unique eggbeater

Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie

2008-11-20T12:31:00.001-08:00

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Cilantro-Pumpkin Seed Pesto

2008-08-11T20:00:00.000-07:00

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Ratatouille Quiche

2008-07-25T12:04:00.001-07:00

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Summer Berry Pavlova

2008-07-16T13:03:00.001-07:00

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Summer Strawberry Rhubarb Soup

2008-07-10T15:50:00.000-07:00

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Gluten Free Pancakes w/ Warm Pear Compote

2008-06-18T12:04:00.000-07:00

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I have been on the anti-inflammatory diet for about 6 months now. It is a gluten free diet and I have had to make some slight adjustments to how I eat. That said, I have never liked breads or pastas or most things with gluten because of the way I feel after eating them.

Pancakes and waffles were never a morning ritual. The past week I have experimented with making some gluten free pancakes and waffles and am in love. The trick to this recipe is adding a banana. It gives the recipe a great texture and flavor.

These might be a weekly breakfast addition.

Red Snapper with Romesco

2008-05-30T12:00:00.001-07:00

Breakfast

2008-05-26T10:30:00.000-07:00

Arugula. Potato Pancakes. Coddled Eggs. Fresh Basil.

Yumm.

Pasta Primavera

2008-05-15T09:37:00.000-07:00

I am a gluten free girl so I use brown rice pasta but you can use any you like. It is listed as vegan but can add pecorino at the end.

This is the perfect time of year to find all the fabulous fresh veggies at your local farmer's market. Take advantage of it and make the recipe this weekend.

You won't regret it.

Salmon Cakes

2008-04-15T11:45:00.000-07:00

This is a recipe that was sent out today for Naturopath I do marketing for. It is an anti-inflammatory recipe (no gluten, no cow's dairy etc. more on that another day). You can use regular bread crumbs instead of rice cracker crumbs if you can tolerate wheat.

Enjoy.

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Get to know your CSA

2008-02-24T18:57:00.001-08:00

There are times that I feel über privileged to live in Portland. Researching our local CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture) is one of those times.

A quick zip code search on Local Harvest pulls up six pages within the vicinity. There are farms that are basic full / half share vegetables, more specialty locations with heirloom varieties, berries, meats, egg shares, honey shares, etc.

I have been assessing my needs and determined that heirloom varietals of fruits and veggies are a necessity along with the option of an egg share and convenient pick up.

I am leaning towards Viridian Farms mostly because they do fresh herbs along with fruits and veggies including squash blossoms, radicchio, cardoon. mmmm.

Others I considered are:

Winter Green Farm

Dancing Roots Farm

Pumpkin Ridge Gardens - Year Round

Love Farm Organics

I recommend this as a way to indulge in locally grown produce. Local Harvest is a great resource and has lists of CSAs across the US.

Something weird has happened...

2008-01-21T12:57:00.000-08:00

I, the queen of breakfast, have lost my appetite.

Long gone are the days where I lovingly sip coffee and relax with a stack of whole wheat waffles with fresh fruit or a seasonal veggie frittata.

Everything seems bland and there is no joie de vivre in my mornings anymore. I hope it comes back! It used to be my favorite part of the day.

My waffles taste dry. My eggs are uninspiring. I think this has absolutely nothing to do with breakfast itself but more to do with my lack of time.

Must. Find. Time. And. Love. Again.

Onion Galettes

2008-01-13T16:36:00.001-08:00

I first moved into my own apartment about 3 years ago. It is the apartment right next door to where I live now. I had just broken up with a guy I dated for 2 years. About a month earlier we bought a cute bungalo under the premise that having an extra bedroom would help solve our (ahem) problems. I don't know who thought that sounded like a good idea. And I hope we never said that aloud to anyone outside of the relationship. That was like a $190,000 band-aid that was applied too tightly and cut off my circulation. So I fled while E was on a business trip to Tokyo. To the closest thing I could find. A cute little one bedroom apartment in a newly renovated, 1920's, 4-plex.

Then a year later I moved next door because of the better kitchen.

When I moved I had nothing. No bed, no table, no sofa well no furniture. Maybe a bookcase, blanket and a stereo. You know, basic necessities.

The first thing I went out to buy was a nice set of stainless steel pots and pans and my kitchen table. I was broke, bored and lonely. After work each night I would come home and cook for one. One night I made a whole wheat pie crust with the intention of making a full sized quiche but decided like with most other things in life, it would be cuter (and therefor better) in small, individual servings. It was also a chance for me to experiment with creating a free form pie, quite possibly the most beautiful thing ever. I caramelized some onions, grated gruyere, pressed out mini crusts with my hands, minced some fresh tarragon and put it all together.

Then I waited. Patiently, impatient. For my mini galettes to be finished cooking. And I ate. And I loved. And I have been lovingly eating ever since.

Onion Galettes

1 lb onions of your choice, sliced
4 tbsp butter
1 cup grated gruyere
2 tbsp fresh minced tarragon
1 egg white
s&p

Whole Wheat Paté Brisee

1 cup whole wheat flour
6 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp ice cold water

Pulse flour, salt and butter together in food processor. Add water until dough forms a ball. Chill until ready to assemble.

Melt butter in a skillet over medium and add the onions, s&p and cook until they begin to brown. Remove from heat and cool slightly.

Portion the dough into six equal pieces. Roll each piece out to a 6" circle. Fill each circle with some gruyere, onions and fresh tarragon and fold the sides up. Place the galettes on a baking sheet and brush the crusts with the egg white. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 12-15 minutes or until the galettes are browned on top.

Weekly Menu 1.12

2008-01-13T10:49:00.000-08:00

Split pea soup.
Boeuf Bourgignon
Ratatouille
Roasted Salmon and Winter veggies with Salsa Verde.
Onion Galettes

Split Pea Soup

Olive oil
1 onion, diced
4 carrots, diced
3 celery stalks, diced
5 sprigs of fresh thyme
3 bay leaves
2 cups chicken broth
1 lb green split peas, picked over and rinsed
Ham bone
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Heat oil over medium in a soup pot. Add onion, carrots, celery, and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Cook until vegetables begin to soften about 5 minutes.

Add broth, split peas, ham bone, and 5 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and partially cover; simmer until peas are soft, 30 to 45 minutes.

Remove bone, cut any remaining meat off and add to the soup. Simmer until heated through. If necessary, thin with water. Add salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste.

Salmon Amendment

2008-01-11T09:48:00.001-08:00

I realized after posting the menu that I was out of parchment. I had to substitute with what i had on had so I decided to do roasted Salmon with pesto and couscous instead.

This is one of the easiest, fastest week night meals. I like it in the summer better when I can get fresh heirloom tomatoes to stir into the couscous.

I like to add a pinch of cayenne to my pesto. I started doing this about 5 years ago when I wanted to fake the spicy-ness of garlic. I really loved the outcome and still do it everytime.

Roast Salmon with Pesto and Couscous

1 lb Salmon Fillets
1 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves torn
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup roasted walnuts
3 cloves garlic
pinch of cayenne
1 cup Israeli Couscous
3 chopped roma tomatoes
Romano
salt and pepper

Roast the salmon in a 450 degree oven until cooked through. about 12 minutes

To prepare the pesto place olive oil, basil, garlic, walnuts, cayenne and salt into a food processor and mix to desired consistency. I like mine a little chunkier than some.

Cook the couscous in 1 1/2 cups of water until soft about 15 minutes. After it is cooked stir in a little bit of the prepared pesto and fresh tomatoes.

Place on piece of salmon on each plate and top with pesto. Serve with some couscous and top all with fresh romano to taste.

