Pan-Seared Salmon w/ Mixed Greens Pesto & Lentil Black Rice Salad

Today is the first Friday of the Lenten season, and in honor of that, Leslie and I are sharing fish and seafood recipes for today's edition of She Made, Ella Hace. So, here's the thing—I wasn't raised Catholic (and I'm not Catholic now), so I've never done the whole abstaining from meat on Fridays during Lent thing. And while my husband was raised Catholic, he's not a practicing Catholic now.

Spring Panzanella Salad w/ Balsamic and Spring Herb Vinaigrette

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Pompeian. All opinions are 100% mine.

Did you know that May is both National Vinegar Month and National Salad Month? Somebody totally planned that. And that's what I call great planning. I don't know about you, but my favorite way to dress a salad is with a vinaigrette, which is exactly why I'm excited to be partnering with Pompeian to bring you a simple, yet bright and tasty vinaigrette to enjoy over what may just be the perfect spring salad. If I do say so myself.

I've mentioned in the past how my favorite salads are the "salad as a meal" type of salads. Sure, I like a little roughage to close out a satisfying meal, but salads can be so much more than that. And personally, if I'm choosing to eat a salad as my meal, I usually opt out of heavy dressings, and instead choose a simple oil and vinegar-based one instead.

So, you're probably tired of hearing about the long, grueling winter that we had this year. So am I. But, it bears mention since we are just now beginning to see some glorious green vegetables starting to grow here in my part of the country, and we're already into May. After month upon month of frozen ground and either preserved or trucked in produce, I can finally find asparagus, baby greens, and even tender herbs bursting from the earth in my own backyard (or lining the stalls of my farmers' market).

Honey-Mustard Chicken and Arugula Wraps

In order to have quick and easy meals at hand during the busy week, I often do a little extra prep on the weekends. I've mentioned before that I love to cook a big pot of beans or lentils, and then use them for wraps, tacos, or sides. Sometimes I'll make a couple of types of pasta, cool them down, and stick them into zippered baggies for tossing into quickly sauteed veggies and sauces. Big batches of grains like rice, farro, freekeh, or quinoa are another good example of something that can be made in a large batch on Sunday, then reheated quickly on a weekday.

Now, often our protein is made day-of, to keep it from drying out or getting overcooked. But there are a few ways and preparations that lend themselves to advanced cooking. Large roasts and shoulders that can be shredded and stretched throughout the week are what come to mind first, along with chicken things. Just think about the fattier cuts, since the fat is what will keep them from drying out.

That said, I also like to make a batch of chicken breasts in advance. So basically, the exact opposite of those fatty cuts. I think the secret is gently poaching them in a highly seasoned liquid until they are just cooked through. I actually like storing them in the fridge IN some of their cooking liquid, as well, to help them stay moist. Then, over the next few days, you can cut the breasts into chunks, shred them, or slice them thinly for use in chicken salad (the mayo kind), cold chicken salad (the "fan it over the top of the greens and such kind"), stir it into a salsa for a taco filling, roll it up into tortillas and fry them for flautas, or use them in a sandwich or wrap.

Strawberry Arugula Salad w/ Hazelnuts & Blue Cheese - 50 Women Game-Changers (in Food): #48 Cat Cora

the "Gourmet" prompt...

48. Cat Cora- Being the only female Iron Chef earns Cora a spot on the list. Plus, her telegenic glamour and golden locks surely help in hooking folks on cooking—and having four sons with her wife, well, that’s just cool.

Cat grew up around food.  She's Greek, and we all know that the two go hand-in-hand, right!? Big family gatherings.  Family-owned restaurants.  Roasting meat on spits in the front yard.  What?  That's not every Greek family?  Okay fine.

Arugula and Lemon Couscous...

...over at Everyday Maven today! That's right, I'm honored to be GBOTW (Guest Blogger of the Week) over at Alyssa's place today. I hope you'll join me there for this easy, tasty, healthy recipe using my latest obsession - baby arugula.

Arugula and Lemon Couscous

Prosciutto, Parmesan and Arugula Sandwich inspired by Sideways #FoodnFlix

A film that is a celebration of wine.  I'm definitely down with that.  Thing is, you also need to be okay with a bit of "crass" to be down with Sideways, as well.  The story of oenophile Miles taking his best buddy from college, Jack, on what is meant to be a mellow tour of California wine country as a send-off before Jack gets married the following weekend.  Miles has a schedule down pat...vineyard tours, wine tasting, maybe a bit of gold, and good food in between.  The only problem?  Jack, who is basically his polar opposite, is looking at this week as his final hurrah.  Sure, he wants to drink wine.  But he's not so into the specifics of how each particular wine was made.  He just wants to party.   And get as many girls into bed as he possibly can before he's only "allowed" the one.

