over to the giveaway page to enter! Full disclosure: This giveaway is sponsored by Anolon, and I received the same piece of cookware to review. All opinions are purely my own.

When I was planning the menu for Clara’s first birthday party, I had my heart set on serving mini chicken pot pies as the main course. They were the main dish at my baby shower, and I thought it would be fun to incorporate a savory pie into the menu. However, once I really started thinking about it, I realized I would have to buy over 50 of the ramekins to bake the pies in and then I’d have no use for them after the party. When my friend Annie suggested Frito Pie, I knew she was onto something. It would be much easier to make and serve, something that is definitely a plus when it comes to party food.

When I mentioned making Frito Pie for the party, I got a glazed over look from so many people. I thought it was a common food all over the country, but apparently I was wrong. For those of you not in the know, it’s basically chili served over Fritos. I thought it was a fun play on the pie theme, and it was a big hit with everyone that tried it. I kept it simple with toppings, serving it with cheese, sour cream and green onions. If you want to go all out, add sliced (fresh or pickled) jalapeños, red onions and cilantro. We scaled back the heat some since we wanted the kiddos to enjoy this too, but I’ve included the original amount below. Like all of the party food, this dish was well received (especially with the cornbread whoopie pies) and will definitely be making an appearance on our menu again soon.

I hate this time of year. The weather goes back and forth between winter and spring. It’s such a tease to get a taste of warmer weather only to have slushy snow the next day. I’m ready for longer days, farmers markets and sunshine. I look forward to winter every year, something about snow and scarves and cold nights by the fire is romantic, but I’m kind of over it four months later. Sadly, the last days of winter seem to be keeping spring at bay just a little longer. The one thing that’s made this season easier for me is soup. It’s my ultimate cold (rainy, slushy, snowy) weather comfort food, so I’m taking this opportunity to share a new favorite with you before it warms up for good (or, you know, until fall gets here again).

Lasagna is not something I ever thought about in soup form, but now that I’ve tried it I can’t help but wonder why. This soup has all the components of lasagna – pasta, Italian sausage, fire roasted tomatoes and lots of cheese – without any of the work. The soup would be delicious on its own and sort of reminded me of this soup, but the cheese mixture makes this soup truly crave-worthy. It’s hearty, comforting and easy to make, and I imagine we’ll be having it again before the cold weather disappears.

This soup has all of the components and flavors of my favorite red beans and rice recipe but without all the work. I love red beans and rice, but making it can be quite the process. Plus, since I’ve had such a nasty cold, soup has been pretty much the only thing I’ve wanted to eat. This one was exactly what I needed – spicy, comforting, and fast. Even the rice cooks right in the soup. You can’t beat that! Unless you have someone awesome to make it for you. That definitely makes it better (especially if said someone made you hot tea before cooking dinner). Sick or not, this one is sure to be appearing on our menu again soon.

This pasta isn’t remarkable or life changing, but it is darn good food. And you know what? That’s good enough for me. If it weren’t laden with cream and, you know, pasta, I would gladly eat it twice a week. This recipe is perfect for those nights that we don’t want to cook an involved meal but still want to eat something delicious (and not get takeout). I made a few changes to the original recipe – added an onion, used chicken sausage instead of ground chicken, added red pepper flakes, doubled the tomatoes, swapped fresh basil for the dried oregano – and now I’ve found my ultimate weeknight pasta dish. I think using chicken sausage instead of ground chicken is what really made this recipe shine. Since sausage already has so many seasonings in it, it can only enhance the flavor of final product. Just make sure you get something that would go well with the other ingredients. We’ve used sun-dried tomato and basil sausage and roasted red pepper and garlic sausage the times we’ve made this. We seriously can’t get enough of this pasta. Clara absolutely loves it, too, and we love watching her eat it (that may sound weird, but she’s so adorable all the time when she’s eating). This recipe makes a lot, way more than our little family of three needs, but the leftovers reheat exceptionally well and it’s easily halved if you’d rather go that route.

Out of all the pot pies I’ve made, I think this is the richest. The sauce is luxuriously thick, and the cream cheese in the biscuits makes them super tender. I’ll definitely be making the biscuits on their own for breakfast. I’d say they stole the show, but their awesomeness fully matched the rest of the pot pie. To whip this up in no time, you can use a store-bought rotisserie chicken. We made it with what was left of a roast chicken, which I think is one of the best uses of leftovers. Clara absolutely loved this and had the best time picking up shreds of chicken and vegetables off her tray. We found ourselves giving her more from our plates because she finished hers so quickly. I’d call that a win.

This quick dinner is inspired by the Pig in the Potato Patch at Jim’N Nick’s, a restaurant we frequented when we lived in Birmingham. It’s a baked potato topped with barbecued meat and all the fixings. I said this was quick, not healthy. ;) If you’ve got leftover chicken or pork and some barbecue sauce, all you’ve got to do for dinner is bake the potato. Recipes like this one have especially come in handy for me on nights I have a lot of baking to do. Because, you know, it’s probably not a good idea for me to have sugar cookies and peppermint cheesecake for dinner.

Since Clara’s birth, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard “and that’s why I could never have kids” in response to something I said. It doesn’t really bother me because I realize not everyone wants (or is ready) to be a parent. Usually, I just smile and nod and remark how easy it is to adjust to life with a baby. People’s horrified faces when they find out Clara stopped sleeping through the night when she started teething tell me that not everyone agrees, and that’s okay. You live through it and maybe drink a little more coffee. No big deal. At least in my experience, the little challenges that have come with being a new parent are nothing compared to the intense love that I have for Clara. I feel a sense of sheer wonderment at the power of those feelings, and it sometimes makes me feel like I’m walking around with my heart outside my body.

I experienced this in the most horrible way not too long ago. You may remember that Clara had an appointment at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia last month. Let me preface this by saying that everything is fine now, but we did get news we weren’t expecting. First, we were told that Clara’s left thumb is also abnormal, though not as severely as her right. With just one thumb affected, the likelihood of it being a random genetic abnormality was high, but with both thumbs affected, it seemed that there could be an underlying cause. Because of this, the specialist we saw wanted Clara tested for a life-threatening disorder (the test came back negative). As we walked to the lab to have Clara’s blood drawn, I felt like I was suffocating. I couldn’t take a deep breath and tears were streaming down my face. My thoughts were spiraling downward quickly, and I felt a level of fear I haven’t experienced before, not even when we were told earlier this year that Clara could have a heart defect. That is the hard part about being a parent – feeling so strongly for another person, more than you could have ever thought possible. It makes you vulnerable, but it also makes you indescribably happy.

The two weeks that we had to wait on Clara’s results were a roller coaster of emotions. I went from being scared of what might happen to certain that the test would come back negative and then back again pretty much every single day. We needed comfort food, and this soup provided exactly the kind of comfort we were looking for. It’s rich, warm and covered in gooey, toasted cheese. This soup is a far cry from the onion soups I’ve had before, which basically tasted like salt and not much else. The onions in this soup are slowly caramelized, which gives them a depth and richness that can’t be achieved otherwise. If you’re looking for comfort in the form of food, I can’t think of a better recipe than this one. And even if you’re not seeking comfort and simply want something hot and delicious to warm you to your bones on a cold night, this soup is perfect for that too.

Instead of the cream cheese and chipotle salsa called for in the original recipe, this version uses barbecue sauce and chipotle ranch dressing. This may seem like an odd combination to some of you, but I’m here to tell you it works. Something about the tangy barbecue sauce mixed the creamy and smoky dressing is just out of this world. I knew Eric would love these because he’s the type of person that likes to dip his tortilla chips into queso and then into salsa. I’m the complete opposite, so he was surprised that I enjoyed these as much as I did, given my usual disdain for mixing sauces (unless we’re talking chocolate and caramel, of course). This recipe is infinitely customizable, and I’ve got several other ideas bouncing around in my head. It’s going to be hard to branch out after trying this variation, though, because it was just that good. I used meat leftover from making this roast chicken before Eric went out of town for several days, and I made the sauces while Clara was napping. Even though I was alone for dinner that week, I was able to whip these up in no time after she went to bed. I was bummed when I cooked the last few from the freezer, which means it must be time to make them again.

While this classic chicken noodle soup is one of my favorites this time of year, I thought it would be fun to change things up a bit and give a new chicken soup a try. I’m so glad I did. This creamy soup is rich and comforting, thanks to a healthy (or unhealthy, depending on your perspective) dose of brie and half and half. Don’t fret, though, because there’s also a good bit of spinach in this soup, which totally makes up for the amount of dairy goodness in it (hah, if only). Served with a slice of crusty bread, this is a stick-to-your-ribs kind of meal that’s perfect for chilly weather.

I’ve been traveling quite a bit lately – first to Alabama to visit family and then to Connecticut to visit friends – and Eric made this chili while I was gone. While we were FaceTiming, he showed me the Dutch oven with this in it and I immediately requested that he save a bowl for me. Had I been home, I would have suggested making some type of southwest chicken chili, mostly because standard chili recipes never really appealed to me. Eric made a great decision choosing this recipe, though, because it clearly won me over. In true Eric fashion, he substituted beer for the water called for in the original recipe. Like any chili recipe, you can adapt this one to suit your personal tastes. Use the high range of jalapeño peppers to make it spicier. Try different types of beer to see which you like best (though make sure it’s something you’d be willing to drink). Mash more or less of the beans to change the thickness of the chili. Whatever you do, don’t leave out the chocolate! It gives this chili a depth of flavor that cannot be achieved without it. When you’re craving a delicious, no frills chili, this recipe can’t be beat.

Before Clara was born, several people told us that we’d stop cooking as much when she arrived. There have been a few days we got takeout instead of cooking, like when she hit her first big growth spurt and I felt like all I could do was feed her the entire day, but Eric and I are still cooking more than some people expected (clearly those people don’t know us very well). Making fresh meals is important to us, so we put a lot of effort into doing it as often as we can. We may not be making as many involved recipes these days, but even a quick homemade meal is better than eating out every night. Now that Clara is getting a little bigger, we love having her in the kitchen with us while we prep and cook dinner. She especially likes it when I dance around the kitchen with her while Eric is cooking. I love that we get to spend time together in the kitchen, and obviously the delicious results are a big perk. The thing is – it’s not that difficult to have a homemade meal on the table in a short amount of time. Recipes like this one make it easy for us to have a homemade meal and still finish in time to read to Clara before bed.

