Personally, I am not a fan of most french fries.  They tend to be heavy in grease or oil and are unappetizing to me.  So, for me, switching to green beans is an easy choice.  There is a delicious green veggie as the base, and a light coating of olive oil and salt to give crunch and flavor.  Members of my family enjoy them as well, especially when they are served alongside some less healthy snacks.  That’s fine with me; they get to enjoy a balance of healthy and unhealthy snacks, and I get more of the green bean fries.

These fries are ridiculously easy to make.  Give them a try; they may be an ingenuous way of getting people to eat their veggies.

Green Bean Fries

1/2 lb. green beans, washed

1 Tb. olive oil

salt

Preheat oven to 475.  Trim ends off of green beans.  Place green beans on a rimmed baking sheet in a pile.  Drizzle olive oil over pile and toss green beans to coat all pieces thoroughly.  Spread green beans into a single layer and season with salt.  Move baking sheet to oven and bake for 10 minutes.  Flip green beans, making sure to return to a single layer, and bake for an additional 8-10 minutes.

Eat at once.  They’re best when hot.

Last weekend my family and I were having munchies for dinner, and I offered to help cook.  I decided to make pineapple mango salsa because I love mango, and I figured we would need something to cool down the meal seeing as we were having hot, homemade taquitos.

Pineapple Mango Salsa

3/4 pineapple
1 mango
1/4 red onion
1 jalapeno pepper
1/4 cup of lime juice
1 Tb. of honey
salt and pepper to taste

Pineapple:  I find the easiest way to cut it is to take the top and bottom off first and then take my knife and wedge it right between the shell and the flesh and to cut all the way down while the pineapple is standing on one end.  Do this until the pineapple is completely peeled.  Then cut it into eight pieces lengthwise.  After that take the core out of all the pieces and cut each round into twelve pieces.  (I know it sounds like a lot, but you don’t want huge chunks of pineapple in your salsa.) Place all the pieces in a large bowl.

Mango:  Cut it in half and take out the pit.  Take each half and sear them.  (By this I mean I ran the tip of my knife on the inside of the peel where all the flesh still is and I cubed it pretty much while it was still connected to the peel.  After that I inverted the peel so the fruit was sticking out off the peel and cut the chunks off the peel.  I know it sounds a little complicated, but it is much easier than peeling the mango.)  If a lot of fruit is still stuck to the core, just cut it off and then chop it up into pieces about the size of the seared mango.  (Be very careful when you are cutting the fruit off of the core, mango gets very slippery!)  Put these in the bowl as well.

Onion & jalapeno:  Dice the red onion and place the onion in the bowl.  Take the jalapeno and take the top off and cut it in half.  All of the heat lies in the ribs (the white fleshy things on the inside) and the seeds.  I took these out because I didn’t want much heat in my salsa.  If you want it to be spicier, you can add these in, but go sparingly.  You can always add, but you can never subtract in cooking.  Mince the jalapeno and throw it in the bowl as well.

Combine 1/4 cup of lime juice and tablespoon of honey in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 30 seconds, so they combine nicely.  Pour that onto your chopped fruits and veggies, toss, and refrigerate.  Right before you serve it add a pinch of salt to awaken the flavors and add pepper to taste.  Best served cold.

Hope you like it!

I was thinking about what could be added to the menu to provide a little lightness and more flavor when my husband asked about adding balsamic strawberries.  This was a convenient suggestion in that we had over a pound of strawberries in our refrigerator.  It also was convenient in that this is another one of those ridiculously easy, not really a recipe, recipes.

However, the combination of flavors in this topping is amazing.  Plus, it can be served in a variety of ways.  Use it on its own, as a dip for pita chips or crackers.  Serve it atop cheese, as a bruschetta topping.  Turn it into a dessert accompaniment, using it as an embellishment for pound cake or ice cream.  No matter what you choose, it is sure to be delicious.

Balsamic Strawberries

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. sugar
15 strawberries, diced

In a small bowl, combine vinegar and sugar.  Microwave for 30 seconds to help dissolve the sugar.  Add strawberries to vinegar, and toss well.  Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and to chill the ingredients.

*I prefer using this topping at the 30 minute point.  It can be refrigerated longer, but the strawberries will become softer.

