shaved asparagus pizza...

yes please.  this pizza looks really good; I might swap pesto for the herbed cheese and use this recipe (always turns out perfectly!) for the pizza dough...yum.

cocoa rocks

This week has been a quite a week; the lesson that I have learned is to have a good attitude, you never know when things are going to get better.  I am loving the inspirational lists here.  I am in a smoothie mode, it is getting warm here already, and the shake below is one of my favorites.  Happy Friday!

I love cocoa, especially the good* stuff.  This shake can also be used as starting point for lots of variations:

Chocolate Shake

recipe for 1, can easily be adapted for more

1 ripe banana

handful of frozen blueberries

a few slices of frozen peach

small handful of raw cashews

1-2 T of good cocoa powder

 1 cup milk (1% or higher, or milk alternative)

Start with just enough milk to cover fruit, adding more if desired; shake should be thick.  Blend together, and enjoy in a tall glass with a straw.

*Callebaut has a really rich chocolate flavor and I can get it in bulk at Central Market for a great price.  If you can't find it, I also like Hersey's special extra dark.

hummus

I bought a new computer in January; I am very happy with my laptop overall, but I have been experiencing some driver issues.  This morning, I was finally able to import some long overdue pictures, including the ones below.

I love hummus; for this version, I added in a handful of toasted sesame seeds instead of traditional tahini.

Hummus recipe 

1 can chickpeas, rinsed thoroughly

1/4 c. sesame seed, dry roasted in a pan until slightly golden

salt, to taste

1 large clove of garlic, peeled

1/4 c. olive oil, drizzle to taste

2 T. water, if needed

Combine chickpeas, sesame seeds, and garlic in food processor (or blender), and pulse.  Add in salt to taste, depending on the saltiness of your chickpeas.  Drizzle in the olive oil until desired consistency is reached.  Add in a bit of water if a thinner hummus is desired.  A squeeze of lemon juice would be great, also.  Drizzle with additional olive oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds, if desired, to serve.

yum.



I roasted a whole chicken last night:

I am a pretty good cook when it comes to vegetarian fare, seafood, grains, and desserts.

I am not, however, well-versed in big hunks of meat or whole poultry birds.

But, whole chickens were really inexpensive at Central Market on Sunday, so I bought one.

I was actually kind of nervous; I bought a roaster pan and used this equation to roast my feathered friend:

15 minutes at 425
15 minutes at 350
45 minutes + 7 minutes for each pound (I did 70 minutes for a 3.75 lb bird and it turned out perfectly)

I rinsed the bird under hot water and dried it really well with paper towels.  I placed it on the rack and sprinkled a generous amount of salt and pepper all over the top.  I had an extra, really large shallot, so I cut it in half and stuck it inside.  Then I tucked the legs and wings under the body.  I did not baste the bird at all because there was not much juice, and my chicken still came out golden brown with a crispy skin.  I also did not add any fat on the skin.

Give yourself a lot of time; but I really suggest roasting a chicken; you will be so proud of yourself!