I made a few changes to this recipe after making it as written. The original recipe used loose sausage, which sort of sank to the bottom of the sauce, so I swapped it out for sliced sausage. Eric preferred it the other way, though, so make it whichever way you think you’ll like best. I increased the amount of pasta and cream, and doing so resulted in a sauce that I thought was the perfect consistency. This pasta is much lighter than I thought it would be, even with the increased amount of cream, thanks to all of the arugula. I used to shy away from wilted greens, and I honestly have no idea why. Every recipe I’ve tried with them has been awesome. In this recipe, the arugula adds a wonderful peppery bite and helps to brighten up the pasta. This recipe doesn’t require much, just a few fresh ingredients and a little time in the kitchen. So now when I get some naysayer that asks me how often we get takeout now that we have a baby, I’ll kindly point them to this post.

Since it was a cold and snowy day, we decided (after too much time spent browsing through cookbooks) to make this pot pie. I think we ended up eating dinner sometime around 10pm, and we stayed up way too late that night talking and laughing. A couple weeks ago, I made this recipe again and was immediately taken back to that perfect evening – the cameras snapping, all of us seamlessly working together in the kitchen, the chilly weather, Lonely Island videos and the feeling of pure joy. Eric and I couldn’t help but laugh thinking about how we all were wondering what the heck the recipe was referring to when it mentioned “fond” (it’s browned bits, by the way). I think I will always remember them and that night anytime I make this recipe. Food is powerful like that. When I made this, I was using food in another powerful way – to bring comfort to someone. It’s amazing to me what a home cooked meal can do to lift someone’s spirits.

If telling you four food bloggers went crazy over this isn’t enough to convince you to make it, I don’t know what is. This recipe begins with chicken thighs that are poached in broth, and then the broth is combined with a roux to make a rich and flavorful sauce. In order to keep the vegetables from becoming overcooked, they’re sautéed separately and added to the sauce prior to baking. The biscuit topping is the real surprise of this recipe and deserves mentioning. Essentially, a biscuit dough is made, crumbled into pieces and then baked before being used to top the pot pie. I’ll be honest with you and say that I’ve had a hard time resisting these tasty little biscuit bites both times I’ve had this. Eric is convinced that we should start making biscuits this way to have for weekday breakfasts.

The recipe calls for a 9 by 13-inch baking dish, but I successfully made it in two smaller dishes (one to keep and one to give). You can also turn this into a make ahead meal by by making the filling and refrigerating it in the baking dish. If making the topping a day early, as well, store it in an airtight container. Bake the filling for about 30-35 minutes (assuming it’s straight out of the refrigerator), then top it with the biscuit crumble and continue baking until the filling is heated through and the crumble is lightly browned, about 15 additional minutes.

As summer comes to a close, I see so many people talking about firing up the grill one last time. Maybe it’s just me, but I think it makes more sense to grill when it’s not 110º outside. Summer grilling is great, minus the heat, humidity and fact that you’re drenched in sweat by the time the food is ready to be eaten. I see no reason not to grill year round, as long as there’s still good food to grill. Sure, pumpkin doesn’t lend itself to grilling the same way summer squash does, but that doesn’t mean you can’t grill chicken, steak or even sweet potatoes and acorn squash. Now that evenings are cooler here, it’s prime time for grilling. Luckily for us, grilled chicken doesn’t really have a season, and we’ll be grilling well into the winter with recipes like this one.

I’ve tried quite a few chicken fajita recipes, and this one is by far my favorite. The chicken stays ultra moist and is infused with smoky chipotle and fresh lime juice. Combine that with caramelized onions and peppers, and you’ve got fajitas to rival any restaurant’s. If you don’t feel like grilling, you could totally get away with making these in a cast-iron skillet to really make it feel authentic. As far as toppings go, forget them. I know just chicken and vegetables seems kind of boring, but these fajitas are far from it. I was planning to add sour cream and shredded cheese to mine, and I’m so glad I didn’t. These are perfect on their own, but you can certainly add a couple of frozen mango margaritas to go with your meal.

Have you ever had a day where nothing really sounds good for dinner? This doesn’t happen often around here, especially when we’ve planned out the week’s menu. Occasionally, though, I’m just lacking inspiration. On days like that, I’ll peruse Pinterest, food photo sites or my Google Reader in hopes that something will pop out at me. After striking out in all of those places, I saw this recipe pop up in my Facebook news feed. I had all the ingredients on hand, like it was meant to be. I love when things work out like that.

This is an ideal summer recipe. There’s minimal prep, just a few ingredients, and it cooks quickly on the grill. The tenderloin is rubbed in a mixture of coffee, brown sugar and chili powder, giving it an earthy, smoky and slightly sweet flavor. Being the coffee lovers we are, Eric and I love anything with coffee in (or on) it, but I think even non-coffee drinkers will appreciate the flavor the coffee beans add to this dish. The rub gives the pork a wonderful crust and helps keep the moisture inside. I knew this had been perfectly cooked when we sliced into it and saw just how tender and juicy it was. We served this with grilled vegetables and roasted potatoes, but next time I’ll swap the roasted potatoes for grits or polenta.

Eric and I recently celebrated our five year anniversary. That day, he summed up our time together like this, “5 years, 4 states, 3 animals, 2 crazy people and 1 perfect little Clara!” We didn’t have big plans to celebrate, mostly because Clara is too small to go to a nice restaurant with us and we were headed to the beach with friends. What should’ve been less than four hours in the car turned into six and involved me getting into the backseat to pump a bottle for Clara because we were stuck on a bridge and couldn’t even pull off somewhere for her to eat. What can I say? Parenthood isn’t always glamorous, but I wouldn’t have changed a thing about that day. To illustrate just how desperate we were to stop, we both got excited when we found a Sonic and ended up having fast food on our anniversary. All we could do was laugh at the hilarity of the situation. To make up for our lack of a fancy anniversary meal, we made steaks. Not just steaks – bacon wrapped filets mignons topped with roasted garlic compound butter.

This whole meal had been floating around in my head since last month when I attended a webinar with someone I’m sure you all know – Ree Drummond, aka Pioneer Woman. The topic was butter, specifically the new Land O’Lakes Butter with Olive Oil and Sea Salt. She shared some of her favorite recipes with us, and since I was planning to test out this butter on top of steaks, I called in and asked her how she likes to cook her steaks. I don’t know about you, but I’ve always preferred pan-seared steaks to grilled ones and was happy to find out she feels the same. After the webinar, I was so excited to finally get this idea out of my head and into my stomach. I wanted to try the butter on its own before adding anything to it, and it was so delicious that I seriously could have licked the wrapper. It was really that good, with just the right amount of salt, a rich flavor and an ultra creamy texture. I knew I wouldn’t need to add much to it to make a compound butter that would really shine. Since it’s hard to beat garlic and butter, I ran with that and came up with a simple but flavorful compound butter that went perfectly with our steaks and baked potatoes.

This dinner was the meal to end all meals. There aren’t many ways to make filets mignons any more awesome than it already it is. In fact, I can only think of two and we did both of them in this recipe. First, wrap the filets in bacon. Second, top them with a delicious compound butter. Done and done. To cook the steaks, we seared them in our cast iron skillet before finishing them in the oven. This gave the outside a nice crust while the inside remained buttery smooth. I used both roasted and raw garlic in the compound butter, which gave it a sweet, mellow flavor with just a bit of punch. The butter was already perfectly salted, and I added fresh parsley and black pepper to finish it off.

Eric’s rare steak, snapped with my iPhone.

I remember a time when Eric and I were quite unadventurous when it came to trying new foods. I don’t remember when it changed, but my guess is that it was so gradual we didn’t notice it happening. Brussels sprouts have intrigued me for some time, but Eric wasn’t totally convinced he would like them. I bought some recently, and we weren’t totally in love with our simple roasting of them. We both liked the flavor enough to try again, and I’m so glad we did. Apparently bacon is all we needed to turn these little vegetables into something magical. The moral of the story is – if at first you don’t like the taste of something, try adding bacon. ;)

This pizza is one of the easiest and most delicious meals we’ve made recently. First off, there’s no sauce – just vegetables, bacon and cheese. It’s simple in the best of ways. The brussels sprouts are tossed in olive oil and balsamic vinegar, which gives them a rich, slightly sweet flavor after cooking. They cook just enough to be tender but still crunchy. Add crisp bacon, garlic, shallot and three types of cheese to the mix, and you’ve got yourself a seriously awesome pizza. This is a no-fuss recipe with great results, and we will definitely be adding this to our pizza rotation.

Brussels Sprouts and Bacon Pizza

*Our dough made enough for a 12-inch round pizza, which was actually a bit too small for the amount of toppings we had. The recipe we typically use makes a 14-inch pizza, and that’s what we’ll use next time we make this. If you want a smaller pizza, just cut back slightly on the toppings.

Ingredients:
Pizza dough
4 pieces bacon
5-6 large Brussels sprouts, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup aged white cheddar, shredded
1/2 cup mozzarella, shredded
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 large shallot, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
red pepper flakes
salt & pepper
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450º. Cook bacon in a medium skillet over medium-high heat for about 4 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel to drain. Once cool, break into bite-size pieces.

Roll out and shape the dough, then place on a cutting board dusted with cornmeal. In a small bowl, toss the Brussels sprouts together with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Evenly sprinkle the white cheddar and mozzarella over the dough. Add the Brussels sprouts, garlic, shallot and bacon. Sprinkle on a generous pinch of red pepper flakes and salt and pepper to taste.

Carefully transfer to a pizza stone and bake for about 15 minutes (this will depend on your dough) or until crust is golden and cheese is melted. Remove from oven and top with feta cheese. Slice and serve.

Source: Adapted from Shutterbean

I’ve lamented before about the lack of good Tex-Mex food outside of Texas. Even though Eric and I only lived there just over six months, we were completely spoiled by all the fabulous Tex-Mex food. Since we rarely eat out at that type of restaurant these days (what’s the use?), I’m always on the hunt for good recipes to satisfy our cravings for it. Thankfully, my friend Elly shares this love of Tex-Mex cuisine and has now given me another recipe to enjoy (here’s my previous favorite, also from her).

This recipe wins on so many levels. These burritos are loaded with the Tex-Mex flavor I always crave. Not only do they taste fantastic the day they’re made, they also make excellent leftovers (this is coming from someone who is generally wary of leftovers that have meat). The sauce is incredible. It’s creamy enough to offset the heat of the poblanos but retain the smokiness. Since the burritos are baked, the tops get nice and crisp and prevent them from becoming soggy even when loaded with sauce. If you want to change things up a bit, you can try these with ground chicken or turkey and pinto beans. I had considered making rice or some other side to go with these, and I’m actually glad I didn’t. They were a meal on their own, and not having a side meant I didn’t have to feel guilty for eating two.

