Dalla Mia Cucina

Dalla Mia Cucina Sausage and Pepper Scallopini

dallamiacucina@yahoo.com (Laurie Vengoechea) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 04:05:00 +0000

Peppers are a very common cooking ingredient used in my home. You will hear me often express my delight in smelling the aroma of peppers cooking, mingling with the other ingredients such as wine, pepper, mushrooms, herbs and tomatoes. I love the versatility of peppers and how many dishes you can create with them. Pasta and Sauteed Peppers are routinely cooked as one of our families favorite dishes.

Another one of my favorites, and I have to say it comes in a close second next to an Eggplant Ratatouille, is Sausage & Peppers. The way we cooked this in my home growing up is very similar to the way I continue cooking it today. We gave this dish the name Sausage & Pepper Scaloppini for the size of the sausage pieces we cut them into.

Scaloppini is often associated with veal and sometimes chicken. The pieces of meat are thinly sliced and or pounded with a mallet and dredged in flour and sauteed. The meat is most of the time left in whole pieces but sometimes cut into slices, and then cooked with mushrooms and a creamy sauce is made with butter and wine to saute it in. It is so delicious and aromatic, the meat is always so tender and flavorful.

For this recipe I used Romano cheese & garlic chicken, red, orange, yellow and green peppers, crimini mushrooms, shallots, Vidalia onions, garlic and fennel bulb. The herb choice for today’s recipe is fresh basil and flat leaf Italian parsley.

Ingredients
5-6 Italian sausage links of your choice sliced as thin as possible
2 red peppers thinly sliced
2 yellow peppers thinly sliced
2 orange peppers thinly sliced
2 green peppers thinly sliced
3 cloves of garlic minced
1 shallot thinly sliced
1 Vidalia or sweet onion very thinly sliced
2 cups Crimini Mushrooms dry cleaned and cut in half
1 bulb of fennel thinly sliced
Freshly ground black pepper
Red pepper flakes
Kosher salt
1-1/2 cups White Wine such as New Zealand East Coast Sauvignon Blanc by Black Box Wines
1 cup fresh basil chopped
½ cup Italian flat leaf parsley chopped
Olive oil

Directions
In a large skillet cook sausage slices till lightly browned. Set aside in a bowl.
Add around 3 tablespoons olive oil to skillet, add peppers, season with kosher salt. Cook till soft and just starting to get color. When peppers are sofy add mushrooms. Cook just till aldente. When peppers and mushrooms are cooked add to the sausage that is set aside in a large bowl. *In the same skillet, if needed add a tablespoon more of olive oil, add onion, garlic, shallots and sliced fennel. Sauté till golden, soft and translucent.

*This is called a soffrito, it is the base for many Italian recipe preparations. Usually a soffrito consists of onion, celery and carrots but you can inter change your ingredients to your liking and preferences. I often times use fennel in place of celery and for a white soffrito, I’ll omit the carrot. Tom Colicchio calls this a Soffrito Blanco in his cookbook Craft of Cooking.

When your soffrito is cooked, add the sausage, peppers and mushrooms back into the skillet. Season with freshly ground black pepper, red pepper flakes, salt and around ¾ cup white wine. Turn heat to simmer and cook for 15 more minutes. Check your flavorings. Add your fresh basil and parsley, cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Scaloppini is wonderful over white rice or linguini. Fresh bread is a must to go with this dish to soak up all the wonderful juices.

I hope you enjoy this version of Scaloppini from my recipe box to yours.
Buon Appetito,
Laurie

Sautéed Tilapia with a Lemon Shallot Cream Sauce on a bed of Peppery Arugula

dallamiacucina@yahoo.com (Laurie Vengoechea) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 03:57:00 +0000

I was hoping to come back from my long summer hiatus with a gift giveaway, but I’m a little too anxious to post this delicious recipe for Sautéed Tilapia with a Lemon Shallot Cream Sauce on a bed of Peppery Arugula. What a whirlwind of a summer! I never intended to put off my blogging as I did, but I’m happy to be back and happier yet to share some new recipes, and a special post from my travels to Chicago for the Outstanding In The Field event and .. a gift for a lucky winner of my first giveaway!

Fish has been the protein of choice for me this summer. You won’t even believe it.. but this recipe happened to be my Saturday morning breakfast! Figure that one. (I do have a typical waffle breakfast to post too. I’m not always out of the norm!) ☺ I hope you enjoy this.. for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner! Can’t wait to meet up with you all again on your blogs!

Ciao and hugs to you all,
Laurie

Sautéed Tilapia with a Lemon Shallot Cream Sauce
on a bed of Peppery Arugula

Baby Arugula
4 pieces Tilapia
I whole Shallot minced
Olive Oil
Juice of half a small Lemon
2 ½ teaspoons Lemon Zest
1/8 cup White Wine (I used Black Box wine)
1/2 cup Cream or Half in Half

Plate dishes with a bed of the Arugula.

Season Tilapia with sea salt and fresh black pepper. Sear Tilapia in a drizzle of olive oil for a few minutes on each side. It doesn’t take long to cook. Remove from heat. In a sauté pan heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Add minced shallot and 2 teaspoons of lemon zest. Sauté till translucent but not browned. Add white wine and lemon juice. Season with fresh ground black pepper and a dash of salt. Cook for a few minutes and then add the Tilapia back into the sauté pan. Simmer slightly and then add the cream. Move the pan around gently to meld the cream into the sauce. When combined turn off heat.

Lay a piece of Tilapia on each of the plated beds of Arugula. Drizzle sauce over each piece. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Buon Appetitio!
Laurie

Raspberry Sherry AlmondCoffee Cake

dallamiacucina@yahoo.com (Laurie Vengoechea) — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 17:04:00 +0000

I have had so much fun working on this video.
I do have to say, there were a lot of cuts.. and second, third and fourth takes, but for now I'm happy with the outcome and look forward to future "DMC Video Productions!

I haven't learned yet how to fade out the music.. so it just cuts off at the end of the video, but my husband and I loved the music choice for this recipe and laughed a lot at some of the words. Cake, and sweets in general create a "love hate" relationship with me.. am I the only one? :)

So I hope you enjoy my first video, but more than that enjoy a yummy slice of cake with a cup of your favorite beverage.

Raspberry Sherry Almond Coffee Cake
Recipe adapted from Ina Gartens Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Ingredients
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 extra-large eggs at room temperature
1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons cream sherry
1 1/4 cups sour cream
2 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Streusel
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4-teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3/4 cup chopped almonds
1 ½ cups cleaned and dried raspberries

Sherry Sugar Syrup
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
½ cup water
2 tablespoons cream sherry

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10-inch bunt or tube pan.
Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for 4 to 5 minutes, until light. Add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla, sherry and sour cream. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. Finish stirring with a spatula to be sure the batter is completely mixed.

For the streusel, place the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and butter in a bowl and pinch together with your fingers until it forms a crumble. Mix in the almonds and then gently fold in raspberries so not to crush them.

Spoon half the batter into the pan and spread it out with a spatula. Spread streusel. over batter. Spoon the rest of the batter to cover streusel in the pan.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.

Syrup Preparation
Meanwhile heat sugars, water and sherry in a medium saucepan. Cook on medium high heat till sugar dissolves. Lower heat to a simmer and cook till syrup thickens, around 15 minutes. Consistency should be thinner than honey, syrup will continue to thicken as it cools. Take off heat and transfer to a porcelain or glass container to cool off.

When cake comes out of the oven, let cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. Carefully transfer the cake onto a serving plate.

You can drizzle syrup over the coffee cake or have it on the side to allow for individual preference.

Ciao and Buon Appetito!
Laurie

Fourth of July & Apple Pie

dallamiacucina@yahoo.com (Laurie Vengoechea) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 18:31:00 +0000

I hope you all had a wonderful Independence Day! We enjoyed beautiful weather with cool breezes down by the San Diego shoreline of La Jolla. La Jolla's meaning “The Jewel” is so befitting for this glorious town. Only a forty-five minute drive from Temecula, the crystal aqua ocean is so dazzling, like a clear and perfect gem with coves cut out so perfectly along the coastline and the quaint backdrop of shops, restaurants and homes.

We shopped a little and walked around town being serenaded by reggae music coming from a second story café and watched the hustle and bustle of tourists while we ourselves enjoyed art galleries and chic boutiques..like Armani Exchange, one of the few clothing stores open for the day.

That evening we headed back home for our own festival of sorts with an all American dinner and dessert, ending the evening with a view of Temecula’s own fireworks extravaganza.

And without further ado.. a showstopper in it's own right!

