hello from the land of take-out

Dear Mom,

Well, hello, hello!  Long time no talk!  So I've been MIA from the blog for a few months now, but with good reason.  So, for those readers out there who are unaware, my little profile there on the right-hand side of the page says that I'm an "architectural designer."  The big difference between an architectural designer and an architect is that a person who calls themselves an architect is a person who has received their degree through an accredited architecture program, has taken the ARE (Architectural Registration Exam) and has three years of work experience.  As far as the real world work experience goes, the work is about the same no matter what you call yourself.  Those three years of work experience were easy.  The ARE was not.  The ARE has seven divisions of tests, each with over eighty multiple choice questions plus a design "vignette" (or three design vignettes  depending on the division).  Its all very technical and boring, but guess what?  I JUST FINISHED AND PASSED MY SEVENTH TEST AND I'M FREAKIN' DONE! 

Needless to say, I'm very happy.  So this is what I've been up to the past couple of months, studying.  Since it was the last exam I wanted to be completely focused, I did nothing but eat, breathe and sleep architecture these past few months.  So, any recipes that I would post from these past couple of months would read something like this:

1 cell phone
1 take-out menu
1 credit card

1.  Turn on cell phone.
2.  Dial number on take-out menu.
3.  Order food.
4.  While waiting for food, study flashcards.
5.  Answer door bell.
6.  Eat food, while studying flashcards.

So that's been my life, until that wonderful little email came that said I was done!  I'll be changing that little profile over there soon enough, I just have to wait for the paperwork to go through.  After all of that hardwork I wanted something hardy, cheesy and warming (because it was snowing when I found out).  I had a bizarre surplus of onions in my fridge, so here is what I made.

french onion soup

4 cups thinly sliced red onions
4 cups thinly sliced sweet yellow onions
extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. sugar
fresh ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup dry white wine
8 cups less sodium beef broth or stock
8 sprigs fresh thyme
slices of baguette
slices of reduced-fat swiss cheese

Heat the oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat, add onions.  Saute for 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender.  Add sugar, salt and pepper.  Continue cooking, stirring frequently, for 20 to 30 minutes, until the onions are browned slightly.  Add wine and cook for 1 minute.  Add broth and thyme, bring to a boil.  Cover and simmer for 1 hour (or more).

Ladle soup into heat-proof individual serving bowls.  Top with baguette slice, then top with a slice of cheese.  Broil in the oven on high until the cheese gets browned and bubbly.

mom's big mistake

Dear Kristin,

Yes, it is definitely time to break out the winter-chill-chasing recipes. While I love summertime for all of the grilling we do, the fall and winter stews, pies and baked goods just make me all warm & fuzzy inside. We never had home-made soup when I was a kid - everything we had came out of those little red & white cans. I must admit, that although my mom was not the greatest of cooks, she could heat the heck out of a can of soup! Unlike some moms we know. Let me take you back a few years, to when you were just a tot and I was a harried working mom, just trying to get dinner on the table....

We came home from the day-care, and I was busily preparing one of my famous quick fix dinners of grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup (from a can, of course). While I normally just blended the soup concentrate with all water or with half water and half milk, I decided that maybe you needed something a little more fortifying and used all milk instead. When I put the soup in front of you, you just kind of looked at it a bit skeptically, tilted your head, and asked "Mom, is the tomato soup supposed to be orange?"

"Yes, honey" I replied. I explained that using all milk made the soup a different color than what you were used to, but that it would be so much tastier and creamier. (Meanwhile I'm thinking - gheesh! the nerve of this kid, questioning her mom!) You seemed satisfied with this answer, knowing that, as always, Mom is always right, and could never, in her ultimate wisdom, ever serve her precious daughter anything less than a perfectly prepared meal. Imagine my surprise, then, when I heard this tiny voice a few minutes later, asking with just a tint of trepidation, "Mom, is the tomato soup supposed to be cold?" I was busted! even my four-year-old knew that soup is supposed to be hot! In my rush to get dinner on the table, I'd completely forgotten to heat up the soup!! Maybe that was the day you decided to become the culinary queen that you are - no more trusting Mom!

Well, I've come a long way since then. I rarely open a can of soup, unless it's an ingredient in something else like a casserole. And I must say that this recipe for potato soup came out wonderfully. I can't really call it baked potato soup, because unlike most similar recipes, the potatoes aren't baked - just allowed to simmer until they're tender. The beer & cheddar cheese add a nice tang, and the topping of bacon, cheddar & sour cream? Divine.















loaded potato soup

4 Tbsp. butter
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 large ribs celery, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1/4 c. flour
salt and pepper
3 c. chicken stock (more if necessary)
1 c. whole milk
1 (12 oz.) bottle of beer
4 large russet potatoes, peeled & chopped
2 c. grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
Dash of hot sauce (optional)
1/2 to 1 lb. bacon, cooked crisp
sour cream for topping
chives for topping

1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, carrot, celery & onions. Cook until the veggies begin to soften. Sprinkle the flour over the veggies & continue to cook, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes more, or until flour is toasted. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

2. Gradually whisk in the stock, and then the milk and the beer. Add the potatoes and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and continue to simmer until the potatoes are tender (about 20 minutes).

