"Hi. My name is Matt, and I have an irrational fear of cooking seafood."

I denied it. I joked about it. I accepted it. I avoided it... but I never did anything about it.

Until now.

I don't know why I was always afraid of cooking seafood. I enjoy eating it, so why the trepidation to prepare it? Seafood cooks fast, and if you're not careful, you'll mess it up bad, and spend the next week trying to get the smell out of your house.  I was so used to longer cooking times of other dishes, I felt comfortable in cooking several things at once. I didn't want to lose my timing and brick the fish.

Then I decided to try... tilapia.

Tilapia is easy, tasty, sustainable, available both fresh and frozen (our choice for convenience), and relatively cheap. And as my friend Gin so eloquently puts it...

I think that's enough... here it goes...

Easy Parmesan-crusted Tilapia

Serves: 4
Total Time: 25 minutes (5 min. prep, 25 min. bake)

4-4 oz. Tilapia fillets
"Drench" - 1 egg, beaten with 1 Tbs. milk

"Dredge" - 1/2 c. Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs, 1/4 c. grated Parmesan, 1 tsp. dried oregano,

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
canola cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C).
2. Lightly spray a 13x9 glass pan with the cooking spray.
3. Pat each thawed piece of tilapia dry. Why? Well, it's the physics of breading...stuff. If the fish is wet, the drench won't stick to it. In a nutshell, "wet sticks to dry, dry sticks to wet." You know, the whole "opposites attract" thing... trust me. Okay, back to the recipe...
4. Drench each piece of fish in the beaten egg and milk mixture, to coat.
5. Then dredge each coated piece in the breadcrumb/Parm mixture, to cover completely.
6. Place in the prepared glass pan, and sprinkle some of the remaining breadcrumb/Parm mixture, to catch any spots you may have missed.
7. Bake for 20 minutes. The fish will whitish and flake easily when it is done.

See? I knew I could overcome it.

Hitting the RESET button...

Sometimes, the 'RESET' button is a good thing... well, at least for AnyIdeasForDinner.com, it's a good thing.

Well, not a complete tear-it-down-to-the-studs remodel job, but more of a reboot, to get the ideas flowing again, and get back to more regular posts.

So... with that said, we're looking forward to getting back down to work in the coming weeks, to bring you some new ideas, articles, recipes, reviews, techniques and maybe a few surprises!

Thanks for sticking around, we're glad you did!

rustic rhubarb tart

This recipe first appeared in an earlier post, It's a Memorial Day Cook-Out, but since I just harvested and prepped about 16 cups of rhubarb from our garden, I thought I'd break it out into it's own post.

Rustic Rhubarb Tart

3 c. fresh rhubarb, peeled, and cut into 1/2” pieces and blanched**
1 refrigerated pie crust, at room temperature
1/2 c. sugar
1 Tbsp. tapioca
Fresh nutmeg
Cinnamon
1 Tbsp. butter, melted
Whipped cream and honey, for garnish

** Due to the short baking time of a tart over a pie, I was concerned with how well the rhubarb would soften in the oven, so I decided to blanche the rhubarb for a few seconds in a pot of boiling water, and then quickly into an ice bath to cool. Peeling the rhubarb also helps. Oh, and did I mention the rhubarb is from our garden?

1. Preheat the oven to 400F.

2. Place rhubarb in a small bowl and sprinkle with the half of the sugar and the tapioca. If the rhubarb is particularly tart, go ahead and add the rest of the sugar. Let rest while the oven warms and the pie crust is prepped. This will draw some water out of the rhubarb.

3. Cover a baking sheet with parchment. (Tip: a few shots of cooking spray will help hold the parchment in place on the baking sheet.)

