Leftover Salad

EWWWW to MMMMMMM

Normally I'm not really into leftover salads- too mushy for me. Here's a great trick we used to turn a day old salad into crispy flavorful goodness:

If salad is not already dressed- do so with desired vinaigrette
Peel endive leaves off and scoop portions of the salad mixture into each leaf

We used this method to finish up a delicious avocado, orange and poppy seed salad with red wine and shallot vinaigrette. The fresh endive leaves added that much desired crunch that a day old salad is lacking- and it looks a tad fancy for serving as hors d'oeurves

Salad on a Budget

"Salad on a Budget"- I'm not implying that salads are particularly expensive to throw together, I just wanted to share with you a few little tips that helped keep some extra cash in my wallet for weekend spending! Here are two ingredients I tweaked to save some cash money:

Feta & Focaccia

My cheap meal plan was pizza and salad, one of my go-to classics. The pizza was spoken for: fire roasted tomatoes, mushrooms, artichokes and mozzarella. For the Salad I had a hankering for a Greek style, but my remaining feta cheese was reserved for a dish that I plan to make tonight. Looking back on previous crow posts I decided to borrow a technique that Emily used back in June to make her Orange Basil Dressing. She added avocado to her dressing to make it more rich and creamy. I figured that I could cut back on feta by crumbling a small amount in the dressing in hopes of it flavoring the whole salad. I must say it turned out quite well.

Now for the Focaccia, this technique isn't nearly as exciting but still a bit clever. I am a huge fan of croutons in my salad, i like the crunch and the heartiness they add. Lately I've been chopping up the heels of bread, tossing it with olive oil, salt, pepper and oregano and popping them in the toaster.

This past shopping trip I poked around the "old bread" section and found a reduced-price chunk of Focaccia and thought wow, this would be great for croutons. Since the Focaccia already has a lot of seasoning and olive oil, all I had to do was chop and toast it and voila- delicious croutons.

Greek Salad Dressing

Whisk together honey, lemon juice, dijon, freshly chopped oregano and crumbled feta

Stream in extra virgin olive oil

Taste before seasoning with salt and pepper (the feta packs a lot of salty goodness).

Pasta Salad Season

One of my favorite things about a summer BBQ or Picnic are the side dishes. Chip and dip platters, roasted veggies, kabobs, cole slaw, your almost full before you even dig into a burger or dawg. My new summer side dish love is the versatile pasta salad. I'm not talking about the stuff you buy at the deli that is drenched in Wish Bone Italian Dressing; I'm talking about these bad boys:

Grilled Chicken Pasta Salad w/Artichoke Hearts & Orzo Feta and Tomato Salad w/Marjoram Vinaigrette

Now these are the Pasta Salads I'm looking to scarf down this summer.

I saw Barefoot Contessa make a yummy Lemon Fusilli Salad with Arugula so I found the recipe online, tweaked it a bit and ended up with a tasty Pasta Salad that I would be proud to present at my next Picnic.


Changes in Recipe:

• I didn't have arugula so I just added extra broccoli
• Swapped the Fusilli for some Bow Ties
• Added the lemon juice at the end, I didn't want the taste to get bitter while simmering on the stove but I still added the zest at the beginning
• Substituted half of the cream with vegetable stock to cut back on some of the richness, but I had to simmer it a little longer to get the right consistency
• NOTES: I know this recipe calls for the broccoli florets, but I happen to really enjoy the steam. If you peel off the outer tough ends, the inside is nice and tender. Also this recipe works great cut in half

Here is my finished product, it's fine served warm or at room temperature. I would love to hear some other Pasta Salad recipes that you Crows are cooking up!

