Celebrate Good Times! Pantry2Plate WINS Cuisinart's Get Cooking! Contest

Polenta Fries with Parmesan Dipping Sauce and Basil Oil

I am more than thrilled to announce that Pantry2Plate has won the latest series of Cuisinart's Get Cooking! Contest.  This contest makes it easy to get excited about being in the kitchen and the winning recipe truly came from one of the greatest pleasures of cooking...sharing good food and great times with remarkable friends.  The feedback from the Cuisinart Chefs is on point and something I've heard from another faithful reader (Squints, you call 'em like you see 'em!), so I will work on being a bit more descriptive in my posts.  How about the rest of you?  Anything else you would like to see?  Thanks for your support...I am grinning from ear-to-ear!

Check out the link below for what Cuisinart Chefs had to say:
http://www.cuisinart.com/recipes/get-cooking-contest/winners.html

The winning recipe post can be found in my archives and linked below:
http://pantry2plate.blogspot.com/2010/06/polenta-fries-with-basil-oil-and.html

Spaghetti Squash with Pesto

We found this weekend that the coming of fall is palpable.  What it means for our kitchen is scooping up the last of our favorite summer treats and transitioning into a new fall lineup.  I started to think ahead to how I can preserve the flavors of summer and enjoy them for a few months longer.  So in this week’s ‘Saturday’s Basket’, greens abound!  Our trip to the South of James Farmer’s Market always starts with a large coffee from Blanchard’s to help get the creative juices flowing and help us sort through what tastes we want for the week.  After we started to wake up, we picked up arugula & green beans from Victory Farms and a squash and basil bunch from Pleitez Produce.  The arugula and basil blended together make a healthy portion of pesto and pesto makes for a great freezer food. Once blended, portion the sauce into ice trays and freeze.  Pop out individual cubes whenever you are craving that summer sweetness.  Pesto paired with spaghetti squash was on plate for a great homemade Sunday dinner.  It’s an easy side dish and makes a great pasta substitute for those curbing the carbs.  Here’s the fix:


1 spaghetti squash

Olive oil

Salt & pepper


Preheat the oven to 425°.  Slice the squash in half and scoop out the strings and seeds (as you would for a pumpkin).  Place the squash on a baking dish, slice side up and drizzle olive oil over, sprinkle with salt and pepper.   That’s it!  Roast the squash until the fibers start to break down and you can easily shred the ‘meat’ with a fork.  It should fall right out of the shell when scraped.  I’ve found the easiest way to scrape the veggie out is by leaving it in the dish and holding one side with my kitchen tongs.  Shred right in the shell and then transfer to a serving bowl.


Basil and Arugula Pesto:


2 handfuls of fresh basil leaves

1 handful of fresh baby arugula

¼ cup walnuts

¼ cup parmesan cheese

Olive oil

Pinch of salt

A few cracks of fresh ground black pepper

 
In a food processor, add the greens, nuts and cheese.  While the processor is on, stream in olive oil until the pesto reaches a creamy, loose consistency.  Pesto is a preference food meaning, some like it chunky, some like it loose.  Some like it with a lot of cheese, some with a little.  It is a versatile sauce and dip and taste testing is always necessary.  On the last whirl around the processor, add a little salt (go light, salt is already a big contributor in the cheese so seasoning began with that addition) and a few cracks of pepper to taste.  The arugula will also help to give it a little bite so be sure to taste test as you go so as not to overdo the pepper.


Bring the two together by topping the roasted, hot spaghetti squash with a dollop of pesto.  Turn to coat and serve warm.  It’s a nice nod to summer flavors with a hint of what’s coming for fall.

Basket from market: basil, jalapeno cheddar bread, speghetti squash, arugula and green beans.

Fresh Herb & Sunflower Chicken Piccata

Lemon and chicken go naturally together.  Throw in some fresh herbs and it's an end of the summer party.  I really wanted to go alternative on the breading and experiment with anything that would infuse flavor and texture.  Sunflower seeds and oatmeal worked really, really well.  So well in fact, there was no need for the 3 step breading process (flour, eggs, breading), I just pounded the chicken flat and pushed them right into the seed, oatmeal and herb mixture. It was clingy enough to stick and browned up beautifully.  The crunch was perfect and the herbs from the garden perfumed the kitchen and added fresh flavor to the chicken. Here's the new, healthy take on chicken piccata...

