Healthy Chinese

For dinner tonight, I wanted to try out making a healthy orange chicken. I’m much more comfortable with making up asian dishes since I’ve been doing a lot of experimenting and reading. Orange chicken seems healthy, but it’s usually dredged in flour and stir fried, so it can be oily. I decided not to fry the chicken, and to make it with a healthier sauce. I always get steamed chicken and broccoli when we get Chinese take out, so I combined broccoli and peppers, and served it over brown rice. Please enjoy my take on a lighter orange chicken.

Spicy Orange Chicken with Broccoli and Peppers

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed

1 head of broccoli

2 bell peppers in a 1” dice

For the Sauce:

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

Zest of 1 orange

1/2 cup soy sauce

1 tbsp. thai chili sauce

1 clove of garlic, grated

1/2” ginger root, grated

1 tbsp. cornstarch

2 tbsp. sugar

Prepared brown rice

Mix all sauce ingredients in a bowl, whisk and set aside.

Bring a nonstick wok to medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp. evoo, then toss in chicken seasoned with salt and pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until brown, toss around until almost cooked. Add in sauce, and turn to low. Let sauce thicken and cook chicken through.

Bring an inch of water to a boil, place steamer in the pot. Add in peppers, steam for a minute, add broccoli on top, steam for 3 more minutes.

Add drained veggies to the chicken mixture, plate over rice.

A Goodbye Dessert!

Today is one of my favorite co-worker's last day. She found an amazing new job, and i'm so happy for her! I told her I'd make something for the office for her last day, and I asked her what she liked. She told me cheesecake, anything chocolate, and mango and peach things. I thought surely someone's come up with some kind of mango cheesecake - and Giada did!

The recipe can be found here. I made mine the same, but I didn't make the basil syrup. I had a hard enough time convincing other co-workers that mango cheesecake would be good, I don't think they'd like a sweet basil syrup.

I didn't have any foil, so I couldn't cook this in a water bath, hence it got a little brown. Hopefully it's still good!

For the crust, Giada's recipe just says 8 oz. biscotti. Biscotti is pretty expensive in the store, so I made the Lenox Almond Biscotti by Dorie.

Mango Cheesecake

Mango Cheesecake:

8 ounces biscotti

3/4 cup butter, melted

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese, room temperature

2 cups mango puree (I used 3 mangos)

4 large eggs

3/4 cup sugar

Basil Lemon Syrup:

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 packed cup fresh basil leaves
Special equipment: 9-inch springform pan
For the Mango Cheesecake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Wrap the outside of a 9-inch springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides with 2 layers of heavy-duty foil. Finely grind the biscotti in a food processor. Add the melted butter and process until the crumbs are moistened. Press the crumb mixture over the bottom (not the sides) of the prepared pan. Bake until the crust is golden, about 15 minutes. Cool the crust completely on a cooling rack.
Blend the cream cheese and ricotta in a food processor. Add the mango puree, eggs, and sugar and pulse until the mixture is smooth.
Pour the mango mixture over the crust in the pan. Place the springform pan in a large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Bake until the cheesecake is firm and moves slightly when the pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Transfer the cake to a cooling rack to cool for 30 minutes. Place in the refrigerator and cool completely, at least 8 hours and up to 2 days.
For the Basil Lemon Syrup: Place the sugar, water, and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat and cook until the sugar is dissolved. Cool the syrup completely. In a food processor combine the basil and the cooled syrup. Pulse until the herbs are finely chopped. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve.
Slice the cheesecake and place on a serving plate. Drizzle with the syrup and serve.

Bolivia - #2

Tonight's dinner was another from the wonerful cookbook The South American Table. It's 2 seperate dishes that I combined, but I'm not exactly sure I liked them together. They were great apart, though. I had a green salad on the side with this meal. Enjoy another taste of Bolivia.

Pastel de Quinua

&

Pechugas de Pollo con Salsa de Quinua a la Huancaina

(Quinoa Torte, Chicken Breasts with Quinoa, Cashew, and Goat Cheese Sauce)

6 c. water

1 1/2 c. quinoa

2 tbsp. oil

1 medium onion

2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped

2 tbsp. parsley

1 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground allspice

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 tbsp. hot pepper puree

1 cup chicken stock

1/2 c. flour

3 large eggs

1/4 c. milk

8 oz. Chihuahua or Muenster cheese, shredded

2 hard cookd eggs, peeled and sliced (omitted)

1/2 cup fresh grated pamesan

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a casserole dish.

2. Bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add quinoa, reduce to medium-low, and cook until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain.

3. Heat the oil in a medium sized heavy skillet over low heat. Add the onion and tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have formeda sauce. Add the parsley, oregano, sugar, salt, allspice, black pepper, hot pepper puree, and chicken stock. Simmer for 10 minutes.

4. Toss the quinoa with the flour. Add half of the tomato mixture, the beaten eggs, milk, and half the cheese. Spread half the quinoa mixture in the dish. Top with the remaining tomato mixture, then quinoa, then top with the remainingcheese.

5. Bake for 40 minutes until the top is brown and crispy, let rest for 5 minutes, then serve.

Chicken Breasts with Quinoa, Cashew, and Goat Cheese Sauce:

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Juice of 2 limes

salt and pepper

5 tbsp. evoo

3 mirasol peppers

1 small onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 c. milk

1/2 cup quinoa (omitted)

1/4 cup dry roasted cashews

2 oz. goat cheese

1.Wrap the chicken between 2 sheets of plastic wrap, pound with a mallet to get an even thickness. Sprinkle with lime juice, season with salt and pepper, drizzle with 1 tbsp. evoo. Let marinade for a few hours.

2.Seed the hot peppers, crumble and soak in water for an hour. Puree with a little of the liquid.

3.To make the sauce, heat the remaining 4 tbsp. of evoo over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and pepper puree, cook until soft, about 5 minutes.

4.Place the milk, cashews, and onion mixture in a blender and pulse until smooth. Add the cheese and pulse to combine. Return the mixture back to the skillet over low heat. Season with salt and pepper.

5.Preheat the broiler, place the chicken on a broiler pan and broil for 3-4 minutes per side, until cooked through. Serve with the sauce.

(I cooked mine on the stovetop in a saute' pan)

Tuesdays With Dorie #9

I was so excited about today's TWD choice because I love honey, cornbread, and figs. I enjoyed this, though it was a bit sweet. I don't know that the figs added to the cake, next time I might use nuts, like almonds or macadamia. It wasn't really a breakfast food, or dessert, more like an afternoon tea-time pick-me-up dish. It was like cornbread, but much more tender and soft. I like how the corn meal gave it a little texture. Overall, a great recipe, but next time I'd make a few adjustments!

Fluted Polenta and Ricotta Cake

About 16 moist, plump dried Mission or Kadota figs, stemmed
1 c. medium-grain polenta or yellow cornmeal
½ c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 c. ricotta
1/3 c. tepid water
¾ c. sugar
¾ c. honey (if you’re a real honey lover, use a full-flavored honey such as chestnut, pine, or buckwheat)
Grated zest of 1 lemon
2 large eggs

Getting Ready: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 10 ½-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom and put it on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.
Check that the figs are, indeed, moist and plump. If they are the least bit hard, toss them into a small pan of boiling water and steep for a minute, then drain and pat dry. If the figs are large (bigger than a bite), snip them in half.
Whisk the polenta, flour, baking powder, and salt together.
Working with a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the ricotta and water together on low speed until very smooth. With the mixer at medium speed, add the sugar, honey, and lemon zest and beat until light. Beat in the melted butter, then add the eggs one at a time, beating until the mixture is smooth. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they are fully incorporated. You’ll have a sleek, smooth, pourable batter.
Pour about one third of the batter into the pan and scatter over the figs. Pour in the rest of the batter, smooth the top with a rubber spatula, if necessary, and dot the batter evenly with the chilled bits of butter.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. The cake should be honey brown and pulling away just a little from the sides of the panm, and the butter will have left light-colored circles in the top. Transfer the cake to a rack and remove the sides of the pan after about 5 minutes. Cool to warm, or cool completely.

