Chicken Tikka Masala

I've been dying to make chicken tikka masala for ages...not only because it is so, so, so delicious, but because it is also fun to say.  Tikka Masala...it's up there with Zucchini Carpaccio in terms of things you can say you are making for dinner and sound super-exotic. 

So in order to do this, I needed two things.  One was garam masala, which is a special spice blend.  If you don't have any and neither does your supermarket, you can get some by clicking here.  Or you can do what I do, which is ask my mom if she has any.

Of course she did.

The next thing you need is an absolutely totally reliable recipe, because while the end result is wonderful, I'm not gonna lie to you.  You are going to be spending some quality time with your kitchen (so plan this one for a lazy Sunday afternoon.)  I went where I always go for totally reliable, which is Cooks Illustrated.  And sure enough, there it was, and now that I had Garam Masala I was ready to rock.

First you make a lovely, aromatic spice mixture that you are going to coat your chicken with.  Next, you are going to make a lovely aromatic creamy sauce.  Next, you are going to dunk your chicken into a lovely aromatic mixture of yogurt, garlic and ginger and broil it until it is gorgeously cooked with a little bit of char.

Now cut up that chicken into chunks, stir it into the sauce, and then spoon the whole thing over some rice.  Sprinkle with cilantro or parsley.  Say Chicken Tikka Masala three times fast and dig in.

Chicken Tikka Masala, from Cooks Illustrated

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1teaspoon table salt
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts , trimmed of fat
• 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
  
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, diced fine (about 1 1/4 cups)
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
• 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
• 1 fresh serrano chile , ribs and seeds removed, flesh minced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon garam masala
  
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/4c up chopped fresh cilantro or parsley leaves

1. 1. FOR THE CHICKEN: Combine cumin, coriander, cayenne, and salt in small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with spice mixture, pressing gently so mixture adheres. Place chicken on plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes. In large bowl, whisk together yogurt, oil, garlic, and ginger; set aside.
2. 2. FOR THE SAUCE: Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until light golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, chile, tomato paste, and garam masala; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, and salt; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cream and return to simmer. Remove pan from heat and cover to keep warm.
3. 3. While sauce simmers, adjust oven rack to upper-middle position (about 6 inches from heating element) and heat broiler. Using tongs, dip chicken into yogurt mixture (chicken should be coated with thick layer of yogurt) and arrange on wire rack set in foil-lined rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan. Discard excess yogurt mixture. Broil chicken until thickest parts register 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer and exterior is lightly charred in spots, 10 to 18 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through cooking.
4. 4. Let chicken rest 5 minutes, then cut into 1-inch chunks and stir into warm sauce (do not simmer chicken in sauce). Stir in cilantro or parsley, adjust seasoning with salt, and serve.

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The Best Tomato Sauce in the World!

So, apparently I am the among the last people on the planet to find out about this incredibly amazing, incredibly easy tomato sauce.  When I think of all the many years of my life that have gone by without having this sauce, it makes me want to hide under the covers.  But as they say, better late than never, and now I get to make up for lost time. Silver lining!

If you, like me, haven't heard of this great great great sauce, here are the key things to know.

First, it tastes AMAZING.  I might have mentioned that.  Second, it only involves three ingredients and less than an hour of cooking.   Ingredient number one: tomatoes.  You can use fresh (which is how I made it) or you can use canned.  Which means you can make it all year round.  Which I plan to do.

Second ingredient: an onion.  You peel it and cut it in half and let it simmer in the sauce...but then you take it out at the end, so you are just getting a subtle taste of it.

Third ingredient?  BUTTER.  Because everything is better with butter.

Not THIS much butter, but this was the picture I had of butter, so I thought what the heck.  It gets the point across.

So there you have it - tomato, onion, butter.  Simmer for 45 minutes, then take the onion out and toss it.  If you like your sauce chunky you are ready to roll.  If you like it a little smoother, you can do what I did and give it a whirl with the immersion blender.  Boil up some pasta and ladle it on.  You can sprinkle on some parmesan cheese and fresh pepper if you want, but you don't have to.  Honestly, you almost don't even need the pasta.

So, with thanks to the amazing Marcella Hazan, here's the world's best tomato sauce.  Get ready to rock your pasta.

The Best Tomato Sauce in the World! by Marcella Hazan via Food 52

• 2 pounds fresh, ripe tomatoes, peeled and roughly chopped*, or 2 cups canned imported Italian tomatoes, cut up, with their juice


• 5 tablespoons butter


• 1 medium onion, peeled and cut in half


• Salt to taste

1. Put either the prepared fresh tomatoes or the canned in a saucepan, add the butter, onion, and salt, and cook uncovered at a very slow, but steady simmer for about 45 minutes, or until it is thickened to your liking and the fat floats free from the tomato.


2. Stir from time to time, mashing up any large pieces of tomato with the back of a wooden spoon.


3. Taste and correct for salt. Discard the onion before tossing with pasta. Serve with freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese for the table.

*Peel fresh tomatoes by cutting a shallow X in the bottom of each tomato, plunging them into boiling water for one minute, scooping them out with a slotted spoon and then peeling with a paring knife when cool enough to handle.