Beef and Bean Baked Burritos with Sour Cream-Poblano Sauce
Makes 4-10, depending on size

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 large onion, diced
1 pound ground beef or sirloin
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 1/4 teaspoons chili powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack, cheddar, or cheese of your preference
4-10 tortillas, depending on size (4-5 for burrito-sized, more for soft taco or fajita sized)
Cooking spray
2 poblano peppers
2 tablespoons butter
1 jalapeno pepper (optional)
2 tablespoons flour
2/3 cup chicken broth (preferably room temperature)
1/2 cup sour cream (light is fine)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400º and lightly grease a baking sheet with cooking spray. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, then add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the onion and cook for 3-5 minutes or until the onion begins to soften. Add the ground beef and break up with a wooden spoon. Continue cooking until the meat is cooked through, then drain off any fat if necessary. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook for about a minute. Stir in the beans, water and spices and add salt to taste. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed.

Place about 2 tablespoons (or more, depending on size) of cheese at the end of each tortilla. Top with a generous amount of the beef and bean mixture. Roll into a burrito by folding the left and right sides in and then rolling away from you. Place the burrito seam-side down on the baking sheet and repeat process with remaining tortillas, cheese and filling. Lightly spray with cooking spray, then bake for about 20 minutes until the tortillas are golden and crisp.

Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. Roast the poblanos, either directly over a gas flame or under the broiler, until the skin is charred. Place in a small bowl and cover with plastic wrap until cool enough to handle. Peel the peppers, remove the stem and seeds and dice.

In a small saucepan set over medium heat, melt the butter. Once butter has melted, whisk in flour and cook for an additional minute, whisking constantly. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and then add the poblano peppers. Continue to simmer, whisking frequently, until sauce has thickened. Stir in the sour cream and add salt and pepper to taste. Heat through, then spoon sauce over the burritos.

Source: Elly Says Opa

This chicken salad is a far cry from the plain, mayonnaise-laden versions of my past. It’s made mostly with yogurt, which gives it a much lighter texture. I used nonfat yogurt this time around because it’s what I had on hand, but I know this would be fantastic with Greek yogurt too. This chicken salad is amped up with curry and a bit of cayenne. There’s added texture from the grapes, and you could even add nuts if you wanted. I roasted my chicken, but you could cook it in chicken broth or even use a rotisserie chicken. The great thing about this recipe (besides the fact that it tastes delicious) is that it’s highly adaptable. You can increase or decrease the amount of curry and cayenne to suit your tastes. Don’t like grapes? Try adding a handful of dried fruit (I think apricots would be great) instead. I ate this as a salad over a bed of arugula and on crackers, and I enjoyed it both ways. Think of this recipe more as a jumping off point, and you can create your own chicken salad masterpiece.

Since Earth Day is this weekend, I want to share a few of our eco-friendly habits with all of you. Being green is important to us. We’ve reduced our garbage to only one bag a week because we recycle everything we can. Now that we own our own home, we’re hoping to reduce our waste even more by composting. We’ve got plans to set up a rain barrel soon, which will hopefully provide enough water for our garden. We’re also hoping to grow even more produce this year, possibly in a raised bed garden. Also, when the season is right, we try to buy local foods whenever possible. Virginia is rich with agriculture, which means we have easy access to local produce, dairy, meat, etc. There are so many small things that each of us can do to reduce our impact on the planet. Perhaps the biggest change we’ve made this year is to use cloth diapers and wipes on Clara. It’s been fantastic, and she looks darn cute with her fluffy bum. (You may have seen a few pictures of her in them if you follow me on Twitter or Instagram.) I won’t go into the details here; this is a food blog after all. But if you ever want to know about our experience, feel free to send me an email or a message on Facebook. We’re also into refurbishing old furniture and giving new life to things so that they don’t end up in a landfill. Check out this before and after of Clara’s dresser:

One easy way to make a difference is to eat less meat. Eric and I have significantly reduced our meat consumption over the past few years. We used to have meat with almost every meal, now the opposite is true. At first, our meatless meals were mostly pasta dishes, but this changed as our tastes and skills developed. We’ve got several vegetarian recipes in our repertoire now, but these burgers are my favorite. I posted a recipe for black bean burgers a couple years ago, and that was my go-to recipe until now. Those are delicious but probably work better for lunch. These burgers are thick and hearty, making them perfect for a meatless dinner. They’re moist and flavorful, just like any burger (even a meatless one!) should be. Not only are they delicious, but they’re healthy to boot! Bonus: they can be made ahead of time and cooked later. This recipe just wins all around. I made a batch of these to freeze before Clara was born, and they reheated wonderfully in the oven. I haven’t tried letting them thaw and cooking them in the skillet, but I’ll update this post if I do.

And now for a little surprise: I’m giving away a set of my favorite reusable bags from Envirosax. To enter, tell me what you’re doing to be more eco-friendly. The giveaway is now closed! Thanks to all who entered!

Instead of being brined, this chicken is actually air dried in the refrigerator. That may seem counterintuitive, but I promise you there’s a good reason for it. This chicken still has the tender, flavorful, juicy meat you’d expect from a brined chicken, but it also has something they lack – a super crispy skin. I typically remove the skin after roasting most chickens, finding it to be somewhat lacking in texture. This one, though, has a crackling skin that is almost irresistible. This is the result of several factors – a salt/baking powder rub, air drying, incisions made in the chicken to allow the fat to drain and high heat cooking. With just a little time and effort, you end up with a roast chicken that’s elegant and impressive. This would be the perfect main dish for Easter or any spring meal.

I’ve made this recipe countless times since saving it early last year, and I still haven’t gotten tired of it. It’s such a unique combination of flavors, and the fact that it’s a little spicy makes me love it even more. I craved spicy food a lot during my pregnancy, and that hasn’t changed since Clara arrived. This mac and cheese has that smoky background flavor from the roasted poblano, but it also gets kick from fresh poblano and jalapeno. A crunchy, cayenne infused panko breadcrumb topping finishes it off and adds another layer of flavor and texture. I made a double batch of this the week before Clara was born and froze half of it without the panko. I’m happy to report that it reheated beautifully, and Eric and I were beyond thankful to have a warm, comforting dinner after two days of hospital food.

Even though it’s only Monday, I know this week is going to be a crazy one. With a week to go until Baby C is due to arrive, last-minute preparations have taken over my life. I know people say you can never be truly ready for a child, but I want to be as prepared as possible. This means lots of cooking, grocery shopping, cleaning and crafting. Since Eric will be taking off two weeks once our little girl gets here, I knew I needed to find a few lunch recipes to have on hand. I didn’t want us to eat sandwiches or leftovers (assuming we have them) every day, but I was having trouble thinking of what I might want to eat. Eric suggested pasta salad, and I was sold.

The weather has been unseasonably warm around here, and this recipe immediately jumped out at me as something I would enjoy in the spring or summer. I decided to make it this week so we could give it a try before Baby C arrives, and I’m so glad I did! It made an excellent lunch, and it’s something that we can easily throw together while we’re adjusting to parenthood. I love sun-dried tomatoes and was intrigued by their use in this recipe. Not only are they chopped up and put into the salad, they’re also the base of the dressing. The dressing has a bit of kick to it thanks to the red wine vinegar and a bit of saltiness from the capers. This salad was light and refreshing and reminded me of summer. I made a few changes to the recipe to suit our personal tastes. Since neither of us are big fans of olives, I omitted them completely. I added a shallot and slightly increased the amount of pasta. One thing we both noticed while eating this was that there was a lot of cheese and tomatoes and not that much pasta. I think adding a little more really helped balance out the salad, and I’ve reflected my changes below. Once we finish this batch, we will definitely be making another one to have when the baby arrives.

Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad
Ingredients:
For the salad:
3/4 pound fusili pasta
1 pound grape or cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
1 pound fresh mozzarella, cubed
6 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1 shallot, diced
For the dressing:
5 sun-dried tomatoes, drained
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon capers, drained
1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 cup packed basil leaves, julienned

Directions:
Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water until al dente. Drain and set aside to cool. Place the pasta in a large bowl with the tomatoes, mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes and shallot.

To make the dressing, combine the sun-dried tomatoes, vinegar, oil, garlic, capers, salt and pepper in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until combined and almost smooth. Pour the dressing over the pasta, sprinkle on Parmesan and basil and toss well.

Adapted from Pink Parsley, originally from Barefoot Contessa Family Style by Ina Garten

Eric and I don’t make seafood at home very frequently, and that’s something I really want to change. Way back when I thought I didn’t like seafood, crab was always my exception. I’ve always enjoyed crab cakes, but the few recipes I’ve tried were never quite right. Crab cakes are simple, but there are several things that can go wrong when making them. Too little binder will result in cakes that fall apart when cooked, while too much binder masks the flavor of the crab. The texture can quickly go from chunky to pasty if you overwork them, and they can fall apart during cooking if you’re not careful. Obviously the right recipe would suffer from none of these problems, and I’m happy to report that this is that recipe.

These crab cakes are exactly what crab cakes should be. They’ve got a wonderfully crisp exterior and a chunky, creamy and flavorful interior. What’s the secret to making these so perfect? First, only adding enough bread crumbs to hold the cakes together. The seasoning is minimal but is all meant to enhance the flavor of the crab. A quick stint in the refrigerator helps hold the cakes together during cooking, and a light dredging in flour ensures a well-browned crust. These come together quickly and cook even faster. Served with a side of steamed asparagus, this was an elegant and easy meal. If you’re still looking for something to make for a Valentine’s Day dinner at home, I highly recommend giving this recipe a try. You definitely won’t regret it.

For best results, use fresh or refrigerated/pasteurized crabmeat in this recipe.

Pan-Fried Crab Cakes with Homemade Tartar Sauce
Serves 4, Sauce makes about 1 cup

Ingredients:
For the crab cakes:
1 pound jumbo lump crab meat, picked over to remove cartilage and shell fragments
4 scallions, green parts only, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2-4 tablespoons plain dry bread crumbs
1 1/2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
Salt and white pepper
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Lemon wedges, for serving

For the tartar sauce:
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 shallot, minced
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and minced
2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions:
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, gently fold together crabmeat, scallions, parsley, mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons bread crumbs and Old Bay, taking care not to break up any crab lumps. Season with salt and white pepper to taste. Carefully fold in egg using a rubber spatula. If cakes don’t bind, add additional bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon at a time, until they do.

Divide mixture into four portions. Shape each into a fat, round cake, about 3 inches across and 1 1/2 inches thick. Place on prepared baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.

Meanwhile, prepare tartar sauce by combining all ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and allow to sit for at least 15 minutes to allow flavors to blend. Stir again before serving. Sauce can be refrigerated up to 1 week.

When ready to cook the crab cakes, place flour in a shallow baking dish or pie plate. Lightly dredge each cake in flour and return to baking sheet. Heat oil in a large (12-inch), nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Very carefully lay cakes in oil and cook until exteriors are crisp and browned, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and tartar sauce.

