Don't be Jealous we are in Cabo: Mexican Chicken Soup with Cilantro-Chile Cream

Last August we had a culinary vacation to Cabo. Matt & I are currently in Cabo, so I thought I would share more of my favorite Mexican Recipes. This is a simple soup that I actually found on Ortega's website. Food manufacturers will often hire chefs to develop recipes using their ingredients. This soup is easy & spicy. Enjoy & try not to hate us while we lounge on the beach!

1 container (32 oz.) chicken broth
1 cup water
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 jarORTEGA Salsa - Homestyle Recipe (Mild), (or any flavor)
1/2 cup long-grain rice
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups chicken, cooked, chopped
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed, drained
1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels
1 can (4 oz.)ORTEGA Diced Green Chiles
1 dollop cilantro, chile cream (recipe follows)

Directions

COMBINE chicken broth, water and garlic in large saucepan; bring to a boil. Add salsa, rice, oregano and salt; cover. Reduce heat to low; cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chicken, beans, corn and chiles; continue cooking for 5 minutes or until heated through. Serve in soup bowls; top each serving with dollop of cilantro-chile cream.

FOR CILANTRO CHILE CREAM: COMBINE 1/2 cup sour cream, 1 can (4 oz.) ORTEGA Diced Green Chiles, 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro and 1 teaspoon lime juice in small bowl.

Spicy Shrimp Tacos

We leave for Cabo tomorrow morning and to say we are excited would be a huge understatement! We will be busy packing our bags so a quick dinner is in order. Matt loves his shrimp & they were on sale at Fresh & Easy, so shrimp tacos it is. I found this recipe on the Food Network, which is a great recipe source. Most people would not eat Mexican before they left for Mexico, but we love it. Unfortunately these are not really my suitcases, but if you want to buy a set click here.

Avocado Salsa:

1 small onion, quartered

1 jalapeno, quartered, seeded

1 garlic clove, smashed

4 medium tomatillos, (about 8 ounces) husked, rinsed, and coarsely chopped

1/2 Hass avocado, peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks

1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt

1/4 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped

Shrimp:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 pound medium shrimp (about 20), peeled and deveined

8 corn tortillas

2 limes, cut into wedges
Put the onion, jalapeno, and garlic in a food processor and finely chop. Add the tomatillos, avocado, and salt and pulse until chopped but still chunky. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the cilantro.
Heat a stovetop or outdoor grill to medium-high. Mix the olive oil, chipotle or chili powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add the shrimp and toss to coat. Grill the shrimp until translucent, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes on each side.
Grill tortillas, until slightly charred and pliable, about 20 seconds per side. (Alternatively, wrap in a damp paper towel and heat in a microwave.) Spoon sauce on the tortilla, then top with about 2 or 3 shrimp and a sprig of cilantro. Serve 2 tacos per person, with a lime wedge on the side.
Copyright 2005 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved

Zucchini Bread

My friend Andrea made me a loaf of banana bread the other day, it was delicious. I started thinking about banana bread, and my mom made it when we were kids but we ate more zucchini bread, banana bread's cousin. I think the reason was that my dad is very allergic to bananas & my mom would never make something he couldn't eat. (Yes that is my cute Mom & Dad) This recipe is Paula Dean's, you can always trust her recipes because she is a Southerner. :)

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs, beaten

1/3 cup water

2 cups grated zucchini

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, nutmeg, baking soda, cinnamon and sugar. In a separate bowl, combine oil, eggs, water, zucchini and lemon juice. Mix wet ingredients into dry, add nuts and fold in. Bake in 2 standard loaf pans, sprayed with nonstick spray, for 1 hour, or until a tester comes out clean. Alternately, bake in 5 mini loaf pans for about 45 minutes.

Call for recipes

The recipes don't always have to come from my kitchen (yes that is my humble kitchen) Some of my favorite recipes are ones that people share with me. People are always telling me they have a great recipe to share with me. Send in your recipe to me & I will feature them the week of July 16th.

Zucchini and pesto lasagna

I came across this recipe for Zucchini and Pesto Lasagna. I have made veggie lasagna before but this recipe has some of my favorite ingredient substitutions. (Like yogurt) If you grew a garden this summer you probably have a ton of zucchini. If you tried making your own Pesto here is another use.

