Spatalian Eggs

Matt named them. I wanted to make him breakfast for his birthday, and this was the first thing that came to my mind. They're modeled after one of the most delicious breakfasts I've ever had: Teo's Italian Eggs served at Dizzy's, a fancy diner in Brooklyn. But they have a little spanish flair, hence "Spatalian".

Spatalian Eggs (serves 2)
2 tbls white vinegar
2 heaping cups plain or rosemary focaccia, cut into bite size pieces
4 fresh eggs
1 chorizo sausage, julienned
1/2 large red bell pepper, julienned
1/2 medium onion, julienned
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup parmesan, grated
Handful fresh basil, cut in a chiffonade
1 tsp red pepper flakes
Good olive oil

Place a shallow but wide pot of water on to boil with a few splashes of white vinegar in it, with the water reaching about 3 inches up the side of the pot.  In a saute pan, cook the chorizo, red bell pepper and onion with the garlic powder and a bit of salt and pepper until the vegetables are just soft and the chorizo is browned. Meanwhile, divide the focaccia evenly between two large cereal bowls. Once the water is boiling, turn it down until the water is still.
To Poach the Eggs: Crack the eggs very gently into the water, holding the egg just above the surface and allow it to fall slowly. Do not let the eggs touch. Allow to cook for 3-4 minutes without touching them, then remove them gently with a slotted spoon to a bowl.
Divide the chorizo mixture evenly on top of the focaccia. Transfer two eggs to each bowl with the slotted spoon (moving the eggs to a separate bowl first allows some of the water to escape so the bread doesn't get soggy). Top with the parmesan, then the basil, then sprinkle the red pepper flakes on top of each egg. Drizzle olive oil over the whole dish.

Happy eating!

Matt's Birthday Dinner

Well, technically his birthday is tomorrow, but we're going out for dinner tomorrow night. So tonight, I wanted to make him a special birthday dinner, for just the two of us.  I designed this meal trying to incorporate his favorite things. Love you, Matt--Happy Birthday <3

Spicy Tex-Mex Burger

3/4 lb ground sirloin

2 tbls grated red onion

2 cloves garlic, grated

1/2 poblano, broiled and skin removed, then minced

6 strips of cooked bacon, 2 minced, 4 left whole

3/4 tbls pureed chipotle in Adobo sauce

1 tbls Worchestershire sauce

3/4 tsp cumin

3/4 tsp coriander

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

Salt and Pepper

Pepper jack or sharp cheddar cheese (enough to top the burgers)

2 crusty buns

Put the sirloin in a mixing bowl and grate the onion and garlic into it. Then add the bacon bits, minced poblano, chipotle, worchestershire, cumin, coriander, paprika, salt and pepper. Heat your grill pan or skillet to medium-high heat with enough oil to just coat the bottom. With your hands, mix the meat mixture until just fully combined (do not over mix) and form into two patties with the center a bit thinner than the edges. Brown the patties on both sides (a couple minutes each side) then top with the cheese and cover the pan with aluminum foil and allow to cook another couple minutes. Meanwhile, toast the buns. Serve with a salad dressed with olive oil, vinegar or lemon juice, and salt and pepper.

Cherry Cheesecake

For Crust:

2 cups cinnamon graham crackers, crushed

5 tbls butter

pinch of salt

Combine the graham crackers with the butter and salt and work with  wooden spoon until the butter and crackers are fully incorporated. Pour into a baking pan and press into the bottom and sides. Press firmly to avoid getting crumbs in the cheesecake.

For Cheesecake:

1 lb cream cheese (2 8-oz blocks), softened

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 pint sour cream

1 lemon, zested

1 dash vanilla extract

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese on low speed for 1 minute until smooth and free of any lumps. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and continue to beat slowly until combined. Gradually add sugar and beat until creamy, for 1 to 2 minutes. Add sour cream, lemon zest, and vanilla. Periodically scrape down the sides of the bowl and the beaters. The batter should be well mixed but not over-beaten. Pour the filling into the pan with the crust and smooth the top with a spatula.

Set the cheesecake pan on a large piece of aluminum foil and fold up the sides around it. Place the cake pan in a large roasting pan. Pour boiling water into the roasting pan until the water is about halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan; the foil will keep the water from seeping into the cheesecake. Bake for 45 minutes. The cheesecake should still jiggle (it will firm up after chilling), so be careful not to overcook. Let cool in pan for 30 minutes. Chill in the refrigerator, loosely covered, for at least 4 hours. Loosen the cheesecake from the sides of the pan by running a thin metal spatula around the inside rim.

For Fruit Topping:

4 cups pitted cherries, raspberries, strawberries or black berries (fresh or frozen and defrosted)

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

Cook the cherries in a medium sauce pan, covered, until the cherries release their juices and come to a simmer, about 10-15 minutes, stirring often. Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch until well combined. Return the saucepan to low heat, add the sugar and cornstarch mixture, and stir until it is dissolved into the cherries. Return to a simmer, and cook about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Pour over the cheesecake when ready to serve.


Happy Eating and Happy Birthday!

Take-out Fake-out!

