Artichoke Dip

I don't make this too often but it's a must for any major family get together. Both my daughters have requested this recipe to make for friends. I found it in one of the Nordstrom cookbooks that automatically opens to the page since I have made it so many times. 

Ingredients
1 cup mayo
3/4 cup sour cream
2 cups freshly grated parmesan cheese
3 tbs cider vinegar
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tsp salt
2 cans (13 1/2 ounces each) halved or quartered artichoke hearts in water, drained and coarsely chopped

Directions
Preheat oven to 350
In a bowl combine mayo, sour cream, 1 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese, the vinegar, and garlic. Stir until well combined. Fold in artichokes. Transfer to oven safe dish. Smooth surface. Scatter the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese evenly over the top. 

Bake uncovered until lightly browned and gently bubbling around the edges, about 45 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving. 

Gingerbread cookies are not just for Christmas time.  Just cut them out in squares or circles and frost with royal icing. 

Gingerbread Cookies Ingredients 3 cups flour 2 teaspoons ground ginger 1 tsp ground cinnamon  1/4 tsp ground nutmeg 1tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp salt 3/4 cup softened unsalted butter 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1/2 cup molasses  1egg 1tsp vanilla Directions Mix flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and salt in large bowl. Set aside. Beat butter and brown sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add molasses, egg and vanilla;mix well. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until well mixed. Press dough into a thick flat disk. Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness on lightly floured work surface. Cut into gingerbread men shapes with 5-inch cookie cutter. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges of cookies are set and just begin to brown. Cool on baking sheets 1 to 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks; cool completely. Decorate cooled cookies as desired. Store cookies in airtight container up

Gochujang Pork

I found this recipe in Bon Apetit. Gochujang is a Korean sweet chili paste which is good on its own and gives this marinade a great flavor that is absorbed well by the pork. I served it over rice with some grilled bok choy.  Save a little extra marinade besides that for basting.  Cook to heat off the alcohol and strain to serve as a dipping sauce.  This also works well on chicken.

Gochujang Pork
Ingredients
8 garlic cloves, peel and crushed
1 2" piece of ginger, peeled and sliced
1/2 c dry sake
1/2 c gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste)
1/2 c sweet mirin
1/4 c vegetable oil
1 1/2 lb skinless, boneless pork shoulder sliced 3/4" thick

Directions
1.  Purée garlic, sake, gochujang, mirin and vegetable oil in blender.  Set 1/4 c marinade aside, chill.
2.  Transfer remaining marinade into large dish or plastic bag.  Add pork.  Chill, turning occasionally, at least 2 hours.
3.  Prepare grill. Remove pork from marinade and grill, basting with reserved marinade, turning as needed until cooked to desired doneness.

Cavatelli with Spinach, Caramelized Fennel. and Poached Eggs

This is from Martha Stewart but I used a poached egg on top in place of the fried egg. I plated the fennel and spinach mixture on the bottom of a broad based bowl, layered the pasta on top and than topped it off with the egg.


Cavatelli with Spinach, Caramelized Fennel and Poached Egg

Ingredients

• • 2 lemons, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
  • 1 large bulb fennel, trimmed and thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 6 cups baby spinach (about 5 ounces)
  • 1 recipe Homemade Cavatelli
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan, finely grated

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle lemons and fennel with 1/4 cup oil; season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat, then spread in a single layer. Roast until caramelized and tender, flipping halfway through, about 25 minutes. Stir in spinach. Return to oven and roast until just wilted, about 2 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cook cavatelli in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente, about 4 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to baking sheet with vegetables; toss to combine and season with salt and pepper.
3. Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Fry eggs in batches until whites are set and yolks are still loose, about 4 minutes.  Or poach in simmering water for about 3-4 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper. 
4. Top each serving with egg (fried or poached) and sprinkle with Parmesan.  

Blueberry Crostata

Crostata's are one of my favorite quick dessert to make.  I use a pillsbury refrigerated rolled crust. Unroll it and place it in a pie plate. Add whatever fruit is in season and fold the edges over. Bake until the fruit is caramelized and the crust lightly browned. I'm a big fan of using lime with many fruits.

