capers

October 15, 2010

Flank Steak Stuffed with Spinach, Feta & Artichokes

mel entree, recipe artichokes, capers, feta, garlic, spinach, steak

Flank Steak Stuffed with Spinach, <a href= visit this Feta & Artichokes” />

This is one of those super-simple recipes that takes no time to put together, for sale but ends up looking and tasting absolutely amazing. You basically take a butterflied flank steak and load it up with baby spinach, feta cheese, marinated artichoke hearts, roasted garlic and capers. Roll it up and bake. Slice, sprinkle with a few mint leaves and that’s pretty much it. The stuffing is briny and super flavorful. It’s also quite pretty to serve to guests. Definitely one of my new favorites!

July 30, 2009

Easy Artichoke Chicken

mel entree, recipe artichokes, capers, chicken, easy

Easy Artichoke Chicken

This is another one of those quick and easy recipes that requires just 5 ingredients, sales tastes delicious and is just the thing for a quick lunch or a weeknight dinner. Just sear some chicken in olive oil, add onions, fire-roasted tomatoes and artichoke hearts and simmer for half an hour. Top with some capers and you’ve got a nice, saucy chicken to top polenta, rice, baked potatoes, or pretty much anything.

This is definitely going into the “lazy recipe file” to access whenever I don’t want to prep or stir anything.

April 14, 2009

Arugula & Bread Salad, Tarragon Caper Vinaigrette

mel breakfast, entree, recipe, sides & bites arugula, bread, caper, capers, dressing, egg, salad, tarragon, vinaigrette

Arugula & Bread Salad, <a href= contagion Tarragon Caper Vinaigrette” />

This week, I’m taking all my inspiration from food magazines. Of course, I can’t just follow a recipe without tweaking it somehow. That would make it far too easy!

I saw this recipe in the first few pages of April’s Gourmet and instantly wanted to try it. I love a good, strong salad dressing. Olive oil, sherry vinegar, Dijon mustard, shallots, tarragon and capers combine for a tangy, salty vinaigrette that’s made for salads and soft-boiled eggs. Spicy arugula and crisp bread round it out for a meal-sized salad.

I made this salad last night and again for lunch today. It’s just the right amount of fancy, healthy and delicious. I can’t get enough!

March 13, 2009

Smoked Salmon, Caper & Goat Cheese Pasta

mel entree, recipe, sides & bites capers, goat cheese, pasta, smoked salmon

Smoked Salmon, <a href= condom Caper & Goat Cheese Pasta” />

Some people like Pancakes and French Toast powdered with sugar and drenched in maple syrup for breakfast. Me? I can’t handle that much sugar in the morning. Honestly, unhealthy I can’t ever handle that much sugar. I’m more of an omelet, home fries and hot sauce kind of girl. So, you’d think I’d also be all about bagels with cream cheese, smoked salmon and capers. And I am…just not for breakfast. (Most days, anyway.)

So, here’s my take on a deli breakfast for dinner. Swap the bagel with some linguine and the cream cheese for goat cheese and you’ve got all that smoked salmon goodness at a more appropriate hour. This dish only has 5 ingredients, but tastes just right. If you want to lighten up the carbs, add a few handfuls of baby spinach.

Either way, it’s another tasty, easy weeknight meal.

March 9, 2009

Pappardelle Puttanesca

mel entree, recipe, sides & bites anchovies, capers, garlic, olives, pasta, tomatoes, vegetarian

Pappardelle Puttanesca

Tom has found a new hobby. Whenever he goes to a restaurant, viagra he orders an entree, and if he likes it enough, he comes home and challenges me to recreate it. He’ll say “I had Penne Puttanesca this weekend. It was good, but I bet you can make it better.” Sneaky. Very sneaky. He knows I like a challenge.

So, this weekend I set out to recreate the puttanesca pasta he enjoyed so much. A quick read on wikipedia revealed tons of interesting tidbits about puttanesca — most of which had to do with the origins of the dish’s name. Apparently, no one really knows how this dish came to be named after ladies of the night (to put it nicely). Some say it’s because it’s cheap and quick to prepare, others say that brothel madams made the dish to lure customers into their “shop”, and still others say it’s for reasons too vulgar to mention on a food blog. In the end, no one knows how Puttanesca got its name. And frankly, I’m not sure I care. It’s quite tasty either way.

This simple pasta is inexpensive and comes together in 20 minutes or less, which makes it the ideal candidate for a weeknight dinner (or lazy weekend dinner if you’re sick like me!). Also makes a good Lent Friday dish. Simply saute garlic and dried chiles in olive oil, add tomatoes and anchovies, simmer, then stir in some olives and capers. Toss with pasta and you’ve got a strong and spicy pasta dish that sure to entice.