Let them have sauce

Look at that. I promised I'd post a sauce recipe, and I never managed to finish the post – been too busy. With another blog to keep updated, two children, a husband, a few attempts at a social life and now the holiday season... life often gets in the way of doing things we'd like to do. BUT it should never get in the way of us eating decent food. I promised sauce, sauce you'll have! Only, not mine :-)

I'm giving away 3 Bertolli Premium Pasta Sauce pouches to a lucky reader of Unlikely Housewife in the Kitchen!



Made in a convenient microwavable pouch that protects fresh taste, these delicious, restaurant-quality sauces are ready in 90 seconds. Great for those who have a busy life but gourmet tastes! Quick and easy to prepare, allowing you more time to savor and enjoy – and you can use them to complement your favorite pasta or as the start of a great chicken, steak or fish dish.

But how can you take full advantage of these microwavable pouches? You'll need a microwave, of course. Which is why the giveaway also includes a GE microwave oven with the following features:

- 1.1 cu. ft. capacity, 1,100 Watts, Turntable for even cooking
- Convenience cooking controls — cooking and reheating at the touch of a button
- Auto and Time Defrost — automatically defrosts for a specified amount of time
- Timer On/Off — optional reminder signals when meals are done
- Child lock out — enables you to lock the keypad to prevent the oven from being accidentally started

To enter this giveaway, all you have to do is answer this question: what is your favorite sauce? Please share by posting a comment below.

You may get additional entries by doing any of the following things:
- blog about this giveaway (2 extra entries)
- Tweet about this giveaway (1 extra entry)
- place this graphic on your sidebar (2 extra entries)

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Please post a new comment for each thing you do, and add URL of blog post, tweet or location of graphic (blog) as applicable. The giveaway will run through January 6, 2009. Open only to US residents.

Best of luck to everyone!

Event Alert: Bon Appétit Supper Club and Café

What is it? The Bon Appétit Supper Club & Café is a new restaurant and café open for two weeks only, where you can attend exclusive dinners and parties and meet renowned chefs from around the world.

The Café also features:
* A lunch menu created top chefs
* Cooking demos
* Book signings
* Q&As with chefs and sommeliers
* Special offers and giveaways

Where is it? 221 West 57th Street (between 7th Avenue and Broadway)
New York, NY 10019


When is it? October 23–31, 2008 • Lunch, 11am-3pm


And for those of us not lucky enough to be able to swing by this fabulous dining spot, we can at least download the recipes!

Kitchen Confidential: The secret to great sauce

Tomato Sauce originally uploaded by liminalists

It used to be such a pet peeve of mine, how Italian cooking is portrayed in the US. Or better, not how it's portrayed, more how it's executed. The pizza made here 95% of the time resembles nothing like the pizza in Italy, and please don't bring up that rumor that pizza was invented by Italo-Americans. (In actuality, pizza existed in Italy well before Italians even stepped on American soil.) It bugged me when I read recipes for lasagna that include cottage cheese. Because seriously, no one in Italy would ever dream of adding cottage cheese to lasagna. I think maybe I was offended by symbols of my culture being somewhat defaced.


But after living outside of Italy for 14 years, I realize that it's ok. Afterall, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. And surely there can be several versions of one dish – afterall, I do enjoy fusion cooking.

I don't necessarily believe that everyone should know and love the same "classics", but I do think it's good to develop some classic dishes of your own. In Italy, several of those classic dishes include a good tomato sauce, including the two I mentioned above: pizza and lasagne. Because when a dish features a sauce, it's really only as good as the sauce itself. And since a good tomato sauce is a must to have in your repertoire - no matter how much or how little you cook – I thought I'd share a few secrets about the perfect tomato sauce.

1. Terminology: the sauce commonly referred to as "bolognaise", featuring ground meat, is actually called ragù. Bolognese is a special kind of ragù, which includes more ingredients and requires a much longer time to prepare.

