Il Melograno (New York, NY)

I rarely do a restaurant review (probably because many of the places where we live and eat aren't really note-worthy). This weekend, however we went to NYC for J's birthday. As is the custom with the two of us we spent an unholy amount of time trying to decide where to eat. Finally I just made a decision and we went with it.

Il Melograno is owned by an Italian gentleman, Alberto, who according to the couple seated to the side of us, once owned a very successful restaurant in the Italian Alps. Located on the corner of W. 51st St and 10th Avenue a mere 20 min walk from our accommodations on Central Park Sout, Il Melograno means pomegranate in Italian.

Our first impressions were a little shaky, mostly due to the fact that it was such a busy night. No more than 15 tables and seating for approximately 30 made our first 15 or so an interesting affair. There were two couples and a single gentlemen waiting for a table ahead of us (in a space only big enough to hold two people comfortably. If it wasn't winter I would have been very happy to wait outside because it was apparent that we were in the way. A six top was open and after some quick thinking they separated the tables to form three two tops. The single gentleman (who may have been a critic for the way he was approaching the meal, decided he would rather wait for the more spacious bench table near the door. This move wedged us between two couples (most likely in their 60s). Once they brought me a chair, things began to run more smoothly.

The way the restaurant is set up, the pass is right along the aisle that patrons must walk through to enter and exit the back tables in the restaurant. This afforded us the view of all food being served at the restaurant (which was quite a treat and made ordering easier). We were also able to watch the fluidity with which Alberto moved from the role of owner, to head chef, to bus boy, to cashier, to expediting. The man did it all in the hour and a half that we were there.

The best way for me to describe the atmosphere is dynamic. This is not the place to go for a quiet dinner for two, with white tablecloths and old world restaurant manners. The staff was vibrant, youthful, and helpful. The kitchen being part of the dining area was not conducive to low whispered conversations with an illicit lover (if that's your particular situation). We were so close to our fellow diners that by the end of the meal we had made friends with one of the couples who was distantly related through marriage to the owner.

Not knowing what wine we wanted to order the couple next to us directed us to ask for a taste of the house red. It was a little too heavy for my taste in wine. I prefer light to medium bodied wines. We each had a glass of the Pinot Noir instead. They pour very generously by the glass so I didn't feel cheated not ordering the bottle. The staff was also very attentive to filling up my water glass.

The menu on menupages.com is not complete and obviously would not include specials, but their website is under construction so at the moment it was the only resource we had. Originally we were going to order the Cecina, a puree of chickpeas and basil, which sounded similar to a pesto hummus but after seeing them at the pass we went with one of the specials: arugula, tomato, and orange salad as an accompaniment to grilled swordfish, shrimp, and calamari. J was torn between homemade pasta (most of the pasta is homemade and specified as so on the menu) with pesto or the rack of lamb, with spinach, and roasted potatoes. The lamb was very good. I was deciding between several of the pasta dishes and when it came down to the penne with wild mushroom ragout, mascarpone cheese & fresh rosemary or the fresh pappardelle with sweet sausage sauce, peas and truffle oil, my server directed me to try the fresh pasta instead. The only complaint I have (and it's a personal taste issue) is that the sauce contained some red (I believe bell) pepper and I would have liked that specified on the menu because I'm not the biggest fan of peppers in my red sauce. The dish was still delicious and I would definitely order it again.
Sorry for the picture quality but I didn't want to bother the other people dining so close to us, and it was a difficult to see if it was focused or not.
For dessert I thought perhaps the tiramisu would be too boring, so we ordered the apple and nutella cake with vanilla gelato. I don't think it was fresh so we would have been better with the tiramisu. Our dinner companions said it was the best tiramisu they had ever eaten and offered us a taste. J liked it so much that he ordered one to go. Later Alberto came to speak to the other table and we complimented the chef and they brought us all limoncello. The other gentleman we were sitting with (not realizing J had bought a second dessert to go) told Alberto that J needed tiramisu instead of limoncello, so we had a bite of that as well.

Overall I would go back to Il Melograno. It was very reasonably priced and well located. The cramped quarters were not as distracting as I thought they might be.

Chicken, Cashew, and Red Pepper Stir-Fry

Here's the weekly stir-fry. I don't know if I'll make another one next week. I think that J is getting a little tired of them. He wants me to start stir-frying the rice as well. This will take some ahead of time planning. This was very easy and tasty, another winner from Cooking Light.

Chicken, Cashew, and Red Pepper Stir-Fry (adapted from Cooking Light)

3 3/4 tsp cornstarch, divided
2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce, divided
1 tbsp dry sherry
1 tsp rice wine vinegar
3/4 tsp sugar
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)
1/2 lb. chicken breast, cut lengthwise into thin strips
1/2 cup lightly salted cashews
1 tbsp canola oil
1 julienne-cut red bell pepper
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tsp grated peeled fresh ginger
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/2 cup white rice, cooked according to packet instructions

1. Combine 1 teaspoon cornstarch, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and next 4 ingredients (through hot pepper sauce) in a small bowl; stir with a whisk.
2. Combine remaining 2 3/4 teaspoons cornstarch, remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and chicken in a medium bowl; toss well to coat.
3. Heat wok over medium high heat. Add oil to pan, swirling to coat. Add chicken mixture to pan; sauté 2 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove chicken from pan; place in a bowl. Add bell pepper to pan; sauté 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and ginger; cook 30 seconds. Add chicken and cornstarch mixture to pan; cook 1 minute or until sauce is slightly thick. Sprinkle with cashews and green onions. Serve over rice.
   

