Ravioli Caprese

I have been wanting to make homemade ravioli for a long time but since I don't have a pasta maker, I didn't think I would be able to. Then I saw Giada make this ravioli on Everyday Italian. It looked so easy and simple. I had to try it. The flavors were great. So fresh and light. And I was suprised at how well it went for my first try at homemade pasta. I squeezed fresh lemon on it just before serving to brighten it up and intensify the lemon flavor. I will definitely be making this again soon, especially after I plant my basil in my herb garden. A great, light, and simple summer dinner. (Serves about 4 people)

Ingredients:

Dough:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1 cup very hot water

Filling:

3/4 cup whole milk ricotta cheese

1 egg

1/2 cup finely shredded rotisserie chicken

1/4 cup grated parmesean

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil leaves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Sauce:

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

juice of 1 lemon (optional)

Directions:

For the dough:

In a large bowl combine the flour and water. Using a wooden spoon, stir to combine into a large ball. Cover wil plastic wrap and let sit for 10 minutes.

For the filling:

Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl and stir to combine

To form the ravioli, cut the dough into 4 evenly sized pieces. The dough should be slightly sticky. Add extra flour as necessary for rolling, but use only a little as necessary. Form each piece into a 2 by 6 inch rectangle. Recover the dough with the plastic wrap.

Lightly dust the work surface and a rolling pin. Working with 1 piece of dough at a time, roll the dough into a 4 by 9-inch rectangle. Place rounded teaspoons of filling about 1 inch apart down the center of the dough. Fold the dough over the filling. Press down around the edges of each of the ravioli with your fingertips. Cut the ravioli into small squares (or use a circle cutter) and press down around each of the edges again with your fingertips to seal. Place the finished ravioli on a baking tray and continue forming the remaining ravioli.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add half the ravioli and cook until the ravioli float, stirring occasionally, about 3 to 4 minutes. Drain into a large bowl and cook the remaining ravioli.

Pour olive oil over the cooked ravioli. Add the basil, lemon zest, lemon juice (if desired), salt, and pepper. Gently toss to coat and serve immediately.

Saffron and Lemon Risotto with Scallops

A couple of weeks ago my dad treated us all to this fancy meal found in this cookbook my mom had given me. It was seriously so good! It had so much flavor and the risotto had a really good creamy texture and such a pretty color from the saffron. Risotto can be a little time consuming, but the key is to add the liquid just a little at a time and let it slowly absorb it. He served it with a Fresh Arugula Salad topped with a little parmesan cheese and fresh lemon juice. Oh and the table setting he and my mom came up with wasn't too bad either;) Great job, Dad!

(serves 4)

Ingredients:

5 cups simmering vegetable stock

16 scallops

juice of 1 lemon, plus extra for seasoning

1 Tbsp. olive oil, plus extra for brushing

3 Tbsp. butter

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 1/2 cups risotto rice

1 tsp. crumbled saffron threads

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

1 lemon, cut into wedges

2 tsp. grated lemon zest, to garnish

Directions:
Place the scallops in a nonmetallic bowl and mix with the lemon juice. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Heat the oil with 2 Tbsp. of the butter in a deep pan over medium heat until the butter has melted. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes, or until soft and starting to turn golden. Add the rice and mix to coat in oil and butter. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes, or until the grains are translucent. Dissolve the saffron in 4 Tbsp. of the hot stock and add to the rice.

Gradually add the remaining stock, a ladleful at a time. Stir constantly and add more liquid as the rice absorbs each addition. Increase the heat to medium so that the liquid bubbles. Cook for 20 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is creamy. Season to taste.

When the risotto is nearly cooked, preheat a pan over high heat. Brush the scallops with oil and for 3-4 minutes on each side, depending on their thickness. Be careful not to overcook them or they will be rubbery.

Remove the risotto from the heat and add the remaining butter. Mix well, then stir in the parmesan cheese until it melts. Season with lemon juice, adding just 1 tsp. at a time and tasting as you go.

Place risotto in serving dish and arrange scallops on top. Top with parmesan curls and lemon zest.

