tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1905170320787499282024-03-04T22:10:50.214-08:00things I ate today!A short description of things I ate today, or more importantly, things I made today that I ate, usually with a quick description of how to make the food in question.Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07312432295706031969noreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190517032078749928.post-64892080961198955502010-09-21T09:54:00.001-07:002010-09-21T09:54:20.370-07:00Vegetarian Italian Wedding IIOkay so this is a little more true to form because I've found a fake meat I really enjoy. Field Roast Grain Meats are really delicious and I've been buying them more lately and trying to use them to enhance dishes that would benefit from a more meaty presence and texture. I use the Italian sausage in this recipe.<br /><br />Cook up a pound or so of Great Northern beans (I soak for 2 hours, then pressure cook for one hour to get them creamy). Add 2 C beans to 6C water in a large saucepan and cover to bring to a boil. Add some salt here too, unless you've already salted the beans (canned beans are often quite salty). Before the soup reaches a boil I also add a Tb or so of mixed dried thyme, basil and oregano. A dash of something hot is good too.<br /><br />Finely chop the following: one medium onion, a few mushrooms (creminis are great here if you have them), some sun dried tomatoes (3-4) and two Italian sausages. Saute in a pan with a little olive oil until brown (the onions should be translucent) and add to the pot of soup along with 1/4 C chopped fresh basil.<br /><br />Dump 1/3-1/4 of a one pound bag of frozen cauliflower to the soup and bring to a full boil (uncovered). Add 1-2 C dried pasta (I like farfalle and orzo [add only 1/4-1/2 C orzo]) and cook until al dente or tender. Top with mozzarella or parmesan or a combination.<br /><br />Really good with fresh bread on a cool autumn night.Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07312432295706031969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190517032078749928.post-42922621750994825602010-09-21T09:30:00.000-07:002010-09-21T09:41:25.782-07:00Awesome Channa MasalaOkay so it's been a while but I've got some new recipes!<br /><br />Cook up a quart or two of chickpeas or get a couple cans worth (seriously make your own if you can).<br /><br />Finely chop one medium onion and a couple cloves garlic. Toss into a med-hot pan with some oil or butter (I generally use canola oil). Cook until slightly translucent.<br /><br />Add 1 Tb coriander powder, 2 Tsp Cumin powder (grind fresh if possible), 1/2 tsp chile or cayenne powder and one tsp tumeric to the onion/garlic mixture and stir until fragrant, maybe a minute or two. Add one small can stewed tomatoes (~15oz) drained to the pan and mix. Add a bit more oil if you need to.<br /><br />Add the quart of chickpeas, ideally with cooking fluid as well, but add 1/2 cup of water if there is no cooking fluid. Shake in ~ 1 tsp salt, but more or les can be added to your tastes. Add 1 Tsp garam masala (whole coriander seeds, cumin seeds, peppercorns, cloves) and 1-2tsp freshly grated ginger (I freeze mine so it grates easily). Stir in and add one finely chopped small jalapeno or 1/2 medium jalepeno (or more, if you like it hot).<br /><br />Let everything simmer (ideally covered, if not add a little extra water) for ~ 10 minutes. Just before serving, add the juice of 1/2 or one whole lime to the dish and stir. Great when garnished with cilantro and yogurt over rice!Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07312432295706031969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190517032078749928.post-19520022621104629282009-12-07T10:53:00.001-08:002009-12-07T10:59:51.154-08:00Sorry for the absence! And Sweet Potato Casserole!November was a colossally busy month!<br /><br />I'll try to get back to posting recipes ASAP, especially with xmas holidays coming around soon. Here is what I made for the sweet potato dish for thanksgiving this year.<br /><br />Take 3-4 lbs sweet potatoes (probably 3-4 big sweet potatoes, or 5-6 smaller ones). Peel and scrub thoroughly, then chop into large chunks (2-3" cubes or so). Boil until a fork indicates the potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes. Now in batches, blend the sweet potatoes with a little brown sugar (to taste, maybe 1/4-1/2 C for the whole 3-4 pounds). Season with cinnamon, vanilla extract and pumpkin pie spice. Add butter or margerine if you prefer. Either serve warm, after reheating in the oven (30 mins at 350 should do it) or spread into casserole dish and top with marshmallow halves and bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees.Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07312432295706031969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190517032078749928.post-53217857928219375832009-11-02T18:48:00.000-08:002009-11-02T19:04:59.410-08:00Risotto with collard greens, butternut squash and white wine.A more complex recipe, but really delicious. I got this from the NY Times Recipes for Health section.<br /><br />Peel, deseed and dice 2 small or one large butternut squash. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast at 425 deg F for 30-40 minutes, until tender. Get a large pot of water boiling. When it is boiling, add 1 lb of destemmed collard greens and blanch for 4 minutes. Plunge into ice water, then squeeze dry and chop roughly.<br /><br />In a large pot, get 2 quarts water and stock simmering. In another large pot, thinly slice and saute one medium onion over medium-high heat. Add 3 small garlic cloves. When the onions are translucent and the garlic is fragrant, add 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 1/2 C arborio or carnaroli rice. Stir until rice is oily and grains are separate. Add 1/2 C dry white wine (sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio would be good) and allow the wine to bubble slowly with the rice. Add the 1/3 of the squash and all of the collards and stir until mixed. When the rice is about dry, add 1-2 ladlesful of the stock, each time stirring occasionally until the rice is nearly dry. This should take 20-30 minutes - the rice should be tender and chewy, also creamy. Turn the heat to low, add 1/2 C of the stock, 3-4 tbsp fresh chopped parsley and 1/2 C grated parmesan. Add salt or pepper to taste and serve immediately.Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07312432295706031969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190517032078749928.post-17309713389880818992009-11-02T18:44:00.000-08:002009-11-02T18:48:23.009-08:00Easy Improved cream of mushroom soup IICream of mushroom is generally pretty mediocre from a can, but it's a good base to make a great soup from.<br /><br />In a large pot, saute 1 medium onion, sliced thinly, with a variety of mushrooms (I use portobello and white) sliced thin. When the onions are translucent, turn the heat down and add the condensed soup + 1 can of water or milk. Whisk the onions, mushrooms and soup until fully blended. Add 1/2 package frozen cauliflower and 1/2 package frozen broccoli. Keep heat at medium, cover until soup is bubbling. When soup is bubbling gently, season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and serve, garnishing with cheddar if desired.Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07312432295706031969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190517032078749928.post-11029483854841843272009-10-23T11:39:00.000-07:002009-10-23T11:44:59.235-07:00Chickpea curryCook or buy a can of cooked chickpeas.<br /><br />Thinly slice 2 medium onions and saute a tthe bottom of a big soup pot. Sprinkle liberally with curry powder. Cube 2 potatoes (I like red potatoes here) and add in with the onions. Add more curry if needed. slice a red bell pepper and add to the potatoes and onions. Add 3-4C cooked chickpeas in liquid and reduce heat to med-low. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Add one or more chopped zucchini and more curry powder if needed. Continue to simmer until zucchini is soft. Add salt, garnish with cashews, walnuts and/or fresh cilantro if desired. Good alone or over rice.Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07312432295706031969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190517032078749928.post-59919529739817597012009-10-13T11:13:00.000-07:002009-10-13T11:20:38.877-07:00what we need more of... is soup! Rainy October Soup Fun festTwo awesome and really super easy recipes for a good hearty vegetable soup.<br /><br />Veggie Chowder<br /><br />thinly slice 2 small onions and several mushrooms (creminis are my fave here). Grab a bag or can of corn and a family size can of cream of mushroom soup. Also a couple potatoes, cubed. Put a large soup pot on your burner, add a little oil and turn on med-high heat. Add the onions and potatoes. Once the onions are translucent, add the mushrooms. When everything is looking maybe 50-75% cooked, add and reconstitute the mushroom soup and the can or bag of corn. Let simmer on low for 30-60 minutes, until onions and potatoes are tender. Add fresh pepper and serve.