Pasta with Sweet Corn

This is another favorite I adapted from Olives and Oranges and, like most of the recipes I've tried from that book, requires the freshest ingredients.  Assuming you have fresh, in-season corn, this is incredibly delicious.  The corn gets a caramel-y sweet boost from sautéing in butter and is foiled (in the Shakespearean sense) by the onion, highlighting the flavors of both.  I let my toddler help with shucking the corn, and she loves to stand in her learning tower and grab the kernels that fly off my cutting board when I'm removing them from the cobs.

Pasta with Sweet Corn

INGREDIENTS

4 T unsalted butter

2T extra-virgin olive oil

8 medium ears corn, shucked and kernels cut from cobs

Sea salt

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 t chopped fresh thyme

1 t chopped fresh mint

(or use 2t chopped fresh savory, as the original recipe calls for)

1 pound small pasta (I used rotelle here but fusilli, capricci, cavatappi, or shells would work great)

Coarsely ground black pepper

1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmegiano-Reggiano cheese

METHOD

1) Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil, add pasta and cook according to package directions.

2) While pasta cooks, heat 2 T of butter and oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until butter is melted.

3) Add corn and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until corn is softened, about 8 minutes.

4) Add onion, stir and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

5) Remove from heat and toss with herbs.

6) Drain pasta when al dente, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.  Place pasta in large bowl, and immediately toss with remaining 2T butter.  Add sauce, a sprinkle of salt and pepper, and 3/4 cup cheese.  Toss well, stir in remaining cheese, and add small amounts of pasta water if necessary to loosen sauce.  Serve at once.

Grilled Pizza with Roasted Bell Peppers, Gruyere, and Arugula

I try to roast a batch of bell peppers at least once a week in the summer, because they are so easy and the reward is so great.  This pizza is simple and delicious.

Grilled Pizza with Roasted Bell Peppers, Gruyere, and Arugula

INGREDIENTS

• Pizza Dough (1 recipe below or 2 fresh dough packages from Trader Joes)

• About 5 roasted bell peppers

• 1 1/2 cups grated gruyere cheese

• Handful of arugula

METHOD

1) Heat grill to around 500 degrees.

2) Roll/toss/smush out dough to desired thickness and place onto lightly flowered surface (one that you can use to move the dough from kitchen to grill - I use a large cutting board)

3) Top with cheese and bell peppers.

4) Slide pizza onto grill, taking care to start at the back of the grill and move forward so you do not have to try and move the pie before it starts to cook.

5) Close lid and let cook for about 5 minutes.  

6) Open lid, sprinkle arugula evenly over, and close lid for another minute or until pizza is done to your liking.

7) Slide pizza off of grill onto cutting board, slice and enjoy.

Roasted Bell Peppers

To roast bell peppers, just take whatever bell peppers you have on hand, throw them on the grill (we have gas, and do these around 500 degrees) (you could also do them in the oven at 450 or so, on a baking sheet) and let them go, checking and turning every couple of minutes, until they look like this:

Place the blackened peppers in a brown paper bag, roll the top to seal, and let them sit for about 10 minutes.  Pull them out and peel them by rubbing them with your fingers or a towel - the skin will come off very easily but they will be HOT.  Remove the seeds as you go. You can use them immediately or store them in the fridge in olive oil for about two weeks.

Easy Pizza Dough

Adapted from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything

INGREDIENTS

• 1 teaspoon instant or rapid rise yeast (very important that it is not regular yeast)

• 3 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 teaspoons coarse Kosher or sea salt

• 1 to 1 1/4 cups water

• 2 tablespoons plus 1 tablespoon olive oil

METHOD

1. Combine the yeast, flour, and salt in food processor. Pulse to mix.

2. With processor on, add the 1 cup of water and 2 T of oil in a steady stream through the funnel.

3.  Continue processing for a few seconds, adding more water until the mixture forms a ball and is slightly sticky - this takes very little time.

4. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for a few seconds until it forms a smooth round ball. 

5. Use the last tablespoon of oil to grease a bowl, and place the dough in the bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft free area (I put it on the hood of my car in the garage) until it doubles in size (1-2 hours). 

4. Heat the oven to 500 degrees F while you stretch out the dough.

5. Add your toppings and cook for 10-12 minutes.

Figs!

