Jenn

Jun

12

Grilled Spice-Rubbed Beef Tenderloin Filets with Chimichurri

Grilled-Spice-Rubbed-Beef-Tenderloin-with-Chimichurri

A specialty of Argentina, chimichurri is a tangy, zesty condiment traditionally served with grilled meats. Emerald in color and packed with loads of fresh herbs, olive oil, vinegar and garlic, it’s like a cross between vinaigrette and pesto. This version — made from a fragrant blend of parsley, mint and cilantro — pairs beautifully with spice-rubbed beef tenderloin filets. It’s the perfect dish for Father’s Day or any special occasion. In fact, I made it just last night for a family dinner in honor of my baby cousin, Ian (bottom right), who was in town visiting.

Jun

05

Morning Glory Muffins

Breakfast & Brunch / Muffins Posted by Jenn / 9 comments

Morning Glory Muffins are made with a little bit of everything — whole wheat flour, carrots, apples, raisins, walnuts, orange juice, coconut and wheat germ — and, true to their name, they’re a glorious way to start the day. Created decades ago by Chef Pam McKinstry for her Morning Glory Café on Nantucket Island, they’re a throwback to the 1970s “back-to-the-land” movement, when wholesome hippie food was all the rage. (Hint: If you like carrot cake, you’ll love them.)

May

29

Thai Quinoa Salad with Fresh Herbs and Lime Vinaigrette

Salads Posted by Jenn / 29 comments

This vibrant and fresh Thai Quinoa Salad is adapted from one of my favorite cookbooks, Raising the Salad Bar by Catherine Walthers. It’s a healthy eater’s dream: flavorful, chock-full of protein and veggies, satisfying and low in fat. I know you’ll love it because I shared it on my column over at Serious Eats last summer and it got rave reviews. I usually make it as a light lunch, but you can also serve it alongside other Asian dishes for dinner or make it a meal in itself by adding cooked shrimp, crab or lobster.

May

28

The Things We Do For Our Kids

News Posted by Jenn / 17 comments

Try not to laugh — this is me looking pretty ridiculous in a pea pod costume. The photo was taken last week at my kids’ elementary school during Eating the Rainbow, an exciting weeklong wellness program that encourages kids to include more colorful fruits and vegetables in their diets. I wanted to share it with you in hopes of inspiring anyone who might dare to dress up to get kids excited about healthy eating at their own school.

May

22

Chicken Enchiladas with Tomatillo Sauce

Chicken / Dinner Posted by Jenn / 16 comments

My whole family loves these enchiladas filled with smoky shredded chicken and cheddar cheese in a tangy tomatillo sauce. They’re lighter and fresher than the enchiladas served in most Mexican restaurants, especially when you top them with crisp shredded romaine, sour cream and sliced avocado. I’ll be honest, they take a bit of time to make. But the good news is that you can make the sauce and filling ahead of time, then assemble and bake the enchiladas another time for a quick and easy weeknight meal.

May

09

Strawberry Frozen Yogurt

Desserts / Ice Cream, Pudding & Custards Posted by Jenn / 19 comments

I know one cannot own every conceivable kitchen appliance, but if you can find an excuse to buy an ice cream machine, just go for it. They’re relatively inexpensive and you’ll be forever amazed at how much better your ice cream and frozen yogurt will be. This recipe, modestly adapted from David Lebovitz’s The Perfect Scoop, is proof of that. It bears no resemblance to store-bought frozen yogurt or the imitation ice cream served at most froyo shops. Instead, it tastes intensely of fresh strawberries — almost like a cross between strawberry frozen yogurt and strawberry sorbet.

May

01

Creamy Zucchini, Walnut and Dill Soup

Soups Posted by Jenn / 6 comments

May marks the start of zucchini season but I love this silky puréed soup anytime of year. It’s surprisingly healthy — there’s no heavy cream or dairy in it, just a handful of toasted walnuts to thicken it up. I like to serve it warm in the spring while there’s still a chill in the air, and cool in the summer once the weather heats up.

Apr

24

Nigella Lawson’s Party Popcorn

Dips, Spreads & Starters / Snacks Posted by Jenn / 8 comments

Leave it to Nigella. I used to love my popcorn topped with just a little butter and salt but now that I’ve had her “Party Popcorn,” I don’t want it any other way. Slightly sweet, salty and spiced with an exotic blend of cinnamon, cumin and paprika, this stuff is downright habit-forming.

