Avocado, Cilantro and White Onion Salad Re-Cap!

Happy First Day of September!

I don't know about your area, but we have definitely cooled down here, especially at night. It won't be long before we start thinking about pumpkins and fleecy sweaters. On the other side of the world, Australia and New Zealand are celebrating the first day of Spring!

This is the 241st day of the year, only 121 days left until 2010. One third to go. This might be a good time to start thinking about your Christmas list..

On that alarming note, let's see how our friends did with Tyler's totally tasty Avocado, Cilantro and White Onion Salad this month.


With a half of an avocado just waiting to be used, Nancy from The Dogs Eat the Crumbs decided to put it to good use by making this month's challenge recipe, Tyler's Avocado, Cilantro and White Onion Salad. She liked it so much--she made it again! Nancy says, "This salad was so delicious! Although I would have been tempted to throw in some tomato, the avocado and onion made for a great duo, with fresh and flavorful support from the lime and cilantro. I licked the plate. Both times I made it. I'll be making this recipe again and again, no matter the season."

Natalia of Gatti Fili e Farina made Avocado, No-Cilantro, and White Onion Salad.

"This week thanks to Megan's choice I made a very fresh salad without cilantro, which I can't find here, but using some parsley instead. It's a great refreshing treat !!!"

Jenny of All Things Edible made this very pretty Avocado, Cilantro and Red Onion Salad.

"So pretty, easy to make, and good for company. Provided they like avocado and cilantro."

Deb at Kahakai Kitchen, had a "Tyler Twofer" with a pair of cold salads for a warm, muggy night's dinner. First was the Crab Parfait, featured in August 21st's round-up, and then the Avocado, Cilantro and White Onion Salad, a simple side dish with bright flavors that would be perfect with grilled dishes or Mexican food. Both are keeper recipes.

Over at Living in the Kitchen with Puppies, I paired my Avocado, Cilantro and (Sweet) White Onion Salad with cherry tomatoes and queso blanco cheese. We absolutely loved this salad and hubby is still talking about it. It is his new favourite food.

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If all this praise for Tyler's salad has made you hungry, here is the recipe again so you can make it at home. Enjoy!

Avocado, Cilantro and White Onion Salad
Tyler Florence, Food Network

Ingredients

1 garlic clove, chopped

2 limes, juiced

Pinch sugar

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 medium, ripe avocados

1/2 medium white onion, thinly sliced (I would make them sweet white onions)

1 cup fresh picked cilantro leaves

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, add the garlic, lime juice, sugar, and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and give it a quick whisk to combine.Split avocados in half and remove the pit. Spoon out the flesh, put on a cutting board and slice into chunks. Transfer to a serving bowl and add the onion and cilantro leaves. Add the vinaigrette and toss lightly to coat just before serving.

Quinoa Pilaf Round-up!

Tyler knows how hot you are, honest he does!

Here he is making you (and me!) cocktails, to cool us down this summer. What a gentleman. Notice the very cool way he opens those ginger beer bottles. Just a touch of danger there, nice!

Anyway, where was I? Oh yes, the round-up.

Check out the quinoa pilafs submitted this month, each so unique and delicious.

Jenny of All Things Edible made Tyler's Quinoa Pilaf her own this month, using feta and green onions, yum! Jenny is the only one in the house who eats quinoa, oh well, more for her!

Kristin of Sogkonnite Living made Tyler's Quinoa Pilaf her own as well this month, tailoring the challenge to what she had on hand.
"It makes an excellent pilaf. This was quick & easy and had a very nice flavor."

Deb of Kahakai Kitchen made the pilaf earlier this week and was happy with how healthful it was.

"This one is pretty healthy so I didn't make many changes, other than using things I had on hand and adapting it a bit to my tastes."

Over at Living in the Kitchen with Puppies, I served the pilaf with some lamb chops. I loved the combination of flavours and would definitely make it again. I am a sucker for anything with kalamata olives in it.

Curious about August's Challenge?

Megan chose a simple..

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Avocado, Cilantro and White Onion Salad

Tyler Florence, Food Network

Ingredients
1 garlic clove, chopped
2 limes, juiced
Pinch sugar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 medium, ripe avocados
1/2 medium white onion, thinly sliced (I would make them sweet white onions)
1 cup fresh picked cilantro leaves

Directions
In a large mixing bowl, add the garlic, lime juice, sugar, and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and give it a quick whisk to combine.
Split avocados in half and remove the pit. Spoon out the flesh, put on a cutting board and slice into chunks. Transfer to a serving bowl and add the onion and cilantro leaves. Add the vinaigrette and toss lightly to coat just before serving.

