All I Want for Christmas...Is a GIVEAWAY!

This year in my family, we aren't giving gifts. For some reason, my mom thought giving us a trip to Hawaii is gift enough (haha). However, later this month I will be doing a gift exchange with my friends. I recently came across the site Delight.com that I am totally obsessed with. First of all, the name, isn't it...delightful? They have some really unique and interesting gifts that are perfect for the home cook or entertainer and even better because many of them are eco-friendly. I am so needing this cookbook stand and these onion goggles, since the mere mention of onions makes me tear up. The mac daddy of all gifts is this Eco-Delightful Get Green Gift Set which has tons of goodies for when you want to look cool at the farmers market or are strolling around town. Including one of those aluminum water bottles that I have been coveting. Someone feel free to get me this bag, I will love you forever :)

Well, the nice people at Delight.com are offering my readers a 15% discount. Just enter the code: DishingDelight (case sensitive) at checkout. They are also letting me host my first giveaway! One lucky reader will win a set of the White Christmas Vintage Plates so you can have your Christmas dinner in style. All you have to do to be eligible is leave a comment about one or two things you would like to give and/or get this year. Giveaway is open to US residents only, and comments must be received by midnight PST, December 20th to be eligible. Good luck!





Images from Delight.com

Orzo with Bacon and a Fried Egg

Do you ever have those days when you get home from work and are starving and have absolutely nothing in your refrigerator? No? Well, I do. Well a while back I found this recipe on Mango & Tomato (two of the best fruits ever!) and saved it for one of those days. I had just enough bacon, just a few eggs, and a box of orzo that I needed to finish. It came together quickly and was really satisfying. The original recipe calls for a poached egg, but wouldn't you know, I have never poached an egg in my life! I forgot to add capers. Lately my mind has been off. I forget to add things in recipes, completely ignore steps, and yet they still somehow turn out okay. Can I just say I am really looking forward to my two week break after next week? After I get back from tanning myself in Hawaii, I plan on spending some time in the kitchen (not like I don't do that enough already), and really reading through recipes and preparing things with more love instead of just the quickness of getting through it. For now, I just have to get through this week which has been the longest. Week. Ever!

Orzo with Bacon and a Fried Egg
(Slightly Adapted from Mang0 & Tomato)

Orzo
3 slices of bacon, chopped
1/2 onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 egg
Cilantro, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook until al dente, about 9 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large pan, cook the bacon until almost crispy. Add the onions and garlic to the pan with bacon and cook until the onion and garlic are tender. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Add the cooked orzo to the bacon mixture and toss until everything is combined. While the orzo mixture is combining, lightly fry and egg until the whites have set and the yolk is slightly runny.

Serve with the egg on top of a bed of the orzo mixture and garnish with cilantro.

POM-Tastic!

Here are some more fun things to serve up if you are having a holiday party soon. A few weeks ago, I took a picture of this cocktail that I had before going out to a party. It was delicious and pretty. I got the idea from a yummy drink that I love at Chaya which is just champagne (or sparkling wine) with pomegranate seeds sprinkled in it. I enjoyed several of these cocktails earlier this year while reading a script out on the restaurant's patio. The script was ludicrous (when the movie comes out next year, I may or may not share details with you), but the drinks and the Chaya burger kept me going.


Last week, I got the idea to make a pomegranate granita. I mean, I have done everything else with pomegranates, why not a boozy granita as well? You get your antioxidants and your buzz in one swoop :) I used quite a bit of vodka in this recipe. If you're not down with that amount, or want to make this a virgin granita (which will freeze better), just replace the vodka with water.


I recently came across this pomegranate jam on TasteSpotting that I knew I would have to try. We often talk about preserving our summer harvest, but clearly, I love pomegranates so much, I thought it would be an excellent way to preserve some of the winter harvest. Well, unfortunately for me, the recipe didn't go exactly as planned. I blame my roommate who was hovering around my space while I was trying to recreate culinary genius. Whatever the problem, before I knew it, I had created pomegranate caramel instead of pomegranate jam. Fortunately for me, it was really good!

(When I still thought it could pass for jam)



(The resulting caramel candy)


Pomegranate Bellini

Proseco
Pomegranate juice
Pomegranate seeds

Fill a glass with proseco. Add a splash of pomegranate juice and top with pomegranate seeds.


