Melrose Peppers, It's a Chicago Thing!

I couldn't let summer fade away without posting about Melrose Peppers, a local variety of peppers that are at their peak right now. Back when I started my blog three years ago I think my second post was about Melrose Peppers, since then I have gotten numerous emails from fellow and former Chicagoans expressing their love for this humble pepper, just a couple of days ago I received this touching email from a man who pretty much sums up the feelings of so many regarding this delectable pepper, my family included!


"Oh Memories of “Ma” Josephine Selefski I have been having a craving for a few weeks now. Quietly searching and coming up empty. Feeling waves of anticipation, Similar to planning a wedding, birth of a child, your 21st birthday …Alas today. Today was the day! I found at the local grocery store “Melrose” peppers. Fresh succulent vine ripened tomatoes, fresh, still warm crispy crusty bread.


Sharp provolone cheese and pan oil roasted Melrose peppers, topped with a drizzle of vinegar and oil with Italian seasoning.Those of you who know the deliciousness … be aware the peppers are in season. As for those who don’t … I have to say my vocabulary is not large enough to explain. Think perhaps mouth- gasms. Ma turned this then young Polish kid into a Melrose pepper eating machine.

As I tore into this wonderful Sandwich, all I could do was close my eyes, savor the flavor and bow my head in thanks for that sweet woman that created so many great memories and introduced me to these flavors.

Thanks Ma, God bless you and keep you in his heart."




Everyone has their own special way of making and preparing them that is near and dear to their hearts, my husband loves them simply sauteed in olive oil with a little red sauce added, he will make a whole meal out of them with some good crusty bread and a few hunks of provolone cheese!

On how they originated here the story goes like this, an Italian family immigrated to Melrose Pk, Il, which is a western suburb of Chicago, they brought with them the seeds of these tender and sweet thin skinned peppers.

They quickly became very popular among gardeners in the Italian community and then a local and very well loved fruit and vegetable market started selling them and made them extremely well known, and the rest is history!

Sometimes I like to change it up and stuff them, even though it's time consuming it's so worth it!

But ever since I discovered this seed and stem remover it's made my life alot easier, it's my new favorite gadget and I only payed $4.00 for it! Not only does it do a great job seeding and coring peppers, I use it to clean out the gills from portobello mushrooms, also great for seeding cucumbers and tomatoes and steming strawberries.

There are many ways to stuff Melrose Peppers, in the past I've used Italian sausage and fontina cheese, in this case I used Italian sausage as well as a mixture of ricotta, mozzarella, grated romano cheese, eggs and basil. I usually alternate between the cheese mixture and the sausage as I'm stuffing the pepper. I like to use a zip lock bag with the tip cut off for ease in doing the ricotta mixture, also a quick saute of the peppers beforehand makes them easier to handle.

Place them single layer in a baking dish with a light marinara sauce spooned over top , cover loosely with foil and bake at 375F until tender and the cheese and egg mixture is cooked through.

You might have come across this type of red pepper in your market sometimes refered to as Ancient Sweets red peppers, typically they are very long about 10 inches, since they're so big they're great for stuffing with whole pieces of sausage, nice and sweet and very tender similar to the Melrose Pepper.

Hope you're enjoying all the local and seasonal produce in your areas as summer winds down.

Buon Appetito!

Chef Instructor John Murphy Joins CKCA as Evening Pro Instructor

This fall, Chef John Murphy joins the Center for Kosher Culinary Arts as an instructor for the evening Professional Program in Culinary Arts. Chef Murphy has a wide range of experience in culinary education and an exciting history of supporting students in competitive culinary competitions.

Chef Murphy has worked in the culinary profession for more than 30 years. For the last 15 years, he has worked as a culinary educator at Barry Tech Center, a part of Nassau Bureau of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), located in Westbury, NY.

While at Barry Tech, Chef Murphy has been very involved with Skills USA. He has guided five of his students to New York State Culinary Arts Competition's First Place Gold Medals. In 2007, his student finished second at the Skills USA National Championship in Kansas City, MO. He has also been the New York State Culinary Championship’s Cluster Chair since 2004. He oversees four competitions: culinary; baking; table service and food preparation assistant.


Chef Murphy has been an active member of the American Culinary Federation Long Island Chapter since its founding in 1992. He has served as a member of the Board of Directors as long as he has been a member of the chapter as well as having served as treasurer, vice president, and newsletter chair. He has been the membership chair for the last five years. John has been the recipient of many chapter awards including Chef of the Year in 2002.

