Beefy Macaroni

Getting dinner on the table is as easy as opening your freezer. Yes, the freezer! A couple years ago, I stocked my freezer with meals I prepared before my son was born. Since then, I've put aside a weekend a month to prep a few meals in advance and stocked my freezer with containers filled with heat and eat dinners. When the opportunity to work with Foodbuzz and GLAD Freezerware came up, it was right up my alley since I'm already a fan of GLAD storage containers.

When I filled my freezer with make ahead meals before my son was born, I used GLAD Ovenware. These are the ideal storage containers for freezer meals that requires to be baked or microwaved. The beauty of these containers is that you can freeze your meals in them and pop them in your oven or microwave. Another thing is that they are dishwasher safe and reuseable!

This time around, my friends at GLAD® introduced me to their new storage containers made specifically for the freezer. GLAD® Freezerware^TM is the only freezer container that resists cracking, is formulated to withstand extreme temperatures and allows me to just freeze, heat and serve my meals! Having these freezer friendly containers helped save me time during the weeknights when it seems like I have so many things to do all at one. The convenience of being able to pop these containers in the microwave (which are free of BPAs) to heat up food has helped get dinner on the table. I also like the 2 different sizes (small and large), which allows me to portion out the meals for family dinners and even workday lunches.

With a case of GLAD® Freezerware^TM, I had quite a few dishes in mind to prepare for future dinners. One of our favorites is this Beefy Macaroni. A rich sauce made with ground beef, tomatoes, onions and a blend of spices that's left to slowly simmer and develop its flavors for an hour. Cooked pasta of your choice is combined with the meaty sauce. You can serve once incorporated or transfer the mixture to an ovenproof dish and bake with a sprinkling of cheese on top before serving. Either way, this is such a comforting dish and it's even toddler approved!

You may end up with more sauce than you need... and if that's the case, store the excess in the small GLAD Freezerware. Having portioned out sauce is perfect for using in other recipes or individual portions to mix with pasta.

Share your own freezer-friendly recipes and meal-planning tips on Glad's Facebook page! Between now and June 30^th, everyone who shares recipes is eligible to win great prizes. For more info, visit www.facebook.com/GLAD.

Beefy Macaroni
recipe adapted from Michael Ruhlman

1 large onion, diced
1 tablespoon canola oil
salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes
2 pounds lean ground beef (85/15)
1 box macaroni, fusili, farfalle or any short pasta (gluten free pasta)
1 cup grated cheddar
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheeses

Sweat the onions in the oil with a three-fingered pinch of salt.  Add the beef and cook it, breaking it up as you do. Add another pinch of salt or two, along with the spices.  Add the tomatoes and bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cook for an hour. This is extremely important! The low and slow cooking allows for the flavors to blend and meld together.

Cook the macaroni or pasta in boiling water until al dente or has a slight bite.  Drain it and add it to the simmering sauce. Stir it into the sauce and add more salt and other seasonings as needed, and cover. 

When it’s cooled and the pasta has absorbed the tomato juices, transfer it to a storage container and allow to cool before freezing/chilling.

Otherwise, transfer the Beefy Macaroni to a large baking dish and cover it with foil. Bake it in a 400 degree oven till hot.  Remove the foil, cover macaroni with the cheese and broil until browned.

As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program, I received a case of Glad® Freezerware™ containers and a stipend to cover the cost of ingredients purchase for freezer friendly meals.

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Το έλλειμμα του σημερινού πολιτικού λόγου για την κυριαρχία και την ανεξαρτησία της Ελλάδας

