Mike and I were supposed to go camping this Saturday, so on Friday night I made us treats to take with us. It ended up raining, and we ate the stuff I made at my house on Saturday instead. We were also supposed to go apple-picking, but were again thwarted by the rain. On Friday night I made Streusel-Oat Scones and Bean and Barley Soup from Cooking Light. Both were extremely yummy. It was my first time cooking with dried beans, so I was very proud of myself. As usual, I at least doubled the amount of seasonings (salt, pepper, hot sauce) and omitted the cheese. I will definitely make both again, although when it comes to the soup I might use canned beans simply because the dried ones take so much time.
Streusel-Oat Scones
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar object
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chilled stick margarine, cut into small pieces [I used butter]
3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
Cooking spray
1/4 cup quick-cooking oats
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon margarine, melted [butter]
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1) Preheat oven to 450°.
2) Combine first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl; cut in 1/4 cup margarine with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add buttermilk, stirring just until flour mixture is moist.
3) Turn dough out onto a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Pat dough into an 8-inch circle; set aside.
4) Combine oats, brown sugar, 1 tablespoon margarine, and 1 tablespoon flour, forming a streusel. Gently pat oats mixture into surface of dough. Cut dough into 12 wedges (do not separate wedges).
5) Bake at 450° for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve warm.
Makes twelve scones.
Bean and Barley Soup
This is an especially nutritious soup; barley adds another source of soluble fiber. This recipe quick-soaks the beans, but you can soak the beans overnight, if you wish. Pureeing some of the beans adds extra body to the soup.
1 cup dried borlotti or pinto beans
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups finely chopped red onion object
1 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
9 cups water
2 cups organic vegetable broth (such as Swanson Certified Organic)
2 bay leaves
1/3 cup uncooked pearl barley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
2 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1) Sort and wash beans; place in a large saucepan. Cover with water to 2 inches above beans; bring to a boil. Cook 2 minutes; remove from heat. Cover and let stand 1 hour. Drain beans. Wipe pan dry with a paper towel.
2) Heat oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add onion, parsley, celery, carrot, and basil; cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add beans, 9 cups water, vegetable broth, and bay leaves; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour and 15 minutes or until beans are tender. Discard bay leaves.
3) Place 3/4 cup beans and 3/4 cup cooking liquid in a blender; process until smooth. Return pureed bean mixture to pan.
4) Stir in barley, salt, pepper, and hot sauce; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes or until barley is done. Ladle soup into individual bowls; sprinkle with cheese.
Serves 4 (at least).
On Sunday night I had Lauren and Fi over for dinner and Cranium. Yay. I made Falafel Burgers from Vegetarian Planet at Mike's request, because this is one of his favorite dishes I have made so far. I also made Caramel Apple Bars that I found on desertculinary.blogspot.com. I made my own caramel! I was so proud. Everyone around was very impressed, including some of my roommate Ryan's friends, who offered me a free room in their apartment if I would cook for them. My favorite part about this was that I reduced the amount of fat in this recipe. Not a lot, but at least some. I used fat-free half-and-half instead of heavy cream in the caramel and you cannot taste the difference at all. I will definitely make these again, as these were extremely popular with everyone, Mike most of all (he ate several servings). Oh, and I didn't set aside any extra caramel--I used all of it in the bars because I had doubled the amount of apples.
Falafel Burgers
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups minced onions
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin seeds
1 cup finely chopped carrot
1 3/4 cups (1 15-ounce can) cooked and drained garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
1 1/2 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste) or peanut butter
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1/3 cup chickpea flour or unbleached white flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 lemon (optional)
1) In a skillet, combine 1 tablespoon of the olive oil with the onions over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, and carrot, and cook 2 minutes more. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.
2) Add the drained chickpeas, and mash them wiht a potato masher or chop them in a food processor until they are broken down and unidentifiable. Add the tahini or peanut butter and the parsley. In a smaller bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the mixture to the large bowl, and stir well.
3) With floured hands, form four patties from the chickpea mixture, then lightly dust the burgers with flour. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Turn hte heat to medium-low, and add the patties. After about 1 minute, or when they have just begun to brown, flip them. Cook them about 2 minutes more on the other side. Then flip them back onto the first side, and cook another minute. They should be a deep golden brown on both sides. (They burn easily, so wath them well.) Remove the burgers from the skillet, and squeeze a bit of lemon juice onto each. Serve immediately.
Makes 4 large burgers.
Caramel Apple Bars (Adapted from KA Cookie Companion)
For the Crust:
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup butter1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup ground pecans
2 cups rolled oats
For the Filling:
3 1/2 cups sliced apples (about 24 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup Homemade Caramel*
Homemade Caramel:
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups brown sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
4 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon good quality vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1) Mix all of the above ingredients into a 2 quart saucepan. Heat over medium, stirring constantly, until it reaches soft-ball stage (230-234 degrees). Remove and gently pour your 1 cup over the apple mixture.This recipes makes more than you will use so pour the rest into a 8X8 pan lined with foil and let cool. Cut into squares and you have your own homemade caramel squares! [I just used all of the caramel since I used more apples]
Directions:
1) Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Line a 9X13 pan with foil and lightly spray with cooking spray.
2) In a medium bowl, beat the brown sugar and the next 4 ingredients (through baking soda) until thoroughly combined. Mix in the flour, ground pecans and oats until crumbly. Scoop out 1 cup and set aside.
3) Place the remaining crumbs into your prepared pan and press down firmly to coat the bottom. Toss the apples in a large bowl with the salt and cinnamon. Arrange them over the crust. Drizzle the warm homemade caramel over the top and then sprinkle with the remaining crumbs you set aside.
4) Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until bubbly and the apples are just tender. Remove and let cool until they are just warm to the touch. Cut into squares. Try and let the bars rest until the caramel has set before serving. [This did not happen for us]
Monday, September 25, 2006
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Chocolate-Cherry Breakfast Bread
Last night I attempted to make my very first yeast bread. I picked this recipe from desertculinary.blogspot.com because it looked very tasty and delicious. I think that I had a little bit of trouble with my yeast, because the bread did not rise as much as I thought it would in the second phase, despite my waiting a little longer. I might have kneaded the dough for too long or something. Who knows! The rolls still taste good, although they are a little too dense. I will eat them, but probably no one else will. Sad.
Chocolate-Cherry Breakfast Bread
2 to 3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
1 teaspooon salt
1 cup warm water
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
4 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate
1 cup dried cherries, coarsely chopped
1) In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour, sugar, cocoa, yeast and salt.
2) Stir in water with wooden spoon until the dough begins to come together. Mix in the melted butter.
3) Scoop dough to a work surface dusted with flour. Knead the dough, adding the rest of the flour a tablespoon at a time, until dough is smooth and elastic - it should be a littly tacky.
4) Pat dough into a large square. Add chocolate chunks and dried cherries in the center. Bring the edges of the dough into the center and press to seal. Continue kneading until the chocolate and cherries are evenly distributed.
5) Place dough in a large bowl coated with nonstick spray, turn to coat. Cover and let rise until doubled - roughly 60-90 minutes.
6) Punch down dough and place on a lightly floured surface. Cut into 12 even sized pieces. Roll each round into a tight ball and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Cover and let rise for 30-45 minutes - until almost doubled in size.
7) Preheat oven to 375.
8) Remove cover and bake for 18-25 minutes, until they are golden and the center springs back with lightly touched in the center. Remove and carefully set rolls on a wire rack to cool completely.
Chocolate-Cherry Breakfast Bread
2 to 3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
1 teaspooon salt
1 cup warm water
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
4 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate
1 cup dried cherries, coarsely chopped
1) In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour, sugar, cocoa, yeast and salt.
2) Stir in water with wooden spoon until the dough begins to come together. Mix in the melted butter.
3) Scoop dough to a work surface dusted with flour. Knead the dough, adding the rest of the flour a tablespoon at a time, until dough is smooth and elastic - it should be a littly tacky.
4) Pat dough into a large square. Add chocolate chunks and dried cherries in the center. Bring the edges of the dough into the center and press to seal. Continue kneading until the chocolate and cherries are evenly distributed.
5) Place dough in a large bowl coated with nonstick spray, turn to coat. Cover and let rise until doubled - roughly 60-90 minutes.
6) Punch down dough and place on a lightly floured surface. Cut into 12 even sized pieces. Roll each round into a tight ball and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Cover and let rise for 30-45 minutes - until almost doubled in size.
7) Preheat oven to 375.
8) Remove cover and bake for 18-25 minutes, until they are golden and the center springs back with lightly touched in the center. Remove and carefully set rolls on a wire rack to cool completely.
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Things That Get Baked
On Saturday I made Peach and Vanilla Yogurt Scones and Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate-Chip Cookies while Mike played Tekken Tag Team. I got these recipes from everbodylikessandwiches.blogspot.com . They are both pretty good, although I would make changes to both, I think. The Peach and Vanilla Yogurt Scones need more of a kick to them--maybe more vanilla, and I like my scones to be harder than the yogurt allows these to be. I also should probably not have used two peaches, instead of the suggested one, but I love peach! The Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate-Chip Cookies are quite tasty--I like them more than the scones. I already had added some pumpkin pie spice to this batch, and I think I will add more next time. I just want the pumpkin flavor to come through a bit more. I will also add a little more oats because I want more oats in an oatmeal cookie! Overall, these cookies are very tasty and Garnet, Mike, Audrey, and I have thoroughly enjoyed them.
Peach and Vanilla Yogurt Scones
1 cup white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup chilled butter, diced
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt [I used fat-free]
2 tablespoons milk
1 peach, diced [I used two--probably a bad idea]
1) Preheat the oven to 425.
2) In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Add the butter. With your hands, combine the flour and butter together until the mixture is crumbly and the butter pieces are no larger than peas.
3) Add the vanilla extract, yogurt, milk, and peaches and stir into the flour mixture with a wooden spoon. When the mixture comes together, knead the dought a few tims, and then flatten dough into a disc about half an inch thick. Cut into 8 pieces, place on a cookie sheet. Baking for 10-15 minutes, or until golden. Cool on a wire rack.
Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate-Chip Cookies
2 cups flour
1 cup quick or old-fashioned oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup cooked and pureed pumpkin (I use canned)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2) Combine dry ingredients (flour through salt). Set aside.
3) Cream butter. Gradually add both sugars and cream until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and mix well.
4) Alternate additions of dry ingredients and pumpkin, mixing well after each addition.
5) Stir in chocolate chips.
6) Drop by tablespoonfuls onto baking sheet, leaving room for cookies to spread. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until tops of cookies are dry and spring back when touched lightly. Remove from baking sheet and cool on racks.
Makes about 25-30 cookies, I think.
Peach and Vanilla Yogurt Scones
1 cup white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup chilled butter, diced
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt [I used fat-free]
2 tablespoons milk
1 peach, diced [I used two--probably a bad idea]
1) Preheat the oven to 425.
2) In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Add the butter. With your hands, combine the flour and butter together until the mixture is crumbly and the butter pieces are no larger than peas.
