Union Street Eats

Homemade Orecchiette with Brussels Sprouts and Pancetta

2013-02-17T11:37:00.000-05:00

What's that, you say? We haven't posted since last July? It's true. We have lots of excuses and reasons - but the best and most exciting one is that we are expecting! And I'm due just about any day now.

Back in the first trimester, I was nauseous all the time and had no desire to cook anything, let alone post about it. So we took a small hiatus from the blog. But we are BACK and have a great recipe to share.

Making your own pasta is super easy and tastes exponentially better than the dried stuff. Orecchiette (which means "little ears" in Italian!) are doubly great because the only equipment needed is your hands.

One of my all time favorite dishes ever is orecchiette with broccoli rabe and spicy sausage, so this is somewhat of a play on that combo - the brussels sprouts give crunch and body to the dish, while the pancetta adds a salty contrast. This recipe is heavy on the sprouts in order to keep it substantial without being too heavy on the carbs.

Homemade Orecchiette with Brussels Sprouts and Pancetta
Adapted from The New York Times

(Printable version)

For the pasta dough:

1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup semolina flour
3/4 cup hot water (+ more as needed)

Put the flours in the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times to blend. With the machine running, slowly add in just enough water so that the dough forms a ball. If you don't add enough, you'll get mostly clumps of dough without it forming into a ball. If you add too much, the dough will be overly sticky. Don't fret if you accidentally add too much water - you can always add in more flour to make it less sticky.
Remove the dough from the processor and knead it on a floured surface for about a minute, or until the dough is smooth and elastic. At this point, you can use dough right away, or wrap it in plastic wrap and stick in fridge to use it later.
To shape - pinch a 1/2 inch size piece of dough off of the ball. Wrap it around the tip of your pointer finger to form a little hat. Set aside on a floured surface or piece of parchment while you make the rest. They don't need to be perfect.

1 Tbsp olive oil
6 oz diced pancetta
2 tsp dried rosemary, or 1 fresh rosemary sprig
6 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 pound brussels sprouts, thinly sliced
1/4 cup water
Salt and pepper
Freshly grated parmesan, to serve

Heat a large saute pan over medium heat and add in olive oil. Once oil is hot, add in the pancetta and rosemary. Cook until the pancetta begins to brown and releases most of its fat into the pan. Add in the garlic and red pepper flakes, and continue to cook until garlic begins to brown and becomes fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Add in the brussels sprouts with the water and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine with other ingredients and saute until sprouts begin to soften, about 3-4 minutes. Then spread sprouts out in one layer in pan and dont touch for a couple minutes, allowing them to brown. Repeat this process a couple times to cook/brown evenly.

While the sprouts are sauteing, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Gently add in the orecchiette. Cook for 6-8 minutes, or until the pasta floats to the top and is tender. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.

Combine drained pasta with pancetta/sprouts mixture. Add in pasta water 1/4 cup at a time to moisten. Season to taste. Serve, topped with grated parmesan and freshly ground black pepper.

Make-Your-Own Vanilla Extract

2012-07-15T20:36:00.000-04:00

Being the Frugal Fran that I am, I hate over-spending on certain items, and vanilla extract is at the top of my list. I go through tons of it with all the baking that I do, and it seems to cost a small fortune no matter where I buy it.

Little did I know that it's incredibly easy to make yourself. All you need is a container, vanilla beans, cheap vodka, and some time!

Vanilla beans tend to be expensive in stores, but you can buy some pretty cheaply off of Amazon.com. I recommend these.

Make-Your-Own Vanilla Extract

8 oz. vodka
2 whole vanilla beans

Make a slit lengthwise down the center of each vanilla bean. Place in jar or whatever container you are using. Fill with vodka. Screw on cap. Place in cool, dry place for up to two months - lightly shaking the bottle every week or so. Once extract is at desired potency, strain out and toss beans and seeds.

Can be stored, unrefrigerated, and used indefinitely.

Ramen Miso Soup with Japanese Simmered Chicken

2012-06-08T12:41:00.001-04:00

Over the weekend, Jeremy and I went to the Carroll Park Fair, which is basically like one large stoop sale for the neighborhood. We perused piles and piles of....well, junk...but also came away with some great finds. One of the stands had a ramen soup set, which although we did not buy, inspired me to try my hand at my own version.

I realize authentic ramen soup can be a sensitive subject for many, so I'll state right off the bat that this is a very Americanized version made mostly with what we had on hand. But! It was still quite yummy, and I am very proud of how well it turned out.

The broth was delicious, as was my first attempt at soft boiling eggs. But the real star of the show was the Japanese simmered chicken! The recipe - called Tori No Nimono in Japanese - was adapted from Wandering Chopsticks and is so, so good. 'Nimono' means food that is boiled and seasoned, which I feel is an understatement for how amazingly flavorful this chicken is.

The meat gets tied together and then simmered in a broth until it reduces down to form a sticky glaze. Yum. It's then sliced and placed on top of the soup, but can also go well with pretty much anything (i.e. - I ate it cold with my lunch today and loved every moment of it).

Ramen Miso Soup with Japanese Simmered Chicken
Chicken component slightly adapted from Wandering Chopsticks

(Printable Version)

6 skinless chicken thighs
1/2 cup soy sauce or tamari
1/2 cup rice wine or mirin
3 cups water
2 Tbsp freshly grated ginger
3 Tbsp sugar
kitchen twine or cotton string

1 Tbsp canola oil
1-inch piece fresh ginger, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 cups chicken stock
2 Tbsp miso paste
1 Tbsp mirin
Soy sauce/Tamari, to taste (optional)

1 lb ramen noodles, or thin udon noodles
1 Tbsp sesame oil

Veggie toppings of your choice. Examples:
Scallions, carrots, bamboo shoots, corn, radishes, cabage, soft boiled eggs, etc.

