Phyllo Pizza with Smoked Mozzarella and Cherry Tomatoes

Rating: 5
The smoked mozzarella gives this pizza unique flavor.  We used a store bought pizza dough instead of phyllo pastry because the store was out.  The pizza dough worked really well.  It saved time and was less fattening than using phyllo pastry.  Very easy recipe.

Quinoa, Garbanzo, and Spinach Salad with Smoked Paprika Dressing

Rating: 3
Tasted a lot better the following day.  Added some lemon juice for freshness.  The feta cheese made it a bit salty.  Next time don't put salt in the water when preparing the quinoa.

Makes 6 to 8 servings
Active time: 25 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups quinoa (9 to 10 ounces), rinsed, drained
4 cups (packed) baby spinach leaves
2 15- to 16-ounce cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed, drained
1 3/4 cups 1/3-inch cubes unpeeled English hothouse cucumber
1 1-pint container multicolored baby heirloom tomatoes, halved (2 1/2 cups)
1 cup (packed) fresh mint leaves
1 1/2 cups coarsely crumbled feta cheese (about 7 ounces), divided
1/4 cup Sherry wine vinegar
2 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1/2 cup olive oil

Place quinoa in large saucepan; add enough salted water to cover quinoa by 1 inch. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer until quinoa is tender, 15 to 16 minutes. Drain. Chill until cool.

Meanwhile, combine spinach leaves, garbanzos, cubed cucumber, halved tomatoes, mint leaves, and half of feta cheese in extra-large bowl. Add cooled quinoa and toss gently to blend.

Whisk vinegar and smoked paprika in small bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Season dressing with salt and pepper. Pour dressing over salad; toss to coat. Season generously with salt and pepper. Sprinkle remaining feta over.

By the Bon Appetit Test Kitchen
Bon Appetit, July 2010

Mixed-Berry Shortcakes with Vanilla Whipped Cream

Rating: 4

Very tasty.  Had some difficulty forming the biscuits while trying to keep the dough tender.  Luckily we had an expert baker on hand.  A good option for a party because all of the components could be made earlier in the day and then assembled right before serving.

Makes 12

Ingredients

Biscuits
3 cups all purpose flour
6 tablespoons sugar
5 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons chilled heavy whipping cream
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 cup chilled buttermilk

Whipped Cream and Berries
2 1/4 cups chilled heavy whipping cream
5 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
12 ounces strawberries, quartered
2 1/2-pint containers raspberries
2 1/2-pint containers blueberries
3 tablespoons sugar

Preparation

Biscuits
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk first 4 ingredients in large bowl. Add butter. Cut in until coarse meal forms. Whisk 1/2 cup cream, 1 egg, and extracts in small bowl; mix into dry ingredients. Gradually add buttermilk; toss until moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk.
Press dough out on floured surface to 9-inch round. Cut out 2 1/2-inch-diameter rounds. Gather scraps and repeat, cutting total of 12 rounds. Place on prepared sheet. Whisk 1 egg and 2 tablespoons cream in small bowl for glaze. Brush some on rounds.
Bake biscuits until golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 18 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool.
Whipped Cream and Berries
Beat cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla in large bowl until peaks form. Toss berries and 3 tablespoons sugar in another large bowl; let stand until juices form.
Halve biscuits. Place bottoms in bowls. Top with berries, then cream and tops.

Recipe by Sarah Akin
Bon Appetit, June 2010

Sunbathing and Seafood

Dinner Prepared by Chefs Jane, Elizabeth and Amanda

After a beautiful day at the pool we went back to the house to prepare our BA dinner.  It was the perfect Sunday complete with good friends and food.  As you will see in the below posts our meal turned out well.  We were disappointed in the main course, but very pleased with the appetizers and desserts.

Pictured below are professional bartenders making champagne and raspberry cocktails.

Burrata Cheese with Tomatoe Salsa and Olive Salsa

 Rating: 5

Excellent for entertaining because advance preparation would be very easy.  Fresh mozzarella substitution is delicious.

