At 4:30 today I’ll appear on Channel 12 Valley Dish with Tram Mai, where we’ll be making my Corned Beef, Cabbage, and Potato Pizza, along with this Mint-Chocolate Shake. If you want your shake to be green, it’s important NOT to use green colored mint chocolate chip ice cream, but instead, the more natural white ice cream. When blended, the green ice cream turns a lovely chocolate brown from all those chips! You’ll be using green food coloring to turn the white ice cream green. Either way, green or brown, this is one heavenly holiday treat!

St. Patty’s Mint-Chocolate Shake

1/4 cup milk
5 to 7 drop green food coloring
1/8 teaspoon pure mint extract
4 scoops mint chocolate chip ice cream (white, not green ice cream)
3 tablespoon rum (optional)

Garnishes
Whipped cream
Mint sprigs
Girl Scout Thin Mint cookies

Pour milk, food coloring, and mint in a measuring cup and stir to blend. Place milk mixture, ice cream, and rum (if using) in a blender and puree.

Pour into two tall glasses and garnish each with a sprig of mint, whipped cream and a cookie or two. Stick in a straw, and enjoy!

Serves 2

Time to gear up for the green! Tomorrow it is finally St. Patrick’s Day, and coincidentally I need to make a couple dozen cookies for a friends, so green it is! These soft cake-like cookies would be perfect for a Tea or Brunch. The “High Tea” theme is popular for wedding and baby showers, and so are these cookies. For a wedding shower you could tint one half of the icing the color of the bridesmaid dresses and leave the other half white. For a baby shower, pink and blue are the obvious choices. No matter what color theme you choose, these cookies will disappear as fast as you put them out!

I tested baking the cookies on both a Silpat lined baking sheet and one that was sprayed with Pam. Although I generally use the Silpat when baking, the cookies turned out a crisper on the unlined pan and in this case, crisper is better. You can see the results for yourself in the pictures below. And thanks to my “cookie tester and model”- Connor, who is home for spring break!

Lemon Tea Cookies

Cookies
1 1/3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
Finely grated zest of 1 large lemon
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
1/3 cup buttermilk, well-shaken
Icing
3 cups powdered sugar
Finely grated zest of 1 large lemon
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
Food coloring of your choice

Cookies: Position oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Spray 2 baking sheets with non-stick cooking spray.

Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl, set aside. Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes, then add egg and vanilla, beating until combined well.

Reduce mixer speed to low and add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture, and mixing just until smooth.

Drop rounded teaspoons of batter 2-inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake, switching position of sheets halfway through baking; until tops are puffed, edges are pale golden, and cookies spring back when touched, 6 to 8 minutes total. Transfer to a racks to cool.

Icing: Stir together powdered sugar, zest, lemon juice, and vanilla in a small bowl until smooth, adding drops of water, if needed for a smooth spreadable consistency.

Transfer half of the icing to another bowl and add drops of food coloring as desired. With offset spatula, spread colored icing over half of flat side of each cookie. Starting with cookies you iced first, spread plain white icing over other half of each cookie.

Wait until the icing is dry before stacking cookies, with sheets of parchment or wax paper, between layers. May be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for 4 or 5 days.

Makes about 2  1/2 dozen cookies

My girlfriend, Lorie, was recently in town from California; along with her sister, Kathy, who was in from Indiana. We had a great night out and Lorie was raving about a roasted vegetable and polenta lasagna she had ordered at a Los Angeles area restaurant called Zinc Café & Market. Let me tell you, I am a fool for polenta and there aren’t too many things more fantastic than roasted vegetables! Since I won’t be getting to LA in the near future, I had to make my own concoction! The polenta fills in as the “noodle” layers in this healthy, gluten-free, and vegetarian lasagna. You can purchase prepared firm polenta in a tube at most grocery stores and always at Trader Joe’s. Thank you Lorie for a great night, dinner, the cute little glasses you gave me, and the idea for this scrumptious lasagna. It was a bona-fide hit with Dave, me, and (believe it or not) even my Dad!

