Spring has sprung and Summer is here! What better way to use your CSA greens than with tasty salads. I have been hitting the library and collecting recipes from cookbooks, weight loss books, and magazines to help inspire more interesting salads.
Lately, I have been very much drawn to using tahini. I feel like it mostly sits in the back of my fridge, lonely and forgotten. However, with some of the salads and sides below, my jar is about empty!
I hope you enjoy these great salads as much as we have. Please note, I use the term salad very loosely. Also, there are a few healthy and quick treats posted below. While they are not the guilty pleasures we are all used to, they do take care of that sweet tooth! Enjoy!
Disciplinary Foods: Greens of all kinds, Tomatoes, and Strawberries!
Artichoke and Tomato Panzanella
Ingredients
1 (10-ounce) package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed (about 2 cups)
3 cups whole-wheat bread, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
3 large, red tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 cup pitted black olives, halved
3/4 cup chopped, fresh basil leaves (about 1 bunch)
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
Directions
Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Drizzle the bread and artichoke hearts with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the bread and artichokes until golden brown at the edges, about 6 minutes total, turning every 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the bread and artichokes from the grill and transfer to a large bowl.
Add the tomatoes, olives and basil to the bowl and toss to combine. In a small bowl stir together the 2/3 cup olive oil, white wine vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Drizzle the dressing over the salad. Toss to combine and serve immediately.
Citrus, Quinoa, and Spinach Salad
Ingredients
1/2 cup quinoa
Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon red chile flakes
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Pinch of pepper
6 ounces baby spinach
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
Directions
Cook quinoa according to package directions. Meanwhile, whisk together zest, juice, oil, chile flakes, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add spinach and onions. Mix in warm quinoa and sprinkle top of salad with feta.
Fennel-Based Asian Salad
2 small fennel bulbs, thinly sliced
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
2 oranges, peeled and cut into segments
1/4 c rice vinegar
1/2 t sesame oil
2 t sesame seeds
opt. brussels sprouts thinly sliced
Directions: Combine all together and enjoy!
Toasted Chickpea and Apricot Salad
(Plums are also delicious—and beautiful—in place of apricots.)
Ingredients
3 cups cooked or canned chickpeas, rinsed, drained, and patted dry
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup thinly vertically sliced red onion
4 large apricots, pitted and sliced
4 cups baby arugula leaves
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 450°.
2. Combine first 3 ingredients in a roasting pan, and drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil, shaking pan to coat beans. Roast at 450° for 20 minutes, stirring once.
3. Combine remaining 2 tablespoons oil, rind, vinegar, juice, salt, and pepper in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Stir in onion and apricots, tossing gently to coat. Add warm beans and arugula, tossing to combine. Sprinkle with cheese.
Strawberry-Avocado Salsa with Cinnamon Tortilla Chips
Ingredients
2 teaspoons canola oil
6 (6-inch) whole-wheat flour tortillas
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups finely chopped peeled ripe avocado (about 2)
1 cup finely chopped strawberries
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon minced seeded jalapeño pepper
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
3/8 teaspoon salt
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. To prepare chips, brush oil evenly over one side of each tortilla. Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle evenly over oil-coated sides of tortillas. Cut each tortilla into 12 wedges; arrange wedges in a single layer on two baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until crisp.
3. Combine avocado and remaining ingredients; stir gently to combine. Serve with chips.
Tahini-Roasted Broccoli over Raisin-Studded Bulgur
Broccoli
1 1/2 lb broccoli, trimmed and cut into florets (6 cups)
1 tbls olive oil
Bulgur:
1 1/3 cups low sodium veggie broth
1 cup bulgur
1/4 cup raisins or dried currants
1 tbls tomato paste
Tahini Sauce:
1 tsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp)
2 tbls tahini
1 tbls lemon juice
Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. To make broccoli - toss florets and olive oil together in large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Spread on large baking sheet and roast about 10-15 mins or until florets begin to brown, tossing occasionally.
Meanwhile, make the bulgur by combining broth, bulgur, raisins and tomato paste in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cover and simmer 15 mins or until liquid is absorbed and bulgur is tender. Remove from heat and keep warm.
To make Tahini sauce: Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat and add garlic and sauté for 1 min. Stir in tahini and 1/3 cup water and reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 1-2 mins until sauce begins to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Toss hot broccoli in with tahini sauce. Serve in a large bowl over cooked bulgur.
“Not As Bad for You” Chocolate Cake
1/2 c flour
1/4 sugar
pinch of salt
1/2 t baking soda
2 T veggie oil
2 T cocoa
1/2 t vanilla extract
1 t vinegar
1/2 c water
Directions
Pre-heat oven to 350. Combine everything so there are no lumps. Coat muffin tin with cooking spray and fill with batter. Bake for about 20 mins (toothpick clean).
Angel Food Cake
3 egg whites
1/2 t cream of tarter
pinch of salt
1/4 c plus 1 T sugar
1/4 c flour
Directions
Preheat over to 350. Beat egg whites until frothy, then add cream of tarter and salt. Beat until stiff. Add sugar and beat for another 2 minutes. Sift and fold flour in with egg whites. Coat muffin tins with cooking spray and then fill with batter. Cook until browned on top, about 20 minutes. Cook before removing from tins.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Between Seasons
It’s been awhile, a long while, since I last posted. I just felt like there really wasn’t anything special to the things that I have been making. We have all but ran out of our CSA rations, so I have been doing a lot of experimenting with foods I haven’t tired before. I also went out a limb and sent a huge informal recipe swap to friends to get more ideas. Unfortunately, only one friend sent something back. Fortunately, that recipe rocks! So, I have decided to dedicate this post to my new exciting recipe and the random ones that have found during my seasonal “drought.”
However, as Spring has sprung here in Denver, the Boulder Farmers Market has started to revive my seasonal cooking. Have no fear, more seasonal recipes are just around the corner...with a few shared in this post!
The recipes below are tried and true. I hope you enjoy them!
Betsy’s Enchiladas
Goat Cheese
1 bag of Shredded Mexican Style Cheese
Corn or Flour Tortillas (need 12 small ones)
4 Portabella Mushrooms
1 Yellow Onion
1 bunch of Spinach
Ground Turkey (for the meat eaters)
1 Bag of New Mexico Red Chilis (Dry)
Prepare enchilada sauce (see below). After sauteing the mushrooms, onion and meat, layer all the ingredients in a casserole dish as if you were making lasagna: corn tortillas (about 3 to 6 on each layer), spinach, mushroom/onion/ turkey, goat cheese, enchilada sauce, tortillas, enchilada sauce (be generous), shredded cheese, spinach, mushroom/onion/turkey, goat cheese, enchilada sauce, tortillas, enchilada sauce, shredded cheese.
Enchilada Sauce: The key is the homemade enchilada sauce. Very Easy, but takes a little time. You can make in a large batch and freeze.
De-stem all your chili, remove the seeds and wash.
Add chili to a large soup pot and cover with water.
Bring to a boil. Let boil until the chili is all very soft.
Add chili to a blender and add enough water from the pot to cover. Blend until you reach desired consistency. You can always add more water, but remember: you can't take it out. This type of chili is usually mild, but can also have quite a kick. Get extra mild variety for feeding to kiddos.
Once all is assembled, bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes, depending on your oven and altitude.
Blogger’s Note: For the Enchilada Sauce, be very careful on how hot your chilies are. The ones I used were super hot! I ended up using only a fourth of my chilies with the rest being a can of roasted tomatoes. My sauce was still too hot. I plan on making another batch this evening, because it was just that good. This time, I will use about two chilies, one roasted red pepper, and a can of roasted tomatoes. Wish me luck!
Source: Betsy Archer
Ginger Shrimp and Rice
Ingredients
1 small bunch green onions
1 1-inch piece fresh ginger
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup water
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 8.8-oz. pkgs. cooked long grain rice
1 lb. peeled and deveined cooked medium shrimp
1/4 cup mango chutney
Directions
1. Slice green onions. Set aside 1/4 cup of the onions to sprinkle on finished dish. Peel the ginger. Finely grate ginger using the smallest openings on a box or flat grater.
In a 12-inch skillet cook remaining green onions and grated ginger in hot oil for 1 to 2 minutes or until tender. Add water and soy sauce. Cover and bring to boiling. Add rice and shrimp. Cook until most of the liquid is absorbed and shrimp are heated through. Divide among four shallow bowls. Top with chutney and reserved green onions. Makes 4 servings.
Source: www.food52.com
Coconut Lime Corn
3 cups frozen corn kernels (okay,I know it's a faux pas, but I love making this dish with frozen corn)
2 teaspoons black mustard seeds
1/3 cup dry shredded coconut
1 small lime
4 tablespoons oil
salt to taste
In a frying pan, add the oil and mustard seeds. Heat on medium high until the mustard seeds start to pop. Then add in the frozen corn (stand back for the sizzle). Stir.
Add in a couple pinches of salt (1 tsp worth approx.). Let the corn cook on medium heat stirring every couple of minutes until the corn is golden brown (approx. 15-20 minutes on medium heat)
Stir in the shredded coconut, stirring just until incorporated.
Remove the pan from the heat and squeeze over the juice of the lime. Salt to taste. Stir and serve.
Source: www.food52.com
Roasted Cauliflower with Gremolata Bread Crumbs
2 large heads cauliflower
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
Zest of 1 lemon
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh parsley
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Trim tough stem and core from cauliflower and discard. Using a paring knife, cut cauliflower into smaller spears. Place in a large bowl. Add 1/4 cup oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper; toss to combine.
Spread cauliflower out on 2 large, rimmed baking sheets. Roast until edges start to brown, about 20 minutes, stirring halfway through.
Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add panko and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and stir to coat in oil. Cook, stirring constantly, until bread crumbs are golden. Add lemon zest and garlic and toss until mixture is very fragrant and bread crumbs are golden brown, about 2 minutes. Place in a medium bowl and add parsley, stirring to combine. Set aside.
Remove cauliflower from oven and place on serving platter. Top with bread crumbs and serve immediately.
