It's December! Where has this year gone!? I hope you all had wonderful Thanksgiving celebrations last week. Now, we head into one of the best times of year -- Holiday Party Snack Food Season. I'm heading to celebrate with my beloved book club girls this evening with snacks in hand (recipe to come!) but also wanted to share this meatball recipe I whipped up a week or two ago for dinner. I know they would be absolutely smashing at a holiday fête, especially if you roll them out very small.

- one pound ground turkey (I like 93%/7%)
- one large egg
- 1 12-14 oz jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and finely chopped
- 6 (or more!) sundried tomatoes, finely chopped
- 6 - 10 pitted cured black olives (kalamata would also be delicious)
- unseasoned breadcrumbs

I mixed all of the ingredients together and, as is my way, I could not tell you the amount of breadcrumbs. Its always something I eyeball and determine "ready" based on look and feel. I will try to be better about this in the future!

I tried searing a few in a pan before baking them through, but they started to fall apart when I attempted to turn or move them. I'd encourage you to entirely skip searing them and simply throw them into a 350 oven and bake until fully cooked.

I served them over risotto with about a pound of arugula wilted in at the end. The creamy risotto and the bitter arugula were perfect counterbalances to the bright, briny flavors in the meatballs. I ate some leftovers the next day and added some crumbled feta and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar - it was even better with those sweet and tangy additions. Were I to make these as an appetizer, I'd certainly look to a balsamic vinegar-inspired sauce or reduction to go with them. Enjoy!

Hasselback Caprese Chicken

Have you ever eaten Hasselback potatoes? I admit - I have not. I heard about them a year or so ago during a lazy weekend lounging about watching Bobby Flay look sexy while grilling things on television. You slice potatoes most of the way through, fill the slices with some sort of flavor butter/paste or ingredient, and bake. I saw a version of this applied to chicken breasts on Pinterest and was totally sold on the idea. Chicken breasts are the most boring and flavorless of all proteins to me, so any recipe that jazzes them up is a win! I’ve been having a Moment with sun dried tomatoes so wanted to do a riff on caprese flavors.

I started with three boneless skinless chicken breasts (two for us for dinner and one for a take-to-work lunch). Using a sharp paring knife, I made a series of slices about 1/2” apart from each other. Make sure you stop before you slice all the way through!

I sliced some fresh mozzarella and sun dried tomatoes and stuffed them as far as I could into the slices. I also seasoned with salt and pepper.

I bought an 8-ounce container of fresh pesto at Fairway and used about half of it on the three chicken breasts. I baked them for 25 minutes at 350° until the meat thermometer hit 165°.

I served the chicken with cauliflower ‘rice'. I shredded it in my food processor and cooked it on the stove top in oil to slightly brown it. Then, I tossed it with the remaining pesto sauce. To be honest, I would have much preferred pasta -- these flavors just beg for some penne or cavatelli -- but after a few days of eating leftover Packers Casserole, I needed a vegetable. Whether with pesto sauce or tomato sauce, a pasta side for this would be delicious.

It would be delicious because this chicken is fantastic. The rich tomatoes, the melty mozz, the spicy pesto - you cannot beat this combination of adornments. These were devoured right quick. Plus, the third that I saved for a lunch reheated beautifully and was just as tasty. I am already dreaming up different Hasselback iterations - red onion, jack cheese, cilantro, and BBQ sauce is one that immediately comes to mind. What would you stuff into your Hasselback chicken?

Romesco Pork Chops & Mediterranean Salad

In a scheduling decision that is a first for The Chardonnay Kitchen, I’m posting two recipes back to back that were actual dinners prepared back to back. While digesting our awesomely complex and delicious seafood dinner, J remarked about the romesco, “This would be great on pork.” Lo and behold, I had Skinnytaste’s Mediterranean pork chops on the agenda for the next day. In that recipe, she just advises you season the pork with whatever you want, but top them with a fresh and flavorful Greek-inspired salad. Because of J’s brilliant comment, I upped the ante and made the pork a main attraction as well.

