Easy Lime Curd Ice Box Cake

Ever since I got knocked up, my nausea caused my culinary adventures to be on hold for a while (hence, not too many recipes lately in case you didn't notice). But, thankfully I'm over the first trimester, and I also lost weight to boot!!!

Now, my appetite is slowly coming back and I'm slowly starting to eat more meat. Nevertheless, I noticed that I'm getting more of a sweet tooth now, too, which is weird because I am not a dessert person. So I decided to make this super easy, but quite rich and sweet, dessert. I have no idea what it's really called, nor do I know where it came from, but pretty much every mom in Latin America knows how to make this and I figured since I'm going to be a mommy soon, I better learn how to make it, too.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 can evaporated milk
• 3/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 5 limes)
• 2 teaspoons lime zest, divided
• 1 package galletas Marias (these cookies are found in the Hispanic grocery isle)
• 2 of the cookies, crumbled

DIRECTIONS

Place the sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk in a blender. Start blending the milks on medium-high while slowly pouring the fresh lime juice. Keep blending until mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Add 1 teaspoon of lime zest and blend to combine. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes to thicken slightly more.

In a glass, 8x8x5 pan place a layer of the cookies, then pour 1/3 of the lime curd. Do this two more times, ending with the lime curd. Mix the cookie crumbs with the remaining lime zest and sprinkle over the dessert. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in freezer for 2 to 3 hours.

Serve right out of the freezer; cut into small squares (this is a very rich dessert) and garnish with lime wedges, if desired.

Calories: a gazilion. Fat: YES!

Pappardelle with Slow-Braised Leeks and Crispy Porcini Pangrattato

I bought a bunch of nice looking leeks at the farmer's market this weekend, and when I got home I didn't know what to do with them. Sometimes I'm one of those food shoppers that buys interesting or weird looking foods or vegetables if they're on sale. Anyway, I got some suggestions for leeks soup and vichyssoise, but I decided to try this pappardelle recipe with braised leeks. The original recipe (below) comes from Jamie Oliver, however I cut it down by 1/3 since it's just me and the peanut right now. I also used pancetta because I could not find Parma ham.

INGREDIENTS

• 5 big leeks, outer leaves trimmed back, washed
• Olive oil
• 3 good knobs butter, divided
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely sliced
• A few sprigs fresh thyme, leaves picked
• A small wineglass white wine
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pint good-quality vegetable or chicken stock
• 12 slices ham, preferably Parma
• 2 (8-ounce) packages fresh lasagne sheets
• All-purpose flour, for dusting
• 2 handfuls freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving

Pangrattato

• 1 small handful dried porcini mushrooms
• 1/2 ciabatta bread, preferably stale, cut into chunks
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary

DIRECTIONS

Halve the leeks lengthways and cut at an angle into 1/2-inch slices and place in a large bowl of water to clean. Pat dry with a paper towel. Heat a wide saucepan, add a teaspoon of oil and a knob of butter, and when you hear a gentle sizzling add the sliced garlic, thyme leaves and leeks. Move the leeks around so every piece gets coated. Pour in the wine, season with pepper and stir in the stock. Cover the leeks with the slices of Parma ham, place a lid on the pan and cook gently for 25 to 30 minutes. Once the leeks are tender, take the pan off the heat.

To make the pangrattato:

Whiz the mushrooms and bread with a pinch of salt and pepper in a food processor until the mixture looks like bread crumbs. Heat a generous tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan. Add the garlic cloves and the rosemary and cook for a minute, then fry the bread crumbs in the oil until golden and crisp. Keep shaking the pan - don't let the bread crumbs catch on the bottom. Drain on paper towels, discard the rosemary and garlic and allow the bread crumbs to cool.

Bring a big pan of salted water to the boil. Lay the lasagne sheets on a clean working surface and sprinkle with a little flour. Place the sheets on top of each other and slice into 1/2-inch strips. Toss through your fingers to shake out the pappardelle, then cook in the boiling water 2 minutes or until al dente.