Pomegranate Granita

1 1/2 cups pomegranate juice
3/4 cup vodka
1/4 cup water
Juice from 1/2 lemon
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar

Whisk together all of the ingredients in a large bowl until sugar is dissolved. Pour into an 8x8 baking dish and place in the freezer. Chill for at least 4 hours, scraping the top every hour. Can be done overnight.

To serve, layer a glass alternately with pomegranate arils, granita, and then top with more arils. Serve immediately.

Pomegranate Carmel Candy

1 3/4 cups pomegranate juice
1 1/2 cups sugar
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds


Combine pomegranate juice and sugar in a large pot over moderate heat. Stir frequently until the sugar dissolves, turn the heat to medium high and continue cooking for 30 minutes. Skim off the pink foam as necessary.

Add the pomegranate seeds and lemon juice and cook for another 30 minutes.

Check for consistency by dropping a spoonful of candy on a chilled plate. When you tilt the plate, if it stays in a mound and not run, the candy is done. Alternately, you can cook the mixture until dark amber in color.

Pour into an 9-inch baking dish lined with greased aluminium foil. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Use a pizza cutter to cut the candy into pieces. Alternately, you can break the candy into pieces once it has completely cooled.

Shrimp with Chive Butter

Here's a quick and simple dish for your next party, or a light Sunday lunch if you're like me. It's fantastically easy and quick and the flavor is awesome! I don't know what else to say about them, they are really good. So instead I want to talk about one of my favorite movies ever. Some people tend to think that I am a bit of a Scrooge at this time of year, but I'm not. It's just that, for me, the holidays are bittersweet. However, any time I pop in the movie Love Actually, I am reminded that it really is a time to celebrate and be happy with the people you love. I remember when I went to the theater and I was by myself watching the movie and laughing and crying like a baby. To this day, I still have the same reaction! If for some strange reason you have not seen it, please go rent this amazing movie. It will put a smile on even the grumpiest of faces, and lest I sound cheesy, it will warm your heart as well.



Shrimp with Chive Butter
(Adapted from Epicurious)

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Juice from 1/2 lemon
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
18 uncooked shrimp, peeled, deveined, butterflied
Whole chives
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat broiler. Place mustard in bowl; whisk in lemon juice, then melted butter. Add chopped chives. Season with salt and pepper.

Arrange shrimp on broiler pan. Brush with some of butter mixture. Broil until just cooked through, about 4 minutes. Arrange on plates and garnish with whole chives. Serve with remaining butter.

Rosemary Foccacia

For the last couple of months, I have been baking loaves of faster no knead bread almost every week. I have done it so often, I don't even need to look at the recipe anymore. However, I have been noticing other recipes for breads that I wanted to try. Natalie of the amazing blog Hot Off the Garlic Press, recently posted this delicious post-Thanksgiving sandwich, but the bread recipe is what really caught my eye. Yesterday was the perfect day for cooking and baking. It was cool and gloomy and rain was threatened. I really like staying in and baking on days like that. To me, it feels more like the holidays than the eighty plus degree weather that's expected in a couple of days. I know, I shouldn't be complaining...I'm going to Hawaii for Christmas, but still. Anyway, I cooked up a bunch of things and have some easy recipes coming up for holiday entertaining. I feel like the holiday parties just sneak up on you and then all of a sudden you have like four parties in one day. It's tough being so popular, but I manage ;) Back to the bread. It's a really simple and delicious recipe. I only modified it slightly by using some whole wheat flour and sprinkling the top with some kosher salt. It didn't get quite as brown as I wanted it so I think next time, I may play around with the cooking time. Focaccia is really an easy bread to make and takes way less time than even the faster no knead bread. If you haven't tried it, you should really whip up a batch soon.



Rosemary Foccacia
(Adapted slightly from Hot Off the Garlic Press)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat all-purpose flour
2 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped (or 1 tablespoon dried)

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 package active yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup very warm water

1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

In a small bowl, mix together the white and whole wheat flours. In a large bowl, mix 1 cup of the flour, the rosemary, the sugar, salt, and yeast in a large bowl. Add 3 tablespoons

of the olive oil and the warm water. Beat on medium speed 3 minutes. Stir in enough of the remaining flour until dough is soft, and leaves the sides of the bowl.