Gina's recipe has you roast the vegetables in the salad in the oven. Blessed with End Of Summer Produce, I kept the oven entirely off and served all of the vegetables raw. I cut the zucchini and yellow squash into long thin strips and then halved the strips. I cut the grape tomato in quarters lengthwise. Then I tossed them with the crumbled feta, pitted kalamata olives, dried oregano, white pepper, and some white balsamic vinegar (there was enough residual olive oil from the kalamatas).

All in the salad was about 4 servings. I had one and J had two helpings of the salad - so fresh and crunchy and sweet! - and I took the fourth serving to work the next day for lunch.

Once the salad was finished, I cooked four thin boneless pork chops in vegetable oil on the stove, seasoned liberally with salt and pepper. I let them rest for a minute or two on paper towels to blot off excess oil and then topped each chop with a teaspoon of the romesco.

Eating the rainbow - orange romesco, yellow + green + red + purple salad.

The sweet crunch of the salad paired beautifully with the smoky, nutty romesco. Truly, I think I would have enjoyed this salad on top of plain pork chops, but the romesco - with it's even stronger second-day flavor intensity - was outrageous on the thin chops. This was a quick weeknight meal that didn't heat up the whole house with the oven on. You now have two different ideas on how to use romesco - I'm telling you, you'll love it and you will be glad if you try it!

Chorizo Breakfast Bake

A few weeks ago, we invited some of J's coworkers over for brunch. It was so nice for all of us to kick back and relax together. In addition to the main attractions - bellinis and Bloodies - I also served food. The biggest hit was a crustless chorizo egg bake.

- 10 large eggs
- 1/2 cup fresh salsa (or jarred if that's your thing)
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 2 (or more!) cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 1 poblano pepper
- 1 bell pepper (I chose yellow, but pick your favorite color)
- 8 ounces chorizo
- shredded cheese of your choice (I tried Sargento's Nacho & Taco blend - not paid, not an endorsement, but it was pretty good!)
- salt and pepper

First, I browned all of the chorizo - if you opt for pre-cooked, you can certainly skip this step and simply cut it to your desired size. I removed it from the pan onto a paper towel-covered plate to drain a bit and scooped out most of the fats from the pan. I left a little bit behind and sautéed the onion in it. After a few minutes, I added the garlic and peppers in as well and cooked until the peppers just started to soften. I pulled the vegetables off the heat and let them cool.

Once cooled, I tossed the chorizo and vegetables into a lightly oiled casserole pan and covered with one or two handfuls of shredded cheese.

In a separate bowl, scramble all 10 of the eggs thoroughly. Having learned from my last multiple egg cooking attempt, I added three heavy pinches salt and a bunch black pepper (as much as you want, really). Add in the salsa and mix to combine. Pour the egg mixture over the chorizo and vegetables.

I topped it all off with another hearty helping of cheese. Because cheese is wonderful. I baked it for 30 minutes at 350 degrees until the top looked golden and the eggs looked cooked through.

YUM. I let it cool for about 10 minutes before serving, but it is as delicious room temperature - I confirmed this 4 hours later when there was only one helping left and I ate it directly out of the dish with a fork.

I also made zucchini and cream cheese muffins that were... Not Good. J swears they were delicious and not a single muffin remained, but I thought they were dense and chewy, almost gummy. Avoid. I also made a fruit salad of sliced strawberries and red grapes with a balsamic vinegar-vanilla extract-Campari-lemon zest reduction. It was Fancy and I'm pretty sure I'm the only one who actually used the reduction. More for me!

All in, the egg bake was a hit. It was so simple to put together, and I'm sure you could even cook all the vegetables the night before to save time day-of. It was spicy from the chorizo and salsa, but it wasn't so hot that it completely burned out your taste buds. I think serving some fresh avocado on top would also be an outrageous and tasty addition.

