Having discovered the wonderful spice mixture: Garam Masala, I adapted this Indian recipe for chickpeas and butternut squash. My family really likes the new flavor profile.

Place 2 tbs olive oil or ghee (clarified butter) in a large skillet. Add 1/4 cup chopped onion and saute over medium heat for a few minutes. Add 2 large Swiss Chard leaves that have been rinsed and cut into thin strips.  Saute for 5 minutes or until wilted. Add 1 cup cooked & diced yukon gold potato, 2 cups cooked & diced butternut squash and one 15-ounce can drained chickpeas (garbanzo beans.)  Saute 5 minutes. Add 1/4 cup coconut milk, 1/4 cup vegetable broth, 1/2 tsp sea salt and 1 tsp Garam Masala. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasoning.     Cook, Eat, Laugh…Claudia

Garam Masala is a pungent combination of ground spices used in Indian and South Asian cuisines.  The phrase means “hot mixture.” But the heat is more like intense flavor as opposed to hot like a chili pepper. Authentic preparation includes roasting then grinding a mixture of many spices such as black & white peppercorns, cloves, cumin seed, coriander seed and cinnamon. Regional preparations vary and can also include bay leaves, cardamon, nutmeg and star anise. If you don’t know where to begin, purchase a jar of Garam Masala spice combination at your local grocery store in the spice section.      Cook, Eat, Laugh…Claudia

What disappears faster than a bowl of tortilla chips?  One that is sitting next to a “Fan”tastic Bean Dip.  For the recent Barnes Noble  Stockton Collegiate International School event,  I demonstrated how easy it is to make this dip. Easy for kids and adults!

Spread 1 can of refried beans in the bottom of a shallow 9 x 9 – inch baking dish. Add a layer of  1 chopped tomato that has been mixed with 1 chopped Serrano chile, 2 chopped green onions and 1/2 can white corn. Add a layer of chopped avocado and top with a layer of shredded cheddar, jack or Mexican cheese. Optional layers include: sour cream, black beans, southwest beans, salsa etc.      Cook, Eat, Laugh…Claudia

Making caramelized walnuts is pretty easy. Just place 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 tbs balsamic vinegar, dash of  sea salt and dash of cayenne pepper in a large non-stick skillet.  Place over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is the consistency of thick syrup.  Stir in 2 cups walnut halves. Stir to coat about 2 to 3 minutes.  Transfer walnuts to a baking sheet lined with a silpat mat.  Let cool.  Break apart any that are stuck together.  Serve with cheese, on salads or as a snack.   Cook, Eat, Laugh…Claudia

As you know it is important for us to be active participants in our communities. Rima has been working very hard as President of Architects of Peace Foundation (www.architectsofpeace.org) and was recently honored by Assemblyman Bill Berryhill, R-Ceres. He announced that Rima is the 2010 Woman of the Year for the 26th Assembly District. She will be honored during a special Assembly ceremony at the State Capitol. Congratulations!  Cook, Eat, Laugh…Claudia

Some great recipes call for “shredded cooked chicken” as opposed to diced or chopped. The texture mixes nicely with other ingredients especially when wrapped in a warm, homemade tortilla!  Yesterday I had the privilege of working with some youth at the Mary Graham Foster Center and one very smart boy showed me the best way to shred chicken is to pull it apart using two forks.  Honestly, I had not known this and was so glad to have been taught. Again you never know what you’ll learn when helping others.  Cook, Eat, Laugh…Claudia

Food Rules, a new book by Michael Pollan (Penguin Books) has some great tips on eating healthy. Many are common sense one-liners which ring true but somehow are often ignored. Tip number  63 is simple – COOK. “…people who cook are more likely to eat a more healthful diet.” Cook, Eat, Laugh…Claudia

Rima and I recently had the pleasure of speaking and cooking at a YPO event in San Francisco. We were so pleased to hear the keynote speaker, Michael Riera, PhD author of Staying Connected to Your Teenager and Uncommon Sense for Parents with Teenagers say that dinnertime is the most important time to connect with your family. We encourage you to make dinnertime a priority in your home. Cook, Eat, Laugh…Claudia

Transforming milk into cheese requires the freshest ingredients, a good food thermometer and above all patience! Our good friend, Chris Flaherty recently gave us a private cheese making lesson.  Many websites give directions on how to make cheese, but it is so much easier to watch someone if you are a beginner. The basic process involves heating fresh milk and adding a culture of warm milk and yogurt, letting the mixture rest, adding rennet – a very important enzyme, allowing more rest time, cutting the resultant curds, pouring off the whey, seasoning with salt and then pressing the curds so they compress into a  small round.  The steps are not difficult but they do require exact measuring of temperature, patient stirring and attention to detail.  Of course, delicious domestic and imported cheeses  are easily available to us. But there is something fascinating and affirming when conquering a task that seems a little daunting.  The cheese round is now wrapped in cheese cloth and ripening in the refrigerator.  It can be eaten right away but is best after 30 days. So we will report back on its progress.  Cook, Eat, Laugh…Claudia

I made this ravioli for a fund raiser for the Child Abuse Prevention Council and it was really enjoyed by all guests. I posted pictures of the dish on facebook and was asked for the recipe,  so here it is!

• 1    2-pound butternut squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
• 1    medium onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 3    tablespoon butter 
• 1    tablespoon olive oil
• 8    oz Mascarpone Cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

• 2     pounds fresh pasta sheets
• 1     stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
• 6     fresh sage leaves
• 1/2  cup walnuts chopped coarse
• 1/2  cup freshly grated Parmesan

For the Pasta

Make fresh pasta dough from scratch, or buy ravioli skin from a noodle factory.

For the Filling:
Put the squash halves, flesh sides down, in a baking sheet with one inch of water and roast in middle of oven 45 minutes, or until very tender. Scoop out flesh into a bowl and discard skin. Mash squash with a fork until smooth.

In a large skillet cook onion in butter and oil. Add squash and cook over moderate heat, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add mascarpone cheese, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.

Spread one sheet of ravioli on a ravioli mold and using a teaspoon fill each slot with butternut filling. Cover with second sheet of ravioli skin. Seal with ravioli cutter.

Cook the ravioli in plenty of salted boiling water for 5 to 6 minutes. Ravioli will float to the top when cooked so be careful not to overcrowd the pot. Lift the ravioli from water with a large strainer or slotted spoon.

Meanwhile in a medium size sauté pan cook butter with sage and walnuts over moderate heat until butter begins to brown, about 2-3 minutes, and immediately remove from heat. Keep warm.

Plate the pasta, top with butter walnut sauce and freshly grated parmesan cheese before serving.

Buon appetito!

Cook with your heart spread your love. Rima