Turkey Meatballs with Spicy Serrano Sauce

2008-01-11T09:39:00.000-08:00

This time I made my meatballs with turkey instead of buffalo. I served them with whole wheat spaghetti and roasted squash.

(Princess Fussy Face helped...)

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

2008-01-08T11:33:00.000-08:00

Quinoa Stuffed Red Peppers

4- large red peppers
1- red onion, diced
2- cloves of garlic, minced
1 1/2 cup quinoa
1 tsp cumin
1 1/2 cup broth
1/2 cup pepitas
1 cup provolone piccante, grated
s & p to taste

1.) Clean out pepper seeds and prepare them to be stuffed. Cut away the remaining red pepper pieces from around the stem and dice.

2.) Saute red pepper dice, onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until soft, about 7 minutes. Add the quinoa and the cumin and saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

3.) Add the broth, lower heat and cover until quinoa is completely cooked, 10-15 minutes.

4.) Stir in pepitas, provolone piccante and salt & pepper to taste. Stuff peppers with mixture, grate more cheese on top and bake in a 40o degree oven until peppers are soft, about 10-15 minutes.

I like to serve this with one of my favorite salads. I blanch green beans and toss a whole lot of them on a bed of arugula. The dressing I use is a basic vinaigrette of olive oil, white wine vinegar, minced shallot, salt and lots of fresh black pepper.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from a Martha Stewart Food recipe.

Meatballs with Spicy Serrano Sauce and Winter Squash
Quinoa Stuffed Red Peppers with Provolone Piccante
Miso Salmon Packets with Braised Baby Bok Choy
Pork Chops with Apricot Chutney and Hazelnut Couscous
Roasted Veggie and Pesto Pizza with Spinach Salad

Mmmm. Can't wait!

Roasted Veggie and Pesto Pizza

1 prepared whole wheat pizza crust
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 small red onion, sliced
1/2 eggplant, cubed
1 zucchini, cubed
4 roma tomatoes sliced
2 portobellos, sliced
1/2 cup pesto
s&p
1 cup shredded fontina
1/2 cup crumbled feta
1/2 cup romano
red pepper flakes

Place all veggies in a bowl and toss with olive oil and s&p. Lay on a baking sheet in one layer and roast in a 450 degree oven for 15 minutes until all are soft.

Roll out pizza dough to desired shaped. Spread dough with pesto and and roasted veggies. Use a slotted spoon to transfer veggies onto the dough so you get the veggies but not all the liquids released. Top with the grated cheeses and hot pepper flakes.

Bake in the oven for 15 minutes until the crust is browned.

Food Pairings

2008-01-04T11:47:00.000-08:00

I found this handy little site last weekend in my laying-in-bed-for-12-hours phase of being sick

Enjoy!

Breakie...

2008-01-04T11:39:00.000-08:00

This is my first breakfast in weeks. I have been ill and time crunched between trying to get enough sleep, working and hanging with my sista who is in from out of town.

I had hot barley cereal with walnuts and carmelized apples. A stand by for winter.

We are cooking on sunday though so expect the menu for the week.

Hello Again!

2007-12-27T13:34:00.000-08:00

I got lost there for a moment. I am trying to simplify my crazy new schedule. I have just taken on a couple more personal chef jobs and am finding absolutely no time to post, cook for myself, eat and enjoy food. I mean my favorite cooking holidays passed with nary a post! I catered desserts for 300 and you get nothing. They were quite delicious.

I figure I just need to implement a system and stick to it. So here it is, I am going to start listing the menus for the week, my shopping list and the recipes each day of the week. Starting next Sunday. I think.

Until then I leave you with this. I am sick and sore-throated so today is a soup & ginger tea-while-I-cook-day.

Coconut Curry Squash Soup

1- butternut squash, cut into 1" pieces
1- onion diced
2- tbsp olive oil
1- tbsp red curry paste
1- can coconut milk, regular or light, your pref.
4- cups broth, i used chicken
cilantro
salt to taste

Heat the oil in a soup pot. Add the onion and cook until tender about 5 minutes. Add the curry paste and stir until fragrant about 1 minute. Add coconut milk, squash and broth. Cook until squash is tender. Cool slightly and puree soup in a blender in batches until all is smooth.

Serve soup topped with fresh cilantro.

Option: I hate cutting and peeling squash. One way around this is to roast the squash until tender and then scoop out the flesh and add to the soup. You won't need to cook the soup as long if you do this because the squash is already cooked.

I will roast and puree squashes and pumpkins in large batches and freeze the puree to just have on hand. It is great to stir into polenta, risotto, serve as a side or use for soups.

To roast squash:
Heat oven to 350°F. Quarter squash and scoop out the seeds; drizzle with 1 olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Wrap in foil, and place on baking sheet. Bake 1 hour, or until squash is soft. Cool 20 minutes, or until easy to handle.

Sweets for 50

2007-12-12T11:40:00.001-08:00

I filled 50 of these tiny boxes with Peppermint Dark Chocolate Truffles and Rosemary Scented Pinenut Tartlets. Then I gave them to my A&P classmates to celebrate the end of the long nine months of physiology hell.

I had to test recipes for a dessert buffet I am making for Portland Art Center's artist reception this Friday night. I was not super pleased with the results but they will do for classmate gifts.

I'll post the recipes when I have tweaked them more.

Pappardelle with Pancetta, Rapini, and Pine Nuts

2007-12-07T10:01:00.000-08:00

This recipe is for my good friend Justin who is cooking for a lady friend tonight. He needed something with pork in it. This is a favorite dish of mine. It is quick, sophisticated and makes use of extraordinary ingredients in a very simple way.

I like to finish the meal with some fresh sliced pears and a glass of light-ish red wine like a pinot noir.

Pappardelle with Pancetta, Rapini, and Pine Nuts

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3 garlic cloves, peeled, flattened
1 medium onion, chopped
3 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, chopped
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 large bunch broccoli rabe (also called rapini; generous 1 pound), stems sliced 1/2 inch thick, tops cut into 2-inch pieces
1 cup water

1 8.8-ounce package dried pappardelle pasta

1 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus additional for serving
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook until golden brown, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes. Discard garlic. Add onion, pancetta, and fennel seeds to skillet; sauté until onion is tender and pancetta begins to brown, about 8 minutes. Add dried crushed red pepper, then broccoli rabe stems and cook 4 minutes to soften slightly, stirring occasionally. Stir in broccoli rabe tops, sprinkle with salt, and add 1 cup water. Cover and cook until stems and tops are tender, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid.

Add pasta to skillet with broccoli rabe and stir over low heat to combine, adding reserved cooking liquid by tablespoonfuls to moisten if necessary. Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons oil and 1 cup cheese. Season to taste with salt and generous amount of pepper. Transfer to shallow bowl. Sprinkle with pine nuts and serve, passing additional cheese separately.

(recipe via bon appetit)

Dinner tonight.

2007-11-20T12:07:00.000-08:00

Dinner tonight . I can't wait.

Food for thought...

2007-11-19T11:56:00.000-08:00

This is a different kind of post. I had to read this article for my environment and nutrition course last night and thought everyone should read this.

Here 'tis:
______

The SUV in the Pantry
Adapted from an article by Thomas Starrs
Courtesy of SustainableBusiness.com

I spend a fair amount of time thinking about how to reduce my family's dependence on energy, particularly energy derived from fossil fuels. I commute to work by bicycle or bus, install compact fluorescents when light bulbs burn out, replace major appliances with the most efficient ones I can afford, and cast jealous glances at my friends who drive hybrids or alternative-fueled vehicles. But until recently, I didn't think of myself as an energy glutton because of the food I eat.

