A Pop of Color

Oh my God, yous guys.

Time keeps on slippin', slippin' into my future. And well, I never blog. For reals, the blog is always on my brain but there just are not enough hours in my day. I know, I know. One doesn't REALLY need to be up watching Downton Abbey in marathon form until 1:30 a.m. But at least it's intellectual and British and historical and....

Right. The weather here in Jersey SUCKS. I mean, could it BE more dreary? - said in my best Chandler Bing voice I could possibly muster at this hour all alone on my couch while the Jersey Girl fellas are sleeping soundly - that is snoringly - in their comfy cozy cribs. So in honor of all things springy, summery and just all around more joyful than the dreariness that is February, I bring to you some Key Lime Bar action. Because a burst of vivacious green is what the world needs right now, no?

In a funny twist, one of the most popular posts on my groundbreaking, revolutionary, awe-inspiring blog is my Nigella Lawson Key Lime Pie write-up. Seriously. This gem is blowing up the culinary blogosphere with millions of hits. It's like so totally viral...Not really. But when I scour my blog posts to see if anyone actually stops by here, I am quite struck by how many people really do discover moi by searching Nigella and key and lime and pie.

This Key Lime Bar recipe comes to you thanks to another culinary goddess, Martha Stewart. While lovely Martha doesn't make me all warm and fuzzy inside like my idol Nigella (who I know I will run into when The Husband takes me on our next getaway to London.  A girl can dream, right?), I must say the gal does know a thing or two about making a fab dessert.

I'm sharing  a link to the recipe here, but for all y'all who rock recipes the old school way - like in a cookbook - I highly recommend "Martha Stewart's Cookies" cookbook. It is awesome on many levels, including sharing with a snuggly toddler who wants to point out cookie shapes before saying night nights.

Some deets about the recipe: The bars are super duper low-maintenance. I always find citrusy desserts require mucho prep time due to zesting and squeezing and all that. With the Nigella key lime pie recipe, there's the whole matter of beating up egg whites until your arms fall off. So, comparatively speaking, I think Martha makes an easier go of the key lime variety dessert. And of course, if size matters to you, the bars can feed more peeps simply because there are more portions - 18 vs. 8.

And on to the matter of key limes. The Jersey Girl used your average lime, because key limes were not to be found in my market that day. Curses. I used about 5 limes, but limes are tricky suckers. Sometimes they yield only a teeny tiny bit of juice, so buy at least 8.

The recipe calls for 1 cup plus 2 1/2 tablespoons of graham cracker crumbs, but it gave no indication as to how many crackers I would need to grind up in the handy dandy food processor. I'm not gonna lie: This kind of annoyed me. Come on, Martha. Help a sista out. Anyway, according to Betty Crocker 21 graham cracker squares yield 1 1/2 cups of crumbs. You're welcome.

These bars are fabulous. You are viewing mine ungarnished. But you must, and I mean MUST, make the whipped cream for them. It balances the sugary sweetness of it all. I always chill a glass bowl and some beaters for a few hours before rocking out my whipped cream.

Key Lime Bars
Makes about 1 1/2 dozen

For the crust:
1 cup plus 2 1/2 tablespoons finely ground graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:
3 large egg yolks
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2/3 cup fresh Key lime juice (about 23 key limes total)

For the garnish:
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 Key limes, thinly sliced into half-moons

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Make crust: Stir together graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter in a small bowl. Press evenly onto bottom of an 8-inch square glass baking dish. Bake until dry and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

Make filling: Put egg yolks and lime zest in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Mix on high speed until very thick, about 5 minutes. Reduce speed to medium. Add condensed milk in a slow, steady stream, mixing constantly. Raise speed to high; mix until thick, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low. Add lime juice; mix until just combined.

Spread filling evenly over crust using a spatula. Bake, rotating halfway through, until filling is just set, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

Make garnish: Cut into 2-inch squares. Put cream in the clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the clean whisk attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Garnish bars with whipped cream and a slice of lime. Ungarnished bars can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 3 days.

Party like a Vegetarian

Throwing a soiree but need a dish for the token vegetarian in the house?

Why not give Giada's white bean dip and homemade pita chips a whirl?

I mean, really. What do you have to lose?

You know you're considering a crudite with some dip that NOBODY will eat. Girl, please.

And you can make the dip part ahead and it requires like four ingredients: cannellini, lemon juice, parsley and garlic. And some olive oil, salt and peps, natch.