Ingredients

1 baguette, cut on diagonal into 1/3-inch-thick slices

2/3 cup (about) extra-virgin olive oil
3 large plum tomatoes, quartered lengthwise
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt plus additional for seasoning
2 unpeeled garlic cloves
1 5-inch-long fresh rosemary sprig plus additional sprigs for garnish
1/3 cup Kalamata olives, pitted
1/3 cup pimiento-stuffed green olives
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil plus sprigs for garnish
2 8-ounce balls fresh burrata cheese* or fresh mozzarella cheese

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange baguette slices on prepared baking sheet and brush both sides of bread with some oil. Bake until light golden and almost crisp, about 15 minutes. Transfer toasts to platter and cool. Reserve baking sheet with parchment. Maintain oven temperature.
Toss tomatoes, 1 tablespoon oil, and 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt in medium bowl. Spread tomatoes on parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing apart. Place garlic cloves and rosemary sprig atop tomatoes. Roast until tomatoes and garlic are soft, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool slightly; peel garlic, then finely chop tomatoes, garlic, and rosemary leaves. Transfer mixture to small bowl; stir in 1 tablespoon oil. Season tomato salsa with coarse salt and pepper.
Using on/off turns, coarsely chop all olives with chopped basil in processor. Transfer to another small bowl; add 2 tablespoons oil and season olive salsa to taste with pepper. DO AHEAD: Toasts, tomato salsa, and olive salsa can be made 1 day ahead. Store toasts in resealable plastic bag at room temperature. Cover and chill tomato salsa and olive salsa separately. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Place burrata cheese balls in center of large platter. Cut large X in top of each, revealing creamy center. Spoon tomato salsa into center of 1 burrata cheese ball and olive salsa into center of second. Drizzle with additional oil. Garnish with basil and rosemary sprigs. Serve with toasts.

recipe by Tori Ritchie

Clams with Andouille Sausage

Rating: 2

This dish was not as good as the Mussels Steamed in Beer that we had back in May.  The flavors of the sausage and clams did not compliment each other very well.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
8 ounces andouille sausage, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 fresh poblano chiles,* cut into 1/2-inch squares
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch squares
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch squares
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
4 pounds Manila clams, scrubbed
1/2 cup dry Sherry
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
2 teaspoons Sherry wine vinegar

Preparation

Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add andouille sausage, poblano chiles, all bell peppers, and crushed red pepper. Sauté until sausage browns and vegetables begin to soften, stirring often, about 7 minutes. Add clams, Sherry, and cream. Cover pot and cook over medium-high heat until clams open, 5 to 6 minutes (discard any clams that do not open). Stir in 1/4 cup cilantro and Sherry wine vinegar. Season juices to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to large bowl. Sprinkle with remaining cilantro and serve. Adapted from Elliot's Oyster House.

Green Beans and Zucchini with Sauce Verte

Rating: 2
The sauce verte was basically a pesto with a lot of ingredients.  Vegetables were soggy, which was probably our fault.  Overall, not very impressed.

Ingredients
Sauce verte
1/3 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves
1 green onion, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons (packed) fresh Italian parsley
2 tablespoons drained capers
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, peeled
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Vegetables
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound green beans, stem end trimmed
12 ounces zucchini, halved lengthwise, each half cut lengthwise into 1/3-inch-wide strips
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley leaves (for garnish)

Preparation

Sauce verte

Blend first 7 ingredients in processor until finely chopped. With machine running, gradually add olive oil. Process until coarse puree forms. Season sauce verte to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

Vegetables

Heat oil in heavy large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add vegetables; stir until coated. Sprinkle with salt and 3 tablespoons water. Cover; cook vegetables until almost crisp-tender, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Uncover; cook until vegetables are just tender, about 2 minutes longer. Stir in enough sauce verte to coat vegetables generously. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl. Garnish with parsley and serve.

by Jeanne Kelley

Greek Yogurt Ice Cream

Rating: 4

Yum!  Recommend adding some vanilla to the recipe.  We served with glazed peaches.  The sweetness of the peaches complimented the tartness of the Greek yogurt in the ice cream.  Excellent after a hot day at the pool.

