Three Cheese Pasta Bake

Since the weather outside is frightful, here is a great recipe for staying in! A simple green salad, a buttery slice of garlic bread and a big glass of red wine and you will forget all about the freezing temperatures just beyond your door... (Leftovers are perfect to take in tomorrow's lunch!)

Three Cheese Pasta Bake
1 lb. tube-shaped pasta, such as penne, ziti or rigatoni
1 c. ricotta cheese
1/2 c. parmesan cheese
1 25 oz. jar pasta sauce
2 T. basil, chopped
1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, combine 1 1/2 c. pasta sauce, ricotta, parmesan and basil in a bowl. Toss pasta with sauce. Spread 1/2 c. pasta sauce in the bottom of a baking dish to fully cover the bottom. Pour pasta mixture into the dish and drizzle additional sauce over the top. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake for 30 minutes, until cheese bubbles and lightly browns.

Ricotta Cranberry Muffins

These dense, cake-like muffins bursting with tangy cranberries are perfect this time of year! Split them in half, lightly toast, and spread with a small pat of butter. Yummmm!

Ricotta Cranberry Muffins
Adapted from a recipe in Dorie Greenspan's 'Baking'

3/4 c. ricotta
1/2 t. vanilla
2 large eggs
1 stick butter, melted and cooled
2 c. flour
2/3 c. sugar
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. baking soda
1 c. walnuts, in pieces
1 1/2 c. fresh cranberries

Whisk ricotta, eggs and vanilla. Stir in melted butter. Add sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the bowl. Using a rubber spatula, combine the wet and dry ingredients until just blended. The batter will be thick and heavy. Stir in the nuts and cranberries.

Divide batter evenly among muffin tins. Bake 20-25 minutes at 400 degrees until muffin tops are golden brown. Carefully life each muffin out of its mold and onto a rack to cool.

Sunday Supper

Last fall Andrew and I attended a wedding at the Kedron Valley Inn in beautiful Woodstock, Vermont. In between enjoying the fall foliage and catching up with old friends, we managed to visit quite a few local cheese shops. One of our stops was the Sugarbush Farm, a small, working cheese and maple sugar farm at the end of a long winding road. We sampled almost all of these cheeses offered and I managed to snag a recipe for Vermont Cheddar Cheese Soup. The soup is incredibly creamy and cheesy and perfect for those nights when you want to hibernate from the cold outside! I served the soup with roasted asparagus and an incredibly easy quick bread!

Cheddar Cheese Soup

Recipe from Sugarbush Farm

4 T. butter

2 c. milk

1 1/2 c. cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 t. dry mustard

1/2 c. flour

2 c. stock

Melt butter in large stock pot - gradually stir in flour, making a paste. Cook mixture five minutes, while heating milk and stock. Add hot milk and stock to flour mixture and stir. When mixture is creamy, add dry mustard and cheese and cook over low heat until just melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Simple Beer Bread

3 c. self-rising flour

3 T. sugar

1 12oz. beer

Mix all ingredients in large bowl. Pour into buttered loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees until golden brown, approximately 45 minutes.

On the Road: Rock Chalk Jayhawk

When I was growing up and wanted to escape the "boring" monotony of suburban Kansas City, I would hop in my car with my sister or a few friends and head west to Lawrence, KS. Lawrence is home of the University of Kansas and is everything a good college town should be - relaxed, cheap, quirky and cool.

I've been spending more time in Lawrence recently as my ruby slippers frequently transport me from the Emerald (ok, marble) City of Washington, DC, back to my home (and my boyfriend) in Kansas. The old haunts I used to frequent when I was growing up are still there, but I have managed to uncover a lot of "new" favorites as well. The last time I clicked my heels three times and wound up in Lawrence, this is where I ate.

Milton's

920 Massachusetts St.

Lawrence, KS 66044

The go-to place for breakfast. Smack in the middle of the main commercial street in Lawrence, Milton's is packed most weekend mornings with a good mix of students, families and locals. The food is fresh, delicious and cheap! There is usually a bit of a wait, but the time goes fast thanks to the piles of newspapers by the door and the fact that they give you a coffee mug when you walk in, so you can help yourself to some java until your name is called.

Papa Keno's

1035 Massachusetts St.

Lawrence, KS 66044

Lawrence is a great sports watching town, what with the powerhouse basketball team and the fairly (recently) successful football team. If you don't feel like braving the crowds at the stadium, relaxing at home with the game on TV and an open Papa Keno's box in front of you is a pretty close second. Try the Mama Keno, a deep dish pie with Roma tomatoes, spinach, feta and roasted garlic!

