Grilling Machine

I am too exhausted tonight to post any recipes- sorry guys, but I didn't want to leave you with nothing, so here's a sneak preview of an upcoming recipe- my first burgers on the grill, and they were superb.  I think I have been bitten by the grilling bug!

I've Been Working in the Garden

So the garden is getting better!!  Rather than being stuck and crowded in their little plots, all the plants have been moved to their new homes!  They all are doing great so far, besides the cilantro looking a little wilted- you can pull through cilantro!!  Some of them are in their Earthboxes, and some of them are in normal planters, but hopefully they'll all flourish- oh and bonus, it appears that the mint I thought I had killed last summer is coming back!!  After I had planted them all (and run to Lowe's to get a couple more planters) I realized just how many plants I actually had, so I'll just be sticking with these for the summer... I think.  My little yard area can't really hold much more, with the new addition of a table and two chairs (Thanks Eva and Ron!!!).  Also, we finally set up our grill today, which has been almost 2 years in the making (aren't you proud Dad?!), and actually used it to make London Broil.... and we actually ate outside on our new table today- the first time that we've been able to do that since we moved into our apartment over 3 years ago.  We are moving up in the world :)

Tiny mint plants!

The grill

Perfectly cooked London Broil

So I'll be back soon with the dishes of what we had for our Memorial Day lunch.  One of the dishes was the best tomato salad I have ever had, so if you like tomatoes- try it!  Here's a sneak peak of what's to come.

Dirty Risotto

Once upon a time I was afraid of making risotto.  You see, I had heard many horror stories about how hard it was to make.... so for the longest time I did not make it, yet I dreamt about making it.  Finally my curiousity won out and I decided to go on the hunt for the perfect risotto recipe, Magic Risotto, if you will.  I decided that for my first attempt at risotto I wanted it to be a meal in itself, and not just a side dish, that way I could concentrate on the risotto itself, rather than split my attention.  I can multitask, but I prefer not to when I'm trying out a completely new and involved cooking method.  My search lead me to a Giada De Laurentis recipe for dirty risotto- risotto with hot Italian sausage, pancetta, red peppers, and mushrooms?  Yes please!

When I actually made it, I found that risotto is not difficult at all.  Yes, it does involve constant stirring, and adding of broth slowly, but I actually find it to be meditative and soothing.  Yes, my arm does tend to get a little tired, but I look on the bright side, and consider that my exercise for the day.  (Today I also got some exercise in as I worked on planting my new plants in containers- there will be pictures tomorrow!)  So I absolutely recommend this recipe!!  It will take a little time, but it is worth it, and while you stir you will inhale the delicious aroma of the risotto for about a half hour straight, which makes the stirring that much better.

Dirty Risotto
Serves 4-6


Ingredients:
5 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
2 tbsp butter
2 ounces pancetta, or bacon, chopped
1 link (about 6 ounces), spicy Italian sausage, casing removed
3/4 cup onion, finely chopped
1 cup red bell pepper (about 3/4 of a med-large pepper), chopped
4 ounces button (or cremini) mushrooms, coarsely chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups Arborio or medium grain white rice
3/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup Parmesan, freshly grated
1 tbsp fresh Italian parsley, chopped

Directions:
1. Heat the chicken broth in a medium saucepan over medium high until simmering, then reduce heat to low and cover to keep warm.
2. Heat a large heavy saucepan, or Dutch oven, over medium heat.  Add butter, and when melted, add pancetta (or bacon) and sausage.  Stir frequently, breaking up sausage, and cook until browned, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the onion, red pepper, and mushrooms.  Cook until the veggies are tender, stirring often, about 8 minutes.  Add salt and pepper.
4. Add rice, and stir into veggie/meat mixture.  Add white wine, and cook about 1 minute, until the wine is mostly evaporated.
5. Add 1/2 cup of the chicken broth, stir constantly until the liquid is absorbed, about 2 minutes.  Repeat with remaining broth, adding 1/2 cup at a time, and stirring constantly until absorbed.  It'll take about 2-3 minutes each time.  Do this until the mixture is creamy, and the rice is tender but still firm to the bite- about 25-30 minutes.  In my experience, it'll take the full amount of chicken broth.
6. Remove from the heat, add 3/4 of the grated Parmesan, and stir.  Either transfer to a serving dish, or serve from the pan.  Garnish with remaining Parmesan and fresh parsley.


Source: Giada De Laurentis via foodnetwork.com


Notes:

• As I listed in the ingredients, the original recipe calls for pancetta and button mushrooms.  I think bacon is fine substitution because I usually have bacon in my apartment, but I don't think I've ever bought pancetta- maybe next time.  Darn you budget!!  Also, I substituted cremini mushrooms because I like them better, and I think they have a little more flavor- so there!!  But button mushrooms would be fine, as would shitake I'm sure. 
• Ummm, so I used regular chicken broth instead of low-sodium because I always forget that low-sodium is the way to go.  If you are like me and do this, the addition of salt when the veggies are cooking may not be necessary, unless you like things extra salty that is.  
• Once again I served this straight from my Dutch oven - no need to make extra dishes dirty right?  Also, this recipe says to serve immediately, and that I did, but I have to say from experience, that this risotto makes excellent leftovers.
• Now I feel that I must branch out and try making some other risottos- I think wild mushroom risotto should be next because I love me some mushrooms.