Bolivia - #1

This meal is my favorite kind of meal, tons of coloful veggies with fresh herbs and beans. This recipe is what made me choose Bolivia this week. I believe that when you eat a rainbow of foods, you're eating healthy (unless you're eating M&M's)! This is a wonderful fresh, summery meal that is versatile. The author says you can add shrimp, chicken, turkey, or ham to the salad. I chose to add tofu cubes to mine, and grilled chicken marinated in a lime vinegarette for my husband. Please enjoy my first Bolivian meal, with quinoa, of course!

Ensalada de Quinua con Frejoles Negros y Choclo

(Quinoa Salad with Black Beans and Corn)

salad:

1 cup quinoa

6 cups water

1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup corn kernels

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

1/2 green pepper, diced

1/2 cup red onion, diced

1/2 cup sliced scallions

8 oz. meat, cubed (optional)

1/2 cup minced cilantro

vinaigrette:

1/3 cup EVOO
2 tbso. sherry vinegar
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
pinch of sugar

garnish:
8 cherry tomatoes, halved
salad greens


1. To make the salad: place quinoa in a mesh strainer, run under cold water until it runs clear. Dump the quinoa in a pot of boiling water, cook for 12 minutes until transparent. Drain and rinse, then place back in the pot and cook on low for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Place in a large mixing bowl to cool.
2. Add the beans, corn, peppers, onion, scallions, and meat, toss well to combine.
3. To make vinaigrette: add all ingredients to a jar and shake to combine.
4. Toss the salad with the dressing, taste for salt. Place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
5. Before serving, toss in cilantro. Plate over lettuce, garnish with tomatoes and cilantro.


The South American Table, Maria Baez Kijac. Harvard Common Press: Boston, 2003.

Country Challenge # 9 - Bolivia

BOLIVIA

For this week's country challenge, I decided to go back to South America. When I was researching recipes for Argentina, I found many for Bolivia as well. What struck me most were the number of recipes using Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah), a grain native from the Andes. The Incas spread the use of Quinoa all over South America. Quinoa is naturally bitter, and must be rinsed many times. It declined in popularity in the nineteenth centry due to widespread belief that it was killing pigs owned by peasants. They stopped growing it, and it almost disappeared.

Recently, I have seen quinoa appear in many cooking magazines and shows because of it's health benefits. The dishes I have chosen for Bolivia all use quinoa in one form or another, showing it's versatility.

For information about the history and culture of Bolivia, go here.

PSA: I was watching the Today Show this morning, and it's where in the world is Matt Laer week. He was in Buenos Aries, Argentina this morning. There were a few segments about the culture and cusine, and of course, Dulce de Leche and Empanadas were shown and tasted! If you'd like to make these yourself at home, click on them and it will take you to the recipes I made for Argentina week!

Talladega!

Today's race is at Talladega Superspeedway. When deciding what to make, I emailed my friend Shannon, who is from Pell City, AL. She told me I had to make BBQ chicken, and I listened! I used the Neely's BBQ sauce recipe, found here. I thought I should make fried green tomatoes because I've never had them and they're such a southern tradition! Unfortunately, I could only find tomatillos, no green tomatoes, and there were only 3 at the store, so I looked around to see what other veggies looked good and were grill-able. I settled on zucchini and bell peppers. I marinated them and grilled them with the chicken. I also made cornbread muffins, but threw in some jalapenos and white cheddar to give them an edge. It was a bit of a hodgepodge dinner, but delicious, nonetheless.

Grilled BBQ Chicken, Fried Green Tomatillos, Jalapeno White Cheddar Corn Muffins, and Grilled Veggies

Chicken:

2 chicken breasts

1 cup BBQ sauce:

2 cups ketchup

1 cup water

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

5 tablespoons light brown sugar

5 tablespoons sugar

1/2 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper

1/2 tablespoon onion powder

1/2 tablespoon ground mustard

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to simmer. Cooked uncovered, stirring frequently, for 2 hours.

Fried Green Tomatillos:

3 tomatillos

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup cornmeal

2 tbsp. flour

EVOO to coat the pan

Heat the EVOO over medium-high. Slice the tomatillos, dip in buttermilk, then in cornmeal-flour mixture. Fry on each side for 4-5 minutes, until just golden. Drain on paper towels, serve immediately.

Jalapeno White Cheddar Corn Muffins:

1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk

2 tbsp. minced jalapeno

1/4 cup shredded white cheddar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix all ingredients in a bowl until just combined.

Line a muffin tin with papers, spray with nonstick spray, then spoon muffin mix in. Bake for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned on top.

Grilled Veggies:

1/4 cup EVOO

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp. minced herbs, like parsley, tarragon, thyme, and basil

1 garlic clove, minced

salt and pepper

Assorted veggies, like mushrooms, peppers, squash, eggplant, and peppers

Mix all ingredients except veggies, pour over veggies and marinade for 30 minutes. Grill for 4-5 minutes per side.

Another revamped Mac and Cheese

Every now and then I have random half used ingredients in the fridge that I like to mix up and create something with. For lunch today, I decided to weed through the meat/cheese drawer to make JJ's lunch. I found some pancetta, sun-dried tomatoes, and cheeses. I asked him how mac and cheese sounded, and of course, he gave me the thumbs up. I had to pick a pasta out of the pantry, and I chose the O's that I got at Trader Joe's. They were an impulse buy...I thought they were so cute, but had no idea what to do with them. I did see they were imported from Italy, though. I noticed that all of the ingredients I had were Italian, and the color of Italy's flag, so I came up with...

Italian Flag Mac and Cheese

1/2 lb. pasta, any cut

1/8 c. pancetta, cubed

1/2 yellow onion, grated

2 tbsp. flour

1 c. milk

1/2 c. chicken stock

1/2 c. provolone cheese

1/2 c. parmiggiano reggiano cheese

1 c. mozzarella cheese

6 sun dried tomatoes, chopped

10 basil leaves, torn

Pinch crushed red pepper flakes

Pinch oregano

Salt and pepper

1/2 cup Italian style bread crumbs

Cook pasta according to directions, drain, and set aside.

In a large skillet, cook pancetta over medium-high until fat is rendered out. Grate in onion, and sprinkle in flour. Whisk to cook flour. Add in the milk and stock, bring to a low bubble. When thickened, add in cheeses, stirring. Turn heat to low. Add in tomatoes, basil, and season.
Pour into ramekins, and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes, or until browned on top.

Brunch, Part II

Quiche is my favorite brunch food. I love vegetables and cheese, and it's the best way to enjoy them at breakfast. A Quiche is so easy to make (Liv....), anyone can whip one up flawlessly. It's another 'method' not recipe, you can add any veggie and cheese combo, or meat/veggie/cheese combo. I asked JJ what vegetables his parents liked, and he said spinach. When choosing a cheese to pair with the spinach, I landed on the wedge of gouda I got at Trader Joe's last weekend.
I made my pie crust in the food processor, and rolled it into the pan on Friday night, so on Saturday I just poured in the quiche mixture and baked it off. You can use a premade pie crust, though.

