Killer Banana Bread

Good ol’ fashion banana bread. I don’t think this stuff ever gets old. When I visit my grandparents in Santa Barbara, I don’t do much else but help my grandmother cook—and then consequently eat A TON.

During my latest jaunt up north, I noticed there were a few very ripe bananas on the table. I declared that we should bake banana bread in the morning. I had never tried my grandmother’s banana bread but was confident she would have a killer recipe.

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 eggs
• 3 ripe bananas
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• We added toasted walnuts too, yummers!

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a loaf pan.
2. Cream the sugar and butter. Add the eggs one at a time.
3. In a small bowl, mash the bananas. Mix in the milk and cinnamon. In another bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
4. Add the banana mixture to the creamed mixture and stir until combined. Add dry ingredients, mixing just until flour disappears.
5. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for about an hour
6. My papa insists on spreading a little cream cheese on his sliced banana bread. I would have to agree!

Spaghetti Squash

The flesh of a spaghetti squash is very stringy -- apparently resembling strands of pasta. This squash serves as a great healthy alternative to sometimes heavier spaghetti. My mom made this yummy-looking dish the other night and sent me a photo. I can't wait to taste this myself!

She didn't give me the exact recipe, but I think it went something like this:

• Spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
• 1 can chopped tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a baking sheet.
2. Place spaghetti squash cut sides down on the prepared baking sheet, and bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a sharp knife can be inserted with only a little resistance. Remove squash from oven, and set aside to cool enough to be easily handled.
3. Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute onion in oil until tender. Add garlic, and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, and cook only until tomatoes are warm.
4. Use a large spoon to scoop the stringy pulp from the squash, and place in a medium bowl. Toss with the sauteed vegetables and basil.
5. Top with freshly-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Serve warm.

Grilled Almond Encrusted Salmon

My “twin” Lisa recently asked me to come up with a new salmon recipe, since she’s already tried all of the others I’ve posted here. So, this one’s for you, Leese—let me know how it turns out! ;)

• Start with two high-quality pieces of fresh, wild Alaskan salmon
• Lightly brush the fish with extra virgin olive oil
• Add salt and pepper, liberally
• Run ½ C. of toasted almonds through the food processor (to make small pieces)
• Dredge fish through almonds
• Grill the salmon on the barbeque, on a low heat for about 10 minutes.

Deeeelish!

Grilled Chicken Parmesan (With Feta Instead!)

Tired of the same ol’ grilled chicken, I decided to change things up a bit and created a new spin on the classic Chicken Parm. Traditionally a rather heavy dish, I wanted to lighten things up and prepare the meat on the grill.

After digging through my pantry for a few minutes, I found some great ingredients to make my chickie vision a reality. I first dunked the two chicken breasts in buttermilk then dredged them through lemon pepper breadcrumbs I had on hand from Whole Foods.

After they were fully coated, I lightly brushed them with extra virgin olive oil so they would crisp up on the grill. Cooking chicken slowly, on a low heat ensures it will remain moist and delicious.

After removing the chicken from the grill, I topped it with large chunks of Greek feta cheese, Trader Joe’s basil/tomato sauce, capers and lightly-toasted pine nuts. It really was a great alternative to the mundane grilled chicken.

Avocado, Tomato, Corn and Black Bean Salsa

My best-est pal Jessie told me about this great avocado salsa she had at a Fourth of July party. All she told me was that it included chunks of avocado, corn and lime juice—and that she devoured it.

It sounded so fresh and delicious I had to try it myself. Here’s what I came up with:

• 2 ripe avocados
• 1 C. grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 can non-sweetened corn
• 1 can black beans
• ¼ C. fresh cilantro, chopped
• ¼ C. fresh-squeezed lime juice
• Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

This made for such a wonderful, light salsa and I served it with multi-grain tortilla chips. I’m not sure how right I got it, but thanks for the idea, Jess!

Cook in Style with Mary's Mod Aprons

Check out the radical 1950s-inspired apron my mother recently made! Do you want one of your very own? Email us at MarysModAprons@gmail.com andI’ll send you more information. She’s taking orders now, full aprons are $35 and half aprons are $30.

