A couple of weekends ago I cooked pizza on the grill for the first time. We were really pleased with the results and plan to do this often over the summer months. I first saw someone doing this on the Food Network channel a while ago - it might have been Bobby Flay. I bought the dough pre-made from Trader Joe's and pre-cooked some of the filling. Sauteed some sliced asparagus, mushrooms, and shallots. Used half the dough that came in the packet and let it come to room temperature then rolled and stretched it to the desired size and thickness - this was the hard part because just when I thought it was the right size, it shrank! Once I was happy with it, I threw it on a hot grill (we have a gas grill and the temperature was about 400) shut the lid and let it cook for a few minutes.

What I should have done at that point was flip it over and then put the toppings on. What I did was put the toppings on without flipping. After spreading the asparagus, mushrooms, and onions over the top I sliced some creamy blue cheese onto it, put it back on the grill and cooked until the cheese was melted.



The bottom side got a little burnt around the edges which wasn't that bad and didn't take away from the flavor of the toppings. Next time I will flip the dough once it firms up and then put on the toppings.



We had the pizza for happy hour but it could easily have done us for dinner with a side salad.

We had happy hour in front of the fire this afternoon. It's cold outside with heavy dark clouds ready to rain down on us. I made a sweet onion dip from Martha Stewart's site. The recipe uses reduced-fat sour cream and cream cheese but it was still very rich and creamy.

Sweet Onion Dip



1 tablespoon olive oil
2 Vidalia onions (1 pound total), finely chopped
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 cup reduced-fat sour cream
2 ounces reduced-fat bar cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons white-wine vinegar
1/4 cup finely chopped chives
Potato chips, for serving

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium. Add onions; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool to room temperature. In a medium bowl, combine onions, sour cream, cream cheese, vinegar, and chives; season with salt and pepper. Chill dip until slightly thickened, about 1 hour; or cover and refrigerate up to 2 days. Serve with chips.

It's been a somewhat cold and wet season for us here in San Diego so a couple of weeks ago I made this classic minestrone soup from Martha Stewart's site. It's a lovely warm feeling to sit in front of a roaring fire with a hot bowl of soup and some fresh crispy bread for dunking.

Classic Minestrone



2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for serving (optional)
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
1 large celery stalk, diced
1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary, or 1/4 teaspoon dried
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 can (14.5 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes, drained and finely chopped
1 large potato, peeled and diced
1/4 head Savoy or green cabbage (1/2 pound), cored and thinly sliced
1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 garlic clove, minced (optional)
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil, plus torn leaves for serving (optional)
3/4 cup grated Parmesan, for serving

In a large pot, heat oil over medium. Add onion, carrots, celery, red-pepper flakes, rosemary, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to turn golden, 5 to 8 minutes. Add tomatoes; cook until some of the liquid evaporates, 1 minute. Add potato, cabbage, cannellini beans, and 7 cups water; bring to a boil. Stir in green beans. Reduce to a simmer, and cook until all the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; stir in garlic, if using, and basil. Serve sprinkled with Parmesan and, if using, torn basil. Drizzle with more oil, if desired.

We froze the leftovers in individual serving size containers which I took to work for lunch later in the week.

I was looking around for something easy to put together for our Saturday happy hour and came across these Cheddar cobwebs on Martha Stewart's site. Very easy to make and so few ingredients you're bound to have them on hand. I made half a recipe and they were gone in seconds. So light, crisp and very savory. They are a bit greasy and I don't know if laying them out on a paper towel would make much of a difference.

Cheddar Cobwebs



1 cup grated yellow cheddar
2 tsp all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp paprika
Course salt and ground pepper

Preheat oven to 375. In a medium bowl, toss cheddar with flour, paprika, teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Drop by tablespoons onto parchment-lined baking sheets (6 per sheet); flatten into 3-inch rounds. Bake until golden and bubbling, 10 to 12 minutes. With a thin metal spatula, transfer crisps to a serving plate to cool.

This was the best chocolate cake ever. Even Alex, who does not like cake without some sort of butter cream frosting, whipped cream, or ice-cream, loved this cake on it's own. It was moist, slightly chewy on the edges, with an intense chocolate flavor. Alex said it has a sort of brownie texture - he should know, he's the expert in these matters. The recipe came from the Blue Kitchen food blog. If you plan on making this I recommend you read the kitchen notes at the bottom of the page. I used a 9" pan and cooked it about 5 minutes more than the recommended time.

Perfect Chocolate Cake



10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped coarsely
1 cup [2 sticks] unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
5 large eggs
One cup plus 5 tablespoons refined white sugar
1/2 tsp salt
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 325ºF. Butter and flour a 10-inch-diameter springform pan.

Put the chocolate and butter in the top of a double boiler so it’s over, not in or even touching, the water. While the water simmers gently below, stir the chocolate and butter together until it’s all melted and smooth.

