Vanilla protein crack cereal

Greetings, readers! Did you miss me? I hope this finds you well and very happy. I'm decided to begin blogging again at the request of a few family members and friends (and let's face it, that's my readership!) 

During the summer I taught at Spotlight on Opera again, and, as I did last summer, I ate a very restrictive keto diet. This is no great hardship, for I don't really care for the local cuisine (lots and lots of wonderful fried foods that tend to not agree with me.) 

One little cheat I allowed myself was my friend Cindy's version of a keto cereal that she had found online. Now, this cereal relies heavily on coconut, and there's quite a bit of it, so I can't in good conscience call it keto (coconut oil, yes, but coconut flesh is very sweet and carby.) 

In addition to running her program, Cindy would have to bat my hand away from this stuff. It's very delicious (hence it's name) and it stays remarkably crunchy in milk (I drink unsweetened almond milk) or yogurt (which turns it into a yummy stand in for dessert.)

This is one of the easiest things to make in the whole world; you simply mix the ingredients together, and then toss in the oven for about 10 minutes (keep an eye out, as it can burn quickly.)

This will last you about a week or so; you can enjoy it for breakfast, or as a snack, or as a dessert.

Without further ado, I give you vanilla protein crack cereal.

Ingredients:

8 oz unsweetened shredded coconut

8 oz unsweetened coconut chips

8 oz toasted pecans (salted or unsalted, your choice)

1 cup of toasted pepitas

1/2 cup of walnuts (optional)

2 scoops of vanilla whey protein powder (or any vanilla protein of your choice.)

3 tablespoons of extra virgin coconut oil

Method:

1.) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2.)  Melt the coconut oil.

3.) Toast the nuts.

4.) Assemble all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. You want the coconut oil as dispersed as possible. 

5.) place the entire mixture in one thin layer on a foil lined baking sheet.

6.) Bake for 10 minutes. Keep an eye on it and check around the 8 minute point. I like a little toasty color, as I think it enhances the taste.

7.) Allow the cereal to cool, and enjoy with milk or yogurt (or by the handful!)

No, it's not going to win any beauty contests, but neither would a normal box of cereal that had been tipped out onto a baking sheet!

A Very Pie-day Friday

Recently, my little sister Caroline sent me this cute little Pusheen cartoon on instagram:

Caroline is coming for a visit this weekend. She'll be hearing me sing a concert version of Verdi's Macbeth at the National Opera Center, and after I'm sure we'll run around town and have a ball.

Caroline's birthday is just a few days away, and she requested that I make my maple-bourpon pumpkin pie with chocolate streusel for her. Naturally I said yes, and had a cute little idea. Pie is almost universally a comfort food, be it savory or sweet, so why not have one savory and one sweet? We'll enjoy a very speedy (and delicious) chicken pot pie when she arrives, then I'll serve the pumpkin pie for dessert! 

This particular chicken pot pie is very straightforward, easy, and very rewarding. Fort this quick and easy version, I use a few shortcuts for it. First, I use leftover chicken, or I buy a rotisserie chicken for the meat, and I use a sheet of puff pastry for the top. Both of these save at least an hour, and the result is hard to argue with. In fact, it's much better than many versions you can buy out. I often find chicken pot pie disappointing when I try to eat it outside of my home. Pablo happened to have a little bit of a macrobiotic chicken pot pie (whatever that means) and let me tell you, it can't hold a candle to this one, if I do say so myself!

Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients:

1 sheet of puff pastry

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 stalks of celery, cubed (cut down the center of the celery stalk and chop!)

2 carrots (I really like carrots, so I use almost an entire small bag. Just please don't use baby carrots in this...that would be gross.) I like these cubed, but slices would be fine.

About a pound (12-16 oz) of cooked chicken (rotisserie or leftover is great for this!)

1 tablespoon of butter

1/3 cup of all purpose flour

32 oz box of chicken stock (homemade is really best, but boxed broth works in a pinch)

1 cup of frozen peas

Method:

1.) Prepare the puff pastry by allowing it to defrost on the counter.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Chop the onion, carrots, and celery, and sautée in a big pan.

2.) Move the vegetables aside, and add 1 tablespoon of butter. After it melts, add the four, and stir for a few minutes (this will take away the raw flour taste.)

3.) Add the chicken broth slowly. This will make a delicious gravy! You could also add a glub of marsala, sherry, brandy, or a bit of white wine. 

4.) Chop the leftover chicken, and add the vegetables and gravy.

5.) Add the frozen peas, and heat through. Taste for seasoning (depending on your broth and chicken, it may need some salt and pepper, and a pinch of thyme.) 

6.) Roll the defrosted puff pastry out a bit so that it will fit over the top of your baking dish.

7.) Fill the baking dish with the pie filling and top with puff pastry.

8.) Bake 35-40 minutes or until the pastry is golden.

9.) Let the pie rest a few minutes and enjoy!

Hazelnut brownies

Chocolate pairs beautifully with a number of other flavors: for instance, I love to receive chocolate oranges in my Christmas stocking. I enjoy pairing a raspberry puree with flourless chocolate torte, and many people enjoy a raspberry mocha on occasion. These pairings are wonderful, but my favorite companion for chocolate is hazelnut. I know I'm not alone in this, as people the world over eat Nutella every day. In New York at grand central station there is a wonderful Belgian chocolate shop called Neuhaus, and they sell little pieces of chocolate, many of which are imbued with hazelnut.