2 Lovely Sauces

Let it be said that:

casserole < style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">
Mac & Cheese for the summer days

1 lb dried pasta

Bechamel Sauce*
2 c whole milk
3 T butter, 2 T olive oil (I know, I know)
4 T flour

1 lb shredded cheddar
3 handfulls parm cheese
1 c peas
1 c corn kernels off the cobb

1 sliced heirloom tomato

Begin by boiling pasta to an extreme al-dente. Drain, rinse with cold water. Make bechamel sauce by melting butter with olive oil over low heat. Add flour and cook until the flour smell is gone. Add Milk. continue to simmer, never boil, until the milk starts to thicken. Add Parm cheese. Stir and remove from heat. Mix Shredded Cheddar (minues a little for the crispy top) with the pasta, corn, and peas. Put in baking dish. Pour white sauce over pasta. Place sliced tomatos along the top of the pasta, and then sprinkle extra cheese on top. Bake at 350-400 for 40 minutes, and then pop it under the broiler for an extra 5 to crisp the top.

Orange Basil Dressing

Juice from 1 orange, zest from half
6 basil leaves
1 small rosemary sprig
1 t mustard
1/2 medium avacado
salt and pepper
1 clove garlic
small amount of onion- red or green
olive oil

Blend all ingredients, if you want a more acidic dressing add some red wine vinegar. If you have some lemon, I bet that would be yummy. This comes out such a beautiful green!! I recommend enjoying this over a simple salad of mix greens, tomato and onion!

* A wonderful utility sauce that can be used to start a pasta sauce, or be the sauce itself if you add some chopped green onions and extra parm cheese!

Eggplant City!

The crows have been posting alot of eggplant recipes lately, but if they are all different then what's the harm? One problem I have with eggplant is that if I don't use it right away, it has a tendency to hide out in the back of my vegetable bin only to be discovered when it's way past its prime. A huge challenge to getting a produce delivery each week, or being part of a CSA is to make sure you use all of your veggies before they turn foul; there's nothing worse than throwing away brown and slimy string beans, asparagus, arugula, etc. that were once green and vibrant.

In an attempt to not repeat past mistakes, I decided to dig right into that eggplant (thank's Boston Organics!) and make one of my stand by recipes: Individual Eggplant Parms. I invited my friends over who just moved down here from Maine because I figured they needed a break from unpacking and have probably been eating out for the past week, so I wanted to treat them to a home-cooked meal. When I began prepping, I remembered that I made the same meal the last time I had these friends over for dinner and immediately felt discouraged. I knew they wouldn't mind but it's always nice to switch up meal plans when you have dinner guests, you don't them thinking you're only a one dish wonder! I sipped on a beer and weighed out my options and decided I would just jazz up the eggplant parm rather than brainstorm a whole new meal. I sliced the eggplant lengthwise to make long patties rather than my previous method of circular slices; and added some fresh asparagus.

Here's my new eggplant creation before it went back in oven:

Individual Eggplant Parm w/ Asparagus
1 eggplant
1 bunch of asparagus
1 can fire roasted tomatoes
2 eggs
Shredded Parm and Mozz
Breadcrumbs
Fresh basil leaves
Olive Oil, S&P

Preheat oven to 450
Peel* the eggplant and cut lengthwise into 1/4-1/2 in strips
salt eggplant slices on both sides and lay out on a cooling rack or strainer- after 10 minutes flip slices over to let the other side drain. After another 10 minutes pat slices dry with a paper towel. (This step is to draw some bitter liquid out of the eggplant but is completely optional if you don't mind the taste as is)
Crack two eggs in a shallow dish, whisk with a little water to thin out
Dip eggplant in egg, then breadcrumbs and place on a baking sheet and put into the oven
After 15 minutes flip the eggplant (make sure it is golden brown on the bottom side).
Toss asparagus spears with olive oil, salt and pepper
Once the other side has baked for 15 minutes take baking sheet out of oven and assemble the parms by laying 2-3 asparagus spears on the eggplant slices, top each with fresh basil, fire roasted tomatoes and cheese
Cover with aluminum foil and place back in the oven for 5 minutes.
*Peeling the eggplant is optional, I just find it easier to eat without the skin

This meal goes great with some crusty bread and a garden salad. I felt like swaying away from my normal balsamic dressing and made a yummy Dijon vinaigrette. I used a dijon jar that was almost empty and added a couple tablespoons of red wine vinegar, tablespoon of honey, salt, pepper, and a pinch of freshly chopped thyme. Put lid on and shake to get all of the leftover dijon off from the sides. Add extra virgin olive oil and give another shake and you're ready to dress your salad and have a easy container to keep your left over vinaigrette in!

