Does anyone have a favorite recipe they want to share? I'll post one of mine once I get home (my mom has the only copy of the recipe), but I found this one online (again 101Cookbooks - genius). Every year, because we're an insanely competitive family, we have a "best new cookie recipe" competition - I think I may submit these. I'll let you girls know how it comes out.
Minty Chocolate Christmas Cookie Recipe
I use Dagoba cacao powder for these cookies, but that's a personal preference. I also seek out organic powdered sugar, which isn't as bright white as typical powdered sugar, but once you beat a bunch of air into it, it brightens right up (see photos). This recipe calls for whole wheat pastry flour, but you can use unbleached all-purpose flour if you like.
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup nonalkalized cocoa powder
1 egg white
3/4 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
1 1/2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
Peppermint cream filling:
2+ cups powdered sugar, sifted
10 - 15 drops peppermint extract (to taste)
1/4 cup half and half (or water if you are going to keep the cookies around unrefrigerated for a while)
Pre-heat the oven to 350F degrees, position the racks in the middle of the oven, and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a Silpat.
Using a stand mixer or handheld mixer, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and cream some more, scraping the sides of the bowl a time or two. Stir in the vanilla extract, cocoa powder, egg white, and salt and mix until the cocoa powder is integrated and the batter is smooth and creamy and the consistency of a thick frosting. Add the flour and mix just until the batter is no longer dusty looking. It might still be a bit crumbly, and that's okay.
Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface, gather it into a ball, and knead it just once or twice to bring it together into a smooth mass. Divide into two pieces place each into a plastic bag and flatten into disks roughly 1 inch thick. Put the dough in the freezer for 20 minutes to chill.
One bag at a time remove the dough from the freezer. On a well floured surface roll it out very thin (remember these are going to be sandwich cookies) - roughly 1/8 inch thick. Or you might find it easiest to roll it out between to Silpats or pieces of plastic. Stamp out cookies in whatever shape you like - I used tiny scalloped circles here. Place on the prepared baking sheets, and bake for 7-10 minutes, or until they small of deep warm chocolate with toasty overtones. Larger cookies will take longer to cook than smaller ones. Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack (if you have one).
While the cookies are baking, go ahead and make the filling. Using a stand mixer or handheld mixer, whisk together the sugar and half and half until nice and fluffy. You want the filling to be thick enough that it doesn't ooze out the sides of the cookies after they are filled, so if you need to add more powdered sugar, do so in small increments. If you need to thin out your filling, add more half and half a few drops at a time. Whisk in the peppermint extract a bit at a time, and taste as you go, the peppermint flavor shouldn't be overwhelming. When the cookies have completely cooled slather a bit of filling on half of the cookies. Top each slather with another cookie and enjoy!
Makes about 3 dozen 1 1/2-inch sandwich cookies.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Friday, December 14, 2007
101 Cookbooks
Great, great cooking blog. Today, gmail linked me to a post of hers on "Creating Your Own Cookbook". While most of us have already experimented with that, with last year's collection of recipes, she plugs a service that's a good deal more sophisticated: www.tastebook.com
While I don't have quite the volume of rag-tag recipes for an entire cookbook yet, I hope to someday require this service, because I do think it'd be fun to design the collection. Also, this would probably make a great gift for your culinary friends and family. Just wanted to spread the word.
Also, if you missed last year's recipe book, e-mail me or comment and I'll send you the pdf.
While I don't have quite the volume of rag-tag recipes for an entire cookbook yet, I hope to someday require this service, because I do think it'd be fun to design the collection. Also, this would probably make a great gift for your culinary friends and family. Just wanted to spread the word.
Also, if you missed last year's recipe book, e-mail me or comment and I'll send you the pdf.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Pecan Squares
I think I made these once or twice at 4238 Spruce, but they are amazing. My grandmother found the recipe in Taste of Home magazine (which is also amazing) and baked them one Thanksgiving, and I was hooked. I'll be making them to bring to Cas's tomorrow, so I just thought I'd share. Really, ridiculously good.
Pecan Squares Cookies
From Taste of Home
These bars are good for snacking when you're on the road or for taking to gatherings. They're different from ordinary dessert bars...if you love pecan pie, you'll likely find them irresistible! —Sylvia Ford Kennett, Missouri
INGREDIENTS
CRUST:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup cold butter
FILLING:
4 eggs
1-1/2 cups corn syrup
1-1/2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups chopped pecans
SERVINGS
24
CATEGORY
Dessert
METHOD
Baked
PREP
10 min.
COOK
45 min.
TOTAL
55 min.
DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press firmly and evenly into a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes. For filling, in a bowl, combine the eggs, corn syrup, sugar, butter and vanilla. Stir in pecans. Spread evenly over hot crust. Bake 25-30 minutes longer or until set. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into squares. Yield: 4 dozen.
NUTRITIONAL INFO
Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (2 each) equals 316 calories, 17 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 55 mg cholesterol, 133 mg sodium, 41 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 3 g protein.
Pecan Squares Cookies
From Taste of Home
These bars are good for snacking when you're on the road or for taking to gatherings. They're different from ordinary dessert bars...if you love pecan pie, you'll likely find them irresistible! —Sylvia Ford Kennett, Missouri
INGREDIENTS
CRUST:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup cold butter
FILLING:
4 eggs
1-1/2 cups corn syrup
1-1/2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups chopped pecans
SERVINGS
24
CATEGORY
Dessert
METHOD
Baked
PREP
10 min.
COOK
45 min.
TOTAL
55 min.
DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press firmly and evenly into a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes. For filling, in a bowl, combine the eggs, corn syrup, sugar, butter and vanilla. Stir in pecans. Spread evenly over hot crust. Bake 25-30 minutes longer or until set. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into squares. Yield: 4 dozen.
NUTRITIONAL INFO
Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (2 each) equals 316 calories, 17 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 55 mg cholesterol, 133 mg sodium, 41 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 3 g protein.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
More Sweet Potatoes!!!!!!!!!
Yes, I do believe all of those exclamation points were necessary. This is the first time I've gotten two SFChronicle newsletters in a row with the same featured produce. And these recipes sound even better. Cas, gear yourself up for some serious kitchen experimentation. I'm making November National Sweet Potato Month - you heard it here first kids! - at least for the ladies of Let's Dish. Fortunately, we do span the entire nation, so it kind of works. I'm especially excited about the fritters recipe. Enjoy:
Sweet Potato & Parsnip Puree
This is a favorite recipe from Chronicle staff writer Janet Fletcher.
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound Japanese or other yellow-fleshed sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 pound parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
4 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/2 cup hot milk, or more as needed
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
INSTRUCTIONS:
Using separate saucepans, boil the sweet potatoes and the parsnips in a large quantity of salted water until tender. The sweet potatoes will take about 25 minutes, the parsnips a little less.
