tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-340393582539934932024-03-05T16:23:13.088-08:00The Food of Love Play OnDelicious food and delicious thoughts right on your computer.Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02374107286393765907noreply@blogger.comBlogger202125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34039358253993493.post-25017543703895465582015-07-18T12:13:00.002-07:002015-07-18T12:13:40.953-07:00Dig the Pig<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbU-8McGSwbsYrvArPUFu8ML4wJvjb4uSi0ChGHRzwDLa2sIzTyJf3Z-PqAxxbmCjPzivuiHQ0V9SR2x6d5CTrZP6hRHp9t0Si_dOz6i_PUo1o5eAQgxr-KvVUgvg5w57vWguhj8qO0Q/s1600/IMGP3192.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbU-8McGSwbsYrvArPUFu8ML4wJvjb4uSi0ChGHRzwDLa2sIzTyJf3Z-PqAxxbmCjPzivuiHQ0V9SR2x6d5CTrZP6hRHp9t0Si_dOz6i_PUo1o5eAQgxr-KvVUgvg5w57vWguhj8qO0Q/s320/IMGP3192.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #20124d;"><i><b>Smokey Pork Bolognese with Creamy Polenta</b></i></span><br />
<i><span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="color: black;">This recipe defies the expectation of easy summer cooking. It's mid-July and hot around here . . . so why on earth would I want a hearty bowl of slow-cooked bolognese? My easy-breezy summer has become hectic and packed with meetings, obligations, and rehearsal for <a href="http://oregonstate.edu/bardinthequad/" target="_blank"><b>Midsummer Night's Dream</b></a>. My long days make way for long evenings making it difficult to dedicate a lot of time in the kitchen (or the grill for that matter). Enter large-batch make-it-and-forget-it recipes. A couple of weeks ago I bought a 10 pound pork shoulder and made a huge batch of <a href="http://thefoodofloveplayon.blogspot.com/2012/12/island-flair.html" target="_blank">Kaluah Pig</a>, divided it into four generous portions, made one batch into a honey-ginger-soy version, and froze the other three.</span><b> </b></span>When time is a precious commodity, having a delicious recipe building-block on hand makes a home-cooked dinner possible. I must also confess, with little time to get to the grocery store at the moment, I came up with the recipe to use up stuff I already had in my pantry and fridge. Fridays we get the evening off of rehearsal, so that morning I took out one pork packet to defrost, went to work for the day, and got this deeply-flavored bolognese sauce finished in half the time it usually takes. Dinner was done shortly after my handsome-hubby got home from work and Friday night became a relaxing and cozy evening at home. I served the bolognese over a creamy polenta, but feel free to use the sauce with pasta, potatoes, or rice! Your call! This is your dinner!</i><br />
<br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
- 2-3 c. shredded <a href="http://thefoodofloveplayon.blogspot.com/2012/12/island-flair.html" target="_blank">Kaluah Pig</a><br />
- 4 slices of bacon or 4 oz. pancetta, chopped<br />
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil <br />
- 1 onion, diced<br />
-2 cloves garlic, minced<br />
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced<br />
- 2 celery ribs, trimmed and diced<br />
- 2 tsp. red pepper flakes <br />
- 1/4 c. tomato paste<br />
- 3-4 c. red wine<br />
- 1/4 c. heavy cream <br />
- salt and pepper<br />
- chopped fresh oregano and thyme<br />
- 1 c. uncooked polenta<br />
- 1/4 c. creme fraiche<br />
- 1 c. shredded Parmesan (plus extra for serving)<br />
- 4. chicken broth<br />
- 1 clove garlic, minced<br />
- 2 Tbsp. minced chives<br />
- 1/2 c. chopped Italian parsley, divided<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIhokqH1ya91qO8N3k5iCuNV0nBQ9IrlDLQ8YsD3r6AWfJ2AnkFyjM6Eyxy-vNjky8iItzsrypUplEjQ_zWjNaHcRd9gKsbSricl8S5HBtKz2EVdui_nKnOHrZ5mOO5oh46X5jJUpd1A/s1600/IMGP3187.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIhokqH1ya91qO8N3k5iCuNV0nBQ9IrlDLQ8YsD3r6AWfJ2AnkFyjM6Eyxy-vNjky8iItzsrypUplEjQ_zWjNaHcRd9gKsbSricl8S5HBtKz2EVdui_nKnOHrZ5mOO5oh46X5jJUpd1A/s320/IMGP3187.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
SMOKEY PORK BOLOGNESE<br />
In a large Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high, add chopped bacon or pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and crisp. Remove cooked bacon with a slotted spoon and allow to drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Add onion, garlic, celery, carrot, red pepper flakes, and chopped thyme and oregano to the Dutch oven (using any of the remaining bacon grease to cook). Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook until softened and glossy, about 5-7 minutes. Add tomato paste to vegetable mixture and cook together for 1-2 minutes. Slowly pour wine into mixture and add cooked bacon and Kahlua pig. Mix ingredients together. If mixture seems dry, add water or chicken broth by the half-cup. Cook to a boil and then reduce heat to low and cook, partially covered for 1-2 hours. Check occasionally and stir ingredients together. After an hour or so, the bolognese should be very thick and the vegetables should be very soft. Slowly pour cream into sauce, stir, and season with salt and pepper. Allow sauce to simmer over a low heat for another 20-30 minutes while preparing the polenta (or whatever starch you plan to serve).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg89H76ZuWDpEDCIeOuY-JtvW4Oz3S3McZo7TDbqyji45JE4jYcw_ZiBocuI3TnyXdAGo_OM47SNtroOquEZSaXvswiVWhsdfTIg_QBNuG4cGDlOsVYlhWRDRXBQDQClAGH29Pf9GQmew/s1600/IMGP3191.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg89H76ZuWDpEDCIeOuY-JtvW4Oz3S3McZo7TDbqyji45JE4jYcw_ZiBocuI3TnyXdAGo_OM47SNtroOquEZSaXvswiVWhsdfTIg_QBNuG4cGDlOsVYlhWRDRXBQDQClAGH29Pf9GQmew/s320/IMGP3191.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
CREAMY POLENTA<br />
Heat chicken broth to a boil over high heat in a large, heavy pot, add 1 tsp. of salt, and garlic clove and cook for 1-2 minutes. Reduce to a simmer and slowly pour dry polenta into the broth, stirring slowly with a whisk to prevent any lumps. Once the polenta in mixed into the both, stir gently while simmering for 8-10 minutes. Make sure ans scrape the bottom with wooden spoon to keep polenta from burning and sticking. After about 10 minutes, the polenta should be cooked, soft, and the mixture thick. If it is too thin, allow to cook for another minute or so. Remove from heat and stir in creme fraiche, Parmesan, chopped chives, and half the Italian parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper.<br />
<br />
To serve, divide polenta into bowls and ladle cooked, warm bolognese over. Garnish with additional Parmesan cheese and remaining Italian parsley. Yum! Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02374107286393765907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34039358253993493.post-60864877089491834322015-04-03T09:01:00.001-07:002015-04-03T09:02:30.592-07:00Viva La France!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #660000; font-size: x-large;"><b>Fabulous French Onion Soup</b></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi8vE2bqXEEkNMJdjBFBfDzFrAWe1XnOS5RplI9Gesf6amhOczZ0Ln-Wgi4VK5WTdBWyRGT-qogi1x9O8qzlemrHL-ziiv3q7cUc53EuUhZ88GY1TAQe2mRHQUB-Uy7YVnGO7sqfDcyg/s1600/11130088_10152827508603528_850917697444949778_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi8vE2bqXEEkNMJdjBFBfDzFrAWe1XnOS5RplI9Gesf6amhOczZ0Ln-Wgi4VK5WTdBWyRGT-qogi1x9O8qzlemrHL-ziiv3q7cUc53EuUhZ88GY1TAQe2mRHQUB-Uy7YVnGO7sqfDcyg/s1600/11130088_10152827508603528_850917697444949778_n.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mmmmmmm! So cheesy! So tasty!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #660000;"><i><span style="color: black;">Typical Oregon Spring . . . it's 70˚ outside - tank tops and flip flops for all! Just kidding, it's suddenly back down into the 30s, with damp foggy air! After flirting with the idea of bare legs and light summery dresses, I'm back to tights and sweaters. I'm also wanting something to warm me from the inside out. I LOVE French onion soup! It seems so elegant and sophisticated, but it's actually really easy to make and people love it. The only necessary special equipment are oven-proof crocks. I picked up two at the local thrift store for a few dollars last week so I can finally satisfy my craving for this hearty, cheesy soup. I did this batch vegetarian since I'm still in the midst of my Lenten meatlessness. Traditionally, the soup is made with beef broth, so if you're going meat-free bolster up that veggie stock with a little extra sherry for a deeper flavor! One of the other tricks I used, was rather than using a couple of slices of baguette for the topping, I made a batch of garlic croutons so that the melted cheese had more crevices to stick to. Croutons are such a great way to add heft to any soup and make use of stale bread. I included the "recipe" for the croutons, but really, it's just about toasting bread cubes in the oven with some olive oil. This soup recipe makes enough soup for two . . . if you have more mouths to feed, it's easy to double!</span></i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #660000;"><i><span style="color: black;"><b>Ingredients</b></span></i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 qt. vegetable stock</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 large sweet onions, peeled, halved and cut into thin slices</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 Tbsp. fresh thyme</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 Tbsp. butter</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 Tbsp. dry sherry</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 c. garlic croutons</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;">- 1/2 c. grated cheese (I made a blend of gruyere, sharp cheddar, and Parmesan)</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 Tbsp. chopped Italian parsley</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;">- salt and pepper </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiehmO9lC31vObiqNp9lX_hryoI_dy9seE-f52ajbu1qM5P90woxLjJc0PWBlNZPSpdaXYiZziCvsaiqjfZx0clEyUJq4eEUqHCAqPu57fHhr2KjI4ctcoL_IdbsMIT94Nwg1Mkx6p2Ag/s1600/P1060920.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiehmO9lC31vObiqNp9lX_hryoI_dy9seE-f52ajbu1qM5P90woxLjJc0PWBlNZPSpdaXYiZziCvsaiqjfZx0clEyUJq4eEUqHCAqPu57fHhr2KjI4ctcoL_IdbsMIT94Nwg1Mkx6p2Ag/s320/P1060920.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="color: black;"> GARLIC CROUTONS</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="color: black;">Preheat oven
to 350˚F and line a heavy baking sheet with foil. Arrange 4-6 cups bread cubes on
the foil in an even layer. In a small bowl mash together 4 cloves garlic with 4
Tbsp. olive oil, whisk in 1 tsp. salt. Drizzle olive oil mixture over
the bread cubes and toss together to coat evenly. Toast in oven for
about 20-30 minutes until bread begins to dry out and turn golden brown.
Remove from oven and set aside.</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;">SOUP</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;">While the croutons are toasting, start caramelizing the onions. Melt butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pot (I used my round Dutch oven) over medium heat. Add sliced onions and stir to cover with melted butter, sprinkle with salt and pepper and chopped thyme. Once the onions have softened and just begun to brown, lower the heat and allow the onions to caramelize. Stir the onions occasionally as they cook down for 30 minutes or so. They should be very tender, brown, and sweet. Increase the heat to medium high and stir the onions. When the pan is hot add the sherry and deglaze the pan, scraping in brown bits of caramelized onion from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Add stock to the pan and bring to a boil. Decrease heat to medium-low and allow soup to simmer for 20-30 minutes until the broth has cooked down and the soup has thickened slightly. Remove pot from heat and turn on the broiler. Season to taste with salt and pepper.</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;">Ladle hot soup into oven-proof crocks then top soup with croutons. Sprinkle cheese blend and parsley on top of croutons. Set crocks on a baking sheet and place under broiler for the cheese to melt. (This will happen very quickly, so keep and eye on your oven so that you don't get a bunch of burned cheese.) When the cheese is hot and bubbly, remove crocks from oven and serve! Enjoy being warm and satisfied! </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;"> </span><i><span style="color: black;"><b> </b></span></i><b> </b></span></div>
<br />Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02374107286393765907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34039358253993493.post-29612432813328585932015-02-25T12:58:00.000-08:002015-02-25T12:59:37.066-08:00Spicing Up Life<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Svhy-fmwxD5yYWs__bh1IVBQl2pRGTwH5nik6icWAsFnVbxYB_KC0c7-BHajYmrwoISjdl5lbr-a8azFNq6L1K3m2sUUyk2Rh1-zlelOJDqRnB_7GxEgXRT5EN1TlymvsEoUeoxdGw/s1600/tumblr_nk6p3pUrB51qb7tdbo1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Svhy-fmwxD5yYWs__bh1IVBQl2pRGTwH5nik6icWAsFnVbxYB_KC0c7-BHajYmrwoISjdl5lbr-a8azFNq6L1K3m2sUUyk2Rh1-zlelOJDqRnB_7GxEgXRT5EN1TlymvsEoUeoxdGw/s1600/tumblr_nk6p3pUrB51qb7tdbo1_500.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #274e13;"><i><b>Peace in 1944 Vegan Spice Cake</b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><i><span style="color: black;">It's certainly been a while since I've posted, but that doesn't mean I have abandoned cooking! This winter term has been dominated by directing a production of <b>The Diary of Anne Frank</b> for Oregon State University. This beautiful production took a great deal of focus, dedication, time, and energy (as all productions do). I was fortunate enough to be working with an extremely passionate and hard working group of students and, I really believe this is a show we can all be proud of. That all being said, one of my tasks through the rehearsal and performance process was baking "Miep's Spice Cake" that is eaten on stage every night. While purchasing a cake is usually the option, we were faced with the dietary challenge of a vegan in the cast. Rather than bother hunting down a suitable (and cost effective) ready-made vegan cake in the store, I developed this recipe. I probably baked this cake twenty times in the past few weeks. Moist and delicious, the cast ate it over and over again. They started asking for the recipe . . . so here it is. I named it "Peace in 1944" cake because that is what the icing was supposed to say. Feel free to omit the icing completely, it's delicious either way. One of the tricks to a vegan cake is finding the right substitution for eggs which act as a binder and a leavening agent. I found this vinegar and baking soda substitution to work very well for this recipe, plus the vinegar adds a slight tang to the recipe. </span></i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><i><span style="color: black;"><b>Ingredients</b></span></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">- 1/2 c. sugar</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">- 1/4 c. vegetable oil</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">- 1/3 c. canned pumpkin</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">- 3/4 c. flour</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 Tbsp. plus 1/2 tsp. baking powder, divided</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">- 1/2 tsp. baking soda </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 Tbsp. white vinegar</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 tsp. cinnamon</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 tsp. ground ginger</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 tsp. all spice</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 tsp. ground cloves</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Lightly grease an 8" round cake pan with vegetable shortening, dust with flour and tap out the excess. Set aside. In small prep bowl dissolve vinegar with two tablespoons of water. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together pumpkin, sugar, and oil until smooth. Add flour, spices, salt, baking soda, and 1/2 tsp. of baking powder and whisk together until well combined. Working quickly add the remaining two Tbsp. of baking powder to the water and vinegar mixture. It will bubble. Pour into batter and quickly whisk. The batter should become lighter and fluffier. Pour batter into prepared baking pan and bake for 20-25 minutes until cake is cooked through. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before decorating and/or eating. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;"> </span><i><span style="color: black;"> </span> </i></span>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02374107286393765907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34039358253993493.post-70707199756411522862015-01-06T08:43:00.000-08:002015-01-06T08:43:34.098-08:00Going NUTS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGtsJ8Bh1u48LrSo9jtDxJlTdOexTdLz_vAzyl-D7zPJadwYus4613hAz_C8P8ebrXjQTQad2x-2vkPKE3-lWCbRPasRUTT4xVu5SJBTUmT67cmnc4Ux9hzPTUJO8wefVQqctzv478hg/s1600/IMG_4686.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGtsJ8Bh1u48LrSo9jtDxJlTdOexTdLz_vAzyl-D7zPJadwYus4613hAz_C8P8ebrXjQTQad2x-2vkPKE3-lWCbRPasRUTT4xVu5SJBTUmT67cmnc4Ux9hzPTUJO8wefVQqctzv478hg/s1600/IMG_4686.