Olive oil plus

Pizza step two is short and sweet: herb olive oil. Martha suggested a rosemary-garlic olive oil, I substituted tarragon and thyme instead (too lazy/cheap to go out and buy rosemary when I had these lying around).

Heated on the saucepan for a few minutes, the result was YUM and smelled like perfection. I rubbed this over the pressed dough, which I then baked in the oven.

But we'll have to wait until tomorrow to see how the whole thing turned out! (Can you tell I just watched Harry Potter? I am in a suspenseful mood right now.)

Waste not, want not

I believe I have mentioned my obsession with dressing before. I am constantly on the look out for new dressing ideas, especially some low maintenance options that I can throw together and then use for a few days in the next week.

Today, I found a fantastic salad dressing idea that was both brilliant and resourceful: Martha's fabulous No Waste Dressing.

I had an almost-empty glass bottle of dijon mustard lying around, a product of my obsession with kosher salami sandwiches. The dressing recipe was as simple as chopping up a glove of garlic and placing this, along with balsamic and olive oil into the bottle with the remnants of the mustard.

The resulting dressing was surprisingly tasty. I plan on throwing together some quinoa in the next few days, and this will make a great topping for these salads. I'll post again with the results!

Recipe (from Martha Stewart):

Have a tiny bit of mustard left in the jar? Toss in a few ingredients, and shake a tangy Dijon vinaigrette right in the container. A crushed garlic clove, some chopped fresh herbs and minced shallot will add the right flavor. Pour in balsamic vinegar, season with salt and pepper, then close the lid and shake. Add olive oil; shake again to emulsify the dressing, and then drizzle over your favorite salad. With a tightly sealed lid, it will keep in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: No-Waste Dressing - Martha Stewart Crafts

Comfort pasta

Today seemed like the longest day of my life. Maybe it's because it's Monday or because when I left my apartment this morning, March 28th, aka almost April, it felt like 17 degrees. My Lilacism-colored nails are seriously a joke at this point - so much for getting a spring color.

Needless to say, after staring at a calendar for 8 hours and then dissecting a week-old formalin covered fetal pig's urinary system I was ready for something comforting. For me, that has always been pasta. I haven't made pasta in months, a testament to my attempt at keeping to my pre-diabetic diet. But today, it was time.

I chose Martha's Perfect Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce, the perfect, filling guilty pleasure for such a rough day. And it was easy.

I decided to add some eggplant to mix it up a little (emphasis on little), so I started by sauteing that with plenty of garlic and olive oil. After the eggplant was soft, I added in half a can of whole tomatoes and an overripe beefsteak tomato. I let the sauce simmer and the tomatoes soften.

I heated up water on the stove and started some pasta - I decided on penne instead of spaghetti. Once the pasta was ready, I strained it an combined with the sauce. Naturally, I added tons of Parmesan as well, the perfect condiment for the perfect comfort food.

I have to say that this day ended better than it started, with Sex and the City, a glass of Malbec and forkfulls of penne with tomato sauce. Fantastic.

Recipe (from http://www.marthastewart.com/317794/perfect-spaghetti-with-tomato-sauce):

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons plus 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 pounds baby pear tomatoes (or cherry or vine-ripened tomatoes), or one 28-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes
• 8 ounces thin, best-quality spaghetti
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, cut into 1/8-inch-thick pieces
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup fresh basil or parsley leaves, loosely packed and torn
• Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, optional

Directions

1. In a tall stockpot, bring 3 quarts of water and 2 tablespoons salt to a boil.
   
2. If using pear tomatoes, wash and stem. If using vine-ripened tomatoes, score bottoms with a small X; blanch 5 seconds in boiling water. Plunge tomatoes into an ice-water bath, then remove the skins. Using a chef's knife, cut flesh from cores, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips; place in a sieve set over a bowl. Press the cores of tomatoes through sieve; discard seeds. If using canned tomatoes, strain, and pass through a food mill.
   
3. Drop spaghetti into boiling water; stir. Cook until al dente, about 11 minutes, according to package instructions.
   
4. Place a 12-inch saute pan over medium heat; add oil. Add garlic to pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is lightly golden, about 30 seconds. Add red-pepper flakes and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook until garlic is medium golden, about 1 minute.
   
5. Increase heat to high. Tilting pan at an angle, add tomatoes. Cook, swirling pan occasionally, until tomatoes begin to break down, pear tomatoes begin to burst, or canned tomatoes begin to thicken, 5 to 6 minutes. If using pear tomatoes, mash a few with a spoon. If pear tomatoes start to get too dry, add a little water from the stockpot.
   
6. Drain pasta in a colander, reserving 1 cup liquid in case sauce gets too dry. Add pasta to sauce in saute pan; cook until sauce begins to cling to pasta, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in basil; cook 30 seconds more. Divide among bowls, and sprinkle with cheese, if desired.
   

Homemade hummus

On my endless quest to find healthy snacks, I knew it would soon be time to learn to make my own hummus. While it is relatively simple to find hummus in the local grocery store, I am never completely satisfied with the taste. That, the the mounting cost of buying premade items inspired my desire to embrace a DYI attitude when it comes to hummus.

As it turns out, making hummus is actually a no-brainer. I chose one of the many recipes for hummus on Martha's website, deciding to start with the basics: plain old Hummus Dip. In my brand new food processor, which has become a daily lifesaver, I combined a can of chickpeas, tahini, a clove of garlic, cumin, nutmeg and some water. For some extra flavor, I decided to add in some chives. This was particularly convenient because I have been looking for something to use them in.

After blending, I seasoned with a dash of salt. I served with whole wheat pita and baby carrots, a huge hit with the roommates and some friends that happened to be over.

The fact that I woke up this morning and all the hummus was gone speaks for its deliciousness. Someone in my apartment was late night eating last night....


Recipe (from Martha Stewart, http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/hummus-dip):

Ingredients

 Makes 1 3/4 cups

• 1 can (15 1/2 ounces) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 small garlic clove, roughly chopped
• Pinch of ground cumin
• Pinch of ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup tahini (sesame-seed paste)
• 1 tablespoon water, plus more as needed
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

Directions

1. Puree all ingredients in a food processor until smooth and creamy, adding more water as needed to reach the desired consistency. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Hummus Dip - Martha Stewart Recipes