Then I read an astonishing statistic: It takes about 10 fossil fuel calories to produce each food calorie in the average American diet. So if your daily food intake is 2,000 calories, then it took 20,000 calories to grow that food and get it to you. In more familiar units, this means that growing, processing and delivering the food consumed by a family of four each year requires the equivalent of almost 34,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of energy, or more than 930 gallons of gasoline (for comparison, the average U.S. household annually consumes about 10,800 kWh of electricity, or about 1,070 gallons of gasoline).

In other words, we use about as much energy to grow our food as to power our homes or fuel our cars.

Overall, about 15% OF U.S. energy goes to supplying Americans with food, split roughly equally between the production of crops and livestock, and food processing and packaging. David Pimentel, a professor of ecology and agricultural science at Cornell University, has estimated that if all humanity ate the way Americans eat, we would exhaust all known fossil fuel reserves in just seven years.

The implications of agricultural energy use for the environment are disturbing. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, agriculture contributes over 20% of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions, including more than 20% CO2, 55% of methane and 65% of nitrous oxide. In addition, our energy-intensive agriculture industry contributes substantially to soil erosion, loss of wildlife habitat, degradation of water quality from chemical runoff and causes other adverse environmental impacts.

Much of the energy embedded in our food comes from growing grains that require further processing to be eaten. Producing a 2-pound box of breakfast cereal, for example, requires the equivalent of burning half a gallon of gasoline.

Eating high on the food chain is even worse. Eating a carrot or an apple gives the diner all the caloric energy in those foods, but feeding these foods to a pig reduces the energy available by a factor of 10. That's because the pig uses most of the energy just staying alive, and stores only a fraction of the energy in the parts we eat. All told, it takes 68 calories of fossil fuel to produce one calorie of pork, and 35 calories of fuel to make one calorie of beef.

Interestingly, the path to reducing the energy intensity of the food system dovetails nicely with the path to a healthy and nutritious diet. It can be summarized in three simple suggestions.

In my hometown of Portland, Oregon, individuals and businesses alike are starting to recognize and respond to the public's concerns about fossil food. Grocery stores featuring locally grown and organic products are common. Farm stands, farmer's markets and community-supported agriculture operations are thriving. Here, even fast food restaurants are using local and organic ingredients.

For instance, Burgerville is a local chain that buys exclusively Oregon Country Beef, the branded product of 40 family ranches in the region that produce an all-natural product made without hormones, genetically modified grain or any animal byproducts. Burgerville promotes the fact that customers can trace the source of their food from ranch to table - and play a role in sustaining the local agricultural economy. Another local company, Hot Lips Pizza, worked with a group of Northwest farmers to create a Food Alliance-certified local market for organic wheat and flour, providing customers with pizza that is sustainably grown. It also is really, really tasty.

After all, you are what you eat.

Take Action!

Identify farmers and producers in your area and look for their products when you shop. You might be surprised at what you'll find! Producers, farmers, markets, and locally-minded businesses can be found online at www.localharvest.org.

Take Food Routes' "Buy Local Challenge" by pledging to spend at least $10 a week on local food. Visit www.foodroutes.org to sign up.

Roast Salmon, Lentils and Chard

2007-11-16T07:57:00.001-08:00

mmmm.

make it piece by piece by piece

Pumpkin Polenta with Grana Padano and White Truffle Oil

2007-11-12T15:59:00.001-08:00

I roasted and pureed the remainder of my sugar pumpkins this weekend and have a ton of fresh pumpkin puree. It is fabulous.

This made a perfect lunch for a study afternoon. I have another a&p midterm tomorrow. Seriously, it feels like there is a midterm everyday.

I want to make this for dinner sometime with sauteed wild mushrooms like oysters, chantrelles and porcinis. Since I didn't have any mushrooms I added truffle oil for the umami.

Pumpkin Polenta with Grana Padano and White Truffle Oil
1 cup polenta
4 cups water
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
1 tbsp butter
1/2 cup grated grana padano
salt & pepper
dashes of truffle oil to taste.

Put polenta and water in a sauce pan and cook until water is absorbed and porridge is thick. Stir in puree, butter, cheese and s&p. Take off heat and add truffle oil to taste. This is a very strong flavor should be added to your individual preference.

Chicken with Fennel & Green Bean Panzenella

2007-11-07T13:27:00.001-08:00

I'm not super fond of chicken. I think of it as a filler meat that is way overused in the American diet. I do use it fairly often though. I think chicken broth is great for soups and it seems like meals come together quickly with this as a main.

For a fast supper I use a contemporary twist on the Italian brick cooking technique which is fast and produces a juicy meat and crisp exterior. (Great for game hens.) Sometimes I will roast like I did for this meal.

I choose to cook with whole legs because are more moist and delicious. I pull the skin away and stuff thinly stuffed lemons, smashed garlic and fresh herbs like rosemary and thyme. Then drizzle a little olive oil over the tops, rub it in and salt and pepper the legs. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 30-45 minutes depending on the size of the legs.

I accompanied this with a Fennel & Green Bean Panzanella since I had some leftover bread from the grilled cheese party.

Fennel & Green Bean Panzanella

left over bread cubed
1/2 lb of blanched green beans
1 bulb of fennel shaved
8 artichoke heart quarters - if you can find them frozen get them! trader joes sometimes has them. if not canned is fine but frozen is so much tastier. less tin-y
2 oz chevre - softened
1/4 cup olive oil + extra for drizzling bread cubes
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
salt & pepper

Place bread cubes evenly on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Bake until toasty in a 400 degree oven. 10 minutes or so.

Combine chevre and olive oil in a bowl. Mix together until smooth. Add vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.

Toss beans, fennel, cooked bread cubes, artichoke hearts and dressing together and serve.

Chard + Cannellini Beans

2007-11-05T15:14:00.000-08:00

This is a favorite soup from my childhood. My mom used to make it with Escarole but I like the heartiness of the chard stems. They give the soup an textural dimension that I think it needs.

This is easy makes great leftovers.

Chard + Cannellini Bean Soup
Olive Oil
1 Medium Onion chopped
6 Cloves of Garlic smashed
1 Bunch of Chard roughly chopped
1 can Cannellini's
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
s&p

Sautee onions, in a soup pot, over medium heat until soft. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant about 1 minute. Place all the chard into the pot and cook until wilted. Add the beans and broth and simmer for 20 minutes. Season with s&p.

I like to serve this with leek galettes and baby greens lightly dressed. I'll post the galettes later this week.

Cranberry Sauce

2007-11-04T21:47:00.000-08:00

There is nothing better than fresh, homemade, whole-berry cranberry sauce. When I lived with my sister she used to request that I make this weekly. I like to eat it as is or add it to my morning oatmeal with some toasted walnuts. I use half the sugar that most recipes request because I like the tartness of it. The recipe is just cooking the fresh cranberries in a simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water boiled until syrupy). If you like it sweeter than you can increase the sugar/water ratio.

Cranberry Sauce

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
zest from one satsuma
juice from one satsuma
package fresh cranberries

Place all ingredients in a non-reactive sauce pan (ie. stainless steel) and bring to a boil. Cook until most of the berries have popped. You will know what that means when it happens. If you like a chunkier sauce stop the cooking when few berries have popped. If you like a smoother sauce then wait for most of the berries to pop. Play around to find what you like best.

Cool sauce and store in the fridge.

Punkin Bread

2007-11-01T21:27:00.001-07:00

I purchased a bunch of sugar pumpkins out at Sauvie's a week ago and have been plotting their demise. Poor sugar pumpkins. Welcome to my belly.

