Cheese Straws: Totally Worth It

Frozen puff pastry is a miracle worker in the kitchen Especially for these super fabulous Cheese Straws. Light, crunchy, cheesy, indulgent, sophisticated. How can one food be all those things? Hmmm. Trust, it just is!

This recipe is an Ina Garten. I will def be making again.... and again and again.

Gruyere, thyme, parm, puff pastry. A perfect quartet!

These are great for a cocktail party or game day. They are decadent with a glass of wine or champs. Or if you are my son, a tall lemonade. (He's 10.)

We had these on a French-themed night when I made my fab French Onion Soup. They are so much fun to make and eat!

Cheese Straws

(Makes 22 to 24 straws)

From "Barefoot in Paris"

By Ina Garten

2 sheets (1 box) frozen puff pastry, (such as Pepperidge Farm), defrosted overnight in the refrigerator

1 extra-large egg

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup finely grated Gruyere

1 tsp. minced thyme leaves

1 tsp. kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Roll out each sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured board until it's 10 by 12 inches. Beat the egg with 1 Tbsp. of water and brush the surface of the pastry. Sprinkle each sheet evenly with 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, 1/2 cup of the Gruyere, 1/2 tsp. of the thyme, 1/2 tsp. of the salt and some pepper. With the rolling pin, lightly press the flavorings into the puff pastry. Cut each sheet crosswise with a floured knife or pizza wheel into 11 or 12 strips. Twist each strip and lay on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. 

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned and puffed. Turn each straw and bake for another 2 minutes. Don't overbake or the cheese will burn. Cool and serve at room temperature.

Flounder Milanese

During the quarantine, one of the habits my son and I have gotten into has been watching cooking programs together. So during a Barefoot Contessa when she was rocking out a Flounder Milanese, he declared, "Mommy, you have to make that for us." 

I was like, for reals? And he said, "Yes that looks yummy. I want that."

Now I prepared to be punked - you know how children do with food. They love something. You make it again. They are on a hunger strike.

But I gotta say, my kiddo ate his whole plate of this - from the arugula, to the flounder to the frizzled capers to the parmigiano shavings. The kid did me proud.

He was excited that I was blogging about this dish.

This is definitely a nice one to make on summer nights when you don't want a heavy din. Something about the heat makes me not want to eat a lot. I also feel that way due to anxiety, which I've experienced in boatloads these past three months.

I do recommend you heat the fish in the oven while cooking your remaining rounds of flounder. It keeps it nice and hot and crunchy. The greens, the fish, the lemon, the cheese: It's a power combo. 

This recipe is really nice. I hope you get to make it soon!

Flounder Milanese

Serves 6

From "Cook Like a Pro"

By Ina Garten

6 flounder or sole fillets (1 3/4 lbs. total)

1 cup all-purpose flour

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 extra large eggs

1 1/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs, such as Progresso

Unsalted butter

Good olive oil

6 ounces arugula or mixed salad greens for six

Lemon Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

2 Tbsp. drained capers

Freshly grated Italian Parmesan cheese, lemon juice and fleur de sel for serving

Lemon Viniagrette

Makes 3/4 cup

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 cup good olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper.

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.

Dry the fish on both sides with paper towels. Combine the flour, 2 tsp. salt, and 2 tsp. pepper on a dinner plate. In a low shallow bowl, whisk the eggs with 1 Tbsp. water. Put the bread crumbs on another plate. Dredge the fish on both sides in the seasoned flour and dust off the excess. Dip both sides into the egg mixture, and finally, dredge both sides in the bread crumbs. 

Heat 1 Tbsp. butter and 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a large (12-inch) saute pan and cook 2 fillets at a time over medium to medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until cooked through. Transfer the fish in one layer to the sheet pan in the oven. Add more butter and oil and cook the rest of the fillets, transferring them to the sheet pan as they're done. Toss the arugula with enough lemon vinaigrette to moisten. Place one fillet on each plate and pile the arugula salad on top. Heat the capers in the saute pan for 30 seconds and sprinkle over the fish and salad. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan, a squeeze of lemon juice and the fleur de sel. Serve hot. 

Eggs in Purgatory

Oh, if only I had known the savior that is Eggs in Purgatory as a young collegiate party animal. I suppose it is named as such because of the spicy nature of the sauce, but I like to think of its nurturing qualities when one feels like he or she is ready to enter the depths of hell due to one too many. And, you know. We've all been here. 

 I mean this is seriously the most perfect food to nurse a hangover. Or, more importantly to feed your drunken-stupor soul when you stumble home in the wee hours of the night/morning and must stave off ravenous hunger that follows a night of hitting that bottle a little too hard. This dish is so necessary before making it to bed with two liters of water, a chaser of Gatorade and a bottle of Tylenol PM on your nightstand. 

Of course, you can also make this when the husband is traveling and there's nothing much to eat. Or, because you just really freaking want a pan of the tomato/egg gloriousness because it is THAT AMAZING. This works for all courses: Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack time. It's the perfect meal.

