Everything's Better with Bacon

I'm a little bit of a nut when it comes to pasta. I'd have it every day of the week if it weren't a carbo over-load! But nothing beats a big bowl of pasta for its yummy-ness, and it's easiness to prepare during the week. Though I'd be happy with just some noodles and olive oil, I try and spice things up a bit to make it look truly gourmet (like I'd been slaving away for hours). So when I found this recipe in Real Simple, and believe me...it was certainly real simple to make!...I knew it'd be a mid-week hit.

Spaghetti with Bacon Meatballs

1 small onion, coarsely chopped

3 slices bacon, coarsely chopped

2 cloves garlic, peeled

1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 lb ground beef chuck

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

3 tablespoons bread crumbs

1 large egg

kosher salt & black pepper

12 oz spaghetti

3 cups marinara

Heat broiler. Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. In a food processor, combine the onion, bacon, garlic, and parsley; pulse until finely chopped, 10 to 15 times. Transfer to medium bowl, add the beef, Parmesan, bread crumbs, egg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and mix gently to combine.

Form the beef mixture into 16 meatballs (about 2 tablespoons each) and place on a foil-lined broilerproof rimmed baking sheet. Broil, turning once, until cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package directions.

Heat the marinara sauce in a large skillet over medium heat, 2 to 3 minutes; add the meatballs and toss gently to coat. Serve over the pasta and sprinkle with the shaved Parmesan.

Really nothing to this recipe, and yet it tastes as if you ordered it in your favorite Italian restaurant. I think it has something to do with those bacon meatballs. I guess it's true, everything is better with bacon.

-- the daughter

Birthday Bash in the Wine Country

Seems we're always talking about wine country trips (yep, we're "winos"!)...but this past weekend was something very special...Meg turned 30. Gather up all your friends and family, rent a too-cool farmhouse in a vineyard, sample wine all day and then cook like crazy at night. The "crazy" part was mine.

While the guests were outside playing a rousing game of bocce ball, I headed to the kitchen to start the birthday dinner preparations. This one seemed like a big hit and was fairly easy to prepare.

Pear and Blue Cheese Tart

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

1 large egg

2/3 cup gorgonzola dolce cheese

½ small onion, halved and sliced

1 Tbl. olive oil

1 ripe pear, thinly sliced

2 Tbl. fresh thyme leaves

Preheat oven to 425˚.

Lay dough flat on rimmed baking

sheet lined with parchment paper. Poke holes all over

dough with a fork, leaving the outer inch untouched.

Bake until dough starts to puff, about 8-10 min.

Whisk together egg and cheese until smooth and spread

over dough, using a spoon to move mixture toward

the corners. Sauté onion in oil in frying pan until

softened. Scatter onion over cheese and arrange pear

slices on top. Bake until pastry is golden brown and egg

has set, about 15 min. Sprinkle with thyme and cut

into squares.

Not only was the presentation pretty, it had the added benefit of bringing forward the tastes that pair so well with wine…fruit and cheese. Festive for fall and just right for a group of oenophiles! Great time but my only concern now is…how the heck are we going to top that when she turns 31?

--The Mother

Throw a Little Shrimp on the Barbee

More sizzling than a sunburned redhead…these delectable kabobs grill up with the right combination of ancho chile-rubbed heat and cool, luscious summer peaches. It just seems fitting to end a long hot day of summer with this tongue-tingling creation.

Grilled Chile Prawns and Peach Kabobs

1 Tbl. packed brown sugar

1 tsp. ancho chile powder

1 tsp. sweet paprika

½ tsp. ground cumin

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

Salt and Pepper

1 lb. large shrimp, shelled and deveined

3 medium peaches, cut into 1” chunks

1 bunch green onions, cut into 2” pieces

Lime wedges, for serving

(If using bamboo skewers, soak skewers in cold water at least 30 min.

to prevent burning.) Prepare outdoor grill for direct grilling on high.

In large bowl, combine brown sugar, chile powder, paprika, cumin,

cayenne, ¼ tsp. salt, and ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper. Add

shrimp, peaches, and onion; toss until evenly coated. Thread alternately

onto skewers.

Grill 3-4 min. or until browned and shrimp just become opaque throughout,

Turning once. Serve with lime wedges.

I served the kabobs over a brown rice that I cooked with half water and half orange juice and some orange zest to infuse some citrus-type flavor, enhancing the taste of the peaches. I threw a handful of roasted almonds into the rice as well.

