Spring spinach pesto with almonds

I'm certain I can make this better, but for a first pass this is pretty delicious. I used a huge bag of fresh-picked spinach from the farmer's market.

1 large bag fresh spinach 
2 cloves garlic
1 cup lowfat cottage cheese (such as Light 'N Lively)
1/2 cup sliced almonds, divided
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 14-oz package whole wheat spaghetti
fresh-grated Parmesean

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; I used a pasta pot with colander insert.

Soak spinach in cool water to release sandy grit; swish, drain and repeat until water is clear. Trim and whirl in batches in salad spinner, then dump entire batch into boiling water. Simmer 2-3 minutes until limp but not defeated and still bright green. While cooking, add several cups of ice to spinner bowl, then insert strainer and fill about halfway with water. Remove colander insert from pasta pot and transfer drained spinach to ice bowl.

Return colander to pot. Bring water back to a boil and add pasta, cooking according to directions.

While pasta is cooking, drop garlic into food processor workbowl and pulse-chop. Add cottage cheese, salt and well-drained spinach, pulse-chop again. Add all but 2 tbsp sliced almonds and about 1/2 cup water; blend until creamy.

Drain al dente pasta, reserving 1-2 cups pasta water, then return to warm pot over low flame. Slosh in a good glob of reserved pasta water and spinach pesto, stirring well. Add more reserved water if needed. (If not, save to any leftover to keep reheats moist.)

Transfer to serving bowl and top with reserved sliced almonds and parmesean.

Note:  The truly thoughtful hostess also will provide floss.

Almond-scented orange muffins

This morning, with much sadness, I threw out a half dozen Honeybell oranges that had spoiled from neglect. I greedily ordered an overly large box this year and, after the initial thrill, lost track of them. There were enough, fortunately, to try a variation on a simple recipe I found online for orange muffins.

I followed the instructions generally, but I decreased the oil by a tablespoon and substituted an equal amount of applesauce. I also added a teaspoon of almond extract and topped the muffins with a scattering of about 2 tablespoons of sliced almonds. While the original calls for a baking time of 20-25 minutes, I found that 18-20 was plenty for them to set and develop nicely browned tops. Given that they are a bit dense, I suggest not fretting about cooling time and dive in right away.

The aroma while baking made me feel a little less terrible about dumping all those oranges into the compost bin. Now that the has butter melted, I think I'm over it.

Raise a glass to your favorite ACC team

Whether it’s to celebrate a win or drown your sorrows, an ACC-themed adult beverage seems the ideal accompaniment along the road to the Final Four. The Raleigh Downtowner asked three bartenders to create a cocktail that incorporates the essence of the coaches and players of our local teams: Duke’s Coach K and the Blue Devils; Carolina’s Coach Williams and the Tar Heels; the Wolfpack with former coach Sidney Lowe.

So get some ice and a shaker, and get ready to mix a new brew for the NCAA Championships:  http://raleigh2.com/dont-cry-in-your-beer-have-an-acc-cocktail-p2907-167.htm

The power of Penzeys

I've been curious about Penzeys since the early days of Food TV, when Sara Moulton and others would comfortingly reassure viewers that an unfamiliar spice could be ordered from the Wisconsin-based chain. I often imagined how a package filled with precious saffron, Vietnamese cinnamon or herbes de provence would magically transform my kitchen, but I never did order anything.

Now that North Carolina's first Penzeys has opened practically around the corner from the office, I no longer need to wonder. I get it. Indeed, I get it so much that I need a bigger spice cupboard.

Check out my new post in The Raleigh Downtowner.

Specialty oil and vinegar inspires spontaneous Meatless Monday

Dinner tonight was supposed to be ridiculously simple. A nice thick steak had marinated overnight in a light sesame-ginger bath. Bok choy fresh from the farmer's market was ready to be stir fried. Then the sky grew dark and the TV started beeping.

Call me chicken, but I don't grill during a severe storm warning. I've never mastered the broiler, so it was time for Plan B:  a spontaneous Meatless Monday.

Fortunately, before the rain started, I stopped in Midtown Olive Press at North Hills to cash in a Groupon coupon. This is my kind of shop: dark wood tables topped with great, spigoted tins of goodness, each bearing an eye-level label boasting of fragrant infused olive oils, nut and seed oils, and a giddy array of vinegars. After using bread cubes to soak up some samples -- and tossing back others from tiny white cups -- I settled on wild mushroom-sage oil, Sicilian lemon white balsamc vinegar, and decadent black cherry balsamic. I used the first two to make a simple vinaigrette; the latter smells so good, I'm tempted to dab some on my wrists.

1 16-oz package short pasta
1 24-oz pkg, frozen florets (or large bunch fresh, cut into florets)
8 oz mushrooms, trimmed and halved or quartered
1/2 cup diced onion
1 tbsp olive oil
salt, pepper
3 tbsp. wild mushroom-sage oil
2 tbsp. Sicilian lemon white balsamic vinegar
Parmesean Romano, freshly grated

Cook pasta in salted water according the package directions.

Meanwhile, sautee onion in 1 tbsp. plain olive oil under medium-low heat about 3 minutes or until just softened. Add mushrooms, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and continue cooking until lightly browned and tender, about 6-8 minutes.

At the same time, cook broccoli. Drain if necessary then add to mushroom mix; stir to combine. Reserve 1 cup pasta water. When just al dente, transfer drained pasta to pan with mushroom-broccoli mix; add pasta water and simmer 2-3 minutes.

When fluid is reduced and pasta is tender, pour mushroom oil and lemon balsamic into small lidded container and shake well. Pour over pasta and stir to combine; check for salt and pepper. If delicious, and it should be, transfer to serving bowl and top with freshly grated parmesean.

Pineapple-orange smoothie

I have a terrific problem: I have a huge box of luscious Honeybell oranges in my kitchen. I ordered them weeks ago, long before the frost that zapped much of Florida's prized crop. They are practically bursting with juice and could be consumed, like fresh-steamed lobster, while wearing a bib. Or at least leaning over the sink.

I've been taking sliced oranges to work for days, slurping them surreptiously to avoid having to share. I am thinking about stuffing them in a chicken before roasting, using them to glaze grilled scallops, and maybe baking a cake and dousing it with fragrant, sticky syrup.

Tonight, however, I opted for the quickest path to turn them into a not-so-decadent dessert. It was unseasonably mild here today so I went for a pre-summer smoothie.

1 16-ounce bag frozen pineapple chunks
juice of three Honeybell oranges
three scoops low-fat vanilla frozen yogurt
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp vanilla

Dump everything into a heavy-duty blender and let it rip. Pause to poke with a spatula several times and whirl until mostly smooth. Pour into three glasses and serve immediately.

Raleigh Downtowner Magazine

I have a new food column in the Raleigh Downtowner Magazine! I'm not in the monthly print version yet, but here is a link to the online edition, which is updated frequently. To find me, click on Food & Dining, then select Cooking & Recipes.

Please support the magazine by joining the Raleigh Downtowner on Facebook. Let me know if you have story ideas, especially those involving downtown eateries, chefs or shops.