Pop to It!: Buffalo-Parmesan popcorn

by Caitlin Saniga

Buffalo sauce is my new favorite. (How have I waited so long to become hooked?) The sauce recipe I include here tastes very authentic. I recommend using Frank’s Red Hot, if you can find it, and not another type of hot sauce, as the flavor is distinct. If you’d like to add an extra kick to the sauce, add 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper.

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Roasted delicata squash boats with mushrooms, kale and Parmesan

by Caitlin Saniga

I got out all of the eating utensils, not sure how to go about digging into this squash. The rind is edible, so I tried cutting it into brimming half-moons with a serrated knife. Joel used a large spoon to scrape out the whole squash and eat it combined with the filling. No matter how you do it, it’ll be delicious! The flavors reminded me of Thanksgiving.

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Pasta with mushrooms and bacon

by Caitlin Saniga

This is my idea of a hearty winter dish. Mushrooms, bacon, sauteed yellow onions and Parmesan cheese all rank high on my list of favorite comfort food ingredients.

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Chickpea, lima bean and zucchini salad

by Caitlin Saniga

I served this hearty and fresh bean salad over arugula for lunch. Delicious!

• 1 cup frozen lima beans, blanched
• 1 cup drained canned chickpeas, rinsed
• 1 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 1/2 small red onion, halved and thinly chopped
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil, plus small sprigs for garnish
• 4 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/8 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
• Coarse salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl, combine the lima beans, chickpeas, zucchini, onion, romaine, Parmesan, and chopped basil.In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, oil, red-pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Pour the dressing over the salad, and toss to combine. Garnish with basil sprigs.

Serve immediately, or store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Makes 4 servings.

Recipe adapted from: MarthaStewart.com.

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Meatless Monday: Tortellini with broccoli, peppers and corn

by Caitlin Saniga

This is a super simple pasta recipe, that can change with the seasons. The original recipe included just red peppers and eggplant, which would be a great warm dinner to serve in the fall. I imagine squash, peas, spinach and cauliflower would make nice additions to this dish, depending on the season. Have fun with this one!

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups broccoli florets (from 2 heads of broccoli)
• 8 mini bell peppers, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 pound fresh spinach tortellini
• 1 ear of corn, shucked
• 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan

More chz, plz.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the broccoli, peppers, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables begin to soften, 6 to 8 minutes.

In the meantime, bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the corn, and cook for 3 minutes, or until kernels pop readily when pricked with a fork.

Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring for 1 minute.

Add the broth, water and tortellini. Cover and simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Add the corn, and continue to cook 2-4 minutes, or until the tortellini are cooked through and most of the broth is absorbed.

Fold in the parsley and 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese. Divide the pasta between 4 bowls and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

Makes 4 servings.

Recipe adapted from: Real Simple

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Meatless Monday: Arugula and radicchio salad with Parmesan shavings

by Caitlin Saniga

Radicchio can have a sharply bitter flavor, but paired with the rest of these ingredients — the salty Parmesan, peppery arugula and sweet balsamic vinaigrette — the red leafy vegetable really shines.

• 5 ounces fresh arugula (4 1/2 cups), stems removed
• 2 ounces radicchio, halved crosswise and cut into this strips (3/4 cup)
• 4 ounces Parmesan cheese, shaved with a vegetable peeler (1/4 cup) … or more
• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

This salad would go nicely with a clementine or pear on the side for a light, detoxifying lunch.

Put the arugula, radicchio and Parmesan cheese in a serving bowl, and set aside.

Whisk the vinegar with salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl. Whisking constantly, pour in the oil in a slow, steady stream, and whisk until emulsified. Toss the salad with the vinaigrette. Serve immediately (or reserve the dressing separately, and toss with salad later).

Makes 2 lunch-size servings.

Recipe adapted from: The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook – The New Classics

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Merry and Bites: Onion-Parmesan puffs

by Caitlin Saniga

The last time I was at my grandparents' house, my grandpa asked my grandma, "Trisha, when's the last time you made Gus puffs?" which basically means he's crazy for these things. P.S. Grandma calls these Gus puffs.

• 1 ounce Parmesan, grated, plus more for topping
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 3/4 cup minced onions
• 6-7 slices soft bread (I used a soft wheat, but white or Italian would work wonderfully.)
• 2-3 chives, snipped into 1-inch segments

These crispy little puffs can be ready in no time! The most time-consuming part is cutting out the circles.

In a small bowl, mix the Parmesan, mayonnaise and onions.

Use a small glass to punch out circles of bread (avoid the crust!). Put the circles on a baking sheet.

Turn the broiler on low, and position an oven rack about 8 inches from the broiler.

Place the bread under the broiler, and toast until it turns golden-brown, 2-3 minutes. Remove the bread from the oven. Spread a heaping teaspoonful of the onion mixture on the untoasted side of a piece of bread. Repeat until all of the bread is topped with the mixture. Sprinkle a pinch of Parmesan cheese over the topping. Return the baking sheet of bread to the oven, and cook until the onion mixture puffs up and turns golden brown, 6-8 minutes.

Remove puffs from the oven and top with a few chives.

Serve warm.

Makes dozens. (Depends on the size of the bread slices and the size of the glass you use. My 1 1/2-inch glass with 6 slices of Pepperidge Farm wheat bread made 36.)

Recipe: Patricia Janis, my grandma

*Throughout December, “Merry and Bites” will feature finger foods with seasonal flair. All of them can be found here. Happy holidays!

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