Wednesday, December 16, 2009

hummus

Ever since I finally found dried chickpeas last summer (now I seem to find them everywhere!) I have intended to make hummus. I finally decided to give it a go and found this recipe. The only 'hard part' was hulling the beans. Many of the hulls came off in the cooking process, but most did not. Next time I'm going to rub them between clean towels to remove them (instead of individually). I love eating hummus as a vegetable dip, especially with carrots, but with homemade pitas- that is what I call trouble, with a capital T.

Monday, December 14, 2009

chicken noodle soup


A few weeks ago I roasted a chicken and after eating all of the 'good' pieces I cleaned the bird and placed the bits in the freezer. (The carcass is awaiting its chance to become stock.) These bits make great chicken salad, soups, or a curry. If you don't have a roasted chicken, chop up a chicken breast and cook the cubes at the start of the process.

For the noodles, I like to use 'chinese noodles' which look like white spaghetti and are the same type used for chow mein. They are sold in the international section of regular grocery stores, but you could also substitute egg noodles or another pasta. I like to leave the noodles long and eat with chopsticks and a spoon, but to make it a bit more child or accident-prone friendly break the noodles up or use a smaller shape.

Chicken Noodle Soup
1 T. olive oil
1- 1 1/2 c. cubed cooked chicken (I used the leftover bits from a roasted chicken)
1 leak, chopped and washed (discard dark green parts or reserve for stock!)
6 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
6 c. chicken stock
7 oz. chinese noodles
1 handful parsley, washed
salt & pepper, as needed

1. Warm olive oil over medium heat and add chicken. Cook or reheat, as necessary. As chicken crisps up, add leaks and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until leaks start to brown and garlic is fragrant.

2. Add stock. Bring to a boil.

3. Add noodles (break up, or keep long). Boil until cooked through, about 5 minutes (refer to package). Just before noodles are done, add parsley and adjust seasonings. Eat with chopsticks and a spoon!

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

lentil sloppy joes


Lentil Sloppy Joes
1 c. brown lentils, rinsed and checked for stones
1 T. olive oil
1 c. onion, chopped
1 T. garlic, minced
1 c. ketchup
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 T. yellow mustard
1 T. apple cider vinegar
1/8 t. ground ginger
red pepper flakes, to taste
sea salt + pepper

1. Sort through lentils for stones and debris. Rinse and cook in water in medium saucepan over medium heat until tender (~30 minutes).

2. Meanwhile prepare remaining ingredients. When lentils are about halfway done, saute onions in oil over medium-high heat for 8 minutes.

3. Add garlic and saute for another minute. Add ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, vinegar, ginger, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Simmer until thick and dark, about 8-10 minutes.

4. Stir in drained lentils and heat until warmed through (1-3 minutes).

5. Serve on toasted buns with pickles, lettuce, and onions.

Monday, December 7, 2009

mac & cheese

My craving for macaroni and cheese was strong, the stuff out of a box is never satisfying so I decided to take the time to make real mac & cheese (or in this case penne and cheese). Luckily I had all the ingredients at home and whipped up this dish for a satisfying lunch. I usually add beans, peas, broccoli or something else green to my mac and cheese, this time I added edamame. To make a more complete meal, consider adding bits of pre-cooked meat (i.e. chicken or ham). I paired it with a rather simple salad of greens, slivered almonds, mandarin sections which I dressed with balsamic vinegar.

Mac & Cheese
1/2 lb. raw penne pasta, cooked and drained
1 clove garlic
1/2 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 egg
1/8 t. sea salt
1/8 t. pepper
1/4 t. sweet paprika
1 c. milk
5 oz. (~1+ c.) extra-sharp cheddar, shredded
5 oz. cream cheese, crumbled
3 oz. (~2/3 c.) pepper jack cheese, shredded
1/4 t. red pepper flakes
1 c. green veggie, no need to pre-cook (i.e. lima beans, green beans, peas, chopped broccoli)
1/2-1 c. pre-cooked meat, if desired (i.e. ham, chicken)
3 T. butter, melted
1/2 c. bread crumbs/panko flakes/crumbled crackers

1. Preheat oven to 350 deg. F. Butter a large shallow baking dish. Cook penne till al dente. Cook meat if desired (good way to use up leftover bits of roasted chicken).

2. In mini-chopper blend garlic, onion, egg, salt, pepper, and paprika. Combine milk, cheeses, red pepper flakes, and mixture from mini-chopper in a bowl. Fold into macaroni. Add meat (if desired) and green veggie (still frozen or fresh). [May prepare in advance - hold in fridge up to 24 hours].

3. Combine melted butter and bread crumbs and sprinkle over the top of the macaroni.

4. Bake for 20-25 minutes (at 350 deg. F) until creamy. To crisp the top, broil unto one minute. Let set for five minutes before serving.

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

warm squash + white bean salad


This salad has north african flavors which meld well with the warm flavors of squash and beans. The recipe I based this on is from C+Z, Clotilde based hers on a recipe from the cookbook Casa Moro.

Warm Squash and White Bean Salad
beans:
2/3 c. dried white beans, soaked overnight in cold water
1 bay leaf
2 t. rosemary
1 t. sea salt

squash:
~2 lbs. squash, peeled, cored, and chopped in 3/4" cubes
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
olive oil
1 t. balsamic vinegar
1 t. ras-el-hanout (Moroccan spice blend)
sea salt

dressing:
1 T. tahini paste
2 t. olive oil
1 t. orge flower water
1 t. balsamic vinegar
sea salt + pepper
3 T. sliced almonds
cilantro, chopped

1. Cook beans with 3 cups of water and the bay leaf over medium-high heat (covered) for 45 minutes. Add the rosemary and cook for another 15 minutes. Add more water if needed. Drain, discard bay leaf and keep warm

2. Roast the squash in a 425 deg. F oven with drizzle of olive oil, vinegar, ras-el-hanout, salt, and toss to coat. Roast for 30 minutes or until tender and slightly browned. Stir halfway through.

3. Combine dressing ingredients. Add a little water if necessary. Combine beans, squash and dressing. Stir delicately. Add sliced almonds and cilantro.