Roasted Potato Salad with Pomegranate Seeds

This is the season for pomegranate and they are such a beautiful and versatile ingredient that it's no surprise we see them in cocktails, salads, cheesecakes, and glazed over a thick pork chop. I wanted to showcase this little gem by contrasting it with the creamy texture and earthy taste of roasted potatoes. Then top it all off with a zesty and subtly sweet dressing. This would be a great festive dish for a holiday gathering or an office potluck. Or maybe just a fun salad you throw together for a weekend picnic. Wherever you plan on taking it, have fun and eat well.
Serves 6.

Let's start with what will take the longest and that is cooking and roasting the potatoes. Put a large pot of salted water on the stove on medium heat.

Cut 6-7 potatoes in 1/2 inch cubes, skins on, and throw in the pot. I used good ol' Russets, but a more waxy potato like a Yukon gold or red potato would be wonderful as well. Bring to a boil and cook for about 10-12 minutes over medium heat, just until a knife can be inserted. Remove from heat, drain, and transfer to a baking sheet. Toss in canola oil or vegetable oil and salt and pepper. Roast in a 375 degree oven for about 25 minutes or until a nice crisp forms on the outside. 

*Par-boiling the potatoes will help them crisp up in the oven and will be nice and soft on the inside. If you prefer an all around soft potato then you can skip the roasting step*

While the potatoes are roasting I like to get the messiest part out of the way, so de-seeding the pomegranate would be next.

These juicy gems stain, so make sure you are wearing clothes you don't mind getting stained. If you have a plastic cutting board, use it. If not, I wrapped my bamboo one with parchment paper and it worked fine, and easy clean up afterwards, too. Make sure you aren't cutting near your walls, the juice will splash and may stain. And watch out for that grout!

Start by cutting the pomegranate in half from top to bottom...

...then quarter it...

...then break off sections one by one and help the seeds pop out by peeling back the white membrane.

The seeds should come out pretty easily. I drop them directly into a bowl of water. That way any leftover membrane will float to the top and you can fish it out when done. Once you have popped out all the seeds, pick out any of the white that has come to the top of the water and throw away. Drain the seeds and set aside.

Check the potatoes, they should be done. Take them out and have a taste and add salt and pepper if needed. Cool to room temperature.

In the meantime, prepare the dressing. In a small bowl or dressing shaker combine:

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon whole grain Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 2 pinches chili powder
• 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1/4 teaspoon dried dill
• 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
• dash of you favorite hot sauce

Whisk until well combined and let sit for a few minutes.
While the potatoes are still warm, toss in the dressing until well coated. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and serve at room temperature or chilled from the fridge.

Turkey Meatloaf with Tangy Pineapple Glaze

I am visiting my dad this week and of course I wanted to check out what he has in his cupboards and come up with something for dinner. After exploring his freezer, fridge and cabinets I found turkey burgers, hamburger buns that needed to be used and an array of condiments that could last a family of four at least 3 years. I decided to make turkey meatloaf with a tangy pineapple glaze. It is savory, sweet, zesty, and best of all... comforting.

What I have learned from making meatloaf is that it doesn't matter what you put in, it matters the ratio of meat to egg to bread crumbs. Not enough egg and it will be dry and crumbly, too many bread crumbs will also leave it dry, too much meat and you might as well just make hamburgers. Go by feel, trust your gut, and take no prisoners. It is just meatloaf.

Start by toasting two buns in the oven on low, around 250 degrees Fahrenheit, until they are dry, dry, dry.
In the meantime, gather your fillings. I used ketchup, mustard, soy sauce, grated Parmesan cheese, black pepper, garlic salt, dried parsley, bbq sauce, and a packet of dry onion soup mix (or some other random packet of spices will work). Mix all of these fillings in a SEPARATE BOWL from the turkey and bread. This way, you can taste your mixture before you add it to the raw turkey and egg. Once was all said and done, I had 1/2 cup of filling. Get creative with this, use what you have. Like ranch? Put it in. Horseradish? Go for it. Worcestershire? Be my guest. Taste it and make it how you want because this is what your meatloaf will taste like. Once you nailed it, put it aside.

