I have to admit that I hit a rut lately. I felt like I was running out of ideas on what to make in the kitchen (yep, how could that be possible with all of these great food blogs that I frequent, and stacks of cooking magazines everywhere in the house?). Between planning meals, getting all of the ingredients ready for the meals/recipes that I am scheduled to make, and keeping up with work and everything else, sometimes I just end up making things that are quick to put together and I know will satisfy everyone. I decided to make this recipe recently when I had a few potatoes leftover, and a handful of chives in the refrigerator that I didn’t want to toss.
I was leafing through a new cookbook and my eyes caught this simple recipe that I knew that I’d love. They were easy to make, and fried beautifully. I didn’t even need to wear my safety glasses. A couple of tips: make sure that you squeeze the heck out of the shredded potatoes to get the water out. Also, don’t be too shy when flattening the mixture in the frying pan. I wasn’t sure about how flat I wanted these to be so I was a bit cautious. They were basically fried shredded hash-brown with chives and yellow onion. Sooo good!
Ingredients
1 medium yellow onion
3 large yukon gold potatoes (about 2 1⁄2 lbs.), peeled
Kosher salt, to taste
6 tbsp. finely chopped chives
3 tbsp. plain matzo meal (I substituted this with ground Saltines Crackers)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Freshly ground white pepper, to taste
Canola oil for frying
Sour cream or applesauce
Directions
Working over a bowl, grate some of the onion, followed by some of the potatoes, on the large-hole side of a box grater. Repeat until all the vegetables are used up.
Sprinkle mixture with salt and transfer it to a sieve set over a bowl. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible from mixture, allowing it to collect in bottom of bowl. Transfer mixture to another bowl and cover surface with plastic wrap; set aside. Set reserved potato liquid aside to let the milky white starch settle. Pour off liquid from starch. Transfer starch to mixture along with the chives, matzo, eggs, and salt and pepper. Gently mix.
Pour enough oil into a skillet that it reaches a depth of 1⁄4″; heat over medium-high heat. Working in small batches, form mixture into balls, using about 1⁄4 cup of the mixture for each, and place them in the oil. Flatten each ball gently with a spatula to form 3″–4″ pancakes. Fry, turning once, until golden brown, crisp, and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Transfer the pancakes to a paper towel–lined plate to drain. Serve the potato pancakes with sour cream or applesauce. (I actually sprinkled some coarse salt on the top, it really added a nice flavor touch at the end!)
Yield: 6 servings
Adapted from Saveur: The New Comfort Food – Home Cooking from Around the World
I’m sure everyone has their own version of their fave mashed potatoes. For years, I really just added butter and sour-cream in it. My dad is also really picky about his mashed potatoes. My mom and I would add sour cream to it, and then we’d tell him that it is only seasoned with butter. Oops, good thing that he doesn’t read my blog! 
When Red and I first started dating, he introduced me to his fave thing to add to his mashed potatoes: goat-cheese! I began then to open my mind about other things to add to it to make it even more delicious. About two years ago, I began baking with buttermilk – and then I started noticing recipes of mashed potatoes with buttermilk. It add creaminess and tang to it like sour cream would, but I actually prefer it. It is light, fluffy, and I appreciated the extra zing from the buttermilk that I don’t get from sour cream. If you have never tried adding buttermilk in your mashed potatoes, I highly recommend it. It may be the next superstar on your holiday table this year.
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds boiling potatoes
1/4 cup low-fat milk
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Kosher salt
Directions
In a large pot, bring 2 quarts of water and 1 tablespoon of salt to a boil. Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and cut them into 1 1/2-inch cubes. Add them to the boiling water and bring the water back to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes fall apart easily when pierced with a fork.
Meanwhile, heat the milk and butter in a small saucepan, making sure it doesn’t boil. Set aside until the potatoes are done.
As soon as the potatoes are tender, drain them in a colander. Place a food mill fitted with a small disk/blade over a heatproof bowl. Pass the potatoes through the food mill, turning the handle back and forth (or, alternatively, you can just mash them with hand masher, which I did). As soon as the potatoes are mashed, stir in the hot milk mixture with a whisk or rubber spatula. Add enough buttermilk to make the potatoes creamy. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and the pepper, and serve hot. To keep the potatoes warm, place the bowl over a pan of simmering water for up to 30 minutes. You can add a little extra hot milk to keep them creamy.