Drain the vegetables, then puree together through a food mill into a clean saucepan. Add the butter, set the pan over moderately low heat, and stir until the butter melts. Stir in enough hot milk to achieve the consistency you like. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Serves 6
PER SERVING: 195 calories, 3 g protein, 30 g carbohydrate, 9 g fat (5 g saturated), 23 mg cholesterol, 41 mg sodium, 5 g fiber.
Spicy Corn & Sweet Potato Fritters
For something a little different, try sweet potato fritters as a starter. Fritters are eaten throughout Asia. In this adapted version from Chronicle contributor Mai Pham, inspired by both Vietnamese and Thai fritter recipes, the corn kernels are tangled in a nest of sweet potatoes. The key is to cut the vegetables very small so they cook up crisp.
INGREDIENTS:
1 egg
1/3 cup water
1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes, or to taste
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups fresh corn kernels
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into very thin matchstick strips (about 2 1/2 cups)
1 yellow onion, halved, cut lengthwise into paper-thin slices and patted dry with paper towels
1/4 cup (loosely packed) chopped cilantro
Vegetable oil for frying
INSTRUCTIONS:
Whisk together the egg and water in a mixing bowl. Add the soy sauce, sugar, salt, pepper flakes, flour and baking powder and mix well. Add the corn, sweet potato, onion and cilantro and toss until the ingredients are blended together.
Fill a frying pan with 1 inch of oil. Place over medium heat and heat to 350 degrees.
Place 2 tablespoons of the fritter mixture on a metal spatula. Using the side of a spoon, spread the mixture so it is about 1/4 inch thick. Gently push into the hot oil. Fry the fritter for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden on both sides, turning once. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Repeat with the remaining mixture, cooking only 3 or 4 fritters at a time. Keep the fritters warm in the oven until ready to serve.
Yields about 24 fritters
PER FRITTER: 52 calories, 1 g protein, 9 g carbohydrate, 2 g fat (0 saturated), 9 mg cholesterol, 72 mg sodium, 1 g fiber.
Sweet Potatoes with Caramelized Mandarin Topping
From Georgeanne Brennan, Chronicle contributor.
Bake 3 or 4 sweet potatoes at 350 degrees until very soft, about 1 hour. Let cool a little, then scrape out the flesh. Mix the flesh with salt, pepper, about 2 tablespoons of grated ginger, mandarin zest and the juice of a mandarin. Put into a baking dish. Top with peeled slices of mandarins, sprinkle with brown sugar and dot with butter.
Bake at 450 degrees for about 15 minutes, or until the butter has melted and a slight crust has formed.
Notice they didn't include calorie counts here - I'm thinking it'll totally depend on the amount of those last two ingredients you use. But it sounds amazing, and an excellent side to a chicken breast main.
Sweet Potato Chiffon Pie
Sweet potatoes take the place of pumpkin in this holiday pie. Be sure to measure the powdered gelatin as envelope contents vary. Roasting the sweet potatoes and making the crust can be done a day ahead.
INGREDIENTS:
Almond Cookie Crust:
7 ounces vanilla wafers (about 56 cookies)
1/3 cup chopped blanched almonds
Pinch of ground cinnamon
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Pie Filling:
2 large sweet potatoes
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup (lightly packed) light brown sugar
3 egg yolks, room temperature
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground nutmeg
Pinch of ground ginger
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons water
1 1/2 tablespoons unflavored gelatin (about 2 envelopes)
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 egg whites, room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar
Whipped cream and toasted almonds, for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS:
To make the crust:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. In a food processor, process the vanilla wafers, almonds and cinnamon until finely ground. Place the crumbs in a bowl and add the melted butter. Mix until moist. Press the crumbs evenly onto the bottom and up the sides of a 9 1/2- or 10-inch pie pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool.
To make the filling:
Increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Roast the sweet potatoes until tender, about 45-60 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel and pass through a food mill or ricer. You should have about 2 cups.)
In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the sweet potato puree, cream, brown sugar, egg yolks, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt. Whisk to blend. Stir until the mixture reaches 140 degrees on a thermometer. Remove from heat.
Pour the water into a small saucepan. Sprinkle the gelatin over and let stand until softened, about 3-5 minutes. Heat over medium heat until the gelatin dissolves, about 2 minutes. Whisk the gelatin mixture and the vanilla into the sweet potato mixture. Pour the mixture into a bowl and place the bowl inside a larger bowl filled with ice and water. Cool until chilled, stirring and scraping the sides occasionally with a rubber spatula, about 30-40 minutes.
Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and continue beating until glossy stiff peaks form. Fold the beaten egg whites into the chilled mixture in three additions. Pour the filling into the baked shell. Press plastic wrap onto the surface of the filling to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate at least 6 hours.
Remove the pie from the refrigerator 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and a few toasted almonds, if desired.
Serves 8-10
PER SERVING: 454 calories, 7 g protein, 43 g carbohydrate, 29 g fat (14 g saturated), 143 mg cholesterol, 118 mg sodium, 2 g fiber.
This sounds like a very elaborate, but very impressive dish to bring to a holiday feast, potluck or party.
Sweet Potato & Parsnip Puree
This is a favorite recipe from Chronicle staff writer Janet Fletcher.
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound Japanese or other yellow-fleshed sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 pound parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
4 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/2 cup hot milk, or more as needed
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
INSTRUCTIONS:
Using separate saucepans, boil the sweet potatoes and the parsnips in a large quantity of salted water until tender. The sweet potatoes will take about 25 minutes, the parsnips a little less.
Drain the vegetables, then puree together through a food mill into a clean saucepan. Add the butter, set the pan over moderately low heat, and stir until the butter melts. Stir in enough hot milk to achieve the consistency you like. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Serves 6
PER SERVING: 195 calories, 3 g protein, 30 g carbohydrate, 9 g fat (5 g saturated), 23 mg cholesterol, 41 mg sodium, 5 g fiber.
Spicy Corn & Sweet Potato Fritters
For something a little different, try sweet potato fritters as a starter. Fritters are eaten throughout Asia. In this adapted version from Chronicle contributor Mai Pham, inspired by both Vietnamese and Thai fritter recipes, the corn kernels are tangled in a nest of sweet potatoes. The key is to cut the vegetables very small so they cook up crisp.
INGREDIENTS:
1 egg
1/3 cup water
1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes, or to taste
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups fresh corn kernels
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into very thin matchstick strips (about 2 1/2 cups)
1 yellow onion, halved, cut lengthwise into paper-thin slices and patted dry with paper towels
1/4 cup (loosely packed) chopped cilantro
Vegetable oil for frying
INSTRUCTIONS:
Whisk together the egg and water in a mixing bowl. Add the soy sauce, sugar, salt, pepper flakes, flour and baking powder and mix well. Add the corn, sweet potato, onion and cilantro and toss until the ingredients are blended together.
Fill a frying pan with 1 inch of oil. Place over medium heat and heat to 350 degrees.
