Chef Fresco

Bacon, Brie, Chicken... Healthy? What?

2009-08-27T20:30:00.007-04:00

So lately we've been really flipp'n busy lately. We've eagerly been trudging through the process of buying our first house. Jessi started her new job and has begun traveling like a crazy-woman. I've also been super busy with work, so we have to find creative quick recipes to satisfy our busied-up lifestyle. As if all that isn't enough, we're also in the midst of planning our wedding. I found a moment to track down this little beauty from Food.com. We changed some things (like the seasoning) and also used blue brie instead of regular brie and threw on some pine nuts. It's the perfect combination of a warm salad with a delightful semi-sweet dressing, topped with hot-off-the-grill chicken breasts smothered in a brie blue cheese! If that doesn't sound good enough, add the smoked crunch of bacon to the salad to get speaking less, and eating more at the table. We also thought you all needed a break from all of our seafood posts we've been doing lately :) Enjoy!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
4 to 8 slices blue-brie cheese, about 1/2-inch thick
2 shallots, chopped
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
4 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
4 slices bacon, cooked

SEASONING:

Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Red pepper flakes
All spice
Garlic powder

Directions

Heat a 1 tbsp. of the olive oil in a grill pan over medium-high heat.
Season both sides of chicken with salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, all spice & garlic powder (just enough to lightly & evenly coat the chicken). Add chicken to hot pan and cook 3 to 4 minutes per side, until browned and cooked through.
Remove from heat. Place 1 to 2 slices of blue-brie on top of chicken, cover with foil and place back on grill pan for another 1 minute, until cheese melts.
Meanwhile, heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add remaining 1 tbsp. of olive oil and chopped shallots to the pan and saute.
In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, honey and salt and pepper, to taste. Add the mixture to the skillet and stir to combine.
Pour the warm vinaigrette over the spinach and toss to coat.
Portion the spinach onto plates and place chicken/brie on top. Crumble the bacon strips over top and sprinkle with pine nuts.

Kickin Asian Shrimp and Asparagus over Rice

2009-08-23T22:15:00.005-04:00

This weekend has been nice & relaxing - our first and last for some time that we're not gone or super busy. Sunday night still seems to come way too fast though! I always want just one more day to get things done before the work week starts. . . Anyways, here's another shrimp recipe for ya! We got this inspiration from a recipe we googled. We made a lot of tweaks though & luckily it turned out pretty dang delicious! I was a little unsure about the ketchup component, but it was a crucial ingredient I think. Next time we will likely double the sauce recipe. I recommend you do the same if you like things nice and saucy. We had some soy sauce to pour on top, which works too if you don't want to double it. We used jasmine rice, but you can sub brown rice to make it a bit more healthy. My Dad gave us some Thai chili peppers he got from the farmer's market last time we went home (thanks Dad!). And man are those things hot (which is why we only used one)! If you can't find them, sub any type of hot pepper you'd like (jalapeno, serrano, etc.). The recipe serves about 4. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Jasmine rice, as much as desired
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 tbsp. olive oil, divided
2 tsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. dry vermouth
1 Thai chili pepper, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced and divided
1 tbsp. minced ginger
2 green onions, chopped
1 tsp. red curry paste
1/2 bunch asparagus, cut into thirds
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
Cilantro, to garnish (optional)

SAUCE:

1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp. ketchup
2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tbsp. salt
1 tbsp. dry vermouth

Directions

Cook rice according to instructions on box.
Meanwhile, boil water in a medium pot. Add asparagus and cook for about 5 minutes (to blanch). Remove and strain, rinsing with cold water. Set aside.
Heat 2 tbsp. olive oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute 1 clove of the garlic for about 30 seconds. Add soy sauce, vermouth, and shrimp. Cook until done, about 5-7 minutes. Set aside.
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a wok (or large saucepan) over medium-high heat. Add chili pepper and saute for 1 minute. Add remaining garlic, ginger, green onions, and curry paste. Stir for about 20 seconds, then add sauce mixture.
Add asparagus and shrimp to wok. Stir and cook long enough to reheat. Remove from heat and mix in sesame oil.
Scoop rice onto plates and top with shrimp mixture. Garnish with cilantro, if desired.

Mushroom-Leek Scallops Over Israeli Couscous

2009-08-20T11:46:00.008-04:00

Back to a fish recipe, now that we’ve posted a recipe to satisfy our rib lovers. : ) We decided to serve this recipe (original from Eating Well) on some Israeli couscous. I’ve decided that Israeli couscous is such a great addition to any dish. It’s a nice break from just using rice or traditional pasta. This dish is actually healthy too — and delicious! The scallops we got were soo tasty. If you don’t like cilantro, sub in parsley (which is what the original recipe called for). You can also use brandy instead of dry vermouth. Make sure you cook the leeks long enough or they will be tough (ick!). If you need some heat, sprinkle on some red pepper flakes. Serves 4.

One other note - on the scallops is to be sure you're cooking on a HOT pan/skillet. In order to get a great scallop you have to sear that puppy. So throw it on a hot pan with the oil and don't touch until it's time to flip. This will ensure a perfect sear a super flavorful scallop! Enjoy.

Ingredients

1 box Israeli couscous
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
10 ounces mushrooms, sliced
2 cups thinly sliced leeks, white and light green parts only (about 2 leeks)
1/4 cup dry vermouth
1/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 pound large dry sea scallops

Directions

Prepare couscous according to directions on box.Meanwhile, heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to give off liquid, about 3 minutes.
Stir in leeks; cook, adjusting heat to prevent scorching, until the vegetables are very tender and the leeks are starting to brown, about 8 minutes. Add vermouth and broth; cook until reduced and thickened, about 30 seconds.
Remove from the heat and stir in sour cream, cilantro, 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Cover and set aside.
Pat scallops dry and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the scallops and cook until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
To serve, place some of the couscous and then leek-mushroom mixture on each plate and top with scallops.