All Mary's Mod Aprons are of the highest quality and made entirely by hand.

To see some of her latest designs, visit: http://www.MMAprons.blogspot.com/.

Esmé’s Fix

My friend Esmé is training to be a professional barista at a hip, yet-to-open coffee house in Echo Park called Fix.

She’s off to a great start with this beautiful latté art! I think she’ll be pumping out swans soon enough. Way to go, Es!

Buffalo Chicken Chili Mac

When I took a trip back home to Michigan recently, my mom and I decided to try out Rachael Ray’s Buffalo Chicken Chili Mac. As the story goes, Ray-Ray created this dish for the U.S. Olympic team and it will be served in Beijing.

We had so much fun making this, mainly because we got to use the Mighty Wok to cook all of the tasty veggies. This was the first thing my mom and I made together in a long time, so of course we had a blast doing it!
All of the tangy and spicy flavors really come together nicely—talk about a party in your mouth! We made a couple minor tweeks to the original recipe, but here's what we came up with. Enjoy.

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 2 pounds (about 4 to 6, depending on size) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small bits
• 1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 5 large cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 cup hot sauce
• 1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 1 pound whole wheat pasta, your choice of shape
• 1/2 cup pepper jack cheese
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 2 scallions, root ends removed and thinly sliced
• **We also sprinkled fresh cilantro from my mom’s garden on top. That was definitely a sweet move.

To make cutting the chicken easier, place it into the freezer for about 15 minutes until it firms up slightly but isn’t frozen through. This will let you cut it up quickly into small pieces.

Preheat broiler and place a large pot of salted water over high heat to bring up to a boil for the whole wheat pasta.

Place a large pot over medium-high heat and add 2 turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons. Add the chicken bits and brown them, about 5-6 minutes. Add the carrot, onion, celery, garlic, paprika, bay leaf and some salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook the veggies, stirring frequently, until tender, 3-4 minutes. Add the chicken stock and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the hot sauce and crushed tomatoes, and bring up to a bubble. Simmer the chili for 8-10 minutes to let the flavors come together and thicken it slightly.

While the chili is simmering, toss the pasta into the boiling salted water and cook until al dente according to package directions. Once cooked, drain the pasta and toss it into the chili, then transfer everything to a casserole dish. Sprinkle the cheeses evenly over the top and place it under the broiler until the cheeses have melted and the top is golden brown, 2-3 minutes.
Sprinkle the chopped scallions over the top and watch this one disappear in no time.
Served with cool cantaloupe to cut through the hot flavors -- eee!

Room Service Oatmeal

On a recent business trip to the Detroit area, we stayed in the elegant Westin Hotel. For breakfast: Steel-cut oatmeal and fresh berries delivered to my room, please.

Blissful Cream Cheese Filled Strawberries

These ridiculously cute things combine all of my favorite ingredients into one little, easy to eat dessert. My mom e-mailed me this recipe from a Martha Stewart Living e-newsletter. I added my own little twists to it – like dipping the bottom in melted semi-sweet chocolate!

Not only are these bite-sized gems foolishly tasty, they look beautiful too.

It’s as easy as this:

• Whip 6 oz. cream cheese at room temperate on medium-speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes
• Add ½ tsp. pure vanilla extract
• Mix in 1 ½ tbs. confectioners’ sugar
• Trim tops and bottoms of 12 strawberries. (The berries will be standing up, so be sure the bottoms are level.)
• Use a small knife to carefully hollow out each berry
• Fill a pastry bag fitted with a star tip with the cream cheese mixture
• Pipe berries until it brims over the top in a pretty swirl
• Melt ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips on a VERY low heat
• Dip each strawberry into the melted chocolate
• Toast ¼ cup sliced almonds in a 350 degree oven until golden-brown
• Arrange slices over filling

Blisssssss.

The Garbage Salad (in a good way)

Last night Joe and I had some friends over for dinner and to enjoy the beautiful June weather in Southern California. Since we had a vegetarian in the group, we decided to make a HUGE hearty salad with a choice of salmon or chicken on top.

It turned out pretty sick (again, in a good way).

