The Sensitive Kitchen

Cabbage Paruppu Dry Curry

2012-01-21T12:40:00.003-07:00

Today was one of those days when I looked bleakly into the fridge and thought to myself, "All I have in here is a head of cabbage!" Fortunately, the rest of this dish comes together with pantry staples, meaning we added a few whole wheat tortillas and ate very well.

1 1/4 c water
3/4 c toor dal
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 small head cabbage, chopped
1 1/2 tsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
2 tsp urid dal
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
5-6 fresh curry leaves
2 Tbsp unsweetened dried coconut

Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add turmeric, stirring to dissolve, then dal. Return to a boil, then simmer covered on LOW for 20 minutes, or until the dal is cooked through, but still firm, and all water is absorbed.

Meanwhile, place cabbage in a medium saucepan with 2 Tbsp water and salt to taste. Cover and cook 15 minutes or until cabbage is tender but not soggy. Drain off any excess water.

Heat oil over high heat in a large skillet. When hot, add mustard seeds. When they pop, add urid dal and crushed red pepper. When the dal turns golden, add curry leaves and cooked dal. Reduce heat to medium-high; fry for 2-3 minutes. Add cooked cabbage and coconut; cook until all the water has evaporated. Serves 4.

Best Homemade Macaroni & Cheese

2012-01-11T20:01:00.005-07:00

Today I received the best compliment a cook can get: a little girl I know asked her mom to get this recipe from me so she could eat it for her upcoming birthday. She ate it once, three months ago, at our house. I am bowled over with love. That, in a nutshell, is why I cook.

7 ozs Barilla Plus elbow pasta
8 ozs reduced-fat shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (I used Lucerne)
1/2 c 1% milk
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/4 c reduced-fat sour cream
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt, to taste
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/3 c panko bread crumbs
2 Tbsp freshly grated Romano cheese
1/2 tsp garlic powder (I use Trader Joe's - it smells like real garlic)
1 Tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a casserole dish with nonstick spray. Cook pasta according to package directions.

While pasta is cooking, get a medium bowl and stir together milk, eggs, sour cream, mustard, salt and cayenne. Set aside.

Drain pasta; return hot pasta to pot. Add cheese to hot macaroni. Stir milk-egg mixture into macaroni-cheese mixture. Pour into prepared casserole dish.

Combine bread crumbs, Romano cheese, garlic powder and oil in a small bowl until blended. Evenly sprinkle crumb mixture over macaroni; lightly spray with nonstick spray. Bake until filling is hot and topping is golden, 35 to 40 minutes. Serve hot.

Best Winter Vegetable Soup

2012-01-10T13:31:00.003-07:00

Don't fear the parsnips. They add the sweetness and depth of flavor that elevate this soup above others.

2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 medium red onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks celery, chopped
3/4 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried thyme
2 parsnips, peeled and chopped
1 small sweet potato, peeled and chopped
1 c shredded green cabbage
1 can organic diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
4-6 cups water
1 Tbsp broth concentrate
2 Tbsp pastina or other very small pasta shape
4 c shredded kale

In a large pot, saute onion in oil over medium heat until translucent and beginning to brown. Add garlic and celery; cook a few minutes. Add herbs, crushing in your palm to break them up. Saute until fragrant. Add parsnips, sweet potato and cabbage. Cook 2-3 minutes, then add tomatoes, water and broth concentrate. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Stir in pastina and kale; cook 4-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste; serve.

Spaghetti with Kale, Garlic and Pecorino

2012-01-07T07:50:00.004-07:00

A lovely winter dish suitable for all ages. The kale cooks up so mild and tender that even veggie-haters (like my youngest, who refuses to touch most dishes containing greens) will gobble this up.

3 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp crushed red chiles (to taste)
3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped to yield 1 1/2 to 2 Tbsp
1 large bunch kale, stemmed and chiffonaded to yield 6 to 8 cups leaves
10 ounces Barilla Plus spaghetti
1/2 cup chiffonaded basil leaves
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for passing at the table
Salt and pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.

While pasta cooks, heat olive oil over low heat in a large saute pan. Add garlic and crushed red chiles. Cook 5 minutes or until garlic is soft and mixture is very fragrant.

Add kale; stir to mix, then cover and cook 2-3 minutes or until wilted. Add pasta; toss into kale mixture with 2 forks to evenly distribute kale into pasta. Stir in basil and cheese; add salt and pepper to taste. Top with additional cheese to taste. Serves 4.

Florentine Rolls

2011-11-07T21:19:00.003-07:00

I love the garlic-herb pizza dough from Trader Joe's, and had long been thinking it would make a tasty roll. Tonight I proved myself correct. Next time I think I'll lay pesto down under the spinach, just to gild the lily. Hey, perhaps they'll even make an appearance on this year's Thanksgiving table.

1 1-lb package Trader Joe's garlic-herb pizza dough
6 ozs frozen spinach
1/2 c crumbled feta (get the good stuff)
2 Tbsp grated Romano
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400. On a Silpat or sheet of parchment paper, pat pizza dough into a 10"x12" square. Cover dough with spinach, feta and Romano, leaving a 2" border along one short end. Roll dough toward you as with cinnamon rolls; slice in 12 pieces. Place each piece in the depression of a muffin tin sprayed with cooking spray. Bake 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Lighter Loaded Baked Potato Soup

2011-11-07T21:06:00.003-07:00

A great use for leftover baked potatoes, made lighter with the addition of cruciferous vegetables. Not one of my family could tell the difference. My 5-year-old - always skeptical of anything healthy - asked for seconds.

1 Tbsp butter
1/2 white onion, chopped small
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small head cauliflower, cut into florets
2 c broth
1 1/2 c milk
2 large russet potatoes, baked, skins mostly removed
1/2 c light sour cream
salt and white pepper to taste
scallions or chives
sharp cheddar cheese
bacon bits or crumbled veggie bacon

Heat butter over medium-low heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, until softened; do not brown. Add cauliflower and broth; cover and cook until cauliflower is very soft. Add milk; puree using an immersion blender until smooth. Crumble in russet potatoes, pureeing a bit more if desired (we like ours slightly chunky). Stir in sour cream, salt and white pepper. Serve in bowls topped with dollops of sour cream, shreds of cheddar cheese, scallions or chives, and crumbled bacon.

Chole Panir Masala (Paneer and Chickpeas Masala)

2011-09-26T07:44:00.004-07:00

I cook my own chickpeas - they absorb the flavors of the masala so well when fresh and hot - and use the cooking water to make the masala for this dish. If you are crunched for time, substitute 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained, and some water or vegetable broth... and consider investing in a pressure cooker!

Please also note that the amount of cayenne in my recipes is to taste. I cook for children, so by necessity, everything is mildly spiced. If no children will be eating this dish, you may wish to double the cayenne; if you're accustomed to Indian food, by all means triple it.

Note: made this dish again, omitted chana masala powder in favor of 1/2 tsp garam masala and 1/2 tsp finely ground black pepper.

1 cup dry chickpeas, cooked, liquid reserved
1 Tbsp ghee
14 ozs paneer, cubed
2 tsp grapeseed or other high-heat oil
3/4 tsp black mustard seeds
2 sprigs curry leaves
1 red onion, diced
1 tsp garlic paste (or very finely minced garlic)
1 tsp ginger paste (or very finely grated ginger)
1 tsp coriander powder
3/4 tsp cumin powder
3/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp cayenne, or to taste
1 c crushed tomatoes
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp channa masala powder
2 Tbsp cilantro

In a large, flat-bottomed saucier or skillet, or a large wok, heat ghee over medium-high heat. Saute paneer until golden brown. Remove. Add grapeseed oil; when oil shimmers, add mustard seeds, cover immediately, and cook until popping subsides. Add curry leaves; when crackling subsides, add red onion. Cook until softened. Add ginger and garlic; cook a moment or two. Add spices; cook until fragrant. Add crushed tomatoes, salt, and at least 1 cup cooking water from chickpeas (to taste). When liquid comes to a simmer, add chickpeas. Simmer a few minutes. Add paneer; simmer a few more minutes. Remove from heat, stir in channa masala powder, top with cilantro, and serve. dish again a

Gobi Patta Aloo Subzi (Cabbage and Potato Dry Curry)

2011-09-26T07:35:00.004-07:00

This dish gets its distinctive tang from amchoor, a powder made of dried green mangoes. If unavailable, you can substitute lime juice, to slightly different results. But it's worth picking up a small jar of amchoor (sometimes spelled amchur); it is commonly used in many north Indian curries, and I find myself craving the flavor fairly regularly. Garam masala is nothing more than a blend of spices; it's easy to pull together your own in a pinch, as long as you have a well-stocked spice cabinet.

1 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/8 tsp asafoetida
1/2 medium cabbage, sliced
2 medium potatoes, quartered and sliced
1/2 tsp salt, to taste
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp cayenne, to taste
3/4 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp amchoor (dried mango powder)
1/2 tsp garam masala

Heat oil over high heat in a large wok, saucier or wide-bottomed saute pan. Add cumin seeds; when browned, add asafetida. Cook for 2 seconds. Add potato slices in a single layer. Reduce heat to medium-high; cook without stirring for a few minutes until potatoes are browned on one side. Add cabbage; stir well. Add salt and all the spices except amchoor and garam masala.

Mix well; turn heat to low. Cook covered, stirring occasionally, until potato is tender. Add amchoor and garam masala; increase heat and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Serve with paratha, chapati or roti.

Orecchiette with Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce

2011-09-18T19:02:00.003-07:00

I made this for dinner tonight. It was unbelievably delicious. Neither of my children would eat it.

sad, sad leftovers

3 red bell peppers
1/2 lb orecchiette pasta
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 small red onion, chopped
Salt and white pepper
1/2 tsp bouillon concentrate (optional, but adds depth of flavor)
1/2 c half-and-half
2 Tbsp pine nuts, toasted
3 Tbsp chopped fresh basil leaves
Romano or other hard grating cheese

Cut bell peppers in half, removing stems, white ribs and seeds. Place skin side up on a sheet pan lined with parchment. Broil 4-5 minutes or until skins have almost completely blackened. Remove from oven, cover sheet pan with a dishtowel and let stand at least 10 minutes. Slip blackened skins from peppers and discard. Roughly chop roasted peppers. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to boil for the pasta. Cook according to package directions. Drain, reserving a bit of cooking water.

While pasta cooks, saute garlic in olive oil over medium-low heat for 30 seconds, or until garlic begins to become translucent. Add red onion; increase heat to medium and cook until translucent. Add chopped roasted red peppers; saute a moment or two to blend flavors. Season with salt and white pepper. Remove to a food processor or blender jar. Add bouillon concentrate and half-and-half; puree until smooth. Return sauce to pan; keep warm over low heat.

When pasta is cooked, stir it into the pot of sauce. Mix well, separating any pasta ears that have stuck together. Dish pasta evenly into four bowls. Top with pine nuts and basil. Using a vegetable peeler, shave Romano cheese atop pasta. Serves 4.

Cream Scones with Dark Chocolate and Crystallized Ginger

2011-08-27T13:50:00.012-07:00

I needed a good scone recipe for a potluck breakfast I attended this morning, but wasn't sure where to start. Meanwhile, my mind kept heading back to a favorite biscuit recipe I've been making for years. I kept thinking, "I wish I could make scones as good as those biscuits." Finally I decided to just alter the biscuit recipe and see what happened. The results were delectable, providing a rich and tender crumb with virtually no work. I had nothing to take home but an empty container.

Please note that I made mine two-bite-size for the potluck; if you make yours larger, increase the cooking time accordingly.

1 c whole wheat pastry flour or white whole wheat flour
3/4 c unbleached all-purpose flour
2 1/2 Tbsp granulated sugar
2 1/4 tsp double-acting baking powder (I prefer Rumford)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c good-quality miniature chocolate chips
1/3 c finely chopped crystallized ginger
1 1/4 c heavy cream
1 egg, beaten
2 Tbsp coarse sparkling sugar

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients (flour through salt). Stir to combine. Add chocolate chips and ginger; stir briefly to incorporate. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients; pour in cream. Stir until just combined, handling as little as possible.

Turn dough out onto a clean countertop. Pat into a square about 3/4" thick. Cut square into 16 pieces, then cut each piece diagonally to form small triangles. Brush tops of scones with egg wash; sprinkle with coarse sugar. Using a flexible metal spatula or bench knife, transfer scones to a half-sheet pan, placing them at least 1 inch apart. Bake for 11 minutes or until golden and puffed. Serve warm.

Southwest Breakfast Flatbread

2011-07-02T10:12:00.004-07:00

Many of my favorite neighborhood restaurants have jumped aboard the trend of fancy flatbread offerings. This morning I found myself hankering for one, but also felt like eating an egg. I bridged the gap with the below recipe - come to think of it, less a recipe than an instructional manual, as I used what I had in my refrigerator. Feel free to customize it according to your specifications.

2 eggs
1 lavosh flatbread, approx. 8"x12"
1/2 c non-chunky salsa of your choice
3 Tbsp cooked black beans
1/4 c breakfast sausage of your choice (my family likes Morningstar)
2 Tbsp chopped green onion
1 handful heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved
1/3 c grated Mexican cheese blend
1 Tbsp cotija cheese
1 Tbsp shredded fresh cilantro

Scramble the eggs. Spread salsa on lavosh to within 1/2" of edges. Sprinkle on scrambled eggs. Add black beans, sausage, green onion, tomatoes and cheeses.

Broil until cheese is melted and edges of lavosh are browned. Sprinkle with cilantro. Cut in wedges or squares (I like to use my kitchen scissors for this). Serve with fruit. Serves 2.