Bret and Peggy's Burn Your Face Off Rib Rub

2009-08-17T21:57:00.000-04:00

We have another 'submission of the week'! Well, it's really only our second one ever, but none the less, here it is! Michael's best bud, Bret, has been saying he's going to cook something up for the blog for a while now. He actually came over last week & showed us how to toss a pizza dough like a pro. Dang was that impressive! No wonder mine always come out so misshapen! Anyways, Bret & his new wifey, Peggy, cooked up some pretty delicious looking ribs. Those master-grill skills he provided look pretty impressive to me (I'm not much of the griller - Michael usually handles that part of cheffresco :). Read through the whole thing to make sure you have all of the grill necessities before beginning your venture (charcoal & hickory chips). Bret wrote the recipe up & everything - so here it is!

* Unfortunately not all of Bret's pictures were appropriate for the blog - sorry Bret :)

Ingredients

3lb pork ribs

DRY RUB:

2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon dry mustard
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons freshly cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon paprika

BRET'S EASY BBQ SAUCE:

2 cups Sweet Baby Rays regular BBQ Sauce
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/8 cup white vinegar
3 tablespoons ketchup
5-20 shakes of Texas Pete (depending on heat requirements)

Directions

Prep the ribs: rinse and pat dry. To accommodate a standard oven pan, you will need to half the full rack.
The rub I used is extremely hot - maybe omit the cayenne for a more face friendly rub. Mix all rub ingredients together. Flip the ribs with meat side down and pull the film off of the back side of the ribs, then rub them like its going out of style. Place ribs in the fridge for about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 250F. Place ribs in a foil lined pan (easy clean up) and cover with foil. Bake for 2-3 hours.
Meanwhile, mix the ingredients for the sauce & refrigerate.
Prepare your grill; I like to use 3/4 easy start charcoal and 1/4 hardwood charcoal. Push gray coals off to the back of your grill and close the vents so that the top vent is 1/8 open and the bottom is almost closed. This will help you keep the grill at around 250F.
Soak your hickory chips for 20-30 min. Put ribs on the grill meat side down and put chips over your coals. Smoke ribs for 3 hours at 250 replacing the wood chips as the smoke dies down. Baste the ribs for the last 25-30 min of cooking with your sauce.
Remove ribs and let rest for 10 min.
Cut and enjoy!

Asian Red Snapper

2009-08-14T22:35:00.002-04:00

We love making fish recipes & it seems like we do a lot of shrimp. Luckily for us, (and for those of you who are getting bored of reading our shrimp posts) snapper was on sale at HT. We decided to try an Asian based recipe we found on foodandwine.com, but modified it to make it healthier (i.e. using skim rather than whole milk). The snapper fillets we got were nice, thick & delicious. The carrot sauce isn’t too ‘carroty’ but also isn’t very thick (possibly due to the skim milk). If you like heat, add some hot chili sauce! To make it even healthier, you could use brown rice. Jasmine is just so tasty! The recipe below will serve 4-6.

Ingredients

1 cup jasmine rice
4 large carrots, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 clove garlic, smashed
2 1/2 cups canned low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/4 cups skim milk
1 1/2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons red Thai curry paste
1 3/4 teaspoons brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 pounds red snapper fillets
1/3 cup cilantro
Lime wedges, for garnish

Directions

Cook rice according to directions on box.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, bring the carrots, garlic, and broth to a boil. Cook, covered, over medium-low heat until the carrots are tender, about 15 minutes.
Puree the carrots, garlic, and broth in a blender and pour back into the pan. Add the milk, fish sauce, curry paste, brown sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
In a large nonstick frying pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Season the fish with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook the fish, skin-side down, until golden, about 4 minutes. Turn, reduce the heat to moderate, and continue cooking until just done, about 4 minutes longer for 1-inch-thick fillets.
Place rice on plates and top with the fish and the sauce. Sprinkle with the cilantro and serve with the lime wedges.

Asparagus Pesto Fettuccine

2009-08-10T21:17:00.003-04:00

This recipe is very delicious and has a unique flavor. It had a combination of egg and spinach noodles & was topped with a very delicious asparagus puree that was almost pesto-ish. We actually added grilled chicken (it's rare that Michael will agree to a meat-free meal), which is easy to do for some extra protein. We grilled two chicken breast and added about 1.5 of them in case you're interested in throwing in some chicken (not included in recipe below). You could also probably stir-fry some tofu if you're a veggie and want some extra protein. The asparagus puree is absolutely delicious! We actually used it as a sauce for some grilled pizza a few nights later & it was perfect (you'll have some leftover)! The recipe was modified from Heidi Swanson's Super Natural Cooking cookbook. Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and halved lengthwise
3 handfuls baby spinach
2 cloves garlic
1 cup Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
1 cup toasted pine nuts
3 tbsp. olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 tsp. salt
4 oz. spinach fettuccine
4 oz. egg fettuccine

Directions

Bring one medium pot of water and one large pot of water to a boil.
Salt medium pot and add asparagus. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until asparagus is bright green and barely tender. Drain and transfer to a food processor.
Add spinach, garlic, Parmesan, and 3/4 cup of the pine nuts to the food processor. Puree and slowly add in olive oil. Add lemon juice and salt.
Salt pasta water and cook pasta until tender (following directions on box - each may require different cooking times). Drain and toss with 1 cup of the asparagus puree. Top with remaining pine nuts and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Panna Cotta & Fresh Berry Experiment

2009-08-05T20:42:00.003-04:00

I don’t know what possessed us to make panna cotta, as neither of us has ever even tried it. It actually turned out to be kind of a disaster. We’ve been super busy lately, so the cooking has been getting done pretty late. This means dessert-cooking starts even later. Anyways, I think it was around 9 that I finally got around to tackling this recipe. I got through everything and stuck those suckers in the fridge ASAP. We kept checking like every 30 minutes – we really wanted to give them a try! Well it was nearly midnight and they were not setting in the least. Oh well, maybe those 3 hours really were supposed to mean 5. . . Or maybe not. The next morning they looked just as liquidy as they had when we put them in. Bummer!