3. Remove the pan from the heat. Remove about 1 to 2 cups of potato chunks and reserve. Using an immersion blender, puree the rest of the soup until smooth. Return the soup to the stove, and turn heat to low. Add the reserved potatoes and a handful of bacon pieces.

4. Add one cup of  the cheddar cheese, a handful at a time, stirring and cooking until smooth after each handful. Add Worcestershire, hot sauce, and salt and pepper to taste.

4. Place soup in bowls and top with remaining cheddar, sour cream, bacon and chives.

cool nights, warm bellies

Dear Mom,

As much as truly loath the end of summer, I do have a soft spot in my heart for fall.  Well, maybe not my heart, more like my stomach.  Gone are the days where it is simply too hot to contemplate eating anything but things cooked on the grill, its time to fire up that oven!  Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining about eating burgers, hot dogs and steaks, but after a while you're ready to dig in to a nice hearty stew or pasta.  There is nothing better than slowly braising a pot of yummy meat and vegetables for half a day and then serving it over hot egg noodles, and fall is the perfect time to do this.

coq au vin

6 oz. bacon, chopped
1 5-7 lb whole chicken, cut into serving pieces
1/2 cup flour
salt and pepper
1 bag frozen pearl onions
8 oz. button mushrooms, quartered
1-1/2 bottles red wine, preferably pinot noir
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1 medium onion, quartered
2 stalks celery, quartered
2 carrots, quartered
3 cloves garlic, crushed
6-8 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
2 cups chicken stock or broth

Egg noodles or mashed potatoes for serving

Heat a large french oven (coquette) over medium-high heat.  Cook bacon until crispy, remove with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.  Meanwhile, put chicken pieces in zip-top plastic bag with flour, season with salt and pepper.  Seal bag and shake, completely coating the chicken. 

Preheat oven to 325.  Leave bacon fat in french oven on heat, add additional oil if needed.  Brown chicken in hot oil on both sides.  Remove from french oven to plate and set aside.  Add additional oil if needed and brown (separately) pearl onions and then mushrooms.  Remove pearl onions and mushrooms from french oven and put in refrigerator.

While the french oven is still over the heat pour in about 1 cup of red wine, scrape brown bits up from the bottom.  Add remaining wine, chicken broth and tomato paste, stirring until paste is mostly dissolved.  Add chicken, onion, celery, carrots, garlic, thyme and bay leaf.  Make sure that chicken is covered with the liquid (if not add more wine or broth).  Cover and put in the oven.  Cook for 2 - 2.5 hours or until the chicken is tender. 

When the chicken is done, remove it to a heat-proof container and keep warm.  Strain the sauce through a collander and return to the stovetop over medium-high heat.  Reduce by 1/3, about 30 minuties (if sauce is still not thick go ahead and whisk in a little roux).  When the sauce is thick add the mushrooms, onions and chicken back to the pot.  When everything is hot your ready to serve, I recommend egg noodles or mashed potatoes.

more cake!

Dear Kristin,

I'm back! As you know from our telephone conversations, we recently bought/sold our house, and have been so busy moving out & in that I've not had any time to cook, let alone sit down & write about it! Somehow, no matter how much we clean in the new house, we keep on finding more areas that need attention. Your poor dad has not had much rest at all since he retired in February! As a matter of fact, I've kept him so busy that he's lost 15 pounds since we started this whole thing.

Well, we can't let dad waste away any further. So, I made one of my stand-by desserts last weekend - let's just say that it only took the two of us 3 days to finish an entire 13x9 cake.This cake is one of our all-time favorites. I've been making it for years, and there are a few reasons why:
1. Both kids and grown-ups like it.
2. I usually have everything the recipe calls for right in my kitchen. (Honestly, a kitchen without peanut butter is no kitchen at all.)
3. You can snack while you bake - first, you get to lick your fingers, spatula and measuring cup after doling out the peanut butter. Next, you get to taste-test the streusel topping (Do this before you add the eggs, please!) Sugar, peanut butter & butter crumblies? This is banned in four states. Finally, you must make sure that the chocolate or peanut butter chips you are using are still edible, and the only way to do this is to taste a small handful.. (Not that they have ever gone bad in my kitchen!)
4. When the cake comes out of the oven, all you need to do is pour a big cold glass of milk & enjoy!

peanut butter picnic cake
(adapted from Farm Journal's Complete Home Baking Book c. 1979)

2 1/4 c. flour
2 c. light brown sugar
1 c. smooth peanut butter
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
Chocolate and/or Peanut Butter Chips

Combine flour, brown sugar, peanut butter & butter in mixing bowl. Beat with electric mixer at low speed until mixture resembles coarse crumbs (this is the streusel topping). Remove 1 c. crumbs & set aside.

