Elise's Sesame Noodles

I don't know who Elise is but a few weeks ago Allen emailed me this recipe that he found on Yahoo. Since he rarely interjects ideas I thought I'd try it out with the caveat that I won't eat just noodles so I tried to make tofu for the first time as well. It's not a bad recipe but for the love of God do not make the whole recipe or you'll be eating it for a week.

Tofu: (some Yelpers helped me out with this one)

Take the block of tofu (they suggested straining in a colander with a heavy plate or something on top but the block I got was fairly drained) cut it into cubes, marinate in a mixture of your favorite ingredients (soy sauce, oyster sauce, hot sauce, onions, peanut sauce) and bake at 350 degrees for 30-plus minutes until it's nice and firm and has absorbed the sauce.

Noodles:
1 pound whole-wheat spaghetti
1/2 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons rice-wine vinegar or lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
1 bunch scallions, sliced, divided
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided (optional)
4 cups snow peas, trimmed and sliced on the bias
1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook spaghetti until just tender, 9 to 11 minutes or according to package directions. Drain; rinse under cold water.

2. Meanwhile, whisk soy sauce, sesame oil, canola oil, vinegar (or lime juice), crushed red pepper, 1/4 cup scallions and 2 tablespoons cilantro (if using). Add noodles, snow peas and bell pepper; toss to coat.

3. To serve, mix in sesame seeds and garnish with the remaining scallions and cilantro.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken

I like dark meat and Allen likes white meat. It's a story that's been around as long as married couples have been squabbling over what to eat for dinner.

I was craving fried chicken and recently saw one of the Alton Brown's "Good Eats" fried chicken episodes so I when I had some leftover buttermilk sitting around I thought I'd give it a try. Turns out that I also had an "Everyday Foods" recipe for fried chicken and that's what Allen decided to use ("looks a little easier") when he ended up making the fried chicken because I was too busy.

It's a good recipe. It takes a while in the skillet and makes quite a bit of grease but I enjoyed my dark meat and the cold drumsticks turned out to be a great snack the next day.

Ingredients:
2 cups low-fat buttermilk
Coarse salt
3 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 whole chickens (2-½ to 3 pounds each), each cut into 10 serving pieces (wings, thighs, drumsticks, and 4 breast pieces)
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups vegetable oil

Marinating the chicken in buttermilk makes the meat moist and flavorful. Chicken breasts cook faster than other parts, so fry them separately in the last batch. For fried chicken with less fat and fewer calories, remove the skin before marinating.

In each of two 1-gallon resealable plastic bags, combine 1 cup buttermilk, 1/2 tablespoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, and half the chicken pieces. Shake to coat; refrigerate up to 2 days.

In a large, shallow bowl, whisk flour with 2 tablespoons salt and remaining 2 teaspoons cayenne. (This pungent spice is made from ground dried chiles. Used in small quantities, it adds heat to dishes without being overpowering.) Dredge chicken pieces, one at a time, in mixture, shaking off excess.

In a 12-inch cast-iron skillet (or other heavy-bottom skillet), heat oil to 350° on a deep-fry thermometer (or until a pinch of flour sizzles when dropped in the oil). Carefully add 1/3 of the chicken. Cook 10 minutes; turn chicken with tongs. Cook until golden brown, juices run clear, and internal temperature is 165°, about 10 minutes more. Transfer to a rack to drain. Season with salt, if desired.

Return oil temperature to 350°. Repeat with remaining chicken.

Key Lime Cupcakes

Cupcakes are (maybe "were" now) the new black. The cupcake craze has gone a little overboard this year with cupcakeries cropping up all and selling the tiny cakes at $3.50 a pop. After spending $7 on two dry cupcakes at Sugarbaby's I decided maybe I don't need to eat cupcakes (I have, however, heard great things about Crave). But, when I saw this Key Lime Cupcake recipe in bon appetit, originally from Buttersweet Bakery in Altanta, I thought it sounded fun and it would give me a reason to buy neon-green food coloring. I also had some amazing Key Lime Cheesecake Cupcakes at a shower recently and so it's been on my mind.

Turns out this recipe is a keeper. The cupcakes are incredibly dense but the lime flavoring isn't too strong and the icing is just perfect. I have always heard that the secret to good Key Lime Cheesecake is using real key limes and I would suspect that would also help out this recipe.

After I had all the batter mixed I had a flashback to the Avocado Soup I made recently. It was almost the identical color and texture. We're taking these to a BBQ today and Allen has already decided we'll tell everyone they're spinach cupcakes. We'll see how that goes over.

Cupcake Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup self-rising flour
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon finely grated lime peel
1/4 teaspoon neon-green food coloring
3/4 cup buttermilk

Frosting Ingredients:
1 8-oz package cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon finely grated lime peel
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard cupcake pan with 12 paper liners. Whisk both flours in medium bowl until smooth. Add sugar, beat to blend. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, then next 3 ingredients (batter may look curdled). Beat in flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with buttermilk in 2 additions.



Spoon scant 1/3 cup batter into each liner.



2. Bake cupcakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool 10 minute. Remove from pan; cool.

Frosting:
Beat all ingredients in a medium bowl until smooth. Spread over cupcakes.

Stilton Pear Salad

I know, I know. Salad? Boooring. But wait! This one's boring but tasty!

