Summer Vegetable Goulash

A couple of weeks ago, a friend mentioned that she'd been trying to make a good vegetarian version of goulash, but she hadn't gotten it quite right yet. I made a few suggestions for when she was ready to try again, and then went back to business as usual. Or not. The thought of a vegetarian goulash niggled at the back of my mind for a solid week, until I decided I needed to make some in my own kitchen.

It's funny though, because at first I thought - vegetarian goulash!? The thought was basically an oxymoron in my mind. I mean, I grew up in the Midwest, and in these parts, hearty stews and casseroles always had meat in them. When I thought goulash, I thought ground beef in a paprika-spiked tomato base over noodles that was "lightened" up by stirring through a big scoop of sour cream...and then finished with melty cheese.

But the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to try a meatless version. With the abundance of summer vegetables in evidence on my kitchen counter and table, as well as dotting the road with stands every few miles, now was definitely the time to do it.

Savory Tomato and Zucchini Pie

It's the last Friday of the month, and you know what that means - Friday Pie Day! But really, where did July go? I blinked and somehow here we are. Summer "vacation" seemed so much longer when I was a kid. Now we're just a few weeks away from my own kids heading back for another school year.

But aside from that pending doom, what other two things can you count on when the last day of July is staring you in the face? Tomatoes and zucchini, that's what! It's funny, because I've gotten pretty lazy (busy really, but I could have carved out some time somewhere...) and haven't planted a garden in about 4 years. Yet, my kitchen is still overrun with zucchini thanks to my neighbors. And personally, I don't think one could ever have to many fresh from the backyard tomatoes.

So, I thought this would be a good time to combine the two and make one savory pie. I also added basil, another thing that just screams summer. I should have just called it Summer Pie!

Roasted Red Pepper, Basil, and Almond Pesto Crostini {#FreshGifts}

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of AeroGarden in conjunction with Kitchen PLAY.  All opinions are my own.

Living in the midwest, I am a "four seasons" kind of gal.  I sweat under the hot summer sun.  I welcome the rain and the tender green buds in spring.  I slog through the snow and ice in the winter.  I rejoice in the cool air and colorful leaves in autumn.  And no matter how much I complain that it's too cold, or too hot, or that a certain perfect season isn't long enough, I wouldn't want it any other way.

That said, I do miss summer's bounty when it comes to cold weather cooking and entertaining.  Especially when the holidays roll around.  Sure, I can run to the market and pick up some herbs and veggies that have been either shipped or (preferably) locally grown in a greenhouse.  And I do.  But isn't it so much easier, and much more satisfying, to walk barefoot to the garden and harvest your own?  That would be a yes.

Enter the AeroGarden.  It's high tech.  It's high output.  It's an indoor garden.  That means that even there's a foot of snow on the ground outside my window, I can still wander barefoot to the garden and harvest my own herbs (or veggies, or even flowers).

Caprese Pasta Salad

So, I don't know if you'd noticed or not, but...it's still hot outside!  Summer is in full-swing, and between cook-outs and bonfires, potlucks and camping trips, baseball games and pool parties, there are plenty of opportunities for mindless eating.  However, that means equal opportunities for conscious eating!

(Most) People naturally gravitate towards fresher options in summertime, since they abound between gardens, farmer's markets, and roadside stands.  It's hard to resist the allure of a rainbow, no matter what form it shows up in.

A great way to get that beneficial rainbow into your system is by adding fresh vegetables to your meals, alongside (and in) your usual dishes.  Think eggs, rice, grains, pasta, and the like.  Speaking of pasta, pasta salad shows up at summertime functions all the time...and a fantastic way to "healthify" those offerings are by adding those fresh fruits and veggies, as well as switching up plain white pasta for a whole wheat variety such as Hodgson Mill Whole Wheat pasta.