Tuscan Grilled Vegetable Paninis

2011-06-18T09:23:00.018-07:00

My family and I drove north last weekend to relax on the grass in the shade of towering elm trees and enjoy a 12-hour day of performing arts. I knew that, once we'd spread our blanket, none of us would want to leave it. And yet we'd have to eat. Solution: panini sandwiches!

I don't think there's a better picnic lunch out there than panini. This recipe makes approximately 8 sandwiches, which will keep quite nicely for a few hours, wrapped in foil, while you are heading to your location of choice. We rounded out our meal with fresh grapes, pistachios, and sparkling water.

2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
3/4 tsp mixed Italian herbs (oregano, basil, rosemary, thyme)
Salt and pepper
3 small zucchini, cut in strips lengthwise
4 Quorn cutlets (feel free to use chicken if you're not a vegetarian), cut in half to be thinner
1 loaf crusty artisan bread
1 jar roasted red peppers, drained and patted dry
A few handfuls of large basil leaves, or 1/2 cup prepared pesto
1/2 cup olive tapenade
1/2 pound sliced provolone cheese
4 ounces fresh young goat cheese (I used a variety with figs)

Combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, herbs, salt and pepper in a gallon-sized zip-top bag. Place zucchini and Quorn in single layer, press out air and seal bag. Let stand 20 minutes or so.

Preheat panini press to HIGH. Cook zucchini until softened and seared with grill marks. Repeat with Quorn. Set ingredients aside.

ingredients ready to assemble

Separate bread into sandwich pairs. On inside of one half of each sandwich pair, spread goat cheese; on other inside, spread olive tapenade. On top of the olive half, layer zucchini, Quorn, roasted red peppers and basil, placing provolone slices strategically to keep sandwich glued together when pressed.

layered goodness

Place goat cheese top on each sandwich, goat cheese side down.

put the lid on and press that sucker

Grill sandwiches until bread is toasted and cheese is melted. Let cool, then cut each sandwich in half and wrap in foil. Enjoy your picnic!

Peach Frangipane Tart

2011-06-15T15:05:00.007-07:00

It saddens me to report that I have no photo of this dessert to share with you all. You'll just have to trust me when I say it was as beautiful as it was delicious.

For the crust:
1 1/3 c unbleached flour
1/4 c sugar
1/2 c cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1 large egg yolk

Preheat oven to 450. In a food processor or bowl, combine flour and sugar. Add butter; process until fine crumbs form. Add egg yolk; process until dough holds together. Firmly pat into a ball. Press dough evenly over bottom and up sides of a 10" tart pan with removable rim. Trim and finish edges. Dock all over with fork. Bake until light brown, about 10 minutes. Cool crust on rack.

For the frangipane filling:
3/4 c sliced almonds
1/3 c sugar
1 Tbsp unbleached flour
2 Tbsp Amaretto liqueur
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 egg

Reduce oven temperature to 400. Finely grind slivered almonds in processor. Add flour, sugar, 2 tablespoons amaretto and butter; puree. Add egg; process until well blended. Pour into crust. Bake until filling begins to brown and is springy to touch, about 15 minutes. Cool on rack.

If necessary, tart can stand at this point for a few hours; continue with recipe when close to serving time (2 hours or less).

For the peach topping:
1/2 cup peach or apricot preserves
1 Tbsp Amaretto liqueur
5 large peaches, peeled and sliced
1 1/2 Tbsp chopped pistachios

Combine preserves and Amaretto in heavy small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring to melt preserves. Boil until slightly thickened, about 30 seconds.

Brush some preserves over tart filling. Arrange peaches atop preserves in concentric overlapping circles. Brush with remaining preserves. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios. (Can be prepared 3 hours ahead. Store at room temperature.)

To serve, cut into quarters, then cut each quarter into three pieces. Serve slices of tart with vanilla ice cream alongside.

Grilled Wahoo Tacos with Cumin Crema

2011-06-15T14:34:00.004-07:00

If you don't have lime-flavored oil to use in the marinade, please be cautious using lime juice instead, especially if you plan to let the fish stand in the marinade for a long time. Prolonged exposure to high acidity can chemically "cook" your fish, leaving you with ceviche instead of a grill-ready fillet. Feel free to substitute regular oil flavored with some food-grade lime oil. Yes, you will use food-grade lime oil in other recipes, I promise, if only these cookies.

For the grilled wahoo:
1/4 c Mexican lime olive oil

1 tsp ancho chile powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried oregano, crushed
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 lbs wahoo (ono) fillets, cut into pieces about 1 1/2" by 5"

Combine oil, spices, salt and pepper in a gallon-sized zip-top bag. Squeeze to blend. Add fish fillets in a single layer, rotating bag and fillets to coat evenly. Let stand, refrigerated, for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight.

Preheat an outdoor grill or an indoor grill pan. Remove fish from marinade; grill 2 minutes per side or until just done, brushing with marinade as needed to prevent sticking.

For the cumin crema:
1/2 c sour cream
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp milk, or as needed to make a sauce-like consistency

Combine all ingredients (sour cream through milk) in a small bowl. Set aside, refrigerated, until tacos are ready to serve.

For the tacos:
12 corn tortillas
1 1/2 cups shredded green cabbage
1 cup pico de gallo salsa
1/2 c chopped cilantro
Lime wedges

To serve:
Place a piece of fish in a steamed corn tortilla. Drizzle with cumin crema. Top with shredded cabbage, chopped cilantro and pico de gallo salsa. Serve with lime wedges alongside.

Amazing Overnight Waffles, Chocolate Style

2011-05-29T07:41:00.005-07:00

This recipe, adapted from Mollie Katzen, lives up to its billing. Better yet, it's easy. The majority of the work is done the night before, allowing even the most bleary-eyed of cooks to produce a showstopping breakfast. This past weekend I had waffles on the table in the morning for my daughters and their sleepover guests before my coffee was even ready. A recipe like that? Keeper.

Go ahead... lick the screen

2 cups white whole wheat flour
1 tsp yeast
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 c milk
4 Tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 large egg
1/4 c Guittard miniature chocolate chips
1/3 c Nutella
1/3 c half-and-half
Powdered sugar
Whipped cream (optional)

The night before: Stir together flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Add milk; whisk to blend. Cover and let stand at room temperature.

In the morning: Preheat waffle iron. Heat butter until just melted. Crack egg into melted butter; beat to combine. Stir into batter. Add chocolate chips. Ladle batter into waffle iron. Cook until browned.

While the waffles cook, stir together Nutella and half-and-half until mixture reaches the consistency of a sauce. Top each waffle with a drizzle of sauce, a dusting of powdered sugar, and a dollop of whipped cream if desired. Serve immediately.

Leftovers (if any) can be cooled completely on a rack, then frozen in a zip-top bag for later reheating in a toaster or toaster oven.

Stealthy Macaroni & Cheese

2011-03-14T19:00:00.005-07:00

Both of my children pronounced this dish delicious and asked for seconds. None of you had better tell them that a 9" square pan contains a whole head of cauliflower. Especially my 4-year-old, who last month pronounced that she hates cauliflower and that it "fills the air with stupidness."

I adapted this from a recipe in Runner's World that got some bad reviews. I think what the naysayers got wrong was to rinse the pasta - removing the starch which thickens the dish - and to use mild cheeses. I used the sharpest cheddar I had, and a good aged Romano, to good result.

2 c vegetable stock
2 bay leaves
1 large cauliflower, cored, cut into large pieces
8 oz Barilla Plus elbow macaroni
1/2 c grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
Salt and black pepper
1/4 c grated Romano cheese
1/2 c panko bread crumbs

Heat oven to 400° F.

Cook cauliflower in boiling water for 25 minutes (will be extremely soft). Drain; place in a food processor.

Meanwhile, par-cook pasta in boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain; do not rinse. Place pasta in an oiled 9" square baking dish.

Bring stock to a boil in a saucepan with bay leaves. Discard bay leaves. Pour stock over cauliflower. Add cheddar, olive oil, mustard, salt and pepper. Process until smooth.

Pour sauce over pasta, toss, and spread evenly in dish. Mixture will be soupy. Top with Romano cheese and bread crumbs. Bake 25-30 minutes or until thick, browned and bubbling. Serves 6.

Berries with Honey Ricotta Cream

2011-03-13T18:40:00.003-07:00

A delectable springtime dessert. Please don't try to use the waxy and flavorless "chocolaty" sprinkles you can find in supermarkets. Substitute miniature chocolate chips instead, or simply go without.

I'm sorry there's no picture. This dish got eaten before it could get photographed. Some things are too good to last, I guess...

1/3 cup ricotta cheese
2-3 Tbsp cream, to taste
2 tsp honey
1/8 tsp almond extract
1 cup strawberries
1/2 cup blueberries
a dusting of Guittard chocolate sprinkles

Place ricotta in a small bowl. Add cream, honey and almond extract. Stir to mix thoroughly. Set aside.

Place strawberries and blueberries in a serving bowl. Dollop ricotta cream atop berries. Top with sprinkles and serve.

Tortilla Pie

2011-03-13T16:20:00.003-07:00

Some call this type of dish "Mexican lasagna," but as my 7-year-old professes an intense dislike of regular lasagna, we chose the moniker Tortilla Pie instead.

2 tsp canola oil
1 red onion
4-5 cloves garlic
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp pasilla chile powder
1 red bell pepper
12 oz soy crumble (can use ground turkey)
4 oz roasted diced green chiles
1 can diced tomatoes in juice
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
Greens from 1 large golden beet, shredded, about 3 cups (can substitute any mild green such as spinach or chard)
8 whole-wheat tortillas
1 1/2 c shredded Mexican blend cheese
1 1/4 c enchilada sauce
1/4 c chopped cilantro

In a large skillet, saute onion and garlic in canola oil until onion is softened. Add spices; saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add bell pepper; saute until softened. Add soy crumble, pressing with the back of your spoon to loosen. Add green chiles, diced tomatoes and black beans; cover and simmer a few minutes until greens wilt. Uncover and simmer to desired thickness. Remove from heat.

In a 9" square pan, layer ingredients as follows: tortillas, skillet mixture, enchilada sauce, cheese, cilantro. Repeat twice. End with tortillas, then top with enchilada sauce and cheese. Cover with foil; bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until heated through. Remove foil; bake 15 minutes or until top browns. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

Oven-Roasted Dry Curry Potatoes

2011-03-06T20:57:00.003-07:00

Free up your stovetop to cook other dishes by preparing this easy potato curry in the oven.

1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp amchur (optional, but gives a nice tang)
1/4 tsp garam masala
1 1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp cracked black pepper
1 1/2 pounds mixed-color potato blend
12 cloves garlic, ends removed
2-3 Tbsp oil

Preheat oven to 425. Mix salt, pepper and spices. Set aside.

Cut the potatoes into even large dice. Spread on a baking sheet with garlic cloves. Toss evenly with oil to coat. Shake the baking sheet to evenly distribute the potato-garlic mixture, and sprinkle with spices. Toss to coat. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until potatoes test done with the point of a knife and are nicely browned. Serves 6.

Shrimp with Coconut Oil and Curry Leaves

2011-03-06T20:51:00.003-07:00

If you have access to fresh curry leaves, don't hesitate to make this simple yet delicious dish. There are no substitutions for the coconut oil, which brings out the sweet flavor of the seafood. Use medium shrimp so the flavors can really soak into them.

3 Tbsp best-quality coconut oil
1 1/2 tsp coarsely cracked black pepper
2 pounds shrimp, shells and veins removed
30 fresh curry leaves, slivered
1 1/2 tsp salt

Heat the coconut oil over medium heat, watching carefully, as the oil has a low smoke point and may burn. When the oil is hot, add pepper, stirring for a moment until fragrant, then add shrimp. Cook, tossing and stirring constantly, until shrimp is coated with pepper and oil. Add curry leaves and salt; continue to stir constantly until shrimp is opaque. This should only take 2-3 minutes. Serve hot. Serves 4-6.

Easy South Indian Peas Curry

2011-03-06T20:47:00.004-07:00

Coconut and fragrant spices transform the humble frozen green pea, which in India always receives the plural. A typically south Indian treatment, this technique can be used on almost any vegetable.

1 Tbsp oil
1 dried red chile
1 tsp black mustard seed
1 tsp cumin seed
5-6 fresh curry leaves
1/2 onion, chopped
1 pound green peas
3 Tbsp shredded coconut

Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. When it is very hot, add chile, mustard and cumin. Cover quickly. When popping subsides, add curry leaves, then onion. Cook, stirring, until onion begins to brown, then reduce heat to medium. When onion is softened, add green peas. Cover and cook until peas are soft, 5-6 minutes. Add coconut, and salt to taste. Serves 6-8.

Ven Pongal

2011-01-16T08:18:00.006-07:00

This creamy and mildly spiced rice dish is a hallmark of the South Indian harvest festival of Pongal. The word "pongal" in Tamil means "to boil over"; similarly, this dish and its first-of-the-season ingredients connote prosperity.

3/4 c moong dal
1 c basmati rice
1 tsp salt, or to taste
5 c water
2 Tbsp halved cashew nuts
1 tsp whole peppercorns
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
1/4 tsp asafetida
small sprig curry leaves, stemmed, torn in half to release flavor
3 Tbsp ghee
1 Tbsp oil

Roast yellow moong dal in a medium-to-large pressure cooker until lightly roasted and aromatic but not browned. Add rice, water and salt. Bring to a boil, then cook covered on LOW for 12-14 minutes or until rice and dal are soft.

Meanwhile, heat a small skillet to medium-high. Add 1/2 tsp ghee; roast cashews until golden. Set aside. Allow skillet to return to temperature, then add oil and briefly roast whole peppercorns. Add crushed pepper, cumin, ginger, asafetida and curry leaves; cook until cumin is starting to brown and mixture is fragrant. Stir in cashews and remove from heat.

