YumSugar

Citrus Salad Is a Bright Side

Katie Sweeney — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 14:21:41 PST

It's easy to get in a salad rut and make the same salad over and over again. But, as I've vowed to eat more healthy (and, therefore, eat more salads), I'm saying bye-bye to boring salads - and I'm starting with this delicious citrus salad. The combination of oranges and fennel is a classic Italian pairing; I've built upon it by adding creamy avocado and salty black olives. The dressing is a simple mixture of oil, white wine vinegar, and fresh-squeezed orange juice. For a super colorful salad, use a mixture of Valencia and blood oranges. Serve alongside roast fish, a grilled cheese sandwich, or piping hot bowl of soup. Get the recipe now.

Rhubarb Salad Celebrates the Season

partysugar — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 08:00:40 PDT

Although I've eaten rhubarb plenty of times in restaurants, I don't have that much experience cooking it. Since it's in season now, during Spring, I've vowed to use rhubarb in all sorts of applications, from savory to sweet.

First up? This well-balanced salad with arugula, fennel, and goat cheese. Raw rhubarb tastes like crunchy, unripe strawberries, but a rapid roast with a glaze of honey results in soft, juicy, and slightly sweetened rhubarb stalks.

I love this salad because it combines so many textures: creamy, tender, and crisp. An easy and tangy balsamic vinaigrette lets the pure flavor of the vegetables shine. Enjoy for lunch or serve as a part of a dinner menu. Get the recipe for this elegant and delicious salad now.

Monday's Leftovers: Seafood Stew

YumSugar — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 09:00:26 PDT

Hoping to steer clear of a hectic Monday night? Consider putting together a seafood stew that makes use of leftover scallops and doesn't require too much attention.

This recipe calls for white fish, scallops, and shrimp, all of which can be purchased frozen and defrosted beforehand - a great way to enjoy the bounty of the sea on a shoestring budget.

Since all the ingredients cook quickly, dinner will be ready in less than half an hour. Make this tonight when you get the recipe.

Fast & Easy Dinner: Fennel-and-Onion Spaghetti

YumSugar — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 12:50:36 PDT

When short on time, I can't deny the appeal of an easy, flavor-packed pasta dish. Since I'm also a fan of fennel, pine nuts, and Parmigiano-Reggiano, this is on the top of my to-make list. Check out this herb-y recipe when you

Fennel-and-Onion Spaghetti
From Rachael Ray

Ingredients

Salt and pepper
1 pound spaghetti or whole wheat spaghetti
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large bulb fennel, thinly sliced
1 large onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon or orange peel
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 Belgian endive, thinly sliced
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving a ladleful of the pasta cooking water.
While the pasta is working, in a large skillet, heat the EVOO, 3 turns of the pan, over medium heat. Add the fennel and onion and cook until softened, 20 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme and lemon peel and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the wine and parsley and cook for 1 minute.
Stir in the pasta and enough of the reserved pasta cooking water to moisten as desired. Stir in the endive; season with salt and pepper. Top with the cheese and pine nuts.

Serves 4.

Print recipe with images | without images

Fast & Easy Dinner: Tangerine and Candied Walnut Salad

partysugar — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 12:50:44 PST

When making a salad that is to be the main course of a meal, I like to take the time to ensure that the salad is really special. The more fresh flavors and interesting textures it has, the more satisfying the salad will be. This recipe guarantees a hearty and memorable dinner salad. It combines sweet and crunchy candied walnuts with crisp fennel, juicy tangerine segments, and salty olives. A bright apple cider vinaigrette coats the greens and veggies. If you enjoy cheese in salads, toss in some crumbled goat cheese. Learn how to assemble this simple but stunning salad after the break.

Come Party With Me: Apples to Apples - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 11:30:26 PST

Have you ever played Apples to Apples? The wildly entertaining game that's all about words and comparisons? It's my new favorite party game - I love it so much that I'm joining forces with FabSugar to host an Apples to Apples party! Fab's inviting equal amounts of boys and girls to her house, and I'm in charge of the food and drinks. Each item on the menu includes (no surprises here) apples! Since the party is on a Thursday evening, I'll keep things simple by serving two dishes that can be made in advance. Guests can help themselves to sausage, fennel, and apple skewers or fill a mug with steaming sweet potato, chipotle, and apple soup.

These apple recipes would be fun at any Winter-themed dinner so get them now after the break.

