Yet, here I am.  Up to my ears in fixed, mixed and variable costs.  Half way through the class.  That I started last Tuesday.

Needless to say, you will not be getting a recipe from me today.  I may be crazy, but I physically can’t work, go to class, study, plan a wedding, AND make dinner.  Not possible.  It’s takeout and takeout only these few weeks.

But what I can do is alert you to a great initiative being sponsored by ShopRite throughout the month of January: Cans for Fans.

This year, the Can Can Sale has become extra special with “Cans for Fans” on Facebook, which enables ShopRite fans to get involved in the fight against hunger.

During the month of January 2012, ShopRite will donate one can of food (up to 50,000 cans) to local food banks in the communities it serves, on behalf of every fan on ShopRite’s official  Facebook page.

So what can you do to help??  

Visit ShopRite’s Official Facebook Page and “like” them!  The more “likes” that ShopRite receives, the more cans it will donate to those in need – it’s that simple!

And just for fun,visit ShopRite’s “Get Can Canned” website at www.ShopRiteCanCan.com, upload a personal photo and become a virtual ShopRite Can Can dancer… here’s mine!

For more information on ShopRite, the Can Can Sale visit www.ShopRite.com.

Hello!  I’m back… and with something delicious!

Well don’t look so surprised.  I am a woman of my word, after all.  I told you I’d be back in less than 2 months and here I am, two weeks and a tasty new soup recipe later.

And since I held up my end of the bargain, I am hoping you can do a little something for me.

You see, this Chickpea Minestrone is not just any old soup recipe.  It’s my entry into this year’s New England Country Soup Challenge!  You can find the recipe on my entry page.

So what do I need from you?  Your votes, of course!

Please click here to head over to my recipe and click the big red “Vote for this Recipe” button!

They changed the rules a little this year, and you do have to register an email address to vote, but you don’t get any emails or spam from them.  Promise!  You can vote once a day every day until February 12.  Thanks! :)

It’s official. Like completely, 100%, indisputably official. I am the worst foodblogger. Ever.

Not only have I not posted anything in almost 2 months, I have barely cooked anything, and I haven’t even taken pictures of the few things I did make!

Ugh.  I’m stuck in a cooking/blogging/picture taking rut.

But please, don’t abandon me just yet! I swear good things are coming.  I will get out of this rut (soon!), and when I do, you’ll definitely want to be here.

For a glimpse of some of the good things that are coming, check out my Casarecce alla Vodka on ShopRite’s Potluck blog!

See?  I told you I would be out of my rut soon.  And look at that, something new already!

(Ok, technically, I made this and shared it on Potluck before my impromptu blogging hiatus, but I forgot to share it with you here.  So consider it new anyway.)

So, you promise to check back soon for more good things, and I promise to post again in less than 2 months.  Deal? Deal.

See you soon!

Before I give you the recipe for this (very tasty) Edamame-Tomato Salad with Lime-Balsamic Dressing, I want to tug on your heartstrings a little ask for your help.

First, a little background:  When I made my 27×27 list, almost 6 months ago, I included a goal to participate in an event for a cause.  at the time, I figured that I would pick a random event, raise a few dollars for the cause, and call it a day.

Little did I know, my 5 1/2 year old cousin, Steven, would be diagnosed with Leukemia just a few months later.  And that instead of choosing a random event and cause to participate in, I would be walking on Team Steven in The Light The Night Walk  to support the The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s efforts to find cures for blood cancers.

So I’m asking for your help.  Please help me support Steven and his family by donating to my fundraising page.  Because by donating even just a few dollars to what may just be a random cause to you, has the power to give a little 5 1/2 year old boy and his family hope.

And now, on to lighter things.  Like this Edamame-Tomato Salad with Lime-Balsamic Dressing.  Which is not only light, healthy, and protein packed, but also very tasty and satisfying.

This recipe, my pick for this month’s Secret Recipe Club, comes from Cooking with Chopin, Living with Elmo.  Ginny created this dish in honor of summer, which is something I can totally get on board with.  Summer is most definitely my favorite season, and I’m sad to see it go.  And if making this tasty salad prolongs the summer just a little more, then how would I not love it?

Ingredients

1 (10 oz.) frozen bag of shelled edamame, cooked according to package directions (about 2 cups)
1/2 cup (approx.) yellow cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup finely diced red onion
2 leaves fresh basil, cut away from center stem and chopped
Juice of 1/2 lime (about 2 teaspoons)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine first five ingredients.  Whisk together the lime juice, salt, and balsamic vinegar.  Pour lime-balsamic dressing over edamame mixture.  Season with additional salt and black pepper, if desired.  
 

Enjoy!

And don’t forget to check out the other Secret Recipe Club entries!

Last night, I hung out with Fabio Viviani.  Yes, Fabio.  Viviani.  Of Top Chef fame.

Picture it now.  Just me, Fabio, a bottle of wine, a delicious meal (which, of course, he made especially for me), and an evening of conversation about food, wine, Italy, and other things which were made even more interesting by his accent.

You don’t believe me?