Most of us know that chocolate is lovely, and I am a devotee of that squidgy, yummy confection we all know and love: the brownie! I don't always make homemade brownies; they can be kind of fussy, and one often has great results with boxed mixes. I am happy to report that I enjoy making and eating these hazelnut brownies, and I think you will, too. There's a bit of coffee in these, but it doesn't really come through in the final taste: coffee often is just a way to intensify the flavor of chocolate. The hazelnut flavor is also not too strong; it is more of an accent to the chocolate.

These make quite a few brownies. I recommend baking these in a half sheet pan, but if you don't have one, just make sure you increase the baking time by 15 minutes or so, as your brownies will be big and tall.

Ingredients

3 sticks of butter
2 bags of chocolate chips (I used 60% cocoa bittersweet chocolate)
4 oz semisweet chocolate
6 eggs
1 3/4 cups of sugar
1 tablespoon of frangelico (you could use a teaspoon of hazelnut extract, too)
1 tablespoon of vanilla
1 1/2 tablespoons of espresso powder (you could use instant coffee instead)
1 cup of cake flour (pastry flour would work, too)
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 bag of chopped hazelnuts
pinch of salt

Method:
1.) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and butter and flour a half sheet pan.
2.) Melt the 4 ounces of semisweet chocolate, one bag of the chocolate chips, and the butter together, using either a double boiler, or microwaving in 30 second intervals. Set aside to cool.
3.) Mix together the eggs, sugar, frangelico, vanilla, and coffee together with a whisk.

The start of something wonderful...

4.) Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Add the hazelnuts and chocolate chips to the dry flour (this will coat them and prevent them from sinking).
5.) Fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture.

The promise of good things to come!

6.)  Bake for 30 minutes.
7.) Enjoy! You might conisder dusting with confectioner's sugar. Allow brownies to cool a bit before slicing and eating.

Missouri Corn Pudding

This recipe is one of my family's favorite dishes. We often have this at Thanksgiving or Christmas (and sometimes on both holidays). It is simple, irresistible, and fun to make.

I remember the first time I ever had this; my Mom made it for Thanksgiving in 2006. I think she had acquired the recipe from a friend. Like many recipes, I've adapted it a bit and made it my own. For instance, when I make this for Pablo, I add green chiles, which remind him of green corn tamales from his childhood in Tucson, Arizona.

Most recently, I made this in September as part of a pre-performance meal when my friend Cindy and I were singing a few concerts together in Austin, TX. It pairs extremely well with a nice piece of broiled salmon and a green salad.

Ingredients
2 green onions, chopped finely
1 box of jiffy corn muffin mix (or an equivalent 8.5 oz corn bread mix)
1 stick of melted butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup of sour cream (I have used greek yogurt when there was no sour cream on hand)
1 can (15.25 oz) of whole kernel corn (drained)
1 can (approximately 14 oz) creamed corn
1 cup of cheese (your choice; I like monterrey jack here)
Roasted or canned green chiles (optional)

Method:
1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter a souffle dish, or other ovenproof casserole type pan.
2.) Melt butter on the stove or in the microwave.
3.) Slice green onions.

And so it begins...

4.) In a large mixing bowl, put the box of muffin mix, the melted butter and mix. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
5.) Add the green onions, the sour cream, and the corn and mix well.
6.) Add the cheese
7.) Bake for 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out mostly clean.
8.) Enjoy!

Heavenly comfort food

Shepherd's/Cottage pie

Spring has not sprung. The chill seems to be hanging on very tenaciously this year! I was in Texas in March visiting and singing my friend Cindy Sadler and giving master classes at Southwestern University, and it was rainy and cool. I also sang in a terrific series of concerts at Opera Delaware, where we were actually treated to a March snow! Last weekend I was in Flint, Michigan singing with the fantastic symphony there, and it was cold and rainy!

Well, my friends, sometimes one has to embrace what life is giving you. If it's supplying you with the doldrums, make something comforting and warming, such as a lovely shepherd's pie. Shepherd's pie, (or cottage pie) is a crustless pie with a meat base and mashed potato toppng. It is delightful and packed with veggies, meat, tomatoes, and potatoes. It's a great thing to make when you have friends coming over, or you could halve the recipe and make a nice meal for two.

In folk etymology, a Shepherd's pie contains lamb, where a cottage pie contains beef. When I make it, I use ground turkey, so I use the terms interchangeably. Ground turkey is really easy to come by and very inexpensive where I live in New York, but if you prefer beef or lamb, I encourage you to use that instead.

Ingredients:

Base
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic
5-6 sliced carrots (I often use a bit more, as Pablo loves carrots)
10 oz mushrooms
1 lb ground turkey
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
1 14 oz can of chopped tomatoes
Splash of sherry
Dash of Worcestershire sauce

Mashed potato topping
4-5 yukon gold potatoes
1/2 stick of butter
1 cup of milk (or half and half)
salt and pepper

Method:

Meat base
1.) In a pan (I use a fairly large oven safe one) sautee the onion, and garlic for 1-2 minutes. Salt the onion a bit so that it doesn't burn.
2.) Add the carrots, allowing them to cook for a few minutes, then add the mushrooms and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
3.) Add the meat, and cook until done.
4.) Add tomato paste and can of chopped tomatoes, and let simmer for a few minutes.
5.) Add the sherry and worcestershire sauce, and simmer for 5-6 minutes, or on low heat until you're ready to assemble the final pie.

