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tiramisu cheesecake

2010-07-09T14:34:00.000-07:00

Sorry I've been remiss in posting. I made this cheesecake a few weeks back at the request of a friend. He always asks for cheesecake and then another friend wanted chocolate (not my 1st choice in deserts). This combo of ideas (cheesecake and chocolate) made me think of tiramisu. I didn't think tiramisu actually met his request, so I adapted the idea to a traditional NY cheesecake.

Tiramisu Cheesecake

12 oz. ladyfingers, crumbled

4 T. butter, melted

15 T. coffee flavored liqueur

3 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese

8 oz. mascarpone (or sub ricotta)

1 T. instant expresso

1 c. sugar

2 eggs

4 T. all-purpose flour

1 oz. semisweet chocolate square, grated

1. Preheat oven to 350 deg. F.

2. Crumble the ladyfingers in a food processor (or by hand). Mix crumbs with melted butter. Moisten with 5 T. of coffee liqueur. Press into the bottom of a 9 in springform pan.

2. In a large bowl, mix cream cheese, mascarpone, and sugar until smooth. Add the instant expresso and remaining 10 T. coffee liqueur. Mix. Add the eggs and the flour; mix slowly until smooth. Do not over-mix. If cheesecake batter is too thick (mascarpone consistency can vary) add a little cream. Pour batter into crust.

3. Place pan on middle rack in oven and bake for 40-45 minutes. Turn off the heat, and open the oven door. Leave cake to cool for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to finish cooling. Refrigerate for three hours or overnight. Immediately before serving, grate the semi-sweet chocolate on top.

Kale, Tomato, and Rice Soup

2010-05-26T08:00:00.000-07:00

This soup is my own invention and I really like it. It is savory, chewy and filling. I used my remaining washed and trimmed carrot greens, but you can substitute parsley if you prefer. Carrot greens are a good substitute for parsley and convenient if you get your carrots with their tops. When using carrot greens - trim, wash, and dry the leaves and discard the stems (I reserve for stock). A few beans, especially cannelloni, would be really good in this soup - or a few fresh green beans added at the end. Bon appetite!

Kale, Tomato, and Rice Soup

1/2 large onion, diced

2 T. olive oil

3/4 c. brown rice

8 c. stock (and/or water)

1 bunch kale (~150 g), chiffonaded

2 c. carrot greens, chopped (or substitute parsley)

1 can tomatoes, diced (italian flavored)

1/2 large shallot, sliced (~50 g)

1-2 cloves garlic, chopped

salt and pepper, to taste

grated cheese, if desired

1. Saute onion in olive oil. Add brown rice and stock (and/or water), cover and reduce heat. Cook until rice is nearly done (~40 minutes).

2. Add kale, carrot greens, tomatoes, shallots, and garlic. Add more water, if needed. Simmer for 5 minutes. Adjust salt and pepper.

3. Serve with cheese and enjoy!

moroccan rice pudding

2010-05-24T07:59:00.000-07:00

Recently, on The Splendid Table a guest suggested adding orange flower water to rice pudding (and many other foods) and I decided to adapt a traditional rice pudding recipe to give a moroccan twist. Orange flower water is frequently used in north African and middle eastern cuisine. This pudding is also flavored by cinnamon and raisins.

I took this pudding to a bbq this past weekend and it was big hit (and complements from people who self-profess hating rice pudding).

Moroccan Rice Pudding

4 c. whole milk

1/4 c. raw long-grain rice

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 t. salt

1/2 c. raisins, soaked and drained

1 T. orange flower water

1/2 t. cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 300 deg. F

2. Mix the milk, rice, sugar, and salt in a six-cup buttered casserole and bake, uncovered, two hours stirring the mixture every half hour.

3. Drain soaked raisins and add to the pudding. Add the orange flower water and cinnamon. Mix carefully.

4. Bake the pudding (without stirring) for another half hour, or until rice is tender. Serve warm or cold.

caramelized turnips

2010-05-13T12:00:00.000-07:00

Looking to try something new with the bunch of jr. turnips I got in my last box, I came across caramelizing. It is a simple task and delicious with some fresh spring greens. The sauce from caramelizing act as a sweet and savory dressing. I also paired this with crumbled feta and soft boiled eggs.

caramelized turnips

1 bunch turnips

1/3 c.+ chicken stock

1/2-1 T. butter

1-2 T. white sugar

Wash or peel the turnips. Reserve the greens for the salad. Slice or dice the turnips. Simmer in stock for 10-15 minutes until tender and majority of stock evaporates. Add butter; when melted sprinkle with sugar. Cook to a brown, sticky coating (a few minutes). Serve hot.

ratatouille

2010-05-11T12:31:00.001-07:00

I missed that animated movie from a few years back that brought ratatouille back to our dinner plates, but it is still on my mind. So delicious and can be eaten hot or cold; as an appetizer or as a lunch; and so many veggies (and tomatoes, my favorite!!!). I like to eat this as a dip with some homemade bread. It takes awhile to cook, so start early otherwise you'll eat most of your bread before the ratatouille is ready!

ratatouille

1/3 c. olive oil

2+ garlic cloves, chopped

1 onion, sliced

2 zucchini, sliced

1 eggplant, peeled and chopped

3 T. flour

2 green peppers, seeded & sliced

5 ripe tomatoes, peeled and sliced

red wine, optional

salt and pepper

1 T. capers

1. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and saute until transparent. Flour the sliced/chopped zucchini and eggplant. Add garlic to onions and saute for about 30 seconds.

2. Add squash, eggplant, and green peppers to skillet. Cover and cook slowly for about 1 hour.

3. Add the tomatoes and red wine. Simmer, uncovered, until the mixture is thick (may take more than an hour). Season with salt and pepper. Add capers during last fifteen minutes of cooking. Serve hot or cold with fresh bread.

cold potato leek soup

2010-04-26T08:00:00.000-07:00

Always in the mood for soup, I decided to make this cold potato leek soup for my lunch and served it with camembert, rice thins, and iced tea. It tastes like spring.

Potato Leek Soup

1 lb. potatoes, peeled and cubed

6 1/2 c. homemade stock

4 medium leeks, trimmed and washed

2/3 c. sour cream

salt and pepper

1. Boil potatoes in the stock in a stockpot. Reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes

2. When the potatoes are barely tender, add the leeks. Season with salt and simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes. You can thin the soup with additional stock or water, if desired.

3. Puree the soup with the aid of a hand blender. Add the sour cream to garnish, if desired.

kale raab stirfry

2010-04-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

The latest food box came with another vegetable in which I was unfamiliar: kale raab. I found little information about this vegetable, but it is apparently over-wintered kale. The flyer with the box suggested a recipe that involved blanching. I decided to fashion a stir-fry, but blanched the kale first (this is supposed to make it less bitter, but it tasted sweet to me). I used the whole plant: stems, leaves, and flowers. The stir fry was delicious, fresh, and crisp.

Kale Raab stirfry

2 t. oil (high smoke point, I use grapeseed oil)

1 bunch kale raab

5 oz. chicken

1 sm. head broccoli

1-2 spring onions

1 sm. zucchini

1 red bell pepper

2 T. soy sauce

brown rice, to serve

1. Clean and chop all vegetables into bite size pieces. Prepare chicken, or other protein (I used some pre-cooked chicken from a roasted chicken) by chopping and tearing into bite size pieces.

2. Blanch kale raab in boiling water.

3. When kale is in water bath, begin to heat wok. When wok is hot, add oil. Spread around surface and begin to cook/crisp chicken (or other protein). Add broccoli, onions, zucchini, and red bell pepper. Let cook for 1-2 minutes. Add drained kale raab. Mix well. Cook for a few minutes (taste kale raab to determine when it's cooked). Dash with soy sauce.

4. Serve with brown rice.

Yield: 2-4 servings

tart salad

2010-04-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

I know some people who always make the same salad which seems so boring! I like to try different types of salads as the seasons change and this is a great winter - early spring transition salad. This salad calls for some hearty greens (romaine), fresh citrus (cuties) cheese (feta), slivered almonds, and balsamic vinegar. I really enjoy the the tart contrast between the sweet clementines and balsamic vinegar.

