Bird's Nest Bites

A Cook & Garden, Together In The Pacific Northwest

Chicken Alfredo with Mushrooms and Braised Leeks

 

When I’m in the mood for comfort food (which I am now), I feel the need to have something creamy, which is often followed by the desire to have roast chicken.  Except, of course, when I must have mac and cheese, but we will save that for a future post.  This is one of my favorite ‘go to’ comfort food supers, and fits the comfort food bill to a T.  The chicken is briefly browned in a skillet, and then laid down on a bed of braised leeks.  And now I have a confession to make:  I usually don’t buy prepared foods at the supermarket, just because I am a food geek and prefer to make my own.  Most of the time, I think homemade always tastes better than store bought.  Also, I’m a cheap skate and can usually make things myself for less money.  In this recipe I make an exception by using jarred Garlic Alfredo Sauce to pour over the chicken.  The reason is simply because I cannot for the life of me make an Alfredo Sauce that will not break or separate during the roasting process – no how, no way.  This stuff is both delicious and miraculous, and I can understand every ingredient on the label except one, which works for me. I buy Bertolli’s, but use whatever favorite you might have.  After a healthy pouring over of Alfredo Sauce, mushroom are sautéed and added right before roasting, along with a nice handful of fresh thyme.  The end result is hearty, creamy, and lick the plate delicious. Sound interesting, keep reading to see the recipe!

…

Read More

Pumpkin Pie Bars with Gingersnap Crust and Cinnamon Streusel Topping

Love Fall.  Love pumpkin. Not that crazy about pumpkin pie. No matter how hard I try, my pumpkin pie is usually a disappointment.  In fact, after nearly 35 years of fruitless attempts I have only received one compliment from Neeners.  It was several years ago on Thanksgiving Day, and time for dessert.  Neeners very reluctantly took a piece, tasted it, and said “Good pie this year…..Finally”.  Since I didn’t bother to write down the recipe I made up that day, replicating it is an impossibility.  So we will punt – how about some Pumpkin Streusel Bars?  Gingersnap cookie crust, rich and creamy pumpkin pie filling, and a buttery streusel topping with just a touch of cinnamon.  This recipe makes nearly the equivalent of two pumpkin pies, so feeding a crowd is a cinch. Perfect for a tailgate, potluck, or Thanksgiving dinner.

…

Read More

Potato, Corn & Roasted Poblano Soup with Poblano Drizzle

 

Like many, I was reluctant to admit that Fall was approaching, and fast. But when I tasted this particular soup at a restaurant near Hailey, Idaho a few weeks ago, I welcomed Fall with open arms.  I have taken it upon myself to attempt to recreate what I was able to steal from my husband that night (a precious few bites since he liked it as much as I did) and think this is pretty close.  Rich and creamy, and filled with potatoes and corn, then with the added deep and slightly spicy hit of roasted Poblano chilis.  I added an additional twist and made a sauce with more roasted Poblanos, balsamic vinegar, garlic and oil and generously drizzled it all over the top.  Here is most definitely a soup that you can make your own:  Want more potatoes?  Go for it. More corn? Add to your hearts content. More chilis?  I’m not stopping you.  From here on out, it’s all about you and what you like best.  I will admit being happy with a little trick in the recipe that allows you a rich and creamy texture with absolutely no cream required. Keep on reading for the recipe and see for yourself!

…

Read More

Heirloom Tomato Caprese Salad with Marinated Fresh Mozzarella

Caprese salads are simple by definition, and usually only consist of tomatoes, basil, fresh mozzarella cheese and olive oil. But here’s the thing… fresh mozzarella, in spite of all of its many virtues, can be a bit of a yawner in the flavor department. In this recipe, the fresh mozzarella is given a little more personality by marinating it in olive oil, garlic, lemon zest and tons of herbs. I think you will find this to be a game changer in all things Caprese. The only thing missing here is a loaf of artisan bread and a bottle of wine…….

Read More

Nutty Milk Chocolate and Hazelnut Bars

 

It all started because I needed to come up with something fast for our first football tailgate gathering of the year.  Hmmm…thoughts circled around a bar cookie of sorts, but it had to be something I could tuck into a Ziplock bag for munching on during the game (you know, if it went on FOREVER).  I saw a recipe for Pecan Bars…close, but not exactly hitting the spot. Hey, wait a second!  Let’s capitalize on what’s right in our own back yard.  Did you know that Oregon is the largest producer of hazelnuts in the world?  All the more reason to give them a spin.  And so, the Milk Chocolate Hazelnut Bar was born.

A thin and rich crust that will remind you a little of shortbread.  But the star of this show is the hazelnuts, and there are a ton of them.  First lightly oiled, salted, and roasted, and then roughly chopped and stirred into a magical combination of, among other things, brown sugar and milk chocolate.  This will blow your mind and I’m not kidding.  To make it even easier, all of this can be made in one bowl.  No mixer.  No food processor.  Just you, a bowl and a spoon.  Have at it.

