Spaetzle, Zucchini and Peppers with an improvised Green Curry Sauce

Steph from Stephfood was our Daring Cooks' July hostess. Steph challenged us to make homemade noodles without the help of a motorized pasta machine. She provided us with recipes for Spätzle and Fresh Egg Pasta as well as a few delicious sauces to pair our noodles with! I appreciated her willingness to let everyone experiment with their own variations on the theme based on their personal preferences, dietary requirements and/or financial restraints.

Since the spätzle was her Dad's recipe, and it was estimated to take 30-minutes, I chose to tackle it instead of fresh egg pasta. My previous attempt at spaetzle involved squeezing it through a potato ricer and resulted in brain like squiggly masses; the tablespoon method Steph and her Dad endorse treated me better. The resulting spaetzle reminded me of dumplings, though not as soft to the bite and sans butter.

As in our house no meal is complete without a vegetable or two, I decided to drop chopped squash and yellow bell pepper into the boiling water during the last minute or so. This made it simple, summery and minimized the number of additional dishes used. The green curry sauce gave it some added zest, thank goodness as the lemon zest I had thrown in did nothing to add flavor thus it is missing from the spätzle recipe below. I would happily revisit this again, though perhaps with a revised or different sauce, and suggest that you consider trying it as long as you like dumplings and/or gnocchi.

Thanks for the reminder to not give up on spätzle, Steph! 

German Spätzle
Yields approximately 15 spätzle pieces

2 Large Eggs
1/2 cup Milk (Any type works - I used Coconut.)
1 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour (I needed 1/4 cup extra.)
1 tablespoon chopped Basil (up to 1 tablespoon of any herbs and spices can be used.)
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 tablespoon chopped Basil (for decoration)
1 medium Zucchini, chopped
1 Yellow Bell Pepper, chopped

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk and any herbs and spices.
3. Sift in 1/3 of the flour into the liquid mixture and stir until incorporated. Continue adding the flour until the dough is elastic, smooth and very hard to stir.
4. Dip a tablespoon into the boiling water, pour the water out. Scoop up enough dough to fill the moistened tablespoon halfway and drop the dough into the boiling water. Continue until all dough is in the water.
5. Boil for 15 to 20 minutes. If desired, add the zucchini and squash for the last minute to minute and half to blanch it. While the spätzle boils make your sauce.
6. Drain the spätzle and veggies thoroughly.
7. Place the them in a dish and pour a little sauce over each spätzle (you want just enough to dress them lightly). Top with the the chopped basil. 

Improvised Green Curry Sauce
1/2 cup Coconut Milk
2 teaspoons Green Curry Paste
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Cornstarch
1 tablespoon Shredded, Unsweetened Coconut

1. Whisk together coconut milk, curry paste and cornstarch in a bowl. Heat in the microwave for a minute. Whisk again. Continue until it has reduced/thickened to the desired consistency.
2. Stir in shredded coconut.

Cabbage, Squash and Spring Onion Pie

Way back in 2008 Deb at Smitten Kitchen raved about Tomato and Corn Pie, I didn't bookmark it. Leslie made the pie, substituting greek yogurt for mayo, and said it was amazing. Still I ignored the recipe, though I did bookmark an adapted version Jeannette at Everybody Loves Sandwiches made using her favorite biscuit dough. I guess I was afraid of pie crust after attempting a lattice on my first pie.

2011 rolls around, Leslie still says Tomato and Corn Pie is one of her favorite dishes and Rachel informs me Peter loves it too. So I finally decide to try it out, only at the time tomato and corn weren't in season. Since I had cabbage, squash and red spring onions courtesy of my farming internship, I changed the filling to include those items. The filling's bright lemon flavor, hint crunch from the cabbage and overall vegetal sweetness were a hit with my taste testers.

For trial one, I used Smitten Kitchen's Cream Biscuits for the pie's crust. If, like Jeannette, I had a favorite biscuit dough recipe I could make in my sleep this would have indeed been easy. Instead it was a bit messy to put together. That said the resulting pie "crust" was doughy and a little flaky. I also added a sprinkling of feta on top of the vegetables.

For trial two, I stuck to the original crust recipe and OMFG (remember that controversial ad campaign from Gossip Girl Season 2) the resulting flaky, golden crust was SO good. I don't think you can beat butter. It also was super easy since I used the food processor to assemble the crust and it rolled out nicely. As the feta hadn't added a significant flavor I skipped it.

Final thoughts... Take whatever produce you have, throw it in Epicurious' buttery crust and call it dinner, lunch and snack. The meal time won't matter; this pie and its original crust are a little bite of heaven and it reheats pretty well. I can't wait to try the tomato and corn version for the first time next week while vacationing. As for the heavy cream biscuits, I would make them again too if I had cream on hand but not butter and need a biscuit.

Cabbage, Squash and Spring Onion Pie
Adapted from Tomato and Corn Pie from Gourmet 2003 at Epicurious with reference to the recipes linked above

3/4 cup Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
3/4 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 tablespoon Baking Powder
1 3/4 teaspoons Salt
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) Cold Unsalted Butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, plus 2 teaspoons melted
3/4 cup Whole Milk
2 tablespoons Mayonnaise
Zest of a Lemon and juice from 1/2 of it
1 medium to small Summer Squash
1/2 head Cabbage
4 Red Spring Onions
Salt and Pepper

1. Slice the summer squash into circles, I aimed for 1/8 inch or less, sprinkle it with salt and set aside. Slide the onions into circles. Chop the cabbage up thin ribbons, then go back over it to break it into small pieces. (You may not be able to fit all the veggies into your pie, if not they'll be great for stir fry.)
2. Add unbleached all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, and 3/4 teaspoon salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until it resembles wet sand. Add milk and continue to pulse until a dough forms, then remove from the food processor and make it into a ball. (This can be done by hand. See the original recipe for instructions).
3. Place one sheet of plastic wrap on the counter and place the dough ball on it. Divide the dough in half. Wrap half in plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator. Cover the remaining dough with a sheet of plastic wrap, then roll it out into an approximately 2-inch round that is 1/8 inch thick. Remove top sheet of plastic wrap and lift dough using bottom sheet of plastic wrap and invert into a 10-inch glass pie plate, patting with your fingers to fit. Set the plastic wrap aside.
4. Preheat oven to 400°F.
5. Stir together mayonnaise, lemon juice and lemon zest. Pat the water off the squash. Arrange a layer of overlapping squash in crust, then a layer of onions and finally the cabbage. Spread approximately half the mayo mixture over top and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Then repeat the layering process.
6. Remove the remaining dough from the refrigerator. Spread out the plastic wrapping it, place another sheet of plastic on top and roll it out into an approximately 2-inch round that is 1/8 inch thick. Fit it over the filling and pinch it into the bottom crust. Cut steam vents in the top and brush with melted butter.
7. Place the pie in the oven on the middle rack and bake until crust is golden, approximately 35 minutes, then cool on a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

P.S. If you have any must try ideas for first time visitors to Cape Cod, please leave them in the comments. I leave Friday morning!