Mashed potato
1.) Boil potatoes until soft and drain.
2.) In pan, melt the butter and warm the milk (one mustn't ever add cold butter and milk to potatoes, as it makes them gummy).
3.) Mash the potatoes (I use a potato ricer, or a food mill, but a good old fashioned potato masher will certainly get the job done).
4.) Add the milk and butter to the potatoes and mix; they might be a little loose at first, but they will firm up quickly. Don't be shy about salt and pepper here, as mashed potatoes can be a tad bland without enough.

To assemble:
Smooth the potatoes over the meat base and set the pie under the broiler for 2-5 minutes (depending on your broiler's strength) until the top is slightly browned. Enjoy!

Photo courtesy of my iPhone

Your own delicious marshmallows!

This year at Christmas I've done very little holiday baking; I was busy, and only made a couple of different treats. This particular confection was easy, fun to make, and delightful...homemade marshmallows! I very well may never buy another bag of marshmallows again! I flavored these with vanilla bean paste, but you could use almond extract, or some cinnamon, or cocoa powder and chips to make a chocolate marshmallow.

This treat dates back to an actual marsh mallow plant, but today they are made by combining sugar, gelatin, flavoring, and heat, and beating them into a cloudy frenzy. On that subject, I used a kitchenaid mixer with a whisk attachment. You could use a hand mixer, but be prepared to stand and mix for 8-12 minutes or so.

I hope you enjoy these; they partially dissolve into a delicious pool after being added to hot cocoa, and are delicate and cloudy when eaten on their own. I would not attempt these without electric assistance.

Ingredients

3 packets of gelatin (I used knox gelatin)

1 cup of water

Powdered sugar

1 cup white corn syrp

1 cup white sugar

candy thermometer (mine wasn't working and checked it with an instant read thermometer, then carefully washed it)

1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla bean paste

Method:

1.) In a small bowl, empty the gelatin packets and a 1/2 cup of water. Mix lightly with a fork and set aside.

2.) In a saucepan, place 1/2 cup of water, 1 cup of white corn syrup, and 1 cup of white sugar. Heat until the mixture reads 240 on a thermometer (this may take a few minutes.) 

3.) Add the gelatin to the bowl of the mixer and set to the lowest setting. Drizzle in the sugar mixture slowly. Be careful with the sugar mixture as it is quite hot.

4.) Add some hot water from the tap to your saucepan so the sugar mixture doesn't harden too much. You'll want to wash the pan out as soon as you're able. Once the sugar mixture has been added to the gelatine, mix on high for 8-12 minutes until very sticky and white.

It will look like this when it's ready

5. While the sugar and gelatine are being whipped into a frenzy, dust a large baking dish with powdered sugar. This will prevent the marshmallow mixture from sticking too much to bottom of the pan.

6.) Once the mixture is amalgamated, add the vanilla bean paste and mix again. 

7.) Using a spatula, spread the marshmallow mixture onto the baking dish.

The mix is so satiny and cheerful at this stage!

8.) If you can help it, let the marshmallows rest for 6 hours (they rested for 3 the first time I made them, as they were too tempting.) Dust the finished marshmallows, slice and enjoy however you like!

I put a nice, big one in my hot cocoa!

Simple, Delectable Tuscan Pasta

When I was in Greve in Chianti with the Mediterranean Opera Studio I stayed at a wonderful Bed and Breakfast in Monte Chiari. The proprietor, Ada is a lovely and warm woman who often made us delicious treats, like an orange cake, or a pear tart, or would share some of her produce from the garden. One day, she and her husband Paolo supplied me with a wonderful recipe for pasta-it yields a delicious, perfect sauce that clings to pasta without being overly gloppy.

For this recipe I used pici, which is a local pasta. It sort of looks like chubby spaghetti:

I'm not certain if you can find it in the US, but I've made it with cavatappi here in the states. I also think bucatini would work well with this dish. One of my favorite ingredients for this dish is water–specifically about 1/2 a cup of the salted water in which the pasta has been boiling. The starch from the pasta helps lend a velvety, creamy texture to the sauce, and adds just a bit of saltiness. 

Ada instructed me to remove the skins (but not the seeds) of the tomatoes, so I start the recipe by pouring boiling water over the tomatoes-this makes it very easy to peel the tomatoes!

Ingredients:

Extra virgin olive oil
1/2 to 3/4 pound of pasta such as pici or cavatappi

1 small to medium onion

1 clove of garlic (optional)

8 or 9 smallish tomatoes such as Roma tomatoes

2 medium sized zucchini

4 basil leaves

Method:

1. Boil a small pot of water, and pour over the tomatoes. Peel the skins off the tomatoes. Slice the tomatoes and reserve in a bowl.

2. Dice the onion, garlic (if using,) and zucchini (but keep them separate.)

2. Saute the onion and garlic in a tablespoon of olive oil until they start to become translucent, about five minutes.

3. While your onions are cooking, put a pot of water on to boil. Add 2 tablespoons of salt to the water.

4. Add the tomatoes to the saute pan and cook for 5 minutes.

5. Add the pasta to the water, and set your timer (I always shoot for 1 to 2 minutes under the recommended cooking time, as I like my pasta very al dente.)

6. Add the chopped zucchini to the saute pan, and cook another 5 minutes. Tear the basil leaves into the sauce. and toss.

7. Remove 1/2 a cup of water from the pasta water and add to the saute pan and stir. This will help the sauce become a bit more "saucy."

8. Drain the pasta and toss with the sauce. Serve and enjoy!

Buon apetito!

Homemade Caesar Salad!

