tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39198467959163918932024-03-12T11:21:55.009-07:00Good Food Etc.A food fan's diary of eating out and eating inUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger664125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3919846795916391893.post-10619756610571748532024-03-12T11:21:00.000-07:002024-03-12T11:21:17.615-07:00Celery Salad With Roasted Mushrooms, White Beans and Feta<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2VGjHaPdx7EzH1WS4mR35LaXYJFYaSpMUBj6u_xDUXaqD33AFGs6_NzUW2DRO4azZd23ofH-7OEUwa-aeV74gZIZpBHYMYe5j8uPOVRqneCNjfqkDENOtKkVTDBR4peO421Oo78hHgpv2yfWWpgEhZ3qDk86CjR7sJSzT6Xw57fXDYfZz-9q_cJpSBDDB/s4080/PXL_20240312_175718998.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2VGjHaPdx7EzH1WS4mR35LaXYJFYaSpMUBj6u_xDUXaqD33AFGs6_NzUW2DRO4azZd23ofH-7OEUwa-aeV74gZIZpBHYMYe5j8uPOVRqneCNjfqkDENOtKkVTDBR4peO421Oo78hHgpv2yfWWpgEhZ3qDk86CjR7sJSzT6Xw57fXDYfZz-9q_cJpSBDDB/s320/PXL_20240312_175718998.jpg" width="241" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">I can honestly say I've never made anything like this before. But every main individual ingredient sounded delicious to me, and when combined, it is truly a satisfying salad. I doubled the entire recipe because 1) feta comes in a 6 oz container and 2) if I'm going to the effort of roasting mushrooms, I might as well roast twice as many, right?</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Celery Salad With Roasted Mushrooms, White Beans and Feta</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Adapted from <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/recipes/celery-salad-roasted-mushrooms-white-beans-and-feta/?utm_campaign=wp_veatvoraciously&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&wpisrc=nl_veatvoraciously&carta-url=https%3A%2F%2Fs2.washingtonpost.com%2Fcar-ln-tr%2F3bf1888%2F65ca24863f5c0a7705c611c8%2F644ff4050fb97136ec4feb00%2F22%2F49%2F65ca24863f5c0a7705c611c8">The Washington Post</a>. <i style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">From cookbook author Joy Manning. Tested by Ali Sharman.</i> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><strong style="color: #222222;">Servings:</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">4 to 6</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 29.7px; margin: 0px 0px 24px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 29.7px; margin: 0px 0px 24px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Ingredients</b></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 29.7px; margin: 0px 0px 24px;"><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">For the marinated celery</span></i></p><ul style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><li style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 27px; margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">1/4 teaspoon onion powder (original was 2 tablespoons minced shallot, which I skipped as I didn't have any)</span></li><li style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 27px; margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (original was champagne or other white wine vinegar)</span></li><li style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 27px; margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil</span></li><li style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 27px; margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar (original was 3/4 teaspoon)</span></li><li style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 27px; margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">1/2 teaspoon fine salt</span></li><li style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 27px; margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (original was 1/4 teaspoon - but I LOVE black pepper)</span></li><li style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 27px; margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">8 ribs celery (leafy stalks from the heart preferred), sliced very thin on the diagonal</span></li><li style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 27px; margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 1/2 cup cooked white beans (original was 1 cup)</span></li></ul><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 29.7px; margin: 0px 0px 24px;"><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">For the roasted mushrooms</span></i></p><ul style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><li style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 27px; margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">12 ounces cremini mushrooms, quartered</span></li><li style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 27px; margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil</span></li><li style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 27px; margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">1/4 teaspoon fine salt</span></li></ul><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 29.7px; margin: 0px 0px 24px;"><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">For assembly</span></i></p><ul style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><li style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 27px; margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley</span></li><li style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 27px; margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">1/4 cup chopped fresh mint</span></li><li style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 27px; margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill</span></li><li style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 27px; margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">3 ounces crumbled feta cheese</span></li></ul><h5 style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 27.3px; margin: 0px auto 10px;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: small;">Method</span></h5><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 29.7px; margin: 0px 0px 24px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><strong>1. </strong></span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Make the mushrooms: While the celery is marinating, position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees. Arrange the mushrooms in a single layer on a large, rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with the oil, season with salt and toss to coat. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the mushrooms have browned and are tender. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 29.7px; margin: 0px 0px 24px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><strong>2. </strong></span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Make the marinated celery: In a large bowl, whisk together the onion powder, vinegar, oil, sugar, salt and black pepper until the sugar has dissolved. Add the celery and beans and toss to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 29.7px; margin: 0px 0px 24px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><strong>3. </strong>Add mushrooms, parsley, mint and dill to the marinated celery and beans and mix until combined. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 29.7px; margin: 0px 0px 24px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><strong>4. </strong>Top with crumbled feta and serve.</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3919846795916391893.post-49608458714954719792024-02-18T08:06:00.000-08:002024-02-18T08:06:37.694-08:00Arroz Rojo (Mexican Red Rice)<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyzFo11G83JG9O5VOedmPeIcN6tPUJZcoJ3g_p_2bZ6U9h0YOXA65Xaq5h9rARyJl_79bw6LtE6UFRYzXs-_wXovn0gYfEMyV4SDOYV08rBTnb0_8KSUAKe2SfYlmK0oy-1oXBiTnvoeFkAxP1tRsL-CNDia7JZnH-ABHsjYqYe7Mk38KGwY9dDVyOVNw3/s4080/PXL_20240211_181322234.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyzFo11G83JG9O5VOedmPeIcN6tPUJZcoJ3g_p_2bZ6U9h0YOXA65Xaq5h9rARyJl_79bw6LtE6UFRYzXs-_wXovn0gYfEMyV4SDOYV08rBTnb0_8KSUAKe2SfYlmK0oy-1oXBiTnvoeFkAxP1tRsL-CNDia7JZnH-ABHsjYqYe7Mk38KGwY9dDVyOVNw3/s320/PXL_20240211_181322234.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Adapted from <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/recipes/arroz-rojo-mexican-red-rice/?utm_campaign=wp_veatvoraciously&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&wpisrc=nl_veatvoraciously">Anna Luis Rodriguez's recipe in The Washington Post</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">This caught my eye since I usually have these ingredients on hand. Unsurprisingly I wanted to add a lot more vegetables, so proportions below show what I did (if you want the more traditional version please go to the original).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Ingredients</b></span></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">2 medium Roma tomatoes (8 to 10 ounces total), halved lengthwise</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">1/4 large white onion (3 ounces total), roughly chopped</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 clove garlic</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 tablespoon vegetable or chicken bouillon paste, such as Better than Bouillon or Knorr</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 tablespoon tomato paste</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">2 cups water, or more as needed</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">2 tablespoons olive oil</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">2 cup frozen mixed vegetables (no need to defrost) - I used some fresh veggies since I had them (carrots, celery) and added frozen corn and peas</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 habanero pepper, halved lengthwise and seeded (optional)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish</span></li></ul><p></p><h2 class="wpds-c-ezEEvM" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--wpds-colors-onSecondary); font-size: var(--wpds-fontSizes-150); margin: 0px; padding-bottom: var(--wpds-space-025);"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Method</span></h2><div style="text-align: left;"><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><span color="var(--wpds-colors-gray40)" style="font-size: var(--wpds-fontSizes-125);"><span style="font-family: georgia;">In a large bowl, cover the rice with water and let soak for 10 minutes.</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Meanwhile, in a blender, combine the tomatoes, onion, garlic, bouillon, tomato paste and habanero and puree until smooth. You should have about 1 cup of thick sauce. Add the water so you get 3 cups of sauce total and blend again until well combined.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Drain the rice, then rinse 2 to 3 times or until the water runs mostly clear. Drain the rice again.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">In a large pot over medium heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the rice and cook, stirring frequently until it turns bright milky white and some grains start to turn golden, about 5 minutes. Add the vegetables (inc the cilantro) and stir to combine with the rice. Pour in the tomato sauce, stir to combine and increase the heat to high. When it starts to boil, cover, reduce the heat to low and cook until the liquid is absorbed and the rice looks fluffy, about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the rice stand, covered, to ensure the grains are evenly cooked, for another 5 to 10 minutes.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Remove the cover to release the steam. Fluff with a fork and serve, with more cilantro on top if desired.</span></li></ol><p class="wpds-c-gXWPId" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--wpds-colors-gray40); font-family: var(--wpds-fonts-subhead); font-size: var(--wpds-fontSizes-125); line-height: var(--wpds-lineHeights-150); margin: 0px;"></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3919846795916391893.post-14814956950683382222024-02-08T14:42:00.000-08:002024-02-08T14:42:00.151-08:00Opie's Tater Tot Casserole<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">After visiting friends out in Llano, we stopped by Opie's BBQ in Spicewood on the way back to Austin. While the brisket was great, the thing that blew us all away was the tater tot casserole. I immediately went on a hunt for a recipe, and found some online guidance from folks who also did their best to recreate this gorgeous, stupidly good dish.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Opie's Tater Tot Casserole</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Adapted from <a href="https://www.food.com/recipe/opies-cheesy-tater-tot-casserole-346545">Sobiedaddies on Food.com</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Ingredients</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 (2 lb) bag frozen tater tots (I use Hill Country Fare brand from HEB)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">2 (10 3/4 ounce) cans reduced-fat cream of chicken soup (can also use cream of mushroom if you want to make this vegetarian)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 (8 ounce) low-fat sour cream</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 (16 ounce) package sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (original recipe called for low-fat cheddar but I can't find low-fat sharp cheddar, only mild, and I'd rather have the sharpness so I throw caution to the wind)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 (8 ounce) package colby & jack cheese, shredded</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 teaspoon black pepper</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 (6 ounce) container French-fried onions</span></li></ul></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Method</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Mix everything but the Colby cheese and French-fried onions in a large bowl (make sure tots are still frozen so they don't break apart).