Food alla Puttanesca

Don't forget: I've Moved!

2010-08-03T11:07:00.002-05:00

Just another reminder to change your bookmarks and point your Google Readers to my new blog: Cook, Pray Love. All of the same content, just a different name and location!

I've Moved!

2010-07-15T07:30:00.003-05:00

Friends and readers,
It's been a great two years over here at Food alla Puttanesca, but the time has come to change the name to something that reflects more of me and my ministerial vocation.

So set your browsers and Google Readers over to Cook, Pray, Love for a delicious enchilada recipe, a fabulous GIVEAWAY! and the same content and delicious food that you've enjoyed here. I'll see you over there!

Thanks for reading!

Cold-Brewed Iced Coffee

2010-07-12T14:03:00.000-05:00

Considering that I'm a graduate student, I'm actually not that big of a coffee drinker. Too much caffeine makes me jittery and scatter-brained, not so good when I'm trying to follow complicated theological arguments. But iced coffee in the summer is a different story. It's refreshing and cooling without that bitterness that some hot coffee can produce. I like it so much, that I'm going to have to start making this from decaf coffee because I want to drink it all day long. I pour in a splash of milk, a tablespoon of sugar-free hazelnut syrup, and shake it all up in a Mason jar. The recipe can be easily multiplied. I usually make 4 jars of the coffee concentrate at a time and just strain and store in the refrigerator.

Cold-Brewed Iced Coffee
source: New York Times
Yields 2 drinks

Ingredients
1/3 cup medium-coarse ground coffee
1 1/2 cups water

Preparation
In a jar, stir together coffee and water. Cover and let rest at room temperature overnight or 12 hours. Strain twice through a coffee filter, a fine-mesh sieve or a sieve lined with cheesecloth. In a tall glass filled with ice, mix equal parts coffee concentrate and water, or to taste. If desired, add milk.

Cantaloupe Soup with Prosciutto and Mozzarella Sandwiches

2010-07-07T07:30:00.003-05:00

Everyone knows that cantaloupe and prosciutto go well together. Those prosciutto-wrapped cantaloupe balls leave me longing for a melon baller, but it's not exactly dinner. But a chilled soup and a baguette sandwich? Add a glass of white wine, and we are definitely talking. It helps because Joe doesn't think he likes cantaloupe. Too many bland, hard chunks of cantaloupe in generic fruit salads will do that to you. This was a local melon, full of juice and sweetness brought out ever so slightly by the salt. The recipe is easily halved, which I did. This is also a great summer meal because it doesn't use any heat (provided you don't bake your own baguette). Cool, crisp, and quick to make.

Cantaloupe Soup with Prosciutto and Mozzarella Sandwiches

source: Real Simple

Ingredients
2 baguettes
2 8-ounce balls fresh mozzarella, thickly sliced
1/2 pound sliced prosciutto
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cantaloupes, chilled, halved, and seeded
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
16 fresh mint leaves, thinly sliced

Preparation
Cut each baguette in half lengthwise, then in thirds crosswise. Layer the mozzarella and prosciutto on the bottom of each baguette portion. Drizzle with the oil and sandwich with the baguette tops; set aside.
In a blender, puree the cantaloupe and salt. Pour into bowls and sprinkle with the pepper and mint. Serve with the sandwiches.

Summer Berry Pie

2010-07-02T15:57:00.000-05:00

I never want to actually make anything with fruit because I prefer to eat it on its own or in cereal or with yogurt. But around this time, when its prime berry season, I can justify getting more berries to use in desserts. Fruit desserts are my favorite kind of dessert anyway, especially in the summer.

I made this for a party that our HOA threw for the 4th of July, except it was on the 1st since a lot of people would be going out of town. Most of the people that live in our condominium complex are empty-nesters or single, older people with grandchildren around my age. It's kind of like living with a bunch of grandparents because they're all really nice and want to talk to us all the time. They also loved this pie. Given the plethora of desserts on the table, I thought I would be taking a lot of this home, but I only had about a 1/3 of it left. Everyone wanted to know what made up the filling. The filling is pureed berries, strained, and then cooked with cornstarch to thicken it. It sets up beautifully in the refrigerator, and a lot of people guessed that it was jam. The other nice thing about this pie is that it isn't too sweet, just very refreshing for a hot summer evening.

Summer Berry Pie
source: Annie's Eats

Ingredients
For the crust:
5 oz. graham crackers (approx. 9 crackers), broken into rough pieces
2 tbsp. sugar
5 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and warm

For the filling:
2 cups raspberries (about 9 oz.)
2 cups blackberries (about 11 oz.)
2 cups blueberries (about 10 oz.)
1/2 cup sugar
3 tbsp. cornstarch
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp. strawberry jam

Preparation
To make the crust, adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 325 degrees. In a food processor, process the graham crackers into fine, even crumbs (you should have about 1 cup of crumbs). Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter in a small mixing bowl and toss with a fork until all the crumbs are moistened. Transfer the crumbs to a 9-inch glass pie plate. Use the bottom of a ramekin or measuring cup to press the crumbs evenly into the bottom and up the sides, forming a crust. Bake in the preheated oven until it is fragrant and beginning to brown, 15-18 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely while making the filling.

For the filling, combine the berries in a large colander and gently rinse (taking care not to bruise them). Spread the berries on a paper towel-lined rimmed baking sheet and gently pat dry with additional paper towels.
In a food processor, puree 2 1/2 cups of the mixed berries until smooth and fully pureed, about 1 minute. Strain the puree through a fine mesh sieve into a small nonreactive saucepan, scraping and pressing on the seeds to extract as much puree as possible (you should have 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups). Whisk the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a small bowl to combine, then whisk the mixture into the puree. Bring the puree to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon; when the mixture reaches a boil and is thickened to the consistency of pudding, remove from the heat, stir in the lemon juice, and set aside to cool slightly.

While the puree is cooling, place the remaining berries in a medium bowl. Warm the jelly (or jam) briefly in the microwave to melt it slightly. Add the warmed jelly to the bowl of mixed berries and toss very gently so that all the berries are coated. Pour the berry puree into the cooled crust and smooth with a rubber spatula. Evenly distribute the glazed berries over the puree and gently press into the surface. Loosely cover the pie with plastic wrap; refrigerate until chilled and the puree has set, about 3 hours (or up to 1 day). Slice with a hot, dry knife and serve.

Pizza with Prosciutto, Peppers, and Goat Cheese

2010-06-30T07:30:00.000-05:00

I've mentioned before how I'm pretty sure that dough can smell fear and anxiety. If I'm in a rush, the gluten strands just will not relax no matter how much time I give them. But on Sunday, I got my pizza dough thinner than I ever have before. I had frozen a 1/2 batch of it, and I got it out Sunday morning to defrost. By the time dinner came around, it rolled out like a dream. And with toppings of goat cheese, prosciutto, and red pepper (arranged artfully by Joe), this pizza was one of the best I had ever made. I will definitely be making pizza more often now.

Pizza with Prosciutto, Peppers, and Goat Cheese
adapted from Kelsey's Apple a Day

Ingredients
1/2 batch pizza dough (I use Bridget's recipe.)
Cornmeal for sprinkling
1 roasted red pepper, sliced into strips
1/2 cup tomato sauce
2 oz goat cheese, crumbled
2 oz prosciutto, sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, divided
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preparation

1. Preheat oven and pizza stone at 500 degrees F for 30 minutes.
2. Sprinkle your work surface with cornmeal and prepare the dough by shaping it with your hands. Brush lightly with olive oil.
3. When oven and pizza stone have been at temperature for 30 minutes remove the pizza stone and transfer pizza dough. Use a fork to prick a few holes in the dough. Bake for five minutes.
4. Remove the partially baked crust. Top with tomato sauce, prosciutto, peppers, goat cheese, and half the basil. Bake for 7-8 minutes more, or until crust is golden brown on the outer edges.
5. Allow to cool three minutes, then top with the remaining basil, salt, and pepper and serve.

Corn and Basil Cakes

2010-06-29T07:30:00.002-05:00

The last time we were at Trader Joe's, I gave in and bought a basil plant. Our condo has exactly three windows (though they are big windows!), so there were only a few places I could put it. Now it balances on the top of the piano, and I pray that the cat doesn't knock it over. Because there's no better time than summer to have access to fresh basil. And for the price I bought that plant for, I could buy about one small plastic clamshell of basil. However, I don't know if I would have thought to use the basil in a savory corn pancake. But then again, that's why I read cooking magazines. These cooked perfectly, and the crunch and sweetness of the corn went beautifully with the basil. Plus, they're quick. And who doesn't like having pancakes for dinner?

Corn and Basil Cakes
source: Eating Well August 2010
Yields 10 cakes (But I only got 9)

Ingredients
1/2 cup white whole-wheat flour or all-purpose flour
1/2 cup low-fat milk
2 large eggs
2 tbsp canola oil, divided
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 cups fresh corn kernels (about 2 large ears)
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

Preparation
1. Whisk flour, milk, eggs, 1 tbsp oil, baking powder, salt and pepper in a medium bowl until smooth. Fold in corn and basil.
2. Brush a large nonstick skillet or griddle lightly with some of the remaining tablespoon of oil. Heat over medium heat until hot (but not smoking). Cook 4 cakes at a time, using about 1/4 cup batter for each, making them about 3 inches wide. Cook until the edges are dry, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook until golden brown on the other side, 1 to 3 minutes more. Repeat with the remaining oil and batter, making 10 cakes total. Reduce the heat as necessary to prevent burning.

Grilled Zucchini Salad with Lemon, Almonds, and Parmesan

2010-06-28T09:18:00.000-05:00

Even with only a half-share at our CSA, it's still slightly more produce than Joe and I can consume by ourselves, which gives us a great reason to have people over and take vegetables over to other people's parties. While I usually eat zucchini and summer squash lightly sauteed with a little garlic and olive oil, that can get a little tiresome. When I saw this grilled zucchini salad in the latest issue of Eating Well, I thought it would be a great addition to our Top Chef-watching party. I'm not sure if it completely balanced out the peanut butter-honey gelato, wonderful cookies from Love and Olive Oil, and the peanut butter pie, but I made a good faith effort! I altered the recipe slightly to make it a little easier. This would be perfect for a picnic or winery outing, especially since it's so good served at room temperature.

Grilled Zucchini Salad with Lemon, Almonds, and Parmesan

adapted from: Eating Well August 2010

Ingredients

1 medium lemon

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

1/4 tsp salt

2 lbs small zucchini, cut into lengthwise slices

1/2 cup sliced (or chopped) almonds, toasted

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation

1. Zest the lemon and set aside the zest. Squeeze the juice from the lemon into a small bowl. Add oil, pepper, and salt, and whisk to combine. Set aside.

2. Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat until hot. Oil the grilling surface and grill zucchini slices, turning once, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes.

3. Arrange the zucchini on a platter and drizzle with the reserved lemon dressing. Serve sprinkled with almonds, cheese, and lemon zest

Chocolate Sorbet

2010-06-22T07:30:00.002-05:00

No, I didn't mislabel this post. This is chocolate sorbet, not chocolate ice cream. Like a fruit sorbet, it's pretty much water, sugar, and chocolate with a little vanilla extract and vodka thrown in. The vanilla brings out the flavor and fruitiness of the chocolate, and the vodka keeps the texture smooth and from being too icy. The article accompanying this recipe in Wine Spectator speaks of a true chocolate-lover who dislikes chocolate ice cream because he thinks that the milk and eggs and cream take away from the real flavor of the chocolate. Keep that in mind when you choose a kind of chocolate. It's worth a splurge for this recipe since it is such a crucial ingredient. For real chocolate lovers who want a cool summer treat, this is for you!

Chocolate Sorbet
source: Wine Spectator: July 31, 2010

Ingredients
1 cup water
1/3 cup Dutch process cocoa
1/2 cup sugar
4 oz dark chocolate, chopped or grated
1 tbsp vodka
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

Preparation

Whisk water, cocoa, and sugar over low heat until combined.
Meanwhile, melt dark chocolate very gently in a double boiler.
Turn heat under cocoa to medium, stirring constantly, until the liquid just boils.
Remove from heat, and add melted chocolate, salt, vodka, and vanilla to cocoa mixture. Stir thoroughly.
Let cool completely, then refrigerate until cold.
Freeze mixture according to your ice cream maker's instructions.

Chana Masala

2010-06-21T07:30:00.001-05:00

For part 2 of what I'm deeming The Fastest (And Most Satisfying) Indian Dinner Ever: this chana masala, which I served with the Five-Minute Indian-Style Cabbage. For about 15 minutes total, this is certainly up there with some of the best Indian food that has come out of my kitchen. Flavorful and complex, I can't really say enough good things about this recipe. It really fits the Food alla Puttanesca criteria well: fast, cheap, and easy but still incredibly tasty and satisfying.

Chana Masala

adapted from: Cate's World Kitchen

Ingredients

1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 small onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large Roma tomato, seeded and chopped
1 15oz can chickpeas, not drained (or about 2 cups cooked beans with liquid)
1 teaspoon fresh ginger

Preparation
Heat the oil in a wide skillet over medium high heat, then add the onion and cook, stirring, until it begins to brown (5-7 minutes)
Stir in the garlic, cumin, coriander, turmeric, and curry powder, and let cook for about a minute. Stir in the tomato and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
Add the chickpeas and their liquid, turn the head down to medium, and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until it has thickened slightly. Stir in the fresh ginger, taste and add salt if necessary, then serve.

Five-Minute Indian-Style Cabbage

2010-06-18T07:05:00.000-05:00

In the part of my life where I worked for an insurance company, one of my co-workers was an Indian women who brought in a smelly, yellow-tinted cabbage dish for lunch. At the time, I was repulsed by it, which was due, in part, to my idea that I didn't like cabbage. I don't know what I thought coleslaw was made out of. When two very large heads of cabbage arrived in my CSA box, I couldn't get that cabbage that my Indian co-worker used to bring out of my head.

This dish is very, very fast and very customizable. Next time, I want to throw a little ginger in and play with the spices a bit. You will want to have everything prepared and on hand before you start because once those mustard seeds start popping out of the oil and flying all over your kitchen, you're going to need to throw the rest of the ingredients in.

Five-Minute Indian-Style Cabbage

source: Herbivoracious

Ingredients

1/2 head green cabbage, cored and sliced thin
1 tablespoon vegetable oil or ghee (clarified butter), or mustard oil, or more to taste
1 tablespoon black mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
optional: garlic, ginger, unsweetened shredded coconut, fresh chilis or dried chili flakes, garam masala
optional garnish: cilantro, lemon juice

Preparation
Heat a large skillet or wok over a medium-high flame. Add the oil, wait 10 seconds, and immediately add the mustard seeds.
As soon as they start to pop, add the rest of the spices and any optional ingredients and stir-fry for 10 more seconds. Move quickly here so you infuse the flavor in the oil but don't burn them.
Add the cabbage and salt, and stir-fry until crisp-tender or tender, your preference. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Garnish with cilantro and/or lemon juice.

Chinese Sesame Kale

2010-06-15T09:51:00.000-05:00

Part of my lack of blogging lately is that I haven't really been doing anything adventurous in the kitchen because I don't have to. Fresh, local, seasonal produce just doesn't require a lot. For example, for Sunday's dinner, I ate roasted kale and a microwaved sweet potato, and it was amazing. With the produce from our CSA and a stockpile of lean proteins (tofu, beans, chicken sausages, etc.), our meals have been pretty simple.

Another summer change to our lifestyle is that we've been having mini-dinner parties on weekdays. We'll have a friend or two over, partially to visit and partially to have someone else help us eat our CSA produce. With the longer, slower days, chatting and lingering on our patio over wine as the fireflies come out doesn't seem quite as indulgent as it does during the rest of the year. It just feels like part of the summer pace. So last night we had a friend, newly moved to Nashville, over for Spicy Asian Marinated Flank Steak, Asian slaw salad, and some of this kale. The recipe for this came from our CSA newsletter from Delvin Farms, and it was a flavorful accompaniment to the rest of the meal.

Chinese Sesame Kale
source: Delvin Farms CSA Newsletter

Ingredients
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch kale (I used Red Russian kale.)
2 teaspoons sesame seed oil
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds (I misread and used 2 tablespoons.)
Salt and pepper, if desired

Preparation
Mince the garlic cloves. Wash kale. Remove and discard the stems from the kale and tear it into bite-size pieces. Save the stems for another use, such as vegetable stock.
Heat the sesame seed oil in the skillet over medium-low heat. Add the minced garlic to the hot oil and sauté for about 20 seconds. Add the kale and water to the garlic and oil, and cover the skillet.
After 1 minute, stir the kale, then re-cover. After 1-2 more minutes, when the kale is wilted, stir in the soy sauce and sesame seeds. If desired, add salt and/or pepper to taste.

Revolutionary Macaroni and Cheese

2010-06-14T15:27:00.000-05:00

I know that just looking at it, this does not appear to be revolutionary, but when you see the method, you will be amazed. Get this: you cook the pasta IN the milk. Amazing.

You know how you have those days when you really don't want to make what you planned to make for dinner? I seem to particularly have those days when Joe is on-call or I'm eating dinner alone for some reason, like last Tuesday. And then my friend Erin (One Particular Kitchen Erin, not to be confused with Erin's Food Files Erin even though they're both fellow Nashvillians) mentioned that she had made this macaroni and cheese from Cate's blog. And just like that, I was going to be making macaroni and cheese for dinner. I added some steamed broccoli from our CSA and a bit of tuna and used some smoked Gouda that I had in the fridge. With the whole wheat pasta, I almost didn't feel guilty eating a big bowl of delicious, easy, only-dirtied-one-pot macaroni and cheese for dinner. The sauce was a little on the runny side, but if I had baked it, that problem might have resolved itself.

Revolutionary Macaroni and Cheese
source: Cate's World Kitchen

Ingredients
2 cups dried pasta (I used whole wheat rotini)
2 cups 2% milk
1 cup loosely packed shredded cheddar cheese (I used gouda)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 can tuna (optional)
1 head broccoli, chopped and steamed (optional)

Preparation
Combine the pasta and milk in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring, with the heat low for about 20 minutes (until the pasta is soft). Make sure the milk doesn’t boil!
Stir in the mustard, salt, and cheese (if you’re going to bake it, reserve about 1/4 cup of the cheese for sprinkling over the top).
Cover and let stand for about 5 minutes, then stir well to serve.

Bread and Butter Pickles

2010-06-10T08:46:00.002-05:00

Whenever Joe and I are eating something with cucumbers, the cucumbers always end up on my plate, and most of the time, I don't mind. But when our CSA share came with 4 good-sized cucumbers, that was slightly more than I wanted to eat on my own before they went bad. Then I had a flash of genius, or rather, I remembered the Alton Brown episode where he made refrigerator pickles, and I knew the fate of the CSA cucumbers. I only had to acquire a few extra things: canning jars, pickling spice, and celery seeds.

I'm still sort of amazed that I made pickles and that they are very good, so much fresher tasting than the kind you can buy. Plus you can control your own spices. I made four jars, and we've already eaten through one. Alton Brown says that these will last up to 3 months in the refrigerator since the environment is so acidic, but we'll be lucky if these last to the end of the week.

Alton Brown's Bread and Butter Pickles
source: Food Network

Ingredients

* 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
* 2 medium cucumbers, thinly sliced
* 1 cup water
* 1 cup cider vinegar
* 1 1/2 cups sugar
* Pinch kosher salt
* 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
* 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
* 1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
* 1/2 teaspoon pickling spice

Preparation

Combine onion and cucumber slices in a clean spring-top jar.

Combine the remaining ingredients in a non-reactive saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer for 4 full minutes to wake up the flavors of the spices.

Slowly pour the hot pickling liquid over the onion and cucumber slice, completely filling the jar. Allow the pickles to cool to room temperature before topping off with any remaining pickling liquid. Refrigerate.

Grits & Greens Casserole

2010-06-01T10:21:00.002-05:00

People who have bought CSA shares before and joked about the kale weren't playing. My first CSA box arrived with a LOT of leafy greens, including a big bunch of kale. Fortunately, I had starred some recipes for using all of that kale, including this casserole.

Bacon has magical powers. Just a few slices really makes this dish and cuts some of the bitterness of the greens. The grits have just enough cheese in them to seem creamy. And you can prepare this casserole up to a day ahead of time. We ate this with some sliced andouille chicken sausage.