Του Γιώργου Κασιμάτη
1. Οι βάσεις των «Μνημονίων», που δένουν χειροπόδαρα την Ελλάδα, δεν είναι απλώς οικονομικές. Τα «Μνημόνια» δεν είναι απλά δανειακά κείμενα που εκμεταλλεύονται οικονομικά τον οφειλέτη. Με τα «Μνημόνια» δεν επιδιώκεται μόνο η διασφάλιση με σκληρούς όρους των δανειζόμενων κεφαλαίων. Τα «Μνημόνια» έχουν στόχο την ολοκληρωτική κατάλυση της ανεξαρτησίας της Ελλάδας ως κυρίαρχου κράτους. Αυτό είναι ολοφάνερο από τους έξης όρους των δανειακών συμβάσεων του Μαΐου 2010 (Α΄ Μνημόνιο) και του σχεδίου Δανειακής Σύμβασης που ενέκρινε η Βουλή (Β΄ Μνημόνιο):
1^ος Όρος: Παραίτηση υπέρ των δανειστών από όλα τα δικαιώματα εθνικής κυριαρχίας και από όλες τις ασυλίες που παρέχει το διεθνές δίκαιο σε κάθε κράτους για την προστασία ζωτικής σημασίας αγαθών του. [άρθρα 3 (4) και (5), 4 (1) (β), 15 (1) (α) και Παράρτημα 4 της «Σύμβασης Δανειακής Διευκόλυνσης»]
2^ο Όρος: Δέσμευση του συνόλου της δημόσιας περιουσίας υπέρ των δανειστών [άρθρο 4 (2) της «Σύμβασης Δανειακής Διευκόλυνσης»]. Η δέσμευση αυτή αποκλείει κάθε είδους οικονομική διασφάλιση άλλου δανειστή εκτός από αυτούς του Μνημονίου. Με αυτό τρόπο αποκλείει ολοκληρωτικά στην Ελλάδα να συνάψει οικονομικές σχέσεις με άλλες χώρες, καταλύοντας έτσι την ανεξαρτησία της.

επικαιρα τεύχος 138

3^ος Όρος: Οι δανειακές μας συμβάσεις (τα «Μνημόνια») υπάγονται υποχρεωτικά στο αγγλικό δίκαιο και οι δικαστικές αποφάσεις είναι απόλυτα εκτελεστές και δεσμευτικές στην Ελλάδα [άρθρο 14 (1) και (3) της «Σύμβασης Δανειακής Διευκόλυνσης»]. Ο όρος αυτός –και μόνος του- καταλύει την κυριαρχία του κράτους, γι’ αυτό και έχει κριθεί ως αντίθετος με το διεθνές δίκαιο. Με τον όρο αυτόν αντιμετωπίζεται το δανειζόμενο κράτος ως ιδιώτης οφειλέτης. Αυτό σημαίνει ότι η Ελλάδα:
(α) δεν μπορεί να επικαλεστεί τα δικαιώματα και την προστασία που παρέχει το διεθνές δίκαιο σε κάθε κράτος (ούτε προστασία των δικαιωμάτων του ανθρώπου, ούτε την προστασία της εθνικής κυριαρχίας που παρέχει στα κράτη η διεθνής κοινότητα) και

(β) το κράτος ως οφειλέτης δεν μπορεί να επικαλεστεί απέναντι στους δανειστές του, ούτε τα δικαιώματα που παρέχει το ελληνικό δίκαιο και τα δίκαια όλων των χωρών της ηπειρωτικής Ευρώπης στον ιδιώτη δανειστή, γιατί δεν τα αναγνωρίζει το αγγλικό δίκαιο. Τα δικαιώματα αυτά είναι πολλά: (ακυρότητα των εκμεταλλευτικών συμβάσεων, δικαίωμα αναπροσαρμογής των συμβάσεων λόγω μεταβολής των συνθηκών κ.ά.).