Source: The Cook’s Illustrated Cookbook

Let me start off by saying that, while this soup is supposed to have tortellini, we could only find ravioli when we made this. So you’ll notice that the pasta in my picture looks pretty big, and that’s because it is. However, this didn’t bother either of us because we were just happy to have a home cooked meal. This soup is incredibly easy – we made it without a fully functioning kitchen, if that tells you anything. The only change I made was to increase the liquid by half a cup, and this is just a personal preference because I like my soups to be a little brothier. The combination of vegetables, cannellini beans and pasta in this soup make it filling without making it heavy. It also makes excellent leftovers. All that, and it can be made in under half an hour.

Tortellini Minestrone
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 stalks of celery, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium onion, minced
5 ounces mushrooms, sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried
3 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
2 3/4 cups V8 vegetable juice
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 (9-ounce) package fresh cheese tortellini (preferably whole wheat)
1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup pesto (homemade, or if store-bought, use the refrigerated variety)
Freshly grated Parmesan, for serving

Directions:
Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, onion, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 3-5 minutes, until just softened. Add the mushrooms and continue cooking until all the vegetables have softened, 5-6 additional minutes. Add the garlic and oregano and cook about 30 seconds, until fragrant.

Pour in the broth, making sure to scrape up any browned bits. Stir in the vegetable juice and beans and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes. Add the tortellini and zucchini and continue simmering until tender, another 5-7 minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Divide among serving bowls and top each portion with a spoonful of pesto and a sprinkling of Parmesan before serving.

Source: As seen on Pink Parsley, originally from Cook’s Illustrated Soups, Stews & Chilis

This winter has been incredibly mild compared to our first two in Virginia. So far, there hasn’t even been any snow. It’s been wavering between spring-like and bitter cold outside, which has me craving comfort food more than ever. When it’s cold, I have a tendency to turn to cream based soups. I’m so glad I decided to make this one instead because it turned out to be exactly what I wanted. It’s rich and hearty without being heavy. Served with a piece of crusty baguette, this simple and unassuming meal was one of the best I’ve had in a while.

This recipe was written as a vegetarian one, but I couldn’t resist adding some andouille sausage to it. We’ve actually had mostly meatless meals lately, and I thought it would be nice to add something a little spicy to this soup. (Spicy foods are one of my few pregnancy cravings and meat has been my only aversion.) However, you can easily omit it without sacrificing any flavor for a vegetarian option. The smoked paprika in this adds a lot of flavor, and that smokiness is enhanced by the sausage. I had originally planned to make this with chorizo, but the andouille worked nicely. I hadn’t yet used lentils in soup and wasn’t sure how well they’d hold up, but their texture was perfect – just tender and not mushy at all. We really enjoyed the different textures from the beans, lentils and tomatoes. Because I was concerned about over blending, I think I may have under blended just a little. Either way, this soup was a big hit and has made for awesome leftovers this week.

Lentil and Black Bean with Andouille Sausage
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 ounces (2 links) Andouille sausage, halved lengthwise then cut crosswise into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 large onion, chopped
2 large stalks celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 bay leaves
1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes
1 cup dried brown lentils
4 3/4 cup low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth, divided
3 cups water
1 can (14 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook for about 8 minutes, until well browned. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Add more oil to the pot if needed and then add the onion and celery. Cook until the vegetables begin to soften, 6-7 minutes. Add garlic, paprika and bay leaves and cook for about 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add tomatoes and their juices, lentils, 3 cups of chicken broth and 3 cups of water. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender, 25-35 minutes.

Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Discard the bay leaves. Transfer half the mixture to a blender or food processor, along with half the black beans and 3/4 cup chicken broth. Pulse until combined but not pureed. Add mixture back to pot, along with remaining black beans and 1 cup chicken broth. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Stir in sausage and cook soup over medium heat until warmed through. Stir in parsley and serve.

Source: Adapted from Cookin’ Canuck

I spent the better part of last weekend in a scarf and pea coat. I have no idea what happened to fall, but it got really cold here out of nowhere. For me, that means one thing – soup, and lots of it. I remember when Eric and I still lived in Orlando and we rarely made soup. It was a big deal for us to get soup weather down there, but now we make it all the time. I was somewhat hesitant to suggest this soup to Eric, only because I wasn’t sure how he’d feel about cauliflower being the main ingredient. He doesn’t hate it, but it’s certainly not his favorite vegetable. Thankfully, he was all for giving it a try.

Please don’t run away from this post because you think you don’t like cauliflower. It tastes completely different when it’s used in a soup like this. Plus, it’s roasted before being added to the soup, which gives it so much more flavor. Not to mention, there’s an entire head of roasted garlic in this too, and it’s hard to beat anything made with that much garlic. This soup is reminiscent of a velvety, rich potato soup, in both texture and flavor. In fact, I think you would be hard pressed to identify the cauliflower in this soup if you didn’t know it was there. This soup is earthy, hearty and perfect for a chilly night.

I tend to like my soups with some texture and not perfectly smooth. As such, I used an immersion blender to blend this to the consistency I wanted. You can certainly use a blender to get that incredibly smooth texture if you want. To make this vegetarian, simply omit the bacon and substitute 1 tablespoon of butter or oil for the bacon grease.

Roasted Garlic and Cauliflower Soup
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
1 whole head cauliflower
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large whole head garlic
3 ounces bacon
1 1/2 stalks celery, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon flour
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup water
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth, plus up to 2 more as needed for desired consistency
1 dried bay leaf
2 teaspoons fresh minced parsley
1/3 cup half and half
Olive oil or white truffle oil, for serving (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400ºF. Cut cauliflower into florets and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Cut off the top of the head of the garlic and place on a sheet of foil. Drizzle with olive oil and wrap tightly. Place on baking sheet with cauliflower. Roast for about 20 minutes, or until cauliflower is golden and tender. Continue roasting garlic an additional 5-10 minutes, or until caramelized and fragrant. Once garlic is cool, press out of skins and set aside.

Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Once crisp, remove to a paper towel lined plate. Let cool and crumble. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of bacon grease and return to heat. Add the onion, celery and carrot and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes. Stir in the spices and flour and continue cooking for 2 minutes.

Whisk in the wine and water, making sure to scrape up any browned bits that may have formed on the bottom of the pot. Add the broth, bay leaf and garlic. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the cauliflower and continue cooking 5 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf. Working in batches, purée the soup in a blender until your desired consistency is reached. Add additional broth as needed. Return to pot and set over medium-low heat. Stir in half and half and parsley and cook until warmed through. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with a drizzle of olive or white truffle oil, if desired, and top with the crumbled bacon.

Source: Adapted from GoodLife Eats

Annie and I didn’t plan in advance what meals we’d make while I was there, though a certain dessert (which you’ll see Friday) was on our list. She actually had this recipe on her menu plan for the prior week but wasn’t able to make it. When I saw it on the menu board in her kitchen, I told her how awesome it sounded. We decided to make it for dinner the following night, and that was a very good decision. Perhaps my favorite part of cooking this dinner was how excited Andrew got when he found out it would be cooked on the grill.

This burger is, without a doubt, a bacon lover’s burger. Not only is there bacon in the jam, but bacon is also cooked right into the burger. The jam is the perfect balance of sweet and savory. I love caramelized onions, and adding bacon and balsamic to them makes them completely irresistible. The burgers are incredibly juicy and are almost sinful when topped with the jam. Since I obviously couldn’t bring home a burger to Eric, I will definitely be making these soon so that he can experience their awesomeness.

Bacon Burgers with Bacon-Onion-Balsamic Jam
Serves 4

Ingredients:
For the jam:
4 thick slices applewood-smoked bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch strips
1 large red onion, halved and thinly sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/3 cup water

For the burgers:
2 thick slices applewood-smoked bacon
1-1/2 pounds ground beef (85% lean)
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 hamburger buns, split
Sliced Gruyere cheese, optional

Directions:
Cook the bacon in a large skillet set over medium heat until lightly browned but not crisp, about 8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to paper towels to drain. Discard all but about 2 tablespoons of oil from the skillet.

Add the onion to the skillet, season with salt and pepper to taste, cover and cook for 2 minutes. Uncover and add a splash of water, then scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Cover and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in the vinegar, mustard and water. Return the bacon to the skillet and simmer until the liquid has thickened and most of it has been absorbed, 2-4 minutes. Transfer the jam to a small bowl, let cool slightly and cover with plastic wrap. The jam can be left at room temperature or refrigerated for up to 2 days. If refrigerated, gently reheat before serving.

To make the burgers, mince the bacon. Transfer to a large bowl, and add the beef, Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Gently combine until well mixed but not overworked. Form into 4 equal patties, each about 3/4 to 1-inch thick. Using your thumb, make a deep depression in the center of each payy to prevent them from swelling during cooking.

Heat a gas or charcoal grill to medium-high heat (400º to 450º). Grill the burgers over direct heat until grill marks form, 4-5 minutes. Flip and continue cooking an additional 4 minutes for medium doneness. For more well done burgers, cook an additional minute. As the burgers are finishing up, add cheese if desired. Transfer to a plate and tent with aluminum foil. Toast the buns on the grill for about 1 minute. Top each burger with about 1/4 cup of jam and serve immediately.

Source: Fine Cooking, July 2011

Chicken noodle soup is something I never considered making until I first saw this recipe on my friend Tara’s blog last year. I hated this type of soup as a child, but that can most certainly be blamed on the fact that I never had a homemade version until I made this one a few days ago. Eric and I have both been mildly sick for the past week, and this soup was exactly what we needed to feel better.

This soup is a far cry from the canned variety. It has everything the canned kind lacks – flavor, color, freshness, texture. Since it was unseasonably cool in Virginia last weekend, this meal turned out to be just the comfort food we were looking for. Even with store bought chicken stock this soup still had an enormous amount of flavor, which is pretty crazy considering its total cooking time is less than half an hour. I can’t wait to try it again with homemade stock, and I know we’ll be making this several more times once winter hits. With minimal ingredients and time, this soup is perfect for a busy weeknight (or, you know, a weekend night where you want nothing more than to snuggle under the blanket on the couch and watch How I Met Your Mother).

Classic Chicken Noodle Soup
Serves 4

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 stalks celery, medium-diced (1 cup)
3 carrots, medium-diced (1 cup)
3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 quarts chicken stock
2 cups wide egg noodles
2-3 cups cooked shredded chicken
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions:
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the celery, carrots, salt and pepper and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Pour in the stock and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the noodles and cook for 10 minutes, then add the chicken and parsley. Continue cooking until the chicken is heated through and serve immediately.

