Brussels Sprout Panzanella

If these pictures are conjuring thoughts of summer, I don't blame you. It was almost 60 degrees today here in Chicago. In the middle of January. 60 degrees. In January. In Chicago. Ugh.

As I stood outside in my t-shirt taking pictures, I almost convinced myself that I was enjoying the warm streak of days we've been having. Unfortunately cold reality hit me as soon as I went back inside and was confronted with the sight of my sad, shriveled up christmas tree. Don't worry I finally took it down today, and at only the 12th of january, I think its a new record. Last year I put it off until almost february. Maybe I shouldn't have admitted that.

I quickly remembered that I have a deep-rooted bitterness that instead of bundling up to go cross country skiing, or cozying up in a dark bar while the snowflakes fall outside, I am outside without a damn coat on (or sleeves for that matter). You can take the girl out of Minnesota...well you know the rest.

While panzanella may be a summer staple for anyone who loves a good tomato, its just not the same in the winter when tomatoes have a tendency to taste like cardboard. With a few twists, a hot pan, and some juicy cherry tomatoes, you can have a bright and healthful panzanella salad even in the dark, mind-numbingly cold month of January. Ha. I wish. 

This tomato and bread salad is winterized with roasted brussels sprouts, done Dad's way. If you have never added anchovy (or fish sauce) and red pepper flakes to your veggies before roasting, stop everything you are doing and try it now. It is that good.

Winter Brussels Sprouts Panzanella

serves 6 as a small starter salad, 4 as a larger side or main dish. You can bulk it up for a main meal with some diced chicken, or a fried egg.

4 cups brussels sprouts, trimmed, outer leaves discarded, then quartered (I started with about 4-5 cups, after they were trimmed and roasted, I had a little less than 3 cups, exact measurements in this recipe are not necessary)
20 cherry tomatoes
4 cups crusty bread, cut into bite sized cubes (I used a ciabatta bread, but french bread or sourdough would work just as well)
6 tbl extra virgin olive oil
2 tbl balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, finely minced

1 tsp fish sauce

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 oz (approximately) shaved parmigiano reggiano for garnish

salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Mix together 2 tbl olive oil, fish sauce, and red pepper flakes, and toss with brussels sprouts to coat evenly. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet (I line mine with my silpat) and season liberally with salt and fresh ground pepper. Roast in the middle of the oven for 15-20 minutes, depending on how big your sprouts are, until tender in the middle, and crispy on the outside. Remove from oven and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat another two tablespoons of olive oil (or enough to just cover the bottom of your pan) over high heat. Add the cubed bread, and toss quickly to coat in the olive oil. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook over high heat, tossing frequently just until bread begins to brown and gets a bit crispy, about 4-5 minutes. Remove bread from pan and set aside.

Return pan to medium-high heat, and add a few more tablespoons of olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes, just until garlic becomes fragrant. Add the tomatoes and saute for 4-5 minutes, shaking pan frequently to move tomatoes around, until the skin starts to blister and burst. Add balsamic vinegar and cook for another minute, tossing with the tomatoes.

In a large bowl, combine the brussels sprouts, bread, and tomatoes (save any tomato/balsamic juice that is in your skillet to drizzle on top later). Add any more salt and pepper if needed, and divide salad among your plates. Top with shaved cheese, and a few spoonfuls of the leftover pan jus.

Easy as that. Serve room temperature, or with the tomatoes hot, it is delicious either way. 

Sweet Corn Risotto

Before I say anything else, I have to say one thing. I am sorry, Mom. I know the second you read the title of this post, you cringed a little, but kept reading out of obligation as a mother to read each and every one of her daughter's blog entries in it's entirety.

You see, my mom loves sweet corn, as long as it's not in things. Corn in soups, salsas, salads, creeps her out. We all think she is crazy, and thankfully this is not a genetic trait she passed along to me. I love corn in anything and everything. Sometimes for dinner I will just eat a big bowl of corn with butter, salt and pepper with a fried egg on top. I love the crunch it adds to soup, the bright notes it adds to salads, and how amazing it is when smothered with cheese (trust me on that).

I have been seeing recipes pop up in the last month or so all over the blogosphere for corn risotto, and knew instantly that I needed to jump on the bandwagon. I read a few recipes, but none of them really grabbed me as much as the mere idea of sweet corn risotto, so I decided to wing it.