Ginger Pumpkin Bread
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 inch piece of fresh ginger grated
1 1/2 cup pumpkin puree canned or fresh
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup grapeseed oil
1 cup brown sugar

Mix flour, baking powder & salt together. Mix pumpkin, eggs, ginger, oil, vanilla & sugar together in a separate bowl.wet ingredients. Mix wet & dry together. Put in a greased and floured loaf pan. Bake at 350 for 50 minutes or until center is set.

If you want to use your own fresh pumpkin slice it in half, scoop out the seeds and place each half in foil. Roast in a 400 degree oven about 30-45 minutes or until tender. Scoop out the flesh and press through a mesh sieve for a super smooth puree. I don't mind the threads so I skip that onerous task. Plus more fiber...or something.

Also, microplanes are the coolest. I use this tool ALL THE TIME. I think it is one of my top five favorite kitchen tools. It is specifically useful for grating ginger which can sometimes be too fibrous and difficult to chop or grate.

Fruit

2007-11-01T08:03:00.000-07:00

My sissy sent me this as a the second half of my birthday gift. I can't wait for serious citrus season to make some of the delicious recipes.

Thanks Sissy!

Halloween the Jess Way

2007-10-31T20:46:00.000-07:00

Today I:
Made ricotta but with cow's milk this time. Worked better.
Class, class
Work, work
Wedding dress shopped
Bought trick-or-treats
Made pizza dough
Made pizza
Opened the door for trick-or-treaters with a median age of 18 {who really weren't appreciative of the rad things i picked out for them like, mini play doughs, fake plastic teeth, finger traps, fake tattoos, little decks of cards, candy necklaces, chupa chups, pumpkin pencils...you know really cool things. i think i was north portland's version of the dentist who hands out floss. although, when a child (ie. under 10) actually came to the door they went right for the play dough with glee. }
Watched awesomely crappy tv with equally awesome hot guy while my awesome boyfriend watched his own awesome (-ly bad) movie
Drank a beer.

Autumn Root Veggie Pizza
1 pizza dough
1 lb. ricotta
1 sweet potato
1 squash (acorn, ambercup, carnival, delicata nothing too big)
2 carrots
2 parsnips
3 shallots
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
6 cloves of peeled garlic
1/2 cup pecorino, grana podano, assagio or your favorite hard-ish italian cheese
olive oil
salt & peppa

Cut veggies into 1 inch pieces of similar size so that they cook at the same rate. Put veggies and whole cloves of garlic on a bking sheet. Sprinkle generously with rosemary, salt & pepper and olive oil. Roast in a 400 degree oven for 45 minutes or until tender.

Roll dough and place on baking sheet. Layer the dough with the fresh ricotta, veggies and top with pecorino.

Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until the crust is browned.

You can do this on a stone too but it was too big for me to fit it. Plus, the rectangle is kinda rad.

Grilled Cheese Please!

2007-10-31T08:55:00.002-07:00

I think this has officially turned into an annual thing. At least for me it has. I think I would even do it by myself if no one else wanted to participate.

Last Saturday I was graced with the company of fabulous friends timber, kel, aly and levi for an evening of grilled cheese, fresh pears from sauvie's, ciders and seasonal ales. (I love me some seasonal ales.) Rounding it out the evening were two episodes of the greatest show - EVER and a fabulous hot toddy with pear brandy at moloko plus.

I highly recommend this as a casual dinner party with friends. It is super easy to through together, fairly inexpensive and easy to clean up. Paper plates go great with grilled cheese. I think that is an unspoken rule.

Here were the combinations:

#1
Brie, Carmelized Shallots, Arugula and Dijon on Bagette.
We scooped out the insides of the bagette, stuffed it, pressed it and baked it.

#2
Roasted Beet and Chevre on Rosemary Bread.
For this we assembled the sandwiches and buttered the outside bread pieces with some fabulous Plugra and fried it the traditional way.

#3
Gouda, heirloom tomato and chili flakes on grain-y wheat levain.
I always like to do two in the oven and two on the stove. That way it cuts donw on cooking time. Timber had the fabulous idea of this being open faced and broiled. We sprinkled the chili flakes on after they were cooked.

#4
Gorgonzola and honey on walnut bread.
Grilled traditionally and then lightly drizzled with honey.

The Cutest Thing I Ever Did See...

2007-10-28T18:55:00.000-07:00

I am in love with this idea. Sounds ooey gooey and delicious. I think i'll make it this week.

Photo courtesy Design*Sponge.

Guerrilla Boyfriend Lunch Post!

2007-10-28T14:55:00.000-07:00

Jes went to work @ Annette's, and I cued up one of my new scores from Miss. Records:

Then I went to work on the leftovers...

Sliced beets, chevre & oat-nut bread (from last night's grilled-cheese party), with tomato slices and Yak burger. Plus the last of some spicy squash soup (might be in an earlier post).

I rounded it off with a glass of Gerolsteiner sparkling water & Pomegranate juice, a New Yorker article on Mitt Romney (freaky), and the second half of Tago Mago.

I want...

2007-10-24T14:32:00.001-07:00

to make this right now.

study. study. study.

Earth Intruders

2007-10-24T10:44:00.000-07:00

I wish these were edible...the mushies not the toy plastic soldiers. They are in my yard next door. It would be great if they were oyster or portobello.

Right. Studying.

Favorite Scramble

2007-10-24T09:54:00.000-07:00

Hey look! It's another morning of me not doing ANYTHING I should be. Seriously, this is starting to get pathetic. And I cannot for the life of me shake it.

In retrospect, I should have taken a term off. Just the thought of how much energy I have to expend for each individual a&p exam makes me want to crawl into bed - in the fetal position - pull the covers over my head and do nothing. Which, is much better than the alternative of drinking. Ever since learning about our wonder organ the liver, I have a new found appreciation for it and all of its hepatocytes.

So doing nothing. Made my favorite scramble for breakfast. It has:

sauteed shallots
gorgonzola
arugula
peas
s&p

The trick is adding the peas last, turning off the heat and putting a lid on the pan. That way they warm up but don't get mushy.

I always try to have greens, fruit and ezekiel bread/muffins for breakfast. Most of the time I won't be able to eat again for hours and this keeps me energized.

Sauvie's Island has the best fall fruit right now. I got some fabulous comice and asian pears yesterday.

En Papillote aka In Parchment

2007-10-23T22:12:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite fall meals is spicy squash soup and stuffed poblanos. I was all set to pick some up at Sauvie's but they were all out. Ok. Change of plan.

I decided instead of stuffed poblano's I would try to do Tilapia baked in parchment with some fresh veggies. It was so simple and delicious I want to eat it every night. I pretty much think you can use the technique with any type of fish, veggies, spice.

Tilappia with Anaheim's En Papillote

2 fillets of Tilapia
4 Anaheim peppers sliced long way into quarters
1 large tomato in thick slices
1 onion sliced in wedges
4 pats of butter
Juice from a lime
Fresh sprigs of cilantro
Salt & Pepper

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
Take a large piece of parchment and fold it in half and place it on a baking sheet. Open the parchment and layer all the veggies and cilantro on one half of the parchment. Layer the fish on top and season with salt and pepper, drizzle fish with the lime juice and dot with the butter. Fold the parchment back over and seal the three open sides by rolling them up.
Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Open the parchment slowly to let steam escape but be careful not to burn your fingers.

Hot Cross Buns

2007-10-21T17:14:00.000-07:00

Look it is everyone's favorite recorder song in food form!

And my afternoon study break complete with soy chai and pears.

Hot Cross Buns

Ah midterms...

2007-10-21T13:30:00.000-07:00

There is nothing like pending prospect of failure and responsibility to urge me towards procrastination. I am master of the domain. In fact, I once procrastinated by listening to a radio program on that very topic. Procrastinating via listening about procrastination. If that wasn't an epiphany moment I don't know what is.

