Bulgur with Braised Kale

While most people are posting holiday cookie recipes galore I seem to be focusing on more nutritious foods of late.  This is partly due to my parents bringing over food every week and they want to make sure I eat healthy.  Of course I don't have a great deal of time to bake much (though banana bread has been made weekly as my husband does the groceries now and he somehow always seems to come home with a large bunch of ripe bananas).   

This recipe comes from my father who shares my love for kale and swiss chard.  Braised kale is a magical, magical thing.  Pasta with braised kale is still a favorite in our house but this recipe is definitely a close second.  You can adjust the ratio of bulgur to kale and make this more of a salad or more of a hearty side dish.  It's so filling it makes a great lunch by itself.  

1 cup bulgur

large bunch kale or swiss chard, ribs removed, leaves chopped

1 onion, chopped

salt, pepper, olive oil

Rinse bulgur (try and use #4 which you can find at most Korean or Middle Eastern grocery stores) and let drain.  Sautee onion in some olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add kale, salt, pepper and saute for 15 minutes.  Add bulgur and saute for 1 minute.  Add 1 and 1/2 cup water and let come to a boil.  Lower heat and and cook for 15 minutes, adding more water if needed.  Bulgur should fluff out and absorb all water (notes: tastes better if home made vegetable stock is used instead of water).    

Sprout Salad

It may appear, from these recent postnatal posts, that I have been eating extremely healthy.  I can assure you that's not really the case. While I have been making sure I eat a good amount of fruits and veggies and protein, my appetite has been ravenous and I have had a huge sweet tooth.  Since breastfeeding, I have been eating twice as much as I had when I was pregnant.  But I do try and make an effort to get a lot of good nutrients in my system everyday.  This sprout salad is an energizing, refreshing, juicy and filling salad.  You can find sprouted mong at Whole Foods or some Korean or International grocery stores.  In the summer my mother sprouts her own whole mong which Whole Foods also carries (1 cup will double in volume: soak the mong for 12 hours and then drain the water and cover the container with a dish towel and keep in an oven.  Do not use a glass container as the idea is for the mong to sprout and grow in search of light.  In one and a half days you will have the sprouts).


2 cups sprouted mong
1 red pepper, chopped
1 orange pepper, chopped
1/4 c chopped spring onion
handful of dried cranberries
handful of chopped pecans or walnuts


Toss everything together and add juice from one lemon and about 2 tablespoons or so of olive oil. Salt, pepper.  Add a handful of chopped fresh cilantro or parsley if desired. 

Wild Rice and Spinach Salad

I believe the original credit of this salad goes to my cousin, Rashna, who always had this as a Thanksgiving side, so this year when my mother hosted Thanksgiving for our family it was on the table.  It's a nice fresh salad that I think goes so well with all the other warm, overcooked veggies you see at Thanksgiving.  But Thanksgiving aside, this is a perfect salad.  I love when I can combine a carb and a veggie and I have been consuming an insane amount of spinach lately as the iron is essential for me and my baby.  The proportions of the elements of this salad need not be accurate at all.  I like it heavy on the spinach, but you can certainly have it heavier on the rice or other ingredients.

1 6oz box long grain wild rice (Uncle Ben's) not quick cooking 

1/4 c finely chopped spring onions

4 cups chopped baby spinach

1 cup chopped mushrooms (any kind you like)

1/2 cup chopped cherry tomatoes

handful of chopped walnuts

handful of cranberries

Cook rice according to box and allow to cool.  Toss with other ingredients and then drizzle some olive oil, balsamic vinegar, add salt and pepper, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and toss again.  Let flavors marry for an hour before serving.  

Ajwain Water

Behold.  The power of ajwain water.  For anyone who is nursing or planning on nursing anytime soon I highly recommend drinking ajwain water.  It's a natural digestive and infuses the breast milk as a homeopathic aid in stimulating proper digestion and relieving gas.  Of course I haven't conducted a scientific experiment of my own, but I  drink this everyday and my daughter seems content.  In India they would give the water directly to infants but of course in this country we are given such strict guidelines for what newborns and infants can consume (yet our children seem to have an abundance of health problems).  It is also said to help the mother heal after delivery.  I take 1 teaspoon of ajwain seeds and stir it into about 2 cups of water in a small pot and let this come to a simmer for a few minutes.  The water should become golden in color.  You can sweeten it with some sugar or honey if you like but I like the natural taste.  It's very herbal and lemon tasting, almost like thyme.  Strain the water to remove the seeds and drink warm or cold.  You can find ajwain seeds at any Indian or spice store or order some online.      

