butternut squash, asparagus, and proscuitto salad

plus arugula, candied walnuts, and feta

Miniature Pumpkin Breads

Bon Appétit | November 2001

You'll need six baby loaf pans for this recipe. Look for disposable ones at the market.

Yield: Makes 6

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
3 cups raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas; about 15 ounces)

3 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 cups canned pure pumpkin (about 24 ounces)
1 cup sugar
1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
3/4 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray six 5 3/4x3 1/4x2-inch baby loaf pans with nonstick spray. Spread seeds out on rimmed baking sheet. Roast until beginning to color, stirring twice, about 20 minutes. Cool seeds. Set aside 1/2 cup whole seeds for topping. Using on/off turns, coarsely grind remaining seeds in processor.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in medium bowl; whisk to blend. Mix in ground pumpkin seeds. Using electric mixer, beat pure pumpkin and both sugars in large bowl until blended. Gradually beat in oil, then eggs 1 at a time, then minced ginger. Stir in dry ingredients in 4 additions alternately with buttermilk in 3 additions. Divide batter among prepared pans. Sprinkle with reserved 1/2 cup whole pumpkin seeds.

Bake breads until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool in pans. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; store at room temperature.)

summer bean salad

Summer Green Bean Salad

I call for all green beans here, but if memory serves me correctly the Contigo version had a wonderful mix of Romano, haricot vert, and standard green beans. I think you'd want to cook each type of bean separately to make sure the thinner ones don't over cook. I'd also encourage you to dress the salad a bit more heavily than what you see in the photo - I always worry about over-dressing things before taking a photo, and now that I'm looking at the shot, the beans up there are looking a tab bit naked.

3/4 pound green beans, stems pinched off

1 teaspoon finely chopped chives
1/4 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon minced shallots
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons heavy cream
scant 1/4 teaspoon salt
tiny pinch of freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon honey (optional)

a handful of frisee or little gem hearts

a handful of small cherry tomatoes, each cut in half
1/2 cup hazelnuts, smashed and toasted

 Start by making the dressing. Whisk together the chives, thyme, shallots, lemon juice, heavy cream, salt and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil with a fork, stirring until everything comes together. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Sometimes my lemon dressings have a puckery edge to them, and when that happens I just whisk in just a touch of honey to counterbalance the sour. Set aside.

In the meantime, bring two quarts of water to a boil. Salt generously and stir in the green beans. Cook for about 1 1/2 minutes. Just until the beans brighten up and soften a touch, I go a bit beyond "al dente" here for this salad. Quickly drain them and run under cold water to stop the cooking.

In a large bowl toss the green beans with the frisee, about 1/2 of the hazelnuts, with a big splash of the dressing. Toss well. Taste, and add more dressing, salt or pepper at this point. Toss again if needed. Add the tomatoes and toss very gently.

You can turn this out onto a platter or plate individually topped with the remaining hazelnuts.

Serves about 4.

pesto seafood salad

1) cook trader joe's shrimp/scallops/calamari blend in garlic, olive oil, and pesto

2) put on top of greek salad of lettuce, tomatoes, feta cheese, and cucumbers

Shrimp, Pineapple and Avocado Cocktail (Cocktail de Camarones con Piña y Aguacate)

Ingredients

(Serves 4)

24 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
Juice of 3 limes, divided
½ tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 small ripe avocados, peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes
Salt and Pepper
¼ cup sliced red onion
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup fresh pineapple, cut into ½ inch cubes

Directions

1. To prepare the shrimp, Place the juice of 2 limes, salt, pepper and cumin powder in a zip lock bag, add the shrimp and marinade in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

2. In a large skillet heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook until the shrimp are pink and cooked through, about 2 minutes each side.

3. Remove from the heat and let them cool. Reserve 8 shrimp for garnish and cut the rest into pieces at 3 pieces per shrimp.

4. In a large bowl mix the pineapple chunks, red onion, cilantro, shrimp, juice of 1 lime, salt and pepper. Mix all the ingredients well, add the avocado and fold into the mixture.

5. Serve in martini glasses and top with 2 whole shrimp each glass.

VEGETABLE SOUP (SOPA DE VERDURAS)

INGREDIENTS
(4 SERVINGS)

1 cup onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
10 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
1 bay leaf
3 ½ cups frozen mixed vegetables (corn, green beans, peas, carrots and lima beans)
2 cups peeled and diced potatoes
¼ cup chopped cilantro leaves
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sazon Goya with azafran (for Color)

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat; add the onions and cook until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes.

2. Add the stock, bay leaf, mixed vegetables, potatoes, cumin, sazon Goya, salt and pepper.

3. Cook about 25 to 30 minutes into the vegetables are tender. Remove from heat, discard bay leaf, season to taste and add chopped cilantro.