Remove the Parma ham from the saucepan, slice up and stir back into the leeks. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then stir in the Parmesan and the rest of the butter. Drain the pasta, reserving a little of the cooking water, and add the pasta to the leeks. Add a little of the cooking water if need be, to give you a silky, smooth sauce. Serve quickly, sprinkled with some pangrattato, extra Parmesan and any leftover thyme tips. Serve the rest of the pangrattato in a bowl on the side.

My Pizza Obsession

Ever since we got our cob-oven, I've been obsessed with the perfect pizza. To me, a perfect pizza is thin crust that is crispy on the outside and slightly chewy in the center. It has to have just the right amount of pizza sauce (and the perfect pizza sauce, of course), 100% mozzarella, a little bit of fresh basil and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. But I think the two most important components of the perfect pizza is the pizza dough and the pizza sauce.

I made the two components below: the dough recipe comes from Andrew Green from the April 2009 Food & Wine magazine. And I came up with the pizza sauce recipe. You can always tweak the sauce to your liking, but I made it the way I like my sauce: tangy, slightly sweet with just hints of spices. Also, since I'm not allowed to use the cob-oven while my husband is not here, I made the pizza in a super hot oven, and it almost comes out as crispy and delish as it would in a cob or wood-fired oven.

Pizza Sauce

• 1 can (1 lb. 12oz) of 6 in 1 All-Purpose Ground Tomatoes (6 in 1 Brand is a MUST!)
• 1/2 Tsp. dried basil
• 1/2 Tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 Tsp. dried parsley
• 1/4 Tsp. granulated garlic
• 1/4 Tsp. ground black pepper
• 1/2 Tsp. Grey sea salt or kosher salt
• 1 Tbsp. Extra-virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS

In a glass or plastic container with a lid, combine all ingredients and mix well. Place in the fridge overnight to let the flavors meld together.

Pizza Dough

• 1 1/2 cup water
• 2 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 tsp. confectioner's sugar
• 1 pkg. rapid rise yeast
• 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cups all-purpose flour

DIRECTIONS

In a small sauce pan bring the water to 125 F. Use an instant-read thermometer to monitor temperature. Stir in the salt and sugar and let it dissolve. Next stir in the yeast and olive oil and let it rest at room temperature for 5 minutes until foamy.

In a bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the flour with the yeast mixture at low speed for 10 minutes. Let the pizza dough rest for 10 more minutes, then mix again at low speed for an additional 10 minutes.

Lightly oil a large bowl (ceramic or glass). Transfer the dough to the bowl, cover with a damp towel and let the dough stand in a warm place until doubled, about 2 hours. This batch will make 2 large pizza, or about 4 to 5 individual 7" pizzas.

Margheritta Pizza

• Pizza dough
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup pizza sauce
• fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
• fresh basil leaves
• dash of dried oregano
• good olive oil

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

Roll out pizza as thin as you possibly can. Place dough in a pizza pan, lightly dusted with corn meal. Drizzle a little olive oil over the dough, then spread the pizza sauce, leaving about 1/4" border around the pizza. Place the cheese slices over the sauce.

Bake at 500 degrees for 12 to 14 minutes, or until edges of dough are cooked and cheese is bubbly.

Remove from oven and drizzle a little more olive oil and a dash of dried oregano. Sprinkle fresh basil over pizza and let cool a couple of minutes before cutting.

Prosciutto-wrapped Asparagus with Truffle Butter

I subscribe to a foodie newsletter called Gourmet Tastemakers and sometimes they come up with really interesting dishes. I jumped at the idea of this one because I personally love truffles. Of course, I've never had "real" truffles, just truffle oil or truffle butter, but hopefully one of these days I'll actually taste this quite elusive and expensive fungi.

INGREDIENTS (makes 18 to 20 hors d'oeuvres)

• 1 lb medium asparagus (18 to 20)
• 1/2 tsp white-truffle oil
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 9 or 10 large thin of baslices prosciutto (1/3 lb)

DIRECTIONS

Prepare a large bowl of ice and cold water. Trim asparagus to 5 inches long, then steam in a steamer over boiling water until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Transfer to cold water to stop cooking. Drain and pat dry. Season with salt.

