Mediterrain Style Skillet Vegetables

Because some vegetables need to cook longer than others, I tend to  slice and  dice as the previous ingredients are cooking.  I've also prepared this with  diced prosciutto (add with the garlic), diced tomatoes (add with the squash), and grated Parmesan cheese (add at the end of cooking).

Ingredients 

3 T. olive oil
1 c. carrots, thinly sliced
5 bell peppers, julienned (I used 2 red, 3 green)
1 large yellow onion, julienned
5 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 small head green cabbage, cored, thinly sliced, and parboiled
2 zucchini, halved lengthwise, then halved across, thinly slice each quarter lengthwise
2 yellow summer squash, sliced in same manner as the zucchini
2 c. Barilla whole grain pasta (I used medium shells), cooked as directed
kosher salt
black pepper
cayenne pepper

Directions 

Over medium to medium-high heat, add oil to a very large frying pan.  Add carrots; stirring occasionally.  While carrots are cooking, slice bell peppers then add to frying pan.  Season with salt, stirring as needed.  While the mix is cooking, slice onion and prepare cabbage.  Add to frying pan and season with salt, and continue to stir.   Prepare garlic and squash, add to pan and season with salt, stir.  Cook pasta; drain; add to frying pan, combining with vegetables.  Season with black and cayenne peppers to taste.

Yields 10-1 cup servings, 1.8 WW points each (adding prosciutto or Parmesan cheese will increase this value.)

Baklava

Like many of my favorite cookies, Baklava is something my sister-in-law, Carol, taught me to make.  Don't let the name and appearance intimidate you.  Making this exotic pastry is much easier than you think - the techniques are different, but it's no more complicated than making chocolate chip cookies.  

This photo was taken before baking.  The imperfections in my work are noticeable.  Occasionally a leaf of phyllo will pull away as it's being scored.  If all of the layers pull away in one chunk, just put it back in it's place.   If it's just the top sheet, don't worry about it.  When it's golden brown and gooey and crispy at the same time, no one will notice. 

 

Imperfections aren't noticeable now.  It's very forgiving.

 

Ingredients
Syrup:
3 c. sugar
1 1/2  c. water
1/2  lemon sliced
2  T.  light  corn syrup
1/4  -  1/2  t.  cinnamon

Filling:
1 lb.  walnuts,  finely  chopped
1/4  c.  sugar
1 -  2  t. cinnamon

Pastry:
1 lb. phyllo dough,  thawed
about 1  c.  butter, melted

Directions

To make the syrup, combine all ingredients over low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes.  Stop stirring, increase heat to medium - med high, cooking about 10 more minutes until syrupy.  Cool.

To make filling, combine all ingredients.  A food processor is perfect for this. 

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease a 13 x 9 baking pan or 15 x 10 jelly roll pan.

To assemble pastry, cover the bottom of prepared pan with a sheet of phyllo and lightly brush with butter.  (If the sheets don't fit the pan perfectly, I just fold over the excess, alternating the side with each layer.) Repeat with 7 more layers.  Spread with half the filling.  Top with 8 more sheets, brushing each layer with butter.  Spread with remaining nut mixture and top with 8 more sheets of phyllo, brushing each layer with butter.

Using a sharp knife, make length-wise cuts through the top layer of pastry 1 to  1 1/2 inches wide.  Then make diagonal cuts across the strips to form diamond shapes, spacing to yield the desired size cookie.

Just before baking, lightly sprinkle the top of the pastry with cold water.  This will keep the pastry from curling.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Reduce heat to 300 and bake until golden brown, about 15 - 20 more minutes.

Cut through the scored lines.  Drizzle the cooled syrup slowly over the hot baklava (you may not need to use all of the syrup) and let cool at least 4 hours (if you can!).  Store, lightly covered, at room temperature for up to a week.   Baklava may be frozen, but it the pastry loses its crispness.

Sticky Buns

It was my turn to bake for a favorite group of volunteers at church - the perfect opportunity to try a recipe from my new cookbook, Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics by Ina Garten.  I love this cookbook - so many beautiful photos!  I made a double recipe, and the caramel-y, sticky buns were a big hit with the volunteers and my family.

