Thanks to the amazing chef Anne Burrell, I have learned a wonderful secret to making sure poultry and meat is tender every time.  It's all in the brine, baby.  

In my freezer I have a bag labeled, "Brine Goodies" where I throw in garlic peel, onion ends, herb purees, and other leftover veg.  Add salt, sugar and herbs to taste, and leave in fridge.  Here's a guide to brining I've found useful:   

http://bbq.about.com/cs/barbecuetips/a/aa112000b.htm

I got on a roll this weekend with making ahead some toddler snacks.  The Baked Zucchini Coins I got from the Weelicious site.  The recipe is at http://weelicious.com/2010/06/15/baked-zucchini-coins/.  

The Mac'n'Leftovers Bites are my own experiment -- and they are GOOOOOOOD.  Mommy scarfed down two before Zoe could try.    I had about 1/4 cup each of leftover baked ham, macaroni and cheese, and broccoli.  I mixed all with a little beaten egg (not all of the egg, just enough to bind it together) and put in greased mini muffin pan.  Topped with a little whole wheat bread crumbs and baked 425 oven for 10 minutes.   

Also from leftovers -- and my mad scientist brain -- came these Toddler Kabobs.  I put cream cheese, strawberries, pineapple and avocado on baby-safe picks.  

Finally, I made a valient attempt to make Weelicious' Japanese Rice Balls, but my rice wasn't sticky enough!  I'll try the recipe again, but instead, I combined the ingredients with a little cheese and made Mini Casseroles.  I put them in the freezer, ready to take out and bake as needed.   Note: I had replaced the fish with some leftover turkey I needed to use up, so a little parmesan cheese seemed to go well with the casserole.  I also added just a little beaten egg to keep the casserole together.

And if Zoe doesn't like these treats, Mommy and Daddy will be sure to not let them go to waste!

Well, not really, but don't these cute teething biscuits look just like baby-sized biscotti?    This was my first attempt to make "THE Teething Biscuit" from Weelicious.  We'll see if she likes them!  

I love love love cooking for my family, and my sweet mama requested a raspberry salad dressing to take home.  You bet! 

Now most recipes call for raspberry vinegar, but I tried this experiement with real raspberries and replacing refined sugar with honey.  It has a gorgeous rosy color that will look great on my spinach, feta, pecan and strawberry salad!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup boiling water
2 chamomile tea bags
1 cup frozen unsweetened raspberries, not thawed
1 shallot, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
2 T. red-wine vinegar
1 T. honey
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
Pour boiling water over tea bags in a small bowl; let steep for 3 minutes, then pour the brewed tea into a blender, pressing on the bag to extract all of the tea. Add raspberries, shallots, oil, vinegar and sugar; blend until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour through a fine strainer into a small bowl, pressing firmly to extract pulp. Whisk in salt and pepper.

Makes 1 cup.

Our family adores Cozumel, a beautiful, friendly island off the coast of Mexico’s Yucatán peninsula.  Cozumel has some of the world’s best diving (and our worldwide favorite dive shop, Blue Project.) After a day of diving, nothing tastes better to me than aqua con gas and a cochinita pibil taco.

Here are some interesting facts about cochinita pibil that I found at Wikipedia:

1.  Cochinita pibil (also puerco pibil) is a traditional Mexican slow-roasted pork dish from the Yucatán peninsula. Preparation of traditional cochinita involves marinating the meat in strongly acidic citrus juice, coloring it with annatto seed, and roasting the meat while it is wrapped in banana leaf.  The high acid content of the marinade and the slow cooking time tenderizes the meat, allowing otherwise tough pieces of meat to be used. The Yucatecan recipes always employ the juice of Seville or bitter oranges for marinating. In areas where bitter oranges are not common, juice of sweet oranges combined with lemons, limes, or vinegar are employed to approximate the effect of the bitter orange on the meat. Another important ingredient in all pibil recipes is achiote (annatto), which gives the meat its characteristic color and adds to flavor.  Traditionally, cochinita pibil was buried in a pit with a fire at the bottom to roast it. The Mayan word pibil means "buried".

