Spun Sugar

This was my contribution to Thanksgiving dinner. Pumpkin Cheesecake with a halo of spun sugar. It worked!

It's coming . . .

I think I need to eat less and write more. November has been a month filled with great food and I am excited to post these recipes . . . someday. Here's a list of what you can expect:

Peppered Pork Tenderloin with Grilled Gorgonzola Pears
Pig in a Birds nest - getting creative with leftovers
Spinach and Quinnoa Salad with an Apple Walnut Vinaigrette
Can-less Creamed Corn
Apple Pie
Caramelized Quince Upside down Cake

I am eagerly anticipating December with all of its sweet treats. This year I am particularly excited about making chocolate ganache stuffed figs, French almond nougat, Roasted-Pineapple Hot Buttered Rum - minus the rum, sticky date and almond bread pudding, and pistachio cardamom macaroons. Yum.

Does chicken come from an animal?

Two months ago I helped a friend finish her roof. At the end of the project we made a trip to the dump, and her 5 year old son accompanied us on the trip. As we drove home T.J. struck up a conversation with his mom:

T.J. Hey mom, does chicken come from an animal?
(Laughter)
Mom Yep, sure does.
T.J. Oh. What animal?
Mom (looking quizzically in the rear view mirror) A chicken.

This brief exchanged reinforced my beliefs that people are becoming very disconnected with the origins of what they eat. No longer do children realize that their dinner came from an animal. Meat doesn't come from a farm, it comes shrink-wrapped from the grocery store! How sad, I thought, that this child doesn't even know that his chicken comes from a chicken. I viewed this as a call to return to the farm!

Last night I had to eat my words. Literally.

Bryant, being the manly provider that he is, came back from Rexburg with a dead bird in a cooler. A pheasant to be exact. He and his Dad had gone hunting (for the first time since we have been married) and he was quite proud of his accomplishment. He pointed out that you can't get much more free range than an animal killed in the wild. He had a point. Thankfully his Dad taught him from the time he was young that if you are the one to kill it, you are also the one to clean it, so I didn't have to see any feathers or heads. Bryant asked me if I would prepare it for dinner, so last night I set out looking for 'how to prepare a pheasant' since this is one of the areas in cooking in which I have no expertise. I found a great recipe for Pan Roasted Pheasant with Shitake Mushrooms and Figs. Bryant went to get a movie, I went to get the dead bird out of the fridge. It is at this point that my city-slicker upbringing really kicked in. I had no idea where this bird had been! What had it been eating? Is it really safe to eat a bird that has been running around in the wild? Suddenly, shrink-wrapped meat didn't seem so bad. The kicker proved to be when I removed what looked like a 3 inch long piece of beef jerky from the bird. Bryant said it was most likely scar tissue from an old wound. I felt ill. About this time I began to realize my own hypocrisy. I sing the virtues of sustainable agriculture, tell the world of the horrors of factory farms, and freak out about eating a bird that qualifies as the most free range of them all.

Pheasant, as it turns out, is surprisingly tasty. I'm still working on the sauce recipe. It calls for Chamboucin wine and since I don't use alcohol I made a substitution. It was a bit too sweet so I am going to tweak it before I post the recipe. In the meantime, I will work on my hypocrisy.

Roasted Spiced Chicken with Cinnamon and Honey Sweet Potatoes

Confession - I rarely cook meat. I have several excuses as to why:

1) I love vegetables
2) Meat is slimy when raw
3) I don't have a grill pan

My parents remedied excuse #3 by giving me the fabulous Le Creuset grill pan for my birthday. To Bryant's joy I actually began looking through my meat recipes - the ones I couldn't cook without a grill pan. I pulled out this tantalizing recipe (from Bon Appetit, I think) and started making my grocery list. As I read through the ingredients I began to feel sheepish. No grill pan needed - just a baking sheet. My bad. A coffee grinder, however, is necessary to grind the whole spices. I have owned a coffee grinder for the past 4 years, which is random considering I don't drink coffee. Now own a grill pan and a coffee grinder. I'm set for life.

Caution - this is one spicy dish, which is why I love it! They suggest it be served with a mango chutney, which I also recommend, but do yourself a favor and purchase a sweet, not hot, chutney. It also recommends slicing the potatoes (or yams, depending on who you ask) into rounds. I didn't love the texture, so I'm going to change that to a mashed sweet potato.

