A Different Kind of Italian

While I love spaghetti as much as the next person, there is another side (many sides, actually) to Italian that don't include tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese. When you think outside of the box, delicious things can happen. This is where the, "don't be afraid to experiment", comes into play. Here is a simple, wonderful recipe for one of those times. Enjoy :)

4 leeks; white parts only; halved and sliced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 cloves garlic; peeled and smashed
2 fresh thyme sprigs
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 cup white wine
2 cups chicken stock
1 container cherry tomatoes; halved
1 pkg prosciutto
1 box Orechiette pasta
1 cup fresh parmesan cheese; grated ( I like to do this in a food processor - just cut the cheese into chunks first)

1 small handful dried porcini mushrooms
2 cups ciabatta bread; cut into a large dice
1/2 cup skinless almonds; coarsely chopped
Kosher Salt & Pepper

In a large pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Add the leeks, garlic, and sprig of thyme and rosemary. Saute for 3 minutes. Add the wine and season with salt and pepper. Cover the leeks with all of the slices of prosciutto. Put a lid on the pan and lower the heat to a simmer. Cook for 25-30 minutes.

Put the bread, almonds, and dried porcini mushrooms in a food processor, until it has the consistency of coarse breadcrumbs.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil pasta for 8-10 minutes until al dente.

Remove the prosciutto from the leeks and slice. Return back to the pan, then add 3/4 cup of the parmesan, and 1 cup of the breadcrumb mixture.

Drain the noodles, SAVING 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. Add the pasta to the leek mixture. Slowly add the reserved cooking liquid, until you get a creamy texture. Sprinkle the top of the pasta with 1/2 cup of the breadcrumb mixture and the rest of the parmesan cheese.

A Comforting Classic

Lasagna. We've all made it before. And, I'm pretty sure we all have a great recipe. You can make it a million different ways. I think the most important step, that should be included in every recipe, is letting the lasagna broil in the oven for a minute or two before you take it out. This is what makes the cheese brown & bubbly. It's the best part if you ask me. Enjoy :)

2 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground chuck
2 links mild italian sausage; casings removed
1 onion; diced
4 garlic cloves; minced
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning; plus 1/2 teaspoon for topping lasagna
1 pound ricotta cheese
1 pkg frozen chopped spinach (defrosted and squeezed of any excess liquid)
3 cups shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup grated fresh parmesan
kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons unsalted butter for dotting the top of the lasagna
No Boil Oven Ready Lasagna sheets

Sauce :

5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup flour
4 cups milk at room temp (I usually forget to bring it to room temp, so I just microwave for a few minutes)
1 1/2 cups of your fav tomato sauce

Preheat oven to 375

In a sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, and cook, whisking constantly, for 2 minutes. Slowly add the milk, again whisking the whole time. Continue to cook until sauce is thick and creamy. About 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside and add the tomato sauce.

Next, in a saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5-7 minutes. Add the chuck and sausage, breaking up any large pieces. Season with the 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning and salt & pepper. Cook until browned. Add the minced garlic the last minute of cooking. Remove from heat and drain any excess fat.

In a bowl, mix together the ricotta and spinach. Season with salt & pepper.

In a 13x9 baking dish, spread 1/3 cup of the sauce on the bottom. Next add the pasta sheets, covering the sauce. Then spread all of the ricotta spinach mixture. Then, add another layer of lasagna noodles. Next, add all of the beef mixture and 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese. Spread another 1/3 cup of the sauce. Add the last layer of lasagna noodles and top with remaining sauce, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, 1/2 teaspoon of Italian seasoning, and dot with butter. Lightly spray a piece of foil with nonstick spray and cover your lasagna. You do this so your cheese won't stick to it.

Cook for 40 minutes. Remove foil and turn the oven on broil. Broil until bubbly & browned. DO NOT leave the kitchen during this part. You will need to watch it the whole time to make sure it doesn't burn. Remove from oven and let sit for about 5 minutes.

* I put a cookie sheet, lined with foil, underneath my lasagna pan. because some of the sauce seems to escape everytime *

Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, & Thyme

Anyone remember that line from a Simon & Garfunkel song? If you added basil in there, you would have all of my favorite herbs. When I first started working at Erling Jensen's 12 years ago, I would have to stem herbs for hours... literally. My hands were stained from all the thyme I had to stem! I love using fresh herbs in my food. It is a wonderful, healthy way to add a lot of flavor to any dish. I would suggest going to your local Home Depot or Lowe's and purchasing some herbs for your garden. Much more affordable than buying them. Tonight, my focus is on rosemary for my chicken, basil for my warm bread & tomato salad, and italian parsley in my succotash. Enjoy :)

Lemon, Garlic, & Rosemary Chicken

1 whole chicken; cut into 8 pieces
1 lemon; zested
2 lemons; juiced
4 cloves garlic; minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons rosemary; minced
Kosher Salt & Pepper
4 tablespoons Olive Oil

Preheat oven to 350

Combine olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, rosemary, red pepper flakes, and garlic in a small bowl. Season both sides of the chicken well with salt & pepper. Heat a grill pan (or cast iron skillet) to medium high heat. Cook the chicken about 5 minutes per side, or until the chicken is browned. Transfer to the oven and continue to cook for 25 minutes. Garnish with fresh rosemary and lemon slices.

