5.      Garnish with scallions and sesame seeds. Serves 4.

Can you believe October is already almost over? It's been a busy, busy month here at the casa. For one thing, I turned 40! Yep, the big 4-0. Gah!  To celebrate Mr. S. whisked me off for a fun, romantic getaway in SF the weekend before. We had a terrific time. We stayed at the Grand Hyatt, poked around Japantown, hit up the CA Academy of Sciences and even saw the Blue Angels zoom by. We also stocked up on a few bags of our favorite coffee from Philz.  Mmm!




On my actual birthday day, I woke up to this awesome scene in the dining room:


Then for dinner, Mr.S. planned a lovely night out at Mulvaney's with our friends, Michelle and Pete, for me. Followed by the most luscious, delicious salted caramel cake from Freeport Bakery. If you haven't tried this cake, get yourself to Freeport Bakery right now! It'll make your toes curl, it's soooo amazing. Seriously, it's like cake heroin. Sweet, sweet cake heroin. Ummmm yeah, so let's just say there were no leftovers from this cake in our house. ☺

On a healthier note, I've been making this baked hummus dish a lot on Sundays.  Mr.S and the kidlets have been immersed in watching the 9 billion football games that are on TV. So while they're watching that, Pepper and I are usually watching, "The League," on Netflix in the other room.  (If you haven't seen this show, check it out. It's absolutely hilarious...and this comes from somebody who equates watching football to going to the gyno. Neither are fun.)



 Regardless of what we're doing, we all seem to love snacking on this dish.


Sunday Funday Baked Hummus (adapted from Iowa Girl Eats 5 Layer Baked Hummus recipe)

Ingredients

10 oz. Sabra Roasted Garlic Hummus
3 Jennie-O Hot Italian Turkey Sausages (removed from casing)
2 medium leeks, white & green parts only (cut the leeks in half lengthwise, then slice thinly)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
salt & fresh ground pepper
1 teaspoon McCormick's onion powder
1 large clove of garlic, minced
6 oz. Trader Joe's Feta with Mediterranean Herbs


Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Stir up the hummus so the roasted garlic bits get incorporated into the hummus. Spread the hummus mixture evenly into the bottom of a 10x7 baking dish.

3. In a large pan, brown your turkey sausage.

4. Add in your sliced leeks and garlic. Season with salt, fresh ground pepper and onion powder. Sauté until softened.

5. Take sausage-leek mixture and layer it over the hummus.

6. Sprinkle with feta.

7. Place in oven for 20 minutes.

8. Serve hot with chips or warm pita bread.

Holy moly, we're almost at the end of 2013! Can you believe it? This year went by so fast! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. I spent Xmas with Mr.S.'s family. They do a big Christmas dinner at Mr.S.'s, everyone brings a few dishes and his parents make a delicious ham. This year I was in charge of lemon bars, sausage balls and green bean casserole (that last dish wasn't by my choice, it was requested). I was excited about making the sausage balls. I found the recipe last year in a magazine while at the hospital. It was a recipe submitted by the Voltaggio brothers (of Top Chef fame) for a Thanksgiving issue. It sounded intriguing so I took a photo with my phone and looked it up online later on. The recipe is quite easy to make (just a handful of ingredients), can be prepared ahead of time (just pop them in the oven right before guests arrive) and perfect for a holiday party finger food. I found that the sausage balls taste great when paired with a dipping sauce (honey-mustard, sweet chili, or even an aioli goes great with these). Also, the leftovers are fantastic when used in an egg strata the next day (just sub in the sausage balls for the bread and cook as usual). I threw in some leftover ham and cheese from the previous night's dinner when I made ours. Mr.S . and Kidlet #1 loved the sausage ball-strata.

Holiday Sausage Balls (adapted from Redbook Magazine)

Ingredients

3 cups Bisquick pancake mix
1 lb. bulk country or breakfast sausage (not in casing, crumbled)
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage


Instructions

1. Heat oven to 400°F.

2. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper so that the sausage balls don't stick.

3. Combine all the ingredients in the bowl of a large stand mixer. Use the paddle attachment and mix everything thoroughly.

4. Use your hands to form 1 1/2 inch balls and place on the parchment paper. Make sure the sausage balls are spaced out evenly.

5. Bake for about 20 minutes until they are puffed and a golden brown.  Transfer to a wire rack or platter and allow to cool for about 5 minutes. Serve warm with your favorite dipping sauce.

I've been home from my trip for a week now and my suitcase is STILL sprawled on my living room floor and I've been picking things out of it as needed like a vulture picks at a carcass. Ugh! I don't know why, but unpacking feels like such a chore. Not that packing a suitcase is more fun but at least it has the added aspect that you're packing to go somewhere, an impending travel adventure.