As always, this challenge is optional and adaptable - have fun with it! The round-up will be September 1st. (My daughter's 20th birthday!)

Let the Good Times Roll!

Happy Canada Day to all Canadians and honorary Canadians!
On this festive day, we have our Summer Roll Round-up, and the announcement of July's Megan's Challenge.
The summer rolls were lots of fun, and very versatile. Let's check them out, shall we?

Megan of My Baking Adventures kicked off the challenge with these yummy rolls.
"This was a fantastic recipe to kick off the summer – and I highly recommend you try these!"

Karen of Something Sweet by Karen made these cute little rolls, saying "These were the perfect summer dinner. The rolls are full of flavor from the vegetables and fresh herbs."

Jenny of All Things Edible found Tyler's Summer Rolls with Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce to be "A beautifully cool and healthy Asian wrap with a sweet chili sauce."

Over at Living in the Kitchen with Puppies, I made these tasty rolls. "Summer rolls are the perfect summertime dinner. They are relatively easy to make, don't require that you turn on your oven or even your stove-top, and they are infinitely adaptable to what you have on hand."

Deb of Kahakai Kitchen made these lovely rolls, saying "These summer rolls are excellent, perfect for a warm night and so adaptable to adding what you have on hand."

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Great Rolls!

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July's Megan's Challenge is....

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Quinoa Pilaf

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Ingredients
2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup quinoa, rinsed well
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon salt and pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon preserved lemon rind, finely diced
1 tomato, finely chopped
1 (15-ounce) can artichoke hearts in water, drained and quartered
1/2 red onion, diced
1/2 cup black olives, pitted
1/4 cup currants
Fresh mint leaves, for garnish

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Directions
In a small saucepan, combine broth, quinoa, bay leaf, turmeric, salt, pepper and olive oil in a saucepan. Stir in preserved lemon and cover. Simmer until water is absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes. Turn off heat. Add tomato, artichokes, onion, olives and currants, mix well to combine. Top with mint and serve.

As always, this challenge is optional and adaptable - have fun with it!

Quiche Me, Dahling!

Good Heavens! Our quiche round-up landed on a Friday, meaning double posting for me! Pity me, send flowers, wine... no? Fine. I suppose I will survive.

A smaller turn-out today for the challenge, but high in creativity. Our TFFers (ha! just called you f-ers!... ok, I called me that too...) Anyway... our participants made this recipe their own, demonstrating the versatility of the humble quiche.

Although quiche is now a classic dish of French cuisine, quiche actually originated in Germany, in the medieval kingdom of Lothringen, under German rule, and which the French later renamed Lorraine. The word ‘quiche’ is from the German ‘Kuchen’, meaning cake. The original ‘quiche Lorraine’ was an open pie with a filling consisting of an egg and cream custard with smoked bacon. It was only later that cheese was added to the quiche Lorraine. Add onions and you have quiche Alsacienne. The bottom crust was originally made from bread dough, but that has long since evolved into a short-crust or puff pastry crust. Quiche became popular in England sometime after the Second World War, and in the U.S. during the 1950's. Because of its primarily vegetarian ingredients, it was considered a somehow ‘unmanly’ dish, - “real men don’t eat quiche.” Today, one can find many varieties of quiche, from the original quiche Lorraine, to ones with broccoli, mushrooms, ham and/or seafood (primarily shellfish). Quiche can be served as an entrée, for lunch, breakfast or an evening snack.
Food Reference.com

Hungry yet? Let's get to those quiche! (Quiches?)


Nancy of The Dogs Eat the Crumbs made a healthier version of the quiche, in single serving sizes. She did love the salad, which seemed to be the most popular part of the recipe, and loved that her herbs were up in time to make it. How cute is that little quiche!

Megan of My Baking Adventures had no luck with her quiche this time, she found that the low-fat milk substitute that she used was rather sweet, leaving her with an oddly sweet pie with onions. Oh well. We have all been there. We can't be perfect all of the time!

Deb of Kahakai Kitchen made a heart healthy version of the quiche by combining Tyler's recipe with Ellie Krieger's - with a few ideas of her own too. Deb loved the light and tart herb salad and would definitely make it again.