Fresh Tomato Pasta

This is my go-to summer lunch - surprise, surprise, a simple pasta!  This summer we did our first true garden, a raised 3x4ft bed (built by my mom.  by hand.  with boards and saws and hammers.  amazing.) and had four tomato plants along with loads of herbs, carrots, lettuces, cucumbers, and squashes.  Apparently we did something right with the tomatoes, because they were so productive we were nearly overwhelmed.  I basically eat this every day for lunch (I'm home on leave).  So if you you're growing your own tomatoes, or if you have a farmer's market you frequent, this is a great "pantry" meal for JUST picked tomatoes.   There really is not point here unless you use the very best, freshest ingredients.  

Fresh Tomato Pasta

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb long pasta (I like thick spaghetti)
• Kosher Salt
• 1/2-1 cup very high quality extra virgin olive oil
• Approximately 2 pints freshly picked small tomatoes, cut in half
• 1 handful fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
• Salt and pepper
• Good parmesano reggiano cheese (optional)

METHOD

1) Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a handful of kosher salt

2) Cook noodles according to package directions, reserving 1 cup of water before draining.  

3) Drain noodles and return to pot.

3) Toss cooked noodles with tomatoes, olive oil, salt, pepper, and basil.

5) Let sit for 5 minutes or so to warm the tomatoes, then serve.  Top with grated cheese if desired (I don't) 

**If you don't have just-picked tomatoes, the best thing to do is to sauté them briefly in olive oil with a clove of garlic, chopped, and salt and pepper.  When they start to get soft, they are done.  Once pasta is done, toss tomatoes, reserved water, and fresh basil together, adding additional olive oil as necessary.    

Carrot Salad

This is a really lovely side-dish that I found in Olives and Oranges, one of my favorite new cookbooks. It goes great with summer food - I recently served it with grilled chicken for a light meal. It highlights simple, beautiful ingredients and therefore is best when the quality of those ingredients is very high. Great use of farmer's market or CSA carrots. I took the "or more lemon juice" literally and went a bit overboard, overpowering the flavor of the carrots a bit. So, I'd recommend sticking with the stated amounts.

Carrot Salad

4 large carrots, grated or julienned

1/4 cup plus 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juiced, or more to taste

1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt, or to taste

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

* Combine carrots, lemon juice, and salt in medium bowl.

* Allow to sit at room temperature for 5 minutes.

* Stir in oil an parsley.

* Adjust seasoning if necessary.

* Serve, or let sit, covered, at room temperature for up to 6 hours, until ready to serve.

Serves 4

Pasta with Goat Cheese and Peppers

This is yet another summer meal that takes advantage of very fresh, local, seasonal veggies. I made this a few nights ago when I was craving a meatless meal and had some wonderful bell peppers in the fridge. I'm a huge fan of goat cheese, but I think you could probably substitute something else, maybe fontina, if you don't like goat cheese. The real key here, as with any not-too-saucy pasta, is to reserve about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water before you drain it, and then add that to your sauce.

Pasta with Goat Cheese and Peppers

1 lb pasta - I use fusilli

4-6 oz goat cheese

1 large yellow onion

2 bell peppers, sliced

1 cup fresh basil, chopped

salt and pepper

* Cook pasta in heavily salted water. When pasta is almost done, scoop out 1 cup of the cooking water and set aside. Drain pasta when al dente.

* In a medium saute pan, saute onions and peppers until soft.

* When onions and peppers are soft, add cheese and pasta water to the pan and stir until cheese melts to become a sauce.

* Remove pan from heat and stir in basil.

* Add pasta and stir to combine.

Serves 4 as a main course.

Nutella and Banana Treats

Our parents were a bit ahead of the curve when it came to the foods we were served. While they gave in to the 80's "fat-free" craze as much as anyone else, we never had sugar cereal or pop-tarts. We rarely ate fast food, and my full-time working mother cooked dinner nearly every night. We didn't have tv either, but that's a subject for a different forum. And while I don't begrudge my parents for causing me to be completely ignorant when it came to Count Chocula or that strangely terrifying cereal-eating leprechaun, I felt a serious sense of having missed something vitally important when, during college, I discovered Nutella for the first time. Apparently, kids in Italy eat it all the time, and that, combined with their pasta-at-every-meal tradition, makes me very, very jealous.

