Williams Kitchen - Made with love

White Bean Huevos Rancheros

2011-11-01T06:00:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago I charged The Other Williams with a challenge, to come up with some yummy dinner dishes with eggs as the main ingredient. This is the first answer to that challenge and boy it doesn't disappoint.

The Other Williams made homemade tortilla's, which I highly recommend, but you can also buy corn tortilla's. We also didn't use the chipotle sauce but feel free to add it to yours if you like some serious heat!

This is a lighter version to the traditional Huevos Rancheros because instead of refried beans it uses white beans. However, don't let that fool you into thinking this isn't amazing! The beans really give this one LOTS of flavor and an excellent creamy texture.

You can also make this vegetarian by not using ham or substituting vegetarian refried beans for the beans in the recipe.

7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large garlic clove, very finely chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 large tomatoes, cored and coarsely chopped
1/2 canned chipotle chile in adobo, minced (about 1 teaspoon), plus 1 teaspoon of the adobo sauce from the can (OPTIONAL)
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tablespoons very finely chopped cilantro
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces thickly sliced ham, coarsely chopped
Two 15-ounce cans white beans, drained
1/2 cup water
12 corn tortillas, warmed
1 dozen large eggs
1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco
Sour cream, for serving

In a medium saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the garlic and half of the onion and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, chipotle and adobo sauce and cook over low heat, stirring, until the tomatoes have broken down but are still slightly chunky, about 20 minutes. Stir in the lime juice and cilantro and season with salt and pepper; keep warm.
Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil until shimmering. Add the remaining onion and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the ham and cook, stirring, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the beans and water, season with salt and pepper and cook over moderately low heat, mashing, about 10 minutes.
Preheat the broiler. Spoon the bean mixture into 6 ovenproof shallow bowls and top with 2 folded tortillas. Set the bowls on a sturdy baking sheet.
In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil. Crack 4 eggs into the skillet and cook over moderate heat until the bottoms are just set, about 2 minutes. Transfer 2 eggs to each bowl. Repeat 2 more times with the remaining oil and eggs.
Sprinkle the queso fresco over the eggs. Broil the eggs 6 inches from the heat for about 1 minute, until the cheese is lightly browned and the egg yolks are just set. Spoon the warm tomato salsa on top and serve with sour cream.

Make Ahead
The recipe can be prepared through Step 2 and refrigerated overnight. Reheat the white beans and salsa before proceeding with the recipe. Serve With Guacamole.

Recipe by Food & Wine

Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns

2011-10-24T07:31:00.000-04:00

In the Williams Kitchen we've implemented Hamburger Fridays. Every Friday we try a new and delicious hamburger recipe and it's been a huge hit. It keeps us from eating out and it's really fun food!

These aren't your run of the mill burgers, we're talking gourmet burgers packed with fresh ingredients and flavor.

What's one of the most important elements to a burger? The bun. How about some homemade whole wheat buns? Oh yes you can make them at home for a fraction of the cost you pay at the store! A couple years ago I shared with you a tip on freezing buns so you didn't waste food and money. It also applies here.

So many think that baking bread is this super hard thing to do. I'm here to tell you, it's not. The only thing you need is time and a few simple ingredients. What do you have to lose, try it already!

Makes 8 buns.

For the dough:
3 tablespoons warm whole milk
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 tablespoons honey
2 large eggs
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/3 cups plus 4 tablespoons whole wheat pastry flour
1 3/4 teaspoons sea salt
2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, grated with a box grater
Sesame seeds (optional)

Directions:
Stir together 1 cup warm water, milk, yeast and honey in a measuring cup. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Beat one egg in a small bowl.

Whisk flours and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add butter. Rub butter into flour using your fingers until small clumps form. Add yeast mixture and beaten egg and stir until dough comes together. Transfer dough to the bowl of a standing mixer with the dough hook attached. Knead dough on low-speed for 5 minutes. (If you do not have a standing mixer, then knead by hand for 8 minutes on a floured surface.) The dough will be a bit sticky. Cover the bowl and let dough rise for about 2 hours until doubled.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide dough into 8 equal parts. Gently roll each piece into a ball and place on the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, arranging dough 3-inches apart. Cover dough with a dish towel and let rise for 1-2 hours.

Set a large shallow pan of water in the bottom of the oven. Preheat oven to 400ºF and adjust second rack to middle position. Beat remaining egg with 1 tablespoon water. Brush egg wash on top of each bun using a pastry brush. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 14 minutes turning pan halfway through baking, until golden brown.

Recipe courtesy of Deliciously Organic

Fall Picnic - BBLT

2011-10-20T06:00:00.000-04:00

For our fall trip recently I packed a delicious Italian Sausage Soup and this fabulous BBLT panini! What's BBLT?

Brie, Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato!

I used a ciabatta roll for the bread and my trusty grill pan to press the sandwich before we left. I wrapped it in some wax paper and it was good to go by the time we had our picnic!

The combination of this panini is just delicious. All my favorites are in play! Really smooth-earthy brie cheese, smoky bacon, peppery arugula, spicy Dijon, and sweet tomato. Yea, it's going to blow your socks off!

