Nectarine-goat cheese galette

I ended up taking this in to work yesterday, because it was too pretty not to share with a bunch of people.

And delicious! And simple. It's really just crust, nectarines, and goat cheese. It would be even more delicious with, say, some arugula and chopped nuts sprinkled over the top; or some prosciutto; or a lemon juice-butter-herb sauce; or really anything. It's more of a savory tart, so it's easy to throw some salad or prosciutto on top and call it a meal.

From Spicie Foodie:

Olive oil pastry:
2 cups all purpose flour
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil, or a light tasting one of your choice
⅓ cup cold water, plus extra if needed
pinch salt
½ tsp sugar

Filling:
whole milk or egg wash for brushing
Nectarines cut into thin wedges, I used 5 large
1 large log of goat cheese

Pastry Instructions:
Mix the flour,salt and sugar until well combined. Make a well in center and add olive oil and water. Mix and knead into a smooth dough. Use your hands to gather the dough into a ball. Wrap with plastic wrap or place inside a plastic bag. Leave to rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

After the 30 minutes of resting, preheat the oven to 375F, roll out dough to a large circle and to your desired thickness. Crumble and spread goat cheese around center, but leave about 1 inch or 2.5 cm of outer dough to be folded over later. Next arrange the nectarines on top of goat cheese, use as many as you like. Fold the extra outer dough over the toppings, like you see in the finished images. Brush the dough with a little whole milk or egg wash. Bake in center of oven for 20-25 minutes or until the dough feels crispy and is golden brown.

Allow to cool for 10 minutes.

Pickled nectarine and burrata salad

It sounds weird, I know. But this is actually the most delicious salad I've had in a while.

Burrata is fresh mozzarella with a near-liquid center. If you can't find it, fresh mozzarella is fine.

From Bon Appetit, reprinted below:

2 nectarines, thinly sliced
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 tsp sugar
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
4 cups mixed bitter greens (such as arugula and mizuna) (I used regular mixed greens)
1 cup fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons olive oil plus more for drizzling
8 ounces burrata or fresh mozzarella, cut or torn into 1-inch pieces

Toss nectarines, onion, vinegar, and sugar in a large bowl; season with salt and pepper. Let sit 10 minutes. Pour off pickling liquid from nectarines and onion, reserving liquid. Add greens, mint, 2 tablespoons oil, and 2–3 tablespoons reserved liquid; toss to combine. Place burrata on plates, top with salad, and drizzle with oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Turkey and black bean enchiladas

What to do with a package of ground turkey? ($2.99, on sale!)

I considered turkey burgers, but didn't have any burger buns. Then I thought about turkey meatloaf, but I wasn't feeling it. So I decided to go for turkey and black bean enchiladas.

From skinnytaste.com:

1 lb ground turkey
15.5 can black beans, drained
4.5 oz can chopped green chiles (I used two fresh jalapenos, chopped)
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1-2 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp chili powder
salt
8 flour tortillas
1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese

For the Enchilada Sauce:
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 tbsp chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
1-1/2 cups tomato sauce
1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
3/4 cup chicken broth
kosher salt and fresh pepper to taste

In a medium saucepan, sauté garlic. Add chiles, chili powder, cumin, chicken broth, tomato sauce, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Set aside until ready to use.

In a large skillet brown the turkey and season with salt. When the turkey is browned,  add onion, garlic, black beans, cilantro, green chiles, diced tomatoes, cumin and chili powder. Mix well and simmer on low, covered for 20 minutes. Remove lid and simmer an additional 5-10 minutes to reduce the liquid.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put 1/2 cup turkey mixture into each tortilla and roll it. Place on 9x13 glass baking dish seam side down. Top with enchilada sauce and cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the oven on the middle rack for 20-25 minutes. Top with low fat sour cream, cilantro or scallions if you wish.

Spinach quiche

A simple and delicious dish that I threw together with frozen spinach, eggs, and some odds and ends of cheese.

5 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 10 oz. package frozen spinach, thawed, with the water squeezed out
1/3 log of goat cheese (optional)
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup parmesan
1 bunch scallions, chopped
Salt and pepper

1 sheet of puff pastry, thawed

Place the puff pastry in a pie pan. Mix the other ingredients together, and pour into the pie pan. (You can roll the puff pastry out into a circle; I just lay mine in as a square, without rolling, and fold the corners back on top of the filling.) Bake for 25-35 minutes at 450, or until the middle is no longer jiggly. Let cool 10-15 minutes.

Corn and goat cheese salad

Aaaaand yet another make-ahead cold salad! Perfect for hot days.

