Show Your Salad a Little Love

Over the past year I have been subscribing to fewer and fewer food magazines. I end up with piles stacking up on dining room chairs or next to my desk in the bedroom. Every once in a while I go through and cut out the recipes I want to keep and recycle the rest. Right now I am receiving Cooks Illustrated and Cooks Country (my fave!) and get most of the rest off the internet. One extra treat is the little Relish magazine that comes in the newspaper on the first Monday of each month. While flipping through the April issue, I stopped on an article called "The Art of Salad". Three salad dressing recipes accompany it: Homemade Ranch, Sun-Dried Tomato, and Lime Honey Mustard. The last two sounded intriguing and have healthy ingredients.


I made the Lime Honey Mustard dressing for the first time a few weeks back, then again this morning. I get bored with some of the standard dressings and vinaigrettes, so this one really appealed to me. I have come to love cilantro over the past year; it has an almost citrus taste and just makes you feel like it's summer. When I pick up a bunch of cilantro I always put my face right next ot it and inhale deeply, it smells so good!! Combined with the lime, ginger and mustard, the cilantro adds a great kick of flavor to your dressing. I use green-leaf lettuce and some veggies in my salad. Arugula and spinach would work great too. Usually salads are so ho-hum, but this dressing had me looking forward to my lunch!


Lime Honey Mustard Dressing
Makes about 3/4 cup
Relish Magazine

1/4 cup rice vinegar or white wine vinegar
1 shallot, minced
2 Tbsp. finely chopped cilantro
1 1/2 tsp. Dijon
1 1/2 tsp. honey
Grated rind of 1 lime
1 tsp. fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp. grated peeled fresh ginger
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Whisk well.

Pesto Chicken Grill Packets

As I mentioned in my last post, making pesto in big batches and freezing it is a great way to ensure you have it on hand throughout the year. I had quite a few basil plants last summer and used them all up in September to make my regular pesto. I had one batch left in the freezer (a 1-cup portion) and knew it was perfect for this recipe. I ran across it in my Rachael Ray magazine. It calls for you to cook the packets on an outdoor grill... which I lack. Luckily Rach tells you how to cook it in the oven.

The grill packets include a nice selection of veggies: zucchini, tomatoes and scallions. Because these packets are rolled up tight, the moisture from the chicken is trapped and helps cook the veggies. Dale must have thought I was crazy when I pulled the packets out of the oven and started murmuring, "They're so beautiful! They're perfect!!" I believe I've mentioned before how frustrating cooking chicken can be. Due to health concerns you have to make sure it's cooked enough, which can lead to the outside getting overcooked, especially on the stove top. When I opened the first (and largest) packet I quickly stuck it with my thermometer and it was the perfect temp! Happy Alli! The veggies were perfectly cooked. Dale avoided his zucchini, he just doesn't know that he likes it yet :-) The chicken had just the right amount of moisture and paired with the home-made pesto... oh my mouth is watering just remembering it!


I made Giada de Laurentiis' Basic Risotto. My sister made it a few weeks ago and it was perfect! I had a few other things going on so I wasn't as diligent about stirring and it seemed to change the end result slightly, but it was still yummy. I'm going to have to make my sis my risotto girl. I also sauteed some asparagus. Just chop each asparagus into 3 pieces (approximately 2" long each) and saute in some olive oil, tossing the pan every minute or so. Dale shocked me while we were eating by telling me how much he loves asparagus. It was a revelation a few months ago when I learned that asparagus can taste good when it isn't steamed to death! By cooking it on the stove top it's easier to poke or sample pieces to test the doneness. Finish with a little salt and pepper and you're set!

This chicken recipe is super easy and will be perfect this summer for those of you who have an outdoor grill!


Pesto Chicken Grill Packets
Recipe: Victoria Spencer, Rachael Ray Magazine
4 Servings

Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Salt and pepper
1 cup pesto
2 zucchini, thinly sliced crosswise into circles
4 plum tomatoes, chopped
8 scallions, trimmed (I sliced into pieces about 2-3" long)

1. Preheat grill to medium (or preheat oven to 355-degrees). Cut four 12-inch long sheets of heavy-duty foil. Drizzle 1 Tbsp. olive oil into the center of each sheet.

2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Lay 1 piece of chicken in the center of each sheet and spread 1 Tbsp. pesto on top of each piece.


3. Mound a quarter of the zucchini, tomatoes and scallions over each chicken breast. Dollop 3 Tbsp. pesto over each mound. Fold the foil over the chicken and vegetables; pinch the edges to seal (I try to have the seam along the top so the juices can't leak out).