Stir oil into butter until incorporated.

Cut prosciutto slices into roughly 3- by 3-inch pieces, then thinly coat with truffle butter and place an asparagus stalk at one edge. Roll up, leaving tip and end visible. Repeat with remaining asparagus and prosciutto.

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.

Irish Roast Leg of Lamb

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Every time this holiday comes around, it reminds me of our incredible trip we made to Ireland a few years ago. And it brings such wonderful memories, specially memories of us spending time with the Keniry Family (somehow, long lost relations to my husband's family) in Dungourney, Co. Cork. They are farmers and farm everything from potatoes, broccoli to pumpkins. They also have a large flock of sheep, and one of the most special meals we had was leg of lamb, simply roasted with potatoes and carrots. Perhaps it was the people; perhaps it was the air; perhaps it was the Irish spirit, but that was one of the best lamb roasts I have ever had.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 1/2 Leg of Lamb, de-boned (preferably Irish lamb)
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 3 to 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 2" pieces
• 4 potatoes, peeled and quartered
• Good white wine
• 2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Make around 15 deep slits in the lamb. Push the garlic slices into half of them.
2. Separate the leaves from the rosemary stalks and push into the remaining slits.
3. Season lamb liberally with salt and pepper, rubbing well into the skin.
4. Place the lamb in a roasting pan, then place the potatoes and carrots around the roast.
5. Pour 3/4 cup of white wine into the pan, then season veggies with salt and pepper.
6. Cover roast tightly with foil and cook in the oven for 30 minutes.
7. Reduce the temperature to 350ºF and cook for 1.5 hours, or until the meat is tender. Remove the foil during the last 15 minutes of cooking.
8. Sprinkle the parsley all over the roast and veggies and garnish with extra rosemary before serving.

Chicken with Asparagus and Roasted Red Peppers

When my brother-in-law was here, he bought chicken and asparagus for us to cook. I kind of had to find a recipe to use these two ingredients. I was thinking chicken rolled up with asparagus, or even a chicken-asparagus pasta, but I found the following recipe to be quite good, specially for those of us watching our weight and/or for people who want more protein in their diet. You can serve this dish with a side of brown or white rice, or even couscous. Or you can cut up the chicken into bite-sized pieces and serve it over penne pasta.

INGREDIENTS (serves 4)

• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 pound boned and skinned chicken breast halves
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces
• 1 (7 ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup chopped roma (plum) tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar, or to taste
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the broth in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper, and place in the skillet. Cook 15 minutes, until chicken is almost done.
2. Place asparagus, red peppers and garlic in skillet. Continue cooking 10 minutes, or until chicken juices run clear and asparagus is tender.
3. Place tomatoes in skillet during last 2 minutes of cook time. Sprinkle with vinegar. Top with mozzarella cheese to serve.

Fun Rainbow Cake

I have not been feeling well; I have been suffering from migraines lately, so I've put my spatula down for a while and have not been cooking much. I was feeling much better today after staying home for the day and just laying in a dark room. After finally being able to sleep I woke up ravished, but for something sweet. I searched the web for a recipe and I found this incredible rainbow cake from Aleta Meadowlark from the deliciously written food blog Omnomicon. Click here to see the whole process of making this fabulous cake. She has some incredible pics of the recipe.

I'm thinking that I might make this awesome, yet groovy looking cake for my niece's first birthday. It looks very fun and I specially love the colors.

Speaking of cakes, I made the chocoflan again several weeks ago, and this cake still baffles me. I wish the show "Good Eats" would explain why this cake works. I mean, you place the cake batter then a wetter, custard batter on top (see pic below),

yet when it comes out, the flan forms at the bottom and chocolate cake goodness remains moist. The original chocoflan recipe is here.

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.

