Fiori di Zucca

As I was walking through my lovely Whole Foods Market the other day I happened upon some beautiful little zucchini flowers. They were a beautiful orange color, with bright green stems (Orange & Green... Go Miami!!!) and I just couldn't pass them up.
I'd never made stuffed zucchini flowers but had eaten them at a few different Italian restaurants and decided to find a recipe and give it a go.

This is the recipe I found

Learn more about zucchini and zucchini flowers here

As I began to prepare these beautiful little guys, I sort of stumbled my way through the recipe and used it more as a vague reference than a strict guide. (I didn't plan well and hardly had any of the ingredients called for in the recipe, so I improvised.)

I began with gently rinsing the flowers and setting them on a piece of paper towel (I had 8 flowers)

I then mixed the filling in a smallish bowl:
3/4c goat cheese crumbles
1/4c parmegiano reggiano grated
6 sun dried tomato slices, chopped
1 egg
salt
pepper
about 10 leaves of basil chopped
about 1 tbsp fresh oregano leaves chopped
about 3 tbsp olive oil

I gently stuffed the flowers and sort of pressed the tops of the flower petals together using the filling as "glue." Once all of the flowers were stuffed, I stuck them in the freezer for 10 min to help the filling set.

While the flowers were chilling, I made a wet & dry batter combo for the frying process. To do this I combined about 1c water, 1/2c milk and 2 eggs in a small bowl and in another small bowl I mixed 1 1/2c flower, 3/4c corn meal, salt and pepper.

I then took out a medium frying pan with fairly tall sides and filled it with 1/2 inch of olive oil and put it over high heat.

I dipped the flowers one by one in the flower mixture, then into the egg, then back in the flower. Once they were all dipped and breaded, I laid them very carefully into the oil (be careful doing this!!)
I flipped them once they were golden brown on the bottom and removed them when each side was the same beautiful and golden color. Once removed from the oil, I placed them on a few paper towels to drain. I was a little worried that the stuffing would ooze out of the flowers while frying but for some reason it stayed in nicely... I have no clue why, but for whatever reason, it worked!

These were delicious! I made them as a side dish to scallops (in a white wine & garlic sauce) but they would also be perfect on top of a light salad or as an appetizer.

Next time I try these, I am going to follow the recipe that I posted from epicurious.com. I think my batter was a bit too heavy for the delicate flowers, and the epicurious recipe is definitely more authentic and probably the "correct" way to make these beautiful little treats.... I'm not trying to offend any Italian Nonnas :)

Husband Rating: 10 :) Winner. Winner. Chicken Dinner :)

Orecchiette With Turkey Sausage and Broccoli Rabe

Back at the University of Miami, this dish was a favorite of my college friends and now is a go-to dinner for my husband and myself. It is fresh, healthy and has a ton of flavor.... I love to make it with spicy italian turkey sausage, but if spice isn't your thing, you can absolutely turn down the heat by using sweet or normal italian turkey sausage. I also add either grape or cherry tomatoes and about a cup of my favorite marinara sauce... I think it adds a lot of flavor and freshness to an already awesome dish. I have found that (even with the addition of pasta water) the sauce in the dish is lacking, and the marinara totally remedies this.  

The pasta used in this recipe is awesome, I love it! Orecchiette means "little ears" in Italian, which I think might be the cutest thing ever. Although, I will admit that the thought of eating literal tiny ears isn't the most appealing thing, the pasta does resemble a mini ear... or maybe a little flying concave saucer.

The broccoli rabe is delicious, fresh and slightly bitter without being overbearing. If you can't find broccoli rabe, I have used broccolini, normal broccoli, spinach and even arugula and they have all worked out really well.

Find the recipe to this delicious dish by clicking this link :)

Click on the link below for some great Organic Orecchiette pasta...yummmm
Cucina Viva Pasta, Orecchiette, 17.63-Ounce Units (Pack of 4)

Broccoli Rabe.... this one has pretty little yellow flowers!

Just a little brag time....

Today while checking out at my favorite Whole Foods, (the one in Boystown in Chicago) the check out girl told me that I had the most interesting collection of groceries she has seen all week :)

Get ready for some awesome food posts.

Who doesn't like alcohol in the morning?!?

