Exotic Fried Chicken

Okay, y'all. I hope you've been eating well! I certainly have - but I haven't been blogging. I'm stuck at the moment on trying to figure out how to replicate a tlayuda at home. I'll have to get back to you on that.

In the meanwhile though, I'm now making some killer fried chicken. Come over. I'll make it for you. I've made this fried chicken served with a curry potato salad and greens, and it is pictured here with garam masala sweet potatoes and spicy Brussels sprouts. And I admit I've reheated it and had it with some mayonnaise for leftovers. You just can't go wrong!

A fried chicken treat

An end-of-the-week dessert

Best with company

Here goes:

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 lb chicken thighs
1 quart buttermilk
1 bunch fresh mint, torn
1 bunch fresh cilantro, torn
1 can green chilis
1 2-inch piece of fresh ginger, chopped
6 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
1 quart coconut oil
garam masala
chili oil
1 Tbsp salt
flour to coat (I use gf all-purpose)

1. The night before cooking, remove the skin and excess fat from all chicken. Combine in a large bowl: buttermilk, mint, cilantro, chilis, ginger, garlic and salt. Add the chicken, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
2. The happy day of fried chicken: prepare any side items first. Heat the coconut oil in a heavy-bottomed pot until hot and a drop of water dances across the top.
3. Fill a pie pan with flour and sprinkle with garam masala and salt. Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture and settle the chicken in the fryer, a few pieces at a time.
4. Let the chicken fry, covered with a spatter screen, for 5-6 minutes and turn over with tongs to fry for another 5-6 minutes. Prepare a plate with papertowels to let the excess oil drain from the chicken after the frying. Use a meat thermometer to test the temperature of the chicken and remove from the pot when the internal temperature reaches 165F.
5. Sprinkle with a little chili powder or chili oil and serve! That's it!

Next time, I'm going to experiment with a batter, but I like the lightness of this fried chicken and the smell of the marinade as it cooks. Let me know what you think if you try it!

Crock Pot Moroccan Chicken

It is crock pot season!  My new goal is to fit in some healthy home cooking by doing a quick grocery shopping on Tuesday nights (my grocery store has cheese plates and wine that you can enjoy there, so it's not too bad), and to throw things together Wednesday morning for consumption the rest of the week.  It had to be planned because things have gotten so busy schedule-wise in my house that we found ourselves eating take-out just too often.

One of my favorite recent recipes (and these are so easy) is this Moroccan Chicken with sweet potatoes.  One of my students came in for lesson and said, "It smells even better today!"  So.

Moroccan Chicken
A perfect five syllables
A tasty haiku

Ingredients:

• 2.5 lbs bone-in skinless chicken thighs (if you can have a glass of wine while the butcher at your grocery store skins the chicken for you - even better)
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp pumpkin-pie spice (this is a new addition to my spice drawer)
• salt and ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 15oz can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
• 1 15oz can white kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup dried apricots
• cooked couscous or quinoa for serving
• sliced almonds to garnish

1. In a large ziplock bag or tupperware, combine chicken thighs with cumin, coriander, pumpkin-pie spice and 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper.  Refrigerate overnight.
2. In slow cooker bowl, combine chicken brother, tomatoes, beans, sweet potato, onion and apricots.  Place chicken in slow cooker bowl on top of vegetables.
3. Cover and cook 5 hours on low or until chicken is cooked through or until you get home from work later.  At this point, you could remove the chicken and debone it and skim and discard the fat from the cooking liquid.  Or you could just call it a day and dig in.
4. Serve chicken and vegetables over cooked couscous or quinoa, drizzle cooking liquid over to and garnishing with sliced almonds.

Banana Cream Pie

I have been making this pie for a while now.  I wish I had the picture my Dad took at my first attempt to make it - when I somehow got whipped cream all over the kitchen.  Alas, I have become good at this pie and have no more disastrous anecdotes to share.

Too pretty to eat

But the first bite is sublime

Never leftovers

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups graham-cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup + 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup melted butter + 1 Tbsp non-melted butter
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 1/4 cups milk
• 4 egg yolks
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 4 medium bananas
• 1 lemon
• apple jelly

1. Preheat oven to 375degF.  In a medium bowl, mix cracker crumbs (to make: blend in a blender or place in a strong bag and rolled fine with a rolling pin), 1/4 cup sugar, and melted butter.  With back of spoon, press into bottom and side of pie dish, making a small rim.
2. Bake 8 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool.
   