Spinach and Gouda Quiche

1 pie crust (recipe follows)

6 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup skim milk

2 cups frozen spinach, thawed and drained

1 cup gouda, shredded

1 tsp. hot sauce

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lay pie crust in pie plate. Crumble spinach into the pie crust, sprinkle half the cheese on top. In a bowl, mix the eggs, milk, hot sauce, and spices. Pour evenly over the spinach and cheese. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over top.

Bake for 30-40 minutes, until golden brown and puffy. Serve right away, or at room temperature (the puff will deflate as it sits, but it's ok!)

Pie Crust - makes 2 - 10" rounds

3 1/4 cups all purpose flour

2 tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

2 sticks frozen butter, very cold, diced

1/2 cup shortening, in 1/2 cup ice water

Add flour, salt and sugar to food processor. Pulse in diced butter until it's in pea size crumbles. pinch in shortening and pulse until fat is in tiny pieces, pulse in water a few tbsp. at a time, until dough comes together. Shape into a ball, and put in the fridge for at least an hour, or freeze. Divide in half and roll on a silicone mat dusted in flour.

Brunch, Part I

I wanted to make a nice breakfast for Saturday morning with the in-laws visiting. I had the other half of the brioche I made for this TWD recipe in the freezer, so I decided to use it. I found a recipe in Baking: From My Home to Yours that called for half a recipe of brioche, Pecan Honey Sticky Buns, that sounded wonderful. My husband and I love honey, so this was it. When I made my glaze, I over-cooked it a bit, so it became more of a pecan-honey crunch, with a littly syrup. I actually really liked the crunch more than a sticky syrup, so I was happy with my mistake. It reminded me of the cinnamon-crunch bagels at Panera.

Pecan Honey Sticky Buns

For the Glaze: (I halved this)

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 stick butter

1/4 cup honey

1 1/2 cups pecans

For the Fillings:

1/4 cup sugar

3 tbsp. brown sugar

1 tbsp. cinnamon

3 tbsp. butter at room temp.

For the buns:

1/2 recipe for Golden Brioche Loaves

Putter a 9x13 pan (I used an 8" round).

Make the glaze: In a saucepan, bring brown sugar, honey, and butter to a boil over medium-low heat. Pour into the pan, sprinkle the pecans over the glaze.

Make the filling: Mix the sugars and cinnamon in a bowl.

Shape the buns: Roll the dough into a 16" square. Spread the butter over the dough, sprinkle the cinnamon-sugars over top. Roll into a cylinder, keeping tight. Cut into 1 inch rolls. Fit in the pan. Let the rolls sit for 1 hour and 45 minutes, until puffy, soft, and doubled in volume.

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees.

Bake for 30 minutes. The glaze will be bubbling up into the buns. Invert the pan over a plate and remove the sticky buns right away or they won't come out.

(I made the buns the night before and put in the fridge, made the glaze in the morning and baked off right away)

Southern Style Dessert!

Every time I go to JJ's house, there's banana pudding in the fridge. I've never made it before, but thought it sounded good for dessert when his parents came. I searched on food network for recipes, and found Paula Deen's. It sounded good, but very high in sugar/calories. I did like how she used chessman cookies though, they made it a bit more elegant looking. I decided to just go with it and make mine up. Here's what I came up with, like a lasagna, not necessarily traditional.

Banana Pudding

1 box sugar free vanilla pudding

3 cups skim milk

4 bananas, sliced

1 box chessman cookies

1 cup fat free cool whip

Prepare the pudding, fold in the whipped cream.

Lay 6 cookies in the bottom of a baking dish. Add 1/2 the pudding mixture, then half the bananas.

Lay another 6 cookies on, then top with the bananas and the remaining pudding.

Top with 6 more cookies.

Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Herb-Citrus Inspired Feast!

Since JJ's parents live in Florida, we were not able to spend holidays with them. They're here visiting, so I wanted to make a holiday-ish dinner, spring style. I chose to prepare a turkey dinner featuring citrus and fresh herbs. Each dish is very simple to prepare, fresh, and healthy. I hope you enjoy this delicious, light feast!

Lemon-Garlic Turkey Breast, Rosemary Roasted New Potatoes, Green Beans with Shallots, and Cranberry and Candied Orange Chutney

Turkey:

For the turkey breast, I used Katie's recipe for the marinade found here. Since I cooked a whole turkey breast, I doubled the marinade, poured it over the turkey in the roasting pan, and then covered it in saran wrap for 4 hours. When I cooked the turkey, I drained the dish, then added 1 cup chicken stock to the bottom of the pan, and I slathered 4 tbsp. butter plus salt and pepper on the breast.

Bake the turkey breast for 2 hours and 45 minutes at 325 degrees, basting every 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, then cover it in tin foil for 20 minutes.

In a saucepan, saute' 1 shallot minced with 2 tbsp. EVOO. Cook for 4 minutes, then add 2 tbsp. flour to make a roux. Cook it for a minute, then strain pan drippings over. Whisk the mixture until there are no lumps, add 1 tsp. gravy master and 1 cup chicken stock. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until it reaches desired thickness.

Rosemary Roasted New Potatoes:

I knew I wanted to make potatoes as the starch with this dinner. I have a pot of rosemary growing on the porch, so I decided to simply roast new potatoes and toss with rosemary. Simple, fresh, and delicious!

2 lbs. new potatoes, quartered

2 tbsp. EVOO

2 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. black pepper

1 tbsp. chopped rosemary

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Quarter potatoes, and spread out on a sheet pan. Drizzle EVOO over the potatoes, then add salt and pepper. Toss to coat all pieces. Roast for 20 minutes, then toss with 3/4 of the rosemary, roast for another 5 minutes, or until tender. Scoop into a serving dish and sprinkle with the remaining rosemary.

Green Beans with Shallots:

2 shallots, sliced

1 lb. green beans, trimmed

1 tbsp. EVOO

1 tbsp. minced taragon

salt and pepper

Steam green beans for 5 minutes, until tender.

In a small pot over medium-low heat, saute' shallots with EVOO for 5 minutes, until soft. Turn off heat, toss in green beans, taragon and salt and pepper. Toss to combine and serve.

Cranberry and Candied Orange Chutney:

I knew I wanted cranberries with dinner because they go so well with Turkey. I wanted to incorporate citrus, and Katie gave me her recipe found here, from Bon Apetit. They paired very well and tasted wonderful!

Weekly Menu 4.26-5.2

This week's Country Challenge Winner is: Bolivia

This week's NASCAR race is in: Talladega

On the menu:

Lemon-Garlic Roast Turkey, Herb Roasted New Potatoes, Green Beans with Herbed Butter, Cranberry Orange Chutney

Grilled BBQ Chicken, Fried Green Tomatoes, Jalapeno-Cheddar Cornbread

Spinach and Artichoke Dip Pizza

Quinoa Torte, Picanna de Pollo

Chicken Breasts with Quinoa, Cashew and Goat Cheese Sauce

Orange Chicken and Broccoli with Brown Rice

Also on the menu:

Spinach and Gouda Quiche

Pecan Honey Sticky Buns

Fluted Polenta and Ricotta Cake

Mango Cheesecake

Paula's Banana Pudding

Lenox Almond Biscotti

Mali #1 and #2

As I turned my digital camera on to photograph these dishes, it blinked red, then shut off. My batteries died! So, no pictures, but most people know what a kebob looks like, right? These were delicious. The sauce was different, but in a good way, and the rice was tasty! I hope you enjoy my 2 Mali selections.
Jollof Rice is a traditional Western Africa dish, very easy to make and many variations. This version is the author's mother's recipe.

