Easy Guacamole

Everybody in the world has their own guacamole recipe and I think guacamole is one dip that is always a hit at any party and it is super easy to make. Some people like creamy guac, others more on chunky style, and I've even seen some with crumbled bacon and goat cheese! But below is, what I think, the best and easiest guac. This is specially a hit with the little ones who love to dip tortilla chips in it. Also, if you want your guacamole more on the spicy side, you can add a finely minced, seeded Serrano pepper. 

One final note: add one of the avocado pits to your finished guacamole before you refrigerate. I don't know why we do this, but according to my abuelita, the pit keeps the avocados from turning brown.

INGREDIENTS (Makes about 2 cups)

• 4 Haas avocados
  
• 1 lime, juiced
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/2 cup diced red onion
  
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
  
• 2 Roma (plum) tomatoes, seeded and diced
  
• 1 garlic clove, finely minced

DIRECTIONS


Peel the avocados and remove pits. Add avocados to a medium bowl. Mash together the avocados, lime juice, and salt. Mix in onion, cilantro, tomatoes, and garlic. Refrigerate at least 1 hour for best flavor then serve!

Oldie But Goody Re-post: Urban Solace "Watermelon Salad"

I can't believe its been almost 4 years since I first posted the recipe for this salad, and I am happy announce that Urban Solace restaurant is still around. Their watermelon salad is as popular as ever, but now they only serve it seasonally. So get your butt to the restaurant from mid-May to late summer to taste this divine creation.

For this year's Memorial Day I will be making this salad for my family. I'm very excited because I've been craving it for a while now. The actual salad part is for basically for 2 to 3 servings but the vinaigrette recipe makes about 1-1/2 cups, so you can double the salad part and you'll still have enough vinaigrette! The vinaigrette also tastes good on grilled chicken or lamb. Happy Memorial Day, friends!

Pomegranate Vinaigrette

• 1 Tbsp. minced shallots
• 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 2 Tbsp. sherry vinegar (I used fig-infused vinegar)
• 2 Tbsp. lemon juice (fresh squeezed)
• 2 Tbsp. lime juice (fresh squeezed)
• 1-1/2 Tbsp. honey
• 2 Tbsp. pomegranate molasses (available at specialty stores or middle eastern markets)
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• tsp kosher or sea salt
• 1 pinch fresh ground black pepper
• 1 cup canola oil (I used 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil and 1/2 cup vegetable oil)

DIRECTIONS
Place all ingredients except oil in a blender and puree. Slowly add the oil to make a smooth vinaigrette
.

Watermelon Greek Salad (makes one gigantic salad)

• 3 oz. baby spinach or mesclun mix
• 1/4 cup diced tomato
• 1/4 cup diced cucumber
• 2 Tbsp. currants
• 2 Tbsp. toasted pecans or pine nuts, chopped
• A few thin slices of red onion
• 1 cup watermelon, cubed
• 2 oz. crumbled feta
• 1/4 cup pomegranate vinaigrette, or more to taste

DIRECTIONS
In a salad bowl, pour 1/4 cup of the vinaigrette then add the rest of ingredients, except the pecans. Top with another 1/4 cup of vinaigrette (or to taste) then gently toss, making sure everything gets a little coating of the dressing. Serve the salad, and sprinkle the the toasted pecans.

Mushroom Soup With Bread Crust

There is an Italian restaurant in downtown San Diego called, Bice, which I have not had the chance to visit yet but I hear so many good things about this place. And what I can't wait to try when I do finally visit the restaurant is their cheese bar. Yes, a cheese bar, and you know me, I love my cheese. I received a newsletter from the restaurant and the chef there shared his recipe for mushroom soup. Immediately I headed over to the farmer's market and bought all my mushrooms and produce and made this recipe. Luckily I already had a small bottle of truffle oil I got in San Francisco, but if you don't have some already, don't bother buying it because it can be quite spendy. I followed the recipe exactly as it is written below and it's quite mushroom-my, and very down-to-earth flavor. I couldn't find smoked mozzarella so I used a combination of regular mozzarella and smoked gouda.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 6)

Soup ingredients:

• 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
• 1 cup of hot water
• ½ pound fresh mix of cremini, oyster and portobello mushrooms
• ½ pound fresh porcini mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• >1 clove garlic, sliced
• ¼ cup coarsely chopped shallots
• 1 cup chopped leeks
• 3 ounces pancetta
• 2 bay leaves
• 9 sprigs fresh thyme or tarragon, divided use
• 4 cups chicken broth
• ¼ cup cubed peeled potatoes
• 1½ tablespoons dry Marsala wine
• 8 ounces shredded smoked Mozzarella
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the crust:

• Package of phyllo dough, thawed
• 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted
• 1 egg, beaten
• Truffle oil (available at specialty food markets)

DIRECTIONS

To make the soup: Place the dried porcini mushrooms in a small bowl and cover them with 1 cup of hot water. Leave them to plump for at least 20 minutes. Trim the stems of the fresh mushrooms and brush them to remove any debris. Cut the cremini, porcini, oyster and portobello mushrooms into ¼-inch slices. Set aside.