For the chicken: Tie the chicken thighs together in bundles using your kitchen twine or string. I chose to do three and three, but feel free to alter depending on how many thighs you have.
In a large saucepan, combine soy sauce, rice wine, water, grated ginger, and sugar over medium-high heath.

Place chicken in pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and partially cover pan. Allow chicken to simmer for 30 minutes. Flip chicken pieces, partially cover again, and allow to simmer for another 20-30 minutes more, or until sauce has turned into a glaze and coated chicken. Watch carefully toward the end so that the sauce does not burn.

Remove chicken from pan and let rest on cutting board. Cut off twine and slice. Set aside while you finish making the soup.

For the ramen: Heat saucepan over medium heat and add canola oil. Add in minced ginger and garlic, and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add in stock and bring to a boil. Stir in miso paste and mirin. Reduce heat and let simmer while you cook the noodles.
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook ramen noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
Place a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl or pot and pour broth into strainer. Toss solids.

To serve - In each bowl place 1-2 tsp sesame oil. Top with the ramen noodles. Then pour broth over noodles. Arrange meat and toppings along top. Drizze with soy sauce, if desired. Enjoy!

Angel Food Cake with Lemon Curd

2012-05-28T14:58:00.001-04:00

My brother and I were born 361 days apart - Irish twins, if you will. So there was definitely a birthday season in our house growing up. Despite the close proximity of the dates, we always had our own celebrations, thank you very much. This included choosing our favorite meal and dessert. I always chose chicken fricassee, while my brother stuck with homemade mac and cheese (although I believe this changed to "steak and potatoes" once he decided he was too manly to request cheesy noodles).

My birthday cake was always my mom's heavenly angel food cake with strawberries and cream whipped together. I have memories of shoving handfuls of cake into my mouth, while simultaneously wondering if I could get away with eating three pieces without seeming gluttonous.

I've made angel food cake several times as an adult but am yet to replicate my mother's. Perhaps it's impossible to do without all the accompanying requisite emotions - birthday excitement, teenage angst, a brother yelling at you from across the dinner table that you are chewing too loudly.

Although not as good as Mom's, this recipe comes close. Served with a dollop of lemon curd and fresh strawberries, it makes for a perfect summery dessert.

Angel Food Cake with Lemon Curd

(Printable Version)

1 cup All-Purpose flour
1 cup confectioners' sugar
12 egg whites (or enough to total 1 1/2 cups), room temperature
1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
1 cup granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, sift together flour and confectioners' sugar. Set aside.

Place egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until egg whites are frothy. Add extracts and beat to combine.

With mixer on, slowly add in granulated sugar in a steady stream. Beat until sugar dissolves and stiff peaks form (A good trick to know if you have beat enough is to turn the bowl upside down - if the mixture stays, you're likely good to go).

Sprinkle flour mixture over egg whites about a 1/2 cup at a time and gently fold in. Repeat until you've folded in all of the flour. Pour batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan. Tap pan on counter several times to remove air bubbles in the batter.

Bake for about 45 minutes, or until cake is aromatic and springy to the touch. Remove from oven and invert immediately. Keep cake inverted until completely cool. Remove from pan, slice, and top with your favorite lemon curd (I use this recipe) and strawberries. Enjoy!

Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Mustard Croutons

2012-05-20T20:48:00.000-04:00

I'm going through a make-it-myself phase that involves making as many staple pantry ingredients from scratch as I can. My latest obsession is making my own mustard, which it turns out, is incredibly easy.

So, what to do with an abundance of delicious homemade spicy mustard? Slather it all over croutons of course!

With this soup, cauliflower is roasted to perfection and then blended with potatoes, broth, and cheddar cheese to create a creamy (yet light!) springtime soup. Topped with homemade mustardy croutons, each spoonful makes for the perfect bite.

Hint: Make extra croutons and toss them into your favorite salad or eat them on their own as a snack. They are that good.

Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Mustard Croutons
Adapted from Super Natural Every Day by Heidi Swanson

(Printable Version)

6 oz whole-wheat bread cut or torn into 1 inch pieces (about 3 cups total)
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp grainy or dijon-style mustard
1/4 tsp salt

1 large head cauliflower, roughly chopped
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp coconut oil
4 shallots, chopped
2 medium yukon potatoes, peeled and chopped into cubes
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups vegetable broth
2/3 cup cheddar, grated
2 tsp grainy mustard
salt and pepper

To make the croutons: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk the olive oil, mustard, and salt into the butter. Place bread pieces in a large bowl and pour butter/mustard mixture over bread. Mix well, making sure each piece of bread is coated. Turn bread out onto a baking sheet lined with foil, and spread out so that no pieces are overlapping. Bake for 10-15 minutes (stirring once halfway through), or until croutons are golden brown.

For the soup: Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place cauliflower on a large baking sheet and toss with olive oil. Roast in oven 7-10 minutes (tossing once or twice), or until cauliflower begins to brown.

Meanwhile, heat coconut oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots and a pinch of salt. Sautee for 2-3 minutes, or until shallots are softened and translucent. Stir in the potatoes, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Uncover, add the garlic, and let cook another 30 seconds more. Then add in the broth and bring to a boil. Add in the cauliflower and cover. Cook for another 3-5 minutes.

Using an immersion blender (or in batches in a regular blender or processor), puree the soup to desired consistency. Stir in the cheddar, mustard, and some freshly ground pepper.

Serve sprinkled with the mustard croutons on top, and additional shredded cheese if you'd like. Enjoy!

Zucchini-Molasses Bread

2012-05-04T17:46:00.003-04:00

We went to the farmers' market in our neighborhood last Sunday with our fingers crossed that we'd get some yummy springtime strawberries (maybe to make this again!), but alas, there were none. Turns out the yucky weather for April has pushed back strawberry season a little. Sigh. But! There was an abundance of zucchini. And not being one to ignore the baking itch, I snatched a few up to whip up into a good old-fashioned quick loaf.

