Pasta with Marinated Grape Tomatoes

Pasta with Marinated Grape Tomatoes is a total necessity. I make this all year, but it's really a blessing for the summer when you don't feel like cooking a big thing but need your pasta fix.

The beauty of the dish is it requires zero cooking time or energy for the sauce. Just toss all the ingredients together in a serving bowl and set aside for at least 30 min. Cook the pasta, add it the sauce with some pasta water and voila! Perfection. 

Top with mozzarella or goat cheese if you like.

Pasta with Marinated Grape Tomatoes

Makes 4 side dish servings

 1/2 pound orecchiette or other short pasta

1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper

1/8 tsp. black pepper

1/4 tsp. salt

3 Tbsp. fresh basil, minced, plus more for garnish

1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for garnish

Fresh mozzarella, diced, or crumbled goat cheese

In a medium serving bowl, combine grape tomatoes, garlic, red pepper, black pepper, salt, basil and olive oil. Stir gently. Set aside for at least 30 minutes.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook orecchiette as directed by the package. Once cooked, transfer cooked pasta with a spider ladle to the bowl of marinated tomatoes. Add a ladle or two of pasta water.  Drizzle with olive oil, check for seasonings and garnish with more basil, if desired.

Serve hot or at room temperature with mozzarella or goat cheese, if desired. 

Grilled Peach Bruschetta

Sometimes the most unusual combinations make the most delightful dishes. That's how I feel about my Grilled Peach Bruschetta. 

The rosemary olive oil, goat cheese, basil and balsamic bring out earthy qualities of a peach that are magnificent to discover. It's a combinations you should most definitely try.

Topped on toasted baguette, this a dish that will impress your guests during your next summer get together. 

Grilled Peach Bruschetta

(Makes 10-12 servings)

By Susan Watson Leiser

1 large ripe but firm peach, halved and pitted

¼ cup rosemary olive oil

10-12 slices French baguette

4 ounces goat cheese, softened

10 large basil leaves, chiffonade

Balsamic vinegar to drizzle over finished bruschetta

Brush both sides of baguette with rosemary olive oil.

Preheat grill pan over medium-high heat. Place prepared baguettes on grill pan. Grill on each side for about 5 minutes to lightly grill. Remove from pan and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, brush halved peach with rosemary olive oil on both sides. On the same heated grill pan, place both peach halves on the grill, cut side down. Grill for 4 to 5 minutes per side. Remove to a cutting board to cool.

Once peaches are cool, cut into thin slices. You should get about 20 to 24 slices.

Spread goat cheese onto each toasted baguette. Top each with two peach slices. Top each with basil chiffonade and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

Eggplant Only in My Dreams

One of the benefits of my insomnia is that I dream colossal epic dreams that I remember quite vividly upon waking up no less than three times per night usually over a 6-to-7 hour rest, if you can call it that. Tossing and turning to settle; craving water; trying to find zen after crazy adrenaline triggered by copious amounts of asthma meds; dozing in and out; waking up to use the potty; tucking in the sheets; feeling hot; feeling cold; stretching; uber focusing on every creak, snore, breath that torments my ears as signs that others are at rest while my non-stop mind is not; pep talking to psyche myself up for some shut eye; making mental lists; worrying; fluffing pillows; pacing; refilling my water glass; anticipating the drill-like sound of the alarm (which I always beat by waking up before its shock-to-the-system buzz). This pretty much sums up my daily sleep situation for my whole entire existence. About once every month or two, I will crash and burn, sleeping hard and unscathed until like 10:30 in the morning. Then I wake up startled, heart racing, wondering what in the hell just happened.

My dreams stay with me for very long periods of time. I feel like this is a blessing because so many people forget their dreams instantly. I have dreamt of my deceased grandmothers; I knew I was having a baby boy without a doubt because of my dreams; I dream of people I haven't seen in ages and then that day I see them; I dream multi-chaptered dreams of my friends and family. And I remember so much. Plot lines. Character development. Dialogue. Costumes. Sets. The twists and turns. So many details. It's a bit trippy. But I accept this as my sleep reality: Little sleep and a whole lot to think about.

Last night, I dreamt of this: Eggplant on a bed of arugula, topped with goat cheese, a plum tomato salad and a drizzle of balsamic. The colors, the plating, the taste - all there in my dream. Vividly. I woke up wanting to eat this immediately. Of course, I needed to make this happen ASAP.

My dreams always mean something. I think. Probably not. Although, I have read that people who remember their dreams more than three times per week are considered out-of-the-ordinary genius masterminds as opposed to common folk who actually sleep a solid eight hours, feel well-rested and remember nada.

So clearly I am a major rock star omniscient smarty pants.

I tell this to myself daily as I walk into rooms with a purpose, the task at hand slipping from my mind in a blink of an eye. Why am I here? I'm so existential. Or when I leave the grocery store only to immediately create a new list of items because I forgot this or that.  Or when I run back to the house halfway down the street to double check that I locked the door or to grab my phone mocking me from the kitchen island.  But, but, but.... I'm a dream erudite. Who cares if I'm a total moron in real life.

