Fava Beans

Warning: Don't try this at home.

New ingredient (never tasted or cooked by me) for the week was fava beans. I saw them on sale for 99 cents a pound and bought about a pound and a half, thinking that would be plenty. These suckers were big, probably 8 inches long and plump too. I thought such gargantuan pods would yield a large plate of tasty beans. Wrong.

So here's how to prepare the fresh fava beans at home (I already warned you, don't try). First shell the beans (see above). Blanch the beans for 3 minutes, and dump in an ice bath. THEN, shell the beans AGAIN (see below). They have a lining that is tough and inedible, so they need the second shucking. Take the remaining little tiny amount of beans (i got 1/4 cup from my batch) and do with them what you wish.

They might be nice in a salad mixed with tomatoes and onions. I saw a recipe for green risotto made with blended fava beans. I decided not to fuss too much with my whole handful of beans. I added some bacon bits (I cooked that for my fritatta tonight), salt, pepper and parmesan.

Alright, so they were good. Would I do it again? Heck, no! Unless you have a little army of 10 year olds willing to do your dirty work, just leave it to the professionals and order it next time you see it on a menu.

Sauteed Radishes

This is more of an idea than a recipe. I found beautiful radishes at the market this morning and remember reading that they are quite tasty when cooked. Here is the result and it was yummy and unique. I love the zing and bite of a raw radish, but this brought a mellow and nutty subtle flavor that reminds you that they are root vegetables too.

2 bunches of radishes quartered
1 T. unsalted butter
1 tsp. olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

In a saute pan, heat the butter and oil until piping hot. Add the radishes and let them sit for at least 2 minutes to get them browned. Stir and let sit another couple minutes. Take off the heat and give it a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper.


I would totally make this again as a side to any dish. I served them this time with my favorite White Turkey Chili. Oh, and I have to give props to my new favorite blog for crockpot cooking. It's called A Year of Crockpotting. Stephanie, aka "The Crockpot Lady" posts a new recipe every day and the commentary is pretty darn hilarious.

Curry Chicken Salad Wrap

Tasty lunch today, using veggies starting to wilt and pantry chicken. This is entirely influenced by the Piadini that we always order at Tomatina in Walnut Creek. (Theirs is a salad on flatbread which is smeared with roasted garlic paste - OMG). And although this lacks the homemade rustic breadiness, I felt like I would actually pay cold hard cash for a lunch like this. It was simple yet satisfying and a thumbs up from the tall man living here. Here are the ingredients below:

Chopped veggies or fruit (I used yellow bells, cucumbers and cranberries), can o' chicken, 1/2 tsp. curry, 3 T. light mayo. Apples, grapes, red onions or walnuts would make a great addition. This is another one of those "use what you have" type of recipes.

So, mix it all up. Heat a tortilla on the gas burner until hot, add some greens and top with the chicken salad. You can either roll it or fold in half to eat. It beats a PB&J by a mile.

More Filo Fun

Leftover filo dough from previous night + leftover grilled asparagus + last of the goat cheese = yummy snacky thingy.

With only a few ingredients I made this cute little appetizer AND used up my leftovers. It's all about efficiency, folks. Especially now with the state of affairs, rice will be like $10 a pound or something like that. If you haven't stocked up on rice, go to the grocery store now and fill up your cart. Seriously.

Anyways, I took one sheet of filo and put a bit of leftover asparagus, goat cheese and lemon zest in one corner. Then you just fold it over and over into special triangular shape until you run out of dough. It was kind of heavy on the filo, so maybe a half sheet would have been sufficient. Baked at 350 until golden (15-20 min). I ate one really hot and the other at room temperature. I suggest the latter.

Strawberry Rhubarb Filo Flowers

What an odd sensation... when I'm going through the grocery store now, I think not only about feeding my family, but also about what new ingredient will I use this week for my blog. I think about what would look scrumptious on a plate, about presentation, colors and garnishes. I think about how the light is that day and if it will be sufficient for a photograph. You didn't know I cared so much about pleasing you, did you?