Lasagna

After making this lasagna I realized that I am simply not the type of girl who is going to prepare lots of freezer meals like casseroles in preparation for our new arrival.  While this was divine on a chilly, lazy Sunday, and delicious the next day for lunch, after the third day of seeing this lasagna that just would. not. die, I wanted to throw it out the window.  I just can't eat lasagna for three days straight.  Why do all lasagna recipes make enough to feed a family of 8?  What I should have done was freeze half and pull it out next year, and then I would have been happy to see it.  But I am a total skeptic when it comes to food lasting too long in the freezer.  I've never been a fan of frozen food - the tastes get altered, and I don't think food should sit in a freezer more than just a few weeks, at the most.  So we'll have to figure out another way to manage in those first few blurry eyed weeks, and having my mother on speed dial may just be the way.  But back to this lasagna, that perfectly hit the spot on a Sunday evening.  Evening is actually being a little generous.  This meaty, cheesy, bubbly dish came out of the oven at 4:45pm and my husband and I proceed to eat dinner 15 minutes later.  I dare anyone to not dive into freshly baked lasagna after it's cooled off.  The smell was intoxicating.  Now before I share the recipe the disclaimer is I can't quite recall how I made this.  It was a few weeks ago and I'm running on pregnancy brain these days and if I don't write something down I forget it.  I was all set to make this in the crockpot, actually, as slow cooker lasagna sounded like a fantastic idea, but after realizing the meat would need to get precooked anyway I read a few other recipes and since I had the time I figured I'd just do it the old fashioned way.  This is a pretty basic recipe, and I had very simple ingredients purchased from Trader Joes the day before, so when I decided last minute to make a bolognese I just had to make do with what I had, which is to say it was not a true bolognese but just a simple meat sauce.  I think that's what I loved about this dish - it was incredibly easy and simple, not labor intensive at all, but with ample rewards of a slow cooked comfort meal.  Lasagna is also a forgiving dish that doesn't need a precise recipe as the basic elements taste good no matter how assembled.        

Lasagna

~1 lb ground beef (85/15)

1/2 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 can Trader Joes marinara sauce (28 oz)

1/4 c cream

1 container Trader Joes ricotta (15 oz)

1 egg

pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 c grated parmesan

16 oz Trader Joes shredded mozzarella

1 package no bake Barilla lasagna sheets

In a dutch oven heat some olive oil over medium heat.  Sautee onion until soft and add garlic.  Toss in meat, salt, pepper and brown, brown, brown.  Pour in crushed tomatoes, marinara, whatever you've got.  If you have some red wine in the fridge pour that in as well.  Add whatever seasonings you like such as dried herbs (thyme, etc) or a dash of cinnamon and garam masala which I did and loved.  Finish off with some cream.  Mix up your ricotta with a beaten egg and add parmesan as well as some salt, pepper and nutmeg.  Pull out your 9x13 inch pan, get the  mozzarella and lasagna sheets ready, bring over pot of meat sauce with a ladle.  Before assembly, watch this video for inspiration.  Drizzle some olive oil on bottom of pan, overlap 4 sheets of lasagna, spread some ricotta mixture then meat sauce, then cheese.  Eyeball this all.  You'll have four layers, I believe.  So keep repeating, finishing off with some meat sauce and cheese on the top.  Drizzle with olive oil.  Bake at 350 for one hour.        

A Fresh Look

Now that the weather has cooled a bit and it's starting to feel more like fall things have finally quieted down in our house, just in time for me to relax and put my feet up these last few weeks of pregnancy.  Our summer was a whirlwind of redecorating and repainting and purging, purging, purging.  I suppose you could call it nesting, though I'm a constant nester.  Our kitchen got a nice face lift as we redecorated our sitting room, repainted and installed new granite counters and a new sink, which added so much more life to the kitchen.  I had no idea what a difference a better designed sink would make.  For weeks after install I would remark out loud "I love this sink". 


With the new look of the kitchen came the opportunity to add a creative print.  Easy Canvas Print offered to created a lovely canvas print for me of any one of my food photographs.  This is a look I've always loved so I happily obliged.  I decided to select a photograph of food from one of our travels as opposed to one of my dishes I spent hours preparing so I chose my photo of churros con chocolate in Madrid.  I loved the idea that I could look at the print while in the kitchen and think fondly of our trip to Spain.  And drool just a bit.         