I had eaten most of the garnish before taking the picture.... I couldn't wait :)

Today, I dedicate my blog post to the wonderful tradition of acceptable day drinking. There are some instances where day drinking is frowned upon.... like drinking Tequila at 1pm on a random Tuesday, or downing a six pack by yourself in a dark apartment.
For some reason, having certain beverages at breakfast on weekends is not looked down upon, but is celebrated! Mimosas, Bellinis and Bloody Marys have answered the prayers of alcoholics world wide as a way to begin drinking, continue a binge from the night before or to help to cure a hangover from a night full of indulgence.
I am an admitted food snob, and for me, drinks are included in my "snobbery." I need my Bloody Marys to be fresh, spicy and full of enough "stuff" to make my drink a meal. Few things are as disappointing as when my Bloody comes out of the kitchen with a few measly veggies on a stick. I want mine overflowing with goodness: celery & assorted vegetables, olives (lots of them), pickles, ham and sometimes even shrimp. In addition to all of the accessories that I require in a Bloody, I also prefer mine to be topped off with a little Guinness. This gives the drink a wonderful creaminess and depth that is simply wonderful. Yummmmmm. Nothing is better for a hangover than this delicious drink.
If I am feeling a bit more high-brow (and not as hungover) I will opt for a Mimosa or Bellini. These slightly more fashionable drinks add a certain class to day drinking... they are pretty, dainty and taste just delightful. Even better, I feel like people don't judge you as much when you drink Mimosas & Bellinis. Rather than saying: "wow.... it is 10:30am.... that girl has an alcohol problem" I feel like people are more likely to say: "ooo look at that girl with all of her friends having a fun and sophisticated time drinking their mimosas! She is probably important, funny and successful." Or thats how I justify it to myself anyway :)
Keeping with my snobbish tendencies, I always prefer my mimosas/bellinis to be made with fresh squeezed orange juice and freshly pureed peaches (respectively.) These fresh and wonderful ingredients make a world of difference and added to sparkling wine will make any morning spectacular. :)

Glass rimmers make these already delicious drinks fun and fancy. Find great ones from the links below:

Twang Chili Lime Bloody Mary Sea Salt, 4-Ounce Tins (Pack of 3)

Sugar for Mimosas or Bellinis

Suuuuuuushi

I. Love. Sushi. I've often said that when (notice I didn't use "if") I am wildly successful someday, and have the freedom of a disposable income, I am going to hire an in-house sushi chef. Given the amount of raw fish I consume in a year, I truly believe that this would actually save me money.... although, being that I am fabulously wealthy at this point, I guess fiscal responsibility is no longer a major concern...it's a nice thought anyway :)

I have a few more times around the monopoly board until I can know the joy of a "lady who lunches," so I have come up with a great alternative to my dream..... make your own sushi! Sounds scary, sounds intimidating, but it's really not! The process is really fun, and a great way to spend an evening with friends or even a fun new idea for a date.

The first thing you are going to need is a reliable and clean fish market. Tell the guys behind the counter about your sushi plans and ask them to recommend fish for you to use. If any pieces look suspect to you, ask if you can smell the fish before you buy it (he should let you.) The fish should be relatively odorless. A slight smell of the ocean or saltiness is fine, but other than that, if you (literally) smell something fishy, buy a different piece or find another fish monger.

My fish market has a whole sushi section with rice, chopsticks, nori, and different ingredients to add to your sushi. If your market isn't so accommodating, you can find the everything you need for a fun sushi date on the internet. All you have to buy are the fresh ingredients and maybe even some japanese inspired plates and chopsticks! Fun!!

You could even begin your date (or girls night) at the supermarket to choose what foods to add to your sushi. Some ingredients that work well are avocados, mango, cucumber, jalapeno and cooked shrimp. Maybe do some research on the internet or buy a book on sushi to give you some ideas before the big night. 

Have fun!!!

The Magical Wonders of Sea Salt

Say a cheerful "goodbye" to the awful, generic, supermarket brand of salt that you are used to using and say "hello" to the amazing flavor of pure and lovely sea salt.

