Grilled Veggie Stacks

Music: Medeski, Martin, and Wood, "The Dropper" - If you are new to MMW, I would suggest their best of album, "Note Blue: The Best of the Blue Note Years 1998 - 2005"
Menu: Crackers with sharp cheddar and apple slices, grilled veggie stacks, garlic couscous, and fruit salad

BJ ate tofu...again! Unbelievable!!! I am turning this meat and potato man into a veggie-lovin', tofu eatin', grill master. When we met, his version of grilling included steak. Steak. That's it. Our first triumph on the grill was buffalo chicken wings (recipe I promise will come soon and Wing Fest '09 is rapidly approaching!). Next was our bourbon, apple juice smoked ribs. We then moved on to pulled pork and mastered the 8 hour grill of a pork butt. All sounds delish, right??? Well, this meal holds a torch up to any of those...easy.


If you have never prepared tofu before, it takes some time. Make sure you drain the tofu well. Since we are a paper towel free house (woo hoo), we happened to be at Costco earlier in the day and after an EPIC sample day at Costco, we hit the jackpot as they were testing paper towels. I obvioiusly took advantage of this and brought a bunch home to drain the tofu for dinner (if you think this is lame, you should probably stop reading this blog...if you think this is cool, well then you will find lots more tips like this here!).


I marinated tofu, eggplant, portobello, zucchini, and red pepper in balsamic vinegar with a touch of mint and a whole-lotta-garlic. BJ took care of the grill and let me tell you...sexy. I mean the smell of garlic, eggplant, and mushrooms coming from the grill...and then to see the grill rack full of veggies (see photo below)...oh...my...god.


From Mr. Rhythm of Cooking: About today's artist of choice, Medeski, Martin, & Wood. These are three amazing musicians who play very avante-garde funky jazz and constantly wow me with both their technical skill and ability to improvise individually and as a group. Billy Martin is the drummer, Chris Wood plays bass, and John Medeski handles the keys. These guys are all about the live experience and never play a song the same way twice, just like the way that Amanda cooks! It all depends on the crowd, mood, time of day, and ingredients. When you go to a MMW show, or sit down to a meal prepared by chef Amanda, you never know exactly what to expect, but you know you will come away amazed and extrememly satisfied!

-BJ

Grilled Veggie Stacks
Adapted from Bon Appetit

Ingredients:

• 1 package, extra-firm tofu, well drained (on paper towels for at least 30 minutes)
• 1 medium eggplant, sliced into 1/2-inch thick pieces
• 2 medium portobello mushroom caps
• 1 large zucchini. sliced longways into 4 slices
• 1 red bell pepper, stem and seeds removed, cut into 4 large pieces
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 6 - 8 cloves of garlic, minced
• 3 TB mint, chopped
• S & P
  

Directions:

1. Heat a grill to medium heat.
   
2. Combine vinegar, garlic, and mint. Place in a large flat dish.*
   
3. Season the tofu and veggies with S & P and begin marinating. Start with tofu and dip each side into the marinade and place on a separate plate. Repeat with all other veggies. Pour any extra marinade over tofu first, then rest of veggies. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes. Reserve any left over marinade.
   
4. Begin grilling veggies - start with mushrooms (gill side down!), eggplant, and pepper. These veggies will take 8 minutes (4 on each side). When you flip the first batch add the tofu and zucchini (they only take 2 minutes on each side). Take veggies off and turn off grill.
5. Cut mushrooms in half and begin stacking!! We did pepper, mushroom, eggplant, tofu, and zucchini. Drizzle with leftover marinade and serve!

* I used two large glass casserole dishes and left veggies in marinade for over 30 minutes. Choose whatever works best for you!

Mushroom and Spinach "Tart"

Music: Beethoven, 9th Symphony
Menu: Apple, asparagus, and blue cheese salad


This is a super simple weeknight recipe. The best part is that it is versatile and can be made into whatever is in your fridge. The only must have ingredient is a puff pastry sheet. We have been addicted to the 5 lb. tub of spinach from Costco, so I am trying to find some more unique things to do with it.

