Vegetarian / Principal Chef

Pasta with Garlic and Oil (Aglio e Olio)

This is such a great classic dish, and you almost always have the ingredients for it right in your pantry. We always have peeled garlic in our fridge, and we have a few fresh or frozen veggies. That’s all you need. And the secret ingredient is the pasta water. Adding that at the end has a crazy amazing impact on the consistency of the dish. Don’t forget to save some!

Ingredients

1 lb Dried pasta of your choice

½ cup Olive Oil

1 Head of Garlic – Minced. At least 12 cloves. (It’s a lot, but look at the title of this dish and stop complaining!)It's a lot, but look at the title of this dish and stop complaining!

½ tsp Salt

3 tbsp Fresh Basil (Or 3 tsp dried Italian Seasoning)

2 tsp Lemon Juice

½ tsp Red Pepper FlakesMore to taste

1 tsp Black Pepper

½ cup Parmesan Cheese (For the Table)

1 Fresh tomato, or some cherry TomatoesThese are optional, but them in a bowl on the table and they make a great topper

Directions

Preparing the Oil/Garlic/Herb Mixture

In a small skillet or saucepan, heat 3 Tbsp olive oil (not too hot!). Add salt and 2/3 of garlic, then gently saute for 7-8 minutes. Turn off the heat when it gets nice and gold, but not yet brown.

WITH THE HEAT OFF, add the remaining olive oil, the remaining garlic, pepper, red pepper flakes, lemon juice, and herbs. Set aside.

Preparing the Pasta.

Boil enough salted water (2 tsp salt) for 1 pound of pasta.

Cook pasta according to directions.

Just before your drain the pasta, take out 1 to 2 cups of the water and set aside.

Drain pasta, then return to pot.

Making It All Happen!

Add every last drop of the Garlic/Oil/Herb mixture to the pasta and stir to coat.

Add 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water. It will create a looser dish with a nice saucy consistency. Add a little more if you like.

Serve onto plates or bowls. Parmesan cheese, fresh ground black pepper, red pepper flakes, fresh chopped tomatoes, and/or freshly chopped basil all make nice toppings here.

Skillet Cornbread

I love cornbread. Always have. I’ve gone through phrases in how I made it. My recipe for years was the Marie Calender’s mix, which was a little sweet, but so easy, and really, really good. Then, my mom made this recipe for me a few years ago. It is a non-sweet cornbread with a super crispy kissed-by-butter exterior. And on top of being the best-tasting cornbread I’ve had, it’s yet one more opportunity to utilize your cast iron skillet. Bring this to a pot luck or your own table and once again, you are a hero for the day!

Ingredients

1 cup Yellow CornmealI used Bob's Red Mill Brand Medium Grind Corn Meal

½ cup All Purpose Flour

1 tsp Salt

1 cup ButtermilkIf you don't have buttermilk, you can use milk with 1 lemon squeezed and set aside for 10 minutes, or 1/2 cup sour cream & 1/2 cup milk

½ cup Whole MilkLowfat is OK too. We're a whole milk family.

1 Egg

1 tbsp Baking Powder

½ tsp Baking Soda

1 tbsp Canola Oil

3 tbsp Butter

Directions

Mix Cornmeal, Flour, and Salt in a large bowl.

Add (without stirring) all remaining ingredients except butter and canola oil.

Hand stir (no mixer) and mix well with a large spoon. A few lumps are good. It’s not as thick as you think it should be – thinner than pancake batter – but that’s OK.

Place 9″ or 10″ cast iron skillet and in 450 degree oven for 5 minutes. It will begin to smoke.

Note: If you are doubling the recipe, a 12″ cast iron skillet is perfect.

Take the skillet out, then add butter and canola oil. Let the butter melt, then pour in the cornbread mixture.

Bake for 15-20 minutes at 450 degrees, until the top is brown and the sides pull away from the edges of the skillet. If you are a Thermapen temperature geek like me, the center should be at least 185 degrees.

