Melon Madness (With A Hint of Crazy)

I've been doing a lot of fundraising lately. And failing miserably at it, but still chugging along and doing it. I need to have at least a thousand dollars by August 12. So I've kind of thrown shame and caution to the wind and am currently in the process of emailing every professor at MIT. I started with the professors I actually took classes with, one of whom emailed me back saying "Good luck with your run!" but then didn't donate anything. Now I don't mind if you don't donate. I understand. I'm not going to hold it against you or dislike you in any way because of it. I just think it's strange to go out of your way to acknowledge the fact that I am doing this and then not contribute at all when you could have just as easily not responded. Oh well.

For those of you who DO want to donate, the link is: http://pages.teamintraining.org/nyc/nikesf09/jbruno. I know that we are in pretty hard economic times right now and so I hate asking for money, but it really is an AMAZING cause. As someone who is doing cancer research, I know how far this money can go. And think about it this way - a donation of only $20 will give someone up to five hospital visits.

Okay, I'm shaking off the seriousness now.

Putting on my happy face.

And daydreaming about pasta.

You see. The theme for this month's Monthly Mingle is Marvelous Melons. Easy you say. Fruit salad. Dessert. Salsa. Bruschetta. Light. Easy. Fresh.

I say, okay yeah but what about OUTSIDE the box. Now I've heard lots of stories about how amazing cantaloupe and prosciutto are together. They are a classic Italian appetizer combination. And so I thought I would take that fact, chew it up a bit, and then spit it back out as something completely different. Hence this Pasta with Cantaloupe, Bacon, and Feta Cheese was born. You may be doubtful but it was some kind of awesome. The saltiness of the feta and bacon contrasted so nicely with the sweetness of the cantaloupe. And pasta is just a good medium for any and everything.

I am submitting this both to Meeta's Monthly Mingle which is being hosted this month by Hilary of Chew On That, as well as to Presto Pasta Nights which is being hosted by Amy of Very Culinary.
Melon Madness Pasta with Bacon and Feta
Serves 4

1 lb pasta
3/4 of a medium cantaloupe, diced into small pieces
1/4 lb feta cheese
1/4 lb turkey bacon, diced into small pieces
1/2 cup basil, chiffonaded
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 shallot
salt and pepper to taste

1. Set up the water for the pasta. When it boils, add the pasta and then drain when it reaches desired consistency.

2. Heat the olive oil in a non-stick pan. Saute the shallot, some salt, red pepper flakes, and bacon over medium heat until the bacon is crisp.

3. When the pasta is done, mix it with the bacon mixture, cantaloupe, and feta. Season with salt and pepper.
Tonight is a blogger meet-up with Sophia from Burp and Slurp! If you are going to be in the NYC area, come meet us at Green Pea on 5th between 38th and 39th.

Banana Muffins with A Streusel Surprise

I have to be honest about something. I am very picky about my bananas. I like them green. Or that yellow that is still tinged with green. Basically as unripe as possible while still being edible. If there's even a hint of brown, I want nothing to do with them. There's just something about that tart sweetness that appeals to me so much more than the soft, mushy dull sweetness that the majority of people really seem to like. What this means, of course, is that after one day of sitting on my counter, bananas are absolutely useless to me.

So why, then, did I buy 4 bananas from a guy who was selling them on the street, knowing that I would only deem them inedible within 24 hours? It had something to do with the fact that they were 4 for $1.00 but 35 cents each if I bought less than four. And then there was also my subconscious. Which told me that if I bought 4, I would have 3 that I could let ripen. And what are ripe bananas good for if not muffins and bread and all sorts of delicacies?

So I borrowed this muffin recipe from Annie's Eats. It was originally supposed to be a banana crumb muffins - i.e. a banana muffin with a crumb topping. My crumbs didn't quite solidify, however, and thus mine because banana muffins with a streusel topping. Not such a bad thing because the warm streusel kind of sunk into the muffins, allowing you to get surprising bites of cinnamon brown sugar every once in a while. Completely delicious and definitely worth trying.
Banana Streusel Muffins
Serves 12, adapted from Annie's Eats

1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 bananas, mashed
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce (or butter)
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp flour
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp butter

1. Preheat oven to 375. Line a muffin tin with paper liners or grease it. I find that greasing it never really works the way it should. Stick with the muffin liners.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat together the white sugar, egg, applesauce, bananas, and cinnamon. Mix the wet into the dry, stirring until just incorporated. Distribute among the muffin liners.

3. In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Cut in 1 tbsp butter until the mixture resembles cornmeal (this never happened for me - I think my butter just melted too fast). Distribute among the tops of the muffins.

4. Bake for 18-20 minutes (mine took 20 minutes) or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Firecracker Salmon and Soy-Glazed Baby Bok Choy

Yesterday was my 11 mile run that turned into an 11.5 mile run because no loop in Central Park is actually as long as it claims to be. It was actually pretty enjoyable since I ran with three awesome people - Cindy, Elkin, and Mike - and we kept each other motivated the entire time. My favorite part was when Elkin (I hope I'm spelling his name right!) tried the chocolate Gu gel for the first time and was ecstatic about how delicious it was. One of the few chocolate treats that you can't feel guilty about eating, he rubbed it in our faces that he was eating it the entire way! I tried the Clif Gel instead of the Gu Gel since it has more natural ingredients and I figured that it would be nicer to my stomach. It didn't taste as good but I didn't feel intensely bloated for the rest of the day like I normally do with the Gu, so I think it's going to be my energy gel of choice.

