Asian Noodle Salad

I pretty much love every recipe from the Pioneer Woman.  This Salad is no exception.

SALAD INGREDIENTS:

1 packages linguine noodles, cooked, rinsed, and cooled (I used whole wheat spaghetti)

1/2 to 1 head sliced Napa cabbage

1/2 to 1 head sliced purple cabbage

1/2 to 1 bag baby spinach

1 yellow bell pepper, sliced thin

1 orange bell pepper, sliced thin (if available)

1 small bag bean sprouts (I didn't use any because of pregnancy)

3 sliced scallions (I added chopped red onion because that's what I had on hand)

1 peeled, sliced cucumber (I didn’t have a cucumber for the photos above, but they’re yummy in the salad)

LOTS of chopped cilantro—up to one bunch

Juice of 1 lime

8 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons sesame oil

6 tablespoons soy sauce

1/3 cup brown sugar

3 tablespoons fresh ginger, chopped

2 cloves chopped garlic

2 hot peppers or jalapenos, chopped

More chopped cilantro—LOTS

Mix together salad ingredients. Whisk together dressing ingredients and pour over salad. Mix with tongs or hands and serve on platter.

*Dressing keeps up to three days before serving, WITHOUT cilantro.

Grilled Summer Corn and Chipotle Chowdah

The McFarlanes came over to devour this soup with us.  Mark is not the hugest soup fan but he told multiple times he loved this and to make it again!

6 ears corn

Drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)

4 slices smoked bacon, finely chopped

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 yellow-fleshed potatoes, such as yukon gold, cut into small cubes

2 ribs celery from the heart with leafy tops, finely chopped

2 large cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped

1 bay leaf

2 tablespoons fresh thyme

Salt and pepper

2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

One 32-ounce container (4 cups) vegetable or chicken broth

2 cups heavy cream 

Lime wedges, chopped flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped scallions and crumbles cotija cheese or queso fresco, for garnish (I used cheddar cheese)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat a grill or broiler. Grill or broil the ears of corn until charred, 7 to 8 minutes (cover the grill to give the corn a smoky flavor). Scrape the kernels from the cob.

While the corn is charring, in a soup pot, heat a drizzle of EVOO over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a plate. Add the onion, potatoes, celery and garlic to the pot. Add the bay leaf and thyme, season with salt and pepper, cover the pot and cook until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.

Using a food processor, puree the chipotle chiles. Stir into the vegetables, then stir in the broth and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and keep warm. Rinse the food processor bowl.

Add one-third of the corn kernels to the food processor, pour in 2 cups of the soup and puree. Pour the mixture into the remaining soup and lower the heat to a simmer. Stir in the remaining corn kernels, the cream and reserved bacon and cook until thickened, about 2 minutes. Serve the chowder in bowls with the lime wedges, parsley, scallions and lots of cheese.

Teriyaki Bowls

My neighbor Courtney down the hall got me hooked on Mr. Yoshida's Marinade and Cooking Sauce.  A simple week night meal we do is just to marinade chicken breasts in Mr. Yoshida's all day, grill them and then serve it over rice and steamed broccoli (with more Yoshida's poured on top of course).

Bacon, Leek & Tomato Souffle

I wasn't quite sure what a souffle was when I started out with this recipe but it ended up being a light, fluffy cake with a bunch of tasty ingredients baked in.

1 T unsalted butter, melted

1/4 panko bread crumbs

2 strips bacon, minced

1/2 c minced leeks

1 T cornstarch

1/3 c milk

1/2 c seeded, diced tomato

2 room-temperature egg yolks

pepper to taste

3 room-temperature egg whites

1/8 t cream of tarter

pinch of table salt

2 t snipped fresh chives

1 T unsalted butter

1 T flour

3/4 c milk

1/2 c shredded sharp white cheddar cheese (I used mild cheddar cheese)

pinch of cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Coat a 1 qt. souffle (round white corningware) dish with 1 T melted butter.  Add panko, turning to coat sides of dish.

Brown bacon in a saucepan over medium heat until it's crisp, 3-4 minutes.  Pour off all but 1 T of drippings.  Add leeks, saute until they're soft, about 2 min.  Stir in cornstarch.  Whisk milk in slowly until mixture is thickened- cook for 1 min.  Add tomato.  Whisk in egg yolks one at a time.  Transfer mixture to a large bowl and season souffle base with pepper. 

Beat egg whites, cream of tarter, and salt in a bowl with a mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form.  Blend a third of the whites into bacon mixture until no streaks remain- fold in remaining whites.

