Corn & Black Bean Salad

Ring in Spring with this colorful, refreshing salad!  What makes this one different from other black bean salads is the addition of Cassava, AKA Yuca root.  The bite that it adds to this salad really brings it all together.  Cassava is highly underrated and probably the most overlooked root vegetable.  I'm trying to change that by using it every opportunity I get.  It's even sold at your local Safeway (at least it is at mine).  Sometimes, I simply steam the root, dice it and serve it seasoned with cumin, cayenne, salt/pepper, lemon, and olive oil.  It is addictive!  Of course, you can also fry it to make yuca fries which you may have tried at the Peruvian chicken joints.  If you do fry it, be sure to steam/cook it first, and then fry.  It is not like potatoes which can be fried from raw.  Experiment and make a mashed yuca for your next "meat/potatoes" meal, or a yuca hash topped with a runny egg.  Lots of possibilities  Potatoes, please step aside!

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Avocado Salad

This is probably my last post for a little while.  The doctors decided that my little one is making her debut next week.  The 9 months have treated me wonderfully and I can only hope to be as lucky for D-day!

I wanted to leave you with something easy, summery, colorful, refreshing, and cool to the tongue..much needed with the extreme summer heat this year!  I served this alongside barbecue jerk chicken and it complimented the spicy dish beautifully.  This is yet another recipe that's entirely customizable to your tastes.  I swapped out parsley for cilantro.  You can also swap out lemon for lime.  Use chickpeas or fava beans instead of black beans.  Throw in some ripe, chopped mango for even more vibrant color and a touch of sweet.  Just make it yours!

I'll try not to be gone too long. Hopefully, my peanut gives me the luxury to continue my cooking/baking passion in due time.  The bumbo seat will sure come in handy on my kitchen counter :)  And soon enough, if she's willing, I'll have my very own sous chef, as I was for my mom :)

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"Pearl Pasta" with Mushrooms

I've only had "pearl pasta" at DC's Central restaurant. They make a creamy mushroom pearl pasta "risotto" that's just divine. But, what I loved most about the dish is the tiny little pearls. It looked so unique, elegant, and had a wonderful bite...very different from any other pasta I've ever had. Ever since then, I've been keeping an eye out for this cute pasta, with no luck. Recently, I came across a box of "Israeli Couscous" at Trader Joes that appeared to look very similar. I was thrilled to discover that it's exactly what I was looking for! It definitely tastes more like a pasta than couscous, but call it whatever you want. Neil calls it "addictive", and I think that's the best description. Israeli couscous will be yet another staple in my home.
I didn't make Central's version of it because I wanted something more summery and light. So, I made it with cremini/shitake mushrooms, lemon, dill, thyme, and chives. It's delicious, refreshing, and light. And unlike "risotto", it doesn't need to be served right away. This tastes fantastic at room temperature, so I suggest you take this dish to a friend's bbq this summer. That's what I made it for. Oh, and this also fits my "need for ease" right now :) I'm going to try the "risotto" version of it soon.

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Balsamic Onion Salad

I've never been a salad person, but to balance out my increased consumption of pepperoni pizza, I've been trying to incorporate it into my diet for my little peanut. This is not at all easy for me given that my idea of a salad has always been potato or macaroni salad :) So, obviously not any salad will do. Luckily the traditional salad that I usually dodge can be easily reinvented into exotic goodness.
The word "salad" doesn't do this yummy dish justice. Loaded with balsamic onions, figs, nuts, and cheese, not only is it healthy, but it's absolutely delicious. Customize this to your own liking by switching out different types of nuts, cheese, fruit, etc. Adding some roasted chicken or even sliced steak makes this into a fabulous meal as well. I'm still not a "salad person", but I've come a long way :)

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Focaccia

Anytime we have Italian food at home which is quite often, I always make homemade focaccia. I love making my own breads, and this one is my favorite one. It's so worth the effort and far better than any store bought focaccia. It's pretty much identical to making pizza dough, consisting of the basics: high gluten flour, yeast, water, olive oil, and salt. The main difference is that it's baked in a super thick layer, and you make multiple dimples/indentations in the dough to create "rustic" look. Don't spend time trying to make it look pretty...the messier it looks, the better! Also, it usually doesn't have all the toppings a pizza would. In it's simplest form, a brush of olive oil along with a sprinkle of herbs and kosher salt is all you need. But, add away as you wish. You don't have to worry about over-topping this since it's thick enough to sustain any toppings. Pictured, I have one with tomatoes, basil, parmesan, and another with balsamic caramelized onions, parmesan, and gruyere. If Neil would give goat cheese a chance, I'd make one with roasted cherry tomatoes, goat cheese, and basil. Oh well....