Food Budget

2010-04-13T14:39:00.000-07:00

Like many people these days, I have a pretty tight budget but I like to eat well. I consider my heavy reliance on staples, buying few processed foods and rarely eating out as part of my savings, but I also prefer organic (although I don't eat 100% organic), higher quality ingredients, and lots of fresh produce might be counter-balancing these cost savings measures. There are many reasons that I prefer organic and un-processed food but my strongest motivation is my belief in its health effects and any cost increase I consider a long term investment in my health. I recently ran across this USDA food plan chart on typical costs based on sex/age/type of plan. I am happy to see my typical budget falls between the thrifty plan and low-cost plan. I guess I'm doing all right after all.

white bean and tomato melange

2010-04-05T19:11:00.000-07:00

I've mentioned my absolute adoration of white beans before, well I almost feel as strongly about tomatoes and thought this would be a good day to pair them. I also thought it would be a good chance to use some fresh organic veggies from my box. This is a simple dish, especially if you use canned beans (but I always soak and cook mine). Use the following recipe either as a jumping off point or follow it directly. This makes a delicious meal that would travel and warm easily for lunches. Serve with a salad or fruit.

White Bean and Tomato Melange

1/2 lb. dried white beans, soaked and cooked (or 1-2 cans of beans, rinsed)

56 g (1 serv.) of a pasta shape, cooked to package directions (or a little less)

2 T. olive oil

1/2 large onion, diced (~120 g)

1 small zucchini, chopped (~150 g)

1/2 bunch of swiss chard, chopped, washed & dried (~130 g)

2-15 oz. cans diced tomatoes (fresh can be substituted when seasonally appropriate)

2-4 cloves garlic, minced

1 T. dried red chili pepper

parmesan, to serve

1. If using dried beans, soak and cook according to standard directions. Add salt and any other desired herbs towards end of cooking. Begin to cook pasta. When pasta is done reserve some water (~1/2 c.) for sauce.

2. Saute onion in olive oil over medium heat until onion is translucent. Add zucchini and stir occasionally until it starts to brown. Add swiss chard and stir until wilted. Add canned tomatoes, garlic, red chili pepper, and any other desired seasonings. Allow to simmer. Add reserved pasta water whenever it is ready.

3. Add beans. Heat through. Add pasta. When steaming, serve with parmesan.

Yield: 6 generous servings.

Good Friday: Hot Cross Buns

2010-04-02T07:45:00.000-07:00

Hot cross buns are traditionally served during Lent and especially on Good Friday. Holiday traditions, especially foods, can really be comforting and I love the tradition. My step-mom (who is a very good cook) makes a meal she had every Good Friday of her childhood, although it isn't my favorite food (German and involves wilted lettuce) I still miss not being close enough to take part in the tradition. I thought I might start one of my own and have been making Hot Cross Buns for the last few years. In preparation of this post I looked the buns history up on Wikipedia and discover one of the superstitions is that if you hang one in the kitchen it will "ensure that all breads turn out perfectly". In light of my confession earlier this week, I think I should hang one in my kitchen.

Inspired by Clotilde's post last month I decided to convert this recipe to a sourdough* version. She did warn that breads which include sugar and eggs might not rise and to add some dry yeast to help it rise. I should have probably started with an easier recipe - so I'll post the non-sourdough version here (and stop neglecting my starter!).

Whatever your Easter holiday traditions are (or if you don't celebrate), I hope it's a happy Easter and beautiful early spring weekend!

Hot Cross Buns

1 pkg. dry yeast

1/4 c. warm water

1 c. milk, scalded

1/4 c. sugar

1 t. salt

1 egg, well-beaten

3 1/2 c. flour (420 g) - divided

1/2 t. cinnamon

2/3 c. raisins, soaked

1. Combine the yeast and warm water for a few minutes.

2. Combine milk, sugar, salt and egg in a large bowl. Beat well.

3. Add yeast mixture to large bowl. Add 1 1/2 c. flour (180 g) and cinnamon. Cover and let rest for 1-hour until double in size. (Begin to soak raisins in water).

4. Add the remaining flour, 2 c. (240 g), add more if needed to make dough firm enough to handle. Turn onto a floured surface and knead until smooth + elastic. Drain raisins and dust with flour. Knead in raisins at last minute.

5. Put the dough in a greased bowl and let rise until doubled. Punch the dough down and turn onto floured surface. Roll into rectangle and 1/2" thick. Cut the buns with a cutter (2 1/2" d) and place 1" apart on greased cookie sheet. Let rise, uncovered until doubled.

6. Cut cross in top of buns with floured scissors. Bake in preheated 375 deg. F oven for about 15 minutes, until the tops are golden brown. Remove from oven and transfer to cooling rack.

Yield: 24 buns

* I've been neglecting my starter which also couldn't have helped. Apparently one names their starter so I've been brainstorming and am thinking "June" after my grandmother.

Pizza! Pizza!

2010-03-31T12:00:00.000-07:00

Okay, pizza has to be one of the greatest foods on earth. I could say that of many foods, but my reasoning? It's high standing is a result of it's good either in super cheap varieties (yum cardboard frozen pizza) or in pricey pizzerias.

I wanted to learn to do it myself. I tried many dough recipes looking for one that had a yeastiness and baked through in my oven (pizza ovens cook at an intensity rarely found in home ovens, especially rental ovens). I found a basic recipe I liked and then kept making pizza until I got consistent results. Confession time: I have a problem with doughs. I'm working to improve my technique. The first big step was buying a digital food scale which I am learning to trust. (I always think the dough is too wet and keep adding flour, resulting in brick hard breads). Dough needs to hydrate on it's own (part of what's happening during rising/resting phases) and you must trust the recipe! Maybe you don't have this same hang-up, buoy for you.

Pizza Dough

2 1/4 t. yeast (1/4 oz.)

1/2 t. brown sugar (2 g)

1 1/2 c. warm water (110 deg. F)

1 t. salt

2 T. olive oil

~5 c. flour (400-600 g)

1. In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast the brown sugar in the water, and let sit for 10 min.

2. Stir in the salt and oil into the yeast solution. Mix in 2 1/2 c. (300 g) flour.

3. Sprinkle counter with flour, turn dough out onto a clean surface and knead in more flour (100 g - 300 g) (about 2/3 c.- 2 1/2 c.) until the dough is no longer sticky. (Trust the numbers!)

4. Let rise until double in a well-oiled dough and covered with a cloth (about 1 hour). Punch down the dough, divide in 2+ and form tight balls. Allow the dough to relax before rolling out.

5. Preheat oven to 425* deg F. (I actually do 500 deg. F, but my oven runs cool). When heated, bake rolled crust for ~5 minutes. Remove from oven and add toppings. (Tip: you may not need as many toppings and you think). Use pizza sauce (I like to make homemade and let it simmer throughout rising), a few toppings (artichoke hearts and shallots) and a light sprinkling of cheese. Cook with toppings until cheese is bubbling (about 10-15 minutes). [Internal temp should be 160 deg. F].

6. Remove pizza from oven and let rest for about 5 minutes before cutting and serving. Bon appetite!

Yield: 2 large pizzas (8 servings). Dough can be kept in the fridge for a few days or frozen.

*Time and temps will differ depending on your cooking method. If you use a heated pizza stone it will cook faster than if you use a cookie sheet.

flan

2010-03-22T14:33:00.001-07:00

Last week, a friend held a tamale making party (it's a lot of work and easiest to have help!). Everyone brought some snacks and I decided to make my first flan. I found a recipe that seemed pretty simple and set about to make the flan. The recipe requires so many egg yolks, that I'm going to make an angel food cake as it's counterpart (with early strawberries). The flan is steamed on the stovetop, so you'll need a pie plate that fits into the top of a large pot.