Ingredients:

1-2 Ciabatta Rolls
Smear of Dijion mustard
3 tbsp of brie, at room temp
1 tbsp of italian seasoning
2-4 slices of thick cut bacon, black forest if you can find it.
2 slices of tomato
1 cup of Arugula

Directions:

Smear the dijion on both sides of the bread. Then spread about 1 1/2 tbsp of brie on one side of the bread. Sprinkle italian seasoning on top of the brie. Add bacon and tomato and half of the arugula.
Toast sandwich in a panini press or grill pan for about 2 mins on each side. Try to keep the brie from melting too much out of the sandwich.
Let the sandwich rest a bit then open the sandwich (careful it's hot) and add the rest of the arugula. Put it back together and enjoy!

Homemade Oatmeal - Maple Brown Sugar

2011-10-17T07:44:00.003-04:00

My favorite season is making it's debut here in the south and the Williams Kitchen is hopping with fall recipes! My favorite Fall breakfast is warm oatmeal. For a long time I just bought the Quaker Instant stuff but this is so much better.

The flavor and texture is just awesome and there is nothing more nourishing than a warm bowl of oatmeal. There are so many good-for-you things in this bowl. I thoroughly enjoyed this one.

Some tips:

This recipe is so versatile add whatever you have on hand or love.
If you need a quick breakfast make a big batch and throw it in the fridge. Then just take out a serving at a time, add some milk to loosen it up and microwave it.
If the oatmeal is too thick add more milk
If sweet isn't your thing, omit the maple syrup or cut the brown sugar in half

Here's my version

Brown Sugar Maple Oatmeal

Servings 4-5

3 3/4 cups water
2 cups rolled oats
1 pinch salt
4 teaspoons butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp maple syrup (the good stuff)
4 tablespoons milk
Raisins
Walnuts

Bring water to a boil and add oats. Turn heat down to med and stir until thickens (it will thicken more as it cools) about 5-7 mins.
Add butter, brown sugar, and maple syrup and stir. At this point you can let it finish cooling and toss it in the fridge.
To serve place one serving into a bowl and stir in milk. (if from the fridge microwave a minute or so).
Top with raisins and walnuts.

Recipe adapted from allrecipes

Fall Pinic - Italian Sausage Soup

2011-10-13T17:36:00.000-04:00

We recently took a picnic to a local apple farm/pumpkin patch. It was a gorgeous day and just perfect for this delicious soup. We also brought a small panini, but you'll have to wait for that recipe in a few days.

The soup was so simple to make that I, as in, the non-cook, made it the day before. The morning of our picnic I just took it out of the fridge and reheated it.

The farm was packed but we managed to find a shade tree off by ourselves. We brought out the blankets, pillows, and wine. We breathed in the fresh air, shared a delicious lunch, and just enjoyed each others company. I don't think it could have been more awesome. We watched families hunting for that perfect pumpkin and listened to Ole McDonald way too many times as the hayride passed us.

We made a full batch of this soup and ate it for lunches the following week. It's really so good. I can't wait to make it again! Try it, it's amazing!

Ingredients

1 pound Italian sausage (we used hot and sweet)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 (14 ounce) cans beef broth
1 (14.5 ounce) can Italian-style stewed tomatoes
1 cup sliced carrots
1 (14.5 ounce) can great Northern beans, undrained
2 small zucchini, cubed
2 cups spinach - packed, rinsed and torn
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch of red pepper flakes

Directions

In a stockpot or Dutch oven, brown sausage with garlic. Stir in broth, tomatoes and carrots, and season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 15 minutes.
Stir in beans with liquid and zucchini. Cover, and simmer another 15 minutes, or until zucchini is tender.
Remove from heat, and add spinach. Replace lid allowing the heat from the soup to cook the spinach leaves. Soup is ready to serve after 5 minutes.

Hostess with the Mostest - Italian Rosemary Bread

2011-10-10T08:14:00.001-04:00

I'm of the belief that if someone invites me to their home and cooks me dinner, I shouldn't show up empty handed. Hostess gifts are also so much fun if you don't wait till your on your way to the party to think about it. If that does happen, grabbing a bottle of wine is always a nice gesture.

However food makes a great hostess gift and the presentation is my favorite part. Recently, we were invited to a formal dinner party where I gave the hostess this gift.

Two homemade loaves of Italian Rosemary Bread and a bottle of her favorite type of wine wrapped in argyle socks. Just the wine and socks is a cute gift, I think.

I also made this gift box out of a shoe box and left over burlap from my fabric stash and some ribbon. It turned out beautiful and the hostess loved it.

This bread is delicious with just about anything! Make sure you put it in a plastic baggie if it's not going to be eaten that day. Also after 3-5 days, if you want to make it last a little longer, throw it in the fridge. This bread is also great frozen if you want to eat one loaf and save the other loaves.

