Mushroom, Spinach & Corn Stuffed Shells

I am kicking myself right now. (ouch) I made stuffed pasta shells about three weeks ago.  I cannot for the life of me find the notes I wrote on the recipe. So instead I present to you the "restimate". Yes, I made up that word.

Restimate: an estimate of ingredient measurements in a recipe with disclosure from the author that it may or may not be accurate. Now I will use it in a sentence: Please forgive me, but I have to admit that 50% of my recipes are actually restimates.

I would love to hear your creative variation to stuff the shells.
Beef, chorizo, seafood, eggplant? Bring it!

1/2 box of jumbo shell pasta (about 16 shells)
2 egg yolks, beaten
8 oz ricotta cheese
parmesan cheese
8 oz mushrooms, finely chopped in food processor
2 ears of corn,shucked
3 handfuls of fresh spinach
salt, pepper, oregano
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
*2 cups tomato sauce
*use this simple recipe


Partially cook your pasta for about 6 minutes until tender. The pasta will continue to cook in the oven. Drain shells and lay them out on a sheet pan not touching each other to cool. Add olive oil to a medium hot skillet and cook your spinach until wilted. Add garlic at the end, turn off heat, and drain water. Combine ricotta, egg yolks, parmesan, mushrooms, corn, spinach, salt, pepper, and oregano. Stuff about two tablespoons in each shell. Add tomato sauce to the bottom of a casserole dish, add stuffed shells, top with tomato sauce and cheese. Bake for about 20-30 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

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Simple Summer Pasta

Today I am sharing an idea.
A recipe without measurements.
This is how I like to cook.

I know there is always pasta in my pantry, veggies on my counter and cheese in my fridge.
Cook pasta. Cut veggies. (squash and tomatoes in this picture)
Combine in a casserole dish with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Fold in some parmesan cheese or feta.
Bake in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.
Add grilled chicken if you please.
Fresh. Simple.Yum.

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Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Confession...I might have not tasted a dish because I did not like its ingredients. And I might have missed out on a great dish. Sometimes we decide we don't like a certain food and so we never try it again. We should try it again. And again. And again. Foods combined with different ingredients, prepared a certain way, or cooked with an alternate method usually taste completely different. Sometimes it is the consistency, the accompaniments, the presentation, or the dipping sauce that can make the difference.

Here are just a couple of my own personal examples:

I do not like maraschino cherries. I adore fresh cherries.

I do not feast on spicy tuna sushi rolls. I dig raw tuna and grilled tuna.

I do not enjoy raw cauliflower. I love cauliflower soup and cauliflower gratins.

I do not care for hamburgers and despise meatloaf. I am giddy for meatballs.

I do not appreciate grilled chicken breast. I fancy chicken skewers with a dipping sauce. 

I hate green peas (yes, the "h word"). I tolerate frozen green peas and admire fresh green peas.

Do you have a personal example?

I have never been a huge fan of portobello burgers; however I would join the facebook fan page for grilled and stuffed mushrooms if there was one. "Simple Plates like this"

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
Adapted from Marinated Mushroom Caps, Whole Living Magazine, June 2011
juice of 2 lemons
1 tsp grated lemon zest*
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp salt
4 small portobello mushroom caps
1/2 cup raw cashews **
1 ear corn, shucked
Whisk lemon juice, lemon zest, oil, garlic and salt. (*I never measure lemon zest)
Arrange mushrooms round side down in a shallow dish and pierce them with a knife or fork.
Soak cashews in warm water for at least 30 minutes, drain, and pulse in a food processor until the consistency of a hummus. Taste and season with salt.
Once mushrooms are done marinating, remove them from their dish, spoon cashew puree into the caps, and top with corn. You can bake, grill, or broil these to your desired consistency. I put them in a 350 degree toaster oven for about 15 minutes and finished them off under the broiler for a couple minutes until the corn achieved some char.

