Spaghetti with Salami, Fennel and Tomatoes

Fennel.  I love fennel.  But I haven't always been best friends with the fennel seed.  Ya know, they put it in sausage.  And usually when it is in my Italian sausage, I don't like it.  It is like, "yum, tasty sausage"...*crunch* explosion of fennel flavor...palate destroyed.  Throat on fire.

Fennel seeds also show up in some rye breads.  In fact, just last weekend, I was at the grocery store deciding on what rye bread to buy for my Reubens (corned beef...St. Patty's day...close enough).  I always get the dark brown loaf.  Scot said he wanted a lighter rye (random).  But I purposely made sure there were no stupid fennel seeds in my rye bread.  It is weird!  

Ok, maybe I am weird, because I know lots of people love the f. seed in both sausage and in rye bread.  

In conclusion, I was reluctant to put fennel seeds in this pasta.  I crushed them pretty good in the mortar and pestle.  I don't know what it was that was different about using them in this pasta, but I really liked it.  I thought maybe when combined with the fresh fennel, it balanced it all out.  Makes me wonder...maybe I just don't like bad Italian sausage that just happens to have fennel seeds in it?  Maybe the sausage makers should try crushing their fennel seeds a bit?  Who knows.  

Lastly, Scot loved this pasta dish.  He kept saying, "this tastes just like sausage".  He really likes sausage.  

Spaghetti with Salami, Fennel and Tomatoes

from Happy Days with the Naked Chef by Jamie Oliver

Extra virgin olive oil

5 ounces good spicy ltalian salami, sliced

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely sliced

1 tsp fennel seeds

1 bulb fennel, halved and finely sliced, feathery tops reserved and chopped

32 ounce can of plum tomatoes

1 dried chili, crumbled (optional)

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 lb dried spaghetti or linguine

2 handfuls of stale breadcrumbs

a sprig of fresh rosemary (optional)

Pour 2 good lugs of olive oil into a pan. Add your salami and your sliced garlic. Lightly crack the fennel seeds either in a pestle and mortar or with a knife and add to the pan. Cook for 1 minute on a low heat – the fat should cook out of the salami and it should begin to get crisp. Add your sliced fennel and stir, then put the lid on the pan and increase the heat to medium. Cook for 5 minutes, then add your tomatoes and even a little dried chili if you like. Cook slowly for 25 minutes until the mixture has thickened. Season to taste.

Cook your pasta in a large pot of fast boiling salted water until al dente. While it’s cooking, make some crunchy breadcrumbs, to give this dish a great texture and crunch. Just get a couple of good handfuls of coarse breadcrumbs and fry them with 4 or 5 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil until they go crispy. Throw in some rosemary sprigs as well to give extra flavor. When your pasta is cooked, drain it in a colander and immediately toss it with your lovely tomato sauce. Serve in a large bowl and sprinkle with the green fennel tops and your crispy breadcrumbs.

(Servings: 4, Prep time: 15 min., Cook time: 25 min., Difficulty: Easy)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste):  7/10

Scot (taste):  9/10

Effort:  2/5

Dishwashing Effort:  3/5

Honey-Cinnamon Ice Cream

When I was in 5th or 6th grade, I got my first job.  Illegal, I know.  My mom was the manager for the local farmer's market.  I would go with her to the Wednesday night farmer's market (left school early!).  At first, I just went for fun.  I'd run errands for people or just help the different vender's with various things.  Or played with another one of the younger girls.  

At one point, one of the farmers, Gene, asked me to work for him behind the stand.  Gene's Green Thumb.  He sold all sorts of veggies, apples, and honey.  And, at first, he paid me in honey sticks.  I LOVED honey sticks.  They are just honey.  In a stick.  After enough work, I was well stocked with honey and he had to supplement the payment with real cash.  

Growing up on Gene's honey sticks, I always laughed at the sight of "flavored" honey sticks, I would see at touristy places.  Why would you need to flavor honey?  It is perfect just the way it is.  Especially the honey from Gene's farm.  Although, the color would vary because the bees would get the nectar from a variety of plants on the farm, my favorite was always the lighter honeys.  I am no expert on which plant makes the darker or lighter honeys, but all I know is what I like.  