Once the rice-dal mixture is cooked, add roasted spices and cashews. Drizzle with remaining ghee. Mix until well blended. Serve hot; pongal is at its best when eaten fresh. Serves 4.

Ginger-Lovers' Linzer Cookies

2010-12-30T15:44:00.004-07:00

These beautiful, festive cookies with a not-so-subtle kick are perfect for ginger lovers. A dough scraper or large semi-flexible stainless steel spatula helps transfer these cookies to parchment. I started with this Chipotle Gingerbread dough, adapted it to my liking, then slathered some spicy-sweet ginger spread between two cookies.

1/2 c unsalted butter
1 c plus 2 Tbsp brown sugar
2/3 c molasses
1 egg
2 3/4 c white whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground chipotle chile powder
Powdered sugar
Ginger spread

In a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in molasses and egg, scraping down sides and bottom, until light and uniform.

Mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture until it comes together into one uniform batter. Chill dough for 3+ hours.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Roll out dough between Silpats or sheets of parchment paper to 1/4" thickness. Cut out circles; cut decorative shapes with smaller cutters in half of circles. Place circles on a parchment-lined cookie sheet; bake 10 minutes or until just done (do not let brown). Cool on sheets for a moment, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

When cooled, dust top halves of sandwiches (those with decorative cutouts) liberally with powdered sugar. Turn bottom halves (those without decorative cutouts) over and spread ginger spread evenly over flat bottoms. Press lightly together to make sandwiches. Store for up to 2 days in a closed container between sheets of parchment paper.

Hot Chocolate for the Winter Solstice

2010-12-21T16:43:00.008-07:00

I make this beverage for my family as a special treat, once a year on the winter solstice. We spend the evening outdoors, away from electric illumination, to honor the darkness; and cups of hot chocolate made with melted chocolate (not cocoa) have become part of the ritual.

3/4 c half-and-half
2 Tbsp raw sugar
1 c high-quality bittersweet (60%) chocolate chips
4 c milk
3/4 tsp real vanilla extract
1/8 tsp cayenne
pinch sea salt

Heat half-and-half and sugar until simmering. Remove from heat; add chocolate chips. Let sit a moment, then whisk to combine. Chocolate should be thoroughly melted. This chocolate base can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a week to make individual cups of hot chocolate; when ready, proceed with recipe as follows.

Combine chocolate base and milk. Stir to combine, then heat thoroughly; do not boil. When piping hot, stir in vanilla, cayenne and sea salt. Decant into 4 preheated mugs.

Salted Chocolate Nutella Fudge

2010-12-18T20:25:00.005-07:00

I took this recipe to a potluck tonight where there were about 30 people. No fudge was left at the end of the evening.

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
8 ozs (1 1/4 c) high-quality bittersweet (60% cacao) chocolate chips
1 cup Nutella
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" pieces
1/2 to 1 tsp sea salt

Line bottom and sides of a 9" baking pan with waxed paper, leaving a 2" overlap. It helps to dot the center bottom of the pan with a bit of butter to help the waxed paper stick.

In a medium glass bowl, stir together sweetened condensed milk, bittersweet chocolate chips, Nutella and butter. Cook over gently simmering water, or in the microwave, until the chocolate chips are melted and the mixture is smooth, about 5 minutes. Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan, spread the top smooth with a spatula, and sprinkle with sea salt. Refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours.

Using paper, lift fudge out of pan, then peel off waxed paper. Dip a knife into hot water, dry it, and cut the fudge into squares, dipping and drying knife as needed. Store fudge refrigerated in an airtight container. Makes 64 pieces.

Baked Chocolate Cake Doughnuts

2010-12-12T08:35:00.006-07:00

While still definitely a treat, these doughnuts are baked, not fried, elevating them a notch on the healthfulness scale. Do they still taste good? My children – self-proclaimed experts on all things sweet – praised them as the best doughnuts they'd ever eaten.

This recipe makes 18 doughnuts, requiring the special equipment of 3 doughnut pans (or 1 used in heavy rotation).

1 3/4 c white whole wheat flour (or 2 c pastry flour)
1 c plus 2 Tbsp sugar
1/4 c cocoa powder, sifted
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon, or 1/2 tsp espresso powder (optional)
6 Tbsp butter
4 large eggs
6 Tbsp buttermilk
2 tsp vanilla extract

Whisk together dry ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Set aside.

Melt butter in a small bowl. Beat in eggs until thoroughly incorporated. Add buttermilk and vanilla. Pour liquid ingredients all at once into dry ingredients; stir just until combined. Batter will be thick.

Scrape batter into a gallon-sized zip-top bag. Cut off one corner, making an opening about 3/4" in size. Squirt the batter into the openings in the doughnut pans to fill each doughnut form half full.

Bake in a preheated 375° oven for 12 to 14 minutes. When done, they'll spring back when touched lightly. Remove pans from oven, remove doughnuts from pan (mine lifted straight out with a slender silicone spatula), and allow finished product to cool slightly before glazing.

Homemade Green Bean Casserole

2010-11-28T09:18:00.003-07:00

Canned soup is so 50 years ago. Make your own!

1 1/2 lbs slender green beans, trimmed, cut into 1" lengths
1 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup onion, chopped small
10 oz cremini mushrooms, halved and sliced (to taste)
3 Tbsp butter
1/4 c flour
2 c milk
Salt and pepper
3 shallots, sliced
Flour
Butter

Steam green beans until tender. Drain and set aside.

While green beans steam, in a large skillet over medium heat, cook onion in butter until beginning to soften, about 4 minutes. Add mushrooms; cook another 8 minutes or until mushrooms have given up their juice and juice has largely cooked off. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from saucepan and set aside.

In same saucepan over medium-low heat, melt butter. Add flour, whisking constantly, until mixture turns light golden, about 2 minutes. Stir in milk, whisking until mixture has thickened, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in mushroom mixture, then green beans.

Butter a 9"x13" casserole dish. Spread green bean mixture evenly in dish. (Casserole can be held at this point in refrigerator, covered, 2 days.) Bake until dish is heated through and bubbly.

While dish bakes, toss shallots in flour, then fry in butter until crisp. Remove dish from oven and sprinkle with fried shallots. Serve.

Whipped Sweet Potatoes with Pecan Streusel

2010-11-25T22:18:00.004-07:00

My mother used to make these when I was little. With a few adaptations, I have made them every year. Note that this recipe is sized to feed a crowd of 16 to 20. I go ahead and make this amount every year because if I didn't, my family would fight over who got the leftovers.

5 lbs jewel yams (sweet potatoes)
1/2 c half-and-half
1/2 c Grade B maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 tsp salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Cooking spray
1/2 c white whole wheat flour
1/2 c Sucanat or other dark brown sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 to 1/3 c butter, softened
1/2 c chopped pecans

Peel the yams, cut them into chunks, and steam them until fork-tender. Let rest until cool enough to handle.

Place steamed yams in the work bowl of a food processor with half-and-half, maple syrup, vanilla, salt and egg (this may have to be done in batches). Puree until smooth. Spoon potato mixture evenly into a 13"x9" baking dish coated with cooking spray.

Combine flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Work butter in with your hands until mixture is the texture of wet sand. It should come together when squeezed but crumble apart very easily. The amount of butter you use will depend on the moisture present in your flour; you will need more in dry weather. When the texture is right, stir in the pecans. (This streusel can be prepared a couple of weeks ahead and frozen; bring to room temperature before use.)

Sprinkle streusel over whipped yams. (Casserole can be held at this point for 1 day in refrigerator). Bake covered at 375° for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 25 minutes or until topping is browned.

Chocolate Lava Cakes with Pistachio Cream

2010-11-25T22:08:00.005-07:00

These were absolutely the hit of my Thanksgiving menu this year. The sauce would be good on many many things; I took great pleasure in licking the spoon when no one was looking.

1 c shelled dry-roasted pistachios
1 3/4 c sugar, divided
1/4 c unsweetened cocoa
2 large eggs
5 large egg whites
2 ozs bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Cooking spray
1 c milk
Dash of salt

Place pistachios in a food processor; process until a crumbly paste forms (about 3 1/2 minutes), scraping sides of bowl as needed.

Place half of pistachio butter in a metal bowl with 1 1/4 cups sugar, cocoa, eggs, and egg whites. Stir well (I used beaters). Add chocolate; cook over simmering water until chocolate melts and sugar dissolves (about 3 minutes). Remove from heat; add baking powder and vanilla. Stir with a whisk until smooth. Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray and sugar. Chill a minimum of 2 hours. (I chilled them for 10 and they baked fine.)

Place remaining half of pistachio butter with 1/2 cup sugar in food processor; pulse until combined. Add milk and salt; process until smooth. Strain mixture through a sieve into a small saucepan. (Solids can be eaten on toast - YUM.) Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 4 minutes or until thick. Pour into a bowl, cover and chill.

Preheat oven to 450°. Bake cakes 8-9 minutes or until almost set (centers will not be firm). Let cool in pan 5 minutes. Invert cakes onto a cutting board, then place each on a dessert plate. Drizzle with sauce.

Cheddar-Stuffed Mushrooms

2010-11-25T07:46:00.009-07:00

These smell as good as, if not better than, they taste. Take the time to dice the cheese; it makes a difference in the finished product, giving you pockets of melted oozy goodness.

1 lb large cremini mushrooms for stuffing
2 tsp olive oil
1 large shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 c dry breadcrumbs or panko
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp each salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp grated Asiago or other hard Italian grating cheese
3/4 c sharp cheddar or other strong cheese, in 1/8" dice
Lemon juice

Prep mushrooms: clean, then remove and finely chop stems. Set stems aside. Lay out caps open side up on a baking sheet.

Heat a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Saute minced shallots and minced garlic in olive oil 2 minutes or until tender. Add chopped mushroom stems; saute until soft. Add breadcrumbs, chopped parsley, salt, pepper, Asiago and cheddar to shallot mixture; toss until blended.

Spoon about 1 teaspoon filling into each mushroom cap. (Can be held at this point 1 day covered in refrigerator.)

Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until filling begins to brown and cheese melts. Serve warm.

Curried Pumpkin Bisque

2010-10-31T14:24:00.004-07:00

"Meat masala" is nothing more than a blend of spices traditionally used in India for meat curries. Its intensity also blends well with some vegetable and bean dishes; I find it particularly well suited to the flavor of pumpkin.

1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 1/2 c chopped yellow onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 c celery, chopped
2 tsp meat masala
1 15-oz can solid-pack pumpkin
3 c broth of your choice
1/3 c evaporated skimmed milk or fat-free half-and-half
2 Tbsp sour cream or mascarpone cheese, optional
1 1/2 Tbsp Sucanat or dark brown sugar
3/4 tsp RealSalt or other good salt

Saute onion, garlic and celery in butter in a saucepan over medium heat. When vegetables have softened, stir in meat masala. When spices are fragrant, stir in pumpkin and broth. Simmer several minutes, then add milk and sour cream. Taste and correct seasonings with salt and sugar. Puree until velvety-smooth in batches in a blender. Serves 6.

Pumpkin-Crystallized Ginger Drop Scones

2010-10-23T09:03:00.007-07:00

I intended to make pumpkin muffins this morning, but decided scones sounded better. Of course these had to have chocolate chips in them too since I'm making them for kids (as well as chocoholics). I used mini chips and chopped my ginger into bits roughly the same size. The subtle heat of the ginger bits complemented the smooth creaminess of the chocolate beautifully - so much so, in fact, that we ended up in the Land of No Leftover Scones. Recipe adapted from the King Arthur Flour blog.

2 3/4 c white whole wheat flour
1/3 c Sucanat
1 Tbsp aluminum-free baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/2 stick cold butter, cut into smallish cubes
1/2 c finely chopped crystallized ginger
1/2 c miniature chocolate chips
1 15-oz can pumpkin
2 eggs
coarse sugar or cinnamon-sugar blend

Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl. Work in butter with a pastry cutter (or in a food processor) just until mixture is unevenly crumbly (some larger chunks of butter may remain unincorporated). Stir in ginger and chocolate.

In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs and pumpkin. Pour atop dry ingredients; stir to combine.

Scoop in 1/4-cup dollops onto a Silpat-lined baking sheet, leaving plenty of room between scoops to allow for rise. Sprinkle tops with coarse sugar. If time allows, place baking sheet in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes to firm butter and create a higher rise. Bake at 425 for 18-20 minutes or until puffed and golden.

Baked Brie With Peach-Ginger Relish

2010-10-20T16:44:00.003-07:00

1 c peaches, diced
3 to 4 Tbsp Sucanat or dark brown sugar
1/4 c diced seeded Anaheim chiles
2 Tbsp diced red onion
2 Tbsp white balsamic vinegar
2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1/8 tsp salt
1 8-ounce Brie round
Pita Bite or other sturdy crackers

Combine first 7 ingredients (peaches through salt) in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook 5 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Set aside.

Place Brie round on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 8 to 10 minutes or until cheese is soft. Transfer to a serving plate; pour peach relish atop cheese. Serve with crackers.

Pumpkin Muffins

2010-10-14T09:49:00.004-07:00

I heard the weather is supposed to drop out of the high 90s this weekend (finally). Perhaps it's pumpkin time...

1 1/2 c white whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp baking powder
6 Tbsp butter, at room temperature
1 c dark brown sugar
2 eggs
1 c pumpkin puree
1/3 c water or milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)

Combine dry ingredients; whisk thoroughly. Beat butter until creamy, about 30 seconds. Beat in sugar gradually until lightened in color and texture, 3 to 4 minutes. Beat eggs in 1 at a time. Add pumpkin; beat on low speed just until blended. Add flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with milk/vanilla mixture in 2 parts, scraping sides of bowl as necessary. Stir in chocolate chips if using. Bake in muffin pans at 350 for 25 minutes or until muffins test done.