Put olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the sliced garlic, chopped shallots, leeks and pancetta. Sauté until soft but not browned.

Add the sliced fresh porcini, cremini, oyster and portobello mushrooms. Quickly stir to coat them with the olive oil and sauté, stirring intermittently, until they are soft and limp. The skillet will be dry at first, but as the mushrooms cook, they begin to release their juices. Continue cooking uncovered. Lift the dried porcini mushrooms out of their soaking water, chop them coarsely, and add them to the sautéed mushrooms. Strain the soaking water through a fine mesh sieve or several thicknesses of cheesecloth into the mushrooms. Continue to stir and cook in the skillet for a few minutes to loosen the cooked bits of mushroom that have adhered to the skillet. Transfer the mushrooms from the skillet to a large saucepan.

Crush the bay leaves and 3 of the thyme or tarragon sprigs with your hand, then wrap the herbs in cheesecloth and secure the pouch with kitchen string. Pour the chicken broth over the mushrooms, add the herb pouch and potato cubes and simmer for 35 minutes.
After 35 minutes, add the Marsala to the saucepan and continue cooking uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove and discard the herb pouch, and then add salt and pepper to taste.

Ladle the soup into 6 small individual-sized ovenproof bowls.

To make the crust: Separate the sheets of the phyllo pastry and cut 18 squares — 3 squares for each bowl — slightly bigger than the top of your bowls. For each bowl, brush three squares with melted butter and stack on top of each other, layering. Place each set of three squares on top of a bowl, pressing lightly on the edges to create an indentation. Take off the pastry square and brush some beaten egg on the indentation of the bowl on the pastry, as well as portions of the pastry outside the circle.

Cover the bowls with the pastry squares and top each with the shredded smoked mozzarella cheese. Press the pastry firmly but gently so it sticks to the top and sides of the bowl. Make sure the pastry sticks so the pastry will puff up as the soup inside the bowl boils.

Place the bowls of soup on a baking sheet. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and broil until the cheese on top is bubbly and browned. To serve, garnish the crust of the soup with the remaining sprigs of fresh thyme or tarragon and brush lightly with truffle oil.

The soup was created by Bice’s executive chef, Mario Cassineri, a native of Milan.

Pastina with Peas and Carrots

As of late, my daughter (who is 20 months-old) has been a picky eater. I know that she eats a lot of organic fruits and veggies and proteins at daycare, but when she's home with me she gives me attitude and doesn't particularly like the food I give her. I don't know if she's doing it on purpose because she knows I'll give in and just give her mac and cheese or some cereal with soy milk (which she LOVES for some reason). So yesterday I was determined make her a healthier dinner that I hoped she would eat and I am glad I did take that extra time to make her this pastina with peas and carrots recipe.

I watched Giada make this a long time ago on a Food Network show, and I finally found the recipe here. Unfortunately, I could not find pastina, nor the mini-farfalle at my grocery store, so I just used penne pasta, which I cut in half after it had cooked so that it wasn't too big for my daughter.

The recipe is ridiculously easy. Using frozen sweet peas is the key and I am not entirely a fan of mascarpone unless it's on tiramisu, so I used 3/4 cup cream cheese and 1/4 cup mascarpone instead. Also, I only added a small amount of basil for Stella's portion, but added the rest of the basil for the adult version (as well as some freshly ground pepper). This is quite a nice pasta dish with lots of veggies and good textures. Next time, though, I definitely am going to try to use pastina.

INGREDIENTS (makes 6 small servings)

• 1/2 pound (8 ounces) pastina or other small-shaped pasta, such as farfallini
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
• 1 cup frozen petite peas, thawed
• 1/2 cup (4 ounces) cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup (4 ounces) mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
• Kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves

DIRECTIONS

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta water.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally until soft, about 7 minutes. Add the carrots and stock and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Add the peas to the pan and cook for 2 minutes until the peas are warmed through and the carrots are tender.

Stir in the cooked pasta.

Remove the pan from the heat and add the cheeses. Stir until the mixture is incorporated and forms a sauce. Add a little of the reserved pasta water to make sauce to your prefered consistency (optional). I didn't have to use any additional pasta water, however.

Season with salt, to taste. Transfer to a large serving bowl and garnish with chopped basil.




