Susie's Kitchen

So it's been some time since my last blog.  But, there's a very good reason for it.  We recently moved to a new house and I have a newer and better kitchen with a view.  This means, I am inspired to cook more than ever.  From salmon with capers, lemon and garlic, to chicken breasts stuffed with goat cheese and sundried tomatoes, to the most perfect shrimp scampi, to breakfast frittatas for 30 and a 3 course Greek dinner for 38...I'm doing it all and loving it!  Suffice it to say, I must have a good kitchen with a view to be inspired to cook (husbands out there...you now know what to do to get the most hopeless cooks in the kitchen to give it a go and get home cooked meals!).  The key to a good kitchen is the appliances, organization and lighting.  We chose an LG range, fridge and dishwasher, and a GE microwave (btw you and me...I rarely use the microwave) for their quality and they look great too!  When I unpacked the kitchen, I took my time and carefully organized and stored things where it is most convenient and gives the kitchen a nice flow.  There is nothing worse than having to walk around and open several cabinets to do a simple task in the kitchen.  You want to save time and effort.  Our kitchen also opens up to the dining room and family room so that guests can interact with me while I'm doing last minute preparations for dinner (it even entices them to help and sometimes take over and give you a break).  Last but not least, you must have good lighting.  A skylight and big windows overlooking the yard, mountains and City lights does it for me.  So, out of all the dinner parties I've had in the new house, the most popular menus is the Greek dinner (approved by my very lovely Greek neighbor from San Diego).  Here is the recipe, enjoy and happy cooking!

GREEK SALAD

 

Dressing

6 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon dried oregano (Mediterranean is best)

Kosher salt and pepper

 

Salad

1 head lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces ((I use Romaine)

3 large plum tomatoes, seeded and coarsely chopped

1 English cucumber, peeled and coarsely chopped (the long, thin, almost seedless ones)

1 medium red onion, cut into thin rings and soaked for 10 minutes in a small bowl of ice water to make it less sharp

1 small green pepper, cut into thin rings

3/4 cup kalamata olive

3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions

1.  Whisk dressing ingredients together until blended.
2.  Season to taste.
3.  Drain onion from ice water and pat dry with paper towels.
4.  Combine all salad ingredients, except cheese, in large bowl.
5.  Toss with dressing.
6.  Sprinkle cheese over and serve.

CHICKEN, BEEF AND SHRIMP SOUVLAKI

Ingredients (serve 4-6)

1/2 cup olive or vegetable oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons honey

1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon salt

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves/beef/shrimp

Directions

In a small bowl, combine oil, lemon juice, garlic, honey, thyme, red pepper flakes, pepper and salt if desired. Reserve half of marinade for basting; cover. Cut chicken into 1-in. wide strips; weave on skewers. Place in an 11-in. x 7-in. x 2-in. glass baking dish. Pour remaining marinade over chicken. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Drain, discarding marinade. Place skewers on grill over medium-low coals. Grill, turning and basting with reserved marinade, for 12 minutes or until juices run clear.

RICE PILAF GREEK STYLE 

Ingredients (serve 4-6)

2 c. rice
1 stick butter
4 c. chicken stock
2 tbsp. canned tomatoes
Kosher salt and pepper

Directions

Melt butter in skillet and brown rice 5-8 minutes. Gradually add hot meat stock and allow to simmer for 10 minutes, with cover on. Add tomatoes, salt and pepper and cook until the rice is done. All liquid should be absorbed by the rice when it is well done. Allow to stand a few minutes before serving.

BAKLAVA

Ingredients

1 pound shelled walnuts, toasted

1/2 pound blanched almonds, toasted

1/2 pound shelled pistachios, toasted

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1 pound unsalted butter, melted

1 pound phyllo pastry sheets

 

Orange Scented Simple Syrup:

2 cups sugar

2 cups water

1/2 cup orange blossom honey

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 lemon, juiced

2 large strips orange peel

1 cinnamon stick

3 whole cloves

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Finely chop the nuts in a food processor or coffee grinder. Transfer nuts to a bowl and mix in brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and cloves.