1/2 lb. dried imported Italian lasagna (I like the Barilla)
1 cup pesto
16 oz. fresh ricotta cheese, let stand to room temperature
1/2 cup plain non-fat yogurt
6 medium or 8 small zucchini
1 28-oz. can imported Italian crushed tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
2 tbs. olive oil
salt
pepper
freshly grated Parmesan cheese
8-10 fresh basil leaves, cut into julienne

Saute garlic in olive oil in lidded sauce pan until garlic is pale gold. Add tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste and simmer partially covered for 25 minutes.
Cook lasagna according to package directions. Rinse in cold water. Drain on towels.
Blanch zucchini in abundant salted boiling water for 6 to 8 minutes (according to size of zucchini). Rinse under cold water. Slice lengthwise in 1/4 in. strips.
Combine pesto, ricotta and yogurt and blend until smooth.
Take a 9 in. x 13 in. glass baking dish and spread a small amount of tomato sauce over the bottom. Place a layer of lasagna noodles next, then spread 1/2 pesto-ricotta mixture over the noodles. Next, make a layer of zucchini strips. Spread tomato sauce over the zucchini, then add another layer of lasagna noodles. Spread the remaining pesto-ricotta mixture over the noodles, then make another layer of zucchini strips. Spread tomato sauce over the zucchini, then add another layer of lasagna noodles. Top with tomato sauce. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove foil and return to oven until golden brown on top (about 5-10 minutes). Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serve with remaining tomato sauce. Garnish with additional grated cheese and julienned basil leaves. Serves 8 to 10.

Chicken Breasts with Pesto

We love pesto at our house. It is simple to make or if you are in a time crunch there are several good jar varieties. (I prefer Classico or the Fresh & Easy brand)
If you have pesto you can serve it as a hors d'oeuvres with some crusty bread, over pasta or as a flavoring to chicken. We even like it as a sauce on pizza.
This is a quick and easy pesto chicken recipe. I will list how to make pesto too, but there is no shame in buying!

4 (about 1 1/4 pounds total) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup Pesto
2 sliced tomatoes
3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled feta
1/4 chopped calamata olives
RECIPE METHOD
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line baking sheet with heavy-duty foil.
Place chicken and pesto in medium bowl; toss to coat. Place chicken on prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center. Remove from oven; top with tomatoes, cheese and olives. Bake for an additional 3 to 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Pesto:
4 cups basil leaves, well packed (Sometimes it is less expensive to buy a basil plant, they have plants at Fresh & Easy right now for $2.49)
4 cloves garlic, lightly crushed and peeled
1 cup pine nuts
1-1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan
1-1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Place basil leaves and garlic in food processor or blender and process until leaves are finely chopped. Add nuts and process until nuts are finely chopped. Add cheese and process until combined. With the machine running, add olive oil in a slow, steady stream. After the oil is incorporated, turn off the machine and add salt and pepper to taste. If not using immediately, store in an air-tight container with a thin coating of olive oil on top to keep the sauce from turning dark. Pesto will keep well in the refrigerator for a week or more. This recipe yields approximately 3-1/2 to 4 cups, and can be halved. You can also freeze some. My mom used to freeze tons every summer.

Jerk Chicken with Pineapple

I have written before about how much we love Jamaica. I came across this recipe in Real Simple, for a different jerk chicken. Real Simple is a great resource if you don't already read it, check it out! (They also had an article on fun easy flower arrangements.)
1 cup long-grain white rice
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup spiced rum or orange juice
2 tablespoons jerk sauce (such as Pickapeppa Sauce)
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
4 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Kosher salt and pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
8 ounces fresh pineapple, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 bunch scallions, sliced

Cook the rice according to the package directions.

Combine the vinegar, rum, jerk sauce, and ginger in a measuring cup or small bowl; set aside.

Pound the chicken to an even thickness. Season it with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned, about 4 minutes per side. Remove from heat and add the vinegar mixture. Return the skillet to low heat and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 2 minutes.Divide the chicken and sauce among plates.

Stir the beans into the rice. In a medium bowl, combine the pineapple and scallions. Serve both with the chicken.

Tip: The chili peppers in jerk sauce shouldn't overwhelm the other ingredients. Taste yours before adding it to a dish. If the sauce is too spicy, cut the amount you use in the recipe by half.

Summer Chopped Salad

When it is hot out I love to have a salad for dinner. I came across this recipe on the Food Network, it sounds great & would give you several helpings of vegetables.