3. In 2-quart saucepan with spoon, mix 1/2 cup sugar, flour, and salt.  Stir in milk until smooth.  Over medium heat, cook mixture, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened and begins to boil (about 10 minutes).  Boil 1 minute.  Remove immediately from heat and set aside.  ***
4. In cup with wire whisk, beat egg yolks with small amount of hot milk mixture.  Slowly pour egg mixture into saucepan, stirring rapidly to prevent lumping.  Over low heat, cook, stirring constantly until very thick (do not boil) and mixture mounds when dropped from spoon.
5. Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla.  Pour into bowl and cover surface with plastic wrap.  Refrigerate until cool, about 2 hours.
6. Peel and slice 3 bananas over bottom of piecrust.  Top with filling.  Chill until set, about 2 hours.
7. Whip the heavy cream and spread evenly on top of pie.
8. To garnish, grate peel of lemon; sprinkle around top edge of pie.  Cut lemon in half and squeeze juice into bowl.  Into juice, peel and slice 1 banana; toss to coat; drain on paper towels.
9. Arrange banana slices in center of top of pie.  
10. In 1-quart saucepan over low heat, heat 1/3 cup apple jelly **** until just melted; brush over banana slices.  Chill.

***   If using Gluten-free all-purpose flour such as Bob's Red Mill brand, add 1 Tbsp psyllium husk powder at this point in the recipe.

****  Apricot jelly is lovely in place of apple jelly.  And microwaving is fine instead of heating over the stovetop.

This recipe is adapted from the 1989 Good Housekeeping Illustrated Cookbook.  My first grown-up cookbook.  Previously, I used one illustrated with Disney characters.

Emergency Dessert

Coconut Flakes, toasted in the broiler.  Sprinkled on top of....
One scoop of vanilla ice cream...
Drizzled with honey.

My favorite ice cream is Coconut Bliss Vanilla Bean.  FYI.

Steamed Chinese Dumplings

These Chinese Dumplings are fantastic!  My regular foodie blog readers may have noticed that I went  a whole year without blogging.  Well, I made these Chinese Dumplings as a part of my Year-of-the-Horse Chinese New Year dinner party last year.

Steamed Chinese Dumplings

What's better than a dumpling?

'Think I'll make some now

It was fun and festive and delicious.  And then the attention of the Gods was on me and all my other horse friends and blogging has just been impossible.  Let me catch you up though!

Ingredients:

• One 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
• 1/2 pound ground chicken or turkey
• 1 scallion, finely minced
• 2 tsp ginger, finely minced
• 1 Tbsp Chinese rice wine or sherry
• 1 Tbsp gluten free soy sauce (or the regular kind - whatever)
• 1 Tbsp sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

1. Squeeze out all excess liquid from thawed spinach.
2. In a bowl, mix together spinach, chicken, scallion, ginger, rice wine, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt and pepper.  Stir well until mixture holds together firmly.  Refrigerate while preparing dumpling wrappers (wrappers recipe below).
3. Place a small spoonful (about 2 tsp) of dumpling filling in center of dumpling wrapper.  Bring wrapper end together over center of filling and pinch.  Pinch ends of wrapper together on one end.  Carefully pinch wrapper together to enclose filling.  Repeat on other side of wrapper.
4. Place round piece of parchment paper in Chinese steamer.  Lightly oil parchment paper and place dumplings on top of parchment paper, making sure dumplings do not touch each other (otherwise, they will stick together when cooked).
5. Bring water to a boil in bottom of Chinese steamer.  Place steamer pan with dumplings over boiling water, cover, reduce heat to medium-low and steam for 12-15 minutes until cooked through.
6. Eat immediately, or let cool, and freeze.  To freeze, line a plate with plastic wrap.  Gently place cooked dumplings on plate.  Cover dumplings with plastic wrap and place in freezer.  After dumplings are frozen, store them in a container or Ziplock bag, and keep in the freezer.  To reheat, steam until hot.