2. Sweetness: in order to counter the acidity that tomatoes produce when cooked, many cooks mistakenly resort to adding sugar to the sauce. In truth, this only covers the acidity, it doesn't eliminate it – so the sauce will often show its acidity in other ways, i.e. causing heartburn. To avoid that, add a large peeled carrot or 1/2 an (unpeeled) apple to the sauce before you bring it to a boil or even a simmer. It will absorb the acidity, and it should be discarded afterwards.

3. Flavor:If you take one additional step before adding the ingredients to the pan, it will make your sauce much better: sauté fresh herbs in olive oil in the pan, before adding the tomato. For a simple ragù, 1/2 onion sauteed in a little olive oil will do.

Always, always use extra-virgin olive oil to prepare your pasta sauce: it makes such a difference in the outcome! And olive oil is so full of flavor that a little goes a long way: if you use olive oil to sauté, chances are you won't feel the need to add piles of Parmesan or more olive oil once the pasta is served, because the sauce will taste very rich.

If using fresh herbs in a recipe, always chop them and add them at the end - the oils lose potency when cooked. So for instance, if you are using fresh basil, don't chop it until the sauce is ready; at that point turn off the heat, chop the basil and add it to the pot, stir and let the flavors blend.

4. Storage: Don't ever store your leftover sauce in plastic containers: despite the carrot trick, tomatoes are still acidic in nature and that will cause molecules from the plastic container to leach into the sauce. Purchase glass jars or save and wash glass jars from jam, pickles, mustard or store-bought sauce to use for this specific purpose: storing your tomato sauce.

I hope you'll find these tips helpful!

Next week I'll share my favorite sauce recipes with you :-)

Brunch in a crunch: Sarah's Favorite quiche

My daughter Sarah, who is somewhat of a picky eater, really loves this quiche. Because she has an intolerance to wheat, I make ours with a gluten-free pie crust. Good-quality pre-mde pie crusts are a good thing to keep in the freezer for times when you have an unexpected guest for lunch or when you are running late on your brunch prep: this quiche can be assembled in less than 10 minutes.

Ingredients:
- 1 whole wheat pie crust
- 3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 of a large onion
- 2 pre-cooked chicken sausages, like the ones from Applegate Farms
- 3 eggs
- 1/3 cup low-fat sour cream*
- salt and pepper to taste


Preparation:
1. Warm up the oven at 325, or as recommended on pie crust packaging.

2. Using a food chopper, mince the onion and chicken sausages.

3. Warm up the oil in a pan, add the minced onion and sausage and sauté until the onion is golden and the sausage has browned a bit. Add to the pie crust.

4. Beat the eggs, add a pinch of salt, then blend in the sour cream. Add to the pie crust.

5. Sprinkle the quiche with freshly ground black pepper and place in the oven, middle rack. Back for 25-30 minutes, or until egg has set and pie crust is golden brown. (Cooking time may vary, depending on the pie crust.)

6. Remove from oven, let cool. Serve with a green salad with a vinaigrette dressing, or with a potato salad.

Serves 4.


* to make quiche dairy-free, replace sour cream with 1/3 cup soy milk mixed with 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

FreshDirect Giveaway Winner!

The time has come... to announce the winner of the FreshDirect Giveaway!

Congratulations Dennis! You will receive a 100-dollar gift card for FreshDirect.com!

Everyone else, don't forget that the discount coupon codes can be used by everybody! here they are again:

Here is a couple of coupons for you to use, if you want to try out FreshDirect:

New customers:
25% off first two orders (enter code each time)
Promo code: MOMBLOG25
Start: 9/16/08
Expire11/30/08

Current customers:
Free delivery on your next two orders (enter code each time)
Promo code: MOMBLOG
Start: 9/16/08
Expire10/30/08


Thank you to all participants :-)

FreshDirect Giveaway

As any cook knows, the flavor of a dish depends greatly on the quality of the ingredients used. Who doesn't enjoy shopping for fresh, beautiful ingredients for a special meal? However it can be quite a hassle, hand-picking each ingredient, perhaps going to different stores... not to mention the grocery bill might just kill your buzz.