4^ος Όρος: Οι δανειστές έχουν το δικαίωμα να μεταβιβάσουν τα δικαιώματα και τις υποχρεώσεις τους από τις δανειακές συμβάσεις σε τρίτο κράτος ή πρόσωπο. Η Ελλάδα δεν έχει αυτό το δικαίωμα (άρθρο 2 της «Σύμβασης Δανειακής Διευκόλυνσης).
Πρέπει να σημειωθεί ότι οι όροι αυτοί εξακολουθούν να ισχύουν και αποτελούν δεσμεύσεις (με διάφορους τρόπους και όρους) και του Β’ Μνημονίου.
2. Από το σύνολο σχεδόν των όρων που είναι εκμεταλλευτικοί, τοκογλυφικοί, εκβιαστικού και παράνομοι, αναφέρω μόνο τους παραπάνω όρους, γιατί αυτοί είναι ολοφάνερο ότι αποτελούν τη βάση κατάλυσης της εθνικής κυριαρχίας και της πολιτικής ανεξαρτησίας της χώρας μας, που αποτελεί το σκοπό των δανειστών μας (των κρατών μελών της Ευρωζώνης με επικεφαλής τη Γερμανία και το ΔΝΤ).
Από τους όρους αυτούς προκύπτει ότι η μόνη σωστή αντιμνημονιακή πολιτική είναι αυτή που θεωρεί ότι δεν υπάρχει άλλη λύση παρά μόνο:
- η καταγγελία των «Μνημονίων» με (προσωρινή) στάση πληρωμών – και όχι «παύση» πληρωμών που λένε πολλοί σκόπιμα, γιατί σημαίνει χρεοκοπία-
- ο έλεγχος του ύψους του δανείου, ώστε να προσδιοριστεί επακριβώς το μη επαχθές χρέος, που είναι το νόμιμο κατά το διεθνές δίκαιο, γιατί ανταποκρίνεται στην αντοχή του κράτους ως προς το να εξασφαλίσει τις βασικές ανάγκες του λαού του και της άμυνάς του,
- η διαγραφή (το «κούρεμα») του επαχθούς μέρους του δανείου, που υπερβαίνει τις δυνάμεις του κράτους να το πληρώσει και η αναδιαπραγμάτευση, μεταξύ ίσων κρατών, του μη επαχθούς μέρους του δανείου με νόμιμους όρους.
Αυτό που υποστηρίζουν –τώρα, οψίμως- τα κόμματα της μνημονιακής παράταξης ότι θα αναδιαπραγματευθούν όρους των «Μνημονίων» ή ότι θα επιδιώξουν «σταδιακή αποδέσμευση από αυτά» είναι αναποτελεσματικά και λέγονται για να παραπλανήσουν το λαό. Η αλήθεια είναι μια: Από τη στιγμή που υπάρχουν οι παραπάνω όροι ως βάση του δανεισμού της Ελλάδας, χωρίς προηγούμενη καταγγελία των δανεικών συμβάσεων που τους περιέχουν, καμιά άλλη διαπραγμάτευση δεν είναι δυνατή, ούτε μπορεί να βοηθήσει ουσιαστικά.

Δερβενάκια

3. Ο σκοπός των παραπάνω επονείδιστων όρων είναι διττός:
(α) Η ένταξη στο μπλοκ δυνάμεων ΗΠΑ-Ευρώπης της Ελλάδας ως υποτελούς μέλους, χωρίς δικαίωμα να στραφεί προς άλλη κατεύθυνση και
(β) Η μεταβίβαση όλων των πλουτοπαραγωγικών πηγών σε πολυεθνικές εταιρείες του ίδιου πολιτικού μπλοκ και ο πλήρης αφελληνισμός της ελληνικής οικονομίας εις όφελος των χρηματοπιστωτικών κέντρων που υπάγονται στο ΔΝΤ.
4. Υποστηρικτικός αυτών των στόχων των δανειστών μας είναι ο πολιτικός λόγος:
- που εκφέρουν και αναπτύσσουν σκόπιμα τα κόμματα και τα ΜΜΕ που στηρίζουν τη μνημονιακή πολιτική,
- καθώς, δυστυχώς, και οι αντιμνημονιακές παρατάξεις και τα μέσα επικοινωνίας τους, από έλλειμμα γνώσης του πραγματικού συμφέροντος της Ελλάδας και της πραγματικής βούλησης του ελληνικού λαού.

Ο λόγος αυτός παρουσιάζει τα έξης ελλείμματα:
(α) Ποτέ και τίποτε δεν ακούγεται για ό,τι έχει σχέση με την κυριαρχία του ελληνικού κράτους, τα εθνικά μας θέματα και την εξωτερική μας πολιτική. Τον τελευταίο καιρό το Υπουργείο Εξωτερικών έχει σβήσει από το χάρτη.
(β) Ποτέ και τίποτε δεν ακούγεται για τον τρόπο με τον οποίο φεύγουν καθημερινά, χωρίς καμιά διαφάνεια και χωρίς καμιά πληροφορία, οι πλουτοπαραγωγικές πήγες μας, τόσο οι οικονομικού ενδιαφέροντος, όσο και οι γεωπολιτικού ενδιαφέροντος. Δεν ακούσαμε ποτέ, πού μεταβιβάζονται (νομίζω, μεταβιβάστηκαν ήδη) τα δικαιώματα του υποθαλάσσιου πλούτου της Ελλάδας.
(γ) Ποτέ και τίποτε δεν ακούγεται για το επονείδιστο «Ταμείο», μέσω του οποίου φεύγει από την Ελλάδα χωρίς κανένα δικαίωμα της Ελλάδας κάθε πλουτοπαραγωγική πηγή και κάθε έσοδο, με αδιαφανείς διαδικασίες και με απώλειες δισεκατομμυρίων. Κανένα κόμμα δεν είπε μέχρι σήμερα ότι πρέπει να καταργηθεί αυτό το εγκληματικό και παμφάγο τέρας.
(δ) Ποτέ και τίποτε δεν ακούγεται –παρά το ότι υπάρχει πλούσια πρακτική- για το τρόπο με τον οποίο γίνεται η σύμφωνη με το διεθνές δίκαιο στάση πληρωμών και η αναδιαπραγμάτευση των δανειακών συμβάσεων, για να μάθει ο κόσμος ότι όχι μόνο εφικτό είναι, αλλά και αναγκαίο.