Stella's portion



Wild Rice Salad with Honey-Mustard Vinaigrette

Last Thanksgiving I had this side dish at my in-laws house in Minnesota and I was dumbfounded when I ate it. First of all, I loved it, but I couldn't figure out why. I loved the taste of the roasted root vegetables, and the dressing was just right, but there was a flavor in it that I couldn't figure out what it was that just made this dish seem like crack to me--and I got addicted to it.

After my father-in-law sent the me recipe, I made it and then, EUREKA! it hit me. It was the pepitas that I loved. I used to eat pepitas in Mexico all the time and I think it just reminded me of my childhood.

I've made this dish a couple of times since Thanksgiving and I've played around a little with it. First, when I make it I cut the recipe in half because the original recipe below makes a lot of wild rice salad. I use salted pepitas this way I don't have to use much salt after I combine it all, and I also omit the scallions. As for dressing, I cut it by 1/4 because again, the recipe below makes a lot, and the original one had fresh sage in it, but I omitted that, too.

This is a very satisfying side dish and it could also be a meal for a vegetarian or even a dish you can serve for lent since there is no meat involved.

INGREDIENTS (serves 8)

• 4 cups cooked wild rice 

• 4 small parsnips, cubed 

• 4 small carrots, cubed 

• 1 medium squash, cubed 

• 6 scallions, diced 

• ½ cup pepitas 
(Mexican prepared pumpkin seeds)
• Olive oil
• salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Put the root vegetables into a large bowl. Toss to lightly coat with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. 
Place veggies in a large roasting pan and roast until soft and slightly brown on the outside, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

In a heavy sauté pan heat about 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the pepitas and cook, stirring and shaking the pan, until the pepitas start to "pop" and get golden brown. Remove from heat and cool.

Toss everything together with 1/4 cup of the vinaigrette (recipe below). Taste for seasoning and add more vinaigrette, if needed. Serve room temperature or cold.

Honey-Mustard Vinaigrette

INGREDIENTS (makes about 2 cups of vinaigrette)

• 
¼ cup apple cider vinegar 

• 1 tablespoon smooth Dijon mustard 

• ¾ cup vegetable oil
• ¼ cup olive oil 
2 Tbl. honey 

• 1 chopped shallot 

• Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS


Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until dressing gets combined. Taste and adjust seasoning. You can also use this vinaigrette as a dressing for any salad. It's pretty good.

Pasta Cacio e Pepe

This is what you eat when you haven't shopped in three weeks, you have a baby that doesn't take naps and your paid maternity leave has ended. Cacio e pepe simply means cheese and pepper in Italian. I used egg noodles because that's what I had in my pantry, but spaghetti or even capellini will work with this recipe. Don't forget to reserve some of the pasta cooking water to make a sauce for the pasta. Manga!

INGREDIENTS (serves 4)

• 1 pound spaghetti
• 3 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
• extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons coarse black pepper
• 1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, 3 rounded handfuls
• 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley, optional

DIRECTIONS

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta and salt it. Add the pasta and cook to al dente. Make sure to save some of the cooking water (about 1/4 cup) for the sauce right before you drain the pasta.

Place a large skillet over low heat with the butter, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, and pepper. Let it hang out until the pasta is done.

When the pasta is ready, take a ladle of the starchy cooking water and add it to the butter-pepper mixture. Drain the pasta and toss it in the pan with the sauce. Turn off the heat. Add the cheese in small handfuls, then toss the pasta with tongs, until all the cheese is incorporated into the creamy sauce. Add another ladle of cooking water if needed, then season the pasta to taste with salt and drizzzle with 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle a little chopped parsley, if desired.

Tuna and White Bean Pasta with Gremolata Bread Crumbs

We have had crappy weather all this week and worse is yet to come. It's been raining (yes, raining in San Diego), it's cold and we've had very high winds. And since I have a little baby I was a bit scared to go out driving in this rainy weather to go food shopping. Instead, I found this recipe (and yes, it's from Rachael Ray) and believe it or not, I had most of the ingredients in my pantry. A few modifications are: I halved the recipe and used 1 can of tuna; instead of breadcrumbs I used Panko breadcrumbs; I omitted the rosemary but used a little oregano instead; I didn't have any chicken broth so I used the starchy water of the pasta and lastly I used canned tomato sauce because I didn't have any fresh tomatoes. All in all, it was quite hearty, very filling and I finally found a reason to use my can of anchovies!!!!

INGREDIENTS (serves 6)

• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 flat filet anchovies, optional
• 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 cup breadcrumbs, toast and grind stale bread or store bought
• 2 lemons
• 1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
• 1 pound penne or ziti rigate
• 4 ribs celery, finely chopped
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 1 (15-ounce) can white beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup white wine, white vermouth or chicken broth
• 1 large tomato, seeded and chopped or 1 can 15 ounces can diced tomatoes, drained, optional

DIRECTIONS

Heat 4 tablespoons olive oil in small pan over medium-low heat with anchovies, if using. Melt anchovies into oil until they dissolve then add garlic and stir 2 minutes then add breadcrumbs and stir and cook until deeply golden in color. Stir in zest of 2 lemons and parsley and crushed red pepper flakes. Turn off heat and transfer to a bowl.