Since those berries are so darn expensive, we were determined to try again. The next night it wasn't until about 10 that I got to start on recipe number 2. I still gave them a check before bed & they were looking good! Surely enough, this batch was set by the morning. We were so excited, we had to have one for breakfast. After topping the little treats with our berry mixture (which thankfully we didn't have to remake), we dug in! And ewww! Huge disappointment! I don't know what they are supposed to taste like, but we sure didn't like the taste of these things. I'm not even really sure how to describe it, other than odd texture (which made me think of flan) and very sweet flavor. I am curious as to if this is how panna cotta is supposed to taste, or if we really just messed up x 2. Anyone ever had it or tried to make it? Anyways, you may be wondering why we're posting this creation since we weren't very pleased with the outcome. Well truthfully, it was so much effort (we even had to go out and buy some ramekins!) & those berries just had to be shown off :) And we wanted to warn you that panna cotta is not very good (well at least this version). We topped the little guys with Belgian butter waffle cookies. At least those were good! Incase you're curious, the recipe below is recipe #2 - so it does set if you are daring enough to try it!

Ingredients

3 tablespoons water
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1 can (14.5 oz.) coconut milk
8 packets Splenda (or other sucralose-based sugar substitute)
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

TOPPING

1 cup fresh raspberries
1 cup fresh blackberries
1/4 cup sugar
Juice of 1/2 a lemon

Directions

Place water in small bowl and sprinkle with gelatin; set aside.
Place coconut milk, Splenda, powdered sugar and vanilla in medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat; stir to dissolve sugar and smooth out coconut milk. Do not boil. Add gelatin mixture; stir until gelatin is completely dissolved.
Pour coconut milk mixture evenly into four ramekins (aka. custard cups). Refrigerate about 3 hours or until set.
Meanwhile, combine berries, sugar, and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and mash berries. Store in refrigerator until panna cotta is ready.
To unmold panna cotta, run knife around outside edges of cups. Place cups in hot water about 30 seconds. Put serving plate over cup; invert and shake until panna cotta drops onto plate. Top each with the berry topping and any leftover berries. Refrigerate leftovers.

Cilantro Chickpea Burgers

2009-07-30T21:28:00.007-04:00

It's very rare that Michael agrees to making vegetarian meals, so I was quite surprised when he actually suggested this recipe the other day. He got a cookbook from his sister a while back called Super Natural Cooking by Heidi Swanson, which is where we got the idea. We made a few modifications (especially since we haven't quite converted to organic cooking) & I think they turned out pretty well for our first homemade veggie burger! Even Michael liked them! You can sub any kind of sprouts for the pea shoots. We just like to use them b/c they're tasty and are cheap at Trader Joe's. Feel free to use any toppings you'd like. We thought this combo was tasty - we also added some mustard & ketchup. Use whatever you want! You could definitely make 8 regular size burgers with the mixture - we made 5 and they were HUGE! I'd go for 8 :)

*Added note: People seem to be very interested in the buns - they're asiago focaccia buns from Trader Joe's & they were as tasty as they look!

Ingredients

2 16 oz. cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
4 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
1 white onion, chopped
Zest of 1/2 a lemon
1 cup pea shoots
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 tablespoon olive oil
6-8 hamburger buns

TOPPINGS:

1 large avocado, sliced
1 white onion, sliced
pea shoots, as many as desired

Directions

Put garbanazo beans, eggs, and salt in a food processor and puree until well mixed (should be thick).
Pour into medium bowl and stir in cilantro, onion, zest, sprouts, and bread crumbs. Let sit for two minutes so that the bread crumbs can absorb moisture.
Make 6-8 patties out of the bean mixture.
Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-low heat, add half the patties. Cook for 7-10 minutes, until bottoms begin to brown. Flip and cook for another 5-7 minutes, or until golden. Remove from skillet and cook remaining patties.
Serve on buns with onions, leftover pea shoots, and avocado.

Cilantro Cream Sauce Tilapia With Mango Salsa

2009-07-26T22:16:00.009-04:00

This is a special post from our trip out west. It was our last night in California & we wanted to make something extra yummy. I was totally amazed by the grocery stores out there! The variety of fresh produce was endless and selection of unique foods was incredible. Alison about had me convinced to move out there just by taking me to the grocery store! Anyways, for this meal, we combined ideas from several different recipes to come up with a feast, and perhaps went a little overboard. The cilantro cream sauce is so delicious and could be used on any fish or meat. The salsa was also super yummy. You could definitely do one or the other (sauce or salsa), we just couldn’t decide on a flavor so made both. We grilled some bread, corn and pineapple to go along with the meal. Again, all three aren’t necessary unless you’re feeling motivated/super hungry. If you’re short on time, I’d say go for the sauce and fish. You can always make the salsa as an appetizer. The couple that we stayed with, Alison and Adm, are both photographers so Michael was pretty excited about testing out some of their lights while shooting the pics. Overall, a very fun meal!

SALSA:

Ingredients

1 avocado, diced
1 cup mango, diced
1 jalapeno chili, seeded, finely diced
1/2 cup red onion, finely diced
1/2 cup finely diced cilantro
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Mix ingredients in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

FISH:

Ingredients

4 tilapia fillets (about 1 lb)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons butter

Directions

Prepare grill. Microwave butter to melt. Mix in lemon juice. Cover fillets with butter mixture and wrap each individually in foil.
Cook on medium-hot grill for about 8-10 minutes, until desired doneness.
Meanwhile, prepare sauce (or get a nice helper to start it for you). Once sauce and tilapia are both done, remove the fillets from the foil and top with sauce. Serve with salsa.