Teller's

746 Massachusetts St.

Lawrence, KS 66044

My favorite place in all of Lawrence! Teller's is a gem of a restaurant housed in a beautiful old building that housed a bank in its former life. They retained some of the old touches when they converted it into a restaurant, including the old bank vault door, which you have to walk through to reach the restrooms. The space is airy and modern and awash in candlelight at night. It's a great place to grab an upscale lunch, catch up with girlfriends over a bottle of $20 wine, or enjoy a romantic meal for two.

DC Cheap Eats: Capitol Hill

Forget the long hours, the low pay and the demanding bosses, the real hardship associated with being a Capitol Hill staffer is the frustrating lack of good lunch options around our office buildings. Predictable sub sandwiches, overpriced "designer" salads and mediocre Mexican can only take a girl so far. I've managed to uncover a few gems during my time on the Hill, however, that I don't mind sharing with the class. Now that we've improved the lunch situation, how about we tackle the paycheck situation next? :)

LeBon

210 2nd St. SE

Washington, DC 20003

(202)547-7200

A charming little cafe tucked just around the corner from the "main drag" of Pennsylvania Avenue, LeBon Cafe is a little slice of the City of Lights on Capitol Hill. The menu features French favorites like quiche and croque monsieur as well as hearty soups, fresh salads and tasty paninis. On nice days, they put out a bunch of sidewalk tables and you can enjoy your food while watching the action around the Hill. While not quite as good as wiling away your afternoon in a cafe on the Ile St. Louis, it isn't a bad way to pass the lunch hour.

Good Stuff Eatery

303 Pennsylvania Ave. SE

Washington, DC 20003

(202) 543-8222

A relative newcomer to the Capitol Hill lunch scene, Good Stuff Eatery caused quite a stir in the Halls of Congress when it opened this summer, promising good, fresh burgers fast. It didn't hurt that semi-celebrity chef Spike Mendelsohn, of Top Chef fame, was at the helm. With the help of my always willing taste tester, I checked out Good Stuff last week. We sampled the turkey burger with cheddar, a regular burger loaded down with cheese, bacon, bbq sauce and onion rings and the handcut "Spike's Fries", generously doused with cracked pepper and herbs. Not exactly health food, but delicious nonetheless! I'm still on cloud 9 from the dellllllicious Milky Way shake that we split, on a whim, at the end of our meal. Handspun when you order using house-churned ice cream, it was out of this world (Get it? Milky Way...out of this world... ok, sorry, bad pun ;)). Get the mini size...because even though it is tasty, it is really rich, and you'll likely lapse into sugar shock if you finish a large size by yourself! It was worth every delicious sip...

On the Road: Michigan's West Coast

My idea of summer vacation was shaped by many trips over the years to Cape Cod, MA. To me, summer just isn't summer unless you spend copious amounts of time lounging in the sand, overdosing on fresh seafood, plowing through stacks of fluffy beach books and eating ice cream for dessert every night. We got our summer fix this year by a side trip to the West Coast of Michigan after our Chicago visit. I hadn't spent much time in that part of the country before, and I found it delightful. The towns we visited were quaint and picturesque, the days relaxed and the people friendly. We ate plenty of fresh Michigan blueberries, visited a few farm stands to check out local produce, and had some enjoyable meals while exploring a few of the quaint towns dotting the coastline. What more could you ask for in a vacation? A few of our food highlights are outlined below!

Marro's Restaurant
147 Water Street
Saugatuck, MI 49453
(269) 857-4248

Saugatuck is one of the most charming towns I have stumbled upon in a long while. A quaint artists community situated in the heart of Michigan's Western Coast, we were delighted wile away an afternoon browsing through the many art galleries and gift shops in the area. As far as food is concerned, nestled among the myriad sweet shops hawking homemade fudge, ice cream and caramel corn, you'll find Marro's Restaurant. Operated by the Marro family since 1971, this is the kind of authentic place where you expect to find a little Italian grandmother wander out of the kitchen at the end of your meal, wagging her finger in your face and chastising you for not cleaning your plate. The place was packed for a weekday, so they must have had a whole team of Italian grandmothers in the kitchen, churning out classic Caesar salads, pillowy ravioli and decadent Alfredo. We ate enough to feed a small country (and avoid a clean plate club lecture!!), but that didn't prevent us from sampling one of Saugatuck's ice cream shops on the way out of town...

K2 Pizzeria
2 Washington St.
Grand Haven, MI 49417
(616) 846-3299

Our home base in Michigan was the charming Boyden House Bed and Breakfast in Grand Haven. The town's claim to fame is their musical fountain...a large fountain placed at the top of a hill that "performs" water and light shows nightly, all set to music. Never ones to shun local traditions, we decided to participate in the nightly pilgrimage down to the lakefront for the festivities. We enjoyed some pre-dinner drinks at The Grand, right on the main drag, and then ventured down to the waterfront for a little dinner before the show. I never met a white pizza I didn't like, and K2's version was more than acceptable. Our pie contained a generous amount of asiago cream in place of tomato sauce and was topped with feta cheese, grilled chicken, bacon, spinach and sun-dried tomatoes. Fortuitously, the rooftop balcony of K2 had an excellent view of the fountain, so we didn't even have to leave the comfort of our seats, and, umm, our beers, to enjoy the display.