One of everybody's favorite summertime salads is a Caprese Salad.  Am I right?  I know it's one of mine.  Well, I wanted to take the flavors of Caprese and combine them with the whole wheat pasta for a simple, fresh take on a pasta salad.  By turning bright green basil into a pesto, which is perfectly cupped by the whole wheat bow ties, this takes the place of a heavy mayonnaise-based sauce.  The mozzarella component comes in the form of those irresistible little "pearls" of cheese.  The tomatoes?  The bright, sunny taste is concentrated by slow-roasting some juicy vine-ripened cherry or grape tomatoes.  Now, not everybody likes the addition of Balsamic vinegar, but if you do, drizzle a  bit on right before serving up this salad.

What's that?  Did you say something?  I thought I heard somebody scream SUMMER!

Oh wait, that was just the Caprese Pasta Salad...

Caprese Pasta Salad

This recipe for Caprese Pasta Salad is a welcome twist on everybody's favorite summer salad containing tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella.

by Heather Schmitt-Gonzalez

Prep Time: 10-15 minutes (active) | 30 mi

Cook Time: 7-9 minutes

Keywords: simmer side entree salad vegetarian sugar-free soy-free basil cheese pasta tomatoes July 4th Labor Day Memorial Day summer

Ingredients (serves 6-8)

• 1 (10 ounce) box Hodgson Mill Whole Wheat Bow Ties
• 1/2 cup Basil Pesto, storebought or homemade (recipe follows)
• 1 cup Slow-Roasted Cherry or Grape Tomatoes, storebought or homemade
• 8 ounces Mozzarella Pearls or Bocconcini
• Aged Balsamic Vinegar, optional
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Cook pasta until al dente in a large pot of boiling, salted water, 7-9 minutes. Drain pasta, shaking to remove excess water, and then place the pasta into a medium-sized bowl. Add the basil pesto, and toss until the pesto coats each and every piece of pasta. Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature, 30-40 minutes (you don't want to melt the mozzarella).

Once the pasta has come to room temperature, add the slow-roasted tomatoes and mozzarella pearls. Toss gently to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

You can serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve (it's good cold or at room temperature). If you like, drizzle the salad (or the edges of the plate) with a little Balsamic vinegar to taste, just before serving.

notes:

I recommend using a good, aged Balsamic Vinegar here. Balsamic that has been aged for at least 8 years will be thicker and sweeter (and pricier, but you only need a tiny bit). If you don't want to buy the expensive stuff, you can take a little shortcut by reducing a young Balsamic on the stove top.

Add at least double the amount of Balsamic that you want to use to a small pan over medium-high heat. Once it starts to bubble, adjust heat to keep a steady simmer going. Let simmer until reduced by at least half, it should be thick enough to sit on top of the pasta salad when you drizzle it (as opposed to seeping in). You really want to babysit the vinegar, because the reduction process happens pretty fast, especially when you're just doing a small batch. Let cool completely before using.

equipment needed:

large pot (for cooking pasta)

colander or strainer

medium bowl

large spoon

food processor, any size (if making your own pesto)

baking sheet (if slow-roasting your own tomatoes)

making Homemade Basil Pesto (about the amount you'll need for this recipe):

4 ounces fresh basil leaved, rinsed gently and patted dry

2 tablespoons (or so) extra virgin olive oil

1 fat cloves garlic, minced

1/2-1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

few grinds of black pepper

scant 1/2 cup (scant 1 ounce) finely shredded Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons lightly toasted, unsalted pine nuts

Combine basil, garlic, lemon juice and zest, and salt and pepper in the bowl of a food processor. Turn on low speed while drizzling in the olive oil. Process until everything has come together, stopping to scrape down the bowl once, if needed.

Add the cheese and pine nuts, process again until everything is just combined. Taste, and adjust lemon juice and seasoning, if needed.

I was provided with 6 boxes of Hodgson Mill Whole Wheat Pasta. I was not compensated for this post, and all opinions stated here are 100% my own.