4. Carefully roll out the pie crust onto the parchment, and repair any tears or holes.

5. Spoon the half the rhubarb onto the center of the pie crust, leaving about a two inch border from the edge. Sprinkle with a bit of sugar, cinnamon, and a few grates of fresh nutmeg. Repeat with the rest of the rhubarb, and a bit more sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.6. Carefully start forming the pie crust into a tart around the rhubarb by folding and overlapping the edge. Brush the folded crust with the melted butter, and lightly sprinkle on a bit of sugar and cinnamon.
7. Place on the center rack of your 400 degree oven, and bake for 35-40 minutes, but start watching it after 25 minutes, until it is golden brown and delicious.
8. Remove from oven and cool before serving. Garnish with local honey and whipped cream (please, make your own if you have the time… from local heavy cream, or course!)
Enjoy!

Matt

It's a Memorial Day Cook-out!

Now THAT’s my kind of challenge! We have trying to eat as local as possible, and given the weekend of this challenge, there was only one way to go:

COOK-OUT!

Heck, the great American cook-out originated in Western NY. From "real" hot dogs and classic mustards, to fresh salads and canned beer, nothing says "Honey! Hold onto the tater salad, I'm firin' up the grill!" like a traditional cook-out.

So go set up the sprinkler on the lawn, dust off the lawn chairs, put on your plaid shorts, and enjoy the "unofficial" start of Summer!

Cook-out Menu

• Grilled Zweigle’s White Hots with DiPaolo Rolls, served with Elba red onions, French’s mustard and Heluva Good! Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• Barilla Pasta Salad with local veggies & herbs*
• Marion (NY) Potato Salad with local veggies & herbs*
• "Really Local" Rhubarb Tart
• High Falls Brewing Company's Genny Light

*While we were able to get some local veggies and herbs, we're just a bit out of season for all of them. Our local farmer markets and grocery stores are great for local fruits and vegetables... when in season.

Here we go...
Barilla (Avon, NY Plant) Pasta Salad
1/2 lb. Barilla Plus Multigrain Rotini, cook as per package directions, drained and cooled.
1/2 c. orange, red or yellow bell pepper, diced
1/2 c. red onion, diced
1 c. grape tomatoes, quartered
1/2 c. celery, diced
1/2 c. seedless cucumber, diced
1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese
1-1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 c. flat leaf parsley, freshly chopped
1” of pepperoni, diced
3-4 Tbsp Italian-style oil dressing

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine everything, except the dressing.
2. Mix in 2 Tbsp. of dressing and check coverage. You’ll want to just coat everything, but not drown it. Add additional dressing, if needed.
3. Move to a suitable bowl, cover and refrigerate. This is best when allowed to mellow in the fridge for a few hours prior to serving.


Marion (NY) Potato Salad

2-1/2 lbs. white potatoes, washed but not peeled, 1/2-3/4” dice
1/2 c. orange, red or yellow bell pepper, diced
1/2 c. red onion, diced
1/2 c. celery, diced
1/4 c. flat leaf parsley, freshly chopped
2 large eggs, hard-cooked and chopped

dressing:
2 Tbsp. spicy or Dijon mustard
4 Tbsp. light mayonnaise
1-1/2 tsp. dried dillweed
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

1. Place the diced potatoes in a large pot, and cover with cold water. Add about 1 Tbsp. of kosher salt, and bring to a boil over high heat. Once the water boils, let the potatoes cook for about 15 minutes, checking for doneness after 10 minutes. Potatoes should keep the shape, and not be mushy. When done, drain and let the potatoes cool in a large mixing bowl.
2. Combine the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.

3. Combine the remaining ingredients in the large mixing bowl, and stir in the dressing

4. Move to a suitable bowl, cover and refrigerate to allow the flavors to mellow for a few hours prior to serving.

"Really Local" Rhubarb Tart
3 c. fresh rhubarb, peeled, and cut into 1/2” pieces and blanched**
1 refrigerated pie crust, at room temperature
1/2 c. sugar
1 Tbsp. tapioca
Fresh nutmeg
Cinnamon
1 Tbsp. butter, melted
Whipped cream and honey, for garnish

** Due to the short baking time of a tart over a pie, I was concerned with how well the rhubarb would soften in the oven, so I decided to blanche the rhubarb for a few seconds in a pot of boiling water, and then quickly into an ice bath to cool. Peeling the rhubarb also helps. Oh, and did I mention the rhubarb is from our garden?

