Salsa Verde

No time for chit chat today as I've quite the work load ahead of me. But enjoy this wonderful salsa verde. It's a treat with chips alone, but salsa verde also makes a great white chili base and in addition to playing well with chicken in a slow cooker.

Enjoy!

Recipe courtesy of Driftless Organics

yields about 2 cups


The Ingredients:
1 lb tomatillos, hulls and stems removed
1 medium yellow onion, quartered
2-3 cloves garlic, peeled
3-4 jalapeño, stems and seeds removed
¼ cup cilantro, coarsely chopped
1 Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp lime juice

The Process:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F

Arrange the onions, jalepenos, garlic, and tomatillos, stem side down, in a single layer on a baking sheet.

Roast, turning the vegetables once, until the tomatillos are softened and slightly charred, about 10 mintues.

Combine the roasted vegetables along with the cilantro, salt and lime juice in a food processoe. Blend and process until smooth.

Store, covered, in the refrideratro for up to 1 week.

Garlic Butter Shrimp over Quinoa and Spinach

I'm pretending this is a healthy dish, paraded over a bed of quinoa. But it's really not. It's shrimp drenched in garlic butter. No, it does not compare to the wonder that is Giovanni's Shrimp Truck on the North Shore of Oahu. But few shrimp dishes are. I'll take what tasty seafood I can get in this land locked state.

adapted from Pinch of Yum

The Ingredients:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
7-9 cloves of garlic, minced, divided
1 1/2 cups uncooked quinoa
1 1/2 tsp chili powder, divided
3 Tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
4 cups fresh spinach, torn
4 cups vegetable or shrimp stock (save those shells for just this purpose!)
6 Tbsp salted butter, divided
1 lb shrimp, peeled and de-veined
2 Tbsp dry white wine
salt and pepper to taste
fresh parsley for serving
lemon wedges for serving

The Process:
Heat the oil in a large saucepan set over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add 2 cloves of the minced garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes more, or until fragrant. Add the uncooked quinoa and ½ teaspoon chili powder. Cook, stirring frequently for another 1 minute until the quinoa is coated in chili and oil. Add the broth, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until quinoa is tender.  Add the spinach during the last 2-3 minutes cooking and steam until wilted. Fluff with a fork and toss with parsley.

While the quinoa is cooking, melt 1 Tbsp of the butter in a large skillet over medium high-heat.  Add the shrimp and remaining 1 tsp chili powder. Cook until the shrimp are opaque, 3-4 minutes. Add 2-3 minced cloves of garlic and swirl around in the pan until the garlic is fragrant.

In a small saucepan over medium-heat, melt the remaining 5 Tbsp butter.  Add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant. Whisk in the dry white wine.

To serve, layer the quinoa mixture into the bottom of a casserole and top with a layer of the shrimp. Top with chopped parsley and drizzle with garlic butter. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.

Wilted Greens with Runny Eggs

I am a sucker for soft cooked eggs on salads and sautéed greens...rich creamy yolk oozing into the green nooks and crannies. No need for dressing.

To me, this is an ideal breakfast. Warm and filling. Ready in about 20 minutes. Perfectly portioned to share for a light morning nosh. Or generous enough single single serving for a more ravenous appetite.

Any greens will work: kale, collard greens, mustard greens, spinach.  I opted for turnip greens. Nix the bacon to make the dish vegetarian. Or toss on some hot sauce for an extra punch. I love how easy this types of dishes adapt to many tastes!

the recipe is my own

serves 1-2

The Ingredients:
2 strips of bacon
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 bunch of greens, 4-5 oz
2 eggs
salt and pepper

The Process:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a 9 inch cast iron skillet set over medium-high heat, fry the bacon until crisp and most of the fat has rendered, about 4-5 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Coarsely chop and set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the green onion and garlic to the bacon fat in the skillet. Sauté until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.  Add the greens and saute until they just begin to wilt, another 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

Using the back of spoon, create two divots in the greens. Carefully break 1 egg into each divot, taking care to keep yolks intact. Bake until egg whites are set, 5-6 minutes for runny yolks, 8-10 minutes for hard set. Sprinkle with bacon and serve immediately, the eggs will continue to cook from the residual heat in the skillet.