I love a good Caesar salad! Unfortunately, I find that good Caesar salads can be difficult to find–the vast majority of them at restaurants are bland, limp, lifeless and fall quite flat. There are a few exceptions to this rule–I find that Bistro Romano in Philadelphia makes an excellent one, and (naturally) there are a few good ones in New York. But sometimes, I just want a reliably delicious salad, so I turn to this recipe.

It's worth noting that I love salad, but hate making it. Most of the time I find it tedious and boring to make. This is not one of those salads–it's actually quite fun to make, and you can enlist your friends to help you dry and chop the romaine. I also enjoy the process of making the croutons for the salad, which, again is easy. If you don't want the bread or are gluten intolerant, I find that substituting tomatoes for croutons works beautifully (sometimes I do this anyway, or have tomatoes AND croutons...)

While a staple on Italian menus, Caesar salad was actually born in Tijuana, Mexico! Caesar Cardini, an Italian restaurateur with a flair for the dramatic, whisked these ingredients (he was out of a lot of things) table side and it caught on. Now Caesar salad is featured on menus coast to coast.

A few notes on my preparation of this classic: I really like a Caesar salad with a kick, and I like to use a full teaspoon of hot Dijon mustard. If you're not in the market for so much heat, then cut it back to a 1/2 teaspoon. Traditionally, a wooden bowl is used to mix the ingredients. I do not have a wooden bowl, so I use a stainless steel one. It still comes out perfectly.

Ingredients:
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 teaspoon of salt
2 teaspoons of anchovy paste (or 2 anchovy fillets– use the paste)
1 teaspoon of smooth Dijon mustard (the fierier the better)
1 egg yoke (or 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise if you find the thought of an egg yoke abhorrent)
1 teaspoon of lemon juice
3/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
1 cup of Parmesan cheese (I like Parmigiano–Reggiano or Grana Padano)
1 teaspoon of black pepper

Method:
1. In your bowl, muddle (or crush with a fork) the garlic and salt together–crush the garlic into tiny pieces. The salt will help break down the garlic a bit.

2. Add the anchovy paste and Dijon mustard, and incorporate into the garlic mixture.

3. Add the egg yoke and mix thoroughly.

4. Switch implements–grab a whisk! Whisk in the 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice, then drizzle in the olive oil while whisking.

5. Add 1/2 cup of of cheese to the bowl and whisk in it.

6. Add the black pepper.

7. Toss with croutons (recipe below) or chopped tomatoes and enjoy!

Croutons

Perhaps unsurprisingly, croutons are very easy to make–there's really no need to by those lumps of reincarnated stale bread in a bag. A sourdough boule is delicious, but I've use lots of varieties. I've even used a baguette once when I didn't have anything else, and the croutons were delicious.

Ingredients:
Bread
1 1/2 tablespoons of Olive oil (maybe a bit of butter)
Garlic powder
salt
pepper

Method:

1. Cut the bread into cubes–you can remove the crust or not–I never do (I think it has more personality)

2. Heat the oil and (if using) butter in a pan

3. Add the bread to the pan, toss garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste. When the croutons are golden brown, serve!

Alternate Method:

Preheat the oven to 350, put the croutons on a half sheet pan, toss with seasoning and bake for 15 minutes or so, or until brown.

Ready to eat!

Roasted Vegetables with Basil and Balsamic

Everyone agrees that vegetables are good for you. Not everyone agrees that vegetables are delicious and flavorful. This is one of those recipes that can help dispell the myth that veggies can't be a showstopper.

I imagine this dish to be somewhere between a main dish and a salad-I like to use a lot of basil leaves for this. If your basil is too bitter, just cut the number back or use a different variety of basil.

The elements are simple-zucchini, yellow squash, and a red onion, but when assembled, they make a wonderful feast for the eyes and the tastebuds. Please just use this recipe as a blueprint, and feel free to change it to suit your larder or taste.

Ingredients

3 Zucchini

2 Yellow squash

1 red onion

Salt and pepper

1/4 cup Olive oil

1 cup of basil leaves

Good quality balsamic vinegar (or balsamic glaze)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees farenheit

2. Slice the zucchini and yellow squash into big (but still hearty) chunks-I cut the squash in half lengthwise and slice into 8ths.

3. Cut the onion in half, and cut each section into 8ths or simply slice. It is important not to dice the onion, as it will burn in the oven. 

4. Toss the veggies in the olive oil and tumble them onto a half sheet pan. Generously salt (2 teaspoons) and pepper (1 tablespoon) the vegetables.

5. Roast the vegetables for 45 minutes. If the squash express lots of water and won't brown, you can simply broil the vegetables for the last few minutes.

6. Tear half the basil leaves into a serving bowl. Add the veggies on top (and enjoy the wonderful scent of the hot veggies hitting the basil) and top with the remaining leaves. Drizzle the bowl with the balsamic.

7. Enjoy!

Penne alla vodka

I remember one of the first times I had penne alla vodka-it was shortly after I moved to New York to attend Manhattan School of Music. It was in a wonderful Italian restaurant uptown (now sadly closed) and was served with sausage. It was a cold winter night, and the fiery, sumptuous sauce really hit the spot.

The best news is that vodka sauce, while being a bit time consuming, is pretty easy to make! There are a lot of different versions, but this is one that works for me-I hope you, dear reader, will try it too-it's almost always a hit when I serve it, and I hope it will be for you too.

For this recipe, you need a saute pan that can go in the oven, and a blender.