Sea salt has been used by the pros to enhance recipes for years and now you can use it too! Many times you can find sea salt in your normal grocery store spice aisle. The kind that I use while cooking to salt meats and veggies during the cooking process comes in a container much like the regular salt brands, making it super easy to find & use. This type of fine grained sea salt is perfect for use during the cooking process, however adding salt at the completion of the dish (finishing salt) is a whole different and wonderful ball game.

Thanks to modern technology you have salts from all over the world at your fingertips. They come in a myriad of colors and flavors and can truly add something beautiful and delicious to a recipe.

One of the best and most versatile types of sea salt is Fleur de Sal. This beautiful salt is harvested from salt ponds in France by artisans using only special wooden tools specifically designed for this purpose. The conditions have to be perfect to produce good Fleur de Sal, which is only harvested once a year. The coarse, slightly damp texture and the scent of the ocean is what makes this salt so special. Sprinkle it on any dish after you have plated it and you will have increased the depth of flavor ten fold. **Try sprinkling it on chocolate things as well (cookies, truffles, brownies, ice cream) it intensifies the chocolate flavor and makes these sweets even more irresistible than they already are.

Grey salt is a wonderful alternative to Fleur de Sal, it is harvested in a similar process and is just as special. This unrefined salt gets its grey color from the minerals in the ponds it is harvested from. You can use this salt all thoughout the cooking process to enhance the dish from the first ingredient to the plating process.

A favorite finishing salt of mine is Black Salt (either Mediterranean or Hawaiian.) The color is attained when natural sea salt crystals are combined with activated charcoal. The flavor and especially the striking color always really adds something to my dishes. I LOVE adding it on top of seared tuna -- So pretty!!!

Another salt which I love using is Pink Sea Salt (Himalayan or from the Murray River in Austrailia.) The fun light pink / peachy color helps to brighten up a dish and adds a lovely mild salt flavor. This salt comes in either coarse crystals for grinding or in beautiful and delicate pyramid shaped flakes.

Explore all of the fun varieties of sea salts! They are beautiful, delicious and amazingly beneficial to the flavor of your cooking. :)

** You can often buy sea salt as a set. You end up getting a lovely variety of salt a lot more inexpensively than if you were to buy all of them separately. Love it!

Ensalada Roja Con Pollo

While surfing some of my favorite websites for new recipes today I stumbled upon a recipe called Ensalada Roja Con Pollo (Red Salad with Chicken.) It looked interesting and is supposedly a traditional Venezuelan recipe which I found exciting. I've never made anything Venezuelan and thought, "ooo this could be fun!"

I decided to change the salad around to make it a little more healthy and a bit more catered to my tastes.... I think this is an important thing to do while cooking. Sometimes people get scared to alter recipes or substitute ingredients --- make it your own, don't be afraid!

I generally prefer golden beets over the red variety so I made that substitution; this of course took away from the pretty red color of the salad, but I think it added a nice flavor. I also almost always prefer fresh produce over canned, the recipe called for canned beets, which I'm sure would have worked out fine, but again, fresh is almost always better.

I also only used about 1/4 C of mayo and added a little extra virgin olive oil at the end of the process to moisten the salad and also add the lovely fruity flavor that you get from really good olive oil. I dusted each serving with some chili powder, which added a little depth of flavor.

All in all I wasn't wowed by the flavor of this salad... it was pretty though, maybe the flavors will develop a little more by tomorrow. 

Husband rating: 8. The hubby loved this dish. He really liked the variety of ingredients and enjoyed that it is a quick and easy dish that he can eat when pressed for time. 

Recipe for Ensalada Roja Con Pollo

Just Say No, To Oil

It is quite possible that I consume more olive oil than the anyone on the planet. I love it and use it in almost every meal I make.
However, this nectar of the gods has no place in my (or anyones) pasta pot. There are those out there who claim that adding oil to your pot will keep the pasta from sticking and/or keep the water from boiling over. While it may be true that the pasta will be less sticky, it is also true that the oil will make the pasta slippery and unable to stick to and absorb the delicious sauce that your pasta is immersed in. This will cause your pasta to be bland and almost as bad as if you do not salt your pasta water (See earlier post on this topic.)
Regarding the "boiling over" complaint, well, I'm not sure if oil will help or hinder the boiling issue, but even if it did stop it from boiling over, the blandness problems easily outweigh the boiling claim. In addition, this problem is easily fixed by either using a larger pot and/or turning down the heat a bit.