Apr

17

Ginger, Garlic & Chili Shrimp

Dinner / Fish & Seafood Posted by Jenn / 27 comments

In this quick and easy recipe — adapted from The Splendid Table’s How To Eat Supper by Lynne Rossetto Kasper and Sally Swift — jumbo shrimp are bathed in a brine flavored with salt, sugar and chili powder, and then sautéed with loads of fresh ginger and garlic. It’s a delicious and flavorful dish that appeals to kids and adults alike. In fact, the recipe headnote reads: “If there is one recipe in this book that is guaranteed to have your family moaning with gratitude, this is it. After eating these shrimp, a five-year-old has been known to say, ‘Wow, Mom, thanks!’ And they’ve driven a grown woman to shamelessly lick her plate—in front of everyone.” (Thanks to my friend, Kim Cohen, for sharing the recipe with me!)

Apr

03

Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

Breakfast & Brunch / Snacks Posted by Jenn / 43 comments

Granola bars are a staple in my pantry, but between my husband, my kids and their hungry friends, I can’t seem to keep enough of them in the house. So I figured it was time to try and make them from scratch, and maybe even sneak in some health food. After many trials, I finally cracked the code and came up with a version that puts all those store-bought bars to shame. What’s more, they’re no-bake and take only ten minutes to make.

Mar

27

Savory Sausage and Cheddar Bread Pudding

Breakfast & Brunch / Holidays Posted by Jenn / 23 comments

Bread pudding is usually sweet, but it can be made savory too. This version, brimming with sweet pork sausage and sharp cheddar, is deeply flavored with a crisp, golden crust and tender, creamy interior. I love it, not only because it’s delicious, but also because it can be made ahead of time and feeds a crowd.

Mar

20

Baja Fish Tacos

Dinner / Fish & Seafood Posted by Jenn / 16 comments

Many years ago, Michael and I rented a convertible and drove up the California coast. One of our favorite stops was La Jolla, where we strolled around town and stumbled upon a Mexican restaurant with great food and breathtaking views of the Pacific ocean. I don’t know if it was the scenery, the margaritas, or the fact that we were on vacation, but the fish tacos were out of this world. I’m happy to say that this version — made of crispy beer-battered cod tucked into corn tortillas with a cabbage slaw and smoky chipotle sauce — comes pretty darn close.

Mar

13

Tres Leches Cake with Dulce de Leche Glaze

Cakes, Pies & Tarts / Desserts Posted by Jenn / 24 comments

Popular in Latin America, “Tres Leches Cake” or “Pastel de Tres Leches” is a light and fluffy cake soaked with a mixture of three milks: sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and heavy cream (leche means milk in Spanish). It’s a homey cake served right in the baking pan and, as you can imagine, it’s decadently moist, almost like bread pudding or custard. In this version, rum is added to the soaking liquid and — instead of the traditional whipped cream topping — a simple rum-spiked dulce de leche glaze covers the cake (which, I guess, technically makes it a quatro leches cake). My husband calls it “heaven on earth.”

Mar

09

Anolon Gourmet Cookware Giveaway! (CLOSED)

News Posted by Jenn / 78 comments

This contest is now closed. Congrats to Amy of Alexandria, VA!

Hi All, Great giveaway this week thanks to Anolon Gourmet Cookware! The 10-piece Nouvelle Copper Stainless Steel set includes:

1.25 Qt. and 2.5 Qt. Covered Saucepans
3 Qt. Covered Sauté Pan
6.5 Qt. Covered Stockpot
8-inch and 10-inch Skillets

Crafted of stainless steel with a layer of copper on the bottom, this cookware provides optimum heat conduction and excellent cooking performance. Stainless steel handles are dual riveted and oven safe to 500°F, and deep seated stainless steel dome lids fit securely into the rims to lock in flavors and nutrients. The collection is also dishwasher safe.

I own several pieces from Anolon, and not only does it perform well, it looks good. I especially love this collection’s high polish finish and graceful flared design — so pretty!

For a chance to win, simply review any recipe on the site that you have cooked (in the comment section underneath the recipe) between now and midnight on March 16th. You may review up to five recipes for five separate entries. Please only leave constructive reviews that will help other cooks. For example: Was the dish perfect as is or would you alter the recipe next time? Did you make any substitutions? What other dishes did you serve with it?