Apple Pie

This is a simple pie with my favorite pastry dough recipe from Dorie Greenspan. I really think the two crusts that I continually use are Dorie’s and Nick Malgierri’s. I always have perfect results with these two recipes!

Dorie Greenspan's Pie Crust
Crust Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons chilled non-hydrogenated solid vegetable shortening, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons (or more) ice water

Crust Preparation
Mix flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add butter and shortening; pulse until coarse meal forms. Add 2 tablespoons ice water; pulse until moist clumps form, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk and wrap in plastic. Chill 2 hours. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before continuing.

Apple Pie Filling
8 Red Apples (I used Mac Intosh)
3 tablespoons Turbinado sugar
¾ teaspoons cinnamon
¼ cup Mighty Mango Naked Juice (you can sub with juice of your choice)
½ stick butter
Bowl of cold water with a few tablespoon lemon juice;
I egg yolk and 1/8 cup cream for brushing dough.

Directions
Make crust and set aside in the refrigerator till your ready to fill. Keep remaining scraps to make dough strips for the top of your pie.

Peel and core apples. Keep in bowl of lemon doused water till time to slice.
Slice apples1/8 of an inch thick. In large mixing bowl add apple slices, sugar, cinnamon and mango juice. Stir to coat apples well. Fill pastry shell with apples. Cut slices of butter and dot apple pie filling.

Use extra dough to make strips for lattice. If you don’t want to do this you can roll out another sheet of pastry to cover the pie filling. Brush outer dough with egg yolk mixture. Place either strips or another sheet of dough cut to fit over pie filling. Pinch to seal edges. If you completely covered the pie make some vents on top of the dough to release steam while baking. Brush the top of the pastry dough with remaining egg mixture and sprinkle with Turbinado sugar.

I cover the top of my pie with foil for the first 15 minutes so it doesn’t get too brown. I would rather the apples cook all the way through on a lower temperature and longer cook time. Uncover the pie for the last 40 to 45 minutes.

Bake at 400° for 50 minutes to an hour.
Check periodically.
Serve warm with ice cream!

Buon Appetito!
Laurie

StrawberryBlue Custard Tart

dallamiacucina@yahoo.com (Laurie Vengoechea) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:11:00 +0000

Why do I love Summer.. let me count the reasons.. strawberries, blueberries, cherries, watermelon... the epitome of freshness and flavor found in the market stalls and down the grocery aisles.
The warm season is definitely on here and there is nothing I crave more than fresh fruit and cold beverages to get me by.

I know I have been making lots of desserts lately, but my wonderful husband is kind enough to take them with him to the office so I don't have to be tempted with them here at home. Anyway.. I much prefer a ripe juicy naked strawberry to quench my sweet tooth!

This recipe is adapted from a custard tart from The Joy of Baking as well as utilizing one of my favorite pastry crust recipes by Dorie Greenspan. For the recipe I subbed the half and half with cream cheese to give it a bit more depth and texture. My husband loved the cheesecake I made the previous week so I knew the addition of cream cheese would be a welcome one.

Buon Appetito,
Laurie

Crust Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons chilled non-hydrogenated solid vegetable shortening, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons (or more) ice water

Crust Preparation
Mix flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add butter and shortening; pulse until coarse meal forms. Add 2 tablespoons ice water; pulse until moist clumps form, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk and wrap in plastic. Chill 2 hours. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before continuing.

Strawberry Glaze
1/4 cup strawberry preserves
1/2 tablespoon Cognac, Calvados, Rum or Water

Strawberry Glaze Directions
In a small saucepan heat the strawberry preserves until boiling. Remove from heat and strain to get rid of lumps. Add the Cognac or water.

Cheese Custard
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
¼ cup cream cheese
½ cup milk
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon Brandy

Cheese Custard Prep
In a large bowl whisk the flour and sugar together. Mix in the eggs and stir with a wooden spoon to make a smooth paste. Do not let this mixture sit too long as it will form a crust.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the milk till warm, add the cream cheese and let meld with milk. Cook till it just starts to simmer. Take off heat and add vanilla and the liqueur. Gradually whisk into the egg mixture stirring constantly. Set this mixture aside while you prepare the apples.

Pastry Crust
Roll out the pastry and fit it into a 8 or 9 inch tart pan. Prick the bottom of the shell and chill for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400°
Place rack in center of oven. Line the unbaked pastry shell with aluminum foil. Fill tart pan with pie weights or beans, making sure the weights are to the top of the pan and evenly distributed over the entire surface. Bake crust for 20 to 25 minutes until crust is dry and lightly browned. Remove weights and cool crust on wire rack. When cool, spread a thin layer of warm glaze over the bottom and sides of the tart to seal the crust and prevent it from getting soggy. Let the glaze dry between 20 - 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Arrange the fruit in concentric circles on top of the cooled and glazed tart shell. Carefully pour the custard over the apples to just below the top of the tart pan (do not fill all the way or the custard will drip between the crust and the pan). Sprinkle lightly with the Cinnamon Sugar.

Place tart pan on a larger baking sheet to make it easier to remove from oven and bake for about 25-30 minutes or until the custard has set.

Almond Amaretto Chocolate Deluxe Cheesecake

dallamiacucina@yahoo.com (Laurie Vengoechea) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 17:48:00 +0000

This past weekend we had a wonderful time celebrating "Father's Day". My kids wanted to go all out for a fun filled weekend. And me, I got to do all the fun prep work like buying the gifts and making my husbands favorite dessert, "Cheesecake". I always have fun in the planning stages and I love spoiling my husband!

In the evening we went to one of our families favorite restaurants in Temecula's newly renovated outdoor Promenade mall, Lucille's Smokehouse BBQ. See the review here. It is the perfect place for a noisy family of six. Although.. we had to wait for an hour and a half to be seated and the outdoor overhead misting system wreaked havoc on my hair, and it wasn't even that hot outside!

Dinner was wonderful. The meat at Lucille's is slow smoked in a beefy in-house smoker with the tastiest attention to their sauces. We have had the family sized portion of racked ribs, BBQ chicken whole and sliced in sandwiches, slow smoked tri-tip steak sandwiches, cob salad with smoked chicken and their hearty Angus beef burgers.. all wonderful, tender and finger lickin good! But this time around I am here to talk about their desserts. The first time we went My husband and I split the pecan pie accompanied by a luscious bourbon sauce. Sooo Good! On Father's Day we hadn't intended to order dessert because I had a Cheesecake waiting at home, but while eying that creamy deluxe chocolate cake that flew by it was really hard to pass it up. My husband had the wonderful idea of turning my plain old Almond Amaretto Cheesecake into the dessert I have posted here, the "Almond Amaretto Chocolate Deluxe Cheesecake".

Emeril Lagasse couldn't have said it better.. "Baam!!" We only purchased one slice of Chocolate cake, but these slices for $6.00 are large enough to share. Creamy, satiny, tender, smooth, moist, rich, and "deluxe" are all words to describe this cake. My daughter loved it so much that last night she purchased a slice to have with her in line at the movie theater while waiting for doors to open for the midnight premier of "The Transformers" movie.

So my cheesecake plus the added slice of chocolate cake royalty made a wonderful dessert to end a fabulous Father's Day celebration!

Almond Amaretto Chocolate Deluxe Cheesecake

Ingredients
1 Cheesecake recipe (follows)
1 Chocolate Deluxe cake
1 Almond Graham cracker crust recipe (follows)
Chocolate Syrup or a thinned out ganache
Sweetened Whipped Cream

Crust
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 cup blanched almonds (whole or ground)
1 stick butter, melted
2 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. Amaretto Liqueur

Cheesecake
3 sticks of 8 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup heavy cream
3 Tbs. Flour
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
2 tbsp Amaretto Liqueur

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees°.

In a food processor grind almonds still mealy. Mix together with graham cracker crumbs and the remainder of crust ingredients. Lightly press into a springform pan slightly going up an inch on the sides. Set crust aside.

Combine cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of a stand-mixer (or in a large bowl if using a hand-mixer) and cream together until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next. Make sure to scrape down the bowl in between each egg. Add heavy cream, vanilla, Amaretto and blend until smooth and creamy.

Pour batter into prepared crust and tap the pan on the counter a few times to bring all air bubbles to the surface. Cover bottom securely with foil. I do this so butter from the crust does not drip in my oven. I almost think this also prevents the bottom from cooking to quickly while the thick middle is cooking.

Bake 45 to 55 minutes, until it is a little jiggly in the center. You don't want it to be completely firm at this stage. Turn the heat off and open the door of the oven so it is ajar. Let rest in the cooling oven for one hour. This lets the cake finish cooking and cool down gently enough so that it won't crack on the top. After one hour, remove cheesecake from oven. Let it finish cooling on the counter, and then cover and put in the fridge to chill. At least 12 hours. I like to make my cheesecakes a whole day in advance to serving.

