Bacon Barley Risotto with Kale

I am sure this happens to everyone. You see a picture or read a recipe and think to yourself " I have to make this right now, today." That is what happened when I saw this ARTICLE in the local newspaper. I am in love with risotto, and also happen to love barley (you might be asking yourself, is there anything I don't love?), plus if you add dark greens and red peppers, man- I am in.

I was going grocery shopping that morning, so I just added a couple of things to my list and made this for lunch.

Have I mentioned how much I love dark greens? They might be my favorite thing, well, besides everything else that is my favorite.

I used real bacon, but reduced it to one piece with the fat removed, because I don't really think you need all that extra grease- a little goes a long way for me.

I also used a little less goat cheese than it called for and 2 bunches of kale. You can always use extra dark, leafy greens, right?

If you don't love the flavor of goat cheese, you might want to reduce it a little more or omit it.

We loved it. The leftovers were delicious too.

And I am so excited for tomorrow's Tuesday's with Dorie post - I got to choose the recipe!

BACON BARLEY RISOTTO WITH KALE from the Associated Press by J.M. Hirsch
Start to finish: 30 minutes
Servings: 6
5 strips bacon, finely chopped (I used 1 strip)
1 large yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
11-ounce box quick barley
4 cups (1 quart) chicken broth, divided (I used chicken stock)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded and cut into thin strips
1 bunch kale, tough stalks discarded, coarsely chopped
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
4-ounce log goat cheese, crumbled (I used 2-3 ozs)
Arrange several layers of paper towels in a plate, then set near the stove.
In a large deep skillet over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crisp, about 6 to 7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to the paper towels. Leave the rendered bacon fat in the skillet.
Return the skillet to medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic and red pepper flakes. Saute until the onion just begins to soften, about 4 minutes.
Add the barley and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of the chicken broth and cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid is absorbed, about 4 minutes.
Repeat this process with the remaining 3 cups of broth, adding 1 cup at a time and cooking, stirring often, until absorbed. When the final cup is nearly absorbed, remove the pan from the heat, cover and set aside.
In a second large skillet over medium-high, heat the olive oil. Add the bell peppers and saute until just soft and lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
Add the kale and bacon, then saute until the kale just wilts, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the kale mixture to a serving platter, or divide it between 6 serving plates.
Uncover the barley and stir in the goat cheese. If needed, season with salt and pepper. Mound the barley risotto over the kale mixture. Serve immediately.

Coming Tomorrow- MY Pick for Tuesday's With Dorie- Fresh Berry Cake!

Bacon and Cheese Brussel Sprouts

This is one of the appetizers that we had on New Years. I actually used real bacon (GASP!), instead of turkey bacon, but got rid of all the fatty pieces. The recipe said to cook the brussel sprouts in the bacon grease, but everyone knows I love oven-roasting my vegetables and that is what I did instead. I roasted my brussel sprouts for about 20 minutes, after I drizzled them with a tad of olive oil and seasoned them with salt and pepper.
I also specifically bought aged cheddar for this appetizer and the final result was a very yummy bite that included sweet, savory, salty, spicey,- basically a little bit of everything. This was really good.

Bacon and Cheese Brussels Sprouts Olyia Mimkho From Every Day with Rachael Ray November 2006 SIX SERVINGSPrep Time: 15 min Cook Time: 20 min
6 thick-cut strips bacon, stacked and quartered crosswise (24 pieces)
24 brussels sprouts, trimmed
Salt and pepper
2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
1/4 pound sharp cheddar cheese, cut into 24 small cubes

1. In a medium skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until cooked through but not crisp, about 6 minutes; drain on paper towels.

2. Cook the brussels sprouts in the bacon fat until golden brown and tender, about 10 minutes; discard the fat. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with the maple syrup. Serve each brussels sprout on a toothpick with a piece of bacon and a cheddar cube.


Up Next- Barley Risotto with Kale and Red Peppers

Cream of Tomato Soup and Roasted Parsnips Fries

We needed a quick dinner on a very cold and dreary night. I was craving tomato soup. I found this quick recipe and realized we had everything we needed for it, so I whipped it up. We had cheese toast on the side and roasted some parsnips to go with it. The soup warmed us up and I am totally convinced that a little time roasting in the oven can turn any vegetable into a delicious treat.