The Salad:

• Romaine Hearts
• Baby Spinach
• Greek Feta
• Pine Nuts, toasted
• Avocado
• Tomato
• Persian Cucumber
• Baby Granny Smith Apple
• Dried Bing Cherries
• Capers
• Fresh Basil, chopped

The Dressing:

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Pomegranate-Infused Balsamic Vinegar
• Garlic Salt
• Fresh Ground Pepper

We also picked up three fresh baguette varieties from Trader Joe’s— kalamata olive, nine-grain and rosemary. Joe sliced ‘em up, brushed each slice with olive oil then crisped them on the grill.

Disclaimer: My big brother, James Edward Ohngren, reserves full rights to the name “Garbage Salad.”

Dessert Swap

One day last week I made us dessert crepes with Nutella, fresh strawberries, toasted slivered almonds and a small scoop of French vanilla ice cream.

Then just the other night Joe returned the favor and made us what he calls Hawaiian Crunch. He sandwiched a chunk of Nestle Crunch bar and sliced bananas between two slices of sweet King’s Hawaiian bread then threw the whole this on the panini maker.

Grilled Artichokes

My grandparents live among hundreds of acres of sprawling, rolling farm land near the Santa Ynez Valley—right in the heart of Santa Barbara’s Wine Country. One of the most abundant crops grown in this area is the mighty artichoke. My Papa will often venture into the artichoke fields; before he can get out of his little red truck the workers have a heaping box of the beautiful vegetable ready for him.

I recently prepared grilled artichokes on the barbecue—the best way to preserve the flavor and keep a quality texture.

First, I steamed the whole artichokes for 20 to 30 minutes. I then individually wrapped them in plastic wrap and allowed them to chill in the refrigerator overnight. The next day I sliced them in half, brushed them will extra virgin olive oil and sprinkled them with garlic salt and fresh ground pepper.

Then all they needed was a few minutes on each side on the grill and they were ready to go. If your grandparents don’t happen to live in artichoke country, don’t worry, your local grocery will do just fine.

Now That’s Some Good Chicken

We weren’t sure what to have for dinner last night, so on my way home from work I stopped at the market—still not sure what to get. As I scaled the aisles, one by one, I remembered a grilled chicken recipe my mom had e-mailed me that day. I didn’t have it with me so I did my best to remember what it was all about, here’s what I ended up with:

Joe sprinkled the over-sized chicken breasts with some Hitching Post Magic Dust (a tasty combination of garlic, salt, pepper and other spices) and threw ‘em on the grill. While the meat was cooking, I tossed some crumbled gorgonzola, toasted walnuts, fresh lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil together with baby spinach.

When the chicks were done, I plated them atop a bed of spinach. I then placed thickly-cut slices of fresh mozzarella and tomato on the chicken and sprinkled lemon-marinated avocado chunks over the entire dish.

Yahtzee!

Did You Say Fried Ravioli?

What’s better than ravioli? Well, fried ravioli of course. These little guys are perfect with a little marinara, either as an appetizer or to accompany a main dish. So simple, you don’t even have to cook the ravs first.

What you'll need:

- 1 C. Italian-style breadcrumbs, in zip-lock bag
- 1 C. buttermilk (regular milk works fine too)
- 12 raviolis of your choice (last night we made spinach and ricotta)
- 1 tbs. extra virgin olive oil

1. Pour the oil in a medium-temp skillet and let it get hot.
2. Dunk the raviolis into the buttermilk, allowing most of the milk to drip off.
3. Place the raviolis one-by-one into the plastic bag with the breadcrumbs.
4. Shake, baby, shake!
5. Place the raviolis into the skillet and let cook until golden brown (3 min.) then flip (3 min.).

Chocolate Chip Dried Cherry Cookies

I made this Whole Foods recipe last night and the cookies turned out beautifully. I was a little tentative since the recipe only calls for brown cane sugar, but they were light, fluffy and packed with great flavor. They come out almost like little biscuits.

I substituted the pecans for walnuts—I think any other nut would be just as tasty too. Hint: be sure to use tart dried cherries, they add a little extra kick against the sweetness of the cookie.