Flan

10 egg yolks

14 oz. sweetened condensed milk

12 oz. evaporated milk

3 T. butter

3 T. brown sugar

1. Whisk together egg yolks, condensed milk ,and evaporated milk. Set aside.

2. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar. Keep stirring until the brown sugar has dissolved and 'burnt'. Evenly spread the sugar over the bottom of a pie plate. Then pour in the custard.

3. Fill a large pot with water (about 3/4 full) and bring to a simmer. Cover the flan with foil. Set flan in pot and cover with the pot lid. Cook flan for 65-70 minutes. Remove flan from the boiling water and allow to cool for at least 30 minutes.

4. To serve, run a knife around the edge of the flan. Invert onto a serving plate. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

vanilla pudding

2010-03-16T18:42:00.001-07:00

I grew up eating boxed instant pudding and my favorite was always pistachio (I still love anything pistachio flavored, ie. ice cream!). I'm sure my mom made cooked pudding or even homemade pudding on occasion, but my memories are of me shaking the pudding in a shaker (I think it was actually marketed for powdered 'diet shakes'). Making homemade pudding doesn't take much longer (except to cool and set) than instant but you'll be well treated to the best pudding on earth (and be able to pronounce all the ingredients).

Vanilla Pudding

2 c. milk, scalded (heated to 185 deg. F)

2 eggs separated

1/2 c. sugar

2 T. corn starch

1-2 t. vanilla flavoring

pinch of salt

2 bananas, assorted berries, or nilla wafers if desired

1. Scald milk on medium high heat until it reaches 185 deg. F (85 deg. C) which is nearing a boil. Stir constantly to prevent skin from forming and sugars from burning.

2. Mix sugar, egg yolks, and cornstarch together. Beat to a smooth paste. Add paste to scalded milk mixing constantly over medium heat until thickened. (Be sure to mix it in throughly at first so you don't get egg-y bits!)

3. When thickened transfer to another dish (or dishes) and over with plastic wrap (press to surface to prevent formation of a skin, if preferred) and keep in fridge until cooled (two hours to overnight).

4. Serve with sliced bananas or nilla wafers or assorted berries. Enjoy!

Serves 4 (1/2 c. servings)

Broccoli Romanesco

2010-03-03T13:23:00.001-08:00

Broccoli romanesco is one of those veggies you see at farmers markets and think, "how beautiful" but if you're anything like me you leave it there. I was happy to see it in my latest veggie box and excited to try it, but at the same time hesitant. I left it until I ate all the leafy greens and pondered what to do with it. I like broccoli, usually do a spicy stir-fry, but this actually a variant of cauliflower (they are all closely related, however). I'm not a huge fan of cauliflower, I can eat a few crudites but don't appreciate it cooked. I found a recipe for broccoflower* online that sounded good and worth a try. I use most of my dijon mustard not for sandwiches but instead as a topping on veggies (asparagus, carrots...) so I was sure I would like this dressing.

Lemon Dijon Broccoli Romanesco

1 head broccoli romanesco, trim & wash as you would broccoli

2 T. butter, melted

1 t. dijon mustard

1 1/2 t. lemon juice

1/4 t. salt

1 t. sugar

2 T. parmesan, grated

Steam the broccoli romanesco for 7-9 minutes, being careful not to over cook. Toss to coat with dressing. Sprinkle with cheese. ~2-3 servings

* These names might be confusing. Most sources make a distinction between green looking cauliflower and the conical looking broccoli as broccoflower and broccoli romanesco respectively, but broccoli romanesco is frequently called broccoflower as well.

Katherine Hepburn's Brownies

2010-02-24T15:23:00.000-08:00

I was craving brownies, but I didn't want a whole dish for me so I happily made them for my bookclub dinner party. I'm not a fan of cake and I don't like cake-like brownies, I prefer the fudgy variety. This recipe has cycled around for decades and are known as "Katherine Hepburn's Brownies". I imagine they were some sort of publicity release by one of her early studios to make her more 'likeable' to the audience (she was voted 'box office poison' by the theatre owners).

Katherine Hepburn's Brownies

2 oz. chocolate, unsweetened

1/4 lb. butter, unsalted

1 c. sugar

2 eggs

1/2 t. vanilla extract

1/4 c. flour, all-purpose

1/4 t. salt

1 c. walnuts (if desired)

1. Preheat oven to 325 deg. F.

Butter an 8-in baking pan.

2. In a heavy saucepan, melt the chocolate with the butter over low heat, stirring until completely melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar.

3. Add the eggs and vanilla and "beat it all like mad". Stir in the flour, salt, and walnuts and mix well.

4. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes. Take it out; let it cool; cut into squares and go crazy.

Step-it-up Quiche

2010-02-15T08:00:00.000-08:00

Eggs are my go to food when I'm in a hurry. They accept whatever else is in your fridge (veggies, cheese, condiments) and are very quick to cook. Quiches can be just as quick (especially if you use a pre-made crust), but this version is a step-up from the quiche you find on most brunch buffets. Leftovers are always delicious cold or reheated with a salad or some fruit.

This past week I hosted my book club which always involves food and wine (we read The Partly Cloudy Patriot by Sarah Vowell). I made a variety of dishes that are good for a dinner party - all of the fussy prep is finished about an hour before serving with the only 'complicated' dish being this quiche. This is a deep-dish quiche which was baked in a springform pan (if you opt to use a pie plate or quiche/tart pan the filling will make 2-3 quiches). And the filling is comprised of spinach, carrot greens (always looking for another place to use them), sauteed onions, and cheddar and feta cheeses. If you want to substitute skim milk or low-fat cheese, do so and substitute any veggies that you think will taste good! When using frozen veggies it's best to cook and remove as much water as possible so quiche will set. Fresh veggies only need to be cleaned, chopped, and sauteed if desired.

Step-it-up Quiche

1 whole wheat - olive oil pastry crust (I used this recipe from C&Z with a sprinkle of cumin)

2 1/2 T. butter

3 1/2 T. flour

1 1/2 c. whipping cream, warmed

9 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded

6 1/4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

6 eggs

135 g frozen spinach (steamed and drained)

60 g carrot top greens (or other fresh greens or additional spinach)

2 med. onions, sliced and sautéed

cumin

salt

1. Prepare the greens, onions, and cream.

2. Make cheese sauce: Melt butter, stir in flour and cook for 1 minute, don't allow it to color. Remove from the heat. Gradually stir warmed cream into flour mixture to make a smooth sauce. Return to heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly with wooden spoon. When thickened (about 3 minutes) remove from heat. Add half of shredded and crumbled cheese and stir until it is fully melted. Stir in the greens, onions, and a sprinkle of cumin. Remove cheese sauce from heat. (In effect you made a roux, a béchamel and finally a cheese sauce by following these steps).

3. Crack eggs into a bowl and break with a fork. Add a spoonful of cheese sauce to the eggs and whisk (be careful that eggs don't cook!). Continue adding a spoonful at a time until about half cheese sauce is added to eggs then add remaining cheese sauce. Add rest of shredded and crumbled cheese.

4. Pour egg mixture into pastry shell. Bake at 350 deg F until internal temp reaches 365-385 degrees (use instant read thermometer). Remove from oven and let set for 10 minutes before serving. Remove from springform pan and serve on a cake plate.

Yield: 12 servings (@ about 370 cal. each)

turnip soup

2010-02-08T08:00:00.000-08:00

Once again faced with a vegetable I rarely buy, I decided to make a simple soup found in Bryant Terry's cookbook. This may not be the most appetizing photo I've taken (the reflective oil) but it is a light and tasty soup!

Roasted Turnip and Shallots with Turnip Greens Soup

1 bunch of young turnips with greens, cut into 1/2" pieces and set greens aside

1-2 shallots, peeled and cut into 1/2" pieces

1 t. olive oil

sea salt

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

1 sprig rosemary

3 c. vegetable stock

pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 deg. F.

2. Roast the turnip pieces, shallots, 1/2 t. olive oil and a sprinkle of salt in a baking dish for one hour. Stir periodically.

3. Meanwhile trim and wash greens. Chop into bite-size pieces, rinse well. (Save tough stems for homemade stock). Combine 1/2 t. olive oil and garlic in large saucepan over medium heat. Saute for 1 1/2 minutes, then add the greens and remaining salt. Saute the greens until tender, about 5 minutes. Add stock to saucepan and set aside.