Spent Grain Falafel with Tzatziki

In my wanderings to perfect a spent grain dog biscuit recipe, I stumbled across a new website. The Brooklyn Brew Shop. The site itself is for a home brew supply shop, but one section is solely devoted to cooking with spent grain. Home brewing can generate a fair amount of leftovers once the wort has been siphoned off.  When we've brewed a 5-gallon batch of beer in the past, there was typically too much grain leftover for us to use. Most of it would be destined for the compost. However, with this new discovery comes much, much more inspiration and motivation.

So when should I brew my next beer to ensure another insurgence of spent grain? And, oh, which recipes to try first?

adapted from The Brooklyn Brew Shop

serves 4

The Ingredients:
for the tzatziki 
1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely diced
1 cup Greek yogurt
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2-3 mint leaves, minced
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp red wine vinegar

for the falafel
2 -14 oz can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup spent grain, wet
1 egg
1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh mint, finely chopped
3 scallions, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
juice of 1/2 lemon

The Process:
for the tzatziki
Place the cucumber in a clean towel or several layers of cheesecloth. Squeeze as much of the liquid from the cucumber as you can.

Combine the cucumber, yogurt, garlic, mint, salt, oil, and vinegar in a medium bowl and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

for the falafel
Preheat the oven to 375

Lightly grease two baking sheets and set aside.

Pulse the garbanzo beans in a food processor until a coarse paste forms.

Transfer to a large bowl and add remaining ingredients. Mix until well combined.

Roll mixture into 1" balls and arrange on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown, flip halfway through.

Serve with tzatziki.

IPA Spiked Chicken Tikka Masala

Tikka Masala is no stranger in our household. I've made this dish, and enough of its Indian relatives to whip it up with nothing more than a cursory glance at a ghee stained recipe. The amount of ginger and garlic often varies. Sometimes I use a serrano pepper to two of a kick of heat, other time a subtle touch of chili powder. Fresh and canned tomatoes alternate depending on my mood and the seasons (there are few things sadder than a "tomato" in the middle of a Midwestern winter).

So why does this warrant another visit to this blog...a blog that attempts to chronicle my culinary adventures as I test new waters?

In a word,

Beer.

Ross had requested tikka masala when I asked for dishes to round out our week of dinners. As if by fate, the day before I had planned on our Indian feast, the Beeroness posted a yogurt and ale marinaded grilled chicken. The similarities between her chicken and the marinade for my chicken tikka were uncanny. These long lost cousins were only divided by a mix up of spices and the addition of beer. The discover was enough to revisit and modify this favorite.

I hope you enjoy this dish as much as we did.

Inspired and adapted from The Beeroness, The Pioneer Woman, and my tried and true tikka masala recipe courtesy of Monica Bhide

serves 4

The Ingredients:
for the chicken and marinade
1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
3/4 cup Greek yogurt
1/2 cup IPA
1 Tbsp garam masala
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-inch thumb of ginger, minced

for the Tikka Masala
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 medium red onion, finely diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 inch thumb of ginger, minced
1 serrano pepper, finely diced
1 Tbsp garam masala
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 - 15 oz can petite diced tomatoes
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 cup heavy cream
2 large handfuls of spinach, coarsely chopped 
1/4 cup IPA
salt to taste

for the Basmati rice
1 cup basmati rice
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups vegetable broth or water
1/2 cup frozen peas

The Process:
for the marinade
In a large bowl or gallon-sized zip top bag, combine the yogurt, IPA, and spices. Mix well. Add the cubed chicken and stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate 6-8 hours.

for the Tikka Masala:
Pre-heat the broiler.

Remove the chicken from the marinade. Thread onto metal skewers and arrange on an oiled cooling rack set over a foil lined baking sheet. Broil the chicken, 10" from the heat source, 5-7 minutes per side or until the chicken is beginning to char and juices run clear. Set aside.

Meanwhile, prep the rice:
In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, rice, turmeric, salt, and broth. Bring to a boil and stir until the butter has melted. Reduce to a low simmer and cover, cooking 30-35 minutes or until rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.

Back to the Tikka Masala:
Melt the butter in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the onion, ginger, garlic and serrano pepper. Sauté until fragrant and the onion is translucent, 6-8 minutes.

Add the spices and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add 1 tsp of salt, the diced tomato and the tomato paste. Simmer on medium low for about 5 minutes.