Add baking powder, baking soda, milk, vanilla and eggs to remaining crumb mixture. Beat 3 minutes at medium speed. Pour into greased 13x9x2 inch pan. Sprinkle with reserved crumbs and chocolate &/or peanut butter chips.

Bake at 350 F. for 40 minutes or until cake tester or toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Pour a nice tall glass of milk & enjoy!

there will be cake...

Dear Mom,

I can't remember who's quote this was, nor really how exactly it went, but it was some stand-up comedian who said something along the lines of "cake is so good, that if the DMV says they're going to 'have cake,' you know you'll want to renew your license."  Back in the days when I worked in a busy office I remember those wonderful days when someone had a birthday and there was going to be cake.  And I think no one can forget those days in elementary school when it was Jimmy So-and-So's birthday and his Mom baked cake.  In my days the cool kid's Moms made "Funfetti" cake...  That wonderful boxed white cake with the colored sprinkles both in the batter and on top of the frosting, typically it was in sheet form.  Oh those were the days!  I'm pretty sure that Funfetti cake is still available at most grocery stores, but like many things as we grow older certain foods like McDonald's cheeseburgers, Chuck-e-Cheese's pizza and Funfetti cake start to loose their magic. 

Those boxed cakes I suppose are a bit of a cheaters method of baking cake, but sometimes when you're in a hurry the box can be quite helpful.  And of course, who isn't in a hurry to eat cake?  Also, as we grow older we begin to discover the many forms cake can take on...  Not only in sheet form, but stacked high, square, round, crazy characters, Al Roker, cup-sized and bundt.  Bundt is quite pretty and easy considering you don't have to worry about frosting or decorating, just a simple dusting of powdered sugar and you're good to go.  So I've got a great bundt recipe that is kind of a cheaters cake, I use a box mix, but I add some other ingredients.  To stick with my Italian theme that I talked about in my last post, this cake is made with Limoncello.  If you're not familiar with this lovely drink, it's a Southern Italian lemon liquer.  I fell in love with it while waiting tables at an Italian restaurant.  We used to serve it over lemon sorbet, which is also an amazing use of the liquer.

limoncello bundt cake

1 box lemon cake mix
1 16oz container light sour cream
2 eggs
1 small package lemon pudding mix
1/4 cup veggie or canola oil
1/2 cup limoncello
cooking spray/flour (for prepping bundt pan)
powder sugar (for garnish)

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray the bundt pan with cooking spray and dust with flour.  Mix all ingredients and add to the bundt pan.  Tap the pan several times on the counter.  Bake for 45-60 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then invert onto a platter.  Dust with powder sugar.

the best way to eat your veggies

Well I suppose I really shouldn't talk, I should have posted weeks ago, but I've been busy too.  For me it's mostly been work, but also I just took my sixth of seven exams for my architectural license.  These exams are pretty brutal and require a good deal of studying.  But I just took it, and my fingers are crossed that I passed.  The test results don't come for a few weeks, so I just have to sit and wait.  In the mean time, I'm going to start planning for my trip with the hubs to Italy.  When I finally pass all seven exams that's my reward.

I've never been to Europe at all sadly, and I have been absolutely obsessed with going over there.  So, I think as part of my researching where I want to go, I'll also have to start learning more about the food!  I plan on doing a lot of eating when I get there!  If you can't already tell by a lot of my recipes I love Italian-American cuisine, but now I'll have to start experimenting with more authentic Italian.

So, for my first selection, I've prepared fried squash blossoms stuffed with herbed ricotta cheese and served with a spicy marinara.  A delicious dish that makes a great appetizer and is veggie friendly.  These little buggers are hard to find, but if you have a farmer's market nearby chances are they might be there.

stuffed fried squash blossoms with spicy marinara

for the sauce
12 oz ground tomatoes (or whole plum tomatoes, chopped)
1 small onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup dry white wine, such as pinot grigio
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

for the filling
1 cup fat-free ricotta
3 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

for the batter
1 cup flour
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp garlic powder
pepper
1-1/2 cups beer

canola or veggie oil for frying
10-12 squash blossoms
extra basil leaves for garnish, torn
extra parmesan for garnish

For the sauce, combine olive oil, garlic and onion over medium heat until they begin to brown.  De-glaze the pan with the white wine.  Add remaining ingredients and cook over medium heat, season to taste.

Meanwhile, mix all filling ingredients together.  Carefully cut a slice lengthwise through each squash blossom, so that you only cut through one side of the blossom.  Gently peel open, place 1 - 1-1/2 teaspoons of the filling inside.  Close the blossom up and sort of twist the top.  Set aside on a plate, and repeat with the remaining blossoms.

Heat about a half inch of the oil over medium high heat in a deep saucepan or cast iron coquette.  Combine all of the batter ingredients in a medium bowl.  Working in batches of 4 or 5, dip each squash blossom and fry in the hot oil until browned and crispy.  Set aside on paper towels.