3) Add the vanilla extract, yogurt, milk, and peaches and stir into the flour mixture with a wooden spoon. When the mixture comes together, knead the dought a few tims, and then flatten dough into a disc about half an inch thick. Cut into 8 pieces, place on a cookie sheet. Baking for 10-15 minutes, or until golden. Cool on a wire rack.
Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate-Chip Cookies
2 cups flour
1 cup quick or old-fashioned oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup cooked and pureed pumpkin (I use canned)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2) Combine dry ingredients (flour through salt). Set aside.
3) Cream butter. Gradually add both sugars and cream until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and mix well.
4) Alternate additions of dry ingredients and pumpkin, mixing well after each addition.
5) Stir in chocolate chips.
6) Drop by tablespoonfuls onto baking sheet, leaving room for cookies to spread. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until tops of cookies are dry and spring back when touched lightly. Remove from baking sheet and cool on racks.
Makes about 25-30 cookies, I think.
A Mum Casserole
On Friday night I was craving something simple and easy and like my mum would make. I attempted to make a pasta-casserole-thing like she used to make when she was going back to school: vegetables, ziti, cheese. I added veggie crumbles from Yves because I am trying to get more protein and I thought Mike might like them. This dish turned out pretty well. There is way too much of it for two people, but we are working on eating the leftovers. I will probably make something like this again, but experiment with different fillings.
My Pasta-Casserole-Thing
8 oz whole wheat penne/ziti
4 garlic cloves
1 white onion
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
8 oz of baby bellas or other mushrooms of your choice
1 package of Yves ground round veggie crumbles
1 15 oz can of diced tomatoes
1 can of yummy marinara sauce
some grated cheese of your choice--I used a mozzarela-provolone blend
1) In a large pot of salted water, cook the pasta. Drain and set aside. Preheat oven to 375.
2) Chop up garlic, onion, peppers, and bellas and cook in some olive oil in a large saucepan until everything is starting to soften.
3) Add in the veggie crumbles and cook for another 5-6 minutes.
4) Dump all of this into the large pot, and add the diced tomatoes and marinara sauce. Cook for about 5-10 minutes, until everything is very hot.
5) Add the pasta and stir. Pour into a large baking dish (I used 9X13) and bake for about 20 minutes. Top with the cheese and bake for about another 5 minutes or until cheese is all melted and bubbly. Eat, but you will probably burn your mouth.
My Pasta-Casserole-Thing
8 oz whole wheat penne/ziti
4 garlic cloves
1 white onion
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
8 oz of baby bellas or other mushrooms of your choice
1 package of Yves ground round veggie crumbles
1 15 oz can of diced tomatoes
1 can of yummy marinara sauce
some grated cheese of your choice--I used a mozzarela-provolone blend
1) In a large pot of salted water, cook the pasta. Drain and set aside. Preheat oven to 375.
2) Chop up garlic, onion, peppers, and bellas and cook in some olive oil in a large saucepan until everything is starting to soften.
3) Add in the veggie crumbles and cook for another 5-6 minutes.
4) Dump all of this into the large pot, and add the diced tomatoes and marinara sauce. Cook for about 5-10 minutes, until everything is very hot.
5) Add the pasta and stir. Pour into a large baking dish (I used 9X13) and bake for about 20 minutes. Top with the cheese and bake for about another 5 minutes or until cheese is all melted and bubbly. Eat, but you will probably burn your mouth.
Thursday, September 14, 2006
Norwegian Apple Cake
Today I had to go to the doctor's and getting my first physical in years. I had to get a bunch of blood drawn and other unpleasant things, so I decided to reward myself with a cake. The cake I ended up making, however, is not so bad for you. It is amazingly delicious. I got the recipe from Bunny Pie. At the suggestion of everybodylikessandwiches.blogspot.com, where the recipe was also posted, I added cinnamon and vanilla. It was very simple to make and Audrey and I both thoroughly enjoyed it. I will definitely make this again.
A warning: Before adding the apple, the cake seems very very dry. After adding the apple, you might think, like I did, that there is not enough batter for the amount of apples. However, don't distress--it all works out in the baking process.
Norwegian Apple Cake
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 rounded cup diced apples
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1) Preheat the oven to 350 degress
2) Mix together the sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking powder.
3) Break an egg into the center of the mixture and stir together to mix well.
4) Mix in the apples and nuts and pour into a greased 8" pie pan or 8X8 cake pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes.
A warning: Before adding the apple, the cake seems very very dry. After adding the apple, you might think, like I did, that there is not enough batter for the amount of apples. However, don't distress--it all works out in the baking process.
Norwegian Apple Cake
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 rounded cup diced apples
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1) Preheat the oven to 350 degress
2) Mix together the sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking powder.
3) Break an egg into the center of the mixture and stir together to mix well.
4) Mix in the apples and nuts and pour into a greased 8" pie pan or 8X8 cake pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes.
White Bean and Mushroom Ragout
For dinner last night I made this dish from Moosewood's Simple Suppers. This time I was fully prepared for mediocrity, as is the norm from this cookbook. Therefore, I was not afraid to make some changes. My changes weren't huge: I doubled the amount of garlic, used both rosemary and thyme, and used one portobello mushroom and about 8 regular white mushrooms (they were what I had on hand and needed to use up). I also did not serve this over polenta as suggested--Mike and I ate it with some crusty white junk bread from Stop and Shop. Yum. My changes definitely made this a repeat recipe.
