Roasted Veggie Winter Salad

• Brussels sprouts, halved
• Sweet potato, peeled and sliced
• Broccoli florets
• Cauliflower florets
• Rainbow baby carrots, whole
• Button mushrooms, halved
• Tuscan kale
• White quinoa
• Fresh egg
• Avocado
• Goat cheese
• Feta cheese
• Dijon mustard
• Avocado oil
• Apple cider vinegar
• Salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven 400ºF. 
2. Season vegetables in oil, salt, and pepper.
3. Spread evenly onto baking sheet.
4. Roast for 35 minutes or until browned.
5. Simmer quinoa as directed on package (1 grain: 2 liquid)
6. Over-easy egg – preheat a nonstick pan on medium, add egg, reduce to low, cover for 1-2 minutes
7. Julienne kale into fine strips
8. Make the mustard vinaigrette: 2 Tbs dijon mustard, 1/2 cup avocado oil, 1/4 cup apple vinegar
9. Layer quinoa, kale, veggies, egg, and crumbled cheese to assemble health bowl.
10. Finish with sliced avocado and mustard dressing.

Vanilla Meatball Cookies

Ingredients:

2 cups AP flour, sifted

2 tsp baking powder

1 stick butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

3 whole eggs, room temperature

1 1/2 Tbs vanilla

2 cups confectioners sugar, sifted

2 tsp vanilla

3 Tbs melted butter

2 Tbs whole milk

Method:

1. Whisk together flour and baking powder.
2. Cream together butter and sugar, about 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, scraping down bowl until fully incorporated. Beat for 5 minutes.
3. Slowly add flour mixture into butter mixture until dough forms, being sure not to over beat.
4. Let dough chill at least 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350ºF and line baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a medium-sized ice cream scoop, place dough batter 1 inch apart of baking sheet. They will not spread that much. Bake 15 minutes and immediately remove to cooling sheet.
5. While cookies are baking, make icing by whisking together confectioners sugar, vanilla, butter and milk or water in a medium bowl. Spoon icing onto cookies immediately after coming out of oven, being sure to decorate quickly as well before icing hardens.

Yield: 24 cookies

Weeknight Salad Kaleidoscope

Sometimes when I'm really hungry but am trying to stay within healthy boundaries, I throw a ton of ingredients into a shallow pasta bowl, toss in some lettuce, pour over dressing, and call it... A SALAD! There are no limits here. The more colorful the better!

With Chicken Sausage (check out that beautiful yolk!)

With Chicken Style Strips

Potential Ingredients:

radish

cucumber

artichoke hearts

chick peas (low sodium)

locally grown tomatoes

avocado

soft-boiled egg

red baby potatoes

cauliflower florets

salad greens

favorite salad dressing

1. Slice tomatoes and lay on paper towel-lined plate and season with salt. Set aside until ready to assemble salad.
2. Add potatoes to pot and cover with cold water. Place lid on pot and bring to boil. Boil for 15-20 minutes. Remove and set aside until cool to the touch, then slice and immediately toss with dressing.
3. Add whole eggs to pot of water to measure how much water will be needed to cover the eggs. Remove eggs and bring water to a boil. Add eggs back into water and boil for 5 minutes and 45 seconds. Remove and rinse immediately under cold water. Place in fridge until ready to assemble salad.
4. In a medium-large fry pan, add cauliflower and 2 Tbs of water. Cover with lid and place over high heat. Once cauliflower is tender from steam, add 1 Tbs of olive oil and brown for 2 minutes still on high. Toss occasionally. Remove and cool in fridge until ready to assemble salad.
5. Place all other ingredients in bowl and toss with salad dressing just before serving. 

Chicken Sausage with Corn & Zucchini

If corn and zucchini don't scream summer, I don't know what does. I go for any corn in the market that is local, whether white or yellow or both; As long as it's fresh, it makes no difference to me. When shopping for zucchini, stray away from the Guinness Book of World Records sized gourds. The smaller the better. I like to quarter and slice out the seeds. When using fresh corn on the cob, don't worry about a fancy tool. Cut one side flat, sit it on a plate, and carefully run your knife down four sides.