Pan-Seared Salmon with Yam-Red Bell Pepper Curry Sauce

I learned from cooking classes that I've taken, and from professional chefs, that good, beautiful food takes time. Lots of time. The reason why food we eat at our favorite restaurants is consistently good and beautiful is because they've already prepared most of the major components, such as sauces or gastriques or spice mixtures, ahead of time. The recipe below is something you can start the night before. You can make the curry sauce and refrigerate and just slowly reheat the next day. Make the gastrique that morning and keep it a room temperature. And about half and hour before you eat, make the mashed turnips and sauteed greens and salmon. Of course, you can save lots of time by using a jarred curry sauce and blending it with some cooked yams and roasted red bell peppers.

INGREDIENTS (4 servings)

Salmon

• 4 skin-on salmon fillets, about 6 ounces and 1 to 1-1/4" thick
• Salt & pepper
• 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon fresh chopped dill
• Mashed turnips (for side dish)
• Sauteed greens, such as spinach or Swiss chard (for side dish)

DIRECTIONS

Run some cold water over fillets to clean; pat dry. Remove any bones. Salt and pepper both sides of fillet. Sprinkle the fresh dill over flesh of each fillet (no need on the skin side).

Heat a 12-inch heavy-bottomed skillet (cast iron) for 3 minutes over high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. When oil shimmers (but does not smoke) add fillets skin side down and cook, without moving fillets, until pan regains lost heat, about 30 seconds. Reduce heat to medium-high; continue to cook until skin side is well browned and bottom half of fillets turns opaque, 4-1/2 minutes.

Turn fillets and cook, without moving them, until they are no longer translucent on the exterior and are firm, but not hard, when gently squeezed: 3 minutes for medium-rare and 3-1/2 minutes for medium. You can easily remove the skin from the salmon at this point with a knife, gently pulling until all skin is removed. Turn the salmon over and sear briefly, or until desired doneness is reached.

Remove fillets from pan; let stand 1 minute. Serve immediately.

Gastrique

• 1/2 cup champagne vinegar
• 1/2 cup blood orange juice
• 4 Tbsp sugar
• 1/2 cup petite diced roma tomato
• 1/2 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped

DIRECTIONS

Combine vinegar and orange juice in small saucepan. Bring to boil and reduce by 1/3. Add sugar and cook until mixture begins to lightly coat a spoon. Remove from heat and add tomato segments and fresh thyme. Let cool to room temperature.

Yam & Red Bell Pepper Curry

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil or ghee
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 medium red onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, diced
• 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and diced
• 1 or 2 green chiles, seeded and diced
• 1 tbsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp corriander powder
• 1/2 tsp chile powder or cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1 can of petite-diced or crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup cooked yams, roughly chopped
• 1 roasted red bell pepper, skin removed and seeded and roughly chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the oil or ghee in a sauce pan, wok or pot on medium high.
2. Add the cumin seeds and fry until they start to brown, about 30 seconds.
3. Add the onion and stir well. You want onion to lightly brown and soft (about 5 minutes).
4. Add the garlic, ginger and chiles. When the garlic turns light brown, move to next step.
5. Lower heat a little then add in the rest of the spices and stir well, and cook for another minute or two.
6. Pour in the tomatoes and stir occasionally. Aim for something roughly as thick as tomato sauce; not too watery and not too thick and pasty--this could take up to 15 minutes.
7. Add the salt, cooked yam and roasted red bell peppers. Stir well, to let it absorb the ingredients.
8. Take off the heat and let it cool a little.
9. Add the contents into a blender and puree until very smooth. If too thick, add a little water, a tablespoon at a time.
10. Put the puréed mixture back into the pan and cook for 15 to 20 minutes over very low heat stirring occasionally.
11. To serve, place a dollop of mashed turnips, followed by some sauteed greens in center of 4 plates. Top with pan-seared salmon fillet, and slowly pour a little curry sauce around each plate. Top each fillet with a teaspoon of gastrique.

Rosemary Roasted Jidori Chicken

I've been noticing several restaurants here in San Diego now offer "Jidori Chicken" in their menus, and for a while I thought Jidori was a method of cooking, but later I found out it was a type of chicken. Basically, Jidori is a Japanese term meaning "chicken of the Earth." These chickens are fresh, all-natural, no hormones, free range and the chickens eat the best feed. Jidori chickens are apparently so fresh that some Japanese restaurants even serve them sashimi-style...yes raw!