Succotash

4 ears of corn; shucked
2 garlic cloves; minced
3 shallots; thinly sliced
1 container cherry tomatoes; halved
1 cup frozen lima beans
2 tablespoons italian parsley; chopped
1/4 cup white wine (drinkable quality, of course)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher Salt & pepper

Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the corn and shallots. Cook for 3 minutes. Add the cherry tomatoes, lima beans, and garlic. Season everything with salt & pepper. Cook for another 4-5 minutes, Add the white wine and cook until it is absorbed. Garnish with fresh basil.

Warm Tomato & Bread Salad

2 cups of baguette or boule garlic bread. cut into 1 inch dice
8 tomatoes; large dice
3 cloves garlic; minced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoon fresh basil; thinly sliced
1/4 cup grated fresh parmesan

Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the cubed bread and cook until lightly browned and toasted, about 5-7 minutes. Remove cubes and put in a bowl.

Add the tomatoes, garlic, salt & pepper, balsamic, and sugar to the pan. Cook until the tomatoes have softened. About 5 minutes. Place the the bread cubes back into the pan and stir to combine, making sure the bread is soaking up the liquid from the pan. Add the fresh basil and parmesan.

"People Who Love to Eat Are Always The Best People" - Julia Child

Have there ever been any truer words spoken?!?! I do love to eat. And, I love feeding & eating with others! I want everyone to love it as much as I do. A perfect dining partner is one that is as enthusiastic about the food as you are. A question I get asked a lot is what are my favorite places to eat. I have a lot. Some are hidden treasures, while others are well-knowns. To me, all are delicious. That is the most important, but there are definitely other aspects of it that make it an experience. I am not super critical of restaurants, because after working in one, I know how hard it is.

Three Angels Diner - Pazole is delicious as well as their burger and grown up grilled cheese. Great brunch!

Trolley Stop Market - Pizza all the way!!

Golden Coast (the BEST dim sum in Memphis - they come around with a cart and you pick what you want. Don't be discouraged if you happen to see chicken feet ;)

Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen - Fresh approach to Italian. Delicious. Perfectly executed every time I've been. Atmosphere and service can't be beat.

Bari - The cheese menu alone is enough reason to visit this place

Tsunami - My friends and I love to go and eat in the bar area. The bartender rocks and is so knowledgeable. Love that you can get small plates there.

Noodle Doodle Do (Do sushi) - I crave their Beef Curry Soup in the fall/winter. Fresh and delicious!

Las Tortugas - Black Bean tostada is a fav as well as their corn

Casa Blanca - Somedays I think I could live off their stuffed grape leaves

Taqueria La Guadalupana - The goat taco's are my go-to here. The meat is tender, gamey, and full of flavor.

The Elegant Farmer - Love everything about this new restaurant :)

Crab Cake Date..... For Three??

Let me explain...... About 13 years ago, I invited a guy, who I had a major crush on, over for dinner. I definitely wanted to impress. So I cooked one of my fav dishes at the time, Crab Cakes. When the doorbell rang that night, I went to find my crush at the door. With a friend. Hmmmm. Not a good sign when your date brings a friend along! He, however, remembers it differently. He says I invited his friend to tag along on our date. No way. I'm sure I wouldn't have done that. To this day, we continue to remember things differently :) Regardless of who is right (me), and at the request of my sister, I wanted to share this yummy recipe.

Crab Cakes (makes about 10)

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onion; small dice
1/2 cup celery; small dice
1/4 cup red bell pepper; small dice
1/4 cup yellow pepper; small dice
1 tablespoon garlic; minced
1 pound lump crab meat
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
2 tablespoon flat leaf parsley; chopped
3 tablespoons creole or dijon mustard
1 lemon; juiced
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup mayo
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
2 tablespoons creole seasoning
2 cups panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup flour
Kosher Salt & Pepper
2 eggs
2 tablespoons Water
Veggie Oil for frying

In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, and peppers. Season with salt & pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Place in a bowl and let mixture cool. When it has cooled. Add the green onions, parmesan, parsley, mayo, mustard, and juice of 1 lemon. Mix together - then gently add the crab meat and 3/4 cup of the bread crumbs. Mix (with your hands) until everything is incorporated. I use a 1/3 measuring cup to make sure all the patties are the same size. Scoop them all out and place on a platter until ready to cook.