Chicken

1/2 c chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, chopped
3 Tbs apple cider vinegar
2 Tbs honey
1 Tbs allspice berries, ground in a spice mill or coffee grinder
1 Tbs chopped peeled fresh ginger (the odd root thing in the produce section)
1 1/2 tsp finely chopped fresh thyme (this is the one ingredient I forgot to purchase, I used dried thyme and had great results)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 scotch bonnet chile or habanero chile, seeded and minced (I couldn't find either of these chiles fresh, so I ended up using a dried habanero chile. THANKFULLY I still took out the seeds. These babies are hot!)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
4 whole chicken leg-thigh pieces (I used 2 1/4 lbs of boneless chicken thighs instead)
2 Tbs olive oil

Place onion, garlic, apple cider vinegar, honey, ground allspice, chopped fresh ginger, chopped fresh thyme, salt, ground black pepper, seeded and minced chile, connamon, and nutmeg in processor. Puree until coarse paste forms. Place chicken in a large Ziploc bag and seal. Turn chicken to coat. Refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight, turning occasionally.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Arrange chicken pieces, with marinade still clinging to chicken, on a rimmed baking sheet. Brush chicken with oil. Roast until cooked through, about 45 minutes for thigh-leg pieces, 20 to 30 minutes for thighs.

Sweet Potatoes

2 Tbs butter, melted
2 Tbs honey
1 Tbs fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 lbs red-skinned sweet potatoes (scrape the skin with your fingernail to make sure they are deep orange inside)

Wash sweet potatoes and prick with fork. Roast in 400 degree oven until tender (you can do this while the chicken bakes). Remove skins and mash with remaining ingredients. Adjust seasonings to suit your tastes.

Serve the chicken with the sweet potatoes and mango chutney. I also made a batch of wild mushroom couscous to accompany the dish, and it worked perfectly. Serves 4.

Cinnamon Swirlies

I love cinnamon rolls and have about 5 different recipes - all wonderful, and all very time consuming. This is another Vegetarian Times find that I've adapted to fit my tastes. These are not so much a cinnamon roll but a cinnamon roll pastry, almost a cross between a cinnamon roll and a scone. Bryant dubbed them cinnamon swirlies and the name stuck. They are delicious and can be whipped up in under 30 minutes. Instant gratification - that's what I'm talking about.

3/4 c skim or low fat milk
2 tsp yeast
1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1/2 c whole-wheat flour
1/4 c sugar
1 Tbs baking powder
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, divided
1/4 tsp salt
4 Tbs butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 c brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or coat with cooking spray. Heat milk in microwave for 30 seconds, until warm to the touch. Sprinkle with yeast and set aside.

Combine flours, white sugar, baking powder, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and salt in bowl. Rob butter into flour mixture with fingers, or cut in with a pastry cutter, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in milk until soft dough forms. Transfer to a lightly-floured surface and press into a 12x6-inch rectangle.

Combine brown sugar and remaining cinnamon in a small bowl. Sprinkle over dough (it will seem like quite a lot of sugar, but use it all) and press in lightly with the palms of your hands. Gently roll dough lengthwise into log. Cut into 16 3/4-inch thick slices. Place on baking sheet and bake 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and brush with glaze.

For the glaze combine 1/2 Tbs butter, 1 to 2 Tbs milk, 1 tsp lemon juice (optional) and 1/2 to 1 tsp vanilla. Add enough powder sugar to thicken, about 1/2 to 3/4 cup. It will seem rather thick, but will melt over the cinnamon swirlies. These are fabulous warm or cold.

Fall Feast

The Sioux Falls public library has a surprisingly large selection of magazines. Like my mother, I am a magazine addict, and it is at this library that I first came across Vegetarian Times. I am not a vegetarian, but I love vegetables. For the past 3 years my parents have given me a subscription to Vegetarian Times for my birthday, and it has proved to be the gift that keeps on giving. Two weeks ago I pulled out my October issue in search of inspiration. They had a Halloween dinner which included an intriguing soup baked in a pumpkin and a salad with roasted grapes. I also searched through my file of 'recipes I'm going to make someday' and found a recipe from their April 2008 issue for a caramelized onion, fig, and goat cheese spread that looked divine. Armed with these recipes I began to cook. The result was a pretty amazing meal. Bryant announced that it was the best meal I had ever prepared, and I don't think it hurt that it ended with his all time favorite dessert - apple pie.


Spicy Fall Stew Baked in a Pumpkin

2 Tbs olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch dice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp chili powder, preferably New Mexican
1 tsp ground cumin
/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 lb tomatillos, husked and quartered
1 14 oz. can hominy, rinsed and drained
1/4 tsp salt
1 3 to 4 lb pumpkin (NOT a jack-o-lantern! Look for Sugar Pie or Cheese, or any pumpkin that can be used for a pie)
2 oz grated sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat 1 Tbs olive oil in pot over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Saute 7 minutes, or until softened. Stir in chili powder, cumin, and oregano and cook 3 minutes, or until spices darken.

Add tomatillos, hominy, 1/2 c water, and salt. Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, partially covered 10 to 12 minutes, or until tomatillos are soft. Uncover and cook an additional 5 minutes to thicken, if necessary.