We went to the Prado a couple of weeks ago with my parents and I ordered the Rosemary Jidori chicken. It was moist, perfectly roasted and perfectly seasoned. It was served with garlic mashed potatoes, sauteed spinach and perfectly sauteed mushrooms. The dish is under $20 and I recommend it. We had a nice sauvignon blanc to go with the chicken and it worked wonderfully, although a lighter pinot noir would have been good, too.

I've been looking for Jidori chicken recipes, but it's very difficult to find one. Also, it's almost impossible for a consumer to buy fresh Jidori chicken here in San Diego, unless you're a restaurant owner. So, if you're lucky, buy one and roast it. Below is a simple yet classic recipe for rosemary chicken.

INGREDIENTS (4 servings)

• 2 young chickens, about 2 to 3 pounds each
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 or 2 fresh rosemary sprigs
• 1 1/2 lemons, cut into chunks

Seasoned Salt

• 2 tablespoons very finely minced lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
• 2 tablespoons sea salt, preferably gray salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F if you have no convection fan, or to 425 degrees F if you have a convection fan.

Rinse the chickens inside and out and dry well.

Make the salt: In a bowl, combine the lemon zest, rosemary, salt, and pepper, mixing well. Rub the chicken all over with the olive oil, and then rub with 3 tablespoons of the seasoned salt. (Reserve the remaining salt for another use.) Tuck the rosemary sprigs and lemon chunks into the chicken cavity. You don't need to truss the chicken.

Place the birds on a rack in a roasting pan and roast for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature by 75 degrees F and continue roasting until the juices run clear when a thigh is pierced with a skewer, about 50 to 55 minutes longer. Transfer the chicken to a platter and let rest for at least 10 minutes before carving.

Red Beans and Rice and Cornbread Pudding

For some reason, I'm getting some weird cravings, and I was craving red beans and rice the other day. When I was in boarding school in Florida we used to have black beans and rice or red beans and rice A LOT! It was probably a cheap way to feed hungry students.

I got this recipe from "Down Home With the Neely's" which is a semi-new cooking show on Food Network. I'm still not sure if I like it, only because the couple (the Neely's) are so freakin' lovey-dovey...Oh, and if you're a bread pudding aficionado, I think you'll like this cornbread recipe. Bon appetit!

INGREDIENTS (serves 4 to 6)

Red Beans

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 pound smoked sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices (I used Kielbasa)
• 1 tablespoon your favorite dry rub or seasoning salt
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 (12-ounce) cans red beans, drained and rinsed
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 2 bay leaves

Rice

• 4 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups long-grain rice
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• Pinch salt

DIRECTIONS

In a large skillet heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Saute the onion, celery, green bell pepper, and garlic until tender. Add the smoked sausage, dry rub, thyme, salt and pepper. Saute for about 5 minutes then add the red beans, chicken stock and bay leaves. Let simmer uncovered on low for 1 1/2 hours. Stirring occasionally and adding water, if necessary.

While the beans are cooking add all the ingredients for the rice to a small saucepan over medium heat. Cover and let cook for 15 minutes. Once the rice is cooked, let stand for 5 minutes. Serve with the red beans.

Cornbread Pudding

• 1 (17 oz.) can whole kernel corn
• 1 (17 oz.) can cream style corn
• 1 stick butter, melted and cooled
• 1 (8 oz.) pkg. sour cream
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 pkg. Jiffy corn muffin mix

DIRECTIONS

Beat eggs. Add melted, cooled butter, sour cream, whole and creamed corn, and Jiffy mix and mix well to combine. Put into 2 1/2 quart casserole. Bake about 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Sweet Potato Oven Fries with Avocado Dip

I love fries...but what girl doesn't, right? One of my favorite kind of fries (besides truffle fries) are sweet potato fries. Since I'm trying (keyword: trying) to eat healthier these days, I found this recipe for oven fried sweet potato fries--yes, I know "oven fried" is an oxymoron--and I have to say the fries were good, but not as crispy as I would have wanted them to be. Next time I will cut the potatoes much thinner, almost matchstick, and bake them less time because some of my fries got burnt. However, the fries were delicious and the avocado dip was pretty good, too. You can also use the avocado dip as a substitute for mayo in a sandwich. I got this recipe from Simply Delicioso, which is not one of my favorite cooking shows but some of the recipes are pretty good.