The extra effort of milking the corn cobs for the pulp and juices really adds a strong fresh corn flavor to the entire rice, rather than just stirring in some corn towards the end of cooking. The additions of garlic, pancetta, and chives didn't hurt either. I made a huge pot and can hardly wait to eat it all week long. There may even be some arancini (fried risotto balls) in my future.

Sweet Corn & Pancetta Risotto
serves 6-8

6-8 cups low sodium chicken stock

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

4 oz pancetta, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced finely

4 shallots, minced

1 1/2 cups arborio rice

1 cup white wine

4 ears fresh sweet corn

2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup chives, chopped

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Prepare the corn first. Using a sharp knife, cut the kernels off the cobs and place in a bowl. Be sure not to cut too close to the cob, you want just the soft crisp nuggets of corn. Then you want to "milk" the corn cobs. This basically means you want to squeeze all the pulp and juice out of the cob. I used my microplane to gently grate the cobs of corn over a bowl. After I went over the entire cob with the microplane, I quickly ran the back of my knife down each cob to squish out the rest of the juice. This can get a bit messy, so use a large bowl and wear an apron.

Bring the chicken stock to a simmer in a large saucepan or small stockpot, then reduce heat to low and keep warm.

In a large heavy pot, melt two tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add two tablespoons of olive oil. Add pancetta and cook until most of the fat has rendered and starts to crisp. Add the garlic and saute for another 1-2 minutes, just until fragrant. Remove from heat, and transfer pancetta to a bowl and set aside.

Over medium heat in the same pot, melt two tablespoons of butter with two tablespoons of olive oil. Add the shallots and saute until tender, about 6-8 minutes. 

Stir in the rice, and let cook until the rice toasts a bit and becomes slightly translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add the wine and cook until it has absorbed, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes. When wine is just about all absorbed, add the corn kernels and pulp and stir to combine.

Reduce heat to medium low, and add 1 cup of hot broth, stirring rice very frequently until broth is absorbed. Continue adding broth 1 cup at a time and stirring, until rice is just al dente. This should take about 30-40 minutes, and you may not need all the broth.

When the rice is at the al dente stage, stir in the pancetta, the rest of the butter, cheese, and chives. Add plenty of black pepper and salt to taste. Serve immediately, and if you have leftovers, its nice to have a bit of chicken broth in the fridge to loosen up the risotto as its reheating. Just a few tablespoons of hot broth can turn a sticky clump of leftover risotto nice and creamy again. 

Fuel to Ride

I am back in Chicago once again, after a much needed vacation. After two weeks of sun, scuba diving, rock climbing, whitewater rafting, jungle trekking, and beer drinking (I believe Salva Vida is my new favorite beer), it's back to reality. Paying bills, getting ready for school and work to start, loads of laundry and spring cleaning...this is how I spent my weekend. Kind of a post-vacation buzz kill right?

Luckily, there are a few things this spring that I have to look forward to, weddings to attend and new babies to meet, and of course, the big bike ride. Every summer for the past four years, my sister and I have participated in the MS 150 bike ride in northern Minnesota. Our mama was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis back in 2007 (she still isn't convinced, she's stubborn like that :-), and with the help of great doctors and almost daily yoga, she is doing great and thoroughly enjoying her retirement. We will continue to do this ride, and raise money for the cause, because even if it turns out in the long run that our mom doesn't have MS, other people's moms still do, and that's more than worth riding for.

The ride is less than two months away, and that means after a lazy winter, it's time to get back on my bike. I have learned my lesson about exercising for four hours and not replenishing my calories, or not eating enough before the ride. It's not a pretty sight when you are a mile away from your apartment, but your legs just stop working, and you simply can't fathom riding another yard. Not pretty at all.

I am much more proactive now, making myself a fairly big, protein-rich meal before I leave, and packing lots of high calorie snacks with me when I go on those 40-to-50 mile rides. It makes for a much happier and healthier biker. This meal was chocked full of protein, healthy fats, and filling calories. Plus, it was all stuff I had in my pantry, save for the avocado, but I usually have one or two of those lying around anyway. Simple ingredients, with big flavors and textures, this meal is a snap to throw together before a big ride, but tastes decadent enough for a great meal anytime.

