Recipe: Beef with Broccoli and Snow Peas

My mother bought a pack of five great-looking New York strip steaks earlier this week, two of which I used earlier in my Penne with Beef and Arugula dish, so I was looking for recipe ideas for the remaining steaks. I decided to try my hand at making beef and broccoli (plus snow peas, at my mother's request) because it seemed like the perfect way to put the steaks to good use. I looked through various recipes online to get an idea of how to make it and based my final recipe on this one. The result was a flavorful, filling dish that I would confidently say was better than most Chinese restaurant versions that I've tried. Yes. It was that good.

Serves: 4
Prep. time: 15-20 minutes
Cooking time: 5-10 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 2 (8 oz.) New York strip steaks (part of what makes this dish better than a lot of restaurants is a better cut of meat)
• 7-10 oz. broccoli florets (I used baby florets, because the smaller size makes them easier to eat)
• 2-3 oz. snow peas, cleaned (peel away the stringy bit of green on the straight edge of the peas)
• 3 tbsp. peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
• 1 tsp. corn starch dissolved into 1/4 cup water

For the beef marinade:

• 1/4 cup soy sauce (we use lite/low sodium sauce)
• 1 tsp. freshly peeled and grated ginger root
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 2 tsp. Chinese rice wine (or dry/cooking sherry—that's what I use)
• 1/2 tsp. corn starch

For the sauce:

• 1 tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. oyster sauce (this can be found in the Asian food section at your grocery store and, yes, you really do need this for the dish—it's a necessary flavor)
• 1 tbsp. Chinese rice wine (or dry/cooking sherry)
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 tsp. corn starch (this acts as a thickening agent)

Directions 
Cut the steaks (against the grain) into thin slices. Mix together the ingredients for the beef marinade and put the beef slices into the marinade, tossing them in the mixture to completely coat them. Set aside to let the beef soak up the flavors.
Blanch the broccoli by bringing a small pot of water to a boil and adding the broccoli, cooking it for 2-3 minutes, then draining the water. Put the snow peas and broccoli in a covered dish and set aside. Prepare the sauce for the dish in a small bowl and set aside.
Heat a large frying pan or wok over high heat. When a drop of water sizzles and evaporates immediately when dripped into the pan, add the oil to the pan and tilt the pan a bit so that the oil coats the bottom evenly. Add the beef, spreading it out so that no pieces are on top of each other, and let them fry for 1 minute. Flip the slices over and fry for another minute, then add the sauce, broccoli, snow peas, and cornstarch-and-water mixture and reduce to medium high heat. Cook, stirring, until the sauce is boiling and has thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and serve alone or over rice.

Sizzlin' away in the frying pan

This is one of my favorite dishes out of those that I've made so far this summer. It's definitely got that umami flavor that those Kikkoman commercials talk about—a rich savoriness that is so delicious. It was definitely fun stepping away from Italian food tonight and this was a great alternative to buying cheap take out from the local Chinese restaurant.

Listen to Your Gut

One of the most important lessons I've learned through my cooking adventures is to trust my gut. The more I cook and the more I experiment in the kitchen, the more I learn and the more comfortable I get with ingredients and equipment. I'm learning what flavors work well together and what flavors don't blend well. I'm learning that recipes aren't always perfect and most can use a little tweaking. I'm learning what ingredients can be used as substitutes for other ingredients and when substitutions just won't work. I think anyone who really works at cooking can learn the basics and be able to put a meal on the table (Food Network's Worst Cooks in America has helped two TV seasons worth of terrible cooks—people who can't even boil water—learn to cook delicious meals). However, I think it takes a real passion for food, a love of learning, and trust in oneself (and one's taste buds) to be a really good cook. If you can take criticism well and pick yourself back up after you make a crappy meal, then that's all the better.