I ended up working for Gene, off and on, in the summers, for about 9 some years.  It is the best job I have ever had.  I usually worked at the stand, selling produce.  My teenage self giving people advice on how to prepare the different produce.  Which apple to use for what.  "Don't feed honey to your baby."  "Yeah, that is how brussels sprouts really grow."

So, honey brings me back.  I love (and often prefer) any dessert with honey in it.  When I saw this honey-cinnamon ice cream recipe in my awesome new cookbook, flour, it was like a match made in heaven.  Cinnamon ice cream is MY ice cream of choice.  Sweeten it with honey instead of sugar?  Please.  She mentions that honey often contributes to a exceptionally smooth ice cream and I agree.  And have you ever eaten like 10 honey sticks in a row?  No?  Weird.  Well, if you do, you get this kind of coating in the back of your throat.  In fact, your entire mouth has a similar feeling.  It is great.  This is what happens while eating this ice cream, as well.  I haven't had that feeling since I used to eat 10 honey sticks in a row.  And I love it.  

Honey-Cinnamon Ice Cream

from flour by Joanne Chang with Christie Matheson

2 cups (480 grams) milk

2 cups (480 grams) heavy cream

1 cinnamon stick, 2 inches long

8 egg yolks

3/4 cup (255 grams) honey

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

In a medium saucepan, combine the milk and cream. Break up the cinnamon stick into several pieces and toss them into the pan. Scald the milk mixture over medium-high heat (bubbles start to form around the edge of the pan, but the liquid is not boiling). Remove from the heat and let the cinnamon steep in the milk mixture for about 1 hour.

In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks until blended, and then slowly whisk in the honey, sugar, and ground cinnamon until combined. Return the milk mixture to medium-high heat and scald again. Slowly add the hot milk mixture to the egghoney

mixture, a little at a time, whisking constantly. When all of the hot milk mixture has been incorporated, return the contents of the bowl to the saucepan, and return the saucepan to medium heat. Cook, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon, for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the mixture thickens and coats the back of the spoon. The mixture will seem watery at first, then it will start to steam, and then it will start to develop a little body and get thicker. Remove from the heat and immediately strain through a fine-mesh sieve into an airtight container. Whisk in the salt. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until cold, or up to overnight.

Churn in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's directions. When the ice cream has finished churning, freeze it for at least 2 hours to allow it to ripen. During the ripening process, the ice cream becomes harder and smoother and the flavors more fully develop. The ice cream can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 week.

(Servings: 1 1/4 qts, Prep time: 1 hrs., In active prep time: 5 hrs., Chill time: 30 min., Difficulty: Intermediate)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:  

Shanon (taste):  8/10

Scot (taste):  8/10

Effort:  3/5

Dishwashing Effort:  3/5

Potato and Yam Soup with Bacon and Spinach

As I walked to the bus after school/work the past couple of days, I have been shocked by the light.  The sun!  I forgot about you!.  On work days.  

How does this happen?  Every.  Single.  Year.  Having sunlight is like surprise gift for me.  I am so lucky that I am clueless.  

I should also talk about how it is warming up.  But living in Boulder, it isn't really ever that cold...for that long.  Plus, it seems to take me about a month longer than everyone else to phase out the gloves, hats, and coats.  It has happened more than a few times that I find myself with all the fixings and the guy next to me is wear shorts and t-shirt.  I basically don't expose my skin to the fresh air until mid-April.  

I love soup.  JTLYK.