Yes, I know, the name is really cheesy, but I was SO excited to finally get a handle on chinese take-out! This is not my recipe, but I modified it a little to make it a more well-rounded meal. So here you go, fool-proof chinese food in the comfort of your own home :)

Szechwan Chicken and Eggplant
3 tbls oil, anything withstanding high heat
2 tbls toasted sesame oil
1 lb japanese eggplant (or baby italian eggplant), cut into bite-size pieces
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
3-4 scallions sliced on a diagonal
1-inch piece ginger, minced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbls garlic chili paste or 1 red chili, chopped or sliced
2/3 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 tbls low-sodium soy sauce
1 tbls rice wine vinegar
1 tbls brown sugar
1 tbls cornstarch
1 tbls toasted sesame seeds
Handful of basil, cut in a chiffonade

Heat a wok or very large skillet to high heat with half of each of the oils until the oils just start to smoke. Add the eggplant in one layer and cook about three minutes, tossing frequently, until just cooked and browning.  Remove the eggplant to a plate and repeat the process with the chicken.  Remove the chicken to the plate, and add the scallions, ginger, garlic and chili, allowing to cook for about a minute. Add the chicken broth. Combine the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and corn starch in a bowl allowing the ingredients to fully dissolve, then pour the mixture into the pan. Cook about a minute until the sauce has thickened, then add the chicken and eggplant and toss to coat. Add the basil and sesame seeds and cook another minute. Serve over brown basmati or your favorite rice.

Happy eating!

Delicious and Healthy? Who knew?

Every time we have pasta, my main concern is the massive amounts of starch and the complete lack of veg. Which is why when I thought of this pasta, I was really excited. And we absolutely LOVED it. I've made it a few times already, and its both quick and easy. I really recommend this one for a weeknight dinner.

Arugula Pasta
1/2 lb of small or short-cut pasta (quinoa is probably my favorite pasta)
1 package chopped prosciutto (or a few slices of bacon, or hot italian sausage, or whatever you have on hand--I have even used turkey bacon)
1 small onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 cup white wine
1 14.5 oz can of plum tomatoes, drained and chopped
Salt and pepper
1 package of arugula
Generous handful of basil or parsley, chopped
Grated parmesan

Put a pot of water on to boil, for the pasta. Cook until al dente, but reserve some of the starchy pasta water. In a large skillet, saute the prosciutto (or whatever), drain if necessary, and transfer to a towel-lined dish. Add a bit of oil to the pan and saute the onion until just tender, then add the garlic and saute another minute or so. Add the prosciutto back in along with the oregano, salt and pepper. Add the wine and allow the alcohol to cook off, then add the chopped tomatoes and allow to cook for 2 minutes. Add the starchy pasta water and then the arugula, stirring until the arugula is wilted, then add the basil. Serve topped with parmesan.

Happy Eating!

Burger Night!

This week, Matt’s cousins from Utah came into town and I wanted to make a nice dinner. Since you can’t go wrong with burgers, I figured a nice juicy burger would be a good choice. But…this is me we’re talking about. So I couldn’t just make any burger…

Indian Style Lamb Burger

1 1/2  lbs ground lamb

1/2 lb ground pork (or beef, but pork is much cheaper and with the lamb being so expensive…)

1 shallot or half a small red onion, grated

2 cloves garlic, grated

1-inch piece ginger, grated

1 tsp each of turmeric, coriander, cumin, garam masala, chili powder

1/2 tsp each smoked paprika and black pepper

1/4 tsp each of cinnamon and red pepper flakes

4-6 tbls crumbled feta

4 sliced smoked mozzarella

4 brioche buns

Heat a grill pan to high and brush with oil. In a large bowl, add the meat and spices and grate in the onion, garlic and ginger. Combine with your hands until all ingredients are just incorporated (over-mixing will lead to tough burgers). Make 8 even balls and flatten them out. Pile the feta onto 4 of the patties and put the other 4 patties on top. Seal the edges so the feta will not come out. Put the burgers on the grill pan and sear for 3 minutes on each side. Then lay the slices of mozzarella on the burgers and cover the entire pan with tin foil and allow to cook another 5 minutes. Meanwhile, cut open the rolls and toast them, then slather both sides of the rolls with Indian BBQ Sauce (recipe to follow) and put greens (anything you have around) on the top side. When the burgers are done, put them on the bottom of each roll and put the lettuce and top of the bun on top. Serve with salt and vinegar chips (or any kind you like). These burgers are HUGE so…Happy, and messy, eating!

Indian BBQ Sauce

2 tbls light oil

3 apples, julienned

1/2 large onion, sliced

3 tbls tomato paste

1-inch piece ginger, grated

3 tbls stock

1/3 cup tomato sauce (its fine if it has flavor, whatever you have)

1 tbls garam masala

1 tsp each turmeric, cumin, coriander, chili powder and paprika

6-8 cardamom pods, wrapped in 1 layer of cheese cloth and tied

2 bay leaves

2 cinnamon sticks

Salt to taste

1/3 cup craisins

In a medium sauce pan, over medium heat saute the apple and onion in the oil until they begin to caramelize. Add the tomato paste and grate in the ginger and stir briefly to wake up the tomato paste.  Add the stock to deglaze the pan, then add the remaining ingredients. Don’t be afraid if you taste it and it’s not very good—the spices and flavors need time to meld and combine. Allow to cook, covered, for no less than half an hour. You might want to make extra as a dipping sauce or anything really. It’s really delicious, and if you add some fresh herbs like cilantro or parsley, it will really brighten it up, so you can thin it out with water and use it as a marinade or a sauce. Go crazy!