Ingredients:
2 ears of fresh corn on the cob, shucked
2 petite sized zucchini, de-seeded and sliced
chicken sausage links, 1 per person












Method:

1. In a fry pan on medium heat, brown sausage on all sides. Set aside and cover with foil.
2. In the same pan, add 1 Tbs of oil and 1 Tbs of butter. Saute corn for about 5 minutes until just tender. Remove from pan and set aside.
3. Repeat with zucchini. Transfer corn back into pan with zucchini to warm through. 
4. Slice sausage and place over corn and zucchini. Serves about 4.

Baby Tomato & Goat Cheese Crostini

If you haven't sampled this summer's fresh, locally grown tomatoes, get up and go to your market this instant. The window of opportunity is so small (between 2-4 months) that one must take advantage. I felt just this way when I wanted a make something light yet well-rounded. Here's what I came up with...

Ingredients:
1 pint cherry, grape, or baby heirloom tomatoes
Sea Salt, to taste
1 package goat cheese, room temperature
1 Tbs capers
1/2 lemon, juiced
Good French bread, such as baguette
Good olive oil
Fresh basil, chiffonade
Fresh cracked black pepper

Method:

1. Slice tomatoes and lay on double layered paper towel lined platter. Season lightly with sea salt and set aside.
2. In a small work bowl, combine goat cheese, capers and lemon juice. Mix with a fork until well combined and set aside.
3. Pre-heat oven to 450°F. Slice bread 1/4-1/2" thick and drizzle with olive oil on one side. Toast in oven for about 5 minutes, keeping an eye on it so not to brown too much.
4. Assemble by spreading goat cheese over toasted baguette, laying salted tomatoes over cheese, followed by a pinch of basil, drizzle of olive oil, and fresh black pepper. Makes about 10 pieces of crostini. 

New England Lobster Rolls

Ingredients:

• 2  1-1/2 lb live lobsters
• 1/2 cup good quality mayonnaise
• 2 stalks small celery
• 1 Tbs finely chopped chives
• 1 fresh lemon, zested then cut into wedges
• 1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
• 4 New England style hot dog buns
• 4 Tbs per bun Softened unsalted butter
• Fresh arugula greens
• Whole grain mustard to garnish

Method:

1. Break down lobster. Here's a good instructional video >>  
2. Cook the lobster using this classic method >>
3. Allow lobster to cool while preparing dressing. 
4. To make dressing, stir together mayonnaise, celery, chives, 1 tsp lemon zest, and Old Bay. Gently fold in lobster and allow to sit for 30 minutes before serving.
5. Meanwhile, melt butter in shallow fry pan on medium heat and toast each side of hot dog rolls until golden. 
6. Lay arugula inside buns, followed by generous spoonfuls of lobster salad. Finish with a small spooning of mustard, a chive garnish, and a fresh squeeze of lemon. Serves about 4.

©2013 Amanda Antinore

Hop into Spring, With a Spring in Your Step!

Winter just flew by, didn't it? If you're reading this in Rochester you know what I'm talking about. With only a couple snow storms and early spikes in temperature we've been spoiled. All the more reason to think healthy eating in preparation for, dare I say, [dum dum duuhm] Bathing Suit Season! [shriek].

Let's lose that mentality and jump in head first to the warm-weather skin-baring season with confidence and energy. How do we do this, you ask? Revamp your meals of course! This is a food blog after all.

But How Do I Start?
Starting is typically the worst part, no one wants to deprive themselves of the comforts they've grown accustomed to for months on end. "Will swapping out this one thing really make difference in how I feel and look? YES, yes it WILL! To quote the great Dr. Leo Martin, "Baby steps." Mondays are a perfect day of the week to start making a change. Breakfast is the perfect meal. When you start your day off right, you're more likely to stick with it the rest of the day.

I doubt I've written anything here that you haven't already heard before if this is a topic which interests you. Why am I writing about it now? Because I'm living proof that it works. Someone who lives breathes and obviously eats for food has made necessary changes to feel and look healthier. I'm only ten pounds away from my ultimate goal weight, and I've done it all by being consciousness of what I'm chowing down on. It's been a work in progress and didn't happen overnight. Anyone who tells you there's a quick fix to losing weight or feeling healthy is lying. You're more likely to gain it all back and go wild and crazy munching on something devilish.