After our dinner on Sunday evening, our 15 year old asked why we had leeks in the refrigerator.  I then realized that while shopping I had purchased all of the ingredients for the recipe I had chosen, plus a few more from the second choice recipe.  With leeks on hand, it was time to be inspired and use them.  Making them into a Tapas Monday dish seemed like the perfect solution.

I decided to sauté the leeks and make them the topping on a goat cheese mini tart.  For our version I used lavash and cut it into 1-inch circles that covered the bottoms of a mini muffin pan.  However, mini phyllo shells could easily be used in place of the lavash.  I wanted less crust, but others may prefer the crunch of the phyllo shell.

These bite-sized appetizers were quite popular.  Of course, we love anything with warm cheese.  Adding some slowly cooked leeks only made it more tasty.  Yet another recipe to add to our tapas rotation.

Leek & Goat Cheese Mini-Tarts

1/2 Tb. olive oil
2 leeks, washed and chopped
1 tsp. sugar
1 piece lavash
2 oz. goat cheese
1-1/2 tsp. cream cheese

Heat oil in a nonstick frying pan over medium-low heat.  Add leeks and sauté for 10 minutes, or until tender.  Sprinkle with sugar and cook for an additional minute.

Preheat oven to 400.

Using a 1-inch biscuit cutter (or a shot glass), cut 16 disks from the lavash bread.  Place each disk into the bottom of a mini muffin pan.

In a small bowl combine goat cheese and cream cheese, stirring until thoroughly combined.

Place a small amount of cheese mixture on top of a lavash disk.  Repeat until all disks have been topped.  Divide leeks among muffin cups.  Bake for 10 minutes.  Serve immediately.

I personally love the combination of pears and blue cheese, but we were without pears.  Looking for something sweet to contrast with the salt and bite of the blue cheese, I remembered that we had a package of dates.  I didn’t have the time to stuff the dates, but I did think that they would work well with the gorgonzola.

What I created really requires no recipe.  However, the flavors in this combination were so well paired, I decided it was worth sharing.  When you are seeking a sweet and salty combination that can be served on your favorite cracker, this is perfect.

Blue Cheese & Dates

12 small dates
4 oz. gorgonzola (or other creamy blue cheese)

Chop dates into small bites.  Combine dates and cheese in a small bowl, stirring until well combined.  Place a sheet of plastic wrap on a work surface.  Transfer cheese mixture from bowl to plastic wrap.  Shape into a log, and wrap in plastic.  Refrigerate for one or two hours.

Serve with crackers.

Two of our favorite items are the mushrooms and onions.  On their menu, the mushrooms are wood-roasted.  Unfortunately, we don’t have a wood-fired oven in our home.  For last week’s Tapas Monday, I decided to try my hand at assaggi, with a cooked at home spin.  Although I couldn’t replicate the mushrooms, I was able to create my own delectable version.

This recipe is simple. You need only a few ingredients and about 15 minutes of kitchen time.  However, the end product will  make your fellow diners think that you spent hours toiling.  There’s no need to inform them otherwise.

Balsamic Mushrooms

1 Tb. olive oil
2 portobello mushrooms
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
salt & pepper

Heat oil in a large nonstick pan over medium heat.  While pan is heating, slice mushrooms in half, then cut each half into 1/2-inch slices.  Place mushrooms into pan, and sauté for 10 minutes, or until tender.  Add balsamic vinegar, and cook for two minutes.  Season with salt & pepper.

The next holiday that we are planning at Think Tasty is St. Patrick’s Day.  For me, I have been making the same menu for the same group of people for the last six years: corned beef, cabbage, potatoes, carrots, and my grandmother’s Irish Soda Bread.  The only item I have changed is the adults only beverage, the Minty McFreeze, which is a recipe I have changed a couple times.

Although corned beef and cabbage are the typical fare on March 17th, there is a much wider variety of Irish foods that could be served.  As my repertoire is small, I have enlisted the help of several chefs and cookbook authors.  Over the next four weeks, I will be sharing their sweet and savory dishes that would make a great addition to your St. Patty’s Day menu.

We start the series with a dish that could be served as an appetizer or a main dish.  Although fondue typically makes one think of France, this recipe has an Irish flair.