4. When the turnips and shallots are done roasting, transfer to saucepan. Add rosemary and bring to a boil, then lower to simmer and cook for 5 minutes, until hot.

Yield: 2-3 servings

collard greens

2010-02-05T08:00:00.000-08:00

One of the things I like about vegetable delivery are the variety of items delivered. Collards are something I've eaten before (after all I lived in the south for four years) but it something I've never purchased or prepared. In my box was included this recipe, which is also all over the internet and in Vegan Soul Kitchen by Bryant Terry.

Citrus Collards

sea salt

2 lg. bunches collard greens, chiffonade and cleaned

1 T. olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

2/3 c. raisins

1/3 c. orange juice

1. In a large pot, bring salted water to boil. Add the collards and cook uncovered for 8-10 minutes. Remove collards from heat and quickly plunge into bowl of ice water. Drain.

2. In saute pan, heat olive oil and garlic to medium. Saute one minute. Add collards, raisins, and 1/2 t. salt. Saute for 3 minutes. Add orange juice and heat for 15 seconds. Do not overcook! Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 sides.

moroccan carrot salad

2010-02-04T12:46:00.000-08:00

Although I love lettuce salads, I want a little variety and carrots are especially good this time of year (unlike the greens which are usually shipped up from Mexico in February). This is spiced with Moroccan flavors of cumin, coriander, and olives.

It also reminds me of the French grated salads. I prefer not to use a box grater on this salad because it turns to mush (I like the crunch of carrots!) but if you have a device that does small julienne use it, I just pull out my sharpest knife.

moroccan carrot salad:

1 lb. carrots, scrubbed and/or peeled

1/2 shallot, finely diced

1 garlic clove, minced

1. Julienne the carrots. Place in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt. Add shallot, garlic, cumin, coriander, red pepper flakes, and lemon juice. Let rest.

2. Add olive oil to coat and adjust seasonings.

3. Garnish with olives, cilantro, and lime.

savory latkes

2010-01-25T12:43:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago I invited some friends over for brunch as a way to ease out of the holiday season and into the winter hibernation. I had promised to make cottage cheese pancakes for one of the invitees and I decided to make a savory version of latkes or potato pancakes. Surprising the guests all claimed ignorance of this food and I explained they can be served sweet or savory, but I wanted savory as a counterpoint to the cottage cheese pancakes.

I added serrano pepper to a basic latkes recipe for a little added heat and topped with sautéed onions, sour cream, salsa and fresh cilantro.

Latkes (or potato pancakes)

4 medium potatoes, peeled and grated

1 med. onion, grated

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper

1/2 t. baking soda

1-2 garlic cloves

1 serrano pepper, seeded

fat for frying

1. Wash potatoes and peel them. Let rest in cold water for at least one hour or overnight.

2. Grate potatoes with a fine grater and press to squeeze out excess liquid (use an old kitchen towel or paper towels). Peel and grate the onion into the potatoes.

3. In mini-chopper, beat egg, garlic, serrano pepper, salt, pepper, and baking soda. Add to potatoes and onions and mix well.

4. Heat fat (butter, oil...) in a large skillet and add one spoonful of the mixture for each pancake. They should not be too thick. Cook gently until golden brown on the bottom, urn and brown other side. Add more fat as necessary.

5. Serve with sour cream, salsa, sautéed onions, and fresh cilantro.

red lentil dal

2010-01-08T13:56:00.000-08:00

Every week I check the food section of the NY Times and find recipes that I want to try (usually featured here), this week a friend emailed this recipe before I looked. I like recipes that serve four (as I cook for one and that is my limit for a dish), comprised of ingredients I already have on hand or are easily accessible and don't require buying too much (bulk sections are great for certain items) and that have flavors I like. I had flatbread at home so I decided to pair the dal with that, but rice or plain would also be tasty. For lunch today, I also had some roasted chicken and a clementine.

This dish was very quick to put together and super tasty. I used red lentils, but the more common brown lentil can be substituted - it will take longer to cook (refer to package for appropriate time). There are more than fifty varieties of lentils so try a few of the other (more tasty) varieties that are popping up in specialty markets.

leftover curry (wink)

2010-01-04T08:00:00.000-08:00

I love curries and challenged myself to learn to cook it last year. It was a bumpy road (why, oh why?) but I finally became confident enough to share one with you. This was made of items I already had on hand and isn't based on any established recipe. This combo relies heavily on winter vegetables and mausman curry paste. Bon appetite!

Leftover Curry

1 T. grapeseed oil (or other high smoke point oil)

1 small onion, chopped (100 g)

1 large potato, chopped (285 g)

1 carrot, sliced (70 g)

1 inch ginger, grated (11 g)

4 large cloves garlic, minced (16 g)

1 c. coconut milk

1 c. water

50 g. curry paste, mausman

150 g. chickpeas, cooked

75 g. spinach, frozen

1-2 T. fish sauce

2 T. honey

1. Open windows to get a cross breeze (my smoke detector usually goes off when making curry). Prepare all ingredients - dicing, mincing, and measuring. I like to use my mini chopper for garlic and ginger. You don't have much time when using a wok and need to prepare everything in advance!

2. Preheat wok. When hot add grapeseed oil (one of the highest temp oils) and 'roll' around interior of wok. Add onions and cook until soft. Add potatoes and carrots and cook until until browned. Add grated ginger and minced garlic (or using mini-chopper!). Cook briefly until scented.

3. Add coconut milk and an equal amount of water. Stir well and add curry paste. Stir to dissolve into liquid. Add chickpeas and spinach. Add fish sauce (which smells awful, but adds umami) and honey. Most recipes call for sugar, but I prefer honey. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until potatoes are cooked through. Serve with brown rice.

hummus

2009-12-16T08:00:00.000-08:00

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.

chicken noodle soup

2009-12-14T08:00:00.000-08:00

Chicken Noodle Soup is the standard cure-all and as I'm finally getting over the last dregs of whatever I had (was it H1N1??) I decided to make a batch of chicken noodle soup. This elegant version takes a bit longer than opening a can, but is probably one of the quicker soups out there!

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!

lentil sloppy joes

2009-12-09T08:00:00.000-08:00

A childhood favorite of mine were sloppy joes, they don't hold the same appeal today but I do like this variation made with lentils in lieu of ground meat. I don't normally like to eat 'simulated meat', I'd rather have the item prepared in a way to celebrate it's qualities rather than being a poor substitute for another food, but in this case the lentils do both. I guess it's not really a 'meat substitute' (like those of those strange soy proteins you find in the cooler cases at the market), but it is still a protein rich and iron rich plant. And it's just as messy as the sloppy joes I ate as a kid. They would also be a good side dish, sans bun and toppings.

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.

mac & cheese

2009-12-07T13:14:00.001-08:00

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.

warm squash + white bean salad

2009-12-01T08:00:00.000-08:00

Looking for another way to prepare the acorn squash I had on hand I ran across a recipe for hokkaido squash which sounded delicious. I had nearly all the ingredients on hand and I love white beans but had to modify to match my pantry. White beans are one of my favorites, I especially love the warm white bean salad I started making earlier this year.

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.

potatoes aligot

2009-11-30T08:00:00.000-08:00

This comes a little late for Thanksgiving but if you've ever wondered how those expensive restaurants make the decadent potatoes or looking for something that 'sticks to your ribs' here it is. Potatoes Aligot come from the Auvergne region in France and traditionally is made with tomme cheese, an unpasteurized cheese that is unavailable here. I make this dish with gruyere instead. A little of these potatoes go a long way and you won't need gravy. Bon appetite!

Potatoes Aligot

1 lb. potatoes, in large chunks (I don't peel, but that's my preference)

1/2 c. cream, warmed

4 T. butter

2 cloves garlic, pressed

4 oz. gruyere, or other cheese

salt + pepper

Boil potatoes until tender, but not mushy (~15 minutes, dependent on size). Drain. Mash them (or rice/whip) until smooth. Return to pot over very low heat, mix in cream, butter, and garlic. Add cheese and whip until elastic. Enjoy!