Ok, well, maybe that last part was a bit of a lie an exaggeration.

But I did meet Fabio!  Only the evening went more like this:

I was introduced to Fabio.  He kissed my hand.  I melted into a puddle on the floor.

He talked to a group of foodbloggers about the new Bertolli Soup for Two line.  I smiled and nodded like a manic, convinced he was talking to just me.

I asked to take a picture with him.  He agreed.  I was suddenly a 12 year old girl with a crush who couldn’t say anything more intelligent than “cool yeah definitely.”

I’m so suave.

Anyway, I’m sure you’re wondering where/why/how this occurred.

The wonderful people at Bertolli invited me to an unveiling of their newest product, Frozen Meal Soups for Two, which took place at the adorable downtown cooking event space, Cooking by the Book.  Not only did I get to meet Fabio, I got to meet Bertolli head Chef Michael Christiansen, a bunch of my fellow New York food bloggers, AND I got to enjoy delicious wine, antipasti, and sample each of Bertolli’s new meal soups!

How lucky am I??

The evening was a lot of fun, complete with a “cook off” between Fabio and Michael Christiansen to see which was faster, Fabio’s homemade soup, or Bertolli’s frozen meal soups (I’ll give you a hint: Bertolli won), and a tasting of each of the soups along with bread and wine pairings.  There was even an Italian Opera singer serenading us to set the mood!

I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the soups.  I didn’t go in expecting much from frozen food, but these soups way exceeded my expectations.  The first thing I noticed was that the veggies were just the right amount of cooked through, not at all mushy, and the chicken was real chicken, not chicken-like fillers and, well, crap.

Chef Christiansen explained to us that each of the fresh ingredients are cooked individually and then flash frozen, so when you reheat the soup at home, the vegetables and other ingredients don’t get mushy and gross.

All of the soups I tasted were good, but my favorite flavor by far was the Tomato Florentine & Tortellini with Chicken.  I was so excited that I got to choose which one to take home in my “goodie bag,” because this was the definite winner.

Thanks again to all of the kind people at Bertolli, Fabio Viviani, and Michael Christiansen, for hosting such a fun event!

And speaking of fun food events, keep an eye out on facebook and twitter for live updates from the NYC Food and Wine Festival this weekend, where I’ll be working at the ShopRite Booth and eating my weight in free samples of delicious food from other booths!  Stay tuned!

See that picture above?

It’s Asian Style Garlic Sesame Pasta Salad.  It’s also delicious.  And easy to make.

You want some.  Trust me.

Well, good news!  You too can have a taste of this goodness!

I am currently the newest member of the ShopRite Blogger Panel, and will be creating recipes like this one for their blog, Potluck.  Just head on over for the recipe for this Asian Style Garlic Sesame Pasta Salad.

And don’t forget to keep an eye out… I have some more tasty ShopRite creations in the works that you don’t want to miss!

Remember last week when I posted those delectable looking Mexican Hot Chocolate Covered Strawberries?

Yes, you remember.  You were scrolling through your reader, or your email box, or facebook, or wherever else you get your dose of Food-For-Thought-ness.  And you saw them.  And you thought to yourself, well that looks like an award winning recipe!

Well, you were right.  But you were also ahead of yourself.  It will be an award winning recipe.  Winner of the Blogger Chile Recipe Contest, in fact.   Just as soon as you head on over and vote for it!

So, what are you waiting for??

Like any couple, Jake and I have nicknames for each other.  But this time of year, when he’s working toward a big work deadline, there’s a nickname I’d like to borrow from another blogger.  Grumpy.

I mean, it’s not that I blame him.  I’d be pretty grumpy if I was working until midnight 6 days a week, too.  And tired.  And cranky.   In fact, I’m sure Jake would have a whole slew of nicknames reminiscent of the Seven Dwarfs for me.  And they wouldn’t be pretty.

But for Jake, Grumpy definitely fits the bill this time of year.  (Luckily he’s more like Happy the rest of the year.)

The blog that I’m referring to, by the way, is  The Life and Loves of Grumpy’s Honeybunch, which also happens to be the blog that I was assigned for this month’s Secret Recipe Club.

When looking through Shelby’s (aka Honeybunch’s) blog, there were so many recipes I wanted to try.  From Cheesy Orzo Pasta with Basil to Mango Peach Mojitos, this blog has something for everyone.

But what really caught my eye was not a sweet recipe, a dinner recipe, or even a tasty drink.  No, it was this Sweet Chili Lime Tofu that captured my attention.

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
1 lime
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups water
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 dashes cayenne pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 package extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed
cooking spray
10 oz spinach
1 tablespoon sesame oil

I did make a few changes to the recipe.  I used ground cinnamon instead of fresh cardamom and cinnamon sticks, I reduced the amount of sugar, increased the amount of quinoa, and replaced the kale with spinach.

Directions:

1.    In a medium sized saucepan, combine the quinoa, zest of the lime (reserve lime), cinnamon salt, and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 20 minutes, then remove from heat.  Don’t remove the lid. Let steam for 10 minutes.