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded flat

For 'breading':
1/4 cup roasted, salted sunflower seeds
1 packet instant oatmeal
6 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 stem (about 8-10 leaves) fresh oregano
4 fresh basil leaves
1 sprig rosemary
3 stems chives
fresh cracked black pepper

For sauce:
1/4 cup chicken broth (may use more for additional sauce)
1 fresh lemon
1 tsp capers
fresh cracked black pepper

Olive oil & butter for cooking. 

Preheat the oven to 350°. 

Remove the stems from the herbs and rough chop.  Add herbs to a food processor and pulse with seeds, oatmeal and a few cracks of black pepper until coarsely ground.  Spread the mixture onto a large prep plate and dredge the pounded chicken through the mixture.  Use your tongs to press the mixture into the chicken to help it stick.  In a non-stick pan, add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan and over medium high heat, add 1 tbsp butter. Once melted, add chicken breasts and cook for about 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown.  Transfer to a non-stick baking sheet and bake for about 8-10 minutes.

In the same non-stick pan used to pan-fry the chicken, add chicken broth to deglaze. Use a wooden spoon to loosen up all bits from pan.  Slice one lemon in 1/2 (reserving a few rings to top the finished chicken) and squeeze all juice into the sauce.  Add the lemon halves into the pan while the sauce reduces.  Reduce on med-lo for about 8 minutes and stir in 1/4 tsp corn starch and a few cracks of black pepper. Add 1 tsp capers and keep on low until ready to serve. Add more chicken stock to balance flavor if necessary.

Top cooked chicken breasts with slices of lemon and then spoon sauce over top.  The chicken goes really well with rice or whole wheat pasta and a side of steamed broccoli which can also topped with a spoonful of sauce. Fresh, healthy, full of vitamins and minerals! 

What other breading substitutes have you tried?  Walnuts? Almonds?

Healthy, Hearty Veggie Pasta Casserole - Freezer Friendly

I had a request for this earlier and it's something I've made to take to friends and neighbors in need of a little help.  It is a great casserole style pasta with lots of healthy veggies and protein that feeds a bunch or will freeze well for leftovers.  

1 box whole grain rotini or ziti
1 1b ground chicken
1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes with basil
1 zucchini
¼ cup red onion
½ pint button mushrooms
1 package frozen spinach, thawed, drained and dried
1 roasted red pepper (I use the jar version in oil)
1 clove garlic
Basil leaves or basil paste
Tomato paste
Bay leaf
Olive oil
Fennel seed
Red pepper flakes
Salt and white pepper
Shredded mozzarella
Grated aged parmesan

Dice zucchini, onions, garlic, red pepper and quarter mushrooms.

Start by browning the ground chicken in a large skillet with palm full of fennel seeds and shake of red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to taste. Do not strain. Halfway through browning add zuchinni and mushrooms and let sauté but don’t overcook since the whole dish will be baked.

For sauce: in a medium sauce pan, add enough olive oil to coat bottom of pan.  Add red onion and garlic, sauté until translucent, add a pinch of salt and pepper.  Add tomatoes and begin to simmer.  Add bay leaf, 2-3 chopped basil leaves or 1 tblspn of basil paste and 1 tblespn of tomato paste.  Stir in roasted red pepper.  Let sauce simmer for at least 10 minutes.

Transfer sauce to skillet with chicken and veggies, add spinach to sauce and mix it all well.  Don’t forget to take out the bay leaf!

Cook pasta to al denté.  When done, transfer drained pasta to large casserole dish.  Add sauce over pasta and toss to coat.  Sprinkle mozzarella  over entire top and grate parmesean over.  Bake until bubbly and cheese starts to brown (at 350°). 

I think it would also be really tasty ‘Greek style’ with feta cheese baked in and just the parm on top. Enjoy and make it for someone in need of a helping hand.