Growing up, for all the holidays there were 3 type of pies: pumpkin, cherry, pecan. Later on, sometimes we would throw in an apple or the ever popular but labor intensive lemon merengue. There was no banana cream pie, no berry pie, no key lime pie, no chess pie, no mincemeat, no chocolate cream pie and certainly no strawberry-rhubarb. Honestly, I would have not thought of the combo unless I was really looking through my produce aisle for something different.

This dish will qualify as two new ingredients: rhubarb and filo. I bought the filo without really knowing what I was going to do with it. I knew it was versatile (savory or sweet) and tricky to work with. For me, it wasn't so bad. The flower cups were quite easy actually, just fragile. You couldn't pick the flower up and eat the dessert, it was a spoon adventure for sure.

Strawberry Rhubarb Filo Flowers

For the topping:
2 cups chopped rhubarb
2 cups chopped strawberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 T. orange zest
Saute the rhubarb with sugar for about 7 minutes, turn off heat and add strawberries and zest. It might be a good idea to thicken the sauce with a little cornstarch. I didn't do that, but it would have been better and less juicy/messy.

For the filling:
1 package cream cheese
1 cup sour cream
zest of one lemon
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup sugar (or more to taste)

Wisk together until very smooth and keep in the fridge until ready to assemble.

For the filo flowers:

Take out 6 sheets of filo, and cut in half lengthwise and then in thirds from there. You should get 6 smaller squares from one sheet. Put them in a pile and cover with plastic wrap and a damp towel. Invert a muffin tin and spray with Pam. Lay a sqare over the inverted muffin cup and then stagger the next so that it forms points. In between every two sheets, give it a spray. If you want more flavor, use melted butter in between layers (too much work for me). Bake at 350 for 8 minutes. You may have to do this on every other muffin cup, so they don't overlap and stick together.

Assembly: You really should have figured this out, but I will insult your intelligence anyways. Put a couple tablespoons of cream cheese mixture in the filo cup and top with the fruit mixture.



This tart and sweet dessert was a hit with everyone. I heard the word "fancypants" being thrown around, so maybe it seemed more gourmet than it actually was. Who knows, maybe I will try a souffle soon....or not!

African Lentil Soup

I'll take "Spices" for $800, Alex. On this continent you would find a spice blend of cinnamon, tumeric, ginger, and cumin all together in one soup.

What is "Africa"?

After looking at several recipes for lentil soups, I decided to take a few ingredients from something called "Moroccan Stew" and "African Chicken Soup" to make our dinner tonight. After being away for the past 4 days (I wish it was on vacation, but thats a whole other story), I found that most of the veggies in the fridge went south on me. I had carrots and an onion left.

Here is what I came up with and it was totally yummy. My two year old even begged me for a taste. I thought it might be a little too spicy for him, but he came back for several more bites. Scott also raved about it, said he liked the spice combo and asked if it was healthy. Indeed!

African Lentil Soup

1 T. olive oil

1 chopped onion

3 carrots chopped

1 can diced tomatoes

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp tumeric

1/2 tsp. ginger

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/4 tsp. cayenne

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

1/2 c. chopped cilantro

6 cups water or veggie broth

1 cup lentils (rinsed)

1/2 cup orzo or other small pasta

2T creamy peanut butter

Saute the onions and carrots until starting to turn soft, about 7 minutes. Add all the spices and drained tomatoes (save the juice) and saute for another 5 minutes, stirring often. Dump in the broth, reserved tomato juice, cilantro and lentils. Simmer with the lid on for 2 hours. Remove lid, add orzo, cook until al dente, about 10 minutes. Stir in the peanut butter until melted. You can eat it like that or thicken it up by stirring with a stick blender for a few seconds. Squeeze in a little lemon juice if you like the tang.

Worms in Dirt

Had to post these cuties! Having a birthday party for Wes tomorrow with a "Camp Out" theme...I can't wait to see all the 2 year olds playing in the tent and "fishing" in the pond.