Anyway, after the run I felt great, no soreness or achiness. And then I woke up this morning and every muscle in my body hurt. I think some serious stretching is in order. I have a date with my yoga mat. That reminds me, so the coach of TNT - Ramon - just finished a 100 mile run last weekend in Vermont. He is possibly the most awe-inspiring/INSANE person I know. Basically you do this run and you have a pit crew that you pre-select who stop at specific sites along the trail and cook for you/change your clothes. It took him 17 hours to do this, with only 4 stops. So I'm thinking he basically broke it up into marathons, stopping after each one along the way. I can only imagine how sore HE was the next day. How do you even recover from that??

After running so much, some seriously good food was in order. Thankfully, wild Alaskan sockeye salmon was on SALE at Whole Foods this week. I figured this was pretty much a once-in-a-lifetime experience and I totally jumped on the deal. Salmon is my absolute favorite fish. It has a flavor all its own that I think people tend to either love or hate. I grilled it on my George Foreman, first marinating it in a balsamic/soy/brown sugar glaze, the recipe for which I got from the Whole Foods website. It definitely infused a nice spicy, gingery flavor into the salmon. To go with it, I made some bok choy and some Harvest Couscous Medley from Trader Joe's, using the leftover marinade as a glaze. Bok choy is a really delicious member of the cabbage family that is chock full of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and calcium. It has a sweet-ish flavor to it and goes really well with most Asian flavors. I am submitting this dish to Weekend Herb Blogging, which is being hosted by Haalo of Cook (Almost) Anything.


Firecracker Salmon and Soy-Glazed Baby Bok Choy
Serves 4, adapted from Whole Foods Website and Veggie Venture

1 lb salmon
1/4 cup peanut oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 scallions, chopped
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp grated ginger
1 1/2 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 clove garlic, chopped
pinch of salt
1 lb baby bok choy, halved lengthwise
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 cup harvest couscous (or some other grain)

1. Mix together the ingredients from the peanut oil through the pinch of salt. Marinate the salmon in this for 4-6 hours.

2. Start to cook the grain of your choice (i.e. start the water boiling and simmering).

3. In a large non-stick pan heat the sesame oil. Place the bok choy cut side down on the hot oil. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until brown on one side. Flip over and cook for about 1 more minute. Remove to a platter.

4. Heat up the George Foreman and grill the salmon for about 4 minutes. Pour the marinade into the skillet you were just using and simmer over low heat until slightly thickened. Return the bok choy to the skillet so that it gets infused with a little bit of the glaze flavor. Pour the glaze over the couscous, top with the bok choy, and serve with the salmon.

Tyler's Barbecued Chicken - An Ultimate Meal For My 100th Post

So yes, in case you weren't clued in by the title, this is in fact my 100th post! It's crazy to me to think I've made 100 different recipes since January. That's a LOT of food! On the phone last night my mom asked me if I was still "doing my blog". To which I responded YES YES YES. I am so happy that I created this...I have "met" so many great people, have challenged myself in the kitchen, and have exposed myself to new cooking techniques/ideas that I may not have encountered otherwise. So thanks all of you for your many supportive comments...they are all much appreciated.

Also thanks to Kim of Stirring the Pot for providing me with this lovely award!
Kim is one of the sweetest bloggers around and there is always something delicious to be found on her blog, so make sure you check it out!

I would like to pass this on to:

Sophia of Burp and Slurp, a girl in her twenties who has overcome so much in such a short time! She is a very strong person who is always optimistic and has a definite gift for creating delicious food.

Cate of Sweetnicks whose delicious food and adorable pictures of her two kids always keep me coming back for more!

Ashlee of A Year In The Kitchen who creates some of the most amazing food I've ever seen...and most of it is healthy to boot!

Juliette of A Little Foodie who, like me, is/was (now that I graduated) cooking her way through college. I always love reading about the things she's been up to.

I knew I couldn't go through summer without making some good old barbecued chicken. But wait Joanne, you say, you live on the 12th floor of an apartment building in the middle of Manhattan. The word "barbecue" is not even within your realm of possibility.

Okay so I took a few liberties with the terminology...some creative license, if you will. By "barbecued" I really mean covered in barbecue sauce and baked. Are you happy now? It's just a mere technicality, really, so lets move on.