SAUCE:

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons ginger root, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 cup packed chopped cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon pineapple juice

Directions

To prepare sauce, melt butter in a medium sauté pan until sizzling. Add garlic, ginger root, cilantro, and cumin and sauté for about 4 minutes or until fragrant.
Add soy sauce and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add whipping cream, and cook until slightly reduced or sauce coats the back of spoon, about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in lime and pineapple juices.

Salmon Eggplant Curry

2009-07-23T18:54:00.002-04:00

First of all, I want to say thanks for all of the sweet comments and condolences on our last post regarding Michael's grandmother. He really appreciated all of the support - it really meant a lot.

So this meal was a yummy curry dish with unique ingredients. The recipe was modified from Eating Well. Unfortunately, it made Michael realize he wasn’t the biggest fan of eggplant for one reason or the other. We decided to serve it over brown rice, so we’d be sure to soak up all the yummy sauce. You could serve it over any type rice or pasta that you’d like. The original recipe called for yellow curry paste, which we couldn't find, so we substituted some yellow curry sauce and red curry paste. Feel free to experiment with the amount of the two, or to omit one of them completely. Next time, we may substitute another veggie for the eggplant. :)

Serves 4.

Ingredients

1/2 cup brown rice
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon Thai yellow curry sauce
1 teaspoon red curry paste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium eggplant (about 1 pound), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 14-ounce can lite coconut milk
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 pound skinned salmon fillet, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups sugar snap peas, trimmed
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
3 tablespoons lime juice

Directions

Prepare rice according to directions.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add curry sauce, paste, and garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add eggplant and cook, stirring, until the eggplant is coated with the curry mixture, about 2 minutes.
Add coconut milk, fish sauce and brown sugar to the pan. Bring to a boil; stir in salmon and snow peas. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the salmon is cooked through and the peas are tender-crisp, about 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat. Stir in basil and lime juice.

Scallion-Wrapped Scallop Kabobs

2009-07-20T20:18:00.005-04:00

First, I'd like to apologize for our lack of posts as well as posting on everyone else's blogs. We had prepared some posts ahead of time to space out during our trip, but things got busy and we had limited internet access - you know how it goes. Also, towards the end of the trip, Michael's grandmother, Betty Stout, suddenly got quite sick. He fortunately was able to get back in time to see her and say his goodbyes before she passed away. It has been a sad and emotional past few days for him and his family. She lived a wonderful life, raising five amazing children and staying very involved in the lives of her seven grandchildren. She will be deeply missed - keep Michael and his family in your thoughts and prayers.

On a lighter note, these are some scallop skewers we made before the trip. Theys make a fun presentation, with the scallops encased in a scallion wrapping. The mirin-based sauce is tasty, but if you’re planning a scallop meal to impress guests, I’d go for the scallops in a wine-mushroom sauce (just because they're soo delicious). If you do decide to try the skewers, I’d have some extra scallions handy. I tore quite a few while trying to keep them wrapped around the scallops as I was threading them onto the skewers. Michael didn’t seem to have this problem though, so it may have just been me and my hastiness. : ) We modified this recipe from our favorite, Eating Well. We served them over somen noodles, which are a thin japenese noodle. We found them in the international section of our grocery store. If you can't find them, you could substitute any thin pasta.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons dry white wine
2 tablespoons mirin
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
8 oz. somen noodles
12 small-to-medium dry sea scallops
8 medium button mushrooms, halved
6 scallions

Directions

Combine soy sauce, wine, mirin, sugar, honey, Worcestershire and ginger in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until reduced to 1/4 cup, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, pour into a medium bowl, and cool to room temperature, 15 to 20 minutes.
Reserve 1 tablespoon of the sauce in a small bowl. Add scallops and mushrooms to the remaining sauce; stir well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes (but no longer: the scallops will begin to break down if marinated too long).
Preheat grill to medium. Oil the grill rack (see Tip).
Meanwhile, cook noodles according to instructions on the box.
Trim scallion whites and reserve for another use. Separate the scallion greens into individual long greens. Wrap one scallion green around the perimeter of each scallop and thread the scallops onto the skewers, piercing through the sides and thereby keeping the scallions in place. Alternate 4 mushroom halves and 3 scallion-wrapped scallops on each skewer. (Reserve any remaining scallion greens for another use.)
Grill the skewers, basting with some of the reserved sauce, for 3 minutes. Turn, baste, and continue grilling just until the scallops are firm and opaque, about 3 minutes more.

Our First Challah!

2009-07-14T20:16:00.002-04:00

After seeing several challah posts a while back, I’ve really wanted to try making it. I love making bread anyways, but have never tried to braid it. I was telling my old roommates, Rachel & Corey, about my endeavor to make ch-all-ah bread when Rachel corrected me. Being Jewish, and growing up with challah every holiday, she informed me it’s pronounced ‘holla’, with a bit of a throaty voice. This of course made me think of that Dave Chapelle skit where he says ‘let me holla atchya, holla, holla, holla, holla’ etc. Michael and another one of my old roommies, Alison both love to say this all the time for some reason. “Holla, holla, holla atchya!” So anyways, I think all of my future challah experiences will be tarnished with Dave Chapelle’s voice in the back of my head.

Well back to the bread making experience, I modified this recipe from Smittenkitchen. You should check out her blog if you haven’t, she’s got tons of great recipes. Her original recipe makes 2 loaves & since we were going out of town, I halved it. She also has other variations on the recipe that you can check out. Even though it takes 3.5 hrs, it’s actually pretty easy (especially since 2.5 of that is rising time). The braiding part really isn’t that complicated either and you can probably do it any way you’d like (though smitten kitchen’s directions make it pretty simple). It turned out perfectly & I was impressed with how much it rose! Very delicious bread & great recipe that I highly recommend! I’m definitely going to be making it for future family functions and/or holiday meals.