**I half this recipe and make two loaves from it.

Italian Rosemary Bread

3 cups warm water
1 tsp. white sugar
2 tbsp. (or 2 packets) active dry yeast
1 tbsp. salt
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. dried basil
2 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
7 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:

Dissolve the sugar and yeast in warm water for about 10 minutes until it appears slightly foamy and creates small bubbles (this is proofing).
Stir in 4 cups of flour and beat it until it’s smooth. Then let it rest for 15 minutes.
Beat in the salt and herbs. Add remaining flour, one cup at a time, until it forms a firm dough.
Knead until it is smooth and springy. This is going to take about 8 minutes or so if you knead it by hand. It needs to be very smooth in order to have a fantastic consistency.
Place it in a greased bowl and turn it over so that the dough is greased all over (you don’t want it sticking to the bowl). Cover dough with a cloth or plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for one hour.
Punch it down gently and divide into 3 balls. Lightly grease 2 cookie sheets (be sure you pick two that will fit in your oven at the same time). Form dough into either long or round loaves on the cookie sheets. Use a very sharp knife a cut a few slits in the top of the loaves. Cover and let rise about 30 more minutes.
Bake in a 450F degree oven for about 18-20 minutes. The top should be golden brown and the bottom of the loaf should sound hollow when tapped.

Options:

Mist dough with water twice while it is cooking. This will create a delicate, crisp crust.
Brush top of loaves with butter right after they come out of the oven. This gives a very soft, buttery crust.
Form dough into breadsticks (be careful, it makes a lot!)
Omit herbs (but not the salt) for a plain Italian bread.

(adapted from Domestic Cents)

Italian Sausage Hamburger with Garlicky Spinach

2011-10-03T10:13:00.001-04:00

We've started doing Hamburger Fridays at our house when ever possible and we're trying out all kinds of burger recipes.

This burger is so delicious on so many levels. The sausage, the garlicky spinach and the sun-dried tomato pesto spread all add something spectacular to this burger. We're talking restaurant-style gourmet burger here!

We used 1/4 pound of local Italian-style sausage, which was about 1 link a piece. Don't skimp on the sausage, get the best you can find. So far this is my favorite burger yet!

Servings: 4
Wine Suggestion: Chianti or Pinot Noir

Ingredients:

10 ounces baby spinach
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon anchovy paste (optional)
Salt
1 pound sweet or hot Italian sausages (or a combination of both), casings removed
4 slices of provolone cheese
1/4 cup sun-dried-tomato pesto
4 round ciabatta rolls, split and toasted

Directions:
In a large skillet, bring 1/4 inch of water to a boil. Add the spinach and cook, stirring, until just wilted, about 1 minute; drain and press out as much water as possible. Wipe out the skillet.

In the same skillet, heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil until shimmering. Add the garlic and anchovy paste and cook over high heat, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the spinach, season with salt and stir just until coated, about 10 seconds.

Light a grill or preheat a grill pan. Using slightly moistened hands, form the sausage meat into four 4-inch patties, about 3/4 inch thick. Brush the burgers with oil and grill over moderate heat until browned and crusty on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Carefully flip the burgers. Top with the cheese and grill until the burgers are cooked through and the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes longer. Spread the pesto on the rolls. Top with the burgers and spinach and serve.

Chocolatey Mousse to die for!

2011-09-06T09:58:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago The Other Williams decided to surprise me with a special dinner! The dessert was a chocolate mousse! I'm normally not a mousse kind of girl. I would rather a piece of chocolate cake but when she put this beautiful thing in front of me, I was hooked!

The Other Williams does not bake, period. However this recipe isn't really baking anything so anyone can do this. It's super easy but make sure you make it in advance because it needs some time in the fridge to set up.

This is a great dessert for entertaining because you can make it ahead of time. I can not emphasize how chocolatey this dessert was. However it is very rich so watch the portion size. We only finished half of these. I'm hoping if I'm good I'll be surprised with these again very soon!

Once you get the base down the options are limitless. You can add extracts like raspberry or mint, top with all kinds of things, and really play with it. The Other Williams whipped up fresh whip cream and topped for chocolate shavings and a mint leaf.

Ingredients
6 ounces semisweet chocolate
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons coffee liqueur
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
Fruit, nuts, cookies or whipped cream, for serving, optional

Directions
Special Equipment: 4 (6 to 8-ounce) individual serving dishes

Melt the chocolate over a double boiler setup.

While the chocolate is melting, in a large mixing bowl, combine the egg yolks and sugar and beat, with a hand-held mixer, until very pale and thick and have doubled in size. Whisk in the coffee liqueur. When the chocolate has melted, whisk it into the egg yolk mixture.

In a medium bowl, whip the heavy cream to medium peaks. Using 1/3 of the whipped cream at a time, fold the cream into the chocolate mixture. Repeat this process until all the cream is incorporated. Transfer the mousse to individual serving dishes and chill for at least 1 hour.

Garnish with fruit, nuts, cookies or whipped cream.

Chocolaty delicious!

Recipe courtesy of Anne Burrell

Smoked Salmon Hash and Eggs

2011-08-30T09:51:00.000-04:00

This is quickly becoming my new favorite breakfast. It's fast, easy and very healthy! Smoked salmon is kind of expensive so it's more of a treat for us than a regular breakfast. We found it cheaper to get the smoked salmon pieces (at Trader Joes). However the flavor of this breakfast will knock your socks off.

We like this breakfast before a big morning workout or when we need a big protein/carb boost. But it's also a perfect Sunday brunch recipe!

Poaching the egg is a little tricky and we use egg poach pods most of the time (however not in these photos), which makes it super easy to poach eggs and keep them all together. We like our eggs a little runny because it makes a good sauce for everything else. But if your not a fan of runny eggs then don't skip this recipe, just poach your egg a little longer or use a scrambled or hard boiled egg.