Note: the recipe calls for grilled roasted corn but I used plain old thawed frozen corn. And I left out the tomatoes, because I didn't have any.

From The Healthy Foodie:

8 ears of fresh corn on the cob, silk removed
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup grape tomatoes
2 cups haricots verts, ends removed and cut into 1" pieces
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 large jalapeno pepper, seeded and very finely chopped
the juice of 1 lime
1 tsp Himalayan salt
½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
75g unripened goat cheese, crumbled
½ cup walnuts, chopped

Preheat your outdoor grill to high heat (around 400-450). Place your ears of corn directly on the grill without removing the husks (remove the silk to avoid burning). Close the lid and cook the corn for about 20 minutes, rotating the ears every 3-5 minutes, to insure even cooking on all sides. Remove corn from the grill and allow to cool for about 10 minutes then remove the husks. Remove kernels from the cobs and place in the fridge to cool completely, preferably overnight.

Of course, you can also use leftover corn or even frozen corn. When corn is good and cold, add it to a mixing bowl along with the rest of the ingredients. Blend to combine. Serve immediately or leave in the fridge for a couple of hours to allow for flavors to combine.

Baked shells with spinach and sausage

Baked pasta combinations are a great way to make a filling, delicious dinner out of pantry/freezer ingredients (box of pasta, box of frozen spinach, some sausage, some cheese). I used shells here, but really any shape will do.

3/4 lb mild Italian sausage
1 medium onion, chopped
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup pesto sauce
10 ounces pasta, cooked
1 box frozen spinach
6 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add sausage, onion, and garlic, and saute until sausage cooked through, about 10 minutes, breaking up meat with back of spoon. Add tomatoes with juice to pan. Simmer until sauce thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Stir in pesto sauce. Season with salt and pepper.

Lightly oil 13 x 9 glass baking dish. Combine pasta, spinach, mozzarella, and 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese in large bowl. Stir in hot tomato sauce. Mix gently until spinach is wilted. Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle remaining 2/3 cup Parmesan cheese over top. Bake until sauce bubbles and cheese melt, about 30 minutes.

Beet greens and rice gratin

This is another one of those dishes that's good either hot or cold.

Notes: I used mozzarella instead of Gruyere (and added more Parmesan), and I skipped the blanching/steaming set. I just threw the raw beet greens directly into the pan with the onion and garlic and let them cook until wilted.

From the New York Times:

1 generous bunch beet greens, stemmed and washed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
3 eggs
1/2 cup low-fat milk (2 percent)
Freshly ground pepper
1 cup cooked brown rice, arborio rice or Calrose rice
2 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated (1/2 cup, tightly packed)
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 cup bread crumbs (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Oil a 2-quart gratin dish with olive oil. Either blanch the beet greens for 1 minute in a large pot of generously salted boiling water, or steam over an inch of boiling water for 2 to 5 minutes, until wilted and tender. Rinse with cold water, squeeze out water and chop medium-fine. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes, and add the garlic and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the cooked greens and the thyme and toss together. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat.

In a large bowl, beat together the eggs and milk. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Stir in the greens mixture, the rice and the cheeses and mix together well. Scrape into the oiled baking dish. Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the top. Drizzle on the remaining tablespoon of oil.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until sizzling and lightly browned on the top and sides. Remove from the heat and allow to sit for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Baked rigatoni with mushroom ragout

Mmmm, baked pasta. I used rigatoni, but ziti or penne would work just as well. I also used this recipe from Bon Appetit, without the dried mushrooms; I had a big clamshell of white button mushrooms from Costco which I used up instead.

It's almost mac and cheese with mushrooms added in; but the sauce is a white bechamel sauce, instead of a cheese sauce. Regardless, it's rich and cheesy and mushroom-y and delicious.

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
1 3/4 cups finely chopped onions
1 lb fresh button mushrooms, chopped
2 1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 1/2 cups whole milk
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh chives
12 ounces pasta (rigatoni, penne, or ziti)
1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and simmer over medium-high heat 10 minutes.

Melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and stir constantly until golden, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk. Stir until sauce thickens and boils, about 3 minutes. Stir into mushroom mixture. Simmer 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and chives. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside. 

Preheat oven to 425°F. Butter 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain well. Return to pot. Add mushroom sauce and toss well to coat. Transfer to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle breadcrumbs and remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan over. Bake casserole until heated through and light golden, about 25 minutes.

Spring pea risotto with pea tendrils

The restaurant got some first-of-the-season spring peas in last week, so naturally I had to have some. I brought home two pounds of peas (which, shelled, was about two cups of peas) and a box of pea shoots.