To finish the dish, place the sauce in the bottom of a large serving bowl and top with the fried blossoms, scatter torn basil leaves and parmesan over top.

sore hands, cold beef

Dear Kristin,

Yes - you are absolutely right. I've been very remiss in posting to our blog and I sincerely apologize. What have I been doing that prevents me from posting? Ah nothing, really, just:

shifting/weeding our collection of 45,000 journals
looking for a new house
getting our house ready to put on the market (cleaning down to the tooth-brush level!)
trying to get in at least a couple of runs every week
and, yes - watching funny dog videos on You Tube

So have pity on your poor mom - either that, or get a plane ticket & come up here to help me shift & weed 45,000 volumes! Between shifting & cleaning, I'm definitely beginning to feel my age. You would think that my back and arms would suffer the most, which they did at first. What really hurts now though, are my hands. I come home at night with the sorest, most battered hands you can imagine. I'm having trouble opening the cap on my Geritol, I can't grasp the remote control for the tv, and pretty soon I'm going to have to ask dad to start cutting up my meat for me at dinner!

One thing that does ease my pain is applying cold compresses to my hands. That is why this recipe is actually therapeutic - it requires that you slice a piece of steak while it is partially frozen - so there you go - what a great segue from pain to cooking, don't you think?

So, not only is this recipe therapeutic for sore hands, but it's super quick, so that you can get dinner on the table in no time. Just add a side of rice and maybe some spring rolls and you are good to go, (Or in my case, good to park yourself in front of the tv & watch reruns of Poirot!)

quick beef & broccoli (loosely based on a recipe found in Cooking Light October, 2012)

1/2 c. lower sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 Tbsp. hoisin sauce
12 oz. boneless sirloin steak, thinly sliced*
4 tsp. canola oil
3 c. broccoli florets
1 red onion, sliced
4 large carrots, sliced diagonally about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick
1 c. water
1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. dark sesame oil

Combine soy sauce, cornstarch, and hoisin in a medium bowl. Add beef and toss, making sure all beef is coated in sauce.

Heat a large non-stick skillet over high heat. Add oil to pan. Remove beef from marinade. Reserve the marinade. Add beef to heated oil in pan. Stir fry about 2 minutes or until browned. (Do no over crowd the pan - brown beef in two batches if necessary). Remove beef from pan and keep warm.

Add broccoli, onion, carrots and water to pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes or until broccoli is crisp-tender. Add reserved marinade to pan and bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until sauce begins to thicken. Add beef back into the pan and continue to cook for about 2 minutes more, or until mixture is heated through and sauce has thickened.

* Partially freezing the steak before slicing will allow you to slice the meat more thinly, and will enhance tenderness.

breakfast bourbon

Dear Mom,

Well, hang on, I must first address any possible readers we have out there:

Dear Readers,

Never fear my mother is safe, she has been absolutely fine in fact, and I certainly will not sit here an apologize for her! 

OH SNAP!

Dear Mom,

Well I miss your posts, I don't know how other people feel out there, but I'm let down.  I know you've been busy (busy watching YouTube videos of funny dogs!), but come on...  Have you not been eating?  Did you get involved with the librarian mafia again and they broke your fingers?  They're silent but deadly you know...  Alright, enough with the chastising, I have a recipe to share! 

Actually I have two recipes, because its been so long!!!

The hubs and I just got back from a little mini vacation to Louisville, Kentucky.  Yes, that's right, Louisville.  Believe it or not its a fun little town with lots of good food and good booze.  There are pretty city parks, cute neighborhoods, great restaurants and pubs, friendly folk, and bourbon.  Bourbon, bourbon, bourbon.  I'm not a big bourbon fan, but the hubs likes it quite a bit.  And while we were down there we did a couple distillery tours (basically think a boozier winery tour).  I tried a few and it is still far from my drink of choice, but one great little restaurant we found made an awesome bourbon cocktail.

The restaurant is called Rye.  Its a great place with a nice interior and some really quality stuff coming out of the kitchen.  We tried a bunch of small plates, they change up the menu seasonally so one of the stand outs was a sauteed asparagus kimchi-type dish that had that addicting salty, sweet, umami, spicy combo that kept us going back for more.  To quench the heat I tried one of the cocktails that sounded refreshing after the warm spring day that we were there.  And it had bourbon in it, which even though as said I'm not a natural born bourbon lover, I figured, when in Rome...

