Cannolis

Every time I visit Boston, I always make sure I stop by at the North End. When we were there earlier this year, I made sure I took my husband to Mike's Pastry shop. It's probably the most famous Italian bakery in Boston. There are plenty of pastry shops in the North End, but this place just makes the best cannolis. They have both ricotta filling and custard filling. To tell you the truth, the ricotta is the best--so make sure you tell them you want the ricotta filling. Anyhoo, the recipe is very simple if you just buy already made cannoli shells (easily available at most supermarkets or Italian delis) and just make the filling. These cannolis make a great accompaniment to a steaming cup of hot cappuccino.

INGREDIENTS

• Ready made cannoli shells (12 pack)
• 1 lb. fresh ricotta (2 cups)
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup confectioners sugar (to taste)
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
• Special equipment: pastry bag or a make-shift ziploc pastry bag

DIRECTIONS

Make filling: Beat together ricotta, confectioner's sugar, vanilla extract and cinnamon in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed 1 minute (do not overbeat). Chill filling for 15 - 20 minutes.

Spoon filling into pastry bag and pipe some into one end of a cannoli shell, filling shell halfway, then pipe into other end. Repeat with remaining shells. Garnish with chocolate chips and sprinkle confectioner’s sugar over the cannolis.

Czech Beef Goulash

One of my dreams is to open a Czech style pub here in San Diego that serves authentic Czech food and beers, but before anything, I need to learn to cook Czech foods--and I know nothing about bohemian foods. So, I've been searching for recipes and I found this one in one of my cookbooks. Although goulash is actually more Hungarian, the Czech do have their own version. What I'm missing in this recipe are the dumplings, which I still have to learn how to make them (I did make them but they didn't turn out so good). If you have a good Czech dumpling recipe, please send it my way.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 lb stew beef or boneless bottom round steaks, cut in 1-inch cubes
• Kosher salt, to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour + more for dredging
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tablespoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 4-5 small new potatoes, cut in 1/2-inch rounds
• 2 2/3 cups beef broth
• 1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken stock or water
• 1 cup tomato puree
• sour cream (for garnish)

DIRECTIONS

Season beef with salt and pepper, then dredge the beef in flour and shake off any excess.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the beef on all sides, making sure not to crowd the pan and set aside.

Add more oil to the skillet (if needed) and heat. Add the onion and bell pepper, reduce the heat to medium, and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining flour, garlic, paprika, and caraway and stir for 1 minute. Remove from heat.

Place the potato rounds in the bottom of a 3 ½-quart slow cooker. Add the beef and vegetables. Pour in the broth, chicken stock or water and tomato puree. Cover and cook on low until the beef is tender, 6-7 hours. Serve with sour cream and don't forget the authentic Czech piva!

Mini-Meatballs over Gnocchi

This is truly a 30 minute meal here, especially if someone else forms the meatballs while you do the sauce. The combo of mini meatballs and gnocchi really works well, but you can also substitue penne pasta or even bowties if you can't find gnocchi. We had this this lightly toasted French bread and boy was it fabulous!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound bulk Italian sausauge
• 1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 6 fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh black pepper
• 1 pound gnocchi, from refrigerated or frozen foods section of market
• Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Romano cheese
• Crusty bread to pass at table

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place bulk sausage in a medium bowl. Roll into mini balls, 1 1/2 inches across, and arrange on a nonstick cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees F for 10 to 12 minutes or until firm and lightly golden.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil a large skillet over medium-high heat. To the hot skillet, add the onions and cook for 5 minutes. Then add garlic and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for one more minute. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce and season sauce with salt and pepper. Simmer sauce for 10 - 15 minutes.

Bring a pot of water to a boil for gnocchi. Drop gnocchi in boiling water and cook 5 minutes or to package directions.

Stir in meatballs and basil into tomato sauce and simmer 5 more minutes, then remove from heat.

Drain gnocchi and arrange on a platter. Carefully ladle meatballs and sauce over gnocchi. Sprinkle cheese over it and serve with crusty bread. So good!