Roasted Vegetable Polenta Lasagna

2 zucchini squash, ends trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch slices on a diagonal
2 yellow squash, ends trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch slices on a diagonal
1 large eggplant, ends trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch rounds
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large onion, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
2 bell peppers (whatever color you like), trimmed, seeded, and opened flat
1 large potato, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
1 cup sliced mushrooms
4 large garlic cloves, peels left on
1 jar marinara sauce, divided
1  (16 to 18-ounce) tube of polenta, cut into 18 slices, divided
1 small container low-fat ricotta cheese, divided
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place the zucchini, yellow squash, and eggplant slices in a large bowl; add 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper, to taste and toss to coat. Lay out vegetable slices on a large rimmed baking sheet.

Place the onions, peppers, potato slices, mushrooms, and garlic cloves in the same bowl; add 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Toss to coat and lay out on a second rimmed baking sheet.

Place both baking sheets in preheated oven for 18 minutes. Remove baking sheets from oven and turn over vegetables, then return to oven, switching racks. Roast another 18 minutes or until vegetables are nicely browned and caramelized. Squeeze garlic out of peels and toss all vegetables together. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.

Spoon 1/2 cup marinara sauce onto the bottom an 8-inch square baking dish. Arrange 1/3 of the roasted vegetables over marinara and top evenly with 9 polenta slices. Spread 1/2 cup ricotta over the polenta and spread another 1/2 cup marinara sauce evenly ricotta.

Top with 1/3 of the vegetables and the remaining 9 polenta slices, spread with 1/2 cup ricotta and the remaining vegetables. Spoon 1/2 cup marinara sauce on top and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Bake 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 6 to 8

The lovely people at Pom Wonderful sent me a case of 8-ounce bottles of their wonderful Pom Wonderful juice and I want to share them with you.  The first 3 people to comment and leave a recipe using pomegranate juice will receive 2 of those 8-ounce bottles. Mind you, it will not count if you use a recipe already posted here by me! If you use an already published recipe from a cookbook, website, or magazine – that is fine, just be sure to credit where ever you are using it from.  To get you going… here is a little recipe from me to you.

Berry-Pom Sorbet

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup Pom Wonderful pomegranate juice
Two 16-ounce packages frozen mixed berries
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

In a medium saucepan over high heat, combine the sugar and pomegranate juice. Cook, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved, about 3 minutes. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl and set that bowl in a larger bowl that is about 1/2 full of ice and a little water.  Stir occasionally until mixture is cooled, this is called an “ice bath”.

In a blender, purée the frozen mixed berries with the cooled pomegranate syrup and lemon juice until very smooth, strain through a fine-mesh sieve to remove as many of the berry seeds as possible. *See note below

Pour into an ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer’s directions.

Remove sorbet from ice cream maker and place into a bowl, cover and freeze until firm, then enjoy!

*Note: I own a Vita-Mix blender, which purées just all about all the seeds, you may have more seeds left in your strainer if you have a standard blender.

Makes about 1 quart

You know how devoted I am to Costco, but we all know the problem with Costco… sometimes our eyes are bigger than our stomaches! That was the case with a 3-pack of Boursin cheese I bought a while back. I needed the first package for a specific recipe and the second package followed when I put it on a cheese tray a few weeks, no problem. But the 3rd package… it has been in the fridge for a long time and I looked at today and saw that the “use by” date is tomorrow! What to do? Well, what I am going to do is give you the easiest and quickest appetizer of all time… OK, maybe not of ALL time, but pretty darn quick!

Boursin Cheesy Puffs

1 loaf french bread
One 5.2 ounce package Boursin cheese, any flavor you like
2 egg whites

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Trim crust from bread and cut into 3/4-inch cubes.

Place Borursin in a small glass bowl and melt in microwave for 30 to 40 seconds. In a separate medium bowl, whisk eggs whites until stiff and then stir the 1/4 of the melted cheese into the whites at a time.