The funny thing about procrastinating is that it makes me really creative. Like last spring term when I made a fresh crab strata instead of studying for my anatomy final. Both the final and the strata turned out really well. Then there was every summer a&p exam. I had learned early on in the term that I really enjoy Sangria. It is refreshing, fun to make, more fun to drink but in the end, not the best studying companion. I think it was something about the alcohol, heat, reading and then needing naps combination.

The problem with this hurried sense of creativity is that it most often leads to injury. While slicing the crusty, three-day-old wheat levain for the strata I accidentally sliced through my finger. It was kinda like a lab practical.

"Look I can see all the layers! Epidermis...dermis, uh shit is that the fat in my subcutaneous layer...Should it be bleeding this much? When do we learn about these 'ouch' nerves I feel? That really fucking hurts."

Which brings me to this weekend. I have three papers and another a&p exam looming over me. I woke up at a decent time and by noon had accomplished starting a dough for some yeasted rolls, making crepes with chantrelles, and dirtying every dish in the kitchen. Not bad for being up for less that 2 hours.

Yumm breakie. You can't even think about studying on an empty stomach anyway...

Crepes with Chantrelles and Chevre

Filling:
1lb. Chantrelle Mushrooms
1 large shallot
1 tsp fresh thyme
4 oz chevre
olive oil
s&p

Crepes:
1 cup flour
1 cup broth
3 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp melted butter

For filling:
Saute mushies and shallots about 8 minutes until soft in olive oil. Add thyme and stir until fragrant. Add chevre and s&p to taste. Mix until cheese is melted and all is combined.

For crepes:
Blend together all ingredients in a blender until smooth about 30 seconds. Heat a crepe pan, cast iron or non-stick skillet over med-heat. Add a little butter to the pan and melt. Put 1/3 cup of batter into the pan and swirl around until there is a large thin circle of batter. Cook until the top is almost dry and then flip and cook briefly.

Assemble crepes by rolling a little bit of filling into a pancake and topping with creme fraiche and more fresh thyme if you like.

This was super fun to make. It made me want to have a crepe party where I make a bunch of different fillings and pancakes and watch some thing fabulous like 2 Days in Paris or Eagle vs. Shark. And champagne cocktails...

After midtems. After midterms. After midterms. (I ll just keep saying that to myself until Thursday.)

Bjorn and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Week

2007-10-19T10:51:00.000-07:00

Gavin's mom came over for dinner last night I was going to make this. I started to cook but then had a kitty emergency and ended up at Dove Lewis with Bjorn last night for two hours. He had lost baby teeth and the new ones were irritating him so bad that he kept scratching at his mouth and getting his claws stuck in his cheeks.

Manically. All.Night.Long.

Then we went back to our vet this morning for nail clipping, anti-inflammatory shots and a new collar. Then home for some cuddle puddle-ries and homemade cat food.

All this after being neutered on Monday.

He is loved. I am tired.

p.s. Gavin thought he had Lesch-Nyhan syndrome.

Pizza

2007-10-17T22:46:00.000-07:00

My boyfriend makes pizza. Lots of it. And it is delicious. There is a local pizzeria that will reluctantly sell balls of dough for $1. Reluctantly as in, you call and "it's cool buddy we sell dough balls" and you go in and they are like "what are you talking about, why would you want a raw ball of dough?"

The best part is the cheese mix he makes. He combines mozzarella, fontina and pecorino. I like to pick at it before it makes it to the actual pies.

Tonights toppings were:

Pizza #1 - olive oil & garlic base, prosciutto, spinach and fresh heirloom tomatoes.
Pizza #2 - olive oil base, italian sausage, red onion, green pepper and kalmatas.

Making pizza at home is actually really simple. The trick is to get a pizza stone for baking in your home oven. I actually leave mine in all the time to help distribute the heat evenly for all my baking.

Autumn Vegetable Potpie

2007-10-17T08:12:00.000-07:00

I feel like I have been eating out of bowls for the past week. Cassoulet, soups, morning oatmeal, and now this potpie. I will be honest, I have a weakness for comfort foods. My variety of comfort foods that don't usually contain cheese, pasta or a gluten-y texture. Instead they have lots of seasonal vegetables and rich broths or sauces.

I made this vegetable potpie a couple nights ago for busy, hungry friends. The ones that work so much they forget to eat until 8pm. It is one of my favorite winter meals. I would describe it as simple to put together, hearty and fresh.

I originally found it in an Everyday Food issue from it's first year. That magazine can be bland and obvious at times but every once in awhile something sticks. I have since lost the original recipe (and am constantly improvising anyway) this is what I can remember:

Autumn Vegetable Potpie
3- parsnips
3- carrots
3- leeks
2- potatoes (sweet or a waxy variety ie: fingerling or yukon gold. if using fingerling use enough to match other vegetables in volume)
1- lb mushrooms, i like portabello or crimini
Fresh thyme...or dried
Olive oil
2 1/4- cups broth
1- cup red wine
2- tbsp corn starch
Salt and Pepper

Biscuit Topping
2-2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
6 tbsp butter
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup yogurt
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar

Cut all the vegetables into sizable pieces. Try to make them all around the same size so they cook evenly. Line them on a baking sheet and drizzle generously with olive oil. Sprinkle liberally with the thyme and season with and pepper. Roast in the oven at 400 degrees for about 20-25 minutes.

In the interim, combine 2 cups broth and the wine in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Mix the cornstarch in the remaining 1/4 broth and add the wine mixture. Cook until thickened and then turn off the heat. Sauce will be slightly runny and that is ok if you would like it thicker add another 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with some more broth until it reaches your desired consistency.

Make biscuits. Sift all dry ingredients together. Cut in cold pieces of the butter. I do this with my hands. It makes it easy to see where the big butter chunks are. When all the butter is incorporated add yogurt and milk. Mix together. The biscuits should not be too sticky and should come away from your hands easily. If too sticky add extra 1/4 cup flour. If too dry add more milk.

To assemble, put the roasted veggies in the bottom of a casserole dish, pour sauce over and shape biscuits by hand to cover the top. Cook in the oven at 400 for 20 minutes or until biscuits are done. Cool before eating.

Serve with salad and fresh fruit.

P.S. I know that picture sucks but it really is delicious.

Lentils and Escarole

2007-10-16T12:07:00.000-07:00

My good friend Kate has been learning how to cook with the help of my lovely sister. She told me earlier this week that she wanted to do something with lentils. I was inspired by the cold rainy day and the fresh bunch of escarole in my fridge to make a soup.

Lentil and Escarole Soup

3 cloves garlic minced
1 large red onion chopped
2 carrots chopped
2 stalks of celery chopped
3 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 cup french lentils (my choice but you can really use any type of lentil)
6 cups broth
3 bay leaves
1/2 head of escarole, roughly chopped (could substitute kale if escarole is not available)
salt and pepper
olive oil

Saute the garlic, onion, carrot and celery in olive oil until soft. Add the lentils, broth, tomatoes and bay leaves. Cook for about an hour or until lentils are cooked. Stir in escarole and cook until wilted about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Croutons:
2 slices grain-y bread
olive oil
salt and pepper
romano

Cut bread into cubes and toss with olive oil, grated cheese, salt and pepper. Lay flat on baking sheet and broil until crisp.

Top soup with croutons and complete meal with some nice fall fruit. Like an asian pear. Mmmm asian pear...

Ricotta

2007-10-15T10:42:00.001-07:00

I'm having a friend over for dinner tonight. The recipe calls for ricotta cheese but she doesn't eat cow's milk but goat's milk is ok. I ventured to make my own ricotta using goat's milk instead. I read a ton of recipes, various other food bloggers recommendations and started in on my first cheese making adventure.

