Strawberry Balsamic Salad

After returning from Whistler my family came over a couple of weeks ago to celebrate my birthday at home. Most of the food we made consisted of old time favorites but with my burning desire to always try something new I thought to make a different salad than usual. As spring is in the air I thought to take advantage of all the fresh fruit now appearing in grocery stores.

This salad was quite simple: it featured spinach, blueberries, goat cheese, roasted beets and candied pecans. It was tied together through a sweet but tangy strawberry balsamic vinaigrette. I think that there are a variety of ingredients that could be put in the salad but I decided to go for blueberries and beets because I really love them. Also candying the pecans gave them a great crunch and added the necessary amount of texture to the salad.

Note: I will post the recipe for the salad dressing and how to make candied pecans. The rest of the ingredients can be chosen based on what you have/what is in season.

Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette
Note: This is more than enough dressing for one large salad. I drizzled some on the salad and served the rest on the side for those who wanted extra.

• 1 lb fresh strawberries
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1-2 tsp water
• Pinch of salt
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1-2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• Optional: 1 tbsp poppy seeds

1. Remove the stems from the strawberries and cut in half.
2. In a small pot, combine the strawberries, sugar, salt, and water. Heat over medium heat until the strawberries begin to soften and release their juices.
3. Blend the strawberries until they are smooth and then strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve to separate the seeds.
4. Allow the strawberry puree to cool then whisk together with the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and poppy seeds. Add some extra salt and pepper to taste.

Candied Pecans

• 2 cups pecan halves
• 4 tbsp brown sugar
• 4 tbsp (¼ cup) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1. In a large pan, roast the pecans for about two minutes, until they start to soften and become fragrant.
2. Add the butter pieces and stir so all the nuts are well coated.
3. Add the brown sugar and keep stirring so that the nuts do not burn. Continue lightly frying for about 3-5 minutes, until all of the butter has melted and the sugar has caramelized.
4. Pour out the nuts on a parchment paper-lined plate and allow them to cool for 10 minutes so that the sugar can set.

Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Salad

This salad is nothing new. In fact I have been making it for quite sometime but I never thought to blog about it because it seemed so simple. However after serving it repeatedly at multiple parties and always receiving rave reviews I decided it's time I include it on the blog.

This past weekend we had a big soiree at our house to celebrate my mom's birthday. In addition to this salad I also prepared stuffed mushrooms, poached pears, and two chocolate mousse cakes (there were a lot of people so I made two of the same cake). The party was a great success and everyone was truly appreciative of all the effort that went into creating such a fabulous spread.

The beauty of the salad I made is how easy and simple it is, yet also very versatile. I love how roasting the beets brings out their inherently sweet flavor which is then complemented by the tanginess of the goat cheese. Then to top it all off there's the crunch provided by the toasted almonds. I will admit that at times I have substituted feta cheese in the past, which is also nice, though I prefer the goat cheese. Also I alternate between using baby spinach and arugula, or sometimes even both, depending on what I find at the grocery store. In any case, the star of the salad is definitely the beet; so long as it's there everything else falls into place.

Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Salad
Note: The salad can be made in small or large portions, therefore I have listed the ingredients and steps but left quantities out.

• Medium sized beets
• Goat cheese
• Baby arugula or spinach leaves
• Sliced almonds
• Lemon
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

1. Prepare the beets by wrapping tightly in aluminum foil and arranging on a baking pan. Depending on the size, roast them for 45 minutes-1 hour. They are finished once a knife can easily slice through them.
2. Allow the beets to cool then proceed to peel and slice them. I prefer slicing them into thin rounds, about ½ cm thick, then in half.
3. While the beets are cooling, toast the almonds in a pan over low heat. Keep in mind it is easy to burn them therefore continuously stir them and remove from the heat as soon as you see them start to brown. Set aside in a separate bowl.
4. Toss the greens with some lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Adjust the seasoning to taste but take care not to over mix as the greens will start to wilt if you work them too much. 
5. Toss in the sliced beets and almonds and gently mix in. Use your hands to break off small chunks of goat cheese and sprinkle on top. Don't worry about mixing it in so long as there is enough to scooped up while serving.