Saucy Lemon-Garlic Chicken and Braised Artichokes over Wheatberries

When my Alpha Gamma Delta sister-mother, Amanda, served me artichokes junior year at Virginia Commonwealth University I was perplexed by their spiky, dull green appearance and that Amanda, who prefers classic foods, enjoyed them. As I dipped the outer leaves in butter and scraped the tender flesh off with my teeth, scooped out the choke and ate the heart relishing every bite I got it.

And I've loved artichokes ever since. They taste great and are low in calories while providing dietary fiber, vitamin C, folate, magnesium and antioxidants (per OceanMist). When I saw a box of baby artichokes on markdown at Kroger; I had to buy them!  The nice thing about baby artichokes is the chokes (spiky bits in the center) don't need to be removed as they haven't matured enough yet to tickle the throat. I ate some steamed and then decided to get creative braising the excess.

This preparation leaves the chicken incredibly tender while creating a light, savory lemon sauce perfect for coating the nutty wheatberries. The whole dish leaves a natural sweet aftertaste in your mouth and the wheatberries bounce as you bite into them (party in the mouth!) - what's not to love?  Wheatberries aren't for everyone so feel free to substitute couscous, brown rice or another grain of your choice.

Thanks for the introduction to artichokes, Amanda, and for many other things! I got lucky when we were paired up 10 years ago.

Saucy Lemon-Garlic Chicken and Braised Artichokes over Wheatberries
Inspired by Mark Bittman's Artichokes Take a Dip in a Pool of Stock and bill granger's Honey Lemon Chicken Wings

1 cup Wheatberries
1/2 tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Onion, large, sliced thinly into rings
1 Lemon, juice only
1 tsp. Agave Nectar
1 inch Ginger, grated
3 Chicken Breasts
4 cloves Garlic, sliced thinly
1/2 cup Chicken Broth
12 Baby Artichokes, trimmed and halved

1. Bring 2.5 cups of water to a boil. Add 1 cup of wheatberries and return to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for approximately 1 hour. At the end of the hour check the wheatberries - if they have plumped up and cracked open they are ready. Set aside.
2. Add 1/2 tablespoon olive oil to the dutch oven over medium-low heat. Once the oil sizzles when flicked with a drop of water, add the onion. Saute until slightly browned adding 1/4 cup of water as needed to prevent burning. Remove to a plate.
3. While the onions caramelize, squeeze the lemon into a small bowl. Mix the agave nectar and ginger into the lemon juice. Set aside.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. Salt and pepper the chicken breasts, then place them to the hot dutch oven and brown each side. Remove to the plate. Turn off the burner.
6. Pour 1/2 cup of chicken broth into the dutch oven to deglaze it. Spread the caramelized onions over the bottom of the dutch oven and add the sliced garlic.
7. Place the chicken on top of the onion and garlic. Pour the lemon juice mixture over top. Cover and place in oven for approximately 20 minutes.
8. While the chicken begins cooking, prepare the artichokes by removing their stems and the top 1/4. Cut them in half longitudinally. When 20 minutes has passed, remove the dutch oven from the stove and nest the artichokes into the cooking liquid. Cover the dish and return it to the oven.
9. Bake the dish for approximately 15 more minutes. It is done when the chicken is 160-165 degrees Fahrenheit.
10. Place the wheatberries or other grain on the plate and serve the other elements over it. Salt, pepper and/or Ms. Dash to taste and enjoy. 

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Ceviche de Pescado and Not Papas Rellanas

My first trip out of the country was in 2004. I visited Guayaquil, Salinas, Montanita and Cuenca, Ecuador for New Years with friends, who I hadn't actually met in person yet. The adventure opened my eyes to a new culture and new foods. I will never forget all of the fireworks and exploding pinatas, the variety of car horns you heard navigating the crowded streets, the ocean's bath-like water temperature, the "raining" locusts and discovering just how privileged we are in the US to have the sanitation system we do.

In spite of later trips to Italy, Cyprus and Spain, South American food has stayed in my head. I just can't approximate it as well as the other cuisines. I still dream about the tangy, soup-like ceviche served with popcorn, the creamy, cheesy grilled corn (choclos not to be confused with cholos) available for a dollar on the street, cilantro rice, and fresh pina coladas. Needless to say when Kathlyn introduced this month's challenge by describing her love of South American food's flavor I was excited.

Kathlyn of Bake Like a Ninja was our Daring Cooks’ March 2011 hostess. Kathlyn challenged us to make two classic Peruvian dishes: Ceviche de Pescado from “Peruvian Cooking – Basic Recipes” by Annik Franco Barreau. And Papas Rellenas adapted from a home recipe by Kathlyn’s Spanish teacher, Mayra. You can find the full challenge background and recipes here; the recipes updated with my variations are below.

I've tried making ceviche before but this version turned out much better. It keeps things simple so the citrus cooked fish stays the main event (as it should). I incorporated pink grapefruit into the ceviche for some additional color and reduced the provided recipe by half but otherwise followed it. I'm delighted to say that my Mom's Venzuelan co-worker said it was perfect so congrats to Kathlyn for finding something authentic enough to please a South American.

As for the Papas Rellanas I really went off the reservation. While I read through the recipe and largely followed it, what I made couldn't really be called Papas Rellanas since I made the filling Italian (proscuitto, red pepper, spinach and mozzarella) and decided to bake the dough balls instead of frying them. That said I liked the end result - it was almost like having filled gnocchi!

Ceviche de Pescado (Fish Ceviche)
Serves 6 as a “starter” or lunch portion. Serves 3 as a dinner.

Ingredients
1 lbs. Tilipia (or another firm white fish. Sashimi grade is ideal but I used fresh, never frozen, tilapia with the furthest available sell by date and am still alive.)
1 Garlic Clove, mashed
1/2 Jalepeno Pepper, minced
1 Grapefruit (supremed for the fruit and the squeezed for the juice)
1/2 cup Lime Juice, freshly squeezed (approximately 3 limes)
1/4 cup Grapefruit Juice, freshly squeezed
1 tablespoon Cilantro, finely chopped
1/2 Red Onion, thinly sliced lengthwise into half moons
Salt and Pepper (to taste)

Directions:
1. Slice the fish into pieces between 1/2 inch and 2 inches depending on your preference. Place the fish in a non-reactive, shallow plan in a thin layer. Season with salt and pepper.
2.  Supreme the grapefruit into the dish with the fish.
3. Combine the grapefruit and lime juice, jalepeno, cilantro and garlic. Pour mixture over fish and grapefruit. Stir lightly to expose all the fish to some of the citrus juice mixture.
4. Put sliced onion on top of fish as it “cooks."
5. Let fish stand for 10 minutes or longer depending on your preference.