With a big whisk, mix the eggs and refined sugar in a large bowl by hand until everything is well blended and beginning to thicken. Next, sift the flour, salt and baking powder over the egg mixture and, still using the whisk, fold and stir it all together. Now, gradually, add in the chocolate mixture—gently folding it in about 1/4 cup at a time.

Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan. Put the cake in the oven and set a timer for 20 minutes. When the 20 minutes passes, loosely cover the cake with foil—don’t tuck it down tightly, just lay the foil across the top of the pan.

Bake the cake about 30 minutes longer. Test it, near the center. The tester should come out with a few moist crumbs—not with a glob of raw dough, but not dry either. If necessary, leave the cake in the oven a few minutes more and re-test at intervals.

Take the cake out of the oven; put it on a rack, still in the springform pan, and remove the foil. The cake will be rather puffy and a little of it may cling to the foil—don’t panic! That happens. Walk away for now. As the cake cools, it will fall and flatten out.

When the cake is completely cool, slide a knife around the edge, then gently release and remove the pan sides.

We each had a slice with a glass of port - decadence at it's best.

Alex and I just had a piece of last night's tart and it tasted even better. Also, it didn't fall apart so here are a couple of photos that would have looked so good next to the recipe yesterday.

I spent a few hours today doing last minute shopping at the mall and picking up a few items from Trader Joe's. On my days off so far I have been quite productive in the mornings and totally lazy in the afternoons. I spend my mornings doing housework, cooking, and shopping while my afternoons are spent watching online movies or reading. Is this what I can expect for retirement?

After our left-over dinner of curry and rice tonight we had pan-baked lemon-almond tart for dessert. This comes from The Minimalist, Mark Bittman, of the New York Times. You can also watch his video here. It was easy to make and quite delish - will definitely make again.

Pan-Baked Lemon-Almond Tart

4 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup ground almonds
1/2 cup cream
1/2 cup sliced almonds, more for garnish
1 lemon, zest and juice
2 tablespoons butter
Powdered sugar, for garnish

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, combine eggs, sugar, salt, ground almonds, cream, sliced almonds, lemon zest and juice.

2. Melt butter in an 8-inch ovenproof skillet over low heat; when foam has subsided, add almond mixture to pan, tilting pan to distribute batter evenly. Continue to cook tart on stovetop until edges just begin to set, then put pan in oven and finish cooking, about 10 to 15 minutes more.

3. When tart is done, put it in broiler for about a minute or until just golden on top. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and sliced almonds.

Serves 4.

I served this almost as soon as it came out of the oven which was not the smart thing to do. It fell apart as I plated it which is why there isn't a picture of it. Let it cool down before serving.

Last year when we were in Germany, we often had these lovely, fresh, crunchy, bread rolls for breakfast with cheese and/or jam. Alex and I loved them so yesterday I attempted to make my own. They cooked to a beautiful golden brown color with a nice crusty crust. The inside texture was very good too. But the one thing that was really disappointing to us was the size. They were very small even though the dough rose to twice its volume when it was supposed to. I thought they would puff up in the oven but they didn't. The recipe below instructs you to make 12 rolls but I think the next time I do this I will make 10. The recipe calls for salt but doesn't tell you when to include it so I mixed it with the yeast, sugar, and water. If any of you think this was the wrong thing to do, let me know.

Broetchen



2 1/2 to 3 cups of flour
1 package of active instant yeast
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. oil
1 cup warm water

Pour 2 1/2 cups flour into a large bowl and form a well in the center.

In a separate container, mix yeast, sugar, and 2 tsp. of water (water comes from the 1 cup listed from above). Pour mixer into well but do not mix with the flour at this time. Cover the bowl with a cloth and set in a warm place for 15 minutes. Add remaining water and oil and beat until mixed.

Turn dough out onto the counter top and need until smooth. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of flour as needed. Put dough in bowl, cover, and let it rise until double in size. Punch down and divide the dough into 12 parts. Shape in oval rolls and place 3" apart on a greased and floured cookie sheet. Cover and let rise until double in size. Beat egg white and 1 tsp. of water with fork until frothy and brush on the rolls.

Bake in preheated oven at 450F for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown

Yum, Yum, Yum! Another great dessert from Martha Stewart. I love anything with a hint of ginger flavor and this recipe didn't disappoint. I didn't have an 8" square baking pan so used an 8" circular cake pan. This is another recipe I served when Janet was visiting. I cut into thin wedges and it looked so pretty - unfortunately I forgot to take a photo. This could be served on its own as an afternoon snack, with ice cream or whipped cream for dessert or with a fresh raspberry or strawberry sauce. Anyway you choose to serve it, it is really good. Very, very moist.