Grits & Greens Casserole
source: Eating Well via A Year in the Kitchen
Yields 6 servings

Ingredients

* 4 slices bacon, chopped (optional)
* 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 small onion, diced
* 4 cloves garlic, minced
* 2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth, divided
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 16 cups chopped collard greens or kale, stems removed (about 1 large bunch, 1 1/2-2 pounds)
* 2 cups water, plus more as needed
* 1 cup grits (not instant)
* 3/4 cup shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, divided
* 1/4 cup prepared salsa
* 1 large egg, lightly beaten

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat an 8-inch-square baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Place bacon (if using) in a large Dutch oven. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until crispy, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Pour off the bacon fat.
3. Return the pot to medium-low heat; add oil, onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until fragrant and starting to brown in spots, 2 to 8 minutes (cooking time will be quicker if you started with bacon). Add 1 cup broth and salt; bring to a boil over high heat. Add collards (or kale); stir until wilted down to about one-third the volume and bright green, 1 to 2 minutes. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until tender, 18 to 20 minutes. Adjust heat during cooking to maintain a simmer, and add water, 1/4 cup at a time, if the pan seems dry.
4. Meanwhile, bring 2 cups water and the remaining 1 cup broth to a boil in a large saucepan. Pour in grits in a steady stream, whisking constantly. Bring to a simmer, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, whisking often, until thick, about 5 minutes. Combine 1/2 cup cheese, salsa and egg in a small bowl. Remove the grits from the heat and quickly stir in the cheese mixture until combined.
5. Working quickly, spread about half the grits in the prepared baking dish. Top with greens, spreading evenly. Spread the remaining grits over the greens. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese and the reserved bacon (if using).
6. Bake the casserole until hot and bubbling, about 20 minutes. Let stand for about 10 minutes before serving.

Nutritional Info
Per serving: 226 calories; 8 g fat (3 g sat, 2 g mono); 50 mg cholesterol; 31 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 11 g protein; 4 g fiber; 473 mg sodium; 335 mg potassium.

Strawberries Romanoff (and a Bake Sale!)

2010-05-27T09:01:00.004-05:00

In Courtney's post about this dessert, she mentioned La Madeleine, and from that moment, I knew I would be making this. Throw in my quart of delicious local strawberries from our CSA and the fact that I already had all of the ingredients on hand, and I knew this would make a special treat for a weeknight.

The first time I had strawberries Romanoff was at La Madeleine, and it was a bite of someone else's order. The cream was much thicker and more tangy than I anticipated. It's not too sweet but is the perfect accompaniment for those glorious strawberries. I even whipped up the sauce in the morning and stored it until later, making it a great make-ahead dessert for a party.

Strawberries Romanoff
source: Cook Like a Champion
Serves 2

Ingredients
1/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons brandy or vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced if large
freshly grated nutmeg

Directions

Mix the sour cream, brown sugar and brandy together in a small bowl.
In another bowl, whisk the heavy cream until it thickens slightly, then add sugar. Continue whisking until cream is fluffy.
Gently fold whipped cream into sour cream mixture.
Place strawberries in serving dish of your choice, top with sauce and freshly grated nutmeg.

Coming up this Saturday, Lindsay from Love and Olive Oil wrangled a bunch of Nashville-area food bloggers together to do a flood benefit bake sale. All proceeds will benefit Second Harvest Food Bank. The Green Wagon in East Nashville (1100 Forrest Ave) has been kind enough to take us on, so we will be there from 1:30-4 pm with our delicious treats. I'll be making these delicious peanut butter cookies. All treats will go for $2. So if you're in the area, come on by and spend some money!

Couscous, Lentil, and Arugula Salad

2010-05-25T08:49:00.002-05:00

Honestly, I'm not a big salad fan, though over the years I've honed my preferences. I like salads with lots of stuff - a variety of vegetables, cheese, and nuts. I like my salads pre-tossed with the dressing so that it's evenly coated. And I prefer a flavorful vinaigrette to something creamy and gloppy. If I'm going to eat a salad for a main course, it's also got to have something else besides vegetables and dressing. Most people solve this by adding grilled chicken or steak or even cottage cheese or tuna. But this salad adds couscous and lentils.

The recipe for the dressing makes plenty, so feel free to halve it if you don't want the leftovers. Seeing as our first CSA delivery was this past Saturday, I made the whole recipe. This salad was very filling, but it also felt good on a hot evening to eat something so refreshing. I loved the peppery bite of the arugula with the sour tang of the lemon juice and the flavor of the Dijon mustard. I definitely found a salad I like.

Couscous, Lentil, and Arugula Salad with Garlic-Dijon Vinaigrette
source: Eating Well
Yields 4 large servings

Ingredients

Vinaigrette
* 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
* 1/2 cup lemon juice
* 1/2 cup red-wine vinegar
* 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
* 4 small cloves garlic, minced
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Salad
* 1 1/4 cups vegetable broth, or water
* 1 cup whole-wheat couscous
* 2 1/2 cups water
* 1 cup French green lentils, or brown lentils, rinsed
* 4 cups arugula, any tough stems removed, or mixed salad greens
* 1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
* 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
* 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Preparation

1. To prepare vinaigrette: Combine oil, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard and garlic in a blender, a jar with a tight-fitting lid or a medium bowl. Blend, shake or whisk until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
2. To prepare salad: Bring 1 1/4 cups broth (or water) to a boil in a small saucepan. Add couscous, cover, remove from the heat and let stand until the liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes.
3. Combine 2 1/2 cups water and lentils in another saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook until just tender, 15 to 25 minutes. (Green lentils will be done sooner than brown lentils.) Be careful not to overcook the lentils or they will fall apart in the salad. Drain any excess water and let cool for about 10 minutes.
4. If arugula leaves are large, tear into bite-size pieces. Toss arugula (or greens) with 1/4 cup of the vinaigrette in a large bowl, then divide among 4 large plates. In the same bowl, toss the couscous and lentils with another 1/4 cup vinaigrette; divide the mixture among the plates. Top each salad with cucumber, tomatoes and feta and drizzle each with 1 tablespoon vinaigrette. (Cover and refrigerate the remaining 1 cup vinaigrette for up to 1 week.)

Nutritional Information

Per serving: 549 calories; 18 g fat (5 g sat, 10 g mono); 17 mg cholesterol; 79 g carbohydrates; 22 g protein; 15 g fiber; 579 mg sodium; 630 mg potassium.

Strawberry, Pistachio, and Goat Cheese Pizza

2010-05-24T07:30:00.000-05:00

In Houston, there was this restaurant right around the corner from my apartment that, in addition to some killer margaritas, had this salad on the menu that included a sort of cheesy pita bread under all of the salad. It was like you were rewarded for eating your salad with some delicious, cheesy flatbread. This pizza is a little bit like that in concept because it's not really a traditional pizza with sauce and cheese and toppings. It's more like salad on top of bread, with which, as I learned from that salad in Houston, there is absolutely nothing wrong.

I had bookmarked this last year as part of a fictional backyard cookout menu that we never got around to hosting. Because, you know, it's totally normal to plan menus for parties that you don't actually have. It was brought to my attention again by Coach Nicole from Sparkpeople, and I decided that this time I would actually make it.

The goat cheese melts a little on the hot crust, and this is just a lovely spring supper with a glass of white wine. It would also make a nice appetizer for a not-so-fictional outdoor party. I substituted arugula for the watercress and really enjoyed the peppery bite of the arugula with the cool sweetness of the strawberries.

Strawberry, Pistachio, and Goat Cheese Pizza
source: Cooking Light May 2009
Serves 6

Ingredients
1 12 oz prebaked whole wheat pizza crust
1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese
1 cup sliced strawberries
1 cup trimmed watercress (or arugula or spinach)
1/2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper
1/4 cup shaved fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
3 tbsp shelled, dry-roasted pistachios, chopped

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 425-degrees.
2. Place crust on a baking sheet or pizza stone. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove crust from oven and sprinkle goat cheese evenly over the crust.
3. Combine strawberries, watercress, olive oil, juice, salt, and black pepper; toss gently to coat. Arrange strawberry mixture evenly over goat cheese. Sprinkle pizza with Parmigiano-Reggiano and nuts. Cut into 12 wedges. Serve immediately.

San Juan Puerto Rico Part 2

2010-05-20T11:08:00.004-05:00

It's taken me a while to finish up our San Juan trip. Here is Part 1 if you missed it.

Our second full day in San Juan was designated as our sight-seeing day. However, we woke up later than planned and spent a while waiting for the bus to go into Old San Juan which meant that we didn't arrive in OSJ until nearly 11 am. Having read about Cafe La Mallorca, I wanted to eat breakfast there. I ordered the namesake food, a mallorca, which is kind of sandwich. Mine was made with ham and cheese and then sprinkled with powdered sugar. It's a little like eating a french toast sandwich. Somehow the sweetness and saltiness complement each other beautifully. After we saw the window full of pastries, we decided to get one to split for the road.

We definitely needed the fortification (pun!) for the rest of the day - traipsing around OSJ visiting the forts! Our first stop was Castillo de San Cristobal. The forts are run by the National Park System, and you can buy a pass to both forts for $5 a person. Although El Morro is the more famous of the forts, San Cristobal is much bigger. We were awed. We didn't take an official tour but just used the maps we were given to navigate around. There is also good signage in Spanish and English around the forts.

Even if you're not that into history, the forts are totally worth it for the views that they afford. You can see all of Old San Juan and down the coast and across land to the cruise ship terminals. We spent a lot of time just enjoying the view and taking pictures of the garitas (the sentry boxes that San Juan is known for). San Cristobal was built to prevent land attacks on San Juan, and the oldest parts of the fort date back to the 1600s.

One of the interesting things about San Cristobal is that it was used by the United States during World War II to look for German U-boats in the Caribbean. You can see how some of the architecture does not exactly match the rest of it. Having a vivid imagination, we spent some time playing in the sentry boxes imagining spotting everything from Dutch war ships to U-boats. Of course, most of the time, the guards didn't see anything except a vast expanse of ocean and the occasional trading vessel. I can imagine it would get pretty lonely in there.

This is a view of the other fort, El Morro, from San Cristobal. In between the two are the slums known as La Perla. In the bottom left corner you can see the Devil's Garita. The legend says that sentries were known to disappear from this sentry box as if they were snatched away by the devil. Because we're hardcore, we decided that we wouldn't take the tourist trolley to El Morro but would walk instead. It's a good hike, but we were walking along the coast.

El Morro gets all the glory, but we honestly liked San Cristobal best. The neat part about El Morro is that it guards the entrance to San Juan Bay, so you can see pretty much all of the bay and watch boats enter. It makes it clear how awesome of a natural bay San Juan bay is. The area on the other side of the entrance to the bay used to be a leper colony. Now it's a recreation area. The other very cool part of El Morro is that, in the oldest part of the fort, there is part of a shell stuck in the wall from when the US attacked San Juan during the Spanish-American war in 1898. Very cool.

Dorky side comment: You know how in the book of Joshua, Rahab, the prostitute who helps the Israelites enter Canaan, lives in the city walls? I never really understood how she could live in the wall until I saw the walls around San Juan. Look at how thick they are! You could totally live in there.

I was trying to figure out we could get down to the Paseo de la Princesa from El Morro, but I kind of messed up. We still had a nice walk and entered the Paseo once we got to the city gates. In my mind, I could see the ships landing after a long journey from Spain and the dignataries entering through the city gates, straight up to the Cathedral to give thanks to God for a safe journey. We take for granted how safe and easy travel is nowadays! From the city gates we walked back down to the docks, basically completely circling the perimeter of Old San Juan.

Before we boarded the ferry for the Bacardi distillery, we stopped by the tourist information center for a free rum drink sponsored by Rums of Puerto Rico. The bartender was very knowledgable and turned Joe on to some sipping rums. Then we headed next door to Casa de Don Q, an informational museum about Don Q rums, which also had a tasting bar. I had read that you could get one drink, and I assumed that meant that we would get a ticket. However, it is much more laidback than that. We did buy a few bottles of Don Q's coconut and mojito rums though, so it paid off for them!

Finally, we bought our tickets for the ferry to Catano, across the bay where the Bacardi Distillery is located. The fare was something like $.50-$1 per person. Then you can catch a publico (public taxi) that will take you to the Distillery for about $5 per person. The tour at Bacardi is free, and you get two drink tickets. Unfortunately, we were there during Spring Break, so while we were interested in the tour, most of the sunburned college students were only interested in the free drinks. As tours go, it wasn't that great, though you do get an in-depth look at the history of Bacardi, but they don't dwell on their method for making their rums. Bacardi is not originally a Puerto Rican company. They started in Cuba and then moved after Castro took over. We decided to stick to drinking Don Q, a real Puerto Rican rum.

One benefit is that you get a great view of Old San Juan from across the bay. After taking the ferry back across, we decided to head back to Condado for dinner where we ate at a comida criolla restaurant close-by. Having done all of the tourist things, we were ready to rest our feet and consume some mofongo and a nice cold beer.

The next morning, another planned beach day, we woke up and found it was raining. We stayed in bed hoping it would let up, but it didn't appear to be going anywhere. After doing some quick research, I determined that we were within walking distance of the Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico. On the way, we ate a filling breakfast at Bebo's. The art museum was a really nice way to spend a few hours, particularly if it's raining and you don't have a car. They had everything from 17th-century religious art to modern protest art and a sculpture garden.

By the late afternoon, we were determined to spend some time on the beach, and the rain looked to be letting up. We took a walk down the shore and then enjoyed the little bit of sun that came out right before setting behind the buildings. Because it was out last night in Puerto Rico, we wanted to have a big night out so we went back to our condo and got ready to go out.

We first started with drinks at the Atlantic Beach Hotel. The Atlantic Beach Hotel was one of the few hotels we could see that had an oceanfront bar with a patio. It's also a well-known gay hangout. We enjoyed our beers and talked about where we might go for dinner. Only a short bit down Avenida Ashford was Ummo, where we ended up eating dinner. Joe was keen on a place that had live music, but I was tired of comida criolla. This ended up being absolutely perfect.

We started off with a tasting of 3 different red wines and some corn and goat cheese empanadas. Then, we decided to order the Parillada Gourmet for two people. It was brought out to us on the table that you see in the picture that had coals inside to keep it warm. It also came with two sides, and we ordered the mashed yucca and creamed spinach. All of the meat you see above includes blood sausage, chorizo, filet mignon, sweetbreads, pork loin, and short ribs along with two sauces for the meat. We were stuffed. Everything was absolutely delicious and flavorful. My only complaint was that the pork was slightly dry. It was one of the best dining experiences I have ever had: the service, the music, the food, and the atmosphere was just perfect.

The next morning, it was raining just a bit, so we grabbed breakfast in Ocean Park. By then, the rain had mostly stopped, so we headed to the beach one last time. We were very, very sad for our vacation to end. We loved San Juan and Puerto Rico so much that our next vacation will most likely be to another part of Puerto Rico, probably Vieques. Before this vacation, we had always talked about retiring to Mexico, but I think those plans have now changed to Puerto Rico. The beauty of the island, the friendliness of the people, and the combination of cultures is really something to behold. We can't wait to get back to Puerto Rico!

Cream Biscuits

2010-05-19T10:01:00.000-05:00

Somewhat shamefully, this was my first time making biscuits. While I was making them, I was thinking of the recently departed Carol Fay Ellison aka the Loveless Cafe biscuit lady. Some of you might recognize her name from Throwdown with Bobby Flay. Even though Bobby Flay won that episode, we all know that Ellison made the best biscuits.

I was really pleased with how easy these biscuits were to make. This recipe calls for a grand total of 6 ingredients. I decided to cut them small as a kind of homage to sliders, and they went perfectly with a dab of preserves alongside our quiche, country ham, fruit salad, and hash brown casserole for Mother's Day brunch.

Cream Biscuits

source: Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients

3 tbsp melted butter

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp sugar (optional)

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Melt butter in a small pot or microwave dish, and set aside. Sift two cups flour, the baking powder, salt and (if using) sugar into a large bowl. Fold in 1 1/4 cups cream. If the dough is not soft or easily handled, fold in the remaining 1/4 cup cream, little by little.

Turn dough onto a floured surface, mound it into a ball and, using your hands, press it to a thickness of about 3/4 inch. Cut into rounds, 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Gather dough scraps and continue to make rounds. Dip the top of each round in melted butter and arrange on the baking sheet. Bake until golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Serve immediately, or flash freeze for future use. [Biscuits can be baked straight from the freezer, and additional few minutes baking time will be needed, usually around 3 to 5.]

Paula Deen's Hash Brown Potato Casserole

2010-05-18T10:00:00.000-05:00

Hashbrown casserole was not something I had ever had until moving to Tennessee. But how to make potatoes even better than by adding butter, sour cream, and cheese? Now, I know that using condensed cream of ___ soups is considered pretty declasse in food circles, but sometimes you just have to own it. There were a lot of things that I had to turn a blind eye to in this casserole, like the two cups of sour cream, but let's not pretend like we all eat like this all the time. It's an indulgence, so treat it like such. It is also delicious - rich, creamy, and decadent. Just make sure you send the leftovers home with your guests.

Paula Deen's Hash Brown Potato Casserole

source: Paula Deen's Kitchen Classics
Serves 10-12

Ingredients

2 lbs frozen hash brown potatoes

4 cups grated Cheddar cheese (I reduced this to about 3 cups.)

1 10 1/2 oz can cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup

2 cups sour cream

1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter

1 medium onion, chopped

2 tsps The Lady's House Seasoning (salt, black pepper, and garlic powder)

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350-degrees. In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, 2 cups of the cheddar cheese, the soup, sour cream, butter, onion, and House Seasoning. Place in a buttered 13X9 inch pan and bake for 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with the remaining cheese. Return to the oven and bake for 10 minutes longer.

Varation: Instead of topping the casserole with cheese, you may use 2 cups crushed Ritz crackers mixed with a 1/2 cup melted butter.

Hummingbird Cake

2010-05-14T07:30:00.000-05:00

When planning brunch for Mother's Day, I was flipping through my Savannah Desserts cookbook, looking for something that would catch my eye. I wanted something decadent but not heavy and something that I could imagine Paula Deen serving me. Sure enough, this Hummingbird Cake caught my eye. You know, women sometimes are given a hard time for having a sweet tooth, but in my experience, that applies more to chocolate. It is the men I have known who really like their sugar, and this cake has plenty of it.

This is a different style of cake, very dense and moist, almost more like the texture of banana bread. The pineapple, banana, and oil make it so tender, and the pecans vary the texture of the cake. Next time, I might roast the pecans to deepen the flavor even more. The whole thing is topped off with a sugary cream cheese frosting. This sure was a big hit, and it went so well with the overall theme of the brunch.

Hummingbird Cake
source: Savannah Rum Runners Bakery in Savannah Classic Desserts by Janice Shay

Ingredients
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking powder
3 large eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 (11 oz) can crushed pineapple, with juice (I used an 8 oz can.)
2 cups diced bananas
2 cups pecans (I had 1 1/2 cups, which was plenty)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Icing:
1 8 oz package cream cheese, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar (I ended up only using 3 1/2 cups.)

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350-degrees F. Butter two 9-inch cake pans.

To make the cake, combine the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and baking powder in a large bowl. Mix until well-blended with a wire whisk. Add the eggs and oil and stir with a wooden spoon until moist. Add the pineapple, bananas, pecans, and vanilla. Stir until well-blended. Pour into the prepared pans.
Bake for 25 minutes (Mine took closer to 35), or until a tester inserted near the center of one of the cakes comes out clean.
Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Invert onto racks and remove the pans. Finish cooling before frosting.

To make the icing, beat the cream cheese and vanilla until very soft. Add the confectioners' sugar gradually, beating until fully blended and a soft spreading consistency has been reached. Add a little milk if necessary to achieve a spreading consistency. Spread over the top of one layer. Set the second layer on top and frost the top and sides of the cake.

Eat Out for Nashville - Monday, May 17th

2010-05-13T10:00:00.002-05:00

I'll admit, one of the things I complain about the most with regards to Nashville is the food. The vast expanse of restaurants in Houston completely spoiled me, and I definitely have my Tex-Mex cravings. However, the somewhat smaller food scene that comes with a smaller city also means that I have had the opportunity to be a part of it from attending the Iron Fork competition to regularly commenting on the Nashville Scene Bites blog to getting to know other Nashville food bloggers and writers. That kind of thing didn't happen in Houston. As a part of that, the restaurant scene has come together to help support flood victims and rebuild our city with Eat Out for Nashville this coming Monday.

When you eat out at any of the participating restaurants this coming Monday, they will donate 50% of their proceeds to the Tennessee Emergency Response Fund of the Community Fund of Middle Tennessee. This is a great way to help that only requires that we do what we all have to do anyway - eat. You can help our great city without even tearing up floorboards or ripping up carpet. Doug Hogrefe of Amerigo, who is so community-minded and generous, helped get this off of the ground, but many other restaurants have signed on. For more information, follow @EatOutforNash on Twitter or go to http://eatoutfornashville.org. Check there often as more restaurants are being added every day!

