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This is something a little sweet I tried out, but all together pretty good for you. Tasha really likes it too.

1/4 - 1/2 cup low fat vanilla yogurt
1/4 cup frozen mixed berries
1 teaspoon turbinado sugar
A few squirts of lemon juice
A dollop of whipped cream



Start with a small glass. Add a few tablespoons of yogurt. Sprinkle in 1/3 of the berries. Sprinkle on some sugar. Add another layer of yogurt and berries. This time add a few drops of lemon juice, then more sugar.

One more layer, and top with a bit of whipped cream and turbinado for appearance. Serve within a few minutes for best flavor.


(photos by Tygab)

As you already know, I've got a freezer filled with beef, Tasha being the forward thinker, took out a steak earlier in the week for tonight's meal. After a early work day (7-4), T and I headed to the Groton Farmers market. Having skipped a week of shopping, we were low on just about everything. Which made me a happy farmers market shopper! We came home with heirloom tomatoes, corn, potatoes, watermelon, eggs, duck eggs, thai basil, sage, carrots, peaches, bagels, onions, chocolate chip cookies, and peach jam.
With all that bounty I was initially thinking steak, sage potatoes, and corn for dinner, but I couldn't get the smell of the thai basil out of my head. It's been one of my favorite flavors for some time now. When we returned home, I decided to make something using the Thai basil;

Thai basil beef

1 top round steak, sliced thin
1/4 white onion sliced thin
1 carrot Julienned
1 package of rice vermicelli
3 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup Thai basil
3 cloves of garlic diced
1 Serrano chili diced
1 lime sliced for garnish


Start a large pot of water for vermichelli.
Place chili, garlic, 1/2 the basil, a touch of course salt in a mortar and grind to a paste.
Heat oil over medium heat in a large skillet.
Saute paste until fragrant.
Season meat, and add to pan covering bottom in a single layer allow to brown a bit, then toss until 1/2 cooked.
Add onion, carrot, fish sauce, soy, sugar, then stir
Reduce heat to low, then top with all but a few sprigs of basil.
By this time the water for the vermicelli should be boiling, remove from heat and add noodles. Stir regularly, until al dente, about 6-8 minutes.
Drain the noodles add to a bowl, and pour sauteed meat and veggies over the noodles, and toss.  If the stirfy was dry, and more liquid is desired; deglaze the pan with a touch of chicken stock. The goal is to finish the noodles in the liquid from the stirfry adding flavor.
Plate, garnish with remaining basil sprigs, and serve with a lime slice.

I was in the mood tonight to grill a few things. So, I whipped up a grilled salsa verde to be served on white corn chips.

5 medium tomatillos
1/2 vidalia onion
1 red pepper
2 ears of corn

Peel Tomatillos, cut an x on the bottom.
Cut pepper in 1/2 and remove seeds.
Cut your 1/2 of onion into 2 sets of rings, and put on bamboo skewer to keep from falling apart.
Cut ends off of unhusked corn. Pull of leaves of husk until only 2-3 remain.

Coat everything but the corn in a bit of olive oil, to enhance browning.
Grill all items over high heat until well browned.
The red pepper's skin should be easy to peel, the tomatillos should be blistered and peel able as well. The onion will get nice and soft and show good grill marks.
As the corn nears done, carefully husk the remaining leaves, and brown the kernels.

Peel red pepper, peel tomatillos, dice onion, and remove kernels from cob.
Mix and server. Can be refrigerated for up to a week.

Crepezagna!

I made a batch of savory crepes this week, and combined them with some some of my favorite summer ingredients for a fresh summer dinner.

1 cup - all-purpose flour
salt
3 eggs
1 cup milk
2 tbsp melted butter

Add wet ingredients to a blender, slowly add dry. The batter should be thin.
Allow to rest 30 minutes while you prepare the other toppings.

Toppings:
1 tomato sliced thin.
7 leaves of basil - chiffonade
1/4 cup shredded cheese

1/4 cup sauted button mushrooms
1/4 cup goat cheese
3-4 table spoons of sour cream
2-3 table spoons of milk

Wisk the goat cheese, sour cream, and milk until smooth. May require more milk to make a spreadable mix.

When crepes come out of the pan, layer in a 9inch round cake pan, alternating layers of spread, tomatoes, cheese, mushrooms, basil. Pressing each layer to ensure a tight stack.
When all the crepes are stacked, refrigerate until thoroughly chilled (30 mins-1hr). Turn out onto a plate, and slice like a pie.

I normally have my recipes fairly well vetted before writing them up, but I figured I'd do something different with this, sort of go through how I work on evolving a recipe from idea / or google search to a recipe made to my tastes. This dish started with a recommendation from my lovely wife. I asked for a bell pepper for making fajitas, and she returned with three to my surprise... with the suggestion I stuff them.  Great idea! I hadn't made them before, but I've certainly had them before so I had a basic idea where to start. Make some rice, brown some beef, sauce it up a bit, top with crumbs, and bake off... So, that's what I did. And these are my notes for future use, so I improve the recipe next time I try to make it. Please be sure to read the end note, where I make recommendations on how I think I can make this right, next time. This makes enough for two.  