On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for 5-8 minutes, or until dough is smooth and springy. Take the first bowl and spray it lightly with cooking spray, then place the dough back in to rise. Cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise until almost double, about 30 minutes. Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.

Lightly grease a cookie sheet. Gently deflate dough. Make the dough into a big circle. Brush the remaining olive oil across the dough, while using your fingers, make little dents all the way across the dough allowing the oil seep in. Let the dough rise once more, about another 30 minutes. Heat oven to 400 and bake 15-20 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Grate the cheese on top right as it comes out of the oven.

Coxinha

A little while ago, a friend of mine asked (begged) me to make coxinha. What are coxinha you ask? Well, they are fried chicken pastries in the shape of little drumsticks (clearly mine don't look like drumsticks..I'm a novice!). This local restaurant make some of the best coxinha I have ever tried. Actually, I think they are the only coxinha I have ever tried. The ingredient list for these is simple enough, but the process can take quite a while. I definitely do not suggest making these after you have had several cocktails and nothing to eat all day except candy and popcorn like I did yesterday! Raul let me borrow his little deep fryer which made these much easier to make. Although I read the recipe completely through a few times, I still ran into some snags. The boiling of chicken and chopping is very straightforward. However, when it comes time to make the dough, that's when things get strange. I ended up just reheating the stock and chicken and stirring in the flour to make a dough. That's what I did when I made zeppole last year so I thought it would work with this. However, I found the dough to be extremely sticky and difficult to work with so I added much more flour to the mix. Also, in re-reading the recipe, I realized I forgot the egg whites. Even though I halved everything else, I ended up using much closer to the three cups of flour called for in the original recipe. Even with the halved recipe, I had about eighteen of these little balls. They are very filling so I suggest you make them for a party instead of your Saturday late night dinner. One last note. The chicken filling makes more than you will need for the recipe. I am saving mine to use in taquitos or quesadillas or something, so stay tuned!


Oh, I had the opportunity to go to a screening of the insanely amazing movie Milk the other day. if you haven't already seen it, I strongly suggest you get out to your local movie theater and catch this wonderful, inspiring film straight away!

Coxinha
(Adapted from Recipe Zaar)

1 1/2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons butter
1 chicken bullion cube
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 green onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1 1/2 -2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
4 oz cream cheese, cubed
Breadcrumbs

Cut chicken breasts into 2-inch cubes, and place in a saucepan with onion, garlic, butter, stock cube, salt and pepper and 1 1/2 cups of water. Cook over medium heat for 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Strain the solids from the broth, retaining the broth and the solids. Finely chop the chicken to make the filling. Add the parsely and green onion to the chicken.

Measure the remaining broth into a saucepan. You will need 1 1/2 xups so make it up with extra water. Add the chicken mixture to the pan and stir to combine. Add all the flour and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon for one minute until the dough becomes stiff. Remove the dough from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

Turn the dough out to a floured board and knead until the dough is smooth, adding more flour if the mixture is too sticky. Using your hands or a tablespoon, break the dough into pieces. Pat flat, and place a piece of cream cheese in the center of the dough. Fold the dough up around the cheese and roll in the breadcrumsb.

Deep fry for 8 minutes at 350 degrees or until golden brown. Drain on towels and sprinkle with kosher salt. Serve warm.

Penne with Pesto, Mascarpone, and Bacon

I cannot tell you how happy I am that it's Friday! I feel like this week was incredibly slow, but at the same time Friday arrived very quickly. Are you guys doing anything fun on your weekend? The next week or so I am trying to clear out my fridge and freezer. I mostly just cook for myself so if I make tons of food, I freeze it. Like this pesto from when I made pizzas last month. Yesterday's salad was the appetizer for this delicious and quick dinner, and I had enough leftovers for lunch. I loved the light creaminess that the mascarpone added and I felt that just the tablespoon of pesto was enough for the amount of pasta. I didn't want the dish to be drowning in sauce. I find that it is easier to cook the bacon and then chop it once it has cooled, but by all means, prepare it however you want. Or you could sub in sausage or tofu or whatever your heart desires. Alright, it's time to go get ready for work. Hopefully there won't be another strip club fire to make my two mile commute last two hours. Have a good one!