It's exciting to feel confident in my growing cooking skills and my knowledge of food, but it's definitely an ongoing process and there are certainly bumps in the road along the way. Tonight was one of those bumps in the road: by ignoring my gut instinct about the recipe I was following, the resulting dish really didn't work. I'd found a fantastic-looking recipe for fettuccine with zucchini ribbons and walnuts and I was excited to try it out. It's a sauce-less dish, but for flavor, a paste-like mixture of anchovies, fresh garlic, and crushed red pepper is added to the dish. Now, I'm in a bit of an awkward position when it comes to following recipes because most serve 4 people or 6-8 people, but I'm only cooking for 3. This means I can't simply halve a recipe, because there wouldn't be enough for my family, but I don't want to make a full recipe (especially one that serves 6-8) because that's just more temptation to eat bigger servings (and when you're trying to lose weight and eat healthy, that's no good) and we don't need leftovers cluttering the fridge. So, I have to go with my gut and decide how much of each ingredient I'll need. Unfortunately tonight, I didn't listen to my gut when it told me "the two anchovies called for in this recipe seems like a bit much because they have such a strong flavor," and I used the call-for amount. The result was a pasta dish with a fairly overpowering anchovy flavor and some light-hearted criticism from my parents. While eating, I thought over how I could change the dish to make it better and I'm confident that, if I made it again, I'd trust my gut and it would work out well.

Looks lovely, but the anchovies in this dish were far too overpowering and it almost ruined the meal

So, now I know what to try next time, but the recipe is tucked away inside my recipe binder for now, because there are countless more recipes in books, on TV and the Internet, and in my head waiting for me to try them out. I just have to be sure to listen to my gut when I make them. Lesson learned.

Recipe: Coconut-Lime White Chocolate Truffles

When I made the "Cowboy Caviar" yesterday, I saved the zest from the limes I used to flavor the dish with the thought that I'd make mini lime cheesecakes today. Plans changed, however, when I found this recipe for white chocolate truffles infused with lime and rolled in sweetened coconut. I changed the recipe a bit to create a more intense lime flavor and the results were creamy, decadent truffles with a punch of lime, coated in a beautiful mix of pure white shredded coconut and bright green lime zest.

Serves/Yields: 12-20 truffles (depending on how big you make them)
Prep. time: 10-15 minutes, plus the 4 or more hours required to let the white chocolate mixture chill
Cooking time: Just a few minutes required to bring the cream to a simmer twice
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup and 1 tbsp. heavy cream
• Zest of 3 limes (keep the zest of the third lime separate from the zest of the other two limes)
• 1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 9 ounces white chocolate chips
• 4 tbsp. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
• A pinch (seriously, just a tiny bit) salt

Directions
In a small pot, combine the heavy cream and lime zest and heat over medium high heat until the mixture begins to simmer and bubble around the edges. Remove from heat and immediately cover the pot with a lid and let the mixture steep for 10-15 minutes (this will allow the lime zest to infuse the cream with its flavor).
In the meantime, add the white chocolate, butter, and pinch of salt to a microwaveable dish and heat it in the microwave for 1 minute.
When the 10-15 minutes of steeping is over, remove the lid from the pot of lime zest and cream and bring the mixture once again starts to bubble around the edges. Remove the simmering mixture from heat and stir in the fresh lime juice. Pour the cream mixture through a strainer into the bowl of white chocolate and butter and, with a spoon, press the lime zest against the holes of the strainer to push through any last bit of lime juice. Whisk together the cream and white chocolate mixture until it is smooth and creamy. Cover the dish with a tight-fitting lid or plastic/cling wrap and place in refrigerator to chill, for 4 hours or more (the chocolate must be chilled in order to be easily handled when rolling it into truffle ball shapes later).
While the mixture is chilling, finely chop the coconut (by hand or with a food processor) and add the zest of a third lime to the mixture. Gently toss the mixture until the coconut and lime zest are well blended.
Once the chocolate mixture has chilled enough and can be handled without melting or smearing easily, use a teaspoon to scoop out some of the mixture and roll it between your hands until a small ball forms (about 1 inch in size). Repeat until the mixture is gone—you should be able to make at least 12 truffles (the original recipe said it would make 12, but I managed to make 21, and they were still a good size). Roll the truffles in the coconut and lime zest mixture and serve.
Keep in an airtight container in the fridge. Best served at room temperature.

These truffles are incredibly creamy and rich and the coconut and lime zest coating add texture. The intense lime flavor is so summery and fresh and the white chocolate makes these truffles very sweet.