What I liked so much about the cocktail is it was basically like you gave a mimosa a kick in the pants, hence the name "manosa" (not what the restaurant called it, but what I'm calling it).  It was grapefruit juice, orange bitters, prosecco, and bourbon.  The bourbon adds a complex slightly smokey, vanilla, spicey flavor that helps tame the sweet/sour/tart of the prosecco and grapefruit.  So, to go with the amped up mimosa, I'm also going to give you all my recipe for chocolate chip pancakes.  I found this recipe for pancakes a while ago, and its been my go to as of late.  All of the baking powder that goes into it makes them super fluffy and able to hold up to any additives such as chocolate chips or fruit if your feeling like being healthy.  They also have very little sugar in them, so you can focus on the more yummy complex sugars of the maple syrup or chocolate chips.  I've never tried making them normal sized, I always go for the silver dollar size, that way you can always easily pop them into the toaster to warm the leftovers up.

manosa

1 oz. bourbon
2 oz. grapefruit juice
3 dashes orange bitters
the juice from one slice of orange
ice cubes
3-4 oz. chilled prosecco
orange peel, for garnish
1 mint leaf, for garnish

In a standard shaker, add bourbon, grapefruit juice, orange bitters, the juice of the orange slice, and ice.  Shake until ice cold and frothy.  Pour into a collins glass.  Top with prosecco, 1 ice cube, orange peel and mint.

chocolate chip pancakes

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3-1/2 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. sugar
1-1/4 cups milk
1 egg
3 tbsp. butter, melted and cooled
1/2 cup chocolate chips
canola or veggie oil

In a large bowl whisk all dry ingredients (flour through sugar).  In a measuring cup stir together milk, egg and butter.  Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the milk mixture.  Stir together until smooth.  Fold in chocolate chips.

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat.  Add the oil and when the skillet is piping hot,  pour 1/4 cup measurements of the batter onto the skillet.  Cook 1-2 minutes per side, until golden.

veggie veggie

Dear Mom,

Well, thank God its over!  What's over, you ask?  My two week stint as a vegetarian.  Quite a stupid endeavor I'll have to admit.  Not to say that going vegetarian is stupid, its just totally dumb to do it for two weeks.  I was convinced by my husband and a documentary that he made me watch that animal protein was bad for you.  That is probably correct, but you know what?  I don't care.  I like meat and cheese and eggs and I'm proud of it!  So I tried to give up meat and eggs (not cheese, I just could not give up cheese) for two weeks, with the end goal of, "if I feel better, I might just stick with it."  Well, newsflash, two weeks is probably not enough, and lets be honest the end goal did not involve becoming a veg for the rest of my life.  So what did I learn?  Well, I learned a couple of new veggie friendly recipes and I'm going to cut back on my meat consumption.  That's about it.  Not exactly worth giving up meat for two weeks, but this is a very tasty recipe so some good did come of the attempt.

roasted red pepper and cauliflower pasta

1 head of cauliflower, chopped into bite-sized pieces

4 cloves of garlic, minced

4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

salt & pepper

2 large shallots, sliced

1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup white wine (Pinot Grigio works great)

1 tbsp. tomato paste

1 oz. jar roasted red peppers, drained (in water, or if in oil, drain and rinse them in cold water)

chopped fresh basil

pasta, cooked and drained, reserve some pasta water (really any kind you like, I used a lemon-pepper pappardelle) 

Preheat oven to 400.  On a sheet pan toss the cauliflower, minced garlic, 4 tbsp. EVOO and salt & pepper to taste.  Spread in a single layer and roast in the oven for 25 minutes, stirring & flipping at the halfway point.  The cauliflower should be lightly browned and toasty when done.

Cook pasta according to package directions, reserve some of the pasta water.  

Meanwhile, in a saucepan or deep saute pan heat 1 tbsp. EVOO and add shallots.  Saute the shallots until they begin turning golden.  Add tomato paste and let brown a little, then add white wine and scrape up the brown bits.  Puree the roasted red peppers in a blender or food processor and add to the shallot-wine mixture.  Bring to a light simmer.

Add to the saucepan the roasted cauliflower and bits of minced garlic from the sheet pan.  Stir to combine.  Add the pasta and toss over medium-low heat, add some of the reserved pasta water if the sauce is too thick or not adhering to the pasta.

butternut squash redux

Dear Kristin,

Your bacon and squash galette looks wonderful. I've just recently started using butternut squash - I was always an acorn girl up until now. I'm learning that squash is the "Sybil" of the vegetable world - able to take on multiple personalities with the addition of just a few basic ingredients. I know you and your mate are trying to curtail the amount of animal protein in your diets - so I'm offering a side dish that you can make without any animal-related products whatsoever.

We were looking for a side dish to serve with lemon chicken and the thought of just another potato or rice dish was just not very exciting. I've been wanting to do something with quinoa for quite some time, and thought that it would do nicely as a starchy side dish. A friend recently served Wegman's recipe for squash & grain bake and I've also had quinoa with squash and craisins, and these dishes were my inspiration.

I've never made quinoa before, and when I brought it home & opened it up your dad gave me one of those "oh here we go" skeptical looks and retreated to his man-cave to await what he was sure was going to be a bland substitute for rice. Well, I've made a believer out of him with this recipe. I cooked the quinoa in a mixture of water and chicken stock to boost the flavor a bit (to make it vegetarian friendly you could use vegetable stock). I also added some red onions (because we love onions), and instead of using craisins, which tend to get lost easily, I used frozen cranberries instead. The cranberries were an inspired addition - they really add a nice tangy "pop" that makes this side dish stand out.

