Walnut Pesto

I think Pesto in itself is a beautiful condiment. I love the bright green color, and how versatile it is. You can stir it into freshly cooked pasta or add it to a marinade. It is also delicious brushed on bread before grilling it. Another one of my favorite applications is to add it to some mayonnaise before spreading it on a sandwich. 

The classic pesto is usually made with basil and pine nuts, but there are very many variations out there that are equally as good. Besides the green version there is also a red pesto that gets the color from sun dried tomatoes. This time however, I went with a walnut pesto that gets its beautiful color from fresh parsley. Additionally toasted walnuts, a really good quality olive oil, and freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano (don't use the cheap kind in the green can) round out this great dish.

A food processor makes preparation a snap when it comes to pesto, but a blender or marble mortar will work as well. Prepared, the pesto will last in the refrigerator for about a week. Homemade pesto is quick and easy to make and I promise you it will be so much better than any store bought version. 

Walnut Pesto

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:
3 cloves garlic
1 cup, walnuts, toasted
2 bunches fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup freshly grated parmigiano--reggiano


Preparation:
With the motor running, drop the garlic into a food processor to chop it. Add the walnuts and pulse until coarsely chopped, then add the parsley and process until the nuts are finely chopped; do not pulse to a paste. With the motor running, drizzle in the oil. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the parmigiano.

Adapted from: Food Network Magazine

Tres Leches Cake with Mango Sauce

The very first time I laid eyes on a Tres Leches Cake was on Alton Brown's Food Network Show "Good Eats". I watched him prepare this cake, that after being baked seemed to hold an unbelievable amount of liquid, like a sponge. I was very intrigued. 

A little while after that while out shopping one day, I came across a Tres Leches Cake in a boxed cake mix. I thought why not give that one a try. Oh my, it was disgusting. It tasted fake, the milk mixture didn't soak into the cake, and it was all just a big mess. I think I ended up tossing most of it. 

Still intrigued and not willing to give up, I decided to go with Alton Brown's version after all. His is truly a good recipe, but I still thought it was a little too rich with all the half and half and heavy cream that was called for in his recipe. Nonetheless, it is fantastic tasting, and I have taken it to parties before and everyone has loved it. 

So when my newest Food Network Magazine showed up not too long ago and I saw they had a Tres Leches Cake with Mango Sauce inside, I knew I had to make it. Well, this version blows any other version I have had out of the water. It calls for whole milk instead of half and half and also reduces the heavy cream topping and sugar. That along with a fantastic fresh mango sauce makes this my new go-to recipe. 

Give it a try, it would make the perfect ending to any Cinco de Mayo Celebration!

Tres Leches Cake with Mango Sauce

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:
Vegetable oil, for greasing
4 large eggs
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups whole milk, divided
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
12 ounce can evaporated milk
14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon dark rum
2 large ripe mangoes
3 tablespoons sugar
1 cup heavy cream
Ground cinnamon, for sprinkling

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan with vegetable oil and line the bottom with parchment paper.

Make the cake: Beat the eggs and sugar in a large bowl with a mixer until pale and slightly thick, about 6 minutes. Slowly beat in the melted butter, then beat in the vanilla and 1/4 cup whole milk.

Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Sift the flour mixture over the egg mixture, then gently fold together with a rubber spatula to make a thick batter. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted  into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 30 minutes*. Run a knife along the edges to release the cake from the pan.

Meanwhile, whisk the remaining 2 cups whole milk, the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk and rum in a bowl. Pierce the warm cake all over with a fork, then pour the milk mixture evenly on top. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.

Before serving, make the topping: Peel, pit and dice the mangoes. Puree half the mangoes in a blender with 2 tablespoons sugar. Transfer to a bowl and fold in the remaining diced mango.
In a separate bowl, beat the heavy cream and the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar with a mixer until soft peaks form. Slice the cake; top each piece with the whipped cream and sprinkle with cinnamon. Serve the mango topping on the side.

*I had to bake my cake closer to 45 minutes, after the 30 it called for it was still liquid inside.

Adapted from: Food Network Magazine

Tandoori Chicken

I have never cared for the spice ginger much. I don't know what it is about it, but a lot of times I feel like it overpowers the food itself. On the other hand, I love Asian food and many recipes do call for ginger in either dry or fresh form. Often, I would just reduce the ginger so I wouldn't be able to taste it on my first bite.