**Vegans and those on raw food diets use cashews to make "cheese" and "cream". You can stuff your mushrooms with lots of different ingredients but I urge you to try the cashew cheese.

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Road Trip Appetite, The Bridesmaid Dress and Veggie Lasagna

On mile 1 of 2354 I did not regret the decision to drive and on mile 2354 of 2354 I still did not regret the decision to drive from San Francisco, CA to Mobile, AL. I would call that a successful road trip. Flying would have been so uneventful. I enjoyed every stop and every bite; however I am elated to be settled into my new kitchen. Below I will share food highlights that I will be using for motivation in future posts. The experience ranged from enjoying quality local food in Santa Fe, NM to eating just for caloric necessity in Grand Canyon National Park. While the Grand Canyon is known for its scenery; I quickly learned that its not famous for produce or good food. We enjoyed everything from homemade tater tots to sushi, burgers, quinoa salad, chili relleno, fresh pineapple pizza, carrot cake french toast and back to sushi. And haunting every meal was the bridesmaid dress that I had to fit into at the end of the road trip.  I suppose it is also this bridesmaid dress I can give credit to for keeping my weight in check. (Thanks and Congratulations to you Dr. and Mrs. LeBert!) It was well worth the experience and the few pounds gained.

Peanut Butter and Jelly on the road:

Shopping trip to Whole Foods to recover from the Grand Canyon:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cooking School in Santa Fe: blue corn pancakes, chorizo cottage fries, huevos rancheros, and spinach and goat cheese quiche:

 


















Fresh pineapple, cilantro, red onion, feta pizza from West Crust Pizza in Lubbock, Texas:

Marry Me Roll (shrimp tempura, ginger cream topped with avocado and strawberry) from Piranha Killer Sushi in Austin, Texas

And now for a recipe...
A few months ago I posted the Back Pocket Lasagna with a promise to post a veggie lasagna. Right before leaving SF, I received my first actual request for a recipe so I will enthusiastically oblige. I am a bit hesitant as I have made several different variations of this lasagna but will settle on posting the most recent. This lasagna has a layer of zucchini in the middle that could replace one layer of your pasta if you are trying to lighten the dish or could be used in addition to the pasta. Another idea I thought of was to end with a top layer of zucchini instead of pasta. I think I will try that next time. So many lasagnas, so little time.

1 lb lasagna noodles
1 medium yellow onion
8 oz mushrooms
10-12 oz fresh spinach
2 zucchini
28 oz can diced tomato
8 oz can tomato sauce
3-5 cloves of garlic
2 cups ricotta
1.5 cups cottage cheese
16 oz mozzarella
salt, pepper
2 teaspoons oregano
grapeseed (or canola) oil

Cook pasta noodles until al dente (8 minutes), drain and lay out on paper towels to dry.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil in large skillet, add onion and saute for about 5-7 minutes, add diced mushrooms and saute for about 5-7 minutes. Add 2-3 cloves of garlic and once fragrant add diced tomatoes and tomato sauce, salt, pepper and oregano.  In a separate skillet, heat oil and wilt spinach in handfuls. Add 1-2 cloves of garlic at the  and remove from heat when fragrant. Add spinach to tomato sauce and turn off heat. Combine ricotta, cottage cheese, 8 oz of mozzarella cheese and a couple pinches of salt. Layer a casserole dish with a couple spoonfuls of tomato sauce to prevent pasta from sticking. Next make layers of  pasta, cheese mixture, veggie tomato sauce, zucchini slices and repeat until you run out of room in your dish. This will likely be two layers ending in your choice of either pasta or zucchini slices then the remainder 8 oz of mozzarella cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes, remove foil and bake for another 25 minutes.