Source: www.food52.com
Spicy Black Bean and Quinoa Salad
1/2 cup red quinoa
1 cup water
Juice and zest of one lime, about 1.5-2 oz. juice, and 1-2 teaspoons zest
Kosher or sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)
1 cup roasted red/yellow bell peppers, chopped
1.5 to 2 cups cups cooked black beans
1/4 cup picked fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
Bring the quinoa and water to a boil in a small saucepan. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for about 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
In a large serving bowl, whisk the lime juice with the zest, a pinch or two of salt, the chili powder, chipotle powder, and the cumin. Add the olive oil and whisk until the dressing comes together.
Add the quinoa to the dressing and toss. Add the scallions, red peppers, black beans, and cilantro and toss well to combine. Garnish with additional cilantro and lime zest, if desired.
Source: www.food52.com
Yam, Zucchini, and Chickpea Salad
Makes lunch for a few days
For the salad:
2 yams or sweet potatoes, diced into 1-inch pieces
1 zucchini, diced into 1-inch pieces
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 garlic cloves
3 sprigs parsley, leaves finely chopped
2 scallions, thinly sliced on bias
olive oil
For the dressing:
1 tablespoon tahini
zest and juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment or silicone.
Spread diced sweet potatoes in a single layer on prepared baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Roast 35-40 minutes, then add zucchini and roast an additional 10-15 minutes, until both vegetables are softened inside and caramelized in spots. If vegetables haven't caramelized at that point, pop them under the broiler for 3 minutes, and they'll brown plenty.
In a small frying pan over medium heat, saute chickpeas and whole garlic cloves in 1 tablespoon of olive oil (just enough to moisten) for about 3 minutes, until the chickpeas dry out a bit and are warmed through. Remove garlic cloves, chop finely, and reserve for dressing.
In a medium bowl, mix chickpeas with yams and zucchini. Add parsley and scallions, and toss to combine.
In a small bowl, combine tahini, lemon juice and zest, olive oil, and half of chopped garlic. Add water by the teaspoon until the dressing is smooth and runny. Taste, and add additional chopped garlic if necessary. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour over vegetables, toss to coat, and serve warm or room temperature.
Source: www.food52.com
Annaliese's roasted butternut squash with cranberry and pear accents
coating of olive oil for baking dish
1 medium butternut squash
2 pears, a crisp variety for best results
2 ounces or so of dried premium cranberries
1-2 tablespoon demerara sugar
1-2 tablespoon ground sumac
1-2 teaspoon ground pink peppercorns, less if you are using black or white
1-2 tablespoon maple syrup (or more, to your taste)
healthy pinch of pink Himalayan or kosher salt
squeeze of lemon
2 tablespoons or so of unsalted premium butter
fresh sprigs of lavender or rosemary for garnish
optional light drizzle of maple syrup for serving
optional squeeze of lemon for serving
for a dessert version, drizzle with more maple syrup and serve with a dollop of creme fraiche
Lop off the top and bottom minimal ends of the squash. Vigorously peel off all the skin. Along the vertical axis chop the squash down the middle. With conviction scoop out all of the seeds, as well as all the fuzziness from the cavity. I find a metal tablespoon best for this job because it can so precisely scrape out just the messy bits, while keeping the solid flesh in tact. Proceed to dice the squash into clean, crisp one inch or so generous chunks.
Pare the pair of pears (please indulge me here- I just had to employ all three homophones in at least one sentence). Cutting just shy of the core, dice the pears into bite size chunks.
Lightly coat a baking dish with olive oil. Layer in the squash chunks first. Judiciously distribute the cranberries next. Mix the sugar, sumac, pepper and salt (to taste) together; sprinkle this mix on top, liberally coating the squash, as illustrated in the photo. Feel free to make more mix to have on hand as a topping. Adjust how much you use to suit your own taste. If you don't want so much crunch, switch up the type of sugar. Squeeze a bit of lemon over the top. Metering the syrup, pour this over the top evenly. Finally, distribute curls of unsalted butter democratically across the top.
Roast in a preheated oven of 375 for about 20 minutes. Then sneak the pears in to the dish, as unobtrusively as possible; return to roasting for about 25-35 more minutes. When perfectly tender, let the dish rest for about 5 minutes.
Pop in a garnish of fresh herbal sprigs, delicately drizzle a tad of maple syrup if you have a sweet tooth, and squeeze a wedge of fresh lemon over each portion. Top with creme fraiche and more maple syrup for a savory dessert.
Source: www.food52.com
Baked salmon with asparagus & roasted beets
Beets and asparagus are two vegetables that go wonderfully well with salmon and that tend to be forgotten in our day to day meals. This simple dish can of course be prepared with any fresh fish and vegetables. This recipe serves 4 people.
Ingredients
4 fresh wild salmon fillets;
4 tbsp butter or coconut oil;
4 tsp chopped dill;
16 sprigs of fresh asparagus, hard base removed;
4 medium red beets, cut in cubes;
Salt and pepper to taste;
Preparation
Preheat your oven to 500 F.
Line four large pieces of foil and place a salmon fillet on a bed of beet cubes and 4 asparagus. Do that for the 4 fillets.
Add 1 tbsp of butter and 1 tsp dill on top of each fillet and close the foil to form a little pocket.
Bake in hot oven for about 10 minutes for each inch of thickness of the fish.
Make sure to check on the fish so it doesn’t get overcooked.
Serve topped with some more of your favorite fresh herbs. More dill is perfect, but cilantro is also really good.
Source: www.paleodietlifestyle.com/quick-paleo-meals/
Kale Chips
1 bunch kale, washed, dried & torn into 2" pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
salt
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Whisk oil and vinegar. Toss kale in the dressing until thoroughly coated.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place kale in a single layer and sprinkle with salt.
Bake until crispy, about 10-12 minutes.
Source: www.food52.com
Sautéed Sun Chokes
1 pint of sun chokes
3 garlic gloves
Olive Oil
Peel and slice the Sun Chokes. Heat a teaspoon of olive oil at medium-high heat in a pan and place thinly sliced garlic in heated oil until slices are light brown. Add Sun Chokes and saute until light brown and cooked through. Simple, yet wonderful!
Source: The blogger!
However, as Spring has sprung here in Denver, the Boulder Farmers Market has started to revive my seasonal cooking. Have no fear, more seasonal recipes are just around the corner...with a few shared in this post!
The recipes below are tried and true. I hope you enjoy them!
Betsy’s Enchiladas
Goat Cheese
1 bag of Shredded Mexican Style Cheese
Corn or Flour Tortillas (need 12 small ones)
4 Portabella Mushrooms
1 Yellow Onion
1 bunch of Spinach
Ground Turkey (for the meat eaters)
1 Bag of New Mexico Red Chilis (Dry)
Prepare enchilada sauce (see below). After sauteing the mushrooms, onion and meat, layer all the ingredients in a casserole dish as if you were making lasagna: corn tortillas (about 3 to 6 on each layer), spinach, mushroom/onion/ turkey, goat cheese, enchilada sauce, tortillas, enchilada sauce (be generous), shredded cheese, spinach, mushroom/onion/turkey, goat cheese, enchilada sauce, tortillas, enchilada sauce, shredded cheese.
Enchilada Sauce: The key is the homemade enchilada sauce. Very Easy, but takes a little time. You can make in a large batch and freeze.
De-stem all your chili, remove the seeds and wash.
Add chili to a large soup pot and cover with water.
Bring to a boil. Let boil until the chili is all very soft.
Add chili to a blender and add enough water from the pot to cover. Blend until you reach desired consistency. You can always add more water, but remember: you can't take it out. This type of chili is usually mild, but can also have quite a kick. Get extra mild variety for feeding to kiddos.
Once all is assembled, bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes, depending on your oven and altitude.
Blogger’s Note: For the Enchilada Sauce, be very careful on how hot your chilies are. The ones I used were super hot! I ended up using only a fourth of my chilies with the rest being a can of roasted tomatoes. My sauce was still too hot. I plan on making another batch this evening, because it was just that good. This time, I will use about two chilies, one roasted red pepper, and a can of roasted tomatoes. Wish me luck!
Source: Betsy Archer
Ginger Shrimp and Rice
Ingredients
1 small bunch green onions
1 1-inch piece fresh ginger
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup water
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 8.8-oz. pkgs. cooked long grain rice
1 lb. peeled and deveined cooked medium shrimp
1/4 cup mango chutney
Directions
1. Slice green onions. Set aside 1/4 cup of the onions to sprinkle on finished dish. Peel the ginger. Finely grate ginger using the smallest openings on a box or flat grater.
In a 12-inch skillet cook remaining green onions and grated ginger in hot oil for 1 to 2 minutes or until tender. Add water and soy sauce. Cover and bring to boiling. Add rice and shrimp. Cook until most of the liquid is absorbed and shrimp are heated through. Divide among four shallow bowls. Top with chutney and reserved green onions. Makes 4 servings.
Source: www.food52.com
Coconut Lime Corn
3 cups frozen corn kernels (okay,I know it's a faux pas, but I love making this dish with frozen corn)
2 teaspoons black mustard seeds
1/3 cup dry shredded coconut
1 small lime
4 tablespoons oil
salt to taste
In a frying pan, add the oil and mustard seeds. Heat on medium high until the mustard seeds start to pop. Then add in the frozen corn (stand back for the sizzle). Stir.
Add in a couple pinches of salt (1 tsp worth approx.). Let the corn cook on medium heat stirring every couple of minutes until the corn is golden brown (approx. 15-20 minutes on medium heat)
Stir in the shredded coconut, stirring just until incorporated.
Remove the pan from the heat and squeeze over the juice of the lime. Salt to taste. Stir and serve.
Source: www.food52.com
Roasted Cauliflower with Gremolata Bread Crumbs
2 large heads cauliflower
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
Zest of 1 lemon
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh parsley
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Trim tough stem and core from cauliflower and discard. Using a paring knife, cut cauliflower into smaller spears. Place in a large bowl. Add 1/4 cup oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper; toss to combine.