On another note, we just got back from the Florida Keys! What a blast...out here in Denver there is no such thing a fish fresh off the boat and that is literally what we did every night. Mahi grilled, mahi fried, fresh yellowtail snapper...yummmmm. We couldn't bring ourselves to buy any seafood this week from the grocery store, so back so a serious veggie rehab after a long weekend of indulgence. Here a peak at the fun we had on the boat...


By the way, this little tart recipe makes a KILLER breakfast the next morning :)

Mushroom and Spinach "Tart"

Ingredients:

• 1 frozen puff pastry sheet, dethawed
• Flour, for dusting
• 2 TB butter
• 1 TB EVOO
  
• 1 large onoin, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• 8 - 10 white mushrooms, sliced
• 2 medium portobello caps, sliced
• S & P
  
• 5 cups of tightly packed baby spinach
• Dash of nutmeg
  
• 1/4 cup feta cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Lightly roll out the puff pastry into a rectangle that will fit your baking sheet. Using flour to prevent sticking.
   
3. Place rolled puff pastry sheet onto baking sheet and place in oven until lightly browned, about 8-10 minutes. Watch carefully because depending on how hot your oven is and how dethawed pastry is cooking can happen fast.
   
4. Heat butter and EVOO in a large skillet. Add onions and cook for 10 minutes, until browned and beginning to carmelize.
   
5. Add mushrooms and continue to cook until mushrooms are browned and have released their juices, another 6 - 8 minutes. Season with S & P.
   
6. Add spinach in two bathces. Once the first batch has wilted and cooked down and second batch and toss until spinach begins to lose shape. Turn off heat and add a dash of nutmeg.
   
7. Add mushroom and spinach mixture to top of puff pastry, spreading out and leaving a thin border. Top with feta and place back in the oven for 10 minutes, until feta is lightly browned and edges are crispy.
   
8. Let cool for 5 minutes before cutting into wedges and serving.
   

Curried Artichoke Ragout

Music: Derek Trucks Band, Already Free
Menu: Roasted Red Pepper Hummus w/whole wheat pitas and celery sticks, Curried Artichoke Ragout

Usually the process of creating a meal and selecting the most perfect music to accompany it happens just that way, I have a meal planned and then BJ and I decide what music to listen to. Sometimes, I have to put a few different things on before getting into the groove I'm looking for while I'm cooking. This happened entirely the other way around.

On Sunday afternoon, the boys came over to our place for band rehearsal. I hopped on my bike to get groceries for the week. When I returned a couple more people had made their way to our living room and I realized, I better start cooking! First, came some homemade tortillas chips and SPICY guacamole. Then I threw some hummus together in the food processor with freshly roasted red peppers. Band practice slowly fizzled out and some lingered. I said anyone is welcome to stay for dinner and BJ said, "What are we having?!?" I had just gone to the store, so the possibilities were endless...

As it turns out, one of the guys in the band had not heard the new Derek Trucks Band album, Already Free (BJ and I scored last minute tickets to this show and it was sa-weeeet). So, I made a bee line to the stereo and cranked up DTB. The minute it came on I knew we were having a huge pot of artichoke ragout. If you are familiar with DTB, the music is soft, but upbeat, smooth, but complicated, and always with a touch of Indian inspiration. This artichoke ragout mirrors that description: the lemony flavor of the artichokes meets the curry and cayenne, the softness of the potato collides with the bite of freshly cooked chickpeas. It was an amazing evening full of great music, fabulous food, and even better company :)

Curried Artichoke Ragout
Adapted from Vegetarian Times
serves 6 -8

Ingredients

• 2 TB EVOO
• 1 large onion, chopped
  
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  
• 2 TB curry powder
• 1 tspn cumin
• 1/2 tspn garam masala
• 1/2 tspn cayenne (easy on this if you don't like things spicy!)
  