Recipe: "Cowboy Caviar" (Veggie Salsa)

I got this recipe from my best friend, Emmie, and her family, and it quickly became my go-to dish for picnics, parties, and summer snacking. I can't, for the life of me, remember where its name came from, but it's essentially a chunky vegetable salsa served best with tortilla chips. When I first encountered this dish, Emmie and I were preparing it for a Stanley Cup party at her place back in 2009 (the Pittsburgh Penguins were the champs that year! So awesome!). I wasn't that enthusiastic about the ingredients at the time (I'd never had avocado, I wasn't a fan of tomatoes, and I was pretty sure I'd hate the black beans), but Emmie insisted it would all come together perfectly and I'd love it—and she was right. It's chunky, packed with flavor, and a great way to get your vegetable serving for the day.
 

Served in Tostitos Scoops chips

Serves: Many
Prep. time: 10-20 minutes
Cooking time: No cooking necessary
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 1 lime, juiced (or approx. 2 tbsp. bottled lime juice)
• 1 medium red onion, chopped
• 4 avocados, chopped
• 1 (14.5 or 15 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes (I like to drain some of the liquid from the can, but it's not necessary)
• 1 (14.5 or 15 oz.) can black beans, drained
• 1 (14.5 or 15 oz.) can yellow corn, drained
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

Directions
Add the black beans, corn, red onion, tomatoes, and avocado to a large bowl. Be sure the red onion pieces are small, because the flavor is very strong and getting a huge chunk of red onion in your mouth is not very tasty. Gently stir the ingredients together to mix, being careful not to crush the avocado. Add the lime juice and salt and pepper, to taste, and stir a little more to mix. Add cilantro if desired (my mom hates cilantro, so I only add it if she's not around to eat it). Serve with tortilla chips or pita/flat bread.
It keeps for 3-5 days in the fridge (though my dad will keep eating it for a week or more)—the avocado will start to brown fairly quickly, but while the mixture may not look as appealing after the first day, it's just as tasty! If you use fresh limes, I highly recommend keeping the zest and using it in another dish. It's such a shame to waste such a delicious ingredient. I'm planning on using the lime zest from today to make mini lime cheesecakes tomorrow—recipe to follow, of course!

Close up of those delicious veggies

This salsa is delicious, and pretty healthy (if you don't eat too many tortilla chips with it). It's great for parties (I made it for a Super Bowl party during my junior year of college and it was a big hit), but it also works great as an easy summer snack.

Recipe: Penne with Beef and Arugula

"Mom! What are we having for dinner?"
"Chicken."
"Awwwww! Again?"
"Yes."

My mom's use of chicken in just about every dinner dish we had when I was a kid was an ongoing joke. Other than spaghetti and meatballs, a totally 90s "taco pie," and this awful beef and rice stuffed cabbage that she made, my mom's dishes typically involved chicken. Now, don't get me wrong, I love chicken (and my mom's meals). You can do just about anything with chicken—you can flavor it with an endless number of sauces and rubs, pair it with any side dish, and cook it in countless different ways—but it does get boring after a while. So tonight, I decided not to cook with chicken and pick another protein. I leafed through the pages of my Giada De Laurentiis Everyday Pasta cookbook and found a pasta dish that called for New York strip steaks, and that was just the kind of meal I was looking for.

Serves: 6-8
Prep. time: 10-15 minutes
Cooking time: 20-30 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 2 New York strip steaks, about 8 oz. each
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 tsp. herbes de Provence
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (plus a few tablespoons to cook the steak in)
• 1 lb. penne pasta
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard (or spicy brown mustard)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 cups chopped arugula 

Directions
Season  both sides of the steaks with salt and pepper, minced garlic, and herbes de Provence. Heat about 3 tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat (try to avoid non-stick skillets as they tend to not brown meat as well as regular skillets). Cook the steaks for 5-7 minutes per side (this will get you a nice medium pink inside). Remove the meat from the skillet and let it rest on a cutting board while you cook the pasta.
In the meantime, bring a pot of salted water to a boil, then add the pasta and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally (8-10 minutes). Drain the pasta, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid.
In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, balsamic vinegar, 3/4 cup olive oil, basil, parsley, and about 1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper to make a sauce.
Toss the sauce and chopped arugula with the penne, and add the reserved cooking liquid. Slice the steaks thin and add the slices to the pasta, and toss to mix completely.

