Summer's Last Hurrah

Roasted Tomato, Pepper, and Garlic Bisque
I absolutely love going to St. Louis to work. It's a cool city with a great arts scene, some awesome food, and amazing people. But I unfortunately miss out on the best part of summer in Oregon. Late August and early September are a gardener's prime time when the tomatoes are abundant and sweet and the berries are plentiful. While I did miss out on blackberry canning this year, I did come home to find lots and lots of healthy red tomatoes still on the vine. Fall is definitely in the air, but there is still some great produce around to help us transition into the cooler weather and shorter days. This soup recipe is incredibly easy, tasty, and makes great use of garden tomatoes and fragrant herbs. I served it with grilled cheese sandwiches for a simple meal cuddled on the couch with my sweetie on a crisp fall evening. Use those tomatoes . . . you won't have anything that tastes as good until next summer!

Ingredients
- 4 lbs. garden tomatoes, quartered
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 2" chunks
- 2 heads of garlic, the top 1/4" trimmed off to expose the tips of the individual cloves
- 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh oregano
- 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
- 3 Tbsp. olive oil
- salt and pepper 
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 1 c. chicken broth
- 1 c. heavy cream

Heat the oven to 425˚ F and place heads of garlic (trimmed side up) on a square of foil. Drizzle with 1 Tbsp. of olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Wrap garlic tightly in foil and place in oven to roast. (Allow the garlic to get a head-start on the roasting for about 20 minutes before roasting the tomatoes and peppers.) While garlic roasts, line a heavy rimmed baking sheet with foil and spritz with cooking spray, quarter tomatoes and seed and slice peppers. Spread vegetables evenly on tray and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and chopped fresh herbs. Drizzle with remaining olive oil. 

 After the garlic has roasted for about 20 minutes, place the tray of tomatoes into the oven to roast for an additional 20-30 minutes. Check occasionally - the finished tomatoes and peppers should be lightly browned, soft, and have yielded their juices. The garlic cloves should be brown and fragrant. Remove tray and garlic packet from oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes before handling.

Once the roasted vegetables have cooled, scrape the tomatoes, peppers, all their juices, and any browned bits into a heavy sauce pan. Squeeze individual garlic cloves into the tomato mixture and discard the papery skin. Add chicken broth and sugar to tomato mixture and heat over medium-high. Simmer soup for about 10 minutes then remove from heat, puree in a blender or with an immersion blender until it is smooth and creamy. Return to low heat and slowly stir in cream. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. (If the soup is too thick, you can thin it out to your liking with a little additional cream or broth.) Serve with grilled cheese sandwiches, croutons, or crusty bread! Yum!

 
 

Garlickity Split!

Garlicky Spinach Mac and Cheese

Over the holiday season I threw and/or organized five parties in three weeks. Let's just say that even this happy-hostess is ready for a bit of an entertaining hiatus. On the upside, my fridge is stocked with bits of leftovers and unused dip ingredients just screaming for a purpose. My sweetie and I have been snacking of leftover Crock Pot meatball subs for the past few days . . . but what to do with all this cream cheese? Well . . . naturally another Mac and Cheese recipe was destined to make this week's menu. This may very well be the richest, creamiest Mac recipe I have ever put together, thanks to a remaining carton of half and half left from New Years Day Brunch. It's an easy and delicious dinner to throw together. You'll like it. But, believe me- a little bit goes a long way!

Ingredients
- 2 heads of garlic
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 4. Tbsp. butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 c. half and half
- 1 c. heavy cream
- 1/2 c. dry sherry
- 1/4 c. flour
- 8 oz. cream cheese
- 2 c. grated sharp white cheddar cheese
- 1 c. dried bread crumbs
- 1 small handful of Italian parsley, finely minced
- salt
- 2 tsp. white pepper
- 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 lb. dried orecchiette pasta
- 10 oz. fresh spinach

Preheat the oven to 425˚F. Remove the tops of the garlic heads and place in the center of a square of foil. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Wrap tightly in foil and place on the center rack of the oven. Roast for 20-25 minutes until the garlic cloves are soft and brown. While the garlic is roasting, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and butter a 13x9" glass baking dish on the bottom and sides, set aside and prepare the cheese sauce. 

