Artistic Eatables

Stephanie's Fruit Pizza (Dessert)

2012-01-12T11:21:00.001-05:00

This recipe comes from one of my students who is an awesome cook. Ever since watching Jamie Oliver's video on superb salads, she has made her own salad dressings for lunch. She has tried out her own oreo truffles. Most recently, she brought this wonderful dessert to a shared meal. It was wonderful because it had a little bit of sugary sweet (from the 'crust') with the rest of the flavor from the fruit.

This dessert would work well with many kinds of fruit, as long as they are firm, like kiwi, apples, or bananas. Watery fruit such as peaches or oranges would not be good.

Ingredients

1 package premade cookie dough (usually in the refrigerated section)
vegetable oil spray
one 13.5 oz tub of cream cheese fruit dip, such as T. Marzetti brand
1 quart fresh strawberries, sliced
1 pint fresh blueberries
1 pint fresh blackberries
1 pint fresh red raspberries

Directions

Preheat oven according to temperature on cookie dough package.
Very lightly, spray your pizza stone or cookie sheet.
Roll out sugar cookie dough into one large pizza size circle.
Bake according to package directions.
Once cookie 'crust' is completely cool, spread most / all of the fruit dip onto your cookie.
Evenly spread your fruit topping over the entire cookie.
This pizza can be covered with aluminum foil and placed in the fridge to be served later in the day if needed.

Double Cheese Mini Pizzas

2012-01-02T14:52:00.000-05:00

Happy new year, friends! We've finally finished moving into our new home and I'm welcoming the new year with some fun snacks.

These mini pizzas are a good base because they can be jazzed up with a number of toppings. I anticipate us trying some with caramelized onions, finely chopped pepperoni, or even pesto.

You'll find two variations of the recipe: one in the traditional style, and one where the bread is toasted and cold mozzarella cheese is applied afterward. Both are delicious, although the cold variation does preserve the wonderful texture of cold mozzarella.

Ingredients

fresh Italian bread
pasta sauce
fresh mozzarella, sliced (a 4 oz package will make one cookie sheet's worth of snacks)
Parmesan cheese
dried parsley

Directions - Hot Variation

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Cut Italian bread in half lengthwise, then slice into medium-thick pieces. Place on cookie sheet.
Spoon a small amount of pasta sauce and spread evenly on the bread.
Top each piece with a slice of mozzarella and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Finish with a pinch of parsley.
Bake at 450 degrees until cheese gets nice and gooey, about 5 minutes.

Directions - Cold Variation

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Cut Italian bread in half lengthwise, then slice into medium-thick pieces. Place on cookie sheet.
Spoon a small amount of pasta sauce and spread evenly on the bread.
Bake at 450 degrees for 3-4 minutes, until sauce begins to dry out.
Remove from oven. top with slice of cold mozzarella, sprinkle of parmesan cheese, and a pinch of parsley.

Black Bean Soup

2011-11-13T18:15:00.000-05:00

Thanks to all my readers, who have been extremely patient during this busy time for me! We have been working toward buying our first home, and hope to be in by Christmas time. Thankfully, the paperwork has slowed down enough for me to try out some new recipes. Here is the first of what will hopefully be a return to somewhat regular postings for me.

I've had a variety of black bean soups over time, including ones that were entirely pureed. This is one that caught my eye because it was a little bit different. It is somewhat pureed (creating the thickener) but still maintains its body by having small chunks of vegetables and beans. It also has a simple, yet flavorful, seasoning.

This recipe was adapted from Food.com.

Ingredients
for a gluten-free meal, be sure to use a gluten-free bouillon cube, such as Herb Ox brand

Olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks celery, halved lengthwise and chopped
pinch of dried cumin (about 1/2 tsp)
a few shakes each of salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
two 15-19 oz cans black beans, (do not drain) divided use
1 1/2 cups water
2 bouillon cubes
2 tsp cornstarch

Directions

Heat olive oil over medium heat.
Add onions, garlic, and celery. Cook for 5-10 minutes, until softened. Add a little bit of water if it begins to stick.
Add cumin, salt and pepper, red bell pepper, and one can of black beans + their juice. Cook for another 5 minutes.
Using an immersion blender, puree soup. Alternatively, you can transfer it in batches to a blender to blend, then return to the large pot.
Add water, bouillon cubes, and second can of black beans + their juice. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low. Scoop a mug-full of soup out, mix in cornstarch, then add back into pot. Stir well and serve immediately alongside bread or corn chips.

Baked Spaghetti

2011-10-24T19:54:00.000-04:00

Why not?

My husband really enjoys baked pasta dishes. Recently he made the comment that, if it can be done with every other type of pasta, why not spaghetti? I couldn't argue.

As of late I have really enjoyed flexible recipes. Some of you may have noticed how less specific my recipes have gotten. It reflects a couple things. One is that my style of cooking is pretty flexible. I rarely do things the same way each time. The other thing it reflects is my hope that you will not be deterred from trying a recipe just because you are missing one ingredient. Likewise, if you'd rather avoid vegetables for some reason, just leave them out. The point: don't let barriers stop you from making good food for yourself and your family! I really hope you try this recipe out, and that you enjoy it.

Ingredients

1 lb dried long pasta (spaghetti, fettuccine, or linguine are all good choices)
olive oil
your choice of vegetables, chopped into bite size pieces (I recommend onion, bell pepper, and mushroom)
1 regular size jar of pasta sauce
1-2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
pinch of dried oregano

Directions

Drizzle a little olive oil into a 13x9 baking dish and spread around to coat. Set aside.
Cook pasta according to package directions.
While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
Add your vegetables and saute until they have softened.
Add jar of pasta sauce and turn heat down to low.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Once pasta is cooked, drain and return to pot.
Stir in vegetable-sauce mixture to pasta.
Pour pasta into oiled baking dish. Cover with shredded mozzarella. Sprinkle the dried oregano over top.
Bake pasta at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
After the 20 minutes has passed, turn your oven up to Broil. Broil for 2-3 minutes, watching carefully, until cheese has browned. Remove immediately.
Let cool for up to five minutes before serving.

Chickpea, Potato, and Kale Soup

2011-10-09T15:18:00.000-04:00

My friend Jonah, of the Jonah's Fish Chowder recipe fame, came to visit a few weeks ago with a lovely surprise for me from his local farmers' market. It included oyster mushrooms, wedges of different cheeses, and a large bunch of chard. Since then, I've been daydreaming about leafy greens. (I know, that probably puts me in the category of food dork, but I'm okay with that.)

This is a variation on a soup that I used to make a long time ago. I love the combination of chickpeas and potatoes, and also how flexible the recipe is. Feel free to throw in other aromatics like carrots or celery with your onions; replace the kale with swiss chard; or even add some ground sausage to the mix.

Ingredients
(for gluten-free recipe, omit bouillon or use a gluten-free bouillon)
(for dairy-free or vegan recipe, omit parmesan cheese when serving)

olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1/4 tsp dried whole thyme
1/4 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
2 bay leaves
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
4-6 red potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces
8 cups water, divided use
3 tsp vegetable bouillon (or 3 bouillon cubes)
two 15 oz cans of beans, drained and rinsed (I used one can of chickpeas and one of pink beans)
3/4 bunch fresh kale, rinsed well and chopped
parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)

Directions

Heat olive oil in large stockpot over medium heat. Add onions, thyme, smoked paprika, and bay leaves. Add salt and pepper. Cook until translucent.
Add potatoes and 4 cups of the water. Cover and let sit until water comes to a boil.
Reduce heat to low and stir in bouillon. Add the other 4 cups of water, and place kale on top of other ingredients. Return cover to pot and let the kale start to steam.
After about 5-7 minutes, add beans, stir well, and return cover to pot. Cook for another 10-15 minutes, then turn heat off. Let sit, uncovered, for a couple minutes, then check flavors. Add more salt and pepper as needed.
Serve with a side of parmesan cheese, for sprinkling, if desired.

Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

2011-09-27T21:55:00.001-04:00

photo by Alison Tyne

I had a great time recently with my friend, the wonderful artist Alison Tyne. We spent a few days together discussing photography, businesses, and of course, food. Poor Alison had never before had a buffalo chicken sandwich! Luckily I was there to remedy the situation.

This recipe is a nice one if you are feeling lazy or just too tired to create a complex meal. It's easily adaptable for vegetarians through the use of soy chick'n nuggets (pictured).

Ingredients - per sandwich

1 breaded chicken patty (or 4 soy chick'n nuggets)
hot sauce, such as Frank's Red Hot
1 fresh sandwich roll
blue cheese or ranch dressing
1/2 stalk celery, sliced
(see note below)

Directions

Cook chicken patty according to package directions.
Pour hot sauce into a small bowl. Dredge the patty in hot sauce and place on bun.
Top with salad dressing and sprinkle with celery. Serve immediately.

Note: Norm makes a good point in the comments for those who don't like their sandwich full-strength. You can control how hot the sauce is by adding a little melted butter to your hot sauce, which will chill it out but still leave a little pizazz.

Easy Balsamic Vinaigrette

2011-09-13T20:00:00.003-04:00

Wow, it's been an interesting few months. In my part of New York State, we've been dealing recently with major flooding - the first day of school was cut short and the rest of the week canceled. It's been kind of unreal, to help people rip apart their houses, haul out furniture that has gone bad from being saturated with flood water, and pump out basements. Please send good thoughts to the Southern Tier as many deal with the effects of the flood.

I am hoping to ease back into blogging with a wonderfully easy salad dressing recipe. The base of it is one I've been using for a few months, but discovered the special ingredient while watching an episode of The Pioneer Woman's show on Food Network.

I love making my own salad dressing, and I hope you will too. Once you see how easy it is to manipulate with different flavors (such as adding in some Dijon mustard, or using a different kind of vinegar), you can have a lot of fun with it.

Ingredients (serves 2-3)

1/4 cup olive oil
4 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
a few shakes each of salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tsp brown sugar (if gluten-free, make sure to use a GF brown sugar, such as Domino brand)

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a resealable container. Shake well before serving.

Note: Store on the shelf, not in the fridge, as olive oil will coagulate.

Roasted Potatoes with Rosemary and Thyme

2011-07-30T10:41:00.005-04:00

I've noticed that my cooking interests rotate with the seasons. During summertime when there are so many wonderful fresh fruits and vegetables available, I find my recipes highlighting simplicity. Just like with my last recipe on Fresh Tomato and Red Onion Salad, today's recipe doesn't involve a lot of complex dressings or spices. Instead, it relies on the starchiness of the potato combined with the slight tartness from the apple cider vinegar to create a flavor that, when joined with salad and burger, rounds out a meal perfectly.

Ingredients

2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/4 tsp dried thyme leaves
freshly ground black pepper
1 quart new red potatoes, washed and cut into chunks
1 shallot, thinly sliced
4-5 cloves garlic, smashed and cut in half
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced lengthwise

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
In separate bowl, combine oil, vinegar, rosemary, thyme, and pepper.
In 13 x 9 baking dish, combine potatoes, shallot, garlic, and onion.
Pour oil mixture over potato mixture. Stir well.
Bake at 450 degrees, uncovered, for about 45 minutes. Stir at least once while baking.

Fresh Tomato and Red Onion Salad

2011-07-26T22:56:00.002-04:00

Do yourself a big favor. Go to the nearest farmers' market or roadside stand and buy the most beautiful tomato you can find. Slice it up, drizzle some oil and vinegar on top, and sit down. Stop everything else you're doing right now and let yourself enjoy the flavor. It is summertime: the perfect time for tomatoes.

Sure, you can buy beefsteak or vine ripe tomatoes from the store, but you would be doing a huge disservice to your palate. Talk to the farmers - ask about their favorites. The tomato I bought today was absolutely gorgeous. It was a deep red, bordering on purple, with a crown of green. The farmer told me that it was the perfect time to eat them. He said, "You will never taste a better tomato in your life." In a world of over-exaggerated statements, this one was 100% accurate.

I love the simplicity of this salad, as well as its flexible nature. Feel free to try it with different tomatoes, different vinegars, additions, or even caramelizing the onions to create a sweet / salty combination.

Ingredients (serves 2)

1 large heirloom tomato, cut into wedges (room temperature is best)
sliver of red onion, thinly sliced lengthwise
drizzle of olive oil
drizzle of balsamic vinegar
freshly ground pepper

Directions

Arrange tomatoes on a plate. Sprinkle onion around them.
Dress with a drizzle each of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Top with freshly ground black pepper.
Enjoy!

Artistic Eatables on Twitter!

2011-07-18T22:31:00.000-04:00

If you're on Twitter, you'll be pleased to know that Artistic Eatables is now on Twitter. The account is arteatsblog - come visit and play with me!

In other news, I have a delicious recipe for you, loyal readers, when I return from my vacation. I hope you're all well!

Goat Cheese and Grape Crostini

2011-07-08T12:40:00.000-04:00

Looking through my recipe binder, I found a picture of crostini topped with grapes. There was no recipe with it, but I couldn't resist giving them a try. I made a big batch for appetizers at a dinner party and they had disappeared by the time dinner was ready.

My favorite part about this recipe is the combination of hot and cold. Your teeth sink into a warm piece of toasted bread topped with soft melted cheese, but the grapes are still cool with a different kind of crunch. I also like the balance of sweet and salty. If you're not a fan of goat cheese, you might consider making these with another spreadable soft cheese, like brie. Or if you are feeling adventurous, you could try one of the soft cheeses on this list.

Ingredients

most of 1 baguette or French loaf, sliced into rounds
8 oz. soft goat cheese
freshly ground pepper
1/4 bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped
red seedless grapes, halved

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Smear each baguette round with goat cheese, then place on large cookie sheet with sides.
Sprinkle crostini with pepper, then parsley.
Bake at 425 degrees for 8-12 minutes, until goat cheese is softened and bread is barely toasted.
Remove from oven. As crostini are cooling, top each round with a few grape halves.

Marinated White Beans with Tomatoes

2011-06-30T11:00:00.005-04:00

While preparing for a recent picnic, I decided to mix up some marinated beans. After seeing this recipe on Budget Bytes, I had been thinking about a cold bean mixture to enjoy during the hot days of summer. I adapted her idea with a few tips from Jamie Oliver's salad video to create this great snack, crostini topper, or side dish.

Ingredients for Dressing

1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp high quality mustard (ex: stone ground or Dijon mustard)
small handful fresh flat leaf parsley, minced
salt and freshly ground pepper

Other Ingredients

one or two 15 oz. cans Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained (for a dish with lighter dressing, use 2 cans of beans)
1 small vine ripe tomato, diced

Directions

In a small lidded container, combine dressing ingredients and shake well.
In a separate bowl or container, combine beans and tomatoes. Pour dressing over top and stir until coated.
Let mixture sit at least fifteen minutes before serving atop toasted baguette slices or as a side dish.

Sautéed Sweet Potatoes with Granny Smith Apple

2011-06-25T17:51:00.000-04:00

After a hectic end to my school year, I am back in the kitchen. Thanks for being patient!

I write today with a recipe that could easily be part of breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Think of it as a fusion of traditional home fries and Thanksgiving dinner's sweet potatoes. The recipe, adapted from Susie Middleton's Fast, Fresh & Green, caught my eye for its excellent description of walk-away sautéing. Middleton breaks up her book by technique; other techniques include grilling, braising, and gratins.

Important tips when walk-away sautéing:
--Cut your vegetable into similar sized pieces. The closer in size, the easier it will be to avoid larger pieces being undercooked.
--Don't be afraid of caramelizing or browning the potatoes - this will bring out their flavor
--This technique is flexible, as long as you keep in mind that it works best with firm vegetables like potatoes, carrots, or even cauliflower, paired with an aromatic vegetable such as mushroom or onion.

