....................A Hungry Teacher....................

Sweet & Salty Ice Cream Sandwiches

2012-03-02T05:04:00.000-08:00

Well I never really thought a chocolate chip cookie could get any better. But you know what? It most definitely can! The recipe below explains how you can take an already good treat to a whole new level.

And to be honest, this recipe came about only because I had this sad-looking package of cookies in my cabinet for way too long. Yes, I could have just dipped them in milk and called it a day. But no, that isn’t like me…..I had to do something better with them. Well, what makes chocolate treats even better? …..Duh, more chocolate of course! And to that, I figured it couldn’t hurt to include some peanuts or ice cream either! So that’s how these frozen delights came to be! And you know what, that package with still some plain cookies left, looks a whole lot happierJ Enjoy……

Sweet & Salty Cream Sandwiches

Servings: 6

OBJ: TCW be able to use up the Chips Ahoy Cookies in her cabinet by combining them with dipping chocolate, peanuts and ice cream to make frozen treats!

Ingredients:

1, 7 ounce container Baker’s Dipping Chocolate

¾ C cocktail peanuts with sea salt (salted)

12 Chips Ahoy Original cookies (or any brand of your preference)

1.5 C vanilla ice cream

Special item: parchment paper

Procedures:

1. Lay out a large sheet of parchment paper

2. Place peanuts in a plastic bag or food processor and crush well, place crushed peanuts in a shallow bowl
3. Melt chocolate according to package directions

4. Working with 1 cookie at a time, dip entire cookie into chocolate, shake/drip off excess, then press 1 side of cookie into crushed peanuts, place peanut-side down onto parchment to dry/set

5. Repeat step 4 with remaining 11 cookies

6. Let dipped and peanut-crusted cookies set for 15-20 minutes...

7. Take out a freezer-ready container

8. Place about 3 TBS of ice cream on the PEANUT-SIDE of 1 cookie, place another cookie on top- PEANUT-SIDE down again (basically, you want the peanut side of cookies to be touching the ice cream), place in container

9. Repeat step 8 with remaining cookies and ice cream

10. Seal container and place in freezer for at least 1 hour before serving

**FYI- Matt and I both differed on how to enjoy these treats.....I preferred to eat it as a sandwich while he seemed to enjoy it taken apart.....I guess it's up to you, but either way I think you'll be happy!**

Cauliflower-White Bean Dip

2012-02-27T03:15:00.000-08:00

This dip was something I saw and immediately knew that I wanted to make it. Being that I love hummus and hearty dips in general, you can see why I felt inclined to put this on my, “to-make” list. Luckily, I had everything on hand minus the beans, so as usual; I headed to the store to get groceries for the week and for the blog!

The result was pretty good! However, since Hubby isn't a bean-eater, I am only going on my taste buds, so I would love your feedback. I tried it warm, cold, on sesame crackers, plain crackers, and pretzels, but I still can't make a final decision. 90% of me thinks it is great, yet 10% not so sure. So like I said, please tell me what you think. I felt that the lemon really came through as did the cauliflower flavor. I had a hard time finding the garlic taste though, so I think next time I’ll up the garlic amount. I also found that it is best served chilled with a basic crostini or simple cracker so that the dip/spread is able to shine. And I definitely agree with the article when it mentions it could be used on a sandwich. I think it would rock on a roasted veggie Panini! In fact, I think I’ll be having those this week since this recipe made A LOT of dip!J So please enjoy and get back me to me!

Cauliflower-White Bean Dip

Serves: 10

Adapted from : Everyday Food, Martha Stewart

OBJ: TCW be able to stick to her Monday/Friday Blogging schedule by whipping something tasty up on a late Sunday afternoon

Ingredients:

1 medium head cauliflower, trimmed and cut into 1 ½-inch pieces

6 garlic cloves, unpeeled

4 TBS extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving

S & P: salt and pepper

1 can (15.5 ounces) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1 tsp lemon zest, plus 1 TBS lemon juice

Procedures:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss cauliflower and garlic with 3 TBS oil, season with S & P. Roast until cauliflower is tender and browned, 25-30 minutes

3. Remove from oven, when garlic is cool enough to handle, remove peel

4. In a food processor, combine cauliflower, garlic, beans, 1 TBS oil, lemon zest and juice, and ¼ C hot water. Process until smooth, season to taste with S & P

5. Transfer to bowl, drizzle with extra oil for serving (To store, refrigerate in an airtight container, up to 3 days) Serve with crackers, crostini, pretzels, carrots, broccoli, celery, etc.

Cafe Panache

2012-02-24T05:13:00.000-08:00

Final Grade: A

I must admit, I am addicted to reading about restaurants. To that I’ll add, I’m also addicted to talking about them. I not only love to learn about places but to discuss them as well. Consequently, I usually have a few places in mind that I just have to get to. As in the case of Café Panache, where after reading some nice reviews and hearing about it from a few friends, I felt compelled to get there and see for myself. And truth be told, I was definitely impressed.

On a recent post-Valentine’s day dinner, my husband and I were truly blown away by our experience from chef/owner Kevin Kohler. His menu alone, being seasonal and small, exemplified how serious he takes his job. Just about every item from the appetizer, pasta, and entrée course read beautifully and sounded scrumptious. Needless to say, making our decisions was not easy. Fortunately though, our waiter explained to us his recommendations with knowledge and from obvious experience. And in the end, his words were spot on.

We started our meal by splitting an appetizer and salad. The filet mignon ravioli ($15) with truffle butter was something that words cannot do justice. Each pocket was glistening from the butter yet not competing with it. The meat was a standout on its own; the pasta simply provided a perfect feather-light pillow for it to be forked with. Utter perfection on a plate. The salad we chose was a warm pan-fried goat cheese salad ($12) with beets and candied walnuts. Although reminiscent of many we’ve had elsewhere, it was distinguished in that each piece worked in harmony with each other. The sweet dressing accentuated the bold and tangy flavor of the cheese while the browned nuts crunched perfectly against the tender beets. Both were plated rather nicely and of adequate appetizer size. In other words, we were very content with the first course and quite ready for the next.

Filet Mignon Ravioli

Pan-Fried Goat Cheese Salad

My husband ordered the duck ($32), which was comprised of both breast and leg meat. On the side sat a rustic wild rice pilaf adjacent a sweet roasted pear. What brought the meal together though was the deep in color and flavor sauce. It adorned the bottom of the plate and truthfully was the winning touch on what was an already a great dish. I went with the special of the evening, a panko-crusted halibut ($32) with a seaweed salad and wasabi sauce. Again, a success from Kohler, who evidently is selective in his fish selections. The portion was impressive in not just size but in freshness as well. Not to mention, the flaky nature of the fillet topped with crispy breadcrumb pieces was executed wonderfully. This course, as a whole, was without doubt a success on many levels.

Panko-Crusted Halibut

Duck

We skipped on dessert as we were perfectly satisfied with our two-course dinner. I will note that the menu did offer some tantalizing options that in the future I will save room for. After the meal we just had, I can only assume that desserts would be exemplary as well. So with that, I highly recommend Café Panache for you to try. It joins the ranks of restaurants that place emphasis on all aspects of dinner service which come together seamlessly. I know I’ll be back, anxious to try something else from the talented kitchen, while curious to indulge in something sweet.

Café Panache can be found at 130 East Main St., Ramsey, NJ. It is a BYO restaurant.

Cafe Panache

Total score 23/25

Final Grade: A

A: 21-25 B: 16-20 C: 11-15 D: 6-10 F: 0-5

Restaurant Rubric

	1	2	3	4	5
*Food Taste*	Bland, boring, overcooked, underdone	Very little flavor, not much aroma	Flavors apparent, basic ability to please palates	Flavor worth discussing, chef’s use of ingredients impressive	Great flavor, taste lingers and leaves diner wanting more
*Restaurant service*	disrespectful	Inattentive staff, no regard for wait time	Staff average in helpfulness, timing alright, either more/less needed	Staff knowledgeable and attentive to needs without asking, timing very well executed	Remarkable and noteworthy, service so good you forget it is ever an issue elsewhere
*Food Presentation*	Cover it up please	Sloppy and the eater can tell little thought went into it	Descent presentation: looks alright, not worth a picture but enough to make you hungry	Admirable, it is apparent the chef plated with a consideration for presentation	Presentational talents are here. Looks beautiful and too good to dig in
*Prices match quality*	Prices are too high for quality	Prices are still too high but not outrageously	Some items are priced accordingly but not all	Most items are priced accordingly	All items are matched accordingly
*Would I go back?*	Not a chance ever	Nope	Maybe	Looking forward to it	What time should I arrive?!?

Rigatoni & Chicken tossed in a Pink Cream Sauce

2012-02-20T05:36:00.000-08:00

Just like you, I crave many things. Big diamonds, Louis Vuitton bags, Caribbean vacations, and well duh, food! Notice food is somewhat general compared to the other items. That’s basically because I would like certain types of jewelry, bags, and trips; yet, on the other hand, I crave so many foods that I can’t narrow it down when making an “I crave” list!

And since this is a food blog and not a something else blog, I will stick to my food craving topic. Here it goes: pizza, cheese & crackers, peanut butter, fudgy brownies, and without a doubt, pasta…which brings us to today’s post…

The other day, I saw having an, “I want pasta, I need pasta, what can I throw together tonight to make pasta?” kind of day. The funny thing here is, that if you know me fairly well, you know I make pasta at least 3 times a week. So the fact that I was hooked on the idea of it for way too many hours was kind of surprising. But this time, I had a specific kind in mind. 1- It had to be rigatoni 2- I wanted it to be smothered in a thick tomato sauce 3- cream had to be involved and 4- I was to have it in a bowl. I know the last one is quirky, but when you are craving something, let’s be honest, you visualize it a certain way and “in- a- bowl” is how I was picturing it all day.

And below is what came together in a pinch and had me one happy lady. Now I must admit, I used store-bought sauce (Barilla New Recipe Basilico Tomato & Basil) here because I was given a jar as part of a gift basket and I’m not one to waste food. As long as I added wine and seasoned it up a bit, I was fine with using the packaged kind. And honestly, the time it saved and the end result being what it was, I have no regrets!

So I’m happy to report, I satisfied my craving and even ate it in my bowl! Now on to that bag…..:) Enjoy

Rigatoni & Chicken tossed in a Pink Cream Sauce

Serves: 2-3

OBJ: TCW be able to satisfy her craving for a bowl of creamy pasta

Ingredients:

1 large chicken breast or 2 small ones, cut up into 1 inch pieces

½ lb rigatoni

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

2 Cups marinara sauce (homemade or store-bought)

½ C light cream

¼ dry red wine

S &P: salt and pepper

Parmesan cheese

Red pepper flakes, optional

Procedures:

1. Boil a pot of water and cook pasta according to package directions

2. Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan, heat oil over medium heat and add chicken. Season chicken with a pinch S, P and red pepper flakes, stir frequently and cook chicken completely. Remove to plate and cover

3. To the same sauté pan, add marinara sauce, wine, a pinch S &P and red pepper flakes, stir and bring to boil then reduce to simmer. Cover for 8-10 minutes on a simmer

3. Add cream, turn the flame to medium and stir well to combine cream into the sauce, it should be a pink color

4. Add chicken and stir again to combine. Add drained pasta and about 2 TBS Parmesan to pan and toss together over medium heat. Once heated through, sprinkle with additional Parmesan, cover, and bring to table with a loaf of crusty bread!

Pierogies with Kielbasa & Kale

2012-02-17T03:36:00.000-08:00

Originally I had this way-too-long post about the meal detailed below. But after rereading it about 10 times, I realized I sometimes just need to get to the point. And here it is….

