On Sunday afternoon Lauren and Fi came over to my new apartment and ended up staying for dinner! Yay. So I made Tortilla Soup from Moosewood Simple Suppers and some black bean quesadillas of my own invention for Lauren, Fi, Mike, and myself. The Tortilla Soup was super yummy and easy and definitely one of the best recipes I have made from Simple Suppers. I also really liked how my quesadillas turned out.
Tomato Tortilla Soup
3 cups diced onions
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 quart vegetable broth
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
2 teaspoons minced canned chipotles in adobo sauce or more to taste
1 1/s cups crumbled corn tortilla chips
1) In a soup pot on medium high heat, cook the onions in the oil for 5 minutes or until softened. 2) Add the cumin and oregano and stir for a minute. Add the broth, tomatoes, and chipotles, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.
3) Pulverize the tortilla chips in a blender. Add about 3 cups of the hot soup to the blender and puree until smooth. To make pouring easier, add another cup of hot soup and whirl on low speed. Stir the puree into the simmering soup pot. Serve hot.
Serves 4 to 6.
Black Bean Quesadillas
You could use any kind of beans here, really.
1 15 ounce can of black beans, drained and rinsed
your favorite salsa
8 small flour tortillas (6-8 inches)
shredded cheese [I used the Mexican blend from Kraft because it was in my fridge]
cooking spray/olive oil
1) Mash the beans with a fork or in a food processor with as much salsa as you would like, so that a spreadable paste is formed.
2) Spread some paste on four of the tortillas.
3) In a pan on medium-high heat, pour some olive oil and place the tortillas with bean spread down. Top each with cheese and another tortilla. Cook until golden brown, flip, and cook until the other side is golden brown and the cheese is melted.
Serves four.
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
Sunday, August 27, 2006
Speedy Burgers and Gunsmoke Slaw
Last night I cooked more from Veggie Planet, which is my new favorite cookbook. I made "Speedy Burgers" and took the dressing from a recipe for "Gunsmoke Slaw," but changed the contents of the slaw itself--I used a bag of Broccoli Slaw and the remaining half of a red pepper instead of what the recipe calls for. Everything was sooooo good. The burgers were some of the best veggie burgers I have ever had and I have had a lot. I was very proud of myself. Mike loved everything too. Plus, one of my new roommates and his friend came over and saw me cooking them and we talked about different vegetarian recipes, so I think I will like this new roommate and his friend very much. I just ate another burger for lunch and added some arugula to the slaw and ate some of that too. Yum.
Speedy Burgers
Here black beans, chopped fennel or celery, and almonds are mixed together in minutes, thanks to the food processor. Chopped fresh cilantro adds a bright note, and the cloves and ground coriander provide some earthiness. From start to finish, you'll need no more than 20 minutes to make these burgers. These took me a little longer than 20 minutes and I didn't have cloves, but they were still yummy.
4 slices stale or toasted bread [I used German Dark Wheat bread from Arnold, which I love]
1/2 cup whole or slivered almonds
1 teaspon ground coriander seeds
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspon ground cloves
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup coarsely chopped fennel bulb or celery
3/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro leaves and stems
1 1/2 cups (1 15 ounce can) cooked, drained, and rinsed black beans
1/2 medium red bell pepper, seeded and chopped fine
2 tablespoons toasted wheat germ or untoasted rolled oats
1/2 teaspon salt, or more, to taste
fresh-ground black pepper to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, or more, as needed
1) Break the bread into pieces, and whirl it into crumbs in a food processor. You should have 2 cups crumbs. Transfer them to a large bowl. put the almonds into the processor, and run the machine until they are chopped fine.
2) In a dry skillet over medium-high heat, toast the chopped almonds with the coriander, shaking the pan constantly, for 1 minute or until the almonds taste lightly toasted. Transfer the coriander and the almonds to the bowl of bread crumbs. Add the cloves to the bowl.
3) Chop fine the onion, the fennel or celery, and the cilantro in the food processor. Add the beans, and run the machine in 1-second spurts until the beans are mixed in and mostly chopped (not pureed) [Mine were a little too pureed and it was fine]. Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Add the bell pepper, garlic, wheat germ or rolled oats, salt, and pepper, and stir well (I use my hands), With well-floured hands, form six patties from this mixture.
4) Heat a large skillet or a griddle over medium-high heat, and add 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil. Cook the burgers about 3 minutes per side. (You may need to cook them in batches. If so, add a little oil to the pan before cooking the second batch.) Serve the burgers in bulky or kaiser rolls or in hamburger buns.
Makes 6 burgers.
Gunsmoke Slaw
This is dynamite stuff! The smoky chipotles, the cider vinegar, and the tang mustard really get these vegetables jumping. But you can control the smoke and heat by starting with a small amount of chipotles and adding more as you see fit. I just made the dressing part and poured it over pre-packaged Broccoli Slaw with chopped peppers. I bet this salad would be good too, though.
2 tablespoons smooth Dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 to 2 tablespooons chopped chipotle pepeprs (dried and soaked in hot water for 30 minutes, or canned in adobo sauce)
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup canola or corn oil
2 seedless oranges
1/2 green cabbage head, cored and sliced as thin as possible
2 carrots, grated
5 scallions, both green and white parts, minced
1) Make the vinaigrette: Mix the mustard, garlic, sugar, and salt in a food processor, then blend in the chipotles and cider vinegar. Or mince the garlic and chipotles, and whisk them together in a bowl with the mustard garlic, sugar, salt, and vinegar. While running the processor or whisking, add the oil in a slow, steady stream.
2) Section the oranges with a paring knife: First cut away the peel and the pith, then cut out the flesh by sections, leaving the membranes. Put the cabbage into a large bowl and add the grated carrots, oranges, and scallions.
3) Pour the vinaigreete over the vegetables and toss well. Taste, and add more adobo sauce or salt, if you like. Let the slaw sit for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator before serving. The slaw will keep for 4 to 5 days, covered, in the refrigerator. [I didn't let it sit that long]
Serves 6 to 8
Speedy Burgers
Here black beans, chopped fennel or celery, and almonds are mixed together in minutes, thanks to the food processor. Chopped fresh cilantro adds a bright note, and the cloves and ground coriander provide some earthiness. From start to finish, you'll need no more than 20 minutes to make these burgers. These took me a little longer than 20 minutes and I didn't have cloves, but they were still yummy.
4 slices stale or toasted bread [I used German Dark Wheat bread from Arnold, which I love]
1/2 cup whole or slivered almonds
1 teaspon ground coriander seeds
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspon ground cloves
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup coarsely chopped fennel bulb or celery
3/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro leaves and stems
1 1/2 cups (1 15 ounce can) cooked, drained, and rinsed black beans
1/2 medium red bell pepper, seeded and chopped fine
2 tablespoons toasted wheat germ or untoasted rolled oats
1/2 teaspon salt, or more, to taste
fresh-ground black pepper to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, or more, as needed
1) Break the bread into pieces, and whirl it into crumbs in a food processor. You should have 2 cups crumbs. Transfer them to a large bowl. put the almonds into the processor, and run the machine until they are chopped fine.
2) In a dry skillet over medium-high heat, toast the chopped almonds with the coriander, shaking the pan constantly, for 1 minute or until the almonds taste lightly toasted. Transfer the coriander and the almonds to the bowl of bread crumbs. Add the cloves to the bowl.
