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Butternut Squash & Mushroom Chicken Pot Pie

Fall is my favorite season. The temperatures begin to cool off, holidays inch tantalizingly closer and new ingredients fill the stores. Winter squashes, apples, pears, sweet potatoes. Comfort food. The best kind of food.

This weekend it was storming out. Granted we’re in Miami so it was more like a Tropical Storm, but it just seemed like the perfect day for a casserole. So I made a big pot pie, but instead of using traditional carrots and celery, I sauteed the chicken with bacon, lots of portabello and crimini mushrooms and onions. Then I swapped the heavy bechamel for a smoked paprika-spiked butternut squash puree.

The mushrooms and the butternut squash melded into the most delicious gravy and the buttermilk biscuit top was just the thing to mop it all up. Not as heavy as your typical pot pie, but just as substantial and delicious. A new fall favorite around here!

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Thai-style Chicken Salad

Oh, hello there readers! I have been swept away by an adorable baby and I’m determined to spend every last second of my maternity leave cuddling and playing with my little girl. So that means cooking has become less of a priority and I’ve neglected my poor blog. But a girl’s gotta eat and food should always be delicious. For me, this now means having something ready to go in the fridge. Like this Thai-style chicken salad. Good Lord, this stuff is good!

First, you marinate the chicken in a little lemongrass, then throw onto your grill (or grill pan if you live in a condo like we do). Let cool, then mix with shallots, cucumbers, shredded cabbage, mayo, fish sauce, sriracha (rooster sauce) and cilantro. It’s got a subtle char flavor from the grill, crunch from the veggies and that spicy mayo combination that just makes it perfect for a warm and crusty roll.

I recommend making it next time you’ve got leftover grilled chicken – you can skip the lemongrass marinade if you can’t find it or if you’ve got leftovers. I seriously can’t wait to make another big batch of it soon since the first batch disappeared in one day. What can I say? We like to eat around here…

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Tomato Carrot Soup with Bacon Croutons

Diet food. Two words that make me shudder. I’ve always thought it better to take an extra walk or run an extra mile rather than give up the things I love to eat. I guess it’s good that I don’t like junk food, but a life without full-fat cheese and pasta is no life at all. Even so, I find myself heavier than I’d like 6 weeks after pregnancy. I guess a pint or two of Ben & Jerry’s a week for 9 months will do that to you. So, it’s time to buckle down and diet. For me, that means more vegetables and more workouts, but no less flavor.

This soup is packed with good-for-you stuff and lots of taste. Bacon on a diet? I say yes! A little bacon goes a long and delicious way. It’s an easy soup – carrots, diced tomatoes, onions and garlic. Some spicy smoked paprika and saffron give it loads of flavor, and everything is brightened with lemon juice. Torn bread toasted in bacon fat makes some nice bacon croutons that add just the right amount of crunch and interest. With diet food like this, I should be skinny in no time! That is, if I can stay away from the Ben & Jerry’s…

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Greek-Style Stuffed Zucchini

This is my annual and obligatory post about how to use up all your extra summer zucchini. Last year it was Green Curry Zucchini & Spinach Soup, the year before it was Lighter Summer Squash Red Curry with Basil. This year I took a break from curry and decided I was in the mood for stuffed zucchini. Usually, I’ll just do a beef and tomato stuffing with mozzarella and Parmesan on top. It’s classic and simple, but I didn’t have everything I needed. What I had was lots of Greek-style stuff. Black olives, baby spinach and feta. So why not try that instead?

The result is a dish that might not be super pretty, but it is pretty delicious. I used ground pork instead of ground beef and browned it with onions and garlic. I added diced tomatoes, black olives, baby spinach, feta and a pinch of oregano to make the stuffing. Some panko breadcrumbs on sprinkled on top finish it off.

The stuffing was so good – porky and a little briny from the olives and feta, but still light enough from all the vegetables. I couldn’t keep myself from sampling it straight from the pan. I liked it so much that I don’t think I’ll ever go back to the plain old beef and tomatoes stuffing. This is a very happy way to use all that extra zucchini!

