Food Time

Remember when I posted about America's Test Kitchen?  Ok good.  Let's talk.  I've been cooking like a mad woman from this magazine.  It's oil stained and crumpled with notes in the margins.  I've already made about 17 of the recipes & I can't complain about one of them.  Not one.  I beg of you to find this magazine & pick it up!  I will never make pan-seared chicken breast any other way than how it's described in this magazine.  I will always save a little bit of vodka for the empanadas' crust.  We have finally found a pizza crust that satisfies our entire house (it's super healthy & it bakes like a dream).  In the past,  I've baked sheets of spiced nuts that turn out icky or burnt. No longer, friends!  Even the recipes that didn't thrill Mark, he could still agree that they were pretty delicious.  He's not a huge crab cake fan.  But Becks and I ate them quickly.  But Mark ate the empanadas for dinner, breakfast, lunch, & as a late night snack.  If you only knew how huge that is, you'd still be smiling.  I am.

Recently, my dad said "Erika, you make the best salads".  You know, what?  I do!  But it's because of this little gem of a magazine.  I don't have a picture of this one because my Mom ate all of it.  She even apologized for it, but that's what's supposed to happen to good food.  Here is my favorite of the two salads I've already made.  The one she ate every last bite of.

Pear and Cranberry Chopped Salad
ATK Best of 2010
1 cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch dice
3T extra-virgin olive oil
3T sherry vinegar
1 red bell peper seeded and chopped
1 firm & ripe pear, diced
1/2 small red onion, diced
1/2C dried cranberries
1 romaine heart, chopped
4 oz. of blue cheese crumbled
1/2C pistachios toasted & chopped


1. Combine the cucumber and 1/2t of salt in a colander set over a bowl and drain for 15 minutes.
2. Whisk the oil and vinegar in a large bowl.  Add drained cucumber, pepper, pear, onion, and cranberries.  Toss and let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes.
3. Combine everything and toss to combine.  Season with salt and pepper.
4. Enjoy!

I'll share the pizza crust later.  Because every house should have it in their recipe file.  It's really healthy and really delicious.  I know how difficult that can be.

Don't forget to watch Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution!  Season 2 premieres tonight!