8 ounces small red-skinned potatoes, halved

Kosher salt

1 cup fresh corn kernels (from 2 ears of corn)

1 cup chopped fresh green or wax beans

1 cup small broccoli florets

1 cup cherry tomatoes , halved

1 cucumber with peel, chopped

Ranch Dressing

Freshly ground black pepper

4 cups torn mixed greens, such as arugula, romaine, and watercress

1 cup sprouts, such as alfalfa, broccoli, radish, or pea, optional

Put the potatoes in a small saucepan with enough cold water to cover and season with salt. Bring to a boil and then simmer, uncovered, until just tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and put in a large bowl.
Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and salt it generously. Fill a medium bowl with ice water and salt it as well. Add the corn, beans, and broccoli to the boiling water and cook until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon or strainer to scoop out the vegetables and plunge them immediately into the ice water. Drain the vegetables, pat them dry, and add to the bowl of potatoes along with the tomatoes and cucumber. Toss the salad with 1/2 cup of the dressing. Taste, and add more salt and pepper, if desired. (The salad may be prepared up to this point 2 hours ahead and refrigerated.)
When ready to serve, toss the salad with the greens and the sprouts, if desired, and with a bit more dressing if you like your salad on the well-dressed side. Pass the remaining dressing at the table.
Know-How: Immersing vegetables in boiling salted water and then plunging them into ice water is called blanching and refreshing. Having the water at a full rolling boil before adding the vegetables, as well as cooking uncovered, is the key to keeping green vegetables vibrant.
Ranch Dressing:
1 clove garlic

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup buttermilk

2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 tablespoons minced fresh chives

1 scallion (white and green parts), thinly sliced

1 teaspoon white wine vinegar

Freshly ground black pepper
Smash the garlic clove, sprinkle with the salt, and, with the side of a large knife, mash and smear the mixture to a coarse paste. Scrape the paste into a small bowl, add the remaining ingredients, and whisk well to make a creamy dressing. Use immediately or refrigerate in a tightly sealed container for up to 3 days.

Chicken Stir Fry

Last night when I stopped off at the grocery store, I was trying to think of something to make for dinner that would be fast, yummy & healthy. I realized I had not made chicken stir fry in years. One of my roommates in college, taught me how to whip up a delicious one, her mom was from Hong Kong.

1 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil

1 yellow squash sliced thin

1/2 8-ounce bag shredded carrots

1 8-ounce can sliced water chestnuts, drained

2 cups broccoli florets

1 boneless skinless chicken breasts chopped in to bite size pieces

2 1/2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

2 tablespoons Mr. Yoshida stir fry sauce

Rice to serve over

Heat the oil in a wok or large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, cook constantly stiring until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Add the broccoli and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are softened but still slightly crunchy, about 3 minutes. Add the water chestnuts and sauces and heat until warmed through, about 3 minutes.Divide the rice among individual plates, spoon the stir-fry over the top. You could add just about any vegetables to this. Matt complained for a minute that this was too vegetabley, but he cleaned his plate & took the left overs for lunch!

Product Review: Low Carb Mixers

Given our love of Mexico & Mexican food, it is only natural that we love Margaritas too. The only problem with them is they are high calorie & loaded with sugar. We thought about drinking straight tequila like the crazy people in this picture, but decided that we were better off searching for a low calorie mixer. We were thrilled to find Baja Bob's. Baja Bob is a man who loved his margaritas but not his expanding waist line, so he developed a line of mixers made with Splenda. He offers: Margarita, Strawberry Margarita, Mojito, Hurricane, Pina-Colada, Mai Tai & more. We tried the margarita & found it to be quite tasty, in fact we had to reorder. Shipping is just $4 no matter how much you order & if you enter coupon code: DOTTI10 you get 10% off. Happy drinking!

Summer Time Risotto

I just got this recipe from Self Magazine in my email & it sounds delicious. Self is one of my favorite magazines, they have great healthy living tips. This risotto is a healthy & low calorie option for dinner.