Jicama Orange Salad

If you've never tried the sweet crunch of a jicama, now is the time. In the produce aisle, you'd never guess what lurks underneath it's dingy brown skin (it almost looks like a big turnip). But get it home and peel it, you will find a wonderful and healthy snack. Most times I just like to chop it up into sticks the size of baby carrots and keep it in the fridge for snacking raw.

This time, I decided on a light and fresh salad, dressed with the juice of oranges, cilantro, cumin and cayenne for a hint of Latin spice.

Jicama Orange Salad

1 small jicama, julienned

1 small avocado, chopped

2 navel oranges, supremed

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1/2 cup orange juice

1 T. rice wine vinegar

1 T. canola oil

1/4 t. cumin

dash cayenne

salt to taste

Mix first four ingredients. Mix the rest in a bowl and drizzle over the salad.

Regular Dinners

Sometimes I just go through a creative slump, where looking for recipes, shopping, cooking and cleaning up afterwards....it just isn't happening. This is one of those weeks, for sure. I think we even had pizza on two different nights.

My "Regular Dinner" is usually some kind of chicken and a veggie or two. This week it was sliced BBQ chicken on top of mashed potatoes with a salad....and Teriyaki Chicken with grilled asparagus. Oh, and regular dinners are *always* served on our festive plastic plates leftover from my brother's wedding rehearsal dinner (where they served made-to-order tacos and lots of margaritas....yum!)

Do you have a "regular dinner"? What is it?

Forget Starbucks

My friend Kim sent me this article from http://www.gadling.com/. Mmmmm....turd coffee!

"At Gadling we are pretty crazy about odd and bizarre foods. We've already written about Indonesian turd coffee, a byproduct of wild civets, but today the good news is that you don't have to travel all the way to Southeast Asia to get it. To get your morning cup of turd coffee, make your way to London instead.

Peter Jones, a department store in Sloane Square, is selling a gourmet coffee blend made from animal dung and selling it at £50 a cup; that's almost $100! Caffe Raro, which is thought to be the most expensive coffee in the world, is a made from a blend of Jamaican Blue Mountain and Kopi Luwak beans. The Kopi Luwak beans are eaten by the Asian palm civet, and once passed through their system, collected and sold for a little under $650 per kilogram. Don't worry -- they're washed before they are roasted."

REALLY?????

Grilled Radicchio with Pecans and Chevre

This was my lunch today. I ate every last bit, so I think it was a success. It will also take care of my "new ingredient for the week", a concept that I am trying to uphold by using an ingredient that I've never cooked with. While I've had radicchio tossed into a salad, it has never been the feature ingredient and I have never bought a head of it at the store.

The grilling takes the bitter edge off of the radicchio and the sweet and sour dressing adds the needed tang. Earthy pecans and creamy goat cheese are a perfect compliment to the salad.

Grilled Radicchio with Pecans and Chevre

1 head of radicchio, sliced into thin wedges

olive oil to coat

1 Tbsp. honey

2 Tbsp. aged balsamic vinegar

splash of lemon juice

salt/pepper to taste

2 Tbsp. chopped pecans

1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese

Coat sliced radicchio with oil and grill on a pan or BBQ until brown on the edges, but not soggy. Meanwhile mix the honey, vinegar, lemon juice and salt/pepper together and once the lettuce is plated, pour the dressing over it. Add chopped pecans and goat cheese. Serves 1-2.

Smores Cupcakes

I have a Mom's Club function tomorrow and made these Smores Cupcakes for the bake sale...nothing fancy, just wanted to make you hungry. I used a boxed cake mix, but made my own marshmallow buttercream frosting (2 sticks butter, 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 tsp. vanilla and 16 oz marshmallow cream) and topped with graham cracker crumbs. Now if I can just avoid eating one.....nope.