Cream of Tomato Soup from Sara Moulton via the Food Network
Prep Time: 20 min Inactive Prep Time: 0 min Cook Time: 30 min
2 tablespoons butter (I used 1 Tbls olive oil)

1 medium onion, chopped

1 small carrot, peeled and finely diced

2 tablespoons flour

2 pound fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped, or 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, juices reserved (I used crushed tomatoes)

2 cups reduced-sodium canned chicken broth

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon fresh basil or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil

2 teaspoons fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1 bay leaf

1 cup light cream or milk (I used skim milk)

Salt and pepper

In a large nonreactive saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and carrot and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes.

Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes without allowing to color. Add tomatoes with their juices, broth, tomato paste, basil, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer stirring frequently, 15 minutes.

Remove and discard bay leaf. In a food processor or blender, puree soup in batches until smooth. Return to pan and stir in cream. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer until heated through, 3 to 5 minutes, and serve
Roasted Parsnip Fries

2 parsnips, cut into very small slices or pieces

1-2 Tbls olive oil

salt and pepper

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place parsnip fries on a large baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat all pieces evenly. Roast for 15-20 minutes, stirring once, or until crisp and golden.

Coming Tomorrow- A quick appetizer from Rachael Ray

Cranberry Scones and Cranberry-Orange Muffins

Everything that Mary- The Food Librarian makes or bakes, looks delicious. There are so many recipes I want to try from her blog. Here are 2 that I got around to making and I am so glad that I did! Cranberries were $1 a bag after the holidays, so I stocked up and put a couple of bags in the freezer.
The first were Cranberry-Orange Muffins from Whole Foods. I love the orange zest that these muffins have in them and the whole wheat. I preferred them once they had cooled down, but basically people were gobbling them up, warm or cooled. I omitted the nuts and halved the topping.
The Cranberry Scones were a quick breakfast treat that I sprinked with some red and white decorating sugar, just for fun. Tart and Scrumptious. Hopefully you were able to snag a couple of bags of cranberries so you can make something tasty!

Whole Foods Cranberry-Orange Muffin recipe HERE

Cranberry Scones from Martha Stewart
Prep: 15 minutes Total: 30 minutes
Serves 8.
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
5 tablespoons sugar, plus 1 tablespoon for topping
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2/3 cup (plus 1 tablespoon) half-and-half
1/2 cup halved cranberries, drained on paper towels

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a bowl, whisk together flour, 5 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Stir in 2/3 cup half-and-half until just moistened. Gently fold in cranberries.
On a lightly floured surface, knead dough gently, 5 to 10 times. Pat into a 1-inch-thick round. Cut into 8 wedges; place on a baking sheet, 2 inches apart.

Brush tops with remaining tablespoon half-and-half; sprinkle with remaining tablespoon sugar. Bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.

Coming Tomorrow- Quick Cream of Tomato Soup and Roasted Parsnips

Butternut Squash & Pumpkin Seed Rice Paper Rolls with Cranberry-Chile Dipping Sauce

I know it is getting old. You come to my blog. I profess my love for butternut squash in any form. Well, sorry- the story is not changing. Today, I added another of my favorites- cranberries.

I saw this very interesting recipe on The Recipe Girl and thought it would be the perfect way to use up some of the rice paper wrappers I had in my pantry. Plus, the combination of ingredients just sounded so interesting and well, delicious.

I mean, who doesn't love pumpkin seeds? I was afraid that there wouldn't be any of them left to put in the wrappers because they taste so good roasted.

Don't worry, I made sure some of them made it in.

These rolls required a little bit of extra work, but the final product was oh-so-tasty and worth it. Everyone was pleased.

Cranberries were going for $1 a bag, so I stocked up on them and put a bunch in the freezer. The dipping sauce is reminiscent of cranberry salsa or another fruit salsa, just a little bit tarter. Delish!