FreshDirect is an online grocer that delivers to parts of Westchester and NJ as well as most of the Manhattan borroughs. They have great organic products and meats, as well as all things you would find in your local supermarket. Go check their website, I think you'll be pleased with their selection.

FreshDirect is now concentrating on expanding its offerings to make life easier for mommy and baby. They have added over 70 new products to their Baby Store, including popular brands of baby food, formula and supplies for the baby bag and the changing table, also available in bulk sizes.

They also have a nutritionist on staff: Eileen Vider, MS, RD is also offering up healthful tips and tricks for new parents including simple and nutritious One-Click Recipes for your baby and tips on feeding fish to your family without fear.

Here is a couple of coupons for you to use, if you want to try out FreshDirect:

New customers:
25% off first two orders (enter code each time)
Promo code: MOMBLOG25
Start: 9/16/08
Expire11/30/08

Current customers:
Free delivery on your next two orders (enter code each time)
Promo code: MOMBLOG
Start: 9/16/08
Expire10/30/08

And that's not all: I have a special treat for you! One lucky reader will win a $100 gift card to shop on FreshDirect! All you have to do is comment below, to be entered in the Giveaway.

You can get additional entries by doing one of or more of the following:
- post about this giveaway on your blog (please use graphics provided below)
- subscribe to this blog's feed (you can subscribe by e-mail, as well)
- add my avatar (see left sidebar) to your blog

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Please add a separate comment for any additional entry, and make sure you include your e-mail address of blog URL so I can get in touch with you if you are the winner!

I am afraid that because of the delivery area and the fact that the gift card is non-transferable, this giveaway is limited to those in the NY Metro Area.

This giveaway will end on Saturday, October 4th. Winners will be posted here as well.

Good luck everyone!





*Web orders only. Limited-time offer. May not be combined with any other offer. All standard customer terms and conditions apply. Offer is non-transferable. Void where prohibited.

Cookbook review: The Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen

Thank goodness going "green" is finally trendy, and no longer shunned as uncool and stupid. Because of this, more and more people are jumping on the eco-friendly bandwagon. Among the popular changes, an increasing number of people is cutting down on their consumption of of red meat and dairy in an effort to contribute to halting or at least slowing down pollution from cattle farming.

But that doesn't mean that your meals have to be made of canned beans and boiled veggies, does it? Or endless packaged veggie burgers. Personally, I think nothing beats a meal made from fresh, juicy produce and rich, fruity olive oil. This may come from me growing up in Italy, in sunny Sardinia, where fresh produce and delicious olive oil abound.

That's why I love The Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen. The Mediterranean diet focuses mostly on fresh produce, seasoning herbs, cold-pressed oils and grains, and this book captures the its vegan beauty. Unlike most vegan books, that contain recipes using vegan meat substitutes and processed soy products, this one features recipes form the Mediterranean that are vegan in their original version. You will find soups, salads, pasta dishes, grains, beans and legumes, side dishes and desserts, all focusing on antioxidant-rich fruits and veggies, olive oil and fiber-rich grains and legumes.

You will never feel like eating healthy is a huge effort when you eat dishes from this book - and when you prepare them for dinner parties you will gather great reviews from vegetarians and omnivores alike, the latter never feeling like you are "forcing your health-freak stuff" on them, because the recipes are so flavorful and simply fabulous.

Afterall, who could criticize anyone who tempts them with appetizers like Wild Mushrooms Spread with Croutons and Bruschetta with Tomatoes, Black Olives and Marinated Artichokes during the before-dinner mingling, then serves colorful, delicious dishes like Farfalle with Sauteed Radicchio, Fennel and Toasted Walnuts and Provençal Tian of Chickpeas, Eggplants, Tomatoes and Olives; and then, just when they thought it coulnd't get any better, their hostess ends the meal perfectly with a Plum Tart in Phyllo and a Greek Currant Cake?

