Pesto-Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients:

12 medium mushroom caps
2/3 cup prepared basil pesto
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped roasted red pepper
3 tablespoons seasoned breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons pine nuts
1/4 cup shredded low fat mozzarella cheese

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place mushroom caps, stem side up, on baking sheet.
2. Combine pesto, Parmesan cheese, red pepper, breadcrumbs and pine nuts in small bowl; mix until well blended.
3. Fill mushroom caps with pesto mixture. Sprinkle each with mozzarella cheese. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until filling is hot and cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

Inspiration: Pesto-Stuffed Mushrooms, The Appetizer Bible

Suggestions: This is a great appetizer to make ahead of time and keep the stuffing separate and cook in small batches to have fresh as guests arrive. Also be sure that you have good medium size mushrooms or larger, as the smaller caps can be hard to keep the pesto inside.

Commentary: These were first made for when we had friends over for dinner on Travis' new dining room set. The mushrooms were a hit, even with someone who was skeptical. Additionally, the following evening these were served with the Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta.

Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Medium Onion Diced
2 Minced Garlic Cloves
2 14.5 oz. Cans Diced Tomatoes with no salt added (with juices)
1/4 cup finely minced fresh flat leaf parsley
1 Tbsp finely minced fresh dill
1 1/4 lbs shrimp peeled and deveined
1/4 Tsp Salt
1/4 Tsp Ground Black Pepper
2/3 Cup of Reduced Fat Crumbled Feta Cheese
Orzo pasta

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Heat oil in oven proof skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Add onion, cook until softened about 3 minutes.
4. Add garlic, cook for 1 additional minute. Add tomoatoes and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer until tomato juices thicken. Then remove from heat.
6. Stir in parsley, dill and shrimp. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Sprinkle with feta and bake in oven until shrimp is cooked through and cheese melts. Approximately 12 minutes.
8. Serve over cooked orzo pasta.

Inspiration: Eat Smart with Ellie Krieger (magazine)

Commentary: This meal was prepared for a dinner with Travis' parents, but turned out to be a to go order since his mother was feeling under the weather. This was an easy and quick meal to prepare that was also healthy. This dish was served with the Pesto Stuffed Mushrooms.

Spicy Sesame Soba Noodles

Ingredients:

1 bunch Soba Noodles

1 Tsp Sriracha Hot Sauce

1 Rounded Tsp Dijon Mustard

1 Tbsp Honey

1 Tbsp Sesame Oil

2 Tsp toasted sesame seeds

Chopped Green Onions

Steps:

1. In a large sauce pan bring 3 cups of water to a boil, add soba noodles.

2. In a medium bowl combine sriracha, dijon mustard, tamari, honey and sesame oil.

3. When noodles are cooked drain and add to bowl with sauce mixture. Toss to coat noodles evenly. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

4. Before serving toss with sesame seeds and garnish with green onions.

Inspiration:

Rachael Ray Big Orange Book, sesame chicken recipe

Commentary:

Rachael had prepared a sesame chicken recipe and thought that it would be great if the sauce recipe was changed slighty and just served with noodles, so she came up with the above recipe. This was a perfect compliment to our sushi.

Sushi Night

Ingredients:

Sushi Rice

3 Cups Short Grain Rice

3 1/4 cups Water

1/3 Cup Rice wine Vinegar

2 Tbsp Sugar

1 Tsp Salt

California Roll

Toasted nori seaweed

Avocado cut into thin strips

Imitation crab sticks cut into thin strips

English cucumber cut into thins strips

Wasabi paste

Philly Roll

Toasted nori seaweed

Cream cheese cut in strips

Smoked salmon cut in 1/4 inch strips

Green onions cut into thin strips

Hot Chick Roll

Toasted nori seaweed

Baked Chicken shredded into thin strips

Jalapenos cut into thin strips

Pepper jack cheese cut into strips

Avocados cut into thin strips

Green onions cut into thin strips

Sriracha mayonnaise

Crunchy Veggie Roll

Toasted nori seaweed

English cucumber cut into thin strips

Shredded carrot

Green pepper cut into thin strips

Red onion cut into thin strips

Green onion cut into thin strips

Rice noodles

Steps:

1. In a medium sauce pan bring rice and water to a boil, cover and simmer for 1 hour.

2. In a small sauce pan combine rice wine vinegar, sugar, and salt. Heat until all is dissolved.

3. When rice is cooked combine it with the vinegar mixture, spread onto a sheet pan and let cool completely before assembling sushi rolls.

4. Start assembling the rolls by laying one piece of toasted nori on your bamboo mat. Gently spread a thin layer of sushi rice over the nori leaving a 1/4 of an inch edge on one side of the nori that will keep the sushi sealed once you roll it up.