White Bean and Mushroom Ragout (the original recipe)
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onions
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme, rosemary, or sage
1 teaspoon ground fennel seeds (optional) (I didn't have any)
10 ounces moonlight or cremini mushrooms
1/4 dry red or white wine (I used white--some cheap chardonnay)
1 15-ounce can of cannellini beans, drained
1 28-ounce can of diced tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley or basil (I used parsley)
salt and pepper
Polenta (optional)
grated parmesan cheese (optional) (I left this out, obviously)
1) In a saucepan on medium heat, warm the oil and add the onions, garlic, herbs, and fennel. Sprinkle lightly with salt, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the onions are softened and starting to brown. While the onions cook, rinse and quarter the mushrooms.
2) When the onions are soft, stir in the mushrooms and wine, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the beans, tomatoes, and parsley, cover, and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 10 minutes, until hot and juicy, stirring occasionally. Add salt and pepper to taste.
3) (OPTIONAL) While the ragout simmers, prepared the Polenta. Serve the ragout on the Polenta and sprinkle with cheese if you like.
Serves 4.
White Bean and Mushroom Ragout (the original recipe)
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onions
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme, rosemary, or sage
1 teaspoon ground fennel seeds (optional) (I didn't have any)
10 ounces moonlight or cremini mushrooms
1/4 dry red or white wine (I used white--some cheap chardonnay)
1 15-ounce can of cannellini beans, drained
1 28-ounce can of diced tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley or basil (I used parsley)
salt and pepper
Polenta (optional)
grated parmesan cheese (optional) (I left this out, obviously)
1) In a saucepan on medium heat, warm the oil and add the onions, garlic, herbs, and fennel. Sprinkle lightly with salt, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the onions are softened and starting to brown. While the onions cook, rinse and quarter the mushrooms.
2) When the onions are soft, stir in the mushrooms and wine, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the beans, tomatoes, and parsley, cover, and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 10 minutes, until hot and juicy, stirring occasionally. Add salt and pepper to taste.
3) (OPTIONAL) While the ragout simmers, prepared the Polenta. Serve the ragout on the Polenta and sprinkle with cheese if you like.
Serves 4.
Monday, September 11, 2006
Sweet Potato and Barley Chili
I was very skeptical about this recipe, but very intrigued. I had never had tomatillos before and was somewhat put-off by the idea of sweet potatoes and spicy stuff together. However, it is delicious and there are plenty of leftovers for me and Mike to eat. Hooray. I serve this with crusty pumpernickel bread from the Shaw's bakery that I stuck in the oven for a few minutes. I will definitely make this again at some point, especially as it gets colder. Oh, and I used regular sweet potatoes, not boniatos.
Sweet Potato and Barley Chili
If you don't much like beans or lentils, this is the chili for you. Boniatos are white-fleshed sweet potatoes; they are less sweet and somewhat drier than orange sweet potatoes. Now grown in Florida as well as Central America, boniatos are sold in Latin American markets and some supermarkets, as are chipotle peppers. If you can't find boniatos, orange sweet potatoes will do fine.
1/2 cup dried pearled or hulled barley
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 cups (about 12) chopped husked tomatillos
2 green bell peppers, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch squares
1 large boniato or 2 small sweet potatoes (about 1 1/4 pounds), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 cups water or vegetable stock
1 teaspoon salt
1 to 2 chipotle peppers, dried or canned in adobo sauce
fresh-ground black pepper to taste
4 tablespoons sour cream (optional) [As always, I left this out]
1) Bring the barley and 1 1/2 cups lightly salted water to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer the barley, covered, for 1 hour. Drain the barley, if any water remains. [My barley cooked faster than an hour--more like 45 minutes]
2) In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook the onions, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until they brown at the edges. Add the garlic, cumin, and chili powder. Cook for 3 minute smore, stirring frequently.
3) Add the tomatillos, bell peppers, boniato or sweet potatoes, water or stock, and salt. Chop the chipotle pepper(s) if they are canned; keep them whole if they are dried. Add them to the chili. Let the chili simmer for 25 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
4) Remove the chipotle(s) if they were dried. Seed them, chop them fine, and return them to the chili (add the seeds if you want more heat). Add the black pepper and the barley. Stir well, taste, and adjust the seasonings. Serve the chili in bowls, with dollops of sour cream on top, if you like.
Serves four.
Oh, from Vegetarian Planet again. I can't help it--this book has so many great recipes! But the next thing I cook will be fom Cooking Light, I believe.
Sweet Potato and Barley Chili
If you don't much like beans or lentils, this is the chili for you. Boniatos are white-fleshed sweet potatoes; they are less sweet and somewhat drier than orange sweet potatoes. Now grown in Florida as well as Central America, boniatos are sold in Latin American markets and some supermarkets, as are chipotle peppers. If you can't find boniatos, orange sweet potatoes will do fine.
1/2 cup dried pearled or hulled barley
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 cups (about 12) chopped husked tomatillos
2 green bell peppers, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch squares
1 large boniato or 2 small sweet potatoes (about 1 1/4 pounds), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 cups water or vegetable stock
1 teaspoon salt
1 to 2 chipotle peppers, dried or canned in adobo sauce
fresh-ground black pepper to taste
4 tablespoons sour cream (optional) [As always, I left this out]
1) Bring the barley and 1 1/2 cups lightly salted water to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer the barley, covered, for 1 hour. Drain the barley, if any water remains. [My barley cooked faster than an hour--more like 45 minutes]
2) In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook the onions, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until they brown at the edges. Add the garlic, cumin, and chili powder. Cook for 3 minute smore, stirring frequently.