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Roasted Squash and Kale Tart

This tart is the perfect example of the circumstances that usually create dinner. This reoccurring scenario starts as I enter my “house” (in quotes because it is all of 600 square feet) after a long day at work. It’s cold outside and I hate going to the grocery store during the week. Let me remind you that I have a grocery store exactly 479 feet from my front door. This is no exaggeration as I found out from Google maps that the travel time of 59 seconds. Yes, I am aware how lazy this is. Moving on, I take a peek into my fridge and see leftover roasted squash from last night’s dinner and some fresh kale. I open the the freezer and a pie shell literally falls on to my foot. No other sign could confirm that tonight’s dinner will be a tart including roasted squash and kale. If you don’t loathe baking (as by now you know I do), I suggest you make a fresh pie shell instead of using frozen. I hear for those who do not have a baking handicap it is actually quite easy. You could also use puff pastry or forgo the dough and put the ingredients into a casserole dish. However, as I have noted with the turkey pot pie that if I put things in a pie shell, my family is more likely to try it. Weird? Whichever you choose, the flavors of the squash and kale are amazingly comforting and delicious.

In this recipe I used kabocha squash also known as a "Japanese pumpkin". Kabocha is easier to break down than other winter squash because the skin is tender enough to be eaten. It is a bit sweeter than butternut squash and tastes similar to sweet potatoes which would be a great replacement if you can't find the squash.

1.5 -2 cups of winter squash

1 bunch of kale (about 2 cups)

one clove garlic

1 egg

2 tablespoons milk

1/4 cup feta

1/4 cup pecans

one pie shell

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut squash into cubes and drizzle with olive oil. Roast for about 20-30 minutes. While the squash is roasting, wash kale and chop. Heat one tablespoon of oil on medium heat and cook kale until wilted. Add one clove of garlic, remove from heat when fragrant and set aside. Combine one beaten egg, 2 tablespoons of milk and ¾ cup of feta in a bowl. Once squash is done remove it from the oven and break it down a bit with a fork. Combine kale, squash and egg mixture, add to the pie shell and top with pecans. Put into the oven for about 30 minutes or until pie shell is browned.



  

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Emergency Bean Burritos

In case of emergency break glass.

I recently saw a social networking status update (website’s name withheld for privacy purposes) by a friend that declared herself a “frequent flyer of Taco Bell”. Oh the horror! This is an emergency! I hope this post will save my friend and any other late night victims of the drive through window.

I have made many different sober and not so sober variations of the bean burrito.  If you find yourself in an extreme late night situation in which knives seem dangerous, I would advise you to grab a can of re fried beans, melt some cheese on top and stuff it in a tortilla. On the other hand if you still have some wits about you, please try the below recipe.

Makes about 4 burritos:

15 oz can of pinto beans
¾ tbsp cumin
Salt and pepper
¼ of an onion, diced

½ jalapeno, minced

¼ cup plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream)

Hot sauce (couple shakes)

¼ cup salsa

1 cup cheddar cheese

Tortillas

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drain one can of pinto beans, pour into a bowl and smash. Add diced onion, jalapeno, salt, pepper, cumin, hot sauce, salsa and yogurt. Stir in ½ cup cheddar cheese and put into a small casserole dish. Top with remaining cheddar cheese and bake for about 20 minutes or until cheese melts and beans are heated through. Load into a tortilla and enjoy.

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BBQ Salmon (Shrimp): Sleeping on a bed of quinoa

I apologize ahead of time for the length of this post that I have appropriately dubbed a novel.  

Chapter One: One of my goals this year is to try experimenting with new ingredients. I am using this goal to make new ingredient friends without abandoning my "BFF" ingredients. And with that being said, I have never cooked salmon. Say what? It's so SIMPLE. Now I know some folks have already decided that they don't like the intense taste of salmon which I understand. For me that feeling comes and goes depending on how its cooked (or not cooked, I love it raw). I recently had it BBQ'd and yum!

Chapter Two: Since I don't like my BBQ sauce with a side of high fructose corn syrup I was motivated to make my own. Say what? Fear not, it was simple. If you still insist you don't like salmon after trying barbecued then by all means please use shrimp in this recipe instead.