2.   In the movie Once Upon a Time in Mexico, puerco pibil is a favorite dish of antihero Agent Sands, and the character's obsession with the dish is the feature of several scenes. He feels so strongly about the food that he murders any cook who makes it too well (in order to "maintain balance" in the country). A recipe for puerco pibil appears as a bonus feature on the DVD edition of the film. The director, Robert Rodriguez, provides a recipe and instruction on how to cook the dish.

Now, I am not claiming to have made traditional cochinita pibil tacos.  In fact there are 4 big deviations of my method, so food purists, do yourself a favor and stop reading this post RIGHT NOW.  Those deviations are:
  
1.      There is not a smoldering pig-sized hole in my back yard.  We used a crock pot.
2.      We substituted bright orange bell peppers for the habanero. (Chile wimps!)
3.      I made the dinner kit 5 days before and put in freezer. 
4.      Banana leaves?  Are you kidding me?

It was super tasty, a real hit.  First, here are the ingredients:

Meat and marinade:
3 cloves garlic, crushed
3 tbsp white vinegar
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 1/2 tsp ground achiote
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 to 1 1/2 tsp whole Mexican oregano
3 lbs. bone-in, pork shoulder
1 cup fresh lime juice (about 10 limes)
3/4 cup fresh orange juice, plus the juiced hull
1/2 of a large red onion, cut into 1/4 inch slices
Salsa:
1/2 of a large red onion, sliced into small strips
juice of 1 orange
juice of 2 limes
1 orange bell pepper
Tacos:
12 corn or flour tortillas
  

Instructions:
Combine the first 7 ingredients of the marinade until it has the consistency of a paste.

Add the paste, the pork, and the remaining ingredients to a ziplock bag or a covered glass container.  Marinate the pork overnight. 

You can freeze the meat and marinade at this point to defrost and make later.  Just make sure the salsa is made fresh.


Cook the pork and marinade on low in a crockpot for 9 hours.  It will FALL OFF THE BONE, so tender will the pork be. 

Make the salsa by combining all the salsa ingredients in a small bowl. 

 Plate the tacos on fresh, warm corn or flour tortillas.  Yummo.

I served this dinner with a corn and black bean salad that I saw on Rachel Ray's show.  
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/black-bean-and-corn-salad-recipe/index.html
 

You would never guess that this sweet treat has only two ingredients: cinnamon and bananas!  Such a healthy alternative to traditional ice cream. 
   
Ingredients: 4 bananas and 1 tsp. cinnamon
  
Instructions:  Peel bananas, slice, and put on a tray in the freezer.  Freeze for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.  Remove from freezer and blend in a food processor with the cinnamon until smooth.  Freeze leftover ice cream. 

Making a commitment to cook 80% of meals at home can be difficult when you live in a city that has as many fabulous restaurants as Austin does.  One of our favorite restaurants, and goal buster, is Z’Tejas (http://austin6thstreet.ztejas.com/). And although the Arboretum location is closer to our home, we have a special place in our hearts for the East 6th Street location.  We’re big fans of the layered, Southwestern flavors.  I was lucky enough to find recipes for two of my favorite items, Stuffed Pork Tenderloin and Ancho Chile Fudge Pie, online.   I served this meal with garlic mashed potatoes and sautéed spinach.  

Pork Stuffing
1/2 lb. chorizo sausage, cooked, and allowed to cool
1/4 cup Japanese-style bread crumbs
1/2 lb. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1/2 white onion, julienned
Pork Tenderloin
¾ lb. pork tenderloin
1/4 roasted poblano chile (pealed, with seeds)
Butcher twine
Olive oil and/or butter
Roasted Garlic Cream Sauce
1/2 quart heavy whipping cream
1/8 lb. chorizo sausage
1/8 cup roasted garlic

Instructions:  To make the stuffing, add all the stuffing ingredients to the food processor or mixer, and mix well.   

Butterfly the tenderloin and pound out until flat. Place stuffing down middle of the tenderloin. Place roasted poblano over stuffing.  Roll tenderloin and secure with butcher twine. Brown all four sides of tenderloin in a heated skillet with the olive oil. 