On a related note...do you know what your packing style is? I never gave it much thought until I started dating Mr.S. He starts packing for trips a few days before the trip and packs A LOT. Me? I tend to pack light and the night before (or sometimes even the morning of) a trip. Guess who tends to forget things more often? You got it--him. I think my packing style drives him crazy, but what can he do? And yes, he also is the type that has to immediately (and I mean immediately) unpack his luggage the minute we get home. As soon as we hit the door, he's throwing dirty shirts in the laundry, returning the toothbrushes to their upright position in the bathroom mug and the suitcases are emptied and put away before my butt can hit the sofa.


Anyhow, if your significant other is like mine, let him sort out and put away the clothing, toiletries and travel souvenirs; while he's doing that, hit the kitchen and make this barley risotto for the two of you. It tastes amazing and is the perfect comfort food for a cold winter's night. My friend, Michelle, ordered a similar dish at a Midtown restaurant (Tuli's) about a month ago and gave me a taste. Inspired by it's many mingling layers of delicious flavors, I looked around for the recipe and stumbled about this version in Yotam Ottolenghi's book, Jerusalem. Be sure not to skip making the feta with caraway seeds- it really add an amazing dimension of flavor to the dish. I had never used caraway seeds in a dish before and was surprised at how aromatic and tasty they are- kind of a nutty, anise-like taste. The barley risotto itself has a nice chewy texture and a deep tomato flavor. This scrumptious dish works great as a main course or as a side dish and is an easy meal to prepare for vegetarian friends. Although barley risotto is definitely less temperamental to prepare than traditional risotto, remember to still stir often so that it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot.


Yotam Ottolenghi's Barley Risotto with Marinated Feta (you can find the original recipe in his book, Jerusalem)
makes 4 servings

Ingredients

1 cup pearl barley
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 stalks celery, diced
2 small shallots, diced
4 cloves of garlic, diced
4 sprigs thyme
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 bay leaf
4 strips of lemon peel
1/4 teaspoon chile flakes
1  14-oz can chopped tomatoes (I used Muir Glen fire-roasted tomatoes)
1 1/4 cups of passata (I used Pomi's strained pureed tomatoes instead)
scant 3 cups vegetable stock
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
10.5 oz  feta, crumbled
1 tablespoon fresh oregano
salt, to taste

Instructions
1. In a mesh strainer, rinse the barley and leave it to drain.

2. In a large pot, melt the butter and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the celery, shallots and garlic. Cook over a low heat for about 5 minutes, until softened. Then add the barley, thyme sprigs, smoked paprika, bay leaf, lemon peel, chile flakes, chopped tomatoes, pureed tomatoes, stock and salt. Stir to combine.

3. Bring the mixture to a nice boil, then reduce the heat and allow the mixture to simmer for about 45 minutes (uncovered). Stir frequently to prevent the barley from sticking to the bottom.

4. While your barley risotto is cooking, toast your caraway seeds in a small, dry pan until they start to impart a toasty, nutty smell. Remove from heat immediately. Place in a bowl (or with a mortar and pestle set) and gently crush the seeds.

5. In a medium sized bowl, combine your toasted caraway seeds, crumbled feta and remaining (4 tablespoons) olive oil. Mix to combine.

6. When the barley is soft and most of the liquid has been absorbed, remove the pot from the heat. Divide your barley portions into bowls and top with marinated feta and a sprinkle of fresh oregano.

Ahhh, with the beautiful autumn foliage and crisp evenings comes the sniffles, coughs, fevers and chills. Poor Mr.S. has been sick the last few days. I've been feeding him soup, liquids and Sudafed mostly but last night I decided to cook him and Kidlet #1 a "real" dinner. I made chicken marsala over a quinoa/wild rice blend and a side of spaghetti squash. I wasn't sure how the spaghetti squash would go over with the guys- but lo and behold, they liked it...a lot!

Spaghetti squash is quite the versatile winter vegetable. It's low in calories and carbs (one-half cup of cooked spaghetti squash has about 20 calories and 5 grams of carbohydrates); not to mention, it's also loaded with fiber and beta carotene. Can't beat that! We ate this as a side dish but you can just as easily make it an entrée by adding some roasted chicken, cherry tomatoes and basil. If you have some fresh herbs and garlic on hand, by all means sub them in for the seasoning- parsley, thyme, tarragon, rosemary, sage...any of these would work great. Have some leftover summer pesto? Mix it in with the spaghetti squash, it'll make a great lunch dish.
 
Spaghetti Squash with Garlic and Pecorino

Ingredients

2 spaghetti squashes
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup grated Pecorino
McCormick's Perfect Pinch Garlic & Herb Salt-Free Seasoning

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Slice spaghetti squashes in half (lengthwise). Use a spoon to scoop out seeds and the stringy goop (I'm sure there's a proper name for this stuff, but we'll go with stringy goop.)