This is one of my all-time favorite recipes. This would be what I would request for my birthday meals. It is likely one of the first things I cooked on my own. I believe it's from a paper bound edition of the betty crocker cookbook. 

Continue reading "How to make a homemade pizza." »

This is my take on a 'Fabulous' retro classic, Turkey Tetrazzini.  This is a great use for all the left over turkey we have.  It's also a good change of pace from Mayflower sandwiches, and all the other Thanksgiving flavors. Also, check it out I've even got pictures.

 

Continue reading "Turkey TrashCanzini" »

'tootkay' is a family tradition. It's something I've grown to love about the holidays. We'd usually have these pies around the house around thanksgiving, and Christmas. I apologize in advance, this is not for the vegetarian, or Kosher, but it is tradition with my family.  Please note, as Tasha would like me to point out, you can make this without pork, and I plan it, so that my lovely wife can know why I enjoy this so much. Also, I have no pics, because I've yet to actually make it. Here is my Nana's recipe.

UPDATE: Photos available here: 

Continue reading "French Canadian torterrie and meat stuffing..." »

This soup is a tradition in the van Es house for thanksgiving dinner. I'm not sure of the origin, but it's pretty tasty, and not too bad for you if you cut down the cream and butter. Note, I'm writing the recipe as it's found in the book, but I prepared it a little different which I'll explain below.

Continue reading "van Es - Cream of Carrot Soup" »

This is a recipe from a coworker. Unlike your traditional office environment where the guys talk sports or hunting, the support team at Endeca is filled with 'Chef's. So, are conversations often cover what did you make this weekend, would you use a bread maker or your stand mixer to make dough, or practical uses of foam, or agar agar in home cooking.

The recipe below is one that I asked for before, recieved, and never made. I hope after blogging about it, I'll actually make it, since it seems pretty straight forward, and good. However since I've never made it, I cannot provide pictures, nor can I comment on how good / easy it was.

Chow!

Continue reading "Skillet Lasagna -" »

This is a what I made for dinner tonight. I think it came out quite good.

1 box extra large shells
16 oz whole milk ricotta
1lb Ground beef
1/2 large onion
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes
2 garlic cloves
basil
oregano
crushed red pepper
1/4 cup shredded cheese (Italian style)
1/4 cup shredded parmesan
1 jars worth of pasta sauce
a fresh mozzarella ball, sliced


The ingredients are a guess, I sorta make it up as I go along.
Start the water boiling for the pasta, salt it liberally. Preheat oven to 350. Cook the pasta al dente.
Over medium high heat, saute the onion, in a few tbs of olive oil, add the sun dried tomatoes and garlic cloves minced, lightly salt. Cook until translucent. Remove and set aside.
Over medium high brown beef, salt, add basil, oregano, and crushed red pepper. Cook thoroughly then drain.
When meat is finished, mix with parm, ricotta, onions.
In a 16x9 Pyrex baking dish, coat bottom of the pan with sauce.
Liberally stuff shells with mixture, and pack tightly into pan.
Top the shells with the shredded cheese and the mozzarella sliced.
Cover with sauce.
Bake for 35 minutes.
Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes to set.
Serve with Garlic bread, or salad.

I made this salad for our labor day party. I made it the night before, and it turned out well, but I should have made it a little more spicy. The sweetness of the corn, and the sour cream do a good job of tempering this potentially spicy dish so even Tasha can enjoy it.
(recipe behind cut)

Continue reading "Chipotle Corn Salad" »

This tasty dish, can be prepared nearly completly ahead of time. The recipe comes from my sister in law, who made this for Christmas. I love the pink sauce! Not exactly low fat, but hey, it's pasta, what do you expect?

4-6:

• 2tbs olive oil
• 1 small onion (chopped)
• ts red pepper (more is you want it spicy)
• salt
• pepper
• basil
• oregano
• 3-4 cloved garlic
• 2 cans of diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup vodka
• 1/8th lb proscuiuotto (you can make it with out this)
• 1 pint of heavy cream
• 1lb of cooked penne

In a pan, coat the bottom with olive oil and heat. Add onion (chopped), a dash of red pepper (about 1/2 teaspoon), salt, pepper, basil, and oregano. Add garlic and sautee. Add 2 cans of diced tomatoes Simmer 20-40 mins. until tomatoes are soft and mushy Chop prosciuotto into small pieces and add to the mixture. Add vodka Simmer for about 20-30 minutes Remove from heat, and add 1 pint of heavy cream and heat through. Add sauce to penne.