Peanut Butter and Julie

Vine-Ripened Tomato Chutney

"A world without tomatoes is like a string quartet without a violin."   --Laurie Colwin, Home Cooking

Ms. Colwin has a point there.  After reading this quote, I started to think about all of the different cuisines, food products, and recipes that rely on this versatile vegetable, which is technically a fruit.  Tomatoes are simmered and stewed in Rome, Italy, but battered and deep fried in Rome, Georgia.  They'll be roasted in a Paris, France ratatouille, but finely chopped in a Paris, Texas pico de gallo.  Tomato paste helps to thicken our sauces, and summer just wouldn't be the same without big red bottles of tomato ketchup or barbecue sauce.  Breakfast omelets, lunch BLTs, dinner casseroles--all of our meals are tastier when these vine-ripened dynamos are involved.  Heck, I've even heard of people mixing tomato puree into their chocolate cake batter (Disclaimer: I have not tried this, so I cannot endorse this method.)

This is a particularly great time of year for tomatoes, yes, even in the produce-challenged Las Vegas grocery stores.  California must have had a bumper crop this year, because our bins were overflowing with crimson Roma, cherry, hothouse, vine-ripened, and heirloom varietals, all reasonably priced, might I add.  With the inflated price of groceries nowadays, when I do find produce that is both beautiful and that won't break the bank, I'll buy it and then figure out what to do with it later.  In this case, I decided to make a big batch of tomato chutney, which would last us most of the summer, and that we could use as a different condiment alternative during our outdoor cooking endeavors. 

With the addition of dried cranberries, cinnamon, and brown sugar, this chutney would also probably work really well in the fall, if you are lucky enough to have great tomatoes year-round.  The cumin, ginger, and mustard seed add a little bit of Middle Eastern flavor, and the cayenne adds some heat.  The flavors will only improve over time, as they blend, so make a big batch to keep available for your next burger night!  Here are some tips for this versatile summer spread:

• If you don't have vine-ripened tomatoes, you can use romas, hothouse, or even grape, as long as they are ripe and finely chopped.
• The dried cranberries can be replaced with dark or golden raisins, chopped dried figs, or even dried cherries.
• The chutney can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 months, tightly covered.
• This chutney is great spooned over burgers or grilled chicken, pork, or fish.  It would also be good mixed with a little sour cream to make a dip for raw vegetables.

Vine-Ripened Tomato Chutney

Makes about 4 cups

Ingredients:

3 cups finely chopped vine-ripened tomatoes

1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper

1 cup finely chopped red onion

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

Combine all of the ingredients in a large saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer the mixture for about 45 minutes or until thick, stirring frequently.  Cool the chutney and then pour it into airtight containers.

Mixed Fruit and Nut Granola

I have slowly been going through our house, room by room, in an effort to tidy things up and discard items that we no longer need.  Everything has just felt a bit cluttered lately, which translates to more things for the seemingly infinite supply of dog hairs to land upon.  I've gotten through the upstairs closets, including the one containing games, photos, and those certain "interesting" gifts, as well as my personal closet, where I finally mustered up the common sense to discard those pieces that have just been collecting dust for 10 years.  This week, it was time to conquer the kitchen.

Most of the appliances, tools, and gadgets inside my kitchen drawers and cabinets are ones that I use, if only on occasion.  No, I haven't actually tried my pasta maker yet, but I have certainly admired it many times and envisioned myself making pasta.  I'm just waiting for that perfect recipe to come along......  As far as downsizing the kitchen, most of the attention needed to be focused on the pantry.   

When we first bought the house, I thought it was great that our pantry had such nice, deep shelves.  Now I realize that there is just more room for items to get lost, never to be heard from again, as fresher, newer items are placed in front of it.  I knew that it was time to clean the pantry when I was placing a new bottle of olive oil on the top shelf, praying that it wouldn't be the 16 ounces that causes the shelf to collapse.  So, not wanting to waste anything, I decided to consolidate and use up as much as I could before buying bright and shiny replacements.