No-Bean Chicken Chili

It's no secret that my husband (and pretty much all men, I think) cuts the cheese a lot. Often times, the culprits are beans or green veggies or even ice cream that causes this phenomena to him. So I wanted to make a beanless chili so that he could enjoy the Southwestern chili taste without the "tooting," if you know what I mean! I found this recipe (yes, it's another Barefoot Contessa recipe that I modified to work for me) and I have to say that I think it rivals Dave Bagg's chili recipe. I'm thinking Chili-Off!

INGREDIENTS (makes 4 to 6 servings)

• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus 1 teaspoon extra for chicken
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and large-diced
• 1 yellow bell peppers, cored, seeded, and large-diced
• 3/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika (optional)
• 1 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for chicken
• 1 (35-ounce) can whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes in puree, undrained (use canned plum tomatoes is you can't find San Marzano)
• 6 fresh basil leaves, minced
• 1 split chicken breasts, bone in, skin on (2 breast halves)
• Freshly ground black pepper
Toppings:

• Chopped onions, Fritos, grated sharp cheddar, sour cream and cilantro

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large pot, cook the onions in 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the chili powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, cayenne, paprika, and salt. Cook for 1 minute.Add the red and yellow bell peppers and then crush the tomatoes by hand or in batches in a food processor fitted with a steel blade (pulse 6 to 8 times). Add to the pot with the basil. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.



Meanwhile, rub the chicken breasts with 1 teaspoon olive oil and place them on a baking sheet. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast the chicken for 35 to 40 minutes, until just cooked through. Let cool slightly. Separate the meat from the bones and skin and cut it into 1/2-inch chunks. Add to the chili and simmer, uncovered, for another 20 minutes. Serve with the toppings, or refrigerate and reheat gently before serving.

Faux-laches

My husband has been craving poppy-seed kolaches lately, but when I looked up the recipe, it was a bit too much for me. I'm not a big baker, so I shy away from anything that I have to "proof." Anyhoo, I found a simple recipe for a buttery crust and I figured if I fill it with the poppy-seed mixture he likes so much, it'll be a little bit like a kolache. Oh, who am I kidding, but these faux-laches were pretty good.

INGREDIENTS (makes 1 dozen)

Dough

• 3 oz. Cream Cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup flour

Poppy Seed Filling

• 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 3/4 cups poppy seeds
• 3 oz. whole milk
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

DIRECTIONS

For the dough: cream together cream cheese and butter. Slowly add in flour. Blend and shape into a ball. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate 3 hours or overnight.

For the filling: Stir together the sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Set the bowl aside. Grind the poppy seeds in a food processor or blender with about half the milk. Place the poppy seed mixture and the remaining milk in a small, heavy saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and stir in the reserved sugar-and-cornstarch mixture and the almond extract. Simmer, stirring often, until very thick, a matter of 3 - 4 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Assembly: Roll dough out 1/8 inch thick on a floured pastry board. Cut into 2 1/2 inch squares and place 1/2 tsp (approx) of poppy-seed filling. Overlap opposite corners and pinch together. Place on ungreased cookie sheets and refrigerate about 10 - 15 minutes.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool. Sprinkle lightly with confectioner's sugar and enjoy.

Best Pot Roast

I'm not one to brag, but last night I made the best pot roast ever. Actually, it took pretty much all day for the roast to cook in a low oven, so this is a perfect meal to make on a lazy Sunday. I got the recipe from Barefoot Contessa's cookbook, Parties! I cut the recipe in half and I only modified it a little, but it was absolutely delish. My husband even had seconds! Thanks, Contessa!

INGREDIENTS (serves 4)

• 3 to 3 1/2 lb. pot roast or brisket (not corned beef), washed and patted dry
• 1 Tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 large garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• About 1 cup flour for dredging
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 2 carrots, peeled and cut into 2" chunks
• 3 stalks celery, cut into 2" chunks
• 1 yellow onion, peeled and sliced
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 3 dried bay leaves (or fresh if you have them)
• 1 (28oz) can of tomato juice

DIRECTIONS

In a small bowl, mix the salt, black pepper, garlic and dried oregano. Rub all of this mixture all over the roast. Cover tightly in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for an hour.

Preheat oven to 350.