Sure, you can buy a bag of pita chips, but these homemade chips are fantabulous. So worth the effort. Just toss with olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper and voila. Delish chips in a few minutes after a bake in the oven.

Yay.

Now, please don't misinterpret The Jersey Girl. Carnivores and herbivores alike will devour your non-meaty dip, trust. In fact, my main squeeze The Husband, known to house a brontosaurus or two, frequently makes a kind request that I whip this dish up when we're throwing a shin-dig. It's also fantastic to make when you receive an impromptu invite to a gathering. Why is that? Because I ALWAYS have a can o' beans in the pantry.

I often serve the dip with some fresh carrots or bell peppers in addition to the pita chips. Delish.

My one piece of advice when making this is to set your timer for about 6 minutes on the pita chips. Check them, and then put them back in for a few minutes if need be. I feel like the time allotment in the recipe could possibly lead to burnt chips. 

• White Bean Dip with Pita Chips
• From "Everyday Italian"
• By Giada De Laurentiis

• 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

• 2 cloves garlic

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• 1/3 cup olive oil, plus 4 tablespoons

• 1/4 cup (loosely packed) fresh Italian parsley leaves

• Salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 6 pitas

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

• Place the beans, garlic, lemon juice, 1/3 cup olive oil, and parsley in the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the

• mixture is coarsely chopped. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer the bean puree to a small bowl.

• Cut each pita in half and then into 8 wedges. Arrange the pita wedges on a large baking sheet. Pour the remaining oil over the pitas. Toss and spread out the wedges evenly. Sprinkle with the oregano, salt, and pepper. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, or until toasted and golden in color.

Serve the pita toasts warm or at room temperature alongside the bean puree.

No Respect

Brussels sprouts get such a bad rap.

But saute a bit of shallot and pancetta and you've gotta be out of your freakin' mind if you don't inhale these suckers.

At least this is my humble opinion.

The Husband: "That's a complete waste of pancetta."

He made this statement BEFORE eating the Brussels sprouts that I lovingly Catholic-guilted him into eating.

He DID go for seconds on his own accord. Honest to goodness. Yay, Husband!

I also informed my Moms that I will be schlepping over my fantabulous Brussels sprouts on Thanksgiving, which believe it or not, has totally turned into my most fave holiday in my old age.

It used to just be a day during which I nursed a massive hangover and tried to block out the hours upon hours of football being forced upon me.

But now, I unabashedly look forward to all that family time of eating and drinking and reminiscing with some laughing and crying thrown in for good measure. Wayyyyyyyyyy less hectic than Christmas, fo sho.

I use Italian bacon aka pancetta, which I always keep on hand in the freezer. But the recipe works with regular old Americana bacon, too. Obvi.

Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta

3 slices pancetta, chopped

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed, small spouts left whole, larger spouts halved
• Salt and pepper, to your taste
• 1 cup chicken broth

Brown pancetta in a medium skillet over medium high heat. Remove pancetta to a paper towel lined plate. Add extra-virgin olive oil to the pan, 1 turn. Add shallots to the pan and saute 1 to 2 minutes. Add Brussels spouts and coat in oil. Season with salt and pepper. Cook Brussels sprouts 2 to 3 minutes to begin to soften, then add broth. Bring broth to a bubble, cover and reduce heat to medium low. Cook 10 minutes, until tender. Transfer sprouts to a serving dish with a slotted spoon and top with cooked pancetta bits.

That Girl

You know those annoying posters on food Web sites who say they made the recipe BUT they changed this, this and that? God, those people are the WORST.

Yeah. I'm THAT girl today.

So the recipe I'm rockin' out to y'all involves grilled bread, but The Jersey Girl lives in a grill-less house. Say what?!?

I know.

It's a long, boring story that I've probably mentioned previously on my dusty blog. In a nutshell, The Jersey Girl's humble abode stands atop Jersey land that is surrounded by blueberry fields (natch) and when the wind howls across our terrain, it's pretty fierce and strong and insanely loud and it decided to take down The Husband's shiny meat-cooker one too many times. Therefore, my better half's cooking pride and joy swims with the fishes in a Jersey landfill somewhere over the rainbow. Of course a grill will be in the mix, when Deck Project Jersey Girl Style 2013 comes to fruition. (See, Husband. I'm writing about the fantasy deck to make it seem.... real.)