Irish Aged Cheddar Cheese Fondue

Chef Shane Schaibly of Front Burner Brands, The Melting Pot

1 cup Guinness Extra Stout
4 tsp. dry mustard powder
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. Tabasco Sauce
2 Tb. chives, chopped
11 oz. (2 1/2 – 3 cups) Irish aged cheddar cheese
3 Tb. all-purpose flour

Cheese should be shredded and tossed with flour to aid in thickening and improve the viscosity of the fondue. The cheese should be the consistency of warm honey when complete. Monitor your cheese as it is being added and note that not all cheese may be needed and in some cases a bit more may be needed to get it to the perfect consistency.

Turn heat source to high, place pot with 1” water on burner. Place liner into pot. When steam is visible, reduce heat to medium. Add beer to liner. While stirring with a fork, add Worcestershire sauce, mustard powder, and Tabasco. Stir for approximately 30 seconds. Add 1/2 of cheese and stir until fully incorporated into liquid. Then add pinches of the cheese in very small increments until the rest of the cheese is used and stir using a circular whipping motion until smooth. Remove fork and garnish with chopped chives.

Served with cubes of crusty bread, broccoli florets, apple chunks, or other dip-able items.

I have seen deep-fried mac & cheese bites on several restaurant menus, but I have never ordered them, as the combination of mac & cheese and deep frying sounded ridiculously heavy.  It did sound like something my kids would like, so all I had to decide was how to coat the mac & cheese before frying.  A three-step (flour, egg, breading) process seemed like the best way to make a crisp coating.

I did use my homemade mac & cheese for this recipe, although it didn’t hold together well while frying.  As this mac & cheese recipe doesn’t have a binder, such as eggs, the blocks tended to fall apart.  However, the kids liked it, even in smaller bites, as it had a crunchy coating and a cheesy interior.  Feel free to try my recipe for mac & cheese or your own favorite.  I would highly discourage using mac & cheese from a box.

Mac & Cheese Bites

2 servings mac & cheese
1/2 cup flour
salt & pepper
1 egg
1 cup panko
1 cup peanut oil
parmesan cheese, grated

Cut mac & cheese into bite-sized pieces.  Combine flour and salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl.  Whisk egg in a second bowl.  Pour panko into a third bowl.

Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.  When oil is hot, coat a piece of mac & cheese in flour, then egg, and finally panko.  Place in frying pan.  Repeat with several more mac & cheese pieces, adding to frying pan.  Make sure that the pan is not crowded, so that the pieces cook well.

Cook for 1 minute, then flip and cook for another minute.  When both sides are golden brown, remove mac & cheese bites to a paper towel-lined plate.  Sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

This week we are finishing the series with a trio of recipes from Todd English.  These three appetizers offer a little bit of something for every nibbler:  fish, produce, cheese.  All of these dishes are simple to make but still will add a touch of sophistication to your evening.

Recipes courtesy of Todd English, author of Cooking in Everyday English: The ABCs of Great Flavor at Home

Catalan-Style Bruschetta

6 slices country bread, 3⁄4-inch
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, halved
1 medium tomato, halved
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat grill to 350 degrees to 400 degrees (medium-high) heat. Brush both sides of bread with oil. Grill, covered with grill lid, 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until toasted. Rub toast slices on 1 side with cut sides of garlic halves. Rub tomato halves over garlic on bread. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately. 6 servings

Tuscan Style: Rub toast slices with fresh mint sprigs after rubbing with garlic. (You’ll need about 10 fresh mint sprigs.) Proceed as directed in recipe.

Gorgonzola: Top each toast slice with about 1 Tbsp. Gorgonzola cheese after sprinkling with salt and pepper.

Tuna and Green Olive: Gently stir together 1 (5-oz.) can chunk light tuna packed in oil, drained and flaked; 1 cup coarsely chopped pitted Spanish olives; 1⁄3 cup mayonnaise; and 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice in a medium bowl. Rub tomato halves over garlic on bread. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon 2 tablespoon tuna mixture onto each toast. Sprinkle tuna mixture with chopped fresh parsley.

Red Snapper and Melon Ceviche

1⁄3 cup fresh lemon juice
1⁄3 cup fresh orange juice
1⁄3 cup fresh lime juice
2 Tb. red onion, finely diced
1 Tb. fresh cilantro, chopped
1 Tb. green onions, chopped
1 Tb. extra virgin olive oil
1 small  jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely diced
1 lb. American red snapper, cut into 1⁄4-inch cubes
1⁄2 tsp. kosher salt
1⁄4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 cup cantaloupe, finely diced chilled
2 cups Avocado Crema (page 29)
Garnish: lime wedges

Combine first 8 ingredients in a medium bowl. Add snapper, and toss gently. Cover and chill 30 minutes or until fish appears thoroughly cooked. Stir in salt and pepper; add cantaloupe, and toss gently.