Not Papas Rellenas
Makes 8

Ingredients
For the dough:
2 1/4 pounds Russet Potatoes
1 large Egg

For the filling:
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
3/4 cup Proscuitto, cubed
1 1/2 cups Spinach, if mature remove the stalks
1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
3/4 cup Mozzarella, cubed
Salt and Pepper to taste

For the final preparation:
1 large Egg, beaten
1 cup All-Purpose Flour
Dash Salt
1 cup Panko Bread Crumbs

Directions:
In order to save time, you can prep the potatoes, and while they are cooling, make the filling. While the filling cools, make the potato “dough.” In this way, little time is spent waiting for anything to cool.

For the dough:
1. Pierce the potatoes with a fork, then place them in a bowl and cover with saran wrap. Heat in the microwave for approximately 8 minutes. Once they pierce easily with a fork, they are done.
2. Place on a plate and cut in half to speed cooling.
3. Peel the potatoes as soon as you can handle them and mash them with a potato masher or force them through a potato ricer (preferred).
4. Add egg, salt and pepper and knead “dough” thoroughly to ensure that ingredients are well combined and uniformly distributed.

For the filling:
1. Place 1 tablespoon of oil in a saute pan and heat over medium. Once hot add the proscuitto and brown it (about 5 minutes). Remove from the pan and place on a paper towel covered plate to drain.
2. Wipe out the pan leaving only a thin coating of oil. Add the red bell pepper and saute 3 minutes. Add the spinach and saute until it wilts.
3. Turn off the heat, add the mozzarella and proscuitto and toss to combine.
4. Allow filling to cool before forming “papas.”

Forming and baking the papas:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees farenheit.
2. Use three small bowls to prepare the papas. In one, combine flour and salt. In the second, a beaten egg with a tiny bit of water. Put bread crumbs in the third.
3. Flour your hands and scoop up 1/8 of the total dough to make a round pancake with your hands. Make a slight indentation in the middle for the filling.
4. Spoon a generous amount of filling into the center and then roll the potato closed, forming a smooth, ball-like casing around the filling. Repeat with all dough.
5. Dip each papa in the three bowls to coat: first roll in flour, then dip in egg, then roll in bread crumbs.
6. Place papas on the baking sheet and spray the exterior with oil.
7. Bake the papas in the oven for 25-30 minutes, flipping once in the middle. Eat on them on their own, with spaghetti sauce or over salad.

Roasted Green Beans and Potatoes with Dill

Today I spent almost 5 hours volunteering on a local, certified organic farm. It was my audition to participate in their work-share program during the growing season a.k.a. volunteer regularly and get a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) share. If I'm not chosen, and I don't know how selection works, I'll just join the CSA since I like the idea of supporting the local economy and getting fresh produce.

Knowing that working on a farm is hard and doing the work itself are two very different things. I worked side by side with the employees and essentially was treated as one. It was a busy but peaceful day; I helped "pot-up" a large flat of leeks, packaged arugula, pulled and bundled overwintered carrots, planted cabbage and cauliflower and did a lot of shivering. I came home with a big smile, dirty nails, a tired back and bags of fresh arugula and spinach. While I can't wait to dig into those greens, I needed something warm quickly so I ate the exact meal for lunch that I had for dinner last night.

The food I post might seem complicated but I am more likely to eat something simple like these Roasted Green Beans and Potatoes with Dill over a a half cup of  reduced fat cottage cheese zapped in the microwave for 50 seconds most days. Roasted green beans get surprisingly sweet, the potatoes turn creamy and the dill adds a bright flavor to them both. If you go the cottage cheese route it adds a nice tang into the mix and makes it like a lazy soup.  

Roasted Green Beans and Potatoes with Dill
approximately 2 servings

3/4 lbs. Potatoes
1 lb. Green Beans
4 tsp Lemon Juice, fresh would likely be nice but I used Real Lemon
1 Tbsp. Dill, dried
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1/4 tsp Salt

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut the potatoes into chunks of relatively the same size. Place the potatoes in salted water with 2 tsp. lemon juice.
3. Snap the ends off the green beans and rinse them.
4. Drain the potatoes and add the green beans to them. Measure the 2 teaspoons of lemon juice, the tablespoon of olive oil, tablespoon of dill and the quarter teaspoon of salt into the bowl. Toss the mixture together with tongs or your hands.
5. Spread the green beans and potatoes out on a baking sheet and place the sheet in the oven. Set a timer for 15 minutes.
6. When the timer goes off move the vegetables around on the pan, tongs help here too. Set the timer for 20 additional minutes. If your green beans look brown, slightly blistered and have shrunk in size when you check the pan you should be good to go.

Quinoa Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash and Orange

I lied. This isn't cookies. It is a whole grain salad with greens -- much healthier! This Quinoa Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash and Orange, sourced from Veggie Num Num, was a bright spot on an otherwise dreary Saturday. The caramelized squash and orange's sweetness are balanced by the arugula's sharpness, the creamy tang of feta and balsamic reduction's punch. The variety of textures brought by the combination of ingredients also plays well on the palate.

The original recipe involved pumpkin and walnuts. I substituted a butternut squash and its seeds for these items as pumpkin wasn't available and nuts aren't sitting too well with me these days. To make the recipe easier, you could use pre-packaged cubed butternut squash instead of dicing your own squash or pumpkin. If you do that revert back to the walnuts instead of squash seeds or substitute another roasted nut or seed of your choice.

Due to a scent aversion to reheated oranges, that I will be kind and not mention to you, I ended up discarding the orange in my leftovers but I can tell you that overall this dish reheats pretty well and, for me, it yielded about 6 meals. I will make it again even though it uses more dishes than I prefer for a single course as I loved the flavor and presentation.

Quinoa Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash and Orange
very minimally adapted from Veggie Num Num


1 cup quinoa
1.5 cups vegetable stock
2 oranges
2 pounds Butternut Squash, diced with seeds rinsed and reserved
1 cup Chickpeas (canned is fine)
5 shallots, quartered
2 cups Arugula
1/2 cup Feta Cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup Balsamic Vinegar

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place the quinoa, stock and juice of 1 orange in a pot; bring to the boil. Turn down heat and simmer with the lid on for 10-15 minutes until liquid has been absorbed. Set aside.
3. Cut the remaining orange into wedges.
4. Place a large baking sheet drizzled with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil into the heated oven to warm the oil. Remove from the oven when oil is hot.
5. Place the butternut squash and its seeds, chickpeas, shallot bulbs and orange wedges on the tray the baking sheet; toss well to coat with oil.
6. Return to the oven and cook for 20-25 minutes until chickpeas are crisp and squash tender. Remove from oven and set aside to cool slightly.
7. While the above mixture roasts pour the balsamic vinegar into a small saucepan and heat over medium heat until reduced by half and vinegar is syrupy. Set aside to cool.
8. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl; dress with balsamic reduction to taste (2-3 tablespoons).
9. Serve over extra arugula with an extra balsamic reduction, if desired.

