Whining and Dining

Try This: Mini-Burgers

It's not just the kids that love mini foods. Grown ups really dig them, too. The slider (mini-burger) craze has been sweeping the nation and has landed on many a menu as an appetizer or small plate at trendy restaurants.

I must admit that I love it when my dad gets excited about a new culinary find. (He's actually quite good at finding the latest kitchen gadgets). And I'll give him full credit here for discovering the Mini-Burger Press at Williams Sonoma.

Ever since he bought the press, sliders have been one of his go-to dinners for entertaining friends and family on game days, beach party weekends, etc. And that's what we did on the 4th of July -- picked up a load of hamburger meat from Costco, a large package of Hawaiian rolls (of course, you can find these at your local grocery store, too) and whala....mini-burgers to celebrate our nation's b-day. Delicious and a cost-efficient way to feed a lot of people. But most importantly, it's something that both kids and adults alike can enjoy!
 

Toddler Test Kitchen: Spicy Baked Macaroni

Leave it to Giada to serve up a new Italian favorite for our family, Spicy Baked Macaroni. Think mac 'n cheese Italian style. It's full of spinach and tomatoes and cheesy goodness. And it's very easy to make.

The toddler of the house LOVED it. She was shoving it into her mouth with both hands at one point. Despite the title, it's really not that spicy. You can omit the red pepper flakes if you so choose. She actually seemed to like this more than my signature mac 'n cheese dish. Oh well.

Here's the recipe that took me forever to find since my parents said the recipe came from Rachael Ray. So finally, I give you Spicy Baked Macaroni.

INGREDIENTS

Salt
1 pound elbow macaroni pasta
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (10-ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed and drained of excess liquid
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cups bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/3 cup
1/4 cup Romano, plus 1/3 cup
2 tablespoons butter, softened, plus 2 tablespoons
12 ounces mozzarella cubed (about 2 cups)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta.

3. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, and garlic. Cook until the  onion is golden, about 7 minutes. Add the tomatoes, spinach, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.

4.In a small bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, 1/4 cup Parmesan, and 1/4 cup Romano. Spread the softened butter in a 9 by 13-inch glass baking dish and sprinkle half of the bread crumb mixture inside the dish to coat.

5.In a large bowl combine the vegetable mixture with the cooked macaroni, cubed mozzarella, the remaining Parmesan and Romano cheeses, and the nutmeg. Spoon into the prepared baking dish, top with the remaining bread crumb mixture, and dot the top with the remaining butter. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 30 to 40 minutes.

Try This: Halibut from Costco

Just for the halibut (he he), why not buy your fish from Costco?? This week, we threw some Costco halibut on the grill and it was outstanding. Now, I wish I could say that our daughter enjoyed it as much as we did, but then I would be lying to you. (I vow to offer it again to her).

My hubby turned to chef Suzanne Goin from Lucques & AOC for her expertise. Here's what he did (excerpt taken from "Sunday Suppers at Lucques."
1. Season halibut with zest of lemon, 1 Tbsp. of fresh thyme and 2 Tbsp. of fresh parsley.
2. Cover and refrigerated it for at least 4 hours.
3. Take fish out to reach room temperature.
4. Get your fire or grill pan going.
5. Brush halibut with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
6. Place fish on the grill and cook 2 minutes. Give a quarter turn and cook for a minute or two longer. Turn over and cook for 2 - 4 more minutes (depending on thickness). Peek inside to see if it is done. When halibut is cooked through, it begins to flake and separate.

We served this with mashed potatoes and a green salad.

We've also eaten salmon from Costco and loved it, too. So if you're on a budget and still want to eat like a king, go check out your fish selection at your local Costco.

Comfort in a Cup: Cauliflower Soup

Cold-ish winter days ahead mean it’s time to fire up a pot of soup. Ahhhh….there’s nothing that warms the heart like the smell of a delicious soup wafting through the house on a dreary day.

And soups are a great way to get kids to eat their veggies. We recently dined at Hatfield's, which is A-MAZING!! They served us a small bowl of cauliflower soup as an amuse bouche (in layman's terms it means a little something to tickle your fancy before you begin a meal, you know the little freebie from the chef). My hubbie and I were determined to make soup like this. And that's how I got here...this recipe is really my take on the classic Joy of Cooking “Cream of Cauliflower Soup.” This is pretty easy recipe and a crowd pleaser to boot.

So, grab a pot and get cookin’, and soon you’ll have a mug of homemade cauliflower soup in your hands. And your heart will thank you!