Pane Bianco filled w/ Roasted Garlic, Sundried Tomato, & Basil {Bread Baking Babes}

I probably sound like a broken record sometimes.  But hey, I like listening to the same record over and over again if it's a good one, so...

I could...would...DO...happily make a meal out of a freshly baked loaf of bread, some wine, some cheese, maybe some fruits/nuts/meats.  Throw in some cloves of roasted garlic that I can smoosh in.  It just makes me smile.  Since there's a bit of dreamland in my head anyway, I always feel like I'm an Italian or French woman.  Because they know how to live.  (Okay, those are total made-up sterotypes in my head.  Obviously they're not the only ones who know how to live.  I mean, come on.  Look at me.) ←if you know me, you know I'm laughing my head off right now.  At myself.  Because I crack myself up.  

But it's basically truth.

You know who else knows how to live?  The (rest of the) Bread Baking Babes.  I mean, why else would we be making beautiful, swirly loaves of bread filled with magical things like bright, fresh, emerald basil...sweet, pungent, scarlet sundried tomatoes...and musky, seductive roasted garlic?  There is no other explanation.

Pane Bianco filled w/ Roasted Garlic, Sundried Tomato, & Basil

by Heather Schmitt-Gonzalez

Prep Time: 2½ hours

Cook Time: 35-40 minutes

Keywords: bake bread garlic basil sundried tomato

Ingredients (2 loaves)

for the dough:

• 1 c. warm milk
• ½ c. warm water
• ⅓ c. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• ¼ c. sugar
• 2 tsp. fine sea salt
• 6 c. (723 g) bread flour
• 4 tsp. instant yeast

for the filling:

• 1 (7-8 oz.) jar oil-packed sundried tomatoes
• 1-2 heads roasted garlic cloves
• 2 c. (8 oz.) shredded Italian blend cheese (some combo of mozzarella, provolone, parmesan, asiago, romano)
• ⅔ c. (just under 2 oz.) fresh basil

Instructions

making the dough:

You can make this dough by hand, in the mixer, or in a bread machine. I, of course, chose the bread machine. Place everything in your bowl in the order listed (or however you like, just being sure to keep the salt away from the yeast when you add them). If using a bread machine, hit the dough cycle. If using a mixer, use the dough hook and go low until mixed, then turn up to medium speed to knead until smooth and silky. If doing it by hand, mix all with a wooden spoon or dough whisk until you can't anymore, then turn out onto a work surface and knead until smooth and silky, ~10 minutes

Either way you go, once the dough has been kneaded and you have a smooth ball, set the dough into a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside and allow to rise in a fairly warm place until doubled in size, ~45 minutes.

prepare the filling:

Drain the sundried tomatoes and absorb most of the excess oil with a paper towel. Chop them finely. Roast the garlic, if you need to. Slice the basil into chiffonade by stacking the leaves and rolling them like a cigar before slicing into thin strips. Set the cheese out.

filling and forming the dough:

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or two, if you'd rather - but both of mine fit on one...plus, I only have one oven rack, so I do what I have to).

Gently deflate the dough by slowly putting your fist into it. Turn out onto a very lightly floured work surface. Divide in half; set one half aside.

Roll one portion of dough out into a rectangle that measures approximately 22" x 8½". Scatter half of the cheese over the dough. Do the same with the tomatoes and basil. Do the same with the garlic, smooshing and breaking it up a bit between your fingers before scattering.

Roll up the dough, as tightly as possible, starting at a long edge. Pinch the seams to seal. Turn so that the seam is facing down and the log of dough is facing either up-and-down or diagonally (for easier cutting).

Using a pair of kitchen scissors, cut into the dough about ½-inch from the end closest to you. Continue to cut down the log, taking care not to cut all the way through; you should cut about 1-inch deep. Stop when you have about the same amount of dough left at the other end (½"). Now bend the top half of the dough to the right, and the bottom half to the left to form an "S" shape. Tuck both ends underneath the center to form a figure-8. Put your fingers underneath the dough and pinch those ends together with the center of the dough as best you can. Carefully lift the whole thing up and onto the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining half of dough and fillings.

Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in a fairly warm spot until doubled in size, ~45 minutes. Preheat oven to 350° F during last 15-20 minutes of rise time.

finishing:

Remove the plastic and slide the tray into the oven. Bake for 20 minutes, then quickly open the oven and tent the loaves with foil to prevent over-browning. Bake for another 15-20 minutes, until golden and cooked through.

Slide the loaves, parchment and all, onto wire racks to cool. Store leftovers at room temperature, well-wrapped.

notes:

If I had thought about it in advance, I would have drained the sundried tomatoes before mixing up the dough, and used the oil from them in place (at least partially) of the olive oil.

I say 1-2 heads of roasted garlic because sizes vary. I love garlic, so I'll use 2 heads every time. If you're not as big a fan, just use one.

adapted from King Arthur Flour

Powered by Recipage

The Bread Baking Babes

Bake My Day - Karen

blog from OUR kitchen - Elizabeth

Feeding my Enthusiasms - Pat/Elle

girlichef  - Heather

Life's a Feast - Jamie

Living in the Kitchen with Puppies - Natashya

Lucullian Delights - Ilva

My Kitchen In Half Cups - Tanna

Notitie Van Lien - Lien

Paulchen's Foodblog - Astrid

Provecho Peru - Gretchen

Thyme for Cooking - Katie

If you'd like to bake along as a buddy this month, check out the post by host-kitchen-Babe, Natashya at Living in the Kitchen with Puppies, our Babe kitchen of the month - then head into the kitchen and bake up your own Filled Pane Bianco and send her your link by the 26th.  She'll send you a badge for baking along and round up all of the entries on her site!

I am sharing this post with Susan's YeastSpotting

Pizza w/ Slow-Roasted Tomatoes, Roasted Garlic, Italian Sausage w/ Fennel, & Basil {food 'n flix}

I hesitate to put this out there.  But, since this month's chosen flick for Food 'n Flix was Eat Pray Love, I guess I'm gonna have to.  So.  Here goes.  I'm gonna say it.  Puttin' it out there.  I don't like this movie...or this book.  Eek!  Don't hate me.  I wanted to like it.  I expected to like it.  I mean...I'm a fan of chick flicks (and chick lit).  It has all the criteria to fit snugly into the categories of movies I love to watch at least once a year as a little getaway or girl time.  It has delicious food, cute guys, gorgeous settings, and a story line that I want to be great.  I want to covet Liz's life for a couple of hours.  But I don't.  I'm sure the book put me off the movie.  Which is fairly normal for me.  But in a different way.  Usually if I want to enjoy the movie, I can't read the book first because as you know, the movie rarely does the book justice.  So, I hesitated picking up the book first.  But, in true Heather form, I couldn't resist the book.  I could hear it whispering to me every time I walked by it at the library.  I gave in.

Much to my chagrin.  I guess it's not really fair for me to say that I didn't like the entire book since I couldn't actually get through the whole thing.  I really thought it tried too hard.  I found it pretentious.  Again, this is hard for me to write, because I don't enjoy dismissing anybody's hard work.  The words just sounded so scripted...so meant for a movie.  Me, Me, Me!  See what I did!  I find "look at me" stories hard to stomach in any medium or setting, though.  So basically what I'm trying to say is that it's possible I may have enjoyed the movie (which this post is supposed to be about) had I not tried to read the book first.  But since I couldn't disconnect, I'll never know.  I mean, how can you not adore Julia Roberts?  And I'm a sucker for the crinkles in the corner of James Franco's eyes when he smiles.  And pizza in Naples?  Yes, please!

