Our Family: December 2007

Saturday, December 29, 2007

Alexia's 22nd birthday

Today is Alexia's 22nd B-day. Twenty-two years ago this morning the Doctor told me she would never walk and mostly likely be blind and deaf, if she lived passed 3-years-old. She is amazing, in the middle of her 4th year in college. Very bright, very social and a sweetheart. She has changed my life and made me what I am today.

Please post a Bithday greeting here as she loves to read this Blog and it would be a great surprise!

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Party weekend

This past weekend was very busy. Amber and I threw a Holiday party at the hospital for children (with congenital heart disease) and their families. We had family portraits available (free of charge) with a potluck, Santa and tons of gifts (sold to us with a nice discount by www.atoygarden.com). It was a very fun night. Then, Sunday afternoon I invited 15 of my girlfriends over for a wine and appetizer party, of which I spent all morning 6:00AM to 3:00PM cooking for. It was also a toy drive for the hospital and I received a ton of toys to give to Child Life at Sutter Memorial. The appetizers were a plenty and I received rave reviews for the Onion-Thyme dip I made. I did not use the soup mix recipe, it was all from sratch and if anyone wants the recipe, please post and I will email it to you. I love all my friends, they are so wonderful and as one neighbor said "I have never seen so many beautiful women go into one house at the same time".

Happy Holidays!

Sunday, December 9, 2007

Can a seven-year-old get RSV?

If they can then I am sure my son has it or he has the symptoms that would happen if it was possible. What a long couple of nights. He had asthma as a pre-schooler and it had gone away for 3/4 years! Some virus triggered the asthma and now we are back on Xopenex breathing treatments and inhaled steriods. Fortunately, I didn't dispose of my pulmo aide. Although I did have to scramble to get the tubing and mouth pieces, getting them on a Saturday would have been next to impossible (it is a nice perk to have a husband who is a PICU nurse and happened to be working!).

Off to try to get some much needed rest........

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Ingredients

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 to 1 tablespoon finely chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo plus 2 teaspoons adobo sauce (from can)
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 red snapper fillets with skin (1 1/2 lb total)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Accompaniment: lime wedges

Preparation
Mash together butter, chipotles to taste, adobo sauce, and salt with a fork until blended.

Pat fish dry and cut each fillet in half crosswise, then season with salt and pepper. Spread flour on a plate and dredge fish, knocking off excess.

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then panfry fish, skin sides up first, in batches, turning over once, until browned and just cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer as cooked with a slotted spatula to plates and add more oil to skillet as needed. Top fish with dollops of chipotle butter.

pecan barley salad

1 cup quick-cooking barley
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup pecans (3 oz), chopped
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium carrots, cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 celery ribs, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup finely chopped shallot (1 large)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Preparation

Bring barley, water, and salt to a boil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until barley is tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Drain barley in a colander, then rinse under cold water and drain well.

While barley is simmering, cook pecans in oil in a heavy skillet over moderately low heat, stirring frequently, until nuts are toasted 1 shade darker, about 4 minutes. Toss nuts and oil with barley and remaining ingredients in a large bowl, then season with salt and pepper.

Garlicky Tortellini, Spinach & Tomato Soup

ingredients

2 Tbs. unsalted butter
6 to 8 cloves garlic, chopped
4 cups (1 qt.) homemade or low-salt chicken broth
6 oz. fresh or frozen cheese tortellini
14 oz. canned diced tomatoes, with their liquid
10 oz. spinach, washed and stemmed; coarsely chopped if larger
8 to 10 leaves basil, coarsely chopped
Grated Parmesan cheese, preferably parmigiano reggiano

how to make

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 2 min. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Add the tortellini and cook halfway, about 5 min. for frozen pasta, less if using fresh. Add the tomatoes and their liquid, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook just until the pasta is tender. Stir in the spinach and basil and cook until wilted, 1 to 2 min. Serve sprinkled with the grated cheese.