Penne with Pesto, Mascarpone, and Bacon
(Adapted from Carmen Cooks)

1/2 lb whole wheat penne
1 tablespoon pesto
1 teaspoon Mascarpone cheese
4 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
Kosher salt

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook to al dente. Drain the pasta and reserve some of the pasta water just in case. Toss the pesto and mascarpone with the pasta. Add some of the reserved pasta water if the mixture is too dry. Stir in the bacon. Serve hot.

Fennel with Oranges and Pomegranates

I am experiencing a bit of writer's block. I wanted to write something nice and flowery about this salad, but my mind is drawing a blank. Instead I am going to ramble a bit about how much I love Mario Batali. When I first started watching Molto Mario back in college I didn't know much about the flame haired man with the funny shoes (pre-Crocs) who claimed he was Italian. But then I started really paying attention to the show and what he was actually saying. I learned a lot about food and cooking from him and the random guests he used to have on his show. Does anyone else remember Jake Gyllenhaal sitting at that bench? Well I recently came across this recipe and knew I just had to make it soon. I loved the combination of the citrus flavors with the anise-y fennel and sweet and tart pomegranate seeds. For me the crunch is always a big factor in salads and this is good. Really good. I wish Raul had found blood oranges, but I don't think they are quite ready yet. Also, I used shaved Parmesan instead of pecorino which at first seemed like a weird addition, but it really worked well with this. This is a great fall/winter salad!

Grammy nominations came out yesterday. Guess which favorite artist of mine scored four noms? You go girl!

Fennel with Oranges, Parmesan, and Pomegranates
(Adapted from Molto Italiano: 327 Simple Italian Recipes to Cook at Home by Mario Batali)

Makes 2 servings

1 large fennel bulb, trimmed, and several fennel fronds set aside
Juice of 1/2 a large lemon
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 oranges, peeled and segmented
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
A hunk of Parmesan for shaving

Slice the fennel into 1/3-inch-thick slices. Place in a bowl and toss with the lemon juice and olive oil. Add the orange segments, pomegranate seeds, and fennel fronds and gently toss to mix. Season with salt and pepper.

Arrange the fennel salad on plates. Shave the Parmesan over each plate and serve.

Frisee Lardon

I finally got the energy to cook last night, after a super busy day yesterday! I saved this recipe recently and I am so glad Daul finally delivered my farmers market goods so I could make it. It's heavily adapted from Nancy Silverton who is one of my Los Angeles heroes. I have yet to dine at either of the Mozzas or at Campanile (sacrilege, I know, but I like almost never go out), but from what I hear they are pretty fantastic and if this recipe is any indication of what I have yet to experience, I can't wait to go! This is a pretty quick and easy recipe to prepare. I left out the bread because I didn't have any and haven't had time to make any since I have been back. Such is the life of a Hollywood gal. Haha, yeah RIGHT!! In case you haven't noticed, I am quite the opposite of a Hollywood gal. This is such a good recipe to have on hand. It's a pretty simple combination of ingredients, but the flavors are out of this world. Some time I will have to try this with the bread suggested in the original recipe.



Frisee Lardon
(Adapted from Nancy Silverton's Sandwich Book)

4 slices bacon, sliced
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 or 2 garlic cloves, minced
2 large eggs, hardboiled
1/2 small head radicchio, cut into large pieces
1 small bunch frisee, core removed, pulled apart into small bunches
1 teaspoon bacon fat
1 shallot, minced
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

In a medium pan over medium-low heat, cook the bacon until crispy. Drain the bacon on towels and reserve one teaspoon of the rendered bacon fat in the pan. Add the olive oil, shallots, and garlic to the pan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in the Dijon mustard and balsamic and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 1 minute and until combined. Remove the vinaigrette from the heat and stir in the bacon.

Divide the frisee and radicchio between two plates. Top with the vinaigrette and toss to combine. Top with sliced hardboiled eggs.

Pie Picture

I got back to town last night tired from the reunion and travelin. With almost five hundred items to catch up with in Google Reader and having to wake up early this morning, I wasn't much in the mood to cook last night. Here's a picture of a pie JenFinn made for the Thanksgiving potluck. I managed to snap a pic just before I had to leave for the airport. It's a caramel apple pecan pie (I think). I am sure one day she will send me the recipe. Enjoy and have a Happy Monday!!