If you would like to donate to the Multiple Sclerosis Society you can visit my personal page here, and read more about the disease and why I ride.

Quinoa with Edamame, Parm, and Egg 
serves 1

1/2 cup cooked quinoa
1/2 cup shelled, cooked edamame
1/2 oz shaved parmigiano reggiano (I used a vegetable peeler to get big shavings of cheese, but you can grate if you prefer)
1 extra-large egg
2 teaspoons olive oil, plus more for frying egg
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 avocado, peeled, pitted, and sliced

In a bowl, mix together the quinoa and edamame, and toss with one teaspoon of olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Heat a tablespoon or so of olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Fry the egg until whites are set, but yolk is still runny (this will make a nice little sauce for your quinoa). Season egg with salt and pepper.


Sprinkle the cheese over the quinoa and top with the hot fried egg. Serve with the sliced avocado, drizzled with a bit of olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper.

I am Turning into an Italian Grandmother.

Yes it is true. I am slowly but surely turning into an little old Italian lady. Pay no mind that I am in fact mostly of Norwegian descent, and that I am the ripe old age of 25.

I know because of the look I got when I told people I spent almost 10 hours in the kitchen last weekend making lasagna. Why did it take you so long they asked. Well because I took the long way. I made a near-traditional meat Bolognese sauce. I made a béchamel sauce. I made my own egg noodles. I made the ricotta. Yeah you heard me correctly. I made the ricotta.

Have I gone insane you ask? My mom asked. Some of my friends asked. Maybe I have. But man was it fun. And rewarding. And by rewarding I mean this lasagna was so damn good. Insanely good. Standing for 10 hours stirring sauces, and kneading pasta dough, and straining curds and whey? Yup, it was worth it. SO worth it.

No Hold's Barred Lasagna

recipe adapted (barely) from Serious Eats

The bolognese sauce cooks for a good 3-4 hours so I would prep as much of the ingredients as you can, and then start with the sauce. While the sauce is simmering, make and drain the ricotta and make and roll out the pasta dough. Right before you are ready to assemble, put together the ricotta mixture and make the béchamel sauce. Lots of multi-tasking, but that's the fun part right?

Special Equipment:

Cheesecloths, pasta roller, food processor, deep 13 X 9 baking dish

For the ragù Bolognese:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
1 pound 85/15 ground beef
1 pound ground pork
3-4 ounces chicken livers, finely chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 large carrots, peeled, and cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 1 cup)
3 large ribs celery, peeled, and cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 1 cup)
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 cup fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
large pinch red pepper flakes
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 1/2 cups dry red wine
1 1/2 cups whole milk
2 cups homemade chicken or veal stock (or 2 cups low-sodium canned chicken broth)
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup minced basil

1/4 cup minced parsley

For the ricotta:
One gallon whole milk
1/3 cup plus 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

For the ricotta mixture:
3 cups fresh ricotta
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons minced basil
2 tablespoons minced parsley

For the pasta:
6 eggs, divided
6 egg yolks, divided

5 cups all purpose flour, divided

1 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
6 tablespoons of water, divided

For the béchamel:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 cups whole milk
1/2 pound dry whole milk mozzarella cheese, grated or finely chopped (buy the ball of cheese, stay away from pre-shredded stuff here)
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

To assemble:
Fifteen 4" by 8" sheets fresh rolled pasta (or sized to fit your pan)
4 ounces parmigiano reggiano, finely grated (About 2 cups)
1 tablespoons minced basil
1 tablespoons minced parsley

To make the bolognese sauce:

Heat the butter and oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the pork, beef, and chicken livers, stirring to break up meat, and cook until no longer pink, about 7-10 minutes. Transfer meat to strainer set over a large bowl. Transfer about half the liquid back to the pot and reduce heat to medium. Add the onions, carrots, celery, sage, garlic, and red pepper flakes and cook until vegetables are softened, but not browned, about 10 minutes.

Return the meat back to the pot, along with the tomatoes, red wine, milk, stock, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer partially covered, about 3 hours stirring occasionally.

When sauce is reduced and slightly thickened, remove bay leaves, add soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, and heavy cream and simmer for about 5 minutes longer, stirring frequently. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and let come to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Stir in parsley and basil, set aside until use. If making ahead of time (do it, it only gets better) reheat until warm before assembling lasagna.

