Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Courtesy of Emeril
This makes a great appetizer and is super easy to make (if you have a food processor). I just serve them with pita bread, torn up into wedges (or cut into wedges if you're a perfectionist).

Ingredients:

• 3 cups drained cooked chickpeas (or garbanzo beans)
• 1 roasted red bell pepper, skinned, seeded, and coarsely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• 3/4 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/2 cup tahini
• 2 tablespoons water
• 4 to 6 tablespoons lemon juice, to taste
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika

In the bowl of a food processor, place the chickpeas and red bell pepper. On a cutting board, mash the garlic cloves with 1/4 teaspoon of salt to a smooth paste with the side of a knife, then add this to the processor along with the crushed red pepper, tahini, water, 4 tablespoons of the lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, cumin, and pepper and process until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. Taste and adjust the seasoning by adding salt and additional lemon juice, if necessary, to taste. Transfer to a wide shallow bowl for serving and use the back of a serving spoon to form a well in the center of the hummus. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and sprinkle the top with the parsley, and paprika. Serve at room temperature.

Roasted Garlic Pesto Linguine with Sausage

I saw this made on the Food Network (since I am obsessed with that channel, as anyone that's been at my place can tell you) and have been really wanting to make it. After Nick and I got our rears kicked at CrossFit, I decided that tonight was the night! This recipe was adapted from Sonny Anderson, I just replaced the shrimp with sausage this go around.

Ingredients:

• 15 garlic cloves, peeled (about 1 head)
• 1 cup olive oil, plus extra for tomatoes
• 1 pound cherry tomatoes
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 1 cup packed basil leaves
• 1 pound linguine
• 2 Italian sausages
• 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place garlic cloves in a single layer in a small baking dish. Add 1/2 cup olive oil to cover cloves, cover with foil, and bake 30-45 minutes, until golden brown and fork-tender. Meanwhile, in another baking dish, toss tomatoes with enough oil to coat. Lightly season with salt and pepper and roast at same temperature until tomatoes blister, about 25 minutes. This is what they should look like :)

Strain garlic cloves and set aside in a small bowl, reserving infused oil separately (to use later if desired). In a blender, add the roasted tomatoes, roasted garlic, Parmesan, and basil. Pulse until combined. While machine is running, drizzle in 1/2 cup olive oil until pesto comes together. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt. Remove to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and reserve. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium heat. Add the linguine and cook until al dente. Drain. Meanwhile, heat a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the garlic oil (or olive oil if desired). Saute the Italian sausage until it is cooked through. In a large bowl add the linguine and some of the pesto. Toss to coat and top with the sausage and parmesan cheese if desired. Garnish with toasted pine nuts and serve. I did not end up using the toasted pine nuts this go around, but may try them next time (OK, I actually toasted them a bit too much and was too hungry to try again).

SALSA!

This is one of my favorite things to make, and it always gets rave reviews! I can thank my previous, wonderful roommate Kim for this. I adapted it from her. I don't use exact measurements, so definitely taste test as you go along and determine how you want it...for example, I like a lot of lime juice and not a ton of onion. Anddddd go!


Toss approximately 2 handfuls of fresh cilantro (I take out stems), 3 cloves of garlic, and half a red onion into the food processor. Blend for a hot minute. Quarter 2 large or 3 small tomatoes (I use Roma or Hot House and take the seeds out) and toss into the food processor, along with 2 cans of drained Mild Rotel and half a can of drained Original Rotel. I juice two limes and add salt as well. Combine everything together. Season however else you desire. I tend to sometimes need to add more salt. For a spicier salsa, you can add the entire can of the Original Rotel.

Beware: this goes FAST!

Breakfast by Nick :)

Nick came across a recipe that caught his eye...and lucky for me, he likes to cook as much as I do! :) So, this is all him. All I did was clean up behind him -- which he found very irritating, hehe. I blame my Mother for that.

Sour Cream & Banana Pancakes
nocoupons

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk
• 2 extra-large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• Unsalted butter
• 2 ripe bananas, diced, plus extra for serving
• Pure maple syrup

Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk, eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones, mixing only until combined.

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat until it bubbles. Ladle the pancake batter into the pan to make 3 or 4 pancakes. Distribute a rounded tablespoon of bananas on each pancake.

Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until bubbles appear on top and the underside is nicely browned. Flip the pancakes and then cook for another minute until browned. Wipe out the pan with a paper towel, add more butter to the pan, and continue cooking pancakes until all the batter is used. Serve with sliced bananas, butter and maple syrup.