There weren't any leftovers (after I scarfed down that last serving when the guests left) , but I had hoped for some to take a square to work for lunch! I'll definitely be making this again!

Farmer's Market Pizza

I love pizza. It is, along with the sandwich, one of the most versatile and perfect foods ever created. You can eat it three meals a day and your choice of toppings is nearly endless. I'm always in the mood for pizza. I've made pizza at home before, but always wussed out and picked a pre-made dough. I finally worked up the nerve to try fresh dough myself. I figured that even if the dough was a flop, I still had a bunch of fabulous toppings (most of which I picked up at the Farmers' Market) to rescue the dish.

I made Country Cleaver's pizza dough from this recipe (also, how freakin' BOMB do those toppings look!? Note for next time...). It is the only pizza dough I ever want to eat again in my life. I didn't use the flavored olive oil and I swapped a teaspoon of garlic powder instead of a fresh clove, but otherwise followed the recipe to the letter. It was my first adventure with yeast and I was terrified I'd do something entirely wrong - I even got out my meat thermometer to test the water temperature. Yes, I am scared of roller coasters, ax-wielding intruders, and killing yeast with too-hot water.

I started with the rest of the tomato jam - the flavors only intensified in outrageous deliciousness as they hung out in the refrigerator. I sauteed down some small white onions with dried oregano and, once cooled, add those on top. I sliced the kernels off of the third ear of grilled corn (also from the tomato jam post) and some slices of raw zucchini. I smothered the healthy parts with proscuitto (thank you, CC, for this inspiration) and slices of provolone. I also picked up four gorgeous squash blossoms at the market and I had grand plans to ricotta-stuff and pan-fry them. Those flew out the window when I found this pizza dough recipe. I knew then that the flowers would simply be a crowning topping to the pile of Farmers' Market bounty.

The masterpiezza (go with it) went into a 450 degree oven for about 11 minutes.

And holy hell. It was SO good.

The vegetables all skewed sweet - tomatoes, onions, corn, zucchini - so a few shakes of crushed red pepper were required and delicious. The salty proscuitto and the pops of fresh sweet vegetables was beautifully balanced and supremely delicious.

And the dough - ohhhhhhmygosh this dough. Absolutely foolproof. I do not know what took me so long to make my own (kidding, see above re: fear of burning yeast) but I love it. It had that ideal crunch on the bottom but chewiness throughout. I cannot wait to make another at-home pizza with this dough. It's 100% a winner.

We had two of our close friends over and the four of us devoured this thing. There were only a few small pieces leftover which was such a joy. One of my favorite ways to use leftovers? Throw an egg on top and call it breakfast.

A perfect sunny side up, freshly cracked black pepper, and a drizzle of sriracha. Is there a more perfect way to start your morning?

Tomato & Shallot Jam on Salmon

We've been back from the beach for over two weeks, but - cue the Kylie - I cannot get this tomato jam out of my head. I dreamed it up toward the end of vacation and cooked it one of our first days back in New York. And now that it's gone, all I want to do is make more and more and more and more of it and eat it every day.

My mom and I shopped for the beach house in the suburbs. If everything is faster in New York City, everything is so much freaking BIGGER in the suburbs! (And cheaper. Oh, bless you Burbs. So. Much. Cheaper.) I purchased a 2-pound box of sweet grape tomatoes knowing that it is one of four vegetable options the girls would eat (the other three being "corn", "carrots", and "nothing"). Lo and behold, "nothing" ended up being a very popular choice and I returned home with almost the entire box untouched.

My ingredients:
- just shy of (they did eat SOME) 2 lb grape tomatoes
- 6 medium - large shallots (3/4 lb weighed at the store), chopped
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon harissa (optional)

I started off melting the butter over low heat and cooking the shallots for about 6 - 8 minutes until they started to soften. I also added an extremely kind and generous dose of salt - likely came out to a teaspoon, maybe a bit more. If anything I've learned from my new-ish foray into baking it's that salt helps sweet flavors shine.