</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Scoop mixture into one 9x13 pan.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for one hour.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Top with Colby cheese and then French's onions and bake for another 5-10 minutes until onions are golden brown.</span></li></ol></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3919846795916391893.post-60355594730681273262024-02-08T14:28:00.000-08:002024-02-08T14:28:21.121-08:004 Ingredient Spicy Tofu<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAWXJOHjJwLWAh15_MZToTtu3J2ua8xv-88NkoR1MWCWm6RlkNghq_W8PSK-N528FFTW-q3V37qvOTew6vatf9VfwE0pifaQKlnY67bjYxBXHrJyC67Pi4U1QWs6I6pkbdXgnZbPtV78x8dj02LW6vyIBbDfmNCcr7krcQK28BqKSLURlVhoN0eW3DHRuc/s4080/PXL_20240131_000850721.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAWXJOHjJwLWAh15_MZToTtu3J2ua8xv-88NkoR1MWCWm6RlkNghq_W8PSK-N528FFTW-q3V37qvOTew6vatf9VfwE0pifaQKlnY67bjYxBXHrJyC67Pi4U1QWs6I6pkbdXgnZbPtV78x8dj02LW6vyIBbDfmNCcr7krcQK28BqKSLURlVhoN0eW3DHRuc/s320/PXL_20240131_000850721.jpg" width="241" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">This has been a repeat favorite at home, probably because it's so easy, so tasty, and pretty healthy on top of it all. It's surprisingly vegan too.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>4 Ingredient Spicy Tofu</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Ingredients</i></span></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 bag ground meat substitute, around 12-16 oz (this has been very good with the Gardein frozen ground be'f or the Impossible ground beef)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 container tofu, 14-16 oz (any firmness works - I usually can find firm at my local grocery store, but I also love softer tofu in this dish when I make it to an Asian grocery store), cut into 1/2 inch cubes</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">12 oz bag of frozen shelled edamame</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Half of a 9.88 oz jar of Laoganma chili oil with fermented soybeans</span></li></ul><p></p><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Method</i></span></div><div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Heat a non-stick pot over medium heat. Add ground meat substitute and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Add tofu, edamame and chili oil. Stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until all ingredients are mixed and warmed through.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Eat on its own, or serve over rice.</span></li></ol></div><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3919846795916391893.post-28678226472645090752023-10-10T12:36:00.006-07:002023-10-10T12:36:49.012-07:00Red curry butternut squash and kale stew<p><span style="font-family: georgia;">A riff on the <a href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020766-red-curry-lentils-with-sweet-potatoes-and-spinach">original recipe</a> with lots of substitutions and Instant Pot tweaks...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Red curry butternut squash and kale stew</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Yield: 12 servings (freezes well)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Ingredients</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">12 servings</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">3 tablespoons olive oil</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">2 medium yellow onion, chopped</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 can Thai red curry paste</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">1/2 a head of garlic, minced</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">3-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated (about 2 tablespoons) [this did not make it into my grocery shop but I would add it next time]</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">2 tablespoons ground turmeric</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">8 oz (1/2 bag) of split peas, rinsed</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">4 cups low-sodium vegetable stock (I used chicken since that's what I had on hand)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">2 (13-ounce) cans full-fat coconut milk</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">16-ounce bag shredded kale</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Fresh cilantro leaves, for serving</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Cooked rice, for serving</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Toasted unsweetened coconut flakes, for serving (optional)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Method</i></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">In the Instant Pot, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil on the sauté setting. Add onions and garlic and cook until translucent, about 4-5 minutes. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Add the curry paste, ginger, and turmeric, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Add the butternut squash, coconut milk, stock and split peas. Put the lid on the Instant Pot and cook for 30 minutes at pressure.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Release pressure and add kale to Instant Pot. Replace lid and cook for 15 minutes at pressure.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Divide among shallow bowls with a scoop of steamed rice and top with cilantro and coconut flakes, if using.</span></li></ol><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3919846795916391893.post-57732740694756164072023-06-12T16:24:00.000-07:002023-06-12T16:24:06.202-07:00Pozole Rojo<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghkzD7ZSOGeJk5PlIqSEolzXV2CPmFoxjs0TWw_sS84MS5udnc8D2DXNimIaNZb9-z5NBXo2NRaKbgfqw1vdQY9oCSsx8RUuOn0ilPcM5paVKXxkk-zNzujglE7bWHLcteQri0KzcbcZsQwFtA4J4wzzYqqmrO2H5OowWeTegPVhAx1GbR1Qo7ssIcFw/s4080/PXL_20230308_234703568.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghkzD7ZSOGeJk5PlIqSEolzXV2CPmFoxjs0TWw_sS84MS5udnc8D2DXNimIaNZb9-z5NBXo2NRaKbgfqw1vdQY9oCSsx8RUuOn0ilPcM5paVKXxkk-zNzujglE7bWHLcteQri0KzcbcZsQwFtA4J4wzzYqqmrO2H5OowWeTegPVhAx1GbR1Qo7ssIcFw/w241-h322/PXL_20230308_234703568.jpg" width="241" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br />A and I visited Lazarus 2 and tried their pozole one evening, and loved it so much that I immediately started Googling for recipes so I could make it myself. Simply Recipes had a recipe that formed the basis for what I wanted to make, so credit goes to them for providing me with the bones of a recipe that I then tweaked to make it even simpler and to fit the ingredients that were on hand.</span><p></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Pozole Rojo</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Adapted from <a href="https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/posole_rojo/">Simply Recipes</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><b>Ingredients</b></i></span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">2 ounces dried guajillo chiles</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">2 ounces dried ancho chiles</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Salt</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">2 yellow onions, chopped</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 large (108 ounce, 6 lb 12 oz, 3 kg) can white hominy, drained and rinsed</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">3 pounds pork steaks (preferably with bone), cut into 1 to 1 1/2 inch cubes (keep all the fat!)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">8 cloves garlic</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">1/2 small cabbage, thinly sliced</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">3 bay leaves</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 teaspoon ground cumin</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">2 tablespoons dry oregano (Mexican oregano if available)</span></li></ul><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><i>Optional garnishes (can prep while pozole is cooking):</i></b></span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">2 avocados, chopped</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">4 limes, quartered</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 bunch red radishes, sliced thin</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 cup cilantro, chopped</span></li></ul><p></p><p><b style="font-family: georgia;"><i><br /></i></b></p><p><b style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Method</i></b></p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Remove and discard the stems, seeds, and large veins from the chili pods. Heat a cast iron pan on medium high and heat the chili pods for a couple minutes, until they begin to soften. Do not let them burn. While the chilies are heating, bring a medium pot with 3 cups of water to a simmer and remove from heat. Once the chiles have softened, add the chiles to the pot hot water and cover. Let the chiles soak in the hot water for 15 to 20 minutes.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Heat a tablespoon or two of olive oil (enough to coat the bottom of a large 10-12 quart stockpot) on medium high heat. Pat the pork pieces dry with paper towels. Sprinkle them generously with salt. Working in batches, taking care not to crowd the pan or stir the meat much, brown the meat on all sides. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Once the meat has browned, return all of it to the stockpot and add 5 quarts of water. Scrape up any browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Add the rinsed hominy. Add bay leaves, cumin, and oregano. When you put the oregano in, smoosh together with your hands so that the oregano breaks up more as it goes in. Add a tablespoons of salt. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat and cook for 15 minutes.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Prepare the red sauce by puréeing in a blender the chilies, 2 1/2 cups or so of their soaking liquid, a teaspoon of salt, and the garlic. (To prevent the blender from creating too much pressure, it's probably best to start with the chiles and garlic and only a cup of the liquid in the blender, and then adding the rest of the liquid.) Strain the red sauce through a sieve, discarding the tough bits of the sauce. [Note: I did not do this as I am lazy and do not own a sieve. It was fine.]</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Add red chili sauce to the pot with the pork and hominy. Add another couple teaspoons of salt. Add the shredded cabbage (this is something I did because I love cooked cabbage and I think it makes sure that we eat enough veg as part of this soup - some people would prefer the cabbage to be raw and added to the hot soup as a garnish - you can do it either way). Return to a simmer, lower the heat to just high enough to maintain a simmer, partially covered.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Cook for 2 to 3 hours until the pork is completely tender. Skim away excess fat. Taste for seasoning and add more salt to taste (you will likely need more than you expect, perhaps a tablespoon or more.) The resulting soup should be rather brothy, as you will be adding a lot garnishes. Add more water if necessary.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">When getting ready to serve the pozole, you can prep the garnishes (slice the radishes, chop the cilantro, etc.) To serve, arrange the garnishes in bowls on the table and serve the pozole soup into bowls. Let your guests pick and choose which garnishes they would like on their pozole. HIGHLY RECOMMEND THE RADISHES. They really transform the dish.</span></li></ol><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3919846795916391893.post-19963530420287485792023-01-16T17:48:00.003-08:002023-09-29T10:04:17.956-07:00Turmeric Cashew Chicken<p><span style="font-family: georgia;">This sauce. This sauce! It is so easy and so delicious that I am slightly upset I only discovered this recipe in 2023.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">I've tweaked it, obviously, as it didn't have enough delicious curry flavors the first time I made it, and I had more spices on hand that I thought would work, so I've noted what are additions from the original recipe. I'm also lazy, so skipped the step where you marinate chicken in chopped garlic and ginger, and instead just threw everything into the blended sauce. Trust me, you won't notice a difference.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Turmeric Cashew Chicken</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Serves 4</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Adapted from <a href="https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/turmeric-cashew-chicken">Bon Appetit January 2023 issue</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Ingredients</i></span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">2/3 cup raw cashews</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">5 garlic cloves</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 2" piece of ginger, roughly chopped (I leave the skin on too, after I wash the ginger)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (original recipe called for boneless skinless thighs, which is probably more delicious but not what I've been cooking with)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 tsp kosher salt</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">2 red Thai chilies (or 1 jalapeno in original recipe)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">2 tbsp lime juice</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 tsp cumin seeds</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 1/2 tsp turmeric (1/2 tsp in original recipe)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 tsp garam masala (my addition)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">3 big handfuls of baby spinach or kale (my addition)</span></p><p><span style="letter-spacing: 0.24px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Steamed rice, cilantro sprigs, and lime wedges (for serving)</span></span></p><p><span style="letter-spacing: 0.24px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><i>Method</i></b></span></p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Place cashews in a small bowl and pour in hot water to cover. Let sit until softened (you should be able to crush a nut easily between 2 fingers), 15-20 mins.