Simplicity ...

As much as I love cooking and eating ... there are times when I don't feel like doing either. The way the this past weekend shook out, I did plenty of one and little of the other. Friday night I engaged in some March Madness that was not of the b-ball variety ... I saw the Allman Brothers at The Beacon Theater. Its a long-standing March tradition on the Upper West Side and this year's run was quite something indeed. Kid Rock was the special guest on Friday night and, frankly, he did rock. The whole show did!

Prior to the show, the husband and I dined at 'Cesca, and the meal was every bit as spectacular as the concert. Saturday night we met the sister in law and our friend M. at one of my all time favorite restaurants - El Faro - where we dined happily on a number of Spanish classics, paella included. El Faro has been serving up the best paella in the city since 1927 and, honestly, this place is so good, so unique, it deserves a review of its own. I was dining sans camera Saturday night, so the review will have to wait - but it will happen. Stay tuned.

Suffice it to say, by Sunday night I'd had my fill of food and wanted nothing more than a simple salad for dinner. Of course by simple, you know I mean - simply divine. I drew inspiration from two sources. The first: POM Wonderful. Last week, Diana - aka The POM Blogger - got in touch with me and offered a sample of their luscious POM Wonderful pomegranate juice. Needless to say, I accepted the offer with pleasure. I'm already a huge fan of POM and I'm delighted to have the opportunity to explore it more fully as an ingredient. Diana sent me a case of POM Wonderful juice and I promptly put it to work in creating a scrumptious dressing for my salad.

Divalicious POM Wonderful Vinaigrette:

• 1/2 cup POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice
• 2 tsp. red wine vinegar
• 2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
• 2 tsp. minced shallot
• 1/2 tsp. prepared Dijon mustard
• pinch of salt and a generous grating of fresh black pepper
• 1 tbsp. chopped fresh dill
• scant 1/4 cup of extra-virgin olive oil

• some mixed salad greens
• some fresh pomegranate seeds
  
• 2 or 3 oz. of good quality Gruyere cheese, sliced
  
• some roasted pumpkin seeds
  

In a small bowl, combine the first seven ingredients - POM juice through dill - and whisk to incorporate. While whisking, slowly drizzle in the olive oil, to taste, to create an emulsification. Whisk vigorously until well combined and the dressing is formed. Taste for seasoning, adding a bit more salt and pepper or a splash of vinegar if needed.

Lightly dress your salad greens with the finished vinaigrette, to taste, and sprinkle the salad with some pomegranate seeds. (I also added some red bell pepper and celery to the mix.)

Place the sliced Gruyere on a large, microwave-safe plate and heat in the microwave on high for approximately 10 to 20 seconds, or until the cheese melts and just begins to bubble. Watch it carefully and do not over cook. Remove from oven, sprinkle the cheese with some roasted pumpkin seeds and a few pomegranate arils (seeds). Place the dressed salad on the plate, garnish with a slice of hearty, whole-grain bread and enjoy!

As written, this salad will serve one, but you will have plenty of yummy dressing left to enjoy. I'm not a fan of oily dressing, so the ratio here is light on the EVOO. Feel free to increase if that's your pleasure.

I wish I could take credit for the marvelous addition of melted cheese to the plate. That idea came straight from The Wine and Food Lover's Diet Cookbook - and frankly, its brilliant! I mean, who doesn't love melted cheese?! The zippy POM vinaigrette was the perfect foil for the warm, creamy cheese and the pumpkin seeds really upped the flavor ante as well. I rounded out the meal with a slice of nutty brown bread - another version of Irish soda bread - and I'll tell you all about it ... tomorrow. Stay tuned.

I'm thoroughly delighted with my first foray into cooking with POM and looking forward to further explorations. This salad was just what the doctor ordered - and it only goes to show that simple and elegant sometimes mean the same thing.

Bon appetit!

Feed the Peep!