Melt butter over medium heat in a large Dutch oven. Add onion and cook over medium until the onion softens and turns translucent. Stir occasionally with a wooded spoon. Sprinkle with salt. Add flour and whisk into butter and onion mixture over medium heat for 1 minute. Slowly begin to add half and half and cream, about a half cup at a time, whisking after each addition until mixture becomes silky and smooth. When all the cream and half and half are added, mix in white pepper, cheddar cheese, mustard, cream cheese, and sherry. Whisk mixture together until it is smooth. Season to taste with additional salt. Remove from heat. 

Add the dried pasta to the boiling water and cook for about 7-8 minutes. Add the uncooked spinach to the boiling pasta and cook for an additional minute until the spinach is bright green. Drain pasta and spinach mixture, reserving a cup of the pasta cooking liquid. Add cooked pasta and spinach to cheese sauce and stir to combine.

By now the garlic should be thoroughly roasted. Remove from oven and turn the heat down to 325˚F. Squeeze the roasted cloves of garlic from the papery head into a small bowl and mash the roasted garlic into a paste. Add to the cheese mixture and combine thoroughly. Mix some of the reserved pasta water into the cheese sauce to loosen it up a bit. 

Spread the cooked pasta and cheese mixture into the prepared baking dish. Cover evenly with a layer of breadcrumbs and then sprinkle with the minced Italian parsley. Bake Mac and Cheese in the oven for 40 minutes, until the top begins to brown the the cheese sauce is hot and bubbly. Allow Mac and Cheese to rest for about 10 minutes before serving. So yummy!

The Benefits of Friends

Jenn and Marion Pepperoni Pizza with Roasted Tomatoes and Smoked Mozzarella
Sometimes I dream of having my own charming little garden with ripe red tomatoes, fragrant garlic, and fresh savory herbs . . . but, alas, I haven't yet had the opportunity to prove my green thumb. With my recent move and a newly acquired backyard space, I have decided to try my hand at cultivating my own veggies. Although it's a bit too late for this year, I am lucky enough to have friends who have generously offered up a share of their harvest. On my recent trip to Seattle, Jennifer sent me home with a perfect pint of jewel-bright cherry tomatoes and just this afternoon, Marion gave me a whole box of tomatoes, cucumbers, greens, and baggies of herbs! For my first garden-fresh recipe, I decided to make use of those lovely tomatoes and some fresh basil. This pizza is extremely flavorful and easy to make. Try it tonight! (Thanks Jenn and Marion for sharing your beautiful fresh produce!)

Ingredients 
- 1 lb. fresh refrigerated pizza dough, allow the dough to sit at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before working
- 1 lb. cherry tomatoes, stems removed, rinsed and sliced in half
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 tsp. dried basil
- 1 head of garlic, top sliced off
- salt and pepper
- 3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
- 8 oz. smoked mozzarella cheese
- 4 oz. fresh mozzarella, cut into small bite-sized pieces
- 2 oz. sliced pepperoni
- 2 Tbsp. fresh Italian parsley, minced
- 6-8 fresh basil leaves, sliced into think strips


ROASTED TOMATO AND GARLIC SAUCE
Preheat the oven to 450˚ F. Place the garlic on a small piece of foil, drizzle with 1 Tbsp. of olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and wrap tightly in the foil. Place the garlic on the middle rack of the oven and roast for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, begin to prepare the slice the tomatoes. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and spray lightly with cooking spray. Arrange the tomatoes in a single layer on the baking sheet, sprinkle with salt, pepper, dried oregano and dried basil, and drizzle with 1 Tbsp. of olive oil. Place baking sheet in oven after garlic has roasted for 20 minutes and put foil-wrapped garlic on the baking sheet with tomatoes. Roast tomatoes and garlic together for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for several minutes before handling. Keep the oven heated to 450˚F.

After the tomatoes and garlic has cooled slightly, pour the tomatoes into a small bowl and add the cloves of roasted garlic by squeezing them from the head. Mash up the tomatoes and garlic pieces with the back side of a large spoon and stir mixture together thoroughly. Season with additional salt and pepper if desired. Set aside and begin to work the dough and prepare the pizza toppings.

SMOKED MOZZARELLA AND PEPPERONI PIZZA
Turn out the pizza dough on a floured surface and knead lightly. Roll out into a thin 18" circle and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Top with an even coating of the tomato and garlic sauce.


Grate the smoked mozzarella and place in a medium bowl with the fresh mozzarella and fresh herbs. Toss lightly to combine ingredients then top the tomato mixture with an even layer of the cheese mixture. Arrange pepperoni slices on top on the cheese and brush the crust of the pizza with a thin coat of olive oil. Bake pizza in 450˚F oven for 20-25 minutes until the crust begins to turn brown and crisp and the cheese is golden and bubbly. Cut into wedges and eat! The perfect meal to share with friends!