So, Summer Eggplant Salad. That's what I'm calling this dish. It is a wonderful salad fit for a dinner party or a fancy shindig or just you and The Husband on a Monday. Cause that's how we do. You can prepare the tomato salad and grill the eggplant ahead of time. And then plate it right before serving. I love how this dish highlights so many Jersey Fresh goodies at this time of year: Eggplant, tomatoes, basil and parsley. The goat cheese and balsamic are some decadence thrown in for good measure.

Summer Eggplant Salad
Serves 8

Eggplant layer:
1 medium-large eggplant, cut into 8 to 10 half-inch thick slices
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat grill pan over medium-high heat.

Brush each side of eggplant slices with olive oil. Season each side with salt and pepper to taste. Grill each side of eggplant for 6 to 10 minutes per side until nicely marked. Set aside.

Tomato salad:
4 plum tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup red onion, minced
2 Tbsp. fresh basil, minced
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, minced
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Gently mix all ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.

To assemble salad:
8 grilled eggplant slices
Tomato salad
4 cups baby arugula
8 Tbsp. fresh goat cheese
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Balsamic vinegar

On eight salad plates, place 1/2 cup of baby arugula. Season with a drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.

On top of arugula, place a slice of eggplant.

On top of each eggplant slice, place one Tbsp. of goat cheese.

Spoon 1/4 cup of tomato salad onto the goat cheese. Lightly drizzle 1/2 tsp. of balsamic vinegar onto each finished plate.

Serve and enjoy!

Don't Call it a Comeback

I read somewhere - most likely on the internets - which is why I can't quite recall, that sun-dried tomatoes are back, baby. (They say we don't remember what we read on screens. I read that fact from somewhere, too. Again, don't know where. But it does sound like something that I would have found on the Drudge. And I 100 percent believe it. But I digress.)

I do know for absolutely certain - because my good old fashioned cookbooks - like the ones printed and bound - have said this: sun-dried tomahtoes were all the rage, dahling, back in the 1980s and 1990s until they were overused so much they were shunned by anyone who is anyone in the world of cooking. Leading up to their demise, they were like the avocado of that time. Or the kale. Or the truffle oil. Or the quinoa.You get me? Off topic: How quinoa became a thang I will never know. When will quinoa's day come and go? That really is the question.

OK. Focus, Susan.

But just like bodysuits (gag) and flannels (this one I am behind as long as they are from J. Crew or Lucky or something), the cool stuff from the 90s is all the rage here now in 2017 and that includes sun dried tomatoes.

So, yay me for being right on trend with this fabulous Angel Hair Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Goat Cheese by Giada.

Truth is I have been making this dish since 2007 when I saw Giada whip it together in a very chic kitchen on the Food Network (remember when they actually showed interesting cooking shows of people actually cooking on the tellie?  Memories....). And soon thereafter, I got my paws on the cookbook Everyday Pasta. In 2007, sun-dried tomatoes still weren't exactly the hotness on ingredient lists. At that time it was more like fancy salts (eyeroll) and slabs of bacon.

But I treat my food just like fashion, bandwagons be damned. You won't ever catch my in a bodysuit or willingly eating quinoa whether it  is 1997 or 2017. And if I want a sun-dried tomato in a dish, I'm going for it. Because they taste good. And that's that.

The pasta is very bold in flavor, and the goat cheese adds a phenom touch. I love it tons.

And so did my son. Which floored me. A 6-year-old asking for seconds of sun-dried tomatoes and goat cheese. I'll take it.

I served this with a wonderful panko crusted salmon dish by Barefoot Contessa. Recipe is here: Panko-Crusted Salmon

Doesn't the salmon look fab?

As for the sun dried tomato pasta, I use tomatoes not packed in oil like the recipe says. I use regular olive oil in place of the sun-dried tomato oil. Also, I used spaghettini instead of angel hair aka cappellini. I find cappellini gets too dry for my liking.

And just a little tip so that you don't find tomato paste rotting in your fridge a week later: You can store leftover tomato paste in little baggies or in ice cube trays in your freezer. Yay!

Here is the salmon plated with the pasta. I love the colors and the textures:

As for the sun-dried tomato pasta, I use tomatoes not packed in oil like the recipe says. I use regular olive oil in place of the sun-dried tomato oil. Also, I used spaghettini instead of angel hair aka cappellini. I find cappellini gets too dry for my liking.

And just a little tip so that you don't find tomato paste rotting in your fridge a week later: You can store leftover tomato paste in little baggies or in ice cube trays in your freezer. Yay!

Angel Hair Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Goat Cheese

4 to 6 servings
From "Everyday Pasta"
By Giada De Laurentiis

1 (10 ounce) jar sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, chopped (oil reserved)
1 small onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 cup dry white wine
1 pound angel hair pasta
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
3-4 ounces fresh goat cheese, coarsely crumbled

Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil from the sun-dried in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the wine and chopped sun-dried tomatoes and simmer until the liquid reduces by half, about 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Add the pasta and parsley to the tomato mixture and toss to coat, adding some of the reserved pasta water to moisten. Season the pasta with salt and pepper. Mound the pasta in bowls, sprinkle with the goat cheese and serve.

