running with tweezers

Running With Tweezers...version 2.0!

Running with Tweezers got a much needed facelift! I've been wanting to change up the look of the blog for a long time...but just haven't had the time to focus on getting it done. Thankfully, I have amazingly talented friends that are willing to help me out. A huge thanks to my friend Brandon who did a great job of being a mind-reader and computer savvy artsy guy. It wouldn't have happened without him.

We have lots of big announcements here at Running With Tweezers in the next couple of weeks - the makeover is only the beginning. Stay tuned!

Super Soup Challenge - The Rematch!

September was a tough month for me last year. I was going through a lot in my personal life...and as it usually does, this blog helped me muscle through it. I hosted the first annual Super Soup Challenge and I was blown away by the response. There were so many amazing entries...and stories behind the recipes. That event, in a time that was most trying for me, showed me that food (and blogging) can heal the soul and bring people together.

As a way of remembering my mom, celebrating a wild and wonderful year, and - well - getting new soup recipes...I am hosting The Second Annual Super Soup Challenge! It's happening a little earlier this year, which I hope will bring out some different types of recipes. It *is* still hot outside! Also, we have lots of  people stopping by this blog that weren't around last year and I encourage both old and new friends to join in.

Here are all of the details:

- Starting today, Wednesday August 22nd, post your favorite soup recipes. Soup is used very loosely here - stews, "stewps" (yes i said it - don't look at me like that), chowders - they all count.

- Please be creative - send me your hot soups...cold soups....whatever! Last time around we had some really interesting recipes...and I anticipate the same thing this go'round! You will be judged on originality, yummyness, and presentation (i *am* a food stylist, after all).

- Make your post before Monday, September 10th! Please send the following information to bloggingforsoup@gmail.com once you post your soup recipe: your name, your blog's name, the title of your recipe, your location, and the permalink to your post. I will post the roundup the week after the challenge ends. If you don't have a blog but post to your LiveJournal or Myspace, you too can participate!

- There is a prize at the end of this event. Two, actually. Since I was up at night fretting about who I should choose to win the challenge, I've decided to take some of the burden off of myself. I will choose one winner....and YOU will choose the other. Voting for the winner of the Super Soup Challenge will begin when I post the roundup - you'll email me and let me know which post was your favorite! Two winners will receive foodie-friendly prizes.

That's it! I will be posting my recipe for the challenge next week. In the meantime, get cooking!

The photo in this entry was taken by Tony Clark and styled by Tami Hardeman.

italian for beginners

First it was the copy of a cookbook I was sent that was all about Italy - food and otherwise. Then, it was the stack of Italian cookbooks on the shelf at the boy's house that I got lured into. After that, the theme of gnocchi for Hay Hay It's Donna Day. The next movie in my Netflix list was Italian for Beginners (which I still haven't watched). When I got the latest Food and Wine magazine in the mail and saw the Italian themed cover, I threw my hands up. I get the point - we're having an Italian food moment. It's everywhere.

Caponata is one of my favorite Italian dishes. While I have heard of people serving it warm as a side dish, I prefer the cold "antipasti" version. Making this gave me an excellent excuse to crack open Jamie's Italy by Jamie Oliver. I really love this cookbook for all sorts of reasons - Jamie's loose writing style, the beautiful first hand experience photos, and the rustic feel of the book. If you haven't checked it out yet, do so.

I used Jamie's recipe as a springboard for my caponata. While he likes his a little firmer, I appreciate digging into the stewed, comforting texture of it when it's been cooked a bit more. The seeds in the eggplant don't bother me so much since it sort of falls in line with the stewed texture - to each their own.  I also like mine after it sits for a day or two and the flavors really merge and mingle. Enjoy this on some toasted bread, with slices of prosciutto & a glass of wine, or as accompaniment to roasted meats.

Caponata - Serves 4 - recipe originally published in Jamie's Italy by Jamie Oliver and copied from this site

• olive oil
• 2 nice large purple eggplants, cut into large chunks
• 1 heaping teaspoon dried oregano
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small red onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely sliced
• a small bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked and stems finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons salted capers, rinsed, soaked,and drained
• a handful of green olives, pits removed
• 2—3 tablespoons best-quality herb vinegar
• 5 large ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
• optional: 2 tablespoons slivered almonds, lightly toasted                           

-		Get yourself a large pan, pour in a couple of glugs of olive oil, and place on the heat. Add your eggplant chunks and oregano, season with a little salt, and toss around so the eggplant is evenly coated by the oil. Cook on a high heat for around 4 or 5 minutes, giving the pan a shake every now and then. (Depending on the size of your pan you may need to cook the eggplant in batches.)
-		When the eggplants are nice and golden on each side, add the onion, garlic, and parsley stems and continue cooking for another couple of minutes. Feel free to add a little more oil to the pan if you feel it's getting too dry.
-		Throw in the drained capers and the olives and drizzle over the herb vinegar. When all the vinegar has evaporated, add the tomatoes and simmer for around 15 minutes or until tender.
-		Taste before serving and season if you need to with salt, pepper, and a little more vinegar. Drizzle with some good olive oil and serve sprinkled with the chopped parsley leaves and the almonds if you like.