So I made my Grilled Bread with Prosciutto by using the oven's broiler. It's totally fab as are all the Barefoot Contessa recipes that I try. Totally recommend with a glass of wine. Really, what doesn't go with some vino, that is the question. Serve at your next cocktail party, mmmmkay?! Cause you know, parents of toddlers are ALWAYS throwing cocktail parties. (With themselves and Elmo.)

I am including some pics of the yumminess as well as my almost-2-year-old yumminess, Evan. He's been loving the whole Halloween scene. He rocked his pirate costume three times. (Totally worth the dollas. Thanks, Party City!) And we took him on a hayride extravaganza in Egg Harbor City on the Saturday before Hurricane Sandy. The romp in the hay - awesome; the storm - not so much.

In case you were wondering, all The Jersey Girl familia is safe and sound.

Grilled Bread with Prosciutto
(Makes 6 slices)
From "Barefoot Contessa How Easy is That?"
By Ina Garten

6 slices good Tuscan round bread, sliced 3/4 inch thick
1 large garlic clove, cut in half
Good olive oil
2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, torn in pieces
2 ounces smoked mozzarella, grated
3 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley

Prepare a charcoal grill with medium-hot coals or turn gas grill to medium-high heat.

Grill the bread for 2 minutes until golden on one side. Place the bread grilled side up on a platter and immediately rub the cut side of the garlic clove over the surface of the bread. For really garlicky fettunta, rub hard. Drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil over each slice of bread.

Place the torn prosciutto over the grilled side of the bread and top with the grated mozzarella. Return the bread to the hot grill, cover the grill, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes - just long enough to melt the cheese and rewarm the toast. (Be sure the vent is open so the fire doesn't go out!) Drizzle with a little more olive oil, sprinkle with parsley, salt and pepper and serve hot.

Please note: The Jersey Girl made her toasts using her oven's broiler.

Lemon risotto

Risotto is so worth the effort.

Sure, all that stirring can be a pain in the you-know-what, but sometimes it's nice to just zone out while completing a kitchen task. (A glass of wine is also required.)

The recipe comes from Giada. Of course, she serves hers in dainty little lemon cups that she makes from scooping out the insides of actual lemons. I'm sure that presentation is FABULOUS for a dinner party or a fancy do, but when it's me and The Husband grubbing, a scoop on a plate is as good as it gets.

Also in typical Giada fashion, marscapone and lemon are key ingredients. It's probably wise to have more than one use for the marscapone that you purchase so that you don't have to throw out the almost-entire now-moldy remnants of a tub wasting away in your fridge after literally using 2 tablespoons of it for ONE dish. (Apologies to all the starving people in the world. Never a fan of throwing out unused food.)

This risotto is super duper delish. It tastes really quite special with the lemon and marscapone. And I'm sure the lemon cup situation is wonderful touch if you can swing it.

Also, a word to the uninformed on risotto: The recipe calls for 2 cups broth, but I heat up more like 3 cups because 2 never seems to be enough. The recipe also calls for diluting the broth with some water. That's a good plan. I feel like measurements in risotto are kind of inaccurate, especially since you can cook it to your preferred level of  creaminess.

Lemon Risotto
By Giada DeLaurentiis

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus 1 tablespoon

1 large shallot, diced

1 cup Arborio rice

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan, plus 2 tablespoons

2 tablespoons mascarpone cheese

1/2 a lemon, zested and juiced

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

6 lemons, for serving (optional)

In a medium saucepan bring the broth and 1/2 cup water to a simmer. Cover the broth and keep hot over low heat.

In a medium, heavy saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Add the shallot and saute until tender but not brown, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat with the butter. Add the wine and simmer until the wine has almost completely evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the simmering broth and stir until almost completely absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking the rice, adding the broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition of the broth to absorb before adding the next, until the rice is tender but still firm to the bite and the mixture is creamy, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of butter, 2 tablespoons of Parmesan, mascarpone cheese, the lemon zest and juice, and the salt and pepper.

To serve in lemon cups: cut 1/4-inch off the bottom of each lemon so they stand on their own. Take 1-inch off the stem end. Using a grapefruit spoon scoop out the flesh of the lemon and discard. Fill each lemon with about 1/2 cup of risotto. Sprinkle the tops with the remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan. Serve immediately.

For other rockin' risotto recipes please check out:
Basic risotto
Butternut Squash Risotto

The Chicken Finger Conundrum

Chicken Fingers.

Who you foolin? You know your kid loves them.