Top with a whole creamy, satiny, tender, smooth, moist, rich, and "deluxe" chocolate cake! We served it with a drizzle of warm chocolate syrup and whipped cream. The chocolate cake with almonds and Amaretto is naturally a winning combination but you can surely alternate nuts or do without. Pine nuts also make a wonderful addition to a cheesecake crust!

Buon Appetito!
Laurie

Macaroni & Fontina Cheese with Pistachio Pesto Cream Sauce

dallamiacucina@yahoo.com (Laurie Vengoechea) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 18:19:00 +0000

Pistachios are a beloved nut of Italian culture. Popularly used in desserts such as Cannoli and Ice Cream, pistachios often in history made there way into savory dishes as well. Crushed Pistachios make a wonderful blanket for grilled beef as well as lamb, a very popular way to utilize this rich and tasty nut.

A year ago I incorporated them into a pesto dish to go along with seared lamb and Buccatini, it was a wonderful addition and with a little playing around my Pistachio Pesto Cream sauce was born. I keep Pistachio Pesto on hand as often as I can. It freezes well and when needed for a sauce it quickly defrosts within a few hours.

My kids love having pasta shells made into Macaroni and Cheese, so with a variation on the American version, alternating Cheddar with Fontina cheese and adding Pistachio Pesto Cream Sauce this layered baked pasta dish makes for a favorite mid week meal.

MACARONI & FONTINA CHEESE
WITH PISTACHIO PESTO CREAM SAUCE

Ingredients
Pistachio Pesto Cream Sauce *recipes follow
16 oz. Fontina cheese shredded
4 oz. Parmesan Cheese grated
1 lb. Durum Semolina Shells

PISTACHIO PESTO
Ingredients
1 cup pistachio’s
1 cup olive oil
10 – 12 large basil leaves
¾ cup white wine
¾ cup Gorgonzola cheese crumbled
1 clove garlic
2 Tbs. Chopped fresh oregano leaves
1 ½ tsp. fresh squeezed lemon
2 -3 tablespoons water to thin out as needed
½ tsp. salt
Dash fresh ground black pepper to taste

Directions
In a small dry skillet, toast pistachios for around a minute or two just to release oils. Don’t let the pistachio’s burn.

In a food processor, add pistachios and olive oil, pulse on low until pistachios start emulsifying with oil but still having texture. Add chopped basil leaves and continue to pulse. Add wine and Gorgonzola cheese, pulse till well incorporated. Mixture will still have good texture. Add garlic clove, oregano leaves and lemon juice. Process to mix well. Add a few tablespoons of water if needed just so the pesto is not too thick. Add ½ teaspoon of salt to taste and a pinch of freshly ground black pepper to your desired taste.

PISTACHIO PESTO CREAM SAUCE
Ingredients
3 Tbs. Butter
1 Tbs. Olive oil
½ onion minced
½ shallot minced
2 Tbs. Flour
3 cups simmering hot milk (skin removed)
1 ½ tsp salt
3 Tbs. White wine
3 cups Pistachio Pesto (recipe above)

Directions
Melt butter and olive oil on medium low heat. Add onion and shallots, cook till golden and translucent. Butter should be sizzling. Put heat on medium low. Dust onion garlic mix with flour and stir constantly till mix starts to brown. Stirring with a whisk, add 2 cups of hot milk in a slow stream constantly stirring and loosening mix from bottom of the pan. If you continue to whisk the mix will be very even textured. When cream begins to thicken again, add another cup of hot milk (this should equal 3 cups in all).
Add 3 tablespoons of wine and around I ½ teaspoons of salt to taste. Stir constantly and bring to a simmer again and let thicken to a cream soup consistency. Add 3 cups of the pistachio pesto to the cream sauce. Stir to incorporate well. At this stage it should be plenty thick.
*If you want it thicker, uncovered reduce heat to low and let simmer till it reduces to the consistency you like.

MACARONI & FONTINA CHEESE
WITH PISTACHIO PESTO CREAM SAUCE

Putting it all together
Directions
Cook pasta till aldente. Be sure to salt your water.
Drain Pasta. On the bottom of a baking dish pour ¼ cup of sauce, add ½ of the cooked shells. Pour some more of the sauce on top. Then layer with Fontina cheese. Repeat by adding more pasta, sauce and cheese till pasta is used up. Top it off with Pistachio Pesto Cream sauce, Fontina cheese and Parmesan cheese. Bake in a pre-heated 4oo° oven till bubbly and cheese is melted and golden on top, around 15 minutes. Enjoy with crusty bread and a salad.

Hope you enjoy!
Buon Appetitio,
Laurie

White Hot Chocolate Nutmeg Cappuccino

dallamiacucina@yahoo.com (Laurie Vengoechea) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:33:00 +0000

Fall has always been my favorite time of year for it ushering in the beginning of hearty cooking and seasonal hot drinks, warmer and more cuddly clothing and blankets to wrap us in sitting around the fireplace. But surprisingly our Spring weather here in Southern California is extended in the month of June and often times feels like Fall.

With the mist hovering over the hillsides in the early mornings creating ribbon like clouds and the breezes blowing through the Rainbow Gap on the South end of Temecula, the coolness it creates is the perfect ambiance for a warm cup of hot chocolate.

I don't remember where I found this recipe.. but it has been in my collection since last year. The only difference I made was infusing the cream with nutmeg and then straining it. It has a more spicy taste and melds wonderfully with the brandy and the creme de cacao. This would be just as wonderful without the liqueurs. If you do omit them just up the vanilla content to 1 and 1/2 teaspoons.

Ingredients
6 oz light cream
1/8 tsp. Ground Nutmeg
2 oz espresso
2 oz grated or chopped white chocolate
1 tsp brandy
1 tsp creme de cacao
1/8 tsp vanilla
Whipped cream
Ground nutmeg

Preparation
Pour cream and 1/8 of a teaspoon of nutmeg into pan. Heat till almost boiling. Remove from heat and strain through a fine mesh strainer. Pour back into pan and add chocolate. Whisk until melted and smooth. Stir in liqueurs and vanilla. Return to low heat and whisk until foamy. Pour espresso into a tall glass or mug, then spoon chocolate cream mixture over the espresso. Top with soft peaked whipped cream and a dash of nutmeg. Serving size 1.

Summer is the perfect time for sea shell collecting. We love going to La Jolla in San Diego in the early evenings and filling our buckets with beautiful shells. It is a "for sure" occasion to end a wonderful evening by a campfire with a frothy cup of White Hot Chocolate Nutmeg Cappuccino!

Enjoy and Buon Appetito!
Laurie

Temecula Food & Reviews.. a new blog by DMC

dallamiacucina@yahoo.com (Laurie Vengoechea) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 16:24:00 +0000

Dear Foodie Friends,
I would like to share with you my new blog, Temecula Food & Reviews. It is not replacing DMC but it will be mainly for the benefit of Temeculans and those in the surrounding communities looking for reviews of restaurants, food events, a little bit of "how to and where to go for" cooking tips and techniques. There are not just restaurants I want to review, there are producers in the area that sell some of the best spices, wine, olive oil, cheeses and citrus that have yet to be unveiled and shared with the public.

Around 26 years ago as a young Orange County resident my parents took us for a ride out in a desolate community, ripe with orchards and vineyards, land and valleys spreading as far as the eye could see. It was an undeveloped land with extreme possibilities. It had caught my eye as a young girl and I knew at that first visit I wanted to have my own small parcel of land in that very community.

Years later, around sixteen to be exact, my husband and I bought our first home in the beautiful rolling hills of a small Temecula community. Our neighborhood parcel is very small but it has a grand view of Palomar Mountain, The Rancho Estates and the rolling hills of Vail and Redhawk. I love our little community, and if I could give back a portion of how it has made me feel while living here it would be a pleasure to do so. Many of us who have come to love Temecula appreciate the family style living and safety that surrounds. Our growing farms, park systems and protected wildlife preserves, the gorgeous vineyards and wineries that have put Temecula on the map and the increase of gourmet restaurants locally and at an easy drives distance in Fallbrook, Murrieta and San Diego.

My goal as a writer is to introduce readers to some of my experiences with local Temecula food, coming from an experienced cooks point of view. I am not a critic but often times I may make observations about the food and services provided. But more than anything I want to make known the products and restaurants that are in close reach and proximity. If I absolutely dislike a restaurant or product I won't even mention them on my site.

I will be a bit more busy with the writing of two blogs, but my love for creating recipes and cooking from great recipe resources will hopefully keep both sites active and lively. I think you will see both sites working synergistically together.