Potato and Yam Soup with Bacon and Spinach

from bon appétit Magazine, March 2011

6 slices applewood-smoked bacon (about 6 ounces), cut crosswise into 1/2 inch pieces

1 large onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, pressed

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice

1 10-ounce yam (red-skinned sweet potato), peeled, quartered lengthwise, cut crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices

2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes (about 10 ounces), quartered lengthwise, cut crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices

2 medium red-skinned potatoes (about 10 ounces), quartered lengthwise, cut crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices

4 to 5 cups low-salt chicken broth

1 5- to 6-ounce package baby spinach

Sauté bacon in large pot over medium heat until crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Add onion to drippings in pot; increase heat to medium-high and sauté until beginning to brown, about 7 minutes. Add garlic and thyme; stir 1 minute. Add tomatoes with juice. Stir until almost all the liquid evaporates, about 2 minutes. Add all potatoes; stir to coat. Add 4 cups broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover with lid slightly ajar. Simmer until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes. Add spinach and bacon; stir until spinach wilts, about 1 minute, adding broth by 1/2 cupfuls if too thick. Season with salt and pepper.

(Servings: 4-6, Prep time: 30 min., Cook time: 20 min., Difficulty: Easy)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:  

Shanon (taste):  7/10

Scot (taste):  7/10

Effort:  2/5

Dishwashing Effort:  2/5

Orzo Salad with Celery, Radishes, and Dill

When I first started cooking a lot, I made tons of pasta salad.  Not sure what it is about it, but me and pasta salad have always been like *that*.  They are great for an side dish that needs to be made in advance.  They are great for potlucks and as a grill out side.  

I was drawn to this recipe in bon appétit magazine because of three things:

1.  I have several (hundreds) boxes of orzo.  

2.  Our dill is...ready.  

3.  Goat cheese.

Ok, but I haven't had goat cheese in a loooong time.  And I need it in my life.  Why have I gone so long without it?  I must be delusional.  

I have a similar orzo salad that I posted last summer.  It is more of a mustard-dill dressing and has feta, tomatoes, green onions and cucumbers.  This new salad has a combination of dill, celery, radishes, tomatoes and goat cheese.  And the dressing is just oil and vinegar (white balsamic!)  Very tasty.  I love celery and radishes together.  And separate.  

Orzo Salad with Celery, Radishes, and Dill

from bon appétit Magazine, March 2011

2 cups orzo

1 1/2 cups very thinly sliced celery (about 3 stalks)

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

1 bunch radishes, trimmed, thinly sliced

2/3 cup chopped fresh dill

5 tablespoon olive oil

4 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar

1 cup (about 5 ounces) crumbled soft fresh goat cheese

Cook orzo in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Rinse under cold water; drain. Transfer to large bowl; add celery, tomatoes, radishes, and dill.

Whisk oil and vinegar in small bowl. Season with salt and pepper and pour over salad; toss to coat. Season salad with salt and pepper. Fold in half of goat cheese.  Sprinkle remaining cheese over and serve.

(Servings: 8 sides, Prep time: 20 min., Cook time: 20 min., Difficulty: Easy)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:  

Shanon (taste):  7/10

Scot (taste):  9/10

Effort:  2/5

Dishwashing Effort:  3/5

Salmon with Puff Pastry and Pesto

Scot restarted our window herb garden a month or so ago.  And it is exploding right now.  My only goal this week when meal planning was to make sure each meal used a large amount of herbs.  What a great problem to have!

So, naturally, I made pesto with all the delicious basil we have.  This was my first time trying pesto with walnuts instead of pine nuts.  And to be honest, I couldn't even tell the difference.  Since pine nuts are more expensive, I will probably always just make it with walnuts now.  

This meal is very quick to throw together (if you have leftover pesto or store bought pesto).  Puff pastry is always fun to use.  I have only ever had the frozen stuff.  But if you are feeling particularly motivated (insane), you can make your own too.

Salmon with Puff Pastry and Pesto

by Giada De Laurentiis via FoodNetwork

4 pieces of purchased puff pastry, each cut to be just larger than a piece of salmon

4 (4 to 6-ounce) pieces salmon

1/4 cup sliced almonds

1/4 cup purchased pesto

2 tomatoes, sliced

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

On a foil-lined baking sheet, place the 4 pieces of puff pastry. Also place the 4 pieces of salmon, being careful to make sure they are not touching. Sprinkle each piece of salmon with 1 tablespoon of the sliced almonds. Bake for 10 minutes. To serve, place each piece of puff pastry on a plate. Top each puff pastry with 1 tablespoon of pesto. Top the pesto with 2 slices of tomatoes each. Top the tomatoes with the salmon and serve.