Place 2 tablespoons of the fritter mixture on a metal spatula. Using the side of a spoon, spread the mixture so it is about 1/4 inch thick. Gently push into the hot oil. Fry the fritter for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden on both sides, turning once. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Repeat with the remaining mixture, cooking only 3 or 4 fritters at a time. Keep the fritters warm in the oven until ready to serve.
Yields about 24 fritters
PER FRITTER: 52 calories, 1 g protein, 9 g carbohydrate, 2 g fat (0 saturated), 9 mg cholesterol, 72 mg sodium, 1 g fiber.
Sweet Potatoes with Caramelized Mandarin Topping
From Georgeanne Brennan, Chronicle contributor.
Bake 3 or 4 sweet potatoes at 350 degrees until very soft, about 1 hour. Let cool a little, then scrape out the flesh. Mix the flesh with salt, pepper, about 2 tablespoons of grated ginger, mandarin zest and the juice of a mandarin. Put into a baking dish. Top with peeled slices of mandarins, sprinkle with brown sugar and dot with butter.
Bake at 450 degrees for about 15 minutes, or until the butter has melted and a slight crust has formed.
Notice they didn't include calorie counts here - I'm thinking it'll totally depend on the amount of those last two ingredients you use. But it sounds amazing, and an excellent side to a chicken breast main.
Sweet Potato Chiffon Pie
Sweet potatoes take the place of pumpkin in this holiday pie. Be sure to measure the powdered gelatin as envelope contents vary. Roasting the sweet potatoes and making the crust can be done a day ahead.
INGREDIENTS:
Almond Cookie Crust:
7 ounces vanilla wafers (about 56 cookies)
1/3 cup chopped blanched almonds
Pinch of ground cinnamon
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Pie Filling:
2 large sweet potatoes
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup (lightly packed) light brown sugar
3 egg yolks, room temperature
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground nutmeg
Pinch of ground ginger
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons water
1 1/2 tablespoons unflavored gelatin (about 2 envelopes)
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 egg whites, room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar
Whipped cream and toasted almonds, for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS:
To make the crust:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. In a food processor, process the vanilla wafers, almonds and cinnamon until finely ground. Place the crumbs in a bowl and add the melted butter. Mix until moist. Press the crumbs evenly onto the bottom and up the sides of a 9 1/2- or 10-inch pie pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool.
To make the filling:
Increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Roast the sweet potatoes until tender, about 45-60 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel and pass through a food mill or ricer. You should have about 2 cups.)
In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the sweet potato puree, cream, brown sugar, egg yolks, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt. Whisk to blend. Stir until the mixture reaches 140 degrees on a thermometer. Remove from heat.
Pour the water into a small saucepan. Sprinkle the gelatin over and let stand until softened, about 3-5 minutes. Heat over medium heat until the gelatin dissolves, about 2 minutes. Whisk the gelatin mixture and the vanilla into the sweet potato mixture. Pour the mixture into a bowl and place the bowl inside a larger bowl filled with ice and water. Cool until chilled, stirring and scraping the sides occasionally with a rubber spatula, about 30-40 minutes.
Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and continue beating until glossy stiff peaks form. Fold the beaten egg whites into the chilled mixture in three additions. Pour the filling into the baked shell. Press plastic wrap onto the surface of the filling to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate at least 6 hours.
Remove the pie from the refrigerator 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and a few toasted almonds, if desired.
Serves 8-10
PER SERVING: 454 calories, 7 g protein, 43 g carbohydrate, 29 g fat (14 g saturated), 143 mg cholesterol, 118 mg sodium, 2 g fiber.
This sounds like a very elaborate, but very impressive dish to bring to a holiday feast, potluck or party.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Another thing to make later
So Cas and I have been going through a bit of a sweet potato fry phase (it's been glorious!) and this recipe popped up the SFChronicle Food & Wine newsletter. Sounds like something all of us could easily do for a quick weeknight meal, so I thought I'd share.
Chicken Breasts with Sweet Potato Fries
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 pounds unpeeled jewel or orange-skinned sweet potatoes
2 to 2 1/2 teaspoons seasoning salt
4 sprigs fresh thyme or rosemary (optional)
4 boneless, skinless chicken half breasts, about 6 ounces each
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 425° and place a rack in the bottom third of the oven close to the heating element. Coat a large, heavy-duty baking sheet with vegetable oil.
Cut the potatoes in half width-wise (not length-wise), then cut each half into triangular wedges about 1/2 inch thick at the widest point. Toss with 1 tablespoon oil and 1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt. Spread in a single layer on the baking sheet, then sprinkle with a little more seasoning salt to taste (the intensity of the flavor will vary depending on the brand). Drape the herb sprigs, if using them, on top of the potato wedges.
Roast the potatoes until browned on the bottom, 12 to 15 minutes, then turn the potatoes and roast until tender, golden brown and blistered, 12 to 15 minutes more. Watch carefully to prevent them from burning. Discard the herbs, or reserve them to use as a garnish.
While the potatoes are cooking, season the chicken with the remaining 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons seasoning salt. Heat the remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil in a large ovenproof nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and saute until browned, about 5 minutes, then turn the chicken over and saute for a few minutes more. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast until the chicken is cooked through, about 12 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the oven and let rest for a few minutes before serving with the sweet potatoes, garnished with the reserved herb sprigs, if you like.
Serves 4
PER SERVING: 405 calories, 42 g protein, 40 g carbohydrate, 7 g fat (1 g saturated), 99 mg cholesterol, 905 mg sodium, 4 g fiber.
Chicken Breasts with Sweet Potato Fries
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 pounds unpeeled jewel or orange-skinned sweet potatoes
2 to 2 1/2 teaspoons seasoning salt
4 sprigs fresh thyme or rosemary (optional)
4 boneless, skinless chicken half breasts, about 6 ounces each
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 425° and place a rack in the bottom third of the oven close to the heating element. Coat a large, heavy-duty baking sheet with vegetable oil.
Cut the potatoes in half width-wise (not length-wise), then cut each half into triangular wedges about 1/2 inch thick at the widest point. Toss with 1 tablespoon oil and 1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt. Spread in a single layer on the baking sheet, then sprinkle with a little more seasoning salt to taste (the intensity of the flavor will vary depending on the brand). Drape the herb sprigs, if using them, on top of the potato wedges.
Roast the potatoes until browned on the bottom, 12 to 15 minutes, then turn the potatoes and roast until tender, golden brown and blistered, 12 to 15 minutes more. Watch carefully to prevent them from burning. Discard the herbs, or reserve them to use as a garnish.
While the potatoes are cooking, season the chicken with the remaining 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons seasoning salt. Heat the remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil in a large ovenproof nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and saute until browned, about 5 minutes, then turn the chicken over and saute for a few minutes more. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast until the chicken is cooked through, about 12 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the oven and let rest for a few minutes before serving with the sweet potatoes, garnished with the reserved herb sprigs, if you like.