Halloween Brunch

OK, so it's not Halloween themed, but this was the brunch I made this morning for some friends :)

Smoked Ham and Gruyere Frittata:

• 8 extra-large eggs
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 cup grated Gruyere cheese
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 small onion, diced
• 4 small potatoes, diced
• 1 cup diced smoked ham
• 1 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 bunch chives, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, cream, Gruyere cheese, salt, and pepper until foamy. Melt butter in a cast iron pan over medium heat. Add the onion and potatoes and cook thoroughly. Pour the egg mixture over the top. Pull the edges away from the sides of the pan with a spatula so the eggs flow to the bottom of the pan. When the frittata is half set, add the ham. Transfer the pan to the heated oven. Bake for 10 minutes until puffed and golden. Shower with grated parmesan and serve garnished with sour cream and chives. We served it with bacon and smushed biscuits!

Early Thanksgiving Dinner

There was a defrosted turkey that needed to be cooked (due to Nick's deep fryer missing pieces...long story), so I decided to just roast it. I attempted brining for the first time, and it was definitely worth it! The night before I made the brining solution and then the turkey was roasted the next evening...with assistance from my helpers Nick and Tim ;) Obviously, they also helped in the eating process.

Brine:
Dissolve 1 cup of salt and 1 cup of brown sugar in 2 gallons of water. Once dissolved, add 4 sprigs of rosemary and thyme each, 1 orange cut up in 1/8ths and 1 lemon cut up in 1/8ths. Let the solution cool completely. I ended up refrigerating the brine overnight because I made it late and couldn't stay up to let it cool. Once cool, rinse and dry the turkey completely. Take out the neck, giblets, and liver. Some save that for the gravy or stock, but I do not use them. Submerge the turkey completely in the solution and seal tightly for approximate an hour per pound. I did mine for 12 hours. I used a stockpot which had a lid.

Turkey:
Take the turkey out of the solution, rinse and dry. Place in roasting pan breast side down. Rub the turkey all over with vegetable oil and season with salt and pepper (inside and out). Fill the turkey's cavity with the following: 1 carrot and 1 celery stalk cut into 1 inch pieces, 1 onion cut into 1/8ths, and 2 sprigs of thyme. Preheat oven to 325 and roast for 1 hour. Turn the turkey. Baste with 1/2 cup of turkey stock. Bake another hour and baste with another 1/2 cup of turkey stock. Bake for another 45 minutes. Cook until thermometer reads 165 in the thickest part of the turkey.

Gravy:
Remove turkey onto a cutting board for slicing. Remove rack of roasting pan. Set roasting pan over two burners on medium' to medium-low heat.  Add 3 cups of turkey stock and 1 cup of chicken stock (I approximated this). Add 1 cup dry white wine, 4 tb unsalted butter and 1/4 cup flour. Deglaze pan by scraping up the bits and stirring together. Season with salt and pepper.

Mashed Potatoes:
Cut 4 medium potatoes into chunks (I peeled them, but you don't need to). Place in a pot of salted water and boil until cooked. Drain. Add 1/4 cup chicken broth, 1/4 cup fat free sour cream, 2 tb chives, salt and pepper. Mash together.

Stuffing:
I swear by Pepperidge Farms Herb Stuffing. Everyone always loves it and thinks you've slaved all day, when it's actually out of a package. You simply dice 1 cup each of celery and onion and cook in 3 tb butter in a saucepan.  Add the stuffing and chicken broth (follow measurements on back of package, depending on how much you're making). I made the whole package and added approximately 1 cup of broth.

Italian Chicken Packets

I made dinner for Rachael tonight, and we're both trying to be healthy...so this is what I came up with!

Ingredients:
* 1 zucchini, trimmed and cut in half lengthwise, then into thin half-moons 
* 2 yukon potatoes (or whichever kind you prefer), cut into thin slices
* 1/2 yellow onion, cut into thin strips
* 1 garlic clove, sliced thin
* 1.5 lemon, sliced thin (could get away with 1, I just love lemon)
* Approximately 5 thin sliced chicken breasts (about 1.5 pounds)
* Wild Rice (I love the Fast Cook by Uncle Ben's)
* Aluminum Foil
* Olive oil
* Italian seasoning (fresh or dried, I used a dried Rosemary Herb Mixture)
* Salt and pepper

Cut the aluminum foil so that you can individually wrap each serving. Layer the potatoes, zucchini, onion, garlic, lemon, and chicken. Season with Italian seasoning, drizzle some olive oil and a dash of lemon juice. Wrap the packet to seal it tight. You can also label these with a Sharpie if you're making each package differently -- makes this meal great for those with dietary restrictions/food allergies.

Bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes.

While the chicken is cooking, prepare the rice. Serve together. Great for leftovers!