So who is with me in eating out for Nashville this Monday?

Here is a list of currently participating restaurants:

Amerigo-West End

1922 West End Avenue

Nashville, Tennessee 37203

(615) 321-6024

Amerigo-Cool Springs

1656 Westgate Circle

Brentwood, Tennessee 37027

(615) 377-7070

Baja Burrito

722 Thompson Lane
Nashville, TN 37204
(615) 383-2252

Burger Up

2901 12th Avenue South
Nashville, TN 37204-2509
(615) 279-3767

The Garden Brunch Café (breakfast and lunch only)

924 Jefferson Street
Nashville, TN 37208
(615) 891-1217

Holland House Bar and Refuge

935 W. Eastland Ave.
Nashville, TN 37206
(615) 262-4190

Lazzaroli’s Pasta

1314 5th Avenue North
Nashville, TN 37208-1600
(615) 291-9922

The Melting Pot

166 Second Avenue N.
Nashville, TN 37201
(615) 742-4970

Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt

6900 Lenox Village Dr. Suite 6
Nashville, TN 37211

(615) 730-7855

Nuvo Burrito

1000 Main Street
Nashville, TN 37206
(615) 866-9713

O'Charley's

923 Bell Road, Antioch

100 E. Park Drive, Brentwood

2792 Wilma Rudolph Boulevard, Clarksville

202 North James Campbell Boulevard, Columbia

1401 Interstate Drive, Cookeville

2409 Highway 46 South, Dickson

1202 Murfreesboro Road, Franklin

1009 Village Green Crossing, Gallatin

912 Rivergate Parkway, Goodlettsville

212 Indian Lake Boulevard, Hendersonville

5500 Old Hickory Boulevard, Hermitage

4223 Ft. Campbell Boulevard, Hopkinsville

902 Murfreesboro Road, Lebanon

2367 Hillsboro Boulevard, Manchester

401 S. Mt. Juliet Road, Ste 125, Mt. Juliet

1006 Memorial Boulevard, Murfreesboro

2450 Old Fort Parkway, Murfreesboro

1108 Murfreesboro Road, Nashville

17 White Bridge Road, Nashville

110 Coley Davis Court (Bellevue), Nashville

820 Expo Drive, Smyrna

2000 Crossing Circle, Spring Hill

3535 Tom Austin Highway, Springfield

Paradise Park Trailer Resort

411 Broadway
Nashville, TN 37203

(615) 251-1515

The Patterson House

1711 Division Street

Nashville, TN 37203

(615) 244-7989

The Perch

117a Franklin Road

Brentwood, TN 37027
(615) 661-9008

Stoney River Legendary Steaks

1726 Galleria Boulevard, Cool Springs

3015 West End Avenue, Nashville

A Southern Mother's Day Brunch

2010-05-12T09:48:00.003-05:00

Joe's first question when we found it his aunt and grandmother were going to be passing through Nashville on Mother's Day was, "Where do you want to go for brunch?" Seeing as going out for brunch on Mother's Day is equivalent to going out for dinner on Valentine's Day and New Year's Eve (overpriced and crowded), I offered to host brunch at our house since I had the whole week to plan and prepare. Then they would get to relax a little and see our place. Joe's aunt lives in the Chicago-area and his grandmother in the Milwaukee-area, so I wanted to show them a little Southern hospitality with the menu. Everything turned out wonderfully, and it was so much better than going out. We were able to eat at our own pace and just relax and enjoy each other's company.

Menu

Mimosas
Toasted Cinnamon Coffee

Cream biscuits with preserves
Country ham
Fruit salad
Paula Deen's Hashbrown Casserole
Quiche with Asparagus, Mushrooms, and Bacon

Hummingbird Cake

Southwestern Egg & Black Bean Skillet

2010-05-12T07:30:00.000-05:00

Last week we were under a strict mandate to conserve water since the flood took out one of our water treatment plants. This meant cutting way back on all tasks that require water: flushing, washing hands, showering, doing laundry, and doing dishes. So meals, like this one, that didn't dirty up a ton of dishes were a necessity if I wanted to continue to eat at home. Not counting the paper bowl and plasticware I used to eat this meal, I dirtied 1) a skillet and 2) a knife. And it was delicious. Black beans, eggs, avocado, and Ro-tel are my favorite food groups.

Southwestern Egg and Black Bean Skillet
source: Cara's Cravings
Yields: 2 servings

Ingredients
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/3 cup frozen corn
1 cup drained, rinsed black beans
salt & pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
pinch of coriander
10 oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies (like Ro-tel)
2 large eggs
2 oz queso fresco, crumbled (I used feta.)
chopped cilantro and sliced avocado, for garnish

Preparation
Preheat oven to 400F.

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook for about 5 minutes, until translucent. Add garlic, corn, and beans and cook for about 2 more minutes, until garlic is fragrant. Season with salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, and coriander.

Add the diced tomatoes with green chilies and increase heat to high. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and allow to simmer for 10 minutes to blend flavors.

Carefully break the eggs over the black bean mixture. Place the skillet in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, until eggs are soft-set. Sprinkle with queso fresco and garnish with cilantro and diced avocado. Serve hot.

Nutritional Info (not including avocado)
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 338.3
Total Fat: 14.0 g
Cholesterol: 227.5 mg
Sodium: 1,525.8 mg
Total Carbs: 35.9 g
Dietary Fiber: 9.0 g
Protein: 20.7 g

Grilled Mahi-Mahi with Avocado Salad

2010-05-11T07:30:00.000-05:00

When I saw this recipe on Vintage Victuals, it was still early March and a little chilly, but I knew it would be perfect for warmer weather and meals eaten on the patio. Mahi-mahi is a great, firm, mild white fish. If you like chicken but are looking to eat more seafood, mahi-mahi would be a great transition. Joe also likes it because it works well on the grill and doesn't fall apart like some flaker fishes. This meal is pretty self-explanatory. I forgot the cilantro and added a few shakes of cayenne pepper to spice up the avocado salad. Also, my Cajun seasoning is a little salt-heavy, so make sure you watch that. Enjoy this great, light meal on a beautiful spring day with a beer or glass of white wine.

Mahi Mahi with Avocado Salad

source: Vintage Victuals

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon cajun seasoning
4 4-ounce fillets of mahi mahi
2 large, ripe avocados, peeled and diced
1 cup corn kernels, cooked (fresh, frozen, or canned)
1 16-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup red onion, diced
1 medium tomato, diced
1 medium green bell pepper, diced
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
Preheat your grill or grill-pan to medium-high heat. Brush the fillets with the olive oil and sprinkle both sides with the cajun seasoning. Grill for about 4-5 minutes on each side, until the fish is cooked to your desired doneness and nicely browned.
Meanwhile, combine in a bowl the avocado, corn, black beans, red onion, tomato, bell pepper, cilantro, and lime juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper (and cayenne pepper) and toss to combine.
Top each fillet with a serving of the avocado salad, and serve immediately.

Open-Faced Sandwiches with Ricotta, Arugula, and Fried Egg

2010-05-10T07:30:00.000-05:00

When I was at boarding school in Michigan, I survived on sandwiches. I loved my sandwiches, particularly when dinner was less than palatable, and I got ideas from my peers. One of them introduced me to pita with mushrooms and a slice of provolone on the top. Melted in the microwave, it was as close to gourmet as I was going to get. But it was nothing like this. Whole wheat bread toasted, spread with ricotta and topped with arugula and a fried egg. When that yolk runs and mixes with the arugula, ricotta, and bread, it is heavenly.

Open-Faced Sandwiches with Ricotta, Arugula, and Fried Egg
source: May 2010 Cooking Light
Yields 4 servings

Ingredients
4 slices whole-wheat country bread
Cooking spray
2 cups arugula
1 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt, divided
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided
4 large eggs
3/4 cup part skim ricotta cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme

Preparation
1. Preheat broiler.
2. Coat both sides of the bread with cooking spray. Broil 2 minutes on each side, or until lightly toasted.
3. Combine arugula, 2 tsp oil, lemon juice, 1/8 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Toss gently.
4. Heat remaining 1 tsp oil in a skillet over medium heat. Crack eggs into pan, and cook two minutes. Cover pan with lid and cook a remaining 2 minutes or until whites are set. Remove from the heat.
5. Combine 1/4 tsp salt, ricotta, parmesan, and thyme. Spread over bread slices. Divide arugula mixture and eggs over bread slices. Sprinkle with remaining 1/8 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper and serve.

We Are Nashville

2010-05-07T07:30:00.000-05:00

(photo courtesy of Hands on Nashville)

As some of you might know, Nashville and the surrounding area has suffered unprecedented flooding. All kinds of areas were affected, from tony white suburbs to poor, predominantly African-American neighborhoods. Since Monday, I have seen horrific picture after horrific picture and heard tragic story after tragic story. As I drove into town today to volunteer, the sight of the skyline rising triumphantly above the Cumberland brought tears to my eyes.

Even though I've only lived here for two years, I am immensely proud to call Nashville my home. To see the response of my friends and neighbors, known and unknown, is incredible. Jake Owen helped serve lunch to flood victims and volunteers. Taylor Swift donated $500,000 to the telethon. But there's also all of the other people who volunteered with me today at the Disaster Information Center, the ones collecting gift cards, diapers, and underwear, the ones who are gathering around their friends and family members who have lost everything. Nearly every other post on my Facebook is about people going to volunteer or notifying people how they can help or otherwise reminding everyone that we are all in this together.

And while those muddy waters were rising, the local media and alternative media outlets kept everyone abreast of the situation. Firemen and the police worked overtime to serve this community. Volunteers with boats help rescue people who were stranded, and our mayor and governor made responsible and wise decisions. The picture above is of volunteers who, alongside inmates, were sandbagging to save our last remaining water treatment plant.

The church where I just finished up my field education internship was destroyed by a tornado in 1998. Outside there's a sign with a quote from the rector at the time, Lisa Hunt, that says, "God was not in the tornado. God was in our response to the tornado." God has been in Nashvillians' response to the flood. Even Anderson Cooper said, "I've never seen a community pull together so quickly to respond to a disaster." Anderson, that's just how we roll. We are Nashville. We are a community of talented, caring, creative people. We are Nashville, and we are all blessed to live here.

Black Bean and Salmon Tostadas

2010-05-06T07:30:00.000-05:00

Mexican food, while it is my true love, is not particularly healthy. Cheese and fried tortillas, beans made with lard and bell peppers glistening with oil. But these tostadas...wow. The black bean part really satisfies that frijoles refritos craving. Omega-3s from the salmon (canned salmon is also a very sustainable fish source) and healthy fats from the avocado. I was even impressed with how the tortillas baked up nice and crisp. It's also insanely quick to make since you barely even have to cook anything; it's really more assembly. In other words, even my parents could make these. However, they don't necessarily keep well for leftovers, so I would recommend having 4 people to eat them or halving the ingredients.

Black Bean & Salmon Tostadas
source: Eating Well via Cara's Cravings

Ingredients

8 6-inch corn tortillas
Canola oil cooking spray
1 6- to 7-ounce can boneless, skinless wild Alaskan salmon, drained
1 avocado, diced
2 tablespoons minced pickled jalapeños, plus 2 tablespoons pickling juice from the jar, divided
2 cups coleslaw mix or shredded cabbage
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed
3 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons prepared salsa
2 scallions, chopped
Lime wedges (optional)

Preparation

Position racks in upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 375°F.
Coat tortillas on both sides with cooking spray. Place on 2 baking sheets. Bake, turning once, until light brown, 12 to 14 minutes.
Combine salmon, avocado and jalapeños in a bowl. Combine cabbage, cilantro and the pickling juice in another bowl. Process black beans, sour cream, salsa and scallions in a food processor until smooth. Transfer to a microwave-safe bowl. Cover and microwave on High until hot, about 2 minutes.
To assemble tostadas, spread each tortilla with some bean mixture and some salmon mixture and top with the cabbage salad. Serve with lime wedges, if desired.

Nutrition
Per serving (2 tostadas): 319 calories; 11 g fat (2 g sat, 6 g mono); 16 mg cholesterol; 0 g added sugars; 16 g protein; 12 g fiber; 352 mg sodium; 670 mg potassium.

Super Snickerdoodles

2010-05-05T07:30:00.000-05:00

When I was a kid, my favorite kind of cookie was a snickerdoodle. It's a fun word to say, and the crispy outside belied a chewy middle with a great cinnamon flavor. I also loved Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal. As my semester is winding up, I wanted to make something special for my field ed group. We've been together all school year and have gotten to know each other very well and have shared a lot of ourselves and our ministries with one another. Because I saw one guy in my group eating a snickerdoodle one day, I decided snickerdoodles would be the perfect treat.

Kelsey recommended a few recipes that she had made, even listing these Super Snickerdoodles as one of her top 10 recipes of 2009. The texture of these cookies was incredible, but I thought they tasted just a tad too strongly of butter. Not that having a cookie tasting of butter is a bad thing, but I just wanted a slightly more nuanced cookie with perhaps a stronger cinnamon taste. These were gobbled up though, so I don't think anyone else minded!

Super Snickerdoodles
source: Kelsey's Apple a Day

Ingredients
2 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. coarse salt
1 c. unsalted butter, softened
1 3/4 c. sugar, divided
2 large eggs
4-5 tsp. ground cinnamon

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

3. Put butter and 1 1/2 c. sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about three minutes. Mix in eggs.

4. Reduce speed to low and gradually incorporate flour mixture.

5. In a small bowl, stir together remaining 1/4 c. sugar and cinnamon to preferred ratio.

6. Shape dough into 1 3/4 in. balls (you should have about 20). Roll in cinnamon sugar and place three inches apart on baking sheets lines with Silpat or parchment paper.

7. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until edges are golden, twelve to 15 minutes. Let cool on wire racks. Cookies can be stored between layers of parchment in an airtight container for up to three days.

Spring Vegetable Carbonara

2010-05-04T07:30:00.000-05:00

When I think of pasta carbonara, I think of a rich, decadent dish with bacon and eggs and cream. This definitely has the bacon and eggs but adds some delicious vegetables. Basically, it tastes worse for you than it actually is. Some people have criticized Cooking Light lately for making some changes with their recipes and including more seemingly bad foods like bacon and publishing recipes that require frying. But this is exactly how I like to eat. Four slices of center-cut bacon adds a ton of flavor without a lot of meat, and I also used reduced-sodium to cut out some salt. Spring vegetables, bacon, and pasta? As Ina Garten would say, "How bad could that be?"

Spring Vegetable Carbonara
source: Cooking Light May 2010

Ingredients
1/2 cup frozen green peas, thawed
12 oz asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
8 oz uncooked cavatappi pasta
1/2 cup (2 oz) grated pecorino romano cheese
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
3 large eggs, slightly beaten
4 slices center-cut bacon, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped and seeded

Preparation
1. Boil a pot of water, and cook peas and asparagus in boiling water for 3 minutes or until asparagus is crisp-tender; drain. Plunge into ice water; drain. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta into a colander over a bowl, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid. Combing pasta, peas, and asparagus.

2. Combine cheese, salt, pepper, and eggs in a bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Gradually add hot pasta water to egg mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, and reserve 1 tbsp drippings from pan. Add cooked bacon to pasta/vegetable mixture. Cook bell pepper in pasta drippings for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add pasta mixture; cook 1 minute until thoroughly heated. Remove pan from heat and stir in egg mixture. Return pan to low heat. Cook for 2 minutes or until sauce thickens, stirring constantly.

Nutritional Info
Yields 4 servings
Calories: 425, Fat: 14.4 g, Protein: 22.2 g, Carb 52 g, Fiber 5.4 g, Sodium 614 mg

Nashville is Drowning

2010-05-03T10:56:00.003-05:00

The rain started Saturday morning. Heavy, drenching rain pouring out of the sky. I was down in Franklin pet and house-sitting for my parents. I left around 12:30 pm, driving slowly up I-65 back into town. Then I started hearing things about I-24 being closed, about surface streets in Franklin that I had just passed being flooded. We were supposed to go to a Derby party in East Nashville. I called over, and they reported that the roads were clear so we ventured over without any problems. After the horses ran, local news showed a house drifting down I-24. We left for another party, and the rain had stopped.

Sunday morning, I heard heavy rain outside. After checking Twitter, I came to the conclusion that I could not make it to church. I-40 was shut down going into town, and White Bridge was under water. We hunkered down and turned on the continuous local news coverage and watched the rain pour down outside. News images flashed on the screen of submerged cars and people being rescued from their houses on boats. This was the scene about a 1/2 mile from our house.

We're safe and dry, but many of our friends and acquaintances aren't. Many people did not have flood insurance because these areas have not flooded in 100 years. Right now one of the two water treatment plants is submerged and non-functional. The Cumberland River is still rising. The normal level is 19 feet. It is currently at 50 feet and is expected to crest around noon today at 51 feet. Water is in downtown Nashville flooding restaurants and businesses. MTA bus and train services have been suspended indefinitely

Nashville needs your help. We have not gotten the attention from the national media that we deserve. Recovery efforts need to be heavily publicized. Nashvillest has done a fabulous job using Twitter to keep everyone up to date. If you are in the Nashville area, you can go to Hands on Nashville to volunteer. Otherwise, donations can be made to the Metro Nashville Relief Fund or the Middle Tennessee Red Cross. Please help as you can.

Absinthe Ice Cream

2010-04-29T07:30:00.000-05:00

There is a bar in Houston called Absinthe. It has no sign, and you really have to know where it is. Even if you know where it is, you will drive past it several times. As one might expect, they specialize in absinthe cocktails, my favorite being Hemingway's Revenge, a combination of creme de cassis, champagne, and absinthe. So when our favorite wine store had a special on absinthe, Joe insisted on getting a bottle. And then David Lebovitz, ice cream deity, made absinthe ice cream. It was like the stars had aligned.

Most people describe absinthe has having a black licorice flavor. That's not false, but this ice cream brings out all of the herb flavors and even a hint of "vegetal bitterness" (I stole that phrase from a mixologist at Patterson House). The chocolate tempers it a bit. If you don't have absinthe, any absinthe-flavored liqueur would be a fine substitute. All you're missing is the wormwood oil. And note that the alcohol doesn't cook off, so be mindful of who you serve this too.

Absinthe Ice Cream
source: David Lebovitz

Ingredients
1 cup (250ml) whole milk

A pinch of salt

2/3 cup (130g) sugar

2 cups (500ml) heavy cream or half-and-half

5 large egg yolks

3-4 tablespoons absinthe

about 1 1/2 cups chopped chocolate truffles, or chocolate chips

Preparation

1. Heat the milk, salt, and sugar in a saucepan.

2. Set up an ice bath by placing a 2-quart (2l) bowl in a larger bowl partially filled with ice and water. Set a strainer over the top of the smaller bowl and pour the cream or half-and-half into the bowl.

3. In a separate bowl, stir together the egg yolks. Rewarm the milk then gradually pour some of the milk into the yolks, whisking constantly as you pour. Scrape the warmed yolks and milk back into the saucepan.

4. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom with a heat-resistant spatula, until the custard thickens enough to coat the spatula.

5. Strain the custard into the cream or half-and-half. Stir over the ice until cool, then refrigerate to chill thoroughly. Preferably overnight.

6. Stir in 3 tablespoons of absinthe. Taste, and add another one if desired. 7. Freeze the custard in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Once churned, stir in the chopped chocolate bits.

Asparagus and Smoked Trout Frittata

2010-04-28T07:30:00.000-05:00

For some reason, the May issues of Cooking Light always knock my socks off. I don't know what it is about them, but they practically hit me over the head with delicious spring food. Radishes! Asparagus! Watercress! Strawberries! Light dinners that you eat on the patio while drinking a glass of white wine and feeling quite French! So that's where this dinner came from. I found the smoked trout near the smoked salmon, and Cooking Light suggests substituting mushrooms if you're the vegetarian type, or if you're just not in the mood for smoked trout.