Everyday People Cafe
11 Center St.
Douglas, MI 49406
(269) 857-4240

Douglas is Saugatuck's next door neighbor. While we didn't get as much of an opportunity to explore this town, we did stop at the highly recommended Everyday People Cafe on our way back to Chicago. We wanted a light but delicious lunch and this fit the bill perfectly. We sat in the garden on a sunny afternoon, tucked away from the (relative) hustle of the main street in Douglas and feasted on a fresh Caprese Salad and a tangy Greek Pita sandwich. Perfect fuel for our journey back to Chicago!

One Last Slice of Summer

There was a definite bite to the air when I walked to the subway this morning. The trees are starting to change colors, trading their green hued leaves for their pretty, multi-colored autumn outfits. While I am looking forward to welcoming fall, my favorite season, with wide open arms, I want to get one last summer recipe in under the wire, before these delicious vegetables go into hibernation for a few months. This easy dish was featured in the Washington Post earlier this year - delicious as a side-dish for some simple grilled chicken or fish and perfectly filling as a meatless meal on its own, it is chock-full of veggies you won't see for a while...the perfect recipe to say "until next year" to summer produce!

End of Summer Vegetable Pie
Adapted from The Washington Post

1 small eggplant, cut crosswise into 1/4 inch slices
1 small pattypan squash, cut crosswise into 1/4 inch slices
1 small sweet onion, cut crosswise into 1/4 inch slices
1 medium tomato, cut crosswise into 1/4 inch slices
8 large basil leaves, cut into chiffonade
4 T. Parmesan cheese
2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9-inch pie plate with nonstick cooking spray oil.
Create a single layer of eggplant slices in the bottom of the dish- the slices should overlap only at the edges. (They will not cover the bottom completely). Sprinkle 1/3 of the cut basil leaves over the slices, then 1 tablespoon of the cheese; season with salt and pepper. Drizzle a teaspoon or two of oil over the layer. Repeat with the squash, then the onion and tomato slices.

Sprinkle the remaining tablespoon of cheese over the top, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste, and then scatter the breadcrumbs evenly over the cheese. Drizzle about 2 teaspoons of the oil over the top, then cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Discard the foil; increase the temperature to 375 degrees and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the excess moisture in the bottom of the dish has gone and the top of the gratin begins to brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

Let sit about 15 minutes before serving. Use a thin, sharp knife to cut the pie into 4 equal portions, then use a spatula to transfer to serving plates.

Farmer's Market Friday: Cherry Tomatoes

Still looking for inventive ways to use the season's bumper crop of tomatoes? After reading the book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver, which chronicles a Virginia family's quest to eat only seasonal, locally available foods for one calendar year, I have been inspired to preserve some of summer's vegetable bounty for the lean winter months. I'm not big on "traditional" canning because I have a small apartment kitchen that is ill-equipped for this type of undertaking and generally only need to feed one, but other methods of food preservation are appealing to me. One of the best ways I have found to capture some of the vegetable overflow is to slow roast tomatoes, an incredibly simple process. Once roasted, the tomatoes can be kept in a jar in the fridge, covered in a thin layer of olive oil, for several months. I plan on using them in place of store-bought sun dried tomatoes to pump up salads and as an addition to pizza or pasta. I can also vouch that they are pretty darn delicious right out of the oven. After smelling these tasty treats roasting for two hours, I bet you'll have a hard time saving them all for January too...

Slow Roasted Tomatoes

Preheat over to 300 degrees. Slice cherry tomatoes in half and place, cut side up, on a rimmed cookie sheet covered in aluminum foil. Drizzle with olive oil, sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Toss to coat. Roast the tomatoes for until their skin becomes dark and wrinkly, about two hours. Serve immediately on their own, or save for future use in any recipe calling for sun dried tomatoes.

(Additional tomato goodness here and here.)

Peanut Butter Bailout Bars

As you may be aware, I work on Capitol Hill for a Member of Congress. Thus, I have been smack in the middle of the economic tornado our country has been dealing with for the past two weeks.

And when the going gets tough, the tough gets cooking. After another long day at the office, I spent the evening in the kitchen, whipping up some goodies for my hard-working staff as a treat when the economic rescue bill (hopefully!!) passes this afternoon.