Heat a large pot of water to a boil for pasta.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add celery, onions and 2 cloves garlic to the pan and cook until just tender, 5 minutes. Add white beans and rosemary and heat through 2 to 3 minutes more. Add wine, vermouth or broth, flakes tuna and tomato, if using. Stir 2 minutes then turn off heat.

Just before draining the pasta, add a ladle of starchy cooking water to pan along with the drained pasta, toss to combine. Serve in shallow bowls with lots of breadcrumbs and a drizzle of oil on top.

Swiss Chard en Crema

After my fridge finally got fixed and started working again, thanks to my pops, I went shopping and I found a lovely bunch of Swiss chard at the farmer's market. I wanted to make a healthy meal because all I had been eating while my fridge was out-of-order were canned foods and it wasn't very good or healthy. So this recipe is basically the same as the "chiles en crema" but I used Swiss chard instead. My father-in-law showed me this recipe and here is my version. I used a splash of Marsala wine but you can use vegetable stock or chicken stock instead.

INGREDIENTS (serves 2 as main course, 4 as side dish)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 bunch of Swiss chard
• 1 large fresh Poblano pepper, charred and peeled and seeded
• 1 white onion, cut into half moons
• 1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
• a splash of Marsala wine
• 2/3 cup crema (you can find crema Mexicana in most grocery stores in the refrigerated section)
• 2/3 cup grated Romano-Parmesan cheese blend + more for sprinkling
• salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

Char the pepper over your stove top or under your broiler or on your grill. Once it is nicely charred, place it in a plastic bag and seal it. Wait 10 minutes, and then peel off charred skin. Remove stem and seeds and dice the pepper. Set aside. Meanwhile, cut off the tough, woody stems from Swiss chard. Chop the chard into 1" pieces and set aside.

In a skillet heat the tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat. Add the onions and 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper and sweat for about 5 minutes. Raise temperature to medium-high and sauté another 2 minutes. Add the chopped Swiss chard, ground nutmeg and sauté about 10 minutes, or until chard has wilted down and the onions will take on a reddish color. Add the chopped poblano pepper and gently combine and saute another minute or so. Add a splash (about 2 tablespoons) of Marsala wine or vegetable stock. Cook down another minute.

Lower heat to medium again and add the crema and cheese. With a spatula, fold in all the ingredients until it all gets nicely mixed. Let it come to a light simmer (but don't boil) and simmer for 5 minutes. Season to taste, if needed. You can serve immediately, or sprinkle a little more Romano-Parmesan grated cheese on top and place the skillet (it has to be oven proof) under the broiler and let it broil for 5 to 8 minutes or until top gets bubbly and toasty. Serve over white Jasmine rice.

Grilled Veggie and Flank Steak Linguine

There really is no science to this dish. You just grill your favorite veggies, grill a small piece of flank steak (or use any leftover meat), cut them to bite size and toss them with pasta, a bit of marinara sauce, and of course don't forget the Parmesan. It's really that easy and it's a great dish to make outside on your grill on one of those super hot days when the last place you want to be is in the kitchen. You can even cook the pasta outdoors if your grill has a burner.

INGREDIENTS (serves 4)

• About 3/4 pound flank steak
• 1 small eggplant (about 1 pound), cut into 1/4-inch rounds
• 2 small zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices
• 1 red bell pepper, quartered
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 4 teaspoons lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 3/4 pound linguine
• 1/2 cup your favorite marinara sauce, heated
• Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

DIRECTIONS

To make the marinade: in a small glass or stainless-steel bowl, whisk together 4 tablespoons olive oil, the lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Place flank steak in a plastic resealable bag and add the marinade. Marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes. Bring steak to room temperature before grilling.

Light the grill to high.

In a large shallow bowl, toss the eggplant, zucchini, bell pepper, and garlic with 2 tablespoons of the oil, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/8 teaspoon of the black pepper. Grill or broil in batches, turning the vegetables once, until they are tender and lightly browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Cut the vegetables into 1 1/2-inch pieces.

Grill the flank steak about 5 minutes per side for medium-rare or grill to your desired doneness. Cover steak with foil and let rest 5 minutes. When meat is well rested, thinly slice into strips by cutting against the grain.

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the linguine until just done, about 13 minutes. Reserve about 3 tablespoons of the pasta water. Drain the pasta and toss with 1 tablespoon of the reserved pasta water, heated marinara sauce, the vegetables and the sliced beef. Add more pasta water if the pasta seems dry. Top with some Parmesan cheese and pass additional Parmesan at the table.

