Devon's Cooking...Carne Asada

Given that the holidays are now just around the corner, it's no surprise that the last week and the coming weeks are going to be family-filled! This past week, Heather and Bubba came down for the day to hang out in San Diego. While Heather got her hair done, I got to hang out with Derek-- we made a pretty amazing obstacle course with bed-jumping, somersaults and adventure rolled into one!

And then, on Sunday, Heather and Jeremy came down with Stacy Coleman (I know it's King now, but she'll always be Stacy Coleman to me!) and her husband James for the Chargers game. While they brought the most important part of any tailgate (beer), and some of Jeremy's DELICIOUS guac (you'll have to ask him for the recipe), Dave and I brought chicken marinated in Uncle Dougie's (the best wing sauce ever) and made carne asada, which turned out pretty amazing (nicely done, Dave!).

CARNE ASADA
Ingredients
3 punds flank steak
1/3 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup soy sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 limes, juiced (you can also use the squeezy lime juice that comes in the squeezy lime-looking bottles full of "fresh" lime juice)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp ground white pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika

Directions: Mix all ingredients together in a large tupperware container. Add in an equal amount of water (this will dilute the marinade, but that's what you want to do!). Score the flank steak (make shallow knife cuts all over the meat) and add into the marinade; marinate overnight. Grill to desired doneness and enjoy!

Devon's Cooking... Healthy Fish & Chips

I think that Dave and I are both fat kids at heart. We love pretty much all food and we often enjoy those delicious, but guilty pleasures like desserts, burgers, pasta, and fried goodness. In particular, we're partial to fish & chips... if I had my way (and a magical metabolism, a heart that could fend off heart disease and arteries that could resist the blocking qualities of fryin' oil) we would eat at Tin Fish (in downtown San Diego) weekly.

But in the absence of a magical metabolism, I always like to look for ways to enjoy our guilty pleasures without suffering from the guilt part (or the fat adult-ness that comes along with the guilt). Accordingly, tonight I made a much healthier version of fish and chips and though it didn't have quite the same crunch of a perfectly-fried piece of fish, it hit the spot!

HEALTHY FISH AND CHIPS
Ingredients
4 spray(s) olive oil cooking spray
1/4 tsp table salt, or more to taste (enough for potatoes and fish)
1/4 tsp black pepper, or to more taste (enough for potatoes and fish)
1/4 cup(s) fat-free skim milk
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1/4 cup(s) all-purpose flour
1 cup(s) fresh bread crumbs
20 oz raw tilapia
16 oz potato(es), peeled and cut into 8 wedges each

Directions: Preheat oven to 400ºF. Coat 2 large baking sheets with cooking spray.
Place potato wedges on one baking sheet and lightly coat with cooking spray; season to taste with salt and pepper. Bake until golden brown and tender, about 45 minutes.
Whisk milk and mustard together in a shallow dish. Place bread crumbs in another shallow dish and put flour in a third shallow dish. Season both sides of fish with salt and pepper. Place fish in flour and turn to coat. Place fish in milk mixture and turn to coat. Place fish in bread crumbs and turn to coat. Transfer fish to second prepared baking sheet and lightly coat with cooking spray. Bake fish until fork-tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Serve fish and potato wedges with vinegar on the side. Yields 1 fillet, 4 potato wedges and 1 tablespoon of vinegar per serving.

Devon's Cooking...Bridal Shower Apps

It's hard to believe that Ronna and Heav's wedding is almost here! Only 2 more weeks before we all head to Tahoe to celebrate (this will be Dave and my 8th wedding this year, so we'll also be celebrating the end to Wedding Madness 2009!). While the guys were in Newport for Heavy's bachelor party, the gals were a little classier. The FBT crew, Trish (though she's part of the FBT crew now, if you ask me!), Janine, Stephanie, Heavy's mom Nancy and Ronna's mom Lynn all came to Anna's house for a lovely little bridal shower.

I thought this would be a fun time to try my hand at some appetizers and I might have gone overboard a little (we had WAY too much food, between my apps and the amazing stuff that everyone else brought!), but it was fun to put together a few different things! After much thought, and a slight time-crunch (I was in San Jose at a conference until late Friday night), I decided to make Marinated Feta-stuffed Cherry Tomatoes, Black Bean and Corn Salad (1 can of Black Beans, 1 can of corn, 1 red onion chopped, salt and pepper to taste, 1 jar chunky salsa), Avocado, Bacon and Bleu Cheese bites (these didn't taste that good, though, so no recipe will follow on that one), Gorgonzola Bites, Chipotle Cream Cheese-stuffed Endive, and Mini Provolone Popovers. These were all fun and pretty easy to make, though be sure to buy the biggest cherry tomatoes you can find if you decide to make the Feta-Stuffed Tomatoes. My cherry tomatoes were more like grape tomatoes so scooping out the pulp of each one took FOREVER!


