December 27, 2010

Cranberry-almond couscous salad

I made this salad twice this holiday season. Once for a potluck lunch at work and once for a family gathering. It was a hit at both. The colors and ingredients are festive for the holidays, but the salad is really light and full of fresh ingredients and tastes. It was a nice side dish to serve with all of the other holiday foods, which tend to be heavier and richer. Another great thing about this salad is that it is a snap to make. You can even make the couscous the night before and then stir in the remaining ingredients the next day. 

December 20, 2010

Pfeffernüsse

Finished bowl of Pfeffernusse cookies on a poinsettia tablescloth.

These German Christmas cookies are full of warm spices and are a perfect cookie to add to your holidays this year. Pfeffernüsse cookies are a family favorite and one that we end up making over and over. 

December 13, 2010

Roasted buttercup squash and apple soup

I'm still well stocked on winter squash from the giant basket I bought at the end of our farmer's market this fall. We also still have a few apples left from apple picking this year. I wanted to make a simple soup that really highlighted the squash with a few background accents of other flavors. I chose a golden buttercup squash for this soup, but you could use any winter squash you choose.

December 4, 2010

Turkey and cranberry paninis

These sandwiches are another way I used up some of our leftover turkey. It was a bonus because it also used up some of our leftover cranberry sauce. This is hardly even a recipe really, but I just enjoyed them a lot. In college, I used to order a turkey and cranberry panini every once in a while from a coffee shop on campus and I always enjoyed it. I had never had one of these sandwiches before or after that. I remembered them recently and knew for sure that I needed to make these. I made two sandwiches on panini rolls I bought at the bakery. You could use any hearty bread. The below recipe is per sandwich.

December 2, 2010

Molten chocolate lava cake

Cutting into a molten chocolate lava cake.
These little cakes are the perfect way to satisfy a chocolate craving. They are a tasty single-serving treat for when you want a dessert that is warm and gooey and full of chocolate. I've made these cakes twice now and they do not disappoint. I found this recipe when I was looking for a way replicate these cakes at home (I've had a similar dessert at a restaurant). I changed it a little bit and found it was a perfect way to make one for each of us. I must admit that once I got to the last couple of bites, I had my fill of chocolate. They are a pretty sweet treat, but they are good as an occasionally dessert! This recipe makes two little cakes in individual ramekins.

November 15, 2010

Moroccan spiced chickpea and lentil soup

It's soup season again! I was reading a lot of recipes for Moroccan chickpea and lentil soup after seeing it and smelling it in the "take out" section of our grocery. I had to make it. I used what I had on hand and came up with my own combination of ingredients. The soup was wonderful! I enjoyed this soup a lot and it's a very healthy and satisfying soup (plus a great vegetarian meal). The combination of spices are warm, but not hot, and full of flavor. 

November 13, 2010

Pumpkin pancakes

Plate of pumpkin pancakes with maple syrup.

Pumpkin and pancakes -- two of my favorite things combined into one. I'm always experimenting with pancake recipes. Pumpkin pancakes are definitely one of my favorites and they are a wonderful way to use up pumpkin puree and to treat yourself and your family to a fall-themed breakfast. 

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I try to make them somewhat good for you by using whole wheat flour. These pancakes are very similar to my sweet potato pancakes. I think that you could use almost any winter squash puree in this recipe and they would be wonderful. 

I really love this time of year and I love to utilize the in season produce of fall. Plus, I think that weekend breakfasts are absolutely wonderful. This recipe will serve about 4 people. 

November 12, 2010

Cider-braised short ribs

Cider craised short ribs on potato and rutabaga puree.

Last Sunday was our one year wedding anniversary! My husband had a pretty nasty cold, so we didn't do much that day. I wanted to make him a comforting and delicious dinner to sooth his cold and to celebrate the day -- and I also did not want to go to the store. 

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We bought some beef before our farmer's market closed to hopefully last us a few months. So I was looking around to see what I could make with what we had already. I found the short ribs and thought they'd be perfect for a slow-cooking comfort meal. 