This zucchini bread is quite addicting, I must warn you, and tastes perfect with a hot cup of coffee on an unseasonably chilly May morning. It also tastes lovely with or without the glaze, depending on the extent of your sweet tooth at the moment (mine is always, always present). If you want to lighten it up a little, try subbing in applesauce for the canola oil - you won't risk losing the moist-ness, as the zucchinis add quite a bit on their own.

Zucchini Molasses Bread

(Printable Version)

2 eggs
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white granulated sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp unsulphured molasses
1 Tbsp honey
1 1/2 cups (about 2 medium sized) zucchini, peeled and grated
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg

1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
1-2 Tbsp milk
1 Tbsp powdered ginger

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil and flour one loaf pan or two mini loaf pans.

In a stand mixer with paddle attachment, mix together the eggs, sugars, and oil until well combined. Add in vanilla, molasses, honey, and zucchini and mix well.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flours, oats, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Carefully add dry ingredients into wet and mix until just combined.

Pour batter into prepared pan(s). Bake in oven for 30-35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool before removing from pans.

For glaze - whisk together confectioners' sugar and milk until all sugar lumps have disappeared. Whisk in ginger. Drizzle on top of bread as desired.
Enjoy!

My Very First Foodie Penpal

2012-04-30T11:12:00.001-04:00

This month, I participated for the first time in the Foodie Penpal exchange organized by Lindsay over at theleangreenbean.com. It involves over 600 different bloggers and readers who all exchange their favorite treats with one another (with a $15 limit - quite tough to do when you live in NYC!). Each participant is given one blogger to write to, as well as a different blogger from whom you receive your goodies. Lots of fun!

After finding out my penpal match and shipping off my local favorites - I had nearly forgotten about participating when I received a box full of fun treats in the mail. Jane was assigned to me, and when she asked about my preferences, I said that I loved anything with local flavor. Jane is from Texas but originally from South Africa (how interesting!), so she sent me her favorite Texan items: Salsa, corn chips, tortillas, chili fixins', fajita-spiced rice, fish fry mix, and hard candies. Yum, yum. Thanks, Jane!

I found the whole thing really fun. I loved thinking of fun, creative items to send to my assigned penpal, and am looking forward to doing it all again. Although I don't think I'll have the time to participate each month, I'm excited to participate again in the near future.

Sometimes the interwebs are so fun, right?

How To Build Your Own Pantry

2012-04-25T22:30:00.000-04:00

Many people find cooking their own meals every night overwhelming and time-consuming. And I agree - it can be...at first. But as you get into a routine of planning-ahead and organizing your meals ahead of time, it can be incredibly rewarding. Not to mention there are tons of health benefits from doing your own cooking. Plus, it ends up being much, much cheaper than eating out.

Need help getting started? Not to worry! I'm excited to report that I've developed a new section of the blog devoted to helping you create your own pantry, organize your kitchen, and plan healthy and creative meals. Check it out here. I would love to hear your feedback, suggestions, or your own tips on building an effective home-pantry.

Thin Crust Pizza with Broccoli Rabe Pesto and Roasted Red Peppers

2012-04-23T17:49:00.001-04:00

People always talk about having to hide veggies in their meals so that their kids will eat them. I don't have any kids, but I find I still need to hide veggies for myself. Sometimes you just want pizza and cupcakes and ice cream - and no, I do not want a side salad with that!

Thankfully, pizzas like this one are perfect for these scenarios. The broccoli rabe pesto packs a nutritional punch, while the crunchy thin crust and gooey cheese satisfies your traditional pizza craving. It's a win-win, really.

The following pesto recipe makes enough for a family of 50. But it saves wonderfully and can go on just about anything: pasta, veggies, fish, chicken, etc. If you can't find broccoli rabe, or you're trying to use up another leafy green in your fridge, feel free to substitute it in. That's the beauty of pesto (which derives from the Italian word pestare, meaning to grind) - you can't really go wrong with blending a veggie with nuts, cheese, and oils. Yum.

Thin Crust Pizza with Broccoli Rabe Pesto and Roasted Red Peppers

(Printable Version)

For the broccoli rabe pesto (Adapted from Food & Wine):

1 lb (about 2 bunches) broccoli rabe, roughly chopped
1 cup raw pistachios, shelled
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
3/4 cup olive oil
1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add in the broccoli rabe and cook for 1-2 minutes, until bright green and tender. Pour broccoli rabe into a strainer and run cold water over it to stop from cooking. Allow to drain thoroughly.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the pistachios out on a baking sheet and roast/toast for about 8 minutes, or until fragrant and light brown. Remove from oven and allow to coo.
In a food processor, pulse together the pistachios with the garlic until combined. Add in the broccoli rabe and parsley leaves and pulse until well mixed. Add olive oil in a thin stream with processor motor running and process until combined. Stir in cheese, salt, and pepper.

For the pizza:

Prepared thin crust dough (recipe follows)
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 bulb roasted garlic (see roasting instructions here)
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
1/2 tsp salt
freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup prepared broccoli rabe pesto
1 16 oz jar roasted red peppers, roughly chooped
1 cup grated mozzarella
1 Tbsp olive oil

Prepare crusts per instructions below.
Place a pizza stone or baking sheet in oven and preheat to 500 degrees.
Mix together ricotta, garlic, parsley, parmesan, salt and pepper. Spread cheese sauce over pizza doughs, leaving a half-inch border around the outside. Dot pizzas with tablespoon sized scoops of the pesto. Scatter roasted red peppers on top of each pie. Do NOT place mozzarella on pizza yet.
Using your fingers or a brush, smooth olive oil around outside of crusts and sprinkle with salt.
Place one of the pizza doughs (on parchment paper) into oven on top of hot pizza stone. Bake for about 5 minutes. Then rotate pie 180 degrees and top with mozzarella. Continue baking another 5 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and edges are crispy. Repeat whole process with second pie.
Enjoy!