Memorial Day Picnic in the Arboretum

Perfect weather for Memorial Day- not too hot (around 75 degrees) and not too windy. It didn't take us long to find a nice secluded area in the Arboretum to lay out our blankets and start mowing down on some tasty snacks and refreshing drinks. Vbar made a delicious guacamole and brought along some salsa and tortilla chips. I brought some leftover pizza, baguette and...

Tuna and White Bean Salad
(this is one of my favs because it doesn't use mayo!)

Ingredients:
1 15oz can of White Beans (drained and rinsed)
2 6oz cans of Tuna, drained
1 large tomato- seeded and diced
1/4 C finely diced red onion
1 large garlic clove- put through a garlic press
Juice of 2 lemons
2 tsp Dijon Mustard
1/4 C olive oil
Fresh chopped Basil
Salt and Pepper to taste

-Toss beans, tuna, tomatoes and onions in a mixing bowl
-In a measuring cup whisk together lemon juice, mustard, garlic, s&p
-Gradually whisk in the olive oil and pour over the tuna and bean mixture and add freshly chopped basil

And to wash it all down we sipped on some of these:
Clean Out your Booze Cupboard Cocktail
This recipe varies from household to household depending on what's hiding out in the depths of your liquor cabinet or freezer. The only ingredient that is common amongst these cocktails is a Massachusetts Law that Prohibits the Sale of alcohol on a Holiday (how do we all still forget about this!)- Otherwise you would be sipping on the cocktail of your choice rather than a cocktail of desperation. The liquor supplies in my nest were all dried up, but thankfully Carolina Place had some surprise goodins on reserve and VBar threw together a refreshing cocktail from her eclectic array of leftover booze. I do not have the exact measurements because the cocktails were already made by the time i got there (i'm guessing all of the bottles were more than halfway depleted) but I do know the ingredients: Svedka Vodka, Peach Scnhapps, White Wine, lemonade, lime slices- topped off with seltzer.

The real Hero of this picnic was Matt Studner, who was on his A game and purchased a 12 pack of Coronoa and bottle of wine the night before- thanks Matt, you really saved the day!

nom nom nom.

The crows have been quiet in the absence of Miz Holly! And there hasn't been much activity on my part lately, due to a voyage to the nest of Mama Crow who keep me full and happy all weekend long.
Last night was a return to the nest for the Cock (male crow people) and I and we celebrated with a delcious summer meal of:

Thai Lime Marinated Tilapia
Ginger and Sesame rice (from the box)
Citrus and Fennel Salad

accompanied by:
Raspberry Lemonade Gin Drinks: Hereby dubbed the "Citrusberry Chiller."

The fish was delicious, although not much to brag about since I used Drew's Organic marinade. The rice, which was NearEast Brand went well with the meal, but was overall too sweet.
But the salad, my friends, was delicious. A last minute inspiration upon realizing that my collard greens had wilted over the weekend and I had no other fresh veggies in my house save a fennel bulb and half a red pepper. It was simple, fresh, bright-flavored and an excellent accompany to marinaded white fish. I look up similar recipes for inspiration, but this salad and the dressing are ultimately my own.

And here it is:

Vbar's Citrus and Fennel Salad (serves 2-3)

½ of a Large fennel bulb, with the core cut out and sliced thin
1 orange with peel cut off and sliced into wedges
small amount of very thinly sliced red onion
thinly sliced ½ of red bell pepper
a good handful of fresh curly parsley, roughly chopped

Dressing:
Juice of 2 limes pharmaceutical
zest of ½ a lime
1 ½ tbsp. olive oil
sea salt
fresh ground pepper
tsp. of fresh grated ginger
Dash of red pepper
Toss all together and serve. So good, So good!