Brighten Your Winter Salads With Blood Oranges

YumSugar — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 16:15:18 PST

With the cold weather, the time is right to add vibrant color and fresh flavor to salads. Since it's blood orange season, I like to toss this tangy citrus into a simple salad recipe. If your local market doesn't carry blood oranges, you can easily substitute them with regular oranges or even grapefruit.

I was worried that the ribbons of shaved fennel would overpower the salad, but the fennel is mild once mixed with the oranges, arugula, ricotta salata, and a complex red wine vinaigrette. Brighten your Winter salads by reading more.

Fennel: Love It or Hate It?

partysugar — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 04:00:54 PST

The aroma of fennel alone is enough to draw me in. I love the flavor and the crunch, and add it to my salads, sauces, stews, soups, and more.

It's like a more substantive version of celery - same kind of texture, but a lot more personality. I'm a total fan of its distinct taste, but I know some who aren't so in love with the licorice-like veggie.

What do you think? Are you a fennel fanatic or not so into it?

Source: Flickr user quinn.anya

Fast & Easy Dinner: Beet and Fennel Salad

partysugar — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:50:04 PST

The best and most filling salad recipes are ones that have lots of flavors, textures, and ingredients. For example, a salad that's packed with beets, fennel, olives, oranges, onions, and greens is complex enough to stand alone as a meal. It may take a little time to chop and prep the veggies, but the resulting salad is worth the effort. Serve with a slab of good cheese and a chunk of crusty bread, and you've got a dinner that's perfect for last-minute holiday entertaining.

Check out the vegetarian-friendly recipe and

Beet and Fennel Salad
From Vegetarian Times

Ingredients

Lemon Dressing
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup olive oil
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. cracked black pepper
½ tsp. ground fennel seed
Salad
3 beets (½ lb.)
1 Tbs. red wine vinegar or cider vinegar
1 fennel bulb (1 lb.)
6 oranges
6 cups watercress and/or mixed field greens (6 oz.), coarsely chopped
1 small head radicchio (4 oz.), thinly sliced
½ small red onion, thinly sliced (¼ cup)
16 pitted kalamata olives, halved

Directions

To make Lemon Dressing: Whisk together all dressing ingredients in bowl or shake in jar.
To make Salad: Cook beets in boiling water 20 to 30 minutes, or until easily pierced with knife. Drain and cool. Cut off stem ends, and rub off peel. Cut beets into thin wedges. Toss beets with vinegar in bowl.
Meanwhile, cut fennel in half lengthwise, and thinly slice each half into semicircles. Transfer to separate bowl.
Cut peel from oranges, and cut orange sections from pith. Do this over bowl of fennel slices, squeezing extra juice into bowl and adding orange sections.
Combine greens, radicchio, and red onion on large platter. Top with fennel and oranges, then beets and olives. Drizzle 2 to 3 Tbs. Lemon Dressing over Salad. Serve remaining dressing on side.

Serves 8.

Print recipe with images | without images

Come Party With Me: Potluck Thanksgiving - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 07:50:39 PST

Cooking an entire Thanksgiving meal is quite a hefty task. Not only does it require culinary expertise, but it also involves lots of planning. To help shoulder part of the burden and cut the budget, many people like to throw or attend a potluck Thanksgiving.

Usually the person hosting is in charge of the turkey. They should also assign side dishes - that way you won't end up with seven sweet potato casseroles and no cranberry sauce - and coordinate a cooking schedule.

If you're a guest at a potluck on Thanksgiving, be sure to ask the hostess what you should bring.

Select a side dish that can be made almost entirely in advance and put it together the morning of the big day. Communicate with the hostess and explain that your dish needs a certain amount of time in the oven or microwave. To see my recipe suggestions - like herb-roasted turkey, fennel and potato puree, sausage and apple stuffing, and cranberry ginger relish - for hosting and attending a potluck Thanksgiving,

Herb-Roasted Turkey With Maple Gravy
From Food & Wine

Ingredients

One 18-pound turkey
1 head of garlic, halved horizontally
1 medium onion, quartered
20 sage sprigs
20 thyme sprigs
20 parsley sprigs
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 cups turkey stock
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons maple syrup

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°. Rinse the turkey inside and out and pat dry. Trim the neck skin. Stuff the turkey with the garlic, onion and sage, thyme and parsley sprigs. Season inside and outside with salt and pepper. Transfer the turkey to a large, lightly oiled roasting pan and roast it for about 3 hours, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in a thigh registers 175°. Cover the turkey with foil if the skin begins to look very brown. Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and let rest for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, pour the pan juices into a heatproof bowl and skim off the fat. Set the roasting pan over 2 burners on high heat until sizzling. Add 1 cup of the turkey stock and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom and side of the pan; add to the pan juices in the bowl.
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook over moderately high heat for 1 minute. Add the pan juices and remaining 2 cups of turkey stock to the saucepan and cook, whisking, until the gravy is thickened and no floury taste remains, about 5 minutes. Stir in the maple syrup and season with salt and pepper. Strain the gravy into a gravy boat. Carve the turkey and serve with the gravy.