Fresh off the heels of the wildly successful Eating Your Words blogging event, Jen at Savor the Thyme has launched another hilarious contest ... this one involving Peeps! And this time there's a prize. The lucky winner will receive a copy of "Best of the Best: the best recipes from the 25 best cookbooks of the year." You can play too! Entries must be sent to Jen by midnight, April 5th. You can read the rules here.

I do so love a web-tacular event and I had about a million ideas for this one. Evidently my dark sense of humor won out. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves ...

A Day in the Life of a Peep:

Just hatched ...

Off to work ...

Uh oh!


**For the record, no actual Peeps were consumed while filming this entry ... at least not by me. The husband is a fan - I am not. I may be known to eat the occasional Peep once a year, but I prefer the day old variety - when the Peep is slightly crisp ... Papa Diva will back me up on that!

I did, however, eat the omelet. Word to the wise - Peep flavored eggs will not soon become the latest taste sensation.

Why not hatch a few ideas of your own and join the fun? Thanks so much for setting this up, Jen, I had a blast. Can't wait to see the other entries!

Bon appetit!

Going Green

In case you haven't heard, its a woman's prerogative to change her mind. That goes double for Divas. Call me crazy, you wouldn't be the first, but I've done a culinary one-eighty. On Tuesday I was all about the Winter foods ... these last two days? Nothing but Spring. Maybe it was the double shot of turnips, or perhaps I've been cooped up in my cashmere too long ... but suddenly I'm craving fresh things, fresh flavors. I'm craving green.

Creamy Spinach and Feta Dip:

• 1 small shallot, minced
• 1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  
• 1 clove of garlic, peeled and smashed
• 2 cups, packed, of baby spinach leaves, stems removed, washed and drained
  
• 3/4 cup of crumbled feta cheese
• 1/4 cup of 1/3 less-fat cream cheese
• 8 oz. of non-fat plain Greek yogurt
• 2 tsp. of grated lemon zest, minced
• 1 tbsp. of chopped fresh dill
• pinch of salt and a generous grating of fresh black pepper

Heat a small saute pan over medium high heat and to it add 1 tsp. of olive oil. Saute the minced shallot in the oil until translucent and just beginning to color, about 2 minutes or so, do not brown. Remove the shallots to a small bowl, cool and reserve.

Place the garlic, cooled shallots, and the spinach into the bowl of your food processor. Its ok - preferable even - if a bit of water is still clinging to the spinach leaves. Pulse and process until the spinach is shredded. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the Feta and the cream cheese. Process until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the Greek yogurt and process until smooth. Add the lemon zest, fresh dill, a bit of salt and pepper and process until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

Transfer the mixture to a serving vessel and serve immediately with a variety of crudites and some whole grain crackers or flat bread. Or, alternately, cover and chill until needed.

As written, this recipe will yield approximately 2 cups of dip.

Honestly, this dip is so good, so luscious and creamy, I could simply eat it with a spoon. Its delightful with some strips of red bell pepper or some crisp carrot sticks as well. And hey, if you want to try it with some chips, go for it ... I promise I won't tell.

The sun is shining, the birds are singing and we're on our way to a delightful high of 63 degrees today. I'd say that's cause for celebration. Why not whip up a batch of this yummy, healthy dip, pour yourself a long, tall Moscow Mule and start the weekend off right? A more winning combination I cannot imagine.

Bon appetit!

Thirsty Thursdays: Bitterness Edition

Some time ago, the husband and I were shopping Balducci's and he impulsively threw a bottle of Angostura Bitters into our cart. It seemed like a good idea at the time, though neither of us had any idea what to do with it. The husband took an immediate shine to it, after adding a few drops to a gin martini. It has been making its way into a variety of beverages, Chez Diva, ever since. Today's offering is no exception.