MARINATED FETA-STUFFED CHERRY TOMATOES
Cherry Tomatoes stuffed with marinated feta (double)
INGREDIENTS
1 7- to 8-ounce package feta cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus additional for drizzling
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1 pound large cherry tomatoes
12 pitted Kalamata olives, halved lengthwise

Directions: Toss cubed feta, oil, shallot, and oregano in small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Cut 12 tomatoes crosswise in half. Scoop out tomato pulp with melon baller or small spoon. Place tomatoes, cut side up, on serving plate. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stuff hollowed cherry tomatoes with marinated feta. Slide in olive half alongside cheese. Drizzle with additional olive oil.


GORGONZOLA BITES
Ingredients
1 sheet frozen puff pastry
4 oz. gorgonzola, crumbled
Fresh ground pepper

Directions: Preheat oven to 350. Let puff pastry stand at room temp (about 30 mins). Scatter cheese over pastry, grind pepper. Drape plastic wrap over pastry and gently roll over wrap with rolling pin to press cheese into pastry. Peel off wrap and cut into 1-inch squares (40 portions). Transfer to ungreased baking sheets, bake about 25 minutes, let cool before serving.


CHIPOTLE CREAM CHEESE-STUFFED ENDIVE
Ingredients
4 oz fat-free cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup(s) roasted red peppers, water-packed, blotted dry, finely diced
3 Tbsp scallion(s), thinly sliced
3 Tbsp cilantro, fresh, chopped (plus extra leaves for garnish)
2 tsp canned chipotle sauce
1/4 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp ground cumin
3 small head(s) endive, Belgian (about 24 leaves)

Directions: In a small bowl, stir together cream cheese, roasted peppers, scallions, cilantro, chipotle sauce, salt and cumin until blended. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve (up to 1 day). When ready to serve, spoon about 1 teaspoon of chipotle cheese mixture into bottom of each endive leaf; garnish with remaining fresh cilantro leaves. Arrange on a serving platter and serve. Yields 3 leaves per serving.

MINI PROVOLONE POPOVERS
Ingredients
1 cup whole milk
2 large eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup finely chopped provolone + 1 Tbsp
2 tablespoons grated parmesan
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped chives

Directions: Whisk together milk, eggs, flour, 1 tablespoon butter, salt, and pepper until smooth, then stir in cheeses and chives. Chill 1 hour to allow batter to rest. Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in upper third. Butter muffin pan with remaining tablespoon butter, then heat in oven until butter sizzles, about 2 minutes. Gently stir batter, then divide among muffin cups (they will be about two-thirds full). Bake until puffed and golden-brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

Devon's Cooking...Spicy Chicken and Sweet Potatoes

I've been really good about using all of the vegetables I have and trying to use everything in the refrigerator before it goes bad... so I had to find some way to use up the sweet potatoes I had leftover from the gnocchi. This recipe sounded very strange at first-- cold and spicy chicken salad over a warm sweet potato?!?! But trust me, this tasted amazing! Be sure to have a glass of water and no need to kiss anyone for about 4 hours after eating this, though!

SPICY CHICKEN AND SWEET POTATOES
Ingredients
4 medium sweet potato(es)
12 oz cooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, shredded
1 medium red onion(s), sliced into thin half moons
1/4 cup(s) cilantro, fresh, chopped
1 Tbsp canned chipotle peppers
1 small garlic clove(s)
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp olive oil
1 Tbsp water
1/2 tsp McNeil Nutritionals SPLENDA No Calorie Sweetener

Directions: Preheat oven to 375°F. Place potatoes on rack in middle of oven and bake until tender, about 45 to 50 minutes. Put chicken, onion and cilantro in a medium bowl; set aside. Put remaining ingredients in blender container or bowl of a food processor and blend until smooth. Pour dressing over chicken mixture and toss to coat. Cut a slit in each potato and top each with a heaping 3/4 cup of chicken mixture. Yields 1 filled potato per serving.

Devon's Cooking...A Mushroom Extravaganza!