To make the ricotta:

In a large pot, using a candy thermometer, bring a gallon of whole milk to 180 degrees F, stirring frequently to prevent scorching. When it reaches temperature, remove from heat and gently stir in the vinegar. Curds should start forming immediately.

Cover and let sit for about 2 hours. Line a colander with a few sheets of cheesecloth or food safe paper towels, and set over a bowl. Transfer the larger curd to the colander with a slotted spoon, then slowly pour the remaining curds and whey into the colander.

Let drain for 1-2 hours, depending on desired texture and consistency.

If using that day mix ricotta with the eggs, parsley, basil, salt and pepper, and set aside. If making ahead of time, place in air tight container and refrigerate for up to 7 days, mix with eggs and herbs directly prior to assembling the lasagna.

To make the pasta:

This much pasta should be made in two batches. In a food processor, combine the 2.5 cups flour and 3/4 teaspoon salt, pulse a few times to combine. In a small bowl lightly beat together 3 eggs, 3 egg yolks, and 3 tablespoons of water. With the food processor running, slowly stream in the egg mixture and run until a sticky dough forms. Add water by the teaspoons if mixture is dry. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and pliable, about 10 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 45 minutes. Repeat with the other half of ingredients.

Take each ball of dough and divide it into four pieces. Flatten 1 piece of dough with heel of hand into a rectangular shape. Put through pasta roller at widest setting 5 times, folding edges over to retain rectangle shape.

Reduce the setting by one, and roll the rough three times on each setting, until you reach the 3rd thinnest setting (this is on a 7-setting roller).

I prefer my lasagna noodles thick, but feel free to go to the second thinnest setting if you like. Repeat with each piece of dough. Flour sheets of dough and let dry on dry dish towels until ready to use, at least 20 minutes.

Cut round edges off of dough and then cut pasta into square or rectangular sheets to fit your pan. I used two slightly smaller pans, so your ratios may vary a bit. You will most likely have lost of leftover pasta, cut into shapes and freeze for later use. Don't you love it when there are bonuses?

To make the béchamel sauce:

Heat the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until it stops foaming, about 1 minute. Whisk in the flour and continue stirring until mixture turns a light tan color, about 1 minute. Add garlic, whisk to combine. Slowly stream in the milk while whisking, and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and add the cheese and nutmeg and whisk until cheese is completely melted. Return to a simmer then remove from heat and set aside until ready to use.

Almost there, time to assemble! If you are using the 9X13 pan, you should end up with five layers of noodles. If you are using smaller pans, you may end up with less noodle layers in each. Exact measurements are not important for each layer, but I will give you an approximation. Just use your best judgement and hope you don't run out before you reach the top!

To assemble:

Preheat your oven to 375 F. Add about 1 - 1 1/2 cups bolognese sauce to bottom of baking dish and drizzle with about a 1/2 cup of béchamel. Top with three sheets of pasta. Add another 1 - 1 1/2 cups bolognese sauce and 1/2 cup béchamel sauce, and sprinkle with 1/3 cup parmigiano reggiano cheese. Add three more sheets of pasta. Spread 1/2 of your ricotta onto the noodles and spread it evenly with a rubber spatula. Top with another 1 cup of meat sauce and sprinkle with 1/3 cup of parmigiano reggiano cheese. Repeat the noodle-meat-béchamel-parm and noodle-ricotta-meat-parm layers. Top with the last layer of noodles, the remaining meat sauce, the remaining béchamel, the remaining parmigiano reggiano. Now, stand back and bask in the glory of this almost-overflowing dish of cheesy, delicious, wonderment.

Place baking dish onto a foil-lined baking sheet (to catch all the bubbly overflow) and place on middle rack in the oven. Bake for 45 minutes- 1 hour until hot and bubbly and cooked through. Tent with tin foil during baking if the top is getting too dark.

Remove from the oven and sprinkle with basil and parsley. Be sure to let the lasagna sit and rest for at least 10-15 minutes at room temp before cutting into it.

Seriously just try not to pull off the little almost-burnt corners of pasta and pop them in your mouth while you let the lasagna rest. Just try, its hard.