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Grilled Shrimp Panzanella

There is something about cooking everything, and I do mean everything, on the grill that makes things taste just so much better.  And as these last days of summer fade into autumn, I'm kicking ye olde grille into overtime, baby.  This recipe is a case in point...technically it is a salad, but two of the major ingredients are cooked on the grill.  (In about 5 minutes, which makes it even more enticing in my book.)

Panzanella is traditionally a salad that substitutes bread for the lettuce (how great is that??), usually tossed with some tomatoes, olive oil and a little vinegar, which in and of itself is pretty wonderful.  This particular recipe adds some shrimp and basil and substitutes lemon juice for the vinegar, but here's the beauty part...the shrimp and the bread are cooked on the grill first.  That gives the whole thing that charred grill taste that makes everything feel like the best part of summer.

So while we still have these lazy, hazy days of summer, surrounded by tomatoes and basil, grab yourself some bread and shrimp and crank up that grill.  Salad never tasted so dang good.

Grilled Shrimp Panzanella, from Real Simple

• 1 1/2 pounds peeled and deveined large shrimp


• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice


• 4 tablespoons olive oil


• kosher salt and black pepper


• 1 small baguette (about 8 ounces), split lengthwise


• 2 1/2 pounds heirloom or beefsteak tomatoes, cut into wedges


• 2 cups fresh basil leaves

1. Heat grill to medium-high. In a large bowl, toss the shrimp with the lemon zest, 1 tablespoon of the oil, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Brush the baguette with 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil.


2. Grill the baguette and shrimp, uncovered, until the baguette is golden and crisp, about 1 minute per side, and the shrimp are opaque throughout, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Cut the baguette into bite-size pieces.


3. In a second large bowl, toss the shrimp, baguette, tomatoes, and basil with the lemon juice, the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

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Slow Low Oven Ribs

When you live with a Southern man, there are certain words you can say that are pretty much guaranteed to make him light up like a Christmas tree.  Grits.  Fried okra.  Fried peach pies from The Varsity in Atlanta.  (This last one is a pure tease, since we live about 15 hours from the Varsity.)  And if all else fails...ribs.  He does love 'em.  And while you can always go the grill route with ribs, as with my dad's famous Coca-Cola Ribs, my other favorite, less complicated and fool-proof way is to cook them low and slow right in the oven.

This recipe is from the delightful cookbook Screen Doors and Sweet Tea: Recipes and Tales from a Southern Cook, and if you have a long lazy day that you'd like to have end with some tender, juicy ribs, here's your recipe.  You make a quick and simple sauce of tomatoes, onion, garlic, maple syrup, soy sauce and red pepper, and then pour half of it over some country style pork ribs.  Cover the pan with foil and pop it in the oven for about three hours.  Take a nice long nap.  Take the foil off and pour the other half of the sauce on, and cook the ribs for another hour or so.  Your sauce will get nice and thick and your ribs will have slow-cooked into tender wonderfulness.

Now if you serve these ribs with some cheese grits on the side, it will almost make up for not living next door to the Varsity.  Almost.

Slow Low Oven Ribs, from Screen Doors and Sweet Tea: Recipes and Tales from a Southern Cook

• Two 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes with juice


• 1/4 cup chopped sweet onion


• 2 garlic cloves, minced


• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes


• 1/2 cup maple syrup


• 2 tablespoons soy sauce


• 4 bay leaves


• 4 pounds country style pork ribs


• Salt and pepper

1. Combine tomatoes, onion, garlic and red pepper in a small saucepan and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes.  Stir in maple syrup and soy sauce.
2. Preheat oven to 300 and line a 13x9 inch baking dish with foil.  Place the bay leaves in the bottom of the dish.
3. Season the ribs with salt and pepper and lay them in the baking dish.  Pour half of the sauce over them, turning them a few times to coat them with the sauce.  Cover the pan tightly with foil.
4. Bake for three hours, then remove the foil, pour the remaining sauce over and bake for an additional hour or so until the sauce is thick and the ribs are tender.
5. Put the ribs on a serving platter and let stand for 15 minutes.  Tilt the pan and ladle off the fat from the pan juices, and then pour the pan sauce over the ribs and serve.

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Pasta with Shredded Chicken and Rosemary

I've said it before and I'll say it again...if a recipe has the words "shredded" and "chicken" in it, I am completely, 100% in.  There's something about bite-sized pieces of chicken that just means comfort food to me, and if you include a little pasta and cheese with it...oh my goodness.

And this particular one also involves one of my favorite fresh herbs, conveniently one that is currently growing like gangbusters in my back yard.  Rosemary!  If you are ever feeling blue, rub a few rosemary leaves between your fingers and inhale deeply.  It's pretty much guaranteed to make you feel better.

Anyway.  This is a fast and simple dish that will make short work of any leftover cooked chicken you have in your fridge.  Whenever I am grilling chicken for anything else, I make sure to throw a few extra pieces on, because grilled chicken is just about perfect in recipes like this one.  Let it come to room temperature and tear it into those nice little bite-sized pieces while you are cooking up some pasta.  I like to use orecchiette (those little round ones) because they do such a nice job of holding the sauce, but pretty much any short pasta will do.  Make sure you salt the pasta water up good, and scoop out some of the pasta water right before you drain it.