Time

About 3.5 hrs (2.5 of which is rising time)

Ingredients

3/4 package active dry yeast (3/4 tablespoon)
.9 cup water
1/2 tablespoon plus 1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil, plus more for greasing the bowl
3 large eggs
1.5 teaspoons salt
4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for flouring surface
Black sesame seeds for sprinkling.

Directions

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and 1/2 tablespoon sugar in .9 cup (aka. not quite 1 cup) lukewarm water.
Whisk oil into yeast, then beat in 2 eggs, one at a time, with remaining sugar and salt. Gradually add flour. When dough holds together, it is ready for kneading.
Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth. Clean out bowl and grease it, then return dough to bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, until almost doubled in size.
Punch down dough, cover and let rise again in a warm place for another half-hour.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Form the dough into 6 balls. With your hands, roll each ball into a strand about 12 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide. Place the 6 in a row, parallel to one another. Pinch the tops of the strands together.
Move the outside right strand over 2 strands. Then take the second strand from the left and move it to the far right. Take the outside left strand and move it over 2. Move second strand from the right over to the far left. Start over with the outside right strand. Continue this until all strands are braided.
Place braided loaf on a greased cookie sheet. Beat remaining egg and brush it on top (save the leftover egg in the fridge). Let rise for another hour.
Brush loaf again with egg, then sprinkle with seeds.
Bake in middle of oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden. Cool on a rack.

Squash Cakes

2009-07-09T19:35:00.002-04:00

Since it's summer and all, we thought we should make something with squash. And what's better than squash and cheese cakes?! These little guys are delicious - they're from the most recent edition of Eating Well. They're pretty quick to make too. I'd definitely recommend serving them when they're nice & hot, though we did reheat leftovers the next night & they were still pretty tasty.

So we're headed out west for about a week for vacation. We'll be hittin up San Francisco & Lake Tahoe to visit some friends, then maybe Napa too. We're pretty excited, to say the least :) Then I'm headed to Oregan to meet up w. my folks for a few days for a portion of their summer vacation (poor Michael has to head back to work after Cali). Anyways, with that said, our posting over the next little bit may be sporadic, so apologies in advance!

Ingredients

1 large egg
2/3 cup finely chopped shallots
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 cups shredded seeded summer squash (2-3 medium)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Beat egg in a large bowl. Stir in shallots, parsley, salt and pepper. Place shredded squash in the center of a few paper towels; gather up the ends and twist to squeeze out any liquid. Add the squash and cheese to the bowl; stir to combine.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Pack a 1/3-cup measuring cup with the squash mixture and unmold it into the pan; gently pat it down to form a 3-inch cake.
Repeat, making 4 squash cakes. Cook until browned and crispy on the bottom, 3 to 4 minutes. Gently turn the cakes over and transfer the pan to the oven. Bake for 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

Tarragon-Butter Salmon en Papillote

2009-07-07T10:07:00.004-04:00

I've been wanting to try cooking something in parchment paper or 'en papillote' ever since I had a really delicious meal in parchment at a yummy restaurant called 50 Plates in Portland a while back. Lucky for me, the most recent edition of Eating Well had a whole slew of recipes using this method. Parchment paper locks in the flavor and makes the contents taste so delicious. It's a french technique (hence the 'en papillote') and basically just steams the food - foil can also be used in place of parchment paper. It may seem intimidating if you've never cooked with parchment, but making the packets is the easiest part of the meal! I found a great short video that shows you how to cut and fold the packets here (be careful if you're at work, it's got sound!). I'd definitely recommend trying this recipe, it's especially fun for entertaining. The tarragon butter is amazing!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
2 lemons
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups chopped spinach
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
1 1/4 pounds skinned salmon fillet, cut into 4 portions

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F.
To prepare packets, start with four 20- to 24-inch-long pieces of parchment paper. Fold in half crosswise. With the parchment folded, draw half a heart shape on one side as you would if you were making a Valentine. Use scissors to cut out the heart shape. Open up the heart.
Combine butter with the juice of 1 lemon in a small pan; melt over low heat. Remove from the heat and stir in tarragon and garlic. Reserve 2 tablespoons for the fish. Combine the rest of the sauce in a large bowl with spinach, scallions, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; toss to coat.
Place one-fourth of the greens mixture on one side of each open heart leaving at least a 1-inch boarder around the edges for folding. Place 1 piece of fish on top of each portion of greens. Season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper.
Brush the reserved sauce on the fish. Slice the remaining lemon and top the fish with the lemon slices.
Close the packet to cover the ingredients. Starting at the top, seal the packet by folding the edges together in a series of small, tight folds. Twist the tip of the packet and tuck it underneath to help keep the packet closed. Place the packets on a large rimmed baking sheet (packets may overlap slightly).
Bake until the fish is just cooked through and the greens are wilted, about 15 minutes. (Carefully open one package to check for doneness—be cautious of the steam.) Let the packets rest unopened for 5 minutes before serving.

Avocado and White Bean Wrap

2009-07-05T10:09:00.002-04:00

I hope everyone had a happy & fun 4th! Michael and I headed up to the mountains to search out possible wedding locations & think we may have found the spot in Asheville :) Then we went to see his family in Blowing Rock for the evening & I headed back to see my parents at the lake at home the next day. It's been a good weekend! Anyways, the other night, we went to Pops in the Park with some of our friends, which is put on by the Charlotte Symphony. You basically just take a big blanket, sit out on a huge lawn and listen to music among tons of other people. It was really fun! Michael and I made these veggie wraps to take with some cheese and wine. We didn't quite have time to take a pic of the wraps before we left, so this is a photo I took the next day (hence the squashed look:) They're very tasty (even on the second day) and have a unique flavor. The sharp cheddar mixed in the avocado is delicious and the chiles add a little bit of a kick. The recipe came from the newest Eating Well magazine. The original calls for cabbage, but we used pea shoots instead. You could really use any type of lettuce or spinach. They're perfect for picnics or lunch parties. I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 teaspoons finely chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup pea shoots
1 medium carrot, shredded
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 15-ounce can white beans, rinsed
1 ripe avocado
1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons minced onion
4 tortillas

Directions

Whisk vinegar, oil, chipotle chiles and salt in a medium bowl. Add pea shoots, carrot and cilantro; toss to combine.
Mash beans and avocado in another medium bowl with a potato masher or fork. Stir in cheese and onion.
To assemble the wraps, spread about 1/2 cup of the bean-avocado mixture onto a tortilla and top with about 2/3 cup of the chile-carrot mixture. Roll up. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Cut the wraps in half to serve, if desired.