1. Preheat the oven to 400F.

2. Place rhubarb in a small bowl and sprinkle with the half of the sugar and the tapioca. If the rhubarb is particularly tart, go ahead and add the rest of the sugar. Let rest while the oven warms and the pie crust is prepped. This will draw some water out of the rhubarb.
3. Cover a baking sheet with parchment. (Tip: a few shots of cooking spray will help hold the parchment in place on the baking sheet.)

4. Carefully roll out the pie crust onto the parchment, and repair any tears or holes.

5. Spoon the half the rhubarb onto the center of the pie crust, leaving about a two inch border from the edge. Sprinkle with a bit of sugar, cinnamon, and a few grates of fresh nutmeg. Repeat with the rest of the rhubarb, and a bit more sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.
6. Carefully start forming the pie crust into a tart around the rhubarb by folding and overlapping the edge. Brush the folded crust with the melted butter, and lightly sprinkle on a bit of sugar and cinnamon.
7. Place on the center rack of your 400 degree oven, and bake for 35-40 minutes, but start watching it after 25 minutes, until it is golden brown and delicious.
8. Remove from oven and cool before serving. Garnish with local honey and whipped cream (please, make your own if you have the time… from local heavy cream, or course!)
All that's left to do is grill up the white hots (you DO have enough propane, right? Go here and check.), serve up the salads, crack open a beer, and enjoy.... Ahhhh..... That's the taste of Summer...

Enjoy!

Matt

P’s Porridge Potluck Pronouncement

From The Chairman (we know him as Bill):

Congratulations to BobbyC and Matt for their entries in the P’s Porridge Potluck Challenge. Both completed the task within the prescribed parameters, each with an original recipe.

The entries were evaluated in two parts. Primary Points were awarded objectively for meeting the prescribed project parameters. 10 Primary points were allotted for each of the five stages. Premium points were awarded based on purely subjective observations. There was no set limit on premium point allocation.

Since both entries met all prescribed project parameters, the full 10 points were earned for all five stages, or 50 Primary Points each.

Premium Points were also categorized by the five stages of the task.

Procurement

The project parameters required a minimum of 5 ingredients beginning with the letter ‘P’. One point each was awarded for each additional ‘P’ ingredient.

BobbyC augmented his primary pentad with potatoes, parsley and peanut-oil. But Matt took an early lead here with a plethora of prefatory P’s, and earned extra points with some peculiar and preposterous pronunciations, even resorting the Estonian ‘Pühvel’ to qualify his buffalo mozzarella.

Preparation

BobbyC earned points for originality with his delicious sounding Plum-Porter sauce. In Matt’s case, I’m not sure if the can of “preserved Progresso pulses” amounted to alliterative aforethought, but I liked it just the same, so points to Matt for that.

Plating

BobbyC gets premium points for a very attractive presentation with nice colors and nary a stray pistachio. This dish would not look out of place in a nice restaurant. Matt’s earned points for his mouthwatering ‘hungry-man’ portion. Forget the napkins; you’ll need a whole roll of paper towels for this sandwich.

Photography

Although rules for the photography stage only required photos of the plated product, premium points for photography were awarded both for preparation photos and the final “product” shot.

Overall, BobbyC’s photography earned more points for aesthetics. The composition is clean, the lighting is simple, but not harsh and the result looks very appetizing. The main technical issue is the shallow focus, particularly evident in the fuzzy fork in the final photo. I think this is an ideal excuse for BobbyC to invest in more toys tools, such as a bigger flash (to allow a smaller aperture) or a perspective control lens with tilt to finesse the plane of focus.

Although not as refined in the aesthetics department, Matt earned points for plenty of illustrative, step-by-step preparation photos. Clear and instructive as they were, Matt’s photos could benefit from an off-camera flash, and some attention to details such as background clutter.

Publishing

BobbyC scored points here for a particularly prompt posting. The speed at which he completed all phases of the challenge is even more impressive considering that he spent a good part of the challenge period in the car.
Matt also published his P’s Porridge post well before the Pluto Day deadline. But Matt appears to have taken a little extra time to round out his post with more preparation details and photos.