Zucchini Tacos

Here is another veggie-laden meal that was quite satisfying and light at the same time. The taco filling is similar to Zucchini with Spinach Pesto from http://www.greenlitebites.com/ and then I just added a dollop of fat-free sour cream, a squeeze of lime all atop some grilled corn tortillas. I made the zucchini on day one for a salad, and then on day two I used the leftovers for these tacos. Yummy and healthy!

Here is what I did with the zucchini, only because I had plenty of herbs in the fridge. You could use any combination of greens/herbs that you have for the "pesto" sauce.

2 zucchini, sliced thin
1 bell pepper, sliced thin
1 cup fresh spinach
2 T. chopped cilantro
2 T. chopped basil
1 T. chopped mint
1 clove garlic
1 T. olive oil
1 T. lemon juice
1 T. vinegar of choice
salt/pepper

To make the pesto, put everything except zucchini and bell pepper in a blender, or use a stick blender. Pour over zucchini and bells and let marinate for at least 30 minutes, stirring a couple times.

For the tacos, I warmed the tortillas on the gas burner and stuffed with the zucchini, added a couple teaspoons of FF sour cream and a squeeze of lime.

Bacon Wrapped Chicken

Got this idea from another blog (gosh, now I can't remember which one) and tried it to the best of my memory. These are chicken thighs with bone in, because they were on sale, but I would rather use boneless. Anyways, I did 2 thighs each in a foil packet on top of some onions, peppers and carrots, but ended up leaving the chicken in the oven for so long to get the bacon crispy that the veggies turned to mush. So I ditched the veggie sludge and served them on lightly steamed spinach.

Bacon Wrapped Chicken Thighs

8 chicken thighs
pepper
dijon
rosemary (not much)
8 pieces of bacon

Season chicken with pepper and spread a tiny amount of dijon on each. Sprinkle with a little rosemary and wrap each one with a piece of bacon. Cook in foil packets or in a baking dish. If you use the foil, be sure to open it up during the last 20 minutes of cooking. I baked in a 400 oven for an hour, but you could probably cut that back to about 40 min. (yes, I am squirmish about getting my chicken totally cooked, hah!) Serve over yummy wilted spinach if you want to be like me. C'mon, you know you do! Serves 4.

Beet Salad with Feta

Mmmmm....beets. Did I just say that? My only exposure to beets as a child was on the occasional restaurant salad, where they were canned and pickled or something like that. I remember picking them off, but remaining curious about the vibrant pink juice that they produced and how it made my Ranch dressing such a stylish color. They weren't terribly offensive, just not my bag.

When I first started my blog just over a month ago, I stated that my goal was to try a new ingredient each week that I had never worked with before. This qualifies, big time. Other recent ingredients new to me were polenta grits and fennel.

From reading up a little, I gathered that the best way to serve these was roasted or cooked, sliced up in a salad with a light vinaigrette. Sounds easy enough. I didn't want to mess with the oven, so I just boiled them for 10 minutes. After I peeled and sliced them, I found that they were still a little crisp-tender on the inside, which was fine by me. Didn't realize the potency of the juice and the aftermath on my hands:

Anyways, after my experience today, I can't say that I "love" beets, but they were pretty darn tasty and it just felt like they were good for me. They lended a subtle earthy slant to my lunch, which was balanced by the lemony dressing and pungent feta. I only used 2 of the 4 and so you might see a post soon for some kind of beet soup.

Beet Salad with Feta

2 beets, cooked, peeled and sliced

handful of greens (I used baby greens and spinach)

1 T. feta cheese

8 pistachios, chopped

dressing:

2 T. lemon juice

1 tsp agave nectar or honey

1 tsp. Dijon

2 T. light olive oil

salt/pepper

Use most of the dressing to coat the warm beets, and let sit for 30 minutes. Prepare dressing. Lightly dress the greens with rest of dressing. Put everything on a plate and sprinkle with feta and nuts and serve.