Because it is so versatile, granola is the perfect recipe to make if you are wanting to use up small amounts of many different ingredients.  With this recipe, I was able to go through 4 types of nuts, 3 types of dried fruits, and some brown sugar that was in danger of turning to cement.  Feel free to mix up the amounts and varieties, depending on what you have in supply.  No matter what combination that you select, this granola bakes up crisp, toasty, and crunchy, and it is great with milk, yogurt, or on its own as a snack.  This is definitely a case where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts!  Here are a few extra tips for making this crunchy, nutty, good-for-you granola:

• This granola can be stored in an air-tight container for up to two weeks.  You can recrisp the granola by heating at 275F degrees for 10-15 minutes.
• The maple syrup in this recipe can be replaced by honey.
• For the dried fruits, I like to use a combination of cranberries, golden raisins, cherries, and chopped apricots.  Chopped figs, apple slices, pineapple, and blueberries would also work nicely.
• I really like granola that clumps or forms clusters.  In order to achieve this, as soon as the granola is removed from the oven, press it down all over with the back of a flat spatula and let it cool this way.  It should break up in clusters when completely cooled as a result.

Mixed Fruit and Nut Granola

Makes about 12 cups

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons canola or safflower oil

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 3/4 cups rolled oats

1 cup unsweetened coconut

1/2 cup cashews

1/2 cup pecan pieces

1/2 cup shelled pistachios

1/2 cup slivered almonds

1 cup fresh orange juice

2 cups mixed dried fruit

Preheat the oven to 275F degrees.  Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.  In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, oil, brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt, and bring to a simmer, stirring until the brown sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes.  Let cool slightly.

In a very large bowl, toss together the oats, coconut, cashews, pecans, pistachios, and almonds.  Add the warm brown sugar mixture and stir to coat thoroughly.  Spread the granola onto the baking sheet and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden.

While the granola bakes, pour the orange juice over the fruit in a medium bowl and let stand until plumped, about 1 hour.

Drain the dried fruit, pressing to extract the liquid, and discard the liquid.  Stir the fruit into the granola and bake for 5 minutes.  Let cool completely.  The granola will crisp as it cools.

Caramel-Chile Glazed Apple Cake with Spiced Pecans

Because I am a cook and a food lover, I tend to gravitate towards books, movies, and television shows that somehow factor in (what else??) food.  On my TiVo, you'll see titles like Top Chef, Good Eats, and Food Network Challenge. On my nightstand lie current issues of Saveur, Bon Appetit, and the latest Ruth Reichl book.  And it's very easy to spot the DVDs from our collection that belong to me (hint: Kill Bill: Volume 2 is not one of them.)

There are many great films that revolve around a culinary theme.  Big Night is the first movie that I remember watching that actually made me hungry.  The film is about two Italian brothers who struggle to run an authentic Italian restaurant in 1950s New Jersey.  There is one scene in particular involving a great feast (and if you've seen this movie, you know which scene I am referring to), which should not be watched on an empty stomach. 

Another favorite film of mine is Chocolat.  This movie is a must-see for anyone who is a foodie, a Francophile, a romantic, or who just likes to look at Johnny Depp on occasion (I fall into all four categories.)  The story involves a drifting French chocolatier, played by Juliette Binoche, who moves to a tranquil village and uses her special intoxicating spiced cocoa to revive the villagers' passions.  This movie introduced me to the idea of adding chile to chocolate and sweets.

If you haven't had the opportunity to try this seemingly odd pairing, derived from Aztec cuisine, I encourage you to do so.  Almost all well-known chocolatiers (Vosges, Dagoba, Godiva, etc.) now carry some sort of chile-chocolate truffle or chocolate bar for you to taste.  The element of heat is added in small enough doses so that it becomes more of a background flavor, intensifying the chocolate, but mellowing out the sweetness.  While this apple cake recipe does not contain chocolate, it applies the cayenne in a similar format, again detracting from the intense sweetness of the glaze with that extra bit of heat.  The bonus?  Cayenne is said to raise your metabolism, so you're burning extra calories as you eat.  Now that's a great dessert!  Here are a few extra tips for making this cake with a cayenne kick:

• The spiced pecans can be prepared up to 3 days in advance.  Keep them at room temperature, tightly covered.  These pecans would also make a good party snack if you add 1/2 teaspoon salt when you are mixing the ingredients, before baking.
• The cake cam be made 1 day in advance.  Keep covered at room temperature.  The chile glaze can also be prepared 1 day in advance.  Rewarm prior to serving.
• I tend to keep my apples unpeeled in recipes.  I don't know if it is because I've never enjoyed the tedium of peeling apples, or because I've never really noticed the difference between peeled and unpeeled apples in baked goods.  Use whichever format you prefer.
• Feel free to experiment with the amount of spice in this recipe (although I wouldn't add too much cayenne....).  You can also add raisins, chopped pecans, or dried cranberries to the batter, if desired.