Just a warning - this dish makes a lot! Since it is just a side dish, I think I will cut it down to half the next time.

Red Quinoa with Squash and Cranberries

1 cup red quinoa
1 cup lower sodium chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
1 1/4 cup water
3 cups butternut squash, large dice
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, halved
1 medium red onion, large dice
1 clove garlic (or more to taste)
2 Tblsp. good quality maple syrup
Kosher salt
Extra virgin olive oil

Cook quinoa:

Place quinoa in large fine sieve and rinse with cold water. Drain and place in saucepan with chicken stock and water. Bring to a boil. Cover, lower heat and simmer for 17 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes.

Prepare vegetables:

Place squash, cranberries, onion and garlic on large baking sheet lined with non-stick foil. Drizzle with olive oil and maple syrup. Sprinkle with kosher salt. Toss mixture to coat. Spread mixture evenly in pan and roast in 400 F. oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until squash is tender.

Fluff quinoa with a fork and place in a large pre-warmed serving bowl. Add roasted vegetables and toss. Add salt to taste. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. Serve hot.

comfy's note: I imagine this would work as well with acorn squash. Stuffing a presoftened acorn squash shell with the quinoa mixture would make a nice presentation.

my little butternut

Dear Mom,

Well, Valentine's Day just flew by this year! But its still a perfect time to talk about love. The kind of love between a woman and her favorite ingredients. For me, that's butternut squash, bacon and blue cheese. Admittedly these are not my only favorites, the list truly could go on and on, but I would say these are towards the top of the list. For that matter so are caramelized onions and pie crust which are also featured in this dish. Although I'm sure those two are on a lot of people's list of favorites. My husband, on the other hand, is not a huge squash fan. If squash is to be served in my house, it better be really good, otherwise you simply can't win him over. But considering its one of my faves I must keep trying. The easiest way to win over anyone, my hubs included, is with bacon. Fortunately for me squash and bacon are a match made in heaven.

butternut squash, bacon and blue cheese galette

4 small onions sliced
1 tsp. sugar
extra virgin olive oil
2 cups sliced butternut squash (about 1/8-inch thick)
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
salt & pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tbsp. your favorite mustard (preferably a sweeter one, with out whole grain)
1 unbaked pie crust
3 slices bacon, cooked to crispy and crumbled
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

Preheat oven to 400F.  Toss the onions, sugar, salt (to taste) and enough olive oil to lightly coat the onions in a non-stick saute pan over medium-low heat.  Allow to soften and carmelize over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes. 

In a large bowl toss the butternut squash, 2 tbsp olive oil, rosemary and salt and pepper to taste, until squash is well coated.

Unroll the pie crust on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Spread the mustard over the crust leaving a 1-inch border.  Top with the onions, covering evenly.  Starting in the center lay out the squash slices, overlapping them as you go working your way to the 1-inch border.  Working with the egg wash, gently fold the 1-inch border approximately 3-4 inches long over the squash.  Brush with egg white at one end of the fold and use that to help "glue" the next 3-4 inch fold over.  Keep working your way around until all edges are folded over.  Lightly brush all exposed crust with egg wash.

Bake in hot oven for 25 minutes, squash should start to brown lightly.  Remove from oven and top with crumble bacon and blue cheese.   Return to oven for 5-8 minutes until blue cheese is melted.

the perfect couple

Dear Kristin,

One of the surest signs that a marriage is divinely ordained is when one partner likes the drummette portion of a chicken wing, while the other partner prefers the flatter, or as you and I call them, the "two-boned" part of the wing. Your father and I are blessed with such a marriage. It also helps if you both like the same amount of "heat" in your wings - again, your father and I are born soul-mates here. We prefer our wings on the milder side, leaving at least some sensation in our lips and mouths once we've finished eating.

Born and raised in Buffalo, we were introduced to the chicken wing in its purest form. A crispy wing, coated in hot sauce and topped with a dab of blue cheese dressing is, in our humble opinion, the only true way to enjoy these little delicacies.

Unfortunately, it is extremely difficult to find a restaurant or take-out place that meets our high standards. Barbequed wings? No. Honey-dipped, parmesean encrusted, sea-salt soaked and brined, battered and butterflied? No. Just the original, please - the way they used to serve them at the original Anchor Bar in Buffalo. Sadly, I've heard from trusted sources that even the Original Anchor Bar doesn't make 'em the way they used to. The only place we've found that meets our rigorous standards now is Duff's Famous Wings with locations in suburban Buffalo.

