Goat Cheese Stuffed Artichoke Bottoms

I had no idea that artichoke bottoms were a thing until after I opened and drained a traditional can of artichoke hearts, made this recipe to a letter and ended up with a tasty but less than pretty appetizer. They looked nothing like the beautiful photos I was trying to replicate.

They tasted amazing, I assure you. But I was fascinated by the uniform, perfect cups in the picture and was on a mission.

And so I went in search of artichoke bottoms and for $28 (but free shipping, thanks to Amazon Prime) for six cans, I had them. And they made all the difference. (I would know - I made them three times in about a week and we enjoyed them as much each time.)

I made these for one of our monthly game nights, along with jerk chicken wings and jalapeno poppers. Everything was a hit, but these were among the first to go. And if anyone knows good food, it's this group - you work up quite an appetite strategizing over Jenga and stressing over the 5 Second Rule!

And so now I'm obsessed with these gorgeous vegetables, just waiting to be filled with any combination of stuffings. They are the perfect bite-sized nibble, easy to work with and beautiful to display. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 2 cans (15-ounce) artichoke bottoms, drained and patted dry
• 1 large log (11-ounce) goat cheese, room temperature
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cut a thin slice from the bottom of artichokes to level and remove any remaining tough outer leaves. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
3. In a bowl, combine goat cheese, Parmesan cheese, garlic, chives, parsley and salt and black pepper to taste. Spoon filling into artichokes, sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese.
4. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbling. Serve immediately.

Source: A Cookbook Obsession

Taco Tuesday: Butternut Squash and Black Bean Enchilada Casserole

Brian's mom Sue's favorite meal at one of our regular haunts in Newburyport is a burrito made of spicy mashed sweet potatoes, black beans and cheese. I can't even remember where I first read this recipe, but as soon as I did, I knew Sue would love it.

At the same time, I'd been talking with my friend Kathy about some butternut squash recipes she'd found and wanted to try...one of which was similar to this one.

Finally, Brian is NOT a fan of squash, and I knew he wouldn't enjoy it.

So, just as I did with the Roasted Vegetable Lasagna, I made this in two smaller pans and gave them to Sue and Kathy.

Full disclosure: I haven't had a single bite of this casserole, except to try the filling before I put it all together. But I have it on great authority that it's "amazing...a keeper" and has "wonderful flavor" with great texture.  It sounds so good, I might make myself a pan and have it for lunches one week!

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 jalapeño, diced (with seeds and ribs removed)
• 3 cups butternut squash, peeled and diced
• 1¼ cup salsa
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro + plus more for serving
• ½ teaspoon red chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• ½ teaspoon coriander powder
• salt and pepper, to taste
• ¼ cup water
• 1 (15 oz can) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1½ cups red enchilada sauce 
• 6 tortillas, cut into 1inch thick strips
• 1½ cups monterey Jack or cheddar cheese
• 3 scallions, chopped

Method:

1. Heat the olive oil over medium high heat in a large skillet. Add the onions jalapeños and cook for 4-5 minutes until the onions become translucent, add the garlic and continue to cook for an additional 1 -2 minutes. Add the cubed butternut squash, salsa, cilantro, chili powder, cumin, coriander, water, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and let cook over medium-low heat for about 30 minutes or until the squash is tender. Add the black beans and stir to combine.
2. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
3. Put about a ¼ cup of enchilada sauce on the bottom of a large baking dish (divide all ingredients, as directed, between two 8" x 8" pans, if desired). Lay enough tortilla strips side by side to cover the surface. Place half of the filling over the tortilla layer, top with half of the remaining enchilada sauce and then half of the cheese. Repeat a second layer of tortillas, then the remaining butternut squash mixture, followed by the remaining enchilada sauce and finally layer on the remaining cheese.
4. Bake the enchilada casserole or 10 - 15 minutes or until the cheese melts. Top with scallions and additional chopped cilantro. Serve with sour cream, if desired.

Source: Little Spice Jar

Asparagus in Phyllo Dough

I had never worked with phyllo before, and the original recipe explained that you need to keep the rest of the thawed dough covered with "damp paper towels" to keep it from drying out. The first time I made these, my paper towels weren't damp enough and the dough did get a little dry; the next time, the towels were too damp and made the top piece of dough very gummy. Neither really changed the way the appetizers turned out - crispy, a little tangy from the cheese and mustard, and completely addictive - but I clearly need more practice working with phyllo.

What a pity.

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of asparagus (I had 42 thin spears in my bunch), washed and dried
• 1 roll thawed phyllo sheets (best way to thaw is to put a roll in your fridge the night before)
• 4 tablespoons of butter, melted
• ¼ cup good mustard (I used Dijon)
• salt (the salt is optional - omit if you are using a salty cheese)
• freshly ground pepper 
• 4 tablespoons Asiago Cheese, grated (or whatever kind of cheese you like)

Method:

1. Trim the tough ends off the asparagus spears. 
2. Unroll the thawed phyllo sheet roll on your counter and place a couple of damp paper towels over the top so they don't dry out.  
3. On a large cutting board, place two of the phyllo sheets. Brush some melted butter over the entire top sheet. Brush some of the mustard on the sheet.  Sprinkle with a little salt (if you are using) and the pepper.  Sprinkle a heaping tablespoon of the cheese all over the sheet.  
4. With a very sharp paring knife, cut the sheet in half.  Cut each half in half.  Place two asparagus spears on each piece of phyllo and roll up.  Place on a parchment (or foil) lined baking sheet.  Brush the tops with some melted butter and sprinkle additional seasoning on top. 
5. Repeat until all your asparagus is used.  You can refreeze any unused phyllo sheets if you want, as long as you haven't let them dry out.  Just roll up with plastic wrap and seal tightly. 
6. At this point, you can cover with plastic wrap and place the baking sheets in the fridge until you are ready to bake them. You can even assemble these the day before.  When you are ready to cook them, bake them in the oven at 375° F for about 15 - 20 minutes until golden brown. 
7. Serve warm or at room temperature.  Serve extra mustard on the side for dipping if you want. 

Source: The Italian Dish

Grilled Corn Salad with Tomatoes, Basil and Hard Cider Vinaigrette

With grilled corn and a hard cider dressing, this easy, flavorful salad makes for a timely transition from summer to fall. It's sweet, crunchy, and a little tangy and made a great, fresh salsa for grilled swordfish.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

For the Vinaigrette:

6 ounces hard cider (I used Angry Orchard)
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and black pepper
1/3 cup olive oil

For the Salad:

3 ears of corn, steamed (I used a few ears left over from the night before)
1 large tomato, finely chopped
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup basil, cut into ribbons

Method:

1. Add the hard cider and honey to a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until the mixture has reduced by about a quarter. Remove from heat. Whisk in the vinegar and mustard. Season with salt and pepper. Slowly add in the olive oil in a steady stream, whisking until the vinaigrette is emulsified. Reserve.
2. Warm a non-stick skillet over medium heat.
3. Cut corn from cob and dry saute in heated skillet until toasted and starting to take on some color. Allow to cool slightly.
4. Combine corn, tomato, onion and basil in a medium bowl. Toss with vinaigrette, to taste. Season with freshly cracked pepper. Taste and season with salt, if needed. Toss again, and serve immediately.

Note: The original recipe had you starting with fresh corn that you grilled in the husk. I'd love to try that, but the leftover method worked great, too.

Source: Serious Eats