I guess things are changing around here and I'm a "ginger-convert". A few weeks ago my baking friend Grapefruit suggested Gingered Carrot Cookies for our bi-weekly Baking with Dorie Challenge and I loved them so much I have baked them several times since.

So when the newest Food Network Magazine arrived and I saw the Tandoori Chicken in their "Weeknight Cooking" column I wasn't turned off right away, in fact, I was intrigued. After further examination of the recipe and seeing that it called for a big 2-inch chunk of fresh ginger I was getting doubtful, but decided it was as good of a time as ever to get over my ginger phobia.

The recipe is easily put together, the meat only marinates a total of about 20 minutes. My husband decided to throw the chicken thighs on the grill which gave them a nice bit of char and added another dimension of flavor to the chicken. I served this chicken with the yogurt sauce (which helps tone down some of the heat) called for in the recipe, rice and a simple side salad.

The verdict? I was in love with this chicken as was the rest of the family. We all couldn't get enough of this meal. The ginger taste was there, but along with all the other spices and ingredients it didn't overpower anything, just enhance. This dish is going in my permanent recipe files and will be made many more times. I hope you'll give this one a try as well!

Tandoori Chicken

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients: 
8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 2 1/2 pounds)
Juice of 1 Lemon
Kosher Salt
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons plain yogurt (I used Greek style)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 small red onion, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
4 teaspoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 3/4 teaspoons hot paprika
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Cooked rice, for serving (optional)

Directions: 
Preheat the broiler.* Make shallow cuts in the chicken thighs with a sharp knife. Toss the chicken with the lemon juice and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in a large bowl.

Pulse 2 tablespoons yogurt, the vegetable oil, onion, garlic, ginger, tomato paste, coriander, cumin,
1 1/2 teaspoons  paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a food processor to make a paste. Toss the chicken in the mixture and let marinate 15 minutes.

Place the chicken on a foil-lined broiler pan. Broil, turning once, until slightly charred and a thermometer inserted into the center registers 165 degrees F, 5 to 6 minutes per side.

Meanwhile, combine the remaining 1/2 cup yogurt and 1/4 teaspoon paprika, the cilantro and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Top the chicken with the yogurt sauce and serve with rice, if desired.


Note: If you have the opportunity to grill the chicken thighs on a charcoal or even a gas grill, I would suggest going that route as it adds so much flavor.

Adapted from: Food Network Magazine

Jerk Turkey Burgers with Mango Slaw

We love to BBQ all year round. Fortunately, we live in an area where the weather is fairly moderate in the winter months so we can continue to grill when many people in other parts of the country have to put their BBQ's in the garage or basement for the season. Burgers are always a big hit at our house and considering how quickly they come together it is certainly just as fast as driving to any fast food joint.

My husband is the grill master at our house. Grilling is his main passion. So while he does his magic on the grill, I'm usually the one getting all of the condiments ready for the burgers. The status quo in our household usually consist of a standard beef burger along with lettuce, tomatoes, onions and of course cheese.

After I got my newest Food Network Magazine and started flipping through the pages my eyes caught one of their "Weeknight Cooking" meals. It was for Jerk Turkey Burgers with Mango Slaw. Now this one sounded very interesting. I read through the ingredients and figured I should try this Burger at least once. The burger doesn't require much more time than any other burger but the flavor was out of this world. It had the spice from the jerk seasoning (recipe follows), the sweetness from the slaw and the mayonnaise along with the bun which complimented everything. The ground turkey mixed with the apple (which you can't detect once cooked) was juicy and full of incredible flavor. I'm not the world's biggest mango chutney fan (maybe homemade tastes better than store bought) but in combination with the slaw and the mayonnaise it just works. The original recipe called for shredded cabbage and shredded carrot, but in order to streamline this process I just went with store bought coleslaw mix and it worked like a charm.

We all loved this burger. The only one who wasn't crazy about it was my youngest child, but he is a hardcore cheeseburger kid. This burger will be making an encore throughout our grilling season for sure. This was definitely not your standard "fast-food" burger and I'm looking forward to finding more unique burger recipes like this, so stay tuned!