• 2 pkg. frozen artichokes, thawed or 2 cans of artichokes hearts (NOT marinated)
  
• 2 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas or 2 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 3/4 lb. (about 5 snall/medium sized) new potatoes, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
• 2 tspn Dijon mustard
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint or parsley
  

Directions

1. Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and red bell pepper, and sauté 5 to 7 minutes, or until soft.
   
2. Stir in curry powder, cumin, and cayenne and cook 30 seconds, or until color deepens.
3. Add artichokes, chickpeas, potatoes, and 4 cups water. Season with S & P, reduce heat to medium-low, and cover. Simmer 20 to 25 minutes, or until artichokes and potatoes are tender.
4. Ladle 1/4 cup cooking liquid into small bowl. Whisk mustard into liquid. Return to pot, add peas, and stir to combine.
   
5. Simmer 3 minutes more, or until peas are bright green and heated through.
   
6. Garnish/sprinkle with fresh herbs and serve with a crusty piece of pita!

Summertime in Denver = Pasta Primavera

Menu: Crackers and cheese to munch on while cooking, and the pasta is plenty for dinner!
Music: Dave Brubeck Quartet: Live in Stockholm

The summer sun has finally arrived in Denver!! This year has brought some crazy and unusual weather. It started off with one of the mildest winters. I'm talking January 17th and 70 degree sunshine days. Then late winter and spring kicked in and winter decided to show and kill our spring...boo. I think it's safe to say that summer is a comin' at this point! This weekend we enjoyed lots of sun (Amanda has the burn lines to prove it!) and tons of activities. Saturday morning we did a 5K charity run for NAMI. Then we rushed home as our local neighborhood association had an awesome party at our nearby park. So, we took the dogs over and soaked up some rays with friends and food. It was a GREAT day. Naturally, I had to find a perfect meal to top of a perfect summer day...pasta primavera!


The recipe is a bit complicated. It's from Cook's Illustrated and if you are familar with the publication, their recipes can be a bit complicated as they find the absolute most perfect way to prepare the meal (regardless of how many pans you use or how much time it takes). I actually followed the recipe to try it their way. And while it was FABULOUS, I think there is definitely room for improvement, especially in the massive amounts of dishes I (by I, I really mean BJ) had afterwards. Oh well, I guess I am ust forced to make this one again and find a better way, darn. Hope you enjoy this recipe on a beautiful summer day, as we did :)

Pasta Primavera
from Cook's Illustrated (The New Best Recipe Book)

Ingredients:

• Salt
• 6 ounces of green beans, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
• 12 medium asparagus spears, ends trimmed, cut diagonally into 3/4-inch pieces
• 1 medium zucchini, cut into half moon shapes
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 6 TB unsalted butter
• 8 ounces of white mushrooms, sliced thin
• 4 large plum tomatoes, cored and chopped (I used 2 large off the vine tomatoes, I had them on hand)
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (use to your liking)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream (I used half and half)
• 1 lb. fettuccine (I did homemade whole wheat fettuccine)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced basil leaves
• 1 lemon, juiced
• S & P
• Parmesan for topping
  

Directions:

1. Bring 4 quarts water to a rolling boil in a large pot for the pasta. Bring 3 quarts water to a boil in a large saucepan for the vegetables; adding 1 TB salt to each. Fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside.
2. Add the green beans to boiling water; cook for 1 1/2 minutes. Add the asparagus; cook for 30 seconds. Add the zucchini; cook for 30 seconds. Add the peas; cook for 30 seconds. Drain the veggies and immediately plunge into the ice water to stop the cooking process. Let them chill for about 3 minutes, drain well and set aside.
3. Heat 3 TB butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and saute until browned and they have released their juices, about 8 minutes.
   
