Amaretto Pear Crisp

There is something satisfying about slightly sweet fruit baked with a crunchy, golden brown topping on it. The only thing to make it better is a generous scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. This recipe is really easy. It is based off of Auntie Noreen's apple crisp recipe.

The Ingredients
4 cups of peel, sliced pears (about 4-5 pears)
3 tablespoons of Amaretto
.5 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup AP flour
3/4 cup sugar
6 tablespoons butter

The Method
In a mixing bowl, mix together the pears, and amaretto.
Throw the flour, sugar, salt, and sliced butter into the food processor. Pulse until the mix resembles damp sand. A pastry cutter can be used too; it will take longer though.
Butter a 10x6 pan, pour in the apples and sprinkle on the crumb mixture. Bake for 40-45 minutes at 350, or until golden brown. Let it cool for about 10 minutes to avoid a scalding mouthful. Scoop a hefty scoop of ice cream on top and enjoy!

Capellini Aglio Olio e' Peperoncino

This pasta is very simple to make; it only takes 5 ingredients and 5 minutes. Pure flavors and simplicity are the essences of this dish.
The Ingredients
(serves 3)
.5 pound of capellini
2 cloves of garlic, sliced paper thin
.5 teaspoon of peperoncino
5-7 basil leaves thinly sliced
2 tablespoons of olive oil
salt
The Method
Bring a large pot of water to the boil and add salt. Throw in the pasta and be sure to stir to prevent sticking.
Start with a cold pan, add garlic, chili flakes and olive oil then turn the heat to medium heat. The oil will start to heat and the garlic will start to sizzle and lightly brown. Drain and add the pasta and sprinkle in the basil. Toss to coat and serve.

Split Pea Soup

Split pea soup. I forgot how good this stuff was. I remember my mom would always make this when I was little. It's hearty and will keep you full for a long while. This soup is fairly easy but it does take a little time, so it's not exactly your grab and go kind of meal. However, this rich soup is full of flavor and make that foggy weather so much more enjoyable.
The Ingredients
3 cups of dried spit peas
2 cups of diced ham
ham hock/ham rind
2 onions finely chopped
1.5 cups of carrots diced
2 bay leaves
7 cups of water
olive oil
butter
salt
pepper
2 tablespoons cream

The Method
Take a large pot and pour in about 2 tablespoons of olive oil and about 1 tablespoon of butter. Sweat the onions and carrots with a pinch of salt. Add the ham, ham hock, and ham rind if you have it. Throw in the bay leaves and water. It is important to rinse the peas before adding them because they have have dust or dirt on them. Be sure to do this right before adding, otherwise they stick into a large strainer-shaped clump.
Bring this all to a boil and then reduce the heat to low and cook for about an hour to an hour and a half. Look for all the peas to be gone and for the soup to be thick. Season to taste and finally add the cream. Serve with some crusty bread. This can also be done with lentils as well.

Coconut Sticky Rice with Fresh Berries

Rice...for dessert? For those of you who have not tried this Thai dessert, I can understand that this may seem a little weird. It's good, I promise. The match of the sweet, creamy yet slightly salty rice pairs perfectly with the sweetness of seasonal fruit. I usually prefer mangoes with the sticky rice, and it is indeed more traditional. Sadly, the mangoes were not-so-great so I opted with fresh strawberries and blackberries instead.

The Ingredients
2 cups of Thai sweet rice
3 cups water
1 can of coconut milk (not lite)
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Strawberries
Blackberries
sesame seeds

The Method
The traditional way of preparing Thai sweet rice is to soak it for hours and then steam it in a special basket. I have found that if you put the rice with the water in a rice cooker, it turns out pretty well. However, it's important to let it soak for at least 20 minutes and then press the cook button.
Meanwhile, put a small saucepan on medium heat. Pour in the coconut milk, sugar and salt. Take the cooked rice and pour it into a large mixing bowl. With a rubber spatula, fold the rice to fluff it. Pour in the coconut milk mixture. It will look pretty soupy at first but let it set covered for about 10 minutes and the rice should adsorb it all. Fluff once more and plate a small mound and sprinkle it with the fresh berries and sesame seeds.
This serves around 6-8 hungry college students craving this Thai dessert.