Whisk in the heavy cream and return to a simmer.

Remove the cooked chicken from the skewers and stir into the sauce. Cover and simmer until the chicken is heated through.

Stir in the chopped spinach and simmer until the spinach wilts. Remove the tikka masala from heat and stir in the 1/4 cup IPA. Adjust salt and seasoning to taste.

Prior to serving, stir 1/2 cup peas into the basmati rice. Spoon pea-studded rice onto each plate and top with tikka masala

Braised Cabbage

Cabbage is a vegetable that I continually try to include in our produce rotation, but I frequently find myself in a rut. Slaw and cabbage rolls are a stand by. I frequently roast thick slices of cabbage at 450 with copious amount of garlic. And I have also been known to shred it, fry it up with bacon and top the mess off with eggs, sunny side up. That, by the way, makes a fine breakfast.

And who can forget boiled with corned beef.

Yet I am always on the prowl for new twists and flavors. This dish may make our regular rotation, especially when paired with roasts or hams that also require a lengthy oven time.

Adapted from Michelle's recipe at Nomnompaleo

serves 6

The Ingredients:
2 Tbsp bacon fat (or butter, but bacon fat is far better)
1 medium cabbage, cut into 6-8 wedges
1 yellow onion, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup vegetable, chicken or beef stock
2 carrots, cut in a thick julienne
4 Tbsp unsalted butter, cubed
3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
salt and pepper
1-2 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar

The Process:
Preheat the oven to 350

Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish with the bacon fat. Layer the cabbage in a single layer, overlapping if necessary. Top with onions and carrots. Sprinkle with thyme and generously season with salt and pepper. Pour liquor over the top and dot with butter.

Cover and bake 1 hour. Carefully flip the cabbage wedges over, recover and bake an additional hour. Raise the oven temp to 450, uncover the cabbage and bake an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the cabbage begins to brown

Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and serve hot.

Stir Fried Noodles and Steak

The wonderful thing about flank and skirt steak?  It used to be such a wonderfully cheap cut of meat that nobody wanted.  Sort of like chicken wings.  And then somebody caught on to how awesome this under appreciated cut of meat is.  Now I'm lucky if I can find the darn steak for under $8 a pound, if our butcher or grocer even has it in stock at all.  Ah well.  Other thin cuts of beef work equally as well when quickly fried and sliced across the grain.

adapted from Bon Appetit

serves 4

The Ingredients:
2 Tbsp sliced almonds
8 oz soba noodles
1 Tbsp sesame oil
12 oz skirt or flank steak
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 green onions, whites and greens separated, sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1-inch knob of fresh ginger, minced
1 large head of bok choi, coarsely chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled, thinly sliced on the diagonal  
2 Tbsp oyster sauce
2 Tbsp soy sauce  
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 tsp sesame oil
1/3 cup vegetable broth

The Process:
In a small, dry skillet set over medium heat, dry roast the almonds until evenly toasted.  Set aside.

Bring  a large pot of salted water to a boil, and noodles and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 6-8 minutes. Drain.  Rinse in cool water and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season steak with salt and pepper and sear until charred in spots, about 4 minutes per side. Remove form heat and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Thinly slice against the grain.

While steak rests, wipe out skillet and heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add onion whites, garlic, and ginger; stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add bok choi and carrots. Saute, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes.

Whisk oyster sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, and broth together in a small bowl. In a large bowl toss together noodles, sauteed vegetables, almonds and onion greens.  Drizzle with dressing and stir to coat.  

Serve with steak.

Martha Stewart's Scalloped Potatoes

Ham dinners wouldn't be complete without a side of scalloped or au gratin potatoes.  I've had mixed luck with these dishes in the past.  Often, towards the end of baking the sauce will begin to clump or congeal instead of keeping its creamy consistency.  The lack of flour and short boil in milk helps resolve these problems in this version.

Almost any cheese will work as well, though I opted to stick with this mild Gruyere.  I love the slightly funky smell of the cheese, and the slight nuttiness it offers.  Gruyere isn't quite as pungent as Swiss, it melts and browns beautifully, and the flavor blends right into the smooth, creamy base.