BBQ Sauce- Makes 10+ oz
(way more than you need so cut the recipe or get creative)
1/2 onion chopped
2 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup vegetable oil
6 oz tomato paste
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
pinch red pepper flakes
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 cup + honey


Heat oil in a saucepan, add onion and cook for about 10 minutes then add garlic. Once garlic is fragrant, add tomato paste, vinegar, Worcestershire and soy. After liquids are combined, add chili powder, cumin, and red pepper. Next add mustard and honey. Simmer on low for about 20-30 minutes.
Sprinkle the salmon with salt and top with about 3 tablespoons of BBQ sauce. Put the salmon under the broiler and check it at 10 minutes and every 5 minutes after that. It usually takes between 12-20 minutes and you don't want to overcook it or it will be dry. Serve the salmon on top of the quinoa (see chapter three) with a side of avocado.

Chapter Three: I want to talk about quinoa (pronounced ˈkiːnwɑː). You can do your quick research on wikipedia . This amazing grain like product has been dubbed a "super food" by NASA due to its high protein and amino acids. The possibilities with this little guy are endless. Use it in the place of rice or any other grain, add it to salads, make it into a salad, or use it as a comfy bed. I promise to post specific ideas soon. Now, don't expect the taste to knock your socks off. Quinoa is a blank canvas like rice or pasta and you will ultimately determine the taste (no pressure). I should also note that it comes in different varieties/colors and my choice for this dish was red. Quinoa is becoming more readily available but if you can't find it boxed or in bulk at your local grocer you can buy online here.


Cooking Quinoa:
Rinse quinoa. Soak in cold water for 20 minutes or hot water for 10 minutes (this step can be skipped if you are short on time). Put quinoa in a saucepan and cover with water (2:1 ratio). Bring to a boil, then turn down to simmer for 20 minutes or until all water has been absorbed.

You, me and quinoa lived happily ever after. The END.

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Resolution Chili

New Year's Resolutions; we all make them and break them.This year to avoid the feeling of failure that surfaces after week three+ we should set attainable goals for ourselves. Resolve to make healthy changes that become habits for a balanced lifestyle. And by balanced I do mean eating a light dinner followed by dessert and working out longer followed by a few beers. So try a vegetarian dish, experiment with a new ingredient, play hard enough to sweat daily and be nice to yourself, your body and others.


To help you get started with these reasonable resolutions I am suggesting  a warm and comforting bowl of vegetarian chili. My husband and I used this recipe from Whole Foods to get us started. The Whole Foods website has great recipes that can help you accomplish your goals of living a fit, happy and balanced life.
Happy New Year!
Serves 6-8
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper,chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp finely chopped chipotles
1 tbsp dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1-28 oz can diced tomatoes
4.5 cups beans (kidney, black and pinto)
8-10 oz corn


Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions, celery, peppers and garlic and cook for 10 to 12 minutes. Add chipotles, oregano, cumin, chili powder and salt, tomatoes and 3 cups of water.  Gently simmer over low heat, uncovered, for 45 minutes. Add beans and corn and simmer an additional 30 minutes.

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Savory Cilantro French Toast

Say what? It sounds so taboo. A french toast that is savory? Oh yes, my friends, not taboo at all. According to the author on Food 52  this is South Asia’s version of french toast. Rock on Asia!

I like finding and trying a dish that I have never heard of before; I love when a dish meets or exceeds my expectations; and I prefer that the process doesn't cause me to swear. Yes, I admit, it is not just baking that causes me to use dirty words. (Don't you even think about it, my mom reads this blog!) The kitchen is a place where I curse quite often and I would like to believe that if I cut out cooking then the cursing would go away. But that is not an experiment that I am willing to conduct.

This toast kept me company one Saturday when I was having "breakfast for one". On a separate night, it was a big hit as tomato soup dippers when I was enjoying “dinner for two”.