Ingredients
(This recipe can easily be made vegan by omitting the butter)

1 Tbsp butter
generous drizzle of olive oil
2 medium sweet potatoes, skins on, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 medium white onion, diced
kosher or sea salt
1/4 Granny Smith apple, chopped
splash of apple cider vinegar
dried parsley, for garnish

Directions

Heat large frying pan to medium heat.
Add butter to melt, and olive oil
Add sweet potatoes, onion, and a few shakes of salt to the pan. Cook uncovered for 10-15 minutes. Stir every once in a while but do not scrape bottom of pan.
Once sweet potatoes are tender, add fresh apple and a splash or two of cider vinegar. Cook for another minute or two, until apples are warm.
Dish onto plates and top with a pinch of parsley and another sprinkle of salt. Serve hot.

Mixed Summer Vegetables with Feta

2011-06-06T18:03:00.001-04:00

I love shopping for vegetables in the summer. I go to the farm stand and buy whatever is beautiful. This week, the beets and I fell in love.

I know what you're thinking: beets are gross. My question to you: on what beets are you basing your judgment? Those slimy canned discs are NOT beets - they're aliens! Grab some fresh ones from your local farmers' market, boil them, and enjoy their delicious sweet flavor.

4 small/medium beets, washed and greens removed
1 yellow squash, halved lengthwise and sliced (into half-moon shape)
olive oil
red or white wine vinegar
salt
freshly ground pepper
2 vine ripe tomatoes, cut into small wedges
3-4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled or broken into small pieces

Place beets in small pot of water and bring to a boil. Cook until tender.
While beets are cooking, heat up grill or flat top griddle to medium heat.
Spear squash slices onto kabobs.
Place kabobs on grill. Drizzle with both olive oil and vinegar. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Cook 8-10 minutes on each side, until charred.
Place squash in serving bowl to cool.
When beets are done, slice in half horizontally, then into small chunks. Let cool, then add to serving bowl.
Add tomatoes and feta.
Toss gently and serve at room temperature.

Tomato, Basil, and Mozzarella Sandwiches

2011-05-31T22:36:00.003-04:00

I've heard lots of different names for this fabulous combination: Margherita and Caprese are both popular titles for tomato, basil, and mozzarella together in a dish. The red, white, and green symbolize the colors of the Italian flag, and the name was given to honor Queen Margherita of Italy.

I was immediately attracted to Beth's recipe on Budget Bytes, which featured this famous medley. After a few alterations, I was ready to give it a try. My biggest concern was to preserve the crispiness of the bread. By grilling the sourdough on its own, it is protected from absorbing too much vinegar and keep the stability of the sandwich intact.

Prosciutto isn't necessary to enjoying this sandwich, but Dan the Man highly recommends it! The saltiness goes wonderfully with the creamy fresh mozzarella.

Ingredients

loaf of fresh sourdough Italian bread, thickly sliced
butter (for grilling)
vine ripe tomatoes, sliced across into rounds
ball of fresh mozzarella, sliced
fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
balsamic vinegar (for drizzling)
olive oil (for drizzling)
freshly ground pepper
small package of prosciutto (optional)

Directions

Heat up frying pan or griddle to medium heat.
Butter both sides of Italian bread slices. Grill both sides of each piece until crispy; remove from heat.
Assemble sandwiches from the bottom up: tomato, mozzarella, basil, a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, a drizzle of olive oil, and freshly ground pepper. Top with a few slices of prosciutto, if using.
Slice sandwiches in half and enjoy immediately!

Rhubarb Crisp

2011-05-25T20:14:00.000-04:00

Crisp, crumble, cobbler: what's in a name?

For this dessert, I didn't want to fuss with a pie crust, but did want some oats involved. My trouble revolved around what to search for: which name included oats? Luckily, I found a helpful article on Gourmet.com that articulates the differences. The answer: crisp is the American name for a fruit dessert with a crumbly topping that often includes oats. (Crumble is its British equivalent.) Upon finding this information, I was able to get to work.

I hope you enjoy what I consider to be a perfect spring dessert: the tartness of rhubarb is scaled down during the baking process (and the addition of sugar, of course). The result is a somewhat messy but sweet crisp with only a bit of bite.

Recipe adapted from Simply Recipes.

Filling Ingredients

5 1/2 cups rhubarb, cut into 1/4" slices
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp ground ginger

Topping Ingredients

1 cup flour
1 cup oats
1 stick (1/2 cup) salted butter, cut into small pieces
more cinnamon for dusting

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Mix filling ingredients together (rhubarb, sugar, flour, vanilla, and spices). Pour filling into 13x9 dish.
In another bowl, mix topping ingredients (flour, oats, and butter). Using your fingers, squish the butter into the flour/oats until it is spread throughout.
Pour oat mixture on top of rhubarb filling. Sprinkle a little cinnamon on top.
Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.

Green Beans with Simple Dressing

2011-05-08T17:57:00.000-04:00

When I was younger I remember not being big on vegetables. My mom was able to sneak carrots or broccoli into my repertoire only if ranch dressing was available on the side.

My taste has matured (slightly) since then, but one thing I still love about vegetables is the crunch. These green beans are cooked, but retain their bright green color. This not only means that the nutrients are left for you to eat (rather than boiling away into the water), but also that the beans still have a bit of crunch to them.

What I love about this recipe is how simple it is to make, yet how fancy it looks when presented.

Ingredients

2-3 large handfuls fresh green beans, ends snapped off
juice of 1 lemon
drizzle of olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper
sliced almonds

Directions

Boil green beans until just barely cooked; beans should still be somewhat crunchy.
Transfer beans to serving dish. Dress with lemon juice and olive oil, then mix just barely.
Top with salt, pepper, and almonds. Serve immediately.

Mashed Potato Soup

2011-04-24T20:11:00.000-04:00

This entry could also be called, "How to Use Leftover Mashed Potatoes". If you're like me, you will often make too much of a dish for holiday meals. Such is the case with my mashed potatoes, whose leftovers filled a large tupperware container. This recipe is an adaptation of my Creamy Potato Soup.

There are no real measurements for this recipe because it can be altered for your needs. The butter and milk that many people add to mashed potatoes just makes this more flavorful from the get-go. You can also treat the potato soup as a starting point and add other leftovers for a heartier soup. Imagine throwing in your leftover cooked corn or chunks of ham after the liquid has heated up.

Ingredients

olive oil
small wedge white onion, diced
leftover mashed potatoes (I had about 5-6 cups)
water (I used about 4-6 cups)
spoonful vegetable/chicken base (or 1 bouillon cube)
pinch dried thyme leaves

Directions

Heat stockpot over medium heat. Add drizzle of olive oil.
Cook onion until translucent.
Add mashed potatoes, water, vegetable base, and thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low.
Whisk soup to break up any remaining mashed potato chunks.

Polenta with Fresh Tomatoes, Basil, and Shallots

2011-04-16T18:28:00.001-04:00

Polenta is cooked cornmeal. Translation: a great dinner option for those who are avoiding wheat or other products with gluten.

Polenta can be purchased pre-cooked, usually in a package whose shape resembles a giant pill. Or, you can go the old fashioned route and buy cornmeal, cooking it according to directions that are usually written on the back of the box.

Try out this dinner meal alongside grilled chicken, or as a vegetarian option accompanied with some greens. Ours cooked up crispy on the bottom and smooth inside. You can mix it up by adding parmesan cheese to the polenta before you bake it, or changing the toppings to your liking.

Ingredients

2 cups cornmeal
olive oil
4 plum tomatoes, chopped
1/2 bunch fresh basil, roughly chopped
1 large shallot, sliced (or can substitute 1 medium red onion)
salt and pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cook cornmeal according to package directions. (usually a 1:1 ratio with water)
Coat glass 8x8 baking dish with olive oil.
Spoon cornmeal into pan and top with tomatoes, basil, and shallots.
Drizzle olive oil on top of vegetables and add salt and pepper.
Bake at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes, or until shallots are tender.

Strawberry Cinnamon Muffins

2011-03-28T20:32:00.000-04:00

The challenge: to create a simple, fruit muffin that could be served nude(!). As much as I love butter on a warm muffin, I understand the need for a muffin's flavor to stand on its own. These do just that.

This breakfast / snack / dessert has a delicious flavor, with a hint of sweetness from the strawberries. Just to be sure, Dan and I tested several, both warm and cool, and they were all consistently good. If you feel inspired, give it a try with other berries, like fresh red raspberries.

Adapted from this recipe.

Ingredients - makes 15-18 cupcake-sized muffins

2/3 cup sugar
6 Tbsp salted butter, melted
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 - 1 cup milk
1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped into small pieces

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Line cupcake tins with papers.
In a bowl, mix together sugar and melted butter. Add in eggs, one at a time, and vanilla.
In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
While stirring, add flour mixture to butter / sugar mixture.
While stirring, slowly pour in milk until batter is wet but not thin.
Gently mix in chopped strawberries until just incorporated.
Spoon batter into cupcake papers, each about half full.
Bake at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes.
Let cool on cooling rack for at least 5 minutes.

Tabbouleh

2011-03-16T19:01:00.000-04:00

Tabbouleh is a Middle Eastern dish made from bulgur wheat. Bulgur is a hearty grain high in fiber and protein, with a chewy texture. Tabbouleh was first introduced to me by my former boss Karen, who served it on top of salad greens. The combination of different textures and flavors stuck in my mind. I've written the American version of the dish (which highlights the bulgur itself) versus the Lebanese version, which is heavy on the parsley and mint. I encourage you to try this! It's definitely out of the ordinary for some people, so serve it with something familiar, such as cold shrimp on the side.

Ingredients (serves 4)

1 cup bulgur wheat
water
1 tomato
1/2 European / English cucumber
small bunch fresh mint leaves AND/OR fresh parsley leaves
4-6 oz. feta cheese, block or crumbled
lemon juice
olive oil
salad greens, if desired

Directions

Cook bulgur wheat according to package directions. (Mine was 1 cup dry bulgur to 2 cups cold water.)
Once bulgur is cooked, place saucepan in fridge and let cool for 10-15 minutes.
While bulgur is cooling, chop tomato, cucumber, mint/parsley, and feta into small pieces.
Scoop bulgur, tomato, cucumber, and mint/parsley into a large bowl, stir well, and refrigerate for another 10-15 minutes.
Remove from fridge. Add feta and stir well.
Add a drizzle of olive oil. Add lemon juice to taste. Stir well and serve immediately as main dish, or atop salad greens.

Pasta with Lemon, Artichokes, and Spinach

2011-03-13T22:13:00.002-04:00

Pasta with tomato sauce is one of my longtime go-to's for an easy dinner. But sometimes it's fun to mix it up! This is a simple vegetarian pasta dish with a LOT of flavor. I used the marinade packed with the artichokes to flavor the dish, and topped it with Parmesan cheese as a finish. The result: a delicious dish that's pretty healthy. If you're a fan of feta cheese, you may want to try replacing the Parm with feta for a stronger cheese flavor.

Ingredients
**(for a gluten-free meal, be sure to use gluten-free pasta, such as rice pasta)

1 lb long pasta (I used thin spaghetti)
olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 small onion, chopped
one 15 oz jar artichokes, with marinade / juices reserved
1 lb baby spinach leaves
1 lemon (juice and zest)
4 oz Parmesan cheese (half a container)

Directions

Boil water in large stockpot. Steam spinach above the boiling water OR steam spinach in the microwave.
Cook pasta according to package directions. Rinse well.
While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
Cook onion and garlic until onion is translucent.
Add artichokes and their marinade. Cook until artichokes are heated throughout.
Turn off heat and add spinach to artichoke mixture.
Return pasta to stockpot and pour juice from artichoke / onions over pasta. Stir well.
Add rest of artichoke / onion / spinach mixture to pasta. Stir well.
Add grated zest and juice of lemon to pasta. Stir well.
Finally, add Parmesan cheese to pasta and stir to coat. Serve immediately.

Onion and Pineapple Quesadillas

2011-03-07T21:57:00.000-05:00

The other day I had a few friends over for a quesadilla party. Few of them had ever experienced pineapple in this Mexican dish. To be honest, I hadn't considered it an option either until I stumbled upon the Pioneer Woman's quesadilla recipe.

These are great as snacks, appetizers, or a meal. Enjoy them as written or mix and match your favorite ingredients: grilled chicken, mushrooms, and green peppers are all great options to consider.

Ingredients (makes 3-4 quesadillas)

butter (divided use)
flour tortillas
shredded cheese (Mexican blend and Colby-Jack blend are both good options)
1/2 white onion, chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
pineapple, cut into small pieces (I used canned pineapple rings)
salsa or sour cream for serving

Directions

In a small frying pan over medium heat, melt a pat of butter.
Cook onions and jalapeños until done.
Heat a large frying pan or flat griddle to medium.
While pan is heating up, assemble quesadillas as follows: fold one tortilla in half. Open it and sprinkle the half generously with cheese, onion/pepper mixture, pineapple, then a little more cheese. Fold it closed.
Coat the hot griddle with butter. Place assembled quesadilla on pan and cook until browned. Flip and cook other side until browned.
Remove from heat, cut into wedges, and serve with salsa or sour cream.

Traditional Hummus

2011-02-25T13:27:00.000-05:00

Hummus is one of my go-to party foods, and has also become a staple for my lunches when I've gotten sick of PB&J's. I make a big batch, then bring some in a container along with crackers or tortilla chips for a lunch I can eat all at once or snack on throughout the day.

Tahini, one of the ingredients, is like peanut butter, but made from sesame seeds rather than peanuts. It's a strange ingredient - and I rarely use my tahini for anything but hummus - but it is truly necessary if you want the creamy consistency for which hummus is well known. You can find it in many grocery stores near the peanut butter.

If my garlic hummus was too strong for your taste, you will undoubtedly enjoy this recipe, which has a much more mellow flavor.

Ingredients

one 28 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
one 15 oz can chickpeas, mostly drained
two drizzles of olive oil
2 cloves garlic
spoonful tahini (sesame butter)
1 tsp kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper (1-2 tsp, to taste)
juice of 1 lemon

Directions

Combine both cans of chickpeas (including the small amount of liquid from the smaller can of chickpeas), olive oil, garlic, tahini, and salt in a food processor. Pulse until smooth.
Add black pepper and half the lemon juice. Pulse to mix well. Taste test and add more lemon juice to your liking.

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Soup

2011-02-22T16:42:00.001-05:00

Sometimes I get inspired by food. It happens at random. The orange of a beautiful sweet potato is what did me in this time. I chose this recipe from Kalyn's Kitchen for its simplicity, high nutritional value, and staying power.

Friends joined us and we made up some fresh guacamole, enjoying it with tortilla chips as an appetizer. This soup came next, along with some fun beverages that fit the evening's theme. One friend commented that the soup 'surprised' him. Although he watched it being prepared, the finished product was not what he expected.

Here is the recipe with my alterations. You can purée more or less depending on your preference for a creamier or chunkier soup. Also, the scallions seem unnecessary, like a garnish, but they add another layer of texture (crunchy) that deserves to be included.

Ingredients

olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 large sweet potatoes, chopped into small chunks
two 15 oz cans black beans, rinsed
4 cups water
juice from 1/2 lime
1 bunch scallions, sliced

Directions

In a large stockpot, heat olive oil over medium heat.
Cook onion and garlic until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add cumin, cinnamon, and generous amounts of salt and pepper. Stir well.
Add sweet potatoes, black beans, and water. Cook until sweet potatoes are very tender.
Remove a little less than half the mixture and purée using an immersion blender or regular blender. Return to pot and heat until soup is hot throughout.
Add lime juice and stir well.
Remove from heat and stir in scallions. Serve with bread or tortilla chips.

Jonah's Fish Chowder

2011-02-14T17:30:00.010-05:00

Our friend Jonah made us this amazing chowder when he visited recently. He commented that many people expect chowder to be thick and creamy, like traditional New England clam chowder; however most chowders are hearty soups with milk or cream in their base but not excessively creamy. He did mention that this soup could be thickened by making a roux but I enjoyed it as it's listed below.

Another comment about ingredients: the haddock purchased at the fish counter was frozen when we brought it home. It was still fairly frozen when added to the soup, which allowed many of the pieces to stay whole while they cooked. If using really fresh fish, the pieces will break down quicker in the soup.

