The Old College Try: a Pasta Party

Glory, glory to old Georgia!


Yes, friends, I'm thrilled to share one of my most exciting blogs to date - guest-wise if not menu-wise. My old college friend Raj was in town for the Men's Health Urbanathlon, with two friends in tow. I was hugely flattered when Raj wrote to tell me that he's a huge fan of my blog, and wanted to spend one of his few nights in Chicago having dinner with me. And even better, I had guests on my hands that needed to carbo-load, and I think we all know at this point how I feel about pasta (Pasta, will you marry me?).


To mix things up, I decided to invite my also-new-to-Chicago friend Ryan, and of course, Ross was on hand to eat up and weigh in. It was a funny, interesting, smart, eclectic group of people gathered in my little shoebox, and I for one had a fantastic time.

For backstory: Raj and I met [WARNING: shameless plug in 3...2...1...] on an Alternative Spring Break program my junior year at Georgia. My friend Amy and I led a trip to Alabama to work at a home for people living with HIV and AIDS. Like the other ASB trips I went on or led, it was life-affirming and outlook-changing. Raj followed in my footsteps, not only leading trips, but also helping to lead the entire program - eventually doubling the number of trips (there is even a trip that comes to Chicago!).


As far as conversation goes, you couldn't ask for a more accomplished, more interesting group of people - as far as dinner goes...well, I know I'm my harshest critic, but I think it may have left something to be desired. Everything tasted good, but as Ross ended up admitting, it wasn't my most creative meals to date. Additionally, I mistimed quite a bit of the action, and we didn't get as much time to eat as I would've liked. Despite these criticisms, my guests seemed to like everything, and hopefully they were well-fueled and well-rested for the race.


The turkey bolognese, I thought, was pretty tasty - I actually really like the flavor that the turkey, as opposed to a traditional sausage and beef blend, lent to the sauce. And the veggie sauce actually turned out to be quite a hit, even among the omnivores! I was sure I'd ruined it when I let the carrot-onion-celery mixture burn, but it actually really deepened the flavor of the sauce, giving regular old canned tomatoes a more fire-roasted flavor.


It was great to catch up with a fellow Bulldog (he's still in school - Law - by the way), and meet new friends with the same zest for life and good-natured Southern charm that Raj is known for.

TURKEY BOLOGNESE

INGREDIENTS

1 and 1/2 lb. ground lean turkey meat
2 T. olive oil
1 and 1/2 carrots, peeled and chopped into small pieces
1 small sweet onion
2 ribs celery, chopped into small pieces
salt and pepper
2 cloves garlic
1 and 1/2 large cans whole plum tomatoes with basil
1/2 can tomato paste
1/2-1 c. red wine (more as needed)
fresh chopped basil
sprinkling of dried Italian herbs (oregano, rosemary, parsley, red pepper flakes) to taste
1/3 c. heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
1 pack spaghetti


VEGGIELISCIOUS SAUCE

INGREDIENTS

2 T. olive oil
1 and 1/2 carrots, peeled and chopped into small pieces
1 small sweet onion
2 ribs celery, chopped into small pieces
salt and pepper
1 and 1/2 large cans whole plum tomatoes with basil
1/2 can tomato paste
1/2-1 c. red wine (more as needed)
fresh chopped basil
2 cloves garlic
sprinkling of dried Italian herbs (oregano, rosemary, parsley, red pepper flakes) to taste
1 small head broccoli, chopped into small florets
2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
1 pack spaghetti


STEP 1:

In a nonstick skillet, brown the turkey meat with some salt and pepper. Set aside.

STEP 2:

In both pots, heat the olive oil. Cook the onion, carrot, and celery over medium heat, seasoning with salt and pepper, until they start to get some color. Add the canned tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasonings, wine and garlic and some more salt and pepper. Add the turkey to the pot that will be the meat sauce.

STEP 3:

Cook all this for awhile, covered, stirring occasionally and breaking up the big tomato pieces with a wooden spoon. As the sauces cook, keep an eye on how liquid-y they are, and add some more wine as needed if they're getting too thick/dry.