Healthy Food Tastes Great
You will start to crave things like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes. This is a good sign, embrace it! Below are two of my favorite recipes:

Breakfast Shake 

• 1 Tbsp Hemp protein shake powder
• 1 Tbsp organic creamy natural peanut butter
• 1/2 cup frozen organic strawberries
• 1/2 cup organic plain yogurt
• 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 1 organic banana

Blend all ingredients together until smooth and creamy. Serve chilled. Makes about 20 oz.

Veggie-Wrap

• 1 purple eggplant, small diced
• 2 small zucchinis, small diced
• 3 portobello mushrooms, small diced
• 1 Tbsp butter spread
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots
• 1/2 cup shredded red cabbage
• 1/2 seedless cucumber, cut up matchstick size
• 1-can artichoke hearts, chopped
• 2 roasted red peppers, julienned
• 1/4 cup Greek dressing
• 1/4 cup feta cheese
• 1/2 cup Greek plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup Vegenaise
• 1/4 cup hummus
• 1/2 avocado, sliced thin
• fresh greens (such as spinach, arugula, radicchio)
• whole wheat wraps

In a large fry pan over medium high heat, melt the 1 Tbsp butter spread. Add eggplant, zucchini, and mushrooms. Saute until golden and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.

In a large work bowl combine carrots, cabbage, cucumber, artichokes, red peppers, and Greek dressing and mix thoroughly. Set aside.

In a small work bowl combine feta, yogurt, "mayo", and hummus. Stir well. Spread onto wrap in the middle about 5" diameter if using a 10" diameter wrap. Lay down some greens. Then add the mixed veggies with Greek dressing, cooked veggies, and lastly avocado. Fold tightly like a burrito, slice in half, enjoy! Serves 2 (with leftovers).

Happy Fourth of July

Of course I had to make a patriotic dessert celebrating our Nation's freedom. I had a little help from a recipe I found on Epicurious. But the filling is all my own. I call this, "Star Tart". 

Crust:

1 1/4 C AP flour

1/3 C sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1 egg yolk

2 Tbs cold water

1 tsp. vanilla

1 stick cold butter, cut into 1/4" cubes

In food processor, pulse flour, sugar and salt together. Crumble in butter and pulse together 10 times. Slowly pour in egg mixture while pulsing. Should resemble coarse corn meal when done. Pour out onto plastic wrap and gather into ball. Chill in freezer for 30 minutes. 

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Remove dough ball from freezer. Using a box grater, shred the dough into a 10" tart plate. Press dough on bottom and along sides using bottom of flat measuring cup. Line with non-stick aluminum foil and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove and let cool completely. 

Filling:

1 C whipping cream

3 Tbs confectioners sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1-8 oz. container of mascarpone at room temperature

3 Tbs strawberry preserves

1 tsp. fresh orange zest

In a bowl of an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, combine all ingredients until smooth and creamy. Set aside.

Topping:

1 qt. organic strawberries sliced evenly 1/4" thick

1 pt. organic blueberries

To assemble fill pre-baked tart shell with filling and spread evenly. Starting in one corner arrange strawberries with pointed side facing outside of tart. Start with one, then layer two next to each other, then three, and so on. Do this at 5 different points around tart. Fill in outside of star with blueberries. Chill until ready to serve. Serves 10-12. 

Braised Vegetables

This recipe goes along with the Pan Roasted Chicken With Lemon Risotto video posted last year....

1 small yellow zucchini, finely diced

1 small green zucchini, finely diced

1 medium carrot, finely diced

6 fresh baby artichokes, trimmed and quartered

1/4 C. dry white wine

1/3 C. fresh chicken stock

1 Tbs. fresh thyme, minced

1 Tbs. fresh basil, julienned

1/2 fresh lemon, juice squeezed

2 Tbs. olive oil

kosher salt

freshly ground pepper

Preheat sauté pan on medium heat with olive oil, add veggies and season with salt and pepper. Sweat vegetables for 7-10 minutes until soft. Deglaze pan with white wine. Add chicken stock and let simmer on medium-low until reduced 15-20 minutes. Add herbs and lemon juice and more salt and pepper to taste.