Roasted Vegetable and Goat Cheese Pizza

Tomorrow I leave for Cuzco, Peru for three weeks so my family decided to have a nice dinner together before I go. I was inspired to make pizza after a recent trip I took last weekend with my friend for what has now become our annual summer trip to Seattle. We had a lovely time and spent shopping, browsing, walking, and of course eating. We stayed with my former neighbors, as we always do, and made some homemade Twix bars for dessert one evening as well as pancakes for breakfast the next day.

Prior to leaving on Sunday night, I took my friend to one of my favorite restaurants: the Cheesecake Factory. As the name would suggest, this restaurant features an abundance of cheesecakes including my personal favorite the Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake. This cheesecake has a base layer of chocolate flourless cake, then a layer of chocolate cheesecake, topped with a layer of chocolate mousse, and then finished with a chocolate ganache. It is the ultimate chocoholic's dream served on a platter decorated with chocolate swirls.

Despite its name, the Cheesecake Factory also has a wide variety of other menu items ranging from sandwiches to salads to pizzas, pastas, steaks....the list really goes on and on. In fact their menu is more of a book than a menu and it can take quite a while to simply read through all of the choices. We both decided to order pizzas and I went with the roasted vegetable and goat cheese pizza. It was delicious and all week long I couldn't stop thinking about it therefore I decided to try and recreate it at home.

I must confess that I am not experienced in pizza making and have only made it a couple of times in the past. Before the days of the Kitchen Aid I found it too much of a hassle to make my own dough so, rather than go to the store, I would stop by the local pizzeria and buy their dough. Since then, I have made both my own dough and pizza sauce but I still had a problem with stability. Whenever I made pizza the fillings would be so heavy that the dough couldn't stand up to them and the slices would sink in the middle. Instead of a crispy crust I would often be left with a soft, floppy bread that absorbed too much of the liquid and would start to sag.

At last I finally found the solution to my problem: a pizza stone. The stone is basically a flat, ceramic round that is preheated in the oven while you are making the pizza. Once ready, the pizza is transferred onto the stone and because its already hot it starts to bake the bottom right away, creating a nice crispy crust that can hold the weight of the toppings.

In addition to the roasted vegetable and goat cheese pizza, I also made a shrimp and pesto pizza as well as a light caprese salad and sliced roasted beets with goat cheese and toasted pecans. It was a great meal and I enjoyed being able to share it with my family before my trip. Although my pizzas were made using "specialty" equipment that not everyone has, I'm not suggesting that homemade pizza can only be made with a Kitchen Aid and pizza stone. However, it definitely makes the process easier and the results more restaurant-like. The pizza stone was definitely worth the $10 I paid for it and as for the Kitchen Aid...well that speaks for itself.

Roasted Vegetable and Goat Cheese Pizza

For the dough:
Note: This makes enough dough for two pizzas.

• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 envelope instant yeast
• 4 cups flour
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/4 water, room temperature
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1. Sprinkle the yeast over the warm water and stir gently. Add the room temperature water and stir through.
2. Combine the flour and salt and mix together.
3. Using a mixer on low speed, or a handheld mixer, add the yeast mixture and olive oil to the flour and mix until a cohesive dough starts to form.
4. If using a mixer, switch to the dough hook and continue to knead on low speed for about 4-5 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic. If using a handheld mixer, lightly flour the counter and proceed to knead by hand for 8-10 minutes, looking for the same smooth and elastic consistency.
5. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and turn over once to coat the top as well. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, dry place for 1 1/2-2 hours or until the dough has doubled in size.

For the pizza sauce:
Note: This sauce is enough for two pizzas.

• 1 28 oz (392 mL) can crushed tomatoes
• 2 tbsp grated Parmesan
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp sugar
• Salt to taste

Combine all of the ingredients and then set aside for one hour for the flavors to blend.

For the roasted vegetables:
Note: This is enough vegetables for one pizza.

• 1 small zucchini, chopped
• 1 small eggplant, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, sliced
• 1/2 onion, sliced
• Balsamic vinegar
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Combine all of the vegetables in a bowl and lightly drizzle with the balsamic and olive oil as well as sprinkle some salt and pepper. Mix the vegetables so that they are evenly coated and then lay out in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 15-20 minutes, or until tender.