The sauce has a lot of kick to it and pairs perfectly with the steak (it would be great just drizzled on a salad too). The fresh herbs and arugula add a lightness to the dish and great color too, and I love the flavor of the herbes de Provence on the steak (that seasoning is phenomenal—it has lemon peel, lavender, thyme, basil, fennel, savory, and more). It's a delicious change from a chicken dish and it's the sort of dish that would work great as a meal hot from the stove or as a dish for a picnic.

Recipe: Sun-dried Tomato Pesto

After dinner last night, my dad and I lounged around the kitchen table and discussed what I should make for dinner tonight. Unfortunately, the ensuing conversation was not exactly the most enlightening:

Me: Chicken, beef, pork...?
Dad: Chicken.
Me: Pasta, potatoes, or rice?
Dad: How about just veggies? Like cauliflower or peas or something!
Me: Um...okay. So, you want chicken and vegetables...what an exciting meal, dad! *Sarcasm*

So, the combination of chicken and vegetables gave me endless options, but I wanted to keep it really simple, so I decided to jazz up the chicken with some sort of sauce and pair it with vegetables roasted in a little extra virgin olive oil, sprinkled with some salt and pepper. I had a jar of sun-dried tomatoes in the pantry just begging to be put to good use, so I came up with a quick and easy recipe for sun-dried tomato pesto to top the chicken with. With just a handful of ingredients, I got a cup of bright, intensely flavorful pesto that was perfect with the sautéed chicken.

Serves: Makes approx. 1 cup
Prep. time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: No cooking required
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 1 small jar (approx. 7 fl. oz.) sun-dried tomatoes (I use Alessi brand, packed in olive oil)
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
• A few leaves of fresh flat leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• 2 tbsp. tomato paste (this helps thicken the mixture)
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions
Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor and blend until the mixture is well blended, with no large chunks. Refrigerate any leftovers.

This pesto is packed with flavor and is perfect tossed with pasta, dolloped on top of chicken, or spread on a crusty piece of Italian bread as a crostini appetizer. It would also make a great sauce for a pizza or a spread for a sandwich.

I'm taking culinary classes this fall!

A few weeks ago, while discussing my hopes and plans for culinary school, my parents suggested I take a few courses at our local community college to get a little experience. They want me to be absolutely sure that culinary school is right for me (and I think they're hoping I'll decide to go to the community college full time rather than a culinary school out of state, because it's much cheaper), so the plan is for me to take two courses this fall, see how they go, and then discuss where I could go to school.

Because the culinary arts classes are credit courses, I had to apply to the school before I was able to register for courses. I received my acceptance letter at the beginning of this month and spoke with a woman from the culinary arts department about what I wanted to do with a culinary degree and what classes I should take. I called the school today, and after a few phone transfers, no luck logging on to my online account, and the reassurance that I didn't have to attend orientation or take a placement test, I was able to register for two culinary arts classes: FSM105 (Foods 1) and CUL130 (Basic Culinary Skills).


FSM105 (Foods 1)

Course description: "Introduction to food preparation and theory will introduce the student to the application of principles of food cookery. Principles relating to various categories of food preparation will be investigated and then applied in a laboratory situation. Sanitation and safety procedures will be emphasized. Uniforms and program tool kit required for all lab classes." 

Fridays: Lecture 8:00AM - 9:50AM & Laboratory 10:00AM - 1:35PM

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CUL130 (Basic Culinary Skills)

Course description: "This course is designed to prepare the student for entry level cook positions. Equipment usage care and safety will be demonstrated and practiced by the students. Basic preparation skills such as dicing, chopping, mincing, breading etc., will be demonstrated and practiced by the student. Uniforms and program tool kit required."

Wednesdays: Lecture 8:00AM - 8:50AM & Laboratory 9:00AM - 12:35PM

Class days are definitely going to be LONG, but I'm really excited! FSM105 starts August 19th and CUL130 starts Aug. 24th. I'm hoping to find a job this fall so I can raise a little money to put toward culinary school (because I doubt that dream of going to culinary school in North Carolina is going to leave me).