Olive Tapenade

Olive tapenade is a fab dish to make when you are having guests or need to make something to schlep to a gig offsite. Of course the fact that not everyone grooves on olives could jack up this plan. So make this if you really know your audience.

Since the Jersey Girl comes from a bunch of Italianos, you can bet your bottom dollar that my fam digs the olive tapenade and will hunt you down for the recipe and ask about it over and over and over again. The recipe comes from Debi Mazar and her Tuscan farmer chef husband Gabriele Corcos. I love it because I get to use my mortar and pestle. And the fresh parsley and lemon juice really brighten it all up. I serve it with sliced tomatoes, goat cheese and toasted bread or crackers. 

Pitting olives isn't exactly the most glammest of job. In fact, it's the pits. Ba dum dum. In case you don't know how to do it: Gently push down firmly on a back of a knife placed over a whole olive. The pit will push out of the olive. Consequently, it will probably roll onto the floor or all over the counter making an oily mess and prompting a stream of profanity. So have wine and your swear jar on hand. And maybe just buy pitted olives.

I love the mix of green and black olives in this. The colors and deep flavors are gorgeous up against lovely tomatoes and soft goat cheese.

Olive Tapenade
From "Extra Virgin"
By Gabriele Corcos and Debi Mazar

2 anchovy filets
1 garlic clove, smashed

1 cup black Nostraline olives, pitted and roughly chopped
1 cup green Sicilian olives, pitted and roughly chopped
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/2 Tbsp. capers, rinsed and chopped
Toasted country bread slices, rubbed with raw garlic, for serving
1 heirloom tomato, sliced, for serving

Mash the anchovies with the garlic in  a mortar and pestle, then mix well with the chopped olives. Combine with the 1/2 cup olive oil, the lemon juice, parsley and capers.

Spread the tapenade on the garlic rubbed toasts. Drizzle with olive oil and top with a slice of beautiful heirloom tomato.

Please note: The Jersey Girl serves this with goat cheese as well.

Zucchini and Goat Cheese Tart

On the outside, it's a winter wonderland - or nightmare - depending on your perspective. But in my kitchen, spring has sprung, baby.

This Zucchini and Goat Cheese Tart  by Ina Garten should lift you from the doldrums of winter. Plus, it gives you a purpose while trapped inside the confines of your home.

This is actually the first winter since becoming a baby momma that I have not turned to The Husband on a Saturday night and declared, "We are the lamest people I have ever met. Take me out immediately."

This recipe involves multiple steps with some waiting in between. So you should give it a whirl when time is on your side. Layering the zucchini slices is quite relaxing. I sliced mine with the slicer attachment of my Cuisinart food processor. Layer them on top of the dough very very closely because they shrink in the oven.

Be sure to roll out the dough when it is really cold. Keep flouring your surface and the dough as needed while turning the dough 90 degrees after a few rolls so that the dough does not stick to your surface. Do it patiently, but with a purpose. You don't want your dough to go all room temp and sticky on you. That will ruin your baking zen, trust me.

I baked mine on a rockin' circular baking sheet that my Mommom hooked me up with from one of her friends who owned a pizza shop waaaaay back in the day. But Ina Garten says you can bake this on a good old rectangular baking sheet.

Zucchini and Goat Cheese Tart
Serves 6
From "Make it Ahead"
By Ina Garten

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
10 Tbsp. (1 1/4 sticks) cold, unsalted butter, 1/2-inch dice
1/2 tsp. white wine vinegar
5 Tbsp. ice water
1 1/2 pounds zucchini, unpeeled and sliced 1/8-inch thick
2 Tbsp. good olive oil, divided
8 ounces plain creamy goat cheese at room temperature
1 tsp. minced fresh thyme leaves
1/4 tsp. grated lemon zest

Place the flour, 3/4 tsp. of salt and butter in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and pulse 12 to 14 times, until the butter is the size of peas. With the processor running, pour the vinegar and ice water through the feed and continue to process and pulse until the dough just comes together. Dump out on a floured board, form into a disk, wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the zucchini in a colander set over a plate. Toss it with 2 teaspoons of salt and set aside for 30 minutes. Spread the zucchini out on a clean dish towel, roll it up, and squeeze gently to remove some of the liquid. Put the zucchini slices into a bowl and toss with 1 Tbsp. olive oil. With a fork, mash together the goat cheese, thyme, lemon zest and 1/2 tsp. of salt and 1/4 tsp. of pepper and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Roll the dough out on a floured board to an 11 inch circle and place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Spread the dough with the goat cheese mixture, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Lay the zucchini slices in tightly overlapping circles, start at the very edge of the pastry (the zucchini will shrink when it bakes). Continue overlapping circles of zucchini until the whole tart is covered. Drizzle with remaining Tbsp. of olive oil and sprinkle with pepper. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the dough is golden brown. Cut in wedges and serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

Calling All Vegetarians

The Jersey Girl is in no way, shape or form a vegetarian. But, going sans meat or fish ain't no big thang.