Tyler set the bar high when he decided to name this the ULTIMATE barbecued chicken. Thankfully, he was so right. Personally, I believe the brining is the key because the chicken became infused with this sweet/salty almost buttery chickeny flavor. It tasted more like chicken than any chicken I've eaten in a while. And the barbecue sauce? Good stuff. I altered it a little by using tomato puree instead of ketchup because the smell of ketchup makes me gag. And it was still delicious. In addition to flavoring the chicken, it can also be used as a vehicle for eating roasted broccoli and potatoes. Or for dipping your fingers in and then licking off, one by one. Not that I did that. Much. I also used a whole chicken, cut up, instead of leg and thigh quarters, although the dark meat definitely absorbed the flavor more than the light meat so lesson learned. Dark meat is just so good, and anyone who tells you otherwise is lying.

Tyler's Ultimate Barbecued Chicken
Serves 4, adapted from the Food Network website

1 chicken, cut up (about 4 lb)
2 quarts water
1 tsp thyme or 2 sprigs
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp salt
2 cloves garlic, halved
1 slice bacon
1 bunch thyme
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic
2 cups tomato puree
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp dry mustard
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika

1. For the brine, combine the water, salt, sugar, thyme, and garlic halves and put in a large ziploc bag with the chicken. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. I left it for the day. About 6-8 hours.

2. Preheat the oven to 375. If you are going to bake your chicken, then put it in a roasting pan and put in the oven as soon as it heats up.

3. Start making the sauce. Wrap the bacon around the thyme and tie it with kitchen twine. Heat the oil over medium heat. Add the thyme and cook slowly, 3-4 minutes, to render the bacon fat. Add the onion and garlic and cook slowly for 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, give the sauce a stir, and simmer for 20 minutes. Once the sauce is done cooking, remove from the heat and brush some of it onto the chicken that has now been in the oven for at least 20 minutes. Cook the chicken for another 15 minutes and then brush again. After 5-10 minutes, check the chicken for doneness. Serve with the extra sauce.

I am submitting this to Tyler Florence Fridays.


As for that salad you see on the side. I did my shopping at Whole Foods this weekend. I don't know if you've been in Whole Foods recently, but they have all these signs pointing to all this food that was produced locally. I got some local cherries - by far the best cherries I've ever tasted. And some tomatoes. And some corn. Oh the corn. As I was cutting the kernels off the corn to use in this salad, I could smell their sweetness. And so I proceeded to eat the little pieces that I couldn't cut off the cob. Raw. And even raw, they were delicious. That, my friends, is the hallmark of good, fresh corn.

WARNING. If you are Pam, don't read any further. Because this salad also had okra in it. Not local, but still good. Okra is strange because it produces this sticky, gelatinous liquid as it cooks. Making it good in stews and soups because it becomes a self-thickener. I personally don't mind this substance in the salad but I know some of us have an aversion to it. Those people can substitute eggplant because I hear that they taste pretty similar.

Warm Tomato, Corn, and Okra Salad
Serves 2, adapted from A Veggie Venture

2 ears corn, husked
2 tbsp basil
1 lb tomatoes, seeded and sliced into wedges
1/2 lb okra, cut into small disks
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

1. Toss tomatoes, okra, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Place on a bakign sheet and then broil on high for 5-10 minutes or until okra is brown.

2. Cut the corn from the cob. Add to the baking sheet and broil for another 5-10 minutes. Stir in basil and serve immediately.

I am submitting this to Deb's Souper Sunday over at Kahakai Kitchen.

Pasta with Lentils and Artichokes

Even with this whole 8 years of school/selling your soul and first born child to the institute thing, entering into an MD/PhD program has its perks. For example, how often do you get to say things like, "Yesterday, I had lunch with a Nobel Prize winner"? You see, in addition to working in the lab this summer, all of the first and second year MD/PhDs have lunch seminars with faculty two times a week where the 26 of us sit around and pick the brains of various researchers, all over free food. Yesterday it was Paul Nurse, who won the Nobel Prize for his discovery of the genes that regulate the cell cycle (i.e. they tell cells when to divide, a process that goes awry in most cancers). And to be honest, he is one of the most down-to-earth guys I have ever met. Even more so than some of the more arrogant professors I've met who will never even come close to winning a Nobel Prize. I think all of us kind-of fell in love with him a little. Or maybe I'm just projecting.

One of the downsides of entering into an MD/PhD program: having to get pricked three times in one day - I feel like a heroin addict! Apparently I had to have serum titers taken to make sure I am actually immune to the things I have been vaccinated for, get a Tetanus/Pertussis booster (and those things HURT for days afterward), as well as a tuberculosis test. That would be my second tuberculosis test in two months. Because those things are so much fun that one is just not enough. The woman somehow managed to bruise me with the Tb test, which I have never experienced before. I have no black and blue from where she drew blood but I most certainly have one from the subcutaneous injection. I don't have Tb, though. In case anyone thought otherwise.

So last night I had my usual TNT practice. We did a Fartlek training practice which is basically an exercise in interval training that will ostensibly make us faster in the end. We did about 6.6 miles in total. The first 1.7 was warm-up, the next was supposed to be anaerobic meaning that we run at about 85%, then we recover for a half mile, do another mile at 85%, recover again, and finish the loop at lightening speed. Or what feels like lightening speed after running over 4.5 miles. Keep in mind we did all of this in the rain. So when I got home, wet and muddy, I was really glad to be able to pop this leftover pasta into the microwave and have a warm and delicious dinner within minutes.