Serves 4
PER SERVING: 405 calories, 42 g protein, 40 g carbohydrate, 7 g fat (1 g saturated), 99 mg cholesterol, 905 mg sodium, 4 g fiber.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Popcorn Balls!
INGREDIENTS - 12 cups popped popcorn
- 3 cups mixed dried fruit such as golden raisins, cherries, and chopped apricots and figs
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 cup corn syrup
- ½ cup water
DIRECTIONS
- 1. Toss popcorn and mixed dried fruit together in a large, lightly oiled, heatproof bowl.
- 2. Oil 2 waxed paper-lined baking pans and a long metal fork. Set aside. Bring sugars, corn syrup, and the water to a boil over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer.
- 3. Reduce heat to medium and cook until mixture reaches 260°F. Carefully pour the syrup over the popcorn mixture. Stir with the fork to distribute. Let sit for 1 to 2 minutes.
- 4. With well-oiled hands, form 3-inch balls, place on pans, and cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Quinoa and Cranberry Salad
My friend Rachel, a total foodie and expert blogger (www.rrrachel.wordpress.com) just wrote about a salad she recently had on her first night in Seattle. Simple but delicious sounding:
"we followed it with a quinoa and cranberry salad with pecans and goat cheese on a bed of lightly dressed spinach. "
"we followed it with a quinoa and cranberry salad with pecans and goat cheese on a bed of lightly dressed spinach. "
Thursday, October 25, 2007
In the spirit of the season...
I stole this recipe from the SF Chronicle. Cas, I think I'm making these this weekend, and you better be around to help me eat them.
Pumpkin Pancakes
From "Breakfast in Bed: 90 Recipes for Creative Indulgences," by Jesse Ziff Cool (HarperCollins, 118 pages, 1997).
Top with maple syrup, yogurt or sour cream. Or try caramelized onions, bacon bits and creme fraiche.
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups mashed cooked pumpkin or winter squash
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 cup milk or apple juice
2 whole eggs, beaten
1/2 cup unbleached white flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives (optional)
Vegetable oil or butter
INSTRUCTIONS:
Beat the squash with the brown sugar, milk and eggs until smooth.
In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Stir the dry ingredients into the squash mixture just until combined. Fold in the chives if using.
Heat a griddle or heavy skillet over medium heat and lightly grease it with vegetable oil. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.
Drop the batter onto the hot pan by heaping tablespoonfuls. Lightly oil a spatula and flatten the pancakes. When they are golden brown on the bottom, flip them. As they brown on the other side, transfer them to a baking sheet and keep them warm in the oven while you cook the rest of the batter.
Serves 4
PER SERVING: 205 calories, 8 g protein, 34 g carbohydrate, 5 g fat (2 g saturated), 114 mg cholesterol, 420 mg sodium, 4 g fiber.
Pumpkin Pancakes
From "Breakfast in Bed: 90 Recipes for Creative Indulgences," by Jesse Ziff Cool (HarperCollins, 118 pages, 1997).
Top with maple syrup, yogurt or sour cream. Or try caramelized onions, bacon bits and creme fraiche.
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups mashed cooked pumpkin or winter squash
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 cup milk or apple juice
2 whole eggs, beaten
1/2 cup unbleached white flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives (optional)
Vegetable oil or butter
INSTRUCTIONS:
Beat the squash with the brown sugar, milk and eggs until smooth.
In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Stir the dry ingredients into the squash mixture just until combined. Fold in the chives if using.
Heat a griddle or heavy skillet over medium heat and lightly grease it with vegetable oil. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.
Drop the batter onto the hot pan by heaping tablespoonfuls. Lightly oil a spatula and flatten the pancakes. When they are golden brown on the bottom, flip them. As they brown on the other side, transfer them to a baking sheet and keep them warm in the oven while you cook the rest of the batter.
Serves 4
PER SERVING: 205 calories, 8 g protein, 34 g carbohydrate, 5 g fat (2 g saturated), 114 mg cholesterol, 420 mg sodium, 4 g fiber.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
To make later - Browned Sausages with Napa Cabbage Braise
I've been hearing good things about Napa Cabbage... and this sound delectable (reminds me a little bit of our meal in Paris - Kate and Justine). Note to self: make this when you have time to be a little fancy (although it doesn't seem to be a high maintenance recipe at all). From the San Francisco Chronicle's Food and Wine Newsletter.
Browned Sausages With Napa Cabbage Braise
This dish, which can be prepared in less than 25 minutes, is great with roasted or boiled potatoes.
INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 chicken-apple sausages, cut in half lengthwise
1/2 onion, sliced
1 large head napa cabbage, sliced widthwise
1/2 tart green apple, cored and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/2 teaspoon mustard Salt and pepper to taste 1/2 to 3/4 cup chicken stock
INSTRUCTIONS:
Heat 1 or 2 teaspoons of the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the sausage halves and brown for a few minutes on both sides. Remove from the pan and cover with foil.
Add the remaining oil to the pan and, when hot, add the onion and saute for a few minutes.
Add the cabbage to the pan, stir to wilt slightly, then add the apple, garlic, wine, mustard, salt and pepper. Add enough stock so that the cabbage will be able to simmer without getting too juicy (it releases liquid while cooking).
Bring to a simmer, cover and cook until the cabbage and apples are tender, about 5 to 8 minutes. If the sausages have cooled down too much, add them to the pan and simmer gently, uncovered, for a few minutes until reheated.
Serves 4
PER SERVING: 400 calories, 24 g protein, 12 g carbohydrate, 28 g fat (7 g saturated), 120 mg cholesterol, 977 mg sodium, 5 g fiber.
Browned Sausages With Napa Cabbage Braise
This dish, which can be prepared in less than 25 minutes, is great with roasted or boiled potatoes.
INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 chicken-apple sausages, cut in half lengthwise
1/2 onion, sliced
1 large head napa cabbage, sliced widthwise
1/2 tart green apple, cored and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/2 teaspoon mustard Salt and pepper to taste 1/2 to 3/4 cup chicken stock
INSTRUCTIONS:
Heat 1 or 2 teaspoons of the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the sausage halves and brown for a few minutes on both sides. Remove from the pan and cover with foil.
Add the remaining oil to the pan and, when hot, add the onion and saute for a few minutes.
Add the cabbage to the pan, stir to wilt slightly, then add the apple, garlic, wine, mustard, salt and pepper. Add enough stock so that the cabbage will be able to simmer without getting too juicy (it releases liquid while cooking).
Bring to a simmer, cover and cook until the cabbage and apples are tender, about 5 to 8 minutes. If the sausages have cooled down too much, add them to the pan and simmer gently, uncovered, for a few minutes until reheated.