Thank you for visiting and as always,
Buon Appetito!

Laurie m. Vengoechea

Cooking Tools; Cast Iron Skillet

dallamiacucina@yahoo.com (Laurie Vengoechea) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 14:16:00 +0000

My Nineteen-year-old Cast Iron Skillet
I love kitchen tools, but I don't really find a need to purchase every tool that appears to be a necessity. I have been married for twenty one years and have probably been cooking for fifteen more years on top of that. You would think I have a vast storehouse of the most sheik gadgets purchasable.. but I don’t! I have a good set of knives, my cast iron skillets, a small food prep food processor, a large capacity Cuisinart food processor, my KitchenAid stand mixer, some high quality stainless steel cooking pots and pans, utensils, measuring implements, mixing bowls and baking dishes. And I still have room in my cupboards. That's not to say that I don't have a wish list, because lets face it.. every cook adores Le Creuset cookware.

But if you are new to cooking and would like to purchase some kitchen tools that are good quality, life lasting and won’t cost you an arm and a leg, let me assure you, it is attainable!

From time to time I will share with you some of my most treasured kitchen tools.. tools that are indispensable in my kitchen for the time they save me and for the money saved by not having to make duplicate purchases.

Today I want to introduce you to my most prized kitchen instrument, my cast iron skillet. This particular skillet was purchased at the Long Beach Antique Market off of Bellflower Blvd. I bought this skillet nineteen years ago and it is still pristine and seasoned perfectly. What I was looking for when I bought this iron was a flat smooth surface without dings, deep scratches or chips. This one had previously been used and had a good seasoning on it, but I still cleaned it real well and re-seasoned it as if it were brand new. I was told to bring a marble with me to check the evenness of the surface. You are suppose to roll the marble on the interior and see how it moves, if it goes to one side and stays, it is uneven, if it rolls gently and stays for the most part centered, you can gather that you have a pretty even surfaced cast iron skillet.

A few rules, but not to go in depth hear, don’t scour your cast iron, you will scrape all of the seasoning off. The beauty of a cast iron skillet is in the little oil that needs to be used when cooking. It makes for a wonderful light cooking companion. The seasoned and coated surface that accumulates more and more with each use prevents foods from sticking and makes cooking sautes and seared meats and vegetables simple and lower in fat than using pans that need high quantities of oil and butter to aid in turning foods easily.

Never put your cast iron in the dish washer nor use cleanser on it. If you must wash it for sanitary purposes use very little mild dish soap and rinse well with hot water. Just a note, if your pan is seasoned well, you should be able to rinse it under warm water and wipe it clean with a paper towel. I am always the one in my house to clean my cast iron skillet, actually, I protect my baby so much I won’t even let my teenagers near it when they are cooking! After I rinse it and wipe it down, I put a little olive oil on a paper towel and wipe my cast iron skillet on the inside and top rim. I then put it on the stove with low heat for a minute and then turn the heat off. I store it my skillet alone with a paper towel resting on the inside. I NEVER put my skillet away damp. It will rust if moisture stays on it.

One last thing, I purchased my skillet at the flea market price of $5.00.

For more info:

Temecula Valley Arts,
Crafts & Flea Markets

San Diego County Guide
to Second Hand Shopping

Stuffed Turkey Bracciole Braised in a Cream Sherry Sauce

dallamiacucina@yahoo.com (Laurie Vengoechea) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 13:43:00 +0000

The lure of rolled meats is in the stuffing. It’s like a beautifully wrapped package just waiting to be revealed. The contents of which are breadcrumbs soaked in wine, cheese, herbs, eggs, pancetta, and mushrooms. A variety of ingredients encapsulated by thin pieces of meat, wrapped in twine, seared and braised in tomato, cream, or a wine sauce.

It is one of the most decorated dishes among Italian cuisine and yet so simple and satisfying to prepare. Like a Sicilian style Veal Involtini, or that which is frequently prepared in my own kitchen, the Stuffed Flank Roll, there are a myriad of preparations and meat choices to use.

It’s common to see the traditional use of beef, chicken or veal, but often times you will also spot a recipe calling for fish or rabbit common to the Le Marche Region of Italy.

I happen to have a boneless turkey roll in the freezer left from the holidays so I decided to use it in a Bracciole preparation similar to a Stuffed Chicken Braised in Cream Sherry Sauce I have previously made. I hope you enjoy!

Buon Appetito!
Laurie

Stuffed Turkey Bracciole Braised in a Cream Sherry Sauce

Ingredients
1 ½ cups Italian style dried bread crumbs
½ cup grated Pecorino Romano Cheese
½ cup mozzarella cheese, cubed or shredded
½ cup sweet Vidalia onion finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon sage finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3-cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 egg hard boiled and sliced

Cream Sherry Sauce
½ cup Cream Sherry
½ cup Whole Cream
2 tablespoons Butter
3 tablespoons Olive Oil
2 teaspoons Shallots
Black
Pepper
Salt

Directions
Place breadcrumbs in a bowl, add mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, fresh ground black pepper, diced sweet onion, minced garlic, flat leaf Italian parsley, fresh herbs and a drizzle of Cream Sherry to moisten.

Unwrap turkey from mesh sleeve. Save the sleeve to wrap the turkey back into after you roll it up. Stuff the turkey with filling, lay slices of hard boiled egg in middle of stuffed turkey roll, fold meat over and rewrap the mesh netting over it or tie it up with kitchen string. Season the Turkey breast all over with salt, pepper and paprika.

In a heavy skillet on a medium flame heat a few teaspoons of oil and a teaspoon of butter, add the turkey and brown well on both sides. Remove to a platter.

In the skillet you cooked the turkey in, sauté 2 teaspoons shallots in 2 tablespoons of butter and 3 tablespoons of olive oil. When shallots are soft add 1/2 cup of Cream Sherry, 1/8 of a cup cream, 2 tablespoons water, salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer. Place the turkey back into skillet. Turn heat to low. Cover skillet partially. Let meat stew in liquids for around 45 - 50 more minutes. Slice up and serve.

"Blueberry Peach Galette" a la mode with a "Blueberry Sherry Sauce" and a trip to the Temecula Berry Company

dallamiacucina@yahoo.com (Laurie Vengoechea) — Thu, 28 May 2009 16:40:00 +0000

Last year here on DMC I wrote a review of the most beautiful blueberry fields I came across tucked away in the quiet estates and rolling plains of the Temecula Valley. I could have easily missed out on Temecula Berry Companies pristinely kept and magnificently grown farm and the only blueberry field in the county that I know about if I hadn't been taking a leisurely drive while waiting to pick up my kids from a birthday party in the area.

Unfortunately when I wrote the article last year it was at the end of the growing season and my local readers weren't able to experience the fun and excitement of hand picking their own blueberries. Well to my delight last week on Thursday the farm opened for business and my husband, little children and I headed over on the Memorial Day weekend and filled our buckets with beautiful, plump and ready to be picked berries.

The farm was just as I had remembered. The weather was a bit more accommodating for us being that it is still Spring time and the temperature was still a cool 79. The grounds are so beautiful, so clean, so well kept. I really am yearning to have a garden of blueberries, grape vines, avocado's and citrus. Living in such a community as Temecula, we have access to such a variety of produce fields, like the grape vineyards, orange groves, blueberry fields, olive tree's, and even dairy farms producing cheese like the Winchester Cheese Company's famous sharp gouda which won the bronze medal at the prestigous World Cheese Awards in London, England in 2006. And locally.. farms who's produce give the famed Temecula Farmers Market their fill of beautiful fruits, leafy greens and vegetables.

You have to look closely, lifting branches to reveal the bluberries on the undergrowth of the bushes. Our youngest daughter picked the most. It could be that she was the lowest to the ground and her eye caught all the ripe berries that were on the lower branches.

The colors are spectacular in the fields.

At the beginning of our hunt.

Ripe, plump and large berries for the picking!

I think naturally peaches pair perfectly with Blueberries. When I visit Sprouts Markets I always purchase a peach berry smoothie. Oh so delicious!

I love a Galette. They are simple to prepare and I love the freestyle form that they lend. And delicious.. you bet!

For the crust I used Dorrie Greenspans Pastry Dough recipe.

Crust Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons chilled nonhydrogenated solid vegetable shortening, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons (or more) ice water

Crust Preparation
Mix flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add butter and shortening; pulse until coarse meal forms. Add 2 tablespoons ice water; pulse until moist clumps form, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk and wrap in plastic. Chill 2 hours. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before continuing.