3) Chop fine the onion, the fennel or celery, and the cilantro in the food processor. Add the beans, and run the machine in 1-second spurts until the beans are mixed in and mostly chopped (not pureed) [Mine were a little too pureed and it was fine]. Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Add the bell pepper, garlic, wheat germ or rolled oats, salt, and pepper, and stir well (I use my hands), With well-floured hands, form six patties from this mixture.
4) Heat a large skillet or a griddle over medium-high heat, and add 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil. Cook the burgers about 3 minutes per side. (You may need to cook them in batches. If so, add a little oil to the pan before cooking the second batch.) Serve the burgers in bulky or kaiser rolls or in hamburger buns.
Makes 6 burgers.
Gunsmoke Slaw
This is dynamite stuff! The smoky chipotles, the cider vinegar, and the tang mustard really get these vegetables jumping. But you can control the smoke and heat by starting with a small amount of chipotles and adding more as you see fit. I just made the dressing part and poured it over pre-packaged Broccoli Slaw with chopped peppers. I bet this salad would be good too, though.
2 tablespoons smooth Dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 to 2 tablespooons chopped chipotle pepeprs (dried and soaked in hot water for 30 minutes, or canned in adobo sauce)
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup canola or corn oil
2 seedless oranges
1/2 green cabbage head, cored and sliced as thin as possible
2 carrots, grated
5 scallions, both green and white parts, minced
1) Make the vinaigrette: Mix the mustard, garlic, sugar, and salt in a food processor, then blend in the chipotles and cider vinegar. Or mince the garlic and chipotles, and whisk them together in a bowl with the mustard garlic, sugar, salt, and vinegar. While running the processor or whisking, add the oil in a slow, steady stream.
2) Section the oranges with a paring knife: First cut away the peel and the pith, then cut out the flesh by sections, leaving the membranes. Put the cabbage into a large bowl and add the grated carrots, oranges, and scallions.
3) Pour the vinaigreete over the vegetables and toss well. Taste, and add more adobo sauce or salt, if you like. Let the slaw sit for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator before serving. The slaw will keep for 4 to 5 days, covered, in the refrigerator. [I didn't let it sit that long]
Serves 6 to 8
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Penne with Red Pepper Sauce and Broccoli
This recipe, which I made last night, is from Didi Emmon's Veggie Planet and it is yummy. I added more cayenne pepper because I like everything spicy. I didn't have enough broccoli, which is sad, because broccoli is definitely the best part of this dish and one of my favorite vegetables.
Penne with Red Pepper Sauce and Broccoli
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
1/4 whole almonds
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspon salt, or a bit more, to taste
fresh-ground black pepper to taste
1 or 2 pinches cayenne
4 cups broccoli florets
1 pound dried penne pasta
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup basil leaves cut into thin strips [I didn't have the basil, but I wish I did]
1) Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the onions, and saute them for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they soften. Lower the heat a bit, and add the garlic and red peppers. COntinue to cook the vegetables, stirring often, for 15 minutes.
2) In a food processor or blender, chop the almonds fine. Add the pepper-onion mixture, the vinegar, and the remaining olive oil, and blend all to a puree. Add the salt, black pepper, and cayenne, and blend briefly to incorporate them.
3) Arrange a vegetable steamer over water in a saucepan. Bring the water to a boil, and add the broccoli. Cover the pan, and cook the broccoli over medium heat for 5 minutes or a bit longer, until it is as tender as you like. Keep it warm.
4) Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until it is just tender. Drain the pasta, and return it to the pot. Add the red pepper sauce, the Parmesan cheese, the broccoli, and the basil. Heat the contents over medium heat until the pasta is very hot, and add more salt and pepper to taste, if necessary. Serve the pasta immediately. Serves 4 to 6.
Penne with Red Pepper Sauce and Broccoli
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
1/4 whole almonds
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspon salt, or a bit more, to taste
fresh-ground black pepper to taste
1 or 2 pinches cayenne
4 cups broccoli florets
1 pound dried penne pasta
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup basil leaves cut into thin strips [I didn't have the basil, but I wish I did]
1) Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the onions, and saute them for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they soften. Lower the heat a bit, and add the garlic and red peppers. COntinue to cook the vegetables, stirring often, for 15 minutes.
2) In a food processor or blender, chop the almonds fine. Add the pepper-onion mixture, the vinegar, and the remaining olive oil, and blend all to a puree. Add the salt, black pepper, and cayenne, and blend briefly to incorporate them.
3) Arrange a vegetable steamer over water in a saucepan. Bring the water to a boil, and add the broccoli. Cover the pan, and cook the broccoli over medium heat for 5 minutes or a bit longer, until it is as tender as you like. Keep it warm.
4) Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until it is just tender. Drain the pasta, and return it to the pot. Add the red pepper sauce, the Parmesan cheese, the broccoli, and the basil. Heat the contents over medium heat until the pasta is very hot, and add more salt and pepper to taste, if necessary. Serve the pasta immediately. Serves 4 to 6.
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Vietnamese Noodle Salad
I am not quite willing to give up on Moosewood's Simple Suppers yet. So last night, in my new big kitchen, I made Vietnamese Noodle Salad. It was quite tasty--not completely awesome, but I think adding some rice wine vinegar would help. My changes: I could not find Chinese chili paste, so I used a whole bunch of Sriracha sauce instead. Yummy and spicy. I left out the peanuts and the tofu because Mike hates both and I am not the biggest fan either. Overall, I really liked the recipe and I will probably make it again but add some rice wine vinegar and some bean sprouts for crunch--which is what the peanuts would have added, but with fat.
Vietnamese Noodle Salad
4oz rice noodles
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
1 teaspoon Chinese chili paste, or to taste
1/4 cup minced cilantro
1/2 teaspoon salt [I used more than that]
1 cucumber
1 carrot
4 scallions
1/4 package firm tofu
peanuts to taste
1) In a large saucepean, bring salted water to a boil. Add the rice noodles and cook until tender, about five minutes. Strain, rinse with cool water, and strain again.
2) In a large bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, sesame oil, chili paste, cilantro, and salt.
3) Chop the cucumber and carrots into matchsticks [I just chopped them]. Chop the scallions. [The recipe says to cut the tofu into matchsticks too].Toss the cucumber, carrots, scallions, peanuts, and rice noodles with the dressing in the large bowl. Serve at room temperature or cold. Serves 3-4.
Vietnamese Noodle Salad
4oz rice noodles
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
1 teaspoon Chinese chili paste, or to taste
1/4 cup minced cilantro
1/2 teaspoon salt [I used more than that]
1 cucumber
1 carrot
4 scallions
1/4 package firm tofu
peanuts to taste
1) In a large saucepean, bring salted water to a boil. Add the rice noodles and cook until tender, about five minutes. Strain, rinse with cool water, and strain again.
2) In a large bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, sesame oil, chili paste, cilantro, and salt.
3) Chop the cucumber and carrots into matchsticks [I just chopped them]. Chop the scallions. [The recipe says to cut the tofu into matchsticks too].Toss the cucumber, carrots, scallions, peanuts, and rice noodles with the dressing in the large bowl. Serve at room temperature or cold. Serves 3-4.
Saturday, August 19, 2006
Southwestern Falafel with Avocado Spread
I am moving out tomorrow and Mike is working late, so Katie and I are having a special fun night. We are watching hours and hours of Rome, which is now on DVD. I also made Southwestern Falafel with Avocado Spread from Cooking Light because I have been wanting to try it and Katie loves avocado. These sandwiches were quite yummy, although the patties didn't hold together as well as I would have liked. So tomorrow I am moving and I will have a much bigger kitchen, but I will most likely not cook anything for a couple days, especially since I am starting my new job on Monday too.