I would definitely recommend giving the process of creating your own print a try.  It couldn't be easier, and the quality is perfection.  It's still a crisp photo but with more texture.  I think it adds a nice artistic element to the kitchen.  I foresee canvas pictures of baby having her first bites of food added to the kitchen wall some day.  


        

Cauliflower Puree with Braised Short Ribs

I'm a meat eater.  I love my veggies too.  But I love the sight of a big hunk of a short rib on a plate that's been braised until the meat flakes off with a fork.  When braised short ribs are on a menu I tend to be unable to resist them.  Hence, this was my birthday dinner last weekend, thanks to my lovely husband.  He followed this recent recipe from Pioneer Woman and we decided to pair it with some pureed cauliflower and some French green beans (why are theirs better?).  I find it nothing short of amazing how creamy pureed cauliflower can be....with very little cream.  In fact, you really don't need any, we just had some so I spilled in just a spoon.  


1 head of cauliflower
1 T cream (optional)
2 T olive oil
1 clove garlic
salt, pepper      


Prep cauliflower and cut into quarters and place in a medium sized pot of water.  Place on stove and allow water to come to a slow boil.  Let boil for about 8 minutes, until cauliflower is tender but not mushy. Strain. Dump cauliflower and garlic into Vitamix or food processor.  Puree while pouring in olive oil and a little cream.  Salt and pepper to taste.    

Carrot Soup

When my mother told me this soup had apples in it she quickly said "but it's not sweet".  I admit that being told it had apples in it did not sound appealing.  I thought it would taste like a smoothie.  But I was wrong.  It's a rich and velvety soup that's all savory and complex flavors.It's a nice change from tomato soup and pairs well with a grilled cheese or another hot sandwich.  It's healthy, easy to make and a great soup recipe for fall.  This recipe comes from the Washington Post.

1 tablespoon olive or canola oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut crosswise into thin slices

1 apple, peeled cored and chopped

8 cups no-salt-added chicken or vegetable broth

1/2 cup Greek-style yogurt

Salt 

Heat oil in a large pot and add the onion, carrots and apple; cook, covered, until the vegetables soften, about 15 minutes. Add the chicken or vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, and cook until the carrots are tender, about 20 minutes. Remove the solids and transfer them to the blender or food processor (or Vitamix!). Process until smooth. Add the yogurt, if desired, and process again, then stir this mixture back into the soup in the pot. Season with salt

Strawberry Shortcake

I meant to post this recipe before summer ended so my apologies for tempting you with a lovely summer recipe.  Not that you shouldn't make it.  If you can find some good strawberries I highly encourage you to make this cake - it's such an incredibly upbeat cake that will brighten any mood.  This recipe is adapted from chef Dennis Marron, the chef at Jackson 20.  I took one bite of this dessert at his restaurant several weeks ago and was desperate for the recipe so I could make it at home.  To my delight he was quite willingly to share it with me.  He instantly became a favorite of mine. I decided to whip this up for my cooking club gathering because though I am 7 months pregnant I could not eat an entire cake myself.  In fact, one of the reasons I love this cake so much is it isn't overly sweet as I have been very sensitive to overly sugary desserts during this pregnancy (in fact I cut back a bit on the sugar called for).  The cake reminds me of a shortbread and the frosting is a perfect buttery cream cheese frosting full with plump strawberries that tint it pink.  I will be making this recipe for many summers to come.          

Strawberry Cake

1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup granulated sugar

4 egg whites

2 tsp. vanilla

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup corn starch

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 cup buttermilk

Sift dry ingredients into mixing bowl and reserve. Place butter, sugar, vanilla to a stand mixer and beat with a paddle until smooth. Add egg whites and beat to incorporate, continue mixing on medium high for 1 minute. Turn down to medium and add remainder of ingredients slowly alternating dry and wet. Finish with the wet.  Poor into 2 greased 10 inch cake pans. Bake on 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes. Check doneness with a skewer. Skewer should come out clean. Allow cake to cool completely on a rack before frosting.

Strawberry Frosting

12 oz. Cream Cheese

4 oz. butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean scraped
1 cup diced strawberries


Mix butter, cream cheese, sugar and scraped vanilla bean in a stand mixer until smooth. Add strawberries and mix to incorporate.  Frost cake, and eat!

Cheese Steak

Thinly sliced rib eye, sauteed onions and bell peppers, loads of cheese, sourdough bread toasted on a hot panini press.