I first saw this pasta on the blog A Year In The Kitchen, which has a ridiculous amount of good food. Ashlee is amazing, you should check it out. The recipe is originally from a Moosewood cookbook and is filled with tons of flavor. The red lentils that are called for kind of become this mush that kind of gives the pasta the impression that its covered in ricotta. The only thing I changed was that I accidentally bought a can of tomatoes with green chiles instead of regular fire roasted tomatoes and so I left out the extra red pepper flakes since it was so spicy. A mistake I would definitely make again. It was also a good reminder as to why I love feta so much. Sometimes I forget. And then I taste it again.
Pasta with Lentils and Artichokes
Serves 4, adapted from Moosewood Low-Fat Favorites by way of A Year In The Kitchen

1 lb whole wheat penne
1/2 cup dry red lentils
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 cups water
2 diced yellow onions
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp coriander
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

1. Combine the water, lentils, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and then simmer, covered for 15-20 minutes or until done.

2. Boil water for pasta, add salt, and then cook pasta.

3. Heat a large saucepan. Add some olive oil then saute the onions until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, and coriander and stir to mix. Add the lemon juice, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and crushed red pepper and simmer for 10 minutes.

4. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then mix with pasta and lentils. Serve sprinkled with feta cheese.

I am submitting this to Presto Pasta Nights, which is being hosted by the lovely Pam of Sidewalk Shoes.

Flounder Oreganata and Pesto Potatoes with Zucchini

I used to think I didn't like parsley. And that was good because then I felt that my dad and I could bond over disliking at least one herb. We could sit together in restaurants and form a united front against all dishes with parsley in the description. Start a union or something that required that parsley be banned from all culinary institutions. But then I made this flounder and realized those days are over. I am a born-again parsley eater.

Flounder Oreganata
Serves 2, adapted from Sweetnicks

8 oz flounder fillets (I used the leftover frozen ones from last week)
1 tbsp olive oil
3/8 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup parsley
1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1 clove garlic
1 pinch each of salt and oregano

1. Preheat the oven to 450. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Place the fish fillets on the baking sheet. Combine the olive oil, bread crumbs, parsley, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and oregano in a small bowl. Press the bread crumb mixture onto the tops of the fillets. Bake for 10 minutes.
As for the potatoes. I had some pesto frozen in an ice cube tray in the fridge made from fresh and aromatic Farmer's Market basil and walnuts (minus the parmesan cheese because it apparently doesn't freeze well). I also had a zucchini that was on its last legs. And some red onion. So I thought I would roast the zucchini and red onion to get a nice caramelized taste, boil the potatoes, and toss it all with a cube of the pesto. And thus you have a 30 minute meal, Joanne-style.

Pesto Potatoes with Zucchini
Serves 2

3/4 lb red potatoes
1 ice cube's worth of homemade pesto
1 zucchini, diced
1 red onion, sliced
2 tbsp lemon juice

1. Set up water to boil the potatoes, quarter the potatoes and place in the water. Bring the water to a boil and then cook the potatoes for about 10 minutes more or until fork-tender. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450. Cut the zucchini and onion and arrange on a baking sheet. Spray with cooking spray, sprinkle with salt, and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the onion is caramelized. When the potatoes are done, mix with lemon juice and roasted veggies. Microwave the pesto until soft and mix into the salad. Season with salt and pepper.

Chocolate Mousse Pie

It's on mornings like these, when I get to sleep in until 8:30 (gotta love those internal clocks) that I'm happy that I sucked it up and did my long run yesterday in the 77+ degree heat rather than have to wake up at 6AM to do it this morning. TNT's practice was canceled today because of a race in Central Park that we had the option of signing up for (but it cost money and was only 4 miles so I didn't). This also meant that I got to stay up late last night! My roomies and I had a "roomie night" where we made sushi together, talked for a few hours, and just got to know each other a little better. The night ended with a game of Scrabble and some red wine that half of the MD/PhD class showed up for. Yes we are nerds who play scrabble on Friday nights. Deal with it.

Earlier this week we went to this jazz club called Dizzy's which is in the Time Warner building and is affiliated with Lincoln Center. It was the first time I had ever been to a jazz club and I really liked the atmosphere of just sitting, relaxing and listening to music, quietly chatting with the person next to you, and sipping a beer. I should have gotten ice cream instead of the beer though. It definitely would have made me happier. But I realized that only after tasting some of Anu's banana parfait so I had to make do with my Stella.

So I guess you've noticed this but somewhere along the line, I gave up my hardline approach to healthy cooking and starting baking. Sure, I make the traditional substitutions of swapping out half the butter for applesauce or using reduced fat cream cheese, but a year ago you would not have caught me within ten feet of a cupcake pan. Oh how times have changed. But I think that I have finally reached the point of everything in moderation, not accompanied by a side of guilt.