Sheri’s Spanish Rice

Our friend Sheri loves to entertain in her beautiful home. One of the dishes we have ‘stolen’ from her is her Spanish Rice. It is spectacular and it’s now a regular in our home. The pineapple juice element adds so much to the recipe!

Ingredients

1 tbsp Canola Oil

1 cup Jasmine or Basamati RiceI've been using Basamati more recently – It's less sticky, and seems better for fried rice recipes.

1 tsp Garlic Powder

1 tsp Salt

2 tbsp Taco SauceLa Victoria Taco Sauce is a great refrigerator staple and works perfectly here. Sheri's original recipe calls for tomato sauce, which is really good. But we are taco sauce people now. And when I make it for Asian food, I often use chili garlic sauce!

2 Bay Leaves

2 Water

¼ cup Pineapple Juice. This adds fantastic taste. Do it if you can!

Directions

Heat Canola Oil in a skillet or pot that has a cover.

Add rice, salt, and garlic powder to the hot oil. Saute for 5-7 minutes until just browning.

Add taco sauce/tomato sauce/chili garlic sauce Stir to coat all rice.

Add water, pineapple juice, and bay leaves. Stir. When water begins to boil, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes.

Jilly’s Chili (2014 Malibu West Chili Cook-Off Winner!)

Every Halloween, we get a LOT of trick or treaters at our house. Like 500. Kind of crazy. We always have hot dogs, hot links, cole slaw, and chili for any of our friends who want to take a short break. They can get some food and a beverage while thier kids count and/or trade their loot. Jilly’s Chili is the star of the show. People know it’s no ordinary chili. She won the Malibu West Chili Cookoff, and Jilly’s name is perpetually engraved on the Malibu West Chili Cook Off plaque. Yes – That is big. Really big. She deserves it. Jilly’s Chili is vegetarian, it’s real, and it’s spectacular.

Ingredients

1 Can Kidney Beans, drained

1 Can Black Beans, drained

1 Can Pinto Beans, drained

1 Can Garbanzo Beans, drained

1 cup Corn, Frozen or Fresh

1 Red Pepper, diced

1 Green Pepper, diced

2 Carrots, peeled and diced

1 Red Onion, diced

28 oz Crushed Tomatoes

1 cup Vegetable Broth

5 Garlic Cloves, minced

1.50 tsp Chili Powder

1 tsp Cumin

1 tsp Corriander

1 tsp Cocoa Powder, unsweetened (Ghirardelli is great stuff)

½ tsp Garlic Powder

⅛ tsp Cayenne Pepper

½ tsp Salt

1 tsp Smoked Paprika

3 tbsp Butter

Optional Toppings: Shredded Cheddar Cheese, Sour Cream, Chives,

Directions

Chop the garlic, onion, and bell peppers. Sauté lightly in a large pot over medium high heat in 1-2 tsp olive oil.

Add the rest of the ingredients, except for the toppings of course! Sauté for at least one hour. It’s even better on day 2.

Tomato Bread Soup

The first time I had Tomato Bread Soup (Pappa al Pomodoro) was with my friend John at Drago restaurant (it is now closed) in Santa Monica. I’m a fan of tomato soup (but not a fan of Campbell’s Tomato Soup as a kid), but this was something special. This is thick and rich, and a perfect lunch on a cool day. I brought Jill there later and she endorsed the soup and said that we had to learn how to make it. Well, it took me a few years, but I found and adapted a recipe from Ina Garten (who always gets it right), combined it with what I remembered from Drago, and we love it.

Ingredients

The Soup

2 Sweet Onions, chopped

1 Fennel Bulb, cored, peeled, and chopped

3 Carrots, chopped

6 Garlic Cloves, peeled and minced

2 28-oz cans of tomatoes, crushed*

4 Stock, chicken or vegetable

1 French Baguette, (Rustic is great)

1 cup Fresh Basil Leaves, chopped

½ cup Olive Oil

½ cup Red Wine

The Cauliflower Croutons

1 Head of Cauliflower, broken into small individual pieces

2 tsp Kosher Salt

2 tsp Black Pepper

1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper

Directions

OK, what do you do with Fennel? My friend and chef Antonio says, “You can’t go wrong with Fennel.” He forages for it, then peels and eats it like a carrot all the time. Well, for this recipe, you cut off the furry stalks, then core, peel and chop the bulb.*

Dice the carrots, fennel,and onions, and put it all in olive oil, along with 6 cloves of minced garlic. Let it saute for 10 minutes. Add 3 cups of diced french bread. Saute and let it soak up flavored oil.