I also found some apple cider in the refrigerator that was starting to get a little bubbly. I thought that it would be a really good flavor for slow-cooked beef and vegetables, and it was. I served it over rutabaga and potato puree (one of my new favorite side dishes) except this time I just mashed it. 

This recipe (with puree or other potato side dish) will serve four people (or two with lunch leftovers). 

November 10, 2010

Red cabbage and green apple slaw

Week 8 of Fall Fest has arrived and this week celebrates Brassicas. Brassicas are a genus of the mustard family and include some of my favorite vegetables like brussel sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, kale, and cabbage. This recipe features cabbage. This slaw is really quick and simple, but also very flavorful and colorful. It utilizes fall produce and makes a great side dish to many meals. I used red cabbage and green apple because I liked the contrast in colors and the tartness of the green apple. This recipe will make serve 4-6 people as a side dish. 

November 3, 2010

Maple-mustard roasted baby turnips


Week 7 of Fall Fest is here and this week we celebrate root vegetables. I've really been discovering more root vegetables this year with our local farmer's market. Turnips have been one of my favorite discoveries, and, in particular, baby turnips. Aside from being cute, they are super tasty! The baby ones are slightly spicy, but also sweet and juicy. My favorite way of making them so far is this recipe. It's really simple and a great fall side dish (it would also make a good Thanksgiving side dish). I'm always looking for new and interesting vegetable side dishes and this one is high on that list.

October 23, 2010

Butternut squash, cauliflower, and potato curry

Bowl of butternut squash, cauliflower, and potato curry.

I was watching Nigella Lawson's new show last week and she threw together a quick and easy curry using leftover vegetables from her refrigerator. I had been wanting to have a curry, especially because I had a cold and I love to eat spicy foods when I'm really congested. 

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I also remembered reading a butternut squash curry recipe in the October 2009 issue of Martha Stewart Living magazine. So this recipe is like a combination of both of the recipes using the ingredients I had on hand. It was also nice that my cilantro made a fall comeback so I was able to pick some fresh out of our little herb garden. 

You can use any vegetables you have and any combination you like, but these three are a great fall combination. The butternut squash helps to offset the warmth of the curry with its creamy sweetness. This is a quick and easy curry with Indian-inspired flavors. This recipe will serve about four people. 

October 15, 2010

Spaghetti squash gratin

I love winter squash, but spaghetti squash is one squash that I've just never loved. I've tried it many times and it's always just been OK to me. We always end up with some because my father-in-law always grows them. So, as I've been looking and looking at this spaghetti squash sitting in my squash basket, I decided to try it draped and covered in cheese. Well, guess what? I finally found a way to eat spaghetti squash that is quite yummy (no shock there as anything gratin is yummy). So if you have been looking for a way to use those spaghetti squash, given this a try. We ate this as a main dish with a salad and some crusty bread, but it's probably best as a side dish. 

October 11, 2010

Shiitake mushroom and barley soup

This soup was inspired by an early, cool Saturday morning trip to the farmer's market. The farmer who grows and sells shiitake mushrooms was giving out samples of a hot and delicious shiitake and barley soup. I tasted a sample and bought some mushrooms feeling pretty confident that I would be able to replicate the soup at home. So when I got home I got to work on making the soup. The soup is really simple in ingredients and is very filling with the barley. It was easy to make and a comforting to eat on a cool autumn day. I think I got the recipe pretty close to the farmer's -- both were delicious.

September 26, 2010

Curry chicken salad

I actually never had curry chicken salad until last year. Once I tasted it, I thought that it would be a really easy thing to replicate at home and be great for lunches and for using up leftover roasted chicken. Well, leftover roasted chicken is what I had so I decided to make some of this up to have in the refrigerator for a tasty lunch. Luckily, I also had some cilantro that was begging to be used up, too. You can eat this on a sandwich or wrap, with some crackers, or even just put a scoop on top of a bed of greens. It's a flavorful salad and it has a nice combination of tastes and textures that really make it interesting.

September 19, 2010

Chicken, apple, caramelized onion, and cheese quesadillas

Chicken apple caramelized onion and cheese quesadillas.