And that's not all: in this book you will also find delicious soups, creative salads and tons of side dishes that you can use also as part of your non-vegan meals. But please, don't let the long names fool you: most of the recipes in this book are easy to prepare and don't require hours in the kitchen, nor fancy ingredients - proof that simple ingredients can still be at the base of a fantastic meal.

Go on, get your copy. You won't feel guilty - after all, it's practically a health book *wink*

Giveaway winners!

Thank you to all those who voted! The poll and giveaway are now closed, and the winners are:

(drum rolls)

For the cupcake cookbook

Mrs. Mogul!


For the Thai cookbook

Alyce of At Home with Books!

Congratulations ladies!

Recipe: Risotto alla Milanese (a.k.a. Saffron Mushroom Risotto)

Saffron Risotto Milanese Style
Originally uploaded by Beholder

Risotto is one of the most popular dishes ordered at Italian restaurants - particularly outside of Italy. There are many different kinds, but Risotto alla Milanese is well known as a delicious traditional Italian dish.

Here is the recipe for Saffron Risotto using dried mushrooms, the most popular and well-known version. I am sure you will find it surprisingly simple to master - and then this dish won't have to be an occasional treat anymore!


Ingredients for 6 people:
- 4 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 3 cups uncooked Arborio rice (Carnaroli will work as well)
- 6 oz dry white wine
- 2 1/2 pints meat broth or very good vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup dried Porcini mushrooms
- 2 sachet saffron powder (or 1/2 tsp saffron strands*)
- 1/2 cup or more of fresh Parmesan cheese
- freshly grated black pepper to taste

Preparation:
1. Warm up the broth in a pot, and leave nerby on very low heat, so that it stays warm but doesn't evaporate. Add the dried mushrooms to the pot.

2. In a wide pot or deep pan, warm up the oil and sauté the onion until golden. Lower the heat a little, add the rice, stirring often, and let it toast until it sounds kind of like sand.

3. Add the wine, stir and let the alcohol evaporate and the rice absorb the liquid.

4. Lower the heat to simmer and start adding the hot broth, one or maximum two ladles at a time, stirring after each addition, and letting the rice absorb the broth before adding more.

5. Continue for about 15 minutes. At this point, you shouldn't have a lot of broth left. Dissolve the saffron in a ladle of broth and add to the risotto, stirring occasionally.

6. Continue with the rest of the broth until the rice is tender but still slightly chewy (Arborio takes about 20 minutes, counting from when you started adding the broth). Remove it from the flame and let it rest for 2-3 minutes.

7. Add 1/2 cup of Parmesan and stir well. Serve the rice and grate black pepper on top of each portion. Serve with additional Parmesan at the table.

Buon appetito!


*Note: I prefer to use powder because it gives a brighter and more even color, however if you can only find strands, use 1/4 teaspoon of strands for every sachet of saffron recommended, and proceed as follows:
as you start cooking, remove 1 cup of hot broth from the pot and pour it into a coffee mug, add the strands and let them steep for 20 minutes or more, until the rice is almost cooked. Then add the saffron broth as you would in step 5 and continue with the recipe.
Thank you to Sharon, for asking about this!


Tips:
- if you prefer a milder mushroom flavor, soak the dried mushrooms in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes (instead than in the broth), then drain them and discard the water (or you may save it and freeze it to use in another dish if you like). Alternatively, you can use dried chanterelle mushrooms instead; they have a milder flavor but still blend very nicely with the dish.
- if you can't have dairy, try adding nutritional yeast instead: it has a cheesy flavor and is rich in B vitamins. Start with a little though, because it has quite a strong flavor and not everyone likes it.
- if you prefer your risotto to have a very mild flavor you can reduce the wine to 4 oz, or decrease the saffron to 1 packet.

Kitchen Confidential: the stuff you really need

Years ago, while living in Switzerland, we moved from a big house in the countryside to an apartment in Zurich. Having to downsize my kitchen, I found myself getting rid of a lot of kitchen utensils and vowed never to buy anything I wouldn't use at least weekly ever again.

I thought back to that yesterday, when I noticed how many items were on someone's Wedding Registry and wondered if they would ever use them.