INGREDIENTS

Sweet Potato Fries

• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled or unpeeled, cut into 4-inch long and 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick fries
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, or more as needed
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• Coarse ground rock salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Avocado Dip, recipe follows

DIRECTIONS

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.

Place the sweet potatoes in a large bowl and toss with olive oil until the sweet potatoes are coated. Add the paprika, chili powder, coriander, salt, and pepper; toss to distribute evenly.

Arrange the coated fries in a single layer on the prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes on the lower rack until the sweet potatoes soften. Transfer the pan to the upper rack of the oven and bake 10 minutes longer, until fries are crispy. Serve with Avocado Dip.

Avocado Dip

• 1 Hass avocado
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup cream cheese
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped.
• 2 scallions, white and light green part only, chopped
• 1 lime, juiced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

Place the avocado, mayonnaise, cream cheese, jalapeno, scallions, and lime juice into a blender or small food processor. Blend for 1 minute or until you have a smooth paste. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve as a dip for the Sweet Potato Oven Fries.

Grilled Salmon Sandwiches

The Contessa never fails! I got this recipe from Ina Garten's cookbook and I just had to make it because it seemed like such a simple yet healthy meal and, as I mentioned before, my family and I are trying to eat more fish. I am very lucky that there is a fishmonger I can go to and get the freshest catch of the day, and I think that's a big key in this recipe: super fresh salmon fillets. I cut the recipe below in half since it's just me, Matt and Mike, and the portions came out perfectly!

INGREDIENTS (serves 6)

• 2 pounds fresh salmon fillets
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground pepper

For the sauce:

• 1 cup Hellman's mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 3/4 teaspoon white wine vinegar
• 12 fresh basil leaves
• 3/4 cup chopped fresh dill
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped scallions, (white and green parts)
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 teaspoons capers, drained

To assemble:

• 6 fresh white or brioche rolls (4-inch round)
• 1/4 pound mesclun mix or fresh basil leaves

DIRECTIONS

For the salmon, heat your (coals or propane) outdoor grill and brush the top of the grill with oil. Rub the outside of the salmon with olive oil, salt, and pepper, to taste. Grill for 5 minutes on each side, or until the salmon is almost cooked through. Remove to a plate and allow it to rest for 15 minutes.

For the sauce, place the mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, basil, dill, scallions, salt, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process until combined. Add the capers and pulse 2 or 3 times.

To assemble the sandwiches, slice the rolls in 1/2 crosswise. Spread a tablespoon of sauce on each cut side. On the bottom 1/2, place some mesclun salad and then a piece of salmon. Place the top of the roll on the salmon and serve immediately.

Pannekoeken Revisited

There's a controversy in the family about "pancakes." Apparently a lefse is not a pancake, but more like a Norwegian tortilla. But there is a type of Nordic pancake that my father-in-law makes; he calls it a Finnish Oven Pancake. My husband and his brothers grew up eating this pancake, but they call it panakuken or panakoken. Nevertheless, my brother-in-law, Michael, perfected the recipe below and he makes it for us at least once a week. You don't really need to add any syrup after the panakoken is baked, but a little brown sugar and melted butter go great with this pancake and so does a a really hot cafe au lait!

INGREDIENTS (makes 2)

• 1/4 c butter
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup flour
• 2 Tblsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. salt

Pre-heat oven to 400 F.

Divide the butter and melt it in two 8" round pans in the hot oven.