Then I added the tomatoes.

I stirred to incorporate them with the shallots and cooked for about 3 minutes. Then, I added in the lemon juice and sugar. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil.

It was at this point that I decided I wanted a wee bit of heat. I went with harissa because it's made of red peppers which bring their own natural sweetness to the mix. I hoped I didn't ruin the whole dish with spiciness and forged onward.

Once the mixture reached a boil, I reduced the heat to low and simmered it uncovered for about an hour. I stirred it occasionally and slowly but surely, some of the tomatoes began to burst. My heart leapt a little bit each time I'd hear a cherry tomato explode - granted, it was more of a 'pop', but it still foretold deliciousness that was brewing.

To be fair, an hour is a long time so I must tell you this - I was doing some other kitchen tasks simultaneously or I would have been extremely bored. Not even creamy, blessed risotto takes an hour of constant watching and stirring.

Boredom, or at least impatience, did actually kick shortly after the hour mark, so I started popping the remaining whole tomatoes with the back of my stirrer. Once every single tomato had been squished, I gave it all one last final stir and turned off the heat.

I wanted to eat it directly off the stove. The natural sweetness of the tomatoes and the shallots was enhanced with the sugar, but wasn't cloying. Cooking it slow and low resulted in really rich, deep flavors. The harissa added another layer of sweetness from the red pepper and the smallest hint of heat at the back of your mouth. It was savory and sweet, not spicy, but that little zing was really delicious. I forced myself to not eat all of it with a spoon and rather let it cool on the stove before transferring to the fridge overnight.

The next day, I slathered it all over a beautiful piece of salmon.

As pictured, I lined the dish with parchment paper first. It somehow feels and looks fancier than tin foil. And it worked.

This is a thing of pure and absolute beauty. There was still plenty of the jam left having completely smothered the fish in it, so I begrudgingly put it back into the fridge instead of devouring it with a spoon and put the salmon in the oven for about 15 - 20 minutes at 350°.

On to the sides! I'd purchased 3 ears of corn and 2 small zucchinis at the farmers market for sides. Once shucked, I discovered that I got a bonus ear for free.

The corn I simply grilled up on our grill pan. We each ate one and saved the third for another use later in the week.

The zucchinis became a salad I've wanted to try from The Newlywed Cookbook. I worship at the altar of ricotta cheese so this was right up my alley.

The ingredients are:

1 large or 2 small zucchini(s)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt & pepper
1/4 cup fresh ricotta
1/2 cup toasted walnuts, broken in pieces (I omitted these)

Peel zucchini lengthwise with a vegetable peeler into thin strips. Toss with the lemon juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. I personally went heavy on the fresh pepper because I live for it. Administer a healthy dose of ricotta (and nuts, if you use them) to the top. I tossed the zucchini and ricotta together just before serving.

Then it was time for dinner.

I'm not the biggest fan of summer - humidity and my hair haven't been on speaking terms for years - but this dish made me wish I had fresh summer produce 12 months of the year. Grilled corn is exquisite - if you haven't done it, please do it. If you haven't tried eating zucchini raw before (and I hadn't!), please do it. It's light, it's crunchy, and paired perfectly with the zing of lemon juice and the fluffy ricotta.

And let's take a look at this stunning zucchini side, shall we?

Beautiful and delicious. I wish that I'd made this salad in May so that I could continue making it all summer - it is glorious.

They were fantastic sides, yes, but I have to gush about this fish. THIS FISH YOU GUYS HOLY DELICIOUSNESS.

The slow-simmered, caramelized shallots and tomatoes on top of a flaky and hearty piece of salmon? I truly have dreamed of this dish since making it. It is my new gold standard in Summer Fish Toppers. In fact, this whole plate was just chock full of summer sweetness. And I'm telling you - make this jam. Tomatoes are a summer thing, but I know this would be a perfect condiment all year round, at all three meals.

