Lazy Day Gourmet

5-2-08 Holy Red Pepper, Batman!

5-2-08 Holy Red Pepper, Batman!, originally uploaded by darnlucky.

I've had a few weeks to start getting my groove on with the raw food, and I think tonight I actually hit that threshold where I can transition into officially "chef'n it up!" I created this recipe tonight, and OMG, even if you don't try this as a main course, you should try this dish!

Carrot & Squash Pasta with Red Pepper Marinara by Bunnylicious Berry

Ingredients
2 small yellow summer squash
2 small carrots
1 large red pepper
Handful of fresh basil leaves
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried parsley
1 TBS juice from fresh lemon
2 TBS olive oil

Instructions
Peel the squash and the carrots into "pasta" strips, and plate them in a pile with the carrot on bottom and squash on top. Save any left over squash and carrot pieces to blend into the sauce.

Cut the pepper into pieces, and put into food processor with the rest of the ingredients. Blend until as smooth as you like it. Taste and season to your liking.

Spoon the pepper sauce over the pasta strips. Garnish with sprouts and a small handful of fancy raisins.

This is the best thing I have eaten since I have been raw. The sauce is a little runny, but who cares! I tipped my plate and drank it all up. It's just scrumptious! ENJOY!

Once a Week Cooking Session

Whew, that was fun! I just finished up a Once a Week cooking session, Lazy Day Gourmet style! What's on the menu for this week?  Well, let's see. In about an hour, I was able to get the following recipes into the freezer for the week.

And, I found the perfect use for my XO Laptop from One Laptop Per Child. My XO is now my official Lazy Day Gourmet cooking assistant!

1. Easy Orange Chicken- This is what's for dinner tonight! Serving it up with jasmine rice, and my new favorite (okay, I'm obsessed) Amazing Spinach & Pear salad.
2. Pineapple Pork Chops- This recipe is such a welcome change on a cold winter's night. Try it this week, and transplant yourself to the beaches of Waikiki. I cheated and used canned pineapple chunks this week since there wasn't a pineapple in sight at the local grocery store.
3. Rosemary Roast - I couldn't find a tri-tip at the grocery store this trip, so instead I bought an oven roast, and will be cooking this in the oven instead of on the grill this week.
4. Chunky Beef Crockpot Chili- Now with pictures! This is one of the most popular recipes on the Lazy Day Gourmet site. And for good reason. It's SO easy, and SO tasty.
5. Roasted Chicken- No freezer prep needed here. Just stick the whole chicken in the freezer, and place in the fridge to thaw the night before you want to cook.
6. Little Village Chicken Wraps- This is a new recipe I'm introducing this week. It's one of my all-time favorite recipes, so check back this week for pictures and a step by step how-to.
7. Cheesy Chicken Tetrazzini- Another new recipe coming up this week. This recipe will wreck your diet, but is worth every single mouthful.  The Cheesy Chicken Tetrazzini recipe is another Make One - Freeze One that I think you will really enjoy. Recipe and photos coming up later this week, so stay tuned! Note:

Amazing Spinach & Pear Salad

Over the holidays, I tried a new salad recipe that has turned out to be my absolute favorite salad recipe of all times.  With a wonderful rosemary and parsley dressing, fresh pears, and a few blue cheese crumbles, it's wonderful as a starter salad for a nice dinner with company, or great as a dinner salad.

The pears and the spinach together are just sweet and wonderful.

Amazing Spinach & Pear Salad
1 large bag of spinach salad greens
3 medium pears, ripe
2 TBS rosemary, finely chopped
2 TBS parsley, finely chopped
4 TBS olive oil
4 TBS red wine vinegar
4 TBS rice vinegar
1/4 cup bllue cheese crumbles
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Wash your spinach and shake gently in collander to remove water.
2. Slice pears very thinly, leaving the skin on. If you like smaller bites, cut to the size you like.
3. In a blender, small food processor, or a cup with a tight lid add the rosemary, parsley, oil, vinegars, salt and pepper. Blend until thoroughly mixed, or shake until thorougly mixed.
4. Toss the pears into the spinach greens.
5. Pour the dressing over the salad, and toss using your tongs.

How Much Do You Love Ranch Dressing?

When I am eating out, I try to be adventurous and order the restaurant's "house" dressing. These days it's usually some sort of raspberry or balsamic vinegarette, which is okay by me. But around the Berry's dinner table, our "house" dressing is defnitely Buttermilk Ranch.

I recently had a conversation with my sister in law, Kristine, where she confessed that if she could choose one food to overindulge in without any health or waistline consequences, she would choose Ranch dressing.  I personally think she's nuts, and that pumpkin cheesecake definitely wins in the ONE FOOD contest, but I do have to agree with her that it's a guilty pleasure that I am pretty snobby about.

I don't like store bought bottled Ranch dressing. It just doesn't taste the same as homemade.  And by homemade, I do mean the kind that you make at home by dumping a packet of Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning mix into a bowl and pouring in one cup of buttermilk and whipping with one cup of mayonnaise.  I am an incredibly busy cook. And there is a difference between homemade and from scratch. When it comes to Ranch, the homemade kind is heavenly and convenient. Give it a try. The difference is astounding.

And if you insist on making Buttermilk Ranch dressing from scratch, here is a recipe...

Buttermilk Ranch Dressing from Scratch
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon minced dried onion
1 clove garlic -- minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese

Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl, saving the buttermilk for last. While stirring, slowly blend in buttermilk. Chill for 2 hours or more before serving.

Traverse City Cherry Salad

Traverse City, Michigan is known as the cherry capital of the world. During a winter trip to Traverse City, I picked up a bag of dried cherries and enjoyed this wonderful fresh salad. You should be able to pick up dried cherries in your local grocery store. If not, you may want to stop by your local Whole Foods or health food store. 

Dried cranberries or blueberries could also be used in this salad if dried cherries are not available.

Ingredients
6 cups lettuce leaves- washed and dried
4 oz crumbled blue cheese
1 apple, sliced
1/2 cup red onion- thinly sliced rings
1 cup toasted walnuts
1/2 cup dried cherries

Dressing:
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 dash ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon rosemary, crushed
1/4 teaspoon thyme

Arrange the lettuce, blue cheese, apple slices, red onion, walnuts, and dried cherries in a large salad bowl. Mix the dressing until well combined, making sure the sugar and salt are dissolved. Toss salad with desired amount of dressing. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Serving Suggestions:
Fresh French Bread
Top with Grilled Shrimp or Chicken for a heartier entree.