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Drain cashews and transfer to a blender. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Add </span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span><span style="--type-token: consumptionEditorial.description-feature; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; line-break: auto; line-height: 1.33333em; overflow-wrap: normal;">garlic cloves,</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> ginger, red </span><span style="--type-token: consumptionEditorial.description-feature; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; line-break: auto; line-height: 1.33333em; overflow-wrap: normal;">Thai chilies</span><span style="font-family: georgia;">, </span><span style="--type-token: consumptionEditorial.description-feature; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; line-break: auto; line-height: 1.33333em; overflow-wrap: normal;">2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice</span><span style="font-family: georgia;">, </span><span style="--type-token: consumptionEditorial.description-feature; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; line-break: auto; line-height: 1.33333em; overflow-wrap: normal;">1 tsp. cumin seeds</span><span style="font-family: georgia;">, 1 </span><span style="--type-token: consumptionEditorial.description-feature; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; line-break: auto; line-height: 1.33333em; overflow-wrap: normal;">½ tsp. ground turmeric</span><span style="font-family: georgia;">, 1 tsp garam masala,</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span><span style="--type-token: consumptionEditorial.description-feature; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; line-break: auto; line-height: 1.33333em; overflow-wrap: normal;">½ tsp. kosher salt</span><span style="font-family: georgia;">, and 1½ cups water to blender and blend until smooth. Set cashew sauce aside.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Heat <span style="--type-token: consumptionEditorial.description-feature; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: normal; line-break: auto; line-height: 1.33333em; overflow-wrap: normal;">1 Tbsp. vegetable oil i</span>n a large skillet over medium-high. Cook chicken, sprinkling with 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, tossing occasionally, until cooked through, about 3 minutes. Add reserved cashew sauce and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is slightly thickened, about 6 minutes.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Add spinach or kale and stir to wilt completely, about 2 to 3 minutes.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Divide <span style="--type-token: consumptionEditorial.description-feature; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: normal; line-break: auto; line-height: 1.33333em; overflow-wrap: normal;">steamed rice</span> among shallow bowls and spoon cashew chicken over; top with <span style="--type-token: consumptionEditorial.description-feature; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: normal; line-break: auto; line-height: 1.33333em; overflow-wrap: normal;">cilantro sprigs</span>. Serve with <span style="--type-token: consumptionEditorial.description-feature; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: normal; line-break: auto; line-height: 1.33333em; overflow-wrap: normal;">lime wedges</span> for squeezing over.</span></li></ol><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3919846795916391893.post-22054013188969273212023-01-08T11:56:00.005-08:002023-01-08T11:56:54.332-08:00Coconutty Beans & Greens<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSNXLTAp2ZvMs8kS8wsIOiqhnk7f6BTZpHCl5sdsW7YWuj3I3u7fI8dwfmJi2ARArhrMr0OufP05QECWtJUd9UOEARF55JaTcTW8o3712r5WNInpwCPr2fY0pMBKZRQdZ_14HScpenuN7MYLdlN0M8SbEPDf1DQa9cVwJox76k7QLbnGXSqSzquJItWQ/s4080/PXL_20230108_195222641.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSNXLTAp2ZvMs8kS8wsIOiqhnk7f6BTZpHCl5sdsW7YWuj3I3u7fI8dwfmJi2ARArhrMr0OufP05QECWtJUd9UOEARF55JaTcTW8o3712r5WNInpwCPr2fY0pMBKZRQdZ_14HScpenuN7MYLdlN0M8SbEPDf1DQa9cVwJox76k7QLbnGXSqSzquJItWQ/w241-h320/PXL_20230108_195222641.jpg" width="241" /></span></a></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Some may remember a 9-month period where A and I attempted to be vegan (at least at home). It introduced me to a lot of new recipes and was a good way for us to be a little more mindful of how much meat we have in our diet, and we still mostly use milk substitutes at home now (A is particularly fond of coconut milk for the flavor it adds to his teas and coffees).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">This recipe happens to be vegan, but I think it's so flavorful that it beats a lot of non-vegan recipes for me. A feature by Zaynab Issa, associate food editor at Bon Appetit, says this is a take on mbaazi wa nazi, an East African pigeon pea dish, so I should clearly go seek that out as this dish was a big hit. The picture above shows how many jars of this are ready to go for quick lunches during the week.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Coconutty Beans and Greens</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Adapted from <a href="https://www.bonappetit.com/">Bon Appetit</a>, February 2023 issue</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">6 servings</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><b><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">Ingredients</span></i></b></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 medium onion, coarsely chopped</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 plum tomato, coarsely chopped</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">3 garlic cloves</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 1" piece ginger, scrubbed</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">2 red Thai chilies (I bought a fairly large size bag of frozen ones at the Asian grocery and so always have them in the freezer)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">1/2 tsp ground coriander</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">1/2 tsp ground cumin</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 tsp kosher salt</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 13.5oz can of unsweetened coconut milk</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 medium sweet potato, peeled and sliced into 1/4" rounds and then quartered </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 16oz package baby spinach & kale (my substitution for chard)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">2 15oz cans navy beans (a substitution for cannellini, butter or gigante beans)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 tbsp fresh lemon juice</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Optional: baguette</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><b><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">Method</span></i></b></p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Puree onion, tomato, garlic, ginger and chiles in a blender until smooth. I had to add 1/4 cup of water to get this to work, but it's fine, it cooks off in the next step.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Heat 1 tbsp oil in a deep pot over medium heat. Add blender mixture and 1/2 tsp salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until moisture is evaporated and mixture is paste-like in consistency and beginning to stick to bottom of pot.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Stir in coriander, cumin, and 1/2 tsp salt. Pour in coconut milk and 2 cups water and stir to combine. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to buil. Add sweet potato and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 10-12 minutes.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Add beans, spinach and kale and cook, stirring occasionally, until spinach and kale is wilted, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Taste and add more salt and lemon juice as needed.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Spoon into bowls and serve. If using baguette, slice it and toast it in a pan with a small amount of oil, then serve on the side of bowls.</span></li></ol><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3919846795916391893.post-53946549218219185532022-02-28T13:40:00.001-08:002022-02-28T13:40:27.850-08:00Tomato, Asparagus, And Herbed Ricotta Tart<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhV5-EzkRkiwpPDPy9cCr3C9Qgqs6qSKCJiMGl4DdMKCtzLqAE5NEF20jZD5E8toKtwun_R7ggodMI_JyyGdco2lKMBjuo3UFb4C51hbw2VO460GIedeFrH40BGLVkbneWHaClK12GwFDpwbFeYxJH-lI-Ql25wN9t771Qj7XFx8iGVWHymb-_itwYtsw=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1960" data-original-width="4032" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhV5-EzkRkiwpPDPy9cCr3C9Qgqs6qSKCJiMGl4DdMKCtzLqAE5NEF20jZD5E8toKtwun_R7ggodMI_JyyGdco2lKMBjuo3UFb4C51hbw2VO460GIedeFrH40BGLVkbneWHaClK12GwFDpwbFeYxJH-lI-Ql25wN9t771Qj7XFx8iGVWHymb-_itwYtsw=s320" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br />Hey y'all. While lots of cooking has been happening here (pandemic, etc), I will freely admit that it has not been particularly inspired. More of a "what will get us fed somewhat healthily with a minimum of effort", which means nothing makes it onto the level of saving the recipe on this site. The discovery of this tart recipe was remarkable in that I had a lot of what was needed AND it sounded really different from our usual meals. I upped all the herbs by quite a bit, since I love them, and didn't use any garlic though I'm sure that would be a nice addition. I know the original recipe says it makes 6 servings, so don't be alarmed by A and I ate this whole thing, split between just the two of us. And I don't regret that decision at all.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Tomato, Asparagus, And Herbed Ricotta Tart</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Adapted from <a href="https://leitesculinaria.com/396475/recipes-cherry-tomato-asparagus-herbed-ricotta-tart.html">Leite's Culinaria</a></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia; letter-spacing: -0.04em;"><b><i>Ingredients </i></b></span></p><div data-recipe="396481" data-servings="6" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-color: white; color: #333333;"><div style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia;">One</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia;"> </span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia;">(9- to 11-oz)</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia;"> </span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia;">sheet puff pastry</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia;"> </span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia;">rolled to a 10- by 12-inch (25- by 30-cm) rectangle</span></li><li><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia;">12</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia;">ounces</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia;">whole milk ricotta</span></li><li><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia;">1 3/4</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia;">ounces (about 1/2 cup)</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia;">Parmesan cheese</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia;">finely grated</span></li><li><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia;">1</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia;">medium sprig (about 10-12 leaves)</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia;">fresh basil</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia;">finely chopped</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">1/4 oz package of </span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia;">fresh chives</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia;">finely chopped</span></li><li><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia;">small bunch of</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia;">flat-leaf parsley</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia;">finely chopped</span></li><li><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia;">1 clove garlic, optional</span></li><li><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia;">Zest of 1/2 or whole lemon </span></li><li><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia;">5</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia;">ounces</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia;">asparagus spears</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia;">woody ends trimmed</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 medium tomato, sliced and seeds removed</span></li><li><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia;">1</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia;">tablespoon</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia;">olive oil</span></li><li><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia;">1</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia;">large</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia;">egg</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia;">beaten</span></li><li><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia;">Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper</span></li></ul><b><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Directions</i></span></b></div></div><div data-recipe="396481" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-color: white; color: #333333;"><div style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><ol style="text-align: left;"><li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><div style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.