Butternut Squash & Pumpkin Seed Rice Paper Rolls w/ Cranberry- Chile Dipping Sauce from The Recipe Girl

who adapted it from Veganomicon
A delicious twist on this Asian favorite...
ROLLS:
1 lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into ¼-inch cubes
2 to 3 tsp olive oil
Twelve 8-inch round rice paper wrappers
4 ounces vermicelli rice noodles or rice sticks (the kind you boil in water)

1 cup fresh cilantro, torn into bite-sized pieces (or use Thai basil)
1/3 cup roasted, salted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
DIPPING SAUCE: (about 2 cups)
1 cup whole, fresh cranberries
1½ cups cold water
½ cup granulated sugar
1 to 2 large serrano chiles, seeded and finely minced (use 1 or 2 based on spice preference)
2 Tbs fresh lime juice


1. Prepare Sauce: Combine cranberries, water and sugar in a medium-sized saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil. When the cranberries start to pop, reduce the heat to medium and simmer, partially covered, for about 5 minutes. Add the minced chiles and lime juice, bring to a boil again, and then lower the heat to medium-low. Stir the sauce occasionally, using the back of a wooden spoon to mash some of the cranberries against the sides of the pot. Simmer the sauce, uncovered, for an additional 10 to 12 minutes, until the sauce has reduced by about less than one-fourth and looks syrupy. Remove from heat. The sauce will thicken up more as it cools. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

2. Prepare the squash: Preheat oven to 400°F. Place the butternut squash cubes in a bowl and toss with 2 tsp. olive oil. Add another tsp. if you need to- the squash should all have a light coat of olive oil. Arrange cubes in a single layer and roast for 15 minutes. Remove form the oven, toss, and cook for 10 more minutes or until tender and slightly caramelized. (See Tip below for roasting the pumpkin seeds at the same time). Transfer the squash to a plate to cool.

3. While the squash is cooking, prepare the noodles (use the directions on the package). Drain in a colander and run cold water over them to prevent further cooking. Set aside until ready to use.

4. To assemble: Fill a large pie plate or bowl with very warm water; tap water works just fine. Place two rice paper wrappers in the water at a time, completely submerged and let sit for about a minute, just until they have softened.

5. Handle each wrapper gently as you place it on your work surface (remove both when softened- don't leave in the water). Place about ¼ cup of rice noodles in the lower third of the wrapper, leaving about 1½ inches of margin from the far edges on either side (you'll be folding those in). Place a layer of butternut squash on top of the noodles. Sprinkle with the cilantro and pumpkin seeds. To roll, snugly fold the left and right sides of the wrapper over the filling and tuck it underneath the filling, then roll firmly but gently. Place the rolls seam-side-down on a plate and cut in half when ready to serve. Mix the dipping sauce ingredients together and stir rigorously to dissolve the sugar. Serve with the rolls.

Yield: 12 rolls

Cooking Tips
*To roast pumpkin seeds, spread raw pepitas on a baking sheet and place in the oven at the same time that you're roasting your butternut squash. I gave pumpkin seeds a quick spray of Pam and sprinkled them with salt. Watch closely and stir often. They should begin to brown in about 7 to 10 minutes.
**When you get ready to assemble, it's helpful to set up a little assembly line of the fillings- placed into little bowls makes assembling more efficient

Coming Tomorrow- Cranberry Scones and Cranberry-Orange Muffins

Beet Risotto with Roasted Asparagus and Feta

Yum-o! I know there are some people out there who really don't like Rachael Ray and I am not going to judge anyone based on that, but you have to admit- she makes some tasty food.
I saw this Beet Risotto and was intrigued. I am absolutely in love with risotto, after learning it really is not that difficult to make. If I see a recipe that contains the word risotto- I am making it.
I love beets and the great thing about this dish is that it would be appealing to people who don't like beets. Their sweetness is not prominent. I think the chicken stock helps to tone it down a little bit. Plus, it is beautiful. Eating food that looks this good pleases all the senses. I used feta cheese because it was in the fridge and it tasted great crumbled on top. Yum-o again. There, I said it!