Natalia of Gatti Fili e Farina loved this dish, needing only to scale back a bit on the eggs and cream. Her family ate it up so fast, she forgot to get a picture! Here is a remaining slice, yum!

Over at Living in the Kitchen with Puppies, I made the whole thing! It is huge, but got eaten for dinner, lunches the next day, and breakie the day after that. I loved the experience of making a deep dish quiche, certainly something I have never done before. It was so light and moussey, but I have to say that the salad was my favourite part too.

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The Bonus Challenges are going to take a warm-weather break, so you can concentrate on grilling and the great outdoors. Tyler Florence Fridays will continue in it's already scheduled awesomeness.

March Bonus Challenge Round-Up and Introducing April's Challenge!

The first of April, some do say

Is set apart for All Fool's Day;

But why the people call it so

Nor I, nor they themselves, do know,

But on this day are people sent

On purpose for pure merriment.
- Anonymous

Happy April! Hope you dodged any and all pranks headed in your general direction and survived another April Fool's Day. The biggest trick April plays on us Canadians is the weather of course, keep the mitts and hats by the door... you just never know.

Another joke on me today? Blogger decided to go ahead and publish soon after I started this post. If you got a teaser of a partial post... you can thank tricky little Blogger!

Now..
Something to warm your heart and please your senses on this foolish day - the Ultimate Fish Taco Round-Up! Shall we?


The lady who chose the Fish Taco challenge, Megan of My Baking Adventures was so enthralled by them that she burst into song! Seriously. Add to that her newly found love of panko, and the conversion of her hubby to fish tacos and this was a success of wondrous proportions!

Jenny of All Things Edible created her own take on Tyler's Ultimate Fish Tacos. She made a peppery fruit salsa to go with it and used a combination of tilapia and sole for her fish. A family pleaser, to be sure!

I absolutely loved this dish over at Living in the Kitchen with Puppies, and hubby gave Tyler's Ultimate Fish Tacos two thumbs way up - what more could a gal ask for? Dishes? Yes, he does dishes.

Deb of Kahakai Kitchen made a super light and healthy version of the Fish Tacos by baking the fish, using Greek yogurt instead of mayo and using whole grain tortillas. What isn't missing? Total deliciousness! Fish tacos as health food - thanks Deb!

Natalia from Gatti Fili E Farina quite enjoyed Tyler's Ultimate Fish Tacos. Natalia used flaky cod fillets and thanks to Tyler, she discovered the wonders of panko for the first time. Even better, her kids loved the tacos too!

Reeni from Cinnamon, Spice & Everything Nice, was pleasantly surprised by Tyler's Ultimate Fish Tacos. Reeni was never a big fan of even the thought of fish tacos but Tyler's may have converted her; she loved the crispy panko and chili mayo. Instead of Tyler's Mango Salsa, Reeni whipped up her own super spicy Creamy Ancho Chili Slaw to go with the tacos.

Michelle of Big Black Dog absolutely loved this month's challenge, Tyler's Ultimate Fish Tacos , and was happy to have the opportunity to try a new kind of seafood. Skate was on sale and ended up being the perfect fit for these popular tacos. She even used the leftover mayo for a cole slaw - good thinking!
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This challenge was a great success and a fan favourite...

Looking forward to Megan's Challenge for April?

Look no further.....

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April's Challenge

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Deep-Dish Ham Quiche with Herb and Asparagus Salad, Tyler Florence

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Ingredients
Pastry:
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
3/4 cup (11/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small chunks
1 large egg yolk
3 tablespoons ice water, plus more if needed

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Filling:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin-olive oil
2 large Vidalia onions, sliced
3/4 pound smoked ham, cubed
8 large eggs
1 quart heavy cream
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

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Salad:
2 bunches asparagus (about 1 pound each), stems trimmed
4 ounces Parmesan, shaved with a peeler
2 handfuls fresh flat-leaf parsley, hand-torn
1 handful fresh mint, hand-torn
1 handful fresh dill, hand-torn
Extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 lemon, juiced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

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Directions
To make the pastry: combine the flour, salt, and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and mix with a pastry blender or your hands until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Beat the egg yolk and ice water in a small bowl to blend, add it to the pastry. Work it in to bind the dough until it holds together without being too wet or sticky. Squeeze a small amount together, if it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Form the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

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Sprinkle the counter and a rolling pin lightly with flour. Roll the dough out into a 14-inch circle about 1/4-inch thick. Carefully roll the dough up onto the pin (this may take a little practice) and lay it inside a 9-inch springform pan. Press the dough firmly into the bottom and sides so it fits tightly; trim the excess dough around the rim. Place the pan on a sturdy cookie sheet so it will be easier to move in and out of the oven, this quiche is pretty heavy.