Confessional: When The Husband is out of town taking care of his bizness, I often dine on fruit and veggies with some groovy pasta thrown in. (My fettucine alfredo is DIVINE!)

So here's an entree that will satisfy the vegetarians in your world: Roasted Red Pepper Risotto.

I love all of the different layers of flavor from the roasted peppers and goat cheese and fresh arugula. The addition of a fresh leafy green at the end of it all is a fabulous surprise. Not only does it add brilliant color, but it was a welcome texture against the comforting feel of properly cooked aborio rice and the smooth creaminess of goat's cheese. I did declare that this was my most fave risotto ever.

The Husband disagreed.

He likes it, but my  man is a man of tradition without the flash: He prefers a basic risotto as a side rather than a colorful mix of crazy deliciousness. Hmmm, Husband. How did you end up with me?

My main man No. 1 cleared his plate - I'm quite sure I served up some sort of veal or chicken with this, but alas, I made this a couple months ago, and I don't remember: Eep!

My main man No. 2 was not so into the risotto. My toddler is not a picky eater, but at this moment in time he is not a fan of rice, which I find so interesting. We'll take him to our fave Indian restaurant. He'll house the kebabs and chickpeas and lamb and naan, but the delish rice: No way, no how. Oh well, we'll just keep on trucking. He's bound to try it one of these days!

Here's my sweetie movin' on up into his big boy bed. Yay!

Roasted Red Pepper Risotto
4 servings


1 shallot, minced 
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. butter
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 cups water
1 12 ounce jar roasted red peppers
1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano cheese
Baby arugula, about 2 cups
Salt and pepper
1 4 ounce log of goat cheese

In a small pot, heat the broth and water to boiling. Cover and simmer.

In a food processor, puree the roasted red peppers.

Meanwhile, in a risotto pan over medium high heat, add olive oil.  Add shallot and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes. 

Add the arborio rice to the pan. Stir so that the rice becomes coated in the shallot and garlic mixture.

Pour in wine. Stir until wine evaporates. Then start adding one ladle of broth at a time. Stir the rice slowly over medium heat. The mixture should bubble slightly and the liquid will be absorbed into the rice. Repeat this process over about 15 minutes until the rice is tender. 

Season the risotto with salt and pepper. Add pepper puree and butter. Stir until well combined. Stir in parmigiano reggiano cheese. If you want the risotto to be looser, add more broth.

To serve: Place a healthy serving of risotto on a dinner plate. Top with a few chunks of goat cheese. Top with the  arugula. Voila!

And....... Back

What up, party people?

Yes. The Jersey Girl has been so totally MIA these past few months. Le sigh. Truth is, sometimes I need a break from doing it all. And the blog somehow got buried on my Things to Do List, which has been overrun by a whole list of boring stuff. Yucky.

I'm not a huge believer in the whole New Year's Resolution thang, but I do hereby resolve to get my bootie in gear and recharge the blog. Honest to goodness.

So much has been shakin' in the Jersey Girl Household.

The Husband got a new job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Um. I guess you can say we are over-the-moon excited about this development.) We are totally free from the chains of the newspaper world for reals. Yay! And if you've ever been enslaved by the newspaper industry, you know what I'm tawkin' about. Measly pay. Crap hours. 15-hour work days. Delirium. Headaches. Ulcers. Excessive cursing. Paranoia. Heavy drinking. Cranky pants syndrome. It's freakin' awesome! 

Don't get me wrong. The Husband and I didn't walk away from our daily grind in newsrooms empty-handed: For instance, we totally have a stellar vocabulary, exemplary grammatical skills and can work for 12 hours straight without eating. Oh right, and The Husband got to meet me and woo me and make me his woman.

We also made AMAZING friends in the land of newspapers. Lifelong pals, who are just stand-up peeps. So, for that we are blessed.

I'm just so proud of The Husband for taking a leap with his new gig. Woo-hoo! And he loves it! So happy for him!!

Meanwhile, my bubbalicious Baby Evan has turned the big ONE. Seriously, I can't even believe it. He is so big and cuddly and awesome. He had a rockin' time at his Elmo birthday party. And he has been housing the Jersey Girl's eats. For reals. This kid eats everything. I can't even keep up with him. Two weeks ago, I made beef manicotti and he inhaled a portion that The Husband would eat. Comfortably. And he wanted more. Plus blueberries. Plus Mommy's Mango Banana Surprise (really just mango and bananas smushed together in a blender, but my recipe name has so much more allure, right?) Plus cookies. But Evan's got that one all figured out because cookies make the world a better place.

The Babes is not walking just yet. A fact that I am reminded of every day by the fam. But he's pulling himself up and cruising all around. He's rockin' out an impressive vocab. Among his fave words are: tree, zoo and duck. Not too shabby, right? He's got at least eight teeth, maybe more. Of course, whenever Baby Evan is having an off day, I blame teething. So, according to my math he probably has about 50 pearly whites.