Beet Risotto with Roasted Asparagus and Ricotta Salata Rachael Ray From Every Day with Rachael Ray March 2007 FOUR SERVINGS
6 cups vegetable or chicken broth
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) ( I used much less, probably 2 Tbls total)
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
2 baseball-size red or golden beets, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 small yellow or red onion, chopped
2 to 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup dry red wine if using red beets or dry white wine if using golden beets (I omitted this and just used more chicken stock)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut on a diagonal into 1-inch pieces
1/2 pound ricotta salata cheese, crumbled (I used feta cheese)

1. Preheat the oven to 425°. In a medium pot, warm the broth over medium heat. In a large, deep skillet or a medium Dutch oven, heat 3 (1) tablespoons EVOO, 3 turns of the pan, over medium to medium-high heat. Stir in the rice to coat with the oil, and toast for 2 minutes. Add the beets, onion and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Pour in the wine and cook until absorbed into the rice, then begin adding broth a couple of ladles at a time, stirring with each addition, until the rice is cooked, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

2. While the risotto is working, on a baking sheet, toss the asparagus with the remaining 2 (1) tablespoons EVOO, season with salt and pepper and roast for 10 minutes.

3. Serve shallow bowls of beet risotto with the roasted asparagus and crumbled cheese on top.

Coming Tomorrow- Butternut Squash and Pumpkin Seed Rice Paper Rolls with Cranberry Dipping Sauce

TWD-Savory Corn and Pepper Muffins

This week's Tuesday's with Dorie recipe-Savory Corn and Pepper Muffins was chosen by Rebecca over at Ezra Pound Cake. It was a relief to have a savory, quick pick this week. A small break from the rich and decadent desserts!
You can find the recipe over at Rebecca's blog.
I decided to take this a step further and make these healthy corn muffins, well, at least a little bit healthier. I halved the recipe to start off with and made mini-muffins. I had to test out my new silicone mini-heart muffin mold a few weeks before Valentine's day, just to see if the muffins even ending up looking like hearts. Only half of them were baked in that silicone mold and the other half I baked in my plain old, mini-muffin silicone mold.
I also replaced half of the melted butter with plain yogurt and increased the amount of corn and chopped red bell pepper. I omitted the jalepeno and used a whole egg, instead of just the yolk. I also used reduced-fat buttermilk and reduced the sugar by half. I really didn't want a sweet cornbread taste with all the other savory components that were going on in these little guys.
Overall, we liked them. Perfect size to pop in your mouth. We enjoyed them for an afternoon snack. To see what the other TWDer's did with this recipe, go check out the Tuesday's with Dorie blogroll. And don't forget to come back next week because yours truly- yes, me- I chose next week's recipe!

Coming Tomorrow- Beet Risotto with Roasted Asparagus

Indian Cauliflower Curry Stew

Sometimes you just need a quick and easy dinner. Chop a few ingredients, throw them in the pot and forget about it for a few minutes.
That is exactly what this dinner is. It was quick and super easy, but the best thing about it was the taste. Delicious.
You can't really see the brown rice hidden under all the yummy veggies and beans, but it is there. My kids loved this one and that makes it good enough for me.

Indian Cauliflower Curry Stew From Good Housekeeping
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon(s) olive oil
3 medium carrots, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 cup(s) brown rice
1 tablespoon(s) finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon(s) curry powder
Salt
2 1/2 cup(s) vegetable broth
1 medium (2-pound) head cauliflower, cut into small florets
2 can(s) (15 to 19 ounces each) garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed and drained
1/2 cup(s) loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
1/4 cup(s) plain low-fat yogurt plus additional for serving
DIRECTIONS
In 6-quart Dutch oven, heat oil on medium-high until hot. Add carrots and onion, and cook 10 to 12 minutes or until vegetables are lightly browned and tender, stirring frequently.
Meanwhile, prepare rice as label directs; keep warm.
Stir ginger, curry, and 3/4 teaspoon salt into carrot mixture; cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add broth; cover and heat to boiling on high. Stir in cauliflower and garbanzo beans; cover and cook on medium 15 to 20 minutes longer, gently stirring every 5 minutes until cauliflower is tender.
To serve, stir chopped cilantro and 1/4 cup yogurt into cauliflower stew. Spoon rice into serving bowls; top with stew. Serve cauliflower stew with additional yogurt to dollop on top if you like. Makes about 8 cups.