There’s no need to get all judgy-mom/Jamie Oliver on me. I saw him do the vile gooey pink-chicken-parts-in-a-blender demo on his saving America from our obese disgusting selves program on ABC. I watched it from beginning to end. The entire series. It was fascinating. I think I was prego at the time. Probably stuffing my face with Fruit Loops and cheesesteaks while lying on the couch. Irony, yes?

 And I agree with that crazy British dude in all his lecturing glory.

But, the reality is: My Baby Evan grooves on his chickie.

What do you want from me?

Fortunately, the Jersey Girl has ways in which to rock out breaded chicken in a manner that is not disgusting. Or wrapped up in a pre-cooked Perdue package. Or found in the prepared frozen food section of the grocery. The HORROR!!

Sidenote: I’m not judging you if you feed these things to your kid. Or go the Mickey D’s takeout route. But I do hope you will consider the way shown below. Even me and The Husband eat these chicken fingers. The key to their fabulosity: garlic-infused Greek yogurt. Marinating in this wonder-sauce keeps the tenders so…. Tender.  

And you can make a whole bundle of them and sock them away in the fridge for your day-to-day operation. Or for those moments when you’re all like, “God. I’m exhausted. Calgon, take me away. Where’s my wine? Can I just watch Jersey Housewives? Jesus, kid. You need to eat. AGAIN!”

Shut up. You know you think these unmotherly thoughts.

Since we’re keeping it real, The Jersey Girl tends to order chicken fingers for the Babes quite often when we’re dining out. I’m not proud of this decision, but sometimes you gots to do what you gots to do – and by that I mean prevent screaming from an impatient toddler. The Husband staged an intervention this summer on the matter, so on a lunch outing the Jersey Girl ordered Evan a scrambled egg with cheese, which pretty much went untouched by a restless and annoyed toddler. I know his inner monologue was something like, “WTF? Where’s my chicken, Dad?!!! Chickie. CHICKIE. CHICKIE!!!!!!!”

Evan loves to play peek-a-boo. But, really. Who doesn't?

Rest assured, Evan makes his foodie Mama proud. While his old-standby of chicken fingers and fries (along with blueberries and strawberries brought by moi) often grace his plate in restaurants, he loves to try what me and his Daddy-O are eating, too, because the truth is my offspring eats enough for four people on a daily basis. So, he has the comfort of his familiar chicken while exploring the wonders of new tastes in what we eat. And well, I love that about my very hungry 21-month-old, who lately has been all about teetering and tottering with me in the kitchen with my pots and pans and wooden spoons. He tells me he’s making sauce. Should be delish.

Mmmmm. Chicken fingers. Yes, the salad will probably 

get thrown in your face by a 2-year-old who prefers a side of chips or pretzels.

Homemade Chicken Fingers

1 cup Greek yogurt

1 fat clove of garlic, chopped

1 ½ pounds chicken tenders

¾ cup Italian style bread crumbs

¼ cup grated Parmiggiano Reggiano cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Olive oil

Line a sturdy baking sheet with foil. Lightly brush with olive oil.

In a medium bowl, combine yogurt and chopped garlic. Place chicken tenders in the yogurt mixture. Marinate for 15-20 minutes. (Don’t marinate for long because the chicken will become tough and stringy. Yuck.)

Preheat oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.

In another bowl, combine bread crumbs, cheese and salt and pepper. Stir until well combined. When the chicken is finished marinating, coat each chicken tender in the bread crumb mixture.

Place each tender evenly on the prepared baking sheet. Once all the tenders are breaded and lined up, drizzle each with some olive oil.

Bake in the super hot oven for about 12 minutes.

Enjoy with your hungry little monsters!!

Told Ya So

The true test of culinary greatness is when you can convince someone – in this case the someone is The Husband – that he/she really enjoys consuming an ingredient  - in this case, the ingredient is mushrooms - that he/she mistakenly thinks he doesn’t dig.

God, this husband of mine. Look, I love him with all of my soul. Even when he spills mustard, coffee or some other impossible element to Shout out, scrub out, curse out of his freakin’ million-dollar Ralph Lauren Polo shirts not even an hour – AN HOUR – after The Jersey Girl finishes laundry. Don’t even get me started on the bathroom. And if you must know, yes, he is a snorer.

I know that paragraph was riddled with about 100 husband/wife clichés, but it is SO my reality. What do you want from me?