Sancocho (Pork Stew)

Ingredients:
3 medium yams or sweet potatoes peeled, cut into 2" pieces
1 large green bell pepper, cut into strips
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
1 medium onion, sliced, separated into rings
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 pound boneless pork shoulder, cut 3/4" cubes
1 teaspoon chili powder
3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups water
1 can (10 oz. size) chopped tomatoes with green chiles
1 package (9 oz. size) frozen cut green beans

Directions:

In a crockpot, place yams, bell pepper, corn, onion and garlic. Add pork, chili powder, coriander and salt. Pour water and undrained tomatoes over all.

Cover; cook on LOW-heat setting 7 to 8 hours or HIGH-heat setting 3 1/2 to 4 hours, adding frozen green beans last 15 minutes of cooking time.

This recipe from CDKitchen for Sancocho (Pork Stew) serves/makes 8

watermelon gazpacho

http://marriedwithdinner.com/2007/09/10/using-the-ol-melon/
- adapted from Kitchen Sense

1 6-pound 'icebox' watermelon, red-fleshed
2 Kirby cucumbers or 1 hothouse cucumber, peeled (seeded, if necessary) and chopped
1 fresno chile or other medium-hot red chile, chopped
1/4 large red pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
1/2 medium red onion, chopped
2/3 cup tomato juice
1/4 extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1/2 tsp kosher salt
fresh-ground black pepper
—–
2 oz feta cheese, crumbled
3 T finely chopped Kalamata olives
your best olive oil, for drizzling

Remove the rind from the watermelon. Cut the flesh into chunks and remove the seeds, if necessary; you should have about 6 cups of melon. Using a stick blender, traditional blender, or food processor, blend all soup ingredients (except the garnishes) until well liquified — about 1 to 2 minutes. Strain the puree through a large-mesh strainer to remove any lingering seeds or other bits, pushing the pulp through with a spatula. Adjust seasonings as needed, and chill for at least an hour. Serve garnished with the feta and olives, and a drizzle of olive oil.

Serves 6 as an appetizer

margaretlee@gmail.com has shared: Capellini with Fresh Tomato Sauce

Capellini with Fresh Tomato Sauce Source: mattbites.com
margaretlee@gmail.com sent this using ShareThis.

bistro shrimp pasta

http://blogambiguous.blogspot.com/2009/02/bistro-shrimp-pasta.html

'Parts' List
Battered and fried rock shrimp (optional, see note below)
Sauteed mushrooms quarters
Chopped tomatoes, seeded
Arugula
Cooked Spaghettini
Lemon Basil Cream Sauce

Step 1:
Quarter the mushrooms
Chop tomatoes into small cubes
Saute mushrooms in a bit of olive oil. When almost cooked, add tomatoes to heat through.
Set aside and keep warm.

Step 2:
Cook the shrimp

The Shrimp:
Rock Shrimp (as much or as little as you'd like - calculate per person)
Eggs, scrambled
Corn Starch or flour (mix with the bread crumbs)
Bread crumbs, seasoned
Butter for frying
Oil for frying

Take the shrimp and coat with egg mixture, then dip into the bread crumb and corn starch mixture. Fry in a butter/oil mix for just a few minutes until done. Set aside and keep warm with paper towels on a dish (try not to cover completely or they will turn into a soggy mess).

If you will notice, there are no quantities here. That's because I simply can't get the shrimp exactly like the Cheesecake Factory. I am still trying to figure this out.

I have used regular shrimp before and it turns out similar, but not the same. Play around with the shrimp. This part of the recipe is a 'wild card'.

Step 3:
Cook the pasta and make the sauce at the same time. (note: DO NOT add sauce to the pasta until ready to serve. The pasta will soak up all the sauce if it sits and the pasta will be fairly dry).

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Add salt - this is your only opportunity to season your pasta.
Add 1lb. of spaghettini
Cook until done.

Lemon Basil Cream Sauce (double the sauce recipe if you'd like):
2 TB. butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup half and half
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 TB. corn starch
1/2 tsp. pepper
3 TB. chopped fresh basil

*Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add garlic, and saute 1-2 minutes.
*Add half and half and chicken broth.
*Bring to a boil, and cook about 8 minutes or until reduced by half.
*Whisk together lemon juice and cornstarch until smooth in a bowl.
*Whisk lemon juice and 1/2 tsp. pepper into butter mixture and cook, whisking constantly, 2 minutes or until thickened.
*Remove from heat.
*DO NOT add basil until ready to serve.

Step 4: Put it together
In each bowl/dish add pasta, sauce, some of the mushroom/tomato mixture, some fresh arugula (let the heat of the pasta and sauce wilt the arugula) and toss until combined. Add shrimp and toss lightly. Top will a sprinkling of basil and grate some fresh Parmesan cheese on top of the dish and serve.

The quantities of the final product are a bit ambiguous for a reason. You can add as much or as little as you'd like. Copy the Cheesecake Factory if you have ordered this dish before. If not, you have nothing to compare it with, so get creative and make it to your specific taste.

Note: You do not have to batter and fry the shrimp - sometimes I don't so I can save some time. Frying the shrimp is the longest step in the process, and a hassle. I simply add some cooked shrimp to the final product. You can also substitute chicken cubes if you'd like.