Chinese Dumpling Wrappers

Ingredients:

• 1 cup tapioca starch
• 1 cup fine rice flour
• 1 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
• 2 Tbsp light olive oil
• 12-14 Tbsp cold water
• glutinous or sweet rice flour

1. Whisk together tapioca starch, rice flour and xanthin gum in a bowl.  Add oil and 12 Tbsp of water.  Mix well, adding a little bit of water at a time if necessary to form a firm, but not dry, dough.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap while preparing dumpling filling.
2. When ready to make the dumpling wrappers, sprinkle a cutting board or pastry sheet with glutinous rice flour.  Form dough into a long log.  Cut dough into 24 even pieces.
3. Flatten each piece into a small round on floured cutting board.  Using a rolling pin, roll each round into a 2 1/2" to 3" circle, flipping the dough over, and turning the circle as you roll it out.  The dough is fragile, so roll it out carefully, and be sure to keep both sides floured so it doesn't stick to the rolling pin or cutting board.  Cover rolled dumpling wrappers with plastic wrap until all the wrappers are made.

These dumplings are a bit of a pain to make - but they're definitely worth it!  Be very careful with the wrappers as they're delicate.  And be very careful that they don't touch in the steamer!  These dumplings are excellent with shrimp instead of the poultry.  Boil and peel the shrimp and mince.  Enjoy!

Recipe from Jeanette's Healthy Living.

Tamale Pie

The first time I ever encountered the idea of a tamale pie was in a wonderful little cafe called Better Living through Coffee (get a window seat for a beautiful view) in Port Townsend, Washington (a great place to vacation).  Unfortunately, I was on a vacation that left me no room for extra eating, so I grabbed my quick coffee, took a picture, and vowed to make one as soon as I could.  One year and nine months later, I present you with TAMALE PIE!

Memorable pie

Is the kind without sugar

Savory desserts!

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 pound 90 percent lean ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 1 jalapeno chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced
• salt and pepper
• 1 1/2 Tbsp chili powder
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 tsp minced fresh oregano or 3/4 tsp dried
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup fresh or frozen corn (thawed if frozen)
• 4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (1 cup)
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 3/4 cup coarse-ground cornmeal

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees.  Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking.  Add ground beef and cook, breaking up large clumps, until just beginning to brown, about 4 minutes.
2. Stir in onion, jalapeño, and 3/4 teaspoon salt and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.  Stir in chili powder, garlic, and oregano and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  
   
   Stir in beans, tomatoes and their juice, and corn and simmer until almost al liquid has evaporated, about 3 minutes.  Off heat, stir cheese into beef mixture and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Transfer mixture to 9 1/2-inch deep-dish pie plate or 3-quart baking dish.
3. Bring water to boil in large saucepan over high heat.  Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, then slowly pour in cornmeal while whisking vigorously to prevent clumping.  Reduce heat to medium and cook, whisking constantly, until cornmeal thickens, about 3 minutes.  Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons oil.
4. Spread cornmeal mixture over top of beef mixture and seal against edge of dish.  Cover with aluminum foil that has been sprayed with vegetable oil spray, and bake until crust is set and pie is heated through, about 30 minutes.  Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

I like to use a little more jalapeño and cheddar cheese for a bit more of a kick.  The pie is excellent served with a dollop of plain greek yogurt and a side of taquería-style pickled vegetables (recipe to follow).

Recipe from America's Test Kitchen's How Can it be Gluten Free Cookbook.

Strawberry Shortcake with Biscuits

Strawberry shortcake and champagne is my favorite celebratory meal.  I'm not sure that it can really be called a meal though given its low nutritional content - but nonetheless - here it is:

Strawberry shortcake

One time an eighties cartoon

Always a dessert

Ingredients:

• Strawberries frozen or fresh, 1 tsp sugar
• Powdered sugar
• Whipping cream
• Vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups plus 1/3 cup Bob's Red Mill All-Purpose Gluten-Free Flour
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp powdered psyllium husk
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 3/4 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tsp lemon juice, plus some extra

1. Whisk flour, baking powder, psyllium, sugar, salt, and baking soda in large bowl until combined.  Add butter to flour mixture, breaking up chunks with fingertips until only small, pea-size pieces remain.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together yogurt, egg, oil, and lemon juice until combined.  Using rubber spatula, stir yogurt mixture into flour mixture until thoroughly combined and no flour pockets remain, about 1 minute.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let batter rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
3. Defrost the frozen strawberries or slice the fresh strawberries.  Set aside.  

1. 