In another bowl, combine the turkey patties, 1 egg, and crumble in your nicely toasted buns. Mix just to combine then add your filling. Mix once more making sure everything is evenly distributed. This is when you should go by feel to tell if your mixture is proportional. It shouldn't be so wet that it coats your hand, but not too dry that all you feel are dry bread crumbs. It should be able to hold its shape and be able to form easily.

...like this...

...or this...

Place the mixture in a well greased loaf pan and form to make what you think meatloaf should look like. Something like the picture below...

 If I am serving this at a dinner party, I like to use individual loaf pans so everyone can have their own.

Set aside to let rest.

For the glaze, combine 2 tablespoons Apricot- Pineapple preserves, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon ketchup and a dash of your favorite hot sauce. Whisk together and you have your glaze! 

Generously spoon the glaze over the top and down the sides of the meatloaf and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 2 hours. Let sit at least 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Spicy Sausage and Apple Calzones

My sister and her husband are out of the country for a month and I am house/dog-sitting. While I myself do not have the means to travel out of the country, or anywhere outside Ventura county for that matter, I can at least pretend that I'm somewhere else... oh, let's say somewhere along the Italian countryside. I can sit out on the partially sunned porch, look at the view of the horses and mountains, sip an ice cold Peroni, and smell the sweet and spicy calzones cooking away inside. 

This recipe makes 2 calzones for a main course, or you can make 4 small calzones for a side or appetizer. They are warm, crispy, sweet, cheesy, spicy... what more can you ask for? Molto Bene!

Start by rough chopping 2 sausages, whatever flavor you might have. I used a spicy chicken sausage to counterbalance the sweet and tart apple. Heat up a medium sized skillet and cook the sausages for 2 minutes. No need for any oil, there is already some fat in the sausages.

Next, small dice 2 granny smith apples and add to the sausage on the stove. 

Cook on medium-low heat for 5 minutes or until the apples are soft, but still have some bite to them. Remove from the heat and let cool for 10 minutes. 

In the meantime, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and cut fresh Mozzarella into large chunks, you should have about a cup total. If you don't have fresh, shredded is fine. I just love biting into a gooey chunk of fresh Mozzarella! 

You can also use Brie, Camembert, Gruyere, any sort of soft, melty cheese would be just fabulous.

Fresh Mozzarella comes packed in water. If I have it in the fridge longer than a week, I change out the water to keep it fresher, longer. 

I love using frozen pie crust! It can be such a lifesaver. I use it in this recipe mainly because I had it, and I think it supports this hearty filling wonderfully. If you prefer to make your own crust, feel free! 

After one store-bought pie crust has thawed out, divide it into 2 equal pieces, roll them into a ball, and roll out into a circle, about 8" in diameter. 

To the cooled off filling mixture, add one egg and 1/4 cup bread crumbs and gently combine. Now fold in the cheese and the filling is ready. 

Take one of the rounds of dough and put the filling on one side of the circle, leaving a 1" perimeter. 

In a small bowl, beat one egg. With a pastry brush or your clean fingers, coat the perimeter of the dough so the two sides will stick together when baked.

Fold over the other side of the dough and press down gently with your fingertips. Then, with a fork, gently press down all along the edges of the rounded side of the calzone. 

Egg wash the top of the calzone. With a toothpick, poke 3 small holes in the top of each calzone to let any steam out. 

If you have a pizza stone, go ahead and lightly flour the bottom and place the calzones directly on the stone. If you don't have a pizza stone, spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray and place the calzones on the sheet. Bake for 25 minutes, until the top is crispy and a nice golden brown. 

                                                      

Let cool at least 5 minutes before serving.

What did I tell ya about that crust, huh? 

Manja! 

PB and J Macaroons with Caramel Sauce

Peanut butter and jelly is not only a classic combination, but common ingredients in any given pantry. We have all grown up with the comfort food and have seen the duo in more than just sandwiches. We have seen the sweet and salty couple in ice cream, donuts, milk shakes, cookies, cupcakes, pancakes, and even in vodka. I wanted to take the simple ingredients to the next level and make PB and J Macaroons and then top it off with a quick and simple caramel sauce that is sure to please any sweet tooth.

This makes a dozen macaroons. If not serving right away, put the caramel sauce in an air tight container until ready to serve. Transfer to a sauce pan, add 1 tablespoon of milk, bring to a simmer, then take off the heat and it will be fresh and ready to drizzle!