Ingredients

4 Tbsp butter (divided use)
1 small white onion, chopped
3 carrots, sliced in discs
3 stalks celery, sliced
4 medium potatoes, chopped
1 lb haddock, cut into chunks (fresh or frozen)
1 cup dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc) or water
1 tsp sea salt
freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 tsp fresh thyme, roughly chopped
1 bay leaf
2 cups milk

Directions

Melt 2 Tbsp of the butter in a large stockpot over medium heat.
Add onion, carrots, and celery and cook until onions are soft.
Add potatoes, fish, wine, salt, pepper, thyme, and bay leaf. Cover and cook until fish is flaky and cooked.
Add milk and remaining butter. Reduce heat to low and cook until heated throughout.
Serve immediately.

the Vegetable Issue

2011-02-07T19:54:00.002-05:00

An AE fan writes in with the following question:

My significant other hates vegetables, but wants to like them. What could I make him [to get him more comfortable with eating vegetables]?

First off: major props to your dude for wanting to give vegetables a try! They're not as scary as they seem, and can easily be disguised until his true love for them comes around.

Root vegetables are a great place to start because they dress up nicely and can do a lot of different things. If someone likes potatoes (and honestly, do you know anyone who doesn't?), other root veggies can be substituted 50/50 or even 100% in many recipes. Some examples:

Use both white and sweet potatoes to make mashed potatoes.
Slice some sweet potatoes thin, coat them with olive oil and a healthy dose of salt and pepper and bake them up for some homemade sweet potato fries.
Make home fries using a mixture of white potatoes and turnips. Their similar coloring makes them nearly indistinguishable from one another. Turnips may have a bad rap but they're actually pretty high up on my favorites, mostly because they taste like a combination of carrots and corn. Yum!
Chopped root vegetables (perhaps a mixture?) drizzled with olive oil, salt, pepper, and fresh rosemary if you've got it, baked at 475 degrees for 30 minutes.

Soups are often a good choice because many people who "hate vegetables" won't go to the trouble of picking them out of a soup. Chicken noodle soup with green beans, corn, carrots and celery or Tomato Florentine soup and grilled cheese might be worth tries.

My focus here is to target things that he already accepts as "safe foods" and then slowly work to replace some of the ingredients with vegetables, or add vegetables to them. The Tomato Florentine soup listed above is pretty much plain tomato soup with some veggies thrown in. If he is comfortable eating roasted potatoes or homemade french fries, he may be willing to give them a try even if they're not make with white Russets.

He may also transition well (in the future) to meals like my Leek and Lemon Risotto with some chopped asparagus added in; a good beef or chicken stir fry with veggies like broccoli, thinly sliced onions, carrots, and peppers in a peanut sauce or sweet soy ginger sauce; or homemade pizza with pepperoni and some colorful veggies.

Faithful readers, do you have any other suggestions that may be of help?

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

2011-01-30T13:20:00.000-05:00

You may remember my love for roasting vegetables.. some may call it a problem. I call it a healthy obsession.

This recipe evolved from my need for butternut squash soup. I went to a friend's house with all the ingredients to make us lunch and realized that his kitchen's contents did not include a vegetable peeler. After the shock wore off, I was able to improvise. I guess I should thank my friend for slacking in the kitchen accessories department, since it resulted in a delicious soup, but in reality he will be receiving a special Groundhog Day present. I bet you can guess what it is.

Ingredients
for a dairy-free or vegan meal, omit heavy cream and garnish with a sprinkle of brown sugar

2 butternut squashes, halved and cut into large chunks for roasting
olive oil for roasting
salt and pepper
olive oil for sautéing
3 cloves garlic
1 onion
1 1/2-inch chunk fresh ginger, grated
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
salt and pepper
4 cups water
heavy cream for garnish (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Place squash chunks, flesh side up, in baking dish(es). Drizzle with a good amount of olive oil and coat with salt and pepper.
Bake at 450 degrees for 70-80 minutes. Check for doneness with a fork - squash should be soft.
When squash are almost done, heat olive oil over medium-low heat in a large stockpot.
Sauté onion, garlic, and fresh ginger for 3-4 minutes, until onion is translucent.
Scoop squash from its skin and add to stockpot.
Add ground ginger, cinnamon, thyme, salt, pepper, and water. Simmer over low heat for 15-20 minutes.
Remove from heat. Mash with potato masher (for a chunkier soup) or blend with immersion blender (for a creamier consistency).
Dish into individual bowls and top with a splash of heavy cream or sprinkle of brown sugar, if desired.

Easy Scallops with Lemon Juice

2011-01-20T18:00:00.002-05:00

We had scallops the other night paired with the Leek & Lemon Risotto that I posted earlier in the week. I recommend eating them as part of the same meal, or even with the scallops served right on top of the risotto.

Scallops are pretty easy to overcook. Seafood more than any other meat I tend to rely on time, rather than a color, to determine doneness.

Do yourself a favor and treat yourself with these delicious scallops. With a short grocery list and simple directions, they're likely to please any seafood lover.

Ingredients

1 lb sea scallops
1 Tbsp butter
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper

Directions

Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes.
Coat pan with butter and olive oil.
Add scallops and squeeze half the lemon juice on top. Season with salt and pepper.
Cook until scallops are browned on bottom, about 30-45 seconds.
Flip scallops, add rest of lemon juice and more salt and pepper if desired.
Remove from heat when scallops are browned, about another minute. They should be warm inside but not rubbery, and easy to cut with a fork.

Leek & Lemon Risotto

2011-01-16T20:59:00.001-05:00

Imagine yourself on a villa in Tuscany, enjoying crusty bread, perhaps a glass of wine, and a dish of a warm, creamy risotto.

Minus the villa, you can recreate this scene yourself with a dish my best friend used to make when we were in college. She loved risotto and the combination leek and lemon stuck in my mind.

Risotto is an amazing dish because it is a chameleon, accommodating whatever you put in it. I've had mushroom risotto, red pepper risotto, and a multitude of others. But no matter your seasonings, the slow process allows the rice to absorb more broth, and therefore more flavor. You can make it with any short grain white rice, but I've found it works best with Arborio rice: this rice is the reason for such a creamy consistency. Luckily it's easy to get: I found a bag at my local grocery store.

Trust me, don't rush this process. In the past I've tried pouring all six cups of broth in at once and it was an utter failure. You don't get the creaminess if you go too fast. If you start to get impatient, channel your inner Italian on that villa and relax as you stir.

when slicing leeks, use only the white part

Ingredients

olive oil
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 medium white onion, sliced and roughly chopped
1 shallot, thinly sliced
2 leeks, thinly sliced
2 cups short grain rice, such as Arborio rice
6 cups vegetable or chicken broth
zest of 1 lemon (grated)
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 - 1 cup parmesan cheese

Directions

Heat stockpot over medium-low heat.
Add olive oil and swirl to coat.
Add garlic, onion, and shallot. Cover and cook 4-5 minutes, until softened and translucent.
Add leeks. Return cover to pot and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
Add rice, stirring constantly. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
Pour in 1/2 cup stock and continue stirring. When stock is absorbed, add another 1/2 cup stock. Continue this process (and the constant stirring to avoid sticking on bottom of pot) until all stock is used and rice is cooked. Don't rush this part! It will take about 20-25 minutes.
Turn off heat. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

Sweet & Sour Meatballs

2011-01-11T21:31:00.000-05:00

These meatballs were a total experiment. Besides preparing them in a different kitchen, I've never made meatballs by measuring anything other than the beef and eggs. These were spiced very plainly and that's something I would change in the future: perhaps grated ginger in the meat would add a nice flavor to the mix.

My other challenge was that the sauce in this recipe didn't become, well, saucy. I always struggle with thickening sauces and this one was no different. It turned out kind of thin but still packed a great flavor. If you are good at thickening sauces, you may want to work a little more with some cornstarch to thicken this one before the last step.

This is adapted from a recipe by the Pioneer Woman.

Ingredients for Meatballs

2 lbs ground beef
1/2 onion, diced
2 eggs
1 cup breadcrumbs
a few shakes each of salt and pepper
flour
olive oil for frying

Ingredients for Sauce

3 cups beef broth
3 Tbsp soy sauce
3/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 bell peppers (one green, one red), cut into large chunks
1 fresh pineapple, cut into small chunks

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, combine beef, onion, eggs, breadcrumbs, and salt and pepper.
Form meat into golf ball sized meatballs.
Pour some flour into a small bowl. Roll each meatball in flour.
Heat large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add a generous amount of olive oil.
Fry meatballs (in two batches).
While meatballs are cooking, whisk broth, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and cornstarch in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.
Once all meatballs are done, set them aside in another bowl. Pour oil / fat out.
Return hot frying pan to stovetop over high heat. Add peppers and cook for about one minute.
Add pineapple and cook for another minute.
Pour sauce into frying pan. Let boil, then reduce heat to low and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Add meatballs and serve immediately over rice (as a main dish) OR place meatballs in a crockpot (I used a 5-qt. crockpot) and pour pepper-pineapple-sauce mixture over top. Set heat to warm and enjoy throughout the evening as an appetizer.

Tomato Florentine Soup

2011-01-06T22:06:00.001-05:00

This is a great soup because it is accepting of any flavors you might want to add. It's loosely based on Budget Bytes' Swamp Soup recipe and it caught my eye because of the ingredient list. I've never made a tomato based soup that actually used pasta sauce in it before, but it made perfect sense to me. We often have a half full jar of tomato sauce in our fridge that is left over from one thing or another. Adding it to this soup tasted great because the sauce is already seasoned so I had to add very little in terms of spices for this soup.

After changing the recipe quite a bit and working with the contents of my own kitchen, I ended up with this. Dan the Man wanted it on the record that future versions of this soup should experiment with the addition of chicken or pasta. To make it a little heartier I'd like to try adding another can of smaller beans, like Great Northern beans, to add some extra protein and color variation.

Ingredients
for a vegan or dairy-free meal, omit the parmesan cheese at the end and replace with fresh basil leaves for garnish.

drizzle of olive oil
4 cloves garlic, diced
1/2 red onion, chopped
4 carrots, sliced in 1/4-inch pieces
4 stalks celery, sliced in 1/4-inch pieces
big pinch (about 1/2 tsp) oregano
big pinch of basil
big pinch of parsley
freshly ground pepper
3 oz (about 1/2 bag) fresh baby spinach
28 oz can diced tomatoes (don't drain - you will need the juice)
15.5 oz can beans, drained and rinsed (I used red kidney beans)
12 oz (or 1/2 jar) tomato sauce
2 cups vegetable broth
parmesan cheese for garnish (optional)

Directions

Heat olive oil in large stockpot over medium heat.
Add garlic, onion, carrots, celery, spices, and pepper. Stir well and let cook for about 5 minutes.
Add spinach, cover stockpot, and reduce heat to low. Cook until spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes.
Add tomatoes (with their juice), beans, tomato sauce and broth. Cover, return heat to medium and cook until soup is heated throughout.
Serve as is or sprinkled (covered?) with parmesan cheese.

2010 Favorites

2010-12-31T16:04:00.000-05:00

Dear reader,

With 55 posts this year, 2010 turned out to be a very productive one. In addition to my blog's first birthday, my husband and I have enjoyed a year of healthy, delicious, homemade meals and snacks. I hope a few of them have made their way into your kitchen too. Some of my highlights are below.

Favorite Soup(s) This Year:
it is a tie between


Beef and Barley Soup

the hearty beef and barley soup, and

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

the creamy roasted red pepper soup. (Clickable link below each picture)

Most Repeated Recipe This Year, in my own kitchen:

Empanadas

empanadas, which can be filled with virtually anything and are a lot more filling than one might expect.

Favorite Dessert:


Honey Banana Bread

since I've become a fan of less intense sweetness in my desserts, this honey banana bread is still one of my most delicious memories.

What are some of your favorites from 2010? What would you like to see more of in 2011?

I hope you all have a wonderful new year!

Cheers,
Ally

Guest Post: Baked Craisin Scones

2010-12-26T15:19:00.000-05:00

Today's recipe comes to us from my father-in-law, The Greg. His comments (in italics):

Scones are old Scottish biscuits. The reason I make them is they're so easy and the more impatient you are with them, the better they turn out. [The idea here is that scone dough, when overworked, becomes very dense and hard to chew once cooked.] I can get up in the morning, make them, and they come out of the oven in time for me to have while I enjoy my morning coffee.

I like this recipe because you can use any flavor of dried fruit, as long as it's in small pieces. Greg has made these with regular and blueberry-flavored Craisins with great success. You could use actual dried blueberries, or even try cutting up dried apple pieces into small chunks.

Ingredients

2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
2/3 cup dried cranberries (Craisins), any flavor
8 Tbsp (1 stick) cold butter, diced
1 large egg
2/3 cup milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, and dried cranberries.
Stir butter into dry ingredients and mash with potato masher (or squish with your clean fingers!).
With a fork, beat eggs into milk until well stirred. Pour this into dry ingredients and mix to incorporate. Dough should be very rough (almost shredded looking), with chunks of butter still visible.
Cut dough in half. Roll each half on a floured surface to about 1/2-inch thickness. Pinch edges around your circle to avoid cracks along the edges while baking.
Cut each large chunk into six triangular pieces (like a pie), or use circle-shaped cookie cutter and cut out several rounds. Prick each scone with a fork.
Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 425 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Party Food Ideas - 2010

2010-12-21T22:36:00.000-05:00

While I've got a few posts about pie in the works, I know that many people are attending or hosting holiday parties this time of year. If you're like me, you're probably pulling your hair out trying to create an array of snacks that will please your guests.

Allow me to present my recommendations for your next get together.

A new go-to favorite of mine is the gluten-free Cream Cheese Stuffed Jalapeños

These were a hit at my birthday party last year - Carrot Cake Cookies with Lemon Glaze

Dip some veggies in some (gluten-free) Garlic Hummus or Tahini Dressing

Go classic with some chips and Cooked Tomato Salsa

For someone who's averse to processed sugars, perhaps they'd enjoy a few slices of Honey Banana Bread

To enjoy some treats warm out of the oven, I recommend Brie, Pear, and Brown Sugar Crostini.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Nudo Italia

2010-12-14T15:15:00.000-05:00

Looking for an awesome gift for a food lover? The Brown Eyed Baker turned me on to a great site called Nudo Italia, an Italian olive company that lets you adopt a tree. By adopting an olive tree from one of their many groves, you receive two packages: one in the spring with extra virgin olive oil pressed from the olives from your tree; and a second in the fall with three flavored olive oils, such as their chili-infused olive oil or lemon flavored olive oil.

What a wonderful way to support a small business and receive a gift that can be used year-round in the kitchen!

What are some of your favorite gifts for food lovers?

Beef and Barley Soup

2010-12-08T15:00:00.005-05:00

I've been craving a beef based soup lately, and several sources have reminded me of the great combination of beef and barley. I decided to give it a whirl, following Budget Bytes' recipe most closely.

The best parts about this soup: by cooking the stew meat first, everything was flavored with its drippings; because the barley's starch began to break down and thicken the soup, no thickening agent was needed to make this almost stew-like; and finally, adding the potatoes in at the end prevented them from getting too mushy. It is an all around hearty winter soup.

Ingredients (makes 5-6 servings)

olive oil
1 lb stew meat, cut into small pieces
1 white onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, diced
4 small stalks OR 2 large stalks celery, sliced
small bunch carrots, sliced
pinch dried thyme leaves
2 bay leaves
1 small package (about 10 oz) white mushrooms, sliced
2 Tbsp tomato paste
6 cups beef stock (I used Better Than Bouillon's beef base in 6 cups water)
1 cup dried barley
1 lb small red potatoes, chopped into bite size pieces

Directions

Heat a small amount of olive oil in large stockpot over medium heat. Add stew meat and cook until browned. Transfer to separate bowl and set aside, leaving drippings in stockpot.
Drizzle more olive oil into stockpot. Add onions and garlic and cook until onions have softened.
Add celery, carrots, thyme, and bay leaves. Cook for 4-5 minutes, adding a splash of water if vegetables start to stick or burn.
Add mushrooms. Continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes.
Clear a little spot and add tomato paste. Cook until paste heats up, then gradually stir it into juices and vegetables.
Add cooked meat back into stockpot, along with beef stock and barley. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover; simmer for 40 minutes.
Add potatoes and simmer, covered, for another 10-15 minutes.