Peppered Crusts for a Savory Quiche

2010-10-07T15:28:00.003-07:00

This recipe makes 2 pat-in-pan quiche crusts. Other flavorings can also be added according to your filling recipe; for example, I like cumin and oregano in the crust for a Mexican-style filling.

2 c white whole wheat flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
6 Tbsp chilled butter, cut into small pieces
9 Tbsp ice water

lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Place dry ingredients in the work bowl of a food processor; pulse to combine. Add chilled butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle surface with ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing between sprinkles. Continue until mixture is moist and crumbly (do not form a ball). Turn mixture out, dividing between two 10" tart pans with removable bottoms. Press mixture evenly across bottoms and up sides of tart pans. Place tart pans in freezer; chill 15 minutes.

Buttermilk Marble Cake with Two-Toned Frosting

2010-10-03T21:36:00.008-07:00

Adrashanti requested a marble cake for her 7th birthday. This recipe, adapted from Christopher Kimball's cookbook "Dessert Bible," did not disappoint. My efforts were rewarded with a tangy-sweet flavor, a tender crumb and a relatively level rise. The frosting, my go-to recipe, should be kept cold for best flavor and texture.

Cake:
2 c unbleached flour
1/2 c cornstarch
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened but still firm
1 1/2 c granulated sugar
5 large eggs, at room temperature
1 c buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla paste
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 oz bittersweet chocolate (I used 65%)
1 Tbsp cocoa powder
1/8 tsp baking soda

Set oven rack in middle position; preheat to 350. Butter two 9" cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment.

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.

Beat butter at medium speed in a stand mixer for 30 seconds. Continue beating, gradually adding sugar, until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Scrape down sides of bowl frequently. Beat in vanilla extract and paste.

Add half of flour mixture, beating to incorporate, then add half of buttermilk. When incorporated, repeat with remaining flour mixture and buttermilk. Scrape down sides of bowl and beat to fully blend.

Remove 1/3 of batter to a bowl. Stir in melted chocolate. Sift cocoa powder and baking soda together atop batter; stir in.

Divide white batter equally between prepared pans. Spread to cover bottoms. Dollop chocolate batter equally onto white batter in three large dollops per pan. With a cheese spreader or butter knife, swirl to marble, first in one direction and then at a 90-degree angle, marbling as minimally as possible to create the desired effect.

Place pans in oven; bake 25 minutes, or until top of cake springs back when lightly pressed in center. Remove to cooling rack; let rest 5 minutes. Run a butter knife around sides of pans; invert to remove, then set right sides up on a cooling rack. Let cool at least 1 1/2 hours.

Frosting:
2 c whipping cream
2 c good-quality white chocolate chips (containing cocoa butter and no hydrogenated oils)
3/4 c bittersweet chocolate chips
12 ozs mascarpone cheese

Place white chocolate chips and bittersweet chocolate chips in 2 separate heatproof bowls. Pour 1 1/2 cups cream atop white chocolate and 1/2 cup cream atop bittersweet chocolate. Place each atop a bowl of simmering water, whisking until chocolate is melted. Place bowls of ganache in freezer to chill.

When chilled, beat white chocolate ganache with chilled beaters until light and fluffy. Beat in 8 ozs mascarpone cheese. Take care not to overbeat. Repeat process with bittersweet chocolate ganache, beating until fluffy, then beat in remaining mascarpone.

Assembly:
Brush crumbs off cake layers. Trim dome off one layer if necessary. Place cake, cut or top side down, onto a cake pedestal. Top with bittersweet chocolate ganache, spreading to within 1/2" of edges. Place other cake layer atop ganache, top side up. Frost top and sides of cake with white chocolate ganache.

Myrna's 67th Birthday Cake

2010-10-01T20:59:00.004-07:00

My mother requested "Grandma Forbes' sponge cake" for her birthday today. The cake recipe was her grandmother's; apparently Grandma Forbes baked it every year and mailed it to her daughter, my mother's Aunt Pearl (quite an ordeal in those days). Grandma Forbes died in 1958, and Mother has fond memories of eating this cake in her childhood. She made hers in a 9x13 sheet pan, but I gussied this one up with layers of limoncello pastry cream filling and a whipped cream frosting. The gelatin in the cream stabilizes the frosting and filling so that you can enjoy the cake the following day.

Cake:
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup boiling water
1 tsp vanilla extract
7 egg whites

Stir together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

Whip egg whites to stiff but not dry peaks. Whisk boiling water and vanilla extract into dry ingredients. Fold into egg whites. Divide between three 8" round pans with parchment-lined bottoms. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until cake springs back when pressed in center. Cool on racks.

Filling and Frosting:
4 egg yolks
2 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/3 cups milk
3 Tbsp limoncello liqueur
2 tsp lemon extract
1 Tbsp cold water
1/2 tsp unflavored gelatin
2 c heavy whipping cream
3 Tbsp confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Beat egg yolks, sugar, flour and cornstarch on high speed until thick and pale yellow, about 2 minutes. Set aside.

Heat milk to a simmer, then whisk milk slowly into egg mixture until about one-third is incorporated. Scrape egg mixture back into pan with milk. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly and scraping the bottom and corners of the pan until thickened and beginning to bubble. Cook a minute longer, then scrape into a clean bowl with a clean spatula. Press a piece of parchment paper onto the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming. Cool completely.

Put cold water in a heatproof cup. Sprinkle gelatin atop, then let stand 5 minutes without stirring. Place the cup in a saucepan of simmering water until gelatin melts clear. Let cool to room temperature.

Whip cream to soft peaks, drizzling gelatin mixture in as cream begins to thicken, then adding sugar and vanilla. Stir about 3/4 cup of whipped cream into limoncello custard until incorporated, reserving remainder of whipped cream for frosting.

To assemble, spoon limoncello custard evenly between layers of cake, spreading to within 1/2" of edge. Top liberally with whipped cream, swirling with an offset spatula. Makes approximately 12 servings.

Okra Dry Curry

2010-09-18T20:35:00.006-07:00

The unusual step of microwaving the okra helps to dry the mucilaginous compounds and keep the slices separated in the pan while simultaneously allowing the use of less oil. Skip this step and you can use the following basic technique with almost any cooked vegetable.

1 pound small okra, preferably no longer than 3"
1 1/2 tbsp canola oil
3/4 tsp black mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 dried red chile
1/2 tsp urid dal
4-5 fresh curry leaves
3/4 tsp salt, or to taste
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
3 Tbsp unsweetened dessicated coconut

Wash okra, then cut off and discard stems and tips. Slice okra pods into 1/8"-inch-thick slices. Lay the slices in a single layer on a microwaveable plate and cook on HIGH for 3 to 4 minutes (you will have to do this in batches). Allow okra to cool on the plates, then scrape with a wooden spoon into a bowl.

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. When it shimmers, add chile, mustard and cumin seeds, and cover immediately. When popping noises subside, add urid dal. When it begins to turn golden brown, add curry leaves. When crackling subsides, scrape okra into saucepan, stirring to coat with oil and spices. Salt the okra and cook for a couple of minutes until the okra slices are fully dried out and not sticking together much. Sprinkle with cumin, coriander and turmeric; stir and cook a minute until spices are evenly distributed and fragrant. Sprinkle with coconut, stir to distribute, and remove from heat. Serves 4 normal humans or 1 okra lover.

Yeasted Waffles with Peach-Cardamom Sauce

2010-09-18T08:00:00.002-07:00

The aroma of these waffles will get anyone out of bed in the morning! Because of the yeast, the batter must be started the night before. Not only does this make for an easy morning's work, but it gives the waffles a mellow tang and a pleasingly chewy texture that sets them apart from the usual baking-powder-and-baking-soda kind. As for the sauce, I'm grateful for the pure deliciousness that is a Schnepf Farms peach, and for my freezer which allows me to enjoy them four months past harvest time. They were so sweet our sauce didn't need much sugar.

Waffles (the night before):
2 c white whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp active dry yeast
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups milk (try cream-top whole milk)

Combine flour, sugar, yeast and salt in a large lidded bowl. Whisk in milk until blended. Cover bowl and let stand overnight at room temperature.

Waffles (the next morning):
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

The next morning, heat your waffle iron. Beat egg and melted butter together, then stir into batter with vanilla. Add just enough batter to hot iron to cover the cooking surface. Cook waffles until crisp and browned but not too dark, 2 to 3 minutes each. Keep waffles warm in a single layer directly on the rack of a 200-degree oven until ready to serve.

Sauce:
2 cups frozen tree-ripened peaches
1 Tbsp lime juice
3 Tbsp sugar, or to taste
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp cardamom (optional)

Bring peaches, lime juice and sugar to a simmer in a small saucepan. Cook a couple of minutes, then mash with a potato masher or the back of a spoon, or blend with a stick blender. Stir in vanilla and cardamom.

To serve, spoon sauce over waffles and top with whipped cream if desired. Serves 4-6.

Homemade Ricotta Cheese

2010-09-09T12:50:00.003-07:00

Depending on how long you drain the cheese, you can end up with a finished product that's creamy and spreadable or dry and crumbly. Each has its applications, so plan accordingly. You will end up with 3/4 to 1 cup cheese and 3 3/4 to 4 cups whey.

4 c whole or 2% milk
1 c buttermilk
Salt

Line a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl with a triple thickness of clean, damp cheesecloth. Heat milk and buttermilk together over medium heat, stirring occasionally. When mixture starts to steam, watch closely for signs of separation. When this occurs, scoop the larger curds out with a slotted spoon and remove to cheesecloth, then pour the remainder into the cheesecloth. Drain ricotta cheese to desired consistency. Salt cheese to taste and pour whey into jars for later use (keeps several days).

100% Whole Wheat Bread for the Bread Machine

2010-09-09T12:49:00.002-07:00

1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 c whey, heated to lukewarm, or 1 c lukewarm water plus 1/4 c nonfat dry milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey, molasses, or maple syrup
3 1/2 c white whole wheat flour
2 1/2 tsp baking yeast (I use Red Star)

Layer ingredients in the order given in the baking container of a 2-pound bread machine and bake as directed on the Whole Wheat setting. Makes one lofty, sweet and fragrant loaf.

Guava Nut Tea Cake

2010-09-08T14:03:00.004-07:00

My fist job out of college was in marketing for a now-defunct specialty produce company. The one good thing about that job was that I had ready access to all manner of exotic fruits and vegetables in crazy quantity, and cooked accordingly. As I no longer keep such pricey foodstuffs at my fingertips, I haven't made this cake in many years. Today the director of my child's elementary school gave me a small bag of ripe guavas from her backyard tree. I immediately thought of this cake, and was lucky to find the recipe. Thank goodness for internet archives.

5 ripe guavas, about 3 ounces each
1 Tbsp sugar
3 Tbsp rum (divided)
1 stick unsalted butter
1 egg
1/2 cup sugar
1 c almond meal
1 c unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp water mixed with 1 1/2 Tbsp sugar

Peel 3 guavas and halve lengthwise. With a spoon or a melon-ball cutter, scoop out the central seedy area, leaving a shell about 1/2" thick, and place seedy pulp in the work bowl of a food processor.

Steam guava shells until tender, from 5 to 10 minutes, depending on guava variety. Remove to a plate, sprinkle with 1 Tbsp sugar, and turn to coat. Set aside to cool.

While shells steam, cut up 2 remaining guavas; combine in processor with reserved pulp and 2 tablespoons rum. Purée, then press through a fine nonreactive sieve or the fine disk of a stainless steel food mill. Stir in rum; set mixture aside.

Butter a 9" round pan, fit a round of waxed paper in the bottom, and butter that. Lightly flour pan.

In a small mixer bowl, cream butter until light; gradually add in remaining sugar. Add egg; beat on high speed until fluffy. Add guava purée. Add flour, baking powder and salt on lowest speed, then add nut meal.

Spread batter evenly in pan. Arrange a pattern of guava crescents on top, pressing gently so fruit is flush with batter. Bake in the lower half of a preheated 375° oven until cake separates from sides of pan and tests done in the middle, about 35 minutes. Cool 5 minutes, then carefully invert cake onto your hand and set right side up on a rack.

Stir together remaining tablespoon rum and sugar-water mixture in a tiny pan. Heat to boiling, then stir just until sugar dissolves. Paint mixture over warm cake surface to coat thoroughly, then let cake cool. Serves 8.

Roasted Beet and Arugula Pizza

2010-09-06T13:39:00.003-07:00

I've been getting several Chioggia beets and a big bag of arugula each week in my CSA share. This creation, which my husband terms a "snob pizza," uses both to what I'd call pretty good success - that is to say, there aren't any leftovers :)

16 ozs pizza dough, preferably with herbs
1 tsp olive oil
3/4 c arugula, cut in chiffonade
1 shallot, thinly sliced vertically
1 large Chioggia or yellow beet, roasted, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 cup Israeli sheep's-milk feta, or to taste
1 oz Asiago cheese, shredded, or to taste
flake salt and honey, to taste

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Stretch dough and prepare onto a pizza peel. Smear with olive oil. Top with arugula, shallot and beet, in that order. Dot with crumbled feta cheese, then sprinkle Asiago. Bake on preheated pizza stone until crust is browned and cheese is melted, approximately 8 minutes. Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with flake salt to taste.

Pink Lady Cupcakes

2010-05-11T12:16:00.004-07:00

A certain little girl in my household loves strawberries and the color pink. This cake is a natural for her birthday.

