Monthly Archives: December 2010

Fueling an Appetite For Leadership

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From 6/3/2010 Gianpiero Petriglieri

I don’t think I could have said it any better.

“We can’t live without carbohydrates, proteins, fat. It’s that simple. And yet food can be as meaningful and controversial as any form of art. The slippery sweet tang of spaghetti with squid ink may be exotic or nauseating to you. For me it’s the taste of childhood summers. Food is a deeply personal yet quintessentially social affair. You are what you eat, they say, and what we eat, like who we are, has to do with where we come from, where we live and with whom, and who we aspire to be.

Like food, leadership can be comforting, delightful, surprising, revolting. Like food, it is fuel, glue, and emblem of a community — be it a family, a nation, or a corporation. It energizes, brings us together, and represents us. Like food, leadership has a timeless essence, comes in countless forms, and fulfills basic needs.”

Broccoli and Cheese Soup

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Aftering purchasing ladels of broccoli cheese soup from various lunch places, I decided I would attempt a healthier version of a creamy broccoli cheese soup.
Adapted from Deceptively Delicious
  • 1/4 cup nonfat skim milk
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese (about 8 ounces)
  • 3 wedges Laughing Cow Light Original cheese wedges
  • 2 1/2 cup chicken stock
  • 2 heads broccoli
  • 1/8 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Add broccoli, chicken broth and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture resembles a thick paste but has not browned, 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the milk, cheese and cook, stirring every now and then, until the mixture begins to thicken, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the vegetable puree, cheddar and seasonings and stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Kiss Cookies

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Peanut butter kiss cookies remind me of those Keebler Shortbread cookies with little chocolate kisses growing up, minus the peanut butter. Learned this amazingly easy recipe from a long-time buddy of mine several years ago and it’s in my annual cookie rotation.

I’ve tried this recipe with smooth or chunky peanut butter, it just depends if you like extra texture.  To cut down on time (although these are super easy already), you can also use a peanut butter cookie mix. To make cookies on the chewy side, underbake the cookies and reduce the cooking time by two minutes.

  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 cup peanut butter (chunky or smooth)
  • 1 egg
  • 18 milk chocolate candy kisses, unwrapped
  • Reserve granulated sugar to dip cookies before baking

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine sugar, peanut butter, and egg. With a cookie scoop or hands shape into 1 inch balls and roll the balls into granulated sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove cookies from oven. Press a chocolate kiss into the center of each warm cookie.

Pasta Salad

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Growing up, my friend’s mom would make pasta salad with Italian dressing. I was addicted to the tangy dressing and I distinctly remember thinking was eating my faux vegetables.

Although its perfect for summer, I make this pasta salad whenever I am in the mood for a quick carbo fix. Add feta, greek olives, cherry tomatoes, salami to the salad to make a Greek Salad.

  • 1 lbs of pasta (your choice, I prefer the Tri-color Rotini)
  • 8 oz Italian salad dressing (any brand or variety)
  • 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese (if desired)
Boil water and cook the pasta until it is al dente as package instructs.  Drain pasta and set aside to cool.

Pour the entire bottle of salad dressing over the cooled pasta in the bowl. Add and mix in Italian dressing and parmesan cheese.

Caramel Crispix Mix (Crack)

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Don’t say we didn’t warn you! Several years ago, this amazing treat was first given to me as a part of a wedding welcome bag. After requesting the recipe, I have been making it every holiday, rainy weekend and randomly for friends at their request. One response to the mix was, “Damn girl, this is awesome.”

It is the perfect balance of salty, sweet and the great crunch from the Crispix. The caramel is similar to the concept of a Fleur de Sel Caramels. Sometimes I alternate between light and brown sugar depending on how deep a flavor of a caramel I am in the mood for. I have added chocolate chips, nuts, or had the mix plain.

  • 12 oz box of Crispix-spread into 2 9 x 13 pans
  • ¼ C Karo syrup(light)
  • 1 C brown sugar
  • ½ C butter

Mix together in saucepan and bring to boil. Boil for 1 ½ minutes ONLY. Pour over cereal. Bake @ 325 for 8 minutes. Stir and bake another 8 minutes. Then pour out on wax paper, let cool, break it up. Add 1 can nuts (or omit) and medium bag plain M&M’s (or part peanut).

I have tried using the microwave to boil the sugar caramel and it has been equally effective and eliminates one baking dish to wash.

Butter and brown sugar goodness