It feels like the first time in a VERY long time, but Dave and I were actually home this weekend! We even had time to go to the Farmer's Market on Sunday morning, something we haven't been able to do in months. Truly, the food tastes so much better when it comes from Farmer's Market-- we bought avocados, apples, lettuce, grape tomatoes (they tasted like candy!), giant squash and beautiful, fresh mushrooms.

I was planning on just reheating left-over sloppy joes for dinner, but the siren call of the mushrooms was too much for me to ignore. Dave was watching football, which usually means he doesn't talk for about 6 hours, so I got to work experimenting in the kitchen. The night before we had a wonderful dinner at Avenue 5 with the Schneiders and I had fish with a light broth around it... and this became my inspiration.

The first thing I did was slice up a bunch of those fresh mushrooms and throw them in a sauce pot with about 4 cups of chicken broth. I added chopped green onions, salt, pepper and herbes de provence...but it still needed something. Luckily I had some dried porcini mushrooms in the fridge, so I reconstituted those and then poured half of the water from the reconstitution into the sauce pot.

In the meantime, I took about 1/2 pound of tilapia, seasoned both sides with salt and pepper, and threw it in the toaster oven to cook for 10 minutes.

While that was cooking, I utilized the 2 leftover russet potatoes I had from making gnocchi the previous week, cooked them in the microwave and then riced the potatoes. I chopped up the reconstituted porcinis and then added them to the potatoes with a little fat-free milk, salt and pepper.

To serve, I put each serving of fish in a small bowl and poured the mushroom broth over the fish. Then I served it with sauteed squash and the mashed potatoes. It was almost like going out to dinner!!

Devon's Cooking...Stuffed Acorn Squash

While it might still be in the 70s and 80s in San Diego, Dave and I were just in Buffalo, New York where it was undoubtedly NOT in the 70s and 80s... more like the 50s plus lots of rain. Dave and I-- thin-skinned San Diegans that we are-- shivered and whined our way through Buffalo (perhaps I should say "wined" our way through Buffalo, since we definitely drank our fair share of great vino there). So despite coming home to a promise of rain but a reality of 80 degrees (I LOVE San Diego), we still felt like making something warm, toasty, autumn-like and tasty. This recipe is excellent and it makes a beautiful presentation!

Stuffed Acorn Squash
INGREDIENTS
2 medium acorn squash
Nonstick cooking spray
8 ounces cremini or white button mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
3 medium scallions, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp rubbed sage
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 Tbsp dry vermouth or dry white wine

Instructions: Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 375°F. Split the squash in half, stem to bottom, and scoop out the seeds. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and place the squash on it cut side down. Bake until tender, about 50 minutes. Meanwhile, spray a large skillet with nonstick cooking spray and set over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, scallions and garlic, and cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms give off their liquid, about 4 minutes. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, sage, thyme and pepper. Cook 1 minute. Remove pan from heat and stir in the rice, cheese and vermouth or wine. Once the squash are fork-tender, turn them cut side up and fill each with a quarter of the rice mixture. Bake until warmed through, about 10 minutes.

Devon's Cooking...Sweet Potato Gnocchi

Dave and I celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary last Wednesday and I wanted to make something very special to celebrate. But just as we celebrated our continued union, we heard the sad news that Conde Nast was ending its relationship with Gourmet magazine and ceasing publication after the November issue (a travesty!). So in honor of our healthy marriage, in memory of Gourmet and in the spirit of trying new things by making gnocchi for the first time, I settled on Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Fried Chestnuts and Sage from the penultimate issue of Gourmet. It was amazing, delectable, totally satisfying, perfect... in short, the food version of our marriage (ah, how sweet!). It's a lot of work, but worth the effort (that's sometimes like marriage, too, isn't it?).

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Fried Chestnuts and Sage

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/4 lb russet (baking potatoes)
1 (3/4-lb) sweet potato
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano plus more for serving
1 1/2 to 2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup sage leaves (from 1 bunch)
1/3 cup bottled roasted chestnuts, very thinly sliced with an adjustable-blade slicer or a sharp vegetable peeler
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

DIRECTIONS: To make gnocchi, preheat oven to 450°F with rack in middle. Pierce russet and sweet potatoes in several places with a fork, then bake in a 4-sided sheet pan until just tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Cool potatoes slightly, then peel and force through ricer into sheet pan, spreading in an even layer. Cool potatoes completely. Lightly flour 2 or 3 large baking sheets or line with parchment paper.