Ingredients
  
3/4 c. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 c. light brown sugar
1/2 c. pecans, roughly chopped
1 pkg. frozen puff pastry, thawed
2 T. unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2/3 c. light brown sugar
3 t. cinnamon
1 cup raisins (I may try combining golden raisins and craisins next time)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place a 12-cup muffin tin on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Combine 3/4 c. butter and 1/3 c. brown sugar; divide among the 12 muffin cups.   Top the butter-sugar mixture with pecans.

On a lightly floured surface, unfold one sheet of pastry with folds going left to right.  Brush with 1/2 of the melted butter, stopping 1-inch before the top.  Sprinkle with 1/3 c. brown sugar, 1 1/2 t. cinnamon, and 1/2 c. raisins.  Starting with the side closest to you, roll the pastry snuggly, jellyroll style.  With seam side down, trim 1/2 inch from the ends and discard.  Slice into 6 equals pieces.  Place each piece cut side up (and down) into a muffin cup.  Repeat with the second sheet of pastry to make 12 rolls.

Bake for 30 minutes or until golden and firm to touch.  Cool for 5 minutes and invert onto the parchment paper.  If necessary, top with filling and pecans.  Allow to cool completely.

Gluten-free, Raspberry Chipotle Brownies

This is a blend of a gluten free recipe found at allrecipes.com and some brownies my friend, Chris, made.  If you don't need to be gluten-free, just add 1/2 t. chipotle powder and 1 - 1 1/2 cups of raspberries (fresh or frozen) to your favorite brownie recipe.

Ingredients
   
2/3 c. gluten-free baking mix
1/2 c. corn starch
3/4 c. unsweetened cocoa
1 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 t. chipotle power
1 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 c. margarine, melted
1 to 1 1/2 c. raspberries (fresh or frozen)

Directions
   
Preheat oven to 350; grease 8 x 8 pan.
    
Sift together baking mix, corn starch, and cocoa.  Add sugars, chipotle, baking soda, and salt.  Mix well.  Stir in eggs, margarine, and raspberries until well combined.
    
Pour into prepared pan.  Bake 55 - 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Tacos Mi Rancho, Yuma, AZ

Half way home from San Diego, and searching the GPS for a Mexican restaurant in Yuma, we found Tacos Mi Rancho.  It was a lucky find!  My dad always says you can judge a Mexican restaurant by the quality of their refried beans; the beans were excellent!  The salsa was addictive; we went through two bowls with chips and our meal.

To find it, take the 4th Ave. exit and veer to the AZ side.  Head south to 188 S 4th Ave.  It's on the west side of the road, just a block or so from the interstate.

Sevilla Restaurant & Tapas Bar, San Diego, CA

 

Sevilla served some of the best Spanish food that I've eaten in the New World.  After four years in Spain, I feel qualified to judge.   

The sangria was perfect, and went down ever so easily!  We began our meal with tapas: Tortilla Espanola, Fabada, Brava Sauteed Potatoes.  The fabada was our favorite and just like we used to have at the ski lodge in Navacerrada.  For dinner, my husband tried the Iberico Pork Tenderloin and loved it.  I had the vegetable paella.  The flavor of the rice was perfect, and everyone in the office was commenting on the wonderful aroma when I warmed up my leftovers for lunch.

Tabule Restaurant & Bar, San Diego, CA

Tabule was recommended to us by the concierge at the Omni on the first night of our recent stay in San Diego.  Within walking distance of our hotel in the Gaslamp Quarter, it was great.  We were looking for something light after a long day in the car, and this was just what we wanted.

We began with Filet Mignon Carpaccio which was very enjoyable.  I have nothing to compare it to; it was the first time either one of us had eaten carpaccio, but after hearing about it so much on Top Chef, I had to try it.

For dinner, I had the Hearts of Palm and Mango Salad.  My husband tried the Chipotle Fettuccini with shrimp.  Both dishes were delicious, but the real star of the evening was the bread and spreads served before the meal.

The presentation was creative.  The bread arrived in a small, napkin lined, chrome bucket (the kind of bucket one would normally find filled with golf balls at a driving range.)  Accompanying our bucket of bread (thin slices of a bagette, lightly toasted) were two small ramekins - one with a jalepeno relish, the other with a chipotle and roasted garlic mayo.  I've tried to recreate this at home, but the Kraft light mayo I used was no comparison for the rich, creamy homemade mayo at Tabule.  I'll have to keep trying.

PS - I've kept working on the chipotle spread and I think I've got it.