Greek Pasta and Meatballs

I really enjoy making meatballs. They are so much fun and I'm pretty fast at making them. Of course this is another cooking light recipe. As far as Greek inspired recipes, I prefer this recipe for turkey meatballs (sauteed with a little cooking spray) from The Perfect Pantry. Although this was a light recipe I felt that the ground lamb that was available in the grocery store was extremely fatty. I don't generally use jarred tomato sauce (see recipe), so instead I took a can of crushed tomatoes and sauteed some garlic and onion (plus some herbs and spices I had on hand with a pinch of cinnamon to tie in the Greek flavor to the sauce) to make a sauce. I think I'll continue to use the ground turkey for (weekly) meatballs.


Greek Pasta with Meatballs (adapted from Cooking Light)

3/4 cup orzo
1/3 cup seasoned dry breadcrumbs
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound lean ground lamb (I couldn't get lean and it really needs to be less fat that what I had)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tablespoon dried parsley
2 large egg whites
cooking spray
1-2 cups marinara sauce (can add oregano, cinnamon, and allspice for more of a Greek taste)
8 tablespoons feta cheese (reduced fat if you prefer)

1. Preheat broiler on high.
   
2. Cook orzo according to package directions; drain. Keep warm.
3. Combine breadcrumbs and next 6 ingredients (through garlic) in a medium bowl; stir in 1 1/2 tablespoons parsley. Add egg whites, stirring mixture until just combined. Shape mixture into ~25-30 (1 tbsp) meatballs, place on cookie sheet lined with foil and sprayed with cooking spray.
4. Broil meatballs 4-5 minutes on each side, turning once (8-10 min total). Let dry on paper towels. Spoon heated marinara sauce over orzo; sprinkle with cheese. Serve with meatballs.

I thought it was a little bland so I added a little grated Parmesan cheese as well.

Chicken Panini with Figs

Back when I was making the fig stuffed pork tenderloin, I bought some figs. Later I made a fig paste to put on some pizza. My grocery didn't carry fig jam or preserves and I am continuing to use the dried fig paste from the same fig for other things. Last week my parents came to visit (and I forgot to photograph all the food I had made but I will make the fig and blue cheese appetizers again for J's birthday on Friday. I put half a tsp or so of blue cheese and the same amount of fig paste in little phyllo cups and toasted them. When I saw this recipe in my file, I thought it would be a nice way to use up some of the chicken in the freezer and these figs. Thanks again, Cooking Light!

Chicken Panini with Figs (adapted from Cooking Light)
Serves 2

1/8 cup fig paste (re-hydrated dried figs, chopped in food processor)
1 (small) ciabatta loaf, cut lengthwise
1/8 cup crumbled blue cheese
1 tablespoon butter, softened
1 cooked, boneless, skinless chicken breast
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup mesclun
1 tsp fresh lemon juice

1. Spread jam over cut side of top half of bread. Combine cheese and butter in a bowl, stirring until smooth. Spread cheese mixture over cut side of bottom half of bread. Arrange chicken evenly over cheese mixture; sprinkle with pepper. Place top half of bread, jam side down, over chicken.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, and add sandwich to pan. Place a heavy cast-iron skillet on sandwich; cook 5 minutes or until both sides are browned, turning once. You can also use a panini press.
   
3. Place arugula in a bowl. Drizzle juice over arugula; toss gently. Remove top bread half from sandwich. Arrange arugula mixture over chicken. Replace top bread half. Cut sandwich into 2 equal portions.

Beef Noodles with Oyster Sauce

This is another recipe from that Chinese Cooking book that J gave me. I talk about it here. I thought this was one of the best stir-fries I've made so far. J said it didn't have that "stir-fry" taste (I think he means burnt vegetables). Because I cook over really high heat in the wok some of the pieces taste a little charred like on a grill. I think that was the difference with this recipe. He also doesn't like asparagus so I wasn't expecting him to love this.

Beef Noodles with Oyster Sauce (adapted from Chinese Cooking)

1/2 lb beef thinly sliced into strips
9 oz. fresh Chinese Egg Noodles (found near the wonton wrappers in the store)
2 tbsp peanut oil
1 bunch fresh asparagus, woody ends removed and chopped (1.5" pieces)
2 clove garlic, chopped
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
4 tbsp fat free beef broth
1 1/2 tbsp rice wine
2 tbsp oyster sauce (found in the International aisle in the store)
1 tsp sesame seeds

Marinade:
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp rice wine

1. In a non-metallic bowl mix marinade ingredients and add the beef. Marinate at least 15 minutes.
2. Boil the noodles according to the package, drain and rinse and set aside.
3. Heat the wok over high heat. Add half the oil and heat.
   
4. Add the asparagus and stir-fry one minute.
5. Add the beef and marinade to the wok (carefully). Stir-fry until medium.
   
6. Remove beef and asparagus from pan.
7. Heat the rest of the oil and stir-fry garlic, ginger, and onion until onion is soft.
   