2.    In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, soy sauce, juice of the lime, cayenne pepper, and garlic, until the sugar and salt and are dissolved. Set aside.

3.    Slice the tofu into 8 rectangles, and then cut each rectangle in half to make two squares, and then each square into triangles.

4.    Spray a sauté pan with cooking spray and heat over medium heat.  Cook the tofu for about 10 minutes on each side. 

5.    Add the chili lime sauce and stir to coat the tofu. Turn off the heat. The sauce will bubble up, reduce, and form a glaze.

6.    In a medium sauté pan, sauté spinach in the sesame oil.  Cook until spinach is just wilted but still bright green.  Remove from heat.

7.    To assemble, divide the quinoa among four bowls or plates, followed by spinach.  Top each serving with tofu and remaining sauce.  Serve immediately.  

I was extremely pleased with how this recipe came out.  It was the perfect weekday lunch (it lasted for 4 lunches), both light and filling.  I loved the tangy sweet lime sauce, and was thrilled with the protein it packed.  I will definitely be making this again, and you should try it, too.

For more tasty recipes, check out the rest of today’s Secret Recipe Club reveals below:

You know how some people can just turn off their minds?

They can just sit down on the couch with a big bowl of popcorn, turn on some trashy reality TV show, and completely immerse themselves in whatever they’re watching, without a care in the world?

Well I’m not one of those people.

Now don’t get me wrong, I certainly watch my fair share of trashy TV (hello Jersey Shore), and I have eaten more bowls of popcorn in my life that I care to admit.  But for whatever reason, I can never just turn my mind off. 

Sometimes this can be super frustrating.  Like when I’m trying to fall asleep and all I can think about is that work email I have to remember to respond to in the morning.  Or when I’m trying to concentrate in class and all I can focus on is wedding details swirling around in my head.

But sometimes it can work in my favor.  My mind just keeps going and going until it comes up with something amazing.  Something spectacular.  Something mind blowing.

Like last week.  When I was in bed, trying to go to sleep, and my mind kept wandering over to the dried chiles in my kitchen cabinet for the Marx Foods Blogger Chile Recipe Challenge.

Clearly there was no reason for me to be obsessing over chiles at 11:00 at night.  But there I was, exhausted, wishing I would just go to sleep, and thinking about chile recipes.

So I started thinking about what direction I would go in.  Should I use the mild chiles or hot?  Should I do something sweet or savory?  How can I come up with a winning recipe by next week?

All of a sudden my mind was swirling with crazy ideas.  Thai recipes… Mexican recipes… chili with chocolate in it… spicy chocolate truffles… Mexican hot chocolate… and finally, after about 50 different ideas, I knew what I was making.

Mexican Hot Chocolate Covered Strawberries.

And with that sweet thought, I was finally able to drift off to sleep.

Ingredients

12 oz semisweet chocolate chips
½ cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more for sprinkling
3 dried chipotle chiles, ground (click here for advice on grinding dried chiles)
1 pint strawberries, washed and patted dry

Feel free to adjust the amount of chiles you use to your own taste.  Three chiles was perfect for me, but if you prefer a little more or less heat, experiment to find what works for you.

Directions

1.  In a medium saucepan combine chocolate chips, heavy cream, ground cinnamon, and freshly ground chile powder. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and immediately refrigerate for 5 minutes to cool.

2.  Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. 

3.  Making sure they are completely dry, hold each strawberry by the stem and dip into the chocolate mixture.  Allow excess chocolate to drip off and place strawberry on the parchment paper lined baking sheet.  Repeat with remaining strawberries. 

4.  Refrigerate the chocolate covered strawberries for at least 2 hours, and up to 48 hours.  Sprinkle with cinnamon and serve.  

Not to toot my own horn or anything, but these were fabulous.  They were just the right balance of sweet and spicy.  Definitely worth a little tossing and turning before falling asleep!

Well not one, anyway.  Today I have seven (yes, seven!) recipes for you!

No, they’re not new.  But I promise you, they’re all delicious.

I was recently tagged in the Seven Links Challenge by both Victoria from Mission Food and by Lynne from 365 Days of Baking.  So I figure it’s time to stop procrastinating, and to get to it.

Without further ado, here it is, my Seven Links Challenge:

1. Most Beautiful Post: Bibimbap

2. Most Popular Post: S’mores Bars

3. Most Controversial Post: Matzoh Bagels

4. Most Helpful Post: Crustless Asparagus Quiche

5. Post That Was Surprisingly Successful: Handmade Za’atar Spiced Pita Bread

6. Post That Did Not Get the Attention it Deserved: Turkey Keema

7. Post You Are Most Proud Of: Quinoa and Israeli Couscous Risotto with Spinach and Parmesan and BIG NEWS!

And now, I get to “tag” five more bloggers to participate:

1.  Reeni - Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice
2.  Debbi – Debbi Does Dinner Healthy
3.   Maris – In Good Taste
4.  Raven – RavieNomNoms
5.  Brandy – Nutmeg Nanny

I can’t wait to see what you all come up with!  And even if I didn’t tag you, feel free to try it out… it’s fun to go back through and reread some of your old posts!