Barefoot Contessa + Tyler Florence (and Winter Slaw)

Did you see the new Barefoot Contessa episode with Tyler Florence? Baby rosebud and I loved it! It airs again on Monday, September 9th at noon if you missed it (see the details here).

 {look at them high five, haha!}

They started by making a birthday cake for Tyler's son. The chocolate cake was made with buttermilk and the batter looked amazing (Ina is a pro after all). She made a ganache frosting and stacked the cake up asymmetrically at Tyler's request. They decorated the whole thing with bright candies that really popped off the chocolate frosting. It was beautiful (and I might be heading to ABC Cake Decorating to finally buy some legit cake pans to make it for Baby Strawberry's FOURTH! birthday next week).

Then they went to Ina's favorite place to buy chicken for Jeffery's dinner every Friday. My kids loved seeing the chickens and I love Tyler quipping about how proud he was to hear Ina's secrets.

{look how cute they are on Tyler's instagram!}

For lunch, he made Fried chicken and added whole fresh herbs and garlic to the oil to layer the flavors. The seasoned flour looked amazing. He added Sriracha to the buttermilk for even more flavor. I liked his tip to fry only a few pieces at a time to keep the temperature up. I don't fry things often but after I watched him make this recipe I was dying to make some chicken! You can see the recipe here.

Ina made a winter slaw recipe using shredded kale, radicchio, and Brussels sprouts. With a fresh lemon vinaigrette, craisins, and some Parmesan, it looked so light and yummy. I made it for dinner that night and while my husband wasn't sure that it was actually 'Cole slaw' it was great. The veggies were crunchy and fresh with the light dressing and the sweet and salty kicks from the cheese and craisins were perfect. It also only took a few minutes to make so I think it's going into regular side dish rotation (although the kids aren't happy about that, they looked at me like I asked them to cardboard or something!)

The best part of the episode was when Ina boxed up the enormous three layer cake and said "I don't envy you getting this home on the airplane." Haha! I hope you get a chance to watch it because it was a really fun episode full of great recipes as well. I'll let you know how that big cake goes (this is a pretty massive undertaking considering I barely passed Wilton Course 1 Cake decorating at the craft store- the employee was hesitant to give me the participation certificate, no lie!)

PS If you're on Pinterest... Barefoot Contessa is finally! It's kind of fun to follow her. If you're a dork like me. Don't tell my friend Kara I wrote this blog post. She'll die. Hopefully some of you like Ina like I do. And try the slaw. I'd never had Brussels sprouts before (seriously) and it was fun and yummy to try them.


Winter Slaw
from Ina Garten and Tyler Florence (recipe originally here)

6 ounces Brussels sprouts, trimmed, halved, and cored
6 large kale leaves, center rib completely removed (8 to 10 ounces)
1/2 small head radicchio, cored
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup good olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup dried cranberries
1 (6-ounce) chunk good Parmesan cheese

With a very sharp knife, cut the Brussels sprouts, kale, and radicchio across in thin shreds and put them all in a large bowl.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Pour enough dressing on the slaw to moisten it well. Add the cranberries.

Shave the Parmesan in big shards with a vegetable peeler, add it to the salad and toss well. Check for seasonings and serve cold or at room temperature.

Homemade Salad Dressing & Croutons

I read a post today on one of my favorite craft blogs, Infarrantly Creative, where she shared a few of her great ideas. I love getting tips from people on how to simplify and improve our lives in easy ways. She's also giving away two of my favorite things to go along with her linky party- a Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker and a Metal Cookie Scoop. I've gushed about both of those before and can't imagine my kitchen without my drawer full of scoops.



Since I loved her post so much I thought I would join in and got me thinking about something I do on a regular basis that we love. Sure I make crazy treats occasionally, but it's not all brownies and cupcakes for dinner (though I'm sure Baby Strawberry wouldn't object!) I always need more healthy, quick, and economical meal options. Making croutons and salad dressing go right in with that. I heard a quote once about how the French think Americans are bad cooks because we actually BUY our croutons. Making them is quick and tastes SO much better. I usually use the heels or unwanted end of the loaf of French bread from last nights dinner. Toss with salt and pepper, olive oil, and some seasoning and you are pretty much done. A few minutes in the oven or tossed on the stove and the house smells good, you have a nice bag of delicious croutons, and it was pretty much free (that's fuzzy Anne math for you there!) You can even use left over rolls, hamburger buns, whatever bread you have around. They taste incredible in Panzanella too.

