For the love of beans...

Thanks Laurs! Loved it! (I topped this off with a little sour cream. You know...to take some of the healthiness away!)

Orange Black Beans with Cumin

Ingredients:

Two 15-oz cans black beans, rinsed & drained
2 tbsp firmly packed light or dark brown sugar (I typically cut this way down to less than 1tbsp, and go for a slightly spicier, less sweet dish)

1 med shallot, minced

1 rib celery, minced

1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 tsp ground cumin

pinch or ground cinnamon or cardamom

salt & pepper to taste

For serving:white rice

chopped fresh cilantro

chopped fresh tomatoes

salt & pepper

Cook in medium slow cooker on high for about 1.5 hours. Serve over rice, garnished with tomatoes and cilantro. I sometimes add a little cayenne as well. I've also thought about reducing the orange juice and going with some orange zest instead, but haven't tried that yet.

Williams-Sonoma Catalog Recipes

Williams-Sonoma has really created a catalog that reads like a cookbook in some ways, and I just love cookbooks. I can't have enough of them!

I just recently re-created their Poulet Nicoise. The first time, I did as follows with exception of using cherry tomatoes and red wine...80/20. The next time I tried it with chicken thighs and I liked it much better. Bone-in chicken just isn't simple enough for me!

Ingredients:
1 chicken, about 3 lb., cut into serving pieces
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/4 cup olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 yellow squash, about 1 1/2 lb. total, quartered and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/4 cup dry white wine
3 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 tsp. chopped fresh tarragon
5 plum tomatoes, seeded and quartered
1/4 cup dry-cured black olives, pitted
1 1/4 cups chicken stock
Directions:
Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a 5 1/2-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the chicken and brown on all sides, about 7 minutes total. Transfer to a plate. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the squash, wine, 2 Tbs. of the parsley and 2 tsp. of the tarragon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the squash is soft but not browned, about 5 minutes. Return the chicken to the pan and add the tomatoes, olives and stock. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1 Tbs. parsley and 1 tsp. tarragon. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Giorgio - a Clintonville Treat

My husband had the misfortune of spraining his knee this weekend, and in turn his company knowing that I would be managing two "children" for a few days offered to buy us the fortune of a night of takeout. Thus, we chose to try the new Giorgio in Clintonville -- 614-265-9020. (In the old R Bar space...near the great Denise's Ice Cream) We had the bruschetta, antipasto, shrimp scampi appetizer, veal truffle ravioli, gnocchi, spaghetti and meatball for the tyke, and the fontina hazelnut ravioli...his brother and lovely girlfriend were also joining us.

The highlights.....

1. Great pickup service

2. Beautiful interior

3. The antipasto was delicious and very well done as was the shrimp...

4. Loved the hazelnut fontina ravioli and the veal truffle ravioli

5. The little guy LOVED the meatball.

We will definitely visit again.

They don't have a website yet...so I am posting their menu from my neighborhood site. Also, ask for the specials of the day.

