Tilapia Milanese

Ever think back to the summer breaks you had as a kid and kinda-really wish you still had that leisure time to relax and partake in ridiculously fun activities that only a carefree kid could think up? Often times my sister and I would end up outside, spending hours playing badminton, croquet, riding bikes up and down the street, or playing pretend (I recall going into spy-mode and trying to sneak around the yard in search of the perfect hiding spot, just waiting for my unsuspecting younger sister to walk by).

While my dad would do the dishes after dinner, my mom would putter around the garden trimming, weeding, and watering her plants. The sun would lower in the sky creating the ideal comfortable temperature. And this garden was a piece of art! Bursts of color spread throughout lush greens made these spaces incredibly welcoming. I would inhale deeply while running by the old lilac tree along one side of the house, its soft fragrance a contrast to the scent of freshly watered greens. This is the kind of outdoor area I would love to have someday. Something with character that my husband and I can fix up to create our own peaceful outdoor space.


As my hubby and I reside in a teensy-tiny one bedroom apartment, we are limited to our yard projects. Specifically, our small concrete deck projects. This year I've decided to focus on creating an inviting outdoor space. This means fewer plants! I may or may not have drawn a floor plan of our deck to space plan (hey, I can't help it, I'm analytical!). I found a charming wrought iron bistro set to replace our pitiful Ikea end table and stools, and it completes our deck perfectly! Glazed ceramic pots line the railing, carrying vegetable starts and various herbs, just waiting to be snipped and tossed into a fresh salad. In the mornings before work, I can sip a steaming mug of Earl Gray while reading a book or browsing Facebook, er-the news, on my laptop, more often than not bundled up in sweats because come on, springtime in Oregon isn't exactly balmy.

A few days after assembling the bistro set, we had an I-can't-believe-it's-SUNNY day. In the Willamette Valley. In May. Well of course I grasped this opportunity to dine outside! For dinner I prepared Tilapia Milanese, mushroom risotto and sauteed asparagus with lemon zest. Risotto is very time consuming and hands on, so wild rice makes for a great alternative dish. The parsley, lemon and bread crumb mixture adds a simple bite of freshness and texture to the tilapia without overpowering it. This breading would work great on other types of fish, but tilapia is easy on the wallet. Just make sure it's fresh!


As I sat typing this, a glance outside revealed the typical charcoal gray skies drizzling determinedly. I knew if I just closed my eyes I could imagine the comforting sun on my face, the scent of freshly cut grass as I scrunch my bare toes in its lush green blades, and the sound of feet marching over the gravel path as my best friend approaches to see where her sister is.


Tilapia Milanese
Food Network Magazine
4 servings

4 6-ounce tilapia fillets
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
3 large eggs
6 slices white sandwich bread, torn into pieces
1/3 cup fresh parsley leaves
Finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon, plus lemon wedges for serving
3 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 425-degrees F. Soak the fish in a bowl with the milk and 2 cups ice, 15 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the flour with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Lightly beat the eggs in another dish. Pulse the bread, parsley, lemon zest and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a food processor until crumbs form, then transfer to a third dish.



2. One at a time, remove the fillets from the milk and dredge in the flour, shaking off the excess. Dip in the eggs, then coat with the breadcrumbs, gently pressing to coat both sides. Transfer to a large plate.


3. Line a baking sheet with foil. Heat 2 tablespoons each olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 fillets and cook until golden, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining 2 fillets, adding 2 more tablespoons each olive oil and butter.


4. Transfer the fish to the oven and bake until cooked through, about 8 mintues. Serve with the lemon wedges.

Mexican Wedding Cookies

I learned a new fact about Cinco de Mayo this week: Contrary to what most people believe, it’s not Mexico’s Independence Day (that lands in September). It’s a day to commemorate the Mexican army’s surprising win over French forces on May 5th, 1862. Here in the states, it’s a day to celebrate Mexican heritage, usually with a tasty Mexican feast and a few too many margaritas.

My husband and I invited a few friends over to partake in a dinner of homemade salsa and guacamole, a pulled pork taco bar and of course, margaritas! I wanted to make a dessert appropriate for this Mexican celebration, but nothing too filling. No one would have much room after dinner for a rich dessert like cupcakes. We still reminisce about last year’s Cinco de Mayo where everyone was dangerously stuffed to the point of uncomfortableness due to my delicious and deceptively filling enchiladas. These Mexican wedding cookies were perfect; easy to make and small enough to be included after dinner.

The recipe calls for blanched almonds, which are almonds without their dark skins. Those weren’t available at my neighborhood grocery store, so regular whole almonds worked just fine. When roasting the little guys, stay close to your oven to detect the soft almondy scent: then you know they are done. Oh, and trust me, when you’re adding the flour mixture to your mixing bowl, the smell is absolutely heavenly. You face a real danger of having your nose lobbed off by your mixer paddle, you’re smelling so hard. These cookies have a light, crumbly texture that works perfectly with the buttery goodness of the almonds and the earthy undertone of the cinnamon.