Asparagus and Smoked Trout Frittata

source: Cooking Light May 2010

Ingredients

8 ounces thin asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon 2% reduced-fat milk
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
4 large egg whites (I used the yolks for ice cream.)
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill
4 ounces smoked trout, skinned and flaked into large pieces
Cooking spray
1 teaspoon canola oil
1/2 cup minced green onions

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 450°.
2. Cook asparagus in a large saucepan of boiling water 2 minutes. Drain and plunge asparagus into ice water; drain and pat dry.
3. Combine milk and next 4 ingredients (through egg whites) in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Stir in asparagus, 2 tablespoons cheese, dill, and trout.
4. Heat a 10-inch ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add oil and onions to pan; cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Pour egg mixture into pan; stir once. Cook without stirring for 2 minutes or until edges begin to set. Place pan in oven. Bake at 450° for 8 minutes or until eggs are just set. Remove from oven; sprinkle evenly with remaining 2 tablespoons cheese.
5. Preheat broiler.
6. Broil frittata 2 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes. Cut into 8 wedges.
Nutritional Information
Yields 4 servings, Calories: 186, Fat: 10.2 g, Protein: 19.9 g, Carbohydrate: 4.3 g

Wheat Berry Salad with Raisins and Pistachios

2010-04-22T07:30:00.000-05:00

Occasionally, I have these revelations where I am amazed that I can put things together and make tasty, fresh, healthy meals that nourish my body and mind and soul. That might sound cheesy, but you have to understand that I did not grow up in a family that cooked from scratch regularly. And when you think about our gatherer and hunter ancestors, it's pretty incredible that I can combine goat cheese and cilantro and wheat berries in a dish and eat it for lunch.

Last summer, when I was working as a hospice chaplain, I didn't often have access to a refrigerator to store lunches so I made variations on a pasta salad. This would have been perfect for those days or for a picnic, hike, or canoe trip. The variations of texture and flavor, sweet raisins and honey mixed with bright cilantro and lemon, make this extremely satisfying. The fiber helps keep you full too.

Wheat Berry Salad with Raisins and Pistachios
source: Cooking Light April 2010
Yields 6 servings

Ingredients
1 cup uncooked wheat berries (hard red winter wheat)
3/4 tsp salt, divided
3 tbsp shelled pistachios
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp honey
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp fresh grated peeled ginger
1/2 cup golden raisins (I just used regular raisins)
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup (2 oz) crumbled goat cheese

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350-degrees.
Put wheat berries and 1/2 tsp of salt in a medium saucepan. Cover with water to two inches above berries. Bring to a boil, cover, and then reduce heat to low and simmer for one hour or until berries are tender. Drain.
Place pistachios on a baking sheet. Bake for 8 minutes, stirring once. Let cool and then chop.
Combine oil, juice, honey, coriander, ginger, and remaining 1/4 tsp salt in a large bowl and stir with a whisk. Add hot wheat berries and raisins, stirring to combine. Let stand until cooled to room temperature.
Add nuts, green onions, and cilantro to wheat berry mixture. Transfer to serving bowl and sprinkle with goat cheese.

Cavatappi with Sundried Tomatoes and Cannellini Beans

2010-04-21T07:30:00.000-05:00

One of the great things about being married is that I learn something new about Joe every so often. Like when I was making this dish, and he came into the kitchen and remarked, "I LOVE sundried tomatoes!" Really? Why did I not know this? I had never seen him order anything with sundried tomatoes or particularly seek them out. There was a jar of sundried tomatoes languishing in the pantry, and I didn't know my husband loved them. So, needless to say, this dish went over well.

Sundried tomatoes + fun-shaped pasta + meaty beans = great weeknight dinner. How's that for some math? Also, this has quite a bit of oil in it, so I'm not doing the nutritional calculations. It's most likely a little on the heavy side if you're watching your caloric intake.

Cavatappi with Sundried Tomatoes and Cannellini Beans

source: Elly Says Opa

Ingredients

8 oz. whole wheat cavatappi pasta, with 1.25 cups of the pasta cooking water reserved
1 Tbsp. oil from oil-packed sundried tomatoes
1 Tbsp. olive oil
4 fat cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
heaping 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (I doubled this.)
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, drained and sliced into strips
1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup pecorino romano or parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp. fresh chopped parsley
kosher salt & freshly ground pepper
Good extra virgin olive oil for drizzling, if desired

Preparation

Cook the pasta until al dente in salted water. Set aside 1.25 cups of the cooking liquid.
Meanwhile, heat the oil from the sundried tomatoes and the olive oil together in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and fry it for about a minute before adding the red pepper flakes, and toast those for another 30 seconds or so. Spread the sundried tomatoes out in the skillet and allow them to sizzle for a minute. Add 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Keep it simmering until it reduces down by half.
Add the beans, the remaining 3/4 cup of the pasta cooking liquid and some salt to taste. Bring to a boil and then cook at an active simmer for four minutes. Stir in the pasta. Add the parsley and then, off the heat, add the romano/parmesan. Season with freshly ground black pepper and, if you want, drizzle the plated pasta with some good extra virgin olive oil.

Mile-High Lemon Meringue Pie

2010-04-20T07:30:00.000-05:00

You know that rule about how you're supposed to make things that you've made before when planning a dinner for guests? Yeah, I routinely break it. Last year for Easter, this meant a trifle that tasted way too much like chemicals. This year, I left it up to Cook's Country. Joe had suggested a lemon meringue pie, gesturing with his hands just how tall he wanted the meringue to be. I had never made meringue. Or lemon curd. But that didn't stop me.

Like everything in the America's Test Kitchen vein, this lemon meringue pie tastes like a lemon meringue pie should. Lots of lemon juice gives it a great, puckery lemon flavor, and the meringue is silky and light. I don't have a stand mixer, so I just used a hand-held, which took slightly longer than the times indicated in the recipe.

Mile-High Lemon Meringue Pie
source: Cook's Country

Ingredients

1 (9-inch) pie shell. fully baked and cooled
FOR THE LEMON FILLING:
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 cup of lemon juice (from 6 lemons)
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
8 large egg yolks (reserve 4 whites for meringue later)
2 tbsp. grated lemon zest
3 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened and cut into pieces

FOR THE MERINGUE:
1/2 cup water
1 cup sugar
4 egg whites
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Preparation

TO MAKE THE FILLING:
Whisk sugar, lemon juice, water, cornstarch and salt together in a large non-reactive saucepan until cornstarch is dissolved. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, whisking occasionally until mixture is translucent and begins to thicken, about 5 minutes.

Whisk in yolks until combined. Stir in zest and butter. Bring to a simmer and stir constantly until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 2 minutes.

Strain through fine mesh strainer into the baked and cooled pie shell and scrape off filling from the bottom of strainer. Place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the filling and refrigerate until set and well chilled, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.

WHEN READY TO MAKE THE MERINGUE:
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine water and sugar in saucepan. Bring to a vigorous boil over medium high heat. Once syrup comes to a rolling boil, cook for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside while beating egg whites.

With electric mixer beat whites in large bowl at medium low speed until frothy, about 1 minute. Add salt and cream of tartar and beat gradually increasing speed to medium high, until whites hold soft peaks, about 2 minutes. With mixer running, slowly pour hot syrup into the whites. Add vanilla and beat until meringue has cooled and becomes shiny and thick, 5-9 minutes.

Using a rubber spatula, mound meringue over filling making sure meringue touches the edges of the crust. Use spatula to create peaks all over the pie.

Bake until peaks turn golden brown about 6 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and cool to room temperature and serve.

Spring Peas with Mint

2010-04-19T07:30:00.000-05:00

One day before theology class, I was sitting in the common room at the Divinity School when a friend came up to me and said that he had some food-related questions. On any given day, I would much rather talk food than theology. He asked me about this dish, which his wife had seen in Food and Wine magazine, and wanted to know what it would go with. I imagined a nice lamb dish with these peas as a side for a lovely Easter supper. A few more people started gathering around, and we had a very nice conversation about things that were totally not school-related!

Well, he got these peas stuck in my head, and they ended up as a side for our Easter supper, which also included the free Christmas turkey from Vanderbilt that we didn't have for Christmas because we were traveling. Whether they're for an Easter supper or just a nice spring dinner out on the patio, these peas are delightfully easy and flavorful. The red onion adds just enough bite to the vinaigrette, and who doesn't love mint? It's yet another example of how easy something can be when you have good ingredients.

Spring Peas with Mint
source: Food & Wine Magazine

Ingredients
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 cups fresh baby peas or thawed frozen green peas (The frozen peas worked just great.)
1/2 small red onion, cut into 1/4 inch dice
1 cup loosely packed mint, torn
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Preparation
In a bowl, whisk the olive oil with the vinegar. Add the peas, red onion and mint and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Transfer to a platter and serve.

Jerk-Rubbed Catfish with Spicy Cilantro Slaw

2010-04-14T07:30:00.000-05:00

Slaw is one of those things that I associate with heavy mayonnaise-laden picnic foods, and I often forget what a great light accompaniment it makes for a whole host of things. With just a bit of mayonnaise to cool things down, this slaw is a perfect complement to the spicy fish. We love our spicy food, and I was happy to get to use my jerk seasoning from Penzey's. This meal couldn't come together any faster. Just be careful chopping up the pepper!

Jerk-Rubbed Catfish with Spicy Cilantro Slaw
source: March 2010 Cooking Light
Yield 4 servings

Ingredients
3 cups cabbage-and-carrot coleslaw mix
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
3 tbsp canola mayonnaise
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 to 1 1/2 tsp finely chopped habanero or serrano pepper (I went with serrano. Habanero would be hotter.)
Cooking Spray
4 6 oz catfish fillets (I used swai.)
4 tsp Jamaican jerk seasoning

Preparation

Combine first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl, tossing well to coat.
Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle jerk seasoning evenly over fish. Add fish to pan, cooking 3 minutes on each side or until fish is opaque and flakes with a fork. Remove from heat. Serve fish with slaw.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 256
Fat: 12.6 g
Protein: 26.6 g
Carb: 6.2 g
Fiber: 1.5 g
Sodium: 426 g

Peppery Pasta with Arugula and Shrimp

2010-04-13T09:02:00.003-05:00

Spring has definitely sprung in middle Tennessee. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and the pollen has coated everything. That hasn't stopped us from eating outside though and enjoying the weather. And I absolutely love spring food. As fancy as this meal sounds, it was featured in the "Feed 4 for less than $10" section of Cooking Light. Halving the shrimp makes it go further, and the arugula bulks up the pasta. The contrast of textures in this meal is delightful. Make sure you use fresh-ground or other high-quality pepper.

Peppery Pasta with Arugula and Shrimp
source: April 2010 Cooking Light
Yield 4 servings

Ingredients
1 tbsp minced fresh garlic, divided
1 1/2 tsp black pepper, divided
1/2 tsp salt, divided
1 5 oz package fresh baby arugula
4 quarts water
8 oz uncooked linguine (or other long, thin pasta)
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 lb peeled and deveined medium shrimp, cut in half horizontally
2 tbsp minced shallots
3/4 cup vegetable broth
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp butter
1/2 cup shaved fresh Romano cheese

Preparation

Combine 2 tsp garlic, 1 tsp pepper, 1/4 tsp salt, and arugula in a large bowl; toss well.
Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add pasta, cooking 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain. Add hot pasta to arugula mixture, and toss well until the arugula wilts.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp, remaining 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Saute 1 minute. Add 1 tsp garlic and shallots. Saute 1 minute or until shrimp are pink. Remove shrimp from pan. Add broth and juice to pan to deglaze, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Cook 5 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half. Return shrimp to pan. Remove from heat, and stir in butter.
Arrange 1 1/2 cups pasta on each of 4 plates. Spoon 1/3 cup shrimp mixture over each serving. Top with 2 tbsp cheese each.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 409
Fat: 12.5 g
Protein: 26.1 g
Carb: 46 g
Fiber: 2.1 g
Chol: 107 g
Sodium: 671 mg

Creamy Barley with Tomato and Greens

2010-04-03T08:11:00.003-05:00

The last time I was in Whole Foods, I picked up some barley on a whim. I normally try to stick to my list, but recipes that called for barley kept popping up and I was interested in trying something new, grain-wise. Of course, tomatoes, spinach, and feta are a great combination, though this recipe called for way too much onion, and I don't typically shy away from alliums. I have altered this recipe to reflect that change. The barley adds another dimension and texture, plus it's good for you! Joe was on-call when I made this dish, and when I told him what I had for dinner, he remarked, "That's a good Kira dish." I think that sums it up nicely.

Creamy Barley with Tomato and Greens
source: A Year in the Kitchen
Yields 4 servings

Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 large onion, finely chopped
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 cup pearled barley
2 cups vegetable stock
1 15 oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, drained (I used Italian-seasoned tomatoes)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 8 oz. bag frozen spinach or 4 cups fresh baby spinach leaves, thawed and drained
1/4 cup feta cheese
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
Pinch of oregano

Preparation
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
Add the onion, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
Add the barley, tomatoes, wine, and stock and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the barley is tender, about 18-20 minutes.
Add the spinach, crushed red pepper and oregano.
Stir well, taste and adjust seasonings.
Divide among bowls and sprinkle with the feta.

Nutritional Info
Calories: 361.4
Total Fat: 7.7 g
Total Carbs: 54.2 g
Dietary Fiber: 11.1 g
Protein: 12.4 g

Aromatic Noodles with Peanut-Lime Sauce

2010-04-02T07:30:00.000-05:00

My file of saved vegetarian recipes is overrun with pasta dishes, which is problematic since I try to only eat pasta one day a week to save myself from carb-overload. But when Joe asked for some type of peanut noodle dish, it gave me an excuse to dig through the file and pick one out that I had saved a long time ago, preferably one with lots of vegetables. I simplified the recipe a bit, blanching the vegetables in the pasta water rather than steaming them in a separate pot. This mixed everything together. Also, just a note of warning, check your nuts. I had these peanuts in the cupboard for WAY too long, and the fats had become rancid. Not tasty.

Aromatic Noodles with Peanut-Lime Sauce
source: Ellie Krieger via Apple a Day

Ingredients
3/4 pound spinach linguine or whole-wheat spaghetti
2 cups (about 9 ounces) broccoli florets
2 cups (about 6 ounces) snow peas, trimmed
2 cups (about 6 ounces) sugar snap peas, trimmed
1/2 cup natural creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 scallion, cut into pieces
3/4 inch fresh ginger, finely grated
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup shelled unsalted peanuts

Preparation

1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of water according to the directions on the package. Drain and rinse with cold water.

2. While the pasta is cooking put the broccoli in a steamer basket over a large pot of boiling water and steam it for 3 minutes. Add the snow peas and sugar snap peas and steam for 2 minutes more.

3. Toast the peanuts in a dry pan over a medium heat until they become fragrant, about 3 minutes. Set them aside to cool.

4. Make the sauce by pureeing the peanut butter, soy sauce, water, vinegar, lime juice, scallion, ginger, and red pepper flakes in a food processor or blender until smooth.

5. Right before serving, toss the pasta with 3/4 cup of the peanut sauce. Divide into serving bowls and top each serving with the vegetables. Drizzle the remaining sauce over the vegetables. Coarsely chop the peanuts, sprinkle them on top and serve.

Crispy Coconut Tofu Nuggets

2010-04-01T07:30:00.000-05:00

I can't say that the phrase "tofu nugget" sounds particularly attractive, even for someone who is an adventurous eater. I knew they would be tasty, but, to Joe's credit, when I told him what we were having for dinner, he didn't even blink an eye. It helped that I explained that they were "like coconut shrimp" but with tofu. I had been wracking my brain to figure out what I would serve the nuggets with while we were traveling to Houston for a wedding. When we arrived at home, my mother had dropped off a sauce/marinade that my father had brought me: Mango Ginger Habanero Sauce. Yes, it was as good as it sounds, particularly with the nuggets. I served it with some steamed Asian vegetables as well.

Crispy Coconut Tofu Nuggets
source: Cara's Cravings

Ingredients
1 block firm tofu
2 egg whites
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup shredded coconut
zest from one lime

Preparation
Wrap the tofu in paper towels and place it under a plate, weighted down with a couple cans or jars. Let sit for 20-30 minutes.

Preheat oven 375F. Set a cooking rack on top of a baking sheet, and spray with nonstick cooking spray.

Pour the egg substitute or egg whites in a shallow dish. Mix together the panko, coconut, and lime zest and pour onto a plate.

Slice the tofu crosswise into 6 slabs, and then cut each rectangle diagonally into two triangles. (I sliced mine into rectangles.) Season the tofu wedges with salt and pepper. Dip each one into the egg, then dredge in the panko mixture and set on the cooling rack.

Bake for about 25-30 minutes, turning halfway through, until lightly browned and crispy on both sides.

Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 3
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 209.9
Total Fat: 8.7 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 16.7 mg
Total Carbs: 14.0 g
Dietary Fiber: 2.3 g
Protein: 14.3 g

Chili Burgers

2010-03-30T07:30:00.000-05:00

Occasionally, I have a debate in my head about my favorite kind of bean. The winner is often whatever bean I am eating or cooking with, though I do think my all-time favorite is probably black beans. But these burgers make a good case for dark red kidney beans. My fear with bean burgers is that they won't stick together, but these did a decent job considering that there is no egg or anything used. The oats do a fine job as a binder, and the mustard and ketchup keep the burger moist. For some reason, this burger reminded me of meatloaf, if it were vegetarian and in burger-form. And that's a good thing, flavorful but not spicy. I served this topped with cheddar cheese and greens.

Chili Burgers

source: A Year in the Kitchen

Ingredients

1/2 yellow onion, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 carrots, shredded
1 tsp. dark mexican chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 15 oz. can dark red kidney beans, drained
1 tbsp. dark brown mustard
2 tbsp. worchestershire sauce
2 tbsp. ketchup
1/2 c. quick cooking oats

Preparation

Heat a large skillet over medium low. Spray with nonstick spray, saute onion, garlic and carrots for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

While veggies cook, drain beans, and add to a bowl. Mash with a potato masher.

Add mustard, worchestershire, ketchup, chili powder, cumin and oats.

Scrape veggies out of pan, add to bean mixture.

Mix burgers thoroughly, form into 4 patties.

Heat same skillet over medium-high. Spray with nonstick spray.

Drop patties into skillet, cook for 5-6 minutes per side.

After flipping, add cheese, cover to melt.

Serve on a bun with condiments.

Nutritional Information

serving size: 1 patty

Calories: 274.1

Total Fat: 1.7 g

Total Carbs: 51.1 g

Dietary Fiber: 17.1 g

Protein: 14.3 g

Breakfast Couscous

2010-03-29T07:30:00.000-05:00

Most mornings I eat oatmeal, but when the weekend comes around, I like to cook up something a little different, something that doesn't have to be gulped down before jumping in the car to run to school. But the weekend I made this, my impetus for big breakfasts (Joe) was working, and I was busy at church. Making this on Saturday and portioning it into individual containers made it super-easy to get a non-oatmeal tasty, filling weekend breakfast before I preached on Sunday morning. And I had two leftover portions to eat throughout the week. The flavors are nothing earth-shattering, but eating couscous for breakfast makes it a little more exciting.

Breakfast Couscous

source: Cooking Light via Erin's Food Files

Yields 3 servings

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups water
1/2 cup nonfat dry milk
1/2 cup uncooked couscous (I used whole wheat couscous)
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup raisins (or whatever 1/2 cup combination of dried fruit you have around)
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt

Preparation

Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan; stir in milk and remaining ingredients. Remove from heat. Cover; let stand 10 minutes. (Mixture will thicken as it cools.)

Nutritional Information

Calories: 305; Fat: 6.9g (sat 0.7g,mono 1g,poly 4.8g); Protein: 9.6g; Carbohydrate: 53.7g; Fiber: 3.3g; Cholesterol: 2mg; Iron: 1.1mg; Sodium: 169mg; Calcium: 174mg

San Juan, Puerto Rico, Part 1

2010-03-24T07:30:00.000-05:00

At the beginning of January when it was cold and icy, Joe and I were trying to figure out what to do and where to go for our spring vacation. We tossed around several ideas but none seemed to pan out. We were talking about cruises, but to go on a cruise that went to ports that neither of us had been to, we would have to leave out of San Juan. But then, why not just go to San Juan? I did a quick search and found some affordable VRBOs and reasonable airfare, and our decision was made. San Juan seemed to provide just about anything we want in a vacation: interesting history, sight-seeing, relaxation on a beach, a metropolitan city, great live music, and good food. Plus, because Puerto Rico is a U.S. Territory, there's no messing around with changing money or bringing a passport or having trouble using your cell phone. Both Joe and I love Latin American and Caribbean culture, and San Juan was a great blend of the two.

Our first day, we arrived in San Juan around 2 pm after a short connection in Charlotte. The travel was remarkably smooth, and we quickly got a taxi and headed for our apartment in Condado, about 10 minutes away. The owner was waiting for us in front of a white, 10-story building. This was no luxury hotel or condominium tower, but we were right in the middle of everything. The accommodations were clean, and we had just about the room we needed. The owner had left us maps, and the apartment had an outfitted kitchen, and beach gear. After getting settled, we decided to roam around Condado and get our bearings. Our first stop was the beach, a mere block and a half away. As many people will tell you, San Juan is not the most beautiful part of Puerto Rico, but the beach was wide and well-maintained, especially for a city beach. The water is technically the Atlantic, which can be a bit rougher than the Caribbean for swimming, but it was still warm.