Changing the Way You Eat

2010-12-05T12:04:00.001-05:00

eggs from a local farm

If you're reading a food blog, you probably have some interest in the quality of your food. On the surface, this might mean that you want to make meals that taste good. You might also consider what is nutritious for you and your family.

Does it go deeper than that? For quite some time, I have been learning more about the food industry and how it works. I am not going to gross out anyone but I will say it was very enlightening to learn about the way animals and crops are treated to get the "best" product.

As I mentioned in my entry on food goals for 2010, one of my goals is to find local sources for more of my food. Since reading books like Animal, Vegetable, Miracle (Barbara Kingsolver) and Eating Animals (Jonathan Safran Foer) and seeing documentaries like Food, Inc., I have been working toward becoming more of a locavore - that is, eating more locally made and locally produced foods. My list below is based on my location ( Delaware / Chenango counties, southern tier of New York state)

Some changes in my food purchases:

eating more locally raised meats, (through farmers' markets and Chenango Bounty's website). If not locally raised, then organic, hormone-free and antibiotic-free. (My new favorite at the grocery store is Meyer's angus beef.)

our yogurt at home is now Chobani greek yogurt (produced in Norwich, NY without the use of rBST-treated milk)

anytime we need sour cream, we buy Friendship brand, to the delight of Dan the Man (produced in Friendship, NY, near his hometown, about three hours from us)

our eggs now come from a local family farm (Guilford, NY)

I still make my own jams - 2010 jams are blackberry and concord grape. This year both fruits were grown locally. (I picked the blackberries myself!)

As winter sets in, it can be more difficult to find local fresh produce in New York. I hope to provide more recipes using winter produce, like potatoes, winter squashes, carrots, and apples.

Have you made any changes in your food habits, whether toward becoming more of a locavore, trying to eat more meals made at home, or purchasing less junk food?

Spiced Oatmeal

2010-11-28T12:23:00.001-05:00

First off, I'd like to thank everyone who voted for me in the Manly Cupcake Challenge - I was chosen as the People's Choice! Along with two other final finalists, my recipe will be tested by the amazing bakers at C&C Cakery and a winner will be chosen. Congrats to the other finalists, whose cupcakes looked delicious!

On to the recipe...

This weekend I was fortunate enough to visit my favorite tea store, Sensibiliteas. The owner, Donnalynn recommended a delicious twist on traditional oatmeal, which is laid out below. The beauty is that you can cater it to your taste - want your oatmeal fruitier? Try their Peaches n' Cream spiced black tea. Are you preparing oatmeal for a traditional tea drinker? Perhaps they'd like it made with Earl Grey. The possibilities are endless.

Oatmeal is a nutritious and very very easy to make, as long as you keep an eye on what type of oats you buy. Rolled oats (also called old-fashioned oats) are what I've used here. Steel cut oats, also delicious, would work in this recipe, just be sure to extend your cooking time since they do take a bit longer to complete. More information about oats can be found here.

Original oatmeal recipe adapted from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything.

Ingredients (makes 2 servings)

2 tsp OR 2 tea bags of your favorite spiced black tea (I used Sensibiliteas' Organic Vanilla Chai)
2 1/4 cups water
1 cup rolled oats (NOT instant)
dash of salt
1/3 cup of your favorite dried fruit, optional (I used raisins)
additional toppings, such as cream, maple syrup, brown sugar, or toasted walnuts

Directions

Boil water for tea. When water has come to a boil, measure out 2 1/4 cups into a small saucepan.
Steep tea in hot water for 3-5 minutes.
Remove tea bag from water. Add oats and salt. Cover and bring to a boil.
When water comes to a boil, turn heat to low, add dried fruit if using, and cook, covered, for another 5-7 minutes until oatmeal is tender.
Remove from heat and serve with any additional desired toppings.

Comments

The hardest thing about writing this entry is that there is no Scratch-n-Sniff on the internet. The smell of the oatmeal simmering in a blend of cinnamon, cardamom, vanilla, and cloves permeated the kitchen, but obviously didn't show up in the photo. If you have any interest in oatmeal, I recommend giving this a try!

**Note: I was not compensated in any way by Sensibiliteas for this post. I am simply a fan of her products!

Boots and Beards: the Woodshed Prophets' Marble Swirl Cupcakes

2010-11-21T22:16:00.005-05:00

C and C Cakery's 1st Annual Manly Cupcake Challenge

This week I've been reading about C and C Cakery's Manly Cupcake Challenge, which supports the Movember Foundation, a charity raising awareness for men's health issues.

I couldn't resist creating a cupcake especially for my favorite group of boys. The Woodshed Prophets. They're an awesome country/rock band in which my husband (Dan the Man) plays guitar, and are often the professional taste testers to many of the recipes you enjoy here on Artistic Eatables. They're some of the best guys I know, so I wanted to create a dessert that would make them proud.

They've been developing merchandise to coordinate with the release of their debut album, so I looked to the buttons, posters, and t-shirts to inspire me regarding my manly cupcakes. I also wanted something the boys would enjoy eating. Although hot dogs, beer, and pizza are all manly foods, I didn't think they'd translate well to cupcakes.

I decided to stick with black and white for the color scheme (which all began with their bootleg CD's) and chose to highlight the boot logo, which appears on their business cards and buttons. To give some variation and to honor Movember, I included some designs of beards, which is another accessory the boys seem to love. (Three of the four guys have 'em.)

As for the kitchen talk, I altered this recipe to create the cupcake batter, and the frosting recipe is direct from the Tasty Kitchen archives.


cupcakes, pre-frosting

Cupcake Ingredients (makes about 15 cupcakes)

2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/3 c. sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter, at room temperature
2 eggs
1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
splash of milk

Frosting Ingredients

5 Tbsp flour
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 cup sugar (not powdered sugar)
your desired color food dye (I used black)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line cupcake tin with cupcake papers.
Combine flour, sugar, and baking powder in large bowl.
Add butter, vanilla, and 1 cup milk. Beat at medium speed for about a minute.
Add eggs. Beat at medium speed for about a minute, then at high speed for another minute.
Separate batter into two batches - one larger batch for your vanilla, and a smaller batch to be turned into chocolate.
In small saucepan over low heat, heat chocolate chips. When chocolate chips are hot but not burnt, turn off heat and add a splash or two of milk. Stir or whisk together well until chocolate is slightly creamy.
Add chocolate to smaller batch of cake batter and stir well.
Fill cupcake papers about half full with vanilla batter. To each, add a spoonful of chocolate batter and swirl together using a knife. Clean the knife before swirling the next cupcake.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
Let cool for 10-15 minutes on cooling rack.
While cupcakes are cooling, combine flour and 1 cup milk in saucepan over medium heat. Whisk or stir constantly until very thick. (The recipe's author compares the desired thickness of this frosting to brownie batter.) Remove from heat and cool completely. Place pan in bowl of ice if you need it to cool more quickly.
In a mixing bowl, combine sugar and butter. Beat until graininess of sugar is gone.
Add vanilla to flour/milk mixture, then pour into butter/sugar mixture. Beat on medium-high speed until texture resembles whipped cream.
Frost cupcakes using white frosting. Add food dye to remainder of frosting in bowl until desired color is achieved. Scoop into icing bag with a small writing tip inside and decorate with boot design and your favorite facial hair configurations.

More about the Contest

This is all about raising awareness and supporting the awesome mustache men of the Movember Foundation. Please visit their charity page and considering making a donation.
There are a bunch of great prize sponsors of this contest, including:

Blush Printables- a $15 electronic gift card
Hello Hanna - A pack of Sweet Stands (for every finalist)
Elise Steven’s Illustration and Design - a hand-painted ornament featuring our mascot, Colonel Cupcake.
Taraduff - a handmade bearded beanie
Miss Kitty Creations - a special edition Tuxedo Cupcake Charm
Bella Cupcake Couture - one pack of Cupcake Wrappers for each finalist and one extra for our grand prize winner
Drama Llama - a handmade secret stuffie
My Creative Side - Two dozen Mustaches on stick

Cream Cheese Stuffed Jalapeños

2010-11-20T11:41:00.003-05:00

It can be easy to fall into a routine at Thanksgiving - turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn, rolls, pumpkin pie.. why not spice up your holiday? Yes, literally. Live on the edge! Consider these bad boys for a fun appetizer.

I was browsing some of my favorite blogs and came across a stuffed jalapeño recipe on The Way the Cookie Crumbles. While her peppers were wrapped in prosciutto which gave them an added texture, I was hoping to focus on flavors. With the help of my awesome friend Jen, we did an experiment with several different flavor combinations and came up with the beauties you see here. I have always enjoyed cream cheese and jelly together and was glad to see it worked out in this form. We liked the combination of spicy, creamy, and sweet.

Some of the intensity does get baked out of the peppers, but they are spicy to work with in their raw state. You can throw on a pair of rubber gloves while you're slicing and seeding to keep your hands protected.

Ingredients
(This recipe is listed as gluten-free since most cream cheeses are naturally gluten-free. However, please check the label if you are unsure.)

8 jalapeño peppers, halved lengthwise and seeds removed
about 4 oz. cream cheese or Neufchâtel cheese (half package)
grape jelly

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Place jalapeno halves on cookie sheet. Spread cream cheese into each the "cup" of each pepper.
Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes, removing when cream cheese has browned.
Top each with a small blob of jelly.
Place on a nice tray to serve or eat hot off the cookie sheet. :)

AE Featured

2010-11-14T19:52:00.000-05:00

Artistic Eatables' Creamy Potato Soup was featured in the Acupuncture Studio's most recent e-mail newsletter.

The Acupuncture Studio, out of Glens Falls, NY, is a great place for those desiring massage, acupuncture, and other healing arts. If you're ever near the historic Troy Shirt Factory, check them out! ( /end shameless plug for one of my favorite places )

Roasted Vegetable Minestrone

2010-11-08T19:47:00.000-05:00

For weeks, I had been drooling over this soup recipe from What Megan's Making, one of my favorite food blogs. I loved the idea of roasting vegetables to bring out their flavor in an unexpected place like soup, and couldn't wait to give this a try as the weather has cooled off here.

To switch up the original recipe, I changed which vegetables to roast, catered the seasoning to my liking, and altered the amounts for a smaller crowd. This recipe will make enough for 3-4 people as a main dish.

Ingredients for roasting vegetables

1 bunch small carrots, sliced in rounds
1 small zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced
1 yellow (summer) squash, halved lengthwise and sliced
1/2 red onion, halved and sliced thinly
generous drizzle of olive oil
salt + pepper

Ingredients for rest of soup

more olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
3 stalks celery, sliced
pinch of dried thyme leaves
14.5 oz can cannellini beans, drained
6 cups vegetable broth (more if you want it brothier)
2 cups pasta shells, uncooked
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes with juice
salt + pepper
fresh parsley or Parmesan or mozzarella cheese (garnish, optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
Combine ingredients for roasting vegetables in large baking dish and cover. Bake at 500 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside, still covered, until soup is complete (Step 8).
While vegetables are roasting, heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-low heat.
Add garlic, celery, and thyme. Cook for about 5 minutes.
Add cannelini beans and vegetable broth. Increase heat to medium-high until broth boils, then reduce to low.
Add pasta shells and cook until they are al dente (about 10 minutes).
Add tomatoes and cook until heated throughout.
Pour roasted vegetables into soup and stir to incorporate.
Season with salt and pepper, and top with desired garnish.

Cinnamon Chip Cookies

2010-11-03T21:33:00.002-04:00

First things first - the winner of my first blogiversary giveaway (a jar of homemade blackberry jam), who was chosen randomly, is Kate, who said about her favorite homemade item: "I love love love anything with peanut butter. I have kind of a problem with it. Hi, my name is Kate and I'm a peanut butterholic." Kate, I will be contacting you via e-mail for your info!

On to the deliciousness...

Cinnamon chips, unlike chocolate chips, don't really taste great on their own. But after baking in a hot oven and melting a little, they become one of my favorite additions to a cookie. They're more like cinnamon sugar really, and since they're so tiny they help create a cookie that much resembles snickerdoodles in flavor. I was able to find my bag of cinnamon chips at a local independent grocery store that sells bulk products. You may be able to find some at a food co-op or specialty baking store if they're not at your regular grocery store.

The trick with these, and any cookie, is when you remove them from the oven. To get a crunchier cookie, wait until the edges of each cookie have just browned. For a chewier cookie, check on them as the minimum time gets close. Remove them as soon as they look firm, regardless of their color. They will continue to cook for another minute or two out of the oven until they cool completely.

Recipe adapted from The Cookie Book by Nancy Baggett.

Ingredients (makes 25-30 cookies)

1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, at room temperature (not melted)
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 lb cinnamon chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, combine butter, sugar, and brown sugar.
Add vanilla and eggs.
In a separate bowl, combine flour and baking soda.
While stirring / mixing sugar mixture, slowly add flour mixture until completely incorporated.
Add cinnamon chips and stir well.
Grease two cookie sheets.
Place dough balls the size of golf balls onto cookie sheet, spacing them about 2" apart.
Bake, one tray at a time, at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.
Remove from oven and place cookies on a cooling rack for at least five minutes.

Happy Blogiversary - and a Giveaway!

2010-10-27T09:25:00.002-04:00

Can you believe it's been one year of Artistic Eatables? I've been chopping, kneading, frying, baking, simmering, and photographing my food for you since October 27, 2009.

To celebrate, I am offering a giveaway - my first ever.

I will be awarding one lucky reader a jar of my homemade blackberry jam. (Ingredients: freshly picked blackberries, sugar, liquid pectin)

photo from breadexperience.com

To enter the giveaway, simply leave a comment with your name, a way to contact you, and tell me your favorite homemade item (canned, baked, whatever!).

Sorry international readers, this prize can only be delivered to US residents.

The comments will be open until Saturday October 30, 5pm. Cheers!

Greek Calzones

2010-10-24T22:11:00.000-04:00

I love anything relating to bread, carbohydrates, or flour. Yum. When my friend Lindsay sent me a link to this new twist on calzones (which are traditionally made with ricotta, mozzarella, and your choice of meat), I couldn't resist.

To "Greek" it up, they've replaced the mozz with feta cheese, which is quite a bit saltier, but don't fear if you're not into what some would consider weird cheeses. The feta is just to give a little saltiness to the otherwise creamy filling of ricotta and spinach. If you don't like feta, consider some of the alternatives I've listed below in my Comments section.

I love the inclusion of spinach to this recipe, which is surprisingly nutritious but also adds a nice chewy texture that the cheese just can't cover on its own.

Recipe altered slightly from the version on Delish.com

Ingredients

olive oil for baking sheet
1 batch pizza dough
10 oz. box frozen spinach, thawed, drained, and patted dry
15 oz. ricotta cheese
3-6 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
pinch of dried dillweed

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
In a mixing bowl, combine spinach, ricotta, dill, and as much feta as desired.
Split pizza dough into four even pieces. Flatten out into large circles.
Spoon equal amounts of cheese mixture onto one half of each circle. Fold dough over and press to close.
Place each calzone on a raised-edge cookie sheet. Bake at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until crust is golden.
Let cool at least 5 minutes before eating. Serve with desired sides.

Comments

Even with patting the spinach dry, the filling was still quite wet, presumably from the ricotta. You may choose to cut a slit in the top of the calzone so the moisture can escape there; otherwise it might try to leak out the sides.

We ate our calzones plain but I think I would have enjoyed them more with a side of marinara sauce, even though it wouldn't fit with the Greek theme.