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees.  Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and place inside of second baking sheet.  Using greased 1/3-cup dry measure, scoop heaping amount of batter and drop onto prepared sheet.  Repeat with remaining batter, spacing biscuits about 1/2 inch apart in center of prepared sheet.
2. Bake until golden and crisp, about 15 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking.  Transfer sheet to wire rack and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
3. Put half of the sliced strawberries in an oven-safe dish, sprinkle with 1 tsp of sugar, and put in the oven while the biscuits cool to bring out the juices and slightly soften (approx 15 minutes). Toss the remaining strawberries with the remaining lemon juice.
4. Whip the cream with vanilla to taste.
5. Mix the sweetened baked strawberries and the citrusy fresh strawberries together, including the juice.
6. Serve each plate with one biscuit, surrounded by strawberries, topped with vanilla-whipped-cream and dusted with powdered sugar.

Biscuit recipe taken from America's Test Kitchen How can it be Gluten Free Cookbook.

Crockpot Coq au Vin

This is one of my favorite recipes.  Everybody loves it, it isn't that difficult, and the entire building smells good while I'm cooking it.

Crock pot coq au vin

Fancy, but really easy

Delicious dinner

Ingredients:

• 3 slices thick-cut bacon
• 2 medium onions, minced
• 8 medium garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tsp minced fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 tsp dried
• Table salt and ground black pepper
• 1 (750 ml) bottle dry red wine
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 3 Tbsp instant tapioca
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 pounds bone-in chicken pieces, skin removed and trimmed of excess fat
• 2 cups frozen pearl onions, thawed
• 1/3 cup water
• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tsp sugar
• 10 ounces cremini mushrooms, trimmed, cleaned and halved

1. Cook bacon in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until crips, about 8 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper towel-lined plate, leaving fat in skillet, and refrigerate until serving time.
2. Pour off all but 2 Tbsp of bacon fat left in skillet and place over medium-high heat until shimmering.  Add onions, garlic, tomato paste, thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring often, until onions ar softened and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes.  Stir n wine, scraping up any browned bits, and cook until mixture measures about 3 cups, 8 to 10 minutes. 
3. Transfer mixture to slow cooker and stir in soy sauce, tapioca, and bay leaves until evenly combined.  Season chicken with salt and pepper and nestle in slow cooker.  Cover and cook on low until meat is tender, 4 to 5 hours.
4. About 20 minute before serving, bring pearl onions, water, butter, and sugar to boil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook until onions are fully thawed and tender, 5 to 8 minutes.  Uncover, increase heat to medium0high, and cook until all liquid evaporates, 3 to 4 minutes.  Add mushrooms and 1/4 teaspoon salt to skillet and cook, without stirring, for 2 minutes.  Stir and continue to cook, stirring often, until vegetables are browned and glazed, 8 to 12 minutes.  Remove skillet from heat and set aside.
5. Let cooking liquid settle for 5 minutes, then gently tilt slow cooker and remove as much fat as possible from surface using large spoon.  Remove bay leaves, stir in pearl onion mixture, and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Reheat bacon in microwave on high power until heated through and crisp, about 30 seconds.  Sprinkle individual portions of stew with crisp bacon before serving.

I use half breasts and half legs for the chicken and a cotes du rhone for the wine.  The onions, garlic, wine and bacon fat are THE MOST FLAVORFUL part of the cooking.  Enjoy!

Mostly Savory Chocolate Bark

This chocolate bark is unlike anything you're likely to encounter in the month of cookies and cakes.  That is why I like it!  I'm not one for pastries or sweets, but some good dark chocolate will certainly do it for me!  This one is full of flavors and just a bite is plenty!

Nutty chocolate bark

Now my new favorite breakfast

With a cup of tea

Ingredients

• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/4 tsp dried mulberries
• 1/4 cup dried tart cherries
• 3/4 cup almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup pistachios, toasted and coarsely chopped
• 2 tsp coffee beans, coarsely chopped
• pinch of kosher salt

1. Grease a baking sheet, and line it with parchment paper.
2. Melt the chocolate in a large stainless steel bowl placed over simmering water in a pot.  Make sure the bowl is not touching the water to keep the chocolate from scorching.  
3. Add the cardamom, and stir to dissolve for a couple of minutes.  Turn off the heat, and stir in half of the mulberries, cherries, almonds and pistachios.
4. Remove the bowl from the heat, and dry the bottom with a towel.
5. Pour the chocolate onto the prepared baking sheet.  With an offset or rubber spatula, spread the chocolate in a wide rectangle about 1/4 inch thick.  Sprinkle with the remaining nuts, dried fruit, and the coffee beans, and press them gently into the chocolate.  Dust with the salt.
6. Cool in the refrigerator for about 2 hours, until hard.  When firm, slide chocolate onto a cutting board, and cut or break it into pieces.  Keep it refrigerated until just before serving.