Tasting notes: Very tender, delicate cake, great flavor, but with not as much *strawberry* flavor as I'd wanted. And natural flavorings are hard to come by, at least obscure ones like strawberry. I found strawberry oil locally, but would have to drive out to Gilbert to get it... trying to decide if it's worth it and if I have the time to do so.

2 c unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 c cornstarch
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 c sugar (bakers get bonuses for using vanilla sugar!)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
4 egg whites
1 c pureed strawberries, from about 2 c whole berries
3 Tbsp liquid from canned unsalted beets*
1/3 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter and flour two 12-cup muffin tins or line with muffin papers. Combine dry ingredients, whisk to mix, and set aside.

Whip butter in stand mixer with paddle attachment until fluffy. Add sugar; mix 1-2 minutes or until well combined and fluffy. Add eggs; beat 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add vanilla, strawberry puree and beet juice; beat until well combined. Add half of flour and half of milk, beating between additions; add other half. Beat until light and fluffy.

Divide batter among prepared muffin tins. Bake 25 minutes, or until a cake tester or wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack, then frost and decorate.**

*Because the batter just didn't look pink enough without it, and we don't use artificial dye. It doesn't flavor the batter, don't worry.
**With pink frosting, no doubt. I haven't decided on a recipe yet, but will post it here when I do.

Adri's Favorite Dal

2010-04-09T21:18:00.003-07:00

1 1/2 Tbsp canola oil or ghee
1 tsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 sprig curry leaves
1 large onion, chopped
4 large cloves garlic, minced
2" piece ginger root, peeled and microplaned
1 tsp each cumin powder and coriander powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 sweet potato or 2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 1/2 cups red lentils (masoor dal), rinsed and drained
1 cup light coconut milk
3 cups vegetable stock
14-oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
salt and pepper
2 handfuls cilantro leaves, chopped

Heat the fat in a large pot over high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add mustard and cumin seeds; immediately cover and shake until popping subsides. Reduce heat to medium; add curry leaves, onion, garlic and ginger. Saute until onions soften. Add spices; saute until fragrant. Add sweet potato, red lentils, coconut milk, vegetable stock and tomatoes. Simmer 25-30 minutes or until vegetables are completely cooked and dal is falling apart. (If pressure cooking, reduce cook time to 7-8 minutes on HIGH.) Add more stock if necessary to correct consistency to liking; dal will thicken upon standing. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve. Good with basmati rice, chapati, etc.

Cherry Almond Oatmeal Muffins

2010-03-08T16:20:00.002-07:00

1 c old-fashioned rolled oats
1 c white whole wheat flour
1/2 c firmly packed brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 c buttermilk
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/4 c vegetable oil
1 tsp almond extract
1 c jarred Morello cherries, drained and coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with parchment liners.

Mix together oats, flour, brown sugar, baking powder and nutmeg in a large bowl. Separately, combine buttermilk, egg, oil and almond extract, then pour buttermilk mixture into dry ingredients. Stir just to moisten, then quickly stir in cherries.

Fill muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until muffins are lightly browned and test done. Makes 12.

International Couscous

2010-01-26T19:19:00.002-07:00

The couscous is from Israel; the flavors are Southwestern; the name is a natural.

1 Tbsp unsalted butter
3/4 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/3 cups Israeli couscous
1 3/4 cups water or broth (I like Better than Bouillon)
1/2 tsp salt, less if using bouillon base
1/2 cup Trader Joe's Corn & Chile Salsa (to taste)
2 Tbsp minced cilantro
juice of 1/2 to 1 lime

Heat butter over medium heat in a saucepan. Allow it to melt, then to cook until it sizzles and froths. When it begins to turn brown and smells nutty, add the onion and garlic. Cook until softened. Add couscous; stir to coat well with butter. Add water, stirring to scrape up browned bits from bottom of pot. When pot comes to boil, cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer 12 minutes or until water is absorbed and couscous is chewy-firm. Stir in salsa, cilantro and lime juice. Serves 6 as a side dish.

Pinto Bean Mash-up

2010-01-12T20:18:00.002-07:00

My version of homemade refried beans, made possible by a good friend with a cooktop. All amounts are very approximate: winging it is half the fun.

1 Tbsp light olive oil
1 large white onion, diced
5-6 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 jalapeños, to taste, seeded and minced
1 bay leaf
1-2 tsp cumin, to taste
1 1/2 tsp oregano
1 sprig epazote (optional)
2 cups pinto beans, soaked overnight in water to cover or quick-soaked for 1 hour in boiling water, drained
juice of 1 lime
3 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Good salt to taste

Heat olive oil over medium heat in pressure cooker or large heavy-bottomed pot. Saute onion, garlic and jalapeño in oil until onion is translucent. Add spices; continue to cook, stirring, until onion begins to brown. Add soaked pinto beans and fresh water to cover. Cook until beans test done and smash easily with the back of a spoon. There should not be too much liquid. Mash beans to taste - I like them partially so, with some whole beans remaining - and stir in lime juice, tomatoes and cilantro. Salt liberally to taste.

Spinoccoli Quiche

2009-12-31T14:36:00.003-07:00

Spurred by the happy discovery that my tart pan fits – just – into my toaster oven. Be sure to use the most flavorful sharp cheddar you can find.

5 eggs
1/2" cup milk, or to liking
salt and pepper
Pastry crust for 10" tart pan
2 ounces extra-sharp cheddar, shredded
1/4 pound broccoli florets
1/4 pound frozen spinach

Preheat toaster oven to 375. Beat eggs and milk with salt and pepper. Set custard aside.

Press crust into a 10" tart pan with removable bottom. Sprinkle cheese evenly to line bottom. Sprinkle broccoli and spinach evenly over cheese. Pour custard over vegetables.

Bake for 35 minutes or until custard tests done and crust is lightly browned. Remove tart from pan, cut into 8 wedges, and serve alongside roasted vegetables or a salad.

Sea Bass Blue Corn Tacos with Pineapple Salsa

2009-08-06T21:32:00.005-07:00

For the sea bass:

1/3 cup blue or yellow cornmeal
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp chipotle chile powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 pound boneless, skinless sea bass fillets
canola oil or natural oil spray for shallow-frying

For the salsa:

1 small pineapple, cut in fine dice to equal 4 cups
1/4 small red onion, cut in fine dice
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
juice of 1/2 lime
salt and minced fresh chile to taste

Other ingredients:

warmed blue corn tortillas
light sour cream
finely shredded green cabbage
crumbled cotija cheese
lime wedges

For salsa, combine all ingredients in a bowl and let sit while you prepare fish.

For fish, mix dry ingredients together in shallow bowl. Cut fillets in pieces the length of your tortillas and a couple inches wide. Dredge fish pieces. Shallow-fry until cooked on both sides. Remove to a plate.

Assemble tacos as follows: On a tortilla, spread 2 tsp light sour cream. Place a fish fillet atop sour cream. Top with a small handful of cabbage, then pineapple salsa. Sprinkle with cotija cheese and squeeze lime.

Mixed Berry Salad with Goat Cheese Dressing

2009-05-23T08:07:00.003-07:00

Adapted from Cooking Light magazine.

2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp buttermilk
2 tbsp honey
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3 oz soft goat cheese
8 cups mixed baby greens (some arugula is nice, no more than 1/4 of total)
1 container blueberries
1 container blackberries
1 container raspberries
1 cup fresh strawberries, cut in eighths
1/4 cup shelled pistachios

Combine first 7 ingredients (vinegar through cheese) in a blender or food processor; process until smooth.

Combine greens, nuts and berries in a large bowl. Drizzle goat cheese mixture over lettuce mixture; toss gently to coat. Serve immediately.

Goat Cheese, Tomato and Basil Tart

2009-05-23T07:00:00.003-07:00

This can also be made as a quiche, in a pie pan, if you increase the amount of custard filling. It tastes just as good, but it's prettier in the tart pan, and no more difficult.

unbaked pastry crust
3 ozs soft goat cheese
1/2 cup half-and-half (approximate; can use fat free)
3 eggs
salt and pepper
1 ounce Romano or other hard grating cheese
1/4 cup basil chiffonade
2 Roma tomatoes, peeled, seeded and sliced lengthwise

Fit the pastry crust into a 10" tart pan with a removable bottom. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place goat cheese in a bowl. Add half-and-half; mash with a fork to break up cheese. When mostly smooth, crack in eggs, add salt and pepper, and whisk until smooth. Set custard aside.

Grate Romano into of the tart crust, covering the bottom evenly. Add tomato slices in a fan pattern. Sprinkle with basil. Gently pour custard over top. Liquid should cover tomatoes and basil, leaving a 1/4" lip to the top of the crust.

Bake for 30 minutes or until custard is set. Cool on a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Israeli Couscous with Browned Butter, Pine Nuts and Basil

2009-05-13T19:01:00.003-07:00

1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 c red onion, finely diced
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 c Israeli couscous
1 3/4 c broth of choice
1/4 c julienned basil
1/4 c toasted pine nuts
salt and pepper

In a large stainless steel saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Cook until foaming and crackling subside. When butter turns golden brown and smells nutty, add red onion and bay leaf. Cook until onion is softened. Add couscous, stirring to coat with butter. Cook until lightly browned, 3-4 minutes. Pour in broth. Cover and simmer 12 minutes or until broth is absorbed and couscous is cooked. Stir in basil and pine nuts. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Makes about 3 cups.

Peach Soft-Serve Ice Cream

2009-05-12T20:03:00.002-07:00

This creamy soft-serve dessert should be eaten right away, not stored in the freezer for future consumption. Use only the best, ripest, juiciest, most fragrant peaches for best flavor. It can only help if you pick them yourself.

4 soft, fragrant, ripe peaches (about 2 pounds), peeled and pitted
1 c milk
1/2 c whipping cream or half-and-half (not ultra-pasteurized)
1/3 c sugar
2 tsp best-quality vanilla extract

Place peaches and sugar in a blender or food processor; process to a puree. Combine with remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Chill in refrigerator until cold through, about 1 hour.

Pour peach mixture into an ice-cream freezer; freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Serve immediately to your adoring, salivating fans. Makes six 3/4 cup servings.

the. best. chocolate. cake. ever.

2009-05-02T10:34:00.006-07:00

This fudgy brownie-style cake bakes up relatively flat, with a thin crackly crust on the top of each layer. The rich, dark frosting is best spread thinly. Serve to your chocoholic husband on his birthday with a tall glass of cold milk.

Cake:

1 1/4 c Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate chips
3 sticks butter
2 1/4 c sugar
1 1/4 c flour
1/4 c cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
8 eggs

Butter generously 2 9" round cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment paper.

Melt chocolate and butter together over a double boiler or in microwave. Stir until combined. Remove from heat; stir in sugar. Let mixture cool 10 minutes.

Sift dry ingredients together. Set aside.

Beat chocolate-butter mixture 3 minutes in an electric mixer. Add one egg at a time, mixing for 30 seconds between each. Beat in vanilla. Add dry ingredients, mixing until blended. Batter will be thick and glossy.

Spoon batter into prepared pans, spreading evenly with a spatula. Bake at 350 F for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Frosting:

4 oz unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
4 tbsp unsalted butter
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup milk
2 1/2 c powdered sugar, or to taste

Melt chocolate and butter together over a double boiler or in microwave. Stir until combined. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla and milk. Stir in powdered sugar, beating until spreadable. Use as soon as this stage is reached.

Assembly:

Brush layers of crumbs. Place first layer top down on a cake stand. Apply 3/4 cup frosting, spreading with an offset spatula to within 1/4 inch of edges. Top with remaining layer, top up. Apply remaining frosting to top of cake, spreading across top and down sides with offset spatula. Serve the same day for best texture.

Chocolate Crack Peanut Butter

2009-04-20T17:29:00.003-07:00

I got tired of paying $4.79 a jar for this stuff and decided to try making my own. So named because my husband said it was so addictive I must have put crack in it. Next time I think I'll try adding a half-teaspoon of good vanilla extract.

Software:
2 c honey-roasted peanuts
1/2 c bittersweet chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli 60%)

Hardware:
Food processor

Place peanuts and chocolate in the work bowl of a food processor. Blend until mixture becomes a paste, at least 2 minutes. Stop here for a chunky peanut butter. If a smoother consistency is desired, scrape down sides and underneath blade, then continue processing 1 additional minute. Serve on warm, freshly baked white whole wheat bread, or if no one is looking, eat from a spoon. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Fabulous Greek Dressing

2009-04-17T16:28:00.000-07:00

1/3 c fresh lemon juice
1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
3/4 tsp each garlic powder, dried oregano, dried basil, salt (I use RealSalt)
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard (emulsifier)

Process all together in a blender jar until thoroughly blended.

South Indian Scrambled Eggs

2009-04-05T17:34:00.004-07:00

Serve with dosai, a dry potato-cauliflower curry, and glasses of mango lassi for a unique twist on brunch.

6 eggs
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp coconut oil, vegetable oil or ghee
1/2 tsp black mustard seed
1/4 tsp cumin seed
1 dried red chile
8 fresh curry leaves, slivered
1 c onion, chopped
1/4 c unsweetened shredded coconut

Beat eggs with turmeric, cayenne and salt. Set aside.

Heat oil or ghee in your designated scrambled-egg pan over medium to medium-high heat. When hot, add mustard and cumin; immediately cover. When popping subsides, add chile and curry leaves. Allow to crackle for a few seconds, then add onion and stir well. Cook, stirring, until onion softens. Pour eggs over onion mixture, stirring with a spatula and cooking as for regular scrambled eggs.

When egg begins to firm, sprinkle coconut over top and continue to cook as before. Leave chunks largish. Serves 4.