The shrimp and peaches cooked surprisingly equal (the peaches didn’t get mushy), but I believe next time I will par-boil the green onions prior to threading them onto the skewers…they were slightly undercooked. I like vegetables to be crispy but these tasted almost raw. Still, the simple combination of spicy shrimp, cool peach and tangy green onion was a palate-winner.

--The Mother

Strike Up the Grill

I came across an interesting recipe for Grilling Pork Medallions accompanied by a Grilled Apple that I thought I’d try. Given that it’s barbecue season, I took this somewhat unlikely summer combo (I think of pork and apples as being more in line with fall fare), and give it a whirl.

Grilled Pork Medallions with Grilled Apples

1 lb. park tenderloin

4 apples, cored

4 small rosemary springs (plus extra for garnish)

4 tsp sugar

Marinade

2 Tbl. olive oil

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

4 shallots, finely chopped

4 Tbl. orange juice

2 Tbl. honey

1 Tbl. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

3 Tbl. white wine vineyar

1 rosemary sprig, finely chopped

Make the marinade: Heat oil and cook the garlic and shallots over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 min., until soft. Stir in the remaining marinade ingredients and let simmer gently for 5 min. Remove from the heat and let cool completely.

Cut the pork tenderloin into medallions about ½” thick and place in a shallow dish. Pour in the marinade, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let marinate in the refrigerator overnight.

With a sharp knife, score through the skin of each apple around the center. Place each apple on a square of foil and put a rosemary sprig and 1 tsp. sugar in each cavity. Enclose the apples in the foil and cook on a medium bbq, turning occasionally, for 25-30 min.

About 10-15 min. before the apples are ready, drain the pork, reserving the marinade. Grill, brushing with the reserved marinade for about 5 min. on each side. Serve 3-4 medallions and an unwrapped apple on each plate. Garnish with extra rosemary sprigs and serve.

Not only do I think it was yummy…it was very simple (but remember to marinade overnight, so plan ahead). I was a little skeptical that grilling medallions would make the meat overdone. The meat did grill quickly but managed to stay very moist due, no doubt, to the really nice overnight coating it got, and the apples didn’t really take that long either…making this a good choice to serve at a summer dinner with friends. So take an extra dip in the pool and enjoy your guests. This one is a dream to fix.

--The Mother

Dinner for Eight

We sent out the request to a few couples for a sit-down dinner at our place, and got a resounding “yes” from everyone. Uh-oh…didn’t really have space at the table for all eight yeses! We dusted off the dining room table, borrowed a bench from mom & dad (since we didn’t have enough chairs), and pulled out the boxes of our china from storage. Three years after getting married – we’re finally able to use our china! Of course that meant de-stickering and washing eight place settings with the stemware to match! Maybe eight people for a sit-down dinner was overly ambitious for our first dinner party?

With a few pescetarians in our mix, I thought fish was the best route. That’s not an easy feat, particularly when you’re trying to cook eight pieces of Salmon

perfectly while entertaining & getting other dishes out on the table. But I was willing to give it a try. If it didn’t work out, then hopefully I could get our friends drunk enough that they wouldn’t notice the overcooked Salmon. Thankfully, I didn’t have to resort to that – because the fish was perfectly cooked. It was crusted with white bread, parsley, salt and pepper – which was so easy (shhh, don’t tell my guests!) I put it over a heaping bed of Mediterranean-style orzo. We had such a wonderful feast…including the almond torte and pear sorbet for dessert (recipes from my mom). And although I was absolutely exhausted when it was all over, I’d happily do it again. Great friends around the table, delicious food and amazing wine. What more could you ask for? Well, maybe a bigger table and more seating. Oh, and one more place-setting of china (hint hint, mom).

Endive & Watercress Salad

1 tablespoon malt vinegar or cider vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme

1/4 teaspoon minced garlic

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 lb Belgian endives (4 large), cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces

6 oz red endive or radicchio di Treviso, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces, or 1 medium round head radicchio, torn into bite-size pieces

2 cups loosely packed watercress sprigs (2 ounces)

Whisk together vinegar, mustard, thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large salad bowl until combined, then add oil in a slow stream, whisking until emulsified. Cover vinaigrette and let stand 1 hour. Add salad greens to vinaigrette and toss to coat.

