Let's Take a Trip Back to the '80's (Minus the Shoulder Pads) or Sonya and Maureen's Appetizer Vegetable Pizza

When I was young, single, and employed--- back in the 80's, I worked for a big company in a department with several fabulous women. We all got along and socialized both in and out of work. Occasionally we organized what we called a "Food Fest" at the office--essentially, a potluck lunch where everyone on the floor brought a dish to share. My friends Sonya and Maureen once brought this yummy cold vegetable pizza which was a big hit. I brought this to many, many get-togethers during the 80's and I think it's time for an encore. After all, everything old is new again, isn't it?



VEGETABLE PIZZA

2 pkgs. Pillsbury crescent rolls
1 regular size packet Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix
2 8-oz. pkgs cream cheese, softened (I use light cream cheese)
slightly less than 1 C mayo (I use light)
chopped broccoli (I used about 2 cups, finely chopped)
chopped cauliflower (I used about 2 cups, finely chopped)
chopped scallions (about 3-5 scallions, green part only)
chopped tomatoes (about 2, seeded and chopped)
chopped black olives (one can large olives, minus a few that fell into my mouth)
grated Cheddar cheese (about 2 to 2 1/2 C--can also use a mixture of cheeses--Cheddar, Colby, Monterey Jack, mozzerella)

Preheat oven to 350º. Lay the crescent roll dough flat on a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan, pinch together any gaps, poke a few holes in dough with a fork, and bake til just golden--about 10 to 14 minutes. Let crust cool. After it cools, mix the Ranch dressing with the cream cheese and mayo. Spread mixture on the crescent rolls and top with all toppings, ending with cheese. Cut into squares and enjoy.

NOTE: You can add or substitute any toppings you like--these are just the ones I use. Or should I say--the ones Sonya and Maureen used!

Dark-Haired Julie's Mother's Cookies or Ro's Cherry Drop Cookies

There were a lot of girls named Julie in my school when I was a kid. Julie, Laura, Jill, Lisa, Debbie, Amy, Susan, Beth.....the list goes on and on. For every Julie, Beth, and Laura then---there's an Olivia, Emma, and Hannah now. I have two friends named Julie and for some reason my aunt can never remember which one is which. Apparently last names are too much for her. So she calls them blonde Julie and dark-haired Julie, as in, "I ran into blonde Julie at the grocery store today and we talked for 15 minutes about our snow plow service problems." Or, "I saw dark-haired Julie at the mall today. We were both buying underwear for our husbands." All stuff I need to know. Anyway, dark-haired Julie's mom Ro makes these fabulous Cherry Drop Cookies which have the most scrumptious chocolate frosting. I used to make the cookies without the frosting because I don't like chocolate and fruit together, but yesterday I baked some cookies for a teachers' lunch at school and frosted them. And tasted them. Just one or two broken ones. And....I'm a convert. These cookies MUST always be made WITH the frosting! They are easy and delicious. If you take the butter out the night before it will take you about five minutes to mix up the dough. Make sure to make the frosting AFTER the cookies cool--if you make it too soon it may be difficult to dip the cookies into the frosting. Thanks, dark-haired Julie. Thanks, Ro!

DARK-HAIRED JULIE'S MOTHER'S COOKIES OR RO'S CHERRY DROP COOKIES

1 C butter, softened
3/4 C powdered sugar
1 t vanilla
1 t almond extract
1/2 t salt (I use kosher salt)
2 1/4 C flour, sifted (I must confess that I don't!)
1/2 C chopped maraschino cherries, drained well
1/4 C walnuts, finely chopped, optional (I omit)

Preheat oven to 350º. Gradually add the powdered sugar to the butter and cream. Add vanilla, almond extract, and salt.
Blend in flour. When flour is incorporated completely, add cherries and nuts (if using).

Roll dough into small balls (I use a very small scooper to scoop and then roll by hand) and place on parchment paper or Silpat on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes. When done, bottom will be golden but cookie top will still be light. Let cool on baking sheet and then move to cooling rack. Cool completely before dipping top of cookie into chocolate frosting.

CHOCOLATE FROSTING

1/4 C butter (1/2 stick)
3 T unsweetened cocoa powder
3-4 T buttermilk
2 1/4 C powdered sugar
1/2 t vanilla

In microwave-safe bowl, combine butter, cocoa powder and 3 T buttermilk. Bring to boil in microwave. (I am very impatient and usually just microwave til the butter is melted--and it turns out just fine) Add powdered sugar and vanilla and beat with electric mixer until smooth. Frosting should be thick but not too thick--you may have to add a little extra buttermilk while you are using the mixer--I usually do. You want to be able to dip the cookies into the frosting and not have the frosting run off the cookie.