Delicious Black Bean Salad

2009-07-01T21:06:00.006-04:00

This creation is for one of my best college friends, Stacey. When we were in college, we used to get this delicious bean mix every day to go on top of our salads from the to-go section of our dining hall (bottom of Lenoir for all you Tarheels :). Ever since we started the food blog, Stacey has been asking me to try and recreate the bean salad. Here you go Stace! This is my first try at it & after tweaking some of the spices, I think it came out pretty close to the original! I thought about using Italian dressing instead of the olive oil & may try this next time. Best of all, it's only one step. If any of you have great recipes for black bean salad, let me know! I hope you like it Stacey :) Oh yeah, it gets even better if it sits in the fridge for a while! P.S. - I took this photo, so sorry if it doesn't look quite as great as Michael's pics do :)

Ingredients

1 can black beans, drained
1/2 can (15 oz) corn kernels, drained
1 jalapeno, minced
1 medium tomato, chopped
2 scallions, chopped
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1.5 tbsp. lime juice
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix well. Add extra salt to taste, if needed.

Shrimp Quesadillas Smothered in Spicy Pepper Goat Cheese Sauce

2009-06-29T18:41:00.002-04:00

Oh man, these quesadillas are sooo good! And almost healthy too :) You just have to be careful about how much of the cheese sauce you use, which is really hard to do b/c it's so yummy! When we were thinking of how to best make the sauce, we decided to use goat cheese and chiles. I think you could use just about any cheese though, if you don't have/like goat. The chiles in adobo sauce are super spicy (just a warning if you've never had them before). They're nice and smoky though & we've been using them in a lot of recipes lately. You should be able to find them in the international isle of the grocery store. The sauce makes regular old quesadillas super delicious! Enjoy!

Ingredients

2 tbsp. olive oil, divided
1/2 cup red pepper (about 1/2 of the pepper), chopped
3/4 cup sliced mushrooms (about 4 oz.)
3/4 cup red onion (about 1/2 of the onion), chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced & divided
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 lb. shrimp, peeled & deveined
4 tortillas
4 oz. goat cheese, divided
1/2 cup half & half
2 tbsp. chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, finely chopped
1 medium tomato, diced
1/4 cup cilantro

Directions

Heat 1 tbsp. of the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Saute pepper, mushrooms, onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until veggies are tender. Remove from pan and set aside.
Add other 1 tbsp. of olive oil to the same pan. Add shrimp and cook until done - about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
Divide the veggie mixture, shrimp, and 2 oz. of the goat cheese among each of the tortillas. Fold in half and cook in a large skillet (or grill pan if you have one) until lightly browned, for about 3 minutes on each side. Set aside.
Meanwhile, put remaining 2 oz. of goat cheese, half & half, and chipotle chiles in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened.
Top each quesadilla with the goat cheese chile sauce, tomatoes, and cilantro. Serve warm.

Red Snapper over Quinoa and Banana Black Bean Spread

2009-06-27T21:17:00.004-04:00

We've been on a seafood kick lately & wanted to try a snapper recipe. We stumbled upon this recipe & laughed at the strange combination of black bean and banana. While these are two of our favorite foods, the thought of putting them together seemed odd. We decided to give it a try anyways, since we couldn't find many snapper recipes. It turned out so tasty! The black bean puree is especially delicious. The banana adds a bit of sweetness and Caribbean taste that pairs very nicely with the fish. The original came from cooking light, we just had a few additions, including the quinoa. You'll likely have some leftover black bean puree & I'd definitely suggest trying it as a dip with chips or veggies. The recipe below serves about 4.

Ingredients

PUREE

2 teaspoons canola oil
1/4 cup minced shallots
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 cup thinly sliced banana (about 1 banana)
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup vegetable broth, divided
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt

SNAPPER

1 cup uncooked quinoa
1 cup shredded carrot (about 1 carrot)
1 cup light coconut milk
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 jalapeño, minced
1 red chile, minced
4 (6-ounce) red snapper fillets, skinned
Cilantro, to garnish

Directions

To prepare puree, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic; cook 2 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add banana; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in beans, 1/4 cup broth, juice, cumin, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cover and simmer 5 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed. Place banana mixture and remaining 1/4 cup broth in a food processor; process until smooth.
Meanwhile, prepare quinoa according to directions. Set aside once done.
To prepare snapper, combine carrot, milk, chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, jalapeño, and chile in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; bring to a simmer.
Add fish to pan; cover and simmer 7 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness.
Divide quinoa among plates. Spoon a portion of the black bean puree on top of each, then add the fish & garnish with cilantro (if desired).

Savory Sausage and Broccolini over Israeli Couscous

2009-06-25T22:27:00.006-04:00

We've always been intrigued by Israeli couscous & have been wanting to try it for a while. We found this recipe in the Today's Kitchen Cookboook, similarly to some of our most recent posts. The original recipe called for penne pasta, but we thought it'd be a good recipe to sub the Israeli couscous in. It turned out delicious! Israeli couscous definitely tastes like little pasta balls, more so than regular couscous. The ingredients complimented each other perfectly, they offered just enough flavor so that a traditional pasta sauce was not necessary.