Once the drained pasta is back in the pot, toss in the chicken, some parmesan cheese, some of that glorious fresh rosemary, a little salt and pepper, and enough pasta water to make it into a nice light sauce.  Simmer it until everything is all warm and blended together.  Now all you have to to is spoon it into plates and dig in.

Shredded chicken...it never lets me down.

Pasta with Shredded Chicken and Rosemary, adapted from Real Simple

• 12 ounces orecchiette (about 3 cups)
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan
• Coarse salt and black pepper

1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve 1 ¼ cups of the cooking water. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
2. Toss the pasta with the chicken, rosemary, reserved pasta water, ½ cup of the Parmesan, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
3. Cook, stirring, over medium-low heat, until the sauce has thickened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup of Parmesan. 

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Zucchini Pasta with Ricotta

So, how's the zucchini out by you these days?  Here in sultry New Jersey it has us surrounded, which is as good an excuse as any to make this easy pasta dish for supper...and which in turn lets me indulge two of my favorite things to do; using my lethal weapon of a mandoline, and making yet another pot of fresh ricotta.  Neither one of which should scare you off, since you can make this dish perfectly nicely with a regular knife and ricotta from the store, but I'm just saying.

Anyway, slice up your zucchini into nice long strips in whatever way you like to do it, and roasted them with a little olive oil until they are nice and golden and wonderful.  In the meantime, cook up a pot of linguine, and make sure you save a little of the pasta water before you drain it.  (This is a good basic rule in life...a little pasta water can do amazing things for pretty much any pasta sauce that needs just a teeny bit of loosening.)  

Now toss that pasta sauce with a little olive oil and salt and pepper, and then gently stir in some of your roasted zucchini.  Drizzle in a little of the pasta water if you think it needs it.  Top with some ricotta (and if you do want to make your own, click here for my favorite - and quick! - way to make it), and a little lemon zest.  Done!

Take that, zucchini!

Zucchini Pasta with Ricotta, from Everyday Food

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
• 2 pounds zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 pound linguine
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup ricotta

1. Preheatoven to 450. Brush two rimmed baking sheets with oil. Arrange zucchiniin a single layer on sheets and brush tops with oil; season with saltand pepper. Roast zucchini until tender and lightly golden in parts, 25to 30 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through.
   
2. Meanwhile,in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook linguine according topackage instructions. Drain pasta and return to pot. Add oil, lemonzest, and zucchini and toss to combine. Serve pasta topped with ricotta.

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Grilled Clams with Lemon Ginger Butter

Okay, so I know that clams are probably not the first thing you think of when you get that urge to crank up the grill.  Me either...my mind goes right to burgers, or chicken, or (my fave!) grilled pizza.  But one day I happened across a recipe for grilled clams with lemon ginger butter and grilled bread, and I just couldn't look away.  Live dangerously, I thought, and I went out and bought me a couple of pounds of clams.

Now, you aren't actually putting the clams directly on the grill itself.  They are going to cook in one of those big disposable aluminum pans that you can get in the supermarket, and which you can toss after dinner, thereby saving you (or your Southern husband) from washing yet another dish.  But before we get to the clams, we need to discuss the lemon ginger butter.  Prepare yourself.

You take a 1/2 a stick of soft butter, and mix it up with some minced shallot, some chopped fresh parsley, a little lemon juice, some lemon peel, and some minced fresh ginger.  Add in a little salt and pepper.  Now take a few slices of French bread and spread a thin layer of this fabulous butter on one side.

Now crank your barbecue up to high and lay the clams in a single layer in your aluminum pan.  You may need two pans, which worked out great for me since my store sells them in sets of two.  It's like it was meant to be.

Put the pan on the grill, close the cover, and open it up about 8-10 minutes later.  The clams should now be opened up and cooked.  So far so good!  Scoop the clams out with a slotted spoon and pop them in a big serving bowl.  Your pan will have a nice amount of clam juice in it - this is good.  Very good.  Grab the rest of the lemon butter that didn't go onto the bread, add it to the pan, and put the pan back on the grill until it is all melted and wonderful.

Now you have your lovely cooked clams...

And your hot melted butter sauce...now pop the buttered bread on the grill and toast it until it is all wonderfully charred and crispy.

Now take the pans of lemon butter juice and pour it over the clams in the bowl.  All of it.  Go crazy.

I don't bother dividing the clams among separate plates - I just put the big bowl in the center of the table with the toasted bread, give everyone a plate with some toasted bread, put another bowl on the table for the empty shells, and say "Dig in!!"

And you thought the grill was just for burgers.  :)

Grilled Clams with Lemon Ginger Butter, from Epicurious

• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, room temperature
• 4 teaspoons minced shallot
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
• 6 1/2-inch-thick diagonal baguette slices
• 2 pounds Manila clams, scrubbed

1.Prepare barbecue (high heat). Using spatula, blend butter, minced shallot, minced fresh parsley, fresh lemon juice, minced fresh ginger, and finely grated lemon peel in small bowl; season to taste with salt and pepper. Thinly spread lemon-ginger butter on 1 side of each bread slice. Arrange clams in single layer in disposable aluminum pan. Place pan on grill, cover barbecue, and cook just until clams open, 8 to 10 minutes (discard any clams that do not open).