Recommended beer pairing: a funky saison or spicy witbier.  The Gruyere in the potatoes has a distinct nuttiness that is complimented by the crisp wheat backbone and spicy yeast character of these beers.  Saisons will often lend a grassy or hay-like finish, while the witbier leans towards coriander and citrus spice.  The crispness of both will help cut through the richness of all of that cream...

adapted from Martha Stewart

serves 10-14

The Ingredients:

3 pounds Yukon  potatoes
1 small onion, thinly sliced

3 cups milk

2 cloves of garlic, minced
3 Tbsp butter, softened
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup heavy cream
5 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated

The Process
Preheat oven to 325.

Peel the potatoes and slice them paper thin.

In a large saucepan set over high heat, combine the sliced potatoes, onion and garlic. Bring to a boil, and immediately reduce heat to low.  Cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 3 minutes

Place a colander over a large bowl and drain the potatoes, reserving about 2 cups of the milk.

Rub a 9 x 13 baking dish with 1 Tbsp butter. Arrange sliced potatoes and onions in the baking dish, sprinkle generously with  pepper. Dot with remaining 2 Tbsp of butter.  Pour the reserved milk and heavy cream over the top.  Sprinkle evenly with Gruyere.  

Bake, uncovered, until cheese toasts to a deep golden brown, the potatoes are tender and sauce has thickened, about 80 to 90 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.

Vegetarian Smoked Porter Chili

The Beeroness strikes again.  I tagged this recipe a while back, waiting for the ideal smoked or chipotle beer to come my way.  Amazingly the two came together in one collaboration between two of our local breweries: Indeed and Northbound Smokehouse.  Northbound smoked the malts and peppers.  Indeed brewed the beer.  The result was a rich smoking imperial porter with a slight burn on the back end.  I'm not a huge fan of Indeed's other beers, but this beer was stellar.  And perfect for this chili. 


Thank you again Jackie.

adapted from the beeroness

serves 6

The Ingredients
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
8 oz mushrooms, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups vegetable broth
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 - 15 oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 - 15 oz can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 - 15 oz can stewed diced tomatoes
1 or 2 large chipotle peppers in adoboe, minced
1/2  cup quinoa
1/3 cup bulgur wheat
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
2 cups smoked porter

The Process:
Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium high heat.  Add the onion, garlic, mushrooms and red pepper.  Saute until the garlic is fragrant and the veggies are tender, about 3-4 minutes.

Stir in the broth, tomato paste, beans, diced tomatoes, and chipotle peppers.  Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes or until beans have heated through.  Stir in the quinoa, bulgur and spices.  Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes . The quinoa should be tender and the chili should begin to thicken.  Stir in the porter, and heat through, but do not bring to a boil.

Serve warm with garnishes as desired.

Creamy Pesto Shells with Peas and Cherry Tomatoes

At times the winter seems never ending.  The cold seeps into every nook and cranny.  Grey skyline blends with the grungy white horizon in a seamless canvas of nothing.  Spring will come.  It will...the days are already lengthening.

But at times I can feel that strong Midwestern resolve and hopefulness weaken.  Times such as that call for carbs and comfort.  And something bright and green.

Rooting through my freezer trying to come up with something quick and easy that wasn't ramen or spaghetti with tomato sauce, I stumbled across a few quart-sized bags of green bliss. Arugula pesto whirled up in those sweltering dry days of summer when the leafy bitterness was coming out of my ears.  Bite and bright and perfect for tonight...

pesto recipe courtesy of Driftless Organics
the rest is my own devising

serves 4

The Ingredients:
for the sauce
3-4 cloves of garlic
1 cup chopped arugula, lightly packed
1/4 cup slivered, blanched almonds, toasted
2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup milk
4 Tbsp cream cheese
salt and pepper to taste

for the pasta
1 lb small or medium shells
2 cup peas, thawed if previously frozen
1 pt cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

The Process:
Combine the garlic, arugula, almonds, and Parmesan in a food processor and pulse into a coarse paste. Add oil in a thin stream while the processor is going.  Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Boil the pasta according to package directions, drain and set aside.

Add the butter and milk to a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat.  Once the butter has melted, add the freshly made pesto and stir until well blended.  Cut in the cream cheese, a little at a time and stir until melted and well combined. 

Transfer the strained pasta to a serving bowl.  Add peas and tomatoes.  Drizzle with the creamy pesto and toss until well coated.  Serve hot.