Serves 10.

Notes: Roast the bird for 20 minutes per pound for a stuffed turkey and 16 minutes per pound for an unstuffed one. The bird is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a thigh registers between 160° and 180° and the juices run clear. The USDA specifies that cooking poultry to 180° will kill all bacteria that can cause illness. Remove the turkey from the oven when its temperature is 10 degrees lower than desired; the temperature will rise by 5 to 10 degrees as the bird rests.

You’ll need plenty of turkey stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth and roasting pan juices to make enough gravy. To get lots of pan juices, roast your turkey at 350° and baste with some stock; if the bird does not seem to brown adequately, you can always raise the oven temperature during the last half hour for faster browning. If your gravy is too thin, simply make a smooth paste with equal parts flour and unsalted butter, a mixture known in French as beurre manié (mon-YAY). Bring the gravy to a boil and whisk in bits of the paste until you get the thickness you desire. If your gravy seems too thick, gradually whisk in more stock.

Print recipe with images | without images

Yukon Gold and Fennel Puree With Rosemary Butter
From Bon Appétit

Ingredients

3 large fresh fennel bulbs (about 2 1/4 pounds total), trimmed, quartered through core, center core trimmed and discarded, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 medium onion, cut into 3/4-inch pieces (about 1 3/4 cups)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons fine sea salt, divided
3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 cup crème fraîche

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Combine fennel, onion, oil, and 1 teaspoon sea salt in large bowl; toss. Spread in single layer on prepared baking sheet; sprinkle with pepper. Roast until fennel and onion are very tender, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Cool slightly. Transfer fennel mixture to processor and puree until almost smooth.
Cook potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until very tender, about 25 minutes. Drain well. Cool slightly. Place in large bowl and mash with potato masher until smooth. Mix in fennel puree.
Melt butter with rosemary and 1 teaspoon sea salt in small saucepan over medium heat.
Stir butter mixture into fennel-potato puree. Mix in crème fraîche. Season to taste with more pepper and salt, if desired. Can be made 6 hours ahead. Transfer puree to large microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. Chill. Before serving, microwave on high until heated through, about 4 minutes.

Serves 8-10.

Print recipe with images | without images

Sausage, Dried Cranberry, and Apple Stuffing
From The Hearty Boys

Ingredients

1 pound mild bulk breakfast sausage
4 tablespoons butter
3 cups sliced leeks, white and pale green parts only, cleaned well (about 2 large leeks)
2 Granny Smith apples, cored and chopped
1 cup chopped celery with leaves
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
1 cup dried cranberries, rehydrated in boiling water for 15 minutes and drained
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
6 cups boxed bread cubes (croutons)
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 to 3 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Saute the sausage in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat until cooked through, crumbling coarsely with the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage and drippings to a large bowl.
Melt the butter in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the leeks, apples, celery and poultry seasoning to the skillet and saute until the leeks are soft, about 8 minutes.
Mix in the drained cranberries, sage and rosemary. Add the mixture to the sausage, then mix in the croutons and parsley. Next add the chicken stock a little at a time until the stuffing is very moist. Be sure not to overdo it; it shouldn't be mushy. Season with salt and pepper. Place in a casserole dish. (The stuffing can be made to this point 2 days before Thanksgiving, refrigerated.)
Bake in a 14-inch oval or 9 by 13-inch rectangular casserole dish and place, uncovered, in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until the top is crispy and the center piping hot. Remove and serve immediately.

Serves 8-10.

Print recipe with images | without images

Cranberry-Ginger Relish
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

1 bag (12 ounces) fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or red-wine vinegar

Directions

In a large saucepan, bring cranberries, sugar, ginger, and 2 tablespoons water to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until most of the cranberries have popped, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in vinegar.
Remove relish from heat. Let cool to room temperature, and serve (or refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days).

Serves 8.

Print recipe with images | without images