4. Cover and grill the packets over indirect heat for 25 minutes. Remove from the grill and open carefully (the steam is hot!). (If using oven, place packets on a pan and bake for 35 minutes).

The Sugary Smell of Springtime

Over the past year and a half I have come to adore sun-dried tomatoes. I'm sure it has to do with my tastes developing as I explore new foods. When I was younger I despised all raw tomatoes. The texture is definitely what weirds out most kids. The juicy tomato guts in the middle? Come on, ew! Sun-dried tomatoes I could tolerate, but I knew they started off as raw tomatoes.

Last year my sister and I would frequently visit the Noah's Bagels in downtown Corvallis for breakfast. I saw the sun-dried tomato bagel and was intrigued. Toasted and spread with schmear... oh baby, it was delicous! Suddenly I knew: sun-dried tomatoes are awesome! They're sweet, yet packed with flavor and taste like summer!

I was talking to my mom the other week and revealed my idea for doing a roast stuffed with sun-dried tomatoes and herbs. She mentioned a recipe she had seen on a Food Network show for sun-dried tomato pesto stuffed pork tenderloin. Um... YES! The great thing about pesto is that it keeps really well in the fridge and can be made in a big batch, then frozen. I usually measure out 1-cup servings to freeze.

When I made the tenderloin, I only used 1 loin (there are 2 in the package) and used 1/2-cup of the pesto. To help keep the roast together, I tied it a few times with kitchen twine. The balsamic honey mustard mixture brushed on top of the roast could even be used as a dressing for salad or roasted veggies. Next time I may try it without this mixture. The pesto in the center packs in so much flavor for the dish, I'm not sure you need the extra flavor on the outside. I served it with mashed potatoes with sour cream and chives (a healthier option than the normal mashed potatoes packed with butter and cream) and sugar snap peas. Whipping up the pesto ahead of time makes this recipe a breeze.

Note: The Noah's in Corvallis no longer makes sun-dried tomato bagels (I know, how dare they?!). I may start experimenting with sun-dried tomato focaccia bread though...


Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto
Everyday Italian, Giada de Laurentiis
Makes about 1 1/2 cups

1 (8.5-oz) jar sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil
1 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves
2 garlic cloves
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

In the bowl of a food processor, blend sun-dried tomatoes and their oil with the basil and garlic, just until tomatoes are finely chopped. Transfer pesto to a medium bowl, and stir in the cheese and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Season the pesto with more salt and pepper to taste. (Lasts 1 week in airtight container in fridge, or freeze to keep longer)


Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto-Stuffed Pork
Robin Miller
4 servings

Cooking spray
2 1/2 lbs. pork tenderloin
1 cup prepared sun-dried tomato pesto
Salt and ground black pepper
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. prepared honey mustard
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 cups quick cooking rice (optional for side dish)

1. Preheat oven to 400-degrees. Coat a shallow roasting pan with cooking spray.

2. Using a sharp knife, cut pork lengthwise 3/4 of the way through. Place in the prepared pan and spread sun-dried tomato pesto in the incision. Fold pork back over and use a metal or wooden skewer to close the seam (I tied it with kitchen twine). Season with salt and pepper.


3. In a small bowl, combine vinegar, honey mustard and thyme. Spoon mixture over pork.


4. Roast 45-minutes, until an instant-read thermometer reads 155-degrees (pork may still be pink in the center and that's ok).


5. Let pork rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing crosswise into 1-inch thick slices. Serve with rice. Enjoy!

Spring is Here!

I know Spring officially began last month, but it hasn't really felt like it until this past week. Last Thursday the temperature got into the upper 60's! I knew it was going to be nice, so I stopped at Bi-Mart and stocked up on potting soil and fresh herbs and veggies to grow. That afternoon I waited until all of the clouds had cleared, then ventured out onto the deck to do some gardening. Last summer we went a little crazy with the plants. Mostly due to starting the tomatoes as seeds, thus taking forever to grow into full plants.... then we were stuck with a surplus of tomatoes! This year I decided to purchase the tomato plants that are around 7-8" tall. Here's what I'm growing:

Herbs: Rosemary, French Thyme, Tarragon, Sage, Chives, Basil, Dill, Cilantro, and Oregano.

Veggies: Jalapenos (these were so fun last summer!), Lettuce starts, Lettuce from seeds, Spinach from seeds, Radishes from seeds, two kinds of red Tomatoes (one of which was developed at Oregon State University!), and a small Yellow Pear Tomato plant.


Soon to come: Snow peas! Dale is going to construct a planter box that we can tie strings to for the peas grow on.