Thin-Crust Pizza Dough - makes 2
(From thekitchn.com)

3/4 cup warm water
1/2 tsp active dry yeast
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 sheets of parchment paper, about 12 inches long

Add yeast to the water and stir to combine. Set aside for about 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour with the salt. Create a well in the middle of the flour and pour the yeast-water mixture into it. Use your hands to carefully combine it all together. If it feels too wet and sticky, add more flour about 2 Tbsp at a time. Once the dough is in a cohesive ball, turn it out onto the counter and knead with your hands. Again, if it feels too sticky, add in more flour a little at a time. Knead until dough makes a smooth ball. Then divide dough in two.

Form one of the dough balls into a disk shape and place on parchment paper. Using the heel of your hand, press dough into a circle shape, or use a rolling pin to roll dough to about 1/4 inch thick. Repeat with second ball. Now you are set to assemble!

Whole-Wheat Maple Oatmeal Scones

2012-04-13T17:42:00.002-04:00

Jeremy and I hosted a no-frills Easter brunch on Sunday. As compared to previous years, this was a much calmer Easter. No egg hunts, no ham, no frolicking in my grandparents' back yard. But fun nonetheless!

I've been itching to make these scones now that it's maple syrup season, and Easter brunch seemed to be the perfect excuse. And yes, you need to use The Real Thing. Aunt Jemima just won't cut it.

The amount of butter that goes into scones always overwhelms me, so I decided to use whole wheat flour to off-set some of the unhealthy-ness. It evens it out, right? Right.

Some notes:
- One of the most important parts of making scones is to be careful not to handle the batter too much. You want the butter to stay as cool as possible - the natural warmth of your hands will cause it to melt if you touch it a lot. This, in turn, will cause them to melt (like cookies) in the oven, rather than retain their shape.
A good trick I learned is to stick the butter in the freezer for a few minutes after you dice it.

- You want to see visible chunks of butter when rolling out the dough. This is what creates the delicious flakiness once baked!

- If you choose to not frost these, I would add in a touch more brown sugar and/or syrup for sweetness.

- This recipe makes a lot of scones, but can be easily halved.

Whole-Wheat Maple Oatmeal Scones
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa

(Printable Version)

3 1/2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup old-fashioned oats
2 Tbsp baking powder
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp salt
1 lb unsalted butter, diced and chilled
1/2 cup buttermilk, cold
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 egg beaten w/ 1 Tbsp milk (for egg wash)

For the frosting:
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a food processor, pulse dry ingredients (flours, oats, baking powder, sugar, and salt) a couple times to combine. Add in the butter and pulse until dough resembles coarse sand. Whisk together the buttermilk, syrup, and eggs - then add into batter and pulse until just combined (dough may be sticky - this is okay). Don't overmix.

Turn dough out onto a floured work surface. Knead it a couple times if it is not quite combined. Flour your hands and a rolling pin. Roll dough out until it is about 3/4" thick. You will see chunks/speckles of butter in the dough - this is a good thing! Use a 3 inch round cookie cutter to cut out scones. Evenly space them apart on prepared baking sheets. Brush the tops with the egg wash.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until tops are crisp and golden brown. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

To make frosting - whisk together confectioners' sugar with the syrup and extract. Add more sugar if it is too thin, or more syrup if it is too thick. Frost scones, let harden, and enjoy!

Pepita-Crusted Salmon with Cilantro Mayo

2012-04-06T17:05:00.001-04:00

2012 is the year of my love affair with pepitas. Also known as pumpkin seeds, pepitas are tiny morsels of healthy goodness. One ounce has almost 9 grams of protein, plus loads of magnesium, manganese, iron, and zinc. Although pepitas taste best when they are scooped out of pumpkins in October and dry roasted, you can get them year-round in pretty much any natural foods store.

This dish combines ground up pepitas with crushed corn chips to make a tasty and crunchy crust around salmon fillets. But don't stop there! Top that crispity-crunchity deliciousness with a cilantro mayo that has just a hint of spice, and you simply can't go wrong.

Some notes:
- Depending on what brand of corn chips you use, you may need to adjust the seasonings - some brands are saltier than others.
- Feel free to sub in another firm fish for the salmon.
- Can't find pepitas? This recipe would also work with almonds, cashews, or walnuts.

Pepita-Crusted Salmon with Cilantro Mayo

(Printable Version)

For the Salmon:
1/2 cup pepitas, shelled and toasted
3/4 cup corn chips
4 small fillets salmon, skinned (or 2 large cut in half)
1 cup buttermilk
Salt and Pepper
2 Tbsp canola oil

For the Mayo:
3/4 cup mayo
1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pat the salmon dry, and salt/pepper each side. Place pepitas and chips in food processor or blender and pulse until coarsely chopped. Dip salmon in buttermilk, and then dip each fillet in the pepita mixture. Let fillets sit in fridge for about 10 minutes.
Heat oil over medium heat in a large oven-proof skillet. Place salmon on skillet and let cook until lightly browned, about 3-4 minutes. Flip fillets over, and immediately transfer pan to the oven. Let bake for another 5 minutes, or until cooked through.
To make the mayo, place all ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Serve mayo alongside fish.
Serves four. Enjoy!

Best-Ever Lasagna

2012-04-01T22:01:00.002-04:00

Every two or three months I go through our cabinets and take inventory of all the random ingredients that we've accumulated. It's actually quite impressive - half a cup of ground bulgur, pomegranate molasses, a few handfuls of mung beans. You get the idea.

This last time around, we had a whole unused package of lasagna noodles from who knows when. Thankfully, I had bookmarked a recipe from Deb over at smittenkitchen.com that was just perfect.

There are many reasons I absolutely adore this lasagna. One, the bolognese sauce is to die for. I recommend making gallons so that you can freeze it and eat it whenever your heart desires. Two, I'm not a huge fan of ricotta in lasagna for some reason, even though I know that it is a traditional ingredient. Rather than being overly cheesy, this recipe gets its richness from the bechamel sauce - plus just the right amount of parmesan.