3) Add the tomatillos, bell peppers, boniato or sweet potatoes, water or stock, and salt. Chop the chipotle pepper(s) if they are canned; keep them whole if they are dried. Add them to the chili. Let the chili simmer for 25 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
4) Remove the chipotle(s) if they were dried. Seed them, chop them fine, and return them to the chili (add the seeds if you want more heat). Add the black pepper and the barley. Stir well, taste, and adjust the seasonings. Serve the chili in bowls, with dollops of sour cream on top, if you like.
Serves four.
Oh, from Vegetarian Planet again. I can't help it--this book has so many great recipes! But the next thing I cook will be fom Cooking Light, I believe.
Saturday, September 09, 2006
Five-Spice Biscotti and other things
I ate at Boca Grande for the first time yesterday. People have been telling me that it is better than El Pelon, but I disagree. I got a black bean, rice, and cheese burrito just like I would at El Pelon. I like Boca Grande--it is very tasty--but I like El Pelon's salsa better. However, I do like Boca Grande's hot sauce more than I like El Pelon's. Both are waywayway better than Ana's. Anyway, I made Five-Spice Biscotti. These are yummmmmy. They are from Vegetarian Planet, big surprise. Oh, and yay for Pumpkin Spice Lattes at Starbucks and Magic Hat Jinx beer. I love fall.
Five-Spice Biscotti
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons five-spice powder
1/4 teaspon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), melted
3 1/3 cups unbleached white flour, or a bit more
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cup almonds [I didn't have this much and I still think there are too many almonds in the biscotti]
1) Preheat the oven to 350. Grease two baking sheets. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and spices. Add the melted butter, and stir well.
2) In another bowl, mix together the 3 1/3 cups flour, the baking powder, the baking soda, the salt, and the almonds. Add half of this mixture to the egg mixture. Stir well with a wooden spoon. Add the second half of the flour mixture and stir until a smooth dough forms, adding a tablespoon or two of flour if the dough seems too tacky. (With floured hands, you should be able to form a small piece of dough into a ball.)
3) Place half the dough on one of the greased baking sheets. Form it into a large log, then flatten the log until it is 5 to 6 inches wide and 10 inches long. Do the same with the second half of the dough, using the second baking sheet.
4) Bake the logs for 35 minutes, until the logs are firm but give slightly when pressed with a finger. Remove the baking sheets from the oven, and reduce the oven temperature to 325.
5) While the logs are still warm, carefully transfer them with a large spatula to a cutting board. Cut them crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick diagonal slices. Lay the cookies on their sides on the baking sheets, and bake the cookies 15 minutes more.
6) Let the cookies cool. Stored in an airtight container, they will keep well for 2 weeks.
Makes about 20 biscotti.
Five-Spice Biscotti
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons five-spice powder
1/4 teaspon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), melted
3 1/3 cups unbleached white flour, or a bit more
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cup almonds [I didn't have this much and I still think there are too many almonds in the biscotti]
1) Preheat the oven to 350. Grease two baking sheets. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and spices. Add the melted butter, and stir well.
2) In another bowl, mix together the 3 1/3 cups flour, the baking powder, the baking soda, the salt, and the almonds. Add half of this mixture to the egg mixture. Stir well with a wooden spoon. Add the second half of the flour mixture and stir until a smooth dough forms, adding a tablespoon or two of flour if the dough seems too tacky. (With floured hands, you should be able to form a small piece of dough into a ball.)
3) Place half the dough on one of the greased baking sheets. Form it into a large log, then flatten the log until it is 5 to 6 inches wide and 10 inches long. Do the same with the second half of the dough, using the second baking sheet.
4) Bake the logs for 35 minutes, until the logs are firm but give slightly when pressed with a finger. Remove the baking sheets from the oven, and reduce the oven temperature to 325.
5) While the logs are still warm, carefully transfer them with a large spatula to a cutting board. Cut them crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick diagonal slices. Lay the cookies on their sides on the baking sheets, and bake the cookies 15 minutes more.
6) Let the cookies cool. Stored in an airtight container, they will keep well for 2 weeks.
Makes about 20 biscotti.
Mushroom, Onion, and Tomato Pizza
On Thursday I made up my own pizza, and it worked pretty well. The only problem was that I used store-bought dough and it didn't stretch very well and was pretty thick. The pizza topping I made was delicious, though. I used:
1 portobello mushroom, sliced thin
4 regular white mushrooms, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 a white onion, sliced thin
1 tomato, chopped
salt and fresh-ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup packaged grated mozzarella-provolone blend
1 ball of pre-made dough
1) Add some olive oil to a skillet on medium-high heat. Add the garlic and onion and cook until the onion is starting to soften.
2) Add the mushrooms and some salt and pepper and cook until the mushrooms are soft.
3) Add the chopped tomato and cook until it's warm, basically.
4) Put all of this on the pizza dough, hopefully stretched better than mine was and top with the cheese. Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the crust is golden brown.
Eat.
1 portobello mushroom, sliced thin
4 regular white mushrooms, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 a white onion, sliced thin
1 tomato, chopped
salt and fresh-ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup packaged grated mozzarella-provolone blend
1 ball of pre-made dough
1) Add some olive oil to a skillet on medium-high heat. Add the garlic and onion and cook until the onion is starting to soften.
2) Add the mushrooms and some salt and pepper and cook until the mushrooms are soft.
3) Add the chopped tomato and cook until it's warm, basically.
4) Put all of this on the pizza dough, hopefully stretched better than mine was and top with the cheese. Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the crust is golden brown.