Caramel-Chile Glazed Apple Cake with Spiced Pecans

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

For the pecans

1 cup pecan halves

1 large egg white, beaten until foamy

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

For the cake

1 1/2 cups flour

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

3/4 cup canola or safflower oil

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup sour cream

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 cups 1/3-inch cubed Granny Smith apples

For the glaze

2/3 cup brown sugar

6 tablespoons half and half

5 tablespoons butter

4 egg yolks

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

For the spiced pecans: Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil and spray the foil with nonstick spray.  Toss the ingredients for the pecans in a medium bowl to coat.  Spread the pecans in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.  Bake until dry, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes; cool.

Prepare the cake:  Preheat the oven to 375F degrees.  Spray a 10-cup Bundt pan with nonstick spray.  Whisk the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, salt, ginger, and cayenne in a medium bowl.  Whisk together the canola oil, brown sugar, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla extract in a large bowl to blend.  Add the dry ingredients; fold together until just blended.  Fold in the apple cubes.  Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan and smooth the top.  Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean, 40-45 minutes.  Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes and then invert the cake onto a serving plate.

Prepare the glaze:  Stir all of the glaze ingredients together in a medium saucepan over medium heat until the mixture coats the back of a spoon, about 4 minutes (do not boil).  Spoon 1/2 cup of the warm glaze over the warm cake.  Transfer the remaining glaze to a pitcher and cool the cake completely.

Cut the cake into slices and place on plates.  Drizzle the extra glaze over the slices and sprinkle with the spiced pecans.  Top with vanilla ice cream and serve.

Paying it Forward: Arte y Pico

I was recently surprised to have had the Arte y Pico award bestowed upon me (well not really upon me, but upon Peanut Butter and Julie) by the beautiful and talented Camilla from Enlightened Cooking.   Camilla is quite the renaissance woman: cookbook author, fitness instructor, mother, and reigning queen of recipe contests.  To say that I was honored to receive this pat on the back from her would be like saying that George Clooney is "decent" looking.  Thank you, Camilla.   

I'll admit that I felt a bit like Darren McGavin, the actor who played the father in A Christmas Story, as he opened up the mysterious box marked "FRAGILE" (pronounced fra-gee-lay), when I received this award.  Although ecstatic to have received "A major award," he didn't know what it was.  Fortunately, mine has nothing to do with an illuminated leg lamp.  After googling "Arte y pico," here is what I found:

The Arte y Pico award is given to those who are creative and have a penchant for art.  The responsibilities that go with this award are as follows:

• Pick 5 blogs that you consider deserve this award for their creativity, design, interesting material, and also for contributing to the blogging community, no matter what language. (See below)
• Each award needs to have the name of the author and also a link to his or her blog. (Again, see below)
• Each award winner (upon acceptance) should show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given her or him the award. (Check)
• Each winner should show a link to the Arte y Pico blog, so that everyone will know the origin of this award.  (Check. Note: This blog is in Spanish)
• The rules of the Arte y Pico should be displayed. (Check)

So, after much thought, here are my selections (drum roll):

1. Lunch Bucket Bento: I love the concept of this blog.  As Lisa puts it, the concept is to "Jump on the bento bandwagon...and document your journey."  Each post features a new meal theme, packed neatly in colorful little bento boxes.  Lunchrooms will never be the same again!
2. My Sweet and Saucy: This site, containing photos that make you want to reach through your monitor and grab a cupcake, was started "in an attempt to inspire anyone and everyone who has a passion for desserts."  Well, if someone doesn't have a passion, they will after visiting Melody's site!
3. Cook Like Your Grandmother:  I recently discovered this site after the author, Drew, posted a comment on my "Bread and Butter Pickles" post.  First of all, I just love the name.  To quote Drew, this is a site where "You won't find the words lite, low, lean, free or skim anywhere. This is all real food, cooked the way Grandma would have done it."  And who doesn't love that???
4. The Average Cook: The author of this blog, Dani, is much too humble in her selection of titles.  Her recipes, while not overly complicated, are much better than average!  Her writing is witty, and her passion for cooking really comes through.  She is also from New Jersey, and since I spent part of my childhood there, I felt compelled to give a "shout out" (I can't believe I just wrote that.....).
5. Peanut Butter Boy: O.K., so there was no way that I could leave my PBB (peanut butter buddy) out, nor would I want to.  Nick's site, which is "powered by peanuts," is, you guessed it, all things peanut butter.  From good old peanut butter cookies to the not-so-common peanut butter corndog, this blog has it all.  Open up you Jif and take a look!