© Copyright 2010 Amanda Dalmath eatsweetreats.blogspot.com

Braised Chicken Moroccan Style

This proved to be a fulfilling, hearty, and healthy meal for just around $30. It could easily be served during a fall dinner party for about 8 people. I used a 13" braising pan, but you could also use a wide bottom stock pot or deep sauté pan.

(The picture does not justify its deliciousness!)

1 lb. chicken drumsticks

1 lb. bone-in chicken thighs

olive oil

½ cups AP flour

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 Tbs. cumin

Salt and fresh ground pepper

1 small yellow onion, chopped

1 orange bell pepper, julienne sliced

2 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled & diced

6 oz baby brown pearl mushrooms

12 oz white mushrooms, sliced

½ cup garlic marinated green pitted olives

1 cup artichoke hearts

15.5 oz can garbanzo bean/chickpeas

14.5 oz can chicken broth

28 oz can crushed tomatoes

pinch of Saffron

2 fresh lemons, thinly sliced

fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 275ºF.

Turn stovetop on medium high and preheat oven proof braising pan, stock pot, or sauté pan with olive oil. Whisk together flour, cinnamon, cumin, salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour mixture and gently place skin-side down into preheated olive oil. Be sure not to overcrowd the pan; 3 pieces at a time is sufficient. Turn once after skin is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Sear another 3 minutes and remove. Keep cooked chicken on platter while other pieces sear. Chicken will not be fully cooked; you're only looking to crisp the skin and sear the outside.

Once all chicken is done, add another couple tablespoons of olive oil to pan on medium heat, being sure to keep all browned chicken bits, spices and flour that have adhered to the bottom. Add onions, peppers, potatoes, mushrooms, and olives. With the lid off, cook for about 30 minutes or until potatoes are cooked, onions are translucent, and mushrooms have reduced in half. You're looking to sweat out the water in the mushrooms and sugars in the onions to concentrate the flavors.

Meanwhile, combine crushed tomatoes, artichokes, chickpeas, and saffron is bowl and set aside.

Once vegetables are cooked through and reduced, de-glaze with chicken broth. Add tomato mixture and stir until combined. Add chicken back to pan and be sure to submerge. Lay fresh lemon slices over top, cover pan with lid and transfer to preheated oven. Cook for 2½ - 3 hours. Serve with couscous and top with fresh picked hand torn parsley.

© 2009 Amanda Dalmath Eat Sweetreats Recipes

Summer Corn & Shrimp Chowder with Potato & Bacon

When choosing ears of corn, peel back the husks and silks and look for plump, parallel rows of kernels. Once you get home, make sure your cobs are thoroughly clear of silks. Gently use a scrub brush under running water for best results. (A juice extractor is required for this recipe for optimal flavor.)

Makes 5 quarts

• 12 ears corn on the cob (bicolor preferred)
• 2 quarts chicken stock (homemade preferred)
• ½ lb. thick-cut bacon, finely chopped
• 1bunch small celery, finely diced
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 2 Tbs. AP flour
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 4 russet potatoes, peeled and diced into ¼ “ cubes
• 1 Tbs. fresh thyme, picked and minced
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 lb. uncooked peeled and deveined shrimp, chopped
• 4 Tbs. butter
• 2 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning
• fresh made croutons
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Begin by rendering bacon in a cold medium sized fry pan. Bring heat to medium-low, stirring every 5 minutes. Bacon will be done when golden brown, about 30 minutes. Strain, reserving all the bacon fat. Set bacon aside for later.
2. In a 6-8 quart soup pot on medium-low heat, add bacon fat, celery and onion. Season with salt and pepper. Stir every couple minutes, making sure onions are not browning too fast. You want to sweat the vegetables, reducing their size and releasing all their sugars, allowing for caramelization, about 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, remove corn kernels from cobs and split into 2 batches (6 cobs for each batch.) Add cobs to chicken stock and bring to boil. Reduce to low. Add one batch of raw corn kernels to juice extractor to make corn juice. Will produce about ½ cup of corn juice. Set aside. Add corn pulp from juicer to chicken stock with cobs.
4. Sprinkle celery and onions with flour. Stir for 1 minute until flour is cooked. Add white wine. It will become very thick, keep stirring, 30 seconds more. Strain chicken stock from pulp and cobs. Add to celery, onions, flour, and wine. Stir with a whisk. Add potatoes, bacon, and 2nd batch of raw corn kernels, heavy cream, and fresh thyme. Bring up to slow simmer. Reduce to low, cover halfway with lid.
5. Meanwhile, melt butter and Old Bay Seasoning in large fry pan on medium low. Add shrimp and let cook through until pink and opaque. Set aside.
6. To make fresh croutons, pre-heat oven to 400º F. Cut your favorite fresh bread loaf into 1”cubes. Coat with olive oil on baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.
7. To serve, ladle chowder into soup bowl, top with cooked shrimp and fresh made croutons. Enjoy!