Spread cauliflower out on 2 large, rimmed baking sheets. Roast until edges start to brown, about 20 minutes, stirring halfway through.
Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add panko and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and stir to coat in oil. Cook, stirring constantly, until bread crumbs are golden. Add lemon zest and garlic and toss until mixture is very fragrant and bread crumbs are golden brown, about 2 minutes. Place in a medium bowl and add parsley, stirring to combine. Set aside.
Remove cauliflower from oven and place on serving platter. Top with bread crumbs and serve immediately.
Source: www.food52.com
Spicy Black Bean and Quinoa Salad
1/2 cup red quinoa
1 cup water
Juice and zest of one lime, about 1.5-2 oz. juice, and 1-2 teaspoons zest
Kosher or sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)
1 cup roasted red/yellow bell peppers, chopped
1.5 to 2 cups cups cooked black beans
1/4 cup picked fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
Bring the quinoa and water to a boil in a small saucepan. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for about 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
In a large serving bowl, whisk the lime juice with the zest, a pinch or two of salt, the chili powder, chipotle powder, and the cumin. Add the olive oil and whisk until the dressing comes together.
Add the quinoa to the dressing and toss. Add the scallions, red peppers, black beans, and cilantro and toss well to combine. Garnish with additional cilantro and lime zest, if desired.
Source: www.food52.com
Yam, Zucchini, and Chickpea Salad
Makes lunch for a few days
For the salad:
2 yams or sweet potatoes, diced into 1-inch pieces
1 zucchini, diced into 1-inch pieces
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 garlic cloves
3 sprigs parsley, leaves finely chopped
2 scallions, thinly sliced on bias
olive oil
For the dressing:
1 tablespoon tahini
zest and juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment or silicone.
Spread diced sweet potatoes in a single layer on prepared baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Roast 35-40 minutes, then add zucchini and roast an additional 10-15 minutes, until both vegetables are softened inside and caramelized in spots. If vegetables haven't caramelized at that point, pop them under the broiler for 3 minutes, and they'll brown plenty.
In a small frying pan over medium heat, saute chickpeas and whole garlic cloves in 1 tablespoon of olive oil (just enough to moisten) for about 3 minutes, until the chickpeas dry out a bit and are warmed through. Remove garlic cloves, chop finely, and reserve for dressing.
In a medium bowl, mix chickpeas with yams and zucchini. Add parsley and scallions, and toss to combine.
In a small bowl, combine tahini, lemon juice and zest, olive oil, and half of chopped garlic. Add water by the teaspoon until the dressing is smooth and runny. Taste, and add additional chopped garlic if necessary. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour over vegetables, toss to coat, and serve warm or room temperature.
Source: www.food52.com
Annaliese's roasted butternut squash with cranberry and pear accents
coating of olive oil for baking dish
1 medium butternut squash
2 pears, a crisp variety for best results
2 ounces or so of dried premium cranberries
1-2 tablespoon demerara sugar
1-2 tablespoon ground sumac
1-2 teaspoon ground pink peppercorns, less if you are using black or white
1-2 tablespoon maple syrup (or more, to your taste)
healthy pinch of pink Himalayan or kosher salt
squeeze of lemon
2 tablespoons or so of unsalted premium butter
fresh sprigs of lavender or rosemary for garnish
optional light drizzle of maple syrup for serving
optional squeeze of lemon for serving
for a dessert version, drizzle with more maple syrup and serve with a dollop of creme fraiche
Lop off the top and bottom minimal ends of the squash. Vigorously peel off all the skin. Along the vertical axis chop the squash down the middle. With conviction scoop out all of the seeds, as well as all the fuzziness from the cavity. I find a metal tablespoon best for this job because it can so precisely scrape out just the messy bits, while keeping the solid flesh in tact. Proceed to dice the squash into clean, crisp one inch or so generous chunks.
Pare the pair of pears (please indulge me here- I just had to employ all three homophones in at least one sentence). Cutting just shy of the core, dice the pears into bite size chunks.
Lightly coat a baking dish with olive oil. Layer in the squash chunks first. Judiciously distribute the cranberries next. Mix the sugar, sumac, pepper and salt (to taste) together; sprinkle this mix on top, liberally coating the squash, as illustrated in the photo. Feel free to make more mix to have on hand as a topping. Adjust how much you use to suit your own taste. If you don't want so much crunch, switch up the type of sugar. Squeeze a bit of lemon over the top. Metering the syrup, pour this over the top evenly. Finally, distribute curls of unsalted butter democratically across the top.
Roast in a preheated oven of 375 for about 20 minutes. Then sneak the pears in to the dish, as unobtrusively as possible; return to roasting for about 25-35 more minutes. When perfectly tender, let the dish rest for about 5 minutes.
Pop in a garnish of fresh herbal sprigs, delicately drizzle a tad of maple syrup if you have a sweet tooth, and squeeze a wedge of fresh lemon over each portion. Top with creme fraiche and more maple syrup for a savory dessert.
Source: www.food52.com
Baked salmon with asparagus & roasted beets
Beets and asparagus are two vegetables that go wonderfully well with salmon and that tend to be forgotten in our day to day meals. This simple dish can of course be prepared with any fresh fish and vegetables. This recipe serves 4 people.
Ingredients
4 fresh wild salmon fillets;
4 tbsp butter or coconut oil;
4 tsp chopped dill;
16 sprigs of fresh asparagus, hard base removed;
4 medium red beets, cut in cubes;
Salt and pepper to taste;
Preparation
Preheat your oven to 500 F.
Line four large pieces of foil and place a salmon fillet on a bed of beet cubes and 4 asparagus. Do that for the 4 fillets.
Add 1 tbsp of butter and 1 tsp dill on top of each fillet and close the foil to form a little pocket.
Bake in hot oven for about 10 minutes for each inch of thickness of the fish.
Make sure to check on the fish so it doesn’t get overcooked.
Serve topped with some more of your favorite fresh herbs. More dill is perfect, but cilantro is also really good.
Source: www.paleodietlifestyle.com/quick-paleo-meals/
Kale Chips
1 bunch kale, washed, dried & torn into 2" pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
salt
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Whisk oil and vinegar. Toss kale in the dressing until thoroughly coated.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place kale in a single layer and sprinkle with salt.
Bake until crispy, about 10-12 minutes.
Source: www.food52.com
Sautéed Sun Chokes
1 pint of sun chokes
3 garlic gloves
Olive Oil
Peel and slice the Sun Chokes. Heat a teaspoon of olive oil at medium-high heat in a pan and place thinly sliced garlic in heated oil until slices are light brown. Add Sun Chokes and saute until light brown and cooked through. Simple, yet wonderful!
Source: The blogger!
Monday, March 7, 2011
Squash, Potatoes, and Beets...Oh My!
Yes folks, we are still working with the final delivery of our CSA. Are we sick of apples, onions, beets, and potatoes yet? Well, sort of. I was able to find some new and fun recipes to spice it up a bit. Now, I have one onion left and only one and half layers of apples left in the bin. I find myself counting down the days until the Spring CSA deliveries start. Is it crazy that I am already trying out kale recipes? Probably, since everyone I talk to says you get kale overload right off the bat. Oh well!
I have to give credit where credit is due...thank you Whole Foods Market. I wandered up and down your isles, but more importantly I read your prepare foods ingredients and snacked on a few samples. I appreciate the variety you provide. To think, some of these ideas will probably go on to help us with next year’s Winter CSA season!
Lastly, I need to add that we are trying to wean ourselves off of refined grains, sugar, and caffeine. The first two are by far the hardest for me. I think it will just take me a bit to slowly figure out what else is out there and how to prepare it. Okay, let’s not kid anyone...I really, really love Nutella and grains are so good. Long story short, this is why some of the disciplinary foods are not necessarily CSA fruits or veggies. I need to get rid of them to help try this whole new idea out.
Let’s get to it! Enjoy!
Disciplinary Food: Squash
The Name-less Moroccan Dish
This recipe was given to me at a bar-type atmosphere from a friend as I scribbled it on a napkin!
Ingredients
2 chopped potatoes
3 chopped carrots
4 cups of water or veggie broth
2 small roasted and chopped winter squashes or 3/4 roasted and chopped butternut squash
2 cans of diced tomatoes
1 can of garbanzo beans
1 chopped onion
2 small handfuls of dried cranberries
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of each or to taste (nutmeg, ground cloves, salt, and pepper)
1 cup cous cous
Water or veggie broth as directed
Directions
In a large pot, such as a dutch oven, place potatoes and carrots in with water or veggie broth. The liquid should cover the veggies. Cook over medium-high heat until tender. Add the squash, tomatoes, beans, onion, cranberries, and seasonings. Stir until well combined and turn heat down to a low simmer. Let cook at least an hour or more before serving.
In a smaller pot, cook cous cous as directed. Our current favorite with this dish is the Israeli cous cous.
Blogger's Note: this recipe should make enough for leftovers!
Source: Friend of a friend at Geeks Who Drink
Disciplinary Food: Squash
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 cup canned pumpkin/12 oz of pureed winter squash
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Combine pumpkin, sugar, vegetable oil, and egg. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt. Dissolve the baking soda with the milk and stir in. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and mix well.
Add vanilla, chocolate chips and nuts.
Drop by spoonful on greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for approximately 10 minutes or until lightly brown and firm. Foods: Potatoes, Onions
Source: http://domesticallydreaming.blogspot.com/2010/10/pumpkin-chocolate-chip-cookies.html
Disciplinary Foods: Potatoes and Onion
Potato Hash
Since we are trying to do away with refined grains, then that means no toast with our eggs in the morning. This recipe was born from that issue!
Ingredients
5 chopped potatoes
1 chopped large yam
3 chopped carrots
2 chopped parsnips
1 chopped onion
Olive Oil, Salt, and Pepper to taste
Directions
In a casserole dish, combine all of the ingredients, making sure to mix throughly so that all veggies have a chance of being coated by a little olive oil! Place in oven at 420 for 45 mins to 1 hour.