You can see the crouton recipe here.

Making salad dressing is just as easy. I use my blender bottle (a lidded jar works too) and just dump everything in. I will include the recipe below but when I make it, it usually goes something like this, "one inch of vinegar, two inches of olive oil, a scoop of brown sugar, a pinch of garlic, salt and pepper." Shake and serve. It tastes 100 times better than store bought dressing and I love knowing exactly what went into it. Swap out spices and vinegar for a completely different flavor, too! I think people see 'Balsamic Vinaigrette' and think that's something you could only buy. I hope you'll try making your own dressing and see how it goes, it's really easy and delicious (a winner in my book!)

Do you have any simple, great ideas that make life easier for you? I'd love to hear em!


Anne Strawberry's Simple Balsamic Dressing
(adapted from Emeril)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (regular, sea salt, whatever will do)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (it's cheap at Costco!)

Combine all ingredients in a blender bottle (or jar) and shake to combine. Toss salad and serve immediately. This makes a lot of dressing so I usually half it and store my extra dressing in the fridge for couple of weeks- but it always gets eaten before it goes bad.

Serve with my Cheesecake Factory Knock Off French Country Salad (with goat cheese!), panzanella, or your favorite green salad. You can't go wrong here.

You can see the crouton recipe here.

By the Book Friday- Parmesan Asparagus for Easter

{printable recipe here}
Can you believe Easter weekend is here? It's snuck up on me again. We are going to have our standard menu- ham (Costco style), potatoes, homemade rolls, and Parmesan asparagus or green beans (whichever is on sale, is that awful?) I usually make something fruity for dessert, like Lemon Curd Cheesecake. This week I tried out a Cherry Pineapple Cobbler thanks to Lucky Leaf Pie Filling. I will post that delicious recipe later today (crossing my fingers!)

The recipe that inspired today's By the Book Friday Post comes from Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa Family Style. It's no secret that I have a big crush on Ina and she really can't do any wrong in my eyes. I'll admit that I didn't follow the recipe exactly, as she roasts the asparagus and my oven was full at the time (oh, to have a double oven!) So instead, I blanched the asparagus by cooking them for two or three minutes in boiling water, then stopping the cooking by covering them with ice water. Then I crisped them up in a hot skillet with a little butter and olive oil and added the rest of the flavors in Ina's recipe- kosher salt, freshly ground pepper, generous Parmesan cheese, and lemon juice. It just takes a couple minutes and the final product is really fragrant and delicious (even my little man ate these up). And like I said, you can use fresh green beans instead- either makes a delicious spring dinner side dish.

Do you have any Easter favorites that you make every year? I hope you have a wonderful Easter weekend!

Parmesan Asparagus with Lemon from Anne Strawberry
{printable recipe here}
adapted from Ina Garten

2 1/2 pounds fresh asparagus (about 30 large)
2 tablespoons good olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
2 lemons cut in wedges, for serving

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. (note- I blanked them instead, so I boiled a large pan of water to begin).

If the stalks of the asparagus are thick, peel the bottom 1/2 of each. Lay them in a single layer on a sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until tender. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and return to the oven for another minute. Serve with lemon wedges.

Variation: Instead of roasting in the oven, I blanched the asparagus for three minutes in salted boiling water. Next, submerge the asparagus in ice water to 'shock' it. Transfer to a skillet warmed over medium high with a couple tablespoons of olive oil or butter and brown for just one or two minutes. Then season and garnish as above, with salt, pepper, sliced Parmesan cheese, and the juice of half a lemon. Serve immediately.

By the Book Friday- Roasted Red Pepper Goat Cheese Tarts

{printable recipe here}
Ina Garten is my favorite so I figured I should start with one of her recipes for my first "By the Book Friday". I really want to focus on trying new things and actually getting through my cookbooks instead of just using them as decorations. I planned to take a nice picture of my cookbooks to show the material I would be working with for this new challenge but my hutch is just too crammed full of books (so next week, maybe?) We had Church recipe group this week and I happened to have a jar of roasted peppers, several boxes of puff pastry I scored at half off, and goat cheese, cheap from Trader Joe's. Everything else required was already in the pantry so I figured this was perfect. These tarts are so great- flavorful, crunchy, creamy, sweet, savory. It takes some time with the caramelized onions but every step is simple and the final product is stunning (even if the older women at recipe night told me the cheese smelled like goats! I think they liked it though!)