• 1 stick organic unsalted butter, softened
• 2/3 cup organic brown cane sugar, packed
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup sifted organic unbleached white flour
• 1/4 cup sifted organic whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup dried cherries, roughly chopped
• 1 cup pecans, roughly chopped

Ingredient Option: use dried cranberries instead of cherries.
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Cream together butter and sugar, beating until light. Add vanilla and eggs. Continue to beat well. Sift together both flours, salt and baking soda, and add to butter mixture, beating again. Stir in chocolate chips, dried cherries and pecans. Refrigerate dough for 1 hour.

Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheets that have been lined with parchment paper and sprayed with canola or olive oil spray. Bake cookies 15 to 20 minutes or until golden. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Nutrition Info:
Per Serving (1 oz-wt.): 130 calories (70 from fat), 8g total fat, 3g saturated fat, 1g dietary fiber, 2g protein, 16g carbohydrate, 10mg cholesterol, 65mg sodium

Wolfgang Puck's SPAGO

I recently spent two days in Las Vegas for a trade show I was attending at the Hilton Hotel. Though I was there by myself, I knew I had to take advantage of the celebrity chef restaurants that litter the city of lights. I chose Spago -- Wolfgang Puck's swank eatery located within the Forum Shops at Caesars.

The service really was impeccable. After being seated, my waiter quickly arrived with an overflowing platter of fresh artisan breads for me to choose from. I finally decided on the cracked wheat sourdough and an airy rosemary fresh baguette. The bread was served with a plate of rosemary-infused extra virgin olive oil, fresh ground pepper, coarse salt and a pad of butter.

Though initially I was set on ordering a glass of their pinot noir, once I read the cocktail list I couldn't refuse. The sparkling wine, fresh muddled raspberries and lemon sour drink was a real treat.

Trust me, it was nearly impossible to decide on a main course. Yet I FINALLY decided on the potato encrusted bass, served on a bed of grated cucumbers, zucchini and carrots. The bass was kept so incredibly moist and tender by the browned, shredded potato crust. The veggies had been marinated in a light lemon-based sauce that really brought out their flavor.

Look Who’s the Foodie Now

I am always sending my cubicle neighbor friend Kelli links to my blog, to give her dinner ideas. The other day she told me she wanted to make a mushroom-based sauce to put over noodles. I, of course, had the perfect solution:

Chicken, Mushroom and White Wine Crock Pot Meal
A.K.A Tommy & Mikey Dennis’ Favorite Chicken Dinner

1 lb. chicken breast, cut into chunks
¼ C. white wine
1 can cream of mushroom
1 C. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 C. sour cream
¼ C. flour
Rice or noodles
S&P to taste

Place chicken pieces in crock pot. Season with salt and/or pepper. Mix wine and soup, pour over chicken. Add mushrooms. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 9 hours. Go out and enjoy the day!

Half hour before dinner: Remove chicken to warm serving platter. Stir together sour cream and flour. Mix sour cream mixture into mushroom gravy. (If you don’t have a warm serving platter, return chicken to the crock pot.) Continue heating as you prepare the rice or noodles. Enjoy!

*Mrs. Dennis, my first grade teacher, gave me this recipe.

It looks like Kelli might be turning into a little foodie herself.

That’s Amoré

I’m in love with Sur La Table. My mom and I visited the LA location, which is in the heart of the legendary Farmer’s Market at 3rd and Fairfax. I’d love to work at this place—dishin’ out sweet kitchen gear to all the foodies.

Among several other purchases, the grandest of them all was a pizza stone that is safe to use right on your barbeque. Brilliant. Joe and I made this:

Yea, that’s right. We started with whole wheat pizza dough (making it from scratch is a snap too, check back for that recipe) and covered half with marinara sauce and the other half with basil pesto. From there we added some grated and fresh mozzarella cheese, red and yellow bell peppers, heirlooms, toasted pine nuts and prosciutto.

Sliding the toppings-loaded dough onto the stone was made much easier with a large pizza peel. The crust was perfectly crisp, all the cheese got nice and gooey and the prosciutto crisped up quite well.