Spoon about 1⁄2 cup ceviche into each of 6 martini glasses. Top each with 1⁄3 cup Avocado Crema. Garnish, if desired. Serve immediately. 6 servings

Goat Cheese Fondue

6 Tb. unsalted butter,
6 Tb. all-purpose flour
2 Tb. shallots, chopped
2 tsp. garlic, minced
2 tsp. olive oil
1⁄4 cup dry white wine
3 cups heavy cream
20 oz.  goat cheese, crumbled
3⁄8 tsp. kosher salt
1⁄8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1⁄4 cup fresh chives, thin diagonal slices
Dippers: toasted bread cubes, dried fig slices, dried date slices, Fuji apple slices

Melt butter in a small heavy skillet over low heat; whisk in flour until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly, 2 minutes or until mixture is light brown and has a nutty fragrance. Remove from heat.

Sauté shallots and garlic in olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat 3 minutes or until tender. (Do not brown.) Gradually add wine, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of pan. Gradually stir in cream and cheese. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 1 minute or until cheese melts. Stir in flour mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, 3 minutes or until smooth and thick. Remove from heat. Stir in salt and pepper.

Transfer fondue to a fondue pot. Sprinkle with chives. Serve with bread cubes, figs, dates, and apple slices. 6 cups (about 12 servings)

Note: A creamy Gorgonzola or Cambozola makes a great alternative to goat cheese.

Today I have two more tasty recipes to share.  Conveniently, one is a cold appetizer that can be prepared in advance, leaving you free to make other preparations or making it a great dish to bring.  The other appetizer is hot and should be served immediately after cooking.  However, it is a fairly simple recipe that could be made while conversing with a couple guests.

Sweet & Spicy Deviled Eggs

Chef Dale Talde of soon to open Talde in Brooklyn, New York

12 dozen eggs
4 oz. Annie Chun’s Gochujang Sauce
4 oz. mayonnaise
1 bunch of scallions, sliced
2 limes, juiced
Annie Chun’s Wasabi Roasted Seaweed Snacks, cut thin

Bring eggs to a boil, then drop to a simmer. Cook for 8 minutes. Cool the eggs, then peel and cut in half the long way.

Take yolks from eggs and combine with mayonnaise, Annie Chun’s GoChuJang sauce, and lime juice. Purée until smooth, then add scallions and fill back in to the egg white halves. Crumble seaweed on top. Serve.

Crispy Oyster and Potato Pockets with Spinach, Iberico Ham, and Champagne Hollandaise

Courtesy of The Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Ray

12 medium size oysters on half shell
1 medium size yukon gold potato
1 cup blanched spinach
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 slices Iberico ham or prosciutto, thinly sliced
1 cup champagne hollandaise, recipe follows

Take the oysters out of the shells and place them on a paper kitchen towel. Keep the shells for presentation.  Peel the potato and slice very thinly with deli slicer or kitchen mandolin.  Place the potatoes on a clean surface, place an oyster meat on every potato slice, fold in half and seal with a toothpick.  Deep fry until potatoes turns golden brown in a deep fryer. Remove them from the fryer, place them on a clean paper kitchen towel, gently remove the toothpicks, and set them aside on a warm place.

Sauté the garlic and ham with a knob of butter in a nonstick frying pan. Add the spinach; keep stirring until spinach warm through. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat.

Divide the spinach between the shells; place the potato and oyster pockets on it. Serve the hollandaise on the side in a dipping bowl.

Champagne Hollandaise

Ingredients:
1-1/4 cups (2-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cubed
2 large egg yolks
2 Tb. champagne vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Fill a blender with hot water; set aside. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until foaming. Remove pan from heat. Drain blender and dry well. Put egg yolks and 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar in blender; cover and blend to combine. Working quickly and with blender running, remove lid insert and slowly pour hot butter into blender in a thin stream of droplets, discarding the milk solids in bottom of the saucepan. Blend until creamy sauce forms. Season to taste with salt and pepper.