Martha, Martha, Martha!

I'm always in the market (literally and figuratively) for a mind-blowing taco recipe.  And after discovering this bad boy from Martha Stewart (you go girl!), I took myself out indefinitely.  

Pair this meal with an ice cold beer and thank me later.  

Bean and Fish Tacos

Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:

1 Vidalia onion, thinly sliced into rings

2 limes, 1 juiced and 1 cut into wedges

Coarse salt

1/3 cup finely chopped scallions (about 6)

3 tablespoons finely chopped jalapeno chiles (about 2)

3/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, plus sprigs for serving

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

3/4 pound meaty fish fillets, such as mahimahi (I used halibut)

2 cups cooked beans, plus 1/4 cup cooking liquid (I used canned cannellini beans)

8 to 12 corn tortillas, toasted briefly over an open flame and wrapped in a cloth, for serving

4 ounces cotija or ricotta salata cheese, crumbled (3/4 cup), for serving (I used cojita)

4 radishes, thinly sliced, for serving (I didn't use radishes)

1 head romaine lettuce, trimmed and shredded (2 cups), for serving

Directions:

1) Preheat broiler with rack 8 inches from heat source. Toss onion with lime juice and a pinch of salt. Let stand at least 10 minutes and up to 1 hour.

2) Meanwhile, mix scallions, jalapenos, chopped cilantro, a pinch of salt, and 2 tablespoons oil. Transfer 1/2 cup to a small bowl (set remaining mixture aside), and stir in remaining 2 teaspoons oil. Rub all over fish.

3) Reheat beans and their liquid. When hot, stir in 3 tablespoons reserved scallion-cilantro mixture. Remove from heat; cover.

4) Broil fish, flipping when scallions and cilantro begin to brown, about 6 minutes. Continue to cook until opaque throughout, about 4 minutes more.

5) Serve beans and fish with tortillas, remaining scallion-cilantro mixture, lime wedges, onions, cheese, radishes, and lettuce.

PC and recipe: MarthaStewart.com

Forrest Gump

They say the key to a man's heart is through his stomach.  And since I know it holds true for my husband, I thought it would be only fitting to celebrate my best guy friend's birthday by making him a special home-cooked meal. I included all of his favorites-a hearty Fall soup (pumpkin), lots of good bread (butter Parmesan toasts), something shockingly unfancy but tasty: sundried tomato and feta meatloaf, carbs: Greek potatoes, and his all-time favorite dessert from Joe's Stone Crab (his home away from home): Peanut Butter Pie.  I could go on and on about Peanut Butter Pie just like Bubba and his shrimp but I know we don't have all day so I'll leave you with these two words: Make it.

Ingredients:

Hot Fudge Sauce:
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 tsp table salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 oz semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

Peanut Butter Pie
8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, plus 2 tbsp divided
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter, at room temperature
1 cup heavy whipping cream, plus whipped cream, for garnish, optional
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 oz shaved milk chocolate
chopped peanuts, optional

Other:
1 9" baked chocolate or graham cracker pie crust
Optional: 1/2 cup chopped peanuts

Directions:
Sauce:  Add the cream, brown sugar, corn syrup, cocoa powder, salt, and vanilla extract to a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the chopped chocolate. Stir continuously until the chocolate is melted and the sauce has thickened, roughly 3 to 4 minutes. Let the sauce cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Pie: In a large bowl combine the cream cheese, 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar and the peanut butter until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream until thick and light. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar and vanilla extract. Continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Carefully fold the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture. Pour the batter into the pie shell, sprinkle with the shaved milk chocolate (and chopped peanuts if desired) and freeze for 4 hours.  When ready to serve, drizzle each piece with the hot fudge sauce.

PC: FoodNetwork.com, Recipe courtesy of the Neely's

There's No Place like Home

After a recent night out at RPM, one of Chicago's hottest Italian eateries, I had to recreate their eggplant parm at home since I haven't been able to get it out of my head.  Lucky for me, my Mother-in-Law has a recipe in her arsenal that will knock your socks off and even though it's a lot of work (frying tens of eggplant slices and making fresh sauce) the payoff is worth every second of your precious time.  Best of all, you'll now have a foolproof recipe that tastes authentic and is better than a night out on the town. (Sorry RPM).

  I pair it with my favorite spicy caesar salad, a nice bottle of cab, and my most forgiving sweatpants.