Do yourself a favor, and leave the olive oil in the pasta sauce and out of the pasta water.

For an in depth & scientific explanation on oil & salt during the pasta cooking process, Click Here

Salt Your Water!!!

Pasta is one of my most favorite things in the world. However, there are few foods less appetizing than improperly seasoned pasta. There is a certain blandness that comes with pasta cooked in unsalted water that the most delicious sauce cannot remedy. The reason being that as the pasta cooks, it absorbs some of the pasta water, ergo, seasoned pasta water = seasoned pasta. 

So many cooks out there crank out mediocre pasta dishes without knowing what they are doing wrong. Well, let me help you out. SALT YOUR PASTA WATER! Thats it!! Those 4 simple words will help you along to a more delicious pasta experience. 

All you have to do is:

Boil your water

Pour in a couple of teaspoons of salt

Add pasta

Cook until Al dente 

Yummmm

The Wonders of my Mango Splitter

A few months ago I got married, it was a wonderful wedding filled with love, happiness.....and lots of presents. :) My husband affectionally refers to all of our new things as a "life upgrade," and let me tell you, this life upgrade has been fantastic. One of the best things we received for our wedding is the OXO Good Grips Mango Splitter. This thing is AMAZING!!
In my opinion, Mangos are super delicious and kind of the perfect fruit. They are easy to transport, have an amazing silky texture and their ripeness is distinguishable by giving the outer skin a little press. The only drawback to this little tropical wonder is the extraction of the edible fruit from the skin and pit; it can be a real chore and I always end up savagely cutting the mango into an unrecognizable pile of unappetizing goo. That is until I received my happy little Mango Splitter from my lovely friend to celebrate my marriage.
If you click on the link below you can see that the Mango Splitter somewhat resembles an apple corer but with the pitter in the shape of the mango's tapered seed. Somehow this amazing contraption always extracts the mango seed perfectly no matter the type or size of the mango. You simply place the Splitter at the top of the mango (stem side down,) align the tool with the fruit and push down. The seed is separated from the rest of the fruit and you are able to enjoy the fruit without making a gigantic mess. I love this tool.

Health benefits of mangos

Pasta with Eggplant and Basil Pesto

I LOVE Italian food. It is simple, delicious and full of wonderful flavors and smells. Giada DeLaurentis is one of my favorite chefs to pull inspiration from while making Italian dishes & this recipe came from her collection. I was watching the food network while at the gym yesterday and saw her making "Trenette with Eggplant and Basil Pesto" and thought it looked wonderful..... yes, I am one of those sick people who run on the treadmill while watching the Food Network, there is something wrong with me and I fully own up to it :)

Follow the link to Giada's original recipe:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/trenette-with-eggplant-and-basil-pesto-recipe/index.html

I couldn't find Trenette at my local Whole Foods so I opted to use one of my favorite pastas instead: Cavatappi. This is a cute little curly pasta which traps sauce and flavor inside as well as along the ridges of the pasta. Plus, its pretty... I always appreciate pretty food.

The eggplant was supposed to be finished cooking in 8 minutes when it turned golden brown, but mine never got there. I took the eggplant off the burner at 10 minutes because I was worried that it would get overcooked and turn into a squishy mess. Maybe my pan wasn't as hot as it should have been? It worked out in the end and was really delicious, but then again pesto is pretty much the perfect sauce and turns any dish into something wonderful.

I love using a pasta strainer rather than a regular counter strainer because it makes saving pasta water (to thicken the sauce) much easier

HUSBAND RATING: 7 (The dish lost points because it was meatless, but overall he liked the dish)

**If you do not have time to make your own pesto or if you do not have access to fresh basil, this is a wonderful alternative!

Intro...

As you follow my posts you will quickly notice that I love to cook with fresh ingredients. I buy into the concept that if you use fresh, high quality ingredients, the simplest of recipes can be more delicious than complicated ones with excessive components. There is nothing more wonderful than fresh basil. A Caprese salad is how a summer day tastes and smells. It is simply happiness in a dish.