</span></span></div></li><li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><div style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Unroll the puff pastry onto the prepared baking sheet.</span></div></li><li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><div style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Using a sharp knife, score a 3/4-inch (2 cm) border around the edge of the pastry, being careful to not cut all the way through. Prick the pastry inside the border all over with a fork. This will help to stop it from puffing up in the oven.</span></span></div></li><li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><div style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family: georgia;">In a medium bowl, whisk together the ricotta, garlic (if using), Parmesan, chopped herbs, and lemon zest, then season liberally.</span></span></div></li><li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><div style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Spread the ricotta mixture over the tart inside the border. Place the asparagus spears over the tart and dot around the tomatoes. Gently press down on the tomatoes so that they sink slightly into the ricotta mixture, <a data-eafl-id="314512" href="https://amzn.to/3ebyDPQ" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); color: #333333; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">brush</a> lightly with olive oil.</span></span></div></li><li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><div style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Brush the pastry border with the beaten egg and bake until the pastry is golden and cooked through, 20 to 30 minutes. Season with pepper and serve.</span></span></div></li></ol></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3919846795916391893.post-62379820186942429702021-01-24T19:02:00.005-08:002021-01-24T19:02:59.022-08:00Polenta Lasagne<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB_7iAtv19rtOzX4Uuy1v8wlH83k30zTbgVXhZzq_cTAfEdzf3EZqCAEXh7w6CpcTaFt7247bLcV33PhNQBvYQLBspUCfXKVZFb1pVIdn6WG_D6vrY7GVE9KL2dP3aY5zzyT14EeULdtOg/s2253/20210124_185519%257E2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2253" data-original-width="1960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB_7iAtv19rtOzX4Uuy1v8wlH83k30zTbgVXhZzq_cTAfEdzf3EZqCAEXh7w6CpcTaFt7247bLcV33PhNQBvYQLBspUCfXKVZFb1pVIdn6WG_D6vrY7GVE9KL2dP3aY5zzyT14EeULdtOg/s320/20210124_185519%257E2.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimmfG5j3TQB5qtfCM6ccI0ZNGTkI7h_FrCry65cG5g8JRUDlhZ6UGSST-pEptdyZv0HSLdKhNmwZnaeUdf7AX69wzJwKwFT-j7jBbE_IXrKjCxAxzrFDsECPS6irZtgT72BHXu-4y2WBDl/s2097/20210124_190004%257E2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1370" data-original-width="2097" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimmfG5j3TQB5qtfCM6ccI0ZNGTkI7h_FrCry65cG5g8JRUDlhZ6UGSST-pEptdyZv0HSLdKhNmwZnaeUdf7AX69wzJwKwFT-j7jBbE_IXrKjCxAxzrFDsECPS6irZtgT72BHXu-4y2WBDl/s320/20210124_190004%257E2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>I've been really enjoying these big casserole-type dishes where I can do all the prep and cooking on Sunday and then have great meals throughout the week. It certainly helps that A and I have no problems with leftovers, especially when they're dishes we really enjoy.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">I don't usually go for recipes with this many steps but I couldn't resist the sound of this (maybe because it has 3 types of cheese in it??)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">I subbed arugula in my version as I think it has a lot more flavor than spinach. I also omitted nutmeg as I didn't have the energy to seek out nutmeg for the tiny pinch needed. And I definitely added the red pepper flakes to give just the tiniest kick, as I didn't want this dish to be too bland as it was already full of soft textures. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">And for whatever reason - I struggle to find polenta in my local grocery store so have been subbing coarse ground cornmeal lately. Still tasted oh so fine.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Polenta Lasagne</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Adapted from the <a href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021809-polenta-lasagna-with-spinach-and-herby-ricotta">NYTimes</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Ingredients</i></span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">2 cups polenta (not instant) or coarse-ground cornmeal</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">5 ounces arugula (about 5 cups)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">2 cups grated Parmesan</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 pound whole-milk ricotta (about 1 2/3 cups), preferably fresh</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 large egg</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">½ teaspoon black pepper</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 (25-ounce) jar good-quality marinara sauce (3 cups)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Large pinch of red-pepper flakes</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 pound shredded mozzarella (about 4 cups)</span></li></ul><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Method</i></span></p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Heat oven to 425 degrees and butter an 13-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheet pan. Grease a rubber spatula with butter.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Prepare the polenta/cornmeal: In a large pot, bring 6 cups water and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium, then slowly pour in polenta/cornmeal, whisking constantly. Cook, whisking often, until polenta/cornmeal thickens, 8 to 12 minutes. Whisk in 4 tablespoons butter until melted. Whisk in arugula until wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and mix in 1 cup grated Parmesan.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Scrape polenta/cornmeal onto the prepared baking sheet. Using the greased rubber spatula, spread the mixture into a thin, even layer to cover the entire pan, all the way to corners. Sprinkle 1/2 cup grated Parmesan on top. Bake until polenta is firm and cheese has melted, 12 to 18 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack until completely cooled, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or place in refrigerator until cool to touch, about 40 to 50 minutes. (Polenta can be baked the day before and refrigerated until needed.)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">When ready to bake the lasagna, heat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Prepare the ricotta filling: In a small bowl, mix ricotta, parsley, basil, egg, black pepper, nutmeg and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Mix until well combined and set aside.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Taste the marinara sauce. If it needs some zip, stir in any or all of the optional ingredients.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Assemble the lasagna: Using a knife or pizza cutter, cut cooled polenta in half widthwise, creating 2 pieces roughly 9-by-13 inches each. Using a large spatula, gently place one half in prepared baking dish. (It is important for polenta to be completely cooled and firm; otherwise, the pieces may break when transferring to baking dish. If anything breaks, just reassemble it in the pan. It won’t make much of a difference once it’s covered in sauce and baked.)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Spread about half the ricotta mixture in an even layer on top of polenta. Pour about half of marinara sauce on top of ricotta, sprinkle with about half of the shredded mozzarella. Repeat with remaining polenta, ricotta, marinara and mozzarella. Once assembled, sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan on top.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Place baking dish on top of a rimmed sheet pan in case the lasagna bubbles over. Bake until cheese melts, about 30 minutes. If you like the top of your lasagna more brown, broil it for 2 minutes after baking until it develops brown spots.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Remove from oven and let lasagna stand for about 15 minutes to firm up before serving. </span></li></ol>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3919846795916391893.post-70099336611263410452021-01-24T11:38:00.004-08:002021-01-24T11:38:55.806-08:00Baked Falafels<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">My friend V inspired me to try making falafels at home and they've quickly become a favorite. The biggest drawback for me is that I don't have a food processor. I have a blender. So it's definitely a little bit more effort, but the end results have really been worth it. The other thing that held me back in the past is that I really don't enjoy deep frying at home. Enter V's solution of baking the falafels. They're still crispy, and I expect they're a tiny bit healthier too. So here's my mashup of two recipes to create my new favorite baked falafels. I often double the recipe below since they get eaten so quickly. Note: the chickpeas need soaking overnight, so don't try and make this if you're tight on time!</span></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Baked Falafels</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Adapted from <a href="https://smittenkitchen.com/2018/12/falafel/">Smitten Kitchen</a> + <a href="https://cookieandkate.com/crispy-falafel-recipe/">Cookie and Kate</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Ingredients</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><u>Falafels</u></span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">1/2 pound (1 1/4 cups or 225 grams) dried chickpeas</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">1/2 a large onion, roughly chopped</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">2 garlic cloves, peeled</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley, if you’re measuring, or a big handful</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, if you’re measuring, or a big handful</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 teaspoon ground cumin</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for blending if needed</span></li></ul><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><u>To serve</u></span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">For wraps - we use fresh tortillas from HEB. For burgers, I love the potato hamburger buns. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Shredded cabbage, mixed with ranch dressing</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Finely chopped parsley and/or cilantro</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Hummus</span></li></ul><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Method</i></span></div></div><div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Put chickpeas in a bowl and cover with water so there's 2 inches of water above the top of the chickpeas. Cover the bowl and leave it to soak overnight in the fridge.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Drain soaked chickpeas and place in large bowl. Add onion, garlic, parsley, cilantro, salt, red pepper flakes, and cumin. Mix to combine.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">In small batches (I usually do about 1 cup at a time) - add mixture to blender and blend until ingredients are roughly chopped. Some larger pieces of things can remain, but it should look like couscous. You may need to add a little olive oil or water to get the blender to mix well, but don't add too much - you need the final mixture to hold together and shape into falafels. Scrape blended mixture into clean bowl and keep doing this until you've blended all of the falafel mixture. Give the mixture in the new bowl a good mix at the end to make sure everything is combined evenly. Let this mixture rest in the fridge for 30 minutes so it can firm up. (I often skip this fridge step because I am LAZY.)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Heat oven to 375F/190C. Add 1/4 cup olive oil to a baking sheet and tilt the baking sheet until it is completely covered in oil.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">If making smaller falafels, I use my hands to scoop out a falafel-sized amount of mixture and then shape it into patties about 2-3 inches wide and about 1/2 inch thick. If making falafel burgers, I scoop out enough mixture to form a burger-sized patty. I drop each of these patties onto the oiled baking sheet, leaving some space in between them so I can flip them later. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Bake for 30 minutes, flipping the falafels halfway through baking, until the falafels are nice and brown on both sides. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">For wraps: Warm a tortilla and smear hummus across the middle in a stripe. Place falafel patties on hummus stripe and top with cabbage, cilantro and/or parsley, if using. Fold it up like a taco and eat! For burgers: toast buns and smear hummus on bottom bun. Add falafel patty and cabbage, cilantro and/or parsley and any other burger condiments you enjoy.</span></li></ol></div><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3919846795916391893.post-37682583096820953712021-01-24T11:02:00.003-08:002021-01-24T13:10:28.054-08:00Chicken Ginger Rice Soup<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWClqZSfqlhduikEHO6BddzqIZtAuYRAeZeSLxu1Boucm6wfSeR3Yn4JFrWwN1t7tZ_sZGMtXHSpiTIKridQ1F-_G1wYPzC88fxopv9d9cUam6KZezuvOv6StLHFdGkH2ABoykgatOBUBj/s2300/20210124_150840%257E2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2300" data-original-width="1784" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWClqZSfqlhduikEHO6BddzqIZtAuYRAeZeSLxu1Boucm6wfSeR3Yn4JFrWwN1t7tZ_sZGMtXHSpiTIKridQ1F-_G1wYPzC88fxopv9d9cUam6KZezuvOv6StLHFdGkH2ABoykgatOBUBj/s320/20210124_150840%257E2.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br />This is a cobbled together recipe using plenty of influences, including dak gomtang (Korean chicken soup) and also growing up watching my mom cook lots of delicious soups. Everything is to taste, so here's my version. This makes a huge amount of soup - I usually spoon it into jars for our lunches and it'll make 10-12 jars, easily, which is 5 or 6 meals for me and A.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Chicken Ginger Rice Soup</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Serves 10-12</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Ingredients</i></span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Whole 5-lb chicken (the best one you can afford)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">A 6 inch piece of ginger root (or even more if you really like ginger)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 large yellow or white onion</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 tbsp chicken Better than Bouillon (if using water to fill pot) or 1 carton chicken broth</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 bundle of green onions (usually 6-8 in a bundle, depending on the size of each green onion)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 lb spinach or kale greens (or any other leafy dark green that you enjoy)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">2 cups jasmine rice</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Fresh ground pepper to taste</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Salt to taste</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Chopped cilantro, to garnish</span></li></ul><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Method</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Get a large soup pot that can comfortably hold your whole chicken and then some. Slice your onion into half-moons, and put in the pot. Cut off 2 inches of ginger root and bruise it with the flat edge of your knife and drop into the pot. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Rinse the chicken and remove any giblets. If you like nibbling on the giblets, put them in the pot (I always do). If they make you squeamish, I guess you can discard them (sad!) Put whole chicken in the pot, breast side up. Add chicken broth if using, and then top off with enough water to cover chicken. If you're using water, fill pot to cover chicken, then add the chicken Better than Bouillon. Grind lots of fresh pepper into the pot too - whatever you think you'll enjoy.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Bring pot to a boil. Once it's boiling, turn down heat to a simmer and let it cook for 25 minutes. Then turn off the heat and flip the chicken so it is breast side down. Cover with lid and let it sit for 30 minutes.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Remove chicken from pot and put it on a plate to rest for 15 minutes. Remove the bruised chunks of ginger and discard. Once cool enough to handle, remove all of the meat from the chicken and chop into bite size pieces. If you don't like chicken skin in your soup, you can discard, but I tend to include some pieces in the soup for that lovely chicken fat richness.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Peel the remaining ginger and slice thinly (cross wise first, then into matchsticks). </span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Chop green onion into small rings (I use both the white and green parts).</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Add rice, ginger, green onion, and all of the spinach or kale greens to the chicken broth and simmer for 20-30 min. Rice should be fully cooked by the end of this time, and greens should be completely wilted. Take off heat when done.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Add chicken meat back into the pot and stir to fully combine. Taste and check if soup needs additional salt or pepper.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Serve in bowls with cilantro on top, if desired.</span></li></ol></div><div><br /></div><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3919846795916391893.post-33751505552546052912021-01-24T08:01:00.001-08:002021-01-24T08:01:16.450-08:00Marinated Celery Salad with Chickpeas and Parmesan<p><span style="font-family: georgia;">This was delicious. The dressing is not all that different from my usual salad dressing - after learning to make the dressing in the bottom of the same bowl I plan to mix the salad in, I've been far likelier to make my dressing at home since it doesn't dirty any extra bowls, and it can be quickly adjusted to go with whatever salad ingredients I'm planning to use. I'd say the croutons are really not optional in this, as they provide well-needed crunch so the salad isn't too one-dimensional.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Marinated Celery Salad with Chickpeas and Parmesan</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Adapted from the <a href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018091-marinated-celery-salad-with-chickpeas-and-parmesan?campaign_id=58&emc=edit_ck_20201202&instance_id=24613&nl=cooking&regi_id=25141217&segment_id=45862&te=1&user_id=eba026e66d300dc48f4ccbefb1751082">NYTimes</a></i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Ingredients</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">FOR THE SALAD:</span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">3 tablespoons sherry vinegar, more as needed</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 tablespoon Dijon mustard</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">½ teaspoon honey or maple syrup</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Salt and ground black pepper</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil, more as needed</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">4 cups cooked or canned chickpeas</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">4 large or 6 small celery stalks, with leaves, cut into large julienne</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">2 large scallions, white and pale green parts, thinly sliced on a diagonal, or 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 to 2 cups loosely packed celery leaves, coarsely chopped </span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 pint small tomatoes, halved</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">¼ cup loosely packed basil leaves, rolled and julienned (optional)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, coarsely grated, or crumbled feta</span></li></ul><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">FOR SERVING (OPTIONAL):</span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 small loaf (or 1/2 large loaf) day-old, peasant-style crusty bread</span></li></ul><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Method </i></span></p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">In a large bowl, whisk together vinegar, mustard, honey/maple syrup and a large pinch each of salt and pepper. Drop in garlic cloves, stir, and set aside 15 to 30 minutes (or 5 minutes, in my case, as I'm still not sure I like raw garlic flavor) to let the flavor infuse.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">(If you're me, you pull out garlic cloves now.) Gradually whisk in oil; dressing will emulsify. Mix in chickpeas, celery and scallions. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Remove garlic cloves from dressing (unless they're already long gone...). Taste and adjust the seasonings with salt, pepper, vinegar and olive oil. Set aside to come to cool room temperature.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">If desired, make croutons, for serving: Heat oven to 400 degrees. Pull the soft bread out of the center of the loaf, leaving most of the crust behind, and tear bread into bite-size pieces. You should have about 3 cups. Spread pieces on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for about 12 minutes, until golden and crisp; let cool. (I often use bolillo rolls to make croutons - it's a good shortcut.)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Just before serving, mix tomatoes, basil and croutons, if using, into the salad, then top with cheese and more black pepper. </span></li></ol><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3919846795916391893.post-48624490291085340772021-01-13T09:09:00.002-08:002021-01-15T08:12:10.830-08:00Scallion Pancakes with Chili-Ginger Dipping Sauce<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbrYIAKsf9BJbC3SnNuN0U3t-ZUz0t79J0yCciiNMECe2UO62fewKUf3cUGBygBWGMrbshAadSXNfhYpneeLx0I66dnu-9pMOihjTuuQ2hyphenhyphenw12qE7Oqp3yJLqllzhuhJyenATw_AubDL_U/s4032/20200418_184216.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1960" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbrYIAKsf9BJbC3SnNuN0U3t-ZUz0t79J0yCciiNMECe2UO62fewKUf3cUGBygBWGMrbshAadSXNfhYpneeLx0I66dnu-9pMOihjTuuQ2hyphenhyphenw12qE7Oqp3yJLqllzhuhJyenATw_AubDL_U/s320/20200418_184216.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">I have very fond memories of going to a Chinese restaurant on Sundays as a kid (not every Sunday, probably more like once every couple of months, but it was as close to a "regular" spot as we got). I think it was the previous iteration of <a href="https://paos-mandarin-house.business.site/">Pao's Mandarin House</a> - this would have been in the 80s and early 90s, and I remember it being in Central Austin. Anyway - two things were always ordered - pig ears and scallion pancakes. When I saw this recipe and realized I had all the ingredients in the house, I was so excited! It really brought back some nostalgic feelings for easier times.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Scallion Pancakes with Chili-Ginger Dipping Sauce</span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">From <a href="https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/scallion-pancakes-with-chili-ginger-dipping-sauce">Bon Appetit</a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br />
<br /><b><i>
Ingredients</i></b><br />
<br /><i>
Sauce</i><br />
1 ½" piece ginger, peeled, thinly sliced<br />
2 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce (I used dark soy)<br />
2 Tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar<br />
1 tsp. chili oil (I used chili flakes once, then sriracha the other time)<br />
1 tsp. sugar<br />
<br /><i>
Pancakes</i><br />
1 cup all-purpose flour<br />
¼ cup cornstarch<br />
1 tsp. kosher salt<br />
1 tsp. sugar<br />
1 cup chilled club soda (I used lime sparking water since that's what I had on hand)<br />
2 tsp. low-sodium soy sauce (I used dark soy)<br />
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil<br />
10 scallions, thinly sliced on a diagonal (about 2 cups)<br />
4 Tbsp. vegetable oil<br />
<br /><b><i>Method</i></b></span><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br />
</span><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Sauce</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><br /></i>
Whisk ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, chili oil, and sugar in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved. Set sauce aside.<br />
<br /><i>Pancakes and Assembly</i><br /><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">
Whisk flour, cornstarch, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Whisk club soda, soy sauce, and sesame oil in a medium bowl to combine, then pour into dry ingredients and whisk until smooth (be careful not to overmix; it’s okay if there are a few small lumps). Fold in scallions.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high. Pour ¼ cup batter into skillet. Cook, moving pan around on the burner for even cooking, until bottom of pancake is set and golden, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook, pressing down on pancake to create direct contact with pan, until other side is golden, about 1 minute. Continue cooking, turning often to keep scallions from burning, until golden brown and crisp and cooked through, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer pancake to a wire rack. Repeat process with remaining batter and remaining 3 Tbsp. oil 3 more times to make a total of 4 pancakes.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">
Cut each pancake into wedges if desired and serve with reserved sauce on the side for dipping.</span></li></ol>