We exited the beach and walked towards the main strip of Condado, an area full of the best shopping in Puerto Rico and a multitude of restaurants and hotels. For people who are less adventurous eaters or who just want a taste of home, American chain restaurants are plentiful. The streets were bustling, and Joe suggested that we hop a bus and go into Old San Juan. Once we determined how much bus fare was ($.75 a person) and obtained quarters, a bus came driving up. Taking the bus into OSJ is very easy as there is a large transportation center there. It is the last stop going west. We got off in view of the piers and the docked cruise ships and followed some other people up into the cobblestone streets of Old San Juan.

Of course, I did not have any maps with me, so finding the tourism office was a bust, but we walked down the main street of San Francisco and basically just wandered for a while, occasionally coming upon plazas where people were gathered. We passed a small alleyway and spotted a few tables with people drinking some beer, so we stopped and bought a couple Medallas, the local beer. It is a light lager, perfect for quenching our thirst. After conversing with a few friendly members of the, ahem, local color (aka the resident drunks), we meandered on. We stumbled upon another bar that had been recommended to us, Nono's (100 Calle San Sebastian). Nono's is a very relaxed atmosphere, almost an overgrown dive bar type of feeling. After finding a few places at the bar, I asked the woman next to us what she happened to be drinking. A couple pina coladas later, we moved on to figure out something to eat.

One of the things I noticed and appreciated about San Juan in general and Old San Juan in particular is that there seems to be a good amount of both public parks and public art. This is the Plaza de la Rogativa, and the sculpture commemorates a religious procession led by the women of the town that had the unintended consequence of frightening away the British who thought the torches belonged to additional Spanish forces.

A lot of the food in Old San Juan is on the pricey side and a little fancy for what we wanted. We were craving some good Puerto Rican comfort food, and with some luck, we managed to stumble upon the perfect place, El Jibarito (276 Calle Sol). The place was busy, filled with the sounds of large groups laughing and enjoying their food. We were seated and handed a hand-written menu. I ordered the pork and plantain tamales with a side of mofongo (essentially mashed plantains). Side note: it is nearly impossible to eat vegetarian in Puerto Rico, so I didn't even try. Like many Spanish cultures, pork products play a large role. Joe chose the small bits of pork in a plantain sauce also with mofongo. When it arrived, it was precisely what we had been craving. A little on the fatty and salty side, but what good comfort food isn't? We then caught the bus back to our place just as it began to rain.

The next day we ate breakfast at La Patisserie de France in Condado and received enormous breakfasts for only $4.99. Then we hit the beach for lounging, reading, sunbathing, and some swimming. For lunch, we walked to the local grocery store and bought some fresh baked bread, cheese, and chorizo. Our evening plans involved dinner and salsa dancing in Old San Juan at The Latin Roots, a place that appeared more tourist-y than it ended up being. We arrived early, and the salsa instructor wasn't there yet. Our waiter was perfectly accommodating when we informed him that we were planning to stay for the music that started later. Our courses came out slowly, just as we requested, and he even brought us complimentary plantain chips with some delicious dipping sauces. My bistec encebollado was perfectly cooked, and Joe's mofongo with fried pork was even better than El Jibarito. Then we took some brief salsa lessons until the band took the stage. We danced the night away as the place got more and more crowded with people. Joe was very impressed with the band, and I got mistaken for a famous writer (though I'm not sure which one). Exhausted, we took a cab home to rest up for the following day of sight-seeing.

Seared Mahi-Mahi with Edamame Succotash

2010-03-23T07:30:00.000-05:00

Lent is seriously flying by, and it's only another two weeks until Easter. For the past two years, about this time, I have some decisions to make. Am I really going to go back to eating meat as cavalierly as I was before Lent? After educating myself by reading books and watching movies like Food, Inc. can I really pretend like my diet doesn't affect other creatures? But could I really never eat prosciutto or chicken enchiladas or a steak ever again? And then I read this great article in the April 2010 issue of Cooking Light called "Rethinking Protein" (which doesn't appear to be available online), and it cemented the direction in which I was leaning.

After Easter, the plan is to continue to eat similarly to the way I have been eating, getting my protein predominantly from plant and sustainable fish sources. We will only buy enough meat to afford to be able to buy sustainable and ethical meat. At this point, I've done too much theological reading and thinking to pretend that God is not present in all of God's creation, including the animals that we eat, and our household needs to do a better job of recognizing that. I want to move towards a more American Indian model where I am cognizant and thankful of an animal that has given its life for me to eat it. But as someone who enjoys food, eating at restaurants, and entertaining friends, I cannot, at this time, imagine a life without the flavor that meat gives. So this is our middle-ground for the time-being.

And honestly, if I have to keep eating meals like this delicious seared mahi-mahi, I am not going to complain very much at all. The part that took the longest was roasting the red pepper, which you could do over the weekend and throw this together in about 15 minutes. The smoky, sweet flavor of the red pepper and the sweetness of the corn was delicious with the acid of the lime juice. I had seen this recipe a while ago and just never had all of the ingredients on hand, but I am so glad I finally made it!

Seared Mahi-Mahi with Edamame Succotash
source: Cooking Light via Erin's Food Files

Ingredients

Succotash:
1 medium red bell pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme (I used about 1/2 tsp dried)
2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice (about 1/2 a lime)
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/3 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed
1/2 cup frozen shelled edamame, thawed

Mahi-Mahi:
1 teaspoon olive oil
Cooking spray
4 (6 oz) mahi-mahi fillets, or other firm white fish
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Preheat broiler

To prepare succotash, cut bell pepper in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves, skin side up, on a foil-lined baking sheet; flatten with hand. Broil 15 minutes or until blackened. Place in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 10 minutes. Peel & finely chop. Combine pepper, onions, and next 7 ingredients (through garlic), tossing to combine.

Combine corn and beans in a small microwave-safe bowl; cover with water. Microwave on HIGH 2 minutes; drain. Add corn mixture to bell pepper mixture; toss to combine.

To prepare mahi-mahi, heat 1 tsp olive oil in a large nonstick skilled coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Sprinkle both sides of fish with the salt and black pepper. Add fish to pan. Cook 4 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily with fork. Serve with succotash.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 379
Fat: 9.4 g (sat 1.5 g, mono 5.5 g, poly 1.6 g)
Protein: 35.8 g
Carbohydrate: 41.2 g
Fiber: 8 g

Black-Eyed Pea Jambalaya

2010-03-22T07:30:00.000-05:00

One of the things that I love about our abode is that we live in close proximity to three grocery stores. Three full-service big-time grocery stores. Spoiled much? Sure, I have my preferences, but I visit all three at least occasionally. The one problem is that it is difficult to keep track of the aisles and where different things are. For instance, in one store, I can almost never find the raisins. So when I went looking for canned black-eyed peas (silly me!) in the bean section, all I could find were dried. Figuring that was cheaper and better than nothing, I continued on my way. And then I spotted the canned black-eyed peas...in the canned vegetable section. This thoroughly confused Joe who kept asking me whether black-eyed peas were legumes or vegetables and led to agreeing that "legume" was a pretty fun word.

Whether canned or dried, this was perfect for a cloudy, gray Monday after Daylight Savings Time went into effect. Add Cajun seasoning and Tabasco (which is aged in Bourbon barrels, score!) to your taste buds' liking. Joe threw in some chicken andouille sausage with his portion. With all the vegetables, whole grain rice, and beans, this is some real stick-to-your-ribs vegetarian cuisine.

Black-Eyed Pea "Jambalaya"
source: Beth Eats
Yields 4 servings

Ingredients

2 tsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup brown rice
2 (15 ounce) cans black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chiles with liquid
1 tsp Cajun seasoning
1/2 tsp Tabasco
1/2 tsp black pepper
Salt to taste

Preparation

Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, and celery, cook about 5 minutes, or until tender. Add garlic and parsley and saute 2-3 more minutes. Pour in the broth, and mix in rice, black-eyed peas, and diced tomatoes with green chiles. Add Cajun seasoning, Tabasco, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until rice is tender.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 408.7
Total Fat: 2.8 g
Total Carbs: 77.1 g
Dietary Fiber: 14.5 g
Protein: 21.3 g

Couscous with Chickpeas, Tomatoes, and Edamame

2010-03-15T07:30:00.001-05:00

I meant to post this before Spring Break and our trip to Puerto Rico, but I was heavily distracted by the impending sun and warmth after two days of icy, sleety stuff falling from the sky. So I figured I should post it now before I get back into my normal routine and face the papers and sermons I have to write.

Another (somewhat) exciting development in our household: we joined Costco. We are now officially smug marrieds with a condo and a Costco membership. But seriously, I was very impressed and surprised with the good deals I found on foods that I try to make a healthy part of my diet: Greek yogurt, nuts, sweet potato fries, fish, and feta cheese, which features prominently in this dish. Between the chickpeas and the edamame, it's full of protein and fiber, which I've found help keep me full and satiated even when I'm going meatless. It's also quite tasty and could function as a main course or as a side dish. Plus, healthy one-skillet meal! Joe had his with a side of chicken sausage.

Couscous with Chickpeas, Tomatoes, and Edamame
source: Serious Eats
Yields 5 servings

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup fresh or frozen shelled edamame
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 1/4 cups water, divided
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil (I used 2 tsp dried basil.)
1 (16-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup uncooked couscous
1 cup coarsely chopped green onions (about a bunch)
1 cup crumbled feta cheese

Preparation
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add edamame, red pepper, and garlic; cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in 1/2 cup water, basil, chickpeas, and tomatoes; simmer 15 minutes. Add 1 3/4 cups water and salt; bring to a boil. Gradually stir in couscous. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 5 minutes. Stir in onions and feta; toss well.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 454 (28% from fat)
Fat: 13.9g (sat 5.4g,mono 4.3g,poly 2.6g)
Protein: 20.7g
Carbohydrate: 62.4g
Fiber: 11g
Cholesterol: 27mg
Iron: 4mg
Sodium: 990mg
Calcium: 307mg

Coffee Toffee Bars

2010-03-04T07:30:00.000-06:00

On Monday afternoon, Joe's childhood pet, a 17 year-old terrier named Toffee was put to sleep and sent to the big farm in the sky. She was in bad health, so Joe said good-bye to her when we were up in Wisconsin in July. But as I know all too well, even saying good-bye to an elderly pet can be painful, so I decided to honor Toffee's life and the love she gave and was given by baking these treats. Note that these are for human consumption and not for dogs!

I was afraid that these would not turn out and that I would've just wasted two sticks of butter. I almost threw in an egg to help the dough along, but it's just a really crumbly dough, so be warned. The taste is different considering from the visual that you're thinking, "Oh! Chocolate chip cookie bars!" But the coffee and the almond extract give it a different depth of flavor. We will eat these and raise a glass in Toffee's memory. Rest in peace.

Coffee Toffee Bars
source: Tasty Kitchen

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup Brown Sugar
1 teaspoon Almond Extract
1 Tablespoon Instant Coffee
½ teaspoons Baking Powder
¼ teaspoons Salt
2-½ cups Flour (approximately) (I used 2 cups)
1 cup Chocolate Chips

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350-degrees.

Cream together the butter and brown sugar.

Blend in the almond extract, instant coffee, baking powder and salt.

Add enough flour to make a stiff dough.

Press into a well-greased 9×13 pan and sprinkle chocolate chips on top.

Bake at 350 F for 20 to 25 minutes.

Cool in the pan on a rack. Cut into pieces as desired.

Mongolian Tofu

2010-03-03T07:30:00.000-06:00

Some kind of tofu stir-fry is a standby during these meatless Lent months, and I'm always looking for different sauces to approximate that greasy Chinese food that we hardly ever eat. Actually, a good (good being relative) Chinese take-out place is the one thing around us that we don't have. We've got Turkish and Neapolitan pizza and sushi and Mexican and Vietnamese not too far up the road but no Chinese (save for the sketchy buffet right across the street. I'm not counting it.)

Anyway, this sauce had that great sweet and salty combination going on here. It made a ton of sauce, so I threw in a package of frozen Asian-style vegetables. I also needed another tablespoon of cornstarch to get it to thicken as much as I wanted it to. Joe commented on the nice caramel flavor from the brown sugar. You could certainly use this with a beef stir-fry as well.

Mongolian Tofu
source: Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations

Ingredients

2 tsp olive oil
1 block firm or extra firm tofu, with the water pressed out and cubed
Cornstarch, approximately 2-3 tbsp
1/2 tsp minced ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c low sodium soy sauce
1/2 c water or broth
3/4 c brown sugar
1 green onion, chopped

Preparation

Toss tofu with cornstarch to coat
Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat
Add the tofu and cook until browned on all sides, about 6-8 minutes
In the meantime, mix the soy sauce, water (or broth) and brown sugar in a bowl
Once the tofu has browned, add the garlic and ginger; saute 1 minute
Add the soy sauce mixture and stir; bring to a steady simmer and then reduce to low. Let simmer for several minutes to thicken the sauce.
Add half of the green onions
Serve over rice and garnish with green onions

Zesty Wheat Berry-Black Bean Chili

2010-03-02T07:30:00.000-06:00

One of the things that I appreciate about going meatless during Lent is that it's a great impetus for me to branch out and try some new things, even if I have to go hunting for them. I had never cooked with wheat berries before. If you're curious, I found them in the bulk foods section of Whole Foods. The wheat berries added a nice chewy texture and an understated nutty flavor to this chili, which otherwise has some pretty standard chili flavors.

Normally I think of chilis as a hearty, stick-to-your-ribs kind of food, and while this chili will fill you up, it also has some nice light, citrusy flavor from the lime, oregano, and cilantro to keep it from getting too heavy. Really, it's the perfect transitional season chili. It's still pretty chilly out there, but the days are getting longer, and I'm beginning to see the heads of daffodils poking out of the ground. So for a chilly, end-of-winter evening, this chili will have you thinking about spring.

Zesty Wheat Berry-Black Bean Chili
source: Eating Well
6 servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 large bell pepper,chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed (I used 3 cups cooked black beans.)
2 14-ounce cans no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
1-2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced (I used 1 even though we like spicy food.)
2 cups vegetable broth
2 teaspoons light brown sugar
2 cups Cooked Wheat Berries
Juice of 1 lime
1 avocado, diced (I omitted.)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add beans, tomatoes, chipotle to taste, broth and brown sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes.
Stir in cooked wheat berries and heat through, about 5 minutes more. Remove from the heat. Stir in lime juice. Garnish each bowl with avocado and cilantro.

Tortellini Primavera

2010-03-01T07:30:00.000-06:00

When I realized that my Cooking Light magazine subscription had lapsed and I went to Amazon to renew it, they also had an Eating Well subscription for $5. I use the Eating Well website frequently to plan meals and decided that $5 for a year's worth of issues was a pretty good deal. Unlike Cooking Light, Eating Well deals almost exclusively with food. While I enjoy the other articles about fitness and travel in Cooking Light, I appreciate Eating Well's focus on food-related issues like seafood sustainability. It's a much smaller magazine than Cooking Light, but I still found several recipes I look forward to making.

This recipe came from the most recent issue of Eating Well, under their quick meals section. And wow, was this fast! Frozen tortellini and frozen vegetables came together under a creamy sauce in mere minutes. The lengthiest part of this recipe was waiting for the water to boil for the pasta. In addition, it was flavorful and cheesy but still light. Serving it with a side salad adds even more veggies to the meal!

Tortellini Primavera
source: Eating Well March/April 2010
5 servings

Ingredients

1 14-ounce can vegetable broth or reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, sliced
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon, dill or chives or 1 teaspoon dried tarragon (I used 1 tsp dried dill)
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 cups chopped vegetables, such as broccoli, carrots and snap peas, or 16-ounce bag frozen mixed vegetables (I used an Italian vegetable blend.)
1 16-ounce package frozen cheese tortellini

Preparation

Put a large pot of water on to boil.
Meanwhile, whisk broth and flour in a small bowl. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until just beginning to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the broth mixture to the pan, bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in cheese, tarragon (or dill or chives) and salt.
Add vegetables and tortellini to the boiling water; return the water to a simmer and cook until the vegetables and tortellini are tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain; add to the pan with the sauce and stir to coat.

Nutrition facts can be found at the link above.

Jalapeno Baked Fish with Roasted Tomatoes and Potatoes

2010-02-24T07:30:00.000-06:00

Even though this didn't turn out well for me, I still have high hopes because the blunders were due to user error. I should've used a more mild fish like tilapia. The swai I used was a little on the fishy side. I also undercooked it, which led to me having to put it back in the oven in the middle of our dinner. I was really hoping to absolutely love this dish, but I guess it was just one of those nights in the kitchen. One dish, no stovetop, minimal knife skills required, plus it gives you enough baking time to clean up the food processor and set the table. The tomato sauce was very good, though next time I'll either use fresh jalapenos or more of the pickled jalapenos as I wanted a little more spice. And there will be a next time. This dish is too easy and healthy and quick for me to write it off completely.

Jalapeno Baked Fish with Roasted Tomatoes and Potatoes
source: Rick Bayless' Mexican Everyday via The Way the Cookie Crumbles and Dinner and Dessert

Ingredients
4 medium (1 pound total) red-skin boiling or Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced ¼-inch thick
1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
Salt
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice
1 large garlic clove, peeled and cut in half
⅓ cup (loosely packed) coarsely chopped cilantro, plus extra for garnish
About ¼ cup sliced canned pickled jalapenos
1 tablespoon jalapeno pickling juice
Four 4- to 5-ounce (1 to 1¼ pounds total) skinless fish fillets, preferably ¾ to 1 inch thick

Preparation

Turn on the oven to 400 degrees. Scoop the sliced potatoes into a microwaveable 8×8-inch baking dish. Drizzle on the oil and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt. Toss to coat, then spread the potatoes in an even layer. Cover with plastic wrap and poke a couple of holes in the top. Microwave on high until the potatoes are nearly tender, about 4 to 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a food processor or blender, combine the tomatoes with their juice, garlic, cilantro, jalapenos, and pickling juice. Process to a puree, leaving just a little texture.

Lay the fish fillets in a single layer over the potatoes. Pour the tomato mixture evenly over the fish and potatoes.

Slide the baking dish into the oven. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the fish flakes when pressed firmly.

Scoop a portion of the fish-potato-sauce onto each dinner plate, sprinkle with cilantro, and serve right away.

Pasta with Sweet Tomato Sauce and Baked Ricotta

2010-02-23T09:11:00.003-06:00

On Saturday night, I made an amazing dinner. I'm eating pescetarian for Lent, and Joe isn't the biggest fan, but I'm the cook so I make the rules. But when I make dinners like this, I don't hear a peep from him about them being vegetarian. I even made homemade noodles for only the second time ever in between cheering for the Vanderbilt Men's basketball team against Kentucky (they failed to tie it up in the last 2.5 seconds). The problem? The picture I took is incredibly unappetizing, even for my low photography standards. But I still want to post the recipe because it was SO delicious. I particularly loved the addition of balsamic vinegar to the tomato sauce as it gave the sauce a very distinct flavor. If you would like to see a picture, I will send you to Cate's blog and Bridget's blog, both of whose photography skills far outrank mine even on a good day and who I hope will convince you to make this dish. It's the perfect match for homemade noodles, even if you don't have a pasta machine. I just made the dough and rolled it out very thin and then cut the noodles with a pizza cutter.

Pasta with Sweet Tomato Sauce and Baked Ricotta
source: Jamie Oliver via Cate's World Kitchen

Ingredients
1 15-ounce container ricotta, drained in a cheesecloth-lined strainer for a few hours
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
salt and pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes in juice
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp sugar (if needed)
1 pound wide pasta, such as pappardelle
a handful of fresh basil, torn
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan

Preparation
After you’ve drained the ricotta, preheat the oven to 400F. Put a piece of parchment on a baking sheet and put the ricotta in the center. Flatten it so you have a 1″ thick disk.

Rub all over with 1 tbsp olive oil, then sprinkle with oregano, salt and pepper. Bake for about 15 minutes, then remove and set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil to cook the pasta.

Heat the other tablespoon of olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and garlic and cook over medium until soft, 3 or 4 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and simmer for about 15 minutes, then crush the tomatoes with a spoon. Taste and add sugar (optional), salt, pepper, and balsamic vinegar.

When the pasta is cooked, drain and reserve some of the pasta water.

Toss the cooked with the sauce and a tablespoon or two of pasta water and the tomato sauce, and basil. Crumble up the ricotta and add to the pasta with the parmesan cheese.