Southwestern Falafel with Avocado Spread
Patties:
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup finely crushed baked tortilla chips (about 3/4 ounce)
2 tablespoons finely chopped green onions
1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1 large egg white
1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil
Spread:
1/4 cup mashed peeled avocado
2 tablespoons finely chopped plum tomato
1 tablespoon finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons fat-free sour cream
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 (6-inch) pitas, each cut in half crosswise
1) To prepare patties, place pinto beans in a medium bowl; partially mash with a fork. Add Monterey Jack cheese and next 5 ingredients (through egg white); stir until well combined. Form into 4 (1/2-inch-thick) oval patties.
2) Heat canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add patties; cook 3 minutes on each side or until patties are browned and thoroughly heated.
3) To prepare spread, while patties cook, combine the avocado, plum tomato, red onion, sour cream, lime juice, and salt. Place 1 patty in each pita half. Spread about 2 tablespoons avocado spread over patty in each pita half.
This made us two very big sandwiches.
Southwestern Falafel with Avocado Spread
Patties:
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup finely crushed baked tortilla chips (about 3/4 ounce)
2 tablespoons finely chopped green onions
1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1 large egg white
1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil
Spread:
1/4 cup mashed peeled avocado
2 tablespoons finely chopped plum tomato
1 tablespoon finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons fat-free sour cream
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 (6-inch) pitas, each cut in half crosswise
1) To prepare patties, place pinto beans in a medium bowl; partially mash with a fork. Add Monterey Jack cheese and next 5 ingredients (through egg white); stir until well combined. Form into 4 (1/2-inch-thick) oval patties.
2) Heat canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add patties; cook 3 minutes on each side or until patties are browned and thoroughly heated.
3) To prepare spread, while patties cook, combine the avocado, plum tomato, red onion, sour cream, lime juice, and salt. Place 1 patty in each pita half. Spread about 2 tablespoons avocado spread over patty in each pita half.
This made us two very big sandwiches.
Paximade and Pumpkin Bread Pudding
Although I have not been to Veggie Planet in Cambridge, I have always heard really good things about it. Thus, I bought the cookbook yesterday and made yummy and delicious things today. I loved all of them. I made Paximade, a Greek bread, and Pumpkin Bread Pudding. Yum yum yum. Everyone should buy this cookbook.
Paximade
This Greek bread, perfumed with anise, tastes almost like a cake, although the sugar content is much lower. You can keep this bread for days, toasting it for breakfast morning after morning.
2 1/2 cups unbleached white flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspon salt
1 teaspoon anise seed; or 2 star anise, ground in a spice mill
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup whole or low-fat milk [I used skim]
1) Preheat the oven to 350. Butter a 9-by-5-by3 inch loaf pan. Sift the flour with the baking powder and salt. Add the anise to the flour mixture.
2) In a large bowl, beat the butter and the sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add an egg, beat well, then add the other egg. Beat until the mixture lightens in color, about 1 minute. Add the milk and the sifted flour mixture alternately, the flour in three parts and the milk in two. Fold with a rubber spatula until they are incorporated. Spoon the batter into the loaf pan.
3) Bake the bread for 50 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let the bread cool in the pan 10 minutes before inverting the loaf onto a rack. When teh bread has cooled completely, wrap it well in plastic. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. (After the second day, toast the bread to revive it). Makes 1 loaf.
Pumpkin Bread Pudding
About 1/2 a baguette, cut into 2-inch-thick slices [I used challah. Yummy.]
3 extra-large eggs
3 1/2 cups whole or low-fat milk [I used skim.]
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg [I used the preground stuff.]
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger, or 2 teaspons ground ginger
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup baked pumpkin flesh or canned pumpkin puree [I used the canned stuff, obviously.]
3/4 cup brown sugar
1) Preheat the oven to 350. Cover the bottom of a 10-by-13 inch baking dish with a single layer of the sliced bread. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, nutmeg, ginger, vanilla, white sugar, and pumpkin. (If you are using fresh pumpkin, the pumpkin will be somewhat lumpy.) Pour this mixture over the bread slices. Push down the bread slices so they soak up the liquid. Let them soak for 10 minutes.
2) Bake the pudding in the lower third of the over for 45 to 50 minute, until a knife inserted into the pudding comes out clean. Let the pudding cool for 10 minutes.
3) Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the pudding. Place the pudding under the broiler, keeping the oven door slightlyopen. Keeping close watch, broil the sugar until it begins to bubble. Remove the pudding and let cool.
Paximade
This Greek bread, perfumed with anise, tastes almost like a cake, although the sugar content is much lower. You can keep this bread for days, toasting it for breakfast morning after morning.
2 1/2 cups unbleached white flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspon salt
1 teaspoon anise seed; or 2 star anise, ground in a spice mill
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup whole or low-fat milk [I used skim]
1) Preheat the oven to 350. Butter a 9-by-5-by3 inch loaf pan. Sift the flour with the baking powder and salt. Add the anise to the flour mixture.
2) In a large bowl, beat the butter and the sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add an egg, beat well, then add the other egg. Beat until the mixture lightens in color, about 1 minute. Add the milk and the sifted flour mixture alternately, the flour in three parts and the milk in two. Fold with a rubber spatula until they are incorporated. Spoon the batter into the loaf pan.
3) Bake the bread for 50 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let the bread cool in the pan 10 minutes before inverting the loaf onto a rack. When teh bread has cooled completely, wrap it well in plastic. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. (After the second day, toast the bread to revive it). Makes 1 loaf.
Pumpkin Bread Pudding
About 1/2 a baguette, cut into 2-inch-thick slices [I used challah. Yummy.]
3 extra-large eggs
3 1/2 cups whole or low-fat milk [I used skim.]
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg [I used the preground stuff.]
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger, or 2 teaspons ground ginger
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup baked pumpkin flesh or canned pumpkin puree [I used the canned stuff, obviously.]
3/4 cup brown sugar
1) Preheat the oven to 350. Cover the bottom of a 10-by-13 inch baking dish with a single layer of the sliced bread. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, nutmeg, ginger, vanilla, white sugar, and pumpkin. (If you are using fresh pumpkin, the pumpkin will be somewhat lumpy.) Pour this mixture over the bread slices. Push down the bread slices so they soak up the liquid. Let them soak for 10 minutes.
2) Bake the pudding in the lower third of the over for 45 to 50 minute, until a knife inserted into the pudding comes out clean. Let the pudding cool for 10 minutes.
3) Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the pudding. Place the pudding under the broiler, keeping the oven door slightlyopen. Keeping close watch, broil the sugar until it begins to bubble. Remove the pudding and let cool.
Rarebit Risotto and Chive and Garlic Bread
I have not had very much luck with the Moosewood Simple Suppers cookbook. I did not have any luck last night, either. I also think that I don't like risotto very much. Mike does not either, I believe. Katie likes risotto but doesn't like mustard, so this didn't go over so well with her either. I really like all the ingredients in it, but somehow it ended up being bland. I am not going to get rid of this cookbook yet, but I will not be making any more risotto ever. Maybe someone who enjoys risotto more would like this.