Ingredients

1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sugar, divided
3 large egg yolks
1 cup whole-milk Greek-style yogurt
Pinch of salt

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT

Ice cream maker

Preparation

Combine 1 cup heavy whipping cream, 1 cup whole milk, and 1/2 cup sugar in heavy medium saucepan. Bring mixture to simmer, stirring until sugar dissolves. Whisk 3 large egg yolks and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in large heatproof bowl until blended. Gradually add hot cream mixture to yolk mixture and whisk until blended. Return mixture to saucepan and stir over medium-low heat until custard thickens slightly and coats back of spoon when finger is drawn across and instant-read thermometer inserted into mixture registers 170°F, about 3 minutes (do not boil). Pour custard through strainer set over medium bowl. Place bowl with custard in larger bowl filled halfway with ice and water. Whisk occasionally until custard is almost cool to touch, about 5 minutes. Remove bowl with custard from ice water. Whisk yogurt and pinch of salt into custard. Refrigerate custard until well chilled.

Transfer custard to ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer yogurt ice cream to freezer container. Cover and freeze until ice cream is firm. DO AHEAD Can be made 3 days ahead. Keep frozen.

Recipe by Niche

Bon Appetit Dinner and Laker Game Night

Prepared by Chefs Jori and Amanda

Roasted Asparagus and Baby Artichokes with Lemon Oregano Aioli
http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2010/06/roasted_asparagus_and_baby_artichokes_with_lemon_oregano_aioli

Rating: 5
Very tasty!  Baby artichokes are in season right now at the farmer's market.  For the baby artichokes be sure to peel off the dark layers and cut off the tops.  I have made this twice now and the second time I forgot.  You can't eat the whole thing if you forget because they are too tough.

Grilled Bruschetta with Teleme, Honey and Figs
http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2010/06/grilled_bruschetta_with_teleme_honey_and_figs
Rating: 3
Three minutes on the barbecue is way too long.  We charred the bread and then tried to salvage as you can see in the picture above.

Dilled White Bean and Grape Tomato Salad
http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2010/06/dilled_white_bean_and_grape_tomato_salad
Rating: 3
I love white beans, and this was good, but not as good as they can be.  The flavor of the dill is a bit too much for my taste.  The next time I make this I may try using parsley/basil and cutting back on the amount of dill.

Harissa Marinated Top Sirloin Tips
http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2010/06/harissa_marinated_top_sirloin_tips
Rating: 5
Very good and easy.  We marinated the meat about two hours and it had a lot of flavor.  We used the barbecue, instead of skillets as the recipe calls for, since it was already on from the grilled bruschetta.  Also, we did not cut it up small to prevent it from falling through the grill.  Excellent!  A great way to prepare a cheap piece of meat because the marinade tenderizes it.

Chocolate Chip and Peanut Butter Cookies
http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/quick-recipes/2010/06/chocolate_chip_peanut_butter_cookies

Rating: 5

Amazing!!!

Jori will have to tell you how the baking experience was as she was the genius behind this.  As if they weren't good enough on their own we decided to make them into ice cream sandwiches.

Overall an excellent meal!  Unfortunately, the Lakers lost that night, but we had our cookies to cheer us up.  The Lakers are for sure going to win the finals...now I just have to decide what to make for the next game.

Salmon with Sweet Chili Glaze, Sugar Snap Peas, and Pea Tendrils

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2010/04/salmon_with_sweet_chili_glaze_sugar_snap_peas_and_pea_tendrils

Rating: 5

This recipe is delicious, super easy and fast.  I have made it twice now and both times it turned out great.  I especially like how the sweet peas contrast with the spicy marinade.  I highly recommend to anyone who likes salmon.

The Best Bon Appetit Night Ever!!!!