Chocolate Gingerbread Bars

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pan
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for pan
3/4 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon pumpkin-pie spice
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1/4 cup unsulfured molasses
1 large egg
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
confectioners' sugar, for dusting (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan. Line bottom with a strip of parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides; butter paper. Dust paper and sides of pan with cocoa; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together cocoa, flour, ginger, pumpkin-pie spice, and baking soda; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together butter, brown sugar, molasses, egg, and sour cream until smooth. Add flour mixture; stir just until moistened (do not overmix). Stir in chocolate chips. Transfer batter to prepared pan; smooth top.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely. Using paper overhang, lift gingerbread from pan. Transfer to a cutting board, and cut into 16 squares. Before serving, dust bars with confectioners sugar, if desired. (To store, keep in an airtight container at room temperature, up to 3 days.)

16 bars

While this is definitely not Risotto it's still not a bad rice dish for a weeknight dinner. I served this a couple of weeks ago with some grilled chicken when Janet was visiting. This is something I will cook again as an alternative to plain rice. You could substitute many things for the carrot; zucchini, mushrooms, asparagus, cauliflower, broccili, etc.

Parmesan-Carrot Risotto

2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
6 medium carrots, grated
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 1/4 cups long-grain white rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

In a saucepan, bring broth and 2 cups water to a bare simmer over medium.

In a large saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium. Add onion and carrots; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in rice. Add wine; cook, stirring, until absorbed, 1 to 2 minutes.

Add 2 cups hot broth; simmer over medium-low, stirring frequently, until mostly absorbed, 10 to 12 minutes. Continue to add broth, 1 cup at a time, stirring occasionally, until absorbed before adding more. Cook until rice is creamy and just tender, about 20 minutes (you may not need all the broth).

Remove risotto from heat. Stir in Parmesan and 1 tablespoon butter, and season with salt and pepper.

Serves 4

I'm on the mailing list to receive those fabulous catalogue's from Williams and Sonoma and I always love to look at the pictures and imagine my future kitchen. I think buying everything on my wish-list from that place would cost more than remodeling the kitchen in the first place. Each catalogue contains a few recipes, some of which I've tried over the years, and they are all pretty good. Today's dinner came from a catalogue from a few weeks ago and we really enjoyed it. Served it with a salad from Trader Joe's. FYI - I don't have the special frittata pans and just used one, regular, non-stick frying pan.

Leek, Potato and Gruyere Frittata



3 Tbs. unsalted butter
6 oz. small red potatoes, sliced 1/8 inch thick
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 leeks, white and light green portions, rinsed well and thinly sliced
5 eggs
3 Tbs. heavy cream
2 oz. Gruyère cheese, shredded
1 Tbs. finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

In the deep half of an 8-inch frittata pan over medium-high heat, melt 1 Tbs. of the butter. Add the potatoes, salt and pepper, cover with the shallow pan and cook, flipping the potatoes occasionally, until tender and browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

In the deep half of a frittata pan over medium heat, melt 1 Tbs. of the butter. Add the leeks, salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a separate bowl.

In another bowl, whisk together the eggs and cream. Stir in the cheese, parsley, potatoes, salt, pepper and all but 2 Tbs. of the leeks.

In the deep half of the frittata pan over medium heat, melt 1/2 Tbs. of the butter. Add the egg mixture and cook until the eggs are just beginning to set, about 4 minutes, using a rubber spatula to gently lift the cooked edges and allow the uncooked eggs to flow underneath.

Meanwhile, in the shallow half of the frittata pan over medium heat, melt the remaining 1/2 Tbs. butter. Place the shallow pan upside down on top of the deep pan and flip the frittata into the shallow pan. Cook, covered, for 4 minutes. Remove the deep pan and cook until the eggs are completely set, 2 to 3 minutes more. Gently shake the pan to loosen the frittata and slide it onto a serving plate. Garnish with the reserved leeks.

Serves 4 - 6 (or in our case 2 dinners plus lunch for me tomorrow).

Made these cookies on Sunday and several were eaten within 1/2 hour of coming out of the oven. With great texture and just the right amount of raisins Martha Stewart hit the nail on the head with this recipe from the September, 2008 issue of Everyday Food Magazine. Please take special note of the photo - I nearly bled to death setting up this shot - see Life or Death for more information.

Chewy Oatmeal-Raising Cookies



1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick-cooking)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together oats, flour, raisins, baking soda, and salt; set aside. Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy, scraping down bowl as necessary. Add egg and vanilla; beat until combined. Gradually add oat mixture; beat just until combined.
Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto two baking sheets. Bake until cookies are golden brown but still soft, 12 to 16 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Cool 5 minutes on sheets; transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 24 cookies - perfect with a glass of milk.