2. Using slotted spoon, transfer grilled clams to 2 shallow bowls. Grill bread until slightly charred, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Add remaining lemon-ginger butter to juices in pan; stir on grill until melted. Pour juices from pan over clams. Serve with bread.

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Pasta with Mozzarella Tomatoes

Just about this time of year, you start thinking...what am I going to do with all that basil in my garden?  And what I am going to do with all those gorgeous local tomatoes?

I think I have the answer.  First step: find a big hunk of the best mozzarella cheese you can get your hands on.  The softer and creamier the cheese, the more deliriously happy you are going to be...it's a direct connection.  Creamy cheesiness = happiness.  Next, go get yourself a few of those nice tomatoes...



...and some of that basil.  I have some if you need any!



Okay, here we go.  Cook up some spaghetti, and while it is boiling away, get your tomatoes ready.  Slice them up in nice thick slices, and season them with a little salt and pepper.  Place them on a baking sheet and cover them with some slices of that great mozzarella you found, along with a little parmesan. 

Meanwhile, heat up some olive oil with some chopped garlic and red pepper for a couple minutes...don't let the garlic get too brown.  As soon as it starts smelling like garlic heaven, you're good.  When the pasta has about 2 minutes to go, pop those tomatoes into the broiler until the cheese starts getting gorgeously brown and bubbly. 

Now it's time to put it all together.  Toss the pasta with that delicious garlic oil, some chopped basil, a little more salt and pepper, and then slide those cheesy tomatoes on top.  A few more basil leaves and Parmesan just to send you completely over the edge, and you are all set.  Tomato season, I adore you!

 Pasta with Mozzarella Tomatoes, from Real Simple

• 12 ounces spaghetti
• 3 large beefsteak tomatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), each cut into 4 thick slices
• 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for the baking sheet
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan (1 ounce), plus more, shaved, for serving
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 3/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves, plus more for serving

1. Heat broiler. Cook the pasta according to the package directions; drain and return it to the pot.

2. Meanwhile, arrange the tomato slices in a single layer on a lightly oiled rimmed baking sheet. Season with ¼ teaspoon each salt and black pepper. Dividing evenly, cover the slices with the mozzarella and Parmesan. Broil until the cheese is bubbly and golden, 3 to 5 minutes.

3. In a small saucepan, warm the oil with the garlic and red pepper over medium heat until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.

4. Add the garlic oil, basil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper to the pasta and toss to combine. Serve topped with the tomatoes, additional basil, and shaved Parmesan.

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Pasta with Sweet Yellow Tomatoes

Every summer I look forward to the Return of the Tomato.  I do love the classic red ones, and have about one million recipes that call for them, but I'm also crazy about the green ones (fried green tomatoes!) and the sweetest ones of all, which are the yellow ones.  It has something to do with less tannic acid (or maybe more...I'm a little fuzzy on the technicalities) but they have a sweet, perfect taste that makes you want to bite into them like they were a peach or an apple.  As a matter of fact, you might want to buy a couple of extras just to do that.

And after you've gotten that out of your system, you need to make this scrumptious pasta, which not only tastes like summer but looks like it too.  Yellow tomatoes, fresh basil, all mixed up with a light pan sauce made with garlic and Parmesan cheese and a teeny hint of red pepper.

All topped with toasted breadcrumbs.  Do not be tempted to skip the toasted breadcrumb part...it gives this dish the perfect crunchy touch.  Hurray for yellow tomatoes!

Pasta with Sweet Yellow Tomatoes, from Bon Appetit's fabulous article on How To make Perfect Pasta!

4 slices white bread, stale or lightly toasted
4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
8 oz. Sun Gold or cherry tomatoes
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt
6 oz. capellini, spaghetti, or bucatini
3/4 cup finely grated Pecorino or Parmesan
8 medium fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces



Tear bread slices into small pieces. Process in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. Bake in a 350° oven, stirring occasionally, until browned and dry, then transfer hot breadcrumbs to a large bowl. Drizzle with 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, season, and toss to coat.

Heat 3 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add tomatoes, garlic, and red pepper flakes, season with salt, and cook, covered slightly and swirling pan often, until tomatoes blister and burst, 10-12 minutes. Press down on tomatoes to release their juices. Remove pan from heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, bring 3 quarts water to a boil in a 5-qt. pot. Season with salt; add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until about 2 minutes before tender. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking water.

Transfer pasta to skillet with tomatoes; set over high heat. Add 1/2 cup pasta water. Cook, stirring and tossing often, until sauce thickens and begins to coat the pasta, about 1 minute. Stir in remaining oil, cheese, and half the basil and toss until sauce coats pasta and pasta is al dente. (Add more pasta water if sauce seems dry.) Add remaining basil, season with salt, and serve with breadcrumbs.

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Low Country Boil Kabobs

One of the many, many advantages of being married to a Southern man is that you learn about the complete fabulousness of something called Low Country Boil.  It's also sometimes known as Frogmore Stew (based on the hometown of the National Guardsman that invented it).  The town of Frogmore was eliminated by the Postal Service and incorporated into the nearby Beaufort, and the name of the recipe officially changed to Low Country Boil.  This is your culinary history lesson of the day.

