This is a classic Italian dish that I have completely man-handled to make it a one dish dinner. I’d like to think I haven’t totally separated it from it’s Italian original but I probably have. Either way, it’s a delicious one pot dinner that’s done in a very short amount of time. I like to serve this with a big green salad and I usually have a giant loaf of garlic bread because I have three teenagers in my house. It’s perfectly fine on it’s own too!

This is the perfect back to school dinner. It’s hearty and delicious but also cooks in about a half an hour! What could be better on a weeknight?? Enjoy.

Penne alla vodka-ish

Serves 4

2 cups cherry tomatoes

2 cloves garlic

2 tbs olive oil

1 lb penne

1 cup vodka

2 cups chicken stock

½ cup parmesan cheese

STEP 1

In a dutch oven, sauté the tomatoes and garlic in olive oil until the tomatoes start to pop. 

STEP 2

Add the noodles and coat in oil and tomato.

STEP 3

Pour in vodka and boil down to half and stir.

STEP 4

Pour in stock and ¼ cup parmesan cheese.  Stir then cover and cook 5-10 minutes until noodles are tender.  Serve with remaining parmesan. 

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It’s my birthday week! And I can’t think of anything I would want more for my birthday (non-alcoholic) than a good cookie. And this is a good cookie. I read about a cookie that was made with pudding mix and it seemed mandatory that I give it a shot.

This cookie is basically a cheap sheet cake in cookie form. If you aren’t tempted by that then we are probably not friends. Or you need to try cheap birthday cake again. It’s delicious.

Let me know if you try these. And if you try them for a birthday, light a candle and sing!!

Birthday Cake Cookies

1 cup butter, room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

3.4 oz package of vanilla pudding mix

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup assorted sprinkles

12 oz white chocolate chips

STEP 1

In a bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter and sugar and beat until combined.

STEP 2

Add the eggs, vanilla, and almond extract. Beat well until the mixture gets lighter in color and is fluffy.

STEP 3

In a small bowl, combine flour, pudding mix, baking soda, and baking powder. Add it to the stand mixer and blend until mostly combined.

STEP 4

Pour in the chips and turn the mixer back on. Let it run until the dough looks like a cookie dough. Stir in the sprinkler gently so they don’t run too much!

STEP 5

Scoop onto a baking sheet and bake 10 minutes. Let cool on the sheet for a few minutes then transfer to a wire rack to continue to cool.

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Fresh salmon is possibly the best thing you can only find here in the Pacific Northwest. Outside of the PNW, I think the salmon is terrible. If it isn’t line caught, wild salmon, then it’s not worth eating. Find the best. It’s totally worth it. Even the frozen is fine, if it’s been flash frozen on the fishing vessel.

The combination of salmon and dill is indisputable. The flavors of both pop when they are combined. Cucumber is another go-to with salmon. This cucumber salad is one my grandfather was famous for making - it’s so delicious - and it’s really good with the salmon. It’s even better tomorrow!

Dill Salmon with Cucumber Salad

Serves 4

2 pounds wild caught salmon filet

¼ cup butter, room temperature

¼ cup dill, chopped

2 lemons

2 cucumbers, sliced thin

1 white onion, sliced thin

1 cup white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

salt and pepper

spray oil

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil. Lightly oil the foil – the spray kind works best.  With a sharp knife, cut the salmon into four equal pieces and lay them on the foil.

STEP 2

In a small bowl combine together the butter, dill, the zest of one lemon and a healthy amount of salt and pepper with a fork. Spread the butter mixture over top of the salmon pieces so each piece has a nice even coat. Place a lemon slice on top of each piece of fish and pop it in the oven. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes until the flesh of the fish is pale pink all the way through.

STEP 3

In a bowl, combine vinegar, salt, and sugar.  Add cucumbers and onions to it and toss to coat.  If all cucumbers aren’t submerged in the liquid, press them down with a bowl or plate.   

STEP 4

Check for doneness by pulling back a small section from the thickest part of the fish. If there is any doubt, pull the fish out of the oven and cover with a piece of foil. It will continue to cook slightly under the foil.

Serve fish with cucumbers and enjoy!

