Homemade Applesauce

One of my favorite things to witness and anticipate is the changing of seasons. The main reason why is because I look forward to the change of produce and cooking styles that come along with the season. The best time to buy produce is when it is in season. It tastes better and is usually more affordable. For me, whenever I think of fall I think of a more rustic and cozier cooking style with ingredients such as pumpkins, squash, wild mushrooms, pears, brussels sprouts- and oh did I mention apples?!

 I went apple picking with my sister (Jackie), brother-in-law (Jeff), sister (Christina) and sister's boyfriend (Bryan).....talk about being a third wheel! We had a lot of fun picking apples at Jaswell's Farm (RI'S oldest apple picking orchard).

Coming home with some pounds of beautiful hand-picked local apples I was inspired to make homemade applesauce. Making applesauce is so easy and much tastier than store-bought. Out of all of the traditional things to make with apples I really think that applesauce is one of the most easiest and rewarding. So if homemade apple pie, crisp or butter intimates you, try my applesauce! I really don't know why more people don't make it.

Can I just mention that it doesn't help to be a ripe 5'3" when picking apples- luckily I had some taller friends to help.


Ingredients:

6-8 apples,  peeled, cored, and quartered (it is best when you use a variety of different apples such as Granny Smith, Macoun, Empire, McIntosh ect...)

1 cup apple cider

3 tbs. apple jack brandy or calvados

zest of 1/2 a small lemon 

2 tbs. butter

1/3-1/2 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

pinch nutmeg

pinch salt

1. Put all of the ingredients together in a medium sized pot. 
2. On medium-high heat cover the pot and let the ingredients boil. One the ingredients boil, lower the temperature and bring it down to a simmer. Cook for about 25-35 minutes or until the apples are tender when pricked with a fork. Taste to adjust seasonings (depending on how sweet your apples are you may need to add more sugar). 
3. Remove from heat and mash with a potato masher. Mash until the apples reach the consistency you desire (I kept mine chunky). 

Happy Eatings!

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Sausage, Fennel and Wild Mushroom Sauté

I admit that if there was a high school yearbook for food, that this dish wouldn't exactly be voted "Most Attractive", but in my opinion it would certainly win most flavorful! 

The combo of pork, red pepper flakes and fresh fennel make this aromatic and slightly familiar; although, the presentation makes it unique. The flavors in this dish are even slightly reminiscent of stuffing on Thanksgiving. The sage, mushrooms and sausage remind me of my favorite stuffing recipe (find the recipe from my blog by clicking here).


Ingredients:

2 pounds good quality spicy Italian sausage meat, out of the casing
2 1/2 pounds assorted wild mushrooms, cut into similar sizes
1 medium onion, minced
1 medium fennel bulb, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbs. parsley, chopped
7 sage leaves, minced
1/4 cup red wine
olive oil as needed
salt
pepper
crushed red pepper flakes

1. Preheat the oven to 400
2. In a large saute pan over medium heat, add olive oil and the sausage meat. Break it up by using a spoon until the pieces are small and ground. Cook until browned and cooked through (about 7-10 minutes). Using a spoon, transfer the sausage to a dish and set aside. 
3. Meanwhile place the mushrooms in a baking dish. Toss evenly with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place the mushrooms in the oven and roast for about 15 minutes or until the mushrooms are golden brown. Stir occasionally if needed. Remove from the oven and set aside. 
4. In the same sauté pan that you formerly cooked the sausage in, add a splash of olive, onion, fennel and garlic. Add the parsley and sage. Season with salt, pepper and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook until cooked through, slightly browned and caramelized (about 7-12 minutes). Add the wine to the pan. Return the mushrooms and sausage to the pan. Let the wine reduce (about 2-4 minutes). 

This would be good served with potatoes or bread. Make this a side or main dish. Even try different variations (for example add a can of tomatoes when you add the wine).

Happy Eatings 

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Simple Tomato Salad

There are so many fabulous pairs in the world (Moules+Frites,  Movies+Popcorn,  Thanksgiving+Turkey, Bananas+Peanut Butter, Bacon+Well just about anything..., Chocolate+Valentine's Day, Michael Symon+Pork, New Orleans+Jazz,  Ben Affleck+Matt Damon ect...). Basil and tomatoes are on of those inseparable combos. Tomatoes are great with most herbs, but they truly sing when they are with basil. 