Growing up, I can vividly recall both my grandmother and mother frying onions with butter, letting them soften and brown, then adding in pierogies to let them brown and fry too. And boy o boy were they not the greatest thing ever?!? There was never enough onions to go around, but every face at the table was either gobbling down pierogi after pierogi or taking a break to be ready for their next serving! Needless to say, they were a family favorite that have created a memory that I will never be able to forget.

So here is my take on dish I grew up on. I stuck to my roots in that I used a lot of onion, a decent amount of butter, and had patience to let everything brown. I tweaked it by adding a protein and leafy green. Now, when I say protein, you might think chicken or shrimp, however when dealing with pierogi, kielbasa is the way to go! And since not the most “figure friendly” meat offered, I took advantage of the lighter version. And why the kale, you may ask? Well, basically, I am a veg-lover and attempt to add some sort of color to everything. To be honest, that mentality doesn’t always succeed yet in this dish it was a great idea. Actually, both tweaks I made were good. The browned kielbasa added a salty contrast to the sweet onions, while the pillowy pierogi shined against the hearty kale. In the end, the whole dish worked incredibly well and although it wasn’t exactly what I remember as a kid, it for sure had me both gobbling down pierogi after pierogi and taking a break so that I could enjoy a few more! Enjoy…..

Pierogies with Kielbasa & Kale

Serves: 2

OBJ: TCW be able to turn a childhood favorite into a hearty and more complete meal

Ingredients:

2 large sweet onions, sliced into 1/8 inch slices

½ bunch kale, stems removed and coarsely chopped

½ of a 13 ounce lite kielbasa ring, sliced into ¼ inch rounds

1 dozen fresh pierogies

2 TBS unsalted butter

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

S & P: salt and pepper

Procedures:

1. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat, add the kielbasa and allow each side to brown, stirring frequently, about 5-8 minutes...

2. Remove kielbasa from pan and melt the butter in the same pan over medium heat

3. Add the onions, a pinch of S and a more generous pinch of P and let cook, stirring often for about 15-20 minutes, or until onions are soft and beginning to brown

4. Add pierogies, stir often using a rubber spatula, and let each side brown, about 10-15 minutes

5. Add kielbasa back to pan along with the kale, lower flame to medium low, and gently toss together and cover for 8-10 minutes, stirring every 2-3 minutes or so to allow the kale to wilt

6. Bring to table and serve !

My Mom and Mama, the inspiration for this dish:)

Bacon-Apple-Jalapeno Pop 'Ems

2012-02-13T05:04:00.000-08:00

To make a long story short, my husband regularly has 2 requests for me in the kitchen. 1- cheese steaks and 2- jalapeno poppers. And I, as the meal-maker, regularly acknowledge his requests and promise to make them at some point….in the future. Well, the “big” game came along, aka Superbowl, and since we decided to stay in for the matchup, I decided to fulfill his requests.

Now, here is a little secret. Yes, I was planning on making the cheese steaks for him but the popper idea wasn’t thrilling me. I figured he’d be quite content with his cheese steak and maybe some nachos or something else that I enjoy more than poppers. That is until a few weeks ago when I saw this recipe on the Food Network and was basically salivating. The combination of spicy pepper with creamy cream cheese with crunchy apple then salty bacon, omygoodness…...I just had to have it! So, although I love my husband so very much, I wouldn’t have made his 2^nd request if it I hadn’t seen this.

And boy, were they everything I had hoped for! Spicy, creamy, crunchy, & salty, all in one bite. I honestly couldn’t have been more pleased with the result. I served them right before kickoff and whatta you know, we were way too much into these gems that we missed the first 2 plays! O well, food comes before sports any day for me! Enjoy……

Bacon-Apple-Jalapeno Pop ‘Ems

Adapted from: Food Network: Aarti Party

Servings: 3-4

OBJ: TCW be able to make one of her husband’s favorite appetizers for the “big” game

Ingredients:

6 ounces light cream cheese, at room temperature

½ large Granny Smith Apple, cored and minced

1 large scallion, roots sliced off, green and white parts minced finely

8 large jalapenos

8 strips bacon, chopped in ½

S & P: salt and pepper

16 toothpicks

Procedures:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil or parchment

2. In a large bowl, stir the cream cheese well until smooth. Add the apples, scallion, and a pinch S & P, stir again to combine

3. Wearing plastic gloves if you wish, cut the jalapenos in ½ lengthwise and slice or scoop out the membranes and seeds (FYI- leave some seeds in if you prefer spicier jalapenos)

4. Using a teaspoon, fill each jalapeno half with the cream cheese mixture-fill right to or just above the brim of jalapeno

5. Wrap each stuffed-jalapeno with a bacon half and secure with a toothpick...

6. Place on the baking sheet and bake for about 35 minutes, or until the bacon has browned and crisped nicely

7. Let sit for a couple minutes and place on platter to serve!

Wegmans Night In

2012-02-10T04:33:00.000-08:00

Wegmans Night In

Okay, so I’m not sure whether I should make a new category, “What I’m picking up,” in addition to my other, “What I’m cooking up,” and “What I’m ordering up,” categories. This post falls into almost all three. HHmmm….decisions decisions. Well, regardless of what I decide to file this post under, it is a must read for all you gourmets out there who love great food yet have little time to whip it up. Or it’s for those of you who, if given time, could dazzle in the kitchen, yet the idea of prepping, cooking, then cleaning makes you need a nap before you even get started! I’m kind of in between, I love to cook but at times I can’t muster up the energy to get to business at 6:30pm. Oh, and I’m sort of a food snob, which you may or may not be too. Let me quickly explain: I cook my tail off in the kitchen and feel that when someone else is going to do it for me, I should be able expect the same level of effort. So, if I can tell they fell short, I am turned off by the food. So basically, this post is dedicated to so many of us who are over-worked, tired, and deserving of a damn’ good meal!

Alas, I might have solved our problems. Recently, Matt and I decided to get some take-out from Wegmans because (A)- it always seems to look delicious and fresh and (B)- we wanted something tasty for dinner yet didn’t want to go out. We perused the take-out and readymade counters and settled on the Herbed Grilled Colossal Shrimp for an appetizer. After deciding on that, we eyed the crabmeat stuffed tilapia and accompanied it with sautéed green beans and rosemary roasted potatoes.

The entire meal cost about $30 and honestly it was worth every penny. The shrimp were simply beauties in appearance alone. All I had to do to serve them was to oil a heated pan, toss the shrimp around for about 5-10 minutes and viola, seared herbed shrimp was our 1^st course! I heated up some Italian bread to soak up the oil and before we knew it, we were scraping the pan and regretting we didn’t buy 2 more shrimp! They were juicy, plump and skillfully seasoned.

2^nd course, aka main meal, wasn’t too much more complicated. I followed the package directions for the stuffed fish and placed the potatoes and string beans on a baking sheet. I roasted the entire meal for 30 minutes and then plated each item. One note though, since I like my potatoes steaming hot, I did microwave them prior to roasting for 1 minute. Anyway, the fish was incredible! It flaked right apart and could not have been more succulent. Even better though was the crabmeat filling. It had a great balance of texture and flavor that stemmed from both the meat and breadcrumbs. Forked alone, we were happy, paired with the fish, we were thrilled. And although the sides were basic, they were still a hit in that they were oiled, seasoned, and fresh.

In the future, we agreed that 2 stuffed pieces of fish would be best. It wasn’t that we were hungry at the end; it was that we were both just looking for 1 or 2 more bites to satisfy ourselves. We might have had leftovers that way, but next-day lunch is always a plus for a meal, right?

So there it is, an answer to the inevitable weeknight or weekend question: What should we do for dinner, enter yawn, I’m craving something good, sigh, do we have to order pizza again? Simply put: No! Find your nearest Wegmans and go take-out shopping!

Balsamic Roasted Cauliflower

2012-02-06T04:44:00.000-08:00

I recently learned a very valuable lesson that I believe will influence you as much as it will influence me in the future. I learned that using an aged balsamic vinegar, which is more expensive, makes a HUGE difference when cooking. I honestly never thought this would be the case as I’ve been using average balsamic for about 10 years now and haven’t been too unhappy. However, I just bought a bottle of 12 year aged balsamic from The Grape Escape and have been simply amazed at the difference. Not only is the taste sweeter, but the texture is incredibly smooth and almost syrup-like. If you are without this must-have ingredient in your kitchen pantry, I advise you to get out asap and make an investment in your cooking. Believe me, you and your family will thank me!

So now that you have decided to buy a good balsamic vinegar;), here is a recipe that really showcases its beauty. In this dish, I loved how the balsamic created a glaze upon the florets then transformed into a sweet, charred coating after roasting. I didn’t steam the veggies first because I like my veggies to have a bite or crunch to them. I recommend cooking them that way since in my experience, a mushy veg = a garbage-destined veg. Anyway, this is a great and easy side dish that will spice up any weeknight meal or wow any weekend guest. Feel free to substitute another vegetable if you are anti-cauliflower; I think brussel sprouts, carrots, or string beans would be great. And with that, I wish you luck…..Enjoy……

Balsamic Roasted Cauliflower

Serves: 3-4

OBJ: TCW realize that using a good quality balsamic vinegar really does make a difference

Ingredients:

2 TBS balsamic vinegar (best quality you can find)

1 TBS extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp kosher salt

Fresh ground pepper

¾ of a head of cauliflower, coarsely chopped

Procedures:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2. Whisk balsamic, oil, salt and a generous pinch of pepper together

3. In a large bowl, toss whisked mixture with cauliflower very well so that most florets are coated

4. Spread cauliflower onto a large baking sheet

5. Roast for 15 minutes on the middle rack of oven, then an additional 10 minutes on the bottom rack (total cooking time: 25 minutes)

6. Transfer to serving platter and serveJ

Ristorante Aglio

2012-02-03T02:57:00.000-08:00

Have you ever noticed that sometimes the most hidden, tiny and unassuming restaurants are the ones that turn out dinners better than the more recognizable places? Maybe it’s the tight kitchen where things just work in sync or the chef’s ability to focus on only a select number of plates. Nevertheless, what goes from burner to table is simply great food that most are not expecting. This was the case of dinner at Ristorante Aglio, located in a small brick-walled space along busy Church Street in the Tribeca section of NYC .The establishment recently held and hosted a blogger dinner where I was cordially invited to sample several dishes and drinks. Some stood out, others just stood, however the ambiance, service and attention to detail made this a place to remember. Let’s begin...

Upon arriving, my husband and I were quickly escorted to our table where menus were presented to us. Water, either tap or sparkling, was offered while we admired the atmosphere and examined the menu options. Olive oil and choice of Focaccia-like or olive bread was the first item to enjoy. And here lies pure enjoyment, the focaccia-like bread was seasoned with rosemary and rich in olive oil flavor. Although a simple item to admire, when done well, it can make any dinner start off beautifully and set the mood for the courses to come. As for beverages, we each tried one of their signature cocktails: Basilico Fizz & Sylvia, The Monnalisa. The ladder was the winner here as it exemplified a well-thought out combination of ingredients- vodka, fresh organic mint, cucumber, ginger, ginger ale and agave. Excellently presented and skillfully mixed.

Sylvia, The Monnalisa

As for appetizers, we ordered the Carpaccio Di Manzo (Beef Carpaccio with Truffle Sauce) and the Polpo E Patate Alla Griglia (Grilled Octopus & Potato.) Each had aspects to admire: the beef was incredibly tender and silky while the grilled octopus was tender, charred and drizzled with just enough fresh lemon. Conversely, the truffle sauce was a tad bit oily and the potatoes seemed to disjoint the seafood dish.