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><i><b>Sneaky Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies</b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><i><span style="color: black;">My theory about vegan/vegetarian/gluten-free (or whatever other dietary restriction) cooking is that attempting to <b>force</b></span></i><span style="color: black;"><b> </b><i>an alternative food to taste "just like the real thing" is ultimately a fool's errand. The best vegan recipes I have found are not the "corn dogs" or "hamburgers" that parade themselves as "healthy" alternatives to scarf down at a barbecue. Instead, it's recipes that make the most of fresh vegan-friendly ingredients for what they are - quinoa-stuffed squash, falafel, spicy hummus, and the like are all satisfying meals that don't need a bunch of overly-processed incarnations of soy and they taste better for it. My challenge here was to develop simply a good cookie . . . that happened to be vegan. Finding a fat-replacement is the easy part here, the trick was finding a suitable non-egg binder that would allow the cookies to remain moist and chewy (as chocolate chip cookies should be). I found there are a variety of easy alternatives, but for this recipe, the best choice was using cornstarch and water. Yep. It was already in my pantry. I did these as plain old fashioned chocolate chip cookies. The coconut taste, I find, is very subtle. As a basic drop-cookie dough recipe this works great! Feel free to substitute the chips for nuts or dried fruit, or for a more coconutty taste add a teaspoon of coconut extract and 1/2 c. of shredded coconut. Enjoy these cookies for what they are . . . you don't even have to tell people they are vegan (unless they ask). They won't know the difference.</i></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="color: black;"><i><b>Ingredients</b></i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 c. plus 1 Tbsp. brown sugar</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="color: black;">- 1/2 c. coconut oil </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 tsp. vanilla</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 tsp. salt</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 tsp. baking powder</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="color: black;">- 1/2 tsp. baking soda</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="color: black;">- 4 Tbsp. cornstarch dissolved in 4 Tbsp. of warm water</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 1/2 c. vegan chocolate chips </span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAcRGOYEqmI1BnNzxZCSPOvBm8-22KJJRjTSrfS3uSNFnK5V-v5ywT-9y6sOrskntR3PBUE2LmyzgBLxDk5EyYnU3Q9VWqTpVmsMBdCtCiKTLSroEoOjkConWmei2I4DqW9JhzyxGQuQ/s1600/IMG_4684.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAcRGOYEqmI1BnNzxZCSPOvBm8-22KJJRjTSrfS3uSNFnK5V-v5ywT-9y6sOrskntR3PBUE2LmyzgBLxDk5EyYnU3Q9VWqTpVmsMBdCtCiKTLSroEoOjkConWmei2I4DqW9JhzyxGQuQ/s1600/IMG_4684.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="color: black;">Preheat the oven to 375˚ F. In a small bowl, whisk together flour with salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer beat together coconut oil, brown sugar, vanilla, and cornstarch/water mixture until smooth and creamy. Beat in flour mixture in two additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl in between. Mix in chocolate chips and make sure that they are well incorporated into the dough.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="color: black;">Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange tablespoon-sized cookie dough balls to bake. Bake in batches 8-9 minutes. Allow baked cookies to rest on baking sheet for 1-2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Recipe should yield around 24 cookies. Yum! </span></span>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02374107286393765907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34039358253993493.post-38267712169670545282014-10-04T10:59:00.000-07:002014-10-04T10:59:07.793-07:00Nuts About You<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUsKSpOwaSMoKULZZDyhWewhgqnbo-P-I8ONLW2Vv7tir5F_HAsAvEeC99rlgEkM_xnJxBjPkfdOU7kOyaql9hkcdKm2-0kRwbmSUZ9h0KyStlVf3iiZ9ZqoMlAS9wA9e_auFxGT_Gnw/s1600/P1150456.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUsKSpOwaSMoKULZZDyhWewhgqnbo-P-I8ONLW2Vv7tir5F_HAsAvEeC99rlgEkM_xnJxBjPkfdOU7kOyaql9hkcdKm2-0kRwbmSUZ9h0KyStlVf3iiZ9ZqoMlAS9wA9e_auFxGT_Gnw/s1600/P1150456.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #274e13;"><b>Soba and Cucumber Noodle Bowls with Spicy Peanut Dressing</b></span><br />
<i>I've been a little bit obsessed with my vegetable spiralizer lately. While this is probably the most ridiculous gadget in my kitchen arsenal, making carrots, cucumbers, zucchini, and squash into "noodles" perfect for twirling around a fork and soaking up sauce is just a lot of fun. The surprising warm spell that hit us this fall made me long for a lighter "summer" meal so this veggie-packed dish seemed perfect. It's tasty, vegan, and quite filling due to the delicious peanut sauce. (If you are lacking a vegetable spiralizer, you can get similar results by slicing thin ribbons of cucumber with a vegetable peeler.) Please note, I tend to like things quite spicy - feel free to omit the jalapeño and serano peppers if they are too much for your pallet.</i><br />
<br />
<i><b>Ingredients</b></i><br />
- 1 English cucumber, peeled and spiralized<br />
- l red bell pepper, seeded and spiralized<br />
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and sliced thin<br />
- 1 serano chili pepper, seeded and sliced thin<br />
- 3-4 oz. buckwheat soba noodles<br />
- 1 avocado, pitted and sliced<br />
- 1/4 c. salted peanuts<br />
- 4-5 green onions, trimmed and sliced<br />
- 2 tsp. toasted sesame seeds<br />
- 1 tsp. red chili pepper flakes<br />
- 2 Tbsp. rice vinegar<br />
- 2 cloves garlic, grated<br />
- 2 tsp. grated fresh ginger<br />
- 1-2 Tbsp. soy sauce<br />
- salt<br />
- 1/4 c. creamy peanut butter<br />
- 2 tsp. hot sesame oil<i><br /></i><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhouyB0kgovsaz9lWgtIBqMhx0aagxi6BSl3GBKfQgBG2FttEWCmuHSJwUpR1AZYOoNbs4_BYl_zmLI-6j278uRH2eNc94dgmXuqE6ziJw9RUyqodnN778U3mBARnUHNRC7_lKyf8nzSQ/s1600/P1150453.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhouyB0kgovsaz9lWgtIBqMhx0aagxi6BSl3GBKfQgBG2FttEWCmuHSJwUpR1AZYOoNbs4_BYl_zmLI-6j278uRH2eNc94dgmXuqE6ziJw9RUyqodnN778U3mBARnUHNRC7_lKyf8nzSQ/s1600/P1150453.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
Place spiralized cucumber and peppers and the hot peppers in a mesh colander over a bowl to drain excess water for 20-30 minutes. (You can blot out additional moisture with a paper towel.) While veggies are drying out a bit, make peanut dressing.<i> </i>Combine peanut butter, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, rice vinegar, and soy sauce in a blender and process until it is smooth and creamy. Taste for seasoning and add additional salt and/or soy sauce if desired. Set aside.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQTj6c_UayDcVHwdgK-B0An6Av4saYORPXD0aB2Vp0QyyNxo6Y6GMwmM-I4mZB7uUjLb2ThYl8lNnUPx_ogIzAZZ5yqWKexGVhMQW87yEn0uX3Ah_x_PnPL0eLtVYLkoz4-CGSUtv73g/s1600/P1150455.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQTj6c_UayDcVHwdgK-B0An6Av4saYORPXD0aB2Vp0QyyNxo6Y6GMwmM-I4mZB7uUjLb2ThYl8lNnUPx_ogIzAZZ5yqWKexGVhMQW87yEn0uX3Ah_x_PnPL0eLtVYLkoz4-CGSUtv73g/s1600/P1150455.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
Once the veggies have drained, transfer to a dry bowl and toss together with half of the peanut dressing and half the peanuts. Allow to sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes while you prepare the noodles. Boil the noodles in salted water according to package directions (usually 4-7 minutes). Drain the noodles and rinse with cold water. Shake out excess water and then lay the noodles out on a clean towel and blot gently to take out even more moisture. Transfer the cold noodles to the cucumber mixture and toss together with remaining dressing.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV3gTwH8fot25t-jkLA7xakI3UkSD9rEK8m5ckA6JKjatTOqLo9djwb-hT7x7P2DvTXlZ3BJjtkqGG0vySwHJXa0gosRy_wgqH4H-AsajtYxp_IjdPuGTnXQviEFkhghAcMiiXkV2BIQ/s1600/P1150457.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV3gTwH8fot25t-jkLA7xakI3UkSD9rEK8m5ckA6JKjatTOqLo9djwb-hT7x7P2DvTXlZ3BJjtkqGG0vySwHJXa0gosRy_wgqH4H-AsajtYxp_IjdPuGTnXQviEFkhghAcMiiXkV2BIQ/s1600/P1150457.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Divide peanut noodles among two bowls and garnish each with avocado slices, remaining peanuts, sesame seeds, pepper flakes, and green onions. Really really yummy! Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02374107286393765907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34039358253993493.post-25466906181365277722014-09-28T11:13:00.000-07:002014-09-28T11:13:06.417-07:00Summer's Last Hurrah<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXY4jWdWVPhWrWLFw6WOrSMQQ31hh65c2uE5gCPczkdiw3PjYQzSMZhx4DZyZDNVTedNaaszwguipUid9Bpit6fhp2NWwaRyV0KBJKSvIE4Q_0qi_D8smTWffi09uIer0bQPQGySRRqg/s1600/P1150446.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXY4jWdWVPhWrWLFw6WOrSMQQ31hh65c2uE5gCPczkdiw3PjYQzSMZhx4DZyZDNVTedNaaszwguipUid9Bpit6fhp2NWwaRyV0KBJKSvIE4Q_0qi_D8smTWffi09uIer0bQPQGySRRqg/s1600/P1150446.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<i><b><span style="color: #660000;">Roasted Tomato, Pepper, and Garlic Bisque</span></b></i><br />
<i>I absolutely love going to St. Louis to work. It's a cool city with a great arts scene, some awesome food, and amazing people. But I unfortunately miss out on the best part of summer in Oregon. Late August and early September are a gardener's prime time when the tomatoes are abundant and sweet and the berries are plentiful. While I did miss out on blackberry canning this year, I did come home to find lots and lots of healthy red tomatoes still on the vine. Fall is definitely in the air, but there is still some great produce around to help us transition into the cooler weather and shorter days. This soup recipe is incredibly easy, tasty, and makes great use of garden tomatoes and fragrant herbs. I served it with grilled cheese sandwiches for a simple meal cuddled on the couch with my sweetie on a crisp fall evening. Use those tomatoes . . . you won't have anything that tastes as good until next summer!</i><br />
<i><b><span style="color: #660000;"> </span></b></i><br />
<i><b><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;">Ingredients</span></span></b></i><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;">- 4 lbs. garden tomatoes, quartered</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 2" chunks</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 heads of garlic, the top 1/4" trimmed off to expose the tips of the individual cloves</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh oregano</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;">- 3 Tbsp. olive oil</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;">- salt and pepper </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 tsp. sugar</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 c. chicken broth</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 c. heavy cream</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgFBd_LS6GHLRT8betZEywygeGCZ36-MLnJyOfB563TbAAkXuWAKxLVZ2eJeKQs60_deVG8mGNSyvdc6wOUvqjHdQZdKv_2WD8IoAqv65b4RTHYV6HEc6qdm9mtXr_a-gETq55nkyBAA/s1600/P1150449.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgFBd_LS6GHLRT8betZEywygeGCZ36-MLnJyOfB563TbAAkXuWAKxLVZ2eJeKQs60_deVG8mGNSyvdc6wOUvqjHdQZdKv_2WD8IoAqv65b4RTHYV6HEc6qdm9mtXr_a-gETq55nkyBAA/s1600/P1150449.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;">Heat the oven to 425˚ F and place heads of garlic (trimmed side up) on a square of foil. Drizzle with 1 Tbsp. of olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Wrap garlic tightly in foil and place in oven to roast. (Allow the garlic to get a head-start on the roasting for about 20 minutes before roasting the tomatoes and peppers.) While garlic roasts, line a heavy rimmed baking sheet with foil and spritz with cooking spray, quarter tomatoes and seed and slice peppers. Spread vegetables evenly on tray and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and chopped fresh herbs. Drizzle with remaining olive oil. </span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0wzygUIpyxtnSCrYZFSxuoIvF8jQtT_v01meAiya0AtzhZt2qwSlQ-lXs-Kp7K6Wn7L-N_BMsFjn5UMP7_lvFIEPdauJxvt_nOvACQdMO8xGXMUr6ohyphenhyphenenbKonloPh-uRbLsvZT4Crw/s1600/P1150451.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0wzygUIpyxtnSCrYZFSxuoIvF8jQtT_v01meAiya0AtzhZt2qwSlQ-lXs-Kp7K6Wn7L-N_BMsFjn5UMP7_lvFIEPdauJxvt_nOvACQdMO8xGXMUr6ohyphenhyphenenbKonloPh-uRbLsvZT4Crw/s1600/P1150451.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;"> After the garlic has roasted for about 20 minutes, place the tray of tomatoes into the oven to roast for an additional 20-30 minutes. Check occasionally - the finished tomatoes and peppers should be lightly browned, soft, and have yielded their juices. The garlic cloves should be brown and fragrant. Remove tray and garlic packet from oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes before handling.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;">Once the roasted vegetables have cooled, scrape the tomatoes, peppers, all their juices, and any browned bits into a heavy sauce pan. Squeeze individual garlic cloves into the tomato mixture and discard the papery skin. Add chicken broth and sugar to tomato mixture and heat over medium-high. Simmer soup for about 10 minutes then remove from heat, puree in a blender or with an immersion blender until it is smooth and creamy. Return to low heat and slowly stir in cream. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. (If the soup is too thick, you can thin it out to your liking with a little additional cream or broth.) Serve with grilled cheese sandwiches, croutons, or crusty bread! Yum!</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02374107286393765907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34039358253993493.post-67820879365381327142014-09-24T19:54:00.002-07:002014-09-24T19:54:48.625-07:00Do the Twist<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK1tdPs-HHt375K7aUKqeqblnqm_XYGLjstiCeVf0XTDOjJPGuS-GmX0KvRnfQP-ripRi3yYuxrWdY7eRGNnUifPDSqas7IvLMm0yPW2-hVBYYgrihQtxZOViW20EPW-Suse_s4aqO_w/s1600/P1150443.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK1tdPs-HHt375K7aUKqeqblnqm_XYGLjstiCeVf0XTDOjJPGuS-GmX0KvRnfQP-ripRi3yYuxrWdY7eRGNnUifPDSqas7IvLMm0yPW2-hVBYYgrihQtxZOViW20EPW-Suse_s4aqO_w/s1600/P1150443.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #073763;"><b>Seared Ahi with Soba Noodles, Spiralized Veggies, and Avocado Lime Dressing</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;"><i>So excited to be back in Oregon after nearly a month away working in St. Louis! My husband, my dog, my garden, and (of course) my kitchen have been sorely missed. Upon reacquainting myself with my favorite room in the house, I stumbled upon a little-used tool in my cooking arsenal: the vegetable spiralizer! It's a weird little gadget that looks a bit like a Medieval torture device. In spite of its rather terrifying shape (lots of sharp blades and jagged edges), it is effective in turning and twisting veggies into fun noodle shapes. I threw together this little cold noodle and veggie meal to enjoy a lighter dinner before the weather turns decidedly fall-like. Note that if you don't have a spiralizer, use a vegetable peeler to make ultra-thin ribbons of the carrots, cucumbers, and peppers in this yummy produce-packed meal.</i></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;"><i><b>Ingredients</b></i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 6-7 oz. ahi tuna steaks</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">- 3 oz. soba noodles </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">- 4 cloves garlic</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 Tbsp. lemon juice</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 tsp. Chinese hot mustard</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">- 4 Tbsp. soy sauce, divided</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 Tbsp. olive oil</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 Tbsp. grated ginger, divided</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 Tbsp. rice vinegar </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 tsp. hot sesame oil</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">- juice from one lime</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">- 1/2 avocado</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 Tbsp. vegetable or grape seed oil</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 carrot, spiralized into long noodles</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 cucumber peeled and spiralized into long noodles</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 jalapeno, seeded and sliced thin</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced thin</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">- 4 green onions, trimmed and chopped</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 tsp. toasted sesame seeds</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">- salt and pepper </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeB6rmhDciCQDfS6LanF3THv0Dr4kWoZhlRr0Vbzqfx-GUC7l7n5hWwIxpTmSLv1kepnyZ0R8SwTBbhR9vdRo_M3OGSArE_jbwP4FMSUJorkQ5rrQ2RPgkif-wmi7raKir_x88-JPg8A/s1600/P1150437.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeB6rmhDciCQDfS6LanF3THv0Dr4kWoZhlRr0Vbzqfx-GUC7l7n5hWwIxpTmSLv1kepnyZ0R8SwTBbhR9vdRo_M3OGSArE_jbwP4FMSUJorkQ5rrQ2RPgkif-wmi7raKir_x88-JPg8A/s1600/P1150437.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">SOY MARINATED TUNA STEAKS</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">In a small bowl, whisk together 2 grated garlic cloves, half the grated ginger, mustard, 2 Tbsp. soy sauce, lemon juice, and olive oil together. Sprinkled both sides of tuna steaks with salt and pepper. Place tuna in a shallow dish and pour half the marinade over it, flip the steaks over and cover with remaining marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in refrigerator for at least 20 minutes (1-2 hours is better.)