Monday, November 24, 2008

Parsnip and Sweet Potato Gnocchi


One time last year, we had some leftover parsnips in the fridge and Adam made these fantastic gnocchi out of them. Ever since then, we've been yearning to make them again. Last night was finally the night. I have to warn you, gnocchi-making is quite a process. Not only does it make your kitchen one big, floury mess, it also takes a fair amount of time. But, there is nothing better than some homemade gnocchi over a bed of garlicy, sauteed greens to start the week off on the right foot.


Parsnip and Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Garlicy Kale

We took the basic recipe for the gnocchi off of a recipe by Mario Batali we found on www.foodnetwork.com. We ended up using more flour than the recipe originally called for, but as long as the starch and flour turn into a knead-able dough the amount of flour can vary. We tried to use the least amount of flour possible to keep the integrity of the sweet potato and parsnip flavors. Oh, and this recipe makes a ton of gnocchi. We have plenty of leftovers for several more meals. In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with that!

1 bag parsnips, peeled and chopped
2 medium-sized sweet potatoes, chopped
1 egg, beaten and divided
3 cups flour, approximately
1/2 tsp. salt

1 bunch kale, taken off the stem and chopped
2 portabella mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. chili powder

chili oil
paprika

1. To prepare the gnocchi, bring a large pot of water with the sweet potatoes and parsnips to a boil. Boil until the potatoes and parsnips are tender and slightly soft. Transfer the potatoes and parsnips to separate bowls. Mash the potatoes with a fork until smooth and then mix in half the egg and salt by making a well in the center. The parsnips mash better in a food processor with half of the beaten egg and the salt. If you can mash the parsnips with a fork, that works too, although the dough will not be as smooth. Next, add and stir in the flour to each starch, about a half cup at a time. Continue adding and mixing in the flour until you are able to roll the dough. Roll the dough into snake-like rolls that are approximately 1-inch in diameter. Cut into 1-inch squares. Place in another pot of boiling water. Allow to cook until the gnocchi rise to the top, indicating they are done. Then remove to a colander.
2. To prepare the greens, saute the portabella mushrooms in a large skillet with olive oil over medium-heat. Once the mushrooms are tender, add the garlic and kale and allow the greens to wilt. Sprinkle the paprika and chili powder over the greens and add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Place kale on a plate and surround with gnocchi, alternating parsnip and sweet potato. Drizzle with chili oil and sprinkle with paprika. Impress all those who eat!

Friday, November 21, 2008

A Cannelloni Craving


For some extremely odd reason, I had a craving for cannelloni. I know, strange. We had leftover ricotta from the Spinach Gnocchi, so I'm sure that's where I got the idea from. A lot of the recipes I looked at used lasagna noodles for the basis of the cannelloni, but I always thought of cannelloni as Italian crepes. Mario Batali, however, does have a recipe that included a crepe-like batter. I used his crepe recipe (although, I omitted the 4 Tbs. of butter he added) and filled the cannelloni with a hearty mixture of chard and ricotta and topped them all off with a tomato sauce and mozzarella. After baking them for about 20 minutes, they came out perfectly cheesy and everything I had hoped for.


Chard and Ricotta Cannelloni

Crepe
3/4 cup flour
2 eggs
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 cup milk

Filling
1 bunch chard, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
2 cups ricotta
salt and pepper to taste

tomato sauce (canned is fine)
1/2 to 1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated

1. Prepare the crepe batter by whisking the ingredients together until there are no more lumps. Let it stand approximately 20 minutes.
2. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and saute until slightly fragrant. Add the chard and saute until wilted. Allow the chard to cool slightly.
3. Mix the chard with the ricotta in a large bowl. Salt and pepper to taste.
4. To prepare the crepes, heat a scant amount of butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Pour approximately 1/4 cup of batter into the skillet and make so that it covers the bottom completely. When the one side has cooked the edges will begin to peel up. At this point, flip the crepe and allow to cook on the other side. Repeat this procedure with the remaining batter.
5. In a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, lay out a crepe and fill it with the chard and ricotta mixture. Roll the edges inward to form a tube and situate so that the seam is on the bottom of the dish. Repeat with the remaining crepes and filling. Top with tomato sauce and mozzarella. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Grillin' Greek