Give this a try and let me know what you think!

Servings: 2

Ingredients:
Extra-virgin olive oil cooking spray
2 cups frozen shredded hashbrowns*, thawed
3 green onions, thinly sliced, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 (4-ounce) package hot roasted smoked salmon*, skin removed, flesh flaked into pieces
2 eggs

Method
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Spray generously with cooking spray, add hashbrowns, two-thirds of the onions and half of the black pepper and cook, stirring very occasionally, until just crisp, about 5 minutes. Add salmon, gently toss together until combined and cook until hot throughout, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Transfer to two plates and set aside; wipe skillet clean. Heat skillet again over medium-high heat and spray generously with cooking spray. Add eggs and cook to your liking, 3 to 5 minutes. Top salmon hash with eggs, garnish with remaining pepper and green onions and serve.

Nutrition
Per serving (about 8oz/213g-wt.): 240 calories (90 from fat), 10g total fat, 2.5g saturated fat, 220mg cholesterol, 700mg sodium, 17g total carbohydrate (3g dietary fiber, 1g sugar), 20g protein

Recipe by Whole Foods

Quick & Cheap Seafood Pasta

2011-08-22T00:00:00.002-04:00

Sometimes you just don't have time to be in the kitchen for an hour or you've got hungry mouths not interested in how long the marinade takes. We recently had one of those nights. Sometimes we'll get the frozen bag pasta dinners in the freezer section but this recipe turned out to be just as fast and it's cheaper!

We got the frozen seafood mix from Trader Joe's. I'm not sure if you could find this other places. If not, you can certainly make your own mix or just use shrimp.

Here's a really great tip: when cooking red sauce and pasta. Cook your pasta for about 5 minutes in salted boiling water. Then strain it and dump the pasta into the sauce pan for another few minutes to finish the cooking process. This really, really gives the pasta so much flavor!

Servings: 2
From stove to table: 15 min

Linguini
1/2 bag of frozen seafood mix (trader joes) or 12-16 shrimp
1/2 a jar of Marinara Sauce - we used world classic on sale for $2.39 a jar
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3-4 leaves of fresh basil
Pecorino Romano or Parm, to top
Salt and Pepper to taste

Bring water for pasta to a boil.

Prepare the seafood mix as instructed on the package or saute shrimp in a large saute pan. When seafood is almost cooked but not quite, add the marinara sauce to the pan with the red pepper flakes, 1/2 of the basil and salt and pepper.

Add pasta and salt to water when water begins boiling. Lower temp to a low boil. Cook for 5 minutes in salty water. Strain and add pasta to the saute pan. Coat pasta with sauce and simmer until pasta is at desired tenderness.

Serve hot with the other 1/2 of the basil and cheese.

Garbage Stir Fry

2011-08-15T00:00:00.000-04:00

This recipe is created out of necessity and the notion of not throwing anything away. We've joined a CSA this year and each week we get a bag of goodies, er, fruits & veggies.

There is only two of us but it's a small share. Still, sometimes it's hard for us to get through everything. We try to freeze, pickle, or can the leftovers but we'd much rather eat them fresh. In comes the garbage stir-fry.

We've done this twice now and each time it's been a little different. Here's the concept:

Clean out the fridge!

Seriously, toss everything you can think of into this stir-fry. The stir fry is such an easy throw-together meal and it's so versatile.

Here's what went into our last one: zucchini, cucumber, green pepper, grape and pear tomatoes, green onion, and even some lettuce at the end. We marinaded some beef in soy sauce or teriyaki and threw that in also. Put it all over a bed of rice and you're done!

For a sauce you could use a store bought Asia-style sauce, teriyaki sauce, or make your own by throwing some stuff together. Feel free to use and adapt our Chicken Broccoli Stir-Fry recipe for this purpose!

So clean out that fridge and don't waste an ounce of your bountiful harvest!

Chilled Cucumber Soup with Shrimp & Mini BLT

2011-08-08T00:00:00.017-04:00

It's been getting just ridiculously hot recently and we found the perfect recipe to cool down with! Normally I'm not a big chilled soup person but this chilled cucumber soup really hit the spot for me.

I love a good fresh summer cucumber. There is just something so clean and fresh about the favor in this little vegetable. Pair that with lemon and dill and wow!

We added a little agave to the recipe to balance out the tartness of the greek yogurt. And you want to use a good Greek yogurt. The shrimp on top was like icing on the cake and went beautifully with the soup.

We paired this lunchtime soup with a mini BLT. We used a potato roll (any dinner roll would be fine), thick cut bacon, fresh garden tomatoes, and arugula. I also prepared some dill mayo by using some of the dill and lemon juice leftover from the soup and mixing it into store bought mayo. It made the sammie a little extra special.

I hope you'll try this one with your garden cucumbers. It's a delicious light, healthy, and filling lunch.