Grilled Octopus & Potato

Beef Carpaccio with Truffle Sauce

Dinner soon followed and we were intrigued to begin. The Linguini All’ Aragosta (linguini with lobster in a tomato sauce) and the Agnello Alla Griglia (grilled Colorado lamp chops) were what we had ordered and each arrived to the table steaming with both flavor and seasonings. Although more lobster would have been nice, the tomato sauce was straightforward and simple enough to let the shellfish shine. Pasta was cooked to a perfect al-dente which, when forked with the tender meat, made for a great balance of textures. The lamb, although not as eye-catching, was exceedingly tender and juicy. Again though, the amount of protein presented was sub-par. Sides ordered a la carte included a bowl of rosemary roasted potatoes and deliciously addictive crispy fried cauliflower florets.

Grilled Colorado Lamb Chops

To finish the meal, we selected 2 desserts to share. My husband chose the Catalana- creamy vanilla custard with a bruleed sugar crust and pistachio biscotti and I went with the Affogato-a scoop of house-made vanilla gelato drowned in a shot of espresso. Both sweets were admirable; however the Catalana had the most to admire. The bruleed crust was just perfect: crispy and crackly. Not to mention, the custard that lied beneath was beyond creamy. What we enjoyed the most was cracking the crust with the biscotti and dipping the cookie into the velvety bath. Attention to detail was obvious with the gelato dish due to the fact that the espresso was presented with the frozen treat, not already on and melting, the dessert. Genius!

Catalana

Affogato

From almost walking right by this place to enjoying several courses, our evening was spent very well. Although a few tweaks could be made, the seeds of greatness are there and with time, practice, and patrons, Ristorante Aglio will definitely be one to rely one.

Ristorante Aglio is located at 277 Church St., New York, NY and is managed by the Plan-Do-See Corp., who also runs the Greenwich Grill and the Michelin-Rated Sushi Azabu, both in Manhattan.

Ristorante Aglio

Rigatoni with Kale & Crumbled Sausage

2012-01-27T05:20:00.000-08:00

Alright so here’s a dish that had me salivating once I thought of it. I saw the kale first in the store and, as always, it looked so vibrant and tantalizing. I placed it in my cart and got to thinking. I usually toss kale with pierogies and browned kielbasa, but since I didn’t feel like making a trip to the Polish deli down my street, I had to think of something else. Soup automatically came to mind, however I’m not really a soup eater unless you put it in front of me! Haha….Anyway, so soup was out and I continued to think…..Then, what do you know, I looked up and I was in my favorite aisle, the pasta aisle! So to make a long story short, I grabbed a box and figured I could either toss it with bacon or sausage to round out the meal.

So I got home, decided to go with sausage, prepped what I needed, and began to cook. Now here comes the twist…..I usually, no always is more like it, have a bottle of Pinot Grigio in my fridge. Sadly though, this week all I had was a bottle of Verdi, a sparkling sweet white wine that would have to do. Honestly, I was a little tentative because me and my Pinot are hard to separate in the kitchen, but I went with it and used the sole vino I had.

Result? A remarkably sweet pasta dish that was hearty & satisfying. The broth that was created from the wine, broth, tomatoes and pasta water was refreshingly light yet the sausage flavors came through with a defined taste and texture. The kale softened up perfectly and created a nice counterpart to the al-dente rigatonis. All in all, a definite keeper in my book…..Enjoy…..

Rigatoni with Kale & Crumbled Sausage

Serves: 2-3

OBJ: TCW be able to soften & sweeten up what is normally a tough and bitter green

Ingredients:

½ lb (8 oz.) rigatoni pasta

1 bunch kale, stems removed and coarsely chopped

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 sausage links, casings removed (I used 1 sweet and 1 hot, but it’s up to you)

1 pint grape tomatoes, ½ the pint halved, other left whole

½ C sweet white wine or whatever white wine you have on hand

¼ C reduced sodium chicken broth

½ TBS unsalted butter

S & P: salt and pepper

Red pepper flakes, optional

Grated Parmesan

Procedures:

1. Boil water and cook pasta according to package directions, reserving ½ C pasta water

2. Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic, sausage & a pinch S & P to pan, cook for about 10 minutes, breaking apart the sausage into crumbles as you cook. Crumbles should be browned when done

3. Remove sausage from pan to a paper towel-lined plate

4. Add wine and chicken broth to pan and turn heat to high, bring wine and broth to boil, stir well to get up “bits” from bottom, then lower flame to allow wine and broth to simmer and reduce, about 3 minutes

5. Add tomatoes and another pinch S & P to pan, stir and cover over medium-low flame for 2-3 minutes

6. Add kale, butter, another pinch S & P, and stir to combine, cover for 10 minutes, stirring every 3-4 minutes to toss kale and crush tomatoes

7. Add sausage to kale sauté and stir well, cover for 2-3 minutes

8. Add drained pasta, ½ C pasta water and a generous pinch of Parmesan to sauté and toss well to combine all ingredients ( add red pepper flakes here if using)

9. Cover and bring to table to serve!

Ravioli tossed with Broccoli Rabe & Pignolis

2012-01-23T02:34:00.000-08:00

Here is my promise to my freezer: I will dig into you more often and when I find at least one ingredient I want to eat inside you, I will pair it with anything else I have on hand so that I have a dinner to serve. If it turns out delicious I will be thrilled, however if it turns out crap-o-la, I will at least be happy in that I used up something that was taking up space!

The dish described below was the inspiration for that promise. It was a night when both me and Matt were home late, tired, and well, hungry. Rather than ordering out or making grilled cheeses, we decided to go “shopping in the freezer.” What turned out was an amazing week-night meal. Since the broccoli rabe cooked with the raviolis and the sauté was 1-2-3, it went from kitchen to plate in under 30 minutes! Yes I know there is already a show based on that premise, but whenever I can accomplish that I have to toot my own horn! Not to mention it was sooo good. I loved the texture the nuts provided while the light broth coated each ravioli just enough. An additional feature I admired was the hearty broccoli rabe when combined with the creamy ricotta filling. It was almost lasagna-like. Honestly, it was a dish that impressed both me and hubby and had us both looking forward to going “shopping” soon again. Enjoy……

Ravioli tossed with Broccoli Rabe & Pignolis

Serves: 2

OBJ: TCW be able to jazz up a bag of frozen ravioli by combining them with some greens, garlic and nuts

Ingredients:

1 bag frozen cheese ravioli

1 bunch broccoli rabe, trimmed and coarsely chopped

3 TBS pignoli nuts, toasted

3 cloves garlic minced

1 TBS extra virgin olive oil

1 TBS unsalted butter, divided

¼ C dry white wine (I use Pinot Grigio, but use what you booze!)

S & P: salt and pepper

Grated Parmesan cheese

Red pepper flakes, optional

Procedures:

1. Boil water for ravioli and cook according to package directions, **add the broccoli rabe into boiling water when ravioli have 4-5 minutes left** Drain when time is up and reserve ½ C pasta water

2. Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan, melt ½ TBS butter into oil over medium-low heat

3. Add garlic, a pinch S &P, red pepper flakes and stir. Cook over medium-low heat until garlic begins to soften, about 5-8 minutes

4. Add wine and up the flame to high, bring wine to boil, then lower flame to let simmer. Stir and let simmer for about 2 minutes so that the wine reduces

5. Add the drained broccoli rabe and ravioli to sauté along with ¼ - ½ C reserved water, the remaining ½ TBS butter, and toasted nuts, toss well to combine over medium-low flame

6. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve

Zero Otto Nove

2012-01-20T03:27:00.000-08:00

Zero Otto Nove

photo courtesy robert089.com

Although I am a 100% born and raised Jersey girl, I do tend to sneak over or under the Hudson every so often. Now don’t get me wrong, I love my state….tomatoes: amazing, beaches: remarkable, malls: enormous. So because of the tremendous resources we have here, I do hold high expectations for when I am city-bound. Why deal with traffic, crowds, and getting lost when almost everything I need is here? However, when I have the chance to venture out, I normally jump on it and hope for the best. Luckily the other evening, this every-so-often trip to NYC proved to be quite worth it. More specifically, this city trip for a blogger event hosted by Zero Otto Nove was noteworthy, impressive, and delicious.

Situated in a large loft-like space in the Flatiron District, the Italian restaurant immediately transports you into a Tuscan setting that is both rustic and inviting. The exposed brick is simply warming, the lighting is romantically dim, and the room is quiet just enough to enjoy your guests. Tables are spread out in ample space that makes for an open feel, while the bar area is quaint yet brightly lit being adjacent to street-front windows.

Our table was presented with home-made bread while we comfortably conversed at our table. Another house-made item soon arrived and we quickly devoured these scrumptiously stringy, yet creamy, fresh mozzarella balls. Although unassuming to the eye, their quality proved true upon eating.

The first course was pizza from their wood-fired brick oven. The Margarita, with fresh mozz, basil, Parmigiano and tomato sauce, was prepared well and served piping hot. The crust was charred just enough to elude great flavor while the little amount of sauce allowed the fresh basil to shine. The next pizza to make its way to our plates was the “pizza special.” Made with mascarpone and Burrata cheeses, capers, and arugula, it was the better of the two pies. While the Margarita was admirable, this was a stand-out. The mascarpone was buttery and rich, which was a perfect match for the peppery arugula that countered the saltiness from the cheeses and capers. Each ingredient was obviously well thought out as each bite had flavors that worked like culinary clockwork.

Margarita Pizza.....

Pizza Special.....

Pasta dishes soon appeared at our table and my, were they beauties. The Radiatori in Cartoccio, a pasta dish cooked in foil with porcini mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, bread crumbs, and Parmigiano, was unlike any macaroni dinner I’ve ever had. The radiatori pasta was refreshingly new to me along with the fact that it was a baked pasta that wasn’t swimming in ricotta and mozzarella. The various textures, from the hearty mushrooms to the plump tomatoes, exemplified skill from the kitchen . Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe was the other dish that completed the pasta course. Another twist on the traditional took place here. Rather than pairing the orecchiettte with broccoli rabe and sausage, the chef tossed it with toasted almonds. The nuts had an enjoyable roasted flavor and offered slight sweetness to the bitter broccoli rabe. Again, it was a stellar dish that left empty bowls all around.

Radiatori in Cortoccio.....

Baked in Tinfoil.....

Orecchiette con Broccoli Rabe.....

Close-up.....

The meat course of the evening was that of short ribs. Entitled Brasato alla Peroni, these juicy pieces of meat were braised in a Peroni beer sauce with hot cherry peppers then topped with gorgonzola cheese. Although my short rib had more tenderness than my husband’s, we both admired the acidic sauce that lightened up the plate. The peppers seemed to overpower the gorgonzola as I don’t exactly recall having it. As a whole though, the meat was well received and each piece was topped with an adequate amount of sauce that didn’t drown nor skimp.

Brasato alla Peroni.....

Dessert was a special request item that you must order when under their roof. Two words can basically do this dish justice: Nutella calzone. Crusty pizza dough, filled with hazelnut spread, then sprinkled with powdered sugar had us swooning over our coffee and tea. Simply delicious, ridiculously decadent.

Nutella Calzone.....

Throughout the night it became apparent that service was down-right amazing. Our waiters were courteous, knowledgeable, and observant. Timing of courses was also of note as we never were wondering when the next course was going to arrive or conversely, why are we being overwhelmed by trays of food.

All in all, it was a Jersey girl’s night out in the city that proved to be worth all the traffic, crowds, and confusing streets. In a place that is filled to the brim with ever-changing and countless places to dine, it is honestly so rewarding to find a good spot that offers quality from beginning to end.