Next time I'd also like to try these with some different additions in the filling: perhaps chunks of artichoke hearts, chopped kalamata olives, or even diced sundried tomatoes. If you choose to add something salty, just reduce the feta a little bit to balance out the flavors.

AE Update 10/15/10

2010-10-15T09:39:00.001-04:00

As I get over a sinus infection and do a little traveling this weekend, I'll be away from my kitchen more than usual. Please excuse the blogging hiatus! I hope to come back with some delicious treats for you soon.

Fresh Tomato and Roasted Garlic Salsa

2010-10-08T15:30:00.001-04:00

Ingredients

5-6 cloves garlic
olive oil
2 small ripe tomatoes
1 green tomato
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
juice of 1/2 lime
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Cut tips off the top of each garlic clove. Place in small baking dish and drizzle with olive oil. Bake at 450 degrees until garlic is roasted completely, about 20 minutes.
While garlic is roasting, finely chop tomatoes and jalapeno pepper. Mix together in medium bowl.
Squeeze each garlic out of its paper and onto a cutting board, mince and add to bowl.
Add lime juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Creamy Potato Soup

2010-10-02T08:53:00.001-04:00

This soup is SO. EASY. Thanks to a basket of vegetables from my friend Gretchen, I was blessed with gorgeous homegrown potatoes and onions. They've been staring me down the entire week, basically begging to be simmered and pureed. Now, I know that root vegetables talking to me makes me weird, but at least the weirdness comes with clear cut inspiration.

The beauty of this soup, like my Creamy Broccoli Cauliflower Soup, is that the creaminess comes from pureeing some of the starchy vegetables, so if you're not into dairy you can omit it completely. I did add a splash of heavy cream at the end, but it was a smooth soup without it. As a small bowl, this would be a great appetizer course, or could also be served as a great vegetarian / vegan main course with a hunk of warm bread.

If you have less time available to cook this, just be sure to cut your potatoes into smaller pieces; the increased surface area will help them cook more quickly.

Ingredients (serves 3-4 main dish or 5-6 appetizer)

for a vegan or dairy-free meal, replace butter with olive oil and omit heavy cream

for gluten-free meal, be sure to use gluten-free vegetable stock

1-2 Tbsp butter
1 small onion, chopped into small pieces
4 small-medium starchy potatoes, such as Russets, washed and chopped
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
water
3 Tbsp or 3 cubes vegetable bouillon
splash of heavy cream, garnish (could also use a sprig of parsley or oregano in its place)

Directions

Heat a stockpot over medium heat. Melt butter.
Add onions and cook 5 minutes or so, until they become translucent.
Add potatoes and thyme.
Pour in enough water to cover the potatoes. Stir in vegetable bouillon.
Turn heat to medium-high. Cook until liquid boils well, then turn heat down to medium-low and cook until potatoes are very soft.
Remove from heat. Puree using an immersion blender to your desired consistency, or transfer and puree in blender in small batches. Mine still had some small chunks of potato in it.)
Dish into bowls. Garnish with a splash or swirl of heavy cream, or a sprig of fresh parsley or oregano if desired.

Real Food.

2010-09-21T14:48:00.003-04:00

I've been thinking a lot about my philosophies on food in the past few months. Having issues with low blood sugar, I have grown to see food as a fuel that is necessary for me to enjoy my life instead of viewing calories as bad. I want things to taste good because, why bother eating if you're not going to eat well? Being an artist has also made me want to eat things that are aesthetically pleasing.

photo by HelenPalsson on Flickr

I have realized that one of my life food goals is to make everything I eat from scratch, at least once. Think about all the things you buy prepackaged or premade. Often, it takes as little effort to make it from scratch, just a little extra time. I've found that most of the time things taste so much better that I don't go back to the prepackaged stuff.

Things I've made from scratch, at least once:

pizza dough
soft pretzels
artisan breads, baguettes, rolls
blackberry jam, peach jam, strawberry jam, elderberry jelly
dill pickles, bread and butter pickles
applesauce
salsa
mustard
spice mix - Mexican
french fries, sweet potato fries
tomato sauce
smoothies - peanut butter + banana
naan (Indian flatbread)
granola bars
trail mix
cakes, cupcakes, pie crusts

Things I'd like to make from scratch:

English muffins
bagels
macaroni, including ravioli and tortellini
sausage, bacon
chicken, beef, veggie stock
ice cream
mayonnaise
yogurt
cheese, especially mozzarella
wine, beer, limoncello
honey (with Uncle J)
marshmallows

Are there other things that should be on this list?

Mushroom, Olive, and Caramelized Onion Pizza

2010-09-13T21:21:00.000-04:00

Sometimes we go back to basics. It is cool out; I want the house to be warm with the smell of bread baking and cheese melting. I love using pizza as an excuse to clean out the fridge and finding new combinations of flavors.

For a long time I didn't like olives at all; now I know that I prefer those that don't come out of a can. Kalamatas are known for their strong salty flavor and beautiful deep purple color. How can you resist purple?

This pizza features the salty and sweet combo. By caramelizing the onions, they cook down and marinate in their own sugars, browning and sweetening up perfectly. I added mushrooms but feel free to add whatever you've got handy; ham might taste good on this too.

Ingredients (makes 1 pizza)

1 batch pizza dough
1/2 onion, halved and sliced
1/2 package white mushrooms, sliced
about a dozen kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
cornmeal for sprinkling the pizza stone/pan
pizza sauce or spicy marinara sauce
2-4 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
parmesan cheese (freshly grated if possible)

Directions

Prepare pizza dough about 2 hours ahead of when you'd like the pizza to go in the oven. Be sure to allow it to rise in a draft free location. If your house is cold, warm the dough bowl.
Caramelize onions over medium-low heat. (Cover them, and add a splash of water if you need more steam. Other than that, leave them alone, stirring occasionally. You will see them become translucent, then eventually brown as they cook in their own sugars.)
About 15-20 minutes before baking time, preheat oven to 450 degrees. (If you're using a pizza stone, this should preheat too.)
When oven is preheated and onions are caramelized, remove pizza stone from oven. Sprinkle stone liberally with cornmeal to prevent sticking. Stretch dough onto stone. Top with sauce, mozzarella, mushrooms, olives, and onions. Sprinkle with a generous amount of parmesan cheese.
Bake at 450 degrees for 12-15 minutes, until crust is golden.

Gavin's Chocolate Cake

2010-09-06T17:37:00.001-04:00

All the boys in Dan the Man's family love chocolate cake, but there's one catch - no frosting can be involved. They'll eat it plain, or even with chocolate pudding on the side but don't want anything to do with overly sugary stuff. I originally developed this recipe for Dan's brother Gavin because, if you're going to eat plain cake, why not eat the best?

The recipe involves making your own cake flour (you'll see that in the strange measurement for flour, and the addition of cornstarch). If you have cake flour handy, just ignore the flour / cornstarch in the recipe, and use 3 cups of cake flour. You'll also want to have toothpicks on hand to check for doneness so you don't burn this delicious treat.

Lastly, if you've never baked with baking chocolate, be sure to get the right kind. You'll be sorry if you accidentally use unsweetened instead of the semisweet baking chocolate called for by the recipe...not that I've ever done that before. Additionally, you can substitute semisweet chocolate chips if you've got those on hand - according to the substitutions on this website, sub in a little over 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips for the 3 1/2 oz. semisweet baking chocolate required in my recipe.

five 1/2 oz squares of semisweet Baker's baking chocolate

Ingredients

3 1/2 oz. semi-sweet baking chocolate
3/4 cup salted butter (equal to 1 1/2 sticks, or 12 Tbsp)
2 1/2 cups + 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour (unbleached is best)
6 Tbsp cornstarch
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups cold water

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease 9 x 13 cake pan. Set aside.
In small saucepan, melt butter and chocolate together over medium-low heat. Let cool.
In medium bowl, mix together flour, cornstarch, and baking soda. Set aside.
Pour sugar into large mixing bowl. With electric or stand mixer with whisk attachment at medium speed, pour in chocolate/butter mixture and mix for about 1 minute.
With mixer still on medium, add vanilla, then both eggs (one at a time).
Then add flour mixture gradually, alternating with cold water. Scrape down sides of bowl and continue to beat for another minute or two, until batter is fluffy.
Pour batter into greased 9 x 13 pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Check for doneness using toothpick.
Let cake cool at least 15-20 minutes. Serve alongside chocolate pudding, whipped cream, or any other sidekicks you might enjoy.

Wild Mushroom Soup

2010-08-29T13:57:00.002-04:00

I've photographed a moon crater!

Not really, but I did win the mushroom lottery.

This week, I was gifted with delicious wild edible mushrooms. The most interesting one was the giant puffball. It was the size of a volleyball, and from reports I've received, that is a "normal" size puffball.

What do you do with an enormous puffball and approximately one-and-a-half quarts of beautiful wild, flavorful mushrooms? Make soup!

I developed this recipe to work with mushrooms from the grocery store if you don't have a mushroom fairy-godmother like I do. For the puffball, you'll want white, starchy mushrooms like button mushrooms, although you'll probably need to trim the stems. For wild mushrooms I suggested porcini mushrooms but any tan mushrooms will work, even baby bellas.

By using the mushroom puree to thicken, this recipe stays pretty healthy, but more importantly has a prominent but not overbearing mushroom flavor. The fresher the mushrooms, the better this soup will taste. And by fresher, I mean as close to home as possible. Regardless of the source of your mushrooms, be sure to wash them well before cooking.

Ingredients (serves 4)

for a vegetarian recipe, be sure to use vegetable stock instead of beef stock.

for a vegan recipe, use vegetable stock and replace the butter with olive oil.

for a gluten-free recipe, use gluten free stock.

6 Tbsp butter (divided use)
1/2 medium immature giant puffball, chopped, or 2 packages white mushrooms, sliced
1 lb or so wild mushrooms, sliced, or porcini mushrooms, sliced
5 cups beef or veggie stock (divided use)
1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp dried thyme (use less if ground thyme)

Directions

Melt 3 Tbsp butter in a large stockpot over medium heat.
Add puffball / white mushrooms and stir.
When mushrooms are browned, add 1 cup of the stock.
Simmer over low heat 5-10 minutes.
Pour into a separate mixing bowl and puree using an immersion blender. The mixture will be somewhat thick.
Return saucepan to medium heat. Melt remaining 3 Tbsp butter.
Add onion, garlic, and thyme. Saute until onion is translucent.
Add wild / porcini mushrooms. Stir well and cook for about 5 minutes.
Add remaining 4 cups of stock and cook until liquid begins to bubble, about 4-5 minutes.
Turn heat to low. Stir mushroom puree into soup and cook for another minute.
Serve with bread or rolls.

Comments

If you make this recipe vegan (replacing the butter with olive oil), you may need to season with salt and pepper. However, with beef stock it was perfectly seasoned for us.

The soup was light but fairly filling. We had it for lunch with some rolls and everyone seemed satiated. I was pleased that because of the lack of cream or milk, the mushroom flavor stood out. After all, why eat mushroom soup that doesn't taste like mushrooms?

Honey Banana Bread

2010-08-21T11:56:00.068-04:00

One of my friends has an allergy to cane sugar, prompting me to develop a dessert recipe that didn't heavily rely on sweetness for its flavor. No cane sugar means no granulated sugar, no brown sugar, and no molasses. Sure, there are artificial sweeteners like Splenda, which contains xylitol, or natural ones like agave nectar. I wanted a sweetener that was natural but also probably already in people's pantries.

Honey has a lower glycemic index than sugar, which is good for those concerned with high blood sugar. If you buy local honey, you are also ingesting nectar from the plants and flowers in your region, thus helping your body to be less sensitive to allergens. (Just be careful to buy real, unprocessed honey and not a product diluted with other ingredients. Check out this article for more information.)

Ingredients

6 Tbsp butter (3/4 stick), softened but not melted
3 bananas, very ripe, mashed
1/2 cup honey
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In large mixing bowl, mix together butter and bananas with electric or stand mixer (medium or speed #4 using whisk attachment).
With mixer on, pour in honey, vanilla, and egg. Mix for about 1 minute.
Add flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Mix for another 1-2 minutes, until batter looks smooth and creamy.
Bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes.
Let cool on cooling rack for 10 minutes, then remove bread from pan and let cool for another 30 minutes before cutting.

Comments

Baking with honey was pretty easy. It required reducing the amount of liquid in the other ingredients (i.e. using fewer eggs and less vanilla) and using significantly less honey than was required for the amount of sugar in my original recipe.

The color of the bread was what most impressed me at first. It came out of the oven a beautiful golden brown color, with a smooth crust.

As for the flavor, I really couldn't tell that there was anything different about it - the banana flavor was pronounced but not overbearing, just the way I like banana bread. Tasted great without butter but would be great with it. Even with the reduction in liquid, the amount in the honey made up the difference so the bread was the perfect texture.

Cooked Tomato Salsa

2010-08-18T14:58:00.072-04:00

This is the second part of my mini-series on using fresh tomatoes before they go bad. I was reading one of my favorite food blogs, La Fuji Mama, and one of her recent posts was what she calls "Tomato Salsa #95". Depending on the ripeness and type of the tomatoes, the strength of the onion, and the other additions you include, the amount of seasonings will be quite flexible. You'll see that with the recipe below: I started with La Fuji Mama's recipe as a base, then altered it to create a salsa that was spicy enough for my liking.

Cinnamon and cloves were quite a surprise to me when I read the ingredient list, as well as the lack of any type of hot peppers, jalapeno or otherwise. My directions reflect my test of a close match to the original recipe, then additions for spicing it up a little.

See the comments below about seasoning with the green and regular Tabasco sauces.

Ingredients (makes 2-3 cups)

drizzle of olive oil
3 beefsteak tomatoes, chopped
1/2 red onion, diced
juice of 1/2 lime
3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp kosher salt
1 Tbsp oregano
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
green pepper Tabasco sauce
regular (red) Tabasco sauce

Directions

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat.
Add tomatoes and onion. Cook until tomatoes begin to change color and liquid bubbles, about 5-7 minutes.
Quickly drain tomato mixture in mesh strainer, then pour into food processor bowl. There will be some juices left.
Add lime juice, vinegar, salt, oregano, cinnamon, and cloves.
Process using the Pulse button, very quickly, just long enough to chop tomatoes into smaller pieces. (This should take no more than 3 seconds.)
Put entire mixture in Tupperware or other container, and place in fridge for at least one hour.
Once salsa is cold, season using green and red Tabasco sauces. (I did 15-20 drops of green Tabasco, and around 10 drops regular Tabasco sauce.)

Comments

I found it necessary to drain the liquid from the tomatoes before processing them, and was glad I did. The final salsa was still watery but draining improved the consistency a lot.

Judging spiciness was difficult to when the salsa was still hot; all I could taste was the warm tomato flavor. After refrigerating it, it was a million times easier to see what flavors were needed. Green Tabasco sauce is a bit milder than the red, but still has a nice bite to it, so we seasoned with that first. The regular (red) Tabasco sauce was added at the end for that "bite" for which it is known.

I was also pleased that the cinnamon and cloves were successful in the final product. I could taste them but they also helped the spiciness of the Tabasco to stand out more.

Pesto Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes and Garlic

2010-08-14T13:15:00.000-04:00

What do you do with a bunch of big, beautiful tomatoes that are given to you, before they take over your kitchen?

This is the first of two recipes working to solve that "problem". I roasted chunks of tomatoes and minced garlic right in my cast iron frying pan, allowing the whole mixture and pan to heat up as the oven did. Everything timed out perfectly so the tomatoes were done roasting at the exact moment when they were needed for the pasta. It's an easy recipe that has a lot of flavor, since roasting vegetables is the best way to bring out their best qualities.