Coming Tomorrow- TWD-Corn and Pepper Muffins

Rice Pudding with Pomegranate Syrup

I recently discovered that I really like rice pudding. I had never really had it before, but we made it for Tuesdays with Dorie and I made it twice, just to get it right. Well, this variation looked really yummy and so, I made it just to see which recipe I liked better. The pomegranate syrup and seeds added a perfect splash of flavor and color to this dessert. I doubled the recipe, because I knew it wouldn't last long.
Be careful with the syrup on this one. I cooked mine a little too long and after I served up the first few dishes, it was close to being soft candy. Delicious, but a little hard to pour, if you know what I mean.
I personally like Dorie's recipe better, but this rice pudding is still very good.

Rice Pudding with Pomegranate Syrup from Cooking Light
Pudding:
3 1/2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk, divided
1/2 cup uncooked Arborio rice or other short-grain rice
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon butter
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Syrup:
2 large pomegranates, halved crosswise
1/4 cup sugar
6 tablespoons pomegranate seeds

To prepare pudding, combine 3 cups milk, rice, 1/3 cup sugar, and butter in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
Combine 1/2 cup milk and egg, stirring with a whisk. Gradually stir about one-fourth of warm rice mixture into egg mixture; add to pan, stirring constantly. Simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until rice is tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.
Refrigerate, if desired. Pudding can be served warm or cold.
To prepare syrup, squeeze juice from the pomegranate halves using a citrus reamer or juicer to measure 1 cup. Combine juice and 1/4 cup sugar in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer until reduced to 1/3 cup (about 20 minutes), stirring frequently.
Drizzle the syrup evenly over pudding, and sprinkle with seeds.

Coming Tomorrow-Indian Cauliflower Curry Stew

Jicama and Orange Salad with Ginger-Sesame Vinaigrette

I have been having trouble getting pictures of the dishes I am making lately. It isn't safe to bet I can take a picture of the leftovers, because sometimes there aren't any. I took a picture of this salad after we had tossed it with the dressing, but before we topped it with the toasted sesame seeds. So, just imagine some crunchy, toasted sesame seeds on top and you will complete the picture.
The dressing was scrumptious and the combination of fruits and veggies was perfect. There was just enough sweetness and some crunch with the jicama and bell pepper. My kids love Jicama- they gobble it up. I added some romaine to the salad as well and cut my bell peppers into bite-size pieces, they are so much easier to eat that way.
Colorful and delicious!

Jicama and Orange Salad from Cooking Light
6 cups (3 x 1/4-inch) strips peeled jicama (about 1 pound)
6 cups lightly packed baby spinach (about 3 ounces)
1 cup orange sections (about 2 oranges)
1 cup red bell pepper strips
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
2/3 cup Ginger-Sesame Vinaigrette*
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Drizzle with Ginger-Sesame Vinaigrette, and toss well to coat. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.


*Ginger-Sesame Vinaigrette adapted from Cooking Light
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup chopped green onions
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
4 teaspoons canola oil
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil

Combine first 3 ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Stir in green onions and the remaining ingredients.

Note: Refrigerate vinaigrette in an airtight container for up to five days; stir well before using.

Coming Tomorrow- Rice Pudding with Pomegranate Syrup

Prosciutto, Fontina, Spinach and Chicken Roll-ups

I came up with the yummy dinner the other day and had to share it. It is delicious and will leave whoever is at your dinner table, begging for more. The key is to make sure that you let the chicken cook all the way through. These chicken roll-ups reminded some people of Chicken Cordon Bleu, but they are healthier, I assure you. I had fontina cheese in the fridge and thought the spinach added a nice bit of color. I spiced up some Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs for the coating by adding garlic powder and fresh minced rosemary. The outside of the rolls are lightly browned and then chicken stock is added to the pan, to help keep the chicken moist and to keep the bottoms from burning. These chicken roll-ups look fancy, but will be ready in a jiffy. Just remember to take out the toothpicks before you eat them!