There were, however a few scenes here and there that I enjoyed.  I enjoyed Elizabeth's simple breakfast plate of egg, bread, asparagus, and tomato on the floor with a newspaper with the Italian sun streaming in.  I enjoyed the supporting cast of characters such as Ketut, Richard, Wayan and Tutti.  I have a few favorite quotes such as "God dwells within you, as you" and "Not too much God, not too much selfish...otherwise, lose balance" and "ruin is the road to transformation".  I just don't find myself with a craving to watch this film again.  I did watch it when it first came out on dvd, then again this month so that I could refresh my memory and write this post.  To each their own, right?

As far as inspiration to head into the kitchen, I was stuck on the pizza.  I'm sure you don't really need a recipe for pizza, so I won't give you one.  I'll just give you the method and ingredients that inspired me that day.

non-recipe for Pizza w/ Slow-Roasted Tomatoes, Roasted Garlic, Italian Sausage with Fennel, & Basil

yield: 1 pizza

pizza dough (homemade or storebought...your choice)

olive oil

slow-roasted yellow cherry tomatoes

roasted garlic

loose Italian sausage

fennel seeds

crushed red chile flakes

mozzarella cheese

fresh basil

Cook sausage in a pan until done, adding a good amount of fennel seed and crushed red chiles toward the end of cooking.  Drain fat and set aside.

Pat or roll dough out into desired shape.  Drizzle with olive oil.  Cover with desired amount of cheese.  Scatter sausage and however many tomatoes and roasted garlic cloves as you wish.  Bake in preheated over (~400° F for 12-15 minutes-ish).  Scatter torn basil over top.  Enjoy!

I know are going to be some people who vehemently disagree with my opinion on this (and I'm okay with that).  I'd love to know your thoughts...

Eat Pray Love is the January '12 Food 'n Flix pick hosted at The Law Student's Cookbook.  Posts inspired by this flick are due on the 28th of January, so you still have time to cook something up and share your thoughts on the film.

I am also sharing this post with:

50 Women Game-Changers (in Food): #19 Pim Techamuanvivit - Pad Krapow {Spicy Stir-Fried Pork w/ Holy Basil}

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.

the "Gourmet" prompt...

19. Pim Techamuanvivit- Bangkok–born Pim (the last name is rarely used; who can spell it?) is the eating—as opposed to cooking—blogger, who started Chez Pim in 2001. She was quickly noticed by Old Media, who roped her in for some techie cred. The inevitable book, The Foodie Handbook, followed in the fall of 2009.

Pim is a pretty well-known name in the food blogging world.  I believe it is, at least.  She's one of "the big ones" (ie, the first ones).  She grew up in Bangkok, but as an adult found herself loving and living in the San Francisco Bay area.  One of the coolest things she's done (amidst many...and in my own opinion) is to be a judge on Iron Chef America.  I've always wanted to do that!  She also has a book out called The Foodie Handbook: The (Almost) Definitive Guide to Gastronomy (<---click it...you can get a copy for as low as 6 cents.  6 cents!).  You can visit her at Chez Pim.

Browsing through Chez Pim to find something to make this week (since I haven't been able to find a copy of her book locally), I knew I wanted to make something Thai.  And what's better than a popular street food from a country to transport you for a little while?  Not much.  While you can make it with most any type of protein like chicken, pork, or beef, you can also make it with tofu.  I went with the pork version since I couldn't get it out of my head.  Pim gives a method since no recipe is really required, but I wrote out what I used (based on Pim's guidelines) as I went along.  I did add a little lemongrass to mine (even though I'm not sure if that is at all traditional).  