This side dish is perfect to throw together on a busy summer night.

Ingredients:
1 pint mixed colored cherry tomatoes
1 tbs. olive oil
1/4 cup chiffonade fresh basil
pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
salt
freshly ground black pepper

1. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half (if you want to catch all of the tomato's juices that extrude when you cut them, then cut the tomatoes in the bowl/dish that you are serving them in).
2. Season the tomatoes generously with salt. Let the tomatoes sit with the salt for about 2-5 minutes or until some of the tomato's juices have released. 
3. Add the olive oil and basil to the tomatoes. Season with red pepper flakes, black pepper and salt to taste. Enjoy! 

Happy Eatings! 

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Barley Salad with A Cumin Vinaigrette

I love barley. It is a very versatlie yet underutilized grain in my opinion. You can make barley soup, barley risotto, barley "oatmeal" for breakfast, barley water  ect... This barley salad is a really nice summery dish that will make you feel good about yourself. Barley is high in fiber and can help lower cholesterol. Cumin is a great earthy spice that also has many health benefits such as aiding in digestion and boosting your immune system. Needless to say this is a healthy and bright dish to add to your summer recipe box! Experiment with different vegetables and ingredients such as feta cheese.

 

Ingredients:

For the salad:

3 1/2 cups of cooked pearl barley (about 1 cup of uncooked pearl barley; cook according to the package's directions)

1 15 oz can of garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

1/3 cup of celery, minced

1/3 cup of onion, minced

vinaigrette (recipe below)

Mix all of these ingredients together in a medium sized bowl. Taste and adjust the seasonings. This salad is best when served cold or at room temperature. 

For the vinaigrette:

the zest of one lemon

1/4 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/3-1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil 

3 tbs. fresh parsley, minced 

3/4 tsp. ground cumin 

cayenne pepper (to taste)

sea salt 

freshly cracked black pepper 

Whisk all of the ingredients together. Taste to adjust the seasonings. I like acidic dressings but feel free to add more oil.

Happy Eatings!

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Zucchini Stew

One of the zucchini plants in my garden. I see a couple of flowers peeking through!

Some of the many parsley and basil plants in my garden. I use these two herbs in the zucchini stew!

Ingredients:
olive oil as needed
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
3 celery stalks, chopped
red pepper flakes (add as much as you like)
3 zucchinis, sliced into half moons (do this by cutting each zucchini down the middle length wise and then start slicing the halves width wise into half moon shapes)
1 large handful of torn fresh basil (add a lot!)
2 tbs. chopped fresh parsley
salt
black pepper
1 28 oz can of diced tomatoes
1 cup of white wine
2 cups of water or chicken stock (as needed)
grated parmesan cheese for serving (optional)

1. Heat up enough olive oil to coat a large saucepan. On medium heat, add the onions and a big pinch of salt. Let the onions sweat for about 3-5 minutes or until they become translucent. Stir occasionally. 
2. Add the celery and garlic to the onions. Season with the red pepper flakes. Let the vegetables cook for about 2-3 minutes. 
3. Add the zucchini to the pan. Season everything with salt and pepper. Stir the vegetables. Let it cook for about 1 minute. 
4. Add the tomatoes, white wine and the water (add as much water as needed you want the liquids to almost cover the zucchini). 
5. Add the basil and stir. Bring the stew up to a boil and then drop it down to a simmer. Let it cook for about 20-30 minutes or until the veggies are tender. 
6. Add parsley, more fresh basil, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasonings. 
7. Serve and top the stew with grated parmesan cheese and torn basil . Enjoy! 

This zucchini stew would make a perfect vegetarian meal served with crusty french bread and a crisp salad; however, you can also put this stew over pasta to make it heartier. This also makes a great soup or side dish.

Happy Eatings! 

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Simple Roasted Carrots

Is that a rainbow?? Nope, it's only carrots! Only carrots? Carrots are a great source of vitamin A and antioxidants so unleash the power of beautiful skin while eating something simply delicious.