Paul Giamatti and Thomas Hayden church are joined by Victoria Madsen and Sandra Oh to play these very real characters whose personalities seem to be portrayed by their views on wine.  Miles is methodical and appreciates the underdog.  Jack is a man-child who is ready for anything.  Maya is accepting and inquisitive.  Stephanie is hopeful and upbeat.  Hmmm...I wonder then if my views on wine define me, as well?

You will find humor, friendship, love, sex, wine, food...basically the things that make up life...in abundance throughout the film.  It makes me want to head out to wine country with a full picnic basket and a wine key.

And nestled inside my picnic basket would be this sandwich wrapped in wax paper.  Soft little ciabatta rolls filled with airy holes sandwiched around salty, seductive prosciutto and thin, pungent slices of parmesan all topped off with some peppery baby arugula and the earthy, muskiness of truffle oil.  A bottle of bold, perfect Dreaming Tree Chardonnay ("big fruit and loads of spice") from California's central coast and a wine glass would be tucked alongside with a fun napkin.  And a book.  That's pretty much bliss.

I had to tell you an interesting little story, as well.  You know how everything in life seems to go full circle?  Well.  I hadn't watched Sideways since it was first released in 2004.  So basically, I'd forgotten most of the dialogue and nuances.  Go back to ...oh, say... 1995 or so.  Dave Matthews has been my favorite guy for years and years.  Back then I was in college.  I found a great little interview with him in some magazine.  I don't remember exactly which one.  Spin?  Rolling Stone?  Something along those lines.  Anyway, he mentioned a couple of books that he enjoyed in the article.  So like any devotee worth their weight, I promptly went out and bought those books so that I, too, could read them.  One of them became a favorite of mine.  A book that I continued to dust off every couple of years or so and re-read.  That book was A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole.

Somehow I missed the part in the film (or just neglected to register) the first time I watched it in which Miles is depressed after finding out his novel was rejected again. Jack is trying to console him. This is how that "comforting" played out...

Miles: Well, the world doesn't give a shit what I have to say. I'm not necessary. Had. I'm so insignificant I can't even kill myself.
Jack: Miles, what the hell is that supposed to mean?
Miles: Come on, man. You know. Hemingway, Sexton, Plath, Woolf. You can't kill yourself before you're even published.
Jack: What about the guy who wrote Confederacy of Dunces? He killed himself before he was published. Look how famous he is.
Miles: Thanks.

So. I had already bought a bottle of wine in anticipation of watching the film again. It wasn't a Pinot Noir (though I do love Pinot), but it was a fantastic bottle of Chardonnay made by my aforementioned favorite guy, Mr. Dave Matthews (along with Steve Reeder) in his California winery. Dave. The one who prompted me to read A Confederacy of Dunces. Which was mentioned in the film Sideways. Which I watched while drinking wine made by Dave Matthews. I consider that full circle. Life is funny that way.

Prosciutto, Arugula, and Parmesan Sandwich

Soft little ciabatta rolls filled with airy holes sandwiched around salty, seductive prosciutto and thin, pungent slices of parmesan all topped off with some peppery baby arugula and the earthy, muskiness of truffle oil.

by Heather Schmitt-González

Prep Time: 5-10 minutes

Keywords: sandwich prosciutto parmesan arugula truffle oil July 4th

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 2 Ciabattini/Ciabatta Rolls
• ~2 oz. Prosciutto, thinly sliced
• ~1 oz. Parmesan, thinly sliced
• 2 small handfuls baby arugula
• truffle oil, to taste
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

Slice the fresh ciabattini (ciabatta rolls) in half. Divide the prosciutto between the two bottoms of the rolls. Do the same with the Parmesan. Divide the baby arugula between the two buns and drizzle with a little truffle oil. Grind some black pepper over the top. Set the top half of the roll on top of everything.

Food 'n Flix is being hosted by my pal Tina of Life in the Slow Lane at Squirrel Head Manor with the chosen flick Sideways.  And might I mention that I'm actually posting early in the month for once...you still have plenty of time to join in the fun, if you like.  Please head over to check out Tina's announcement post for more details - we'd love to see what Sideways inspires you to cook/make/bake in the kitchen!

50 Women Game-Changers (in Food): #43 April Bloomfield - Warm Bacon and Egg Salad

the "Gourmet" prompt...

43. April Bloomfield- New York’s Spotted Pig and Breslin chef came from England to infect an entire country with the gastropub. Which wouldn’t have worked if she weren’t such a culinary magician.

April Bloomfield actually started cooking by chance.  Her intention was actually to become a police officer in Birmingham, England, but she wound up not getting her application turned in in time.  So instead, she followed her 2 sisters into cooking school.  She worked her way around London, even working Ruth Rogers and Rose Gray (they were #26 on our list) at the River Café.    In the US, she even spent a summer working with (#2 on the list) Alice Waters at Chez Panisse.  Jamie Oliver actually recommended her to Mario Batale who mentioned her to Ken Friedman who was looking for a chef to run the kitchen of The Spotted Pig.  After taking a bit of a food tour of NYC with Friedman and Batali, they knew she was the one.

