Showing posts with label Food Love. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Food Love. Show all posts

Monday, June 11, 2012

Summer Pasta...



Spaghetti in Garlic Gravy with Herbs and Lemon Marinated Chicken and Cherry Tomatoes

Ingredients:
3/4 Box of spaghetti pasta (cooked al dente)
1 pound chicken breast fillets (sliced into 1 inch chunks)

For the chicken marinade:
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped (if using dried, use half of the amount)
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of ½ a lemon
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon coarse salt (not table salt)
½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (to sauté the marinated chicken)

- Add all the marinade ingredients into the chicken and marinade for 20 minutes (if making this dish pronto) or overnight (if making this dish the next day… much better).
- Saute the marinated chicken in extra virgin olive oil until cooked (about 4-5 minutes) then set aside.

For the garlic gravy:
½ stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 large cloves garlic, finely minced
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 ½ cups chicken stock
1 Tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup parsley, chopped (to sprinkle/finish the pasta)
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
2 cups whole cherry tomatoes

- Place sauté pan over medium heat and add butter and olive oil.
- Saute garlic until fragrant and soft.
- Add the flour and cook for a minute.
- Add chicken stock and simmer gravy until thickened then add the chopped basil.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the sauteed chicken in the gravy then toss the cooked spaghetti into this sauce.
- Add the cherry tomatoes and finish the dish with the chopped parsley and grated parmesan cheese
   (serve extra on the side).

Makes 5-6 servings.


Recipe via:  http://godofscrumprecipes.tumblr.com/post/21100317594/spaghetti-in-garlic-gravy-with-herbs-and-lemon

Thursday, June 7, 2012

For All You Lemon Lovers...



Ok...let me start this by saying...
I WORSHIP LEMON...
Lemon Cakes in particular are my absolute weakness...
so, when I found this recipe I about fell over!
I cannot WAIT to make this!



LEMON-ZUCCHINI LOAF WITH LEMON GLAZE by NancyCreative
Makes one 9×5″ loaf
  • 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • Juice of 1 lemon (or 2 Tablespoons lemon juice)
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 cup grated zucchini (you don’t need to peel the zucchini before grating it)
Preheat oven to 35o degrees. Grease and flour a 9×5″ loaf pan; set aside.
In large bowl, blend flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
In medium bowl, beat 2 eggs well, then add canola oil and sugar, and blend well. Then add the buttermilk, lemon juice, and lemon zest and blend everything well. Fold in zucchini and stir until evenly distributed in mixture.
Add this mixture to the dry ingredients in the large bowl and blend everything together, but don’t over mix.
Pour batter into prepared 9×5″ loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean (if your oven tends to run hot, check the loaf after 40 minutes). Cool in pan 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack and cool completely. While loaf is cooling, you can make the glaze…

LEMON GLAZE
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • Juice of 1 lemon (or 2 Tablespoons lemon juice)
In small bowl, mix powdered sugar and lemon juice until well blended. Spoon glaze over cooled loaf. Let glaze set, then serve.


Recipe via:  http://nancycreative.com/2012/03/25/lemon-zucchini-loaf-with-lemon-glaze/

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Sunday Meal...


Roasted Scallops with Breadcrumbs and Bacon


Makes 4 servings

12 scallops

1/4 cup gluten-free breadcrumbs

2 Tbs fresh parsley, chopped

2 garlic cloves, grated or finely
minced

3 Tbs olive oil

4 slices of bacon, finely chopped

pinch salt

pinch of freshly ground pepper

1 tsp red pepper flakes, optional

2 Tbs white wine






Directions:
In a bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, parsley, garlic, bacon and olive oil. Salt and pepper the scallops.

Drizzle some olive oil on a baking dish and place the scallops on it.

Top with the breadcrumbs mixture and drizzle some more olive oil on top. Pour the white wine in the baking dish.

Bake at 425F. Time will vary depending on the size.


Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Easy Vegetable Soup Recipe: Soup au Pistou

This recipe is a staple of Provençal cuisine. Purists will tell you that aged Gouda is imperative.
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 small fennel bulb, quartered, cored, and chopped
2 zucchini, chopped
8 oz. new potatoes, chopped
2 tomatoes, skinned, seeded, and chopped
2 quarts vegetable or chicken stock
1 sprig of thyme
2 cups canned cannellini beans, drained
2 cups canned kidney beans, drained
6 oz. green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 oz. spaghetti, broken into pieces
1 2/3 cups finely grated cheese (aged Gouda or Parmesan)
Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper



Pistou Ingredients

6 garlic cloves
Leaves from a small bunch of basil
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Directions
1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan or casserole dish. Add the onion, fennel, and zucchini and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until browned. Add the potatoes, tomatoes, stock, and thyme. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes.

2. Add the cannellini and kidney beans and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes more. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Add the green beans and the spaghetti and cook for about 10 minutes more, until the pasta is tender. Cover and let stand. Ideally, the soup should rest for at least a few hours before serving, or make one day in advance and refrigerate. (Do not make the pistou until you are ready to serve; it is best fresh, and the basil and garlic should not be cooked.)