Serves 4
PER SERVING: 400 calories, 24 g protein, 12 g carbohydrate, 28 g fat (7 g saturated), 120 mg cholesterol, 977 mg sodium, 5 g fiber.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
To Make Later
I also subscribe to the San Francisco Chronicle Food and Wine Newsletter and this week's "Appetease" looks sublime. Note to self: make later when you have company (lord knows the damage these babies could do if I was the only one around to eat them!).
Grilled Blue Cheese Onions
Onions sliced neither too thinly nor too thickly (1 inch is about right) will easily cook through and still be hefty enough to stay on a skewer.
INGREDIENTS:
4 large red and/or yellow onions
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper
3/4 cup panko
4-5 ounces blue cheese
Balsamic vinegar (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS:
Assemble 4-6 long metal skewers that hold 2-3 onion slices each; if using wood skewers, soak in water for at least 45 minutes. Preheat grill to moderately low heat.
Peel the onions and slice horizontally into 1-inch-thick slices. Run a skewer through the slices so the layers hold together; brush both sides with oil and season with salt and pepper. Place onion slices on the grill, cover loosely with foil; turn occasionally until cooked through — about 30 minutes total.
Meanwhile, lightly brown the panko in a skillet over medium heat or on a baking sheet in a 375° oven, stirring frequently. Place panko in a bowl to cool slightly. Chop or crumble the blue cheese into small pieces and mix with the panko. Set aside. When the onions are almost done and have been turned over for the last time, brush onions with balsamic vinegar, if using, then top each slice with the blue cheese mixture and press down firmly. Re-cover the onions with foil and allow cheese to melt. Serve immediately.
Yields about 10-12 pieces
PER PIECE: 70 calories, 3 g protein, 9 g carbohydrate, 3 g fat (2 g saturated), 7 mg cholesterol, 139 mg sodium, 1 g fiber.
Grilled Blue Cheese Onions
Onions sliced neither too thinly nor too thickly (1 inch is about right) will easily cook through and still be hefty enough to stay on a skewer.
INGREDIENTS:
4 large red and/or yellow onions
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper
3/4 cup panko
4-5 ounces blue cheese
Balsamic vinegar (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS:
Assemble 4-6 long metal skewers that hold 2-3 onion slices each; if using wood skewers, soak in water for at least 45 minutes. Preheat grill to moderately low heat.
Peel the onions and slice horizontally into 1-inch-thick slices. Run a skewer through the slices so the layers hold together; brush both sides with oil and season with salt and pepper. Place onion slices on the grill, cover loosely with foil; turn occasionally until cooked through — about 30 minutes total.
Meanwhile, lightly brown the panko in a skillet over medium heat or on a baking sheet in a 375° oven, stirring frequently. Place panko in a bowl to cool slightly. Chop or crumble the blue cheese into small pieces and mix with the panko. Set aside. When the onions are almost done and have been turned over for the last time, brush onions with balsamic vinegar, if using, then top each slice with the blue cheese mixture and press down firmly. Re-cover the onions with foil and allow cheese to melt. Serve immediately.
Yields about 10-12 pieces
PER PIECE: 70 calories, 3 g protein, 9 g carbohydrate, 3 g fat (2 g saturated), 7 mg cholesterol, 139 mg sodium, 1 g fiber.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Fancy Chicken Salad
So at a place near my work, they have this amazing chicken salad with capers. I've been wanting to try and make it for awhile, and this weekend I finally got the chance. I found a recipe on epicurious (I'm obsessed, can you tell?) and even though it wasn't exact, it turned out SO delicious. This is another good thing to make when you want to look fancy, but don't really want to put in too much effort. The hardest part of the recipe was going out for the obscure ingredients.
Chicken with Tarragon-Caper Sauce
As you can see, the recipe is for chicken breasts, which you then spoon the sauce over. I skipped all that (and the greens), and instead upped the mayo just a tad and mixed it in with cut-up chicken to make chicken salad. It was exquisite. I also made some garlic mashed potatoes with roasted chunks of garlic and shallots for a side. Looks and tastes pretty impressive, but like I said, VERY easy.
I served on toasted whole wheat Squagelbread which worked out quite nicely, although any bread would probably work fine. (I should try sourdough next...)
Chicken with Tarragon-Caper Sauce
As you can see, the recipe is for chicken breasts, which you then spoon the sauce over. I skipped all that (and the greens), and instead upped the mayo just a tad and mixed it in with cut-up chicken to make chicken salad. It was exquisite. I also made some garlic mashed potatoes with roasted chunks of garlic and shallots for a side. Looks and tastes pretty impressive, but like I said, VERY easy.
I served on toasted whole wheat Squagelbread which worked out quite nicely, although any bread would probably work fine. (I should try sourdough next...)
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Prado Pressed Salad
I haven't actually made this myself, so it's kind of cheating. But Jeff and I went out to dinner this weekend and I had this salad before my main meal. It was big enough to be a whole meal in itself, and was so incredibly delicious, that I just needed to find out how to make it. Since I found the recipe online, I thought I'd share it with all of you.
I think it would be perfect for a night when you want to make a fancy main dish for yourself but still want it to be healthy (you could have it with bread, maybe), or if you were serving guests and are looking for something to go with a main dish.
(1 serving)
2 ounces baby arugula
2 ounces (about 1/4 cup) sliced dried figs
1/3 cup sliced strawberries
1/4 cup candied walnuts (see accompanying recipe)
4 tablespoons Sherry Shallot Vinaigrette (see accompanying recipe)
3 slices Asiago cheese, torn
Balsamic syrup (see note)
Place the arugula, figs, strawberries, walnuts, vinaigrette and cheese in a mixing bowl and mix well. On a 12-inch plate, place a ring mold in the center and fill with salad mixture. Press salad firmly until compact and then slowly lift ring mold while holding greens down. To finish, streak balsamic syrup over salad and plate.
Note: To make balsamic syrup, place balsamic vinegar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer until the liquid reduces by half, or until it has achieved a syrupy consistency. Remove from the heat and cool completely.
(Adapted from a recipe from chef Jeff Thurston of The Prado in Balboa Park.)
Candied Walnuts
(Makes 2 cups nuts)
2 cups walnuts
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Vegetable oil, for frying
Place walnuts in boiling water for about 1 minute. Drain and cool. Toss walnuts in powdered sugar until well coated. Heat oil to 325 degrees in a frying pan and fry walnuts until they are crispy and golden brown. Drain on paper towels and set aside.
Sherry Shallot Vinaigrette
(Makes about 1 1/2 cups vinaigrette)
1/4 cup honey
4 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1 cup olive oil blend
1/4 cup minced shallots
Salt and pepper, to taste
Place honey, mustard and vinegar in a mixing bowl. Using a whisk, blend in oil in a slow, steady stream. Add half of the shallots and lightly blend. When oil has been emulsified, season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the remaining minced shallots.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Paprika Crusted Chicken
This is my go-to, super-easy, impress people dish. It's pretty much fool proof, and looks and tastes spectacular. Unfortunately, I don't have specific amounts, but again, it's pretty much fool proof. The *best* way to do it is to grill a whole chicken, but you can also roast a chicken or just bake chicken breasts (or thighs or whatever you like).