Yours will look even better if you don't overcook the quinoa. ;)

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Coconut Curry Lentil Soup

Back in December I saw Jeanette's Healthy Living's Thai Coconut Curry Lentil Soup when Kayln she adapted it on her site. I looked at both options and decided to make my own variation on Jeanette's recipe as I don't own a slow cooker, I could avoid purchasing chicken broth (thrifty!) and I had similar ingredients on hand.

I dry toasted the spices before adding any liquids or fats to help intensify their flavors. Then I substituted green curry for red as it was in my fridge and replaced the red lentils with french lentils since they hold their shape better. I also added apple from some crunch. My soup was considerably less smooth than either of their versions but I liked the texture.

The resulting soup is slightly spicy, slightly sweet and very filling though not particularly pleasing to the eye. My Dad loves it and I suspect we'll be eating it all winter as it comes together so quickly! I've already made it three times.

Coconut Curry Lentil Soup
1 tbsp Olive Oil
1.5 cup Onion, chopped
1.5 tsp. Ginger, minced
1.5  tsp. Garlic, minced
1 tsp. Ground Cumin
1/2 tsp. Ground Coriander
1/4 tsp. Turmeric
1 tbsp. Green Curry Paste
5 cups Water
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 cup French Lentils
2 small-medium Sweet Potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2" pieces (yield 2.5 cups)
3/4 cup Coconut Milk (could use light...it will just be a little less creamy)
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 large Apple, peeled cut into 1/2" pieces (yield 1 cup; I used Jonagold).

1. Heat a saucepan over medium. Add the cumin, coriander and tumeric and toast until aromatic. Push to the side.
2. Heat olive oil. Once warm add the ginger and garlic and toast until garlic begins to brown.
3. Stir in green curry paste and cook for an additional two minutes.
4. Add water, lentils and sweet potatoes. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to medium-low and cook about 20-25 minutes or until lentils and sweet potatoes are soft.
5. Remove cover, add remaining salt, apple and stir in coconut milk. Cook five more minutes.
6. Serve.

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Peas with Roasted Garlic Chicken and Whole Wheat Pasta

This was my first meal of 2011 and I thoroughly enjoyed it, even though it took me 10 days to post about it. Sorry! I was busy with last hurrah's in NYC before settling down in Virginia. I also wanted to make it again to be sure I really liked it. I was afraid I might have transferred the excitement over having the clarity of mind to put a meal together the morning of the first to excitement over this meal. I've had some brutal New Years Day hangovers in the past... *shudder*

Anyway, this dish kept things simple and was filling and flavorful. It also helped use up the remaining frozen items in Fort Greene, so no food was left behind when I moved. The peas and herbs give it brightness while the roasted garlic, the chicken and its broth are rich, rich, rich without being overly indulgent.

Unfortunately I followed it up with an obscene number of Pretzel M&Ms so getting back on track with better eating had to wait until the following day. But that's the joy of each day being a new one right? The opportunity to make different choices and have different experiences. Happy (Belated) New Year!

Peas with Roasted Garlic Chicken and Whole Wheat Pasta
Yields approximately 6 servings

5 Chicken Drumsticks, skin on
6-8 Garlic Cloves, peeled and halved
1 Small Onion, diced
Salt and Pepper

4-5 cups Frozen Peas (approximately 1.5 one pound bags)
2 cups Whole Wheat Pasta (I used leftover macaroni the first time and fusilli the second)
Salt
1/2 tbsp. Butter
1 tsp. Thyme, dried
1 tsp. Rosemary, dried

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Dice the onion and place it in the bottom of a glass baking dish big enough to fit the drumsticks.
3. Peel the garlic cloves and cut them in half, removing the little green stem should it appear. Place these into the bottom of the baking dish as well.
4. Sprinkle the drumsticks with salt and pepper on both sides. Place them in the baking dish.
5. Cover the baking dish with foil. Bake for 45 minutes or until meat by the bone is no longer pink and the juices run clear.
6. In the meantime bring a medium pot of salted water to boil. Add pasta and when there is about 4 minutes left add the frozen peas. Your boil will die.
7. After the peas and pasta come back to a boil, turn off the stovetop and drain the mixture. Place it in a medium bowl and swirl in the bit of butter.
8. Once the chicken is done remove the chicken's skin and tear the remaining chicken into pieces, then add it to the peas and macaroni. Now add the garlic and drippings/chicken broth to taste. Add rosemary and thyme. Mix, then salt to taste. 

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December 2010 Daring Cooks' Challenge: Poached Eggs

I completed the Daring Cooks' challenge on time, but my heart wasn't in creating a post. Clearly. Since  deciding to draw my time in NYC to a close by January 1 and finding myself in control of seemingly nothing, I have been racing around trying to see people, taste things and get myself together for the transition. But I am alive and once I'm settled back in Virginia I suspect I'll get back to eating in my usual manner, exercising and dabbling with this again. In the meantime, happy holidays!

Jenn and Jill have challenged The Daring Cooks to learn to perfect the technique of poaching an egg. They chose Eggs Benedict recipe from Alton Brown, Oeufs en Meurette from Cooking with Wine by Anne Willan, and Homemade Sundried Tomato & Pine Nut Seitan Sausages (poached) courtesy of Trudy of Veggie num num. A PDF with all their info and the recipes can be found here.

I opted to focus on the required egg poaching and assemble a simple, healthy meal of roasted Kabocha squash, almost caramelized leeks and a poached egg. It was a nice, savory mix with the yolk to sauce things up. My egg poaching certainly has improved since the debacle where the whole thing turned into foam but it still needs refining. My first eggs spun out of control as I had brought this too far past room temperature but the later one (pictured) was a pretty solid (and tasty) attempt.

Black Bean Salad with Fuyu Persimmon, Avocado, and Lime-Cumin Vinaigrette

If you can find persimmons you have to make Kayln of Kayln's Kitchen's Black Bean Salad with Fuyu Persimmon, Avocado, and Lime-Cumin Vinaigrette. My Mom's in love with it and I'm rather fond of it too. It is sweet and smooth yet it has a nice bite from the green onions, lime and salt. I followed her recipe exactly, but next time will decrease the oil as the result was a bit slick for my palate.