Evan had a grand time at Christmas. The Grinch and Charlie Brown are on his hit list, for sure. And of course, he grooved to some Elvis Pressley while his Jersey Girl Momma baked some fabalicious cookies.

Santa hooked him up with some MAJOR gifts, and the grandparents treated him to his first set of tricycle wheels, which he tried out this week and loved. Thanks, Nanny and Poppy! He was stoked about hanging with all of his cousins and aunts and uncles. And he was rightly impressed by the din dins his family whipped up for him. Feast of the Seven Fishes. Holla!

So, I'm sure at this moment, dear readers, you're all like, "What about you, Jersey Girl? What amazing life-changing experiences have YOU undergone in the past two months?"

OMG. You are so not going to believe it?!?!

The Jersey Girl got a haircut.

Seriously. I got nothin.' I think I am officially The Most Boring Girl Who Ever Was. I've organized a closet, and I'm currently cleaning out the basement.

Riveting.

Onto the food....

Balsamic Roasted Tomatoes with Pesto and Goat Cheese.

O.M.G.

So super delish. This recipe was inspired by the Barefoot Contessa's Roasted Tomato Caprese Salad.

And when I say "inspired" I really mean that the following scenario transpired: I want to make this, but I'm missing two of the three main ingredients. I so did not have fresh basil or fresh mozzarella in the house, so it was my way or the highway. Sometimes, that's how a recipe comes to life, in my opinion. You gotta do what you gotta do. Plus it was New Year's Day, so no stores were open. Plus, I was recovering from the night before and this is what my muddled mind came up with:

Balsamic Roasted Tomatoes with Pesto and Goat Cheese
Serves 4

6 plum tomatoes, cut in half
Balsamic vinegar
Olive oil for drizzling
1 tsp. sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cloves chopped garlic
4 Tbsp. goat cheese
1 Tbsp homemade or storebought pesto.
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit.

On a sheet pan, place plum tomatoes cut side up. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with sugar, salt and pepper and chopped garlic.

Roast for two hours. The tomatoes will look dry and crispy on top. Remove from oven. Set aside. (I covered mine with foil to keep them warm.)

When ready to serve: Place three tomatoes on small salad plates. Top with 1 Tbsp. of goat cheese in the center of each trio of tomatoes.

In a small bowl, combine pesto with 1 Tbsp. olive oil. Drizzle the pesto oil over each plate. Serve!

This salad was really quite awesome. I can't believe I came up with on the fly. Yay, Susan. This is a good way to make use of winter tomatoes, which are totally not as yummy as summer tomatoes, especially in Jersey.

Here are some updated pics of my wonderful Evan as well. He's so big!!!

Evan's all set for his big B'day extravaganza in November.

Photo shoot for The Jersey Girl Household's 2011 Christmas card.

Go On with Your Bad French Self

Confession: I made these dishes B.E. (Before Evan).

These days, everything I’ve been cooking up is tres simple. Or, I’ve already blogged about it. For instance, right now as we speak, there is a pot of Chicken and Dumplings brewing. But, I wrote about that already.

The thing that’s challenging my cookery is neither time nor screaming child. (Evan quite digs it in the kitchen, thank you very much.)

Rather, it’s my inability to get my bootie to the grocery store. I’ve been quite reluctant to take a person who is weeks old and about in the freezing cold. So, I revolve my grocery shopping excursions around those who can stay with the bambino. This wouldn’t be so tough if I had a husband who works a normal 9-5 job. But I don’t. I have a husband chained to a desk in a newsroom 24 hours a day.

So, my grocery trips require more strategery and planning than ever before. But, I promise I will have new and exciting recipes in 2011. For reals.

Today, we’re taking a look at my French Onion Soup and the Barefoot Contessa’s Goat Cheese Tart from her “Barefoot in Paris” cookbook.

First off, I loves me some French food. Truth be told, I love all different cuisines. I have to be super careful with the Asian sector of the world due to my whole food allergy thing, but I love trying out dishes from all over the place.

It’s not like either of these dishes are super fancy or unique. They’re quite standard French fare. Classic, if you will.

Sure, cutting a bazillion onions is a pain in the arse, but the effort is so worth it.

Regarding the tart: If you fear making pastry dough, please try to get over it. The more you do it, the better you become. (That’s the piano teacher in me lecturing you.)

I do recommend keeping the butter as cold as you possibly can for the tart, and be sure to fill up the tart with beans or pie weights all the way up to the top of the dish to prevent the crust from shrinking.

When rolling out dough, make sure your surface and rolling pin are well-floured. Also, turn your dough after six to eight rolls to prevent sticking and tearing.

For the Goat Cheese Tart recipe, click here. I will also list it below.

In addition, I’m sharing with you my recipe for French Onion Soup. This is the perfect time of year to rock out this soup, since the weather is all chilly willy, at least that’s how it is my neck of the woods.