2 eggs

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons black pepper

2 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped

4 pieces of wheat bread cut into diagonals

1-2 Tbsp Butter

Hot sauce (optional)

Beat eggs with milk and stir in salt, pepper and cilantro. Heat a medium skillet or griddle on medium-high heat and add a 1 tbsp of butter to the skillet. Dip the triangles into the batter, drain excess liquid and lay toast in the skillet until browned on one side (2-3 minutes). You will want the toast to be a little darker and crispier than your average french toast. Flip and do the same on the opposite side.  Serve with hot sauce on the side for those who want to take it up a notch. Or serve on the side of a bowl of tomato soup.

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Chipotle White Bean Casserole and Kale Crisps

I now return to my regularly scheduled program. The “shutdown” is over. What does that mean? It means no more 4am wake up call, no more 8pm bedtime, no more 1 drink maximum and no more carnivorous dinner requirement. And while there are several athletes and hard workers who survive and thrive on a vegetarian diet, I am not one to argue with a man who is waking up at 4am.

Wahooo! I will celebrate by sharing my favorite vegetarian dish and a bottle of wine. (well I likely won’t share the wine). This dish comes from 101 Cookbooks. The author has several vegetarian cookbooks with a focus on all natural ingredients. I serve this dish as a meal but it could prove successful as a holiday side dish or an appetizer served on top a sliced crusty baguette.

Serves 5-6 as a meal
2 tbsp olive oil
2 pinches red pepper flakes
2 pinches garlic salt or salt
1-2 large cloves of garlic minced
1-28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
1-2 tablespoons of dried oregano
1-2 tablespoons of adobo sauce from a can of chipotle peppers*
3-15oz cans of white beans
1 block of feta cheese
1 bunch of kale **(see bonus recipe for leftovers)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Make a tomato sauce by adding olive oil, red pepper flakes, salt and minced garlic to a cold saucepan. Heat on medium heat until garlic is fragrant then add tomatoes, oregano and adobo sauce*. While sauce is simmering, rinse 1/2 bunch of kale, de-stem and finely chop. Drain and rinse white beans. Add beans and kale to the tomato sauce. Pour into a casserole dish and top with feta cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes.

*The Adobo sauce is intense but adds a very appealing smokiness to this dish. Although optional its worth searching for and usually found in the Mexican food aisle.
** You can use any green in place of kale but I urge you to try it. It is packed with vitamins and nutritional benefits. With the remainder of the kale I BEG you to try the following delicious and addicting snack.

In a bowl, combine a tablespoon of olive oil and the juice of half a lemon. Rub the liquid into the leaves and set on a pan. Sprinkle salt on the kale and bake at 350 for about 10-15 minutes or until the leaves start turning brown and crispy. Munch on these right away or save for later. The picture shows dinosaur kale but curly kale works great also.

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Discovering Spaghetti Squash and San Marzano Tomatoes

 dis·cov·er : to notice or learn, especially by making an effort

I was introduced to the spaghetti squash about two years ago and it is one of my favorite things to cook and eat (shhhh, don’t tell my first love, the avocado). You will spot the squash at your farmer’s market or in your grocery starting around September. It’s oblong in shape and usually a golden hue. After breaking down and cooking the squash you can run a fork through the insides and it comes out in spaghetti like strands. To try and explain this amazing phenomenon won’t do it justice until you experience it yourself. I promise a smile on your face as you discover this magical squash. 