Chef Murphy continues to hone his skills by working in industry during his down time from school as well as visiting his former students when possible to learn what they now have to teach him. As a culinary educator, he draws from his many years of culinary experience to pass along to students not only the skills for success in the kitchen but also for life. He feels those life skills are the most important things they can learn: teamwork, integrity, organization, respect, compassion and a good sense of humor.

The Jewish Star: It's Date Night: Time to Make Dinner

Editor's note: The below article refers to the Culinary Date Night classes taught by Chef Mark D'Allessandro at the Center for Kosher Culinary Arts on August 18 and 19, 2010. A new series of Culinary Date Night courses, including a culinary competition for couples, will debut in December 2010.



It’s date night: Time to Make Dinner

by Stephen Wallach

This article originally appeared in The Jewish Star: Individual and Original Reporting from the Orthodox Communities of Long Island, August 28, 2010.

When you think about going out on a date, some type of food and some sort of activity are involved. A picnic can be romantic, but preparing the meal is rarely the event itself. But that’s what six couples experienced on “Culinary Date Night” recently at the Center for Kosher Culinary Arts in Flatbush. My wife and I went with another couple and I wasn’t sure what to expect out of the program. Then again, my first date with Miriam ended with my tie being rung out in an elevator by partners of the law firm where I worked at the time, when I walked in drenched from head-to-toe from our walk in the rain. Life with her tends to be full of surprises.

We filed through a doorway and up a set of stairs to a room filled with a commercial oven, kitchen supplies, and two long metal tables with folding bar stools set in front of cutting boards. Each person got their own butcher knife and the evening was shaping up to be a cross between a slasher movie and a good game of Clue. While Professor Plum and Miss Scarlet were not there, we had our own cast of characters. There was the “pretty” couple, the newlyweds, the pregnant couple, and the couple that was so out of their element. When that wife said she had never tasted lox before in her life, the “pretty” husband asked her if she was really Ashkenaz.

Chef Mark D’Alessandro and his team of sous chefs and assistants helped make this a memorable night. He demonstrated the different dishes in the four-course kosher meal that he had designed. The first course was blini with smoked salmon, where he emphasized the need to make small pancakes, fried just so. Next, for the soup course, an easy but tasty white gazpacho, followed by a demonstration of the deboning of a chicken leg that was then stuffed, seared and cooked. Dessert was a poached pear accompanied by French toast strips, soaked in a coconut cream, alongside caramel sauce and sorbet.

Each couple got to make blinis, the appetizing course, as a way for every one to get into the feel of the evening. We then broke into three teams of two couples each to prepare the next three courses. This is where I began to feel like I was in the middle of a taping of either Top Chef or Dinner: Impossible as 12 people ran around a fully stocked kitchen searching for serving utensils or fresh ingredients in the commercial refrigerators.

Meticulous attention was paid to kashrut throughout the entire class. My wife and the couple we were with were assigned the gazpacho. With some predictable goofs by people working in a rush on a dish they have never made before, working from a recipe that was to be tripled, our course ended up tasting very good and looking good, too. But the pit I get in my stomach during slasher films came back as the four other couples, some of whom didn’t seem to know which end of the knife to hold, were now responsible for the rest of dinner.

When prep time was over, the tables were cleared, cleaned and covered in white linens. Flowers were put on the table and the dishes were set. Each team was now responsible to plate and serve its own course. All of these strangers were able to assume their roles in this choreographed dance, weaving in and out, setting twelve places and serving three different courses. When all was set, we were able to eat.

A night with the potential to be another where I would be rung out in an elevator, or found in a freezer a few scenes ahead in my slasher flick, turned into a pleasant surprise. The food was actually very good. Each course was pretty and tasted good enough to want to have again. At the end of the evening we were able to call this a success. One, the food was good. Two, the experience was one I would probably do again and our friends had fun as well. And three, my date had a good time. I guess I’ll call her again.
If he hasn’t already experienced them firsthand, Stephen Wallach hears most of the stories in “That’s Life” before you do. E-mail info@kosherculinaryarts.com for more information about The Center For Kosher Culinary Arts or for future programming.

