Spinach and Feta Puffs

I was looking for something new to make for football Sunday and checked my fridge and started pulling stuff out.  I always have puff pastry in my freezer and everything else just kind of fell into place.  Everyone else wanted to see these little numbers every Sunday from now on.  I happen to agree.
You could make these easily the morning of any get together and just pop them in your oven when your guests arrive...this is my kind of recipe!

Here's What You Need:

1 package Frozen Spinach, defrosted
1 cup Feta, crumbled
1 small Onion, small dice
3 cloves Garlic
½ teaspoon dried Rosemary
½ teaspoon dried Thyme
Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes
2 eggs, one for the filling and one for the egg wash
Puff Pastry, thawed

Preheat oven to 400℉.
Let's get the filling taken care of first...caramelize your onions, garlic and spices with a tablespoon of butter and some olive oil.  Don't forget a little salt and pepper please.  Thank you.  This will take approximately 20 minutes on low.  Put this mixture aside to cool.
Squeeze the spinach of it's water with a dish towel and add it to a bowl with one egg, feta and the now cooled onion mixture.  Mix everything well.
Now take your puff pastry and roll it out a bit, keeping the rectangular shape.  Cut the pastry into 12 squares, trying to keep them as equal as possible.  Spray a muffin tin (regular sized if you please) and place a square of pastry in each tin.  Press the puff pastry up the sides as best you can and then fill each with about 2 tablespoons of your filling.
Pinch up the four corners and don't worry if some of your filling is showing...it will look nice once it's baked off.  Brush the "Puffs" with the egg wash and place it in the oven for  18-20 minutes.
Once they are golden brown place your pan on a cooling rack and let it be for 3-5 minutes to set up.  They should pop right out and in no time they will be devoured!

Bon Appetit...it's time to eat!
Kathi

Macaroni and Cheese

I have had this recipe for quite a few years now, all thanks to my friend Scottie.  He had been working on a M & C recipe and this was what he came up with...it's amazing.  I cannot improve on it so I will share it with you as he did with me.  I will say,  I don't always have the exact amount of cheese.  In fact it's usually a wee bit over!  It's a wonderful recipe to make a day or two ahead and then all you need to do is pop it in the oven for a bit longer than usual.  I always, always, always double it.  Always.  It's that good.  Also, just as a side note, you're going to want to make sure you have a salad or veggie as a side to this meal.  The amount of cheese in it will stop a freight train from running on a regular schedule, never mind a human body.  Yes, I went there.  The family and I usually have roasted broccoli with lemon and it's fan-freaking-tastic!  This is a special occasion dish here...Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter and for pot lucks so don't start complaining about the high calorie count.  Celebrate and enjoy!  Stay on the treadmill for a few extra minutes, you'll be fine.

Uncle Scottie's Mac and Cheese!

Here's What You Need:

• 5 Tablespoons Butter
• 4 Tablespoons AP Flour
• 2 ½ cups Whole Milk
• 5 ounces Gorgonzola, crumbled
• 4 ounces Fontina, grated
• ¼-½ teaspoon Cayenne or 1 Teaspoon Cajun Seasoning, or more to taste
• 1 pound Rigatoni, I use "Mezzi Rigatoni" it's shorter and has lines!
• 4 ounces Mozzarella, cut into small cubes
• 4 ounces Parmesan, grated

I find that having a large pot of water boiling and at the ready helps with the timing of this whole process and then bring it down to simmer while you're making your cheese sauce.  I also prep all of the cheese so that once the white sauce is ready you can toss the cheese in and voila!  Cheese sauce!

I always ask my husband to help with this part!  ♥

In another large pot melt the butter, then with a whisk add in the flour.  Whisk away for a minute or so and then slowly add in your milk.  I rarely use whole milk but in this dish it's imperative.  Trust me.  I've tried making a lower fat version and it did not go over well.  You are going to need to watch over your pot of almost goodness now, keep whisking so nothing burns on the bottom of the pan.  The sauce will thicken up in 20 minutes or so, a bit longer if your doubling (which again, I highly recommend).  You can call on your inner Julia Childs and do that fancy french trick of coating the back of a wooden spoon and run your finger through the sauce on it to see if the line stays formed, if you'd like.  Talk with a french accent if you so choose, I won't judge.

Once your white sauce is thickened I want you to add in the Gorgonzola and stir it all in with the whisk to help break it up further.  Then add in the fontina.  Things are going to start getting ooey and gooey really quickly now and you can start doing a subtle happy dance.  Turn your heat off and add in your seasonings.  You all know by now that I like spicy foods so adjust to your liking.  Now if you happen to have a nice loaf of bread laying about and you want to dunk a piece in the sauce, to check for seasoning of course, then go right on ahead.

So your sauce is done, now just boil your noodles and you are in the home stretch.  You will want to cook them for a minute or two less than what the package says since they will be going into the oven for a bit of time too.  Drain and add them right back to the large pot I told you to get in the first place.  Now comes the cheese sauce, add it in with the noodles, combine well and then add in your Mozzarella.   Stir it.

