Watermelon Salad

Thanks to my sis for this recipe...it's the perfect summer salad! I've made it this way, and also with some feta cheese sprinkled in for some added Mediterranean flare...

Watermelon Salad

1 Cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half

3 Cups watermelon, diced

1/3 Cup minced red onion

1 Cup cucumber, peeled and seeded and chopped

3 T fresh lime juice

2 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Course Salt and Fresh Pepper

Feta Cheese, sprinkled over the top, optional

Greek Lamb Pilaf

Here's a recipe I made the other night...I made a couple of changes from the original, which are noted below in italics.

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Leigh Ann Ross

Greek Lamb Pilaf

Lamb, mint, and rice are a classic Greek combination.

Time: 38 minutes.

2 1/2 cups chopped onion (about 1 large onion)

3/4 cup chopped carrot (about 1 carrot) or 2

3 garlic cloves, minced

3/4 pound lean ground lamb or a pound of beef, which is what I used b/c my grocer was out of lamb.

1 cup uncooked long-grain rice

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cumin, another addition I made to increase the smokiness

1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1 cup chopped plum tomato (about 1 tomato) I used 2 tomatoes

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided I used a whole bundle...more like 3/4 cup

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint I used a whole bundle...more like 1/2 cup

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice and the zest of the lemon to brighten up the flavors

3/4 teaspoon salt

5-6 scallions, chopped, another item I added to make the fresh taste come alive

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add first 4 ingredients to pan; cook 5 minutes, stirring to crumble lamb. Stir in rice and cinnamon; sauté 2 minutes. Stir in chicken broth; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat; stir in chopped tomato, 3 tablespoons parsley, mint, lemon juice, and salt. Cover and let stand 5 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon parsley and the chopped scallions.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 2/3 cups)CALORIES 446 (35% from fat); FAT 17.2g (sat 7g,mono 7.2g,poly 1.4g); PROTEIN 26g; CHOLESTEROL 83mg; CALCIUM 61mg; SODIUM 748mg; FIBER 2.4g; IRON 2.5mg; CARBOHYDRATE 45g Cooking Light, JUNE 2008

Roasted Shrimp and Orzo

Roasted Shrimp and Orzo
Copyright 2006, Barefoot Contessa at Home,
All Rights Reserved




Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 15 minutes Yield: 6 servings


Kosher salt
Good olive oil
3/4 pound orzo pasta (rice-shaped pasta)
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (3 lemons)
Freshly ground black pepper 2 pounds (16 to 18 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup minced scallions, white and green parts
1 cup chopped fresh dill
1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and medium-diced
1/2 cup small-diced red onion
3/4 pound good feta cheese, large diced

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Fill a large pot with water, add 1 tablespoon of salt and a splash of oil, and bring the water to a boil. Add the orzo and simmer for 9 to 11 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it's cooked al dente. Drain and pour into a large bowl. Whisk together the lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Pour over the hot pasta and stir well.
Meanwhile, place the shrimp on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to combine and spread out in a single layer. Roast for 5 to 6 minutes, until the shrimp are cooked through. Don't overcook!
Add the shrimp to the orzo and then add the scallions, dill, parsley, cucumber, onion, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Toss well. Add the feta and stir carefully. Set aside at room temperature for 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend, or refrigerate overnight. If refrigerated, taste again for seasonings and bring back to room temperature before serving.

Classic Lemon Squares

INGREDIENTS
Crust:
1 cup flour
½ cup butter
¼ cup powdered sugar

Filling:
2 Eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
½ tsp. baking powder
2 ½ TBS. lemon juice
Dash salt

1. Blend crust ingredients together with fingertips until well blended
2. Pat evenly into an 8x8 baking pan.
3. Bake for 20 minutes at 350°.

Meanwhile:
1. Beat together filling ingredients.
2. Pour over baked crust.
3. Return to oven for 20-25 minutes at same temperature.
4. Let Cool.
5. Cut into 16 even squares.
6. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
7. Put them on a pretty plate and serve.

Cook's Illustrated Classic Brownies

If you've been following my blog , you know that before baby I enjoyed cooking. Now that I"m expecting a little new person, my love for the kitchen has changed to be a love for baking. In fact, I think I mentioned all the baked things I ate in a given weekend a few weeks back?

