http://www.andshecooks2.com/index.php/site/index/ en sandy@andshecooks2.com Copyright 2013 2013-06-18T19:45:14+00:00 http://www.andshecooks2.com/home/mango-salsa/ http://www.andshecooks2.com/home/mango-salsa/#When:19:45:14Z Ingredients: 1 mango, peeled and diced 1/2 cup peeled, diced cucumber 1 tablespoon finely chopped jalapeno 1/3 cup diced red onion 1 tablespoon lime juice 1/3 cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves Salt and pepper   Directions: Combine the mango, cucumber, jalapeno, red onion, lime juice and cilantro leaves and mix well. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.   Sauces and Such 2013-06-18T19:45:14+00:00 http://www.andshecooks2.com/home/simple-sundays/ http://www.andshecooks2.com/home/simple-sundays/#When:19:43:08Z Is there a better way to start the day than with a big cup of French roast and the Sunday New York Times? How about the simplest of Sunday starts. A three-minute egg. In a time-warp egg cup. Al fresco on a sunny seventy-degree morning. This past Sunday was the perfect summer morning. The skies were clear and the humidity low. Walking outside with my paper and coffee I realized this may be our only chance to have a quiet morning repast on our outdoor deck before the outdoor temps rise to an unprecedented sizzle. A soft-boiled egg is one of the easiest things to make. Ironically it is one of the easiest things to screw up. Done right it’s sublime. Though an error on either side of the egg timer renders less than desirable results. Don’t be fooled by the most basic of recipes. They are often straightforward and just as often need to be executed at a quick clip. Don’t think you can start your egg and it will wait around for you to set the table, put out the juice and your husband’s baby aspirin, crisp up the bacon and butter the toast. The egg waits for no one. Set the table, pop the bacon in the microwave, put the toast in the toaster but don’t start it. Then when everything is in place place your eggs in a saucepan of cool water making sure they are completely submerged. Bring the water to a boil. When it gets close to a boil start the toast. Right when the water reaches a boil set the timer for three minutes. Lower to a gentle rolling boil and just as the timer dings gently empty out the water and fill the pan with cool water. Because you don’t want the eggs to get cold (but you want to halt the cooking process) quickly remove the eggs from the water. Summarily decapitate the tip of the large end of the egg and set in the eggcup, repeat with the fellow captives. Butter the toast, put on the bacon and enjoy one of life’s simplest of pleasures. Eggs, Breakfast/Brunch 2013-06-17T19:43:08+00:00 http://www.andshecooks2.com/home/summer-sleuth/ http://www.andshecooks2.com/home/summer-sleuth/#When:19:13:08Z I am shameless when in hot pursuit of a recipe. But procuring someone’s secret dish usually takes time and clandestine skill. Most people need to be gently coerced and it often takes several attempts, gleaning small pieces at each swipe until just like a jigsaw it falls perfectly into place. One of my husband and my favorite spots is Deep Springs Trout Club in Chardon Ohio. It is an unassuming private fishing club with some of the best fare in the entire state of Ohio. Their pan-fried trout is to die for. They serve their sides family styles and one that my husband craves is their summertime pasta. It’s a raw tomato sauce tossed with hot pasta, very similar to that old time favorite from the Silver Palette Cookbook. But instead of Brie Deep Springs uses fresh mozzarella. Yesterday I called to make a reservation and while I had unexpecting Erin on the phone I casually asked what was in that summertime pasta. She listed the main ingredients. I added that it is my husbands all time favorite. With this she revealed that the secret is that the ripe tomatoes are peeled then chopped. I thanked her and quickly transcribed my scribbles into what I hope is a first-rate facsimile of summertime pasta. Choose a pasta that will hold on to the tomatoes, mozzarella and herbs, such as succhietto.  Prepare a large bowl of ice water, set aside. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. On the bottom of each tomato make an x with a sharp knife. Drop each tomato into the boiling water for 20-30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and place in the ice water. Remove and peel the skin off of the tomatoes. Coarsely chop the tomatoes and set aside. Bring the water in the pot back to a boil. Add a big pinch of salt. Cook the pasta according to the package, drain, reserving ¼ cup cooking liquid. Meanwhile dice the mozzarella. Sliver the basil. In a large bowl toss the hot pasta, olive oil, diced mozzarella, chopped tomatoes, salt, freshly ground pepper and slivered basil. Add a tablespoon of hot cooking liquid at a time if the pasta looks a bit dry. (Note: the tomatoes can be peeled and chopped earlier in the day, cover and refrigerate. The mozzarella can be diced earlier in the day, cover and refrigerate. Bring both to room temperature before tossing. Sliver the basil right before tossing so that it doesn’t turn brown.) I’ve been working on their calamari with peppers for years. Lucky for me when it comes to recipes I have the constitution of a marathon runner. Grains and Pasta, Veggies and Sides, Supper, Dinner Party 2013-06-10T19:13:08+00:00 http://www.andshecooks2.com/home/summertime-pasta/ http://www.andshecooks2.com/home/summertime-pasta/#When:20:13:56Z Ingredients: ½ pound penne, fusilli or succhietto pasta 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, drained and diced 2 Tbsp olive oil 3 large ripe tomatoes ¼ tsp salt freshly ground pepper ½ cup slivered fresh basil   Directions: Prepare a large bowl of ice water, set aside. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. On the bottom of each tomato make an x with a sharp knife. Drop each tomato into the boiling water for 20-30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and place in the ice water. Remove and peel the skin off of the tomatoes. Coarsely chop the tomatoes and set aside. Bring the water in the pot back to a boil. Add a big pinch of salt. Cook the pasta according to the package, drain, reserving ¼ cup cooking liquid. In a large bowl toss the hot pasta, olive oil, diced mozzarella, chopped tomatoes, salt, freshly ground pepper and slivered basil. Add a tablespoon of hot cooking liquid at a time if the pasta looks a bit dry. (Note: the tomatoes can be peeled and chopped earlier in the day, cover and refrigerate. The mozzarella can be diced earlier in the day, cover and refrigerate. Bring both to room temperature before tossing. Sliver the basil right before tossing so that it doesn’t turn brown.) Serves 4-6 as a side   Grains and Pasta, Veggies and Sides 2013-06-09T20:13:56+00:00 http://www.andshecooks2.com/home/summertime-pasta1/ http://www.andshecooks2.com/home/summertime-pasta1/#When:20:12:59Z Ingredients: ½ pound penne, fusilli or succhietto pasta 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, drained and diced 2 Tbsp olive oil 3 large ripe tomatoes ¼ tsp salt freshly ground pepper ½ cup slivered fresh basil   Directions: Prepare a large bowl of ice water, set aside. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. On the bottom of each tomato make an x with a sharp knife. Drop each tomato into the boiling water for 20-30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and place in the ice water. Remove and peel the skin off of the tomatoes. Coarsely chop the tomatoes and set aside. Bring the water in the pot back to a boil. Add a big pinch of salt. Cook the pasta according to the package, drain, reserving ¼ cup cooking liquid. In a large bowl toss the hot pasta, olive oil, diced mozzarella, chopped tomatoes, salt, freshly ground pepper and slivered basil. Add a tablespoon of hot cooking liquid at a time if the pasta looks a bit dry. (Note: the tomatoes can be peeled and chopped earlier in the day, cover and refrigerate. The mozzarella can be diced earlier in the day, cover and refrigerate. Bring both to room temperature before tossing. Sliver the basil right before tossing so that it doesn’t turn brown.) Serves 4-6 as a side   Grains and Pasta, Veggies and Sides 2013-06-09T20:12:59+00:00 http://www.andshecooks2.com/home/fore-play/ http://www.andshecooks2.com/home/fore-play/#When:13:58:38Z There are things you do when you’re dating that tend to fall by the wayside once you get married. For me that would be golf. I’ve never really warmed to the game. It takes almost all day to play. Those who partake tend to complain afterward about went wrong rather then what was fun. It never held much incentive for a full-time working full-time single mom. Funny thing about dating you tend to do what the person who is wooing you wants you to. Funnier thing- you pretend to like it. Around the three-month mark the