The Bottom Line

The final points tally is shown in the table below. This was a really good showing by both BobbyC and Matt. Both of these posts have made me very hungry. Any ideas for dinner?

(Click the image for an easier-to-read view)

Family Food Fight - Matt

pesto pepper pollo panini with portobello and pepper pico-pasta

What a challenge! As with BobbyC, we went in search of "P-foods" to come up with the "perfect permutation". It was too easy to get caught up in the challenge and get extravagant with the ingredients, but we decided to keep is simple, quick and cheap. The first "P" that came to mind was "pantry". We dove through the cupboards, fridge and freezer to find items we already had on hand. We kept it simple and quick by asking "What would we cook on a weeknight?"

pesto pepper pollo panini
(makes two sandwiches)

4 slices good Italian bread, sliced to fit your grilling device
1/2 lb. cooked chicken breast, shredded*
2 Tbsp. pesto (yup, I used prepared pesto... we'll have to plant a much larger basil crop this Spring)
1 large roasted red pepper, cut into slices (again, from a jar. Very good though!)
4-6 thick slices of fresh mozzarella (made from buffalo milk... hey, 'pühvel' is 'buffalo' in Estonian!)

* We saved some time and picked up a plain cooked rotisserie chicken from our local grocery store. There's enough meat for two meals, so half went into the freezer. The half we used for this recipe was kept warm in a small skillet with a dash of olive oil. I also added a wee bit of oregano and black pepper. I'm planning a series of 'what to do with a rotisserie chicken' posts, so stay tuned!

1. Fire up your panini press. No panini press? Okay, fire up your grill pan, or waffle iron or, in my case, my George Foreman grill (I knew there was a good use for this). Lube the plates up with a bit of cooking spray. If you are using a stovetop grill pan, heat up your cast iron skillet at the same time... you'll see why in a bit.

2. Lay out your bread slices, and spread the pesto evenly on one side of the bread.

3. Divide the chicken for two sandwiches, and layer on the mozzarella slices and roast pepper slices.

4. Cap each sandwich with the remaining slices, and press down slightly, so it fits in your grilling apparatus.

5. Once your grilling doo-hickey is ready, place one sandwich in it and close the lid. You'll want to weigh the top down a bit to compress the sandwich a bit, and to achieve those really cool grill marks. Most panini presses have lids that lock down, but I've found a few heavy cans work for George. If you're using a grill pan, place the sandwich in the middle of the pan, and place your hot cast iron skillet right on top. The heat and weight will achieve the same effect... okay, so the grill marks will only be on one side... so flip the sandwich over!

6. Grill your panini (I think at this point it can be referred to as "panini") for about 3-5 minutes, or until golden brown and delicious. Remove the panini to a cutting board and let it sit for 1 minute. This will give the cheese a chance to set up a bit, and keep your panini together. Serve and enjoy!

portobello and pepper pico-pasta

1-1/4 c. chicken broth
1 c. couscous, uncooked
1 med. portobello mushroom, diced
1/2 orange bell pepper, diced (red or yellow works as well... we had this leftover from salads a few night ago)
1 medium shallot, diced
1/2 c. fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. thyme
2 tsp. olive oil
kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp. peccorino romano, shredded or cubed

1. In a medium sauce pan over low heat, sweat the shallot, pepper and mushroom in the olive oil with a dash of salt. Stir occasionally to keep from burning.
2. Once the veggies have cooked down a bit (5-10 minutes, or so), add the oregano, parsley, thyme, and season with black pepper. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.3. Stir in the couscous, clamp on the lid and remove from the heat. Let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving. Top with Romano.

Oh, did I mention I also made dessert? I guess I'll save that "for another show."

classic shortbread

Shortbread is one of my favorite treats during the Holiday season. And while all that buttery goodness seems like a lot of work, it couldn't be easier to make.

classic shortbread
makes 16 bars

1 c. unsalted butter, softened and cut into cubes.
2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. confectioner's sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. vanilla (optional - I left it out this round)

1. Cream the butter using a stand mixer, hand mixer or go "old school" with a large wooden spoon. Add the vanilla at this time, if you choose to do so.