A few weeks ago we bought some ground lamb at the Lakeshore Farmers' Market. We decided to make a lamb burger for Adam and a grilled portabella burger for me, paired with a Greek salad to make the ultimate grilled Greek dinner. On a freshly baked bun and topped with red onion, tomato chutney, and feta cheese, this was a perfectly flavorful weeknight meal. For the bun, we used a Par Baked Artisan roll from Trader Joe's that you heat through and crisp up right before serving. They are wonderful because you can always have freshly baked bread on your table in 10 minutes. The perfectly spicy tomato chutney is also from Trader Joe's. I'm sure you could find some tomato chutney in any well-stocked grocery store. I must admit that this meal doesn't have a strict recipe; it's pretty much making a simple salad and grilling up meat/mushrooms. I just wanted to show how easy putting together a delicious, unique meal can actually be.

Lamb Burger

1 lbs. ground lamb
1 tsp. rosemary
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
salt, to taste

1. Mix the ingredients together and place on a hot grill. Grill until thoroughly cooked.


Portabella Burger

This isn't so much of a recipe as just placing the mushroom on the grill and letting it heat through. I would suggest two mushrooms stacked on top of each other to help the mushroom stand up to the tomato chutney.


Greek Salad

I'm not going to write the portions for any of the salad ingredients because everyone likes their salads with different ratios of greens to other veggies and toppings. Feel free to elaborate and add your own favorite salad toppers.

spinach or mixed greens
cucumber, thinly sliced
red onion, thinly sliced
tomato, sliced
red pepper, diced
pecans
feta cheese
vinaigrette (a lemon-based or more acidic vinaigrette would work well)

1. Toss all of the ingredients together and top with dressing.

Monday, November 17, 2008

Chili and Cornbread


Things have been quite busy around here, so sorry for the delay in new recipes and postings. This meal here, though, is a great way to sit back, relax, and enjoy the comfort of food. I've always found chili to be a hearty, homey, soothing meal. And, the best part is that it's super easy. Paired with a side of homemade cornbread, nothing could be better on an autumn night.


Three-Bean Chili

This chili recipe is based off of what I remember my mom and dad making when I grew up. I don't know if it's an exact replica of their recipe, but it's pretty close. Come to think of it, it's not an exact replica of itself any time I make it. Make this recipe your own by adding more or less of the spices or switching up the types of beans and toppings. The whole point of chili is to warm your soul, and who knows how to do that better than you?

1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bell pepper, any color, chopped
1 (15-oz.) can black beans
1 (15-oz.) can pinto beans
1 (15-oz.) can kidney beans
3/4 cup frozen corn kernels
1 (28-oz.) can diced tomatoes
4 dried chiles, chopped
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. cayenne
1/2 tsp. salt

scallions
jalapeno, diced
avocado, chopped
cheddar cheese, grated

1. In a dutch oven on medium to medium-high heat, saute the onions in a bit of olive oil until nearly translucent. Add the garlic and bell pepper, continuing to saute until the peppers have softened.
2. Add the beans, corn, tomatoes, chiles, and spices. Bring the chili to a simmer, allowing the flavors to meld. Taste to ensure your liking of the spice mixture.
3. Top with the scallions, diced jalapeno, and cheddar cheese.

My Mama's Cornbread

From the title, I'm sure you gathered that this is my mom's recipe for cornbread. I don't know where she got it from, but she gave it to me a few years ago and I've been making it ever since. With a pad of butter (and a dollop of honey for Adam), a slice of this cornbread brings me right back to my parents' kitchen table.

3/4 cup corn meal
1 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
1 egg, well beaten
2 Tbs. melted butter

1. Sift the dry ingredients (corn meal through salt) together in a large bowl.
2. Mix in wet ingredients.
3. Spoon into a cast iron skillet. Bake for 20 minutes at 425.

Monday, November 10, 2008

That's in My Cookie?


We had a serious need to use up some zucchini that was at the end of its life. I decided to use it in a bit of an untraditional manner-cookies! I remembered reading the recipe while devouring Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. Her daughter Camille inserted stories about growing up surrounded by food and recipes that accompanied the theme of each chapter. This is one of her recipes that will now be part of my cookie repertoire. They are healthier than your average chocolate chip cookie with the whole wheat flour and zucchini additions, yet still wonderfully delicious. The best part is that this cookie makes you think outside the box about what can be considered a dessert ingredient.


Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies (Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, Barbara and Camille Kingsolver)

1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup honey
1 Tbs. vanilla extract
1 cup white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon [I doubled this]
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 cup finely shredded zucchini
12 oz. chocolate chips

1. Combine the first 5 ingredients, the egg through the vanilla, in a large bowl.
2. Combine the flours, baking soda, salt, and spices in a separate, small bowl and blend into the liquid mixture.
3. Stir zucchini and chocolate chips into other ingredients, mix well. Drop by spoonful onto greased baking sheet, and flatten with the back of a spoon. Bake at 350, 10 to 15 minutes.

Italian Comfort, Veggie-Style


What could be better on a Sunday evening than cooking a hearty Italian meal with the one you love? Last night, Adam and I made Spinach Gnocchi from the Moosewood Cookbook. Although the title implies that they will taste similar to the traditional potato dumpling, we thought they tasted more like a veggie meatball. The ricotta that holds together the "gnocchi" brings in that meaty flavor and texture that is completely and utterly satisfying. Served with a simple side salad, this meal was a perfect way to end the weekend.


Spinach Gnocchi (Moosewood Restaurant: New Classics)

10 oz. fresh spinach
3 large eggs
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup ricotta
1 1/4 cups bread crumbs
2 Tbs. chopped fresh basil
1/3 cup chopped scallions
1 garlic clove, minced or pressed
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
pinch of ground nutmeg, or more to taste
1/2 recipe Quick Tomato Sauce (to follow) or 3 cups store-bought tomato sauce

1. Preheat the oven to 400. Oil a nonreactive baking dish.
2. Rinse the spinach well and remove any large stems. Place the spinach in a large pot with only the water that clings to the leaves. Cover and cook on high heat, stirring once or twice, just long enough to wilt the leaves, about 3 minutes. Set aside and drain.
3. In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Mix the Parmesan, ricotta, bread crumbs, basil, scallions, garlic, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. When the cooked spinach is cool enough to handle, gently squeeze more water from it and chop it. Stir the chopped spinach into the cheese mixture. The batter will be wet and rather soft. Drop the batter by rounded tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking dish to make about 18 balls [mine made about double that, I can't figure out why]. Pour the tomato sauce around the gnocchi to almost cover.
4. Bake for about 25 minutes, until firm and beginning to brown. Serve hot with the tomato sauce ladled on top.

Quick Tomato Sauce (Moosewood Restaurant: New Classics)

2 tsp. olive oil
2 cups finely chopped onion
2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 tsp. salt, or more to taste
6 cups canned tomatoes with juice, chopped (two 28-oz. cans)
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

1. Warm the oil in a nonreactive 2-quart saucepan. Add the onions, garlic, and salt and sauce on medium heat for about 7 minutes, until golden. Add the tomatoes, their juice, and the pepper and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Add more salt to taste. Serve immediately or chill or freeze for later use.

Sunday, November 9, 2008

An Evening Affair


Adam and I decided to go all out last night and make a really good dinner. And, we did just that! We made a Caramelized Onion Tart and a Roasted Beet, Avocado, and Watercress Salad. Adam's brother joined us for dinner and brought over a fantastic bottle of zinfandel from Dry Creek Valley's Unti Vineyard. It paired perfectly with the rich flavors of the tart and beets and the creaminess of the avocados. The tart takes quite a while to prepare, but with the first bite, you will realize that every minute of the preparation was worth it. If you have a special event coming up, this is definitely a meal that everyone will enjoy and rave about all night.


Caramelized Onion Tart (Moosewood Restaurant New Classics)

It took a lot longer for the onions to caramelize than the recipe denotes. Be patient, it's worth the wait to get perfectly golden brown onions.

