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They Are so Cute — Now What Do I Do with Them?

By mlb, on May 30th, 2007%

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I was in New Seasons the other day buying some halibut and as I was walking through the produce sections I saw the cutest thing — garlic tops.

tops

“Oh!” I thought to myself, “need to buy! Cuuute!”

Then I got home and realized I had no idea what to do with them. I did a little online searching and found this page — Mary Jane’s Farm about garlic scapes, which I think are slightly younger versions of my tops but I figured it was close enough.

I made the pesto, using half parm and half feta. I also added some pine nuts. Wow! The garlic! It burns! (But in a good way). I mixed about a tablespoon into a big bowl of hot pasta with some olive oil to start, as it did seem a little strong. But — by the middle of the meal, jwa and . . . → Read More: They Are so Cute — Now What Do I Do with Them?

4 comments   Appetizers, Cheese, Dips, Fish & Seafood, Pasta, Snacks, Wedding

Tuna Cakes with Spicy Avocado Sauce

By mlb, on May 29th, 2007%

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This is another one of those cleaning the cabinets type of projects. This time it was a big can of tuna and a small can of black olives. Oh and I also got to use an avocado that really needed to be used. Not bad — a tasty meal and room in the cabinet for more cans of things I won’t use for six months. Hooray!

Since the sauce is nice, cool and creamy this also makes a great light meal when it’s hot out.

For sauce
Based on a recipe from Gourmet magazine
1 medium avocado, pitted and peeled
1 tbsp low-fat mayonnaise
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar
1 jalapeno chile (including seeds), stemmed and quartered lengthwise
1/4 cup fat-free milk

For tuna cakes
Based on eating frugally in grad school and jwa’s love of olives
1 12 oz can tuna in water, drained and flaked into a bowl
1 egg
1/4 cup minced fresh . . . → Read More: Tuna Cakes with Spicy Avocado Sauce

8 comments   Fish & Seafood, Spring, Summer, Vegetables

SHF31: White Chocolate Cashew Clusters with Lavender & Orange Zest

By mlb, on May 24th, 2007%

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This month’s Sugar High Friday 31 is hosted by Seven Spoons and the theme is — “Shades of White.” Fun! Of course, it would have been nice if I had realized that my post was supposed to be up at the beginning of the week but I read the announcement wrong…Hopefully, I can sneak my entry in!

This is a neutral shade and S-I-M-P-L-E to make. Chocolate. Nuts. Assorted flavor whatnots (lavender + orange zest). That is all.

White Chocolate Clusters with Lavender & Orange Zest
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup cashews (edited to add: I used roasted, lightly salted)
1/2 tsp dried lavender
1/2 tsp orange zest

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To begin, put the chips, orange zest and lavender in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 30 second increments, stirring between each time, until the chocolate is melted. You could also, of course, use a double-boiler for this.

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Add the . . . → Read More: SHF31: White Chocolate Cashew Clusters with Lavender & Orange Zest

5 comments   Chocolate, Dessert, Food Blogging Event, Nuts, Snacks

Better Than a Dip for Dinner: Chicken with White Beans, Rosemary & Roasted Lemon

By mlb, on May 23rd, 2007%

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This is based on a recipe by Michael Chiarello that used potatoes instead of white beans. I thought white beans would go really well with the lemon, garlic and rosemary, as I love white bean dip with all those ingredients. My hypothesis was correct.

Be careful to rinse, drain and pat the beans a little with a paper towel or the extra moisture on the beans could cause the olive oil to splatter a bit. The beans don’t get crunchy per se, but they do get a little dry and golden brown. They definitely gain some flavor from the heat of the pan.

The sauce is indeed lemony. Add the butter, it will be good. Also, a little feta cheese on the top of the plated chicken is tasty. Trust me on that one.

Chicken with White Beans, Rosemary & Lemon
(Serves two like this; double for four)
1 lemon
salt & pepper
2 . . . → Read More: Better Than a Dip for Dinner: Chicken with White Beans, Rosemary & Roasted Lemon

2 comments   Beans & Legumes, Comfort Food, Italian, Poultry & Fowl, Recipes

Farmer’s Market Pizza with Easy Pizza Dough

By mlb, on May 20th, 2007%

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One of the things I really like about working downtown is the Wednesday Farmer’s Market in the Park blocks. This week, I hiked up there with the intention of finding ingredients for a pizza, as I had just come across a dough recipe in Fine Cooking that I wanted to try out.

My trip was a complete success as I scored some fresh green garlic, a big spring onion, local Mozzarella, tomatoes on the vine and some spinach. And I’m happy to report this dough experiment was also a complete success and I am becoming less and less afraid of yeast bread making. Hooray!

Easy Pizza Dough
From Fine Cooking magazine
1 package (2-1/4 tsp.) active-dry yeast
1-1/2 cups very warm water (100-110°F)
18 oz. (4 cups) all-purpose flour; more for dusting
1-1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. olive oil

First, dissolve the yeast in the warm water and set aside for a few minutes (5-10). . . . → Read More: Farmer’s Market Pizza with Easy Pizza Dough

4 comments   Baking, Cheese, Comfort Food, Italian, Portland, Recipes, Vegetables
 
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