My husband and I were on our way home from a trip to the beach recently and decided to stop in Philly for lunch to grab some cheese steaks.  We wanted to stop somewhere not too far into the city and close to the highway so we went to Tony Luke's - a famous institution that we were sure would not disappoint.  Sadly, it did, though we probably ordered wrong.  We got the rib eye cheese steaks and I upgraded to some sharp provolone.  The cheese was still cold, not melted, there were no grilled onions, no spices, no flavor whatsoever.  I was crestfallen.  How can they serve a cheese steak with cheese that hasn't been melted?!  Shameful.  I threw my sub with one bite in our cooler and decided I'd jazz it up when I got home, which I did to the most delicious results.  Ever since then I wanted more so I decided to try and make some at home.  Our local International market sells the most perfect meat for cheese steaks: paper thin rib eye that is intended for Sukiyaki.  If you live in the DC area, stop by H Mart or Grand Mart, and you'll find this in their frozen meat section.  I think any meat that is sliced for pho would also work well.  

Cheese steak panini, serves 4

1 lb thinly sliced rib eye

1 large onion (sliced)

1 yellow or orange bell pepper (I used orange)

1 T paprika

1 t garlic powder

1 t cayenne pepper

1 t black pepper

salt, to taste

1 T cream cheese

3/4 cup shredded cheese (sharp cheddar or provolone)

french rolls or sourdough bread

Heat about a tablespoon of grape seed or other oil along with a tablespoon of butter in a medium cast iron skillet on medium high heat.  Start sauteeing onions, once they have soften add bell peppers.  Salt.  Add spices and stir.  Cook until brown and nearly caramelized.  Remove vegetables into a bowl.  Next, brown the meat by placing a few (about 4-5) slices on the skillet and flipping over after a few seconds and salting slightly along the way.  Don't crowd or allow the slices of meat to overlap.  Keep removing browned meat, adding fresh slices and repeating.  Once all the meat is cooked, add one tablespoon of butter to pan and dump meat, onions and peppers back into pan.  Add cream cheese and allow to melt.  Turn off stove, add shredded cheese and stir.  Either toast up a sub and add filling, or place between two slices of sourdough and toast up on a panini press (adding more cheese if desired).      

Red Beans and Rice

While many people were making hurricane inspired cocktails this past weekend my husband and I decided to cook up a different kind of New Orleans specialty: red beans and rice.  It was the perfect comforting dish to have simmering away on a truly lazy, very rainy Saturday spent inside.  We adapted it slightly from a Cook's Illustrated recipe which sounds very odd because the point of their recipes is to follow them precisely.  But I prefer sausage out of its synthetic casing and wanted to brown it first, so we rearranged a few steps.  The red beans definitely pack a punch, but can be cooled down with a dollop of sour cream.  When my husband makes chili we always use canned beans and I hadn't appreciated what a difference soaking and cooking dry kidney beans makes.  It's a much creamier tasting bean and I now realize it's definitely worth the trouble (and a lot more economical).      


1 pound small red beans (about 2 cups), rinsed and picked over
8 ounces andouille sausage
2 slices bacon, chopped fine
1 medium onion, chopped fine (about 1 cup)
1 small green bell pepper, seeded and chopped fine (about 1/2 cup)
1 celery rib, chopped fine (about 1/2 cup)
3 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon sweet paprika (see note)
2 bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 
Ground black pepper
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
6 cups water
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar, plus extra for seasoning
3 scallions, white and green parts, sliced thin
hot sauce or sour cream


1. Dissolve 3 tablespoons salt in 4 quarts cold water in large bowl or container. Add beans and soak at room temperature for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours. Drain and rinse well.


2. Heat large Dutch oven over medium heat and brown sausage and remove.  Add bacon, stirring occasionally, until browned and almost fully rendered, 5 to 8 minutes.  Remove bacon if desired.  Add onion, green pepper, and celery; cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are softened, 6 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic, thyme, paprika, bay leaves, cayenne pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in beans, broth, and water; bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat and vigorously simmer, stirring occasionally, until beans are just soft and liquid begins to thicken, 45 to 60 minutes.


3. Stir in sausage and 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar and cook until liquid is thick and beans are fully tender and creamy, about 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt, black pepper, and additional red wine vinegar. Serve over rice, sprinkling with scallions and passing hot sauce separately, if desired.