Yield: 4 side dish servings

curied celery potage

2009-11-25T08:00:00.000-08:00

This past weekend when I saw my CSA list for the week I thought, "very thanksgiving, but what am I going to do with that celery?" I like the crunch of celery, but usually use it in bits (and buy one or two stalk at a time) and just wasn't sure what to do with a whole bunch. All brilliant ideas are hatched just before we fall asleep and that's when I thought, 'celery potage'. I usually make this potage with celeriac and sweet potato but it can also be made with celery as a variation.

Curried Celery Potage

2 t. olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 leak, washed and sliced

1 1/2 lb. celery, chopped (reserve leaves for garnish or include in soup)

1 T. curry powder

4 c. stock

8 oz. potatoes, washed and diced

1 T. garam masala

salt + pepper, as needed

Heat oil in soup pot and add onion, leek and celery. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add curry powder and cook for two more minutes. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender. Blend with handblender (or by other method). Reheat until hot and serve.

spinach white sauce pasta

2009-11-23T07:30:00.000-08:00

Not to tell tales, but once someone (who shall remain nameless) made a white sauce for pasta and shared it with me. Despite their being a good cook and claims of previous success it tasted like wet flour on pasta (yuk!). Not very appetizing. I have since made white sauce for recipes (primarily souffles) but this is my first time eating it straight.

I wanted to replicate a favorite spinach pizza (from one of those hole in the wall pizzeria's next to a 7-11) and therefore needed a white sauce. The pizza turned out tasty (spinach white sauce with shallots and mozz). I made the full recipe (below) with lots leftover I get to try other iterations. First I reheated it to top some cooked pasta. It was part of a tasty lunch on a cold rainy winter's day. I have more sauce left and am considering the options: more pasta, egg dish, vegetable sauce, casserole. Other ideas?

Spinach White Sauce (or béchamel)

2 1/2 T. butter

2 1/2 T. flour

2 c. warmed milk

1/2 t. salt

pepper

~1 c. frozen spinach, steamed

2 cloves garlic, minced/pressed

1. Melt butter, stir in flour and cook for 1 minute, don't allow it to color beyond a buttery yellow. Remove from the heat. Gradually stir in 3/4 warmed milk into flour mixture to make a smooth sauce. Return to heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly with wooden spoon. When thickened (about 3 minutes) remove from heat. Add remaining milk as needed.

2. Add steamed spinach and garlic to sauce. Stir periodically to prevent skin from forming, if necessary.

potato and eggplant curry

2009-11-19T08:00:00.000-08:00

Less than a year ago I decided I wanted to master curries. Especially my favorite: green curry. My first attempts didn't go well. I tried pre-made curry paste. I tried making my own curry sauce (inedible as the lemongrass was like wood chips). I tried Trader Joe's curry simmering sauce. I asked a friend, who makes awesome curry, to teach me. He suggested another pre-made curry paste that was sold at a small asian food store. I bought the paste. I helped him make curry and it turned out delicious, mouth watering-ly spicy. I went home and tried following his technique. I used the same ingredients. No luck . I kept trying and finally Sunday night I succeeded. I think I'm getting somewhere and I have renewed hope for green curry.

I used MAE PLOY's masman curry paste (and I didn't follow the recipe on the paste) with onion, eggplant, potatoes, carrots and chicken (also coconut milk, ginger, garlic, water, honey, basil, cilantro and fish sauce). As I continue to 'master' curries I will start to post some of my recipes.

butternut squash and apple soup

2009-11-17T08:05:00.000-08:00

In my last CSA box I got a butternut squash and I knew what I wanted to make: butternut squash and roasted apple soup from the New York Times. I was really excited to make this soup and as always it was super easy, first roast the apples and squash, then put everything in the pot and heat through. Voila! The soup was a little too sweet for me, so next I'll include less cider and replace with broth or water.

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

2 butternut squash, chunked

2-3 granny smith apples, quartered

2 T. olive oil

salt + pepper, to taste

2 c. apple cider (less than org. recipe)

3 c. broth (more than org. recipe)

1 t. ground cinnamon

dash nutmeg

1 lemon, juiced

garnish? dried cranberries or toasted almonds

1. Preheat oven to 400 deg. F. Place chopped apples and squash in large dish, dress with olive oil and salt + pepper. Stir. [You will be peeling the apples and squash after roasted, so quartered/eighths is best]. Cover tightly with foil.

2. Roast in oven for about 30 minutes, remove apples to another dish and allow to cool. Return covered squash to the oven for another 15-30 minutes, or until soft. Allow squash to cool. When cool scrape squash and apples into 4-6 qt. pot. Discard skins. Puree with hand blender. Add apple cider, if needed.

3. Add remaining cider and broth or water to desired consistency. Warm over medium-low heat. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon juice. Eat warmed.

holiday inspiration: cranberry lemon cheesecake

2009-11-16T07:00:00.000-08:00

Heading out to a holiday party feast I decided to try my hand at a lemon cheesecake with cranberry sauce. I haven't perfected it yet (and have no excuse to make another already) but conceptually very tasty.

mashed parsnips

2009-11-13T16:30:00.000-08:00

Looking for another way to prepare my stash of parsnips I decided to try a suggestion form the veggie encyclopedia - mashing them! Last year I finally decided to try mashed cauliflower (fashionable amongst recent low glycemic* diet plans) and I couldn't stomach the mashed cauliflower, so I was a little hesitant to try another take on mashed potatoes. You won't confuse it with a potato but it's still tasty. I mashed boiled parsnips (about 10 minutes) with milk, salt, and pepper.

* Beware! Parsnip's GI (glycemic index) is higher than potatoes and much higher than cauliflower.

pineapple

2009-11-07T15:55:00.000-08:00

I love grilled pineapple so I decided to try a winter-friendly (and non-grill owning friendly) version. I simply broiled the pineapple for 10 minutes per side. Cooking pineapple sweetens the fruit and seemingly destroys the pucker possibilities (maybe that is a problem that I only have because I can eat it until I get 'sores' in my mouth).

roasted roots

2009-11-06T09:00:00.000-08:00

Another tasty way to prepare my stash of parsnips is to roast them. Parsnips are super sweet and full of flavor when roasted. I mixed them with some other roots including onions, carrots, garlic, and huckleberry potatoes (a pink heirloom potato from Oregon). The exact quantities were determine a bit by what I had on hand (I probably would have added a few more carrots and another onion). Douse with olive oil, salt, and pepper and then roast in a medium oven.

Roasted Roots

pepper, freshly ground

Clean, chop, and peel (if desired) all veggies and place in large baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix. Roast (375 deg. F) in oven for 30-45 minutes until done, stirring periodically. Enjoy! Reheats well.

swiss chard + parsnip POTAGE

2009-11-04T12:33:00.001-08:00

Several years ago, as an exchange student I discovered soups of all sorts. In the US, I ate my childhood quota of Cambell's chicken noodle and cream of tomato, but the closest my family got to soup was chili con carne. We never even had stew.

My host mom served soup everyday at the start the evening meal and although she was not a good cook in general (dinner often arrived charred) she could make soup, or rather potage quite well. The French have many classifications* for what we americans call 'soup' including soupe, potage, consommé, velouté, crème, gratinée, garbure, a nd bisque (and many, many more). Although, I most frequently make soupe or veloutés I really love potages.

A potage is a blended soup without milk or cream (adding milk or cream will most likely make it a velouté o r a crème). Potages are an elegant soup (although I always think of porridge when I see it written!) that are excellent starts for a meal, but usually too light to be considered a meal themselves. To turn it into a light meal have with half a sandwich, a salad, a quesadilla /grilled cheese or treat it as a starter for a small dish of pasta. I've been enjoying this soup with a quesadilla and another vegetable for lunch this week.

