Chef Ming Tsai's Kung Pao Chicken

I never follow recipes to a T. This one, I almost did, minus the carrots, which I just wasn't in the mood for since I'd already eaten a ton of baby carrots and hummus as a snack a couple of hours before I prepared this meal. And no peanuts because I had a bunch of those that morning, although I could see how they'd add a nice crunch. Speaking of crunch, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the lightly cooked celery in the dish. It absorbed the sauce and added a nice bite. The flavors in this dish are right on; spicy, salty, sensational. Make extra because it keeps very well for leftovers!

Farro with Manchego and Apple

This farro salad is inspired by the delicious manchego cheese and green apple salad at Jaleo, a tapas restaurant in Bethesda, MD, and Washington, DC. It was made with unbelievably thin slices of green apple and matching slivers of creamy, salty manchego, topped with a zesty lemon olive oil. My friends Rebecca, Jess, and I loved it so much that we recreated the salad one day at the beach and among the three of us ate the entire block of the sheep's milk cheese from La Mancha in no time. I love the flavors of tart apple and savory manchego with the nutty flavor and chewy texture of farro with a drizzle of butternut squash oil from The Filling Station and a sprinkle of truffle salt. So does Rebecca. I have made this for her the past two times she's come over for dinner. In fact, I've been making this farro salad about once a week.

A note about farro: Farro is one of the oldest grains there is, also called emmer or Italian wheat. It got it's start 6000 ago in Egypt and fed Mediterranean people for thousands of years, especially Italians. All other grains derive from farro, including rice, barley, rye, and wheat! Unfortunately, it became rationed because of growing difficulties, and became less popular. It's had a renaissance in the recent years because of its health benefits like high fiber and protein. Also, its gluten structure is different, so usually people who are gluten intolerant (not who have Celiac) are able to tolerate farro. 

Cauliflower Fritters

I'll be honest. I feel like I haven't been particularly inspired to cook new things. I'm falling into a cooking rut. By the time I get home from work at 7:30 or 8:30, I go for the frozen marinated fish from Trader Joe's, or make a quick shakshuka or soba noodle concoction. So this cauliflower fritter is my attempt at jazzing up my vegetables. That's right. Jazzing up. Meet mashed cauliflower, eggs, parsley, panko, sriracha and paprika. These babies cooked so quickly and had a ton of flavor and great texture. They're perfect with a side of greens and a nice whole grain.

Truffle Popcorn

I have been really into flavored salts these days. There's a shop in Chelsea Market called The Filling Station that sells flavored vinegars, olive oils, and salts. These unique additions have added an extra layer to my cooking. I use butternut squash oil on salads, pasta, and quinoa, dark chocolate vinegar to make sauces, ginger vinegar to marinate fish, bacon salt (YES!) on burgers, and truffle salt on just about everything.

My friend Mark owned Mini Bar in New York's East Village and would serve truffle popcorn to his guests nightly. These little morsels were so addicting and unforgettable. Why save a special popcorn for a special occasion? It's so easy to make truffle popcorn at home - or any flavored popcorn at home in a deep pot, popping up popcorn kernels old school style. I guarantee you will be making yourself homemade popcorn at least once a week once you realize how simple it is. Microwave popcorn and its fake flavors and fillers doesn't stand up to popcorn popped in a pot!

Fresh Tagliatelle

Embodying an Italian nonna means more than wearing an apron, making a floury mess of one's kitchen, and yelling "mangia, mangia" at anyone who passes the threshold. Although I enjoy doing all of these things, what I love most about making fresh pasta like a nonna is putting my love into my food. Since I got my pasta maker in December, I've made fresh tagliatelle four times - and each time with love for the people I care for the most. Three times I made it with white flour, and one time with whole wheat. Although the whole wheat pasta was delicious, the flavor was strong and nutty and overwhelmed the flavors of its add-ins. I prefer the light flavor of the white pasta and the way the flavors of the sauce or vegetables fold into it.

When I prepare this tagliatelle, I make more than I need so I can freeze some for another time! With all that hard work, you may as well make it last!

Chicken with Proscuitto and Sage

 

This is hands-down one of the best chicken dishes I have ever made. I was blown away by the juiciness of the meat and the extraordinary flavor of the sauce. I wish I could take credit for this creation, but I got it from the Bon Appetit: Fast, Easy, Fresh cookbook. I'm glad I found it, because it is definitely going to be a repeat contender, and I hope it is yours too!

Cilantro-Mint Pesto

How do you make vegetables, chicken, fish, steak, chops, and pretty much a blade of grass taste flavorful and fun? Herbs! That's how. I want to thank my friends Serena and Fil for donating to me their extra food processor. Like I so often do, I have been making my life more difficult by using a blender to chop things that should definitely be done in a large food processor. Let's just say this made my life much more enjoyable. I'm learning every day!

For this pesto, which I used for ahi tuna steaks, the cilantro and mint gets a salty tang from capers and a nutty, rich bite from hazelnuts. A bunch of lemon squeezes and salt and pepper tie it all together. I'm telling you, this pesto rocked and I want it in excess to use with everything I cook. Next time I will make more and freeze it in ice cube trays, the way my mom used to do with fresh basil pesto in the summertime. Then you can pop out the herb cubes, wrap in foil, and store in the freezer until you're ready to use them.

Acorn Squash with Mushroom Barley Stuffing

I become squash obsessed the moment the first leaf begins to color in autumn. By this time of year, however, my love begins to wane and I start to yearn for fresh peas and asparagus at the farmer's market. That doesn't mean, however, that I abandon the hard bodied, sweet fleshed vegetables. Oh, no. So here I showcase a complete meal: beta-carotene, manganese, and Omega-3 fatty acid-rich acorn squash, heart-healthy barley, lycopeney cooked tomatoes, and cancer-fighting selenium-rich cremini mushrooms. These all come together in a sensational showcase of flavors that are warm, creamy, and comforting in these last cool days of winter. I paired this meal with a crunchy salad with fennel and goat cheese.

Root Vegetable Stewp

Every so often I go through my cooking magazines and rip out the recipes I want to make. I organize them in folders, such as Pasta/Rice/Grains and Beans/Veggies/Tofu. If I'm lucky, I'll remember that the folders actually exist in my bookcase, and make the recipes every now and again. This recipe is an adaptation from Cooking Light's Creamy Root Vegetable Stew with Gruyere Crostini that appeared in the October 2010 issue. The original recipe didn't include sweet potatoes, so I added a couple and omitted the turnips. I also used fat free half-and-half instead of cream, because that's what I had in the fridge. Additionally, I used goat cheese instead of gruyere, and I'm sure any cheese would be great with the mild stewp. Below is the recipe with my adaptations. I enjoyed this meal with my friend Ali and a couple glasses of wine.

Lentil Sausage Skillet

  

 I very much enjoy a gigundo one-pot meal that feeds two for dinner and leaves me a couple days of leftovers for lunch. This type of meal serves as a perfect lunch as it is flavorful as well as filling from all of the chicken and lentil protein and cauliflower, broccoli, and sweet potato fiber. I tried to give this dish a French edge, so I used dried thyme and Herbes de Provence. I also added a couple drizzles of leftover homemade pesto, which tied all of the flavors together.