Eggplant Parmesan with Crispy Breadcrumb Topping:

Ingredients:

3 tbsp EVOO, plus 2 cups for frying

1 onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, very finely chopped

Two 28-ounce cans whole, peeled Italian tomatoes, drained

Kosher salt/freshly ground pepper

8 small eggplants (1/2 lb each) cut lengthwise 1/2" thick

3 tbsp coarsely chopped basil

1 lb lightly salted fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced and torn into small pieces

1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

3 tbsp dry bread crumbs

1. In a large skillet, heat the 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook over moderate heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Using your hands, crush the whole tomatoes into the skillet. Bring to a simmer and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is very thick, about 25 minutes. Transfer the tomato sauce to a food processor and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Meanwhile, in a very large skillet, heat 1/4 inch of olive oil. Season the eggplant slices with salt and pepper. Working in several batches, cook the eggplant over moderately high heat, turning once, until golden on both sides, about 8 minutes per batch; add more olive oil to the skillet between batches. Drain the eggplant slices on paper towels.
3. Preheat the oven to 400°. Spread 1 cup of the tomato sauce in a 9-by-13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish. Arrange one-third of the fried eggplant slices in the baking dish and sprinkle all over with 1 tablespoon of the chopped basil. Top with one-third of the torn mozzarella and sprinkle with 1/3 cup of the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Repeat this layering twice. Sprinkle the bread crumbs all over the top of the eggplant Parmesan. Bake in the upper third of the oven for about 45 minutes, until the top of the eggplant Parmesan is golden and the tomato sauce is bubbling. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Spicy Caesar Salad

Ingredients:

1/2 baguette, sliced 1/3" thick

1/4 cup EVOO, plus more for brushing

1/2 cup mayonnaise

4 oil-packed anchovy fillets, drained and chopped

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

1 tsp dijon mustard

freshly ground pepper

6 slices lean bacon (3 oz)

1 1/2 lbs romaine lettuce, torn into large bite-size pieces

1 long red chile, seeded and thinly sliced crosswise

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Spread the baguette slices on a baking sheet and lightly brush both sides with olive oil.  Bake for about 5 minutes, or until golden brown.  Let the toasts cool, then break into large pieces.

2) Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine the mayo, anchovies, lemon juice, garlic, and mustard and blend until smooth.  With the processor on, slowly pour in the 1/4 cup olive oil.  Season the dressing with pepper.

3) In a large skillet, cook the bacon over moderate heat until browned and crisp, about 3 minutes per side.  Drain and slice crosswise 1" thick.

4) In a large bowl, toss the romaine with the sliced chile, croutons, and the bacon.  Add the dressing and toss.  Sprinkle with Parmesan over the salad, toss again and serve right away.

Make ahead: The dressing can be refrigerated overnight.

PC: Foodandwine.com  

Comfort Cups

Meatloaf Cups

Mac N' Cheese Cups:

Since my discovery of kid's food cups, I've been on a mission to see how many possible meals I can create in a muffin pan.  My last two experiments, Meatloaf and Mac n' Cheese Cups, were as delicious as they were successful with my twins, and the best part of all is that I have a freezer-full of leftovers for rainy days in our near future.

Taste of Home's Meatloaf Cups:

Servings: 10 meatloaf cups

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup ketchup

1/2 cup crushed cornflakes

4 tbsp dried minced onion

1 tsp prepared mustard

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

2 lbs lean ground beef (90% lean)

-additional ketchup for dipping

In  a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients.  Crumble beef over mixture and mix well.  Press into 12 foil-lined or greased muffin cups.  Bake at 350 for 25 minutes until an internal thermometer reaches 160 degrees.  Serve with ketchup.

Giada's Mac N' Cheese Cups:

Servings: 6-8 servings

Vegetable cooking spray

2 cups dried bread crumbs, divided

1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

8 oz ground turkey or chicken, preferably dark meat

1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning

8 oz small pasta (such as pennette, shells or elbows)

2 cups grated Parmesan

1 1/2 cups grated white cheddar

1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

2 cups chopped broccoli, blanched* see note

1 lb asparagus, cut into 3/4" pieces, blanched* see note

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Spray 2 (12-cup) muffin or cupcake pans with vegetable cooking spray.  Using 1 cup of the bread crumbs, coat the inside of each muffin cup with crumbs, shaking off any excess. 

