Chicken in White Wine with Artichokes, Lemon, and Olives

Saute garlic and whole shallots (peeled) until tender. Add slices of lemon and saute lightly. Add chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs) and brown. Place in a baking dish with 1 c of frozen artichoke hearts (defrosted), 1/2 c whole pitted olives, capers, and 1/2 cup plus of white wine (add more as baking if needed) and lots of fresh lemon juice.

Bake at 350 until chicken is done (about 30-45 minutes). Top with freshly chopped parsley and serve over rice.

Variations on this are endless. One good alternative is baking carrot strips with the chicken, garlic, shallots (minced), and wine.

Chicken in White Wine with Olives and Dried Fruit

Use about 2-3 lbs of boneless breasts and thighs (you can use meat on the bone if you prefer)

Start by marinating the chicken in a bowl with 1/2 bulb of garlic minced, 2 T oregano, coarse salt, pepper, 2 T red wine vinegar, 1/4 c olive oil, 1/2 cup dried apricots, 1/2 cup prunes, 1/4 cup figs (optional), 3 T capers, and 1/2 c whole pitted olives.

Let marinate for a few hours. Preheat oven to 350. Put the chicken in a roasting pan. Keep the marinating liquid and add 3/4 cup white wine and 1/2 brown sugar. Pour this over the chicken. Cook covered for 30 minutes and then uncovered for 30 minutes. Once chicken is done, remove from oven. Place on serving platter and top with 1/4 cup chopped parsley.

Pesto Pasta

Cook up your pasta. Saute your veggies--diced or sliced peppers, onions, zucchini, pea pods, summer squash, and baby tomatoes are all great.

Prepare your pesto. I don't know exact measurements so you'll have to experiment until it tastes right to you. Here is what I do:

I start out with about 4 cups of packed basil leaves, 1-2 cloves minced garlic, 1/4-1/2 cup pine nuts, and 1 cup+ grated parmesan. Start blending together in a cuisnart while slowly pouring olive oil in until a smooth sauce is created. Taste it. Does it need to be richer? Add more nuts and cheese. Is it too thick? Add more olive oil. Too runny? Add more cheese, nuts, and basil if you have any. Does it need more garlic? It should be thick enough to scoop a spoonful and hold the spoon upside down without it all running off the spoon. It will thicken as it sits, so if it is close to this consistency, you've probably got it just right.

Throw everything together. You can add chopped olives too. This is great the next day as a cold pasta salad!

Depending on the amount of pasta, you may have pesto left over. Put it on bread, pizza, fish, chicken...

Dressler's Caponata

1 1/2 eggplant cut into 1/2" cubes. Brown in hot olive oil in large skillet. You will need a LOT of olive oil. Remove when soft and drain on paper towel. Set aside with paper towel still wrapped around the eggplant.

Squeeze some of the olive oil out of the eggplant/papertowel and use this to saute 1 cup celery and 1 onion. Add 5 cloves minced garlic. Continue to saute and add 2 peppers (preferably 1 yellow and 1 orange). Once everything is cooked, add 1 big can of San Marzano plum tomatoes (squish them with your hands as you throw them in). Add the juice if you want to use the Caponata as a pasta sauce. Otherwise drain the tomatoes before adding them. Add the eggplant, 2-3 T Balsamic Vinegar, 2 T sugar, 2 T capers, 1 t kosher salt, 1/2 can tomato paste, 10 olives chopped, and 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley. Add fresh ground pepper to taste. Simmer 15-20 minutes. Add 1/4-1/2 cup toasted pine nuts. You can serve it immediately as a sauce for pasta or you can put it in the fridge and serve it cold with fresh bread.

Roasted Puttanesca Pasta

In an oven pan, put: 2 containers of grape tomatoes sliced in 1/2s or 1/4s, 5 cloves garlic minced, handful of olives chopped, and 1-2 T capers. Add some olive oil, a splash of balsamic, and some hot red pepper flakes. Roast about 30 minutes. Meanwhile cook up 1/2-1 lb pasta.

To serve, place the pasta in a bowl, add the puttanesca sauce and top with a generous amount of chopped Italian Parsley and parmesan.

Murakami Guacamole

3 Haas avocados, pitted and peeled
1 roma tomato, seeded and diced (cut off top and squeeze tomato to de-seed!)
1/4 onion, finely chopped
1/2 lime
Handful of cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

basically just make sure you keep the avocados with lime juice on top to keep them from browning. only end up using about 1/2 of a lime, or about 2 tbs of lime juice. combine ingredients, you may need to mash avocados more if they are hard, but make sure to keep some chunks. add the cilantro, freshly chopped, last, along with salt and pepper to bring out all the flavors. If you let the guac sit for up to 1/2 hr and let the flavors combine, then that's even better!!

You can also add cumin, cayanne pepper, and garlic... but I don't... we didn't... I think simpler is better.

Homemade Tortillas

Mix together:

2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt (optional)

In a bowl or glass measuring cup microwave 3/4 cup water for 30 seconds. Add 2 tsp olive oil.

1 Tbsp at a time, add the water/oil to the flour mixture and mix with a fork. Once the water is mixed in, add another Tbsp...etc. Until you have added all the water.

Put dough on a lightly floured board and knead 4 minutes. Place back in bowl and cover with a moist towel for 20 minutes.

Divide the dough into 8 balls and cover with the damp cloth for another 10 minutes.

Roll each ball into a thin tortilla. Meanwhile preheat a cast iron pan on med-high heat.

Put a tortilla on the pan (no oil or anything). Squash any bubbles with a spatula and after 30 seconds, flip. After another 30 seconds, remove. Don't overcook.


Fill with beans, grilled peppers/onions, cheese, guacamole, etc!