(ε) Ποτέ και τίποτε δεν ακούστηκε για το ότι οι δανειακές συμβάσεις είναι ανυπόστατες και ότι είναι αντίθετες με το δίκαιο της ΕΕ και ότι δε δεσμεύουν νομικά τη Χώρα
(στ) Τέλος, ποτέ και τίποτε δεν ακούστηκε, ότι –εκτός από την πολιτική της υποτέλειας- υπάρχει και η πολυδιάστατη εξωτερική πολιτική, και ότι το ΔΝΤ και η Ευρωζώνης της Γερμανίας δεν είναι οι μόνες πήγες δανεισμού και βοήθειας στον Πλανήτη.

12-5-2012

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Promo ON: WD Paint the Mural contest–Win iPad 2, Nikon or Canon DSLR Camera

Western Digital is having a contest where you can have a chance to win First prize is a 1TB WD Caviar Blue HDD and choose either a Canon EOS 600D Kit II or Nikon D90. Second prize, is a 1TB WD Caviar Blue HDD and a 16GB iPad 2 WiFi+3G.

This is something worth looking at, the promo is so simple and easy, what you need to do is:

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Fresh Berry Fools

Summer season means berry season! I'm anxiously awaiting for the local strawberry patch to open  up so I can pick the first of the season here in the Midwest. Strawberries are my favorite berry and there's never a shortage of recipes to use them in. There have been some great sales on berries lately at the stores (probably from the bountiful west coast) so I took advantage. With them, I made these Fresh Berry Fools. Macerated strawberries and blueberries are layered in a serving dish with a creamy, fruity, whipped cloud of deliciousness...

A dessert fool is an English dessert typically made with pureéd fruit, whipped cream and sugar. For this special dessert, you only need 5 ingredients and one key ingredient is COOL WHIP Whipped Topping. For this dessert, I found myself saving a lot of time, money and effort to make something special. Chopped strawberries and fresh blueberries are combined and half of this mixture is pureed and strained until smooth. The puree is gently heated and a touch of gelatin is stirred in to help it set. The remaining berries are tossed in sugar to macerate. Once the pureed mixture has set up, it's carefully folded into COOL WHIP Whipped Topping to create a luscious fruit flavored cream, Before you know it, the macerated berries and fruity  COOL WHIP Whipped Topping are layered and served up.

Not all desserts require lots of time in the kitchen and this specific recipe is a great example of that. It's quite an elegant dish that's perfect to serve to guests or just enjoy with your family on a regular weeknight. So take advantage of the fresh berries this season and save time with  COOL WHIP Whipped Topping with this recipe!

COOL WHIP is offering a Fan Dessert of the Month Contest on Facebook The winner each month will win $500! All you have to do is make a COOL WHIP dessert, take a photo, and upload it on Facebook. Good luck to all those that participate!
  "What you add makes it. #coolwhipmoms"

Fresh Berry Fools

recipe adapted from Cooks Illustrated

2 pounds fresh strawberries
1 pint blueberries
1/2 cup sugar + 4 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin powder
8 oz Cool Whip


Process 1 quart strawberries, 1/2 pint blueberries, and 1/2 cup sugar in food processor until mixture is completely smooth, about 1 minute. Strain berry puree through fine-mesh strainer into 4-cup liquid measuring cup (you should have 2 1/2 cups puree; reserve any excess for another use). Transfer 1/2 cup puree to small bowl and sprinkle gelatin over top; stir until gelatin is incorporated and let stand at least 5 minutes. Heat remaining 2 cups puree in small saucepan over medium heat until it begins to bubble, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in gelatin mixture until dissolved. Transfer gelatin-puree mixture to medium bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours.