This marriage came together from my csa box. I have too many parsnips, I suspect I will be having many parsnips potages in the weeks to come (I really need to expand my parsnip preparations ... any favorites?). The basic potage recipe can be applied to any two seasonal vegetables and works well with winter greens and vegetables.

swiss chard and parsnip potage

1 T. olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 bunch swiss chard (I used rainbow), cleaned and chopped

3 parsnips, well scrubbed and sliced

broth/water, to cover

sea salt + pepper, to taste

1. In large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium heat and cook onion until translucent (about 5 minutes). Add garlic, chard, parsnip and season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes.

2. Cover the vegetables with broth and/or hot water, bring to a simmer. Cover. Cook for 25 minutes, or until vegetables are cooked through.

3. Use your immersion blender to whiz the soup to a smooth, velvet consistency. If you don't have a hand blender (I'm sad for you), use a food processor, blender, food mill, or potato masher and blend the soup as smoothly as you can. Add more water/broth if potage is too thick.

* the most complete online resource I found, not conclusive: French Soups

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T07:00:00.000-07:00

pumpkin soup

2009-10-26T11:46:00.000-07:00

Lucky me! A friend, who has a fantastic large organic garden, shared her spoils with me earlier this fall when I was home for a visit. She gave me two pie pumpkins, four acorn squash, and a gob of garlic. What to make? I had dreams of moist pumpkin bread and bread pudding and pumpkin cheesecake. I also consider my savory options focusing on curries but then I thought, ah ha!, pumpkin soup. My first pumpkin soup which I had at a 12 course birthday feast, I realized I found the food of the gods. Over the next five years or so I experimented with a few recipes but was always disappointed. This recipe lives up to my memory. Enjoy this soup while you can easily find pumpkins at the market.

Pumpkin Soup

2.5 lbs pumpkin, peeled and cut into cubes (2-3 small pumpkins)

5 c. stock

1 c. onion, chopped

3/4 c. scallions, sliced (white part only) (1-2 bunches)

2 c. light cream

salt and pepper, to taste

scallions, sliced for garnish (green part)

1. In stock pot combine cubed pumpkin, stock, onion, and scallions (white part). Bring to a boil and simmer until pumpkin is tender. Puree with a hand blender. Cool.

2. Stir in light cream and season with salt + pepper.

3. Serve chilled or lightly heated with green part of scallions. 8 servings.

caramel sauce

2009-10-23T21:46:00.001-07:00

Last weekend I went to dinner at a friends house and brought an apple caramel cake for desert. I nearly always experiment when I take deserts (if it turns out dismal I can always pick up something at the store) and this was the first time I made this apple caramel cake. I received adequate compliments, but the real star was the homemade caramel sauce. I five minutes you can have an incredibly easy, delicious sauce. There was more sauce than cake so I paired it with some vanilla ice cream.

Homemade Caramel Sauce

1 stick butter (1/2 c.)

1 c. brown sugar

1 t. vanilla (or maple) extract

1/2 c. half and half

Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a small saucepan. Add sugar and stir until melted. Add flavoring and whisk in half and half. Remove from heat. Reheat before serving.

roasted pumpkin seeds

2009-10-18T09:00:00.000-07:00

One of the joys of using real pumpkin, as opposed to canned pumpkin, in the fall are the pumpkin seeds. I love having them roasted, although when I'm preparing them I'm never quite sure if it's worth the work. I make a savory version with chili powder but they are also good sweet or salty.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

pumpkin seeds, well rinsed and membrane removed

salt + pepper

olive oil

chili powder

Preheat oven to 350 deg. F. Select a baking dish or shallow cookie sheet that allows for one layer of seeds. Combine all ingredients and mix well. Bake in the oven - if the seeds were dried overnight cook for 10-15 minutes, if they are still fresh from the pumpkin cook for up to an hour or until crunchy. Be careful not to burn.

THE souffle

2009-10-16T07:00:00.000-07:00

When first learning to really cook (beyond spaghetti) I started to hear about the difficulty of the souffle. It's right there in movies, books, and cooking shows and nearly impossible to get right! I'm here to dispel this myth, plus once you learn the technique you will know the basics for other dishes (i.e. béchamel, egg whites). Because of my fear, the first souffle I made (a spinach souffle) I referred heavily to the goddess Julia Child's (she writes the most specific instructions for any preparation) cookbook and I followed her instructions to a 'T'. Since then I am a bit more lackadaisical resulting in souffles that aren't as perfect looking, but still delicious tasting. Once you've mastered your first souffle you can apply the technique to the whole world of souffles ... fish, seafood, cheese, vegetable or desert.

If you have a well stocked kitchen then you won't need much special equipment, just a souffle dish, which are usually available for $6 at cooking stores (or much, much more). If your kitchen is not well stocked, you will also need a wire whisk or mixer, a small glass/ceramic mixing bowl and a wooden spoon. Basically banish all plastic cooking utensils for this dish.

Leek Souffle

4 T. butter

1 T. safflower oil

2 leeks, thinly sliced and well washed (white part only)

1 1/4+ c. milk

3 T. flour

4 eggs, separated

3 oz. Gruyere cheese, grated/crumbled

salt and pepper (traditionally white pepper for appearance but it does have a different flavor)

1. Preheat oven to 400 deg. F. Grease a quart souffle dish with 1 T. of butter (for drama, use a slightly smaller souffle dish with a foil/parchment collar). Heat the safflower oil and 1 T. butter in a small saucepan and cook the leeks over med-low heat for 4-5 minutes until soft but not brown.

2. Add milk and bring to a simmer, cover. Simmer for 4-5 minutes and strain liquid into a measuring cup. Set cooked leeks aside.

3. Make a béchamel: Melt 2 T. butter, stir in flour and cook for 1 minute, don't allow it to color. Remove from the heat. Add enough milk to strained milk for 1 1/4 c. Gradually stir milk into flour mixture to make a smooth sauce. Return to heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly with wooden spoon. When thickened (about 3 minutes) remove from heat.

4. Cool slightly and add leeks and the beaten egg yolks.

5. Beat the egg whites (in the glass/ceramic bowl with wire whisk/beaters with very clean implements, add a dash of cream of tarter, if desired) until stiff and shining peaks form.

6. Using a large wooden spoon fold egg whites into the base, alternating with sprinkles of cheese. Pour into souffle dish and bake for 30-45 minutes until puffed and golden brown*. Serve immediately - to keep it from falling plunge serving fork and spoon into center of souffle (Julia's advice).

* Do not open and close oven repeatedly. Use a skewer or cake tester to confirm it is cooked all the way through (tester should come out slightly moist), most recipes say about 30 minutes but my experience (in multiple kitchens) is closer to 45 minutes, but ultimately it's up to you - wetter is creamier, but won't hold puff as long.

Serves: 4 (although it's best fresh, It's still tasty reheated, but not as pretty)

white bean and mustard green soup with ham

2009-10-14T13:52:00.000-07:00

My box came with all sorts of delights this week (and perhaps a little more delightful because I've missed the past couple of deliveries due to travel) including mustard greens. A member of the cabbage family, they best sauteed or added to soups and should be used soon after buying. Because of mustard greens ability to extract heavy metals from soil (great removal technique) I suggest only using organic greens. This soup only used a portion of the greens, so I will be eating them in other incarnations too.

The soup is perfect for the coming on of winter with it's thick consistency and warmth. I used ham but turkey can substitute or eliminate the meat if you prefer. My favorite dried bean is the white bean which was a huge inspiration for this soup.

White Bean and Mustard Green Soup with Ham

2 t. olive oil

1 c. onion, diced

1 carrot, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

8 oz. baked ham, diced

1 t. dried thyme

2 bay leaves

4 c. cooked white beans, rinsed and drained (1 lb. dried beans or 2 cans of pre-cooked beans)

4 c. chicken stock (or preferred)

4 c. chopped fresh mustard greens, washed and dried (leaves only, not stems)

salt + black pepper, to taste

grated parmesan cheese, to garnish/serve

1. Heat oil in large stock pot over medium heat. Add onion and carrot and saute for 3 minutes, until soft. Add ham and garlic and cook another 2 minutes. Stir in thyme and bay leaves, then add beans* and broth. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, partially cover pot, and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaves.