Well, my latest bake fest began when my neighbor showed up with a grocery bag full of lemons from their lemon trees. I started out making lemonade, but then realized I could bake nice lemony goodness, too! That's when I baked the lemon pound cakes, and then the lemon squares. After those were gone, I made more lemonade, again and again. I still have lemons! and this at a time when this girl loves citrus, so the timing couldn't be better.

After the lemon fest, my taste buds asked for something rich and chocolatey. I remembered a recipe for brownies in one of my Cook's Illustrated...they claimed to be an "adult" brownie...and no, they don't have pornographic or illicit content. They are less sweet, and more rich. Just what the little one is asking for.

So within the past week, I've made the following recipe twice. Once as a thank you to my neighbor for all the lemons (yes, I kept half a dozen for our tasting pleasure), and then I made them again to take to a dinner party at a friend's house. They were a hit both times, and I think possibly the best brownies I've ever had. So without further ado, here's the recipe.


CLASSIC BROWNIES
MAKES TWENTY-FOUR 2-INCH SQUARE BROWNIES
From
Cook’s Illustrated

Be sure the test for doneness before removing the brownies from the oven. If underbaked (the toothpick has batter clinging to it), the texture of the brownies will be dense and gummy; if overbaked (the toothpick comes out completely clean), the brownies will be dry and cakey.

1 Cup (4 ounces) pecans or walnuts, chopped medium (optional)
1¼ Cups (5 ounces) cake flour
½ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon baking powder
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped fine
12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, cut into six 1-inch pieces
2¼ Cups (15¾ ounces) sugar
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 325 degrees. Cut 18 inch length foil and fold lengthwise to 8-inch wide. Fit foil into length of 13 by 9 baking dish, pushing it into corners and up sides of pan; allow excess to overhang pan edges. Cut 14-inch length foil and, if using extra-wide foil, fold lengthwise to 12-inch width; fit into width of baking pan in same manner, perpendicular to first sheet. Spray foil-lined pain with non-stick cooking spray.
2. If using nuts, spread nuts evenly on rimmed baking sheet and toast in oven until fragrant, 5 to 8 minutes. Set aside to cool
3. Whisk to combine flour, salt, and baking powder in medium bowl; set aside.
4. Melt chocolate and butter in large heatproof bowl set over saucepan of almost-simmering water, stirring occasionally, until smooth. (Alternatively, in microwave, heat butter and chocolate in large microwave-safe bowl on high for 45 seconds, then stir and heat for 30 seconds more. Stir again, and if necessary, repeat in 15 second increments; do not let chocolate burn.) When chocolate mixture is completely smooth, remove bowl from saucepan and gradually whisk in sugar. Add eggs one at time, whisking after each addition until thoroughly combined. Whisk in vanilla. Add flour mixture in three additions, folding with rubber spatula until batter is completely smooth and homogeneous.
5. Transfer batter to prepared pan; using spatula, spread batter into corners of pan and smooth surface. Sprinkle toasted nuts (if using) evenly over batter and bake until toothpick or wooden skewer inserted into center of brownies comes out with few moist crumbs attached, 30 to 35 minutes (Andrea’s note: it usually takes my brownies about 45-50 minutes to achieve the right doneness). Cool on wire rack to room temperature, about 2 hours, then remove brownies from pan by lifting foil overhang. Cut brownies into 2-inch squares and serve. Store leftovers in airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.)

Spring Pea Salad

I made this recipe yesterday and it was really tasty. Lots of fresh springtime flavors (I guess that's why they named it Spring Pea Salad).

If you're out of capers (like I was), you can sub an equal amount of green olives finely chopped, although I do prefer the capers. And Chris, I know Tim doesn't like mint too much, so maybe sub fresh Italian Parsley? Just an idea....



Spring Pea Salad


1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, torn
1 tablespoon capers, roughly chopped
1 small shallot, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 pound green peas, blanched (if fresh) or thawed (if frozen)
1/2 cup (4 ounces) crumbled goat cheese

In a medium bowl, combine the mint, capers, shallot, zest, oil, salt, and pepper. Add the peas and goat cheese and toss gently. Serve at room temperature.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

CALORIES 357 (63% from fat); FAT 25g (sat 9g); SUGAR 7g; PROTEIN 15g; CHOLESTEROL 30mg; SODIUM 228mg; FIBER 6g; CARBOHYDRATE 19g

Real Simple, JUNE 2006