The winner will be chosen randomly and notified via email. You must be a resident of the contiguous U.S. and Once Upon a Chef email or feed subscriber to participate. Click here to subscribe.

Mar

06

Curried Roasted Carrots

Holidays / Vegetables & Sides Posted by Jenn / 43 comments

These sweet and spicy roasted carrots make a fabulous side dish, but they’re also delicious all on their own. In fact, on those rare (and dare I say treasured) nights when I’m on my own for dinner and don’t feel like fussing with a full meal, I’ll make them for myself as a main course. They’re like a treat, and I can easily polish off the entire dish myself.

Feb

27

Crave-Worthy Sugar Cookies

Cookies / Desserts Posted by Jenn / 35 comments

These cookies are truly crave-worthy: buttery and rich in flavor, with a crisp and sparkly exterior and tender-chewy interior. I discovered the recipe years ago on the King Arthur Flour website, and it’s been my go-to for sugar cookies ever since.

Feb

20

Bulgur Salad with Cucumbers, Red Peppers, Chick Peas, Lemon and Dill

Pizza, Pasta & Vegetarian / Salads / Vegetables & Sides Posted by Jenn / 41 comments

Bulgur-Salad-with-Dill,-Vegetables-and-Chick-Peas

This is one of my favorite main-course salads. Made with bulgur, fresh herbs, chopped vegetables and buttery chick peas, it’s kind of like a bulked-up tabbouleh. I like to make it over the weekend and keep it in the fridge all week long for healthy lunches.

Feb

12

Molten Chocolate Cakes

Cakes, Pies & Tarts / Desserts / Ice Cream, Pudding & Custards Posted by Jenn / 25 comments

Molten chocolate cakes — also known as chocolate lava cakes — are rich individual chocolate cakes with oozing molten centers. The original recipe was created by master chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten fortuitously, when he pulled a chocolate cake out of the oven before it was done and discovered the center to be wonderfully warm and pudding-like. Surprisingly, they’re easy enough for even the novice baker to make at home. And, what’s more, they can be prepared ahead of time, stored in the fridge and then baked at the last minute.

Feb

05

Balsamic-Glazed Roasted Beets

Salads / Vegetables & Sides Posted by Jenn / 14 comments

If you’re a beet lover like I am, you’re going to love (and maybe even obsess over) these simply prepared beets. They’re oven-roasted, which intensifies their natural sweetness, and then tossed in a tart and syrupy balsamic reduction. You can serve them as a side dish, but more often than not I just keep them in the fridge for snacking and tossing over salads. The best part is that they’re good for you! Beets are a nutritional powerhouse — they cleanse the body, are chock-full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, and are a great source of energy.

Jan

28

Peruvian-Style Roast Chicken with Green Sauce

Chicken / Dinner Posted by Jenn / 80 comments

This is my take on Pollo a la Brasa, that delicious spit-roasted chicken made popular by so many Peruvian restaurants. The chicken is first marinated in olive oil, lime juice, garlic and spices, and then oven-roasted until tender, juicy and crisp-skinned. The accompanying green sauce, which gets it’s color from cilantro and jalapeño peppers, is spicy, creamy and downright addictive. You can put it on virtually everything, and it even makes a fabulous dip or salad dressing.

Jan

16

Banana Pancakes

Breakfast & Brunch Posted by Jenn / 25 comments

One of these mornings when you’re not rushing out the door, and you just happen to have an over-ripe, spotty banana sitting on your countertop, try these banana pancakes. They’re my husband’s favorite — light and fluffy on the inside, lacy and crisp on outside and delicately flavored with bananas and vanilla. I love them with a simple drizzle of maple syrup but if you want to dress them up (or hint at what’s inside), top them with fresh sliced bananas and a dusting of confectioners’ sugar.

Jan

09

French Lentil and Vegetable Soup with Bacon

Soups Posted by Jenn / 37 comments

I love this elegant lentil soup for its many layers of flavor: the smokiness of the bacon, earthiness of the lentils, mild sweetness of the onions and carrots, and acidity of the tomatoes. It’s made with French green lentils, which hold their shape when cooked, and thicken the soup without turning it to sludge (which is, unfortunately, the fate of most lentil soups). With a green salad and crusty bread, it’s the perfect meal for a cold winter night.