I got the idea for these quesadillas when I saw this recipe. As soon as I saw them, I wanted to make them. I'm really getting into fall and fall flavors now that the weather is cooler and the grocery and farmer's market are full of apples, grapes, squash, and all the other wonderful fall produce. 

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I changed these quesadillas up a bit from the recipe that inspired them. I layered in some smoked mozzarella, cheddar, apple-wood smoked bacon, chicken, caramelized red onion, and sweet apple. They would be a great way to use up leftover chicken, too. This made four quesadillas and could easily be adjust to make more, if needed. I also made a spicy chipotle-yogurt dipping sauce (recipe below) for these and used some jarred salsa verde I had in the fridge as a second dipping sauce. Both went well with the flavor combination in these smoky-sweet, fall-inspired quesadillas.

 Finished autumn quesadillas on a platter.

September 18, 2010

Sweet potato pancakes with cinnamon butter

Stack of sweet potato pancakes.

These pancakes are hearty and full of fall flavors. They are perfect for a cool morning or as part of a weekend brunch. 

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I made these after an early morning visit to our local farmer's market and they were delicious. I make a lot of different types of pancakes (just click on the pancakes label if you don't believe me), but I had never made sweet potato ones before. They turned out really nicely. 

Sweet potatoes are such a great, healthy food, too. I had a can of organic sweet potato puree in the pantry, but you can roast or boil a medium-large sweet potato, remove the skin, and mash it up if you would like. 

I served these pancakes with some toasted pecans, a cinnamon butter and some real maple syrup we picked up at the farmer's market. The recipe will serve about 4 people. 

September 17, 2010

Celery root and apple puree

I

I'm always trying to come up with more vegetarian dishes and lately I've been trying to come up with more interesting vegetable side dishes. Celery root is a something that I have never eaten until yesterday. It's one of those things I would always look at in the grocery store and wonder what in the world I would do with it. I have seen celery root in many recipes both online and in cookbooks. I decided that when I saw them return to our grocery store this fall that I would give it a try. I am glad that I did. The taste of the celery root is just like celery stalks, but stronger. I just bought my first bag of apples for the season and had a bunch of garden fresh sage so that's what I used in this side dish. This recipe will serve about 4 people as a side dish. 

September 14, 2010

Moroccan stewed chicken

Plate of Moroccan stewed chicken.

Moroccan stewed chicken is a recipe I got from a co-worker. He was eating leftovers of this for lunch one day and it smelled so good. I asked him for the recipe and I have made this many times since then. It's originally from Men's Health magazine. 

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I'm sharing the recipe that I've tweaked a bit. This meal is similar to a vegetarian version that I've posted before: Butternut squash Moroccan stew. I like both variations a lot (the chicken more for summer and the squash more for fall/winter). 

Another great thing about this recipe is that it is a different way to use up some of your summer zucchini harvest. This recipe serves two with leftovers and can easily be adjusted to serve more. You can also adjust the cayenne to your liking. This recipe will make a medium-spicy dish. 

September 12, 2010

Carrot-zucchini-ginger muffins

Sliced open carrot zucchini ginger muffins.

I made these muffins on a cool Sunday morning. Ginger is one of my favorite flavors. I love carrot cake and zucchini bread as well. So, when I saw these muffins I knew they'd be a great way to use up some of the zucchini and carrots that are taking over our refrigerator. These muffins have a slight, warm ginger flavor in the background that works well with the warm cinnamon. The combination of carrots and zucchini is a nice change. It's also really pretty because you get flecks of orange and green throughout the muffins. Using vegetables in your muffins is a nice change up from the usual fruity muffins, too. I changed the recipe a bit and those changes are reflected below. 

August 21, 2010

Spiced peach butter

Jar of spiced peach butter.I was trying to figure out something to do with all of the peaches we have and decided to try making a peach butter. I also decided that I was going to try to make it in the slow cooker overnight. 

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I left on the skins, threw everything in the slow cooker, and set it to low before I went to bed. It was really nice to wake up to the smell of this slightly spiced peach butter on a Saturday morning. 