For assembly:

• Above ingredients
• Mozzarella cheese, grated
• Kalamata olives, sliced
• Goat cheese

1. If using a pizza stone, put it in the oven and allow it to preheat with the oven at 500 degrees Fahrenheit for about 30 minutes before transferring the pizza to it.  
2. Punch down the dough and then separate into two equal pieces. Shape each pieces into a smooth, round ball and allow it to sit on a lightly floured surface for 10 minutes (this will make it easier to roll/stretch).
3. Proceed to roll/stretch out the dough until it is of the desired size then brush the edges with olive oil.
4. Top with the pizza sauce, then the grated cheese, then the vegetables, and finish with some olives and goat cheese.
5. Transfer the pizza to the oven and bake at 500 degrees for 12-15 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbling. If not using a pizza stone the baking time may be greater, around 18-20 minutes.

Savory Breakfast Muffins

I woke up this morning with the urge to bake...of course. Since I had made a sweet dessert the night before I decided to try and bake something savory instead. Due to the fact that I am constantly perusing through food blogs I constantly have a bunch of pages open on my computer with recipes that I would like to try. Luckily, I happened to have one open which matched the description I was looking for...something small, light, and savory.

The original recipe called for making regular sized muffins but I made mine mini sized because I love to use my mini muffin pan. I think it's quite convenient because it produces the perfect bite, allows you to produce a bigger quantity (good for a large family like mine), and takes less time to bake. The recipe is quite versatile and provides a batter base which can then be supplemented with a variety of savory mix-ins. I split the batter in half and made one batch using caramelized onions, mushrooms, and feta cheese while the other batch had sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and goat cheese. You can also add fresh herbs but I chose to skip that this time.

Funny enough, once I made the muffins my family didn't quite take to them as I had hoped. My mom said she imagined more of a bread rather than a muffin and the savory ingredients in muffin form threw her off. She said she didn't quite know how to react to the soft muffin texture but strong savory taste. Personally I enjoyed the muffins and when I brought some over to my aunt and cousin they seemed to like them too. I guess each person has their own preference and I should accept that not all of my recipes will always be a hit with everyone.

Savory Breakfast Muffins
Note: The recipe makes about 12 regular muffins or 24 mini muffins, but it depends on how much of the savory mix-ins are added. Try to add no more than 1 1/2 cups. For example: 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms, 1/2 cup caramelized onions, 1/2 cup feta cheese.

• 2 cups flour (the original recipe called for 1 cup all-purpose and 1 cup whole wheat but I used 2 cups all-purpose)
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 scant black pepper (I just sprinkled enough that looked right)
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 tbsp canola oil (I used olive oil which worked fine)
• 1 tbsp brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1 1/2 cup savory ingredients

1. Prepare all of the savory mix-ins and set aside. This means cut them all into small, uniform pieces and cook anything such as mushrooms or onions and set aside to cool before adding to the batter.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper and set aside.
3. Whisk together the eggs, milk, oil, and sugar. 
4. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet just until all of the flour is incorporated.
5. Gently fold in the savory mix-ins.
6. Lightly grease a muffin pan and fill each well almost full. I recommend using paper liners if you have them because the muffins were a little difficult to remove from the pan, despite pre-greasing. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. If baking regular size muffins bake for 20-22 minutes; mini sized muffins for 15-18 minutes. The muffins are ready when a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
7. Cool for about 10 minutes before removing from the pan.

Zucchini and Carrot Ribbon Salad

Most often when my family eats dinner we always make the same salad to go with it: tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, balsamic vinegar. It has become a staple salad in our family with a couple of additions at times such as pickles, avocado, feta cheese or some leafy greens. However, for the most part, it stays the same and we all enjoy it.

Last week, I decided that I wanted to try and make something different, spice up our lives a little. I tried making this ribbon salad using our vegetable peeler and random ingredients I found in the fridge. The end result was a yummy salad but my ribbons did not turn out the way I had wanted. All of my ribbons turned out thin and without a border. Perhaps if I had been using a cheese grater or a vegetable thinner that was wider I could have made those beautiful zucchini ribbons with the dark fringes. Also, the ribbons were a little long which made me wish I had cut them down a little. Still, I was happy with the taste of the salad and I think I enjoyed it even more the next day when it was cold.

Zucchini and Carrot Ribbon Salad
Note: The listed quantities are all estimations except for the zucchini and carrots; I added the ingredients until it looked right in the salad.