Lobster Ravioli with Summer Vegetable Herb Sauce

For the sauce:
2 small yellow squash
2 small zucchini
1 cup fresh peas
4 vine ripened tomatoes
1 whole head of garlic
10 fresh basil leaves
1 Tbs. fresh dill
1/3 cup olive oil
Dozen shucked clams with their juices
Salt to taste

Dice squash and zucchini into small pieces. Add to saute pan with peas and saute for 2-3 minutes. Remove and shock in cold water to stop cooking. Set aside.
Core and chop tomatoes, and transfer to blender along with all their juice. Blend until pureed. Pour into strainer lined with cheesecloth and let sit.
Cut garlic head in half and place in pot with cold water. Bring up to simmer and remove. Remove cloves and place back in pot with fresh cold water. Bring back up to simmer. Remove cloves, discard water, and repeat process with cold water, bringing back up to simmer, 4-5 times. Last time, replace water with olive oil and wait until garlic is fragrant. Remove from oil and puree in blender until smooth. Set aside.
Blanch herbs in simmering water for 30 seconds and shock in cold water to stop cooking. Blend with olive oil until smooth. Set aside.

For pasta:
1 1/2 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/2 cup Semolina Flour
Pinch of salt
6 egg yolk
3 Tbs. olive oil

Make a well with the flours and salt. Whisk in egg yolks and olive oil with fork until well mixed. Transfer to stand mixer with dough hook attachment and mix on medium for 5 minutes or until dough pulls away from bowl. Wrap in plastic and let sit for at least 30 minutes, or up to 1 day. Cut dough ball into 4 pieces and using a pasta roller attachment, starting with the #1 setting, push dough through roller. Continue 3-4 times on each setting working up to the #4. Transfer pasta sheet to floured work surface and cover with damp towel until ready.

Filling:
1 1/2 lb. fresh lobster
2 whole eggs
1/4 fresh heavy cream
1 small shallot, diced and sauteed
Boil lobster tail and claws. Transfer to ice bath to halt cooking. Remove meat from shell and chop finely. In a blender, combine tail meat, eggs and heavy cream and pulse until smooth. Transfer to work bowl and stir in claw meat an shallots.

Assembly:
Dollop 3 Tbs. filling on pasta sheets leaving at least 5" space in between. Dab your finger in water and make a square outside the filling. Fold pasta sheet over top to cover the filling. Seal edges where you wet it with your finger. Using a ring mold, ensure the filling is sealed well. Trim pasta into squares and set aside until ready to boil. Generously salt the water and boil pasta 3-4 minutes or until they float to the surface. Remove and set aside.

To finish sauce, combine tomato water, garlic puree, herb oil and clam juices and blend until smooth and creamy. Add drained vegetables to saute pan and reheat with clams and blended sauce. Gently move cooked ravioli into pan with sauce to coat. Serve immediately.

©2009 Amanda Dalmath Eat Sweetreats Recipes

The Best Burger EVER

Sometimes you just have to eat meat. Being a flexitarian I have shied away from eating red meat for over a year now. But once and a while, usually when the smell of smokey backyard grills fills the air, I get the urge to splurge. But if it's going to happen, it has to happen the right way. Short of baking my own rolls, this burger is pure homemade American goodness. But I would save the trouble exclusively for meat enthusiasts or those who simply like to chow down.