And thus we have this chocolate mousse pie that I made for my father's birthday - the first recipe for which I made absolutely no healthy substitutions. And it was awesome. Worth every bite. He had two slices. I had one plus my brother's oreo crust. If you don't make this within the next few days, you will be sad. So get to the kitchen!
Chocolate Mousse Pie
Serves 12, adapted from Bon Appetit's Fast/Easy/Fresh

21 chocolate sandwich cookies (I used the Trader Joe's version - all natural, pronounceable ingredients!)
1/4 cup butter
12 oz semisweet chocolate (I used chocolate chips)
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt
3 cups heavy cream, divided
1/4 cup sugar

For the crust: Preheat the oven to 350. Butter a 9-inch (I think I used a 10-inch) springform pan. Finely grind the cookies in a food processor. Add butter and process until evenly moistened. Press crumb mixture onto bottom to form a crust. Bake for 5 minutes. Let cool.

For the mousse: Combine chocolate, vanilla and salt in food processor. Bring 1 cup cream to a boil. With processor running, gradually pour hot cream through feed tube and process until chocolate is melted and smooth. Transfer to a large bowl. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.

Beat 2 cups cream and sugar in a large bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold into the chocolate mixture. Pour into prepared crust. Chill about 6 hours.

I can't wait to try this with other flavor variations - dark chocolate, butterscotch, white chocolate, cinnamon, peanut butter.

Presto Pasta #122 Round-Up!

Before I get to the main event, I have a request. As many of you know, I am running the Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco in October with Team In Training, an organization that raises money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. As such I have to raise $3900 by that date. To even be allowed to stay on the team, however, I have to make it to recommitment which means that I have to raise $975 by the middle of August. I have finally set up my donation page and would be so honored if some of my readers would aid me in my efforts to run the race as well as to contribute to the fight against blood cancers. As someone who wants to do cancer research for a living, I can tell you how important the funding from societies like the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society is for discovering new cancer therapies. Some important things you should know about the society are that it is one of the longest-standing charities devoted to cancer research and has been around since 1949; 75 cents of every dollar raised will go to research and or patient care/counseling until I reach my goal of $3900 at which point every dollar raised beyond that will go to these causes; and your donation is tax deductible. So please please please donate. Every little bit helps, and even a donation as small as $20 will go a long way in helping me meet my goal.

Okay now for what you've all beein waiting for!

Anyone who knows me knows that I'm a macaroni fiend. If I go a week without pasta, I begin to have withdrawal symptoms. I start shaking uncontrollably and foaming at the mouth. Everyone I encounter starts to look like a noodle - really tall guys on the street appear to me as linguine while the short and squat individuals out there become calamarata. My head becomes filled with images of what my friends would taste like covered in marinara sauce. It's a dangerous situation and homeland security should probably take major precautions to make sure it never happens.

I think what I love most about pasta is how versatile it is. There are a countless number of toppings, flavors, and sauces that you can put in it and it really seems like no matter what you do with it, it still tastes good. The dishes in today's round-up are truly a testament to that, so let's jump right in and see what you guys cooked up this week!
First up, we have Daphne of More Than Words who is sharing a Red Curry Seafood Pasta that she whipped up for dinner a while back. Here she mixes her seafood marinara sauce with some red curry paste to make a dish that can only be described as a lovely fusion between Italian and Thai cuisines!
The lovely Kristin of Sogkonnite Living brings us this Rotelle with Roasted Zucchini and Italian Sausage. She is currently doing a grocery challenge this much in an attempt to use up the items in her pantry before she buys any new goods (a very admirable goal in my book). This dish cost her next to nothing due to the generosity of her neighbors and parents! And it was tasty to boot.
Happy belated birthday to The Food Hunter! In addition to a fabulous chocolate cake, she celebrated with this dish of lamb chops, ragu, and gnocchi. Her husband even made the gnocchi himself! I need to find me a man like that.
The Sweet Kitchen joins us with a variation on pesto genovese (the green stuff that we all know and love) called pesto trapanese. This pesto contains almonds instead of pine nuts, giving it a grittier texture, which is then balanced by the creamy addition of tomatoes. The Sweet Kitchen warns, however, that its intoxicating scent will have you dreaming of summer no matter when you make it.
Natashya of Living In the Kitchen with Puppies is a first-time PPN-er and I'm certainly glad she chose this week to join in the fun, mainly because I can already foresee that her Baked Pasta with Roasted Vegetables is going to be a favorite in my kitchen. Graziana of Erbe In Cucina always knows the right herbs and spices to use to make my mouth water. This week she includes wild fennel seeds in her dish to make this Sardines Bucatini Pasta - a traditional Sicilian recipe.
Gay of A Scientist in the Kitchen returns after a blogging hiatus with a delicious noodle and vegetable stir-fry. Thank goodness she did because this everything-but-the-kitchen-sink type meal is just what my pantry is begging for!
The lovely Reeni of Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice jazzed up one of her mom's tried-and-true recipes with this Chickpea and Orzo Salad. With the good fats from the almonds and the lean protein from the tuna, this dish looks both healthy AND delicious!
Bergamot of Cooking Escapades took advantage of her husband's weekend trip to try out some new and adventurous dishes. The end result was this Campanelle in A Creamy Beetroot Sauce. I must admit, I've never seen pasta that appealed to me visually as much as that gorgeous pink hue does.
Deb of Kahakai Kitchen, one of my favorite bloggers around, joins us with a largely local dish of Peppered Ahi Tuba on Soba Noodles with Creamy Avocado Sauce. Oh to live in Hawaii (aka paradise) where tropical fruits like avocado appear in your CSA box...
Heather of girlichef is a PPN first-timer but you wouldn't know it from the mouth-watering lasagna roll-ups she has created. Heather loves lasagna for all of its variety and versatility and these roll-ups allow it to be the perfect weeknight meal.
Marye of Baking Delights includes Farfalle with Basil and Romano in a fresh summery dinner that she serves to her husband and eight children! This just goes to show you that sometimes the best dishes are those with simple and vibrant flavors.
Kevin of Closet Cooking, one of the most prolific and adventurous foodies out there, puts together this dish of Italian Sausage, Zucchini and Garlic Scape Pasta using items that he picked up at the Farmer's Market. It's dishes like these that make me remember why summer veggies are so great.
Kitchenetta of Got No Milk, never one to turn down the challenge of turning a creamy classic into a dairy-free dish, shares her version of Pasta with Vodka Sauce. This is one of my favorites as well, and I will certainly be trying her homemade version soon.
Sara of Imafoodblog had a hankering for Fresh Linguine with White Clam Sauce this week and so she turned to her adaptation of a (gasp!) Rachael Ray recipe. Although I am a self-professed Rachael fan, I know that not everyone shares my opinion, and so I put even more stock in this recipe knowing that Sara falls into the latter category. Plus she used homemade pasta, which earns her quite a few "awesome" points in my book.
Ruth, the ingenious creator of Presto Pasta Nights over at Once Upon A Feast FINALLY gets to eat pasta again now that she has entered Phase II of the South Beach Diet. She celebrated by making this Multigrain Mediterranean Linguine with Shrimps.