For the filling I used peaches and berries. Using a typical apple pie filling recipe just subbing the fruit. I kept the skin on my peaches, I like the extra texture and the skins were pretty thin.

Fruit Filling:
2 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
3 cups thinly sliced peaches (about 3 large)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons cornstarch

1 egg white
2 tablespoons fat-free milk
1 tablespoon Turbinado sugar

Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
To make the fruit filling, combine all ingredients in a large bowl, and toss gently, making sure that the cornstarch is coating the fruit. (This will prevent too much juice from leaking out while the Galette bakes.)

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place on a sheet of parchment paper. Starting at the center of the dough, roll out, forming a 14-15-inch wide circle. Place the dough with parchment paper on a baking sheet. Add the fruit mixture to the center of the dough, leaving a 2-inch border. Fold the border over the filling, overlapping where necessary and pressing gently to adhere the folds.

Lightly whisk the egg white and milk in a small bowl. Brush dough with egg wash, and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake for 1 hour, or until crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack to cool for at least 20 minutes. (Cutting it too quickly will cause the dough to crack). It's best served at room temperature or slightly warm.

Blueberry Sherry Topping
2 Cups fresh cleaned and dried blueberries
3/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup cream sherry

Directions
Add berries, sugar and sherry to a sauce pot. Cook on medium low. Watch pot so the berries do not scorch. When berries begin to break down and thicken lower heat to a low simmer. To prevent sugar from scorching the sides of the pan, have a cup of cold water and a pastry brush ready. Periodically brush the sides of the pan with water. This is a tip when making sugar syrups as well as caramels and candies.

Enjoy with a scoop of ice cream and a dollop of fresh whipped cream!
Buon Appetitio!
Laurie

Mildly Hot, Sweet & Spicy "Mango, Plum, Mint & Jalapeno Salsa"plus a "Roasted Baja Style Salsa"

dallamiacucina@yahoo.com (Laurie Vengoechea) — Fri, 22 May 2009 17:01:00 +0000

Perfect weather, perfect fruit and perfect veggies went into this weekend of grillin and chillin with some Mango Mint Plum and a Roasted Baja Style Salsa to compliment some chili lime chips for dipping.

For the Mango, Plum, Mint, Jalapeno salsa I began by pulsing onions, garlic, mint and parsley in the food processor till minced.

I added two mango's cubed and four plums cut into small pieces. With two of the plums I left the skin to add color and texture. Add the fruit to the onion, mint and parsley mix.

Take a quarter of a jalapeno with the seeds removed and finely dice. Add to the salsa mix. Spritz with the juice of one lime.

Refrigerate till ready to serve with chips and avocado dip.
*My note; this salsa tasted so much better served on top of guacamole. I didn't make it the first night, but the next day I made guacamole and served it with the Mango Plum salsa and it took it up two notches in the flavor category!

ROASTED BAJA STYLE SALSA

I have been trying to hunt down this recipe for quite a long time now. There is a chain restaurant we enjoy going to called Baja Fresh Mexican Grill. I love their tacos simply prepared with grilled chicken, or beef, topped with cilantro, avocado, lime and salsa. But not just any salsa, my favorite salsa is their dark brown Baja Fresh salsa that I had never understood how they got that rich brown color. I asked around and finally received an answer from Heather over at Girlichef. Heather told me most likely the color was achieved by roasting till black all the tomatoes, onions, jalapeno and garlic. So I took her advise and blackened on my grill all the vegetables, popped them into the blender and pulverized them into a wonderful salsa. I also added cilantro, lime and salt to taste.

While my husband and kids loved the salsa, I came away learning a few things. Seed the jalapeno first.. it was eye popping hot for me, although my daughter and husband liked it just fine. Also, I went overboard with the garlic, I always do that! :) I used almost the whole head of garlic when really only a few cloves will suffice. I don't have exact measurements down yet. I will have to make it again before I post quantities. But as far as an ingredient list goes. Tomatoes, onion, Jalapeno, garlic, cilantro, lime and salt.

Thank you Heather!! Ciao and hugs. :)

Dry Spice Rubbed Steak Kabobs & Hummus with Whole Wheat Pita Bread

dallamiacucina@yahoo.com (Laurie Vengoechea) — Wed, 13 May 2009 18:40:00 +0000

There is a restaurant in town that we frequent called Daphne's Greek Cafe. It's the only place we have found locally where we can get fresh carved Gyros, Falafel's, Hummus, Pita, Souvlaki and Tzatziki Sauce.

My husband and I came to enjoy Greek and Mediterranean food around 22 years ago while Honeymooning in Monterey, California. We stayed at this beautiful B & B called the Gosby House Inn in the enchanted village of Pacific Grove. I remember it was a very foggy evening and we didn't feel like driving far so we walked across the street and found this little restaurant called Petra. It was charming as well as inviting with the aroma's and ambiance welcoming us in from the cold. You know how there are moments in your life that leave an etching on your mind.. well that evening as well as the week in Santa Barbara, was one of those moments I'll remember forever. If you have never traveled up the Pacific Coast through Santa Barbara, Cambria, Big Sur, Monterey, Carmel and San Francisco, put these on your list as places to visit. Gorgeous coastlines as well as the famed Cypress trees bejewel the shores and play out like an old Hollywood or Disney film. Yes.. I am a romantic and will look for every opportunity to daydream when possible!

I think it was Jenn from The Left Over Queen who got me thinking that it would be much easier to just make home made hummus so we could have it frequently as well as it being easy and yummy with grilled steak and chicken kabobs. My husband loves Pita bread so I try to have it on hand regularly. We love the whole wheat pockets as well as the white flour version. In my opinion they don't taste all that different from each other when dry heated on the griddle. A little healthier for your digestive system is whole grain flours, if you can tolerate gluten in your diet. Which, I can eat either white or wheat but we want to introduce our kids to whole grains while they are still young enough to not toss it off as healthy and nutritious. :)

A few months back, when I received a few bottles of Country Bob's Sauces to try, I realized how much I enjoyed steak and barbecue sauces. After I ran out of the sauce I decided to try my hand at my own ingredient concoctions to replicate a barbecue style rub. I think I succeeded but the problem is that I never wrote down the ingredients. I made enough to last me a good six months and I haven't as yet tried to remake it. I remember though that I used brown sugar, dried molasses, a variety of dried and ground peppers, salts, garlic powder, dried lemon peel, cumin, celery salt.. and that is where I completely blank as to the rest of the ingredients. I will do another dry rub run and when I get the ingredients down I'll add them to this post. In the mean time, I am sure there are some great recipes out there.. I would encourage you to make your own and keep it on hand. Besides myself, I catch my son using my dry spices when he fry's chicken. Home made.. you gotta love it!

A wonderful family style meal of dry spice rubbed steak kabobs, fresh homemade hummus with a drizzle of olive oil and Kalamata olives on top, and whole wheat pita pockets. We also had a salad with tomatoes, black olives, feta cheese and thin slices of cucumber. Yes.. similar to a Greek salad excluding the thin slices of red onion and oregano infused salad dressing. Very yummy! :)

I don't really have a recipe I follow for the hummus. I keep Tahini paste on hand, as well as canned garbanzo beans, a staple in the Italian cupboard, Olive oil, lemon, fresh garlic, salt and paprika as well as Kalamata olives for an embellishment.

Here is a pretty typical Hummus recipe.

For the meat use your favorite, cubed and rubbed with your favorite spices. Maybe you'll try your hand at creating your own dry rub. Let me know if you do!

Ciao and Buon Appetito!
Laurie

Country Chicken Patties

dallamiacucina@yahoo.com (Laurie Vengoechea) — Thu, 07 May 2009 17:46:00 +0000

You know something’s wrong with a mom of four children when I berate myself for making “simple” dinners. At least that’s what I call this. Chopped chicken, eggs, breadcrumbs, herbs and aromatics.. That’s simple to me! But to my kids and company they thought it was kinda snobbish of me when I made excuses for serving them something so quick and easily prepared. Now, if I had substituted the chicken with crab, there would have been no excuses spilling from my lips! ☺

I have to admit though.. I love eating these. They’re better then chicken strips and nuggets, they are much more tender and less dry because of the ingredient mix, and you can make lots and keep them for after school or midnight snacking. You can dip them in a variety of sauces and add peas and corn if your kids don’t object. And better yet, they’re simple enough to have the kids prepare themselves. So moms, with Mother’s Day this weekend, take a break from the kitchen, leave the recipe on the counter and the ingredients in the fridge and enjoy the weekend with your meticulously polished and pedicured feet kicked up on the chaise lounge!
Basic Ingredients
4 large boneless chicken breasts
2 eggs
1/2 c. or more if needed of mayonnaise
2 dashes of hot sauce like Tapatia
1 tsp. crushed garlic
½ onion, finely chopped
2 tsp. fresh or dry chopped parsley
2 tsp. fresh or dry thyme
2 scallions thinly sliced
1½ cups breadcrumbs or Panko crumbs
Salt & pepper to taste

*Optional Ingredients
Sometimes I add peas or corn as well as cheese like cheddar or Parmesan depending on the kind of dipping sauce I’m making.

