Out of the blue the other day, I got a craving for Falafels. I haven’t had one in years, but I suddenly had a craving for them. I really like Falafels, but it’s not something that comes to mind often, unless I bump into someone selling them, and, here in the middle of Wisconsin, that doesn’t happen too often. I guess I am too much of a carnivore. I need to start rethinking this whole ultimate carnivore thing a little bit. I really need to start eating a little healthier a little more regularly. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll never give up the “good stuff.” Let’s face it, I like steak, bacon, burgers, pepperoni, and sausage way too much to ever give all that stuff up, but at age 40, and considerably overweight, maybe I should think about adding some healthier stuff to my diet.

Don’t worry, I’m not about to turn this into a health food blog, but I imagine you will start seeing a few more healthy options added to the mix. But there will always be room for bacon and butter in my blogs. I have friends who have given up all the “good” foods for the sake of health and they are miserable. I don’t understand the thought process of giving up all the things that you love just to add a few more years on to your life so that you can spend those years avoiding the things that you love. On the other hand, I know many vegetarians that are very happy with the diet and lifestyle they have chosen. More power to them, but I’m not one of them, though if I can find more foods like Falafels, I would be happy eating vegetarian more often. In fact, this past Friday, as I went to bed I realized that I had gone through the whole day meatless. To many of you that may not be a big deal, but to me, I was amazed that I had gone the whole day without eating an ounce of meat. Lunch was vegetarian lasagna and dinner was Falafels. What amazed me wasn’t so much that I went the whole day without eating meat as much as I was amazed that at no point during that day did I crave meat. Yes, sad, I know. Man, I got to change my diet!!!

Falafels

1 cup chickpeas (garbanzo beans), dried,not canned
1/2 onion, small, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 1/2 tsp. cumin, ground
1/2 tsp. coriander, ground
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 cup cilantro, leaves only, no stem
salt
pepper
vegetable oil for frying (the deviant in me says use lard, but I will try to refrain )

Soak the chick peas in 2-3 cups of water for 12 hours. Place in a food processor pulse until the chickpeas are roughly chopped. Add the onion, garlic and spices. Process until everything is incorporated. Add the cilantro and continue to process until mixture turns greenish, is finely ground, and holds together when formed into a ball.

Season with salt and pepper. Allow to rest for 30 minutes. Meanwhile heat 2 inches of lard….I mean vegetable oil to 350°F, in large pot. Divide the mixture into 15 balls. They will be about the size of a walunt. Once formed into balls, flatten slightly. Add 4-6 balls to the oil and fry until dark brown on the outside and cooked all the way through.

They should take about 5-7 minutes to cook through. Drain on paper towel, and season with salt while still hot. Allow to cool just briefly. Meanwhile stuff a pita pocket with lettuce, diced tomato, and chopped cucumber (optional), place 3 Falafels on top and drizzle with Tahini Sauce (recipe) below.

Tahini Sauce

1/2 cup tahini paste
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1/2 lemon, juiced
water
salt

Combine the tahini paste, garlic and lemon juice. Stir well then add enough water to thin out into a thin sauce. Season with salt.

It’s getting close to midnight and although I sat down at the computer about 2 hours ago I’ve now started to type up this post. Instead of writing I got sucked into yet another bunch of political debates….okay, arguments. Without getting into politics here on my blog, let me just say that some people really piss me off. Our country has become so divided between the right and the left, the liberals and the conservatives, I sometimes wonder if we haven’t passed the point of no return. Of course, each side blames the other for spreading the hate and fear mongering, but both sides engage in this type of rhetoric and discourse. I have my political leanings but even those I support are part of the problem. Sometimes I wonder if it wouldn’t be better to vote them all out of office and start all over again.

But enough of my ranting. You haven’t come to a food blog to read about politics, but don’t worry, the recipe I have today is worth wading through that short sidebar. Once again, I turn my sites to the humble hog for inspiration, because, come on, what’s not to love about pig! Pork is such a flavorful and versatile product. Virtually every last bit of the pig can be used, literally from snout to tail and from the tops of the ears down to the hooves. And the pig has given us one of mankind’s greatest gifts – bacon!!!! What’s not to love about bacon; crispy meat, rich, juicy fat and a deep sweet smokiness. I truly feel for those people whose religion forbids them from not ever knowing the joys of bacon. But I digress, again. I blame it on the late hour and too much cyber debating.