 In the recipe below you can use any tomatoes you choose but I will take this time to tell you about San Marzano tomatoes. These beauties are considered to be the top notch tomato for saucing. I have seen “San Marzano tomatoes” on top pizzeria menus around the city and finally came across them at the farmer’s market. You can also find them canned in the grocery store. If you can get your hands on some try them and bring your sauce to the next level. That would be level awesome!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Marzano_tomato 

Spaghetti Squash topped w/ San Marzano Tomato Sauce:
Feeds 2-3 as a main dish with a side of cheesy bread
1 spaghetti squash
6-8 tomatoes, sliced in half (*San Marzano, Roma, vine ripened)

Olive oil, 2.5 tablespoons

Oregano, 1 tablespoon

1-2 cloves of garlic, sliced

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Using caution and your sharpest knife, cut the two ends off of the squash. Stand it up and slice down the middle. Next, using a spoon, scoop the seeds and strings out of the middle and discard. On a roasting pan, lay the squash skin side down, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and roast for about 25-30 minutes or until you can pierce easily with a fork. At the same time that the squash is roasting, put tomatoes in a dish drizzled with 1 tbsp olive oil and sliced garlic. Roast for about 20-25 minutes.

While the squash is cooling make the tomato sauce. Using a small saucepan on medium heat, add 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and roasted tomatoes with their juices. Use a spatula to mash up the tomatoes and garlic and add 1 tablespoon oregano. Let sauce simmer on low while you handle the cooled squash. Take a fork and scrape the insides out of the squash and place in a dish. The insides will come out in spaghetti like strands.



Serve squash topped with tomato sauce and a side of cheesy bread* 

*any type of bread in the oven drizzled with olive oil and topped with cheese for 8 minutes and finished with a minute of broiling

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Cherry Tomato and Artichoke Pasta

This is just one of many veggie pastas I make for a quick weeknight dinner. You can have this dinner on the table in 30 minutes from start to finish. If you or your family are still subscribing to the “it’s not a meal without meat” notion; top this dish off with some Italian or chicken sausage straight from the broiler. I use Trader Joe’s spinach and chive fettuccini for this dish but you can use any of your favorite pastas.

Serves 3-4 as a meal
1 package TJ’s Spinach & Chive Fettuccini
1-15 oz. can artichoke hearts, halved
1-15 oz can white cannellini beans
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
Italian Seasoning or oregano
Olive Oil
Parmesan Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine artichokes, tomatoes, and beans in a casserole dish. Drizzle with about 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with Italian seasoning and/or oregano. Roast for about 20 minutes, checking and stirring frequently.
Cook pasta al dente while veggies are roasting. Once the veggies are done serve them on top of the pasta with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.

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Roasted Mushroom and Pepper Quesadillas

So the following story is a perfect example of how most of my meals are created:
It was late Sunday night and I had already accepted defeat and decided I had no motivation to cook dinner. In walks my cute husband returning from a weekend rafting trip looking awfully hungry and it broke my heart to have to tell him it was cereal night (although he loves cereal). I examined the contents of my fridge and saw the following: corn tortillas, bits and pieces of a yellow, red, and orange bell pepper left over from a weekend veggie tray; bits and pieces of a poblano pepper leftover from stuffed poblanos; one lonely portobello mushroom; and a partial bag of Mexican shredded cheese. And the story ends with roasted mushroom and pepper quesadillas and my cute husband and I living happily ever after. The End.

Makes 3-4 quesadillas
One portobello mushroom
¼ of a red, yellow, and orange bellpepper
¼ poblano pepper
Fajita seasoning
Olive oil
Corn tortillas
Mexican cheese blend shredded

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Dice mushrooms and peppers, combine with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with 1 tsp fajita seasoning. In a casserole dish, cook veggies for about 15-20 minutes until soft but not mushy. Brush olive oil on one side of corn tortillas. Using an indoor grill (sandwich press, quesadilla maker or skillet on the stove top), layer cheese and veggie mix on bottom corn tortilla and top with another corn tortilla. Grill until cheese is melted and tortilla is slightly crunchy. Cut into four and top with sour cream or greek yogurt and your favorite salsa.

 *Warning: If you overload your tortilla the cheese will seep out onto the grill and form a brown crunchy cheesy delicacy that hangs off the edges of the quesadilla that I like to call "heaven". See Exhibit A. Enjoy!

Exhibit A

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