3. To make the pistou, put the garlic, basil, and oil in a small food processor and blend until well chopped. You can also make it using a mortar and pestle, starting with the garlic and finishing with the oil, added gradually.
4. To serve, heat the soup and pass round the pistou and cheese, to be stirred in to taste. The soup can also be served at room temperature.

Grab a good wine and some crusty french bread...and you have a wonderful wintery meal...

Source:  http://www.housebeautiful.com

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Spring Pizza...

Honey Whole Wheat Pizza Dough


1 cup Lukewarm Water
3 Tablespoons Honey
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil Plus Extra For Spreading On Dough
3 cups Whole Wheat Flour
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
2 teaspoons Yeast
2 teaspoons Cornmeal

Preparation Instructions
Yields 2 medium-large pizza crusts.


Place the ingredients into your bread machine, starting with the wet ingredients, followed by the dry (except the corn meal) and then the yeast. Follow the instructions for your bread machine.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Place the pizza stone in the oven while it’s preheating.

Once the dough is ready, split it into two pieces and roll each out separately on a lightly-floured surface until it’s the right size to fit on the pizza stones. Sprinkle some cornmeal, about 1 teaspoon each, over the stone once it’s hot to keep the pizza from sticking. I also put some cornmeal on the peel so the dough doesn’t stick when I transfer it to the oven.

I pre-bake my pizza dough a little before I put any toppings on it. I find this makes the dough nice and crunchy with a good chewiness to it. Just place each dough, separately, on the stone. Spread the dough evenly over the stone. Make several puncture holes with a fork to help keep the bubbling down. Brush the entire surface of the dough with a light layer of olive oil. This will help keep the dough chewy and not brittle.

As it bakes, check on it to make sure its not bubbling. If it is, just press down any large bubbles with a spatula. Once the dough starts to become golden, take it out of the oven and place your favorite toppings on it.



Pesto & Goat Cheese  Pizza on Honey Whole Wheat Crust

1 Pizza Crust
6 tablespoons prepared pesto
3 Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
6-7 ounces goat cheese
2 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup fresh spinach


Directions

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Spread the pesto on the pizza dough, leaving about an inch around the outside edge for the crust.

Spread or crumble the goat cheese across the pizza. Arrange the tomato slices over the goat cheese. Sprinkle as evenly as possible with the garlic.

Place the pizza into the oven and bake for 5 to 10 minutes or until the crust edges are golden. After taking the pizza out of the oven, allow it to cool for a few minutes so that the cheese has time to set. After a couple minutes, cover the pizza with a few handfuls of spinach or arugula.

CHOW YOUR BRAINS OUT!!!

Source:  http://www.asweetpeachef.com/




Monday, January 10, 2011

Reservation for two please...

Toasted Oak
Grill & Market

"With an imaginative menu created by Michigan native, Chef Steven Grostick, Toasted Oak Grill & Market serves delicious American brasserie cuisine with an emphasis on all things local. Featuring a fresh market and wine shop that spills into an inviting and cozy dining room, Toasted Oak Grill & Market is a celebration of Michigan food & wine!"


"Toasted Oak Grill features a regional menu with a focus on fresh & original ingredients. Dishes embrace the flavors of the countryside with daily fish & meat specials, earthy ingredients, delicious appetizers & salads. Lunch & Dinner selections include sandwiches, grilled pizzas, salads & more."

 
  I cannot WAIT to try this place out!
My husband and I had reservations for our anniversary...
but sadly, my sister in laws son got sick, so no dinner for us. 
But, we WILL make it there!!!

If you are in Michigan friends...& love to try out new places...this is the place!

I have heard sooo many great things about it and they menu looks absolutely TO DIE FOR!!!

Market Cheese Board :: chef’s selection, seasonal compotes, crackers, baguette

Market Charcuterie Plate :: chef’s selection, pickled vegetables, mustard, baguette toast

Mussels Catalogne :: spicy tomato, bacon, maytag blue, piment d’esplette

Steak Frites :: grilled creekstone farms bistro tender, shallot butter, red wine sauce, frites

don't know about you, but this is making my mouth water!
& how about the fact that there is a market & wine shop right inside the restaurant?! 
Find a dish or a wine that you loved...
it's right there!

mmmmm....a little slice of heaven is what this place reminds me of!

What about the rest of you?
What are your favorite restaurants to visit?
Do you have a favorite dish?

I am ALWAYS a sucker for a fresh cheese, meat, & baguette platter...
my absolute FAV!!

Paired with a great glass of red wine...
perfect!

Toasted Oak 27790 Novi Road Novi, Michigan 248.277.6000
http://www.toastedoak.com/


Wednesday, January 5, 2011

From Hemingway to Barefoot Contessa...an inspiration...

I adore Hemingway...
the way he describes his surroundings is exquisite...
you can actually picture...taste...and feel the things he is describing...

