Slow-Roasted Salmon with Fennel, Citrus, and Chiles

We've gotten really lazy with our blog. But I have come to rely on it as a source for dinner ideas and the place where many of my regular recipes can be found. I have a bunch that I've been meaning to post, like this one. I made it again last night and it is SO good!!! The flavors are so lovely: fennel, citrus, dill and some heat. I didn't get my own photo of it so I'm just lifting the pretty pic from Bon Appétit. But this recipe needs to be accessed on the regular, because it's easy and I love it. Here you go!
Slow-Roasted Salmon with Fennel, Citrus, and Chiles 

Pear Pie with Red Wine and Rosemary

It's been a while folks! But we have not forgotten to eat, don't worry. I've tried to give the blog a fresh look for our fresh start, and here is a little something to serve as evidence that we've been cooking: a pie so delicious I made it twice in one month:  Pear Pie with Red Wine and Rosemary - discovered in Bon Appétit this last fall.

The crust technique was a revelation, and the filling was amazing. Seriously let's be honest, reduced red wine is never a bad idea for a dessert, and it's particularly delicious with pears.

This pie helped me survive the winter. 

I love this pie.

xo, ~Shauna

Rigatoni alla Boscaiola

I was craving a pasta with Italian sausage and was searching for a recipe.  I found a this one that sounded tasty in one of Lidia Bastianich's cookbooks.

I used a mix of shiitake, crimini and button mushrooms. The cream and parmigiano-reggiano added a nice richness to the sauce. This is a really easy pasta dish and one that I will definitely make again. 

Buon Appetito! 

More Campari!

Here is another yummy cocktail made with Campari.  Mix 1.5 ounces of campari with the juice of half a pink grapefruit, stir it over ice, and top with sparkling water.  Ta Da!  The flavor is amazing - bitter yet sweet with a little fizz.  A perfect summer cocktail!  Cin Cin!

Campari & Orange

I am a HUGE fan of Campari! A Negroni (Campari, Gin and Vermouth) is one of my favorite cocktails out there. Campari is a bitters and aperitf made from the infusion of herbs and fruit in alcohol and water. It has a very distinct flavor that people either love or hate. And I personally LOVE it!  Now that Spring is here and the weather is getting nice outside, I love to drink Campari & Orange. All it is is a little Campari, a little orange juice, and a little Pellegrino served over ice. It tastes a little like grapefruit juice with an herby kick...YUM! And if you buy the Campari and decide you don't care for the taste, send it to me and I'll take care of it ;)

Happy St. Paddy's Day!

It's been a while, sorry folks! I have lots of stuff to post; a folder full of photos and recipe notes. I've just been busy, or lazy... or both. Probably just hibernating, like I do in the winter.

Siobhan sent me lots of fun Irish quotes earlier today, including this one: I'm troubled, I'm dissatisfied. I'm Irish. So there! That's my excuse for not blogging for a while.

But what better way to get back into it than by sharing with you this delicious I MEAN DELICIOUS chocolate stout cake that I made?? Yesterday I was at my studio and snow was coming down. It always seems to snow on or around St. Patrick's day here, which always freaks me out. I guess being from southern California it will always strike me as completely bizarre. Anyway, I was all, I can't paint right now, I really need to bake something chocolatey. You can ask Jimmy, I believe those were my exact words. So I came home and made this:

It's made with chocolate and stout! And in case you haven't guessed already, I'm having a Guinness while I type this! My cake didn't come clean out of the bundt pan as you can maybe see, but guess what! Who cares! I decorated that s**t anyway. Also, I used this year's Christmas sprinkles! Yeah, those are xmas trees making that shamrock! Here's the recipe, from the wonderful Smitten Kitchen blog.

Here's another quote Sio sent me: St. Patrick's Day is an enchanted time... a day to begin transforming winter's dreams into summer's magic! Cheers to that. 

Happy St. Patricks Day!! 

xo ~Shauna :)

Pumpkin Banana Mousse Tart

We had a very lovely Thanksgiving meal this year (as always), and for dessert I made this Pumpkin tart.  I have made it before and it is quite tasty and more exciting than your generic pumpkin pie.  It requires only 10 minutes of baking for the crust, otherwise the rest is done on the stove top and chilling in the refrigerator.  The orange zest, banana and spices in the mousse are quintessential fall flavors, and they go so nicely with the pumpkin.  This tart is definitely something you could make for dessert after any meal since the pumpkin isn't overwhelming and it's much lighter than the dense pumpkin pies we are used to.  Try it while it's fall out there!  I promise you will love it!

We passed on the whipped cream topping - and I don't think it really needs it.

Happy Halloween from Sandy-Ravished Jersey!