4. Add the tomatoes and crushed red pepper, reduce heat to medium and summer until the tomatoes begin to break down and lose shape, about 7 minutes.
   
5. Add the cream and simmer until slightly thickened, about 4 minutes. Cover pan to keep warm and set aside.
6. Add pasta to pot and cook until al dente.
   
7. Heat 2 TB butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and saute until fragrant. Add the blanched veggies and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes.
8. Bring the mushroom and tomato mixture back to a simmer.
   
9. Drain pasta and return to pot. Pour mushroom tomato and veggie mixture over pasta. Add lemon juice, basil, S&P and toss well to coat pasta.
10. Serve with parmesan on top (and extra red pepper if you're like us!)

Duker's Jambalaya!

Menu: Cornbread, Jambalaya, and a good IPA (we have been into Red Truck from Palisade, CO recently)
Music: Phish, A Live One - you can try livephish.com to listen free to Live Phish shows

This recipe comes from Duke, BJ's cousin, who went to LSU and lived in Louisianna for a few years. In other words, this is the real deal people. I suggest making it on a Sunday when you have some time to stand at the stove and fully enjoy cooking a BIG dinner. We had a few friends over, beers, and listened to a few live Phish shows. A perfect afternoon, I must admit.


As you will find out, we don't cook without garlic. I know, so cliche, but I really think that my garlic consumption is becoming an issue. If I eat something without garlic, it lacks taste for me. If I'm cooking and a dish is missing a little something: garlic. I buy garlic 5 at a time and go through a head in a week's time. I think I could be the poster child for garlic sales...wait...could there be a GA (garlic's anonymous) group out there somewhere?!? I bring this up because I recently read an article about how American food is over-garlicked. And I wonder if this is effecting/ruining my palette. I think I need to detox.

Duker's Jambalaya

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs. chicken legs and thighs
• EVOO
• S & P
• Cayenne pepper (use according to your preference of spicy-ness)
• 1 package of smoked sausage (I used turkey)
• 2 cups onion, chopped
• 1 cup green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 1 jalepeno, chopped
• 6-8 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 TB dried oregano
• 4 quarts of chicken stock
• 6 1/2 cups of long grain, white rice
• 1 lb. shrimp
• green onions, chopped for garnish

Instructions:

1. Heat 3 QT Dutch and EVOO to medium-high.
2. Season chicken with S & P, cayenne, and EVOO. Add to hot oven and deeply brown all over (this takes a good 10 - 15 minutes). Remove and set aside.
3. Add sausage and brown for about 5 minutes.
4. Add onion, pepper, celery, jalepeno and cook down for 5 to 10 minutes. Add garlic and other seasonings, cook for 2 minutes.
5. Add chicken back to oven and cover with 3 to 4 QT of chicken stock. Simmer for about an hour or until the meat falls off the bone. Remove chicken and debone. Add chicken and sausage back to the pot.
6. Add rice. Turn heat up to medium high and stir rice constantly until it comes to a boil (about 5 minutes).
7. Cover pot and turn to low, simmer for 25 minutes. DO NOT PEAK!
8. Add shrimp for the last 5 minutes. Just toss shrimp on top of the jambalaya and they will steam.
9. After 25 minutes, turn rice over and distribute meat evenly.
10. Garnish with green onions and serve!

Homemade pasta

Menu: After your first time, you need a quick and simple sauce, try this puttanesca. And if you're like me, you will also need wine in order to accomplish making homemade pasta, so wine and lots of it!
Music: Norah Jones, my current fave song of hers is Sunrise on the album Feels Like Home

So, homemade pasta, I say? Sounds like a pain and not worth the time when pasta is so cheap at the market, right? WRONG! Homemade pasta is worth it when ya got the time. For me, when I have a rough day at the office, my hands yearn to knead me some dough. But the best part about homemade pasta: the light fluffy texture. Say goodbye to heavy, tummy-filling, over stuffing, chewy pasta. Once you have made a batch and reaped the benefits you will be making it over and over again :)

Rolling the pasta out!