Jan

02

Blackened Tilapia

Dinner / Fish & Seafood Posted by Jenn / 26 comments

Happy New Year, Everyone! Here’s one of my favorite fish recipes to kick off 2013, and it’s super quick and easy. Mild tilapia fillets are dusted with a bold Cajun spice rub, then sautéed in olive oil until crisp and flavorful on the exterior and tender and flaky within.

Dec

19

Gingerbread

Breads / Cakes, Pies & Tarts / Desserts Posted by Jenn / 24 comments

Old-fashioned gingerbread is the perfect treat to keep on hand during the holidays. There are many different kinds — from the darkest, densest cakes made with robust molasses and stout beer to the lightest, most delicate cakes flavored only with brown sugar and a hint of ground ginger. This recipe, adapted from Cooking with Memories by Lora Brody, is the perfect balance between the two: it’s dark and gingery enough to please the even most serious gingerbread aficionados yet also mild enough for young children, who (in my experience) seem to love it.

Dec

11

Nutella Sandwich Cookies (a.k.a.Yo-yos)

Cookies / Desserts / Holidays Posted by Jenn / 15 comments

These have got to be some of the world’s cutest cookies. They look just like little yo-yos, thus the name, and are popular in Australia. You make them by joining together two buttery shortbread disks with a layer of creamy chocolate-hazelnut spread. So delicious and perfect for the holidays!

Dec

06

Onion-Braised Beef Brisket

Beef, Lamb, Veal & Pork / Dinner / Holidays Posted by Jenn / 41 comments

This recipe was recently featured in Food 52′s Genius Recipes column. It comes from Nach Waxman — owner of the New York City cookbook shop, Kitchen Arts & Letters – and was originally published in The Silver Palette New Basics Cookbook in 1989. Apparently, it is the world’s most Googled brisket recipe and, since I love a good brisket, I had to try it. Three delicious brisket dinners later, I can tell you that the recipe lives up to the hype. It’s surprisingly simple: unlike all other briskets I’ve made, there’s no wine, stock or bottled sauces added. Instead, the brisket is cooked on top of a massive heap of onions, which slowly caramelize and release their juices, making a flavorful French onion soup-like braising liquid all their own.

Nov

29

Sweet Potato Biscuits with Honey Butter

Breads / Breakfast & Brunch / Holidays / Vegetables & Sides Posted by Jenn / 25 comments

At about four o’clock on Thanksgiving day, when I was knee-deep in cooking, I realized that I had forgotten to buy bread to serve with dinner. It was too late to send my husband to the store, so as soon as my sister walked through the door I handed her a stack of cookbooks and said, “Quick, find an easy biscuit recipe.” Wisely, she settled on these Fluffy Sweet Potato Biscuits from Paula Deen’s Southern Cooking Bible. They were such a hit, my family asked me to make them again for breakfast the next day. I did, and we slathered them with honey butter, which made them even better.

Nov

19

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust and Caramel Sauce

Cakes, Pies & Tarts / Desserts / Holidays Posted by Jenn / 32 comments

Pumpkin pie is always expected at Thanksgiving, but this year I decided to shake things up a bit and make pumpkin cheesecake instead. Having never made one before, I scoured the internet in search of the perfect recipe and tested six different variations. (Obsessive, I know, but you probably already know that about me by now.) I took what I liked from each one and created this recipe. I promise you: it’s the ultimate sweet ending to your Thanksgiving feast — and no one will miss that tired ol’ pumpkin pie.

Nov

14

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Pecans and Maple Syrup

Holidays / Salads / Vegetables & Sides Posted by Jenn / 28 comments

Roasted-Brussels-Sprouts-with-Bacon-and-Pecans

Thanksgiving just snuck up on me this year, so I’ve only got one week to share some new holiday recipes with you. First up, these golden roasted brussels sprouts with smoky bacon, toasted pecans and maple syrup. They’re so addictive, it’s hard to resist eating the entire pan right out of the oven.

Nov

08

Vanilla Birthday Cake with Old-Fashioned Vanilla Buttercream

Cakes, Pies & Tarts / Desserts Posted by Jenn / 38 comments

My daughter is turning eight years old this week, and for months she’s been begging me for two things: a puppy and her favorite vanilla birthday cake. The puppy is definitely not going to happen — I already have my hands full with this big guy.