Mexican Wedding Cookies

5 oz. whole blanched almonds (1 cup), PLUS 40 more for decorating
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp.
2 1/4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 large egg white, beaten

1. Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Spread 1 cup almonds on a rimmed baking sheet; toast until fragrant, about 12 minutes (mine took about 8-9), stirring occasionally. Transfer to a shallow bowl and set aside to cool.


2. Place toasted almonds, flour, salt, and cinnamon in the bowl of a food processor;


process until nuts are finely chopped, about 1 minute.


3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the butter and 1 cup confectioners; sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add vanilla and almond extracts; beat until combined.


Add the chopped-almond mixture; beat on low speed until dough just comes together.


4. Roll dough into twenty (or so) 1 1/2-inch-diameter balls; place on two baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.



Flatten each ball slightly.


5. Place the 40 remaining whole almonds and 1 tablespoon beaten egg white in a small bowl; toss to coat.


Press two almonds into top of each cookie.


6. Bake cookies until lightly browned around the edges, about 15 minutes, rotating halfway through.


Transfer sheets to a wire rack; let rest until cookies are cool enough to handle.


7. Place remaining 1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar in a fine-mesh sieve. Sift sugar over cookies, reserving any remaining sugar. Return cookies to baking sheets. Let cookies cool 15 minutes, and coat with sugar again. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.

Classic Roast Lemon Chicken

On quiet afternoons at work, in the last hour before closing, my coworkers and I can become rather antsy. Especially when the weather outside is gorgeous, begging you to ditch the heels and go frolic in the warm sunshine! Hours spent at our desks in the windowless office leads to bouts of restlessness, thus resulting in a small herd of designers flocking to the showroom TV set to HGTV. The best cure for this stir-craziness: "House Hunters International". We will "ooh" and "ahh" over the sandy beach-front villas, the Paris flats overlooking cobblestone streets leading to the neighborhood boucherie, and the centuries old Italian farmhouses with heaps of character in need of a little TLC.

Two of the programs this past week visited small villages in France. Places where the local cuisine features uncomplicated dishes that are all about highlighting the main food, not masking the flavor with heavy sauces and a dozen different spices. The little chef in my head instantly began yearning for something simple, rustic and perfect for the beginning of these brief bouts of clear weather in the Willamette Valley. This led to the decision to reintroduce myself with "le poulet". The tricky bit of poultry that wasn't cute when living, and especially isn't now that it's completely bare, requiring exact cooking to ensure moist, fully-cooked meat with crisp, golden skin. No matter how closely I would follow recipes, constantly poking and prodding with the thermometer, trying to see if the juices were "running clear" from the thighs, these birdies always ended up needing more cook time and were way too much of a pain.

The America's Test Kitchen TV Show cookbook has a simple recipe for roast chicken that I was willing to give a shot. This book has not let me down yet! Start with brining the chicken to encourage that extra juiciness while it cooks. The butter gives the skin that crispy, I-don't-care-how-caloric-it-is goodness. The fresh lemon wedges scent the chicken with a brightness that doesn't overpower the dish, allowing fresh spring vegetables to shine alongside. Sauteed asparagus with lemon zest along with sour cream and chive smashed potatoes were the perfect accompaniments. Leftovers are perfect additions for salads, homemade pizzas, stir-fry dishes, etc. Enjoy!


Classic Roast Lemon Chicken

1/2 cup table salt
1 (3.5 to 4-pound) whole chicken, giblets discarded
2 lemons
6 medium garlic cloves, crushed and peeled
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons melted and 2 tablespoons
chilled and cut into 2 pieces
Ground black pepper
1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves

1. Dissolve salt in 2 quarts cold water in a large container. Submerge chicken in brine, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour. Remove chicken, rinse well, and pat dry with paper towels.


2. Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position; heat oven to 375-degrees. Spray a V-rack with vegetable oil spray and set in roasting pan.

3. Cut 1 lemon lengthwise into quarters. Place lemon quarters and garlic into the chicken cavity. Brush the breast side of the chicken with 1 tablespoon melted butter and season generously with pepper. Place the chicken, breast side down, in the V-rack, then brush the back with the remaining 1 tablespoon melted butter and season generously with pepper.


4. Roast the chicken 40 minutes. Remove roasting pan from the oven; increase temp to 450-degrees. Using two large wads of paper towels, flip the chicken to breast side up; add 1 cup of chicken broth to the pan. Return the pan to the oven and continue roasting until the thickest part of the breast registers 160 to 165-degrees and the thickest part of the thigh registers 175-degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 35 to 40 minutes longer. Remove pan from oven; tip the V-rack to let the juices from the chicken cavity run into the roasting pan. Transfer the chicken to a carving board and let rest, covered, while making the sauce. Remove the V-rack from the roasting pan.