The original article appears here: https://thejewishstar.wordpress.com/2010/08/25/it%E2%80%99s-date-night-time-to-make%C2%A0dinner/

Zucchini hashbrowns

One of my favorite side dishes, pre-candida days, was hashbrowns. Until recently, I just had to salivate watching other people eat hashbrowns.

But now, I can make ACD-friendly hashbrowns out of zucchinis, which I happen to have an enormous supply of in my garden. It was by accident that I discovered that zucchinis make a good substitute for potatoes in hashbrowns.

I was drying some shredded zucchini in the oven as an ingredient for a veggie pizza crust. I looked at those shredded zucchinis crisping in the oven and suddenly, they looked like hashbrowns.

These days, whenever I pick a good-sized zucchini from the garden, I shred it up in the food processor and make it into Zucchini Hashbrowns.

Ingredients (for 1 serving):

1. Shredded zucchini from 2 medium-sized (or larger) unpeeled zucchinis
2. 1/2 cup chopped onion, red and green peppers
3. salt and pepper to taste
4. Fresh basil or parsley for garnish
5. olive oil pan spray

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spread the shredded zucchini on a large baking sheet, sprayed with pan spray
3. Sprinkle with salt and pepper
4. Spray the zucchini with olive oil. Use an olive oil mister or purchased pan spray.
5. Bake the zucchini until browned and crispy.
6. In the meantime, saute the onion and pepper in a skillet.
7. Add the crisp zucchini shreds to the skillet and mix.
8. Garnish with fresh herbs for serving.

Freezing Eggplant

One of the plants that thrives in hot, dry weather such as we've been having lately (105° anyone?), is eggplant.

We have been getting generous portions from our CSA.

Here is a link that we were given that has freezing instructions.

Looking at that, I was inspired by the idea of baked or grilled eggplant ready to pull from the freezer.

I preheated the oven to 450°, sliced the eggplant 1/2" thick, placed them in lightly oiled jellyroll pans, brushed them with olive oil and put them in to bake for 10 minutes per side (20 minutes total).

When done, they were beautifully browned on one side and soft when poked with a fork. I layered them with waxed paper and put them in 1-pound batches into the freezer.

This is especially handy in dealing with a glut since I love eggplant but have yet to persuade the rest of the family to share my delight. Tom doesn't mind it but no one else is very happy to see it show up.

The Unseen Heroes: Organic Farmers

Our CSA farmer has suffered greatly this year from terrible weather (too cold, then floods, then drought, then more floods ...), too few bees because of that cold weather, and now from squash beetles. Hearing about their struggles makes me appreciate the accomplishment it is to get in a good organic crop. Nature is out to get those plants before we do. Here is a sample from a recent update:

As we told some of you at last Saturday's delivery we had to sacrifice the second crop of yellow squash, zucchini, and patty pan because the plague of squash bugs had gotten so bad after working so many hours manually killing them and removing the eggs. The nasty bugs were just about to migrate to the second crop of cantaloupe and watermelons. We could not allow that to happen as the cantaloupes and watermelons look good. The squash bugs ruined our cantaloupe and watermelons one year as we didn't think they would be affected by squash bugs, but found out they will destroy them as well as squash. So we used our propane burner tractor attachment and destroyed them all along with the eggs and nymphs. It took quite a long time and used a full 58 gallon tank of propane, but hopefully we have "stayed the plague" and saved our cantaloupe and watermelons. This is part of growing organic. We could have provided some beautiful squash if we were using conventional methods---just spray them with harmful pesticides, kill all of the bugs, and have squash. However, we are committed to organic only and will continue growing produce accordingly. We will plant a third crop of yellow squash, zucchini, patty pan, butternut, and acorn squash tomorrow. I am sure we didn't kill every squash bug, but I believe 98% of them so hopefully the third crop of all the squash will produce abundantly in the fall.

I must say, though, that the crops we do receive have been the freshest and highest quality I have ever had since my parents' big gardening days. It is definitely worth the trouble.

From Garden to Table

Besides my herbs, tomatoes and kale have been our top producers this season from our garden, we have given away so much kale and it's still growing! It's been so nice to walk out to the garden, pick something and then create a meal around it. Cold weather and winter comes too soon here so I'm savoring every last bit of summer.

What's summer without fresh sliced tomatoes simply dressed with olive oil, basil, salt and pepper? Sometimes I add fresh mozzarella or fresh ricotta or even just plain, it doesn't matter as long as there's some good crusty bread alongside, it's a meal in itself!