• 2 medium zucchini
• 4 medium carrots
• 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 cup olives, chopped
• 1/2 cup pine nuts
• Goat cheese or feta cheese chunks
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Olive oil

1. Using a vegetable peeler, cut the zucchini and carrots into long, thin ribbons and set aside. You can keep the cores to use later in something else.
2. In a large skillet, heat up some olive oil over high heat. Add the ribbons and reduce the heat to medium.
3. Toss the ribbons around in the olive oil and continue to heat until just tender, about 3-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper while heating.
4. Pour the contents of the skillet, oil included, into a salad bowl and mix in the rest of the ingredients.

Baked Cheese en Croûte

I was a little upset when I looked over my blog and realized that I had only blogged three posts this month. I was going strong for a while, but then midterms took their toll on my cooking. I decided that since it was the last weekend of the month, I had to at least make something new. Due to the fact that I did not have a lot of time to spend on a recipe, I searched for one that could be done with pre-made ingredients.

As always, I went through tastespotting.com looking at beautiful pictures of food and clicking on anything appealing. Of course most of the recipes required more effort than I was willing to put in and I had to leave them for some other time. However one recipe stood out as completely do-able and it came from a blog that I have been following. I have already made some of the recipes from Annie's Eats and every single time they're a big hit. This time was no exception; the family loved the cheese and ate it all up faster than I had anticipated. In fact, my mom said that she was going to run out to the store the next day to buy another round of cheese.

The original recipe called for brie cheese, but I used goat cheese because that's what we had on hand...and because I've been addicted to it lately. You can pretty much use any soft cheese that comes packaged in a round. Also, I used peach preserves because they were in the pantry, however the original recipe used apple. Quite frankly, you can use any fruit you like because the idea is to balance the saltiness of the cheese with the sweetness of the fruit. Whatever ingredients you choose, just know that there's almost no way to go wrong and everyone will be raving about your creativity.

Baked Cheese en Croûte

• 1 package crescent dough
• 1 round soft cheese with rind (brie, camambert, goat cheese, etc.)
• 1 jar preserves (peach, apple, cranberry, etc.)

1. Combine the pre-cut triangles and roll it out to about 1/4" thickness and big enough to fold over and cover the cheese almost completely when placed in the center.
2. Cut the disk of cheese horizontally across to create two thinner disks. 
3. Place the bottom disk, rind side down, in the center of the puff pastry and cover with an even layer of fruit preserves.
4. Place the top disk, rind side up, over the fruit and cover with another layer of preserves. Don't be afraid to use a little extra on top...it will taste great.
5. Fold the remaining dough up an over the edge of the cheese and pinch into pleats. The dough should cover most of the cheese and fruits so that only a little bit is exposed in the middle.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit, or until the dough is golden brown and a little crispy. If you notice the edges are brown but the middle is still doughy use aluminum foil to cover the edge and leave the middle exposed. Cool for five minutes and then transfer to a plate with crackers.

Update: Recently I have been making this recipe in a slightly different way that makes pre-portioned individual servings rather than a large one that has to be cut.

1. Combine the pre-cut triangles and roll it out to about 1/4" thickness and then cut out 2" circles. 
2. Place the circles into a mini muffin pan and press the dough up along the slides. 
3. Cut the cheese round in across and then into walnut size chunks. Fill each well with a piece or two of the cheese and top with some preserves. 
4. Bake in the oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-13 minutes.

Mushroom and Onion Goat Cheese Galette

I have been making my fruit galette quite often now as it always seems to be a great dessert for the summertime. The ease of making a galette and the idea that almost anything can be used as a filling inspired me to branch out into savory galettes as well.

Looking through my fridge, I saw that we had a goat cheese log and was immediately inspired to use it in my filling. As for the dough, I can proudly say that I came up with the recipe on my own, based on previous attempts and also some online research. Finally, the mushroom filling was inspired by my mom who helped me make it and taught me a few tips and tricks along the way.

After the success of this galette, I will definitely start thinking of more savory fillings I can make and variations to the dough as well. Unfortunately, it didn't turn out as cheesy as I thought it would so maybe next time I'll add more Parmesan or even use some other cheese.  