Quick and Dirty Spinach Lentil Curry

Indian food and I, we've come to an understanding.  We have a method.  The dishes almost always turn out. 

There is occasionally an exception though. 

Ross and I have been going back and forth on the proper food pairings for an IPA...an India Pale Ale.  Traditionally a very hop forward beer.  Bitter.  Think sucking on grapefruit pith.  Well, depending on the hops.  I enjoy them, to an extent.  Ross usually avoids them at all costs.

The debate stems around spicy or not spicy.  The bitterness in hops actually intensives the heat level of most foods.  And the higher alcohol content opens up the receptors on the tongue...also heightening the heat experience.  Usually not a pleasant dining experience.  Unless, of course, you like the sensation of your face burning off.

For some reason Ross felt Indian cuisine and IPAs would pair well.  With my high heat preference in Indian food, I objected.  (I am right by the way, he just won't admit it, but seeing as he doesn't like insanely spicy food, or IPA, I do not hold his opinion of either in very high regard.  But I digress...and I still love him)

So as an experiment I tried a variation of this recipe, substituting some of the cooking liquid for an IPA.  Odell's Hopslam.  Excellent beer.  Such a waste to cook with it.  Again, I digress...

The cooking process released a bitterness in the hops, a musky, dirt-like bitterness, that made the dish near unpalatable.  Lesson learned.  Drink it with dinner, but do not cook with it...at least not this type of recipe.  IPAs do make unbelievable marinades, though...

Back to dinner...

This vegan friendly dish is quick and lovely.  So so simple.  It follows the same method I use for nearly almost any curry: saute onions, add ginger and garlic, add spice, stir til fragrant, add protein and cooking liquid (if needed), add veggies, serve.  So simple. 

Enjoy!

Inspired by Elissa's recipe at Kitchen Demure

serves 4

The Ingredients:
2 Tbsp ghee or peanut oil
1 large onion, diced
2 fat cloves of garlic, minced
1 - inch piece of ginger, minced
1 serrano pepper, minced (optional)
1 1/2 Tbsp garam masala
1 1/3 cup red lentils
2 cups water
1 tsp salt
2/3 cups dry white wine
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 bunch spinach, chopped (about 5 cups)

The Process:
In a large skillet heat the oil over medium high heat, and add the onion, ginger, garlic, and pepper.  Saute until just tender, 2-3 minutes.  Add the garam masala and stir until fragrant, about one minute. 

 Add the lentils, water, salt, and wine.  Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat.  Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the lentils are tender.  Stir in the tomato paste.  Add the spinach.  Cook an additional 5 minutes, or until he spinach has wilted.

Serve.

Roasted Parsnips with Horseradish Butter

The end of January lingers on.  And would you believe we still have veggies left from our last CSA storage box?  Those carrots, parsnips, potatoes and squash certainly hold up well in the right conditions.  And the bright snap of a carrot when the temperature dips below 0 is a welcome bit of hope of what spring and summer may bring.

But the parsnips...I love them, but these poor pale roots usually leave me a bit uninspired.  This preparation is simple and nothing unique.  However, paired with the horseradish butter, these roasted winter veggies absolutely shine!  The bite of the garlic and horseradish is mellowed by the sweetness of the parsnips and rounded out by the butter. 

adapted from Elise's recipe at Simply Recipes

serves 4

The Ingredients:
for the parsnips
1 1/2 pounds of parsnips
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup of vegetable stock

for the butter
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 Tbsp bottled horseradish, drained
1/2 Tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 green onion, minced
1 garlic clove, minced

The Process:
Preheat the oven to 400.

Peel the parsnips and cut into stick of an even thickness, about 2 1/2 to 3 inches long.  Toss the parsnips with oil, salt and pepper and arrange in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheets.  Pour the stock over the parsnips.

Roast, uncovered for 25-30 minutes, or until the parsnips are tender and beginning to caramelize

Set aside and keep warm.