The peaches we had were very juicy and this peach butter ended up taking quite a long time to cook down in the slow cooker. When I woke up in the morning, I pureed it with the immersion blender and then bumped up the setting to high, took off the lid, and let it reduce some more. 

This made about 5-6 jelly jar sized containers of peach butter. It will be perfect for spreading on toast, muffins, or any other baked good! 

You should taste your peaches first to gauge how sweet they are and help you determine how much sugar you want to add. Start low and add more if needed.

Spiced peach butter

about 15 medium peaches, pitted and cut into chunks
about 1/4 cup granulated sugar
about 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
dash of sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg

Put all of the ingredients in your slow cooker on the low setting. Let cook about 6-8 hours.


Peaches in the slow cooker.
Puree using an immersion blender or in a blender or food processor (then return to slow cooker). Taste for sugar and spices and adjust if needed. Set slow cooker to high and continue to cook for another 1-3 hours uncovered, stirring occasionally, until your desired thickness.

Spiced peach butter in the slow cooker.Let cool. Place the peach butter in jars or freezer containers. Refrigerate for up to one month, or freeze for later.

August 19, 2010

Shiitake hazelnut pate

Bowl of Shiitake hazelnut pate. 
My husband and I sampled this pate at the farmers' market last weekend from a farmer who was selling shiitake mushrooms. The pate was really good and his shiitake mushrooms were beautiful. I was really excited to find mushrooms that were grown locally. So, of course, we brought home a bag of mushrooms and the farmer was nice enough to give us a recipe card so we could try it at home. This pate is very flavorful with just a few ingredients. We ate it with some flatbread crackers and celery. I slightly adapted the recipe that was given to us and used the one below.

Shiitake hazelnut pate
about 1 cup of shiitake mushroom caps, roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon butter
leaves from 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
3 ounces Neufchatel cheese (or cream cheese)
1/4 cup hazelnuts, lightly toasted
1 tablespoon fresh parsley
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
about 1 teaspoon dry vermouth

Melt butter in a small pan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and garlic. Saute until softened, about five minutes. Add the hazelnuts to a food processor and pulse a few times. Add salt, pepper, and thyme to the mushroom and garlic mixture and stir. Add the mushrooms to the food processor along with the remaining ingredients. Process until smooth and taste for salt and pepper (adjust as needed). Refrigerate for about 30 minutes and then serve as a dip/spread with your favorite crackers, bread, and/or vegetables.


Shiitake hazelnut pate on a cracker.

June 26, 2010

Lemon ricotta pancakes with berry sauce

Stack of lemon ricotta pancakes with berry sauce.These pancakes were one of the things I made with our homemade ricotta cheese. They were very light and fluffy and the ricotta gave them a nice texture. 

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I adapted this recipe for these pancakes. I'm always looking for new pancakes to try and experimenting with new tastes and ingredients to make delicious pancakes. I thought that they would be a bit more lemony in flavor than they were. 

Next time I'll probably add a bit more lemon zest. The berry sauce was a nice compliment to these pancakes and something different rather than the usual maple syrup. The recipe will make about 3 servings.
 

Lemon ricotta pancakes
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2-1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup ricotta cheese
2 eggs
2/3 cup milk
zest and juice of 1 lemon, divided

In a medium bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together all of the wet ingredients, reserving about 1 teaspoon of lemon juice for the sauce. Gradually combine the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Heat a griddle and brush it with butter when hot. Use about 1/4 cup of batter per pancake. Flip when they begin to bubble and the underside is golden. Repeat until all batter is used.

berry sauce:
1/2 cup blackberries
1/2 cup blueberries
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
pinch of fresh grated nutmeg

Add all of the ingredients to a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer until thickened. Spoon on top of hot pancakes and serve.

June 19, 2010

Ricotta cheese

 
So I ordered a cheesemaking kit for mozzarella and ricotta from the New England Cheesemaking Supply Company after reading about them in the book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle (which I loved, by the way). My kit came yesterday and so this afternoon I decided I would try the ricotta (which sounded less complicated as a first try). The below recipe is from the book that comes with their kit. 

