No, these are not my new lovers I picked up this weekend, but they are my new favorite show on Food Network. For those of you not as dedicated to this fabulous network as my Mom and I, Dan and Steve won Food TV’s reality type show which awarded the winner a cooking show. Their show has been on a couple of weeks and I am addicted. Their dishes are easy to make, with normal ingredients and they have a great presentation. They had a recent episode in which they created a menu around a DVD night with friends. I just so happen to have planned a wine tasting night at our house, conveniently while Evan was in Seattle. I fell in love with the foods they served; easy, simple and so delish. I literally made everything recipe they presented on the show. Not only could I have everything ready in the fridge or oven by the time my guests came (which means I could clean up the kitchen- perfect for a person with my OCD) but the menu was a departure from the norm.
I unfortunately don’t have pictures to share as Evan took the camera to the west coast, but I can share the fabulous recipes.
Spinach, Artichoke, and Bacon Dip
Jen Note: I slapped this on bread the next day and made a yummy sandwich.
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 shallot, minced (I just used an onion and carmelized it in the oil)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 (6-ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
10 bacon strips, fried until crisp and crumbled (use turkey bacon for less fat)
1 teaspoon lemon zest (I just used a tablespoon of lemon juice)
2 cups sour cream (I used light sour cream)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Heat the vegetable oil in a small skillet over medium low heat. Add the garlic and shallot and cook, stirring frequently, until the shallot softens and the garlic begins to brown, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Put the spinach in a colander and squeeze out all of the excess water. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and add the artichoke hearts, crumbled bacon, cooked garlic and shallot, lemon zest, sour cream, salt and pepper. Mix well with a rubber spatula, and transfer to a decorative bowl. Allow to sit for 30 minutes before serving so the flavors can blend. Serve with crispy pitas chips or toasted bread triangles.
Three Cheese Spaghetti Pie
Jen Note: I realized half way through the recipe that the entire dish would not fit in my skillet, so I just dumped everything into a deep pie dish and baked as directed. It was sort of a jazzed up baked spaghetti but was still amazing! I am going to make this for Evan sans olives and maybe throw in some ham)
3/4 pound spaghetti
9 tablespoons olive oil
5 garlic cloves coarsely chopped
1 small onion, thinly sliced
16 cherry tomatoes, halved
16 kalamata olives, pitted and halved
4 eggs
1 cup heavy cream ( I used fat free half and half, my new favorite ingrediant)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
6 fresh basil leaves, chopped
4 ounces fontina, grated
8 ounces feta, crumbled
8 ounces Parmesan, shredded
Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
Special Equipment: 10-inch cast iron skillet or nonstick ovenproof skillet
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Generously add salt and 3 tablespoons of oil and add the spaghetti. Bring back to a boil and cook for 11 to 13 minutes until the spaghetti is just tender. Drain into a colander and rinse under cold water. Return the spaghetti to the pot and set aside.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat for 1 minute. Add the garlic and onion and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tomatoes, kalamatas, 1 teaspoon of salt and a few grinds of pepper and cook for an additional 5 minutes until the tomatoes begin to break down.* Remove the mixture from the heat and set aside.
Whisk the eggs and cream together in a large mixing bowl. Add the remaining teaspoon of salt, a few grinds of pepper, the red pepper flakes, basil, fontina, feta, 4 ounces of the Parmesan and the tomato mixture. Mix in the spaghetti.
Heat the remaining olive oil in the 10-inch skillet over high heat. Add the spaghetti mixture, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven for 30 minutes until the center of the pie is set and the top is golden.
Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Run a spatula around the edges and underneath the pie to loosen. Place a large plate over the skillet and invert the pie onto the plate. Place another plate onto the pie and invert again. Let the pie set for an additional 10 minutes.
Slice the pie into 6 to 8 pieces and garnish with the remaining Parmesan and basil leaves before serving.
Truffle Brownies
Jen Note: These are so sinfully rich and decadent, I cut them up into small bite size chunks because you can’t eat a large piece.
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 stick margarine
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate chopped
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Chocolate ganache for topping, recipe follows
Special equipment: 9-inch round foil cake pan
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Using a hand held electric mixer, beat the eggs and salt together in a large mixing bowl until frothy. Add the sugar and beat until the eggs are thick and pale yellow, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and beat an additional 30 seconds.
Put the margarine and chocolate in a microwave safe container and microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir to insure that the chocolate has melted. Microwave an additional 30 seconds, if needed.
With the mixer running, pour the melted chocolate into the egg mixture. Add the flour and beat 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat an additional 30 seconds.
Spray the cake pan with a pan release spray and pour in the brownie batter. Place the pan on the top rack of the oven and bake 15 to 20 minutes until the center is barely set.* Remove the pan from the oven and let cool. Top with the ganache and place in the freezer for at least 1 hour.
To serve, remove from freezer and slice immediately. Allow to come to room temperature before serving.
*Cook’s Note: If tested with a toothpick the center will still be gooey. If tested by touch, the center will be soft. It will set once frozen.
Chocolate Ganache:
1/2 cup (4 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup heavy cream
Put the chocolate chips and cream into a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Remove the bowl and stir with a whisk or fork until well mixed. Use immediately. If using the ganache later it will need to be reheated.
Yield: 3/4 cup
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You could easily use the bechamel for the base of a more “traditional” mac and cheese. Just substitute the fontina with cheddar. Seeing as Evan doesn’t prefer the “orange” cheese as much, this is what we make, a creamy comforting dish that will put anyone in a great mood!