Rarebit Risotto
1 quart vegetable broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
12 ounces beer (1 bottle)
3 cups chopped broccoli
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
4 cups loosely packed grated sharp Cheddar cheese (I used low fat)
2 cups chopped tomatoes or halved cherry tomatoes (I used cherry tomatoes)
black pepper to taste
1) In a saucepan, bring the broth to a boil and then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
2) Meanwhile, in a large, heavy saucepan on medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the rice and stire until well coated with oil. Add the beer and stire until the rice has absorbed the liquid, a couple of minutes.
3) Ladle in the simmering broth a cup at a time, stirring often. Let the rice absorb most of the broth before adding the next cup, usually about 5 minutes between additions.
4) While the risotto is cooking, steam the broccoli until bright green and just tender. Set aside.
5) When the last of the broth is absorbed, the kernels of rice should be al dente and the risotto moist. Add the mustard and cheese to the risotto and stire until the cheese is melted.
6) Stir in the broccoli and tomatoes, season with black pepper, and serve hot. Serves four (I think this is seriously overestimating people's appetites).
I also made Chive and Garlic Bread from Cooking Light. Actually, the bread was supposed to be knots, not bread, but I was lazy. This was okay. I was not a fan because I thought it was a little too greasy and fat-tastic, but Katie loved it. I think I would like it more if it was crunchier and that the fact that packaged bread dough was used was in direct correlation with its mediocrity.
Chive and Garlic Knots
1 1/2 tablespoons butter or stick margarine
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 (11-ounce) can refrigerated French bread dough
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or green onions
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Cooking spray
1) Preheat oven to 350°.
2) Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic; sauté 30 seconds or until lightly browned. Remove from heat; stir in garlic powder.
3)Unroll the French bread dough onto a lightly floured surface; brush dough with garlic mixture. Sprinkle the dough with chives and cheese.
4) Cut the dough crosswise into 12 strips. Shape each strip into a knot. Place the knots onto a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.
5) Bake at 350° for 17 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve warm.
Rarebit Risotto
1 quart vegetable broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
12 ounces beer (1 bottle)
3 cups chopped broccoli
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
4 cups loosely packed grated sharp Cheddar cheese (I used low fat)
2 cups chopped tomatoes or halved cherry tomatoes (I used cherry tomatoes)
black pepper to taste
1) In a saucepan, bring the broth to a boil and then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
2) Meanwhile, in a large, heavy saucepan on medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the rice and stire until well coated with oil. Add the beer and stire until the rice has absorbed the liquid, a couple of minutes.
3) Ladle in the simmering broth a cup at a time, stirring often. Let the rice absorb most of the broth before adding the next cup, usually about 5 minutes between additions.
4) While the risotto is cooking, steam the broccoli until bright green and just tender. Set aside.
5) When the last of the broth is absorbed, the kernels of rice should be al dente and the risotto moist. Add the mustard and cheese to the risotto and stire until the cheese is melted.
6) Stir in the broccoli and tomatoes, season with black pepper, and serve hot. Serves four (I think this is seriously overestimating people's appetites).
I also made Chive and Garlic Bread from Cooking Light. Actually, the bread was supposed to be knots, not bread, but I was lazy. This was okay. I was not a fan because I thought it was a little too greasy and fat-tastic, but Katie loved it. I think I would like it more if it was crunchier and that the fact that packaged bread dough was used was in direct correlation with its mediocrity.
Chive and Garlic Knots
1 1/2 tablespoons butter or stick margarine
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 (11-ounce) can refrigerated French bread dough
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or green onions
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Cooking spray
1) Preheat oven to 350°.
2) Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic; sauté 30 seconds or until lightly browned. Remove from heat; stir in garlic powder.
3)Unroll the French bread dough onto a lightly floured surface; brush dough with garlic mixture. Sprinkle the dough with chives and cheese.
4) Cut the dough crosswise into 12 strips. Shape each strip into a knot. Place the knots onto a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.
5) Bake at 350° for 17 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve warm.
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
NoHo Star
Today, Esther and Cathy, my bosses at MSPP, took me and the other interns out for lunch at NoHo Star. It was acutally kind of funny because I had just watched Rachael Ray eat there on $40 A Day. I had the Mexican Vegetarian Salad with a Grilled Cheddar Stuffed Poblano Pepper. It was ok, but nothing super special. I really liked the pepper but I was not a big fan of the dressing on the salad and thought it should have been spicier. I had Indian Pudding for dessert, which was spectacular. I had never had Indian Pudding before and it was a dessert right up my alley--not too sweet, very warm and gooey, reminiscent of pumpkin pie and gingerbread. It just had this whole yummy New-England-y flavor. I will definitely eat Indian Pudding again and will probably try to make it myself. Maybe this Cooking Light recipe or this Epicurious one.
On Sunday I made Portobello Mushroom Philly Cheesesteaks again, at Mike's request. Landau was around for dinner too. We were all big fans. I made Mike an omelette with the leftovers in it for breakfast on Monday and he was very happy. Tomorrow Cathy and I are going to eat at Harry's Burritos to celebrate my last week in New York and my birthday (yay for a week of celebration). I wonder how it will stand up to El Pelon, because in my opinion, thusfar, nothing can.
On Sunday I made Portobello Mushroom Philly Cheesesteaks again, at Mike's request. Landau was around for dinner too. We were all big fans. I made Mike an omelette with the leftovers in it for breakfast on Monday and he was very happy. Tomorrow Cathy and I are going to eat at Harry's Burritos to celebrate my last week in New York and my birthday (yay for a week of celebration). I wonder how it will stand up to El Pelon, because in my opinion, thusfar, nothing can.
Friday, August 11, 2006
Birthday Foods
Yesterday was my birthday and I ate a lot of fabulous things. Mike made me a spicy omelette in the morning, which was delicious, as usual. Then, we ate my birthday cake which I had made the night before and for dinner we ate Pasta with Arugula and Parmesan from Cooking Light.
The Pasta with Arugula and Parmesan was ok. Definitely not as good as I had hoped, considering how much I love arugula. I did not use enough tomatoes, because I did not have enough. It definitely needs more garlic than the two cloves the recipe calls for. It was tasty, but as Mike said, "No Summer Panzanella." I probably will not make it again, but maybe I will mess around with the ingredients in it.
Pasta with Arugula and Parmesan.
2 1/4 cups chopped plum tomato
1/4 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups hot cooked gemelli or fusilli (about 8 ounces uncooked pasta twists)
3 cups torn trimmed arugula
2 ounces shaved fresh Parmesan cheese
Combine the first 7 ingredients in a large bowl. Add pasta and arugula, and toss gently. Place 2 cups pasta mixture in each of 4 bowls, and sprinkle with cheese.
Yield: 4 servings
Frosted Pumpkin Cake
My birthday cake! Yum. This cake is from Cooking Light too. It is extremely delicious. I suggest everyone make it. I am in love. Mike loved it. My roommate loved it. Paul loved it. I am going to make more people eat some today and I bet they will love it. The only change I made was to cut the cake in half and stack it to make a layer cake, with a layer of the frosting in between. It is surprisingly low in fat--about 4 grams per serving! I will definitely make this again and probably make it into cupcakes.
Cake:
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3/4 cup egg substitute
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup applesauce
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
2 teaspoons pumpkin-pie spice
1 (18.25-ounce) package yellow cake mix (such as Betty Crocker)
Frosting:
2/3 cup (6 ounces) tub-style light cream cheese
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 350°.
Coat a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray; dust with flour.
To prepare cake, place the egg substitute, granulated sugar, applesauce, and pumpkin in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed for 1 minute. Add pie spice and cake mix, beating at high speed 2 minutes. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake completely on a wire rack.