Moving on. This recipe calls for pork chops. It doesn’t matter which type of chop you choose, but choose chops with the bone in. All chops come from the loin section, a part of the pig that lies along the middle of it’s back. This location doesn’t get used much by the pig, compared to other muscles so the whole loin is pretty tender and moist. My personal favorite for chops is a rib chop, which contains a large round eye of meat surrounded by fat on three sides and a rib bone on the other. But you may use whichever chop you like best or better yet, whichever type is on sale.

Coriander Crusted Pork Chops with Lime Glaze

4 pork chops, thick cut (about 6-10 oz each)
salt
pepper
coriander seed, whole

1/2 cup Lime Marmalade**
1 tsp. cider vinegar
1 tsp. honey
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. chili powder

Grind the coriander in a spice mill or mortar and pestle until coarsely ground, leaving some larger pieces in the mix. Season the chops with salt and pepper and generously season with the ground coriander.

Allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before grilling. Meanwhile combine the marmalade, vinegar, honey, cayenne and chili powder and stir to combine. Preheat your grill. Clean and oil the grates and place chops over high heat. Cook for about 6 minutes.

Flip and cook another 6 minutes. Remove to a cooler part of the grill. Brush 1 side with glaze, cover grill and cook for 3 minutes. Flip, brush other side with glaze and cook 3 minutes making sure the bottom isn’t burning. Continue this until all the glaze has been used up and the pork chops are cooked through, about 150°F. Watch the chops carefully as the glaze will burn if the heat is too high. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

**Note: Use the provided link to make your own lime marmalade or you can substitute any other marmalade for the lime marmalade. Any citrus flavor would compliment the other flavors in the recipe well.

This past weekend I took the daughter to Indiana to see my parents. This gave my folks a chance to see their granddaughter, but more importantly, it gave my wife a much needed weekend without the kid. Our daughter is almost 3 1/2 years old and my wife has not had more than a 24 hour break from her. It was about time. I could see it in her eyes. She was way overdue for a weekend alone. So I packed up the car and the kid and I road tripped to Indiana.

Like most grandparents, my parents had plenty of activities planned for the weekend. To my delight, one of them was “Sugar Camp Days” at Bendix Woods County Park. Sugar Camp Days is a weekend affair, where the public can see the maple syrup making process from beginning to end. I grew up in Vermont and my family had many friends who supplemented their income by sugaring, so for me it was a chance to reminisce about those days and a chance to introduce my daughter to the whole concept.

Of course what was presented was a disneyesque version of the process but I found it very enjoyable and there was a lot of information presented so that someone unfamiliar with the making of maple syrup, would understand where their syrup comes from and just why it is so expensive. My daughter, being 3 years old, couldn’t have cared less about the whole thing, and only found joy in playing on the playground, at the park, but my parents and I had a very enjoyable morning, watching the sugaring process and trying some of the maple products being sold.

The highlight of the day though, at least for me was watching them make Maple Kettle Corn over an open fire. I love kettle corn as it is, and the idea of adding maple had never crossed my mind, but sounded wonderful. Of course it tasted fantastic; sweet with just a hint of maple, offset by a subtle saltiness and a slight smokiness, coming from the fact that it was being cooked over an open fire.

Maple Kettle Corn
This recipe is an adaptation of the recipe they use at Bendix Woods as theirs makes quite a large amount. Doing this on the stove top, you lose that wonderful smokiness that comes from cooking over an open fire, but it is still a great treat!

1/4 cup popcorn, uncooked
2 tsp. vegetable oil
1 Tbsp. sugar, granulated
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
salt

Heat a stove top popcorn popper over medium high heat. Add oil, allow to heat for 30 seconds then add the popcorn, sugar and maple syrup. Cover with lid and stir constantly so that sugar doesn’t burn. Cook until all sounds of popping stop and immediately remove from heat to keep from burning. Pour into a large bowl and season with salt. Allow to cool a couple of minutes before eating so as to not burn yourself.

With all the hype, in recent years, about artisan breads, sourdoughs, and preferments, you might get the idea that baking regular, old white has become a dying art. But if you look a little deeper at many baking sites you’ll see that the standard loaf of white bread still reigns supreme when it comes to home baking. With all the knowledge out there, why does this humble loaf still get so much attention, while at the same time often being maligned? The answer is pretty simple; it’s convenient and pretty easy. Many recipes call for standard all purpose flour, so there is no running to the store to buy bread flour as you probably already have all purpose flour on hand. Secondly, there is the time factor. Most standard loaves of white bread can be made, from beginning to end, in just a few hours, as opposed to many artisan style breads that can involve numerous hours over the course of a couple of days.