Recipe taken from YogaJournal, December 2013.

Colorful winter salad

I'm always looking for a bit of color in my meals, and while I'm not typically a salad fan (or a fan of cold foods generally), the days that follow Thanksgiving lend themselves to crisper, lighter fare.

Lighter winter fare

I only like salads with...

Fresh avocados

Ingredients  (serves two as a meal or four as a side)

• Butter lettuce (one small head)
• 1 Fresh persimmon, 1/4 papaya, or 1/2 pink grapefruit (listed in order of my favorite) 
• 1 Avocado
• 2 tbsp Pumpkin seeds
• 2 oz. Blue cheese
• Greek yogurt (1/4 cup)
• Olive oil (1/4 cup)
• Juice from half of one lemon
• A pinch of salt
• Freshly grated black pepper

1. Wash the lettuce thoroughly, pat dry, and chop into bite sized leaves.
2. Start the pumpkin seeds toasting over medium heat in a small saucepan (they will turn fragrant, pop a bit, and turn browner) shaking them around frequently.
3. In a food processor, combine the yogurt, olive oil, lemon and salt until blended
4. Cube the fruit and the avocado.
5. Combine all ingredients into low bowls, crumbling the blue cheese on top and finishing with the freshly grated pepper.

Veggie Goat Cheese Breakfast Bake

This is a great and easy meal to make for breakfast or lunch and I find if you double the recipe, you can save half of the goat cheese mixture in the fridge for several days and make it again with whatever vegetables you have on hand!  I made this one with sautéed mushrooms and kale.

Here is all that's left

I tried to take a picture

We ate too quickly

Ingredients:

• Whatever vegetables you have on hand, chopped and sautéed (raw will do as well!)
• 5 ounces of goat cheese
• 2 Tbsp heavy cream
• 1 cup of egg whites
• 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• oil for greasing the pan
• rehydrated sun-dried tomatoes (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Saute the vegetables you have chosen to use
3. In a mixing bowl combine the goat cheese, cream, egg whites, pepper and 1/2 tsp of the thyme, stirring until completely incorporated.  Set aside.
4. Grease a baking pan.  Transfer the sun dried tomatoes and vegetables to the baking pan.
5. Pour the goat cheese mixture over the vegetables and top with the remaining thyme.
6. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the center is no longer liquid.
7. Let cool a few minutes before serving.

A new picture to show what it really looks like. June 2019 and I've taken to cracking a couple of eggs into the bake. They're beautiful and add some lovely color.

Recipe adapted from Mariel's Kitchen.  Thank you to Connie, my mother-in-law for the fun new baking pan!

Crock-Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

I have been making this recipe for years now, and every time, I'm so excited to sit down and eat it, I forget to take a picture and blog about it.  (Full disclosure - I've actually never made this recipe.  My husband has made it every single time and it is fabulous.)

Chicken Noodle Soup

Just as it was meant to be

And not from a can

Ingredients:

• 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 6 carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
• 4 celery ribs, sliced
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 4 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed (about 4 tsp)
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 quarts low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 bone-in, skin-on split chicken breasts
• 2 cups cooked egg noodles
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley leaves

1. Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.  Melt butter in heavy pan over medium-high heat.  Add chicken thighs, skin side down, and cook until skin is deep golden brown, about 8 minutes.  Transfer thighs to crock pot.
2. Pour off all but 1 Tbsp fat from pan.  Add carrots, celery, and onions to now-empty pan and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.  Stir in garlic, thyme, and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add 1 cup broth to pan and scrape up any browned bits with wooden spoon.  Transfer vegetable mixture, bay leaves, and remaining broth to crock pot.
3. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper and wrap in foil (make a foil packet around each breast).  Place foil packets in crock pot.  Cover and cook on low until breasts are cooked through and thighs are tender, 4 - 4 1/2 hours.
4. Remove foil packet from crock pot.  Carefully open foil and transfer chicken breasts to plate.  Remove chicken thighs from crock pot and transfer to plate.  When cool enough to handle, shred meat into bite-size pieces, discarding skin, bones, and excess fat.
5. Stir shredded chicken, cooked noodles, peas, and parsley into slow cooker.  Cover and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.  Discard bay leaves.  Serve.

