Herbed Ricotta Bruschetta
You made your own homemade ricotta! Now what?? You should make this simple/scrumptious herbed ricotta bruschetta because it's absolutely out of this world! I brought this appetizer to my neighbor's house last week and it was gone in NO TIME. Within minutes, I had to go back to my house to grab the rest of the ricotta. Just when I thought I was in the clear, I had to go back AGAIN for crackers! People were SCRAPING the sides to get every single last bit of herbed ricotta that was clinging to the serving bowl. If no one was looking I'm pretty sure they'd use their fingers. It's that good.
"This tastes like it came from a restaurant," my neighbor remarked. She's right; it totally does. It's thick, creamy, sophisticated and totally decadent. If I was having a fancy brunch at my house, I'd add a little smoked salmon on top and serve it with a green salad. Put this in your bag of tricks because it's sure to impress the heck out of people.
Homemade Ricotta
Early yesterday morning (before my coffee had a chance to kick in), I made my own ricotta. After a few simple steps and a brief period of waiting, I HAD MADE MY OWN RICOTTA!!! I spent hours bouncing off the walls with excitement. No, it wasn't the coffee! It was the ricotta! Ina Garten is a genius; but I already knew that. I absolutely love her and this recipe has clearly changed my life. This ricotta is silky smooth and creamy, not gritty and tasteless like the ricotta you find in a grocery store. Store bought ricotta is super expensive and this batch cost me less than a small tub from the store. How awesome is that?
Later on the in the day I made Ina's herbed ricotta bruschetta for lunch and it was absolutely divine. I'll post the recipe soon but first you should making your own ricotta! Put it on your weekend TO-DO list and join the fun!
Thank you Ina for helping me knock of another item from my 31 comes before 32 list!
#25. Make my own cheese from scratch=DONE.
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Vietnamese Noodle Salad w/ Grilled Tofu
It's hot outside and all I want to do is sit in front of a fan with a gigantic bowl of this Vietnamese Noodle Salad because it's both light AND hearty. It's the type of salad that's best served cold. It gives you the most pleasant after taste and doesn't put a lead weight in your stomach like most noodle salads. I bet it's the perfect thing to eat if you're planning on making out with someone later. Let me know how that goes!
Thinly sliced cucumbers, crunchy red peppers, tangy lime juice mixed with spicy chili sauce and the hugest dose of mint? YES, PLEASE. Did I mention the grilled marinated tofu? I don't think I did! It's a known fact that grill marks are sexy and just look at those grill marks! Get a bowl, sit in front of a fan, add a jar of fancy Iced tea and chow down. Your taste buds are begging to be awakened.
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Giardiniera
What the heck is Giardiniera? It's a spicy Italian pickled vegetable mixture that's mostly eaten as an antipasto. Sometimes it's included in salads and it's occasionally shoved into a delicious Italian sub. In my case, it's a healthy snack eaten directly out of the jar!
Ever since I had this simple salad at one of our favorite pizza places, I've been somewhat addicted to the taste of crunchy pickled carrots, tangy bites of cauliflower and red peppers with spicy slices of Serrano peppers. It's definitely a party in your mouth! When I wasn't able to find a reasonably priced jar of Giardiniera in my local grocery store, I figured I'd make my own. Turns out it's a cinch to make and the second you open the lid, one whiff will you transport you to that kitschy Italian restaurant from your childhood. Pickling your own vegetables is super fun! I highly recommend it.
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Creamed Summer Corn
Just when I thought fresh summer corn on the cob couldn't get any better, I made this Creamed Summer Corn! It's light, buttery, creamy and has something so absolutely wonderful in it- LIME. Casey swore there had to be some magical spice in the creamed corn. He sat at the dinner table devouring bite after bite, trying to figure it out. There's a bit of cayenne in the mix, but that's it! The lime is really what turns this creamed corn into something absolutely unreal. You'll see.
I made this recipe with 9 ears of corn for the 6 of us, and paired it with a few slabs of ribs while we were on vacation in Tahoe. Guess what? There was no creamed corn left. Good sign? Most def!
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French Fries
FACT: French fries are my kryptonite. The second I see fries piled on a plate, my knees go weak. My hand immediately reaches out for some, and my brain flashes MUST. INHALE. NOW. I black out...and then I find myself next to an empty plate with salty/greasy fingers. I'm always down for french fries.
Knowing how to make your own french fries is like having a loaded gun in the house. It's dangerous. REALLY REALLY dangerous. You end up "taste testing" a whole bunch and by the time you sit down to eat a "few," you get a second wind and eat the REST! If you allow yourself to make some, you'll see what I mean. I made these fries a few weeks ago with grilled cheeseburgers and they were crispy, golden, and dee-lish! We opted for lettuce wraps on our cheeseburgers...only to justify eating more french fries.
Oh BTW! We can cross off #17 Make french fries from scratch- from my 31 comes before 32 list.
Crispy Fried Chicken
I think it's incredibly important to challenge yourself in the kitchen, and making fried chicken is a GREAT way to do so. If it means you'll make your fried chicken-loving friend/spouse/partner/child happy, then it's totally worth it. If it means you might not be able to button up your skinny jeans at the end on the night, then WHY ARE YOU WEARING SKINNY JEANS while eating fried chicken?? Seriously! You should know better. Think-elastic waist pants with a non-clingy dress on top. It's summer.
Let's get back to challenges! This one was a challenge. Not because the process was complicated (it's really not!), but because I am always terrified to fry things in bubbling hot oil. I've been burned by oil countless times, due to my general kitchen klutziness and impulse to do MULTIPLE things in the kitchen while frying. Don't be me. Pay attention when you fry stuff. Put blinders on and focus. Why? Because delicious Crispy Fried Chicken is worth the attention. Also it's amazing with a drizzle of honey on top. Just saying...
Iceberg Wedges with Gorgonzola Dressing
I LOVE an iceberg wedge salad, don't you? I'm easily seduced when I see a nice wedge on a restaurant menu. I can't help myself. They're novel, they're fun and they usually have a creamy dressing & something bacon-y to boot. Seriously, what's not to like? I made fried chicken this past weekend (we'll get to that, next post!) and needed something cool, crisp, and refreshing to serve with it. This iceberg wedge salad extravaganza proved to be a match made in heaven with my OH-SO crispy FRIED CHICKEN.
Because I aimed to add crispy cooked bacon to this salad (WHY NOT?!), I bought low fat buttermilk & fat free Greek yogurt for the dressing. The lower fat options didn't make a speck of difference in the overall taste. Isn't it good to plan ahead? The creamy/sharpness of the Gorgonzola dressing was phenomenal with the sweet/juicy plum tomatoes I sprinkled around the edge of each plate. I didn't feel an ounce of guilt after eating 2 servings in one night. I HAVE to make this again when I get around to making "killer hot wings" for my husband this summer. It's on my list, after all.
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