I used it the next day at breakfast, in fact! I smeared some ricotta cheese onto whole grain toast and topped it with some of the tomato jam. Absolute perfection. I used more of it for another recipe which is on it's way this week!

Tilapia with Sweet & Sour Mediterranean-Style Tomato Sauce from RINO'S KITCHEN

One of my all-time favorite things is snail mail. Receiving it is marvelous, but I love sending people surprise treats. I'll pop a fun card in the mail, or send some kitschy cocktail napkins to a friend. It's one of those small things that brings me great pleasure. Earlier this summer, my sweet friend Katie turned the tables on me and blew me away with a brand new cookbook.

It's easy for friends to send an email, a tweet, a text. She took the time to purchase a book - one written by the chef who catered her wedding- that she wanted to share, write a note, pack everything up, and ship it internationally from Canada to me. Every single time I see it on my cookbook shelf, every single time I flip through the pages looking for (and finding!) inspiration, I have been and will continue to be humbled and happied by this gift. In a small way, it's giving me great ideas of things to cook. In a big way, it reminds me that I cook to share love with those I feed, and I post those foods here on The Chardonnay Kitchen to make connections and share beyond my table.

So, now that we've concluded the Super Sappy portion of today's post, let's get on to the sweet and sour sauce portion. This fish dish is layer upon layer of flavor and is going to blow you away. I'd argue that "sour" isn't totally accurate - it's much more a sweet and acidic sauce. The tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, and olives all bring both a sweetness and a "sourness" to the dish. Let's just get to it -- this isn't complicated, but does take a few steps of adding all the flavors to the pan.

Let's start with the ingredients. I'll write up the Rino's Kitchen list and indicate my substitutions:

2 tsp olive oil
4 pickerel fillets (I used two large tilapia fillets - Bortolin notes in the book that any white fish will work beautifully)
1/4 cup flour for dusting
salt & pepper to taste
1 large onion diced
1 diced green pepper
1/4 cup pitted black olives (I used pitted kalamata)
1 tsp chopped garlic
1 tbsp chopped parsley (omitted because I didn't have it)
1 tsp oregano
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
2 cups tomato sauce (Bortolin directs you to his sauce recipe; I used a plain old 14 ounce can of crushed tomatoes and it worked just fine)

You start off by dipping the fish in flour with salt and pepper, then cooking it in heated olive oil. I did 3 -5 minutes per side, heeding the cookbook instruction to remove the fish from the pan before it is fully cooked. I placed the removed fish on paper towels on a plate to soak up any excess oil.

Then add the onions, olives, and pepper into the pan.

Cook over medium heat until the onions start to brown and become tender. Stir in garlic and season with oregano, salt and pepper.

Once the garlic becomes fragrant, pour in the balsamic vinegar and toss together. Allow the balsamic to reduce slightly.

Add in the tomato sauce (or plain Jane tomatoes) and stir. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 - 6 minutes.

At this point, your kitchen is going to smell outrageous. Your mouth will be watering and you will feel compelled to start eating this sauce by the spoonful, burning the roof of your mouth and ignoring the hereto un-sauced tilapia.

And then you add the tilapia. And you upgrade from "mouth watering" to "full on drool".

Let the simmering sauce finish cooking the fish, another 4 - 5 minutes. Tell your salivary glands to friggin cool it because you are soooooclose to digging in.

Plate up the fish and smother it in this magical sauce.

You can barely see the fish because I wanted to eat ALL of the sauce. It's heaven. This dish is hearty because there is just so much to it, but it still feels and tastes very light because, at the end of the day, this is nothing more than fish and vegetables. It's fancy and complex enough for a special occasion, but you can pull it together in under an hour. And at least for me - sappy alert - it tasted that much better because of the generosity that brought the recipe to my table.

Get out there today and do something nice for someone. Whether big or little, the ripple effect of simply being kind reaches farther than you might ever be able to see. And, if you're down, make this fish. It is sweet and sour perfection.