5. Place whatever ingredients you prefer a half inch from the edge opposite to the side you left the 1/4 inch edge.

6. Roll your sushi up keeping it tight, but being careful not to push the filling out the edges.

7. Cut into 3/4 inch rolls, and enjoy!

Inspiration:

Do it yourself sushi, and Tex Wasabi's menu

Commentary:

We had both tried sushi in the past, and wanted to try to make it on our own. We were excited to learn more about it and how to make it as well as experiment with different types of sushi. To make it even more interesting we enjoyed our sushi and sesami soba noodles while dinning on the floor.

Barley Salad

Ingredients:

1 Cup Pearl Barley
3 1/2 Cups Water
4 Scallions Chopped/about 1 1/2 cups
1/2 Small Red Onion Chopped
1 15oz Can Sugar Free Mandarin Oranges
1 Cup Mandarin Orange juice reserved
1/4 Cup Dried Cranberries
1/4 Cup Unsalted Cashews Roughly Chopped
2 Tsp Extra Light Extra Virgin Olive Oil


Steps:

1. In a medium sauce pan combine the Barley and 3 1/2 cups of water. Bring to a boil and then cover and simmer for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

2. When Barley is cool toss all remaining ingredients together. Refrigerate 1 hour before serving.

Inspiration:

Whole Foods prepared food bar

Commentary:

While visiting with Travis' brother and sister in law in Columbus we made our first trip to Whole Foods. While there we picked out a prepared salad off of their food bar, only knowing the basic ingredients. We both really enjoyed to salad and when we came home Rachael came up with the above recipe which we both agreed was pretty close to the original.


*Picture to follow later

Zucchini Risotto with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups of reduced sodium chicken stock
1/2 cup of V8 (plus Fiber)
1 tablespoon olive oil
5 shallots, finely chopped
4 medium zucchini, chopped
1/2 cup white wine
1 1/3 cups short grain brown rice
16 sun-dried tomato halves (not oil-packed), chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
2 tablespoons Mexican cheese blend
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
chopped fresh parsley, to garnish

Steps:

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the stock and V8; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer.
2. In a medium nonstick saucepan, heat the oil. Saute the shallots until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the rice and cook for additional 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of the stock mixture, the sun-dried tomatoes, parsley, and marjoram; cook, stirring until the liquid is absorbed. Continue adding stock, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until the stock is absorbed before adding more, until there is 1/2 cup of stock remaining. Then add zucchini and remaining 1/2 cup of stock to the rice mixture and stir until liquid is absorbed. Cooking time should be approximately 1 hour (depending upon type of rice used). If needed additional stock or water can be added in order to finish cooking the rice.
3. Stir in cheese and pepper, serve at once, garnished with the parsley.

Inspiration: WeightWatchers New Complete Cookbook. Above recipe includes modifications we made while preparing.

Suggestions: This meal was enjoyed while dining outside on the deck, paired with Yellow Tail Special Reserve Pinot Grigio wine and a slice of whole grain bread.

Commentary: 5 shallots is a lot to chop...although not listed as an ingredient, be sure to have a few tissues on stand-by (as Rachael found out 2 shallots into the preparation). This meal is not a quick one to pull together when you're starving...the risotto takes some time in order for the rice to turn out right.

Introduction

Welcome to Travis and Rachael's blog, we'll start by sharing our story with you over this glass of wine. We met online through MySpace and talked for several months prior to meeting in person at the fine food establishment of "The Hop" in York, PA (actually it was a little scary...more like a biker bar). The evening consisted of great conversation that left each of us anxious to learn more about one another. Over the next couple of dates we began to grow closer, until a date that went awry. Plans were made to meet at Barnes & Noble in York, but as it turned out there was no Barnes & Noble, it was a Border's Bookstore. Travis of course was there early and thought there is only one bookstore here off the exit and Rachael will surely find it. However Rachael continued to drive around York, trying so hard to find the Barnes & Noble that had been agreed upon for the meeting place. Finally a call was made to confirm that Border's was the place to meet. The date continued as each of us had a coffee and perused through the bookstore together. It was then decided to choose a cookbook together and find a recipe to make that night for dinner. We went home to cook a recipe that had chicken as its main dish. Shortly into preparation of this meal together, we both realized this was the perfect pairing. Since then, we have continued to enjoy the time together in and outside of the kitchen.


We plan to share through this blog some of our favorite recipes prepared together and the stories that may come along with the experiences. Please try some of our recipes that we have posted and provide comments or stories on how they have turned out for you.