So in a panini, spread on a banana or a piece of toast, or straight from the jar with a spoon, I find Nutella irresistible. It's one of those foods that, even now that I'm a health-conscious, label-reading, pantry-controlling mom, I can't live without. I have no idea how it stays so incredibly smooth, and I don't want to know. I don't want to know whether "modified palm oil" is as bad (or worse!) than hydrogenated fat. I don't want to know whether "emulsifiers" are causing some irreversible damage to my body even as I write this. And those who know me know that this self-imposed ignorance is a very, very big deal for me. Nutella is that good.

Add to this the fact that, for reasons unknown to me, but probably related to making milk for twins and having 5 pounds that won't leave no matter what I do until those twins are older, I've been on a serious dessert kick lately. This is a super-easy, super-quick desert is decadent in a way that only melty Nutella in puff pastry can be. Don't burn your mouth.

Nutella and Banana Treats

1 sheet frozen puff pastry

9 teaspoons Nutella

9 banana slices

* Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees F

* Allow puff pastry to rest, covered, at room temp for approximately 20 minutes

* Cut puff pastry into 9 squares and place on lined or well-greased cookie-sheet (I use a half-sheet pan and a silpat liner)

* Place one teaspoon of Nutella in the middle of each square (the easiest way to do this is to use two small spoons (flatware, not measuring spoons) and use one to scoop Nutella from the jar, the other to scrape it onto the pastry).

* Place one banana slice onto each blob of Nutella

* Fold each corner of the pastry up and press the corners gently together to create a purse.

* Bake for approx. 20 minutes or until golden brown and puffy.

Makes 9

Summer Breakfast

This is my go-to summer breakfast. I use nonfat plain greek yogurt, but any plain will do. I use about 1/2 cup of yogurt, drizzle about 1 T good honey on it, and then top with whatever fruit I have in the fruit bowl. I usually add a sprinkle of granola (recipe to come) or nuts. I always come away feeling light and energized. Cate loves this as well, although I think she likes the fact that the cereal sticks to the yogurt on her spoon more than anything else.

Blueberry Nectarine Galette

I adore summer. I guess I see some merits in the other seasons - flowers in spring, crispy air and turning leaves in fall, snow in winter. But in my mind, it doesn't get much better than walking through a farmer's market in summer. The stone fruit fills the air with a smell so delicious, so sensual, that I find myself drawn closer, compelled to stop and admire the peaches, nectarines, plums, apricots. And then there are the berries. We're having a hot July and August this year on Southern California, so the strawberries have been on their way out for a while, replaced by blueberries, blackberries, raspberries (while the berries in the grocery store are all imported from the East Coast or Pacific Northwest, it is possible to find local berries here at our So Cal farmer's markets). It's a fruit wonderland, and I savor every minute of it. Last weekend, it was the nectarines calling my name. Unbelievably beautiful, hunched together on the table like they were enjoying the each other's company. And the smell. I couldn't resist.

While I love eating nectarines right out of the fruit bowl, I decided I needed a fruity dessert so I flipped through my standard cookbooks and came across a nectarine-blueberry galette in Nigella's "Express," one of my favorites. And while Nigella rarely, if ever, disappoints, I was underwhelmed by the idea of using jam and cream under my fruit. I've actually done that before, with peaches, and it was lovely, but I was in the mood for something with a bit more substance. Frankly, I also wanted an excuse to bake with cream cheese, one of my favorite things. So, I replaced the jam/cream with a mix of butter, cream cheese, vanilla and confectioner's sugar, topped it with the fruit, and baked. The only problem was the slight sogginess of the puff pastry in the middle, a problem shared by the original recipe, and one which I can't figure out how to solve. Despite this, it was DELICIOUS. And beautiful! Good hot, even better at room temp when the cream cheese had set up a bit more.

Nectarine Blueberry Galette

A galette is really nothing more than an easy pie or, as Nigella describes it, "a fancy way of saying 'this is a pie, but don't get your hopes up.'" I use the Pepperidge Farm frozen Puff Pastry, which comes in a box with two sheets.

1 sheet all-butter puff pastry

4 oz cream cheese, at room temperature

3 T butter, at room temperature

3 T powdered sugar

1 t good vanilla extract

1 ripe nectarine, cut into ~ 12 thin segments

2/3 c blueberries

2 T turbinado or demerera sugar

1. Remove one sheet of puff pastry, cover loosely with cling film and defrost on counter for 40 minutes, or overnight in the fridge.

2. Preheat overn to 450F and place rack in lower 1/3 of oven.

3. Unfold the defrosted puff pastry sheet onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silpat. Using a small sharp knife, score a frame around the pastry, approximately 3/4 inch in from the edges (this creates the puffy outer crust).