To prepare frosting, place the cream cheese and vanilla in a large bowl; beat at medium speed until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating just until blended. (Do not overbeat.) Spread frosting evenly over top of cake.
Yield: 24 servings (serving size: 1 piece)
So that was my birthday foods. Oh, and I drank a delicious juice from Trader Joe's called Blackberry Crush.
The Pasta with Arugula and Parmesan was ok. Definitely not as good as I had hoped, considering how much I love arugula. I did not use enough tomatoes, because I did not have enough. It definitely needs more garlic than the two cloves the recipe calls for. It was tasty, but as Mike said, "No Summer Panzanella." I probably will not make it again, but maybe I will mess around with the ingredients in it.
Pasta with Arugula and Parmesan.
2 1/4 cups chopped plum tomato
1/4 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups hot cooked gemelli or fusilli (about 8 ounces uncooked pasta twists)
3 cups torn trimmed arugula
2 ounces shaved fresh Parmesan cheese
Combine the first 7 ingredients in a large bowl. Add pasta and arugula, and toss gently. Place 2 cups pasta mixture in each of 4 bowls, and sprinkle with cheese.
Yield: 4 servings
Frosted Pumpkin Cake
My birthday cake! Yum. This cake is from Cooking Light too. It is extremely delicious. I suggest everyone make it. I am in love. Mike loved it. My roommate loved it. Paul loved it. I am going to make more people eat some today and I bet they will love it. The only change I made was to cut the cake in half and stack it to make a layer cake, with a layer of the frosting in between. It is surprisingly low in fat--about 4 grams per serving! I will definitely make this again and probably make it into cupcakes.
Cake:
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3/4 cup egg substitute
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup applesauce
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
2 teaspoons pumpkin-pie spice
1 (18.25-ounce) package yellow cake mix (such as Betty Crocker)
Frosting:
2/3 cup (6 ounces) tub-style light cream cheese
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 350°.
Coat a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray; dust with flour.
To prepare cake, place the egg substitute, granulated sugar, applesauce, and pumpkin in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed for 1 minute. Add pie spice and cake mix, beating at high speed 2 minutes. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake completely on a wire rack.
To prepare frosting, place the cream cheese and vanilla in a large bowl; beat at medium speed until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating just until blended. (Do not overbeat.) Spread frosting evenly over top of cake.
Yield: 24 servings (serving size: 1 piece)
So that was my birthday foods. Oh, and I drank a delicious juice from Trader Joe's called Blackberry Crush.
Nectarine and Peanut Butter Sandwiches
This is an ode to nectarine and peanut butter sandwiches, which are my new obsession. One may be repulsed by this idea, but one should shuttup and try it. People eat peanut butter and banana sandwiches, so why not peanut butter and nectarine? Just toast two pieces of bread, spread on some peanut butter, top with sliced nectarines, and eat. Yum yum yum.
Oh, and Diet Dr. Pepper Berries and Cream is the single most delicious soda ever. It also sounds gross, but try it.
Lastly, Greek yogurt is superior yogurt. I have known this for a while, but I had some in New York with Cathy after several years of doing without. I am going to buy it all the time now.
Oh, and Diet Dr. Pepper Berries and Cream is the single most delicious soda ever. It also sounds gross, but try it.
Lastly, Greek yogurt is superior yogurt. I have known this for a while, but I had some in New York with Cathy after several years of doing without. I am going to buy it all the time now.
Moosewood Simple Suppers
So a while ago I bought the Moosewood Simple Suppers cookbook. My mum has always cooked from Moosewood cookbooks and, for the most part, they are great for vegetarians. I find some of the recipes to be a bit fat-tastic and heavy on cheese, which is still the case with this book. The recipes I have made from here have been a mixed bag.
1/2 loaf of crusty French or Italian bread
4 tomatoes
1 large ball of fresh mozarrella (about 5 ounces)
1/2 red onion
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
1 cup pitted olives [I used kalamata olives]
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar or cider vinegar [I used balsamic]
1 tablespoon olive oil [It really should be extra-virgin here, I think, because the flavor adds a lot]
salt and pepper
1.Preheat the oven to 350. Cut the bread in half lengthwise and place in the oven until crisp, 5 to 10 minutes
2.Meanwhile, prepare the other ingredients and place them in a serving bowl: Cut the tomatoes and fresh mozzarella into 1/2 inch cubes [I just hacked them up] (about 4 cups of tomatoes and 1 cup of mozzarella), peel and thinly slice the red onion [again, I just chopped it], cut the basil leaves into thin strips and chop the olives. Add the vinegar and oil to hte bowl and toss well.
3. Cut the toasted bread into cubes (7 to 8 cups). Add the bread cubes to the bowl and toss well. Let the salad sit for at least 10 minutes before serving, to allow the bread to soak up some of the juices.Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serves 4. I cannot stress how yummy this salad is. I love it. I want to eat it now, just writing about it.
Butterscotch Icebox Cookies
This cookie dought can be kept in the freezer for up to at least two months, so whenever you want warm, freshly baked cookies (with none of the additives found in commercially prepared frozen cookie dough), just slice it and pop it in the oven.
1 cup butter, at room temperature
2 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups unbleached white flour
1. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in the eggs, vanilla, and salt. Mix in the flour until well blended.
2. Divide the dough into 3 parts. Shape each third into a log about 1 1/2 inches in diameter and 8 inches long. Wrap the logs with waxed paper or plastic wrap and palce in the freezer until firm, at least 1 hour.
3. When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375. With a sharp knife, slice the logs into rounds about 1/4 inch thick. PLace 1 inch apart on an unoiled baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, until the cookies retain a slight indentation when lightly touched in the center and are golden brown on the bottom. Remove the cookies from the baking sheet while they're still warm.
Note: For crispier cooks, add 3/4 teaspoon of baking soda with the flour. For puffier cookies, add 1 tablespoon of baking powder with the flower.
For delicious sandwich cooks, spread peanut butter or Nutella between the bottoms of two cooled cookies.
I wish I had Nutella on hand when I had made these. I think they would have tasted better. They were good, but they were too much effort for relatively good cookies. I won't make them again, probably. Furthermore, I like preservative-laden storebought cookie dough, so ha.
The first meal I made was Beans & Greens Risotto and Cherry Shortbread Crumble. The Beans & Greens Risotto was not so good. First of all, I didn't have the diced tomatoes the recipe called for, which I think seriously inhibited the flavors. Second, my risotto did not cook as well as I would have liked. That was my first (and only) time making risotto, so maybe I did something wrong--but I followed all the directions. I loved the Cherry Shortbread Crumble (I used fresh cherries ) but Mike didn't think it was so great. I think it might not have been sweet enough for him.
Beans & Greens Risotto
1 quart vegetable broth
1 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes
4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
1 15-ounce can of small red beans or pinto beans, drained
1 small head escarole, chopped (about 3 cups)
1/4 cup grated Pecorino Roman or Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
lemon wedges (optional)
1. In a saucepan, bring the broth and tomatoes to a boil and then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
2. Meanwhile, in a large, heavy saucepan on medium-high heat, cook the garlic in the oil until just golden, a few seconds.
3. Add the rice and stir until the grains are well coated with the oil.
4. Ladle the hot broth and tomatoes a cup at a time, stirring often. After each addition, let the rice absorb most of the broth before adding more. Add the beans with the last cup of broth.