Jollof Rice and Kyinkyinga

Jollof Rice:

1 lb. chicken or beef

salt and pepper

vegetable oil

1 liter stock

3 large onions, chopped finely

4 cloves of garlic, minced

2-3 chiles, minced

1 15 oz. can crushed tomatoes

3 tbsp. tomato paste

2 cups chopped vegetables (green beans, carrots, mushrooms, peppers)

1 lb. long grain rice

cilantro and parsley for garnish

Cut meat into 2" cubes and season. Heat oil in pan and fry the meat until brown. Remove meat, add to a stock pot with stock and simmer on low until meat softens.

Add vegetables to pan, stir and season. Add to the saucepan with meat. Simmer for 5-7 minutes.

Add rice and simmer for 15 minutes on low heat. Adjust seasonings, and simmer until rice is cooked and stock is absorbed. Serve hot, garnish with cilantro and parsley.

Kyinkyinga (West African Kebabs):

2 lb. steak

3 bell peppers, cut into 1" squares

1 oz. peanuts, ground

Seasoning:

4 onions, diced

2 tsp. grated ginger

1 oz flour

2 oz peanuts

2 tomatoes, blanched, peeled and seeded

1 tbsp. garlic salt

1 tbsp tobasco

Remove fat from meat, dry and cut into cubes. Mix all seasoning ingredients in a bowl. Combine half the seasoning with the meat, let stand for an hour while preparing the grill. Skewer the meat alternately with the peppers. Grill on all sides, be careful to not dry out.

Remove from heat and sprinkle with ground peanuts.

Serve with sauce made from remaining seasoning mixture combined with 2 oz. wine, heated.

Asian inspired appetizer dinner

I’ve been trying to come up with a way to use my wonton wrappers in the freezer. A popular appetizer making the rounds is a salad in a wonton cup that has been baked in a muffin tin. I decided to try it out with one of my favorite summery dishes – slaw salad. Since the cups are an appetizer, I made asian style chicken meatballs, another appetizer option. I love taking an appetizer and stretching it into a dinner, or just serving a few appetizers for dinner. This is such a versatile meal though, it can be made into a Mexican style dinner using chili spiced meatballs and a corn salsa in the cups, or Italian with roasted red pepper meatballs and a caprese salad in the cups. If I’ve learned one thing from Rachael Ray, it’s “methods, not recipes,” where she gives you an outline for a meal, and gives you ideas to change it up ethnically or by the meat/veggies in it. I use this “method” cooking often with soup/salad/sandwich nights, as well as pasta and pizzas. I encourage you to try this framework of a meal and switch it up and let me know how it goes!

Asian Slaw in Wonton Cups with Asian Chicken Meatballs and Spicy Dipping Sauce

Shells:

24 wonton wrappers

Nonstick Cooking Spray

Slaw:

1 head of green cabbage, shaved

½ head red cabbage, shaved

1 cup bean spouts

2 carrots, shredded

¼ red onion, shaved or 5 scallion stalks, sliced

1 tbsp. cilantro, minced

Slaw Dressing:

2 tbsp. soy sauce

2 tbsp. EVOO

1 glove garlic, grated (optional)

1 tsp. grated ginger root

1 tbsp. honey

Salt and Pepper

Juice of 1 lime

Sesame Seeds and Cilantro, for garnish

Preheat oven to 375. Spray a mini-muffin tin with nonstick spray, lay a wonton wrapper in each cavity. Bake for 8 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove and cool to room temperature.

Whisk together dressing, set aside.

Toss slaw ingredients together.

Right before serving, toss dressing in with slaw. Spoon into cups and garnish.

*Add shredded chicken, shrimp, or diced tofu in the salad, if desired*

Asian Meatballs with Dipping Sauce:

1 lb. 99% fat free ground chicken or turkey

½ cup panko breadcrumbs

2 tbsp. soy sauce

Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

1 egg white

1 tsp. grated ginger

1 tsp. grated garlic

3 scallion stalks, sliced thin

1 tsp. minced cilantro

Salt and Pepper

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, toss gently. Form into 4 sections, then form 4 meatballs from each quarter. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, or until cooked through, or brown in a nonstick skillet.

Spicy Dipping sauce

3 tbsp. thai chili sauce

2 tbsp. soy sauce

1 tsp. Chinese mustard

Whisk all ingredients together, serve chilled.

Pizza!

I had planned this pizza for Friday, but JJ’s parents will be visiting and want to take us out to eat. We both were in the mood for pizza tonight, so I went ahead with it. I don’t like cooked tomatoes, unless pureed in sauce, so unlike traditional Margharita pizza where the tomatoes are cooked, I cook the crust first, then top it and broil for a minute to melt the cheese a bit. I also add red onions, which aren’t traditional, but they pair so well with tomato and basil. I made JJ some chicken sausage to eat with his pizza, and I had a spinach salad. This can be served as an appetizer, which it often is.

Margharita Pizza

1 pizza dough ball or crust

2 tbsp. EVOO

4 roma tomatoes, sliced

1 lb. fresh mozzarella (I used the small balls, halved)

½ red onion, sliced thin

10 fresh basil leaves, torn

Garlic Salt

Pepper

Crushed red pepper flakes

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Roll out dough, top with EVOO, onion, garlic salt, crushed red pepper and pepper. Prick with a fork. Bake for 12 minutes or until almost done.

Remove, turn broiler on high.

Top the pizza with tomatoes and mozzarella. Put under the broiler for a minute, until cheese is melted but not overly brown.

Top with torn basil and serve.

Tuesdays With Dorie #9

This week, carrot cake was chosen for Tuesdays with Dorie. I am happy, but my husband is thrilled! Carrot cake is his absolute favorite. I made cupcakes because they're much easier to transport and eat. I got 22 cupcakes out of this batter. I piped carrots on these because I alwas pipe carrots on a carrot cake. It was super hot in my kitchen, so I added another 1/2 cup of powdered sugar to my icing, but it was still a bit wet. The craisins and coconut were truly delicious in this cake, and I might agree with Dorie, this is the best carrot cake ever!

Bill's Big Carrot CakeBaking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

Yields 10 servings

Ingredients:

For the cake:

2 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

¾ teaspoon salt

3 cups grated carrots (about 9 carrots, you can grate them in food processor fitted w/ a shredding a blade or use a box grater)

1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans

1 cup shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)

½ cup moist, plump raisins (dark or golden) or dried cranberries

2 cups sugar

1 cup canola oil

4 large eggs

For the frosting:

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1 stick ( 8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 pound or 3 and ¾ cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or ½ teaspoon pure lemon extract

½ cup shredded coconut (optional)

Finely chopped toasted nuts and/or toasted shredded coconut (optional)

Getting ready:Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter three 9-x-2-inch round cake pans, flour the insides, and tap out the excess. Put the two pans on one baking sheet and one on another.

To make the cake:Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. In another bowl, stir together the carrots, chopped nuts, coconut, and raisins. Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the sugar and oil together on a medium speed until smooth. Add the eggs one by one and continue to beat until the batter is even smoother. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture, mixing only until the dry ingredients disappear. Gently mix the chunky ingredients. Divide the batter among the baking pans.