H2C Inspired Recipe!

 Hood to Coast Van 2 Garbanzo Bean Salad
When I'm not cooking, it's likely I'm running. For the past two years, I have been fortunate enough to participate in Oregon's Hood to Coast relay race with a whole bunch of rad people. In the 200 mile race starting at Mt. Hood, each team of twelve has two vans of six runners with someone running constantly until the finish line in Seaside. It might sound a little nuts, but spending a day in a half in a van with a bunch of other smelly runners is some of the most fun I've ever had. This year, placed in Van 2, we had our first break at about 8 p.m. after a long, hot day of runs in the sun. Finished with our first legs, my van-mates and I were definitely ready for a meal and a shower. We decided to hit up a swanky Portland grocery store for sandwiches and deli items when I came across this delicious protein-packed bean salad. Maybe it was just the fact that, at the time, I was hungry for anything other than Luna bars and Vitamin Water, but I fell in love with this salad and found myself craving it on the drive home from Seaside. The next day I recreated it in my own kitchen. I served it as a side dish with grilled shrimp, but it's great on its own for lunch or dinner. Keep on running! And try this salad!

Ingredients

- 1 15. oz can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

- 2-3 large anchovy fillets, chopped

- 2 garlic cloves, finely grated

- juice from one lemon

- salt and pepper

- 1 red bell pepper

- 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

- 2/3 c. Kalamata olives, sliced

- salt and pepper to taste

- 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

- 1 Tbsp. Italian parsley, finely minced

Heat the broiler in the oven and line a baking sheet with foil. Place bell pepper on the sheet and broil for about 5 minutes per side, turning with a pair of tongs until the skin in charred and black. Remove from the oven and place is a resealable container or plastic bag until it cools. Once the pepper has cooled, the charred and bubbly skin should peel off easily. Discard skin and remove the seeds and stem. Slice into strips and place in a medium-sized bowl with sliced olives and rinsed garbanzo beans, set aside.

To make the dressing place the lemon juice, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and anchovies in a blender or in a container to mix up with a immersion blender and blend together the mixture until smooth. Continue blending and slowly add olive oil to mixture. When the dressing becomes slightly thicker and creamy season with salt and pepper. Toss bean mixture with dressing and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.

Well Equipt 1

Whisked Away: Homemade Garlic Aioli

Part of making magic in the kitchen is having the right tools for the job. While some of my favorite kitchen gadgets are fancy pieces of pricey machinery (I fully intend to write love letters to my food processor and stand mixer), others are basic, low-tech, inexpensive tools that are indispensable in creating delicious creations. The first of these is the humble whisk. I have two of these handy tools in my drawer- a silicon whisk I use with my non-stick and enamel cookware, and a regular wire whisk for other jobs. Dressings, whipped cream, fluffy eggs, sauces, meringues, and rues can all be accomplished with a flick of the wrist and your trusty whisk. So let's all celebrate this utensil and its knack for effectively incorporating air into some of our favorite recipes.

You may ask . . . "Why the hell would you bother making your own mayonnaise?" Uhhh . . . because it's delicious and easy to make. This garlic aioli takes a little bit of elbow grease, but is a tasty and versatile condiment- use it as a dip for sweet potato fries, a sandwich spread, or a topping for grilled salmon. Seriously . . . try it and you'll be hooked.

Ingredients
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp. white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 3/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
- 3 clove garlic, minced
- fresh ground pepper

Combine egg yolk, lemon juice, vinegar, Dijon, and salt in medium bowl. Whisk until well blended, about 30 seconds. Slowly (seriously, this is important) add 1/4 c. olive oil a few drops at a time into egg mixture, whisking constantly for about 4 minutes. The aioli will begin to thicken. Then gradually add the remaining cup of olive oil in a very slow, thin stream, whisking constantly until mixture becomes thick (about 8 minutes). Don't rush this process or the mixture won't thicken. When the aioli becomes thick, add minced garlic and season with fresh ground pepper to taste. Cover and chill. Aioli can be made two days ahead of time. Keep chilled. Remember, there is raw egg in the recipe, so it's not the kind of thing you want sitting around for weeks. The fresh, creamy taste is unbeatable! You'll never want to go back . . . although, admittedly, your arm will get a little sore from the whisking.