Homemade Pasta
Amanda

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of flour (I usually make whole wheat pasta, which is a 2:1 ration of whole wheat flour to all-purpose flour)
• 1/2 tspn. salt
• 4 eggs
• 2 tspn. EVOO
• extra flour for dusting, and some water handy
  

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, mix together the flour(s) and salt. Pour onto large surface (with enough room for kneading) and gather into a large mound.
   
2. Make a hollow in the center, and pour in the EVOO. Break eggs into the hole one at a time, while mixing quickly with a fork until the dough is wet enough to come together. (This can become extremely messy, so don’t give up! I have been making pasta dough for years and my neat little pile falls apart half the time. I just mix it the best I can and keep going. It eventually comes together and you have a nice little ball to knead!)
3. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until the dough is stiff and elastic, usually for a good 5 minutes. You might need to add more water if the dough is too hard to knead; or more flour is it is too wet. Cover, and let stand for 30 minutes to relax.
   
4. Cut the dough ball into quarters, flour what was the inside of the dough ball and flatten the section. Dust the pasta machine with flour as well. Start with the largest setting (7 on my machine) and begin to roll. I usually roll it a couple times in the largest setting and then move down by twos. Each section will roll into a long sheet. (Roll to lowest setting for angel hair, second lowest for spaghetti, and so on).
   
5. Place rolled pasta sheets on towels until all pasta has reached desired thickness.
6. Next, cut the pasta to desired shape (use maching for angel hair, spaghetti, linguine, fettuccine, etc. or hand cut into parpadelle).
   
7. Place the cut pasta on a floured platter and add flour each layer to prevent the pieces from sticking together (see photo from above).
8. Have a salted pot of water boiling and add pasta as soon as you’re done. The pasta will only take 3 – 4 minutes. (Seriously, it seems to cook almost instantly so pay attention!) Remove from pot and serve immediately.

BJ ate tofu...

Menu: Roasted broccoli and potatoes (great with the red pepper sauce, too!)
Music: Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, live at Wakarusa 2007. We have the live recording from the show, but you can access other live recordings from Grace (and many other bands) online at www.archive.org.

I know, I know, it's hard to believe. BJ ate tofu, for

real. I came across this recipe in Cooking Light and thought, well if I manage to get BJ to eat t ofu it better taste like garlic and be smothered in some sort of sauce. And - it worked! This is a great recipe if you don't regularly eat tofu, but would like to try it. Don't skimp on marinating or the red pepper sauce! The recipe takes some time, but well worth the work.

Tofu Steaks with Roasted Red Pepper and Walnut Sauce

from Cooking Light

Ingredients

• 1 package water-packed reduced-fat extra-firm tofu
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 TB chopped fresh parsley
• 1 TB chopped fresh thyme
• 2 TB vinegar (white or red - whatever you have on hand)
• 1 TB mustard (dijon)
• S & P
• 1/2 tspn crushed red pepper
• 8 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2 cups panko or breadcrumbs
• 2 TB EVOO
• 3 TB chopped walnuts, toasted
• 2 roasted red peppers

Instructions

1. Cut tofu crosswise into 4 "steaks". Place tofu slices on several layers of paper towels and let stand for about 30 minutes. You can press down to help properly drain the tofu.
2. Combine basil and next 8 ingredients (through garlic) in a plastic bag. Add tofu and marinate for about an hour, turning the bag occasionally.
3. Place flour, egg, and panko in separate shallow dishes.
4. Remove tofu from marinade, reserving remaining marinade. Place tofu in flour, then egg, and lastly the panko.
5. Add EVOO to heated skillet and then add the tofu. Cook over medium heat for 4 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove tofu from pan, and keep warm.
6. Combine reserved marinade, walnuts, and bell peppers in a blender; process until smooth. Smother the tofu!!

