I made another "first time" dish to make for my coworker as well. I am shocked that I have been so successful today in my new recipes. I made a quinoa salad, so he has some really healthy food to make him feel as positive as possible. It is a fantastic dish that actually made me do the "mmm" sound out loud alone in my kitchen when I tasted it. That is the sign that a dish is a keeper. I made a couple adjustments to the original recipe so it fits my tastes:

Spring Vegetable and Quinoa Pilaf

adapted from Bon Appétit  | May 2010

by Lora Zarubin

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Spring-Vegetable-and-Quinoa-Pilaf-358532#ixzz1ZxDzy427

• 1 3/4 cups low-salt chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt plus additional for seasoning
• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained 3 times
• 2 cups baby carrots, cut into bite sized pieces
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balasmic vinegar
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup 1/2-inch pieces orange bell peppers
• 1 cup 1/2-inch pieces red bell peppers
• 2 cups sugar snap peas
• 1 cup 1/2-inch pieces trimmed baby zucchini (about 6 ounces)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 4 green onions, thinly sliced
• 
  

print a shopping list for this recipe

preparation

Bring broth and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt to boil in medium saucepan; add quinoa. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until quinoa is tender and broth is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat; fluff with fork. Cover and reserve.

Meanwhile, start sauteing the carrots and zucchini in olive oil and garlic. Add peppers to the pan. When these are cooked, add them to the bowl of quinoa. Pour on the olive oil, vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Spring-Vegetable-and-Quinoa-Pilaf-358532#ixzz1ZxE7tMhG

Cornbread Muffins

My coworkers are amazing. One of my coworkers had a very bad weekend, so I decided to make him some food to bring home, so that he does not have to spend time in order to eat a healthy warm meal. I made him Spring Vegetable Quinoa, Balsamic Chicken and Cornbread Muffins. The New York Jew over here does not know very much about cornbread, but I had the ingredients, so why not? They came out fantastically! It is such a hearty, homey texture that I cannot resist them! I am so excited to bring them to my coworker this afternoon. I hope they help him out! Below is the recipe:

Cornbread Muffins

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a muffin tin
2. Melt butter in large skillet. Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Quickly add eggs and beat until well blended. Combine buttermilk with baking soda and stir into mixture in pan. Stir in cornmeal, flour, and salt until well blended and few lumps remain. Pour batter into the prepared muffin tins.
3. Bake muffins for 20 minutes, let set for 5 minutes and then pop them out!

Frosting

Food is best gift you could ever give. Cupcakes seems to be the constant hit wherever I go. They are sweet, personalized and beautiful. My roommate Elvera LOVES cupcakes from the Sprinkles Bakery based in California. To make her feel more at home, I baked red velvet cupcakes with two different types of frosting, heaped high in the same style of Sprinkles bakery. I have experience making frosting, and found that there is no point in making frosting that one can buy in a carton in the store. I found the two most amazing (tried and true) frosting recipes EVER!

CHOCOLATE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

from: http://www.cupcakeproject.com/2008/04/my-favorite-chocolate-cream-cheese.html

• 8 ozs cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/4 C unsalted butter, room temperature
• 4 C sifted powdered sugar (You can decrease this amount if you don't care about it being as stiff for piping)
• 1/2 C cocoa powder

1. Mix cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy.
2. Mix in powdered sugar, one cup at a time.
3. Mix in cocoa powder.

VANILLA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:

as adapted from Demolition Desserts

Makes about 2 cups

Ingredients:

4 oz. unsalted softened butter

2 1/2 c. or 10 oz. powdered sugar

1/2 t. kosher salt

1 T. plus 1 t. whole milk

1 t. pure vanilla extract

1 t. fresh lemon juice (I put 1/2 t.)

 Directions:

In a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter & salt for about 30 seconds and then add half of the powdered sugar and the milk to the butter and beat again until combined. Scrape down the bowl.  Add the rest of the powdered sugar, the vanilla, and the lemon juice and beat until combined.  Scrape down the bowl again.  Beat on high speed for 5-6 minutes or until the frosting is fluffy.  She says that she prefers to use it the same day, but that it can keep in the refrigerator for 3 days if tightly wrapped.  I have also left it out at room temperature overnight (if I was going to use it in the morning) and it was just fine.  Make sure and stir the buttercream well though before using to get the air bubbles out of the frosting. 