Ingredients

1 lb. spicy Italian sausage
1 tbsp. olive oil
8 oz. broccolini, chopped (about 6 cups)
1 large leek, cut into 1/4-inch slices (about 1/2 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2/3 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup jarred roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
6 oz. Israeli couscous
1/4 cup fresh basil, torn
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/3 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions

Cook couscous according to directions; drain & set aside.
Meanwhile, fill a large skillet with 1/2 inch of water. Bring to a boil. Add sausage links & cook covered for 8 minutes. Remove from heat and cut into 1/2 inch slices once cool enough.
Put sausage back in skillet & cook over medium-high heat 2-3 minutes or until brown. remove sausage from pan & set aside.
Add broccoli, leek, and garlic to skillet. Cook, stirring until leek is tender. Stir in sausage, chicken broth, and roasted red peppers. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat.
Cover and simmer for 2-3 minutes until brocollini is crisp-tender.
Add mixture to pasta. Mix in basil and black pepper. Toss gently to combine. Top with the cheese and serve.

Asian Sesame Chicken Wraps

2009-06-23T18:20:00.005-04:00

Sorry for the delay in posting but we've been super busy with a bunch of wedding decisions lately. We're also in the midst of buying our first home. Not to mention that Blogger had a huge fart and decided to try to tell us that our blog was no longer hosted on Blogger's servers. This has since been fixed as of yesterday, and was an issue from our custom domain. This was the cause of that annoying redirect page you may have been seeing. It may have caused some of you (those running IE 6 or 7) to not even be able to view our blog. This episode has made me question moving Chef Fresco to Wordpress. Many of you have Wordpress food blogs. Wordpress is completely open source and there are many more possibilities with it. Give us your thoughts Wordpress or Blogger? - Michael

This is another recipe from the Today's Kitchen Cookbook, with a little of our own adjustments. It's something a little different that your average ole' chicken wrap. The original recipe called for sunflower sprouts, but we used pea sprouts. I've never tried those things, but they're pretty good! The original recipe also called for bok choy, but Michael's not a fan of it so we left it out (if you want to use it, just add 1/2 cup of it, finely chopped). We served the wraps with some peanut sauce from Trader Joe's for dipping (any peanut sauce will do).

For the dressing, you have to thicken 2 cups of vegetable stock. I wasn't really sure how to best go about this, but decided to use about 1.5 tbsp. of cornstarch. I mixed the cornstarch in about 1/4 cup of the stock. I heated the rest of the stock in a small sauce pan over medium heat, then added the cornstarch mixture. I continued cooking, stirring frequently until the mixture was thickened. It turned out to be pretty thick, so you could maybe get away with using 1 tbsp. of cornstarch instead of 1.5 If anyone has a better way of thickening stock, let me know! :) The dressing recipe makes lots extra, so you could definitely half it. I don't know that I'd use the dressing on a regular salad, so don't worry about having some for later.

Ingredients

SESAME DRESSING:

1 tsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. minced ginger
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp. tahini oil
2 tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
2 cups thickened vegetable stock
1 tbsp. sesame oil
1/2 tsp. sriracha (hot chili) sauce
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 tbsp. chopped green onions
2 tsp. finely chopped cilantro

WRAPS:

1.5 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup finely shredded napa cabbage
3 tbsp. julienned water chestnuts
1/3 cup julienned carrots
4 tbsp. sesame ginger dressing
8 oz. grilled chicken breast, sliced into strips
2 whole wheat tortillas
1/2 cup pea sprouts
3 tbps. peanut sauce (optional)

Directions

First, make dressing: combine garlic, ginger, vinegar, tahini, soy sauce, and vegetable stock in a blender. Blend until garlic and ginger are mixed in well. Add sesame oil, sriracha, pepper, green onions, and cilantro. Blend for 1 minute. Season with salt to taste.
Heat olive oil in medium saute pan over medium-high heat. Add cabbage, water chestnuts, and carrots. Stir-fry about 1 minute and add sesame dressing. Cook another 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. Add chicken and toss.
Divide chicken/veggie mixture among tortillas. Add sprouts & wrap-up. Serve with peanut sauce, if desired.

Bacon & Goat Cheese Stuffed Eggplant

2009-06-17T08:56:00.003-04:00

A break from shrimp! This creation was modified from a recipe out of the Today's Kitchen cookbook. I got this cookbook for Michael a while back and we'd never gotten around to cooking anything from it. The book features recipes from various chefs who've been on the show. This particular one was by Nigella Lawson - a British cook (had to google that one :). We made a few changes - like using goat cheese instead of feta and adding some crumbled bacon. Of course, if you're a veggie, just omit the bacon (or if you want to save some time). The stuffing is actually very delicious alone - you could probably use it in several other recipes (or even as a salad topper). It's so rich that one eggplant is probably enough to serve 4 as an appetizer. You will likely have extra cheese filling - do with it as you'd like! If you don't have a grill pan, you can use a regular grill or stovetop griddle.

Ingredients

6 strips bacon
1 large eggplant, cut thinly, lengthwise
2 tsp. olive oil
4 oz. goat cheese
1 red chile, finely chopped
1 jalapeno, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh mint, finely chopped
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Cook bacon according to directions. Let cool on paper towels. Crumble once cool & set aside.
Heat grill-pan over high heat.
Brush both sides of eggplant w. oil. Cook for about 2 minutes on each side, until golden and tender.
Combine bacon crumbles, cheese, chile, jalapeno, mint, lemon juice, and pepper in a small bowl.
Divide cheese stuffing among eggplant slices and roll up. Hold in-place with a toothpick. Garnish with extra mint leaves, if desired.