Vine ripened cherry tomatoes roasted and tossed in pasta is good plain or with any kind of seafood, topped off with crunchy breadcrumbs and fresh herbs enhances the flavors.

How about a zucchini ricotta pie? You can add tomatoes, grated cheese, onions, garlic, lemon zest and fresh herbs, with or without a crust, either way it's a great summer meal with a salad.

I have really grown to love kale this year and the fact that it's so good for you is a bonus!

Pasta with sauteed kale, garlic, roasted tomatoes and cannellini beans graced our table a few times this summer, shave a little pecorino romano on top and you have a nice healthy meal.

Of course everything is cooked with heart healthy extra virgin olive oil, is there really anything else?

I wanted to make ricotta gnocchi, so instead of adding spinach like I normally do, I thought why not try it with kale, I just chopped it up small, sauteed it for a few minutes and folded it right into the ricotta.

This was so good tossed into a light marinara sauce and so quick and easy to make. It's hard to believe September is right around the corner. Hope you're enjoying every last minute of your summer!

Buon Appetito!

Fire Up Your Ovens! New Evening Culinary Arts Course Starts October 3rd!

CKCA's fall evening course in classic Culinary Arts is set to begin October 6th, immediately following the chagim.

This is the only kosher program of its kind in the US.

Classes are open to men and women ages 16 and above and appropriate for anyone who is passionate about cooking and committed to expanding his or her knowledge and skill set in an intensive, professional environment.

PLEASE NOTE: THIS PROGRAM IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH KINGSBOROUGH COMMUNITY COLLEGE

The dates for the Fall program are as follows;
150 hours
October 3 - February 7th
Sunday and Monday Evenings
6:30pm-10:30pm

Please contact Jesse Blonder at the Center for Kosher Culinary Arts for more information and an application at 718-758-1339, or visit
http://www.kosherculinaryarts.com. The application is also available for download at this link.

Black bean fudge

Black beans are loaded with antioxidants, protein, and fiber which allows the carbohydrates to be absorbed more slowly. What could be better than turning this wonder food into a ACD-friendly treat?

Carob or Chocolate Black Bean Fudge
Ingredients:

1. 1 can black beans with no added sugar
2. 1/4 cup carob or cocoa powder
3. 1 T. no-alcohol vanilla
4. 1/8 cup sunbutter and 1/8 cup coconut oil (or 1/4 cup coconut oil)
5. 10 or more drops of alcohol-free stevia

Directions:

1. Drain and rinse the black beans
2. Put beans plus all other ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth (add more sunbutter or coconout oil if needed)
3. Spread mixture in an 8-by-8-inch square pan, lined with parchment paper or plastic wrap.
4. Refrigerate until firm. Cut into 24 pieces.
5. Optional: Melt 1 T. each additional sunbutter and coconut oil and mix. Spread on top of the firm black bean fudge as a topping.
6. Other options: Add seeds, nuts or peppermint extract to the mixture.
7. Note: I chose a blend of sunbutter and coconut butter for the fudge because it had less saturated fat. Too much saturated fat causes me difficulty because my gallbladder was removed. The fudge will not stay as firm as when you use only coconut oil. I just keep it frozen to deal with that problem.

Black beans can be added to many treats that contain chocolate and carob, and no one will be the wiser. I recently made black bean, chocolate brownies for my husband, and he had no clue until I told him what the secret ingredient was. The addition of the black beans turned the brownies into a much healthier treat.

Grilled Veggie Torte Revisited and the Winner of My Giveaway!

Before I get on with my torte I'd like to thank everyone for all your wonderful comments, I loved reading them along with all the nice emails I received. Now I'd like to announce the winner of my giveaway. Drum roll please!
CULINARY CORY! Congratulations Cory, Julie from Blog2Print will be contacting you soon with all the details, enjoy your blog book!



