"Smashing, Basil!"

If you didn't enjoy my gratuitous Austin Powers quote then you WILL enjoy this Basil Pesto recipe! I've tried pesto many times and it never turns out quite right but I finally honed it to perfection with my newly acquired food processor. It's fresh-tasting and delicious. And so convenient to whip out as an easy pasta sauce or risotto base. I just freeze what I don't use and then whenever I need a quick pasta sauce I just spoon a tablespoon or two out of the freezer container straight onto the cooked pasta. The pasta is usually hot enough to melt it down. So easy! Almost easy as "Twins, Basil... Twins!"

My Kicked-Up Basil Pesto

Ingredients

2 cups packed fresh basil (one of those big plastic cartons should do it)

1/3 cup dry-toasted pinenuts

5 garlic cloves, roughly chopped (I love that garlic kick so use more like 2 if you want it more subtle)

½ cup olive oil

few pinches Italian seasoning*

pinch of crushed red pepper (or more if you’re feeling bold)

Sea salt and fresh ground pepper

Directions

1.    Combine basil, garlic cloves and pinenuts in food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Pour in olive oil and remaining ingredients. Continue to process until desired pesto consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add more olive oil if needed.

2.    Serve with your favorite pasta and sprinkled Parmesan -- for example, gnocchi as seen in above photo (see gnocchi recipe from March 2011)

*If you don’t have a so-aptly-named jar of dried  “Italian Seasoning” on hand just use a combination of dried rosemary, thyme, basil and oregano.

Mr. Sprouts

My brother Russ has never been able to escape his nickname of Mr. Sprouts, even to this day so this recipe is dedicated to him! (get it... Russell Sprouts...)

Anyhoo, this recipe have very quickly become my favorite veggie side dish. I fell in love with them when I had them at Shane's moms house when she had us over for family dinners. I never liked them growing up but somehow the flash frying of the brussels sprouts creates this amazing char-grilled flavor. Plus this dish is served warm so it's more satisfying than a salad during the winter months. Super easy too. Cheers to you, Mr. Sprouts!

Caramelized Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients

12 oz fresh Brussels sprouts

½ of a lemon

2 tbsp olive oil

Sea salt and fresh ground pepper

Directions

1.    Place Brussels sprouts in a large skillet and cover with ½ cup of water. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and heat over medium until most of water is evaporated and sprouts are almost done but not quite. This takes about 8 minutes. Add more water if pan becomes dry before sprouts are ready. I usually have to taste test sprouts for desired crispness.

2.    Uncover, crank up heat to medium high and pour olive oil over sprouts. Do not stir. Cook for another 5-7 min until sprouts are golden brown on underside. Monitor to make sure they don’t overcook.

3.    Remove from heat. And place in serving dish. Season again with salt and pepper and squeeze lemon juice over sprouts. Serve with lemon wedges.

Mushroom Soup

No pictures, nothing fancy here, just a delicious soup recipe.  I was craving this for some reason, and I think this recipe turned out awesome.  You could just substitute whatever mushrooms you could find, but I think a variety of types adds to the flavor (like don't just use all white or all cremini or something).

Creamy Mushroom Soup

1 tbsp coconut oil
1.5 cups chopped onion
1/3 cup dried porcini mushrooms (I could only find a blend of porcini and other types)
1 tsp minced fresh tarragon
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
2 minced garlic cloves
1/2 cup white cooking wine
1/2 cup cooking sherry
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp seasoned black pepper
4.5 cups water
8-oz white mushrooms
8-oz shiitake mushrooms (could sub cremini, bella, etc.)
1 slice whole wheat bread
1 chicken bouillon cube (or equivalent of powder)
2/3 cup skim milk
2 tbsp chopped fresh chives

1.  Heat coconut oil in a large, deep skillet to medium-high.  Add onion, porcini mushrooms, tarragon, bay leaf, and thyme.  Saute until onions are lightly browned and wilted.  Add garlic; cook 2 minutes.  Add wine, scraping browned bits off pan.  Add salt, pepper, and remaining mushrooms.  Cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionaly.

2.  Put slice of bread in food processor and pulse until crumbled.  Add breadcrumbs, water, sherry, and chicken bouillon.  Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3.  Process the soup in either the same food processor or a blender, whatever you have and is easy.  Place the soup back in the pot on medium-low heat, just to warm it back before eating.