I wish I had remembered it earlier this year as I'm not sure persimmon's will be readily available at this point and I would love to eat the salad again before next year. We had a it a few times last Fall and tried to make it with mango, which was not quite as good, so if I can't find them I will have to wait.

FYI, Fuyu persimmons can be peeled and eaten while firm or soft...either way they are sweet. You'll want to use firm Fuyu's not Hachiya persimmons as they aren't tasty until they feel like jelly and therefore wouldn't hold up in this salad once ripe. 

Thanksgiving, October's Pasta Night and a Troubled Spaetzle Attempt

As Britt sings when I'm lucky, Happy, Happy, Happy Turkey Day! If you celebrate Thanksgiving, I hope you've all found many things to be thankful for and that you are enjoying time with your family,  biological or chosen. My family is feasting on Friday and Sunday, so I am not indulging yet but there's no reason not to be thankful in advance of the trimmings. I am grateful to my family and friends for their ongoing love and support, the experiences I have had this year including visiting Lizzie in Minneapolis and checking out the Betty Crocker Test Kitchens, touring Glacier National Park and attending fun weddings among others. 

One of my favorite things in NYC has been thematic cooking events. First there were Dana's where my urge to share my cooking trumped my nervousness about being somewhere surrounded (mostly) by strangers. Then there has been the new version organized by Meg. Our most recent was Pasta Night i.e. making use of her Kitchen-Aid Mixer's Pasta Roller. Everyone contributed something - Leslie's awesome meat ragu was the star in my opinion - and we learned that there is a limit to how many times you can run pasta through the roller without losing its tenderness while chatting, eating and drinking. Perfection.

My contribution was freshly grated Parmesan and Fettuccine Alfredo sauce, my favorite childhood food other than ice cream. I returned to All Recipe's Fettuccine Alfredo V something I made in college with these notes "a little buttery, use less margarine (what I substituted), rich enough to give a little stomachache, it got rave reviews from my roommates and sisters, possibly could use a bit more garlic and have to stir upon reheat then it is a bit grainy but still flavorful. That also mixes the butter back in" for the occasion. I'm pleased to report it no longer gives me a stomachache, even though I traded up to butter. It is just delicious. If you like Fettuccine Alfredo when dining out, trust me, the linked version beats it.

The following Monday I used the leftover Fettuccine Alfredo sauce, blanched zucchini, basil chiffonade and spaetzle with lemon zest to create something similar to my memory of a dish I ate at B-Bar in May. The flavor was good, but I learned the hard way that a potato ricer does not work to make spaetzle. Mine did not cook as evenly as April's and looked a bit like brains, if their tissue were white.

Vanessa and Meg made the pasta from scratch.

We all took turns running the pasta through the pasta roller. 

Erin made lovely bow ties.

The rest of the dough turned into fettuccine.

Bow Ties with Leslie's killer ragu. This was only the start of what I ate.

My attempt at spaetzle, though not lovely, was delicious.

Avocado-Cilantro Soufflé and Pepper Jicama Salad with Lime-Cumin Vinaigrette

Dave and Linda from Monkeyshines in the Kitchen chose Soufflés as our November 2010 Daring Cooks’ Challenge! Dave and Linda provided two of their own delicious recipes plus a sinfully decadent chocolate soufflé recipe adapted from Gordon Ramsay’s recipe found at the BBC Good Food website. You can find their recipes and tips here. You can find Audax's always amazing additional tips and results here.

This month I was not only late but I also was very daring. I reviewed the provided recipes and those in my Fine Cooking I binder, then I created an Avocado-Cilantro Soufflé. I'll walk you through the steps I took but I can't say I would recommend that you try it since it's flavor improved as it cooled and soufflés are meant to be served HOT! If you do try it, add salt to the avocado mixture and keep an eye on it to ensure it doesn't overcook. Mine rose beautifully only to collapse after I overcooked it...at least the internal texture was right nevermind the rest of it.

I served the Avocado-Cilantro Soufflé with Sweet Potato Fries, a simple Pepper Jicama Salad with Lime-Cumin Vinaigrette (that you should make) and some Foreman'ed Pork Chops (courtesy of an assist from my Mom when I ran out of steam) topped with Caramelized Onions. Being home for Thanksgiving and having Mom's Kitchen-Aid mixer and dishwasher made this whole process so much easier!

Thanks to her, Dad and Jarrett for being so patient while I put our meal together and for bearing with the experimental soufflé.

Avocado-Cilantro Soufflé
(enough for a 1.5 quart dish; serves 4 people)

1 Tbsp. Butter
Crushed Doritos


1 Haas Avocado
1/4 cup Cilantro, chopped
2 Tbsp. Coconut Milk (Regular Milk or Cream would be fine)
1 Tbsp. Butter
1/8 cup cheddar cheese

4 egg yolks, at room temperature
8 egg whites, at room temperature

1. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in oven-proof dish with high sides. Coat the interior of the dish with the butter, then coat it with the crushed Doritos.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
3. Halve the avocado, remove its pit and scoop the flesh into food processor. Rinse and dry the cilantro, pluck off the leaves and chop enough to add 1/4 cup cilantro to avocado. Add 2 tablespoons of coconut milk to the food processor to facilitate pureeing. Puree the mixture until smooth.
4. Melt the other tablespoon of butter into a pan on the stove. Transfer avocado-cilantro mixture to the pan, add the grated cheddar and warm the mixture incorporating the cheddar. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
5. Temper the 4 egg yolks with a little of the avocado mixture, then incorporate them into the avocado-cilantro mixture. Transfer to a medium bowl.
6. Beat the egg whites to soft peak stage and fold them into the avocado-cilantro mixture. Be careful not to overmix and deflate the egg whites.
7. Transfer the mixture into oven-proof dish, wipe the edges clean and smooth the top. Bake until puffy, serve immediately. 40 minutes was way too long of a baking time; maybe try 22 minutes as that is when my souffle was elevated and starting to turn golden.

Pepper Jicama Salad with Lime-Cumin Vinaigrette
(an approximate recipe to serve 4-6 people)

5 Ounces of Baby Spinach
1.5 Red, Orange and/or Yellow Peppers
1 Medium Jicama
1 Lime, juice only
1.5 Tbsp. Canola Oil
1 Tsp. Cumin
.5 Tbsp. Agave Nectar
Salt and Pepper

1. Retrieve a large bowl. Place the spinach in the bowl.
2. Wash the peppers and cut them into small dice. Place the the diced pepper in the bowl with the spinach.
3. Peel the jicama using your knife. Cut it into small cubes. Add these cubes to the bowl.
4. Juice the lime into a jar with a lid. Add the canola oil, cumin, agave nectar and salt and pepper to taste. Shake vigorously. It should still be slightly tart in my opinion for a bright contrast to the jicama and pepper's sweetness.
5. Pour over the salad and serve.