Directions
Boil chicken. When cool enough to handle shred or finely chop. Add the rest of ingredients and mix until well blended. If you need to, adjust bread crumbs or mayonnaise. Form into patties. Fry in oil and 1 tsp. butter on both sides until golden brown.
Dipping Idea’s
Honey Mustard Sauce
Barbecue Sauce
Hummus
Ranch Dressing
Garlic Aioli

Wild Mushroom Agnolotti with Chive, Tarragon & Blue Cheese Butter Cream Sauce

dallamiacucina@yahoo.com (Laurie Vengoechea) — Mon, 04 May 2009 17:58:00 +0000

I have been feeling so lazy lately.. to the point where I have handed over the kitchen keys to my kids. :) They have humored me and have allowed me to take a week off from cooking to lounge and enjoy the spring air. Thanks my darlings.. but mom is back.. cleaning up the kitchen and putting things back in order the best I can and getting some tasty recipes out to try! Unfortunately my laziness had spread to my fingertips and I didn't even feel like posting to my blog, so I have a collection of dishes and treats that I'm hoping to get up on my site this week.

This dish is a tribute to a pasta company who puts out the tastiest fresh pasta's ever! I have been purchasing Buitoni Tortellini's for years now and was so exited to receive, through Foodbuzz's Taste Makers program, a package of their just released Wild Mushroom Agnolotti's made with a blend of earthy portobello's and delicate crimini mushrooms melded together with roasted garlic and Grana Padana cheese as well as fresh Parmesan. The earthy aroma's were so wonderful and delicate and lent well to the leftover Chive, Tarragon and Blue Cheese Butter I had made for a Filet Mignon weekend enjoyed by my DH and I. I had a cup left over of the butter so I blended it with whole cream and added some red pepper flakes and a simple yet elegant sauce was prepared for the wonderful Agnolotti's.

Chive, Tarragon and Blue Cheese Butter

Ingredients
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup fresh blue cheese crumbled
3 chives cleaned and roughly chopped
1/2 cup packed fresh Tarragon cleaned and roughly chopped

Preparations
Clean and dry your herbs completely. Rough chop and set aside.
In a food processor blend butter and blue cheese till combined.
Add chives and tarragon. Pulse till well blended. Refrigerate till ready to use.
*I use herb butters ALL the time! I'll either use them topped on a steak right off the grill or spread them on warm crusty french bread. Experiment with herb and cheese additions. I think you'll love whatever you come up with! :)

Chive, Tarragon & Blue Cheese Butter
Cream Sauce

Ingredients
1 Cup Chive, Tarragon and Blue Cheese Butter
1/2 Cups whole cream
1/4 cup dry white wine
Red Pepper Flakes

Directions
Warm up a skillet and add the butter and cream. Blend till well incorporated. Add white wine and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Let simmer on low for 2 minutes so pepper has time to meld with sauce. The blue cheese has enough flavor so you probably won't need to add salt.

Cook Wild Mushroom Agnolotti according to package directions. Drain well. Pour some of the sauce into bowls. Add Drained Pasta and drizzle sauce on top. Decorate with a few chive and tarragon sprigs. Serve with crusty Italian or French bread and grated Parmesan or Grana Padana cheese.

A few weekends ago my husband and I attended an event at South Coast Winery called "Blessing Of The Vines". Wandering through their beautifully manicured gardens I captured this shot under the pergola. This isn't the only photo I was able to shoot.. but it's just a tease! :) My husband and I have had dinner at this restaurant, the Vineyard Rose many times before, the food is spectacular and their wines have won numerous and prestigious awards. It was a real treat to attend an event where a local Pastor said a blessing in the vineyard to commemorate the work and harvesting of the vines giving honor to the vine dresser that He would increase their yield.

Ciao and Buon Appetito!
Laurie

Orange Pomegranate Sherbet with a S.Pellegrino Splash

dallamiacucina@yahoo.com (Laurie Vengoechea) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 00:27:00 +0000

Spring time is the perfect season to start experimenting with fruit mixtures and ingredient concoctions. So when I received the POM Wonderful package, my mind went into overdrive. I only ended up utilizing it in two preparations.. the Raspberry Pomegranate Balsamic Glaze and this Orange Pomegranate Sherbet, but both were refreshing and enjoyable by all who tried them. I have been so impressed with all the recipes created using POM, it is healthy, full of antioxidants and a great juice to aid in digestion as well as being perfectly enjoyable on it's own.

Growing up we lived in a pomegranate rich neighborhood and it was a common fruit to enjoy, but it hasn't been until recently that creativity has been unveiled in this gorgeous fruit. Just to add.. I would have made more dishes with this juice but my kids couldn't resist drinking them on their own!

I used pomegranate and orange juice for the syrup base. I had intended on making sorbet but after reducing the two liquids the combination was too sweet. I decided instead of watering it down to add half and half till I achieved the sweetness desired. I don't know why, but it didn't curdle. It could have been the heating process that made it into a syrup, but when I took the chance and added the half and half to my base it was creamy and smooth. I cooled the mix in the refrigerator for a few hours and then processed it in my ice cream maker according to the manufacturers instructions. It froze up perfectly and made a wonderful sherbet.

For parties, we often make a punch bowl with seven-up and scoops of rainbow sherbet. It looks lovely and tastes great! Although it makes a pretty perfect party beverage, it's still a tad too sweet for my liking so I opted to use my favorite sparkling water, S.Pellegrino. I have been drinking San Pellegrino's since I was a child and it made the perfect choice for a satisfying spring sherbet splash.

It has been beautiful here in the Valley, the weather has been a bit unstable and changing every other day, but with it has come colors so vibrant in the landscape and the perfume of lavender, rose and geraniums outside my windows. I hope you are enjoying the outdoors!
Ciao and Buon Appetito!
Laurie

Spring Greens with Candied Walnuts, Sauteed Pears, Gorgonzola and a Raspberry Pomegranate Glaze

dallamiacucina@yahoo.com (Laurie Vengoechea) — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 20:16:00 +0000

The Poached Pears, Candied Walnut and Gorgonzola Salad is my all time favorite! I was first introduced to this yummy delicacy a few years ago at my favorite Italian restaurant here in Temecula,"Gourmet Italia". So it's no wonder I make it for every holiday meal.. sometimes changing it a bit with pecans or pine nuts.. or subbing the fruit for strawberries or apples. But this weekend I decided to play with the Balsamic glaze and pears.

I was a fortunate recipient of a case of POM wonderful pomegranate juice. I have loved using this juice in a variety of recipes and look forward to posting some more of them here later. But over the weekend with a few extra bottles on hand, and a newly purchased bottle of Raspberry infused Balsamic vinegar I thought I would change the glaze for my salad, and saute my pears instead of poaching them in red wine. I really like poached pears but they are a little more time consuming and I wanted our weekend Easter dinner to be less complicated and free from me being in the kitchen for days. I have to say, I think I will saute my pears more often now.. the caramelization of the pears sauteed in wine and butter were excellent! They didn't need anything else, although I think a sprinkling of cinnamon might be a nice addition next time to go with the earthy flavors of the walnuts.

The reduction of POM wonderful with the Raspberry Balsamic was also a great combination. Alone, the balsamic was still a bit too tart and the sweetness of the pomegranate juice heightened the flavor and thickness perfectly.

I doubled the recipe for the candied walnuts because a salad like this for just one day is never quite enough and you need so little of the glaze drizzled on your dish to enhance your salad that leftovers extend for a few days in my household. I hope you all had a wonderful Easter celebration! Spring is here and I can't wait to start lighter cooking fare.
Ciao and Buon Appetito!
Laurie

Raspberry Pomegranate Balsamic Glaze
Mix 1 bottle Raspberry infused Balsamic Vinegar with 1/2 bottle POM Wonderful into a small stainless-steel saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce to medium low at a constant slow simmer. Reduce to 1/4 cup, or until the vinegar turns to a glaze.
Leave at room temperature for a few minutes to slightly cool before pouring in a plastic squeeze bottle. Keep in the refrigerator.
Before use, set the squeeze bottle of the reduced vinegar out until it comes to room temperature. To decorate, drizzle the balsamic vinegar reduction around the plated food or over the plate.