Meanwhile, chop remaining 1 quart strawberries into rough 1/4-inch pieces. Toss strawberries, remaining 1/2 pint blueberries, and 2 tablespoons sugar together in medium bowl. Set aside for 1 hour.

Remove thickened berry puree from refrigerator and whisk until smooth. In a large bowl, add the COOL WHIP and slowly add two-thirds of puree; mix until incorporated, about 15 seconds. Using spatula, gently fold in remaining thickened puree, leaving streaks of puree.

Transfer uncooked berries to fine-mesh strainer; shake gently to remove any excess juice. Divide two-thirds of berries evenly among 6 serving dishes. Divide creamy berry mixture evenly among glasses, followed by remaining uncooked berries. Serve immediately.

As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program, I received coupons for free COOL WHIP Whipped Topping and a stipend. Sponsored posts are purely editorial content that we are pleased to have presented by a participating sponsor. Advertisers do not produce the content.

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Beef Tenderloin Tips with Blue Cheese Sauce

When friends are over for dinner, what do you serve? For me, I like to take that opportunity to prepare something a little indulgent and special. One of my favorite cuts of meat is a beef tenderloin. It's tender, succulent and extremely flavorful when prepared on the medium side. I was anxious to serve this Beef Tenderloin Tips with Blue Cheese Sauce to friends recently because not only was it good, it was simple to prepare. Beef tenderloin tips are seasoned and seared, then served with a warm, rich blue cheese sauce to kick up your meal into something special...

You'll be surprised how quickly this dish comes together. In fact, I was running behind in the kitchen as my friends showed up and I ended up preparing this after they arrived. It literally took minutes! After seasoning and browning the beef, the blue cheese sauce comes together pretty quickly. I served this alongside a colorful and fresh summer chopped salad and herb roasted corn on the cob. This has been one of my favorite meals I made recently and I'm looking forward to making it again!

Beef Tenderloin Tips with Blue Cheese Sauce
recipe adapted from America's Test Kitchen

1 1/2 pounds beef tenderloin tips, cut into 1 inch pieces
salt and pepper to taste
steak seasoning to taste (I use Urban Accents)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 shallots, halved and sliced thin
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (Danish blue)
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives

Pat steak tips dry with paper towels and season with salt, pepper, steak seasoning. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium high heat until just smoking. add steak tips and cook until browned all over and cooked to desired doneness. Transfer to platter and tent with foil.

Add remaining oil, shallots and a pinch of salt to the empty skillet and cook until softened. Stir in broth, cream and any accumulated beef juices and simmer, scraping up any browned bits, until slightly thickened. Off heat, whisk in blue cheese and chives. Pour sauce over beef tips and serve.

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STRAWBERRY MASCARPONE WHIPPED CREAM TART

PHOTOGENIC

My father had an old Brownie camera, a black plastic box, not too big, not too heavy, that created memories. His Hawkeye Brownie in shiny Bakelite sported a cute little carrying handle and an attachment allowing us to screw in tiny little bulbs that flashed with a satisfying pop like in an old film noir. A drawerful of square black & white photos is proof positive of his passion for capturing images, albeit sometimes blurry, stills of giggling children, smiles frozen in time, caught in the joyous movement of childhood or formally posed like good little soldiers. The flimsy, frilly-edged snapshots with the date stamped indelibly in the white edging framing the smiling – or otherwise – faces of the four of us and mom fading gently into ghosts of time past now lay strewn across my own desktop connecting me to something long gone.

I have hazy memories of carrying dad’s Brownie to Girl Scout camp, careful not to break it, allowed to snap pictures of my friends, creating my very own memories. But I do clearly remember my first camera, my very own, a Pocket Instamatic. You remember the Instamatic, the slim rectangle now sporting a long, slim loop that I could slip onto my wrist, the cubes snapped one by one onto the camera itself that flashed and clicked as it turned one-two-three times. Rolls and rolls of film, piles of snapshots flipped through over and over again: camp and school parades, holidays and family vacations and one exciting trip to Israel now fill envelopes and albums in glorious Technicolor dimming to yellow.