So congratulations to these five fantastic foodies.  I'm not posting a recipe today, so take a look at one of theirs.  Just promise that you'll be back tomorrow!!!

Grilled Chicken Sandwiches with Goat Cheese and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Like most 20-somethings across America, I was an avid watcher of the sitcom Friends during its ten season run, from 1994-2004 (for me, more-so in the earlier years than later on.)  While each of the characters had their significant funny moments, none made me laugh more than Joey Tribbiani, the womanizing struggling actor, perfectly personified by Matt LeBlanc.  Despite his disarmingly naive personality and his deluded sense of self confidence (what else would possess someone to select "How you doin'?" as their go-to pick-up line?), Joey was somehow still likable and managed to be almost irresistible to women, much to Chandler's envious admiration.   

Joey was also known for being passionately addicted to food, and this personality trait provided some classic comical TV moments.  There were the Thanksgiving episodes, specifically the one where Joey managed to get a turkey stuck on his head, or the one where he wore maternity pants to the dinner table, so that he could eat more.  Then there was the episode when Joey, Ross, and Chandler heard a car backfire, and they thought it was a gunshot.  Rather than throw his body over Ross or Chandler in an attempt to save them, Joey elected to shield his precious meatball sub (in all fairness, he did offer Chandler one bite of his sub afterward as a goodwill gesture.)  Yes, Joey was particularly known for being a connoisseur of sandwiches, and he never met one that he didn't like.

While I think a good sandwich is definitely more of a guy thing, there are times that I can definitely relate to this side of Joey.  A great sandwich means that you have all of your choice ingredients stacked up for you, aligned so that you can taste them all with each bite.  You need to have the perfect fresh bread to go with the filling, and it needs to be assembled with you in mind.   We had just that kind of sandwich for dinner last night.  Moist, marinated grilled chicken was layered with tangy sun-dried tomatoes, peppery arugula, creamy goat cheese, and caramelized onions on soft and chewy ciabatta rolls.  Everything just worked and came together to make a really memorable meal.  Joey would've been in love.  Here are just a few extra tips for making these colorful flavorful sandwiches:

• If you want to up the flavor ante even more, try mixing some fresh or dried herbs, chopped garlic, or minced scallions into your goat cheese.
• If you don't like goat cheese, you can top the sandwich with blue or gorgonzola cheese, or you could spread the top side of the roll with a black olive tapenade or even hummus.
• I prefer to use crusty ciabatta rolls for these sandwiches, as they require something that can really hold all of the ingredients together.  La Brea Bakery makes some good ones, which I believe are carried by most major grocery stores nowadays.  Other good bread options would be bakery-style kaiser rolls, or a thick foccacia bread.
• Spinach or mixed greens can always be substituted for the peppery arugula.
• This recipe would be very easy to turn into a grilled chicken salad, for those of you who have nixed the bread from your diets.  Toss the arugula with the balsamic vinegar and olive oil, and then top with the sun-dried tomatoes, grilled onions, and sliced grilled chicken.  Sprinkle with the goat cheese.

Grilled Chicken Sandwiches with Goat Cheese and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Serves 8

Ingredients:

8 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons dried thyme

Salt and pepper

2 red onions, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices

8 sandwich rolls, halved

1 cup chopped, drained, oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes

3 cups arugula

1 cup soft goat cheese

Place the chicken breasts in a shallow dish.  Add the vinegar, oil, garlic, and thyme.  Season with salt and pepper, turn the chicken to coat on both sides, cover the dish, and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.