Ingredients

3 1/2 ounces medium-wide (linguine-width) rice noodles,* broken into 6-inch lengths
Boiling water
6 cups homemade turkey stock or low-salt chicken broth
1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots (about 3 large)
6 1/8-inch-thick rounds peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons fish sauce (nam pla or nuoc nam)* or soy sauce
2 cups diced cooked turkey meat (about 10 ounces)
Fresh bean sprouts
Fresh mint leaves
Thinly sliced serrano chiles
Lime wedges

Preparation

Place noodles in large bowl. Add enough boiling water to cover noodles. Let stand until noodles are soft, about 5 minutes; drain.

Combine stock, shallots, ginger, and fish sauce in large pot. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer 10 minutes. Discard ginger slices. Return stock to boil. Stir in noodles and turkey; simmer until turkey is heated through, about 3 minutes.

Ladle soup into bowls. Serve, allowing diners to top each serving with bean sprouts, mint leaves, chiles, and lime wedges to squeeze over.

*Available in the Asian foods section of most supermarkets

Stacked Green Chile & Grilled Chicken Enchiladas

ingredients

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
3 tablespoons olive oil; more as needed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 small (5-1/2- to 6-inch) corn tortillas
Green Chile Sauce, heated
6 ounces grated Monterey Jack cheese (2 lightly packed cups) Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)

The chicken can also be cooked under the broiler or on a grill pan, and you can make the sauce ahead.

how to make

Heat a gas grill to medium high or build a medium-hot charcoal fire. Coat the chicken with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Grill the chicken breasts until just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes per side. When cool enough to handle, slice into thin strips.

Heat the oven to 450°F.

In a small skillet, heat the 3 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat until very hot (dip the edge of a tortilla in to check; it should sizzle straight away). Using tongs, set a tortilla in the hot oil and cook until soft and lightly brown on each side, 15 to 20 seconds per side. Transfer to paper towels to cool and drain. If the pan gets dry, add another tablespoon of oil.
In a baking dish large enough to accommodate four separate stacks of tortillas (a 10x15-inch Pyrex dish is good), ladle a thin layer of sauce. Lay four tortillas in the dish and ladle about 1/2 cup of sauce over them. Divide half the chicken among the first layer of tortillas and top with another 1/2 cup of sauce and a third of the cheese. Stack on another four tortillas, and top with the rest of the chicken, then more sauce and another third of the cheese. Finish with a third tortilla layer, and top with the remaining sauce and cheese. Bake until the sauce has thickened somewhat, about 20 minutes. The edges of the top tortilla in each stack will turn golden, but if they look like they’re drying out too much or burning, occasionally spoon some sauce over them. Let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. To serve, transfer each stack with a spatula to a dinner plate. Spoon any sauce left in the baking dish over the stacks and sprinkle with chopped cilantro if you like.

Green Chili Sauce

ingredients

7 to 8 ounces tomatillos (about 5 medium)
1 quart homemade or low-salt chicken broth
1-1/4 to 1-1/2 pounds fresh Anaheim chiles (6- to 8-inch chiles), roasted, peeled, and seeded, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons minced yellow onion
1 teaspoon dried oregano (or 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; more to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
2 tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons water Your favorite hot sauce (optional)

how to make

Put a medium saucepan of water on to boil and remove the papery outer skin from the tomatillos. Boil the tomatillos until soft, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain and purée in a blender or food processor. Return the tomatillos to the saucepan along with the chicken broth, chopped green chiles, minced onion, oregano, garlic, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the cornstarch slurry; stir well. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened slightly and reduced to 4 to 41/2 cups, another 5 to 15 minutes. Adjust the seasonings if needed, including hot sauce if the sauce isn’t spicy enough to suit your taste.

From Fine Cooking 73, pp. 62

Tonight's Dinner

ingredients

1/2 cup homemade or low-salt chicken or vegetable broth
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 bay leaf 2-1/2 lb.
Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced about 1/8 inch thick Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg to taste
1 large leek (white and light green parts only), sliced very thinly, washed well, and drained (about 2 cups)
4 oz. thinly sliced baked or cured ham, chopped (about 1 cup) 1/2 cup grated Gruyère

how to make

In a small saucepan, combine the broth, cream, garlic, and bay leaf; bring just to a boil. Take it from the heat and let the flavors infuse as you assemble the gratin.