Anyway, the way this usually works is that you boil up baby potatoes with a seafood seasoning, and then add the sausage, the corn and then the shrimp as time rolls on so that everything is cooked up perfectly.  Then you drain the whole thing and dump it all onto a platter and let folks dig in...forks optional.  We always have this a few times during the summer, so when I saw this version that called for adding the grill into the mix, my antenna went up.  I always do love to shake up a recipe that I've made a hundred times before.

In this version, you still boil up the potatoes, but after they are done you thread them onto skewers with uncooked large shrimp, chunks of andouille sausage, and pieces of corn on the cob that you have cut into 1-2 inch sections.  Now, the most challenging part of this entire thing is getting the dang corn sections on to the skewers.  The center of corn cobs?  HARD.  So the Southern husband sprang into action...he took each one and hammered a nail into it and then pulled it out - making a perfect little hole for me to slip it right onto the skewer.  There is nothing that makes this man happier than the chance to use his workshop skills in the kitchen.

Once everything is on the skewer, you brush it with a mixture of melted butter and Old Bay seasoning.  Or, if you are like me and THOUGHT you had a container of Old Bay and then remembered too late that you threw it out in a frenzy of purging the spice cabinet of old spices, you can fake it by putting together the mixture I found by clicking here.

Now pop the skewers onto the grill for as long as it takes to cook the shrimp and lightly char the corn - 5-8 minutes should do it.  Now you not only have the wonderfulness of Low Country Boil, but with the added flavor of the grill. 

Life is very, very good.

Low Country Boil Kabobs, from Everyday Food

1/2 pound baby potatoes

2 ears of corn, cut into 1 inch sections

1/2 pound cooked andouille sausage, cut into 1 inch rounds

1/2 pound large shrimp, peeled and deviened

4 tablespoons melted butter

2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning

1. Boil potatoes in salted water for about 12 minutes or until tender.  Drain and cool slightly.

2. Thread skewers with potatoes, shrimp, corn and sausage.

3. Combine melted butter and Old Bay and brush onto skewers.  Grill on medium high for about 5-8 minutes or until shrimp is cooked and corn is lightly charred.  Serve immediately.

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Spring Vegetable Risotto

Yes, I realize it is a little late in the year to be posting something called Spring Vegetable Risotto.  I could have completely cheated and changed the title of the recipe to Summer Vegetable Risotto, because honestly, all the wonderful veggies that make up this scrumptious dish are around all summer long, but I have to be straight with you and just admit that I am, well, a little behind in terms of getting my recipes up in a timely manner.    That's what I get for being an obsessive cook!  But truly, you can make this one anytime between April and September and still get the benefit of all the fabulous flavors.  There are peas...

I actually used fresh ones because I had some, but the recipe calls for frozen, so don't worry if you hadn't planned to spend your day shelling peas.  (Full disclosure: the Southern husband shelled the peas.  My honesty continues.)

There's also asparagus...

And leeks.

Side note: when I was a kid, either my mom or my grandmother, can't remember which,  had a cookbook entitled First You Take a Leek.  At the time, my brother and I thought it was the most hysterical thing we had ever heard of, because a) we were probably 9 and 11 years old, and b) because we were pretty sure that my mom/grandmother had no idea what the title REALLY meant.  It's actually still in print, if anyone wants to buy a copy and let their tween-age kids feel superior. 

Anyway, this great risotto comes from the folks at Cooks Illustrated, who figured out that if you simmer some of the vegetable trimmings that you were going to toss out in the chicken broth...the asparagus ends, the tough green ends of the leeks...your risotto is going to taste AMAZING.  And as always, they were totally, perfectly right.  It's one simple extra step that makes a huge difference.

So, you have all summer to try this one...but do try it before the leaves start falling.

Spring Vegetable Risotto, from Cooks illustrated

• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves , stems reserved
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh mint leaves , stems reserved
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated zest from 1 lemon

• 1 pound asparagus , tough ends snapped off and reserved, spears cut on bias into 1/2-inch thick pieces
• 2 medium leeks , white and light green parts halved lengthwise, washed, and sliced thin (about 4 cups), 2 cups roughly chopped greens reserved
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth 
• 3 cups water
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 2 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
• 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice 
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 1/2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 3/4 cup), plus extra for serving
• 2 teaspoons juice from 1 lemon