Yield:
9 servings

Ingredients

3 (7-ounce) containers Greek yogurt
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
3 hothouse cucumbers, unpeeled, seeded and chopped
3/4 cup chopped red onion
9 scallions, white and green parts, chopped
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
3 teaspoons Agave or honey
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (6 lemons)
3/4 pound cooked large shrimp, halved
Thin slices of lemon, halved, for garnish
Fresh dill, for garnish

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the yogurt, half-and-half, cucumbers, red onion, scallions, salt, and pepper. Transfer the mixture in batches to the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process until the cucumbers are coarsely pureed and then pour into another bowl. Continue processing the soup until all of it is pureed. Fold in the dill and agave (to taste), cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, until very cold.
Just before serving, stir in the lemon juice. Serve chilled, garnished with the shrimp, lemon, and fresh dill.

Recipe Courtesy of

Marinated Tomato Salad with Sesame-Crusted Goat Cheese

2011-08-02T00:00:00.008-04:00

Our new thing seems to be all things Asian. We recently purchased the book Simply Ming: Easy Techniques for East-Meets-West Meals. This was the first recipe we prepared from it and if this is any indication of how the rest of the book will turn out, I'm excited!

Again, we're following the same theme as the last post with fresh, local tomatoes being the stars of the dish. This makes a great side, light lunch, dinner or even an appetizer. If you can get your hands on heirloom tomatoes, all the better. We used Cherokee Purples and Brandy Wine yellows.

The fresh, local goat cheese is cut into rounds, coated in sesame seeds, and pan fried. It tops off this dish beautifully and the crunchy, nutty sesame crust melts into the creamy, smooth cheese inside.

The book recommends using a thin-bladed knife warmed under hot water then dried to cut the cheese log. We put the rounds in the freezer before frying so it kept it's shape better.

Give this easy but delicious recipe a try, then come back and tell me how delicious it was!

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 large ripe tomatoes, sliced 1⁄4 inch thick
Sea salt
Freshly cracked black peppercorn
1 small onion, white or sweet (such as Vidalia, Maui, or Walla Walla), halved and very thinly sliced
Leaves from 1⁄2 bunch of basil, sliced into very thin ribbons
1⁄2 cup Five-Herb Vinaigrette (recipe below)
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 eggs lightly beaten with 2 tablespoons water
1⁄2 cup sesame seeds
1 large log (8 to 12 ounces) of goat cheese, cut into twelve 1⁄2-inch slices
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

Arrange half of the tomatoes on 4 serving plates and season with the salt and pepper. Top with half the onions and half the basil, and drizzle with half the vinaigrette. Layer over the remaining tomatoes, season again, and top with the remaining onions and basil. Coat with the remaining vinaigrette. Set aside at room temperature for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, separately place the flour, egg and water mixture, and sesame seeds on 3 plates. Dip the cheese rounds into the flour and the egg mixture, then coat the flat surfaces of the rounds with the seeds. As you work, place the cheese disks on another plate. (These can be done in advance and stored in the fridge.)
Heat a large, nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. Add the oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the goat cheese disks and sauté, turning once, until brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side.
Arrange the goat cheese on top of the tomato salads and serve immediately.

Five-Herb Vinaigrette
Makes 3 1⁄2 cups
Lasts 2 weeks, refrigerated
Ingredients

1⁄4 cup Dijon mustard
1⁄4 cup minced shallots
1 cup rice white vinegar
2 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar, or balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons mirin
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons dried mint
2 tablespoons dried cilantro
2 tablespoons dried basil, preferably Thai
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons dried tarragon
2 cups grapeseed or canola oil

Directions
In a medium nonreactive bowl, combine the mustard, shallots, vinegars, mirin, sugar, mint, cilantro, basil, thyme, and tarragon. Whisk in the grapeseed oil. Use or store.

Recipe Credit:

Pasta With No-Cook Tomato Sauce

2011-07-25T00:00:00.002-04:00

With tomato season starting to peak, now is the perfect time for this beautiful, simple, and delicious recipe! I can not even begin to describe how lovely this dish is. It speaks to something so nourishing and so simple that it's hard to explain.

Whether you have a garden, have joined a CSA, or shop at the farmers market there is nothing that tastes better than a homegrown tomato! So why not highlight that delicious tomato-goodness with this recipe. The sauce is not cooked so all the flavors of the tomato shine!

You can use just about any type of pasta you like, we used whole wheat penne. And the added touch of the ricotta really set this up for yummy-ness! I mixed mine all in and it created this delicious, creamy, tomato-juice sauce for the pasta.

One word of warning though, this is a fresh made dish and it didn't hold well for leftovers. So eat it the day you prepare it and don't refrigerate it at all.

Serves 4

2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes, any color, halved or quartered
2 small red, yellow, or orange bell peppers, diced medium
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. red-wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
coarse salt and ground pepper
3/4 pound pasta
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn if large
1/2 cup ricotta, for serving

In a large bowl, toss together tomatoes, bell peppers, oil, vinegar, and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Let sit at room temperature, 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large stock pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and add pasta to sauce, tossing to combine. Add basil and toss. Divide pasta among four bowls and top each with ricotta.

Per serv: 501 calories; 17 g fat; 15 g protein; 74 g carb; 6 g fiber

Recipe Credit: Everyday Food Magazine

Crispy Chickpea Salad with Grilled Prawns

2011-07-18T00:00:00.001-04:00

"Fried Chickpeas? I'm not so sure about that." That is what I said to The Other Williams when she suggested this recipe for a quick weeknight dinner. I decided to give it a try anyway because I'm normally very open about new foods and ways of cooking them.

