Tag Archives: food

Roasted Potatoes with Arugula-Pistachio Pesto

I can’t help it but I love the Olympics. As much as it reminds me of how amazingly physically inferior I am to other people, I still love to root for my country and feel one with other Americans.  That being said, part of me is sad to see it end but happy to see it go. Two weeks is just long enough before some of us are ready to get back to regular programming of Chicago Fire and Grimm. Unless you are like me and have already jumped on the Netflix bandwagon and have devoured the entire second season of House of Cards only a day after the episodes were released. I have no self control. But that’s what happens when Netflix releases the whole season at once…it’s like letting a kid run wild in the Hershey chocolate factory.  Um…when will the third season be coming out? Anyone? I’ve officially tortured myself.  Anywho…at some point between watching the Olympics and my gazillionth episode of House of Cards, I have made these Roasted Potatoes with Arugula-Pistachio Pesto. Luckily, they were easy and not very time consuming.

Roasted fingerling potatoes are tossed in a quick, simple and tasty pesto made of peppery arugula and salty pistachios. Parmesan cheese, lemon juice and garlic help round out the flavors in this pesto which was so good, I used leftovers to top a turkey burger. This pesto would be good on nearly anything – any sandwich, any salad, any French fry, or any random vegetable.  I don’t eat potatoes much but when I eat them like these, I wonder why. These potatoes were amazing. I actually couldn’t wait until my next meal to eat them again. Sad but true. Please, try these.

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Place a jellyroll pan in oven. Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine potatoes and 1 tablespoon oil in a medium bowl; toss well.

Arrange potatoes in a single layer on preheated pan. Sprinkle potatoes with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes; toss potatoes. Bake an additional 25 minutes or until tender, stirring every 10 minutes.

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Combine remaining 3 tablespoons oil, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, arugula leaves, Parmesan cheese, pistachios, 2 teaspoons water, lemon juice, and garlic in a food processor; process until smooth.

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Combine arugula mixture and hot potatoes in a medium bowl; toss well.

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Additions:  None

Omissions:  None

Substitutions:  None

Overall Rating:  Love It

Source:  Cooking Light magazine

Citrus-Glazed Shrimp

You are witnessing my first attempt at ever making shrimp. As you may know, I’m not the biggest seafood fan. I’ve grown to love crab cakes and like some mild fish but I’ve been trying to like shrimp for a very, very long time. So far, I like the kind in restaurants that is batter dipped and fried (of course). But I’ve also had jumbo shrimp cocktail that I enjoyed also. So why is it that I’m struggling liking these little crustaceans any other time? I’ve been gathering shrimp recipes for a while now but could never pull the trigger at making them. Finally, I decided it was time to give these Citrus-Glazed Shrimp a try.

Uncooked peeled and deveined shrimp are mixed with garlic, lime, chipotle chile powder, salt and pepper and sautéed until pink and cooked through. Fresh lime juice and butter are added creating a silky, citrusy glaze. The garlic and lime add a fresh tone to these shrimp and the chipotle gives them the slightest kick. These guys have tons of flavor and were a good start at me becoming more comfortable with shrimp. I have to admit that I didn’t eat all of these and still struggle with the texture of shrimp. But I think I’m getting there slowly but surely. If you like shrimp even a little, I bet you’ll love these.

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Combine shrimp, garlic, lime rind, 1/4 teaspoon salt, chile powder, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl, tossing to coat shrimp.

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Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add shrimp to pan; sauté 3 minutes.

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Stir in lime juice and butter; cook 1 minute, tossing to coat.

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Remove from pan.

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Additions:  None

Omissions:  None

Substitutions:  None

Overall Rating:  Like It

Source:  Cooking Light magazine

Poached Egg and Arugula Salad Bruschetta

This might be a little embarrassing for me to admit but I’ve never poached an egg before. The primary reason for this, as I’ve mentioned before, is I didn’t start eating runny yolks until recently. Now that I’m really starting to understand the runny yolk goodness (or dippy egg as my friend calls it), there was no longer a reason to not attempt the poached egg. I really love Eggs Benedict but it’s the hollandaise sauce, not the poached egg, that makes me weary about making it at home. This Poached Egg and Arugula Salad Bruschetta is a perfectly simple recipe for a first-time egg poacher to try at home.

Fresh arugula is tossed with a simple shallot/Dijon mustard/white wine vinaigrette, draped over browned baguette slices and topped with crispy, crumbled bacon and a perfectly poached egg. The vinaigrette is light and the arugula’s peppery flavors pair so perfectly with the creaminess of the runny yolk and poached egg white. The bacon (I used turkey bacon) adds just another layer of flavor but vegetarians will be just as impressed with this even without the bacon. I’m a big brunch person and a big egg person but I honestly didn’t expect to love this dish as much as I do. I could easily eat this for brunch every weekend, hands down.

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Combine shallots, oil, 1 tablespoon vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper, stirring with a whisk.

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Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat (or pre-heat broiler). Lightly coat both sides of each bread slice with cooking spray. If using grill, add bread to grill pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until toasted. If using broiler, place bread on sheet pan and broil both sides until desired brownness (about 3 minutes each side).

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Add water to a large skillet, filling two-thirds full; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; add remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar to pan. Break eggs into custard cups. When water cools to a simmer, gently pour eggs into pan; cook 3 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Carefully remove eggs from pan using a slotted spoon.

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Place 2 toast slices on each of 4 plates. Add arugula to oil mixture; toss. Arrange about 1 cup arugula mixture on each serving; sprinkle evenly with bacon.

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Top each serving with 1 egg. Serve immediately.

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Additions:  None

Omissions:  None

Substitutions:

  • Turkey bacon

Overall Rating:  Love It

Source: Cooking Light magazine

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