8. Add broth, wine, and oyster sauce and bring to a boil, continuing to stir.
   
9. Return the beef and asparagus to wok with noodles. Mix everything together and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
   

Ginger Shrimp Wontons with Spicy Peanut Sauce

J was helping pick out recipes last week and he must have really been craving Asian food as you can see from the previous posts. He even had Chinese Buffet for one of his lunches, so apparently dinner almost every night wasn't enough for him. These were originally supposed to be potstickers but I didn't feel like dealing with it so these were baked nice and crunchy in the oven.
These were surprisingly fast to make. Don't be afraid of wonton wrappers; they are so much fun to work with. One day I'd like to have a dumpling party and make a bunch of fillings and sit around talking and wrapper and then snack on them during game night or whatever. If I could find enough people I would love to start a dinner club (or whatever you want to call it). Anyone interested in a once a month type of thing?

Ginger Shrimp Wontons with Spicy Peanut Sauce (adapted from Cooking Light)

(makes 24 wontons, I had some filling leftover either because I didn't fill them enough or I didn't measure my shrimp carefully enough)

1 cup shredded napa cabbage
1/3 cup chopped green onions
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound cooked peeled small shrimp (I used thawed frozen pre-cooked)
Dash of hot sauce (sriracha)
24 wonton wrappers

Sauce:
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons chile paste with garlic (such as sambal oelek)
1/2 teaspoon sugar

1. To prepare wontons, combine first 10 ingredients in a food processor; pulse 4 times or until coarsely chopped.
2. Working with 1 wonton wrapper at a time (cover remaining wrappers with a damp towel to prevent drying), spoon about 1 1/2 teaspoons shrimp mixture into center of each wrapper.
3. Moisten edges of dough with water; bring 2 opposite corners to center, pinching points to seal. Bring remaining 2 corners to center, pinching points to seal. Pinch 4 edges together to seal. Place pot stickers on a large baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray.
4. Bake wontons at 400 degrees for approx. 8-10 min. Edges should be crispy but not burnt.
5. To prepare sauce, combine 1/4 cup water and next 5 ingredients (through sugar) in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Serve sauce with pot stickers. Garnish with extra chopped green onions, if desired.

Pork Chops with Hoisin Barbecue Sauce

Look out. Incoming! Another Cooking Light recipe. Did I mention I took all my clipped recipes from all different sources and tried to file them in some type of system? In doing so, I also have to make an effort to actually try these recipes I've been hoarding. Yes, hoarding. My expandable folder literally couldn't hold all of the recipes. So besides the blogs, the databases, and the cookbooks, I am also trying to use as many of these recipes as well. If it isn't any good I can throw away the recipe. This particular recipe wasn't bad per se. I just don't actually know if I would make it again. When I was little my mother had a rating system in she would write in her cookbooks with the date she first made the recipe to keep track of them. Excellent, Very Good, Good, Ok, Fair, Poor. These are the words I've been trying to incorporate myself so I can decide whether or not to make something again (although we all know that I have a hard time making the same thing twice). I would say Good and above have a decent chance of a repeat performance. This recipe I rated as Good. I wouldn't serve it to company, but as a nice weeknight meal it fits the bill.

Pork Chops with Hoisin Barbecue Sauce (adapted from Cooking Light)

3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon corn syrup (King Syrup)
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons Chinese hot mustard (such as Ty Ling brand)
Cooking spray
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 (4-ounce) boneless center-cut loin pork chops (about 1/2 inch thick)
4 green onions
1 cup hot cooked white rice

1. Combine sugar and syrup in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat. Cook 3 minutes or until sugar melts, stirring occasionally.
2. Stir in hoisin, vinegar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and garlic; bring to a boil. Cook 5 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in mustard. Keep warm.
3. Heat a pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray.
   
4. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper over pork. Add pork to pan; cook for 2 minutes on each side or until done.
5. Add pork to hoisin mixture, turning to coat. Keep warm.
6. Combine onions, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and rice; serve with pork.

Marinated Beef with Vegetables

You know those inexpensive cookbooks that don't really have an author (just a publishing company) that they sell in the sale sections at bookstore or in the front of stores like Ross, TJ Maxx and Marshalls? Well, somehow I have acquired several of those over the years. Some were gifts, some were impulse buys because two dollars for any book is worth it to me. At any rate, I've always been afraid to cook from them because I don't trust that anyone has ever tested these recipes. Let me know if you know anything about that. Paragon Books puts out several different kinds of these books and for Christmas one year J gave me one called Chinese Cooking: A collection of easy and elegant recipes. This Christmas I got a wok and J requested that I make a stir-fry once a week. So I decided what better way to get so use out of this book than to try to cook all the recipes that we would actually eat. The idea of cooking my way through an entire cookbook is very intriguing, but there are is rarely a book in which every single recipe sounds like something I would like. I'm not picky anymore but the few things I know I don't like I stay away from. Why waste calories on something you don't really want to eat? Going to weight watchers has definitely instilled this philosophy in me. This works only for things that aren't good for you of course. The healthy guidelines are good for you even if you don't really want to eat your vegetables. I guess the key is making the vegetables something you that you want to eat. This particular recipe includes lots of vegetables. I personally thought the recipe was a little bland but I like my Asian food to have some kick to it. J added a little hoisin or you could add some sriracha if you wanted something with a little more flavor.

Marinated Beef with Vegetables (adapted from Chinese Cooking)

Marinade:
1 tbsp sherry
1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp sugar
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp sesame oil

1/2 pound thinly sliced beef
1 tbsp sesame oil
1/2 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tbsp soy sauce
2 crowns broccoli, cut into florets
2 carrots, julienned
2 cups sugar snap peas
1/2 cup fat free beef broth
1 bag baby spinach
1/2 cup white rice, cooked according to package

1. Combine ingredients for marinade, add beef and cover. Let marinade 30 min and remove beef.
2. Heat half the oil in the wok at high heat. Stir-fry beef until medium rare and remove from pan.
3. Combine cornstarch and soy sauce. Add remaining oil to wok and add broccoli, carrots, and peas and stir-fry 2 minutes.
4. Add stock and let vegetable steam 2 minutes (covering if possible).
   