That’s all! Enjoy under a fried egg.
Source: Me!
Disciplinary Food: Potatoes
Medley of Roasted Potatoes with Homemade Za'atar & Aleppo Pepper
2-3 lbs of Potatoes, cut up, I used red & purple organic fingerling potatoes & golden round Buttercream variety
3-4 tablespoons Za'atar
2 tablespoons Aleppo Pepper (or to taste)
juice of one lemon
3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Homemade Za'atar Recipe:
3 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
2 tablespoons dried thyme
2 tablespoons sumac
1 tablespoon sea salt
Please Note: You can grind the Za’atar in a coffee grinder for a finer texture. I left it course for this recipe. Pre-heat the oven, 400 degrees and then cut up the potatoes into bite size pieces
In a bowl, mix the potatoes with Za’atar, Aleppo Pepper, lemon juice, & extra virgin olive oil.
Roast the potatoes in a baking dish for 40 – 50 minutes or until the potatoes are tender & golden brown.
Source: food52.com
Disciplinary Food: Beets
Beet Arugula Salad
Ingredients
1 large roasted beet
1/2 of a bunch of arugula (cleaned and dried)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lemon’s juice
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions
Combine roasted beet, arugula, and dressing. For dressing, whisk together remaining ingredients.
Source: Whole Foods Market
Disciplinary Foods: Lasagna Noodles and Onions
Skillet Lasagna
Ingredients
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, diced
4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil and/or parsley, plus more for garnish
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 large egg
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
6 sheets no-bake lasagna noodles
1 carrot, peeled into ribbons
1 zucchini, peeled into ribbons
3 1/2 cups baby spinach
1/3 pound mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
Directions
Heat the 1/4 cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic; cook until golden, 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, 1 tablespoon herbs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste; cook until saucy, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a blender and puree. Return 1 cup of the sauce to the skillet and reduce the heat to low; reserve the remaining sauce.
Meanwhile, mix the ricotta, egg, parmesan, the remaining 3 tablespoons herbs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste in a bowl.
Place 2 lasagna noodles over the sauce in the skillet. Layer half of the carrot and zucchini on top; drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cover with half of the spinach, half of the ricotta mixture, a few pieces of mozzarella and 2 to 3 tablespoons of the reserved tomato sauce. Repeat the layers, ending with noodles. Top with the remaining sauce and mozzarella. Cover and simmer until the lasagna is cooked and the cheese melts, 20 to 25 minutes.
Let rest for a few minutes before slicing. Garnish with more parmesan and fresh herbs.
Blogger’s Notes: To make it easier, I sometimes use pre-made tomato sauce. Also, I added sliced onions and yellow squash.
Source: Foodnetwork.com
Disciplinary Food: Apples, Apples, and more Apples!
Whole Wheat Apple Ginger Muffins
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup milk
3 medium apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 12-cup muffin pan with softened butter. Confession: I use Pam baking spray. Yes, and may God and Alice Waters forgive me. It makes greasing pans so much easier and so I bake more often. I think the good outweighs the bad here. (I'm sorry Amanda and Merrill, if you want to kick me off the site you can. Or I can take this off if you think I'm dragging you down.)
In one large bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients. In another bowl, mix together all the wet ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix with a spoon by hand until just combined, then fold in the chopped apples.
Spoon batter into muffin cups and bake for 20-25 minutes, until tops are golden. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Source: Food52.com
I have to give credit where credit is due...thank you Whole Foods Market. I wandered up and down your isles, but more importantly I read your prepare foods ingredients and snacked on a few samples. I appreciate the variety you provide. To think, some of these ideas will probably go on to help us with next year’s Winter CSA season!
Lastly, I need to add that we are trying to wean ourselves off of refined grains, sugar, and caffeine. The first two are by far the hardest for me. I think it will just take me a bit to slowly figure out what else is out there and how to prepare it. Okay, let’s not kid anyone...I really, really love Nutella and grains are so good. Long story short, this is why some of the disciplinary foods are not necessarily CSA fruits or veggies. I need to get rid of them to help try this whole new idea out.
Let’s get to it! Enjoy!
Disciplinary Food: Squash
The Name-less Moroccan Dish
This recipe was given to me at a bar-type atmosphere from a friend as I scribbled it on a napkin!
Ingredients
2 chopped potatoes
3 chopped carrots
4 cups of water or veggie broth
2 small roasted and chopped winter squashes or 3/4 roasted and chopped butternut squash
2 cans of diced tomatoes
1 can of garbanzo beans
1 chopped onion
2 small handfuls of dried cranberries
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of each or to taste (nutmeg, ground cloves, salt, and pepper)
1 cup cous cous
Water or veggie broth as directed
Directions
In a large pot, such as a dutch oven, place potatoes and carrots in with water or veggie broth. The liquid should cover the veggies. Cook over medium-high heat until tender. Add the squash, tomatoes, beans, onion, cranberries, and seasonings. Stir until well combined and turn heat down to a low simmer. Let cook at least an hour or more before serving.
In a smaller pot, cook cous cous as directed. Our current favorite with this dish is the Israeli cous cous.
Blogger's Note: this recipe should make enough for leftovers!
Source: Friend of a friend at Geeks Who Drink
Disciplinary Food: Squash
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 cup canned pumpkin/12 oz of pureed winter squash
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Combine pumpkin, sugar, vegetable oil, and egg. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt. Dissolve the baking soda with the milk and stir in. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and mix well.
Add vanilla, chocolate chips and nuts.
Drop by spoonful on greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for approximately 10 minutes or until lightly brown and firm. Foods: Potatoes, Onions
Source: http://domesticallydreaming.blogspot.com/2010/10/pumpkin-chocolate-chip-cookies.html
Disciplinary Foods: Potatoes and Onion
Potato Hash
Since we are trying to do away with refined grains, then that means no toast with our eggs in the morning. This recipe was born from that issue!
Ingredients
5 chopped potatoes
1 chopped large yam
3 chopped carrots
2 chopped parsnips
1 chopped onion
Olive Oil, Salt, and Pepper to taste
Directions
In a casserole dish, combine all of the ingredients, making sure to mix throughly so that all veggies have a chance of being coated by a little olive oil! Place in oven at 420 for 45 mins to 1 hour.
That’s all! Enjoy under a fried egg.
Source: Me!
Disciplinary Food: Potatoes
Medley of Roasted Potatoes with Homemade Za'atar & Aleppo Pepper
2-3 lbs of Potatoes, cut up, I used red & purple organic fingerling potatoes & golden round Buttercream variety
3-4 tablespoons Za'atar
2 tablespoons Aleppo Pepper (or to taste)
juice of one lemon
3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Homemade Za'atar Recipe:
3 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
2 tablespoons dried thyme
2 tablespoons sumac
1 tablespoon sea salt
Please Note: You can grind the Za’atar in a coffee grinder for a finer texture. I left it course for this recipe. Pre-heat the oven, 400 degrees and then cut up the potatoes into bite size pieces
In a bowl, mix the potatoes with Za’atar, Aleppo Pepper, lemon juice, & extra virgin olive oil.
Roast the potatoes in a baking dish for 40 – 50 minutes or until the potatoes are tender & golden brown.
Source: food52.com
Disciplinary Food: Beets
Beet Arugula Salad
Ingredients
1 large roasted beet
1/2 of a bunch of arugula (cleaned and dried)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lemon’s juice
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions
Combine roasted beet, arugula, and dressing. For dressing, whisk together remaining ingredients.
Source: Whole Foods Market
Disciplinary Foods: Lasagna Noodles and Onions
Skillet Lasagna
Ingredients
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, diced
4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil and/or parsley, plus more for garnish
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 large egg
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
6 sheets no-bake lasagna noodles
1 carrot, peeled into ribbons
1 zucchini, peeled into ribbons
3 1/2 cups baby spinach
1/3 pound mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
Directions
Heat the 1/4 cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic; cook until golden, 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, 1 tablespoon herbs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste; cook until saucy, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a blender and puree. Return 1 cup of the sauce to the skillet and reduce the heat to low; reserve the remaining sauce.
Meanwhile, mix the ricotta, egg, parmesan, the remaining 3 tablespoons herbs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste in a bowl.
Place 2 lasagna noodles over the sauce in the skillet. Layer half of the carrot and zucchini on top; drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cover with half of the spinach, half of the ricotta mixture, a few pieces of mozzarella and 2 to 3 tablespoons of the reserved tomato sauce. Repeat the layers, ending with noodles. Top with the remaining sauce and mozzarella. Cover and simmer until the lasagna is cooked and the cheese melts, 20 to 25 minutes.
Let rest for a few minutes before slicing. Garnish with more parmesan and fresh herbs.
Blogger’s Notes: To make it easier, I sometimes use pre-made tomato sauce. Also, I added sliced onions and yellow squash.
Source: Foodnetwork.com
Disciplinary Food: Apples, Apples, and more Apples!
Whole Wheat Apple Ginger Muffins
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup milk
3 medium apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 12-cup muffin pan with softened butter. Confession: I use Pam baking spray. Yes, and may God and Alice Waters forgive me. It makes greasing pans so much easier and so I bake more often. I think the good outweighs the bad here. (I'm sorry Amanda and Merrill, if you want to kick me off the site you can. Or I can take this off if you think I'm dragging you down.)
In one large bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients. In another bowl, mix together all the wet ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix with a spoon by hand until just combined, then fold in the chopped apples.
Spoon batter into muffin cups and bake for 20-25 minutes, until tops are golden. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Source: Food52.com
Monday, February 14, 2011
Baking, Baking and More Baking!
Recently, my Kitchen Aid has been in full use with dustings of flour dancing over my counters...and flours! I have been on a roll, no pun intended, so much that my husband is requesting a baking hiatus in March when he starts to train for another endurance race.
Currently, I am really getting into making breads. While the resting and rising times have been a bit intimidating, I find that I can knock out the dough during my kiddo’s nap time and have a warm loaf of something on the table at dinner. Not bad for a total novice baker!