I recommend heeding Deb's advice about making the lasagna in steps. Making the sauce a day or two before takes away a lot of the stress that might otherwise be present. The day you plan to serve it, whip up the bechamel sauce - which takes two seconds - and then assemble and bake. Voila!

I think that this recipe is perfect as is. The only change I made was to do half ground pork and half ground beef in the sauce, rather than only the latter. And as I mentioned above, I used store-bought noodles. Considering how amazing this came out, I can only imagine that making your own pasta must really put it over the edge.

So head on over to see this recipe in its entirety here. You won't regret it, I promise.

Caramelized Onion and Tomato Tart with a Polenta Crust

2012-03-23T14:10:00.001-04:00

I love this weather. I mean, come on - this is a joke, right? Upper 70s in March? Seriously unbelievable. However - and let me just be old and cranky for a minute - it is still very much spring. So I encourage you to fight that urge to put on nothing but a bikini and head outside with your towels and baby oil, as I saw a gaggle of girls doing in Washington Square Park yesterday.

And believe me, I understand. I'm from Minnesota. I know the bliss that comes with the first rays of sunshine. But let's celebrate the arrival of spring with something more appropriate, shall we? Like maybe with this scrumptious savory tart that marries caramelized onions with gooey cheese and juicy tomatoes? Yes, please.

You could make this tart with a traditional pastry crust, but I really enjoyed the rustic feel that the polenta adds to this. Plus, it also allows you to side-step the copious amounts of butter that most crusts involve.

As always, patience is a virtue with this recipe. It's quite simple, but be sure to allow plenty of time for the onions to acquire that dark brown caramelized deliciousness.

Caramelized Onion and Tomato Tart with a Polenta Crust
(Crust recipe from Ancient Grains for Modern Meals via The Wednesday Chef)

(Printable version)

For the crust:
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 1/4 cups water
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups polenta
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 egg, room temp
1/4 tsp black pepper

Bring the broth, water, and salt to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and slowly whisk in polenta. Reduce heat to low and cover. Allow to cook for 10 minutes, stirring regularly to prevent polenta from sticking or clumping.
Turn off the heat and let polenta sit, covered, for 10 minutes. Then stir in the cheese, egg, and pepper.

Spray a 10-inch tart pan with oil. Dump polenta into pan, and using damp hands, press polenta to the edges. You may need to re-wet hands throughout the process to prevent the polenta from sticking to your fingers. Set aside while you make the filling.

1 lb cherry tomatoes, halved
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp salt
3 Tbsp olive oil
3 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 cups Gruyere cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 375 degrees, and place pizza stone or baking sheet in oven to heat.

Place halved tomatoes in a colander and sprinkle with 1 Tbsp salt. Shake/stir to coat. Let sit for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and remaining 1 tsp salt. Cook, stirring regularly, until onions turn medium brown - about 20 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add balsamic vinegar. Continue cooking another 10 minutes, being careful not to let onions burn.

To assemble the tart, top prepared polenta crust with the onions. Cover onions with the shredded cheese, and then top the cheese with the tomatoes, cut-side down. Place tart on hot pizza stone/baking sheet in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes, or until tomatoes begin to brown. Remove and let cool 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Spaghetti and Meat(less)balls

2012-03-12T23:22:00.002-04:00

On New Year's Day, Jeremy and I took advantage of the holiday time off to spruce up our pantry. As you know, we have a small apartment and have thus become quite creative with storing all of my kitchen accessories and gadgets. The food cupboards, however, were beginning to get out of control. So we removed the majority of dried goods and spices from the cupboards, and then built new shelving to store it all.

It makes a world of a difference! Not only are dried goods more affordable than canned, but they are healthier too due to the risk of BPA in can liners.

Plus! Because of the fantastic food blog-o-sphere, there are a bajillion creative recipes involving dried beans, grains, etc with which to experiment.

Today's recipe, for instance, comes from Dara at Cookin' Canuck. She smartly replaces the meat in a traditional meatball with cannellini beans - packing in loads of protein while keeping the dish low-fat and vegetarian-friendly.

I will reiterate what Dara says in her post - although these meat(less) balls are delicious, they are still made out of beans and would in no way fool a die-hard meat-eater who is expecting regular, meaty meatballs. Rather than trying to compare apples to oranges, I suggest instead enjoying this dish for what it is: a tasty and healthy alternative to the classic comfort food you know and love.

Spaghetti and Meat(less)balls
Slightly adapted from The Cookin' Canuck

(Printable version)

3 cups cannellini beans, cooked
1 whole roasted red bell pepper, roughly chopped
1 small onion, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2/3 cup panko crumbs
1/2 cup parmesan cheese grated, plus more for sprinkling
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
3 cups marinara sauce
Cooked spaghetti of your choice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or coat with cooking spray.
In a food processor or blender, combine the beans and roasted red pepper and pulse until well chopped but not mushy. Add in onion and garlic, and pulse a few more times.
Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Stir in parsley, oregano, egg, panko crumbs, salt, pepper, and parmesan cheese.
Using damp hands, gently form mixture into desired size balls - mine were about 1" diameter - and space about 1-2 inches apart on baking sheet. You will likely need to re-wet your hands every few balls.
Place in oven and bake until balls turn a nice golden brown shade, about 20 minutes.
With about 5 minutes left in your baking time, heat marinara sauce over medium-low heat, allowing it to simmer and thicken slightly. Place cooked balls in sauce and stir to coat. Serve on top of pasta and top with grated parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Open-Faced Broccoli Rabe and Spicy Sausage Sandwiches

2012-03-08T17:41:00.001-05:00

Back when we lived up by Columbia for a few years, we used to frequent this little Italian restaurant named Max's that was so, so good. My favorite dish was their orecchiette with broccoli rabe and spicy sausage. It's one of those dishes that has perfection in every bite - garlicky, spicy perfection. I'm sure they had other good stuff on their menu, but I wouldn't know because I got the orecchiete every. single. time.