5. Add spinach, beef and cornstarch mixture. Cook to thicken and serve over rice.
   

Shredded Romaine Salad

Recently my friends and I have been talking about decreasing the amount of meat in our diets. I have been taking various steps at our house; being sure to package meat in single servings, only making enough to eat 2 servings or packaging extra servings immediately for later consumption, making meatless meals whenever possible. We watched Food Inc. at the local independent theatre and I starting looking into flexitarian living. My aunt and my sister are vegetarians but I don't think I'll ever have enough of a commitment to really go all the way and become a vegetarian. J would NEVER get on board with that one and I don't think I could give up some of my favorite foods. For me vegan is out of the question. Cheese is way too important. Anyway, I started looking into flexitarian cookbooks to nudge us in the right direction. While I haven't quite made any of the entree recipes my new book did give me some lunch ideas and made me a little less annoyed with my salad making attempts. After reading many reviews on cookbooks, for Christmas, I requested The Healthy Hedonist by Myra Kornfeld. So far I've made two salads which have both been very good. I've had to make some substitutions based on availability at the grocery store but the Baby Greens with Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette and Warm Goat Cheese Medallions was very good and so was the Shredded Romaine Salad with Dill and Scallions. As a change of pace for the side dish with those turkey meatballs (J insists upon each week) I made the salad.

Shredded Romaine Salad (adapted from The Healthy Hedonist)

1 small head romaine lettuce, shredded
1-2 tsp dried dill weed
1/2 bunch sliced scallions
salt and pepper
1 minced garlic clove
juice from 1/2 a lemon
2-3 tbsp olive oil
pomegranate seeds (from approximately 1/2 a pomegranate)
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

1. Mix the lettuce, dill, scallions, and salt in pepper.
2. To make the dressing, whisk the garlic, lemon, and oil and toss with greens.
   
3. Garnish with fruit and cheese.
   

Sweet Orange Salmon

I am a big fan of Cooking Light recipes. I guess it is a pretty well known fact because my good friend B gave me a Cooking Light Cookbook this year. I found this recipe in that book and salmon was on sale. The recipe was extremely easy and flavorful. The orange was not over-powering and the sugar cut through the acidity.

Sweet Orange Salmon (adapted from Cooking Light)

1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 salmon fillets
Cooking spray

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Combine first 8 ingredients in a small bowl.
3. Rub spice mixture over both sides of salmon fillets.
   
4. Place salmon on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray.
5. Broil for 8 minutes or until salmon flakes easily when tested with a fork.

Pork Stir-Fry with Asparagus and Sugar Snap Peas

J thinks we should have a "wok meal" (basically a stir-fry) once a week. I am totally loving the new wok, but I don't know if I really want to have a stir fry once a week. We'll see how it goes. I was a little apprehensive trying this one because J doesn't eat asparagus. I personally thought the asparagus was less pungent a flavor compared to the sugar snap peas. This was one of the first times I had ever used pork strips in a stir-fry and I really like them. Next time I would probably not use sesame oil for the high heat frying. Dark sesame oil is usually used for finishing and flavor; I would use some peanut oil perhaps for the frying and add some sesame oil at the end perhaps. I'm a slowly learning the importance of my mise en place, this time I only forgot one ingredient when I was getting ready. I have also (finally) learned the importance of drying your meat before searing in a pan. The soba noodles were all J's idea. The recipe originally called for rice but I was ok with no starch at all.

Pork Stir-Fry with Asparagus and Sugar Snap Peas (adapted from the kitchn)

1/2 small pork loin, cut into 1/2 thick strips totalling approx. 1 cup
salt and pepper
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon corn starch
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 large shallots, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 inch piece ginger, grated
1 pound asparagus, sliced into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups sugar snap peas
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1. Season the pork strips with salt and pepper.
2. Whisk together the soy sauce, sherry, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and corn starch. Set aside.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil in a wok over very high heat. Add the pork and cook, stirring, until edges begin to brown and they are just cooked through, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
4. Add the other tablespoon of sesame oil to the pan, and cook the shallots for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for another minute.
   
5. Add the asparagus, cook for another 30 seconds to 1 minute, and then add the sugar snap peas.
6. Pour the water into the pan, and scrape the bottom of the pan to pick up browned bits.
7. Sauté the vegetable mixture for another 3 minutes, until asparagus and peas are bright green but still crunchy. Add the red pepper flakes. Add the sauce and the pork. Cook and stir until everything is coated in the sauce. Serve over soba noodles.

Pumpkin Risotto

Rice is born in water and must die in wine.
Italian Proverb

I know I've said how much I love risotto in the past. This was another experiment. I'm sure it would have been better with fresher ingredients but I tried my best with what I wanted to use up. I had some leftover pumpkin frozen that I wanted to use up. At first I wasn't sure that I liked this recipe but it really grew on me. I brought this over to a friend's house and we ate it as a side dish for some breaded tilapia and salad. I had originally intended on this being a main course, but many people don't see risotto as the centerpiece to a meal so it became our side dish. I think it was less overpowering as an accompaniment to something else. The almond flavor was very strong in my opinion. I should have either used less cookies (mine we so small I increased from 4 to 6 cookies) or omitted them and used something else. I think a ginger snap (while being less Italian) would have been a welcome flavor.