Ingredients

olive oil
2 large tomatoes, cut into chunks
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb cut pasta (such as penne or ziti)
3-4 spoonfuls basil pesto, or more to taste (I like Classico's pesto)

Directions

Turn on oven to 425 degrees.
Drizzle olive oil in an oven-safe dish or pan. Add chopped tomatoes and garlic, stir quickly to coat, then place in oven while oven is still preheating.
While tomatoes are roasting, boil water and prepare pasta according to package directions.
Drain and rinse pasta; return to pan.
Add pesto to your desired taste.
Remove tomatoes from oven. Add to pasta and serve immediately alongside a chunk of crusty bread.

Borscht. Yes, Really.

2010-08-10T23:08:00.002-04:00

One of my 2010 food goals was to make borscht, if for no other reason than to say that I tried it. I'm not a big fan of cold soups, so I was very excited to find that there are many different ways to serve borscht. In many cultures, borscht is served cold like gazpacho but it is just as often served hot. In the same fashion, some recipes recommend pureeing the vegetables so the soup is a creamy consistency, while others want the vegetables left chunky.

The recipe offered below is a chunky soup, served hot. The potatoes are cut into small, bite-sized pieces for ease in both cooking and eating. The beets and onion are shredded, so a food processor's shredder attachment will make your life easier for that step. No matter what type of vegetables you add, they'll all be stained purple by the end for a very unique dish. Also, the lemon juice is necessary to create the acidic or sour taste that is essential to the overall flavor of the dish.

Based on a recipe from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything.

Ingredients

(for gluten-free meal, use gluten-free broth)

(for vegan or dairy-free meal, omit sour cream)

olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
3-4 potatoes, chopped into small pieces (regular or sweet potatoes)
6 cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
1 bunch beets (6 or so), peeled and greens removed
1/2 red onion
1 tsp kosher salt (less if using table salt)
10 grinds freshly ground pepper (about 1 tsp)
juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp. dried dill
1 egg
sour cream, for garnish (optional)

Directions

Heat olive oil over medium heat.
Add garlic and potatoes. Cook for about a minute.
Add broth. Increase heat to high and bring soup to a boil, then turn heat back to medium-low. Cook for about 7-8 minutes.
While potatoes are cooking, shred beets and onion in food processor. Add to soup when ready.
Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook on medium low until all vegetables are tender.
Add lemon juice.
Scramble egg in small bowl. Add spoonful of soup to egg, stir well, then drizzle back into pot of soup while stirring.
Serve immediately with sour cream if desired.

Summer Salad with Kentucky Dressing

2010-08-05T14:54:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I go to the farmers' market and want to buy everything there! There are many fruits and vegetables that have so much potential. I stopped at both a farm stand and a market yesterday, and one of the many things I ended up with was a pint of locally grown strawberries. They were so tiny and sweet that I wanted to find a way of using them that brought out their flavor, rather than hiding it.

This is a simple salad with an easy homemade dressing. Kentucky dressing is from the Gardeners' Community Cookbook, one of the cookbooks on my wishlist.

Ingredients

(Salad)

leaf lettuce, chopped, or baby spinach
fresh berries (strawberries should be sliced into bite-sized pieces)
any other vegetables you'd like (I added baby bella mushrooms)

(Dressing)

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 - 1/2 cup sugar
1-2 Tbsp sesame seeds
1 Tbsp poppy seeds
dash Worcestershire sauce (optional)

Directions

Prepare salad as desired.
In a small bowl with spout or liquid measuring cup, measure out vinegar. While whisking, add in olive oil, sugar to taste, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, and Worcestershire sauce if using.
Drizzle desired amount of dressing over salad. Enjoy!

Comments

I've made this dressing several times and it is a little different every time. This time I was a little heavy-handed with the vinegar, creating a more sour dressing. Adding more sugar allows you to control the sweetness. In general, the dressing brings out the strawberries' sweetness. I've also enjoyed this salad with a combination of strawberries and blueberries.

Peanut Butter and Banana Smoothie

2010-07-25T10:24:00.003-04:00

In my last post, I mentioned one of my food goals was to find an easy and delicious smoothie recipe. My thanks goes out to those who commented with recommendations.

The first one I tried was recommended by Marli, a friend of mine who is working in film and production. It is a great way to use up bananas before they go bad.

Ingredients (makes two 12-oz. smoothies)

1 banana (riper is better)
3 big spoonfuls of creamy peanut butter
1 cup milk
3 ice cubes

Directions

Combine ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Be sure all ice cubes have been chopped.

Comments

I used a banana whose skin was almost completely covered by brown spots, indicating its sweetness. This made it easier to taste the banana flavor in the smoothie, instead of being overpowered by peanut butter. (Thanks again, Marli, for the recommendation!)

2010 Food Goals

2010-07-16T11:12:00.003-04:00

(image by danielflower)

Food Goal #1 - Make Julia Child's Beef Bourgignon

I'm sure many of you have seen the movie Julie & Julia, starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams. One of the challenges Julie faces while attempting to make every recipe in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking is beef bourgignon. I'm not a big fan of beef but it seems like a fun challenge, especially after watching what happened in the movie!

Food Goal #2 - Make Borscht

It's one of those things I've always wanted to try, and as of this week I can check this off my list! I'm not a fan of cold soups so I served it hot, and actually really enjoyed it. Recipe to come soon.

Food Goal #3 - Find an easy and delicious smoothie recipe

I love the idea of smoothies - fresh fruit, yogurt, maybe some honey or ice - but have yet to find a recipe that feels easy. Part of it is that I'd like to use ingredients I normally keep around. No weird protein powders for me. Perhaps I just haven't looked hard enough?

Food Goal #4 - Make my own yogurt

My friend Jen posted a recipe for homemade yogurt back in January and I have been waiting for some time to really try it out. I think August will be that time!

Food Goal #5 - Find local sources for beef, chicken, eggs, and cheese

After seeing the documentary Food, Inc. and reading books like Animal, Vegetable Miracle (by Barbara Kingsolver) and Eating Animals (by Jonathan Safran Foer), I've been a lot more conscious about many of the ingredients I purchase for meals. Barbara Kingsolver's book was her record of their family's challenge to eat only locally produced foods for one year. For them, this included growing their own vegetables, raising their own turkeys, learning to make their own fresh mozzarella, or purchasing foods from sources within 100 miles.

Beef and chicken - still working on these. Any suggestions?

Eggs - currently purchasing them from the local Mennonite farm stand on Route 7 in Bainbridge, NY. Not sure where I'll go when they close for the winter season.

Cheese - I believe the Masonville General Store in Masonville, NY carries cheeses made local to the area. I know for sure they carry locally made yogurt and fresh local vegetables. I will report back on my findings.

A great general source for locating products local to you is Local Harvest. Additionally, Kingsolver's site provides recipes for eating produce at its freshest - when they are in season.

What are some of your food goals or interests this year?

Peach Mango Crostini

2010-07-11T11:07:00.001-04:00

The other day, Dan the Man and I headed to the store for inspiration. We decided to purchase whatever produce looked good to us and would figure out something to make with it.

The result: a snack dinner involving fresh fruit and cheese. It was too hot to eat a heavy meal so I was pleased with the outcome: a cute topping (each ingredient was chopped into small cubes) and a bright taste that I really enjoyed as a summer snack.

You can refer back to my post on Brie, Pear, and Brown Sugar Crostini for a clarification on bruschetta vs. crostini if you'd like a refresher on your Italian vocabulary.

Any fresh bread will work for this. My favorite for crostini is baguette, but good French bread will do (that's what you see in the picture), as will the wider Italian bread in a pinch.

Ingredients

1 peach, chopped into small pieces
1 mango, chopped into small piece
5-7 fresh mint leaves, chopped finely (fresh basil would also work)
8 oz. ball of fresh mozzarella, chopped into small pieces
loaf of baguette, French, or Italian bread, sliced into desired size pieces

Directions

Mix peach, mango, mint, and mozzarella in a bowl. Let sit for at least 5 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
Spoon onto bread slices.
Optional: Place crostini on cookie sheet and broil for 1-2 minutes, just enough for mozzarella to melt.

Comments

The peach flavor stood out more than the mango did; you could add another mango if you wanted it to be the dominant flavor. I would also recommend cutting each bread slice in half if you want the crostini to literally be bite-sized, which would make them a little neater to eat.

We ate this primarily as is (fresh), but also tried a few warmed and the mozzarella was delicious. The heat also made the peach flavor sweeter. I'd definitely recommend these warmed!

Blueberry Almond Muffins

2010-06-30T10:32:00.003-04:00

I have a huge weakness for berries! All the berries at the local open market are looking gorgeous and are on sale before their two-week vacation so I scooped up a quart of blueberries and have finally been able to test out this recipe, an adaptation from Fruit: Recipes for Lunch, Brunch, Desserts And More. I always buy more fruit than a recipe calls for because of my, ahem, need to test berries for freshness.

Ingredients (makes about 18 cupcake-sized muffins)

1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour (unbleached)
1 3/4 c. almonds, ground finely in food processor (equals about 1 1/2 c. ground)
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ginger
3/4 c. sugar
1 c. buttermilk (see note below)
1 egg
4 Tbsp. butter, softened (1/2 stick)
2 c. fresh blueberries (about 1 pint)
cupcake papers/liners

Note: Rather than buying buttermilk, you can pour 1 tsp. lemon juice into a liquid measuring cup and fill to the 1-cup line with milk. Let stand for five minutes, and use as buttermilk in this recipe.

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In large mixing bowl, combine flour, almonds, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Mix well, then add sugar.
In a smaller mixing bowl, combine buttermilk, egg, and butter. Beat or mix together thoroughly.
Add liquid mixture to flour mixture and stir well.
Gently fold in blueberries.
Spoon mixture into cupcake liners until about 3/4 full.
Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
Let cool for at least 5 minutes before enjoying.

Comments

While baking, these looked like little blueberry volcanoes! I loved the subtle texture from the ground up almonds and the sweet of the blueberry topped with a pat of butter.

Two cups will definitely maximize the blueberry experience, but it is important to note that more blueberries mean less batter, keeping your muffins from getting too tall. If you choose to reduce the blueberries to 1 1/2 cups you might get a more traditional textured muffin. You could also completely replace the berries with any other small berries of your choice. My brother-in-law is encouraging me to try these again with raspberries.

Avocado and White Bean Sandwiches

2010-06-21T18:46:00.000-04:00

My secret: I've been baking a loaf of bread every day this week. Out of my new cookbook, Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day, I've made the most beautiful baguettes without having to proof or knead the bread.

This recipe features two things: great bread and a great avocado. If you don't make your own bread, be sure to buy a fresh loaf the day you plan to make these.

The recipe is inspired by this one from Real Simple.

Ingredients (makes 2 sandwiches)

15 oz. can of white kidney beans, rinsed and mashed
drizzle of olive oil (1-2 tsp)
5-6 shakes kosher salt (less if using table salt)
3-4 shakes freshly ground pepper
juice of 1/2 lemon (or 1-2 Tbsp lemon juice)
small baguette or loaf of artisan bread, sliced for sandwiches
mayonnaise (optional)
1/3 cucumber, very thinly sliced
1/2 Hass avocado, sliced
1/4 red onion, sliced

Directions

Dump beans into flat bottomed bowl and mash using potato masher or fork. Add olive oil, salt, pepper, and lemon juice and mix well.
If using, spread mayo onto one piece of baguette/bread. Spoon bean mixture onto other piece of bread and smooth down.
Top with cucumber, avocado, and onion. Add a shake of salt or pepper and enjoy!

Comments

Because of my avocado allergy, I had a much different sandwich. Mine consisted of the bean mixture with cucumber and onion, sans mayo, and I found it quite delicious. However, Dan insisted his tasted better, noting that the red onion flavor came through really well and the cucumber added a nice crunch. I think white kidney beans were the best for this meal, although it would be interesting to try with white navy beans.

Indian Burgers

2010-06-13T21:18:00.001-04:00

This meal was based on another great recipe from Penzey's, submitted to their catalog by Melinda Peters.

This is a great recipe if you're looking for something to mix up a normal burger. The curry flavor is very subtle and smells great while cooking.

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef
1 slice onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. curry powder
1 tsp. cilantro
crunchy peanut butter, for topping (optional but recommended)
hamburger rolls

Directions

Heat frying pan over medium heat. Cook onion for 2-3 minutes, then add garlic and cook for another minute. Pour onion and garlic into a medium-sized bowl and leave pan on the burner.
To the onion-garlic mixture add beef, curry powder, and cilantro. Mix together well and form into patties.
Cook patties to your liking. With about three minutes left in cooking time, add a spoonful of peanut butter to the top of each burger and allow it to melt.

Comments

The idea of peanut butter on a burger sounded pretty strange but tasted really good. With the peanut butter topping, the meal was pretty filling. We enjoyed the burgers with cole slaw.

Pinto Bean Chili

2010-06-06T20:30:00.002-04:00

This entry is my praise for beets. No, keep reading! Most people who dislike beets have based this judgment on their experience with canned beets, which are far removed from the actual fresh root vegetable. Fresh beets, when cooked, taste a lot like carrots - they are a touch sweet and taste lovely with a little salt.

I've never seen golden beets in the store, but regular beets are just as beautiful, with deep purple rings inside. The beets really make this recipe stand out, so I encourage you to include them if you can find them at your local farmer's market or farm stand.

Included are a few photos of the gorgeous golden beets I used in this chili recipe!

I must thank Sarah + Ryan, my friends who sent me a beautiful shipment of fresh organic fruits and veggies after my surgery. It really inspired me to cook again, especially since the shipment came with a recipe to use the vegetables included in the package! I worked from this recipe, which came from the Fruit Guys.

Ingredients

olive oil

1 Vidalia (yellow) or white onion, chopped

2 tsp chili powder

2 cups vegetable (or chicken) broth

1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into small pieces

2 medium beets (golden or regular), peeled and cut into small pieces

2 medium tomatoes, cored and roughly chopped (I used vine ripened)

1/2 cup salsa

1 medium zucchini, ends removed, quartered lengthwise, and chopped into small pieces

1/2 bunch collard greens, stems removed and roughly chopped

2 cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained

zest of 1/2 orange, grated

salt and pepper, to taste

sour cream or cheddar cheese for topping, optional**

**Leave this ingredient out for a completely vegan meal.

Directions

Heat olive oil in stockpot over medium-high heat.
Add onion and saute until onion starts to brown, about 4-5 minutes.
Add chili powder and stir for another 1 minute.
Add broth, yams, and beets. Cover pan and reduce heat to medium. Simmer for about 10 minutes, until beets and yams are almost tender.
Add zucchini, collard greens, tomatoes, and salsa. Recover pot and simmer for 4-5 minutes.
Add pinto beans. Simmer, uncovered, until chili starts to thicken a little and yams and beets are very tender, about 15 minutes.
Add orange peel, salt, and pepper.
Serve topped with a dollop or sour cream or sprinkling of cheddar cheese, if desired.

Comments

This turned out to be more like a ratatouille than a chili, in my opinion. However it was delicious, not too spicy, and tasted great with the marble rye bread we served with it. I'm sure you could spice it up by using a hotter salsa or letting each guest season it to their taste with Tabasco sauce.

Chickpea and Pita

2010-05-26T22:19:00.000-04:00

Imagine one or more of the following scenarios:

1. It is 90 degrees outside.

2. It has been 90 degrees for several days in a row, all before the month of June has begun.

3. The thought of turning on any part of your oven/stovetop makes your brain melt.

What can you eat that is tasty, healthy, and (hopefully obviously) not made from opening a cardboard box?

Answer: see below.

Inspired by a recipe I found in Real Simple magazine a long time ago! One of my very favorites.

Ingredients (to feed 2)

14 oz. can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed
1 tub hummus, any flavor
1 package of pitas
1 medium tomato, sliced or diced
1/2 red onion, sliced
1 lemon, cut into wedges
plain yogurt (optional)

Directions

Spread hummus onto a pita.
Dress with chickpeas, tomato, and onion.
Top with plain yogurt, if using, and a squirt of fresh lemon juice.