A few people asked to join up with By the Book Friday and so I signed up with Mr. Linky to get a widget, but I haven't gotten my sign up info yet so (hopefully) next week we will be good to go! Feel free to leave a link to your post in the comments if you've joined in! And please if you have a better name idea let me know!


Roasted Red Pepper & Goat Cheese Tarts
from Anne Strawberry
recipe adapted from Ina Garten's Back to Basics
{printable recipe here}

1 package (17.3 ounces/2 sheets) puff pastry, defrosted {I thaw it overnight in the fridge}
Good olive oil
4 cups thinly sliced yellow onions (2 large onions)
3 large garlic cloves, cut into thin slivers
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons dry white wine {I used a 1/4 cup white grape juice}
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
1/2 freshly grated parmesan or romano cheese
4 ounces garlic-and-herb goat cheese {I used regular goat cheese}
1 large tomato, cut into 4 (1/4-inch-thick) slices {note- I used 3/4 cup roasted red peppers or sliced bell peppers in the past}
3 tablespoons julienned basil leaves


Unfold a sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and roll it lightly to an 12 by 12-inch square. Cut sheet into thirds each way, to yield 9, 3 x 3 squares per sheet (18 total). Place the pastry squares on 2 sheet pans lined with parchment paper and refrigerate until ready to use.


Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium to low heat and add the onions and garlic. Saute for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are limp and there is almost no moisture remaining in the skillet. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, the wine, and thyme and continue to cook for another 10 minutes, until the onions are lightly browned. Remove from the heat.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Using a sharp paring knife, score a 1/4-inch-wide border around each square (being careful to go through only part of the pastry, just use gentle pressure). Prick the pastry inside the score lines with the tines of a fork and sprinkle a tablespoon of grated Parmesan on each tart, staying inside the scored border.

Place a teaspoon of the onion mixture on each circle, again staying within the scored edge. Crumble goat cheese on top of the onions. Place a slice of tomato (or bell peppers or roasted bell peppers) in the center of each tart. Brush the tomato lightly with olive oil (not necessary with the roasted peppers) and sprinkle with basil, salt, and pepper. Finally, scatter 2 or 3 shards of Parmesan on each tart.

Bake for about 20 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown. The bottom sheet pan may need an extra few minutes in the oven. Serve hot or warm.

Vegetable Tian (or how to use all that zucchini)

{printable recipe here}
When I saw Ina make this, I knew I would love it (not uncommon while watching Barefoot Contessa, I'll admit). I like every single vegetable in there. Add some seasonings and roast- how bad can that be? Ina delivered as usual. And since you don't have to peel any of these veggies, all you have to do is chop chop and line them up. It looks pretty impressive but is actually super simple. With all the delicious, summer veggies overflowing, this dish is cheap, delicious, and healthy. Go go.

What do you like to make with all the summer produce? I can't live on just zucchini bread (although I might like to, it really hardly qualifies as bread, don't you think?)

Vegetable Tian
from Anne Strawberry
{printable recipe here}
recipe from Ina Garten

Good olive oil
2 large yellow onions, cut in half and sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound medium round potatoes, unpeeled
3/4 pound zucchini
1 1/4 pounds medium tomatoes
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, plus extra sprigs
2 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated (I subbed Parmesan- I'll only eat that stinky Gruyere in Croque Monsieur, Macaroni, or Fondue!)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Brush a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking dish with olive oil. In a medium saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and cook the onions over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Spread the onion mixture on the bottom of the baking dish.

Slice the potatoes, zucchini, and tomatoes in 1/4-inch thick slices. Layer them alternately in the dish on top of the onions, fitting them tightly, making only 1 layer. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, thyme leaves, and thyme sprigs and drizzle with 1 more tablespoon of olive oil. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Uncover the dish, remove the thyme sprigs, sprinkle the cheese on top, and bake for another 30 minutes until browned. Serve warm.

