Grilled Zucchini Succotash

2 zucchini, halved lengthwise
3 Tbs olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbs dried minced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
16 oz frozen corn, thawed
2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 poblano chile, grilled, peeled, seeded, and diced
1 jalapeno pepper, grilled, peeled, seeded and diced
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup crumbled queso fresco cheese
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves

1) Heat grill to high. Brush cut side of zucchini with 2 Tbs of oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill, cut-side down, until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Turn over and continue cooking until just cooked through. Remove from heat and cut into small dice.
2) Heat remaining oil in a medium saucepan on the grates of the grill. Add the onion and cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the corn kernels and cook for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, chile peppers, diced zucchini and heavy cream and cook until the cream is reduced by half and begins to thicken. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Remove from heat and add the cheese and cilantro.

Review: Oops, I decided to make this without realizing it was all supposed to be made on a grill, which we don't own. Then, Mike pointed out that we have 2 George Foreman grills. Well now, that worked!! Too bad I couldn't get the cream to reduce by half, despite stirring for 15 minutes! So, we had succotash soup. This was fairly bland, despite the two whole chile peppers! Maybe someone else will have better luck with this recipe.

Penne With Olives & Feta

1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 garlic clove, minced
1 large bunch greens (spinach, kale, broccoli rabe, etc), thick, stems removed, spinach left whole, other greens cut into 1-inch strips (about 10 cups packed)
12 oz penne
5 Tbs extra virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 cup coarsely chopped Kalamata olives
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1) Mix parsley and garlic in small bowl; set aside.
2) Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Add greens and cook just until tender, 1 to 6 minutes, depending on type of greens. Using skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer greens to colander to drain. Return water to a boil. Add pasta and cook just until tender, but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain, reserving 3/4 cup pasta cooking liquid.
3) Return pasta to pot; add greens and 3 Tbs oil and toss. Stir in olives, feta and enough reserved pasta cooking liquid by 1/4 capfuls to moisten. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl. Drizzle with remaining 2 Tbs oil. Sprinkle with parsley mixture and serve.

Review: Wow. I have no leftovers for lunch tomorrow! (Thank goodness there's still some lasagna hanging out in the freezer!) This was pretty easy to make and was unbelievably yummy. I think it was the olive, olive oil and pepper combo. Mmmmm

Spinach & Mushrooms With Truffle Oil

2 Tbs butter
10 oz button mushrooms or cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 large shallot, chopped
20 oz spinach
1 to 2 tsp truffle oil
cooked penne

1) Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; saute until brown and liquid evaporates, about 8 minutes. Add shallot; saute 2 minutes.
2) Add spinach, 1/3 at a time, to skillet with mushrooms and toss over medium-high heat, allowing each batch to wilt slightly before adding next, about 2 minutes per batch. Saute just until all spinach is wilted and heated through. Stir in 1 tsp truffle oil. Season with salt, pepper and more truffle oil, if desired. Transfer to bowl and serve over penne.

Review: This was yummy. I've used the truffle oil before, but couldn't quite taste it's magic. I definitely could taste it this time around, and loved it! Of course, I love the fact that I got such an exotic oil for about $6 at TJ Maxx. :) I just can't find very many recipes that call for it!

Vegetable Lasagna

8oz goat cheese
1/3 cup chopped pitted black olives
2 tsp chopped dried thyme
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups marinara sauce
freshly ground black pepper
2 zucchini, diced
2 summer squash, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
lasagna noodles (cooked, or no-boil)

1) Heat oven to 375F. Mix goat cheese, olives, thyme, basil, oregano and garlic in a bowl; season with salt and pepper.
2) Spread 1 cup pasta sauce on the bottom of a lasagna pan. Add one layer of lasagna noodles. Add a layer of zucchini, squash and red bell pepper. Dollop spoonfuls of goat cheese mixture over vegetables and spread to cover.
3) Repeat layers, finishing with pasta and sauce. Sprinkle Parmesan on top, cover with foil and bake 40 minutes. Uncover and bake 5 minutes or until top browns. Let stand 10 minutes; serve.