Unwrap the roast and sprinkle the flour all over the roast; patting away any excess. Place your Dutch oven or heavy roasting pan over the burner and heat to medium-high. Add 2 teaspoons vegetable oil. When hot, add the roast and sear for 2 - 3 minutes. Turn roast over and sear for another 2 - 3 minutes. You want a light golden crust on the roast. Immediately remove roast from pan and set aside; turn heat off.

To the pan add the carrots, celery, onions, paprika and bay leaves.Place the seared roast on top of the veggies. Pour the can of tomato juice and cover tightly with lid (for Dutch oven). If using a roasting pan, cover the top with plastic wrap first then cover with aluminum foil (the foil doesn't react well with tomato juice).

Bake for 3 1/2 hours or until meat is tender. Remove about half of the tomato sauce, including the veggies, from roast and add it to your blender (make sure there are no bay leaves). Puree for about a minute. Pass mixture through a sieve. Place sauce in a pan and bring to a simmer. In the meantime, slice meat across the grain. Add the slices to the simmering sauce just to heat through. Serve slices of meat with some of the sauce. I served roasted garlic new potatoes on the side and it was out of this world!

Elaine's Eggs, Chili & Cheese Stratta

Okay, a strata is basically a fancy word for layered casserole or crustless quiche, if you will. But this recipe is tried and true and it's delicious. Elaine, my other mom, has been making this for several years and it's always a great hit with everyone. This is a great brunch item, too, because you can feed a lot of people and you don't have to do much work. Serve it with a side of fresh fruit--don't forget the mimosas--and you've got yourself a really, really good breakfast!

INGREDIENTS (serves 8 to 10 people)

• 10 Large eggs
• 1 stick butter, melted
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• Large dash of salt
• 1 pint (16oz) cottage cheese
• 1 lb. shredded cheese, such as Jack Cheese or mixed
• 7 or 8 oz diced green chilies (Ortega brand, if possible)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Beat eggs with hand mixer and add melted butter, flour, baking powder and salt. Beat until well blended. Add cottage cheese, shredded cheese and chilies by hand and mix to combine.

Pour into a greased 9x13 dish. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Lower temperature to 350 degrees and bake 25 - 30 minutes until casserole is golden brown and knife comes out clean from center.

Grilled Bacon Wrapped Orange-Chipotle Shrimp

It has been so unbelievably hot here lately that I've had no desire to cook indoors or outdoors. I was trying to find a recipe where my outside grilling was at a minimum, and of course, I found this excellent recipe that, yes, it is also bacon-themed! Wrapping shrimp in bacon is a very common recipe and quite easy, just make sure wrap each shrimp in half of a bacon piece this way your shrimps won’t overcook and get tough. Seriously, my friend, this is all we ate while sipping super cold Amstel Lights and sitting in front of a fan that we set to go at 90 miles per hour. Stay cool!

INGREDIENTS (makes 12 jumbolicious scrimps)

• 12 jumbo, raw, peeled and deveined shrimp
• 2 Tbsp grapeseed oil or olive oil
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 2 Tablespoons fresh orange juice
• 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder (or to taste)
• Pinch of kosher salt
• 6 strips thin bacon cut in half (12 pieces)
• Skewers

DIRECTIONS

In a medium bowl, combine the oil, orange zest, orange juice, chipotle powder and salt. Add the shrimp and make sure it is all well coated. Set aside in the fridge for 5 to 10 minutes.

When you are ready, run outside and turn on your grill on high, for direct heat, then run back into house. Take a zip of your beer and take a breather.

After 10 or so minutes, wrap a half piece of bacon around each piece of shrimp, then thread the shrimp onto skewers, preferably the long, flat ones or metal skewers. You can also use bamboo, but make sure you soak them in water for at least a half hour first. Drizzle the remaining marinade over the shrimp.

Now, with all your shrimps wrapped in bacon, quickly take them outside to your hot grill and grill uncovered for 5 to 7 minutes on each side, until shrimp is pink and the bacon is crisp. Make sure you take a cold beverage with you because these will be the hottest 14 minutes of your life. When shrimp is done, run back in and enjoy them with your life-partner...

Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers

My sister-in-law Lindsey, or SILLi as I like to call her, made some fabulous jalapeño poppers last week. Her dad, Dave Baggs, came up with the idea of stuffing cream cheese into jalapeños, wrapping them with bacon, then grilling them. Now, anyone that comes up with recipes where bacon is a key ingredient is my personal hero. So, I copied the Baggs recipe, although I did embellish it a little with shredded cheese and cilantro. But you can leave that out and just use cream cheese. Either way you do it, these poppers will blow you head away...or just make you hot for a little while.

INGREDIENTS

• 12 jalapeño peppers
• 1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 tsp. fresh cilantro, minced
• Pinch Salt and pepper
• 1 lb. sliced bacon
• 24 toothpicks

DIRECTIONS

Soak toothpicks in cold water. The longer the better but at least 1 hour.

Cut a slice lengthwise in the jalapeño to make enough space to remove seeds. Make sure not to split the pepper all the way through when you do this. Remove seeds and ribs and wash jalapeño with cold water. It's a good idea to wear gloves during this step, especially if you have sensitive skin.

Mix cream cheese, shredded cheddar, cilantro and salt and pepper in a separate bowl. Put cream cheese mixture inside a plastic baggie and cut a small slit on one corner of baggie (you're making a MacGyvered pastry bag). Squeeze mixture from baggie into jalapenos.

Wrap bacon in a spiral fashion around stuffed pepper and secure with a couple of toothpicks. Grill the popper until the bacon is cooked, about 20 to 30 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes before serving. I'm pretty sure MacGyver would love these!

Thai Iced Tea Latte

I was addicted to iced coffee for a while, until I had a Thai iced tea latte several years ago. The tea flavor is fabulous, especially that cardamon flavor, and the sweetened condensed milk just totally works for me! Anyhoo, the first thing you have to do is purchase Thai tea. I'm very lucky that I live near a store that sells Thai tea, but if you don't have that luxury, you can purchase it at importfood.com or templeofthai.com. If you're too lazy to make it, go to your favorite Thai restaurant and order this refreshing drink. You'll probably get addicted to it, too!

INGREDIENTS

• Thai tea
• Sweetened condensed milk
• Ice

DIRECTIONS

Bring 6 cups of water to boil. Add 1-1/2 cups Thai tea to a large pitcher and pour over the hot water. Stir well for about half a minute until the liquid is dark brown. Stain the tea into another pitcher using either a traditional Thai cloth tea strainer or a fine sieve. A large coffee filter would work also. Cool at room temperature.

To serve, pour tea over a full glass of ice. Top with sweetened condensed milk (if you want just regular iced-tea, you can skip this) and serve with a straw. Oh ma gawd, it's sooo good....

Garlic Pommes Frites

I always know when I'm PMSing because I get an insatiable craving for garlic fries and I cry at tiny, cute things, like puppies or kittens--but not babies...they're not that cute! So, yesterday I introduced Matt to garlic fries. I mean fries so garlicky that we didn't kiss for hours. I love these fries and I found that the Lei Back Cafe in South Park has one of the best garlic pommes frites. The second best garlic fries are at The Guild Restaurant in the barrio, so go check them out or make them at home and it's getting more difficult in finding a restaurant here in San Diego that has good garlic fries since the Lei Back Cafe and The Guild restaurant have both closed.

INGREDIENTS (serves 4 guys or 1 girl on her period)

• 1 (28-ounce) bag frozen shoestring potatoes, such as Ore-Ida® Shoestrings (about 2 cups)
• Oil for deep frying (Vegetable or Peanut)
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced or passed through a garlic press
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon finely minced Italian parsley
• 1 to 2 Tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

Over medium heat, lightly sauté the minced garlic in the olive oil. When it gets to a light, golden color, remove from heat and set aside.

In a frying pan or deep fryer, heat the oil to 350°. Fry small batches of the fries for about 2 1/2 - 3 minutes or according to package directions. Transfer fries to a serving dish, then drizzle the garlic mixture over warm French fries and toss. Add salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle with parsley and grated Parmesan cheese and toss again. Delicious.