Eat.
stacked tortillas
On Wednesday, Mike decided to make Stacked Tortillas from Vegetarian Planet (and I helped). They were pretty good, but we burnt the tortillas and both of us decided that we really dislike zucchini unless it is in bread. I made Mike a second serving and fried the tortillas--he liked this much better. Still, the idea is a good one (it is basically tostadas) and I will probably play around with this recipe some. Oh, and we only made a few tortillas and saved the rest of the filling to make more later.
Stacked Tortillas
1 tablespoon canola or corn oil
1 red onion, slide thin
1 large portobello mushroom (both cap and stem), sliced thin
2 carrots, cut into thin julienne strips [We used pre-grated carrots because we are lazy]
1 medium zucchini, cut in half lengthwise, then sliced thin diagonally
1/2 teaspoon salt
fresh-ground black pepper to taste
5 ounces grated Monterey Jack cheese (about 1 1/2 cups) [We just used a reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend]
12 corn tortillas
1 cup salsa of your choice
4 tablespoons sour cream [We left this out]
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1) Preheat the oven to 400. In a large saucepan, heat the oil. Add the onion, and saute it over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the mushrroms, carrots, and zucchini, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 6 minutes more or until the vegetables are just tender. Take the pan off the heat, and stir in the salt and pepper.
2) Place the tortillas directly on the oven racks, fitting as many on as possible without overlapping them. Bake the tortillas for 2 to 3 minutes or until they have hardened. Remove them to a plate, but keep the oven on.
3) Place four tortillas on a large baking sheet. Arrange a spoonful or two of vegetables on each tortilla, then sprinkle a small amount of grated cheese over the vegetables. Place another tortilla on top of the cheese. Add another spoonful or two of vegetables, then some more grated cheese. Top each stack with a third tortilla.
4) Place the four tortilla stacks in the oven for 10 minutes, or until they are hot and the cheese is melted. Place one stack on each dinner plate, top with the salsa, sour cream, and scallions, and serve.
Serves 4.
Stacked Tortillas
1 tablespoon canola or corn oil
1 red onion, slide thin
1 large portobello mushroom (both cap and stem), sliced thin
2 carrots, cut into thin julienne strips [We used pre-grated carrots because we are lazy]
1 medium zucchini, cut in half lengthwise, then sliced thin diagonally
1/2 teaspoon salt
fresh-ground black pepper to taste
5 ounces grated Monterey Jack cheese (about 1 1/2 cups) [We just used a reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend]
12 corn tortillas
1 cup salsa of your choice
4 tablespoons sour cream [We left this out]
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1) Preheat the oven to 400. In a large saucepan, heat the oil. Add the onion, and saute it over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the mushrroms, carrots, and zucchini, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 6 minutes more or until the vegetables are just tender. Take the pan off the heat, and stir in the salt and pepper.
2) Place the tortillas directly on the oven racks, fitting as many on as possible without overlapping them. Bake the tortillas for 2 to 3 minutes or until they have hardened. Remove them to a plate, but keep the oven on.
3) Place four tortillas on a large baking sheet. Arrange a spoonful or two of vegetables on each tortilla, then sprinkle a small amount of grated cheese over the vegetables. Place another tortilla on top of the cheese. Add another spoonful or two of vegetables, then some more grated cheese. Top each stack with a third tortilla.
4) Place the four tortilla stacks in the oven for 10 minutes, or until they are hot and the cheese is melted. Place one stack on each dinner plate, top with the salsa, sour cream, and scallions, and serve.
Serves 4.
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Mexican Brownies
This past weekend I also made Mexican Brownies from Vegetarian Planet. I liked them a lot--didn't love them, but did like them. Mike said that they were too death-by-chocolatey. I brought Caity, Jess, Matt, Derrick, and Joe some (as well as some of the coffeecake) and Jess loved them. She said she doesn't normally like brownies, but really liked these. Caity loved the coffeecake. Garnet ate some of the brownies too and also thought they were amazing. They are very very dense and not super sweet. The cinnamon really brings out the darkness and depth of the chocolate. If you like milk chocolate brownies, these certainly are not for you. I will probably make them again, but I will experiment with ways to make them a little less dry and a little more gooey.
Mexican Brownies
7 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, cut into small pieces, or chocolate chips [I used regular bittersweet baker's chocolate]
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup unbleached white flour
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped almonds, lightly toasted (optional) [I didn't use these]
1) In the top of a double boiler or in a heatproof bowl set on top of a saucepan, melt the chocolate and butter over simmering water. Take the mixture of the heat, and let it cool for 5 minutes. [Or just use the microwave like I did]
2) Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350. Butter an 8-by-8-inch baking pan. In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon, sugar, and flour. Mix well.
3) With a whisk, beat 1 egg into the cooled chocolate. Add the second egg and the vanilla, then beat again. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the flour mixture and, if you like, the almonds. Stir until the dry ingredients are fully incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake the brownies for 25 to 30 minutes, until they are firm but still moist inside.
4) Let the brownies cool for at least 1 hour before removing them from the pan. Transfer them to a plate, and serve them. They keep well, indiividually wrapped, in the refrigerator, for a week.
Makes twelve brownies.
Mexican Brownies
7 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, cut into small pieces, or chocolate chips [I used regular bittersweet baker's chocolate]
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup unbleached white flour
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped almonds, lightly toasted (optional) [I didn't use these]
1) In the top of a double boiler or in a heatproof bowl set on top of a saucepan, melt the chocolate and butter over simmering water. Take the mixture of the heat, and let it cool for 5 minutes. [Or just use the microwave like I did]
2) Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350. Butter an 8-by-8-inch baking pan. In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon, sugar, and flour. Mix well.