Beat together egg, nutmeg, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper in a small bowl. Gather potatoes into a mound in sheet pan, using a pastry scraper if you have one, and form a well in center. Pour egg mixture into well, then knead into potatoes. Knead in cheese and 11/2 cups flour, then knead, adding more flour as necessary, until mixture forms a smooth but slightly sticky dough. Dust top lightly with some of flour. Cut dough into 6 pieces. Form 1 piece of dough into a 1/2-inch-thick rope on a lightly floured surface. Cut rope into 1/2-inch pieces. Gently roll each piece into a ball and lightly dust with flour. Repeat with remaining 5 pieces of dough. Turn a fork over and hold at a 45-degree angle, with tips of tines touching work surface. Working with 1 at a time, roll gnocchi down fork tines, pressing with your thumb, to make ridges on 1 side. Transfer gnocchi as formed to baking sheets.

Fry sage leaves and chestnuts: Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Fry sage leaves in 3 batches, stirring, until they turn just a shade lighter and crisp (they will continue to crisp as they cool), about 30 seconds per batch. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Season lightly with salt. Fry chestnuts in 3 batches, stirring, until golden and crisp, about 30 seconds per batch. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Season lightly with salt. Reserve oil in skillet.

Make sauce: Add butter to oil in skillet with 1/2 tsp salt and cook until golden-brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Cook gnocchi: Add half of gnocchi to a pasta pot of well-salted boiling water and stir. Cook until they float to surface, about 3 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to skillet with butter sauce. Cook remaining gnocchi in same manner, transferring to skillet as cooked. Heat gnocchi in skillet over medium heat, stirring to coat. Serve sprinkled with fried sage and chestnuts and grated cheese.

Devon's Cooking...Baked Penne with Sausage

I have been a bad blogger. And a bad home cook. As Dave and I approach our eighth wedding of the year and 20th weekend away from home (!), I am realizing how hard it is to work full time and try to be super wife. So I'm all about easy recipes these days-- particularly those that last a long time (and are healthy, thus reversing the awful eating we undoubtedly have done the weekend prior). This recipe serves 8 (I ate it 4 days in a row!), was super easy, quelled our craving for pasta, and is healthy (although the delicious bottle of Unti Shiraz we polished off Friday night with our pasta probably wasn't the healthiest decision)! Enjoy! p.s. I really did use fat free mozzarella on this-- it didn't melt, though, hence the bizarre white clumps on top. I recommend making this with part-skim mozz instead.

BAKED ZITI WITH TURKEY SAUSAGE
Ingredients
3/4 pound(s) raw turkey sausage, casings removed
1 medium onion(s), chopped
1 medium green pepper(s), chopped
28 oz canned diced tomatoes
2 Tbsp canned tomato paste
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp fennel seed
1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
12 oz uncooked whole-wheat pasta, ziti, cooked according to package directions
6 oz shredded fat-free mozzarella cheese

Instructions: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Crumble the sausage meat into a large saucepan and brown over medium heat, stirring often, about 4 minutes. Drain off any fat, then add the onion and bell pepper. Cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, peas, tomato paste, oregano, basil, thyme, fennel seeds, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat and cook uncovered 5 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the pasta and half the grated cheese. Spread evenly into a 9- X 13-inch baking pan. Top evenly with the remaining cheese. Bake until the cheese has melted and the casserole is bubbling, about 20 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes at room temperature before slicing into 8 pieces and then serve.

Devon's Cooking...Fall Veggies, Chicken and Barley

Tuesday was a momentous day. Yes, of course it was my 31st birthday-- a momentous occassion in itself. But I am not that self-serving (wait, I have a blog in which I talk about my life and myself. Maybe I am that self-serving). At any rate, the momentous-ness of Tuesday is really due to it being the first day of FALL. Don't get me wrong...I love summer to pieces. But I really love Fall, as well. The weather gets a little cooler (I am sick of this heat wave!), football season is in full-swing, and there are yummy veggies to make delicious soups and stews with. In celebration of my birthday, I mean, the first day of Fall, I cooked up some butternut squash and onions, and mixed them with chicken, barley and some great spices! Enjoy!