Hay Hay It's Donna Day #14 - Knowing Gnocchi

It's too hot for gnocchi. Frankly, it's too hot to do much of anything besides sitting very still, eating an ice cream cone naked...

I digress.

Gnocchi is the theme for this edition of Hay Hay It's Donna Day, hosted by Cafe Lynnylu. I must admit I've been remiss in participating in the last few. Maybe I wasn't inspired by the theme...or maybe I just didn't have time to get inspired. When I heard about the gnocchi, I felt that stir to throw my hat in the ring.

The challenges for me with the theme of gnocchi are:

1) They are beige little unphotogenic lumps unless you use a colorful ingredient that might yield you, oh say, orange little unphotogenic lumps.

2) They are a legendary pain in the hiney.

3) Did I mention it's hot?

How in the world was I going to lighten up gnocchi so I wouldn't feel like I ate a mass of raw pasta dough...sitting around sweating and rubbing my stomach? I found two recipes on-line that helped me combine two of my favorite worlds: light-ish ricotta and goat cheese gnocchi and amazing summertime heirloom tomatoes. With the addition of some basil in the gnocchi and extra shavings of goat cheese on top, this quickly took on a wonderful Caprese-esque quality.

I have made gnocchi several times for work...but the recipes I've used in the past have seemed so labor intensive. This recipe, found on StarChefs.com, couldn't have been easier. I enlisted some help from my friend and usual Hay Hay It's Donna Hay suspect Tony Clark to document the gnocchi-making process. Some helpful hints that I found while making my gnocchi:

• Have your ricotta and goat cheese at room temperature. There is a lot of stirring involved in making your gnocchi dough so having the ingredients at room temp helps that process along.
• Use flour liberally. So you make a mess. Big deal. You are in the kitchen, right?
• Eyeball the size of the gnocchi when you cut them carefully. If you cut the pieces too big, you'll end up with The Gnocchi That Ate Atlanta (or whatever city you live in). They expand when you boil them, so use caution.

For the salad portion of the program, I was inspired by this recipe on NapaStyle by Michael Chiarello. I used yellow and orange heirloom tomatoes for the carpaccio base of the salad. Next, I made a simple vinaigrette which I tossed the heirloom tomatoes and the salad greens in. Don't fret about making the tomatoes uniform - leave some whole and cut them different sizes. With the addition of the warm gnocchi and some extra shavings of cheese on top - I used hard goat cheese rather than ricotta salata - this became a wonderful, simple, and light entree salad.

Warm Basil and Goat Cheese Gnocchi with Tomato Carpaccio and Heirloom Tomato Salad - serves 4

For The Gnocchi:

• 1 cup fresh ricotta cheese
• ½ cup goat cheese
• 1 egg
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• ¾ cup flour
• chopped basil, to taste (optional)

- Combine cheeses, egg, basil (if adding), salt and pepper in bowl. Add flour gradually, mixing by hand, until incorporated. Dough should be a bit sticky. Dust work surface with more flour and in small amounts, roll into long ropes, about ½ - inch in diameter. Cut into 1- inch lengths. Reserve on floured sheet tray. Bring 4 quarts salted water to boil. Lower heat. Add gnocchi. Gnocchi are cooked when floating. Scoop out of water with slotted spoon.

For the salad:

• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• Grey salt (or sea salt) and fresh ground black pepper
• 3-4 pounds vine-ripened tomatoes, preferably a colorful mixture and various sizes
• 4 handfuls washed & dried salad greens
• Goat Cheese & Basil Gnocchi from above
• 1/2 ounce ricotta salata or Parmesan cheese or any other hard cheese of your choice

- In a medium or large bowl, whisk together the EVOO, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Taste for balance and adjust to your liking. Using a mandoline or sharp chef's knife, slice the tomatoes as thinly as possible and arrange on the plate. Season with salt and pepper. Toss the smaller heirloom tomatoes and the salad greens in the vinaigrette and top the carpaccio with salad mixture.
- Bring water to a boil and cook gnocchi per the recipe. With a slotted spoon, remove gnocchi from water and drain well. Toss gnocchi in remaining vinaigrette and scatter on salad. Using a vegetable peeler, shave thin shavings of cheese over the salad. Serve immediately.