1 pint cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp minced garlic
1 small onion, diced
2 cups diced zucchini
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 lb arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
2 to 3 cups nonfat chicken broth
2 tbsp light butter
6 tbsp grated Parmesan
18 sea scallops
1 bunch parsley, chopped
PREPARATION
Tomatoes Heat oven to 250°. Gently toss tomatoes in 2 tsp oil with a pinch of salt and pepper. Bake on a nonstick baking sheet 1 hour.Zucchini Heat 1 tsp oil on medium heat in a medium pan. Cook garlic and half the onion until translucent; add zucchini and cook 5 minutes. Puree zucchini mixture in a blender with lemon juice and 1 tbsp oil. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.Risotto Heat 1 tbsp oil in a medium pot on medium heat and sauté remaining onion until translucent. Add rice and cook 2 minutes. Gradually pour in wine, stirring until rice absorbs wine. Add broth 1 cup at a time until absorbed, stirring continually for 20 minutes or until rice is tender (add more broth if necessary). Once rice is cooked, stir in zucchini puree, butter and cheese. Set aside.Scallops Heat 1 tbsp oil in a small pan. Salt and pepper scallops and cook both sides until lightly browned. Add tomatoes and sauté 5 minutes. Spoon risotto on plate and top with scallops, tomatoes and parsley.

Spiced Beef & Onion Pitas

We love pitas, and we had steaks left from the Safeway sale, so beef pitas seemed like a great recipe to try. This was fun for a more casual meal.

For sauce

3 cups loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves (from 2 bunches)

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon chopped shallot

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 cup olive oil
For beef and onion pitas

4 (6-inch) pita loaves with pockets

1/4 cup olive oil

1 lb white onions, quartered lengthwise, then cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-wide wedges

3/4 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 lb 1/3-inch-thick top round steaks, cut into 1/3-inch-wide strips

Make sauce:Purée all sauce ingredients in a blender until smooth.

Make beef and onion pitas: Wrap untoasted pitas in foil and warm in a preheated 300°F oven or toaster oven.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté half of onions, stirring occasionally, until browned but still crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a large plate. Sauté remaining onions in 1 tablespoon oil in same manner and transfer to plate (reserve skillet).
Stir together coriander, cumin, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Pat beef dry and toss with spices. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in skillet over moderately high heat, then sauté half of beef, stirring, until browned but still pink inside, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Transfer beef to plate with onions, then sauté remaining beef in remaining tablespoon oil in same manner.
To serve:Halve pitas and fill with beef and onions. Serve sauce on the side.

Ghirardelli Mocha and Dark Chocolate Torte

When I was in high school my parents used to take us to San Francisco for spring break. One of our favorite things to do was to go to Ghirardelli Square and have a hot fudge sundae. I was very excited to see that the Ghirardelli web site has recipes. Here is one for a flourless chocolate mocha cake. Yum!

7 ounce(s) 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Bar
4 ounce(s) Milk Chocolate Baking Bar
1 tablespoon(s) instant freeze-dried coffee
3 tablespoon(s) boiling water
6 eggs, separated
2/3 cup(s) sugar
1/4 teaspoon(s) salt (optional)
2 cup(s) heavy whipping cream for frosting
1 tablespoon(s) instant freeze-dried coffee for frosting
1/4 cup(s) boiling water for frosting

Melt 6 ounces of the bittersweet chocolate in a double boiler over hot, but not boiling, water. Stir occasionally until the chocolate is smooth. Set aside. Dissolve the 1 T coffee in boiling water; set aside. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease two 8- or 9-inch round cake pans. Line the bottom of the pans with waxed paper, and grease the waxed paper.
In a large mixing bowl, whip the egg whites on medium until soft peaks form. With the mixer running, gradually add 1/3-cup sugar. Increase the mixing speed to high and continue beating until stiff peaks form. (The meringue should be shiny.) In another large bowl, whip the yolks, the remaining 1/3-cup sugar, and the salt until thick and lemon colored, approximately 5 minutes. Slowly add 6 ounces of chocolate and 1 Tbsp coffee; beat until well blended. Gently fold ¼ of the egg whites into the yolk mixture to lighten it. Carefully but thoroughly fold in the remaining whites until no streaks remain. Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake on the center oven rack for 25 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave the cake inside for 5 minutes with the oven door closed. Transfer the pans to a wire rack (the centers will fall). Remove the waxed paper while the cake is warm. Cool completely.
Frosting and Garnishing: For the frosting, melt 4 ounces of milk chocolate as directed for the cake. Dissolve the coffee in 1/4 cup boiling water; add all at once to the chocolate, stirring continuously until smooth. Cool completely. In a large mixing bowl, beat the whipping cream at high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the chocolate mixture into the whipped cream. To assemble the torte, level the top of each layer by cutting off the raised edges with a long serrated knife. Place one layer on a serving plate. Spread the layer with 1 cup of chocolate whipped cream. Top with the remaining cake layer. Frost the top and sides of the torte with the remaining frosting. Sprinkle to the top with 1 oz Bittersweet Chocolate shavings.