This is a really great simple side dish that would go great with any main course (particularly a nice roasted meat or a hearty pasta). Carrots are a refrigerator essential. They have a good shelf life and are relatively inexpensive. Sometimes carrots get a bad rap for not being the most flavorful vegetable, but I simply adore them. When you roast carrots, they take on a very sweet, caramelized flavor. I roasted different colored carrots for this dish. This is the perfect side dish because although the carrots would be great served hot, you can also enjoy them at room temperature or cold. So lets get cooking!

Ingredients:

1 bunch of purple carrots
5 medium sized orange carrots
3 tbs. olive oil
2 whole garlic cloves, still in the  peel
sea salt
freshly cracked black pepper
crushed red flakes
1/2-1 tbs. balsamic glaze
1/2 tbs. roughly chopped fresh parsley

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. 
2. Wash, trim and peel all of the carrots. Cut the carrots into similar sized matchsticks. Do this by cutting the carrots in half width wise and then half length wise (or so forth).
3. Toss the carrots in a roasting pan with the olive oil, garlic cloves, salt, black pepper and red pepper. Make sure that the carrots are spread out in one layer. 
4. Place the pan with the carrots in the oven.  Roast for about 8-15 minutes or until the carrots are tender yet brown and caramelized. Take the pan out of the oven.
5. Top the carrots with the parsley, balsamic glaze and salt and pepper to taste. Put into a serving dish and enjoy!

Happy Eatings!

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Pancetta Sweet Pea Fritters with a Crème Fraîche-Pecorino Dipping Sauce

The princess and the pea fritter?

 Ingredients:

For the Fritters-
5-7 cups of duck fat (and/or oil for frying)
Olive oil for sautéing
2 tbs. pancetta, cut into small pieces
1 medium onion, finely minced
pinch of red chili flakes

3/4 cup all purpose flour 

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

pinch of paprika
3 eggs, beaten
1 lb. of fresh shelled+blanched peas or thawed frozen peas
1 tsp. finely chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
sea salt
freshly cracked black pepper
Crème fraîche-Pecorino Dipping Sauce (recipe below)

1. In a saute pan on medium heat, add enough olive oil to coat the pan and add the pancetta. Let the pancetta render and cook. Then take it out of a pan and place it on a paper-towel lined plate, set aside. 
2. Add the onions to the same pan that you cooked the pancetta in (add more olive oil if needed). Add a healthy pinch of sea salt and red pepper flakes. Let the onions sweat and cook until soften and translucent. Then take the pan off the heat and let the onions cool. 
3. Next mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and paprika in a big bowl. Stir until combined. Next add the peas and then the eggs. Stir to combine. Then add the onions, pancetta, parsley, salt and black pepper. Set aside for now.
4. In a medium sized pot for frying add the duck fat and/or oil. Heat until the the oil thermometer reaches about 360 degrees F. 
5. In a seperate mixing bowl, add the cream and whisk until soft peaks form. Gently fold this into the fritter batter. 
6. Drop the fritter batter into the oil (about 1 heaping tablespoon in size) and fry for about 3 minutes or until a nice golden brown (only fry a few fritters at a time so that you don't crowd the pan) Using a slotted spoon transfer the fritters onto a plate-lined with paper towels and sprinkle with sea salt. Continue until all of the fritters are fried. Serve while hot with the dipping sauce (Recipe below). Enjoy!

For the Dipping Sauce-
1/2 cup crème fraîche (you can also use sour cream)
1/2 cup finely grated pecorino romano cheese
sea salt to taste
freshly cracked black pepper
lemon zest (optional)

Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl until incorporated. Serve with the fritters.

Happy Eatings!

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Beet Greens and Kale Salad

I made this salad during a snow storm. I was feeling adventurous and wanted to use up what we had in the house. This salad utilizes winter greens. Most salads you eat you have to be dressed right before eating or else the lettuce will be soggy; however, the greens in this salad are hearty and the more they sit in the dressing, the more flavorful they become. I even ate some of the dressed greens the next day and they were still crisp!