Add bread to bowl and toss with spoon to coat well.  Spread on a greased baking sheet and baked until golden, about 12 minutes, turning after the first 6 minutes.  Serve hot.

Serves 10 to 12

And, by the way, it is a completely heartfelt review.  I do love those darn sponges, even though they cost $15 for a dozen, they are worth every penny, as far as I’m concerned!  I even give them as gifts (alright, stocking stuffers) to Marissa and my mother-in-law every Christmas. Alas, that’s why I was there in the first place, to buy more! I wish they would send me a few free packages and then I could have a contest and give them away to you too! Well, you never know….

One week from today is St. Patrick’s Day!  Here are a few fun St. Patrick and St. Patrick’s Day facts from Wikipedia:

• Blue was the original color associated with St. Patrick, not green.
• St Patrick used the three-leaf shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit) to the Irish  people.
• St. Patrick died on March 17th 461 AD.
• The Irish Society of Boston organized what was not only the first Saint Patrick’s Day Parade in the colonies but the first  recorded Saint Patrick’s Day Parade in the world on 17 March 1737.
• The first parade in Ireland was not until the 1931 parade in Dublin.
• Chicago dyes its river green and has done so since 1962 when sewer workers used green dye to check for sewer discharges  and had the idea to turn the river green for St. Patrick’s Day.
• St. Patrick’s Day is a one-day reprieve from the forty days of fasting during the season of Lent. For many Christians this  includes indulging in ale.
• Saint Patrick’s Day is widely celebrated in America by Irish and non-Irish alike. Many people, regardless of ethnic  background, wear green-colored clothing and items. Traditionally, those who are caught not wearing green are pinched,  usually affectionately.
• And of course, corned beef and cabbage is the food most associated with St. Patrick’s Day in the United States.

According to Wikipedia, “Corned beef refers to a particular style of brine-cured beef. The “corn” in corned beef refers to the “corns” or grains of coarse salts used to cure it. The consumption of corned beef has become associated with St. Patirick’s Day. Although corned beef did not originate in Ireland, it has been an integral part of Irish-American culture. In Ireland, the closest traditional dish is Bacon and Cabbage (more akin to Canadian style bacon or ham). Corned beef and cabbage became popular in America after Irish immigrants in the eastern United States used corned beef instead of pork in their traditional dish.”

All that said, although I am 100% Irish, I cannot stand corned beef and cabbage! So when I volunteered to appear on Channel 12 Valley Dish for the St. Patrick’s Day show, I was expected to make something along those lines – yuck! So after mulling it over, I came up with the perfect solution – Pizza! Yes, pizza, a traditional Italian dish would solve all my issues with that Irish-American dish I so despise. I mean, what’s not to like; bread, cheese, potatoes (very Irish!), cheese, caramelized onions, garlic, and more cheese. With those stellar flavors to cover up the other two- I knew I couldn’t go wrong. And I was right!  This sauceless pizza is one they should be making and selling at Sauce! Although, the other 364 days of the year, I’d prefer it with crisp crumbled bacon (like a true Irishwoman!) rather than corned beef.  So get to the store this week, buy the ingredients and make it along with me at 4:30 on Channel 12 Valley Dish with Tram Mai on March 17th – St. Patrick’s Day… I’ll drink to that!

Corned Beef, Cabbage, and Potato Pizza

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 medium red onion, peeled, halved through the root end and thinly sliced
1 cup sliced green cabbage
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large or 2 small Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 pound prepared whole-wheat pizza dough (available at Trader Joe’s)
1 cup shredded Fontina cheese
3 ounces thinly sliced cooked Deli corned beef, cut into thin strips
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil with 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the red onion and cook over medium heat until caramelized. Add the cabbage and garlic, season with salt and pepper and sauté until just soft, about 4 more minutes, set aside.

Place a pizza stone in the oven and preheat to 500 degrees. Toss the potato slices with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in a single layer on a baking sheet in the preheated oven, until golden, about 12 to 14 minutes, turning potatoes over, halfway through.