I settled on one of my favorite recipes from childhood - an easy to make bar that tastes even better than a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. They are usually called Peanut Butter Gems, but, for one day only, I am rechristening them Peanut Butter Bailout Bars. The value of our retirement portfolios may be in free fall, but you can still get a pretty good deal on chocolate chips... Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Bailout Bars/Peanut Butter Gems
Recipe from my Mom :)

1 c. butter, melted
3 c. powdered sugar
1 c. crunchy peanut butter
1 pkg. graham crackers, crushed (just one of the little cellophane wrapped sleeves)
1 12 oz. pkg. semi sweet chocolate chips

Combine melted butter, powdered sugar, peanut butter and graham cracker crumbs in mixing bowl, stirring to combine. Spread mixture in 9 x 13 pan, pressing down evenly to ensure complete coverage of the pan. Melt chocolate chips in microwave or over very low heat. Spread melted chocolate over the peanut butter mixture. Chill in refrigerator for 1 hour prior to cutting and serving.

On the Road: My Kind of Town, Chicago is

Summer vacation took us to Chicago in August. The Second City, on the banks of Lake Michigan, has always been a favorite of mine. It's the perfect city for outdoor pursuits, first class museum and delicious food. You've got all the benefits of a major world city with a heaping side dish of good ol' Midwestern friendliness. Plus, some of my favorite people in the world live there, so I know Chicago and I will be a part of each others lives for many years to come. Some of my favorite eats this time around...

Mambo Grill

412 N. Clark St. (between Hubbard and Kinzie)

Chicago, IL 60610

(312) 467-9797

We stopped at Mambo Grill for a quick pre-theatre meal before Jersey Boys. The decor was a bit too dark and understated for a Latin American restaurant, but the food more than made up for it. Though known for their mojitos, we opted to sample the margaritas, which were tart and clearly homemade. For me, the highlight of a meal is often a delicious and fresh bread basket - a detail Mambo Grill definitely did not overlook. When we sat down, they brought a heaping basket of warm bread, lightly flavored with jalapenos and accompanied by an orange pepper butter. We enjoyed the Coconut-Curried Tilapia and the Guava Glazed Pollo for our entrees and were out the door just in time to make our show.

Chicago Bagel Authority

953 W. Armitage Ave.

Chicago, IL 60614

(773) 248-9606

Some of my fondest memories of college involve braving the 2am crowds at Bagel and Deli for a late night bagel sandwich to last the long (and by long I mean three block...this was before my city days!!) walk home from the bars. CBA opened in Lincoln Park in 1998 and is modeled after Miami University's famous Bagel and Deli. Like its Ohio counterpart, CBA specializes in creatively named steamed sandwiches. The bagels are sliced open and loaded up with cold cuts, cream cheese, vegetables and then - this is the key step - steamed for a few minutes. The result is hot and delicious and melty and yum yum yum. My favorites are the Tonya Harding Club and the Ben's Best, on sesame. Though I will forever maintain that these bagel sandwiches taste best at 2 in the morning in Oxford, Ohio, CBA is a pretty close second.

DC Cheap Eats: Adams Morgan

Adams Morgan gets a bad rep. It's usually associated with drunk college kids hopping (stumbling, crawling...) from one watering hole to the next, grasping for the elusive brass ring of cheap beer and attractive members of the opposite sex.

And while those views definitely have merit, it's not always like that. I'm in the neighborhood, so it's easy for me to pop over on a weeknight, when 18th street is, you know, kind of normal. No enduring sharp elbows to the side as people clamor for cheap jello shots or getting pushed off the sidewalk to make way for the throngs of stumbling bachelorette parties, teetering in their heels.

If you can look past the discarded beer cans and empty pizza plates featuring tell tale signs of last nights greasy Jumbo Slice, there are some good and affordable places to grab a bite in this part of town. Just be sure to get in and get out before another group of rowdy underage GW fraternity boys stagger down the street...

Astor
1829 Columbia Rd NW
Washington, DC 20009
(202) 745-7495

Around the corner from most of the action on 18th street, Astor is a little bit of an off the beaten track place to grab a quick bite to eat. The menu features a bunch of Middle Eastern specialties that you can carry out or eat on one of the tiny tables in the restaurant or right out front. The service is a bit slow, but worth the wait. You can't go wrong with any of the menu items, but personal favorites include a heaping (and I mean heaping!) Greek salad, velvety hummus, a tangy chicken schwarma sandwich and the vegetable pizza overflowing with fresh produce.

So's Your Mom
1831 Columbia Rd NW
Washington, DC 20009
(202) 462-3666

Nestled in between Astor and the snaking line for the Bank of America ATM is So's Your Mom, a tiny deli and gourmet food store that often gets lost in the shuffle of Adams Morgan. The petite space is filled with gourmet meats and cheeses, bottles of unique salad dressings and mustards, and fancy bakery pastries. In addition to the grocery offerings, you can get big fresh sandwiches made to order with Boar's Head cold cuts and New York-style bagels with a variety of cream cheeses. Head around the corner to Kalorama Park with a copy of the Washington Post, your So's Your Mom bagel and a cup of coffee and you have my preferred way to spend a lazy weekend morning!