Bake for 40-50 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point, until a thin knife inserted into the centers comes out clean. The cakes will have just started to come away from the sides of the pans. Transfer the cakes to cooling racks and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes and unmold them. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up.The cakes can be wrapped airtight and kept at room temperature overnight or frozen for up to 2 months.

To make the frosting: Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the sugar and continue to beat until the frosting is velvety smooth. Beat in the lemon juice or extract. If you'd like coconut in the filling, scoop about half of the frosting and stir the coconut into this position.

To assemble the cake:Put one layer top side up on a cardboard cake round or a cake plate protected by strips of wax or parchment paper. If you added the coconut to the frosting, use half of the coconut frosting to generously cover the first layer (or generously cover with plain frosting). Use an offset spatula or a spoon to smooth the frosting all the way to the edges of the layer. Top with the second layer, this time placing the cake stop side down, and frost with the remainder of the coconut frosting or plain frosting. Top with the last layer, right side up, and frost the top- and the sides- of the cake. Finish the top with swirls of frosting. If you want to top the cake with toasted nuts or coconut, sprinkle them on now while the frosting is soft.

Refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes, just to set the frosting before serving.

Serving: This cake can be served as soon as the frosting is set. It can also wait, at room temperature and covered with a cake keeper overnight. The cake is best served in thick slices at room temperature and while it's good plain, it's even better with vanilla ice cream or some lemon curd. Storing:The cake will keep at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. It can also be frozen. Freeze it uncovered, then when it's firm, wrap airtight and freeze for up to 2 months. Defrost, still wrapped, overnight in the refrigerator.

Let's go to Tripp's, again!

I have been craving Spinach, Mushroom and Cheddar Quesadillas that I get at Tripps. It's in North Carolina, though, so I couldn't go get them! I thought the quesadilla would pair well with soup, so I used my 2 other favorite quesadilla ingredients, which can be found here, and made them into a soup.

Spinach, Mushroom and Cheddar Quesadillas

&

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Soup

Quesadillas:

4 cups of baby spinach

8 oz. white mushrooms, sliced

4 oz. 75% light cabot white cheddar (Trader Joes)

4 flour tortillas

salt and pepper

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Wilt spinach for 5 minutes, then spoon into a colander in the sink. Add mushrooms to the same skillet, cook for 5 minutes until softened and the moisture is cooked out. Add to the colander with the spinach.

Shred the cheese.

Add a tortilla to the quesadilla, top with 1/4 of the cheese, then half the spinach and mushrooms, 1/4 more of the cheese, then a tortilla. Cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes per side.

Soup:

1 large sweet potato, peeled and sliced

1/2 red onion, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 jalapeno, minced

4 cups chicken stock

1 can black beans

salt and pepper

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. cumin

Sour Cream

Steam potato for 10 minutes until softened.

While potato is steaming, add onion, garlic, and jalapeno to a soup pot. Sautee over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add steamted potato, and mash with a potato masher. Add stock, black beans, and spices. Taste and adjust seasonings. Bring to a boil, reduce and simmer for 10 minutes.

Serve with sour cream.

Country Challenge #8 - Mali

MALI

After 2 months of choosing countries to cook from, I realized I haven't yet visited Africa. I searched for African cookbooks at the library, but there was not a great selection. I did, however, find one book that had a few interesting recipes, including some for Mali. I went ahead and did some research, because I know nothing about Mali. Here are a few of the more interesting facts I found. Enjoy!


Mali was one of the Empires that controlled trans-Saharan trade. When European sea trade began to peak, Mali fell under French rule, from 1800 until 1960. Mali gained independence in 1991, after an anti-goverment coup. Mali is currently one of the most stable countries in Africa politically and socially. Mali's main export is cotton, though it also exports rice and gold.
The capital city of Mali is Bamako, the fastest growing city in Africa. Mali's official language is French, though there are close to 50 African languages spoken. Around 90% of Mali is Islamic, however, there is no state religion.
Though Mali has one of the lowest HIV/AIDS rates in Africa at 1.9% of the adult population, many other illnesses exist, largely in part to the fact that around 70% of the population has access to safe drinking water and sanitation services.


About the cuisine, rice is a staple ingredient. Tomatoes, peanuts, and grilled meats are also very traditional ingredients.

Mexico City!

Today the Sprint series is off, but the Nationwide series is racing in Mexico City. I saw this recipe in Bobby Flay's cookbook for Yucatan Chicken, and figured I'd make it since the Yucatan Peninsula is in Mexico.
One of the reasons I started this blog was to challenge myself to try new cooking methods and ingredients, and tonight's dinner had both! I've never cooked tamales before, and I've never had jicama. The tamales were outstanding! The jicama was good, too. It tasted like a sweet water chestnut. Kroger didn't have papayas this week, so I subbed mango in the salsa.
I hope you enjoy these two great Bobby Flay recipes!

Pumpkin Tamales with Yucatan Chicken

Pumpkin Tamales:
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
¼ cup honey
2 tbsp. cinnamon
1 tbsp ginger
1 tbsp. nutmeg
Salt and pepper
24 dried corn husks, soaked in water for 2 hours
½ recipe of Masa


Masa:
1 ½ cups fresh corn kernels
1 medium onion
2 cups chicken stock
6 tbsp. unsalted butter
6 tbsp. shortening
1 ½ cups yellow cornmeal
1 ½ tsp. sugar
Salt and pepper


About 2 hours before you plan to form the tamales, clean the husks under water, soak them for 2 hours in hot water, until softened.
Puree the corn, onion and stock, transfer to a mixing bowl and cut in the shortening and butter. Using your fingers, mix in the cornmeal, sugar, salt and pepper until there are no visible lumps of fat.
Remove the corn husks from water and set aside.
In a mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin, honey, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
Add the pumpkin mixture to the masa, marbling it through; do not combine the two mixtures completely.
Lay 2 husks flat on a work surface with the tapered ends facing out and the broad bases overlapping. Place about 1/3 cup of masa in the middle. Bring the long sides up over the masa, overlapping, and pat down to close. Tie each bundle with a strip of corn. Trim the ends to about ½” beyond the tie. Arrange in a single layer in a steamer and steam over boiling water for 45 minutes.


Yucatan-style Chicken Skewers with Papaya-Tomatillo Salsa:
1 cup Yucatan Marinade
9 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (I used tenders)
1 medium jicama, julienned
2 cups papaya-tomatillo salsa
Wood Skewers

Yucatan Marinade:
½ cup fresh orange juice
¼ cup fresh lime juice
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
¼ cup ancho chile powder
2 tbsp. pasilla chile powder
¼ cup paprika
1 tsp. cayenne
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp salt
¼ cup EVOO
Combine all ingredients in a blender until emulsified.


Papaya-Tomatillo Salsa
1 papaya, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
4 tomatillos, husked and coarsely chopped
2 tbsp. diced red onion
1 tbsp. minced jalapeno
¼ cup lime juice
¼ cup chopped cilantro
1 tsp. honey
Salt and pepper


Combine all ingredients in a bowl, May be refrigerated for up to 1 day before serving.


To prepare:
Rub the marinade into the chicken, cover and refrigerate for 4-6 hours.
Prepare a charcoal grill or preheat the broiler
Thread each piece of chicken onto 2 skewers so the meat stays flat, grill for 4 minutes per side. Arrange on a plate with the jicima and salsa.