Hemingway, from A Moveable Feast
"The pommes a l'huile were firm and marinated and the olive oil delicious. I ground black pepper over the potatoes and moistened the bread in the olive oil. After the first heavy draft of beer I drank and ate very slowly. When the pommes de l'huile were gone I ordered another serving and a cervelas. This was a sausage like a heavy, wide frankfurter split in two and covered with a special mustard sauce."

"We had very good snails, with a carafe of Fleurie to start with. ... ate the snails finally, dipping up the butter, garlic and parsley sauce with broken bits of bread, and drank the carafe of Fleurie."

all of his books involve quite a bit of eating & drinking...
{which is no secret, 2 things I LOVE to do!}
so this got me thinking about food and drinks and new recipes that I want to try out this new year!

Here are a few that just make my mouth water...

Lemon Chicken Breast (Serves 4)
Copyright, 2010 Barefoot Contessa, How Easy is That?

1/4 cup good olive oil
3 tablespoons minced garlic (9 cloves)
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1½ teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 boneless chicken breasts, skin on (6 to 8 ounces each)
1 lemon

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Warm the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add the garlic, and cook for just 1 minute but don’t allow the garlic to turn brown. Off the heat, add the white wine, lemon zest, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, and 1 teaspoon salt and pour into a 9 X 12-inch baking dish.

Pat the chicken breasts dry and place them skin side up over the sauce. Brush the chicken breasts with olive oil and sprinkle them liberally with salt and pepper. Cut the lemon in 8 wedges and tuck it among the pieces of chicken.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken breasts, until the chicken is done and the skin is lightly browned. If the chicken isn’t browned enough, put it under the broiler for 2 minutes. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and serve hot with the pan juices.

BAREFOOT CONTESSA'S TOMATO & GOAT CHEESE TARTS
MAKES 4 TARTS


3 tablespoons good olive oil,plus more for brushing
4 cups thinly sliced yellow onions (2 large onions)
3 large garlic cloves, cut into thin slivers
Kosher salt & freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons white wine
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme plus sprigs for garnish
1 package (17.3 ounces) puff pastry sheets, thawed overnight in the refrigerator. Use cold.
4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
4 ounces garlic & herb Montrachet goat cheese
1 large tomato, cut into 4 (1/4-inch-thick) slices
3 tablespoons julienned basil leaves
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, shaved with a vegetable peeler

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.  Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat and add the onions and garlic. Sauté for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are limp and there is almost no moisture remaining in the skillet. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, the wine and thyme and continue to cook for another 10 minutes, until the onions are lightly browned.

Unfold each sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and roll it lightly to an 11-by-11-inch square. Using a six-inch-wide saucer or other circular object as a guide, cut 2 (six-inch) circles from each sheet of puff pastry, discarding the scraps. Repeat with the second sheet of pastry.

Using the tip of a sharp paring knife, score a circle 1/2 inch inside the edge of each pastry. Prick the pastries all over with the tines of a fork and place them on the sheet pan. Sprinkle a tablespoon of the grated Parmesan on each round, staying inside the scored border.

Place 1/4 of the onion mixture on each circle, again staying within the scored edges. Crumble 1 ounce of goat cheese on top of the onions. Place a slice of tomato in the center of each tart. Brush the tomato lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with basil, salt, and pepper. Finally, scatter 4 or 5 shards of Parmesan on each tart. If the pastry is warm, chill for 15 minutes.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown. Garnish each with a sprig of thyme and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve warm.

CAPE COD CHOPPED SALAD
Ina Garten

Serves 4 to 5


8 slices (8 ounces) thick-cut bacon, such as Niman Ranch
8 ounces baby arugula
1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced
1/2 cup toasted walnut halves, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries
6 ounces blue cheese, such as Roquefort, crumbled

For the Dressing:
3 tablespoons good apple-cider vinegar
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
2 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup good olive oil

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Place a baking rack on a sheet pan and lay the bacon slices on the rack. Roast the bacon for about 20 minutes, until nicely browned. Allow to cool.

In a large bowl, toss together the arugula, apple, walnuts, cranberries, and blue cheese. For the dressing, whisk together the vinegar, orange zest, orange juice, mustard, maple syrup, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and the pepper in a bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil.

Chop the bacon into large pieces and add it to the salad. Toss the salad with just enough dressing to moisten. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and toss well. Serve immediately.

& believe it or not, there is a Hemingway Cookbook!!! 
I found it in my searches recently. 
Haven't tried any of the recipes, but sounds pretty interesting for all of you Hemingway lovers out there!

Monday, November 8, 2010

Giada's Food and Fashion...



I love Giada...
her and Ina are two of my favorite Saturday morning girlfriends...

A cup of coffee...a little breakfast with E...and we sit down to watch my absolute favorite...
Food TV...

I NEVER get sick of watching Giada prepare some sort of wonderful Italian feast...
Her simplicity, love of food, and sharing it with her girlfriends is what makes me coming back each and every week to watch...

She incorporates her Italian background with some new American twists...
she is just the cutest thing!

So, if you have never seen her...sit back, relax, and enjoy a little Food and Fashion...



& I ADORE watching her cook!

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