<br /><br />Lentil Dal<br /><br />Thinly slice 2 small onions and 2-3 medium potatoes. Get out curry powder and a soup pot. At med-high heat, add the onions and potatoes to the pot with some oil and add copious amounts of curry to the mix. When onions are translucent, add 2 cups dry picked over brown lentils and fry for a couple minutes with the curry potatoes and onions. Add water to cover and reduce heat to med-low. Lentils should be done in 20-30 minutes, simmer longer for a creamier soup. Garnish with sour cream or whole fat yogurt and cilantro.Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07312432295706031969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190517032078749928.post-35815029295142875092009-09-28T07:23:00.000-07:002009-09-28T07:34:06.146-07:00cold curry and pasta saladI've been going to the sunset valley farmers market recently, and I bought another pesto from sgt peppers - red curry, which is mainly roasted red peppers and curry powder, with some sunflower seeds (in place of the pine nuts) and some parm.<br /><br />TO prep for this recipe, I've already cooked up some chickpeas and have them stored in the fridge in their cooking broth, canned in fine too, you'll need about a cup of chickpeas for this recipe.<br /><br />For the pasta, I like bowties (farfalle) or cavatappi, but gemelli would work well too.<br /><br />Get a large pot of water on high heat for the pasta and a large saucepan for the curry sauce. Add a little oil to the pan, preferably peanut or olive. Finely chop a small onion and saute. Dice 3-4 medium roma tomatoes and set aside. Finely dice (like 1/4" cubes) a zucchini and a summer squash and add to the pan with the onions. Add the tomatoes to the pan when the onions begin to look translucent and reduce heat to medium. Season liberally with curry powder and a littel salt and pepper. Add 1 C cooked chickpeas with some liquid and reduce heat to medium low. Let simmer while you cook the pasta (probably 8-10 minutes). Drain the pasta and place in a large bowl or tupperware container.<br /><br />Add 2-4 tbsp of the pesto to the pan, reduce heat to low and gently mix until the pesto and curry mixture are combined. Pour over the drained pasta and mix. Serve chilled or hot, depending on the season.Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07312432295706031969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190517032078749928.post-72247032153741542962009-09-10T07:40:00.000-07:002009-09-10T07:43:03.271-07:00creamsicle smoothieSilken tofu is pretty awesome, it's got great texture and a lot of protein. It will taste like whatever you want it to taste like. Use soft tofu for smoothies, and firm for dips and spreads.<br /><br />Add 1 block silken soft tofu to a blender. Add 1 C orange juice and 1-2 tbsp orange juice concentrate. Add 2 tbsp sugar and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Blend until combined and add 4 ice cubes, then blend again until ice cubes are crushed. Pour and enjoy!Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07312432295706031969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190517032078749928.post-16314833976873607322009-09-06T10:59:00.000-07:002009-09-06T11:15:10.188-07:00almond joy cookies/cookies filled with preservesThese cookies are great, and actually decently full of protein because of the almonds.<br /><br />Melt 1/2 C butter and cream with 1/2 C unpacked brown sugar and 1/2 C white sugar. Cream until smooth and beat in one egg and one tsp vanilla extract. Add 1 1/4 C white flour in several additions, then grind 1 C blanched almonds in a spice grinder until powdery and mix in.<br /><br />Preheat the oven to 375 F. Get a bag of high cocoa chocolate chips and some shredded coconut. Roll a tsp ball of batter into the coconut, place on a cookie sheet and use your thumb to make a small inentation in the cookie. Put 2-3 chips in each indentation. <br /><br />For preserve filled cookies, grab some good jam (we tried strawberry, raspberry and orange marmalade) and roll the dough into ball, then indent with your thumb and fill with about 1/4 tsp preserves.<br /><br />Bake on ungreased cookie sheets for 8-10 minutes, until browed. Let cool before removing from the pan.Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07312432295706031969noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190517032078749928.post-32396345406995243232009-09-06T10:49:00.000-07:002009-09-06T10:59:11.086-07:00farfalle with roasted chipotle pumpkin pestoI paid a visit to the Sunset Valley farmers market in So. Austin yesterday. Sgt Pepper's Hot sauce company sells a line of lovely and creative pestos as well as hot sauces and i tried and loved the chipotle pumpkin - slightly sweet and smokey. <br /><br />I got a pot of water heating and a bag of farfalle out. Chop a zucchini and a small onion and get them to saute-ing in a little oil. Season liberally with garlic, italian seasoning and fresh herbs if you got any (especially basil). Reconstitute some sun dried tomatoes (put in a glass bowl with some water and heat for 90 seconds in a microwave OR pour some boiling water over them to cover. Once they are soft, pout the liquid into your pan with the onions and zukes, then dice and add to the pan. Add a small quantity of tomato puree or marinara sauce and stir until you have a chunky sauce with a thin liquid beneath it. Let everything cook down a little, then reduce heat to low and add about a 1/4C of pesto and mix to combine.<br /><br />When the water boils, add the farfalle and boil for 10-14 minutes (just taste the pasta occasionally and stop it when done and drain). Top with a little olive oil, then some sauce. Garnish with a little parmesan if desired.Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07312432295706031969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190517032078749928.post-31722967908893086002009-08-27T11:51:00.000-07:002009-08-27T12:01:56.553-07:00Broccoli soup inspired by Colleen!This soup was originally made without the onions, beans and sour cream by my friend Colleen. I love cream soups, and here is a lovely way to do one without dying from all the heavy fats. Minus the sour cream and queso fresco, this is vegan (and mozzarella vegan-rella would go really well with the soup too).<br /><br />Get a large soup pot with a cover ready with a steamer in the bottom and about 1/2" of water in the bottom of the pot. Cut up 1.5 large or 2 medium heads of broccoli and steam until tender but crisp (or use a bag of frozen). Blend in blender (2-3 batches) with (plain) soy milk (enough to cover) and some sliced almonds then return to the soup pot. Thinly slice a small onion and peel 2-3 garlic cloves. Add 1 C cooked great northern beans to a pan and heat up. Add the onion, garlic and almonds and gently saute until the onion is transparent. Blend in batches with soy milk if necessary and add to the soup pot. Add a drizzle of olive oil and a lot of freshly ground black pepper and sea salt to taste. Simmer until thick and slightly reduced. Garnish with sour cream and queso fresco (or mozzarella).Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07312432295706031969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190517032078749928.post-55661369371834847662009-08-10T10:04:00.000-07:002009-08-10T10:12:37.123-07:00Hummus, with or without red pepperHummus is really easy to make, despite how much it costs at the store. This recipe makes about a quart of great hummus.<br /><br />I generally soak a whole bunch of chickpeas and then use them for hummus, indian dishes or on salads. You'll need 2 cups cooked chickpeas for a quart of hummus. This should be about 2/3 C dry. Soak the chickpeas in water for 4-8 hours (more is better). Place in a pressure cooker, with water used for soaking and heat on high (with pressure cooker top on to pressurize). Cook at high heat for about 30 minutes, then use a knife to gently tap the top of the pressure cooker to release steam. Once the steam is all released, open the pressure cooker, take out a chickpea, cool it and taste it. If it's soft and even slightly mushy, it's done. If not, try another 10-20 minutes in the pressure cooker.<br /><br />Take 2 cups of the cooked chickpeas and place in a food processor (a small amount of cooking liquid included here is good). Add 1/2 C tahini, 1/4 C lemon, 1-3 cloves garlic and cumin and paprika to taste. Pulse briefly, then add 1-3 roasted red peppers. I buy these in jars, in the canned food section, as bell peppers are very expensive currently. Salt and pepper to taste, then keep in refrigerator until ready to serve. Good on pitas and sandwiches and with raw vegetables.Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07312432295706031969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190517032078749928.post-50765550284264278792009-08-10T10:01:00.001-07:002009-08-10T10:04:49.913-07:00baba ghanoushTraditional eggplant spread, great on pitas or sandwiches.