(The tamales before I rolled them)

(This is what jicama looks like, as well as the corn husks soaking)

Pappardelle, Revisited

I spent the weekend with my parents in Cincinnati, and my mom asked me to make dinner Saturday night because we were having Maggie and Justin over. We went over to Trader Joe's to browse, and she told me that she had 3 peppers at home to use, and that was it. I told her I loved the pappardelle I used in this recipe, and she said that it sounded really good. I decided to change it up a bit, adding a few different veggies, and using a tapenade for the sauce base. I paired this with mutli-grain bread slathered in roasted garlic and olive oil. Mom, dad, Mags and Justin loved it, I hope you do too!

Pappardelle with Veggies

Serves 6

2 packages of Spouted Wheat Papperdelle
2 1/4" slices of pancetta
1 red onion, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
20 cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves of roasted garlic, smashed
1 can of artichoke hearts, quartered
10 green olives, sliced
1 jar of tapenade (we used roasted pepper and artichoke)
salt and black pepper, to taste
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 cup parmesan, plus extra to pass around the table


Cook pasta according to directions.
Sautee pancetta in a nonstick skillet over high for 4-5 minutes, until brown. Drain onto a paper towel and set aside. Pour out most of the rendered fat. Add onion, peppers, and mushrooms in a the same skillet over medium heat, and saute' for 10 minutes, until softened.
Add artichokes, olives, and garlic, toss to combine.
Add pasta, pancetta and tapenade, season with salt and pepper, gently toss to combine.
Serve warm with parmesan cheese and garlic bread.

Weekly Menu 4.19-4.25

This week's Country Challenge Winner: Mali

This week's NASCAR race is in: Mexico City, Mexico

On the Menu:

Yucatan Chicken Skewers, Papaya Tomatillo Salsa, Pumpkin Tamales

Kyinkiynga (West African Kebobs), Cous Cous

Margharita Pizza

Asian Slaw Salad in Wonton Cups, Asian Meatballs with Spicy Soy Dipping Sauce

Spinach, Cheddar and Cremini Quesadillas, Sweet Potato and Black Bean Soup

Pappardelle with Veggies, Revisited

Also on the menu:

Bill's Big Carrot (Cup)Cake

Pizza night, early!

Tonight is pizza night! I browsed online for some non-traditional pizzas, and found a Thai chicken pizza. I took the idea of making a pizza with Thai ingredients, and ran with it. I think the pizza was great! The flavors all married nicely, and it was Thai, but still pizza.

Thai Peanut Barbeque Chicken Pizza

1 pizza crust or dough ball

½ cup hoisin sauce

1 red onion, sliced

1 bell pepper, sliced

2 cups part skim mozzarella, shredded

½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

¼ cup scallions, sliced

1 cup bean sprouts

Chopped cilantro

2 thin chicken breasts

¼ cup peanut butter

¼ cup soy sauce

Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375. Roll out dough, top with hoisin sauce, bell peppers, onions, cheese, and crushed red pepper flakes. Bake for the time directed.

Preheat grill pan to medium high.Mix soy sauce, peanut butter, salt and pepper in a large bowl, toss in chicken to coat. Grill for 5 minutes per side.

Take off the heat and rest for 5 minutes.

Slice and arrange on pizza (after it’s finished baking).

Top with scallions, bean sprouts, and cilantro.

Germany - #4

Tonight I’m making a semi-traditional German meatloaf. There are so many ways to prepare German meatloaf, depending on where in Germany you are, and how your grandma made it! I’ve found recipes for meatloaf with and without gravy, hard boiled eggs, and bacon. I’ve seen it made with all pork or veal or beef, or a mixture of the three. I decided to take my favorite aspects of each of the recipes I found, and make something to suit our tastes.
For the sides tonight, I’m making Kartoffelklosse (Potato Dumplings), a traditional German side, and Asparagus. White asparagus is traditional in Germany, but Kroger didn’t have any this week, so I went for regular green asparagus. Potato dumplings are my favorite German food. They’re so delicious, there’s nothing like them! Gnocci are similar, but Potato dumplings have farina, which gives them a different texture. My mom also makes them with a crouton inside, which is the traditional way. She sometimes boils them in gravy from Sauerbraten, and sometimes water. I boiled mine in water, since I’ll have meatloaf gravy for them. Enjoy my last German meal!

Meatloaf with Gravy, Asparagus, and Potato Dumplings

Meatloaf:

6 oz. 96% lean ground beef

6 oz. lean ground pork

½ yellow onion, grated

¼ cup applesauce, unsweetened

½ cup breadcrumbs

1 egg white

1 tsp. parsley

1 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

Gravy:

1 cup leftover sauerbraten gravy OR beef stock

2 tbsp. sour cream

3 gingersnaps, crushed (or 1 graham cracker + ¼ tsp. ginger)

White pepper and salt, to taste

*Optional, 6oz. sliced mushrooms

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine all meatloaf ingredients lightly, then form into a loaf on a baking sheet, or place in a loaf pan. Bake for 40-60 minutes, depending on the size of the loaf.

In a small sauce pot, whisk all gravy ingredients together over low heat. Spoon over meatloaf after plated.

Kartoffelklosse:

1 slice of bread, toasted, buttered and cubed

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup farina

1 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

3 1/2 cups potatoes, put through a ricer

2 eggs

Combine flour, farina, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Beat mixture a little at a time into potatoes. Lightly beat the eggs and beat them into potato mixture. Beat until the dough forms a ball when picked up with a spoon, add more flour if necessary.

Bring a pot of water to a boil, salt heavily.

Using wet hands, form 2" balls. Stuff a bread square into each, lay on a plate. When all balls are made, drop gently into the water. Bring to a boil, then turn down to simmer. Cook for 15 minutes.

Germany #3

Tonight’s dinner is a recipe that I’m recreating from Schmidt’s, one of my favorite restaurants! It is in the heart of German Village in Columbus, Ohio. They have the most authentic and delicious German food, as well as the most amazing jumbo creampuffs! I loved them so much when we lived in Columbus, I named my old rabbit Creampuff!
Now, for dinner, I’m recreating their Alpine Chicken Spatzle. The menu describes it as, “Grilled whole breast of chicken sliced and served on German spatzel with onions, peppers and mushrooms, topped with creamy garlic-basil sauce.”

Alpine Chicken Spatzle

1 tbsp. olive oil

2 chicken breasts

1 tsp. thyme

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

Spatzle, warmed

2 tbsp. butter

8 oz. button mushrooms, sliced

1 bell pepper, sliced (green, I only had orange)

½ yellow onion, sliced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 tbsp. flour

1 cup milk or cream

Salt and pepper to taste

½ tsp. thyme

5 basil leaves

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat.

Season the chicken with salt, pepper and thyme on all both sides, cook for 5-7 minutes per side, depending on thickness.

In another nonstick skillet, add butter, mushrooms, peppers, onions, and garlic. Cook on medium-low for 15 minutes, until vegetables are softened.

Sprinkle flour over vegetables, stir to cook.

Add milk and season.

Arrange the spatzle on a plate, top with the sliced chicken, and then with the vegetables.

Tear basil leaves and sprinkle on the chicken.