Roll dough into a 14-inch round. Place the round on a pizza peel sprinkled with cornmeal (if baking on a stone) or a large oiled pizza pan if you do not have a stone; drizzle dough with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Scatter the Fontina cheese evenly over the crust, leaving a clean 1/2-inch border all the way around. Top with onion-cabbage mixture, corned beef, and potatoes. Sprinkle the top with the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Carefully slip the pizza onto the hot stone, if using, or place the pan in the oven. Cook until golden and crispy, about 10 to 12 minutes.

Makes 1 large delicious Irish pizza

This recipe was requested by the mother of one of my former (all grown-up now) students to be placed on the blog. We made this fresh and full-flavored bruschetta during a summer session several years ago. It thrills me when people put in requests for specific posts. Moms, you know what I mean, every night you have to think of something to feed your family, sometimes it comes to you easily and other times, you struggle. Same here! The people who request items most often, are my own two darling kids. Marissa usually asks for something specific and Connor… well Connor usually wants chocolate or bacon! So to appease him, you have the option of garnishing these tasty toasts with crumbled bacon… there you go Connor, your request was not denied! Oh, and that gorgeous yellow tomato in the picture below… from my garden…I’m just a little proud of it!

Tomato & Fennel Bruschetta

4 large ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 small fennel bulb, trimmed and diced, fonds reserved for garnish
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
16 slices baguette or Italian bread, cut 3/4-inch-thick
3 garlic cloves, peeled and flattened
4 slices crisply cooked and crumbled bacon (optional)

Preheat broiler.  Toss tomatoes, fennel, onion, olive oil, vinegar, and basil together in a large bowl.  Season with salt and pepper.

Place bread slices on baking sheet.  Broil until golden brown on both sides.  Transfer bread to serving plate.  Rub garlic onto hot bread on one side.  Mount tomato mixture atop bread slices, sprinkle each with fennel fonds and bacon, if desired.

Serves 8

In yesterday’s post we were able to use preserved lemons that we made two weeks ago, today the wait will be a bit longer. Eighty days to be exact, that does take a bit of patience! The first step takes 40 days and the second step another 40 days, so if we get going on it today, we will be sipping our limoncello at the end of May, just as the kids are getting out of school (at least here in Scottsdale, when the last day is May 26th!) On April 17th, we will do step two and on May 26th, we will not only complete the process but there will be a wonderful celebratory pie recipe using limoncello awaiting you too! It WILL be worth it!

Limoncello is an Italian lemon liqueur produced mainly in Southern Italy in the region around the Amalfi coast and the islands of Procida, Ischia, and Capri. Traditionally, it is made from the Sorrento lemon, although any lemon will produce a fine limoncello. It is traditionally served chilled as an after dinner digestive, served in small ceramic glasses which are also chilled.

Limoncello has only recently become well known in other parts of the world. It is a popular ingredient in cocktails, as it brings a strong lemon flavor without the bitterness of lemon juice. The liqueur gained notoriety in the United States in November, 2006, when actor Danny DeVito appeared on the The View still drunk from drinking limoncello the night before with his friend George Clooney. DeVito announced, “I knew it was the last seven limoncellos that was going to get me.”  I’ve never before wished I could have been Danny DeVito! Ah, to be enjoying the wonderful limoncello with the wonderful George Clooney, a dream come true!

There are many recipes for Limoncello, my favorite comes from Joanne Weir, an award-winning cooking teacher, cookbook author, and chef. This version comes from her book, Weir Cooking – Recipes from the Wine Country. Joanne is an annual teacher at Les Gourmettes Cooking School and always produces the most fantastically flavorful food. Joanne’s recipe makes 4 bottles (750 ml each), I only make that much during the holidays to give as gifts, here I’ve cut it in half for my own supply.

A little explanation on the pictures: #1 The jar doesn’t need to be That big – but it does need to be large, because after the 40 days, an additional 4 1/2 cups of liquid will be added. #2 No explanation needed – it’s George Clooney for goodness sake! #3It is extremely important to wash the lemons well, with soap and then rinse well. The only part of the lemon you are using is the peel and you need it to be clean! #4 The lone piece of peel on the right has too much pith on it, the other pieces are perfect, just use a light hand when peeling the lemons, don’t press in too hard.