Cut top off pumpkin (note: this was ridiculously difficult, no wonder we don't carve eating pumpkins! It required a hammer, a screwdriver, and a husband) to make a lid. Scoop out the seeds and strings. Rub inside of pumpkin with remaining oil and sprinkle generously with salt. Sprinkle cheese in bottom of pumpkin.

Fill pumpkin with stew. Replace the 'lid' and place on parchment-covered baking sheet. Bake 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until pumpkin flesh in tender. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes. Scoop stew, including pumpkin, into bowls and serve hot, topped with Poblano Cucumber Salsa.

Poblano-Cucumber Salsa

1 poblano chile
1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
1/4 c chopped cilantro
2 Tbs lime juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeno chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced
1/2 tsp salt
1 avocado, diced

Preheat oven to broil. Roast poblano chile 15 to 20 minutes, or until skin is blackened, turning occasionally. Cool until east to handle. Remove skin, seeds, and stem and dice. Combine poblano, cucumber, cilantro, lime juice, garlic, jalapeno, and salt in a small bowl. Fold in avocado and season with salt and pepper.

Arugula Salad with Roast Grapes

2 c seedless red grapes
6 medium shallots, unpealed
6 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs red wine vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp fresh thyme
3 bunches arugula, heavy stems removed
2 oz percorino cheese, thinly sliced (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 and line baking sheet with parchment pepper. Place grapes on one half and shallots on the other. Roast for 20 minutes, or until grapes are shriveled, turning grapes every 10 minutes. Transfer grapes to a bowl and roast shallots for an additional 20 minutes or until tender. Transfer shallots to a bowl to cool for 10 minutes.

Cut off root end of each shallot and squeeze pulp into a blender or food processor. Add oil, vinegar, and mustard and season with salt and pepper. Blend until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and sir in thyme.

Toss arugula with enough dressing to coat. Divide among 6 plates and top with roasted grapes and cheese. Roasting grapes may sound odd, and odd it is, but the result is delicious.

Caramelized Onion, Fig, and Goat Cheese Swirl
We love everything about this spread. Serve with slices of crusty bread.

1 Tbs olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
14 figs (either black mission or brown turkish) hard tips removed
4 oz goat cheese, softened and crumbled.

Heat oil in skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and pinch of salt and cook 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender, lightly browned, and reduced to 1 cup.

Meanwhile, place figs in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak 5 minutes, or until tender. Drain and reserve 1/4 c of liquid.

Puree figs and onion until smooth, adding reserved liquid if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl and fold in goat cheese, being careful to leave white streaks in the mix.

Radoslov Dimitrov, Michael Pollan, and Living in Nebraska

I should have initially prefaced this blog with a bit of background on my choice of ingredients, which is largely influenced by 3 completely individual, but inseparable, factors:

Radoslov Dimitrov – a professor from my college days who is both one of the reasons I ended up majoring in Political Science as well as the cause of my obsession with environmental politics and sustainability. He got me hooked with his Intro to International Relations class and opened my eyes with Environmental Politics. If he had a fan club, I would be its president.

Michael Pollan – author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals and In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto. One of the unusual benefits of living in a town so small that the only bookstore was the size of my bedroom is the ability to quickly spot new arrivals. Using my $25.00 gift certificate from the local Chamber of Commerce, (perhaps for completing the Wellness Program? I can’t remember.), I purchased The Omnivore’s Dilemma, and couldn’t put it down for the next three days. Not everyone can make it through a chapter devoted completely to corn, but this book spoke to my core as I could see first-hand the sad consequences of agribusiness in the Midwest, primarily the lack of affordable and fresh produce, despite the never ending fields of corn, wheat, and soybeans that covered the land. The chapter on feed lots was also quite influential when coupled with the all too realistic stench of rotting flesh from the feedlots that existed on the outskirts of the town. I’ll take my meat free range and grass fed, thank you very much. I’ve smelled the alternative.

Living in Nebraska – self explanatory at this point. Ironically, the farmer’s market was a complete joke and about half of the vegetables I was used to cooking with were not sold in the local grocery stores. The people are amazingly friendly, I’m just not a fan of the smell of burning sugar beets and rotting animal flesh. Not my scene.

I completely admit to having a bias, and don’t enjoy getting in arguments about my food choices. I know that I am far from perfect, but I love good food and I love the earth, so I try to be a conscious consumer. Long live community supported agriculture.

That’s my soapbox in a nutshell.

It comes in a can?

My childhood memories are void of canned vegetables. An excellent case in point is Thanksgiving of 2003. Bryant and I were dating and he was unable to go home because he had been scheduled to work Thanksgiving Day. In good girlfriend fashion I decided to prepare our own Thanksgiving dinner due to the fact that he wouldn’t get off work until 7:30 or so in the evening. When I inquired about his favorite Thanksgiving foods he listed apple pie and creamed corn. I made an excellent apple pie, but had never heard of creamed corn. After mounting a massive recipe search I came across what appeared to be a tasty recipe for this elusive vegetable dish. Thanksgiving dinner was a success and Bryant raved about the creamed corn, asking me what brand I had used. Brand? I didn’t know what he was talking about. I’d made it from scratch. It then dawned on me that creamed corn came in a can. He hasn’t eaten creamed corn from a can since.