Toledo Lounge
2435 18th St NW
Washington, DC 20009
(202) 986-5416

Toledo Lounge is a laid back, grungy oasis in the midst of the madness that is Adams Morgan. With its glaring orange neon sign and duct taped vinyl booths, the place won't win any awards for atmosphere, but the drinks are cheap, there are usually seats on the patio, and the service staff is prompt and attentive. They've got food specials throughout the week and on Wednesday night, they offer half-price grilled cheese. It isn't any fancier than Kraft singles on plain white bread with a heaping plate of fresh cut fries, but it's a cheesy, buttery comfort food hug. All for less than $10 bucks, including tax, tip and a few beers to help wash it all down.

Pieces of You

While I live in Washington, D.C., my boyfriend is in his third year of law school in our home state of Kansas. This arrangement has contributed to many many high cell phone bills, frequent airport trips (I am a whiz at getting through security!) and his leading a quasi-nomadic existence for the past two years, spending the school year in Kansas and the summers with me in D.C. He left a few weeks ago for his final (hallelujah!) year of school and even though he is physically gone, reminders of his presence are everywhere. I'm finding little pieces of him scattered around the apartment - a random can of shaving cream on the bathroom shelf, a stray pair of dress socks behind the laundry basket and a partially used carton of half-and-half in the fridge.

It's partially used because I'm not a coffee drinker. And Andrew is. Religiously. And when he left for the semester, the half-and-half consumption in the apartment decreased dramatically. I don't like to waste food, if I can help it, so I searched for a recipe where I could use up the last few drops of half-and-half that were no longer earmarked for a morning cup of coffee.

My September issue of Cooking Light featured the big winner. Ziti with Cherry Tomatoes and Spinach in a Gorgonzola Cream Sauce got the nod because I had most of the ingredients on hand, including seasonally abundant cherry tomatoes. Plus, I'm a sucker for a creamy pasta sauce.

Gorgonzola is a member of the blue cheese family, and has a strong, tangy flavor. While the flavor of the cheese mellows considerably during cooking, add in the red pepper flakes and you've got a sauce that packs a punch! This recipe makes about two generous portions and put a big dent in my significant others abandoned groceries. Now if I could just find a creative use for his orphaned dress socks...

Ziti with Cherry Tomatoes and Spinach in a Gorgonzola Cream Sauce
From Cooking Light

4 ounces uncooked ziti
1/2 t. olive oil
1 c. cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 t. salt
1/8 t. crushed red pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
6 T half-and-half
3 T Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
1 c. fresh spinach

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add cherry tomatoes, salt, crushed red pepper, and minced garlic to pan; cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Stir in half-and-half and Gorgonzola cheese; cook 4 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Stir in spinach and pasta; cook 2 minutes or until spinach wilts, tossing occasionally.

Farmer's Market Friday: Bell Peppers

With their crunchy texture and sharp flavor, bell peppers lend themselves to many excellent recipes as well as raw snacking. These brightly hued jewels of the farmer's market will be available in full force this weekend and for a few weeks to come, so pick some up while you can!

Though a rainbow of peppers will likely be available at your neighborhood market this weekend; red peppers, lighter and sweeter than their green and yellow siblings, are the best choice for the recipe below. Caribbean Shrimp Packets are a great pick for an easy September dinner - the weather is getting colder and you can feel just a hint of fall in the air - this will take you right back to your tropical vacation on the beach!

Caribbean Shrimp Packets

1 (15 oz.) can pineapple chunks

1 1/2 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 red pepper, diced

1 T. ginger

1 T. seafood seasoning

1/2 c. butter

1/4 c. brown sugar

1 1/2 T. lemon juice

Hot cooked rice

Preheat oven to 450. Tear off four pieces of aluminum foil, slightly larger than a sheet of notebook paper. Divide pineapple chunks into four equal portions and center on each sheet. Arrange divided shrimp over pineapple. Combine peppers, ginger, and seafood seasoning in a small bowl, then sprinkle over shrimp and pineapple. Top each foil sheet with butter and brown sugar, drizzle with lemon juice.

Bring up foil sides to seal packet, leaving room for heat to circulate during cooking. Place foil packets on a cookie sheet and slide into the oven, baking for 12-14 minutes. Serve each portion over hot cooked rice.

Gooey Bars

There's one in every office. No matter how small or large, it seems that every office has the designated treat person. The person who provides the goodies for office celebrations, brings in themed desserts around the holidays and, if you're lucky, may bring in fresh chocolate chip cookies "just because". It's a love-hate relationship with the treat person. There are always the moans of diets thrown off track or healthy lunches ruined while hands reach for just one more brownie.