4.  Immediately before serving, stir in milk.  Taste it and add any salt/pepper if it needs it.  (Mine didn't.)  Serve with a sprinkling of chopped chives on top.

Taking a Leek...

I love this soup; it's more of a chowder, really, and it is a bit healthier than a typical potato-leek soup because of all the cauliflower!  It has been chilly here, so it's a great supper to warm your bones!

Potato-Leek Chowder

Ingredients:

2-3 large leeks
3 cups of cubed potatoes
3 cups of cauliflower florets
5 cups of chicken broth
1 cup of milk
1 14.5-oz can creamed corn
Salt & pepper to taste
Bacon, crumbled

1.  Clean the leeks well and remove all dirt; cut off the dark green tops so that only the white section is left.  Slice the whites thinly, using enough for 3 cups of leeks.
2.  Saute the leeks in a bit of oil for about 10 minutes, until softened.  Do not brown; set aside.
3.  Fill a pot or deep skillet with broth, potatoes and cauliflower; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer about 25 minutes or until potatoes are softened.
4.  Using a blender or food processor, puree the potato-broth mixture until smooth.  Return to pot.
5.  Stir in the leeks, creamed corn, salt/pepper, and milk.  (I didn't use any salt and about 1 tbsp of seasoned pepper.)  Warm until heated through.
6.  Serve warm, and garnish with crumbled bacon.  (I used a lot of bacon!)

Brulee a la Mango

Compliments of my Martha Stewart Living magazine...  This dessert is fantastically simple and delicious, and actually pretty healthy for a dessert!

Mango Brulee

Ingredients:
2 mangos
8 tbsp turbinado (raw) sugar
1 lime, cut into wedges

1.  Halve the mango on either side of the pit.  (To do this, I slice in the middle until I hit the pit.  Then I cut 1/8" to the right of that and repeat until I can slice all the way through; that leaves the pit, but you get a flat surface on that one half.  That is important because it won't crust if it's not flat.)
2.  Preheat the broiler to high (mine goes to 450F); line a baking sheet with foil.
3.  Arrange the mango halves on the foil; sprinkle 2 tbsp sugar on each half.  Be sure to make a good layer that covers the mango thoroughly.
4.  Broil on high until the sugar is browned and hardened; it takes me approximately 10 minutes.  (I watch for it to stop bubbling, and then it usually starts to harden.)
5.  Serve warm with lime wedges.

Stuffed Dates

This has been a recent discovery of mine in several restaurants, so I had to try it at home!  I plan on trying several variations (regarding cheese types and possibly the bacon types), but it is a very fast, easy snack, and I really like it!

Ingredients:
--10 dates (I like the fresh, non-pitted ones, and get as many as you can eat!)
--Goat cheese (again, can use any type of goat cheese you want, or other types of cheese!)
--Prosciutto or regular peppered bacon
--1 tbsp coconut oil
--1 tbsp seasoned pepper

1.  Slice the dates along one side, lengthwise, and remove pit.  Stuff with sliver of goat cheese.
2.  Wrap the date in a slice of prosciutto.
3.  Heat oil in a small skillet over medium heat.
4.  Add dates, sprinkle with pepper, and cook until prosciutto is crisp and cheese is gooey (approx 5 min).
5.  Drain on paper towels and serve!

Fried Hominy

I made this today as a little football game snack before the burgers were done.  So, I just have to say, "Beat the hell outta Arkansas!!!"  WHOOP! 

Anyway, this snack reminds me of CornNuts; you know, that crunchy corn-like gas station snack food.  :)  The flavor I made is sort of a Mexican variety, but you could definitely adjust the seasoning.  Another idea I want to try: add a packet of ranch dip mix after cooking and toss.  (My husband loves ranch!)  Another note:  I use the canned hominy to save time, but you can also start from scratch and soak the dried hominy (like you would with beans).

Ingredients:
--2 cans of golden hominy
--Some oil for frying (I prefer peanut oil for larger batches, coconut for small ones)
--1 tsp garlic salt
--1 tsp ground pepper
--1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
--1 tsp dried oregano
--1 tsp cumin
--1/2 tsp chili powder

1.  Mix last 6 ingredients in a condiment bowl.
2.  Heat oil in a deep pan or deep fryer; add enough to cover the hominy.
3.  Deep-fry the hominy for 5 minutes, or until it is a crispy golden brown.
4.  Transfer to a dish with paper towels, and drain the oil off.
5.  Toss while still hot in a bowl with the seasoning mixture and enjoy!