Barefoot Bloggers: Chinese Chicken Salad

Today's recipe from "Barefoot Bloggers" is Ina Garten's Chinese Chicken Salad. This recipe was chosen by McKenzie of Kenzie's Kitchen. and is from Ina's Barefoot Contessa Parties! cookbook. I just got back from a weekend away AND am trying to get ready for Passover, so I decided to make my life a bit easier and use a rotisserie chicken from Costco. I have roasted chicken breasts per Ina's instructions before and they turned out great, but the store-bought chicken worked out fine in this recipe. I also omitted any extra salt, as the soy sauce contains plenty of salt, and many commenters said that the recipe as written was too salty. I felt that the 1/4 C of peanut butter was a bit too much and added a bit more vinegar and soy to compensate. Next time I would start with 1/8 C of peanut butter and taste before adding more. I also added a package of Chinese noodles and some snow peas, making this a Chinese Chicken Noodle Salad. The salad was delicious and I would definitely make it again. Ina, although a bit of a salt freak, certainly knows her stuff!

CHINESE CHICKEN SALAD
from Barefoot Contessa Parties!

INGREDIENTS

4 split chicken breasts (bone-in, skin-on)
Good olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound asparagus, ends removed, and cut in thirds diagonally
1 red bell pepper, cored and seeded
2 scallions (white and green parts), sliced diagonally
1 T white sesame seeds, toasted

FOR THE DRESSING

1/2 C vegetable oil (I would probably use a bit less next time)
1/4 C good apple cider vinegar
3 T soy sauce
1 1/2 T dark sesame oil
1/2 T honey
1 clove garlic, minced (I grated it using a Microplane)
1/2 T peeled, grated fresh ginger (I also used a Microplane to grate this-and I probably used more than 1/2 t)
1/2 T sesame seeds, toasted
1/4 C smooth peanut butter (I would start with less and taste before adding more)
2 t kosher salt (I omitted)
1/2 t freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350º. Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan and rub the skin with olive oil. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is just cooked. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove the meat from the bones, discard the skin, and shred the chicken in large bite-sized pieces. (Or just go buy a rotisserie chicken and shred.)

Blanch the asparagus in a pot of boiling salted water for 3 to 5 minutes until crisp-tender. Plunge into ice water to stop the cooking. Drain. Cut the peppers into strips about the size of the asparagus pieces. Combine the cut chicken, asparagus, and peppers in a large bowl.

Whisk together all of the ingredients for the dressing and pour over the chicken and vegetables. Add the scallions and sesame seeds and season to taste. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Passover: Fantastically Fabulous Matzoh Toffee

You don't have to be Jewish to love this delicious Passover confection! Simple to make and addicting to eat, it is sure to be a treat that you will make year after year. I make some with nuts and some without to make everyone happy!

MATZOH TOFFEE

4-6 unsalted matzohs
1 C (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 C firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 C coarsely chopped chocolate chips (I use semi-sweet and I don't chop them)
chopped nuts, optional

Preheat the oven to 350º. Line one or two baking sheets completely with foil and then with parchment paper. Place the matzohs on the baking sheet, covering completely. You may have to break some of the matzohs into pieces to fit onto the sheet.

In a saucepan, combine the butter and brown sugar and stir constantly over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil--about 2-3 minutes. Boil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and pour over the matzoh, covering completely. Spread to cover if needed.

Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, checking every couple of minutes to make sure nothing is burning. If mixture or matzoh seem to be burning or browning too fast, remove the pan and lower heat to 325º before replacing pan.

Remove from oven and sprinkle immediately with the (chopped) chocolate chips. Let stand for several minutes, then spread the soft chocolate over the matzoh. If chocolate is not spreadable at this point, turn off the oven and place pan back in oven for a minute or so until chocolate is spreadable. After spreading chocolate, sprinkle on nuts if you are using them. Break into pieces while still warm. Chill in pan or on plate, in freezer until set.

Barefoot Bloggers: Tomato and Goat Cheese Tarts

Today's recipe from "Barefoot Bloggers" is Ina Garten's Tomato and Goat Cheese Tarts. This recipe was chosen by Anne of Anne Strawberry. and is from Ina's Barefoot Contessa at Home cookbook. It looks elegant and is easy and delicious! This would be a great appetizer or first course. Using frozen puff pastry made it really easy--Ina herself even admits that "pastry still makes me anxious" and that when she "discovered frozen puff pastry, it was such a relief." If it's good enough for Ina, it's probably good enough for you and me! Ina also suggests this tart for an elegant lunch.