STEP 4:

Add the broccoli and zucchini to the veggie sauce. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the spaghetti. Add the fresh basil to the sauces. Turn the heat down on the turkey sauce and add the cream. Stir and cook a little more. Taste the sauces and adjust seasonings. When the spaghetti is al dente, drain it and set aside. Serve and enjoy!

JUDGES' VERDICTS:

Raj: I liked the spicy tang to the veggie sauce - it wasn't too sweet or too creamy. And the salad dressing was excellent.

Patrick: Very good. I actually liked the vegetarian sauce more than the meat sauce.

Ryan (male): I'd want to try the sauce over angel hair, since I like thin pasta. I was worried about the sauce's spice, but it was fine. And the music was good.*

Ryan (female): I liked the spicy kick to the veggie sauce. It was good, although I did have to pick out the visible tomato chunks. By the way, your cat is psycho.

Ross: This was ok, but not very creative. I expect more from you at this point.

*Ross put on our perennial favorite dinner mix of classic Sinatra tunes. Always a hit.

So it appears that the Veggie Sauce was the winner. Who knew? And all that time, I thought I'd burnt it.

Catching up with an old friend and making news ones was the real highlight of the meal, though. Thanks so much to my guests for spending a night in Chicago with little ol' me! And....GOOOOOO DAWGS! SIC 'EM! WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF....

Linguine with Goat Cheese-Lemon-Almond Sauce

This is the perfect opportunity to showcase one of the things I do best in the kitchen: use stray leftover ingredients from previous meals to make a new, completely different concoction.


You'll probably recognize several of these components from the Couscous and Zucchini post: tomatoes, lemon, goat cheese, zucchini. After I tasted the lemony sauce I spooned over the stuffed zucchini, I knew I wanted to try making a pasta sauce version - that basically entailed thinning it out a bit with more white whine, and adjusting the amount of lemony-ness (I thought that the juice of a whole lemon was a bit too acidic last time, so I only used half of the juice, and added a little lemon zest to add flavor without adding acidity).

This is one of the best ways to reduce food waste and save money when you're eating at home. The basic methodology is to take a quick metal inventory of what you have in the fridge, think a little about what you're craving (I was, as always, craving pasta), and try to make those two things mesh. It's not as hard as you think. Occasionally, you'll have a few things sitting around that just won't work together, but generally, a smattering of leftover veggies and a dried carb or two can be the start of something wonderful.

LINGUINE WITH GOAT CHEESE-LEMON-ALMOND SAUCE

INGREDIENTS

Serves about 2

6 oz. whole wheat linguine
1 medium zucchini, sliced into thin rounds
several handfuls grape tomatoes, halved
2 cloves garlic
2 T. olive oil
1/2 small log of goat cheese
1 big spoonful light sour cream
big glug white wine
2 T. butter
freshly chopped parsley
small handful sliced almonds
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1/2 a lemon
salt and pepper to taste


STEP ONE:

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a nonstick skillet. Place the zucchini rounds in a single layer and cook, seasoning with salt and pepper, until they are nicely browned on one side. Flip them over and add the tomatoes, seasoning a little more. Cook the zucchini and tomatoes until the tomatoes have begun to wrinkle. Set aside and keep warm.

STEP TWO:

Meanwhile, cook the linguine until al dente. Drain and set aside. In a large saucepan, melt the butter and cook the garlic until it's fragrant. Pour in the white wine, and add the sour cream, goat cheese, almonds, lemon juice and zest, and parsley. Whisk together over medium heat until hot and melted.

STEP THREE:

Stir the linguine noodles into the goat cheese sauce and toss until coated. Place in a serving bowl and make a nest in the middle of the pasta. Spoon some zucchini and tomato mixture in the nest. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Couscous-Stuffed Zucchini with Chevre Sauce

ODE TO GOAT CHEESE
by Elizabeth Stephens

O, Chevre, you were surely ne'er meant to be eaten
By the likes of us humans who're long past our teatin.'
But when you've been churned, so pearly and white,
You make every recipe an udder delight.

I try to ignore you, but you traipse in unbidden,
You jump right in my cart - oh, who am I kiddin'?
You know I couldn't stop loving you if I tried.
While your hand is upper, my hands are just tied.


You're creamy and succulent in your unaged glory,
You and Fig on a cracker - now that's a love story.
At my Trader Joe's I can find you quite cheaply,
Though for your piquant flavor, I'd pay quite steeply.