See those little cubes of Mozzarella?  Oh happy day!!!

Your happy dance can get a little less subtle.  Grab a casserole dish and transfer your cheesy noodle goodness to it and use a scraper to get every last bit of sauce out of the pot.  Hell you can grab another hunk of bread and get it all.  Again, I won't judge.  Just don't.  Leave.  It.  In.  The.  Pot.

Now top it all with your grated Parmesan and cover it with tin foil.  Bake for 30-35 minutes or until bubbly then uncover for 15-20 to get the top nice and browned.  Don't forget that if you are making this ahead of time just stop short of baking it.  Put it in the fridge until you are ready.  It will need to bake for more like 45-50 minutes to get all bubbly and fabulous before browning the top.
Enjoy!

Bon Appetit...it's time to eat!
Kathi

Broccoli and Arugula "Cupcakes"

So it was a fairly normal Thursday at my house except for the nasty ragweed allergy season that has struck, oh and the poison ivy.  Yeah.  Poison freaking ivy.  I had gone to pick up the children from school and stopped by my favorite farm for my last load of veggies before Elizabeth went on vacation ***insert sadness***.

Anyways!  I went home, washed everything and started cooking my face off.  Not sure what the hell phase the moon was in but I started making 1 new dish that turned into 3 new dishes.  Alright, it could be the undiagnosed ADHD that I probably have but, whatever.  That's when it happened.  A knock at the back door, my dog going nuts and my neighbor, Kim, standing there with an enormous basket of veggies!  Obviously I welcomed her, and all the kale a girl could possibly want, into the house...and poured her a glass of wine.  I may or may not have then poured myself a vodka tonic but let me not get sidetracked.  Elizabeth, the best farmer on the planet, had sent her to me bearing gifts!  And what gifts they were!  I usually like going with one new recipe at a time but with everything staring me in the face I couldn't resist.  I had seen an intriguing recipe on Pinterest (shocker) for these baked cheddar broccoli rice cups and while I didn't have all the ingredients, it did get me thinking.  Love that!  This is my version of what came of it and I must say, it's amaze-balls!

This photo could totally be better but Kim insisted this needed to be my next post!  LOL!

Here's what you need:

• 1½ cups Brown Jasmin Rice, cooked
• 10 oz Broccoli, frozen or roughly 2 cups fresh, blanched.  I used fresh and chopped it.
• 1½ cups Arugula, chopped
• ¾ cup Cheese, ½ cup Monterey Jack and ¼ Parmesan
• 2 large Eggs, beaten
• ¼ cup Trader Joe's Red Pepper Spread with Eggplant, trust me...you need this in your life.
• 6-8 sprigs Thyme
• Muffin tin, regular or large

Preheat your oven to 350℉.

Sooo, throw all of it (except the Parmesan!) in a bowl large enough to get a good mix on things.  Seriously. All I ask is that you do spend the time to really incorporate the ingredients.  Then once the ingredients are all mixed thoroughly, divide your batter into your muffin tin.  They won't be rising so just fill those buggers to the tipity top.  Then top the "cupcakes" with your Parmesan.

Now, I used the large muffin tin and this made six FULL "cupcakes".  Next time I won't be so short sighted and I will double the recipe.  It was that big of a hit.  You all know how I feel about recipes that all 3 of my lovelies enjoy!  Once they are filled, pop them in the oven for 30 minutes or so.  I would start checking them at 20 minutes since the old cooker can vary dramatically from one to another.  I served them with some sauteed trombocino squash and onions but a salad and nice bread would work great here as well.  I liked that the Parmesan was nice and golden and...damn, now I want to make these again!

And don't you worry...the other two recipes will be coming your way soon!  ❤

Bon Appetit...it's time to eat!

Kathi

Three Cheese Grilled Pizza

Let me start off by saying the beauty of this post is that you can use whatever you have on hand.  It's not so much a recipe, as it is an idea to work off of.  With that said...the pizza we (my husband  and I) made tonight was the best we have ever made.  Oh, did I mention another beauty of this post is that the husband and I cook this together?  If he's not home, the children and I don't make it.

I love grilled pizza night for many reasons.  It means the man is home, and while I always joke about loving my own space when he travels, I do miss him when he is away.  Quite a bit.  Just a little.  The second reason is because I can open up my fridge and see what I have and what needs to be used.  This is perfect for using up a little of this and a little of that.  The third reason is that the man and I most often times work in sync for this meal.  It's the little things that I can appreciate.  ☺ Another reason is that I won't get take out pizza this good or this fresh here.  Don't get me wrong, we have a few really great pizza joints, and I am not afraid of ordering from them.  They just aren't as good as what can come off of our grill.  There.  I said it.  Now go try this!