Root Vegetable Risotto

As I threw this together I was calling it “Going to Richmond Risotto” in my head since I just was cleaning out the fridge for my trip home tonight (!) when I came up with the ingredients. I can't wait to be home, to have time to think and to catch up with my often too far away family.

The risotto ended up looking so festive that I decided to share. Plus it tastes delicious. It is warm, filling and comforting -- perfect for Fall and perhaps Thanksgiving? I bet you could throw Turkey Day leftovers into a risotto for a tasty result too. Hmm.  Anyway, the parmesan makes the risotto tangy and rich while the root vegetables add sweetness and the beet greens spice things up a touch.

This is the first time I’ve enjoyed beet greens too, which is a serious accomplishment. I didn’t have to feel guilty for discarding them. Finally. Here’s hoping to many more…maybe one day even without cheese.

Root Vegetable Risotto
Yields approximately 5 cups

1.5 Tbsp Browned Butter (or Regular)
3 Leeks
Salt
1 1/2 cups Arborio Rice
1/4 cup Dry White Wine
4-5 cups Chicken Broth
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
1/4 cup Nonfat Greek Yogurt

1-2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Large Sweet Potato
2 Small Red Beets
1 Large Golden Beet
1-2 Bunches of Beet Greens
Salt and Pepper

Directions (as usual adapted slightly from Sally Schneider’s A New Way To Cook)
1. Heat 4-5 cups of chicken broth in the microwave until warm. In the meantime, cut the leeks in half, trim down to the white portions and slice into 1/8” pieces.
2. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the leeks and a little salt. Sauté for 5 minutes until tender. Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly, until the grains look chalky with a white dot in the center of each, about 5 minutes. Turn the oven on to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil.
3. Add the wine and cook, stirring, until it has been absorbed by the rice. Stir in 1/2 cup of the broth. Cook at a very low boil, stirring frequently, until almost all the liquid is absorbed. Continue adding the broth in this fashion, 1/2 cup at a time, cooking and stirring until the grains of rice are tender yet still firm in the center and the risotto is creamy but not soupy.
4. While the risotto cooks…. Put olive oil into a large bowl. Trim beet greens, rinse and dry. Set aside. Peel sweet potato and beets. Slice into 1/4” thick slices, and then cut into 1/4” slices. Toss with olive oil in the bowl.
5. Lay the beets and sweet potatoes out on the tray. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the sweet potatoes, red beets and golden beets in the oven for approximately 25 minutes.
6. While they roast and the vegetables roast, slice the beet greens into ribbons.
7. Add the beet greens to the risotto with the last 1/2 cup of broth and stir.
8. Remove the root vegetables from the oven and cool. Remove the risotto from the heat, stir in the Greek yogurt and Parmesan.
9. Add the root vegetables in and stir the mixture together. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Whole Wheat Pita Pizza with Roasted Apples, Sweet Potato and Caramelized Onion

Though I don't feel compelled to become vegan it intrigues me, so when The New York Times referenced vegan Thanksgiving dishes I clicked over to Chef Chloe's Web site to check them out. What really caught my eye once there was her Flatbread with Roasted Apples, Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion. I knew I had to make it immediately.

I wasn't disappointed by this decision in the least; it is seasonal and satisfying with the crunchy crust, garlic's bite and sweetness from the caramelized onions and roasted vegetables. This flatbread can be a meal on its own but I presented it as a first course and suspect it would also make a great appetizer.

I didn't follow Chef Chloe's recipe exactly as I was feeling lazy but I didn't change it substantively either. I substituted whole wheat pitas for pizza dough and a diced large sweet potato for butternut squash as they are a bit easier to handle. To make up for using pre-baked bread, I roasted my vegetables on their own while the onions caramelized, then topped the pita with everything and heated it for approximately 5 minutes.

Having prepared the components separately enabled me to enjoy fresh flatbread several days in a row, which is a plus! I managed to eek out 7 pita flatbreads from the ingredients. I highly recommend that you try this recipe out.

Whole Wheat Pita Pizza with Roasted Apples, Sweet Potato and Caramelized Onion
Adapted from Chef Chloe's recipe

Whole Wheat Pitas (alternately you can purchase or make pizza dough)
Garlic White Bean Puree
    1 (15-ounce) can Cannellini Beans, rinsed and drained
    1/4 cup Olive Oil
    2 tablespoons Water
    1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
    2 Cloves Garlic
    1/2 teaspoon Dried Thyme
    1 teaspoon Sea Salt
    1/2 teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Pizza Topping
    4 tablespoons Olive Oil
    1 Onion, thinly sliced
    Sea Salt
    Freshly Ground Black Pepper
    1 large sweet potato, diced
    1 cup spinach
    1 apple, peeled and thinly sliced

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the onions and sprinkle them with salt. Saute until soft and lightly caramelized, about 30 minutes. If they are getting dry, yet haven't browned, you can add a tablespoon or two of water at a time instead of additional oil.
3. While the onions caramelize, toss remaining 2 tablespoons oil with sweet potato and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Transfer to a large rimmed baking sheet and roast for 30 to 35 minutes until squash is fork tender, turning once or twice with a spatula.
4. While the onions caramelize and the sweet potatoes roast, place all the garlic bean puree ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. If you don't have a food processor, you could put them in a bowl and use an immersion blender. You probably could use a regular blender too.
5. Remove the sweet potatoes from the oven and set aside. Place the whole wheat pitas on a baking sheet and spread a thin layer of the puree over each one's surface. Place the spinach, caramelized onions, sweet potato and apple slices on top.
6. Bake for 5 minutes, rotating midway, until the pitas warm.

Not Miso Soup and My 29th Birthday

I tried to ignore turning 29, not because I was worried about it but, because I was worried in advance about turning 30, nothing could have lived up to Spain, I wanted to save my energy with weekends of work ahead of me and every other reason I could throw out. My tendency to get ahead of myself knows no boundaries though I hope to work on taming it, among other things, this year.

Luckily my friends and family refused to ignore the day leaving me feeling special thanks to cards, calls, texts, e-mails, facebook posts and even flowers and sweets from co-workers. Meg's insistence that I not spend it alone resulted in a low key night watching Boardwalk Empire (gorgeous!) while eating good food, which was further improved when Leslie joined us spontaneously.

Meg made a refined version of her Chilean Sea Bass and I threw together this Not Miso Soup loosely based on Cathy of Not Eating Out in NY's Celeriac Miso Soup. Meg also surprised me with chocolate cake and stout for a finishing touch. It was a delicious evening relaxing with good company and I don't think it could have been better...except if I hadn't gotten sick the next day.