A Polaroid stuck away in a drawer now gathering dust was a long-ago gift, possibly high school graduation. As simple and quick to use as my old Instamatic, the Polaroid gave immediate gratification. Snap – thunk – kkksssshhhhh and out popped a fuzzy gray square of silence. Patience and anticipation and an image like magic burnished onto paper slowly revealed itself like an exotic striptease, baring its soul.

From one camera to the next, I grew up learning to aim and shoot, a quick squint and click and the moment was captured forever. For a very brief few months or so, somewhere after college, I figured out the whole ISO, f-stop, speed thing and began interacting personally with the camera I had inherited from my father, one he bought himself after retiring with the idea that he would start taking pictures again. But that camera ended up in the more experienced hands of my husband and he took over being the memory catcher of the family.

Hundreds of years later, jump to today and here I am struggling to keep up with the world of food blogging, a world of brilliantly honed images. Technology has never been my friend: I am a simple girl who kneads dough by hand, mixes with a wooden spoon, prefers pen and paper and who still uses her smart phone to make calls and little more. In front of a camera with buttons and dials, with a tiny screen demanding attention and one decision after another, I feel faint and a hot flush rises through my body and washes across my face. And so I find it easier just to ignore it all, just pretend it doesn’t exist and return to my private bubble. I take comfort in the written word, a form of expression that fits me so well, one that I can control, one I understand. Why do I need a camera when I can create an image in my reader’s mind with mere words? Words are my paintbrush, my camera and my marble. I write therefore I am!

So as you can see I have gone through two – or is it three – cameras and have yet to learn or master the thing. Son chides, husband rails and the other son tries to explain but to no avail. Something is closed, shut tight against understanding. I have this terrible nightmare that if I begin pushing buttons and attempt to adjust light and speed then the camera will implode or spontaneously combust. And so I shake my head, cross my fingers, point and shoot and hope for the best.

But how long can this go on? And how many Plate to Page workshops must I sit through listening to Ilva, Meeta and Jeanne, stand off in the distant and watch ever so discreetly as our students learn to leave auto and master manual before I succumb? Before I heave a heavy sigh of resignation and agree to finally try it myself?

And so a friend of my son’s is selling his camera and offered to lend it to me for a few days to try it out. And he spent a couple of hours walking me through it ever so patiently, explaining, showing and explaining again.

And so I made this Strawberry Tart with Whipped Mascarpone Cream and a secret mint chocolate surprise so I could photograph it using the camera. Well, actually I had long been dreaming of creating this beautiful tart and only waited for local strawberries to arrive at the market plump, red and sugary sweet. Which happened just as the camera chanced to show up. And it all came together perfectly.

Ain’t she just so photogenic?

And all on manual, just like a big girl!

And this is one simple and sensational tart, redolent of summer and kissed with both the sweetness of fresh strawberries and the indulgence of chocolate. A blissful dessert of ethereal, luxurious whipped mascarpone cream atop a thin layer of chocolate – in using Lindt Mint Chocolate I added a delicate hint of mint – all topped with luscious, seasonal berries. Pretty, light and sweet, a truly exquisite treat for these halcyon days of summer.

STRAWBERRY MASCARPONE WHIPPED CREAM TART

For one 9-inch (24 cm) Tart 

1 pre-baked Sweet Pastry Crust of your choice *

3.5 oz (100 g) semisweet chocolate (I use Lindt Menthe Intense Chocolate Noir 70%)
About 3 or 4 cups strawberries (about 1 ½ - 2 lbs), fresh, seasonal & local when possible

½ cup (125 ml) heavy whipping cream, chilled
½ cup (125 g) mascarpone cheese, chilled
1 Tbs powdered/confectioner’s sugar
Vanilla extract

Powdered/confectioner’s sugar for dusting

* Use either pâte brisée (short crust), pâte sablée (cookie crust) or pâte feuilletée (puff pastry) rolled out to line a 9-inch (24-cm) pie plate, trimmed and pre-baked. I used my favorite Sweet Pastry Crust (recipe found here) and although delicious, I do think that using a pâte sablée or a crust a bit more crumbly would have been better suited.

Prepare Pastry Crust by rolling out and lining a lightly buttered pie plate. Trim. Refrigerate for about 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Remove the piecrust from the refrigerator, prick lightly all over with a fork and place a large piece of parchment paper in the crust and weigh it down with dried beans or pastry weights. Bake for 10 minutes and then carefully remove the pie plate from the oven to a cooling rack. Carefully lift off the parchment and the weights/beans and discard (saving the beans or weights for later use). Press down the crust if puffed up and return to the oven to bake for an additional 8 – 12 minutes or until golden and baked (if using a glass pie plate, carefully lift the plate to check the bottom of the crust; it should be evenly golden.