For those unfamiliar with bitters - a little history. Angostura Bitters was first developed as a digestive tonic by Dr. Johann Gottlieb Benjamin Siegert in 1824. At that time, Dr. Siegert was the Surgeon General of a military hospital in Angostura, Venezuela - the bitters are named after the town. A long and convoluted history follows, all of which you can read on the Angostura site, if you're so inclined. The tonic is made from a proprietary mix of gentian and aromatic herbs and spices. Legend has it that the recipe is known only to five individuals at any given time. I don't know how true that is, but it is reported to be one of the few "trade secrets" left. Quite romantic, no?

Once we got our little bottle home, I went Googling and found scads of cocktails that include aromatic bitters. For some reason we settled on a Moscow Mule that night ...

The Moscow Mule:

• some cubes of ice
• 2 oz. vodka
• 1 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice
• 4 dashes of Angostura Aromatic Bitters
• ginger beer or ginger ale*

Place the ice cubes into a tall glass. Pour the vodka and lime juice over the ice and add the Angostura Bitters. Top the drink with ginger beer or ginger ale to fill the glass. Stir gently, garnish with a section of lime, serve and enjoy! Repeat as necessary.

*Note - ginger beer and ginger ale are not the same thing. Ginger beer is a carbonated soft drink more commonly found in the UK and the British Isles. It is less sweet and more gingerly flavored than American ginger ale. For the sake of ease, I'm offering the option here. If you can find real ginger beer, by all means go for it. I've found it at Fairway on occasion, but rather than hunt and forage, I often default to good 'ole Canada Dry!

This drink is light, refreshing and perfectly balanced. While I'm not generally a fan of soda, or drinks made with soda, the bitters acts as a unifying element; creating a perfect harmony between the sweet notes of the ginger ale and the tangy notes of lime.

I can't think of a better drink to usher in the first official days of Spring. It may not feel like Spring just yet ... but mix yourself up a batch of these and it will most certainly taste like it!

Cheers!

The Spicy Diva: Burrito Edition

I think we've all had our fill of turnips by now. Its time to head south of the boarder for a bit of Mexican fare. But rest assured these are not your typical burritos. Unless you typically fill your burritos with spinach. As a rule, I don't. And when I first read this recipe I wasn't about to either. But then I thought - what the hell, how bad can it be? Turns out they were spectacular.

Now before you start running scared on me, let me assure you that there's more than spinach beneath that wholesome whole-grain tortilla. This burrito boasts a stunning combination of lean ground beef, spicy chipotle chilies in adobo, and some velvety black beans for good measure. Of course there more, so much more.

It all started with a recipe from The South Beach Diet Quick and Easy Cookbook - but, as is my wont, I've changed the recipe significantly. And, really, I think I've turned the burritos into enchiladas. Is that what you get when you bake a burrito? You be the judge.

Spicy Beef and Bean Burritos:

• 2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
  
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 pound of very lean ground beef
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. dried oregano, or dried Mexican oregano
• 1 tsp. of chili powder
• 3 canned chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, minced, plus 1 tbsp. of sauce*
• 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
  
• one 15 ounce can of low-sodium black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 bunch of baby spinach, rinsed, drained and coarsely chopped (about 4 - 5 cups)
• juice of 1/2 lime
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup of vegetable broth
  
• 4 whole wheat tortillas
• some shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
• some minced red onion
• some chopped fresh cilantro
• some homemade or prepared salsa, taco or enchilada sauce
  

Heat the oil in a large, non-stick skillet over medium high and add the onions and garlic. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes or until the onions begin to soften. Add the ground beef, salt and some freshly ground pepper and cook until well browned, breaking the meat up and stirring as needed, until cooked throughout. Drain the fat from the pan. Return the beef mixture to the heat and add the cumin, oregano and chili powder, stirring well to incorporate, and saute for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the chopped chipotle peppers, some chipotle sauce from the can to taste, the balsamic vinegar and the black beans, stirring well to incorporate. Add the spinach by handfuls, stirring after each addition, until all of the spinach has been added and has wilted. Add the lime juice and 1/4 cup of vegetable broth, turn the heat to low and allow the mixture to simmer until the oven has heated, adding a touch more vegetable broth if needed to keep the mixture from drying out.