Sure, these long fermented, Old World breads and techniques can create breads with an unrivalled depth of flavor, but they can be time consuming and in this day and age people don’t always have the time or the energy to be feeding starters, or have the forethought of preparing a starter the night before.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not opposed to experimenting and baking these types of bread, quite the opposite, in fact. I love playing with breads made with these starters, and I think everyone should experiment with baking their own sourdough breads at one time or another. But I also think that everyone should have a simple, no fuss bread recipe that can be made with minimal effort and just a few hours of time.

This bread, makes a great “everyday” loaf, perfect for sandwiches, toast, or just eating as is, smeared with a little butter. It has a soft, dense crumb from using softer all purpose flour, and enriching it with fat, in the form of milk and butter. The flavor might lack the punch or the depth of longer fermented breads, but it makes the perfect conveyance for sandwich fillings or butter and homemade jelly, and guaranteed, it beats the pants off of any store bought white bread you can buy.

White Bread
makes 1 loaf

1 cup milk, warmed to 100-110°F
2 Tbsp. + more for the top butter, melted
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. yeast, not instant
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. salt

Combine milk, butter, sugar and yeast. Stir well then allow to sit for 10 minutes to allow the yeast to start to activate. Add the flour and salt, and mix, in a mixer with a dough hook, for 10 minutes. Alternatively, mix in a bowl until the dough comes together, then pour out onto a counter, that has been lightly dusted with flour, and knead, by hand for 12-15 minutes. Place into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp towel and allow to rise, in warm place, for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size. Lightly grease a bread loaf pan. Turn out onto the counter and gently deflate the dough. Pat out into a square, the sides of which are the length of your bread loaf pan. Roll up the dough tightly, pinching the seam together and placing it on the bottom. Fold the very ends under to form a smooth loaf, and again pinch the seams together and place the dough, seam side down, into the loaf pan. Cover with a damp cloth and again allow to rise for about 1 hour, or until doubled. Meanwhile heat the oven to 350°F. When dough has doubled bake for approximately 45 minutes or to an internal temperature of 205°F. Remove from oven. Remove bread from pan, place on a cooling rack and brush the top of the still hot bread with melted butter. Allow to cool before cutting.

It occurs to me that I write often about the foods and drinks of New Orleans. I’m not sure why the city and its food has left such an indelible on me. I only spent about 6 months living there, while doing a culinary internship, but there is something about the food of that city that has made a lasting impression. The city is proud of its culinary heritage, a meld of Old World and New. The cuisine is a true American invention, a blend of cuisines from France, Spain, Africa, and the Caribbean along with the bounty of New World food stuffs. I think this is what has captured…and kept my interest for so long. I know of no other cuisine that draws from so many diverse cultures, blends those influences together, and creates something that is so wholly new, yet still reminiscent of each cuisine it has drawn from.

One of my favorite dishes, from New Orleans and Cajun folk who settled in the area, is Gumbo. A combination of European and African technique, along with the foods of Africa and the New World, this soup is the apex of that melding of so many cuisines and cultures, in my opinion. In fact, the word gumbo, itself comes from Africa and is an African word for okra, a traditional thickener used in the soup.

Gumbos come in a wide variety of styles, some containing only seafood for the protein, some containing chicken and andouille (sausage), while others contain all three, and some, eaten during lent are completely meatless. Some contain tomatoes while others do not. The creole versions tend to use a lightly browned roux, while Cajun versions use a very dark roux that adds an incredible depth of flavor to the dish. Traditionally okra or file powder (ground sassafras leaves) were used as the main thickener, though traditionally cooks always used one or the other, never both. Seafood gumbos were usually thickened with okra while chicken and sausage gumbos were thickened with file. This had more to do with timing than any great culinary revelation. Okra was available during the summer when one could go crabbing and shrimping. In winter, when okra was not available file was used, a time when chicken and sausages were easier to come by then seafood.

The version I offer up below, is a Cajun style gumbo using shrimp, chicken and andouille sausage. It’s a rich,and hearty soup but not overly thick so while it will warm you up in winter it is not too heavy to enjoy in summer. In other words it makes a great meal year round. Ladle it into a bowl as is, or spoon it over rice for a more “stick to your ribs” meal.