3. Place spaghetti squash halves on a foil lined baking sheet (use one with a lipped edge). Drizzle some olive oil on the squash and use your hands to make sure it's coated well.

4. Place the squashes cut side down on the baking sheet. Place in the oven and roast for 50-55 minutes. The flesh on the cut side should be fork tender.

5. Flip the squashes so that the cut side faces up and let them cool for about 20 minutes. Then drag a fork to scrape the insides out. The flesh will come up in long, thin strands that look similar to spaghetti noodles. Move the scraped flesh to a bowl.

6. Heat the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the shredded squash and toss to get it coated with the butter. Add the Pecorino and sprinkle with the McCormick's Perfect Pinch Garlic & Herb Salt-Free Seasoning. Toss well, cook for about 3 minutes.

7. Serve hot.

Spicy Forbidden Rice Salad

Ingredients

1 cup Forbidden Rice

1/4 cup scallions, green & white parts thinly sliced

1/2 cup Sweet Twister pepper, diced

1/2 cup English cucumber, diced

1 cup roasted/unsalted cashews, chopped

2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

2 teaspoons sesame oil

juice of 1 lime

1/2 teaspoon sambal oelek

1/2 teaspoon honey

salt and ground pepper, to taste

1-2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds


Instructions

I hadn't planned on doing a post for the Hawaiian Mac Salad that I made on Sunday, but after I posted about the Kalua pig, I got about a dozen emails requesting the recipe for the macaroni salad I made to go with it.

Note, for those who haven't had it before-  Hawaiian Mac Salad is not your normal macaroni salad from the deli counter. It's tangier and sweeter, the mayo is thinned out by milk and its only extra ingredients are grated carrot, sliced scallions and small bits of celery. Also, you have to use real mayo to make this, not the lowfat stuff or Miracle Whip (gack!).

The recipe I use is from Cook's Country Magazine, from a printing that I clipped from a Bay Area paper a few years ago. It most closely replicates the Hawaiian macaroni salads I ate while on vacation in Hawaii.

Give it a go...Hawaiian Mac Salad is the perfect accompaniment for a plate lunch of Kalua pig, Huli Huli chicken or your favorite BBQ dish.



2 cups whole milk, divided
2 cups mayonnaise, divided (I like to use Best Foods Real Mayonnaise)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 pound macaroni elbows
1/2 cup cider vinegar
4 scallions, sliced thin
1 large carrot, peeled and grated
1 celery rib, chopped fine

Instructions

2. Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in large pot. Add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta and cook until very soft, about 15 minutes. Drain pasta and return to pot. (You want the pasta to be fat and soft, not al dente)

3. Add vinegar and toss until absorbed. Transfer to a bowl. Cool pasta, then stir in dressing until well-coated. Cool completely. (Don't worry, the macaroni will absorb the dressing)

4. To assemble salad, add scallions, carrot, celery, remaining milk and remaining mayonnaise to pasta mixture and stir to combine. Season to taste. Refrigerate covered for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days. Serves 8 people.

Don't you just love three day weekends? I do, especially when they're full of fun activities like this one. Friday night, Mr.S. and I took the kidlets to the cinema to see Fast and Furious 6...I'm not sure who was more excited, me or the kidlets. It's funny because I'm not a Vin Diesel fan at all but I've loved every F&F movie that's come out and have watched them all repeatedly. It's a (not so) secret guilty pleasure, all that super fast car racing is exciting! On Saturday night, I had Supper Club with my girlfriends and Sunday I got to indulge in a marathon session of Arrested Development over at my friend Michelle's. Has anyone else watched the made-for-Netflix Season 4 yet? I liked it but I thought it was nowhere as hilarious as the original three seasons. Where was the chicken dance, the Final Countdown and the banana stand? Maybe it would have been funnier if I had had unlimited juice while I was watching it?

Monday was my only real "quiet" day, I did a few things around my cottage including creating a new salad to take to Mr.S.'s for dinner. We had plans for a BBQ but the weather was so gloomy and wet, that we ended up just grilling some chicken and eating indoors. The salad I made though came out wonderfully and I think it'll be in permanent rotation in our dinner plan. Also I used farro again in this recipe...Mr.S. and Kidlet #1 seem to love it and can't get enough of it. Which is fine by me as farro is rich in antioxidants, cyanogenic glucosides, high in fiber and a good source of iron and protein. I also tossed in some dried figs, which added a nice chewy texture to the salad and are high in iron, potassium and folic acid.