Recipe: Spaghetti al Melone

Hopefully I don't sound like a broken record, but once again, I made a Giada De Laurentiis recipe tonight: Spaghetti al Melone. Sometimes I think I should just follow in the footsteps of the blogger that inspired the Julie and Julia movie and work my way through all of Giada's cookbooks—Haha! Anywho, a few days ago on her show, Giada at Home, Giada and her aunt pulled some recipes from her grandmother's cookbook and made them for a sort of "comfort food/blast from the past" meal (original recipe can be found here). The recipe I'm sharing tonight caught my eye because it was so different from other pasta-with-sauce dishes that I've seen and made. The sauce is made with cantaloupe, which may seem a little odd, but the saltiness of that particular melon makes it perfect for certain savory dishes. I remember having melon wrapped in prosciutto as an appetizer during my homestay in Italy in high school, when I traveled with People to People International, and the combination of sweet and salty was perfect. Though the recipe doesn't call for it, I used that Italian appetizer as an inspiration and added crispy crumbles of prosciutto to the dish and the meal turned out great.

Serves: 4-6
Prep. time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 1 lb. spaghetti pasta
• 1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan
• 1 (2 lb.) cantaloupe, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces (if you're feeling lazy, just buy a few packs of already-sliced cantaloupe)
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 stick (4 tbsp.) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup whiskey
• 2 tbsp. fresh or bottled lemon juice
• 1 tbsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4-6 slices of prosciutto, chopped into small pieces

Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente (8-10 minutes). Drain and return it to the pot. Add the Parmesan and toss well. In the meantime, place the melon in a food processor and blend until chunky, then set aside. In a medium saucepan, heat the heavy cream and butter over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the butter melts and the mixture is smooth (about 2 minutes). Add the melon, lemon juice, and whiskey to the cream and butter mixture. Simmer until the mixture thickens (about 10 minutes; it did not thicken much when I made it, but it worked out just fine). Stir in the salt and pepper. Pour the melon sauce over the pasta and toss until it's coated. In another medium saucepan, sauté the prosciutto pieces in a little butter or olive oil until slightly crispy. Plate the pasta and top it with a sprinkle of crispy prosciutto and grated Parmesan cheese, and serve.

I absolutely LOVED this meal—by far my favorite dish of all the new dishes I've made in the past few weeks. It's light, buttery, creamy, salty, and so delicious! The melon adds a slight sweetness to the dish, while the Parmesan brings out the saltiness of the melon. Crispy prosciutto and a little extra Parmesan on top make this dish perfect. Giada's grandmother had the right idea when she decided to mix melon and pasta!

Recipe: Prosciutto and Spinach Ravioli

I made this recipe for my dad and myself a few weeks ago, while my mother was on vacation at the beach with her mother, and we both loved it. My mom heated up some of the leftovers when she got home a day or so later and really enjoyed the ravioli too, so she asked if I'd make the recipe again, and that's what was on the menu tonight. This recipe comes from my Giada De Laurentiis Everday Pasta cookbook (recipe is originally called Prosciutto Ravioli; I've made slight changes) and what I love about it is that you don't have to make fresh pasta to make the ravioli—wonton wrappers take the place of pasta sheets and they are perfectly tender when you bite into them. They cook quickly too!

Serves: 4
Prep. time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: Approx. 4 minutes per batch
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 1 (15 oz.) container whole-milk ricotta (I use a lite/skim ricotta to make the meal a little less fattening)
• 1 (10 oz.) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 4 oz. thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped
• 2 large egg yolks
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 48 square wonton wrappers
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter (I use a little less to make the dish a little healthier)
• 1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• Grated Parmesan cheese
• Extra virgin olive oil

Directions
Whisk or stir the spinach, prosciutto, ricotta, egg yolks, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl to blend. Place approx. 1 tbsp. of the mixture in the center of a wonton wrapper. Brush the edge of the wrapper lightly with water, then fold the wrapper in half, point to point, closing the wrapper completely and forming a triangle. Pinch the edges together to seal, then transfer the ravioli to a baking sheet. Repeat until all the wrappers and/or filling is gone, placing each ravioli on the baking sheet as you go along.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Working in batches, cook ravioli until tender (about 4 minutes per batch), stirring occasionally. Place cooked ravioli in a large shallow dish. Drizzle them with a little olive oil and toss them gently every so often to keep them from sticking to each other. Cover the dish as you go along adding to it so the ravioli stays warm.
Melt the stick of butter in a small skillet over medium heat, then add the oregano, stirring to blend. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Pour the mixture over the ravioli and toss them gently so they're all coated. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.