TOMATO AND GOAT CHEESE TARTS
from Barefoot Contessa at Home

This recipe makes 4 individual tarts

INGREDIENTS

1 package (17.3 ounces/2 sheets) puff pastry, defrosted (just defrost overnight in the refrigerator)
Good olive oil
4 C thinly sliced yellow onions (2 large onions)
3 large garlic cloves, cut into thin slivers
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 T dry white wine
2 t minced fresh thyme leaves
4 T freshly grated Parmesan, plus 2 ounces shaved with a vegetable peeler
4 ounces garlic-and-herb goat cheese (Ina recommends Montrachet)
1 large tomato, cut into 4 (1/4-inch-thick) slices
3 T julienned basil leaves

DIRECTIONS

Unfold a sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and roll it lightly to an 11 by 11-inch square. Using a 6-inch wide saucer or other round object as a guide, cut 2 circles from the sheet of puff pastry, discarding the scraps. Repeat with the second pastry sheet to make 4 circles in all. Place the pastry circles on 2 sheet pans lined with parchment paper and refrigerate until ready to use.

Preheat the oven to 425ºF.

Heat 3 T of olive oil in a large skillet over medium to low heat and add the onions and garlic. Saute for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are limp and there is almost no moisture remaining in the skillet. Add 1/2 t salt, 1/4 t pepper, the wine, and thyme and continue to cook for another 10 minutes, until the onions are lightly browned. Remove from the heat.

Using a sharp paring knife, score a 1/4-inch-wide border around each pastry circle. Prick the pastry inside the score lines with the tines of a fork and sprinkle a tablespoon of grated Parmesan on each round, staying inside the scored border.

Place 1/4 of the onion mixture on each circle, again staying within the scored edge. Crumble 1 ounce of goat cheese on top of the onions. Place a slice of tomato in the center of each tart. Brush the tomato lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with basil, salt, and pepper. Finally, scatter 4 or 5 shards of Parmesan on each tart.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown. The bottom sheet pan may need an extra few minutes in the oven. Serve hot or warm.

Barefoot Bloggers: Chicken Piccata

The latest recipe from "Barefoot Bloggers" features Ina Garten's Chicken Piccata. I am weeks late on the last recipe, Meringues Chantilly, but it is coming soon. The current recipe was chosen by Lindsey of Noodle Nights and Muffin Mornings. This recipe is from Ina's Barefoot Contessa at Home cookbook and it is a keeper! I actually have made this before, following Ina's instructions to the letter. I liked it but found the sauce not "saucey" enough--in other words, there wasn't enough sauce, and a bit too lemony, if that is possible. This time around I added about a 1/2 cup or so of chicken broth at the same time as the wine. I also added some capers at the end or, in the words of Boy #2, "What ARE these things???" I will definitely make this again--it is easy and delicious!

CHICKEN PICCATA
from Barefoot Contessa at Home

(This recipe makes 2 servings. Adjust quantities accordingly for more.)

INGREDIENTS

2 split (1 whole) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 C all-purpose flour
1 extra-large egg (NOTE: Ina always uses extra-large eggs--she feels they are the best value for the money)
1/2 T water
3/4 C seasoned dry bread crumbs
Good olive oil
3 T unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
1/3 C freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons), lemon halves (scrubbed clean) reserved
1/2 C dry white wine
1/2 C chicken broth, optional (NOTE: I added this to the recipe)
sliced lemon, for serving
Chopped fresh parsley leaves, for serving (NOTE: I forgot to get parsley at the store, so mine were parsleyless)
1 T or so capers, optional

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Place each chicken breast between 2 sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap and pound out to 1/4-inch thick. (NOTE: You can also ask your butcher to do this for you at the store). Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.

Mix the flour, 1/2 t salt, and 1/4 t of pepper in a shallow plate. In a second plate, beat the egg and 1/2 T of water together. Place the bread crumbs on a third plate. Dip each chicken breast first in the flour, shake off the excess, and then dip in the egg and bread crumb mixtures. NOTE: This works best if you use one hand only to dip the chicken in all three mixtures.

Heat 1 T olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium to medium-low heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for 2 minutes on each side, until browned. Place them on the sheet pan and allow them to bake for 5 to 10 minutes while you make the sauce.