Limoncello

7 large lemons
1 bottle 100 proof vodka (750 ml)

Wash the lemons well with soap and water and rinse well. Peel the lemons with a vegetable peeler, avoiding the white pith from the back of the peel.  Place the peels in a large glass jar along with 1/2 of the bottle of vodka (1 1/2 cups). Cover and place in a dark place for 40 days.

That’s it for now! You’ll get the rest of the recipe on April 17th, I told you, patience is a virtue, so be virtuous along with me!

Exactly two weeks ago I made Preserved Lemons and encouraged you to do the same, hopefully you did, because today is the day to crack those babies open and begin to enjoy their amazing flavor.

I’ll be serving my Moroccan chicken with a little couscous made with chicken broth and seasoned with cumin, cinnamon and a few currants… enough already! No more time to blog…time to eat!

Moroccan Chicken with Preserved Lemons, Olives, and Goat Cheese

3 ounces goat cheese, room temperature
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
1 teaspoon fresh minced oregano
1 teaspoon fresh minced thyme
Pinch of dried red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons minced green pitted olives
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 medium onions, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
2 whole cinnamon sticks
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 pieces preserved lemon pieces
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup dry white wine
16 pitted green olives, halved
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

In a small bowl mix together the goat cheese, garlic, oregano, thyme, red pepper flakes and minced olives.

Pat chicken dry, then season with salt and pepper. On the thickest side of each breast, cut a deep and long pocket. Using your fingers, stuff the goat cheese mixture into each pocket. Close by pressing the flesh together.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté chicken until golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side. Transfer chicken to a plate and keep warm, covered.

Add remaining tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter to skillet and reduce heat to moderate. Cook onions and garlic, stirring frequently, until softened and caramelized, 15 to 18 minutes. Add cinnamon sticks, saffron, cumin, ginger, and pepper and cook, stirring, 3 minutes.

Scrape and discard pulp from preserved lemon. Cut rind into thin strips and add to onions with broth, wine, and olives.

Return chicken, with any juices accumulated on plate, to skillet. Braise, covered, until chicken is cooked through, about 12 minutes. Discard cinnamon sticks and serve sprinkled with fresh cilantro.

Serves 4

Inspiration for recipes comes from many places, such as giving a standard recipe a healthy makeover or combining recipes to make something just right. Plucking fresh food from your garden or a farmer’s market, using other cuisines to spice up an old favorite, or in this case, out of complete and utter desperation! Ever since last Friday, when I held a girl scout cooking class, my life and time management skills had been in a downward spiral. Some of that was due to my own bad planning, other parts were things out of my control, and the rest was just Murphy’s Law – “Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.” So the light at the end of the tunnel of this tornado that was my life, came in the form of a party at my home. After racing from one thing to another and running on virtually no sleep, I had less than 5 hours to come up with a menu for the party, shop for the food and drinks, and make it all. Clean all the outdoor furniture (it’s been raining quite a bit here, so it was all a mess). And worst of all, clean a house that had not only been neglected, but literally treated (by me!) as if it were a landfill, where I was actually just tossing things on the floor or any flat surface. The picture below doesn’t really do justice to the mess the house was. The sun is shining so brightly against the more than a dozen glass bowls on the island that they are not really visible. But that was just one load of dishes spread out from unloading the dishwasher from the night before when I fell into bed right after putting in another (and the 3rd of the day) load.