Some things just need to be revisited, they're worth repeating especially when you change them up a bit, such is the case with this Grilled Veggie Torte. My inspiration for making this first hit me a few years ago when I saw this layered beauty in the case at my local Whole Foods store. I asked them how they made it, was there any cheese between the layers? I was in awe of it's cake like structure and the beauty of it. It was made in a spring form pan piled high with veggies and feta cheese in between, I instantly went home and tried to recreate it, since then I have made it several times for parties, to bring along to a friends house or just when I want to use up an abundance of veggies like I did here. It's very impressive looking and it can be made in any size pan, the one in my previous post was a 6 inch pan, the one here was a nine inch.
The more colorful you make it the better it is, that's what gives it the wow factor. I used green, red, yellow and orange peppers, vadalia onion rings, zucchini, eggplant and portabello mushrooms tossing torn fresh basil in between. Feel free to use any of your favorite veggie combinations.

In previous times I have put feta cheese, shredded mozzarella, parmesan or asiago between each layer and on top. Grilling all your veggies do take some time so feel free to grill them the day before and just assemble it on the day you bake it. Remember to brush them all with olive oil and season with salt and pepper before grilling.

Then the other day my friend Stacey posted a beautiful Grilled Vegetable Torte with a crispy and cheesy breadcrumb topping on it and I was inspired to make her version ASAP! all I can say is that the topping enhanced the over all deliciousness of the torte! Check out her beautiful version here.

I also added sliced garden tomatoes on one layer after seeing hers. I made my crispy topping with homemade bread crumbs, grated romano cheese, snipped basil, salt and pepper, and a generous drizzle of olive oil on the top. The two new additions were incredible!

Bake it at 400F for about a half hour. The key is to let it really cool down before you pop the spring on the pan and you will have no problem cutting it into perfect wedges, just make sure you use a serrated knife and slowly cut through it.

The torte can stand proudly alone as a vegetarian meal along with a salad or it's a wonderful side dish with any type of grilled meat. I served mine with this chicken above. A great summer meal indeed!

Buon Appetito!

This Chips Bag May Break the Sound Barrier

Frito-Lay makes a lot of noise marketing its Sun Chips snacks as "green." They are cooked with steam from solar energy, the message goes.

But its latest effort—making the bags out of biodegradable plant material instead of plastic—is creating a different kind of racket. Chip eaters are griping about the loud crackling sounds the new bag makes. Some have compared it to a "revving motorcycle" and "glass breaking."

It is louder than "the cockpit of my jet," said J. Scot Heathman, an Air Force pilot, in a video probing the issue that he posted on his blog under the headline "Potato Chip Technology That Destroys Your Hearing." Mr. Heathman tested the loudness using a RadioShack sound meter. He squeezed the bag and recorded a 95 decibel level. A bag of Tostitos Scoops chips (another Frito-Lay brand, in bags made from plastic) measured 77.

There was a certain amount of validation (and amusement) in reading this Wall Street Journal article. I kid you not, you really can't hear yourself think when you are rustling around in this chips bag. Tom immediately began laughing and saying that some poor person at Frito Lay was going nuts now trying to dampen the sound. Looks as if he was right!

CKCA Summer Open House

Thinking about taking a professional or recreational class at CKCA?

Come try a delicious selection of hot and cold hors d'oeurves and canapes (free of charge!) and meet Chef Avram Wiseman as well as CKCA staff and current students of the Summer 2010 Pro-Program in Culinary Arts at our next CKCA Open House!

You can feel free to ask questions to Chef Wiseman, CKCA director Jesse Blonder, or any of the students. They will also be happy to share with you some of the special hors d'oeuvres recipes created for the event, which you will be able to taste for yourself.

The event is on Friday, August 27th, at 12:00pm to 1:00pm. RSVP is required.

To RSVP, please call Jesse Blonder at 718-758-1339.

CKCA is located in Flatbush, Brooklyn, at 1407 Coney Island Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11230. Visit us on the web for more information: http://www.kosherculinaryarts.com.

Cauliflower rice and nori rolls

Thanks to Brandon who left a comment recently, I decided to make cauliflower rice and use it in truly low-carb/vegan nori rolls. They were delicious with this addition.

Cauliflower rice is super easy to make. All you need is a head of cauliflower, a food processor, microwave and microwave-safe bowl. Wash, trim and cut the cauliflower into pieces. Toss the pieces of cauliflower into a food processor. Process until the cauliflower is turned into rice-sized pieces.

Place the cauliflower rice into a microwave-safe dish with a cover and microwave for a few minutes. Do not add water to your cauliflower as it already has enough moisture of its own.

To make nori rolls, spread sunflower seed pate as the base layer on a nori sheet. Add cauliflower rice and matchstick-sized pieces of cucumber or other veggies on top. Roll up tightly. Cut into threes and serve. Or wrap and store for later.