Rib-Eye Steaks with Gorngonzola Butter

We were fortunate enough to be invited to our friends the LaSalle's house for dinner last week. While we really enjoyed the company of our friends we really enjoyed our dinner. Ana Lisa is a great cook. She served Rib-Eye steaks, which is not a cut I usually buy, but they were excellent. This inspired me to find a recipe for my collection.

Gorgonzola butter

2 heads of garlic, top 3/4 inch cut off to expose cloves

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/3 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese (about 2 ounces)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Onion rings

3 cups buttermilk

2 sweet onions (I like the sweet Texas yellow onions), thinly sliced into rounds, then separated into rings

3 cups unbleached all purpose flour

3 tablespoons onion powder

3 tablespoons garlic powder

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
4 cups canola oil (for frying)
Steaks

6 10- to 12-ounce rib-eye steaks

2 tablespoons olive oil

For gorgonzola butter:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place garlic on piece of foil; drizzle with olive oil. Enclose garlic in foil. Bake until garlic is very soft, about 1 hour. Cool. Squeeze garlic cloves out from papery skins into medium bowl; mash garlic with fork. Mix in butter, cheese, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer Gorgonzola butter to sheet of plastic wrap. Using plastic wrap as aid, form butter into 1 1/4-inch-diameter log, wrapping plastic tightly around butter. Chill until firm. (Can be made 2 days ahead; keep chilled.) Cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds.

For onion rings:

Pour buttermilk into large bowl. Add onion rings; toss to coat. Let stand 1 hour, tossing occasionally. Mix flour, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in another large bowl.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Pour enough oil into heavy large skillet to reach depth of 3 inches. Heat over medium-high heat to 350°F. Working with a few onion rings at a time, shake off excess buttermilk, then turn onion rings in flour mixture to coat. Fry onion rings until deep golden brown, adjusting heat as necessary for each batch to maintain temperature at 350°F, about 2 minutes. Transfer onion rings to paper towels to drain, then place on baking sheet and keep warm in oven while frying remaining onion rings.

For steaks:

Brush steaks with olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat 2 large nonstick skillets over medium-high heat. Add 3 steaks to each skillet and cook to desired doneness, about 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Serve with Gorgonzola butter and onion rings.

Salmonella in tomatoes -Summary of the FDA Warning

My mom is a horticulturalist at Utah State University, this morning she emailed me some information from Brian A Nummer, Ph.D. who works for the USU Extension Food Safety Program. Since I share a lot of tomato recipes I thought I would share this.
(Don't say I never told you anything useful!)


Salmonella in tomatoes – U.S.U. Food Safety Program Update

From Brian A. Nummer, Ph.D.

I have just returned from a meeting where I had the opportunity to get an update direct from a US FDA Food Safety Professional on the Salmonella in tomatoes issue.
In addition, a Consumer Warning has been issued.

FDALink to FDA warning: http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2008/NEW01848.html

Here’s a summary of the Consumer FDA Warning

DO NOT EAT: FDA recommends that consumers not eat raw red Roma, raw red plum, raw red round tomatoes, or products that contain these types of raw red tomatoes unless the tomatoes are from the sources listed below.

SAFE TO EAT: Consumers should continue to eat cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, and tomatoes sold with the vine still attached, or tomatoes grown at home.


When the unsafe variety of tomato origin is known, those grown in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, New York, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia, Belgium, Canada, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Israel, Netherlands, and Puerto Rico are safe to eat raw.

This list will be updated as more growing regions are eliminated as the potential source http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/tomatoes.html#retailers.

Fully cooked tomatoes of any variety are safe to eat.

Consumers who have recently eaten raw tomatoes or foods containing raw tomatoes and are experiencing these symptoms should contact their health care provider: fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.

Since mid April, there have been 145 reported cases of salmonellosis caused by Salmonella Saint Paul nationwide, including at least 23 hospitalizations. States reporting illnesses linked to the outbreak include: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. The FDA is continuing to trace this outbreak back to its source.