Oct

25

Grilled Ginger Chicken with Apricot Chutney

Chicken / Dinner Posted by Jenn / 8 comments

We’ve had beautiful Indian summer weather all week in Maryland, so I’ve been firing up the grill almost every night. This recipe is a variation on my Grilled Moroccan Chicken (one of the most popular recipes on my site) but instead of North African spices, I use Southeast Asian spices and lots of fresh ginger flavor the chicken. The chicken is actually delicious on its own — in fact, my kids prefer it that way — but it’s even better paired with a sweet and sour apricot chutney. As you’ll see below, making homemade chutney is easy, but if you’ve got a store-bought brand that you like (mango chutney works well too), by all means save time and use it.

Oct

17

Autumn Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup

Holidays / Soups Posted by Jenn / 27 comments

I love to make soup on Sundays, especially when it’s cold outside and my family is curled up on the sofa watching football. There’s something so relaxing about it — clearing out the produce drawer, slow-cooking onions in butter, stirring a big pot as it simmers on the stove — and it makes the house smell so inviting! This bright orange, soul-warming soup is made with carrots, sweet potatoes, curry and apples, so it’s savory with a hint of sweetness and spice.

Oct

09

Spiced Pumpkin Cookies

Cookies / Desserts Posted by Jenn / 23 comments

The leaves are turning, and we’ve had a string of cold, rainy days here in Maryland. Walking in the neighborhood over the weekend, I even got a few whiffs of burning firewood — it finally feels like fall! Something about this season always inspires me to bake, and these little pumpkin cookies are my latest obsession. Imbued with warm autumn spices like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves, they’re cakey on the interior and slightly crisp on the exterior, with a bit of crunch from the raw sugar sprinkled on top. My family flocks to the kitchen as soon as I pull them out of the oven, and the first batch disappears before the second trays are even done.

Oct

03

Basmati Rice Pilaf with Dried Fruit and Almonds

Vegetables & Sides Posted by Jenn / 22 comments

basmati-pilaf-with-dried-fruits-and-almonds

As promised, here’s the basmati rice pilaf that was pictured with the Chicken Kebabs a few weeks ago. Bright yellow, studded with dried fruit and almonds, and scented with cumin, cinnamon and turmeric — it will remind you of someplace exotic you’d like to travel far far away.

Oct

01

Wüsthof Classic 5-Piece Knife Set Giveaway (CLOSED)

News Posted by Jenn / 20 comments

Hi All, Great knife set giveaway this week thanks to Wüsthof! The set includes all the essentials: a 6-inch chef’s knife for chopping and mincing, a 4-1/2-inch utility knife for slicing, a 3-1/2-inch parer for peeling and paring, a pair of handy kitchen shears, and an attractive hardwood storage block. I can personally attest that these knives last forever — I got my first Wüsthof set fifteen years ago in culinary school (they even have my maiden name engraved on them) and am still using them every day.

For a chance to win, simply review any recipe on the site (in the comment section underneath the recipe) between now and midnight on October 9th. You may review up to five recipes for five separate entries. Please leave constructive reviews that will help other cooks. For example: Was the dish perfect as is or would you alter the recipe next time? Did you make any substitutions? What other dishes did you serve it with?

The winner will be chosen by a random number generator and notified by email. You must be a resident of the contiguous U.S. and Once Upon a Chef email or feed subscriber to participate. Click here to subscribe. Good luck!

Update: Congrats to David from Houston, TX!

Sep

18

Middle Eastern Chicken Kebabs

Chicken / Dinner Posted by Jenn / 45 comments

I’m so excited to share this recipe with you. The first I made it, my family enjoyed it so much that I actually ran out of food.

Sep

12

Roasted Tomato Salsa

Dips, Spreads & Starters / Sauces Posted by Jenn / 46 comments

Utterly addictive, this bright and spicy salsa combines vine-ripened tomatoes, onions, garlic, Serrano chiles, cilantro and fresh lime. The vegetables in the recipe are roasted — a technique that intensifies the flavor of the tomatoes, mellows the onions and garlic, and adds a light touch of smokiness.