gig is usually up and if you mutually agree to move to the next stage of your relationship you mutually agree that each of you will now be doing most of your favorite things by yourself. Like many adult daters I attempted to pick up golf. While games involving clubs and racquets are not my forte I learned to keep my eye on the ball and a smile on my face. We all have our dating patterns and one of mine obviously involved 6’ 4” men who love to play the game. When you see your new beau’s face light up at the mere thought of a merger between his two most beloved things (you and golf) it’s hard to resist. And if you’re lucky enough to bring in a new year together there is a good chance your new clubs will be collecting dust next to his new snowshoes and gardening gloves. This year I gave my husband a new driver for his birthday. He excitedly scheduled a “fitting”. He suggested I join him for a mini lesson while he test-drove the new options, being his birthday I obliged. I dug around in my closet and found my old golf shoes. I searched in the storeroom and retrieved my three clubs. Big bonus, in my shoe I discovered my Velcro golf glove and a marker. I panicked a bit about to wear. But while club technology seems to be a constant moving target I was pretty confident the old wardrobe rules hadn’t progressed. I found a pair of long black Bermudas and a collared izod shirt (both with the price tags still on them because let’s be honest where else would one wear black Bermuda shorts and a teal collared shirt). I won’t bore you with the boring details of my lesson. But one interesting factoid stood out. My engagement ring cut into the neighboring finger inside my golf glove with each swing. I realized I had never played golf “with” an engagement ring. Once that specific detail lost its fascination I became aware that I was hot, my hand hurt and I wanted a big slushy soft drink. The best thing about marrying your soul mate is that he is just happy to be with you. So while the course sounded like a good idea he found the reality of lunch equally delightful. To reward him for being such a good sport I whipped him up a special feast for dinner. Roasted sea bass, pan roasted carrots with dill, and a new recipe I found in a magazine for creamed spinach. For the roasted sea bass ask your fishmonger for eight-ounce thick cut skinned and deboned sea bass fillets. Score the top of the fillets with hatch marks. In a tall bowl combine the melted butter, soy sauce, sherry and lemon zest. With a hand blender pulse until emulsified. Marinate the sea bass fillets at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Drain. Roast the fillets fin a preheated 450 degree oven for approximately 10-15 minutes. (Note the marinade can be made a couple hours in advance, cover and keep at room temperature, blend once more before pouring over the sea bass.) For the roasted baby carrots peel and trim the carrots leaving the tops intact. Toss carrots with oil and salt on a rimmed baking dish. Roast carrots in a preheated 400 degree oven for 25-30 minutes, flip halfway through. Toss with fresh dill. (Note: The carrots can be roasted a little earlier, just shorten the cooking time, leave at room temp then reheat for 10 minutes until heated through.) The spinach was just ok. I should have served up that standup side- sautéed spinach with garlic. We each have our passions. Thankfully my cooking is one we both relish.   Fish and Seafood, Veggies and Sides, Dinner for Two, Dinner Party 2013-06-03T13:58:38+00:00 http://www.andshecooks2.com/home/roasted-sea-bass/ http://www.andshecooks2.com/home/roasted-sea-bass/#When:18:29:22Z Ingredients: 1 stick butter, melted ¼ cup soy sauce ¼ cup sherry or cognac zest of ½ lemon 6 sea bass fillets (about 8 ounces each, skinned and deboned- thick cut if possible)   Directions: Combine the first four ingredients in a blender or food processor. Pulse until emulsified. Score the top of the fillets with hatch marks. Marinate the sea bass fillets at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Drain. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Roast the fillets for approximately 10-15 minutes.   