You can make Eggs in Purgatory with a can of chopped tomatoes or pureed tomatoes or leftover marinara sauce. Hot pepper flakes, garlic, olive oil, basil and parmigiano cheese and you are good to go. Just make sure you have some major slices of Italian bread toast as a go-along because I don't care what any of these diety people preach: Drunks and really hungry peeps need carbs.

Eggs in Purgatory

Serves 1

1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 tsp. (or more) crushed red hot pepper flakes

114 ounce can of diced tomatoes or tomato puree

Salt and pepper to taste

2 eggs

Grated parmigiano cheese 

1 Tbsp. shredded basil

Serve with Italian bread, toasted

In a small pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for a minute or two. Add tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer. Cook for five minutes. Stir.

Meanwhile, gently crack open two eggs in a bowl. Set aside.

While the sauce is still simmering over medium high heat, gently add the eggs directly to the tomatoes. Season with a little salt, pepper and about a Tbsp. of parmigiano cheese. Cover with lid, partially. Cook for about five minutes or until the whites are opaque and set. I like to rotate the pan halfway through the cooking process. The yolk should be runny.

Garnish with basil and a drizzle of olive oil and more cheese if desired. Serve with toast. 

Classic Calzone

So you're itching for a calzone. I mean, who isn't?

Put the phone down. Forget about the menu. Do you really need all of that extra grease and salt?

But listen to me, and listen closely: You can make the calzones yourself. I swear to Baby Jesus.

Just buy the pizza dough. I mean, honestly, you should always have some balls of pizza dough rolling around your freezer for moments like this.

And for the love of god make the pizza sauce. It's easy. See the recipe below. It tastes way way way better than that jarred mess in your cupboard and it has none of the chemicals or salt. You can just throw in a pinch of salt, and it tastes fab. Trust me!

 Below is my classic calzone, but you can always put your own spin on this with additional fillings. For the meats: Prosciutto, pepperoni, well drained and already cooked sausage. For veggies, you could do some baby spinach or fresh chopped tomatoes or some sautéed bell peppers. Just remember, a little goes a long way in a calzone because the star of the show is the cheese. I don't mess with the traditional trifecta of ricotta, mozzarella and parmigiano, but you do you, Boo.

Here's a link to my wild and crazy calzone: Spinach and Tomato Three Cheese Calzones.

And here's my classic way below:

Classic Calzones
Makes 4

1 ball pizza dough
15 ounces ricotta cheese, room temperature
1 cup fresh mozzarella, diced
1/2 cup grated parmigiano cheese
4-6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley or fresh basil or both
Salt and pepper to taste
Pizza sauce, warmed (Recipe below)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Lightly grease one or two baking sheets. (I prefer two.) Cooking time will be longer, if you use two sheets.

In a medium sized bowl, combine the ricotta, mozzarella, parmigiano, minced garlic, parsley, basil, salt and pepper. Combine gently with a spoon. Set aside

On a lightly floured surface, divide dough into four equal portions. Roll into balls. Roll out balls into four even circles with a rolling pin. Flip the dough and add a sprinkle of flour as needed so that it doesn't stick.

Dividing the filling evenly among four portions, spread the filling onto half of each dough circle and leave a 1/4-inch border of dough around the filling.

Gently fold over the remaining half of the dough to cover the filling. Fold the edge to seal in the filling, pinching with your fingers or a fork.

Place calzones on baking sheets. Gently prick the dough with the tines of a fork.  Brush the calzones with a little olive oil.

Bake the calzones for 18-25 minutes or until golden brown. If using two baking sheets, flip the sheets halfway while baking.

Serve with warmed pizza sauce. Recipe below:

Pizza sauce
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes (I like Cento)
6 cloves of garlic minced
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. oregano
Handful of shredded fresh basil
Salt and pepper to taste

For the sauce:

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add olive oil. Add garlic, red pepper and oregano. Cook for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Add crushed tomatoes, salt and pepper and basil. Bring to a simmer. Cover partially and cook over low heat for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Recipe may be doubled, and remaining portions may be frozen for later use.

Caesar salad is a great side with the calzones!

Grilled Eggplant Parm

Eggplant Parmesan is one of my fave dishes. Vegetarian. Comforting. I love it.

Oftentimes when ordering the dish out on the restaurant scene, the eggplant is breaded and fried. My way cuts all of that out. The eggplant is brushed with olive oil, seasoned with salt and pepper and grilled on my trusty grill pan.

Because the eggplant is prepared in this way, the true flavor of the vegetable shines through the layers of marinara and cheese. In the traditional way, the breading and frying can mask the texture and the yumminess of the star of the show.

I'm pretty certain grilling the eggplants and eliminating the egg wash and breading cuts calories in some fashion. I'm no nutritionist, but I mean common sense, right?

My recipe for marinara is listed below as well. I served my eggplant parm with some cavatelli in marinara. A perfect duo.

Warning to all of my cooking friends who are looking for a rush job on this: It takes time. From making the sauce, to grilling the eggplant and waiting for things to cool. Bank on a few hours when all is said and done. But it is worth it!