Mix up a paste of paprika, kosher salt, and water. I usually start with a couple tablespoons of paprika, a few teaspoons of salt, and stir it with a fork as a I add water a few teaspoons at a time until it forms a nice thick paste. Note: if I'm cooking it with the skin on, I'll make the paste a little thicker; if I'm cooking skinless chicken breasts, I make it a little runnier so the flavor isn't overwhelming. Cook according to standard instructions.
I usually serve it with a bed of wild rice and a side of garlic sauteed zucchini.
Mix up a paste of paprika, kosher salt, and water. I usually start with a couple tablespoons of paprika, a few teaspoons of salt, and stir it with a fork as a I add water a few teaspoons at a time until it forms a nice thick paste. Note: if I'm cooking it with the skin on, I'll make the paste a little thicker; if I'm cooking skinless chicken breasts, I make it a little runnier so the flavor isn't overwhelming. Cook according to standard instructions.
I usually serve it with a bed of wild rice and a side of garlic sauteed zucchini.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Other Epicurious Recipes I've Tried
1. Mahi-mahi with blood orange, avocado, and red onion salsa
I bought some mahi-mahi, and then realized I didn't know what to do with it. So a quick epicurious search brought up this "3.5 forks" recipe. Turned out really delicious, was relatively easy with the food processor, but a bit spicy, depending on how much jalapeno you put in. Overall, flavorful, fresh-tasting and pretty simple.
2. Cheddar and pepper scones
The fact that this was one of the best recipes in 1999 caught my attention. I actually just needed a salty breakfast item to go with the pound cake that Cas had already baked (it was my turn to bring in treats on Friday - haha it all seems very mundane when you put it in writing). Easy to make, didn't need to buy any exotic ingredients (except buttermilk, which I don't normally stock), and the scones tasted like homemade mac and cheese. Haha, I think it may depend who you are, but I found them pretty savory.
3. Eggs Benedict with mock Hollandaise
Made for a Mother's Day Brunch sans mothers (it's true), these were a big hit. PLUS, the mock Hollandaise is easier to prepare and better for you than real Hollandaise. A few guests said it tasted better as well. I like to use whole wheat muffins and regular Canadian bacon. Served with steamed asparagus.
I bought some mahi-mahi, and then realized I didn't know what to do with it. So a quick epicurious search brought up this "3.5 forks" recipe. Turned out really delicious, was relatively easy with the food processor, but a bit spicy, depending on how much jalapeno you put in. Overall, flavorful, fresh-tasting and pretty simple.
2. Cheddar and pepper scones
The fact that this was one of the best recipes in 1999 caught my attention. I actually just needed a salty breakfast item to go with the pound cake that Cas had already baked (it was my turn to bring in treats on Friday - haha it all seems very mundane when you put it in writing). Easy to make, didn't need to buy any exotic ingredients (except buttermilk, which I don't normally stock), and the scones tasted like homemade mac and cheese. Haha, I think it may depend who you are, but I found them pretty savory.
3. Eggs Benedict with mock Hollandaise
Made for a Mother's Day Brunch sans mothers (it's true), these were a big hit. PLUS, the mock Hollandaise is easier to prepare and better for you than real Hollandaise. A few guests said it tasted better as well. I like to use whole wheat muffins and regular Canadian bacon. Served with steamed asparagus.
Saturday, September 1, 2007
Prosciutto and Mozzarella Panini
When I worked at Pizza Rustica (36th and Chestnut) the summer between sophomore and junior years, one of our most popular sandwiches was this panini made with freshly-sliced prosciutto, which it was part of my job to slice. They were amazing! I haven't made them since then, because I usually don't have all of the ingredients available, although we came pretty close in Rome once. Usually it's lack of good bread, good cheese, or often good meat. But today on a trip to Trader Joes I noticed they had every one of these things, so I made them! It's easy, tastes somewhat out of the ordinary, and something I think anyone (except, I guess, a vegetarian) would like:
Ingredients:
Ciabatta bread
Fresh- NOT smoked- Prosciutto (about 3 oz. makes 2 sandwiches, I think)
Some sliceable logs of mozzarella cheese (like for Caprese salad)
Sun-dried tomatoes
Basil (fresh or dried)
Olive Oil
Cut the ciabatta in half with a good bread knife, slather olive oil lavishly inside. Slice enough mozzarella thickly to cover the bottom half of the ciabatta, add a small handfull of tomatos on top of the cheese. Place or sprinkle a good amount of basil on the tomatos (don't be shy, this was a pizza place and they used tons of basil on everything). Add the prosciutto on top, and enjoy. We heated these for people who were under the impression that panini must be hot, but they're totally fine cold.
P.S. I just learned writing this that "tomatoes" has an "e" in it, thanks to my Firefox spell-checker. Whaddayouknow?
Ingredients:
Ciabatta bread
Fresh- NOT smoked- Prosciutto (about 3 oz. makes 2 sandwiches, I think)
Some sliceable logs of mozzarella cheese (like for Caprese salad)
Sun-dried tomatoes
Basil (fresh or dried)
Olive Oil
Cut the ciabatta in half with a good bread knife, slather olive oil lavishly inside. Slice enough mozzarella thickly to cover the bottom half of the ciabatta, add a small handfull of tomatos on top of the cheese. Place or sprinkle a good amount of basil on the tomatos (don't be shy, this was a pizza place and they used tons of basil on everything). Add the prosciutto on top, and enjoy. We heated these for people who were under the impression that panini must be hot, but they're totally fine cold.
P.S. I just learned writing this that "tomatoes" has an "e" in it, thanks to my Firefox spell-checker. Whaddayouknow?
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Olivia's Easy Chicken Curry
This is a great dish when you're having a group over for dinner, and don't want to fuss once they arrive. You can also tweak it according to your (and your guests') tastes by using various curry powders. I've tried this with de-boned chicken breasts, but it didn't come out nearly as tender as using the full skinless pieces.
Cut 2 onions into thick slices and saute in olive oil (just saute, do not brown) until translucent. Add 6 bone-in chicken pieces chicken (legs an thighs are the most tender) to the pan, and add 2 tablespoons curry powder (or adjust to taste). Pour enough water in the pan to just cover the chicken. Add the chicken bouillon (if you want to use chicken broth, do 1/2 chickenbroth, 1/2 water to cover the chicken). Add salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for at least one hour. When it's done, the chicken should easily fall off the bone when you test it with a fork.