2. Sift together the dry ingredients. No sifter? No problem. Just combine the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl with a wire whisk. It'll distribute the ingredients evenly, and help separate the tiny bits.

3. Set your mixer to low, and slow add the dry ingredients to the creamed butter. If you have a sifter, you can simply sift the dry ingredients into the workbowl of your mixer. If not, make a "pour-a-chute" using a flexible cutting mat, plastic placemat, or even a large piece of cardstock, and a rubber band. Here's how you use it:
Trust me, it makes adding the dry ingredients a WHOLE lot easier, and gives you far more control.

4. Once the dry ingredients are incorporated, turn up the mixer to medium for about 20 seconds for a good blend. Remove the dough from the workbowl, place in a ziptop bag, and refrigerate for about an 1/2 hour. This will firm up the butter that may have become too soft, and keep it in tiny pockets through your dough (think flaky pie crust), and will allow the flour to hydrate a bit, and leave you with a more cohesive dough.

5. Now preheat your oven to 325°F, and dig out two 8-1/2" loaf pans, or one 9"x9" square pan. Due to the amount of butter in the dough, you won't need to grease the pans. Trust me.

6. Pull your dough from the fridge, and either divide in half for loaf pans, or leave whole for a square pan. Gently form the dough in the rough shape of the pan(s) you are using. If the dough gets too soft, just pop it back in the fridge for a few minutes to firm up.

7. Place the dough in your pan(s) and flatten it out to a uniform-ish thickness. Using a dinner fork, carefully create "perf" lines to divide the dough into an equal number of bars. I found that eight bars per loaf pan makes a good size. Then, take a single chopstick and dock each bar a few times. Docking the dough allows steam to escape while baking. And it makes it look cool. Check out the nifty diagram. I trust you can figure out the square pan math.

8. Once your oven has hit temperature (I'll pretend you checked your after-market oven thermometer to make sure your oven isn't lying to you), bake your shortbread for 25-30 minutes, or until the edges and top start to turn a nice golden brown.

9. When done, remove the pans from the oven, and allow to cool for 10 minutes BEFORE de-panning. This will allow the the shortbread to set up a bit, making it easier to remove it from the pan in one piece.

10. Now the fun part. If you are using loaf pans, and happen to have a empty third loaf pan available, gently nest the empty loaf pan in one of the full pans, flip them over and drop onto a cutting board or counter top from above an inch above. This should jar the shortbread loose. You could also fold up a clean kitchen towel, hold in place over the shortbread with your hand, flip and rap the edge of the pan on the counter. Which ever way works for you. Once out of the pan, flip the shortbread back onto a cutting board.

11. Remember those perf lines you made with the fork? While the shortbread is still warm, take a large knife and cut the bars apart along the perf lines. Easy, wasn't it? Just be sure to cut them apart while still warm or they will crumble. Place the bars on a cooling rack to cool completely.

12. Once cool, move the shortbread to an airtight container, and *try* not to touch it for a few days. These few days will allow the shortbread to age a bit, giving it a nice mellow flavor, and smooth texture. But don't let them age too long... again, trust me, rancid shortbread is not recommended.

Enjoy!

ham & rice cassarole

Yup, I used the "c" word... "cassarole". It's not such a bad word, in fact, it actually brings on a nice warm feeling of comfort and happiness. That is, unless you're at a church potluck supper and just counted 45 different ways to combine elbow macaroni, tomato sauce and ground beef...

This is an easy dish that can be frozen for future use, makes a great dish-to-past (hey, it IS a cassarole), or is great just served up in a bowl, and attacked with a spoon.


ham & rice cassarole

2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 Tbsp pure olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
2 c. uncooked rice (no 'minute' or boil-in-bag, please... use the real stuff... like Japanese rice)
2 c. ham, diced (we like turkey ham for this dish)
1 Tbsp. dried parsley
1 qt. low-sodium chicken broth
1/2-3/4 c. grated parmesan (the stuff in the green can works great for this)
kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

1. Set your oven rack to the middle position, and heat your oven to 375°F... being sure you remember to remove your 12" cast iron skillet first. (What? It's the only good place to store it.)