5. When most of the broth is absorbed and the rice is tender but still al dente, stir in the escarole, in batches if necessary, until it wilts but is still bright green. Stir in the cheese and season with salt and pepper.
Serve hot. Serves 4.
Cherry Shortbread Crumble
16 ounces frozen pitted, sweet cherries without sugar or 3 cups fresh
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup crumbled shortbread cookies or pecan sandies (about 8 cookies)
1. Preheat the oven to 425.
2. Put the cherries into an unoiled 8-inch square baking pan or a 9-inch glass pie platae. Sprinkle with the sugar and cinammon and add 2 tablespoons of water to the dish.
3. Bake for 15 minutes, and then remove from the oven. Top with the crumbled cookies and bake until the cherries are bubbling and the crumbs are browned, about 10 minutes more.
Serve wa rm, atroom temperature, or cold. Serves about four.
The second time I cooked from Simple Suppers was a lot better. I made Summer Panzanella, which is a bread salad, and it was delicious. Mike and I both loved it. I changed a few things, obviously: I used balsamic instead of red wine vinegar (which I think made a huge difference in flavor) and I used less olives than the recipe called for because Mike is not the biggest fan of olives (and really, neither am I). I also made Butterscotch IceBox Cookies, which were really good but would have benefited from peanut butter or Nutella or something like that. The recipe also makes way too many cookies and I ended up throwing out some of the other dough because I never used it despite having freezed it.
Summer Panzanella1/2 loaf of crusty French or Italian bread
4 tomatoes
1 large ball of fresh mozarrella (about 5 ounces)
1/2 red onion
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
1 cup pitted olives [I used kalamata olives]
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar or cider vinegar [I used balsamic]
1 tablespoon olive oil [It really should be extra-virgin here, I think, because the flavor adds a lot]
salt and pepper
1.Preheat the oven to 350. Cut the bread in half lengthwise and place in the oven until crisp, 5 to 10 minutes
2.Meanwhile, prepare the other ingredients and place them in a serving bowl: Cut the tomatoes and fresh mozzarella into 1/2 inch cubes [I just hacked them up] (about 4 cups of tomatoes and 1 cup of mozzarella), peel and thinly slice the red onion [again, I just chopped it], cut the basil leaves into thin strips and chop the olives. Add the vinegar and oil to hte bowl and toss well.
3. Cut the toasted bread into cubes (7 to 8 cups). Add the bread cubes to the bowl and toss well. Let the salad sit for at least 10 minutes before serving, to allow the bread to soak up some of the juices.Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serves 4. I cannot stress how yummy this salad is. I love it. I want to eat it now, just writing about it.
Butterscotch Icebox Cookies
This cookie dought can be kept in the freezer for up to at least two months, so whenever you want warm, freshly baked cookies (with none of the additives found in commercially prepared frozen cookie dough), just slice it and pop it in the oven.
1 cup butter, at room temperature
2 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups unbleached white flour
1. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in the eggs, vanilla, and salt. Mix in the flour until well blended.
2. Divide the dough into 3 parts. Shape each third into a log about 1 1/2 inches in diameter and 8 inches long. Wrap the logs with waxed paper or plastic wrap and palce in the freezer until firm, at least 1 hour.
3. When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375. With a sharp knife, slice the logs into rounds about 1/4 inch thick. PLace 1 inch apart on an unoiled baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, until the cookies retain a slight indentation when lightly touched in the center and are golden brown on the bottom. Remove the cookies from the baking sheet while they're still warm.
Note: For crispier cooks, add 3/4 teaspoon of baking soda with the flour. For puffier cookies, add 1 tablespoon of baking powder with the flower.
For delicious sandwich cooks, spread peanut butter or Nutella between the bottoms of two cooled cookies.
I wish I had Nutella on hand when I had made these. I think they would have tasted better. They were good, but they were too much effort for relatively good cookies. I won't make them again, probably. Furthermore, I like preservative-laden storebought cookie dough, so ha.
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Mike's Spicy Omelettes
I forgot to post that Mike made delicious omelettes on Monday morning before I left for New York. He used some of the leftovers from the quesadillas the night before. Basically, he made me an omelette with jalapenos and salsa and he had an omelette with jalapenos, salsa, and fake chicken (he was a big fan of the fake chicken, whereas I thought it tasted too much like what I remember chicken tasting like). These omelettes were sososo good and definitely didn't need cheese because they were so flavorful. If you like spicy things, you should definitely try jalapenos and salsa in your eggs. Yum.
So I started this blog because I have been trying to learn to cook and want to keep track of all of my recipes, etc. I am largely indebted to an old classmate of mine, Lauren, who has a blog here too. I have tried a lot of her recipes in the past couple weeks and most of them have been very successful. Here is what I have tried, everything directly from her being in light blue:
SUNDAY, August 7th
For dinner, I was inspired by Lauren to try the Morningstar Farms Chicken Strips too. I decided to try them in quesadillas.
Exa's Quesadillas
1/2 package of Morning Star Farms Chicken Strips
Jalapeno slices (you know, the ones in a jar)
Fresh salsa (the kind near the salad stuff in grocery stores)
Kidney beans, canned
Reduced fat monterey jack-cheddar blend of shredded cheese
Tortillas
Olive oil
Cook the chicken strips in a little olive oil and then chop up into little pieces and set aside. Oil/cooking spray your pan for the tortilla, place the tortilla down (don't turn on the stove yet). Fill the tortilla however you want. I covered half of it with a layer of cheese, some chicken strips, beans, and jalapenos, then another liht layer of cheese [Mike put his salsa inside]. Fold the other half of the tortilla over, so the whole thing looks like an omelette. Cook till bottom side is golden brown and crispy, then flip, cook till crispy and eat. Oh, and if you cover the pan for a little bit during cooking, the cheese melts better.
My thoughts: These were yummy, simple, relatively good-for-you, and I will eat them a lot. Mike was also a huge fan.
Soda Bread. I love soda bread. Plus, I needed to use up the buttermilk I bought to make the cupcakes. This recipe was a big hit with me, Mike, and my best friend Cathy whom I stay with when I am in New York for my internship. Yumyumyum. Oh, but I used dried rosemary instead of fresh. It tasted just fine. This was super-easy to make.
Brown Butter Soda Bread
1/4 cup butter
3.5 cups all purpose flour
½ cup Old Fashioned Oats
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 tsps. Baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 3/4 cups buttermilk
1 egg white, beaten to blend
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375. Stir butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until melted and golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.Stir flour, oats, sugar, rosemary, baking powder, salt and pepper in large bowl to blend. Pour buttermilk and melted brown butter over flour mixture; stir with fork until mixture is moistened.Turn dough out onto floured work space. Knead gently until dough comes together, about 7 turns. Divide in half. Shape each half into a ball: flatten each into 6” rounds. Place on ungreased baking sheet, spacing 5” apart. Brush tops with beaten egg white. Sprinkle with some black pepper. Using a knife, cut ½” X in top of each round. Bake until deep golden brown and tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes.
Yield: 2 loaves
SATURDAY, August 5th.
Portobello Philly Cheesesteaks. After an interesting day that didn't really work out as planned, I still managed to make dinner as planned. I got this recipe from Lauren, and it was super yummy. I used reduced fat mozzarella instead of provolone and used fancy french bread for the sub rolls. I melted the cheese onto the rolls instead of onto the filling. Oh, and I used pre-sliced portobellos, which made everything easier. Mike made really good mojitos, although the mint in them was sub-par. He says that next time he will make them a more scientific process.