Yield: 2-3 servings
Adapted from Ina Garten via Food Network
I don’t know what happened to September, but here we are… in October already! The mornings are starting to get chilly in Iowa, and it was about 40 degrees outside when I went to my local farmer’s market this past weekend, armed with a large cup of coffee in hand. I had brussel sprouts in mind. I fell in love with brussels sprouts last year, when one of my last CSA box deliveries for the season brought me a small pint of these little cabbages. I didn’t know what to do with them (and frankly.. a bit terrified!). I quickly got over my fear and made these Brussel Sprouts Lardons. I was floored and pleasantly surprised by how delicious they were. They weren’t bitter at all, and I liked how tender their outer leaves become when cooked in broth, with still a bit of crispiness in the inside. I picked up a couple stalks of them at the farmer’s market the following weekend, which happened to be the last weekend of our outdoor farmer’s market. That’s when my love affair with these little gems started. This time, however, I sauteed them in high heat and added a combo of maple syrup, apple juice, and balsamic vinegar to add some sweetness and a bit of tang. This recipe was equally simple and quick to make as these Brussel Sprouts Lardons. If you haven’t tried brussel sprouts, I’d like to invite you to try either one of these recipes… try a small pint for a starter, and see if will convert you like it did with me!
Slightly Adapted from Food and Wine
Ingredients
1/4 cup canola oil
2 -1/4 pounds baby brussels sprouts or regular brussels sprouts that are halved lengthwise
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons and softened
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/4 cup Grade A pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons apple juice
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Directions
Heat the canola oil in a very large skillet until shimmering. Add the brussels sprouts and season with salt and pepper, then cook over high heat without stirring until they are browned, about 2 minutes. Add the unsalted butter and brown sugar and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until the brown sugar is melted. Add the maple syrup and cook, stirring occasionally, until the brussels sprouts are just crisp-tender, about 7 minutes. Stir in the apple juice and balsamic vinegar.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the brussels sprouts to a bowl. Boil the cooking liquid over high heat until thickened slightly, about 2 minutes. Pour the sauce over the brussels sprouts and serve.
Yield: 10 servings
I love cooking with fresh herbs, but unfortunately they come with a rather hefty price tag, usually about $4.99 for a small bunch. If I don’t use them all up right away, they will turn bad in a few days and I would feel guilty about not cooking with them sooner. Every summer, I always tell myself that I would grow my own garden (both herbs and vegetables). But then for the past few years that I have been able to start the garden, they always end up dead before the summer is even over. This year, my pepper plant died when I took a week of vacation. Sigh! I have however, discovered the next best alternative for my love for fresh herbs: buying them at farmer markets! They have bunches of freshly picked herbs with a fraction of the cost of what I would pay in regular grocery stores. This pesto was one dish that I have been wanting to make for the longest time using fresh basil, and finally I got around to making them. This recipe is slightly “non-traditional” because it uses walnuts in addition to the pine nuts. I was really impressed with how fresh and complex the flavor was, and how easy this was to put together. It is important that you find the best cheese and olive oil that you can find since it will make a HUGE impact on the flavor. It scores extra points because it is freezer friendly. It is definitely a nice change from the tomato-based sauces for our pasta night.
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa Parties
Ingredients
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup pignolis (pine nuts)
3 tablespoons chopped garlic (9 cloves)
5 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups good olive oil
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Directions
Place the walnuts, pignolis, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process for 15 seconds. Add the basil leaves, salt, and pepper. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil into the bowl through the feed tube and process until the pesto is thoroughly pureed. Add the Parmesan and puree for a minute. Use right away or store the pesto in the refrigerator or freezer with a thin film of olive oil on top.
Notes: Air is the enemy of pesto. For freezing, pack it in containers with a film of oil or plastic wrap directly on top with the air pressed out.
To clean basil, remove the leaves, swirl them in a bowl of water, and then spin them very dry in a salad spinner. Store them in a closed plastic bag with a slightly damp paper towel. As long as the leaves are dry they will stay green for several days.
Yield: 4 cups
Recipes like this definitely remind me of why I love blogging! There are so many awesome food blogs out there for inspiration and each one gives me the opportunity to try something new all the time! I found these beautiful cippolini onions in our farmer’s market stand a few weeks ago, and I just had to buy them. I have never cooked them before, but have heard of them, and wanted to try something different. Plus, they are fresh and local. Not to mention that I know that they easily cost double that amount at regular grocery stores. The balsamic vinegar, when roasted at high heat, turns into this beautiful and delicious glaze. The onions are caramelized and soft– and they’re perfect with grilled meats. Oh so perfect! How can it not be? Delicious, yet simple to make.
Inspiration from Proud Italian Cook
Ingredients
1-1/2 lb of cippolini onions, remove skins, trim ends
1/3 cup of balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp of olive oil
1 tbsp of dried thyme (fresh is even better)
1 tbsp of salt
1 tsp of freshly ground pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. You can either remove the skins of onions each individually, or you can drop them in boiling water for a minute, and then transfer them to cold water quickly. At that point, the skins will come off easily.
Lay them in oven-safe baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with thyme, salt, and pepper. Pour the balsamic vinegar over the onions.