Heat the oven to 350°F. Spread about one-third of the potatoes in the bottom of a 2-qt. gratin or heavy baking dish. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Next, spread about half of the leeks and half of the ham on the potatoes. Top with another one-third of the potatoes, season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg again, and top with the rest of the leeks and ham. Arrange the remaining potatoes on top, and season.
Put the gratin dish on a baking sheet (to catch any spills). Pour the cream mixture over the potatoes, discarding the garlic. Tuck the bay leaf in the center of the gratin for decoration (but don't let anyone eat it), or discard it, too. Sprinkle with the cheese.

Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake in the hot oven until the potatoes start to get tender, about 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking, basting occasionally with the liquid in the dish, until the potatoes and leeks are very tender when pierced with a knife and a golden crust forms on top, another 30 to 45 minutes. Let cool for about 15 minutes before serving.

From Fine Cooking 32, pp. 26-30

1 (14-ounce) package caramels, unwrapped
3 apples
3 cinnamon sticks
30 vanilla wafer cookies
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Heat a small saucepan over high heat. Add 3 tablespoons water and the caramels and reduce the heat to low. Stir the caramels frequently until they are completely melted. Be careful not to burn the caramel.

While the caramels are melting, pull the stems out of the apples and cut a thin slice from the bottoms so they have a flat surface to stand on. Insert a cinnamon stick into the top of each apple.

Put the vanilla wafers into a plastic bag and coarsely crush them. Put the crumbs into a bowl and mix in the cinnamon.
Dip each apple into the melted caramel, making sure to get it completely coated. Put the coated apples onto a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper. Refrigerate the caramel apples for 1 to 2 minutes to harden up the caramel. Roll them in the cinnamon-crumb mixture and enjoy!

Saturday night dinner

“7-6-5” Grilled Pork Tenderloin

by Pamela Anderson This master grilling recipe works perfectly, no matter how you flavor the pork. Choose one of the glazes I suggest for a beautiful crust, or use your own favorite dry rub, as long as it’s low in salt. Be sure to buy pork tenderloins that haven’t been treated or soaked in any kind of solution by the producer. Serves four to five.

ingredients

1/2 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 pork tenderloins (about 2 pounds total)
1 recipe concentrated fruit glaze
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

how to make

Brine the tenderloins
In a medium bowl, mix salt and sugar with 1 quart cool water until dissolved. Trim the tenderloins of excess fat and silverskin and submerge them in the brine; let stand about 45 minutes. Remove the pork from the brine, rinse thoroughly, and pat dry.

Season and grill

Rub the brined tenderloins all over with the glaze and then season with the pepper. Or, season to taste with another flavoring of your choice.

Heat a gas grill, turning all the burners to high until the grill is fully heated, 10 to 15 minutes.

Put the pork on the hot grill grate. Close the lid and grill for 7 minutes. Turn the pork over, close the lid, and grill for another 6 minutes. Turn off the heat (keep the lid closed) and continue to cook the pork for another 5 minutes. At this point, an instant-read thermometer inserted into the middle of the thickest end of the tenderloin should read 145° to 150°F. (If not, close the lid and let the pork continue to roast in the residual grill heat.) Remove the pork from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes before carving. Cut across the grain into 1/2-inch slices and serve immediately.

From Fine Cooking

ingredients for Rosemary-Orange Glaze

1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1 tsp. brown sugar
4 tsp. minced fresh rosemary

how to make

In a small saucepan, bring the concentrate, brown sugar, and rosemary to a simmer. Simmer until the mixture reduces to about 2 Tbs. Set aside to cool slightly.

I also made a sauce that complimented this glazed pork tenderloin and poured it over brocolli and red potatoes.

Orange Balsamic Sauce

Sautee' four cloves of minced garlic, olive oil and 2 teaspoons of fresh chopped rosemary for 30 seconds. Add 6 tablespoons of balsamic vinnegar and 2/3 cup of orange marmalade and heat up. Spoon over pork tenderloin, potatoes and brocolli. Yum, Yum.

Broccoli & Herb Frittata

ingredients
1 lb. broccoli
Coarse salt
5 large eggs, beaten with a fork to blend
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbs. chopped fresh basil
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 Tbs. olive oil

how to make

Separate the broccoli florets from the stems and then pare the stems with a knife. Leave the floret clusters whole unless they're especially large; if so, cut them in half.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the stems and cook 4 min.; add the florets and cook both for another 6 min. (Alternatively, put them all in at the same time and remove the florets first). With a sharp paring knife, check to see if the broccoli is tender all the way through. With tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer the pieces to ice water as they're done. When cool, drain the broccoli well and chop it finely.
Heat the broiler and position a rack 8 inches from the element. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, broccoli, cheese, basil, 1 tsp. salt, and the pepper.