Valentine's Day Veal Piccata

2010-02-20T17:53:00.003-06:00

One of the restaurants that has been important in Joe's and my life together is Damian's Cucina Italiana in Houston. It's an unassuming brick building in Midtown, right across from Brennan's. We first ate there for a meeting of the Texas Academy of Family Physicians when Joe was in medical school. That was when I fell in love with their veal piccata. The sauce was silky and buttery, and the veal was so tender that it nearly melted in my mouth. I don't remember what it was served with because the veal stole the show. We also ate at Damian's the night that Joe proposed, and of course, I had the veal piccata. So when I was planning a Valentine's Day menu and Joe requested Italian, my thoughts immediately went to making veal piccata.

We brainstormed a menu that included Caesar salad, roasted asparagus, veal piccata on a bed of fettuccine, and Molten Chocolate Spiced Cabernet Cakes. While it certainly wasn't a cheap dinner, it was a much more economical option than one of the many prix fixe menus around town. The piccata sauce was a dead ringer for the sauce at Damian's with lots of lemon flavor tamed by the silky sweetness of the butter, but the veal wasn't quite as tender as I would've liked.

Veal Piccata
adapted from Joy of Cooking, 75th Anniversary Edition

Ingredients
1 lb boneless veal cutlets pounded to slightly less than 1/4 inch
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp capers, drained
1/4 cup butter, softened
salt and black pepper

Preparation
Season the veal cutlets with salt and black pepper and dredge in the flour, shaking off the excess.

Heat 1 tbsp each of olive oil and butter in a large skillet over high heat. Brown the cutlets for about 30 to 60 seconds on each side. Remove and keep warm.

Add white wine and lemon juice to the pan. Bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits with a spoon. Reduce the heat and simmer until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and whisk in butter, capers, and salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the sauce over the scaloppine and serve immediately.

Chicken Parmesan Burgers

2010-02-17T07:30:00.000-06:00

I really like different kinds of sandwiches. The different interplay of ingredients sandwiched between bread is something I particularly enjoy. It's even better if a recipe takes something that isn't particularly healthy and, using the same flavors, transforms it into something healthy, quick, and delicious. A few other people have made these burgers around the food blogosphere, and there have been nothing but rave reviews. I cooked mine in our George Foreman instead of using the broiler, but there are a lot of options in terms of the method you use.

Chicken Parmesan Burgers
source: Elly Says Opa

Ingredients
1 lb. ground chicken
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup plain bread crumbs
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
1 clove garlic, finely minced or pressed
1 shallot, finely diced
salt and pepper

1/2 cup pasta sauce
4 slices mozzarella or provolone (or 1/2 cup shredded)
sauteed mushrooms (optional)
4 buns

Preparation

Lightly mix together all the ingredients for the burgers. Form into 4 patties. I like to make them about 30-40 minutes ahead of time, to let the flavors meld a little bit.

Preheat & spray the broiler with a little oil (or use the grill, or a pan). Broil the burgers for about 4 minutes on the first side, then flip and broil for 3 minutes. Top each chicken burger with 2 Tbsp. pasta sauce and a slice (or about 2T) of cheese. Place back under the broiler for 30-60 seconds, until cheese in melted and burger is cooked through. Top with mushrooms, if desired. Place the buns in the broiler for about 10 seconds, just until toasted.

In-a-Flash Chicken-Broccoli-Peanut Pasta

2010-02-16T07:30:00.000-06:00

Pasta is one of those foods which I have a difficult time controlling my portion sizes. But when chicken and broccoli bulk it up, 2 oz of pasta goes a long way. The peanut sauce was a little thinner than I normally prefer but was still very flavorful, and we bumped up the spiciness with some Sriracha. This came together very quickly and is a perfect, balanced weeknight meal.

In-a-Flash Chicken-Broccoli-Peanut Pasta
source: Cara's Cravings
Yields 2 servings

Ingredients
1 tsp olive oil
2 small or 1 large chicken breast, 8-10oz total
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1tsp ground ginger
4oz whole grain pasta
10oz package frozen chopped broccoli
pinch of crushed red pepper
1 cup chicken broth
2 tbsp natural creamy peanut butter
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp agave nectar or honey
fresh chopped cilantro, for garnish

Preparation

Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions. When there are about 5 minutes remaining, add the frozen broccoli. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, blend together chicken broth, peanut butter, soy sauce, and agave until smooth.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cut the chicken breast into bite-size chunks and season with salt & pepper. Add the chicken to the pan and brown on all sides; remove from pan. Add scallions and garlic, cook one minute more. Add ginger and red pepper; cook for about 30 seconds more. Add the sauce and the chicken to the skillet with the onions, garlic, ginger and pepper. Simmer over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes, until thickened. Toss with drained pasta and broccoli and heat through. Serve with fresh chopped cilantro.

Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 2
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 522.8
Total Fat: 13.4 g
Cholesterol: 74.0 mg
Sodium: 818.2 mg
Total Carbs: 64.0 g
Dietary Fiber: 11.7 g
Protein: 44.6 g

Super Bowl Party

2010-02-15T12:49:00.003-06:00

The Super Bowl was a great excuse to have people over to eat, drink, and watch the game. While neither Joe nor I are big football people, he went to college in New Orleans and has strong emotional ties to the city. We had taken several trips to New Orleans during Mardi Gras and were excited that the Saints were going to play in the Super Bowl. Our guests contributed with delicious appetizers and desserts, but I'll show you all what I made.

Buffalo Chicken Dip
source: Frank's Red Hot

Ingredients
8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup blue cheese or ranch salad dressing
1/2 cup any flavor FRANK'S® REDHOT® Sauce
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese or shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cans (12.5 oz. each) chunk chicken breast in water, drained

Preparation
Combine cream cheese, salad dressing, buffalo sauce, and cheese. Mix in chicken. Either bake in an oven-safe dish at 350-degrees for 20 minutes or place in small crockpot for several hours on low. Serve with celery sticks or crackers.

Bourbon Slush
source: Evan Williams Cooking with Bourbon

Ingredients
12 oz frozen lemonade juice concentrate
6 oz frozen orange juice concentrate
2 1/2 cups brewed tea, cooled
1 cup sugar
2 cups bourbon
6 cups water

Preparation
Mix ingredients together until well-blended. Place in freezer until slushy. This will go quickly, so you might want to double the recipe!

Joe actually made these all by himself while I was prepping everything for the chili!

Jalapeno Poppers
source: The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients
Jalapenos
Cream cheese
Bacon

Preparation
Halve jalapenos and remove seeds and membranes. Fill with cream cheese and wrap with bacon. Bake on a pan with a rack at 375-degrees for 20-25 minutes.

I don't normally make beef chilis, so I didn't have a go-to recipe, though I had bookmarked this one a long time ago. It was delicious and had a lot of spice. I offered cheese, avocados, cilantro, green onions, sour cream, and green onions to top everyone's chili with. I doubled the recipe, which fit perfectly into my Dutch oven and fed everyone.

Paula Deen's Spicy Chili
adapted from Reservations not Required

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground chuck
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 jalapeno, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
2 (15-ounce) cans ranch-style beans
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chiles

Preparation

In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, brown ground chuck, until beef is crumbly. Stir in onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, garlic, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper.

Stir in beans, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and green chiles. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes uncovered, stirring occasionally.

Caramelized Tofu with Pecans and Brussel Sprouts

2010-02-09T07:30:00.000-06:00

When Joe asked me what was for dinner, and I responded, "Caramelized tofu with pecans and brussel sprouts," he said, "Yes!" That boy sure loves his brussel sprouts, so much so that they override his suspicion of tofu. My best friend Abby made this recipe and posted it on her (awesome, hilarious Canadian) blog, and it looked right up my alley. The sweetness from the caramelized brown sugar and pecans offset the slight bitterness of the brussel sprouts perfectly. I liked the variety of textures present in the dish. I also ended up doubling the recipe since I bought a pound of brussel sprouts, and my package of tofu was 15 oz.

Caramelized Tofu with Pecans and Brussel Sprouts
source: 101 Cookbooks via Sounds like Canada

Ingredients
7 - 8 ounces extra-firm tofu cut into thin 1-inch segments
a couple pinches of fine-grain sea salt
a couple splashes of olive or peanut oil
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
3 tablespoons fine-grain natural cane sugar or brown sugar
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped (I omitted.)
1/2 lb. brussel sprouts, washed and cut into 1/8-inch wide ribbons

Preparation

Cook the tofu strips in large hot skillet (or pot) with a bit of salt and a splash of oil. Saute until slightly golden, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and pecans, and cook for another minute. Stir in sugar. Cook for another couple of minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro. Scrape the tofu out onto a plate and set aside while you cook the brussel sprouts.

In the same pan (no need to wash), add a touch more oil, another pinch of salt, and dial the heat up to medium-high. When the pan is nice and hot stir in the shredded brussel sprouts. Cook for 2 - 3 minutes, stirring a couple times (but not too often) until you get some golden bits, and the rest of the sprouts are bright and delicious.

Peanut Butter Cookies

2010-02-08T07:30:00.000-06:00

On Wednesday, my friend L grabbed me after theology and asked me if I would be interested in baking for our field ed group the next day. Another friend and member of our group, J and his wife had just had their first baby, and we wanted to acknowledge and celebrate J's entry into fatherhood. I, of course, jumped at the chance.

Sometimes I over-think baking for people, especially in a group. Is anyone vegan or gluten-free or allergic to nuts? I decided to make these peanut butter cookies and prayed that no one was allergic to nuts and would feel left out. The first time I made these cookies was with my best friend Abby when I visited Bloomington last May. She rightly calls them crack cookies. They are seriously addictive, and I ate 5 (at least they're small) while they were cooling on the rack. Sure enough, the cookies that I brought were quickly devoured, and I was encouraged to bring more baked goods to field ed group should I feel the urge to bake again.

These cookies have a great peanut butter flavor, and I appreciate the addition of chocolate chips. I skipped rolling them in more sugar, since I didn't feel like they needed it. They can be easy to overbake, and I thought they weren't done enough, but when they cooled, they were perfect.

Peanut Butter Cookies
source: Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup peanut butter at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup peanut butter chips
1/2 cup chocolate chips

For sprinkling: 1 tablespoon sugar, regular or superfine

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, the baking soda, the baking powder, and the salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and the peanut butter together until fluffy. Add the sugars and beat until smooth. Add the egg and mix well. Add the milk and the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat thoroughly. Stir in the peanut butter and chocolate chips. Place sprinkling sugar — the remaining tablespoon — on a plate. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls into the sugar, then onto ungreased cookie sheets, leaving several inches between for expansion. Using a fork, lightly indent with a crisss-cross pattern, but do not overly flatten cookies. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Do not overbake. Cookies may appear to be underdone, but they are not.

Cool the cookies on the sheets for 1 minute, then remove to a rack to cool completely.

Buffalo Chicken Meatloaf

2010-02-03T07:20:00.000-06:00

I'm always on the lookout for recipes that will make Joe happy but won't break my calorie budget, so when I saw this Buffalo Chicken Meatloaf first on The Novice Chef and then on Erin's Food Files (check out her new blog layout!), I knew that it would hit the spot. True to my intuition, Joe and I both loved it. Vegetables add some bulk, and the hot sauce makes it so flavorful that nobody missed the fat. Plus, meatloaf is a lot easier to make than frying chicken wings.

Buffalo Chicken Meatloaf
source: Biggest Loser Family Cookbook via The Novice Chef and Erin's Food Files

Ingredients
Cooking spray
2/3 cup old fashioned oats
1/2 cup fat free milk
1/3 cup hot sauce, plus more to sprinkle on top
1 lb extra-lean ground chicken breast
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup shredded carrot
1/4 cup finely chopped sweet onion
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup crumbled reduced fat blue cheese

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly mist a 9” x 5” x 3” nonstick loaf pan with olive oil spray.

Combine oats and milk in a medium size mixing bowl. Mix well. Let stand for 3 minutes or until oats are softened. Stir in hot sauce until well mixed. Add chicken, celery, carrots, onion, egg whites, and salt. With fork, mix ingredients well. Add blue cheese and gently mix.

Transfer mixture to pan and spread so that top is flat. Sprinkle on a couple shakes of hot sauce and spread evenly. Bake 35 to 40 mins or until chicken is no longer pink. Cut into 8 slices. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 263 calories per serving, 35g protein, 14g carbohydrates, 6g fat (2g saturated fat), 74mg sodium (Note: 2 slices = 1 serving.)

Cocoa-Nana Bread

2010-02-02T07:30:00.000-06:00

Joe has been asking me to make me something with chocolate in it for his breakfasts, and until now, I've managed to avoid that. When I saw this week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe, it looked like a great way of appeasing Joe while using up some of the bananas in my freezer. Some people balked at the chocolate-banana combination, but I thought of bananas dipped in chocolate...yum! This is a definitely doable fairly dense, quick bread recipe, and the chocolate flavor is the predominant flavor for the banana-averse.

Cocoa-Nana Bread
source: Dorie Greenspan's Baking: From My Home to Yours via Obsessed with Baking

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup semisweet cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 stick unsalted butter at room temp
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 ripe bananas, mashed
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped, or 1/2 cup store-bought chocolate chips

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350. Butter a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan and place it on an insulated baking sheet or on two regular baking sheets stacked on top of the other. (This extra insulation will keep the bottom of the bread from over baking.)

Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt and baking soda.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter at medium speed for about a minute, until softened. Add the sugars and beat for 2 minutes more. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for a minute after each addition. At this point, the batter may look a little curdled -- it's okay. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the mashed bananas. Add the dry ingredients in 3 additions, mixing only until they disappear into the batter. Still on low speed, add the buttermilk, mixing until it is incorporated. Stir in the chopped chocolate. Scrape the batter into the pan.

Bake for 30 minutes. Cover the bread loosely with a foil tent to keep the top from getting too dark, and continue to bake for another 40 to 45 minutes (total baking time is between 70 to 75 minutes) or until a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for at least 20 minutes before running a knife around the edges of the bread and unmolding. Invert and cool to room temp right side up.

Carrot Cake Pancakes

2010-02-01T07:30:00.000-06:00

We woke up on Saturday morning to a winter wonderland in Nashville, and the roads were pretty much impassable. Fortunately, I had everything I needed to make these delicious pancakes. A lot of the bulk comes from the shredded carrots, of which my food processor made quick work, but the spices add a lot of the carrot cake flavor. The batter is thick and needs to be spread thinner on the griddle, otherwise the middle doesn't cook through. Definitely try these for a variation on your normal pancake without any added fat.

Carrot Cake Pancakes
source: Cooking Light January 2010

Preparation

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
Dash of ground cloves
Dash of ground ginger
1/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups finely grated carrot (about 3 medium/large carrots)
Cooking spray
3 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons honey

Preparation

1. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour and next 7 ingredients (through ginger) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Combine 1/4 cup brown sugar and next 4 ingredients (through eggs); add sugar mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Fold in 2 cups carrot.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Spoon a 1/4 cup of batter onto pan, spreading with a spatula. Cook for 2 minutes or until tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked. Carefully turn pancakes over; cook 1 minute or until bottoms are lightly browned. Repeat procedure twice with remaining batter. Combine butter and honey in a small bowl; serve with pancakes.

West African Vegetable and Peanut Stew

2010-01-29T12:40:00.003-06:00

It's snowing in Nashville right now. Really snowing. My classes were cancelled, and we're allegedly expecting 6-10" before this is all over. It's the perfect day to hibernate with some of this stew that I made last night. Truthfully, this is much more my kind of stew than a heavy beef version. The curry peanut flavor together with the lime and cilantro takes me somewhere warmer, and all of the vegetables fill me up with all kinds of health benefits. This does take some time to come together, but it makes quite a bit more than the 4-5 servings the recipe stated, so you can eat it for days. Judging by the weather, that might be a good thing at this point!

West African Vegetable and Peanut Stew
source: Food and Wine via The Tennessean

Ingredients
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 large garlic cloves, minced
2 jalapeños, seeded and finely chopped
1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger
1 1/2 Tbsp curry powder
1 14-oz can diced tomatoes, with their liquid
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
2 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
2 carrots, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 cups frozen cut okra
1 cup frozen green beans or 1/4 pound fresh green beans, cut into 2-inch lengths
1/4 cup cilantro leaves (optional)
1/4 cup chopped salted peanuts (optional)
Lime wedges, for serving (optional)

Preparation
Heat the oil in a large pot. Add the onion, garlic, jalapeños and ginger and cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until the onion is lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Add the curry powder and cook, stirring, until fragrant and lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Whisk in the broth and peanut butter, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Cook over moderately high heat for 15 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the sweet potatoes and carrots, cover partially and cook over moderately low heat until the vegetables are just tender, about 20 minutes. Add the okra and green beans, cover partially and cook until all the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes longer. Transfer the stew to bowls and serve hot. Pass the cilantro, peanuts and lime wedges at the table.

Skillet Gnocchi with Spinach and White Beans

2010-01-27T07:30:00.000-06:00

It should come as no surprise that I like to eat. However, this can make weight-maintenance and/or loss a challenge, especially when I crave some cheesy pasta dish. One way to avoid eating a whole box of pasta is to bulk it up with vegetables, like in this recipe. Potato gnocchi are cooked with sliced onions, spinach, tomatoes, and white beans. The beans add fiber and protein and are texturally-similar to the gnocchi, so you hardly know they're there. A sprinkling of good Parmesan and part-skim mozzarella gives you flavor and makes this feel indulgent. Serve with a mixed green salad.

Skillet Gnocchi with Spinach and White Beans
source: Eating Well
Yields 6 servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 16-ounce package shelf-stable gnocchi
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup water
6 cups chopped spinach leaves (or kale, chard, or green of your preference)
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes with Italian seasonings
1 15-ounce can white beans, rinsed
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add gnocchi and cook, stirring often, until plumped and starting to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and onion to the pan and cook, stirring, over medium heat, for 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and water. Cover and cook until the onion is soft, 4 to 6 minutes. Add chard (or spinach) and cook, stirring, until starting to wilt, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, beans and pepper and bring to a simmer. Stir in the gnocchi and sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover and cook until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling, about 3 minutes.

Malaysian Lime-Coconut Swordfish

2010-01-25T07:30:00.000-06:00

This weekend, Joe and I accomplished a seemingly impossible and challenging task for us. We ate every single meal at home. Granted, we painted the town red on Wednesday night for his birthday, thus somewhat necessitating some nutritional and fiscal recoup. But I don't know if we've ever gone a whole weekend without going out for a meal. I also branched outside of my norm, preparing not one but two new foods in this meal: swordfish and bok choy. I've eaten both of them before but never prepared them myself. I simply stir-fried the chopped bok choy with some garlic and sesame oil. The other side consisted of curry-roasted potatoes.

But the fish was the star of the show. The meaty swordfish steaks, grilled perfectly by Joe, were complemented by a phenomenal sauce. The sauce had multiple notes: citrus, sour, sweet, and spicy. The coconut milk gave the sauce body without being too heavy. I found myself dipping the bok choy and potatoes in some of the extra sauce. This sauce would go with any firm-fleshed fish or even chicken. The recipe originally calls to broil the fish, but we chose to grill.

Malaysian Lime-Coconut Swordfish
source: Cooking Light July 2000

Ingredients

1/3 cup light coconut milk
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon Thai chili paste (I doubled)
2 shallots, peeled
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 (1 1/2-pound) swordfish steak (about 1 inch thick) (I had 2 steaks totaling about 1 lb.)
Cooking spray
Cilantro sprigs (optional)
Lemon wedges (optional)

Preparation

Preheat grill.

Combine coconut milk, cilantro, lemon zest, fish sauce, sugar, lime juice, chili paste, shallots, and garlic in a food processor; pulse 3 times or until coarsely chopped. Spread 1/2 cup shallot mixture evenly over fish. Grill, flipping once, until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Serve the fish with the remaining shallot mixture, and garnish with cilantro sprigs and lemon wedges, if desired.

Mongolian Beef

2010-01-22T13:42:00.003-06:00

Making Chinese food dishes at home is surprisingly easy and tasty without all of the grease once you get some of the ingredients. I know I put off buying hoisin sauce for quite a while, but now it's so easy to throw something like this together knowing that I already have most of the ingredients on hand. Besides, the two things I miss most when I'm eating healthfully are pizza and Chinese food. I doubled the amount of chili-garlic paste, which made it quite spicy. If you use the original amount, it will still have some heat. I served this on top of lo mein noodles, but next time, I think I will add some broccoli and serve it over brown rice.