Ingredients
1 pound of penne cooked in salted water.
1/3 cup of olive oil
2 medium yellow onions
5 cloves of garlic
2 teaspoons of dried oregano
3/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper
1 1/4 cups of vodka
2 28 oz cans of whole peeled tomatoes, juice drained
1/4 cup cream (optional)
1/4 cup Pasta cooking water
Parmesan cheese (optional)

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 350.
2. Peel the onions and slice them in half, then roughly slice them. There is no need to dice them, since you will blend the sauce later-enjoy the low maintenance use of the onion here.
3. Heat the olive oil in the pan and saute the onion over a medium heat-cook gently and fairly slowly here, for about 5 minutes or so.
4. Turn the heat to mediu high and add the (again, roughly chopped) garlic, oregano and red pepper-the heat from the oil helps the flavors in the oregano bloom, and makes the red pepper boom.
5. Add the vodka, which will sizzle! Cook for two minutes or until it reduces a bit.
6. Mash the tomatoes by hand as you add them to the pan. Stir the sauce and then toss into the oven.
7. Cook the sauce in the oven for an hour. When you remove the sauce, blend it in the blender in a few batches.
8. Add the cream and some of the starchy water. The amounts are flexible-I want you to have the consistancy of sauce that you like-if it seems thick, then add some more water or cream.
9. Toss with cooked al dente penne noodles and garnish with parmesan cheese.

I've served the dish here in a very American way, all on one platter-sausage on the left, lightly sauteed broccoli rabe on the right.

Pizza with Zucchini Crust (Gluten free!)

This is really something special, if I do say so myself. It's a pizza with a crust that's made from shredded zucchini with cheese and baked to a crisp deliciousness. My little sister Caroline made this for me one night when we were making a variety of yummy pizzas, and I found this not only a good stand in for normal pizza dough, but almost preferable, as the cheese in the crust really makes for a nice crisp, savory taste.  I altered Caroline's recipe to use ground almond meal/flour, which has the additional benefit of lowering the carb count and makes it a great gluten-free pizza choice.

I use a food processor to grate the zucchini, but you could also use a box grater. The important thing is to dry the zucchini once it has been shredded-otherwise, the pizza crust won't be as deliciously crisp!

Ingredients
2 large zucchini
1/2 cup almond meal
2 eggs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese
Pinch of oregano
Salt
Garlic powder
Food Processor or box grater
Parchment paper or silicone baking mat

Pizza toppings (optional-dress your pizza as you see fit)
1/2 cup pizza sauce
1/2 cup mozzarella
1.5 ounces of pepperoni
Mushrooms

Method:
1.) Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a food processor, use the grater attachment to grate the two zucchini. Place on a cutting board and cover with a towel, then place something large and heavy to encourage it to dry.

2.) After 5-8 minutes, toss the shredded zucchini in a bowl and add eggs, Parmesan, mozzarella, salt, oregano, garlic and almond meal and mix well.

3.) Spread the zucchini mixture onto parchment paper or silicone baking mat and bake for 30 minutes. It will start smelling REALLY good.

4.) Remove pizza from oven, and top with your favorite toppings. Bake for another 10-12 minutes.

5.) Eat greedily.

I don't have a pizza pan right now, but this gives you the general idea. It tastes amazing!

Zucchini and fennel gratin

This is one of those quick recipes that is often a hit-it's gooey, creamy, and can be as light or heavy as the need, one's mood, or inventory demands.  As is often the case with yummy, savory dishes, it all starts with a little olive oil and some sweet or Spanish onion. This recipe also uses zucchini, which is a perennial favorite. It's a gratin, and really you can make a gratin out of just about any vegetable-you can make a spinach gratin, a cauliflower gratin, and of course the famous potato version. It's a fun recipe to make, and employs a smallish version of a bechamel sauce and cheese.

  Another notable, ingredient that I use in this dish that's slightly off the beaten path is fennel. Often referred to as anise due to similar tastes, fennel is actually a different plant than anise. They both share a hint of licorice flavor, but this fades when it is cooked-it takes on a rounder, deeper flavor that I love.

Fennel!!

I've made this for my friend Cindy a number of times, but the fennel is a recent addition. I used to use just zucchini and onion, and give it the gratin treatment. The fennel can be left out, but if you've got the fennel on hand, or can pick some up at the store, I strongly recommend it. 

This recipe also uses a dash of nutmeg, but if you don't care for the taste, then by all means leave it out.

I went to make this one night only to find that I didn't have any cream, half and half or whole milk in the house, so I used almond milk instead. The slightly nutty taste of the almond milk really compliments the dish. If you were to use no butter or cheese, you could also make this if you or your friends are vegan. If you use almond milk or a lower fat milk, just know that you'll have to reduce it for a bit before it will be ready, whereas a version with half and half or cream will be ready almost instantly.  

As I stated earlier, this is a relatively quick and easy dish, but it is always a crowd pleaser. If you're feeling very decadent, you can top it with breadcrumbs before putting it under the broiler.

Gratins

Ingredients

1 medium or 1/2 large sweet or Spanish onion

1/2 a bulb of fennel

3 zucchini, sliced

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 teaspoon of butter

1 tablespoon of flour

1 cup of milk, cream, half and half, almond milk or soy milk

Grated cheese such as Swiss, Gruyere, or Parmesan (optional)

Salt, pepper and thyme

Pinch of nutmeg (optional)

Method:

1. Turn the broiler on. In a saute pan, add the chopped onion and fennel, and cook slowly over medium low heat until mellow (the fennel will deepen in color after about 3 minutes.) 