In a small bowl, mash together the butter, herbs and horseradish.  Toss about half of the horseradish butter with the parsnips.  Add more butter to taste.  Sprinkle with additional parsley, if desired

Purple Pureed Potatoes

So the recipe isn't really anything new.  But one key ingredient certainly was new to me.  Have you ever seen purple potatoes?  They are absolutely fascinating.  And thy make the most beautiful Lavender colored mashed potatoes.

the recipe is just like mom used to make

serves 6-8

The Ingredients:
3 lbs small purple potatoes
6-8 cloves of garlic
1/4-1/2 cup heavy cream
4 Tbsp butter
1 tsp salt

The Process:
Scrub the potatoes and trim away any large eyes.  Quarter the potatoes.  Peel and halve the garlic cloves.  Add the potatoes and garlic to a large kettle along with enough water to completely cover the potatoes.  Bring the kettle to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 20-25 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.

Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot.  Over low heat, mash the potatoes with potato masher or wooden spoon.  Add half of the cream and all of the butter.  Gently continue to mash until the butter is melted and the cream is incorporated. Add additional cream until the desired consistency is achieved.  Season with salt to taste.

Darn pretty potatoes, aren't they?

Silly Simple Aioli

I made sweet potato fries.  But I failed to have my favorite condiment on hand for dipping.  Thank you, Internet, for coming to the rescue.

This is a quick and dirty aioli.  Most of you probably have these items on hand already.  And you needn't worry about raw eggs or egg yolks, so long as you are okay with store variety mayonnaise.

Adapted from Epicurious

yields about 1/3 cup

The Ingredients:
1 fat garlic clove, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
salt to taste.

The Process:
In a small bowl mash the garlic with olive oil.  Whisk in the mayonnaise and lemon juice until well incorporated.  Season with salt to taste.  Serve chilled.

Sticky Ginger Garlic Chicken Drummies

Need a batch of something simple to serve to a crowd?  My usual standby is a crock pot full of chicken drummies.  I tried an "Asian"  inspired version for a holiday party a mere few weeks before I started blogging.  In fact, I believe that recipe helped spawn my desire to blog my growth as a cook.  I should have sat down that night and typed the recipe up.  I can't seem to find it now...

Ah well.

This recipe is fairly similar.  It hits those same sweet and salty notes, though the chicken is not as fall off the bone tender as the holiday version (I will continue to kick myself until I unbury that recipe!)*

Four marinade ingredients and two cooking options.  The recipe will work equally as well for a variety of other cut of chicken.  The cooking time in the oven may vary for thicker cuts such as breasts or thighs.  And the marinade is easy to scale up or down for any amount of meat.  In the end I believe I made about 6 pounds of meat...roughly 28 drummies.  We'll start with two pounds here...

adapted from CanaryGirl via FakeGinger

serves 4-6

The Ingredients:
2 lbs chicken drumsticks or wings
1/2 cup soy sacue
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1-inch knob of ginger, minced

The Process:
Combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger and garlic together in a large zip top bag.  Massage until the sugar is dissolved and garlic and ginger evenly distributed.  Add the chicken, seal and refrigerate for 6-8 hours, or preferably overnight.

for the oven:
Preheat the oven to 350.  Arrange the chicken in a single layer in a lightly oiled baking dish.  Bake for 45-60 minutes or until the internal temperature reads 160 and the juices run clear.

in the crock pot:
Dump the contents of the zip top bag, marinade and all, into the crock pot and cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 6-8.  This version is more likely to fall off the bone...



*It seems I did save the recipe from that holiday party.  Just goes to show how much of a mess my bookmarks currently are.  You can find the original recipe at Gina's Skinny Recipes

Curried Pumpkin Soup

 Fall!  Pumpkins!  Soup!  Curry!  These are a few of my favorite things...

Light, complex, spicy, smooth and filling.  Deceivingly filling.  You'd be surprised how little soup you need to sate an appetite after an afternoon raking leaves.  And perfect for a gathering when many hungry hands may be idling.  This soup can be made ahead, chilled and re-heated when ready to serve.  Or, transferered into a slow cooker to linger and warm for whenever pepple are ready to eat.