Usually I refrain from adding the noodles to the soup.  I pack up a third of the soup and freeze it, and the rest we eat for lunch over a couple of days.  I have poured this soup over noodles, over rice, and even over mashed potatoes.  All possibilities if you don't cook and add the noodles to begin with.

I asked my husband if there were any other little changes that he makes and he said no.  The recipe is perfect.  Make it this autumn and let me know what you think!  It is well worth the planning.

Recipe from Cook's Illustrated, Winter 2010.

Dark Mint Organic Chocolate - a Review

Okay.  Fanny May Mint Meltaways.  After Eights.  Frango Mints.  We're talking tastes of this caliber here.

I recently tried The Alter Eco Dark Mint Chocolate without much in terms of expectations - I think my local grocer was out of the quinoa bar I usually get (think Nestle crunch but better).  It was delicious.  It is a little pricey, but my local chocolate expert said it is worth it.  

And it gets better.....

What if eating this tasty tasty chocolate nourished more than just your little soul?  The company Alter Eco is doing their best to be environmentally sustainable (which is important if we want to keep eating chocolate).  Their chocolate is organic.  They're trying to offset their carbon footprint.  They compost and recycle.  They plant trees.

So, now you can do your part and eat some chocolate!

Nom nom nom.......

Summer Squash Pomodoro á la Green Zebra

Every meal I have had at Green Zebra has been a good one.  When I do a tasting menu - I'm not left hungry, like I am at so many other posh restaurants.  The last time I was at Green Zebra, my entree was a summer squash pomodoro with rice.  Gluten-free.  Tasty.  Satisfying.  I made it at home and everyone loved it.  I'll share it with you today!  (serves 4)

Ingredients

• Summer squash - 4 small, thinly sliced
• Eggplant - 1 medium, cut into pencil-thick strips
• Rice - 1 cup, uncooked
• Garlic - one clove
• Cremini Mushrooms - 1/2 cup chopped
• Pine Nuts - 4 Tbsp
• Fresh Basil - chopped, 8 Tbsp
• Sauce - store bought, previously made and frozen, or from your own tasty recipe
• Butter - 2 Tbsp
• Olive Oil
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper

1. Prepare the sauce if making from scratch.
2. Cook the rice and set aside.
3. Heat the sauce if using ready-made.
4. Melt one tablespoon of butter with a little olive oil and sauté the summer squash.  Ladle sauce into low-bowls and arrange the squash on top of the sauce.
5. Add a little more olive oil and sauté the eggplant, sprinkled with a little salt.
6. Place a scoop of white rice in the center of each bowl, on top of the squash.  When the eggplant is cooked, add pieces to the side of the squash and rice on each dish.
7. Add the other tablespoon of butter to the sautéing pan and melt with a little olive oil.  Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant.  Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently.
8. Sprinkle each dish with 1 Tbsp of pine nuts.
9. Grate black pepper onto each dish, top with mushrooms and fresh basil and serve immediately!

Green Zebra used sticky rice, and I used what I had on hand.  With sticky rice, you may be able to wrap the rice in the summer squash as I was unable to do.  If so, it'll be fancier, you can charge more (we're onto you, Chicago restaurants!), and it should look like this:

Spring Mascarpone Risotto a la Salish Lodge in Snoqualmie, Washington

Who doesn't like risotto?  And what better way to celebrate the early days of spring than with a risotto containing all of springs heartily-missed delights?  I recently had a wonderful risotto while on vacation and staying at Salish Lodge in Snoqualmie, Washington.

Tally-ho!  It's Spring!