Citrusberry Chiller:
tanquery
raspberry lemonade
slice of lime


Pictures to come when I am not in the office!

The Cock's in the Kitchen

Paul and I thought this was pretty funny:

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_a_male_crow_called



Q "what is a male crow called"


A "male crows are called cocks"


Anyways, our good friends Steph and Jeff Spicer just moved into their first house out on the west island of Montreal and we finally got to go check it out! Upon seeing the diesel new grill on the back porch, Paul immediately suggested grilling (the grill master was in)


He marinated kebabs made with huge chunks of sweet onion, green and red pepper and chicken with his sassy homemade teriyaki marinade and grilled them to perfection.







Teriyaki Marinade


1 bunch of green onions, minced, whites only
3 large crushed garlic cloves
1 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup honey
Another interesting technique, compliments of Mr. Jeff Spicer, is scoring halved zucchinis. Take a small to medium sized zucchini and cut it in half length-wise. Next, take a sharp knife and score the flat side in a criss-cross pattern. Jeff adds salt next and lets them sit for a few minutes, to get the juices flowing, then olive oil and season to taste. You can throw these puppies on the grill and let them roast away. They only need to be grilled face down.


And perhaps my favorite of the night, trout sausage, or as I called them, trousage. I must admit I was skeptical at first, but they turned out to be quite delicious. They were simply a mix of fresh trout, parsley and chive, made into a sausage, but they were flakey and delicious and I will definitely pick them up if ever again I get the chance.

Grapeseed 101

So I am glad to have sparked an interest in a new type of oil!

As I previously mentioned I have been exploring the wonderful world of cooking oils more then ever due to the gaping void of nothingness that is my bank account. Straddled with my love for cooking is my love for value. I fantasize of a world where good food does not have to be something that is elite.

Delicious, nutrient packed food is something that should be accessible and affordable, if not a requirement for consumption. Cooking with grape seed oil will assist in this endeavor.

Grape seed oil is, of course, a vegetable oil (but not the bad kind) that is extracted from the seeds removed during the wine making process. When produced traditionally, it is an excellent use of a biproduct of something we all love-- Wine! However, when produced on a larger scale the oil is extracted using a nasty array of chemicals, so watch out for this when you are picking an oil to buy.

Its flavor can be described as both "nutty" and "neutral." The smoking point is significantly higher than a fruity, dark olive oil(my personal favorite) making it ideal for frying. I personally feel it fries the perfect tofu cube because it sincerely adds a subtle nutty flavor to an unseasoned cube, without changing the overall taste like a lighter olive oil would.

I still, and forever will, use olive oil when necessary, like on my salads, or with bread and pasta, but use grapeseed oil when I can. I have also found that it makes a great alternative to butter when baking. These delicious cookies below are made with no butter or eggs! They appear strange and biscut-like but are so rich in chocolaty flavor because the fatty content does not hide the true taste of quality cocoa.

I have tried this recipe a few times, as it is the first one I have written entirely on my own. All have been highly successful taste-wise, but I have achieved slight variations in density, texture, and appearance each time.

I was so excited when I made them that I wrote my sister telling her of my new achievements. You can read it below.

___________________

So, I made something tonight that I feel like sharing.

I made cookies!

Now, to proceed, I have never, not a-once, made a good cookie.

I usually cry after making cookies due to failure.
But but not tonight! I have found success.

Butter is usually the enemy. I don't like it, so I don't keep it in the house which prevents me from baking delicious treats. Tonight, I have finally found a solution. I have tried some vegan recipes before, but they just use veggie shortening, which is also yucky.

The solution: Grape seed oil!

Chocolate Treats

1 1/4 c flour

1/2 c cocoa powder

1 t baking powder

2/3 c sugar

1/4 t salt

some smashed walnuts
1/4 c soy milk

1/3 c grape seed oil*

1 T vanilla extract

*if the dough looks too dry add more soy milk not oil. This is a ratio I still have not perfected. I've been considering applesauce as a vehicle of moisture.