(Servings: 4, Prep time: 10 min., Cook time: 15 min., Difficulty: Easy)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste):  7/10

Scot (taste):  8/10

Effort:  2/5

Dishwashing Effort:  2/5

Ham, Black Bean and Corn Pizza with Fontina Cheese

Having pizza every night is fine if you put corn on it.  And black beans.  Those things are healthy.  

It is like...you think Mexican...but then you get a bite of Fontina.  Fontina ain't Mexican!  

That line should definitely be erased.  It makes no sense.  

I really have nothing to say.  But I already got this far.  

Ham, Black Bean and Corn Pizza with Fontina Cheese

pizza dough (1/2 this recipe)

1/2 cup of tomato sauce

1/4 cup of black beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup of frozen corn

1 cups of shredded mozzarella (I used whole milk)

4 thin slices of ham

2-4 ounces of Fontina cheese, sliced

2 green onions, chopped

1 tsp olive oil

pepper

Place pizza stone in oven on middle/bottom rack and preheat to 500 degrees F for at least 30 minutes.

Roll/stretch out dough. Using a pastry brush, brush the 1 tsp of olive oil on the outer rim of the dough. Spoon and spread out the tomato sauce on to the dough, leaving a half inch border around the edge. Add black beans, corn, shredded mozzarella, ham, fontina cheese and top with green onions. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until cheese and crust are golden brown.

(Servings: 4, Prep time: 30 min., Cook time: 15 min., Difficulty: Easy)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste):  6/10

Scot (taste):  8/10

Effort:  1/5

Dishwashing Effort:  1/5

Buffalo and Mushroom Pizza

After arriving home from a trip that was full of fun, subzero temperatures and failing at life...I needed to cook.  I needed some success in my life.  I decided to dig deep into my roots (Omaha, NE) and make a pizza that you can only find in the city of beef.  Although, I didn't use beef.  I wanted to make it seem like a big deal. 

See in Omaha, you can always get ground beef on pizza.  Also known as "hamburger".  It is weird.  But I love it.  Check out my Restaurant page; all the Omaha pizza joints listed have a hamburger pizza on the menu.  And the hamburger and mushroom combo is classic.  

Since I am a CU Buff, I decided to be fancy and use ground buffalo.  Not sure how mentioning that our mascot is a buffalo makes eating buffalo meat sound like a good idea.  

But really, did you know at the CU football games, a real life buffalo runs a circle around the field.  Cowboys (and sometimes girls) are holding various ropes to direct him.  It looks dangerous.  It also looks like there is no way those cowboys could run any faster.  And usually I fear for the cheerleaders lives.  

Did you also know that our fake buffalo mascot, Chip, has parents that come during Family Weekend?  I thought it was hilarious.  But I am kind of lame.  

Buffalo and Mushroom Pizza

pizza dough (1/2 of this recipe)

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 a medium onion, diced

6-8 medium Cremini mushrooms, diced

1/3 lb of ground bison meat or ground beef

1 tsp olive oil

1/2-1 cup of tomato sauce

4 tbsp of Parmesan cheese, grated

1-2 cups of shredded mozzarella (I used whole milk)

salt and pepper

Place pizza stone in oven on middle/bottom rack and preheat to 500 degrees F for at least 30 minutes.

In a medium skillet, heat up the 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until soft. Add meat and cook until just done or slightly underdone. Don’t overcook. Season mixture with salt and pepper.

Roll/stretch out dough. Using a pastry brush, brush the 1 tsp of olive oil on the outer rim of the dough. Spoon and spread out the tomato sauce on to the dough, leaving a half inch border around the edge. Add meat mixture, a layer of Parmesan cheese, and top with mozzarella. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until cheese and crust are golden brown.

(Servings: 4, Prep time: 30 min., Cook time: 15 min., Difficulty: Easy)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste):  7/10

Scot (taste):  8/10

Effort:  2/5

Dishwashing Effort:  2/5