Ingredients: Sauce -
1/4 C. Mayonnaise
1/2 C. Ketchup
2 tsp. Horseradish
1/4 tsp. Dry Mustard
1/2 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning
1 tsp. White Vinegar
1/4 C. Dill Pickle Relish
Combine all ingredients and chill in fridge until ready to serve.

Burgers -
1/3 lb. Chuck Eye per person
American Cheese slices (1 per person)

Accompaniments -
Thick cut Bacon (1 slice per person)
Green Leaf Lettuce (1/2 leaf per person)
Fresh Tomato slices (1/2 vine-ripened tomato per person)
Avocado, thinly sliced (1/4 Avocado per person)
Kaiser, Challah, or Brioche Rolls (1 per person)

Begin by slicing beef very thin until finely chopped. Cover and refrigerate until ready to grill. Render the bacon by adding it to a cold fry pan and turning the heat to medium until it starts to sizzle. Proceed by lowering the heat and turning every 5 minutes until bacon is golden and cooked through, about 20 minutes. Reserve bacon fat and set bacon slices aside. Slice tomato, wash and dry lettuce leaves.
Shape the burgers into patties 1 inch thick, with solid sides, about 3 1/2" in diameter. Turn fry pan with bacon fat up to medium high. Immediately before searing patties, dip them into ice cold water for 30 seconds. Pat dry and season with pepper and salt. Add to fry pan and sear on one side about 7 minutes. Check for color and flip once. Sear for another 7 minutes or so for medium. While cooking on final side, take spoon and laddle juices over and around burger patties to promote even cooking. Do this for the last 4 minutes of cooking. Remove from pan and place cheese slices ontop. Let rest for 5 minutes.

During the resting time, toast the rolls with butter until golden. Slice the avocado.

Begin the assembly. Start by spreading 2 Tablespoons of sauce on bottom half of roll. Lay lettuce atop sauce, then tomato, next comes the burger, topped with the avocado and finally the bacon slices. Serve and eat immediately. Enjoy with homemade pommes frites.


© Amanda Dalmath Eat Sweetreats

Mushroom and Goat Cheese Thin Crust Pizza

Pizza Dough:
1 1/2 tsp. Active Dry Yeast
1 tsp. Sugar
3/4 C. water (around 105°F)
1 C. Cake Flour
1 C. Unbleached AP Flour (plus 1 Tbs. for kneading)
1 tsp. Salt
3 Tbs. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Toppings:
1/4 lb. Bacon, chopped
2 medium Shallots, finely diced
2 Garlic cloves, minced
3 sprigs fresh Thyme, picked and chopped
8 oz. Mushrooms (Shitake, Crimini, and Oyster recommended)
4 oz. Goat Cheese
8 oz. shredded Fontina Cheese
6 fresh Basil leaves, torn by hand
Olive Oil to drizzle (Truffle Oil recommended)
To make dough, combine yeast, sugar and water in measuring cup and let sit 5 minutes. In stand mixer work bowl, sift flours and salt together. After 5 minutes, add 1 Tbs. of Olive Oil to yeast mixture. Using dough hook, with mixer on low speed, pour in yeast mixture until blended. Add 1 Tbs. more of Olive Oil and with mixer on medium high speed, wait until uniform dough ball forms, about 5 minutes. Shake 1 Tbs. flour on work surface and knead dough 10-15 times by hand. With remaining 1 Tbs. of Olive Oil, coat the inside of a medium bowl and place dough ball inside. Cover with plastic wrap and place in warm spot of kitchen. Let rise 1 1/2 hours. Punch dough down and proceed to roll into two 10" pizza crust.

Preheat oven to 500°F.

To make toppings, start by rendering bacon on high, then lowering heat once sizzle begins. Once cooked through, about 15 minutes, remove from pan while reserving fat. Turn pan back up to high and add mushrooms. Let cook for 15 minutes. Add shallots, garlic and thyme and remove from heat.