1.  Combine parsley, mint and lemon zest in small bowl and set aside.
2. Chop tough asparagus ends and leek greens into rough 1/2-inch pieces. Bring chopped vegetables, reserved parsley and mint stems, broth, and water to boil in large saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover, and simmer 20 minutes. Strain broth through fine-mesh strainer into medium bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Return strained broth to saucepan; cover and set over low heat to keep broth warm.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in large Dutch oven over medium heat. When foaming subsides, add asparagus spears, pinch of salt, and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until asparagus is crisp-tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Add peas and continue to cook 1 minute. Transfer vegetables to plate and set aside.
4. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in now-empty Dutch oven over medium heat. When foaming subsides, add leeks, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until leeks are softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring frequently, until grains are translucent around edges, about 3 minutes. Add wine and cook, stirring frequently, until fully absorbed, 2 to 3 minutes.
5. When wine is fully absorbed, add 3 cups hot broth to rice. Simmer, stirring every 3 to 4 minutes, until liquid is absorbed and bottom of pan is almost dry, about 12 minutes.
6. Stir in about 1/2 cup hot broth and cook, stirring constantly, until absorbed, about 3 minutes; repeat with additional broth 3 or 4 times until rice is al dente. Off heat, stir in remaining tablespoon butter, Parmesan, and lemon juice; gently fold in asparagus and peas. If desired, add up to 1/4 cup additional hot broth to loosen texture of risotto. Serve immediately, sprinkling each serving with herb mixture and passing Parmesan separately.

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Hawaiian Barbecue Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

I think the only thing possible better than pulled chicken barbecue is pulled chicken barbecue that cooks by itself all day long in the slow cooker with pineapple and onion and a jar of spicy barbecue sauce that you forget about until you walk in the door at the end of the day and smell pulled chicken barbecue that is already cooked and ready to eat.

Did you get all that?

Good, because every word is true.  But don't take MY word for it...haul out that slow cooker that I know you have somewhere and try it for yourself.  As I write this I am keeping an eye on the thermometer, which is inching its way up towards 90 degrees.  And when it is THAT hot out, there is nothing and nobody who can make me turn on my stove or my oven.  But the slow cooker...that's another story.  Because it cooks low and slow, whatever you pop into it is tender and wonderful, and your kitchen stays cool.   Summer is for salads and slow cookers...and this recipe is as easy as it gets.  Toss some nice big boneless chicken breasts into the cooker, along with a can of drained chopped pineapple, some onion, and a jar of your favorite bbq sauce.  (For this recipe, I like a sauce that is more on the tangy spicy side, since you have a sweet flavor coming from the pineapple.)  Now go away and frolic in the 90 degree weather for a while.

When you come back, your chicken will be tender enough to shred into delicious bite size pieces...shred it all up, then return it to the liquid left in the slow cooker and mix it all up.  Now what I usually do next is this: put a pile of soft hamburger rolls in a basket by the slow cooker, along with a pitcher of warm bbq sauce for anyone who likes a little extra on their sandwich.  Then stand back and let the hungry crowds build their own.

Summertime!!

Hawaiian Barbecue Pulled Chicken Sandwiches, from Tasty Kitchen

• 3 pounds boneless chicken breasts
• 1 onion, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 20 ounce can pineapple chunks, drained
• 1 bottle bbq sauce, 18-20 ounces.
• Hamburger rolls
• Extra bbq sauce for topping

1. Place chicken in slow cooker.  Top with onions, then pineapple, then pour the whole bottle of bbq sauce over the whole thing.

2. Cook on low setting for 8-10 hours.  About an hour before it is done, carefully remove chicken from crockpot, shred it, and then return it to the cooker and stir so it can absorb some of the sauce as it finishes.

3. Serve on hamburger rolls with extra bbq sauce on the side.

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Inside Out Pork Dumplings

Dumplings, dumplings.  I love 'em.  I love this kind:

Which believe it or not are REALLY easy to make.  I promise.  No fear.  Try it out yourself by clicking here, and then come back and tell me I was right.  (I love being right!)

I also love this kind of dumpling.  Especially delicious!

So when I ran across this recipe for inside out dumplings, I was raring to go.  The basic concept is that the filling that is usually INSIDE the dumpling cooks OUTSIDE the dumpling (you probably figured that out already), and the whole thing cooks together...the filling and the dumpling wrapper...all in one delicious mess of dumplingness.  Thus saving you the time of sealing all the dumpling filling inside the wrappers...which again is not hard (promise!), but it does take a little extra time.

As an extra added bonus, you get to cook with baby bok choy.  I was a little worried that it was going to be hard to find, but lo and behold, there it was right there in my regular supermarket. 

So here we go.  Heat up some oil in a skillet with some red pepper flakes to give it some zing.  Toss in some garlic, some ginger and some chopped scallion...more zing!  Now add ground pork, cook it through for a few minutes, and then in goes the chopped up baby bok choy...I also had some peas hanging around so I tossed them in too.  Cover your skillet so the bok choy can steam up nice and tender.  Now toss in some grated carrot and a little vinegar and salt.

Meanwhile, boil up a nice big pot of water, and add wonton wrappers (do this one at a time so they don't stick to each other.  You can usually find these in the veggie section of your supermarket in the refrigerated section.  They are basically squares of fresh pasta, and they are going to cook up in no time.  After about a minute they will be tender and perfect, so drain them, add them to the skillet with everything else and toss it all around.  Voila!  Inside Out Dumplings!