Serve if you must have some greens with a light salad, but I say the best side dish for this lasanga is just another piece of lasagna and a big 'ol glass of Chianti. If I am indeed turning into a grandma, there's gotta be wine.

Oh and one last thing...get off my lawn.

Cabernet Braised Short Ribs and Mushroom Risotto

There are some people that tie their memories to the weather, different smells, specific dates, or the time of year. I have been finding that recently I have been tying many of my great memories with friends and family to food. For example, I can't remember a specific christmas by the year, or by how much snow we got, or what my christmas presents were, but jog my memory of what we cooked for 'christmas eve-eve' dinner? Now I remember.

It works the other way too. Lobster crosses my mind? I immediately think about the many July 4th's throughout my childhood when the cousins in my family would draw a track on the driveway with chalk and "race" the lobsters before our parents murdered them (but for good cause) in the giant bubbling stock pot in the kitchen. Granted they usually only moved an inch or so, but it was still fun picking them up and being terrified that they were going to pinch us (even though their claws all had rubber bands on them).

I also think about last winter when some of my favorite people in the world got together at a cabin in northern Wisconsin and had a BYOL party (Bring Your Own Lobster). It unexpectedly took hours to bring the huge stock pots full of water and crab seasoning to boil and didn't end up eating until almost 11 pm, but we kept ourselves busy drinking wine, playing with the very lethargic lobsters, and catching up on lives being lived three states away from each other.

Short ribs and risotto will be one of those meals that is tied to so many great memories for me. It was one of the first 'extravagant' meals I cooked for my boyfriend after we moved to chicago together. It was on the menu last winter when some of my best girlfriends from Purdue finally found a night we could all get together for the first time in months.

It was also the meal I made for eight hungry skiers this past weekend, at what is quickly becoming my favorite tradition: Valentines Day Cabin Weekend. In lieu of the Hallmark world of hearts and candy and forced romantic evenings, my Minnesota friends and I, along with our wonderful significant others, have turned v-day weekend into a weekend full of skiing, laughing, drinking, and eating. Rarely does the v -word even cross our lips, but when it does we aren't just celebrating love in our romantic relationships, we are toasting our friendships as well. The card I received from one of said Minnesota friends sums it up pretty well: "I hope we are still spending valentines day together when we are 80". Until I am 80, when I think of short ribs and risotto, I will be reminded of this very awesome valentines day, the giant red le creuset filled with braised meaty goodness, and the very best friends a girl could ask for.

Cabernet Braised Short Ribs

recipe adapted slightly from epicurious.com

Serves 8 with leftovers

These are great made a day early and chilled overnight. This allows you to to skim some of the hardened fat off the top to produce a less greasy pan sauce, but are just as good made the day of.

8-9 pounds meaty short ribs

2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, minced

2 tablespoons fresk thyme, minced

1 tablespoon coarse salt

1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup (about) vegetable or olive oil

2 - 750 ml bottles of Cabernet Sauvingnon

2-4 cups beef stock (this will depend on the size and shape of the pot you use, you will need enough to just about cover the ribs with liquid)

2 tablespoons of butter, room temperature

2 teaspoons all purpose flour

The day before cooking the ribs, season the ribs on all sides with the rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper and place in a large glass baking dish. Cover and chill overnight.

Let ribs stand at room temp before continuing. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large dutch oven, heat two tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add short ribs to pot in a single layer, turning about every 2 minutes to brown all sides. Place browned ribs in large bowl, and add more oil to pot as needed to brown all the ribs. Once all ribs have been seared, pour off drippings from pot and return to medium heat. Add the wine, scraping up and browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Bring wine to a simmer, then return the ribs and any accumulated juices to the pot. Add enough beef stock to almost cover the ribs. Bring to a boil, then cover and transfer pot to oven.

If making these the day of consumption, cook for about 3-3.5 hours, until meat is incredibly tender and falling off the bone.

If making the day before, cook for about 2.5 hours, then let cool, cover, and chill overnight. The following day, skim some of the congealed fat off the top and return to 375 degree oven for another hour to and hour and a half, until the meat is tender and falling off the bone.

When ribs are done, remove meat and bones from pot, place in a tightly covered bowl and keep warm. Skim any fat from the top of the liquid, and bring to simmer over medium high heat on the stovetop. Boil until reduced to about 2 cups, about 20 minutes. Mix together butter and flour in a bowl until well combined, and whisk into simmering braising liquid. Continue whisking over medium-high heat until thickened slightly, about 2 minutes.