Pumpkin Risotto (adapted from FXcuisine.com)

4-5 cups chicken broth

3/4 cup arborio rice
3/4 cup sweet white wine
1 medium white onion, chopped
3 tbsp European style butter
1 cups pumpkin flesh
6 small amaretti cookies
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1. Start by melting 1 tbsp butter with a little oil in the large pot. Gently fry the onions. DO NOT let them become brown.
2. As soon as the onions are soft, pour in your rice.
3. Mix the rice with the fat and onions over high heat for about 2 minutes or until every rice grain is coated with butter and they toast slightly.
4. Pour in wine and stir briskly so that all of the rice will coated with wine.
5. When the wine has completely evaporated, add one generous ladle of stock and mix briskly.
6. Stir the rice every 20 seconds. Continue adding one ladle of broth at a time as it evaporates.
7. After about 10 minutes, add the pumpkin flesh to the rice and mix. Continue to cook as before with another ladle of broth, making sure the risotto never sticks.
8. Crumble your amaretti in a mortar. Be sure to leave larger crumbs to add interest to the dish.
9. Add the amaretti crumbles to the risotto and mix in. Continue to cook, tasting every 30 seconds now, until they rice is almost done.
10. First remove the pot from the heat and let it rest for 1 minute covered. Then cut the rest of your butter in small and add them to the rice. Mix in the butter.
11. Grate the Parmesan and add it to the risotto. Mix it in.

Pasta with Broccoli Rabe Bolognese

When J was out of town, I spent the week cooking meals I knew he wouldn't like very much. The artichoke soup was one of them. He also find broccoli rabe to be too bitter in most recipes. I don't know what it is about broccoli rabe, sometimes I find it too bitter and other times it doesn't bother me. It doesn't matter if I blanche it before I use it or not it varies on the bitterness. This recipe I'm sure would have been too bitter for J. This is a Weight Watchers recipe that I changed slightly. I ate it for several different meals. The beef was a welcome protein that we haven't used much lately (on the BL challenge we have been trying to limit it more than before). I don't cook with beef a lot in general but I know J has been eating more bison and poultry for his lunches. I try to buy very lean beef when available. I also tried a different shape of pasta (the recipe called for penne but this is pipette.

On a side note, I've been reading some other blogs and some insights about why people blog. Sometimes blogging seems like a very egocentric activity. Trying desperately to be heard by the masses. I think that for me however, I am using the blog as was way of documenting my food experiments. The blog puts all my opinions in one place and gives me a photo history of the cooking experiences I am having.

Pasta with Broccoli Rabe Bolognese (adapted from Weight Watchers)

	1/8 tsp table salt, for cooking pasta
	2 tsp olive oil
	1 cup(s) onion(s), chopped
	1 Tbsp minced garlic
	1 pound uncooked lean ground beef (with 7% fat)
	2 1/2 tsp fennel seed, crushed
	28 oz canned tomato puree
	1/4 tsp table salt
	1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
	1/2 tsp dried oregano
	12 oz uncooked whole-wheat pasta, penne rigate suggested
	1 bunch broccoli rabe, ends trimmed, cut crosswise into 1 1/2-inch pieces

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
   
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent. Add beef and fennel seeds to pan; cook until browned, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon.
   
3. Stir in tomato puree, salt, red pepper flakes and oregano; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
4. While sauce simmers, add pasta to boiling water and cook according to package instructions, adding broccoli rabe to pasta water 5 minutes before pasta will be done; cook until pasta and broccoli rabe are tender.
5. Drain pasta and broccoli rabe; return to pot. Add sauce; toss to mix and coat.
   

Creamy Artichoke Soup

I know it isn't the most appetizing color. I don't even know how I stumbled upon this recipe. However this is the second time I've made Giada De Laurentiis' Creamy Artichoke soup. I don't really follow the instructions verbatim of course. At one point I was thinking this would be a very good soup to make for my parents, but perhaps the artichoke flavor is stronger than I first realized. It is a super easy recipe and comes together very quickly. Use vegetable broth to make it vegetarian.

Creamy Artichoke Soup (adapted from Giada De Laurentiis) serves 2

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 leek, white part only, washed well and chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small potato, peeled and chopped
1 can/jar of artichoke hearts in water (4-6 oz)
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons mascarpone cheese

1. Heat olive oil in a heavy, large pot over medium heat. Add the leeks and the garlic and stir. Add the potatoes and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the artichokes, stock, salt, and pepper and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 15-20 minutes.
2. Using a handheld immersion blender, or in a blender in batches, puree the soup. Add the 2 tablespoons mascarpone and blend again to combine.
3. Ladle the soup into serving bowls. Dollop the top of each of the soups with a spoonful of the softened mascarpone cheese.
   

Feel free to garnish with chives or parsley (I used dried parsley and it turned out well). I have used both the immersion blender method and the blender method of pureeing. The the regular blender makes more of a mess but I think you get a smoother soup. It's really your call.