Serve over rice.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Melinda's Work Mega-Salad
Another technique I use to save time, is to take advantage of my company's kitchen facilities. On Monday, I take a walk through Berkeley to the nearest Safeway and buy the following ingredients:
-1 bag of either baby spinach or salad mix with butter lettuce (although I suppose you could substitute iceberg or romaine or arugula or any other leaf of choice just as well)
-2 roma tomatoes, or a pint of cherry/grape tomatoes
-one onion, I usually go with either red onion, Vidalia, or Walla Walla sweet onion
-one large cucumber
-one ripe (or as close to ripe as possible) avocado
-one regular sized can of kidney beans
-two cans of albacore tuna packed in water (although sometimes I'll buy the vacuum-sealed bag instead)
-bag of string cheese
-dressing of choice, if I don't have any left in the work fridge
So, what I do for four of the five days of the week is make this salad. I use 1/4 of the bag of spinach, 1/2 a roma tomato or a handful of cherry tomatoes, a bit of onion (not usually 1/4, that's a lot, just whatever I feel like), 1/4 of the cucumber, 1/4 of the avocado, handful of kidney beans, 1/2 can of tuna, one stick of string cheese cut into small pieces (the bag usually lasts me two weeks; I also like having it for afternoon snacks), plus a couple tablespoons of dressing. I don't actually toss it (too messy), but leave the spinach on the bottom and the other ingredients on top, making it actually easier to get a good forkful of delight. By the end of the week, most of your ingredients will have been fully utilized, making it perfect (I hate bringing leftovers home and/or letting them rot over the weekend). I also like having one day off, in case work caters lunch, or I feel like going out with a coworker or several, or sometimes I just go out for pizza on Friday, because I've eaten salad all week. Variety is the spice of life, after all. As for the dressing, I typically go with something light and classic - balsamic vinaigerette is a favorite, although lately I've been using Kraft's Zesty Italian.
Also, I think this is worth mentioning - I've been eating this salad for the vast majority of my lunches since April, perhaps earlier. I've also taken to eating a standard breakfast: Quaker Oatmeal Squares with either strawberries, raspberries, or a banana cut up in the cereal with skim milk. I've dropped almost 20 pounds since April. And my dinners haven't really changed much, nor my excessive drinking habits. Note: I have been going on a lot of random 3-10 mile walks around San Francisco, but that probably averages out to approx. 5 miles per week, which I think most of you are easily matching/exceeding already. Just a thought! Plus, the salad is VERY satisfying and I'll actually crave it sometimes on the weekend. I get pretty easily bored with food, and the fact that I still love it, is quite a testament. If you do try it, let me know what you think!
-1 bag of either baby spinach or salad mix with butter lettuce (although I suppose you could substitute iceberg or romaine or arugula or any other leaf of choice just as well)
-2 roma tomatoes, or a pint of cherry/grape tomatoes
-one onion, I usually go with either red onion, Vidalia, or Walla Walla sweet onion
-one large cucumber
-one ripe (or as close to ripe as possible) avocado
-one regular sized can of kidney beans
-two cans of albacore tuna packed in water (although sometimes I'll buy the vacuum-sealed bag instead)
-bag of string cheese
-dressing of choice, if I don't have any left in the work fridge
So, what I do for four of the five days of the week is make this salad. I use 1/4 of the bag of spinach, 1/2 a roma tomato or a handful of cherry tomatoes, a bit of onion (not usually 1/4, that's a lot, just whatever I feel like), 1/4 of the cucumber, 1/4 of the avocado, handful of kidney beans, 1/2 can of tuna, one stick of string cheese cut into small pieces (the bag usually lasts me two weeks; I also like having it for afternoon snacks), plus a couple tablespoons of dressing. I don't actually toss it (too messy), but leave the spinach on the bottom and the other ingredients on top, making it actually easier to get a good forkful of delight. By the end of the week, most of your ingredients will have been fully utilized, making it perfect (I hate bringing leftovers home and/or letting them rot over the weekend). I also like having one day off, in case work caters lunch, or I feel like going out with a coworker or several, or sometimes I just go out for pizza on Friday, because I've eaten salad all week. Variety is the spice of life, after all. As for the dressing, I typically go with something light and classic - balsamic vinaigerette is a favorite, although lately I've been using Kraft's Zesty Italian.
Also, I think this is worth mentioning - I've been eating this salad for the vast majority of my lunches since April, perhaps earlier. I've also taken to eating a standard breakfast: Quaker Oatmeal Squares with either strawberries, raspberries, or a banana cut up in the cereal with skim milk. I've dropped almost 20 pounds since April. And my dinners haven't really changed much, nor my excessive drinking habits. Note: I have been going on a lot of random 3-10 mile walks around San Francisco, but that probably averages out to approx. 5 miles per week, which I think most of you are easily matching/exceeding already. Just a thought! Plus, the salad is VERY satisfying and I'll actually crave it sometimes on the weekend. I get pretty easily bored with food, and the fact that I still love it, is quite a testament. If you do try it, let me know what you think!
Monday, August 20, 2007
Wine/Meal Pairing from WineAdvisor
30SecWineAdvisor is an e-mail newsletter that a few of us get (I know Olivia and I are both subscribed) and it gives great reviews of reasonably priced wines, plus it is very educational; each week there is a new topic. This week's was minimalist labels, but I was mainly struck by what sounded like an absolutely delicious salad paired with Chianti. See below (lifted right from the newsletter - sign up here). I'm planning on trying it sometime in the near future, but let me know if one of you gets to it first - I'm curious as to how it comes out.
Casa Liliana 2005 "Good Chianti" ($9.99)
Dark ruby, reddish-violet glints against the light. Spicy black cherries and a whiff of brown sugar. Light-bodied, juicy tart-cherry fruit and zippy acidity. Decent food wine, simple and fresh and mouth-wateringly acidic. Not a great Chianti, but yeah, okay, I'll go along with the label: Good Chianti. U.S. importer: Viniliandia USA, Deer Isle, Maine. (Aug. 19, 2007)
FOOD MATCH: In the mood for a summer salad but needing a food match that would sing with Chianti, I came up with an Italian variation on Thai beef salad: Thin-sliced cold rare beef tossed with romaine, fresh tomatoes and basil, Vidalia onions, Gorgonzola and Pecorino cheeses and a olive oil and lemon vinaigrette.
VALUE: A good Chianti for 10 bucks? No problem!
WHEN TO DRINK: This lightweight Chianti won't fade in a year, but it's not made for the cellar. Keep it on the wine rack and enjoy it until it's gone.
Casa Liliana 2005 "Good Chianti" ($9.99)
Dark ruby, reddish-violet glints against the light. Spicy black cherries and a whiff of brown sugar. Light-bodied, juicy tart-cherry fruit and zippy acidity. Decent food wine, simple and fresh and mouth-wateringly acidic. Not a great Chianti, but yeah, okay, I'll go along with the label: Good Chianti. U.S. importer: Viniliandia USA, Deer Isle, Maine. (Aug. 19, 2007)
FOOD MATCH: In the mood for a summer salad but needing a food match that would sing with Chianti, I came up with an Italian variation on Thai beef salad: Thin-sliced cold rare beef tossed with romaine, fresh tomatoes and basil, Vidalia onions, Gorgonzola and Pecorino cheeses and a olive oil and lemon vinaigrette.