2. Add the chopped zucchini and either cook until soft (medium heat) or slightly browned (medium high heat,) about 3-6 minutes. Add some salt and pepper, and thyme.

3. Add the butter, and once it has melted, add the flour and cook for about 2 minutes (otherwise there will be a raw flour taste.)

4. Add the milk, and bring the heat up a bit. When the sauce has thickened, grate in a bit of nutmeg (if using,) top with a bit of cheese (if using) and stir.

5. Top with breadcrumbs (if using) and place under the broiler for 4 minutes until browned and bubbly on top.

6. Eat greedily.

The gratin in the pan

Olive oil carrot cake

In my experience, suggesting the use of olive oil in a cake provokes two reactions: either the listener recoils in horror, or they've had cakes made with olive oil and they know how wonderful they can be. This cake is no exception, and it's invariably a hit whenever I make it. While I do use normal extra virgin olive oil in some of my cakes (later this spring I'll share my olive oil lemon rosemary cake) for this one I use a light and mild olive oil-the subtler background makes for a delicate flavor, while ensuring a soft (though sturdy) and moisture rich cake.

A caveat about this cake: grating your own carrots with a box grater (or the like) can be a pain in the neck, but it is absolutely worth it.

Grating the day away...a pound of carrots takes about 10 minutes. I know that's not a lot of time, but it is when you're grating something....

This isn't a difficult recipe, but the preliminaries (and, in fact, the baking) are a little time consuming. Don't make this one if you don't have about 90 minutes; if you want to make something quick for dessert, make some cookies.

Though you could easily omit nuts from this cake (I sometimes do) toasted pine nuts, walnuts, pecans or hazelnuts all do really well in this cake; use what you like (or what you have on hand.)  There is nothing wrong with using vanilla extract,  but if you also have some other liqueur, you can certainly substitute it. Frangelico, Amaretto or the like are very nice. 

I use a very normal cream cheese frosting-if you have a recipe that  you prefer, by all means use it. My portions here make a generous amount of frosting, but this is a big cake.

Ingredients

Cake:

2 cups granulated sugar

1 1/3 cups light and mild olive oil

3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or the like

2 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup raisins (golden are nice, but regular is also fine)

1 cup chopped hazelnuts

1 pound carrots, grated

3/4 cup diced pineapple (I normally use pineapple from a can, but I do drain the juice)

For the frosting:

1 pound cream cheese, at room temperature

1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 pound confectioners' sugar, sifted

Method:

1.) Prep cake pans with parchment paper, butter and a bit of flour. If you're not familiar with prepping cake pans a quick (albeit overly fussy) tutorial can be found here. 

2.) Preheat oven to 350.  Grate the carrots. Yes, the entire pound.

3.) In a mixer (or whisk by hand) mix the olive oil and sugar together for a few minutes, then add eggs and beat well, until a light yellow.  

4.) In another bowl sift flour, leavening, salt and cinnamon together. 

Sifting the day away. I think baking is positively therapeutic.

5.) Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and beat slowly just until incorporated. If you over beat the batter, it will become tough.

6.) Add hazelnuts (or any nuts) and raisins. 

7.) Add the carrots and pineapple and mix well. with a spatula.

Mmmm cake!

8.) Bake for about 45-50 minutes. Depending on the day, it may take a smidge longer. The cake is done when a knife comes out clean.

Frosting:

For the frosting, I find it much easier to use room temperature cream cheese and butter.  Sift the powdered/confectioner's sugar so you don't get lumps. You can use the suggested vanilla or add a little frangelico to echo the hazelnuts, or just stick to vanilla for a nice classic taste.  

1.) Mix the cream cheese and butter together.

2.) Add vanilla or liqueur

3.) Sift the confectioner's sugar and add it slowly-only add until you find it sweet enough-taste the frosting at 1/2 a pound, 3/4 and so forth-you need not use the entire pound of confectioner's sugar.

4.) Let the cakes cool, frost them, and eat greedily!

Arugula and Fennel Salad with Lemon and Olive Oil

Sometimes, a deftly underplayed hand can be just the ticket! I think that this is very much the case with this salad-it's so simple, I hesitate to call it a recipe. This is my Mother's favorite salad at the moment-we had something like it at my wedding last year at a local Italian restaurant, and this is my replica (I simplified the "dressing" a bit-I just use some lemon juice and olive oil.)

I think that if you were to add some toasted walnuts or pine nuts, you'd have something like a crouton as well, and it would make the salad a bit more filling.

Ingredients
2.5 ounces or about 2 cups of arugula
1 cup of thinly sliced fresh fennel
About 1/2 cup of shaved parmesan cheese (this is a great place for good cheese, like a parmigiano reggiano or grana padano)
The juice of 1/2 a medium, or 1 small lemon
Extra Virgin Olive oil
1/2 teaspoon of salt
Black pepper
1/2 cup of toasted walnuts or pine nuts (optional)

Method:
1.) In a serving bowl, toss in the arugula, and scatter the sliced fennel and most of the shaved parmesan.
2.) If you're having nuts in your salad, lightly toast them in a pan. Walnuts won't be super fragrant, they create more of a delicate hazy smell when they are toasted. Pine nuts will darken a bit.
3.) Cut the lemon, and try to remove any seeds if you can. Squeeze half the lemon over the salad (or use all of it if you like.)
4.) Drizzle lightly with extra virgin olive oil, toss in the nuts, add pepper to taste, salt, and toss well.
5.) Garnish the top of the salad with the remaining parmesan.
6.) Eat! I hope you enjoy this refreshing and crisp salad as much as I do.