As seen on Smells Like Home, originally from Barefoot Contessa Family Style by Ina Garten

Pad Thai, until recently, was something I never considered making at home. The seemingly long ingredient list, coupled with my fear of not being able to recreate the dish I’m used to, kept me from cooking it for a long time. However, when I was browsing through the cookbook my friend Andrew got me for my birthday and found a recipe for Pad Thai, I knew it was only a matter of time before I tackled it at home. Last weekend, I told Eric that we couldn’t put it off any longer. After a trip to the Asian market (along with a couple texts to our friends Katy and Juli) and a small amount of our Saturday afternoon, we had a delicious dinner that we didn’t need to go out for.

Pad Thai is actually quite simple to make. All the prep work is done while the noodles are soaking, and the cooking process moves pretty quickly once it starts. That’s why it’s so important with this recipe to have everything in place before you start cooking. As far as flavor goes, we were blown away. The noodles, which can sometimes be sticky, were perfectly tender. The salty, spicy sauce was light and flavorful and just coated the noodles. The soft eggs, crunchy peanuts and crisp green onions all add texture to the final product. I’ll come right out and say that I changed the authenticity of this dish by substituting chicken for shrimp. If you prefer the shrimp version, simply substitute 12 ounces of peeled and deveined shrimp in place of the chicken.

Pad Thai
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon tamarind concentrate*
2/3 cup hot water
3 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
8 ounces dried rice noodles about 1/8-inch wide
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 chicken breasts, 12-16 ounces total
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium shallot, minced
6 tablespoons chopped unsalted roasted peanuts
3 cups (6 ounces) bean sprouts
5 green onions, green parts only, sliced thin on a sharp bias
Lime wedges, for serving (optional)

Directions:
In a small bowl, dissolve tamarind concentrate in hot water. Stir in fish sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, cayenne and 2 tablespoons of oil and set aside. Place noodles in a large bowl and cover with hot water. Soak until softened and pliable but not completely tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and set aside. Whisk together eggs and 1/8 teaspoon of salt in a small bowl and set aside.

Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper and cut into bite-size pieces. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over high heat for about 2 minutes, or until just beginning to smoke. Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes or until cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Off heat, add the remaining tablespoon of oil to skillet and swirl to coat. Add garlic and shallot and return pan to medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes or until light golden brown. Add eggs and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until scrambled, about 20 seconds. Add noodles and toss to combine. Pour the tamarind mixture over the noodles and increase heat to high. Cook, tossing constantly, until the noodles are evenly coated with the sauce. Add 1/4 cup of peanuts, bean sprouts, chicken and all but 1/4 cup of green onions to the noodles. Continue tossing until well combined and noodles are tender, 2-3 minutes. If noodles are not yet tender, add 2 tablespoons of water to skillet and continue cooking.

Transfer to serving dishes and sprinkle with remaining green onions and peanuts. Serve with lime wedges, if desired.

*Tamarind concentrate can be found in Asian grocery stores. If you are unable to find it, substitute 1/3 cup of lime juice and 1/3 cup of water in place of the tamarind concentrate and light brown sugar in place of the granulated sugar. Do not serve this version with lime wedges.

Adapted from: The New Best Recipe

My cast iron skillet is one of my most used kitchen tools. Eric’s mom gave it to me a couple years ago, and I imagine I’ll be giving it to my son or daughter some day. They last forever, and no kitchen is complete without one. This one has served me well in the time I’ve had it, and some of my favorite recipes have been made in it. This one, which Eric and I have made several times now, can certainly be added to that list of favorites. The marinade only requires one ingredient, and chances are we have everything we need to make this at any given time.

These tacos are so simple to make that we spend more time making the homemade chips and salsa than we do cooking this meal. The tacos are smoky and spicy, but the goat cheese helps to tone down the heat just a bit. And while caramelized onions aren’t something I think of as typically going with tacos, they are the perfect accompaniment to these. My only minor complaint with this recipe is that my eyes water like crazy when we’re cooking the steak. A steak covered in chipotles and then placed in a hot skillet is certain to smoke, so just be aware of that and open the windows before you start cooking. This steak is incredibly flavorful on its own, but Eric and I still like to add some chipotle and tomatillo salsa just to up the flavor (and heat).

Chipotle Steak Tacos with Caramelized Onions
Serves 4

Ingredients:
4-5 chipotles in adobo
1 pound skirt or flank steak
3 tablespoons canola, divided
2 medium onions, sliced 1/4-inch thick
12 warm corn tortillas
sea salt
goat cheese
salsa for serving, optional

Directions:
Puree the chipotles in a small food processor until smooth. Rub each side of the steak with the chipotles and marinate in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours or on the counter for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to the lowest setting (or a warm setting, if you have one). In a large skillet, preferably cast iron, heat two tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until golden but not completely caramelized, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a heat proof bowl and keep in the oven until ready to serve.

Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet and return to medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, place the steak in the skillet and cook to your desired doneness, about 3 minutes per side for medium-rare skirt steak and 5 minutes per side for medium-rare flank steak. Remove from skillet and allow the meat to rest for at least 5 minutes. Slice against the grain and toss with the onions. Taste for seasoning and add salt if needed. Serve with the warmed tortillas, goat cheese and salsa.

As seen on Elly Says Opa, originally from Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless

Eric and I enjoy steak, but it’s not something we cook on a regular basis. After trying this recipe, however, that might change. You know how sometimes you’ll stumble across a recipe that is completely perfect? This was that kind of recipe for us. With minimal ingredients and effort, we had a fancy(ish) steakhouse dinner without leaving home.

This recipe starts with an inexpensive cut of meat, top butt. You may think that, in order to have restaurant-worthy steak, an expensive cut is required. I thought that until trying this recipe. Sure, it’s one thing to use a lesser cut if the steak is being marinated for fajitas. It’s another thing altogether when the steak is being pan seared and topped with pan sauce. I had my doubts that this recipe would result in a tender, flavorful steak, but I should’ve known better than to doubt the people at Cook’s Illustrated. This meal exceeded my expectations, and I foresee my red meat intake increasing in the near future as I try different sauces using this technique. The mustard cream sauce was my favorite part of this recipe, and it dressed up the steak nicely. The shallot and mustard gave the sauce a little kick that was balanced out but not suffocated by the cream. It’s what truly made this feel like a dinner out instead of a quick weeknight dinner.

Cook’s Illustrated has a wonderful primer on steaks and mentions that this type of steak is also known as boneless shell sirloin, butt steak, top sirloin butt, top sirloin steak and center-cut roast. Additionally, the flap meat steak can also be found as top sirloin tips, beef sirloin tips, sirloin tip steak and sirloin flap meat for tips. Just remember to keep an eye out for various names since they can vary by region and market.

Pan Seared Steak with Mustard Cream Sauce
Serves 2

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 boneless shell sirloin steak (top butt) or whole flap meat steak, about 1 pound and 1 1/4 inches thick
1 small shallot, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
1 1/2 tablespoons dry white wine
1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 1/2 tablespoons whole-grain Dijon mustard or coarse brown mustard

Directions:
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season both sides of the steak with salt and pepper, then place in skillet. Cook, without moving, until well browned, about 2 minutes. Using tongs, flip steak. Reduce heat to medium and continue cooking until well browned on the second side. For medium-rare, cook for about 5 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 125º. For medium, cook for about 6 minutes or until steak reaches 130º.

Remove steak from skillet and place on a large plate or cutting board. Tent loosely with foil and allow to rest until the temperature reaches 130º for medium-rare and 135º for medium, anywhere from 12 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the skillet. Return to low heat and add shallot. Cook, stirring frequently, until the shallot begins to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add wine and increase heat to medium-high. Simmer rapidly for about 30 seconds and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits that may have formed on the bottom of the skillet. Add broth and simmer until reduced to 2 tablespoons, about 3 minutes. Add cream and any juices from the resting steak. Continue cooking for about a minute, then stir in mustard. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Using a sharp knife, slice steak about 1/4 inch thick against the grain on the bias. Arrange on two plates, spoon sauce over the top and serve immediately.

Source: Cook’s Illustrated, September/October 2005

In learning to like fish, I discovered that the crusted variety was my favorite. Panko is always a good way to go, and now I’ve got a new one to add to the mix – sesame seeds. They get toasted while the salmon cooks and add so much flavor and crunch. To complement the salmon, an Asian flavored sauce is served underneath it. The sauce is savory-sweet, with a little punch from the fresh ginger and garlic. While you might be tempted to pour the sauce over the top, serving it beneath the salmon ensures that the crust stays crisp. We served this dish with some type of thin Japanese noodles, but I think we’ll opt for rice the next time around. We also made oven roasted broccoli that went well with the fish and cooked in about the same amount of time. The salmon doesn’t take long to prepare, but it looks quite impressive when done. Now that my dislike of seafood is something of the past, I’m sure we’ll be making this one again soon.

Sesame Crusted Salmon
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons mirin
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons water
1 egg white
4 salmon fillets, about 8 ounces each
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup cooking oil

Directions:
In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, mirin, broth, sugar, ginger and garlic. In another small bowl, dissolve the 2 teaspoons of cornstarch in the water.

Whisk together the egg white and remaining 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, and brush the skinless side of the salmon with the mixture. Dip in sesame seeds and gently press to coat. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, place the salmon in, sesame seed side down, and cook for about 5 minutes or until golden brown. Turn and continue cooking an additional 3 minutes (for a 1-inch thick fillet) and remove from skillet.

Pour off any oil remaining in the skillet and reduce the heat to medium. Add the soy sauce mixture and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Whisk in the cornstarch-water mixture and continue cooking until sauce has thickened, about 1 additional minute. Serve the sauce alongside or underneath the salmon.

Barely adapted from Food & Wine

In case you haven’t noticed, I really like tomatoes. I dread when summer ends and tomatoes are no longer in season. Luckily, there’s still some time left before that happens, and I plan on taking advantage of local, in-season tomatoes as long as I can. I have a few favorite recipes that use tomatoes, but I was beyond excited when I saw this one in July’s Bon Appétit. With cherry tomatoes and fresh herbs, it’s hard to go wrong.

This simple dinner looks incredibly stunning and tastes even better. The tomatoes, oregano and butter create a luscious pan sauce that is hard to resist. Eric and I enjoyed it so much that we even put some on top of the garlic rice pilaf we served with this. The chicken, even without the sauce, was incredibly flavorful, thanks to a technique we picked up from the insanely smart people at Cook’s Illustrated. Instead of just searing the chicken as the recipe called for, we coated it in a small amount of flour. Not only does the flour help create a wonderfully crisp crust, it also helps keep moisture inside, creating a chicken breast that’s nicely browned outside and perfectly juicy inside. I have reflected our changes below. If you’re looking for a way to dress up weeknight chicken, this is a great way to do so.