Zucchini Bread

{printable recipe here}
I have the best brother in the world but he's far from adventurous when it comes to food (he lived in Greece and never learned to like olives, seriously!) So, when I was "helping" my mom use up her zucchini before it went bad, I actually had to lie to my wonderful brother. "What are you making?" "Zucchini bread" (Oh crap, I realized he would never eat it, why had I said that?) "Sick! It doesn't have zucchini in it really, right?" "Yeah, it just has some green food coloring and is called that." Whew. I hid my bowl of shredded zucchini under a dish towel and it went undetected. When the bread and muffins were out of the oven he actually tried them. And guess what? He liked them, after all, it is crazy delicious. And how couldn't it be? This stuff has so much sugar in it I don't know how you can actually call it a bread! Thank goodness zucchini isn't cheap year round...and I'll look into a less sugary recipe but I can verify that this was definitely an easy, delicious way to go. I got the recipe from my mom's best friend Barb, who's from Utah- they know how to handle extra zucchini up there! She's an amazing cook and her husband does ALL the dishes, too. Apparently she knows how to handle her man, too! ;)

Check out my little budding food photographer below. While I was taking pictures he ran in and made me wait while he snapped a few.

Anne Strawberry's New Favorite Zucchini "Bread"
{printable recipe here}
from Barb Sperry

3 eggs
1 cup oil
2 cup sugar
2 cups grated zucchini
1 Tbsp vanilla
3 cups flour
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp baking powder
½ cup chopped nuts

Preheat the oven to 325. Beat eggs until foamy (about 2 minutes in the stand mixer). Add oil and sugar and mix until incorporated. Add zucchini and vanilla. Blend. Add all dry ingredients and nuts and mix until just barely combined (do not overbeat or it will get tough).

Bake in greased mini loaf pans at 325 for 40-50 minutes or as muffins (about 30 minutes) or mini muffins (about 20-25 minutes). (Note- these times are approximate, since I used mini pans and 1 1/2 of a recipe so I had a lot of batter. Watch your bread carefully while baking. Make sure it's not underdone or the bread will collapse after cooling.)

Spinach and Feta Greek Pita Pizza

{printable recipe here}
You Want Pies with That is back {they were actually back last month but I had a big old cast- now I'm chopping and cooking again, so I guess we're both back}! This month's theme is Pizza. It's a sad, sad truth that I love pizza but my Tall Man, Mr. Carbohydrate himself, doesn't eat tomatoes (or much dairy) which pretty much eliminates most pizzas from our regular dining. Nonetheless, I snap up any opportunity to enjoy a piece, which usually happens when I take little man to Costco. But, in an attempt to please my taste buds and my Tall Man's obnoxious and ornery stomach, we have Spinach and Feta Greek Pita Pizzas. Whew. The title is pretty much longer than the prep. And please tell me there's some, beloved food you don't make because of your husband. I'd feel better.

See my previous (albiet long ago) Pies with That Posts here (including my favorite "Emma Hearts Knightley Pie" that won the very first month). And lastly- I need to give a shout out to my new favorite pan, making it's first appearance on my blog. It's my first and only All Clad pan and I got it for three bucks at Goodwill. I was a little excited, as you might guess. Even my Tall Man was excited when I told him I'd saved close to 200 bucks, haha (not that I would have spent the 200, but getting the goods for nothing counts as saving, right? Right?)

Spinach and Feta Greek Pita Pizza
from Anne Strawberry
{printable recipe here}

2 onions, finely diced
1/2 bag baby spinach, roughly chopped (don't stress over the amount- I just used what I had on hand)
5 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
kosher salt, pepper, and oregano
4 pitas
1/3 cup crumbled feta (read more here for brands we like)
paprika

Over medium heat, cook onions in olive oil for 5 minutes. Stir in spinach and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until everything is soft and carmelized. Add seasoning to taste and spread 1/4 of the mixture over each pita. Top with a little feta and a sprinkle of paprika and broil for two or three minutes, until slightly browned. Remove, cut, and serve.

Note- if you prefer a nice, crispy crust (like my mom, I'll be honest- I like soft or mushy food as my family would say) carefully place the prepared pizza straight onto the oven rack- but be sure to put a baking sheet below just in case something spills!

LaNell's Broccoli Salad

{printable recipe here}
This is one of our all time favorite side dishes. Whenever there's a party, people always ask my mom to bring this. It's one of her signature dishes for a reason! I don't like raw broccoli really except for in this salad. Cut nice and small, the texture and flavor is perfect. Bacon, Red Onion, Raisins, and Sun flower seeds give tons of crunch and variety, but they still work together. The creamy dressing is best added just before serving so it doesn't get soggy.

Broccoli Salad

{printable recipe here}
from LaNell (my mom!)