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Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

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To make the filling: Heat a skillet over medium-low heat, coat the pan with oil, and add the onions. Slowly cook the onions, stirring, until they caramelize and release their natural sugars. Add a couple of tablespoons of water to help the onions break down, if needed. Toss in the ham, cook, stirring, for about 10 minutes to get some color on it. Remove from heat. In a large bowl, beat the eggs until frothy, pour in the cream; season with salt and pepper. Arrange the caramelized onions and ham over the bottom of the crust and carefully pour in the cream and egg mixture; the filling should be about 1-inch from the top of the pan. Cover loosely with foil and bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake for 15 minutes or until the quiche is set, puffy, and jiggles slightly. Remove to a wire rack and let cool for 30 minutes. In the meantime make the asparagus salad.

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To make the asparagus salad: In a large pot of boiling salted water, blanch the asparagus for 4 minutes, or until they are just crisp-tender. Drain the asparagus, transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking, and drain well. Slice the asparagus into 1/2-inch pieces and put them in a mixing bowl. Add the Parmesan and herbs, drizzle the herb and asparagus salad with olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice, season with salt and pepper. Toss gently to combine.

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Loosen the quiche from the sides of the pan by running a thin metal spatula around the inside rim. Carefully unmold the ring, and transfer the quiche (with the bottom base) to a serving plate. Cut it into wedges, drizzle with a little olive oil, and a few turns of freshly ground black pepper.

Garnish with the asparagus salad on top.

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As with the last challenges, feel free to play with the recipe and have fun with it!

Round-up will be at the beginning of May, post at any time during the month, and submit your Megan's Challenge post to us the same way you submit your weekly TFF posts. You are welcome to do the bonus as your weekly TFF submission or as an extra for the bonus round-up.
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If I have missed your bonus challenge in this round-up, please email and I will add you in.

Gnocchi Round-Up and March Bonus Challenge!

As you can see by the picture, Tyler is very happy that we are cooking up a storm from his recipes. Look, he is even helping with the groceries! Such a nice man.
February's bonus challenge was a little intimidating, even for the gal who chose it! Well, it is a challenge.
We have a small round-up today, plus the announcement of March's bonus challenge. Let's get to it, shall we?



Natalia of Gatti Fili e Farina is, by her Italian nature, no stranger to gnocchi. She was thrilled to discover a novel way of creating this much loved dish and was very happy that her husband also loved it. Her gnocchi are beautifully crafted and Natalia is my new hero.

Kim of Stirring the Pot made the gnocchi recipe to a "T" and loved the balance of textures and flavours. She did find it a little labour intensive, but took only an hour to make it - so definitely had me beat! Once again, Kim was not let down by Tyler.

Deb of Kahakai Kitchen made a half batch with extra peas. and was just about to leave the lemon ricotta out of her gnocchi dinner but was very glad that she left it in. "It made the dish".

I agree, I loved that lemon ricotta. She did find the gnocchi arduous at times but in the end was glad to have done it.. once! As delicious as it turned out, this is one dish she might leave to the professionals.

Over at Living in the Kitchen with Puppies, I used Spanish chorizo and lots of herbs in my gnocchi, but otherwise made it true to the recipe. This is probably my third time attempting gnocchi, and my most successful so far. I agree with Deb though, that lemon ricotta was dynamite! I thought the recipe was definitely a success, and I am happy to have tried it again.

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Now onto..

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March's Bonus Challenge!

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Megan has chosen...

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Tyler's Ultimate Fish Tacos

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Tyler's Ultimate Fish Tacos

Ingredients
2 pounds mahi mahi (skinned, boned and cleaned) cut into 1-ounce strips
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 eggs, lightly beaten
4 tablespoons water
2 cups panko bread crumbs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil, for frying
1/2 head savoy cabbage, finely shredded
1 bunch cilantro, leaves picked
1 bunch chives, chopped
3 limes, cut into wedges for garnish