Candied Walnuts
1 cup walnut halves
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 325° F .
2. Place walnuts on a baking sheet and toast 10 to 15 minutes or until golden.
3. Combine honey, water and oil in a skillet and bring to boil.
4. Reduce heat to medium and stir in walnuts. Cook, stirring frequently until all liquid has evaporated, about 1 minute.
5. Transfer nuts to a bowl.
6. Combine sugar and salt and toss with nuts. Spread nuts on a cookie sheet to cool and dry.
7. Store in an airtight container.

Gorgonzola Cheese
Gorgonzola is usually served as a dessert cheese, but there are some local culinary specialities that it goes well with. For instance, it may be melted into a risotto in the final stage of cooking. Another fairly traditional dish sees Gorgonzola served alongside polenta. Because of its savory flavor, it is often used in salads as this recipe calls for, and makes an awesome accompaniment with such fruit as pears.

Sauteed Pears
3 almost ripe Bartlett Pears
1 tsp. butter
2 Tbsp white wine

It's important that the pears aren't too soft. They should be a little on the firm side so that they do not get to soft during cooking.
Cut pears into cubes. Heat up a saute pan. Add butter and pears, saute until a glaze forms and they start to color. Add wine and saute for a few more minutes till liquid is evaporated.

Salad Mix
5 oz. Spring greens
1/2 cup torn radicchio

Thank you Quaker and Foodbuzz!!

dallamiacucina@yahoo.com (Laurie Vengoechea) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 18:26:00 +0000

I'm really exited and here's why!

I entered a recipe contest with one of Foodbuzz's Sponsors, "Quaker Oats", and I won! The recipe requirement was to create a dish utilizing an ingredient from one of Quakers newest granola bars, "True Delights". I had the opportunity first to try the product that had not even hit the grocers shelves yet by taking part in a program offered by Foodbuzz for their publishers called Tastemakers, and then writing about in in a review type format on my site here.

The prize for this event are two round trip tickets to Chicago, Illinois to attend the nationally acclaimed event called Outstanding In The Field. This is a farm to table dinner hosted at an organic farm. Chef Jim Denevan began staging Outstanding in the Field dinners in his hometown of Santa Cruz, California back in 1999, and to date the event has traveled not just nationally, but to Canada as well. The idea to dine at the source has gained the excitement and interest of some of the top chefs in the Country. This is alfresco dining at it's best in a kitchen among the fields! It is a stretched out table dressed in white linen that seats 100 guests and I am honored and privileged to be among them in August, at the City Farm in Chicago, Illinois.

My entry for this contest was the "True Delights" Pineapple Rum Cake with a Pineapple Banana Macadamia Nut Crust filled with a Tropical Rum Zabaione . I know the title is long, but it was fun to create and utilizing Italian classic styling by incorporating rum and a creamy zabaione filling plus a delicious crust of truly delightful granola bars, I think you'll get past the title and just savor the surprising flavors of a truly delightful cake. The ingredients, colors and flavors make this the perfect cake for an Easter celebration too. Plan ahead and make the zabaione filling a few days in advance, the cake the day before and the whip cream topping can be made early the morning you plan to put it all together. You can find the recipe here.

Again, I am so honored and exited to have won a "recipe contest".. and to have this awesome opportunity to travel to Chicago, Illinois to attend the Outstanding In The Field dinner. Thank you so much Foodbuzz for creating events like this with sponsors such as Quaker and for giving us tools to grow as writers, bakers, cooks and culinary creators in our own minds.. especially when they extend off of the paper and into reality!

Thank you Quaker for your sponsorship and your wonderful products. It was fun to create a cake that "truly" was enhanced by such a "delightful" granola bar!
Hugs to you all..

In sincere appreciation,
Laurie m. Vengoechea

Panna Cotta with a Cherry Custard Sauce

dallamiacucina@yahoo.com (Laurie Vengoechea) — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 00:22:00 +0000

I love Spring.. the color's as they unfold in my garden scapes, the beams of light as they come through my windows, the light breeze and the crispness of the air with the undetones of dry heat caressing my face. Have you ever heard of the term, "Prelude to a Kiss"? For me Spring is just that, something is just beyond the horizon, around the corner the unexpected.

This caramel topped Panna Cotta is a prelude to an experience with your senses. The texture of Panna Cotta is so creamy, it's smooth like yogurt but has a firm consistency like a flan. It's another one of those desserts that are versatile with the flavorings and toppings. In my Regional Italian Cookbook, the gelatin is diluted in Marsala before adding it to the heated cream. This is where I play with flavors. I did use Marsala here, but you can get so creative and use rose water, lavender essence, diluted honey or your favorite liqueur. If you are making chocolate flavored Panna Cotta I would add the cocoa to the cream and use water to dilute your gelatin. Have fun with it, taste, create, design.. but most of all enjoy!

PANNA COTTA

Ingredients
1 quart heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 vanilla bean split lengthwise, seeds scraped
2 1/4 teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin
3 tablespoons *Marsala

Directions
1. In a medium saucepan, combine the cream, sugar, vanilla bean and seeds. Bring the mixture just to a simmer over moderate heat. Remove from the heat, cover and let steep for 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the *Marsala and let stand until evenly moistened, about 5 minutes.

3. Uncover the cream mixture and bring just to a simmer over moderately high heat. Remove from heat, add the gelatin and stir until dissolved. Remove the vanilla bean and save for another use. Pour the panna cotta mixture into eight 4-ounce ramekins and let cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the panna cotta is set but still jiggly, at least 3 hours. Serve in the ramekins, with berries.

4. *If you do not have a preference for Marsala you can surely replace the liquid here with water or another liqueur of your choice.

Make Ahead
The panna cottas can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. In my experience they firm up nicer after 12-24 hours.

When you make your caramel, don't get freaked out when you add your cream and it crystallizes.. keep stirring at medium low heat and the crystals will melt back into a creamy thick caramel. And the cherries in the caramel.. to die for!! This recipe was adapted from Epicureous and called for canned pumpkin but I subbed it with my own canned fruit choice. It worked wonderfully!
Ciao and Buon Appetito,
Laurie

Cherry Custard Sauce
adapted from Epicureous online

Ingredients
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup canned pitted cherry pie filling
2 tsp. Sherry

Directions
Melt butter in heavy small saucepan over medium heat. Add sugar and cook until mixture is deep amber, stirring constantly, about 8 minutes (mixture will be grainy). Reduce heat to medium-low. Add cream. Mixture will bubble and crystallize. Stir until till crystal caramel bits dissolve, about 8 minutes. Add sherry to cherry filling. Add cherry filling to caramel; stir until heated. Refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.)

A Chicken and Mushroom Saute & Chicken Gorgonzola Sauvignon

dallamiacucina@yahoo.com (Laurie Vengoechea) — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 00:17:00 +0000

I was at the market recently and as I was picking up some lamb this woman excitedly told me,"you must get the family packs of chicken, it's on sale for $1.99 a lb. don't you know"! I'm one of those people who would have felt silly if I didn't heed to her excitement over the chicken, even though I just finished up a stock pile I had previously frozen from Costco and I didn't intend on buying anymore chicken.. I sheepishly gave in and left with a family pack of chicken as well as my lamb. I am happy though.. even if I wasn't intending on using it right away (although I did) it was a great bargain and I'm always happy to save a buck here and there!

So while I was there I also picked up a bottle of wine that was on sale. A Sauvignon Blanc by Maurice Carrie Winery here in Temecula. It is one of the smaller vineyards and I had never tried there wine before and at a sale price much less than the usual $14.95 price I gave it a try. I am totally glad I did.. it beautifully complimented the gorgonzola cream sauce and the mushroom saute I made for my chicken dishes.

Here I sauteed onions, shallots and garlic in butter. I then tossed in crimini and button mushrooms. When the mushrooms were just aldente I added a half of a cup of chopped fresh parsley, a teaspoon more of butter and around 1/4 of a cup of white wine. I simmered for a few minutes and tossed on some chicken thighs that I cooked in the oven. It was a very yummy dish.