I already had started munching away by the time I remembered to take a photo-sorry!

Mini molten chocolate heaven for you and your sweetheart

Happy Valentine's Day! I've always had a soft spot for this particular day to celebrate love. I also think that love should be celebrated whenever possible (not just on Valentine's Day) and should not necessitate large expenditures of money, or even another person. Take time to treat yourself with a a movie, a walk, a workout, some yoga, a book, a show, or anything at all! I love to have some chocolate on Valentine's Day, and if I have the time to make it for myself and my honey, all the better.

There is a dish that I make that almost all my friends fall head over heels in love with. It's tough to describe-the top is crunchy and stiff like the top of a crème brûlée, but beneath is luscious, flowing warm chocolate. Mr friends Matthew and Matthew named it "heaven," while my Mom calls it "molten" and my friend Sharee simply calls it "The Chocolate." I love all of these names, so I've incorporated all of them into the title for this dish, and I've put them in little ramekins (also not unlike crème brûlée.)

I will give you the caveat that this can be a fussy dish, so please follow the directions carefully. Not to sound like a school marm lecturing you, but baking is a science. One can often fuss with procedures or quantities, but I really wouldn't recommend it here. Please, even if it's only for this recipe, preheat the oven 10 minutes ahead of time, sift the dry ingredients (there are only two,) use all the sugar, and beat the eggs for the suggested time frame. Your reward will be one of the most decadent, lovely and fairly inexpensive chocolate desserts you can make without visiting a bakery or a nice restaurant.

Ingredients

Ramekins (if you don't have one, you could just use a big sturdy pie dish)

A roasting pan 

3 eggs that are at least extra large (I recommend jumbo sized eggs. If you only have large, then use 3 1/2 or so.)

1 3/4 cups of plain white sugar (NOT turbinado, NOT stevia, NOT splenda etc. The only acceptable substitution for this would be superfine, and I'm not 100% sure about that. I promise this is one of the only times I'm this fussy!)

1 1/2 sticks of butter

1/2 plus 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder (I use plain Hershey cocoa powder. I've successfully made it with nicer cocoa powder as well.)

3 tablespoons of all purpose flour 

1 teaspoon of vanilla

2 teaspoons of Kahlua (you may substitute other liqueurs or or omit)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 325 and take out your ramekins and roasting pan.

2. Melt the butter either on the stove using low heat, or in 20 second intervals in the microwave. 

3. In a standing mixer mix the eggs and sugar (this can be done by hand, but it is a JOB.) Beat on medium/medium high speed for 5-8 minutes. The color will lighten considerably, and a "ribbon" will form (remember the ribbon from the chocolate mousse entry?) This takes a lot of strength (or friends who are willing to help) to do by hand.

At first, it's a sunny, deep yellow

The eggs and sugar are become more and more aerated, and are lightening and swelling. Notice the start of the ribbon!

3. Sift the cocoa powder and flour together (I don't have a sifter in NYC, so I just use a strainer.)

4. Once you have achieved the ribbon, add the vanilla and kahlua (if you're using it.)

5. Turn the mixer down to the lowest setting (or off) and add the dry ingredients. Once everything has gone a dark, beautiful brown, the it is time for....

6. Add the butter, mix until everything is incorporated and the butter isn't "standing" on the chocolate mixture.

7. Spoon/pour the mixture into your ramekins. I'd go just over 3/4 full (these don't grown much.) Set the ramekins in your roasting pan.

Starting to look heavenly!

8. Pour/run hot tap water into the roasting pan until it is halfway up the side of the ramekins. This helps keeps the middle gooey.

There's a bit leftover...cook's treat!

9. Bake about 50 minutes. The tops will be firm to the touch.

Before going into the oven.

10. I don't have to tell you to eat greedily on this one, I think. Tell me what you think!

This tastes so good!!!!!!! I can't wait for Paul to get home...I'm going to have to have some now! Besides, I have a rehearsal-I need my strength! :-)

Center cut pork chops with a bourbon and mustard cream sauce

I made this for a friend recently who said this should come with a warning about how easy and addictive these are. Consider yourself warned! I made this to go with my old fashioned spinach pasta, and they paired quite nicely.

I love bourbon, but I haven't found many savory things to put it in.  I think that it pairs really nicely with the pork, but you could just as easily make this with chicken too, if you prefer.

Ingredients
1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil
Salt and pepper
1-3 center cut pork chops (I used boneless, but use whichever cut of meat you like)
3 (or so) tablespoons of grain mustard (I used inglehoffer stone ground mustard)
1/4 cup of bourbon
Cream, to taste (or rather to make the sauce)

Method:
1. Heat olive oil in a saute pan.
2. Cook the pork chops. Add a bit of salt and a grinding of pepper to each. Depending on their thickness, they should just take about 3-4 minutes a side.

Mmmmm, happy pork chops!

3. Remove the chops. You will notice that there are brown bits in the pan-they will help make the sauce round and delicious!
4. Add the mustard.
5. Add the bourbon right on top of the mustard-it will likely sizzle and make some noise. Don't be alarmed. Stir the bourbon in the pan. When you add alcohol to a hot pan, the scent can sometimes jump out and slap you in the face. Stir the mustard and the bourbon together, and you will notice the bourbon reducing.
6. Once the sharp alcohol mellows, add cream (to taste, but don't be too stingy, this is your sauce!)
7. Either drape the sauce on the chops, or return the chops to the pans and toss.
8. Eat greedily.