2. Add mustard greens and simmer until slightly wilted, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and season with salt and black pepper. Serve with grated parmesan. Bon appetite!

*dried beans: during last 30-60 minutes of cooking add salt, pepper, onion, garlic and bay leaves to flavor the beans. Adjust these ingredients in final recipe if necessary (I didn't, though).

snippy doodles

2009-10-09T16:06:00.000-07:00

In a seemingly desperate state of needing something sweet I scoured my recipes to see what I could make with my limited ingredients (nearly out of flour and brown sugar) and came across this 'snippy doodle' recipe. It is light and fluffy and would be spectacular with some fresh pressed apple cider!

Snippy Doodle

Cream:

2 T. butter

2/3 c. suar

Sift together:

1 c. cake flour (I used all-purpose)

1/8 t. salt

1 t. baking powder

1 t. cinnamon

Mix:

1/2 c. milk

1 egg, well-beaten

Alternately add dry ingredients and egg mixture to creamed mixture. Spread thinly in a wax paper lined 9"x13" pan. Bake in 350 deg. F oven for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with sugar (about 1 T.) and continue baking for 10 minutes. Cut in squares. Serve warm or cooled. Yield 18 bars.

bread with jam

2009-10-06T06:00:00.000-07:00

Bread with jam is something I can eat at all hours of the day, which is precisely why I don't keep it on hand. When a friend gifted me a pot of homemade oregon plum jam I knew I had to make some homemade bread or biscuits. I made this basic white bread and continued the spirit of the jam and passed on the mini loafs to friends.

Basic White Bread

2 pkg dry yeast

2 c. warm water

2 T. sugar

2 t. salt

2 1/2 T. butter

5 1/8 - 6 c. flour

Dissolve yeast in water; add sugar, salt, and butter. Mix flour in a little at a time (all may not be needed). Knead 8-10 minutes. Let rise until double; punch and put in 2 loaf pans. Let rise till double (about 30 min.). Bake at 400 deg. F for 20 minutes.

note: 1 loaf = 3 mini loafs

acorn squash

2009-10-02T05:45:00.000-07:00

Lucky me! When I was back home a friend shared the spoils of her garden and then I carted them back to the pacific northwest. She gave me a couple of pie pumpkins, four acorn squash, and six heads of garlic. Yummy, yummy, yummy in my tummy, tummy, tummy. I just got back two days ago and I've already baked the first two acorn squashes and eaten the first three halves. I usually eat it on the 'half-shell' with something sweet inside - apple sauce with cinnamon & raisins, cinnamon & sugar, or real maple syrup & butter. These toppings can be so sweat it's like having desert. This half I ate with a couple of scrambled eggs for lunch.

(I've decided to try some more savory versions of squash this fall ... if any are a success I'll share them with you).

Baked Acorn Squash

preheat oven to 400 deg. F

Cut squash in two and remove seeds. Arrange squash, cut side down in a shallow baking dish. Fill dish with water until it reaches about 1/4" (you might want to do this in the oven if your dish is particularly shallow). Bake squash for 15 minutes, or until tender. Turn squash over and fill cavity with apple sauce, raisins, and cinnamon mixture. Bake until warmed through. Serve.

* I usually make several at once and store in the fridge, they make good leftovers reheated in the microwave. For sack lunch, either take 'as is' or scoop out into another container.

oktoberfest

2009-10-01T05:00:00.000-07:00

The weather has turned from the indian summer we were enjoying the northwest to something more typical of this time of year: overcast and rainy. The weather suggests a change in diet and sausages are sounding awfully appetizing (I don't like all sausages, but am developing a taste for them). I also just returned from vacation and needed to pick up something easy at the grocer's as I returned to town that was easy because I was exhausted (lots, lots of driving). I was looking for the chicken apple sausages (yum!) when I didn't find them I decided to try bockwurst because they reminded me of boudin white sausages. Both are white and made with pork. In Belgium boudin (white or black) is served with apple sauce so I also bought a sugar-free jar. The package of Bockwurst says to serve with red cabbage or potatoes (and mustard, of course) and I decided to first serve with potatoes (I had a few fingerlings left from before my travels). My next sausage will be with apple sauce. It's a perfect fall meal.

back from visiting family

2009-09-28T18:00:00.000-07:00

Sorry little blog, I've been neglecting you - life got in the way. I'm back now and will be posting more soon!

chana punjabi

2009-09-08T05:00:00.000-07:00

You already know that I love Chickpeas, so it should be no surprise that I love this recipe for Chana Punjabi. A friend sent me the recipe (as posted in the NY Times) months ago. Despite all appearances of deliciousness, it was the beginning of the summer and each week I was busy eating my CSA box and never seemed to find time to make this dish. The last several days have been rainy and winter-like and I decided this was the time (also I have a 3.5 lb. bag of dried chickpeas). I chopped, stirred, and simmered this yesterday and fell in love. Yum. Yum.

Chana Punjabi

1 T. safflower oil

1 onion, chopped

2 t. garlic, minced

1 t. ginger, minced

1 red chili, chopped (or other as desired)

1 can diced tomatoes (or 2 fresh large ones)

1 1/2 t. paprika

1 t. sea salt, or to taste

1 t. ground coriander

1/2 t. garam masala

1/4 t. turmeric

1 t. lemon juice

1 1/3 c. dried chickpeas, soaked overnight (or 2-15 oz. cans, rinsed)

2 T. cilantro, minced

cooked rice for serving

1. In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, heat oil and add onion. Saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic ginger and chili, and saute until soft and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and 1/4 c. water. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

2. Puree mixture with hand blender in pot until smooth. Return to pan and place over medium heat. Add spices (paprika, salt, coriander, garam masala, turmeric) and lemon juice. Add pre-soaked and rinsed chickpeas and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low.

3. Start to prepare brown rice for serving.

4. Cover and simmer until sauce is thick and chickpeas are soft (45 min-1 hour). Stir pan periodically and add water (up to 1 1/2 c.) to prevent burning. When ready to serve remove lid and reduce sauce until it's thick (if not already). Stir in cilantro. Adjust salt. Serve with cooked rice

Serves: 2- 4

eggplant steaks

2009-09-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

I usually eat eggplant in a partnership with tomatoes, and although I love this combination, it's nice to try another option. These were moist and not greasy (an issue with eggplant as it will absorb fat faster than a french fry) and I imagine especially good on a grill (sadly, I'm grill-less so broiler for me). If it's not rainy were you are (unlike here) this will make a good labor day bbq option. Happy Labor Day!

eggplant steaks

1 T. canola oil

1" fresh ginger, roughly chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 t. red chili flakes

1/2 c. hoisin sauce (~8 oz. jar)

1 T. rice wine vinegar

1 T. soy sauce

1 med. eggplant, ends trimmed and cut into 1/2" thick slices, lengthwise

6 T. olive oil

sea salt & freshly ground pepper

fresh cilantro, to garnish

Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the ginger, garlic, and red chili flakes and cook until soft, 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the hoisin sauce, vinegar and soy sauce until combined.

Heat broiler* to high. Use cookie sheet or dish (cover with foil for easier clean-up) and brush eggplant with olive oil and season with salt & pepper. Cook in dish for 4-5 minutes. Brush with glaze and turn over, cooking for another 3-4 minutes. Remove and brush with remaining glaze. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

* alternatively, you can also grill the eggplant

note: adapted from recipe circulated by my CSA

pasta roma

2009-09-04T08:00:00.000-07:00

As a high-school exchange student I was introduced to all sorts of new foods (and, well, everything). One of my host-moms, italian by birth and culture, has lived most of her life in Belgium. She is the most delightful cook and introduced me to pasta roma. She always used fresh pasta and would cook it for my Wednesday lunch (half day at school) and I loved it. I haven't made it in awhile, but just made it for lunch.