Well you guys, the super-storm has been crazy, but the good news is, I was able to get these Halloween treats baked before the power went out:

They are Chocolate Halloween Devil Kitties! Super yummy chocolate cookies with a touch of spice. So good, and so much fun! 

I used this recipe from a really great baking blog that I like a lot, but with a different shape, obviously. And I didn't have dutched cocoa powder, but she explains in her baking basics section why it is OK to substitute regular unsweetened. They were delicious!

Papi was running around our apartment like a crazy person a few hours before the hurricane hit, and we were convinced he sensed it coming.  So the little bit of cayenne pepper on top (which is such a super tasty finishing touch by the way) was a perfect representation of his friskiness.

I have to say this is one of the most exciting things I've made in a while. Tiny spicy chocolate kitties!! They have gotten us through the hurricane, for sure. 

Meow!

xo,

~Shauna :)

Our Official Frankenstorm Cocktail: the Pumpkinhead!

This is a delicious cocktail that we discovered a couple years ago when we did a class at Murray's. It was a class on pairing cheeses with cocktails, and this was one of our favorites of the night. It was paired with a nice "Spring Brook Tarentaise" - a French Abondonce style artisan cheese from Thistle Hill Farm. To be honest I don't know what any of that means, it's just in my notes from the class, which was in 2009. 

Anyway I'm sure I loved all the cheese but the important take-away was this drink. It's so good you guys!!! Perfect for weathering a big storm. It's pumpkin beer season, and pumpkin butter has been available at the farmer's market for the last few weeks... but neither will be around much longer, so get some soon if you want to try this out! We're going to stock up so we can make this tasty drink again, perhaps at Christmas time. 

xo ~Shauna :)

Pumpkinhead Cocktail

Recipe for 1 drink:

- 3/4 oz pumpkin butter

- 3/4 oz ginger simple syrup*

- 1/2 oz fresh-squeezed lemon juice

- 1 oz vanilla vodka (I didn't have any this time, so I just used regular vodka with a dash of vanilla extract!)

- 2 dashes orange bitters

- chilled pumpkin beer (I used Post Road Pumpkin Ale - a seasonal release from Brooklyn Brewery - this was the one we had in the class)

- orange twist to garnish

Shake all ingredients except beer well over ice. Strain into the bottom of a pilsner glass. Top with beer. The beer should comprise about 2/3 of the final volume of the cocktail. Twist orange rind over drink to release oils. 

*To make ginger simple syrup, add 3/4 cup chopped, peeled ginger to two cups simple syrup in saucepan. Simmer for five minutes. Strain and discard ginger.

Radicchio Risotto

Folks, while we were hunkering down for Frankenstorm last night, I made this yummy risotto!

It's one of the recipes I hoarded during my year abroad in Austria, back in 1996. I learned to cook a lot of Italian delights that year from my South Tyrolean friends. Risotto is so easy (if you don't mind stirring at the stove for 20 minutes or so) and so hearty and comforting on a stormy night!

There are so many different types to make, but this time of year I really enjoy this earthy radicchio version. Here's the recipe for you....

Risotto al Radicchio
serves 4

5 or 6 cups vegetable stock
6 tbsp butter
1 onion chopped
1 head radicchio, cut into strips
2 cups risotto rice
1/2 glass white wine
4 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated
salt

Bring stock to a boil. In another pot, cook the onion in half of the butter, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Stir in the radicchio, then stir in the rice and cook, stirring, until the grains are coated in butter. Pour in the wine and cook until it has evaporated. Add a ladle full of the hot stock and cook, stirring, until it has been absorbed. Continue adding the stock and stirring until each ladle full is absorbed. This will take about 20 minutes. When the rice is tender, season with salt to taste, stir in the remaining butter and the Parmesan and serve.

Enjoy!

Chicken with Olives and Pine Nuts

I am doing an honorary post for Mommy.  She made this for dinner last night and came into my room and was like "come take a picture of this chicken so we can show it to Shauna and put it on the blog".  So I did,  and now I am posting the recipe as well.  This recipe is from Lidia Bastianich and it involves really simple ingredients but it is so tasty, and literally finger-lickin' good!  With so few ingredients I'm sure that this dish is super easy to prepare, and I'm sure Mom will attest to that in a comment very soon.

Mom served it up with some creamy polenta and sauteed green beans. Yummy!!!!

Aguachile con camarones

I went to Rosarito, Mexico about a week ago and one of the people I was with ordered Aguachile at one of the many meals that we had that day.  I took a bite and immediately told myself that I need that make that when I get home!  It is so tasty!  It is basically spicy shrimp ceviche made with lime juice, cilantro, chile and salt - YUM!  I found a recipe online and tried it out.  It's so easy to make and can be made for an appetizer or a meal.  I made it with serrano chiles but I think next time I will try jalapeno because I think I like the flavor better. 