Pink Chile Mayonnaise:
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
3 chipotles in adobo, plus 2 tablespoons of adobo sauce
1/2 lemon, juiced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Mango-Radish Salsa:
2 limes
2 mangoes, diced
4 to 5 red radishes, diced
1 red onion, diced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, leaves chopped
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Prepare the fish. Cut the pieces of fish into 1-ounce strips. Set up a breading station of flour, lightly beaten eggs with water, and seasoned panko bread crumbs. Season all with salt and pepper. Dredge the pieces of fish in flour, egg then bread crumbs. Once all the fish is breaded deep-fry in small batches in (375 degrees F) oil. Drain on paper towels and season with salt. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Prepare the pink chile mayonnaise. Put the chipotles in a blender and puree until smooth. Add the sour cream, mayonnaise, adobo sauce and lemon juice and continue to process until the mixture is consistent and creamy. Season with salt and pepper and refrigerate until ready to use.

Prepare the mango-radish salsa. Remove the peel and pith from the limes and cut between the membranes to remove the segments. Put these "supremes" into a bowl and squeeze over the juice from the membranes. Add the remaining ingredients and mix. Season and refrigerate until ready to use. You can also place all of the ingredients into a food processor and puree for a smoother salsa.

To serve, set up the tacos "family-style". Assemble the fish in a pile on a plate; the pink chile mayonnaise in a bowl; and mango-radish salsa in another. Set a pile of shredded savoy cabbage, cilantro leaves, chopped chives and lime wedges next to the fish. Toast the corn tortillas lightly over an open flame (on your stove top) and serve.

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As with the last challenge, feel free to play with the recipe and have fun with it!
Round-up will be at the beginning of April, post at any time during the month, and submit your Megan's Challenge post to us the same way you submit your weekly TFF posts.

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If I have missed your bonus challenge in this round-up, please email and I will add you in.

Calzone Round-Up and February's Challenge!

Welcome to the first Megan's Challenge round-up!

January's challenge was Tyler's Three Cheese Spinach Calzones, which were a big hit. The recipe was lots of fun to play with and everyone put their own spin on their creations.

Megan of My Baking Adventures premiered the calzones for us, making two different kinds for her family. She loved how versatile and easy the recipe was and will definitely make them again.

Andrea of Nummy Kitchen used mushrooms and frozen spinach in her calzones, as well as spicing up the tops with herbs and Parmesan - what a great idea! I love the face she made out of this one, how cute is that!

Kristin of locallcfoods just got back from Disney and made three different versions of the calzones. She loved that she could play around with the recipe - she is just looking for the perfect combo to please her family.

Deb of Kahakai Kitchen made a heart-healthy version of her calzones with whole wheat and flax seeds. She cleverly disguised all that healthiness with mushrooms, extra garlic and hot pepper flakes.

I went the opposite way and added bacon to mine, to lure in my teenage sons. On my site, Living in the Kitchen with Puppies, I served the calzones with tostones - just for fun.


Lots of fun variations on January's theme! Makes you wonder what....

February's theme will be!

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February's Challenge

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Potato Gnocchi with Peas, Prosciutto and Ricotta

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Ingredients

Potato gnocchi:
2 pounds (about 4) russet potatoes, or similar starchy/white variety
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 egg white
1 to 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
1/4 pound prosciutto
1 large shallot, finely diced
Extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon butter
Grated Parmesan
2 cups Lemon Ricotta, recipe follows

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Scrub potatoes, pierce the skin with a fork, drizzle with olive oil and salt and place on a sheet pan. Place the sheet pan in the oven and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour until they are easily pierced with a pairing knife. Allow the potatoes to cool slightly then peel the potatoes while they are still hot and press them through a potato ricer. Put the potatoes in a large bowl with salt, nutmeg, baking powder, grated cheese and egg white. Add the flour a little at a time and mix with your hands until the mixture forms a rough dough. Do not over-work the dough. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Gently knead the dough for 1 or 2 minutes until smooth, adding a little bit more flour, if necessary, to keep it from sticking.
Break off a piece of the dough and roll it back and forth into a rope, about the thickness of your index finger. Cut the rope into 1-inch pieces. Gently roll each piece down the prongs of a fork while pressing a small dimple with your finger in the back. The gnocchi should be slightly curved and marked with ridges. This will allow the pillows to hold sauce when served. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 12 hours.
Boil the gnocchi in batches in plenty of salted water. The gnocchi are done about 2 minutes after they float to the surface, remove with a slotted spoon. Reserve about 1/2 cup cooking water. If not cooking immediately, place the gnocchi in a single layer on a baking pan dusted with flour.