In a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add the ground turkey or chicken, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper.  Cook, stirring frequently, until cooked through, about 5-8 minutes.  Set aside and cover to keep warm.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.  Add the pasta and cooked until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8-10 minutes.  Drain and add to a large bowl.  Stir in the cooked turkey and the cheeses.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.  Spoon the prepared pasta mixture into the cupcake molds, filling evenly to about 2/3 full.  Arrange a few pieces of tomato, broccoli, and asparagus into each cup.  Top with a thin layer of remaining bread crumbs and drizzle with olive oil. 

Bake until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes.  Let cool for a few minutes and carefully unmold with a spoon on a serving platter. 

*Cook's note: To blanch vegetables, bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil over high heat.  Add the veggies and cook for 1-2 minutes until very crisp.  Using a small strainer, remove veggies and immediately plunge into a bowl of iced water. Drain and use.

PC: Tasteofhome.com and foodnetwork.com

Dirt Cups

My girlfriend Allyson claims she isn't the crafty type, yet she'll show up to playgroup with adorable dirt cups for the kids or host a girl's dinner with the most creative centerpieces you've ever seen (think chalkboard mugs lining the table filled with gorgeous flowers and rolling pin place cards). 

Her latest craft-dirt cups-was a huge hit with our playgroup and I thought I'd pass it along since it's perfect for Halloween. And let's be honest, it's adult-friendly too.

Kraft Dirt Cups:
Serves: 10

Ingredients:
1 pkg JELL-O (3.9 oz) Chocolate instant pudding
2 cups cold milk
1 tub (8 oz) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed
15 Oreo Cookies, crushed
10 worm, chewy fruit snacks

Beat the pudding mix and milk in large bowl with whisk for 2 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes. Stir in COOL WHIP and 1/2 cup cookie crumbs.  Spoon into 10 (6- to 7-oz.) paper or plastic cups; top with remaining cookie crumbs.

Refrigerate for 1 hour. Top with fruit snacks just before serving.

Thanks Allyson!

PC: Kraftrecipes.com

Playdate 5.0

Any parent can attest that when 3 PM hits, there is still a lot of day to be had. Since some afternoons tend to drag, I love to spice them up with a "make your own pizza" party for my kids.  I invite over their friends, buy pre-made dough, sauce, and cheese from Whole Foods, and let the kids stretch, roll, poke, and play with the dough.  Afterwards I usually throw theirs out (toddlers tend to throw it on the floor more than anything), and make a large pizza for their dinner. (If they actually don't throw it on the floor then bake it using my simple directions below).

Scared to make homemade pizza? Don't bother-it's easy peasy. Just buy pre-made dough from Whole Foods or your local pizzeria and follow my simple directions:

1) Throw your pizza stone into your oven and turn the temperature to 500 degrees.  Try to let it heat up for 30 minutes if possible.

2) Give each child a small ball of dough to play with.  Show them how to roll it, poke it, stretch it, and smush it. 

3) While they're playing, roll out your own large pizza on a floured surface (try to make the pizza around 12"-14").  Throw it on the pizza stone (and stretch it out so it stays large).  Poke it all over with a fork so it won't puff up in the oven.

4) Bake it for 3 minutes. 

5) Remove it from the oven and add pizza sauce and cheese (and any additional ingredients).

6) Bake for an additional 9 minutes (pizza should be golden brown and cheese will be bubbly).

7) Remove from the oven, slice and serve. 

I always have fresh fruit on hand as well as chicken fingers for picky eaters. 

PC: Tonyastaab.com

Cheeseburger in Paradise

After months of serving my twins deconstructed burgers nightly (browned turkey, beef, or chicken mixed with ketchup, shredded cheese, and avocado), I discovered Cheeseburger Cups and they've changed my life in terms of clean up.  My kids gobble them down like a Thanksgiving turkey and I feel satisfied knowing that they're reaping the nutritional benefits of eating meat.  

*Feel free to substitute ground turkey or chicken.  And go for the fattier cuts (like the thigh). Your kids need the fat for brain development.

Cheeseburger Cups:

Ingredients: 1 lb ground beef (I use grass-fed 85% lean, when possible)
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp prepared mustard
1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tube (12 oz) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1/2 cup shredded american cheese

In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain.  Stir in the ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce.  Remove from the heat; set aside.

Press each biscuit onto the bottom and up the sides of a greased muffin cup.  Spoon beef mixture into cups; top with shredded cheese.  Bake at 400 for 14-16 minutes or until brown.  Yield: 5 servings

PC and recipe: Taste of Home