Banana Bread

When you're five months pregnant people are often asking about what kinds of cravings you're experiencing and I wish I had a good answer, but as my husband often points out, I've been a very boring pregnant person.  I think he's a bit disappointed as when I remark that I'm hungry he lights up and offers to thrown on the superman cape and pick me up anything my heart desires.....and then I just walk to the kitchen and have a bowl of cereal.  There have been little nuances to my appetite here and there.  I didn't have any morning sickness throughout my first trimester, and instead I had a large morning appetite.  One of the first days I suspected I was pregnant was when I woke up and needed an omelette immediately.  I've never been a breakfast person and am not all that big a fan of eggs.  But there I was, for two weeks straight, eating an omlette every morning.  I also immediately lost my taste for coffee (again, before I even knew I was pregnant).  That was another shock for me.  But since then things have calmed down and I have as normal an appetite as I always have.  Sometimes I'm in the mood for something, but no more than I usually am.  But the biggest, most surprising effect this pregnancy has had on me is the loss of my sweet tooth.  Normally this time of year I eat ice cream after dinner, and I always, my whole life, have had a fondness for desserts.  I could not go a day without eating dessert.  And yet, like clockwork, I immediately lost my sweet tooth.  I've been to two weddings pregnant now and could not eat the wedding cake!  I'm practically ashamed of myself.  On occasion a dessert will look appealing to me, but then I take one bite and my faces scrunches up over the sugary sweetness.  Instead, I've been enjoying more savory sweets, like a tiny bite of bitter dark chocolate, or something simple like banana bread, with some of the sugar cut out.  This banana bread was my kind of indulgence for a week.  I ate a buttered slice every morning.  If I had some overripe bananas now I'd be baking some.  It's nearly as traditional as you can get and a loyal recipe to keep for years.


Banana Nut Bread, adapted from Food & Wine
3/4 c toasted pecans
1 1/4 c flour
1 t baking soda
1/2 t cinnamon
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 t salt
3/4 brown sugar (original recipe calls for 1 cup granulated sugar)
2 eggs
1/2 c canola oil
3 overripe bananas, mashed
1 t vanilla extract


Preheat oven to 350.  Grease a 9x5 loaf pan and line with parchment paper.  In a medium bowl, whisk flour and baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt.  In another bowl, combine sugar, eggs and oil and beat on high speed with a handheld until creamy and light.  Mix in mashed bananas and vanilla and beat until combined.  Stir in dry ingredients and nuts.  Pour batter into pan and bake for one hour.  
   

Cyprus

My husband and I recently returned from a fabulous trip to Cyprus.  It was the perfect summer vacation and ended up being a lovely babymoon as I'm expecting this fall.  Yes, there is a little bun cooking away in Mehan's kitchen....

oh how I wish I was there right now.....

There were lots of things we loved about Cyprus, the weather, the sights, the beaches, and of course the food.  It was a wonderful blend of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean flavors.  Incredibly fresh Greek salads with the creamiest feta (which I'm sure was not pasteurized), grilled, salty halloumi, Lebanese style kabobs, rich tzatziki and tahini (tashi), incredibly fresh fish, grilled meats, and the most amazing olive oil.  While I find Italian olive oils earthy and Spanish to be nutty, the Cypriot olive oil had a rich and complex fruitiness to it.  I only brought back two bottles and now I am really regretting it.  Most of our dinners were the Mediterranean meze style which was often 20, yes, 20 plates of food.  We spent a day on the Turkish side of Cyprus where we saw some sights and had a meze lunch with a main dish of grilled chicken and I picked up a few different varieties of Turkish paprika with strong aromatics.  I love traveling and it felt great getting in a rejuvenating, international trip before our addition arrives.  Of course, it also felt great eating a lot, taking a lot of naps by the beach and reading a book I couldn't put down.

Moussaka!  One of my favorite dishes I had there....and a fabulous afternoon nap followed.

            

Rustic Peach Cake

I'm not sure what makes this cake rustic but I just like calling it that.  My mother makes this cake often in the summer and the typical version is with plums but I love it with peaches.  There is a variety of fruit that would work well in this cake such as cranberries or apples in the fall.  You could also add nuts to the batter and flavor elements such as vanilla or nutmeg.  It's not too sweet and goes well with some vanilla ice cream, whipped cream or creme fraiche and makes a great addition to a bbq.