Chicken with Tomato Herb Pan Sauce
Serves 2

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 cups cherry tomatoes (11-12 ounces)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Directions:
In a small bowl, mix together the butter, garlic, oregano and paprika. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.

Preheat oven to lowest possible temperature. Season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Measure the flour onto a plate. Working with one breast at a time, press both sides into the flour. Shake gently to remove excess flour and repeat with remaining breast.

Melt 1 tablespoon of the oregano butter with the 2 teaspoons of oil in a large skillet set over high heat. Reduce to medium-high when the butter stops foaming. Lay the chicken breasts in the skillet and sauté until browned on one side, about 4 minutes. Flip and continue cooking 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a small pan or oven-safe plate and keep warm while preparing sauce.

Increase heat to high and add tomatoes to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to char and burst, about 5 minutes. Add remaining butter. Crush tomatoes slightly to release their juices and continue stirring until butter has melted. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the bottom of the skillet to loosen the browned bits. Remove chicken from oven and add any juices that may have accumulated. Slice chicken and top with tomato sauce. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve.

Recipe adapted from Bon Appétit, July 2011, chicken method from The Cook’s Illustrated Complete Book of Poultry

In season tomatoes are something to truly be savored. Their season is fleeting and is usually gone before I know it, which is all the more reason to enjoy them when they’re at their peak. I’m usually fine making tomato sauce from canned tomatoes, but I can’t bring myself to do that during summer when so many varieties of fresh tomatoes are available from local farmers. This part of Virginia is known for Hanover tomatoes, and there are signs at the farmers market announcing their arrival as soon as they become available. Not being a native Virginian, I have no idea where the tomatoes originated. I can tell you, however, that they make darn fine tomato sauce.

The beauty of this tomato sauce lies in its simplicity. A few ingredients come together to create phenomenal flavor. The original recipe didn’t use garlic or onion, but apparently I’m incapable of making pasta sauce without it (for proof, see my Vodka Pasta post). In addition to the garlic, onion and tomatoes, the only other thing we use in this sauce is fresh basil. We’ve used this tomato sauce for lasagna, stuffed shells and spaghetti, and it makes all of them shine. You really can’t beat the flavor of fresh, in season (and local, to boot) tomatoes, and this sauce really lets that flavor through.

Fresh Tomato Sauce
Makes about 1 quart

4 pounds ripe tomatoes, cored
Small yellow onion, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Prepare an ice bath and place near the stove. Using a paring knife, cut a shallow x onto the bottom of each tomato. Carefully add the tomatoes to the boiling water and cook until the skins split, 15 to 20 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, remove the tomatoes and place immediately into the ice bath. When they have cooled completely, removed the skins and discard.

Quarter the tomatoes. Set a fine mesh sieve over a bowl and squeeze the seeds and juice into it. Once all the tomatoes have been squeezed, press on the seeds to extract as much tomato juice as possible. Chop the tomatoes and set aside.

Heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and continue cooking until fragrant, about a minute more. Stir in tomatoes and their juices. Cook until sauce reaches a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Add salt and pepper as needed, then stir in the basil. Serve with your favorite pasta.

Note: I haven’t tried freezing this on its own, but I have successfully frozen it with stuffed shells. I think it would be fine to freeze, especially if you want to savor that fresh tomato flavor during winter. If I try it soon, I’ll edit this post with details.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma

When Eric and I first met, I was an all white meat chicken kind of girl. Thankfully, I outgrew that phase and have since embraced something other than boneless, skinless chicken breasts. This is the first recipe I’ve made using chicken thighs, and I have to tell you: I’m sold. Eric has long loved them, so he’s pretty happy that I’ve reached the same conclusion. Thigh meat is so incredibly flavorful and tender. I’m not sure why I didn’t cook with it sooner, but I clearly should’ve listened to my friend Elly, who has mentioned several times her love of chicken thighs.

This recipe is a nicer version of standard takeout fare, but I promise you won’t be getting takeout anytime soon with this recipe in your arsenal. I know there’s probably nothing authentic about this dish, and I’m okay with that because it tastes fantastic. And while I certainly wouldn’t call it healthy, it’s definitely healthier than its takeout counterpart. Instead of being deep fried, the chicken is coated in a cornstarch mixture before being pan fried (similar to one I posted last year, but much tastier). The chicken gets crispy on the outside and stays tender and moist on the inside. Overall, the dish has a sweet-spicy flavor, with a punch of freshness from the ginger. If you like things spicier, you can always add extra Sriracha. We followed the recipe and paired this with rice and steamed broccoli, but I think it would also be fantastic with carrots or sugar snap peas mixed in.

Looking for more takeout fakeouts? Here are a few of my favorites:
Cashew Chicken Stir Fry
Vegetable Fried Rice
Sesame Chicken

General Tso’s Chicken
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 large egg white
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 pound skinless boneless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon Chinese chile-garlic sauce
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for frying
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
2 large garlic cloves, minced
4 green onions, thinly sliced
Steamed broccoli and white rice, for serving

Directions:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the sesame oil, egg white, 1 tablespoon soy sauce and all but 1 tablespoon of the cornstarch. Add chicken and toss to coat. Let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together chicken broth, chile-garlic sauce, sugar, remaining soy sauce and cornstarch. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a saucepan over high heat and add the ginger and garlic. Cook until fragrant, about a minute. Whisk the broth mixture, then add it to the pan. Cook about 3 minutes, or until the sauce is thick and glossy. Reduce heat to low to keep sauce warm.

In a large, deep skillet, heat 1/2 inch of oil over high heat until shimmering. Add the chicken carefully, one piece at a time. Cook chicken, turning once or twice until very browned and crisp, about 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels, then add to sauce. Stir in green onions. Serve immediately with broccoli and rice.

Slightly adapted from Food and Wine, May 2011

If you were to ask me what I love most about summer, my answer would most definitely be grilling (or more specifically, grilled food). I love the carefree feeling that comes with summer weekends – cooking out with friends, enjoying drinks, playing games in the backyard. Summer is so leisurely and no-fuss, and I love that about it. While I’m always up for standard cookout fare, sometimes it’s fun to dress things up a bit. This burger does that but still maintains that laid-back summer feeling.

Eric and I both love poblano peppers, so I was pretty excited when I stumbled across this recipe in a stack of cooking magazines my friend Jackie gave me. What’s not to love about hamburgers that incorporate poblanos and chipotles? These burgers are slightly more involved than regular ones, but the payoff is well worth it. This recipe uses ground sirloin, which many people would consider to be too lean to make decent burgers. However, these are some the juiciest and most succulent burgers I’ve ever had. The secret is something that may surprise you – bread. If you’ve ever made meatballs, you may be familiar with the term panade, which is basically a paste made of bread and milk. That mixture is what keeps these burgers tender and moist and is the reason you can use a leaner cut of meat. The burgers are full of flavor from the roasted poblanos and spices, but the chipotle cream turns them into something magical. It is a bit spicy, but it complements the burgers so well. Eric and I made these for ourselves this time, but we’ll definitely be making these for friends next time we have a cookout.

If you’re only making two of these, the uncooked patties freeze well and just need to be thawed in the refrigerator before being grilled.

Spicy Poblano Burgers with Chipotle Cream
Serves 4

Ingredients:
2 poblano peppers
1 tablespoon skim milk
1 slice white bread, crusts removed, and torn into 1/2-inch pieces
3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro, divided
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound ground sirloin
1/2 cup light sour cream
1 tablespoon minced shallots
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1 chipotle chile, finely chopped
2 teaspoons adobo sauce
Cooking spray
4 hamburger buns, toasted on the grill
Lettuce, onions, etc. for serving

Directions:
Preheat broiler to high. Place poblanos on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil about 8 minutes, turning occasionally, until blackened. Place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Alternately, place in a plastic bag and seal. Let stand for 15 minutes. Remove skin and discard seeds and ribs. Finely chop peepers and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine milk and bread pieces. Mash with a fork until a smooth paste is formed. Add poblanos, half of cilantro, cumin, coriander, paprika, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and pepper and beef. Gently toss to combine, taking care not to overwork the meat. Divide into 4 equal portions and shape into a 1/2-inch thick patty. Press gently in the center of each to form a small indention. Cover and refrigerate until ready to grill.

Preheat grill to medium-high heat or prepare coals. Meanwhile, make chipotle cream by combining the sour cream with the remaining cilantro, salt and pepper. Stir in shallots, lime juice, chipotle and adobo sauce. Set aside.

Coat the grill rack with cooking spray and place the patties on top. Grill for 3 minutes or until grill marks appear. Turn and continue cooking an additional 3 minutes or until burgers reach desired stage of doneness. Serve with chipotle cream sauce, lettuce and any other desired toppings.

Source: Cooking Light, July 2010

Corn is one of my favorite vegetables, and I buy it pretty much every week throughout summer. I savor the abundance of corn at the farmers market every weekend and dread the day when it’s no longer in season. The thing is, though, I rarely use corn as anything other than a side dish. I love grilled corn on the cob, and there are so many ways to change it up (read: compound butters), but I really wanted to showcase corn as a main course. I’ve only got one other recipe on my blog that does this, which is unacceptable for someone who loves corn the way I do.

This recipe is one of those ambiguous ones that could work for breakfast/brunch, lunch or dinner. The recommended side was deli ham crisped under a broiler. I don’t really like ham and wanted something more substantial than that anyway. Luckily for me, Eric whipped up a batch of bacon and white balsamic vinaigrette, which he tossed with baby arugula, red onion, goat cheese and bacon. It was pretty fantastic, and I liked the play on breakfast by incorporating bacon into the salad and dressing. The salad was perfect with the corn cakes, which turned out much better than I expected. I wasn’t sure how flavorful they’d be, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed them. The corn really shines, which is exactly what I wanted. The zucchini adds a pop of color and an extra dimension of flavor and texture. I especially liked that there was just enough batter to hold the cakes together. The outside was browned and crunchy, and the corn kernels retained their pop. The tangy goat cheese added a nice contrast to the sweet corn and really helped tie the whole meal together. I don’t normally think of corn cakes and a tossed salad as elegant, but this was definitely close.

Corn Cakes with Goat Cheese
Serves 2

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups corn kernels (from 2 ears corn)
1/2 cup diced zucchini (about half of a small zucchini)
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 green onion, very thinly sliced
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons cornmeal
Goat cheese, crumbled, for serving

Directions:
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet set over medium heat. Add the corn and zucchini and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the vegetables are slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and allow to cool for 5 minutes before mixing in the green onion, egg and cornmeal.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Using a 1/4 cup measure, scoop mixture into skillet. Cook for about 3 minutes, until the bottom is nicely browned. Flip and continue cooking an additional 2-3 minutes until cakes are completely cooked through. Transfer to a plate and sprinkle with goat cheese. Serve immediately.