Zero Otto Nove was two locations: 15 W 21^st St., New York, NY 10010 and 2357 Arthur Avenue, Bronx, NY, 10458. The other restaurant of the chef is Roberto, 603 Crescent Ave., Bronx, NY 10458. There website is Zero Otto Nove

Shrimp Lo Mein

2012-01-16T11:45:00.000-08:00

I have a pet peeve and it’s directed toward me! What I do that drives me nuts is that I tear out so many recipes from all the cooking magazines I get each month and do nothing but lose them or find them a year later. It is so unbelievably frustrating to find great recipes that apparently I didn’t care enough about to put on my priority list. And the thing that is even more annoying is that I do this almost every week: flip through a magazine, rip out some dinner or dessert options, put them in my drawer/basket/pocket book/ whatever landing is near, go about my day, and never think back to them again. Urgh, why do I do this?

Well, this habit stops now! Um, well, maybe this habit stopped this week! Case and point….I came across this recipe in this month’s Real Simple and placed it on top of my forks so that each time I went for a fork, I would see it and eventually make it. Well well well, what do you know? It worked! I tweaked it for what I had in my cabinets and loved every bite.

One tweak I sort of regret: The recipe calls for lo mein noodles; I only had stir fry rice noodles to use. Although I love rice noodles, they absorbed a lot of the sauce in this dish by the second helping. Yes, second helping, you read that right! Anyway, I would have to recommend the originally called for noodles or thin spaghetti because losing sauce in the midst of a meal is a sad situation! Beyond that though, this meal was full of flavor and texture. The tender shrimp paired well with the crunchy string beans and carrots, while the noodles offered a delicate aspect to the plate. Furthermore, it was ready in a snap and clean up was less than usual! C’mon let’s be realistic here: that’s an amazing feature for a mid-week mealJ

So here it is, tweaked a bit but straight from this month’s edition of RS! Bravo to me! Enjoy……

Shrimp Lo Mein

Serves: 2-4

Adapted from: Real Simple

OBJ: TCW be able to rip out a recipe from a magazine and actually use it!

Ingredients:

8 ounces stir fry rice noodles (preferably lo mein noodles should be used or thin spaghetti)

2 TBS vegetable oil

20 peeled and deveined medium shrimp

2 C string beans, trimmed and cut in ½

½ C carrots, peeled and chopped

½ onion, diced

1 clove garlic, chopped

¼ C oyster sauce

2 TBS rice wine vinegar

1 TBS soy sauce

½ tsp chili garlic sauce

S & P: salt and pepper

Crushed red pepper, for serving

Procedures:

1. Cook the noodles according to the package directions

2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large sauté pan over high heat. Add the shrimp, string beans, carrots, onion, garlic and ½ tsp salt and a pinch of pepper

3. Cook, tossing occasionally, until the shrimp are cooked through, 2- 3 minutes. Remove shrimp from pan to a plate

4. Lower the flame on the sauté pan to medium, add the oyster sauce, vinegar, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce and ¼ C pasta water. Stir well and cook until thickened, 2-3 minutes

5. Add the noodles and shrimp to sauté and toss well to combine

6. Serve with sprinkled red pepper flakes over top

BLT Bow Ties

2012-01-13T05:15:00.000-08:00

Have you ever looked in your refrigerator and asked yourself, “Where did all of the food go?” followed by, “What in the world are we going to eat tonight?” Hopefully you haven’t, but just recently this occurred to me. Seriously, my fridge was so bare it was embarrassing. To make matters worse, when I realized this it was also dinner time and I was one hungry teacher, haha. Okay, corny I know. Anyway, let’s just say we had to eat and it had to be quick! Take-out would be most people’s remedy to this situation, yet I was not in the mood for pizza or Chinese. I scoured my cabinets and accepted the fact that if I was going to make dinner tonight, it would have to pasta: it was all I had, it was the quickest start-to-finish meal I could think of, and oh yeah, I LOVE pasta!

Now for the harder part….what to make with it. Nothing was defrosted, um no actually there was nothing to even defrost! Yikes……I went back to the fridge and found a few things I could work with: bacon, tomatoes, and a ½ bag of baby spinach. Well, bacon works with practically anything, tomatoes are kind of in everything I make, and who couldn’t use some spinach to round out their day? Done: bacon-lettuce-tomato pasta was born!

Oh and she was a beauty no doubt! Honestly, I felt like I had just won Chopped while eating this dish. The spinach wilted perfectly with the tomato-based broth and the crispy bacon offered great texture to each bite. MMMMmmmmMMMMM, I couldn’t believe this was my first time cooking this combo. Now I do hope that I work on stocking up my fridge a little more in the future, but I can’t say that this dinner will encourage me to do so!

BLT Bow Ties

Serves: 2-4

OBJ: TCW be able to take what’s left in her bare refrigerator and turn it into a satisfying meal

Ingredients:

½ lb tri-colored bow tie or Farfalle pasta

3 slices bacon, cut into ½ inch pieces

3 plum tomatoes, diced

½ of a 6 ounce bag baby spinach (about 3 cups)

½ onion, minced

½ TBS extra virgin olive oil

½ TBS unsalted butter

2 TBS Parmesan cheese

S & P: salt and pepper

Red pepper flakes, optional

Procedures:

1. Boil water for pasta and cook according to package directions, reserving 1/3 C pasta water

2. Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan, cook bacon over medium heat. Add a pinch pepper and stir frequently until browned and crisp (about 5-8 minutes)

3. Remove bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and drain most of bacon drippings from pan

4. Add oil and butter to pan and let heat over medium-low flame. Add onion, a pinch S, P, and red pepper flakes and stir well to get bottom bits. Let cook until onions are softened, about 8 minutes

5. Add tomatoes, another small pinch of S & P, stir, and cover for 10 minutes over low flame-should be a simmer (FYI- this is when I would add my pasta to boiling water)

6. Uncover pan, add spinach, drained pasta, Parmesan cheese, bacon, and reserved pasta water. Toss well over medium flame until well incorporated

7. Bring to table and serve!

Pistachio-Crusted Flounder

2012-01-09T15:13:00.000-08:00

Another fish tried and another success in the kitchen to report! Last week was Tilapia and now here is Flounder. I am truly quite proud of myself. Before 2012, the only fish I ate was tuna and that was out of a can! Now don’t get me wrong, I still love my canned tuna with lots of mayo, S & P, diced carrots and onions. However, I am broadening my horizons and diving deeper into the sea these days, lol.

I found this recipe just by searching for, as the name implies, pistachio-crusted flounder. When I bought the fish, the young man who sold it to me recommended coating it with the pistachios. As an inexperienced fish cooker, I happily took the suggestion, researched a bit myself, tweaked what I found, and viola! The fish was a touch “fishier” than that of the Tilapia, however the meat itself was juicy and mild. The crunch from the nuts was a nice contrast to the soft fillets. I think the secret, though, to this dish was the butter; the flavor it created when melted into the pistachios was delicious. It kind of intensified the nut flavor and made for a richer taste. I served the fish with some risotto and roasted asparagus. Even though you don’t taste color, the presentation on the plate had me admiring this dish before I took my first bite. Yet, once I did take my first bite I was more impressed with the fish than the color scheme going on! And if I had to pick what I would like to be better, taste or presentation, I would no doubt go with the former! Enjoy……

Pistachio-Crusted Flounder

Serves: 2-3

Adapted from: Starving Kitten

OBJ: TCW be able to try to a new fish to serve for dinner

Ingredients:

4 flounder fillets (about 1 lb total)

½ C crushed or ground pistachios

¼ C bread crumbs

1 egg, beaten

S & P: salt and pepper

1 TBS unsalted butter, sliced into 8 pieces

Procedures:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2. In a shallow dish, mix pistachios, bread crumbs, and a pinch S & P together

3. Dip each fillet into egg, drip off excess and then coat well with pistachio/bread crumb mixture, place on a foil lined baking sheet:

4. Top each fillet with 2 pieces of butter

5. Bake for 14 minutes or until cooked through

Bacon Crab Cakes

2012-01-06T03:20:00.000-08:00

So last week was my father’s birthday and rather than going out on New Year’s Eve (his b-day!), we decided to cook at home. In the past, we have always gone out, been rushed through dinner, were over-charged, and semi-satisfied with our meals. The company, by far, was the best part. It is almost ridiculous to think we did this year in and year out to ring in Dad’s day. But we are lovers of restaurants and haters of kitchen messes so to give some business back and keep our houses clean, we made reservations and did our small-town duty with each passing year.

Not this year though! My mother and I put our heads together and came up with a menu that we could put together and be able to relax at home while enjoying family as well as some menu favorites. I was in charge of crab cakes, a fresh mozz platter, roasted garlic dipping sauce aka Liquid Gold, and salad. Mom was in charge of the entrée: Ina Garten's Baked Shrimp Scampi with linguini. Last, but certainly not least, my sister-in-law Katie was in charge of the dessert, a glazed chocolate chip pound cake .

To make a long story short, everything was beyond delicious! Yum, yum, yum, it was a feast not to be forgotten! But the focus of this post is to share with you my bacon crab cakes. I absolutely love crab cakes and have done some extensive work judging them as well as making them: Crab Cake Trio and OriGINAl Crab Cakes. However this time I wanted to try something new and break the mold a bit. I combined ideas from various FNS (Food Network Stars) and my own and came up with these gems. The bacon sauté was unbelievable! The smell alone had me convinced these were going to be winners. With a set in the fridge, a quick fry, and some time to sizzle, they were amazing! Crispy on the outside, tender and smoky on the inside, and small enough to eat three and still feel good! Well, I think you get the point: make these asap and will be quite satisfied!

Bacon Crab Cakes

Makes: 12-14 cakes

OBJ: TCW will be able to use bacon to put a twist on her crab cakes

Ingredients:

For Sauté:

1 red pepper, finely chopped

½ green pepper, finely chopped

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 slices bacon, diced small

1 TBS unsalted butter

1 TBS EVOO

S & P, red pepper flakes

To Mix in:

1 lb lump crab meat

½ C Panko (Japanese) bread crumbs

¼ C mayo

1 large egg, lightly beaten

½ tsp Worcestershire sauce

Procedures:

1. Heat oil and butter over medium flame, add peppers, onion, bacon pieces and a pinch S & P, and red pepper flakes. Stir frequently and cook over medium flame for 15 minutes, or until bacon is beginning to brown and all veggies are softened, then remove from pan and let cool (Can be made up to 1 day ahead, keep covered in refrigerator)

2. In a large bowl, combine crab meat, Panko breadcrumbs, mayo, egg, Worcestershire sauce, pepper/ onion/ bacon mixture and a pinch S &P

3. Form into ¼ C round patties (should make about 14)

4. Gently roll each cake in additional Panko to coat each side. Place on a foil –lined baking sheet, place in fridge to set for at least an hour

5. Heat about ¼ C vegetable oil over medium-high flame in a large sauté or frying pan

6. Once oil is hot and ready (place a few breadcrumbs in oil, if oil is ready they will immediately begin to fry and bubble) place crab cakes in pan and let fry on each side for about 5 minutes, or until browned

7. Place pan-fried crab cakes on a new foil-lined baking sheet, sprinkle with salt and place in oven for 5 minutes to heat completely through

8. Remove from oven, serve with slices of lemon

Happy Birthday Dad!

Easy Chicken Burritos

2012-01-02T03:12:00.000-08:00

So I think almost everyone has some sort of instant Spanish rice or New Orleans Style rice in the back of their cabinet. C’mon, it is always on sale and it looks so tempting on the box! Go ahead and look, I’m sure you’ll find it. If not, ask your neighbor, they definitely have it! So once you find the box, you have some endless possibilities. I’m serious; I’ve used the instant rice mixes in my cabinet, or ones I’ve stolen from my mother, to make all sorts of things: stuffed peppers, quick paella, chicken and rice, and these lovely burritos.