Here is the chicken dish that you would have seen us afterwords licking our bowls over. This was my Chicken Gorgonzola Sauvignon.
I also made a spicy saffron rice to go with this chicken and the creamy sauce over the rice was "to die for". I wasn't planning on taking photo's because DH and I traded camera's for the day.. but this dish was so yummy I thought I would preview it anyway with no fancy set up. :)

Saute two tablespoons of shallots in butter. Heat up two cups of half and half in a saucepan. When it comes to a simmer add 1 cup of Gorgonzola cheese and let it meld into the half and half. When it begins to simmer add finely ground white peppercorns, sauteed shallots and just a dash of kosher salt. Lower the heat and let simmer for 3 - 5 minutes minutes. When it begins to thicken add 1 cup of the Sauvignon Blanc and 1 pinch of saffron threads. Let it simmer for just a few more minutes to thicken slightly. Take of heat, run through a fine mesh strainer and let it rest in a separate bowl till the chicken is ready. In a large skillet cook seasoned chicken pieces that have been fillet or pounded out with a mallet so they are thin and at an even thickness. When chicken is finished pour the Gorgonzola Cream Sauvignon sauce over it and let it come to a simmer. Cook for approximately two minutes making sure sauce is bubbly and hot. Serve with saffron rice or fingerling potatoes.

Buon Appetito,
Laurie

Lemon Pound Cake with a Lemon Glaze and a Lemon Rum Zabaione

dallamiacucina@yahoo.com (Laurie Vengoechea) — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 20:10:00 +0000

I’m baking for Share Our Strength’s “Virtual Great American Bake Sale” (GABS) hosted by Kate of the beautiful blog, “Cooking During Stolen Moments”.

It floors me when I really stop to think about the millions of children who become ill and sometimes die due to starvation and malnutrition in our own Nation. I shouldn’t be surprised though, within the past two years in my own small community in California, I have seen homelessness grow, unemployment skyrocket and grocery prices soar. With staggering numbers like 12.4 million children in our own Nation going without food I am more than thrilled to do a small part to support this community. Share Our Strengths goal is to lead the fight to end hunger and with events like the Great American Bake Sale we have an opportunity also to do a small part, even “virtually”

To find out more how you also can get involved with Share Our Strengths efforts to let no child go unfed, visit their web site here. To get immediately involved “Virtually” go to Kate’s web site link and bake for the children!

Here is my contribution to the Virtual Great American Bake Sale!

A Lemon Pound Cake
with a Lemon Glaze
& Lemon Rum Zabaione

LEMON POUND CAKE
recipe adapted from Land O’Lakes

Cake Ingredients
2 cups sugar
1 cup Butter, softened
4 Eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Heat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour 12-cup bundt pan or 10-inch tube pan; set aside.

Combine sugar and butter in large bowl at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Continue beating, adding 1 egg at a time, until well mixed.

Reduce speed to low. Beat, gradually adding flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt alternately with buttermilk and scraping bowl often, until well mixed. Add lemon zest and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Continue beating until well mixed.

Spread batter into prepared pan. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan. Cool completely.

LEMON RUM SUGAR GLAZE

Ingredients
1 cup sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
3 Tbs. Butter
1 Tbs. Rum

Directions
In a small saucepan, add granulated sugar, butter, fresh lemon juice and rum, stirring to dissolve the sugar. When it liquefies and starts to thicken reduce the heat to low and simmer until it comes to a syrupy consistency - about 3-5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Pour over pound cake immediately. The glaze will continue to thicken and harden on the cake. It makes such a beautiful crust like glaze.

LEMON RUM ZABAIONE

Ingredients
4 egg yolks
5 Tbs. granulated sugar
4 tablespoons Lemon juice blended with
4 tablespoons rum ready to go
1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream whipped to soft peaks (Do not add sugar)
1 teaspoon lemon zest

Directions
1. Boil some water in a saucepan.
2. Separate the yolks from the whites and place the yolks in a heatproof bowl. Discard the whites.
3. Add the sugar and whisk (or mix with an electric mixer) until the mixture turns light yellow.
Place the bowl with the egg mixture on top of the pan with
boiling water. Continue whisking. Do not allow the bowl to touch the water, it will cause your zabaione to get lumpy.
4. In a thin stream, SLOWLY add the lemon rum liquid to the egg mixture as you keep whisking.
5. Keep beating the egg mixture until it has doubled in volume and is fluffy and light...about 10-15 minutes.
6. Take off heat. Stir in the lemon zest. Place a piece of plastic over it and keep in the refrigerator.
7. When zabaione is cool blend with unsweetened whipped cream a little at a time. Because you didn’t add sugar to the whipped cream you can add the whipped cream to your desired sweetness taste.
8.Use for a topping or filling for the Lemon Pound Cake.

* Special Note; This glaze is SO good!
I have used powdered sugar glazes often but this takes your cake one step up. It firms up on the cake after and has a chewy texture similar to a candied apple.
"But Not As Hard." I would challenge you.. not that this is a challenging recipe at all.. but it really ups the wow level in my opinion!
Let me know if you try it!! :)

Ciao and Buon Appetitio!
Laurie

Grilled Mediterranean Shark

dallamiacucina@yahoo.com (Laurie Vengoechea) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 17:12:00 +0000

Shark is probably one of the less seen seafood dishes on the menu. Although I prefer swordfish over shark, it still has a wonderful meaty texture. A sharks structure is supported only by cartilage, they have no bones which is a distinct advantage when it comes to cooking and preparing for a family with small children. They grill wonderfully and I have never had them fall apart on me while grilling or frying. Shark can be a bit dry if you over cook so I like to marinate my fish before grilling and then toss a beautiful saute of onions or vegetables over them when they are done. In this recipe I used a mixture of Mediterranean ingredients such as tomatoes, olives and capers, sauteing them along with a beautiful bouquet of garlic, parsley and basil. As you grill or fry them, watch the flesh of their meat, as they begin to get opaque that is an indicator that they are near turning time. Usaually
6 to 8 minutes depending on their thickness.

If you want specific ingredients for this dish I would be happy to send them to you via email.
My address can be found at the top of my blog page.

Ciao and Buon Appetitio!
Laurie

Egg Burrito's & Coffee with Celine

dallamiacucina@yahoo.com (Laurie Vengoechea) — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 15:04:00 +0000

It was around a year ago during a Daring Baker challenge that I met this darling gal Celine from Celine's Cuisine. We found out that we both lived in the Temecula Valley around 15 minutes away, shopped at the same stores, Trader Joes.. and the Temecula Valley Farmers Market, and have a common bond of a European heritage in cuisine, she being French and I Italian. She and her husband grew up in the French Basque country, I am married to a Basque man. Our love of fine food and culture and our commitment to our family, she has known her husband for over twenty years as well as I, and our babies.. she has twins the same age as my little Bella.

So why has it taken so long for us to finally meet? Probably me.. I am so bad at scheduling. I am always rushed and a little over my head when it comes to time management. But we finally did have our first meeting last week for coffee.

We met at wonderful little French cafe bakery, Vallee d'Brume in the Temecula Bellagio Village. We had a wonderful time talking and getting to know one another and have already made plans to cook together and get our families together. It is so wonderful meeting foodie friends.. Celine, I look forward to a long friendship!

I posted Egg Burritos today, better a little late than never, because Celine is hosting the Egg Game over at her blog. I am late on this as usual, but I think she is extending the event. Here is a link to the game.. please join in and get to know Celine! She is a wonderful baker as well as cook and has a love of all things natural and healthy!

Egg Burrito's are so easy and delicious! They are a crowd (family of six) pleaser and get gobbled up quickly! You can fill them with any kind of cheese, sauce or creams. This has been a favorite of mine since I was a little girl and I am submitting them to the Egg Game hosted by Celine.

Ciao and Buon Appetito!
Laurie

Weekend Morning Cinnamon Rolls

dallamiacucina@yahoo.com (Laurie Vengoechea) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 16:53:00 +0000

You know, there's something about weekend mornings and pastry that just go together. This morning I had to be out of the house at 6:45, and then it was rush, rush, rush until I dropped the last child off at school at around 9:00. I was so ready to have a cup of coffee. After I dropped my school kids off, Bella and I decided we wanted pastry with our coffee. Yes, Bella gets coffee too! Don't your kids drink coffee? :) We stopped into the Doody's Bakery, grabbed a few danishes and went home. I don't know about you, but the fresh smell of coffee that met me when I opened the door just scintillated my senses. Kinda like the first time I had a sip of Monster.. my kids got a kick out of my response, it actually made me giggle. Although I love the tantalizing fruity effervescence of a Monster, I don't drink them! Fresh brewed coffee gives me the same reaction, I feel giddy and happy all over!

So getting to the point of this post, weekends are so relaxing for me, the luxury of time, the deliciousness of a hot cup of coffee and a freshly made pastry make weekend mornings a time to be savored.

So with luxury on my mind, and wanting to share, I made you all some fresh cinnamon rolls. Meant to be eaten while there still warm and gooey, and definitely with your favorite hot beverage. Preferably coffee!

To see more of this post with the recipe click on the link here.
Have a WONDERFUL weekend.. I'll be thinking of you! :)

Ciao and Buon Appetito!
Laurie