Asparagus Risotto

ANY time of day

Ingredients:

• Shallot (1 small, chopped)
• Garlic (2 cloves, chopped)
• Olive Oil, 1 1/2 Tbsp
• Butter, 1 1/2 Tbsp
• Risotto, 1 1/2 cups
• Dry White Wine, 2/3 cup
• 4 -5 cups broth (chicken or mushroom, I used both)
• Asparagus, approx 1 lb
• One bunch of ramps
• One handful of frozen peas
• 1 Tbsp lemon zest
• 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
• 1 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• lemon juice from two lemons
• 1 egg white
• salt
• black pepper

1. Heat a large sauteing pan or wok with medium heat and add olive oil and butter.  Add the shallot and garlic and sauté until aromatic.  Add the rice and stir to cover in the mixture.
2. Add the wine to the pan and stir until the rice has absorbed the wine.
3. Begin to add the broth, one ladle at a time and stir until the broth is absorbed.  This will take about half an hour.
4. In the meanwhile, blanch the asparagus and the ramps in salted water and set aside (chop them to the size that appeals to you).
5. After about 20 minutes of adding and stirring broth to the rice mixture, throw in the asparagus, ramps and frozen peas.  Continue stirring and adding broth.  Add the lemon zest.
6. When all of the broth has been added and absorbed, turn off the heat and add the cheeses and stir well.
7. Let the risotto sit a few minutes before serving.  At this time, add the lemon juice, egg white and a couple of ice cubes to a drink shaker and shake until the mixture is frothy and light.
8. To serve, spoon the risotto in small bowls, top with a bit of the foamy lemon juice mixture and garnish with freshly grated black pepper.

 The original at Salish Lodge

A view of Snoqualmie Falls.  It is nice to have something this gorgeous to look at while you're enjoying your asparagus risotto.

Creamy Corn Pasta

I don't know what to call this dish.  "Creamy Corn Pasta" doesn't sound all that good; but it IS good!  The noodles you use are going to make a difference, and this recipe needs to be paired with a green.  It is very easy to make, light on the chopping, and doesn't take long at all.  Serves four.

Creamy Corn Pasta

A delicious July meal

When everything's fresh

Ingredients

• 6 ears of fresh corn, shucked, with the kernels cut off the ear
• 1 large shallot
• 3 garlic cloves
• red pepper flakes
• black pepper
• butter
• 1 pint heavy cream
• fresh thyme
• Noodles

1. Heat a large skillet, add butter (approx 2 Tbsp), add shallots.  Saute the shallots until they are translucent and aromatic.  Add garlic and saute 1 minute longer.  
2. Add half of the corn to the pan and stir.  Meanwhile, in a blender, combine the rest of the corn and the cream until blended thoroughly.  
3. When the corn is softened and some of the kernels are more golden, add the red pepper flakes, black pepper and fresh thyme to taste.  I'd add a dash of salt as well.
4. Prepare the noodles according to the package directions.  (I like the King Soba Pumpkin Ginger Rice noodles for a gluten-free option with a great kick that complements this recipe.)
5. Combine the creamy corn with the sauteed corn and heat, stirring until heated through and reduced a bit.
6. Serve by topping a heap of noodles with the creamy corn.

This recipe is a little sweet, and is best paired with something a little bitter.  I tried it with kale, but should have added some vinegar to the kale.  This would also be good with artichokes or spinach.  For pork eaters, some crumbled bacon would be delicious on top.

I got the idea for this recipe from my mom who found herself with an absolutely gorgeous and robust bouquet of corn from a farmers market recently.  From what I hear, this recipe saves well for days!

Polenta & Mushroom Bowl

Warm, savory comfort food is great at ANY time of year.  The days are getting longer and we have definitely already had a taste of spring (and even a bit of summer?) but there are still evenings when cold, crunch, and even fancy doesn't appeal to us.  It is days like that when I make a late evening meal like this.

What is polenta?

Breakfast, lunch or dinnertime

Tasty comfort food

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup dry polenta
• 2 cups broth (I used the mushroom broth strained from rehydrating the mushrooms)
• 1 cup mushrooms
• 1/4 cup diced tomatoes
• 4 eggs
• 4 oz cheddar cheese
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 Tbsp butter
• a bit of olive oil
• salt
• black pepper to taste

1. If you are rehydrating mushrooms, like I did, do it earlier in the day with warm water.  They'll make an excellent broth.
2. Set the broth to boil and soak the polenta in a bowl with tepid water.
3. Once the broth is boiling, add the polenta.  Lower heat to a simmer and stir pretty consistently for about 15 minutes.
4. While the polenta is cooking, heat 1 Tbsp butter and a bit of olive oil over low heat in a pan.  Add the chopped garlic and once it is aromatic, add the mushrooms.  Let those cook to reduce liquid and absorb the garlicky buttery goodness.
5. When polenta is about done, stir in the other tablespoon of butter.
6. Spoon a quarter of the polenta into each of four small bowls.  Stick an ounce of cheese in each bowl to be melted by the polenta.  
7. Top the polenta with mushrooms, a Tablespoon of diced tomatoes and a poached egg (you can poach the egg at the very last minute).
8. A dash of salt and some freshly ground black pepper make the meal!