VALUE: A good Chianti for 10 bucks? No problem!
WHEN TO DRINK: This lightweight Chianti won't fade in a year, but it's not made for the cellar. Keep it on the wine rack and enjoy it until it's gone.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Auntie's Roasted Potatoes.
Preheat the oven 425.
Mix olive oil and lipton onion soup mix together in a gallon-sized ziplock bag.
Cut up small red potatoes into bite-size pieces.
Put the potatoes in the ziplock bag.
Close the bag and makes sure the potatoes get evenly coated by the oil/soup mixture. Allow the potatoes to sit and marinate for a little while.
Spread the evenly potatoes on a baking pan.
Bake them for 45-60 minutes, depending on how crispy you like them. Every 15 minutes, scrape the pan and turn the potatoes, to keep them from sticking to the pan or cooking unevenly.
Mix olive oil and lipton onion soup mix together in a gallon-sized ziplock bag.
Cut up small red potatoes into bite-size pieces.
Put the potatoes in the ziplock bag.
Close the bag and makes sure the potatoes get evenly coated by the oil/soup mixture. Allow the potatoes to sit and marinate for a little while.
Spread the evenly potatoes on a baking pan.
Bake them for 45-60 minutes, depending on how crispy you like them. Every 15 minutes, scrape the pan and turn the potatoes, to keep them from sticking to the pan or cooking unevenly.
Inaugural Post
Goal for the blog - basically, similar to many cooking blogs, the simple sharing of recipes, tips, recommendations/disapprovals. Differences - my guess is that what shows up in this forum will cater particularly to our early 20s lifestyles, whether professional or academic or something else entirely. The contributors stem from a group called Tutta La Famiglia, formed in the loving halls of Hill House at the University of Pennsylvania, although the group has expanded to include many wonderful Penn (now) alumni (Class of 2006). From that group, the ladies were filtered out to create the LadyTalk association, a way of keeping in touch with one another, despite having incredibly busy schedules.
I'll start. One of the ways I like to save time and still eat wonderfully delicious food is to put a lot of effort in on Sunday, that I can reap throughout the week. Last week, it went like this:
1. Walk to Ferry Building Farmer's Market (in Philly, I'd recommend heading down to the Italian Market on Saturday or Reading Terminal, if anyone else has a recommendation for a good place in their city, please comment!) and purchase fresh sweet Italian basil and organic heirloom tomatoes (I like to use the small ones, about the size of cherry tomatoes).
2. Walk home. On the way, stop and pick up a roast chicken from Safeway (approx. $8) - if I'm feeling really ambitious, I'd roast it myself, but this saves time and isn't that expensive. I also pick up pita bread, a small bag of pine nuts, fresh parmesan, fresh mozzarella and fresh garlic.
3. Get home. Eat some of the roast chicken because I'm starving by this point and it's frustrating to cook when you're really hungry. Wash the basil and tomatoes, set out to dry.
4. Come back a little while later, bust out the food processor. Use epicurious.com's recipe for pesto, put it in tupperware. Note: besides items listed above, you'll need salt and extra virgin olive oil.
5. Peel skin from chicken, throw away. Spend about 20 minutes getting the rest of the cold roast chicken off the bones and putting it into a tupperware.
6. Preheat over to 350 degrees.
7. Open pita, place on aluminum foil. Liberally apply pesto. Arrange in whatever fashion I desire pieces of chicken, tomatoes sliced in half, pieces of mozzarella cheese, and red onion (which I didn't mention buying because I almost always have onion in the fridge). Heat in 350 degree over for about 10 minutes. Take out, relish the deliciousness.
Now, for the rest of the week, because I now have a ridiculous amount of pesto, I use it in dinners. Either I make more pitas, toss it in angel hair pasta or TJ's frozen ravioli, or lather it on chicken breasts, if I've run out. I'm sure there's plenty more uses, but those are the most common ones for me. Basically, I can survive on the pitas (they don't get old, especially if the basil is really good - meaning, the pesto is really good) so I don't have to do more than chop up and arrange a few things and heat it in the oven for the rest of the week (takes maybe 20 minute total, plus, if you're really hungry like I usually am after a long day at work, about 2 minutes to eat). =) On Sunday, I spent (not including the walking/shopping, which was more for my leisure anyway) maybe an hour preparing all the items.
I'll start. One of the ways I like to save time and still eat wonderfully delicious food is to put a lot of effort in on Sunday, that I can reap throughout the week. Last week, it went like this:
1. Walk to Ferry Building Farmer's Market (in Philly, I'd recommend heading down to the Italian Market on Saturday or Reading Terminal, if anyone else has a recommendation for a good place in their city, please comment!) and purchase fresh sweet Italian basil and organic heirloom tomatoes (I like to use the small ones, about the size of cherry tomatoes).
2. Walk home. On the way, stop and pick up a roast chicken from Safeway (approx. $8) - if I'm feeling really ambitious, I'd roast it myself, but this saves time and isn't that expensive. I also pick up pita bread, a small bag of pine nuts, fresh parmesan, fresh mozzarella and fresh garlic.
3. Get home. Eat some of the roast chicken because I'm starving by this point and it's frustrating to cook when you're really hungry. Wash the basil and tomatoes, set out to dry.
4. Come back a little while later, bust out the food processor. Use epicurious.com's recipe for pesto, put it in tupperware. Note: besides items listed above, you'll need salt and extra virgin olive oil.
5. Peel skin from chicken, throw away. Spend about 20 minutes getting the rest of the cold roast chicken off the bones and putting it into a tupperware.
6. Preheat over to 350 degrees.
7. Open pita, place on aluminum foil. Liberally apply pesto. Arrange in whatever fashion I desire pieces of chicken, tomatoes sliced in half, pieces of mozzarella cheese, and red onion (which I didn't mention buying because I almost always have onion in the fridge). Heat in 350 degree over for about 10 minutes. Take out, relish the deliciousness.
Now, for the rest of the week, because I now have a ridiculous amount of pesto, I use it in dinners. Either I make more pitas, toss it in angel hair pasta or TJ's frozen ravioli, or lather it on chicken breasts, if I've run out. I'm sure there's plenty more uses, but those are the most common ones for me. Basically, I can survive on the pitas (they don't get old, especially if the basil is really good - meaning, the pesto is really good) so I don't have to do more than chop up and arrange a few things and heat it in the oven for the rest of the week (takes maybe 20 minute total, plus, if you're really hungry like I usually am after a long day at work, about 2 minutes to eat). =) On Sunday, I spent (not including the walking/shopping, which was more for my leisure anyway) maybe an hour preparing all the items.
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