It can be daunting for someone moving into their own place for the first time to figure out what is useful and what is superfluous when it comes to kitchen equipment. This is my must-have list:

- silverware, glasses, plates, coffee mugs
- 2 bowls: one large, one medium
- a small cast iron pan (great for eggs and sauteeing - once well seasoned you use very little fat)
- 4 stainless steel pots: 2 medium, 1 large, 1 small
- a stainless steel pan
- a large colander
- wooden utensils (so you don't scratch your pans)
- a set of knives including a chef's knife, a bread knife, 1-2 paring knives
- a vegetable peeler
- two cutting boards (one for meat, one for produce)
- an immersion blender - better yet, one with whisk attachments. You can make smoothies, creamy soups and cake/cookie batter with just one piece of equipment.
- a pressure cooker (so the 2-hour soup/sauce recipes only take about 40 minutes)
- a coffee press (if you drink coffee)

That's it. If you enjoy baking, you can get a baking pan and/or a cupcake pan. DO NOT get stuff because you think you might use it.

Get started, get comfortable and take it from there.

What are your "must have" kitchen essentials?


P.S. Don't forget to enter my giveaway!



photo credit: puck90

New look and giveaway!

Ah, finally. I have been talking about re-launching this blog ever since Ry interviewed me.

I had been keeping this blog as sort of a side project, a place to share some random recipes I didn't want to include in my main blog, Diary of an Unlikely Housewife.

However I decided it was time to give this blog it's own look and its own direction, and a little "launch party" to start it off anew. To celebrate that, I am hosting my very first giveaway!

The prizes are of course related to cooking: 2 beautiful hardbound cookbooks! Take a peek:


To participate in the giveaway, all you have to do is vote in this poll:

Online Surveys & Market Research

After voting, you can get additional entries if you:
- link to this blog (using the graphic I provided on my sidebar)
- subscribe to my RSS feed
- subscribe to the RSS feed of my other blog, Diary of an Unlikely Housewife
- post about this giveaway on your blog using this graphic (code provided):

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Please post additional comments if you do any of the above, and please include your cookbook preference, as well as your blog address and/or e-mail address so I can get in touch with you if you win!

This giveaway will end on Monday, September 15th. Winners will be posted here as well.

Good luck!

Ok - this isn't gourmet. This is madness!

If you routinely travel through the blogosphere, by now you have probably heard of The Omnivore's Hundred. For those of you who haven't heard of it, it's a list of 100 items created by Andrew of Very Good Taste; but not just ANY 100 items: these are apparently the 100 items that every Omnivore should taste at least once. To be honest, I kind of feel like some of these items were added to create a lasting impression on the list, and also to make an easy 100. because who would want to eat... ok, I won't spoil it for you. Here's the list with my items in bold, and my impressions when applicable.

The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:

1. Venison: yup, big in Switzerland. I don't like it, I feel like I'm eating Bambi.
2. Nettle tea: don't like it.
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare (no way I'm eating raw ground meat. nope.)
5. Crocodile (ha ha aha are you kidding?)
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue: yup. One of my 4 mayor food groups during my first pregnancy (after I moved to Switzerland). Goooood stuff.
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush: yum. Love eggplant!
11. Calamari: double yum. Fried, or with spinach... yum.
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi (pretty sure I'd love this)
15. Hot dog from a street cart (nope. no way. don't like hot dogs, don't buy food from street cars. end of discussion.)
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle: mized in chocolate. Yum.
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras: ok, this should be disgusting to me, but seriously, is there anything more delicious?
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese (that sounds gross. but I have eaten brains before. can't believe I did. *shudder*)
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper (huh? what?)
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters: yes. disgusting.
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl: ok, this might be one of the few things that rivals foie gras. Delicious.
33. Salted lassi (nope. but I love sweet lassi.)
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float: I hate root beer. It tastes like toothpaste.
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea (been wanting to. I think I might like it.)
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O (vodka, yes. jello, no way.)
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects (no!)
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk yup - don't like it. my daughters drink it though.
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala: delicious.
48. Eel: we make them roasted in Sardinia.
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin: in spaghetti sauce. Sardinian dish.
51. Prickly pear: oh, my favorite fruit. We call them "Indian figs". If you pick them ripe, when they are a rich orange or red, and peel them properly so the thorns don't pierce the pulp, they are absolutely delicious.
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer: in curried dahl. Fantastic.
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal: not sure why this made the list.
56. Spaetzle: yup, Swiss stuff.
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV: yes, but I don't like beer.
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads (no. I'm serious. no.)
63. Kaolin (isn't that a type of clay?)
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake (why aren't zeppole on the list??)
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe (nope - but I've had wormwood extract as part of my cleanse. does that count?)
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill (seriously? people eat roadkill?? omnivores are expected to eat roadkill??)
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie (huh?)
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini: my favorite part of being forced to go to lots of weddings while growing up in Italy.
81. Tom yum: one of my favorite dishes. Could eat it every week..
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky: we called it Mikado when I was growing up.
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers: pansies, on salad.
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam (ewwww!)
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta: what Italian hasn't had polenta? Now liking it, that's another matter.
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake (you have got to be kidding. that is NEVER going to happen.)


So there you have it. Now here's the rules:

1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Optional extra: Post a comment here at www.verygoodtaste.co.uk linking to your results.

Roll with it - and post a link to yours in the comment section, so we can see what disgusting and delicious things you have tried :-)

News of things to come

Today I felt like a celeb, found a great new blog and made a new friend. Ry from Arts & Dafts just interviewed me as part of the The Great Interview Experiment, and inspired me to do something new with this blog. I had been wanting to find a direction to give to the blog, and now I found it: I will be starting a series of cooking lessons for complete beginners soon, so stay tuned!

Thanks Ry! I knew my Muse was out there somewhere ;-)

Dinner in a Hurry: Pesto Chicken and Pasta

Last night I coulnd't find the issue of Cooking Light I needed for the dinner recipe - I hate that. So I whipped up this quick but yummy dish, which everyone enjoyed (even my picky 8-year old!).

Ingredients:- chicken breast, 3 medium, skinned
- 1/3 Cup of good-quality prepared pesto sauce
- 3 Tsp olive oil
- 3 cups uncooked fusilli pasta (the spirals)
- 1 cup of frozen broccoli florets

Preparation:
1. Cut the chicken in 1/2 inch-thick slices.
2. In a medium bowl, combine chicken and pesto and let marinate.
3. Boil water for pasta, add salt, and cook pasta following directions on the package.
4. Heat olive oil in a pan and sauté chicken - add a little salt if needed (not all pesto tastes the same)
5. When pasta is almost ready, add broccoli florets to pot and cook for a few more minutes.
6. Drain pasta and broccoli, add to pan and toss with chicken and pesto. If it seems dry, add another Tbsp or two of pesto.

Buon appetito!

Chunky salad with balsamic vinegar dressing

This is our favorite salad for cookouts and picnics. It's easy to make, holds better than salads featuring greens and it tastes fresh, slightly sweet and a little tangy.

Ingredients
- 6 medium vine-ripened tomatoes
- 2 cucumbers
- 1 medium-large red onion
- extra-virgin olive oil
- Balsamic vinegar (must be good quality - we like Ponti)

Preparation
- Slice the tomatoes by cutting them in half and then slicing them sideways into 1/3-inch-wide slices. Transfer to a large glass bowl.
- Peel cucumber. Chop them by cutting them in half length-ways, then in half again and then cutting across into 1/2 inch-thick chunks. Add to bowl.
- Peel red onion. Cut in half, then in quarters, and slice thin. Add to bowl
- In a small bowl, mix 4 Tbsp olive oil and 8 Tbsp vinegar, mix and add to the salad. Stir to coat, cover and refrigerate. If the dressing doesn't seem enough, mix a little more, making sure to use twice as much balsamic vinegar as oil.
- Serve with crusty bread and grilled meat or fish (this goes winderful with grilled salmon!).