5. Adjust the oven rack to the upper-middle position and heat the broiler. Skim the fat from the drippings in the roasting pan, add the remaining 3/4 cup chicken broth, and set the roasting pan on a burner over high heat (I transferred mine to a large saute pan). Simmer the liquid, scraping the pan bottom with a wooden spoon to loosen the browned bits, until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 4 minutes; set aside off the heat.


6. Discard the lemons and garlic from the cavity. Cut the chicken into pieces (breasts, thighs, legs, wings). Pour the accumulated chicken juices into the roasting pan, then place the chicken quarters, skin side up, into the sauce in the roasting pan; broil the chicken until the skin is crisp and deep golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter.

7. Halve the remaining lemon lengthwise; squeeze the juice of one half into the roasting pan; cut the remaining half into four wedges and set aside. Whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons butter into the sauce until combined; stir in the parsley and thyme. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve the chicken with the pan sauce and lemon wedges. *Note: Sauce is to-die-for over the sour cream and chive smashed potatoes. It's highly recommended.

Peanut Butter Banana Cream Pie

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening
Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark, and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.


It's been two years since Eugene has seen snow. We were completely denied last year and have had a fairly warm winter so far this year (I shouldn't complain after what the east coast has been through). So when there was talk of snow coming in on my two days off I whipped out a few of my baking books and starting picking recipes to try. I can't imagine anything better than baking a delicious treat while it's snowing outside. Of course the snow didn't hit until last night after I completed my cream pie, but it's snowing right now and of course I have another recipe ready to go!

On Christmas my dad gave me the book Baked Explorations. The two authors, Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito, own a bakery in Brooklyn and take classic recipes that are often passed down from generation to generation and put their own creative spin on them. I adore the design of this book. The graphics and photos are styled in a sort of masculine Victorian design. Think steampunk without all of the fictional gadgets.

I decided on the recipe for Peanut Butter Banana Cream Pie. My husband is a peanut butter fiend, so this was perfect. Plan on making it earlier in the day so it has time to chill and can be served in the evening. I couldn't find chocolate-covered peanuts, so Whoppers were a delicious replacement. My hubby fell asleep on the sofa while I was finishing this up, so he hasn't tried it yet. There was no way I was going to wait until today, so I tried a slice last night: delicious! It is so worth the time it takes to prepare. The light peanut butter cream that goes on top is to die for. Try it, you'll see what I mean!


Peanut Butter Banana Cream Pie
Yield: One 9-inch Pie

For the Vanilla Wafer Crust:
6 oz. vanilla wafer cookies
6 Tbsp (3/4 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 Tbsp sugar

For the Banana Pudding Filling:
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup whole milk
2 large egg yolks
1 vanilla bean (I used 1 tsp extract)
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
3 ripe bananas, peeled
2 Tbsp orange juice

For the Peanut Butter Topping:
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter (not old-fashioned or freshly ground)
2/3 cup heavy cream, chilled

Assembly:
1 ripe banana, peeled (optional)
1 Tbsp orange juice (optional)
Chocolate covered peanuts/ Whopper candies (optional)

Preheat oven to 350-degrees with the rack in the middle.

Make the crust:
Place the vanilla wafer cookies, butter, and sugar in a food processor. Pulse in short bursts until the mixture resembles a moist crumb. Turn the mixture out into your pie plate and press it into the bottom and up the sides. Using the back of a large spoon will help make it even.


Bake the crust until it is golden brown, 10-12 min. If it begins to puff while baking, use the back of the spoon to press it gently down. Allow it to completely cool.


Make the banana pudding filling:
In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Slowly, while whisking continuously, stream in the cream, then the milk. Add the egg yolks. Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and, using the tip of the knife or a small teaspoon, scrape the seeds into the saucepan (or add 1 tsp vanilla extract). Whisk until the mixture is combined. Discard the bean.


Turn the heat to medium-high and, whisking occasionally, bring the mixture to a boil, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, add the butter, and stir vigorously for about 2 minutes to release excess heat. Spread the warm pudding over the cooled crust and chill the pie until the filling is completely cool, about 1 hour.


After the filling has chilled, thinly slice the bananas on a diagonal. Toss the slices in the orange juice. Transfer the banana slices to a paper towel and pat them dry. Arrange them in a single layer over the pudding to cover it completely. Return the pie to the refrigerator while making the peanut butter topping.


Make the peanut butter topping:
In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Add the vanilla and peanut butter, and beat until just combined.