It turned out well. There were many recipes that used whole cow's milk and buttermilk for the separation. Since I couldn't use buttermilk I decided upon a recipe that used vinegar instead.

Goat's Milk Ricotta

6 cups Goat's Milk
4 tbsp vinegar (try to find one with a pH of 6% or greater)
Salt

Heat the goat's milk and salt to 180-185 degrees F. Until scalding but not boiling. Remove from heat and stir in vinegar. Allow the curds to separate. When it is coolish and curds are clearly differentiated spoon into a colander lined with muslin or a flour sack and drain whey. When curds are at dried to your determination use or place in a container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Recipe should yeild about 1 1/2 cups of cheese.

I was pleasantly surprised by the flavor of the goat's ricotta. It has a slight bitter flavor like chevre that will go better with my recipe than the cow's milk variety.

Pike's Place

2007-10-15T09:51:00.000-07:00

I forgot about 3 more great things about my trip to Seattle:
1.) Breakie of groats with honey, almonds and half and half at The Crumpet Shop. yummmm
2.) Pike's Market where I scored dahlia's, parsnips, escarole, cippolini's, leeks, a gorgeous bulb of fennel, tomatoes (green, red and yellow cherry), rutabaga, bosc pears, and squashes (delicata, acorn and ambercup). I got all at Frank's produce at the market.
3.) New friend whom I met after Daniel's show that works at Franks. She told me about The Crumpet Shop and helped me pick my produce. She was beautiful, outgoing and extremely personable.

I can't wait to cook with all my fresh goodies. I'm thinking an escarole soup, root vegetable pot pie, homemade goat's milk ricotta and squash bake....what else?

via tribunali

2007-10-14T19:51:00.001-07:00

I visited a dear friend who was in Seattle for a performance.

There were three highlights:
1.) daniel's new work
2.) a weird hotel room with 3 beds , 2-queens and 1-twin
3.) late dinner at via tribunali where we had 3 fantastic pizzas (buffalo mozzerella-margherita, pomodoro -anchovy and a salame) plus their fabulous antipasti had my favorite castelvetrano olives. plus, their oven is insanely rad.

i recommend it highly if you are in town.

Donna Hay Made My Day....

2007-10-11T14:38:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited. My first issue of my birthday Donna Hay subscription arrived today. It is so cute, pastel, salad on the cover, a little unorthodox for an October/November food magazine but I can play along.

Let's browse
-Australian ads are novel
-more pastel
-page 31 in season: baby cos lettuce??? where is lettuce in season?

Then it hit me. Australia! Because it is spring in the southern hemisphere. Right.

It seems like we just got through with favas, asparagus and baby greens but all of a sudden I can't wait for spring again.

I guess I am destined to be 6 months behind.

First Course

2007-10-10T09:07:00.000-07:00

When I have friends over for dinner I like to have something on the table waiting for them when they arrive. Mostly because my friends are crazed workaholics whose last meal was 10 hours prior to arrival. They proceed to return to human form after a few nibbles of anything . Their eyes loose there glossy sheen, they start forming complete sentences and amazingly enough, sigh and relax.

My new favorite pre-dinner items are prosecco cocktails and an olive salad with ricotta salata.

Prosecco Cocktails

Prosecco is an Italian sparkling wine and one of my favorite drinks. I like to prep glasses for guests with a split vanilla bean and 1/4 cup of juice. For the fall I have been using pear juice in the winter pomegranate or cranberry in the summer raspberry or blueberry etc. I let the vanilla bean sit in the glasses with juice until they arrive and then fill to the top with Prosecco.

Olive Salad
Recipe adapted from a Donna Hay.

4 baby leeks, whit parts only
1 yellow bell pepper
1/2 cup of oil cured black olives
1 tbsp of fresh chopped oregano
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
s&p

Roast bell pepper under broiler until blackened on all sides. Seal in paper bag and let stand 10 minutes. Peel, seed and julienne pepper.

Cut leeks in half lengthwise to within 1 inch of base, leaving base intact. Rinse leeks under running water. Chop and saute in olive oil until soft. Add olives, pepper, lemon juice, oregano, balsamic and s&p to taste.

Arrange triangles of cheese on a plate and top with olive mixture. Spoon onto bread and enjoy.

Gah...

2007-10-09T11:20:00.001-07:00

Finding morning time is HUGE thing for me. My fall class schedule has me all out of whack.

Mondays and Wednesdays I go straight from working out to 2 hour class with no break starting at 8 am. And Tuesdays I have a 3 hour lab to 2 hour lecture back to back starting at 9am, work in the morning before class on Thursdays....blah blah blah.

My dilemma is that I like to lounge around, listen to
m o r n i n g m u s i c, read b l o g s , make a delicious breakfast that consists of possibly three courses, bathe (sounds nicer than shower), try on six different outfits before I decide on one, ideally post my own blog (maybe about a breakfast I ate) and be in an appropriate learning mind frame.

I can be slightly time efficient too. All that in UNDER two hours. What a deal!

It hasn't happened at all this term.

In fact not only has it not happened. I don't think it ever will. Unless.... nope never gonna happen.

Let's say I left my a&p lab early today (not saying I did but, IF I did), I would have had the following delicious meal this late morning, read blogs, tried on six different outfits, bathed and posted.

Whew.

Frittata:
3 tbsp chopped bacon ends*
1 portobello mushroom sliced in 1/2" pieces.
1 shallot chopped
1 tsp fresh thyme
4 eggs lightly beaten
3 tbsp water
s&p
Chevre

*Bacon ends are my preference because you can trim most of the fat off and still have the delightful thick meaty pieces. Plus, they are cheaper and usually higher, no nitrite, quality. You can find them at most meat counters.

Saute the bacon ends for about 5 minutes until almost crisp, add shallot and saute until tender, add mushrooms and thyme until juices start to release from mushies. Beat together eggs, water, s&p and add to pan dot the top with marble sized chunks of chevre. Bake in oven for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees until fritatta is set.

Eat leisurely with fresh spinach, whole wheat toast, coffee, fresh fruit.

And then...Enjoy the rest of your day!

Cassoulet

2007-10-08T21:22:00.001-07:00

What is possibly the most amazing cool weather meal ever. Beans, meat and veggies...to me the ultimate comfort food.

G asked that I make this again soon and I can't wait.

Cassoulet Recipe

I a make three subtle changes, which I highly recommend.
1.) Add 4 fresh sage leaves to the bouquet garni
2.) Saute beet greens or chard in olive oil until wilted and add it to the dutch oven before baking
3.) Rarely can I find duck confit at a reasonable rate so I substitute whole chicken legs.

I completed the meal with a salad of roasted beets, chevre and spinach dressed with a light white wine vinaigrette and a nice pinot noir or winter ale.

Sunday Dinner

2007-10-07T13:18:00.001-07:00

Menu:
Prosciutto wrapped Game Hen with a Raspberry Balsamic Glaze
Roasted Beets and Romano Beans
Isreali Couscous with Zucchini and Hazelnuts

One of my favorite things is making a nice sit down dinner once a week. I would like to do this on Sunday evenings but our weekly trivia game interferes with the timing. I made this menu for friends about a month ago and everything was so delicious.

Yesterday's trip to Sauvie's Island produced an amazing bundle of beets and I am tempted to make this meal again tomorrow night.

And maybe a pie.

Mmmmm...

Prosciutto wrapped Game Hen with a Raspberry Balsamic Glaze

1/2 pint fresh raspberry's*
2 tbsp sugar*
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
8 slices of prosciutto
4 (1 1/2- to 1 3/4-lb) Cornish hens
*if raspberries are not in season substitute 1/2 cup of jam for berries and sugar.