Japanese...ish...

A while back, I bough this amazing tuna steak. Unfortunately at the time I was really busy and I knew I wouldn't have time to cook it before the tuna went bad, so I stuck it in the freezer for another night. Well Monday night was that night. So i defrosted the tuna completely, made a simple asian-style glaze, and coated the tuna with it before searing it. Pretty simple preparation because my boyfriend just loves the flavor of the tuna and I didn't want to overpower it. However, I was able to get creative with the side dish, and I have to say, I really didn't feel the need to eat the tuna after tasting this.

Soba Noodle Stir Fry

2 bundles of soba noodles

1 1/2 tbls light oil (any variety you have)

1 red bell pepper, very thinly sliced

1 medium onion, sliced to the same thickness as the pepper

2 cloves garlic, chopped or grated, depending upon your taste

1 tbls toasted sesame oil

1 tbls chili garlic

1 tbls hoisin sauce

1 tbls rice vinegar

1 tbls lite soy sauce

1/2 inch piece fresh ginger, grated (straight into the bowl to get the juices)

4 scallions, sliced on the bias (its prettier than just regular slices)

handful chopped cilantro

1 tbls toasted sesame seeds

Put a medium-sized pot of salted water on to boil, and when it comes to a boil, add the soba noodles and cook until just before done (pull out about a minute before the package directions). Meanwhile, in a large skillet, add the light oil and saute the onion and bell pepper over medium heat until soft. While allowing them to soften, stirring occasionally, in a small bowl whisk together the garlic through the ginger. Turn the heat down to low, add the noodles to the saute pan, add the marinade, and combine carefully so the noodles don't break. Stir carefully for about a minute, then add the remaining ingredients and saute another minute. Garnish with extra cilantro and scallions and serve. Happy eating!

Family Dinner

Over the weekend, I was home with my family, and two of my non-related family members came over for dinner. We split the meal so they were bringing the veggie (a delicious salad, as always), my mom did the main course (steaks--her specialty), and I made the side dish (roasted potatoes with olive oil, chili powder, fresh rosemary and salt and pepper) and dessert. The dessert turned out pretty well, so I thought I'd share it with you. I am going to make some sort of apple variation of it next week after I go apple picking, but the original was bright, rich and delicious.

Lemon Raspberry Pound Cake
1 10-oz bag frozen raspberries, defrosted (no sugar added, if possible)
3 tbls Amaretto liquor (like Disaronno)
Zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 8oz package cream cheese
1 cup butter
2 1/2 cups sugar (2 cups if the raspberries have added sugar)
6 eggs
3 cups cake flour

Pre-heat your oven to 325 degrees and butter and flour 2 loaf pans. Combine the raspberries, amaretto, lemon zest and vanilla in a bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, cream together room temperature cream cheese and butter with your hand-mixer (they will not combine easily if they are cold) and whip for about 2 minutes. Add the sugar a bit at a time while continuing to cream the ingredients. When they are light and fluffy, add the eggs 2 at a time and continue to beat. When all the eggs are fully combined and fluffy, add the flour 1 cup at a time and stir manually until just combined. Pour in the raspberry mixture and swirl into the batter, making sure it runs through the batter, but isn't completely mixed in. Pour into the prepared loaf pans (half in each) and bake for an hour and a half (check at 1 hour). To make it extra special, before you serve it, turn the loaf upside down on your serving plate, and pour some of the cream cheese frosting from the "Birthday Cake to the Extreme" and allow it to come down the sides a bit. Slice and serve.

Happy eating!

Birthday Cake to the Extreme

Now, making chili wasn't all I did last night. There is a tradition at my boyfriend's lab that everyone gets a cake on their birthday. There are two women who usually take care of this, and yesterday was one of their birthdays! However, the other woman is pretty preoccupied, being quite pregnant, and no one else thought to take over, so the poor woman didn't get a cake on her birthday! When I heard this, I decided to take it upon myself to make her a belated birthday cake (an excuse to bake! YAY!). And since I wasn't sure what her tastes were, I decided to make...

Chocolate Vanilla Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Chocolate Cake (from Ina Garten):

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar

3/4 cup cocoa powder

2 tsps baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp kosher salt

1 cup buttermilk (make sure to shake it)

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup freshly brewed, strong, hot coffee

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, sift dry ingredients together (flour to salt). In another bowl, mix buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla until combined. Add the wet ingredients slowly to the dry ingredients while mixing, and mix until just combined. Continue mixing while adding the hot coffee, again, until just combined. Butter and flour a 9 x 13 pan very well and pour the batter into the pan. Bake in the 350 degree oven for about 40 minutes (always check with a toothpick sooner).