Ingredients:

2 bunches of beet greens, stems removed and sliced thinly 

5 kale leaves, center ribs and stems removed, sliced thinly 

1/3 cup thinly chopped radicchio

2 tbs. rasins

3 tbs. pine nuts

2 tbs.  roughly chopped hazelnuts

1/3 cup pecorino romano cheese shavings

quarter of an onion sliced

1 tbs. extra virgin olive oil

5 tbs. white vinegar

1 tbs. honey

2 tsp. chopped parsley 

sea salt

pepper

5 tbs. hot water

Directions:

1. Place the raisins in a small bowl and pour the hot water over them. Let it soak while you prepare the rest of the salad. 
2. Whisk together the honey, vinegar, olive oil, parsley, salt and pepper in a large dish. 
3. Add the beet greens, kale leaves, radicchio, onion, pine nuts and hazelnuts. Toss everything to combine. Let the salad sit for at least 5-10 minutes.
4. Drain the raisins and add them to the salad along with the pecorino romano cheese shavings. 

Happy Eatings! 

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Bistro Style Fries with a Homemade Beet Aioli

 Having a craving for fries I decided to make my own. Naturally, needing something scrumptious to dip the crispy fries in I figured what could be better than a homemade aioli? I decided to put my own twist on an aioli and put pureed beets in it. Here is my recipe for double fried bistro fries with a homemade beet aioli. May I add that the beet aioli is perfect to make on February 14th!! The purple-pink color of the aioli serves as a lovely, festive, savory Valentine's Day side dish.

Recipe Introduction:
When you double fry french fries you get a crispy exterior and creamy interior. The first "fry" is essentially blanching the fries in the fat/oil mixture at a lower heat. You are not looking for any color; instead, you want the fries to be pale and tender. Then you allow the fries to cool. Crank the heat of the duck fat and canola oil up higher and fry the fries for a couple of minutes until crispy brown and golden! Season right away with salt.

Who needs an hour at the gym when you can make a homemade aioli? By the time you slowly emumusify the olive oil into the egg yolk, lemon juice and garlic paste, your arm muscles will have a complete workout from constantly whisking! If you have made homemade aioli or mayonnaise before you will know what I mean, but if you haven't you should definitely try, you will do great! What could be a more perfect time to ace an aioli then during a snowstorm? So be safe, get off the roads and cook!


Fries:

4 cups of duck fat
6 cups of canola oil
3 russet potatoes cut into 1/4-inch sticks
Sea salt to taste

1. Heat up the duck fat and canola oil until the oil thermometer reaches 300 degrees. Run the cut potatoes under cold water. This removes excess starch and makes fries even crunchier! Make sure that you dry the potatoes before adding them to the hot oil.
2. In small batches, add the potatoes to the fat and blanch for about 4-6 minutes or until the fries are pale and tender. You can occasionally turn the fries with a slotted spoon. Place your fries on a plate lined with paper towel and set aside to cool to room temperature. You can even place them in the refrigerator for about an hour. Take the fat and oil off the heat.
3. Return oil to heat and make sure your thermometer reaches about 360 degrees. In small batches add the room-temperature fries to the oil and cook, turning occasionally until they are crisp and golden brown. This will take about 2-3 minutes. Transfer the fries to a plate lined with paper towels. Season immediately with sea salt. Serve hot in a dish with the beet aioli (recipe below) and enjoy!

Homemade Beet Aioli:

3 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 egg yolk, at room temperature
1 clove of garlic, minced and smashed into a paste
1 cup of extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
Beet puree (recipe below)

*You can create this aioli by constantly whisking, on and off the double boiler; however, feel free to make this without using a double boiler. Here is how I made it.

1. Add lemon juice, egg yolk and garlic to a bowl and beat until combined. 
2. While whisking vigorously, drizzle a few drops of oil into the bowl with the egg mixture. Whisking CONSTANTLY drizzle in the oil little by little. You are essentially seeking to emulsify and thicken so be patient until all of the oil is slowly incorporated. The aioli should be smooth, thick and a pale yellow complexion. 
3. Season with salt. In batches, fold the beet puree into the aioli. Refrigerate the aioli.