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Pesto Power Salad

Sometimes you crave Mac & Cheese. The good, homemade kind made with bechamel and extra sharp cheddar and topped with buttery breadcrumbs. That’s what I had this weekend. It was delicious and comforting and heavy. (See Epicurious for the recipe.) Other times, you actually want something a little healthier. Something that doesn’t make you want to curl up on the couch in a food coma for 2 hours. Especially if it’s a weekday lunch and you’ve got at least 5 more hours of work to do.

For me, a grain salad is the best kind of lunch. You can make a big batch at the beginning of the week, it doesn’t wilt and it just tastes better the longer it marinades. I like to call this kind of salad Power Salad. It all starts with your favorite grain – anything from quinoa to farro. The key to good grains is toasting them in a dry skillet until they’re just starting to turn golden and become fragrant. Toasting gives them a deeper, nuttier flavor.

Once you’ve cooked your grains, toss them with beans, sturdy vegetables and an herby vinaigrette. This time I used edamame beans and a lemony pesto made with almonds. Mix everything together, refrigerate and you’ve got lunch for the week. Lunch that will make you feel great and not put you in a food coma. I like to save good food comas for the weekend when you can really enjoy them.

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Peach & Radish Salad

I wish I could take credit for this recipe, but I am sad to say that I cannot. I’ve mentioned before that Michael’s Genuine is my favorite spot for brunch. And I don’t mean that it’s my favorite spot in Miami, I mean that it’s my favorite anywhere. Now that my due date is fast approaching (32 days left! But who’s counting…), I’m taking every opportunity to do things I soon won’t be able to. Like sleeping in and going out for fancy brunch with Tom.

One of the many daily specials at our fancy brunch was “Local Peaches” – a salad made with peaches, radishes, almonds, feta cheese and basil. Since Tom isn’t a huge fan of peaches, I was going to pass even though it was the dish that stood out from the menu. But then a server walked by with the dish and it was such a beautiful plate of food – all gem-toned peaches, bright radish rings and vibrant basil – that I knew I had to get have it despite Tom’s anti-peach stance. As usual, I was right. The peaches were the most memorable dish we tried and Tom loved it. It’s nice to be right.

Of course, I had to try to recreate it at home. I couldn’t find local peaches, but I did find some nice-looking ones from Georgia which were the perfect almost-ripe for the salad. The peaches and radishes are sliced super-thin (a mandoline works particularly well for the radishes) and tossed with a little olive oil and a touch of white wine vinegar. Almonds are coarsely chopped and toasted. Basil is torn. Feta is crumbled. Everything gets assembled prettily on a plate and generously sprinkled with freshly ground black pepper. It’s a little sweet, crisp, crunchy and super refreshing. Seriously one of the best ideas I’ve ever stolen from a restaurant and the perfect summer side to a sandwich, or a beautiful appetizer for a fancy dinner party.

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Southwestern Chicken & Corn Chowder

I’ve been thinking a lot about freezer meals. Over the past few years, I’ve developed a morning routine that I really love. I get up before the sun rises, work out and cook lunch or dinner. I guess that makes me a morning person. But I have a long commute and my job keeps late hours, so there’s no way I’ll be up for making dinner after 8 at night. My little routine has worked out really well for us so far.

All that is about to change. I know there’s no way I’ll be able to cook in the mornings before work with a newborn. So, it’s going to be all about weekend cooking and freezer meals. Or salads, sandwiches, omelets and other super-quick dinners. Luckily, I love leftovers and think that some foods benefit from some time in the freezer. Especially soups.

The trick to making freezer meals is making sure it’s a well-rounded one. Sure, braised meat freezes well, but then I have to think of a side dish and I want something easier. Thick hearty stews and chowder fit the bill and this one is especially tasty.

For the chowder, I browned some onions, potatoes, Mexican chorizo and chicken with dried guajillo chile peppers. I added some fire-roasted tomatoes, corn and chicken stock and let the whole thing simmer until the potatoes were tender and the chicken was falling apart. Stir in a little lime zest and some cream and that’s it. The chowder is richly flavored – spicy, smoky and creamy. The lime zest and cilantro add a brightness that I think every freezer meal needs. A wonderful thing when you’re starving and your fridge is bare of anything but condiments and juice.

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Creamy Kielbasa & Shells

Once you announce your pregnancy, everyone tells you that your life will change. Some people tell you how awesome it’s going to be and how much fun you’ll have raising your babies. Others lament the end of sleeping in and late-night partying. But no one warns you about pregnancy. Sure they say your back will hurt and your feet will swell and all that fun stuff. But what people don’t tell you is that eating will become a part-time job.