Heat the butter and oil in an ovenproof 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. When the butter and oil are hot, add the egg mixture, spreading it evenly. Turn the heat to very low and cook until the mixture is mostly set, 15 to 18 min. The surface will still be undercooked, but the edges will be firm and visibly lighter in color. Move the skillet to the oven and broil until the frittata feels just firm throughout, about 5 min.
Set a cutting board or a large platter over the skillet and invert both. Let the frittata cool to room temperature before cutting into wedges to serve.

from Fine Cooking #37, pp. 37

Chicken Stew with Spinach, Potatoes & Porcini

This is a delicious Fall/Winter Recipe, I have made it alot. Be sure to buy good-quality dried porcini mushrooms (with large white cross sections). Cheaper ones are dark and shriveled and have an overly pungent aroma, which will give the stew an off taste. Serves four to six.

ingredients

1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 slices (1/8 inch thick) pancetta or bacon (about 2 ounces), sliced into thin strips
6 skinless, bone-in chicken thighs (about 2-1/4 pounds),
large pieces of fat trimmed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large yellow onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 small cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup dry sherry or dry white wine
2 large Yukon Gold potatoes (1 pound total), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 sprigs fresh thyme, plus 1-1/2 teaspoons chopped
1-1/2 cups homemade or low-salt canned chicken broth; more if needed
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or balsamic vinegar
1 cup coarse fresh breadcrumbs (about 1-1/2 ounces)
2 cups baby spinach leaves (about 2 ounces)

how to make

Soak the porcini in 1-1/2 cups boiling water for 20 minutes. Strain them (reserving the soaking liquid) and chop them.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy soup pot over medium heat. Add the pancetta or bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 7 minutes; transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Season the chicken well with salt and pepper. Add half of the thighs to the pan and brown them well, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a large plate. Brown the remaining thighs and reserve with the rest.
Add the onion and half of the garlic to the pan and season well with salt. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon and scraping up any browned bits, until the onion softens and darkens slightly, about 7 minutes. Add the chopped porcini and cook for another 1 minute. Pour in the sherry and cook, stirring occasionally, until it's almost completely reduced, about 2 minutes. Add the potatoes, thyme sprigs, chicken broth, reserved porcini water, and vinegar and bring to a boil over high heat. Adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, cover the pan, and cook until the potatoes are just tender, about 15 minutes. Discard the thyme sprigs. Purée 1-1/2 cups of the chunky potato mixture in a blender. Return the puréed mixture to the rest of the broth, nestle in the chicken (and add any accumulated juices), and cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar. Stew the chicken thighs at a bare simmer, turning them occasionally, until they're cooked through (check by slicing through the bottom of one of the thighs to the bone), about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Add the remaining garlic, sauté until it starts to color, about 20 seconds, and then add the breadcrumbs. Cook, stirring often, until they turn golden brown, about 6 minutes. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon of the chopped thyme, season lightly with salt and pepper, and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.

When the chicken is done, fold in the spinach and stir until wilted, about 1 minute. Stir in the remaining 1 teaspoon chopped thyme and the pancetta; season well with salt and pepper. Serve immediately, sprinkled generously with the breadcrumbs.

from Fine Cooking #56, pp. 39

Enjoy!!!!!

Mixed Berries with Vanilla Bean Syrup

ingredients

1/2 vanilla bean
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
1 pint (2 cups) fresh raspberries
1 pint (2 cups) fresh blueberries
1 pint (2 cups) fresh blackberries
1/2 pint (1 cup) fresh strawberries

how to make

Split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise with a sharp paring knife and scrape out the seeds with the back of the knife; save the empty pod for a garnish, if you like. Put the seeds in a small saucepan, along with the sugar and water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 7 minutes to let the vanilla infuse. Strain through a fine sieve to remove any fibrous pieces of vanilla pod or clumps of seeds. Let cool and refrigerate until completely chilled.