...Right Back Where She Started From

My mom's in town! This means one thing -- we will be doing A LOT of cooking in the next few weeks. I picked her up from LAX last night around 10 and had a "big spread" (as my Papa would say) prepared for her when we returned home.

Whenever I go back home to Michigan, regardless of what time my flight lands, my mom always has a gourmet meal waiting for me. Needless to say, I felt the pressure to perform.

Last night I made a version of caprese salad where I took an heirloom baby tomato, a fresh basil leaf and a balsamic vinegar-marinated fresh mozzarella ball and stuck them all on a toothpick.

Also, I rolled a cucumber skewer, feta cheese and fresh ground pepper up in tissue paper thin prosciutto slices.

We also had mini kiwis (a must-try, Trader Joe's), strawberries and almonds.

Welcome home, mom!

I Scream 4 Ice Cream

Okay, all you have to do is take one scoop of French vanilla ice cream, some sliced fresh strawberries and sandwich it between two fresh-from-the-oven chocolate chip cookies. The result is exquisite. Enjoy!

A Catalina Kind of Valentine

This past weekend Joe and I made the great escape to Catalina Island, about 20 miles off the coast of Southern California. We camped on a bluff, overlooking the Pacific Ocean – breathtaking.

We stayed in a little area called Two Harbor, it’s fairly primitive with only one restaurant and a general store. Knowing this, we decided to pack pb&j lunches and a bunch of snacks. Our first morning, as we were getting ready to explore the lush island on our bicycles, I realized I was pretty hungry. So, rather than being less than satisfied with a granola bar and banana we decided to try the one and only restaurant.

Let me tell you, it’s a good thing we did! We discovered a hidden treasure that day. What appeared to be nothing but a little breakfast café on the beach, turned out to serve the best breakfast bagel sandwiches we had ever tasted. And keep in mind, Joe and I are both quite the breakfast sandwich connoisseurs.

The Two Harbors eatery toasted the everything bagel to perfection. Then, the bacon was crispy (as ordered) but certainly not burnt. The egg was cooked over-medium – a near impossibility at most breakfast joints. Then, the cheddar cheese was melted over the egg and bacon, making a gooey masterpiece. As if that wasn’t amazing enough, these fresh sandwiches were delivered to our table within 5 minutes of ordering…pure genius.

Rav, Rav, Rav-i-oli!

This post is more of a recommendation than anything else. I was really hungry when I got home from work last night and I wanted something quick and satisfying. Costco sells these fresh, organic spinach, ricotta and asiago cheese raviolis that are really tasty. These little pillows of heaven take only 5 minutes to cook in boiling, well-salted water.

I ate mine with nothing more than a little pesto drizzled over the top. Joe had his with some tomato basil sauce. Along with a salad and some wheat bread, this made for a healthy meal that was ready in about 15 minutes.

Tri-Tip With Me

Though we tend to go out to dinner a lot on the weekends, it can also be the best time to have friends over and cook. It’s fun, you can take your time and you don’t have to worry about getting up for work in the morning.

On Saturday we cooked a large tri-tip roast slowly on the grill. Thinly sliced tri-tip steak makes a fabulous sandwich. The meat is so flavorful and goes great with lots of fresh veggies (tomato, avocado, lettuce) on a crusty roll. The meat was marinated in a little bit of barbeque sauce and lots of herbs and spices.

To get it crispy on the outside, Joe seared the roast for a few minutes first on a very high heat. Then once the outside was browned, he lowered the flame to medium-low and cooked the tri-tip for about 20 more minutes – until the internal temp. reached 145 for medium doneness. It was perfectly pink in the middle.

I made some great cocktails in the meantime; it was Saturday night after all. Pomegranate green tea mixed with Smirnoff vodka and a splash of lemon juice. Tasty.

We also cooked some asparagus spears in the oven on a cookie sheet, sprinkled with extra virgin olive oil, fresh ground black pepper, coarse salt and a little bit of lemon juice. I’ve found this is the best way to bring out the natural flavors of the asparagus. I also shaved the bottom portion of each spear with a vegetable peeler, the ends tend to get a little chewy – this really countered that.