Trips to Buffalo for a bucket of wings are not always practical. I was forced to come up with a recipe that we could make at home that would satisfy our cravings. Since we don't have a restaurant quality deep fryer, and since deep fried chicken wings are so incredibly bad for you, I decided to bake them in the oven instead. Surprisingly, the wings come out just as crispy - and it's much easier to keep an eye on them, making sure that they don't get overdone and dried out or burnt. As for the sauce - two ingredients. Butter and Frank's hot sauce. No substitutions here, please. Real butter and Frank's hot sauce are the only way to go. I know you and your hubs like things a little hotter (wasn't that a tabasco sauce-fountain at your wedding reception?), so certainly adjust the amount of hot sauce accordingly.

buffalo style chicken wings

12 chicken wing portions
Kosher salt
pepper
3 Tblsp. butter
3 Tblsp. Frank's hot sauce*, or more to taste
Blue cheese dressing
Celery

Heat oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with foil. (the no-stick foil works wonders here - if you can't get it, you may want to spray the foil with cooking spray). Pat chicken wings dry and place on baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 45-50 minutes, turning once half-way through the cooking time.

For the sauce: Melt butter and stir in hot sauce.

Serve wings hot out of the oven with blue cheese dressing and celery.

*comfy's note: This amount of hot sauce yields a really tame sauce, If you like 'em hotter (which I know your atomic heat-seeking hubby does), feel free to add more.

dinner for one

Dear Mom,

Well, this is one of the few times that my nagging has paid off!  I'm a quite accomplished nagger, just ask my husband.  I have learned though, in the short time that we've been married, that nagging is really not an effective tactic for getting things accomplished, especially around the house.  I've tried to dial back the nagging and I find I'm a happier person.  Nothing is worse than asking someone to do something, repeatedly, only to have your requests ignored.  I think the male brain is actually hardwired to shut off his ears after listening to the female voice ask him to do something five times.  I can only assume that the number of times may decrease over the life of the marriage. 

I've also found that its easier not to nag someone when they are not around, and unfortunately John hasn't been around to nag lately.  He has started traveling for work again, we had a nice little holiday break where he was home, but duty calls and he's on the road again.  Usually when he's away I keep my dinners pretty simple and I try for healthy.  Although, I do hate to let anything in the fridge go bad.  Especially bacon.  So the other night I decided to use up the bacon and make a quick spaghetti carbonara for myself.  This recipe is super simple and relatively quick.  I made this for "one," but I'm a pretty big eater.  This would probably be great for two, if you did salad and bread with it.  If you just want to cut straight to the chase, then double the recipe and chow down!

spaghetti carbonara

whole wheat thin spaghetti (see my note about quantity below)
1/2 cup frozen peas
4 strips bacon (preferably thick-cut, applewood smoked, but any will do)
1-2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 small onion, chopped fine
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup white wine (I like pinot grigio)
two eggs, beaten well
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

Prepare the spaghetti according to package directions, while spaghetti is boiling make the sauce.

In a large skillet, crisp the bacon.  Remove from pan and pat with paper towels and chop into bite-sized pieces.  Dump out most of the bacon fat, reserving about a tablespoon in the pan.  Return pan to medium high heat, add the EVOO, onion, and garlic.  Saute until browned.  Add the white wine, scraping up all the browned bits, and bring to a simmer.

Microwave the frozen peas, with a little water, until partially cooked (a minute or two on high should do it).

When the pasta is done, using tongs, place pasta directly into skillet with onion/garlic mixture.  Toss to combine.  Return pan to medium to medium low heat.  Slowly pour the beaten eggs, in a thin stream, into the pasta mixture tossing with tongs the entire time.  (You may not need all of the eggs, just enough to get a creamy, saucey consistency.) 

Finish by tossing in the peas, bacon and parmesan cheese.

cosmo's notes: I have absolutely no idea how to measure dry pasta.  When I made this as a single serving for myself I eyeballed maybe about a stack of pasta about an inch in diameter.  Hopefully, you've made pasta enough that you know how much you need for one to two servings.

nagging and bragging

Dear Kristin,

Okay, okay, okay! Since when did you become the mom & start nagging me to do my homework? You are right, though - we really should be a little more diligent when it comes to our posts.

Even though Christmas has come and gone, we have only begun to experience true winter weather here. There is not much snow, but the wind-chills are hovering around 0, and we are all hunkering down in our nests. Speaking of Christmas...

This recipe comes from my mother. Now, we all know that your grandmother was not a great cook. She was, however, a pretty good baker. Every Christmas we gorged ourselves on at least 10 different kinds of cookies. There were the obligatory cut-outs - which were the only ones my sister and I were allowed to help with - but there were also cookies of a much higher order. She also made taffy treats, which looked like miniature candy apples, pfeffernusse, and candy cane cookies which were simply a chilled and dyed almond dough shaped into a twist and sprinkled with peppermint candies. Mom always was trying new cookie recipes at Christmas, and luckily for us, most of them were worth repeating year after year. This was especially true of these Cream Cheese Fold-overs.