Portobello Philly Cheesesteaks
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced
4 large portobello mushrooms, stems and gills removed
1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano or2 teaspoons dried
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 cup vegetable broth or reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
3 ounces thinly sliced reduced-fat provolone cheese
4 whole-wheat buns, split and toasted
1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until soft and beginning to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, bell pepper, oregano and pepper and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are wilted and soft, about 7 minutes.
2. Reduce heat to low; sprinkle the vegetables with flour and stir to coat. Stir in broth and soy sauce; bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat, lay cheese slices on top of the vegetables, cover and let stand until melted, 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Divide the mixture into 4 portions with a spatula, leaving the melted cheese layer on top. Scoop a portion onto each toasted bun and serve immediately.
FRIDAY, August 6th (I was a baking and cooking machine)
GYROS! I loooove gyros, at least I love tzatziki, which is the garlic-yogurt sauce. I have also been thinking about trying more meat substitutes, with a lot of encouragement from Mike, so I thought this would be a good attempt.
Lauren's Gyros
Sauce:
8 oz plain fat-free yogurt
1 cup cucumber - peeled, seeded, and shredded or finely chopped
Salt
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp olive oil
'Meat':1 pkg Morningstar Farms Steak Strips mealstarters
1 or 2 pinches of dried rosemary, crushed with your fingers
2 cloves minced garlic
1 Tbsp olive oil
Other ingredients:
2 pitas, sliced in half to form 2 pockets apiece
1 plum tomato, chopped
1 white onion, chopped
1/4 cup reduced-fat feta cheese
For the sauce, combine all ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.Toss all the ingredients for the meat (steak strips through olive oil) into a skillet and saute until crispy and cooked through.Put the pita pockets in the microwave for 30 seconds to get them nice and warm. Divide the steak strips evenly inside each pita pocket. Add tomatoes, onion, feta, and sauce. Eat.
I made a few changes myself to the recipe. 1) I combined all the seasonings for the 'meat' (olive oil, rosemary, and garlic) beforehand and let them kind of work together for a bit. i strained the yogurt beforehand because my mom always does and it makes the sauce a little thicker. i grilled the pita pockets which makes them super yummy and kind of crisp on the outside. i left out the feta cheese because try as i can, i cannot learn to like feta. i added chopped up cucumber and arugula to the veggie mix. I thought this meal was amazing. I think that was in a large part due to the tzatziki. I also was surprised at how much I liked the steak strips. I am very afraid of fake meat, but I think when it is mixed with things like garlic and lots of veggies it is ok. Mike and my roommate Katie both really loved it too. Yay.
Magnolia Cupcakes. Ok, so I am in New York part-time because of my internship for the Margaret Sanger Papers Project. So of course, I am well aware of the popularity of Magnolia Bakery's cupcakes. Plus, I had already heard of them (like most people) because of the "Lazy Sunday" video that I love so much. I decided to make these because I love "Lazy Sunday" and I love cupcakes.
Magnolia Bakery Cupcakes
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
4 large eggs
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
FROSTING:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
6-8 cups of confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Line your muffin tins with cupcake papers. This recipe makes roughly 2 dozen cupcakes
3. In a small bowl, sift together the flour and baking soda and set aside
4. Melting the chocolate. [LAUREN SAYS] You'll need some double boiler action to do this. But, if like me, you have no double boiler, one can be created very easily. Find a small pot and a small heat resistent bowl that will nest easily into the pot. Fill the pot with just enough water so that when the bowl is nesting in the pot, the water doesn't splash out. Put the water on to boil. Put the 6 ounces of unsweetened chocolate into the bowl. Once the water is boiling, put the bowl of chocolate in the pot to melt the chocolate. Turn down the heat on the water so it's just simmering (if you leave it on a full boil, hot water will go everywhere). Stir the chocolate until it's totally melted. Set the bowl of melted chocolate aside to cool to room temperature. EDIT: you don't actually need a double boiler. I called my mum, the master of all chefs, to confirm this. What you can do, if you are super lazy, is put the chocolate in a glass container (like a glass liquid measure) and microwave it for about 1 1/2 minutes. It won't look like it is melted, but you just need to stir it. Works like a charm.
5. In a large bowl, cream the butter until smooth. Add the granulated and light brown sugar and beat until fluffy. Add the eggs 2 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the chocolate, mixing until well blended. Add the sifted flour/baking soda mixture in small doses, alternating with the buttermilk and vanilla. Mix until batter is well blended and smooth.
6. Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling until roughly 3/4 full
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes, checking periodically to make sure they don't burn. The cupcakes are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
8. Remove the cupcakes from the tins to cool.
Once all the cupcakes are cool, it's time for the best part, the frosting!
FROSTING:
EDIT: to avoid clumps in the frosting, make sure the butter is super room temperature. I left mine out while I made the cupcakes themselves and cleaned up the mess.
Put the butter in a large bowl, add 4 cups of the sugar, then the milk and vanilla and beat until smooth and creamy.Gradually add the remaining sugar, one cup at a time, until the frosting gets to a decent consistency for spreading (you don't want it too runny or too thick).Add some food coloring to you're frosting if you are so inclined. Be generous with the frosting, nobody likes a frosting miser.You're all done!Makes about 2-2 1/2 dozen!
SUNDAY, August 7th
For dinner, I was inspired by Lauren to try the Morningstar Farms Chicken Strips too. I decided to try them in quesadillas.
Exa's Quesadillas
1/2 package of Morning Star Farms Chicken Strips
Jalapeno slices (you know, the ones in a jar)
Fresh salsa (the kind near the salad stuff in grocery stores)
Kidney beans, canned
Reduced fat monterey jack-cheddar blend of shredded cheese
Tortillas
Olive oil
Cook the chicken strips in a little olive oil and then chop up into little pieces and set aside. Oil/cooking spray your pan for the tortilla, place the tortilla down (don't turn on the stove yet). Fill the tortilla however you want. I covered half of it with a layer of cheese, some chicken strips, beans, and jalapenos, then another liht layer of cheese [Mike put his salsa inside]. Fold the other half of the tortilla over, so the whole thing looks like an omelette. Cook till bottom side is golden brown and crispy, then flip, cook till crispy and eat. Oh, and if you cover the pan for a little bit during cooking, the cheese melts better.
My thoughts: These were yummy, simple, relatively good-for-you, and I will eat them a lot. Mike was also a huge fan.
Soda Bread. I love soda bread. Plus, I needed to use up the buttermilk I bought to make the cupcakes. This recipe was a big hit with me, Mike, and my best friend Cathy whom I stay with when I am in New York for my internship. Yumyumyum. Oh, but I used dried rosemary instead of fresh. It tasted just fine. This was super-easy to make.
Brown Butter Soda Bread
1/4 cup butter
3.5 cups all purpose flour
½ cup Old Fashioned Oats
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 tsps. Baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 3/4 cups buttermilk
1 egg white, beaten to blend
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375. Stir butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until melted and golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.Stir flour, oats, sugar, rosemary, baking powder, salt and pepper in large bowl to blend. Pour buttermilk and melted brown butter over flour mixture; stir with fork until mixture is moistened.Turn dough out onto floured work space. Knead gently until dough comes together, about 7 turns. Divide in half. Shape each half into a ball: flatten each into 6” rounds. Place on ungreased baking sheet, spacing 5” apart. Brush tops with beaten egg white. Sprinkle with some black pepper. Using a knife, cut ½” X in top of each round. Bake until deep golden brown and tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes.
