Mushroom Agrodolce Bites

October 11, 2011by Aida Mollenkamp — Share

Cocktail parties are my favorite. And, no, it’s not because of the cocktails. Okay, it’s partly because of the cocktails, but it’s mostly because, to me, a good party is made up of a range of small bites with a variey of tastes. With the holidays around the corner we’re heading into high-gear party season, so I thought I’d share one of my go-to cocktail party recipes: Mushroom Agrodolce Bites.

These little numbers have a lot going for them — they’re affordable, a cinch to make, and can be made ahead of time — but what I’m drawn to is the sweet-sour flavor. Agrodolce is a sweet-sour sauce hailing from Sicily and though it’s classically made with just onions, here it’s combined with roasted mushrooms for a recipe packed with a mix of sweet-sour and earthy flavors. If you aren’t entertaining anytime soon, serve the mushrooms (without the endive) as a side-dish as they a natural pairing with a variety of cold-weather fare from roasts to slow-cooked foods.

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Pretty. Easy. Herbed Roasted Cheese

September 24, 2011by Aida Mollenkamp — Share

Like a moth to a flame, when the weather starts cools off, I start craving comfort food.

Coming from an Italian-American family, the foods I find most cozy takes shape in the form of cheese or pasta. Over the years I’ve gone from eating mozzarella at nearly every meal to exercising a bit more restraint, but when the cold weather hits, the craving is still there. The ultimate is when it’s melty and gooey cheese like in this herbed roasted cheese.

This recipe is a riff on baked Brie (a familiar holiday appetizer) that I turn to when time is short but comfort food is in high demand. It’s such a simple concept but it’s highly versatile and can be used as an indulgent appetizer, a salad centerpiece, or an impromptu take on mac-and-cheese. In my dream world, it would be kosher to throw the melty hunk of cheese inside a whole loaf of bread to make a behemoth version of a grilled cheese, but I haven’t gone there. At least not yet.

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Sweet-Tart Quick-Roasted Grapes

September 19, 2011by Aida Mollenkamp — Share

It’s been a crazy month, to say the least. While I’d hoped for crisp fall evenings that I’d spend making the first slow-cooked recipes of the season, it has instead been very busy with my “To Do” list seeming like it’ll never stop growing. It’s times like these that I go simple and quick in the kitchen, but never at the expense of flavor. Just because things are speedy doesn’t mean they should lack flavor, and I turn to high-heat cooking methods like stir frying, sautéing, broiling, and roasting to ensure that doesn’t happen. These sweet-savory quick-roasted grapes fit the bill perfectly.
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Crisp Roasted Beet Chips

September 6, 2011by Aida Mollenkamp — Share

Think of these as chips with curb appeal. They’re a shoo-in for the little ones (and adults with a sweet tooth) because they’re tad sweet, have a deep garnet color, and are tons healthier than potato chips with lots of iron, fiber, and beta-carotene. Unlike the storebought vegetable chips, which tend to be fried, these are slow roasted until they’re shatteringly crisp. The only downfall? They make like ShrinkyDinks in the oven and end up almost half their original side. So, make lots. Trust me, you’ll thank me after.

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Spiced Chickpea Snackers

September 6, 2011by Aida Mollenkamp — Share

In case I haven’t made it clear, I have major love for chickpeas. Their nutty, sweet taste is thoroughly addictive, which is why I use them everywhere from salads and stews to veggie burritos and sliders. So you can imagine how jazzed I was the first time I tried fried chickpeas.

When I was working in the CHOW test kitchen, we developed them for Hanukkah and every time we’d test the menu, the chickpeas were the first to go. But I couldn’t help thinking how unhealthy they were, which is a shame since chickpeas themselves have loads of fiber, iron, and protein. So, I began roasting them and, along the way, made the process simpler and much less messy, which is why this is one of the picks for this week’s healthy back-to-school recipes.
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Toasted Garlic Edamame Hummus

September 5, 2011by Aida Mollenkamp — Share

School keeps starting earlier and earlier each year, but I still think of Labor Day as the official back-to-school kickoff. That’s why I’m dedicating this week to school-worthy (make ahead and transportable) kid-friendly recipes that are healthy and (mostly) vegetarian. I cooked these recipes today for a family-friendly picnic at the Los Angeles-based food fest, The Taste and while they’re fab eaten together, they’re also great on their own.
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