Monterey Bay Aquarium

My friend had a couple extra free tickets and so we decided to go to Monterey for the day. We got there at about 11:00 and despite our attempts with bringing snacks and drinks, the kids were hungry and antsy by noon. The place is a little different from when we last visited 4 years ago. It seems that almost every corner of the aquarium is geared to kids who love to push buttons and manipulate exhibits. This is a big plus for our guys. It was really cool, but very crowded, so keeping track of them was a little daunting. I would suggest, if you can, to make your visit on a weekday.

We really enjoyed the Jellyfish exhibit, the Bat Ray touch tank, the sharks and otters. There was an area called "Splash Zone" which was a great kids area, but again, so crowded that it was hard to navigate with the kids and a double stroller. I loved the concept though, and maybe on a non-spring break, non-weekend, it would be fantastic!

We ate at the cheesy Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, but it was perfect for us...they had a sand pit playground to use while we waited for food. (Notice how our restaurant choice revolves around 2 active boys). The kids got pizza, fries and jello with their kids meal ($4.99), and I had the clam chowder. It was pretty decent; the clams were tender and the thickness was perfect....a little too much celery, but that is my own opinion as I don't really care for it. Scott had a Cobb Salad with Shrimp which was served with a Raspberry Vinaigrette and Gorgonzola. He said the flavors were nice, but it was over-dressed. I didn't get a picture of the food because my batteries pooped out!

All in all, it was a nice day....but maybe a little too much work with the young 'uns. I would like to try in another year or two. Those of you that brave Disneyland in the summer with any toddlers in tow....hats off to you!

Gnocchi Bake with Red Pepper Sauce

Not sure what possessed me to make this yesterday, especially since it is not the simplest of meals. It could have been a subliminal message from the Curious George cartoon, where George's cat friend is named "Gnocchi"....or it could have been a recent Food TV show on pasta making. Anyhow, my intention was to make a brown butter sage sauce, but realized that I was out of butter (gasp) and margarine simply won't do when you are going to the effort to make your own gnocchi. Here is what I did:

For the gnocchi:
2 russett potatoes: peeled, cubed, boiled and mashed
1/2 cup flour
1 egg, lightly beaten

Mix all ingredients until it forms a dough that you can work with. Add more flour, if necessary. Roll into logs about 1/2 inch thick and then cut into small pieces, about 1/2 inch long. Roll each piece in between the tines of two forks to get the classic shape. This was tricky and awkward for me...maybe there is some video tutorial out there? Let them sit in the fridge for at least a half hour covered with a napkin. Boil in salted water for 3 minutes or until they float to the top.

For the sauce: In the blender, toss about a cup of roasted peppers from a jar with 1 cup milk, 1 clove of garlic, 1/2 tsp basil, 1/2 tsp. parsley and salt/pepper to taste. I also added about 1/4 cup of marinara from a jar that I had in the fridge. Put half of the sauce in a baking dish, add the gnocchi, top with the remaining sauce and cover with parmesan. Bake for 25 minutes in a 350 oven. Yum!

I suppose you could do the same thing with store bought gnocchi, and it would still be awesome and much easier than this. However, if you are looking for a real homemade indulgence, there is nothing like the fluffy and fresh version.

Happy weekend everyone!

P.S. I found a video for you: http://www.imcooked.com/view_video.php?viewkey=3bb12d203f45a912eeaf

Shaved Fennel and Grapefruit Salad

Okay, I loved this salad. It was light and refreshing with an explosion of textures and flavors. The sour citrus, crunchy fennel, salty Parmesan and slightly sweet dressing all on a bed of delicately dressed watercress makes for a party in your mouth. I would absolutely say that you have to like grapefruit to enjoy it.

Shaved Fennel and Grapefruit Salad

1 bulb fennel

1 bunch watercress

1 grapefruit

Parmesan shavings

Dressing:

Juice of grapefruit core

1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

2 tsp honey

1 T. olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Cut peel off grapefruit and cut out sections, leaving the membranes behind (use that to get the juice for the dressing) Cut fennel into thin slices. Mix all ingredients of the dressing and lightly dress the watercress with half of it. Place watercress, fennel and grapefruit on the plate, drizzle with remaining dressing and top with Parmesan shavings.