But this is about a good vegetable in a can, by far the best canned tomatoes I’ve ever eaten. I recommend buying crushed tomatoes as they texture is more interesting than that of a puree but does not contain definable chunks of tomatoes. The brand I recommend is Bionaturae Organic Crushed Tomatoes, and through your purchase you too can rediscover the Precious Tuscan Tomato.

This lasagna can be made with or without meat. It is adapted from a recipe found in the August 2008 issue of Cooking Light. I’ve made it both ways and will include the variations.

1 large eggplant, peeled and cut crosswise into ¼-inch-thick slices
A note on eggplant: do not buy eggplant at the grocery store. Do yourself a favor and go get it at the farmer’s market. The flavor is without comparison. Buy a couple extra to make a roasted eggplant puree to go with your flatbread.
¾ tsp salt, divided
2 tsp olive oil
¾ c chopped onion
OPTIONAL: ¾ ground beef (grass fed, not from a feed lot! I lived in Nebraska, I know of what I write.)
¾ tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided
½ tsp chopped fresh oregano (buy it fresh, it matters for this recipe!)
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 c fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 c part-skim ricotta cheese
Cooking Spray
1 8-ounce package lasagna noodles, cooked according to directions
2 medium zucchini, or combination zucchini and crook-neck squash, cut into ¼-inch slices
2 ½ c shredded mozzarella cheese (I recommend whole milk, more fat, more flavor)

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Arrange eggplant slices in a single layer on several layers of paper towels. Sprinkle evenly with ½ tsp salt; let stand 15 minutes.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic to pan, sauté 2 minutes, stirring frequently. OPTIONAL: add ground beef and stir until cooked through. Add remaining ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp black pepper, oregano, crushed red pepper, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Combine basil, ricotta, and remaining ½ tsp black pepper in a small bowl. Spread ½ c tomato mixture onto the bottom of a 13x9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 3-4 noodles over tomato mixture; top with half of eggplant and half of zucchini. Spread ricotta mixture over vegetables; cover with 3-4 noodles. Spread 1 c tomato mixture over noodles and layer with remaining eggplant and zucchini slices. Arrange remaining 3-4 noodles over vegetables, spread remaining tomato mixture over noodles, and top with shredded mozzarella. Cover with foil coated with cooking spray. Bake for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 25 minutes, or until browned. Cool for 5 minutes.

You will have enough ingredients leftover to make this another night, especially if you buy the average 16 ounce package of lasagna noodles and 16 ounce container of ricotta cheese, just be sure to pick up an extra can of tomatoes. Simply buy more vegetables and meat the next week and use up the fresh oregano and basil.

Basic Flatbread

Flatbread gets a bad rap for being stale and tasteless, but I guarantee this recipe will quickly make it a family favorite. Soft and billowy, this is one of the best flatbread recipes I’ve found. (Recipe from Cooking Light, not sure of which issue.)

2 ¼ c all-purpose flour, divided
Dash of sugar
2 ¼ tsp or 1 pkg. dry yeast
6 TBS warm water (100º-110ºF)
½ c warm water (100º-110ºF)
½ tsp salt
Cooking Spray
Cornmeal (optional)

Lightly spoon flour into cups to measure; level with a knife.

Dissolve sugar and yeast in 6 TBS warm water in a large bowl; stir in ¼ c flour. Let stand 30 minutes or until bubbly. Add 1 ¾ c flour, ½ c warm water, and salt to yeast mixture; stir until a soft dough forms. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes); add enough of the remaining flour (1 TBS at a time) until dough no longer sticks to hands. Place in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size. Punch dough down and let rest 5 minutes.

Sprinkle counter with cornmeal. Divide dough into quarters and roll out to ¼ inch thickness. Place on baking stone (or baking sheet) and bake in a preheated oven at 375ºF until puffed and barely golden, about 5 to 7 minutes. Serve warm.

There are endless fillings for flatbread. Cooking light recommended an unusual filling of arugala lightly dressed with a mixture of diced shallots, red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper, sliced plums, chopped toasted walnuts, and goat cheese or feta. It was fantastic. Other options include hummus or a black bean & garlic puree topped with cucumbers, tomatoes, sprouts, and feta.

Classic Key Lime Pie (from Bon Appetit)

I had not eaten actual Key Lime Pie before this recipe as every pie I had encountered previously had a disturbingly toxic-looking green hue and was piled high with sub par meringue. This recipe is delicious – the buttery saltiness of the crust pairs beautifully with the sweet and slightly tart smooth custard filling. This is also very easy to make and the perfect summer dessert.