Bloomfield is now co-owner of The Spotted Pig as well as The Breslin (in The Ace Hotel) and John Dory Oyster Bar (also in The Ace).  Her book, A Girl and Her Pig: Recipes and Stories  was released just 3 days ago.  I am looking forward to reading more about and from this somewhat elusive chef (as in, she keeps to herself - no show boating).

Bloomfield fell in love with fresh, simple, local ingredients after eating a Walnut Pasta dish at the River Café that was packed with fresh, local ingredients - nothing fancy, just the food shining through.  She  says “It was the most amazing thing I’d ever eaten. It was like someone had hit me in the head with a great pan.  It shocked me into another palate level, and it made me question what I had been doing for the last ten years.”  This feeling shines through in her food today.  She puts her classical French and Italian cooking techniques into cooking the English food that she grew up with and is an advocate of not only using fresh, local ingredients but using ALL of them...as in head-to-tail cooking.  As it should be, in my opinion.  Showing great respect too the animals that gave their lives to nourish you.

Warm Bacon & Egg Salad

by Heather Schmitt-González

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15-20 minutes

Keywords: entree salad breakfast bacon eggs arugula

Ingredients (serves 4)

• ¼ c. + 3 Tbs. olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, halved lengthwise
• 4 anchovy fillets, chopped
• 2 Tbs. red wine vinegar
• 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 c. (heaping) ½" bread cubes
• 8 slices bacon
• 4 large eggs
• 5 oz. arugula
• ¼ c. chopped chives
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Heat 2 Tbs. of the olive oil in a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium heat until golden, ~2 mins. Transfer to a blender jar or mini-food processor using a slotted spoon (leaving behind the oil). Add the anchovies, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and ¼ c. of the oil and process until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add the cubed bread to the skillet with the garlic oil and cook until golden and crisp, stirring from time to time, ~3 minutes. Transfer to a dish and set aside.

Heat the last Tbs. of oil in the skillet. Add bacon and cook until done the way you like it. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate leaving the grease in the skillet.

Heat the bacon grease in the skillet and crack the eggs in. Fry up the eggs how you like them over medium-high heat. (For over easy, leave them for about 1½ minutes on the first side and 30 seconds on the other).

To serve, toss the arugula and the croutons with the dressing in a large bowl. Place the dressed salad on serving plates and sprinkle with the chopped chives. Divide the bacon and fried eggs over the salads and season with salt and pepper. Enjoy.

adapted from April Bloomfield

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I chose this salad to represent April this week because I think it showcases some of the best local ingredients around...plus it's simple and tasty.  These gorgeous organic eggs are from a local farmer, the bacon, arugula, and chives were found in my local farmer's market.  The golden, garlicky bread crumbs are from a loaf of bread that I made in my kitchen.  Fresh, local ingredients and simplicity combine to make deliciously satisfying eating.

*source: NY Magazine: Of Pig Snouts and Head Cheese

In May '11, Gourmet posted a list of 50 Women Game-Changers (in Food) that runs the gamut from food writers to cookbook authors to television personalities to restauranteurs to chefs to food bloggers.  Some are a given.  Some are controversial.  Speaking the names of some brings fond childhood memories.  Speaking the names of others will make some readers cringe.  And of course, some of our favorites were not even included.  We food-lovers are a passionate bunch of people and whether we agree or disagree, every woman on this list has earned her place for a reason.  Being a woman who is passionate about food (cooking, eating, talking about, writing about, photographing), when I caught wind of Mary from One Perfect Bite's idea of cooking/blogging her way through each of these 50 women...one per week...I knew I wanted to join her.  Many of these women paved the way for us in culinary school, in the kitchen, in cookbooks, in food writing, and on television and I think it is a fabulous way to pay tribute to their efforts.  Some of the women on the list have been tops with me for years.  Some I have heard of (perhaps even seen, read, or cooked from) before.  And there are even a handful that I am not familiar with at all.  I excited to educate myself on each of these women game-changers and hope you look forward to reading along.  We are going in order from 1 to 50.

Who is cooking along with these 50 Women Game-Changers?

Mary- One Perfect Bite, Val- More Than Burnt Toast, Joanne- Eats Well With Others, Taryn- Have Kitchen Will Feed, Susan- The Spice Garden, Heather- girlichef, Miranda- Mangoes and Chutney, Jeanette- Jeanette's Healthy Living, Kathy- Bakeaway with Me, Sue- The View from Great Island, Barbara- Moveable Feasts, Linda- There and Back Again, Nancy- Picadillo, Mireya- My Healthy Eating Habits, Veronica- My Catholic Kitchen, Annie- Lovely Things, Claudia- Journey of an Italian Cook, Alyce- More Time at the Table, Amrita- Beetle's Kitchen Escapades, Jill- Saucy Cooks, Sarah - Everything in the Kitchen Sink

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