Roast them for approximately 15 minutes, then reduce the temperature for 350, and bake for another 15 minutes. You have to watch the onions and if they get browned too quickly, feel free to reduce the temperature even sooner.
I just HAD to make this cobbler as soon as I saw the recipe on my latest Martha Stewart Living Magazine. First of all, who does NOT love cobblers? And who does NOT love cheese biscuits? I’m always in the lookout for new creative ways to incorporate vegetables into our menu and this recipe was a perfect one to add to my list of fave vegetable dish. My heart jumped when I first tasted the sweet roasted tomatoes combined with caramelized onions, bubbling with its delicious juices under creamy and cheesy gruyere biscuits. It was a one satisfying bite.The tomatoes and biscuits together made a very satisfying side dish, and can hold its own as an impressive vegetarian main course. That’s actually what we ended up doing, since these days, I have less opportunities to make several things for dinner with a very active toddler. The filling can actually be prepared ahead of time (and that’s what I did). I put together the biscuit topping as the oven was heating up. The only thing that may make it less ideal for weeknight meal is that this dish needs to be baked for over an hour, and then it needs to rest another 20 minutes or so to allow all of the tomatoes to release its yummy juices. But definitely great for weekend’s lunch or dinner. Red and I actually decided that from now on we would use this biscuit recipe, even as a standalone biscuit recipe without the tomatoes.
Adapted from Martha Stewart Living, July 2011
Ingredients
For the filling
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3 pounds cherry tomatoes
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
For the biscuit topping
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Coarse salt
1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup grated Gruyere cheese (2 1/4 ounces), plus 1 tablespoon, for sprinkling
1 1/2 cups heavy cream, plus more for brushing
Directions
Make the filling: Heat oil in a large high-sided skillet over medium heat. Cook onions, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, about 25 minutes. Add garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Let cool.
Toss onion mixture, tomatoes, flour, and red-pepper flakes with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and some pepper.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Make the biscuit topping: Whisk together flour, baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or rub in with your fingers until small clumps form. Stir in cheese, then add cream, stirring with a fork to combine until dough forms. (Dough will be slightly sticky.)
Transfer tomato mixture to a 2-quart baking dish (2 inches deep). Spoon 7 clumps of biscuit dough (about 1/2 cup each) over top in a circle, leaving center open. Brush dough with cream, and sprinkle with remaining tablespoon cheese. Bake until tomatoes are bubbling in the center and biscuits are golden brown, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack. Let cool for 20 minutes.
Yield: 6-8 side dish, probably 4 main course size.
I love fritters; both savory and sweet. In the late summer, zucchinis are beautiful and inexpensive at the farmer markets. And if you’re one of the lucky ones with backyard vegetable garden that has zucchini plants, this is a great recipe to use up your produce. These fritters make awesome appetizers, side dish, or even a vegetarian lunch–and I actually also like them as snacks. Since zucchinis are very watery, wringing the shredded vegetables would make sure that you get the water out as much as possible before mixing them with the rest of the ingredients, which in turn make crispier fritters. The cheeses and fresh herbs really make them taste and feel extra special.
Adapted from Martha Stewart Living, August 2011
Ingredients
2 medium zucchini (about 8 ounces each), trimmed
1 medium onion
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese (1 ounce)
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh oregano
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Extra virgin olive oil for frying
Plain yogurt and apricot jam for serving (optional)
Directions
Grate zucchini on the large holes of a box grater, then squeeze dry in a clean kitchen towel or press in a ricer. Repeat with onion.
Mix together zucchini, onion, cheese, flour and herbs. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Stir in eggs just before frying.
Heat a medium skillet over medium high heat. Working in batches, coat skillet with 1-2 tablespoons oil. Scoop mounds (~2 tbsp each) of the zucchini mixture into skillet; flatten slightly using a spatula. Cook until golden brown and cooked through, 2-3 minutes per side.
Transfer fritters to paper towel-lined plates to drain. Serve with dollops of plain yogurt and apricot jam if desired.
Yield: 20 fritters, serve 6-8
Since the burger season is finally here, I thought that I’d post a recipe that always goes wonderfully with any burgers, these yummy oven baked fries. I admit that I used to buy the frozen fries in a bag from my grocery store; and pop them in the oven for convenience. As soon as I discovered how easy and delicious making my own version at home, I started making them at home. The trick is to roast them at high temperature, making the potato slices as uniformly as possible, and drying them with paper towels. Finally, you can really have fun with any seasonings you want without any of the batter that sometimes can mask the flavor of the potatoes. I like mine personally just with generous salt. In the winter, I’d roast whatever root vegetables that I have around the house to make the most delicious side dish.