Dessert you ask? Warm brownies with vanilla ice cream and hot fudge. Yea, that’s how we roll.

Delish Fish

Probably one of the best things about my daily life is that there’s a Trader Joe’s within walking distance of my magazine’s office. I frequent this TJ's so much that the cashiers know me. It’s so easy to pickup stuff for dinner during my lunch break.

Yesterday, I picked up some “barbeque-ready” salmon filets, some garlic mash potatoes and fixings for a salad.

I squeezed some fresh lemon on the fish, then seasoned it with garlic salt and pepper. Living up to the slogan on his apron, Joe really was the “King of the Grill” last night. The salmon was cooked to perfection – so tender and moist. He says the key is low heat and patience.

The Kicker: right before we took the fish off the grill we topped it with the following mixture:
- Goat cheese, softened
- Pesto
- Sun-dried tomatoes, sliced
- Pine nuts, toasted

Cuisine for Two

My mom sent me this great cooking magazine the other day, Cuisine for Two. Inside you’ll find delicious, quick, healthy recipes that make perfect portions for just the two of you. The magazine’s mantra is basically that low-fat, low-carb diets are so yesterday. Now, eating healthy means eating right and choosing foods that your body naturally craves – like whole grains, good fats and fresh ingredients. (Also known as the Mediterranean Diet, these are the foods I was brought up on.) Needless to say, last night Joe and I embarked on our mission to prepare some of these kickin recipes.

Since we almost always have chicken breasts on hand in the freezer (Costco has an affordable package of hormone-free chickies) we decided to make the Marinated Chicken with Roasted Potatoes. It’s always very difficult for me to follow a recipe EXACTLY the way it’s outlined in a book, so like I did last night, I tend to put my own spin on things. Here's what we did:

After seasoning the chicken with the standard garlic salt and pepper, I seared the meat in about 2 tbs. of extra virgin olive oil on the stove. Say about 5 minutes on the first side and 3 on the other. Then Joe added some parmesan cheese to both sides and let it get crunchy in the oil – the cheese made like a crust on the outside.

Then we added some quartered Campari tomatoes (the small, sweet ones that taste like they came right out of your garden) and rosemary to the pan and threw the whole thing in the oven for about 20 minutes at 450 degrees.

In the meantime, we were slicing baby red-skinned potatoes in half and drizzling extra virgin olive oil over the top. We also added some minced garlic and fresh ground pepper and coarse salt to bring out the natural flavor of the vegetable. Right along side of the chicken, we also popped the pan of potatoes in the oven for the same 20 minutes.

When everything came out of the oven it smelled fabulous! The parmesan crust on the chicken was brown while the meat remained tender and juicy inside. The flavor of the tomatoes was really enhanced through the heating process in the oven. The potatoes also got brown on the outside, those little guys were extra tasty.

We served the whole thing with a salad of freh greens and simple oil and vinegar. You must try this one. It’s so easy and quick, and best of all, it’s good for you!

Cuppiecakes

Hey, it's my boss' birthday...what's wrong with a little brown-nosing? :) Cupcake party in the lunch room at 2:00! I made these little babies last night. Joe was in charge of frosting -- a mighty fine job if you ask me.

The Pantry Will Save Us

On my day off yesterday I did a lot of what I love most – cooking! After a morning swim, I made some tasty Paninis. I’ll post a photo soon.

Then, while lounging in the Jacuzzi for the afternoon I was pondering what to prepare for dinner. I didn’t really have anything in mind, all of the meat we have was frozen and there really wasn’t enough time to defrost it properly. I was in the mood for pasta, which I always have LOTS of on hand in the pantry.

While on the phone with my mom, she suggested I cook some noodles then mix a can of crushed tomatoes and some grated mozzarella cheese into a casserole dish and let it bake for a little while. I listened to mom, but added a few other ingredients from my pantry. It really is amazing what you can accomplish when you have a well-stocked pantry.

