Perfect Pasta Salad

 

Recipe: Perfect Pasta Salad

This salad is great for entertaining as it's easy to double or triple to serve a crowd and it's prep-ahead friendly. You can make pasta salad up to two days in advance (it's better the second day). Simply store the salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Makes: 12 cups

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces spiral pasta, regular, gluten-free or tricolor (see note above)
• 2 cups seeded and chopped bell peppers, any color, or about 10 chopped sweet mini peppers
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, either mozzarella pearls or a block of fresh mozzarella, cubed
• 6 ounces hard salami, such as Genoa, Felino, or Sopressata, cut into bite-size pieces, you can also use pepperoni or ham
• 10 ounces (about 1 cup) grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
• ½ cup sliced black olives
• ⅓ cup finely chopped red onion
• ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese, preferably freshly grated
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
• ¼ cup chopped fresh basil (if you are using dried, add 1/2 teaspoon to the dressing)

For the Italian dressing:

• ½ cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic, or 1/2 teaspoon minced dried garlic
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon dried basil (if not using fresh)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Crushed red pepper flakes for serving, optional

Preparation:

1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions in salted water. Drain,  reserving ½ cup of the pasta cooking water.
2. Transfer the pasta to a large rimming baking sheet to cool for 15 minutes.
3. To make the dressing, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, garlic, oregano and basil (if using dried). Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
4. Transfer the cooled pasta to a large bowl and add the bell peppers, mozzarella, salami, tomatoes, black olives, red onion, parmesan, parsley and basil (if using fresh).
5. Add 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water to the dressing and whisk to combine. Add the dressing to the pasta mixture and toss to coat. If desired, add more pasta cooking water to the salad. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
6. Serve at once or refrigerate until ready to serve (

Slow-Roasted Salmon with Vanilla Brown Butter and Sage

 

Slow-Roasted Salmon with Vanilla Brown Butter and Sage

By Peter Som

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 skin-on salmon fillet (approximately 1 ½ pounds)
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
• 12 sage leaves, divided
• 1 ounce sturgeon caviar (optional)
• 1 lemon, zested
• ¼ cup olive oil
• Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper
• Flaky sea salt, for finishing

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees and arrange rack in center of oven.
2. In a saucepan over medium heat add butter and 4 sage leaves and melt butter until foaming subsides and butter is a fragrant nutty golden brown --approximately 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat, remove sage leaves,  and--whisking constantly--add Simply Organic Vanilla Bean Paste and kosher salt and black pepper. Whisk until combined.
3. Place salmon fillet skin side down a roasting dish and season with salt and pepper. Pour brown butter mixture over salmon, use a spoon baste salmon liberally. Roast for 25-30 minutes or until thickest part of fillet registers 120F.
4. In the meantime, add olive oil to small skillet over medium high heat so that oil is 1/2” deep.  Add sage leaves and fry until crispy, approximately 10-12 seconds. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate.
5. To serve, spoon brown butter over salmon,  finish with lemon zest and flaky sea salt, and garnish with sage leaves. If using, top each serving with a small spoonful of caviar.

Jamie's Christmas Cassserole Recipe

Jamie’s Christmas Casserole Recipe

Christmas Casserole Recipe

10 Eggs (I use a dozen)

10 slices of bread buttered (I use a loaf of french bread)

3/4 lb shredded Cheddar

3/4 lb shredded Mozzarella

1 Quart Half and Half

1 lb Bacon

1/4 tsp curry

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp dry mustard

1 tsp worcestershire sauce

Cook bacon and crumble

Butter bread and cut into cubes.

Grease bottom of large pan (Glass 9X13)

Cover bottom of pan with bread

Cover with half of cheese

Cover with crumbled bacon

Add remaining bread

Cover with the rest of the cheese

Mix the remaining ingredients in a bowl

Pour over the top.

Place in the refrigerator overnight.

Cook at 325 for an hour 

   Covered for 45 minutes

   Remove the tin foil for the last 15 minutes to brown the top

Yum! Enjoy with the family.

Thin Chocolate Chip Cookies

THIN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

INGREDIENTS

1/2C MELTED butter

1/2C brown sugar-packed

1/3C granulated sugar

1T vanilla

3T water

1C flour

3/4T baking soda

1/4T salt

1C semi sweet choco chips(1/2C mini)

1/2C pecans(opt)

DIRECTIONS

Beat first three ingredients until blended. Add water and vanilla and blend until smooth. Combine dry ingredients flour, baking soda and salt together and then into wet batter. Stir in chips and/or nuts.

Bake on buttered cookie sheet in 1T spoonfuls about 2 in apart, for 10 minutes. 

Scallop Puffs Que Sera 
from Nantucket Open-House Cookbook by Sarah Leah Chase 

Tip: Figure 2 to 3 per person and broil at the hosts' home. 

2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 cup mayonnaise 
1/2-pound bay scallops, quartered Freshly ground pepper to taste 
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest 24 + White Melba toast snacks (the round ones) 
2 cloves garlic, minced Paprika  
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill Lemon slices and dill sprigs for garnish  
1 cup grated Swiss or Gruyere cheese 

1. Melt butter in a medium skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add scallops, lemon zest and garlic. 
Cook, stirring constantly, until the scallops are just barely cooked through 2 to 3 minutes. Add dill and cook 30 
seconds longer. Let cool to room temperature. 
2. Add cheese, mayo and pepper to scallop mixture and stir to combine well. Refrigerate covered until ready 
to use, but no longer than a week. 
3. Preheat the broiler. 
4. Place Melba rounds 1/2 inch apart on baking sheets. Top each with a heaping teaspoon of scallop 
mixture, sprinkle lightly with paprika. 
5. Broil puffs 5 inches from heat until puffed and golden 2-3 minutes. Transfer to platters and garnish with 
lemon. Serve hot.

Garlicky Shrimp Dip

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Juice and zest of 1 lemon
• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 c. mayonnaise
• 3/4 c. shredded mozzarella
• 1/4 c. grated Parmesan
• 3 tbsp. fresh parsley, divided
• Pita chips, for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350º. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add shrimp and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook until shrimp is firm and pink, 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly, then coarsely chop.
2. In a large bowl, mix together lemon juice and zest, cream cheese, mayonnaise, mozzarella, Parmesan, 2 tablespoons parsley, and cooked chopped shrimp. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Transfer to a small baking dish and bake until bubbly and golden, 25 minutes. If desired, broil on low for the last 2 to 3 minutes for a more golden look.
4. Garnish with remaining parsley and serve with pita chips.

Blondies from Holly Palmgren

 I line the pan with a sling of parchment paper to make them easy to take out.

1 1/2 cups shredded coconut--TOAST FIRST
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
12 Tbs butter(1 1/2 sticks) melted and cooled
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
2 large eggs lightly beaten
4 tsp vanilla
4 ounces Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate chips (I use a cup)
4 ounces Ghirardelli white chocolate chips (I use a cup)

Set oven @ 350. Grease and flour 9 x 13 glass baking dish.
Whisk flour,baking powder,salt in a bowl and set aside.
Whisk melted butter and brown sugar until combined. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Before folding the coconut and chocolate chips into the mixture make sure it is cool,otherwise the chocolates chips will melt! Pour the mixture into the prepared pan,smoothing top with spatula.
Bake 25-30 minutes
Do Not Overbake.
Top will be shiny,cracked and golden brown.
Cool to room temp on wire rack before cutting.
ENJOY!