And as usual, I'm glad I did. When the chickpeas are fried their nutty flavor seems to intensify times 100. They really give more than just an amazing flavor to this dish though. They give it major texture! The crispy, crunchiness of the chickpeas are just fun and very delicious.

The whole salad comes together very nicely with a variety of textures and flavors. Definitely a delicious light meal and if you're sick of the same on garden salad this will definitely liven things back up!

YIELD: 6 servings
TOTAL: 1 HOURS, 30 MINUTES
COURSE: Salads

Ingredients

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
4 teaspoons grated lemon rind, divided
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, divided
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper, divided
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
18 large shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 3/4 pound)
6 cups canola oil
3 cups rinsed and drained canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
Cooking spray
4 cups fresh baby arugula
2 cups fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup fresh mint, torn
1/3 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/3 cup (1/4-inch) diagonally cut green onions

Preparation

Combine 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon rind, 1 tablespoon juice, parsley, 1 teaspoon red pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt, black pepper, and garlic in a medium bowl. Add shrimp; toss well. Marinate in refrigerator 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Clip a candy/fry thermometer onto the side of a Dutch oven. Add canola oil to pan; heat oil to 385°.
Dry chickpeas thoroughly in a single layer on paper towels. Place 1 1/2 cups chickpeas in hot oil; fry 4 minutes or until crisp, stirring occasionally. Make sure oil temperature remains at 375°. Remove peas from pan using a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. Keep warm. Return oil to 385°. Repeat procedure with remaining chickpeas.
Remove shrimp from marinade; discard marinade. Thread 3 shrimp onto each of 6 (5-inch) skewers.
Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
Place shrimp on a grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill shrimp 2 1/2 minutes on each side or until done.
Combine remaining olive oil, rind, juice, red pepper, and salt in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Add chickpeas, arugula, spinach, and remaining ingredients; toss gently to combine. Place 1 1/4 cups chickpea mixture in each of 6 shallow bowls. Top each serving with 3 grilled shrimp.

Nathan Fong, Cooking Light
JANUARY 2011

Ode to Zucchini

2011-07-05T00:00:00.000-04:00

So you've started your garden and all was coming along beautifully. You water it every day and lovingly tend your veggies in the hopes of a bountiful harvest. Then it happens...

It becomes a zucchini take over!! Before long you have so many zucchini you don't know what to do with them. Sound familiar?

Fair not, dear readers! We have enough delicious zucchini recipes to keep beautiful zucchini from getting bland. Leave a comment here or on our Facebook page and let us know which one are you dying to try?

Ratatouille

Stuffed Zucchini with Sausage

Rustic Summer Squash Tart

Sausage, Zucchini and Penne

Zucchini with Chick Pea and Mushroom Stuffing

Zucchini Pappardelle with Roasted Tomato Vinaigrette, Arugula and Feta Cheese

Summer Squash Ribbons with Oregano, Basil, and Lemon

Tips 'n' Tools: Removing Caffeine

2011-06-27T17:31:00.002-04:00

Recently The Other Williams and I toured the only tea plantation in the US, Charleston Tea Plantation. We both drink tea. Sweet tea in the summer on occasion and I have to have a hot mug of tea in the morning during the winter. There is just something so nourishing about hot tea, no matter what kind or flavor you like.
Anyway, while at the plantation learning all kinds of great stuff about tea and how it's produced, we learned that you can remove some of the caffeine in tea naturally.

Did you know...
- That in order to make decaf tea chemicals have to be added?
- The Charleston Tea Plantation uses no pesticides, herbicides, or chemicals on their tea plants?

I didn't either. I try to stay away from caffeine when I can but we've been buying the Charleston American Classic Tea for a year or so. Local all the way at our house! I make sweet tea when we have cook outs and for The Other Williams but I've been drinking a decaf tea when I partake. I was so happy to hear I could remove some of the caffeine and switch back to LOCAL tea!!

Here's the process:

Iced Tea (Moon Tea)
Heat releases the caffeine so instead of boiling the water, pour cold water over the tea bags and let it sit over night. It will steep but the caffeine won't come out as much.

Hot Tea
Pour boiling water over the tea bags and let it steep for 60 seconds. Then pour that cup of tea out and pour more hot water over the tea bags. The first cup (that your pour out) will contain most of the caffeine!

Stuffed Zucchini with Sausage

2011-06-21T20:37:00.004-04:00

Got zucchini growing like crazy in your garden and you're looking for some different zucchini recipes? This is your answer! If your growing season hasn't started yet, go ahead and print this one out. Believe me, you'll thank me later.

This quick and kid-friendly healthy meal is super delicious! The Other Williams will throw this on the grill and I'm not sure what she does with it but magic happens some how. However you can put these in the oven also.

I never use to be a big sausage lover but boy have times of changed. The tomatoes and sausage together with the zucchini are just stellar!

So hang on to those zucchini coming in and give this one a go!