Rustic Peach Cake 

3/4 c sugar

1/2 c unsalted butter

1 c flour

1 t baking powder

pinch of salt

2 egg

4-5 sliced peaches or 16-20 pitted plums, sliced in half

raw sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon for topping

Preheat oven to 350.  Cream butter and sugar and then add flour, baking powder, salt and eggs.  Beat well.  Spoon batter into springform pan and place sliced peaches (with or without skin) skin side up on top of batter.  Sprinkle with about 1 spoon of lemon juice and then 1 spoon cinnamon and sugar.  Bake 1 hour.  Cool.  Cake freezes well.  

Spiced Lamb with Red Lentils

I made this dish a while ago but am just now getting a chance to post it.  It doesn't exactly scream a hot summer evening kind of a meal, but I wanted to share because it's a great slow cooker dish, and we could all use more slow cooker recipes.  I found an amazing book in the bargain shelf of Borders a few months ago.  It's called Slow Cookers: more than 100 easy recipes.  And that's the only information on it.  No author credit at all.  It's a compilation of recipes published by Bay Books.  Despite the fact that it's a nondescript, thin, paperback with no photos I was drawn to its recipes: lamb dishes, Moroccan, Spanish, Greek and Indian recipes.  And it was $2.99!  This is a hearty lamb stew, a one pot meal that goes well with some simple cous-cous, or nothing at all.


Spiced Lamb with Lentils


1.5 lbs boneless lamb leg or shoulder, cubed
2 t ground cumin
1 t ground coriander
1/2 t turmeric
1 t red chili powder
1 large onion, chopped
1 carrot, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
4.5 oz green beans, chopped (optional)
1 T freshly grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups beef stock
1 cup pureed tomatoes
1 T lemon juice
1 cup red or green lentils
handful of chopped cilantro


Combine spiced listed above and toss in bowl with the lamb to coat it.  Add lamb, vegetables and ginger garlic to the slow cooker.  Pour in stock, lemon juice, and tomato puree, stir in lentils.  Add one bay leaf, if desired, season with salt and pepper.  Cook on high for 4-6 hours.  The longer it cooks the thicker it will become so you can thin it out with stock.  Serve with cilantro and rice or cous-cous.

Scones

Have I seriously not posted anything since April?! I am shocked. OK, I'm not all that shocked - I've been busy, we've been traveling, I haven't been cooking too much during the week and I've been lazy.  Laziness is more likely the culprit.  I've snapped a few photos here and there of new dishes I've tried but I haven't been motivated to post, or the pictures just haven't been all that great.  I am, however, impressed enough with this simple scone recipe that I had to share. This is a really easy recipe and I love that it doesn't call for a lot of sugar as I hate overly sweet scones.  Scones should be buttery and flaky and have perhaps a tart dried fruit bite here and there and there should be clotted cream and sweet preserves to slather on top.  I woke up this Sunday just itching for some fresh baked scones so I threw these together in just minutes. I must say, I was very impressed I had shortening sitting around in my pantry....I have no idea when or why I bought that.  It had actually expired about a month ago, so there went the shortening after I sneaked it in for this recipe.  

Scones, courtesy Alton Brown

2 c flour

4 t baking powder

3/4 t salt

1/3 c sugar

4 T butter

2 T shortening

3/4 c cream

1 egg

handful of raisins or dried cranberries

Combine flour, baking soda, salt and sugar in a medium bowl.  Cut in butter and shortening.  Mix together egg and cream, pour into flour mixture and lightly stir with hands.  Add in dried fruit and combine. Turn out onto floured surface and pat into a flat disk.  Either roll out to about an inch height or just pat down.  Cut into appropriate biscuit shapes.  Lay on baking sheet with parchment or silicone pad and bake at 375 for 15 minutes or until brown.

For some imitation clotted cream I beat about 2 T of heavy cream with 1/4 c mascarpone cheese and a squeeze of agave.     

Marinated Flank Steak Fajitas

Now that it's grilling season I have the pleasure of sitting back and relaxing while my husband flips meat on a hot, smoky grill on Sunday afternoons.  I'm not usually one to chose a steak fajita over a chicken, but for some reason thinly sliced marinated steak sounded delicious wrapped in a tortilla with some grilled peppers and onions (and a large scoop of guacamole and sour cream - not pictured).  The marinade is easy and straightforward and the meat just has to marry with the savory juices for about 4 hours.  Slap it on the grill, let it rest on the counter and then slice it up thin while your puppy stares up with wide, expectant, eyes. 