Place in oven at 350 degrees for 12 minutes or until internal temperature is 160 degrees. Allow to cool slightly, remove strings, cut into medallions.  

While the tenderloin is cooking and cooling, make the Roasted Garlic Cream Sauce.  Using a sauce pan, reduce cream by almost half on medium heat. Add chorizo and roasted garlic to thicken slightly for approximately 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mix until smooth.  Drizzle over tenderloin medallions.

Ingredients:
1 9-in. deep dish prepared pie crust
2 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1/2 cup pecans
1/2 cup walnuts
1 cup chocolate chips
3/4 tsp ancho chile peppers, ground

Ancho peppers are available whole. To grind, soften peppers in water for 3 minutes, drain, and grind in blender. Do NOT use chile powder.

Instructions:  Melt butter and allow to cool. Toast pecans and walnuts in oven on flat sheet until lightly brown. Beat eggs well. Add white flour, white sugar and brown sugar. Mix until smooth. Add cool butter, mix well.  Mix in nuts, chile peppers and chocolate chips. Fold into mixture. Pour into prepared pie crust.  Bake at 325 degrees for 45-55 minutes.

I served this pie with cinnamon whipped cream, but it also goes GREAT with  banana mock ice cream!

Guess what popped up at my grocery store?  Fava beans!  I haven't seen these since our honeymoon to Greece and Italy!  

The island of Santorini has recently officially received a "Protected Designation of Origin" for its famed fava bean from the EU, which is now designated as "fava Santorinis."  

These guys are a labor of love, and here's why: Fava beans come in a rather large pod (6 inches or so) which only contain 3-4 beans per pod.  They must be removed from the pod blanched, and then shelled again, as favas have a secondary skin protecting this yummo bean. 

Ingredients:
1 cups shelled fava beans (approx 1.25 lbs in pods) 
2.5 oz parmesan cheese, shaved
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
Remove the fava beans from the pods by blanching the beans for 3 minutes in boiling water to soften skin. Peel off outer skin.
  
Using a vegetable peeler, shave the parmesan into short strips. Combine the fava beans and parmesan in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve immediately and enjoy! 

Serves 3

Chicken Renaudiere is a classic Julia Child recipe that I've had in my notebook for years.  I served this with fava beans as a side. 

Ingredients:

For the chicken base:
3 ounces bacon, chopped
2 teaspoons olive oil
6 ounces crimini mushrooms, sliced
3 leeks, white part only, sliced in 1/4 inch half circles
2 tablespoons butter
1 lemon slice, seeds removed
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup white wine
3/4 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons mixture of chopped fresh parsley, rosemary, and thyme
For the chicken:
4 8-ounce chickn breasts, boned, skinned, and pounded thin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese
For the sauce:
1 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
8 ounces tagliatelle pasta
1 tablespoon snipped chives

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cook the bacon over until done. Drain on a kitchen plate lined with paper towels and set aside.
3. Combine the bacon drippings with the 2 tsps olive oil in a skillet, and sauté the mushrooms. Add the leeks, butter and lemon slices.
4. When the leeks have wilted, add the garlic, salt, pepper and herbs. Then add the wine and reduce by half.
5. Add the chicken stock, and reduce by half again.
6. Remove the lemon slices and put the mushroom/leek mixture into an oiled shallow baking dish. Set aside.
7. Dredge the chicken breasts in the panko bread crumbs.
8. Add 2 T butter and 3 T olive oil to the skillet and sauté the chicken.
9. Season with salt and pepper, turning once.
10. Place the chicken breasts on top of the leek mixture. Deglaze the pan you sautéed the chicken in with white wine, reduce by half, and pour over the chicken.
11. Top with Asiago and bacon bits.
12. Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
13. Meanwhile, in medium saucepan, reduce the heavy cream with the mustard, salt and pepper over medium heat until thickened.
14. In a large pot, boil water and cook the tagliatelle until just tender.
15. Drain and toss with the cream mixture and chives. Serve with the chicken on top.