Stir Fried Chicken and Broccoli Rabe with Peanuts

With our Biggest Loser contest, I am now able to get J to eat more and more vegetables. This is one of the recipes I made the first week. He normally hates broccoli rabe, but this version he actually liked. This was also the first time I got to use my brand new wok. Yay wok! I don't usually keep salted peanuts in the house but I think it may be better for this recipe to go ahead and buy some. I didn't and the peanuts tasted a little out of place. It was a super easy recipe and very filling with how much broccoli rabe we ate. J likes the stir frying so much he wants me to make one once a week. He did say he would have preferred some soba or ramen with his chicken, but I don't really think it needed it. The recipe also suggested other greens if you don't like broccoli rabe, but when I see that as part of a recipe I naturally gravitate towards it. My friend told me that it is because I'm Italian. The funny thing is, we never had broccoli rabe at home growing up. Once in a while at a deli or sandwich shop they would sell it with sausage and my dad would get a little tub of it and we might eat it on bread. When I was in college I think it was more readily available in grocery stores and my mother starting making a Giada de Laurentis recipe using hot Italian turkey sausage and broccoli rabe.

Stir Fried Chicken and Broccoli Rabe with Peanuts
(adapted from Bon Appetit)

2 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
2 tablespoons dry Sherry, divided
3 teaspoons Asian sesame oil, divided
2 teaspoons golden brown sugar, divided
1/2 pound skinless boneless chicken breast, cut crosswise into 1/3-inch-wide strips
1 tablespoons peanut oil
4 green onions, white parts and green parts chopped separately
2 teaspoons chopped seeded serrano chiles
1 large bunch broccoli rabe, thick stems removed, cut into 1" chunks
1/4 cup peanuts

1. Whisk 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon Sherry, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon sugar in medium bowl. Add chicken; marinade 20 to 30 minutes.
2. Whisk remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon Sherry, 2 teaspoons sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon sugar in small bowl and reserve.
3. Heat 1/2 tablespoon peanut oil in wok over high heat.
   
4. Add white parts of onions and chiles; stir 30 seconds. Add chicken; stir-fry just until cooked through, about 3 minutes. Transfer chicken mixture to bowl.
   
5. Add 1 tablespoon peanut oil to same skillet; heat over high heat. Add greens by large handfuls; stir just until beginning to wilt before adding more. Sauté just until tender, 1 to 6 minutes, depending on type of greens.
6. Return chicken to skillet. Add reserved soy sauce mixture; stir until heated through, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to serving bowl; sprinkle with green parts of onions and peanuts.

Potato, Ham and Cheese Frittata

I made this for dinner but it really works at any meal. It is really low in WW points (so much so that we decided to have seconds). I served mine with strawberries but any filling (low point) side would make a filling dinner. This recipe called for a few ingredients I didn't have or couldn't find so I improvised. Otherwise it was very easy.

Potato, Ham and Cheese Frittata (4 servings/4 WW points per serving)
(adapted from Cooking Light)

Cooking spray
1 1/2 cups frozen Southern-style hash brown potatoes (such as Ore-Ida)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped lean deli ham
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (such as Tabasco)
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
4 large eggs
4 large egg whites
1/4 cup (1 ounce) shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons chopped green onions

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Heat a 10-inch nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add potatoes, onion, and ham; saute 8 minutes or until potatoes are golden brown.
   
3. Remove from pan. Wipe pan clean with paper towels; recoat with cooking spray. Combine salt, hot sauce, pepper, eggs, and egg whites in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Stir in potato mixture, cheese, and chopped green onions.
4. Heat pan over medium heat. Pour in egg mixture. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 3 minutes or until bottom is lightly browned, lifting edges and tilting skillet as eggs cook to allow uncooked portion to flow underneath cooked portion.
5. Wrap handle of pan with foil if non-oven safe. Broil 2 minutes or until top is lightly browned and set.
   

Asian Summer Rolls

I've been to many different types of restaurants that serve some version of this cold dish. Whether it be Vietnamese, Thai, or Asian fusion, the summer roll, or fresh spring roll is a light refreshing (normally) appetizer that leaves you wanting more food but not feeling so full that you wonder why you ordered an entree. J is a huge fan of these and tends to order them whenever possible; so when I discovered that our grocery store was now carrying rice paper wrappers (sometimes called spring roll wrappers), I knew I just had to try these out for ourselves.

I was a little nervous about these at first. Anytime you are working with a new ingredient, especially one that seems so delicate it can daunting. This was surprisingly easy. The prep work took a little but of time but the actual wrapping was fairly fast. I think the next time would be much faster because I'm used to it. You should definitely prep everything before you try to start preparing these.

Asian Summer Rolls

8 rice paper wrappers
32 small shrimp, peeled, deveined and cooked
1 1/2 cups rice vermicelli, cooked for cold noodle preparation according to package
1-2 cups red leaf lettuce, julienned
2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
4 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

Dipping Sauce

2 tbsp peanut butter (any variety)
1 1/2 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp brown sugar
1/8 tsp ginger
1/2 cup warm water (to taste)

1. Combine first 6 ingredients of dipping sauce. While mixing with a whisk, gradually add warm water until sauce reaches desired consistency/taste. Set aside.
   
2. In a large pie plate soak rice paper wrappers (do each one right before you fill and wrap it, not all at the same time) according to instructions on the box. My package suggested hot water for 15-20 seconds. As the water cooled it took a little longer to softened. I even had to microwave my water once to keep it warm. Be sure you are using a microwavable container (my pie plate was Pyrex).
3. Lay wrapper on a very clean tea towel to dry excess moisture and begin filling.
   