So here is where this recipe begins. I had worked with Barb Fenzl at Les Gourmettes in the morning, where she taught a delicious class that included a Glazed and Grilled Asparagus. All the while I was thinking about what I could make, or pull from my freezer, or pick up at Trader Joe’s on my way home. There was leftover marinate from the asparagus, so I poured that in a jar and decided to make the asparagus as an appetizer instead of a side dish. I also had leftover sliced mozzarella, sliced black forrest ham, and basil in my fridge from a food styling event I’d done the day before… voila, a recipe is born. OK, it may not be the most inspired, creative, or original thing I’ve even come up with, but the point is, anyone can pull something together with what they have available to them by just giving it a little thought. The asparagus portion of this recipe is thanks to Barb Fenzl and I thank her for not only that, but for the delctable frozen Blue Cheese Galette dough she so generously sent home with me to use as well!

Marinated Asparagus Roll Ups

1 pound thick asparagus
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup whole grain mustard
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon or orange zest
3 tablespoons fresh lemon or orange juice
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 slices (12 ounces) sliced mozzarella cheese
12 slices black forest ham or prosciutto
12 large fresh basil leaves

Peel the asparagus and bread off the tough stem ends. Set aside.

In a shallow dish, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, olive oil, zest, juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Toss in the asparagus, coating evenly.  Let stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, or may be done up to 3 hours ahead, covered and refrigerated.

Preheat grill or grill pan. Remove asparagus from marinade and grill over medium high heat, turning occasionally until the spears are tender and lightly blistered, about 8 minutes.  Return asparagus to pan with marinade and allow to cool.

Lay the ham slices on a work surface, top each with a basil leaf, then with a slice of cheese. Cut each in half and place 1 or 2 asparagus spears (dripping with the sauce) in the center of each half, roll up and secure with a pick.

Chill until ready to serve.

Makes 24

Tonight I was shocked to discover that I have not posted my biggest “go to” and one of my all time favorite recipes ever! I would feel terrible for holding out on all of you, but I can’t feel bad about something I didn’t realize I had (or in this case, hadn’t) done! The discovery occurred when I had about twenty good friends over to support another good friend in her new business venture.  You see, my friend Ronnie, is a fashion consultant and I hosted a home party for her tonight.  I served my Caesar Dip, which I have been making and serving at parties for the past two decades. Just ask any one of the employees at my husband’s office and they will tell you that they have had Caesar Dip.  We hosted the office Christmas Party for about 10 years running and it was there on the buffet year after year. So when a bunch of the ladies tonight were asking for the recipe, I was telling them to look here on the blog. One of them said they didn’t think is was posted, low and behold, she was right! Honestly, I would have thought that it would have been one of, if not the, very first recipe I would have put up.

My favorite crudités to serve with the dip and the ones I think compliment it the best are Belgian endive spears, cherry tomatoes, and new or fingerling potatoes. For the potatoes, just boil in salted water until they are easily pierced with a paring knife, drain and while still wet, toss in Kosher or sea salt.

Usually when a recipe is written and the list of ingredients are given, they are listed not only in the order they are added, but also in “most” to “least” order. For example, 1 cup milk, 1/2 sour cream, 1/4 cup salsa, 3 tablespoons horseradish, etc… but here I list the first 3 ingredients out of that order and instead in order of cleanest to messiest. Use a 1/2 cup dry measuring cup for all three and you won’t have to wash it in between. And, of course, I also use the little cubes of garlic from Trader Joe’s to make this even quicker and easier. So here it is, my favorite recipe ever…

Caesar Dip with Crudités

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup low-fat sour cream
1 cup low-fat mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced
2 teaspoons anchovy paste or 1 anchovy fillet, finely minced
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Assorted crudités; such as cherry or pear tomatoes, endive spears, boiled and salted new potatoes, carrot, sugar snap peas, cucumber slices, carrot and jicama sticks.

Mix all ingredients in medium bowl. Season with freshly ground black pepper, to taste.

Caesar dip is best when make at least 3 hours and up to 1 day ahead, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serve with assorted crudités.

Makes 2 cups

Summer 2010 Classes are posted today. Go the the “Classes” page on the left to view the lineup. If you are interested in taking a week or two; then just go the “Registration” page, print and fill out the form and you’re on your way to a summer filled with good food, good friends, and good fun and you’ll even learn something new along the way! Hope to see you in June!