Adapted from Everyday Food, May 2010

I haven’t always been a fan of shrimp. In the not so distant past, I didn’t like them at all. However, they’ve really grown on me (thanks to Eric, who really likes shrimp and is the only reason I kept trying them). I should’ve realized sooner that grilling them would do the trick for me because I will eat almost anything if it’s grilled. I first served these at my 24×24 party in January, and they disappeared quickly. I suspect that, now that the weather is more suited for grilling, we’ll be making these several more times throughout the summer.

The glaze is what makes these shrimp so delicious. With dark rum and brown sugar, how could it not? I was a little concerned that the cinnamon and cloves wouldn’t go well with the shrimp, but I loved the earthy flavor they provided. Grilling the shrimp over high heat allows the glaze to caramelize, which boosts the flavor and brings out the glaze’s sweetness. You can definitely taste the rum, but it’s not overpowering. Rather, it works in combination with the other ingredeients to give this dish lots of flavor and some Caribbean flair. Though you can’t really tell from the photos, the shrimp are skewered with sugar cane. I found the sugar cane swizzle sticks, oddly enough, in the produce department of my local store. The sugar cane does add some sweetness to the shrimp, but regular skewers will work just fine.

Rum Glazed Shrimp
Serves 6 to 8 as an appetizer

Ingredients:
For the marinade:
24 jumbo shrimp (1 to 1 1/2 pounds), shelled and deveined
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon or lime juice
1 garlic clove, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the glaze:
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup dark rum
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Pinch of salt
1 package sugar cane swizzle sticks (optional)
Vegetable oil, for the grill

Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the oil, lemon juice, garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Add the shrimp and toss to coat. Allow to sit for 15 minutes while preparing the glaze.

In a medium saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter, rum, mustard, vinegar, cinnamon, cloves, pepper and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium. Simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally, until thick and syrupy, 5 to 8 minutes. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. Remove from heat and set aside. Cut the sugar cane crosswise on the diagonal into 5-inch sections, then halve each section lengthwise. You can prepare the recipe several hours in advance up to this step.

Set up your grill for direct grilling. Using a bamboo skewer, make two starter holes in each shrimp. Skewer the shrimp with the sugar cane. Brush the grill grate with oil. Grill the shrimp until cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side, generously basting with the glaze. Serve additional glaze alongside.

Adapted from Steve Raichlen via Food and Wine

Eric and I love pasta so much that we usually have it once a week. Out of all the recipes I have saved (which is a ridiculously high amount, by the way), pasta recipes appear the most. You’d think, with all those saved recipes, that I would be trying a new pasta dish each week. Sometimes that’s true, but lately I can only think about this pasta. It’s easily become my favorite, and I’m tempted to put it on the menu week after week.

It’s kind of funny how this recipe evolved. The changes started out pretty innocently and ended up turning this recipe into something different, and I think better, than the original. The addition of just a few ingredients really transformed this recipe. It started with me adding garlic. If something can be made with garlic, you can bet that I’ll put garlic in it. Eric and I love garlic so much that we use the full amount called for even when we halve recipes. The next time we made this, we had a can of crushed tomatoes that I thought would be really good in the sauce. I loved the addition of the tomatoes and continued using them. Then another time we had half of a yellow onion, and I couldn’t resist adding it. I love the smell of garlic and onion cooking in melted butter, and I’m not sure why I didn’t think to add the onion sooner.

This sauce is rich, creamy and full of tomato flavor. I like the added texture provided by the onion and tomatoes and actually think the sauce was a little boring without them. The basil provides a nice boost of freshness, which is nice with heavier sauces. While you can’t taste the vodka, I’ve read that vodka enhances the flavor of the tomatoes, making the flavor more intense than it would be without the alcohol. My favorite way to serve this is with crusty garlic bread, which happens to be the perfect vessel for eating leftover sauce. :)

Vodka Pasta
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
medium yellow onion, diced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup vodka
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 cup heavy cream
Generous pinch of red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons slivered fresh basil, plus additional for serving
1 pound penne pasta
1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus additional for serving

Directions:
Cook pasta in well salted water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of cooking water, drain pasta and set aside.

While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and continue cooking until fragrant, about a minute more. Stir in tomatoes and their juices. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium and stir in the tomato paste and vodka. Cook until most of the alcohol has evaporated, at least 5 minutes. Stir in cream, red pepper flakes and salt. Bring to a a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cook sauce until thickened, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Stir in basil and cheese.

Add pasta to skillet and toss to coat, adding pasta water as needed to thin the sauce. Serve topped with additional basil and Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Heavily adapted from Williams-Sonoma

Now that spring is finally here, I find myself craving bright, fruity flavors. Although lemons are available year round, their sunny color just screams spring to me. I’ve been on quite the lemon kick lately. I recently made lemon poppy seed muffins for a guest post over at Beantown Baker, and I’m planning on making a different type of lemon muffin this weekend. However, I wanted to make something other than muffins and was on the search for a savory lemon recipe when I found this one. It’s easy enough for a hectic weeknight, and its lemony flavor and lack of a heavy sauce make it perfect for spring.

I’ve said this before, but it’s worth repeating. It never ceases to amaze me that just a few simple ingredients can turn into something so satisfying. This pasta is a wonderful example of that, and it has easily become one of our favorite meals. Not only is this pasta bright and fruity, it’s also light and refreshing. The sauce is creamy, but it’s definitely not a cream sauce. Rather, the cream helps reduce some of the tartness of the lemon while enhancing the flavors of the olive oil. The flavors of the lemon and olive oil come through the most, but the nutty Parmesan and fresh basil add a lovely touch to the finished dish. Eric was excited when we topped the plated pasta with a drizzle olive oil, saying it was “very Jamie Oliver” of us. Served with a side of garlic bread and a glass of white wine, this dish is the epitome of my ideal spring meal.

Spaghetti with Lemon and Olive Oil (al Limone)
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:
Salt
1 pound spaghetti
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
1 medium shallot, minced (about 3 tablespoons)
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons finely grated zest and 1/4 cup juice from 3 lemons
1 ounce finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 1/2 cup), plus more for serving
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons shredded basil leaves

Directions:
In a large Dutch oven, bring 4 quarts of water to boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta to water. Cook, stirring frequently, until pasta is al dente. Reserve 1 3/4 cups of pasta water, drain pasta and set aside.

In the now-empty Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of oil. Once hot, add shallot and 1/2 teaspoon salt, cooking until shallot has softened, about 2 minutes. Whisk in 1 1/2 cups of the reserved pasta water and cream. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add pasta, tossing to coat. Stir in remaining 3 tablespoons of oil, lemon zest and juice, cheese and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.

Cover and allow pasta to stand for about 2 minutes, tossing halfway through, so that the sauce can thicken and pasta can absorb the sauce. If needed, add the remaining 1/4 cup of pasta water to adjust the consistency of the sauce. Stir in basil and add salt and pepper to taste. To serve, drizzle each individual portion with olive oil and sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese.

Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated, January/February 2011

We order Caesar salad frequently at restaurants, so it was only a matter of time before we tried making it at home. I actually can’t believe it took us this long, but we’ve made up for it since finding this recipe. Hands down, my favorite part of this dressing is the garlic. It’s toned down some from being grated and steeped in lemon juice, but it still has that garlicky punch that I so love. The anchovies add a savory, salty flavor to the dressing. They’re minced to a paste before being mixed into the dressing, so you don’t have to worry about having a big piece of fish in your salad. Please don’t be turned off by the inclusion of anchovies because they add so much flavor to this dressing, and it would certainly be lacking without them. (Also, check out this article about them from NPR; you may change your mind.) One aspect of this recipe that I found especially interesting was the use of two oils. Canola oil is used to cut through the fruitiness of the extra-virgin olive oil, and I liked that the olive oil taste wasn’t overpowering like it can be in some dressings. Finally, egg yolks are used to hold everything together and temper the strong-flavored ingredients.

A note on the croutons: I made the croutons included with this recipe, and, while they were delicious, I found them to be no better than my regular croutons. Normally, I toss crusty bread cubes with a bit of olive oil, garlic seasoning, salt and Parmesan. I bake the bread cubes at 325º for about 15 minutes, toss and continue baking until crisp.

Caesar Salad
Makes 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:
3/4 teaspoon garlic paste (from 1 large, grated clove)
2-3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
6 anchovy fillets, patted dry with paper towels, minced fine, and mashed to paste with fork (1 tablespoon)
2 large egg yolks
5 tablespoons canola oil
5 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 ounces finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 3/4 cup)
Freshly ground black pepper
2-3 romaine hearts, cut crosswise into 3/4-inch-thick slices, rinsed, and dried very well (8 to 9 lightly pressed cups)
croutons (see note above)

Directions:
In a large bowl, whisk together garlic paste and lemon juice. Allow to sit for 10 minutes. Whisk in Worcestershire, anchovies and egg yolks. In a slow, steady stream, whisk in canola and olive oils until the dressing is fully emulsified. Add 1/2 cup of Parmesan and pepper to taste, then whisk until completely combined. Add romaine and toss to coat, then gently toss in croutons. Top with remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan.

Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated, January/February 2011

You know the weather in between winter and spring? The kind that means wearing a pea coat in the morning and short sleeves in the afternoon? I hate that type of weather, and that’s exactly what we’re currently experiencing in Richmond. The days are mostly pretty, but the mornings and nights are still quite cold. I’m certainly ready for spring, but I’m taking advantage of the cool nights by making my favorite cool weather food – soup. I’m done with the heavy, rich soups of winter, but it’s not quite warm enough for the light, fresh soups of spring.

This recipe is one of those that I just knew I would enjoy. There’s not a single thing on the ingredient list that I don’t love, so adding this to the menu was a no-brainer for me. This chili isn’t the kind I’m used to having. My standby chili is rich, meaty and heavy. It’s the type of chili you eat in the middle of winter when there’s snow on the ground. I like that this one is different from regular chili because they each serve different purposes. This one is hearty, but it lacks the heaviness I normally associate with chili. Instead of meat, this one uses black beans. This chili is the kind that’s perfect for the cool nights right before the start of spring. The thing that really struck me about this chili was that I could taste every ingredient. With some, I feel like everything takes on the same flavor, but that wasn’t the case with this one. I also really liked the addition of corn, something I never thought to put in chili. I did make a couple changes. I love tomatoes in my chili, so I used an entire can of tomatoes instead of half. Since I didn’t want the chili to become too thin because of the extra tomatoes, I also added a tablespoon of tomato paste. The changes I’ve made are reflected below. Also, it’s important to make this chili with a beer you enjoy drinking because the beer flavor definitely comes through. I loved everything about this chili – spice from the chipotle, slight sweetness from the beer, heartiness from the beans and added texture from the red pepper and corn. If the cool nights last, I’ll be making this one again soon.