Jicama Slaw

I absolutely love trying new foods- especially vegetables/fruits.  My ideal weekly trip to the grocery store would involve buying something I've never tried before every single time.  I'm putting that into practice starting this week, and so my excursion to the store today lead me straight to jicama.  For those of you who who have not consulted the all-knowing wikipedia and have never had a jicama (aka Mexican turnip), this is a sweet and starchy tuberous root, with a crisp texture that is somewhat like a less-sweet apple combined with that of raw green beans. (I guess I can't argue with that, although it reminded me of something else that I can't quite place my finger on yet.)  I thought the best way to experience this to start would be in a really simple preparation, and I found one in Great Food Fast, which as you may have noticed is one of my goto cookbooks.  In it jicama is paired with just a few ingredients, and is super simple to put together, especially if you have a mandoline or something that can julienne your jicama for you, rather than doing it by hand.

Jicama Slaw
Serves 4


Ingredients:
1 medium jicama (1-1 1/2 pounds), peeled and julienned
1/2 small red onion, or about 1/3 med-large red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1/4 cup cilantro, coarsely chopped
2-3 tbsp fresh lime juice (from 1-2 limes)
Coarse salt and pepper

Directions:
1.  Combine jicama, onion, cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper.  Toss and serve, or refrigerate until serving.
2. Yep, it's that easy :)

Source: Everyday Food: Great Food Fast

Notes:

• The recipe says to serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate up to 6 hours.  What happens after 6 hours?  I don't know, but I'll find out soon because I didn't eat this all, and I plan to have some tomorrow.  I'll let you know the results of this daring experiment soon!
• The onion is kind of strong in this, but I love red onion.  Just beware though that it can have an adverse effect on your breath.  Consider this your warning.
• I enjoyed this simple preparation of jicama, but next time I'm ready for more- traditionally it is paired with chili powder, so I think I'll incorporate that into my next jicama outing.

Chorizo, Potato and Mushroom Tacos

Man, I feel like I've been making a lot of tacos lately.  This was pointed out to me when Ron (the bf) told me that every time he is hanging out with one of his friends, and he leaves to come home and have dinner, he says we are having tacos, and his friend says, "didn't you just have tacos the other day?"  That doesn't bother me though for 3 reasons: a) tacos are delicious 2) they are oh so versatile and d) I do what I want!!!!

This recipe once again comes from Rick Bayless' Mexican Everyday!  As you can obviously tell from the title, it combines chorizo sausage, potatoes and mushrooms, and was quite yummy and extremely easy to make, although next time I make I will be making some modifications which I will tell you about in the notes after the recipe.

Chorizo, Potato and Mushroom Tacos
Tacos de Chorizo con Papas y Hongos
Serves 4


Ingredients:
12 ounces fresh Mexican chorizo sausage, casings removed
About 1 tbsp vegetable oil, if needed
1 medium white onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
8 ounces mushrooms (i.e. shiitake or oyster), stemmed and sliced 1/2 inch thick
3 medium (12 ounces total) red-skin boiling or Yukon Gold potatoes, grated through large holes
Salt
1/2 cup cilantro (loosely packed), chopped
12 corn tortillas, warmed
Roasted tomatillo salsa, guacamole, or bottled hot sauce for serving


Directions:
1. Heat a large preferably nonstick pan over medium heat, and add chorizo.  As it cooks, break it into smaller pieces.  Cook it until about halfway done, about 4 minutes.
2. Increase the heat to medium high (or not, depending on whether you have uncooperative burners like mine).  Check to see whether any fat has rendered from the cooking chorizo.  If it has, awesome!  If it hasn't, add a tbsp of vegetable oil to the pan.  Add the onion and mushrooms and cook about 3 minutes, until they begin to soften.  Stir occasionally.
3. Add the shredded potato and cook about 5 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft, stirring often.  If the potatoes are browning too quickly, lower heat.  Taste mixture, and season with salt if needed.
4. Transfer mixture to a serving bowl, and add cilantro.  Serve with tortillas, salsa and/or guacamole.