Grilled Eggplant Parm
Makes 8 servings

2 large eggplants, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices (16-20)
48 ounces marinara, warmed (recipe below)
2 cups shredded mozzarella, divided
1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Drizzle olive oil into a 13 by 9 Pyrex glass baking dish. Coat the bottom and sides with the oil using a paper towel.

Line up eggplant slices on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and lightly season with salt and pepper on both sides. You will need to do this in batches or use multiple baking sheets.

Meanwhile, heat a grill pan over high heat. Grill eggplant on both sides, about 4-5 minutes per side, in batches. Don't overcrowd the pan. Four to five fit on my pan at a time.

 Remove from grill pan and let cool on another baking sheet.

Spread about a cup of marinara sauce over the bottom of the glass baking dish. Layer half of the eggplant slices on top.

Spread about another cup or so of sauce on top. Sprinkle evenly with a cup of mozzarella and 1/4 cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano. Layer the remaining eggplant on top of the cheese, followed by more sauce and the remaining cheese.

Cover the entire pan with aluminum foil. Poke about 8 to 10 slits throughout the foil to ventilate the dish while it is in the oven.

Bake covered dish in a preheated 375 degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 15 minutes uncovered. Remove from oven. Cover with foil again and let set for about 20 minutes.

Serve with your favorite pasta and remaining marinara.

Here's my traditional marinara recipe:

Susan's Marinara
2 Tbsp. olive oil
8 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 small onion, minced
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 can Cento pureed tomatoes (28. oz)
1 can Cento crushed tomatoes (28 oz.)
A little bit of water – probably half a cup
20 fresh basil leaves
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic, onion and red pepper flakes. Cook for about five minutes, until fragrant.

Add the pureed and crushed tomatoes. Use a little bit of water to rinse off the tomato on the sides of the cans and pour into pot.The water should measure to a half cup.

Add salt and pepper to taste. I did 20 grinds of my pepper mill and a scant 1/4 tsp. salt.

Snip basil leaves into pot with cooking shears.

Turn your heat down to low. Simmer partially covered for 45 minutes. Make sure you stir every 5 to 10 minutes.

Stuffed Peppers with Orzo, Baby Spinach and Chickpeas

This is a perfect dinner for a Meatless Main Night: Stuffed Peppers with Orzo, Baby Spinach and Chickpeas.

Full of flavor, this dish leaves you satisfied without busting a gut. Praise the Lord.

Check it out:

Stuffed Peppers with Orzo, Baby Spinach and Chickpeas
Makes 6 servings

6 bell peppers, any color, tops sliced off and seeded
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
3/4 cup orzo
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 small onion, minced
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3 cups baby spinach, chopped
2 Tbsp. basil, minced
3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup feta cheese crumbles
2 cups marinara sauce, warmed
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a small pot of boiling salted water, cook orzo according to package instructions. Drain. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook for 3-5 minutes. Add spinach. Cook for a minute or two, until wilted. Remove from heat Add chickpeas, basil and orzo. Toss. Add remaining Tbsp olive oil and cheeses. Stir together. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Stuff each pepper and stand in a roasting pan large enough to fit all of them. (I used a 12-inch-by-9-inch pan.)

Top each pepper with 1/3 cup marinara sauce.

Pour broth into the bottom of the roasting pan.

Cover roasting pan with lid, or aluminum if you do not have a lid.

Roast for 45 minutes.

Serve with extra sauce and cheese, if desired.

Spinach and Tomato Three Cheese Calzones

I've been sick since Christmas and have had zero appetite, but I've been itching to get going in the kitchen on SOMETHING! So, I gave these cute Spinach and Tomato Three Cheese Calzones a go.

I think they are much lighter than those found at your average Jersey pizza shop. You can of course serve them with some marinara on the side, but I ate mine sans sauce. The fresh vegetables really shine through, and I think an egg in the cheese mixture helps them not feel so heavy.

Enjoy!

Spinach and Tomato Three Cheese Calzones

Makes 4 servings

For the cheese layer:
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the vegetable layer:
1/2 cup grape tomatoes, quartered
2 Tbsp. scallions, finely chopped
3/4 cups baby spinach, chopped
1 Tbsp. basil, finely chopped
1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of salt
Black pepper to taste

1 16 ounce ball of pizza dough

Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, to prepare the baking sheet

1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil to brush the calzones

Flour as needed to roll out dough

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Lightly oil your baking sheet with a drizzle of olive oil and a paper towel. Set aside.

On a floured surface, divide pizza dough into four equal balls. Roll out each ball into a circle or a square.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl gently combine the egg, ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, garlic powder and salt and pepper. Set aside.

Next, in a second bowl combine grape tomatoes, scallions, baby spinach, basil, 1 tsp. olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.

Evenly divide the cheese mixture among the rolled out dough pieces, covering half of the dough and leaving a 1/4-inch border around the filling.

Evenly divide the vegetable layer on top of the cheese layer, again leaving a border of dough.

Gently fold over the remaining half of the dough to cover the toppings. Fold the edge to seal in the filling, pinching with your fingers.

Place calzones on baking sheet. Brush the calzones with the remaining 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, dividing evenly.

Bake for 18-20 minutes.