Most tomato-associated outbreaks over the past ten years have been traced to product originating from Virginia and Florida; however outbreaks have also been traced to Georgia, South Carolina, Ohio, and California. Once the source is narrowed, assessment of a variety of environmental factors including irrigation water, wells, procedures for mixing chemicals, drought and flooding events, and animal proximity to growing fields will also be conducted looking for the cause of the contamination.


My cousin Kristin got the Peter Pan Peanut butter Salmonella 2 years ago at Christmas & she was so sick. (Although she said she lost some weight...kidding Salmonella is serious!) If you feel sick please contact your doctor.

Sometimes it's okay to cheat-in the kitchen

While I had every intention of making the most amazing from scratch cupcakes ever for Matt's birthday, it was getting late & I decided to reach for (gasp!) a mix. But they turned out great, so here is how to make Mint Chocolate Cupcakes quickly.

1 Dark chocolate cake mix
1 tsp mint extract
1 recipe Sprinkles Dark Chocolate icing
Ghiradelli Dark Chocolates with Mint
Mix the cake mix up according to directions. Add the mint extract to the cake mix. Bake according to directions. When cool frost with Sprinkles Dark Chocolate icing. Break the Chocolates into pieces & place one on each cupcake.

Now that you have spent less time in the kitchen you can hang out with your birthday girl or boy!

Spicy Steak & Corn Soft Tacos

I went to Safeway & they had top round steaks on sale for $1.49 a pound! I couldn't believe what a great deal, so I bought some with out even knowing what I was going to make. Matt & I are going to Cabo at the end of the month, we are so excited. So I decided to make us some Cabo worthy tacos, they were delicious.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium red onion, sliced

1/2 pound round steak, cut into 1/4-inch-thick, long narrow strips

3/4 cup frozen whole kernel corn, cooked according to package directions, drained

1 jalapeño chili, minced with seeds

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon chili powder ( I have this amazing chipolte chili powder from Penzeys)
Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
flour tortillas

Grated cheddar cheese

Chopped fresh tomatoes

Sour cream

Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer to plate. Add steak to skillet and stir until no longer pink, about 1 minute. Return onion to skillet. Add corn, jalapeño, cumin and chili powder and stir until heated through. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Remove from heat and mix in cilantro. Transfer steak mixture to heated bowl and keep warm.
Warm tortilla, I do this in a metal pie pan, I make a stack of them put them in the oven at 350 5 minutes. Serve tortillas, steak mixture, cheese, tomatoes and sour cream separately, so you can assemble tacos at the table.

How to Sear Scallops

One of my girlfriends bought some scallops to make at home & she said that they didn't turn out. With scallops that can be tough because they are pricey. I think the toughest part about them is there is so much water in them that they can get liquidy in the pan. To avoid this dry them first on a paper towel & get your pan really hot.

1 pound sea scallops
1 Tablespoon oil or butter
salt and pepper
Dry the scallops with paper towels. Salt and pepper both sides.
Heat a large regular (not non-stick) pan for 2-3 minutes so it is quite hot. Add the oil or butter, and then the scallops. Don't let them touch each other. If your pan isn't big enough to do them all at once, keep the first batch under a piece of foil and do two batches.
Cook the scallops about 1½ minutes each side. They should have a golden crust on both ends, and the center should still look translucent. Turn with tongs.
Serve immediately. Serve with greens sauteed in garlic with a squeeze of lemon, with mushrooms in garlic and wine. (like they do at Olive & Ivy in Scottsdale)

Penne with Asparagus & Artichokes

This pasta sounds amazing to me, I love vegetables in my pasta. Pasta can be a great alternative to having a meat in the summer when it is hot. Plus pasta is just as good cold on those hot days!
4 teaspoons pine nuts
1 1/2 pounds asparagus, cut into 1 1/2-inch lengths
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
24 baby artichokes (about 2 pounds), outer leaves discarded, bottoms trimmed, artichokes quartered and rubbed with a lemon half
1 1/2 cups low-sodium nonfat chicken broth
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 pound penne
3/4 cup frozen baby peas, thawed
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
directions
Preheat the oven to 350°. Spread the pine nuts in a pie plate and bake for about 6 minutes, or until lightly toasted. Transfer to a plate. Increase the oven temperature to 450°.
In a bowl, toss the asparagus with 1 teaspoon of olive oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Spread the asparagus on a rimmed baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes, or until browned, shifting the pan every 5 minutes so the asparagus cooks evenly.
Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat the remaining 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Add the artichokes, cut side down, and cook over moderate heat until just golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth, lemon juice and garlic, cover and cook over low heat until the artichokes are just tender, about 8 minutes.
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the penne until al dente. Drain the pasta well and return it to the pot. Add the asparagus, artichokes, peas, Parmesan and parsley and toss well. Transfer the pasta to warmed bowls; sprinkle with the toasted pine nuts and serve.