Meanwhile, my loving better half who moves the earth and the moon and the sun to make my life and that of Baby Evan’s super duper fabulous - (Yes, I’m covering my bootie right now. But The Husband really is awesome despite my griping, pinky swear) – decides to protest the eating of mushrooms. Mushrooms. They’re perfectly harmless. God.

So, what’s your beef with mushrooms, Husband?!

When asked to reveal his inner thoughts on the shroom, The Husband calmly states while swilling his Stella, “You know what it is? It’s the texture.” Then he went on to say something about big mushrooms vs. little mushrooms and that he likes them when they’re in a dish with something else but they shouldn’t be the focus of the dish and he doesn’t like the chewy ones they put in the takeout at the Chinese restaurant….. At this point, as most seasoned wifeys masterfully do, I blocked him out. When he was at a wrap, I informed him that he would be trying stuffed mushrooms with red peppers and scallions, and he would like it.

And……………….

He DID!!!!

In fact, he went back for seconds. AND THIRDS.

God damn, I’m amazing. Well, maybe I’m not that great, but the recipes of Lidia Bastianich are, and I guess really, I should be thanking her.

I strongly believe The Husband was head over heels with this dish due to the above-mentioned sautéed red pepper and scallion. The Husband loves his red peppers and scallions. And beer. And escargot, which is ironic, since the texture of a snail drenched in butter is totally similar to that of many button-sized mushrooms. (The Husband is rolling his eyes right now as he is not a fan of my lectures regarding the similarities between mushrooms and foods he claims to like, or my curseword-laden monologues about how our home is NOT a college dorm and please for the love of God pick up your clothes off the floor, or my subtle reminders that it REALLY is time to bring the mounting pile of castoffs in the spare bedroom to Goodwill. No, really.)

For the record, The Husband is amazing at making the bed, cleaning up the kitchen and tidying up toys. Plus he puts up with me and my questions and my giggles and my worries on a daily basis. So, he really is a saint of sorts. Plus, he rocks out with some fabulous diamond-laden jewels when the time is right i.e, Christmas, birthdays, Labor Day (Just kidding, Husband.) And Evan adores him. And so does The Jersey Girl!!

OK. So below is the recipe. These mushrooms would be fab at a cocktail party. Just stick a toothpick in it. Hee.

There are also some pics of Baby Evan (who is SO not a baby anymore) kicking it at a Phillies game at Citizens Bank Park. The Husband did not understand why I failed to post pics of this event in my last blog entry. And my reason is….. well, I got nothin’.  Maybe I don’t want to remind all of us how bad this year’s team is.

Take it away, Lidia:

Stuffed Mushrooms

From "Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen"

By Lidia Mattichio-Bastianich

24 white or cremini mushrooms

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the tops of the mushrooms if you like
1/2 cup scallions, finely chopped
1/2 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
½ cup chicken stock
¼ cup dry white wine, optional

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Remove the stems from the mushrooms (set the caps aside), and finely chop them.

Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the scallions and cook until wilted, about 1 minute. Stir in the red peppers and chopped mushroom stems and cook, stirring, until tender, about 3 minutes. Remove and cool.

Toss the bread crumbs, grated cheese, 2 tablespoons of the parsley and the sautéed vegetables until thoroughly blended. Season with salt and pepper.  Stuff the cavity of each mushroom with the filling, pressing it in with a teaspoon until even with the sides of the mushrooms.

Using 2 Tbsp. of the butter, grease a 12-by-18-inch low-sided baking pan. Arrange the mushrooms side by side in the pan and, using the remaining 2 Tbsp. butter, dot the top of each mushroom with about ¼ tsp. butter. Add the stock, wine if using and remaining 2 Tbsp. parsley to the pan. If you like, drizzle the tops of the mushrooms with olive oil. Bake until the mushrooms are cooked through and the bread crumbs are golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Serve the mushrooms on a warmed platter or divide them among warmed plates. Pour the pan juices into a small saucepan and bring to a boil on top of the stove. Boil until lightly thickened, about 1 to 2 minutes. Spoon the juices over the mushrooms and serve immediately.

Please note: The Jersey Girl did use the optional wine called for in the recipe. She did NOT top each mushroom with a dot of butter, just a drizzle of olive oil. She also did NOT reduce the pan drippings into a sauce.

Hanging with Mommy.

Hanging with Daddy.

Directing Mommy and Daddy.

Checking out the Phanatic.

Taking a break to shout out some letters. 

Evan's obsessed with the alphabet.

Evan loves his Daddy!