One of my co-workers gave me a recipe last week for French Tarragon Burgers.  The recipe is from Taste of Home which has fantastic recipes in their magazines and online.  I tried it out Wednesday night and loved it. I only made four burgers but I made the full amount of mayonnaise mixture so I still had a bunch left after dinner.  I didn’t want it to go to waste so I used it on some sandwiches that gave it some flavorful zing.  Definitely give it a try if you want to change up your typical burger tonight.

On Monday, I chose to make the Meaty Quesadillas and Perfect Guacamole from the May 2010 issue of Food Network magazine.  I made the 30-minute Meaty Quesadillas recipe with lean ground beef and only used a few alternative ingredients.  I didn’t have ancho chili powder so I just used the generic chili powder.  I also used the Mexican blend shredded cheese instead of muenster or Monterey jack cheese.  Zoey LOVED the taco meat mixture and shoveled it in as fast as possible. If the recipe can entice my picky 21 month old to eat, I’m sold! 

I wanted an all around Mexican meal so I also made the Perfect Guacamole recipe from the same issue of FNM.  I am a fan of spicy but my tummy is not so I left out the Serrano chiles.  I used roma tomatoes and fresh cilantro to finish out the recipe.  It turned out creamy and light with a little kick at the end.  I made store-bought cheese dip and refried beans from a can as sides.  I also made some of my own Mexican rice.  I brought 2 cups of water to a boil.  I added 1 cup of white rice, 3 tablespoons of my favorite salsa, a 1/2 teaspoon chili powder and a pinch of salt.  Cover and cook on low for 20 minutes and you have a tasty side dish for you favorite Mexican meal.

Both of these recipes were simple to make and wonderfully delicious.  The guacamole recipe has three additional recipes, Spicy Papaya Guacamole, Southwest Corn Guacamole and Creamy Tomatillo Guacamole.  I am looking forward to trying these later. 

While I was making the Fast & Easy Lemon Chicken last night, I decided we needed a succulent vegetable to accompany the savory lemon sauce and I thought baby spinach would be a good pairing.  However, while watching The Next Iron Chef on Food Network a few weeks ago I heard Jeffrey Steingarten mention that raw spinach does not have nearly the nutrition value that cooked spinach does. This intrigued me since I enjoy a spinach salad a couple times a week over traditional lettuce.  I knew that spinach was high in fiber and great for your eyes but I wanted to know more.  I called Popeye but he wasn’t unavailable so I plundered through the world wide web instead.

I did little research on NutritionalData.com and found that when comparing 1 cup of raw spinach to 1 cup of cooked spinach with no salt added the nutritional value of the cooked spinach is significantly higher. For instance, the Vitamin A in uncooked spinach is around 56% compared to the 377% in cooked spinach. Both versions are low in saturated fat and very low in Cholesterol.  That is not to negate the nutritional values of eating spinach raw.  It contains high quantities of vitamin C and other phytonutrients (nutrients that fight against disease). The Healthy Foodie,  Doug DiPasquale stated on the website ThatsFit that “raw spinach contains a substance which blocks the absorption of many minerals, including iodine, a mineral critical to the proper functioning of the thyroid. It also contains oxalic acid, a substance that interferes with the absorption of calcium, but which is destroyed in cooking. Raw spinach should therefore be avoided by those with thyroid issues, or those at high risk for osteoporosis, and should only be enjoyed on occasion by the rest of us (one spinach salad per week shouldn’t be an issue).”

Now – on to the nom, nom food.  This recipe combines the flavors of spinach and carrots with a dash of lemon zest that will help break down the iron for easier absorption into the body.  The pecans and bacon are just added flare.

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 carrot peeled
• 12 ounces baby spinach, washed
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1/4 cup of pecans
• 2 tbsp. crumbled bacon pieces
• salt and pepper to taste

Using a potato peeler, shave the carrot into thin, one-inch long pieces.  Zest the lemon to make 1 teaspoon of lemon zest. In a dry sauté pan over medium heat, warm the pecans for about 2 to 3 minutes, stirring once or twice.  Remove pecans from pan and set aside. Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat.  Add the shredded carrot and the spinach leaves along with a dash of salt and pepper.  Toss spinach and carrots in pan until the spinach leaves are wilted and the shredded carrots are just al dente. Remove from heat and add the lemon zest and the crumbled bacon and toss to incorporate.  Plate and sprinkle with toasted pecans.

This recipe is something my mom has been making since I was a little girl.  She says she got the recipe off the back of the box.  It is really simple and delicious.  I make it whenever I have a summer picnic that I need to bring a quick dish.  It is better when it is made the night before or at least a few hours in advance so that the flavors can really permeate the dish.  Also, be sure not to leave it out too long, as it does have mayo in it.

• 8 oz shell pasta (I don’t know why but shell pasta makes this taste fabulous, no substitutes)
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp celery seed
• 1 Roma tomato diced
• 1 cup celery finely diced
• 3 tbsp green pepper finely diced
• 3 tbsp pimentos (optional but I never use it)
• Celery leaf tops and radish rose for garnish (optional – if your entertaining)

NOW, follow these instructions very closely:

1. Cook pasta
2. Cut veggies
3. Cool pasta
4. Mix all ingredients
5. Refrigerate at least 2 hours
6. Eat it. Like It. Smile accordingly.