</span></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3919846795916391893.post-56345459252121024242020-11-02T10:23:00.000-08:002020-11-02T10:23:05.806-08:00Vegan Banana Muffins<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For a person who hates bananas I sure have a lot of recipes for baked banana goods. This is mainly because I hate the smell of overripe bananas as much as I hate eating them, so when there are bananas going brown on the counter, I have to turn them into bread or muffins to get rid of them. Our vegan grocery shopping experiment in 2020 has resulted in a lack of eggs in the house, so after some Googling I found a recipe that I had <i><u>most</u> </i>of the ingredients for, so kept tweaking it to work with the quarantine cupboard. A approved of the taste so I think it was successful!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Vegan Banana Muffins</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Adapted from <a href="https://www.theworktop.com/breakfast-brunch-recipes/egg-free-banana-muffins/">The Worktop</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Ingredients</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">4 medium ripe bananas - mashed</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1/2 cup water (or milk alternative)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1/4 cup vegetable oil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1 teaspoon vanilla extract</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1/4 cup brown sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1 1/4 cups white flour</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1/2 cup quick cooking oats</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1 teaspoon baking powder</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1/2 teaspoon baking soda</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1 teaspoon ground cinnamon</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1 pinch salt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1 tablespoon vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar, but any vinegar/lemon juice should be fine.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>For topping</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1 tablespoon quick cooking oats</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1 tablespoon turbinado sugar (optional)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><i>Method</i></span><br /><ol><li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C. Line or lightly grease a standard 12-hole muffin tin.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In a medium bowl, mix together the mashed bananas, water, vegetable oil, vanilla extract and brown sugar. You can mix this by hand, or use a hand mixer on low speed. I usually use a hand mixer since I find that it quickly will mash/puree a ripe banana.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix together until just combined. Stir in the vinegar.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Divide batter evenly among the muffin cups. Top the muffins with the oats (and turbinado sugar if using).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Bake muffins, rotating pan halfway through, until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 25–30 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let muffins cool in pan 5 minutes. Transfer muffins onto a rack and let cool completely.</span></li>
</ol>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3919846795916391893.post-1834484743270207632020-11-02T10:19:00.002-08:002021-01-15T08:12:02.648-08:00Sook Mei Faan (Cantonese Creamed Corn With Tofu and Rice)<b><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrGWlqhBK3tM1xH5JwwAJ4u8TDigmRjtUvnY3N3KsyOhiR3Vcham_bQEEHeG8-ZQXGHIQTcIuMcP3nH7l2lqqt7ELHL-rM-nTAVAaeHbVkOz72ZIXfgpUdgP2BPbTAllIOR0wjB3te_IB-/s4032/20200924_122940.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="1960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrGWlqhBK3tM1xH5JwwAJ4u8TDigmRjtUvnY3N3KsyOhiR3Vcham_bQEEHeG8-ZQXGHIQTcIuMcP3nH7l2lqqt7ELHL-rM-nTAVAaeHbVkOz72ZIXfgpUdgP2BPbTAllIOR0wjB3te_IB-/s320/20200924_122940.jpg" /></a></div><div><b><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></b></div>Sook Mei Faan (Cantonese Creamed Corn With Tofu and Rice)</span></b><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021337-sook-mei-faan-cantonese-creamed-corn-with-tofu-and-rice?campaign_id=58&em_pos=medium&emc=edit_ck_20200826&instance_id=21601&nl=cooking&nl_art=4&ref=headline&regi_id=25141217&segment_id=36941&te=1&user_id=eba026e66d300dc48f4ccbefb1751082">Adapted from the NYTimes</a><br /><br />The original recipe caught my eye as I had all of the ingredients already, and I looooove corn dishes. I was a little dubious as to whether A would be into this, as he sometimes finds the more subtle, soft-textured Chinese dishes (like congee) a little off-putting. But he loves corn too, so I went ahead. Turns out he found this just as delicious as me and it was a comforting, healthy lunch dish that he asked for more of.</span><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Ingredients</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">2 (14-ounce) packages silken tofu, drained (I have also used firm tofu if you're wanting a more hearty chew to your tofu)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">3 cups corn kernels (1 pound), from 3 large cobs or thawed from frozen</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 tablespoon vegetable oil</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 (1-inch) piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 garlic clove, finely chopped</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">2 scallions, finely sliced, plus more for serving</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 ½ cups vegetable stock (used Better than Bouillon)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"> Kosher salt</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"> White pepper (used black pepper instead because I didn't have white)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"> Steamed rice, for serving (I didn't serve this dish with rice - just on its own)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"> Cilantro leaves and tender stems, for garnish</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"> Sesame oil or chile oil, for drizzling (only had sesame oil on hand)</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Method</i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Carefully pat the tofu dry with a clean kitchen towel, and cut each block into 8 slices.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Place half the corn kernels into a blender or food processor, and blitz until creamy but still chunky. (I had to add water to the blender to get it to blitz, but I just reduced the amount of vegetable stock I added later accordingly)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Heat a medium saucepan or deep skillet over medium-high. When hot, add 1 tablespoon oil. Add the ginger, garlic and scallions, and cook for 20 seconds until aromatic. (They shouldn't brown too much.) Add the remaining corn kernels, along with the blitzed corn and vegetable stock, season well with salt and white pepper, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes to bring the mixture to a boil. Stirring constantly, slowly add the cornstarch slurry, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture is slightly thickened.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">For each serving, lay half a package of tofu in a bowl and top with a generous amount of the creamed corn. Finish with scallions, cilantro and drizzle with sesame oil.<br /></span></li></ol></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3919846795916391893.post-37655162056731370872020-07-03T11:26:00.002-07:002021-01-15T08:11:54.101-08:00Grilled Carrots with Avocado and Mint<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxrUuzSxwPU9LDLRq1gyHrkEu57F6AeuJupGn1Vg2_bvBssCTeu2pPsOx6GygSmrmX_Nj3o71LjeC4Ak66S3g6Tb2S6rJIqyK819UFCJb0p2oG3Cvsp_COjvkozg3ZOkoLwJOFX20QIxQE/s1600/IMG_20200628_194439_051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxrUuzSxwPU9LDLRq1gyHrkEu57F6AeuJupGn1Vg2_bvBssCTeu2pPsOx6GygSmrmX_Nj3o71LjeC4Ak66S3g6Tb2S6rJIqyK819UFCJb0p2oG3Cvsp_COjvkozg3ZOkoLwJOFX20QIxQE/s320/IMG_20200628_194439_051.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Whenever I see a recipe in a magazine with beautiful photographs, AND I have all the ingredients on hand (or am very close to that), I take it as a sign that I must try it out. Doesn't always end well, but here's another success story.<br /><br /><b>Grilled Carrots with Avocado and Mint</b></span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Adapted from <a href="https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/grilled-carrots-with-avocado-and-mint">Bon Appetit</a></span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Ingredients</i><br /><br />1 tsp. cumin seeds (I used 1 tsp ground cumin)<br />3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice<br />2 tsp. honey<br />¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil<br />1 serrano chile, thinly sliced (I used 1/2 tsp chili flakes)<br />1 1" piece ginger, peeled, finely grated<br />Kosher salt<br />1½ lb. medium carrots, scrubbed, halved lengthwise, tops trimmed to about 1"<br />2 avocados, cut into large pieces<br />½ cup mint leaves</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted (I added this ingredient)</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Method</i></span><br />
<ol><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Prepare a grill for medium heat (or in my case, the broiler in the oven). Toast cumin seeds in a dry small skillet over medium heat, tossing often, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Let cool. (Or, just use ground cumin.)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Coarsely crush cumin seeds in a mortar and pestle or with the flat side of a chef’s knife. Transfer to a large bowl. Add lemon juice and honey. Whisk in ¼ cup oil until combined, then stir in chile and ginger. Season with salt. Let sit until ready to serve, which will give the chile and ginger time to infuse into the sauce.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Toss carrots with remaining 2 Tbsp. oil on a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt. Grill carrots, turning occasionally, until lightly charred in spots and tender, 14–18 minutes. Immediately transfer carrots to bowl with sauce. Toss to coat; season with salt.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Arrange avocado and carrots on a platter. Spoon any remaining sauce over, then top with mint and sesame seeds. Serve carrots warm or at room temperature.</span></li>
</span></ol>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></div>
</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3919846795916391893.post-41499831353039491612020-05-31T12:11:00.000-07:002020-05-31T12:11:53.968-07:00Vegan Potato Leek Soup<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Lots of leeks left over from the Sheet-pan Gnocchi recipe (one of the odd side effects of only using curbside grocery services is that it can sometimes be hard to specify the amount of something you want - I only had the option of picking "Leeks" without any idea how many that meant. Turned out it meant 4 enormous leeks.) Good thing I always have plenty of potatoes in the house, and also most of the other ingredients. Tweaked a little more to use oat milk instead of coconut, and left out the coriander powder as I don't have any and am not always a fan of coriander powder anyway. This made 8 jars of soup.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Vegan Potato Leek Soup</b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Adapted from <a href="https://lovingitvegan.com/vegan-potato-leek-soup/">Loving it Vegan</a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /><b><i>Ingredients</i></b></span><div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />1 Onion, chopped<br />2 cloves garlic, sliced<br />1 Tbsp Olive Oil<br />4 Large Leeks (washed well and cut into 1/2 inch moons; in addition to the white and light green sections, I also use quite a lot of the darker green parts of leeks, just not the very dark, tough looking parts)<br />1 tsp Dried Thyme<br />1 spring fresh rosemary (dried in original recipe but I've got a readily available rosemary bush)<br />6 Medium Potatoes (~2.2lb/1kg) – peeled and chopped<br />2 Bay Leaves<br />4 cups vegetable broth (I used 1 tablespoon of vegetarian Better than Bouillon and 4 cups water)<br />2 cups plain oat milk<br />Sea Salt and Black Pepper (to taste)<br /><br /><b><i>Method</i></b></span><ol>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Add the chopped onion and leeks to a pot with the crushed garlic and olive oil and sauté until softened. Add in the thyme and rosemary and sauté.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Add the chopped potatoes, bay leaves and vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pot and simmer until the potatoes are soft and cooked.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Remove from the heat and remove the bay leaves.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Then add in the oat milk.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Blend the soup using an immersion blender for the easiest blending or, if you don’t have an immersion blender, transfer in stages to a blender jug and blend until smooth.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Add sea salt and black pepper to taste.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Serve with fresh chopped chives.</span></li>