I am unabashedly the treat person in my office. I love testing out new baked good recipes, but it just isn't practical to eat all those tasty goodies myself...so I share. And while my coworkers occasionally outwardly balk , I know it wouldn't be my job performance skills they would miss if I left the office...

This recipe is easy. Really easy. Sure, it isn't gourmet, but it tastes really good and always pleases a crowd. Plus, you probably have most of the ingredients on hand. So, whip up a pan and show your coworkers a little baked good love.

Gooey Bars

1 pkg. yellow cake mix
2 eggs
1 stick of butter, softened
1 (1 lb.) package powdered sugar
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1 t. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9 x 13 inch baking pan. In medium sized bowl, combine yellow cake mix, eggs, and butter; mix well. Using your hands, press the mixture into the greased baking pan. Combine confectioners sugar, cream cheese, and vanilla and beat until creamy and smooth. Spread over cake mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Cut into squares and serve.

Farmer's Market Friday: Tomatoes

Farmer's Market tomatoes are kind of like the thunderstorms of late summer. Towards the end of July, you start seeing a few of them trickle onto the tables of your market purveyors. A week later, the tomatoes get a little bigger and redder, the piles of vegetables a little larger. Then, instantly, a thunderclap of tomatoes rains down on the market. Come late August and early September, everyone is practically drowning in tomatoes.

Which isn't such a bad thing, considering the tomatoes you can buy this time of year are infinatently better than their winter counterparts - juicy and lush and bursting with fresh flavor. But, like a refreshing summer thunderstorm, the tomato season comes on quickly - and is gone before you know it. So enjoy these beauties while you can!

The recipe below is an easy way to use up some of the larger tomatoes you may have sitting around the house.

Greek Stuffed Tomatoes

4 large tomatoes
2 T. scallions, finely chopped
2 T. fresh parsley, finely chopped
4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 c. breadcrumbs
2 T. olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut off the very top of the tomatoes. Using a spoon or ice cream scoop, carefully scoop out pulp and seeds. Discard seeds. Coarsely chop pulp and place in a small bowl. Add scallions, parsley, feta, bread crumbs, and olive oil; stirring to combine. Spoon mixture into the hollowed out tomatoes. Place tomatoes right side up in a 8x8 baking dish and bake for 15 minutes. Serve steaming hot.

You Had Me at Hello

As with most trends, the cupcake craze took a while to travel from NYC to D.C. While I am sure New Yorkers have moved on to the latest and greatest dessert treat, D.C.'s love affair with cupcakes has only just begun.

A few weeks ago, Hello Cupcake opened in Dupont Circle to long lines and rave reviews. I popped by last night to pick up a few cupcakes for a work celebration and couldn't resist sampling some of the offerings. The selection varies by day and was a bit limited yesterday, but I did visit the shop right before they were slated to shut down for the night. I tried an "HC Original" - classic yellow cake with chocolate frosting, a "24 Carrot" - carrot cake with cream cheese icing, and a "Triple Coconut" - coconut cake, coconut cream cheese icing and toasted coconut topping. (The bakery also offers vegan and gluten free selections - see website for more details!)

YUM.

The HC Original was just kind of meh...the cake was slightly dry and the chocolate icing tasted like it was made with chocolate flavoring as opposed to actual chocolate, but the other two cakes blew me away. The cakes were moist and dense and the icing was creamy and rich. And piled on thick!

The treats were sugary sweet and might be a little too much for some, but for this dessert lover, Hello Cupcake made me never want to say Goodbye...

Hello Cupcake
1351 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20036

Hours
Mon-Thurs 10-7
Fri-Sat 10-9
Closed Sunday

Prices
Individual cupcakes: $3
Box of 4: $12
Box of 6: $18
Box of 12: $33

Brown Bagging It

I try to bring my lunch to work most days. It saves money, it saves calories, and honestly, most things I make at home taste a lot better than the things available downstairs in a cafeteria that serves thousands of Capitol Hill staffers and tourists every day. Most days, I just throw together a yogurt, some crackers, fruit and a granola bar and call it a day, but there are other times I want to upgrade my brown bag lunch a bit.

I've been trying to eat more protein during lunch as I find it gives me more energy and I don't have the midafternoon food crash that leaves me sprinting for the vending machine or looking around for the office candy jar. I threw together the recipe below to use up a few spare chicken breasts. It is tasty and healthy, and can easily be made ahead and toted to work in a plastic container.