I wish you could know how exactly I feel -
How I long to shower you with bright lemon peel.
You've no brain and no pulse and nary a soul,
Yet here I sit writing, chevre, it's you I extol.


COUSCOUS-STUFFED ZUCCHINI WITH CHEVRE SAUCE

INGREDIENTS

two medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise
handful grape cherries, quartered
1/2 c. dry cousous
1/2 white onion, diced
about a dozen kalamata olives, chopped
2 cloves garlic
2 T. olive oil
1/2 a small log of goat cheese
1/2 c. white wine
1 big tablespoon light sour cream
fresh chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste
juice of one lemon

STEP ONE:

Using a spoon, scrape out a little of the middle of the 3 out of the 4 zucchini halves. Chop the remaining 4th one into small pieces. Place the 3 hollow ones in a baking dish and season with a little salt and pepper.


STEP TWO:

Preheat the oven to 375. On the stovetop, cook the couscous in 1 cup of water. Cover and set aside. Heat the olive oil in a nonstick skillet. Cook the onions until they start to get some color.

STEP THREE:

Add the zucchini pieces (the small cut up ones), garlic, olives and tomatoes to the pan. Season with salt and pepper and cook until everything has some color. Stir in the couscous and cook for another minute.


STEP FOUR:

Spoon some couscous mixture into the hollowed out zucchini, smashing it in. Pile a little more on top. Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes.

STEP FIVE:

While the zucchini are baking, heat the white wine in a saucepan. Add the sour cream, goat cheese, lemon juice, and parsley. Whish over medium-low heat until smooth. Bring the heat up until it's simmering, and cook for a few minutes, until it thickens. Keep warm.


STEP SIX:

Place the zucchini on a plate. Spoon the goat cheese sauce over them. Enjoy!


Thanks for reading! More soon...

San Marzano Vodka Sauce Two Ways

I've been hearing some things here and there lately about San Marzano tomatoes. They're tomatoes grown in (you guessed it) San Marzano (that's in Italy, which explains my immediate and ever-burgeoning obsession).


I found them in Whole Foods (damn you Whole Foods and your amazing selection of hard-to-find-and-expensive-and-delicious-things!), and of course grabbed a big can. I wasn't sure if they'd make a difference in the taste of my sauce, especially since I was planning on making vodka sauce, where the creaminess can overpower the tomato-y-ness anyway.


When I opened the can, I took a little spoonful just as it was, to see if I could taste a difference between the San Marzano beauties and their average American cousins. I could not. But the can was attractive, and the name is so fun to say, I can't promise I really cared at that point. Then I embarked on what would become the best vodka sauce of MY LIFE! Behold its rustic simplicity:

SAN MARZANO VODKA SAUCE

INGREDIENTS

2 T. olive oil
1 medium white onion, finely diced
1 medium carrot, cut into small pieces
glug of red wine
1 large can San Marzano tomatoes, crushed
3/4 c. vodka
1 small container heavy cream (8 oz.)
fresh chopped parsley
fresh chopped oregano
salt and pepper
red pepper flakes

Yes, friends, that's all it takes to make a sauce that, I daresay, would make a boyfriend propose, a friend declare her undying love for your demon cat, or perhaps just make you fantasize about its every nuance for days on end.

It's a sauce so good that even I, an over-ingredienter if ever there were one, could just have a (giant) bowl of nothing but rigatoni swathed in this saintly, silky, sinful sauce. (Seriously, after I tasted it, I felt like I needed to go to confession).

Well, enough of that filthy talk! Let's talk about the tricks I taught this sauce to do: for its first act, it made what could've been a much-too-healthy summer lasagna into a coma-inducing, wine-absorbing moanfest. And for the finale but a few days later? Another hearty, and arguably a more heathful, easy Italian treat.

Before we get carried away, here's how you combine the above ingredients into a pot of heaven:

STEP ONE:

Heat the olive oil in a deep saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the carrots and season with a little salt and pepper. Cook them until they begin to soften. Add the onions, season a tad more, and cook until they begin to get soft too, and just keep cooking until the mixture begins to get a little color. Don't be afraid of the color. Just go with it.