Figs and Farro Salad with Mandarin Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients

1 cup semi-pearled farro

1/2 cup chopped dried Calimyrna figs (to make the figs easier to slice, place them in the freezer for a bit beforehand)

1/2 cup candied walnuts (Trader Joe's has these at a reasonable price)

1/2 cup dried cranberries

4 oz. crumbled goat cheese

2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion

3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

2 tablespoons of your favorite citrus balsamic vinegar (I used a mandarin balsamic vinegar by Lucero)

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons Dijon

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper


Instructions

1. Rinse the farro. Next, bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Add the farro, cover and return to a boil. Then bring the heat down to medium-low and allow the farro to cook for 30-35 minutes. When it's done most of the water should be absorbed. If you have a little bit of water left, go ahead and drain it off.

2. Put the cooked farro in a bowl and place it in the fridge to cool.

3. In a large mixing bowl, place the chopped dried figs, candied walnuts, dried cranberries, red onion, parsley and goat cheese.

4. In a separated smaller bowl, mix together your: mandarin balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, olive oil, Dijon, brown sugar, salt and pepper. Whisk well.

5. Add your chopped ingredients to the chilled farro. Drizzle with the vinaigrette. Toss together thoroughly. Serve.

I've been dying to make this recipe ever since I read about it in Maria Speck's book, "Ancient Grains for Modern Meals." Her book had some fantastic gluten-free recipes and has a way of making you want to incorporate grains more in your life without any heavy-duty food preaching. The tart sounded wonderful and I'm a huge fan of savory tarts, especially ones that use goat cheese. Did you know that fresh goat cheese has a third of the fat and calories of cream cheese made from cow's milk? It also has half the cholesterol and twice the protein. Plus for those of us who are lactarded, goat cheese is much easier to digest...not to mention, that it tastes delicious.

I pretty much followed Maria Speck's recipe as written but I did opt to throw in some shallots and garlic. (Is there anything I won't throw garlic into?) I also was out of Greek yogurt so I used organic, plain, lowfat yogurt in it's place...it worked fine. I thought the tart came out great, but next time I might go slightly lighter on the rosemary (but that's just my personal preference). If you're looking for something a bit different from your average quiche or frittata to take to a brunch, this would be a good choice.  This recipe would also work well with asparagus.

Artichoke and Goat Cheese Tart with Parmesan-Polenta Crust
(slightly adapted, from Maria Speck's book, "Ancient Grains for Modern Meals")

Crust:
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 1/4 cups water
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/4 cups polenta
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Bring the broth and water to a boil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the salt. Slowly add the polenta in a thin stream, whisking constantly, and continue whisking for 30 seconds. Decrease the heat to low and cover. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon every few minutes to keep the polenta from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let sit, covered, for 10 minutes, stirring a few times. Stir in the cheese, egg and pepper.

2. Grease a 10-inch tart pan or cake pan with olive oil. Have a glass of cold water ready. Spoon the polenta into the pan and press it out, pushing it up the sides. Dip a wooden spoon or your hands in the cold water to help the polenta along. Set aside for 15 minutes and then form an even rim about 3/4 of an inch thick with moist fingers, pressing firmly. Don't worry if the crust looks rustic.

3. Put a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 375 F.

Artichoke filling:

1 cup plain Greek yogurt or organic, plain, lowfat yogurt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup finely chopped scallions
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
2-3 tablespoons chopped shallots
2 cloves, garlic minced
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 ounces artichoke hearts, canned or frozen
1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1. Sauté the shallots and garlic in a small pan.

2. Whisk the yogurt, eggs, scallions, parsley, rosemary, shallots, garlic salt and pepper together until well-combined. Cut the artichoke hearts into quarters and distribute them evenly over the polenta crust. Sprinkle the goat cheese on top of the artichokes and pour the yogurt filling evenly over the artichokes. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.

3. Bake the tart until the top turns golden brown and the filling is set, about 45 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for at least 20 minutes, though 40 is better. The tart can be prepared up to one day ahead.

Last week was a great week for two reasons- I made Mr.S. and I the most wonderful dinner on Thursday night (yep, I'm tootin' my own horn) and then on Friday night we saw a fantastic play at the Sacramento Theatre Company. I'm going to take a moment to gush here a bit...if you haven't seen STC's production of Athol Fugard's "Master Harold...and the boys," get your butt off the sofa and go buy your tickets now! This is the second time I've seen this play (I saw it the first time when I was in college) and I have to say this version was amazing. Michael J. Asberry's performance as Sam was so moving that at times I forgot we were watching a play and felt transported to the St. George's Park Tea Room in South Africa. The play takes place in 1950 (during the apartheid era) and tells the story of a 17-year old white boy (Hally) and two black waiters (Sam and Willie) during a rainy afternoon. This timely story of Fugard's does a phenomenal job of discussing oppression and compassion on a large scale (universally) and also on a smaller scale (in our own lives). The content is quite poignant and thought-provoking and the ending will haunt your mind for days afterward (especially when you find out that the play is based on a personal account of Fugard's).