Meanwhile, beat the eggs in a bowl, add milk, flour sugar and salt. Beat continuously with wire whips for 2 minutes.

Pour batter into sizzling hot pans and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until they are golden brown.

Serve the Finnish pancake with melted butter and brown sugar.

BBQ Chicken Pizza

I'm not a Sandra Lee fan as most of her recipes call for 70% canned or store bought ingredients and only 30% fresh ingredients, but at times some of her recipes do save many cooks a lot of time. So what I did here is we took part of her BBQ chicken pizza recipe but we raised up a notch by making our own dough and grilling our chicken. Yes, this definitely is not a Semi-Homemade recipe, but give it a try because homemade pizza dough is so good and this pizza was super cheesy and gooey!

INGREDIENTS

Pizza Dough

• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 cup warm water (110 to 115° F)
• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt

BBQ Chicken

• 1/2 pound chicken tenders
• 1 Tablespoon Butt Rub
• 2/3 cup barbecue sauce (we used Sweet Baby Ray's Original BBQ Sauce)

Pizza

• 3/4 cup shredded Smoked Gouda
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• 3/4 cup shredded Parmesan
• Grilled chicken, cut into 1" pieces
• 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

DIRECTIONS

Make the dough: In a small bowl, dissolve the honey in the warm water. Sprinkle the yeast over the water and stir until it dissolves. Let the yeast mixture stand for 5 minutes, until a layer of foam forms on the surface.

In a large bowl, combine the flour and the salt. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour the olive oil and the yeast mixture. Stir the flour into the wet ingredients, until all the flour is incorporated. If its too dry, add more water in tablespoon increments.

On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for 15 minutes, until it is smooth and elastic. Shape the dough into a ball and put in in a well-oiled bowl. Cover with a moist towel and let rise in a warm place until double in bulk (about 45 minutes).

After about 45 minutes the dough should have about doubled in size. Show it who's boss and punch it down. That's right, give it a good smack so it deflates. Let it rise for another hour to an hour and a half. The dough is now ready to be rolled out

About 15 minutes before baking, pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees F.

For the Chicken: sprinkle the Butt Rub (or your favorite grill rub) over the chicken. Heat your grill on medium-high for direct heat grilling. Grill chicken pieces, about 5 minutes per side.

About one minute before you remove chicken from grill, brush two tablespoons of the bbq sauce over chicken. Set chicken aside to cool and chip into 1" bite-sized pieces.

For the Pizza: Punch the dough down, and roll out into a 16 inch flat circle. Spread remaining barbecue sauce evenly over pizza dough. Sprinkle smoked Gouda, 1/2 cup mozzarella, and Parmesan. Next spread the onions and chicken pieces and top with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until cheese bubbles. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and cut into pieces.

Banana Cake

I found that we had two overly ripe bananas in the house the other day and, of course, the first thing that came to mind was banana bread. I checked my cookbooks for recipes and I also checked online, and the recipes were all pretty much the same. I had remember a long time ago that my mom used to make a banana bread with sour cream. So finally, I found the recipe below (it is for banana muffins, but I adapted to a cake) and the cake was moist and delicious and it goes so well with a hot cup of coffee. I called this banana cake because I didn't have a loaf pan, so I baked it in a 9" round cake pan. Next time, I might make a strudel and put it on top. Umm..that would be yummy.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 2 very ripe bananas, mashed (about 3/4 cup)
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 3 ounces chopped walnuts, optional

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously butter 9" cake pan.

Sift the flour, baking soda and salt together.

Working with a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl beat the butter until creamy. Add the sugar and beat at medium speed until pale and fluffy.

Beat in the vanilla, then the egg, beating for about 1 minute. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the bananas. Finally, mix in half the dry ingredients (don't be disturbed if the batter curdles), all the sour cream and then the rest of the flour mixture. Stir in the chopped walnuts by hand.

Pour cake batter into cake pan.

Bake for about 28 to 32 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Transfer cake to a rack, cool for 15 minutes, then gently turn the cake out of the pan. Cool to room temperature on a rack and cut into wedges and serve. YUM!