Add tomatoes, stock, garlic-onion-fennel-bread mixture, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper (optional), basil, and red wine. Simmer for at least 30 minutes.

The Croutons

We are making Roasted Cauliflower Croutons. Take one or two heads of cauliflower and chop into small pieces. Think about the size of pieces you would want on top of your soup. Coat lightly with olive oil and bake at 450 degrees, for 20-30 minutes, turning over a few times, until brown and a little crispy. Sprinkle some parmesan cheese and the cauliflower pieces on top of the soup when you are ready to serve!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

“OK, OK. Quit wrinkling your nose. This is good stuff.” That’s what I wrote when I first published this recipe. Then, restaurants everywhere started serving really awesome brussels sprouts. They saw what I saw. They are a fantastic dish, royalty in fact, worthy of the Thanksgiving table and great for any meal. This is how we make them. We love them!

Ingredients

2 lbs Brussels Sprouts, washed, ends cut off, and split

2 tbsp Olive Oil

½ tsp Salt, Pepper, Herbes de Provence (1/2 tsp of each)Don't be shy with salt. It is underrated.

Directions

Preheat oven to 400. (375 Convection)

Place washed, cut, and split sprouts in large bowl. Add Olive Oil, toss, and coat.

Spread on baking sheet. Sprinkle spices over them.

Bake for 20 minutes or until browned. Turn at least once while baking. Taste for salt to see if you need more. (I treat the sprouts like french fries – they’re pretty darn good with a good dose of salt).

If you want to increase taste while reducing healthiness, take your perfectly cooked brussels sprouts, and sauté them in a butter/garlic/capers sauce. 4 ounces of butter, 4 garlic cloves (crushed), and 1 Tbsp of capers. I recommend it!

Roasted Cauliflower, Broccoli, and/or Onion

This is an alternative to the grilled veggie recipe on this site. They crisp up and it’s a great side dish. Tip: The cauliflower is especially good as a low-carb crouton to top a salad or a soup. Try it!

Ingredients

As much cauliflower, broccoli, and onion as you want.

Olive Oil

Salt, Pepper, Herbes de Provence

Directions

Wash veggies. Chop into pieces, but don’t go too small, since it will reduce during cooking.

In a bowl, add enough Olive Oil to lightly coat all veggies. Spread on a baking sheet.

Preheat oven to 350.

Season with Salt, Pepper, and Herbes de Provence. You can substitute Italian Seasoning for Herbes de Provence.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, then as much more time as needed until they are perfectly crisp. Turn with a spatula once or twice during that time. It should brown and crisp. You may need one more shake of salt before you serve. 30 Minutes

Pineapple Salsa

This is a fresh and wonderful addition to fish, turkey, or chicken. It’s great with grilled food. Very simple to do, but it’s better if you make it ahead of time and let it marinate in its own juices.

Ingredients

1 tbsp Rice Vinegar or White Wine Vinegar (Rice Vinegar is much cleaner)

½ tsp Salt

½ tsp Cayenne Pepper

1 Pineapple, Cored and Chopped into small pieces.(If you are in a pinch, 2 cans of sliced pineapple will do.)

½ Red Onion, minced

1 cup Cilantro, washed and chopped

Directions

Chop and drain pineapple. Mix all ingredients together and chill for at least one hour.

Pasta Primavera

This is a favorite in our house. It’s one of Jill’s favorite vegetarian dishes and I love it too. I was inspired by a favorite restaurant in Santa Monica called Il Forno Trattoria. They key is chopping the vegetables in small chunks where several of them can be on your fork. It’s cheesy, light, fresh, and wonderful!