DON’T COMPLICATE IT! IT IS PERFECT THIS WAY. TRUST ME.

My sister, Danielle, created this simple but elegant mushroom dish.  She loved it so much that she immediately picked up the phone to share it with me and the readers of Cooking with Brandy. The recipe serves 2-3 people.

• 12 large white button mushrooms (stems removed and dirt wiped off)
• 12 slices of brie cheese from a 1 ½ inch round log (1/4” slices)
• 12 small basil leaves
• 3 tbsp of melted butter
• 1 tsp garlic powder

Preheat oven to 400°. Take two large pieces of aluminum foil and turn up the edges to form two shallow bowl. Place mushrooms in foil bowls with tops down. Top with brie slice and basil leaf. Drizzle butter over mushrooms and sprinkle with garlic powder. Bake in over for 5-10 minutes until brie starts to melt and mushrooms firm, dark and juicy.

Dani

www.danielledesigns.com

I am proud to say that I have a beautiful fresh herb garden in my yard. As a matter of fact I currently have over 34 varieties of herbs and edible plants in my garden. My last birthday, Adam gifted me a dehydrating machine that I am able to use to dry my own herbs. Granted I get most of my herbs from Penzey’s Spices but they recently moved from the 280 corridor so my treks to their new location in Homewood are few and far between.

Earlier this year I concocted a new Italian Seasoning herbal mix from a variety of purchased and home grown herbs that I just adore. I make it in large quantities and use it in a variety of recipes. This afternoon I altered my Rosemary Roasted Potato recipe to include this heavenly herbal blend and though I haven’t tasted yet, the smell in my house is intoxicating. Here is the blend if you would like to try it. Again, this is in bulk so it makes about 1 1/2 cups of seasoning mix.

6 tbsp. dried Basil
½ tsp. Black Pepper
2 tbsp. Garlic Powder
½ tsp. Marjoram
2 tsp. Onion Powder
6 tbsp. dried Oregano
6 tbsp. dried Parsley
½ tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
2 tsp. dried Rosemary
2 tsp. dried Thyme

Let me know what you think.

My sister, Danielle, recently posted this beautiful recipe/scrapbooking page on her popular website www.scrapoutsidethebox.com.

Danielle writes: Here is an old family recipe from Spain. This is a great recipe when you need something fast and easy. It take less than 15 minutes to make if you include cutting the mushrooms and peeling the shrimp. It will be in your favorites I promise. If your kids don’t like the spice just leave out the red pepper flakes for them.

Asparagus is one of my go-to vegetables when I need a healthy side dish to fish or chicken.  I make it many different ways but typically I use a lemon dill sauce that takes seconds.

First I remove the ends of the asparagus with snap.  Then I chop the stalks to  1 1/2 to 2 inch pieces. Next I add the asparagus to a pot of boiling water for about 3 minutes. After 3 minutes, I remove the asparagus and place it in an ice bath to stop the cooking process.

In the emptied cooking pot, I toss the asparagus back in on medium heat.  I add about a 1/4 tsp of dried dill, a pat of butter (or olive oil) and a squirt or two of lemon juice. Toss together and serve immediately. Easy as pie… I mean Easy of Veggie!

My co-worker, Dorothy, gave me this fast and easy recipe for Hollandaise Sauce in the microwave.  I have made it numerous times and it is wonderful.  It certainly beats the powdered kind you find at the supermarket.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter melted
• 3 egg yolks
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp salt
• dash cayenne pepper

Method:

Melt the butter in the microwave. Let cool for about 1 minute.  Add the remaining ingredients and whisk lightly. Place the container into microwave and microwave on medium for 30 seconds. Wisk and return to microwave heating for an additional 30 seconds on medium.  Continue this pattern until the hollandaise sauce has reached the necessary consistency. You should be able to dip a spoon in the sauce, wipe the back of the spoon with your finger and a line will stay.  Try not to make it too thick because it will coagulate as it cools down. You can use some now and store the remainder in the refrigerator for up to 2 days in a tightly sealed container.  When reheating, remember to cook for short periods of time (30 seconds) on medium.

June 8th – 14th, 2008

Well, another wonderful week has passed.  Coupons clipped, groceries shopped, food prepped, and bellies bursting.  This week’s menu had quite the variety but enjoyed by many.  Most of the recipes are from cookbooks and other resources, but I threw in my “twist” when I could. From semi-homemade pizzas to slow-cooker recipes and on to luscious desserts, I recommend these dishes to the food lover in you. 

Sunday, June 8th: After venturing through my cookbooks and then visiting the local super market to pick up the ingredients for this week’s concoctions, I returned home to endulge my kitchen obsession for, sad to say, seven hours.  Sometimes, I get so caught up playing around in the kitchen, with my little tv tuned to the food network, that I lose track of time.  Baby Zoey was in my belly just dancing away and other than a little ache in my feet, I was tickled pink to be making these creations.