Thanks to my photo buddy and dining companion Tony Clark for the lovely photos and the good company.

bacon + salt = good times

How many times have you seen my love of bacon professed on this blog?

Anyone who knows me knows that I eat relatively healthy. I'm a salad and vegetable girl. In fact, my mostly vegetarian streak is still going strong (save for the vat of Bolognese I made last week). However, my kryptonite isn't chocolate or ice cream.

It's pig. Sausages. Prosciutto. B a c o n.

I was introduced a week or so ago to a product that, well, makes my heart flutter a little bit. I was a skeptic. I really was. Real tasting artificial bacon flavoring!? Yes. It's true. Let me introduce you to Bacon Salt.

Bacon flavored salt. Two great tastes that taste great together.

I ordered the three pack: Original, Peppered, and Hickory. I have tried the first two - the third flavor is going to the boy's recipe test kitchen. I'm hearing mumblings of using in a Bloody Mary...but I'll report back when I know more.

This is a wonderful way for those people with dietary restrictions to add bacon flavor to foods. If you're on a diet and can't justify the added fat and calories, this is for you. Veggies who love the taste but not the guilt will LOVE this. Are you Kosher? You need this, too. The taste is quite authentic...but be warned...this is SALT...so this product cuts out the need for both pig AND salt.

I tried my two flavors with stellar and realistic bacony results, which you'll see here in this post. Both are easily prepared, veggie friendly recipes that were enhanced with BaconSalt. If you do give it a try, let me know what you think!

You can find BaconSalt at www.baconsalt.com

Penne Pasta with Arugula, Mascarpone, and "Bacon" - serves 4

• 2 cups dried penne or tubular shaped pasta
• 4 cups loose baby arugula leaves, washed and dried
• 2 tablespoons mascarpone cheese, room temperature
• 2 tsp. dried red chili flakes
• BaconSalt to taste

- Boil pasta in large pot according to directions. Reserve 2 tablespoons of pasta water and add both back into large pot. On extremely low heat, add Mascarpone cheese and red chili flakes and mix thoroughly. When cheese melts to form sauce, add arugula and toss through until just wilted. Remove from heat and season with BaconSalt to taste. Serve immediately.

Pan Fried Kale with "Peppered Bacon" - serves 4 as side dish

• 4 cups Kale - washed, dried, and roughly chopped (bagged or prepared Kale or greens is perfect here)
• 2 tablespoons good quality extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 tsp dried red chili flakes
• Peppered BaconSalt to taste (for this amount I used 1 tablespoon)

- Heat large saute pan or heavy skillet on medium heat. Add dried kale to pan and allow to begin to wilt. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and keep cooking. When 3/4 of the way to desired doneness, add red chili flakes and BaconSalt. Continue to cook until desired tenderness. Make sure you scrape up the charred bits and the crispy parts - delicious and bacony!

life is messy

I've come back from my vacation seemingly well-equipped - mentally and physically - to handle the emotions and the stress that go along with difficult family situations. Next week - almost 11 months since her passing - I will be traveling to North Dakota for my mother's memorial service. I can't believe it's been a year already. It seems like both days and a lifetime. It's been weighing on my mind the past few days as I think of all of the things I need to get ready, think of things to say, think of the things not to say.

To say that I have been craving comfort food this week would be an understatement. My diet has been made up of cheese, low carb ice cream, and pasta. Making sauce is a time consuming and thoughtful process to me - perfect for a healthy session of mindless stirring. While I tend to err on the side of light, veggie based pastas...when I need the big guns in the cozy department, I love hearty sauces. This is the first time I've ever made Bolognese from scratch. While I haven't appreciated the homemade version in the past, I'm now a convert. This recipe uses four types of meats in it...and reduces down to a delicious, sloppy, flavorful sauce. Sometimes life - and food - gets messy.

Bolognese Sauce (Ragu Bolognese) - makes 6 1/2 cups or about 10 to 12 servings - recipe found here at foodnetwork.com

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 4 stalks celery, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, scraped and finely chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 pound ground veal
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1/4 pound pancetta, minced
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 (16-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand, with the juices
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 2 cups beef stock

-Salt and pepperIn a 6 to 8-quart, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and garlic and sweat over medium heat until vegetables are translucent.

- Add veal, pork, beef, and pancetta to the vegetables, brown over high heat, stirring to keep meat from sticking together for about 15 to 20 minutes.

- Add the milk and simmer until almost dry, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and simmer 15 minutes.

- Add the wine and beef stock, bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until flavors are developed. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and remove from the heat.