Cupcake Lasagna

This idea was suggested to us by a friend, and it turned out so incredibly tasty and easy to make that we're now thinking of having a party dedicated entirely to dishes made in cupcake tins.  Think about it: cupcake chicken pot pies, cupcake lasagnas, cupcake berry pies, cupcake strawberry summer cakes... it would be magical.  But enough of that...

Our cupcake lasagnas were made with sauteed vegetables, but if you are a carnivore you can add ground meat, or any other fillings you prefer.  The idea is simple enough: sauté some veggies, grate some cheese, and layer your fillings between gyoza wrappers (similar to wonton wrappers, except they are round).




Ingredients
1 package gyoza wrappers
1 small container parmesan cheese (grated)
1 medium package mozarella cheese (we used aged cheese but you can use fresh if you like)
1 jar marinara sauce or homemade marinara (about 24 oz)
1/2 yellow onion, diced small
1/2 medium eggplant, sliced very thin and diced into 1 inch strips
1 cup diced crimini mushrooms
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 cloves garlic, diced
fresh basil
olive oil
Italian herbs (rosemary is great)
salt and pepper to taste
2 cupcake tins

Sauté the onions and eggplant in olive oil over medium-high heat until both are tender.  Add mushrooms and garlic and continue to stir and cook until the vegetables are soft and slightly browned.  Season with rosemary, salt and pepper.

Prepare your cupcake tins by coating them with a light layer of olive oil or unflavored cooking spray.  Drop a small dollop of marinara in each cup.  Press a gyoza wrapper into the cup, pushing down until it fits snugly into the bottom of the cup and the sides of the wrapper curl inward.  Top with grilled veggie mixture, shredded mozarella, and more marinara (remember not to overflow the cups).  Seal the cup with another gyoza wrapper, tucking it in as you did with the first.  Top with a dab of marinara and a sprinkling of parmesan cheese.

Bake at 375 until the gyoza wrappers are browned and the lasagna is bubbly.  Remove from the tin with a spoon, and top with a curl of basil.  Enjoy!

Panzanella

There is no better way to enjoy summer produce than this!  Panzanella is an Italian salad traditionally made of stale or crusty bread and tomatoes.  This simple dish is refreshing and flavorful.  We made our panzanella with ingredients typically found in caprese salad - fresh mozarella and fresh basil.  Because this is such a simple salad, the quality of the ingredients is what makes or breaks the taste.  Go for the good produce on this one (maybe check out your local farmer's market?)

Ingredients:
4 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
3/4 c. bell peppers (we used red and orange), cubed
1/2 a red onion, finely diced
1 package fresh mozarella, drained and cubed
1 c. fresh basil leaves
1 loaf crusty bread (French or Sourdough will both work)
1 clove garlic (chopped in half or in thirds)
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
salt and freshly ground pepper

After dicing the tomatoes, peppers, onion, and mozarella, combine them in a large serving bowl.  To cut the basil, layer the leaves flat on your palm like sheets of paper and then roll up the stack of leaves.  Use kitchen scissors to snip the roll of leaves crosswise into little curls.  Add basil to the bowl.

To prepare the bread, cut it into 1- or 2-inch cubes with a serrated knife.  Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat and add a few tablespoons of olive oil.  When the oil is hot, add the garlic.  Sauté garlic in the olive oil; before it browns, remove the garlic pieces from the oil (this way the oil is garlic-scented, but the garlic does not burn).  Fry the bread cubes on medium-high heat until brown and crispy.

Add the bread cubes to the serving bowl and toss with the salad.  Season the salad with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste.  Allowing the salad to rest for 10-30 minutes before serving gives the flavors a chance to combine.

Phad Thai

Hey there!  After an end-of-the-quarter hiatus, we are happily back in the kitchen.

Neither of us had made Phad Thai before, but we went for it anyway and it turned out to be a super easy and tasty meal.  Lots of people shy away from Asian cooking because they are hesitant to work with unfamiliar sauces and spices, but don't let this stop you.  This recipe is great for beginners and is definitely one I'll be making again.

Note: this recipe can definitely serve 4 people.

Ingredients:
1 shallot, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 orange bell pepper, diced
1/2 yellow bell pepper, diced
3 tbs. minced cilantro leaves (fresh)
shredded carrots (if desired)
1 package bean sprouts
1 package firm tofu, drained and diced
1 cup peanuts (we used roasted and salted), roughly chopped, plus extra for topping
3 eggs
1 package Phad Thai rice noodles
cayenne pepper
fresh lime or lemon
sesame oil




Sauce:
1 1/2 tbs. tamarind paste
5-6 tbs. brown sugar
3 tbs. fish sauce
1/2 c. water

Mix sauce ingredients thoroughly.


To cook the rice noodles, boil a large pot of water.  Place the rice noodles in a deep bowl and pour the boiling water over it.  Allow the noodles to cook submerged in the water for around ten minutes, or until they are soft (but not mushy).  Strain the noodles and rinse them in cold water to prevent over-cooking.  Toss in sesame oil and set aside.




In a wok or large skillet, heat a good amount of sesame oil over medium high heat.  Fry diced shallots and peanuts together until browned.  Add tofu and fry until brown on both sides.  Add minced garlic and bell peppers, cooking until peppers are tender.  (You may need to reduce the heat to prevent the garlic from burning).

Add cooked rice noodles and toss with Phad Thai sauce, cooking and tossing until the sauce reduces to a stickier, Phad Thai consistency.  While sauce is thickening, add cayenne pepper, fresh lime or lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.

Make some room in the corner of the wok or frying pan for the eggs.  Pour eggs into the frying pan and cook as you would scrambled eggs.  (You can whisk them ahead of time or simply scramble them in the pan.)  Mix the scrambled eggs with the rest of the contents of the pan.

Serve immediately, topped with lime juice, bean sprouts, shredded carrots, and remaining peanuts.

And thank you Emily for joining us in the kitchen this week!