Vanilla Cake (from my friend Lauren--its AMAZING):

1 stick + 3 tbls of butter

1 3/4 cups white sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 tpsp vanilla extract

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/2 tsps baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 1/4 cups milk (low-fat is fine)

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, use your hand mixer to beat the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Combine the dry ingredients in a smaller bowl. Alternate adding the flour mixture and the milk to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined. Butter and flour a 9 x 13 pan very well and pour the batter into the pan. Bake in the 350 degree oven for about 35 minutes (always check with a toothpick sooner).

Cream Cheese Frosting:

3 8-oz packages cream cheese

1 stick butter

2 tbls vanilla extract

7-8 cups confectioners sugar

Cream together the cream cheese, butter and vanilla extract until just combined (if you over-beat, the cream cheese will break down and the frosting will be runny). Add the confectioners sugar in 3 batches, and beat until just smooth.

Once your cakes are baked and completely cooled, put your serving platter upside down on the baking pan with the chocolate cake, and flip it on top of the serving platter. Slide pieces of parchment paper under the edges of the bottom of the cake. This way, when you frost the cake, you can just pull the parchment paper out and the platter will be clean. Put about a third of the frosting on the chocolate cake and spread it over the top. Flip the vanilla cake over onto another plate or pan and then flip it carefully on top of the chocolate cake. If necessary, trim the sides. Then liberally frost the top and sides of the cake with the back of a knife or an off-set spatula. Remove the parchment paper, and get ready for some rich, delicious cake!

Happy eating!

Big Bowl of Meaty Deliciousness

Everybody wants to find the perfect weeknight dinner thats cheap, easy, and that has leftovers for days. Well, here it is. There are probably a zillion different variations and lots ways to keep it interesting over the course of the week. You're getting excited, right? You should be...

CHILI!!!
1 1/2 lbs ground meat -- this can be any kind of ground meat. We usually do 1lb of ground chicken or turkey and 1/2lb hot italian sausage, but you can do any combination you like. I do suggest not using all sausage (it will overpower all other flavors) or all turkey/chicken (too dry).
1 large onion, chopped

2 bell peppers, any color, chopped 

1 hot pepper -- any type would be fine, it all depends on your preferred heat level. Italian cherry peppers are mild, jalapenos are medium and serranos are hot. If you take out the seeds, the spice level goes down. If you want a smokier flavor, you can use 1-2 canned chipotle peppers.

3-4 cloves of garlic, chopped

2-3 tbls of any combination of dried spices you like -- there are endless options. My stand-bys are cumin, coriander, chile pepper, basil, oregano, parsley and paprika, but you can choose whatever flavors you like best. Just be aware of how strong they are and make sure to balance accordingly.

4 tbls chopped fresh parsley -- this dish really needs a fresh herb to brighten up the flavor. A squeeze of lemon would also be nice.
3 cans beans -- this can be any kind of beans. We usually do 1 can of black beans, 1 can of kidney beans and 1 can of garbanzo beans. Mixing it up is fun.

1 jar of tomato sauce -- this is the secret ingredient! My boyfriend came up with it, and it adds layers of flavor.
1 14.5 oz can fire-roasted tomatoes -- you can add regular canned tomatoes, but this really give a punch of flavor
1 1/2 - 2 cups broth -- any kind you have on hand is fine

Put the meat in a non-stick pan and allow to brown and cook through, breaking it apart as you go. Meanwhile, drizzle the bottom of a large pot with olive oil. Saute the onion and pepper over medium heat until softened, about 5-10 minutes. Add the garlic, chile pepper and spices and saute another minute or two. Add the cooked meat, beans, tomato sauce, fire-roasted tomatoes and enough stock to make it liquidy. Turn the burner to very low, and allow this to cook, covered, at least 30 minutes to let the flavors combine and the meat to soften. You can cook it longer than this, but probably not more than an hour because you don't want the ingredients to disintegrate (besides, who has that kind of patience?). Turn off the burner and stir in the parsley.
As for the toppings, there are endless possibilities: cheddar, jack cheese, scallions, chives, sour cream, crushed tortilla chips, etc. Serve in a bowl with tortillas or tortilla chips. Serve as a sloppy joe. Serve over spaghetti with some parmesan cheese. There are so many ways to keep this interesting--get creative!

Happy Eating!

MMM Pumpkin!

I know, I haven't posted in nearly a week, but it's been pretty crazy. Just to catch you up, we have been having a lot of leftovers, and even ordered in at the end of last week (Chinese food--YUM!). But last Thursday, I was lucky enough to make a trip to Stew Leonard's, a magical place I had never had the pleasure of exploring. Unfortunately, we were on a mission and in a bit of a rush, so I didn't have a chance to wander aimlessly and pick out a ton of ingredients I didn't need. But I did buy something I've been craving since I made the Butternut Squash soup: a PUMPKIN! So last Friday was quite a day for pumpkin, and last night we finally finished it off.


On friday, I made 2 things with the pumpkin. First, the Butternut Squash soup was so delicious, and it ran out sooo quickly, I just wanted more. So I made the soup again, but this time, with pumpkin. DELICIOUS! I highly recommend it. Second, we were having an Octoberfest party. So I decided, since I had the pumpkin, some pumpkin bread would be a nice snack. I'm gonna give you a link to the recipe, because I didn't come up with the recipe on my own, but I recommend if you make them yourself, to use mini muffin tins (they're bite size morsels of goodness!) and then grind up some flax seeds and some extra pecans and sprinkle them over the top to create a nice crust. They're absolutely adorable.


http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2010/10/gluten-free-pumpkin-muffins.html  (she's a Genius!)