4 - 6 cups chopped broccoli flowerets

¼ cup diced red onion

½ cup toasted sunflower seeds (walnuts work, too)

1/3 cup raisins

8 strips cooked bacon (crumbled)

Dressing:         

1 cup mayonnaise

½ cup sugar

1 ½ T. apple cider vinegar (red wine works, too)

After making dressing, toss on salad and combine. Serve immediately.

Peppered Walnut Salad

{printable recipe here}
The heat is coming. I'm sure some of you are still in "winter" mode but around here it's already getting hot. Some days I feel like it's time to turn on the air conditioning but I just "can't want to" as we like to say around here. Hopefully spring will hold on for a couple more weeks but even if it doesn't this light, flavorful salad will hit the spot. It's fresh, delicious, and features so many wonderful flavors- peppered candied walnuts, feta, craisins or dried blueberries, and a garlic and parsley dressing. I've never met a woman who didn't love this salad (as for the men, sometimes they just don't know a good thing when they taste it!)

One note about the feta- the real deal will really set this salad over the top. Peter from Kalofagas (my favorite Greek cooking blog) recommended the Dodoni brand from Costco. I haven't been able to find that buy I love the authentic Greek Feta from Trader Joes. It comes in a white and blue box and is soaked in brine so it stays fresh. It's even made in Greece and is the only kind my brother, who lived in Greece, likes.

Come back Monday for another one of our all time favorite salads.

Peppered Walnut Salad

{printable recipe here}
From Wendy Jensen, my fabulous cousin who consistently makes the best salads. Thanks for sharing!

Nuts:

1 cup chopped walnuts

3 Tbsp. butter

½ cup sugar

2 tsp. black pepper

Toast walnuts in butter on low for 5 minutes. Combine sugar and pepper and coat hot nuts.

Dressing:

2 tsp. sugar

2 cloves peeled garlic

1 tsp. Dried oregano

½ c. diced red onion

½ tsp. salt

1 c. fresh parsley

½ c. red wine vinegar

1 c. canola oil

Blend and refrigerate in a container with a non metal lid (I like to use an old peanut butter jar)

Dressing keeps for a little under a week. I usually throw it out when the parsley loses it's bright green color.

Salad:

1 large head dark green Romaine lettuce, cleaned and chopped

¼ c. crumbled feta cheese

¼ c. craisins or dried blueberries

Add nuts and a 1/4 cup of dressing. Toss and serve immediately.

Crouton Confessional

It's Tuesday and I'm sans Coconut tart. Honestly, I think Coconut tastes like sunblock and has the texture of something too unappetizing for a cooking blog. However, I have already made next week's Chocolate Berry Tart and it was delicious and photogenic! So until then, I'll leave you with a healthy and crowd pleasing recipe. A big, grilled chicken and crouton topped salad is one of our favorite quick meals. I have to confess I've never actually liked croutons (why eat dried bread when you can eat it soft and fresh? Save the calories!)... until I tried the homemade variety. They are crunchy and delicious and an excellent vehicle for soaking up salad dressing.

 

And this "recipe" isn't something to be afraid of- it's a way to save yourself from running to the store because you forgot to buy croutons again (because you didn't like them in the first place, how would your new-baby-sleep-deprived brain remember) and your husband insists on having them with his salad. I'm including a real life crouton making picture to show how easy these really are. Pretend like you can see my little man running around, Baby Strawberry squawking, and you get the idea. They literally take two minutes to throw together, even with other stuff going on, and are a great way to use up leftover bread before it gets too stale (see in the picture? leftover hard rolls and wheat bread, pretty much just the heels). I like to toss on some favorite herbs and when my Tall Man sees I've actually made croutons he even flashes me his real smile. You should try it, too! If you're married to a Mr. Carbohydrate like I am this is something you should do often. I try different herbs, often depending on what I find first when I reach in my overly full cupboard. I usually bake them at whatever temperature the oven is already set on. Like I said, these are easy. And delicious. Go go!

Homemade Croutons

from Anne Strawberry

About 5 Cups Bread, cut into 1 inch cubes

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Garlic Powder

Kosher Salt

Pepper

Pinch of Thyme and Oregano

Preheat oven to 400.

Place bread on sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, and season. Toss to coat and bake at 400 for 7-10 minutes (until crisp and starting to take on color). Cool and serve. Store leftovers in a plastic bag for a few weeks (or as long as they last!)