These ravioli are packed with flavor and very filling! The wonton wrappers are tender, the prosciutto adds a delicious saltiness to the dish, and the oregano-butter sauce is light and doesn't overpower the other flavors in the dish. The ravioli reheats wonderfully and you could easily substitute in beef, chicken, or other meat (though you'll need to cook it a little first) in place of the prosciutto and try a different sauce, like pesto or marinara.

Recipe: Bruschetta Chicken and Pasta

This dish was inspired by a simple pasta dish I used to make for dinner during my junior and senior years of college. I'd saute a chopped tomato and chopped onion with a little olive oil and garlic, toss the mixture with some small pasta shells, and top the dish with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. When I first made the dish I'm sharing here, I was picturing a chicken breast topped with an onion and tomato mixture, with the chicken acting like a slice of bread would in a bruschetta appetizer, but the end result ended up being so much better. With chicken, tomato sauce, and some good thick balsamic vinegar, that simple college meal that got me through many busy weeknights was elevated to a light, flavorful dinner that's perfect on a warm summer night.

Serves: 2-4
Prep. time: 10-15 minutes
Cooking time: About 20 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb. angel hair pasta
• 2 chicken breasts (pound the chicken so it is a little less than an inch thick; I serve half a chicken breast per person)
• 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar (the thicker and darker, the better—we use Gia Russa brand balsamic glaze)
• Salt and pepper
• 7-8 oz. plain tomato sauce
• 1 medium white onion, chopped
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• Parmesan cheese, to taste
• Basil, to taste

Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente (about 9 minutes), then drain the water. In the meantime, brush both sides of the chicken breasts with 1 tbsp. of balsamic vinegar (use more if need be) and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tbsp. of olive oil in a skillet and add the chicken, cooking until golden brown and no longer pink inside. In another skillet, heat 1 tbsp. of olive oil and add the garlic, tomatoes, and onion, cooking until they are slightly soft. Add the tomato sauce and add 1 tbsp. of balsamic vinegar to the tomato and onion mixture, stirring to combine. Toss the pasta with the tomato sauce mixture and serve alongside chicken, topping the pasta with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and fresh or dried basil. If you want to make it even more like the bruschetta appetizer that I envisioned when I first made it, toss cubes of fresh mozzarella cheese in with the pasta or top the chicken breasts with a slice of mozzarella and pop in the oven at 350* F until cheese is bubbling and slightly golden brown (about 5 to 10 minutes—be careful not to overcook the chicken).

This dish is so simple, but it has a complex flavor that makes it better than plain old spaghetti with marinara. The onion adds sweetness to the fresh tomatoes and tomato sauce and the balsamic vinegar adds a rich flavor. This meal is absolutely delicious and even better if you have freshly grated Parmesan to sprinkle on top—it really adds to the flavor of the sauce.

Recipe: Black Bean Hummus

So, since my spicy chickpea hummus was such a success, I decided to make a black bean hummus for my family to snack on this week. The recipe is almost identical to the spicy chickpea recipe, but the addition of paprika adds a new flavor and the use of some of the liquid from the can of black beans makes this a creamier, less dry hummus.

Serves: 6-8
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: No cooking necessary
Difficulty: Easy
Special Equipment: Food processor

Ingredients

• 1 clove garlic
• 15 oz. canned black beans
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice, fresh or bottled
• 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp. tahini (or 2 tsp. sesame seeds and 1 tbsp. sesame oil )
• 3/4 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1/4 tsp. ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp. ground red cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp. paprika

(Recipe and ingredients for flat bread for dipping can be found here; this time, I had premade pita chips and baby carrots)

Directions
Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl and serve with pita/flat bread, bell pepper slices, or "dippers" of your choice. Refrigerate leftover hummus.

Like the spicy chickpea hummus I made before, this hummus is spicy and flavorful and makes for a delicious snack.