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees F and lightly coat the bottom of a large, flat baking dish with oil. Reserve.

Lay one tortilla on a plate and place about a cup of the beef and bean mixture in a line down the center of the tortilla. Sprinkle some shredded cheese, chopped red onion and chopped cilantro over the beef - to taste - and fold the two sides of the tortilla in towards the middle to roll up and form the burrito. Place the burrito, seam side down, in the prepared pan, then roll the rest of the burritos accordingly. Drizzle each with a bit of taco or enchilada sauce, top with a few shreds of cheese and bake in the middle of a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

*As written this recipe will yield 6 burrito/enchiladas and, fair warning, they are spicy! If you're heat-averse, you may want to cut back on the chipotle chilies. Play around with it and do as you see fit. Additionally, you may choose to top the finished dish with some non-fat sour cream, or even guacamole - its your fiesta, so live it up!

They jury's out on the burrito v. enchilada question ... you make the call. Have I turned these burritos into enchiladas by baking them? I don't know. I do know that they were hearty, healthy and completely delicious. I hope you'll try 'em!

Bon appetit!

The Frugal Diva: Turnip Gratin Edition

Spring has sprung - only someone forgot to tell Mother Nature about it. The sun is shining, the skies are blue ... and last night it was about 20 degrees. The cold, hard reality is ... its still cold. Rather than continuing to whine about it, I've decided to embrace the vicissitudes of nature and turn on the oven. I admit defeat, I'm a broken woman. I am still cooking wintery foods ... turnips ... they're not just for Thanksgiving anymore!

After Sunday's soup adventure I found myself in possession of some extra turnip cubes and a bit of left-over Kerrygold Aged Cheddar. Frugal Diva that I am, I decided the best coarse of action was a gratin. We're mainly talking about a technique here, so I won't offer specific amounts. Well, that and the fact that I didn't measure anything may have something to do with it. You're smart, you'll figure it out.

Savory Turnip Gratin:

• some peeled and cubed turnips
• butter
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• freshly grated nutmeg
• one large slice of sugar-free whole wheat or whole grain bread, lightly toasted
• some shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• the leaves from a sprig of fresh thyme

Place the turnips in a large pot of water to cover, add a generous pinch of salt to the water and bring the turnips to a boil. Reduce heat slightly and boil the turnips until they are fork tender, approximately 30 minutes give or take. Drain all of the water from the pan and to the turnips add as much butter as you are comfortable with ... I probably used about a tablespoon, but the choice is up to you. Using a potato masher, mash the turnips to desired consistency and add a bit of Kosher salt, some freshly ground black pepper and a dash of fresh nutmeg. Stir well and taste for seasoning.

Pre-heat your broiler and place the turnips into a gratin dish (as seen above) in an even layer. Reserve.

Using a food processor, or similar, grind the whole wheat toast into crumbs and transfer to a small bowl. Add some shredded cheddar cheese to the bread crumbs and the leaves from a sprig of thyme as well. Mix to incorporate, then sprinkle the cumb mixture over the turnips, adding a bit more cheese if you like. Place the dish under the broiler to brown. The gratin is ready when the cheese has melted and the crumbs have browned. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Come to think of it, I could certainly have used that lone, left-over leek in this gratin as well. If only I'd read Pixelgal's question before I got to work. If you're in possession of a solitary leek, why not chop it, saute it in a bit of butter a/o olive oil until mellow, then add it to the turnips just after mashing. Proceed accordingly with the rest of the recipe and I assure you it will be delicious.

I love turnips so much I often wonder why I only have them once a year ... then I remember its because the husband can't abide them. Last night's soup being a notable exception, he wouldn't touch this dish with a ten foot pole no matter how much cheese is involved. And really, there wasn't much cheese involved. I have to admit I was rather parsimonious with it ... you know, that old diet thing and all. But, hey, its your gratin - add as much cheese as you like!

