Pasta Primavera

From's America's Next Test Kitchen
Serves 4

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, chopped fine
8 ounces white mushrooms, quartered
Table salt and ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup heavy cream
12 ounces egg-enriched dried fettuccine (usually sold in 12 oz. boxes)
1 pound asparagus, tough ends snapped off, spears cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces
1 medium zucchini cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves

Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot for cooking pasta. Meanwhile, melt butter in large skillet over medium heat until foaming. Add onion, mushrooms, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook until soft and browned, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes and cream, increase heat to high, bring to boil, and remove pan from heat.

While sauce cooks, add 2 tablespoons salt and pasta to boiling water and cook until just beginning to soften, about 6 minutes. Add asparagus to pot and cook for 1 minute. Add zucchini and cook for 2 minutes. Add peas and cook until pasta is al dente, about 1 minute.

Drain pasta and vegetables and return to pot. Toss in cream sauce, cheese, lemon juice, and basil and season with salt and pepper. Serve, passing extra cheese at table.

Fresh Tomato Sauce with Mint, Feta, and Spinach

From Cook's Illustrated
One tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves can be substituted for the mint. If your tomatoes are tart, you may need to add up to 1/2 teaspoon sugar.

INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
3 pounds ripe round tomatoes , cored, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 3 3/4 cups)
1 (5-ounce) bag baby spinach (about 8 cups)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Granulated sugar
4 ounces crumbled feta cheese (about 1 cup)

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil and garlic in 10-inch skillet over medium heat until garlic is fragrant but not browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes; increase heat to medium-high and cook until tomato pieces lose their shape to form chunky sauce, about 10 minutes, adding spinach (pan will be quite full) and covering skillet after 8 minutes of cooking.

2. Stir wilted spinach into sauce to combine. Stir in mint, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and sugar to taste. Toss sauce and remaining tablespoon oil with pasta and serve, sprinkling feta over individual bowls

Grilled Chicken Breasts with Grilled Corn and Tomato Salad

From America's Test Kitchen
Serves 4

2 ears of corn, husks and silk removed
2 teaspoons olive oil plus 1/4 cup additional
Table salt and ground black pepper
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
4 boneless chicken breasts (about 5 ounces each and 1/2 inch thick), trimmed
1 ripe beef steak tomato, diced
Table salt and ground black pepper

Wrap corn in microwave-safe plastic wrap and microwave on high power until slightly softened, about 3 minutes, turning corn over halfway through cooking. Cool slightly and remove plastic wrap. Brush with 2 teaspoons oil and season with salt and pepper.

Whisk lemon juice, garlic, basil, and remaining 1/4 cup oil together in small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Transfer 2 tablespoons dressing to medium bowl and whisk in mustard and honey. Pat chicken dry, season with salt and pepper, and toss in honey-mustard mixture to coat.
Grill corn and chicken over hot fire. Grill chicken until cooked through, about 3 minutes per side, transfer to platter, and cover with foil. Grill corn until soft and lightly charred, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from grill, cool slightly, and cut kernels from cob. Combine corn, tomato, and remaining dressing (without honey and mustard) in medium bowl and season with salt and pepper. Serve corn salad with chicken.

Chopped Vegetable Salad with Watermelon and Feta

Bon Appetit
Makes 4 servings

1 pound Campari or plum tomatoes, diced, drained
1 1/2 cups diced seeded watermelon
1 large green bell pepper, seeded, cut into 1/3-inch cubes
1/2 large English hothouse cucumber, seeded, cut into 1/3-inch cubes
1/2 cup very thinly sliced radishes
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
10 ounces feta cheese, broken into small cubes (about 2 1/2 cups), divided
2 green onions, chopped, divided
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh mint leaves, divided
1/2 cup plain Greek-style yogurt
1 teaspoon dried oregano

Toss first 5 ingredients and 2 tablespoons oil in large bowl. Add half each of cheese, green onions, and mint. Mix remaining cheese, green onions, mint, and oil in processor; add yogurt and oregano. Process just to blend (do not over-mix or dressing will get thin). Season dressing with salt and pepper; mix into salad.

French Toast Crostini with Honey Creme Fraiche

From Food Network

4 eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream or whole milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 to 5 tablespoons butter
1 French baguette, sliced 1/4-inch thick on the bias
Honey Creme Fraiche, recipe follows
1/2 cup lavender honey, for garnish
1 cup toasted sliced almonds, garnish

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, vanilla, salt and cinnamon until well blended.

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Remember, butter burns very quickly. Dip each side of the bread in the egg mixture and gently shake off excess egg batter. Do not over soak the bread, or it will be soggy. When the butter begins to foam, add the egg-soaked bread to the pan. Cook over medium-high heat. Peek under the edges of the bread with a spatula and flip when the toast is golden brown. Repeat. Keep warm between 2 plates on the stove top or in a 150 to 200 degree F oven.

Garnish the top of each slice of French toast with 1 to 2 tablespoons of Honey Creme Fraiche, drizzle with lavender honey and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of toasted almonds. Repeat the process with the remaining slices of bread.

Honey Creme Fraiche:
2 cups creme fraiche
1/2 cup freshly whipped heavy cream
1/2 cup lavender honey
1 pinch kosher salt

In a medium bowl combine all of the ingredients and whisk well.

Bacon Wrapped Potatoes with Honey Scallion Sauce

from the food network

2 large Idaho potatoes
Canola oil, for frying (about 2 cups)
8 slices applewood smoked bacon, cut in 1/2 vertically
16 toothpicks
1/4 cup softened butter
1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped scallions
1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley leaves

1. Cut each potato into 8 wedges and parboil until fork tender.

2. In a preheated large saute pan, heat oil on medium-high heat. Wrap each potato wedge with 1 strip of bacon and secure with 1 toothpick on each end. Pan-fry in oil until bacon and potato are golden brown, approximately 8 to 10 minutes, turning frequently with tongs to brown all sides evenly. Remove and drain on paper towels.

3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix butter, honey, black pepper, scallions and parsley. Stir with a spoon until fully mixed.

4. Toss potatoes in the glaze. Remove toothpicks and serve.

Lemon Cupcakes with Fresh Strawberry Centers

Juice of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 lemon
1 1/2 cup of flour
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup buttermilk
7 TBS butter, at room temperature
2 eggs at room temperature
12 small to medium strawberries, tops removed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pan with 12 liners. In a large bowl, cream the butter, zest and sugar. Add the lemon juice and eggs. Beat to combine. The mixture may look a little curdled but that's okay. Mix in the buttermilk. Continue to mix and slowly add in the flour. Beat the batter an additional 2 minutes, until batter is light and fluffy. Pour an even amount into each cupcake well, until each is about 3/4 full. Place a whole strawberry, point side down, in the middle of each cupcake. Bake 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cupcake, but outside of the strawberry, comes out clean. Cool in pan briefly. Then remove from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack. Frost.

I made a cream cheese icing with 8 ounces of cream cheese, 1 lb. confectioner's sugar and 4 TBS lemon juice.

From Coconut and Lime. Linked to exact recipe in 1st post.