Barley Alphabet Soup

Do you ever just make stuff up? I guess once you figure out what spices go together, then whipping up a "dump" soup is pretty easy. I call it a dump soup because it always contains a couple of cans from the pantry...usually beans, tomatoes, chicken stock, etc. and whatever you happen to have in your fridge. I am getting ready to go grocery shopping so this is what I had left in my stock: 1 sweet potato, leftover easter ham, half bag of baby carrots, 3 green onions.

I almost feel challenged to create something interesting when there is so little produce in the house.....like a quickfire challenge. (By the way, last week on Top Chef the quickfire was to create something with 5 ingredients! - cool!)

Here is the "recipe" which actually came out quite tasty!

Barley Alphabet Soup

1 T. olive oil
half bag of baby carrots
1/2 cup pearl barley
1/2 cup leftover spiral ham, chopped
2 cans chicken stock
2 cups water
1 can diced tomatoes
1 T. ketchup
1 T. dijon mustard
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp dried parsely
3 chopped green onions
1 sweet potato, chopped
1/4 cup alphabet pasta

salt and pepper to taste

Cook the carrots, barley and ham in oil for 5 minutes, until barley gets a little toasty. Add the stock, water, tomatoes and seasonings. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add green onions and sweet potato and simmer for another 15. Using a stick blender, blend up for a few seconds to break down some of the chunks. There should still be a lot of texture, but the soup will now be thicker. Add the alphabet pasta and cook just until pasta is tender. Serve with cornbread or salad.

Beef and Guinness Stew with Herbed Dumplings

Not your average light spring meal for sure....but darling husband saw the recipe in our local supermarket free monthly magazine (Raley's) and looked at me like Puss 'N Boots on Shrek....with those big wide eyes. "Okaaaaaaay, I'll make it." We were only a week late for this St. Patty's Day themed meal....

I'm posting the recipe because it was pretty decent. However, it seemed to turn a little "bitter" the next day and I'm wondering if it had anything to do with the beer. I might try the same recipe with red wine instead of beer and see how the leftovers taste then.

Beef and Guinness Stew with Herbed Dumplings

2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided

2 lbs. chuck beef or sirloin, cubed

3 carrots, peeled and chopped

1 onion, chopped

1/4 cup flour

1 1/2 cups each: Guinness Beer and beef broth

2 ribs celery

1-2 russett potatoes

1/2 lb mushrooms

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 tsp. thyme

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

Dumplings:

1 1/2 cups Bisquick

1/2 cup milk

1 Tbsp each: fresh parsley, fresh basil

1 tsp. fresh rosemary

Heat 1 tbsp. oil in pot. Add beef in small batches and brown well on all sides. Remove and set aside. Add other tbsp. oil and saute onions, carrots and celery. Cook for 5 minutes. Stir in flour and cook for 2 min. Add beer and broth, cook and stir until slightly thickened. Add beef back to pot with remaining stew ingredients and bring to boil. Cover and simmer over very low heat for 1 1/2 hours. Remove lid and simmer another 15 minutes. Prepare dumplings by mixing everything together and dropping by the spoonful onto the top of the stew. Cover and cook for 15 minutes, or until the dumplings are cooked through.

Bay Area Discovery Museum - Sausalito

Arrrrh, matey....where is that darn treasure?

Okay, mom...this is it. The most fake smile that I can muster.

Wow, frogs!
How many crabs did we get this time?? That should yield us at least a hundred bucks!

Wes and dad at the water resistance machine.....Owen behind at the wind resistance.

On Owen's Pond...Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've imagined. As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler. --Henry David Thoreau

I know what I am doing here...

Just proof that we've been here, done that!

This was a fun trip for us, and a beautifully clear day in SF...what a treat! If you've never been to the Bay Area Discovery Museum, it might be worth the trip. I'd say that if your kids are under 7, they'd be pleased with the offerings.