You can't go wrong either way. It was a magnificent dish and perfect for a chilly night. I served it with a succulent roast pork and some haricot verts. Sort of a Sunday dinner on Monday night if you will ... and I'm glad I did.

Bon appetit!

Chicken Soup: The Strange and Wonderful Edition

I'm not going to lie, this soup is weird. And weird is just what the doctor ordered yesterday. I woke up feeling a little under the weather and knew right away it was going to be a chicken soup kind of day. While browsing through some old issues of Cooking Light, I came across a most unusual soup. I read the list of ingredients and immediately thought: turnips? thyme? chicken? cheese? ... yeah, that sounds about right! And, happily, it was.

More happiness ensued when I realized I was in possession of some yummy Kerrygold Aged Cheddar cheese to add to the soup. While the original recipe called for reduced-fat cheddar, I opted for the rich and creamy Kerrygold and reduced the amount slightly. I've altered the recipe significantly, both the method of preparation and list of ingredients, to suit my tastes. Chief among those tastes was my complete disinterest in boiling a whole chicken to create the broth. I went straight for a mixture of canned chicken and vegetable broths and the results were magnificent.

The original recipe appears in the January/February 2000 issue of Cooking Light - below is my adapted version.

Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup with Turnips:

• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large leeks, trimmed, cleaned and chopped (white and pale green parts only)
• 1 medium shallot, peeled and chopped
• 1 stalk of celery, leaves included, diced
• 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
• some Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• dash of curry powder
  
• 1/2 tsp. dried basil
• 1/2 tsp. dried summer savory
• the leaves from 3 or 4 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 4 1/2 cups low-fat, reduced sodium chicken broth
• 2 1/2 cups of reduced sodium vegetable broth
• 3 cups of peeled yellow turnip (rutabaga) cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1/2 cup of brown and wild rice mix (or use either rice alone)
• 2 cups of shredded, cooked chicken
  
• 1/4 cup of fat free Half and Half
• 1/4 cup of non-fat milk
• 1/2 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese, such as Kerrygold Aged Cheddar, plus some additional for garnish
• some chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Heat the oil in a large soup or stock pot over medium high heat. Add the leeks, shallot, celery, carrots, a pinch of salt and a generous grating of fresh black pepper, stir to combine. Add the dried basil, dried summer savory, the thyme and a dash of curry powder and saute for approximately 5 minutes or until the vegetables have softened. Add the chicken broth, vegetable broth, turnips and rice mixture and bring the soup to the boil. Once it has boiled, reduce the heat, cover and allow the soup to simmer for 30 minutes or until the turnips and rice are tender.

Using a slotted spoon, remove half of the turnips to a bowl and mash with a potato masher. Return the mashed turnips to the soup and stir well to incorporate. Add the cooked chicken, the Half and Half, the milk and 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese, stirring until the cheese has melted. Allow the soup to cook for 5 minutes or so, until the chicken is thoroughly heated. Taste the soup for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if necessary. Ladle the soup into a serving bowl, garnish with some additional shredded cheddar cheese and a dusting of chopped fresh parsley. Serve and enjoy!

As written, this recipe will serve 6. While it may not be the most photogenic soup on the block, I can tell you the flavor is extraordinary! So much so that the husband, who is not a fan of yellow turnips, downed two huge bowls of it. The turnips really mellow as they simmer and they lend a welcomed sweetness to the finished dish. Needless to say, I'll be submitting this one to Deb's Souper Sundays round-up on Kahakai Kitchen. I hope you'll try it!

Between the gallons of Airborne I downed yesterday, and this nutrient rich soup, I may just be able to nip this cold in the bud. Here's hoping anyway.

So, do you crave strange flavor combination when you're under the weather ... or is that just me? Curious Diva wants to know.

Bon appetit!