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Note:

If the gnocchi start to feather and fall apart in boiling water, you need more flour. If the gnocchi don't float after 2 minutes and are hard, you used too much flour.
Blanch peas in hot water and set aside.
Place 4 strips of prosciutto on a sheet pan and place in a preheated 350 degree F oven. Cook until the bacon is crispy, 8 to 10 minutes.
Add chopped shallots to a pan over medium high heat with 2 counts of olive oil pan of and gently saute until fragrant and translucent. Dump in the peas and toss gently to coat. Season with a little salt and pepper. Add boiled gnocchi to the pan and gently toss. Add a ladle of gnocchi water to the pan, add 1 tablespoon of butter, sprinkle with Parmesan and season with salt and pepper. Serve topped with crispy prosciutto and a scoop of fresh lemon ricotta. (Optional: finish with a drizzle of white truffle oil)

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Lemon Ricotta:
2 cups good quality ricotta cheese
1 lemon, zested and juiced
Salt
Place the ricotta cheese in a mixing bowl and add the lemon zest and juice. Season with salt and serve with the gnocchi.
Yield: 4 to 6 servings

As with the last challenge, feel free to play with the recipe and have fun with it!

Round-up will be at the beginning of March, post at any time during the month, and submit your Megan's Challenge post to us the same way you submit your weekly TFF posts.

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Below is a reminder of the weekly submission guidelines. For those of you who haven't read them in a while, they have been updated.

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Here are a few guidelines for participation.

1. Make a dish from one of Tyler Florence’s cookbooks or online recipes. List the book if you are cooking from one of his books, or, if using an online recipe - link to that.

2. Link to Tyler Florence Fridays in your post. http://tylerflorencefridays.blogspot.com/

3. Send us an email to tylerflorenceFridays@hotmail.com by 3pm-Eastern Standard Time on Friday and include the following:

The post’s permalink

Your name, the dish that you made

Your blog name and a link to your blog

A medium sized picture (300x400 or smaller) so we can include it in the round up on Friday

Please put “TFF” in the subject line so we can avoid spam

4. We would love to read in your post any changes that you made and how you enjoyed the recipe. This is a great opportunity for all of us to discover his recipes!

5. You may post earlier than Friday if you wish.

6. Please let us know if you would like to be listed in the blogroll.

January 9th Round-Up!

Good Friday, all!

We have made it through another week, thanks in part to good friends and good food.

This week we welcome two new participants to Tyler Florence Fridays, Kristin from locallcfoods and Raquel from Love to Bake. So nice to have new friends to cook with.

We are happy to announce that Pam from Sidewalk Shoes is the January winner of a new Tyler Florence cookbook, provided by his very own publicist. Congratulations Pam!

Now, let's get on to the food, shall we?

The holidays are behind us, we have a great turn out this week.

The first dish is a Salt and Pepper Salmon from Nancy of The Dogs Eat the Crumbs. Nancy was thrilled to find a ten minute main when she looked up salmon and Tyler on the internet. The results were fantastic - the only drawback? No leftovers for the pups. Ah well, maybe next time.

Next we have Andrea from Nummy Kitchen with a Peanut Butter Jelly and Banana Panini for the kids. Just in time for Elvis's birthday too! The King would approve, as did the children.

Reeni from Cinnamon, Spice and Everything Nice made a beautiful and low(er) fat Fettuccine Alfredo with spinach fettuccine. Reeni is a girl after my own heart as this has to be one of my favourite dishes. I figure the lighter version means I can eat twice as much, don't you?

Susy from Everyday Gourmet made a Bone-In Pork Roast with Apple Reduction. She is just about to serve it to some friends but couldn't help sampling some in the kitchen. Susy found the roast very tender and was especially fond of the glaze.

Pam from Sidewalk Shoes made Tyler's Ultimate Oven Fries, a dish I have had my eyes on as well. The fries are taken to a new level with Parmesan cheese and flat leaf parsley - what could be better than that?

Next we have one of the most beautiful cheesecakes that I have ever seen. Raquel from Love to Bake made Tyler's Ultimate Cheesecake. I think Raquel and Reeni could go into the cheesecake business together.

One of our newest participants, Kristin from locallcfoods made Potatoes Gratin from Tyler Florence's Real Kitchen. As this was a hit with 3 out of 4 of the children, it goes down as a great success! No picture this week, but stay posted for more great dishes in the future!