</ol>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3919846795916391893.post-76471139705717696932020-05-31T10:12:00.001-07:002022-06-10T13:27:27.420-07:00Sheet-pan Gnocchi with Asparagus, Leeks and Peas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEionx6_2URQZuJA2Ir5zVglr566adpJ3cdH9zfgXdy5TTkVQsvmENAuQrrxU-h_knNvfEED51ykbqbc9EKhCOpruhDcNNYPW9LYqWSY7ZfT3doKj_CJsj2oNNkxqJJYIG2gQ5TQWUct_tNF/s1600/IMG_20200531_114339_678.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEionx6_2URQZuJA2Ir5zVglr566adpJ3cdH9zfgXdy5TTkVQsvmENAuQrrxU-h_knNvfEED51ykbqbc9EKhCOpruhDcNNYPW9LYqWSY7ZfT3doKj_CJsj2oNNkxqJJYIG2gQ5TQWUct_tNF/s320/IMG_20200531_114339_678.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Cooking has become a stress-relieving weekend activity - trying to find interesting things to make to mitigate the feeling of being trapped is certainly helping. Plus it helps me know that there are tasty lunches for the rest of the week and that I can focus on the other things that take up most of my thinking time these days, like actively being anti-racist so that whenever this pandemic eases, we don't just go back in time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This recipe was a huge hit - A couldn't stop raving about how tasty the crispy yet potatoey gnocchi were, and happily ate enormous servings of vegetables. Modifications made below to reflect what we had on hand, and I can see myself using the same gnocchi roasting technique and mixing them with lots of different other vegetables as well. I have yet to meet a roasted vegetable I don't enjoy. A couple of vegan adaptations included, which I don't think were too detrimental (though I really miss parmesan).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sheet-pan Gnocchi with Asparagus, Leeks and Peas</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Adapted from the <a href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021033-sheet-pan-gnocchi-with-asparagus-leeks-and-peas">NYTimes</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<i><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ingredients</span></b></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">24 ounces refrigerated, precooked gnocchi</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">5 tablespoons olive oil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Kosher salt and black pepper</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1 bunch asparagus (about 1 pound), trimmed and cut into thirds</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">2 large leeks, trimmed, halved lengthwise, then sliced 1/2-inch thick (about 2 cups) - I don't mind the darker green parts of a leek, even though a lot of leek recipes have you discard them</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1 cup frozen peas, thawed</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1 lemon, scrubbed</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">½ cup grated Parmesan (optional)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">¼ cup sliced fresh chives or parsley (optional)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Method</span></i></b><br />
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Heat oven to 425 degrees. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss gnocchi with 3 tablespoons oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">On another rimmed baking sheet, toss asparagus and leeks with remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few generous grinds of pepper.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Put both pans in the oven, with the gnocchi on the bottom rack and the vegetables above. Stir the gnocchi and vegetables after 5 minutes to distribute the oil. Stir the vegetables once or twice more, but leave the gnocchi undisturbed. Roast until vegetables are golden and getting crispy on the edges, about 15 minutes total, and the gnocchi are golden brown on one side, 20 to 25 minutes total. Stir the peas into the vegetables in the last 5 minutes of cooking.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Combine the gnocchi and vegetables on one tray, then grate the lemon zest over the top. Sprinkle with half the Parmesan and chives/parsley, if using, saving some for serving. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss to combine, and transfer to a serving bowl or platter. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan and chives/parsley, if using, and serve immediately.</span></li>
</ol>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3919846795916391893.post-16386157627991270492020-04-04T11:06:00.004-07:002021-01-15T08:11:14.978-08:00Bon Appetit's Shockingly Easy No-Knead Focaccia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG-5biovJHXwidCT7oa2oNFoWSbAOZNzpdpKmdwkxn3TYycQp6XeRuJugd2QQarr0GdBp-kSavbFgkxeu_pD-BZ-HKRGxax7kZafpovQpUrxQRo7lgUlxJ4tD6SyzHkMqEMrioRDdzpG-V/s1600/IMG_20200404_113240_254.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1529" data-original-width="1529" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG-5biovJHXwidCT7oa2oNFoWSbAOZNzpdpKmdwkxn3TYycQp6XeRuJugd2QQarr0GdBp-kSavbFgkxeu_pD-BZ-HKRGxax7kZafpovQpUrxQRo7lgUlxJ4tD6SyzHkMqEMrioRDdzpG-V/s320/IMG_20200404_113240_254.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Anyone still out there? I've been cooking the whole time, and have made some dishes that have become part of our heavy rotation in the last couple of years, but this blog definitely got pushed to the side. I still reference it a lot to pull up my favorite things to make - so as a personal recipe stash it is really performing its function well!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Now with all the time we have at home in this bizarro world, I've found myself thinking about making things that I would usually skip over, thinking they'd take too much time. Bread is certainly something that falls in this category - our usual homemade bread comes out of our handy little bread machine. But now! While I am still anti-kneading (I never feel like I have the right counter space, equipment, willingness to get super-messy, etc.) I am certainly ok with trying out no-knead recipes. This focaccia met the bill, and my neighbor's rosemary bush resulted in a slight tweak to the recipe since I associate focaccia with rosemary flavors.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Who knows how long we'll be staying at home - I might be able to keep track of time through how many batches of this I make though...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Shockingly Easy No-Knead Focaccia</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Adapted from <a href="https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/easy-no-knead-focaccia">Bon Appetit</a> - the link has awesome step-by-step pics if you're new to baking</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Ingredients</i></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1 ¼-oz. envelope active dry yeast (about 2¼ tsp.)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2 tsp. honey</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">5 cups (625 g) all-purpose flour</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1 Tbsp. kosher salt</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for hands</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Enough butter to generously grease the baking pan</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Flaky sea salt</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1 tsp fresh rosemary leaves, chopped</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Method</i></span><br />
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Whisk one ¼-oz. envelope active dry yeast (about 2¼ tsp.), 2 tsp. honey, and 2½ cups lukewarm water in a medium bowl and let sit 5 minutes (it should foam or at least get creamy; if it doesn’t your yeast is dead and you should start again—check the expiration date!).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Add 5 cups (625 g) all-purpose flour and 1 Tbsp. kosher salt and mix until a shaggy dough forms and no dry streaks remain.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Pour 4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil into a big bowl that will fit in your refrigerator. This puppy is going to rise! Transfer dough to bowl and turn to coat in oil. Cover with a silicone lid or plastic wrap and chill until dough is doubled in size (it should look very bubbly and alive), at least 8 hours and up to 1 day. If you're in a rush, you can also let it rise at room temperature until doubled in size, 3–4 hours.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Generously butter a 13x9" baking pan, for thicker focaccia that’s perfect for sandwiches, or an 18x13" rimmed baking sheet, for focaccia that's thinner, crispier, and great for snacking (I used the 13x9" baking pan option as I was worried about the dough bubbling over the rimmed baking sheet). The butter may seem superfluous, but it’ll ensure that your focaccia doesn’t stick. Pour 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil into center of pan. Keeping the dough in the bowl and using a fork in each hand, gather up edges of dough farthest from you and lift up and over into center of bowl. Give the bowl a quarter turn and repeat process. Do this 2 more times; you want to deflate dough while you form it into a rough ball. (We learned this technique from Alexandra Stafford, who uses it to shape her no-knead bread.) Transfer dough to prepared pan. Pour any oil left in bowl over and turn dough to coat it in oil. Let rise, uncovered, in a dry, warm spot (like near a radiator or on top of the fridge or a preheating oven) until doubled in size, at least 1½ hours and up to 4 hours.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 450°. To see if the dough is ready, poke it with your finger. It should spring back slowly, leaving a small visible indentation. If it springs back quickly, the dough isn’t ready. (If at this point the dough is ready to bake but you aren’t, you can chill it up to 1 hour.) Lightly oil your hands. If using a rimmed baking sheet, gently stretch out dough to fill (you probably won't need to do this if using a baking pan). Dimple focaccia all over with your fingers, like you’re aggressively playing the piano, creating very deep depressions in the dough (reach your fingers all the way to the bottom of the pan). Drizzle with remaining 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with flaky sea salt and chopped rosemary. Bake focaccia until puffed and golden brown all over, 20–30 minutes.</span></li>
</ol>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3919846795916391893.post-32646910512345473962018-11-26T07:41:00.002-08:002021-01-15T08:11:01.660-08:00Let's Make All Roasted Brassicas Delicious<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBgHlZqBD0RXDg9Hbk09p2NAzPQBFIfV7Bs0TsJuxDFbjVm-c9NGNFb7RTWWf4NvlpIAAvy6w1AurU6H8eK5Dz1b0ql81QTQt0zC-ZYPbbzKJRj7wcLCaPrW6oCaBk5RBSZdr8aK-AG-sr/s1600/IMG_20181125_155635.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBgHlZqBD0RXDg9Hbk09p2NAzPQBFIfV7Bs0TsJuxDFbjVm-c9NGNFb7RTWWf4NvlpIAAvy6w1AurU6H8eK5Dz1b0ql81QTQt0zC-ZYPbbzKJRj7wcLCaPrW6oCaBk5RBSZdr8aK-AG-sr/s320/IMG_20181125_155635.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
This method works on all vegetables that take well to roasting - in particular, brussels sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower. Turn your oven up to 375F (and if you have a convection setting, pop that on as well). Take the equivalent of a large head of cauliflower, cut it up into small pieces (for cabbages, it works well to slice it into wedges that are still attached to the stem at the bottom), and toss it on a generously olive-oiled baking sheet so that all the little vegetable pieces get a light coating of oil. Throw the whole pan in the oven and cook for 25 minutes. Take the pan out, flip all the vegetable pieces so that you start getting nice browned edges everywhere, and then roast for another 10 minutes.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Take all the ingredients below, except for the mint and cilantro, and whisk in a small bowl. When the vegetables are done roasting, toss all of the veg in a large bowl, and throw all the mint and cilantro in, as well as some dressing to taste. Keep adding dressing until you think the whole thing is salty and sour and delicious enough.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Ingredients</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
1 tablespoon fish sauce (can use vegetarian or vegan substitutes for this)<div>
1 tablespoon lime juice</div>
<div>
1/2 teaspoon sugar (brown or white)</div>
<div>
1 small chili, minced</div>
<div>
1/2 clove garlic, minced</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
handful of mint</div>
<div>
handful of cilantro</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3919846795916391893.post-1279534561008275492018-11-22T09:40:00.003-08:002018-11-22T09:40:22.284-08:00Apple Cinnamon Muffins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKhyphenhyphenX9MScVtnFQi8eSWaVrPpXZNsqklotluk5p-Q9e9bYERQeTLAGsFMkG-a0fDvbSH5ys86q0wbyZRUufIxaWcqsNtcoBpGxIOfHdl5KUviGBlHuw6NVcyU2hkbQ1h30NMD6CENhwospM/s1600/IMG_20181122_112924_491.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKhyphenhyphenX9MScVtnFQi8eSWaVrPpXZNsqklotluk5p-Q9e9bYERQeTLAGsFMkG-a0fDvbSH5ys86q0wbyZRUufIxaWcqsNtcoBpGxIOfHdl5KUviGBlHuw6NVcyU2hkbQ1h30NMD6CENhwospM/s320/IMG_20181122_112924_491.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<ul style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none !important; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top; width: 283.313px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;"><b><br /></b></li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;"><b>Apple Cinnamon Muffins</b></li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;">Adapted from <a href="https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/24352/easy-apple-cinnamon-muffins/print/?recipeType=Recipe&servings=6&isMetric=false">Allrecipes</a></li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;"><br /></li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;"><b><i>Ingredients for muffins:</i></b></li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;"><br /></li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;">1 cup (140 g) all-purpose flour</li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;">1/2 cup (70 g) whole wheat flour</li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;">2/5 cup (75 g) white sugar</li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;">1/2 teaspoon salt</li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;">2 teaspoons baking powder</li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;">1 teaspoon ground cinnamon</li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;">1/3 cup (75 g) vegetable oil</li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;">1 egg</li>