Just a quick synopsis of the snacks I served at the party if you plan to have an Octoberfest Party of your own, I cut several Bratwurst sausages on a bias and grilled them, then put them on a platter with toothpicks and a bowl of grainy mustard and another of slightly warmed sour kraut. I also just got a block of cheese and some crackers. Simple but delicious!


Well, since there was some pumpkin leftover, I decided to try a recipe I have tried in the past, but with fresh pumpkin, since I had some around. This is not my recipe either, its a Rachael recipe, but I made a couple small changes, so I'll post it.


Short-Cut Pasta with Pumpkin and Sausage
1 8-oz package gluten-free pasta (Ancient Harvest Quinoa or Deboles Gluten-Free Multigrain Penne), cooked just shy of al dente
1/2 lb hot italian sausage (about 2 sausages)
2-3 cloves garlic, grated
1 shallot or half a medium onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
6-8 leaves fresh sage, cut into a thin chiffonade
2/3 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup stock (chicken or vegetable)
1 cup roasted pumpkin, smashed
1/4 cup heavy cream
Pinch of cinnamon
1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
Grated Parmesan


Begin by putting a pot of water on the stove to boil for the pasta. Remove the sausage from its casing and cook in a large saute pan until brown. Drain the oil from the sausage and transfer the sausage to a paper towel-lined plate.  Return the saute pan to medium heat and cook the onion until it just begins to soften (add a little olive oil if necessary), then grate in the garlic and cook another minute. Add the bay leaf, sage and white wine to the pan until the wine is reduced by half. Add the stock and pumpkin and stir to combine. Return the sausage to the pan, reduce the heat and add the cream. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg and season with salt and pepper. Add some starchy cooking water and the drained pasta and allow to simmer for 3-5 minutes, until the sauce is thickened and the pasta is al dente. Sprinkle with parmesan and serve.


This pasta is really delicious. So warming and comforting. However, it has no green vegetables in it. So I just sauteed a couple cloves of garlic, chopped, with olive oil in a medium sauce pan and wilted in some dark greens (such as kale, chard, spinach, etc.), seasoned with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Its a wonderful side dish and the nutmeg in the greens reflects the nutmeg in the pasta, so the dishes really complement one another.


Happy eating!

FALL!!

With the burst of cold weather, I have begun to lose interest in the leafy green salads, and am leaning more towards the warmer veggies and comfort foods. One of my favorite things to have in the colder months is soup. I am a self-proclaimed soup snob; I refuse to eat soup from a can. I either have to go buy it at a supermarket soup station or a restaurant, and for some boiled and pureed veggies, its ridiculously overpriced. So, I have made it my mission to delve further into the world of soups. I got this opportunity recently when I had lunch with one of my best friends from high school last week. She informed me that the garden at her house in Vermont was bursting with beautiful little butternut squashes, and graciously promised me one! (THANKS MADDIE!!) So we met for lunch again today at LPQ (mmm veggie quiche with buckwheat crust) and she gave me the most adorable little squash I've ever seen with a little orange bow around the stem, matching the bag, of course. And since mentioning my thai green curry in last night's post gave me a hankering for it, I decided to make...

Vegan Thai-Style Butternut Squash Soup
1 butternut squash peeled, seeded and cubed (About 5-6 cups)

4-5 cups vegetable broth

1 stalk lemon grass cut to fit in a small sauce pan

4 kaffir lime leaves

1 shallot or small red onion, diced

http://scrumptiouslyfitfood.blogspot.com/
2011/03/butternut-squash-soup-and-old-man.html

1 cherry pepper or other milder pepper, seeded and diced
2-3 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
2 tsps ginger, grated or finely chopped
1 tsp ground coriander
3/4 cup light coconut milk
1-2 tsps chopped cilantro (fresh coriander)
Juice of half a lime
Olive oil
Kosher salt (lots) and pepper

Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees, and tackle the butternut squash. Toss the squash with olive oil, salt and pepper on a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees until the squash is tender, but not crispy, about 20 minutes. In the mean time, pour your broth into another saucepan, and add the lemongrass (found at most grocery stores) and kaffir lime leaves (found at asian specialty stores and online) and put over low heat, covered, until ready to use.  In a small sautee pan, Sautee the red onion and cherry pepper in a little olive oil over medium heat until soft, a few minutes. Add the garlic, ginger and coriander and cook another minute until the garlic and ginger are just cooked. Remove from heat, add a tiny bit of your stock to remove any bits stuck to the pan, and pour into your blender. Add the butternut squash, a few cups of broth to begin with and the coconut milk, cilantro and lime juice (this may need to be done in batches). Blend until smooth, and season with liberal amounts of salt (soup needs salt) and some freshly ground black pepper. Serve in a pretty bowl, garnished with a sprig of fresh cilantro in the center, and some nice crusty bread alongside. Happy eating!