Gumbo
serves 4-6

1 pound shrimp (2 pounds if you can get head on shrimp)
8 cups water
1 cup vegetable oil
1 1/4 cups flour
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 medium onions, peeled and chopped
1 pound chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, diced
1 pound andouille sausage (if you can’t find andouille a spicy smoked sausage such as kielbasa will do)
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. granulated garlic
hot sauce
salt
1/2 pound okra, sliced

Peel the shrimp, removing the tails also. Place the shells, tail, and heads (if you got head on shrimp) into a pot and cover with the water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large pot, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the flour to make a roux. Stirring almost constantly cook the roux until it is dark brown.

Do not allow the roux to burn or the gumbo will taste bitter and burnt. Also, they don’t call dark roux “Cajun napalm” for no reason. This stuff is HOT and it sticks like crazy. Getting this stuff on you burns like crazy so be careful! Once you have achieved the color above add the vegetables and cook 5 minutes longer.

Strain the shrimp shells from the stock you just made and add the stock to the pot, discarding the shells. Add the chicken, sausage and seasonings, adding salt to taste. Bring gumbo to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Add the okra and cook 15 minutes longer. If the shrimp are large cut them into bite sized pieces, if they are small just add them as is along with the hot sauce to taste (gumbo should have a little kick to it, but it shouldn’t be overly spicy). Allow to cook a few minutes longer, just until the shrimp are cooked through, then serve

Okay, it’s a little late in the season, but I just recently discovered the Milwaukee Winter Farmers’ Market and I wish I had learned about it earlier! I came across it quite by accident as I was searching to see if there were any producers of hard cider here, in Wisconsin. I found one producer, Aeppel Treow Winery, which produces bothapple wine and hard cider. In their information I also discovered that they were at the Milwaukee Winter Farmers’ Market on the first Saturday of every month. Bonus, not only had I come across a producer of hard cider, but I also “discovered” a new, off season farmers’ market.

The market is held every Saturday, through April 24th, at the Tommy Thompson Youth Center at State Fair Park. You can access it through Gate 5, on 84th St. While not large, I was impressed by the variety of Wisconsin grown and raised products. Besides, the hard cider and apple wine, there was an apple orchard that still had apples for sale. These over wintered apples were starting to just show their age and were a bit on the mealy side, but they were still sweet and quite flavorful. A little mealiness is small price to pay for their taste which beats any store bought apples hands down. Also included in the days list of producers were a couple of honey producers, a couple of bakeries, numerous farmer’s selling pasture fed beef, pork, poultry and elk, and a few stands selling processed foods made from local, Wisconsin produce, from salsas and jams to pasta and granola.

Rolling Meadows Sorghum Mill is there selling their sorghum syrup and locally produced maple syrup. Of the few cheese producers there, we stopped at Saxon Homstead Creamery and picked up a wedge of their “Saxony” cheese, a washed rind cow’s milk cheese, which they describe as nutty and supple, a description that may be rather vague, but one I agree with. I will definitely be checking out some of their other cheeses. We also picked up some mushrooms from River Valley Ranch, Wisconsin’s oldest mushroom producer.

There wasn’t much in the way of produce, but I didn’t expect to find much at this time of year, in Wisconsin. But a few farmers were displaying some fresh spinach and radishes grown, I’m sure in hoop houses or hot houses.

While I didn’t purchase any, it did get me excited for spring to arrive and the farmer’s markets throughout Wisconsin to get started up again.

Probably, the biggest coup for the market though this the inclusion of Bolzano Artisan Meats.  Bolzano is Wiscosin’s first and only company dedicated to the art of dry curing meat.  While still relatively unknown in throughout the rest of the country, Bolzano has, in a very short time made quite a name for themselves among upper Midwest foodies.  They currently offer guanciale, dried and cured pork cheek and panchetta, an Italian slow cured “bacon” that remains unsmoked.  Both of their products are some of the best I have tasted and I expect it won’t be long before they gain a reputation from coast to coast.

With only 7 more weeks left before the market closes for the year, I doubt I will make it back,but not for a lack of wanting. Milwaukee is about a 45-60 minute drive and our weekends are pretty full for the next 2 months. So while I might not make it back this year, I will look forward to it’s opening next October, but just because I can’t make it back doesn’t mean you shouldn’t check it out if you are in the area. You’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Sometimes, I’m not so smart. This is sometimes true even when I haven’t been drinking. Take this post, for example. I was planning on posting this recipe last night, but in my excitement I made up my sandwich and ate it before I remembered to shoot a picture of it. Luckily I had plenty of beef leftover so tonight I “forced” myself to eat another one, just so I could take a picture of it to share with you, my readers.