Brush a 13 by 9-inch baking pan with melted butter and set aside. Cut a piece of cardboard into a 13 by 9-inch rectangle. Unroll the phyllo dough and lay the sheets flat on a work surface. Set the cardboard template on the stack of phyllo and trim the excess so they fit the pan. Keep the pastry covered with a damp, not wet, towel as you work to prevent drying out.

To build the baklava, you will alternate 3 layers of dough with 2 layers of nuts. Start with a stable base of 8 sheets on the bottom, brushing each with melted butter. Spread 1/2 the nut mixture evenly over the stacked sheets. Cover with 4 sheets of phyllo, painting each with melted butter, then sprinkle again with remaining nut mixture. Top the last layer of nuts with 8 layers of phyllo as you did for the bottom. Drizzle any remaining butter over top.

If you have time, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes so the butter will set and make the baklava easier to cut. Using a sharp knife, make 5 cuts across lengthwise, then cut diagonally to form diamonds. Baklava is more difficult to cut after it is cooked because the pastry becomes so flaky. Bake for about 40 minutes until golden and flaky. If the top browns too quickly during baking, tent with foil.

To make the syrup: combine the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and let simmer for 10 minutes until thickened. Remove the orange peel, cinnamon stick, and whole clove; set aside to cool.

Remove an end piece of the baklava and tilt the pan to allow the butter to collect in the corner. Spoon out the excess and discard. With the pan flat, pour the syrup evenly over the hot baklava. Allow to stand for several hours before serving.

An Italian Dinner...Even I Can Do It!

If there is one thing you should know about me, it's the fact that I have never been a good cook.  It's not due to lack of trying...I was simply not blessed with the gift!  So, when I invited my future in-laws over for my fiance's birthday, I had to think quick.  This is the first time I'm cooking dinner for them in 71/2 years!  They've always invited us over at their place and I've never been confident in my cooking and hosting skills to reciprocate...until now.  I thought "What the heck!  Surely, my cooking skills can't break an engagement...can it?"  No, they are wonderful people and would appreciate my, at least, trying.

So, just to be on the safe side, I decided to cook an Italian dinner from scratch.  The menu: Bruchetta, Salad (as an afterthought really), Baked Ziti, and Tiramisu; all from scratch, no shortcuts...really!  This menu was perfect for 6 people and costs under $100 (or less than $130 with 2 bottles of Italian wine).  Approximate cooking time: 4-6 hours (if you're an amateur like me).

Tiramisu

Ingredients

6 ounces container mascarpone cheese

2/3 cup whipping cream

1/2 cup sugar

Chocolate Zabaglione, recipe follows

2 1/2 cups espresso coffee, warmed

24 crisp ladyfinger cookies (recommended: Trader Joe’s Lady Fingers)

Unsweetened cocoa powder, for garnish

Dark chocolate shavings, for garnish

Directions

Chocolate Zabaglione

2 tablespoons whipping cream, or heavy cream

1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

4 large egg yolks

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup dry Marsala

Pinch salt

Add cream and chocolate to a heavy small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the chocolate chips are melted and smooth. Set aside and keep warm.

Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, Marsala, and salt in a large glass bowl until blended (you may use an electric mixer on low). Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, but do not allow the bottom of the bowl to touch the water (difficult; you may want to use an oven mitt to protect your hand). Whisk the egg mixture over the simmering water until it is thick and creamy, about 4 minutes (difficult: you may use an electric mixer on low, but be careful that the cord doesn’t get on the flames…trust me!). Remove from the heat.

Using a large rubber spatula, fold the melted chocolate mixture into the egg mixture. Cover and refrigerate to chill completely.

Mascarpone: Place the mascarpone cheese in a large bowl and set aside. With an electric mixer, beat the cream and 1/4 cup of the sugar in a medium bowl until soft peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone. Then fold in the chilled Chocolate Zabaglione. Cover and refrigerate.

Lady Fingers: Whisk the warmed espresso and the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar in another medium bowl until blended. Line a 9 1/4 by 5 by 2 3/4-inch metal loaf pan with plastic wrap (or aluminum foil), allowing the plastic to extend over the sides. Working with 1 cookie at a time, dip 8 cookies into the espresso, and arrange in a single layer side by side over the bottom of the prepared pan.