Seared Tuna with Mango Salsa and Chiptole Aioli

Once again, I cannot take credit for this recipe, except for the mango salsa part (that was a Martha Stewart recipe we have had around for awhile). Tyler created this awesome meal one night for our family. Everything about this meal was entirely his idea, even the way it was plated. The tuna steaks came with the sesame seeds already on them. All he and my mom did was sear them for about 30 seconds on each side, in a preheated pan with olive oil. Then they sliced them up and served them with a scoop of the salsa and a drizzle of the chipotle aioli. It didn't make it in the picture, but Tyler also served it with sourdough bread and an Avocado Spinach salad with a citrus vinaigrette. I am just posting the recipes for the mango salsa and the chipotle aioli because those were the only real "recipes" he used. Also, he and my mom set the table with sort of a beachy theme in mind... Such a delicious and fresh summer meal! Great job Tyler!

Mango Salsa
(makes about 2 1/2 cups)

Ingredients:
2 ripe mangoes (peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/4 inch dice) ** Here is a little guide from one of my favorite cooking blogs about how to cut a mango... much harder than it sounds!
1 1/2 Tbsp. fresh Jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (about 1 medium)
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. minced shallot

Directions:
In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients. Toss gently, and serve.

Chipotle Aioli

Ingredients:
3/4 cup mayonnaise
3 cloves minced garlic
2 1/2 T lemon juice
3/4 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1 1/2 t finely chopped chipotle in adobo sauce (you can adjust this amount depending on how spicy you want it)

Directions:
Stir together the mayo, garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and chipotle pepper and chill until ready to serve.

Brunch Braid

I am posting this recipe because it is SO good (even though I cannot take credit for finding it!) I first tasted this recipe at the Graduation Brunch my cousin Jodee threw for Ashley and I. Since then we have made it a few times, both the original way and also with a variation my mom thought of. My mom made one of each for dinner one night and served them with fruit kabobs. I am also posting a picture of the sort of French table setting she did because I thought it was so cute!

Ham and Cheddar Brunch Braid

Ingredients:

1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper

2 green onions, sliced
4 oz. cream cheese

1/2 cup milk

8 eggs

1/4 tsp. salt

dash ground black pepper

1 tsp. butter or margarine

2 packages refrigerated crescent rolls (we found that the largest size work best)

1/4 lb. thinly sliced deli ham

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 F. Chop bell pepper and green onions. Place cream cheese and milk in bowl. Microwave on high 1 minute; whisk until smooth. Separate 1 egg and reserve egg white for later use. Whisk egg yolk and the remaining 7 eggs, salt, and pepper into cream cheese mixture until well blended. Add bell pepper and onions to egg mixture and mix well.

Melt butter in large skillet over medium-low heat. Add egg mixture. Cook, stirring occasionally, until eggs are set but still moist. Remove pan from heat.

Unroll crescent dough; do not separate. Arrange dough on rectangular baking stone (or metal baking sheet will work fine) with longest sides of rectangles across width of baking stone. Using a rolling pin or just your hands, roll dough to seal seams. Starting on the longest sides of the baking stone, cut sides of dough into strips, about 1 inch wide and 3 inches long. Arrange ham evenly over center of dough. Scoop egg mixture over ham. Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese over egg mixture.

Starting at one end, lift one strip of dough. Twist one turn and lay across top of filling. Repeat, alternating strips of dough to form a braid. Fold bottom edges up at ends of braid. Lightly beat reserved egg white. Brush over dough using a pastry brush. Bake for 25-28 minutes or until deep golden brown. Slice into pieces.

Turkey and Provolone Brunch Braid

Ingredients:

1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper

1 small shallot, chopped finely

4 oz. cream cheese

1/2 cup milk

8 eggs

1/4 tsp. salt

dash ground black pepper

1 tsp. butter or margarine

2 packages refrigerated crescent rolls (the biggest size work best)

1/4 lb. thinly sliced deli turkey (we used herb-roasted deli turkey)

1/2 cup provolone cheese (we just took the pre-sliced sandwich provolone and cut it up)

2 cups fresh spinach, sliced

Directions:

Follow the same directions as I described above. Just sprinkle the fresh spinach on at the same time you add the meat and cheese.

Creamy Walnut Shrimp

This recipe was by far the favorite dish from the Chinese take-out meal I created. I tried to find a recipe that was similar to the Walnut Shrimp I always order when I go to Asian Star. It had a really unique flavor (I think it was something in the 5-spice powder), and we all loved it! Definitely a new family favorite! Oh and I threw in a picture of the table setting I did for the meal. Usually I don't do a table setting, but I though it would kinda be fun to do sort of an Asian theme! I also set some fortune cookies on the table for dessert!