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvw8N0yDIAF-5ZWJjlfoA0yucmViUzSXARQY8eaxtPzNQ6RYlIa-xmljXZ-EkgiGYSMKJs2JTnFdAOweeumFCKPiD4WXdMn-8N0S2T5nKNkyt7Gt1ir0y0zlvI2-FW01TSBieVHHUCRw/s1600/P1150441.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvw8N0yDIAF-5ZWJjlfoA0yucmViUzSXARQY8eaxtPzNQ6RYlIa-xmljXZ-EkgiGYSMKJs2JTnFdAOweeumFCKPiD4WXdMn-8N0S2T5nKNkyt7Gt1ir0y0zlvI2-FW01TSBieVHHUCRw/s1600/P1150441.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">AVOCADO LIME DRESSING AND NOODLES</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">To make the dressing, combine remaining grated garlic cloves and ginger, cilantro, lime juice, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and avocado in a blender. Puree mixture until smooth and then season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">While the tuna is marinating, slice and spiralize the veggies. Place spiralized cucumber, peppers, and carrots in a colander over a bowl and allow excess water to drain for about 20 minutes (this helps keep the veggies from getting soggy). </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">While the veggies are draining, boil the soba noodles according to package directions (about 3-4 minutes). Drain cooked noodles and then rinse with cold water. Toss together noodles with spiralized veggies, and avocado lime dressing.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">When ready to cook the marinated tuna, heat vegetable or grape seed oil in a large, heavy pan over medium-high heat. Sear tuna steaks for about 1-2 minutes per side. (It's best rare.) Divide the noodles among two plates and sprinkle each portion with chopped green onions and sesame seeds. Slice the tuna along the diagonal and top noodle mixture with fish. Yummy veggie-packed dinner coming your way!</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;"><i> </i></span></span>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02374107286393765907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34039358253993493.post-92128484340812454722014-06-21T15:35:00.000-07:002014-06-21T15:35:00.331-07:00A Match Made in Heaven<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj67WmzMVxCTm3d_qDM1EvQQS98i-AsorvHx-2d0Vf9QBbAQ-8PL9acZgCXB5Pyz2QInCciSWK6HYOE2XpY7s2hppZVrHv_7zN3vIIDQfb7tma2zqUcvWEh2W3zNEgeUvtd2cT63yDmOw/s1600/tumblr_n7jhrsqj611qb7tdbo1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj67WmzMVxCTm3d_qDM1EvQQS98i-AsorvHx-2d0Vf9QBbAQ-8PL9acZgCXB5Pyz2QInCciSWK6HYOE2XpY7s2hppZVrHv_7zN3vIIDQfb7tma2zqUcvWEh2W3zNEgeUvtd2cT63yDmOw/s1600/tumblr_n7jhrsqj611qb7tdbo1_500.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><i><b>Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter "Cream Cheese" Frosting</b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><i><span style="color: black;">A brief warning now . . . don't judge this recipe by the photo. I don't have my camera at home and had to make due with a dimly-lit shot with my phone. Anyway . . . "Vegan Cupcakes!?! Liz, why on Earth would you do that to a perfectly good cupcake?" Tomorrow is the first read-through for our summer Shakespeare production of </span></i></span><i><b>Julius Caesar</b></i> <i>and I wanted to treat the cast to some . . . well . . . treats! Knowing that one member of the cast is a confirmed vegan, I wanted to come up with a tasty option for her to enjoy. As it so happens, a vegan chocolate cake recipe is not hard to come up with. This is springy, chocolatey, and not too sweet. Frosting, in the traditional sense, is a bit more of a challenge. Peanut Butter and Chocolate are a natural pairing (and one of my personal favorites) so here we go. The frosting isn't exactly a "buttercream" but it is good. Unrefrigerated I would suggest using any leftovers for a nice gluten-free fruit dip . . . just in case there are any gluten-free vegans you are looking to treat to a nice dessert.</i><br />
<br />
<i><b>Ingredients</b></i><br />
- 1 1/2 c. flour<br />
- 1 c. granulated sugar<br />
- 1 tsp. baking powder<br />
- 1/2 c. baking cocoa (make sure to find a vegan brand, not all are)<br />
- 1/3 c. vegetable oil<br />
- 1 c. water<br />
- 1 tsp. salt<br />
- 2 tsp. vanilla<br />
- 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar<br />
- 3 c. powdered sugar<br />
- 8 oz. vegan cream-cheese alternative<br />
- 1 tsp. vanilla<br />
- 1/2 c. creamy peanut butter<br />
- 1/2 c. corn starch<br />
<br />
CUPCAKES<br />
Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Line standard-sized cupcake tin with liners and spritz lightly with vegetable oil spray. (The recipe makes about 18 cupcakes.) In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, cocoa, and salt so that the ingredients are well combined. Stir in water, oil, vanilla, and vinegar and then whisk until the batter is creamy and smooth. Divide batter amongst prepared cupcake liners. Fill to about 2/3 and then bake in oven about 20 minutes until the cupcakes are cooked through and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Turn out onto a wire rack for cooling. Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.<br />
<br />
PEANUT BUTTER "CREAM CHEESE" FROSTING<br />
One of the tricks I ran into with this frosting was that as the "cream cheese" warms to room temperature, it very quickly becomes loose. This may not be all brands, but it was with the one I used. The flavor, however, was quite good. With an electric mixer, beat together peanut butter and "cream cheese" until well combined and smooth. Add vanilla. Slowly beat in powdered sugar one cup at a time until the mixture is thoroughly mixed. Beat in cornstarch and blend until smooth. (The cornstarch helps the frosting from being too runny without adding more sweetness.) Frost cupcakes with a generous dollop of frosting and spread with an off-set spatula. Store in refrigerator until ready to eat so that the frosting holds its form. Yummy for vegans and non-vegans alike.<br />
<br />Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02374107286393765907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34039358253993493.post-43866891888873985922014-06-08T10:49:00.001-07:002014-06-08T10:49:20.778-07:00Go Ahead . . . Mocha My Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinMiE_BKW3nADbRFLlLX1S8aVrN-5k00Z7WtUNr-haNZTJh9bFtHVzaLp3hfeEW6QUUDUtxPBLtGIBInL6L2X3GeC3Ub2AA2po94tJNE2TXukE6bFmDI6PqoJVdeQlad44CktAytetmg/s1600/IMG_3559.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinMiE_BKW3nADbRFLlLX1S8aVrN-5k00Z7WtUNr-haNZTJh9bFtHVzaLp3hfeEW6QUUDUtxPBLtGIBInL6L2X3GeC3Ub2AA2po94tJNE2TXukE6bFmDI6PqoJVdeQlad44CktAytetmg/s1600/IMG_3559.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #783f04;"><i><b>Caramelizer Cupcakes with Espresso Buttercream Frosting</b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><i><span style="color: black;">My love of the Oregon-based coffee chain Dutch Bros. is no secret. It is probably my biggest vice . . . at LEAST a 3 times weekly at $4 for each 20 oz. drink vice. In the summer, when I'm on campus on a daily basis, I sometimes hit up the Bros. twice a day. I drink coffee at home, sure. I LOVE coffee. It's not even just the coffee itself, but the morning ritual around the coffee. Sitting quietly in my kitchen or office when no one else is awake, and having the time to sip at my highly caffeinated beverage while I prep for class, check e-mail, and go over what I need to accomplish for the day. The Dutch Bros. have contributed to my success. I swing by the shop on the corner on my way to the office. I go EARLY - sometimes before 7:00 am. And there they are - smiling, perky, and they always know my drink. The employees are mostly college students . . . good-looking and friendly college students. It's all part of the brand . . . the ladies are (for the most part) tall, curvy, brunettes and the dudes are athletic and charming. ALL of the employees flirt a little with the customers - I'm sure this, too, is part of the brand. While the "interest" they take in my life is likely only part of the job, I don't mind. The friendliness, the drink I crave, a little good-natured flirtation, and all for only $4 - sure, I'll play along. A few minutes here and a few minutes there over several years, I do get to know these kids like a get to know my students . . . some of them actually are my students. Around the holidays I like to bring the Dutch crew some baked treats (they are college kids after all) and this year, at the end of Week 10, I put together some special Dutch-themed cupcakes for my favorite Dutch Bros. and Dutch Lady-Bros. The Caramelizer is my favorite drink (a chocolate and caramel mocha) . . . and now it has been immortalized in cupcake form.</span></i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><i><span style="color: black;"><b>Ingredients</b></span></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 c. flour</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 tsp. baking soda</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 c. sugar</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="color: black;">- 1/2 c. cocoa powder</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="color: black;">- 1/2 tsp. salt</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 c. sour cream</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 eggs </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 Tbsp. instant espresso powder, divided</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 sticks butter, room temperature</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 c. hot water </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="color: black;">- 4 c. powdered sugar</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 tsp. vanilla</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="color: black;">- 2-4 Tbsp. cream</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="color: black;">- 24 individual caramel candies (unwrapped)</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="color: black;"> </span><i><span style="color: black;"> </span></i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzAK_2SQEydxuyYJU8Qnoa3O02ltWSz9fQlZyuJHiNmeEWOi0syLMh6t0ojPt7oisFYsvlvD4rIq6g5uiMvZ8E_Xcq2dei7ol62gKT0MD7DeXEA3aNt_bdlf3DhVY9X5Uz1VDJezTSow/s1600/IMG_3561.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzAK_2SQEydxuyYJU8Qnoa3O02ltWSz9fQlZyuJHiNmeEWOi0syLMh6t0ojPt7oisFYsvlvD4rIq6g5uiMvZ8E_Xcq2dei7ol62gKT0MD7DeXEA3aNt_bdlf3DhVY9X5Uz1VDJezTSow/s1600/IMG_3561.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
MOCHA CARAMEL CUPCAKES<br />
Preheat the oven to 350˚ and line a standard-size muffin tin with liners. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. Set aside. Dissolve one Tbsp. of the espresso in the hot water. In a large mixing bowl blend together sugar, eggs, and sour cream. Add the dry ingredients and mix together until the batter is light and fluffy. Add the hot espresso and mix to combine. The batter will be fairly thin.<br />
<br />
Fill each cupcake liner 2/3 with batter then bake in batches for 15-18 minutes, until the cupcakes are cooked through and springy. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool. While the cupcakes are still warm, gently press an unwrapped caramel candy into the center of the cupcake. The caramel will melt slightly.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUpMDYB60WnOZcpnYTz2vT3lvMof1z2XeXAiaAFOccjYd_sW3fGI3T2wy2nFlTNs63bI5nZ_1DXNDwTS0EXQZUuNi-zK4VHDV5yiCjbUl7cq4v4aWToJyv-pN6U2IAQXi5X_T22dcD9w/s1600/IMG_3562.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUpMDYB60WnOZcpnYTz2vT3lvMof1z2XeXAiaAFOccjYd_sW3fGI3T2wy2nFlTNs63bI5nZ_1DXNDwTS0EXQZUuNi-zK4VHDV5yiCjbUl7cq4v4aWToJyv-pN6U2IAQXi5X_T22dcD9w/s1600/IMG_3562.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
ESPRESSO BUTTERCREAM<br />
In a large bowl, beat together butter, vanilla, and remaining Tbsp. of espresso powder with an electric mixer. When the all the ingredients are combined, slowly add the powdered sugar - about 1/2 a cup at a time until you get the the consistency you want. The frosting will be a little dry. Slowly add cream, about 1 Tbsp. at a time until the frosting loosens up and becomes thick, creamy, and spreadable. Frost the cupcakes when they have cooled completely. Eat. Enjoy!Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02374107286393765907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34039358253993493.post-88923229927206177382014-04-12T16:09:00.000-07:002014-04-12T16:09:02.868-07:00A Mighty Sword<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg21vLtIsZave2texlDJVcyCASGRYi979M1AUbO0SCkRdnMc20vj6CX2YQ_yUhGi2ENhr5SNJSRTFYGr9BuPpcOvSt1rWxqoyM0bJECuHdAJbslpaqmFq3k0VSHRuky9sQhJOSj6hEl9A/s1600/IMG_3405.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg21vLtIsZave2texlDJVcyCASGRYi979M1AUbO0SCkRdnMc20vj6CX2YQ_yUhGi2ENhr5SNJSRTFYGr9BuPpcOvSt1rWxqoyM0bJECuHdAJbslpaqmFq3k0VSHRuky9sQhJOSj6hEl9A/s1600/IMG_3405.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #073763;"><b>Soy and Jalapeno Marinated Swordfish with Sesame Roasted Potatoes and Greens</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><i><span style="color: black;">After seemingly endless fish dishes for the past several weeks, what is this temporary pescatarian to do? I really love salmon. I mean, ours is a truly passionate affair - but there are only so many times I can make it for my husband before he opts for Burger King instead. Enter the mighty swordfish - a surprisingly mild and "meaty" fish. It doesn't flake like salmon or cod and instead offers an almost chicken-like bite. I found a couple of lovely steaks at Trader Joe's and decided to make use of my recently invigorated garden greens. This was a good meal for two. Quick to make and light enough for our recently warmer and sunnier evening hours, but still extremely satisfying. Pairs great with a chilled glass of Pinot Gris . . . mmmm!</span></i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><i><span style="color: black;"><b>Ingredients</b></span></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 5-7 oz. swordfish steaks</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">- 3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 Tbsp. lemon juice </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 Tbsp. rice vinegar</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 Tbsp. soy sauce</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">- salt and fresh ground pepper</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 tsp. toasted sesame seeds</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 tsp. garlic powder </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 small sweet potatoes, scrubbed and sliced into 1" chunks</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 small Yukon Gold or similar potatoes, quartered</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 Tbsp. butter</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">- a couple of handfuls of fresh garden greens (arugula, baby lettuce, etc.)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 tomato, sliced</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO-DePxAorM4A_NmG6MeWpdy-f9denAVLqVuRs_MO0EYE48sPG3Pyfgh_BWJOryTi51Z6-XZLXwD6eS4TN84zdAPGC7w2V8Qy_uICFRyqSzQAuAWCpoMZNIM-Yu4JMOj2FtIwqjcDI-g/s1600/IMG_3402.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO-DePxAorM4A_NmG6MeWpdy-f9denAVLqVuRs_MO0EYE48sPG3Pyfgh_BWJOryTi51Z6-XZLXwD6eS4TN84zdAPGC7w2V8Qy_uICFRyqSzQAuAWCpoMZNIM-Yu4JMOj2FtIwqjcDI-g/s1600/IMG_3402.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, lemon juice, vinegar, 1 Tbsp. olive oil, and diced jalapeno pepper. Place swordfish steaks in a shallow dish (such as a pie dish) and season both sides with salt and pepper. Pour soy sauce mixture over steaks and cover evenly. Cover dish with plastic wrap and allow fish to marinate in refrigerator for at least one hour. (A great way to plan ahead is to whip up the marinade in the morning before work - when you get home, dinner is only about 25 minutes away!)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQYclo2WyCB-IjUP7PsNPb6hBMfrnIi0NrWyX_kkgAcRlx8i1WyCKdk_eVx1BjGvPF00wLZymkP5a1KypFdkCiY1Pu8LWecJZb0cRTwVSYGWSKOjWGhds0mBkljoIWeME3r4Nu_uuScA/s1600/IMG_3403.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQYclo2WyCB-IjUP7PsNPb6hBMfrnIi0NrWyX_kkgAcRlx8i1WyCKdk_eVx1BjGvPF00wLZymkP5a1KypFdkCiY1Pu8LWecJZb0cRTwVSYGWSKOjWGhds0mBkljoIWeME3r4Nu_uuScA/s1600/IMG_3403.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
To roast the potatoes, preheat the oven to 425˚F and line a baking sheet with foil spritzed with cooking spray. Toss together potato chunks with garlic powder, 1 Tbsp. olive oil, sesame seeds, and salt and pepper. Spread potatoes out evenly on prepared baking sheet. Roast in oven for about 20-25 minutes until the potatoes have become soften and slightly browned on the edges. Remove from oven.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyKbVjWCJhRXA5BQNJeDlkDVY90FfMBHKSgWb2fXeevg2LGF5ZS4rQ4I9RwM-I6PELMNWPWe8TmUV4h2DaB3qkqUQo9surpCAFPMhJ8828a0WeV23efvPiTeABcML8bjKIwUDmYlIHJQ/s1600/IMG_3404.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyKbVjWCJhRXA5BQNJeDlkDVY90FfMBHKSgWb2fXeevg2LGF5ZS4rQ4I9RwM-I6PELMNWPWe8TmUV4h2DaB3qkqUQo9surpCAFPMhJ8828a0WeV23efvPiTeABcML8bjKIwUDmYlIHJQ/s1600/IMG_3404.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
To assemble and complete the meal, divide greens and tomato slices among two plates and top with equal portions of roasted potatoes. To sear the fish, heat butter and remaining Tbsp. of olive oil in a heavy pan over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, arrange fish in pan, reserving marinade. Sear for 2-3 minutes, turn over and sear the other side for 2-3 minutes. The fish should be lightly browned and still opaque in the middle. Remove fish from heat and tent with foil while you prepare the pan sauce.<br />
<br />