And finally, before I forget, there is my dish of Fusilli with Eggplant, Pine Nuts, Capers and Raisins. I made this as part of my seemingly endless attempt to cook through the hefty tome that is Bon Appetit Fast/Easy/Fresh. I loved the variety of textures and flavors in this and I must say that it tasted better the next day after the sweetness of the raisins had a chance to infuse into everything else.

And with this, I conclude my first attempt at hosting a blog event! It was a ton of fun and is something that i will definitely do again. Thank you all for your submissions and for reading through all of these fabulous dishes. Be sure to participate next week when the lovely Pam of Sidewalk Shoes will be hosting. Email your entries to morefromscraps@comcast.net and be sure to cc Ruth along the way.

Have a great weekend everyone and try to donate to my cause if you can!

The Best Fruit Salad Ever

I have to tell you a story. But first I need to clarify a few things otherwise the story just doesn't make that much sense.

(a) Gym guy. We went out on a few dates, he helped me move. He was a really nice, good guy. But not the right really nice, good guy for me. My words, not his.

(b) Remember way back when I went to Cornell for Re-Visit weekend and I was talking about this guy and you were all suspicious about whether or not there was anything going on with us? Okay let's be realistic, you probably don't remember. Anyway, when I met this guy initially I was pretty sure that we were soulmates. It was just the kind of thing where I met him and was like, okay this is it. Not that I'm rushing anything.

So yesterday he comes up to me and says, "Are you dating anyone?"

No.

Then he asks, "Were you dating someone?"

"In my life, yes, I have dated people."

"Did you ever date someone named J---- B------?"

I stop. In my tracks. He is referring to my high school boyfriend who I dated for four years, whom my parents loved and wanted me to marry, and who I am still on really good terms with even though there is no romantic spark there at all. It just feels like kind of a waste to me to not be friends with someone who you spent four years of your life with and who probably still knows you better than most people.

"Yeah, in high school, why?"

He pauses, inhales, "I'm related to him."

How crazy is THAT? Apparently J's grandfather had been talking about the fact that I'm going to an MD/PhD program at some family gathering that J was not attending and soulmate boy put two and two together (via some intense facebook stalking).

My mom was very happy to hear this by the way. I believe her exact words were, "Well at least now there's a chance you'll still marry into that family."

::Sigh:: Life can be ridiculous.

As stated in the title of this post, this is the BEST FRUIT SALAD EVER. Be warned, it's very addictive. I adapted it from a Cooking Light recipe that initially called for kiwis instead of peaches. But I am allergic to kiwis, so they were definitely a no go. This was also my first experience with white balsamic vinegar. Which is addictive as well. But oh, so delicious.

Strawberry-Peach Salad with Basil
Serves 2, adapted from Cooking Light

1/4 cup half and half
2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar (I bought this at Trader Joe's)
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 peaches
1 pint strawberries
2 tbsp basil, chopped

Combine the first four ingredients. Slice the peaches and quarter the strawberries. Toss well. Cover and chill for 1 hour. Stir in the basil just before serving.

I am submitting this to Souper Sundays, which was created and hosted by the lovely Deb of Kahakai Kitchen.