Okay, so it really wasn’t much of a sacrifice since I absolutely love Italian beef sandwiches. While you can find them in most major cities nowadays, Chicago is where it was created and it is in Chicago where this sandwich reaches its apex.

For the uninitiated, a Chicago style Italian beef sandwich is made up of thinly sliced, highly seasoned roast beef that has been warmed in jus, stuffed into a long roll, drizzled with more of the jus, and topped with either fried sweet peppers or giardiniera-a mixture of sliced hot peppers and vegetables. It rivals the Muffuletta (the famous New Orleans sandwich) for its shear messiness, and kicks the Philly Cheesesteak’s ass flavor wise, in my opinion (I’m willing to hear a rebuttal on this, but good luck changing my mind!).

While the sandwich, itself, is not complicated to make, finding a couple of the ingredients may be slightly difficult. First off trying to find the proper giardiniera can be difficult. Any slightly spicy mix of pickled vegetables might be called giardiniera, but not all really work with this sandwich. You want to find a brand that contains mostly sliced hot peppers with just a few other vegetables thrown in, mainly carrots, celery, bell peppers,etc. There are many brands out there that are mostly cauliflower and carrot. Stay away from those, as they don’t provide the right flavor. Scala’s is the brand most recognized in Chicago and I believe you can buy their giardiniera online. The other difficult item to find is the bread. In Chicago there are numerous bakeries that specialize in making loaves for Italian beefs. It can be difficult to find a bread the right size with the right crust and crumb consistencies. Most baguettes are too hard, most “Italian” breads are too large and too soft. Outside of Chicago I have found the best bet is the cheap, grocery store baked “French” bread. I usually stay far away from these loaves that tend to make a mockery out of the French baguette but in this case they work perfectly. The crust is just tough enough to hold all the jus for just about the length of time it takes to eat a sandwich (don’t delay in eating too long or the bread will dissolve into nothing) while the soft interior is perfect for soaking up all that just.

One final word about this recipe. I often try to stay far away from those little beef bouillion cubes, but they are virtually essential to making a jus of the proper flavor so I make an exception in this case.

It is best to roast the beef at least 1 day in advance to cool it down completely. This will help with slicing, especially if you don’t have an electric slicer.

Italian Beef Sandwich

3 pounds beef, sirloin roast (or other less fatty roast)
1/2 Tbsp. oregano, dried
1/2 Tbsp. basil, dried
1/2 Tbsp. granulated garlic
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp. black pepper
salt
4 cubes beef bouillon
5 cups hot water
1 loaf french bread
1 jar giardiniera

Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly season roast with salt. Mix the spices and dried herbs together along with the peppers. Generously sprinkle over the roast, coating it well on all sides. Place the roast on a rack over a 9×13 pan. In the pan place the beef bouillon and the hot water. Add any remaining season. Roast to an internal temperature of 140°F.

When meat and jus has cooled add meat to jus and refrigerate overnight. The following day slice the beef as thin as you can. This takes a little patience if you don’t have an electric slicer, but try to cut as thinly as possible. Your efforts will be rewarded in the long run. In a pot, heat the jus to a low simmer or just below. You don’t want it boiling or you will overcook your beef. Cut the bread into 6 inch sections and slice open but leave a thick hinge. Taking about 6 oz. of beef, dip it into the hot just and allow it to warm for about 45 seconds, give or take, depending on how out the jus is. What you don’t want to happen is for the beef to start to curl. This means you have overcooked it and it will be dry and tough. When the meat is warmed just through, use tongs to transfer to the bread. Don’t shake off the excess jus. Try to transfer the meat leaving it as wet as possible. Drizzle a little more jus over the top then top the sandwich with as much giardiniera as your mouth can handle, drizzling a little of the oil, the vegetable are packed in, over the top of everything. At this point you want to eat this thing pretty quickly or you find your bread disintegrating before your eyes

Okay, I have to admit, I’m a sucker for Monkey Bread!!! Yes, I know, it probably can’t be considered the height of the culinary arts, but damn it’s good. What’s not to like; rich caramel, buttery goodness, a crisp crust and gooey interior. It’s got everything you need to start the day off right!! Add a cup or 2 of coffee and you can start your day in high gear.