Chocolate Half-Birthday Cake

2009-04-04T10:59:00.003-07:00

Cake:
3/4 c flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c best quality cocoa, plus extra for pan
1/2 c milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 stick butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 c sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 9" round cake pan. Dust bottom and sides with cocoa powder; tap to remove excess.

Measure flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder into a small bowl; whisk to combine. Measure out milk and vanilla; stir to combine.

Beat butter until softened. Add sugar; beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until well combined.

Add half of dry ingredients to butter/sugar; beat to combine. Add half of milk/vanilla; beat to combine. Continue adding, alternating.

Scoop batter into prepared pan. Bake 30-32 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

While cake bakes, make frosting:

Frosting:
3 oz unsweetened chocolate
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 c hot coffee, cream or milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 3/4 c powdered sugar

Heat chocolate and butter in a glass dish in microwave or over a pan of simmering water until melted. Stir in liquid of choice and vanilla. Add powdered sugar, stirring until smooth. Let cool until spreadable.

Turn cake out from pan. Cut layer in half. Stack and cover middle, sides and top with frosting to give the appearance of half a cake. Serve to one very pleased five-and-a-half-year-old girl.

Malayalee Prawns

2009-03-29T20:26:00.003-07:00

A bastardized version of the real thing, based on what I had on hand.

2 tsp oil (coconut is great)
1/2 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 sprig curry leaves, stemmed
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp salt
1 pound shrimp, shelled and deveined
1/2 cup coconut milk
2 Tbsp lime juice
2 Tbsp shredded cilantro leaves

Saute onion, garlic and ginger in 1 tsp oil in saute pan over medium heat until translucent. Add curry leaves, cayenne and salt. Stir until fragrant. Remove from pan.

Saute shrimp in remaining oil in same pan just until pink. Add onion mixture and coconut milk. Stir up browned bits from bottom of pan. Remove from heat. Add lime juice and cilantro. Serve.

Latke Frittata

2009-03-28T19:29:00.002-07:00

This is such an easy and yummy dinner. There's something about the way the potato and the egg combine that makes it light but still very flavorful. I made this one Mediterranean style with feta, kalamatas and spinach, but it can be gussied up any style you prefer. I've also done Southwestern and Indian - our three main styles of eating. Choice of pan is very important as eggs love to stick. I have an ancient Scanpan I use exclusively.

6 eggs
salt and pepper
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 large red onion, diced
1/3 cup frozen spinach
about 16 kalamata olives, sliced
1 leftover baked potato, peeled and grated
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Preheat oven to 400. Whisk eggs, salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a medium-large straight-sided saucepan saute onion in oil over medium heat until softened. Add spinach, stirring until thawed and separated. Add olives, potato and feta. Stir briefly to combine, then pour in eggs. Mix briefly with a spatula to be sure ingredients are incorporated. Cook 3-5 minutes, then transfer to oven. Bake 15 minutes or until set through and just beginning to brown.

Cottage Cheese Pancakes

2009-03-28T07:57:00.002-07:00

Adapted from the 1997 edition of Joy of Cooking. Sadly, this recipe did not make it to the most recent edition. But everything they said about it was right; the centers are soft, almost puddinglike, right off the griddle. The fluffiness abates when allows to stand, so eat them immediately.

These are so good they don't need accoutrements like butter and syrup. Eat plain, or with some fresh fruit.

1 1/3 c whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 c sugar
2 tsp non-aluminum baking powder (I like Rumford)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 c milk
1 c cottage cheese
2 eggs, separated
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat pancake griddle or skillet on medium.

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.

Combine milk, cottage cheese, egg yolks and vanilla. Beat to combine. Pour onto dry ingredients, stirring to mix.

Whip egg whites to stiff but not dry peaks. Fold into batter. Drop by quarter-cups onto buttered griddle.

Holiday Baking

2008-12-23T09:57:00.003-07:00

This year I made the following:

Chai-Spiced Snowballs
Peanut Butter Blossoms
Black-and-White Shortbread Spirals
Molasses Spice Crinkles
Pistachio-Lime Thins

Our family also enjoyed pecan crescents, oatmeal peanut butter chocolate fudge, frosted gingerbread drops, pecan tassies, and biscochuelos (a Mexican cornmeal shortbread twist rolled in powdered sugar) from a cookie swap comprised of other parents at my daughters' school.

Alas, no chocolate-covered peanut butter balls, rolled sugar cookies or gingerbread people. Those will have to wait for another year when I have more time and energy. I never got round to making biscotti either. But we had lots of cookies to enjoy, and more to give away to friends. I'm so glad I'm getting my baking wherewithal back.

Smoky Black Bean and Sweet Potato Soup

2008-12-23T09:39:00.003-07:00

I concocted this based on what I had in the refrigerator. My houseguest liked it so much he asked for the recipe. Here it is, as best I remember.

1 1/2 cups dried black beans
6 cups vegetable stock (I use this)
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 shallots, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 stalks celery, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
3/4 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp chipotle chile powder
1 tsp RealSalt
2 bay leaves
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/3 cup lime juice
Sour cream
Crunchy tortilla strips
Chopped cilantro

Pick over the black beans, removing any stones. Wash them, then soak overnight, or quick-soak them by bringing them to a boil, removing from the heat, and letting stand for one hour. Cook the beans in vegetable stock until barely tender (10 minutes on HIGH in a pressure cooker). Set aside; do not drain.

In a medium skillet, cook onions, shallots and garlic in canola oil over medium heat until softened. Add celery, carrots and sweet potato. Cook a moment, stirring, then add cumin, coriander, paprika and chipotle. Cook until spices are fragrant, then transfer with beans and liquid to bowl of a slow cooker. Add salt, bay leaves, tomato paste and pumpkin puree. Cook on HIGH for 2 hours or until vegetables are tender. (This can also be done on the stovetop but I like the relaxed time aspect of a slow cooker.)

Stir in lime juice. Ladle into bowls, removing bay leaves as you come across them. Top with dollops of sour cream and sprinklings of tortilla strips and cilantro.

Be Thankful

2008-11-27T16:36:00.000-07:00

Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire.
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?
Be thankful when you don't know something,
for it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times you grow.
Be thankful for your limitations,
because they give you opportunities for improvement.
Be thankful for each new challenge,
because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes. They will teach you valuable lessons.
Be thankful when you're tired and weary,
because it means you've made a difference.

It's easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who
are also thankful for the setbacks.
Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive.
Find a way to be thankful for your troubles,
and they can become your blessings.

--Author Unknown

Janis's Half Naked Birthday Cake

2008-11-22T09:35:00.008-07:00

A spin on traditional German chocolate cake, this dark chocolate version features a nut-free coconut filling and a whipped chocolate ganache. Adapted from the Cupcake Bakeshop.

Why half-naked? Sadly, I didn't get time to complete it with the whipped ganache frosting. It was still rich and tasty, if a bit sweet. I think if I make this cake again, I'll cut back on the sugar in the coconut filling, or even look for a new recipe entirely. Or perhaps I'll just make the cake itself and serve it in wedges all alone!

Dark Chocolate Cake:

300g bittersweet chocolate (I used Scharffen Berger 70%)
2 1/4 c butter
3 1/3 c sugar
12 eggs
2 c unbleached flour
6 Tbsp cocoa
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp good quality salt (I use RealSalt)

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare 3 9" round pans with cooking spray; line with parchment at the bottoms.

Chop chocolate; transfer into the bowl of a standing mixer. Add butter to chocolate; place bowl over a pan of simmering water. Stir until chocolate melts and butter is combined. Remove from heat; stir in sugar. Let mixture cool for 10 minutes.

Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.

Beat mixture for 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing for 30 seconds between each. Add dry ingredients; mix until blended.

Spoon batter into pans; batter will be thick. Bake 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Turn out of pans; cool completely on racks.

Coconut Cream Filling:

2 c unsweetened dried coconut
3/4 c coconut milk
3/4 c butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Combine coconut and coconut milk. Stir; coconut will appear just coated. Let stand at room temperature to soften (I did this several hours ahead).

Beat butter briefly, scrape bowl. Add powdered sugar. Beat until smooth. Add coconut mixture; beat until combined. Add additional coconut milk by tablespoons if necessary for consistency.

Whipped Chocolate Ganache:

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch salt

Chop the chocolate and place in a heatproof bowl. Bring heavy cream to a simmer in a medium saucepan; pour over chocolate, stirring to combine. Add vanilla and salt. Allow to cool to room temperature. Beat the cooled ganache with an electric mixer fixed with the paddle attachment until it lightens in color and increases in volume; this should take a few minutes.

Assembly:

Brush crumbs off cake layers. Place a bit of frosting on the bottom of the cake stand. Place first layer; slice off domed top with a bread knife. Top with half of coconut filling, spreading evenly to within 1/2" of edge. Repeat with next layer and remaining filling. Place last layer. Frost with whipped ganache. Decorate, if desired, with toasted coconut shreds and dark chocolate curls.

Dark Chocolate Zucchini Bundt Cake

2008-11-22T09:13:00.002-07:00

This recipe can be adapted to make 24 muffins, with a baking time of 25-30 minutes.

1 1/4 c sugar
3/4 c canola oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1/3 c buttermilk
3 c shredded zucchini
1 1/2 c whole wheat pastry flour
1 c unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 c cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 c semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray bundt pan with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat sugar, oil, and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each, then add buttermilk. Stir in zucchini.

Add half of flour mixture to egg mixture, then the other half. Fold in chocolate chips.

Pour batter evenly into bundt pan. Bake on center rack until cake tests done, 45-55 minutes. Cool on a rack for about 10 minutes, then unmold and let cool completely.

Smoky Southwestern Ranch Dressing

2008-10-31T21:39:00.003-07:00

In case you haven't guessed, smoked paprika is the hot "it" thing in my kitchen right now.

1/2 cup buttermilk
3 Tbsp light mayo
large handful cilantro leaves
1 scallion, rough-chopped
3/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp lime juice
2 tsp sugar
dash smoked paprika

Combine all in blender jar. Whizz until smooth. Can add another small handful of cilantro at the end, processing only partially for texture.

Smoky Tofu Taco Filling

2008-10-27T17:08:00.003-07:00

Much better than it sounds - my husband couldn't believe it was tofu. Smoked paprika is the star here, lending smoky-sweet overtones without adding spice; vary the amount according to your preference. This is a great use for any randomly shaped scraps you may have left over from, for example, spending a lot of time cutting out tofu fish to bread and bake for your kids' lunchboxes (which, by the way, they refused to eat).

1 pound extra-firm organic tofu
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp dried oregano, rubbed between fingers to a powder
1/2 to 1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Drain tofu of liquid; press briefly between tea towels to remove excess moisture. Crumble with fingers.

Spray skillet generously with nonstick cooking spray. Over medium heat, add tofu; sprinkle with spices. Saute, stirring continuously, until heated through and fragrant. Makes about 2 cups. Great in Mexican lasagna!

Coconut Cream Burfi

2008-10-24T16:26:00.007-07:00

This one takes longer to cook than the other sweets and is more finicky in texture and cooking time. But it's worth it: my Adri loves her coconut.

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup finely shredded, unsweetened desiccated coconut (Let's Do Organic makes a good one)
1/8 tsp ground cardamom

Heat sugar and water in a 2-quart stainless steel saucepan. When mixture bubbles and sugar is completely dissolved, add cream. Return to boil, then add coconut and cardamom. Cook over medium-low heat until mixture is thickened and follows your spatula when you stir. This may take 15 minutes or more. Pour onto a Silpat, shape quickly, let stand till firm (will still be hot), then cut with the back of a table knife into squares. Cool completely on Silpat before storing in an airtight tin between sheets of waxed paper. Makes 20 burfi.

Easy Pedas

2008-10-24T07:13:00.004-07:00

Another Diwali sweet, our household's favorite, pronounced PAY-dahs.

Software:
1 stick butter
14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cups instant powdered milk
Optional flavoring (choose one): 1/8 teaspoon powdered saffron or 1/4 teaspoon powdered cardamom seeds

Hardware:
2-quart stainless steel saucepan
Heatproof spatula
Silpat or silicone nonstick baking mat (optional) or waxed paper
Plastic spool of thread with paper on one side removed to reveal pattern

Melt the butter in a 2-quart saucepan. Add sweetened condensed milk; stir with a heatproof spatula until mixture bubbles. Add powdered milk, stirring in. Cook over medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes. You will see the mixture begin to thicken and pull away from the sides of the pan.

When mixture is ready, stir in optional flavorings, if using. Remove to Silpat (optional, but helps speed cooling) or set aside until cool enough to handle. Roll into small balls a little smaller than a walnut and set on Silpat or waxed paper. Press down with decorative end of spool to imprint peda with pattern.

Makes 30 pedas. Store any leftovers, refrigerated, between layers of waxed paper in an airtight container.

Cashew Burfi

2008-10-21T19:24:00.003-07:00

As our household prepares for Diwali, I have begun making sweets of all kinds. This is one of the easiest.

Software:
1 cup cashews
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water

Hardware:
2-quart stainless steel saucepan
Clean coffee grinder
Silpat silicone baking mat
chilled plate

Finely grind the cashews to a powder in batches in the coffee grinder. Be careful not to process too long or you will get nut butter!

Mix the sugar and water in the saucepan. Heat till small bubbles begin to appear on the surface. Stir gently and let it come to a rolling boil.

Pour in the cashew powder and stir well to avoid lumps. Keep stirring for a few minutes; you should notice the mixture getting a bit thicker. Put a little drop on a chilled plate; test to see if it hardens slightly. You should be able to roll it into a loose ball. When you achieve this, take the pan off the heat immediately.

