The Essence of Yum

by Marcy Singer

I was rustling around out in the kitchen a little while ago, making peanut sauce and thinking about this whole concept of putting a recipe column in Wisp. Such a column really doesn’t seem to belong in an e-zine that deals with topics like the Shift, meditation, dreams, and the like. And yet Eric kept encouraging me to write something, do a recipe, share my food ideas, etc., so eventually I succumbed. Cooking IS my hobby, so it didn’t take all THAT much arm-twisting.

The thing is, all of those other topics are very interesting and intriguing, but I also find regular old life to also be interesting and intriguing. I figure that no matter what else we might be doing, we gotta eat, and so why not eat delicious, interesting food? And I also figure that there are other people out there who would like to know what’s going into their supper by preparing it themselves, so why not share some of my favorite recipes?

I’m a person who loves taking a little of this and a little of that, things that might not seem to go together, and mixing them up in ways that are unexpected. I almost never make a recipe exactly as written because I’m always looking for the little difference, a slight twist, something that makes the dish a little more interesting.

With that in mind I will be offering up recipes as time goes on that I have found go over very well with my family and friends, evoking oohs and aahs and ‘are there anymore roasted garlic green beans left?’ or ‘who ate all the pumpkin walnut cookies?!’

Looking for an excellent, simple homemade spicy peanut sauce or a soy-mayo salad dressing that takes just minutes to prepare? Stay tuned!

And stay hungry!

Editor’s note: For our readers either non-American or not interested in TV programs, “The Essence of Yum” is also a thinly disguised reference to the Food Network TV show “The Essence of Emeril”, where famed American chef Emeril Lagasse (a Libra) shares his recipes. Lagasse is also known for his catchphrases like “BAM!”

Pesto Chicken And Mozzarella on Ciabatta
With Fresh Tomatoes And Capers

Recipe by Marcy Singer

What you need

• boneless, skinless chicken breast halves — 3‐4 will probably serve 4 people generously
• olive oil
• pesto
• capers
• sliced mozzarella, provolone or Swiss cheese
• ciabatta loaf
• (optional) fresh tomatoes

What you do

Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C / Th. 6).

Cut up chicken breast halves into ½” pieces. Heat olive oil in skillet and sauté chicken pieces until no longer pink inside, about 5 minutes or so. Put some pesto into the pan with the chicken and stir until all the chicken pieces are coated with the pesto.

Slice the ciabatta loaf horizontally and place both halves cut side up on a metal baking sheet. Spread each cut side with pesto and sprinkle with capers.

Evenly distribute the chicken pieces on both bread halves and top with sliced cheese. (You have just made two large open-faced sandwiches.)
If you want to add fresh tomatoes, just place the thinly sliced tomatoes on top of the capers and pesto and place the cooked chicken on top of the tomatoes.

Heat the sandwiches in the oven for about 5‐10 minutes until cheese is melted and bread is crisp. Cut each sandwich into however many slices you want and chow down!