Pasta Roma

olive oil

garlic, crushed

parmesan cheese

pasta (traditionally fettuccine)

Mix olive oil and garlic and heat in microwave for 20 seconds. Be careful not to fry the garlic, if you do throw out and start again. Add drained pasta to sauce and mix. Dress with fresh parmesan cheese and, if desired, add tomatoes, red pepper flakes, parsley or basil. Enjoy!

lemon mustard dressing

2009-09-03T09:26:00.001-07:00

Salad dressing is a great intro food to cooking. They are easy to make and because they are so flavor rich you really notice your effort. I started regularly making my own dressing in college and always get compliments on them. You just need a few condiments to start making dressings ... which is especially shocking when you look at the ingredient list of your favorite store bought dressing. It probably has at least 15 ingredients, most of which you don't recognize and of the ones you do recognize are sugar and salt and cheap oil.

Lemon mustard dressing

4 cloves garlic, crushed

2 t. wholegrain* mustard

1 lemon, zested and juiced

1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Mix garlic, wholegrain mustard, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt & pepper. You can add the olive oil to this mixture or to emulsify (therefore the dressing won't separate and seems creamy) grab a whisk (I have an attachment on my hand-blender) and slowly pour the oil into the dressing while constantly whisking (why the electric whisk is so handy). Pour the dressing into a saved jar and refrigerate.

Notes: If the dressing is oil rich, it will solidify in the fridge (this dressing doesn't) so pull out when you start making dinner and it will be ready by dinnertime.

* wholegrain mustard is a mustard with whole mustard seeds - you'll find it with the other mustards.

dried chickpeas

2009-09-01T13:09:00.000-07:00

Chickpeas (aka Garbanzo beans) are one of those foods that I eat in cycles: a bunch and then a break. Right now I'm eating a bunch (and have a potful on the stove), besides being tasty they are very high in protein. A few years ago I heard that dried chickpeas are so much better than canned (which isn't surprising since that's true of all dried beans) and since then I've looked for them. The healthy food and local grocers I frequent didn't carry them, nor the mass grocers, and then one sunny day at the farmers market I saw bins of dried beans. I bought a pound and haven't seen them at the market since, but luckily I found them at another grocer (Fred Meyer). Their prep is similar to other dried beans and they aren't slimy as the canned ones tend to be. I've been eating them cold, sprinkled with chili powder.

spicy kale and white bean soup

2009-08-26T13:36:00.000-07:00

Soup is one of the easiest genres of food to throw together - maybe that's not really true (salads, anyone?). Sometimes I use another recipe as a guide, but once you pick up the concepts, it's pretty easy to rummage around the fridge and pantry and come up with a soup.

This was a bit of a rummage - kale, carrots, and squash? I always have garlic and onions in the pantry and broth in the freezer .. I was out of white beans so when I went to the store I picked up a couple of pounds. When I was at the store I picked up a loaf of fresh organic bread - always a great accompaniment to soup.

Kale and white bean soup:

olive oil

1 onion, sliced

garlic - lots, whole or large chop

1 c. chopped carrots

1 lb. white beans, soaked and cooked

6-8 c. vegetable stock

1 bunch kale, washed and chopped

1 med yellow squash, sliced

salt & pepper, to taste

1+ T. chili powder

Heat olive oil over medium heat and add onion. Cooked until translucent and add carrots and garlic. Cover and sweat the carrots for 10 minutes. Add white beans and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Add kale. Cook for another 5 minutes, or until it is tender. Add the squash and spices (as desired). Add more stock/water as needed.

Serve with red pepper flakes or jalapeno cheese. Enjoy!

salad lunch

2009-08-21T13:34:00.000-07:00

beet green pasta

2009-08-18T13:06:00.000-07:00

As a kid, if anyone asked me what I wanted for dinner I had one answer: spaghetti. We always made it with red sauce, usually with hamburger, always with copious amounts of dried oregano and scoops of dried parmesan. Once I got a bit older my palette matured and I realized pasta could be served with something other than marinara (thanks Gabby!) and I was introduced to real, fresh parmesan.

Every two weeks when I get my CSA box (or the weekend before when I get the contents list) I make a quick assessment about what I must eat in the next couple of days and what can wait. On the top of the eat soon list are a variety of greens. Not usually lettuce, that keeps for a bit, but things like chard, kale, carrot tops and beet greens. My box this week contains kale, carrot tops, and beets. First on the eat list are the beet greens - they have the shortest shelf life. The beets keep uncooked for a while but the tops will wilt immediately. I usually go ahead and roast the beat (I prefer to eat them cold, so they are ready in the fridge for eating). I also remove the carrot tops and prep them by washing and either immediately make pesto (which is my fail-safe) or keep them in the spinner in the fridge for a day until I have time to use them.

Beet Green Pasta

beet greens, tops of 3 small beats washed, dried and chopped

salt & pepper, to taste

whole wheat pasta

parmesan

Slowly saute the onion with olive oil over med-low heat until they are well browned. Add the cloves of garlic and the beet greens. Add salt, pepper, and more olive oil as desired/needed. Cover than cook slowly until greens are limp. Add basil. Meanwhile cook pasta in boiling water to al dente. When pasta is done, drain and add to sauce pan. Stir. Cook for another minute. Serve with parmesan. Yield: 2 large portions

pumpkin bread

2009-08-12T19:34:00.000-07:00

This week it's quite a bit cooler and reminiscent of fall. I'm not ready for a northwest fall, but I've enjoyed vegetable soup almost everyday and thought it's time to pull out some cooler weather favorites (looks summer-y next week!). Upon searching for something in the freezer I came across about 1 c.* of roasted pumpkin puree leftover from a white pumpkin I bought last October. My solution was to make pumpkin bread! In the process I finished the molasses and dried cranberries. I feel such satisfaction and accomplishment when I use up infrequently used items, such as molasses and pumpkin puree.

Pumpkin Molasses Bread

1 c. oil

2 c. brown sugar

1 c. blackstrap molasses

2 eggs

2 c. pumpkin

1 c. dates/nuts/raisins

3 c. whole wheat flour

1 1/2 t. salt

1 1/2 t. nutmeg

1 t. cloves

2 t. soda

3 1/2 t. cinnamon

oats (optional)

3 T. dark rum (optional)

Mix all ingredients together (except the oats) and pour into pans. Sprinkle oats over tops. Bake at 350 deg. F for 1 hour in greased pans. Yield 3 small loaves or 2 medium loaves or 8 tiny loaves (like above) or lots of muffins.

*I made 1/2 this recipe and baked in 3 tiny loaf pans, that's why it overflowed - start checking at 50 min for doneness.

air guitar

2009-08-10T19:24:00.000-07:00

Jack Ziegler (The New Yorker, August 10, 2009 issue)

organic dinner

2009-08-06T07:15:00.000-07:00

My dinner last night was delicious and couldn't help but share it with you. Also it was all organic - with the exception of the cilantro, wine, and salt n' pepper (can salt qualify as organic?). I had scrambled eggs with cilantro and sauteed onions, steamed green beans, and steamed fingerling potatoes. The veggies were dressed with extra virgin olive oil and sea salt and pepper. I drank a red wine left at my birthday party (2007 Chariot Gypsy, $5 at Trader Joe's) and some water. Yum!

Gidget burped her praises for her dinner as she had her 2nd raw meal (we're trying to see if she likes - yes - and if it will help some of her skin issues - tbd).

is it organic? is it genetically modified?

2009-08-05T09:35:00.000-07:00

Doing a little light nutritional reading yesterday I discovered a fascinating tidbit. Every wonder what those annoying produce stickers really mean? Aside from giving the code when you're checking out at the grocer's they also tell you how the produce was grown. You can identify conventional, organic, and genetically modified produce.

All codes start with 4-digits. For example, #4046 means avocado the world over. It is an internationally recognized code. If it is just those 4 numbers then you know it was conventionally grown (what conventional is might vary by country, of course). If this 4-digit number is preceded by a '9', such as #94046, then it is organic. If it is preceded by an '8', such as #84046 then it is genetically modified (GMO or GE).

I prefer to eat organic (not always possible on my budget) but now I can definitely steer clear of GMO crops. Also use the code to confirm that what the bin label says is actually what is in the bin.