Bruschetta with Sauteed Sweet Peppers and Goat Cheese

The end of the month has snuck up on me once again. I'm excited that time is flying but I feel like I scheduled (and didn't quite finish) this post ages ago- can it be June already? That's a good thing, though, since my baby ticker informs me I have 113 (Arizona Summer) days to go. This Bruschetta from Ina is quick and easy for any of those- I made it with my brother and he even did all the slicing without any whining. If he can do it, you can.

I adapted the recipe for the ingredients I had (goat cheese and mini bell peppers from Costco) but it's plenty flexible- use your favorite cheese or veggie for endless variations. See the other Barefoot Bloggers for more ideas. And next time I'll try these on the grill to keep the flavor in and the heat out- especially important as the temperature rises!

Bruschetta with Sauteed Sweet Peppers and Goat Cheese
adapted from Ina Garten

Good olive oil
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into thin strips
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and sliced into thin strips
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon capers, drained
2 tablespoons julienned fresh basil leaves
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Baguette
3 ounces creamy Gorgonzola or other blue cheese, at room temperature

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the peppers and cook until soft, about 12 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle with the sugar and continue cooking for 2 more minutes. Stir in the capers and basil, and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Slice the baguette crosswise into 18 thin round slices. Brush the bread rounds lightly with olive oil on 1 side. Arrange them in rows, oil side up, on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and toast in the oven until lightly browned, about 7 to 10 minutes.

Top each toast round with a teaspoonful of the pepper mixture. Place 2 small pieces of Gorgonzola on top. Return the toast to the oven for 1 to 2 minutes and warm through. Serve immediately.

Barefoot Bloggers- Herb Roasted Onions

This weeks Barefoot Bloggers recipe, chosen by Kelly, came at the perfect time. I had just watched the episode where Ina makes this dish to serve with Chicken Piccata on Friday (aka Roast Chicken Night at the Garten's) for Jeffrey. I love episodes where Jeffrey comes on as the dutiful, happy, appreciative husband. I know it bugs some people but it makes me happy to see him loving Ina and her cooking! So, I decided to make the chicken piccata too for my hubby since they looked wonderful together. The flavors were perfect together. These onions have a surprisingly sweet taste and awesome texture. To me, they taste a lot like onion rings without the fried part (if that makes any sense!) These are a keeper and will definitely be made again at our house.

Some people mentioned not having enough dressing. Naturally, I didn't measure any of these ingredients since I was working on this while I was balancing my little guy on my hip. I probably made a little extra dressing (and know I put in too much mustard on accident). However, I made my dressing in a good sized bowl and then tossed the onions in with the dressing. I used a slotted spoon to scoop the onions onto my Silpat lined sheet and reserved the dressing left in the bowl to pour over the onions once they came out of the oven. There was plenty of vinaigrette left and I saved a bowl or two to clean (good thing when you're also making breaded chicken... that always yields a delicious dinner and dozens of dishes!)

Herb-Roasted Onions
by Ina Garten

2 red onions
1 yellow onion
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (a bit more)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (measure carefully! you don't want too much)
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup good olive oil
1/2 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves (a bit more)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Remove the stem end of each onion and carefully slice off the brown part of the root end, leaving the root intact. Peel the onion. Stand each onion root end up on a cutting board and cut the onion in wedges through the root. Place the wedges in a bowl.

For the dressing, combine the lemon juice, mustard, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Pour the dressing over the onions and toss well.

With a slotted spoon, transfer the onions to a sheet pan, reserving the vinaigrette that remains in the bowl. Bake the onions for 30 to 45 minutes, until tender and browned. Toss the onions once during cooking. Remove from the oven, and drizzle with the reserved dressing. Sprinkle with parsley, season to taste and serve warm or at room temperature.

P.S. ... Have you heard about Shabby Apple? They have fabulous dresses and great accessories. They are running a contest now to describe your perfect outfit and what you'd wear it for. My best friend is the running and needs your vote for her Times Square Countdown vignette. While you're there, get yourself a new little black dress. I love mine that Kara gave me for my birthday.

Barefoot Chicken Vegetable Pot Pie

Chicken pot pie is a favorite at my house so I was excited about this weeks Barefoot Bloggers recipe, chosen by Deb from Kahakai Kitchen (she has a wonderful blog and is so nice, stop by!) I've actually made this recipe before, last fall, so this time I made a few changes.