They have several distinct areas to explore....a great outdoor area and playground, a train and boat room, a wave and wind room, art room, an exhibit hall that changes every couple months, shows and music in the auditorium, an exclusive toddler area for kids under 42 inches. They have a cafe and lots of picnic tables too!

We packed a lunch to save some cash, and we also have a ACM membership that gets us in free and includes Children's Museums from all over the country. If you don't have that, its $1o for adults and $8 for kids. Every second Saturday from 1-5 pm is free. One thing to consider...strollers are not allowed in any of the halls, so be prepared to leave your strollers outside as you explore the exhibits. Carry wallet and keys in your pocket and your camera around your neck if you are wary of that.

Booger?

Polenta Brushetta with Peppers and Olives

I made a big pan of polenta yesterday to have with that piccata. I've never really made it before, and didn't know that one cup of dry grits would make so much. Here is my solution for the leftovers: it's an appetizer type thingy. All I did was cut the polenta, added a slice of swiss cheese, a basil leaf, roasted red pepper strips and green olives. Popped it under some heat until melty. I won't even post a recipe because it was so easy, and you really could top it with just about any combination of cheese/herb/produce. I think a sauteed mushroom and goat cheese would be awesome!

Chicken Piccata

Did you catch the season premiere of Top Chef last week? It seems that the producers are trying hard to create drama by picking contestants that are completely wacky. This guy Andrew is a loudmouth whiner drops the F bomb every chance he gets. And there is the obligatory heavily tatooed bald guy with a scowl. Don't forget the chemist chef who brings all kinds of gizmos and prefers to cook with liquid nitrogen. There are also 4 contestants from San Francisco, two of whom are a lesbian couple (Jen and Zoi). Again, drama.

Anyways, my point was that their first elimination challenge was to prepare a classic dish, two people each doing one of 8 dishes. The person who made the better classic dish was exempt from elimination. Their choices were Lasagne, Duck ala Orange, Crab Cakes, Chicken Piccata, Eggs Benedict, Steak Au Poivre, Shrimp Scampi, Souffle.

Ryan, who claims to have started cooking in a restaurant at age 11 is chosen to do the Chicken Piccata and on his shopping spree, he loses his notebook and picks up breadcrumbs and tomatoes!! He gets harped upon by the judges for making Chicken Milanese, and they are amazed that he doesn't even know how to make the Piccata. In my mind, I was like...haha haaa, even little ole me can cook up that dish. Now, if I had to do a souffle, that would be a different story!

Anyways, here is my tried and true recipe, which I got out of a magazine called "Cuisine at Home" a couple years ago. I also use their Italian meatball recipe, which I will post some other time.

Chicken Piccata

Season:

4 chicken cutlets with salt and pepper, then dust with flour

Saute in:

2T. oil, 2-3 min per side. Remove from pan and

Deglaze with:

1/4 c. white wine and 1 clove minced garlic

Add:

1/2 cup chicken broth

2T fresh lemon juice

1T capers

Sauteed cutlets

Finish with:

1 T. butter and fresh lemon slices

Garnish with:

Chopped fresh parsley

Banana Crumb Muffins

Nothing like the smell of fresh muffins wafting through your house...unless you are on a diet! Anyways, these are for my boys because like me, they do not like to eat the over-ripened bananas and I had 4 large ones turning brown. I used a recipe from http://www.allrecipes.com/ and adapted the amount of butter, using more applesauce instead.

This is my second attempt at photographing this item. In the first I used a green tablecloth, a white plate and more direct light. The picture looked harsh and had a weird green glow on the muffins. Here things are looking a little more organic and soft. It is indirect kitchen light near a window, with a white tea towel.

Banana Crumb Muffins

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 bananas, mashed
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 T. butter, melted

1/4 cup applesauce

1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease 10 muffin cups, or line with muffin papers. In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg, applesauce and melted butter. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.
Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.