Pad Krapow 
{Spicy Stir-Fried Pork w/ Holy Basil} 

adapted from Chez Pim

makes ~4 servings

oil, as needed for sauteeing

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 smallish (3-4") stalks lemongrass, tender parts only, minced very fine

3 birds-eye chiles (or other small, hot chiles), chopped small

handful of bell peppers, julienned (various colors)

1 lb. ground pork (preferably w/ a bit of fat) 

fish sauce (or soy sauce if you don't like fish sauce)

big handful of Bai Krapow (Holy Basil)

salt & pepper, to taste

to serve:

cooked jasmine rice

4 fried eggs (over-easy)

lime wedges

Slick a pre-heated, well-seasoned wok with a little bit of oil.  Add garlic, lemongrass, and chiles and saute for a couple of minutes, stirring constantly until soft and fragrant.  Tip the ground pork in and stir-fry it with the aromatics until done.  This will just take a few minutes.  If your pork is not fatty enough, add a bit more oil, just to keep things moving.  Add a few splashes of fish sauce (or soy) and stir it around.  Throw in the bell peppers and cook for another minute or two.  Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.  Turn off the heat and toss the basil in.  Serve immediately on a bed of warm Jasmine rice with a fried egg on top.   Squeeze a lime wedge over, if you wish.

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, Katie- Making Michael Pollan Proud, Kathy- Bakeaway with Me, Sue- The View from Great Island, Amy- Beloved Green, Barbara- Moveable Feasts, Linda- There and Back Again, Kathleen- Gonna Want Seconds, Martha- Lines from Linderhof, Nancy- Picadillo

I am sharing this post with:
*Did you know that October is (among other things...) Pork Month!?
Friday South Asian Blog Hop w/ Katherine Martinelli

Cherry Basil Collins + a product review: Purity Vodka

Could it be?  I never would have imagined.  I am becoming a connoisseur of spirits!  I'm thinking it was probably my immature taste buds and feather-light wallet that led to believe that spirits were harsh, grimace-inducing, fire-breathing entities before.  I count myself very fortunate to be able to sample beyond my means (on a normal day) on occasion.  Although I only had a sample bottle to taste, I nursed it and used it incredibly wisely.  Purity Vodka is surprisingly smooth, round, and floral, almost.  Never did I imagine that I would be able to enjoyably sip vodka.  Distillation, I've come to believe, is key.   

Combining heritage and innovation, Purity Vodka comes to life in a proprietary pot still at the Purity Vodka Distillery at Ellinge Castle in the south of Sweden. Unlike other vodka producers, Purity has developed a still designed specifically for vodka production. During the thirty-four distillations, ninety percent of the liquid is lost. The remaining spirit is so pure that no filtration is necessary, leaving all the natural flavours and character in the vodka. Because taste does matter.  ~from the Purity Vodka website

I'm going to make it a personal goal to visit some distilleries.  I've always wanted to take the Bourbon Trail in Kentucky (almost made it one year).  And how awesome would it be to go to Sweden to visit the castle in which the Purity Vodka distillery is housed?  So awesome.  Until then, I will continue to sample and research whenever possible.  I recommend Purity Vodka...and these utterly delicious and addicting and far-too-easy to drink Cherry Basil Collins...as the perfect starting point.

Cherry Basil Collins
slightly adapted from Kathy Casey (Liquid Kitchen) via Purity Vodka  

Makes 1 cocktail

3 fresh cherries + more for garnish
1 small basil leaf + more for garnish
1 1/2 ounce Purity Vodka
3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
3/4 ounce simple syrup*
2 ounce club soda, chilled

Drop the cherries and basil into a cocktail shaker. Press with a muddler to release the juices. Measure in the Purity Vodka, lemon juice and simple syrup. Fill cocktail shaker with ice, cap and shake vigorously. Pour drink into a Collins glass...or another type if you don't have a Collins glass (like me). Add soda water and stir. Garnish.

*simple syrup: combine equal parts water and sugar in a small sauce pan. Bring to a quick boil then immediately remove from heat and cool completely.  Store refrigerated for up to one month.

I received one mini-bottle of Purity Vodka for free to test and review.  All opinions stated in this post are 100% mine.