On a plate, mix together the flour and 1 teaspoon creole seasoning. In a bowl mix together the 2 eggs and 1 tablespoon water. Then, on another plate mix together the remaining bread crumbs and 1 tablespoon creole seasoning.

Dredge each cake into flour first, then the egg wash, then the bread crumbs. After you have done all patties. Heat 1/4 cup veggie oil in a nonstick saute pan. Cook cake for about 4 minutes on each side. As soon as you remove them from the heat, sprinkle them with the remaining creole seasoning.

Sauce :

1/2 cup worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup onions; chopped
1 whole lemon, skin removed, and cut in half
2 bay leaves
6 tablespoons cream
2 sticks unsalted butter; cut into small pieces and very cold
2 bay leaves

In a saucepan, combine all ingredients EXCEPT the butter, lemons, and cream. Cook over medium high heat for 5-6 minutes. Add the lemons and mash down with a spoon. Add the cream and whisk to combine. Cook for 1 minute. Next, whisk in the butter one piece at a time until all of the butter is gone. Strain sauce into a clean bowl. Enjoy :)

On A Lighter Note

When I lived in Denver, there was this wonderful little soup shop that made about 20 different kinds of soup everyday, year round. I would call and listen to a recording of what they had to offer, then make my way there. It was heaven to me and I often dream of opening such a place here. Soups are just so comforting. In the winter, I gravitate towards warm, hearty soups. But, in the summer, I adore soups on the lighter side. Gazpacho is always a fav of mine. So refreshing! Gazpacho is a liquid salad that originated in Spain. There are many different versions. These are two ways I like to prepare. Both are easy & fast. Perfect.

Traditional Gazpacho

2 cloves garlic; minced
1 small cucumber; peeled, seeded, and diced
1 red onion; diced
1 green bell pepper; diced
4 tomatoes; seeded; diced
4 cups tomato juice
Pinch red pepper flakes
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup pine nuts; toasted
Kosher salt & Pepper

Put all the veggies in a food processor and pulse until it is coarsely chopped.

Pour in a large bowl and add the garlic, red pepper flakes. olive oil, vinegar, sugar, and salt & pepper. Garnish with toasted pine nuts. Enjoy alongside a toasted piece of thick, crusty bread.

*Sometimes I like to add shrimp to the soup*


Watermelon Gazpacho

6 cups seeded watermelon; cubed
3 tomatoes; diced
2 stalks of celery; diced
1 cucumber; peeled, seeded, and diced
1 red bell pepper; diced
1 jalapeno; seeded and diced
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh mint; chopped
2 tablespoons pepitas (roasted pumpkin seeds)
Kosher Salt & Pepper

Put all BUT 1 cup the watermelon, mint, and jalapeno in a food processor. Pulse until coarsely chopped. Pour into a bowl, and add the 1 cup of cubed watermelon, jalapeno, and mint. ALWAYS check your seasonings. Add more salt & pepper if needed. Pour into a bowl or cup, sprinkle with pepitas, and garnish with a piece of watermelon. Enjoy :)

Yum, Yum, & Yum

Chicken. Wild Mushrooms. Wine. Of course it's yummy! And easy. I think mushrooms also fall into the category of "love em or hate em". The mushrooms add a wonderful earthiness to this dish while the lemon juice brightens it up a bit. This a good dish for a family dinner or to entertain friends :)


4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
8 oz wild mushrooms
1/4 cup shallots; chopped
2 garlic cloves; minced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme; chopped
3/4 cup white wine
4 oz creme fraiche
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup of half & half
4 tablespoons butter; divided
Flour, for dredging
Kosher Salt & Pepper

Preheat oven to 375

Season chicken with salt & pepper. Dredge them in flour, shake off the excess.

Heat 2 tablespoons butter to a large saute pan over medium heat and cook chicken until lightly browned on each side (about 4 minutes per side). Remove chicken and place in a casserole dish.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, along with the shallots, garlic, and mushrooms. Saute for a few minutes, then add the wine. Increase heat to high and cook until the liquid is reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Then add the creme fraiche, lemon juice, thyme, and half & half. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until the sauce has thickened a bit - about 5-10 minutes.

Pour sauce over chicken and cook for 20 minutes. Enjoy :)

* I served this dish with Roasted Broccoli & Shallots and Rosemary Polenta*