CRUST
1 ½ c graham cracker crumbs
At Target you can buy Annie’s Graham Bunnies (something like that) for about $2.00/box and 1 box is all you need for this crust. They do not contain any hydrogenated oils and are already small enough to put in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. This crust is too easy and too delicious to be replaced by a premade graham cracker crust. Resist the temptation.
3 TBS sugar
¼ tsp salt
6 TBS unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Add melted butter and stir to coat well. Press crust into a 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Bake 5 minutes. Cool.

FILLING
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
2/3 c bottled Key lime juice
The recipe recommends Nellie & Joe’s Key lime juice which can be purchased online at netgrocer.com. I sent Bryant to the store in search of Key lime juice, which didn’t exist. Instead I used Lakewood 100% Organic Pure Lime Juice (NOT from concentrate) and had fantastic results. I suppose this means I still haven’t eaten Key lime Pie, just lime pie. Please don’t use the lime juice in the little green plastic limes. Please.
3 large egg yolks
3 TBS sugar
3 TBS fresh lemon juice
¼ tsp salt

Preheat oven to 275ºF. Whisk all ingredients in a large bowl until smooth. Pour mixture into cooled crust. Bake until center is set, about 25 minutes. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and chill at least six hours or up to overnight.

TOPPING
1 ½ c chilled whipping cream
3 TBS powdered sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Beat all ingredients in a chilled large bowl with an electric mixer until peaks form.
*You can simply spoon a dollop of cream onto each slice of pie as it is served or spoon cream into a pastry bag and pipe onto the pie which will make you look like an overachiever but really only takes 2 more minutes of prep work. I used a star tip.

Feeling Vermonty

In an attempt to not inflict my meatless style of cooking upon my father when he came to visit us in Boise, I decided to try a recipe for Maple-Mustard Baked Chick in the July/August 2007 edition of Eating Well. This makes fantastic chicken, and pairs beautifully with fresh corn and caramelized maple green beans. I strongly recommend using Coombs Family Farms 100% Pure Organic Maple Syrup. This recommendation isn’t from me as an environmentalist, but rather from me as someone who loves maple syrup, and this is the best tasting stuff around. I like Grade A for pancakes and French toast, but took the recipes recommendation and used Grade B for the chicken and beans.

3 TBS Dijon mustard
2 TBS pure maple syrup, preferably Grade B
1 tsp dried thyme (or 1 TBS fresh thyme)
¾ tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp salt
4 lbs bone-in chicken pieces (with or without skin) or 4 lbs boneless/skinless chicken pieces Bryant has this weird thing about eating tendons and skins. Consequently we used the boneless/skinless chicken breasts the second time around and had great results.
1 ½ cups fresh breadcrumbs, preferably whole-wheat

Whisk mustard, maple syrup, 1 TBS oil, thyme, pepper, and salt in a large bowl. Add chicken and turn to coat evenly. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 6 hours.

Preheat oven to 400º F. Set a wire rack on a large baking sheet. Combine breadcrumbs and remaining 1 TBS oil on a plate. Dredge the skin/skinned side of each chicken piece in the breadcrumbs (with drumsticks, dredge the meatier side) and arrange breaded-side up on the wire rack. Leave at least 1 inch between pieces.

Bake until golden brown and an instant read thermometer registers 165ºF when inserted into the thickest part of the meat. Serve hot or cold.

Learn from my mistake: When I made this the second time with the chicken breasts I decided that since the breading tasted so great, why not bread the entire piece of chicken? Not my brightest moment as the breading on the underside simply ends up soggy.

Caramelized Maple Green Beans

This isn’t so much a recipe but rather an idea of ingredients you can throw together to fit your preferences which yield fantastic results. Even my mom, who does not belong to the green bean fan club, enjoyed these with dinner.

1 to 2 lbs fresh green beans, trimmed
1 sweet onion, very thinly sliced
1 TBS olive oil
2-4 TBS pure maple syrup
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
¼ tsp kosher salt

I have always simply combined the ingredients in a glass dish and roasted them in the oven while the chicken baked. The result tastes great but looks terrible as the beans lose their vibrant color while roasting. I’m thinking it would be great made on the stove top. Simply combine the olive oil, onion, and salt, and sauté until almost caramelized. Add the maple syrup, green beans, and crushed red pepper flakes and continue to sauté until beans are tender.

A Nod to Bill Cosby

Do you remember the Chocolate Cake sketch by Bill Cosby? His kids decide they want chocolate cake for breakfast, and after mentally reviewing the ingredients (eggs, milk, wheat), dad-of-the-year Bill Cosby decides chocolate cake is a perfectly healthy breakfast choice. Double Chocolate Cookies can also be eaten for breakfast and count as a serving of vegetables depending on how many you eat in one sitting.