Cool & Creamy Shrimp Tostadas

2009-06-15T13:19:00.003-04:00

Sorry we have been MIA the past few days, especially on commenting on all of your blogs! I went to Virginia Beach for the weekend to see some of my best girl friends and Michael went on a canoe camping/fishing trip in the mountains with his roommate, Rich. Anyways, we finally have a post for ya! Another shrimp recipe, as promised :) Hopefully you guys aren't getting too tired of seeing so much shrimp! Our supply of frozen shrimp has yet to run out. This creation is kind of like shrimp salad, but with a twist. The mayonnaise and sour cream make it nice and creamy, but since they're light, it's still healthy (well minus the tortillas). You could also cut up the shrimp into smaller pieces and serve them on crackers for an appetizer. Garnish with fresh lime wedges, if desired.

Ingredients

2 tbsp. canola oil, plus more for frying
6 corn tortillas, preferably white
Salt, to season
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 1/2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
2 1/2 tablespoons light sour cream
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 pound peeled cooked shrimp, tails removed
1/2 a medium cucumber, cut into thin slices
3 scallions, chopped in thirds and thinly sliced lengthwise

Directions

Heat 1/2 inch oil in a small heavy skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Fry tortillas one at a time until golden and crisp, 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Set aside.
Put cilantro, mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, and cayenne in a medium bowl; stir to combine.
Add shrimp to sauce; toss to coat.
Top tortillas with cucumber, scallions, then shrimp mixture. Garnish with a sprinkle of cayenne pepper.

Shrimp with Spicy Tomatillo Salsa

2009-06-11T14:10:00.008-04:00

Since Harris Teeter was having a huge sell on frozen shrimp, we have lots to try new recipes with. We took a cooking light recipe and added a few ingredients. We actually skipped the step about butterflying the shrimp to make it easier. Beware, that habanero pepper is SO hot! Unless you really like hot foods, I'd substitute a jalapeno pepper (or even just a green chile if you aren't a fan of spiciness at all). I never had bought a tomatillo before this - those little guys sure are funny looking, especially in their husks. I want to try more salsa recipes with them in the future, so let us know if you have a good one! The salsa below would be good on anything, or even just with some chips.

Ingredients

SALSA

1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup finely chopped red pepper
1 habanero pepper, cored, seeded, and finely chopped
1 tomatillo, finely chopped

SHRIMP:

1 pound large shrimp
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
Dash of salt
Cooking spray

Directions

Prepare grill.
Combine sugar, lime juice, cider vinegar, orange juice, salt and pepper. Stir well with a whisk. Mix in cilantro, onion, red pepper, habanero, and tomatillo. Cover and let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.
Peel shrimp, leaving tails intact. Starting at tail end, butterfly each shrimp, cutting into, but not through, underside of shrimp.
Combine 1 tablespoon of lime juice, 2 teaspoons oil, garlic, and dash of salt in a large bowl. Add shrimp; toss well. Cover and marinate in refrigerator 10 minutes.
Place shrimp, cut sides down, on grill rack coated with cooking spray, and grill for 5 minutes or until shrimp is done, turning once. Serve with salsa.

Homemade Angel Food Cake

2009-06-09T16:18:00.004-04:00

We never thought about making our own angel food cake until Michael's roommate, Rich asked for help making one for his girlfriend a couple of months ago. Rich isn't too much of a cook, so it was fun teaching him how to separate out the egg whites and how to know when stiff peaks are formed :) His turned out great, but we didn't get to snap a photo of it before it got eaten up. Finally we've gotten around to making a second one for some pics. The recipe came from allrecipes.com. It's very light and better than any store bought one in my opinion. The best part about angel food cake is that each serving only has 100 calories and no fat! Of course we had to make some whipped cream to go along with it, which sorta nixed the fat-free idea - but it was totally worth it :) We also topped it with some blueberries and diced strawberries. Dress it up however you'd like & enjoy!

Ingredients

12 eggs
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F.
Separate eggs; discard yolks. Measure egg whites, adding or removing whites as needed to equal 1-1/2 cups. Place in a mixing bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, sift confectioners' sugar and flour together three times; set aside.
Add cream of tartar, extracts and salt to egg whites; beat on high speed. Gradually add sugar, beating until sugar is dissolved and stiff peaks form.
Fold in flour mixture, 1/4 cup at a time. Gently spoon into an ungreased 10-in. tube pan. Cut through batter with a knife to remove air pockets.
Bake for 40-45 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Immediately invert pan; cool completely before removing cake from pan.

Saturday Sauteed Pepper & Turkey Sandwich

2009-06-07T21:18:00.009-04:00

One of the great things about the weekend is that you can throw in that extra little bit of time to prepare a meal that really goes the extra mile. Here is a prime example: the average turkey sandwich. It was around noon and I was hungry, as always, and had a mean hankering for a big-ole sami. I had all the essentials but noticed a couple peppers in the bottom of the veggie drawer that were nearing their demise. I quickly sprung into action by sauteing them in some garlic and olive oil with a red onion to top off my delicious mid-day masterpiece. The sandwich turned out great, and while this may not be the most elaborate of posts, it sure was delicious. It's always great too, when you can save some aging food and turn a everyday creation into an extraordinary one with only about 15 extra minutes. Oh, and the extra peppers and onions (if you don't need quite so many as listed below) — they made a wonderful topping on my eggs the next two mornings. Below are the ingredients... but remember it's a sandwich & creativity has no boundaries between two slices. *Michael

Ingredients

2 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 of a green bell pepper, sliced
1/4 of a red bell pepper, sliced
1/4 of a red onion, sliced
2 pieces whole wheat bread
Sliced deli turkey (use as much as you like)
Reduced- fat mayonnaise, to spread
Stone ground mustard, to spread
Spinach leaves, a small handful
1 tbsp. gouda cheese

Directions

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high, cook garlic for 30 seconds. Add peppers and onion; saute for 5-10 (until desired tenderness). Meanwhile, throw a couple pieces of bread in the toaster.
Spread mayonnaise and mustard over one slice of toasted bread. Add deli meat, spinach, and cheese. Lay the peppers and onions (while hot) right on top of the cheese so it melts. Compile sandwich and eat right away.