Jerk Turkey Burgers with Mango Slaw

~serves 6~

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds ground turkey

2 tablespoons jerk seasoning, plus more for sprinkling *(recipe follows)

1 medium green apple, peeled and grated

1/2 cup green onions, finely chopped, divided

1/3 cup Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

Kosher Salt and freshly ground pepper

1/3 cup mayonnaise, plus more for brushing

1/3 cup mango chutney, roughly chopped

4 cups coleslaw mix with carrots

Canola oil, for the grill

6 hamburger buns, split

Directions:

Preheat a grill grill pan to medium high. Mix the turkey, jerk seasoning, apple, 1/4 cup green onions and the panko in a bowl; season with salt and pepper. Form into 6 1-inch thick patties and make a small indentation in the middle of each with your thumb to prevent it from puffing up on the grill. Refrigerate.

Whisk the mayonnaise and chutney in a large bowl. Add the coleslaw mix and the remaining 1/4 cup green onion, season with salt and pepper and toss to coat.

Brush the grill with canola oil. Grill the turkey patties until browned and cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes per side.

Brush the cut sides of the buns with mayonnaise and sprinkle with jerk seasoning; toast on the grill, about 30 seconds. Serve the burgers and slaw on the buns.

Jerk Seasoning

~makes 1/2 cup~

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon onion flakes

2 teaspoons ground thyme

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons Kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons dried chives

Directions:

Mix together all the ingredients. Store leftovers in a tightly closed glass jar. It will keep its strength for over a month. 

Use 1 1/2 tablespoons of seasoning for each pound of meat.

Hummingbird Cake

I found this recipe in my newest Food Network Magazine. On first glance I thought it was just another recipe for a carrot cake but after further examination I was hooked. I mean what's not to like with bananas, pineapple, pecans and a decadent cream cheese frosting? The name Hummingbird cake was also unusual so I went on a little hunt trying to figure out where this cake came from.

The history of the humming bird cake seems to go back to Southern Living magazine. It published the recipe in its February 1978 issue which was submitted by a Mrs. L.H. Wiggins. Unfortunately Mrs. Wiggins did not include an explanation as to the cake's unusual name. It is said though, that the name comes from the hummingbird being drawn to immensely sweet sources. The cake is also known under different names in the south such as "Nothing Left Cake", "Granny's Best Cake" and last but not least "Jamaican Cake".

It is a southern cake with the essence of the tropics and South American influence with it's banana, pineapple, and pecan nut flavors. The cake is reminiscent of a dense carrot cake, but more flavorful.

Food Network Magazine's version comes to together quickly. Their version yields a two layer cake but I've seen several recipes that incorporate three layers.

This is surely not a light cake but it is delicious, easy to make, and with a cream cheese frosting to finish it off, it is a cake kids and adults alike will love. I will most definitely make a Hummingbird Cake again, but next time I might explore the original version of this recipe by Southern Living Magazine.

Hummingbird Cake

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

Unsalted butter, for greasing

1 cup pecan pieces

1/2 cup pineapple, finely chopped

3 ripe bananas, chopped

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting pans

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 3/4 cups granulated sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

Cream Cheese frosting (recipe follows)

Toasted Pecans for decoration (optional)

Directions:

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans and line with parchment paper. Butter the parchment and dust with flour.

Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and bake until fragrant and toasted, about 8 minutes. Let cool slightly, then roughly chop. Toss with the bananas, pineapple, and 1/2 cup flour in a medium bowl.

Whisk the remaining 2 1/4 cups flour, the baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger in a bowl. Beat the eggs and granulated sugar in a separate bowl with a mixer on high speed until thick and light, 5 minutes. Gradually beat in the vegetable oil.

Sprinkle the flour mixture over the egg mixture, then gently fold to make a thick batter. Fold in the pecan-fruit mixture, then transfer the batter to the prepared pans. Bake until the cakes are firm and toothpick inserted in to the middle come out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Cool in the pans on a rack, 25 minutes, then invert the cakes onto the rack to cool completely.

Make the frosting. Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread about half  of the frosting on top, then cover with the other cake layer. Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake. Decorate with additional toasted pecans if desired.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, at room temperature

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

3 cups confectioners' sugar

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat the cream cheese in a large bowl with a mixer until fluffy, then gradually beat in the butter until combined. Sift the confectioners; sugar over the cream cheese mixture ad beat until smooth. add the lemon zest and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy.

Adapted from: Food Network Magazine