FALL VEGGIES, CHICKEN AND BARLEY
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/4 tsp table salt, divided
1 cup(s) uncooked barley
1 spray(s) cooking spray
2 cup(s) butternut squash, peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 cup(s) sweet white onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 medium onion(s), red, cut into 8 wedges
2 tsp olive oil
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
2 Tbsp dried currants
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
6 Tbsp almonds, natural, chopped and toasted
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cooked (I bought the pre-marinated Foster Farms chicken, diced it into 1-inch pieces and baked it in the oven; you could also just buy the pre-cooked chicken breasts that are cut into strips)

DIRECTIONS: Bring 6 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of salt to a boil in a large saucepan. Add barley, cover and simmer until tender, about 55 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F and cook the chicken (about 30 minutes). Turn up temperature to 450°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and coat foil with cooking spray. Place squash, white onion and red onion on prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt and cayenne pepper; toss to coat. Roast, tossing vegetables once or twice, until lightly charred and tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Drain barley and return to pot. Stir in currants, cumin, cinnamon, roasted vegetables and chicken. Toss with almonds just before serving. Yields about 1 cup per serving.

Devon's Cooking... Sauteed Tilapia with Almonds and Cherries

Meat in bulk doesn't really sound like a great idea, but when the mecca of free samples and industrial-sized jars of pepperocini (Costco) throws it out there with ridiculously low prices (actually, I'm not even sure they're that low. I am math-challenged, so I can't really figure out if the $30 I'm paying for 3 pounds of beef is a bargain or if I'm getting robbed. Who cares? I love Costco), I can't resist. Dave and I went to Costco last week in search of their delicious Healthy Choice 100-calorie fudge bars (which, incidentally, they were out of) and walked out $180 poorer. Unless you count the 3 pounds of tilapia we purchased... in that case, we feel richer.

So what do you do with 3 pounds of tilapia? Well, if it's just 2 of you, you portion it out into three 1-pound servings and find 3 different recipes to make. This was the first (I can pretty much guarantee you'll see 2 additional tilapia recipes coming down the pipeline in the near future).


SAUTEED TILAPIA WITH ALMONDS AND CHERRIES

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp almonds, sliced
1 pound(s) raw tilapia, four 4 oz fillets
1/4 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
3 tsp olive oil, extra-virgin, divided
1 small onion(s), chopped
2 Tbsp wine, dry white or dry vermouth (see note)
1/2 cup(s) cherries, sweet, pitted, halved
1/3 cup(s) vegetable broth, reduced-sodium, fat-free
1/2 tsp dried thyme

Directions: Toast the almonds in a large nonstick skillet set over medium-low heat until aromatic and golden, shaking the pan often, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Season fish with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in the skillet, then add the fish. Cook until firm and lightly browned, about 2 minutes, then flip and cook about 2 more minutes. Remove fish to four serving plates. Heat the remaining teaspoon of oil in the skillet, then add the onion. Cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the vermouth or wine; loosen any browned bits of food on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Cook for 20 seconds, then add the cherries, broth and thyme. Heat until simmering; cook for 30 seconds to reduce slightly. Divide the sauce and toasted almonds among the fish. Serve at once. Yields 1 fillet plus 1/4 of sauce per serving.

Devon's Cooking...Lamb with Figs, Zucchini-stuffed Heirloom Tomatoes and Homemade Ice Cream Sandwiches

All I have to say about this meal is YUM. Okay, I'll probably say a little more. But if I do say so myself, this was REALLY GOOD!

I've been so busy with the start of the semester and preparing for my new online class... so I haven't been cooking as much. But we had a great weekend planned last weekend-- since our sailing got cancelled a couple of months ago (see: Lamb Burgers dinner party; alternatively see: one day it rained in San Diego this year), we finally rescheduled our sailing date with the Reinkings and the Stayners for last Sunday. We had a great time and liberated quite a few wine bottles of their contents (and Stayner had a delicious pre-bed G&T for good measure) with Kev and Melissa. And some good food. As I mentioned above.

LEMONY HUMMUS
Ingredients:
1 15-to 16-ounce can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained
1 small garlic clove, pressed
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Directions: Puree beans, garlic, 3 tablespoons olive oil, and lemon juice in processor. Add 3 tablespoons oil, sugar, and cumin. Puree until very smooth, about 1 1/2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl. Cover; chill at least 1 hour and serve with cut-up carrots, celery and other fresh veggies.

LAMB CHOPS WITH FIGS AND THYME
Ingredients:
Lamb chops:
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
4 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
4 teaspoons chopped fresh marjoram
2 2-pound racks of lamb, trimmed of fat and sinew
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, sliced
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil

Roasted figs:
12 ripe Kadota figs, halved lengthwise
16 sprigs lemon thyme or regular thyme
Extra-virgin olive oil

Directions: For lamb: Combine herbs in small bowl. Rub lamb with olive oil, half of chopped herbs, and garlic; cover and chill overnight.