I love going to dinner parties for many reasons. First, I get to talk to my friends with the accompaniment of great food instead of "bump and grind" music, women in barely there sequin skirts and strobe lights. Secondly, I have the excuse to make unhealthy, labor intensive sides and desserts. Here is a recipe that is amazing and won an award on epicurious.com . This dessert is half way between a break and bake cookie and the "don't slam doors! I have a the leaning tower of Pisa in the oven" adventure. Anybody would be able to complete this recipe if they had a bit of time to do it. Thus, this is another recipe for those of us who want to fake it 'till we make it.

Brown Butter Raspberry Tart

Bon Appétit  | June 2009

by Lori Longbotham

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/bestof/toprecipes/bestpierecipes/recipes/food/views/Brown-Butter-Raspberry-Tart-353425#ixzz1OQnSNd4o

Crust:

• 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
• Pinch of salt

Filling:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• Pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, diced
• 2 6-ounce containers fresh raspberries

print a shopping list for this recipe

preparation

For crust:
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F. Using rubber spatula or fork, mix melted butter, sugar, and vanilla in medium bowl. Add flour and salt and stir until incorporated. Transfer dough to 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Using fingertips, press dough evenly onto sides and bottom of pan.

Bake crust until golden, about 18 minutes (crust will puff slightly while baking). Transfer crust to rack and cool in pan. Maintain oven temperature.

For filling:
Whisk sugar, eggs, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Add flour and vanilla; whisk until smooth. Cook butter in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until deep nutty brown (do not burn), stirring often, about 6 minutes. Immediately pour browned butter into glass measuring cup. Gradually whisk browned butter into sugar-egg mixture; whisk until well blended.

Arrange raspberries, pointed side up and close together in concentric circles, in bottom of cooled crust. Carefully pour browned butter mixture evenly over berries. Place tart on rimmed baking sheet. Bake tart until filling is puffed and golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool tart completely in pan on rack. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and store at room temperature.

Remove tart pan sides. Place tart on platter. Cut into wedges and serve.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/bestof/toprecipes/bestpierecipes/recipes/food/views/Brown-Butter-Raspberry-Tart-353425#ixzz1OQnOsK89

Blue Cheese and Red Onion Thumb prints

Becca - you asked me for a really impressive but super duper easy appetizer recipe. Here it is! I got this a couple years ago from the Pillsbury bake off website. I remember when I was young and my mother would contribute recipes every year. The recipes from the bake off are the ultimate addition to the "fake it till you make it" collection. The dough is already prepared, but tastes fantastic when you combine it with the other ingredients! I made this successfully when I was still at the cooking stage where people were afraid to eat my food due to risk of poisoning. Thus, literally anybody can make this. Enjoy!

Blue Cheese and Red Onion Jam Crescent Thumbprints

NGREDIENTS

1

package (3 oz) cream cheese, softened

1/2

cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese (2 oz)*

1

can (8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls or 1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® Crescent Recipe Creations® refrigerated seamless dough sheet

1/3

cup Fisher® Chef's Naturals® Chopped Pecans

1

teaspoon CRISCO® 100% Extra Virgin or Pure Olive Oil

1/3

cup finely chopped red onion

1

tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1/4

cup SMUCKER'S® Apricot Preserves

1/8

to 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

DIRECTIONS

• 1Heat oven to 375°F. In small bowl, mix cream cheese and Gorgonzola cheese with fork until blended.
• 2Unroll dough; separate or cut into 2 rectangles, each about 11 inches long. Place 1 rectangle on cutting board; if using crescent dough, press perforations together to seal. Spread half of the cheese mixture over dough to within 1/2 inch of long sides; sprinkle half of the pecans evenly over cheese. Starting at 1 long side, roll up; press seam to seal. Cut roll into 16 (about 3/4-inch) slices with serrated knife; place cut sides down on ungreased large cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, cheese and pecans.
• 3Bake 14 to 17 minutes or until golden brown.
• 4Meanwhile, in 8-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion; cook 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until soft and lightly brown. Remove from heat. Stir in vinegar, preserves (breaking up large pieces of fruit if necessary) and thyme; set aside.
• 5After removing rolls from oven, immediately press back of a teaspoon into center of each roll to make small indentation. Spoon slightly less than 1/2 teaspoon onion jam into each indentation. Remove from cookie sheet. Serve warm.