While fish rests, lower heat to medium and pour reserved marinade into the remaining oils in pan. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. The sauce will bubble and thicken quickly - about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Top each plate of greens, tomatoes, and potatoes with a swordfish steak then divide pan sauce amongst portions and pour over the fish. Eat up! It's good!<br />
<br />
<br />Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02374107286393765907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34039358253993493.post-47696846543544671822014-04-09T17:48:00.000-07:002014-04-09T17:48:06.146-07:00Cassoulet . . . You Say?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH4aHwlXgkoEErT97_Ro61SGBAO6gfcmHXAOmY6KrrAs_myU-d_0i8Nj9Xn6CUJ-fWiCQfIGZqSiTKBceXwEo0OYvrRXD9RT0zk8ZD-ErDWtBiAD9CQuSVWszKFIXAkuQur54TKqlLKA/s1600/P1130966.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH4aHwlXgkoEErT97_Ro61SGBAO6gfcmHXAOmY6KrrAs_myU-d_0i8Nj9Xn6CUJ-fWiCQfIGZqSiTKBceXwEo0OYvrRXD9RT0zk8ZD-ErDWtBiAD9CQuSVWszKFIXAkuQur54TKqlLKA/s1600/P1130966.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #274e13;"><b>Vegetarian Cassoulet </b></span><br />
<i>Our book club (or as my husband likes to call it - "drunk club") typically chooses a rather tasty title. We are all foodies as well as readers and enjoy gathering together over a meal and wine with our book. We have read many "food books" (Michael Pollon's <b>Cooked</b></i><b> </b><i>or Julia Child's <b>My Life in France</b> come to mind), but even when the book is not a specific chef biography or book about "food culture" - we enjoy preparing a meal somehow connected with the chosen text. Our most recent choice was the Christopher Moore's comic quasi-historical romp through the late 19th century Parisian art scene, <b>Sacré Bleu</b>. Obviously this put French cuisine on the menu . . . wine, cheese, bread, etc. As host this time around I decided to make the main dish, but my Lenten vegetarianism posed a challenge to create something hearty and somehow culturally relevant to the novel, but also meat-free. A slow-cooked cassoulet seemed right, but these rich bean stews are traditionally cooked with ample quantities of sausage and any number of other varieties of animal flesh. I came up with this rich tasting version which is filling and hits all the right flavor notes. It is also easily made vegan by substituting the butter for the toasted breadcrumbs with olive oil. It was an enjoyable meal - perfect to feed a crowd.</i><br />
<i></i><br />
<br />
<i><b>Ingredients</b></i><br />
- 1 lb. dried cannelini beans (soaked in water overnight and drained)<br />
- 2-4 Tbsp. olive oil<br />
- 1 lb. tofu Italian sausage ("soy-sage"), sliced into disks<br />
- 4 medium leeks (white and light green parts), rinsed and chopped<br />
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped<br />
- 3 sticks of celery, diced<br />
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced<br />
- several springs of fresh thyme, oregano, and parsley tied up in an herb sachet or herb infuser<br />
- 2 bay leaves<br />
- 1/4 c. tomato paste<br />
- 1 tsp. sugar <br />
- 2 c. dry white wine - such as pinot gris<br />
- 28 oz. whole tomatoes and their juices<br />
- 1 qt. vegetable broth<br />
- salt and fresh ground pepper<br />
- 2 small handfuls finely chopped parsley<br />
- 2 c. of dried breadcrumbs<br />
- 2 Tbsp. of butter (or olive oil) <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCvrFUYy6haGA6-Q9yRkXdXGGvfPmiWtKr3nreI9p11AwUJ8sUh3avXMUtfAst1JPDxEDM-DUEzKoPrmqLc_GVr5l1PvxrHS-QR4y3XdD06Li6SNBV1klJV9hhvVu7aIlPrjUcXAzH1A/s1600/P1130953.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCvrFUYy6haGA6-Q9yRkXdXGGvfPmiWtKr3nreI9p11AwUJ8sUh3avXMUtfAst1JPDxEDM-DUEzKoPrmqLc_GVr5l1PvxrHS-QR4y3XdD06Li6SNBV1klJV9hhvVu7aIlPrjUcXAzH1A/s1600/P1130953.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
In a large, heavy pot (such as a Dutch oven), heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil over medium. Add sliced "soy-sage" to oil and brown gently, turning occasionally with a wooden spoon. Be careful not to overcook.<br />
<br />
Remove browned "soy-sage" from pan with a slotted spoon and set aside on a paper towel-lined plate. Add 2 more Tbsp. if pan has become dry. Add chopped leeks to hot oil and stir gently, cooking until leeks begin to soften, season with salt and pepper and add carrots, celery, and garlic. Cook over medium 5-7 minutes until vegetables are soft and fragrant. Season with additional salt and pepper.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4LyO6-48p3j-AxiddRgvMu_U2kpTKa3Pr6MpbSONwJHGwk5x_UZBI9HWKDznr5sI0c-7-NwamTn1GGmIQEhHF1LAy1qQ-c2J2m2qM6LFilveMIj8n4VSDBT5h5J_5qjFZrdMeONsVhw/s1600/P1130954.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4LyO6-48p3j-AxiddRgvMu_U2kpTKa3Pr6MpbSONwJHGwk5x_UZBI9HWKDznr5sI0c-7-NwamTn1GGmIQEhHF1LAy1qQ-c2J2m2qM6LFilveMIj8n4VSDBT5h5J_5qjFZrdMeONsVhw/s1600/P1130954.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Turn heat to medium-high and add tomato paste and sugar to vegetable mix. Cook, stirring constantly for one minute. Then add tomatoes and their juices, bay leaves, herb sachet, beans, wine, and broth. Turn heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low (or low depending on your range) and allow mixture to simmer gently for 2-3 hours, until beans become soft and cooked through. (You may need to add more liquid as the mixture cooks if it starts to look dry. Check and stir periodically.)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFY6iKcF-VprNqiJ-Ptxr-vLwqKWUR_78iMn0aC5zFJKs5zA5Ty3QaGhd0h-ncZjGRT94paskVTNrIaft7Ihry7o_HMhWqx1H99xRyJwzyOWxTYzAamoO2cKyTSvxmMQwf32Kq1gexNA/s1600/P1130957.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFY6iKcF-VprNqiJ-Ptxr-vLwqKWUR_78iMn0aC5zFJKs5zA5Ty3QaGhd0h-ncZjGRT94paskVTNrIaft7Ihry7o_HMhWqx1H99xRyJwzyOWxTYzAamoO2cKyTSvxmMQwf32Kq1gexNA/s1600/P1130957.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
Sometime in the LONG process of slow-cooking, toast the bread crumbs by melting butter (or heating olive oil) in a medium pan over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs and one small handful of chopped parsley and stir gently over heat until the breadcrumbs become toasty and caramel-colored. Remove from heat and set aside.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2_quu0tzQ-IzGAIKniEqLry9_-4Ilu-OuniD0gCHQh1YkXU_1GriYc3BXC_Cy_VFscyL01py3sGTCAEXOSecNlGjWhrokjSAdCGhoeoAq6C1wsKvnZYgCmh8mBnhN-QHJqlRpK9Ba_g/s1600/P1130960.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2_quu0tzQ-IzGAIKniEqLry9_-4Ilu-OuniD0gCHQh1YkXU_1GriYc3BXC_Cy_VFscyL01py3sGTCAEXOSecNlGjWhrokjSAdCGhoeoAq6C1wsKvnZYgCmh8mBnhN-QHJqlRpK9Ba_g/s1600/P1130960.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
When the beans have softened (most of the liquid should be soaked in at this point, but the mixture shouldn't be "dry"), heat the oven to 350˚F. Remove the herb sachet and bay leaves from the pot and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the browned "soy-sage" and remaining chopped parsley to bean mixture and stir to combine. Remove from heat and sprinkle evenly with toasted breadcrumbs. Bake cassoulet in oven for 30-40 minutes. Remove and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving. It goes great with crusty bread and wine!Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02374107286393765907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34039358253993493.post-47994898317830382812014-02-10T08:33:00.001-08:002014-02-10T08:33:17.283-08:00Easy Appetizing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzu24MKQQcCmyEyBSN-nGTcci2sdi9RRVJpGzZqi0QyQBRLwCOqJ2FKKLaDhSFfU3YHtoI_NEWGo7EiIMKeArCebUUThV0cEJ9Lac4s1LNEOLPCOxGF9nEmMSnjAP7XHIPTaZvQzrEjA/s1600/P1130272.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzu24MKQQcCmyEyBSN-nGTcci2sdi9RRVJpGzZqi0QyQBRLwCOqJ2FKKLaDhSFfU3YHtoI_NEWGo7EiIMKeArCebUUThV0cEJ9Lac4s1LNEOLPCOxGF9nEmMSnjAP7XHIPTaZvQzrEjA/s1600/P1130272.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b><span style="color: #4c1130;">Smoky and Spicy Curried Eggplant and Red Pepper Dip</span></b><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="color: black;"><i>I LOVE eggplant. This versatile nightshade family member with its exotic purple skin and sweet, tender flesh is central to a variety of tasty vegetarian recipes. I was on a curry kick when I threw together this easy rich-tasting (vegan) dip for a party a couple of months ago. I was smart enough to make a double batch and then added coconut milk to the leftovers and used it as the sauce for a slow-cooked chicken curry later in the week. Oh beautiful eggplant . . . I salute you for all you've given to me!</i></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="color: black;"><i><b>Ingredients</b></i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 large eggplant, ends trimmed off and cut into 1" cubes</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 yellow onion, peeled and diced</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 Tbsp. curry powder</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="color: black;">- 1/4 c. plus 2 Tbsp. olive oil</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 Tbsp. smoked paprika</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="color: black;">- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="color: black;">- 1/2 tsp. onion powder </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 tsp. red pepper flakes</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="color: black;">- salt and pepper </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="color: black;">- pita chips or flat bread for serving</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr3Rtfbp-NXFeCRcqXO_fgPT77OoAqdG-fvon32DpWBB2vBaA_g3oEsSGi9tuAH9RnS_ytHjldIQlNAEMt78cmdxHWVbm-W4GR0vqp242UcgObPy9hyphenhyphenTTPf6_BoFJS1vtOnbfp7BLdPg/s1600/P1130269.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr3Rtfbp-NXFeCRcqXO_fgPT77OoAqdG-fvon32DpWBB2vBaA_g3oEsSGi9tuAH9RnS_ytHjldIQlNAEMt78cmdxHWVbm-W4GR0vqp242UcgObPy9hyphenhyphenTTPf6_BoFJS1vtOnbfp7BLdPg/s1600/P1130269.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
Preheat oven to 400˚ F. Line a heavy rimmed baking sheet with foil and spritz lightly with cooking spray. Arrange prepared vegetables on baking sheet (it's okay if they overlap a little as you will mix them up periodically when they roast). Sprinkle with salt, pepper, curry, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper flakes. Drizzle with 2 Tbsp. of olive oil.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicfpwxLn41LcVslpOWNVrYi6X39aAAjWB-DgMCGI6rhMjHvYP0pLcK4In5rBl3p52BWh_xmKRDrBydOiAIa2VksQMdu2fFSamnDElhD2SyAWCNyWD5O9vgMrZhY5mKeOtr9ULGNeICnA/s1600/P1130270.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicfpwxLn41LcVslpOWNVrYi6X39aAAjWB-DgMCGI6rhMjHvYP0pLcK4In5rBl3p52BWh_xmKRDrBydOiAIa2VksQMdu2fFSamnDElhD2SyAWCNyWD5O9vgMrZhY5mKeOtr9ULGNeICnA/s1600/P1130270.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
Roast vegetables in oven for about 40 minutes until they become soft, brown, and caramelized. Stir them occasionally as they roast with a pair of tongs.<br />
<br />
Once they have cooked through, remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicup1fhNGEExbzO1lNDeg8fIIfo7JQZSFovOjc5pLlbLma_TleCaaKwIPdFs-N5pJw7hPnzbbZH2wIqxcdBkn5vS2qvdogabaGJfdz-vBrR8Hji66kGuowUBVDTb5SY9rrSOtCpAtDWA/s1600/P1130271.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicup1fhNGEExbzO1lNDeg8fIIfo7JQZSFovOjc5pLlbLma_TleCaaKwIPdFs-N5pJw7hPnzbbZH2wIqxcdBkn5vS2qvdogabaGJfdz-vBrR8Hji66kGuowUBVDTb5SY9rrSOtCpAtDWA/s1600/P1130271.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
Place roasted vegetable in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until a rough paste forms. With the machine running, slowly pour the remaining olive oil into the mixture and allow to blend until smooth. Season with additional paprika, curry, pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste. You can make it as spicy as you like! Serve at room temperature. So, so good! Enjoy with pita chips, flat bread, or sliced raw vegetables!Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02374107286393765907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34039358253993493.post-74831794204009316192014-01-10T13:16:00.000-08:002014-01-11T11:18:07.151-08:00The Three Bs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHIFTNFyiXwfooCKlE-1bGWR-f0N68rLq9RCgrF4AtJ8kyGYpf3Y3i4TBzQYo4LSVsFNNAi4AjTEYQp6c8M6eNaSfQ6YVytZhk5H__vqKLyUfjFJp4Yb1DXnJ3KBaYo2rwt6t2Pi0IcQ/s1600/P1130268.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHIFTNFyiXwfooCKlE-1bGWR-f0N68rLq9RCgrF4AtJ8kyGYpf3Y3i4TBzQYo4LSVsFNNAi4AjTEYQp6c8M6eNaSfQ6YVytZhk5H__vqKLyUfjFJp4Yb1DXnJ3KBaYo2rwt6t2Pi0IcQ/s1600/P1130268.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #073763;"><b>Sweet and Smoky Beans with Beer and Bacon</b></span><br />
<i>I love beans. I could eat them every day and never get bored. Flavorful, versatile, and budget-friendly, beans are a nutritional home run! They are naturally low in fat, protein-packed, and full of iron, folate, fiber, and B vitamins . . . and did I mention they are delicious? One of our household goals in 2014 is to be more budget-conscious (particularly where trips to the grocery store are concerned) and beans are a great staple to include in the rotation. Slow-cooked with an inexpensive cut of meat or as the backbone to a tasty vegetarian chili, these little babies will keep our bellies and wallets full. I was craving something a little sweet, a little spicy, and very meaty the other night and came up with this delicious winter dish. Using a coupon and timing the sale just right, I got a hold of an organic pork tenderloin for less than $5 and added some of my pantry ingredients. It wasn't exactly a "quick" dinner, but it was easy and delicious. Slow cooking inexpensive cuts is a great way to get tender, flavorful meat on a budget. While I cooked it over low heat in my Dutch oven, this could easily be made in a Crock Pot. Coming home to hot dinner? Yes please!</i><br />
<br />
<i><b>Ingredients</b></i><br />
- 1 lb. dried pinto beans, rinsed then soaked overnight in cold water<i> </i><br />
- 6 slices smoky bacon, chopped<br />
- 2 Tbsp. chopped chili peppers in adobo sauce<br />
- 1 pork tenderloin, cut into 2" chunks and sprinkled with salt and pepper<br />
- 1 onion, peeled and roughly riced<br />
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil<br />
- 20 oz. of ale (I used a sour cherry ale - worked great, but use what you have/like)<br />
- 3 c. chicken broth<br />
- 1 tsp. onion powder<br />
- 1 tsp. garlic powder<br />
- 1 tsp. ground cumin<br />
- 1 Tbsp. yellow mustard<br />
- 2 Tbsp. ketchup<br />
- 3 Tbsp. brown sugar<br />
- juice from 1 lemon<br />
- 1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar <br />
- salt and pepper<br />
- 1 Tbsp. smoked paprika<br />
- sour cream, avocado, tortilla chips or crusty bread for serving<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihFiNfpJKzjDZzuwJnv5iNB3pLpxBokEeR4f9WtelRt7q9iOnQqdGzsB73n_oxaAIfxw-JMXQL_tIIiLwvbG4B6OH5zi6zzkPr2uazpfOmymBIY93wReBOTiSZjJifB42ciYFJ5eb20g/s1600/P1130261.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihFiNfpJKzjDZzuwJnv5iNB3pLpxBokEeR4f9WtelRt7q9iOnQqdGzsB73n_oxaAIfxw-JMXQL_tIIiLwvbG4B6OH5zi6zzkPr2uazpfOmymBIY93wReBOTiSZjJifB42ciYFJ5eb20g/s1600/P1130261.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
Cook bacon in a large, heavy Dutch oven over medium heat until the fat begins to render. Remove from heat with slotted spoon and add olive oil to pan. Using tongs, arrange pork chunks in a single layer in hot pot. Allow meat to brown on each side (about a minute per side). Remove from heat and add chopped onion. Stir onion in rendered bacon fat and olive oil until it begins to soften slightly, about 3 minutes. Then turn up heat and pour ale into the pot. Deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQXJ6khKWvzi7nPOYUk5_npz75LXxQp90naJCjX4rm2tgikwk6shdSSZdDLbylXcOSEu_wRiDIQ8dMuLR4NkSQQdSL3wSW3xvFhzFHJoiF8j8tBV7VDb8A2Q-QMCH0eMViTXFtrVUf7g/s1600/P1130262.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQXJ6khKWvzi7nPOYUk5_npz75LXxQp90naJCjX4rm2tgikwk6shdSSZdDLbylXcOSEu_wRiDIQ8dMuLR4NkSQQdSL3wSW3xvFhzFHJoiF8j8tBV7VDb8A2Q-QMCH0eMViTXFtrVUf7g/s1600/P1130262.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
Return bacon and pork chunks to pot. Drain beans from their soaking liquid and rinse in cold water. Add beans to pot with chicken broth, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, mustard, ketchup, chilis in their sauce, lemon juice, vinegar, brown sugar, and paprika. Stir all ingredients to combine and raise the heat to high.<br />
<br />
Once the mixture starts to boil, partially cover the pot and reduce heat to medium-low. Allow beans to simmer for an hour and a half, stirring occasionally. (You will find after about the first hour the meat will become tough . . don't despair! The connective tissues will break down and the meat will become incredibly tender with more time and low heat.)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHKURx5TLtkYLwUwlvhRqvApNRH4jb-hWEVwC3RGXDHiC7_W2oCcJpKVHkRxN2czZaDSF6hGVoKsVhZxvNrn7Bd5uDxJpsIJjs6AK8glcKv3zWI0ZgkNVjGRAXIlwSJuD6z-1_6vvEJw/s1600/P1130264.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHKURx5TLtkYLwUwlvhRqvApNRH4jb-hWEVwC3RGXDHiC7_W2oCcJpKVHkRxN2czZaDSF6hGVoKsVhZxvNrn7Bd5uDxJpsIJjs6AK8glcKv3zWI0ZgkNVjGRAXIlwSJuD6z-1_6vvEJw/s1600/P1130264.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
After the first hour and a half, check on the meat and beans, give it a good stir and season liberally with salt and pepper. Taste. Return the pot to heat and allow it to simmer an additional half hour or so. Check again, at this point he meat should shred easily with a wooden spoon - shred meat chunks and remove from heat.<br />
<br />