Blueberry Crostata
Ingredients
3 c blueberries, washed and drained and picked over
1 lime or lemon
3 Tb sugar
2 tsp cornstarch
1 pie crust

Directions
1.  Wash and drain blueberries. I like to use a salad spinner.
2.  Mix the berries with the grated lemon/lime rind and 1/2 lemon/lime juice.
3.  Mix cornstarch and sugar together.  Add to berries and mix well.
4.  Unroll pie crust and lay in pie plate.
5.  Add berries to crust. Fold over edges.
6. Bake at 350 for about 45-50 minutes or until berries are caramelized and crust is lightly browned.   Watch and cover with foil if needed for the last 10 minutes.

Chicken Tacos

Chicken Tacos

This is a great taco recipe from Food and Wine.  I've made it several times and it's great fried as the recipe calls for or broiled in the oven. I haven't tried it using skinless chicken thighs but for those who prefer to be a little healthier it could be done but the crispy skin is one of the best parts.  I have served these with the corn salsa recipe, salsa authentic or salsa verde.  It would probably be good with the grilled vegetables in the taco skirt steak recipe.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup fresh lime juice
Kosher salt
4 large boneless chicken thighs with skin (about 5 ounces each), pounded 1/3 inch thick
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Large pinch of cayenne pepper
Vegetable oil, for frying
Warm corn tortillas, for serving
1 avocado diced

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the lime juice with 1 teaspoon of salt, stirring to dissolve the salt. Add the chicken thighs and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 2 hours.

2. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. In a shallow bowl, combine the flour with the pepper, cayenne and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

3. In a large skillet, heat 1/3 inch of oil until shimmering. Dredge the chicken in the flour, shaking off any excess. Fry the chicken over moderately high heat until well-browned and crisp, about 3 1/2-5 minutes per side until cooked through.  Transfer to paper towels to drain.  Or broil for 5-7 minutes per side until thoroughly cooked.

4. Cut the chicken into thin strips and serve with the avocado and salsa of your choice and warm corn/flour tortillas.

Banana Chocolate Chip Cake

Banana Chocolate Chip Cake

Yet another Bon Appetit recipe worth making.  This cake is almost a cross between a bread and a cake.  It is a dense but moist cake.  I have also made a half recipe and baked it as two small loaves as a banana bread.  The recipe calls for a peanut butter frosting which makes a nice combination but I have also made it with a chocolate frosting and liked it just as much.  If trying it with chocolate frosting use the recipe used with the chocolate cake recipe posted.


INGREDIENTS

CAKE
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
3 cups cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1½ cups cups sugar
1 cup cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup cup (packed) light brown sugar
3 large eggs
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups cups mashed very ripe bananas
1 cup cup sour cream
1 10-oz. bag mini chocolate chips
FROSTING
2 cups cups creamy peanut butter
1½ cups cups powdered sugar
1 cup cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2½ teaspoon tsp. vanilla extract
Chocolate chips, mini chocolate chips, and chocolate kisses


PREPARATION

CAKE
Preheat oven to 350°. Coat cake pans with nonstick spray. Line bottom of pans with parchment; coat paper. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat sugar, butter, and brown sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating to blend between additions and occasionally scraping down sides and bottom of bowl. Beat in vanilla.
Add dry ingredients; beat on low speed just to blend. Add bananas and sour cream; beat just to blend. Fold in mini chips. Divide batter evenly among pans; smooth tops.
Bake cakes until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer to wire racks; let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Invert cakes onto racks; peel off parchment and let cool completely.
FROSTING
Using an electric mixer, beat first 4 ingredients in a medium bowl until a light and fluffy frosting forms, 2–3 minutes.
Place 1 cake on a platter. Spread 1¼ cups frosting over. Place remaining cake on top. Cover top and sides of cake with remaining frosting. Garnish with chocolate chips and kisses. Cake can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour before serving.