Fusilli with Eggplant, Pine Nuts, Capers, and Raisins

Welcome from lab! The only place on this campus where I am guaranteed to get internet. I kid you not, my internet in my room has still not been connected. We are on the case though. My roommate and I went by the ITS office this morning in an attempt to stage a mutiny. We even got the head of the MD/PhD program involved so hopefully it will be taken care of soon. In the meantime, I am currently waiting for my samples to be centrifuged so that I can extract the RNA from them. Sounds like fun, huh?

Speaking of fun, I had a pretty good weekend. After my ten mile run on Saturday, one of my new friends and I hit up Trader Joe's. It was PACKED. There is only one in all of Manhattan, although there are apparently rumors that a new one may be built on the upper east side. Seeing as how I will be here for the next eight years, I am strongly in favor of that idea! On Saturday night, a few of us headed out to Punk Fair which is a bar a bit south of Houston Street. The drinks were somewhat rationally priced and the noise level was manageable (I feel so old complaining about the noise but it's more that I like actually being able to hold a conversation with the person sitting next to me). After some drinks, we headed to a club called One In One and danced the night away until 3:30AM. I discovered that one of the girlfriend of one of my new classmates is starting culinary school this year and even used to intern for Rachael Ray. How awesome is that! I can't wait to talk food with her more.

On Sunday I went home to see my parents. And to do laundry. I still haven't really decided which took precedent over the other. My mom keeps complaining about being overweight (she weighs only about fifteen pounds more than me so I'm not quite sure what she's talking about), I think because she has a wedding to attend on Friday and isn't that happy with the way her dress fits. It's also bathing suit season which really never makes anyone feel that great about themselves. Apparently she did one of those exercise videos on Exercise On Demand and so she said to me, "I think I did something wrong. My whole body is sore." To which I responded, "Actually, I think that means that you did something right." She wasn't too happy about that answer. All in all, it was a pretty nice visit. As it turns out, spending about five hours with my parents is quite optimal!

When I first got the Bon Appetit Fast/Easy/Fresh cookbook and was paging through it, this recipe caught my eye. Mainly because of the word "eggplant" in the title. I love eggplant and only recently discovered that there are so many people who are allergic to it! Apparently it makes their tongues feel fuzzy. Kiwi has that effect on me. Weird. Anyway, I made the recipe basically as is, although I scaled down the pine nuts and capers as well as switched out the currants for raisins. I couldn't find dried currants in the store and from what I could tell they aren't that dissimilar from raisins. The saltiness of the capers was balanced really well by the sweetness of the raisins. The dish contained so many different flavors that each bite seemed like I was tasting the dish for the first time. Definitely a keeper recipe.
Fusilli with Eggplant, Pine Nuts, Capers, and Raisins
Serves 4, adapted from Bon Appetit Fast/Easy/Fresh

1 lb whole wheat fusilli
1 28-oz can diced tomatoes
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 lb eggplant
1/2 cup raisins/currants
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup capers
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1/2 cup basil
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

1. Slice eggplants into 1/4-inch thick slices. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. Let sit for 20 minutes. Flip over and sprinkle with salt again. Let sit for 20 minutes. Rinse eggplant and pat dry. Cut into cubes and set aside.

2. Start to boil the water for the pasta. Heat olive oil in a large, heavy skillet. Saute the onion until lightly brown, about 4 minutes. Add in the garlic and saute until fragrant. Add the eggplant and saute until tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the pine nuts, raisins, and capers. Saute 1 minute. Add in the tomatoes and cook until heated through. Season to taste.

3. Cook the pasta when the water boils. Mix pasta, eggplant mixture, parmesan cheese, and basil. Serve.

I am submitting this to Presto Pasta Nights, which is being hosted by ME! Remember to send me your entries before Thursday evening at jhbruno87@gmail.com.

Announcing Presto Pasta Nights!

This week I will be the host of Presto Pasta Nights! This is an awesome weekly event created by Ruth over at Once Upon A Feast to celebrate our love of everyone's favorite carb. The rules can be found here. Basically, send in your pasta dishes to me at jhbruno87@gmail.com and cc-ing Ruth (ruth@4everykitchen.com) before Thursday at midnight. Be sure to tell me the link to your dish as well as to send in a picture! I can't wait to see what you guys are cooking up.

A Mexican Fiesta - Seared Flounder with Zucchini and Toasty Garlic Mojo

I finally got some sleep last night. I forced myself to go to bed early because I knew I had to get up at 6AM for my long run with TNT at 7. I really like doing the runs because each time I go, I meet a new person and inevitably end up having some good conversation. As a result, the ten miles just flew by!

I had my first full day in lab yesterday and worked from 10-5. I haven't been in a lab for a year now and so when I first got in, I kind of stared at the pipettes and eppendorf tubes for a while, trying to remember exactly what it was I was supposed to do with them. After about twenty minutes they started to look less like alien torture devices and more like remnants from my past. Not that the two are mutually exclusive.