I'm 26 weeks now and counting. Still no major cravings, although swedish fish have been appearing on my kitchen counter lately :)

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Butternut Squash & Chickpea Salad

I'm a little late posting this week, but wanted to make sure I got this one out before Thanksgiving. The last couple of years we've been trying to make more eclectic Thanksgiving items. The typical mashed potatoes and green bean casserole can be a bore. I came across this seasonal butternut squash/chickpeas salad on the smitten kitchen blog archives. I tested it out on friends last weekend, and it's definitely a winner. Neil is asking me to make this for him on weeknights now. It's so easy to make, and would be a great addition to Thanksgiving as a precursor to the meal or a side. What makes this so good is the tahini dresing. I would put that dressing on any salad. I hope everyone has a happy and safe Thanksgiving. Eat well!!!

Btw, my oven is finally working! Although, I was secretly hoping for new appliances, I suppose I can wait.

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Barbeque Chicken with Grilled Pineapple

My August wedding tour is over and I'm back :) It's been a crazy, fun and festive month. We had two huge family weddings...one for Neil's sister and the other, my cousin. The weddings were beautiful, and it was great to be able to spend quality time with both sides of the family. We had so much fun celebrating, I barely realized that summer is winding down, and it's hitting me now. I'm NOWHERE near ready to let it go yet! We still have a few more weeks of warm weather, I hope. I'll shed my first tear the day I'm forced to squeeze into a pair of jeans...ugh. Until then, I'm staying calm. Also, to make the transition somewhat easier, we booked a trip to Puerto Vallarta in October! That might work to my detriment...we'll see :)

I plan to spend the warm days we have left, grilling. This recipe I came across online is a delicious dish that I love to make this time of year. It's a simple chicken breast, rubbed with an interesting spice mixture, served along side a refreshing pineapple salsa. I really like the spice rub on the chicken and the pineapple salsa offsets it perfectly. It's also served with a unique pumpkin polenta, which gives a teaser of the change of season ahead. Hey, at least I have food to look forward to in the Fall...

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Szechwan Eggplant

I thought that I had Pittsburgh sports in hibernation until football season, but I was oh so wrong. I totally forgot about hockey, and had to spend this last Friday night watching the Stanley Cup finals. The Penguins made it all the way to game 7, ended up winning the cup, and made Neil a happy camper. We watched the game at the Poorhouse , which is the Pittsburgh bar of DC. I had no idea that one existed, but it was a mad house, and very entertaining. There were multiple lifesize, homemade replicas of the Stanley Cup. Pitt fans are on the verge of insanity, and they are proud of it. Anyways, I decided that I'm a fan of Sidney Crosby, and Neil was so ecstatic about my preference that he agreed to "let" me have him in my top 5. Crosby definitely keeps hockey interesting :) I got through football and hockey, and Pitt is majorly sucking at baseball, so I think I'm in the clear for a short while. None of this has anything to do with the eggplant recipe, but I just felt like venting.

If you like eggplant, you have to try this recipe. It's made with Asian eggplant which takes on incredible flavors when seared and caramelized. My mom is vegetarian, so every time we go out for Asian food, she orders the eggplant stir fry. All of us carnivores mooch off her plate. This recipe comes pretty close to what she orders, and it only takes about 10 minutes to make. It makes a delicious addition to an Asian themed meal. I don't know about you, but when I eat Asian food, I like to have variety. I made this with pad thai and red curry. Try it!

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Chipotle Mac & Cheese

Macaroni & cheese has always been a huge weakness of mine. I was reading the dcfoodies blog one day, and folks were posting their favorite mac & cheese recipes. Until now, I swore by my recipe consisting of a blend of brie, gruyere, fontina, and parmesan. But, I came across this one and had to try it…chipotle peppers, cheese, and pasta w/ garlic bread crumbs. I made this for Neil to take to one of his Vtech tailgates, and also for our beer can chicken night . It was devoured! Adjust the cheeses, spice level, and fat (cream vs. milk) to your own liking. I like a blend of pepper jack and sharp white cheddar. I also like to make the bread topping using panko bread crumbs versus regular. The difference in crunch factor is huge. Whatever you do, you can’t go wrong with this one.
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Summer Bread Salad "Panzanella"

Panzanella, simply defined, is a salad consisting of toasted bread tossed with vegetables and vinaigrette. Several variations of this salad exist. It’s often a first course for Tuscans, and most popular during the summer months. This concoction only tastes better as it sits, as the flavors marry and absorb into the bread. It’s the perfect side to enjoy at a picnic or barbeque, which is what I’ve made it for. The vibrant colors, crunch, and refreshing tang on your palette instantly signal that summer is right around the corner! So, I thought this would be an ideal time to post this recipe. I hope you make it to kick off your summer!

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