Mushroom and Onion Goat Cheese Galette

For the dough:

• 1 3/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese + 1 tbsp
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, cold
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2-3 tbsp water
• 2-3 tbsp lemon juice

1. Combine all of the dry ingredients in a food processor and pulse a couple of times. 
2. Add the cold chunks of butter and pulse until the butter is cut into the flour mixture in small walnut sized pieces. If you don't have a food processor, use a pastry cutter or your fingers to cut the butter into the flour.
3. Transfer the mixture into a bowl and add the sour cream and lemon juice.
4. Mix until a dough starts to form, using water one tablespoon at a time as needed.
5. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and set aside in the refrigerator for at least half an hour.

For the filling:

• 5 oz. goat cheese (I used half of a goat cheese log from Costco)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 8-10 large mushrooms, chopped
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
• Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Pour enough olive oil to cover the surface of a large skillet and heat on high. Once the oil is warmed up, pour in the diced onion and saute until it reaches a golden brown color, stirring occasionally. 
2. Once caramelized, add the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the mushrooms are also golden, about 10-15 minutes.
3. Add the walnuts to the pan and mix them in. Remove from the heat and cool the filling.

To make the galette:

1. Roll out the dough into about a 9-10" circle. 
2. In a bowl, combine the goat cheese and minced garlic and then spread the mixture over the rolled out dough, leaving about a 2" border all around.
3. Pile the filling on top of the goat cheese. Make sure the filling is cool otherwise it will melt the dough.
4. Fold the uncovered border over the edge of the filling and pinch into pleats.
5. Add a little water to the egg yolk to create an egg wash and brush onto the crust. Sprinkle the crust and filling with the remaining tablespoon of Parmasan.
6. Bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes, or until the crust is lightly browned.

Asparagus and Goat Cheese Tart

A couple of months ago I went down to Seattle over Easter weekend to visit my former neighbors. The trip was great, filled with lots of fun and surprisingly little shopping. On Easter Sunday we were invited to have dinner at one of the other neighbors' house and that is where I stumbled upon this amazing tart. I asked her in great detail how she came up with the idea, and she admitted that she read it in a magazine. I spent the entire evening captivated by this simple, yet delicious, idea and vowed to make it upon my return home.

Fast forward two months and voila....my very own asparagus and goat cheese tart. I must admit that when I arrived home raving about this tart my mother was quite surprised, namely because I do not like cheese. I don't know why, but something about the flavor of most cheeses does not appeal to me. However she assures me that it's something I will grow into, and I guess I am doing so gradually. I was intrigued by the flavor of the goat cheese and how soft it was, something I noticed is true of most spreadable cheeses. I guess that's why I prefer soft cheeses such as Brie and Camembert when it comes to cheese and crackers.

The actual tart was quite easy to make, despite a couple of setbacks I had. Firstly, when rolling out the dough I was afraid of rolling it out too thin and not being able to transfer it to the baking pan without ripping it. My fear was unfounded and made for two smaller tarts instead of one large one. Second, I forgot to prick the dough with holes before I put it in the oven. As you can imagine, the dough puffed up into a big pillow and I had to take it out halfway through to poke holes and deflate it. Lastly, I let my excitement over trying the tart get the best of me, and started cutting it as soon as I took it out of the oven. As a result it was extremely difficult to cut and the puff pastry on the borders kept breaking because I didn't allow it to cool. Eventually once we devoured the first tart, the second one had cooled and cutting it was much easier. Still, I don't regret eating it right away because it was so delicious!

Asparagus and Goat Cheese Tart

• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 1 10 oz. log goat cheese
• 1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 a lemon, zested
• Salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Roll out the puff pastry dough into a rectangle. Don't worry about how long it is, just making sure its wide enough so that you can lay out the asparagus length wise across.
2. Leaving a 1" border, prick the dough all over with a fork. (Don't forget this step like I did)
3. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown, and remove from the oven.
4. Spread the pastry with the cheese and then lay out the asparagus on top.
5. Brush lightly with olive oil and then sprinkle the lemon zest, salt, and pepper over top.
6. Return the pastry to the oven for 20-25 minutes. Let cool before slicing and serving.

Alternative: If you want to eat it the pastry while it's still hot but don't want the headache of cutting into it warm, divide the rolled out puff pastry into individual squares before baking them. Follow the rest of the directions, except cut the asparagus into thirds and divide evenly among the squares. Granted, it is more time consuming, but if you have the time I would highly suggest it as the tart tastes amazing when it is still hot from the oven.