Chocolate, Brie, and Basil Panini

Well, Giada and I went round and round in the kitchen these past six months, but I think that all in all, we made peace.  Things started off a bit rocky with the Sage & Lemon Chablis...and don't even get me started on that Egg Salad that should not have been (and should never be again).  But really that was the worst of it.  The Herbed Cheese Polenta and the Linguine w/ Chicken Ragú were both pretty good, actually...and the Little Stars w/ Butter & Parmesan were simple, quick, and fun.  We had a few other kitchen adventures that were pretty successful and maybe even one or two that weren't.  But my absolute favorites are the three things that I KNOW I will make again because I can actually say that I loved...even adored them...and just thinking about them makes my cheeks start to tingle.  My TOP 3 adventures in the kitchen with Giada over the last six months were (in no particular order): Gnocchi w/ Brown Butter & Thyme, Meatball Sub, and Cheddar Scallion Ciabatta.  For my arrivederci to Giada over at IHCC, I decided to make something that I had bookmarked from her since the very first we we started cooking with her, but hadn't gotten around to making yet.  I thought that I may never find the time to do it if I didn't do it now.  This is a seemingly odd combination...chocolate and brie together.  In a sandwich.  With basil, I might add.  Take a look at how it all worked out...

Chocolate, Brie, and Basil Panini

slightly adapted from Everyday Italian

makes 1 sandwich

2 slices sourdough or other crusty bread 

olive oil
2-3 oz. Brie cheese, thinly sliced (I prefer the higher amount)
1-2 oz. semisweet chocolate chips (I prefer the lesser amount)
few leaves Basil, thinly sliced 

Preheat a panini press (or a George Forman Grill or a pan w/ a press).

Drizzle a bit of olive oil on both sides of both slices of bread. Grill the bread slices until they begin to turn golden, ~1-2 minutes. Remove from the grill and place cheese on one slice of bread, top the cheese with chocolate chips and then add basil. Top with the other slice of bread.  Return sandwiches to the grill/press until the chocolate begins to melt, ~2 more minutes.

Serve.

So, which list do you think this panini made it onto?  Actually, the "good" list.  I would, however, cut back a bit on the suggested amount of chocolate...and add to the amount of cheese (which are reflected in the lower and higher amounts in the ingredients I listed, respectively).  I may not make it all that often, but I have a feeling a craving could creep up on me from time to time.  So, I'm happy that I finally tried this sandwich and I wish Giada a fond farewell!

And since this was our very last week...our very last day, actually...to cook with Giada over at IHCC... We're all set to get naked and join the revolution (starting tomorrow) with Jamie Oliver for the next six months. I hope you'll join us!

Fettuccine w/ Heirloom Tomatoes

Hi guys!!  I have a real quickie for ya today!  I'm still in the throes of heirloom madness, so just a simple and perfectly delicious bowl of fettuccine...bathed in the flavors of summer...to get ya through the day.  I'm busy at work racking my brain, researching, making shopping lists, and praying my dish for PFB challenge #2 will turn out as the way I plan!!  I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart to all of you who took a little time to vote for me in round one...I appreciate more than words can express! 

Pasta w/ Cherry Heirloom Tomatoes
adapted from Mark Bittman's Kitchen Express

Boil salted water for pasta and cook it; meanwhile, cook a 4 minced garlic cloves in olive oil for a couple of minutes, until fragrant.  Add about a pound of whole cherry or grape quartered heirloom tomatoes to the pan and cook over low heat.  When a few have burst softened, turn off the heat.  Drain the pasta and toss it gently with the tomatoes.  Season with salt and lots of freshly ground pepper; serve with freshly chopped basil and/or freshly grated Parmesan.

This is my IHCC Potluck entry for the week, as well as my Presto Pasta Nights submission, which I'll be sending to Ruth of Once Upon a Feast (who is the creator as well as the host this week of PPN) and my Cookbook Sundays submission!  To find any of those events, please click on the buttons below!!

Have an amazing weeked- and good luck to everybody else working diligently on their submissions!!!  Fingers crossed... ☺

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