I prefer the slightly sweeter and smokey flavor oven roasted pumpkin lends to recipes, so I opted to replace a portion of the originally recipe's canned pumpkin with my own roasted variety.  The spices are easily modified to accommodate any palate  And the soup does play well with heat...so feel free to add more red pepper or a dash or too of hot pepper sauce to liven up the tongue a bit.

adapted from Epicurious

serves 16-18

The Ingredients:
2 medium onions, finely chopped
2 Tbsp oil
3-4  garlic cloves, mince
2-3 -inch knob of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground cardamom
2 tsp salt
1 small pie pumpkin (2-3 lbs)
1 - 15 oz can pumpkin puree
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 - 15oz can  coconut milk

The Process:
Preheat the oven to 450.  Slice the pumpkin, scoop out the seeds and place cut side down on an oiled baking sheet.  Bake for 45-60 minutes,or until soft and beginning to carmelize, flipping cut side up halfway through.  Remove from oven and set aside until cool enough to handle.

Scoop out the softened pumpkin flesh.  Mash slightly for a smoother soup, or leave as scooped for more texture.  

Meanwhile, heat a large heavy bottomed saucepan over medium high heat, and sautee the onions until soft, about 3-5 minutes.  Add the ginger and garlic, sautee 1 minute longer.  Stir in the cumin, coriander, cardamom and cinnamon, mixing until the onions are well coated*.

Add the pepper flakes, salt, canned pumpkin, fresh pumpkin, broth, coconut milk.  Bring to a simmer and let cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.   For a smooth soup, puree in batches with  food process, or process with an immersion blender, or serve as is.  Thin with additional broth, if desired.

* in lieu of the individual spices, you can substitute 1 Tbsp of your favorite garam masala.

Harvest Root Vegetable Stew

Root vegetables are filler.  Peasant food.  Cheap.  Heavy.  Starchy. Sustaining.  Absolutely delicious.  And oh so plentiful this time of year.  We sadly received the last of our boxes from our CSA farm last week.  But boy, howdy was it heavy.  Three or four types of potatoes, parsnip, carrots, rutabaga, turnips, radishes, sweet potatoes,leeks, squash...

All that I love best about fall.

This recipe is sort of a garbage casserole.  Really.  Anything goes.  Particularly if it is starchy.  Throw it in.  The end result will probably be tastier than you expected.

the recipe is my own

serves 6-8

The Ingredients:
3 Tbsp butter
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 leeks, whites sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
1 cup apple cider (NOT hard cider)
1 1/2 cups beer
3-4 small russet potatoes,cubed or quartered
2-3 red potatoes, cubed or quartered
1 small sweet potato, cubed
2-3 small turnips, cubed or qaurter4ed 
2-3 carrots, cut into 1 inch coins
2-3 parsnips, cut into 1 inch coins
1-2 radishes, quartered
1 tsp fresh thyme, minced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

The Process:
In a large, heavy bottomed saucepan, melt the butter over medium high heat.  Add the garlic and leeks until the garlic is fragrant  the leeks are tender, 5-7 minutes.  Pour in the  cider and beer, deglazing the bottom of the pan.

Add the vegetables and seasonings.  Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat to low and cover Simmer for 35-40 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and the liquid reduced by about  one third.

Serve hot with cheddar and ale biscuits.

Tempting Tomato Sauce

The tomatoes are here! The tomatoes are here! Well...were here.  During that long break I took I was blessed with several pounds...POUNDS...of tomatoes from our CSA farm.   In the end I believe I handled nearly one hundred pounds of the bright red fruit.  Sixty pounds of romas were crushed, canned and put up for the winter.  Several beefsteaks and heirlooms were sliced up and enjoyed with just a drizzle of oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.  A creamy tomato bisque graced our dinner table another evening.  But still the tomatoes kept coming. 

My fall back became to roast them with garlic, peppers and onions and blend the mixture into an wonderfully rich sauce.   I got into the habit of slicing up as many tomatoes I had to fill up two baking dishes.   Whatever vegetables I deemed worthy would join the  mix...usually onions, peppers, once or twice a carrot.  The occasional small eggplant. Maybe some zucchini.  Herbs I played fast and loose with too.  And the wine?  Usually a dry white, but a red occasionally made a nice change of pace.  And in the end I stopped bothering with that whole seeding and skinning business.  The immersion blender blade did a fair job of getting the skins stuck up in it, so I never bothered trying to strain out the few that didn't managed to get jammed.  And the seeds?  Well, I'm lazy and the texture and flavor they added didn't bother me in the slightest.  The only thing I made certain to do was salt it well.  I had a tendency to go a little to easy on the salt early on...