Inside Out Pork Dumplings, from Whole Living 

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
• 2 scallions, whites and greens separated, cut thinly on bias
• 8 ounces ground pork
• 1 pound baby bok choy, leaves separated and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces if large
• 1 carrot, finely grated
• 1 cup frozen peas (optional)
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 6 ounces fresh wonton wrappers
• Kosher salt

1. Heat oil and red pepper flakes in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, ginger, and scallion whites. Cook, stirring, until scallions are tender, about 1 minute. Add pork, breaking up with a spoon until cooked through, about 3 minutes. Add bok choy and peas; cover and steam until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add carrots. Season with vinegar and salt. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil. Season with salt. Add wonton wrappers one at a time. Cook until al dente, about 1 minute. Drain. Add wonton wrappers to skillet and toss. Serve with scallion greens. 
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Cheddar Topped Cottage Pie

When it comes to cottage pie and shepherd's pie, I'm pretty much a girl who can't say no.  It's not like I don't have multiple recipes for various variations of this recipe.  And during the course of collecting all of these recipes and blogging about them incessantly, I have learned the difference between shepherd's pie (lamb) and cottage pie (beef).  I've made it with and without peas, with sliced potatoes and mashed potatoes.  You'd think I'd be over it by now.

But no.  I ran into this recipe for a cheddar-topped version, and that was all the excuse I needed to put it back on the menu for the one millionth time.  It was a new recipe!  It included cheese!  I had no choice!

So here's what we've got.  The base is a mixture of carrots, celery, onion, thyme, tomato paste and beef.  And since I have learned the correct terminology, I know that this means that what I am making is cottage pie.  The topping is made of mashed potatoes (and I cribbed this recipe from the completely wonderful, always reliable mashed potato recipe from The Pioneer Woman site.  Yukon gold potatoes, cream cheese...you pretty much can't go wrong.)  You spread this glorious mashed potato wonderfulness over the beef mixtures, sprinkle some cheese on top, and you get this:

Delicious, comforting, cheesy cottage pie.  I have no idea why it is called cottage pie, but since it is, and since it includes a good-sized amount of Vermont cheddar cheese, it seems like a good enough reason to show you the closest picture I have to a cottage, which is our beloved Vermont cabin.



So, the next time you want a completely soothing and wonderful comfort food, or want to make something with "cottage" in the title, or (like me) just can't resist recipes that include mashed potatoes...here's your recipe.

Cheddar Topped Cottage Pie, adapted from Everyday Food

• • 4 cups mashed potatoes (either store-bought or homemade.  I like The Pioneer Woman's recipe)
  • Coarse salt and ground pepper
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, such as safflower
  • 6 medium carrots, halved lengthwise, quartered if large, and thinly sliced
  • 6 celery stalks, thinly sliced
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 2 pounds ground beef chuck
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp white cheddar (6 ounces)

1. Heat oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high. Add carrots, celery, onion, and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Add flour and tomato paste; cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add beef; cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink, 6 to 8 minutes. Add 1 cup water; bring to a boil, and simmer 1 minute. Set beef filling aside.
2. Pour beef filling into a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Mix one cup of cheese into mashed potatoes.  Drop dollops of mashed potatoes over filling; spread to edges with a spatula. Using a fork, make decorative peaks; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake until topping is browned and filling is bubbling rapidly, about 20 minutes (if topping and filling were chilled, increase to 35 minutes). Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

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Spaghetti with Fresh Clams

Now that the wonderful new Bon Appetit has shown me the light in terms of cooking pasta (click here for this new approach to pasta and sauce...it's life-changing) I am now going back to my old faves to try it out on them.  And one of my old fave is absolutely pasta with fresh clam sauce.  Briny, garlicky, slightly peppery sauce, with fresh clams.    I used littlenecks, but you can use manila clams as well.  You can apparently also use cockles.  (I wouldn't know a cockle if I bumped into one on Fifth Avenue, but if you do, then just know you can use 'em in this recipe.)

So, the basic concept is the same.  Cook your pasta...but not all the way.  Drain it when it still has about 2 minutes to go (and save some of the pasta water for later in the recipe).  Meantime, cook up your sauce...in this case you saute up some sliced garlic in olive oil, add some white wine and then steam your clams in this fabulous mixture until they open up.  Once they do, take out the clams with tongs and put them in a bowl. 

Now crank up the heat under that sauce and add a little pasta water...and add your almost cooked pasta.  It's going to finish cooking in this sauce, and while it's doing that it will absorb some of the sauce as it goes.  Oh yes. 

In the meantime, you can be heating your serving dish and/or your plates in a 200 degree oven.  I love doing this with pasta - the heat of the plate will keep your dinner nice and warm all through the meal.  In this case, I chose this particular serving bowl.

This bowl keeps me on the straight and narrow at the end of a long day, when I sometimes find myself standing in the kitchen thinking, now what was I doing again?

Oh yes.  Pasta.  Once the pasta is cooked, pour the entire thing into your warm serving bowl.  Add the cooked clams with any juices and toss it just a little to mix it all up.  Sprinkle some fresh chopped parsley on top, and drizzle just a teeny bit of olive oil over the whole thing.

I'm never going back, pasta-wise. 