Serve up with sliced avocado and sour cream if desired. (Matt had his with a little grated cheddar cheese - also yummy!) It's great with bread or tortilla chips! Feeds a hungry army of eaters! Beer . . . beans . . . AND bacon . . . what's not to like?<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02374107286393765907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34039358253993493.post-45491020968348018262014-01-08T08:15:00.000-08:002014-01-08T08:15:49.437-08:00Veggie Tales<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbDWrE8-ncpjGCv9lPuKrsEY1W4DlaVxmQHRrRI6DCxOCR3X2cHrMEeEEl2hszZ06e8roJQs7XGiGxiaDsn5HJwv_iwU0W0yX7MvsB_2y1sqasD3J4Yggn2jUf-7qF3MBhCLYfWgGnrA/s1600/P1130258.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbDWrE8-ncpjGCv9lPuKrsEY1W4DlaVxmQHRrRI6DCxOCR3X2cHrMEeEEl2hszZ06e8roJQs7XGiGxiaDsn5HJwv_iwU0W0yX7MvsB_2y1sqasD3J4Yggn2jUf-7qF3MBhCLYfWgGnrA/s1600/P1130258.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<i><span style="color: #660000;"><b>Kale and Pepper Stir-Fry with Orange-Ginger Salmon</b></span> </i><br />
<i>My book club is currently reading Michael Pollan's <b>Cooked</b>. Pollan, I will point out, is a very engaging writer and, so far, the book has been an enjoyable read. His central thesis, lamenting the apparently dying kitchen arts, however, is absolutely preaching to the choir of our food-obsessed club. I have very little interest in consuming bad food, and I find so much "fast food" is simply "bad food." I like to take the time and care to cook a good meal I know will taste good. I want to eat good food, and honestly, what I cook at home usually tastes better (and is less expensive and healthier) than I would typically get eating out. So why bother? There's a great line from one of my favorite movies, <b>Ratatouille</b>, uttered by the menacing food critic, Anton Ego to Linguini: "I don't like food - I love it! And if I don't love it, I don't swallow." So rarely does a fictional character capture my feelings so precisely. I absolutely LOVE food, but I am not going to bother ingesting crap just because it's there when there are so many delicious and nourishing options I can easily make myself. Does this way of life come with challenges? Sure. It takes planning each week and a willingness to give oneself over to the delightful rhythms, sights, smells, and textures of the time in the kitchen. I have come to find food-planning and preparation relaxing, a welcomed stress-relief at the end of a day. I look forward to it. Preparing dinner for me and my husband while sipping a glass of wine and listening to music is bliss. I see this "work" or "chore" as a expression of creativity and love for my family. But I am realistic - I get it. Really. I work a more-than full-time job, my schedule can be erratic and demanding (especially when I'm directing), there are always meetings, chores, laundry, animals to take care of, and errands to run. Spending hours each evening simmering complicated sauces or slow-roasting a juicy cut of meat would be lovely . . . but that simply isn't an option for "everyday" cooking. Many evenings things need to be fast and easy. But that doesn't mean defrosting a microwavable lasagne or ordering a pizza. Enter . . . the stir-fry. Packed with veggies and quality protein, versatile, and FAST. Stir-fry is so easily tailored to one's taste and dietary needs - a little lime juice and fish sauce and it's Thai-style or heavier on the ginger and more soy sauce, it's got a Chinese flair. It's whatever you want it to be! Tonight's Orange Salmon with Sesame Kale came together simply because those were the fresh ingredients I happened to have in my fridge. As far as creating a go-to stir-fry arsenal, check out the Asian section of your supermarket and do a little experimenting. Swapping one ingredient for another is a perfect way to keep your pallet engaged - just keep elements within the same flavor-realm - acid for acid or aromatic for aromatic. Prefer rice to buckwheat noodles? Go there! Don't like salmon? Try chicken instead, you crazy maverick! The point is to have fun and to satisfy <b>your </b>appetite! Yum.</i><br />
<br />
<i><b>Ingredients</b> </i><br />
- 2 6-7 oz. salmon fillets<br />
- salt and pepper<br />
- juice from one orange<br />
- 3 Tbsp. soy sauce, divided<br />
- 1 Tbsp. grated garlic<br />
- 1 Tbsp. grated ginger<br />
- 1 tsp. hot Chinese mustard<br />
- 1/2 tsp. Sriracha hot sauce<br />
- 2 tsp. olive oil <br />
- 2 Tbsp. cooking sherry<br />
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced<br />
- 1 tsp. red pepper flakes <br />
- 2 tsp. toasted sesame oil<br />
- 6 c. chopped fresh kale<br />
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced<br />
- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced<br />
- 1 bunch green onions, trimmed and roughly chopped<br />
- 3 oz. soba noodles, cooked and drained, lightly rinsed in cold water<br />
- 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil<br />
- 1/2 avocado, peeled and sliced<br />
- 1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_wdC__I8JRsdFVy_yc5An2MDNGK7HGCTO86HjDoXWOpZzrScZ9h-DjYULpBR6YGMTbe7sJU8tCCcS1G4W0CDqW3_VxVOgPYQi9IN4SIhzTBUKqR4s6_u6NbkTFzNygG5DtACoWHBI4w/s1600/P1130253.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_wdC__I8JRsdFVy_yc5An2MDNGK7HGCTO86HjDoXWOpZzrScZ9h-DjYULpBR6YGMTbe7sJU8tCCcS1G4W0CDqW3_VxVOgPYQi9IN4SIhzTBUKqR4s6_u6NbkTFzNygG5DtACoWHBI4w/s1600/P1130253.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
In a small bowl, whisk together orange juice, 1 Tbsp. soy sauce, grated ginger, grated garlic, mustard, Sriracha, and olive oil. Season salmon filets on both sides with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Lay fillets side-by-side in a shallow dish and cover with orange juice mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in refrigerator for 20 minutes - 2 hours.<br />
<br />
While the fillets marinate, chop remaining veggies and cook noodles. Rinse noodles in cold water and set aside. Whisk together 1 Tbsp. cooking sherry and remaining soy sauce and set aside.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3eJ_F0IoeUCO1DUef-nyrEX4tzxvZ3354tBVOngaZMLk43tWFQFRpCAnXKRE3wSTHnTC5dlCAUI0xrb6gdni9EhJW_MdGJV080jIo7n7zWHSboTb9Tj1mB4QbXR5mbOpXrpBl6vjSHQ/s1600/P1130255.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3eJ_F0IoeUCO1DUef-nyrEX4tzxvZ3354tBVOngaZMLk43tWFQFRpCAnXKRE3wSTHnTC5dlCAUI0xrb6gdni9EhJW_MdGJV080jIo7n7zWHSboTb9Tj1mB4QbXR5mbOpXrpBl6vjSHQ/s1600/P1130255.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
After fillets have marinated adequately heat 1 Tbsp. of vegetable oil over medium-high heat in two separate, heavy pans. (This takes a little coordination, but it is possible to cook two things at once.)<br />
<br />
In one pan combine garlic, jalapeno, and pepper flakes and cook for about 1 minute until the garlic becomes fragrant. Add chopped red bell pepper and stir over heat until pepper begins to soften slightly. Add kale and soy sauce-sherry mixture to the pan and cover with a lid. Cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until the kale is bright green and slightly tender. Remove from heat, toss with cooked noodles and sesame oil. Set aside.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, place salmon fillets in second pan, reserving marinade. Sear until a slight crust appears on outside of fish, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove fillets to a plate, turn up heat and add remaining sherry to the pan. Deglaze pan by scraping up bits with a wooden spoon. Splash reserved marinade into the hot pan and mix together to make a very quick pan sauce. Remove from heat.<br />
<br />
Divide veggies and noodles between two plates and lay a piece of salmon over each. Pour pan sauce over fillets and garnish plate with avocado slices and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. So, so good! Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02374107286393765907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34039358253993493.post-15278232083322101342014-01-05T17:47:00.001-08:002014-01-05T20:28:56.773-08:00Yes We Can!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVPe1snYPkCDrdJ6Zbyge20imSh0iN9qyVZyrQRBsRCFSf5Buo9jxRbYS3agA7yQ0amDKLNQHjEQCWorq6TV_MNXKk9amsZe0nJB5yen7ZY1Ics4BOIMW9wPiVs-tQ4ZkNEQk-5zhBMg/s1600/P1130250.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVPe1snYPkCDrdJ6Zbyge20imSh0iN9qyVZyrQRBsRCFSf5Buo9jxRbYS3agA7yQ0amDKLNQHjEQCWorq6TV_MNXKk9amsZe0nJB5yen7ZY1Ics4BOIMW9wPiVs-tQ4ZkNEQk-5zhBMg/s1600/P1130250.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #741b47;"><b>Tangy Tuna and Tomato Rigatoni </b></span><i> </i><br />
<i>It's the eve of a new term. I had a fantastic 2013 and a great Winter Break of travel, delicious food, and relaxation. But it's (once again) time to focus on work, health, and life. Weeks of celebration can give anyone a bit of a food hang-over and I'm in need of something easy, light(er), and tasty. Matt commented the other day, "It's so nice when you're home more." Yeah . . . this near-month of non-work has its advantages (clean-house, completed projects, yummy slow-cooked dinners) but also its disadvantages (isolation, over-indulgence, etc.) And so here I am ready to delve into a new term of teaching and a new directing project. Once again, my evenings will be monopolized by rehearsals and my days full of teaching. How will I feed my family nourishing meals with such time restrictions? Well . . . things like this. Mostly using panty ingredients, I devised this tangy tuna pasta dinner. It makes a ton of food - great for leftover lunches! I also got to use some of my delicious canned tomatoes from my 2013 crop! The sour zip from briny olives and artichoke hearts play nice with the rich and flaky canned tuna. Yeah . . . not everything is "market fresh" - but it's January for crying out loud! Recipes like this are a great way to get a helping of veggies, fiber, and protein in one deeply satisfying pot! Enjoy and Happy 2014!</i><br />
<br />
<i><b>Ingredients</b></i><br />
- 1 lb. dried rigatoni pasta<br />
- 2 cans tuna (packed in oil or water - olive oil tastes better)<br />
- 28 oz. canned tomatoes<br />
- 4 cloves garlic, minced<br />
- 1 onion, peeled and finely diced<br />
- 1 8 oz. jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and lightly rinsed<br />
- 1/2 c. chopped olives (a mix of Kalamata and green make a great flavor)<br />
- 1 c. dry white wine<br />
- 2 tsp. sugar<br />
- 2 Tbsp. capers, drained and roughly chopped <br />
- salt and pepper<br />
- 2 Tbsp. butter<br />
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil<br />
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped Italian parsley<br />
- juice from one lemon <br />
- grated Parmesan for serving<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQBPk6CireihsdoesU2LJf1YwgzP8HWrAgpHPlAYZse_JO6-FWAP3sn2IYg32VKZ5ZncrabES7FS2aX9Fjnq0-5NZ__NRbfpliiCMxfmlwOuj-phhqQec9rcZpEvGOWHk03g8WbVPJ9A/s1600/P1130246.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQBPk6CireihsdoesU2LJf1YwgzP8HWrAgpHPlAYZse_JO6-FWAP3sn2IYg32VKZ5ZncrabES7FS2aX9Fjnq0-5NZ__NRbfpliiCMxfmlwOuj-phhqQec9rcZpEvGOWHk03g8WbVPJ9A/s1600/P1130246.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
Set a large, heavily salted pot of water to boil. While waiting for the water to boil heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil over medium-high in a large, heavy pot. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat until the onions become sweet and translucent (about 6 minutes). Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add garlic and cook an additional 1-2 minutes until the garlic becomes sweet and fragrant. Increase heat to high and add white wine, deglaze pan, scrapping dark bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Cook for 1 minutes and add tomatoes, sugar, olives, capers, artichoke hearts, lemon juice, and drained cans of tuna.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe-MC77bv9dbcOKqKGGF0tFKqaMe4UFSZ5xHqobl6OXE83Pa4w91AAlKhO2SuvMR9whhyphenhyphenPCxy8iIrBFs6rKGOFU-16NdBzxc5r2jcprTOUgMQP4u_vNy4USoURcpl04p9UwZt0L6_13Q/s1600/P1130248.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe-MC77bv9dbcOKqKGGF0tFKqaMe4UFSZ5xHqobl6OXE83Pa4w91AAlKhO2SuvMR9whhyphenhyphenPCxy8iIrBFs6rKGOFU-16NdBzxc5r2jcprTOUgMQP4u_vNy4USoURcpl04p9UwZt0L6_13Q/s1600/P1130248.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
Bring mixture to a boil, then partially cover, lower heat, and simmer over low for 20-25 minutes until the sauce begins to thicken a bit.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, cook pasta in boiling water to al dente (about 9-11 minutes according to package directions). Once pasta is cooked, drain, reserving about a cup of pasta cooking liquid.<br />
<br />
Add cooked pasta to sauce then splash some pasta water to loosen sauce. Toss with butter to make a silky and tasty sauce! Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyXKqZ_FdbNyIiNMR5VtN9il5nNayVCOJJUxYDimnZRVG3Awy5vhjiWXUm6ISKytdAictU5ToGg1lCw75fSvbQAirdjCGdmETxx1D75BXvAxi7Frz7xc-qyi__PUWeVzGTKfwODdzyDA/s1600/P1130252.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyXKqZ_FdbNyIiNMR5VtN9il5nNayVCOJJUxYDimnZRVG3Awy5vhjiWXUm6ISKytdAictU5ToGg1lCw75fSvbQAirdjCGdmETxx1D75BXvAxi7Frz7xc-qyi__PUWeVzGTKfwODdzyDA/s1600/P1130252.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
Sprinkle pasta mixture with chopped parsley and stir gently to combine. Serve rigatoni in bowls, sprinkled with grated Parmesan cheese. Very yummy and filling without being too heavy - the perfect January dinner!Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02374107286393765907noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34039358253993493.post-45294900295434895142013-12-11T13:25:00.002-08:002013-12-11T13:25:42.043-08:00The Candy Man Can!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-M3UEkjr-KNW9w7LRnoTZU0Fvs9MPd61hJVPa7kQxLguL_noHTtnLn0MWOhEtnA5mWK5QSZiOZr5ZDbEJjPX-hmvSNgJDktt24FToUC7MKAsNMZvKIa4COs4dtreKQspul6h3AV3Zvg/s1600/P1130242.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-M3UEkjr-KNW9w7LRnoTZU0Fvs9MPd61hJVPa7kQxLguL_noHTtnLn0MWOhEtnA5mWK5QSZiOZr5ZDbEJjPX-hmvSNgJDktt24FToUC7MKAsNMZvKIa4COs4dtreKQspul6h3AV3Zvg/s320/P1130242.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #783f04;"><b>White Chocolate Maple Fudge</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="color: black;"><i>Holiday baking season is upon us! After weeks, the Fall term is winding down and I get some time in the kitchen to create sweet treats for my friends and co-workers. Although I don't have a huge sweet tooth, I happen to know a lot of people that do and welcome a plate of eggnog cookies, New Orleans Pralines, or (always a favorite) fudge! This time around I did three versions of this tasty holiday treat: a regular chocolate, a chocolate peppermint, and then a batch using two beloved winter-time ingredients - maple and walnuts! This is extremely sweet and not for the faint of heart. Also, make sure you have a candy thermometer to make sure it comes out smooth and creamy and not a grainy mess! </i></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="color: black;"><i><b>Ingredients</b></i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 c. white sugar</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 c. brown sugar</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (plus about 1 Tbsp. for greasing pan)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 jar marshmallow fluff</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 c. white chocolate chips</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 tsp. maple extract</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 tsp. vanilla extract</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="color: black;">- 1/2 tsp. salt</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 c. chopped walnuts</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="color: black;">Line a 9x9" baking dish with heavy-duty foil and butter thoroughly with about 1 Tbsp. softened butter. Set aside.</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0WMg7MD96GrbXfln94u0xN92JfAKuEikizv0KBumJkTXHo18cSdu7W_Sb4thsw-U_LOARSffPlnISLvbFp2tHX-Hfh5AU_mWtcCYvaOSpogmf35odE4QF0UJUYXNGsGefXFR4rllpUQ/s1600/P1130237.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0WMg7MD96GrbXfln94u0xN92JfAKuEikizv0KBumJkTXHo18cSdu7W_Sb4thsw-U_LOARSffPlnISLvbFp2tHX-Hfh5AU_mWtcCYvaOSpogmf35odE4QF0UJUYXNGsGefXFR4rllpUQ/s320/P1130237.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="color: black;">Heat butter and sugars over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed medium-sized pot. (Clip a candy thermometer to edge of pot to keep track of temperature.) Stir mixture constantly until the butter is melted and the sugar becomes smooth. The mixture will come to a soft boil, when the thermometer reaches 238˚F remove from heat.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIjnVfhjiUjSC7325mC7GnJWwfySKPDa4TjFPoxPMdck3n0_wAD4WHt1mp2EXrDHe_RDzfdhltcK-qjNKgn_Le8sPdiuPNmXdHRzqaU5miAN7MD93mwZ94fjMvkPoMYMDINGiH4fXksA/s1600/P1130239.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIjnVfhjiUjSC7325mC7GnJWwfySKPDa4TjFPoxPMdck3n0_wAD4WHt1mp2EXrDHe_RDzfdhltcK-qjNKgn_Le8sPdiuPNmXdHRzqaU5miAN7MD93mwZ94fjMvkPoMYMDINGiH4fXksA/s320/P1130239.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="color: black;">Pour fluff, extracts, nuts, salt, and chocolate chips into the butter and sugar mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until everything is melted and well combined.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIQBAMmj40o7qyZRNvn6qht0eS4ujv3Dd-H2fXWuF-i333J7MBLmckUVO-hFUNa__dDNrg8-EZs-pm4_B7Qd-x7_FEPms16o3NtS6w8X9rS3KV1yayGEbCX9CoCPRMJSyNo1UCK_kG3A/s1600/P1130240.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIQBAMmj40o7qyZRNvn6qht0eS4ujv3Dd-H2fXWuF-i333J7MBLmckUVO-hFUNa__dDNrg8-EZs-pm4_B7Qd-x7_FEPms16o3NtS6w8X9rS3KV1yayGEbCX9CoCPRMJSyNo1UCK_kG3A/s320/P1130240.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="color: black;">Working quickly, before mixture cools too much and begins to set, pour into prepared pan and spread evenly with wooden spoon.