INSALATE & ANTIPASTI
BRUSCHETTA ASSORTITA- TOASTED BREAD, 2 WITH FRESH TOMATO AND HERBS, 2 WITH ARTICHOKE, OLIVE & SUN-DREID TOMATO TAPENADE, & 2 WITH EGGPLANT & RED PEPPER TAPENADE.
9- ANTIPASTO MISTO- SLICED PROSCUITTO DI PARMA , SALAMI, BRESAOLA, & FRESH MOZZARELLA WITH TOMATOES, ARTICHOKES AND OLIVES
12- COZZE- PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND MUSSELS SIMMERED IN AN HERBED TOMATO SAUCE
10-
MISTA- MESCLUN GREENS, TOMATOES & GOLDEN RAISINS TOSSED IN OLIVE OIL AND BALSAMIC VINEGAR WITH SHAVED RICOTTA SALATA
6- DI LATTUGA FINOCCHIO E POMODORO- ROMAINE, FENNEL & TOMATO TOSSED IN OLIVE OIL, LEMON JUICE AND BALSAMIC VINEGAR WITH SHAVED PARMESAN REGGIANO
6- DI RUCOLA- ARUGULA, TOASTED ALMONDS & GORGONZOLA CHEESE TOSSED IN OLIVE OIL, LEMON JUICE AND BALSAMIC VINEGAR WITH SHAVED PARMESAN REGGIANO
7- AGRO DOLCE- ROMAINE, SLICED POACHED PEAR & ORANGES TOSSED IN OLIVE OIL AND BALSAMIC VINEGAR
7- CAPRESE- SLICES OF TOMATO, FRESH MOZZARELLA & BASIL DRIZZLED WITH EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
8-
ENTRÉES
GNOCCHI- POTATO ³DUMPLINGS², SPICED SAUSAGE & FENNEL IN VODKA SAUCE
13- SPAGHETTI ALLA PUTTANESCA- TOMATO FILETS, OLIVES, CAPERS, SPICY OLIVE OIL & ANCHOVY
12- RIGATONI- MUSHROOMS AND SAUSAGE IN A BRANDIED MARINARA SAUCE
14- SEAFOOD LINGUINE- MUSSELS, CLAMS & SHRIMP IN A PINK TOMATO SAUCE
17- LINGUINE ALLE VONGOLE- CLAMS IN YOUR CHOICE OF WHITE OR RED SAUCE
17- SPAGHETTI & MEATBALL- GIUSEPPE¹S MEAT SAUCE
10- VEAL & TRUFFLE RAVIOLI- IN A MUSHROOM SAUCE
15- CHEESE TORTELLINI- MEAT SAUCE WITH GREEN PEAS
12- SPAGHETTI FRA DIAVOLE SPICY SHRIMP WITH AN EARTHY, CHUNKY TOMATO SAUCE
17- FONTINA & HAZELNUT RAVIOLI- WHITE WINE, GARLIC & HERB MARINARA WITH PARMESAN REGGIANO
14- LASAGNE ALLA BOLOGNESE- OUR MEAT LASAGNE 11-
CLASSICO
BRACIOLE ALLA CASALINGA- VEAL LOIN, STUFFED WITH MUSHROOM, SPINACH & PINE NUTS TOPPED WITH TOMATO SAUCE
19- SALTIMBOCCA- VEAL SCALLOPINE, PROSCUITTO, MOZZARELLA AND SAGE IN A MUSHROOM SAUCE
18- POLLO ALLA CACCIATORA- SLOW COOKED CHICKEN LEG QUARTERS IN TOMATO SAUCE WITH MUSHROOMS, OLIVES & CAPERS 16-

Recipe for a Columbus Wine Tasting Party...

Our wonderful neighbors invited us to enjoy food and wine last night. The wine was a real treat as was the food. Jen and her mother went on quite a "scavenger hunt" for all the right "ingredients".

• Prosciutto, chorizo, salmon etc. from Whole Foods



• Wine from Spagio Wine Cellars and expert advice from Sam the wine guy



• Cheese from the Curds and Whey at the North Market



• Great recipes and cooking from Jen and Laurie... like blue cheese pear tarts inspired by the blue cheese pear salad at Nordstrom, sausage balls inspired by the great state of Texas, and beer cheese inspired by some innovative German or maybe someone from Kentucky.

Marvelous Mel's Artichoke Meltdown -- the real version and the skinny version

Thanks Mel...I have also included a skinny version that I have tried from 101 Cookbooks...it's good but not as good as the Mayo version.

The Real Version...

Ingredients

Two cans artichoke hearts in water

1 cup mayo

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

1 tbsp chopped garlic

salt and pepper to taste

Dump everything in food processor or blender - mix till it looks like dip :-)Not very long

Dump everything in oven friendly bowl. Warm in 375 degree oven until hot and just bubbling. Serve with crackers. Yum! Also, one of my friends who loves this did a squeeze of fresh lemon into the food processor and said it was a nice touch.