Spaghetti with Fresh Clams (also known as Spaghetti Alle Vongole) with hugs and kisses to Bon Appetit

• Kosher salt
• 6 oz. spaghetti
• 4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 2 lb. cockles, Manila clams, or littlenecks, scrubbed
• 2 Tbsp. roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

• Bring 3 quarts water to a boil in a 5-qt. pot. Season lightly with salt; add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until about 2 minutes before tender. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking water.
• Meanwhile, heat 3 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, swirling pan often, until just golden. Add red pepper flakes and continue cooking 15 more seconds. Add wine, then clams; increase heat to high. Cover skillet and cook until clams open and release their juices, 3-6 minutes, depending on size of clams. As clams open, use tongs to transfer them to a bowl.
• Add 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water to skillet; bring to a boil. Add pasta to pan. Cook over high heat, tossing constantly, until pasta is al dente and has soaked up some of the sauce from the pan. Add clams and any juices from bowl to pan, along with parsley, and toss to combine. (Add more pasta water if sauce seems dry.) Transfer pasta to warm bowls and drizzle with remaining oil.
   
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Grilled Rosemary Merlot Flank Steak

If you hang in with this post long enough I promise that there is a pretty fabulous grilled steak recipe at the end, but in the meantime...the backstory!

At least once a year...sometimes more...the Southern husband and I head north to my favorite place on earth, otherwise known as Vermont.  Sometimes the teenager comes with us, even though there is no cell phone service whatsoever in our little neck of the Vermont hills.  (Believe me when i say that in the teenage world, there is no greater love for one's mama than going outside the zone of Verizon coverage.)

Other things that are not in our little corner of Vermont: Movie theaters.  Starbucks.  Kentucky Fried Chicken.  ATM's.   Etc.  They do have a lot of these though.

Here's the Southern husband scanning the area for a gas station that will take that little gizmo on his keychain that allows you to pay for your gas without actually taking out your wallet.

Nope.  As a matter of fact, finding ANY gas station is a wonderful thing.  It's one of the reasons I love the place.  We are Away From It All whenever we go up there.

So imagine my surprise when we stopped at the one local supermarket on the way to our cabin to pick up essentials (milk, eggs, Oreos) and discovered that they had put in a teeny tiny wine section.  We were so shocked and amazed that we automatically picked out a bottle, just to make sure we weren't dreaming.  And it instantly turned into our new favorite merlot...right there in the middle of Poultney, Vermont.

Once we got home, the Southern husband sprang into action and ordered a case of it, and ever since then it has been our merlot of choice.  So when the grill was back in service for the season, I pulled out this tried and true recipe to see if it was as good as a steak marinade as it is was in my wineglasss.

It was.  And so here you go (finally!)...this is a recipe that I have talked about before, but since it is one of my faves I am talking about it again with a little extra twist.  First,  grab a bottle of YOUR favorite merlot, and mix up 3/4 cup of it with some chopped fresh rosemary, some chopped onion,  some beef broth and a few spices.  Pour it all in a ziplock bag, add a flank steak and let it sit in the fridge while you make the grilled vegetable salad.

First you need some lettuce.  I grow my own in an AeroGarden and pretty soon it is going to need its own zip code, there's so much of it.  But I do have fresh fresh fresh lettuce whenever I need it.

Now gather up whatever veggies you have around that catch your fancy.  I had some frozen artichoke hearts that I thawed out...

(Okay, that's not a frozen artichoke heart, but it's the only artichoke picture I have, and there's an artichoke heart in there somewhere.)    The picture below IS the actual asparagus that I used...



...along with some cherry tomatoes that I cut in half.  Scatter them all on a cookie sheet that you have lined with foil and spray or drizzle them with a little olive oil.  Toss on a little salt and pepper and pop them in a 425 degree oven for about 10-15 minutes.

When they are done, set them aside to cool a little while you make the steak.  Send someone reliable outside to grill the steak, and while they are doing that, pour the marinade into a saucepan.   Add a little tomato paste and mustard and boil it up for about 5 minutes.  When the steak comes off the grill, let it sit for about 5 minutes and then slice it thinly across the grain.

Now!  Cover half of each plate with lettuce.  Spoon some nice roasted veggies on top.  I think they are just fine plain, but feel free to drizzle a little dressing on top if you like.  Lay some sliced steak on the other side of the plate and pour some of the merlot marinade sauce on top.

You are now in paradise.  Promise. 

Grilled Rosemary Merlot Flank Steak with Grilled Vegetable Salad, steak recipe from Cooking Light

• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 3/4 cup low-salt beef broth
• 3/4 cup Merlot or other dry red wine
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (1-pound) flank steak, trimmed
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 

• lettuce
• your choice of vegetables to grill
• olive oil
• salt and pepper

1. Combine first 7 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add steak; seal bag. Marinate in refrigerator 20 minutes, turning once.
2. Preheat oven to 425.  Line baking tray with foil and lay veggies in a single layer.  Spray or mix with a little olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper on top.  Roast for 10-15 minutes.  Remove and let cool.
3. Remove steak from bag, reserving marinade.   Heat grill to high and cook steak  6 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut steak diagonally across grain into thin slices; keep warm.
4. While steak cooks, combine reserved marinade, tomato paste, and mustard in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring well with a whisk. Bring to a boil, and cook until reduced to 1 cup (about 7 minutes).
5. Arrange grilled veggies over lettuce on each plate.  Place sliced steak alongside veggies, pouring a little merlot sauce over the top.

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