Fancy Chicken Salad
Clipped and saved from the Kansas City Star in 1997, way back in the internet dark ages ;)

4 c. chicken breast, cooked and diced
1 c. red grapes
3/4 c. sliced almonds
1 c. mandarin oranges
1 c. chopped celery
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1 t. mustard
1/4 T. lemon juice

In a large bowl, combine first five ingredients. In a smaller bowl, mix together the remaining ingredients to make a dressing. Pour dressing over chicken mixture and fold together to combine. Serve immediately or chill in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Simple Summer Suppers

There's something about August that makes me want to cook. The days and nights take on a long, leisurely pace, the tables at the farmer's market overflow with fresh produce and thoughts of new recipes dance in my head. But in D.C. - it's hot. It's hot and humid and sticky. Not exactly ideal weather for slaving over a hot stove. I've got a pile of "go to" recipes to get me through the dog days of summer, however. Recipes that are simple and flavorful and light - perfect for those August nights.

Shrimp Salad Rolls
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa Parties

3 T. plus 1 t. kosher salt
1 lemon, quartered
4 pounds large shrimp, peeled
2 c. mayonnaise
1 t. Dijon mustard
2 T. white wine vinegar
1 t. black pepper
6 T. fresh dill, minced
1 c. red onion, minced
3 c. celery, minced

Bring 5 quarts of water to boil in a large saucepan. Add the 3 T. salt and the lemon wedges. Add the shrimp and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for approximately 3 minutes, until the shrimp are barely cooked through. Remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl of cool water.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, 1 t. salt, pepper and dill. Combine with the cooked shrimp. Add the red onion and celery and check the seasonings. Serve on its own or on toasted buttered rolls.

Chickpea Salad with Homemade Pita Chips
Salad adapted from Orangette

1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 t. fresh lemon juice
1 ½ t. olive oil
¼ t. garlic, minced
Salt to taste
¼ cup loosely packed shredded Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, and stir gently to mix. Taste, and adjust seasoning as necessary. Serve immediately, or chill, covered, until serving.

2 "rounds" of pocket pita bread
Olive oil
Garlic salt
Kosher salt

Preheat over to 400 degrees. Using a pair of kitchen scissors, cut each pita round into 6 triangles. Pull apart each triangle at the "seam" so you have twenty four thinly sliced triangles. Place pita triangels on a rimmed cooking sheet and toss with olive oil, garlic salt and kosher salt to taste. Bake for 10 minutes, or until chips begin to brown. Watch closely so they don't burn!

What are your favorite easy summer meals?

Farmer's Market Friday: Swiss Chard

Swiss Chard is the true overachiever of the produce section. A leafy green vegetable similar to spinach, chard offers a host of nutritional benefits. It has oodles of vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C, magnesium, manganese, potassium, iron, vitamin E, and dietary fiber. Plus, it's pretty! It has big curly green leaves and a thick crunchy stalk, which can be bright yellow, orange, white or a gorgeous shade of magenta, depending on the variety.

Swiss chard makes its farmer's market debut in early June and tends to stick around until August. Pick some up this weekend!

Since many people are unfamiliar with chard, I've posted a recipe that features the vegetable below. You can use any color or variety of chard. One of my summer favorites!

Penne with Swiss Chard
Adapted from the Waterpenny Farms Recipe Book

2 c. penne pasta
4 c. swiss chard, chopped
1 (15 oz.) can canellini beans, drained
4 T. olive oil
1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic, diced

Cook penne in large pot until al dente. Add chopped chard and continue cooking until chard is wilted, about 2 minutes. Drain pasta and chard.

In a large serving bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Add pasta mixture and toss well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Farmer's Market Friday: Strawberries

June is the season for strawberries. Farmer's Markets will be overflowing with baskets and baskets of the delicious red berries this weekend.

The options abound - you can make strawberry shortcake, strawberry jam, or just pop them in your mouth whole. Strawberries are also a fruit that lend themselves well to being used in savory combinations, like this salad recipe that is a staple at my summer table.

Strawberry and Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

12 oz. baby spinach

1 1/4 c. chopped strawberries

1/4 c. sliced toasted almonds

1/3 c. feta cheese

Place sliced almonds in a ungreased skillet over medium heat. Stir often until golden brown, watching closely so the almonds don't burn. (You can definitely skip this step - the salad tastes just fine with "untoasted" almonds, but the toasting adds an extra layer of flavor!)

Combine all ingredients in a medium sized bowl and top with Poppy Seed Dressing, tossing well to coat.

Poppy Seed Dressing

3 T. sugar

2 T. milk

1 T. white wine vinegar

3 T. lite mayonnaise

1 T. poppy seeds

Combine ingredients in a small bowl, stir with wire whisk until combined. (Tip: I usually make my dressings in a large measuring cup with a pour spout, so I can pour the dressing directly onto the salad with as little mess as possible!)

What are your favorite recipes featuring strawberries?