Be sure your Gruyere is very cold. That makes shredding it way easier. And my tip for preventing teary eyes while cutting up a bazillion onions is to run the kitchen faucet and slice up those bad boys really really fast. Scientific, I know.

Make sure you have soup bowls that are a.o.k. for popping in the oven. If you need to purchase some, I recommend these from Sur la Table, where a major sale is under way right now.

I served these dishes with a salad.

Goat Cheese Tart
From “Barefoot in Paris”
By Ina Garten

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

Kosher salt
13 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, divided
3 to 4 tablespoons ice water
3/4 cup chopped shallots (3 to 4 shallots)
10 1/2 ounces garlic-and-herb soft goat cheese (recommended: Montrachet}
1 cup heavy cream
3 extra-large eggs
1/4 cup chopped basil leaves
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.


For the crust, put the flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Cut 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) of the butter into large dice, add to the bowl, and pulse until the butter is the size of peas. With the machine running, add the ice water all at once and process until the dough becomes crumbly. Don't overprocess. Dump the dough out on a floured board, gather it loosely into a ball, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Roll the dough on a well-floured board and fit it into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable sides, rolling the pin over the top to cut off the excess dough. Butter 1 side of a square of aluminum foil and fit it, butter side down, into the tart pan. Fill the foil with rice or beans. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the beans and foil from the tart shell, prick the bottom all over with a fork, and bake for another 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of butter in a small pan and saute the shallots over low heat for 5 minutes, or until tender. Place the goat cheese in the bowl of the food processor and process until crumbly. Add the cream, eggs, basil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and the pepper and process until blended.

Scatter the cooked shallots over the bottom of the tart shell. Pour the goat cheese mixture over the shallots to fill the shell (if the shell has shrunk, there may be leftover filling). Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the tart is firm when shaken and the top is lightly browned. Allow to cool for 10 minutes and serve hot or at room temperature.

French Onion Soup
Makes 6 servings

3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
5-6 large yellow and red onions, sliced (I like to do 4/5 yellow and 1/2 red)
1 tsp. sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
½ tsp. dried thyme
1 Tbsp. flour
4 cups beef broth
2 cups water
3/4 cup white wine
Baguette, sliced and lightly toasted
Gruyere cheese, shredded

Melt butter and oil over medium heat in a large soup pot. Once the butter bubbles, add onions. Saute for about five minutes. Season with salt and pepper and thyme. Add sugar. Cook for about 20-25 minutes. Onions should be golden and soft.

Add flour. Stir, cooking for a minute or two.

Add broth, water and wine. Bring mixture to a simmer. Partially cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

To serve:

Ladle soup into ovenproof ramekins or soup bowls placed on a rimmed baking sheet.

Place a toasted baguette slice on each bowl of soup. Sprinkle with shredded Gruyere. Place under a hot broiler until cheese is bubbly and browned.

Rolling Solo

It sometimes seems that my blog self is a mythical self.

You see, it may appear that festive, abundant, exciting homecooked dinners are shared by candlelight with The Husband every evening and that a team of cleaning elves and fairies swoop in and tidy my kitchen up.

Not so, dear readers. It’s just not so.

In actuality, Susan is rocking it out home alone what feels like 24-7 some weeks.

No, no. The Husband does not have a glamorous jet-setting world traveling career as a spy or pilot or kung-fu master or corporate CEO/buyer person like Richard Gere in “Pretty Woman” that transports him to fabulous destinations outside of Hammonton.

He is a newspaper editor.

And it seems the same thing happened at both of our journalism schools back in the day. They totally failed to tell us that our hours would basically suck ass. Because, maybe I would have done something else in addition to my journalism and musical studies if I had known that a typical workday could/would begin at 9 a.m. and end at midnight.

Yeah. I’m kidding myself. I was destined to be a Macy’s salesgirl, newspaper editor and piano teacher, all overlapping and in that order. It’s in my lifeline.

So, when The Husband and the Jersey Girl first got together and fell all madly in love and all that we were united, a sort of kindred spirit if you will, in the reality of an uber bizarro work schedule.

We worked holidays. And seriously. Working holidays is made of evilness.

And, we worked weekends – and evenings. We still do this. We both work Sundays. In fact, my piano studio is completely booked 9 to 5 on Sundays, in case you were interested in lessons. And the evening thing. Well. That’s pretty much why yours truly is home alone into the wee hours of the night imagining the elaborate dinners I am making for The Husband and our imaginary children who have not been brought here yet by the Baby Stork. (Get your ass moving, Mr. Stork). My day usually wraps at 9 p.m. But, The Husband’s day – it’s all over the joint. I never know when he’s coming and going many days. And so many times, I dine alone.

So, it is with great joy I bring you a Single Girl Meal: Balsamic Chicken Tenders over Baby Greens with Goat Cheese.

In actuality, The Husband would love my salad. In fact, he took the leftovers for lunch today.

Balsamic Chicken Tenders over Baby Greens with Goat Cheese.

1 lb. boneless chicken tenders
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
Salt and pepper to taste

Whisk together vinegar, oil, rosemary, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Place tenders in bowl and toss. Let marinate for about 15 minutes.