4. In the bowl of an electric mixer (or with a hand mixer or by hand), beat the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Spread onto pastry, keeping within the frame.

5. Arrange nectarines and blueberries on top. I tend to line the nectarines up neatly and then scatter the blueberries, but there is no "proper" way to do this. This is a great activity for kids of all ages - even very small children seem to love arranging things on top of other things.

6. Sprinkle the top with the turbinado or demerera sugar evenly (also a great activity for kids, although "sprinkle evenly" takes on a new meaning when toddlers are in charge).

7. Bake for 10-12 minutes. DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN for the first 5-7 minutes, but after that check the pastry frequently (with the oven light, if possible, or just quickly open and close the oven). It is done when the edges are golden brown and puffy.

***

If you have leftover puff pastry (you'll have the other half if you follow this recipe, and you'll need to use it unless you stuck it back in the freezer before thawing the other half), you can always make cinnamon twists, an eternal kid-pleaser. Just cut the puff into strips, sprinkle on a mixture of cinnamon-sugar (something I always keep in a small jar in the cabinet), twist, and bake at 400 for about 10 minutes. Keep an eye on them or the bottoms will burn. And one word of caution, brought to you by my index finger - melted sugar not only holds heat extraordinarily well, but it's sticky! Don't try to take them off of the baking pan too early!

Quick Market Day Dinner

One of the things I rely on very heavily to make my life a bit less hectic is rotisserie chicken. I usually buy two per week and use the first to make a simple meal, the second for other things (enchiladas, salad, kids lunches, sandwiches, whatever). One the day I shop, I usually serve chicken with fresh bread and a fresh veggie. Simple and delicious. Here I had rosemary-olive oil bread from a local bakery and served it with chicken and one of my stand-by veggie dishes, green beans with shallots from the Barefoot Contessa Cooks at Home cookbook.

Green Beans with Shallots

1 lb green beans, ends removed

salt

2 T unsalted butter

1 T olive oil

3 large shallots, large-diced

1/2 t freshly ground black pepper

* Steam or blanch green beans until they are crisp-tender. Immerse in ice water to stop the cooking process.

* Heat the butter and oil in a very large (12 inch) saute pan or large pot and saute the shallots on med. heat for 5-10 minutes, until lightly browned.

* Drain beans and add to pan with shallots. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss until beans are coated.

Miso-Glazed Grilled Salmon

I try to serve wild salmon once a week, and this particular dish is one of my favorites. Simple, elegant, summery. I adapted the recipe from the show BBQ with Bobby Flay and serve it over mixed baby lettuces with red bell peppers and a quick vinaigrette made with canola oil, seasoned rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, salt and pepper.

Miso-Glazed Grilled Salmon

1 large wild salmon filet or 4 smaller (6 oz) fillets

1/4 cup white miso

1/4 cup mirin

2 T unseasoned rice vinegar

2-3 T low sodium soy sauce

2 T minced green onions or chives

1 1/2 T minced fresh ginger

2 t toasted sesame seed oil

* Whisk together the miso, mirin, vinegar, soy sauce, green onions, ginger, and sesame oil in a small bowl. Place the salmon in a baking dish or gallon ziplock, pour the marinade over, and turn to coat.

* Cover (or seal)and marinate for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

* Heat grill to high. Remove the fish from the marinade and grill, skin side down, with the cover closed, until golden brown and a crust has formed, about 8-10 minutes.

Serves 4.

When all else fails

Some weeks are just too crazy to get meals planned and shopping lists made. When that happens to me, I hit the grocery store and stock up on things that are versatile - things I know I can make several different dishes out of without too much work. Chicken thighs, chicken breasts, flank steak, eggs, potatoes, mushrooms, broccoli. Stuff that always works in some capacity. This was one of those weeks, and I ended up with chicken thighs, mushrooms and not much else. Of course, I immediately thought of pasta, and I have thyme and parsley growing in the garden, so this was a simple solution. This chicken and mushroom sauce would also be very tasty over rice.

Pasta with Chicken, Mushrooms, and Thyme

1 lb pasta

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into small pieces

4 T olive oil, divided

1 large yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 c chicken stock

1/2 c white wine

2 T fresh thyme, removed from stem and lightly chopped or squished to release oils

4 T chopped fresh parsley

* Cook pasta in large pot of heavily salted water until al dente

* In large sauté pan, heat 2T olive oil

* Saute onions until translucent

* Add salt and pepper

* Add garlic, mushrooms, salt and pepper and saute until mushrooms are soft, taking care not to burn garlic

* Remove veggies from pan and set aside

* Add 2T olive oil to pan and saute chicken until done, approx. 5 minutes. Return veggies to pan along with wine and stock, stir to combine and heat through.