I enlisted the assistance of my husband for this job (mostly for stirring). It was fun to make the cheese. We tasted it and it was really good. I'm sure I'll be posting some recipes in the near future that use ricotta now that we have a bunch to use. The recipe will make about 1.75 to 2 lbs of cheese. You will need a thermometer and cheesecloth to make the ricotta.

Ricotta cheese
1 gallon of whole milk (NOT ultra-pasteurized)
1 teaspoon citric acid
1 teaspoon salt (the kit comes with a cheese salt)
 

Add all ingredients into a large stainless steel stock/soup pot and stir. Heat over medium heat, stirring often as to not scorch the milk.

 
Continue heating until the milk reaches 195 degrees (this took approximately 1 hour). The curds and whey will separate. Turn off the heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Line a colander with the cheesecloth and fit it into a large bowl or pot to drain the curds from the whey. Ladle the curds into the colander. 
  
Then tie your cloth into a "bag" shape and hang to drain for another 30 minutes, or until your desired consistency (I hung it on the knob of a cabinet and placed a bowl underneath to catch all the drippings). 

The ricotta is ready to be eaten or refrigerated until needed (up to one week).

June 4, 2010

Cheese and onion salad with a creamy chive dressing

As the weather continues to warm, I'm trying to incorporate at least one salad dinner into our week. This cheese and onion salad is a recipe from Jamie Oliver's cookbook Jamie at Home. I really enjoy this cookbook. It's full of seasonal recipes and beautiful photography. I changed the recipe slightly and, as I frequently do, bumped the quantities down for two people. As with other salads I've posted in the past, I don't really give a lot of quantities in the recipe though. This is because you can make a huge salad for a main dish or make this as a side or light lunch. All you really need to know is what goes in it!

Cheese and onion salad
1 small shallot (per salad), peeled and very thinly sliced
sea salt
red (or white) wine vinegar
romaine lettuce (or other crispy lettuce)
baby salad greens of your choice
blue cheese, crumbled
walnuts, lightly toasted

Place the shallots in a small bowl along with some salt and vinegar to cover the shallots. This will make a quick pickle. Let them marinade while you make the rest of the salad and dressing. Combine all of the lettuces, blue cheese, and walnuts on each salad plate. Then make the dressing as follows.

creamy chive dressing:
two parts creme fraiche
1 part red wine vinegar
dash of extra virgin olive oil
dash of sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
fresh chives, finely chopped

Combine all of the above ingredients in a bowl and whisk together. Refrigerate until ready to serve (you may want to whisk it up again before using).

After at least 10 minutes (30 is better!), drain the shallots and give them a squeeze in your hands to remove all the extra liquid. Spread them out amongst your salads and top with the dressing. Enjoy!

June 2, 2010

Puffed pear pancake with cinnamon-maple syrup

Puffed pear pancake in a skillet.I wanted to try a new pancake this past weekend. I had a rapidly ripening pear that I needed to use up. I had never made a baked pancake before. 

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When I found this recipe, I knew I had to try it! It didn't come out picture perfect, but it tasted great. I'll definitely be using this recipe again with other fruits in the future. I'm looking forward to making this during peach season.

Puffed pear pancake
3 eggs
3/4 unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 medium ripe pear, thinly sliced
1-2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1-2 tablespoons butter
powdered sugar for dusting, optional

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees. Place a 12-inch cast iron (or other oven-proof skillet) in the oven to warm. In a small bowl, toss the pear slices with the cinnamon, nutmeg, and sugar. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, flour, milk, vanilla, and salt.

Remove (carefully!) the skillet from the oven and add the butter. Swirl it around until it melted and covering the bottom of the pan. Arrange the pears on the bottom and then pour in the batter. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until puffy and golden.

While it's baking, warm up some real maple syrup and add the remaining cinnamon mixture from the pear bowl to the syrup to make a warm cinnamon-maple syrup. Serve in wedges topped with the syrup and a dusting of powdered sugar, if desired.

Slice of a puffed pear pancake on a serving plate.

May 28, 2010

Buttermilk pancakes

Plate of buttermilk pancakes.If you haven't yet realized -- I love pancakes. Just scroll though some old posts and see... Plus, I'm always looking for ways to use up buttermilk. 