Basil Fried Rice

I was craving Thai food today and I was not disappointed. I usually go to Thai Chada down the street from my work or to Spices Thai restaurant. Both are really good Thai places here in San Diego, but nothing will ever compare to Basil, which was my favorite restaurant back in Boston. I'm not sure if it still exists, but their basil fried rice was my absolute fav! Here's a simple yet delicious recipe for basil fried rice. This is a great dish to make with your leftover cooked white rice. Try to use Thai basil for this dish, if you can.

INGREDIENTS (serves 2)

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1 green onion (both the green and white part), thinly sliced
• 2 cups cooked white rice
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup fresh Thai basil leaves, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large non-stick frying pan, heat oil over medium-high heat.
2. When the oil is hot, add in the garlic and green onion. Stir-fry for 30 seconds.
3. Add in the rice and stir fry for about 2 minutes. Make sure to break up any clumps of rice and that the rice is well coated in oil.
4. Push the rice to one side of the pan. Add the 2 eggs into the empty side of the pan. As the eggs cook, use your spatula to break them up into small pieces and mix the eggs with the rice.
5. Add in the basil and soy sauce. Continue to stir-fry until the basil is wilted. Add additional salt and pepper, if needed, and serve right away.

Thai Basil Mimosa

It is a lovely Sunday afternoon. The temperature in San Diego is in the mid 70s with a slight breeze...so what is a girl to do? Well, of course, sit out by the beach and have herself a mimosa, you silly goose! But not just any mimosa, my friend, this refreshing basil mimosa came about after I found some lovely Thai basil for 69 cents at the North Park Market. I had tons of limes, and as always I keep sugar cubes in stock in case I get a mojito craving. I have to say, this was quite a refreshing drink. I'm pretty sure you can try it with seltzer water instead of champagne and make it non-alcoholic...but what fun is that?

INGREDIENTS (makes 2 mimosas)

• 8 Thai Basil leaves
• 3 sugar cubes
• Juice of 1 lime
• Handful of crushed ice
• Simple syrup
• Sparkling wine or champagne, preferably Brut

DIRECTIONS

In a martini shaker, add the Thai basil, sugar cubes, the lime juice and a small amount of crushed ice. Muddle the heck out of it. Add 1 tablespoon of simple syrup (or more, if you prefer), the rest of the crushed ice and cover tightly. Shake. Shake. Shake. Strain the green goodness and pour into two champagne glasses, then slowly top each glass with champagne or sparkling wine.

Marinated Grilled Peaches

Some of you probably have balsamic vinegar in your cupboard and only use it for salads, or maybe you don't use it at all. But did you know that balsamic vinegar also makes a great accompaniment to fruit, especially strawberries and stone fruits, like peaches, nectarines or plums? If you don't have balsamic vinegar on hand, then buy the most inexpensive one. The grilled peaches will still be delicious. You can do this recipe on an indoor grill, too...but what fun is that?

INGREDIENTS (serves 4)

• 4 ripe but not mushy white peaches (you can also use nectaries or plums, if you prefer)
• Juice of one lemon
• Walnut, hazelnut or other non-toasted nut oil (if you can't find this type of oil, you can use regular canola oil)
• 1 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup water
• ½ cup white sugar
• Zest of an orange
• Pinch of sea salt

DIRECTIONS

Pre-heat your grill to medium and set it for direct grilling.

Cut fruit in half and remove pits. Brush with the juice of the lemon and the nut oil and set aside.

Mix vinegar, water, sugar and orange zest in a small saucepan. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar is dissolved. Add a pinch of salt and remove from heat. Let cool to room temperature.

Pour vinegar-sugar liquid over peaches and let sit for 10 minutes, turning occasionally to submerge all cut sides to the marinade. Remove fruit from liquid and set aside. Reserve the marinade and put in a small saucepan and simmer over a medium low heat until liquid is reduced by half. Set aside.

Place fruit skin-side down on a very clean cooking grate and grill for 5-7 minutes or until warmed through and slightly soft. If you prefer, you can raise the heat until you get some nice grill marks. Alternatively, you can use your indoor grill if you prefer.