3) With a whisk, beat 1 egg into the cooled chocolate. Add the second egg and the vanilla, then beat again. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the flour mixture and, if you like, the almonds. Stir until the dry ingredients are fully incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake the brownies for 25 to 30 minutes, until they are firm but still moist inside.
4) Let the brownies cool for at least 1 hour before removing them from the pan. Transfer them to a plate, and serve them. They keep well, indiividually wrapped, in the refrigerator, for a week.
Makes twelve brownies.
Sunday, September 03, 2006
Things Made This Weekend (So Far)
I have made a lot of stuff this weekend, but none of it has been particularly time consuming. All of it has been very tasty. Per usual, it is from the two cookbooks I own (I am planning on buying more!): Simple Suppers and Vegetarian Planet.
On Friday night Mike and I were feeling sick, so I made Mushroom Tortellini Soup from Simple Suppers. It was pretty damn good, but I would have liked it if the soup was a little thicker. We ate it with good Peasant Bread from Trader Joe's. Ryan ate some and he really liked it too.
Mushroom Tortellini Soup
1/2 ounce dried porcini or portabella mushrooms [I used a whole package, 3/4 oz]
2 cups boiling waiter
2 cups diced onions
1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 quart mushroom or vegetable broth
1 9-ounce package of fresh or frozen tortellini of your choice [I used portobello mushroom ones]
salt and peper
1) Place the dried mushrooms in a heatproof bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Set aside until the mushrooms soften, about 15 minutes.
2) While the dried mushrooms are soaking, in a soup pot on medium-hight heat, cook the onions in the olive oil, stirring frequently, until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the thyme and add the broth.
3) Remove the mushrooms from the soaking liquid, rinse if needed to remove grit, chop, and add to the soup. Pour the soaking liquid through a coffee filter or paper towel if it is gritty and add it to the soup. Bring it to a boil.
4) Add the tortellini to the boiling soup and cook until al dente: for fresh tortellini, 3 to 4 minutes; for frozen tortellini, 8 to 9 minutes. Add salt and peper to taste.
Serves about 4.
Last night Mike decided he wanted to eat falafel, so I made Falafel Burgers from Vegetarian Planet. I had also promised to make the Carrot Coffeecake with Poppyseed Streusel from the same cookbook. Both of these recipes were very tasty. I will definitely make the falafel burgers again, and I prefer them to the Southwestern Falafel that I made before. The coffeecake is delicious, but not as sweet as a lot of coffeecakes are, so some people might not like it.
Falafel Burgers
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups minced onions
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin seeds
1 cup finely chopped carrot
1 3/4 cups (1 15-ounce can) cooked and drained garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
1 1/2 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste) or peanut butter
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1/3 cup chickpea flour or unbleached white flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 lemon (optional)
1) In a skillet, combine 1 tablespoon of the olive oil with the onions over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, and carrot, and cook 2 minutes more. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.
2) Add the drained chickpeas, and mash them wiht a potato masher or chop them in a food processor until they are broken down and unidentifiable. Add the tahini or peanut butter and the parsley. In a smaller bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the mixture to the large bowl, and stir well.
3) With floured hands, form four patties from the chickpea mixture, then lightly dust the burgers with flour. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Turn hte heat to medium-low, and add the patties. After about 1 minute, or when they have just begun to brown, flip them. Cook them about 2 minutes more on the other side. Then flip them back onto the first side, and cook another minute. They should be a deep golden brown on both sides. (They burn easily, so wath them well.) Remove the burgers from the skillet, and squeeze a bit of lemon juice onto each. Serve immediately.
Makes 4 large burgers.
I served these on kaiser rolls with a little tomato and mustard.
Carrot Coffeecake with Poppyseed Streusel
3 large carrots (about 3/4 pounds), peeled and chopped
2 cups plus 3 tablespoons unbleached white flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom (optional)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup canola or corn oil
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
1/4 cup sour cream [I used the fat free kind]
Streusel:
1/2 cup poppy seeds
2 tablespoons butter, softened, plus a bit for greasing the pan
1 1/3 cup walnutes
1/2 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
3 tablespoons unbleached white flour
1) Preheat the over to 350. Grease a tube or Bundt pan.
2) In a food processor, grind the carrots for 1 to 2 minutes, almost to a puree. Transfer them into a small bowl, and set it aside.
3) Grind the streusel ingredients in the food processor for 1 minute.
4) In a large bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom (if you like), baking powder and soda, and salt. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, oil, ground carrots, poppy seeds, and sour cream. Add the liquid mixture to the dry, stirring with a wooden spoon. Transfer half the batter to the cake pan. Sprinkle half of the streusel onto the batter, then pour the remaining half of the batter over the streusel. Top with the remaining streusel.
5) Bake the cake for 1 hour or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in its pan for 30 minutes before inverting it onto a serving dish. Serve at room temperature.
On Friday night Mike and I were feeling sick, so I made Mushroom Tortellini Soup from Simple Suppers. It was pretty damn good, but I would have liked it if the soup was a little thicker. We ate it with good Peasant Bread from Trader Joe's. Ryan ate some and he really liked it too.
Mushroom Tortellini Soup
1/2 ounce dried porcini or portabella mushrooms [I used a whole package, 3/4 oz]
2 cups boiling waiter
2 cups diced onions
1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 quart mushroom or vegetable broth
1 9-ounce package of fresh or frozen tortellini of your choice [I used portobello mushroom ones]
salt and peper
1) Place the dried mushrooms in a heatproof bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Set aside until the mushrooms soften, about 15 minutes.
2) While the dried mushrooms are soaking, in a soup pot on medium-hight heat, cook the onions in the olive oil, stirring frequently, until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the thyme and add the broth.