Watermelon, Cucumber, Tomato and Feta Salad

Source: http://dragonskitchen.blogspot.com

You're probably wondering why I haven't posted any new recipes, well, blame it on my pregnancy. I'm now almost 36 weeks pregnant and the size of Shamu the whale. My back aches, I'm constantly hot and sweaty, and I haven't seen my toes since July. My cravings are also always changing; one day I'm craving mango sorbet and slices of American cheese, and the next day all I want are black beans and rice. One craving that has not changed, though, is my desire for watermelon. I can't get enough of it and I found this delish recipe from a Canuck foodie. In the original recipe "kumatoes" are used. I have to admit I have no idea what they are. But regular Roma tomatoes or even cherry tomatoes work well with this refreshing dish.

INGREDIENTS (serves 4 to 6)

• 1 English cucumber
• 2 Roma tomatoes (or about 8 Cherry tomatoes)
• 1 seedless watermelon wedge, 5 inches wide
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons mint leaves, shredded
• 2 tablespoons basil leaves, shredded
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta

DIRECTIONS

There is no need to seed or peel the cumbers. Slice cucumber lengthwise then again lengthwise. Finally cut crosswise into chunks, about 1 inch in size. Cut the tomatoes into quarters then cut them in half (if using Cherry tomatoes, only cut them in half). Cut watermelon into the same size chunks as the cucumbers. Place the cucumbers, tomatoes and watermelon into a large bowl and toss gently.

Whisk together vinegar, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper and lemon juice. Drizzle the dressing over the salad. Add the mint, basil and feta. Toss gently to combine. Serve at room temperature.

Fresh Garbanzo Bean Hummus

I twittered the other day that I was in a cooking funk and my friend, who is a chef in training, suggested I go to the market and pick an unusual ingredient and invent something with it. Well, yesterday I was at my favorite market, North Park Produce, and while I was browsing around I found a bag of weird looking peas...or were they grapes? I had no idea. I asked the produce guy he said they were fresh garbanzo beans. I had never seen fresh ones, so I bought the bag, which was $2.19. I got home and the first thing that came to my mind was to make hummus, but I didn't have tahini, so I made up this recipe and, my goodness, it was delish and it tastes like a very light hummus, with hints of white beans and edamame. Just note that it takes FOREVER to shell the garbanzo pods. It took me 12 minutes just to get 1 cup, so this would be a good task for your hubby or wife or your kids to help you with. Thanks, Kerry, for your inspiration!

INGREDIENTS (makes 1 cup)

• 1 cup of fresh green garbanzo beans, shelled
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 1 small garlic clove or half of a large one, roughly chopped
• 1/8 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/8 tsp. ground coriander
• Coarse salt and fresh black pepper
• 1/4 cup (about a palm full) of fresh parsley
• Juice of half a lemon
• Good olive oil
• Paprika, for presentation (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Place the shelled garbanzo beans in a steamer basket over simmering water and steam for 15 to 20 minutes until tender but not mushy. Drain and cool in an ice-bath or put in fridge to cool off.

In a small pan or sauce pan (the smaller the better) add the sesame oil and the crushed garlic and gently cook over low heat just until garlic begins to lightly brown. Add the cumin and coriander and toast for 30 seconds more and remove from heat. In a food processor add the cooled-off garbanzo beans, the sesame-garlic oil, parsley, juice of the half lemon, 1 tablespoon of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Process until smooth. Taste and add more salt, if needed, or more olive oil depending on how creamy you like your hummus (I added one more tablespoon to mine) and blend again. Place the hummus in your serving bowl; sprinkle some paprika over it and serve with warm pita bread.

Mizithra Cheese and Browned Butter Spaghetti

When my brothers and I were little, my dad and Elaine used to take us chichinos (our tias gave us that nickname) to the Old Spaghetti Factory on special occasions. It was probably one of our favorite places to go, next to Disneyland and IHOP. We LOVED going there and I think my brothers, Tom & Bobby, look forward to playing the Pac-Man video game they had in the lounge.

Then a few years ago this landmark restaurant was closed to make room for fancy schmanzy restaurants and high-end hotels. But luckily this year OSF re-opened (I'm thinking the economy had something to do with it). The restaurant is half the size it used to be; the charm it used to have is gone, and Pac-Man is no where to be found. But at least we have an affordable restaurant back in downtown SD. This dish is one of OSF's signature dishes. The secret is being patient in browning the butter and of course in using this wonderful Greek cheese, mizithra.