Source: Epicurious/Gourmet 2004

Herb-Crusted Salmon

3 slices white bread

1 cup fresh parsley

2 tablespoon olive oil

Salt & ground pepper

4 skinless salmon fillets

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 450 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil. In a food processor, combine bread, parsley and one tablespoon oil, salt & pepper. Pulse until coarse crumbs form. Place salmon on baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Spread top of fillets with Dijon, top with crumb mixture, pressing gently to adhere. Roast until salmon is cooked through – about 10 to 13 minutes.

Source: Martha Stewart Living

Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Corn

1 lb orzo pasta

2 cups fresh corn kernels, cut off cob

1 cup finely chopped sweet red pepper

1 cup black Kalamata olives, pitted and cut in half

½ cup thinly sliced scallions

2 tablespoons chopped regular or opal (purple) basil

2 tablespoons drained capers

¼ cup packed fresh parsley

¼ cup olive oil

3 tablespoons wine vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 7 minutes, or until tender. Drain well and transfer to a large serving bowl.

Add the corn, red pepper, olives, and scallions and toss well. Add the basil, capers, parsley, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper and gently toss. (Salad can be made 2 hours ahead of time. Cover and refrigerate until 30 minutes before serving)

Source: Stonewall Kitchen Cookbook

Almond Torte

½ tsp. sugar

½ tsp. flour

7 oz. almond paste

½ cup unsalted butter

¾ cup sugar

3 eggs

¼ tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. almond extract

1 tbl. kirsch (substitute pear liqueur if making pear sorbet to accompany torte)

¼ cup sifted flour

Confectioner’s sugar for dusting

Topping: 1 cup raspberries (eliminate if making pear sorbet)

Preheat oven to 350º. Butter an 8” round cake pan (I use a springform), then sprinkle with a mixture of ½ tsp. sugar and ½ tsp. flour. Tap out any excess from pan.

With an electric mixer, cream the almond paste and butter until smooth. Beat in ¾ cup sugar, scraping sides of bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add baking powder, almond extract, and kirsch. Fold in ¼ cup flour. Spread batter in prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.

Bake 30-35 min., or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool and remove from pan. Dust with confectioner’s sugar. Top with raspberries, if desired.

Pear Sorbet

2 lbs. ripe Bartlett or Anjou pears, peeled, cored, and chopped

1 ½ cups extra-dry or brut sparkling wine, divided

¾ cup sugar

2 Tbl. light corn syrup

Put pears and ¾ cup sparkling wine in a medium pan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to maintain a steady simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until pears are tender, about 10 min. Whirl pear mixture and sugar in a blender until smooth. Stir in corn syrup, cover, and chill.

When mixture is cold, stir in remaining ¾ cup sparkling wine and freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s directions. Transfer to a freezer-safe container, cover, and freeze until ready to serve.

Ugly Soup

Not exactly an appealing title, is it? I’m a big fan of soup and often have it as a first course when entertaining but, I admit, this isn’t company-worthy in presentation. However, what it lacks in sophistication to the eye, it makes up for in rich taste without excess calories (plus it’s really simple). Since the weather has been unseasonally cold, I decided to give it a try.

Turkey Meatball & Vegetable Soup

5 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 large carrots, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

1 large egg, beaten to blend

1 ¼ tsp. ground cumin

About 2 Tbl. chopped fresh oregano, divided

¼ tsp. each kosher salt and pepper

1 lb. ground turkey

½ cup cold cooked white rice*

Heat broth, carrots and celery in a medium pot, covered, over high heat until boiling. Meanwhile, make meatballs.

Combine egg, cumin, 2 tsp. oregano, and the salt and pepper in a bowl. Stir in turkey and rice to blend well. Shape meat into 1 ½” balls and set on tray. Lower meatballs into soup with a spoon. Bring to simmer; reduce heat and cook, covered, until carrots are very tender, 8-10 min. Stir in remaining oregano.

*I had a little extra rice so, the day after I made this, I threw in the extra rice to heat up for lunch. I actually liked adding some to the broth.

My friend, Betsy, spotted this in Sunset magazine and thought it sounded good (and guess what, even the Sunset kitchens couldn’t make it look good!). I’m glad she read through it and realized its potential. Yummy. Like a well-worn bathrobe, it may have an ugly appearance, but you can’t beat it for comfort. Forgive me for renaming it “Ugly Soup”.

The Mother

A Meal That Was Appetitlich

Just got some great news from my daughter and her husband (no, not the cute little bundle kind), but a very nice promotion for him. This meteoric rise (hey, I’m proud) will begin with a training period in Germany. What better way to celebrate than to have them to dinner and what better menu than filling it with his favorite foods. One of his favorites is scallops and I thought it would also serve to remind him to come home to his City by the Bay!