Review: This was fairly messy, until it completely cooled off (and who wants to eat cold food?). I'd recommend cutting back on the pasta sauce by a cup. Also, put the cheese onto noodle, then vegetables on top of cheese. It's impossible to spread goat cheese across diced veggies!!! This was yummy. Mike loves all lasagna, so he's always happy. And, we seem to have a Sunday theme going. :)

Pasta Shells With Asparagus, Peas, Feta & Mint

1 lb asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
12 oz pasta shells
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen baby peas
2 Tbs garlic oil
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1 cup sliced fresh basil
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint
1 Tbs grated lemon zest
3 oz feta chese, crumbled

1) Bring large pot of water to a boil. Add asparagus, and cook 4 minutes, or until crisp-tender. Remove asparagus with slotted spoon; transfer to serving bowl.
2) Add pasta to boiling water; cook 5 minutes. Add peas, return water to a boil, and cook 2 minutes. Drain pasta and peas, reserving 1/4 cup cooking water, and return pasta and peas to pot. Stir in reserved cooking water, asparagus, garlic oil, green onions, basil, mint and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper, if desired; transfer back to serving bowl; and sprinkle with feta cheese.

Review: This was tasty. I was a little worried about the flavor combination, but it was a great mix of sweet and savory. Mike especially liked the mint and feta combination. We couldn't get fresh basil and mine is growing quite slowly. I used a quarter cup of dry basil. I also doubled the feta, because we really like that flavor. I also had to use elbow pasta, since Dreamfield's pasta doesn't make shells. I'm so disappointed by their limited selection.

Easy Spinach Zucchini Pie

1 to 2 medium zucchini
2 (10 ounce) pkgs frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
1/2 cup sour cream
1 (3oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 Tbs dry bread crumbs
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 tsp dried basil leaves
1 cup French's French Fried Onions
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1) Heat oven to 375F. Using sharp knife, trim off 1 side of zucchini to form a straight edge. Starting at straight edge, cut zucchini lengthwise into eight thin strips (about 1/8 inch thick). Place zucchini strips in shallow dish filled with hot water for about 3 minutes to soften; drain.
2) In large bowl, thoroughly combine spinach, sour cream, cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, egg, basil and 1/3 cup cup onions. Line bottom and side of 9-inch pie plate or quiche dish with zucchini strips, allowing 3 inches of each strip to hang over edge. Spoon spinach mixture evenly into pie plate. Fold zucchini strips over spinach mixture, tucking ends into center of mixture.
3) Cover pie plate with foil. Bake, covered, for 40 minutes or until zucchini is tender. Top center of pie with cheese and remaining onions. Bake 3 minutes, until onions are golden.

Review: Ah ha! Another double yolked egg! We really have some mutant chickens in our area! This was a yummy dish, that I decided to make in a square pan instead of a pie plate. Mostly because I couldn't find my pie plate!! This was quickly devoured, as Mike and I had seconds and this only made 4 Mariska-sized servings.

Pasta With Roasted Asparagus, Cherry Tomatoes & Lemons

2 lemons, quartered
12 oz grape or cherry tomatoes
1 lb asparagus, tough ends trimmed, cut into 1 1/2 - 2 inch lengths
3 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
1 lb corkscrew pasta
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 cup torn fresh mint leaves

1) Preheat oven to 450F with one rack centered. Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Place lemons, whole tomatoes and asparagus in a large roasting pan. Drizzle with 2 Tbs olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Use your hands to toss ingredients in oil until well coated. Cook until tomatoes are softened and asparagus is cooked through, about 15 minutes.
2) Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions; reserve water. Remove roasting pan from oven. Add 2 Tbs of reserved water to vegetables. Drain pasta, and add to the roasting pan, along with Parmesan and mint. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add remaining Tbs of oil to pasta, and serve hot. (Mozzarella cheese, red pepper flakes, minced garlic, and cooked peas can be added to this recipe if desired.)

Review: I decided to be cheap and didn't use lemons. I tossed the asparagus and tomatoes with about a 1/4 cup of lemon juice. It worked really well and was probably way easier than using lemons! This dish had a slightly sweet taste, probably due to the tomatoes, and the mint wasn't overpowering. It was yummy, especially with a little extra Parmesan on top!