…

Read More

Peach & Nectarine Crisp

 

Have you ever heard the term ‘Necessity is the mother of invention’?  Well, my mother, Neeners, very cleverly created a situation where it was necessary to invent something to take care of the flat of peaches she could not resist buying.  “My God, those things were beautiful…so I had to buy the whole flat and now I want you to take some – NOT ALL – and do something creative”.    So…there I was with a few big, and yes beautiful peaches, but not enough for her favorite peach crisp.  What to do? So being the non-genius that I am, I looked around the kitchen.  There, staring me right in the face, was a bowl of nectarines that I just had to have. (I guess the nut doesn’t fall too far from the tree). The result is this Peach & Nectarine Crisp. Sweet, but not too sweet, with just a hint of tartness from the nectarines, plus just the faintest whisper of cinnamon.

 The perfect crisp is in the eye of the beholder.  Some absolutely must have oatmeal in their crisps, while others insist on nuts.  I prefer neither, but go after that rich, buttery and slightly crispy crust with fruit juices oozing through around the edges. Nirvana.  If you prefer oats in your version, go ahead and replace half of the flour with them.  All of you nut fans out there – add a cup chopped nuts to the topping mixture. What the heck?  Do both if you like.  After all, this is now your recipe….

 I ended up splitting the recipe, so Neeners could have half and we could have the rest.  I awaited her call…” Hello, this is your mother speaking.  I am looking at a big bowl of your Crisp, but I am not eating it yet.  I put a generous scoop of ice cream on top and am waiting until it melts to perfection on the top before I dive in.  I will give you my review tomorrow. Goodbye”.  I await her review, but in the meantime, keep reading to check out the recipe for yourself…

…

Read More

Salmon with Blackberry, Ginger & Lime Sauce with Dill Garlic Butter

 

It is often said that ingredients from the same region naturally go well together.  Such is definitely the case with salmon and blackberries.  In this recipe, we season fresh salmon filets with salt and white pepper, then drizzle with olive oil and either grill or oven roast.  When ready to serve, we drizzle with a rich and savory blackberry sauce that has been infused with fresh lime and ginger, and add a nice scoop of Garlic Dill Compound Butter….just think about that melting all over the salmon OH MY!   Grab a napkin!!

…

Read More

Slow Cooker Red & Yellow Tomato Sauce

FINALLY!!!  Our tomato harvest is in full swing, bushes are loaded, and they are demanding attention.  If you are in the same boat as I am, here is an answer to your dilemma.   I have canned tomatoes for nearly forty years, and was desperate to find an easier, less messy and time consuming way to deal with them.  Enter our two ingredient, slow cooker tomato sauce – truly the easiest and most delicious tomato sauce I’ve ever eaten.  Throw it  into a crockpot, and after it’s cooked down by half,  blend the living daylights out of it, and freeze.  No seeding, no peeling – just pure tomato.

As much as it pains me to say this…and it does, I may owe the success of our tomato harvest to my mother, Neeners.  I finally succumbed to her constant nagging to “Cut those tomato bushes back – they need the sun!!”  When I mentioned to her that I had recently read an article in Mother Earth News that said just the opposite, you may imagine the response I received.  “To Hell with Mother Earth.  I AM MOTHER EARTH!!!  Listen to me!!”  I noted that Mother Earth was not a person, but a magazine.  She snorted “Then I am going to send her a letter and tell her how messed up she is and she is no kind of Mother Earth in my book.”  At that point I gave up on the whole entire business, handed her some clippers, and told her to snip to her hearts content.

…

Read More

Zucchini Quiche with Parmesan Panko Crust & Herb Garden Pesto

Quiche is kind of a lost recipe, and I’m not sure exactly why that is.  For sure, it’s a rich indulgence you probably won’t want to eat every day, but there are times when it’s a perfect remedy to right what is wrong in our worlds.  Here’s my attempt to make it summery, and to lighten it up quite a bit.  You will notice the standard piecrust that is traditional in these matters is missing – its just not my thing and makes me feel like too big of a food sinner if I eat it.  In its place is a fairly thin, savory bottom crust made of grated Parmesan cheese and panko breadcrumbs.  The inside is creamy with farm fresh eggs, half&half, and more herbs than you can shake a stick at.  There is also a treasure trove of roasted zucchini and sautéed peppers and green onions. I’ve thrown in enough Jarlsberg and Mozzarella cheese to add that gooey element that is necessary in these matters. Finally, there’s an herb garden pesto you can drizzle on right before you dive in that give just the right amount of fresh, lemony kick to make every element sing at the top of its lungs together. I’m diggin’ it. 

…

Read More

Zucchini & Lemon Bread with Lemon Sugar Top

 

I recently read that Zucchini Bread was the most frequently made and the most ‘gifted’ away bread of any other variety….it is also the one most likely to be thrown out by the recipient of said ‘gift’.  This is likely due to the fact that zucchini all by itself is seriously lacking in the flavor department.  Zucchini can also contain a whole lot of moisture, and if we don’t address that issue our bread ends up looking, and tasting like a flavorless hunk of sea sponge. I know this from first hand experience while creating this recipe, which was not a good one.  The only person who would eat that first attempt was my mother, who said “Hey, you can’t be Martha Stewart every day – get over yourself”. That comment was enough to get me back to the drawing board, and the result is this Zucchini Lemon Bread is bursting with fresh, citrusy flavor. We squeeze the living daylights out of the grated zucchini, which goes a long way to eliminate that spongy element of my prior attempts, and then top the whole thing off with a generous crackling crust of lemon sugar.  It’s fun to make, it’s easy, and I guarantee nobody will be secretly tossing this out if you can make yourself give it away.

…

Read More