There's a great review in the Bee, if you're interested in finding out more : Master Harold...and the boys. (Btw, this production is not suitable for young children.)


Ok, now back to our regular programming...the awesome dinner I made Thursday night was: pan-fried halibut cheeks accompanied by Israeli couscous mixed with fresh asparagus and mushrooms. Mmm! Simple but super delicious. If you've never had halibut cheeks before, you should definitely try it. It's the sweetest most tender part of the halibut. The cheeks kind of remind me of scallops but flakier.

Now I had never cooked halibut cheeks at home before so I asked one of the friendly fishmongers at Sunh Fish for some direction, his call- just gently pan-fry them. I'm so glad I followed his suggestion  because this is seafood that definitely does not need any futzing. I also made some Israeli couscous to go with it but these cheeks would have been just as good on a bed of sautéed greens.

(If you're unfamiliar with Israeli couscous, it's a wheat-based pasta that's rolled into tiny balls that resemble Nerf pellets. It has a nice nutty taste when toasted.)



Pan-Fried Halibut Cheeks

Ingredients

1 lb. fresh halibut cheeks
2 tablespoons AP flour
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons butter
fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

Instructions

1. Gently pat your halibut cheeks dry with a paper towel. Season with salt and pepper on both sides.

2. Spread the 2 tablespoons of flour on a plate then very, very LIGHTLY dredge the cheeks through the flour. Set aside.

3. Place the skillet over medium-high heat. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Place your halibut cheeks on the skillet. Space them out a bit so that they do not touch each other. Let them cook for 2 minutes.  Then using a spatula flip them over. Allow to cook for another minute to a minute and a half.  (Be careful not to overcook the cheeks.)

4. Repeat with remaining butter and fish.

3. Plate. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley (optional).



Israeli Couscous with Fresh Asparagus and Mushrooms

Ingredients

1 1/3 cup Israeli couscous
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 bunch of asparagus (woody stems removed, sliced into 1-inch pieces)
1 8-oz. package of crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 small sweet onion, diced
3-4 fresh garlic cloves, minced
2-3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. In a medium sized pan , heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add couscous. Over medium heat, toast the couscous until it's lightly browned.

2. Add 1 3/4 cup of boiling water to the saucepan and couscous. Stir well to combine. Bring the whole lot to a boil. Then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and let it simmer for 15 minutes (or until all the liquid is absorbed). Remove from heat and set aside.

3. In a separate pan, heat remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. When it begins to shimmer, add garlic and onions. Cook until onions begin to slightly soften, then add asparagus and mushrooms. Cook 6-8 minutes (depending on how crisp you like your asparagus). Stir occasionally.

4. Remove from heat. Add veggie mixture to cooked couscous. Add grated Parmesan cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss. Serve.

Ninniku Miso-Zuke

Ingredients

handful of  fresh garlic cloves
1 cup miso paste- I prefer to use aka (red) miso, but a sweet shiro (white) or barley miso could be used too
1/4 c mirin
1 clean, dry wide-mouth quart jar

Instructions

1. Separate the garlic cloves. Trim the garlic ends, remove the outer skin and also peel off the thin filmy membrane layer.

2. Blanch garlic cloves for 1-2 minutes in unsalted water. Pull them out and pat dry them with a clean paper towel.

3. In a small bowl mix together your mirin and miso thoroughly.

4. Place a thin layer of miso at the bottom of your jar then make alternating layers of miso and garlic cloves. (Note: You don't want the cloves to touch.) Continue the layering process until you run out of ingredients or reach the top. Finish the top with a miso-mirin mixture layer and make sure all the garlic cloves are covered with miso.

5. Latch your jar and place it in the fridge. Allow it to pickle for at least 1 month. The garlic gets better with age. Keeps good up to 3-4 months.

6. When you're ready to eat the garlic, just pull out the amount you want to eat, rinse off the miso and serve. Use as an accompaniment to a meal or just eat them as a snack. I like to shove a few into the middle of my onigiris or dice it up and mix it with butter when I'm sautéing.

* Tip #1: As you clear each layer of garlic, the miso is still good and can be used in your recipes that call for miso.

* Tip #2: You can buy mirin and aka miso at most Asian speciality stores. For Sacramentans: Otos' Market on Freeport Blvd. carries both.

* Tip #3: Take the time to use fresh garlic in this recipe. The pre-peeled garlic that you can buy in bags at Costco and other grocery stores isn't as fresh and you'll notice a difference in taste.