Sep

04

Minted Cucumber Salad

Salads Posted by Jenn / 15 comments

I made this refreshing cucumber salad over the weekend for my husband’s Father/Son Fantasy Football Draft party. It was the perfect light accompaniment to Pulled BBQ Chicken and Brisket Sandwiches and Mac n’ Cheese. A bunch of friends asked for the recipe, so I thought I’d share it here.

Aug

27

Greek-Style Family Dinner

Dinner Posted by Jenn / 5 comments

(My server went down yesterday, which caused some technical glitches, so I apologize if you already received this post or had trouble getting onto the site.)

Many of you have written in asking for entertaining ideas so, every once in a while, I thought it’d be fun to cook recipes from the archives for family or friends and share the menus with you. Hopefully, it will inspire you with some new ideas!

First up, a casual Greek-style dinner I made for my family when my sister in town a few weeks ago.

Aug

16

Perfect French Toast

Breads / Breakfast & Brunch / Desserts & Treats Posted by Jenn / 18 comments

My 9-year-old son came home from his first year at sleep away camp last week. Ever since, I’ve been spoiling him rotten with all his favorite foods, like French toast.

Aug

09

Summer White Bean Ragout

Dinner / Pizza, Pasta & Vegetarian / Vegetables & Sides Posted by Jenn / 43 comments

This might be my favorite recipe of the summer. It’s a quick ragout of hearty white beans and sweet summer tomatoes in a robustly flavored broth. I love how the tomatoes — just barely cooked — burst in your mouth when you bite into them, and how fresh basil, mint and a splash of balsamic vinegar liven the dish up. Serve it as a meatless main course, ideally with toasted garlic bread for sopping up the broth, or as a side dish to grilled meat.

Aug

01

Blueberry Maple Bran Muffins

Breads / Breakfast & Brunch / Muffins Posted by Jenn / 32 comments

My daughter loves to bake muffins for breakfast, and I love to bake with her. Problem is, most good muffins are loaded with the bad stuff — white flour, sugar and butter — and are really nothing more than cupcakes without frosting. On the flip side, most healthful muffins don’t taste very good. These blueberry muffins flavored with cinnamon and maple syrup strike the perfect balance between wholesome and indulgent. They’re lower in fat and sugar than most muffins, enriched with nutritious wheat bran and whole wheat flour, and chockfull of antioxidant-rich blueberries. The best part? My daughter loves them, and I can feel good about giving them to her.

Jul

23

Zucchini Fritters with Feta and Dill

Dinner / Dips, Spreads & Starters / Pizza, Pasta & Vegetarian / Vegetables & Sides Posted by Jenn / 30 comments

The word fritter usually conjures up something heavy and deep-fried, but these zucchini pancakes are as light and delicate as can be. Shredded zucchini is combined with eggs, garlic, scallions, feta and dill, and then pan-fried in olive oil until crisp on the exterior and tender on the interior. I like them best as a light vegetarian meal or mezze (small plate) with tzatziki and a Greek salad, but they’re also delicious as a side to any Mediterranean-style fish, chicken or lamb dish.

Jul

11

Hummus

Dips, Spreads & Starters Posted by Jenn / 25 comments

David Lebovitz, one of my favorite food writers, recently wrote an article about hummus on his blog, and it inspired me to make some. I know some people might not think it’s worth it to make hummus from scratch but I’ve never been a fan of store-bought. It’s typically made with soybean oil as opposed to olive oil, citric acid as opposed to lemon juice, and preservatives. Homemade hummus is much tastier and healthier, and is made from ingredients you can keep readily on hand — a few cans of chickpeas, extra virgin olive oil, a scoop of tahini, freshly squeezed lemon juice, garlic and spices. Just give it all a whirl in the food processor and you’re done.

Jul

06

Oldie but Goodie

News Posted by Jenn / 6 comments

Hi All, I haven’t had a chance to cook anything new this week because we’ve been vagabonds without electricity since the storm hit the DC area last Friday. So, until I get back into my kitchen, here’s an oldie but goodie from the archives. (Clearly, I could use a cocktail!)

Sangria is a fruit-based wine punch typical of Spain and Portugal. There are many variations but it usually consists of wine, chopped or sliced fruit, a sweetener and a small amount of brandy and orange liqueur. In the States, lemon-lime soda or seltzer is often added. This sparkling white version is adapted from Columbia Restaurant in Lido Key, FL — one of our favorite places to go when visiting my parents in Sarasota. I make it whenever we have company over the summer, and it seems I can never make enough of it.