Ingredients

1 Onion, chopped

⅔ cup Carrots, chopped into pea-sized pieces

⅔ cup Broccoli, chopped into pea-sized pieces

⅔ cup Cauliflower, chopped into pea-sized pieces

⅔ cup Yellow or Green Squash*, chopped into pea-sized pieces

16 oz Penne or other pasta

1 cup Pasta WaterTake from the pasta just before you drain it.

8 Garlic Cloves, chopped or crushedThis won't shock those who know me. I usually double the garlic in this recipe.

Olive Oil

½ cup Parmesan Cheese, grated

3 Roma Tomatoes, chopped (These will be used as a topping after the dish is complete

Optional: Fresh Basil for a tasty garnish topping

Directions

Wash, peel, and chop all vegetables into small pieces.

Start boiiling water for pasta. Add 1 tsp salt.

Add a little Olive Oil to Skillet or Large Pot. Saute all vegetables (except tomatoes and basil) until al dente. Add half of the garlic towards the end of cooking.

Cook pasta to directions. Important: Save 1 cup of the pasta water. Drain.

When you are ready to serve, Add 1/4 cup Olive Oil to pot. Heat, add the rest of the garlic (chopped or crushed), and add pasta. Turn and coat with garlic and oil. Add a few red pepper flakes if you would like some heat!

Lower the heat on the stove. Add the parmesan cheese, and mix in. Then, add 1/2 cup of pasta water, and stir in. This should loosen the pasta, make it not stick together, and create a sauce like consistency. Continue adding pasta water until you like what you see.

Turn off the heat. Add, sauted vegetables and toss.

Serve in bowls, sprinkling chopped tomatoes and basil on top.

Serve with a little black pepper and extra parmesan cheese on top.

Ranch Dressing

We don’t use Ranch dressing much, but sometimes you need it. It’s great with the fish tacos topping if you add some zing to it with cayenne or Tabasco or spicy salsa. We are not big mayo people, so Jill has reduced the Mayo in this one.

Ingredients

⅛ cup Mayo

2 Garlic Cloves. Pressed or Minced

½ cup Buttermilk*

½ cup Sour Cream

½ tsp Black Pepper

½ tsp Kosher Salt

½ tsp Dried Parsley(Or 2 tsp fresh chopped parsley)

1 tbsp Lemon Juice

Directions

Mix it all together in a blender. That’s it!

Green Goddess Dressing

Homemade dressings are a huge part of our eating at home experience. The two dressing we do actually purchase in a bottle, because they is easy and super tasty, is the Balsamic Fig Dressing from Stonewall Kitchen, and the Feast from the East Sesame dressing. Other than that, it’s all homemade.

This Green Goddess dressing is not only a spectacular dressing. It’s also a phenomenal dip for fresh cut veggies. It’s adapted from Ina Garten’s The Barefoot Contessa at Home. It just feels healthy, even as you’re making it.

Ingredients

¾ cup Mayonnaise

2 tsp Kosher Salt

2 tsp Black Pepper

4 Cloves Garlic, Pressed

1 Bunch Green Onions, Chopped

1 cup Basil Leaves, washed

¼ cup Lemon Juice (2 Lemons)

2.75 cups Sour Cream

Directions

Place the mayonnaise, scallions, basil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper in a blender and blend until smooth.

Add the sour cream and process just until blended. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Jilly’s Balsamic Dressing

This is the stand-by dressing in our house. It’s quick to prepare, and you can vary it by using different olive oils, balsamic vinegars, and mustards. It gets raves when guests have it, and it goes with almost all foods. Don’t be afraid to adjust ingredients to your tastes. We don’t make it ahead – it’s so easy we make it on the spot. You get to a point where you can eyeball the ingredients and make it even faster.

Ingredients

½ cup Good Balsamic Vinegar

¼ cup Olive Oil

1 tsp Honey

1 tsp Dijon MustardI add more mustard than this, but most like this amount.

Salt and Pepper

Directions

Mix Ingredients Together!