STEP TWO:

Add in the glug of red wine, scraping any oil/carrot/onion residue off the bottom of the pan. Cook until it evaporates a bit and soaks into the veggies. Pour in the tomatoes and the vodka. Add the fresh herbs, red pepper flakes, and some more salt and pepper. [NOTE: the San Marzano tomatoes I got had no salt added, so make sure that if yours do, you go easier on the salt you add to the dish.] Stir and cook over medium-high heat until the mixture thickens a bit.

STEP THREE:

When the sauce has reduced a bit, lower the heat and stir in the cream. Just go with it. You can make it up on the treadmill later. Taste the sauce, and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Cook a little more if the sauce seems thin.

STEP FOUR:

Using an immersion blender, blend the sauce until smooth (you could also use a food processor or regular blender). Taste one last time and make sure the seasoning is spot-on. Pat yourself on the back and prepare for an orgiastic feast.


This isn't the first thing I made with the SMVS, but it photographed well, thus receives higher placement on the blog. Another ingredient I'd been meaning to experiment with are Cubanelle peppers. I saw Rachael Ray make something with them once, and being a pepper fanatic in general, I was jonesing to try them. They have a really interesting flavor; slightly spicy (reminiscent of poblanos but with much less heat), but with the pleasantly clean, bitter bite of a green bell pepper. Their flesh is thin yet crisp, making them really satisfying to bite into when paired with something creamy, like the white beans in this dish.


I was really happy with the way this came out: fresh, hearty yet light (a paradox I've been getting right a lot lately - go me!), and rife with layers of subtle flavors and a pleasing range of textures. The only thing I'd do differently next time is cut the red bell peppers into smaller pieces, as the big slices kept slapping me in the side of the face when I'd try to get a forkful in.

LINGUINE, WHITE BEANS & A PEPPER PARTY
WITH SAN MARZANO VODKA SAUCE

INGREDIENTS

glug olive oil
2 cloves garlic
several dashes white wine vinegar (or other vinegar, whatever you have)
about 6 oz. whole wheat linguine noodles
1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
2 cubanelle peppers, sliced into thin rings
1 red bell pepper, julienned
1/2 large yellow onion, diced
1 cup prepared San Marzano vodka sauce
2 medium shallots
palmful green olives, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
freshly grated parmesan


STEP ONE:

Boil the water for the linguine. Cook linguine until al dente. Drain, and set aside. Heat the leftover San Marzano sauce in the pan you just cooked the pasta in. Throw in the pasta, while still hot, and stir until the pasta is coated.


STEP TWO:

Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, shallots, and tomatoes to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until the onions start to get translucent and the tomatoes soften a bit.

STEP THREE:

Add the peppers to the pan. Add the vinegar and season a little more. Shake the pan and cook until the peppers begin to get soft. Add the olives and beans. Shake the pan a bit more and cook until everything is hot, the tomatoes are partially broken down, and the peppers are done to your liking (cook longer if you like softer peppers).


STEP FOUR:

Spoon the pepper-bean mixture over the linguine and sauce. Top with grated parmesan. Serve and enjoy!



The SMVS actually made its debut in my Summer Squash Lasagna, that I shared with my lovely ex-co-worker and not-ex-friend, Megan (who loves to cook herself). While in my mind this lasagna was feather-light, crisp, and even healthy, in reality it was - while mega-delicious - rich, cheesy, and indulgent (not bad qualities, really).

Megan stopped by Pastoral, a fantastic cheese and wine boutique, before coming over, and the fromagiers there guided her to an unaged asiago cheese, which was just perfect with all the other elements of the lasagna. The squash and zucchini just seemed to melt right into the layers of cheese, fresh pasta, and creamy sauce. One piece, a glass or two of wine, and well, cancel your Friday night plans, my friends - you're hitting the sack early in a gloriously cheesy haze.