Rinse the raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries and spread them in a single layer on a towel to dry. Hull the strawberries and cut them into quarters.

Just before serving, combine all the berries in a large serving bowl and pour on just enough of the vanilla syrup to lightly coat them, about 3 tablespoons. Toss gently.

Deconstructed Pesto Pasta

ingredients

Kosher salt
1/2 cup pine nuts
1 lb. dried fusilli or radiatore pasta
6 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
8 cloves garlic, very thinly sliced
Freshly ground black pepper
4 oz. coarsely grated Pecorino Romano2 cups
(about 2-1/2 oz.) packed sweet basil leaves or your favorite basil variety, cut into 1/2-inch-wide chiffonade (to yield about 1-1/2 cups)

how to make

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts in a 10-inch skillet over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until golden in places, about 5 minutes. Pour onto a plate and set aside to cool. When the water boils, add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente.
While the pasta is cooking, gently heat the olive oil and sliced garlic over low heat in the same skillet used for the nuts, stirring frequently, until the garlic starts to turn golden, 4 to 8 min. Remove from the heat and stir in 3/4 tsp. kosher salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper.

When the pasta is done, scoop out 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid and reserve. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Pour the garlic and olive oil over the hot pasta and toss. Pour the reserved pasta water into the skillet, swirl it around, and pour it over the pasta. Toss well. Add the pine nuts and cheese and toss again until thoroughly mixed.

Transfer to a serving bowl and let cool for 5 min. Then, just before serving, toss in the basil. Pass extra cheese around with a grater for those who want more.

Interpretation of Double Outlet Right Ventricle

In 'Double Outlet Right Ventricle' (DORV) the two Great Arteries (Aorta and Pulmonary Artery) both originate from the right ventricle and blood from the left ventricle passes across a VSD into the RV to reach the great arteries. The lung circulation is often exposed to very high pressure and increased blood flow (as with a large VSD).

Treatment, which is surgical, is aimed at repairing the defect and any associated problems, where that can be done. In many cases the heart can be made to function sufficiently well to eliminate symptoms and to allow normal schooling and near normal activities. Most cases are amenable to 'Complete Repair', though more than one operation may be needed.
In a minority of the more complex cases complete repair may not be possible. In such cases treatment aims to make the heart work as effectively as possible. This may involve several operations. For some children the final operation is called the 'Fontan Operation'. This leads to blue blood (low in oxygen) being channelled through the lungs, without any 'pump' driving it. The ventricles then pump the red blood (high in oxygen), round the body. This operation makes the child 'Pink' - but does not correct the original problem. -->

Favorite Recipe #5

Baked Shrimp with Fennel & Feta

ingredients
4 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1-1/2 cups 1/2-inch diced fennel bulb (about 1 small or 1/2 large)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 14-1/2-oz. can diced tomatoes, with their juices
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
3 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 lb. feta, crumbled (about 3/4 to 1 cup)
1-1/4 to 1-1/2 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined

ow to make

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 425°F. In a 12-inch ovenproof skillet, heat 2 Tbs. of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the fennel and sauté, stirring occasionally until slightly softened and lightly browned, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the wine and bring to a boil. Add the tomatoes and their juices, season with salt and pepper, and stir to heat through. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, spread the tomato mixture into an even layer in the skillet.
In a small bowl, stir the breadcrumbs, parsley, feta, the remaining 2 Tbs. olive oil, and salt (about 1/2 tsp., depending on the saltiness of the feta) and pepper to taste. Arrange the shrimp in a single layer on the tomato mixture, and sprinkle with the breadcrumb mixture. Bake until the shrimp are cooked through and the cheese is melted, 12 to 15 minutes.

Favorite Recipe #4

Tomato Salad with Feta, Olives & Mint

ingredients

6 oz. feta cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint, plus sprigs for garnish
4 large ripe tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch slices
Kosher salt
1/2 lb. cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into small dice
1/2 lb. bite-size tomatoes (cherry, pear, or grape) in assorted colors, halved
1/2 cup niçoise or kalamata olives (about 15), pitted and halved
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest
4 tsp. fresh lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper

How to make

Crumble the feta into a small bowl. Add the chopped mint and toss; set aside. Season the tomato slices with salt and then arrange them, overlapping slightly, on a serving platter. Sprinkle the cucumber over the tomato slices. Season the bite-size tomatoes with salt and scatter them over the cucumber. Sprinkle the olives on top. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad. To serve, scatter the feta over the salad, garnish with the mint sprigs, and serve immediately.