Makes approx. 6 cups

INGREDIENTS

• 4 ¾ cups of chicken broth (or vegetable stock can be substituted)
• 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter (optional)
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 2 tsp. minced garlic
• 1 ½ lbs. chopped cauliflower (fresh or frozen)
• 1 cup diced russet potatoes (it’s ideal to peel them, but I typically leave the skin on)
• ½ cup milk
• ½ tsp. salt (more to taste)
• Pepper to taste
• Fresh dill and grated cheddar cheese for garnish (parsley and green onions work, too)

DIRECTIONS

1.  Heat a ¼ cup of chicken broth (water can be used, too) and butter until butter is melted.

2.  Cook onion and garlic until tender.

3.  Add the rest of the chicken broth, cauliflower and potatoes. Bring to a boil and simmer until cauliflower and potatoes are tender (approx. 15 – 20 min.)

4.  Puree cauliflower and potatoes in a Cuisinart or with an immersion blender until smooth. Add back to the pot.

5.  Stir in milk and salt. Add more salt and pepper to taste.

6.  Simmer for a few minutes and then serve with a little fresh dill and grated cheddar cheese on top.

Next time, try this with broccoli instead of cauliflower.

White Bean Chicken Chili

I love a good, hearty chili. I also love a lighter version of this classic Southwestern comfort food. Here's one of our favorite chilis adapted from a recipe on AllRecipes.com.

Since it is fall and prime football season, I thought I'd pass this one along. You may want to double the recipe. It's gone fast like that wide open receiver.

Original recipe yields 8-10 servings. That's smallish servings like maybe for 8 - 10 kids. Or we are just outright pigs.

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound diced, cooked chicken meat (Hello Costco rotisserie chicken!)
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1 cup of green salsa (add more to taste)
1 (16 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (7 ounce) can diced green chiles</strong>
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 (15 ounce) can white beans
1 cup of frozen roasted corn (You can find this at Trader Joe's)
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
Tapatio or tabasco if you want a little heat
1 lime, sliced
And a little nip of that beer your drinking (optional)

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oil, and cook onion and garlic until soft.
2. Stir in broth, green sauce, tomatoes, chilies, little beer (optional) and spices. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Add corn, chicken, and beans; simmer 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Serve with these toppings for people to choose from: limes, cilantro, Monterrey Jack cheese, avocado, sliced fresh jalepenos, sour cream or non-fat yogurt, and tortilla chips.

We also like to serve this over ready-made polenta (look for it at the grocery store / we get our at Trader Joe's). You can microwave the polenta first, and then spoon the chili on top. Or you can slice the polenta and crisp it up on the skillet.

Last March, we invited friends over to watch the Final Four and served this chili to our friends and their kids. Perfect for that game-watching party!

Try This: Costco Rotisserie Chicken

Roasted chicken is one of the best take out options around town. We've tried dozens of birds, but one stands out in the flock. It's juicy, seasoned just right and an entire chicken sets you back a mere $4.99. Feeding a family of four on just $5. It's the Costco rotisserie chicken and it might be one of the best deals in town. I guess the secret is getting out since people routinely line up for these things.

Problem: You don't have a Costco membership. My advice, run to your nearest Costco and sign up immediately. You will enjoy their low prices, delicious food offerings and discounts on crazy things like rental cars.

Rotisserie chickens make incredible leftovers, too. Add sliced chicken to a salad, throw in a quesadilla, make chicken enchiladas, top a pizza, add to soup (tortilla soup, gumbo, chicken soup), shred and toss with BBQ sauce for sandwiches, chicken tacos or tostadas. Basically, there are endless options.

Here are a few pointers on reheating your chicken from an article featured in the San Francisco Chronicle:

Reheating a takeout chicken can help bring back its just-from-the- oven juiciness -- if you do it right. Too much reheating will dry out the meat and change its flavor.

To determine the best reheating method, we ran a few tests using both small and large chickens. Both took the same amount of time to reheat.

The microwave did a great job in no time, delivering a hot, juicy chicken. Put the chicken in a micro-safe dish, cover with plastic wrap vented at one corner, microwave it at full power for 3 minutes. Let it sit, still covered, for 2 minutes. Remove the plastic carefully to avoid steam burns. The only downside to microwaving is that the skin doesn't crisp up.

If you're using an oven, either gas or electric, preheat it to 325 degrees, blot the chicken dry and then give it a very light coating of olive oil to help crisp the skin. Heat, uncovered, for 25 minutes.

This article appeared on page E - 4 of the San Francisco Chronicle

Other noteworthy birds in LA: Zankou, California Chicken Cafe, Bandera's