Pork chops ready to go! This sauce tastes like heaven.

Pork chop along side spinach pasta (I do sometimes just serve this with a green salad-as always, suit yourself.)

TBT: Old fashioned Spinach Pasta

No, dear friend, I am not unearthing some forgotten, lost recipe of the late Marcella Hazan. I've chosen to participate in throw back Thursday, culinary style! Let me explain: this dish is old fashioned in the sense that it is a recipe I concocted and started making a little over a decade ago it's one of my first creations! I haven't made it in ages, but the weather in New York is snowy and cold, and I was feeling like taking a cozy ride through memory lane, and food can be a nice mode of transportation for the trip.

In some ways, it would be nice to go back to a time when we were young. I'm really happy right now though, so while I wouldn't necessarily like to be 21 years old again, it is fun to fiddle with recipes that I used to make.

I remember making this for friends and family with my friend Crystal (we didn't use the white wine, and probably used too much garlic, but we were learning and having fun.) We on occasion used to make dishes at ridiculous hours (11 PM....1 AM...3 AM....sometimes later/earlier! In those days I worked late, and we would often go for a long walk (4 or 5 miles) and then we'd be hungry! I've always been something of a night owl, which is a plus since I've chosen a life as an opera singer.

Anyway, back to food. This, like many Italian (or rather, Italian-esque) dishes is simple and yummy. I suggest using a short pasta onto which the sauce (such as it is,) spinach, and meat will cling. My current favorite pasta shape is casarecce. I fell in love with this shape while singing and teaching in Palermo last summer-casarecce seems to be the most popular shape on "bedda sicilia" (lovely Sicily.) That being said, I think short fusili would also be a superlative choice. As always, do as you please. By the way, the pasta in the pictures I'm sharing are actually torcetti, which are also lovely.

With this dish, don't expect a big gloppy sort of sauce-this really is somewhere between a pasta dish and a vegetable treatment. I do think it benefits from a generous strewing of grana padano or parmigiano reggiano.

As an alternative to the ground beef or turkey (I almost always use ground turkey, since it's more affordable in my neighborhood,) this is also a nice dish to prepare with flaked broiled salmon-you prepare the onions as directed, but then incorporate the spinach and pasta in immediately, and toss lightly with the salmon after (unsurprisingly ground beef or turkey is much more resilient than a delicately cooked piece of fish.)

I often recycle my water from the spinach to cook the pasta. I don't think this harms anything at all (unless you have some very dirty spinach...but aren't you rinsing your spinach before you cook it?) I find this saves on washing pans (which is anathema.) Of course, you could bring two big pots full of water to boil....suit yourself.

Ingredients
A big saute pan
A stock pot
Drainer/Colander
2 tablespoons plus a drizzle of Olive oil
1 sweet onion (I might substitute a few leeks if I have around-up the green ante a bit)
1 pound of ground beef or turkey
3 cloves of garlic
1 1/2 pounds of spinach (I like baby spinach a lot)
1/4 cup of Vermouth or white wine (whichever you have on hand-if you have sherry or brandy, they'll do.)
Herbs- fresh or dried. I have fresh thyme and parsley, so I'm using them. Generic dried "Italian seasoning" is also fine.
Lots of grated Parmesan

Method
1. Put your pot (or pots) on the stove to boil. Salt the water!
2. Chop your onion and garlic, and begin to saute the onion in a saute pan (reserve the garlic.) If you're using dried herbs, add them to the oil to sweat them out so they'll release their lovely flavor.
3. Brown the meat, which should take about 5 minutes.
4. Add the garlic, and cook 2 minutes, then add the vermouth or wine. Turn the heat down a bit to simmer.
5. If your water is boiling, add your fresh spinach-it will be done in about 3-4 minutes. It will loose a LOT of size.

This is that fun part of making dinner when everything is on track and the kitchen smells heavenly.

6. Drain the spinach and spray with some cold water from the sink. If you're using the same water (which works if you have a removable drainer) Add the pasta. You want it to cool well, because the next step is to ring out the spinach in a colander/drainer. Do this well-really squeeze the liquid out.

Spinach out....

Pasta in! No, the green water won't hurt anything. Remember, we're combining the pasta and the spinach in the end.

Cool your spinach off, or you run the risk of burning your hand off. Seriously, boiled spinach is HOT, folks.

Squeeeeeeeze!!!

7. Form the spinach into a square on the cutting board. If you're using fresh herbs, add them to the top and chop the spinach left to right, turn and then repeat (so the spinach finely chopped.)

Chop one way...

Rotate board, chop the other way! Notice the little ramekin of parsley-I point it out because I am proud that I had the presence of mind to reserve some for the end!

8. Add the spinach to the pan with the meat and toss. Turn your heat to medium or so, as you'll need to warm the spinach back up. When everything is warmed through, add some cheese, and add s bit of water from the pasta-this helps bind the elements together and gives you a bit of a sauce.

The starchy water has a funny contribution-it's smooth and really melds everything together nicely.

9. Drain the pasta.
10. Toss the pasta, spinach and meat together. Taste it for seasoning-make sure it isn't too bland (it might need a pinch of salt and a bit of pepper.)

Nearly ready to eat!

11. Transfer the pasta to a serving dish. Top with more cheese, a bit of olive oil if it needs, and maybe a little fresh parsley if you have it.

Finishing touches, first a bit of oil...

A bit of cheese...

And a bit of parsley

La cena è pronta!

12. Eat greedily!