Steak Fajitas (adapted from Tyler Florence)


2 lbs flank or skirt steak
juice of 2 oranges with a bit of zest
juice of 2 limes with a bit of zest
4 T olive oil
4 cloves garlic
4 chipolte chilis in adobo sauce 
small handful of cilantro
2 t ground cumin
salt, pepper


Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree. Place steaks in large ziplock bag and pour in marinade.  Let sit in fridge for 4 hours.  Grill for 6 minutes on each side for medium, let rest for 5-7 minutes and then thinly slice.  


For the pepper mixture I heat up a cast iron skillet nice and hot and added a bit of butter and olive oil.  Toss on thinly sliced bell peppers (3) and one red onion.  Let cook (don't stir too often, let it get a nice, brown sear) for about 8 minutes and season with salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, paprika and cumin.   

Crab and Artichoke Dip

This is dip is not healthy but it's one of those once and a while decadent dips that guests absolutely love.  This recipes makes a hefty amount so you can divide it up and freeze some and bake up a small ramekin for when you're having people over.  It's great served with water crackers or some sliced baguette.  You want to serve it immediately, piping hot while it's still bubbling and the cheese is nicely melted.  

1 can artichoke hearts (~10-15 oz) in water, drained, chopped
1 cup mayonnaise (make Paula Deen proud)
1 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 6 oz can crab meat, drained
1 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp ground chili pepper

Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl.  Divide into oven safe dishes and bake at 375 (F) for 20 min.

Mujaddara

Caramelized onions make things better.  More special.  Sweet, and with a knowing addition that the flavors were slowly coaxed out.  I often find myself craving lentils, of any kind, and this dish has quickly become a favorite of mine.  I was inspired some time ago from the site, Not Derby Pie, and had to make it my own.  It’s vegetarian and hearty and healthy and just all around satisfying, comfort food.  You cook up some rice and infuse some flavors, you boil some lentils and infuse some flavors, and you caramelize some onions, toss all three together, and then mix up some spiced yogurt to pair it with.

Mujaddara, serves 4

2 large onions, thinly sliced

1 cup basmati rice, rinsed, and soaking in water

3/4 cup French lentils, rinsed and drained

Aromatics: bay leaf, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon stick, green chili

Place lentils in a pot and cover with water. Salt generously and toss in a bay leaf, a few black peppercorns, two cloves and a sliced chili (seeds removed). Bring to a simmer and cook lentils about 25-30 minutes, until tender. Drain and set aside. Cook rice how you wish, in a rice cooker, or in a pot with 1 and 1/2 cups water, add in some aromatics such as clove, peppercorns and cinnamon stick. Bring to a simmer, cover, turn stove to low for 15minutes and then turn off and leave covered for 10 more. Caramelize onions by heating some butter and olive oil in a large pan, stir in onions, salt and pepper.  Let onions soften on medium for about 25 minutes.  Add more oil or water to moisten the onions and when they are light brown, increase heat to brown them. In a medium serving bowl, toss together rice, onions and lentils.  You can serve this with some Greek yogurt mixed with fresh mint and lemon juice.

Granola

I've been on a bit of a granola kick lately and I think I've finally settled on the perfect recipe for me.  Stirred into a bowl with some cold, rich, Greek yogurt and fresh, sweet blueberries and I'm a happy, happy girl.  Now all I need is to figure out how to make tart frozen yogurt and I will be happy all spring and summer long.

This is a pretty basic, traditional granola, but it's got all the flavors I enjoy like vanilla and almonds.  Don't be scared of the coconut, it is very subtle.  If you'd like to add some dried fruit you can toss that in after it's pulled out of the oven.  This recipe is similar to this granola recipe I made before, but I think the flavors are much more well-balanced.    

3 c old fashion oats
3/4 c sliced almonds
1/4 c packed sweetened coconut
1/4 c packed dark brown sugar
2 T butter, melted
1/8 c canola oil
1 t vanilla extract
1 T agave nectar (or more if you want it more sweet)
1 t of cinnamon
pinch of salt

Toss all ingredients together in a bowl.  Spread out onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 350 for about 25 minutes, stirring granola every few minutes to ensure an even toast throughout.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

I think I've found my little black dress of chocolate cake recipes.  I adore its simplicity and elegance.  It's French without being fussy and you can whip this up on a Friday evening for a friend's dinner party without being fazed (as I did).  I adapted this recipe from a show on the Cooking Channel, French Food at Home.  I love the host, she has an adorably slight French Canadian accent, makes everything seems so effortless, measures in grams, isn't afraid of butter and has a beautiful copper bowl she whips eggs in by hand. I find her a bit mesmerizing. This cake is so smooth and light in texture but dark and rich in flavor.  It puffs up like a souffle and then falls down after you pull it out of the oven as cracks form on the top.  