Enjoy . .

The Skinny Version.....

2 (14-ounce) cans water-packed artichokes, well drained

4 ounces organic silken tofu

3 large cloves garlic

1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

2/3 cup plain (or Greek) yogurt

1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt, or more to taste

pinch of cayenne pepper
more Parmesan to sprinkle on top
Preheat oven to 350F degrees. In a blender or food processor puree the artichokes, tofu, and garlic. In a separate medium bowl whisk together the parmesan cheese, yogurt, salt, and cayenne. Stir in the artichoke puree and pour mixture into a medium-sized baking dish (or multiple smaller dishes). Sprinkle the top with more Parmesan. Bake uncovered until heated through and the cheese on the top starts to brown, about 45 minutes.
Makes 2-3 cups of artichoke dip.

Hey Jen, Buzzy, Yo Tori, Karl, Ted, Beth, Alex, Molly, Nick, Marya, Emily, Mel, Mike, Vinnie, Kate, Bueller, Bueller, Anyone who likes my blog.....

It's the friends and family plan for recipes or fans of the blog....SOS - In need of some bright ideas/recipes! I am looking for recipe inspiration...so now all of you looky loos on my blog need to post a link to a recipe that you want me to try (anonymous is allowed but give me some clue to who you are) & fishless is best since Mr. Husband doesn't like fish. I have a wine and cheese party to attend later this week, so any ideas in that relm would be FABULOUS.

I will be honest...I also really want more posts to my site, so if I can get you to do it once, then maybe you will be game again!!!

P.S. Cameron IS Eric P.!!!! Jen OP. you married a movie star.

A dog with 2 working parents...

So, simplifying my life is definitely key to keeping my sanity and earlier this year, we actually made life a bit more complicated with a dog... a beautiful yellow lab. My husband wore me down a little bit each year. Anyway, I hate to even admit it, but doggie daycare has really been a great help. Brie...like the cheese, does not go everyday but the days that she does go, we don't have to worry about making sure the dog gets all her exercise etc. She is "pooped" when she gets home. (Brie is my husband's responsibility, but I do help on occasion.:) Park Your Paws posted this adorable photo on their site. Brie is off to the left, sitting upright. You have to love the 1950s living room they have re-created for the dogs!

Easy Mayonnaise-less Potato Salad

I watched Rachael cook this the other night on 30 Minute Meals...a far less labor intensive salad!

2 to 2 1/2-pounds small red skin potatoes, quartered

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons cider or white wine vinegar
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

6 radishes, sliced

2 tablespoons capers, drained and chopped (80/20...I skipped this.)

1/2 medium red onion,

chopped 3 to 4 ribs celery from the heart of the stalk,

chopped 1 cup watercress tops or flat leaf parsley leaves coarsely chopped
Cover potatoes with cold water, bring to a boil and salt the water. Boil potatoes until just tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain.
Meanwhile, combine the honey, Dijon, and vinegar in a bowl then slowly whisk in the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. To the bowl add radishes, capers, onions, celery, watercress or parsley and hot potatoes. Using a wooden spoon break up the potatoes into large chunks. Toss the potato salad adjust salt and pepper then serve.

Great summer scallop recipe

I think Ina Garten is a "summer cook". These scallops were very tasty and my non-seafood eating husband commented how great the dish smelled!

1 pound fresh bay or sea scallops

Kosher salt and freshly

ground black pepper

All-purpose flour, for dredging (I recommend Wegmans basting flour.)

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, divided

1/2 cup chopped shallots (2 large)

1 garlic clove, minced --forgot this

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

1/3 cup dry white wine

1 lemon, cut in 1/2
If you're using bay scallops, keep them whole. If you're using sea scallops, cut each 1 in half horizontally. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, toss with flour, and shake off the excess.
In a very large saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the butter over high heat until sizzling and add the scallops in 1 layer. Lower the heat to medium and allow the scallops to brown lightly on 1 side without moving them, then turn and brown lightly on the other side. This should take 3 to 4 minutes, total. Melt the rest of the butter in the pan with the scallops, then add the shallots, garlic, and parsley and saute for 2 more minutes, tossing the seasonings with the scallops. Add the wine, cook for 1 minute, and taste for seasoning. Serve hot with a squeeze of lemon juice.