Preheat oven to 425°F. Heat grapeseed oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle lamb with salt and pepper; sear until brown on both sides, 5 minutes total. Transfer lamb to large rimmed baking sheet; roast to desired doneness, about 20 minutes for medium-rare. Transfer lamb to cutting board; let rest 5 to 10 minutes. Maintain oven temperature; reserve baking sheet for figs.

For figs: Place figs and thyme sprigs on baking sheet. Sprinkle with remaining herbs and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil. Roast in oven at 425°F for 10 minutes.

Cut lamb racks into individual chops; arrange on plates and place figs alongside.

ZUCCHINI-STUFFED HEIRLOOM TOMATOES
Ingredients:
8 slightly firm medium heirloom tomatoes
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
2 cups white corn kernels (cut from 3 to 4 ears)
2 cups chopped onions
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 cup chopped tomatoes
3 cups 1/4-inch cubes zucchini (from about 12 ounces)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh epazote or cilantro
1 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican oregano)

Directions: Core whole tomatoes, creating 2 1/2-inch opening at top. Using melon baller, scoop out tomato, transferring juices and pulp to small bowl (for filling). Turn tomatoes, cut side down, onto paper towels to drain. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large deep skillet over medium-high heat 1 to 2 minutes. Add corn and toss until tender and beginning to color, 2 to 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer corn to medium bowl. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to same skillet. Add onions and sauté until translucent, about 4 minutes. Using garlic press, squeeze in garlic; stir 30 seconds. Add chopped tomatoes and reserved tomato pulp and juices. Sauté until tomatoes are soft, about 5 minutes. Mix in zucchini, epazote, oregano, and corn. Sauté until sauce thickens and zucchini is just tender, about 8 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper. Arrange tomato shells, cut side up, on small baking sheet. Spoon in filling, mounding high. Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake tomatoes until filling is heated through and tomato shells are just tender, about 25 minutes.

LEMON ICE CREAM SANDWICHES WITH BLUEBERRY SWIRL
Ingredients:

For lemon ice cream:
2 pint premium vanilla ice cream
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

For blueberry compote:
2 cups blueberries (10 ounces)
1/4 cup sugar
2 (3-by 2 1/2-inch) strips lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons cornstarch

For sandwich layers:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

Make lemon ice cream: Transfer ice cream to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave at 30 percent power in 10-second intervals, stirring, until softened, about 50 seconds total. Stir in lemon zest and juice. Spread ice cream thinly in a 13-by 9-inch baking dish and freeze while making compote and sandwich layers.

Make blueberry compote: Cook blueberries, sugar, and zest in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat, thoroughly crushing blueberries with a potato masher, until juices are released and sugar has dissolved, about 2 minutes. Stir together lemon juice and cornstarch, then stir into blueberry mixture. Boil, stirring, 1 minute (mixture will thicken). Transfer blueberry compote to a bowl and chill until cold, about 1 hour. Discard lemon zest.

Make sandwich layers while compote chills: Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle. Butter baking pans and line with foil, leaving a 1-inch overhang on each side, then butter foil. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Beat together butter and brown sugar in another bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla. At low speed, add flour mixture in 2 batches, mixing until just combined. Divide batter between 2 8-inch square baking pans and spread into thin, even layers with offset spatula. Bake until golden-brown but still tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool completely in pans, about 30 minutes.

Assemble sandwiches: Dollop tablespoons of blueberry compote all over ice cream, then swirl it gently through ice cream with a spoon. Spoon all of ice cream over 1 sandwich layer (in pan) and spread evenly using clean offset spatula. Invert second sandwich layer over ice cream, pressing gently to form an even sandwich. Wrap baking pan in plastic wrap and freeze until firm, at least 2 hours.

Transfer sandwich to a cutting board using overhang. Trim edges if desired, then cut into 8 pieces.

Devon's Cooking...a Fiesta of Food

As you may have read, my last dinner party was a little overly-ambitious. So when we decided to have a few friends over for dinner a couple of weeks ago, I decided to scale back my expectations (and my effort!). I also had scheduled drinks with my buddy from college, Mike Levy, right smack in the middle of the day, so I couldn't afford to have a broken-pasta-machine-snafu this time around! So for our dinner with the Heavy's (including Heav's sister, Audra) and the Billingers, I mean Davies, we made a great little fiesta spread of homemade salsa, homemade guac, carne asada, marinated tilapia, marinated portobellos, grilled veggies, black bean and corn salad and baked apple chimichangas for dessert! Jen also made a kick-ass sangria, but you'll have to ask her for the recipe (and I apologize in advance for the headache that comes as a result the next morning!).