Dump/spoon the mixture out of the saucepan onto the Silpat. Be careful! Treat the mixture like molten lava, which will scorch your skin accordingly. Using the back of the Silpat, press and fold the dough several times. As it cools it will become more smooth and glossy in appearance.

When the burfi dough appears malleable, working quickly, roll it out to 1/4" thick with a rolling pin. (You must get the thickness right before it cools too much.) Cut into diamond-shaped pieces; allow to cool fully on the Silpat, then pack in tins between sheets of waxed paper.

Store at room temperature for up to a week. You can keep them in the fridge for longer, if they last that long!

Roasted Red Pepper-Almond Dip

2008-10-21T12:00:00.002-07:00

I had a piece of baguette that had completely dried up; this is what I came up with to use it.

1/4 stale baguette
1/2 cup blanched, slivered almonds
4 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 roasted red pepper
4 garlic cloves, peeled and passed through a garlic press
salt and ground black pepper

Soak bread in water to cover for 15 minutes. Squeeze lightly to remove most of the water, reserving water.

In a food processor, process almonds until finely ground. Add bread, oil, lemon, roasted red pepper, garlic, and 1/2 cup soaking water. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Process until smooth.

Transfer to a serving bowl. If the dip is too thick, whisk in enough of the remaining water until smooth and creamy. Serve at room temperature with olives and warm pita bread.

Zucchini Parmesan Pancakes

2008-10-17T16:37:00.003-07:00

This recipe is the latest in my ongoing saga of attempts to get Adri to eat zucchini. Dorai and I thought they were great; she wouldn't touch them.

2 largish zucchini, ends cut off, grated
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup white whole wheat flour
salt and pepper
1 egg (I used 3 egg whites)

Salt zucchini and let stand in a colander over the sink.

Mix cheese, flour, salt and pepper.

Squeeze zucchini to remove most of liquid. Add to cheese mixture, tossing to coat evenly. Add egg whites.

Fry by tablespoonfuls in a medium-hot skillet. Great with tomato sauce.

Grilled Three-Cheese Sandwiches

2008-10-11T12:24:00.003-07:00

Great with the tomato soup below.

4" hunk pain au levain
2 ounces brie, thinly sliced
1 1/2 ounces provolone, thinly sliced
1 1/2 ounces aged cheddar, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp roasted garlic olive oil

Preheat panini press or heavy skillet. Cut pain au levain into 6 thin slices. Assemble sandwiches by layering cheeses between slices of bread. Brush each outside of sandwich with oil. Grill until cheese is melted and bread is browned. Cut in half; serve.

Creamy Tomato Soup with a Difference

2008-10-11T12:19:00.003-07:00

The "difference" in this creamy tomato soup? Pureed red lentils add flavor, depth, heartiness and a nutritional boost.

2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp butter
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
15-ounce can organic diced tomatoes in juice
1/2 cup red lentils, washed
4 cups vegetable stock (I like this brand)
1 bay leaf
4 Tbsp creme fraiche, sour cream, or half-and-half
salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil and butter together in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Saute onion until translucent. Add to stoneware slow cooker insert with carrot, tomato, lentils, stock and bay leaf (use broth to rinse browned bits from saucepan). Cook on HIGH 3-4 hours or until lentils are tender. Remove bay leaf. Puree soup in blender (use a tea towel to prevent splatters). Swirl in creme fraiche, season to taste, and serve.

Black and White Marble Sheet Cake

2008-10-05T14:25:00.001-07:00

In case anyone is wondering, this cake makes a very nice-looking fish.

1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3 tbsp hot water
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream (regular or low fat)
1 cup milk (whole or low fat)

Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 9×13-inch baking pan.

In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup sugar, cocoa powder, hot water and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract. Whisk to combine and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar until light. Beat in eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla and sour cream. Working in two or three additions, alternate adding flour mixture and milk to butter mixture (ending with addition of flour), mixing until no streaks of flour remain.

Scoop out 1 cup of cake batter and stir into cocoa mixture.

Spread white batter into prepared pan. Top with chocolate batter and drag a knife through to create a swirling pattern (don’t over marble, though!).

Bake for 32-36 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the cake springs back when lightly pressed.

Turn out onto a wire rack; cool completely before frosting.

Peanut Butter Play Dough

2008-09-29T16:50:00.000-07:00

Peanut Butter Play Dough

3/4 c creamy peanut butter, stirred well, at room temperature
2/3 c honey
2/3 c nonfat dry milk powder
6 Tbsp wheat germ

Mix all ingredients together well. Play, then eat!

Pumpkin Penne

2008-09-26T17:41:00.002-07:00

16 ozs whole-wheat penne
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
3 shallots, finely chopped
3 to 4 cloves garlic, put through a press
2 cups broth
15 ozs canned organic pumpkin
1/2 cup half-and-half
pinches of cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste
Grated Romano cheese

Cook the pasta al dente, reserving cooking water.

While pasta cooks, saute shallots and garlic in olive oil in a large skillet until translucent, 2-3 minutes. Add broth, pumpkin and half-and-half, whisking to break up pumpkin. Season with spices, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 5-6 minutes to thicken. Add a little reserved pasta water if sauce is too thick. (Sauce will thicken as it stands.)

Combine pasta and sauce. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Serves 6.

Pistachio Tea Cake

2008-09-26T14:52:00.003-07:00

Adapted from the recipe by David Lebovitz, who in turn was inspired by Chez Panisse.

1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup pistachio nut paste (stir before measuring)
10 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and position the rack to the center of the oven. Line the bottom of a 9" cake pan with a round of parchment paper, or butter the pan and dust it lightly with flour, tapping out any excess.

With an electric mixer, beat together the sugar and pistachio paste until the paste is finely broken up (the sugar crystals helps break the paste into pieces-so don't add the butter yet!)

Now add the butter and beat for a few minutes until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, or a measuring cup with a spout, stir together the eggs with a fork then dribble it into the batter as you beat. Add the vanilla.

Mix together the flour, baking powder and salt with a whisk. Stir the dry ingredients into the batter until just incorporated. Transfer the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for about 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The baking time may take a but longer due to the variation in different brands of nut paste.

Cool the cake on a rack before serving. This cake is extremely moist and will keep well for up to a week if well-wrapped.

Cilantro Pumpkin Seed Pesto

2008-07-31T11:05:00.003-07:00

3 cloves garlic, peeled
1/4 cup pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds)
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne, to taste
Salt and pepper
2 medium bunches cilantro
1 Tbsp roasted garlic oil, chili oil or olive oil
3/4 cup water, as needed

In a food processor, mince garlic. Add pepitas; process until finely ground. Add cilantro in bunches, twisting to remove woody stems. Top with spices. Process until ground. Add oil, then, with motor running, drizzle in water until pesto reaches desired consistency. Store in a lidded jar. Makes 1 cup.

Confetti Quesadillas

2008-07-31T10:55:00.003-07:00

Made without the shrimp, these colorful quesadillas are just as delicious.

1/2 tsp canola or olive oil
1/2 cup diced red onion
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 cup corn kernels
1 medium zucchini, diced
6 ozs shrimp, shelled, deveined and diced
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro
4 Tbsp Cilantro Pesto
8 whole wheat tortillas
1 1/2 cups shredded low-fat Mexican cheese blend

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add red onion; saute until translucent. Add spices, stirring. Add bell pepper; cook 2 minutes. Add corn; cook 2 minutes. Add zucchini and shrimp; cook 1 minute or until shrimp is pink and zucchini is tender. Stir in cilantro, salt and pepper to taste, and remove confetti to a bowl.

Construct quesadillas as follows: Spread 1 tortilla with 1 Tbsp pesto. Sprinkle on 3 Tbsp cheese. Add 1/4 of confetti. Sprinkle with another 3 Tbsp cheese, then top with another tortilla, pressing firmly. Repeat to make 3 more quesadillas. Cook in a warm skillet until cheese is melted and tortillas are browned. Serves 4 adults.

Buttermilk Balsamic Dressing

2008-07-31T10:53:00.001-07:00

1 cup buttermilk
4 Tbsp white balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp light mayonnaise
1/2 tsp basil, crushed
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp salt

Blend together until smooth and transfer to a sealable glass bottle. Refrigerate overnight to blend flavors. Makes 1 1/2 cups.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE Per tablespoon: 10 Cal (28% from Fat); 0 g Protein; 0 g Tot Fat; 0 g Sat Fat; 0 g Mono Fat; 2 g Carb; 0 g Fiber; 14 mg Calcium; 0 mg Iron; 43 mg Sodium; 1 mg Cholesterol, Weight Watchers 0 points

Shifting sands

2008-07-31T09:22:00.001-07:00

The last five years have been difficult for me as a cook, an epicurean and a mother. Faced with my children's multiple food intolerances, and an existing vegetarian background my husband and I were unwilling to abandon, I found myself eliminating entire categories of food from my diet: dairy, soy, peanut.

This blog began as a way to chronicle the incredible freedom still to be found within such a limited diet. Or, as I once heard someone say: "I may be in a very tiny box, but I'm going to explore every corner of it." But now my younger daughter is two, and my older is almost five; and they have both outgrown the majority of those intolerances - and I am reveling in my culinary freedom.

During Sara's pregnancy I also learned so much about how my body works. I wouldn't say I was gestationally diabetic, but if I hadn't controlled my diet (fewer sugars and processed carbs, more protein and vegetables), I could have ended up so. Now, two-plus years later, I am discovering that my body seems to work this way in general. I feel healthier eating a higher-protein, low-fat, restricted-sugar diet.

Vegetarianism doesn't always jibe with this diet for me. I find myself uncomfortable eating on a regular basis many of the processed soy-protein options, let alone feeding them to my children. But I need to watch my glycemic load. And so I find myself in the curious position of experimenting with eating fish and shellfish again.

In a sense, this makes me the family pariah. My husband and children still won't touch it, and my older child peppers me with questions whenever she finds me eating fish (who killed it? how did it die? did it hurt the fish? how do they take the bones/eyes/gills/etc out? where's the blood? and so on). But I feel better, at least physically; and so the experiment continues.

Ticking Time Bomb Pancakes

2006-09-24T21:11:00.000-07:00

Someone in my house is a ticking time bomb. Thanks to her love of refined pasta and cheese, she hasn't pooped in three days. The CW says to dose her liberally with prunes, but she's three, so a modicum of creativity is required. Enter these pancakes: supermoist from the prunes, flavorful from the cocoa. She ate three. (But hasn't pooped yet.)

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 Tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
6 large prunes
1 overripe banana
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp wheat germ
1/2 cup vanilla almond milk

Stir together dry ingredients in a large bowl. Set aside.

In a blender, process prunes, banana, egg, vanilla, wheat germ and almond milk until smooth. Pour over dry ingredients, whisking gently until just smooth.

Drop batter by the quarter-cup onto a heated griddle and cook as for regular pancakes.

Easy Chana Masala

2006-09-22T07:21:00.001-07:00

2 cups dried chickpeas
1 tbsp vegetable oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1-inch piece ginger, peeled and finely grated (I use a microplane)
1 large onion, diced
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt, or to taste
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 c chopped tomatoes (can be canned)
1/3 c vegetable broth or chickpea cooking liquid

Soak and cook chickpeas. Put cooked chickpeas in bottom of slow-cooker stoneware. Set aside.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute ginger and garlic until fragrant, about 60 seconds. Add onion and stir well. When onion begins to brown, add spices. Cook, stirring, a couple more minutes. Add vinegar, tomatoes and liquid to deglaze. Remove from heat and add mixture to chickpeas in slow-cooker stoneware. Stir well. Cook on Low for 4-6 hours or longer, until bubbly and flavors have melded well. Serve with rice and a vegetable dry curry for a side dish.

For an extra special treat, use a can of coconut milk in lieu of the vegetable broth. Yum!

Chana Aloo Methi Kofta

2006-09-20T19:26:00.001-07:00

Today we read a book in which the characters were pictured eating spaghetti with some suspicious-looking brown balls on top. Adri inquired as to whether they were meat and I said yes, probably, but that all kinds of foods came in ball shapes: her Quorn meatless meatballs, falafel, even kofta. She had never been exposed to kofta before and promptly requested some for dinner. Obviously I'm not making malai kofta (it contains loads of paneer and yogurt), so this was my off-the-cuff version.

2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes
1 can garbanzo beans
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 egg (can substitute a few tbsp yogurt, or even some potato cooking liquid)
1 tennis-ball-sized chunk cooked shredded methi, squeezed very dry
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro

Peel, chop and boil the potatoes in salted water until just tender. Drain and transfer to a mixing bowl. Mash with a potato masher until relatively smooth. Set aside.

Process chickpeas in food processor until texture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Transfer most of this to the mixing bowl, then add spices, salt, baking powder and egg to the remaining chickpeas. Process until smooth. Stir in methi and cilantro; mix well.

With oiled hands, roll into 40 key-lime-sized balls. Bake at 375 degrees for 35-45 minutes, flipping the balls about halfway through baking.

Serve with rice and a sauce made with onions, masala and coconut milk. Or, if you're feeling lazy, serve with your favorite Trader Joe's simmer sauce.

Spaghetti Squash Sevai Uppuma (Spaghetti Squash South Indian Style)

2006-08-24T23:06:00.001-07:00

Good in place of rice or noodles with other Indian dishes. Also good as a unique side dish in its own right.

1 medium spaghetti squash
1 1/2 tsp canola oil
1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp urid dal (or 1 Tbsp broken unsalted raw cashews)
1/4 tsp turmeric
Salt
3 Tbsp freshly grated coconut
Cilantro (optional)

Pierce spaghetti squash with a knife in several places to create steam vents. Cook, either by baking (I like to bake it while using the oven for other things) or in the microwave, until a knife goes in easily. Allow to cool, then cut in half. Remove seeds and discard. Prepare flesh by raking it out with a fork into a bowl. Set flesh aside and reserve until ready.