I was feeling kind of icky the other day and rather than craving chicken soup or a bowl of spaghetti & meatballs, I had one picture in my mind: huge burrito oozing with cheese and packed with rice. Now, I do have a place that I tend to frequent when this thought passes me by, but Planet Wings wasn’t going to get my business this day! Especially when I found a rice mix that would do, came across some frozen chicken in the freezer and had a block of cheddar to use up. Alas, even cooking while feeling crummy was worth it once I started to smell what was to come. The rice mixture had a deep, smoky flavor that had me salivating once it began to simmer. I must admit, I think I ate ¼ of rice mixture before I assembled the burritos! Well, once I refrained from filling up before dinner, I rolled up these delicious and quick burritos. The sour cream that I dolloped on with each bite was amazing! It melted from the heat of the rice, then sort of combined with the specks of gooey cheddar making each chew exactly what I wanted. Oh man, it was a good and hearty treat that will make me be sure to stock up on the rice sales each time I see them! Needless to say, I felt much better going to bed that night! Enjoy….

Easy Chicken Burritos

Serves: 2-3

OBJ: TCW be able to satisfy her craving for an over-filled cheesy, ricey, shredded chicken burrito by combining instant rice mix and some chicken found in her freezer

Ingredients:

2 chicken breast, fully cooked and shredded

1 8 ounce box Zatarain’s New Orleans Style Jambalaya Mix (Reduced Sodium)

1 medium tomato, diced

1 ½ C extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded or sliced thin

S & P: salt and pepper

Sour cream, optional

Procedures:

I. Prepare and cook rice according to package directions, adding in chopped tomato when you are to add the rice and seasoning (the box has you add in chicken here so no worries!)

2. Preheat Panini press

3. Lay out 3 burrito-sized flour tortillas; spread 4 slices or ¼ C shredded cheddar across the middle of each tortilla

4. Spread 4 heaping spoonfuls of rice/chix mixture over each tortilla, top with another 4 slices or ¼ C cheddar, spread one more spoonful of rice/chix mixture over each burrito to lightly cover cheese

Prior to the last spoonful to cover cheese...

5. Folding in the outsides first, roll up your burritos and place on press

6. Cook for about 10-15 minutes, or until browned

7. Serve with sour cream, chips, and salsa!

Crispy Tortilla-Crusted Tilapia

2011-12-29T06:23:00.000-08:00

I am definitely turning over a new leaf here. First, it was cooking Asian at home and now it’s not only eating fish, but making it myself. Alright, so I’ve only made one fish dish to date, but every mile starts with one step, right? Well, if you’re like to me and reluctant to either A-eat fish or B-cook fish, I encourage you to try a mild fillet to begin. I started with sea bass and halibut, both delicious and prepared for me. I figured the best way to start eating the healthy rock-star itself was to have a chef cook it for me. I’m glad I did as my taste buds were taken by surprise and in love. Eventually, I tried swordfish, but that was a touch too “meaty” and wasn’t a dish I would attempt at home or order again for that matter. Nevertheless, on my radar for the future are the following: mahi mahi, flounder, and perhaps grouper.

Anyway, back to this meal. I must thank my Mother-in-Law first for presenting this cookbook to me for Christmas. Paula Deen’s Southern Cooking Bible is a cookbook that I had heard about but hadn’t actually seen or perused it. Oh, what a gift it is! The pages are filled with some awesome looking plates that I look forward to cooking and sharing with you asap! My husband came across this specific recipe en route to the food store and asked what I thought. Well, I am eating fish these days and it sounds pretty good I thought. He volunteered to go to the fish counter and get what we needed and from that point on, it was tilapia for dinner!

The crust was so easy and remarkably crispy. I could not believe how the chip pieces created almost like a fried crust on the fillets. The white meat was juicy and flaked right apart just after 12 minutes of cooking. And to think I thought cooking fish was a time-killer! I served it aside a simple almond rice pilaf that I spruced up with some roasted zucchini. It was a healthy and scrumptious meal that I look forward to having again. Enjoy…..

Crispy Tortilla-Crusted Tilapia

Serves: 2-3

Adapted from: Paula Deen’s Southern Cooking Bible Cookbook

OBJ: TCW be able to prepare and cook fish in her own home

Ingredients:

¾ C crushed tortilla chips

2 TBS unsalted butter, melted

1 tsp lime zest

¼ tsp dried parsley

3 skinless tilapia fillets (about 1lb total)

S & P: salt and pepper

Garlic powder

Procedures:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil

2. In a medium bowl, combine the crushed chips, melted butter, lime zest, and parsley

3. Place the fish on prepared baking sheet and sprinkle each with S, P, and a pinch garlic powder

4. Spread the tortilla mixture over the fish, pressing down to make it stick:

5. Bake the fish until it is opaque and just cooked through and the tortilla crumbs are golden around the edges, about 12-15 minutes

6. Put your broiler on high and broil the fish for 1 minute to really get a golden brown crisp, remove from oven and place fish fillets on platter to serve!

Esposito's Pizza & Pasta

2011-12-26T13:35:00.000-08:00

Esposito’s Pizza & Pasta

Matawan, NJ

Final Grade: A-

For those of you who know me really well, you know my experience with pizza. For those of you who aren’t as educated in my past culinary adventures, let me quickly enlightened you….About 2 years ago, I was chosen to be part of the NJ Star-Ledger’s Pizza Patrol. The patrol, led by Peter Genovese, traveled the state in search of NJ’s best pizzas. After around 6 months, we completed our task and named winners in various categories. Check out www.nj.com to find out who came out on top. Needless to say, I’ve eaten a lot, and I mean A LOT, of pizza. And although some would expect me to be sick of the cheesy delight, I am far from it! I absolutely love pizza and enjoy it even more than I ever did prior to my “patrolling.” In fact, because I learned so much about the intricacies of pizza-the crust, sauce, cheese, seasonings, baking times, etc., I am always looking to find a great slice and discuss what could make it so good.

That being said, I recently dined at a local pizzeria/pasta establishment that had delicious pizza. Esposito’s Pizza & Pasta in Matawan is the sort of place that, if you weren’t looking for it, you would unfortunately pass it by. Situated by many traffic lights and busy Route 34, it is a small, unassuming eatery that offers eat-in and delivery services. The dining area is cozy and casual, with red and white checkered tablecloths and a glass-cased pizza counter that will definitely be catching your eye. Pizzas go from the oven to boxes and the oven to tables quite frequently, providing an appetizing aroma of pepperoni, sausage, and bubbly mozzarella.

Hubby and I did want we love to do when ordering pizza; order fried calamari ($9.95) to start. Honestly, it is one of our favorite combinations and one that is very hard to come by. Meaning both the calamari and pizza could stand by themselves as the star. Esposito’s conquered the challenge by serving us quality calamari and an outstanding pie.

The calamari quickly joined our table after placing our order. The rings and tentacles were plump, tender and perfectly fried. The coating was just right; making for a crunch yet also being light enough to let the seafood flavor shine. The accompanying marinara was noteworthy as well: piping hot and simmering with chunky tomatoes. With a squeeze of lemon and a dollop of sauce, each bite was ever so satisfying.

As for our pizza selection, we went with the sesame-crusted margherita ($19.50: $14.50 + $3.00 for sesame seeds + $2.00 for ½ sausage). Both being sausage-lovers, we ordered the pie half sausage too. When it arrived at our table, it was a beauty. The fresh mozzarella was glistening and nicely browned, while the fresh basil leaves garnished each slice amidst the vast amount of plum tomatoes. After taking some well-deserved photos, we discovered it tasted better than it looked! The crust maintained a nice crunch in due part to the baking process and sesame seeds spread throughout. The cheese was creamy and mild enough to allow the plum tomatoes and basil to dominate. The sausage was full of fennel and offered a nice balance to the tart sauce. One of the best parts of the pie though was the crust around the edges, well-coated with sesame seeds, each bite was crispy on the outside yet so light and airy on the inside. It was just a great slice from beginning to end!

All in all, Esposito’s was a great casual dining experience. The staff were helpful and courteous, the setting was relaxed and comfortable, the bill was short and inexpensive, and last but certainly not least, the food was excellent.

Esposito’s Pizza & Pasta is can be found at 930 Highway 34, Matawan, NJ 07747.

Total score 21/25

Final Grade: A-

A: 21-25 B: 16-20 C: 11-15 D: 6-10 F: 0-5

Restaurant Rubric

	1	2	3	4	5
*Food Taste*	Bland, boring, overcooked, underdone	Very little flavor, not much aroma	Flavors apparent, basic ability to please palates	Flavor worth discussing, chef’s use of ingredients impressive	Great flavor, taste lingers and leaves diner wanting more
*Restaurant service*	disrespectful	Inattentive staff, no regard for wait time	Staff average in helpfulness, timing alright, either more/less needed	Staff knowledgeable and attentive to needs without asking, timing very well executed	Remarkable and noteworthy, service so good you forget it is ever an issue elsewhere
*Food Presentation*	Cover it up please	Sloppy and the eater can tell little thought went into it	Descent presentation: looks alright, not worth a picture but enough to make you hungry	Admirable, it is apparent the chef plated with a consideration for presentation	Presentational talents are here. Looks beautiful and too good to dig in
*Prices match quality*	Prices are too high for quality	Prices are still too high but not outrageously	Some items are priced accordingly but not all	Most items are priced accordingly	All items are matched accordingly
*Would I go back?*	Not a chance ever	Nope	Maybe	Looking forward to it	What time should I arrive?!?

To Be Continued..

2011-12-20T18:27:00.000-08:00

Okay, here is my dilemma.....I wanted to make Holiday cookies, I have pretty much no time except my sleeping hours to make them, I hate when I can't blog and share recipes with you, I decided to skip wrapping presents and make Easy Rugelach, they took forever to bake, the parchment paper went on fire, I can't vouch for an exact time to bake them because once I let them cool to eat, I realized the inner ring was raw, so then I rebaked and recooled them, they are cooling now and I have decided to shut the kitchen off for tonight and I feel so FRUSTRATED that I don't have a recipe to post, yet have amazing looking, and I bet amazing tasting, cookies on my counter! UUURRRRGGGHHHHH......here are the pics and I have a recipe but, as I mentioned, it's not perfected yet so hopefully I can let you know how to make these asap! Happy Holidays:)

PS- yes, I know that is one huge run-on sentence. However, if you were to listen to me actually say that, I talk that fast and that is how it would sound!

Double Bacon Chicken Burgers

2011-12-15T16:48:00.000-08:00

Honestly, I know nothing can replace an all-beef burger. It is an irreplaceable item that deserves all the fame it gets. However, I think this recipe makes for a pretty close runner up for a healthy substitute. Notice I did not write replacement, I wrote substitute. Subs rotate in and out, replacements stay for the long haul. So with that, I am not replacing my beloved burger with this recipe, I am merely substituting it in for nights when I want something bistro-like, satisfying, and lighter to sleep on.