Preheat grill pan over medium heat. Grill chicken tenders until cooked through, about 5 minutes on both sides. Set aside.

To make salad:

Baby salad greens, or your favorite lettuces
½ red bell pepper, chopped
Few slices of red onion
Goat cheese, crumbled

Place all ingredients except for goat cheese in a bowl.

To make dressing:
(Enough for 1 serving. You may double quantities if you are serving more people.)

1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl.

To assemble:

Place salad mixture in a bowl or on a plate. Pour dressing over greens. Toss. Place 2 or 3 chicken tenders on top. Scatter with goat cheese.

Eat in glorious solitude.

Paris on the Brain

I love a good night out on the town.

But, sometimes all a girl needs on a dreary Saturday is a little solo time in her crib.

Such was the case this weekend.

The Husband went out to a sports bar or some nonsense on Saturday afternoon with his boys, so The Jersey Girl held it down at home. My day included wrapping Christmas presents, chit-chatting with my sisters and watching reruns of “Sex and the City,” “The Office,” and “Everybody Loves Raymond.”

I’m such a girl.

Of course, my dream day also consisted of major cooking because Mark said adios to the beer, the wings, the camaraderie to be home in time for din. He's so sweet!

I was in a very French mood. So, my menu was Goat Cheese Tart with Winter Squash Soup.

Oooo la la. (You know, they really say that in Paris. Ooooo la la. So funny)

Both recipes are courtesy of Ina Garten a.k.a the Barefoot Contessa a.k.a one of the handful of chefs I can still tolerate on the Food Network. I served the dishes with a side of mesclun salad, dressed simply with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.

Anyway, the reason I was so reminiscent of the City of Lights is because I’ve recently been scouring our billions of photos from our spring vacay so that we can get prints made and frame them and hang them on our barren walls. (Actually, not all of our walls are empty. We just like to buy really good and/or meanigful art rather than plaster our happy home with generic pictures from Pottery Barn or T.J. Maxx or some other mass-produced art department.)

The Husband has many talents, one of which is taking an amazing photo – or 10,000. You see, when me and Mr. Jersey Girl get out of Dodge and go see the world, The Husband handles the photography. My photos (as you’ve seen from time to time on my blog. Hee!) are tragic. So, drinking and journal writing are usually my two tasks on vacay.

I thought I’d give you a glimmer of Mark’s gorgeous pics.

L'arc de Triomphe

The Eiffel Tower

The Husband and The Jersey Girl at Versailles.

Sacre Coeur

Monet's house in Giverny

 Monet's gardens

Monet's water lillies

Aren't those pics made of awesome!?!?!

In addition, I will share with you the Ina Garten recipes. Both appear in the “Barefoot in Paris” cookbook. I love this cookbook. I cook a lot of things from it.

You will also see pics, shot by my own Paul Child, of the food I rocked out.

The Winter Squash Soup is really dreamy. It makes a TON of soup. I’ve been eating it for like three straight days now. The Goat Cheese and Basil Tart is really awesome. My one complaint is that the recipe makes way too much filling for the tart. So, I ended up ditching the leftover filling. I guess when you’re as fabulous and loaded as Ina Garten, you don’t mind doing these things, but I will definitely be cutting down on the filling the next time I make this tart.

Please read my notes at the end of each recipe. I thought you would like some of my tips and/or variations. For instance, Ina uses a ton of salt, so I totally tone that down.

Bon appetit!

Winter Squash Soup
“Barefoot in Paris”
Ina Garten

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 Tbsp. good olive oil
2 cups chopped yellow onion (2 onions)
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
1 ½ lbs. butternut squash, peeled and cut in chunks
3 cups chicken broth
2 tsp. kosher salt (I cut down on the salt)
1 cup half-and –half
Crème fraiche, grated Gruyere, or croutons for serving.

Heat butter and oil in a heavy-bottomed stockpot. Add the onions, and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes or until translucent.

Add pumpkin puree, butternut squash, chicken stock, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer over medium low heat for about 20 minutes, until the butternut squash is very tender.

Process the mixture through the medium blade of a food mill.

Return to the pot, add the half-and-half, and heat slowly. If the soup needs more flavor, add another teaspoon of salt. Serve hot with garnishes, if desired.

Please note: The Jersey Girl cut the salt down to a half teaspoon and served the soup with homemade croutons. You can make homemade croutons by cutting up stale bread and tossing in a pan with olive oil, salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat until toasted brown.


In addition, The Jersey Girl pureed the soup by using an immersion blender. Mine is the SmartStick by Cuisinart. Love it!