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I cannot get enough of loaded tots. Loaded with pizza toppings seemed like a perfect new way to try out my favorite tots! What I had in the house was yellow bell pepper, pepperoni, cheese and pizza sauce. If I had black olives or green bell pepper, I might have gone with that instead. Or sausage. Or caramelized onions. You literally can’t go wrong with pizza toppings on anything and you can’t go wrong topping tots! It’s a win win.

Pizza Tots

1 package frozen tater tots

1/2 cup pizza sauce

8 oz shredded mozzarella

1/2 cup chopped pepperoni

1/2 cup chopped bell pepper

any other pizza toppings

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Pour tots in one layer on a baking sheet. Bake 15-20 minutes until crispy.

STEP 2

Top the tots with with pizza sauce first then add your toppings until they feel loaded. Make sure cheese is on top.

STEP 3

Bake the tots until the cheese is bubbly and slightly brown. Serve hot!

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It’s Labor Day week How are you celebrating the last long weekend of summer? School already started for our family but not for all of my children. One last child starts school after Labor Day so we’re living the weekend up with as many summer things as we can think of before our weekends are full of football games and kid activities. Assuming the weather holds up, we’ll probably even take the boat out! This sandwich is the perfect solution for the weekend. It’s great on a picnic (which is why I named it that) but also great on the boat, in the park, on a drive, at the beach or just something you can make in the morning and have done in the afternoon.

Enjoy your last week of summer! Let’s live it up.

Picnic Sandwiches

Serves 4

1 large loaf crusty bread

8 ounces fresh mozzarella

1 pound fresh sliced salami

1 large bunch basil leaves

1 jar roasted bell peppers in oil

1 large bunch arugula

1 cucumber, thinly sliced

2 cups green olives, roughly chopped

olive oil

salt and pepper

STEP 1

Slice the top off of the loaf of bread.  With a spoon, hollow out as much of the inside of the bread as is possible.  Brush the inside of the bread with olive oil

STEP 2

Layer each ingredient in a single layer on top of each other.  Continue stacking ingredients until the loaf of bread is full. 

STEP 3

Replace the top on the bread and press down with something heavy.  Let rest for at least 10 minutes.  Serve with potato chips.

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I’ve seen several versions of this over the summer but all of them are smothered in cheese. If you are not a cheese eater - or non dairy completely - then it feels tricky. While I’m sure a cheese version is delicious, it’s not an option for my house so I used the saltiness of anchovy paste to stand in for cheese and it worked fabulously. Seriously, the dairy eaters in my house didn’t even notice it was missing anything. In fact, my teenager declared it “the best pizza ever.” So there’s that…

While it’s basically a pizza, it’s the fancy bougie kind made with fresh tomatoes and fresh basil. And a crispy crust that seems impossible outside of Italy. I hope you love it!

Heirloom Tomato Tart

1 sheet puff pastry

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon anchovy paste

1 clove garlic, grated

2 large heirloom tomatoes, sliced

1 egg, beaten

pinch of salt

chopped fresh basil

STEP 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Roll out the puff pastry until about a third larger. Fold over the edge all the way around to create a ‘crust.’

STEP 2

Whisk together the oil, anchovy paste and garlic. Spread it evenly over the top of the pastry, avoiding the crust.

STEP 3

Layer the tomato slices over the olive oil so the center of the tart is filled. Sprinkle the top of the tomatoes with salt. Brush the crust with the beaten egg and pop in the oven.

STEP 4

Bake 15-20 minutes until the crust is browned and the tomatoes are bubbly. Let cool a few minutes before cutting and serve warm. Sprinkle the top with fresh cut basil.

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This time of year the zucchini starts showing up in gardens all over Seattle and we’re all looking for ways to use it up! This pasta feels fresh and cozy while highlighting the zucchini. This is best with the small zucchini fresh off the vine!

Also, use good quality prosciutto. When you only have a few ingredients it’s critical to use the best you can find!

Zucchini Pasta

With crispy prosciutto

Serves 4

3 oz prosciutto

1 medium zucchini, about 2 cups chopped

2 cloves garlic

¼ tsp red pepper flakes

4 cups penne

½ cup fresh ricotta

¼ cup chopped pine nuts

STEP 1

Cook prosciutto until crispy then remove from the pan.