You'll need three bowls, a pot with some water on the stove, a hand beater, and a springform pan.


Flourless Chocolate Cake, from French Food at Home

7 oz 70% chocolate (I used 72%)
7 oz butter
4 eggs
2/3 c sugar (the recipe called for a full cup, but if you like desserts not overly sweet, I recommend cutting back to 2/3 cup)


Heat oven to 375 degrees F.  Line an 8 inch springform pan with parchment paper, butter and dust with powdered sugar (or flour). Place a glass bowl on the pot, on the stove with simmering water, and melt the butter and chocolate until smooth.  In two bowls, separate the eggs (place the whites in a larger bowl).  Beat the yolks with 1/3 c sugar until thick and pale.  In the other bowl, beat the whites until soft peaks, then add 1/3 c sugar and beat to stiff peaks. Slowly whisk the chocolate mixture into the yolk mixture. Stir in a spoonful of beaten egg whites, then pour the chocolate mixture over the egg whites and gently fold together with a spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake about 45-50 minutes.  The recipe called for baking for 50 minutes, but depending on how your oven is calibrated you may need to adjust.  Remove from the oven. Run a knife around the outside edge, then let sit until cool. It will sink down and the top will crack.  Dust with powdered sugar and serve with whipped cream. 

Shrikhand

I'm in awe of the power of saffron.  I truly am.  Its addition to savory or sweet dishes provides such a complex, exotic flavor that always makes me feel as though I'm walking through sights and scents of a market in Morocco.  This traditional yogurt dish is incredibly easy to whip up, especially now that you can find Greek yogurt in the stores.  Served with some fresh fruit in the summer after a heavy meal, or sprinkled with granola, or just enjoyed by the spoon, it's a real treat.  
1/2 tsp saffron

3 cardamom pods
1 1/2 cup Greek yogurt (full fat)
3 tbsp sugar
handful of toasted nuts for garnish (pistachios or almonds)

Soak saffron in 1 teaspoon of boiling water.  Meanwhile, remove seeds from cardamom pods and grind (use a coffee grinder devoted to spices or a mortar and pestle).  Mix in the spice, saffron,sugar into yogurt and chill before serving.  Top with nuts.

Tomato Soup

I'm not sure where I started with tomato soup (though I have no doubt I have a blog post on that topic) but this is where I've ended up, and I have my Vitamix to thank.  I can't remember life before my Vitamax.  It was at first ohmy, how much for a blender to worth every penny.  Though I still occasionally use an immersion blender, traditional blender and my food processor, none of those compare to the Vitamix when it comes to certain things.  I've been making a ton of soups lately and it's all because I love the velvety creamy texture that pours out of the Vitmax.  This post shouldn't really have a detailed recipe because this has been one of those things that I mix up all the time and toss in whatever I have lying around in the fridge: sour cream, cheese, pesto, arugula, miso paste, and it comes out great every time.  Grilled cheese sandwiches crisp off a cast iron with a bowl of hot tomato soup have been a weekly occurrence in our house this winter and part of me wonders if it will continue through the spring we've become so hooked.

1 28 oz can of Cento whole, peeled tomatos
1 c chicken broth
3 cloves garlic
3 shallots
salt, pepper

I've listed out a few ingredients but I always add some more.  A handful of arugula, a spoon of some pesto, or some fresh herbs, dash of paprika, and I like to finish it off with a few spoons of cream or a little goat cheese (or sour cream) and a drizzle of truffle oil.  In a pot, heat some olive oil and sautee the shallots.  Add in chopped garlic.  Pour in entire can of tomatoes, and break them up with a wooden spoon.  Salt, pepper (and add some red chili pepper flakes if you want a little heat).  Let this simmer for a few minutes, pour in chicken broth and simmer for 10 minutes. You could make this vegetarian by adding vegetable broth, but be careful as some have MSG.  If adding, toss in some arugula and let wilt.  Pour everything in Vitamix, remove clear plastic from top and cover with kitchen towel.  Turn on and increase speed to 8, then place on high for 1 minute.  Pour soup back into pot and let simmer until ready to serve.  I like to stir in cream as it simmers.  Check for seasoning and add some salt and pepper.