Recently, I've noticed I've been pulling out my "fat" jeans more and more from the closet. Upon some self-reflection, I realized that I've put on some weight from the winter holidays, stress eating and Girl Scout cookie season. The dreaded trifecta. Ugh! Anyhow, rather than ignoring the problem and opting to stock my wardrobe with more comfy yoga pants with expandable waists, I decided I'm going to lose a few pounds. Now you can imagine there's no dirtier four-letter word to a food lover like myself than "diet." I hate limiting myself as to what I can and can't eat. This time, however, I decided to be a bit realistic- so I'm cutting out soda, junk food and my incessant snacking but I'm going to allow myself some small indulgences. Like these French Breakfast radishes I made for lunch yesterday. I used a wee bit of butter but on the whole they're pretty healthy. Radishes are one of the most nutritious root vegetables. They're low in calories, rich in Vitamin C and they are also a good source of anti-oxidants, electrolytes, minerals, sulphoraphane and dietary fiber. Now French Breakfast radishes are much less spicy/peppery than other varieties so they're great for eating raw or sautéing...to be honest, I'm not sure why they're called "breakfast radishes" as they're not specifically known for being eaten at breakfast in France or anywhere else. They're easy to spot though. They're on the smaller side, shaped a bit like a slender finger; the tops of these dainty radishes are usually a pretty fuchsia-pink color which eventually fades into white towards the tips. Anyhow, sautéed in a tiny bit of butter, olive oil and garlic- these delicate radishes along with their leafy greens are delicious! A perfect afternoon lunch or dinner side dish.

By the way, a word of advice- never, ever tell your significant other you're dieting. This is what will inevitably happen:



Sautéed French Breakfast Radishes

Ingredients

1 bunch French Breakfast radishes, with greens attached

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1-2 cloves of fresh garlic, minced

sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste


Instructions

1. Wash and dry your radishes. Remove the greens. Quarter the radishes. You can tear the greens into bite-sized pieces if you wish.



2. Heat the butter and oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the radishes and sauté until they become crisp-tender and slightly translucent. Add the garlic. Cook until fragrant. Add the greens. Cook until they become soft.

3. Remove from heat. Season with sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Serve warm.

Here's an old joke, you may or may not have heard before:

Question: What's the difference between broccoli and snot?
Answer: Kids don't eat broccoli.



Well about a year ago I would have believed it, but currently one of my favorite dishes to make Mr.S.'s kidlets is roasted broccoli. Yep, you heard me right--- BROCCOLI! Really! It's easy to cook, it's incredibly nutritious (low-cal, rich in phyto-nutrients and a great source of Vitamins A & C) and it doesn't hit the ol' wallet too hard either. Initially the kidlets pooh-poohed the roasted broccoli at dinner time, but with a few tweaks we got them on board and begging for more. The main game changer was letting the broccoli cook longer so it softened and the florets got a slight caramelized crust going. (They love those crunchy, brown, charred pieces.) That extra cooking time really makes a difference in texture and taste. The kidlets seem to like the roasted broccoli sprinkled with grated Parmesan so we eat it like that most of the time but sometimes we add some soy sauce and sesame seeds to jazz it up.



Roasted Broccoli

Ingredients

2 lbs. fresh broccoli, cut into florets

1/4 cup olive oil

Kosher salt

fresh ground pepper

4 cloves fresh garlic, minced

1 lemon

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese


Instructions

1. Preheat oven 425 degrees F.

2. Rinse broccoli and dry thoroughly. Cut into bite-sized florets.

3. Place aluminum foil on a large rimmed baking sheet. Spread the florets out evenly on the foil in a single layer.

4. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt, fresh ground pepper and garlic. Swish it all around with your hands. Make sure everything is lightly (and evenly) coated. Space the florets out as much as you can. They cook better if they're not crowded.

5. Pop the baking sheet in the oven and roast for approximately 18-22 minutes. At the 10 minute mark, take a spatula and flip the suckers over so they cook nicely all the way around. (Note: Keep an eye on the broccoli the first time you make this, every oven is different and some run really hot. You want the broccoli to start to get a nice brown color but not burn.)

6. When done, remove sheet from oven and squeeze some fresh lemon juice over it. You can either sprinkle some grated Parmesan on the broccoli at this point or just leave it on the table and people can put it on themselves.

7. Toss. Serve immediately.

Whenever the new year rolls around, I (like most of the world) am hasty to make a multitude of resolutions. Honestly- I always have the best of intentions but the majority of the time, my lofty resolutions (which usually have to do with exercise and eating healthier...big surprise!) end up being cast aside with that first giant bite of double chocolate cheesecake (gosh darn it!). Anyhow, I still like the idea of starting anew each year and this year in particular I'm ready for 2012 to wrap itself up. December has been a particularly rough month and I can't wait to dispose of it and start fresh. I've been feeling emotionally drained and conflicted for weeks on end and my stress eating has become reflected in some holiday pudge. I did get a tiny respite this weekend, when Mr.S. and I took a spontaneous weekend trip to SF. His kidlets were out of town and we thought it would be the perfect opportunity to have a romantic weekend getaway and just de-com-press!