Here are the major things I am learning about bread:
So I started making a Whole Wheat bread. The recipe is simple and creates 3 loaves. My hubby didn’t really like the dense factor. I then moved on to an Artisan Crusty loaf. This pushed my boundaries as it had to be folded a specific way and cooked either on a stone or in a metal pan. I really liked this one. I then went crazy and starting adding milk. Not being a milk drinker, it has been quite funny learning how much I bake and need milk. The small pints from the gas station isn’t cutting it these days, hence the need for a hiatus! Most recently, I found myself baking more of a sandwich bread. It is easy and turns out really well. Tonight, I am trying my hand at dinner rolls. I will keep you posted on how that fairs!
I have also included our fantastic “go to” Pumpkin Christmas Bread and the Apple Butter I made in our new-to-us Crock Pot. It was the best $4.99 I have spent in a long time. It is currently being used to make a Chili. I have so many pinto and black beans that I don’t know what to do! Also, any want an apple, onion, or potato?! Lastly, who doesn't love pizza? There is also a Whole Wheat Pizza dough recipe as well.
Happy Baking!
Disciplinary Food: Whole Wheat Flour
Simple Whole Wheat Bread (Makes 3 loafs)
A dense, but yummy whole wheat bread. This would be great with a soup or in making a sandwich!
Ingredients
3 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
1/3 cup honey
5 cups bread flour
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/3 cup honey
1 tablespoon salt
3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Directions
In a large bowl, mix warm water, yeast, and 1/3 cup honey. Add 5 cups white bread flour, and stir to combine. Let set for 30 minutes, or until big and bubbly.
Mix in 3 tablespoons melted butter, 1/3 cup honey, and salt. Stir in 2 cups whole wheat flour. Flour a flat surface and knead with whole wheat flour until not real sticky - just pulling away from the counter, but still sticky to touch. This may take an additional 2 to 4 cups of whole wheat flour. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to coat the surface of the dough. Cover with a dishtowel. Let rise in a warm place until doubled.
Punch down, and divide into 3 loaves. Place in greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pans, and allow to rise until dough has topped the pans by one inch.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25 to 30 minutes; do not overbake. Lightly brush the tops of loaves with 2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine when done to prevent crust from getting hard. Cool completely
Source: allrecipes.com
Crusty Artisanal Bread
Ingredients:
3 Cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 Cup unbleached bread flour
1/4 Cup whole wheat flour
1 Tablespoon kosher salt
2 1/4 Teaspoon active dry yeast (one 1/4 oz package)
2 Cups water, at room temp.
With the flat beater on your Kitchen Aid, beat together the 3 flours with the salt and yeast. Add 1 3/4 cups of the water, mix until all are combined, then beat for 4 minutes. Let rest for 15 minutes.
With the dough hook on your Kitchen Aid, add the remaining 1/4 cup water, and beat on low speed for 6 minutes. At 4 minutes, the dough should come away from the side. If not, add more flour a teaspoon at a time.
Sprinkle flour in a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl. Sprinkle the top of the dough with flour. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or up to 2 days.
Remove the dough from the fridge and punch down. Divide the dough into two equal parts. For each loaf, place a thin towel or clothe in a med or small size mixing bowl. Dust the towel with flour. Press the dough into an 8 inch circle. Fold four “corners” into the center and press down with your finger. Now, repeat with the now opposite corners. Flip the dough and place into the towel with the seam on the bottom. Put the towel over the dough top and let rise for 45 minutes.
Preheat the oven at 475. For 5 minutes, place your stone or metal pie pan in the oven. When the dough is ready, take out the metal pie pan and put 2 Teaspoons of water in the center. Next, flip the dough into the pan, again, seam-side down. Take a knife and cut an X in the dough. Cook for 25 minutes until crusty and browned. Remove from the oven, immediately slide onto wire racks and let cool. (I had issues with this...the bread stuck to the pie pan. Good luck!)
Enjoy! The bread will last 3 days at room temp.
Source: Fast Breads: 50 Recipes for Easy, Delicious Bread by Elinor Klivans
Sally Lunn Bread
Great breakfast bread with honey, jam or Apple Butter (see recipe below).
Ingredients:
1 1/4 Cups of Milk (any fat content)
1/2 Cup unsalted butter
4 Cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3 Cup granulated sugar
1 Teaspoon kosher salt
2 1/4 Teaspoon dry active yeast (one 1/4 oz packet)
3 Large eggs
Butter all sides of two bread pans. Line the bottom with parchment paper and then butter that.
In a small pan, heat the milk and butter over medium heat until butter melted. It should be around 130 degrees. Remove from heat.
With the flat beater, mix together 1 cup of the flour, the sugar, salt and yeast on low speed until all is combined. Slowly add the heated milk/butter mixture until everything is smooth. Cover the bowl and let rest for 10 minutes.
Add eggs and mix on low speed until combined, then beat for 1 minute. Add the remaining 3 cups of flour and continue mixing for 6 minutes. The dough will be sticky and will not come away from the sides. Divide dough into the two loaf pans. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 375. Place in the middle of the oven and let bake for 40 minutes. The bread will rise, feel firm, and be gold brown.
Source: Fast Breads: 50 Recipes for Easy, Delicious Bread by Elinor Klivans
Buttermilk Sandwich Loaf
This is a great sandwich, everyday bread.
Ingredients:
1 1/4 Cup buttermilk, any fat content (or 1 1/4 Cup milk with 2 Tablespoons lemon juice)
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, plus 2 teaspoons melted to brush on top
3 1/4 Cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon wheat bran (or seven grain uncooked cereal!)
1 Teaspoon kosher salt
2 1/4 Teaspoon dry active yeast (one 1/4 oz packet)
1 Large egg
Butter a loaf pan.
In a small pan, heat buttermilk and 2 Tablespoons of butter over medium heat. It should be around 130 degrees. Remove from heat.
With a flat beater, mix together 1 1/2 cups of the flour, the sugar, wheat bran, salt and yeast on low speed until all is combined. Add hot buttermilk/butter mixture and mix until all are combined. Add egg and continue beating for 1 minute. Add the remaining 1 3/4 Cups flour and continue mixing for 5 minutes. Dough will be sticky and not come away from the sides. Scrape the prepared dough and brush top with melted butter.
Cover the pan and let rise for 25 minutes. Preheat the over to 375 and bake bread for 40 minutes. Bread will be firm and lightly browned.
Source: Fast Breads: 50 Recipes for Easy, Delicious Bread by Elinor Klivans
Pizza Dough
Ingredients
2/3 cup lukewarm water (105 degrees F to 115 degrees F)
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus additional for oiling bowl
1 3/4 to 2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
1/4 cup finely ground yellow cornmeal
2 teaspoons coarse salt
(I threw in a few "pizza" herbs for good measure. Also, I only used half and put the other half in the freezer for the next week.)
Directions
In a large bowl stir together 1/3 cup water, yeast, and sugar and let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. Stir in remaining 1/3 cup water, 2 tablespoons oil, 1 3/4 cups flour, cornmeal, and salt and blend until the mixture forms a dough. Knead dough on a floured surface, incorporating as much of remaining 1/4 cup flour, as necessary, to prevent dough from sticking, until smooth about 5 to 10 minutes. Form the dough into a ball.
Lightly oil the sides and bottom of a large bowl with oil, add the dough, turn to coat in the oil, cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Gently punch the dough down and divide into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece on a lightly floured surface into a 10-inch circle that is 1/8-inch thick. Brush off excess flour and transfer the dough to a baking sheet, cover each circle of dough with plastic wrap and continue stacking rolled out pieces on top of each other. Wrap well with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to grill.
Source: Allrecipes.com
Disciplinary Food: Pumpkin or Winter Squash
Pumpkin Christmas Bread
1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves, or to taste
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/3 cup vegetable oil
10 ounces pumpkin puree (just over a cup-full if you're measuring and not weighing)
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans or walnuts, optional
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray one large loaf pan, about 9" x 5", with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, mix together first seven ingredients. In another bowl, blend the remaining ingredients together.
Combine all ingredients and stir well until smooth. (It is a thick batter!) Spoon into loaf pan and lightly smooth out the top with a spatula.
Bake about 1 hours and 15 minutes, or until cake tester comes out dry and clean. Cool thoroughly. It'll seem like the loaf doesn't want to come out. Just give it a few good slaps on the bottom of the pan, and it'll come right out.
Great to bake ahead and freeze. Wrap in plastic, then foil. Defrost at room temperature.
If you'd like to make three large loaves, triple the ingredients, use a 29 ounce can of pumpkin puree, and mix in a great big bowl. Bake for 1 1/2 hours. This full recipe can make 7 mini loaves (3" x 6" mini loaf pans). Bake the mini loaves for about an hour.
Source: Food52.com
Disciplinary Food: Apples, Apples and More Apples!
Crock Pot Apple Butter
(I halved this recipe.)
16 apples (peeled, cored & chopped)
1 1/2 Cup white sugar
1 Cup light brown sugar
2 tbs cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp kosher salt
Place all ingredients in crock pot and stir so all apples are coated. Cook on HIGH for 1 hour. Reduce to LOW for 8 to 10 hours; stir occasionally. Once the apples are a rich brown color and mash easily you can do one of two things. If you like your apple butter thick you can scoop the apple mixture into a mesh colander to drain off excess liquid before blending. If you like it thinner leave liquid in the mixture. If you have a hand-held blender, blend in the crock pot to blend the apples to a lovely "apple butter consistency". If you don't have a hand-held blender, scoop several cups at a time into a blender and "pulsed" it a few times until you reach you desired consistency. fill the jars with the hot apple butter and you are ready for your next step.
If you'd like to can, which is highly recommended, it's easy. Wash and dry jars and lids. While you're filling your jars with your warm apple butter you should have your water bath heating up. Once the jars are filled, wipe the rims with a damp cloth and screw on the lid, but be careful not to over tighten. Place jars carefully in the the hot water bath, making sure they are covered with water by at least 1 inch and turn up heat. Once you reach a boil, boil for 15 minutes. Carefully remove jars from the canner and sit on a dry towel. Sit and listen carefully.. "tink, tink, tink, tink...!" the jars will seal as they cool on the towel! Label and date and you are good to go once they are cool.