Leftovers are GREAT.  You can add some greens to it for a larger meal, put it next to chicken for an entree or eat it as it is for a hearty breakfast!  I actually was inspired to make this meal I used to have so often by a posting of a recipe of it by the Green Grocer.  

Blueberry Quinoa Muffins

Mmmmm.  Having to give up gluten has meant having to give up muffins.  Not anymore!  Though according to my sister these "taste healthy," I think they're moist and quite delicious!

 Blueberry Muffins

A delicious breakfast treat

Small and portable

Ingredients

• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 cup rice flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 milk
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen

1. Preheat the oven to 375 and lightly grease 10 muffins cups or line with paper baking cups.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together cornmeal, rice flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together cooked quinoa, maple syrup, milk, applesauce, lemon juice, and oil.
4. Add wet mixture to dry mixture and stir until just combined.  Fold in blueberries, spoon batter into prepared tins, and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Remove muffins from pan and place on a wire rack to cool.

Recipe from Yoga Journal, March 2012.

Mixed Beet Salad a la 25 Degrees

If you go to 25 Degrees, you're probably going for one of their fantastic burgers (try the number 1, which has jalapeno bacon, arugula, blue cheese and thousand island dressing on it) or one of their spiked milkshakes (I'm fond of the salted caramel).  However, there ARE other things on their menu, and one of the sides that I have really enjoyed has been their mixed veggie salad.

When I find new ways

To enjoy a mixed salad

It is a good day

Fresh, with veggies that actually pack some nutrition, and the perfect side to share, I thought, if you don't mind the chopping, it might be worth making at home!

Ingredients:

• 1 avocado, cubed
• 1 cup red seedless grapes, halved
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 4 Tbsp pine nuts
• 2 cups beets, steamed and cubed
• 1 can white beans, rinsed
• fresh grated paremesan cheese
• buttermilk vinaigrette (see below)

1.  The steaming of the beets is what takes the longest, but you can half the grapes and tomatoes while that is happening.  
2. Whisk together the ingredients for the buttermilk vinaigrette (see below) and combine.  Grate a bit of cheese over the top and Serve at room temperature. 

Buttermilk vinaigrette

• 2 Tbsp dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 Tbsp buttermilk
• 2 Tbsp orange juice
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Whisk together the above ingredients and pour over the mixed salad!

Mine isn't as pretty as the one at 25 degrees, and it is a little redder, since I could only find red beets and they use a combination of red and golden, but it WAS tasty:

Fig and Brie Burgers a la Rockit Bar and Grill

It has seemed to me for some time now, that restaurant goers are pretty content with a few standard burgers - the traditional with cheese, pickles, mustard, onions etc;  the bacon and barbeque sauce burger;  and the mushroom and swiss or blue cheese burger.  An egg topped burger has become more standard these days too.  But I love it when I find a really inventive burger.  [There used to be a place down at University of Illinois that had 50 different burgers.  I tried to order one with cottage cheese but they didn't have any cottage cheese because nobody ever ordered that one.]

I'm pleased these days by the number of burger places opening up that have really wonderful ingredients and a fresh take on this typical American meal.  Rockit Bar and Grill is one such place (and their fries and bloody mary's aren't too bad either!)

Anything with brie

Makes a really fancy dish

Even a burger

Ingredients:

• Lean ground beef (grass fed) or bison (1/2 lb per person)
• brie (3 oz per person)
• fig preserves (1 Tbsp per person)
• black pepper
• arugula
• stone ground brown mustard

1. I'm sure you already know how to make burgers.  So, do what you normally do!  But mix the fig preserves in with the ground beef and form into patties.  Add a little black pepper and maybe some salt to make a nice crust.
2. Grilling the burgers are the best, but pan frying them will do as well.  As soon as they're just about done (I recommend medium-rare to medium) top each with a bit of brie and let it just melt.  
3. Serve with arugula and stone ground brown mustard.

Rockit serves this burger with truffle fries, but I actually recommend it with sweet potato fries.

The Original