serves 6 Fish and Seafood 2013-05-30T18:29:22+00:00 http://www.andshecooks2.com/home/pureed-carrots/ http://www.andshecooks2.com/home/pureed-carrots/#When:18:17:43Z   Ingredients: 1 pound carrots, peeled and sliced 2 Tbsp butter salt and pepper   Directions: Place carrot slices in a microwave safe dish. Fill with 1” of water. Cover and steam on high power in the microwave for 5-8 minutes until fork-tender, adding more water as needed. Drain and return to the empty dish. Add the butter, pinch of salt and two generous grinds from a pepper mill. Puree coarsely with a hand blender. (Can be made earlier in the day, cool to room temp, cover and refrigerate. Re-heat gently in microwave on 50% power) Serves 4   Veggies and Sides 2013-05-29T18:17:43+00:00 http://www.andshecooks2.com/home/three-on-the-side/ http://www.andshecooks2.com/home/three-on-the-side/#When:17:57:19Z In our family the birthday boy (or girl) chooses the menu. So it was only fitting that I serve up three of my husband’s favorite sides along his celebratory strip steak. Not only is this trio a treat for taste buds its also a delight for the eyes with their bright colors and complimentary textures. The best part- all can be made and prepped ahead of time. So when you throw the steaks on the grill all you need to do is gently reheat these veggies and you’re ready to go. First up pureed carrots. Peeled baby carrots make fast work out of this side. Place carrots in a microwave safe dish. Fill with one inch of water. Cover and steam on high power in the microwave for 5-8 minutes until fork-tender (check water level occasionally and add more as needed). Drain and return to the empty dish. Add the butter, pinch of salt and two generous grinds from a pepper mill. Puree coarsely with a hand blender. The carrots can be made earlier in the day, cool to room temp, cover and refrigerate. Re-heat gently in microwave on 50% power. Pureed cauliflower swaps out typical whipped potatoes. After one taste you might never go back to that standby starch.   Place the cauliflower flowerets in a saucepan. Add chicken broth to cover. Bring to a boil and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain thoroughly, Reserving ½ cup of the cooking liquid. Place the cauliflower in a microwave-safe dish. Add the butter and puree carefully with a hand blender until almost smooth. Add some of the reserved cooking liquid a couple tablespoons at a time if necessary. The cauliflower puree can be made earlier in the day, cool to room temp, cover and refrigerate. Re-heat gently in microwave on 50% power. Sautéed spinach with garlic rounds out this threesome. In a large skillet heat 1 tsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Sauté the spinach and garlic until just wilted. Remove from pan and place on a platter to cool. Once completely cool, cover and refrigerate. Right before serving heat one teaspoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the wilted spinach (being careful to not include any liquid that the spinach might have thrown off) for a minute, tossing frequently. Meanwhile separately re-warm the carrot and cauliflower purees in the microwave on 50% power, stirring occasionally. Serve using a large tablespoon. Place two spoonfuls of carrots near the bottom of each plate. In the center place one spoonful of pureed cauliflower. Finish with a base of sautéed spinach and garlic. When made ahead these three come together in the time it takes to blow out birthday candles.   Veggies and Sides, Dinner Party 2013-05-27T17:57:19+00:00 http://www.andshecooks2.com/home/lobster-salad/ http://www.andshecooks2.com/home/lobster-salad/#When:17:41:46Z Ingredients: 12 ounces cooked fresh lobster meat, picked over and drained 2 Tbsp. chopped onion 2 Tbsp. chopped celery 1 Tbsp. mayonnaise 1 tsp fresh lemon juice salt and pepper to taste 1 head butter lettuce, washed and spun dry and gently torn   Directions: Whisk together the mayonnaise and lemon juice in a large bowl. Add the onion and celery. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be done earlier in the day, cover and refrigerate.) Right before serving gently toss the lobster with the mayonnaise mixture. Divide the lettuce among four salad plates. Top with the lobster salad. Serve with bun toast spears (recipe below). Serves 4   bun toast spears Ingredients: 4 bakery fresh hot dog buns 2 Tbsp melted butter Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees With a serrated knife cut away the crust from the bun. Slice the bun in half lengthwise then crosswise making four spears from each bun. Place on a cookie sheet. Brush with melted butter and bake until just golden, about 5 minutes Makes 12-16 toasts Salads and Dressings, Fish and Seafood 2013-05-23T17:41:46+00:00