Remove peaches from grill and place back into marinade, and let it sit for at least 5 minutes. Serve warm or cold with a drizzle of the reduced marinade and perhaps a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes

Oh boy, eating healthy is really hard. I've been on a healthy food kick recently because I noticed there was way too much starch and bad carbs in our diet rather than healthy, high-protein foods. So, in an effort to be healthy, I made these crab cakes...yes, there is a little mayo (not too much), and a small amount of breadcrumbs. All in all, it was okay, although this is a type of dish that I'd rather eat a good seafood restaurant, like Peohe's.

INGREDIENTS (makes 8 crab cakes)

• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs
• 1 pound fresh jumbo lump crab meat

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the broiler.

In a large bowl, combine the egg, Old Bay seasoning, salt, pepper, Worcestershire, baking powder, mayonnaise, breadcrumbs and parsley. Then, gently fold in crabmeat (be careful not to break up the lumps). Shape into cakes and broil for 5 minutes.

Beet Salad with Pomegranate Dressing

I've been in a cooking funk lately, most likely because I've been putting in many hours at work and because Matthew is spoiling me everyday! Anyhoo, I wanted to try something totally new with beets. Yes, my darlings, lovely, crimson colored root beets. I really love the flavor of these herbaceous biennials especially after you roast them and all their natural sugars caramelize. But another reason I wanted to try beets, was because I also had recently bought pomegranate molasses and I had no idea what to do with it. Then, by pure luck I watched a food tv show where pomegranate molasses was used on beets, so I said, what the heck, I'll give it a try!

The first thing you do is get yourself two or three large beets, scrub them clean and peel their outer skin. Place them in a foil packet with a little olive oil and salt and pepper and roast on 400 degrees for 40 minutes.

Once they are done, let them cool completely. Slice them into 1/8" slices (be careful because their intense beet juice can stain your clothes) and place them in the fridge to cool down more.

In the meantime, gather the rest of your ingredients:

• Pomegranate molasses
• Microgreens, such as alfalfa or bean sprouts (or for a spicy kick, try radish sprouts)
• Olive oil
• Ricotta cheese
• toasted pistachios

To assemble: Place 3 or 4 slices of beets, slightly overlapping each other, on a plate. Drizzle a little olive oil and pomegranate molasses over them. In a small bowl, mix the microgreens with a tiny bit of salt and pepper and a little olive oil. Toss lightly. Place a small mound of the microgreens over the beets. Then add a few balls of ricotta cheese (you can easily form them with your hands). Lastly, add a few pistachios, drizzle a little more pomegranate molasses over salad and serve.

Grilled Corn with Chipotle Butter

It has been so hot here lately, that I rather grill outdoors than cook inside a hot kitchen. Grilled corn, along with grilled veggies, is probably one of my favorite summer dishes. Usually, us Mexicans tend to slather our grilled corn with mayonnaise, cotija cheese, chili powder and fresh lime juice (oh, believe me it's delicious!). But this recipe is a slight variation on our Mexican grilled corn--and probably more healthy than mayo! An ice cold Tecate beer goes quite smoothly with this grilled corn. Buen provecho!

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced seeded canned chipotle chilies in adobo
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 ears of corn, husked
• Olive oil

DIRECTIONS

In a small mixing bowl, mash together the butter, chipotles, lime juice and salt. Form into a log and chill for cutting into coin-shaped pieces.

Brush the ears of corn lightly all over with olive oil. Place on cooking grate over direct medium heat. Cook, turning occasionally, until the kernels are lightly browned and blistered all over, 8 to 10 minutes for grocery store corn and 4-5 minutes for farm-fresh corn.

Spread the chipotle butter evenly over all ears of corn and sprinkle with salt to taste. Serve immediately.

Diva's Lasagna

So why is this lasagna different than other lasagnas, you may ask yourself? What makes this a Diva Lasagna? Well, first of all, I use a poblano pepper in my meat sauce to give it that spicy kick that we all need once in a while, and I combine sirloin with turkey just so that I feel it's slightly healthy. The biggest difference is that the meat sauce is not entirely tomato-ey in flavor and I just love the combination of ricotta and cottage cheese; so when you bite into the lasagna, you can taste the meat but especially the cheesiness of it all!