Yield: 2 loaves
SATURDAY, August 5th.
Portobello Philly Cheesesteaks. After an interesting day that didn't really work out as planned, I still managed to make dinner as planned. I got this recipe from Lauren, and it was super yummy. I used reduced fat mozzarella instead of provolone and used fancy french bread for the sub rolls. I melted the cheese onto the rolls instead of onto the filling. Oh, and I used pre-sliced portobellos, which made everything easier. Mike made really good mojitos, although the mint in them was sub-par. He says that next time he will make them a more scientific process.
Portobello Philly Cheesesteaks
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced
4 large portobello mushrooms, stems and gills removed
1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano or2 teaspoons dried
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 cup vegetable broth or reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
3 ounces thinly sliced reduced-fat provolone cheese
4 whole-wheat buns, split and toasted
1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until soft and beginning to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, bell pepper, oregano and pepper and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are wilted and soft, about 7 minutes.
2. Reduce heat to low; sprinkle the vegetables with flour and stir to coat. Stir in broth and soy sauce; bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat, lay cheese slices on top of the vegetables, cover and let stand until melted, 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Divide the mixture into 4 portions with a spatula, leaving the melted cheese layer on top. Scoop a portion onto each toasted bun and serve immediately.
FRIDAY, August 6th (I was a baking and cooking machine)
GYROS! I loooove gyros, at least I love tzatziki, which is the garlic-yogurt sauce. I have also been thinking about trying more meat substitutes, with a lot of encouragement from Mike, so I thought this would be a good attempt.
Lauren's Gyros
Sauce:
8 oz plain fat-free yogurt
1 cup cucumber - peeled, seeded, and shredded or finely chopped
Salt
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp olive oil
'Meat':1 pkg Morningstar Farms Steak Strips mealstarters
1 or 2 pinches of dried rosemary, crushed with your fingers
2 cloves minced garlic
1 Tbsp olive oil
Other ingredients:
2 pitas, sliced in half to form 2 pockets apiece
1 plum tomato, chopped
1 white onion, chopped
1/4 cup reduced-fat feta cheese
For the sauce, combine all ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.Toss all the ingredients for the meat (steak strips through olive oil) into a skillet and saute until crispy and cooked through.Put the pita pockets in the microwave for 30 seconds to get them nice and warm. Divide the steak strips evenly inside each pita pocket. Add tomatoes, onion, feta, and sauce. Eat.
I made a few changes myself to the recipe. 1) I combined all the seasonings for the 'meat' (olive oil, rosemary, and garlic) beforehand and let them kind of work together for a bit. i strained the yogurt beforehand because my mom always does and it makes the sauce a little thicker. i grilled the pita pockets which makes them super yummy and kind of crisp on the outside. i left out the feta cheese because try as i can, i cannot learn to like feta. i added chopped up cucumber and arugula to the veggie mix. I thought this meal was amazing. I think that was in a large part due to the tzatziki. I also was surprised at how much I liked the steak strips. I am very afraid of fake meat, but I think when it is mixed with things like garlic and lots of veggies it is ok. Mike and my roommate Katie both really loved it too. Yay.
Magnolia Cupcakes. Ok, so I am in New York part-time because of my internship for the Margaret Sanger Papers Project. So of course, I am well aware of the popularity of Magnolia Bakery's cupcakes. Plus, I had already heard of them (like most people) because of the "Lazy Sunday" video that I love so much. I decided to make these because I love "Lazy Sunday" and I love cupcakes.
Magnolia Bakery Cupcakes
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
4 large eggs
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
FROSTING:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
6-8 cups of confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Line your muffin tins with cupcake papers. This recipe makes roughly 2 dozen cupcakes
3. In a small bowl, sift together the flour and baking soda and set aside
4. Melting the chocolate. [LAUREN SAYS] You'll need some double boiler action to do this. But, if like me, you have no double boiler, one can be created very easily. Find a small pot and a small heat resistent bowl that will nest easily into the pot. Fill the pot with just enough water so that when the bowl is nesting in the pot, the water doesn't splash out. Put the water on to boil. Put the 6 ounces of unsweetened chocolate into the bowl. Once the water is boiling, put the bowl of chocolate in the pot to melt the chocolate. Turn down the heat on the water so it's just simmering (if you leave it on a full boil, hot water will go everywhere). Stir the chocolate until it's totally melted. Set the bowl of melted chocolate aside to cool to room temperature. EDIT: you don't actually need a double boiler. I called my mum, the master of all chefs, to confirm this. What you can do, if you are super lazy, is put the chocolate in a glass container (like a glass liquid measure) and microwave it for about 1 1/2 minutes. It won't look like it is melted, but you just need to stir it. Works like a charm.
5. In a large bowl, cream the butter until smooth. Add the granulated and light brown sugar and beat until fluffy. Add the eggs 2 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the chocolate, mixing until well blended. Add the sifted flour/baking soda mixture in small doses, alternating with the buttermilk and vanilla. Mix until batter is well blended and smooth.
6. Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling until roughly 3/4 full
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes, checking periodically to make sure they don't burn. The cupcakes are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
8. Remove the cupcakes from the tins to cool.
Once all the cupcakes are cool, it's time for the best part, the frosting!
FROSTING:
EDIT: to avoid clumps in the frosting, make sure the butter is super room temperature. I left mine out while I made the cupcakes themselves and cleaned up the mess.
Put the butter in a large bowl, add 4 cups of the sugar, then the milk and vanilla and beat until smooth and creamy.Gradually add the remaining sugar, one cup at a time, until the frosting gets to a decent consistency for spreading (you don't want it too runny or too thick).Add some food coloring to you're frosting if you are so inclined. Be generous with the frosting, nobody likes a frosting miser.You're all done!Makes about 2-2 1/2 dozen!
My thoughts: This was a lot of cupcakes. They were yummy but a little to fat-tastic tasting for me or Mike. I didn't know what to do with the large quantity I had, so I sent some home with my roommate to the restaurant she waits tables at in NH. They were a big hit there, and her boss (the restaurant owner and chef) said "If we slapped some sugared violets on these, we could sell them for eight bucks!" Haha, exactly.
Blackberry Muffins. I love blackberries, so I had to try these. I thought they were sooo good. Mike liked them ok, but said: "Next time--no oats, more blackberries." Roommate loved the oats. I liked them too, but I agree about the more blackberries bit.
Whole Grain Blackberry Spice Muffins
2 cups all-purpose flour (about 9 ounces)
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon apple-pie spice (Note: I only had pumpkin pie spice)
1 cup fat-free milk
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups frozen blackberries, coarsely chopped (Note: I used fresh ones)
Cooking spray
1/4 cup granulated sugar
Preheat oven to 400°.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 6 ingredients (through apple-pie spice) in a large bowl. Make a well in center of mixture. Combine milk, butter, vanilla, and egg in a small bowl; add to flour mixture, stirring until just moist. Gently stir in blackberries.
Spoon 1/4 cup batter into each of 17 paper-lined muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 16 minutes. Sprinkle muffins evenly with granulated sugar; bake 3 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in center. Cool in pans 10 minutes on wire racks.
Yield: 17 muffins (serving size: 1 muffin)
Basically, I owe Lauren a huge thank you for getting me to like fake meats and things. I will post more of the things that I have actually made and maybe sort of invented myself later.
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