Who Wants a Cookie? Chocolate Melt & Toffee Bit Cookies

My husband is a routine kinda guy and apparently his new routine involves finishing dinner and asking me when the cookies will be baked. "What cookies?" is usually how I respond, but last night I was feeling the sugar craze myself (not that his sugar cravings are any less important than mine, but I am the one baking them so I say when...I say whoooo...I say wheennn. Anyone? Anyone?).  As you guys know, baking does not come naturally to me, but my friends might say that the one sugary treat I am confident in making is a delicious batch of toffee cookies.  The recipe used to be on the back of the Heath Bar Toffee Bit Pieces bag and it makes the most indulgent, chewy, buttery-goodness bites you've have ever had.  Last night called for chocolate though so the recipe got a few modifications and shake ups and the outcome was nothing short of a cookie masterpiece.

Here's what I put together:

2 sticks butter
2/3 cups granulated sugar
1 & 1/2 cups brown sugar
1.5 tsp pure vanilla
3 eggs
3 & 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp salt
1 bag toffee chips
1/4 - 1/2 cup shaved semi-sweet baking chocolate

Preheat the oven to 350°.  In your favorite stand mixer, blend the 2 sticks, room temp butter (I used salted butter for this recipe which I think is ok because these are toffee and chocolate AND I am not sure how much I buy into the salted vs. unsalted baking controversy).  If you are taking straight from the fridge, pop the butter into the microwave for 10 seconds to loosen it up.  Put the mixer on low and add in sugars, vanilla and eggs one at a time.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt. With the mixer on low, slowly add in the sifted ingredients. Hopefully your kitchen won't end up looking like the North Pole as mine did, but baking is meant to be messy, right? Once the ingredients are incorporated fold in the chips and as much chocolate as you like. 

Drop mounds on a non-stick or airbake sheet and bake for 8-11 minutes or until a beautiful golden color and should make about 3-4 dozen cookies.  They'll deflate a little at the very end and definitely when you bring them out to cool.  Served up warm with milk, you will be in heaven. I also thought about sandwiching two together with a marshmallow center...maybe I'll try that tonight...

I also froze the dough I didn't bake last night so I will be sure to post if those are just as tasty as the fresh.  What's your favorite cookie recipe? 

Cuisinart's 'Get Cooking' Contest - who will be the winner?!

I can't wait to hear the results of Cuisinart's 'Get Cooking!' Contest.  Pantry2Plate was selected as a finalist and they are expected to announce the winner this week!  Have you tried the Polenta Fries yet?  One bite and you'll be hooked! 

Whole Wheat Blueberry Pancakes

I've been in carb denial over the past 3 weeks and I woke up this morning craving pancakes.  Rarely do I reach for something sweet in the morning, not even sugar in the coffee, so this was an urge I didn't want to pass up.  However, trying to defeat my love of all things white flour, I went for a whole wheat alternative and it turns out white flour is for suckers.  Two silver dollar pancakes later, I am filled to the brim with fiber packed goodness.

Here's the recipe:

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp packed brown sugar
6 tbsp unsweetened applesauce
6 tbsp fat free Greek yogurt
1 egg
1 + 1/4 cup 2% milk

Sift the dry ingredients together first (just add the brown sugar after sifting), make a well in the center of the dry mix and add the egg, applesauce and yogurt. Using a hand mixer or a whisk, begin to add the milk, 1 cup to start and then the remaining as needed to thin out the batter (use up to 1.5 cups if necessary).

In a non-stick pan, melt 1 tbsp butter over medium heat.  When bubbles start to form in the butter, add 1/2 a soup ladle of batter to make small sized pancakes, more if you like large rounds. The pancakes are ready to flip when the bubbles that have formed in the batter begin to pop.  The edges will be browned from the butter and the second side will take less time than the first.  When making pancakes, I use my Le Crueset covered casserole dish to store the pancakes and keep them warm while I cook the remaining batter.

This mix is a great with accompaniments! I added rinsed blueberries to mine but bananas and walnuts would be delicious or chocolate chip pancakes.  Nutella anyone?