I was very excited when I saw that the theme for this month's Monthly Mingle hosted by Jenny of All Things Edible was a Mexican Fiesta. I mean, who doesn't LOVE Mexican food. I kind of wanted to avoid the usual taco/enchilada/tostada/etc. dishes, though, just because I can make those any old day. So I decided to turn to Rick Bayless's Mexican Everyday. I took it out from my local library and bookmarked almost every recipe in it. Moral of the story: I am a glutton. So basically, I did what any sane person would do. I closed my eyes and opened up the book to a random page, vowing to make whatever recipe appeared before my eyes. Lo and behold, it was his Seared Snapper with Zucchini and Toasty Garlic Mojo. Snapper was really expensive, though, so I went with flounder. It was amazing. Like really good. He has you pan-roast the garlic until it is creamy and heavenly and then he has you make a sauce out of it and then you eat it and love it. It was a fiesta in my mouth.
Seared Flounder with Zucchini and Toasty Garlic Mojo
Serves 2, adapted from Mexican Everyday

1/2 lb flounder fillets
2 1/2 tbsp olive oil
8 cloves garlic, peeled and halved (okay so I halved the recipe but kept the garlic the same. There is no such thing as too much garlic.)
1/3 cup broth
1 large zucchini
1/2 cup cilantro

1. Turn on the oven to it's lowest setting. Warm the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the garlic and cook until soft and lightly browned on all sides, around 4 minutes. Scoop the garlic into a food processor, leaving as much oil behind as possible.

2. Add the broth to the blender along with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Blend until smooth.

3. Return the skillet to medium-high heat. Season the fish with salt and pepper. Lay the fish in the pan. When it is brown underneath, flip it over with a spatula. Cook it until the fish gives slightly under pressure, about 2 minutes. Transfer it to an oven-proof pan and put in the oven to keep warm.

4. Add the zucchini (diced) to the skillet and saute until just beginning to soften and slightly browned, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic mixture and cilantro. Stir in the sauce until it comes to a boil and is homogeneous. Taste and season.

5. Put a fish fillet into each plate and pour the zucchini and sauce around it.

TFF - Tyler's Chicken Enchiladas and Spanish Rice

First, a comment. I think every bar in NYC should be equipped with a Scrabble board. I went to this place called Fat Cat last night and they had chess boards, Scrabble boards, shuffleboards, ping pong, pool, etc. set up, as well as live music. As an avid crossword puzzle-doer, I can tell you that I have never had a better time at a bar. Ever. Usually the music is too loud for you to talk and the place is too crowded and so you're sitting next to your friends, nodding and smiling, because you can't hear them anyway. But this. This was good.

Second, a corollary. I have gone out every night since Friday and am definitely paying for it in terms of sleep. I start my first day of lab today and so perhaps tonight will actually be a restful one. If I start to sputter or speak in completely illogical sentences, let me know.
Third, I made these chicken enchiladas for the family before I left for school. I am sorry they are not photogenic. I am also sorry that they are not really enchiladas. I got lazy and made them into a casserole. My dad loved them, extolling their virtues to my brother, who was doubtful. I thought they could have been a little spicier and more seasoned but that's probably because I toned down the spices and seasoning for my aforementioned father. It's also probably because I could douse all my food in red pepper flakes and still beg for more. I made these with a recipe that I found for Spanish Rice on Simply Recipes, which was a definite hit for the family.
Tyler's Chicken Enchiladas and Spanish Rice
Serves 6-8, adapted from Tyler Florence and Simply Recipes

For the enchiladas:
3 tbsp vegetable oil (I think I only used one)
1 1/2 lb chicken breast
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Mexican spice blend (I used fajita seasoning)
1 red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup frozen corn
1 can chipotles en adobo, stemmed and chopped
28 oz canned stewed tomatoes
1/2 tsp flour
16 corn tortillas
1 1/2 cups canned enchilada sauce
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

For the rice:
1 1/2 cups brown rice
3 small tomatoes
pinch of oregano
3 cups chicken broth
1 tbsp olive oil

1. Start the rice going by heating up the olive oil and then sauteeing the rice in it for about three minutes, constantly stirring. Then, add the tomatoes (chopped), oregano, and chicken broth. Boil and then simmer, covered, until done - about 50 minutes for brown rice.

2. Heat 1 tbsp oil. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Brown chicken until cooked through, about 7 minutes per side. Mix together the cumin, garlic powder, and Mexican seasoning and sprinkle over the chicken. Remove chicken to a platter and let cool.

3. Saute the onion and garlic in the chicken drippings until soft. Add the corn and chiles and cook until heated through. Add the tomatoes and cook until heated through.

4. Pull the chicken apart with your hands into strips. Add this to the pan as well and dust with flour.

5. Microwave the tortillas for 30 seconds. Preheat the oven to 350. Pour some enchilada sauce into the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish. Also pour some into a pan. Coat each tortilla with enchilada sauce and then place 8 of them into the bottom of the casserole. Add the veggie/chicken mixture. Top with 8 more coated tortillas. Top with cheese and the remaining enchilada sauce. Bake for 15 minutes. Serve with rice.

I am submitting this to Tyler Florence Fridays.