 
We stayed at an adorable boutique hotel just steps from Union Square called The Orchard Hotel (super cute room and friendly staff), indulged in a delicious seafood dinner at Anchor & Hope with Mr.S.'s brother and did some fun touristy things like eating clam chowder at Pier 39 (I hadn't been in years), shopping in Japantown and taking a moonlit stroll to Union Square to see the ice skaters and holiday lights. It was a lovely trip and just what I needed.





Anyhow, my heart and soul haven't been into cooking for weeks but I was able to somehow muster myself into the cooking spirit for the big Christmas Day dinner. I made some spicy chorizo-lentil empanadas for appetizers and also a scrumptious corn casserole as my side dish. My friend Minzi had suggested a recipe by Paula Deen which gave me the idea to do a corn casserole. I liked the basics of Deen's recipe so I used that as my starting point and built from there. The dish turned out to be a big hit and almost all of it was eaten; considering how much food was out on the table, I was pretty impressed. Even the pickier eaters gave me compliments!


The recipe is listed below, give it a try in the new year and let me know what you think.

Holiday Corn Casserole

Ingredients

1 (15 1/4-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained (*do not substitute frozen corn, use canned)

1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn

1 (8-ounce) package Jiffy corn muffin mix

1 small sweet yellow onion, diced

4 ounce can diced mild green chiles, drained

1 egg

3/4 cup sour cream

1/2 stick butter, melted

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese

5 slices bacon

salt and pepper


Instructions

1. Preheat oven 350 degrees F.

2. In a skillet, fry up your bacon. Place cooked bacon slices on a plate lined with a papertowel. Allow to cool. Then dice bacon slices. Next, in the same pan- fry up your diced onion. Then set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine: corn kernels, creamed corn, Jiffy corn muffin mix, onion, diced green chiles, 1 egg, sour cream, melted butter and 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix throughly.

4. Take a greased 8x8 glass casserole dish and pour corn mixture from bowl into dish. Spread so it's even.

5. Bake for 45-50 minutes. Then remove from oven. Sprinkle bacon pieces and 2 tablespoons of cheddar across the top. Place dish back in oven and cook for another 10-15.

6. Serve warm.

Hope you all had a great weekend and were able to stay dry. Something about dreary weather just makes me want to sloth out on the couch in comfy pajamas, with a big ol' mug of hot bourbon cider and a good book (I'm currently making my way through Jenny Lawson's Let's Pretend This Never Happened, which is seriously pee-your-pants funny).


It was raining cats and dogs Friday, so I brought Pepper pup over to my cottage for some cuddling. He sure hates riding in the car to get here but loves napping on the couch! We had a lazy afternoon listening to the rain pelt against the roof until it was time to go meet up with Mr.S.




This weekend I also saw Ovation Stage's production of Kitchen Witches with my friend Michelle. Have you seen it? It was pretty good. The acting was smooth and they had quite the funny script. I absolutely loved Deborah Shalhoub's character, Dolly Biddle.

I also found a little time to dabble in the kitchen. I've recently turned Mr.S. onto squash so we've been taste testing several varieties to see which ones we like the best. So far we've made our way through delicata, sweet dumpling, kabocha and acorn. The last one I prepared was the acorn squash. It had a mild, sweet, nutty flavor that both of us liked. To fancy up the squash a bit, I made a batch of my winter quinoa which we stuffed the squash with and then topped with a sprinkling of goat cheese. Fantastic! It was so good that Mr.S. asked me to make more squash the next night. Isn't it awesome when you find something that tastes great and is nutritious? Can't go wrong there!

Super Stuffed Acorn Squash

Ingredients

2 medium sized acorn squash, each cut in half

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup quinoa ( I used Trader Joe's Organic Tri-Color Quinoa)

2 cups vegetable broth

8 oz. of your favorite breakfast sausage, chopped/crumbled  (I used Farmer John's Old-Fashioned Maple Sausage Links)

3 cloves of fresh garlic, minced

1/2 a small yellow onion, chopped

1 small Fuji apple, cored and chopped

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1 bunch of chard, ribs removed and torn into bite sized pieces

1 teaspoon of dried thyme

3 tablespoons of crumbled goat cheese (or 3-4 tablespoons of finely grated Parmesan)

salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste


Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Cut each squash in half crosswise; scoop out and discard seeds. Coat squash with olive oil.