Time saving tips: Buy pre-chopped squash. I know, its more expensive, but honestly, just suck it up and spend the extra few cents. If you're a root-vegetable lover like me, this will save you lots of time, and hundreds in carpel tunnel treatments in the future. My wrist hurts from peeling one little baby squash :P

Once a week, my friend and I either meet up for dinner and drinks, or to save some money, she comes over, and I make dinner and get the chance to exercise my mixology skills and test things out on someone other than myself (thanks for being my guinea pig Lauren!). So last night I finally made Lauren my new favorite cocktail. Its a mix between a delicious drink at one of my favorite restaurants in the Columbia area and a traditional summer cocktail.

http://drinkinabox.files.wordpress.com/
2011/08/cucumber-mint-martini.jpg

Ellie's Mojito
4-6 mint leaves
Half a lime cut into 4 pieces
1 shot St. Germain (Elderflower Liquor)
1 1/2 shots Gin or Vodka (I love Gin in this, but some people just can't stand gin)
1 1/2 shots seltzer (or prosecco if you have it lying around...)
Ice

Put several cubes of ice into a cocktail glass and fill it to the top with water. Set aside to chill. In a cocktail shaker (or pint glass, for those of us who aren't so classy), muddle the mint and lime, add a few cubes of ice, and pour in the remaining ingredients. Swirl around to allow the contents to get cold. Empty out the cocktail glass and strain the drink into the cocktail glass. Garnish with a sprig of mint.

"If you don't like cardamom, you're dating the wrong girl..."

I was really craving some Indian food last night. For those who don't know me, my two favorite cuisines are Thai and Indian food (my Thai Green Curry will come eventually, never fear). I am also completely and utterly addicted to cooking shows. Every time I meet someone who watches the Food Network or Cooking Channel, I can't stop myself from becoming almost giddy with excitement. Now, I never actually follow these incredibly talented people's recipes exactly, but I do use them as inspiration for the dishes I make. Yesterday, as usual, I was sitting in front of the television (because I have nothing better to do) and I saw this new-ish show about Indian cooking. She was making what she called "No-Butter Chicken" because traditionally, the dish calls for butter, but she uses yogurt instead to make it a bit healthier. I did follow this recipe almost completely, but I added a few things...

No-Butter Chicken (Bal Arneson, Cooking Channel)
3 tbls olive oil
1 tbls chopped or grated ginger
1 medium red onion, cut in half and sliced
1 bell pepper, sliced
1/2 tsp salt
3-4 cloves garlic, grated or chopped
3 tbls tomato paste
1 tbls cumin seeds
2 tsps turmeric
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tbls garam masala
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tbls brown sugar
1 tsp black pepper
1 to 1 1/4 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 cup fat-free greek yogurt
1 cup water
1 lb green beans, blanched
A few tbls chopped cilantro (fresh coriander)

In a large (12-inch) skillet (or if you dont have one this big, use a large-bottomed, short pot), heat the oil to medium heat. Add the ginger, onion, bell pepper and salt and sautee until the onion is soft and starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, tomato paste, cumin seeds, turmeric, red pepper flakes, garam masala, coriander, brown sugar and pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the chicken and coat with the mixture, then allow to brown, about 2-3 minutes. Add the greek yogurt, water and green beans, stirring occasionally until the chicken is cooked, 5-10 minutes (depending upon the size of the chicken), Adding water if necessary. Stir in the cilantro and serve over cardamom-scented rice (start the rice first).

Tip: If youre cooking over medium-high heat, never add the garlic first. With that amount of heat, it is likely to burn and will leave a bitter taste running through the dish, which you don't want.

Cardamom-Scented Rice
2 cups water
1 cup brown basmati rice
8-10 cardamom pods
1/3 cup crasins (dried cranberries)
1/3 cup toasted slivered almonds

In a medium sauce-pan, combine the water, rice and cardamom. Bring the pot to a boil, stir, and lower the heat. Allow to simmer, covered, until all the water is absorbed, about 30-40 minutes. Remove the cardamom pods (they should be on top) and stir in the crasins and almonds.

Happy eating!

P.S. The title of this post was what I said to Matt when I told him it was "Cardamom-Scented Rice" and he gave me a quizzical look. Lucky for both of us, he loved it :)

Pre-heat your ovens to 360!

So I've been doing a LOT of baking lately, and since I can't seem to fit these recipes into any meal posts, I'm just gonna cram it all into one baking post! Early this week, I decided to make spicy smokey gluten-free corn muffins. However, I do think the texture needs a bit of work, so I'll hold off on posting that. I also make the gluten-free zucchini muffins which I included in a previous post. But there were 2 other, quite successful experiments.


The lab where Matt works has pot lucks occasionally, and since he knows how much I love to bake, especially for his lab (HEY GUYS!), he asked if I could make something. Now, gluten-free baking can get expensive, so since no one is completely gluten-free, I figured I should just go for regular flours. For me, regular flour means a 50/50 combination of whole wheat flour and unbleached all-purpose flour. This is a way of making it a little healthier while keeping the texture almost exactly the same as if you had used all white flour. I am a sugar addict, so finding ways of making sweet treats a little healthier while keeping texture and flavor always excites me. So, I decided to go for...