Briskly raspberries, sugar and vinegar in a small saucepan, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until glaze is reduced to about 1/2 cup, about 8 minutes. Cool to room temperature (glaze will thicken slightly as it cools).

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Cut out and discard backbone from each hen with kitchen shears, then halve each hen lengthwise. Pat hens dry and season with salt and pepper, then arrange, cut sides down, in a large roasting pan. Brush hens liberally with glaze, reserving remainder, and wrap a slice of prosciutto around each half hen, tucking ends under. Roast in middle of oven, brushing with pan juices and reserved glaze twice (every 10 minutes), until juices run clear when a thigh is pierced, 30 to 35 minutes.

Roasted Beets and Romano Beans

6 beets, trimmed
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
2 red onions, each cut into 6 wedges
1 pound romano or green beans, trimmed, cut into 3-inch lengths
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 400°F. Wrap beets tightly in foil. Place directly on oven rack. Roast until tender when pierced with knife, about 1 hour. Cool beets. Peel and quarter beets. Transfer to large bowl. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, tbsp thyme, salt, and pepper; toss to coat.

Divide onion wedges between prepared baking sheets drizzle with olive oil; sprinkle with 1 tbsp thyme, salt, and pepper. Roast until golden brown and tender flipping once, about 15 minutes. Add to beets.

Divide green beans between same baking sheets. Drizzle beans with olive oil and 1/4 cup water. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover tightly with foil and roast until almost crisp-tender, about 15 minutes. Uncover and continue to roast until water evaporates and beans are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl with onions and beets.

Drizzle the balsamic vinegar; toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Isreali Couscous with Zucchini and Hazelnuts

1 cup isreali couscous
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup finely chopped shallot (6 1/2 oz)
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/3-inch dice
1 medium yellow squash, cut into 1/3-inch dice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup toasted, chopped hazelnuts
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
2 teaspoons finely grated fresh lemon zest

Cook couscous in 1 1/4 cups water, covered, until all liquid is absorbed. About 10 minutes.

While couscous is cooking, heat oil in a saute pan over moderately high, then sauté shallot, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add zucchini, yellow squash, salt, and pepper and sauté, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are just tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in nuts, parsley, basil, and zest.

Add cooked couscous to skillet and stir gently. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Zucchini Cupcakes

2007-10-06T11:46:00.000-07:00

I'm not a huge dessert fan but these are just delicious, not very sweet and hella cute.

Spiced Zucchini Cupcakes

2 cups large zucchini grated
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
2/3 cup vegetable oil (i use grapeseed)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 teaspoon salt Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease a cupcake pan or line the cups with cupcake papers to prepare. In a large bowl, whisk together sugars, oil, vanilla, and eggs.

Into a small bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and salt. Add flour mixture to egg mixture, and stir to combine well. Stir in grated zucchini

Fill 3/4 of the cupcake tins/papers with batter (approx. 1/4 cup). Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Remove from pan and place on cooling rack. This recipe should make about 18.

Cream Cheese Icing

1/3 cup confectioners sugar
1 package of cream cheese
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Whip all together until creamy and thick in consistency. Ice cupcakes when they are cool.

I add a little bit of coloring to the icing for decoration and use sandwich bags with teeny tiny holes cut in the corners for piping.

Buffalo.

2007-10-05T13:21:00.000-07:00

Being diagnosed with macrocytic anemia helped me get over my fear of consuming meat.

Correction, I was never affraid. I just felt like some sort of degenerate living in a city where eating red meat is a social faux pas. I don't have to hide it anymore. I need vitamin B. In ridiculous quantites. A substance whose highest, natural existence is in meat products.

I fell in love with two things since this diagnosis. Buffalo, and the man who peddles it at the farmers market from a farm in Prineville, OR.

Buffalo is low in fat (about 2%), cholesterol, and high in iron, vitamin b12 and others.

We use ground buffalo for meatballs and burgers but the steaks are also great. We grilled some for fajitas, kabobs etc.

Buffalo Meatballs with Spicy Serrano Tomato Sauce

1 slice sandwich bread, torn into small pieces
2 tbsp milk
1/2 finely chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp fine sea salt
1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 pound ground buffalo
1 large eggs
1 tbsp chopped fresh mint

Sauce
2 medium serrano chiles, stemmed
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 14 1/2-ounce cans diced tomatoes in juice

2 tbsp grapeseed oil (my choice, substitute any other high temp vegetable oil)
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

For meatballs:
Combine bread, milk, onion, garlic, salt, oregano, and pepper in large bowl. Mash with fork until thick paste forms. Mix in buffalo, eggs, and mint (mixture will be soft). Using 1/4 cupful for each, form mixture into 2-inch balls. Place on baking sheet; chill while making sauce.

For sauce:
Line heavy small skillet with foil; add chiles and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat until skins begin to blister and blacken, turning frequently, about 15 minutes. Cool garlic slightly, then peel. Working in batches, puree tomatoes with juices, whole chiles, and garlic in blender until almost smooth.

Heat oil in heavy large wide pot over medium-high heat. Add tomato puree, 1/2 cup water, and salt; bring to boil. Carefully add meatballs; bring to simmer. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until meatballs are cooked through, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Uncover and boil gently until liquid is reduced to sauce consistency, stirring occasionally, about 18 minutes.

Eat with quinoa, brown rice, whole wheat pasta or my favorite, spaghetti squash, the contrast of the sweet and spicy is fantastic.

Hello Breakie!

2007-09-02T14:13:00.000-07:00

I am the biggest supporter of eating breakfast in the morning.

Here's why:
-Improves the Body’s Metabolism
-Improves Overall Nutrition
-Improves Ability to Concentrate
-Helps to Control Weight
-Breakie Is delicious

( Article )

I aim for whole grains, a serving of fruit and vegetables and a good protein. And coffee. For additional protein and omega-3's & 6's you can add flax seeds to the batter. Top with fresh berries, nut butters, yogurt, etc.

Eat.

Love.

Whole Wheat Waffles

Ingredients:: 1-1/4 cups whole wheat flour; 1 tbsp baking powder; 3 tbsp sugar; 3/4 tsp sea salt; 2-3 egg yolks, well beaten; 2-3 egg whites, stiffly beaten; 1 1/4 cups milk / soy milk; 3 tbsp olive oil

Sift together the first 4 ingredients (whole wheat flour through salt).

Combine and beat the egg yolks, milk and vegetable oil. Add this to the flour mixture, blend. Fold in the stiffly beaten egg whites.

Bake in waffle iron.

Makes a lot:

I love freezing the leftovers and reheating in the toaster for time crunched mornings.

Lazy Saturday

2007-09-01T16:53:00.002-07:00

Mmmmmm.

Two new magazines with fall fashion.

Delicious lunch.

Wine.

Sun.

New music.

Lazy Saturday.

For awesome lunch:

Saute 1 Japanese yam (cubed 1/2" pieces), 1/4 cup pine nuts in olive oil until potatoes are slightly soft and browned.

Add one bunch chopped beet greens (or other leafy green) 1 tsp fresh rosemary, salt and pepper to taste and cook until wilted.

Put in bowls and top with a light squirt of lemon juice and crumbled feta.

Every year exactly this time of year....

2007-07-28T19:16:00.000-07:00

I have such a hard time with my birthday. I like getting friends and family together. I like eating good food. I don't like going to bars. I don't want people to spend more money than they are comfortable with eating dinner at a fabulous restaurant like this, this, or this. I don't want people to be immobile and talk to only those around them. Conundrum....