Mongolian Beef
source: Cooking Light December 2009
Yield 4 servings

Ingredients

2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons dry sherry (I subbed dry vermouth)
2 teaspoons hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon chile paste with garlic (I doubled.)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons peanut oil
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
1 pound sirloin steak, thinly sliced across the grain
16 medium green onions, cut into 2-inch pieces

Preparation

1. Combine first 8 ingredients, stirring until smooth.

2. Heat peanut oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add minced ginger, minced garlic, and beef; sauté for 2 minutes or until beef is browned. Add green onion pieces; sauté 30 seconds. Add soy sauce mixture; cook 1 minute or until thickened, stirring constantly.

Classic 100% Whole Wheat Bread

2010-01-20T07:30:00.000-06:00

I've finally figured out the best way to make bread without a) destroying the kitchen and leaving my husband to clean up piles of flour or b) ending up with a funny bread machine pan-shaped loaf. Let the bread machine do the kneading work on the dough cycle, and then bake it in a normal loaf pan. This bread recipe comes from the venerated King Arthur Flour company, and I originally saw it on the back of a flour bag. Knowing that others loved King Arthur Flour for their recipes and the quality of their flour, I wanted to give it a try. This whole wheat loaf is dense but moist and perfect for coating a slice with some butter, fresh and warm right out of the oven. I will be making this recipe again.

Classic 100% Whole Wheat Bread
source: King Arthur Flour

Ingredients
2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast, or 1 packet active dry yeast dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
1 1/3 cups (10 1/2 ounces) water
1/4 cup (1 3/4 ounces) vegetable oil
1/4 cup (3 ounces) honey, molasses, or maple syrup
3 1/2 cups (14 ounces) King Arthur Traditional Whole Wheat Flour
1/4 cup (1 ounce) nonfat dried milk
1 1/4 teaspoons salt

Preparation

Mixing: In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients and stir till the dough starts to leave the sides of the bowl. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased surface, oil your hands, and knead it for 6 to 8 minutes, or until it begins to become smooth and supple. (You may also knead this dough in an electric mixer or food processor, or in a bread machine programmed for "dough" or "manual.") Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover the bowl, and allow the dough to rise till puffy though not necessarily doubled in bulk, about 60 minutes, depending on the warmth of your kitchen.

Shaping: Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled work surface, and shape it into an 8-inch log. Place the log in a lightly greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan, cover the pan loosely with lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow the bread to rise for about 1 hour, or until it's crowned about 1 inch above the edge of the pan. A finger pressed into the dough should leave a mark that rebounds slowly.

Baking: Bake the bread in a preheated 350°F oven for about 40 minutes, tenting it lightly with aluminum foil after 20 minutes. Test it for doneness by removing it from the pan and thumping it on the bottom (it should sound hollow), or measuring its interior temperature with an instant-read thermometer (it should register 190°F at the center of the loaf). Remove the bread from the oven, and cool it on a wire rack before slicing. Store the bread in a plastic bag at room temperature. Yield: 1 loaf, 16 slices.

Chickpea and Spinach Curry

2010-01-18T07:30:00.001-06:00

Last year, when I became pescatarian for Lent, I went through and bookmarked a bunch of vegetarian recipes from Epicurious. Occasionally, when I'm looking for inspiration, I remember those recipes and revisit them. This time I realized that I had the makings for one of the dishes and put it on the menu. Better yet, it even used the slow-cooker, though it could be adjusted for the stovetop. Based on some of the reviews, I bumped up some of the spices and added more, but it was still a tad on the bland side. Next time I would add more garam masala, curry powder, and cayenne powder. The website calls this "spicy", but there was almost no heat!

Chickpea and Spinach Curry
adapted from Epicurious

Ingredients

2 cups dried chickpeas, picked over
8 cups baby spinach leaves
2 (15-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

Preparation

In large bowl, combine chickpeas and enough cold water to cover by two inches. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.

Drain chickpeas, then combine in slow cooker with 1 cup water. Cover and cook on high, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 3 to 4 hours. Add spinach, tomatoes and their juices, coriander, cumin, garam masala, turmeric, curry, cayenne, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and pepper. Reduce heat to low and cook 1 hour more. Sprinkle in remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, stir in cilantro and serve.

Ginger Glazed Mahi Mahi

2010-01-13T15:17:00.002-06:00

Much to my dismay, I tend to not branch out very much when dealing with seafood. Usually, if we have seafood, it's either shrimp, salmon, tilapia, or catfish. This week I took Joe to the grocery store with me, and he picked out two mahi mahi fillets for us to have. A quick Google search led me to this All Recipes recipe that used ingredients that I already had, and it was incredibly good. The glaze is tart from the vinegar but sweet from the honey and spicy from the ginger, while the soy sauce adds an umami flavor. Even though I only had two fillets, I used the full amount of marinade. I had never cooked mahi mahi at home and was pleased at what a meaty fish it was. It would hold up well on the grill in the summer. In the time it took for the fish to marinade, I got brussel sprouts and potatoes roasting in the oven, making this a quick supper as well!

Ginger Glazed Mahi Mahi
source: All Recipes

Ingredients
3 tbsp honey
3 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp grated fresh ginger root
1 clove garlic, crushed
4 (6 oz) mahi mahi fillets
1 tbsp canola oil

Preparation

In a shallow glass dish, stir together the honey, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, ginger, garlic and olive oil. Season fish fillets with salt and pepper, and place them into the dish. If the fillets have skin on them, place them skin side down. Cover, and refrigerate for 20 minutes to marinate.
Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove fish from the dish, and reserve marinade. Fry fish for 4 to 6 minutes on each side, turning only once, until fish flakes easily with a fork. Remove fillets to a serving platter and keep warm.
Pour reserved marinade into the skillet, and heat over medium heat until the mixture reduces to a glaze consistently. Spoon glaze over fish, and serve immediately.

Chilaquiles Casserole

2010-01-12T11:08:00.003-06:00

If there is one genre of food that I constantly find myself attracted to making, it's the "healthy Mexican-inspired casserole." Luckily, there are tons of recipes and variations on recipes of this sort, and, while I have the few that I make over and over again, I have yet to grow tired of experimenting. This version used grated zucchini, which intrigued me, and also provided a use for some enchilada sauce that had been sitting in my pantry for a while. The enchilada sauce adds most of the flavor and heat, though you could add bell peppers, jalapenos, or any other kind of vegetable or pepper to this casserole without any problem. I cut down the cheese by a 1/4 cup, and it was plenty cheesy. This will also make for great leftovers, if not a great picture.

Chilaquiles Casserole
source: Eating Well

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 medium zucchini, grated
1 19-ounce can black beans, rinsed (or a 15-oz can, whatever is available)
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
1 1/2 cups corn, frozen (thawed) or fresh
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 corn tortillas, quartered
1 19-ounce can mild red or green enchilada sauce
1 1/4 cups shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese (I used 1 cup of full-fat Cheddar cheese)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly coat a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in zucchini, beans, tomatoes, corn, cumin and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are heated through, about 3 minutes.
Scatter half the tortilla pieces in the pan. Top with half the vegetable mixture, half the enchilada sauce and half the cheese. Repeat with one more layer of tortillas, vegetables, sauce and cheese. Cover with foil.
Bake the casserole for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the casserole is bubbling around the edges and the cheese is melted, about 10 minutes more.

Spaghetti Squash with Kale, Raisins, Walnuts, and Feta

2010-01-07T13:39:00.002-06:00

One of the oft-repeated tips to eating healthfully and sustainably is to use meat as a side or garnish, which is exactly what I did last night. The central focus of the plate was this gorgeous vegetarian dish using the odd but filling spaghetti squash. On the side, I had a link of pesto chicken sausage. The kale added a hint of bitterness and a touch of color, but I loved the addition of the sweet raisins and salty feta. There's something to that sweet-salty combination. The original recipe calls for spinach, which would cook down a bit more than my kale, but any green you have around will do.

Spaghetti Squash with Kale, Raisins, Walnuts, and Feta
source: Cara's Cravings

Ingredients
1 large spaghetti squash, roasted, seeds discarded
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small sweet onion, sliced
10 oz of kale, chopped and stems removed
30gm walnuts
40gm raisins
1oz feta cheese, crumbled
pinch of nutmeg, salt & pepper

Preparation
Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over low heat. Remove from heat when they are fragrant and just beginning to brown.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Cook the onions until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the kale, cover, and let cook until the kale is wilted down, about 5 minutes.

Use two forks to remove the stringy flesh from the cooked spaghetti squash. Toss this with the kale and onions, and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add the walnuts and raisins and heat through. Mix in about half of the crumbled feta, and top with the rest of the cheese to serve.

Hamburger Buddy

2010-01-02T11:14:00.003-06:00

Oh, comfort food. Somehow, it's those things from childhood that we tend to crave during stressful times or the cold, dark days of winter. This meal is a take on Hamburger Helper but adds a healthy spin with the addition of a pureed vegetable mix of carrots, onions, and mushrooms. Perfect for a picky child or husband, this will fill you up but not weigh you down. With a side salad, you'll have even more vegetables on your plate! I found it a tad on the bland side, so it perhaps needs a little more thyme and salt, but you can add whatever other spices or herbs you think would go well with it.

Hamburger Buddy
source: Eating Well
Yields 6 servings

Ingredients

3 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
2 medium carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
10 ounces white mushrooms, large ones cut in half
1 large onion, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 pound 90%-lean ground beef
2 teaspoons dried thyme
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 cups water
1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium beef broth, divided
8 ounces whole-wheat elbow noodles, (2 cups)
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, or chives for garnish

Preparation

Fit a food processor with the steel blade attachment. With the motor running, drop garlic through the feed tube and process until minced, then add carrots and mushrooms and process until finely chopped. Turn it off, add onion, and pulse until roughly chopped.
Cook beef in a large straight-sided skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the chopped vegetables, thyme, salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables start to soften and the mushrooms release their juices, 5 to 7 minutes.
Stir in water, 1 1/2 cups broth, noodles and Worcestershire sauce; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
Whisk flour with the remaining 1/4 cup broth in a small bowl until smooth; stir into the hamburger mixture. Stir in the sour cream. Simmer, stirring often, until the sauce is thickened, about 2 minutes. Serve sprinkled with parsley (or chives), if desired.

2009 Year In Review

2009-12-31T09:50:00.004-06:00

I don't think I got around to doing one of these posts last year, but I have a little time, so I figured it would be a good time to recap the year. Instead of doing a Top 10 posts or something like that, I just want to talk a little about my year and then tell you what recipes from 2009 I've been making over and over again. In any event, Happy New Year from Joe and me! I hope you all have a wonderful 2010 and eat lots of delicious food!

From January through April, I was in school, hard at work but still managed to cook quite a bit. For Lent, I became pescatarian and really enjoyed finding creative ways to eat mostly vegetarian while still keeping my husband happy. By Easter, I think Joe was impressed, though he said he did not want me to do it again this year. In March, we visited Savannah and Atlanta on our Spring Break and had a wonderful time, even though the weather was unseasonably cool.

In May, I started my Clinical Pastoral Education, working as a chaplain for hospice. It was so much more exhausting than normal school work that I rarely cooked anything new. The fortunate thing about the summer was that Joe was finally finished with his intern year of residency, so we were able to travel a bit on the weekends. We especially enjoyed our trip to the Louisville-area to visit friends in July. That was also what sparked the idea for our Bourbon Trail Adventure!

In August, somewhat to our surprise and amazement, we bought a condo and moved. Although I had a much bigger kitchen, school hit me really hard this semester. Our new place is also conveniently close to many restaurants that we wanted to try, which led to a decrease in my experimenting and trying new dishes. For my 25th birthday, we had a marvelous local, sustainable dinner at Delvin Farms. In November, my niece was born, and Joe and I had our Kentucky Bourbon Trail experience (Part 1 and Part 2). After my finals and papers were turned in, my dad and I drove to Austin to visit his granddaughter and my niece. We also ate a lot of Tex-Mex. Then my parents and Joe and I drove to Charlottesville, VA for Christmas to be with my grandparents and other family.

It's been an exciting year. I'm halfway finished with graduate school. We bought our first property. Our cats and parents are healthy. We are so fortunate to be living in a great location in a great city with wonderful friends and vocational opportunities for both of us.

Having a food blog is interesting because it's difficult to tell what I actually make repeatedly, what goes permanently in the kitchen repertoire due to taste, ease of preparation, or, more likely, a combination of the two. So now is the time when I'll tell you what I made in 2009 that I make repeatedly. They aren't necessarily the BEST meals I made, but they are my kitchen staples.

Black Bean Burrito Bake
Soba Salad with Feta and Peas
Tomato Basil Soup
Black Bean Tortilla Casserole
Quinoa Soup with Avocado and Corn
Oatmeal Breakfast Clafoutis
Thai Peanut Turkey Burgers
Roasted Corn and Goat Cheese Quesadillas
Mango-Agave Sorbet
Gnocchi with Summer Vegetables
Ham and Cheese Corn Muffins

Kale and White Bean Soup

2009-12-30T10:15:00.002-06:00

Look at that bowl full of delicious vegetables and hearty greens. You can almost feel the health benefits from that dark green leafy kale. Due to the Southern tradition of eating greens and black-eyed peas on New Year's Day, both items were drastically on sale this week, so I stocked up on two large bags of kale, already washed and chopped for me. That made this soup even easier. Without the sprinkle of cheese on top, it would also be vegan, if you so desire. Despite lacking any strong spice in the recipe, the flavor of all the ingredients balanced nicely. The sweetness of the carrots and acidity of the tomatoes complemented the strong flavor of the greens with the beans adding protein and heft. It also comes together very quickly, making it a perfect weeknight soup.

Kale and White Bean Soup
source: Whole Foods Market

Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup diced yellow onion
4 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 (32-ounce) box vegetable broth
4 cups packed chopped kale (I tossed in 4 big handfuls.)
1 (14.5-ounce) can Italian-Style Diced Tomatoes
1 (14.5-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced

Preparation
In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes longer. Add broth, kale, tomatoes, and fresh carrots and cover. Cook 5 minutes or until kale is tender. Add beans and heat thoroughly. Serve hot, garnished with Parmesan cheese or croutons, if you like.

Ancho Pork and Hominy Stew

2009-12-29T09:50:00.002-06:00

Like many others, I overindulged this holiday season. Add to that an unusually stressful semester at school, which led to some stress-eating during finals, and stepping on the scale yesterday was not a pretty sight. But in the middle of winter, who wants a salad? This is the time of year when I crave thick, hearty stews and regular "diet" food is not going to do it for me.

Yet again, Cooking Light to the rescue. This stew is only 300 calories per serving but is immensely filling and flavorful. I consider a meal a success when Joe asks if he can take the leftovers for lunch. After two bites of this stew, he asked if he could take the leftovers for the next few days! Joe's Christmas present to me was a beautiful red, oval-shaped, 6 qt enameled cast iron Dutch oven, and it was the perfect vessel for this stew. During the searing of the pork, those lovely little brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pot and were scraped into the broth, adding a ton of flavor. I served this with the jalapeno corn bread recommended by Cooking Light, made in my cast iron skillet. Follow the link for additional nutritional information and the cornbread recipe.

Ancho Pork and Hominy Stew
source: Cooking Light December 2009
Yields 6 servings

Ingredients
2 tbsp ancho chile powder (or other high-quality chili powder. I used Penzey's Chile 3000.)
2 tsp dried oregano
1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground cumin (I halved the cumin because I used regular chili powder.)
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 lbs pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 tbsp olive oil, divided
2 cups chopped onion
1 1/2 cups chopped green bell pepper
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 1/2 cups fat-free less-sodium chicken broth
1 28 oz can hominy, drained
1 14.5 oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained

Preparation

1. Combine dry spices in a large bowl and set aside 1 1/2 tsp of spice mixture. It will be added in later. Toss the pork pieces with the spices until thoroughly coated.

2. Heat 2 tsp oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, and add pork mixture to pan. Cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until browned. Remove pork from the pan and set aside.

3. Add remaining 1 tsp oil. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook 5 minutes, stirring, or until tender. Add pork back into the pan, along with the reserved spice mixture. Add broth, hominy, and tomatoes. Bring contents to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Partially cover and simmer for at least 25 minutes.

Cranberry Pork Roast

2009-12-28T13:04:00.003-06:00

I feel like I'm really on a pork kick lately. It goes so well with all kinds of fruits, and there are so many different cuts and uses for pork. This roast could even take the place of a beef roast at a holiday meal, especially since the cranberries make it so festive. Of course, I'm a little late for that since I've been out of town. First, my dad and I drove to Austin to visit my brother and my new niece who was born on November 11th. Then we went to Charlottesville, VA for Christmas with my grandparents. LOTS of time in the car and not so much time cooking healthful food. Joe gave me a lovely flame red enameled cast iron Dutch oven for Christmas, and I'm looking forward to using that very shortly!

Cranberry Pork Roast
adapted from: Beantown Baker

Ingredients
1 (2.5-3 lb) pork loin roast or rib roast
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon dried mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup fresh cranberries
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown
1/3 cup dried cranberries
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/3 cup cranberry juice
1/2 small lemon, thinly sliced

Preparation

Mix dry spices and cornstarch together. Pat meat dry and rub spice mixture onto all surfaces of the meat. Add to a 4-6 qt slow-cooker.

Add fresh cranberries, sugar, dried cranberries, and garlic. Pour in cranberry juice, and top with lemon slices.

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or high for about 4. The longer you cook the meat, the more tender it will be.

Cranberry Ginger Muffins

2009-12-17T07:30:00.000-06:00

Nothing says winter to me quite like cranberries. Those tart red orbs are a classic flavor this time of year. In graduate school, we read and absorb so much that we joke about how sometimes we don't have an original thought. Even when I think I may have had an original thought, I can usually go back in a book I've read or a lecture I've listened to and find the same idea. The same thing goes for cooking. I'm just honestly not that brilliant of a cook, so when I thought "cranberries and candied ginger in a muffin," I knew someone else had probably had the same thought at some point. So I went searching and found this recipe.

These muffins have some strong flavors going on. With the tartness of the cranberries and spice of the ginger, no one will mistake these for cake. The oats bulk them up. They freeze well and, heated up in the microwave, make the perfect pre-exam breakfast. Or really any kind of breakfast.

Cranberry Ginger Muffins
source: Coconut & Lime

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup flour
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1 cup cranberries
1/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup chopped uncrystallized candied ginger (I used crystallized candied ginger)
1/3 cup light brown sugar
2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350. Line or grease and flour one 12 well muffin tin. In a large bowl, mix together the oatmeal, egg, oil, milk, and sugar. After it is thoroughly mixed, add in the flour, salt and baking soda. Stir to combine. Fold in the cranberries and ginger chunks. Divide evenly amount 12 muffin wells.

Bake 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the center muffin comes out clean. (Mine took about 25 minutes.)

Bourbon Ball Martini

2009-12-16T07:30:00.000-06:00

What good would my trip to the Bourbon Trail be if I did not present you with fun ways to enjoy bourbon? Many of the distilleries sold bourbon balls in their gift shops, a chocolate covered candy sometimes topped with a pecan. At the Heaven Hill distillery, I purchased a small book called Cooking with Bourbon containing recipes from appetizers to entrees to desserts and, the most important section, cocktails, which is where this recipe came from. As a warning, this makes a rather large martini, so you might want to split it with someone you love. One of the things I like about this drink is that it isn't creamy like so many dessert-y cocktails. The recipe recommends that you garnish with bourbon balls, but chocolate shavings would also be a nice touch.

Bourbon Ball Martinis
source: Cooking with Bourbon

Ingredients
2 oz. bourbon whiskey
2 oz. creme de cocao
1 1/2 oz. hazelnut liqueur (like Frangelico)

Fill a shaker with cracked ice. Combine ingredients, shaking to chill. Strain into a martini glass. Garnish with two bourbon ball chocolates on a skewer.

Crockpot Red Curry Chicken with Butternut Squash

2009-12-15T07:30:00.000-06:00

Somebody recently stated that they don't "get" crockpots. What's not to get? With often minimal preparation, the crockpot makes dinner for you, yielding blended flavors and moist, tender meat. This crockpot meal is relatively prep-heavy, even if you skip browning the chicken like I did, so it's better for a weekend meal, or you could prep it the night before and keep it in the refrigerator. Either way, coming home to a delicious, healthy curry makes any day better.

Next time, I would follow Cara's steps instead of trying to make it faster. I definitely missed some flavor, though the texture was deliciously creamy due to the squash. As an alternative to the fat-laden curries that I like from Thai restaurants, this does the trick. I served it on top of jasmine rice that I cooked using the rest of the coconut milk.