This dish recreates that perfect flavor combo but in sandwich form. Crusty sliced bread topped with a garlicky bean paste, spicy Italian sausage from the one and only Esposito & Son's, sauteed broccoli rabe, and sliced provolone. All stuck in the broiler for one fantastic meal.

If you want to make these vegetarian-friendly, I would just add a little more kick to the bean paste, and then possibly a little more broccoli rabe on top. Delicious!

Open-Faced Broccoli Rabe and Spicy Sausage Sandwiches
Adapted from Bon Appetit (February 2012)

(Printable version)

6 Tbsp olive oil, divided
3 cloves garlic, peeled thinly sliced
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
3 cups cannelini beans cooked + 1 cup water OR 1 can (15 oz) cannelini beans with liquid
Salt and pepper, to taste

1/2 lb spicy Italian sausage, sliced 1/4 inch thick

2 bunches broccoli rabe, ends trimmed
1/4 cup olive oil
6 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp lemon juice

2 large ciabatta rolls (or bread of your choice) sliced in half
4 ounces provolone, sliced

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

For the bean paste: Heat 3 Tbsp oil in saucepan over medium-low heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until garlic has turned golden brown - being careful not to burn. Add in beans with liquid/water and bring to a simmer. Allow to cook for about 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens. Transfer to food processor and add remaining 3 Tbsp olive oil. Process until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Cook italian sausage in large skillet over medium-high heat until lightly browned and heated through. Set aside.

For the broccoli rabe: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add both bunches of broccoli rabe to the water and cook for 2 minutes. Remove broccoli to a strainer and rinse with cool water. Pat/squeeze dry and roughly chop.
In a large skillet over medium heat, add 1/4 cup of oil with the garlic and red pepper flakes. Allow to cook until garlic is golden brown. Add in chopped broccoli rabe. Continue cooking, stirring often, until broccoli is tender, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

To assemble: Arrange rolls cut side up on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread a layer of the bean paste on each piece of bread. Top with a layer of the sausage. Top that with a generous layer of the broccoli rabe. Finish off with one layer of cheese on each.
Place in oven until bread is toasted and cheese is melted, about 6-8 minutes. If you'd like, place in broiler until cheese is bubbly and golden brown. Enjoy!
Serves four.

Rolo Cupcakes

2012-02-24T16:10:00.001-05:00

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Yes, these are as mind-blowing as they appear.

Chocolate cupcakes with a Rolo inside (!!), caramel buttercream frosting, and a chocolate ganache drizzled on top. YES.

I made these as sustenance for a group of friends before we went to see Sleep No More, which requires running up and down stairs and remaining alert to plot twists and turns - all whilst trying to cognitively connect the dots to your 11th grade rememberings of MacBeth.

Needless to say, I was happy to have a belly full of chocolatey-caramel goodness to keep me going.

The idea and assembly of these little masterpieces comes from mybakingaddiction.com - a wonderful site full of really creative and delicious recipes and baking tips. I used a different chocolate cupcake recipe, though mainly because I had different ingredients on hand.

Rolo Cupcakes
Adapted from My Baking Addiction and joyofbaking.com

(Printable version)

For the CUPCAKES:

1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 cup boiling water
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
8 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup white granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
16 Rolos, frozen

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper liners.
In a small bowl, whisk together cocoa powder with the boiling water. Let cool to room temperature.
In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluff. Add eggs one at a time, scraping down batter on sides of bowl in between. Beat in the vanilla.
Carefully mix in flour mixture until just combined. Add in cooled water/cocoa mixture and stir to combine.

Pour batter into prepared liners, filling about 2/3 full. Plop one frozen rolo in the center of each cupcake, and smooth batter over the top using a spatula or back of a spoon.
Bake 18-22 minutes, until springy to the touch. Remove and allow to cool completely.

For the FROSTING:

2 sticks (16 Tbsp) unsalted butter, room temp
1 tsp vanilla
14 tsp salt
1/2 cup caramel syrup
2 cups confectioners' sugar

Cream butter in bowl of an electric mixer until like and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add in vanilla, salt, and caramel syrup and beat well. Slowly add in sugar, beating well each time.

For the GANACHE:

2 oz bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp light corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla

Warm the cream in a saucepan over medium-low heat until very hot but not boiling.
Put chocolate in medium bowl and pour hot cream over the top. Allow to sit for about 5 minutes.
Whisk the cream with the chocolate until smooth. Whisk in honey, corn syrup, and vanilla. Let sit for 10-15 minutes.

For the ASSEMBLY:

Pipe or smooth frosting onto each cooled cupcake.
Drizzle chocolate ganache over top.
Place one rolo on top of each cupcake.

Store in refrigerator until half hour before serving. Makes about 16 cupcakes. Enjoy!

Crispy Salmon with Balsamic-Glazed Shallots

2012-02-15T17:51:00.000-05:00

I'm a sucker for pretty much anything fried. Fried clams? Sure. Fried chicken? Of course. Australian battered potatoes? Even better. Fried Oreos? Why not.

...and then there are fried shallots. I first had those amazing fried morsels of onion-y goodness when I made (what is now one of my favorite go-to recipes) the broccoli crunch salad from 101cookbooks.com. They completely make the dish - kind of like crumbles of salty bacon, but even better. Now I'm completely addicted and ready to sprinkle those suckers on just about anything.

So imagine my delight when I came across this recipe for salmon with fried shallots in the cookbook based off of the restaurant Hell's Kitchen in downtown Minneapolis. Hallelujah.