Scallops with Bacon, Edamame, and Basil on Polenta

3 slices bacon

¾ - 1 lb. sea scallops

½ tsp. salt, divided

¼ tsp. black pepper, divided

1 tbl. unsalted butter

½ cup chopped sweet onion

1 garlic clove, minced

¾ cup chopped red bell pepper

½ cup shelled frozen edamame (green soybeans)

¼ cup dry white wine

½ cup heirloom grape tomatoes

1/8 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced

Creamy Polenta (about 3 parts chicken broth to 1 part polenta)

A little garlic oil (optional)

Prepare polenta: bring chicken broth to boil, add polenta and stir til creamy. Keep warm.

Cook bacon in large skillet over medium-high heat til crisp; remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving drippings in skillet. Crumble bacon and set aside.

Sprinkle scallops with ¼ tsp.salt and 1/8 tsp. pepper. Heat drippings over med-high heat til hot. Add scallops and cook 3 min. Turn and cook 3* more min. Remove scallops.

Add butter to pan. Add onion and garlic; sauté,, stirring often, 2 min. Stir in bell pepper and edamame; cook 2 min. or til crisp-tender. Add wine and cook 30 seconds, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of pan. Add bacon, remaining salt and pepper, and tomatoes; cook, stirring constantly, 5 min. or til tomatoes soften. Return scallops to pan; cook 1 min. or just til heated through. Remove from heat, and stir in basil. Serve over creamy polenta that has been drizzled with garlic oil.

* amount of time depends on size of scallops. Small bay

scallops require less time.

The interesting mix of veggies that included edamame made for a colorful presentation. I added the creamy polenta as the base and drizzled it with olive oil which seemed to be a good call. We enjoyed the meal with a nice bottle of Trefethen Chardonnay and some warm ciabatta bread with olive oil and balsamic dip. No more was needed to feel satisfied. My son-in-law proclaimed the meal to be “appetitlich” (which is “delicious” in German…show off!).

Enjoy.

--The Mother

A Winter Visit to Hawaii (without the airfare)

A chilly night last night prompted me to think about a warmer, more tropical climate (at least while preparing a menu for the evening). I headed to the fish purveyor and found some very fresh Mahi Mahi on display. Team that up with a crust of macadamia nuts and top it with a fresh mango sauce and you’re sure to feel you’ve arrived in Hawaii (ok, maybe not as fun but it sure was yummy).

Macadamia-Crusted Mahi Mahi with Mango Sauce

1 cup macadamia nuts

1 cup panko

½ cup flour

1 large egg

4 (6 oz.) mahi mahi fillets

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup olive oil, divided

Mango Sauce (recipe follows)

¼ cup sliced green onions

Basmati Rice, cooked according to package directions

Pulse nuts in a food processor until finely ground. Add panko, and pulse until combined. Place mixture in a shallow bowl.

Place flour in a shallow dish. Whisk egg in medium bowl. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Dredge fish in flour, shake off excess, and dip in egg. Dredge fish in nut mixture, coating completely.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add 2 fillets; cook 3 min. on each side or until golden. (If nuts brown too quickly, reduce heat.) Repeat with remaining 2 tablespoons oiland fish. Serve fish fillets on bed of basmati rice on 4 serving plates. Top with Mango Sauce, and sprinkle with green onions.

Mango Sauce

½ cup sherry

1 large shallot, minced

2 ripe mangoes, peeled and chopped

¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice

2 Tbl. rice wine vinegar

¼ cup butter, cut into pieces

½ tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. white pepper

Combine sherry and shallot in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat about 4 min or til reduced to 2 tablespoons.

Meanwhile, combine mangoes, orange juice, and vinegar in a blender. Process until smooth. Add pureed mango mixture to sherry reduction, and reduce heat to medium. Cook 3-5 min. or til mxture is slightly thickened. Remove from heat. Whisk in butter, 1 piece at a time, until thoroughly blended. Stir in salt and pepper. Makes about 1 ¼ cups.

The crust was absolutely fabulous and the mango sauce added just the right amount of tropic-essence (is that a word?). The meal conjured up hula dancers in grass skirts, tiki torches on the beach, exotic drinks with little umbrellas…and all without the price tag of airfares. Enjoy.