Fettuccine With Broccoli & Pine Nuts

8 oz fettuccine
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbs olive oil
4-8 large garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes or pinch of cayenne pepper
2 Tbs pine nuts
4 large tomatoes, diced or 1 28-oz can chopped tomatoes
1 lb broccoli, broken into bite sized florets, stems peeled and sliced into rounds
1/4 tsp salt

1) Cook the pasta in boiling, salted water until just tender. Drain, rinse and set aside.
2) In a large skillet, heat the oil and saute the garlic, red pepper flakes or cayenne, and pine nuts for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and cook over medium heat for 7 minutes.
3) Meanwhile, steam the broccoli in a vegetable steamer for approximately 5 minutes, or until just tender, bright green, and still slightly crisp. Add to the tomato sauce.
4) Spread the pasta on a large platter and top with the sauce.
5) Serve immediately.

Review: This was a pretty simple dish. Especially since I used canned tomatoes and frozen broccoli (which eliminated the need to steam). It was yummy, but then again, we love anything that includes pine nuts. We topped it with Parmesan cheese, which made it even better. Yum.

Mushroom & Swiss Chard Lasagna

1 lb Swiss chard, well rinsed, or 16 oz frozen spinach
2 tsp olive oil
1 lb cremini or baby bella mushrooms, quartered
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1 26-oz jar marinara sauce
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large egg
1 15-oz container low-fat ricotta cheese
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 pkg oven-ready lasagna noodles
2 cups grated part-skim mozzarella cheese

1) Bring large pot of water to a boil. Remove stems from Swiss chard leaves; cut into 1/2 inch lengths. Cut leaves into 1 inch strips. Add stems to boiling water, cover and cook 3 minutes. Add leaves, cover and cook until tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water; press out excess moisture.
2) Heat oil in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, and cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 5 minutes, or until browned. Add garlic and crushed red pepper; cook, stirring, about 10 seconds. Transfer to a bowl, and stir in Swiss chard and 2 cups marinara sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
3) Whisk together egg, ricotta, 1/3 cup of the Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper in bowl. Put 3 or 4 lasagna noodles in large bowl, and cover with warm water; let soak.
4) Preheat oven to 400F.
5) Spread about 1/2 cup marinara sauce in 9x13 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Place 3 or 4 dry noodles over sauce. Cover with 2/3 cup ricotta mixture. Top with 1 1/2 cups Swiss chard mixture. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup mozzarella. Repeat layering two times.
6) Lift soaked noodles from water, pat dry and arrange on top of lasagna. Cover with remaining marinara sauce. Tightly cover pan with aluminum foil.
7) Bake 35 minutes, and uncover. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Bake, uncovered, until noodles are tender, about 15 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Review: I've learned I tend to not read the instructions thoroughly if there's too many steps. I dumped the whole jar of marinara sauce in with the Swiss chard, so the bottom of my lasagna is chunky. Oops. We also used Dreamfields' lasagna noodles, so I had to boil those. That shaved a few minutes off the baking, but not much. We also had a bizarre phenomenon that started with breakfast. We used six eggs for omelettes, and five of them had double yolks. The egg I used for this recipe also had a double yolk. So, our egg company obviously has mutant chickens and my recipes will be a little more yolky. :) Anyways, I used baby bella mushrooms and Swiss chard, which turned out to be an awesome combination. We loved this, but I also believe we haven't met a lasagna yet that we didn't like.

Tarragon Bean Salad

1 15oz can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 15oz can butter beans, rinsed and drained
1 15oz can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups chopped, seeded tomatoes, or halved cherry tomatoes
1 medium carrot, cut into thin bite-sized strips
3 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs red wine vinegar
2 Tbs Dijon-style mustard
1/2 tsp dried tarragon, crushed
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
lettuce or spinach leaves

1) In a large bowl, combine the beans, tomatoes and carrot. For dressing, in a screw-top jar, combine the oil, vinegar, mustard, tarragon, sugar, salt and pepper. Cover and shake well.
2) Pour the dressing over bean mixture; toss gently to coat. Serve the salad on lettuce or spinach lined plates.