Ingredients
* 2 zucchini, ends trimmed
* 3 tablespoons olive oil
* 2 links Italian-style (pork or chicken) sausage, casings removed
* 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
* salt and ground black pepper to taste
* 1/2 sweet onion, chopped
* 3 cloves garlic, chopped
* 1 (14.5 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, drained and chopped
* 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
* 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Cut a lengthwise 3/4-inch thick slice from each zucchini. With a spoon, scoop out the flesh, leaving a shell intact all around the zucchini. Discard or save the flesh for another use. Chop up the long slices of zucchini.
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, and cook the sausage, breaking the meat up as it cooks, until the sausage has begun to brown, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle in the crushed red pepper flakes, and season with salt and black pepper. Stir in the chopped zucchini, onion, and garlic, and cook until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Scrape the sausage mixture into a bowl, and stir in the tomatoes, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and basil until the stuffing is thoroughly combined.
Lightly stuff the zucchini boats with the stuffing, place the zucchini into a baking dish, and bake until thoroughly heated through and beginning to brown on top, about 30 minutes.

Spicy Asian-Chicken-Salad Lettuce Cups

2011-06-13T16:43:00.000-04:00

This is yet another "Build a Bite" that The Other Williams fixed up for us the other night. And, oh my, it's delicious! Not only is this fun and tasty, it's HEALTHY!!

The Asian spin on the classic chicken salad really makes this different and special. We have a several Asian spices and sauces in our cabinets because The Other Williams loves cooking with these flavors. I highly recommend spending a couple hours just walking through your local Asian food store. And yes, you have one, google it! Its so intriguing to see all the different things they have!

Not in an Asian mood, no problem, just do a classic chicken salad. The Other Williams has a killer recipe for that also >Click here<.

Tips: We couldn't find Bibb and didn't want to do iceburg so we got butter lettuce and it was delicious! We also added tomatoes to the recipe so play with it and throw in what you've got.

This would make an excellent picnic meal!!

Make Ahead: The chicken salad can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.

1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons sambal oelek or Chinese chili-garlic sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
One 2-pound rotisserie chicken—skin and bones discarded, meat pulled into bite-size pieces
1/3 cup water chestnuts, coarsely chopped
2 scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
12 Bibb or iceberg lettuce leaves
1 Hass avocado, peeled and cut into 12 slices
Lime wedges, for serving

In a medium bowl, mix the mayonnaise with the sambal oelek, mustard and sesame oil. Stir in the chicken, water chestnuts and scallions and season with salt and pepper. Spoon the chicken salad into the lettuce cups and top with a slice of avocado. Serve with lime wedges.

Falafels - Deconstructed, "Building the Bite"

2011-06-01T00:00:00.003-04:00

Every so often we get into a "new thing". The "new thing" can last for days, weeks, or sometimes, but rarely, months. We've just gone through the homemade pasta thing and the homemade pizza thing, although these are still very much in play in our kitchen, we're moving on.

There is now a NEW "new thing". It's what we are calling the "Build a bite". Interested? Oh but you should be!

The above is an example of the Build a Bite concept. This is a deconstructed version of our Falafel Pita Sammie recipe. Instead of all the components being constructed into a pita sammie, this version allows us to build the perfect bite each time, or maybe we want a different bite each time. Regardless we get to decide.

Pictured (clockwise) are diced fresh tomatoes, naan bread, falafels, cucumber slices, lettuce and in the middle is The Other Williams' yummy Greek Tzatziki Sauce! So for this I would tear a piece of naan load it up with the fixin's I wanted in that bite and then pop it in my mouth. I built my bite.

We also did this with shrimp, naan, and fixin's. Soooo good!

So where in the world did this idea come from? We recently had some friends suggest an amazing Peruvian restaurant to us and they have an appetizer that you build the bite. There is bread, sauce, and toppings and you add what you want. We loved the idea and have tried to replicate that experience several times in our kitchen.

So what do you think? Neato or nutso?

Wine Wednesday is coming back!

2011-05-27T00:00:00.003-04:00

This past weekend we headed into Georgia Wine Country. What? You didn't know wine is made in Georgia? Well, you're missing out, my dear readers! North Georgia has almost a dozen wineries crafting some very delicious wine!

If your a localavore and a wine lover, take a look around your region. There are many states outside of California that make great wine! Virginia, Michigan, North Carolina, Vermont, Massachusetts, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, New York all have wines that I can personally attest to being yummy - and I'm sure there are more.

Our stock pile. It's not ALL mine but most of it was.

Upon returning from our trip I learned that I had purchased 12 bottles of wine from nine wineries. This gave me the idea that maybe I should bring back the Wine Wednesdays! If you need a refresher of what Wine Wednesday's are >Click Here<.

*UPDATE* >Click Here< for a more updated version of my experience with wine.

I will also not be rating the wines because if I didn't love them as I was tasting them at the wineries I didn't buy them. So they are all great in my opinion.

I'm not a snob about wine either. I don't mind buying the two-buck-chuck (or Three Wishes from Whole Foods) and I don't always think you have to spend big $$$ in order to get a great tasting wine. Most of the wine I buy is under $25.

If you'd like to see the local and the occasional non-local wine I've reviewed in past Wine Wednesday's >Click Here<

Now do tell...what are your favorite local wines? What states have you tried wine from?

Picnic Tip: Cup Holder

2011-05-25T00:00:00.007-04:00

We picnic a lot down here in the south. The Other Williams and I picnic in the local parks, in the woods, in the mountains, heck even on the side of the road. We picnic in our car, at the local collage campus, just about anywhere it's pretty and there is a place for us, we lay our blanket down.