<br /><br />Cut a large eggplant in half and trim the leaves off of the top. Pop into the oven at 400 degrees, cut side up, for 40 minutes. Dunk into cold water when done, the eggplant should be very soft and the skins should be bubbling off. Put the halves into a food processor with about 1/8th C lemon juice, 1/4 C tahini (sesame butter, try your local coop or health food store), 1-3 cloves garlic (depending on how much you like it) and salt and pepper to taste. I also like to add a bit of chili powder if I've got it around. Pulse until blended and chill in the fridge until ready to serve.Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07312432295706031969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190517032078749928.post-74470059510722594952009-07-27T13:36:00.000-07:002009-07-27T13:43:40.630-07:00easy blueberry muffinsMade with frozen blueberries, you can enjoy these all year round.<br /><br />Makes 8 large or 12 medium muffins.<br /><br />Preheat oven to 350 degrees.<br />Grease or line muffin tins with paper wrappers.<br /><br />Mix together 2 C all purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 C sugar, dash cinnamon, 1 tsp lemon zest (optional). Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and crack an egg into it. Pour 1 1/4 C yogurt into the well with the egg and mix ingredients until everything looks moist (batter can be lumpy). Add 1 C blueberries and distribute into muffin tins. Sprinkle tops of muffins with a little sugar - turbinado is especially good for this. Bake for 25-30 mins at 350 and let rest 5 mins before removing from cupcake tins.Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07312432295706031969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190517032078749928.post-88038870495973276552009-07-27T13:25:00.000-07:002009-07-27T13:36:14.628-07:00Palak with tofu (palak paneer)I'm a big fan of Indian food, but don't always like to go the whole 9 yards. Paneer, a traditional inian cottage cheese, is easy to make, but time consuming (you basically boil a gallon whole milk with a quart yogurt until curds form, then strain and press those curds to form a cheese block). Tofu is a healthy tasty paneer stand in when you don't have the time to make paneer.<br /><br />Cube a pound of tofu and set out on paper towels to drain. Once drained, saute with curry powder until browned ad remove from heat. Thinly slice 3 small or 2 medium white onions and saute, sprinkling liberally with <a href="http://fractalsoup.blogspot.com/2009/04/4709-pumpkin-curry-soup-with-naan.html">curry powder</a> until translucent. Add about 3/4 package (12oz) chopped frozen spinach (no need to thaw) and stir until thawed. Run the whole mixture through a blender or food processor, pulsing until smooth but not quite pureed with 1/2 C whole fat yogurt or sour cream. Return to the pan with tofu and simmer on low.<br /><br />Start some rice - either 1 C brown or 1 C white in a saucepan with 3 C water. Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered until grain are fluffy and soft (white rice: 20 min, brown rice 30-40 min).Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07312432295706031969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190517032078749928.post-5460293767799824012009-07-20T07:50:00.000-07:002009-07-20T07:57:45.036-07:00homemade whipped creamSo simple, but lots of people my age don't know how to make it. Fresh whipped cream is one of life's simple joys. Buy heavy whipping cream, as fresh as you can get it, and ideally the ingredients should say "Cream" and nothing else.<br /><br />Use 8oz cream if you've having a few people over for waffles or sunday brunch, more (1 pint) if you're going to be serving lots of ice cream or dessert.<br /><br />Pour 8 or 16 oz cream into chilled metal or glass bowl. Add 1/2 tsp vanilla extract per 8oz cream and 1-2 tbsp per 8oz cream. Grab a hand held mixer and start beating at the lowest speed to start, slowly increasing speed as the bubbles get smaller and the mixture get frothier. Beat until you hit stiff peaks, but not any further, or you'll get a lumpy mixture with tiny butter granules in it. Stiff peaks are when you can lift the beaters out of the cream and the cream sticks straight up, and flops over very little.Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07312432295706031969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190517032078749928.post-77576606599344771712009-07-20T07:46:00.001-07:002009-07-20T07:50:32.704-07:00SmoothiesSmoothies are one of my favorite ways to eat a healthy breakfast. You'll definitely need a solid blender for this one - I have an Oster Pro and it only takes a few seconds to blend everything together. TO cut costs and also keep everything cold, I use a lot of frozen fruit. Here is the smoothie I made this morning:<br /><br />(add in this order for best results)<br /><br />1/2 C frozen raspberries<br />3/4 C frozen strawberries<br />1 C full fat yogurt (plain, no sugar)<br />1 medium banana, broken into several pieces (best if they're just beginning to get a few spots)<br />1 tbsp sugar/honey<br />1-2 tbsp orange juice concentrate<br /><br />blend until the frozen fruit is completely pulverized. Add 4 ice cubes and blend until ice is crushed. Enjoy!Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07312432295706031969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190517032078749928.post-76846224129344059992009-07-07T18:24:00.000-07:002009-07-07T18:39:44.935-07:00soaking beansDried beans are my favorite as it's easier to cook them to your favorite consistency and flavor them accordingly. Great Northern beans are one of my favorites - give them a nice long soak, boil them up with a little broth, and they taste buttery and creamy.<br /><br />Pour a pound of beans into a large bowl and give them the once over, discarding any non-bean particles and sketchy looking beans. Rinse once with cold water, then cover by 2-3 inches and let soak, about 8 hours. I try to get them soaking before work so they're ready when I get home.<br /><br />After the soak, pour off the soaking water and re-cover with an inch or so of fresh water. Put into a large stock pot, turn heat to high and cover. Add stock or stock concentrate now. I like Minor's vegetable base, it goes really well with these beans. Set your timer for an hour, then take a bean out, cool it and eat it. If it's tough, keep going for another 30 minutes and try again, if you like your beans really soft, go for another hour (the skins might burst). You can also use a pressure cooker, just make sure not to overfill it and go for about 20-30 minutes at a time with presoaked beans.<br /><br />I like to make quick vegetable soups out of the beans using frozen spinach and cauliflower and maybe a few tomatoes (sun dried are lovely). Since the beans are cooked, just get some water going, put the frozen vegetables in the pot and once they're thawed, throw some cooked beans in the pot and let it all mix together for 5-10 minutes at near boiling. You can also freeze the just cooked beans for future use. One pound of beans makes about 2 quarts cooked (I store them in clean yogurt containers).Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07312432295706031969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190517032078749928.post-58188452590369114902009-06-24T07:26:00.000-07:002009-06-24T07:35:56.318-07:00Banana BreadA good simple banana bread, takes maybe 15 minutes to make the batter and about an hour to cook.<br /><br />preheat the oven to 350 and grease a 9 x 5 loaf pan.<br /><br />Mash 3 large ripe bananas together until smooth. Mix with about 1/2 C strong coffee. Add a dash cinnamon and 2 sticks melted/softened butter and 3/4 C loose brown sugar. Beat in 2 large eggs. Mix well and add 1.5 tsp baking powder and 1 C all purpose flour and 1 C whole wheat flour (pastry flour if you can find it). Pour batter into loaf pan and bake for one hour.Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07312432295706031969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190517032078749928.post-79455778095358540952009-06-24T07:10:00.000-07:002009-06-24T07:26:37.575-07:00milk chocolate chip cakeMade for a friend's birthday who isn't a fan of dark chocolate, I used this recipe as a guide: http://www.bonappetit.com/magazine/2008/09/chocolate_cake_with_fleur_de_sel_caramel_filling<br /><br />The cake is the same there as it is here, but the ganache changes and is made using milk chocolate and no caramel filling (as milk is much sweeter than dark chocolate.<br /><br />Bring 3 C heavy cream to a simmer (steam rising off the pan) and remove from heat. Combine with 1.5 pounds milk chocolate chips in a bowl and whisk to combine until thoroughly mixed. Add a generous dash of cinnamon if you like. Place in refrigerator.<br /><br />Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease 3 shallow or two deep cake pans, about 9" in diameter.