I decided last minute to do a dinner at my tiny apartment and invite everyone over for fish taco's a sangria. Mmmmm.

Here's a rendition:

We started with Sangria and Peppers:

Summer Sangria

1/2 cup orange flavored vodka
2 peaches slices
1/2 pint raspberries
2 oranges juiced
1 bottle dry red wine, like Rioja
Ice cubes, for serving

In a large pitcher, combine orange juice, vodka and fruit; let sit for 30 minutes. Add wine, stir to combine and chill. Fill glasses with ice before serving. Tip: I use frozen fruit to help keep the sangria cold.

Pan Fried Peppers and Goat Cheese

2 logs of fresh goat cheese, 4 ounces each
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped cilantro
6 anaheim peppers
12 peppadew peppers
4 poblano chiles
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
2 eggs lightly beaten
3 tablespoons grapeseed oil

In a bowl, mix together goat cheese and cilantro. Split peppers lengthwise and stuff with cheese mixture. Press to close.

Combine flour, cornmeal, and salt on a large plate. Dip peppers in egg wash and then dredge through dry ingredients turning to coat all sides.

Heat the oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the peppers, turning with a spatula as they become golden brown, adding more oil, if needed, 8 to 12 minutes. Serve hot.

Tacos et. al.

Grilled Fish Tacos

1 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp coarse salt
4 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup cilantro
2 lb fillet tillapia, skin intact
lime wedges, for garnishing

Stir together spices and salt. Mix in olive oil and cilantro. Rub both sides of the fish with spice mixture.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 2 hours.

Preheat a clean, lightly oiled grill to high heat. Place fish, flesh-side down, on hot grill. Do not move for 3 to 5 minutes, or until fish is opaque. Flip using two spatulas. Cook until fish flakes slightly when pressed, about 5 to 7 minutes more.

Serve with, corn tortillas, shredded cabbage, crema (or, 1 cup sour cream w/ juice from one lime), avocado, lime wedges, pickled veggies (see below) and hot sauces.

Pickled Vegetables

2 1/2 cups apple-cider vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp coarse salt
4 medium carrots, peeled and cut diagonally
1/4 inch thick
2 small red onions, peeled, halved, and sliced into 3/4-inch wedges
4 jalapeno peppers, cut lengthwise into quarters

Combine vinegar, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan with 3 cups cold water; bring to a boil over high heat and stir to dissolve sugar. Add carrots, onions, and jalapenos and reduce to medium-high heat. Simmer until carrots are just tender, about 10 to 12 minutes. Pour into a medium bowl; set aside 10 minutes. Cover and refrigerate. Keeps for up to 2 weeks.

Grilled Corn

4 ears shucked corn
1/2 lime
1 tsp chili powder
1 1/4 tsp coarse salt
Grill corn over high heat, turning until lightly blackened in places and kernels are just tender when pressed, about 12 minutes.
Cut each ear into 4 pieces. Transfer to a sturdy, medium-size paper bag and squeeze lime over corn. Sprinkle with chili powder and coarse salt. Close bag and shake to coat. Serve immediately from the bag or in a bowl.

Finish with Dessert:

Tequilla Soaked Fruit Skewers

1/4 watermelon (2 pounds)
1 mango, peeled
3 oranges
1/2 cup tequila
1 tbsp lime zest

Cut watermelon and mango into 1-inch cubes. Slice off rind and pith from oranges; cut in half lengthwise, place flat sides down, and cut into semicircles. Place all fruit in a large dish and sprinkle with tequila. Set aside for up to an hour. Grate lime zest over fruit. Skewer and serve.

I gave myself a birthday present and it helped to perfect this dish.
xo

Soup in Summer?

2007-07-23T22:20:00.000-07:00

Yes kids, soup in the summer.

Somewhere along the way somebody decided that since I hadn't been sick all year...I should be now. I mean a serious cold. Stuffy nose, chest congestion, aches, cough, you name it.

I say "serious colds call for serious comfort food," and this my friends is the coziest of all.

Cauliflower Stilton Soup.

1- head cauliflower cut into florets
1- onion chopped
2 tbsp olive or grape seed oil
3- bay leaves
1- bunch of fresh thyme
4 cups of stock (i choose chicken)
¼ cup heavy cream
½ cup crumbled stilton
salt and lots o' fresh ground pepper

Saute the onion in oil until soft in a soup pot. Add the cauliflower and saute for five more minutes. Place the fresh thyme, bay leaves and stock into the pot and simmer for about 45 minutes until all the cauliflower is super tender.

Let soup cool a little so you don't burn your hands in the next few steps, like me.

Remove the thyme stems and all the bay leaves. If you have an immersion blender (otherwise known as the coolest thing ever!) use that to puree the soup. If not, use a blender or food processor and work in batches. After all the soup is smooth, stir in the heavy cream, stilton and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Mmmmm. It is making me feel better just thinking about it.

My $50 Cake

2007-07-23T08:41:00.000-07:00

Every once in awhile I am inspired by an image (like this one) and decide to embark on a ridiculous adventure. This past weekend was one of those times.

Enter my 3-day, $50 cake.

It took:

*Two Sauvie Island adventures for berry picking
*$24 of white chocolate...to my own fault as i seized the first batch
*One late night of baking two batches of cake for the double layer
*Three trips to unfamiliar markets where I endured inconceivably long conversations with seasoned store clerks as to the pros and cons of buying bulk sugar, salt and flour.
*Spending so much time making this cake when the time came to eat it i was so uninterested in sugar or chocolate or berries.

It was worth it though. The cake turned out to be delicious and I don't regret one second of the effort.

Oh and....Happy (almost) Golden Birthday to me!

$50 Cake

Orange Poppy Seed Cake

(Adapted from a Donna Hay recipe)

¼ cup poppy seeds
¾ cup milk
7oz. butter
2 tbsp orange zest
3/4 cup caster sugar
3 egg yolks
3 egg whites beat to stiff peaks
2 cups cake flour
½ tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
½ cup fresh squeezed orange juice

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place poppy seeds and milk in a bowl and set aside.
With an electric beater, cream egg yolks, sugar and zest until they are a pale yellow. Beat in each egg individually. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl. Sift in a third of the flour, third of juice and third of poppy seed mixture and combine. Continue until all flour, juice and poppy seed mixtures are gone. Fold in the beaten egg whites and distribute between 2 pans or all in one. I use a spring form for my cakes because the resulting shape is more consistent and easier to remove from the pan. Bake for 60 minutes (less if splitting among two pans). Set aside to cool.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 oz. cream cheese
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
½ cup powdered sugar

Mix lemon juice and cream cheese together with an electric mixer and gradually sift in powdered sugar.

Ice cake and layers as sloppily as you want too. All sides will be covered by the white chocolate tiles and berries.

Smart she is....

Chocolate Tiles

6oz white chocolate
1 tbsp heavy cream (optional, this makes the chocolate more pliable but also more self destructive)

Melt ingredients together in a double boiler careful not to overheat and scorch or to add even the slightest bit of moisture. Either will ruin the chocolate. Patience is key when working with this delicate beast.

Layer a cookie sheet with parchment and spread the chocolate thinly and evenly over the surface. Place in fridge until set.

When set measure out and score the chocolate in the desired tile size. It should come up over the top of the cake by and 1 ½ - 2 inches. That way you can pile the berries on top with out them spilling over the sides. I cut my tiles approximately 4" x 1".

Last part...whew!

Assembly.

Line up a perimeter of berries and then slap the tiles on the side so they overlap like roofing tiles. (This is the fun part.)

Then fill the inside part with as many berries as it can hold and invite every friend you have to come over and help you devour this monster. I think it weighs like ten pounds.

xo.