</span></ul>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1/3 cup (82 g) milk</span></span><br />
<ul style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none !important; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top; width: 283.313px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;">2 apples - cored and chopped</li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;"><br /></li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;"><b><i>Ingredients for topping:</i></b></li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;"><br /></li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;">1/4 cup (25 g) white sugar</li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;">1/4 cup (35 g) all-purpose flour</li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;">1/4 cup (57 g) butter, cubed</li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;">1 teaspoon ground cinnamon</li>
</span></ul>
<h2 class="recipe-print__h2" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0.5rem 0px; outline: none !important;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><i>Directions</i></span></h2>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span><br />
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease 12 muffin cups.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">From the list of ingredients for muffins, stir together all-purpose and whole wheat flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and cinnamon. Mix in oil, egg and milk. Fold in apples. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In a small bowl, stir together ingredients for the topping: sugar, flour, butter and cinnamon. Mix together with fork and sprinkle over unbaked muffins.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.</span></li>
</ol>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I made a lot of adjustments from the original recipe - swapping out some whole wheat flour for white, cutting the sugar in the muffins, leaving the apple peels on, and halving the amount of topping. This makes muffins that are just sweet enough to be dessert, but could also be happily eaten for breakfast without feeling too guilty...</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3919846795916391893.post-71801475208188439562017-09-20T11:00:00.000-07:002017-09-20T11:00:27.731-07:00CarnitasSince moving to Texas, A and I have been eating a startlingly large number of Tex-Mex or Mexican meals, even when we're home. Partly this has to do with the abundance of Mexican ingredients that are available in the local grocery stores - we can get fresh corn tortillas, canned chipotles in adobo sauce, fresh bunches of cilantro (or coriander to you UK types), salsa verde or roja, etc. so easily that A's new favorite thing to cook is a breakfast taco (scramble some eggs, pop it in a warmed corn tortilla with cheese and salsa, and eat).<br />
<br />
But once you start down this path, you get more ambitious, and the next request was to make carnitas at home for tacos/burritos. After looking at a few recipes, and deciding to make a giant batch, here is what resulted. It was amazing. I'm toning down the orange peel just a little in the recipe here since we both found the orange flavor to be very strong, but not in an unpleasant way - I think we'd just prefer it a bit more subtle. Go forth. This makes enough for 20 burritos, plus another stash of carnitas for the freezer, so be warned.<br />
<br />
<b>Carnitas</b><br />
<br />
<i>Ingredients</i><br />
<br />
6 pounds pork shoulder<br />
5 strips orange zest<br />
10 garlic cloves, minced<br />
2 large onions, chopped<br />
2 teaspoons chili powder<br />
2 cinnamon sticks, preferably Mexican canela<br />
4 bay leaves<br />
3 teaspoons crushed dried oregano leaves, preferably Mexican<br />
3 teaspoons kosher salt<br />
3 teaspoons cumin<br />
<br />
<i>Method</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<br />
<ol>
<li>Trim any thick fat from surface of pork. Cut meat into 1-inch cubes, discarding any that are pure fat. Put pork in a large pot. Add enough water to just cover.</li>
<li>Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Skim off any scum that forms on surface. </li>
<li>Add orange zest, garlic, chopped onion, red pepper flakes, cinnamon, bay leaves, oregano, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and the cumin. Simmer uncovered for 1 1/2 hours, until pork is very soft; add water if necessary to keep meat submerged. </li>
<li>Continue to cook until water has evaporated, about 30 minutes. Cook a little longer to fry meat slightly; cook even longer if you prefer crisper meat. Stir often.</li>
<li>Remove bay leaves and cinnamon stick. Fill burritos with carnitas, rice, beans, salsa, cheese, etc. or use it in tacos with some cilantro, salsa, etc. </li>
</ol>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3919846795916391893.post-1889113660465087472017-04-04T00:30:00.000-07:002017-04-04T00:30:04.841-07:00Beef shin raguSo a long time ago, I somehow ended up with some lovely beef shin from a farm. I never cooked beef shin before, so I did a little Googling to figure out what would be a simple, fool-proof method of making something tasty with this cut of meat. After seeing multiple suggestions for a beef shin ragu, I combined a few different recipes and made the sauce - and it was blissful. A kept asking for more and was really sad when we finished it. No pictures, but I'll have to source some beef shin in the great state of Texas and then update with a photo the next time I make it. So worth it.<br />
<br />
<b>Beef shin ragu</b><br />
Serves 6<br />
Adapted from <a href="http://www.recipes.co.nz/shop/mEAT+MAGAZINE/Beef+Shin+Ragu.html">Beef + Lamb NZ</a><br />
<br />
<i>Ingredients</i><br />
<br />
800g beef shin<br />
2 tablespoons butter<br />
1 large onion, finely chopped<br />
3 cloves garlic, crushed<br />
2 sticks celery, finely chopped<br />
2 carrots, finely chopped<br />
2 teaspoons dried oregano<br />
3 tablespoons tomato paste<br />
2 anchovy fillets, chopped (I used 4)<br />
1 cup red wine<br />
2 cups beef stock (I used water)<br />
1 bay leaf<br />
<br />
<i>Method</i><br />
<ol>
<li>Preheat the oven to 150ºC.</li>
<li>Season the beef with a little salt and pepper. Heat a dash of oil in a large frying pan over a very high heat and sear the beef to brown all over (you may need to do this in two batches). Set the beef aside. </li>
<li>Reduce the heat to medium, add the butter and another dash of oil to the pan and cook the onion, garlic, celery, carrot and oregano for about 7-10 minutes until the vegetables are soft. </li>
<li>Add the tomato paste and anchovies and cook for another few minutes. </li>
<li>Add the wine, turn up the heat and let it bubble for 30 seconds. </li>
<li>Add the water and the bay leaf. If your pan is ovenproof, add the beef and its juices back to the pan and cover with the lid or, transfer everything to a covered casserole dish.</li>
<li>Bake in the oven for 3 hours, stirring a couple of times to ensure the beef stays mostly covered with liquid.</li>
</ol>
<i>To serve</i><br />
<br />
Remove the meat with tongs and place on a clean board. Remove and discard the bones and pull the beef into chunks with two forks. If necessary, at this point you can simmer the sauce in a saucepan on the stovetop to reduce and thicken it. Add the meat back into the sauce, taste and season as required. Spoon the meat sauce onto the hot pasta and sprinkle with grated Parmesan and chopped parsley.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3919846795916391893.post-58445391535122811122017-03-17T00:30:00.000-07:002018-02-01T07:20:57.381-08:00Best Black Bean Soup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTQ6EAjboETxpCIUUS66ARg8l8QJeGPgOohahTMsb8aoz_YYVHLgpl2QpBQaM0sZM3Tj5icoF5B8SYA4IH2Zp5iDiVnCIK3i11bXKS8jR0mlqGFZ1gl0Ic8j3qIVDRhjutVtLsDQ48dYRW/s1600/IMG_20170311_135008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTQ6EAjboETxpCIUUS66ARg8l8QJeGPgOohahTMsb8aoz_YYVHLgpl2QpBQaM0sZM3Tj5icoF5B8SYA4IH2Zp5iDiVnCIK3i11bXKS8jR0mlqGFZ1gl0Ic8j3qIVDRhjutVtLsDQ48dYRW/s320/IMG_20170311_135008.jpg" width="308" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I am trying to build up a good repertoire of vegetarian dishes (well... aside from chicken stock, but that can also easily be replaced with veggie stock), especially if they only require one pot! A and I are trying to keep an eye on grocery bills and therefore batch cooking and the freezer has become pretty vital - and I feel much better about storing and reheating vegetarian food (plus it will hopefully keep us from ballooning in size as we adjust to more American food). Now that I'm in Texas for a bit, Mexican ingredients and dishes are incredibly easy to create, so I'm enjoying wandering the aisles of the local Mexican supermarket and trying to make sense of the plethora of unfamiliar foodstuffs. The chipotles in adobo smell absolutely amazing and while this recipe doesn't use much of the can, there were lots of tips on how to freeze appropriate amounts of it for use in other dishes, and I am contemplating using some in a fusion fried rice dish (I'll let you know how that goes...)</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This tastes much creamier than the ingredient list might leave you to believe, so enjoy it while also feeling good about yourself!</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Best Black Bean Soup</b><br />Adapted from <a href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018592-best-black-bean-soup">NYTimes</a><br /><br /><i>Ingredients</i></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><br /></i>1 small (7-ounce) can chipotle chiles in adobo<br />2 tablespoons olive oil<br />2 carrots, peeled and chopped</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2 celery stalks, chopped (optional)<br />2 onions, peeled and chopped<br />4 garlic cloves, minced<br />1 cup red wine (optional)<br />2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and chopped (I substituted 1 large padron pepper)<br />1 pound dry black beans (I soaked overnight despite instructions not to)<br />48oz chicken stock<br />1 tablespoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican<br />2 bay leaves<br />1 tablespoon kosher salt (I did not need this - felt the soup was savory enough)<br />1 teaspoon ground black pepper<br /> Red wine vinegar, to taste (optional, I used 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar)<br /><br /><i>Method</i></span><br />
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Empty the can of chiles into a blender or food processor. Purée until smooth, scrape into a container, and set aside. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In a large pot over medium heat, add olive oil, carrots, celery, onions, garlic and padron pepper (or jalapeños) and cook, stirring, until softened but not browned, 5 to 8 minutes. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Push the vegetables out to the edges of the pot and dollop 2 teaspoons of chipotle purée in the center. Let fry for a minute and then stir together with the vegetables.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Add beans, stock, black pepper, oregano and bay leaves. Stir, bring to a boil, and let boil 10 to 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, partly covered, stirring occasionally and adding hot water as needed to keep the soup liquid and runny, not sludgy. Continue cooking until beans are softened, collapsing and fragrant, approximately 1 hour. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Adjust the texture of the soup: The goal is to combine whole beans, soft chunks and a velvety broth. Some beans release enough starch while cooking to produce a thick broth without puréeing. If soup seems thin, use an immersion blender or blender to purée a small amount of the beans until smooth, then stir back in. Continue until desired texture is reached, keeping in mind that the soup will continue to thicken as it sits.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Heat the soup through, taste and adjust the seasonings with salt, pepper, drops of red wine vinegar and dabs of chipotle purée.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Serve in deep bowls, garnishing each serving with sour cream, pickled onions, cilantro leaves, sliced chiles and avocado as desired.</span></li>
</ol>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Update: So an Instant Pot has arrived in my life. I did steps 1-3 on the Saute setting, then added the rest (including unsoaked, dried beans) and put it on pressure cook for 30 minutes, then let it naturally release. Blending a bit of the soup helped add some creaminess in, and it was ready to go. </span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0