Review: Mike made this last night and we refrigerated it overnight, so the flavors would meld together. It worked well! This was so yummy, but we were disappointed there was so little of it! We lacked the lettuce/spinach leaves, which might have bulked it up. We'll make it again, for sure.

Pasta With Squash & Asparagus

3 cups sliced shiitake, chanterelle, or other fresh mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
1 Tbs olive oil
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup vegetable broth
1/3 cup whipping cream
1/4 tsp salt
1 pkg bow tie pasta
1 1-lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2 inch pieces (about 2 cups)
8 oz asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces
1/3 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

1) In a large skillet, cook and stir mushrooms, garlic, and rosemary in hot oil over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. Stir in wine, broth, whipping cream, and salt. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, about 4 minutes or until sauce is the consistency of light cream and is reduced to 1 1/2 cups; set aside.
2) Meanwhile, in a large Dutch oven, cook pasta according to package directions, except add squash during the last 7 minutes of cooking. Add asparagus during last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain. Return pasta mixture to Dutch oven. Add mushroom mixture and Parmesan cheese; toss to coat.

Reality: Mike cooked this for me, which was awesome. We used cremini mushrooms and rotini pasta, since Dreamfield's doesn't make a bowtie pasta. We used to be able to get frozen diced butternut squash at the grocery store, when we lived in Maine. The closest we can find here is frozen cooked squash, which Mike added to the sauce mixture. It ended up looking a bit like fancy mac 'n cheese. It was yummy, but I can imagine it would have been better with chunks of squash.

Four Cheese & Spinach Lasagna

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 dry lasagna noodles (not no boil)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (10-ounce) box frozen spinach, thawed
1 pound cottage cheese
4 ounces fresh goat cheese, softened
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, Pecorino Romano, or a combination
1 pound shredded mozzarella cheese
1/8 tsp cayenne
1 large egg, beaten
4 cups tomato sauce
3 Tbs chopped basil

1) Preheat the oven to 350F.
2) Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat and salt it generously. Add the lasagna noodles and boil, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain.
3) Meanwhile, heat the olive oil and garlic in a saucepan over medium heat until the garlic begins to brown. Add the spinach, season with salt and pepper and stir until the spinach dries out and the garlic is fragrant, about 3 minutes. Cool.
4) Mix the cottage cheese, goat cheese, Parmesan/Pecorino, 2 cups of the mozzarella cheese, cayenne and cooled spinach in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in the egg.
5) In another bowl, mix the tomato sauce and basil.
6) Cover the bottom of a 9x13 inch casserole with a thin layer of tomato sauce. Cover with 3 of the noodles placed side-to-side, but not overlapping. Top with a 1/4 of the cheese mixture and about a half cup of tomato sauce. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Repeat to make 2 more layers. Cover lasagna layers with remaining noodles, dollop remaining cheese mixture on top. Drizzle with remaining tomato sauce, then scatter the remaining 2 cups mozzarella on top. Bake, uncovered, until the lasagna is hot and bubbly, about 40 to 45 minutes. Let lasagna stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Review: We've been using Dreamfield's pasta only, due to it's low carb factor. However, our local store didn't carry lasagna noodles. So, I bought a case on amazon.com, because they only sell food by the case. I guess I won't have to worry about finding them for awhile, but it does seem odd to look in our pantry and see half a shelf of nothing but lasagna noodles!! Also, I used about half the amount of salt it called for, and still found this to be quite salty. This is most likely due to the tomato sauce. Keep this in mind when making this. Also, fresh goat cheese is the soft log, not feta, which I had to explain to Mike at the grocery store. This is a really yummy lasagna though and I loved it!

Asparagus Scones

3/4 lb steamed asparagus
2 cups whole-wheat flour
1 Tbs sugar
1 Tbs baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 Tbs unsalted butter
3/4 cup plus 2 Tbs buttermilk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1) Preheat oven to 425F.
2) Trim tips from asparagus, and chop stalks into 1/4 inch pieces. Stir together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Cut butter into small pieces. Using fingers, rub butter into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in 3/4 cup buttermilk. Fold in cheese, asparagus pieces (but not tips), cayenne and pepper.
3) Turn dough onto floured work surface, and knead 6 or 7 times. Shape dough into 1/2 inch thick rectangle. Using sharp knife, cut rectangle lengthwise into three strips. Cut each strip into triangles. Place triangles on greased baking sheet. Brush scones with remaining buttermilk, then press 2 or 3 asparagus tips into tops.
4) Bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until tops are golden brown.