How can something so simple taste so good? I have a huge stack of Martha Stewart's Everyday Food magazines that I'm trying to purge so I'm going through them one by one to pull recipes I like. Couscous is so quick and easy to make which makes it perfect for a weeknight meal. This recipe requires only a few ingredients but was really great with some grilled chicken and garlic roasted broccoli. I didn't have a lime so I just picked a lemon from the tree in the backyard and used that.

Minted Couscous

1 cup couscous
Coarse salt and ground pepper
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup torn mint leaves
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup water to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in couscous; season with salt and pepper. Cover and, off heat, let steam in the pan, 5 minutes.
Add scallions, mint, oil, and lime juice; fluff couscous with a fork.

I bought some soba noodles a few weeks ago with no idea in mind other than wanting to try them. Of course the 'buckwheat' part of the ingredients didn't go down too well with Alex but since this meal last night he's a changed man. We both LOVED the soba noodles and the way the tofu was broiled. I found it on Martha Stewart, Everyday Food after doing a search for Soba Noodles. There was a bit of a complaint about the number of dishes I used but hey, this is the price he has to pay to get fun and interesting meals.

Broiled Black-Pepper Tofu



1 1/2 blocks firm tofu
2 tbsp tamari soy sauce
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
3/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

Cut tofu crosswise into 6 slices (about 3/4 inch thick each). Cut each slice diagonally into 2 triangles. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a double layer of paper towels. Place tofu on top, and cover with another double layer of paper towels. Place another baking sheet or a large plate on top. Weigh down with heavy objects (such as large cans of food); let stand 20 minutes.
Preheat broiler with rack 6 inches from heat. Stir together tamari soy sauce, oil, and pepper in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Pat tofu dry with paper towels; transfer to baking dish. Turn to coat both sides with marinade. Broil, flipping once, until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side. Serve with dipping sauce.

Soy-Lemon Dipping Sauce
2 tbsp peeled and minced fresh ginger
1/4 cup tamari soy sauce
1/2 tsp freshly grated lemon zest
1 tbsp plus 2 tsps fresh lemon juice
1 tsp toasted sesame oil

Whisk together ginger, tamari soy sauce, lemon zest, lemon juice, and sesame oil in a small bowl. Set aside at room temperature until ready to serve. Just before serving, stir well.

Soba Noodles with Vegetables and Mint



Coarse salt
8 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed, strings removed
12 ounces soba noodles
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon peanut oil
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 medium carrots, about 1/2 pound, peeled and shaved into thin strips using a vegetable peeler
1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
4 scallions, thinly sliced crosswise
1 tablespoon tamari soy sauce
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint
Freshly ground pepper

Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Bring a large (8-quart) pot of water to a boil; add salt. Add peas; cook until bright green and crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, immediately transfer peas to ice-water bath to stop the cooking; drain. Return water to a boil; cook noodles according to package instructions. Drain. Rinse noodles with cold water; drain.
Transfer noodles to a large bowl. Add oils; toss to combine. Add reserved peas, the carrots, ginger, scallions, tamari soy sauce, and mint; season with pepper. Toss to combine. Serve at room temperature.

I made 2 changes to the above recipe. Julienned the carrots and added with peas to boiling water for 2 minutes.

Serves 4

Alex and I had our St. Patrick's Day dinner last night. My traditional corned beef and cabbage is a little different from the usual and takes quite a bit of time to prepare so I didn't have the time to make it during the week. I've been making this dinner once a year for over 8 years and it's now got to the point where I can't remember how I came about this recipe. I've fiddled about with it only a little since I first made it and I no longer have a written recipe so the following is a little touch and go.

Corned Beef and Cabbage



1 packet corned beef
Large pot of cold water
8 slices bacon
2 large onions
4 cloves garlic, crushed
4 russet pot
1 lb carrots
1 large head of cabbage
1 carton low sodium chicken broth
1 cup white wine
1 cup juice from corned beef

Place corned beef in large pot of cold water and bring to boil. Drain, and using same pot, add enough cold water to cover corned beef and bring to simmer. Simmer, covered, for 2 - 3 hours.

Cook bacon in large frying pan until crisp and golden brown. Remove and crumble. Chop onions and then fry in batches, on a low heat, in same frying pan until brown and carmelized. This can take up to half an hour for each batch. During the last minute of cooking add garlic and stir until fragrant. Stir in bacon and turn off heat.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Quarter, or cut into several wedges, the cabbage. Place in a very large roasting pan. Peel and quarter potatoes and place alongside the cabbage. Peel and slice the carrots and scatter over the cabbage and potatoes. Sprinkle the onions and bacon over everything. Heat the chicken stock, wine and some juice from the corned beef and pour over the cabbage and potatoes. Seal with aluminum foil and put into a 350 oven for about an hour.

Servers 4-6.

As this cooks in the oven the flavors from the bacon and onion will cook into the potatoes and cabbage. This is an artery hardening meal that is too hard to say no to.