May 12, 2010

Bog salad with maple vinaigrette

Bog salad with maple vinaigrette on a serving plate.

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This is my take on a salad I had while we were traveling throughout southern Vermont on our honeymoon. I've been trying to find more salads that are satisfying enough for a main dish and, as I've said before, I am always looking for ways to mix in some meat free meals each week. I really enjoy this salad a lot. We ate this as our main course with a cup of tomato soup and a crusty roll.

There really aren't any "quantities" for the ingredients of the salad because it all depends on how large or small of a salad you want. Also, it depends on the proportion of toppings to greens you like. I'm just going to list what's in the salad and let you decide on the size and quantities!

Bog salad
bed of mixed greens (any you like)
dried cranberries
toasted walnut pieces
grape or cherry tomatoes
cubed white cheddar cheese (preferably a high quality cheese made in VT or NY)
chives


Maple vinaigrette
1 part pure maple syrup
1.5 - 2 parts apple cider vinegar
1 part extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste


Arrange your salad on a plate or in a bowl. Whisk together all of the vinaigrette ingredients. Top the salad with the vinaigrette. Alternatively, you may warm to vinaigrette before drizzling over your salad.

May 6, 2010

Granola bars

Homemade granola bars.I've made these granola bars a few times now using this recipe. They are awesome! The most important lessons I've learned are to make sure that your ratio of dry to wet ("glue") ingredients follow the recipe and that you should always use old-fashioned oats (not quick-cooking). You can use any combination of seeds, nuts, dried fruits, and even grains that you want (just keep the total quantity of dry ingredients the same as in the recipe). Experiment and see. The below recipe is my modification of the original and my favorite combination thus far.

Homemade granola bars
Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees. Place parchment paper in a glass baking dish (about 9"x13") so that it is hanging 2-3 inches over the edges.

On a baking sheet, combine the following:
2 cups old-fashioned oats

1/2 cup raw wheat germ
1/4 ground flax seed meal
3/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 cup sliced almonds

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Place the baking sheet in the oven to lightly toast. Keep your eye on them to make sure they don't burn. Stir as needed.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and set aside once all the dry ingredients are fragrant and lightly golden.While the dry ingredients are toasting, add the following to a small saucepan.

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup pure maple syrup (or honey)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 tablespoons almond butter
1/4 teaspoon salt



Lastly, you'll need:
3/4 cup dried cherries or cranberries

Warm the "glue" in the saucepan, stirring occasionally, until the ingredients are well combined and come to a simmer. Then, in a large bowl, add the dry ingredients along with the "glue" and stir until everything is equally covered. Add about 3/4 cup of dried fruit and stir to combine. Place the mixture into the baking dish covered in parchment paper and spread it evenly over the parchment paper using a spatula. Then using a measuring cup or your hands (folding over the excess parchment paper on top of the granola mixture), press the mixture down as hard as you can to make it flat and to stick together. 


Place in the oven for about 3-5 minutes. Remove and cool in the pan. At this point, I put some chocolate chips on top and spread them around as they melted, but that it also optional! Let the granola cool for about 3 hours. Then, remove the them (still on top of the parchment paper) and cut into bars. Place in a air tight container and enjoy for the week instead of the ones out of the box.

A good variation is to substitute peanuts, peanut butter, and golden raisins for the almonds, almond butter, and cherries/cranberries. 

March 4, 2010

Southwest turkey burgers

I really love these burgers and I think that people that I've made them for enjoy them, too (or so they say). They always seem to be a crowd-pleaser. The amounts for the spices in the burgers themselves are just estimates. You can adjust them to your liking, but I find that the turkey needs to have a bit of spice to it. You can even change around the toppings. I almost always use lettuce, red onion, tomato, and avocado (my favorite part). This time I used a sharp cheddar, but I've used pepper jack and monterey jack before - both are great. I often make these with a lime and cilantro mayo (recipe below).
 