I must also say that this recipe has pushed me to the side that prefers chicken burgers over turkey ones. I do like turkey burgers and even have a recipe on here that features them, but after eating this the other night; I admired the tenderness and juiciness a lot more than when I was eating the turkey version. I think what happens is with a turkey burger, the turkey flavor overpowers anything else going on in it yet with a chicken burger, the meat is rather bland so it absorbs all flavors and allows them to shine. Now, that is what I think, I claim not to be a food scientist. I’m just a gal looking for the best way to enjoy her bacon on her burger! Enough said……EnjoyJ

Double Bacon Chicken Burgers

Serves: 4

OBJ: TCW be able to convince her husband that a chicken burger can be just as tasty as a beef burger

Ingredients:

1 lb ground chicken

½ medium sized onion, minced

1 slice bacon, cut into small cubes

2 tsp olive oil

1 egg

½ tsp dried parsley

¼ C Panko breadcrumbs

¼ C BBQ sauce

1 TBS mayonnaise

Thinly sliced extra sharp cheddar cheese (about 8 slices in total)

Lettuce, sliced tomato and 6 cooked and crispy bacon slices (for topping of burger)

S & P, salt and pepper

Procedures:

** Make BBQ sauce to set aside- mix BBQ sauce and mayo together**

1. In a medium sized sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium-low heat

2. Add onion, cubed bacon pieces, a pinch S & P and let cook for about 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently. Once onions are translucent and bacon is browned, remove from pan and place in a bowl to cool

3. In a large mixing bowl, use a fork to mix ground chicken, egg, parsley, a generous pinch S & P, and onion/bacon mixture (use rubber spatula to get all drippings!) together

4. Add Panko and mix to combine

5. Divide into four sections and shape into patties, place on a plate, cover and let set in refrigerator for at least 20 minutes

6. Meanwhile, preheat indoor grill to high

7. Once grill is hot, oil grill and place patties on top, cover (I use foil) for 10 minutes. Flip, cover and let other side cook for about 8 minutes. Remove cover and place cheddar slices on top, cover again for about 1-2 minutes to let cheese melt (total cook time: 18-20 minutes, make sure inside is completely cooked- all meat is white)

8. Place patties on bottom halves of sesame or poppy seed buns, top with tomato slices, lettuce and crispy bacon slices, smear top halves of buns with prepared BBQ sauce and place on top of burger. Enjoy!

Creamy Rigatoni tossed with Shrimp, Zucchini & Cherry Tomatoes

2011-12-11T16:06:00.000-08:00

Sadly, I feel like it’s been a while since I posted a pasta recipe and especially a while since I posted one with my beloved zucchini! How could I have done this, you might be wondering….Well, with my new Asian cooking recipes and the hectic Holidays here, I’ve been a touch busy and out of my pasta-loving routine! Now since this can’t go on forever, I just had to boil some water, slice up some zucs, and get to work!

Below is a great, great, GREAT pasta dish. It combined so many of my favorite ingredients that I knew it was going to be wonderful even before I saw the first bubble of my boil. I must say though, I normally use Pinot Grigio and this time I only had Chardonnay so it’s a touch different than a usual HT recipe. The lemon zest was an on-the-fly, why not, kind-of addition. It turned out to be a great decision, as the lemon nicely complimented the goat cheese flavor. The sauce the tomatoes created with the melted cheese also made for some necessary bread-sopping. So don’t forget to get some crunchy bread to serve with this meal. It was creamy, filling, and down-right delish, I hope you agree……Enjoy……

Creamy Rigatoni tossed with Shrimp, Zucchini, & Cherry Tomatoes

Serves: 2-4

OBJ: TCW be able to finally use up the goat cheese in her refrigerator

Ingredients:

½ lb rigatoni pasta or any other tube shaped pasta

15-20 medium shrimp, cleaned, peeled, tails removed

2 TBS extra virgin olive oil

2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

2 zucchini, sliced into ¼ inch rounds then in 1/2s and 1/4s (mixed sizes)

1 TBS unsalted butter, divided

¼ C dry white wine, (I used Chardonnay but use what you booze!)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, cleaned and halved

Juice and zest of ½ a lemon

S & P, salt and pepper

Red pepper flakes, optional

Procedures:

1. Heat large pot of water and bring to boil, cook pasta according to box directions, reserving ½ C pasta water

2. Heat 1 TBS oil over medium heat in a large sauté pan, add shrimp, lemon juice and zest, a pinch S & P and red pepper flakes, and cook until done, about 5 minutes. (The shrimp should be completely pink)Transfer to plate

3. To same pan, add other 1 TBS oil, ½ the butter, garlic, another pinch S &P and cook over medium-low heat. Cook until garlic is softened and fragrant, about 5-8 minutes

4. Add wine, scrape bottom on pan using a rubber spatula, and bring to boil. Then once boiling, reduce heat and bring to simmer, about 5 minutes

5. Add tomatoes, zucchini, 2 TBS reserved pasta water, and a pinch S & P to pan, place heat on medium-low and cover. Cover for about 10-15 minutes, opening once ½ way through to stir and squish tomatoes to release juice

6. Add the other ½ of butter and an additional 2 TBS water to pan, stir over medium heat for 1 minute

7. Add pasta, goat cheese, and shrimp to sauté pan and toss well to combine over medium heat. Add additional pasta water if necessary

8. Serve with additional goat cheese crumbles on top

Sesame Noodles with Chicken & Asparagus

2011-12-07T15:53:00.000-08:00

Alright, I promise not to continue numbering my Asian dishes! Just not yet, lol…..This makes #4 for me and I can’t be more proud! As you can see with the objective listed below, this was a requested dish. I have always been a tad apprehensive combining peanut butter with dinner items. I am somewhat of a creature of habit and since I eat peanut butter each morning with my English muffin, I definitely had some trouble agreeing to make this dish for dinner. But since I am an awesome wife;) and quite adventurous in my culinary creations, I got down to business for DINNER with my BREAKFAST jar of PB…….

And……it was absolutely delicious. Sweet and spicy, bursting with textures and flavors is what this dinner equated to. Really, I am sold on peanut butter with dinner. Maybe not every night, but quite often if I have any say in it. Which, as the cook, I have every say in it! So this was another winner and I truly hope you can say the same soon too……

Sesame Noodles with Chicken and Asparagus

Serves: 2-3

Adapted from: Cooks Country

OBJ: TCW be able to fill her husband’s request for an Asian peanut dish

Ingredients:

6 chicken tenders, cut into1 inch pieces

2 TBS vegetable oil, divided

½ lb linguini or spaghetti

2 C asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces

3 TBS creamy peanut butter

3 TBS rice wine vinegar

2 TBS oyster sauce

1 tsp chili-garlic sauce

1 tsp grated fresh ginger

1 TBS sesame seeds

¼ C roasted and salted peanuts

Procedures:

1. Bring large pot of water up to a boil and cook pasta according to box directions, adding asparagus in with 3-4 minutes left for pasta to cook, drain and reserve about 1 C pasta water

2. Meanwhile, pat chicken pieces dry and heat 1 TBS oil over medium flame in a large skillet, sauté pan or wok. Add chicken and cook until done, about 5 minutes and no longer pink. Transfer to plate

3. Whisk peanut butter, vinegar, oyster sauce, chili-garlic sauce, ginger, 1 TBS oil in a small-medium bowl

4. Heat, over medium flame, the same pan as chicken was cooked in. Add drained asparagus and pasta, chicken, whisked combination, sesame seeds, peanuts and about ½ C reserved pasta water to pan and toss well to combine. (If still too thick, add more water)Continue tossing over heat for about 2 minutes for entire dish to come together and heat through

5. Serve and enjoy

Chocolate Hazelnut Banana Pie

2011-12-03T08:13:00.000-08:00

Like so many others, I love chocolate. Specifically, I love chocolate cookies, chocolate candy, and chocolate brownies. Now I know there are a gazillion other chocolate creations that I failed to list but please note: I would happily consume them. Chocolate pie is one of those creations. This is a dish that I rarely eat but often find myself dreaming of. This Thanksgiving I not only dreamt of it but actually snapped out of my dreamland and made one!

And honestly it couldn’t have been easier! Well, maybe it could have if I bought it. But I’m pretty sure no store-bought pie would have been this good. So therefore, it was as easy as home-made pie could have gotten. The Nutella mixed in the Cool Whip was pure genius. Not to mention, the chocolatey crust offered a nice crunch to the creamy consistency of the pie. While the bananas hidden below made for a sweet surprise! I added the toasted hazelnuts and grated chocolate on top for looks and texture. I would definitely recommend you doing the same as this made for a table beauty and a tasty twistJ Either way you serve it though, I’m sure you’ll be happy you did! Enjoy…

Chocolate Hazelnut Banana Pie

Servings: 10

Source: Kraftrecipes.com

OBJ: TCW be able to make a chocolate pie that isn’t as traditional as one would expect by using Nutella and bananas

Ingredients:

2 squares semi-sweet chocolate, melted

1 ½ C thawed Cool-Whip Whipped Topping, divided

1 Oreo Pie Crust, (6 ounces)

1 banana, peeled and sliced

1 package (3.4 ounce) JELLO-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding

1 C cold milk (I used whole)

½ C chocolate-hazelnut spread (I used Nutella)

Optional: ¼ C toasted hazelnuts, skins removed and chopped

2 TBS grated semi-sweet chocolate

Procedures:

1. Whisk melted chocolate and ½ C Cool Whip until well blended, spread onto the bottom of crust

2. Place sliced bananas on top of chocolate

3. Using a whisk attachment, beat dry pudding mix, milk, and chocolate-hazelnut spread in a medium bowl for 2 minutes

4. Stir in remaining Cool Whip, spread over bananas

5. Sprinkle hazelnuts around edge of pie and grated chocolate in the middle

6. Refrigerate for 3 hours

Cranberry-Hazelnut Bread

2011-11-29T13:20:00.000-08:00

So even though this year my family was having a small Thanksgiving, I still wanted to bring more than 1 dish. Between my mom and grandmother, the appetizers and main courses were well taken care of. This left me with dessert of course, which was great as I don’t make too many sweets since it’s just me and Hubby usually. The first thing I wanted to make was a Chocolate Hazelnut Banana pie that will be posted ASAP because it was un-be-lie-va-ble! Seriously, it was too good to only have 1 slice. Anyway, the other dessert actually turned out to be a main course addition and next-day breakfast dish! This was the Cranberry-Hazelnut Bread that I came across in Real Simple. I spotted it while perusing the pages the other night and realized I had everything, minus the orange zest, to make it. My original intentions were to bake it and bring it to work or drop it off at my parents to enjoy, but since it was Thanksgiving, I figured why not just bring it then?

So I made it and boy it made our house smell delicious! Since it was much more on the tart side than sweet, we served it with Thanksgiving dinner right beside the biscuits so that there was a bread option for all to enjoy. It was a hit, especially warm with a smear of butter that melted on top. The next morning, we sliced it up, put some dollops of butter on the slices and broiled it for a morning treat. Again, a hit and again, not many crumbs left! So all in all, I planned on bringing 2 desserts to the festivity but in reality brought 1 dessert, 1 side, 1 breakfast, and many smilesJ Enjoy……

Cranberry-Hazelnut Bread

Serves: 8

Adapted from: Real Simple

OBJ: TCW be able to bake an impromptu bread to bring to her Mom’s Thanksgiving dinner

Ingredients:

1 C hazelnuts, toasted, skins rubbed off, and coarsely chopped

2 TBS unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for oiling the pan

1 ½ C flour

1/3 C sugar

¼ C packed light brown sugar

1 TBS baking powder

½ tsp salt

½ C whole milk

2 large eggs

Zest from ½ a lemon

½ tsp pure vanilla extract

1 ½ C fresh cranberries

Procedures:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Butter an 8 ½ -by- 4 ½ inch loaf pan

3. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, sugars, baking powder, and salt

4. In a small bowl, whisk the butter, milk, eggs, zest, and vanilla. Add this to the flour mixture and mix until just combined (do not overmix!)

5. Fold in the hazelnuts and cranberries

6. Transfer batter into prepared loaf pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 55-65 minutes (FYI-mine took 60)

7. Let cool in pan on a rack for 30 minutes, then remove from pan and let finish cooling directly on rack

8. Serve warm or room temperatureJ

Easy Meatballs

2011-11-26T09:31:00.000-08:00

Man, were these good! There is really no other way to start this post other than that! Not only were they easy, but they were 1-2-3! Here is how this went down……It was a hectic night in mi casa and I knew I wanted to serve meatballs but I was a touch intimidated by the meat trio staring me down. I thought about “winging it” but I believe there are just some things that can’t be executed in this fashion, meatballs being one of them. I then considered calling my mother, she would help me out no doubt but I knew her recipe used day-old bread and that was something I didn’t have. Other option, skip the meatballs and just have the manicotti? Um, no way! It was a Sunday Feast and I wasn’t about to step down on my standards, lol. So, my last option was to go to trusty epicurious.com and see what it had for me and my pantryJ Viola, a recipe that sort of had what I had and would be ready quickly…..