Source: The Grant Farm CSA Newsletter
Currently, I am really getting into making breads. While the resting and rising times have been a bit intimidating, I find that I can knock out the dough during my kiddo’s nap time and have a warm loaf of something on the table at dinner. Not bad for a total novice baker!
Here are the major things I am learning about bread:
- Milk, eggs and butter = a cake like bread.
- Mixing the yeast/wet ingredients first, letting it rest, and then mixing and baking a muffin recipe helps the bread rise on top of the stove as the muffins cook.
- You can never let dough rise too long. (Or maybe you can...I haven’t seen any issues with a few more hours here or there yet!)
- Bake around your life, not the other way around.
- There are a lot of types of bread with varying textures! It’s all about trying them out and seeing what your taste buds enjoy the most!
So I started making a Whole Wheat bread. The recipe is simple and creates 3 loaves. My hubby didn’t really like the dense factor. I then moved on to an Artisan Crusty loaf. This pushed my boundaries as it had to be folded a specific way and cooked either on a stone or in a metal pan. I really liked this one. I then went crazy and starting adding milk. Not being a milk drinker, it has been quite funny learning how much I bake and need milk. The small pints from the gas station isn’t cutting it these days, hence the need for a hiatus! Most recently, I found myself baking more of a sandwich bread. It is easy and turns out really well. Tonight, I am trying my hand at dinner rolls. I will keep you posted on how that fairs!
I have also included our fantastic “go to” Pumpkin Christmas Bread and the Apple Butter I made in our new-to-us Crock Pot. It was the best $4.99 I have spent in a long time. It is currently being used to make a Chili. I have so many pinto and black beans that I don’t know what to do! Also, any want an apple, onion, or potato?! Lastly, who doesn't love pizza? There is also a Whole Wheat Pizza dough recipe as well.
Happy Baking!
Disciplinary Food: Whole Wheat Flour
Simple Whole Wheat Bread (Makes 3 loafs)
A dense, but yummy whole wheat bread. This would be great with a soup or in making a sandwich!
Ingredients
3 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
1/3 cup honey
5 cups bread flour
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/3 cup honey
1 tablespoon salt
3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Directions
In a large bowl, mix warm water, yeast, and 1/3 cup honey. Add 5 cups white bread flour, and stir to combine. Let set for 30 minutes, or until big and bubbly.
Mix in 3 tablespoons melted butter, 1/3 cup honey, and salt. Stir in 2 cups whole wheat flour. Flour a flat surface and knead with whole wheat flour until not real sticky - just pulling away from the counter, but still sticky to touch. This may take an additional 2 to 4 cups of whole wheat flour. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to coat the surface of the dough. Cover with a dishtowel. Let rise in a warm place until doubled.
Punch down, and divide into 3 loaves. Place in greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pans, and allow to rise until dough has topped the pans by one inch.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25 to 30 minutes; do not overbake. Lightly brush the tops of loaves with 2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine when done to prevent crust from getting hard. Cool completely
Source: allrecipes.com
Crusty Artisanal Bread
Ingredients:
3 Cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 Cup unbleached bread flour
1/4 Cup whole wheat flour
1 Tablespoon kosher salt
2 1/4 Teaspoon active dry yeast (one 1/4 oz package)
2 Cups water, at room temp.
With the flat beater on your Kitchen Aid, beat together the 3 flours with the salt and yeast. Add 1 3/4 cups of the water, mix until all are combined, then beat for 4 minutes. Let rest for 15 minutes.
With the dough hook on your Kitchen Aid, add the remaining 1/4 cup water, and beat on low speed for 6 minutes. At 4 minutes, the dough should come away from the side. If not, add more flour a teaspoon at a time.
Sprinkle flour in a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl. Sprinkle the top of the dough with flour. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or up to 2 days.
Remove the dough from the fridge and punch down. Divide the dough into two equal parts. For each loaf, place a thin towel or clothe in a med or small size mixing bowl. Dust the towel with flour. Press the dough into an 8 inch circle. Fold four “corners” into the center and press down with your finger. Now, repeat with the now opposite corners. Flip the dough and place into the towel with the seam on the bottom. Put the towel over the dough top and let rise for 45 minutes.
Preheat the oven at 475. For 5 minutes, place your stone or metal pie pan in the oven. When the dough is ready, take out the metal pie pan and put 2 Teaspoons of water in the center. Next, flip the dough into the pan, again, seam-side down. Take a knife and cut an X in the dough. Cook for 25 minutes until crusty and browned. Remove from the oven, immediately slide onto wire racks and let cool. (I had issues with this...the bread stuck to the pie pan. Good luck!)
Enjoy! The bread will last 3 days at room temp.
Source: Fast Breads: 50 Recipes for Easy, Delicious Bread by Elinor Klivans
Sally Lunn Bread
Great breakfast bread with honey, jam or Apple Butter (see recipe below).
Ingredients:
1 1/4 Cups of Milk (any fat content)
1/2 Cup unsalted butter
4 Cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3 Cup granulated sugar
1 Teaspoon kosher salt
2 1/4 Teaspoon dry active yeast (one 1/4 oz packet)
3 Large eggs
Butter all sides of two bread pans. Line the bottom with parchment paper and then butter that.
In a small pan, heat the milk and butter over medium heat until butter melted. It should be around 130 degrees. Remove from heat.
With the flat beater, mix together 1 cup of the flour, the sugar, salt and yeast on low speed until all is combined. Slowly add the heated milk/butter mixture until everything is smooth. Cover the bowl and let rest for 10 minutes.
Add eggs and mix on low speed until combined, then beat for 1 minute. Add the remaining 3 cups of flour and continue mixing for 6 minutes. The dough will be sticky and will not come away from the sides. Divide dough into the two loaf pans. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 375. Place in the middle of the oven and let bake for 40 minutes. The bread will rise, feel firm, and be gold brown.
Source: Fast Breads: 50 Recipes for Easy, Delicious Bread by Elinor Klivans
Buttermilk Sandwich Loaf
This is a great sandwich, everyday bread.
Ingredients:
1 1/4 Cup buttermilk, any fat content (or 1 1/4 Cup milk with 2 Tablespoons lemon juice)
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, plus 2 teaspoons melted to brush on top
3 1/4 Cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon wheat bran (or seven grain uncooked cereal!)
1 Teaspoon kosher salt
2 1/4 Teaspoon dry active yeast (one 1/4 oz packet)
1 Large egg
Butter a loaf pan.
In a small pan, heat buttermilk and 2 Tablespoons of butter over medium heat. It should be around 130 degrees. Remove from heat.
With a flat beater, mix together 1 1/2 cups of the flour, the sugar, wheat bran, salt and yeast on low speed until all is combined. Add hot buttermilk/butter mixture and mix until all are combined. Add egg and continue beating for 1 minute. Add the remaining 1 3/4 Cups flour and continue mixing for 5 minutes. Dough will be sticky and not come away from the sides. Scrape the prepared dough and brush top with melted butter.
Cover the pan and let rise for 25 minutes. Preheat the over to 375 and bake bread for 40 minutes. Bread will be firm and lightly browned.
Source: Fast Breads: 50 Recipes for Easy, Delicious Bread by Elinor Klivans
Pizza Dough
Ingredients
2/3 cup lukewarm water (105 degrees F to 115 degrees F)
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus additional for oiling bowl
1 3/4 to 2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
1/4 cup finely ground yellow cornmeal
2 teaspoons coarse salt
(I threw in a few "pizza" herbs for good measure. Also, I only used half and put the other half in the freezer for the next week.)
Directions
In a large bowl stir together 1/3 cup water, yeast, and sugar and let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. Stir in remaining 1/3 cup water, 2 tablespoons oil, 1 3/4 cups flour, cornmeal, and salt and blend until the mixture forms a dough. Knead dough on a floured surface, incorporating as much of remaining 1/4 cup flour, as necessary, to prevent dough from sticking, until smooth about 5 to 10 minutes. Form the dough into a ball.
Lightly oil the sides and bottom of a large bowl with oil, add the dough, turn to coat in the oil, cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Gently punch the dough down and divide into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece on a lightly floured surface into a 10-inch circle that is 1/8-inch thick. Brush off excess flour and transfer the dough to a baking sheet, cover each circle of dough with plastic wrap and continue stacking rolled out pieces on top of each other. Wrap well with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to grill.
Source: Allrecipes.com
Disciplinary Food: Pumpkin or Winter Squash
Pumpkin Christmas Bread
1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves, or to taste
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/3 cup vegetable oil
10 ounces pumpkin puree (just over a cup-full if you're measuring and not weighing)
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans or walnuts, optional
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray one large loaf pan, about 9" x 5", with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, mix together first seven ingredients. In another bowl, blend the remaining ingredients together.
Combine all ingredients and stir well until smooth. (It is a thick batter!) Spoon into loaf pan and lightly smooth out the top with a spatula.
Bake about 1 hours and 15 minutes, or until cake tester comes out dry and clean. Cool thoroughly. It'll seem like the loaf doesn't want to come out. Just give it a few good slaps on the bottom of the pan, and it'll come right out.
Great to bake ahead and freeze. Wrap in plastic, then foil. Defrost at room temperature.
If you'd like to make three large loaves, triple the ingredients, use a 29 ounce can of pumpkin puree, and mix in a great big bowl. Bake for 1 1/2 hours. This full recipe can make 7 mini loaves (3" x 6" mini loaf pans). Bake the mini loaves for about an hour.
Source: Food52.com
Disciplinary Food: Apples, Apples and More Apples!
Crock Pot Apple Butter
(I halved this recipe.)