(serves 4)

Ingredients:
3/4 lb. uncooked medium shrimp, shelled and cleaned
oil for deep frying
1/4 cup glazed walnuts

Marinade:
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. minced shallot
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. sesame seeds
1/4 tsp. 5-spice powder (available in the Asian food aisle)

Sauce:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tsp. honey
2 tsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. lime juice
1 tsp. sesame oil
1/4 tsp. mustard powder

Directions:
Mix together ingredients for marinade. Add shrimp and toss in marinade. While shrimp is marinating, mix together ingredients for sauce. Stir until smooth.

Pour oil into wok and heat. Slip the shrimp into hot oil and fry until opaque, about 3 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Place shrimp in large bowl and drizzle with sauce. Toss to coat well and then place onto serving platter. Top with glazed walnuts and garnish with sesame seeds.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

When making my Chinese take-out dinner, I knew I had to make some Sweet and Sour Chicken. For this recipe I turned to a cooking blog I had come across recently called Rasa Malaysia. Between the countless easy but authentic Asian recipes and awesome pictures of her food, I would highly recommend it! The original recipe called for pork, but I used chicken since there aren't many pork fans in our family. It turned out great and I will definitely be making this again!

Ingredients:

1/2 lb chicken, cut into bite size pieces
1/2 green bell pepper, cut into pieces
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into pieces
2 stalks scallions, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 small can pineapple chunks
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
oil for frying

Marinade:
1 tsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. rice wine

Frying Batter:
1/2 cup water
2 oz. all-purpose flour (I had to look this up, and found out it's a little less than 1/2 c)
1 oz. corn starch (a little less than 1/4 c)
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 egg (just whisk it in a little bowl and dump half of it out)
1 tsp. cooking oil
1 small pinch of salt

Sweet and Sour Sauce:
1 1/2 Tbsp. ketchup
1 tsp. plum sauce
1/8 tsp. rice vinegar
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. oyster sauce
1 tsp. corn starch
1 tsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. water

Directions:
Cut chicken into pieces and marinate with the ingredients for 15-20 minutes.

Mix the sweet and sour sauce ingredients well and set aside.

Mix together the dry ingredients for the frying batter and then add in the 1/2 egg, water, and cooking oil to form a thick batter.

When the chicken is well marinated, transfer the pieces into the batter and make sure they are well coated. In a deep skillet, pour enough cooking oil to fry the chicken pieces. Once the oil is hot, deep fry the chicken pieces until they turn golden brown. Dish out and drain on paper towels.

Heat up a wok and add in some cooking oil. Add in the chopped garlic and stir fry until light brown, then add the bell peppers and pineapple. Stir fry until you can smell the peppers. Add in the sweet and sour sauce. As soon as the sauce thickens, transfer the chicken into the wok and stir well to coat chicken with sauce. Add in the chopped scallions, do a few quick stirs. Serve with hot steamed white rice.

Hot Sesame Beef

For my homecooked Chinese take-out meal, I also made a spicy beef dish from this cookbook my mom had given me. It was really good, but I should probably warn you, VERY spicy. I'm sure you could adjust the amount of red chile, chile flakes, or chili oil to acheive just the right amount of heat for your taste. Also, you end up cooking the beef twice, so be careful not to overcook it the first time or it will end up overdone.

(serves 4)

Ingredients:

1 lb 2 oz beef fillet, cut into thin strips (I just bought the meat that comes already sliced and says "stir fry meat" on it and cut each piece in half. Not the stew meat, which can be really tough)
1 1/2 Tbsp. sesame seeds
1/2 cup beef stock
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. grated fresh gingerroot (I just used ground ginger)
2 garlic cloves, chopped finely (I always just use the jarred stuff)
1 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. chile flakes
3 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 large head of broccoli, cut into florets (I just used frozen broccoli florets)
1 red bell pepper, sliced thinly
1 red chile, seeded and sliced finely
1 Tbsp. chile oil, to taste
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro, to garnish

Directions:
Mix the beef strips with 1 Tbsp. of the sesame seeds in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the beef stock, soy sauce, gingerroot, garlic, cornstarch, and chile flakes.

Heat 1 Tbsp. of the sesame oil in a large skillet or wok. Stir-fry the beef strips for 2-3 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Discard any oil left in the pan, then wipe with paper towels to remove any stray sesame seeds. Heat the reamaining oil, add the broccoli, red bell pepper, chile, and chili oil, and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the beef stock mixture, cover, and let simmer for 2 minutes.

Return the beef to the skillet and let simmer until the juices thicken, stirring occasionally. Cook for another 1-2 minutes.

Sprinkle with the remaining sesame seeds and garnish with chopped cilantro.