To assemble pizza, begin by drizzling 1 tsp. Olive Oil onto crust and season with salt and pepper. Next spread the goat cheese over dough, gently and evenly. Then top the goat cheese with the mushroom mixture. Add the basil and finish with the Fontina and a drizzle of Olive Oil.

Bake on pizza stone for 10 minutes or until cheese it bubbly and golden. Makes two 10" pizzas. Serves 2-4.

©2009 Amanda Dalmath Eatsweetreats

Shrimp Niçoise Salad

Salad:

2/3 lb. Shrimp (with shell)

4 Baby Artichokes

1/4 lb. Green Beans (white works as well; blanch longer)

1/2 lb. Red Baby New Potatoes

1 small Bell Pepper, seeds and core removed, sliced very thin (yellow or orange for color)

2 Tomatoes, seeds and core removed, sliced wedge size

2 Eggs, poached

1/4 lb. pitted Niçoise Olives

8 oz. salad greens including Green Leaf & Frisée

Dressing:

1/4 C. Champagne Vinegar

3/4 C. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 small Shallot, finely minced

1 Tbs. Dijon Mustard

1/2 tsp. Lemon Zest

1 Lemon, juiced

2 tsp. fresh Tarragon, finely chopped

1 tsp. fresh Chives, finely chopped

1 1/2 tsp. fresh Flat-Leaf Parsley, finely chopped

Salt & Pepper to taste

To make the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a sealable container and shake vigorously. Set aside.

Begin salad by poaching shrimp in boiling salted water until opaque, 1 minute. Immediately remove from water, peel shell, and squeeze fresh lemon juice over top. Set aside.

In same water, blanch artichokes for 15 minutes. Remove from water, squeeze fresh lemon juice, set aside. Repeat process with beans, 5 minutes for green, 15 for white. Remove and season with slightly more salt.

Lastly, boil potatoes for 15 minutes, remove from water, quarter and toss with 2 Tbs. dressing.

Refrigerate all ingredients for at least 1 hour until chilled.

To assemble salad, cluster each component together atop greens, drizzle with dressing, and enjoy.

Serves 2-4.

Pan Roasted Chicken

2 Airline Chicken breast (skin on, drumette on)

Salt and Pepper to taste

3 Tbs. Olive Oil

5 sprigs fresh Thyme

½ lemon

Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Preheat fry-pan on medium high heat. Add olive oil and wait until smoking or rippling in pan. Add chicken to pan, skin side down. Allow to sear for 4-5 minutes. Turn over and allow other side to sear, another 4 minutes. Turn heat down to low and start basting the chicken with the juices and oils by tilting the pan towards you, catching the juices with a spoon and spooning them back over the top of the chicken. Repeat basting process until chicken is 3/4 of the way cooked. On one side of the pan, add thyme in whole form, and baste with oil. Squeeze lemon juice and add lemon to pan. Remove chicken and allow to rest 5 minutes. Remove thyme and lemon and pour remaining juices over chicken to serve.

© 2009 Amanda Dalmath Eat Sweetreats

Lemon Risotto

2 Tbs. olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
½ cup Arborio rice
juice of 1 Lemon
2 cups chicken stock
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. lemon zest

In medium saucepan with rounded bottom, heat olive oil and add onions. Allow onions to sweat without letting them color. Once onions are translucent, add rice and coat with olive oil. Cook rice for about 5 minutes, then add lemon juice and stir until it is absorbed by rice. Add stock ½ cup at a time while stirring continuously, for about 25 minutes or until all stock is absorbed. Finish with parmesan cheese and lemon zest. Serve immediately.

© 2009 Amanda Dalmath Eat Sweetreats

Citrus Pistachio Madeleines

1 ½ cups cake flour
½ tsp. baking powder½ cup shelled pistachios
3 whole eggs, 2 egg yolks
¾ cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbs. lemon zest
1 Tbs. orange zest
2 Tbs. orange juice
¾ cup melted unsalted butter1 Tbs. lemon juice
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 350° F. In food processor pulse flour and baking powder. Add pistachios and pulse until nuts are coarse. In stand mixer add eggs, sugar, vanilla, lemon and orange zest, and 1 Tbs. orange juice for 5 minutes. Mix in melted butter. Fold in flour mixture being sure not to over mix. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Meanwhile whisk together lemon juice, orange juice and powdered sugar. Once baked and slightly cooled, remove Madeleines from pan and using pastry brush glaze the tops. Serve immediately or cover tightly for up to 3 hours.