For the sauce, wipe out the sauté pan with a dry paper towel. Over medium heat, melt 1 T of the butter and then add the lemon juice, wine, the chicken broth if you are using it, the reserved lemon halves, 1/2 t salt, and 1/4 t pepper, and capers if you like. Boil over high heat until reduced in half, about 2 minutes. Off the heat, add the remaining 2 T of butter and swirl to combine. Discard the lemon halves and serve 1 chicken breast on each plate. Spoon on the sauce and serve with a slice of lemon and a sprinkling of fresh parsley.

Barefoot Bloggers: Real Meatballs and Spaghetti

Today's edition of"Barefoot Bloggers" is Ina Garten's Real Meatballs and Spaghetti. This recipe was chosen by Rebecca of Ezra Pound Cake. I guess I have been making fake meatballs all this time but now I have the secret-- straight from the master. Actually, Ina tells us (in her Barefoot Contessa Family Style cookbook) that spaghetti and meatballs was not something her mother made while she was growing up, so she had to do some research about the dish. She tells us that "the best idea came from the famous New York Italian restaurant called Rao's"--where they add water to the meatballs, which keeps them "moist and delicious." I really liked the meatballs--they WERE moist, light, and delicious--but found them a bit salty. I find in general, that Ina has a bit of a heavy hand with the salt. I cut the salt down to about 1 1/3 t kosher salt--yet I still found the meatballs a bit too salty. That also may have been due to the seasoned bread crumbs. I might use only 1 t of salt the next time I make them. Also I think next time I would bake the meatballs rather than fry them in order to cut down on the fat. Ina's sauce was good but not great. It was missing that certain something that makes you want to take a piece of bread and sop up all the extra sauce on your plate. Maybe some fresh basil would be a nice addition. I would definitely make this dish again with a few tweaks. Bon Appetit!!!

FINAL VERDICT:

Meatballs--Great!
Sauce--Needs something.....not sure what.

REAL MEATBALLS AND SPAGHETTI
from Barefoot Contessa Family Style

For the Meatballs:

1/2 pound ground veal
1/2 pound ground pork
1 pound ground beef
1 C fresh white bread crumbs (4 slices, crusts removed) (NOTE: I used 1 C only of seasoned dry bread crumbs and
omitted the fresh ones)
1/4 C seasoned dry bread crumbs
2 T chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 C freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 t kosher salt (NOTE: I used 1 1/3 t and I thought THAT was too much)
1/2 t freshly ground black pepper
1/4 t ground nutmeg
1 extra-large egg, beaten
3/4 C warm water
Vegetable oil
Olive oil

For the Sauce:

1 T good olive oil
1 C chopped yellow onion (1 onion)
1 1/2 t minced garlic
1/2 C good red wine, such as Chianti
1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes, or plum tomatoes in puree, chopped
1 T chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 1/2 T kosher salt (may want to cut down a little)
1/2 t freshly ground black pepper

For Serving:

1 1/2 pounds spaghetti, cooked according to package direction
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Place the ground meats, both bread crumbs, parsley, Parmesan, salt, pepper, nutmeg, egg, and 3/4 C warm water in a bowl. Combine very lightly with a fork. Using your hands, lightly form the mixture into 2-inch meatballs. You will have 14 to 16 meatballs. (NOTE: I used a small ice-cream-type scoop to measure out the meat and then formed them into balls with my hands. I ended up with about 30 meatballs.)

Pour equal amounts of vegetable oil and olive oil into a large (12-inch) skillet to a depth of 1/4 inch. Heat the oil. Very carefully, in batches, place the meatballs in the oil and brown them well on all sides over medium-low heat, turning carefully with a spatula or a fork. This should take about 10 minutes for each batch. Don't crowd the meatballs. Remove the meatballs to a plate covered with paper towels. Discard the oil but don't clean the pan.

For the sauce, heat the olive oil in the same pan. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the wine and cook on high heat, scraping up all the brown bits in the pan, until almost all the liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, parsley, salt, and pepper.

Return the meatballs to the sauce, cover, and simmer on the lowest heat for 25 to 30 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through. Serve hot on cooked spaghetti and pass the grated Parmesan cheese.

Some helpful hints from Ina:

When you cook spaghetti, don't use oil in the water; the sauce will stick better.

When the spaghetti is cooked, drain it in a colander. If you don't use it right away, run hot water over it and it will separate.

I (Ina) use Pepperidge Farm sandwich white bread for fresh bread crumbs.