Comments

Alterations could be made simply by adding whatever veggies or spreads you want! You could also jazz up the plain yogurt by making it into tzatziki sauce by adding in diced cucumber and some lemon juice. Other tasty additions to the dish could include fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped up. My brother-in-law experimented by replacing the hummus on one of his pitas with tahini (sesame butter), which he enjoyed.

the Red Curry Challenge

2010-05-20T21:14:00.000-04:00

Today I found this amazing recipe on The Tasty Kitchen and immediately brought it home to make. However I ran into a problem that poses a question I must work around somewhat frequently: How do you cook ethnic cuisines when living in an area without adequate supplies?

I intended to try the recipe exactly as it was printed, but neither grocery store in the area carried sweet Thai chili sauce (okay, this is understandable) or flat rice noodles. Seriously? My pathetic Italian heart was broken.

Rather than giving up, I asked the omniscient Internet for assistance. By using a couple recipes for food and method replacement inspiration, I was able to come up with the delicious Red Curry you see before you.

Don't mind all the julienning - it just refers to long, skinny pieces so the vegetables cook fairly quickly and carry the flavorful sauce on them. Enjoy!

Ingredients (serves 5)

1 can full fat coconut milk
1 hearty Tbsp red curry paste
1 thumb-sized piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
2 large chicken breasts, cubed
1 onion, julienned
1 red pepper, julienned
about 1 1/2 cups carrots, julienned (I used baby carrots)
1/2 cabbage, julienned (I used a Savoy cabbage)
salt and pepper
rice (2 1/2 cups dry rice would be enough to match the amount of veggies)

Directions

Cook rice according to package directions.
Heat a large pan to medium-low heat.
Scoop the solid coconut milk out of the can and add to pan.
Add in red curry paste and freshly grated ginger. Stir well.
Add chicken. Cover and cook until chicken is done.
Add onion, red pepper, and carrot. Cover again and cook until red pepper has lost a bit of its crunch (5 minutes or so).
Add cabbage, stir well, and cook uncovered for another 3-5 minutes.
Remove from heat and transfer to a big serving bowl if you have one. Let sit for about 5 minutes, giving it time to thicken.
Serve on rice, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

Comments

The process was much easier than I thought, and the final product was very good although I might try adding a little more curry paste next time as I enjoy spicier things. I enjoyed the creaminess of the coconut milk that carried throughout the dish and the fact that the cabbage was just a little crunchy. Next time I might add a little salt at the beginning when adding the curry paste - it would be easier to taste if it's enough, although my guests were happy to salt their own dishes.

This dish could easily be made vegetarian by replacing the chicken with tofu or another vegetable protein. It is naturally dairy-free and gluten-free (red curry paste is gluten-free).

How to Finish a Tub of Plain Yogurt

2010-05-16T21:08:00.000-04:00

So you bought a big tub of plain yogurt because of the beautiful packaging (hello Stonyfield Yogurt!!) and now have no idea what to do with it. Okay, I bought a 32 oz. tub of plain yogurt, and rather than letting it go to waste, I had to brainstorm.

Unlike flavored yogurts like vanilla or strawberry, plain yogurt is a bit sour and is perfect for adding a creamy tang to certain dishes. Regular plain yogurt is different from Greek style yogurt, so I don't know that you could replace one for another.

Three ways to use up plain yogurt:

Add a dollop onto an Indian curry or soup (I made a vegetable and lentil soup with curry and other Indian spices, and we topped each bowl with yogurt)
Make buttermilk style waffles, replacing the buttermilk with plain yogurt and then thinning out the batter with 1/2 - 3/4 cup milk as needed (The yogurt adds a subtle tang which pairs well with the sweetness of the syrup, and the dish is lower in fat)
Have a falafel party and make your own tzatziki sauce (plain yogurt, diced peeled cucumber, a little lemon juice, and some chopped fresh parsley if you've got it) to top the pitas.

If you'd like me to elaborate on any of these recipes, let me know!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-05-10T17:08:00.000-04:00

I think the most beautiful, classic cookie ever invented was the one involving oatmeal. I loved oatmeal raisin cookies as a kid, and upgraded my favorite when I began making my own oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. My favorite kind of chips to use are Nestle's white "Swirled" morsels, or what I like to call zebra chips. Each chip was a twist of milk chocolate and white chocolate. They are hard to find but apparently are still made. If you ever find them in the store, be sure to try this recipe using them!

Anytime you use oats in baking, be sure to use real "old fashioned" oats. This means they are not instant, partially cooked (like "quick oats"), or cut in a way to reduce cooking time. You want them to take the full amount of time to cook so they can absorb the proper amount of liquid and leave you with a cookie, rather than a blob.

I've made this recipe so many times I don't really remember where it came from, but if I had to guess I would probably say that this is my own twist on a recipe found in the The All-American Cookie Book.

Ingredients

1 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
3 cups old-fashioned oats
1 bag chocolate chips, or chips of your choice

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Lightly grease two cookie sheets.
In a large bowl, mix butter, sugar, and brown sugar until blended.
Add vanilla and eggs and mix.
In a medium bowl, mix flour and baking soda.
Add flour mixture to sugar mixture. Stir well.
Add oats. Stir well.
Add chocolate chips. Stir well.
Roll into golf ball sized balls and place on cookie sheet.
Bake 9-12 minutes at 375 degrees. Centers should be slightly soft when taken out of oven.
Let cool on rack for at least 5 minutes before eating or packing into containers.

Comments

The trick with baking these is removing them at the perfect time so you get soft, chewy cookies. I usually remove mine at around 10 minutes when the centers still look gooey but the outsides seem almost browned. I kept them in a sealed tupperware container and even a week or so later they were still very moist. This recipe makes about 30-40 cookies at the size specified.

Pasta with Tomato and Blue Cheese Sauce

2010-04-30T08:31:00.002-04:00

If you've never heard of Ree Drummond, the Pioneer Woman, I encourage you to check her out! Many people enjoy her blog because she posts step-by-step pictures. Her cookbook is on my wishlist, and she usually posts at least one recipe a week that I drool over. This week, that recipe is her Pasta with Tomato-Blue Cheese Sauce. My biggest alteration was that I used crushed tomatoes in place of diced tomatoes to create more of a homogeneous creamy sauce.

Ingredients

1 lb thin spaghetti
olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
sugar, salt, and pepper to taste
3/4 cup heavy cream
3 to 4 oz. blue cheese
1 giant handful, about 3-4 cups baby spinach

Directions

Cook thin spaghetti according to package directions.
Heat large frying pan over medium heat. Add olive oil.
Add garlic and cook for about 1 minute.
Add crushed tomatoes and cook, uncovered, for about 10 minutes. Season with a pinch of sugar, and salt and pepper to taste.
Lower heat to low, then add up to 3/4 cup heavy cream. Stir well.
Crumble blue cheese with fingers and sprinkle all around the pan. Stir well. Turn off heat.
Right before serving, add a giant handful of baby spinach and stir into sauce.
Pour sauce onto pasta and stir to mix. Spinach will wilt from the heat. Serve and enjoy!

Comments

The blue cheese in this dish is very fragrant but not overwhelming in flavor. As Dan the Man pointed out, the spinach is what holds much of the flavor, so it's important not to skimp on this ingredient. The dish was very rich but delicious!

Strawberry Crisp

2010-04-22T15:50:00.000-04:00

After days of frozen pizza, ramen noodles, and boxed macaroni and cheese (which is something I may or may not have experienced recently), there comes a time when one needs to create something beautiful. Something from real ingredients. Something involving strawberries. So I tried out this recipe from Razzle Dazzle Recipes.

This strawberry crisp is incredibly easy, as the bottom crust and top crust are from the same mixture.

P.S. I bought two pounds of strawberries but after, ahem, "testing" a few, might have ended up with only a pound and a half to actually bake with. Purchase at your own risk.

Ingredients

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup flour
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter (equal to 1 stick), room temperature
1/3 cup diced nuts (optional) (I used walnuts; almonds or pecans might be good too)
1 1/2 to 2 lbs fresh strawberries, sliced
1/2 cup sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease an 8x8 pan.
In a medium sized bowl, mix together strawberries and (regular) sugar.
In a larger bowl, mix together oats, flour and brown sugar. Using a fork, cut butter into flour mixture until it is even throughout.
Add nuts if desired.
Pour about half the flour mixture into 8x8 pan and press evenly to bottom. Add entire strawberry mixture, then spread rest of flour mixture on top and spread around.
Bake for about 50 minutes, until mixture has turned golden brown on top.

Comments

I enjoyed the dessert best warmed. If it hadn't disappeared so quickly I would have also liked to try it as a breakfast with a little bit of milk poured over top. If you wanted to make a strawberry rhubarb crisp you could alter this recipe by using only 1 lb. of fresh strawberries and adding 2 stalks of rhubarb, sliced up, and keep the amount of sugar the same.

Tahini Dressing

2010-04-11T21:04:00.003-04:00

I tried this recipe for one simple reason: after making garlic hummus, I had a tub of tahini left over in my fridge and needed a recipe that used more than a tablespoon of the ingredient. My friend gave me an amazing vegetarian cookbook called Claire's Corner Copia and I found this recipe in it.

It's quick, simple, vegan, and full of protein (which you rarely get from a salad dressing).

Ingredients

1 c. tahini (sesame butter)
5 cloves garlic, minced
juice of 1 lemon
1 handful fresh parsley, chopped (I used curly parsley)
up to 1 c. water (see comments)

Directions
Add all ingredients to blender and blend until smooth. Alternately, if using immersion blender instead, put ingredients in deep bowl (at least 3 inches deep) before blending.

Comments
I like that you can control the texture simply by altering the amount of water you put in. By using the whole cup of water, your dressing will be thin enough to pour over a salad. If you use a little less, it could easily be served as a thicker dip for vegetables.

Brie, Pear, and Brown Sugar Crostini

2010-03-30T08:51:00.007-04:00

My roommate from college and I were obsessed with crostini - little snacks with a baguette slice as the base. The only requirements for toppings were taste related - something sweet paired with something salty. We called them "towers" and maybe someday we'll have a cookbook of our tower inventions! For Valentine's Day we had two different trays of crostini as appetizers and this recipe is one of them. It is comprised of two sweets (the pear and brown sugar) and one salty (a slice of soft Brie cheese).

Bruschetta vs. crostini?
Some people interchange the two but it is important to know the difference, especially if you are searching the internet for a certain recipe. Bruschetta is a very specific type of crostini (just as a square is a type of parallelogram - sorry, I'm a math geek!) that is comprised of a tiny toast topped with olive oil, salt, pepper, and diced tomatoes and onions. This word is often misused to describe what is actually crostini. The word crostini is Italian for tiny toasts, so the baguette could have any topping and still be a crostini.

Ingredients (per cookie sheet)

1/2 loaf baguette or other long, thin bread, sliced at a diagonal
1 wedge Brie cheese, cut into small thin chunks
1 pear, sliced very thinly
brown sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Place bread slices on a cookie sheet with sides. (The bread can be touching.)
Top each slice with a piece of Brie, then a pear, and finally a sprinkle of brown sugar.
Bake until brown sugar melts, about 5-7 minutes but sometimes longer.

Comments
These were heavenly and disappeared pretty fast! Sometimes they are good as a light dinner if you're feeling like snack-type foods for your meal.

If you dislike brie (I'm not sure it's possible but I've heard that some people feel this way), try finding another soft cheese that is salty but still has a pretty mellow flavor.

Roasted Vegetable English Muffin Pizzas

2010-03-25T18:57:00.008-04:00

I know what you are thinking: is she serious? Is it possible to combine English muffins, symbol of Western imperialism, with the class and elegance of roasted eggplant and garlic? Yes, I am serious, yes it is possible, and yes, it is delicious and amazing. I had planned on making an amazing vegetarian dish from the new cookbook given to me by my friend. However, all I wanted after trudging home through the rain was some comfort food. So we improvised by combining the eggplant I desired with the English muffins that were on sale at the local grocery store.

Trust me on slicing those vegetables thinly - it is not only to help keep them atop your pizzas, but it also minimizes their roasting time in the oven.

Ingredients (enough to do up one 6-pack of muffins)

1 eggplant, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 red pepper, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
5-8 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper

1 package English muffins, split
1 jar pizza sauce
package of shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Combine eggplant, onion, pepper, and garlic in a 9x9 roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and toss to coat.
Bake for 10-15 minutes, until eggplants are fully cooked.
While vegetables are baking, place muffin halves on cookie sheet(s). Spread a dollop of pizza sauce on each one and some mozzarella; set aside.
Remove vegetables from oven, leaving temperature at 425.
Top each pizza with a spoonful or two of vegetable mixture.
Bake pizzas for 12-15 minutes until cheese has browned.

Comments
This was a filling meal although they were so flavorful I probably could have eaten a lot more if I put my mind to it. :) The salt and pepper adds a nice touch to the eggplant, which often can taste too plain if left unseasoned. Roasting the garlic also worked quite well as it mellowed the sharp taste that garlic has in its raw state; I enjoyed several cloves of roasted garlic on top of my pizza.

Creamy Broccoli Cauliflower Soup

2010-03-18T20:05:00.007-04:00

Did you miss out on green food for St. Patrick's Day? Look no further: this broccoli cauliflower soup has the perfect amount of green in it to sass up your month. The nice thing about this recipe is that it is easily altered for people with special diets, whether they are vegetarian, vegan, or just on a gluten-free or dairy-free restriction.

The secret of this soup is that it uses pureed vegetables as a thickener so there is no need for a roux. It is very creamy in texture, but without the use of cream. If my roasted red pepper soup hasn't convinced you to purchase an immersion blender, this soup might do the trick!

Ingredients

olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 carrot, halved lengthwise and sliced
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
1 head fresh cauliflower, chopped
1 head fresh broccoli, chopped
2 bay leaves
big pinch of parsley
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth **
up to 1 cup milk or more broth (for thinning soup) ****
up to 1 cup cheddar cheese (optional) ** / ****
salt and pepper to taste

**for gluten-free diets, use broth made from gluten-free bouillon, as well as a brand of cheese that uses gluten-free caking agents, such as Cabot cheese.
****for dairy-free diets, use broth instead of milk, and omit the cheese.

Directions

Heat stockpot on medium-low. Add oil, then garlic. Cook for about 1 minute.
Add carrot, celery, bay leaves, and parsley. Cook for about 1 minute.
Add broccoli, cauliflower, and 2 cups of broth. Put top on pot and cook for about 15 minutes until veggies are tender.
Remove soup from heat. Remove both bay leaves and discard.
If you wish to have some chunks of veggies in your soup, remove about 1 cup of veggies and put off to side.
With immersion blender or regular blender, puree soup until smooth. Add enough milk or broth to thin soup to desired consistency. Stir well.
If using cheese, add now and stir well so heat from the soup can melt the cheese.
If you removed some veggies for texture, add them back in now.
Salt and pepper as desired.

Comments
I enjoyed this for a light dinner. We paired it with a loaf of roasted garlic bread and I still felt satiated even a few hours after the meal. The texture I ended up with is not like broccoli cheddar soup you might find at a cafe - it has much more of a body to it. However, you could get it to be thinner by adding more liquid if you wanted.

Dan the Man's feedback: "It looks like baby food, but it tastes a lot better." You can't get more honest than that, I suppose. :)

Pepperoni Pasta

2010-03-15T17:38:00.006-04:00

Pepperoni pasta is a great way to put a twist on the traditional pasta and marinara sauce type dinner. As for cut pasta, rigatoni is what I used this time but penne, ziti, and farfalle all make good replacements in this meal.

Dan the Man''s tip for whole pepperoni - if the stick comes in its own casing, this thick wax coating is to protect the meat inside and must be peeled off before cooking. If the pepperoni comes in a plastic wrap of some sort, then the casing on the stick itself is normally a natural casing and does not need to be peeled.