I've adapted the recipe slightly by reducing the amount of butter/oil and taking out the bacon. Your arteries will thank me later :)

Crispy Salmon Fillets with Balsamic-Glazed Shallots
Slightly adapted from Damn Good Food

(Printable Version)

4 salmon fillets
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
4 Tbsp lemon pepper seasoning
1/2 cup panko crumbs
1/2 cup course ground yellow cornmeal (polenta)
6 Tbsp canola oil, divided
6 shallots, thinly sliced
zest from 1/2 lemon
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Brush the salmon fillets on both sides with the melted butter. Then sprinkle both sides with the lemon pepper. Mix together the panko crumbs and polenta. Press mixture into both sides of all the fillets. Let rest for about half an hour.

With about 15 minutes left of the rest time for the salmon, begin to prepare the shallots. Heat 2 Tbsp canola oil in large non-stick skillet over medium heat until hot. Add shallots and a pinch of salt, stirring to coat them in the oil. Allow to continue cooking until browned - you want them medium to dark brown but without letting them burn - about 8-10 minutes.

While shallots are cooking, heat remaining 4 Tbsp canola oil in another large skillet over medium-high heat. Add salmon fillets and cook until lightly browned, about 1-2 minutes. Flip and cook another 15 seconds. Remove from heat and place in oven. Bake in oven for 3-5 minutes until cooked through. Remove and keep fillets warm while you finish the sauce.

Once shallots are browned, add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and balsamic vinegar. Cook, stirring regularly, until sauce begins to thicken - about 5 minutes.

Plate the salmon and spoon shallots with the sauce over each fillet. Serve with a lemon wedge if you'd like. Enjoy!

Red Wine Braised Chicken with Leeks

2012-02-01T23:27:00.000-05:00

Picture this: It's Monday. You had a long day of work. Your husband's favorite football team lost in overtime last night. It's raining. Your dog is making the whole apartment smell like, well, wet dog. The only solution? Red wine. And lots of it.

This recipe comes from the cookbook The Art of Eating by Edward Behr, which was given to me by my lovely sister-in-law for Christmas. It's a compilation of the best recipes from 25 years of publishing the literary magazine under the same name. At times Behr comes off as slightly snobby in his recommendations, but the recipes themselves are impressive and comprehensive.

Some notes:

- Behr suggests tying the leeks together in a bundle prior to putting them in the pan. I opted not to do this because I like how the leeks fall apart and become part of the sauce, but you may want to heed his advice for presentation's sake.
- I'd stay away from a fruitier red wine. Bold and dry is the way to go.
- This recipe is ideal for chicken legs, but works well with thighs if that's what you have on hand.

Chocolate-Hazelnut Thumbprint Cookies

2012-01-26T22:28:00.002-05:00

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I know, I know, I know. It's January, and we don't eat cookies in January. I get it. I really do. But no matter how large your waistline is from holiday over-indulgence, you can't deny that there are still events that merit sweets in January. Like birthdays. And baby showers. And Fridays.

Lucky for you, this recipe comes from Cooking Light, which means it's healthy (right??) and thus exempt from being grouped in with forbidden baked goods.

Plus we are months - months! - away from bikini season. Just thought I'd point that out :)

Beet and Ricotta Ravioli with Poppy Seed Brown Butter

2012-01-18T23:05:00.000-05:00

Let's see - it's about the third week of January, which means you all must be pretty close to hitting your metaphorical wall of healthy eating pretty soon, right? Yeah, me too. In fact, Jeremy and I had a disastrous loss of will-power that involved Domino's Pizza, Hot Tamales, and Milk Duds over the weekend. Oops.

Luckily, we're still making our way through my new bible of healthy eating: Heidi Swanson's Super Natural Every Day. So we are still mostly on the right track.

This lovely dish is not from that book, however, as her recipes have been featured a million bajillion times over in the food blogosphere (like here, here, here, and here). But, but, but! This does have healthy components in it! Like beets, which have a tremendous amount of antioxidants, detoxifiers, and anti-inflammatory phytonutrients. And poppy seeds, which have high anti-oxidant properties and lots of oleic and linoleic acids. And butter, which has....kidding!

Some notes:
- When the recipe was featured in Bon Appetit (2005), their pasta sheets were very thin and made for pretty pink ravioli. However, I found that rolling the pasta out that thin causes them to break and spill filling while boiling. On a similar note, make sure to not allow the water to come to a rapid boil while the ravioli are cooking because this may cause them to break apart.
- You can substitute in any other soft cheese - goat cheese or gorgonzola would be tasty!
- If you don't have a pasta-maker or dont feel like rolling out dough, you can use store-bought wonton wrappers instead.
- These freeze very well. I definitely recommend making a double batch so that you can freeze the (uncooked) leftovers!

Chocolate-Dipped Raspberry Meringue Kisses

2011-12-21T17:47:00.007-05:00

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Thank goodness Christmas is only a few days away. I've baked and personally eaten enough holiday cookies to feed a small army, and my waistline is growing accordingly.

Thankfully, these little beauties don't require any butter, so you can go ahead and consider them diet food in comparison to most other festive treats. Or at least that's what I tell myself.

I love, love, love bite-sized portions. I like to think it's because I'm a lady and very dainty, so I like to pop whole foods into my mouth rather than taking messy bites. But let's be honest, I'm hardly a neat eater, bite-sized portions or not. Just ask Penny, who parks herself underneath me at every meal in order to catch the copious amounts of crumbs I steadily drop.

But enough about me.

I chose to make these raspberry-flavored because that's the kind of liqueur I had on hand, but you can easily substitute in whatever your heart desires. To add even more intensity to the flavor, add a couple drops of the liqueur to the chocolate as well.

For even more variety, make them into little sandwich cookies by pressing the flat sides of two meringues together after dipping in the chocolate.

And remember - keep that oven door closed! The key to crispy meringues is no peeking!