Most importantly, I reduced the fat in the recipe and used a combination of olive oil and butter. I also added cubed rotisserie chicken, since I knew it would go off much better with a little "substance". For vegetables, I would suggest using whatever you have on hand or is in season- the quality is usually much better and the price is, too. This time I added green beans, peas, and extra carrots to Ina's recipe (leaving out the fennel). For flavoring, I skipped the liqueur and used extra chicken stock and Herbes de Provence (I got mine at Safeway, but this one at Williams Sonoma is adorable!). The seasoning is wonderful and great on pastas, soups, and more- it's become a staple in my pantry. I skipped the heavy cream and added some milk since my sauce was thickening a lot and I had some extra vegetables.

This is another winner from Ina- the filling is delicious (even with less butter!) and the pastry top has the perfect flavor and texture. If you're in a pinch for time, don't forget that you can make the pastry in the food processor and keep it in the fridge until you are ready to roll it out. You could also assemble the pies the night before and through them in the oven after work. Either way, it's delicious and worth the time to make these from scratch!

Chicken Vegetable Pot Pie
adapted from Ina Garten
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cups sliced yellow onions (2 onions)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups good chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon Herbs de Provence
1 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup whole milk
1 1/2 cups large-diced potatoes (about 3 small red potatoes)
1 cup chopped green beans
1 1/2 cups peeled, 3/4-inch-diced carrots (4 carrots)
1 1/2 cups peeled, 3/4-inch-diced butternut squash
1 1/2 cups frozen small whole onions (1/2 pound)
3/4 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup minced flat-leaf parsley

For the pastry:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1/4 pound cold unsalted butter, diced
1/2 to 2/3 cup ice water
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
Herbs de provence (for garnish)

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the onions and saute until translucent, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the flour, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 3 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Slowly add the stock, milk, herb de provence, salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste- the sauce should be highly seasoned.

Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for 10 minutes. Lift out with a sieve. Add the green beans, carrots, and squash to the pot and cook in the boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain well. Add the potatoes, mixed vegetables, onions, and parsley to the sauce and mix well.

For the pastry, mix the flour, salt, and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add the shortening and butter and mix quickly with your fingers until each piece is coated with flour. Pulse 10 times, or until the fat is the size of peas. With the motor running, add the ice water; process only enough to moisten the dough and have it just come together. Dump the dough out onto a floured board and knead quickly into a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic and allow it to rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Divide the filling equally among 6 ovenproof bowls. Divide the dough into sixths and roll each piece into circle just larger than the tops of the bowls. Brush the outside edges of each bowl with the egg wash, then place the dough on top. Trim the circle to 1/2-inch larger than the top of the bowl. Crimp the dough to fold over the sides, pressing it to make it stick. Brush the dough with egg wash and make 3 slits in the top. Sprinkle with sea salt and cracked pepper. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling hot.

Barefoot Bloggers- Butternut Squash Risotto

This weeks Barefoot Bloggers recipe, Butternut Squash Risotto, was absolutely perfect. I had just bought a squash at the grocery store before I knew the recipe. I had all the other ingredients on hand and had been dying to use the saffron in my cupboard (also purchased for an Ina recipe). This was simple, if time consuming, to put together. The final product was delicious- the flavors went together perfectly. Next time I'll omit the extra kosher salt (unless I have low sodium chicken stock) and include more squash, since that was my favorite part. I seem to say this every week, but seriously, I love Ina- another fabulous recipe!

Butternut Squash Risotto
from Ina Garten

1 butternut squash (2 pounds)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
2 ounces pancetta, diced
1/2 cup minced shallots (2 large)
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice (10 ounces)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon saffron threads
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Peel the butternut squash, remove the seeds, and cut it into 3/4-inch cubes. You should have about 6 cups. Place the squash on a sheet pan and toss it with the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, tossing once, until very tender. Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the chicken stock in a small covered saucepan. Leave it on low heat to simmer.

In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the pancetta and shallots on medium-low heat for 10 minutes, until the shallots are translucent but not browned. Add the rice and stir to coat the grains with butter. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes. Add 2 full ladles of stock to the rice plus the saffron, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir, and simmer until the stock is absorbed, 5 to 10 minutes. Continue to add the stock, 2 ladles at a time, stirring every few minutes. Each time, cook until the mixture seems a little dry, then add more stock. Continue until the rice is cooked through, but still al dente, about 30 minutes total. Off the heat, add the roasted squash cubes and Parmesan. Mix well and serve.