HOMEMADE SALSA
Ingredients:
28 oz. can diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 jalapeno (or more if you like it really spicy!)
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (you should probably use cilantro, but I HATE cilantro, so I don't use it!)
1 medium onion, diced
salt and pepper to taste
Directions: Place all ingredients into blender and blend to desired consistency. Enjoy with chips!

HOMEMADE GUACAMOLE
Ingredients:
4 ripe avocados
1 lemon
1 packet of that awesome guac mix from the grocery store produce aisle
Directions: Follow the instructions on the packet (hey, I said I was lowering expectations!). Serve with chips or raw veggies!

CARNE ASADA
Ingredients:
3 lbs. flank steak
1/3 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup soy sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 limes, juiced
1/2 cup oil (you can omit this if you want-- it makes the meat a little more moist, but it's fine without for far fewer calories)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp ground white pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
Directions: Marinate in a plastic Ziploc bag overnight. Grill to desired done-ness on an outdoor BBQ.

MARINATED TILAPIA
Ingredients:
1 lb tilapia
1 packet Taco Seasoning
Directions: Marinate overnight. Grill about 4 minutes on an outdoor BBQ. For portabellos, do the same (but not in the same bag as the fish-- that would be gross).

GRILLED VEGGIES
Ingredients:
4 medium zucchini
2 medium sweet onions
8-16 green onions
2 green bell peppers
2 red bell peppers
Directions: Slice all veggies to uniform size; place on grill tray and spray with cooking spray. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Grill until soft, about 5 minutes for zucchini, grilled onions and about 8 minutes for peppers and sweet onions.

CORN AND BLACK BEAN SALAD
Ingredients:
10 oz. frozen corn, defrosted
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 red onion, chopped
1 cup salsa
3 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste
Directions: Mix all ingredients and chill for at least 2 hours.

I'm not going to include the Apple Chimichangas recipe because it wasn't very good... but I'm workin' on it!

Devon's Cooking.... Sugar Cookies and French Toast

Dave's brother, Ian, and his wife, Ashley, have four gorgeous daughters who we were lucky enough to have in San Diego for almost a week last week. The girls-- Kailey (8), Kara (7), Kassie (4) and Korrine (2)-- are amazing... gorgeous, funny, well-behaved and cool to hang with.

Kassie is a tow-head and with two brunette parents, people often ask where she came from. Ian and Ashley used to answer: "She looks like her Uncle David," but some people took this the wrong way. I joked that they could say she looked like "the milkman" instead, but realized that instead of implicating my husband as the father, I was implicating my Dad! :)

But I digress-- though Kailey, Kara and Korrine don't look as much like Dave's children, they all sort of got to be our kids Tuesday night when we had a sleepover with all four of them. For those of you who've been to our house, you know it sucks for kids-- white leather, no toys, hard surfaces...so we decided to keep everyone occupied by a) making everything we ate from scratch and b) getting everyone so full they would sleep through the night. Mission Accomplished!: we made homemade pizzas for dinner, sugar cookies for dessert and french toast for breakfast the next morning. It was a feast any kid could enjoy-- oh yeah, and the girls liked it almost as much as we did!

Individual Pizzas
Ingredients:
1 package Trader Joe's fresh pizza dough
cheese
turkey pepperoni
diced onion
diced mushrooms
Pizza sauce

Directions: Sautee onions and mushrooms with salt, pepper and oregano until soft. Separate dough into four and roll out each individually. Put sauce, toppings and cheese on your dough and bake about 8-10 minutes.

Rolled Sugar Cookies
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups butter, softened
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS: In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight). Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely. Frost as you like!

FRENCH TOAST
Ingredients:
3 large eggs
3/4 cup milk
1 Tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
8 slices thickly sliced french bread

Directions: In medium bowl, combine all ingredients but bread; whisk until well combined. Dredge each slice of bread in mix and place on hot griddle or skillet over medium heat (or 375 if you use a skillet). Cook each side about 4 minutes or until done.

Devon's Cooking...Tandoori Chicken

Dave has this joke that he loves to tell. I apologize in advance for a few things: a) this joke is very un-PC; b) it's actually completely illogical; and c) if you ever have Dave tell you this joke in person, your eardrums will not be pleased. It goes like this: "How do you sell a deaf guy a chicken?" You respond with a blank stare because you have no idea. Dave, in his loudest voice, then responds to his own question: "WANNA BUY A CHICKEN?!?!"