Prosciutto, Fontina, Spinach, and Chicken Roll-ups by Mary Ann

1 1/2 oz prosciutto, cut into 10 pieces

1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary

1 tsp garlic powder

10 small slices fontina cheese

15-20 fresh spinach leaves

10 chicken breast halves, pounded thin

1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup All Whites ( liquid egg whites)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups chicken stock

1. Place flour in a shallow dish. Combine bread crumbs, minced rosemary, and garlic powder, in another shallow dish. Pour egg whites into a third shallow dish.

2. Lay a thin chicken breast half on a cutting board and at the top of the breast, layer a small piece of prosciutto. Cover the proscuitto with fontina cheese and lay a 1-2 spinach leaves on top of the cheese. Very carefully, roll the chicken up, as tightly as you can and secure it with a toothpick.

3. Dip the chicken roll in the flour, then the egg white and finally the bread crumbs, rolling it around, to make sure that it is completely covered. Place the completed roll on a plate and repeat process with remaining chicken breast halves and other ingredients.

4. When all your chicken pieces are rolled, heat 1 Tbls olive oil in an electric skillet, heated to medium-high heat. Place 5 of the rolls in the oil and let brown, turning quickly, so all sides are evenly brown. When all sides, top and bottom are brown, add 1 cup of chicken stock to the pan and cover.

5. Let cook, until chicken is cooked through, adding more chicken stock, if necessary, 10-15 minutes. To check for doneness, cut one of the rolls in half to make sure the thicker part of the chicken rolls are cooked through.

6. Remove chicken rolls from the dish and serve.


Coming Tomorrow- Jicama and Orange Salad

Craving Ellie- Fried Rice with Scallions, Edamame and Tofu and Barefoot Bloggers-Sour Cream Banana Pancakes

This week's Barefoot Bloggers recipe, Banana Sour Cream Pancakes, was chosen by Karen who blogs over at the appropriately named- Something Sweet by Karen. I have to admit that after the holidays, I was very relieved to see a simple recipe, something that I threw together the next morning and that I didn't have to buy any special ingredients for. I used Greek Yogurt instead of sour cream, because I always use it in sour cream's place and also used skim milk. I used cooking spray to keep them from sticking, instead of butter, so altogether this was a healthy, quick breakfast. We really loved them. Go check out what the rest of the Barefoot Bloggers thought- HERE

This week's Craving Ellie in my Belly recipe pick- Fried Rice with Scallions, Edamame and Tofu, was chosen by Jennifer over at Running with Food. When I was looking through this cookbook earlier this summer, the Fried Rice recipe was one of the first ones I chose to try, since I love tofu and edamame. It did not disappoint. I made it again, since I already had tofu and edamame and we loved it again. This is a really tasty way to use leftover brown rice. Go see what the other Ellie's thought by checking out the Blogroll!

Banana Sour Cream Pancakes from the Barefoot Contessa makes 12 pancakes ( I got 16)
1 1/2 cups flour

3 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 cup sour cream

3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk

2 extra-large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Unsalted butter

2 ripe bananas, diced, plus extra for serving

Pure maple syrup

Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk, eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones, mixing only until combined.
Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat until it bubbles. Ladle the pancake batter into the pan to make 3 or 4 pancakes. Distribute a rounded tablespoon of bananas on each pancake. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until bubbles appear on top and the underside is nicely browned. Flip the pancakes and then cook for another minute until browned. Wipe out the pan with a paper towel, add more butter to the pan, and continue cooking pancakes until all the batter is used. Serve with sliced bananas, butter and maple syrup.

Fried Rice with Scallions, Edamame, and Tofu from the Food Your Crave by Ellie Krieger

1 Tbls + 1 tsp canola oil

2 large cloves garlic, minced

4 scallions,(white and green parts) thinly sliced

1 Tbls peeled and minced fresh ginger

4 cups cooked brown rice

3/4 cup seeded and finely diced red bell pepper

3/4 cup frozen, shelled edamame, cooked according to pkg directions and drained

1/2 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed

6 ounces firm tofu, cut into cubes

2 large eggs, beaten

3 Tbls low-sodium soy sauce

Heat 1 Tbls of the oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat until very hot but not smoking. Add the garlic, scallions and ginger, and cook, stirring, until softened and aromatic, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the rice, red pepper, edamame, corn, and tofu, and cook, stirring, until heated through, about 5 minutes. Make a 3-inch well in the center of the rice mixture. Add the remaining 1 tsp oil, then add the eggs and cooked until nearly scrambled. Stir the eggs into the rice mixture, then add the soy sauce and incorporate thoroughly. Serve hot

Coming Tomorrow- Prosciutto, Fontina, and Spinach- all in a Chicken Roll-up!