Recipe: Rotini with Walnut Sauce

I started yesterday with a bowl of Kashi Heart-to-Heart cereal and a lemon bar and spent the afternoon up in the mountains with my best friend, lounging on a couch while watching The Patriot. At 4:00PM, still clad in pajamas, I headed home, my thoughts revolving around my rumbling tummy and the question of what to make for dinner. Since I had such a light breakfast and nothing else to eat that day, I felt I could get away with a more calorie-dense dinner, so I made a Giada De Laurentiis recipe (from her Everyday Pasta cookbook) that I'd pulled out to try earlier: Rotelli with Walnut Sauce. The meal was incredibly rich and creamy, so I paired it with a side salad of baby greens with a pomegranate vinaigrette and a glass of white wine. Perfect!

Serves: 4-6
Prep time: 5-10 minutes
Cooking time: 8-10 minutes (for the pasta), no cooking necessary for the sauce
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 1 pound rotelli, fusilli, or rotini (corkscrew pasta)
• 1.5 cups toasted walnuts (see instructions for toasting nuts below)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions
To toast the walnuts: Preheat oven to 350* F. Spread the walnuts out evenly on a baking sheet and toast in oven for 5 to 10 minutes, until fragrant and golden brown. Stir them a few times while toasting and watch closely to make sure they don't burn. 
Bring a large pot of slated water to a boil. Add the pasta until cooked al dente (about 8 to 10 minutes). Drain the pasta and reserve about 1 cup of the cooking water.
In the meantime, combine the toasted walnuts, butter, salt, and pepper in a food processor. Pulse to combine the ingredients, then, with the machine running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl and stir in the Parmesan cheese, then the heavy cream.
When the pasta is done, stir in the walnut sauce and add a little bit of the reserved cooking water, then stir gently until the sauce completely coats the pasta. Sprinkle with parsley and a little Parmesan cheese and serve.

This dish is very decadent and incredibly filling, so you may want to halve the recipe or reserve some of the walnut sauce and use it later in the week. I recommend serving it with a salad or crisp vegetables to add some lightness to the meal.

Recipe: Spicy Chickpea Hummus with Flat Bread

So, I've been looking for filling, healthy snacks to try and I've heard a lot of good things about hummus. I've never really been a fan of hummus—most of my experiences with it involve a school dining hall or restaurant buffet, and it's either chalky and flavorless or it's watery. However, one of my favorite restaurants from college had a black bean hummus and chickpea hummus dish on their menu that I tried once at a tasting and really enjoyed, so that gave me hope that I could come to like it. Obviously, the jarred stuff and the junk turning grey next to the dressings at the salad bar are not what a "hummus beginner" should be eating, so I thought I might like it if I made it myself. I found a recipe by Rachael Ray here (not my favorite TV personality, and I'm not a fan of her abbreviation "EVOO," but she's made some tasty stuff), and after a few alterations, I whipped it up and it turned out great!

Prep time: 5-10 minutes
Cooking time: 7-12 minutes (for the pita/flat bread chips), no cooking necessary for the hummus 
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

For hummus:

• 1 (15 oz.) can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
• 2 tbsp. tahini sesame paste, or 1 tbsp. each of sesame seeds and sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. ground coriander
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• Salt, to taste (I used a dash or two)
• 1-2 tbsp. olive oil

For  pita/flat bread chips:

• Pita or flat bread of your choice (I used Schwebel's Old World Flat Bread - Wheat)
• Olive oil
• Black pepper
• Salt
• Garlic powder or garlic salt
• Ground cayenne pepper
• Oregano

Directions
For the hummus: Combine all of the ingredients together in a food processor and blend into a smooth paste. Transfer to a small dish and serve with pita/flat bread chips, vegetables, or other "dippers" of your choice. Refrigerate any leftover hummus.
For the pita/flat bread chips: Preheat the oven to 400* F. Combine a dash of each dry ingredient in a small bowl with olive oil and brush onto the pita/flat bread. Place on a baking sheet and bake in oven for 7-12 minutes, until slightly crispy. Pull or cut bread into pieces to create chips and dip them into the hummus.

This hummus is very filling and so flavorful. The ground cumin, coriander, and cayenne add spiciness and intense flavor, and the lemon juice helps lighten and brighten the taste. Served with warm pita chips and crisp veggies, like orange and green peppers, and it's the perfect snack!