Cinco de Mayo festivities!

Music: Federico Aubele, Gran Hotel Buenos Aires
Menu: Jalapeno Poppers, Tortilla and Black Bean Pie with guacamole, sour cream, and salsa


So, this year Cinco happened to fall on a Tuesday, which is hell day for me and BJ. BJ works 8am - 8pm and doesn't get home till 8:30. I work my usual 9 hour day and the dogs are home alone all day. So, if, if, if I get outta work by 5, I rush home, take the girls on a walk and then usually cook until beej gets home. Needless to say, this year's Cinco festivities were sub par, but I was able to find a few quick and easy recipes to whip up in no time!

Tortilla and Black Bean Pie
from Martha Stewart

Ingredients:

• 4 (10-inch) flour tortillas
• 1 TB EVOO
• 1 large onion, chopped - I used a red onion
• 1 jalapeno, minced
• 1 small red pepper, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tspn. cumin
• S & P
• 2 cans of black beans, drained and rinsed or 1 1/2 cups of cooked black beans
• 12 ounces of beer (or 1 1/2 cups of water or stock) - I used Negra Modelo
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen corn kernels
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• Optional/garnish - scallions, cilantro, sour cream, salsa
  

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400. Trim tortillas to fit a 9-inch springform pan, using the bottom of the pan as a guide and a paring knife.
2. Heat EVOO in skillet over medium heat. Add onion, jalapeno, red pepper, garlic, and cumin, S & P and cook stirring occasionally until onion is softened, 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Add beans and beer to skillet and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until liquid has almost evaporated, about 10 minutes. Stir in corn and scallions and season with S & P, if necessary.
4. Fit a trimmed tortilla into springform pan. Layer with 1/4 of the bean mixture and 1/2 cup of cheese. Repeat three times, using last cup of cheese on top layer. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until the top is browned.
5. Let rest for 5-7 minutes and carefully unmold pie. Sprinkle with scallions/cilantro.
   
6. To serve, cut into wedges, and serve sour cream and salsa on the side (and maybe one of the Negra's from the 6-pack you HAD to buy!).

Braised Leeks

I really LOVE leeks. If you have never cooked with them, I highly recommend that you start. They have this mild onion-y flavor that I cannot get enough of. They can be a pain in the ass to prepare, but here's what ya do! Just as the picture above demonstrates, trim the gnarly bottom of roots. You really only use the white and light green parts, so chop off all the dark green tops. Slice the leek in half, longways. After this you can do two things: first, you can slice the leek into little half moon shapes and place in a bowl full of water (the dirt will fall to the bottom and at the top you will clean leeks ready to cook; or second, you can place the long half slice under running water, using your fingers to separate the layers of the leek allowing the water to get between each layer and wash away the dirt. I use both techniques depending on how much I am preparing or how I am preparing it :)But really, I LOVE leeks. I mean potato leek soup, sauteed leeks under fish (with lots of butter), one of my fave recipes, which I will have to share later a leek, corn, and bacon skillet...they are awesome companions to mushrooms and fresh herbs. But I guess you get the point: I love leeks and want you to love them too! So when I came across this recipe for braised leeks, I immediately went the the store to buy leeks galore.

Braised Leeks with Warm Pancetta Dressing
From Cooking Light - March 2008

Ingredients:

• 4 leeks, trimmed, halved lengthwise, and cleaned
  
• S & P
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
  
• 1 large carrot, cut into (3-inch) pieces - or a few baby carrots
  
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 thyme sprig
• Cooking spray
• 1 tspn. EVOO
  
• 1/3 cup finely chopped pancetta or 2 pieces of bacon
  
• 2 TB finely chopped leek
• 2 TB light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• S & P
  