© 2008 Amanda Dalmath

Italian-Hungarian Shortbread

After reading about this recipe in March 2008 issue of Saveur I knew that I had to make it. I first tried it with a blueberry preserve and a little lemon zest which was excellent and can be used in place of the Nutella in this recipe if desired. But I abide by 2 major rules:
1.) butter makes everything better
2.) chocolate makes everything better.
This recipe therefore is a win win. My Hungarian Grandmother says it reminds her of a Linzertorte traditionally made with plums. This recipe is based on one in "Baking with Julia" by Dorie Greenspan (Morrow, 1996).

2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1⁄8 tsp. fine salt
1⁄2 lb. unsalted plus more for pan, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
¾ cup Nutella

Using a sieve over a bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. Cream butter in a large bowl, using a hand mixer on high speed, until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add sugar and egg yolks; mix until sugar is dissolved and mixture is light, about 4 minutes. With mixer on low speed, slowly add flour mixture; mix until dough just begins to come together, about 1 minute. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface; bring it together with your hands. Divide dough in half and form 2 balls. Wrap each ball in plastic wrap; freeze for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 hours. Arrange an oven rack in center of oven; heat to 350°. Grease an oblong tart pan with butter. Remove a ball of dough from freezer, unwrap, and grate, using the large holes of a box grater, directly into prepared pan. Pat grated dough to even it out. Spread Nutella evenly over dough, leaving about a 1⁄2" border around edges. Grate remaining dough over chocolate layer; pat gently until surface is even. Bake until light golden brown, about 25–30 minutes. Let cool completely in pan, on a rack, before cutting into wedges.

© 2008 Amanda Dalmath

Spring Lasagna

If you want to make this extra special, prepare this lasagna with homemade pasta sheets. It's the easiest way to learn how to work with fresh pasta because there is no cutting or drying involved. It's as simple as mixing the flours, eggs and olive oil, letting it rest, and cranking the dough through a pasta roller. There's really nothing like it, but I understand if you settle on a box of the no-boil stuff because, honestly, I do it all the time! There are a couple guidelines whenever making lasagna, whether this recipe or another:
1) Always account for the pasta expanding, which means you should overlap the sheets and allow for ½ inch around the edge of you pan
2) Distribute ricotta smoothly and to the very edge of each pasta sheet to ensure proper moisture intake and the pasta cooking evenly.

1 box Barilla No-Boil Pasta
Bechemel Sauce (recipe to follow)
8 oz. pesto (fresh recommended)
8 oz. canned roasted tomatoes
1 15 oz. container ricotta cheese
2 whole eggs
½ cup Parmesan cheese
2 small zucchini
1 small summer squash
1 baby or Japanese eggplant
1 cup shredded mozzarella

Bechemel:
4 Tbs. unsalted butter
4 Tbs. all-purpose unbleached flour
4 cups whole milk
¼ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
¼ tsp. curry powder
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400° F. Thinly slice zucchinis and eggplant and roast with a little olive oil, salt and pepper for 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375° F.
Pour milk into saucepan to warm through without letting simmer, then lower heat. In separate saucepan melt butter on medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 2 minutes. Slowly add milk and continue to whisk until sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 15 minutes. Add spices, pesto and roasted tomatoes. Set aside and allow to cool.
In a separate bowl combine ricotta, eggs, and ¼ cup of Parmesan.
Grease 9 x 13 baking pan.
Begin to assemble lasagna starting with ¼ portion of sauce on bottom of pan, then 4 sheets of pasta, 1/3 portion of ricotta mixture, green zucchini, sauce, pasta, ricotta, squash, sauce, pasta, ricotta, eggplant, sauce, pasta sauce, mozzarella and remaining ¼ cup Parmesan. Bake 50 minutes covered with foil*, 10 minutes uncovered. Let sit 15 minutes before serving.

(*I like to spray the inside of the foil with nonstick cooking spray to prevent cheeses from sticking)© 2008 Amanda Dalmath