Remove the piecrust from the oven and place on a cooling rack (turn off the oven as you will no longer need it). Melt the chocolate gently either in a microwave oven or over a pan of gently simmering water until smooth. Poor the warm/hot melted chocolate into the still-warm piecrust and, using the back of a soupspoon, spread evenly over the bottom. Allow to cool to room temperature; once cooled, place in the refrigerator to chill so the chocolate solidifies.

Prepare the strawberries as you like: you can trim and remove the caps and slice evenly or you can simply trim the caps and leave whole as I did.

Prepare the filling by whipping the heavy whipping cream until peaks hold, beating in the tablespoon of powdered sugar and a small drizzle (maybe about 1/8 teaspoon) of vanilla as you whip. Add the mascarpone and beat together just until light and fluffy. NOTE: the quantities given above are for a thin layer of cream filling, just the right amount so as not to completely take over the pie, allowing the flavor of both the chocolate and the strawberries to shine through: really the perfect balance for me. But feel free to increase the amount of one, the other or both as well as increasing or decreasing the amount of sugar to your taste.

Once the tart shell and chocolate are just chilled and the chocolate set, simply spread the mascarpone whipped cream over the chocolate to fill the shell and top with the strawberries.

Dust with the powdered sugar just before serving.

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Green Poblano Rice (Arroz Verde al Poblano)

It's on the menu again. Chicken and rice, that is. But there's definitely no complaints about it here! I've been looking for different ways to prepare chicken and rice because it's a dish that is a favorite at our house. This time, I made a Green Poblano Rice (Arroz Verde al Poblano) which took us to the south of the border. Toasted rice is cooked in a chile broth with onions, poblano chiles, and garlic until fluffy before folding in shredded chicken for a full, one pot meal. If that's not comforting, I don't know what is...

My little guy loves chicken and rice. It's safe to say that it is a clear favorite of his, possibly because he can get a little bit of all the flavors and textures in one spoonful. I happen to like it because it's an easy one pot meal which makes prep and clean up a breeze. This particular recipe comes from Rick Bayless but I found it Epicurious. There are 3 major steps in this recipe - creating the chile broth, toasting the rice and cooking the rice on the stovetop. A bonus is that this dish can be made in advance and that allows for the flavors to fully absorb into the rice even more. You can make this vegetarian by omitting the chicken... and it's just as delicious with shredded or chopped roasted pork!

Green Poblano Rice (Arroz Verde al Poblano)
recipe adapted from Rick Bayless

1 2/3 cups chicken broth or water
2 fresh poblano chiles, stems and seeds removed, and roughly chopped
12 sprigs cilantro, plus extra for garnish
Salt, about 1/2 teaspoon if using salted broth, 1 teaspoon if using unsalted or water
1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
1 cup rice, preferably medium grain
1 small white onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
5 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1 1/2 cup chicken breast, cooked and shredded

The flavoring: In a 2-quart saucepan, combine the broth and 3/4 of the chiles, bring to a boil, then partially cover and simmer gently over medium to medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, until the chiles are very soft. Pour the chile mixture into a food processor, add the cilantro (stems and all), and process to a smooth puree. Press through a medium-mesh strainer into a bowl and stir in the salt.

The rice: Wipe the pan clean, add the oil and heat over medium. Add the rice, onion, and remaining chopped chiles and cook, stirring regularly, until the rice is chalky looking and the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook a minute longer.

Add the warm (or reheated) chile liquid to the hot rice pan, stir once, scrape down any rice kernels clinging to the side of the pan, cover, and cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes. Uncover and check a grain of rice: It should be nearly cooked through. If the rice is just about ready, add the shredded chicken, turn off the heat, re-cover and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes longer to complete the cooking. If the rice seems far from done, continue cooking for 5 minutes or so, retest, then turn off the heat and let stand a few minutes longer. Fluff with a fork, scoop into a warm serving dish, decorate with cilantro sprigs and it's ready to serve.

Advance preparation: The rice can be made several days ahead; turn out the fluffed rice onto a baking sheet to cool, transfer to a storage container, then cover and refrigerate. Reheat the rice in a steamer basket set over boiling water.

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