I promise it wasn't the rich soup with hints of the salty sea below that caused the illness though it was a great comfort in making me feel better. It's like potato-leek soup with an oceanic twist and I like that it doesn't require anything other than Miso paste to make the broth (as I'm often too lazy to make it yet don't like buying it). Plus Miso paste seems to keep forever in the fridge so it is easy to have on hand.

Not Miso Soup
(4-6 Servings)

6 cups Water
3 tbsp Miso Paste
8 trimmed bunches of Shanghai Bok Choy
3 Scallions, greens only
1/3 cup Hijiki, rehydrated
5 Baby Potatoes, diced (the first time I didn't include these and we decided it needed more heft - tofu, white beans or chicken could also add texture)
Salt to taste

1. Put the dehydrated Hijiki in cold water to rehydrate. Rinse scallions, bok choy and the potatoes' exteriors. In a large pot, whisk together 6 cups of water with 3 tablespoons of miso. Heat over medium high until bubbling a bit.
2. Chop scallions, greens only, into 1/8-1/4" rings. Set aside. Trim ends off of bok choy, contemplate that the wasted bits look like rosettes. Peel potatoes and dice them into small to medium cubes.
3. Add potatoes to the miso/water mixture. Set a timer for 15 minutes. Drain Hijiki and rinse it well.
4. When the timer goes off add half the scallions, bok choy and some salt. Let the mixture cook for approximately 5 additional minutes until bok choy wilts and becomes tender. Potatoes should yield easily to a bite but still have texture. Taste. Add more salt if needed.
5. Remove the soup from the stove and stir in the Hijiki. Add remaining scallions. Serve.

Birthday Night Version

  Trial 2 (same week, to make sure this didn't make me sick)

Meg's Delicious Dish

Thomas Keller's Confit Byaldi

Last summer Leslie made Thomas Keller's Confit Byaldi when we viewed Ratatouille and in my frenzy to host the aforementioned Gossip Girl Season Premiere party I decided its deliciousness was the perfect way to incorporate peak seasonal produce and stay in theme. She warned me it took HOURS to prepare but as usual my denial about how long cooking projects will take caused me to think I was superhuman and could create this dish in a mere afternoon. Ha! I was wrong again.

The piperade, chopping and arranging alone took the afternoon... By the time I was ready to cook it at 275 degrees Fahrenheit for 2.5 hours (after which point I could hold it according to the recipe) I was already late leaving for Vika and Rafe's to watch True Blood's season finale. Into the fridge it went, instructions be damned. After I came home I cooked it overnight using my alarm clock at the appropriate intervals. My only change to the recipe was using my dutch oven instead of foil and a dish with lower sides. In the end, it came together and was as sweet and rich as I remembered, but I think Leslie's version was better. I blame my timing in combination with the dutch oven being too large to squeeze under the broiler.

To be honest, I probably won't make this again as I was perfectly content with Smitten Kitchen's simpler version last summer and/or any improvised ratatouille (adding things like radishes, peppers and whatever else might be in the fridge) I've put together since without writing about it. In this case, less time for a great taste wins for me. But if you make it...invite me over to enjoy it please!

Seared Scallops with Sesame Panko Eggplant and Plum Salsa

I had already started drooling over Just Food's Let Us Eat Local tasting line-up next Thursday, September 16 when I saw Cathy at Not Eating Out in New York post a contest where an amateur cook could win a ticket and have their recipe published Just Food’s upcoming Veggie Tipsheets book. The idea of tasting food from restaurants I have tried and loved as well as many on my restaurant wish list in one night lured me into creating the recipe below, which I attempted to document with more meticulousness than usual.

What started as a Plum Salsa turned into a fairly seasonal festive tower that packs a lot of punch. The salsa mixes sweet and savory thanks to juicy plums, silky sesame oil and bright mint in addition to the usual salsa ingredients. Its soft texture contrasts pleasantly with the Scallops’ caramelized exterior and the crispy Sesame Panko Eggplant rounds. This dish melted in my mouth.

If you don’t enjoys Scallops or want to be frugal, this still tastes great without them. I had plenty of the Sesame Panko Eggplant topped only with Plum Salsa and can tell you with confidence that Scallops aren’t required to make this dish enjoyable though they certainly take the appearance and taste up a notch.

Plum Salsa
3/4 cup plums (approximately 4)
1/3 cup tomato (approximately 1 medium; I used yellow for color and the low acidity)
1 teaspoon mint
2 tablespoons cilantro
1 tsp jalapeño
1/4 cup white onion
1/4 tsp sesame oil
salt to taste

1. Rinse plums, then cut in half, remove pits and chop roughly into small dice. Place 3/4 cup of plums into a small bowl.
2. Rinse tomato, cut across the equator and remove seeds with your finger. Cut out the inner walls (which still taste great so eat them as you go) and then chop the outer skin into small dice. Add roughly 1/3 cup to the bowl.
3. Rinse mint and remove leaves from stem. Lay leaves on top of each other and chop it finely until you have 1 teaspoon. Repeat this step with cilantro until you have 2 tablespoons. Add both to the bowl.
4. Rinse the jalapeño, cut in half and remove stem and seeds. Mince enough for 1 teaspoon and add to the bowl.
5. Remove skin from outside of onion, cut in half through the root end. Dice half of the onion or enough to fill 1/4 cup and add to the bowl.
6. Measure out ¼ teaspoon sesame oil and add it the bowl. Stir everything together gently. Salt to taste. Put in the refrigerator to chill and develop the flavor.

Panko Sesame Eggplant
(based on Chef Richard Ruben’s methodology for baked, crispy eggplant)
1 eggplant

1 cup Panko (or bread crumbs)
2 tablespoons black sesame seeds
salt to taste

2 egg whites
1 tablespoon olive oil
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees farenheight and cover a baking sheet in foil.
2. Peel eggplant and cut into 1/2 inch rounds, discarding ends. Salt and place in a colander for 15 minutes.
3. While eggplant sits, combine Panko, black sesame seeds and salt on a small plate or in a shallow bowl.
4. In a separate bowl whisk together egg whites and olive oil.
5. Rinse eggplant and pat dry. Dip eggplant in egg white and olive oil mixture until coated. Then dip in the panko mixture. Place on prepared baking sheet.
6. Once all eggplant is resting on the baking sheet, place it in the oven for approximately 20 minutes or until lightly browned and crispy. (For me the top never browned though unbeknownst to me the bottom did.)
7. Remove from oven and set to the side.

Seared Scallops
Olive Oil
Salt
Scallops (I defrosted New England Scallops from Trader Joe’s)

1. Pat scallops dry and salt them.
2. Heat a pan over medium high heat. Add olive oil. When the olive oil becomes fluid enough to spread through the pan, add scallops to it.
3. Cook 2-4 minutes on each side. The scallops are done on one side when they move easily when touched by the spatula.
4. Remove caramelized scallops to paper towel to drain.