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Megan from My Baking Adventures made Tyler's Spinach and Three Cheese Calzones. These calzones are the challenge of the month, and Megan has graciously prepared them to show us how easy and delicious they are! For more on Megan's Challenge, click here.

For Tyler Florence Fridays, Megan made Molten Chocolate Espresso, truly an expression of decadence! Megan is now enjoying her new status to SuperMom of the Millennium as voted by her molten chocolate loving family.

Deb from Kahakai Kitchen made a very healthy version of Dolmades, Stuffed Grapevine Leaves. She made them resolution friendly by using brown rice and found that they made very good movie going fare! And you were just going to have popcorn...

Finally we have my own, Natashya from Living in the Kitchen with Puppies. I made Tyler's Osso Buco with Gremolata - a wonderful one pot meal with the zesty zing of citrus rind. This one was a definite husband pleaser, and one I will make again.

Announcements

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There is still time to submit your Tyler Florence Fridays avatar design. The creator of the chosen avatar will receive one of Tyler Florence's new cookbooks, generously supplied by Tyler's publicist. Please send us an email with TFF avatar in the subject line. Email information is on the sidebar. Friends and family are welcome to submit as well.
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Read all about Megan's Challenge, our once a month bonus dish, right here!

Megan's Challenge!

Had enough dessert to last you a lifetime?
Our new monthly event, Megan's Challenge, is offering up Spinach and Three Cheese Calzones for our January recipe bonus.
Our monthly bonus recipe is optional, you can post at any time of the month, just send us an email with the link - in the same manner you would for the weekly round-ups. If you need more information about playing along with TFF, look for email information on the sidebar.
We will do a round-up in the beginning of the next month, along with the announcement of the new challenge.
Feel free to make whatever changes you like to the recipe - we look forward to seeing how everyone does!

Spinach and Three Cheese Calzones

Dough:
1 package rapid-rising dry yeast
3/4 cup warm water
1 tablespoon sugar
3 cups flour
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
Egg wash
Cornmeal, for dusting

For Dough: In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a dough hook, bloom the yeast by combining it with warm water and sugar. Stir gently to dissolve, then let stand 5 minutes until foam appears. Turn mixer on low and slowly add the flour, 1 cup at a time. Pour in 1/4 cup olive oil and add salt. When the dough starts to come together, increase the speed to medium. Stop the machine periodically to scrape the dough off the hook. Mix until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 10 minutes.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and fold over itself a few times. Form dough into a round and place in an oiled bowl, turn to coat the entire ball with oil so it doesn't form a skin. Cover with plastic wrap or damp towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 45 minutes. Test the dough by pressing 2 fingers into it. If indents remain, the dough is adequately risen. When ready, knead the dough gently and divide in 4 balls. Sprinkle the rounds lightly with flour, cover, and let rest for 15 minutes. This will relax the dough, making it easier to stretch. In the meantime prepare filling.

For Calzones: Place a pizza stone in the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. If you don't have a stone, simply grease a baking pan. Roll or spread the dough discs into 10-inch circles, leave the dough slightly thick so that the filling will not ooze out. Spoon a quarter of the filling onto 1 side of the dough round and brush the outer edge with egg wash to help form a seal. Fold dough over to enclose the filling and form a large turnover. Roll up the edges with your fingers to close tightly and prevent leaking. Cut a few slashes in the top to allow steam to escape during baking and brush with egg wash. Repeat with remaining rounds. Sprinkle a pizza peel (or prepared baking pan) with cornmeal and carefully transfer the calzones. Bake directly on pizza stone for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown. Let the calzones rest 10 minutes before cutting to allow the cheese to set. Serve with basic tomato sauce if desired.

Filling:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound baby spinach, washed and dried
Salt and pepper
15 ounces ricotta
1 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup shredded fontina
1 egg 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

For Filling: In a saute pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes until lightly browned. Add the spinach, season, and continue to cook until wilted, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a colander and squeeze out the excess liquid. If necessary, drain the ricotta in a sieve to remove excess moisture also. Calzone filling should be fairly dry, because it may leak out or make the dough mushy. Combine spinach, cheeses, egg, and pepper in a large bowl.

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There is still time to submit your Tyler Florence Fridays avatar design. The creator of the chosen avatar will receive one of Tyler Florence's new cookbooks, generously supplied by Tyler's publicist. Please send us an email with TFF avatar in the subject line. Email information is on the sidebar.

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Next week:

January's random draw for one of Tyler's new cookbooks!