3) Remove the mushrooms from the soaking liquid, rinse if needed to remove grit, chop, and add to the soup. Pour the soaking liquid through a coffee filter or paper towel if it is gritty and add it to the soup. Bring it to a boil.
4) Add the tortellini to the boiling soup and cook until al dente: for fresh tortellini, 3 to 4 minutes; for frozen tortellini, 8 to 9 minutes. Add salt and peper to taste.
Serves about 4.
Last night Mike decided he wanted to eat falafel, so I made Falafel Burgers from Vegetarian Planet. I had also promised to make the Carrot Coffeecake with Poppyseed Streusel from the same cookbook. Both of these recipes were very tasty. I will definitely make the falafel burgers again, and I prefer them to the Southwestern Falafel that I made before. The coffeecake is delicious, but not as sweet as a lot of coffeecakes are, so some people might not like it.
Falafel Burgers
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups minced onions
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin seeds
1 cup finely chopped carrot
1 3/4 cups (1 15-ounce can) cooked and drained garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
1 1/2 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste) or peanut butter
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1/3 cup chickpea flour or unbleached white flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 lemon (optional)
1) In a skillet, combine 1 tablespoon of the olive oil with the onions over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, and carrot, and cook 2 minutes more. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.
2) Add the drained chickpeas, and mash them wiht a potato masher or chop them in a food processor until they are broken down and unidentifiable. Add the tahini or peanut butter and the parsley. In a smaller bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the mixture to the large bowl, and stir well.
3) With floured hands, form four patties from the chickpea mixture, then lightly dust the burgers with flour. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Turn hte heat to medium-low, and add the patties. After about 1 minute, or when they have just begun to brown, flip them. Cook them about 2 minutes more on the other side. Then flip them back onto the first side, and cook another minute. They should be a deep golden brown on both sides. (They burn easily, so wath them well.) Remove the burgers from the skillet, and squeeze a bit of lemon juice onto each. Serve immediately.
Makes 4 large burgers.
I served these on kaiser rolls with a little tomato and mustard.
Carrot Coffeecake with Poppyseed Streusel
3 large carrots (about 3/4 pounds), peeled and chopped
2 cups plus 3 tablespoons unbleached white flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom (optional)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup canola or corn oil
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
1/4 cup sour cream [I used the fat free kind]
Streusel:
1/2 cup poppy seeds
2 tablespoons butter, softened, plus a bit for greasing the pan
1 1/3 cup walnutes
1/2 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
3 tablespoons unbleached white flour
1) Preheat the over to 350. Grease a tube or Bundt pan.
2) In a food processor, grind the carrots for 1 to 2 minutes, almost to a puree. Transfer them into a small bowl, and set it aside.
3) Grind the streusel ingredients in the food processor for 1 minute.
4) In a large bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom (if you like), baking powder and soda, and salt. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, oil, ground carrots, poppy seeds, and sour cream. Add the liquid mixture to the dry, stirring with a wooden spoon. Transfer half the batter to the cake pan. Sprinkle half of the streusel onto the batter, then pour the remaining half of the batter over the streusel. Top with the remaining streusel.
5) Bake the cake for 1 hour or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in its pan for 30 minutes before inverting it onto a serving dish. Serve at room temperature.
Friday, September 01, 2006
Soba with Toasted Sesame Seed Sauce
For last night's dinner I made Soba with Toasted Sesame Seed Sauce from Didi Emmon's Vegetarian Planet, which is obviously my favorite cookbook. I actually made it on Wednesday night because it is supposed to be served room temperature or cold and I have a problem waiting for foods after I make them. It was quite tasty. Not the best thing ever, but I did really like it. I probably won't make it again because I'd rather go out for Japanese-style food or have Mike make me sushi.
Soba Noodles with Toasted Sesame Seed Sauce
1/2 cup white sesame seeds
2 tablespoons Chinese Black Vinegar or balsamic vinegar [I used balsamic]
2-3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon dark sesame seed oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced [I used ground ginger]
5 scallions, chopped fine (all parts)
3 cups broccoli or asparagus, blanched
8 0z soba noodles
1) Preheat the oven to 375. Place the sesame seeds on a baking sheet and bake them in the oven until the edges are a deep golden brown (about 10-12 minutes).
2) Cook the soba noodles in a large pot of heavily salted boiling water until tender, about 5-6 minutes. Drain, rinse with cool water, and drain again. Set aside.
3) In a large bowl combine the vinegar, soy sauce, sesame seed oil, garlic, ginger, and scallions. Add the sesame seeds and the soba noodles and stir well. Add the broccoli or asparagus and stir again. Let the dish sit for at least 30 minutes before eating. Serves four.
Soba Noodles with Toasted Sesame Seed Sauce
1/2 cup white sesame seeds
2 tablespoons Chinese Black Vinegar or balsamic vinegar [I used balsamic]
2-3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon dark sesame seed oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced [I used ground ginger]
5 scallions, chopped fine (all parts)
3 cups broccoli or asparagus, blanched
8 0z soba noodles
1) Preheat the oven to 375. Place the sesame seeds on a baking sheet and bake them in the oven until the edges are a deep golden brown (about 10-12 minutes).
2) Cook the soba noodles in a large pot of heavily salted boiling water until tender, about 5-6 minutes. Drain, rinse with cool water, and drain again. Set aside.
3) In a large bowl combine the vinegar, soy sauce, sesame seed oil, garlic, ginger, and scallions. Add the sesame seeds and the soba noodles and stir well. Add the broccoli or asparagus and stir again. Let the dish sit for at least 30 minutes before eating. Serves four.
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