Cookbook #56, Giada's Kitchen

I caved. This cookbook called out to me, and while I tried to resist, I ended up picking it up and then giving in to its seductive call. Why wouldn't I need a new cookbook? I brought it home with me.

I have pretty mixed feelings on Giada. Sometimes I am just really want to turn the channel and yet, I can't seem to stop watching because her food is that enticing. First I'll admit to the ultimate shallowness of all: I judge a book by its cover. The Tiffany blue binding and lettering is the entire reason I couldn't resist picking this book up at the store to browse through. But really, aren't cookbooks sometimes just about the cover and the photos? I probably own just as many cookbooks for the food photography as I do for the recipes themselves. This cookbook fills both requirements.

It's beautiful. You open up the cover and the inside is the same beautiful Tiffany blue. Then you start flipping through the pages and there are photographs of vividly bright heirloom tomatoes and chocolate panna cotta with fresh whipping cream. Of course the recipes, with their unique flavor pairings, deserve acknowledgement of their own...crispy phyllo wrapped smoked mozzarella, panini with chocolate and brie and butternut squash and vanilla risotto.

For this post, I have not one, but two of her recipes here: Orzo Stuffed Peppers and Canteloupe, Red Onion and Walnut Salad.

The Orzo Stuffed Peppers were a twist on the traditional stuffed peppers--meatless and with orzo instead of rice. I'm not going to lie to you here. While this was quite tasty, I'm 50% asian, and 0% Italian. Rice is my carb of choice--I like rice stuffed peppers better. But for the pasta fans out there, Giada's recipe is worth a try and can be found here.

What was especially splendid about this recipe though, was the abundance of produce. Not only is there the fabulousness of tomatoes (Giada called for a can of stewed tomatoes, I had fresh. I cut up two tomatoes and cooked for a couple of minutes with two cloves of garlic)....

but there's also fresh grated zucchini. And for good measure, I threw in some sauteed spinach even though the recipe didn't call for it, because I somehow find myself putting spinach in everything.

A bit of cheese inside and on top and it was definitely yum--I'd recommend it for any pasta fan. I did however, forget to take the after photo, when it came from the oven oozing cheese. That alone would make it worth a try.

Recipe number two was one of my favorite eats of the week: Canteloupe, Red Onion and Walnut Salad. Phenomenal. I love fruit in my salad, and the pairing of the sweet canteloupe with the tangy, sweet/salty dressing and sharp onion flavor was culinary perfection. This was one of the recipes I've probably adapted the least...except of course for a substitution of spinach for arugula. The whole spinach obession is kind of circular...I buy so much spinach because I love it, I put it in everything because I buy so much.

Canteloupe, Red Onion and Walnut Salad

from Giada's Kitchen

ORANGE VINAIGRETTE:
¼cup orange juice
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 ½ tablespoons raspberry vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

SALAD:
1 cantaloupe (about 3 lbs.), cut into 1-inch cubes
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
2 cups arugula
1 cup chopped walnuts
Directions

To make the vinaigrette: Combine fruit juices and vinegar in a small bowl. Slowly add olive oil, whisking until the mixture is smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
To make the salad: Combine cantaloupe, onion, arugula and ½ cup of walnuts in large salad bowl. Pour dressing over salad and toss well. Garnish with remaining walnuts.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Game Day Guacamole

When you grow up in Denver, you either love the Broncos or you hate them, but you're rarely indifferent. When the weather starts to cool and the leaves begin thinking about changing colors, the Denver fan, heck any football fan, knows a special time is drawing near...football season.

Football season will forever hold a special place in my heart. It was time spent with my family growing up. It was high school football games where you screamed until you were hoarse. It was homecoming where you got to ride in in floats to buildup the big homecoming game. It was college days where campus energy rose right before the Iowa-Iowa State game, and frat houses were the place to be after Iowa kicked some Cyclone butt, which they did again yesterday. Just in case you hadn't heard.

And with football season, comes football food. Of course, one must start by putting on a handy, dandy team apron. It makes the food taste that much better. For today's season opener get together, I made guacamole, because really, guac is like little bites of heaven on a tortilla chip.

The thing about guac though is that while it's well loved and very popular, it's hard to get people to agree to the perfect version...everyone has an opinion. Should it be smooth or have chunks? Tomatoes or no tomatoes? Cilantro? Lots of garlic or just a little? Spicy or mild? The variations are endless really.

Unfortunately, it's hard to share a recipe since it's really by taste each time. In a nutshell, I started with 3 avocados, split and diced in the skins and then scooped into a bowl.

Add one small tomato, finely diced, one tbsp minced red onion and one half finely diced jalapeno. Throw in two crushed garlic cloves, the juice of one lime, a handful of finely chopped up cilantro, a bit of salt and some pepper. Stir and mash with a fork so that it's creamy, but still retains smaller chunks of avocado.

The most important part of game day guacamole is using that one, completely impractical serving dish---the one that takes up half the kitchen and only comes out a few times a year....on occasions such as opening day.

But in the end, it's worth the space it takes up. Eating guac out of a plain dish might imply that a girl doesn't bleed orange and blue. That'd be a shame.

That Time Again

I only see Peanut every so often, so when I do, I take advantage of it. This time, it was to the tune of 500+ photos in one afternoon. I wish I was lying, but I do walk around with the camera glued to my eye. My family mocks me, but then is the first to point out if I've missed a great photo op. And yes, many of these are the same ones that are on facebook, because deep down, I'm just too lazy to go through all 500 pics.

When you are the gardener's only grandbaby, apparently you can pick any flowers in the garden without the same chastisement you would receive if you were say, just the firstborn child of the gardener.

He loves me, he loves not...

Memories of Bozeman...

With my project wrapping up, I don't anticipate any more trips to Bozeman. While I have no sadness over not having to make the trip anymore, it was really a lovely and peaceful little town. Actually, it looks a lot like Colorado when you get into the mountains.

I really, really wanted to pet this guy. Horns aside, doesn't he looks so soft and snuggly? This species is known as creaturous horniferous. If someone leaves a comment and tells me this is a cow or some other common animal, I will of course be mortified. How does one learn what animals are? My puzzles in childhood had "pig," "cows," and "cats."

Right outside Bozeman in a little town called Belgrade, I found this beautiful old Victorian home...full of fabric. The only thing that could top that in my book would be an old Victorian full of yarn. Or All Clad and other kitchen goodies. Oooh, what about an entire house full of cookbooks?!

Each and every room on every floor was filled with fabulous, beautiful fabric....

A claw foot tub is only more spectacular when used to store fabric.

Sneaking Away to Yellowstone

Though I was technically in town for business, I talked my coworker into sneaking away for a bit of a day trip. I initially felt a bit irresponsible for taking a few  hours on a Sunday away from work. But really, the system was looking stable, we'd worked over 70 hours in 4 days and I wanted to go to Yellowstone. When you are single, you get used to doing whatever you want--it's a blessing and a curse.

Our vendors were so excited at the prospect of being rid of us for a few hours, that they gave us a gift and sent us on our way...Montana peeps take bears seriously. I think rattlesnake spray is a better idea.

The rumors are true...Yellowstone is filled with wildlife. These are creatures. Everything I saw was a creature, because I sadly, cannot tell one creature from another.

Another creature. FYI, you are not supposed to get up close.

This creature was a bison. Ha-I knew that one.

Driving through the lower geyser basin. There's actually boiling mud around these parts people.

and of course, Old Faithful. Is it sad that as I was taking photos, I was wondering if pioneers were clever enough to harness its power and heat for laundry? I kind of really just wanted to do some laundry right then and there.

It was worth every tired moment.