Sunflower Seed Pate

Ingredients:

1. 2 cups sunflower seeds, soaked for 6-8 hours (can be sprouted if desired)
2. 1/2 cup chopped celery
3. 1/2 cup shredded zucchini
4. 1/4 cup diced red onion
5. 2-4 cloves garlic
6. 1/4 cup tahini or sunbutter
7. 2 T. Bragg's amino acids
8. 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
9. 2-3 T. lemon juice
10. 1 tsp. cumin
11. dash of cayenne
12. 1 tsp. sea salt

Place all the pate ingredients in your food processor. Process until desired consistency is reached. Note: you can be creative with this recipe. Each time I make it, I vary it slightly. Add other veggies if desired. It stores well in fridge.

It's My Blogiversary Today!

Three years ago today Proud Italian Cook was born, I can honestly say it has been one of the best things I've ever done, mainly because along this journey into the blogosphere I have met the most incredible people with so much amazing talent that inspires me on a daily basis.
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you to all of my dear blog friends, subscribers, readers , family and friends, I appreciate and adore all your comments!

Looking forward to my journey into next year!

To celebrate my blogiversary I'd like to introduce you first to a company called Blog2Print, they provide bloggers with an easy way to turn their blog into a professionally printed book.

A friend of mine first told me about them and she encouraged me to check them out. I started thinking how cool it would be to have my blog in book form, something to hand down to my family, after all our blogs are like a journal into our daily lives whether it be through food, travels or any other passion that we blog about.

Then one day I got an email from Julie at Blog2Print and she asked me if I would like to try out their product, as you can imagine I was very excited.

With Blog2Print you can print all your pictures, posts, and comments if you wish, if you've been blogging for a while you might want to do it in volumes like I did. Depending on how many photos and text you have that's going to determine the pages used in your book. For instance my first volume consisted of 123 pages, plus a dedication page, and 4 table of contents pages. I was able to fit most of my first year of blogging into the book. I didn't add any comments into my book it would have taken up too many pages and added to the cost, but that's entirely up to you.

It's easy to do and you can personalize your book any way you want with their simple instructions.

I think giveaways are more fun when everyone has the chance to participate so for one lucky reader you'll be recieving a coupon code for forty dollars from Blog2Print so all my Canadian and International friends can take part, just be aware that there will be some shipping costs. Shipping within the U.S. is free.

So now you can use that coupon to create your own blog book like mine up above. I wish I can offer one to each and every one of you but unfortunately I can't, but at least I hope I've encouraged you to think about doing this your self. You can test it out for free and see your blog in book form on their site with no obligation at all, go and check it out but once you do you'll be hooked like me. The quality is even better in person!

All you have to do is leave a comment on this post, the winner will be announced on Friday August 20th.

I will be using random generator, if I can figure it out! lol

Using Up Our Summer Bounty

This quick and easy meal is something I made often this summer, everything is cooked in one pan and before you know it it's on your table, providing you use thin cut boneless pork chops like I used here or some chicken breast.


It's been so hot and muggy here the humidity is off the charts, walking out to my grill is not appealing, sometimes I'd rather cook inside with my nice cool air conditioning on. Yes, you have to heat up your oven for this but it's nothing compared to the heat outside plus it's a great way for me to use up my sweet cherry tomatoes that we're fortunate enough to be picking on a daily basis.

We have an over abundance this year I think we went a little overboard in our planting of cherry tomatoes I'm constantly thinking of ways to use them, I made this recipe up out of necessity and it's become one of our summertime favorites.

I love the different colors and how they cluster together and stay on the vine. They're so delicious fresh, but sometimes I think I love them even more when they're cooked and caramelized, the flavor just intensifies! We have a few different varieties some being heirlooms. Right now I'm looking out my window and all I see is red!

I used my cast iron grill pan, but you can use any heavy pan, you're first going to brown your pork or chicken on top of the stove and then finish it off in a 375F oven until the meat is cooked through and the tomatoes are caramelized.

Pre heat oven

Season your meat with salt and pepper

Brown on both sides in a hot pan drizzled with olive oil

Toss in your cherry tomatoes, I used a lot as you can see

Shaved garlic

Fresh basil

Drizzle olive oil over top of the tomatoes

When finished garnish with more basil, you can never have too much!