Plate ribs next to, or on top of the risotto, topped with sauce and the mixed herb gremolata.

Meyer Lemon Herb Gremolata

adapted slightly from epicurious.com

Please don't skip this topping. It lends an amazingly bright citrus note to the earthy meatiness of the short ribs.

1/4 cup chopped italian parsley

3 tablespoons finely grated lemon peel, meyer lemon if it is in season

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons finely minced rosemary

2 tablespoons finely minced thyme

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. Can be made one day in advance, but I would recommend making it the day of so the citrus is at its freshest.

Mushroom Risotto

serves 8 plus plenty of leftovers

12-16 cups canned low sodium chicken broth

1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms

1/2 cup unsalted butter, divided (one stick)

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

5-6 shallots, minced

1 1/2 pounds fresh mushrooms, chopped (I used a mix of white and baby bellas)

3 cups arborio rice

1 1/3 cup white wine

1 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/3 cup italian parsley, chopped

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Bring the broth to a simmer in a large saucepan or small stockpot. Add the dried porcini mushrooms, reduce heat, and keep the broth warm over very low heat while you cook the risotto. The mushrooms will flavor the broth as they steep.

In a large heavy pot, melt two tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add two tablespoons of olive oil. Add the shallots and saute until tender, about 6-8 minutes. Add the garlic, and saute for another 2-3 minutes.

Stir in the rice, and let cook until the rice toasts a bit and becomes slightly translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add the wine and cook until it has absorbed, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium low, and add 1 cup of hot broth, stirring rice very frequently until broth is absorbed. Continue adding broth 1 cup at a time and stirring, until rice is just al dente. This should take about 30-40 minutes, and you may not need all the broth.

While rice is cooking, remove the porcini mushrooms from broth with slotted spoon, chop, and set aside. Heat two tablespoons of butter and one tablespoon of live oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add fresh mushrooms and porcini mushrooms and saute until mushrooms are slightly browned, 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cover to keep warm and set aside.

When rice reaches the al dente stage, remove from heat and stir in remaining 1/2 stick of butter, parmesan cheese, mushrooms, and parsley.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Add some roasted carrots for good measure and you have yourself a meal.

Make this, and make it often. I can only hope that this wonderful meal may be attached to some amazing memories for you as well.

Simple Comfort

After the holidays are over, it is refreshing sometimes to have a meal that is a bit on the lighter side (especially after eating all those fake girl scout cookies). It's also great to have a meal that you can clean out your fridge with. Its a great basic formula, but definitely not your run of the mill pasta dish or stir fry that usually seem to constitute a pantry meal.

This dish has all the good stuff. Creamy, crispy polenta and sauteed mushrooms and carrots, topped with a big 'ol fried egg. I am a firm believer in the "everything is better with a fried egg on top" school of thought. This separate but equally as valid as the "everything is better with bacon" school of thought. When the oozing yolk mixes with the earthy veggies and the cheesy polenta, it is heaven. Now that I think about it, I am totally adding bacon next time I make this.

I first saw a version of this recipe on thekitchn.com and really loved the combination, but I ended up changing it quite a bit. The night that I made this for dinner I made a soft polenta, but I truly believe the leftovers were better the next day when I cut squares of the cold polenta and sauteed it in a bit of olive oil. The cheese in the polenta became brown and crispy on the outside and was soft, hot, and creamy on the inside. Either way though, it is a filling, hearty meal that is full of protein that won't ruin your new years resolutions.

Fried Polenta with Balsamic Mushrooms and Carrots

adapted from thekitchn.com

Serves 3-4

1 lb mushrooms, cut into a 1/2 inch dice

3 medium carrots, cut into a 1/2 inch dice

1 clove garlic, finely minced

2-3 tablespoons oilve oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme

1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup instant polenta

1 1/2 cup milk

1 1/2 cup water

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

3-4 eggs (depending on how many people are eating, 1 egg per serving)

salt and pepper to taste

Bring water, milk, and 1/4 teaspoons salt to a boil in a small saucepan. When it reaches a boil, whisk in the polenta and reduce the heat to low and cover. Let simmer for 15 minutes with the lid cracked, stirring occasionally. Add the parmesean cheese and stir to combine. **You can make this a day ahead of time. Spread the polenta in a thin layer in the bottom of a baking dish and refrigerate overnight. Heat some oil in a non-stick skillet and fry the polenta until heated through and brown and crispy on the edges.**

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and saute for 2 minutes until garlic becomes fragrant. Add mushrooms, carrots, thyme and balsamic vinegar, stir to coat evenly. Saute for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until mushrooms and carrots are cooked through.