IMPORTANT: Do not eat these until they have cooled completely. They are even better the next day after chilling in the refrigerator. Chocolate flavor deepens drastically as it cools requiring patience and self-restraint after the cookies come out of the oven. Trust me, it is worth the wait. The cookies do not taste that great when they are warm, but are amazing when cooled. Don’t be fooled by the ‘healthy’ ingredients, these are fantastic.

A note on Agave Syrup: Agave is an unprocessed natural sweetener, high in fructose and very sweet. It is far less viscous than honey and doesn’t really have a flavor, it is just really sweet. You’ll be using it again for a popcorn ball recipe, so just spend the $3 and add it to your kitchen staples. I use Aunt Patty’s Organic Agave Syrup Raw Light.

Preheat oven to 350º and prepare 2 baking sheets with silpat, cooking spray, or parchment paper. Set aside. Mix ingredients in a small bowl until combined:

2 c whole wheat pastry flour
1 c unrefined sugar
½ c cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt

In a large bowl blend:

1 egg
1 TBS canola oil
½ c applesauce
1 ½ tsp pure vanilla extract

Stir flower mixture into wet ingredients until smooth and add:

2 c very finely grated zucchini (a mini food chopper works great)
½ c chopped toasted almonds (optional, but adds fantastic textural contrast)
½ c chocolate chips (optional)

Spoon into 2 inch balls and place 1 inch apart on baking sheet. Bake 12-15 minutes, or until tops look dry. Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet 2 minutes, then transfer to cooling racks. Make the chocolate glaze while cooling.

Chocolate Glaze

In a microwavable bowl combine:

6 oz. dark chocolate (over 65% cacao)
1 TBS butter
1-2 TBS agave syrup

Microwave 30 seconds, stirring until smooth. Stir in ½ tsp pure vanilla extract. Spread 1 tsp of chocolate glaze on the top of each cookie. COOL COMPLETELY.

Holding Myself Accountable

Where did July go? It is now mid August and I have a lot of recipes to post, so many that I think I have had trouble deciding where to begin. In an attempt to encourage myself to post more frequently I will simply list the recipes I will be posting . . . soon.

Baked Maple Chicken
Caramelized Green Beans
Double Chocolate Cookies (that you can actually eat for breakfast and count as a vegetable)
Vietnamese Summer Rolls with Spicy Dipping Sauce
Enchiladas - 2 ways
The Best Key Lime Pie Ever
Canned Tomatoes and Lasagna

We will hopefully have the Internet at home this week, and posting will no longer require a trek to the Library with my laptop and cookbooks.

Fava Beans - my new favorite vegetable

A few months ago I bought the book How to Pick a Peach: The Search for Flavor from Farm to Table by Russ Parsons. It is an invaluable resource for produce shopping and also introduced me to the fava bean. Last Saturday the Peaceful Belly stand at the Farmer’s Market had fava beans for sale and I bought ½ a pound to try. I decided to use them in an Orzo salad that I made tonight. They taste like peas fresh from the garden, only they are at least three times larger. They take some time to peel, but are worth the effort. Russ Parsons gives a great trick for getting the bean out of its protective shell. After shucking the beans place them in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Drain the water after 2 to 3 minutes, slide your fingernail along the seam, and pop out the bean.

Farmer’s Market Orzo Salad

1 ear corn
½ lb fava beans (weight includes the pods)
1 small red onion or 4 shallot lobes, diced
1 yellow crookneck squash, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
8 oz mushrooms, diced
¾ lb orzo
3 TBS olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 TBS red wine vinegar
½ tsp whole grain mustard
1 tsp brown sugar
½ c toasted walnuts, chopped

Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Add orzo and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Shuck and peel fava beans. Cut kernels off corn and add to orzo with beans. In a large skillet heat 1 TBS olive oil and add onion, carrot, and pinch of salt. Sauté 3 minutes. Add mushroom and squash and sauté 4 minutes, or until tender. Add to orzo mixture and season with salt and pepper.

Whisk together remaining 2 TBS olive oil, red wine vinegar, mustard and brown sugar. When emulsified pour over salad, stirring to combine. Top with toasted chopped walnuts. Serve warm or cold.

The original recipe calls for 3 TBS red wine vinegar and 1 ½ tsp whole grain mustard. When I tasted the salad I was blown away by the vinegar taste and ended up rinsing off the salad to reduce the amount of dressing which was much better tasting. I also think it would be quite lovely simply drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper to taste as this lets the different flavors of the vegetables make a statement. You can use whatever veggies you have on hand, just be sure to dice them into small pieces so that they blend well with the orzo. The walnuts are a must as they play nicely off of the sweetness of the vegetables and add a meatiness to the dish.