What turned out was an astounding success! Fortunately I had my own marinara that I had defrosted so once I had these meatballs simmer in that; I knew I was in business. Let me warn you, the baking sheet does get a touch oily. The other side of that though is that the oil is all the fat you will not be consuming! Hooray, perhaps low fat? Ha, I doubt it but I still felt better eating a hefty portion of these. They might take between 20-25 minutes depending on your meatball size preference, so keep an eye on them! Browned and bubbly after at least 20 minutes is probably a good sign there are just about done.

So go ahead and try this recipe, I think you will be pleased. Add the meatballs to spaghetti, next to manicotti, or just smacked in between some good ol’ Italian bread and you’ll be one happy camperJ

Easy Meatballs

Serves: 3-4

Adapted from: Epicurious.com

OBJ: TCW be able to make meatballs in a jiffy

Ingredients:

1 ¼ lb – 1 ½ lb ground veal, pork and beef

1/3 C Italian style breadcrumbs

2 eggs, beaten

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/3 C grated Parmesan cheese

6 fresh basil leaves, sliced in slivers

½ tsp dried parsley

S & P, salt and pepper

Procedures:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees

2. In a large bowl, mix bread crumbs and 1/3 Cup of water

3. When bread crumbs are absorbed, add the eggs, garlic, ¼ C Parmesan cheese, basil, parsley, and a generous pinch S & P. Mix well

4. Add meat trio to the mixture and combine well, either with your hands or a fork

5. Form into 10-12 even balls, sprinkle tops with remaining Parmesan

6. Lay on a large rimmed baking sheet and roast for 25 minutes

7. Remove from oven and add to your own marinara or jarred sauce to simmer for about 10 minutes before serving

Thai Chef

2011-11-20T16:15:00.000-08:00

Thai Chef

Final Grade: A

Montclair, NJ

The other night I got the chance to try out a new restaurant, get together with two of my best friends, and get out of my little town of South Amboy on a Friday evening. The place we dined at was Thai Chef, a fairly well known Thai restaurant that has locations in Somerville, Hackensack, and Montclair. As both a BYO and reputable establishment, it provided a great venue and menu for us to experience.

The Bloomfield Avenue location is quite large, well-decorated, and brightly lit. The tables and rooms offer guests ample space and tranquility to escape to on any given night. In the summer, although we are sadly quite far from that now, there is an open patio for diners to sit and enjoy the warm weather. The wait staff was cordial and seemingly well experienced. We were seated right away even on a Friday and were given plenty of time to look over the vast menu, ask some questions, and consider the nightly specials.

We decided to start with a combination appetizer for two ($16). Now I know we were a party of three, but after asking our waitress if the “for two” plate was large enough for us to split, and her responding affirmatively, we went with the smaller portion. This was a wise decision, as the plate was generously filled with chicken satay, Thai Chef dumplings, spring rolls, and Mee Krob. The standouts of the platter were the dumplings and satay. The delicately wrapped dumplings were stuffed with shrimp and pork, then topped with fresh crab meat and served with a caramel vinaigrette. They were succulent while exploding with richness and flavor. The satay, more on the simple side, were a great counter to the rich dumplings and crispy fried spring rolls. The kebobbed pieces of marinated chicken were incredibly tender and placed in a perfect amount of peanut sauce that did not overwhelm nor understate the poultry.

Combination Platter...

As for entrees, we settled on the duck pineapple ($22), flat rice noodles with shrimp ($13), and pad see ew($13). All were satisfying, yet two were frontrunners. The pad see ew, flat rice noodles with chicken, egg, vegetables, and a caramel sauce was delicious. The chicken was abundant and cooked with skill while the sauce had just the right amount of sweetness. Well coated noodles were dispersed throughout the plate, providing an enjoyable pairing for each piece of chicken and vegetable. The other noodle dish was the other winner here. Flat rice noodles with shrimp, an unassuming title, had much more pizzazz than the name lends itself to. For those of you who have had this dish before, one with basil, chili garlic and vegetables, you know that it can be very spicy. I have had it at a few other places and have had the unfortunate experience of numb lips after consuming. Although I was a touch nervous ordering it, I was delighted with its heat level after beginning to eat. It was definitely spicy, as it should be, but not to extremity. The noodles were tossed with enough sauce that both highlighted the basil and accentuated the shrimp. The vegetables, usually a bystander, were admirably crunchy and balanced the plump noodles. It was success on many fronts: flavor, heat, texture, and tenderness. The duck entrée wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t great. The meat was juicy yet the skin was doused in sauce. In fact, the entire dish was drowning in the salt-laden dressing. Cashews and pineapples offered decent texture points but with the small amount of rice, the sauce truly overpowered the dish.

Flat Rice Noodles with Shrimp....

Pad See Ew.....

Originally, we were not going to get dessert. We were quite full and just enjoying each others’ company. But then one of us spotted the chocolate Grand Marnier soufflé ($8) and it just had to be ordered. And man, were we glad we did. It was exceptional. Arriving at our table piping hot from the oven, covered in fresh whipped cream, then poured over with a chocolate sauce, it was almost too pretty to start forking. After snapping its picture, we devoured this specialty. The dense chocolate cake was moist and ever so rich. Each bite, warm and paired with cool whip cream, was better than the one before it. It was gone before we knew it and eventually found ourselves scraping the ramekin’s sides looking for one more crumb. Needless to say, if you try this restaurant, you must try this dessert.

Chocolate Grand Marnier Souffle...

All in all, it was a wonderful dinner. With the menu being so lengthy and the specials explained by our waitress all sounding delish; a return visit is a necessity for me. I found the establishment to be quite a find and it was easy to see why it has other locations. Although I might succumb to a few dishes I know are great, I am excited to try some other dishes from this “Thai Chef.”

Thai Chef can be found at 664 Bloomfield Ave., Montclair, 169 Riverside Square, Hackensack, and 24 E. Main St., Somerville.

Total score: 21/25

Final Grade: A

A: 21-25 B: 16-20 C: 11-15 D: 6-10 F: 0-5

Restaurant Rubric

	1	2	3	4	5
*Food Taste*	Bland, boring, overcooked, underdone	Very little flavor, not much aroma	Flavors apparent, basic ability to please palates	Flavor worth discussing, chef’s use of ingredients impressive	Great flavor, taste lingers and leaves diner wanting more
*Restaurant service*	disrespectful	Inattentive staff, no regard for wait time	Staff average in helpfulness, timing alright, either more/less needed	Staff knowledgeable and attentive to needs without asking, timing very well executed	Remarkable and noteworthy, service so good you forget it is ever an issue elsewhere
*Food Presentation*	Cover it up please	Sloppy and the eater can tell little thought went into it	Descent presentation: looks alright, not worth a picture but enough to make you hungry	Admirable, it is apparent the chef plated with a consideration for presentation	Presentational talents are here. Looks beautiful and too good to dig in
*Prices match quality*	Prices are too high for quality	Prices are still too high but not outrageously	Some items are priced accordingly but not all	Most items are priced accordingly	All items are matched accordingly
*Would I go back?*	Not a chance ever	Nope	Maybe	Looking forward to it	What time should I arrive?!?

Penne with Proscuitto & Fresh Mozz

2011-11-16T15:10:00.000-08:00

Here is a dish that stemmed from having a ton of leftovers from making one of my infamous Italian "platters." The platter was from celebrating our 1 year wedding anniversary and I just couldn’t stand to let the beautiful meats and cheeses go to waste. Now the dish below only used up the prosciutto and fresh mozzarella. The other pieces were either devoured or used for an impromptu appetizer… mini Stromboli.They were delish – one with hot soppressata and provolone and another with pepperoni and mozzarella, sadly I didn’t get any pictures and the ingredients were what I just listed with some pizza dough from the local pizzeria. Therefore, no blog spotlight but well-worth some attentionJ

Anyway, back to this dish. Very easy and so very delicious. I mean, really though, pasta, mozz, and prosciutto, who could go wrong? Like I wrote in the objective of the recipe, I was at my mother’s house, dog-sitting to be precise, when I made this; therefore the picture isn’t as great as in my own home. I couldn’t let that deter me from sharing it with you though because it was a winner! The mild and soft mozz incredibly balanced the salty and crispy prosciutto. I love tomatoes in everything, so I had to throw them in too and I was sure glad I did. The depth and texture they added to the broth was definitely noteworthy. The cheese does get a tad “gloopy” while tossing so you sort of have to cut through it when you’re eating to get a good bite. Not that that is a bad thing but for if you’re thinking this dish has some sort of cream sauce, it does not. It is basically a brothy pasta dish with browned prosciutto and pieces of fresh mozzarella throughout. It’s simple, tasty, and a keeper in my mind. I hope you agree…..Enjoy….

Platter this dish came from....

Penne with Prosciutto & Fresh Mozz

Serves: 2-4

OBJ: TCW will be able to cook dinner in her mother’s house by bringing her own ingredients and using her Mom’s beautiful cookwareJ

Ingredients:

½ lb penne pasta, or any other tube shaped you have

2 large slices of Prosciutto di Parma, cut into slivers then cut into small pieces

½ TBS salted butter

2 TBS Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ of a 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes

½ C (heaping) diced fresh mozzarella (¼ inch cubes)

¼ C dry white wine, (I use Pinot Grigio, but use what you booze!)

¼ tsp dried parsley

¼ tsp dried basil

Red pepper flakes, to taste

S & P, salt and pepper

Procedures:

1. Boil water and cook pasta according to package directions (make sure to save “pasta water” though)

2. Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan, heat 1 TBS oil over high heat. Add prosciutto, dried parsley, basil, and a pinch of pepper. Cook for about 2-5 minutes, stirring often, until Prosciutto gets browned and crispy around edges. Remove from pan to a unlined glass plate

Crispy Proscuitto...