There are a number of recipes out there for Monkey Bread. Some use store bought biscuit dough, others use store bought bread dough, and yet others have you make everything from scratch. While “made from scratch” is often my favorite way to go, I have to admit that, in this case, I am partial to the recipes using store bought biscuits. Not only do I like the soft texture of the Monkey Bread made this way, but it cuts down on a lot of prep work, which makes it a great breakfast for when you have overnight guests. Get a couple of the kids involved, they love to help shake the dough in the sugar, and you can have this on the breakfast table in no time.

Money Bread

3 cans (12oz each) biscuit dough
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup butter
1 cup, packed brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted (optional)
1/2 cup raisins (optional)

Preheat your oven to 350° F. Grease a large bundt or tube pan. Meanwhile mix the granulated sugar and cinnamon and either leave in a large bowl or place in a large ziplock bag. Cut the biscuits into quarters and toss them in the sugar-cinnamon mix until well coated. Arrange the pieces in your prepared pan sprinkling with the optional pecans and/or raisins as you build up the layers. In a saucepan mix the butter and brown sugar over medium high heat. Bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute. Pour over the biscuit pieces and immediately put into the oven to bake. Bake for approximately 35-40 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 8-10 minutes, then turn out onto a plate. Don’t allow to cool longer or the Monkey Bread might stick to your pan as the sugars cool.

It’s the first week of March and the weather has taken a decided turn towards spring here in Wisconsin. What that means exactly is that the thermometer has finally risen above freezing. I’m not getting my hopes too high yet, as there is still a very good chance for, at least, 1 or 2 more good snows, and even the possibility of a late winter, early spring blizzard, but there’s something in the air. I can feel it, and it is Spring.

If you’ve been following my blog for any length of time, you’ll know that I’m not one of these people that hates winter. In fact, I rather enjoy winter, though there are things about it I don’t like, such as driving 30 minutes to work on snow covered roads. I’m someone who loves all the seasons, although I have to admit that fall is by far my favorite. For me, autumn is the only season with no drawbacks. Winter, spring, and summer all have their positives, but they also have their downsides. Spring is starts off muddy, rainy and dreary, Summer can get too hot and humid, while Winter can get too cold and the snow can be a danger, at times, but I wouldn’t give up any of them.

I always look forward to the change in seasons and this year, I have to admit, I”m really ready for spring. It’s a gamble though, in Wisconsin, as to when spring will really arrive. Some years it can be as early as mid March and in others as late as late April or early May. It’s always a crap shoot, but I’m hoping for an early spring this year.

Today’s dish is a quick pasta, that can pretty much be done in the time it takes to bring water to a boil and cook your pasta. Something you’ll hear from me quite often is that good food doesn’t always have to take lots of time. Don’t worry, I’m not turning Rachel Ray on you, but I do think that there are plenty of wonderful dishes out there that take very little time.

This pasta, while short on cooking time, doesn’t skimp on flavor. Paired with a salad, some garlic bread and a glass of wine, this dish is a perfect late winter dinner, both when time is short and when you want to impress.

Farfalle with Red Chard and Chicken
-the amounts are for 1 serving, but this dish easily scales to just about any number of servings

4 oz. farfalle pasta
6 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breast
2-3 oz. Cremini mushrooms
1 cup chard (swiss, red, rainbow your choice)
1/2 shallot
1 clove garlic
3/4 Tbsp. rosemary, fresh
1/4 cup white wine
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese, grated
salt
pepper

Bring 2 quarts of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, mince the garlic and the shallot. Chop and rinse the chard, stems included and finely chop the rosemary. Add the pasta to the boiling water. Preheat a large skillet and add the olive oil. While the skillet is heating dice the chicken breast. Add to the hot skillet and season. While chicken is cooking slice the mushrooms. Add the mushrooms when the chicken is 3/4s of the way done. Saute until the mushrooms start to wilt then add the garlic and shallots. Continue to saute for 4 minutes longer then add the chard. Toss a couple of times then add the wine and rosemary. When pasta is done (about 11 minutes cooking time depending on brand) drain, reserving a couple of tablespoons of cooking water. Add pasta to the skillet,then add the butter and parmesan. Remove from heat and toss and stir until the butter and parmesan have melted into the remaining liquid to make a smooth creamy sauce. The pasta should be lightly coated with the sauce. If a little too dry add a tablespoon or 2 of the pasta cooking liquid. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.