INGREDIENTS (serves 8 to 10)

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 pound ground sirloin
• 1/4 pound ground turkey
• 1 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1 poblano pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 large garlic clove, finely minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 cups (16 ounces) your favorite marinara sauce
• 1 cup (8 ounces) canned diced tomatoes with juice
• Lasagna noodles (about 9 noodles)
• 1 egg
• 1 (16-ounce) carton cottage cheese
• 1 (15-ounce) carton ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup cup fresh parsley, divided
• 1 bag (2 cups) shredded cheese, such as Italian or pizza blend
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided

DIRECTIONS

In large skillet, add olive oil and saute onions over medium heat for two minutes. Add the diced poblano pepper and saute another minute. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about another minute. Add ground beef and ground turkey and brown until beef is no longer pink (about 10 minutes); drain well. Add marinara sauce, diced tomatoes, 1/4 cup chopped parsley, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Set aside.

Meanwhile, cook noodles according to package directions; drain (I cook my noodles very al dente).

Preheat oven to 350*F (175*C). Lightly grease a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine egg, cottage and ricotta cheeses, and remaining parsley; season to taste with salt and pepper.

Spread a very thin layer of meat sauce at bottom of baking pan. Then add a layer of 3 noodles in prepared baking pan. Spread with 1/3 of cottage cheese mixture, then 1/3 layer of meat sauce, then 1/3 layer of shredded cheese. Repeat with second layer. Third layer end with remaining cottage cheese mixture, meat sauce and remaining shredded cheese. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Bake for 25 minutes covered with foil; then for another 15 minutes, uncovered. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Divalicious!

Spaghetti with Mint and Parsley Pesto

This is the most delicious pasta I've made in a while. Perhaps I think this because I just love the taste of fresh mint. This particular recipe is from Dave Lieberman, who has a show on the Food Network. This is probably the only time I haven't "tweaked" a recipe. Anyhoo, I ate this just as a regular meal, but it also makes a super side-dish to fish or chicken.

INGREDIENTS (serves 4)

• 1 bunch large mint
• 1 large bunch parsley
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 large garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, pecorino, or grana padano cheese
• 1 pound of spaghetti
• A handful of toasted pine nuts (about a heaping tablespoon)

DIRECTIONS

In a food processor, add the mint, parsley, lemon juice, garlic cloves, and salt. Process the ingredients while slowly adding the olive oil in a steady stream. Add the grated cheese and blend for a few seconds more. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large pot, cook the spaghetti until al dente. Drain the pasta and toss with the pesto. Finally, toss in a handful of toasted pine nuts and serve.

Cheese Blintzes

One of the few things I miss about living in the East Coast is all the wonderful Jewish delis I used to frequent. Not only did I become a big fan of matzo ball soup and chopped liver, but my all-time favorite deli indulgences were cheese blintzes. In an attempt to bring back my fond memories of the Jewish delis, I made these blintzes. I was fortunate enough to find farmer's cheese here in San Diego, but if you can't find it, you can do a mixture of cottage cheese and ricotta. Mmmmm.

INGREDIENTS (makes about 10 blintzes)

For crepe batter

• 3 large eggs
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

For filling

• 1 1/2 cups farmer cheese
• 2 cups cottage cheese
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• fruit filling or fresh fruit for topping (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Make wrapper batter:

• In a blender blend crepe batter ingredients and let stand 30 minutes. In an 8-inch skillet, preferable non-stick, melt half of butter over moderately high heat. Pour in enough batter to just coat the bottom of skillet, swirling, and cook, undisturbed, until top is set and bottom in golden (do not turn wrapper over). Transfer wrapper to paper towels in one layer, golden side down. Make more wrappers with remaining butter and batter.

Make filling:

• In a food processor, blend cheeses, sugar, and cinnamon until smooth. If necessary, add flour to thicken filling.

• Preheat oven to 250°F. and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Put 3 tablespoons filling in center of each wrapper and fold opposite sides of wrapper over filling until sides barely touch. Fold in ends to completely enclose filling, forming packets, and arrange, seams sides down, on baking sheet.
• Make more blintzes with remaining filling and wrappers.
• Bake blintzes, covered loosely with foil, until heated through, 10 - 15 minutes. Serve with sour cream and either cherry or blueberry pie filling.