INGREDIENTS (serves 2)

• 4 oz. butter (1 stick)
• 1/2 cup Mizithra cheese, freshly grated
• 1/2 pound spaghetti or angel hair pasta
• Chopped parsley, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

First, cook your pasta in a large bowl of salted water. Cook according to package directions.

Cut 1 stick of butter into 4 pieces and place in a sauce pan. Place the pan on a burner on medium heat. Bring butter to a slow boil (about 5 minutes).

Once the butter begins to boil, stir constantly to prevent residue from sticking to the bottom of the pan. As the butter cooks, it will start to foam and rise. With a spoon remove as much foam as you can by lightly skimming it off.

Once most foam is removed, cook until amber in color (about 1 to 2 minutes). It will have a pleasant caramel aroma. Turn off the heat and remove pan from burner. Let the sediment settle to the bottom of the pan for a few minutes.

Pour the brown butter through a fine sieve into a small bowl. Do not disturb the residue at the bottom of the pan.

Drain pasta and divide into two servings. Spread 1/4 cup of Mizithra over each pasta serving. Top with 1/4 cup of hot brown butter. Sprinkle chopped parsley and enjoy!

Spring Herb Risotto

My husband did an awesome job with our backyard, but I think my favorite part (besides the cob-oven) are all the herbs and fruit and vegetable plants he planted. So far, the grape vines, fig trees, citrus and persimmon trees and tomatoes still have a ways to go, but the herbs are going nuts out there. We have the most fragrant mint, gorgeous parsley and fresh oregano. The lettuces, basil, tarragon and chives are still babies, but I'm sure they'll be ready in another month or so.

Anyway, I borrowed a book from Lindsey over a year ago (I think she forgot I have it), called "A Handful of Herbs: Gardening, Cooking and Decorating." In it, it has great tips on herb gardening, and it also has some pretty good recipes. This herb risotto is right out of the book. This was probably my best risotto EVER! It was creamy, yet just slightly al dente, and the fresh herbs from my garden made such a big difference. I halved the recipe below, but it still made enough risotto for 2 to 3 people.

Happy gardening!

INGREDIENTS (serves 4 to 6)

• 1 cup fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped mixed herbs, such as chervil, chives, mint, parsley and tarragon (I used a mixture of chives, mint and parsley)
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 large shallots, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 small leeks, well washed, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 cups arborio rice
• 2/3 cup dry white wine (I used a pinot grigio)
• 1/4 cup Mascarpone cheese
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra to serve
• 5 cups vegetable stock
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

Put the 5 cups of vegetable stock in a saucepan and heat to a rolling boil (if you have any extra herbs, add them to the stock just to give it that extra herbaceous flavor) then lower heat to low to keep stock warm.

Add the oil to a large pan with high sides and heat on medium. Add the onion, garlic, leeks and a pinch of salt and slowly fry for 8 to 10 minutes. Add the rice and stir the mixture over the heat for 1 minute until all grains are coated with oil and glossy. Pour in the wine and boil until almost totally evaporated.

Now add 1 large ladle full of the warmed vegetable stock and simmer; stir until stock is absorbed before adding more stock. Repeat this process until stock has been used and rice is tender but firm (this will take anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes).

Stir in the spinach, herbs, Parmesan and Mascarpone cheese and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Taste for seasoning and add more salt, if needed. Cover the pan and let stand for 5 minutes. Serve with extra Parmesan cheese.

Kermit Shake

My sister-in-law, Lindsey, once mentioned to me that she uses avocados when making smoothies. I figured, why not? Avocados have a very creamy texture and a very delicate, buttery flavor. I came up with this shake after my husband started experiencing joint pain; he needed to get more potassium in his diet. Unfortunately, he hates bananas, so I put this shake together for him and he loved it. Remember to drink within 20 minutes as avocados tend to darken after a while. Enjoy.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 2)

• 1 large ripe banana, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 medium ripe avocado, peeled, seed removed and cut into chunks
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1 1/2 cup milk (I used half and half; if you want your shake less creamy, add 1/4 cup more milk)
• 2 tablespoons honey
• A good dash of nutmeg

DIRECTIONS

In a blender add the banana, avocado, and remaining ingredients. Blend on medium for 10 seconds, then on high for 10 more seconds. Serve and enjoy.

Fried Veggies, Cretian Style

My husband is currently in Crete for work. I hope that I get to visit him there in the near future because Greek food is one my top 5 favorite foods of all time. I especially love how Greeks eat a lot of veggies and greens and fish, and rarely eat any meat. Of course they also drink wine like there's no tomorrow and rarely ever use butter...olive oil is the way of life there. So no wonder they live very long and healthy lives.

Matthew went out to the local market in Chania, Crete and he found a local vendor selling fresh cuttlefish and fried veggies. This is fried vegetable recipe is quite common in Greece and its islands, and as Matthew told me, "if all moms in the US cooked their vegetables this way, kids would eat them up!"