Fill prepared dish with batter.  Bake souffle on a baking sheet until puffed- about 30 min.  Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick into center of souffle.  Souffle is done if the pick comes out clean or slightly moist.  While souffle bakes, makes the cheese sauce.

Melt 1 T butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Whisk in flour to make a roux.  Cook roux for 2 min, stirring often.  Gradually add milk, stirring constantly.  Bring to a boil- cook for 3 min.  Sprinkle in cheese, stirring until it's meted and incorporated into sauce.  Season with cayenne.

To serve, using a paring knife, cut a slit in top of souffle.  Pour sauce into slit, allowing sauce to pool.  Spoon out portions of souffle, garnish each serving with chives.

Grilled Corn-and-Red Potato Salad with Jalapeno Vinaigrette

Here's a potato salad recipe for all you mayo haters!  I served this with grilled Bool Kogi from Trader Joes.  The meat was so tender even James could eat it!

1/2 cup plus 1 T extra-virgin olive oil

6 T red wine vinegar

1-1/2 t Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper

3/4 cup finely chopped red onion

2 jalapeno chiles, seeded and finely chopped 

10 red potatoes (about 3 pounds)

4 ears corn, unhusked

DIRECTIONS:

In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, mustard and 3/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Whisk in the onion and chiles. 2. In a pot of salted water, bring the potatoes to a boil and cook until just tender, about 20 minutes. Drain, let cool, peel, then cut into bite-size pieces. Add to the vinaigrette. 3. Meanwhile, preheat the broiler. Broil the corn in the husks, turning, until charred on all sides. Let cool, then discard the husks and silk. Slice the kernels off the cobs. Add the kernels to the potatoes and vinaigrette; toss to combine.

Italian Panzanella Bread Salad

A great summer salad recipe.

8 ounces country style white bread, cut into 1 inch cubes

3 tablespoons garlic flavored olive oil

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

2 cups red or yellow teardrop tomatoes, halved

1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper

1/3 cup chopped red bell pepper

1 small red onion, cut into 3/4 inch slices

10 kalamata olives, pitted and halved

1/3 cup basil pesto

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

4 ounces crumbled goat cheese

1 head green or red leaf lettuce

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

 

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Toss the bread cubes with the olive oil to evenly coat. Sprinkle with salt, and toss again. Spread the cubed bread evenly over a baking sheet, and bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

Toss together the garbanzo beans, tomatoes, peppers, onion, and kalamata olives in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the pesto, balsamic vinegar, rosemary, and pepper. Toss the tomatoes with the pesto mixture, and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

To serve, toss the toasted bread cubes and goat cheese with the tomato mixture. Line a serving platter with a few lettuce leaves. Shred the remaining lettuce, and mound in the center of the platter. Spoon the bread mixture over the lettuce, and sprinkle with toasted pine nuts.

Burgers with Black Pepper Parmesean Suace

Um...delicious.  Here is the recipe:

2 vine-ripened tomatoes (for four burgers), sliced about 1/4-inch thick

4 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided

Salt and ground black pepper

2 pounds coarsely ground sirloin

3 tablespoons butter

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup milk

1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

4 Kaiser rolls, toasted

1 head red leaf romaine lettuce, shredded

8 to 10 leaves basil, thinly sliced, for garnish

1/4 cup balsamic drizzle

Preheat oven to 325ºF.

Arrange tomato slices on a screen set over a sheet pan and drizzle with about 2 tablespoons EVOO, some salt and pepper. Roast the tomatoes until tender and caramelized, about an hour. Reserve.

When the tomatoes are ready, place a large skillet over medium-high heat with 2 turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons. While the pan is heating up, combine the sirloin with some salt and pepper, and form into 4 patties. Cook the patties in the hot skillet until seared and cooked through, about 6 minutes per side.

While the patties are cooking, place a small pot over medium-high heat with the butter. Add the garlic to the melted butter and cook for about 1 minute. Add the flour to the pan and cook for about 1 minute. Whisk the milk into the butter-flour mixture and bring up to a bubble. Simmer until the sauce has thickened, about 2 minutes. Season with salt, lots of pepper (about 1 teaspoon) and stir in the cheese. Reserve the sauce warm.

When the burgers are ready, assemble them by placing some lettuce on the bun bottoms and topping it with a burger patty, some Parmigiano sauce, a couple of roasted tomatoes, some basil and balsamic drizzle.

Balsamic Drizzle

1 cup balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons brown sugar

Combine vinegar and sugar in a small pot over medium-high heat and bring up to a bubble. Reduce the heat to medium and cook the liquids until they've reduced by about half and are thick and syrupy, about 10 minutes.