When ready to cook, heat oil over high heat in a large skillet with a lid. Add black mustard seeds and cover. When mustard seeds pop, add cumin seeds and dal or cashews. When dal or cashews are just beginning to brown, stir in turmeric and salt, then add spaghetti squash and coconut. Toss with a wooden fork until spaghetti squash is evenly coated. If you're feeling fancy, throw in some chopped cilantro for color. Serves 4.

Oven Fries

2006-08-23T18:12:00.000-07:00

4 good-sized Yukon Gold potatoes
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Cut your potatoes into french-fry-looking strips, either by hand or with a nifty french fry cutter (I have one that used to be my mom's). Put in a bowl of cold water for 10 minutes, then drain and dry well (this removes excess starch). Spread on a cookie sheet, toss with oil to evenly coat (use the tongs God gave you, aka your hands) and season with salt and pepper. Bake at 450 for 30-45 minutes, turning several times for even browning.

Asparagus and Red Onion Frittata

2006-08-23T18:07:00.000-07:00

1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 red onion, diced
1 small bundle asparagus, woody bases discarded, tops cut into 1" lengths
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley (optional)
6 eggs
2 Tbsp water

Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a medium-sized saute pan. Saute red onion until translucent and beginning to brown. Season to taste. Add asparagus; cook 2-3 minutes or until crisp-tender.

While asparagus is cooking, break eggs. Whisk together with water. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Lower heat to medium. Sprinkle on parsley, then pour on egg mixture. Cook, stirring from the bottom with a heat-proof spatula, until about half done. Shake pan to distribute evenly, then pop the entire pan in a 400- to 450-degree oven (or under the broiler) for 3 to 5 minutes to cook the top.

Madison Farmer's Market Pasta

2006-08-13T08:08:00.000-07:00

This is a peak-of-summer dish to celebrate the garden's bounty at its finest. Only use the freshest, ripest, most flavorful ingredients for this dish. If you're not in the mood for pasta, the remaining ingredients make a wonderful side dish on their own.

1 pound whole-wheat fusilli or other short chunky pasta
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small red onion, diced
4-5 small zucchini, cut in thick half-moons
4-5 small yellow squash, cut in thick half-moons
1 large heirloom tomato, coarsely chopped
15 kalamata olives, pitted and roughly chopped
2 Tbsp capers
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil
2 Tbsp coarsely chopped fresh oregano

Start pasta water to boil. When boiling, add a generous amount of salt and cook pasta until al dente.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large kadhai, wok or skillet over medium heat. Add garlic; cook for a moment, then add red onion and increase heat to medium-high. Season with a bit of salt and pepper. When onion is translucent and beginning to brown, increase heat to high and add zucchini. Cook, stirring constantly, until zucchini is firm but fork-tender and beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; add tomato and its juice, olives, capers, pine nuts, herbs, and salt and pepper to taste.

When pasta is ready, toss with vegetable mixture. The liquid given up by the vegetable saute should be enough to create a sauce with the pasta. If not, add pasta cooking water and/or olive oil to taste.

This dish is so flavorful that no one will miss the cheese. We had a bowl of freshly grated Pecorino Romano at the table, and no one touched it.

Serves 6-8.

Chicken and Potato Masala Burritos with Coconut Chutney

2006-08-06T17:27:00.000-07:00

Fusion food in the truest sense of the word. Also great for travel - and they're very good cold.

Coconut Chutney:

1 coconut
3 green chiles, stemmed and seeded, or to taste
2 limes
1 Tbsp coconut oil
Salt, to taste
water, as necessary

Crack open coconut and remove meat from shell. Set aside.

Place green chiles in the work bowl of a food processor. Process until finely chopped. Add coconut meat. Process until finely chopped and a bit sticky. Add lime juice, coconut oil and salt; process until mixed. With processor running, drizzle in water until chutney just comes together (it should be very thick). Set aside.

Potato Masala:

6-8 small Yukon Gold potatoes
1 tbsp canola or coconut oil
1 tsp black mustard seed
1 tsp cumin seed
1 tsp urid dal
6-8 curry leaves, optional
1-inch piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped (I use a coarse microplane grater)
2 green chiles, stemmed, seeded and minced
2 small yellow onions, diced
1/4 tsp turmeric
Salt, to taste
1 bag Quorn Tenders (optional; can substitute soy tenders or cooked chicken cubes based on dietary preference)
1 small bunch cilantro, chopped

Boil the potatoes in their jackets. Peel when cool. Set aside.

Heat oil over medium-high heat. Add mustard seed and cover. After mustard seed has spluttered, add cumin seed, urid dal and curry leaves. When urid dal has just turned golden brown, add ginger and green chiles. Stir a moment, then add onions. Cook until translucent.

Stir in turmeric and salt. Add Quorn Tenders, stirring to defrost. When tenders have browned a bit, crumble in potatoes with your hands. The chunks should be between the sizes of a pea and the Quorn Tenders. Stir and fry a moment until heated through and flavors are melded. Stir in cilantro and remove from heat.

To assemble burritos, warm 8 large burrito-sized tortillas. Spread each with a bit of coconut chutney. (You will have some left over, but it freezes well.) Add potato masala and roll up. Serve hot, or chill thoroughly and wrap in aluminum foil for travelling.

Chocolate Banana Date Pancakes

2006-08-02T08:59:00.000-07:00

Adri ate two of these this morning, a first. She likes them smeared with sunflower seed butter.

I know the amount of sugar from the bananas and dates sounds like a lot. But you will need a lot to counteract the bitterness of the unsweetened chocolate almond milk and unsweetened cocoa powder.

2 overripe bananas, peeled
8 dates, pitted, or to taste
2 eggs
2 Tbsp flax oil
1 cup unsweetened chocolate almond milk
3/4 cup rolled oats
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 Tbsp cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Place bananas, dates, eggs, flax oil, almond milk and oats in a blender. Puree. Combine dry ingredients, whisking together. Pour contents of blender onto dry ingredients and stir until combined. Cook on a griddle as you would regular pancakes. Makes approximately 2 dozen pancakes. Store extras between slices of waxed paper and freeze in a zip-top bag for breakfasts on the run.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

2006-07-31T10:26:00.000-07:00

I put the dry and wet ingredients together to take to a friend's cabin to bake there over the weekend... then forgot to bring the bananas and chocolate chips. So in my sleep-deprived, non-caffeinated state, with one eye blearily cracked half open, I made them this morning instead. They were surprisingly good.

1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup barley flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3 overripe bananas (with lots of brown spots), mashed well
1 large egg
1/2 to 2/3 cup turbinado sugar (depending on ripeness of bananas)
4 Tbsp canola oil (can be half flax oil)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup (1/2 of a 12-ounce bag) semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375. Stir dry ingredients together with a whisk. Set aside. Mash bananas. Add egg, sugar, oil and vanilla; mix well. Fold in dry ingredients until barely incorporated, then fold in chocolate chips. Spoon batter into 12 muffin papers in a muffin tin; cups will be nearly full. Bake for 18 minutes or until done and nicely browned. Makes 12.

Favorite Iced Almond Latte

2006-07-24T14:58:00.000-07:00

My daily morning indulgence. Gives me a little extra go-juice to help me deal with my early riser, an overenergetic almost-3-year-old.

1 cup double-strength hot coffee
Stevia to taste
2 cups ice cubes
1/2 cup Almond Breeze unsweetened original almond milk

Add stevia to hot coffee. Pour over ice. Add almond milk and stir. Sip at leisure.

For an almond mocha latte, use unsweetened chocolate almond milk.

Three Faces of Eve Cake

2006-07-16T11:45:00.000-07:00

Happiness can be found in even the saddest accidents, such as forgetting an entire Costco-sized bag of Ghirardelli semisweet chocolate chips in the trunk of your car in Phoenix in the summertime. Besides, what better way to devil up an otherwise angelic cake than with a little ground chocolate?

Raspberry makes a wonderful counterpoint for a third dimension of flavor. And what to do with all those leftover yolks? Well, you could always make zabaglione!

1/2 cup cocoa powder
3 Tbsp whole wheat pastry flour
3 Tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
12 large egg whites
3 Tbsp Chambord
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp instant coffee
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp vanilla
6 Tbsp ground semisweet chocolate

Stir together cocoa, flours, cornstarch, salt, and half of sugar. Set aside.

Beat egg whites, Chambord, lemon juice, instant coffee, cream of tartar and vanilla on low speed in the work bowl of a stand mixer for 1 minute. Increase speed to medium and beat until mixture increass in volume 4 1/2 to 5 times and resembles a bowl of slightly translucent soft foam composed of tiny bubbles. This should take anywhere from 1 1/2 to 3 minutes. The foam will hold a very soft, moist shape when the beaters are lifted.

Beat in gradually on medium speed, 1 tbsp at a time, the other half of the sugar. This should take 2-3 minutes. When the entire 3/4 cup sugar has been added, the foam will be creamy and hold soft, moist, glossy peaks that bend over at the points.

Remove bowl from stand mixer. Sift the flour gradually over the top of the foam, about 1/8 at a time, and fold gently with a rubber spatula only until flour mixture is nearly incorporated. Repeat, folding in the last addition until no traces of flour are visible. Fold in ground chocolate in the same manner.

Pour the batter into an ungreased 10" angel cake pan. Tilt or spread batter to level the top. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven until a toothpick comes out clean, 35-40 minutes. Turn upside down and let cool at least 1 1/2 hours.

Raspberry Coulis:

12 ozs frozen organic raspberries, thawed
1/4 cup turbinado sugar
3 Tbsp Grand Marnier

Blend raspberries and sugar in a blender until completely smooth. Press through a fine-mesh sieve to remove seeds. Stir in liqueur and transfer to a squirt bottle.

To serve, slice cake into thin wedges. Arrange on a plate atop a pool of raspberry coulis. Drizzle cake with additional coulis and garnish, if desired, with fresh raspberries.

Banana "Ice Cream"

2006-07-11T17:19:00.001-07:00

A wonderful dairy-free afternoon snack. I feel good about giving this to Adri as it is mostly fresh fruit. But how does it taste? Well, she has had real ice cream, including gelato, and she still gobbled this without a second thought.

3 overripe bananas
2 Tbsp chocolate syrup
1/4 to 1/3 cup vanilla almond milk, as needed

Peel the bananas, cut in chunks, spread in a single layer and freeze uncovered until hard, about 2 hours.

Place frozen banana chunks in work bowl of a food processor. Allow your child to drizzle chocolate syrup over them. With processor running, slowly drizzle almond milk in until mixture comes together into the consistency of soft-serve ice cream. For best consistency, process at least 30 seconds. Spoon into bowls and serve immediately.

Quick Tuscan Pasta with Beans

2006-07-11T13:55:00.000-07:00

Tuscans are called mangiafagioli, "bean eaters," by other Italians. So I suppose I'll call this Tuscan pasta. I could, of course, just as easily call it "Can't Be Bothered to Do More Than Boil Water and Open a Can to Feed My Child pasta." But that doesn't have as nice a ring.

1 1/2 cups dry whole wheat fusilli
1 can Trader Joe's Tuscan Bean Medley, undrained
3 Tbsp finely chopped basil
2 ounces grated pecorino romano or crumbled feta cheese (optional, but tasty)

Cook fusilli in salted boiling water until just under al dente. Drain water and return to pan with undrained can of beans. Cover and cook a few more minutes, then uncover and stir briskly over heat to evaporate some water. Stir in basil and cheese, if using. Plop onto plates and devour. Serves 2 adults and one hungry preschooler.

Zabaglione for a Crowd with Fresh Fruit

2006-07-08T13:58:00.000-07:00

I made this dessert for our 4th of July pool party and dinner. Since then Adri has been asking every day for "that foamy yellow dip we had when our friends were over." It's so cute that she can't pronounce zabaglione properly. But no matter, neither can I. Besides, I'm so proud of her sophisticated palate. Is this the same little girl that eats her scrambled eggs with peas and ketchup?

12 egg yolks
2/3 cup turbinado sugar
1/4 cup brandy
1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Whisk egg yolks, sugar and brandy together in a large glass or metal bowl. Scrape the sides clean with a spatula then set the bowl over (not in) a pot of simmering water. Whisk furiously until sauce has thickened and quadrupled in volume. Be careful not to heat the mixture too quickly or it will cook before it fluffs up. If you sense this happening, remove the bowl from the heat and whisk until it cools, then return to heat and continue whisking.

Remove the zabaglione to a bowl and eat immediately (or within the next half-hour) with firm-textured fruit for dipping. If you are happening to make this on the Fourth of July, arrange strawberries, bananas and blueberries in the shape of an American flag, then stand back and watch as the children fall on it like wolves.

Lentil Sloppy Joes

2006-07-05T18:01:00.000-07:00

Another family favorite, this one adapted from 125 Best Vegetarian Slow Cooker Recipes.

2 tsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion, diced
4 stalks celery, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup lentil cooking liquid or water
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp Sucanat
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
3 cups cooked lentils

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring, until softened. Add celery and cook until that softens. Add oregano, salt and pepper; cook 1-2 minutes more, until fragrant. Set aside.

In the stoneware insert of a slow cooker, combine ketchup, lentil cooking liquid, balsamic vinegar, Sucanat and mustard. Stir well to combine. Add onion mixture and lentils; stir well.

Cover and cook on Low for 6 hours or on High for 3 hours, until hot, bubbling and thickened. Serve on toasted whole-grain buns.