Pea shoots (or tendrils, or vines, or whatever you want to call them) are like pea-flavored microgreens. They're tender and delicious, and can absolutely be eaten on their own if you so desire. I plan to make a very decadent salad with the rest of them later in the week.

This risotto is very similar to this one with peas, zucchini, and bacon, but without the zucchini and bacon. Throw the raw peas in at the last minute, with the butter and parmesan. You want them to still have a slight pop. Scatter pea shoots around the top, and enjoy the taste of spring.

Spinach and cheese quinoa casserole

This is a great thing to make when there's not much left in the house--quinoa from the pantry, a box of frozen spinach from the freezer, some odds and ends of cheese.

Reprinted below:


1 1/2 cups dry quinoa
3 cups chicken broth
1 red bell pepper, chopped (I left this out, didn't have one)
3 green onions, chopped (I substituted a shallot)
1 tsp minced garlic
1 box chopped frozen spinach, defrosted and all liquid squeezed out
1 tbsp canola oil
1 cup milk
2 cups grated cheddar cheese (I threw in some goat cheese as well)
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cups grated mozzerella cheese (Used gruyere instead)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp black pepper

In a large saucepot over medium high heat, add the oil. Once hot, add the chopped bell pepper, scallions and spinach and saute for about four minutes—just until bell pepper has started to soften. Add the garlic and continue sauteing for another 30 seconds. Add quinoa to the pot, followed by the chicken broth, salt, dry mustard and pepper. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until all liquid has been absorbed. Stir well.

Now, add the grated cheddar cheese and milk. Stir to combine then pour into a greased 9 x 13″ casserole dish. In a small bowl, combine the Panko and the mozzerella cheese. Sprinkle on top of casserole and bake for about 30 minutes at 375 until golden. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving (or not).

Warm golden beet salad with greens and almonds

From The Kitchn, reprinted below: 

1 bunch golden beets, roasted, peeled and cubed

The beet greens

Olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
2/3 cup toasted almond slivers

Chop the beet greens into bite-size ribbons. In a large skillet, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat and add the garlic. Cook on low for about 5 minutes or until the garlic is golden and fragrant. Add the chopped leaves and stir to coat with the garlic. Cook on medium-low for about 10 minutes or until the leaves are soft and tender. Remove from the heat.

Toss the beet pieces with the cooked greens, goat cheese, and almonds. Taste and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm or cold. (This also makes an excellent pressed sandwich filling, especially with some extra goat cheese.)

Farfalle with golden beets, dandelion greens, and goat cheese

Golden beets are so pretty. And yummy. I found three enormous ones on sale the other day, so I roasted them and then decided what to do with them. The beet greens were looking a little wilty, and I had a bunch of dandelion greens that was starting to look gross, so I combined the two in this dish and added most of a log of goat cheese. Delish.

1 box farfalle (or other pasta shape)
2 large golden beets, roasted, peeled and chopped
1 bunch beet greens, chopped
1/2 bunch dandelion greens, chopped
1 cup toasted pine nuts
3/4 log goat cheese
2 shallots
2 cloves garlic

Finely dice the shallots and garlic and saute gently in olive oil until the shallots are soft. Add the greens and cook until wilted. Meanwhile, cook the pasta. Combine the cooked, drained pasta with a little of the pasta water with the greens, toasted pine nuts, and goat cheese. Stir until combined. Salt to taste.

Steel-cut oatmeal with fried egg and parmesan

I've written about steel-cut oats before. With dried fruit and a little milk or cream, a bowl of oatmeal is a glorious thing. But it took this post on Chaos in the Kitchen for me to realize that same bowl of oatmeal could be a savory meal, as well.

I made a batch of oats, and topped with a fried egg, freshly grated parmesan, and a little truffle salt. Amazing.

Sriracha pork mac n' cheese

Last week I cooked up a ginormous pork shoulder, to make a big batch of pulled pork. (Why not; I had a lot of jars of barbecue sauce around.) Hubs and I have been eating pulled pork sandwiches all week, which is delicious, but was becoming tiring.

So today I decided to make a big batch of pork mac and cheese.

I used this mac and cheese recipe, without the greenery, with lots of leftover shredded pork added in. (I used regular cheddar cheese; I bet pepper jack would be fantastic in this.)

On the spur of the moment, I added a healthy amount of Sriracha to the cheese sauce, enough to turn it lightly orange.

The result was a slightly spicy, very porky, very cheesy mac and cheese.

Sriracha and pork make everything better, don't they? To celebrate I made myself a Srirazerac, as well.

Warm mushroom and grated beet salad

This is just cooked mushrooms, with grated roasted beets, and a wee bit of cheese. If you have greenery (spinach, arugula, lettuce), you could serve this over a bed of greens. But I ate it all by itself and it was delicious.