This little picnic tip is something I came up with out of necessity and while we were picnicking a few weekends ago I snapped a photo to use as a visual aid. I know I'm always thinking about you guy!

Most impromptu picnic locations don't always have the smoothest, most stable ground. So if you need somewhere to put your can, bottle, or cup that's holding your favorite beverage, take off your shoes. Tennis shoes make great cup holders and work well with cans, bottles, and cups. It stabilizes the beverage and it's easy to grab and drink.

Tah-Dah! Do you have any picnic tips?

Salmon in Lemon Brodetto with Pea Puree

2011-05-10T00:00:00.004-04:00

On Sunday's we love lazing on the couch and watching food network. Recently, while taking full advantage of a lazy Sunday, we saw this delicious recipe from Giada.

The presentation here is truly breath-taking. I'm a firm believer that we eat with our eyes and this recipe is just beautiful! The bright green of the puree and the contract of the salmon really make this dish just pop!

You're say, "that's great, R, but how bland is it?" I was thinking the same thing when The Other Williams set this down in front of me. I was very, VERY wrong. The star of this dish is all in the Lemon Brodetto. A brodetto is the Italian cousin of the bouillabaisse. It's a light, non-fussy, broth that, at least in this recipe, packs a huge punch of flavor.

The lemon, mint and acid from the brodetto really play well and contrast with the smooth and sweet flavor of the peas. I basically mixed them together on my plate.

Because the flavor of the brodetto and the puree really are the main stars here you might think that the salmon takes a back seat. Not a chance. The salmon doesn't lend a ton of flavor but where it comes in is with the texture. The steak-like texture of this meaty fish really bring it all home to mama.

Overall this dish might in one of my new favorites. It's light, very healthy and the flavor-factor just can not be over looked here. Give it a try, you'll love it!

Wine Suggestion:
Oaky Chardonnay

Serves: 4

Lemon Brodetto:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 shallot, diced
2 lemons, juiced
1 lemon, zested
2 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves

Pea Puree:

2 cups frozen peas, thawed (about 10 ounces)
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
1 clove garlic
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Salmon:

1/4 cup olive oil
4 (4 to 6-ounce) pieces salmon
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

To make the Lemon Brodetto, warm the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots and saute until tender, about 7 minutes. Add the lemon juice, zest, and broth. Bring to a simmer, and keep warm, covered, over low heat.

To make the Pea Puree, combine the peas, mint, garlic, salt, and pepper in a food processor and puree. With the machine running, add the olive oil in a steady drizzle. Transfer the pea puree to a small bowl and stir in the Parmesan. Set aside.

To make the Salmon, warm the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over high heat. Season the salmon pieces with salt and pepper. Sear the salmon until a golden crust forms, about 4 to 5 minutes on the first side. Flip the fish and continue cooking until medium-rare, about 2 minutes more depending on the thickness of the fish.

To assemble the dish, add the tablespoon chopped mint to the Lemon Brodetto and divide between 4 shallow dishes. Place a large spoonful of Pea Puree into the center of each bowl. Place a salmon piece atop each mound of Pea Puree. Serve immediately.

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Scottish Oat Breakfast Muffins

2011-05-05T00:00:00.001-04:00

The Other Williams loves these filling muffins for breakfast. I normally bake them in double batches and we freeze them. They are just PACKED with goodness and the flavor is really delicious.

There are a lot of ingredients in this one but that is what makes them so nutritious! I highly recommend getting your ingredients from the bulk section of your local health food store (like Whole Foods). This way you can get the exact amount you need for the recipe.

They aren't too sweet, which is why The Other Williams loves them and why they make a great breakfast. Hope you'll give these guys a try!

Servings: 12 Muffins

Ingredients
3/4 cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
3/4 cup Bobs Red Mill Whole Grain High Fiber Cereal
1/2 cup Brown sugar
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/3 cup Banana, mashed
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 whole Egg
2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
1/2 tsp Vanilla
1/2 cup shredded Carrot
1/2 cup chopped Dates
1/2 cup chopped Walnuts

Direction
Mix together dry ingredients. Mix liquid ingredients in separate bowl. Combine the two mixtures and stir till moistened. Fold in carrot, dates, and walnuts.

Lightly grease or line muffin tin with paper cups. Fill 2/3 full. Bake at 400F for 18-20 min.

Parmesan White Fish

2011-04-26T00:00:00.001-04:00

I love this recipe! The Other Williams has been cooking this one for a very long time. We cook this in our toaster oven because it has a broil setting but it can also be cooked in the oven.

Fish is such a light and healthy meal and this recipe really adds lots of flavor to some boring white fish. We use tilapia most of the time but you could also use any light, flaky white fish. Fresh is best but frozen will work also.

The Other Williams cuts the recipe in half for the two of us.

Serves 4-6

2 lb Whiting fillets
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1/4 cup butter
3 tbsp mayo
3 tbsp chopped green onions
1/4 tsp salt
Dash liquid hot pepper sauce (adds flavor not heat but add more if you like heat)

Place thawed fillets in a single layer on a well greased baking dish. Brush with lemon juice.
Combine remaining ingredients and set aside
Broil fish for 6 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork
Remove from heat and spread with cheese mixture
Broil 2 more minutes until lightly brown.