Prepare a grill over medium-hight heat.  Grill the chicken and the onions until the chicken has cooked through and the onions are golden brown, turning once, 12-14 minutes.  Grill the cut sides of the rolls until they are golden brown.  Spread the bottom halves of the rolls with the chopped sun-dried tomatoes.  Top with the chicken breasts, grilled onions, and arugula.  Spread the top halves of the rolls with some of the goat cheese and place atop the sandwiches.  Serve warm. 

Roasted Vegetable Orzo Salad

We had to make another Costco trip this weekend.  Dreading it, I waited until the last possible minute before finally giving in on Saturday.  I believe it was during the moment that I was scraping every last bit of flour out of its canister, in efforts to gather enough for the recipe that I was working on, that I realized I couldn't avoid it any longer.  So, bright and early Saturday morning, after our workout and a delicious breakfast at The Cracked Egg (highly recommended), Eric and I arrived at Costco just in time for opening.  As a rule, I always shop at Costco right when it opens--less crowded, less claustrophobic, and much, much faster.

If we are in a recession, you wouldn't know it from the goings on at the Summerlin Costco.  Carts everywhere were piled high, filled with everything from dog food to Guitar Hero, even at 10 a.m.  We wanted to get some steaks to grill for dinner, but when we searched for the tenderloin, they had apparently already sold out in record time and were in the process of restocking, so we waited.  Armed with our freshly cut steaks, a good pinot noir from Costco's vast and impressive selection, and about 40 other "necessities" (mind you, I use that term loosely), we headed to the checkout for the always painful grand total.

After a really nice night out on Friday, we decided to stay home, rent a movie, and grill our steaks for dinner.  To go along with the filets, I made one of my favorite warm weather salads, full of roasted vegetables and tossed in a light lemony dressing.  Because it tastes delicious at any temperature, I like to make a big batch and graze on it over the next few days.  It went perfectly with our lightly seasoned grilled steaks, but I think we could have found a better pairing in the cinematography sector.  I voted for 27 Dresses, or even There Will Be Blood, but I lost out to Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.  On the positive side, I was able to do other things while the movie played--the plot didn't require my full attention.  At least dinner was good.  Here are my tips for this simple summer salad:

• If you don't have orzo on hand, or if you can't find it in your grocery store, feel free to substitute rotini, farfalle, orecchiette, or even penne.   Whole wheat versions would work nicely too.  If not located with the general pasta, orzo can often be found in the Italian foods section of the grocery store.
• Mix and match vegetables for this salad according to your personal preferences.  If you prefer yellow or orange peppers, use them.  Assorted mushrooms, grape tomatoes, yellow squash, and broccoli florets would all be good choices for additions or substitutions.
• This salad will keep well, covered and chilled, for 3 to 4 days.  I like to eat it cold, but you can really serve it at any temperature.
• Top the salad with grilled chicken or shrimp to turn it into an entree.
• The feta cheese in this recipe is optional, but it certainly adds a nice tangy flavor.  Other cheeses that would work nicely are crumbled goat cheese or a milder diced buffalo mozzarella.

Roasted Vegetable Orzo Salad

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

1 (1-pound) eggplant, cut into 3/4-inch cubes

2 red bell peppers, cut into 3/4-inch pieces

1 large zucchini, cut into 3/4-inch cubes

1 red onion, cut into 3/4-inch pieces

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons dried thyme

Salt and pepper

1/2 pound dried orzo pasta

For the dressing

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

To finish the salad

1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted

4 scallions, minced

1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

1/2 pound feta cheese, diced (optional)

Preheat the oven to 425F degrees.  Toss the eggplant, peppers, zucchini, red onion, and garlic with the olive oil and thyme in a roasting pan.  Season generously with salt and pepper and toss to mix.  Roast for 40-45 minutes, until browned, tossing occasionally.

While the vegetables roast, cook the orzo.  Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil.  Add the orzo and cook for 7 to 9 minutes, until tender.  Drain the orzo and transfer to a large bowl.

Add the roasted vegetables to the orzo, scraping all of the liquid from the roasting pan into the pasta bowl.

For the dressing, whisk together the lemon juice and olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper and add the dressing to the pasta bowl.  Toss the mixture to coat well.  Add the pine nuts, scallions, parsley, and feta (optional) to the salad and toss well.  Season to taste and serve at room temperature or cold.