On the Road: Laissez les Bon Temps Roulez

In 1947, Louis Armstrong recorded the famous theme music for the movie New Orleans, a song entitled 'Do You Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans', a beautiful anthem to the city which has been performed by various artists bewitched by New Orleans over the years.

Do you know what it means, to miss New Orleans, and miss it each night and day...

Do you know what it means, to miss New Orleans, when that's where you left your heart...

While a portion of my heart does belong to New Orleans, almost all of my appetite does.

Since falling in love with a boy whose entire heart (except the sizable portion reserved for me, of course ;) ) belongs to New Orleans, I've had multiple opportunities to indulge in the various culinary delights that city has to offer.

To kick off the summer, we traveled down south for our annual Louisiana food fix. Our days consisted of visiting with old friends, relaxing by the pool, sipping ice cold cocktails, and feasting on delicious meals. It was a perfect vacation. It's no wonder so many people leave their heart in New Orleans.

Restaurant August

301 Tchoupitoulas St.

New Orleans, LA 70130

504-299-9777

As in years past, our weekend in the Crescent City coincided with my birthday. To celebrate, we made a reservation at Chef John Besh's restaurant in the Central Business District. The bar and reception area at Restaurant August is dark and clubby - the kind of place where you expect to see a table of Southern Gentlemen holding court in the corner, sipping bourbon and puffing on cigars. The main dining room is brighter and airier, however, and an inviting place for a special meal.

Upon being seated (45 minutes after our reservation...), our waiter brought over two complimentary glasses of champagne. I'm not sure if it was to make up for the extended wait or to honor our special occasion, but it was a nice gesture and went a long ways toward erasing any irritation from the delay in being seated.

Our meal started with an amuse bouche of seafood bisque, served in a petite eggshell. The soup was rich and velvety and bursting with pieces of fresh crab and shrimp. I wish it had been offered as a starter because the two bites I had left me wanting more! We split an appetizer of goat cheese ravioli tossed in a light cream sauce with fresh spring peas and crispy pancetta. It was also incredibly delicious - we asked our friendly server for more homemade bread so we could sop up every last drop of the cream sauce. Licking the plate is generally frowned upon, I'm told... We each got a fish entree for our main course - the fish was perfectly seasoned and cooked and served over a portion of steamed fresh vegetables. For dessert, we ordered the strawberry trio - mini tasting portions of three desserts featuring strawberries. When they presented the plate, the pastry chef had written "Happy Birthday" across the top in chocolate, a festive touch.

Martin's Wine Cellar

714 Elmeer

Metairie, LA 70005

504-896-7300

I can get lost for hours inside gourmet food and kitchen stores - wandering up and down the aisles perusing random kitchen gadgets that I never knew I absolutely had to have, checking out bottles of unique marinades and delicious brownie mixes, dreaming of stocking my tiny kitchen to the brim with new purchases. When we wandered into Martin's Wine Cellar, a local chain with 4 outposts around the Gulf Coast region, to pick up picnic supplies en route to Oak Alley Plantation, I knew our estimated time of arrival at the estate would have to be pushed back. We browsed through the offerings at Martin's and picked up some "only in Louisiana" items, such as Zapp's potato chips and Cafe DuMonde beignet mix, as well as a few books on New Orleans food and culture. We also stopped by the bistro/deli (only available at the Metairie location) to pick up some sandwiches for the afternoon.

When Andrew was finally able to pry me away from the store and we arrived at the mansion, we unpacked our picnic under the shade of a grove of ancient oak trees. The sandwiches were huge and featured fresh hearty ingredients - thick slabs of homemade bread, oven roasted turkey, ripe red tomatoes. After we washed them down with mint juleps from the bar at Oak Alley, this city girl was ready to trade in her high heels and Starbucks for lazy afternoons enjoying good food and strong drinks under the oak trees...

Camellia Grill

626 South Carrolton

New Orleans, LA

504-866-9573

Camellia Grill is an institution. The tiny restaurant, located in the Uptown area of the city, features counter seating, saucy waitstaff and delicious food. A favorite haunt of Andrew's during his days at Tulane, I had heard a lot about the restaurant and was excited to finally have the chance to try it, as it was closed during my last two visits to the city due to Hurricane Katrina. After a modest wait, our party of four was seated next to one another along the serpentine counter and promptly greeted by a white coated waiter.

We visited Camellia Grill our last day of vacation, on our way to the airport. Even though it was afternoon, I settled on a bacon and cheese omelet as I love to eat breakfast anytime of the day and had heard raves about their eggs over the years. They certainly didn't disappoint! The omelet was light and fluffy and bursting at the seams with full strips of bacon and cheddar cheese. It was served with a hot crispy tangle of french fries. To further add to the gluttony, I ordered a chocolate milkshake. Hey, it's vacation. And it's New Orleans.