Favorite Recipe #3

As many of you know, I am crazy about cooking. From about 3:30PM on I am in the kitchen cooking up, yet, another new recipe for my family. Here is the latest:

Grilled Five Spice Chicken Thighs with Soy-Vinegar Sauce and Cilantro.

What you need:
2 TBS of Chinese 5 Spice Powder
1 Tbs plus 1 Tsp of Dark Brown Sugar
1 Tsp of Garlic Powder
3/4 Tsp of Kosher Salt
2 Tbs of Soy Sauce
2 Tsp of Rice Vinegar
1 Tsp Asian Sesame oil
1/4 Tsp Red Chili Flakes
10 Medium Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
Vegatable Oil
Chopped Cilantro

Mix the 5 spice, 1 Tbs of brown sugar, the garlic powder and the salt in a small bowl. In another bowl mix the soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, red pepper flakes and remaining 1 tsp of brown sugar.

Put the chicken in a shallow pan/bowl, drizzle with the oil and toss to coat. Sprinkle the spice mixture over the chicken, toss and rub to coat evenly. Prepare your gas or charcoal grill and cook the chicken, 4 to 5 minutes (untill one side has dark grill marks) and flip them over and repeat.

Move the thighs to a serving dish and drizzle with 1/2 of the soy mixutre, sprinkle with cilantro and toss to coat. Let rest for 4-5 minutes, tossing once or twice.

Serve with Jasmine rice and fresh green beans with the remainder of the soy mixture on the side.

Yummy!!!

Favorite recipe #2

Grilled Mustard & Coriander Chicken Breasts with Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette.

I like to serve this Jasmine rice and fresh green beans with the Vinaigrette over everything!

What you need:
2 Tablespoons of Dijon Mustard
2 teaspoons of ground coriander
6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 teaspoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 tablespoons of roughly chopped fresh basil

Prepare a medium-hot grill fire. In a small bowl whisk the mustard and coriander. Whisk in 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Trim any excess fat off the chicken breasts and then halve them. Season with salt and pepper and rub them all over with the mustard mixture.

Grill the chicken untill one side is nicely browned and grill marks appear, 2 to 3 minutes. With tongs, rotate the breasts 90 degrees (to get cross marks) and continue grilling for another 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the breasts and grill the same as above. Transfer to a clean cutting board, cover loosely with foil and let rest for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk the remaining 3 tablspoons of olive oil with the lemon juice and basil, a pinch of kosher salt and a few grinds of pepper. Slice the chicken on an angle and serve with the Vinaigrette.

Refreshing and delicious!!

Favorite Recipe #1 Courtesy of Fine Cooking

As many of you know, I am crazy about cooking. From about 3:30PM on I am in the kitchen cooking up, yet, another new recipe for my family. Here is the latest:

Gemelli with Asparagus and caramelized onions:

3 table spoons of extra virgin olive oil
One 1/4 pound slice pancetta cut into 1/4 inch dice
1 pound of asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
3/4 cup caramelized onions
3/4 pound gemellia pasta
3/4 cup of freshly grated Parmigiano cheese
2 teaspoons of Balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup chicken broth

Cook pasta. Heat 2 table spoons of the olive oil over medium heat in a 12 inch skillet. Add the pancetta stirring untill it begins to brown about 5-7 minutes. Transfer to a bowl lined with paper towels. Raise the heat to medium high and add the asparagus and salt cooking and stirring untill it starts to turn brown, about 3 minutes. Add the caramelized onions and broth, reduce the heat to medium low, cover and cook untill the asparagus is tender, about 4 minutes. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon of pepper and set aside.

Add the pasta to the asparagus/onion mixture and balsamic vinegar and set over medium heat and toss well. Add 1/2 of the cheese and all of the pancetta and cook, stirring for 1 minute to meld all the flavors. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the oil, the rest of the cheese and serve.

Yum Yum!