SUMMER SQUASH LASAGNA

INGREDIENTS

12 oz. fresh egg lasagna noodles [NOTE: when using fresh lasagna noodles, you don't need to pre-boil them]
1 batch San Marzano vodka sauce (I had a about a cup leftover, but you could use more or less)
1 T. olive oil
1 container button mushrooms, sliced thinly
1 large leek, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise then sliced
1 large yellow squash, sliced into thin rounds
2 smallish zucchini squash, sliced into thin rounds
1 15-oz. container ricotta cheese
freshly grated parmesan (a lot)
fresh asiago cheese, diced (substitute mozzarella or another melty cheese)
1 ball fresh mozzarella, sliced thinly
fresh oregano, chopped (a lot)
fresh chopped parsley (don't be shy)
2 eggs, beaten

STEP ONE:

Toss the squash and zucchini with a little salt and place in a colander to drain (over a bowl or the sink) while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

STEP TWO:

In a large bowl, mix the ricotta, asiago cheese, most of the oregano and parsley, some salt and pepper, and the beaten eggs. Set aside.

STEP THREE:

In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Cook the mushrooms and leeks, adding a little salt and pepper and the rest of the oregano and parsley, until everything has some nice color and the liquid from the mushrooms has thoroughly evaporated. Set aside.



STEP FOUR:

Spread a little vodka sauce on the bottom of the lasagna dish (this prevents sticking). Place a layer of noodles on top. Spread some of the ricotta mixture on top. Then layer some of the squash and zucchini on top of that. Top with some vodka sauce.

STEP FIVE:

Preheat the oven to 375. Place another layer of noodles on top. Follow with another layer of the ricotta mixture. Top that with the mushroom-leek mixture. Top with some vodka sauce.

STEP FIVE:

Repeat the layering of noodles, ricotta, squash/zucchini, then sauce. At this point, if you have enough noodles and fillings to make one more layer, do that. Top everything with the sliced mozzarella. Bake the lasagna at 375 until mozzarella is browned and the edges are bubbly. Allow to "rest" for about 15 minutes (this lets it sort of congeal), then slice into rectangles. Serve and enjoy!


We served it with a fresh green salad (to balance out the gooey layers of goodness) and a crisp white wine. It was a fantastic evening on the porch - excellent company, as always. (Thanks, Meg!)


In conclusion, it's really worth the time and minimal effort it takes to make your own vodka sauce - especially if you're a vodka sauce enthusiast (read: junkie) like myself. This one is one to memorize. Then when people drop by and you have a steaming hot platter of rigatoni alla vodka, and your guests ooh and aah and say, "Whereever did you get this recipe?" you'll just shrug and say, "Oh, this old thing?"

Thanks to Megan for the cheese and the conversation, and as always to my readers! More soon...

Super Veggie Delight #44

Obviously, I was at a loss as to what to call this dish.

When I started making it, I had no plan other than using up a good chunk of my (no less than) three pints of grape tomatoes that I somehow accumulated over the past week or so, and somehow incorporating kidney beans, which I had an inexplicable craving for.


Is this is a stew? Probably. Ladle it over brown rice, and you've got yourself a one-way ticket to Healthytown. I was too lazy to make brown rice, which takes an irritating 45 minutes, so I just served it up with some whole wheat pita triangles and a good dollop of fat free Greek yogurt (another craving heeded). I actually set out to top it with sour cream, which I bought at my nearby market, but when I got the sour cream home and opened it up - mind you, I love sour cream so much that my mouth was watering throughout this entire excruciating 45 second process - it was moldy!

Drats.

I improvised by mixing the yogurt with a little lemon juice and salt, which comes sort of close to tasting like sour cream (anyway, it's healthier, so I guess I did the right thing).

Since I am still not sure what this is, I have deemed it Super Veggie Delight #44 (because there have surely been at least 43 previous dishes that could be called Super Veggie Delight #1-43).


Anyway, while not the most well-thought-out or impressive of my meals by far, it was quite tasty. It satisfied my odd bean-and-yogurt craving, it was healthy and protein-rich, and it was simple to make (a one-pot meal). Over rice, with the right spices (my spice cabinet is embarrassingly barren at the moment), this could translate to a great vegetarian jambalaya of sorts.

Throw in some andouille sausage and shrimp, and who knows - you might have something befitting the name "Super Creole Meat Delight #29."