16 apples (peeled, cored & chopped)
1 1/2 Cup white sugar
1 Cup light brown sugar
2 tbs cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp kosher salt
Place all ingredients in crock pot and stir so all apples are coated. Cook on HIGH for 1 hour. Reduce to LOW for 8 to 10 hours; stir occasionally. Once the apples are a rich brown color and mash easily you can do one of two things. If you like your apple butter thick you can scoop the apple mixture into a mesh colander to drain off excess liquid before blending. If you like it thinner leave liquid in the mixture. If you have a hand-held blender, blend in the crock pot to blend the apples to a lovely "apple butter consistency". If you don't have a hand-held blender, scoop several cups at a time into a blender and "pulsed" it a few times until you reach you desired consistency. fill the jars with the hot apple butter and you are ready for your next step.
If you'd like to can, which is highly recommended, it's easy. Wash and dry jars and lids. While you're filling your jars with your warm apple butter you should have your water bath heating up. Once the jars are filled, wipe the rims with a damp cloth and screw on the lid, but be careful not to over tighten. Place jars carefully in the the hot water bath, making sure they are covered with water by at least 1 inch and turn up heat. Once you reach a boil, boil for 15 minutes. Carefully remove jars from the canner and sit on a dry towel. Sit and listen carefully.. "tink, tink, tink, tink...!" the jars will seal as they cool on the towel! Label and date and you are good to go once they are cool.
Source: The Grant Farm CSA Newsletter
Monday, January 31, 2011
Making the Meal
I seem to struggle with creating a full meal menu using disciplinary foods, keeping the cost down and meal excitement up. Lately, I feel good about meeting my meal challenges. However, I haven't been very good about blogging! So here are three evening meals that work with our mile high seasonal fruit and veggie bounty.
For the next blog, I would love to hear suggestions for beets. We are starting to tire of roasted beets and I tried Chocolate Beet Brownies...not really a fan. Perhaps it was the altitude. Anyway, have any great beet recipes that you would like to share? Leave me a comment!
So, no real story this time, just a lot of recipes:
The Disciplinary Food: Potatoes
The Meal: A Brussels Sprouts Salad, Roasted Asparagus, and Potato Gnocchi with a Creamy Sage Sauce
Potato Gnocchi
2 cups hot mashed potatoes (without milk or seasonings)
1 cup sifted four
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper (I used black.)
Pinch nutmeg (I used a bit more!)
Mix all ingredients and put into a pastry bag, fitted with a large, plain tube. Bring 5 quarts salted water to a boil and heat to a gentle boil. Squeeze out gnocchi into the pot, cutting every inch, and letting dough fall into water. Simmer uncovered until gnocchi float and cook one minute more.
Or on a floured surface, make long ropes of dough and cut into 1 inch lengths and imprint lightly with the back of a fork. Cook as directed.
Source: The New Doubleday Cookbook.
Creamy Sage Sauce
1 1/2 cup heavy Cream
3 tablespoons minced shallots
1/3 cup finely chopped sweet red pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh sage
Simmer all ingredients in a saute pan for 5 to 7 minutes until slightly thickened. Pour over cooked gnocchi.
Source: The New Doubleday Cookbook.
Roasted Asparagus
1/2 a bunch of asparagus
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 Lemon
Cut off ends of asparagus and place on a toaster over cooking sheet. Sprinkle olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper over the stems. Set toaster oven on toast or 400 and cook for 5 to 8 minutes until roasted to liking.
Brussels Sprouts Salad as noted in the last blog post.
The Disciplinary Food: Asparagus (from the night before!), Spinach, Carrots, Onion and Spaghetti Squash
The Meal: Roasted Carrots, Parsnips, and Asparagus with Spaghetti Squash and Spinach, as well as homemade Whole Wheat Bread with Herb Goat Cheese
Roasted Carrots and Parsnips
A few Carrots
A Few Parsnips
Olive Oil
Salt and pepper
In a small baking dish, chop carrots and parsnips. Drizzle olive oil and add salt and pepper to taste. Gently mix and put on a high over rack for 30 to 45 minutes at 425.
Roasted Asparagus (See above.)
Spaghetti Squash and Spinach
1 Spaghetti Squash
A few handfuls of Spinach
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Olive Oil
2 cloves of garlic
1 chopped onion
Cut the Spaghetti Squash in half, clean out the seeds, then place in a baking pan, cut sides down, in about 1 to 2 inches of water. Roast the Spaghetti Squash at 350 degrees for about an hour or until the skin gives to the touch and the squash is cooked.
Scrap the squash out into a pull and mix in the cheese. Put aside.
Heat and cook Olive Oil, garlic and chopped onion in a saute pan. Once onions are translucent, add in the spinach. Cook on Medium until the leaves begin to wilt. Add squash and stir. It is ready to serve.
Source: Loosely borrowed from a friend's dinner idea.
The Disciplinary Food: Beets, Apples, and Hazelnuts
The Meal: Green Beans with Blacken Sage and Hazelnuts, and a Beet/Goat Cheese Salad (Please note: there was an item that just didn't turn out too well!)
Green Beans With Blackened Sage and Hazelnuts
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped fresh sage
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 lb green beans, trimmed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup hazelnuts, chopped
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Heat butter and oil, then cook sage until it begins to blacken, 1 to 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook until golden, about 2 minutes. Add beans and salt; toss to coat. Carefully add 1 cup water. Steam until beans are fork-tender and most of the water has evaporated, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle hazelnuts on top and serve.
Source: Self.com
Beet/Goat Cheese Salad
Beets
Apple
Walnuts
Goat Cheese
Mixed Greens
Balsamic Vinegear
Olive Oil
Using roasted beets, julianed apple, chopped walnuts, crumbled goat cheese and mixing with a mixed greens, drizzle some balsamic vinegar and olive oil to finish it off.
For the next blog, I would love to hear suggestions for beets. We are starting to tire of roasted beets and I tried Chocolate Beet Brownies...not really a fan. Perhaps it was the altitude. Anyway, have any great beet recipes that you would like to share? Leave me a comment!
So, no real story this time, just a lot of recipes:
The Disciplinary Food: Potatoes
The Meal: A Brussels Sprouts Salad, Roasted Asparagus, and Potato Gnocchi with a Creamy Sage Sauce
Potato Gnocchi
2 cups hot mashed potatoes (without milk or seasonings)
1 cup sifted four
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper (I used black.)
Pinch nutmeg (I used a bit more!)
Mix all ingredients and put into a pastry bag, fitted with a large, plain tube. Bring 5 quarts salted water to a boil and heat to a gentle boil. Squeeze out gnocchi into the pot, cutting every inch, and letting dough fall into water. Simmer uncovered until gnocchi float and cook one minute more.
Or on a floured surface, make long ropes of dough and cut into 1 inch lengths and imprint lightly with the back of a fork. Cook as directed.
Source: The New Doubleday Cookbook.
Creamy Sage Sauce
1 1/2 cup heavy Cream
3 tablespoons minced shallots
1/3 cup finely chopped sweet red pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh sage
Simmer all ingredients in a saute pan for 5 to 7 minutes until slightly thickened. Pour over cooked gnocchi.
Source: The New Doubleday Cookbook.
Roasted Asparagus
1/2 a bunch of asparagus
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 Lemon
Cut off ends of asparagus and place on a toaster over cooking sheet. Sprinkle olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper over the stems. Set toaster oven on toast or 400 and cook for 5 to 8 minutes until roasted to liking.
Brussels Sprouts Salad as noted in the last blog post.
The Disciplinary Food: Asparagus (from the night before!), Spinach, Carrots, Onion and Spaghetti Squash
The Meal: Roasted Carrots, Parsnips, and Asparagus with Spaghetti Squash and Spinach, as well as homemade Whole Wheat Bread with Herb Goat Cheese
Roasted Carrots and Parsnips
A few Carrots
A Few Parsnips
Olive Oil
Salt and pepper
In a small baking dish, chop carrots and parsnips. Drizzle olive oil and add salt and pepper to taste. Gently mix and put on a high over rack for 30 to 45 minutes at 425.
Roasted Asparagus (See above.)
Spaghetti Squash and Spinach
1 Spaghetti Squash
A few handfuls of Spinach
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Olive Oil
2 cloves of garlic
1 chopped onion
Cut the Spaghetti Squash in half, clean out the seeds, then place in a baking pan, cut sides down, in about 1 to 2 inches of water. Roast the Spaghetti Squash at 350 degrees for about an hour or until the skin gives to the touch and the squash is cooked.
Scrap the squash out into a pull and mix in the cheese. Put aside.
Heat and cook Olive Oil, garlic and chopped onion in a saute pan. Once onions are translucent, add in the spinach. Cook on Medium until the leaves begin to wilt. Add squash and stir. It is ready to serve.
Source: Loosely borrowed from a friend's dinner idea.
The Disciplinary Food: Beets, Apples, and Hazelnuts
The Meal: Green Beans with Blacken Sage and Hazelnuts, and a Beet/Goat Cheese Salad (Please note: there was an item that just didn't turn out too well!)
Green Beans With Blackened Sage and Hazelnuts
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped fresh sage
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 lb green beans, trimmed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup hazelnuts, chopped
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Heat butter and oil, then cook sage until it begins to blacken, 1 to 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook until golden, about 2 minutes. Add beans and salt; toss to coat. Carefully add 1 cup water. Steam until beans are fork-tender and most of the water has evaporated, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle hazelnuts on top and serve.
Source: Self.com
Beet/Goat Cheese Salad
Beets
Apple
Walnuts
Goat Cheese
Mixed Greens
Balsamic Vinegear
Olive Oil
Using roasted beets, julianed apple, chopped walnuts, crumbled goat cheese and mixing with a mixed greens, drizzle some balsamic vinegar and olive oil to finish it off.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Tools of the Trade
When I think about monumental tools of the cooking trade, I know my list is probably quite unique compared to most other people's. The below are my top five tools, all of which are very important in my kitchen and each come with a good story!
On my 28th birthday, we went crazy and bought a super discounted nice set of pots and pans. There is no denying it...that was the moment I realized I was an adult. I was just too happy to rid our kitchen of the random pot or pan bought here or there. One of the best birthday presents ever!