The Unlikely Veggie Quiche

I know by now you think I use the "unlikely" thing way too much, but truth is, this recipes got the "unlikely" label from my mom. My mom is young, hip, and fabulous (hi Mom!), but our cooking kind of veers in different directions.
When we get together, often one of us will be cooking while the other eyes the food suspiciously and expresses her reservations on the recipe.
In this case, my mom's reservations were that:
1. you can't make a quiche without eggs
2. she doesn't like broccoli, so she is unlikely to eat anything containing broccoli
3. mushrooms and broccoli don't go together
4. there's no way it's filling enough unless it contains meat or at least lots of cheese

In the end of course she liked the quiche and also how pretty it turned out!

Note: you might be skeptical like my mom, but despite being vegan this quiche is surprisingly filling, thanks to the potatoes and to the high fiber content of the crust and broccoli.

Ingredients:
- extra-virgin olive oil
- 5 cloves of garlic, minced
- sea salt or celtic salt
- black pepper
- 4 oz button mushrooms, sliced
- 8 oz frozen broccoli (I like the 365 Organic from Whole Foods), lightly steamed
- a pinch of dried thyme
- 3-4 medium potatoes, cooked and peeled
- good quality, MSG-free vegetable broth
- 1 whole wheat or gluten-free pastry shell (again, I like the Whole Foods brand)
- 1/2 stick Earth Balance non-dairy buttery spread

Preparation:
- Warm to oven as recommended on the package of the pastry shell.
- Leave a pastry shell on the counter, ready to be filled.
- In a stainless-steel pan, warm 2 Tbsp of the olive oil.
- Add 2 cloves of garlic to the pan, sautée briefly until golden, then add the mushrooms, steer to combine and lower the heat. After about 1 minute, sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper and let them cook, stirring occasionally and adding a Tbsp or two of broth, until they have softened and darkened in color. Transfer to the pastry shell, making sure they are evenly spread on the bottom.
- Using the same pot, warm up 2 more Tbsp of oil and sautée the remaining garlic until golden.
- Add the broccoli, lower the flame, stir gently to coat, then turn off the heat and keep stirring until the oil and garlic has been absorbed by the veggies.
- Transfer the broccoli to the pastry shell, again making sure they are evenly spread.
- In the same pot/pan, warm up 1/2 cup of broth, then turn off the heat. Mash the potatoes and transfer to the pan, stirring gently to combine. Add more broth if needed, until the potatoes are of a nice creamy consistency. Cut up the non-dairy buttery stick and add to the potatoes, stirring until it melts (you might need to place the pan over low heat for a couple of minutes).
- Season the mashed potatoes with salt, black pepper and plenty of ground nutmeg, and then transfer to the pastry shell, taking care to cover the veggies completely.
- Place in the oven for the recommended cooking time (usually about 35-45 min.)
- Optional: before taking the quiche out of the oven, place it then under the broiler for a couple of minutes, to brown the potatoes slightly.

Et voilà! Your quiche is ready! It will serve 4-6 and it's lovely accompanied by a nice salad with a balsamic dressing.

The Unlikely Housewife is not unlikely to cook ;-)

Hey, just because I'm a less-than-domestic goddess it doesn't mean I don't like to cook! I actually LOVE it! (most of the time, at least) I don't like cleaning up afterwards, but that's a totally separate issue.

The thing is, I don't really have time for very long prep and to be honest I get bored quickly, so dedicating hours to one recipe isn't for me. However, I don't like to eat packaged stuff either, and I don't like using the microwave.

There is a healthy medium: I have a list of everyday recipes that can be made from scratch in a reasonable amount of time and a separate list of recipes that require more time (but not insanely long!) and I save for special occasions. Here I'll share recipes from both lists. I hope you like them. And if you do and you want to thank me somehow, you can always offer to come over and clean up my kitchen after I cook! (I'm joking. No, really.)