My loyalty to Ann...

I am a faithful Ann Taylor shopper for a couple of reasons.... 1. I don't have a lot of time to deal with the maze of racks at Macy's. 2. Ann Taylor clothes fit me extremely well 3. I like their style of clothes...go figure I work for an insurance company.

Anyway, their Taylored for Success is a great way to get some discounts once you register. I believe I received a 20% of coupon for anything over $200 which is not hard to do at Ann Taylor.

Alton's Guacamole

I talk a lot about Rachael Ray, but I also love Mr. Alton Brown. Last night was the perfect night for some Corona's, guacamole and some super easy enchiladas. (I did not have the Roma's but I did have some strawberry tomatoes and they worked fine...you know 80/20:)

Guacamole
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown
3 Haas avocados, halved, seeded and peeled

1 lime, juiced

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

1/2 medium onion, diced

2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

1 clove garlic, minced
In a large bowl place the scooped avocado pulp and lime juice, toss to coat. Drain, and reserve the lime juice, after all of the avocados have been coated. Using a potato masher add the salt, cumin, and cayenne and mash. Then, fold in the onions, tomatoes, cilantro, and garlic. Add 1 tablespoon of the reserved lime juice. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour and then serve.

P.S. This is good but nothing beats the guacamole and mojitos at Cafe Atlantico (see pic) in DC! Not sure what the secret is??????

An 80/20 recipe...

I was able to "loan" my house to a friend to host her graduation party last week. I wanted to contribute some type of food item, but wasn't very prepared considering it was during the work-week/4th of July kickoff. So, I found this recipe for a dip...I did not have the parsley or the dill but it was still good! I really do believe in the 80/20 rule!

Feta Herb Dip

15 ounce can white beans, drained and rinsed
3/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

Place beans, yogurt, feta, lemon juice, garlic salt and pepper in a food processor and puree until smooth. Add herbs; puree until incorporated. Chill until ready to serve

Excellent Summer Chili Recipe

Surprise, surprise...it's from Rachael Ray.

The first time I made this, I did not add the beans.... either way a great way to have chili in the summer!

1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
4 ears corn
2 cups elbow pasta
1 red onion, half finely chopped, half thinly sliced
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 pound lean ground beef
One 15-ounce can kidney beans, rinsed
2 tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1. In a medium bowl, combine the lime juice and cilantro; whisk in 6 tablespoons olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

2. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the corn until just tender, about 3 minutes; transfer to a cutting board. Return the water to a boil, add the pasta and cook until al dente; drain and transfer to a large bowl. Cut the corn kernels from the cob and add to the pasta.

3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and chili powder and cook until the onion begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the ground beef and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a colander and drain well.

4. Add the beef mixture to the pasta; season with salt and pepper. Add the kidney beans, tomatoes, sliced onion and vinaigrette and toss to dress. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with the cheese.

Cool Cucumber Soup with lots of dill

My husband is so funny...He sees something on FoodNetwork that he likes and literally gets in the car and picks up the ingredients. Anyway, we were watching Ellie Krieger on FoodNetwork and saw this intriguing soup.... very easy to make and healthy as well! Also, I happen to LOVE dill!

cOOl Cucumber Soup
3 cups plain nonfat yogurt
1 English cucumber (about 1 pound), cut into chunks
1 scallion, white and green parts, coarsely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, plus sprigs for garnish
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium tomato (about 5 ounces), seeded and diced
2 teaspoons olive oil
In a blender, combine the yogurt, cucumber, scallion and dill. Pulse until pureed. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Ladle into individual bowls. Top each serving with 2 tablespoons of diced tomato, drizzle with 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil and garnish with a dill sprig.