Roasted Vegetable Gratin

Basically if I see a recipe that has butternut squash in it, I am determined to make it. My family has started teasing me about it, because we eat alot of squash. What can I say? It is delicious. I saw this beautiful dish in Family Circle and immediately put it on the menu. It was delicious. Wonderful. I love roasted vegetables and polenta. Yum. Yum. Yum.

Roasted Vegetable Gratin from Family Circle Magazine
Ingredients
1 small butternut squash (about 2-1/2 pounds), peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 medium parsnips (about 1 pound), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large sweet red pepper, cored, seeded and sliced into 1/4-inch strips
1 medium red onion, peeled and cut into 1-inch wedges
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tube (18 ounces) heat-and-serve polenta
1/4 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup shredded Asiago cheese
8 sprigs fresh thyme
Directions
1. Heat oven to 375°F.
2. Toss squash, parsnips, red pepper and onion with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place vegetables in a large roasting pan and roast at 375°F for 45 minutes, stirring twice.
3. Coat a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Slice polenta into 12 slices, each about 1/2-inch thick. Fit slices into the bottom of the baking dish.
4. Spoon vegetables over polenta slices. Drizzle with half-and-half and sprinkle with cheese. Scatter thyme over top.
5. Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes or until bubbly. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

Up Tomorrow- Barefoot Bloggers-Banana Sour Cream Pancakes and Craving Ellie- Fried Rice with Scallions, Edamame and Tofu

Tuesday's with Dorie-French Pear Tart- Dorie Greenspan's Personal Pick!!

I can't tell you how excited I was when I saw that Dorie Greenspan herself, had chosen a tart recipe to kick off 2009 for Tuesday's with Dorie. I received 8 mini-tart pans for Christmas and was happy to put them to use so soon.

The first decision- which tart base to make? I couldn't chose just one, so I made Pistachio Sweet Tart Dough and a batch of plain Sweet Tart Dough. Something about pistachios and pears......

Dorie Greenspan chose French Pear Tart for this week's Tuesday's with Dorie recipe. You can find the recipe on Dorie's blog. Tuesday's with Dorie is turning 1 this month. It was started a year ago and to celebrate, Dorie chose the recipe to start off the new year. I can't tell you how amazingly delicious this tart was. Just one bite, was like a taste of heaven.

Dorie said you could use canned pears, fresh pears rubbed with lemon juice, or you could poach fresh pears in a simple syrup. I poached my fresh, just-ripe Bartlett pears and was on my way. The almond cream was interesting to make. I wasn't sure how it would turn out, since it was just butter, sugar, ground almonds, an egg and a few other things. But it worked wonders for this tart. Yum.....

Dorie also said you could glaze the finished tarts with apple jelly or give them a dust of confectioner's sugar. I had a helper with the dusting.

I had enough pears and almond cream to fill 6 mini-tarts (I think they were 4-inch pans). It was tought to get a whole pear half to fit in one tart shell, so I filled a few with too much pear and they over flowed. I decided to put a little less pear in the last few and we just ate the leftover pear pieces. Since I had 2 tart shells left to fill and a bunch of super-tiny-little-mini tart shells (which I made in my mini-muffin tin, since I had so much tart dough), I needed some other kind of filling. There were a bunch of egg yolks leftover from our Gingerbread House and Royal Icing-making fiasco, so I made Dorie's Lemon-Ginger Pastry Cream. I just steeped rounds of ginger and large pieces of lemon zest in the milk (I made it with skim milk) and piped the remaining shells full of it. I sprinkled the leftover ground pistachios and almonds over the pastry cream and we were in heaven, again. The favorite here was the Tart dough made with Pistachios-what a wonderful way to start off 2009! Go check out the Tuesday's with Dorie blogroll to see who else loved this recipe!

Coming Tomorrow- Roasted Vegetable Gratin