Tuesday's with Dorie - #8

This week's Tuedays With Dorie recipe is Marshmallows!!! My husand always looks forward to hearing the recipes, but he felt cheated with Marshmallows. I'm not a huge marshmallow fan, but at Christmastime, I saw many food network chefs make them and say there's no comparison between fresh, homemade marshmallows, and store bought, dried out marshmallows.
These did not disappoint AT ALL!!! They were also very easy to make! One thing that I love about this cookbook is Dorie gives you a few other options with each recipe in her "playing around" section. There was a chocolate option, which I jumped at! The marshmallows were puffing up and growing nicely in the final whipping stage, but as soon as I added a bit of cocoa powder, it reduced in size by half! I was worried I had ruined them, but I carried on and poured them into the pan. They ended up setting nicely. I knew I was going to make s'mores, double chocolate, but now, I'm thinking, "why didn't I buy chocolate grahams and make triple chocolate s'mores?!?!"
I hope you try making these, they're delicious!

Marshmallows

Makes about 1 pound marshmallows:
About 1 cup potato starch (found in the kosher foods section of supermarkets) or cornstarch
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
2 1/4-ounce packets unflavored gelatin
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
3/4 cup cold water
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon sugar


GETTING READY: Line a rimmed baking sheet -- choose one with a rim that is 1 inch high -- with parchment paper and dust the paper generously with potato starch or cornstarch. Have a candy thermometer at hand.
Put 1/3 cup of the water, 1 1/4 cups of the sugar and the corn syrup in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Once the sugar is dissolved, continue to cook the syrup -- without stirring -- until it reaches 265 degrees F on the candy thermometer, about 10 minutes.
While the syrup is cooking, work on the gelatin and egg whites. In a microwave-safe bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the remaining cold water (a scant 7 tablespoons) and let it sit for about 5 minutes, until it is spongy, then heat the gelatin in a microwave oven for 20 to 30 seconds to liquefy it. (Alternatively, you can dissolve the gelatin in a saucepan over low heat.)
Working in the clean, dry bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or in another large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until firm but still glossy -- don't overbeat them and have them go dull.
As soon as the syrup reaches 265 degrees F, remove the pan from the heat and, with the mixer on medium speed, add the syrup, pouring it between the spinning beater(s) and the sides of the bowl. Add the gelatin and continue to beat for another 3 minutes, so that the syrup and the gelatin are fully incorporated. Beat in the vanilla.
Using a large rubber spatula, scrape the meringue mixture onto the baking sheet, laying it down close to a short end of the sheet. Then spread it into the corners and continue to spread it out, taking care to keep the height of the batter at 1 inch; you won't fill the pan. Lift the excess parchment paper up to meet the edge of the batter, then rest something against the paper so that it stays in place (I use custard cups).
Dust the top of the marshmallows with potato starch or cornstarch and let the marshmallows set in a cool, dry place. They'll need about 3 hours, but they can rest for 12 hours or more.
Once they are cool and set, cut the marshmallows with a pair of scissors or a long thin knife. Whatever you use, you'll have to rinse and dry it frequently. Have a big bowl with the remaining potato starch or cornstarch at hand and cut the marshmallows as you'd like -- into squares, rectangles or even strips (as they're cut in France). As each piece is cut, drop it into the bowl. When you've got 4 or 5 marshmallows in the bowl, reach in with your fingers and turn the marshmallows to coat them with starch, then, one by one, toss the marshmallows from one hand to the other to shake off the excess starch; transfer them to a serving bowl. Cut and coat the rest of the batch.


SERVING: Put the marshmallows out and let everyone nibble as they wish. Sometimes I fill a tall glass vase with the marshmallows and put it in the center of the table -- it never fails to make friends smile. You can also top hot chocolate or cold sundaes with the marshmallows.


STORING: Keep the marshmallows in a cool, dry place; don't cover them closely. Stored in this way, they will keep for about 1 week -- they might develop a little crust on the outside or they might get a little firmer on the inside, but they'll still be very good.


Playing Around
RASPBERRY MARSHMALLOWS: Fruit purees are excellent for flavoring these candies.
For raspberry marshmallows, you'll need a generous 1/3 cup of puree; reduce the vanilla extract to 1/4 teaspoon. After the batter is mixed, gently fold in the puree with a rubber spatula. You can use the same measurements and technique for other purees, such as strawberry, mango and passion fruit.
CAPPUCCINO MARSHMALLOWS: Sift 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon together into a small bowl. Stir in 1/3 cup boiling water and mix until smooth. Reduce the vanilla extract to 1/2 teaspoon, and add it to the espresso mix. After you add the sugar syrup and gelatin to the meringue, beat in the espresso mixture and continue.
LIGHT CHOCOLATE MARSHMALLOWS: Melt 3 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate and stir in 2 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder. Reduce the vanilla extract to 1/4 teaspoon, and after the marshmallow batter is mixed, fold in the chocolate mixture with a large rubber spatula.
PUMPKIN SPICE MARSHMALLOWS: Whisk together 1/2 cup canned unsweetened pumpkin puree, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg and a pinch of ground allspice. After the marshmallow batter is mixed, fold in the spiced pumpkin with a large rubber spatula.

It's Tax Day!!!

I could not be happier that tomorrow is the tax deadline. I am an accountant, and it has been crazy at work! For the first time in my life, I worked a 65 hour week... so I'm ready to celebrate! Our office has a wine and cheese party every year at lunchtime on April 15, so I thought I'd make a fun cake. There was nothing I could think to make because really, accountants are boring! This was the only thing I could come up with - an adding machine.

I had planned to work on this over the weekend, but I had to work, so it was a last minute thing. I didn't have the ingredients I needed to make fondant, so I covered the cake in just buttercream, and made the keys out of fondant. The tape is made out of gumpaste, and the screen is a chocolate bar. I filled it with chocolate mousse, and iced it in almond buttercream. The cake is a chocolate cake, the recipe is found here. I made a 1/4 sheet cake, cut it in half, and stacked it. I'll post some pictures tomorrow of the inside if I remember to bring my camera to work! I used this recipe for Kristine's wedding cake, it's a delicious recipe!

German - #2

Tonight’s dinner is another classic German meal. Brats are well-known, and well-loved by Americans. There are so many varieties of German sausages, but Brats are the only kind I will eat. I paired them with Sauerkraut, of course, applesauce, and potato pancakes. The potato pancakes are made from Nanny Munchinger’s recipe. I bought my sauerkraut in the store, because homemade takes weeks to ferment.

Bratwurst, Sauerkraut, Potato Pancakes and Applesauce

Potato Pancakes:

2 russet potatoes, peeled and grated

1/2 yellow onion, grated

1/4 cup flour

1 egg

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

2 tbsp. EVOO

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil.

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.

Spoon 1/2 cup mounds of potato into pan and spread to 1/2" thickness. Pan fry for 6-8 minutes on the first side, and 5-6 on the second side.

This recipe makes about 6 pancakes.

Germany #1

For dinner tonight, I wanted to make my favorite classic German dish, Sauerbraten with Spätzle and Red Cabbage. The sauerbraten needs to marinade for a few days, then cook for a few hours, so you'll need some time for this dish. Enjoy!

Saurebrate, Spätzle, und Rotkohl mit Apfeln

Sauerbraten
(German Pot Roast)

2-3 lbs. boneless beef bottom round
4 cups white vinegar
2 cups water
10 peppercorns
2 bay leaves
2 onions, chopped
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. sugar

Add all ingredients in a Tupperware container, place in the fridge for 3 days.
Remove the meat from the marinade, and place on a plate.
Heat 2 tbsp. EVOO in a pot on medium-high, brown the meat on all sides.
Pour the marinade into the pot, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, simmer for 3 hours.