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="color: black;">Allow fudge to set for at least four hours before cutting. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Cut it up! Share with friends! Yum!</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="color: black;"><i><b> </b> </i></span></span>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02374107286393765907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34039358253993493.post-88609780990131937342013-12-03T20:22:00.001-08:002013-12-03T20:22:57.044-08:00Moussak-It To Me!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPgarRBLsUOn_PnkjhzV_Bo3DtzTT_cTbUxn78KoJvNmGzdDvrzWSP6Z8LG1HfDdaENbzoTFbb4HvqxWVrVROjiY-RegNlG_b0R2s1yS19isN7dqQWSNJFZNbDNWNs1aXHcCteOT6Z5A/s1600/P1130236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPgarRBLsUOn_PnkjhzV_Bo3DtzTT_cTbUxn78KoJvNmGzdDvrzWSP6Z8LG1HfDdaENbzoTFbb4HvqxWVrVROjiY-RegNlG_b0R2s1yS19isN7dqQWSNJFZNbDNWNs1aXHcCteOT6Z5A/s320/P1130236.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #274e13;"><b>Lamb Moussaka with Potatoes and Eggplant</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;"><i>I have been woefully negligent about food-blogging, but my excuse is work, work, work. More awesome directing gigs come at the cost of time to experiment in the kitchen. Thankfully, this Thanksgiving weekend has afforded me time (and ample leftovers) to create some culinary magic. My parents came up to spend Thanksgiving with us for a total of nine around our Thanksgiving table. It was a great night, but a 22 pound turkey (plus ample sides) left more leftovers than we knew what to do with. Days of delicious sandwiches have been followed by a gallon of turkey noodle soup, but what about all those mashed potatoes? There are a few recipes out there that I deem "Pain in the Ass Recipes" (my mom's delicious Pumpkin Chiffon Pie comes to mind). These are absolutely delicious dishes, but they don't get made all that often. Lasagne, ravioli, and German Chocolate cake rank amongst my favorites . . . but they are too much fuss to make unless I have the time on my hands to dedicate to a variety of steps, sauces, and a disaster of a kitchen. Well, today I decided to avoid the office all together and work from home. This allowed me to be a little closer to my stove and put in the time to create an amazing Greek-style dish utilizing all those delicious leftover mashed potatoes. While this is certainly not an "everyday" kind of recipe - it sure hits the spot on this cold December night! Try it if you have people to impress or a huge cold-weather appetite . . . or just a bunch of leftover mashed potatoes.</i></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;"><i><b>Ingredients</b></i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 lb. ground lamb</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 large eggplant, trimmed and sliced lengthwise into 1/4"strips</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">- olive oil</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 onion, diced</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 red bell pepper, trimmed and diced</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 cloves garlic, minced</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">- 1/2 c. red wine</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">- 1/2 c. chopped kalamata olives </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 Tbsp. tomato paste</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes and their juices</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">- salt and pepper</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">- 4 c. whole milk</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 stick butter</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">- 1/2 c. flour</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">- 4 egg yolks, whisked </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 tsp. white pepper</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 tsp. smoked paprika</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 tsp. all spice</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 tsp. red pepper flakes </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 tsp. garlic powder, divided</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">- 1/2 tsp/ fresh grated nutmeg</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 Tbsp. fresh chopped oregano and thyme</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 Tbsp. fresh chopped Italian parsley</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">- leftover mashed potatoes (about 2-3 cups)</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPyMHBb6IurUCsDoSr2_vlQBR2C4tPdjvMBJeGXlnJU12ImFqvVMR0GAuEA9dmZuSCT-eGwzC6PooUlKQxkk3Lx_Xs5_88rcQquFSb7G33cTvZ5cocNeYvWVXp-dpgXhaU9JzrdrGQ5g/s1600/P1130226.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPyMHBb6IurUCsDoSr2_vlQBR2C4tPdjvMBJeGXlnJU12ImFqvVMR0GAuEA9dmZuSCT-eGwzC6PooUlKQxkk3Lx_Xs5_88rcQquFSb7G33cTvZ5cocNeYvWVXp-dpgXhaU9JzrdrGQ5g/s320/P1130226.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">Begin by preparing the eggplant. Line a baking sheet with heavy foil and spritz lightly with cooking spray. Arrange eggplant slices on baking sheet and sprinkle one side with salt. Allow eggplant to "sweat" for about 10-15 minutes. Flip the eggplant slices over and repeat on other side. After little beads of condensation collect on eggplant, rinse with cold water and pat dry with a paper towel. Line up on baking sheet and heat oven to 425˚F. Sprinkle eggplant slices with chopped oregano and thyme and drizzle with 1 Tbsp. of olive oil. Roast for about 15 minutes, flip over slices drizzle with additional olive oil. Roast for another 10 minutes until eggplant is soft and tender. Remove from oven and set aside.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM3Ls69uQ7TlgYBm2qqJkCCWcRBfdAg8D2SlE6EoA8s5ubV9AIVvo-wUZztxQusGIuR767RxCw8TIIF2rPZsroQ3tfYfDRVyY8VXaqL4mSsaV5XVAwHXqEVrL5caauu_pA25pwc_SQdw/s1600/P1130229.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM3Ls69uQ7TlgYBm2qqJkCCWcRBfdAg8D2SlE6EoA8s5ubV9AIVvo-wUZztxQusGIuR767RxCw8TIIF2rPZsroQ3tfYfDRVyY8VXaqL4mSsaV5XVAwHXqEVrL5caauu_pA25pwc_SQdw/s320/P1130229.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">While eggplant is roasting, prepare the béchamel sauce. Heat milk to lukewarm in a small sauce pan. Do not bring to a boil. When milk is warm, set aside. Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium-sized sauce pan over medium heat. Once butter is melted, whisk in flour and continue to whisk for 1 minute until you have a smooth roux. Turn down heat slightly and slowly pour in heated milk about 1/2 c. at a time. Whisk the mixture together as you add the milk, it should create a smooth, creamy sauce. Once all the milk is added, take about 1/4 c. of mixture and slowly pour into whisked eggs, beating together with a fork until the egg mixture is smooth. (Tempering the eggs in this manner will keep them from curdling when you add them to the béchamel sauce.) Continue to slowly add the creamy sauce to the eggs while whisking together with a fork until you've added about 1 c. of the béchamel sauce. Once the eggs are brought to temperature, pour into the béchamel sauce and whisk to combine, set aside. Season with salt, 1 tsp. garlic powder, white pepper, and nutmeg to taste.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">Once the béchamel sauce is prepared, work on the red sauce. In a large, heavy skillet, heat 1 Tbsp. of olive oil. Add chopped onion, pepper, and garlic and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook onion mixture for about 8-10 minutes until the onions are soft and sweet. Add the lamb, paprika, olives, 1 tsp. garlic powder, all spice, cinnamon, and pepper flakes to the skillet. Cook over medium heat until the lanb is browned and cooked through. Season with salt and pepper. Turn up heat slightly and add tomato paste, stir vigorously for one minute then slowly pour wine into the mixture. Bring to a boil, add tomatoes, and turn heat down to low. Allow mixture to simmer, stirring occasionally for 15-20 minutes until the tomatoes are soft.</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6W4wlykpFvLpLyybM9LlzndC_f0YN7M2XHqBTFwxDIiXyQ3wSeu7BWairmJ_ro2aEeCMxJ63aoI_qLbe9wOn_3UpBGpwuw6mbj63LcNETsdfHew3d-Y7Rf-NX7GzOJdtbiX-8tmujIw/s1600/P1130230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6W4wlykpFvLpLyybM9LlzndC_f0YN7M2XHqBTFwxDIiXyQ3wSeu7BWairmJ_ro2aEeCMxJ63aoI_qLbe9wOn_3UpBGpwuw6mbj63LcNETsdfHew3d-Y7Rf-NX7GzOJdtbiX-8tmujIw/s320/P1130230.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;"> To assemble the moussaka, preheat oven to 400˚F and spritz a 13x9" baking dish with cooking spray. Line a heavy rimmed baking sheet with foil and set baking dish inside (this will keep for oven clean in case the moussaka boils over). Pour 1/2 c. meat mixture on the bottom of the baking dish and spread around with a spatula. Arrange half the roasted eggplant slices on the bottom of the baking dish so that is covered completely (eggplant slices should overlap slightly.)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQFTKCBf2iHB8lN_EWD7ajjqfM5bbd6TSvPf62g24JdqYpu72kt9chGx6dxPp_4df2blMe_4VxHCnhzyiWOD5ScoVmUeKjV-ezw4nk4GnYH_e5YBIOltJxNtLvqugPMd-hRqfcseegPQ/s1600/P1130233.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQFTKCBf2iHB8lN_EWD7ajjqfM5bbd6TSvPf62g24JdqYpu72kt9chGx6dxPp_4df2blMe_4VxHCnhzyiWOD5ScoVmUeKjV-ezw4nk4GnYH_e5YBIOltJxNtLvqugPMd-hRqfcseegPQ/s320/P1130233.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">Pour half of the remaining meat mixture on top of the eggplant slices then top with about 2 c. of the béchamel sauce. Layer the remaining eggplant slices on top of the béchamel layer then top with remaining meat sauce. Pour about 2 c. of remaining béchamel sauce over meat layer and spread evenly. Top with mashed potatoes and spread evenly over moussaka, sprinkle potatoes with chopped parsley.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMEo0Q-s0uIzplOyVIfbwhXXS-Ca6W22iQ2nCc3VmaPTzoJLq0yXgsc2rtQWK91nMgrQbEIrlbkQi4anzPTQPINEAkhQAorPqBpZQozJgge4iDVLhhUMQ7AUaMtdwh6trMwwR8kw3shQ/s1600/P1130234.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMEo0Q-s0uIzplOyVIfbwhXXS-Ca6W22iQ2nCc3VmaPTzoJLq0yXgsc2rtQWK91nMgrQbEIrlbkQi4anzPTQPINEAkhQAorPqBpZQozJgge4iDVLhhUMQ7AUaMtdwh6trMwwR8kw3shQ/s320/P1130234.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">Bake moussaka in oven for about 40 minutes until the sauce mixture is boiling and the potatoes begin to brown on top. Remove from oven and allow to rest for about 10 minutes before serving. It is a time-intensive endeavor, but it's well worth the effort! Yum!</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02374107286393765907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34039358253993493.post-48959269512043354112013-09-17T10:11:00.000-07:002013-09-17T10:11:43.498-07:00Vanilla is Nice Nice, Baby<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAzLMNNA_y85k_ymK2srAfJ_UvOpDHf-SnnCXHKQCGvXsqrL6o9Iz7tg5NmIVVrfq3kh7O_TTnfputRK_A3PBJ-CHxyXRiCV-rsojOZZ6k5xATAmfwuroBUXocnL6nfQ1vQ1svz4U7GQ/s1600/P1120250.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAzLMNNA_y85k_ymK2srAfJ_UvOpDHf-SnnCXHKQCGvXsqrL6o9Iz7tg5NmIVVrfq3kh7O_TTnfputRK_A3PBJ-CHxyXRiCV-rsojOZZ6k5xATAmfwuroBUXocnL6nfQ1vQ1svz4U7GQ/s320/P1120250.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<b><span style="color: #660000;">Vanilla Bean Buttermilk Cupcakes with Brown Butter Vanilla Bean Frosting</span></b><br />
<i>For the past three years I have had this really cool directing gig. I get to fly out to St. Louis and direct a play with an awesome theatre company, the <a href="http://stlas.org/" target="_blank">St. Louis Actors' Studio</a>. It's a great opportunity. And while I miss my home and sweetie very much, I enjoy my time in the city immensely. I get to see the sights, work with talented professionals, and show off my baking skills to a new audience. Cupcakes seem to be a universal morale-booster. This year's work on Suzan-Lori Parks' profoundly moving Pulitzer Prize-winning play, <b>Topdog/Underdog</b>, has been an incredible experience for me. Because of the nature of the material, however, it is very emotionally-demanding of the actors. What better way to keep people engaged and positive than a tasty sugar rush? My only real responsibility when I'm here in St. Louis is directing the play, leaving hours of free time during the day to explore, go on runs, visit museums, and bake treats. I've whipped up banana bread, brownies, and the ever-popular <a href="http://thefoodofloveplayon.blogspot.com/2011/11/seeing-red.html">Red Velvet Cupcakes</a> (stage manager Amy's choice). When I asked Chauncy, who is playing Booth, what his favorite cupcake flavor was, he said "Just vanilla." Well, there's no such thing as "just" vanilla. I happen to adore vanilla and so put together this recipe with the remaining buttermilk from the Red Velvet Cupcakes. Plain old "boring" vanilla gets a tasty twist with the rich flavor of vanilla bean paste and a brown butter frosting. Enjoy!</i><br /><i><b><br />Ingredients</b></i><br />- 2 c. flour<br />- 1 tsp. baking soda<br />- 1/2 tsp. baking powder<br />- 1 tsp. salt<br />- 1 1/4 c. sugar<br />- 1 stick butter, room temperature<br />- 1 1/4 c. buttermilk<br />- paste from 2 vanilla beans, divided <br />- 3 eggs<br />- 3 c. (or more) powdered sugar<br />- 2 Tbsp. good quality vanilla extract, divided<br />- 2 sticks butter <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqfyjr0DghmrxstszMJGISrQBvqgxvuJLwiwx3E5_ndIy6eCP7O95QVLMPjCCt-N8jslnfjx6oex1gzEla7uTxf0-50CJrEWBw-ABED9LwW7SAnKtX83mc9zQZgVr54etTcDdhyphenhyphenM4gSA/s1600/P1120246.JPG"></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqfyjr0DghmrxstszMJGISrQBvqgxvuJLwiwx3E5_ndIy6eCP7O95QVLMPjCCt-N8jslnfjx6oex1gzEla7uTxf0-50CJrEWBw-ABED9LwW7SAnKtX83mc9zQZgVr54etTcDdhyphenhyphenM4gSA/s1600/P1120246.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqfyjr0DghmrxstszMJGISrQBvqgxvuJLwiwx3E5_ndIy6eCP7O95QVLMPjCCt-N8jslnfjx6oex1gzEla7uTxf0-50CJrEWBw-ABED9LwW7SAnKtX83mc9zQZgVr54etTcDdhyphenhyphenM4gSA/s320/P1120246.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
CUPCAKES<br />
Preheat oven to 350˚ F. Line standard-sized muffin tin with 24 paper liners and spritz lightly with cooking spray. Set aside. In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.<br /><br />
In a large bowl blend together room temperature butter, half the vanilla
paste, 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract, and sugar with an electric mixer until
well combined. Slowly pour in buttermilk and blend together (mixture may
be slightly curdled looking). Alternating between portions of the flour
mixture and eggs, add remaining ingredients to buttermilk mixture and
blend together. The batter will be smooth and fairly thick. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqqKZ928GQnPc13mBNtq3FZb9Y7vt6KbhU0cyodYW-Owp6v7VcovTSifLjiXBDIfC-IORo4keyJTmeSsvUHVD00sv_5lGKbXhR_VbsoRP016G_DMR1ZIOqb0X1Gp4vamqHVbDJmm-n5g/s1600/P1120247.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqqKZ928GQnPc13mBNtq3FZb9Y7vt6KbhU0cyodYW-Owp6v7VcovTSifLjiXBDIfC-IORo4keyJTmeSsvUHVD00sv_5lGKbXhR_VbsoRP016G_DMR1ZIOqb0X1Gp4vamqHVbDJmm-n5g/s320/P1120247.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Fill prepared cupcake liners with portions of batter to 2/3 of the way full. Bake in heated oven for 12-15 minutes until the cupcakes are cooked through and slightly springy. Turn out on a wire rack and allow to cool completely before frosting.<br /><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIPdhH2GVgccAk28Tm4qZ20u3c0XQ-txEmXKErCQbQO_ln0o5qgi2gy995Ixd_qHrpw04Gs1EFeJY_DqgkvTvr7Bzq1eqtH_C6Ux1qeURTvqF9ErrAUk1G4KoxA4PObk8D7kBOhL_Fyg/s1600/P1120249.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIPdhH2GVgccAk28Tm4qZ20u3c0XQ-txEmXKErCQbQO_ln0o5qgi2gy995Ixd_qHrpw04Gs1EFeJY_DqgkvTvr7Bzq1eqtH_C6Ux1qeURTvqF9ErrAUk1G4KoxA4PObk8D7kBOhL_Fyg/s320/P1120249.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
BROWN BUTTER FROSTING<br />
Place remaining sticks of butter in a small sauce pan and melt over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon until the butter has completely melted. It will begin to foam and bubble, stir gently to keep from burning. After about 5 minutes the foam will subside and small brown bits will form at the bottom of the pan. Remove immediately from heat and pour melted browned butter into a medium bowl to cool. Allow the butter to cool and return to a semi-solid state. You can place it in the refrigerator to help it cool more quickly.<br /><br />
After butter has cooled add remaining vanilla and vanilla paste to bowl with about 2 cups of powdered sugar. Blend together on high speed with a hand mixer. The frosting may be too thick or thin, continue to add powdered sugar by the 1/4 cupful until it reaches the desired consistency. It it becomes too dry and flaky, try lightening it up with a splash of milk.<br /><br />