To Assemble the final dish…
1. Place a scallop on the eggplant, then top with plum salsa.
2. Enjoy

*I actually tried a few ideas but this was my biggest success. One was so awful that I couldn’t even make myself eat the leftovers. Major fail.

Sauteed Zucchini with Dill, Garlic and Almonds

Are you suffering from excess zucchini as summer races to its close? If so, or really even if not, Heidi at 101 Cookbooks has an amazing, simple solution: Sauteed Zucchini. This dish has tons of texture and is irresistible.

Browning the garlic, shallots, almonds and zucchini makes a rich base that is brightened by the unexpected dill. You can sprinkle the dish with goat cheese to make it creamier, but it isn't necessary and next time I'll skip it to save the calories for something else...probably a sweet knowing me.

My initial plan was to eat this in some puff pastry cups I've been meaning to use up, but it never got there. I couldn't stop eating it out of the pan and packed up the remainder for a decadent lunch. Perhaps it will make it into those cups another day or I'll just keep eating it just the way it is.

Experiments with Nut Butter

The July 2010 Daring Cooks’ Challenge was hosted by Margie of More Please and Natashya of Living in the Kitchen with Puppies. They chose to challenge Daring Cooks to make their own nut butter from scratch, and use the nut butter in a recipe. Their sources include Better with Nut Butter by Cooking Light Magazine, Asian Noodles by Nina Simonds, and Food Network online. This was a unique and affordable challenge - two traits I always appreciate. Thank you Margie and Natashya for hostessing.

The required challenge specifically was to use nut butter in a savory preparation and the optional challenge was to use it in a sweet preparation. Having skipped all last month's challenges and moved relatively close to the amazing Sahadi's I decided to go all out and do something savory and something sweet.

Per their extensive research  "making nut butter is a simple process of pouring nuts in the food processor and grinding them until they become a paste or butter.The total time required depends on the fat and moisture content of the nuts; grinding time will vary from roughly 1 to 4 minutes (assuming a starting volume of 1 to 2 cups nuts). The yield of nut butter is about half the original volume of nuts." 

These instructions are probably true if you have a full size, high powered food processor but in my mini-prep processor getting to the Play-Doh stage was an act of sheer will that took much longer than 1 to 5 minutes. My cashew butter and pistachio butter both were halted at this stage as the machine was overheating. The results still were tasty but until I have a high powered processing device I plan to continue buying my nut butter rather than making it. 

I made a variation on the provided Asian Noodle Salad with Cashew Dressing recipe for my savory dish. I halved the amount of cashew dressing (I want to eat the rest of the cashew dough by itself!), skipped the red bell pepper, substituted soba noodles and added a bag of broccoli slaw from Trader Joe's and 3/4 cup of julienned carrots. The resulting salad was rich and was incredibly filling.

I loved the crunch of all the veggies in contrast to the soba noodles and shrimp's smoothness but the highlight is the thick dressing with its creamy, sharp flavor. Between it and the onions this is definitely a dish you'll want to brush your teeth after eating! That said I'm sure I'll make it again. It will be a quick meal to put together with pre-prepared nut butter. This recipe and the full challenge instructions can be found here.

My dessert was Pistachio Oatmeal Lace Cookie Towers with Honey Macerated Cherries. I alternated Katy at Sugarlaw's Oatmeal Lace Cookies and a Pistachio Nut Cream (made by mixing greek yogurt and the pistachio butter to taste) to create the towers and served cherries macerated in buckwheat honey on top and to the side. Katy's cookies are nutty, chewy, crispy and are the real star of the dessert. They are delicious on their own but the unsweetened filling is a pleasant contrast to the quite sweet cookies.

My only substitution to her recipe was using dark corn syrup as I had it on hand. Be sure to use parchment paper so they don't stick to the pan and watch the time as they brown quickly. Don't assemble this in advance the cookies disintegrate losing their pleasant contrast to an otherwise soft dessert. I'd be happy to eat this again too. Yum.

It looks similar to kiwi sorbet!

Gorgeous!

Roasted Vegetable and Bean Salad

Life felt crazy last month - two major events at work, preparing for the move from the Upper East Side to Fort Greene, Brooklyn and simply dealing with summer's heat in the 4th story walk-up and life's random surprises. With so much going on, I had to step away from eating at home, from putting my eating into words and just focus on getting things done and trying to decrease my clutter. Besides I didn't have internet at home for 3 weeks of the month (that was SO hard...I'm an addict!).

I have plenty more to go through (years of magazine clippings to organize for example) but it felt really good to get rid of so much prior to being here where I have one roommate, not two, my room has bright SUNLIGHT rather than dim light from an air shaft and I am not haunted by squawking pigeons daily. I walk up a mere flight of stairs to my place. My commute is longer but that just means I can read more while in transit and I'm beside most of the train lines. There even is a suburb-size grocery store 3 blocks away.

Life is good, home feels more peaceful and I'm excited to settle into this new adventure. Since I'm just starting to stretch out and greet summer and the new changes I kept it simple when I prepared my first meal here without my parents, who generously helped me move.

This simple roasted vegetable and bean salad was satisfying, savory and aromatic. I really loved the bright bursts of tomato juice and the velvety roasted garlic with the roasted vegetables' richness. This meal requires very little attention and time, which never hurts, and reheats well.

Roasted Vegetable and Bean Salad
2 servings as a main course*


1/4 lb. Green Beans
1/2 Pint Cherry Tomatoes
1 Broccoli Crown
5 Garlic Cloves
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with foil, if you want easy clean-up.

Rinse the green beans, broccoli crown and cherry tomatoes. If desired, swirl them all in a salad spinner to remove excess water. Snap the ends off of the green beans, cut the broccoli into smaller sections and add all the veggies to a medium bowl. Add the 5 garlic cloves and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss the mixture with your hands or tongs.

Wrap the garlic in foil and then put it and everything else on the baking sheet in the oven for 25-40 minutes. When your green beans are shriveling and the broccoli is browning on the edges the veggies are done. If desired, flip the veggies and turn the pan around midway for even roasting.

While the veggies cook open the can of beans and rinse them in a colander. Put them in the medium bowl from prepping the veggies.

Once the veggies are done roasting remove them from the oven, opening the foil packet of garlic, and let them cool briefly. When you can handle the garlic remove its skin. Add the green beans, broccoli, tomatoes and garlic to the beans and toss everything together. If desired add salt and pepper to taste. Then enjoy!


*You could make this go further by adding a grain, like Quinoa which I was too lazy to make, or eating it with bread.