* Remove from heat and add thyme, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste

* Toss pasta with sauce and serve

Serves 4

A gardening lesson

I was so excited to grow my own lettuce this year. I have always thought it would be too difficult because of bugs/slugs/etc, but we had no problems with that at all. We planted in April without much thought to the varieties - I just picked out the seed packets that looked good. And then we waited, eager to have the freshest greens and wonderful salads all summer long. And then we waited some more. And we waited some more. Finally, in late July, our lettuces started getting big enough to eat. Apparently, we had planted slow growers and they took their own sweet time about it. They hadn't bolted, so I thought it was in great shape. I made a gorgeous mixed green salad and we sat down with eager anticipation.

And then we tasted it. And immediately got new bowls, removed everything other than the lettuce, and tossed the lettuce in the trash (no, I haven't started composting yet - this winter!). It was actually inedible. Now, I am a big fan of bitter greens like arugula, watercress, broccoli rabe, etc, but I have never tasted anything as horribly bitter as this lettuce. Apparently, according to the Google, lettuce doesn't like hot weather, and we had an unseasonably hot June and July. Oh well. I'll try again in the fall, and the spring, and I'll get my fresh-picked salad greens one of these days. What a disappointment.

Pesto

A basic pesto recipe.  Excellent on pasta (save 1 cup of the pasta water to thin out the sauce!), eggs, pizza, white fish (pan-fried, topped with pesto, and served over arugula), chicken, etc.  Make enough to freeze in 1/2 cup portions.

Basil Pesto
INGREDIENTS

• 3 large garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup pine nuts
• 2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano, coarsely grated (2/3 cup)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 cups loosely packed fresh basil
• 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

METHOD


1) In large food processor fitted with chopping blade (the standard one), process garlic, pine nuts, cheese (omit if you're freezing), salt, pepper, and basil until finely ground.  


2) Scrape down sides, replace lid, and turn on processor.  


3) Pour oil through funnel in a steady stream until pesto becomes a thick paste.

Best Blueberry Muffins

These are adapted from Ina Garten's Blueberry Coffee Cake Muffins from Barefoot Contessa Family Style. They are incredible. Light and slightly fluffy but not too much like cake - don't you hate muffins that are really just cake in smaller form? Just call them cupcakes and add frosting, if you ask me, instead of trying to pass them off as breakfast or tea food. Anyway, these are sweet but not cloying, I think because of the addition of sour cream. They are amazing hot, with butter and/or jam, and delicious cold, with butter or just plain. The recipe recommends putting them in cupcake liners, but I just grease my muffin tins and pour in the batter, and it works perfectly. Serve with a fruit smoothie to up the health factor of your breakfast.

Blueberry Muffins

12 T unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 c sugar

3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature (I have used 3 large eggs and they worked just fine)

1 1/2 t pure vanilla extract

8 oz (about 1 cup) sour cream

1/4 c milk

2 1/2 c all-purpose flour

2 t baking powder

1/2 t baking soda

1/2 t salt (I've used both kosher and sea salt and tasted no perceptible difference)

1 pint fresh blueberries, rinsed and picked through for stems

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin tins for 16 muffins.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

3. With the mixer on low speed, add eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla, sour cream, and milk. Beat until well combined.

4. In a separate bowl, sift together dry ingredients.

5. With the mixer on low speed, add dry ingredients mixture slowly and beat until just mixed, scraping down sides once of twice.

6. Fold in blueberries with rubber spatula or large spoon and make sure the batter is completely mixed. Don't over-stir.

7. Scoop the batter into prepared muffin pans, filling each cup just over the top, and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes (start checking muffins at 15-20 minutes*), or until the muffins are lightly browned on top and a toothpick comes out clean.

Makes 16 muffins

* every oven is different, and even my nearly brand-new top-of-the-line GE doesn't heat evenly. When I bake, I start checking things about half-way through and generally need to turn the pan because the back of my oven is hotter than the front. Also, I usually try to err on the side of under- rather than over-cooked, so I rarely let muffins or cakes go as long as the recipe calls for.