Crockpot Red Curry Chicken with Butternut Squash
source: Cara's Cravings

Ingredients
1 medium onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1lb butternut squash, peeled and chopped (or substitute another winter squash)
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 6oz each
1/2-1 tsp each cinnamon, ginger, and cumin
salt & pepper
2 tsp red curry paste
2 cloves of garlic
1 tbsp fish sauce
juice from 1/2 lime
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup chicken broth
1 tbsp cornstarch
fresh basil or cilantro, for garnish

Preparation

Place the onions, peppers, and squash in the bottom of the crockpot.

Cut the chicken into small pieces and toss with the cinnamon, ginger, cumin, salt and pepper. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat, and saute the chicken for a few minutes on each side, until browned.

Place the chicken in the crockpot. Combine the curry paste, garlic, fish sauce, lime juice, coconut milk, extract, and broth in a blender and process until smooth. Pour over the chicken and vegetables.

Cover and cook on low for 6 hours. Stir cornstarch into 2 tbsp of water until no lumps remain and gently stir into the liquid in the crockpot. Increase heat to high and cook for another 20 minutes to thicken. Garnish with basil or cilantro.

Kentucky Bourbon Trail, Part 2

2009-12-14T07:30:00.000-06:00

Okay, I'm back to tell you about the second half of our trip to the Bourbon Trail. Here's Part One.

We headed off on Tuesday morning to Buffalo Trace Distillery to make their 10 am tour. Our tour guide was absolutely fantastic, very energetic and knowledgeable. The tour started off with a cheesy video and then we learned a little bit about bourbon.

Although we didn't see much of the grounds on the tour, Buffalo Trace has beautiful, sprawling grounds that were just getting decorated for the holidays with lights and such. One of things that tickles me about the distilleries is that they're such an ingrained part of life in the area. Buffalo Trace has an Easter egg hunt, and we passed what looked like a elementary school that was sponsored by Wild Turkey.

Buffalo Trace is the oldest continuously operating distillery. Due to Prohibition, most distilleries closed down, but Buffalo Trace was allowed to continue operating in order to produce medicinal whiskey. On this tour, we did not see any of the distilling process, though they do have a "hard hat" tour by reservation.

They were bottling Blanton's when we were there. Blanton's is not only a very fine whiskey, but the stoppers also have different jockeys on top that spell out B-L-A-N-T-O-N-S if you collect them all. I enjoyed this tour because our tour guide gave us a lot of fun trivia about bourbon and Buffalo Trace in general. A short tasting followed the tour, and Buffalo Trace's gift shop was one of the nicer ones in terms of the sheer variety of things they offered.

Next we followed the turkey tracks to Wild Turkey Distillery.

We arrived shortly before their 12:30 pm tour and took the time to have some hot cider and peruse the gift shop. Our tour guide was, to be blunt, not very entertaining, and I had some difficulty hearing him. We saw quite a bit of the distilling process and machinery, but after the sixth fermentation tank, it isn't as exciting. Until...

we met Jimmy Russell, master distiller of Wild Turkey for 55 years. He's kind of a big deal in the bourbon world but didn't seem to mind taking a bit of time to talk to us. It completely redeemed the tour, especially considering that there is no tasting.

Next up was my absolute favorite tour. Joe and I had debated about going to Woodford Reserve, but we were so glad that we did. On the drive there, we passed several horse farms with large houses set on a gently rolling carpet of green. When we pulled into the distillery, we could hardly believe our eyes: gorgeous white limestone buildings nestled in a valley. This was the only tour that cost anything ($5) but we gladly paid it and warmed up with some bourbon coffee while we waited for our tour to start.

Another video kicked off the tour which was led by a retired science teacher, so he knew how to keep us entertained. He explained the bourbon-making process in a way that I understood things I had heard 6 times before and never quite caught. Woodford Reserve is simply stunningly beautiful, and they triple-distill their whiskey through these gorgeous copper stills.

Interestingly enough, they also heat and cool their warehouses whereas other distilleries rely on nature. They also claim that they are the only distillery that also raises horses, though the horses were off racing. We saw a bit of the bottling process and then headed back up the hill to try some Woodford Reserve (official bourbon of the Kentucky Derby!) which came in a small plastic glass that we could keep. If you could only go on one distillery tour, I would definitely recommend Woodford Reserve or Maker's Mark, depending on which end of the trail you're close to.

The sun was setting so we headed back to Lexington for a few drinks before dinner. We planned on eating at The Dish and parked our car close to the restaurant hoping to find a place close by. After wandering into a bar that didn't seem to welcoming to non-regulars, we walked around the corner to Buddy's Bar and Grill where they had a big sign posted with their Happy Hour specials. With 1/2 off appetizers and $2 premium drafts, we decided to pull up some seats at the bar and join the guys watching the UK basketball game. The bartender was friendly and helpful and let us try the Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale before we bought a pint. The Bourbon Barrel Ale is an ale that is aged for up to 6 weeks in used bourbon barrels giving it that sweet oaky taste of bourbon and kicking the ABV up to almost 8%. I wouldn't drink this beer all the time, but it's a neat novelty.

Our dinner at The Dish was quite lovely and was our one "nice" dinner out. I had the Grouper and Butternut Squash Ravioli, but Joe won the ordering contest with his Hazelnut Stuffed Chicken. His came with these caramelized brussel sprouts that were delicious. We drove back to Bardstown stuffed and happy.

We still had one more distillery to go: Heaven Hill Distillery. This one was easy, located right outside historic Bardstown. I am unsure what their tour hours are, but we arrived and were told one would be starting in a few minutes. The Bourbon Heritage Center has all kinds of neat exhibits ranging from trivia to historic stills that were used by pioneers. So if you have to wait for a tour, you can entertain yourself. Heaven Hill suffered a very bad fire in 1996. Like you probably can imagine, whiskey can BURN.

These are Heaven Hill's rickhouses. Their distilling process currently happens in Louisville, but they store the barrels and bottle in Bardstown. We mainly toured the rickhouses and watched a video. The best part of the tour was the tasting. Inside of the Bourbon Heritage Center is a GORGEOUS tasting room shaped like a bourbon barrel. We tried Evan Williams Special Reserve and Elijah Craig 12 yr. I found the Elijah Craig just slightly too oaky for my tastes. I wish we had poked around the exhibits a little bit more as they were very informative and presented well.

On our way out of town, we stopped at Toddy's Liquors in Bardstown, which was recommended by our Tom Moore guide. They had an amazing selection of bourbons, and their prices were at least a few dollars cheaper than at the distilleries. When we bought a bottle of Woodford Reserve, the cashier remarked that they had received some gift sets that day that were the same price as just the bottle and swapped it out.

Our last stop was Jim Beam since we didn't get to see the video or do a tasting the first day. It was on our way back to the interstate so it wasn't too much of a detour. We tasted Red Stag, their cherry-infused bourbon (which I like chilled though it tasted like cough syrup neat) and Basil Hayden's. Jim Beam is MASSIVE, and they don't have a tour set up, so they take you to Booker Noe's old house and show a short video explaining the history of the distillery.

This is me with Booker Noe in front of his house. They are planning on restoring some of the older buildings and developing more of a tour.

My completed Kentucky Bourbon Trail passport! I sent it in and will receive a t-shirt. A few distilleries had the t-shirt on display, and they are surprisingly nice-looking.

I would highly recommend the Kentucky Bourbon Trail for an affordable domestic vacation. There is so much to think about that the distilling process captures: modernization and the need for a consistent product, American history, the effects of Prohibition, etc. In a time where people are concerned about preservatives and eating locally, bourbon is made mostly from corn grown within 100 miles of the distillery, by law cannot have any additives, and uses water from local lakes that is naturally filtered by limestone. The distilling industry also employs American citizens in an area of the country that would be much more impoverished if not for the industry.

Joe and I planned our trip primarily using Bourbon Review magazine, which gave us information about distilleries as well as ideas on where to eat and drink in Lexington. As I've said, if you could do one distillery tour, either Maker's Mark or Woodford Reserve would be a great choice. Unless you're a big Jim Beam or Wild Turkey fan, I could have done without going on those tours if we had been stressed for time. If you have any further questions, please contact me!

Cinnamon Ice Cream

2009-12-03T19:06:00.003-06:00

I tried to keep things relatively simple for Thanksgiving this year, knowing that Joe and I were going to be out of town up until the day before, so I wouldn't have a lot of time beforehand to prep. Consequently, I was a lot more relaxed than I have been in previous years. So relaxed that I ended up burning the rolls. Oh well! Before we left on our trip, I made this ice cream to go with the standard pumpkin and Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pies. It was the perfect complement. The cinnamon flavor is definitely present but not overbearing, and it made the ice cream slightly more exciting and seasonal than plain vanilla. This is the perfect ice cream with which to top your apple, pecan, pumpkin, or any other variation of fall pie.

Cinnamon Ice Cream
source: Lime in the Coconut (originally from David Leibowitz's The Perfect Scoop)

Ingredients
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
pinch of salt
10 3-in long cinnamon sticks, broken up (I bought mine for a very affordable price at Cost Plus World Market)
2 cups heavy cream
5 large egg yolks

Preparation
Warm the milk, sugar, salt, cinnamon sticks and 1 cup of the cream in a medium saucepan. Once warm, cover, remove from the heat, and let steep at room temperature for at least one hour.

Rewarm the cinnamon-infused milk mixture. Remove the cinnamon sticks with a slotted spoon and discard. Pour the remaining cup of cream into a bowl and set a strainer on top.

In a separate bowl, whisk together egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrap the egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan. Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat, scraping the bottom, until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Pour the custard into the strainer set over the cream. Refrigerate until cool.

Freeze in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions.

Kentucky Bourbon Trail, Part 1

2009-11-28T09:17:00.005-06:00

This year has been quite the eventful year for Joe and me, so when our week-long vacation was coming up Thanksgiving week, we wanted to go on vacation but couldn't break the bank doing it. After our trip to the Louisville area and the Maker's Mark distillery, we decided to take a trip to the Bourbon Trail, see more of the distilleries, and eat, drink, and relax. Only 2 and a half hours from Nashville and all but one of the tours are free, making it a very affordable get-away.

We left Nashville after church on Sunday and arrived at our bed and breakfast in Bardstown, Kentucky by 4 pm. After consulting and comparing several websites, the You're Invited Inn B&B was the most affordable and ranked #1 on Tripadvisor.com. We stayed in the red and gold room, which was exquisitely decorated and comfortable. Alvin and Easter, the owners, were so kind and welcoming that we felt like we were staying at some friend's parents' house. Every morning included a 3-course breakfast, which kept us full nearly until dinner. I cannot say enough good things about You're Invited Inn and would recommend it to anyone looking to stay in the area. It's just a few miles from historic Bardstown but very close to the Bluegrass Parkway, which provided easy access to the Lawrenceburg-area distilleries.

Once we got settled in and took a short nap, we decided to venture out to downtown Bardstown. Note: it is very difficult to find restaurants in small towns in the South that are open on Sunday. We weren't hungry yet, so we stopped at the Old Talbott Tavern Bourbon Bar to get our first taste of the Bourbon Trail.

They had a sampler of bourbons where you could pick 5 for $25, which we split. This was quite a good deal since some 1 oz pours of the same bourbons can run $8 or $9. From left to right, we had Bakers, Blantons, Four Roses Single Barrel, Elijah Craig 18 yr, and Wild Turkey Rare Breed. I particularly liked the Wild Turkey Rare Breed for its smokiness. Even after 4 other bourbons, it stood out in flavor. With our bourbon itch scratched, we roamed the dark streets of downtown looking for food to no avail. Our GPS did not provide many options either, but we ended up at an American casual restaurant called BJ's for some sandwiches and beer and then headed back to the B&B to rest up for our day of visiting distilleries.

Our plan for the day involved starting at the Jim Beam distillery (about 20 miles NW of Bardstown). However, when we arrived, we found out there was no tour, and the person who normally shows the video was out. The lady working informed us that the Tom Moore Distillery, our next stop, only had two tours a day, 9:30 am and 1:30 pm, by reservation, but if we hurried, we could make it. I called up the distillery, reserved our spots, and we zoomed back to Bardstown. The Tom Moore Distillery's most well-known bourbon is the 1792 Ridgemont Reserve, though they make 6 brands. They also have a very large bottling facility where they bottle 52 brands. They only recently reopened to the public in 2008 and have no visitor's center or tasting room, so we drove around the campus in a shuttle bus. The tour lasts approximately two hours (the longest tour of all the distilleries). There was only one other couple with us, so it was a small tour.

The bottling facility was incredible. Three lines were working that day bottling brandy, a lower-shelf bourbon, and tequila. The average length of career at Tom Moore is 26 years, so there is very little turnover. Everyone was friendly and let us gawk all we liked.

In addition to the distillation equipment, we also observed the barrels waiting to be filled and then shipped off to the rickhouses. Barrels that are used to age bourbon must, by law, be virgin, charred, white oak barrels. The charring caramelizes the natural sugar and gives the bourbon its flavor and color as the liquid moves in and out of the wood over several years. Bourbon must be aged at least two years in the barrels. When the barrels are emptied, they can be used to store brandy or other spirits and are often sold to Scotland to store Scotch. Empty, the barrels way about 130 pounds, but when full, they can weigh between 500-550 pounds.

Above is a barrel that has been aging for 10 years. The markings on the barrel show that it was barreled on November 22, 1999. When you walk into the rickhouses (the storage facilities for the barrels), you can smell the bourbon in the air. Over time, liquid in the barrel evaporates. The loss is approximately 5% the first year with 2-4% every following year.

Joe and I very much enjoyed the Tom Moore tour and thought it was the most thorough tour of the whole bourbon-making process, from when the corn and other grains arrive at the distillery to the bottling, labeling, and shipping process. It was lengthy and tiring, however. It also gives one a sense of the large distillery industry. The distillery itself was not very pretty, and we had to wear safety goggles, though it was fascinating to get such an inside glimpse of how bourbon is made today.

Our next stop was the Four Roses distillery near Lawrenceburg. The unique thing about Four Roses is the Spanish mission-style architecture, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Having seen so much on Tom Moore, I was not as impressed with the Four Roses tour, though they make some fine bourbon.

Above is a picture of the room that holds the fermentation tanks. After the corn (at least 51%) and other grains are mashed up and cooked, they are put into these tanks with special strains of yeast. Four Roses uses 10 recipes, which is also unique: 2 grain ratios and 5 strains of yeast. The blending of these recipes is what produces their bourbon. The other unique thing about the Four Roses process is that they store their barrels in single story warehouses. The other distilleries' warehouses are up to six stories tall. When you walk into one of these fermentation rooms, the smell of yeast is almost overpowering, and anyone who has worked with yeast in the kitchen will recognize it immediately. The tanks bubble away as the yeast goes to work turning sugars into ethanol for three to five days. At the end of the tour, we tasted the Four Roses Yellow Label, Four Roses Small Batch, and Four Roses Single Barrel. My favorite was the Small Batch.
The Four Roses gift shop is very nice, and the gift shop attendant was quite helpful as we wanted to go to Lover's Leap Winery as our next stop but didn't have an address. After Tom Moore and Four Roses, I was bourboned out and needed to rest my feet.

Lover's Leap Winery is located in Lawrenceburg and provided the perfect respite after several distillery tours. When we visited, it was chilly and misting, but the winery has a beautiful outside porch. We tried 6 wines for $5 (which included the wine glass) and bought a glass for $5 each along with some locally made cheese and crackers. We were the only patrons and enjoyed having the place to ourselves.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the wines, particularly the reds. I tried the Vidal Blanc (light, dry, crisp), the Bianca (more citrus and floral notes), the Sloppy Seconds (a surprisingly good blend of 7 different varietals), the Merlot, 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cynthiana. I had a full glass of the Cabernet Sauvignon, and as you can see, it was a generous pour!

Having been unimpressed by the dinner offerings in Bardstown, Joe suggested we drive the short distance to Lexington for some drinks and dinner. Our first stop was Soundbar where I had a Manhattan, and Joe had some Knob's Creek. On our way to find a place for dinner, we spotted the Bluegrass Tavern, which we had written down as a place to try in Lexington. Their bourbon selection was incredible, and Bobby, our bartender, was extraordinarily helpful, recommending bourbons we might like and just chatting with us for a while. We had half-ounce pours of Bulleit, Elijah Craig 12 yr, Pappy Van Winkle 15 yr (which was AMAZING), and Elijah Craig 18 yr single barrel. Then Bobby pointed us in the direction of Mia's, a locally-owned gay restaurant. The crabcake sandwich was perfect for soaking up some of the bourbon. Unfortunately, they had run out of potatoes for their hand-cut fries, but we enjoyed our (quite affordable) dinner and the hip atmosphere. Joe drove us safely back to Bardstown where we rested up for another day on the trail! To be continued...

Stuffed Poblanos

2009-11-20T07:29:00.000-06:00

Poblanos are probably my favorite pepper: more exotic than a bell pepper but can be used in similar ways. At Mexican restaurants, if I see some sort of item with poblanos involved, I will most likely order it. These stuffed poblanos scratched the Mexican food itch without the grease normally involved. It starts with a salsa made in the blender, which the poblanos cook in. I liked the cornmeal filling for the poblanos as it adds some heft. I realized, after I took these out of the oven, this meal does not require the stovetop at all! I served this with the salad from the Black Bean and Rice Stuffed Poblanos I made last spring.

Stuffed Poblanos
source: Ezra Pound Cake as adapted from Everyday Food

Ingredients

1 can (28 ounces) whole tomatoes in puree
1 jalapeno, ribs and seeds removed, minced
2 small onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves (2 whole, 1 minced)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 can (19 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained (I used a 15 oz can)
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup shredded pepper Jack cheese (I used sharp cheddar)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 large poblano chiles, halved lengthwise (stems left intact), ribs and seeds removed
Garnishes: sour cream, cilantro, lime zest

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. In a blender, combine tomatoes in puree, jalapeno, half the onions, and 2 whole garlic cloves; puree. Season with salt. Pour sauce into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish; set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, combine beans, cornmeal, 1/2 cup cheese, remaining onions, minced garlic, cumin, and 3/4 cup water; season with salt and pepper. (The mixture might look watery and not so appetizing. Forge ahead!)

4. Stuff poblano halves with bean mixture; place on top of sauce in baking dish. (If you have extra bean filling, you can add it to the dish.) Sprinkle poblanos with remaining 1/2 cup cheese; cover dish with aluminum foil.

5. Bake until poblanos are tender, about 45 minutes. Uncover, and continue to cook until sauce is thickened slightly and cheese is browned, 10 to 15 minutes more, rotating after 6 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes.

Spiced Pork Tenderloin

2009-11-19T07:35:00.000-06:00

I can't remember how I stumbled upon this recipe. I may have simply been browsing MyRecipes when it jumped out at me and noticed that it included items that I normally have on-hand, minus the pork tenderloin which is easy to acquire. I don't think that I've ever cooked pork tenderloin myself, though my dad likes to grill it. It came out so tender and flavorful but also very lean. Joe felt like he was getting a meat-centered meal, and I got to eat healthfully. The cinnamon and bourbon gave the pork a very seasonal taste. The recipe calls for grilling it, but I roasted mine in the marinade. I'm looking forward to preparing pork in other ways! I served this with steamed broccoli, garlic mashed potatoes from Trader Joe's, and beer bread.

Spiced Pork Tenderloin
source: My Recipes

Ingredients
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp bourbon
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 (1 lb) pork tenderloin
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350-degrees.

2. Mix sugar, bourbon, Worcestershire, and cinnamon together in a bowl. Place pork tenderloin in a freezer bag and pour the marinade over the meat, sealing the bag to close. Let sit for 10 minutes (or slightly longer) turning to coat.

3. Spray 9x13 pan with cooking spray and add pork and marinade to the pan. Roast pork in oven until thermometer reaches 160-degrees (or about 30 minutes). Let rest for 5 minutes and carve into slices.

Maple Ice Cream

2009-11-12T07:30:00.000-06:00

November doesn't exactly seem like the best month to bust out the ice cream maker, but entries in Google Reader keep popping up with seasonally flavored ice cream like pumpkin, cinnamon, and, today's treat, maple. The maple flavor is not terribly strong, but it contains just a hint. I think maple extract would make it stronger. Like most custard-based ice creams with 5 egg yolks, this is intensely creamy and smooth. Joe and I have been enjoying our ice cream with a Maple Leaf Creme Cookie from Trader Joe's.

Maple Ice Cream
source: The Perfect Scoop via Erin's Food Files

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
5 large egg yolks
3/4 cup dark maple syrup
1/8 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

Warm milk and sugar in medium saucepan. Pour cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top.

In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

Stir the mixture constantly over medium-low heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream to cool. Add the maple syrup, salt, and vanilla, and stir over ice bath until cool. Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator.

Freeze according to your ice cream maker’s instructions. Freeze until solid & scoopable.