Spoon 1/3 of the mascarpone mixture over the cookies to cover. Repeat dipping 8 of the cookies in the espresso and layering the cookies and remaining mascarpone mixture 2 more times. Dip the remaining 8 cookies in the espresso and arrange side by side atop the tiramisu. Press lightly to compact slightly (the last layer will extend above the pan sides). Cover the tiramisu with plastic and refrigerate at least 6 hours.

Unwrap the plastic from atop the tiramisu. Invert the tiramisu onto a platter. Remove the plastic. Sift the cocoa over the tiramisu, and with a vegetable peeler or sharp knife, make dark chocolate shavings and sprinkle over top.

Bruschetta

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs. ripe Roma tomatoes

2 tbsp. finely chopped red onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 c. chopped fresh basil

2 tsp. red wine vinegar (balsamic is also nice)

3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Salt and Pepper

Parmesan shavings

Toasted crusty bread

Instructions: Cut tomatoes in half, squeeze out seeds and excess juice. Dice, place in bowl. Add onion, garlic, basil, vinegar, salt and pepper (to taste), and olive oil. Let sit at room temperature 1 hour.

Brush toasted bread lightly with olive oil. Spoon tomato mixture over bread, sprinkle with shaved Parmesan cheese.  

Baked Ziti

Ingredients

1 large onion, diced

6 cloves garlic, minced

1.5 lbs spicy Italian sausage, casings removed, crumbled

salt and pepper

1/4 c. dry red wine

1 (35 oz.) can chopped tomatoes, with juice

4 tomatoes, diced

1/4 c. chopped fresh oregano (or 2 tbsp, dried)

1 c. ricotta cheese

3/4 to 1 c. grated parmesan cheese

1/3 c. flat leaf parsley, chopped

1 lb. dry ziti pasta, cooked to al dente

1/2 to 1 pound mozzarella cheese, diced

olive oil

Instructions: Heat oven to 425 F. In large skillet, heat 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium. Saute onion in oil until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sausage, sauté  until sausage is browned. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Drain fat, return to heat.

Add red wine, allow to boil mostly away. Add tomatoes with juice, simmer about 10 minutes, until sauce is slightly thickened. Add oregano. Taste to correct seasonings.

In a bowl, combine ricotta, half the parmesan, and the parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Combine drained, cooked pasta with ricotta mixture. Add sausage and sauce. Mix. Add mozzarella.

Pour into large, shallow, greased baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining parmesan. Set aside and bake 30 minutes before you are ready to serve.  Bake uncovered until bubby and lightly browned, about 20 minutes.

Salad

1 romaine lettuce

2 handfuls arugula

Parmesan cheese

Grape tomatoes

Cucumber

Green onions

Sliced ham

Balsamic vinaigrette

Whatever you fancy

Directions: I think we all know how to make a salad. 

Devour and enjoy! 

Toy Soldiers

Every morning I drive south on the I-5 through Camp Pendelton, a Marine Corps Base in Southern California, on my way to work.  The view is nothing short of breathtaking; sprawling mountains to the left, the inviting Pacific Ocean to the right, and surfers bobbing in the water at San Onofre State Beach.  It seems as though time stops in this area of Southern California; the air smells fresher, the sun brighter, the ocean bluer and the world is more peaceful.  Yet, I speed past the scene in my Prius at 75 mph, even 85 at times.  Not without capturing and savoring the moment, of course.  I sometimes get a nagging urge to stop to take in and enjoy the stillness; who cares if I'm late for work.  It's a beautiful day!  Even the marines in their army green uniforms and advanced water amphibious assault vehicles training on the beach look peaceful in this backdrop.  And, that is just one of many oxymorons on this stretch of the I-5.  The surfers bobbing in the water at San Onofre State Beach are actually in front of the San Onofre Nuclear Plant.  The stillness of the mountains to the left of the I-5 are overlooked by motorists recklessly overtaking cars and speeding past to get ahead of traffic.  The inviting water of the Pacific Ocean is the chilliest water I've ever swam in.  The point is, you will find contradictions everywhere you look here, but there is no denying that this is one of the beautiful spots in Southern California.  Just as a soldier trains for battle to find peace, I have managed to see through the chaos of my morning commute and found some stillness.