INGREDIENTS (Serves 4 as a side dish)

• 1 large zucchini, washed, trimmed, cut lengthwise into strips 1/8 to 3/16 inch thick
• 1 medium eggplant, trimmed, unpeeled, sliced into strips 1/8 to 3/16-inch thick
• 1 cup cauliflower florets
• olive oil for frying
• 1/2 tablespoon of salt

Latholemono Sauce

• 1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil
• Juice of 2 lemons

Batter

• 8 ounces of bottled soda water
• 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
• 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour

DIRECTIONS

Prepare zucchini: Cut zucchini slices in half if they are long. Slices measuring about 3 inches long work best.

Prepare eggplant: Put slices in a bowl, salt, and let sit 20-25 minutes. Pour off liquid before dipping in batter.

Prepare cauliflower: Boil florets for 2-3 minutes until slightly softened. Shock in an ice water bath to cool and place in paper towels to remove excess water.

Make the batter: Pour the soda into a bowl, and stir in flour and salt slowly, using a whisk or fork to mix.

Fry: Bring oil to high heat (you want at least 2 to 3 inches of oil) . Coat zucchini, eggplant and cauliflower in the batter. Use a fork to place pieces in oil (do not overcrowd the pan; only fry a few pieces at a time). Fry until veggies golden on both sides and batter puffs up. Drain on absorbent paper toweling just long enough to remove excess oil.

Latholemono Sauce: In a small bowl or food processor, combine olive oil and lemon juice. Whisk or puree until fully blended. Serve veggies hot with lathelemono sauce.

Vegetarian Wontons

I have a friend, Kristen Piotrowski, who is from Buffalo, NY and she now lives here in San Diego. One would think that Kristen's absolute favorite food are Buffalo wings, but I was completely shocked when she told me she's a vegetarian. So, now that I am resurrecting our cooking club I'm on a mission to make good, tasty vegetarian dishes. This wonton recipe is very tasty and they make great appetizers for a large party. If you're allergic to peanuts, you can use vegetable oil, but again be careful with the hot oil.

INGREDIENTS (makes about 30 wontons)

• 1 package wonton skins (about 30 - 35)
• Hoisin sauce, for dipping
• 3 tablespoons oil for stir-frying
• 2 cups peanut oil for deep-frying

Filling:

• 1 tablespoon peanut oil
• 1/4 cup carrots, finely shredded
• 1/2 cup cabbage, finely shredded
• 1/4 cup bean sprouts
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons mashed bean curd
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

For the filling: heat a wok or large frying pan and add 3 tablespoons oil. When moderately hot, add the carrots, cabbage, bean sprouts, and garlic and stir-fry for 1 minute. Set aside to cool thoroughly.

Combine the cooled vegetables with the rest of the filling ingredients and mix well. Using a teaspoon, put a small amount of filling in the center of each wonton skin. Bring up 2 opposite corners, dampen the edges with a little water, and pinch them together to make a triangle. Fold over the bottom 2 corners so they overlap, and press together. The filling should be well sealed in.

Heat the 2 cups of peanut oil in a deep fat fryer or large wok until hot. Deep-fry the filled wontons in several batches. Drain on paper towel. Serve at once with hoisin sauce.

Baked Spicy Chickpeas

Well, it's January 1st and our New Year's resolutions shall start again. This time my resolution is to eat more healthy foods and get more legumes and veggies in my diet. Since I've been so sick since Monday, I've been living on tea and chicken broth, but today I decided I wanted a snack. I could not find anything in the house to snack on except a can of chickpeas. So, after getting some ideas from other blogs, I came up with this spicy baked chickpeas. They are so addicting to snack on...I ate the entire thing!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 can garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne
• 1/4 tsp. ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp. paprika
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/8 tsp. ground allspice

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Rinse the chickpeas, drain them and dry them well. Place in a bowl with olive oil, and all the spices. Mix well.

Now place the chickpeas in a baking tray or into a shallow baking dish. Cook in a pre-heated 400F oven for 15 minutes. Give the pan a little shake and continue baking until crispy and golden on the outside, about 10 to 15 more minutes. You may want to bake them a little longer if you prefer a crispier snack. Sprinkle a little more kosher salt as soon as they come out, but let them cool a little before you devour them!

Sopa de Queso (Mexican Cheese Soup)

Not all cheese soups are the same. This cheese soup doesn't have the creamy nacho cheese-like consistancy, and it's actually quite interesting because the cheese you use doesn't really melt all the way, so you actually get real chunks of cheese with this soup. I used Juustoleipa cheese, which is a Finnish cheese I bought in Minnesota, but I recommend Cotija cheese. Since both these cheeses are salty, you don't need to add salt to the soup. Also, you can take some shortcuts, for example you can use canned mild diced green chiles instead of charring them like I did. And you can use chicken stock instead of chicken boullion and the water. But, this is the way my mom taught me how to make it and it's really good, especially on a cold Sunday evening and you're coming down with something. If you accompany this soup with a nice, super strong hot toddy, you will definitely be cured!