Crust
1 1/2 cups unbleached white flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup chilled butter
3 to 4 Tbs. chilled water (Adam ended up using about 6 Tbs. to get the right consistency)

Filling
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
8 cup sliced onions
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
6 large eggs
1/4 cup unbleached white flour
1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups milk
1 cup packed grated Gruyere cheese

1. Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Work the butter into the flour with a pastry cutter [or two knives if you don't have a pastry cutter] until it resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle on the ice water and form the dough into a ball. On a lightly floured surface, somewhat flatten the ball of dough by pressing down with your palm. Roll the dough into a 13-inch circle with a rolling pin. Lift the dough into a 10-inch pie plate. Fold the edges under and crimp the edges high, because the filling is generous. Set aside in the refrigerator.
2. Preheat the oven to 400.
3. Warm the oil in a large, heavy, preferably cast-iron skillet and add the onions and salt. Cook uncovered on medium-high heat, stirring often, for 15 minutes. Add the thyme and continue to cook for another 5 to 10 minutes. As they cook, the onions will release their juices and then start to caramelize, turning golden brown. Remove from the heat and set aside. In a blender, puree the eggs, flour, mustard, salt, and milk until smooth.
4. Spread the onions evenly on the bottom of the pie shell, cover with the grated cheese, and pour the milk custard over all. Bake until the filling is set and the crust is golden brown, about 50 to 60 minutes. Serve immediately or cool to room temperature.


Roasted Beet, Avocado, and Watercress Salad (Cooking Light, November 2005)

We cut this recipe into a third of what the recipe makes, which was plenty for 3 people. We did keep the whole avocado in there though, because how could anyone resist eating avocado? We used white wine vinegar instead of the sherry vinegar, but I would use plain white vinegar next time for a stronger bite and contrast to the other flavors next time.

6 large red or yellow beets (about 4 1/2 pounds)
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 tsp. finely grated orange rind
1/4 cup orange juice
3 Tbs. extravirgin olive oil
2 1/2 Tbs. sherry vinegar
3/4 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 large avocado, peeled
3 bunches watercress (about 9 cups trimmed)
3 cups orange sections (about 3 large navel oranges)
3/4 cup vertically sliced red onion
3 Tbs. chopped pecans, toasted

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Remove root and 1 inch stem on beets; scrub with a brush. Cut beets in half; place beets in a 13x9-inch baking dish. Add 1/4 cup water. Cover with foil, and bake at 375 for 1 hour or until tender. Cool; rub off skins. Cut beets into 1/2-inch slices.
3. Combine rind and next 6 ingredients in a small bowl. Toss half of juice mixture with beets.
4. Cut avocado in half lengthwise. Cut each half into 12 slices. Place watercress on a platter; top with beets, orange sections, onion, and avocado. Drizzle remaining juice mixture over salad, and top with pecans. Serve immediately.

Spicy Hot!


Any one who knows us, knows that we LOVE spicy food. But, we've found that finding truly hot hot sauces is quite difficult. Naturally, we decided that since we couldn't find anything fantastic in the grocery stores, we would just make our own. It turns out that making your own is actually cheaper than buying hot sauces in the store. This first attempt will definitely not be our last. It's really easy and really hot. The faint of heart (or tongue), be wary of this one!


Volcanic Hot Sauce (www.sweatnspice.com)

We ended up adding an extra tsp. of molasses to really make that flavor stand out. It has a unique mustard flavor that goes really well by itself on tortilla chips.

10-12 habaneros, jalapenos, scotch bonnet, or serrano peppers (we had a mixture of habaneros and jalapenos)
6 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1/3 cup white vinegar
2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 tsp. molasses
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1 Tbs. salt

1. Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Add more salt and molasses to taste, if needed. Pour into a clean bottle.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Autumn Salad


There's this one small restaurant chain in the Baltimore, Maryland area called Donna's that makes the best roasted vegetable salad. We had some extra arugula left over from the butternut squash pizza and also sweet potatoes and onions, which lend themselves to roasting. When thinking about all those ingredients, I thought of Donna's salad and decide to make my own version. We used only sweet potatoes, onions, and peppers, but you could add any vegetable you have on hand. Adam also added a chicken breast seasoned with rosemary to his. Topping the salad with goat cheese would make a delicious addition, if you wanted to make the salad a little more rich. You could easily make this gorgeous dish for guests by preparing the vegetables before guests arrive, popping them into the oven, and letting them roast while you serve appetizers and cocktails. I can guarantee that everyone will be impressed with the beauty and flavor of this salad.


Roasted Vegetable Salad

The quantities for the vegetables are incredibly loose. The amount that we used, as described below, made approximately three servings. You can't make too many roasted vegetables, in my opinion. Worse-case scenario, you have extras, which you can mix with more greens for lunch salads or simply eat plain.