Ingredients

1 lb. cut pasta
1 clove garlic
1/2 onion, diced
big pinch of basil
big pinch of parsley
small pinch of oregano
1 red and 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped (I used homemade roasted peppers)
28 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
1 stick pepperoni, cut into half-moon slices
1/4 - 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (optional) **

**For a dairy-free diet, omit this ingredient.

Directions

Cook pasta according to package directions.
Rinse and leave pasta in colander.
Return stockpot to stove top and wipe clean of water.
Heat olive oil over medium-low heat.
Add garlic, onion, basil, parsley, and oregano. Cook until onion softens.
If using raw peppers, add them now and cook until softened.
Add tomatoes. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add pepperoni. If using roasted peppers, add them now too. Cook until the mixture is heated through. You will hear the liquid begin to bubble. Turn off heat.
Add pasta back into stockpot. Stir well.
If using Parmesan cheese, add and stir. Enjoy!

Comments
This recipe makes enough for 4-5 servings. It's one of our favorites for leftovers since it keeps so well overnight. By using the spices and onion to flavor the oil, you eliminate the need for a fancy sauce; the diced tomatoes work perfectly.

Jalapeno Lime Ginger Shrimp

2010-03-13T09:34:00.012-05:00

Does having ancestors from a Mediterranean country destine me for a life of obsession with oceanic life? I'd like to think so. When I was younger I was completely in love with dolphins and orcas. Now that I live nowhere near a great body of water I have moved on to smaller types of ocean life, preferably ones I can eat. Nori (Japanese seaweed used in sushi) is one. Shrimp is another.

When cooking with seafood, I like to stick to simple flavors that will highlight the flavor of the fish. That's why this recipe on Worth the Whisk caught my eye. She intended her chili lime shrimp recipe as an appetizer, but I altered its contents for a couple reasons: it sounded really good as a meal(!), and where I live, I don't have access to a lot of exotic peppers.

A note about buying shrimp: the number matters more than the size description. My recipe below suggests a pound of 16-20 count shrimp. The measuring system means in that one pound, there will be between 16-20 shrimp. A 51-60 count shrimp means you get more shrimp in a pound, but they will be much smaller. If you are looking for what some would describe as "colossal" shrimp, you would want a number like U12 or U10 (meaning fewer than 10 shrimp per pound). There is a great article about purchasing and cooking shrimp here. This article suggests that one pound of raw shrimp still in its shells (which is what my recipe used) is equivalent to about a half pound of shrimp once is has been shelled and cooked.

Also, something I didn't realize for a long time: unlike most meats, raw shrimp starts out grey and becomes pink when cooked. This fact can make an important difference in your cooking time!

Ingredients

olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb 16-20 ct. shrimp, shelled but tails left intact (purchased raw, with shells on)
1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
half a jalapeno pepper, seeds removed and pepper minced
juice of one lime
handful of fresh cilantro, chopped (optional, but recommended)

Directions

Heat a frying pan to medium heat. Add olive oil and garlic. Cook for one minute.
Add shrimp and cook for two to three minutes.
When shrimp is pink on one side, stir/flip shrimp. Add ginger and jalapeno.
When shrimp is fully cooked, turn off heat. Add lime juice.
Plate immediately and serve with cilantro on side.

Comments

Dan and I had this dish with a side of rice. It was the perfect amount for two dinners. Just as importantly, it was a very easy and very enjoyable meal!

We forgot the cilantro until halfway through our meal. It made a big difference in the flavors of the meal. Since the ginger and jalapeno can be strong flavors, the cilantro was nice to cool the mouth a little. It certainly wasn't unbearable without the cilantro though.

Overnight Waffles

2010-03-05T22:41:00.004-05:00

image by heather

If you enjoy waffles you will adore these overnight waffles. By preparing the batter the night before, you give time for the yeast (rather than baking powder) to work its magic. You won't believe the difference in how crispy the edges get while still keeping the center of each waffle perfectly fluffy.

This recipe is from Mark Bittman's book How to Cook Everything.

The amounts listed give the perfect amount for two people (when Dan the Man and I are enjoying a Saturday brunch together). Double it to get four to six servings.

Ingredients

1/4 tsp instant yeast
1 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup milk
4 Tbsp butter (half a stick), melted and cooled
1/4 tsp vanilla
oil or oil spray for your waffle iron
1 egg

Directions

The night before, combine dry ingredients (yeast, flour, sugar, and salt).
Stir in milk, then butter and vanilla. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside overnight at room temperature.
The next morning, brush or spray the waffle iron with oil and preheat it.
Separate the egg and stir the yolk into the batter. Beat the egg white separately, then add it to the batter.
Spread a ladleful of batter onto the hot waffle iron and cook until waffle is done. Enjoy!

general update

2010-02-26T15:59:00.002-05:00

Where have I been this week?

Besides enjoying two snow days in a row (!!), I have been working to open an Etsy store for my knitting business. Etsy is a website where people can sell handmade or vintage items.

I have been taking orders for infinity scarves and as I am able to make a few extras I will be putting them up for sale on my Etsy site.

You can find my hand knitted accessories at my Etsy shop, Heart & Spade.

I am also taking custom orders. I'm currently working in a wool/mohair blend of yarn as well as an acrylic yarn. If you are interested, please email me, contact me through my Etsy site, or leave a comment on this blog with your contact information and I will get in touch with you.

Next week, back to the food related posts! :)

AE featured on The Naptime Chef!

2010-02-23T10:54:00.003-05:00

Just a quick note to tell you that Artistic Eatables has been featured on The Naptime Chef - I was one of the highlighted entries for their Valentine's Day food contest with my Eggs in a Frame.

You can see the article here.

Thank you, Naptime Chef!

Mexican Spice Blend

2010-02-19T20:27:00.002-05:00

I love making tacos and burritos but don't much care for the seasoning mixes available grocery store. I like knowing what types of spices are going into my food so I can reproduce the flavors if necessary. Here, I offer you a Mexican spice blend based on the one found here. However, I altered the recipe and tripled the amount to make enough to almost fill my 8 oz (1 cup) glass spice jar.

Ingredients **

3 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp cumin (I used whole cumin)
3 Tbsp dried oregano
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 Tbsp crushed red pepper flakes
3 Tbsp garlic powder
3 Tbsp black pepper

Instructions

Mix all ingredients very well.
Spoon into jar or resealable container.

Comments
This mixture turned out pretty spicy. If you are looking for a more mellow flavor, I suggest cutting down on the crushed red pepper flakes as well as reducing the cayenne.

I tried this in a smashed black bean and cheese quesadilla, using about 1 Tbsp of the Mexican spice blend mixed into one half a can of black beans. It was very spicy, but not overbearing when matched with the mozzarella cheese. I suggest trying this in in your next batch of taco meat or even in the empanadas.

** If you are in a gluten-free home, be sure to check the label of each herb and spice you use to make this mixture to be sure that it is gluten-free. Here is a website with links to popular spice brands and their level of gluten use in their products.

Empanadas

2010-02-11T11:25:00.007-05:00

Empanadas are Mexican food's answer to the calzone. I found this recipe in a Real Simple magazine a long time ago and have altered it to work best for us. It is one of Dan the Man's highly requested dinner items.

Most importantly, we only put the protein inside the dough (beans and cheese) and serve other flavors on the side (salsa and sour cream for dipping). This prevents the dough from getting soggy and breaking while it bakes.

You can also use any type of major protein you like - we've replaced the refried beans with smashed black beans and sometimes with leftover seasoned taco meat. Both are very tasty.

Ingredients

1 batch of Basic Pizza Dough, which has risen and been punched down
1/2 can of refried beans, or another protein of your choice
about 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
salsa and/or sour cream, to serve on the side

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Use olive oil to grease a cookie sheet.
Cut pizza dough into 4 equal pieces.
With each piece, flatten out into a circle and spread a spoonful of refried beans on one half of the circle. Top with shredded cheese.
Fold over the empty half and seal around the edges to make a half circle or half moon shape.
If desired, put a pinch of shredded cheese on top of the empanadas.
Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes.
Serve with salsa and/or sour cream.

Comments
These can stand alone as a meal - they certainly do for us. If you wanted to make five or six out of the same amount of dough, they could be served along with a vegetable or salad and still allow everyone to feel satisfied.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches and some Superbowl snack ideas

2010-02-05T09:27:00.015-05:00

I had a special request from Matt over at Farenell Photography for some Superbowl snack ideas. Every Sunday, we spend the evening over at our friends' house, and let me tell you, they are really serious about football games. Not only the game itself, but they always seem to have the perfect snacks for the group who ends up at their house. I hope this recipe makes them proud!

This is a recipe for pulled pork sandwiches using a slow cooker or crockpot, which means two things: it is insanely easy, and it is insanely good. An overuse of the word 'insanely'? Maybe. But in the name of delicious sandwiches, please forgive me.

This recipe is based on one from Savor the Thyme, one of my favorite food blogs!

Rub Ingredients

2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp paprika (I used smoked paprika)
2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp whole cumin, or a little less if you're using ground cumin
1/4 tsp dry mustard
1 crushed up bouillon cube (any flavor; I used chicken) **
5-6 shakes of salt
about 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

You'll Also Need...

a 4-pound boneless cut of pork (I used a shoulder)
1 c. water
6-8 pack of Kaiser rolls **

** For a gluten-free diet, make sure to use gluten-free bouillon cubes, as well as bread made from a gluten-free starch, such as potato bread.

Directions

Mix all rub ingredients together in a bowl.
Rub spice mixture all over pork. Place in slow cooker.
Cook on low for 8 hours.
Shred with a fork if needed.
Serve on rolls with BBQ sauce or another of your favorite topping!

Comments
This was probably the most tender pork I've ever eaten in my entire life. And the easiest to make. Enough said.

Links
If you're looking for appetizers to snack on before or in addition to the pulled pork sandwiches, try some of these beauties:

Mexican Layer Dip from Tasty Kitchen
Homemade Restaurant Style Salsa from The Pioneer Woman
A whole slew of Chex Mix recipes (I won't tell if you use generic cereal!)
Another slow cooker recipe: Spinach Artichoke Dip from Stephanie O'Dea (I've made a similar version without jalapenos - it's just as good)
Cheddar Horseradish Dip from Coconut & Lime

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

2010-01-31T21:29:00.011-05:00

During college, my friend and I loved to visit a local bistro for their Roasted Red Pepper and Gouda Bisque. We were slightly appalled to find out it came prepackaged, and were determined to someday recreate it in our own kitchens. While this version doesn’t involve gouda, it is very creamy and surprisingly filling. It also provides another use for the Roasted Red Peppers in my previous entry.

Most creamy soups require pureeing of some sort. I use an immersion blender (sometimes called a stick blender) so I can puree right in the stockpot. This makes cleanup a lot easier, but if you don’t have an immersion blender, a regular blender will work too. Directions for both pureeing methods are listed.

As I’m sure you might guess, there is a reason why I recommend removing the bay leaves before blending the soup. My first try with this recipe involved a house full of very gracious guests who were constantly picking the crunchy bay leaf pieces out of their soup, since the leaves had been chopped up by the hand blender. Since bay leaves are used in cooking for flavor only - they do not become tender during cooking like most herbs - please be nice to your guests and follow step number four!

This recipe is adapted from one I found in a Penzey’s Spices catalog, submitted by Mike Gallacher.

Ingredients

6 roasted red peppers, skins removed
3 Tbsp fat (I used 2 Tbsp olive oil and 1 Tbsp butter)
½ large onion, minced
2 generous pinches of dried whole thyme, about 1 Tbsp (less if you use ground thyme, perhaps 1 ½ tsp)
4 bay leaves
1 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp dried parsley
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
3 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)
1 cup milk

Directions

Heat the fat (butter/olive oil) over medium heat in a stockpot.
Add the onion and all spices (including salt and pepper) and cook until onion is translucent.
Add the broth and bring to a gentle boil. (I let the broth simmer on low until my peppers were done roasting and I had peeled the skins off, then brought the broth to a boil.)
Turn heat to low. Remove ALL FOUR bay leaves.
Add red peppers and use an immersion blender to puree the soup. Or, you can transfer the soup a few cups at a time to a regular blender to puree and return to stockpot.
Add the milk and simmer until soup is heated throughout.

Comments

This is one of my favorite soups – it makes quite a bit, so we let the leftovers cool and freeze a few servings of it for those days when we don’t feel much like cooking. It heats back up quite well over medium heat. However, it isn’t a soup that can really stand alone as a meal; since its flavor is very strong, a coffee mug or small bowl’s worth will be plenty. It would be nice served with cheese and crackers.

Roasting Red Peppers

2010-01-24T10:21:00.009-05:00

image by tooeasyphotos

Roasted red peppers are considered by many to be a luxury item on their grocery list. This is probably because a small jar of roasted red peppers can cost up to $5 at some stores. However, if you can find red bell peppers at a reasonable price (at my local grocery store, they currently cost $1.99/lb, equaling about 90 cents a pepper) it is worth it to roast your own.

Why bother? Besides being cost effective (especially if you are making something that requires a lot of peppers), roasted red peppers taste a lot different when done by hand. As long as you don't rinse them when they're done, they will keep their flavor for a long time. If you plan to do a batch of them to keep for a while, you can pack them in some olive oil in a clean glass jar. When the peppers are gone, the oil will be flavored and it can be used in cooking or in any recipe that calls for olive oil, such as a pasta dish that might benefit from that extra flavor.

Roasted red peppers can be used in a green salad- one of my favorite bistros offers a salad with feta cheese, kalamata olives, roasted red peppers, and greens topped with a Greek style vinaigrette dressing. They can also be an amazing topper on a pizza (like my Mini Pizzas) or can stand alone in a dish highlighting their flavor. In the next few weeks I hope to post a recipe for Roasted Red Pepper Soup, which is great as an appetizer or paired with grilled cheese.

What You'll Need

red bell peppers, washed clean and stickers removed
large cutting board
kitchen knife
non-stick cookie sheet
large bowl
plastic/Saran wrap

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut peppers in half the long way. Remove stem and all seeds.
Place pepper halves on cookie sheet, cut side down.
Roast in oven for 20-30 minutes, more if needed. Remove when skin has blackened and is blistered all over.
Immediately place peppers in large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Wait 15-20 minutes so steam can loosen pepper skins.
Peel skins from peppers. Peppers can then be sliced for immediate use, or packed in a clean glass jar and topped with oil to store in refrigerator.

Comments
The skins leave a bitter taste, so try to remove as much of them as you can. However, if they don't peel easily, you can try placing them back in the bowl, covering it, and letting the steam work its magic for a few more minutes.

See also:
Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Eggs in a Frame

2010-01-19T09:59:00.015-05:00

One of Dan the Man's favorite breakfast foods is a special version of eggs known as Eggs in a Frame, or sometimes called Toad in a Hole. Being art minded, I prefer Eggs in a Frame; however the concept is the same. It's an easy but fun way to spice up a breakfast.

As long as you get the skillet hot, the egg should stay right inside the bread as it will cook pretty quickly.

You will need a cookie cutter for this escapade - I used a heart shaped one - Hello Valentine's Day breakfast!

This can easily be made gluten-free by using a slice of potato bread, rather than the wheat bread shown in the image.

Ingredients - listed per Egg-in-Frame

1 egg
1 piece of bread, buttered on both sides **
salt and pepper, to taste

** For a gluten-free diet, make sure to use bread made from a gluten-free starch, such as potato bread.

Directions

Heat up your skillet or flat top to medium heat.
While the pan is heating up, butter both sides of the bread. Cut a hole from the middle of the bread, making sure the hole does not connect to the sides of the bread.

Once the skillet is hot, place bread in pan. Crack egg inside the bread.

Right before flipping, season with salt and pepper if desired.
Flip and finish cooking.

Comments
This is really simple to make but can be really fun, especially if you have a variety of cookie cutters - imagine angels and stars near Christmas, or cats and ghosts on Halloween. Of course, if you had larger bread, such as the homemade bread carried in lots of bakeries, you could even do two small shapes, like two little hearts. If I were doing two I would probably pre-scramble an egg so it was easier to pour half in each little heart...

This entry was submitted to a contest by Savor the Thyme and The Naptime Chef !