Bring a pot of water to a boil.

STEP 2

Cook the pasta in the boiling water. Strain pasta reserving 1 cup starchy pasta water.

STEP 3

Cook zucchini, garlic, and red pepper flakes in the pan until slightly browned - about two minutes

STEP 4

Whisk in ½ cup starchy water and ricotta cheese.

STEP 5

Add cooked noodles to the pan and stir to coat with the sauce. Add more starchy water if needed.

STEP 6

Serve with crumbled prosciutto and pine nuts on top.

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We got to spend time in Korea when I was a kid. It was a lovely way to learn about other cultures and flavors at an early age. Korean flavors have been my favorite ever since. I love mixing Korean flavors into different places - a burger seemed like the perfect spot to start! I can’t wait to hear what you think!

Kim Chi Burger

Serves 4

1 ½ lb ground beef

4 eggs

2 tbs fresh grated ginger

4 tbs mayonnaise

2 tbs soy sauce

4 brioche buns

4 leaves romaine lettuce

1 ½ tbs gochuchang

2 cloves grated garlic

STEP 1

In a Ziploc bag, combine together beef, gochuchang, garlic, ginger, and soy sauce.  Mash around and let rest. 

STEP 2

Heat the barbecue or grill pan to medium high heat.  Form the meat into patties and pop on the grill.

STEP 3

Cook the burgers 5-7 minutes until done through.  Butter the buns and toast them alongside the burgers.

STEP 4

Fry each egg.  Let the burgers rest while the eggs cook.

STEP 5

Spread mayonnaise on toasted buns.  Top with burger patty, kim chi, lettuce and the fried egg.

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This is one my my top ten favorite dinners. We make this all the time in the summer - and you should too! A giant bowl of fresh mussels is one of the most amazing summer dinners.  Here in the Pacific Northwest we are so lucky to be surrounded by waters filled with delicious, plump mussels.  Grab a loaf of crusty bread, gather your family and enjoy a casual dinner together!

Beer Steamed Mussels

Serves 4

4 lb mussels, scrubbed and beards removed

2 8-ounce beers (light ones like Rainier)

2 strips bacon

½ onion, diced

½ cup basil, ripped

¼ cup chives, chopped

2 tbs butter

1 tsp sea salt

1 lemon, zested and juiced

1 tsp red pepper flakes

2 cloves garlic

STEP 1

In a large skillet, cook together bacon and onions until soft and bacon has rendered at least one tablespoon of fat.

STEP 2

Add butter, basil, chives, garlic, and red pepper flakes.  Stir to soften for about 1 minute

STEP 3

Pour in beer and mussels.  Cover with a tight fitting lid and let steam over medium heat until mussels have opened. 

STEP 4

Discard any mussels that haven’t opened and serve with crusty bread.

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Summer dinners are the best dinners - light and refreshing. I happen to think a homemade pizza with a little salad is a great summer dinner. This is especially simple if you skip making your own pizza dough and pick up one in the refridgerated case at the grocery store.

Fig & Prosciutto Pizza + arugula salad

Serves 4

For the pizza dough

1 package active dry yeast

1 tablespoon sugar

1 cup very warm water

2 ½ cups flour

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

½ cup Fig Jam

2-4 Figs

2 oz Prosciutto

4 oz Blue Cheese

4 cups Arugula

1 cup Blackberries

2 tbs Lemon juice

¼ cup Olive oil

2 tbs white wine vinegar

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 ounce Shreds of Parm

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine yeast, sugar, and water.  Let sit 10 minutes until foamy.  Stir flour and salt together and add yeast mixture and olive oil to dry ingredients.  Combine until smooth dough has formed.

STEP 2

Remove dough from bowl and divide in half. Roll into rounds and let rest for about 20 minutes.

STEP 3

Roll out pizza dough and spread a thin layer of fig jam.  Top with slices of prosciutto, sliced figs, and crumbled blue cheese.

STEP 4

Pop into the oven and cook 8-10 minutes until crust is crispy. 

STEP 5

In a jar or small bowl combine oil, white wine vinegar, lemon juice, and mustard.  Mix dressing well.  In a bowl, combine arugula and blackberries and toss with dressing.  Top with flakes of parmesan cheese.

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