And then there was our wedding registry day! The day of all days, knowing you will soon be upgrading everything! The best gift ever from that day: the five dollar garlic peeler tube. Who knew it would be so useful? I highly recommend this great tool!
That day was also when we bought our first and only “As Seen on TV” product. While my husband did not want an “As Seen on TV” item on our registry, we walked home with our very own Magic Bullet in the free “Wedding Registry” tote bag. To think you can puree about anything, whether beets for a Chocolate Beet Brownie mix or part of a soup to make it a bit more creamy. While I was always revert to a thirteen year old boy and giggle when I think of it’s name, it really has been very useful when we have least expected it!
For Christmas this year, Santa brought me a new red Kitchen Aid. Apparently, Santa knew that the CSA was going to be supplying us with some serious flour in the near future. I have to admit at first I was a bit timid around this new, bright and shiny toy. My brother, who happened to be visiting, broke it in with a batch of pizza dough and then some “too healthy” muffins. A little flour on the base was all it took for my kitchen to quickly fill with baking supplies. Who would have thought that I would soon be the proud owner of four different kinds of flour: Whole Wheat, All Purpose, Bread, and 00 Baking flours.
While the Kitchen Aid has recently transformed our baking, the most exciting and dangerous tool of the trade has been our new mandolin. It has always been one of those things that both my husband and I have stopped and stared at when wandering in and out of Williams Sonoma. To slice and julian so quickly....amazing!
We recently moved to the Mile High City. And with any great move comes a great yard sale. I remember standing with my yard sale cash box in hand when a gentlemen (who ended up buying quite a bit) looked into a bag of random kitchen items for sale, smiled, and said, “Wow, you guys like to slice and grate a lot!” I sheepishly smiled back, “Don’t worry, we do too!” he said with a grin.
Flash forward three months to our new kitchen and new, very sharp mandolin. It was a Monday evening and I was making dinner for the family. We recently tried a Brussels Sprouts salad and fell head over heels in love. I making it for the second time when...opps....a little to much off of that sprout and my finger. I felt so silly, sitting on the couch with my dinner half made, holding my finger with a tissue. My husband took over and within three minutes...opps...I didn’t feel so silly anymore! Long story, short: be very careful with this tool! While I now use it often, I use it with much care!
This brings me to our current “go to” salad:
Today’s Disciplinary Foods: Red Onion, Apples, and Cabbage
Brussels Sprout Salad with a Lemon Dressing
Salad:
1 small red onion
3 cups Brussels sprouts (use larger sprouts if possible)
1 Apple
Half of a Cabbage (red or green)
1 handful of cranberries
1/2 cup finely grated pecorino romano
Dressing:
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon whole grain mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
Notes: Having made this many times, a quick time saver tip: make a quick lemon vinaigrette with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. It can be made with the Magic Bullet and saved for later use in the fridge. It is especially great on a spinach or arugula salad!
Source: The main aspect of the salad came from www.food52.com. It's a great site for food specific recipes.
On my 28th birthday, we went crazy and bought a super discounted nice set of pots and pans. There is no denying it...that was the moment I realized I was an adult. I was just too happy to rid our kitchen of the random pot or pan bought here or there. One of the best birthday presents ever!
And then there was our wedding registry day! The day of all days, knowing you will soon be upgrading everything! The best gift ever from that day: the five dollar garlic peeler tube. Who knew it would be so useful? I highly recommend this great tool!
That day was also when we bought our first and only “As Seen on TV” product. While my husband did not want an “As Seen on TV” item on our registry, we walked home with our very own Magic Bullet in the free “Wedding Registry” tote bag. To think you can puree about anything, whether beets for a Chocolate Beet Brownie mix or part of a soup to make it a bit more creamy. While I was always revert to a thirteen year old boy and giggle when I think of it’s name, it really has been very useful when we have least expected it!
For Christmas this year, Santa brought me a new red Kitchen Aid. Apparently, Santa knew that the CSA was going to be supplying us with some serious flour in the near future. I have to admit at first I was a bit timid around this new, bright and shiny toy. My brother, who happened to be visiting, broke it in with a batch of pizza dough and then some “too healthy” muffins. A little flour on the base was all it took for my kitchen to quickly fill with baking supplies. Who would have thought that I would soon be the proud owner of four different kinds of flour: Whole Wheat, All Purpose, Bread, and 00 Baking flours.
While the Kitchen Aid has recently transformed our baking, the most exciting and dangerous tool of the trade has been our new mandolin. It has always been one of those things that both my husband and I have stopped and stared at when wandering in and out of Williams Sonoma. To slice and julian so quickly....amazing!
We recently moved to the Mile High City. And with any great move comes a great yard sale. I remember standing with my yard sale cash box in hand when a gentlemen (who ended up buying quite a bit) looked into a bag of random kitchen items for sale, smiled, and said, “Wow, you guys like to slice and grate a lot!” I sheepishly smiled back, “Don’t worry, we do too!” he said with a grin.
Flash forward three months to our new kitchen and new, very sharp mandolin. It was a Monday evening and I was making dinner for the family. We recently tried a Brussels Sprouts salad and fell head over heels in love. I making it for the second time when...opps....a little to much off of that sprout and my finger. I felt so silly, sitting on the couch with my dinner half made, holding my finger with a tissue. My husband took over and within three minutes...opps...I didn’t feel so silly anymore! Long story, short: be very careful with this tool! While I now use it often, I use it with much care!
This brings me to our current “go to” salad:
Today’s Disciplinary Foods: Red Onion, Apples, and Cabbage
Brussels Sprout Salad with a Lemon Dressing
Salad:
1 small red onion
3 cups Brussels sprouts (use larger sprouts if possible)
1 Apple
Half of a Cabbage (red or green)
1 handful of cranberries
1/2 cup finely grated pecorino romano
Dressing:
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon whole grain mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
- Soak the onion slices in a small bowl of cold water for 15 to 20 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, honey, mustard and a pinch of salt and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil until the dressing is emulsified. Set aside.
- Trim all of the Brussels sprouts, cutting off any bruised outer leaves and slicing off a good portion of the hard root end. Using a mandolin, shave the sprouts one at a time. When you're done, use your fingers to gently separate the leaves so that the shredded sprouts resemble a very fine slaw. Do the same with the cabbage.
- Julian the apple using the mandolin.
- Put the sprouts in a serving bowl and toss gently with the onions (which you've now drained) and the dressing. Fold in the pecorino, taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Serve immediately, before it starts to wilt!
Notes: Having made this many times, a quick time saver tip: make a quick lemon vinaigrette with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. It can be made with the Magic Bullet and saved for later use in the fridge. It is especially great on a spinach or arugula salad!
Source: The main aspect of the salad came from www.food52.com. It's a great site for food specific recipes.
Monday, January 24, 2011
What to do with all this food?
The other day, I found myself standing at the kitchen counter shaving thin slices of brussel sprouts for a salad, while a loaf of Pumpkin/Squash Christmas Bread loaf baked in the oven and an Apple Crisp was waiting it's turn. Meanwhile, I knew that I had over 10 lbs. of beets, another two bags of apples, and two more Hubbard Squash ripening on the counter next to a bag of onions. Realizing I was in the mix of something much bigger than two adults and a toddler could even begin to eat, I knew I needed to think fast! What to do with all of this great fresh fruit and veggies we received from our CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) Winter share? I mean really, how many Apple Crisps and variations on baked potatoes could I possibly make?
Watching the faucet shake as the disposal ran for the fifth time that afternoon, an idea hit me: Why not use a blog to share and document all of the gathered seasonal recipes? I was sure that there were other people out there trying to figure out another way to utilize those last few red onions or leeks found at the bottom of their CSA box. Truly, a win-win for all...at the end of a season or a year, this site will have a documented cookbook of sorts based on seasonal goodies straight from the farm!
So, I find myself blogging, while Cooking Seasonally at a Mile High!
Today's Disciplinary Food*: Apples
Low Fat Apple Crisp
7 c. sliced peeled apples
1/3 c. granulated sugar
2 tbsp. flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
TOPPING:
1 c. quick rolled oats
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 c. soft butter
In 2 quart baking dish put apples on bottom. In small bowl combine sugar, flour and cinnamon. Add to fruit and toss.
Topping: Combine oats, sugar and cinnamon. With 2 knives cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over fruit. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes or microwave at high for 15 minutes. 8 servings.
Notes: I have made this a few different times, once with pomegranates mixed in. A time saving trick: Make (without topping), cover, and place in the fridge. Before going in the oven, put on the topping. This goes great with Salted Carmel Ice Cream from Sweet Action Ice Cream on Broadway!
Source: Can't remember!
*Disciplinary Food: Coined by my brother, it is a food item that must be used immediately and until it is gone before it goes bad.
Watching the faucet shake as the disposal ran for the fifth time that afternoon, an idea hit me: Why not use a blog to share and document all of the gathered seasonal recipes? I was sure that there were other people out there trying to figure out another way to utilize those last few red onions or leeks found at the bottom of their CSA box. Truly, a win-win for all...at the end of a season or a year, this site will have a documented cookbook of sorts based on seasonal goodies straight from the farm!
So, I find myself blogging, while Cooking Seasonally at a Mile High!
Today's Disciplinary Food*: Apples
Low Fat Apple Crisp
7 c. sliced peeled apples
1/3 c. granulated sugar
2 tbsp. flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
TOPPING:
1 c. quick rolled oats
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 c. soft butter
In 2 quart baking dish put apples on bottom. In small bowl combine sugar, flour and cinnamon. Add to fruit and toss.
Topping: Combine oats, sugar and cinnamon. With 2 knives cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over fruit. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes or microwave at high for 15 minutes. 8 servings.
Notes: I have made this a few different times, once with pomegranates mixed in. A time saving trick: Make (without topping), cover, and place in the fridge. Before going in the oven, put on the topping. This goes great with Salted Carmel Ice Cream from Sweet Action Ice Cream on Broadway!
Source: Can't remember!
*Disciplinary Food: Coined by my brother, it is a food item that must be used immediately and until it is gone before it goes bad.
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