Peanut Butter Banana Bread with Honey Cinnamon Frosting

1/2 stick butter or margarine

1/2 rounded cup peanut butter

1/3 cup splenda

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs 

1 1/2 tsps vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 tsps baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 1/4 cups milk

2 smashed bananas

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a baking pan with non-stick spray. Cream the butter, peanut butter and sugars in a large bowl. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well. In a separate bowl, mix together the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Alternate adding the milk and dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Stir in the bananas. Pour into the baking pan and bake for about 20 minutes, or until just golden brown around the edges (test with a toothpick). Leave in the pan until cool enough to handle, then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Coat with the frosting. Keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Honey Cinnamon Frosting

8 oz cream cheese

3 tbls honey

2 tsps cinnamon

2 cups confectioners sugar

With a hand mixer, beat together ingredients until just combined. Add small amounts of milk if the frosting is too thick. Store extras in the freezer until next time you bake a cake and need a delicious frosting!

The second recipe was for the latest young adult event at my church, the beginning of the year get-together, which was a picnic. I almost always bring a dessert because, well, baking makes me happy.


Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars

2/3 cup vegetable oil (or other non-olive oil)

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 cup brown sugar

3 eggs

2 tsps vanilla

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/3 cup brown rice flour

1/3 cup potato starch

1/4 cup teff flour

1 tsp xanthan gum

1 1/2 tsps baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 rounded cup chocolate chips

1 rounded cup rolled oats

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a baking pan with non-stick spray. Cream the oil, peanut butter and sugars in a large bowl. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well. In a separate bowl, mix together the flours through the salt.  Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips and oats. Pour into the baking pan and bake for about 20 minutes, or until just golden brown around the edges (test with a toothpick). Leave in the pan until cool enough to handle, then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Cut into squares and store in the freezer until ready to serve.


Just a tip for any gluten-free baked good: put it in the freezer for a while before you eat it. For whatever reason, it really improves the texture and makes it softer and creamier. Happy eating!

When the side dishes outshine the main course...

Coming back from France this summer, my mom convinced me that I simply had to take some of the dried wild mushrooms with me. I decided not to complain too much. So I've been trying to create a recipe in which these little treasures would really be able to shine. And for weeks now, I have been biding my time, waiting to create this dish at the perfect moment...which was apparently last night!

Wild Mushroom Risotto

2 shallots, diced or thinly sliced

3 tbls olive oil

1 1/2 cups arborio rice

2/3 cup dry white wine

1 box chicken, beef or vegetable broth

2 portabello mushroom caps

1 package mixed mushrooms (mine had crimini, shitake and oyster mushrooms)

1 container dried mushrooms, soaked in hot water for 20 minutes (I had porcini)

3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed and chopped

Salt and Pepper

Handful chopped flat-leaf parsley

A few tbls chopped chives

2/3 cup grated parmesan

Pour the container of broth into a sauce pan and leave over very low heat throughout the process (it needs to stay warm).  Heat a large skillet to medium and saute the shallots in half of the olive oil until just softened, a couple minutes. Add the rice and stir until it begins to become translucent, 3-4 minutes. Pour in the wine and continue to stir until all the wine has been soaked up by the rice. Then add the broth in 1/2 cup increments, allowing the rice to soak up the liquid in between additions. All risotto recipes say this will take about 15-20 minutes; they lie. It will probably around half an hour, but its worth the effort. In the mean time, saute the mushrooms in the other half of the olive oil until cooked through (making sure to keep a close eye on the risotto). When the risotto is creamy and cooked through (taste it--if its soft but still has a slight bite to it, its done), take it off the heat and stir in the parmesan. Then add the remaining ingredients and season with salt and pepper. Enjoy!

I also wanted to have a nice fancy salad with the delicious risotto. I mean, it its the meal of the side dishes, right? Now, I normally just dress an herb salad (you can buy a pre-mixed herb salad--it's my FAVORITE) with good olive oil, lemon juice and a lot of salt and pepper, but I wanted to do something a little more special this time. Simple, but special. So here it is!

Beet Salad:

A large handful of herb salad

1 cooked beet, thinly sliced

2 tbls crumbled blue cheese

For Dressing:

2 tbls balsamic vinegar

1 tbls honey

2 tbls olive oil

Salt and pepper

In a bowl, whisk together the balsamic, honey, olive oil and salt and pepper. You can definitely adjust the proportions in this--I didn't actually measure the ingredients for the dressing, so I'm sure you don't need to.  Put half the salad on each plate and arrange the beet slices along the pile of salad. Pour the dressing over the salad and crumble the blue cheese on top. This salad is crazy simple, and CRAZY delicious.

I dont eat much meat and would have been totally fine with just the salad and risotto, but my boyfriend, Matt, generally prefers some meat with a meal. So we just sauteed some chicken sausage in the pan we cooked the mushrooms in. Now, warning, this meal is quite heavy on the clean-up (lots of dishes) but you get a LOT of risotto, so you can just throw it in the microwave for meals for the rest of the week. Happy eating!

Zucchini Lover's Post

Hello again. Yes, I realized I just posted, but since I never got around to including any actual recipes in there, I figured I should probably write another quick post.