Review: I made this so much easier than it reads, simply because I bought a silicone scone pan. :) I just dumped batter in like a muffin pan and went from there! I was very nervous when these came out of the oven, because they were soggy and moist, even though I'd already baked them for about 20 minutes. I guess my pan made them thicker than the original recipe, so they required longer to cook. But, they ended up drying out and becoming the scones I expected them to be. Then, I took them to Erin's Easter brunch, where they were loved. :)

Lentil Bolognese

1 tsp vegetable oil
1 tsp minced garlic
1 leek, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 zucchini, finely chopped
1 flat mushrooms, diced
4 Tbs red wine
pinch of dried thyme
14oz canned tomatoes, chopped, juice drained into a cup and reserved
1/2 cup dried lentils, cooked
pepper, to taste
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp sugar
3 Tbs chopped fresh basil
cooked spaghetti

1) Heat a pan over low heat, add the oil and garlic, cooking until golden brown. Add the leek, celery, bell pepper and zucchini and increase the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10-12 minutes, or until softened and there is no liquid from the vegetables left in the pan. Add the mushrooms.
2) Increase the heat to high, add the wine, and cook for 2 minutes. Add the thyme and the tomato juice, cooking until reduced by half.
3) Add the lentils and pepper, stir in the tomatoes, and cook for a further 3-4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the lemon juice, sugar and basil.
4) Serve the sauce with freshly cooked spaghetti.

Review: Mmm, yummy. This involved a lot of prep work, so I wouldn't classify it as an after work recipe. I did take the opportunity to serve this as directed in the recipe, just to improve the finished product picture. After the pic, I dumped it all in a big pot. :)

Stove-Top Vegetable Fricassee With Tarragon Cream

2 tsp olive oil
2 Tbs dried minced onion
2 each green and red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
2 bunches asparagus, ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup baby carrots, halved
2 Tbs chopped tarragon
1/2 cup vermouth or dry white wine
2 cups baby spinach leaves or dandelion greens
1 1/2 cups fat free milk
1/2 cup sour cream
2 Tbs grated Parmesan
salt and ground black pepper
2 cups cooked rice

1) Heat oil in large high-sided, oven proof skillet over medium heat. Add onions, bell peppers, asparagus and carrots. Cook 3 to 5 minutes, until crisp-tender. Stir in tarragon and vermouth/white wine, cook 2 to 3 minutes.
2) Add spinach/dandelion greens, milk and sour cream, simmering for 2 minutes. Add more milk, if needed, to make sure the vegetables are submerged. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
3) Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top. Place pan under broiler and broil until golden brown. Serve mixture over rice.

Review: I didn't stick this under the broiler. Truth be told, I'm a bit afraid of the broiler, as I've never used it before. I also never really serve things over something, I just dump it into one big pot. I've noticed that doesn't make for a pretty picture. Plus, I once again used bulgur instead of rice. We're still cutting back on carbs. This was yummy, though. I used white wine and spinach, of course. I don't normally have vermouth lying around and figured if I bought it for the recipe, it'd never get used again. I also used spinach because I just knew there was no way I was finding dandelion greens in Idaho. This recipe was another one from the Food Network's website. It's a treasure trove of goodies.

Deluxe Italiano Vegetable Bake

1 can (10 3/4 oz) cream of broccoli soup
1 cup milk
1 cup French's French Fried Onions
1/2 tsp basil
1 clove garlic, minced
20 oz frozen chopped broccoli
1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts, quartered, drained
1/2 red bell pepper, diced

1) Preheat oven to 375F. In large bowl, combine soup, milk, 1/3 cup onions, cheese and seasonings; mix well. Pour half of the soup mixture into a greased 2-quart shallow baking dish. Arrange vegetables on top. Pour remaining soup mixture over vegetables.
2) Cover and bake for 45 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Top with remaining onions. Bake, uncovered, 3 minutes or until onions are golden.