Chicken with Forty Cloves of Garlic

Ina may have rejected the make a wish foundation request of a small boy (uy givalt), but she makes bangin chicken. Everyone should make each of the following two recipes at least once. They are extremely famous and frankly taste like home. Home to me means a baked chicken with roasted vegetables.
I recently moved in with the most lovely ladies, who giggle at my blog. Girls, let me know what types of things you would like me to post from my little black cookbook, and we can all fake it till we make it.

Chicken with forty cloves of garlic:

Ingredients

• 3 whole heads garlic, about 40 cloves
• 2 (3 1/2-pound) chickens, cut into eighths
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons good olive oil
• 3 tablespoons Cognac, divided
• 1 1/2 cups dry white wine
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream

Directions

Separate the cloves of garlic and drop them into a pot of boiling water for 60 seconds. Drain the garlic and peel. Set aside.

Dry the chicken with paper towels. Season liberally with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat the butter and oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. In batches, saute the chicken in the fat, skinside down first, until nicely browned, about 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Turn with tongs or a spatula; you don't want to pierce the skin with a fork. If the fat is burning, turn the heat down to medium. When a batch is done, transfer it to a plate and continue to saute all the chicken in batches. Remove the last chicken to the plate and add all of the garlic to the pot. Lower the heat and saute for 5 to 10 minutes, turning often, until evenly browned. Add 2 tablespoons of the Cognac and the wine, return to a boil, and scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Return the chicken to the pot with the juices and sprinkle with the thyme leaves. Cover and simmer over the lowest heat for about 30 minutes, until all the chicken is done.

Remove the chicken to a platter and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup of the sauce and the flour and then whisk it back into the sauce in the pot. Raise the heat, add the remaining tablespoon of Cognac and the cream, and boil for 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper, to taste; it should be very flavorful because chicken tends to be bland. Pour the sauce and the garlic over the chicken and serve hot.

Ina's Roast Chicken

Serves 2 to 4

Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken (approximately 4 pounds)
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice, plus 3 whole lemons—including 1 sliced for garnish
• 1 tablespoon kosher or coarse sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• Fresh herbs for garnish (4 rosemary sprigs, 4 sage sprigs, 8 thyme sprigs, and 1 bunch fl at-leaf parsley)

1. Position an oven rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F. Remove the giblets from the chicken, wash the chicken inside and out with cold water, then let the chicken drain, cavity down, in a colander for 2 minutes.

2. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Place the chicken breast-side down in a medium roasting pan fi tted with a rack and pour the lemon juice all over the chicken, both inside and out. Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper inside and out.

3. Prick 2 whole lemons three times each in three different places with a fork and place them deep inside the cavity. Chicken cavity size may vary, so if one lemon is partly sticking out, that’s fine. (Tip: If the lemons are stiff, roll them on the countertop with your palm before pricking to get the juices flowing.)

4. Put the chicken in the oven, lower the oven temperature to 350°F, and roast, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

5. Remove the roasting pan from the oven. Using tongs or two wooden spoons, turn the chicken breast- side up. Insert a meat thermometer in the thigh, and return the chicken to the oven and roast for about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the meat thermometer reads 180°F and the juices run clear when the thigh is pricked with a fork. Continue roasting if necessary. Keep in mind that cooking times in different ovens vary; roasting a chicken at 350°F takes approximately 18-20 minutes per pound, plus an additional 15 minutes.

6. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving. And here’s the secret: Pour the juices from the roasting pan on top of the sliced chicken— this is the juice. Garnish with fresh herbs and lemon slices.

Read More http://www.glamour.com/magazine/2006/07/engagement-chicken#ixzz1O2SWpaLb