I love zucchini

My brother insists that no one really likes zucchini, but I must admit that it is one of my favorite vegetables because of its versatility. Zucchini proved its usefulness again this past week in a quick frittata recipe that makes an excellent weeknight meal. All of the ingredients I use in cooking are organic, and most are local, which vastly improves the quality of flavor, especially with produce. At the Farmer’s Market last Saturday I picked up about 5 variegated green zucchini and 4 yellow crookneck squash from my favorite produce stand. The combination of the sweetness of the zucchini and carrot mixed with the saltiness of the Parmesan-Reggiano cheese is quite lovely.

Frittata for Two

1 TBS olive oil
½ yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 zucchini, grated and set aside to drain
2 carrots, peeled and grated
3 eggs, beaten
1 ounce Parmesan-Reggiano cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the broiler. Sprinkle the onion with salt and sauté in olive oil over medium heat in a skillet for 3 minutes. Add grated zucchini and carrot and sauté until tender, about 2 to 3 minutes. (Be sure to drain off as much of the moisture as possible from the zucchini before adding it to the onion!) Add the beaten eggs and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to medium low and let cook until top is almost set. Grate the Parmesan-Reggianno cheese over the top of the frittata and place the skillet under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes, or until top is set and slightly golden. Remove from oven and let cool 3 to 5 minutes. Loosen the edges with a spatula and cut into quarters to serve.

I served the frittata with this simple salad.

1 ear fresh corn
2 c arugula
2 small tomatoes or 1 c grape/cherry tomatoes
½ c balsamic vinegar

Pour the vinegar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until reduced and the consistency of syrup. Remove from heat. Cut the kernels off of 1 ear of sweet corn (please buy organic, non GMO corn!) and toss with arugula and chopped tomatoes. Drizzle with a balsamic reduction and serve immediately.

Sushi for Two

I love sushi but do not feel qualified to handle raw fish at home. Thankfully I found a fantastic vegetarian sushi recipe in the May 2008 issue of Vegetarian Times that I was able to tweak to fit my preferences by replacing the green beans with shelled edamame. The squeak of the green beans while biting into the sushi is not ideal and the edamame adds protein. I may be able to someday survive a pregnancy-induced hiatus from ‘real’ sushi after all.

Maki Garden Rolls

Sushi Rice
1 ½ c sushi rice, uncooked
2 to 3 TBS rice vinegar
1 TBS Mirin
1 to 2 TBS sugar
1 TBS salt

Filling
2/3 c vegetable or chicken broth
3 TBS low-sodium soy sauce
1 TBS mirin
½ c shelled edamame
1 carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks
10 shitake mushroom caps cut into thin slices
3 sheets nori seaweed
3 tsp toasted sesame seeds

To make the sushi rice: rinse rice under cold water until water runs clear. Bring rice and 1 2/3 c water to boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest an additional 10 minutes, covered. Whisk together vinegar, mirin, sugar and salt in a small bowl. Transfer rice to large bowl and drizzle half of vinegar mixture over the rice, incorporating it with a wooden spoon. Continue adding until all vinegar is absorbed. Cover with a damp cloth and cool.

To make the filling: Bring broth, soy sauce and mirin to a boil in a skillet. Add carrot and simmer 2 minutes, then add the mushrooms and edamame and simmer until tender, about 4 minutes. Remove from broth and let cool.

I usually double this recipe to make sure there is enough to satisfy our intense sushi cravings. I prefer to make inside-out rolls, but this obviously works traditional style as well. After rolling I top with the toasted sesame seeds and serve with the usual soy sauce wasabi combo. Mirin is my new favorite stir fry ingredient thanks to this recipe!

When life gives you lemons . . .

I had originally planned to limit myself to only making one dessert a week for both health and financial reasons, but have not been able to stick to that resolution very well! I had leftover lemons from the lemon sorbet that I made to acompany the meringue chantilly cookies and decided to make lemon curd, which turned into a lemon curd tart, which ended up being served with a

delicious strawberry sauce. The lemon curd and strawberry sauce

go together perfectly.

Lemon Curd Tartlets with Fresh Strawberry Sauce

The Tartlet Shell:
1 1/3 c all purpose flour
1 TBS sugar
Pinch of salt
8 TBS unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2-3 TBS ice water

The Lemon Curd:
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
½ c sugar
¼ tsp salt
Zest of 2 lemon
½ c lemon juice
6 TBS cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

The Whipped Cream:
1 c whipping cream
½ tsp pure vanilla extract
¼ c confectioner’s sugar, sifted

I do not have tartlet pans so I used a cupcake pan instead. Simply butter the pan and set aside. This can also be made in a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Heat oven to 425ºF.

For the tartlet shells: Combine the flour, sugar, salt and butter in a food processor or large bowl and cut together until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. If you do not have a food processor, put the butter, uncut, in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes and then grate on a cheese grater into the flour mixture. This makes it much simpler to combine the butter with the flour and produces a very tender crust! Add the water 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring constantly until the mixture comes together.