I also added toasted pine nuts, some feta cheese, sliced kalamata olives, sliced sun-dried tomatoes and a little fresh ground pepper. I also threw in a couple hot Italian sausages that I sliced up and cooked in a skillet until they were browned. Oh, and I used rigatoni pasta. All the yummy ingredients get caught in the large tubes, making for the perfect bite every time. After only about 20 minutes in the oven at 350 the cheese got nice and melty.

For dessert, we made chocolate covered strawberries. The photo (when I post it tonight) will speak for itself!

Pass the Cheeeeese Pleeeeease

If there’s one thing you should know about me, it’s that I love cheese. And when I say I love cheese, I mean it. It’s not just some sort of casual fling. No. It’s more like a passionate love affair.

But I’m not satisfied with just any ol’ cheese. It has to be GOOD cheese. Cheese that you know took time to develop the sharp flavor that my mouth enjoys so much. I think my favorite is Extra Sharp Cracker Barrel cheddar cheese with thinly sliced pieces of sour granny smith apples. If I’m really feeling saucy I may even drizzle a little bit of hot honey over the top. Mmm!

Last night, however, Joe satisfied my cheese fix. He made us Five-Cheese and Tuna Paninis. I can recall four of the cheeses: Feta, sharp cheddar (Tillamook, I think), parmesan and cream cheese. He then mixed an avocado, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, kosher salt and pepper into the chunk light tuna.

Then onto the Panini maker. Agh, all the cheeses melted together and the Trader Joe’s wheat sourdough bread got crusty on the outside but remained moist and soft on the in. It really was a treat of a sandwich.

p.s. If you live in the L.A. area you must try YogurBerry. Yes, some call it the poor man’s PinkBerry – I call it Yummy in My Tummy! I like strawberry frozen yogurt topped with fresh strawberries, kiwi and semi-sweet choco chips. Somehow it’s low cal. Genius.

All Hail the Mighty Crock Pot

Is any one single household appliance greater? My Crock Pot sets me free! Yesterday before I went to work (you could totally do it the night before too) I threw some mushrooms, baby carrots and some of those cute little red-skin potatoes in the Crock Pot, then put a chunk of eye-of-round beef seasoned with garlic salt and pepper on top of the veggies.

I then poured about a ½ can of chicken stock into the pot and turned the heat on low. Joe usually goes home for lunch during the day and always reports back to me the way the whole house is full of the wonderful aromas emerging from the magical Pot.

By the time we got home from work around 5:30 the meat was so succulent it was nearly falling apart and the veggies were cooked to perfection. I love, after a long day, just sitting down to a slow-cooked, hearty meal within minutes of returning home.

Since the Crock Pot contents were a meal in itself, we simply toasted some Trader Joe’s wheat sourdough bread and put some Greek feta cheese on top. I used my bread as a dipping tool to soak up all the delicious cooking juices.

I had my dinner in a bowl, kinda like a stew. Joe wanted his on a plate, separated. Could there possibly be a better meal to accompany an all-new episode of Deal or No Deal? Yea, didn’t think so.

And just for the record, I HATE THAT SHOW, but somehow I’m drawn into watching – thinking one day the contestant will find the friggin $1 million case.

The meat made for a great lunch the next day.

Mmm...Sausages

We stuck with a classic last night – Italian sausage sandwiches. These little easy-to-prepare sandwiches require: hot/spicy Italian sausages, good bakery-fresh crusty rolls and (I prefer) mozzarella cheese. They are also really good when topped with sautéd red/yellow bell peppers and onions.

Joe thinks everything tastes better on the barbeque and in most cases I think he’s right. So, we simply boiled the little sausages in some water on the stove until tender and juicy. Then Joe threw ‘em on the grill, just long enough to make those beautiful marks on the outside. We also toasted the rolls in the oven with the cheese inside to make it all gooey and delicious.

To accompany, we had a salad and Trader Joe’s buttermilk garlic mash potato chips.

It’s a good idea to have these Italian sausages on hand in the freezer. On our latest jaunt to Costco (that’s right, we became members a few weeks ago – finally!) we picked up a 14-pack for about $8. We just take a few out of the freezer before we go to work and they’re ready to go when we get home.

My mom has made these simple sandwiches for years. She INSISTS on using Panera sourdough rolls. I don’t blame her, they really are the best!