Inspiration from Barefoot Contessa
Ingredients
6 baking potatoes
5-6 tbsp of olive oil
2-3 tbs salt, add to taste
Direction
Preheat the oven to 450 degree.
While the oven is preheating, cut the potatoes vertically into four slices. Cut them again lengthwise into four again to resemble about 1/2-inch thickness long match stick (not quiet that thin though). Soak them in cold water to prevent them from browning until you cut all of the potatoes.
Once the oven is ready, drain the potatoes and dry them using paper towels. The drier the potatoes, the crispier the fries will be.
Toss them in a large baking pan with olive oil, sprinkle with salt.
Bake for 50-60 minutes total, tossing them once halfway through baking, until they are browned and crispy.
Yield: 4-6 generous servings
Have you ever gotten so caught up with cooking and baking both new and old recipes that sometimes you forget to blog about it? I am pretty sure that my fellow blogger readers can relate to this. It happens to me frequently! Probably more frequently than it should. I would try new recipes and find great ones–and make them a few more times before I get to even blog about it and share with the rest of the world! The good thing about that is that I get to try it several times before my readers know, so if it flops the second or third time around, I’d probably skip blogging about it all together. But if it continues to impress me, then you will know that the recipe is true and tried.
This dish was one of them. I wanted to add a new vegetable dish for our holiday dinner; and wasn’t sure what to make. And then I had my Barefoot in Paris cookbook laying on the floor, so I flipped through it, and saw this dish. It’s really simple to make, and can be prepared ahead of time, which is a huge bonus for entertaining and great time saver during the holidays. You can prepare everything except the topping, and refrigerate them just until you are ready to bake them. As you heat up the oven, prep the topping and sprinkle them just before putting it into the oven. It is a very rich dish so if you’re looking for something “light”, this isn’t it. However, it is flexible, so you can substitute a couple of the cheeses listed below with other types as well although it may not be as authentic as what the recipe intended.
I added bacon bits in mine for the second time I made them, and it was a hit. I preferred mine piping hot from the oven, and slightly warm so I could still enjoy the goey cheese melting ! Happy cooking!
Adapted from Barefoot in Paris
Ingredients
1 (3-pound) head cauliflower, cut into large florets
Kosher salt
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, divided
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups hot milk
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
3/4 cup freshly grated Gruyere, divided
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Cook the cauliflower florets in a large pot of boiling salted water for 5 to 6 minutes, until tender but still firm. Drain.
Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the flour, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Pour the hot milk into the butter-flour mixture and stir until it comes to a boil. Boil, whisking constantly, for 1 minute, or until thickened. Off the heat, add 1 teaspoon of salt, the pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup of the Gruyere, and the Parmesan.
Pour 1/3 of the sauce on the bottom of an 8 by 11 by 2-inch baking dish. Place the drained cauliflower on top and then spread the rest of the sauce evenly on top. Combine the bread crumbs with the remaining 1/4 cup of Gruyere and sprinkle on top. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and drizzle over the gratin. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is browned. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Yield: 4-6 servings
I was pretty excited when I found a small bag of Brussels sprouts in my CSA box a couple of weeks ago because I got to experiment with new type of vegetables that I have never had or cooked before. They were freshly harvested, each one was flawless. I looked around for some recipes that sounded yummy and decided to try this one from Ina, her recipes rarely fails me. Her recipe calls for 1 1/2 lb of sprouts, but I only had 1/2 lb, so I cut back the rest of the ingredients accordingly and substituted craisins instead of raisins since that’s all I had in the house. The only mistake that I did was that I think I cooked it too long (as you can see in the picture), around 8-9 minutes total. I should have cut it back to probably 5-6 to leave the vegetables a little bit of crunch. But the flavor was fantastic. It quickly went up to my top five side dishes favorite, and I wish that I had more. I ate this by spoonfuls and finished them before I even ate up my main course… yes, it was that good. If you are looking for a delicious way to cook these fall harvest, this recipe is a must try. Happy eating!
Adapted from Barefoot in Paris
Ingredients
2 tablespoons good olive oil
6 ounces Italian pancetta or bacon, 1/4-inch dice
1 -1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts (2 containers), trimmed and cut in 1/2
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup golden raisins (I used craisins in mine)
1- 3/4 cups Homemade Chicken Stock, recipe follows, or canned broth
Directions
Heat the olive oil in a large (12-inch) saute pan and add the pancetta. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the fat is rendered and the pancetta is golden brown and crisp, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the pancetta to a plate lined with a paper towel.
Add the Brussels sprouts, salt, and pepper to the fat in the pan and saute over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until lightly browned. Add the raisins and chicken stock. Lower the heat and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sprouts are tender when pierced with a knife, about 15 minutes. If the skillet becomes too dry, add a little chicken stock or water. Return the pancetta to the pan, heat through, season to taste, and serve.