Serve this with some five minute cous cous on the side and you're done! I told you it was easy.

Buon Appetito

I hope you can stop by and help me celebrate my 3rd Blogiversary on Sunday, until then have a great week!

Middle Eastern Mezze: Moroccan Cigars

Moroccan Cigars are a delicious appetizer and a great addition to any Middle Eastern Mezze (sampler or small plates). In honor of our upcoming course, Middle Eastern Mezze, which will occur on Monday, August 23, at 7:30pm (a few spots are still available! Call 718-758-1339 to sign up!), we are sharing the following delectable recipe for Moroccan Cigars.

About this class: "The lightness and emphasis on fresh ingredients makes the cuisine of the Mediterranean and middle east the perfect summer fare. Join CKCA and one of our top chef instructors for an exploration of "mezze" or small plates and tasty nibbles from a variety of countries throughout this region."

Moroccan Cigars

1 onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1 pound ground Lamb, Beef, Veal or Chicken
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
freshly ground pepper
kosher salt
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
5 eggs, beaten
1 lb filo pastry (or large wonton wrappers)
6oz margarine, melted

Saute the onions in the olive oil until softened. Add the ground meat and cook until there is no more pink. While cooking, separate the meat with a spatula to avoid clumps from forming. Add spices, and salt and pepper to taste. When mixture is seasoned to your liking, add the beaten eggs and remove from the flame. Mix until the eggs become creamy. It will be slightly wet. Add the chopped parsley to the mixture, reserving a bit for a garnish.

Cut filo pastry lengthwise into a stack of rectangles. Brush the corners of three sides of the first rectangle with melted margarine. Place a small amount (approximately 2 tsp) of the filling along one of the shorter edges (the one without margarine), and roll into a tight cigar, folding in the corners as you go. Brush the end of the cigar with more melted margarine if necessary to secure it and to keep it from opening.

Place unbaked cigars on a non-stick pan or over non-stick foil. Brush tops with melted margarine. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-35 minutes until golden brown. Cigars can also be finished by frying in olive oil until golden brown on all sides. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Yields 20-30 cigars, depending on how much filling you use for each cigar.

Avocado Carobsicles

I just made my first frozen treats with my new popsicle molds. They're not beautiful but they are tasty and full of nutrition. The ingredients include avocado, which is low glycemic and loaded with antioxidants, and silken tofu, a good protein source.

I omitted the sweeteners I saw in similar recipes and replaced them with stevia. They still taste good to me but if you are not used to eating a no-sugar diet you could try some agave nectar. I used carob powder but cacao or cocoa powder could be used instead.

Avocado "Carobsicles"

1 pkg. silken tofu, drained
1 medium avocado, pitted
1/2 cup unsweetened hemp milk
1 tsp. guar gum
6 T. raw carob powder
1 T. alcohol-free vanilla
liquid stevia to taste
pinch sea salt

Put all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. Add additional hemp milk if needed.

Pour mixture into individual popsicle molds. This can be tricky especially if your mixture is too thick. Freeze the "carobsicles" until solid, about 4-6 hours, depending on your freezer. Run under hot water to release your popsicle.

Zucchini Tomato Gratin

Our garden is producing wonderful things and I'm inspired daily to use everything we pick. Winter comes all too soon here and it's going to be really sad to say goodbye to all this freshness! So for now I give you my version of a gratin.

I like to make this in a wide pan, I use this paella pan that I have, I'm sure you've seen it in many of my posts, but I love it I can't help it! I'm sure a cast iron pan would work as well.

First layer; Sweet Vadalia onion ring slices on a nice drizzle of olive oil ( the pan I use gets them all caramelized on the bottom)

Sliced zucchini

Handfull of romano cheese spread all over

Toasted homemade Italian bread crumbs spread about

Small cherry tomatoes placed all around

I had some cut leeks I needed to use so I threw them in, glad I did!

Drizzle with olive oil

More cheese

More breadcrumbs

Repeat!

Garnish with fresh snipped basil

Place in a hot oven at 425 till tender and crispy and the tomatoes pop and get caramelized, you could even place it under the broiler at the end to crisp up the top more, I have a convection roast feature on my stove so that always does the trick.

The imported romano cheese, the tomatoes ( you must use cherry tomatoes, please) the homemade breadcrumbs and those caramelized onions paired with the zucchini, I'm telling you I could almost become a vegetarian!