Super Easy Braised Chicken with Garlic and Lemon

2011-12-10T21:39:00.000-05:00

If I were to win the lottery, one of my first purchases would be to get myself a handsome and efficient sous-chef. Don't get me wrong - I love, love cooking. And I actually find chopping veggies somewhat therapeutic. But then there are tasks like peeling garlic. Or chopping onions. Or grating ginger. Those are the times what I would pay very good money for a sous-chef.

I have this amazing picture in my head of me after a long day of work enjoying a nice glass of pinot noir while watching Brian Williams review the day's top news headlines - all while my beloved sous-chef chops up all my veggies for me. What a life.

I bring up the extraordinary value of a sous-chef because of recipes like this one, which are so SO easy....but have the pesky little step of peeling two whole heads' worth of garlic cloves. But I implore you to fight through it because this chicken is so tender and yummy. And once you are through with the garlic, you are basically home free.

Some notes:
- You may be tempted to buy skinless chicken, but try not to. It's important to get the fat and juices from the skin in order to keep the chicken and garlic tender while braising.
- This recipe can easily be doubled if you are cooking for a crowd.
- Keep an eye on the chicken as you near the end of the cooking time period - you don't want the liquid to completely dry up.

Cilantro-Scallion Rolls

2011-11-23T16:25:00.001-05:00

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Is it just me, or is 2011 the year of the herb? Ever since reading Mark Bittman's article in the New York Times about the versatility of herbs as a main ingredient, it seems like I've seen salads made almost entirely of herbs pop-up on menus everywhere.

During our vegetarian October, we ate a lot of salads. I mean a lot of salads. To mix it up, I started throwing in a lot more fresh herbs to the mix. I've found that I really enjoy the flavors. There's something about gnawing on a big mouthful of leafy herbs that makes me feel like I'm getting in touch with my cave-woman roots...

So in honor of The Year of the Herb, I whipped up these cilantro-scallion sprial rolls from Bon Appetit. Now, I realize scallions aren't really an herb. But the point is more that you can substitute in any fresh herb that your heart desires. In fact, don't stop there! Add some cheese! Garlic! Olives!

I followed the recipe exactly, so instead of re-posting it, I'm just going to link to it here. My only suggestion would be to sprinkle a little sea salt and toasted white sesame seeds on top right after you brush the rolls with oil. Yum yum.

Enjoy! And happy Thanksgiving!

Vegetarian Round-Up, Part Two

2011-11-11T12:10:00.000-05:00

We made it the whole month! And it wasn't that hard!

As I wrote before, going vegetarian for the month of October really wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be - especially when it came to cooking at home. The part that I found the hardest was maintaining my vegetarianism while out and about. Filling meatless food choices can be hard to come by, even in crazy NYC. A soup and salad combo was sometimes the only plausible option, and oftentimes that would leave me hungry two hours later.

Jeremy and I both found that we often felt like we were eating multiple side-dishes rather than an entree for each meal, but we got used to it. It seemed like more of a cognitive habit rather than a digestive necessity to consider a "complete meal" one with animal protein dominating the plate.

Here's a few more of our favorites from the end of the month:

Vegan cream of broccoli soup recipe from joythebaker.com. Blended cashews really do add a great creaminess flavor! This was also yummy with a little shredded parmesan stirred in, if you're not opposed to dairy.

Thanks to the New York Times cooking section, we had two really delicious veggie dishes. One was a roasted beets recipe with an Indian flare, and the second was a super easy shredded brussels sprouts dish with lemon and mustard seeds.

Both went stupendously with this whole-wheat sunflower seed bread, which was dense and slighly salty, and a perfect balance to the veggies. Thanks, Joy!

Are you weird about the texture of your apples? I am. When I bite into a raw apple, I want it juicy and crispy and not at all soft. So what do you do when you have an abundance of soft apples from your over-zealous apple-picking expedition? Throw them in the slow cooker! I just sliced these up, added some lemon juice, brown and white sugar, flour, rolled oats, and cinnamon - and let the slow-cooker do its thing for a few hours. Then added this delicious sauce on top, and served with ice cream. Easy peasey.

And last but not least, we had a carrot tahini soup with homemade pita crisps (which, let's be honest, tasted like carrot hummus with pita), and this delicious and easy roasted cauliflower with yogurt-feta sauce from smittenkitchen.com. I think I could slather that sauce on just about anything and call it a day.

Thank you all for sharing such wonderful recipes with us. Despite Veg-tober being over, we still plan to keep making tasty veggie dishes!

Scallion-Wild Rice Crepes with Roasted Veggies and a Red Pepper Coulis

2011-10-25T16:56:00.002-04:00

I've had this recipe highlighted on my spreadsheet for months and am so happy I finally got around to whipping it up. Back up. Yes, I said spreadsheet - in fact, that may be an understatement. I have a google doc complete with categories, links, page numbers, and color-coding that I reference each Sunday when I'm planning meals for the week. What, most people don't do that? :)

Perhaps it relates back to 2nd grade when I used to keep a calendar for hair styles, complete with "Do-what-you-want Wednesdays".

But I digress.

I had first come across part of this recipe on epicurious.com, but had to put an asterix next to it on the spreadsheet. Why? Well, despite my parents' best efforts throughout my childhood and adolescence, I am just now starting to be a grown-up about eating mushrooms, and the filling from that recipe falls way outside my mushroom comfort zone.

But then the other day I was perusing my bookmarked recipes and came across a similar veggie-crepe concoction from foodnetwork.com and decided to marry the two together. This is why spreadsheets are so wonderful, people!

Some notes:

- This is not a great recipe to just whip up after work one night. I suggest cooking the wild rice and making the crepe batter ahead of time. You could even make the coulis the night before, too. That way, all you'll have to do is roast up the veggies, cook the crepes, and re-heat the sauce!

- If you want a more cohesive finished product, you can saute the stuffed and folded crepes in a hot pan or bake for a few minutes to brown them. I chose to omit this step, as I think it makes very little difference.

- If the idea of whole grains of rice in your crepes is weird to you, then go ahead and blend the entire portion of rice with the batter.