SUPER VEGGIE DELIGHT #44

INGREDIENTS

1 T. olive oil
1 T. butter
2 small onions, diced
1 red chile pepper, seeded and chopped
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 can diced no-salt-added tomatoes
1 medium zucchini
1 can dark red kidney beans
handful red lentils
salt and pepper
2 T. cumin
pinch saffron
fresh chopped parsley

a couple spoonfuls of Greek yogurt
juice of 1/2 a lemon
salt
whole wheat pita triangles (optional; try brown rice, couscous, or bulgur for serving)

STEP ONE:

Heat the olive oil and butter in a pretty big saucepan. Saute the onion for a few minutes, then add the grape tomatoes and chile pepper. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until onions are translucent.

STEP TWO:

Add the rest of the ingredients, cover, and cook until the lentils are tender. Meanwhile, whisk together the lemon juice, yogurt, and salt in a small bowl. Serve with a carb of your choice, top with yogurt sauce, and enjoy!

Thanks for reading! More soon...

Negra Modelo Chicken & Fiesta Ensalada

I just returned from spending a fantastic week in Arlington with my better half. We did a little cooking, a good bit of eating out, and not a whole lot that was more stressful than that.

Summer always makes me crave lime-drenched Mexican food, and since Ross has a grill - and an entire backyard (which, to my Chicago-weary eyes might as well have been the Garden of Eden) - I wanted to make juicy grilled chicken.


He also lives within walking distance of a great, inexpensive Mexican grocery store, which made picking up the ingredients ridiculously affordable - 10 limes for $1, for instance (in Chicago, they are 2 for $1). They had some interesting meats - chicken feet, beef tongue, various offal - but I stuck with a good, reliable cut of chicken. I really like to grill meat on the bone because I think it stays more moist and has more flavor, but of course you could use boneless, skinless chicken breast or whatever you want. This marinade would be good for any meat - steak, pork, even a good sturdy fish like swordfish or salmon.

I know that the long list of ingredients makes it look complicated, and I admit I got a little excited at the bodega, but almost every component of the meal uses the same basic ingredients. The salad could probably have been made a bit simpler, but what can I say - it was summer, I was blissfully enjoying my time in DC, I had a Negro Modelo in hand - I'm not to be blamed for the cornucopia of veggies. In short, if you want to try this at home, feel free to use less ingredients, but whatever you do, don't even turn on the grill without a delicious, cold beer in your hand.

NEGRA MODELO CHICKEN & FIESTA ENSALADA

INGREDIENTS

Marinade:

1 bottle Negra Modelo or other dark Mexican beer
juice of 2 limes
2 T. cumin
2 T. ground oregano (if you can't find ground, use regular dried)
a couple shakes hot ground chili (I used ground chile de arbol; use cayenne or whatever you have. Or just sub in hot sauce.)
4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped

For the chicken:

4 chicken legs, bone-in, skin removed (you could use any cut you want, boneless or bone-in)
3 T. butter, melted
several good hearty shakes of your favorite hot sauce (I used Louisiana hot sauce)
juice of one lime
shake of cumin
shake of oregano

Sauce for the chicken:

1/2 c. sour cream
a few shakes of hot sauce
juice of 1/2 a lime
fresh chopped cilantro
pinch of cumin
regular red salsa, whatever kind you have

For the Fiesta Ensalada:

2 T. olive oil
2 avocados, chunked
1 pt. cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
3 ears of corn, boiled, kernels cut off (or use 1 cup thawed frozen kernels)
1 can black beans, drained and well-rinsed
1 smallish zucchini, quartered then cut into chunks
1 sweet yellow onion, cut into chunks
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
crumbled queso fresco (or you could use feta or ricotta salata)
juice of 2 limes
2 T. olive oil
salt and pepper
pinch of hot chile powder
pinch of cumin
pinch of oregano
handful of fresh cilantro, chopped roughly



STEP ONE:

Mix together all the ingredients for the marinade. Place the raw chicken in the marinade in a large zip-top bag or an airtight plastic container. Marinate for 30 minutes, or however long you want. When you're ready to grill the chicken, discard the marinade.

STEP TWO:

Get the grill ready. While it's heating, mix together the rest of the ingredients under "for the chicken" in a small bowl. While the chicken is grilling, brush or spoon it over the chicken on both sides. Turn the chicken when it has dark, crusty grill marks on the underside, and cook until cooked through.