Jun

28

Chinese Chicken Salad with Sesame Ginger Dressing

Salads Posted by Jenn / 18 comments

If I didn’t have a husband and children to feed, I’d eat a salad like this every night of the summer. With crisp greens, colorful vegetables, fresh herbs, crunchy nuts and lean protein in an Asian-style vinaigrette, it’s light yet completely satisfying. The taste is similar to the Chinese Chicken Salad served at many restaurants, only I’ve left off the unhealthy fried wonton strips that are usually piled on top. Though the ingredient list looks long, the recipe couldn’t be easier to make — especially if you use leftover or rotisserie chicken instead of making your own.

Jun

21

Roasted Garlic Gazpacho

Soups Posted by Jenn / 25 comments

Gazpacho is a cold Spanish-style soup made from tomatoes, olive oil, wine vinegar and other vegetables. It’s typically loaded with raw onions and garlic, so every time I see it on a restaurant menu, I have an inner dialogue weighing how much I love it against how much I’ll regret eating it later. I wanted to come up with a recipe that was full of flavor but without sharp and lingering aftereffects, so I replaced the traditional raw onions and garlic with lots of mellow, sweet roasted garlic. It came out great — vibrant and full of robust tomato flavor — and you can eat it til your heart’s content because it’s super healthy and goes down smooth.

Jun

19

Anolon 11 Piece Cookware Set Giveaway (CLOSED)

News Posted by Jenn / 108 comments

Congrats to Liesel from Tennessee!

Hi All, Fantastic giveaway this week thanks to Anolon Gourmet Cookware. This 11 piece Advanced Bronze Cookware set, valued at $300, is crafted of extra-thick, hard-anodized aluminum — an ideal conductor of heat — and includes: 1.5 Qt. and 3 Qt Covered Saucepans, a 3 Qt. Covered Sauté Pan, an 8 Qt. Covered Stockpot, 8-inch and 10-inch Skillets, and a 12-inch Shallow Grill Pan. The tulip-shaped pans have graceful flared sides, a premium nonstick coating and a chic bronze hue on the exterior. I own several of these pans, and love that the inside and outside surfaces are both nonstick, so clean-up is a breeze and the cookware looks good as new longer.

For a chance to win, simply review any recipe on the site (in the comment section underneath the recipe) between now and midnight on June 27th. You may review up to five recipes for five separate entries. Please leave constructive reviews that will help other cooks. For example: Was the dish perfect as is or would you alter the recipe next time? Did you make any substitutions? What other dishes did you serve it with?

The winner will be chosen by a random number generator and notified via email. You must be a resident of the contiguous U.S. and Once Upon a Chef email or feed subscriber to participate. Click here to subscribe.

Want another chance to win? Anolon is hosting a similar giveaway on their Facebook Page. If you “like” the page, you can enter to win. For every friend referred, fan earns another entry for chance to win with no limits on entries. For every fan who refers 3 friends, he/she has a chance to also enter a bonus drawing for chance to win one of three bonus prizes — Anolon Advanced Bronze 11-inch Covered Deep Skillet (value is $49.99 for the skillet).

Good luck!

Jun

13

Grilled Moroccan Chicken

Chicken / Dinner Posted by Jenn / 75 comments

This is an easy and incredibly flavorful way to prepare boneless skinless chicken breasts. I can’t claim it’s authentic, but the spices — an aromatic blend of cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, ginger, paprika and coriander – make it taste decidedly Moroccan, and it also goes wonderfully with couscous. You might think it sounds too exotic-tasting for picky eaters, but I can tell you that even small children seem to love it. The best part is that it only takes minutes to prepare, and there’s barely any clean up.

Jun

06

Italian Cornmeal Cookies

Cookies / Desserts Posted by Jenn / 28 comments

Warm out of the oven, these simple Italian cookies taste like little discs of toasted cornbread. They’re tender with a pleasantly gritty texture, and not too sweet. I love them best for breakfast with a cup of coffee, but they’re also perfect served alongside a scoop of ice cream or sorbet as a light and elegant summer dessert.

Jenn

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16

09

02

19

11

06

29

19

14

08

25

17

09

03

01

18

12

04

27

16

09

01

23

11

06

28

21

19

13

06

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