4. Place 4 shrimp in a row in the center of the wrapper.
5. Top with 1/8 of the noodles. Then add one 1/8 of the mint and cilantro, then 1/8 of the lettuce.
6. To wrap, fold the top fairly tightly over the filling (do not tear). Fold each of the sides in tightly and then making sure there isn't too much air inside, fold the bottom up over it all. The roll should be firm not floppy.
7. Repeat for remaining 7 wrappers.
8. Serve with dipping sauce, makes 8 rolls.

I calculated these summer rolls at 2 WW points apiece. I did not calculate for the sauce. We at a few as a main course for something nice and light.

Pork Ragout

This is a another Cooking Light recipe. I was making it and I decided that I wasn't a fan of the texture (or even the flavor for that matter).  Perfect excuse to use my new kitchen appliance (big grin). I received a lovely immersion blender for Christmas. I hadn't asked for one but surprisingly I've been thinking of different ways to use it now that it is here. I've already gotten some use out of my new wok, which I will be posting later on. All this recipe needed was a little insight (I'm not tooting my own horn) to wrap the flavors together. It was also too chunky for my taste so here it is, Pork Ragout my way adapted from Cooking Light.

Pork Ragout (adapted from Cooking Light)

1  pound  boned pork loin
1  (4-ounce) link hot Italian turkey sausage
1  cup  chopped onion
1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1/4  teaspoon   kosher salt
1/4  teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4  cup  fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
3/4  cup dry red wine
2  (15-oz) can Italian-style chopped tomatoes
1/4 tsp cinnamon
8 oz  dry penne  pasta, cooked according to package instructions
1/4  cup  grated fresh Romano cheese (I also added some Parmesan)

1. Trim fat from pork; cut pork into 1/4-inch cubes.
2. Remove casing from sausage and break in to pieces. Cook sausage in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until browned; stir to crumble. 
3. Remove sausage from pan. Add onion to pan; saute 4 minutes or until lightly browned.
4. Add pork, and saute 5 minutes. Add sausage, rosemary, salt, and pepper.
5. Stir in broth and wine, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. 
6. Bring to a boil; cook for 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and cinnamon, and bring to a boil. 
7. Reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes. 
8. Using an immersion blender, blend sauce until reaches desired texture. Serve over pasta, and sprinkle with cheese.

The cinnamon added a sweetness without added extra calories. I think that it made all the difference between a sauce that was lacking something and bitter and a full-bodied flavor. I'm not trying to be cocky but it was really tasty once I took that one little risk. If could also have been a huge disaster.

Pasta Fagioli

I would call this a recipe makeover but all I did was adapt an already light recipe to suit my taste (not turn a decadent recipe into something light). Pronounced by many Italian Americans as pasta "fa-ZOOL", this is one of those recipes that will fill you up and keep you full all afternoon. It is 7 WW points per cup, but one cup is all you need to feel full and satisfied. With a salad you might feel hungry again in a little while. You can probably lighten up the recipe even more but for this time I made it the way I have in the past. It is very thick, bordering on a stew more than a soup so with just a little more broth or water you can stretch the recipe to feed more which would make the calories less per serving. I really enjoy this soup and plan to eat the rest of the pot as lunches for the entire week!

Pasta Fagioli (adapted from Cooking Light) Serves 6

1 tablespoon olive oil
6 ounces hot turkey Italian sausage
1 1/2 tbsp bottled minced garlic
1 cup water
1 (16-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 (8-ounce) can no-salt-added tomato sauce
4 oz. uncooked pipette pasta
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese, divided
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
1 15 oz. can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz. can navy beans, drained and rinsed
Dried parsley
Crushed red pepper

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Add sausage and garlic; saute 2 minutes or until browned, stir-ring to crumble.
3. Add water, broth, and tomato sauce; bring to a boil.
   
4. Stir in pasta, 1/4 cup cheese, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, and beans; bring to a boil.
   
5. Reduce heat, and simmer for 8 minutes or until pasta is done. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese. Garnish each serving with parsley and red pepper.

The Biggest Loser Recipe Makeover #2: Chicken Caesar Salad

Bottled salad dressings are full of sugar, preservatives and fat. They also don't usually taste very good. I was trying to find a way to make something very light that still tastes flavorful and I stumbled upon several recipes on Cooking Light. This Creamy Caesar Dressing and Herb Croutons were just the thing to spice up boring romaine lettuce and chicken. While I try to eat as healthily as I can sometimes price and convenience override some of my choices. I always knew that the half a chicken breast that come in the family packs are way too large to be one serving. Instead of freezing 2 breast halves, I have been trimming, cutting and pounding my boneless skinless chicken breasts into paillards. Then I label each pack with the number of ounces of chicken so I know exactly how many WW points we are eating.

Chicken Caesar Salad (with recipes adapted from Cooking Light: croutons and dressing)
Serves 2

Chicken:
2 4 oz. boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 tbsp Cajun seasoning

4 cups romaine lettuce torn or cut into pieces
1 tbsp finely grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Herb Croutons:
1 cup Italian bread, cubed
olive oil cooking spray
Italian seasoning, to taste
salt and pepper

Dressing:
1/3 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt (can also use regular variety)
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp anchovy paste
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 small garlic cloves, minced

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spay bread cubes with cooking spray and toss with seasoning. Toast in oven 10 minutes or until golden brown. Set croutons aside for salad.
   
2. While the croutons bake combine ingredients for salad dressing and whisk well. This make 1/4 cup of dressing and you only need 1-2 tbsp per person. You can refrigerate what you don't use for 4 days or so.
   