Make 1T to 2T sized balls and bake for 9-10 minutes at 350. Then, take them out of the oven, and smoosh them with a finger in the center creating a nice pool. They make a nice *squish* sound when you do this. Now add jam in the middle and bake for 4-5 more minutes.

Enjoy!

Brown Baggin' It

If you're like me and work an office job with slim to no good food choices around then you'll brown bag it- (actually I sport a blue lunch bag i got at the dolla store!)

My favorite thing to bring is leftovers- pasta, soup, mashed potatoes you name it. I'm not really a fan of tupperware, basically because i feel that it retains a greasy film and discoloration after holding certain foods, especially the ones that are tomato based. I am however a huge fan of Jars, i have a pretty big archive of them in fact I have an entire drawer in my kitchen dedicated to their storage. I go through a lot of peanut butter and even though its a pain to clean out, the Teddy's PB jars really make a great vessel to bring lunch supplies in- i'm sure you're familiar with them:

These jars are also great for transporting mixed drinks but i'll save that for another post. Today for lunch I crammed some mixed greens, sliced radishes and chopped red bell pepper in one of these jars (freshly clean with the label washed off) and brought along a side of my favorite homemade dressing:

Simple Balsamic Dressing:
note: a miniature whisk really comes in handy here- they're only a couple of bucks!
Whisk together these ingredients-
1 tsp honey
1 tsp grainy dijon mustard
2 Tbs Balsamic Vinegar
sprinkle of salt and pepper
pinch of dried oregano*
Stream in Extra Virgin Olive Oil until it reaches the right acid/oil balance you desire

*break up the dried oregano between your fingers when pouring in- it really releases the flavor

There you have it- no more rotten/contaminated salad bars or yucky store bought dressings made from cotton seed or canola oil!

Transcontinental BBQ

Its good to hear it is finally warm enough to go to the beach in New England!

Yesterday Billy and myself attended our community Pot Luck, where all of the eccentric adults who live in our building show off their bbq-ing skills. It is a time to meet your neighbors, drink, and eat good food. There is, however, and underlying tone of competition among the grillers. Below is what I brought to the table!

Veggie skewers

Marinade
3 tons* minced fresh ginger
2 tons minced fresh garlic
1/2 cup Korean Chili sauce Sriracha
4 T mustard of your liking
4T Hoison Sauce (although plain soy would be good too)
Enough grapeseed oil** to cover the veggies and thin out the sauce
Red wine vinegar- I also think Balsamic or rice wine vinegar would work
Salt, and pepper

Veggies!
Green Pepper
Red Pepper
Eggplant- Cubed with skin left on
Mushrooms- any and all the mushrooms soak up the marinade the best!
Onions

On some of the skewers I put shrimpies, but I didn't marinade them with this-just the traditional S&P.

I let the veggies marinade almost 24 hours, and it was worth it! The chili sauce was grabbed up by both the eggplant and the mushrooms. But the sweetness of the mustard and hoison made the peppers delicious too!


*as per hollys instructions. However, here I felt there needed to be some specification as to how much garlic/ginger we are talking about
**which I have switched to for most occasions unless of course the olive oil is the star of the show!

My Debut Caw

I need to play some catch-up with these posts- great Intro VBAR!

Lemon Thyme Chicken
Riane and I first made this for a BBQ a month back when the weather wasn't as warm but the food was just as tasty. We got the recipe from a Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, but i will modify it in my own words. The marinade calls for:
1 shit ton* of minced garlic, lemon juice and fresh thyme.
Whisk in some extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.
If you have some white wine kicking around that is also yummy to add in, especially if you are making a larger batch.

* in future posts this measurement will be abbreviated s ton- basically this is when you don't need exact measurements, just add how much flavor looks good to you. If you're like me and love alot of flavor than a shit ton seems like a fitting measurement.