Review: I bought a can of French's French Fried Onions before the holidays, with the intention of making a green bean casserole. That never made it into the final menu, and I've had the can sitting in the pantry. I went to French's website and looked up recipes to make using the can. The picture I took makes it look like a steaming pile of goo. This wasn't bad, per se, but it was to be expected from a "brand recipe." I probably won't make it again, but it did fill my tummy and provide me with lunch for the next day.

Thimbles With Mushrooms & Artichokes

3 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs dried minced onion
1 pound mushrooms, finely chopped
1 tsp kosher salt, plus 3/4 tsp
1 cup dry sherry
1 pound thimble pasta
1/2 pound frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1) Place the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, mushrooms and 1 tsp of the salt. Saute, stirring occasionally, until all the moisture has evaporated and the mushrooms have cooked down, about 10 minutes. Add the sherry and continue cooking until almost all the wine has evaporated, about 5 minutes.
2) Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Stir in the remaining salt. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta and add it into the mushrooms, sherry and onions. Add the artichoke hearts, Parmesan and cream and cook until the artichokes are heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in the parsley and pepper. Serve at once.

Review: This was amazingly delicious. It was pretty simple to make, and used up quite a bit of the sherry collecting dust in my cabinet! We weren't sure what to expect, since it called for so much sherry, then combined with cream, but it was amazing. I stole this from Giada and the Food Network and I think I need to look for more!!!

Bulgur Pilaf With Potatoes & Pistachios

2 Tbs olive oil
12oz new potatoes, diced
2 zucchini, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups bulgur
2 large shallots, chopped
1 Tbs ground coriander
3 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup shelled pistachios, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup chopped parsley

1) Heat 1 Tbs oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add potatoes, and cook 7 to 10 minutes, or until just golden, stirring often. Stir in zucchini and garlic, and saute 1 minute, or until vegetables are coated with oil. Transfer mixture to plate.
2) Heat remaining 1 Tbs oil in pot over medium-high heat. Add bulgur, shallots and coriander, and cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until bulgur is lightly toasted and has nutty fragrance, stirring often.
3) Stir in potato mixture. Add broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 10 to 15 minutes, or until all broth is absorbed. Fold in pistachios and parsley, and season with salt and pepper. Cover, and let stand 2 minutes. Fluff with fork, and serve hot.

Review: We let this cook for 2 minutes, after adding the pistachios, just to kill the salmonella. The FDA warning came out the day after we bought the nuts, and after Mike added most of them to his weekly snack mix. He hasn't died or caught salmonella yet, so we figure we're in the clear. Just in case, I wouldn't recommend making this until the recall is over. :)

And, I had some help blogging tonight:

Vegetable Pilaf

4 Tbs vegetable oil
2 celery stalks, leaves included, quartered lengthwise, and diced
2 carrots, finely diced
1 anaheim green chile, seeded and finely chopped
3 scallions, green part included, finely chopped
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1 cup bulgur
1 cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup water
1 cup cooked split red lentils
4 Tbs orange juice
salt and pepper

1) Add the broth and water to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then add the bulgur, mixing thoroughly. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed and bulgur is tender. Set aside.
2) Heat 2 Tbs oil in a high sided skillet with a lid, over medium heat. Add the celery, carrots, chile, scallions and almonds. Stir-fry for 2 minutes, or until the vegetables are al dente but still brightly colored. Transfer to a bowl and set aside until required.
3) Add the remaining oil to the skillet. Stir in the bulgur and lentils. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring, for 1-2 minutes, or until heated through. Reduce the heat. Stir in the orange juice. Season with salt and pepper.
4) Return the vegetables to the skillet. Toss with the bulgur and lentil mix, for a few minutes until heated through. Serve immediately.

Review: I often say my dishes are yummy. However, this one was delicious. I'm not sure what is so special with this dish, but it was really amazing. The orange juice seemed like an odd addition, but it doesn't taste like orange juice is in it. And, I am beginning to love any dish that is cooked with nuts. Oh, and red lentils cook in about half the time that green lentils take to cook!