Limoncello Champagne Cocktails with Mint
http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/quick-recipes/2010/05/limoncello_champagne_cocktails_with_mint
Rating: 4
Very tasty and excellent to impress guests.  Would make again for a bridal shower or brunch.  The only tricky part is straining the lemon rind and mint mixture, so just quadruple the recipe when you make it so you don't have to keep blending and straining while your guests are there.  The limoncello I found was a little pricey (about $22/bottle) but worth it.  You can buy cheaper champagne, but don't go so cheap your guests wake up with a headache, in other words no Andre please.

Toasted Bread with Burrata and Arugula
http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2010/05/toasted_bread_with_burrata_and_arugula
Rating: 5
Excellent!  Super easy!  It has burrata in it, need I say more.  Elizabeth found delicious Burrata at Bay Cities Deli in Santa Monica.

Green Goddess Dressing
http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2009/05/green_goddess_dressing
Rating: 5
I have made this many times and it is my favorite salad dressing.  Very unique and refreshing.  I especially like how the tarragon flavor really stands out.  Feel free to substitute low fat milk for the cream and omit the anchovies if you don't have/like them.

Mussels Steamed in Beer with Crème Fraîche, Herbs, and Parmesan Croutons
http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2010/05/mussels_steamed_in_beer_with_creme_fraiche_herbs_and_parmesan_croutons
Rating: 5
Absolutely delicious!  The creme fraiche really makes it rich and the tomato helps balance it out.  Be sure to make more croutons than the recipe calls for because you will want them.


Strawberry Granita with Whipped Cream
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/printerfriendly/Strawberry-Granita-with-Whipped-Cream-238535?printFormat=photo
Rating: 4
Really easy and tasty.  Nice low fat dessert option, unless you have it with a cup of whipped cream like I did.  I probably would have given it a 5, but it just wasn't as good as the stuff in Sicily...but hey that is a pretty high bar to set.

The Worst Bon Appetit Night Ever

Shrimp and Cotija Enchiladas with Salsa Verde and Crema Mexicana http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2009/06/shrimp_and_cotija_enchiladas_with_salsa_verde_and_crema_mexicana

Rating: 0 (would not make again)

Husband quote: "You two shouldn't call it Bon Appetit dinner, you should call it Bon Appetit late night meal."

Do not be fooled by the picture people.  While tasty these are totally not worth the time, especially since you can get enchiladas at any Mex restaurant for pretty cheap.  We started cooking at 5 and dinner wasn't ready until about 10:30.  Luckily we had some excellent guacamole and margaritas on hand.  The main reason it took so long was that you have to roast and peel everything in the salsa verde.

Easter Lamb

Grilled Leg of Lamb with Rosemary, Garlic, and Mustard

recipe by Sisi Carroll

April 2010 Bon Appetit

Rating (1-poor to 5-excellent):  3 points

Comments:  Overall, very good flavor.  However, the meat was kind of tough.  For lamb lovers like myself I think it is better to roast slowly or smoke on the barbecue.

Ingredients:

1 well-trimmed 6-pound boneless leg of lamb, butterflied to even 2-inch thickness

8 garlic cloves, peeled, divided

1/2 cup whole grain Dijon mustard

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup dry white wine

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

Fresh rosemary sprigs and fresh parsley sprigs

Preparation:

Open lamb like book on work surface. Using tip of small knife, make 1/2-inch-deep slits all over lamb. Thinly slice 4 garlic cloves, mustard, olive oil, white wine, rosemary, and lemon juice in processor. Blend until coarse puree forms. Spread underside of lamb with half of puree. Place lamb, seasoned side down, in 15x10x2-inch glass baking dish. Spread remaining puree over top of lamb. Cover lamb with plastic wrap and chill overnight.

Let lamb stand at room temperature 2 hours. Coat grill rack with nonstick spray and prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Sprinkle lamb generously with salt and pepper on both sides. Grill lamb to desired doneness, 17 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer lamb to cutting board; let rest 10 to 20 minutes.

Thinly slice lamb against grain. Overlap slices on platter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Garnish with fresh herb sprigs.