3. Rub chicken on both sides with Cajun seasoning. Broil under high heat approx. 4 min each side or until done (depends on thickness of chicken). Cut into pieces for salad.
4. Combine lettuce and dressing, add chicken and croutons. Top with a sprinkle of cheese.

The guilt free full taste Caesar salad was very tasty, quick and easy.

Red Velvet Cheesecake

I decided to be daring this year... For Christmas Eve, I was asked to bring a dessert. I generally don't like to bring a dessert because I have trouble coming up with an idea. I don't bake often and I consider myself to be a good baker. I don't think I've had many kitchen disasters involving desserts that I can think of. Maybe if you count the time I was 13 and in Home Ec we forgot the extra cup of flour in the chocolate chip cookies and they came out shiny and tasting horribly of butter. And when my oven was one big hot spot and burned all but one section of my orange cake I was bringing to Easter. Then I had to start over and rotate the cake in the oven every 15 minutes. And we all remember the expired yeast episode. So when I decided to make my first cheesecake ever and a fairly "different" one at that, I was a little concerned with the outcome. I had an assistant in the kitchen, which I think was very helpful for the whole dessert. (He was also a very useful photographer.) According to the guests at my parents' house this was pretty good. I think the key to liking this cake is you have to like red velvet and cheesecake. Personally I thought the cake was gorgeous but average taste. I think it has real wow power visually though and worth making for that reason. The original recipe called for a cream cheese frosting. I thought that sounded too rich and made a simple whipped cream with a little vanilla and sugar.

Red Velvet Cheesecake (adapted from The Recipe Girl)

Crust:
17 Oreos, finely crushed
1/4 cup melted butter
1 Tbsp sugar

Cheesecake:
3 8oz. packs cream cheese
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp white vinegar
2 1 oz. bottles red food coloring

1. Combine crumbs, butter and sugar. Press into 9" springform pan.
2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Prepare water bath: Fill roasting pan with 1 inch water. Heat in oven while oven is pregheating.
3. Beat cream cheese and sugar 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients and mix at a low speed until combined and pour into crust.
4. Layer 2 sheets of foil wrap bottom of pan gently. Place pan into water bath.
5. Bake 10 minutes and reduce heat to 300 degrees F. Bake 75 minutes or until center is firm.
6. Turn off oven and let stand 30 minutes. Remove from oven and water bath and place on a wire rack to cool.
   
7. Run a thin knife around edge of cheesecake and cook several hours until room temperature.
   
8. Cover and chill 8 hours.
9. Remove sides of spring form pan.

I spread homemade whipped cream on the top and garnished with mint leaves and store bought red icing.

The Biggest Loser Recipe Makeover #1: Turkey Meatballs with Yogurt

My family (J, Dad, Uncle Brubo, Aunt Tetanie, Uncle Gorbo, Aunt Eeshu, and myself) have all put up $100 to see who can lose the biggest percentage of weight by March 31st. I have been using my online WW tools. I started a running regimen (Couch to 5K in 9 weeks), although it's been too chilly to really keep up with that since after I got over the stomach flu (ugh!). I decided to my own make-over of a recipe that was already a big hit here. Remember Lamb Meatball Gyros with Yogurt and Mint ? I have changed the meal to contain less fat, mostly by using turkey instead of lamb.

1/2 pound ground turkey
1/8 cup golden raisins, chopped
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
kosher salt and pepper
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 large egg white
3 scallions (white and light green parts), sliced

Follow the original directions but be sure to cook the meatballs long enough because it is turkey instead of lamb. This recipe served 3 with approx. 5 meatballs apiece and it was 4 WW points for that plus a 1/4 cup of fat free Greek yogurt. I mixed the yogurt with a little kosher salt and dried mint. Instead of pita I used 1 WW point sandwich things. Delicious substitutions! (Maybe The Simpsons in the background while I type is a poor idea).

Christmas Cake

I've been gone so long I don't know how to start a post anymore. I had the stomach flu this last week. I went to CT to visit family for the holidays. I haven't really been cooking since I made a cake for Christmas Eve (more on that later). This particular cake I make at the beginning of December to take to a friend's house for dinner. Personally I think this cake is appropriate for any season. I don't like cherries, especially in dessert but these are easy to avoid and I can usually find someone at the table on whom I can pawn them off. The best part of this cake is the crispy top. I find this goes very well in the morning as well, almost like a coffee cake. My mother uses a standing mixer and my grandmother mixes by hand. The cake comes out differently depending on which method you use. I think I creamed my butter and sugar with a hand mixer but the rest I did by hand. I don't know if I recommend that.
Christmas Cake

1 lb. confectionery sugar
1/2 lb. butter or margarine
3 cups flour
8 oz. walnuts
5 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2-3 tsp. baking powder
10 oz. jar maraschino cherries, drained

1. Cream butter and sugar.
   
2. Add eggs one at a time.
3. Add vanilla, flour, and baking powder.
4. Roll cherries in a little flour (this will keep them from sinking- some of mine sank because I didn't mix them in well enough and were already on the bottom when I poured the cake into the pan).
   
5. Fold in nuts and cherries.
6. Pour into greased and floured tube pan.
7. Bake 1 hour and 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

I thought the cake came out very well considering I don't really enjoy baking all that much. Something made it a little drier than I would have liked but again. Feel free to enjoy with coffee or milk and it doesn't matter.