Once the frosting is spreadable and the cupcakes are cooled, frost and serve. Store in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for up to 3 days before serving. <br />Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02374107286393765907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34039358253993493.post-33973800191289846372013-08-25T10:52:00.003-07:002013-08-25T10:52:46.455-07:00When Life Gives You Zucchini <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNIUhWnE3jkh4FfqFRUqQ2_ppFJdYDG4H_fz4cKuQNjeodBAjFruB_rS9VNXdh1QVM3KnCoUCPkFKblDERbYAYMZpjrc4iXLX3U40ePgNbY_pTkHwF8N21OgL-s5P8MYbnXe3ACIh2nQ/s1600/tumblr_ms3jhwF1sZ1qb7tdbo1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNIUhWnE3jkh4FfqFRUqQ2_ppFJdYDG4H_fz4cKuQNjeodBAjFruB_rS9VNXdh1QVM3KnCoUCPkFKblDERbYAYMZpjrc4iXLX3U40ePgNbY_pTkHwF8N21OgL-s5P8MYbnXe3ACIh2nQ/s320/tumblr_ms3jhwF1sZ1qb7tdbo1_500.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b><span style="color: #274e13;">Lemony Zucchini Bread</span></b><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;"><i>I'm still a rather novice gardener. Last year I attempted my first tomatoes, onions, and herbs all in neat little barrel planters lining in the unforgiving rocky "soil" of our rental house. This year, as an official homeowner, I went fairly ambitious with my first real garden. Our new home came equipped with four generously-sized raised beds and hours of sun exposure each day. Tomatoes, eggplant, kale, onions, cucumbers, and a large variety of herbs have been flourishing in spite of my previous reputation as a "brown thumb." I decided to plant one zucchini plant because they are such notoriously abundant producers. What surprised me, however, was not the amount, but the sheer size these monsters will swell into. I would check on the garden in the morning and find a couple of zucchinis not quite ready for harvest, that evening they had engorged to the size of footballs. I mean, I like zucchini enough, but what the hell am I going to do with forty pounds of it? Young, small zucchinis are tender and flavorful, but when they get too big, they lose much of their sweetness leaving them a poor option for a stir fry or gratin. Luckily, the pulp is excellent for baking and zucchini fritters. I grated up one of the larger beasts and came up with this tangy and moist quick bread. I dash of ginger powder gives it just the right bite. Enjoy it with your morning coffee as the summer begins to wane.</i></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;"><i><b>Ingredients</b></i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 c. grated zucchini (use a large box grater)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 c. white sugar</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 eggs</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">- 1/2 c. vegetable oil</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 c. flour</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">- 1/2 c. sour cream</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 tsp. salt</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">- 1/2 tsp. baking soda</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">- 1/2 tsp. baking powder</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">- juice and zest from 1 lemon</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 tsp. cinnamon</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 tsp. ground ginger<i><b> </b></i></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj__3EYvVsj9ZBbkRp7Shus8OW01GS_tyj4GSW0_LpJoOMMh3G89e5YGq6aTeCA0xE3eFgMneRqJUnrU902GDfDOo31d7JlJd0gK9idnkFghxdCudx69LUf3642j11lM88Yr3SNcLITuw/s1600/tumblr_ms3jlmFT5U1qb7tdbo1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj__3EYvVsj9ZBbkRp7Shus8OW01GS_tyj4GSW0_LpJoOMMh3G89e5YGq6aTeCA0xE3eFgMneRqJUnrU902GDfDOo31d7JlJd0gK9idnkFghxdCudx69LUf3642j11lM88Yr3SNcLITuw/s320/tumblr_ms3jlmFT5U1qb7tdbo1_500.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;">Preheat oven to 325˚ F and lightly spritz a 9x5" loaf pan with cooking spray. Set aside. In a large bowl combine sugar, eggs, lemon juice, lemon zest, and oil. Beat with a whisk until ingredients are creamy and smooth. Stir in grated zucchini. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, ground ginger, and cinnamon. Slowly add dry ingredients to zucchini mixture, whisking as you go. Fold in sour cream and gently mix until batter is smooth. Pour mixture into loaf pan and bake in oven for 50-60 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the bread. If it comes out clean, you're good to go! Allow bread to cool slightly before running a knife around the edge of the pan. Turn out onto a wire rack and allow to cool before slicing and serving. <i><b> </b></i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: black;"><i><b> </b> </i></span></span>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02374107286393765907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34039358253993493.post-18769112563204474602013-08-02T15:13:00.001-07:002013-08-02T15:16:24.715-07:00Stout Out Loud!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1azaPlySNPf7mCcvzjBaJg_IeftQpfoO0FdKlGYEa33T5pGoL_8eWRTK8OmUR4bKOWuctHzW6QefOCqCTHOB-DQUw5WMgg4R6MQ_V8eyx9wom5aJcfjVnbvAgMI27slSAAM_azjKVCA/s1600/IMG_2014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1azaPlySNPf7mCcvzjBaJg_IeftQpfoO0FdKlGYEa33T5pGoL_8eWRTK8OmUR4bKOWuctHzW6QefOCqCTHOB-DQUw5WMgg4R6MQ_V8eyx9wom5aJcfjVnbvAgMI27slSAAM_azjKVCA/s320/IMG_2014.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #660000;"><b>Chocolate Stout Cupcakes with Chocolate Espresso Buttercream Frosting</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><b> </b></span><i>It was my beloved's birthday last week and it was time to celebrate! When I asked Matt what he wanted to do for his birthday, he responded without hesitation: "Power Hour." Power Hour, if you are not familiar, is an exercise power drinking - taking a shot of beer every minute for 60 minutes. It's become a bit of a birthday tradition for Matt - much like my own birthday marathon (involving running rather than drinking). To go along with the evening's centerpiece activity, I decided to develop a couple of beer-themed recipes including sweet and smoky beans slow-cooked in beer and, of course, a beer-themed dessert. The result was a moist, chocolatey, and subtly sweet cupcake with a fluffy buttercream topping. These were definitely a hit for chocolate and beer-lovers alike.</i><br />
<br />
<i><b>Ingredients</b></i><br />
CHOCOLATE STOUT CUPCAKES<br />
- 4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled<br />
- 2 c. sugar <br />
- 12 oz. dark chocolate stout (such as Guinness)<br />
- 1 tsp. salt<br />
- 1 tsp. baking soda<br />
- 4 eggs<br />
- 1 stick butter, melted<br />
- 2 tsp. vanilla<br />
- 2 c. flour<br />
- 1 c. sour cream<br />
<br />
CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO BUTTERCREAM FROSTING<br />
<span style="color: black;">- 1 c. sugar</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">- 3 large egg whites</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">- 1/4 tsp. salt</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">- 1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract or vanilla paste</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">- 2 sticks plus 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into tablespoons</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">- 4 oz. extra-bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">- 2 Tbsp. espresso powder</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2MLC_deLG4sVHXswUF1dSVmmUJ6NzJvZUwHnLaU2W8NaNv3a3_atoQRwDH4CUBFt4XPGs8sgYoc7G8GySsMSXgf5sBgUTW019HBIDxOZF3KcbRzW4bc6kzuiQ8DLbm2P7j9L1no500A/s1600/IMG_2005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2MLC_deLG4sVHXswUF1dSVmmUJ6NzJvZUwHnLaU2W8NaNv3a3_atoQRwDH4CUBFt4XPGs8sgYoc7G8GySsMSXgf5sBgUTW019HBIDxOZF3KcbRzW4bc6kzuiQ8DLbm2P7j9L1no500A/s320/IMG_2005.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: black;">CHOCOLATE STOUT CUPCAKES</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Preheat over to 350F˚ and line a cupcake tin with paper liners. Spray very lightly with vegetable spray, set aside. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;">In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black;">In a large bowl blend together melted butter, sugar, vanilla, and melted chocolate with an electric mixer until well blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and add stout. Mix thoroughly on medium-high.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black;">Scrape down the sides of the bowl again and add eggs, one at a time, alternating with portions of flour mixture with the machine running on medium. When the mixture is well combined, add sour cream until just mixed. Spoon batter into prepared cupcake liners until they are 2/3 of the way full. Bake in batches in oven for 12-15 minutes until the cupcakes are cooked through and springy.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black;">Allow to cool completely on a rack before frosting.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbrElmhW6-C-AYSusymDANv3RJTCG7KLeIKJwMq1KtyLZGtBqrDBH5tvkotYw1oazkVYeOfAwMVuaHnAk3olhY1CRvk_Oj83_Oxm_9aV-r70c8Bf_puYvKUSBWLQUlzFfX0eNHpEXT9w/s1600/IMG_2007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbrElmhW6-C-AYSusymDANv3RJTCG7KLeIKJwMq1KtyLZGtBqrDBH5tvkotYw1oazkVYeOfAwMVuaHnAk3olhY1CRvk_Oj83_Oxm_9aV-r70c8Bf_puYvKUSBWLQUlzFfX0eNHpEXT9w/s320/IMG_2007.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: black;">CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO BUTTERCREAM FROSTING</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Whisk
together eggs whites and sugar in a medium-sized double-boiler. Place
the double-boiler over medium-high heat and whisk together over heat
until the sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black;">Transfer the warmed egg and sugar mixture to the
bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment. Add vanilla and whisk
together at medium-high heat until the mixture is glossy and stiff,
about 8 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and turn mixer back
on to medium heat. Add butter, a couple pieces at a time making sure the
mixture becomes fully incorporated before adding more. Once all the
butter is incorporated and mixture is light and fluffy, add melted
chocolate and espresso powder and mix until fully blended. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;">Frost cooled cupcakes with an offset spatula.
Buttercreams can be delicate, store frosted cupcakes in the refrigerator
if making ahead of time. Allow to sit at room temperature for about 20
minutes before serving.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><br /></span>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02374107286393765907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34039358253993493.post-73766938672336602262013-07-21T20:05:00.000-07:002014-07-14T09:08:22.682-07:00Bridal Shower Power<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBIEGrSaTZ5KQjkJ9tFvuCYxOkghhYfww88gcdnscfMSdEK9f7S-0pw_ylwqQizoZCL-vvsX5Zbym_-Cr3mp6TcQqtEvpseONMiGPsoXTbvuQFC9YIC0P5DovY_eVKL2G7Qwm_pTK0yw/s1600/P1110511.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBIEGrSaTZ5KQjkJ9tFvuCYxOkghhYfww88gcdnscfMSdEK9f7S-0pw_ylwqQizoZCL-vvsX5Zbym_-Cr3mp6TcQqtEvpseONMiGPsoXTbvuQFC9YIC0P5DovY_eVKL2G7Qwm_pTK0yw/s320/P1110511.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b><span style="color: #274e13;">Summer Garden Bounty Quiche</span></b><br />
<i>It's wedding season. And wedding season means showers of the bridal variety. On Saturday we celebrated Lacey's bridal shower and were asked to contribute to the feast. No problem! With my garden bursting with zucchini and my hens laying overtime, I had the perfect idea in mind for a potluck brunch. Quiche is an ideal take-along meal. It can be made ahead of time, travels easily, and is great at room temperature. While I toyed with the idea of adding bacon to the recipe, I ended up creating a vegetarian dish to appeal to a variety of eating habits. It was a beautiful day and a wonderful gathering - cheers to Lacey and her upcoming marriage to Jeff. There couldn't be a more ideally matched couple.</i><br />
<br />
<i><b>Ingredients</b></i><br />
- 1 medium zucchini and 1 medium yellow squash, sliced thin crosswise<br />
- 2 small sweet yellow onions, peeled and sliced crosswise into disks<br />
- salt and pepper<br />
- 2 Tbsp. butter<br />
- 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh oregano and thyme <br />
- 1 c. heavy cream<br />
- 6 eggs<br />
- 1 c. smoked cheddar or mozzarella cheese<br />
- 1/2 batch <a href="http://thefoodofloveplayon.blogspot.com/2010/09/just-peachy.html" target="_blank">Perfect Pie Crust</a> recipe (omit sugar)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ct5u03nyzaLdMXk0RXKQuOX8sGBcz_s2aunPHQBnJy42Q5IvVGPXdQ8Nun-257xtHyhSfm7SNBWWlV5eS_qaKZwjyipAz1m_7tyybvvPX57xvczW-qRmVTvVcT-ZcOr3aDFz1-Y85A/s1600/P1110506.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ct5u03nyzaLdMXk0RXKQuOX8sGBcz_s2aunPHQBnJy42Q5IvVGPXdQ8Nun-257xtHyhSfm7SNBWWlV5eS_qaKZwjyipAz1m_7tyybvvPX57xvczW-qRmVTvVcT-ZcOr3aDFz1-Y85A/s320/P1110506.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
Melt butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add onions and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir and allow the onions to soften and turn translucent. Reduce heat to medium-low and allow onions to slowly brown for 20-30 minutes. As the onions begin to caramelize, add sliced zucchini and squash and stir to combine. Allow onions, squash, and zucchini to continue to cook down until all the vegetables are softened, browned, and sweet (an additional 10-20 minutes). Sprinkle in fresh chopped herbs and stir thoroughly. Allow vegetables to cool before mixing into eggs.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, make the pie crust. (Using a pre-made pie crust is perfectly fine, but my <a href="http://thefoodofloveplayon.blogspot.com/2010/09/just-peachy.html" target="_blank">Perfect Pie Crust </a>recipe is fantastic. You will only need to make half the recipe and omit the sugar for a savory dish, such as this quiche.) Roll pie crust out on a floured surface and press into a 9 1/2" pie dish. Pinch the edges in a decorative manner and place crust in refrigerator until ready to use.<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 400˚F. While oven is heating, whisk together eggs and heavy cream. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add cheese and cooked vegetables and stir to combine.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitaF6vJKQa5TDJBW1Kgg2zn6yt1Qf008s2ADFKbOu3eT_8eWNHI-DcpAv62gdMvX1ef_GfdK6D6SbSGJg81Y0jcdAdlI0F-R1rnCBeobCjm7m5hefoaOKgPUO8BnTtR3ZqHNC5b8ziNg/s1600/P1110509.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitaF6vJKQa5TDJBW1Kgg2zn6yt1Qf008s2ADFKbOu3eT_8eWNHI-DcpAv62gdMvX1ef_GfdK6D6SbSGJg81Y0jcdAdlI0F-R1rnCBeobCjm7m5hefoaOKgPUO8BnTtR3ZqHNC5b8ziNg/s320/P1110509.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
Pour egg mixture into prepared crust and bake for 35-45 minutes until the eggs are cooked through and the edges of the crust are just beginning to brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool before serving. <br />
<i><b> </b></i>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02374107286393765907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34039358253993493.post-6241844049026249872013-07-16T13:29:00.001-07:002013-07-16T13:29:30.618-07:00Garden Fresh<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVPlK6dqXRzZwURsS9DMA8KNgjXc16PV6omDqqHEQl2wm5cviXRjHZvlAQl3Hir-dpmJcKBavjYH0J1JWKGgGFjHEH787TG4Xn2-pHSFSt4rbI2AR_mfVtMvzP29Im2i88dSKCQGL9aA/s1600/P1110500.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVPlK6dqXRzZwURsS9DMA8KNgjXc16PV6omDqqHEQl2wm5cviXRjHZvlAQl3Hir-dpmJcKBavjYH0J1JWKGgGFjHEH787TG4Xn2-pHSFSt4rbI2AR_mfVtMvzP29Im2i88dSKCQGL9aA/s320/P1110500.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="color: purple;"><b>Lemony Lamb-Chops with Summer Garden Pistachio Pesto </b></span></div>
<i>I have been woefully negligent on my food blogging . . . but I do have an excuse - really! Spring quarter was a busy one personally and professionally between teaching, directing prep, getting engaged, and buying my first home among other things. Whew! The home has been amazing. Matt and I set to work priming, painting, and making it our own. It's taken a lot of work and love and we've ALMOST gotten rid of the previous owners' poor taste. In spite of the ugly colors on the walls - the cute little house came with the perfect set of raised planter beds. I've been gardening up a storm and taking advantage of Oregon's long summer days and, so far, the garden has been good to me with a bounty of delicious herbs, greens, and tender young zucchini and yellow squash. This pesto and lamb dish was pulled from my summer garden. It was easy, fast, and super taste. Feel free to experiment with what you have growing in your garden! (Note: I made four small lamb chops - plenty for two people, but the amount of pasta would easily feed four if you want to add more meat for a larger crowd.)</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i><b>Ingredients</b></i> <br />
- 4 individual lamb chops<br />
- 1 shallow, chopped<br />
- 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme<br />
- 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh oregano<br />
- 2 lemons (juice and zest)<br />
- 1 lb. dried pasta <br />
- salt and pepper<br />
- 4 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint, divided<br />
- 1/3 c. pistachios<br />
- 1 c. basil leaves<br />
- 2 c. spinach leaves<br />
- 1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese<br />
- 1/2 c. Pecorino Romano cheese<br />
- 1 young zucchini and 1 young yellow squash, trimmed, halved and then sliced into matchstick-sized pieces<br />
- 1/4 c. plus 4 Tbsp. olive oil, divided<br />
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced <br />
- splash of cooking sherry<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsXw9rwA5JhG1vr2vZo5z1SH7mkWKK7_iAdKu0D5qTJRVSQDP6hh2bbXRsVRn6cjcifNrIaucVU7rmll4JQbT_fSzODrSnmwg4GMOCnVn8Ap_MO3ZX1zITAF1ZRS3JihyphenhyphenqVfUEAGk8NQ/s1600/P1110496.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsXw9rwA5JhG1vr2vZo5z1SH7mkWKK7_iAdKu0D5qTJRVSQDP6hh2bbXRsVRn6cjcifNrIaucVU7rmll4JQbT_fSzODrSnmwg4GMOCnVn8Ap_MO3ZX1zITAF1ZRS3JihyphenhyphenqVfUEAGk8NQ/s320/P1110496.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
LAMB CHOPS<br />