Beet Puree:

1-2 bunches of small to medium beets, wash and trim off both ends
Drizzle of olive oil
1-2 tsp. chopped parsley (optional)
Salt
Black pepper
Water as needed

1. Preheat the oven to 375.  
2. Place the beets on a long piece of tin foil. Drizzle some olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Create a steam packet by folding up all of the sides, pinching them together and sealing them off. The beets should be inside the foil packet and all of the sides should be tightly sealed so that the beets steam. 
3. Roast for about 45-60 minutes or until the beets are tender when pierced by a fork. 
4. Remove the beets from the oven, and allow to cool. 
5. Place ziploc bags on your hands and rub off the beet skin into the paper towels.
6.  Cut your beets and place them into a food processor with salt, pepper, parsley and as much water as needed (add water little by little). Puree until smooth. Set aside and make the aioli.

Homemade Beet Aioli 

Happy Eatings!

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Escarole Salad with Bleu Cheese and Apples

This salad is very unique and exciting. Escarole is one of my favorite greens. It is so diverse, extremely healthy and great in salads! Try out this festive side dish for a holiday dinner party or even a weeknight meal. I guarantee your guests will be so impressed that they will start using escarole in their salads more often!

Recipe-

For the salad-
1 head escarole washed, dried and cut into salad sized pieces
1 apple cut in thin slices
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup crumbled bleu cheese

 For the dressing-
1 shallot minced
1 tsp. dijion mustard
1 tsp. creme fraiche or sour cream
2 tbs. apple cider vinegar
2-3 tbs. olive oil**
1 tbs. freshly chopped parsley
pinch of salt
pinch of freshly ground black pepper

Whisk together your dressing and set aside. In another bowl combine all of the salad ingredients. Pour the dressing evenly over the salad, toss and add more olive oil if needed. Enjoy right away so that the apples don't turn brown and the salad won't get soggy!

 **Here is a great tip. In the winter my hair gets very dry so I put about 1-2 tbs. of olive oil in my hair and massage it in. I let it stay in my hair for at least 10 minutes and then shower afterwards. Olive oil leaves hair shiny, healthy and beautiful whether you eat it or apply it!

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Truffled Polenta

Truffles. No I do not mean those beautiful chocolate bundles; instead, I am talking about the luscious, gorgeous, expansive, rare, highly praised fungus! Truffle polenta. No not chocolate polenta....which could in fact be interesting (I may have to try it out!). The main types of truffles are white or black. The white truffle is mainly from Northern Italy. More specifically Piedmont, Alba, Asti, and Tuscany. The black truffle is more common then the white. It can be found in more places. Primarily France. More specifically Périgord, Drôme and Gard (just to name a few).
A couple more facts:

• To make truffles more available to all some places now have imitation truffle products.
• There are different types of truffles for different seasons. 
• Originally pigs hunted for truffles; however, they ended up eating them, so now primarily specially trained, highly praised and sought after dogs hunt them! 

*To say goodbye to winter and hello to spring, I made this truffled polenta for lunch. This makes the perfect side dish, or even a vegetarian meal with a big salad.


*I realize that truffles are very rare; therefore, whatever you can get your hands on as far as truffles go will work. So, whether you have truffle cheese, fresh truffles, truffle paste, truffle butter, truffle oil, truffle salt, or truffle cream it will work! You can also do this recipe without the truffles too. As always be creative!

Directions:

For the mushrooms-
Roast mushrooms with salt, pepper and olive oil for about 15 mins. or until browned at 400 degrees F.

**For the polenta-
In a pot on the stove, bring about 6 cups of salted water to a steady boil. Whisk in a package of polenta slowly for about 3 mins. Take the pot off the heat. Add in about half a stick of butter.  Add freshly cracked black pepper, salt and whatever your truffle/s ingredients are. Add the roasted mushrooms with whatever liquid it let out. Add fresh chopped parsley.  Mix in a generous amount of freshly grated pecorino romano cheese or your truffle cheese. Serve with a little extra cheese on top for good measure and enjoy!

**Know that polenta firms up more as time goes by. If you wish to have it very sloppy then serve it right away and add a little more hot water towards the end. If you have left overs or as time goes on, it will harden. You can grill or even fry the firmer polenta! 

Happy Eatings

Have a truffled life

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