I love looking outside at my happy herbs! I was so excited this morning when I went out to water them and was surprised with radish leaves sprouting!! I planted the seeds exactly a week ago and they are already popping up! I'm going to have to spread them out once the leaves get a little bigger.

Just made some sun-dried tomato pesto. Tonight's menu: Sun dried tomato stuffed pork tenderloin, smashed potatoes with sour cream and chives, and sugar-snap peas with a sweet onion vinaigrette. I love Spring!

Jammin' Jammers!

This Christmas I received two gifts that opened a whole new door to the culinary art of baking: 1. The Grand Central Baking Book, from the famous Portland and Seattle Grand Central Bakeries and 2. A KitchenAid Standing Mixer. I have to mention that my mixer is on my mental list of items that I will carry out with me in case of a fire. Along with my external hard drive, Mastering the Art of French Cooking book, a few favorite serving bowls, and my teddy bear. Forget the fact that Julia Child's MTAOFC weighs almost as much as my KitchenAid mixer... But back to the baking. One of the first recipes that caught my eye was Grand Central Bakery Jammers. The photo was enough to win me over. Flakey scones with jam in the center? Yes please!

The first time I made these, I overworked the dough. The scones were too dense. Plus I didn’t have a biscuit cutter, so I fashioned one out of a clean 14.5oz tomato can. It worked, but it was a little larger than I wanted. The second time around my mom lent me her little set of biscuit cutters (which make it much more simple) and I had a mental talk with myself: Allison, don’t over-mix the dough!! I kept a close eye on the little guys as they puffed up. It’s fun to look through the oven window and see the jam bubbling away! Only one of the jammers overflowed (parchment paper is a must).


I found that these jammers are best right out of the oven. Well, wait two or three minutes so you don’t scald your tongue with the hot jam, but trust me: if possible, serve these right away. They make a wonderful breakfast treat… or afternoon treat… or even an evening treat if you must. Coffee/tea/milk must be equipped in-hand. The scones are soft, flakey and make you crazy thirsty. The next day they are still good (I reheat them in the microwave), but not nearly as wonderful as when they are right out of the oven.

*Note: The ingredients can be prepared the night before, so it’s easier to whip these up first thing in the morning ☺


Grand Central Bakery Jammers
From the Grand Central Baking Book, by Piper Davis and Ellen Jackson
Makes 10 to 12 jammers

4 cups all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp. granulated sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 ½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter
1 ¼ to 1 ½ cups (10 to 12 oz) buttermilk
About ¾ cup good quality preserves or jam

1. Dice the butter into ½-inch cubes. Use your hands or the paddle attachment of the stand mixer on low speed to blend the butter into the dry ingredients until the texture of the flour changes from silky to mealy. There should still be dime- to quarter-size pieces of butter remaining. If you’re preparing the dough the night before, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill overnight; otherwise proceed with the recipe.

2. Make a well in the flour mixture and pour in 1 cup of the buttermilk in one addition. Gently mix dough just until it comes together; it will look rough. Scrape dough from the sides and bottom of the bowl, then add another ¼ cup buttermilk and mix again to incorporate any floury scraps. The majority of the dough will come together, on the paddle if you are using a stand mixer. Stop mixing while there are still visible chunks of butter and floury patches. The dough should come out of the bowl in 2 to 3 large, messy clumps, leaving only some small scraps and flour around the sides of the bowl. If the dough is visibly dry and crumbly, add up to ¼ cup more buttermilk, 1 Tbsp. at a time, mixing no more than one rotation after each addition (I only needed a few Tbsp. extra).


3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Use the heels and sides of your palms to gather the dough and gently pat it into an oblong shape 1 ½ to 2 inches thick. It won’t look smooth or particularly cohesive; that’s okay. Use a biscuit cutter to cut the jammers into circles at least 2 ½ -inches in diameter. Layer the leftover scraps on top of one another and gently pat them out to a thickness of 1 ½ to 2 inches and again cut into circles.

4. Use your thumb to make an indentation the size of a fifty-cent piece in the middle of each biscuit. While gently supporting the outside edge of the biscuit with your fingers, use your thumb to create a bulb-shaped hole that’s a bit wider at the bottom and that goes almost to the bottom of the biscuit (think pinch pot). Try to apply as little pressure as possible to the outside of the biscuit, to avoid smashing the layers, which are the key to flaky jammers. Fill each indentation with 1 Tbsp of jam and put the jammers on the prepared baking sheet with 1 ½ inches between them.


5. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time. The jammers should be a deep golden brown.