3. Place squash cut-side down on a lightly oiled, rimmed baking sheet.

4. Place in oven and roast for 45 minutes.

5. While that's cooking, rinse your quinoa. Place the rinsed quinoa in a pot with the broth. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cover and continue to cook for however long the product's instructions say, usually 15-30 minutes.

6. In a large skillet, cook your sausage. Drain and set aside on a paper-towel covered plate.

7. In the now empty skillet, heat up some olive oil over med-high heat. When the oil starts to shimmer, add your chopped onions. Cook until semi-translucent.

8. Add garlic, apple and chard. Cook until the chard becomes wilted.

9. Check your quinoa. If it's done (you can tell when it's done cooking because there be a little white ring that curls around it, this is called the germ), add it to your skillet.

10. Toss in your teaspoon of thyme, cooked sausage and dried cranberries. Season with salt and fresh ground pepper. Cook the whole shebang for about 3 minutes and then set aside.


12. Pop the stuffed squash back in the oven (same temp) for another 5-6 minutes.

13. Remove from oven and serve immediately with a spoon.

(Note: The flesh of the acorn squash will be nice and soft and quite yummy- almost like a warm veggie ice cream. The skin on this particular squash is edible too but a bit tougher than say the skin on a delicata. I'm not a big fan of it but if you like it, knock yourself out.)

It's Sunday and Mr.S. is running around frantically trying to complete his weekend To Do list. Every so often he comes into the house to check the scores on the 9 million football games that are on. He winces more then he smiles at the scores and as he heads outside again to mow the lawn and rake leaves, he shoots me a version of the stinkeye that could give an old gypsy woman a run for her money. I love Mr.S. but he's one of those guys who always has to be busy with something- projects, repairs, a new exercise routine; whereas, I'm of the ilk that believes Sundays are for lazing about. Yep, buy me a one way ticket to Lazytown. Nothing makes me happier than what I affectionately call No Bra Sundays. My lady friends know what I'm talking about...those Sundays where you sleep in, drink a cup of coffee (or three) around 10 and then you just lounge on the sofa while sporting comfy yoga pants and no over-the-shoulder boulder holder. Yep, the girls are feelin' free and so am I. After munching on a lunch of a few "fun-size" candy bars and finishing Tina Fey's, "Bossypants," I'm ready for some human interaction, reluctantly...and it's only 3pm.

Anyhow, post No Bra Sunday (aka Monday), you'll need to get back with the Get Sh*t Done regime and to do that you'll need to eat something healthier than a bag of Doritos and leftover Thai takeout. Give this faux pilaf recipe a try. I know it sounds turbo healthy (which it is) but it tastes good as well. If it makes you feel better, you can eat it while wearing your yoga pants and watching an episode of "Revenge."

Mushroom-Asparagus Quinoa "Pilaf"

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa (I used Trader Joe's Organic Tri-Color Quinoa)

2 cups broth (You can pretty much use any kind. Chicken or vegetable work well. I had some leftover shiitake broth from another cooking project so I used that)

1 cup sliced cremini mushrooms

1 cup asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper, to taste


Instructions

1. Rinse your quinoa. (I do this even if the package is marked pre-rinsed.) It removes the quinoa's bitter tasting coating called the saponin.

2. Place rinsed quinoa in a pot with broth.

3. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cover and continue to cook for however long the product's instructions say, usually 15-30 minutes.

4. In a skillet, heat up olive oil. Once it's hot, add mushrooms, asparagus and garlic. Saute until asparagus is bright green (about 5 minutes).



5. When the quinoa is done (you can tell when it's done cooking because there be a little white ring that curls around it, this is called the germ), add it to your veggies.



6. Season with salt and pepper and you're ready to go!

Delicata squash...it's the Ryan Gosling of the winter squash family. It's hip, it's smooth and oh-so-cute! You can bake them, you can steam them, you can even stuff them...or my personal favorite- you can roast them. The best part is there's no peeling necessary, the skin's edible. Just slice the squash up into rounds, pop out the seeds and guts, season and throw the squash into the oven. In just 25 minutes, you'll have a plateful of delicious squash with a buttery texture that tastes just like a mild sweet potato (but much healthier). Packed full of dietary fiber and beta carotene, it's a great addition to your seasonal veggie line-up or as a side dish for Thanksgiving.




Roasted Delicata Squash
(Feeds 2-3 people as a side)

Ingredients

2 delicata squash, washed and scrubbed

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

sea salt


Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Slice squash. Then pop out the seeds and squash goo in the center. You'll have small rounds of squash.

3. Place squash in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil on. Toss with your hands and make sure pieces are evenly coated.

4. Season lightly with salt. Roast until tender (approx. 25 minutes, flipping the squash over halfway through the cooking time).

5. Remove from oven. Season with salt (to taste) and serve while it's still hot.