To put it simply, I have been obsessing over zucchini lately. It is one of my favorite veggies and, unfortunately, my lovely boyfriend hates squash. I know, sad. So, I have made it one of my missions in life to make him like squash! And I have succeeded a few times, but there have definitely been a few duds.

Last night, however, was a complete success! We made one of my favorite simple dinners: Omelets with salad. I LOVE omelets for dinner, and my favorite part about them is you can put almost anything in them. So, since I had whipped up a batch of zucchini muffins earlier (recipe to follow), and had zucchini on the mind (and in the fridge), I decided to make a shredded zucchini omelet. Here's what we put in it:

Zucchini Omelet:
6 eggs (3 per person)
1 cup shredded zucchini
1/2 tsp smoked hot paprika
A handful of parsley, chopped
Sprinkle red pepper flakes
1/4 cup grated cheese (we had a gruyere/cheddar blend, but whatever you have is fine)
Salt and Pepper

Spray a non-stick skillet with cooking spray and heat to medium heat. Whisk all ingredients in a bowl and pour into the skillet. Pull in the cooking eggs from the sides of the pan (with a non-metal instrument like a wooden or rubber spatula), and swirl the eggs around the sides. When the eggs have set enough to flip it over, attempt to flip it over. If it breaks...well it was supposed to be for 2 people anyway, right? And if it's just for one person, who cares? Serve with a salad dressed with olive oil, lemon juice and kosher salt and pepper. Om nom nom :D

And, as promised, the gluten-free zucchini bread. This is a first attempt, but still, not bad.

Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread:
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup canola/walnut/hazlenut oil (or a combination)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg and 1 egg white, beaten
1/4 cup fat-free greek yogurt
1/4 cup rice/almond/coconut milk
2/3 cup Brown Rice Flour
1/3 cup teff flour
1/2 cup potato starch
2 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 cups grated zucchini
Zest of 2 lemons

Beat together the sugar and oil. Then add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat together. Add the yogurt and milk and mix well. Then add the brown rice flour through the cinnamon and mix until just combined. Stir in the zucchini and lemon zest. Spray 2 non-stick loaf pans with cooking spray. Pour batter into loaf pans and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10-15 minutes. Then remove them from the pans and cool on a wire rack until completely cool. Store in an air-tight container or bag in the freezer.

Happy eating!

First Post!

Hello! I am finally introduced to the wold of blogging! Probably a few years late since I live in the stone age of technology (too many acronyms). But I am here now, and I should probably begin my introductory blog post with why I decided to join the technological race.

I graduated from Barnard in May and after four years of constant stress, and having a zillion things to do at any given time, I was finally able to slow down and take a deep breath.  For the first time in my life, I didn't have a reading list to (pretend to) struggle through or the constant reminder that Labor Day was once again creeping up on me.  I had something precious, something most native New Yorkers and grade-obsessed college students like myself don't even seem to understand: free time.  For the first few months, this lack of stress was absolute bliss; I had time to see friends, I wasn't biting my boyfriend's head off quite as much and certainly not with the same ferocity, and I was able to sit in front of the television and channel surf for hours without guilt. However, that began to change. I quickly realized that endless free time is really not all it's cracked up to be, and that watching 8 consecutive episodes of Millionaire Matchmaker is not a fulfilling career choice (who knew?). I needed something to focus on, some obsession to fill the void that had once been occupied by endless hours of reading, and preferably something I actually enjoyed. So I translated the greater part of my television watching career to reality, and began to make cooking my obsession.  My first order of business, being completely in love with Mario Batali and italian cooking in general, was to get a pasta machine.  Glossing over all of that drama, by the time I really started to get a hang of the pasta-making process, I began to notice a correlation between wheat consumption and my constant stomach aches. It wasn't until I visited my boyfriend's family and his sister said she was having similar problems, that I decided maybe it was time to try a different diet. Since then, I have been low-gluten, and for several years now I have been low-dairy.  This only created more challenges for me in the kitchen, but as an adventurous cook, I met these challenges head on and have begun my foray into gluten-free, dairy-free, low-fat cooking.

This brings me to my reason for starting this blog. After much complaining to my (extremely patient) boyfriend, that I had no purpose and I still couldn't figure out what I wanted to do with my life, I realized that maybe reflecting more on my life in the kitchen would lead me somewhere. For years, my aunt has been telling me to write down my recipes, and I never do. I always think I'll remember them, and I do for the most part, but I never seem to get the measurements quite right the second time, and I have yet to send her a single recipe. Well Deb, here you are. I am dedicating the start to my recipe collection to you--oh, and I promise I use eggs in my baking now.

I'm pretty sure this blog will be mostly food based since writing has never really been my thing, but I'm sure an anecdote or two about my many previous, and I am sure many future, cooking blunders will end up in here.  Well, lets get this thing started!

P.S. To those of you who aren't gluten-free, dairy-free or otherwise diet-challenged, don't worry.  First of all, my recipes never lack for flavor. And second, I will try to remember to put normal-people substitutions in, for those whose stomachs are not so finicky and who don't want to go out and buy xanthan gum and jowar flour just because they want to whip up a batch of cookies :P