Gently press dough together and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. On a well-floured surface, roll out dough to ¼ inch thickness. If making the 9-inch tart, transfer dough to the tart pan and refrigerate for 30 minutes. For individual tartlets cut out dough into 3 inch circles and press dough into the cupcake pan. The dough should come up the sides almost halfway. Prick the bottom of each tartlet shell and line with either aluminum foil or cupcake liners and fill with dry rice or beans. Bake for 7 minutes. Remove the liners and beans and bake for another 5 to 7 minutes, until lightly golden. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature. When cool remove from pan and place on serving platter.

For the lemon curd: Beat the eggs, yolks, sugar and salt in a small saucepan until smooth and lightly colored. Add the lemon zest and juice and butter and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the butter melts, about 2 minutes.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue cooking and stirring for about 5 minutes, or until the curd in thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and your finger leaves a definite track when you draw it through the spoon. Remove from heat and pour into a fine-mesh strainer into a chilled bowl. Spoon into the tartlet shells and refrigerate for 1 hour.

For the whipped cream: Place mixing bowl in freezer for 15 minutes. Pour cream and vanilla into mixing bowl and whip at medium speed until cream starts to form soft peaks. Gradually add confectioner’s sugar and then increase the mixer speed to high and whip the cream until it holds firm but supple peaks. Spoon whipped cream into a pastry bag and pipe onto tartlets. Serve with fresh strawberry sauce.

For the strawberry sauce: Puree 1 c fresh strawberries with 2 TBS sugar and 1 TBS fresh lemon juice. Add more sugar or lemon juice as needed. Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 1 day.

Sweet Beginnings

A magnet hangs on my fridge that reads Life is short. Eat dessert first. My mom slipped this wise adage in my Christmas stocking last year (yes, I still have stocking stuffers from my parents) and it quite simply sums up my philosophy regarding food. I openly admit to having a sweet tooth and think it is appropriate to begin this blogging thing with my most recent sweet creation. The texturally delightful treat pictured on the right is not a trifle, which is what I had intended to make for dessert last night, but a variation upon a recipe I found during a midnight reading of Paris Sweets Meringue Chantilly. This French dessert usually consists of Chantilly cream (sweetened whipped cream) sandwiched between two meringue cookies, and sometimes garnished with thinly sliced strawberries or chocolate shavings. I decided to use the components to form more of a tart rather than a cookie, using the meringue as a base, piping the Chantilly cream on top, and finishing it with fresh whole strawberries. Even Bryant who seems to be inexplicably opposed to meringue fell in love with this dessert, which I think is due to the caramelizing that takes place while the meringue bakes and manifests in a ring of sugar bubbles around the base of the meringue. Although this recipe seems time consuming and tedious it is actually quite simple and produces quite impressive results.

The Meringues
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
½ c sugar
1 c confectioner’s sugar, sifted, plus more for dusting

The Chantilly
2 c chilled heavy cream
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 confectioner’s sugar, sifted

Whole small berries, halved large berries, or chocolate shavings for topping (optional)

To make the meringues: Place a rack in the center of oven and preheat to 250ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silpat and fit a large pastry bag with a plain ½-inch piping tip.

Put the egg whites in a dry mixing bowl and beat at medium-low speed until whites turn opaque and start to thicken. Increase speed to high and when the whites form peaks add the granulated sugar in a stream. Continue to whip whites until they form firm, glossy peaks. Use a rubber spatula to gradually fold in the confectioner’s sugar. Be gentle so that the batter is deflated as little as possible!

Spoon the meringue into the pastry bag and pipe out into 12 plump mounds about 3 inches long by 2 inches wide and ½ inch high onto the prepared baking sheet. Dust with confectioner’s sugar and let stand for 10 minutes so that the sugar can pearl (form little beads).

Place baking sheet in the oven and slip the handle of a wooden spoon into the oven to keep the door slightly ajar. Bake for 1 ½ to 2 hours, or until they are firm, dry, and very lightly caramel colored. Turn off the heat, close the oven door, and allow the meringues to dry in the oven for 4 hours or up to overnight. Transfer meringues to cooling racks and cool to room temperature. When cool loosen the meringues by running a spatula under the meringues. (Can be made up to 5 days in advance and kept covered, cool, and dry.)

To make the chantilly: Fit a large pastry bag with a ½ inch open star tip. Place mixing bowl in freezer for 15 minutes. Pour cream and vanilla into mixing bowl and whip at medium speed until cream starts to form soft peaks. Gradually add confectioner’s sugar and then increase the mixer speed to high and whip the cream until it holds firm but supple peaks. Can be whipped up to 2 hours in advance and kept covered in the refrigerator.

Spoon the cream into the pastry bag and pipe onto the meringue. Top with fresh berries or shavings of good-quality chocolate. Can be kept loosely covered in the refrigerator for 6 hours.