3. Add the remaining oil, butter, and garlic to pan. Lower heat to medium and cook until garlic is softened, about 3-4 minutes

4. Add wine, bring heat up to high and let wine come to boil, then lower heat to allow wine to reduce, about 2 minutes

5. Add tomatoes and 3 TBS reserved pasta water to pan, stir well, cover for 5-8 minutes over medium-low heat

6. Add the Prosciutto with their drippings and an additional 1 TBS pasta water to sauté, stir and cover for 1-2 minutes

7. Place your pasta in a large serving bowl, top with mozz, then pour sauté over and toss to combine!

8. Enjoy

Sesame Shrimp Noodles

2011-11-11T07:49:00.000-08:00

Alright so if you are keeping track of my Asian cooking progress, this makes my 3^rd dish! I feel pretty accomplished making a rice dish, rice noodle dish, and now a spaghetti (like lo mien) dish. This dinner came together rather quickly and featured some of my leftover refrigerator veggies. I think this is one of the best parts of this type of cooking: how basically anything you want to throw in to a stir fry totally works and taste delicious! I also recently added sesame seeds to my newly acquired Asian “pantry”, aka small section of the middle shelf of my cabinet, lol. Although the seeds don’t yield tremendous flavor, the sauce here was the winner in that category, they offer nice texture and a beautiful presentation. If you haven’t already added them to your kitchen repertoire, I suggest you do as they are easy to find and very cheap. They definitely are worth making a trip out for and once you add them to this dish or something else, you will be thanking meJ Enjoy……

Sesame Shrimp Noodles

Serves: 2-4

Adapted from: MediterrAsian.com

OBJ: TCW be able to create an Asian noodle dish that is both sweet and spicy

Ingredients:

4 TBS soy sauce

4 TBS vegetable oil, divided

2 tsp Chinese rice wine vinegar

1 tsp chili garlic sauce

1 tsp brown sugar

½ lb thin spaghetti

20 medium shrimp, peeled and cleaned

1 C baby carrots, julienned or roughly chopped

2 ½ C string beans, rinsed and cut in ½

2 TBS sesame seeds

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated

Procedures:

1. Boil water and cook pasta according to package directions, drizzle and toss with about 1 tsp oil, set aside

2. Whisk together soy sauce, 1 TBS oil, Chinese rice wine, chili garlic sauce and brown sugar in a small bowl

3. Heat a wok or large sauté pan over medium-high heat, add 1 TBS oil and cook shrimp, about 2 minutes (shrimp should be completely pink)

4. Remove shrimp from pan and set aside

5. Reheat the pan over high heat, add the remaining 2 TBS oil, then add the carrots, string beans, and sesame seeds, stir well then cover pan for 3-4 minutes

6. Uncover pan, add the garlic and ginger, stir fry for about 1 minute

7. Add the spaghetti, cooked shrimp and sauce mixture. Stir fry until well combined and heated through

8. Sprinkle with additional sesame seeds before serving

*** FYI: After finishing the dish and bringing to table, I noticed that my spaghetti absorbed a lot of sauce. Because of this and the fact that I like “saucy” dishes, I whisked then heated an additional 2 TBS soy sauce, 2 tsp rice wine vinegar, and 1 tsp brown sugar. I added this on top of entire dish then tossed to incorporate. ***

Nutella Pastry Pockets

2011-11-05T17:50:00.000-07:00

I don’t think I have ever known a person who doesn’t like, no scratch that, love Nutella. It…..is…...amazing, nothing more and nothing less. I have, though very sad, met people who have yet to try it. This brings me to one conclusion: if you have eaten Nutella, you are both in love and lucky!

Well being one of those in love and lucky people, I am always attempting to include it in some new recipes. One of my favorite Nutella recipes is by Rachael Ray, she calls them Mini Italian Mud Pies, I call them Heaven! Matt actually always makes fun of me though because I serve them so often when we have friends/family over. He calls it my “go-to” dessert. Well, if you have time, try her recipe, it is truly incredible and you might just be serving it again and again in the future.

Back to my recipe though! This concoction came out of a need for a quick dessert for a family gathering that could be transported easily. I also knew I had pie crust chillin’ in the freezer, haha, pun intended, that I wanted to use up. All I needed to buy was the Nutella and nuts and in about 45 minutes, I had a delicious, different, and decadent dessert to bring! I warmed them before serving and was delighted to spread the love and luck around! Enjoy……

Nutella Pastry Pockets

Yields: 16

OBJ: TCW be able to combine some of her favorite flavors tucked inside a pastry

Ingredients:

1 store bought 9 inch pie crust, defrosted

¼ C hazelnuts (aka Filberts), toasted and finely chopped

½ C Nutella or other Hazelnut spread

1 egg, beaten

¼ C sugar

Procedures:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper

3. Unroll dough and use about a 2 ½ inch round cookie cutter to make 16 pastry rounds (**You will have to re-roll dough out a few times to get 16 rounds**)

4. Place ½ tsp Nutella in the center of each round, then sprinkle ¼ tsp nuts over Nutella

5. Using your finger or small pastry brush, rub/brush a little egg wash on the edge of each round

6. Fold over to form a pocket or “half moon”, dip a fork into egg wash, drip to get rid of excess and use it to seal pocket shut

7. Place all the pockets on prepared baking sheet, brush each with egg wash, and sprinkle each with a pinch of sugar

8. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until golden brown on edges

9. Serve warm, either quickly after baking or microwave them for about 1 minute before serving

***Dunking into coffee or tea is highly recommended!***

Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Spread/Dip

2011-11-02T17:30:00.000-07:00

I know Halloween is behind us and you might be kind of sick of pumpkin flavored everything, but this is a recipe you MUST make! Even if you are nauseous at the thought of yet another pumpkin-themed item, just do your friends or guests a favor and serve this to them.

I actually had been brainstorming ways to recreate a spread/dip like this ever since a colleague of mine brought in Trader Joe's Pumpkin Cream Cheese spread. She served it with Stacy’s brand Cinnamon Sugar Pita Chips and it was a hit! Well, my culinary wheels started turning and before I had whipped up my own version, I came across this recipe on one of my favorite blogs, Lauren's Latest. I looked it over and was so pleased by the easiness and simplicity of her recipe. Not to mention, it required almost no time to make. So I followed her steps and bingo, it was fantastic! One quick note though, you definitely have to refrigerate before serving. The recipe does mention this; however I just want to really stress that fact because I dug in right away after whipping and quickly realized it needed to be chilled. Something about room temp. cream cheese just eeks me, lol. I’m assuming most people agree….

Anyway, I love this recipe and I cannot wait to make it again. I hope you can say the same too! Enjoy…..

Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Spread

Serves: 8-10

Source: Lauren's Latest

OBJ: TCW be able to satisfy her pumpkin craving by trying out this recipe

Ingredients:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

½ C plain pumpkin puree

¼ C sugar

½ tsp vanilla extract

¼ tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp nutmeg

Procedures:

1. In a stand mixer or large bowl with hand mixer, whip pumpkin and cream cheese until combined, creamy and uniform in color

2. Scrap edges, mix on low and gradually add in sugar

3. Once sugar is all incorporated, stir in the vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg

4. Scrape bowl and whip again to make sure all is combined and smooth

5. Spoon into a bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to use

6. Serve with cinnamon sugar pita chips (I used Stacy’s brand) when readyJ

Jap Chai

2011-10-29T08:12:00.000-07:00

Alright, I think I could be getting the hang of this. Although only my 2^nd Asian dish, I am starting to see how this time of cuisine comes together. One word actually comes to mind: QUICK! Quick as in you better have your ingredients diced and ready, quick as in who cares if there are carrots on the floor, we’re woking here, and quick as in whisk, add ingredients, and get outta my way because I need to add the noodles before the sauce thickens too much! Yes, that has been the mayhem taking place in my kitchen during the past 2 weeks! Honestly though, it has been a blast and a terrific learning experience. The mess after we eat is like nothing I’ve ever seen, but the flavors from our bowls have been like nothing I’ve ever created. Not a bad swap in my mind…….

This dish was recommended to me by my good friend Stephanie. Her recipe, which she found at So Tasty So Yummy, was my starting block. I tweaked it a little here and there because I didn’t have everything she had and I also like a lot of sauce on my dishes, so I added more to that part of recipe. The result was outstanding! The bites were amazingly sweet to start then the spice kicked in and left you in need of a cool drink. The contrast was quite addicting and had me grinning in delight! It is a dish that can be easily adapted to eaters who prefer more mild options or ones that are brave enough to step it up a notch. All in all though, it was another triumph for this novice Asian cookJ

Jap Chae

Serves: 3-4

Adapted from: Stephanie Cooks

OBJ: TCW be able to strengthen her Asian cooking skills by making a new noodle dish

Ingredients:
7 ounces stir fry rice noodles (1/2 14 ounce box)
2 cooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, shredded
3 tablespoons soy sauce (note: more used later in recipe, see on bottom of list)
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tablespoon chili-garlic sauce( note: more used later in recipe, see on bottom of list)
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 carrots, shredded
1 zucchini, cut into slivers
½ onion, cut into slivers
1 bag frozen Asian medley (cooked to package directions)
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
5 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon chili-garlic sauce

2 tsp rice white vinegar

¼ c almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped

Procedures:1. Prepare noodles according to packaging directions and set aside
2. Combine 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, ginger, and chili-garlic sauce in a small bowl

3. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the soy sauce mix, let heat for 2 minutes. Add chicken and stir, cook until chicken is heated, about 5 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate.

4. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the pan. Add garlic, carrots, zucchini, onion, and frozen vegetables. Sauté for a few minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from pan to plate

5. Place 5 tablespoons of soy sauce, sugar, the 1 tsp of chili-garlic sauce, 2 tsp rice wine vinegar, and the remaining 1 TBS oil to pan. Whisk to combine, keeping heat on medium

6. Add noodles, chicken, and ½ veg. medley, and almonds to pan. Stir to coat and heat through. (Wrap up the remaining vegetables and use in other dishes throughout week!)

7. Serve!

Eggplant Parm Pizza

2011-10-26T15:14:00.000-07:00

MMMMmmmmmm, eggplant parmesan! I love eggplant and I love it fried even more! But with the weekend behind me and a figure I try to maintain, I felt the need to “health-ify” this dish. First things first, pizza, to me, is healthy. Dough= carbohydrate (a source of energy), sauce = vegetable (enough said), cheese = calcium and protein (good for you and good for you), therefore no changes are needed here. Now for the tweak……eggplant parmesan: normally fried, greasy, and quite heavy. I decided to bread it like usual because I have tried other options- egg white, whole wheat breadcrumbs, etc. and honestly they just don’t thrill me! So with that being said, I oiled my baking sheets and cranked up my oven so that the eggplant slices could almost fry on the oiled surface and get that oiled crispiness. After flipping during the baking process, I achieved my goal! The slices were delicious; I could have just eaten them off the baking sheet and called it a night! But why would I do that when the other option was to take the breaded eggplant, top it with 3 cheeses, then serve it as a pizza? No need to respond, you get my point!

The result was an amazing pizza that Matt and I pretty much ate in silence because each bite was better than the previous! We did manage a few words but I’m not sure if they count because they were only in response to the pizza. Anyway, it was a great weeknight meal that I will be making again very soon! I hope you can do the same! Enjoy….

Eggplant Parm Pizza

Serves: 4-6

OBJ: TCW be able to recreate a normally calorie-busting pizza into a healthy and nutritious one!

Ingredients:

1 pizza dough, thawed and left out to rise (about 4-6 hours)

1 C marinara, your own or jarred

½ C shredded mozzarella

¼ C fresh mozzarella (or about 4 slices)

1 medium sized eggplant, sliced into ¼ inch rounds

1 C Italian style breadcrumbs

2 eggs, beaten

¼ C extra virgin olive oil

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

S & P: salt and pepper

Red pepper flakes

Procedures:

1. Preheat oven, with pizza stone on bottom shelf, to 425 degrees

2. Using a pastry brush, oil 2 baking sheets with olive oil

2. Dip each eggplant slice into egg, drain excess, then coat both sides with breadcrumbs, shake off excess, place on oiled sheet. Repeat with remaining slices

3. Using pastry brush again, gently brush the top of each breaded slice with oil, sprinkle with S & P

3. Bake eggplant for 20 minutes, flip, and then continue baking for an additional 5-10 minutes. Bottoms and edges should be lightly browned

4. Remove from oven, place slices on a cooling rack, and let cool until ready to use (can be refrigerated for at least 2 days)

5. Roll out dough to desired pizza size, I usually stretch/roll/knead it to pretty much cover my pizza stone but you do what you like (smaller pizza=thicker crust, vice versa)

6. Take stone out of oven, carefully place dough on top

7. Working quickly, spread sauce on top of pizza, leaving at least ½ - 1inch plain for crust, then sprinkle about ¼ C of shredded mozzarella on sauce, then top with eggplant slices (enough to cover sauce but with a few gaps), then sprinkle remaining shredded mozzarella on top of eggplant slices, and finally top with fresh mozz, sprinkle with grated cheese, S & P, a pinch hot pepper flakes (optional) and a few dollops of sauce

8. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until edges are browned and cheese is bubbling

9. Remove entire stone and pizza from oven, place on cutting board, bring to table, slice & serve!

Oven cam..............