But instead I made more of that beautiful cod along side it. I saw this preparation on the cable TV show, Every Day Food, it's so simple but BURSTING with flavor! Chop up some fresh herbs, I used basil, chives and parsley, now grate some fresh lemon zest into the mix. Salt and pepper your fish and swipe the top with Dijon mustard, now press it down into the herb mixture and of course drizzle with olive oil. Bake at 425 till translucent. This...Was...Fabulous! The fresh herbs complemented the fish so well, so light, so summer!

Now for a little palette cleanser, how about some Key Lime Pie. Sorta. You see my husband and I are crazy about key lime pie, but living here in Chicagoland key limes are not readily available so I never even thought about making this, until I saw Pioneer Woman's post on it.

She calls it Key Lime Pie, Sorta because she uses regular limes not key limes, no problem here because I just bought 20 limes for $1.00! So I was inspired. I won't even tell you how many times I've made it this summer, we crave it! I know it's not the so called "real thing" but it's darn close!

So before summer is over all you key lime pie lovers, you MUST make this! So here's the recipe.

Note: From my guilt of making this so often I used reduced fat condensed milk and I even bought a reduced fat graham cracker crust and the result was just as good. I would encourage you to try her version first, but if you go past 3 pies like I did, you might want to think about switching things up! It's so refreshing on a hot summer day.

Enjoy your weekend and Buon Appetito!

Oh, next week August 15Th is my 3 year Blogiversary I hope you can stop by for a visit, I have a nice giveaway too!

Open Faced Portobello Burger with Zucchini "Fries"

This burger is so good I promise when you bite into this you won't miss the meat at all! Portobello mushrooms have such a meaty like texture, the large caps are a perfect replacement for a beef burger. I try to make a few vegetarian meals each week and this has been one of our current favorites.


I like to grill up a bunch of different vegetables over the weekend and then use them in various quick meals during the week. I almost always do onions, red and green peppers, zucchini, and eggplant, however with the portobello's I like to cook them up right before I assemble this, which I did inside on my grill pan.


For this burger roasting or grilling the vegetables will give you the same results.
I like to remove the gills on the mushrooms but you don't have to, then just a quick toss in olive oil, salt and pepper is all you have to do to prepare them.


Each component together gives you an amazing end result!

Toasted ciabatta bun
Grilled red pepper
The portobello, gill side up
A dollup of basil pesto
Fresh mozzarella
Grilled onion
Tomato
Garnish with a balsamic glaze over top

You could eat this with a bun top but it was so huge, I would suggest using a thinner bun.

The zucchini fries were made by tossing them in olive oil to coat then dipping them individually in a mixture of panko breadcrumbs and grated parmesan or romano cheese, salt and pepper.

Bake them in a hot oven around 450F turning them as they brown. If you have a convection roast feature use that to brown them up faster.

Have a great week and Buon Appetito!

Gluten-free energy bars

Finding an ACD-friendly energy bar is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Of course, the packaged ones are loaded with sugar and carbs. What would you expect? That's the stuff that provides energy when you exercise.

I do a lot of cycling, including some long-distance rides but those pre-packaged energy bars won't work for me because of my candida issues. It took some searching on the internet and experimenting but I finally came up with my own ACD-friendly energy bar. It's got lots of good stuff in it and gives me some "go power." I tweaked a recipe from Thrive Fitness.

Carob Strawberry Chia Energy Bars

Ingredients:

1. 1/4 cup carob powder
2. 1/4 cup vanilla rice protein powder
3. 1/4 cup white chia seeds
4. 1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries
5. 1/4 cup ground flaxseed
6. 1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
7. 1 tsp. lemon juice
8. Sea salt to taste
9. 1/2 cup sprouted quinoa
10. Liquid or powdered stevia to taste

Directions:

1. One day ahead of time, prepare the quinoa seeds. Soak in water for six hours. Drain and place in a seed sprouter. Once the seeds have formed tails from sprouting, place them in a food dehydrator and dry to the touch.
2. Mix all the ingredients in a food processor.
3. Spread the mixture (1/4 inch thick) on a sheet in your dehydrator. Dry for about one hour. Then flip and continue drying. Total drying time: about two hours.
4. Cut into pieces of desired size. Freeze until ready to use.