My sister started making this recipe about 10 years ago (I'm getting freak'n old!) and at the time I didn't like blue cheese or pears (still really don't love either but have come to respect what that they can do for a salad) and so I've made many versions of this recipe substituting with goat cheese and apple or other cheeses and fruits it is really malleable to your liking (though best with the original recipe). Also, if you don't have Stilton any of the blues will do, including Roquefort or Gorgonzola.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
1/4 cup olive oil
6 cups red- or green- leaf lettuce (preferably young lettuce, available at specialty produce markets and some supermarkets), or a combination of both, rinsed and spun dry
1 large red Bartlett pear
1/4 pound Stilton, crumbled (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup candied pecans

In a small bowl whisk together the vinegar, the mustard, and salt and pepper to taste, add the oil in a stream, whisking, and whisk the dressing until it is emulsified. In a bowl toss the lettuce with half the dressing and divide the salad among 4 plates. Halve and core the pear and cut it lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange one fourth of the pear slices decoratively on each plate, divide the Stilton and the pecans among the salads, and drizzle the remaining dressing on top.

Caramelized Pecans Ingredients:
1/2 tablespoon Butter
1/2 cup Pecan halves

Melt butter in small skillet over medium-high heat and add sugar and nuts. Stir constantly until sugar loses grainy appearance, about 5 minutes. Pour nuts onto sheet of aluminum foil and let cool about 15 minutes.

A few random notes:
1. Lately my candied pecans have turned into rock candy surrounding pecans. You really have to let the sugar melt at a pretty high heat and then stir constantly to get the pecans covered in the caramelized sugar. I can't find my original recipe for this salad but I'm not sure if that's the issue or if my caramelizing skills have gone down hill.
2. My mom has ingrained in my head to save up little glass jars for making vinaigrette and dressing. You can just pour all the ingredients in the jars and shake. Plus, if you have leftover you can put the lid on it and use it for your next salad.

Chicken Piccata

The first episode of last season's Top Chef was a competition to reinvent a classic dish. Chicken Piccata was one of those dishes and while this recipe doesn't reinvent anything I still think it could have held up against over-salted shrimp scampi! We make this fairly frequently. It's really not too pasta heavy and it makes for great leftovers.



Ingredients:
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 pounds chicken cutlets
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 ounces linguine
3 packed cups loose baby spinach (about 5 ounces), torn into pieces
3 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained

Instructions:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Place flour in a shallow bowl. Season cutlets with salt and pepper, then dip into flour, turning to coat; shake off excess.

2. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Add half the chicken; cook until lightly browned and opaque throughout, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate; cover with foil to keep warm. Repeat with remaining tablespoon oil and chicken (reserve skillet for sauce).

3. Meanwhile, cook linguine in boiling water until al dente, according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water. Add spinach, and stir until submerged. Drain pasta mixture and return to pot. Toss with 1 tablespoon butter; season generously with salt and pepper. Add some reserved pasta water if necessary. Cover to keep warm.

4. Into skillet, pour wine and lemon juice. Cook over medium-high, stirring to loosen browned bits, until liquid has reduced to 1/3 cup, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat; swirl in 2 remaining tablespoons butter until melted. (For a smoother sauce, strain through a fine-mesh sieve, if desired.) Add capers, and season with salt and pepper. Divide chicken and linguine among four serving plates; top chicken with sauce.

Ultrafast Avocado Soup

Yay! Another recipe to put in the "don't want to ever make again" file!

I've been reading/watching Mark Bittman's recipes and blogs from the New York Times now for almost a year and I think this is the first recipe I've actually tried. The recipe is so easy that in his video blog he didn't even need speak. I thought, "This recipe is for me!"

I sure wish I had actually read the recipe. Maybe that would have helped? Because when I made it it was way too thick and rich. Now that I see his written recipe I realize maybe I didn't add enough milk? Regardless, I won't be trying this again soon. BUT, the shrimp skewers were fine and on sale pre-prepared for $1.50/skewer at WF it was quite the bargain. Too bad a few shrimp don't make for a filling meal.

Recipe: Ultrafast Avocado Soup

Time: 10 minutes, plus chilling
About 2 cups chopped ripe avocado flesh (3 or 4 small avocados)
3 cups milk, preferably whole
Salt and cayenne pepper to taste
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice, or to taste
A handful or more of small cooked shrimp
Chopped fresh cilantro or parsley leaves.

1. Put chopped avocado in a blender. Add half the milk, a large pinch of salt and a small pinch of cayenne; process to a purée. Add remaining milk and purée, then chill for up to 6 hours if you have time (press a piece of plastic wrap to surface of soup so it does not discolor).

2. Add lime juice, taste, then adjust seasoning, if necessary. Garnish with shrimp and parsley or cilantro, and serve.

Yield: 4 servings.

Shitake Mushrooms with Cheese Tortillini

A mushroom walks into a bar. The bartenders says, "We don't allow your kind in here." The mushrooms says, "What do you have against me? I'm a fungi!"

I told that joke as an intro to a presentation on fungus in college. Yes, I have a biology degree and all I remember is that joke.

I saw this recipe on Everyday Foods. I stopped getting the magazine and pretty much stopped recording the show but I happened across one of the Everyday Food chefs making this and thought I'd give it a try. Turns out it's almost the exact same recipe that we make with green peas instead of mushrooms (a recipe from an old Everyday Foods magazine...imagine that) .

Ingredients:

1/2 lb shitake mushrooms (sliced)

2 cloves garlic (minced), this was pretty garlicy

flat leaf parsley (a lot, chopped)

3 tbsp grated parmesan (more for top)

1 tbsp butter

1 package cheese tortellini

Heat a bit of oil in a pan, add mushrooms and soften, add garlic, stir, add 3/4 cup water and season with salt and pepper. Let reduce for 5 minutes.

Make tortellini per package instructions.

Add cooked pasta, parsley, parmesan and butter. Toss and serve with parmesan sprinkled on top.