Start by crushing or pulsing 1 1/2 cups of crispy rice cereal until is is a course meal.

In a medium bowl, combine 1- 14 ounce can condensed milk, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter.


Add the cereal and mix until well combined. Let mixture firm up in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and put a cookie sheet in the freezer to chill.

*If you are using sweetened condensed milk, omit the sugar. Feel free to use any crispy cereal you have on hand; chex or corn flakes would work well. 


 Once the mix is ready, roll about a teaspoon of the mix into a ball and place on the chilled, un-greased cookie sheet or a sheet lined with a silicone sheet. Leave about a 1/2 inch in between each ball.

Put in the oven and bake for 9 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes.

In the meantime, make the caramel sauce. In a medium saucepan heat up 1 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup condensed milk, 3 tablespoons butter, and 2 tablespoons milk. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low and simmer until thickened, about 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat.

To assemble the macaroons, place one of the cookies upside down...

...dollop with your choice of jam or jelly...

 ...and top with another cookie.

Drizzle with the warm homemade caramel sauce and serve! Enjoy!

Something Extra: Summer Squash Gratin

Squash is something you can normally find in your local grocery store year round. But if you go to your farmers market around this time, you will be happy to find larger, more flavorful, more colorful summer squash. It is in season and that means plentiful harvests and healthy, affordable dishes. Squash is so versatile you can transform it to satisfy any craving you may have; a light veggie soup, crunchy tempura, a fluffy omelet, a sweet and sour stir fry, or a warm, cheesy summer squash gratin, which will be showcased on this post. Layered with fresh tomatoes, zesty rosemary, nutty Fontina and buttery Provolone cheeses, this dish can be enjoyed as a light side dish for 6 or a flavorful main course for 4. Happy cooking!

Start by coating a 9" x 6" baking dish with olive oil and set aside. You can also use a 9" round pie dish if you'd like. In a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven, cook 3 small red or purple potatoes until soft, but not cooked ll the way, about 10 minutes. Slice 2-3 yellow summer squash into 1/4" thick rounds. If you have small squash, you may need 4 or 5.

 Slice 4 medium tomatoes into the same thickness rounds.

When the potatoes are out of the oven and cooled for a few minutes, peel off the skin, and slice into
 rounds the same thickness as the squash and tomatoes.

Aren't these beautiful? You can use any potato or yam you have on hand...

Slice about 3/4-1 cup of Fontina cheese, grate about 2 cups of Provolone, and chop 2 tablespoons rosemary.

Once everything is prepped, start layering the ingredients, starting with the potato, then the summer squash, then tomato, each type of cheese, a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of rosemary, and finishing each layer with a sprinkle of kosher salt and pepper.

 

On the last layer, alternate squash and tomato for a colorful finish.

Top with the last of the rosemary and cheeses.

Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 hour. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Mandarin and Coconut Rice Pudding

Rice pudding is a delicious and rich way of satisfying your sweet tooth, and it is comforting to the soul. There are many versions out there and testing each one is the only way to find the right one for you. This recipe is sweet, cozy, and light. Served either chilled or warmed up, it is sure to leave a happy tummy. The convenient thing about rice pudding is you most likely have everything you need for it in your pantry and refrigerator. Enjoy!

Bring 1 1/2 cups of water to a boil in a sauce pan. Add 3/4 cups white rice and 1 tablespoon of butter. Bring back to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 20 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. Set aside.


In a clean sauce pan, combine 3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk, 1/4 cup low fat milk, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 3 tablespoons light brown sugar, 1 tablespoon white granulated sugar, 1/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut and 1 beaten egg. Bring to a simmer and add the cooked rice and cook on low for 15 more minutes. 

                         

Add 1 can drained mandarins, stir to combine.

Divide the rice pudding into 4 individual ramekins and put in the fridge until chilled, preferably overnight. 

When ready to serve, take out the fridge. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and place a layer of shredded coconut on a baking sheet. Let the coconut toast, about 10 minutes... watch carefully! 
Top the pudding with the toasted coconut and serve! 

Tasty Hints: use the mandarin juice as a yummy addition to a smoothie or add to champagne, and use left over condensed milk to make a deliciously rich Vietnamese Iced Coffee.