Goat Cheese Tart
“Barefoot in Paris”
Ina Garten

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the board
Kosher salt
13 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter, divided
2 to 4 Tbsp. ice water
¾ cup chopped shallots (3 to 4 shallots)
10 ½ ounces garlic-and-herb soft goat cheese, such as Montrachet
1 cup heavy cream
3 extra-large eggs
¼ cup chopped basil leaves
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

For the crust, put the flour and ¼ tsp. salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Cut 12 Tbsp. (1 ½ sticks) of the butter into large dice, add to the bowl, and pulse until the butter is the size of peas. With the machine running, add the ice water all at once and process until the dough becomes crumbly. Don’t overprocess. Dump the dough out on a floured board, gather it loosely into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Roll the dough on a well-floured board and fit into a 9-inch tart pan with removable sides, rolling the pin over the top to cut off the excess dough. Butter one side of a square of aluminum foil and fit it, butter side down, into the tart pan. Fill the foil with rice or beans. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the beans and foil from the tart shell, prick the bottom all over with a fork and bake for another 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of butter in a small pan and sauté the shallots over low heat for 5 minutes or until tender. Place the goat cheese in the bowl of the food processor and process until crumbly. Add the cream, eggs, basil, ¼ tsp. salt and pepper and process until blended.

Scatter the cooked shallots over the bottom of the tart shell. Pour the goat cheese mixture over the shallots to fill the shell (if shell has shrunk, there may be leftover filling). Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the tart is firm when shaken and the top is lightly browned. Allow to cool for 10 minutes and serve hot or at room temperature.

Please note: The Jersey Girl used plain goat cheese in this tart.


There was about a cup of leftover filling.

Be Our Guest

This weekend, my in-laws came over for dinner. This may stress many of you out.

But, you need to meet my in-laws.

They are fabulous, amazing, super cool. The best people ever.

Yes, Paul and Nancy rock my world.

I’m sorry. I know this declaration sounds way braggy, and I’m not a braggy kind of gal.

But for reals, so many of my entourage have major in-law envy.

Fortunately, Mom and Dad (as I call them, so I have two Moms and Dads), welcome all with open arms. So if you want to imagine them as your in-laws, go for it.

Yay!

To dazzle them, I made a delish appie: Goat Cheese and Grape Tomato Bruschetta.

My father-in-law RAVED about it.

He also wanted to know where the recipe came from.

“My head,” I told him.

Aren’t I witty?

He wanted me to tell all y’all that the bruschetta was a big win.

If you can’t find grape tomatoes, which are tiny tomatoes shaped like grapes, you can totally rock this out with cherry tomatoes.

You can make the topping ahead, and toast the bread and assemble before your guests arrive.

I always like to have one special appie, because cheese and crackers are often the “B” word: Boring. So is music with no expression. That’s what I tell my piano students.

Goat Cheese and Grape Tomato Bruschetta

4 ounces soft, spreadable goat cheese, at room temp.
1 pint, grape tomatoes, quartered
2 cloves garlic, 1 finely chopped, 1 whole (for toasts)
10 basil leaves, finely chopped
¼ tsp. to ½ tsp. crushed red pepper.
¼ tsp. salt
Pepper to taste
2 to 3 Tbsp. olive oil
Zest of 1 lemon
1 French baguette, sliced

In a medium bowl, gently stir tomatoes, chopped garlic, basil, crushed red pepper, salt, pepper and olive oil. Set aside.

Preheat broiler to high.

Place sliced bread on baking sheet and toast on both sides. Remove from oven.

Spread toast with goat cheese. Top with tomato mixture.

Place on serving tray. Top with lemon zest.

Enjoy with friends and wine.

Dinner in 10 Minutes

No joke.

It took 10 minutes to prepare dinner tonight.

On the menu: Smoked Salmon Salad.

Yes, I am blessed with a husband who does not require mass quantities of steak and potatoes for dinner to be dinner.

Normally, on Monday nights, I’m dining alone – at about 9:30 p.m. or so. My last student leaves at 9:15.

But tonight is no ordinary Monday, my friends. Tonight is Game 4 of the National League Baseball Playoffs, so Husband somehow got all his work done and was in his manly leather chair by first pitch.

I know my salad is not very baseball-esque in style and stature, but Mark is going to the game on Wednesday so I’m sure he’ll get his fill of hotdogs and beer courtesy of Citizens Bank Park.

Tonight, he was served something a bit more high brow.

Smoked salmon seems so fancy pants, right?

I actually pick it up right at the SuperFresh five minutes from mi casa.

Oh, the glamour.

Goat Cheese Toasts accompanied the Smoked Salmon Salad. The salmon tastes so delish on top of the toasts. Highly recommend.

So, with that I leave you: Bon appetite and kick L.A.’s ass, Phillies!!!!!

Smoked Salmon Salad with Goat Cheese Toasts

Note: Let smoked salmon and goat cheese sit out at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

Toasts:
Half a baguette, sliced
Your favorite goat cheese

Lightly toast baguette in a toaster oven or under your oven’s broiler until golden brown. Spread with goat cheese. (Tough recipe, I know.)

Salad:
1 6. oz package of smoked salmon
3 cups of mesclun mix, aka salad greens
¼ red onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. capers
½ cup celery, chopped
Juice of ½ lemon
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

In a salad bowl, combine mesclun, onion, capers, celery, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss lightly. Place on serving plates and arrange salmon and goat cheese toasts alongside.