2. In a 4-6 qt. pot over low heat, sweat the onion in the butter and olive oil, along with a pinch of kosher salt, and a few grinds of black pepper.
3. Halfway through the sweat, stir in the garlic.
4. When the onion appears cooked, but not browned, stir in the rice, ham and parsley. Lightly sauté the rice and ham for 3-4 minutes. This will start to cook the rice, and give the finished dish a subtle nutty flavor.
5. Gently pour in the chicken broth and raise the heat to medium-high. Bring everything up to a boil. If you'd prefer a more risotto-like texture, add one cup of broth at a time, stirring until most of it is absorbed by the rice, then repeat with the next cup of broth. Once all the broth is in, bring to a boil.
6. Once it hits a boil, cut the heat and transfer the mixture to a baking dish, and sprinkle the grated parmesan evenly over the top.
7. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. When the 30 minutes are up, remove the lid and return to the oven for five additional minutes to crust up the top a bit, then remove and let stand for 5-10 minutes.

Leftovers are freezer-friendly, and reheat easily in the microwave. Just portion out one serving in a microwave-safe bowl, and nuke of medium for two minutes. Remove, stir and nuke on high for an addition minute or two.

escarole and bean soup (revised)

Note: Hey Kids, I've been tweaking the soup a bit, so I made some revisions to this recipe.

Soup. Nothing could be easier, and more welcome on a chilly night. And I bet you're thinking "But Matt, unless I open up a can, soup takes ALL day." To which I respond...

"Nuh-uh."

escarole and bean soup (revised 1/10/09 - revisions bolded)

1 Tbsp pure olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 large carrot, diced
2 cooked Italian sausage links, diced*
1 heaping Tbsp minced garlic ("jarlic" is just fine for this)
2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried parsley
2 quarts good chicken stock
1-15.5 oz. can of cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 c. orzo (rosa marina) pasta, cooked to package directions
15 c. chopped escarole
pinch of kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

*again, I'm using pre-cooked Italian sausage from a local shop. Try this: next time you're cooking sausage, cook a few extra and stash 'em in your freezer.

1. In a stock pot over low heat, sweat the onion, carrot and celery in the olive oil, with a pinch of kosher salt and a few grinds of black pepper.
2. When the onion is almost translucent, add the garlic and sausage to brown.
3. After the sausage has browned a bit, add the red pepper flakes, oregano and parsley, and continue browning.
4. When browning is done, add about 1/2 c. of the chicken stock to deglaze the pot and recover all the tasty bits of onion and sausage that stuck to the bottom.
5. Once the pot is deglazed, add the remaining chicken stock, and increase the heat to medium-high. You'll want to bring the broth to boil for a about a minute or two before reducing the heat back to medium.
6. While the stock is heating, add the rinsed, drained cannellini beans to allow then to heat through.
7. Now's the time to also add the orzo. The orzo will continue to cook in the soup, so it's not a bad idea to undercook it just a bit.
8. Once the soup has come to a boil, reduce the heat to low, add all of the escarole to the pot and slap on the lid for 5-10 minutes.
Psst... come here... closer... I want to share a little 'soup secret'... just before you declare your soup 'done', add two tablespoons of unsalted butter to the pot and allow it to melt in. The butter adds a nice finish to the taste, and a nice shimmer to the broth. Trust me, this will make your diners go "oooooo".
Ladle up the soup into bowls, and garnish with whatever you choose. Personally, I like some parsley and some cubes of romano cheese (does fresh baked bread count as a garnish?) Need to 'brighten' the flavor up a bit? Just add a quick squeeze of lemon juice.

This is a great recipe for planned leftovers, or for preparing and freezing for later... somehow, leftovers never seem to make it to the freezer 'round here. :)

Enjoy!