--The Mother

Just One Pan

I feel like my life has turned into a vicious cycle of constantly loading and unloading the dishwasher. I'm glad I have one, don't get me wrong, but I spend so much time rinsing, loading, washing, unloading....and repeating again. I'm amazed at how many dishes, bowls, etc I go through for just one meal. I love any recipe where I can throw everything into one pan without sacrificing taste or quality, because then its one less rinse cycle for me.

Picked up some frozen cod from Trader Joe's (I know, fresh is always better...but this working girl can't be picky), and decided to make a mediterranean veggie broth with fish and some crusty bread. You pretty much throw the fish & goodies into one pan, enjoy a glass of wine, and watch it cook. How great is that? I found a recipe in Sunset magazine with the headline..."One Pan Wonders", so I figured that was something I had to try.

Greek-Style Halibut (or whatever white fish you like)
2 tbsp. olive oil

Halibut fillets (about 4oz each)
Kosher salt

Pepper

1 Fennel bulb

2 Garlic cloves

1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes

1 can (14.5 oz) chickpeas, drained & rinsed

2 tbsp fresh oregano

Heat 1 tbsp oil in pan over med-high heat. Rub halibut w/ salt and pepper and lightly brown fish in pan on one side for 3-4 minutes. Transfer to plate.

Add remaining oil to pan and add fennel. Cook until light golden and tender (about 8 mins), then add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, 1/2 cup water, chickpeas, S&P, and oregano. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer & lay halibut, brown side up, in sauce and simmer until fish is cooked through (5-10 minutes). Source: Sunset Magazine

Not only was it an easy clean up, but an easy meal for a weeknight. And the hubby was overly impressed that I could whip up such a fancy dish after working all day. I'll certainly take credit for the tasty meal, but little did he know it was just one pan!


-- the daughter

Under-The-Weather in Crummy Weather

Most New Years start off with a BANG. Ours started off with a “cough cough”. First, I managed to get sick right after Christmas and let it linger on until the New Year (while throwing a party, no less). Then, being the generous person that I am…gave it to my daughter. Happy New Year, Meg.

Since Meg was down for the count, I felt obliged to do the motherly thing: make soup. I know Chicken Noodle is a classic remedy but I decided to fix an equally satisfying and virus-busting soup, Provençal Tomato Soup. All the required get-well-quick veggies are present and accounted for, plus I like the rich taste that the seasonings bring forth. I make my Provençal a little different than most. During the last stage of cooking, I remove from the heat and pureé a portion of the soup in a blender, then add it back into the pot. This makes the soup a little thicker without adding the nasty calories of cream.

Provençal Tomato Soup

2 lb. tomatoes

2 med. onions, halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced

2 carrots, sliced

1 celery rib, chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 ½ tsp. orange zest

1 tsp. fresh thyme, finely chopped

1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes (or to taste)

¼ tsp. fennel seeds

1 bay leaf

3 Tbl. olive oil

2 Tbl. tomato paste

2 cups water

1 ¾ cups reduced sodium chicken broth

¾ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. black pepper

pinch crumbled saffron threads

1-2 tsps. sugar

¼ cup long-grain white rice

2 Tbl. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

¼ cup chopped fresh basil.

Cut a shallow X in bottom of each tomato and blanch in pot of boiling water about 10 seconds, until the skin just begins to split. Transfer with slotted spoon to a bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking.

Peel tomatoes, then halve crosswise. Squeeze halves gently, cut sides down, over a sieve set over a bowl to extract seeds and juices, then press on seeds and discard them. Reserve juice and tomatoes.

Cook onions, carrot, celery, garlic, zest, thyme, red pepper flakes, fennel seeds and bay leaf in oil in a 3 qt. heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, about 5 min.

Add tomatoes with reserved juice, tomato paste, water, chicken broth, salt and pepper, saffron, and 1 tsp. sugar, then simmer, uncovered, stirring and breaking up tomatoes with a spoon occasionally, 20 min. Remove from heat and allow soup to cool slightly. Put about one-third of the soup into a blender (may require a couple of blender batches to do one-third) and pureé til smooth. Return this to the pan with the remaining two-thirds soup and mix well. Bring back up to hot and stir in rice. Simmer, uncovered, until rice is tender, 10-20 min. Discard bay leaf and stir in parsley, basil, sugar and salt to taste.

Meg made a full recovery and we can officially welcome the new year. Happy New Year, everyone.

--The Mother (Dr. Mom)