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°.
2. To prepare leeks, arrange leek halves in an 8-inch baking dish; sprinkle evenly with S & P. Add broth, carrot, garlic, and thyme.
3. Cut 1 (8-inch) square of parchment paper; lightly coat with cooking spray. Place parchment over leek mixture, coated side down.
4. Bake at 325° for 50 minutes or until leeks are tender. Let stand 5 minutes; drain cooking liquid through a sieve over a bowl, reserving solids.
5. Place cooking liquid in a small, heavy saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to 1/4 cup or about 8 minutes.
6. Chop cooked carrot and garlic; set aside.
7. To prepare dressing, heat EVOO in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add pancetta to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until crisp.
8. Stir in garlic and chopped leek; sauté 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
9. Sprinkle with sugar; sauté 1 minute or until sugar dissolves.
10. Stir in vinegar; simmer 2 minutes.
11. Add braising liquid, S & P; simmer 2 minutes or until slightly thick. Remove from heat.
12. Arrange leek halves in a serving dish; sprinkle with carrot. Drizzle pancetta mixture over leek halves.

Menu: Roasted Salmon with herb and parmesan topping and old world rice pilaf (with beans!)
Music: Nina Simone. Album: Put a Spell on You, specifically the song "Feelin Good," you know the one that Michael Buble did too. You can get it on itunes. I recommend a bottle of wine, too. Nina makes you want to drink a good glass of wine, always.

Whole Wheat Pasta Puttanesca

This is a go to meal for us. It comes from Ellie Krieger and the only exception that I have made to it is fresh pasta. It makes the meal just perfect! You could of course use store bought pasta, but I would recommend sticking with the whole wheat on this one. The sauce is super easy and quick - a perfect meal for a quick weeknight dinner. It can also be spruced up with a fancy appetizer for a last minute dinner party.

Some of the ingredients in this recipe, you might not have on hand, but they are well worth the investment and or at least picking up a small amount. For instance, most grocery stores have an olive bar. You can pick up specified quatities of olives, capers, artichoke hearts, and lots of other yummy stuff. It's great because you're not forced to buy the jar, which saves both money and the smell of your fridge :) You can also pick up a handful of spinach instead of buying a whole bag. But the one thing, I do not recommend skipping...anchovy paste. If you think you don't like anchovies, this is a great dish to TRY it again (and if you LOVE the little stinky guys, you might wanna consider getting anchove fillets and mincing them up). The paste is not overpowering, it's subtle, salty, and the backbone of this sauce. It provides a depth of flavor I'm afraid you just can't achieve with a sub. Wondering how the heck you will use the rest of that $4 tube?? Stay tuned for some homemade Ceasar salad dressing!

Whole Wheat Pasta Puttanseca
from Ellie Kreiger, Food Network

Ingredients:

• 1 batch of fresh whole wheat spaghetti
• 1 TB EVOO
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup pitted chopped olives, use something salty like Kalamata or Spanish
• 2 TB capers
• 1 tspn. anchovy paste
• 1 tspn dried oregano leaves
• Crushed red pepper flakes – I use a lot, but if you don’t like things spicy, just a pinch will do.
• 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, I always go for the “no salt added” kind
• 3/4 cup chopped fresh arugula or spinach
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Directions:

1. Heat the EVOO in a large skillet over a medium heat. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute – I’m a nazi about burnt garlic, so as soon as you smell that wonderful fragrance, move on!
2. Add the parsley, olives, capers, anchovy paste, oregano and crushed red pepper to the skillet, and saute for 2 minutes more.
3. Add the tomatoes and simmer for about 5 minutes.
4. Throw the fresh pasta in at this point in the cooking process (or if you are using dried pasta, start it at the beginning!)
5. Stir in the arugula and simmer for 1 minute more, until the greens wilt slightly.
6. Drain pasta and add it to the large skillet. Toss, top with parm, and serve!

Menu: Boiled artichokes with garlic butter appetizer and a hunk of crusty garlic bread to soak up the juices
Music: Bela Fleck & The Fleckstones: Live at the Quick