STEP THREE:

In a small skillet, heat the olive oil. Cook the onion, seasoning with salt and pepper, until it is getting dark around the edges and soft all over. Add the zucchini and cook until it begins to color and is tender. Assemble all the vegetable ingredients (including the cooked onion and zucchini) and the cheese in a large bowl for the salad. In a small bowl, mix the lime juice, olive oil, and the rest of the seasonings. Whisk together, then pour over the vegetables and toss gently to combine, careful to not break up the avocado chunks.

STEP FOUR:

Mix together all the ingredients for the sauce for the chicken EXCEPT for the salsa. Spread a couple big spoonfuls of the Ensalada on each of four plates. Place a chicken leg on top of each one, and top with the sour cream sauce and a little of the salsa. Garnish with lime wedges or cilantro sprigs if desired. Serve with margaritas or Mexican beers. Enjoy!



The chicken came out moist and delicious - I was worried it might be too spicy, but it was perfect. The salad was also delicious, although Cameron (Ross' ex-roommate and dinner guest) pointed out that a little more lime juice might've done it good. (I agree.) Ross described it as a "fiesta of flavors parading through his mouth," and a "pinata of deliciousness radiating bandoliers of Mexicanness." I couldn't have said it better myself.


Thanks for reading! More soon...

Whole Wheat Pasta with Zucchini, Tomatoes, & Capers

I watch The Hills. What, you were expecting my grandmother's spaghetti sauce recipe? (Not on your life.)

LC, Speidi, Audrina vs. Justin Bobby - I can't get enough of it. I wait all week for the juvenile drama and cheap thrills of the lives of SoCal's rich, famous, and entitled. This is in no way relevant to the recipe you're about to read, it just feels good to publicly admit to such a shallow and brain-melting pastime.


Were any of The Hills castmates to actually eat anything (it's actually written into their contracts that they have to subsist on only iceberg lettuce and Pear Martinis), I think that they might be able to get away with this one. It's another vegetarian dish that I consider pretty healthy. Of course it has a little fat - for flavor - but this recipe makes several servings - at least four, and the fat plays a very minor role, taking a backseat to the fresh veggies and wholesome noodles.

It's simple, fresh, and flavorful. I can even see modifying the recipe a bit and making it a cold Summer salad - it would be the perfect accompaniment to grilled chicken skewers or the like.

WHOLE WHEAT ROTINI WITH ZUCCHINI, TOMATOES, & CAPERS

INGREDIENTS

1/4 white onion, chunked
1 small shallot, thinly sliced
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 and 1/2 c. halved grape tomatoes
1/2 large zucchini, sliced into half moons
3 c. cooked whole wheat rotini
1 c. chicken broth
1/3 c. half and half
1/4 c. drained capers
1 T. chopped fresh oregano
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 T. butter
1 T. olive oil
salt and pepper
red pepper flakes
grated parmesan as garnish (optional)
*I also added about a 1/4 of a yellow bell pepper, diced, just so I could get rid of it. Not necessary, really.

STEP ONE:

In a large skillet with lid, heat the butter and oil over medium-high. Saute the onion and shallot, seasoning with a little salt and pepper, until translucent and slightly browned at the edges. Add the garlic and cook for about a minute.

STEP TWO:

Add the chicken broth, tomatoes, zucchini, herbs, some salt and pepper and red pepper flakes. Stir and cover, cooking on medium-high for about 10 minutes, until tomatoes start to break down and zucchini is tender.

STEP THREE:

Meanwhile, cook the pasta and drain, setting aside.


STEP FOUR:

Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in half and half and capers. Bring the heat up a little, simmering until the mixture reduces a bit. Stir in the pasta and cook for 2-3 minutes, until pasta is hot. Enjoy!


This came out nicely. I added quite a bit of red pepper flakes, since I love them, so use your judgement and add or leave out what you don't like. If you hate zucchini, use broccoli. If you like penne, use that. Not a caper fan? No big deal. This could easily take on Mediterranean flavors with feta and black olives; it could scream Spring with peas and asparagus; or it could be a nice base for chicken breast or turkey sausage. That's what I love about pasta - it's a blank canvas.

Thanks for reading! More soon...