Here's What You Need...for what we made tonight:

• Pizza Dough, make it yourself or buy it
• Sauce, My version or a good jarred version are fine
• Mozzarella, grated
• Parmesan, shaved with a vegetable peeler 
• Ricotta, the homemade version I do or a store bought version are fine
• Onions, caramelized
• Mushrooms, sauteed
• Red Pepper Flakes
• Basil, torn

There are a few tricks that The Husband has perfected with this whole process.  Take your dough out and let it sit on the counter for at least an hour, it will make it easier to stretch and work with.  Get your grill screaming hot.  Last, cook one side first and then put the toppings on that cooked side.  Yes.  Just continue reading.

My part in this whole process is to have all the toppings prepared.  That means I see what will work from the fridge, chop them and then cook them.  All toppings should be cooked because they aren't on the grill long enough to cook through.  I also am the one that gets the "pizza topping buffet" set up.  I clear off everything from our island and set the toppings out in bowls.  When we have company over and make these it is always inevitability a huge hit and it's easy for the children to make their own (which is the best part don't you know?).  The ricotta that I make is from Jennifer Perrilo on Food 52.  It is so completely wonderful, delicious and incredibly easy.  Did I mention delicious?

So once your grill is squawking and your dough is stretched out, oil both sides and throw it on the grates, then shut the hood.  Don't go anywhere because it will take about 90 seconds to 2 minutes to cook on this first side.  Once the first side is done take it off the grill and bring it to the topping bar.  

You want to top the side that has been cooked!  The raw side should be on the bottom.  For this pizza I put sauce first then red pepper flakes, ricotta, mushrooms, onions, Mozzarella, Parmesan and finally basil. 

 Once all the toppings are on, then the pizza goes back on the grill and the gas gets turned to low...put the hood down immediately.  This second turn on the grill will take a little bit more time than the first,  about 2-3 minutes.  Don't go anywhere and check it after 2 minutes so it doesn't burn.  What you are trying to accomplish here is cooking the dough and melting the cheeses.  Our pizza's usually turn out large so we take them off the grill with cookie sheets or cutting boards.

Once they come off the grill let them sit for a minute or two to cool.  If you try cutting into the pizza with the smoldering cheese it will just pool into the middle.  Let it set up and try to be as patient as you possibly can...not an easy feat for me.

A simple salad with this makes everyone happy but I have to admit, tonight it was just pizza...and a vodka tonic each for The Husband and I ❤

Bon Appetit...it's time to eat!

Grilled Zucchini Rolls

I've talked to you all before about my friend, Elizabeth, who has Fat Moon Farm.  She has a ton of pea shoots right now and I am in PS heaven!  I had been wanting to make a different version of grilled zucchini since my Grilled Stuffed Zucchini and this was a perfect spring time option!  I don't have much to say today...this recipe has almost left me speechless.  Almost.

Here's What You Need:

• 3-4 medium Zucchini, sliced thinly, lengthwise
• 5.5 ounces Goat Cheese, room temperature
• 2 Garlic Scapes, chopped
• 5 Basil Leaves
• 2 Tblsp Parsley
• Pepper
• ½ Lemon, juice and zest
• Pea Shoots (or other baby green like arugula or even baby spinach)
• Garlic Pepper Oil

Pea shoots didn't make it in this shot...they were getting washed.  Oops!

I take the goat cheese out of the fridge to soften and turn the grill on (or use a grill pan) while I am slicing the zucchini.  Using a mandolin would be exceptional here but since I don't have one (yet!), I just use my trusty chefs knife.  I find it easier to stay straight with it rather than something small like a paring knife, but that's just me.  Use whatever works for you!
Once the zucchini is sliced I put it in a zip top type of bag and add a few tablespoons of the garlic pepper oil.  If you don't have it ready or don't want to make it, it won't be a deal breaker here.  Just use regular olive oil or an already flavored one of your liking.  I hope my husband reads this to see that I can in fact be pretty easy going at times!  Close the top of the bag getting as much air out as you can, then rub the bag around to get the zucchini coated well.  To the grill you go...it just takes a couple of minutes per side since these are thin zucchini we're using here.  Get some pretty grill marks then put them on a plate to cool a bit and work on your filling if you didn't get it done it earlier.
In a small bowl add in your goat cheese, garlic scapes (or regular garlic if you don't have Fat Moon Farm around the corner!), basil, parsley, pepper and lemon.  Give it a good mix to incorporate everything and set up an assembly line, it just makes it easier!
Start with your zucchini and add about a teaspoon of your herbed cheese to one end.

Top that off with your pea shoots or other green.

Annnnnnnd roll.

We had these as an appetizer before our Pea Shoot Pesto (yeah, I'm slightly obsessed with them right now!), and they were devoured by everyone!  Look for more recipes involving pea shoots to come in the next few weeks thanks to Elizabeth!  ❤
I think I am off to the kitchen store to score a mandolin now...I'll be making these all summer!
Bon Appetit...it's time to eat!