In a clean bowl of a standing mixer (I transferred the peanut butter mix to a bowl and cleaned this one to use again), use the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whip the cream until soft peaks form. Remove the bowl from the mixer and, with a rubber spatula, gently fold the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture until the topping is uniform in color. Spread the peanut butter layer evenly over the bananas on the pie. Chill for at least 3 hours or as long as 8 hours.


To assemble: Optional: Just before serving, thinly slice the banana on a diagonal and toss it with the orange juice. Arrange the banana slices around the top edge of the pie, then arrange chocolate-covered peanuts (or Whoppers) around the edges of the banana slices, if desired. Serve immediately.


The pie tastes best if eaten within 24 hours. On the rare occasion that you have leftovers, wrap the pie in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for up to 3 days.

Sausage Mushroom Breakfast Strata

A few months back my dad gave me a copy of The America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook with every recipe they covered on their show from 2001-2010. I receive their Cook's Country magazine and know that when it comes to testing recipes, this crew doesn't mess around! If a tricky recipe takes weeks to perfect, so be it! The testers for the magazine discuss the process of how they work on each recipe until they have the desired end result. In the ATK cookbook, each recipe begins with an excerpt on "Why This Recipe Works". The team explains how each particular recipe is THE one you want to make. After cooking around 20 different recipes from this book, I'm a believer. Going into each recipe, I know it's been thoroughly tested and will have great results.

While flipping through the back pages I hit the "Come for Brunch" section and immediately halted when I saw the photo of their breakfast strata. Baked slices of bread coated with spinach, egg and cheesy goodness? Yes please! I began with the basic recipe that uses layers of toasted bread, spinach and Gruyere. I assembled the dish the night before, allowing the egg-milk mixture to be fully absorbed by the bread. Then the next morning all I had to do was pop it into the pre-heated oven. Easier than pouring a bowl of cereal! Let me tell you, this dish was phenomenal. The layers all bake together into the perfect breakfast dish and gets your day off to a great start!

When I was in Portland last week my parents and I decided that this would make a great "Breakfast for Dinner". The ATK book has a variation of the basic recipe that includes breakfast sausage and mushrooms instead of spinach and Monterey Jack in place of the Gruyere. We added some spinach into the sausage-mushroom mix anyways. The result was perfect! The sausage gives the dish a warm hint of flavor that blends perfectly with the cheese and mushrooms. This is the ideal recipe to make when you know you'll have morning guests. Bring on the brunch!

Breakfast Strata with Sausage, Mushrooms, and Monterey Jack

The Complete America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook

*To double the recipe, use a 13 by 9-inch baking dish and increase the baking time to 1 hour and 20 minutes.

8-10 (1/2-inch-thick) slices supermarket French or Italian bread

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
8 oz. bulk breakfast sausage, crumbled

3 medium shallots, minced (6 Tbsp)

8 oz. white mushrooms, wiped clean and quartered (I sliced)
Handful of fresh spinach leaves (or box of frozen spinach, thawed and moisture squeezed out), chopped

Table salt and ground black pepper

1/2 Cup dry white wine

6 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (1 1/2 Cups)

6 large eggs

1 3/4 Cups half-and-half

2 Tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves

1. Heat the oven to 225-degrees and place the rack in the center position. Arrange the bread in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake until dry and crisp, about 40 minutes, turning slices over halfway through (Alternatively, leave slices out overnight to dry). Spread butter evenly over one side of each bread slice, using 2 tablespoons of the butter.

2. Fry the sausage in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat, breaking the sausage apart with a wooden spoon, until it loses its raw color and begins to brown, about 4 minutes; add the shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms to the skillet and cook until they no longer release liquid, about 4 minutes (if using spinach, add during last minute of cooking); transfer to a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the wine to the skillet, increase the heat to medium-high, and simmer until reduced to 1/4 cup, 2 to 3 minutes; set aside.

3. Butter an 8-inch square baking dish with the remaining butter; arrange half of the bread slices, buttered-side up, in a single layer in the dish. Sprinkle half of the sausage-mushroom mixture, then 1/2 cup of the shredded Monterey Jack, evenly over the bread slices. Arrange the remaining bread slices in a single layer over the cheese; sprinkle the remaining sausage-mushroom mixture and a 1/2 cup more Monterey Jack evenly over the bread. Whisk the eggs in a medium bowl until combined; whisk in the reduced wine, half-and-half, 1 teaspoon salt, the fresh parsley, and a pinch of pepper. Pour the egg mixture evenly over the bread layers.

4. Wrap the strata tightly with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap against the surface of the strata. Weigh the strata down (I used heavy containers of leftovers that were already in the fridge), and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.

5. Remove the dish from the refrigerator and let stand at room temp for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, adjust an over rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 325 degrees. Uncover the strata and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup Monterey Jack evenly over the surface; bake until both edges and center are puffed and the edges have pulled away slightly from the sides of the dish, 50 to 55 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes and serve.