Black Bean Chili with Dark Ale
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 chipotle in adobo, minced
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 medium white onion, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (12 oz.) bottle dark ale
1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
salt, to taste

Directions:
Heat oil in a medium pot set over medium heat. Add chipotles and cumin and cook for 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic and continue cooking about 5 minutes, until vegetables are soft. Stir in remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Taste and add salt as needed. Reduce heat to medium-low and allow to simmer, uncovered, for 45 minutes or until thick. Top with extra bell pepper and onion if desired.

Makes 3 to 4 servings

Adapted from Vegetarian Times, March 2009

There was a time, quite a few years ago, that Eric and I ate chicken almost every night. I got so sick of it because we were making it similar ways week after week. I’ve got so many recipes saved now that chicken monotony is no longer a problem. Plus, we’ve long since moved away from eating chicken so frequently. If you’re in a chicken rut, this meal is a fantastic way to end it.

While chicken can be elegant, I don’t normally think of it as so, especially when it’s boneless skinless breasts. This dish easily changed my mind, though. Not just elegant, this dish is insanely delicious and can be made in about twenty minutes. At the risk of sounding overly effusive, this is the best meal Eric and I have eaten in a long time. The chicken tastes fine on its own, and it develops a nice crust during its short cooking time. However, the real star of this dish is the sauce, which owes its golden yellow hue and rich taste to the saffron. Combine that with tender, sweet shallots, and you’ve got a sauce that’s hard to resist. After I took these photos, I spooned some of the sauce onto my mashed potatoes and roasted asparagus. It was just that good. I’m usually wary of cream sauces on meat, but this one isn’t heavy like you might expect. The cream is added at the end, after the chicken broth is reduced, resulting in a sauce that’s neither too thick nor too thin. This sauce transforms a simple sautéed chicken breast into something magical, and I cannot wait to make this meal again.

Chicken Scallopine with Saffron Cream Sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound chicken breasts, pounded thin (You can also use chicken cutlets, which are already thin.)
3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning chicken
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning chicken
2 shallots, sliced
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions:
Heat the oil in a large skillet set over high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add to the hot oil. Cook until golden and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter and tent with foil to keep warm.

Reduce heat to medium, then add the shallots and garlic. Cook about 2 minutes, until the shallots are tender. Using a wooden spoon, deglaze the pan with the wine, making sure to scrape up any brown bits at the bottom. Cook until the wine has all but evaporated, then add the chicken broth and saffron. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes, until reduced by half. Stir in the cream, salt and pepper and continue simmering an additional minute. Pour the sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately.

4 servings

Adapted from Giada’s Kitchen by Giada de Laurentiis

Like I mentioned in my post yesterday, Eric and I have been on a bit of a soup kick lately. Due to the crazy weather we’ve had (flip flops one day, pea coat the next), I have been craving soup more than usual. I have a few favorite soups that I make when I’m feeling bad, but I wanted to try something different and was so happy when I found this recipe. Most of the potato soups I’ve had get the majority of their flavor from the bacon, cheddar and green onions on top and not the soup itself. I was intrigued by this recipe, and you know I can’t resist anything with garlic in the title.

The thing I loved about this soup is that both the garlic and potato flavors were evident. The soup uses two types of potatoes – russets and Red Bliss. The starchy russets break down, thickening the soup. The Red Bliss potatoes provide more flavor and maintain their shape so that the soup remains somewhat chunky. Three different techniques are used for the garlic in this soup – sautéing, poaching and frying. We’ve never poached garlic before, but the outcome is basically the same as roasted garlic. The poached garlic is used to create a paste to flavor the soup. The recipe instructs to add half, then additional to taste. When Eric was adding it, he said, “You want me to add all the garlic paste, right?” My response was that there was no need to even ask. :) We both love garlic that much. The fried garlic is used as a garnish for the soup and adds a crunchy texture to it. You can also use croutons or fried leeks. However you top it, this soup is rich, delicious and perfect for chilly nights.

Garlic Potato Soup
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium leek, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise and chopped small (about 1 cup)
3 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
2 heads garlic, rinsed, papery skins removed and top third of heads cut off and discarded
6-7 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
2 bay leaves
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 4 1/2 cups)
1 pound Red Bliss potatoes (unpeeled), cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup minced fresh chives
For the Garlic Chips
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced lengthwise

Directions:
In a Dutch oven set over medium heat, melt the butter. Once foaming subsides, add leeks and cook until soft but not browned, 5-8 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add garlic heads, 6 cups of broth, bay leaves and salt. Partially cover pot and increase heat to medium-high. When mixture reaches a simmer, reduce heat and continue simmering 30-40 minutes or until garlic is soft enough to be easily pierced with the tip of a knife. Add potatoes and continue to simmer, partially covered, for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Meanwhile, make garlic chips by heating oil and garlic in a 10-inch skillet set over medium-high heat. Cook, turning frequently, until garlic is light golden brown, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer garlic to a paper towel lined plate and sprinkle lightly with salt. Set aside.

Discard bay leaves and remove garlic heads. Using tongs, gently squeeze garlic heads at the base to remove each clove from its papery skin. Using a fork, mash cloves to form a smooth paste.

Stir cream, thyme and half the garlic paste into the soup. Cook for about 2 minutes, until soup is warmed through. Taste and add additional garlic paste, if desired. Using an immersion blender, carefully process soup until creamy but with some chunks remaining. Alternately, a potato masher can be used to mash some of the potatoes, but the consistency will not be as creamy. Add more broth if necessary to reach desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve soup with garlic chips and chives.

Adapted from Cooks Illustrated, March 2007

Although Eric and I both immensely enjoy spending time in the kitchen, there are some nights that doing so just isn’t feasible. We recently had a night like that. Though we didn’t have any prior commitments, both of us were sick with nasty colds and didn’t have the energy to cook anything too involved. Having already eaten soup three times that week, I was looking for something that would be easy, tasty and spicy. This recipe turned out to be exactly what we needed. Having already made it a couple times before, I knew it would pack a lot of flavor in a short amount of time. Plus, I figured a dose of Siracha in our meal might help clear up our colds. Hey, it couldn’t hurt, right? :)

I love making stir-fry because it’s quick, delicious and filling. You can really use any combination of meat and vegetables, which makes it highly adaptable. I love this combination – moist chicken, crisp-tender pepper strips and crunchy cashews. The sauce is made from hoisin and white wine vinegar, with a cornstarch slurry to thicken it. I was a little wary the first time we made this because I thought for sure the sauce would need more ingredients, but it’s quite flavorful as is. The only change I made to the original recipe is to add Siracha to the sauce. I like the heat it adds, but you can certainly leave it out if you don’t want the dish to be spicy. This is an insanely quick meal, and it takes longer to prep the ingredients than it does to actually cook them. If you’re fast with a knife, you can have this meal on the table in next to no time, perfect for nights when you’re in a hurry or simply lack the energy to cook.

Cashew Chicken Stir Fry
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons cornstarch
6 tablespoons water or chicken broth
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon Siracha (optional)
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup roasted, unsalted cashews
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped into bite-size pieces
salt and pepper, to taste
Half a bell pepper, cut into strips
3-4 green onions, thinly sliced
Rice, for serving

Directions:
Cook rice according to package directions. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and water/chicken broth and whisk until smooth. Stir in hoisin, vinegar and Siracha and set aside.

Add oil to wok or large skillet and set over medium-low heat. Add garlic and cashews and stir until garlic is golden and fragrant. Season chicken with salt and pepper, then add to wok. Cook until chicken is no longer pink, then add pepper strips and cornstarch mixture. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, for 5-7 minutes or until sauce has thickened. Stir in all but 2 tablespoons of the green onions. Serve with rice and top with remaining green onions and additional cashews, if desired.

Serves 3

Adapted from Eclectic Recipes

I keep thinking spring is just around the corner. That is, until we get hit with another blast of wintry weather. It was cold and rainy here all day yesterday, and that rain eventually turned into snow. I love soup, but I especially love it on cold, snowy nights. We originally planned on making grilled cheese sandwiches to go along with this, but I decided to make croutons instead. This was the perfect meal to warm us up, and it was fun to eat it while watching the snow fall.

This soup is unique in that it doesn’t use any cream (which I realize is obvious from the name). Cream can really drown out that wonderful tomato flavor, so why eat tomato soup if it doesn’t even taste like tomatoes? This soup gets so much flavor from just a few ingredients. I love it when recipes allow the ingredients to shine, and this soup definitely does that. Instead of cream to thicken the soup, sandwich bread is used. It helps tone down the acidity of the tomatoes and also gives the soup a velvety texture. This soup is a far cry from the canned, condensed variety. It’s rich, full of flavor and is incredibly easy to make. Paired with a salad or grilled cheese, or topped with croutons, it makes the perfect meal for wintry nights.

Creamless Creamy Tomato Soup
Ingredients:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
3 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
pinch hot red pepper flakes (optional)
1 bay leaf
2 28-ounce cans whole tomatoes packed in juice
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 large slices good-quality sandwich bread, crusts removed, torn into 1-inch pieces
2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
2 tablespoons brandy (optional)
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

Directions:
In a Dutch oven set over medium-high heat, heat oil until shimmering. Add onion, garlic, red pepper flakes (if using) and bay leaf. Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent. Add tomatoes and their juices. Mash tomatoes using a potato masher, until tomato pieces are all smaller than 2 inches. Add sugar and bread. Increase heat to high and bring soup to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium and and cook, stirring occasionally, until bread is completely saturated and beginning to disintegrate, about 5 minutes.

Remove bay leaf, add remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth. Stir in broth and brandy (if using). Alternately, transfer half of soup to a blender and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Blend for 2-3 minutes, or until smooth and creamy. Transfer to a large bowl and repeat with remaining soup and 1 tablespoon of oil. Return soup to pot and stir in broth and brandy (if using). Season to taste with salt and pepper and return to a boil. Sprinkle chives over the top of each serving of soup and drizzle with additional olive oil, if desired.

Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated, September 2008

*I’m submitting this post to Branny’s Charity Souper Bowl. For each post she receives, she’s donating $1 to the ASPCA. Since all three of my precious animals are adopted, this is an event that has a special place in my heart. And since I think all my animals are adorable, here are a few pictures. :)

Chloe

Rabb

Abby

(Photos of Chloe and Rabb taken by my wonderful friend Holly.)