Sprinkle both sides of lamb chops with salt and pepper, set in a shallow dish. In a small bowl, whisk together juice from 1 lemon, oregano, thyme, 2 Tbsp. mint, shallot, and 2 Tbsp. olive oil. Pour mixture over lamb chops, cover dish with plastic wrap, and allow lamb chops to marinate for at least 20 minutes. While lamb chops marinate, make pesto.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHP5AuM1hNAZfdY4DolJ5S_yK3blTAwr2vvUVRfe-E3DWQm1v_oxFGaRj_DQGHQ9ZJyvXFmY9linn2C8KeAN2uc0Xa6aHF_jyyILR7wyY6DBl7acFKzN3CJsxp9eSwQZ-RnrGuh6Hk9A/s1600/P1110494.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHP5AuM1hNAZfdY4DolJ5S_yK3blTAwr2vvUVRfe-E3DWQm1v_oxFGaRj_DQGHQ9ZJyvXFmY9linn2C8KeAN2uc0Xa6aHF_jyyILR7wyY6DBl7acFKzN3CJsxp9eSwQZ-RnrGuh6Hk9A/s320/P1110494.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
PESTO<br />
Mince four cloves of garlic in a food processor. Add nuts and pulse to a coarse texture. Add remaining mint, juice and zest from remaining lemon, spinach, and basil. Pulse to combine. Add cheeses to mixture and begin running machine. Slowly add 1/4 c. olive oil while machine runs. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set pesto aside in a medium-sized bowl.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiePeoWrjfPifWfBgpR7tevnbTkOqU58m8yHdLjCWTq-uz9VFiCvCTC0I0OKc2Vg7kBg06ps8iDie32RUK72m2-uOvNeUbggkbUiAzZksWjjWRB_9QCgf5HAsZaW3idKwHn3dhkhdjpLQ/s1600/P1110497.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiePeoWrjfPifWfBgpR7tevnbTkOqU58m8yHdLjCWTq-uz9VFiCvCTC0I0OKc2Vg7kBg06ps8iDie32RUK72m2-uOvNeUbggkbUiAzZksWjjWRB_9QCgf5HAsZaW3idKwHn3dhkhdjpLQ/s320/P1110497.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
After lamb chops have marinated thoroughly, complete the meal by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta to al dente (depending upon the shape it's usually between 9 and 11 minutes). When pasta is cooked, drain reserving 1/2 c. of pasta cooking liquid. Add cooked pasta to bowl of pesto add a little cooking liquid at a time until the consistency is smooth and silky.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEaPkgZduFlSEnWERJPt4FCfXrQOvGkTrMPKae8zvauEt6v8-g_scDHHUNTbGKQGJW8_5otINPYvU7XT_n3Ir0EQRFGtY8pGC6jgbd_COTQB1fNlVQXxUDiMUZtM94nD-02tiyEadgVw/s1600/P1110498.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEaPkgZduFlSEnWERJPt4FCfXrQOvGkTrMPKae8zvauEt6v8-g_scDHHUNTbGKQGJW8_5otINPYvU7XT_n3Ir0EQRFGtY8pGC6jgbd_COTQB1fNlVQXxUDiMUZtM94nD-02tiyEadgVw/s320/P1110498.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
While pasta is boiling, heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a heavy pan over high. Add lamb chops and marinade and cook until browned on both sides (about 4 minutes per side for medium rare). Remove cooked lamb chops from heat and let rest on a plate, tented with foil. Add a splash of cooking sherry to the pan to deglaze, scraping brown bits off with a wooden spoon. Turn heat down to medium and add zucchini, squash, and remaining garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables of soft and have soaked in the marinade juices. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss cooked vegetables together with pesto pasta. Divide among plates and top each serving with two lamb chops. Enjoy the bounty of your garden! Yum!<br />
<i><br /></i>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02374107286393765907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34039358253993493.post-67179640424331715642013-04-12T20:30:00.000-07:002013-04-12T20:30:15.711-07:00Cookie Monster!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDxzjWGGAtsiu8M4EvJHYshVc6bXuqxV5oZmvrRUAxllN5XaoCMk2LrE9u0KJl_VHweDeiEFR1mtdr44v42Y2JCBISHor0AfCyw85fFgWJz7KaTzSqhS1hK7Cz7_enoykwZbKGxvzV3Q/s1600/tumblr_ml5lqa1ttY1qb7tdbo1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDxzjWGGAtsiu8M4EvJHYshVc6bXuqxV5oZmvrRUAxllN5XaoCMk2LrE9u0KJl_VHweDeiEFR1mtdr44v42Y2JCBISHor0AfCyw85fFgWJz7KaTzSqhS1hK7Cz7_enoykwZbKGxvzV3Q/s320/tumblr_ml5lqa1ttY1qb7tdbo1_500.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #660000;"><b>French Toast Cookies</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><i><span style="color: black;">I won't hide it . . . I've become a little hooked on Pinterest. It's kind of an obsession, a much more dangerous form of procrastination than Facebook (if you can believe it). I've picked up a few great recipes and a few duds - but more often than not, I find some great ideas that need a bit a tweaking. I happened upon a recipe for French Toast Sugar Cookies . . . intriguing, right? The idea was flawless . . . but for some reason the flavors were a bit bland and the cookies came out with too thin a spread. I did a few modifications to the recipe and came up with a tender, sweet/salty treat worth trying. (My students loved them, by the way!)</span></i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><i><span style="color: black;"><b>Ingredients</b></span></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 c. granulated sugar</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 c. salted butter (2 sticks), room temperature, divided</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;">- 4 tsp. vanilla paste, divided</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 egg</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 tsp. ground cinnanon</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;">- 1/2 tsp. salt</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;">- 3 c. flour</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 tsp. baking powder</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;">- 1/2 c. sour cream</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 c. (or more) powdered sugar</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;">- 2-4 Tbsp. heavy cream</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 Tbsp. maple extract</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;">In a large bowl, cream together 1/2 c. (1 stick) butter with sugar with an electric mixer. When it becomes smooth a creamy, add 2 tsp. vanilla paste and egg. Beat together on high until light and fluffy. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Working in batches, add dry ingredients to butter and sugar mixture, alternating with sour cream. Add ingredients in two batches each, making sure ingredients are thoroughly incorporated after each addition.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;">Once the dough is completely incorporated, wrap in plastic and let rest in refrigerator for 30 or overnight.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;">When the dough is ready, preheat oven to 370˚ F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat. Set aside. Remove dough from refrigerator, cut into 4 equal portions, and roll each portion out on a floured surface to 1/4" thick. Roll dough into a rectangular shape and slice into relatively equally sized pieces. Place pieces, in batches, onto parchment-lined baking sheet. Working in batches, bake cookies, for 8-10 minutes, until the cookies are barely browned around the edges. Remove form baking sheet, and allow to cool completely before frosting. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;">While the cookies are cooling, prepare icing. In a large bowl, cream together remaining butter and vanilla paste until smooth and creamy. Slowly add powdered sugar until the mixture is a bit crumbly. Slowly add cream, a tablespoon at a time, whip together with butter and sugar mixture until it becomes creamy and spreadable. Add maple extract and whip together until thoroughly combined. Frost each cooled cookie with a appropriate amount of maple icing. Enjoy! </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;"> </span> </span>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02374107286393765907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34039358253993493.post-56292705636056769602013-03-28T22:01:00.001-07:002013-03-28T22:02:52.938-07:00Going Deep<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPhIQJAVDI0S5AvYM92-fcKFMvtdiaQJwCS3qCIGzflLcgqsR9Et46S1o1MxtsbMPRGVcqzp3ZGVguPtE5eOdhyFren_mzcjY2gUbQA8tRlpbrcpjP38zPFJUsDE9tvXtJIJtmmqC0Sw/s1600/P1100484.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPhIQJAVDI0S5AvYM92-fcKFMvtdiaQJwCS3qCIGzflLcgqsR9Et46S1o1MxtsbMPRGVcqzp3ZGVguPtE5eOdhyFren_mzcjY2gUbQA8tRlpbrcpjP38zPFJUsDE9tvXtJIJtmmqC0Sw/s320/P1100484.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><b>Veggie Loaded Pasta e Fagioli Soup</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="color: black;"><i>With Easter three days away, the end of my Lenten vegetarianism is in sight! But there are still a few meatless meals in my path. After thirty-seven days of flesh-free soups, salads, and pastas, I'll admit I've been missing the illusive and simple depth of flavor that even just a little animal fat supplies. Suddenly lacking my go-to ingredients, I am marveling at how much richness a few ounces of bacon or a thin cut of steak can supply to an entire meal. Not that I want to dismiss veggies! I love them - the crunch, the unexpected texture, and necessary light notes are invaluable guests at the dinner table. With this soup, I was in search of ways to add that savory depth meat so easily provides and came up with spice and smoke. (One of my favorite additions to my vegan chili, for example, are chilis in adobo sauce.) This rich vegetarian twist on a Pasta e Fagioli Soup (literally "pasta and beans") is packed with protein and a variety of delicious veggies with a subtly spicy kick. I topped it with homemade toasted garlic croutons, but any good quality bread is the perfect finish for this richly satisfying soup.</i></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="color: black;"><i><b>Ingredients</b></i></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 Tbsp. olive oil</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 large yellow onion, peeled and finely diced</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 carrots, peeled and diced</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 tsp. smoked paprika</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 tsp. dried red pepper flakes </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 stalked celery, trimmed and diced</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 Tbsp. tomato paste</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="color: black;">- 1/2 c. dry red wine</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="color: black;">- 6 c. vegetable broth</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 14.5 oz. can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 bay leaves</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 sprig fresh basil with leaves</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 Parmesan rind</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="color: black;">- 1 small bunch kale, stems removed, leaves torn into small pieces</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="color: black;">- 3/4 c. dried ditalini (or similar) pasta </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="color: black;">- 2 Tbsp. Italian parsley, minced</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="color: black;">- salt and pepper to taste</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="color: black;">- croutons, bread, and grated Parmesan for serving</span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVxKxBRvMRHNhQFbSqu6vxufHADzr3g_QGmVj6O11QxHG3CBrclvYUNPN2zN7bRGIEzwxIMa6mKQNArC0WqJWuEuRDZo0n2_1haczs7_NuF0RL59J-U1dExAZmEPkg5gSOhGJgtwv8Nw/s1600/P1100480.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVxKxBRvMRHNhQFbSqu6vxufHADzr3g_QGmVj6O11QxHG3CBrclvYUNPN2zN7bRGIEzwxIMa6mKQNArC0WqJWuEuRDZo0n2_1haczs7_NuF0RL59J-U1dExAZmEPkg5gSOhGJgtwv8Nw/s320/P1100480.JPG" width="320" /></a>Heat olive oil in a large heavy soup pot over medium. Add diced onion, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook until it becomes soft and translucent, about five minutes. Add chopped carrot, celery, and garlic. Cook for an additional 5-7 minutes until all the vegetables soften. Increase heat to medium-high and add paprika and pepper flakes. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes. Add red wine and tomato paste. Cook for one minute. Add diced tomatoes, bay leaves, Parmesan rind, vegetable broth, beans, and basil leaves. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Once soup reaches a boil, cover tightly, and decrease heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqoGsFOITVvEWNZ2rZg5wCtH5cjUZ_Qe86fgjg_tGjnME8GtS0UT2gugKS21o14eMC19WumpHRNtAa9bQHvSSLLWjstc0kJAGPvCTF3C1wJtwB6O5iqFIfn2k4p-aLyso2HubbenQZRQ/s1600/P1100482.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqoGsFOITVvEWNZ2rZg5wCtH5cjUZ_Qe86fgjg_tGjnME8GtS0UT2gugKS21o14eMC19WumpHRNtAa9bQHvSSLLWjstc0kJAGPvCTF3C1wJtwB6O5iqFIfn2k4p-aLyso2HubbenQZRQ/s320/P1100482.JPG" width="320" /></a>Remove lid from soup pot and discard bay leaves and basil leaves. Add dried pasta, fresh parsley, and kale to the soup. Bring soup to a boil and cook until the pasta becomes tender and kale is bright green, about 8-10 minutes. Remove soup from heat and season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls, topping with grated Parmesan, croutons, and slices of crusty bread. Yummy!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02374107286393765907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34039358253993493.post-48653714526173603912013-03-19T18:56:00.001-07:002013-03-19T18:56:30.596-07:00Meanwhile . . . Back at the Ranch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoBHi3ATqJKOpTBvjqCa4MgmVzaiVWsXzOqkFDwxf_zk9ZH3GPZ3AOYCjRpzd25XvYyVX2awbEr61IfREsMk7tAf7uCg0gKPiTTMG4uBhl-ZejDDghzoe_m2LpFTQytHm8dfq3suHGvw/s1600/P1100469.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoBHi3ATqJKOpTBvjqCa4MgmVzaiVWsXzOqkFDwxf_zk9ZH3GPZ3AOYCjRpzd25XvYyVX2awbEr61IfREsMk7tAf7uCg0gKPiTTMG4uBhl-ZejDDghzoe_m2LpFTQytHm8dfq3suHGvw/s320/P1100469.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span id="goog_839108123"></span><span id="goog_839108124"></span><span style="color: #660000;"><b>Huevos Rancheros for Two</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: black;"><i>The chickens are working overtime! With the first whispers of spring in the air . . . we have a dozen fresh eggs coming our way every few days. I put this quick and delicious dinner for two utilizing a number of leftovers (vegetarian chili and guacamole) and on-hand items. The only ingredient that took me down the block to the store was for a can of salsa ranchera (smokey, tangy, and a little sour), but your favorite salsa will do just fine. This is a great family-friendly meal because it's so easy to modify to suit different pallets and appetites. (I like my egg yolks bright and runny, Matt likes them cooked through. I'm full after a half portion - a single tortilla and egg. He needs the full order.) Spicy, mild, vegetarian, or meat . . . the sky is the limit! This batch was made for two hungry diners, but double or triple it with ease for larger groups.</i></span></span><br />
<br />
<i><b>Ingredients</b></i><br />
- 4 small corn tortillas<br />
- 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil<br />
- 4 oz. shredded pepper jack cheese<br />
- crème fraîche or sour cream<br />
- 1 c. leftover chili (canned is fine, whatever you like)<br />
- 1 small can salsa ranchera (I used Herdez)<br />
- 1 green onion, thinly sliced <br />
- 4 eggs<br />
- salt and pepper<br />
- guacamole, pickled jalapeño peppers, hot sauce for topping<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP6u4I5igVhJqnAkf8aZLRuSXvP7UhpaYPF37WVPhDjI2eAQnZbUszqg3AHEOW07ICESlWwoZhPSKHs6mVpBFpqjo6KVzfPI2u2CyEE9tOhi7IQU7qxuRtahPD7KLeP79XtLVYiH7T0A/s1600/P1100466.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP6u4I5igVhJqnAkf8aZLRuSXvP7UhpaYPF37WVPhDjI2eAQnZbUszqg3AHEOW07ICESlWwoZhPSKHs6mVpBFpqjo6KVzfPI2u2CyEE9tOhi7IQU7qxuRtahPD7KLeP79XtLVYiH7T0A/s320/P1100466.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Heat oven to 375˚ F. While oven is coming to temperature, heat vegetable oil in a small non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Cook tortillas one at a time - about 15 seconds per side- until they are softened slightly and brown bubbles appear. Drain tortillas on paper towel-lined plate and blot out excess oil.<br />
<br />
Spray a 13x9" baking dish with cooking oil and begin assembly.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibo_5KEq3N8EnwE_I3YYED44Sr1oeVL5vOKWUbt3O2MsUhMdeT8LqnEvtS1qKstIfeftkEGJcaLjXFaNSbTQkkPoH161-y-hTucEBECecpfDi5kD3DlWlbRr5cGi7DgPAAnvkwuk_kPA/s1600/P1100467.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibo_5KEq3N8EnwE_I3YYED44Sr1oeVL5vOKWUbt3O2MsUhMdeT8LqnEvtS1qKstIfeftkEGJcaLjXFaNSbTQkkPoH161-y-hTucEBECecpfDi5kD3DlWlbRr5cGi7DgPAAnvkwuk_kPA/s320/P1100467.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Set two tortillas side by side in the baking dish. Top each with half the chili. Spread each with about a tablespoonful of salsa ranchera, add a dollop of crème fraîche, and then sprinkle each with a quarter of the grated cheese. Top each with another tortilla. Spoon one more tablespoonful of salsa on top on the tortilla, sprinkle each with half of the remaining cheese, and then top each with half the green onions.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7M1dDZfpOBBG7saNU82yzZaNi4X_68_pGhgUbSUGud5vUMrXFwx-4drWaqQ3UkZW9Jyn45JrBcSk7DUdZpZ5VXqj_C4xvvslRLtdqrmnMXhL4DNzqaLEj_kCxbU7N39-Y9uIcgTChQA/s1600/P1100468.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7M1dDZfpOBBG7saNU82yzZaNi4X_68_pGhgUbSUGud5vUMrXFwx-4drWaqQ3UkZW9Jyn45JrBcSk7DUdZpZ5VXqj_C4xvvslRLtdqrmnMXhL4DNzqaLEj_kCxbU7N39-Y9uIcgTChQA/s320/P1100468.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Bake in oven for about 20 minutes until the chili is heated through and the cheese is melted and slightly bubbly. In the last few minutes of cooking time, prepare eggs as desired - I suggest fried or poached.<br />
<br />
Remove cooked tortillas from oven and plate. Dollop each with guacamole, additional crème fraîche, salsa, and other desired toppings. Add cooked eggs on top. Eat! Enjoy!<br />
Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02374107286393765907noreply@blogger.com0