Source: Mexican Everyday


Notes:

• Once again not having a nonstick skillet has been a little frustrating.  The food turned out good, but the fact that it stuck to the bottom of my pan was a little annoying.  I don't think it altered the flavor, but it'll be a pain to clean.
• I used russet potatoes instead of red or Yukon Gold, and I have a feeling that those potatoes would have fared better in this dish.  The russets were okay, but they were a little mushy/starchy.  I'll have to try the actual potatoes he called for and see what difference it makes.  
• I also used cremini mushrooms instead of shiitake or oyster, and while you could tell they were there, they didn't stand out in any way, or add any real flavor that I could tell.  Maybe a different or more flavorful mushroom would have fared better.
• Next time I make this I would make a few alterations- more chorizo, less potato, and I might just omit the mushrooms.  They really didn't seem to do anything for the dish in all honesty.  They weren't bad- they were just there, and because I love mushrooms, this was a little disappointing to me.  I'd rather use them in a dish they actually stand out in. 
• I think maybe cubed potatoes would be a good substitution for the shredded potatoes as well, and maybe make the filling less mushy, and more on the crispy side.

Sausage and Roasted Peppers with Pasta

There's nothing I like better than a super simple, delicious, one-pot meal.  I really do enjoy more involved cooking as well, but that's more for special occasions, or weekends when I can spend a few hours prepping, and cooking.  Most of the time though I like to cook things in as little time as possible, so that I can sit down and relax a bit before the day ends.  This meal is a perfect dish for that quick, easy, versatile, and awesomely delicious meal.  I found it one day when I was trying to find something to make with the orecchiette pasta I had in my pantry.  As soon as I read the recipe I knew I had found the perfect one.  It's one of those meals I have made over and over again, and have not gotten bored off.  It's pretty foolproof too... and believe me, there have been times where I've cooked the peppers a little too long, or burnt the sausage a wee bit.... but still, I've never been disappointed with it.

Sausage and Roasted Peppers with Pasta
Serves 4-6


Ingredients:
2-4 medium bell peppers (all red, all yellow, or a combination), sides cut off the core, stems and seeds discarded
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound pasta (orecchiette, penne, fusilli, etc.)
2 tsp olive oil
1 pound sausage (hot or sweet pork sausage, chicken sausage, turkey sausage), removed from casings
1 tbsp butter, cut in small pieces
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, plus more for serving

Directions:
1.  Heat your broiler.  Place the peppers, skin side up, on a baking sheet lined with tinfoil.  Broil for 15-20 minutes on the top rack, until the skin is blackened.  Remove the peppers, place in a large bowl, and cover with plastic wrap.  Let steam for about 3 minutes.  Remove the pepper skins.  Cut the peppers into 1/4 inch pieces, return the pepper pieces to the bowl (with any accumulated juices), and set aside for now.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid before draining.
3. While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the sausage, breaking it up while it cooks, until the sausage is thoroughly cooked and browned, about 7-10 minutes.  Add the peppers, and cook until they are heated through.
4.  At this point you can transfer the sausage and pepper mixture to a large serving bowl and add the pasta, butter, Parmesan, and reserved cooking liquid, or you can just add it all to the large skillet, which is what I prefer.  Season with salt and pepper.  Toss to combine and serve.

Source: Great Food Fast

Notes:

• The original recipe calls for sweet Italian pork sausage, which I've tried, and it's great, but I think you can use any sausage that you prefer in this dish.  I've used hot Italian pork sausage which I like the best- the combination of the spicy sausage and the sweet roasted peppers is excellent!  I've also tried roasted red pepper chicken sausage, which was amazing!  If you use turkey or chicken sausage vs. pork it'll be a little less oily, but I haven't adjusted the quantity of the oil/butter/cooking liquid and I think it still makes a nice, coating sauce.  
• When choosing your sausage, check the package to see whether it is precooked or not. If it's precooked, all you have to do is heat it up in the oil, rather than cooking it, so the cooking time will be less.  Don't do like I did and cook it way longer than needed, then have to dig the packaging out of the trash once you realize your sausage might just be cooked already.  It didn't hurt the flavor at all, and my sausage (I used chicken sausage this time) didn't burn, but it would have been good to know from the get go.
• The more peppers the better in this meal, but since peppers sometimes cost a lot, and I am on a budget, a lot of the time I go with 2 peppers rather than 4.  It's still awesome, but if you can, get more peppers- it makes the dish that much more spectacular.

Starting a Garden

Yesterday my mom got me a super exciting present- some herb and vegetable plants!!  I am very excited to now have some plants with which to start my attempt at a garden.  I may get some more..... I haven't decided that yet, but I have a good start now.  I don't have the container yet to plant them in or the dirt, but I am about to receive 2 awesome Earth Boxes from my boyfriend's mother (yay!), a couple of pots, and then I may go out and buy a cool looking barrel or two, depending on whether I stick with what I have now, or buy a couple more plants (P.S. I live in an apartment so I don't have much of a yard to plant in).  I'm a bit afraid because I kind of have a black thumb- I love plants, but they don't love me... and it doesn't help that I forget to water them sometimes.. sorry plants!!!  Anyway, here are my beautiful plants!

Basil

Red Rubin Basil

Parsley

Cilantro

Mesclun Mix

Jalapeno Peppers

Cubanelles

...and purple bell peppers!