INGREDIENTS (serves 2)

• 2 large Anaheim chiles
• 1 large potato, peeled and cut into a dice
• 2 Tablespoons chopped onion
• 1/2 cube chicken bouillon, preferably Knorr
• 1 clove garlic, peeled
• Water
• 1 large tomato, diced
• A few sprigs of fresh cilantro
• 4 ounces Cotija Cheese or Juustoleipa cheese, cut into bite-sized cubes

DIRECTIONS

Roast the Aneheims over a flame or under the broiler, until skins are charred. Place in a plastic bag, or container and let it steam for 10 minutes. Peel off charred skin; remove seeds and ribs and chop into a small dice. Set aside.

In a medium stock pan add 1 teaspoon olive oil and add onions. Saute on medium-high for one minute. Add the diced potato and saute another minute. Add the chicken boullion and the garlic and 4 cups cold water. Bring to a boil then lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the diced tomato, diced green chiles and continue simmering until potatoes are tender, about 5 to 8 more minutes, but not falling apart. Add the cheese and cilantro and cook another 5 minutes; remove soup from heat. Just before serving, remove the garlic and serve soup with warm corn tortillas. Ummmm....

Chiles en Crema

If you're adventurous and you like Mexican or Latin food, then this recipe may be up your alley. This is a great side dish and believe it or not, it goes great with turkey or chicken. My mom made this dish for Thanksgiving a couple of years ago and it's been a hit every since. She gave me the recipe last week and I recreated it last night. I used 3 very large Poblano peppers, which is just enough to feed 3 to 4 people. This is a super easy, low maintenance recipe and you only need 5 ingredients. The pomegranate seeds are not required, I just added them to make my plate look pretty.

INGREDIENTS (serves 4)

• 4 large fresh Poblano pepper, charred and peeled and seeded
• 1 white onion, cut into half moons
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2/3 cup crema (you can find crema Mexicana in most grocery stores in the refrigerated section)
• 2/3 cup grated Cotija cheese + more for sprinkling
• salt

DIRECTIONS

Char the pepper over your stove top or under your broiler. Once they are nicely charred, place them in a plastic bag and seal it. Wait 10 minutes, and then peel off charred skin. Remove stem and seeds inside. Chop up the pepper in a rough chop. Set aside.

In a skillet heat the tablespoon of olive oil on medium. Add the onions and 1/4 teaspoon salt and sweat for about 10 minutes. Raise temperature to medium-high and sauté another 2 minutes. Add the chopped up peppers and let sauté a couple of minutes more, until everything gets nice and hot.

Lower heat to medium again and add the crema and cotija cheese. With a spatula, fold in all the ingredients until it all gets nicely mixed. Let it come to a light simmer (but don't boil), then remove from heat. You can serve immediately, or sprinkle a little more cotija on top and place the skillet (it has to be oven proof) under the broiler and let it broil for 5 to 8 minutes or until top gets bubbly and toasty. How easy was that?

Fried Chili-Garlic Tempeh

When I went to La Cocina Que Canta in Tecate, Mexico, they fed us something I have heard of, but didn't particularly crave it: tempeh. Yeah, I was like "what the deuce does tempeh taste like?" then they explained it was a version of a veggie burger, but vegan, meaning no eggs, not dairy, no meat. So, of course, the first thing I thought was that I would hate it, but Oh My Gawd, it was delish. They make their homemade tempeh there, so it was fresh and delicious.

I went online looking for a tempeh recipe but after reading many recipes I realized that the entire process was a bit too intricate for me (mainly because I had to find soy beans to ferment). Instead, I found the best quality ready-made tempeh at my co-op and used that instead. Yes, it did not taste anything like the fresh, homemade tempeh I had in Mexico, but it was still good, and healthy and nutritious. I made my infamous pear, pecan and Gorgonzola salad to accompany it (yes, I know it's not completely vegan, but there's only so much a carnivore can do!).

INGREDIENTS (serves 1)

• 3 oz. tempeh, cut in half, lengthwise, then in thirds in width
• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil or butter
• 1 clove garlic, sliced
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce

DIRECTIONS

In a skillet, heat oil or butter on medium heat. Add sliced garlic and cook for one minute. Add sliced tempeh and soy sauce. Cover skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes, until bottom it's browned--keep shaking the pan. Turn tempeh over and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes.

Place heated tempeh over your favorite salad and enjoy!