Note: I know some people worry about eating raw seafood and getting sick from it. Let me discuss this quickly. When you marinate raw fish or shrimp in acid i.e. lime juice, it denature the proteins in the fish giving it that cooked texture that heat does as well. However if the fish has a parasite, the acid will not kill that. But GOOD seafood should not have parasites, so if you are comfortable eating sushi then you should be ok with eating ceviche as well - or aguachile in this case. You could also just make this recipe using frozen shrimp (freezing kills most parasites) to avoid any freak accidents, but just keep in mind the shrimp will probably be a little tougher than if using fresh shrimp. Hope that helps you scared-y-cats out there!

Stuffed Shells with Fennel, Radicchio and Cheese

This recipe was on the cover of last month's Food & Wine magazine and whatever it was I had to make it!  When I saw what the ingredients were I knew that I would LOVE it.  I am a huge fan of radicchio and fennel, and who doesn't love cheese and pasta of any kind!?  This was easy to make, although I used a mandoline which made the job faster and way easier than doing the slicing by hand - so I highly suggest that.  I also made a homemade tomato sauce that you could of course just replace with your favorite jarred sauce to make it even faster.

The mix of fontina, ricotta, and the veggies was so nice, and had a very earthy flavor that was perfect.  This dish is great for fall and days when you want comfort food!  I served it with Italian chicken sausages and salad.  I will definitely make this dish again and so should you!

Peach Dutch Baby Pancake with Cherry Compote

I've been pretty lazy all summer about posting, so I'm going back and adding some stuff I've made over the last couple months... like this amazing delight we had for breakfast one weekend after I got some lovely peaches from the farmers market:

This yumminess would also be great for dessert. The cherry compote is kind of one of of my new favorite things... we had extra and let me tell you, the tart-sweetness is PERFECT over chocolate and/or vanilla ice cream. So good! 

Here's the recipe, which I found in the August issue of Bon Appétit. 

:)

White Bean Ragout with Toast

This is a super easy, delicious and hearty vegetarian meal for any night of the week. I saw the recipe a few months ago in Bon Appétit, and I'd like to officially add it to my repertoire. Not only is it simple and yummy, but also the recipe yields double the amount of soffritto (chopped aromatics; in this case onions, peppers, garlic and tomato paste) so that you can freeze some for later. Then you have it ready to go to quickly make this dish again (which I'm going to do tonight!), or you have a base ready for countless other sauces and soups.

Enjoy!

Roasted Vegetable Tart

Do you have a bunch of veggies that you don't know what to do with?  Well here is an idea....make a roasted vegetable tart based on a recipe in Bon Appetit!  I made it and it was great!  Very hearty and filling, and of course tastes amazing with all the different flavors from the veggies.  It is a bit time consuming but well worth it!  Try it!

Coconut Tres Leches Cake

For anyone looking for the perfect cake to bring to a 4th of July BBQ tomorrow, I've got your recipe right here.  I made this for Father's Day a few weeks ago, and I'm going to make it again tomorrow.  It is AMAZING and pretty darn simple!  All you do is bake the cake and then pour the milk mixture on top of the hot cake and let it soak in.

I suggest making the cake right when you wake up in the morning, and then put it in the refrigerator for about 5 hours wherever the party is at. Then serve it up with some unsweetened whip cream and berries. Perfect for a summer BBQ! It is so rich & creamy and coconut-y. You won't be able to stop eating it!

Chicken Banh Mi

When I saw this recipe in Sunset magazine, I knew I had to make it!  Anything involving chinese five-spice is always good in my opinion.  Plus adding on all the condiments - there's no way it could be bad.

This is a super easy meal to make! But when the recipe says to matchstick cut your veggies, don't do that unless you feel ambitious and not very hungry yet - it's not necessary. Just cut, grate or slice them in whatever manner sounds easy and appetizing to you. Also, I used chicken tenders instead of full breasts which made the cooking time even faster. And I also subbed out the mayonnaise on the bread for Sriracha. Yummy in the tummy!

Yes Peas!

My favorite thing at the farmers market recently is the fresh shellin' peas! They are so tasty... and so adorable!

They make a delicious side-dish all by themselves, and last night I made this really simple, fresh, delicious pasta featuring fresh peas and mint from our little garden. Perfect for summer!

Potato Chip Cookies

I saw this recipe in the latest issue of Martha Stewart Living and had to try them out.  Anything that combines salty and sweet has to be good, right?!  And just as I had hoped, they are pretty darn good!  They are a little time consuming however, having to roll each ball of dough in the crushed chips, but well worth it.  Next time I make them I might try using a little less nuts and add in some chocolate chips!  These would be perfect to bring to a BBQ, so try these out next time you have one to go to!