For years I've tried to make these cookies like my mom did. I just could not get them right. My fold-overs ended up looking like little Barbie burritos. They would not stay closed, and the jam filling would all leak out, leaving me with little to show for my efforts except for a big sloppy mess on my counters and cookie sheets covered with burned on goop. You, however, would not let me give up on these. You discovered the secret of these cookies when I couldn't. After you and I made these at Thanksgiving, I felt utterly empowered, and went straight home and tried to bake them again. Finally! Success! I'm so glad you kept nudging me to keep trying these - so, yes - thank goodness you are somewhat of a nag! (luv 'ya!)

cream cheese fold-overs


1 c. butter, softened
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 c. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
white of 1 egg
assorted jams such as raspberry, mint or blueberry


Cream butter and cream cheese together until well blended. Blend flour and salt into cream cheese-butter mixture. Shape dough into disk, wrap in plastic wrap and chill several hours.

Generously sprinkle work surface with confectioner's sugar. Roll out dough on prepared surface to a 1/8" thickness. Cut dough into trapezoid shapes, about 4" long, with wide end about 3" wide and narrow end about 1" wide. Put about 1/4 tsp. jam in center of cookie. Brush narrow end of cookie with egg white. Fold narrow end of cookie up and over the jam filling, and secure underneath the wide end. (This sounds much more complicated than it is - the next time I make these I promise to take a video & post it here.)

Place on parchment lined baking sheet. Bake at 375 F. for 10 minutes, until puffed and slightly tan.

Comfy's note: these are best when they are fresh out of the oven, but be warned - once you have one, the rest seem to magically disappear into thin air!

risottolutions

Dear Mom,

I am officially making the resolution of getting back on track with this blog!  You and I originally planned that we would each post every other week, resulting in one post per week on our blog.  We have both become totally lazy with this, but I think I just won the lazy prize.  The last post you made was on the 9th of December, and it is now the 13th of January.  (Lola's birthday by-the-way, Happy Birthday Lola!)  Simply ridiculous...  I sincerely apologize and will not waste any time with excuses.

To kick off my New Year's resolution to write every other week, I am going to post another recipe for risotto.  Why you ask?  Because I cannot stress enough how wonderful it is knowing how to throw together a risotto at any time.  We all know that we get down in the dumps, especially in January.  Its cold, snowy and gray outside and we've got a long way to go until spring.  But have no fear, risotto is here!  If you've ever had a good risotto, you know that it has the creamy, sumptuous, warm, deliciousness, that you just want to dive into and take a nap.  Perfect for a cold, gloomy January day, with the small exception that the cooking method for risotto tends to intimidate a lot of people.  Well I challenge you all to look that box of arborio rice dead in the eye and say "No, I WILL make risotto!"  Make it your New Year's resolution to learn how to make it, I promise it will be one of the easiest and most rewarding resolutions to make!

The cooking method is easy, it just requires a little more of your undivided attention than some other recipes you may make.  On the clock, it will really only take about 45 minutes or so from start to finish (sometimes even less).  You will just need to stand-by stirring and shaking the pot frequently enough that you are sort of chained to the stove.  But just like puppies, children and husbands who require your undivided attention, love and devotion, it will be worth it.

broccoli and cheddar risotto

1 bunch broccoli, chopped into bite-sized pieces
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
1 box low sodium chicken or veggie broth (4 cups)
2 large shallots, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine (I use pinot grigio)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp salt
pepper
1 cup shredded sharp (or extra sharp) cheddar

Preheat the oven to 400.

On a baking sheet toss the chopped broccoli with the 2 tbsp evoo and salt and pepper.  Spread broccoli out in an even layer and roast in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes.  Turn broccoli and return to oven for anther 8-10 minutes.  The broccoli should be slightly browned and a little crispy.

Meanwhile, in a medium sauce pan bring the chicken/veggie broth up to a simmer. 

Meanwhile, add the 1 tbsp evoo and minced onion & garlic to a separate medium saucepan and place over medium-high heat.  Saute the onions and garlic until translucent and fragrant, if they start to brown turn the heat down.  Add the 1 cup rice and stir.  Toast the rice for 5-7 minutes. Add the 1/2 cup white wine.  Stir frequently until wine is mostly absorbed by the rice.  Add about a 1/2 cup to a full cup of the simmering broth to the rice, stir frequently until most of the addition of broth is absorbed.  Once absorbed, add another 1/2-1 cup simmering broth, stir (or shake), keep repeating this process until all the broth is gone.  (You don't really need to stir constantly, go back to it every few minutes for a stir/shake.  What your basically doing is agitating the rice so that it releases its starches into the broth which will create that creaminess that makes risotto so yummy.)

Once all of the broth is absorbed, remove the rice from the heat, it should be slightly soupy in its consistency.  Add the parmesan, butter, 1 tsp salt and pepper to taste.  Beat these ingredients into the risotto some what vigorously until the butter is melted.  Add the 1 cup cheddar and stir until melted and combined.  Fold in the chopped, roasted broccoli.