<br /><br />In a bowl, sift/mix together 2 C sugar, 1 3/4 C all purpose flour, 3/4 C unsweetened cocoa powder, and 1 1/2 tsp each of baking powder and soda. Add 1 C whole milk, 2 large eggs, and 1 stick melted butter. Once the ingredients are combined, add 1 C strong coffee to the mix. Divide the batter evenly amongst your pans and bake for 32 minutes. <br /><br />Once the cake is done, allow to cool completely and then gently remove from pans. Place a layer onto a surface you can use to construct and serve the cake - I use a cake container. Cover the layer with ganache and evenly spread more chocolate chips. Place the second layer op top of the first and again cover with ganache. Follow with your third layer, if you have one, or finish by evenly spreading the top and sides of the cake with the remaining ganache. freeze or refrigerate until ready to serve.Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07312432295706031969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190517032078749928.post-28051198036045886712009-06-17T07:24:00.000-07:002009-06-17T07:28:02.830-07:00awesome buttermilk cornbreadA good solid cornbread. Good with chili on top.<br /><br />Grease a loaf pan and set the oven to 375 F.<br /><br />Cream 1/2 C butter or smart balance with 1/2 C sugar and beat in two eggs. Add 1 C buttermilk and 1/2 tsp baking soda. Mix in 1 C cornmeal, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tbsp chipotle or chili powder and 1 C all purpose flour. Pour into loaf pan and bake for 40 minutes.Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07312432295706031969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190517032078749928.post-38340336078468636042009-06-16T09:43:00.000-07:002009-06-16T09:50:46.848-07:00nutella peanut butter cookiesBasically like a regular peanut butter cookie, but half of the PB is replaced by nutella, and 1/2 C flour is replaced by cocoa powder.<br /><br />preheat oven to 375 F.<br /><br />cream 1 C smart balance with 1/2 C chunky natural peanut butter and 1/2 C nutella. Add in 1/2 C white sugar and 1 C packed brown sugar. Beat in 2 eggs, then 1/2 C cocoa powder, then 2 C all purpose flour and 1 1/2 tsp baking soda. Mix well, refrigerate for about 30 minutes, then roll into balls and flatten onto baking sheet with fork tines. Bake for about 10 minutes, then cool. THe batter also freezes well for future use!Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07312432295706031969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190517032078749928.post-44365487636239408612009-06-09T16:28:00.000-07:002009-06-09T16:43:42.546-07:00easy orange-ginger tofu stir fryA quick and easy dinner or lunch.<br /><br />add 1.5 C brown rice and 3C water to a cooking pot an bring to a boil, then simmer on low heat.<br /><br />Cube 1/2 lb tofu and drain on paper towels. In a heavy bottomed saucepan or wok, saute the tofu until browned. While the tofu is browning, in a bowl mix together 1 tbsp sesame oil, 1/2 C soy sauce, 1-2 tsp sambal, 1-3 chopped scallions if you have them, ~1tbsp grated ginger and 1 tbsp brown sugar. Peel part of the rind of an orange (using a vegetable peeler and mincing, or small grater) and add to the mix. When the tofu is browned, add to the liquid, adding a small amount of water (1-2 tbsp) if desired. Allow to marinate while you fix the vegetables.<br /><br />Chop 1/2 medium head broccoli into florets, 2 carrots into diagonal rounds, slice several mushrooms and cut one zucchini into rounds. Saute for 2-3 minutes in the same pan you browned the tofu in, the add 2-3 tbsp of water and 1 minced clove of garlic and cover on medium until the carrots are tender but not mushy. Add the tofu and sauce and simmer uncovered on low. Check the rice to see if it's done (taste a small portion, if it's at all crunchy, it's not there yet, cooked brown rice is chewy, nutty and the grains should be opening up on the sides).<br /><br />When the rice is done, top a portion with vegetables, tofu and sauce and enjoy. Garnish with cilantro if you like.Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07312432295706031969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190517032078749928.post-47000946041948321302009-06-06T14:18:00.000-07:002009-06-06T14:22:53.740-07:00coconut lime chili sea scallopsA really simple way to prepare scallops on or off the grill.<br /><br />Buy 1 - 1.5 lbs sea scallops from a reputable fishmonger. Place in a pan large enough so the scallops are next to each other but not really piled on top of each other. Squeeze fresh lime juice (about one lime's worth) onto the scallops, then pour coconut milk on top. Add a small amount of chili powder and a small amount of salt and pepper to the mix and marinate for about an hour, more if desired.<br /><br />Cook the scallops in a fish basket on a charcoal grill or in a nonstick pan on the stove until lightly brown. Serve hot.Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07312432295706031969noreply@blogger.com0