Southwest turkey burgers
1 lb ground turkey (I use dark meat)
2-3 scallions, finely sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely grated

1 tablespoon cumin
1-1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all of the ingredients in a large bowl until well combined (but don't over mix). Form into 3-4 burgers and cook on a grill (indoor or outdoor) or in a pan with some extra virgin olive oil. Cook until the inside temperature reaches 165-170 degrees, turning halfway through.
 

Lime and cilantro mayo
about 1/4 cup mayo
dash of salt
about 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
juice and zest of half a lime
about 1 tablespoon green onion tops, thinly sliced
dash of hot sauce

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate until serving time.
 

Toppings
cheese (cheddar, pepper jack)
lettuce
sliced avocado
red onion
tomatoes

Serve on a fresh roll.

February 22, 2010

White chili

White chili is a great one pot dish for a cool day. This chili combines a lot of my favorite flavors -- lime, cilantro, avocado, cumin, and more. I feel that the toppings are really important for the white chili. They add all sorts of great colors and textures that I think make this dish. Plus they make it extra hearty and filling. This chili is mildly spicy, depending on your poblano peppers. Poblanos tend to have a medium spice to them, but I find that they can range it their hotness.The creamy avocado and sour cream help to balance out any extra heat.

This recipe will make about four to six bowls of chili. You can easily stretch it by adding more beans or vegetables. This is a great meal to have a pot of just sitting in the fridge for a quick dinner or as a warm lunch to take with you to work on a cold day. It usually doesn't last long around our place though!
 

White chili
1 lb ground turkey
1 medium to large white onion, diced
2 medium poblano peppers, diced
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
4 cups low sodium chicken stock
1/4 cup salsa verde (green salsa or substitute diced jalapeno)
zest and juice of half a lime (other half reserved for serving)
1 can (14 oz) white beans (I use great northern)
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro
olive oil
 

toppings:
lime wedges
avocado chunks
Monterey jack cheese (shredded)
sour cream
crumbled up corn chips (I use organic blue corn)

In a large soup/stock pot, warm olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, and peppers. Cook until onions turn translucent. With a wooden spoon, move the vegetables to the edges of the pot and add the turkey to the middle. Cook until the turkey is browned. Drain any fat. Add salt, pepper, coriander, cumin, and oregano and stir. Add the chicken stock and salsa and cook until warm. Add beans and corn and bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer. Continue simmering for about 30 minutes. 


Then add the lime zest, juice, and cilantro. Ladle the chili into a bowl and top with corn chips, cheese, avocados, a dollop of sour cream, and extra cilantro and lime juice.

January 30, 2010

Tom Kha Gai (Thai chicken coconut soup)

I love this soup... Slightly spicy, slightly sweet, all around tasty - what Thai food is all about. While this recipe probably isn't truly authentic Thai - it's a decent version with ingredients you can find at many larger grocery stores. Items like lemongrass, fish sauce, and Thai chiles have become much more accessible over the last few years. You may have had this soup as a started at a Thai restaurant as it tends to be pretty popular. The broth takes some time to get really flavorful, but otherwise the soup is pretty simple to make.

This recipe serves two as a main dish or four as a starter.

Tom Kha Gai
4 cups low sodium chicken stock
1 can (14 oz) unsweetened light coconut milk
2 stalks lemongrass (sliced into about 1 inch pieces)
1-2 Thai chiles (or other small red chiles)
about 6 slices of ginger root (about 1/4 inch thick)
about 1 tablespoon cane sugar
juice of 1 lime
1-1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 chicken breast thinly sliced
about 2 cups sliced shitake mushrooms
3 scallions, thinly sliced (whites and greens, but keep separated)
about 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
thin rice noodles (optional)

In a large soup pot, add the chicken stock, coconut milk, lemongrass, ginger root, chiles, cane sugar, and fish sauce. If you want a mild soup, use only one chile. For a hotter soup, use one-two chiles and pierce the skin. Cook over medium heat until the broth comes to a boil. Then, reduce heat and simmer for about 1 hour. 