Now, I love to eat. I used to think “Man, it will be so nice to be able to eat all day!” And that’s still true. I still love to eat. But now I have to eat every 2 hours or so. Not a problem on the weekend when I’m never too far from my stocked pantry, but kind of distracting when I’m at work. I feel like I’m constantly snacking on trail mix, apples, clementines, string cheese, crackers… My coworkers may not remember what I sound like without my mouth full. Packing lunch in the morning has gone from a 5 minute thing to a long thought-out process and my filing cabinet looks more like a pantry than a file repository. So, what does all that have to do with this pasta? Nothing. I’m just so busy eating that I don’t have time to cook! Thankfully, this dish was super easy and super yummy.

I have to say that I wasn’t too sure how this recipe would turn out when I started. It was one of those dishes where you poke around your fridge, pulling things out at random, then figure out how they should go together. What to do with turkey kielbasa, beets and mushrooms? Make pasta, of course.

I swear this recipe only took my 20 minutes start to finish and was surprisingly good. Nothing fancy, but simple comfort food perfect for the middle of a long and busy week. The shallots and beets sweeten and caramelize, and the mushrooms and kielbasa add great texture. Finished off with some cream, I just about devoured the whole thing before I could serve it.

Great, now I’m hungry again. Off to find some more snacks…

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Ricotta, Cinnamon and Honey Breakfast Casserole

Last April, Tom and I spent two weeks eating our way through Italy. For me, there’s no greater joy than that. Almost everything we tried was delicious – simple cacio e pepe, house-made boar sausage, fresh pecorino cheese, pesto focaccia, tagliatelle with a mountain of shaved truffles… It was everything a food-loving girl like me could ask for and more.

Though we visited some of the major cities and monuments, one of my favorite stops was Cinque Terre – a group of 5 small towns near the Italian Riviera connected by a hiking trail. The hike was tougher than we expected, but you’re gazing at the Mediterranean Sea, while wading through vineyards and olive branches. One of the most beautiful vistas I’ve ever seen. Thank goodness we had a good breakfast that day. A sicilian style pastry that resembles a donut, stuffed with ricotta cheese and drenched in honey syrup. Absolutely amazing. Now, I wish I could eat a ricotta-stuffed, honey-drenched donut every morning, but a girl’s got a figure to maintain. So I tried to take the same flavors and make a breakfast dish that was easier and healthier, but still retained some of the magic of Cinque Terre.

This casserole is similar to a baked, stuffed french toast. Stale baguette soaked in a batter of milk, eggs and cinnamon, then layered with fresh ricotta and honey and another layer of soaked baguette. Bake until the top is golden and crisp and the insides are custard-like. A drizzle of honey, agave nectar or maple syrup to finish it off and I could almost recall my perfect hike before heading off to work.

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Orzo Soup with Merguez Lamb Meatballs

So I hear it’s cold and snowy up north. I hear that the snow is pretty and all that, but you’ve all had enough of it. I guess it’s not a good time to complain about the temperatures dipping into the 40′s here tonight. And I probably shouldn’t boast about how delicious the weather’s been for outdoor dining. That would just be mean.

So instead I’ll offer up a soup recipe that begs for cold winter days. It all starts off with merguez lamb sausage. If you’ve never had it, let me tell you – you’re missing out. This sausage is bright red, spicy and piquant. Because it’s seasoned with harissa, it has a subtle Middle Eastern spice that gives this soup such great flavor. If you can’t find lamb mergeuz sausage, you can definitely make your own by mixing ground lamb with a couple spoonfuls of harissa. If even that sounds like too much work, you can always substitute Mexican chorizo or spicy Italian sausage, though the flavors are not the same.

I made little meatballs from the sausage and browned them up. Then I sauteed onions and carrots in the same oil to infuse them with meaty goodness. All of that is simmered in beef stock with collard greens until tender, then the meatballs are added back along with some whole wheat orzo. Ladled into a big bowl and dusted with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, this soup was better than I expected. Meaty, but still full of vegetables and whole grain pasta. One of the most satisfying lunches I’ve had this year.

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