1 box button mushrooms, sliced
2 medium roasted beets, peeled
Butter, olive oil, fresh thyme
Freshly grated parmesan cheese

Lightly saute the mushrooms in butter and olive oil until they start to give up some liquid. Add fresh thyme, and grate the beets into the pan. Mix together and continue cooking until the mushrooms are as done as you want them. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm, with cheese.

As an aside, this was an excellent way to use up both some old mushrooms and a couple of old beets I found in the vegetable drawer.

Beets and burrata

Another nice thing about working in a restaurant is the inspiration factor. My restaurant is doing a new beet and burrata salad, which looked so delicious I thought I would take a stab at it.

Burrata is fresh mozzarella cheese, with a combination of fresh mozzarella and cream on the inside. I sliced it (well, "sliced," the inside is mostly liquid), drizzled it with olive oil, salt and fresh thyme, and laid it alongside roasted sliced beets. The beets got salt and pepper.

Verdict: not as good as the original, of course, but still an excellent use of beets. The creaminess of the cheese plays really well with roasted beets.

Chicken parm

Now THIS is kid-friendly. Everyone gobbled it up and asked for more.

From Pioneer Woman:

4 whole (up To 6) chicken breasts (I used 2 packages of chicken tenders)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 whole onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cups wine (white or red)
3 cans (14.5 oz.) crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 pound linguine or spaghetti

Mix flour, salt, and pepper together on a large plate. Dredge flattened chicken breasts in flour mixture. Set aside. At this time, you can start a pot of water for your pasta. Cook linguine until al dente.

Heat olive oil and butter together in a large skillet over medium heat. When butter is melted and oil/butter mixture is hot, fry chicken breasts until nice and golden brown on each side, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove chicken breasts from the skillet and keep warm.

Without cleaning skillet, add onions and garlic and gently stir for 2 minutes. Pour in wine and scrape the bottom of the pan, getting all the flavorful bits off the bottom. Allow wine to cook down until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Pour in crushed tomatoes and stir to combine. Add sugar and more salt and pepper to taste. Allow to cook for 30 minutes. Toward the end of cooking time, add chopped parsley and give sauce a final stir.

Carefully lay chicken breasts on top of the sauce and completely cover them in grated Parmesan. Place lid on skillet and reduce heat to low. Allow to simmer until cheese is melted and chicken is thoroughly heated. Add more cheese to taste. Place cooked noodles on a plate and cover with sauce. Place chicken breast on top and sprinkle with more parsley. Serve immediately.

Quinoa "risotto" with mushrooms

So not kid-friendly. Still delicious, though.

You can also layer this, with salad greens, into a wrap and eat it cold.

From Epicurious:

1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 8-ounce package sliced crimini (baby bella) mushrooms
6 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, sliced
3 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, divided
1 cup dry white wine
Grated Parmesan cheese

Bring 2 cups salted water to boil in medium saucepan. Add quinoa, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender and water is absorbed, about 13 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until onion begins to brown, 5 minutes. Add garlic; stir 30 seconds. Add mushrooms and thyme. Sautée; until mushrooms are tender, 6 minutes. Add wine; stir until wine is reduced and liquid is syrupy, 2 minutes.

Mix quinoa into mushroom mixture; season with salt and pepper. Pass cheese separately.

Penne with roasted sweet potatoes, prosciutto, and pesto

The other day I discovered a Costco with a restaurant supply section. Not just napkins and things, but actual professional equipment. I felt like a kid in a candy store. Not just equipment, either--this one had a restaurant supply section, where you could buy fresh seafood by the case and entire sides of beef. Naturally, I have nowhere to put a professional-grade fryer or a side of beef, but I did buy a one-pound bag of fresh basil for $8 and was deliriously happy about it.

Naturally I had to buy a bag of pinenuts, too, so I could make pesto. Which I did. Two enormous batches.

Then I peeled, cubed, and roasted two big sweet potatoes, shredded the last of the prosciutto, and tossed those with penne and some of the pesto. Roasted sweet potatoes and pesto are surprisingly delicious together. I'm going to make this again, with more sweet potatoes.

Kale salad with apples, pecans, goat cheese, and dried cherries

Man, I love a good kale salad. Especially some lovely red kale.

1 bunch kale, stripped from the stems and torn into pieces
1/2 cup toasted pecans
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and cubed
1/2 cup dried cherries (or cranberries)
2 oz goat cheese

Dressing:

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
1 tablespoon smooth Dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Toss everything together, add the dressing, and toss well again. Let sit for 10-20 minutes before eating.