1 large sweet potato, cubed
1 red onion, chopped
1 small red pepper, chopped
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup arugula per person
balsamic vinaigrette or light dressing

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Place sweet potato, red onion, and pepper in baking dish. Coat in olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast in oven for 40 minutes, or until potatoes are completely tender.
3. Portion arugula onto plates and top with roasted vegetables and balsamic vinaigrette. Enjoy this healthy, delicious meal.

Monday, November 3, 2008

Pumpkin Continued


The pumpkin muffins only used 1 cup of a large can of pumpkin. What to do with the rest of the pumpkin?! Well the answer is simple--make a pumpkin sauce to top succulent gnocchi. We got the idea from Rachael Ray's 30 Minute Meals, but we created our own version. We paired this with sauteed mustard greens and beans. I really enjoyed mixing the two dishes into one. I thought the flavors melded really well. This meal took less than half an hour start to finish but tasted like it could have taken all afternoon.


Gnocchi with Pumpkin Sauce

1 package gnocchi
1 (24 oz.) can of pumpkin, minus 1 cup
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp. vegetable bouillon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. dried sage
1 cup gnocchi water
salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese

1. Cook gnocchi according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, place pumpkin in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add milk, vegetable bouillon, nutmeg, and sage to pumpkin, stirring to combine.
3. Once the gnocchi have been thoroughly cooked, add 1 cup of the water to the pumpkin mixture. Drain gnocchi and toss with the sauce. Salt and pepper to taste. Top with
more dried sage and Parmesan cheese.


Greens and Beans

This dish can be made with any type of green you have on hand. It's a healthy addition to any meal, or it can be served with a protein or grain as the entree.

olive oil
1 tsp. minced or grated garlic
greens, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 (15-oz.) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
chili oil
salt and pepper, to taste

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and allow to become fragrant. Add beans and greens. Wilt greens and heat beans through. Plate, then drizzle with chili oil and top with salt and pepper.

Adam's Favorite Muffins

Adam loves Pumpkin Muffins. Really, they may be his first love. And tis' the season. So, on Saturday's rainy day, we baked the muffins. They are perfect straight out of the oven or later reheated with a bit of butter. We've been starting our mornings with an egg, a muffin, and a cup of coffee, and there's no better way to greet the day.


Pumpkin Muffins (recipe courtesy of June)

1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 2/3 cup sifted flour
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground clove
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped nuts (we prefer pecans)

1. Combine oil, sugar, eggs, 1/3 cup water, and pumpkin in a large bowl. Sift flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt together. Beat into pumpkin mixture gradually. Stir in raisins and nuts. Pour into greased and floured muffin tins (makes 18 muffins). Bake at 400 for 20 minutes.

Saturday, November 1, 2008

The Best Pizza Ever, Really

Last night, we literally had the best pizza we've ever made--and we've made some pretty good pizza. We, of course, made a grilled pineapple pizza, which I've posted before. We switched it up to accommodate our hot pepper supply. We didn't have any jalapenos, so we (Adam) finely diced a habanero. Beware! Everything you touch for the rest of the night will burn! Trust me. We also made a grilled butternut squash pizza topped with blue cheese and arugula and drizzled with olive oil. Fantastic!


Grilled Butternut Squash Pizza with Blue Cheese and Arugula

1/2 recipe pizza dough, made with 1/2 whole wheat and 1/2 white flour)

1 small butternut squash, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch thick rounds
olive oil
2 cloves garlic, grated (or crushed)
2 oz. blue cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
1 cup arugula
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

1. Coat the butternut squash with olive oil and place on a medium heat grill. Grill until tender. Slice into half-moons.
2. Meanwhile, grill the pizza dough on one side. It is ready when it can easily be lifted off the grill. Flip the dough and beginning topping.
3. Spread garlic over the dough (don't be shy with the amount of garlic you use). Drizzle with olive oil and top with a bit of salt and pepper. Arrange squash, crumble blue cheese, and sprinkle mozzarella on pizza. Place back on grill until cheese has fully melted. Top with fresh arugula, drizzle with olive oil, and add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Eat whole pizza.