 I believe I needn't worry about open a store bought jar of sauce for many, many more months...

adapted from Alton Brown

yields about 4-5 cups

The Ingredients:
15-20 fresh tomatoes.  Romas work best
1 onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
6-8 cloves of garlic, crushed
1/4 cup olive oil
several sprigs of thyme
several fresh basil leaves
salt and pepper
1 cup dry white wine

The Process:
Preheat the oven to 350.  Slice the tomatoes in half lengthwise and cram into two 9x13 inch pans.  Divide the onions, peppers garlic and herbs evenly between the two pans.  Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with herbs, salt and pepper.

Bake in the pre-heated oven for about two hours.  Increase the oven temperature to 400 and bake an additional thirty minutes. 

Scrap the roasted tomatoes and veggies into a large stock pot along with the wine.  Heat over medium-high heat, bringing to a gentle simmer.  Cook, stirring continually, for 10 minutes.  Blend to a puree using an immersion blender directly in the pot, or transfer to a food processor and blend until smooth.  Season to taste with addition salt and pepper.

Serve immediately with your favorite pasta, ladle into plastic to freeze for later, or jar and process in a pressure cooker to preserve in the pantry.

Holy Homemade Hummus!

I have been meaning to make hummus for ages.  Store bought varieties are a staple of my lunches...with veggies, on pita, sometimes with pretzels or chips.  I adore every variety I've tried...plain, garlic loaded, spicy.  With olives or roasted red pepper.   The only thing that bothered me was a slightly artificial acidic flavor that nagged every brand I'd ever purchased.  I suspected the only solution was to make my own.


adapted from Cook Eat Live Vegetarian


yields about 1 1/2 cups

The Ingredients:
1 - 14 oz can garbanzo beans
3-4 Tbsp tahini
2-3 cloves of garlic
3-4 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
oil, cumin and paprika to serve

The Process:
In a large bowl, thoroughly rinse the garbanzo beans, gently squeezing and rubbing the beans together to loosen the skins.   Skin the loosened skins off the top of the water.

Transfer the beans to a medium sauce pan.  Add just enough water to cover.  Bring the water to a boil, reduce heat and simmer the beans for about 12-15 minutes, or until soft.

Drain the chickpeas, reserving about 1/4 cup of the liquid.   Rinse, again while gently rubbing together to loosen and remove any remaining skins.  This may sound incredible tedious, but the extra step yields an extra creamy end product!

Transfer the beans to a food processor.  Add the tahini, garlic, lemon juice and salt.  Process until smooth, adding reserved liquid 1 Tbsp at a time until the desired consistency is achieved. 

Spoon the hummus to a serving dish.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with cumin and paprika.  Serve with pita, veggies or chips.

The Review:
I made this to enjoy with lunch.  I almost sat down with the entire batch and a spoon...it's that good...

Homemade pitas to follow!

Roasted Green Beans

Every week I've been treated to huge bags of fresh green beans.  These are our veggie of choice when preparing a last minute meal, but even we cant keep up.  I've take to blanching and freezing most of the fresh green lovelies within a day after getting them.  I'd say we're pretty well stocked for the winter.

But we can't forget to enjoy some of the bounty at it peak of freshness.  This preparation was wonderfully simple and quick to throw togther.

recipe courtesy of Driftless Organics

serves 4-6

The Ingredients:
1½  lb. green beans, trimmed
2 Tbsp olive
salt and pepper to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced
Zest and juice of 1 small lemon

The Process:
Preheat the oven to 450.  Place a large sheet pan in .  Toss beans in oil and sprinkle with salt, and pepper. pepper.  When the sheet pan is hot remove, from oven and slide the oiled beans onto it in an even layer.  Return tot he oven and roast for about 5-7 minutes, or until beans are starting to caramelize on the outside.

 Immediately stir in garlic and lemon zest.  Drizzle with lemon juice right before serving.

The Review:
Have I mentioned oven roasting makes everything better?

The original recipe called for a generous dousing of Parmesan cheese.  I did not have fresh Parmesan on hand...only the sad green shaker of preservative laden topping.  Rather than sully the wonderfully fresh flavor and caramelized glory of this simple preparation, I nixed the cheese.

The salt and pepper added just enough extra flavor...the lemon juice just a touch of brightness. 

Oven roasted...must remember to do this more often...