I already apologized. It's a bad joke. But I always think of it when I buy chicken at the grocery store-- this week was no exception. This week's chicken purchase led to a delicious, but ultimately disastrous, feast of "Tandoori" chicken. The recipe below will explain how this got so delicious... but not how it got so disastrous. Here's what happened: we have a lovely toaster oven that we received as a wedding gift; we now have a big enough kitchen for said toaster oven...sort of. We still use the nice flat-top of the t.o. (not to be confused with T.O., who we're going to see play in a Browns-Bills game in Buffalo this October) for storage. Namely, my much-used food scale often sits on top of the t.o., despite bold and oft-repeated warnings posted all over the t.o., shrilly reminding me that NOTHING should go on the top becuase it gets HOT. The warnings are not for naught-- that t.o. DOES get HOT! I realized this ten minutes too late as my delicious tandoori chicken was cooking perfectly in the t.o.-- but instead of aromatic curry, I started smelling burnt plastic. You guessed it-- my food scale was melting into the t.o. I grabbed the scale, searing two fingers in the process, and, finding that, despite my rescue efforts, the scale had melted (and I forgot to take a photo!). The new joke should go: "How do you sell an illiterate home cook a new food scale?"

Ingredients:
2 tbsp tandoori spice mix
1 medium onion(s), chopped
2 medium garlic clove(s), minced
1 cup(s) plain fat-free yogurt
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 pound(s) uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, four 4-oz pieces

Directions: In large zip-close plastic bag combine spice mix, onion, garlic, yogurt and lime juice. Make diagonal slashes across chicken about 1 inch apart. Add chicken. Refrigerate 6 to 24 hours. Heat broiler. Cover baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place chicken on sheet, cover with sauce. Broil 4 inches from element until cooked through, about 15 minutes. (If spice mix is unavailable, substitute: 1 tbsp fresh minced ginger, 1 1/2 tsp coriander, 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice.)

Devon's Cooking...Roasted Veggie Lasagna

Okay, this blog should officially change its name from "Devon's Cooking..." to "How Many Varieties of Lasagna and Burgers Can I Come Up With?" What can I say? We like lasagna and burgers-- they're easy, they taste good....

In the past, as ye faithful ten readers know-- I've done wild and crazy things like use Matzoh crackers as stand-ins for lasagna noodles. Well, here's an even crazier lasagna-noodle doppelganger: thinly sliced zucchini! This is a very vegetarian meal and surprisingly delicious, especially as leftovers the next night (why is it that pasta-- even faux pasta-- always tastes better the night after it's made?). I had half a loaf of french bread in the freezer which I defrosted (i.e. left on the counter for a few hours) and slathered with some homemade garlic butter (butter + lots of garlic + a few shakes each of dried basil, salt, black pepper + a teeny bit of cayenne pepper) and wrapped in foil...and then tossed in the toaster oven. The lasagna: va bene! Just like my Nana would make (if she were a vegetarian).

ROASTED VEGGIE LASAGNA
Ingredients:
3 large zucchini
1 tbsp table salt
1 spray(s) cooking spray
1 small onion(s), finely chopped
2 medium garlic clove(s), minced
12 oz mushroom(s), white button
3 cup(s) tomato(es), freshly chopped (about 3 beefsteak tomatoes)
1 tbsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
1 pound(s) shredded fat-free mozzarella cheese

Directions: Slice the zucchini lengthwise into 1/8-inch thick strips. Place in a bowl and salt generously, tossing once or twice to coat well. Lay strips on paper towels on your work surface. Set aside 1 hour. Meanwhile, spray a large saucepan with nonstick spray and set over medium heat. Add the onion; cook, stirring often, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add garlic; cook 20 seconds. Add the mushrooms; cook, stirring often, until they give off their liquid and it reduces to a glaze, about 7 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, basil, oregano, nutmeg and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes start to break down and the sauce thickens, about 25 minutes. Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Blot any moisture off the zucchini strips with paper towels. Use one third of the zucchini strips to line the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking pan, laying them lengthwise like you would lasagna noodles. Top evenly with one third of the sauce, then one third of the shredded cheese. Place half the remaining zucchini strips on top, as before, then top evenly with half the remaining sauce and half the remaining cheese. Repeat this process one more time: using the remaining zucchini, remaining sauce, and remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, until bubbling, about 45 minutes. Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before slicing into 6 pieces; serve.