Remove all the lemongrass stalk, ginger root, and the chiles from the broth and discard. Add the chicken, mushrooms, and whites of the scallions. Bring to a low boil and cook until the chicken is cooked through. Add noodles, if using (they will cook in only a couple of minutes) and the lime juice. When the noodles are soft, serve immediately. Top with the scallion greens and cilantro. You can also top with thinly sliced chiles (if you want a spicier soup), extra fish sauce, and/or fresh basil leaves.

January 19, 2010

Matcha tea leaf shortbread cookies


Plate of matcha tea leaf shortbread cookies.

I've wanted to make matcha tea shortbreads for a while and had a little birthday gathering where I thought they would be perfect for a fried of mine. I was looking for a recipe and found this one which I've cut in half and modified as written below. 

January 10, 2010

Thai sweet pumpkin

Bowl of Thai sweet pumpkin.I never ate or even saw this dessert when I visited Thailand. I had this at a Thai restaurant near home as dessert for a New Year's Even dinner last year. It was really tasty. 

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I came across a recipe for this dessert while looking on the internet and it called for using a kabocha squash. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to find that squash and sort of put the thought of making it out of my head for a while... Then I went to the market yesterday and sitting in this large display in the produce section was a whole box of organic kabocha squash. So, of course, I had to pick one up and get right to trying this dessert.

The squash was very difficult to peel! It was very bumpy. After that part though, this rest of the preparation is ridiculously simple and it has a great Asian flavor that I absolutely love - coconut milk. Coconut milk just screams Thai food to me.

Thai sweet pumpkin
One small-medium kabocha squash, peeled and cut into bite-sized strips
1 (15 oz.) can coconut milk
2 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons cane (or turbinado) sugar
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

In a medium sauce pan add the coconut milk, honey, sugar, and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Add the squash and stir. Cover and cook over low heat until the squash is tender (about 10 minutes). Serve hot.

January 5, 2010

Tomato-basil soup

I've been soup-obsessed lately. This is likely due to the fact that it's been snowing and snowing and about 12-20 degrees outside for the past few days...also maybe because I love my new immersion blender. Anyways, this tomato-basil soup is a yummy, comforting lunch or dinner. It's easy to make and can be easily adjusted to your specific tastes. For example - if you like really creamy soup, add more cream. Or, if you don't like creamy tomato soup, then leave it out. This is the basic recipe I use. I like to use organic tomatoes, but it's not a requirement. This will make about four bowls of soup. 

Tomato-basil soup
1 small onion, chopped
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
28 oz can of diced or crushed tomatoes
about 1-1/2 tablespoons of tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (more or less depending on if you like heat and spice)
1 cup vegetable (or chicken) stock
about 1 teaspoon sugar
sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
a couple of handfuls of fresh (must be fresh) basil
1/2 cup heavy cream (or half and half or milk)
olive oil

In a large soup pot or dutch oven cook the onions and garlic over medium heat until the onions become translucent. Add stock, canned tomatoes, tomato paste, red pepper flakes, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Heat until it begins to boil then reduce heat to simmer. Tear basil and add to the pot, reserving a few leaves for garnish. Simmer for about 15 minutes. Using an immersion blender (or you can puree in batches using a regular blender), puree until smooth. Add the cream and simmer until warmed through. Be sure to not add the cream when the soup is boiling. Serve immediately topped with reserved basil and some fresh ground black pepper.

January 3, 2010

Sweet potato pie


Sweet potato pie with a slice on a serving plate.

This sweet potato pie recipe was one of my first blog posts. My husband wanted a sweet potato pie for his birthday, so I took the opportunity to update this post and the photographs. 

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I know I'm still not amazing at posts and photography, but I'm certainly better than where I was with this post originally (see below for the original photo). I'm going to try harder to do this for more of my older posts.

I didn't have sweet potato pie until I was a teenager when someone gave it to my family as a gift around Thanksgiving. I thought it was so weird, until I tasted it and was completely blown away by how delicious it was. My mom and I still remember that as it was her first taste of sweet potato pie, too. It's somewhat similar in concept to a pumpkin pie, but has it's own sweeter flavor that I really love. Sweet potato pie is perfect for Thanksgiving and through all of fall and winter.

Love this Sweet Potato Pie? Check out all my other pie recipes!

Fnished sweet potato pie.