Happy Birthday to my Matt

Today is Matt's birthday & at the risk of sounding totally cheesy, I love his birthday. We always have so much fun & I just love spoiling him. Matt loves dark chocolate & mint together. When I found this recipe for after eight mint cupcakes I knew it was perfect for his birthday!
Cake:
2½ oz dark chocolate
2/3 cup water
3½ oz butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
½ tsp peppermint essence
1 cup self-raising flour
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1/3 cup almond meal
Mousse:
11oz dark chocolate
1 tsp peppermint essence
1½ cup thickened cream
4 eggs, separated
4 tbsp superfine (caster) sugar


Decoration:
16 thin square after eight dinner mints
cocoa powder for dusting

Put the chocolate, essence and half the cream in a large bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir until chocolate melted and it is a smooth mixture. Allow to cool for 5 minutes.
While it is cooling beat the egg whites to soft peaks in a medium bowl. Then gradually add the sugar, a bit at a time, to the egg whites and beat till dissolved. In another small bowl beat the cream until thick. By now the chocolate mixture should have cooled. Lightly beat the egg yolks with a fork and stir into the chocolate mix. Next fold the cream into the chocolate mix. Now gently fold in the egg whites. Cover and refrigerate for several hours (overnight is good).
Preheat the oven to 330°F
Line a 12 cupcake pan, with cupcake papers. Take the 16 after dinner mints and cut shapes for the tops of the cakes (I have some tiny cookie cutters). Set the shapes aside. Coarsely cut up the off cuts - you need these, so don't go eating them.
Put the chocolate and water in a small saucepan. Stir over a low heat until the chocolate melts and it all combines. Using an electric beater, beat the butter, sugar, eggs and essence until smooth, light and fluffy. Sift the flour, cocoa powder and almond meal into this mixture. Add the chocolate mixture and the off-cuts of the mints. Stir until combined. Divide the mixture evenly between the cupcake tins. Bake for about 30 minutes. Remove pan from the oven, transfer cakes to a rack and cool. Fold up some collars for the cakes using foil. Lightly grease each collar - we used a very light spray of oil. Put collar around cake. (This will create a wall to hold the mousse in) Spoon mousse onto each of the cakes. Refrigerate for 4 or more hours. When ready to serve, gently remove the collars. Dust with cocoa powder. Put the chocolate cut-outs on top.
Serve with extra thick cream and/or ice-cream.

Sprinkle's Lemon Buttercream Icing

It turns out Sprinkle's cupcake recipes are hard to find, I will keep researching! The good news is I have lots of icing for you to try.
This is the lemon butter cream:

1 cup butter, softened
3 3/4 cups powdered sugar
1 the juice of a lemon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt
Directions:
Combine butter, sugar and salt and beat till well combined.
Add lemon juice and vanilla and continue to beat for another 3 to 5 minute or until creamy.
*This picture is of my friend Jessica's darling daughter Sophie, digging into her 1st birthday cake, I love that she is wearing a bracelet, Sophie is truly Jessica's daughter!

Sprinkles! Dark Chocolate Icing

When I picked up a dozen cupcakes at Sprinkles for my family, I picked out the Vanilla, Red Velvet, Dark Chocolate, Milk Chocolate & Black & White. Susan Baca, my cousins mother in law is a cupcake connoisseur, so I was desperate to find some recipes for Sprinkle's cupcakes. Here is what I found:

10 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 lb. unsalted butter, at room temp
1 lb. 8 oz. powdered sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream

Melt and cool chocolate (until just slightly warm). (I like to melt chocolate in a double boiler over a medium low heat)

Beat butter until light and fluffy. With mixer on low speed, gradually add powdered sugar. Add salt, vanilla and sour cream and mix until very smooth. Add chocolate and mix until just incorporated.

*Don't over-whip and add too much air into the frosting. The consistency should be rich and dense, like ice cream!