When the polenta and vegetables are fully cooked, heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a small non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and cook the eggs over-easy, making sure to leave the yolk runny (this is the best part).

Place a dollop of the creamy polenta (or a fried square of polenta) in the middle of a plate, top with a spoonful of the veggie mixture, and one fried egg. Sprinkle with a little extra parmesean cheese and devour.

This is a wonderfully quick (and inexpensive) weekenight meal, and a great way to use up leftovers. Enjoy!

Goodbye Summer...

Well it looks like fall is here to stay. As much as I love the season, I just am not ready for it this year. I feel like summer was here for about two weeks and then the leaves started changing. Oh well, hopefully there is still time to get one last camping trip in before the snow comes.

I figure this is the time to showcase what was probably some of the best 'summer food' I had this year. I can take no credit, for it was served to me by my parents while I was home mooching off of them after I got laid-off. Juicy Lucy Hamburgers, Grilled Deconstructed Caesar Salad, and Tomato, Basil, and Feta Salad, will forever be in my brain when I think of waning days of warm weather. The wonderfully fresh ingredients straight from the farmers market, the grill smoking in the back yard, and a bottle of wine (or three) with the people I love; what a great way to wrap up the summer.

This bottle in particular was the last of the bottles brought home from our trip to Italy.

Since my parents hold these recipes, and I had no part in cooking them (I don't even know what was in half of them) I will simply do my best to describe the photos. All three of these dishes are pretty basic actually, made from simple fresh ingredients, combined to make something exceptional. I wont give away their secrets, you can look for the recipes someday in the Helgerson/Boynton Cookbook, coming to a store near you (you guys almost done with that??).

Juicy Lucys

Basically a Juicy Lucy is a hamburger STUFFED with cheeses of your choosing (and I mean stuffed, I think mom put 3 or 4 kinds of cheeses inside). This is thrown on the grill and stacked high with fresh tomatoes, lettuce, ketchup, mustard, mayo, and whatever else floats your boat.

This was easily one of the best hamburgers I have ever had, and my god was it HUGE. Look at the cheese oozing out of the center. It's hard to look away right?

Tomato, Feta, and Basil Salad

I am just starting to be able to eat raw tomatoes. I was a very picky child, and as I am getting older and getting into cooking, I have been choosing various foods that I didn't really like growing up, and then working towards enjoying them, and eventually loving them. I am definitely well on my way to loving raw tomatoes, and this salad was a key player in that process. A mixture of yellow heirloom tomatoes from my uncle in southern Minnesota, and some gorgeous red heirloom tomatoes that are thriving in pots out on the driveway at my parents house, some fresh basil, herbed feta, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar.

Summer perfection.

Deconstructed Grilled Caesar Salad

This is probably my favorite salad of all time. Yes it is that good. Last time I asked my Dad for the Caesar dressing recipe, he just gave me a list of ingredients, no measurements whatsoever. A little trial and error was needed, but if you have never tried homemade Caesar dressing before do it now. Please, you will thank me later. Mayonnaise, crushed garlic, smushed anchovy (yes that is the correct culinary term), lemon juice, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire, white wine vinegar, and cracked black pepper. That's all it takes to have the most heavenly Caesar dressing you have ever tasted.

To elevate this salad even more, the heads of romaine are left intact, sliced in half, brushed with olive oil and grilled just for a minute to char the outside, while leaving the innards cool and crisp.

Instead of croutons, there is grilled garlic bread.

Last but not least, for the brave eaters: a whole anchovy splayed on top. Add a little (or a lot) of freshly grated Parmiginao Reggiano and I think you'll find that deconstructionism never tasted so good.

Hope your end of summer eating was as enjoyable as mine. Time to get out the pumpkin lights. :-)