Remove meat from the pot. Pour the cooking liquid through a strainer and back into a pot on high. Bring to a boil, add 1 tbsp. gravy master, and 2 tbsp. flour whisked with ½ cup cold water.
Season the gravy with salt and pepper.


Spätzle
(German Dumplings)

2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
3 eggs
½ cup water

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt heavily.
In a large bowl, mix all ingredients.
Spoon batter into a spätzle press, and boil for 6-8 minutes per batch. Use a mesh colander to pull spätzle out and drain well. If you don’t have a spätzle press, you can use a colander with small holes. (Press shown below)


Rotkohl mit Apfeln
(Red Cabbage with Apples)

2 lbs. red cabbage, sliced thin
2/3 cup red wine vinegar
2 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. salt
1 green apple, cored and peeled, and diced
½ cup finely chopped onions
1 bay leaf
1 cup water

Add all ingredients to a soup pot over medium-low heat. Cover and simmer for 2 hours, stirring every half hour.

German Soft Pretzels with Beer Cheese

My sister, Becky, isn't a big fan of German food, except for the Pretzels and Beer Cheese. The pretzels are a Nanny Munchinger recipe, and the beer cheese is a recipe I worked out. We used to make these pretzels with my mom when we were younger, it was so fun shaping them how ever we wanted.
Enjoy these with a nice, cold German beer!

German Soft Prezels with Beer Cheese

Pretzels:

1 cup warm water

1 packet yeast

1 tbsp. sugar

1 tbsp. salt

3 cups flour

1 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 egg, beaten

Kosher salt for topping

Add yeast, water, and sugar to a bowl, let the yeast bloom for 10 minutes.

Add the salt, four, oil, and water/yeast/sugar mix to a mixer with a dough hook, turn on medium and run for 3 minutes, until dough is elastic and smooth. If it's too sticky, add a bit more flour.

Cover with a damp towel and let it rise for an hour.

Punch down, and divide into 10 balls on a silicone mat, cover them with the towel, and let them rise for another hour.

Turn oven to 450 degrees. Roll out the prezels and shape them, lay on a parchment lined baking sheet. Brush the egg mixture on the pretzels and sprinkle with salt.

Bake for 12 minutes until brown.

Beer Cheese:

1 cup beer

2 cups cheddar cheese

1 tsp. cornstarch

1/2 tsp. dry mustard

Toss cheese, cornstarch, and mustard in a bowl.

Heat a saucepan with the beer over medium-high. Bring it to a boil, turn heat off.

Add in the cheese mixture, and stir until combined.

(To all who speak German, I hope this isn't too bad! Please email me corrections!)
Meine Schwester liebt Brezeln und Bierkäse. Das Brezeln Rezept ist meiner Großmutter, und der Bierkäse ist mein. Ich liebe Bier mit mein Brezeln und Bierkase.

Country Challenge - Germany!

GERMANY

Germany was voted #1 for April's Country Challenge! I am so excited Germany was chosen, because it's giving me the opportunity to share some of my family's recipes that have been passed down for years. I am almost 100% German, some of my Great-Grandparents entered America right before WWII, through Ellis Island. They settled on Long Island, New York, which is where I am originally from. My father's side of the family are from Hamburg and Stuttgart, and some family memebers still live there. All of the recipes I'm using this week are from my Nanny Munchinger, who was born in Germany and came over right before the war. She taught these recipes to my mother, who has taught me!


Usually I like to write about the history of a country, but since Germany's history is somewhat well known, I'm going to use this week to talk about the culture and family.
In Germany, Mittagessen (lunch) is the large meal of the day, and Abendessen (dinner) is usually a smaller meal. The dinner's I'm making this week would usually be eaten at lunch, and a common dinner in Germany would be Brot (sandwich) with a beer and of course, big dill pickles!
I've taken 5 years of German through high school and college, so I'll be using many of the German words in my cooking this week.
I hope you enjoy Nanny Munchinger's recipes from Deutschland!

Phoenix!

Last night's NASCAR race was in Phoenix, AZ. I decided to flip through Bobby Flay's cookbook again to find a recipe that would be fitting. JJ told me he really wanted chile rellenos, which were in the cookbook, so I made those, along with some barbeque chicken in corn pancakes with mango-tomatillo salsa.
This meal was delicious! It was so flavorful, and had just the right amount of spice. Unfortunately, I forgot to type up the recipe before I brought the cookbook back to the library today, so I can't share that, but if you want it, this is the cookbook it came from:
Bobby Flay’s Bold American Food, Bobby Flay. Warner Books, Inc: New York, 1994.


Finally, Jimmie Johnson had his first win of the season!

Weekly Menu 4.12-4.18

This week's Country Challenge winner is: Germany!

This week's NASCAR race is in: Phoenix!

On the menu:

BBQ chicken with Corn Pancakes and Mango-Tomatillo Salsa, Cornmeal Crusted Chili Rellenos with Spicy Black Bean Sauce
Sauerbraten, Spatzle, Red Cabbage with Apples
German Meatloaf, Asparagus, Potato Balls
Bratwurst, Sauerkraut, Potato Pancakes, Applesauce
Alpine Chicken Spatzle

German Soft Pretzels and Beer Cheese

Asian Peanut Chicken Pizza

Also on the menu:
Apfelstrussel

Marshmallos (TWD) & Smores

Chocolate Pound Cake

Friday Night Pizza

It's Friday, so we're having pizza. Shocker! I loved the goat cheese as the base on last week's pizza, so I decided to try it again, with some of my other favorite pizza flavors.
Enjoy!

Pizza with Goat Cheese, Portabellas, Spinach, Onions and Prosciutto

1 Pizza dough ball or crust

1 4 oz. block herbed goat cheese

1 red onion, caramelized

6 cups spinach, wilted

3 portabella caps, sauteed

1/3 lb. proscuitto, sliced then

1 tsp. pizza seasoning

Cook the crust half way, add the goat cheese, spread, then the rest of the ingredients. Bake until the crust is brown and crisp.

Easy Pea-sy Dinner!

For dinner tonight, I wanted to use up the chicken sausage in the freezer, as well as the peas. I also have a large bag of orzo, so I figured I'd make an orzo pilaf. I've been wanting to make orzo in squash cups because I thought it would look cute, and it did!

Sausage, Orzo Pilaf in Acorn Squash Cups

2 chicken sausage links

1 acorn squash, halved and steamed for 10 minutes

1/2 lb. orzo

1 cup frozen peas

1 garlic clove

1/2 red onion

salt and pepper

1/2 tsp. thyme

1 tbsp. butter

Steam squash, brown sausage.

Cook pasta.

Add some EVOO to a skillet, add onion and garlic, saute for 5 minutes. Add peas, heat through, add pasta, butter, salt, pepper and thyme. Toss to combine.

Fiesta Night!

For dinner tonight, I wanted to use up a piece of pork tenderloin I had in the freezer. I tried eating pork tenderloin in this entry, but I don’t know why, I just don’t like pork… unless it’s shredded. It’s a texture thing, I’m very picky when it comes to the texture of my food.

So first thought was BBQ shredded pork, but it’s been done before, and I’m sure I’ll make it again, I wanted something lighter and fresher, so I decided to do pork soft tacos. I had some leftover cabbage, so I made a tangy red cabbage slaw, and a fresh guacamole and Pico de Gallo for the tacos. I put the pork in a slow cooker with marinade, and it came out perfectly. This can be made with chicken or beef though, and it will be just as good.

Because I’m a dork for education and culture, I asked my sister, who is fluent in Spanish, to tell me what Pico de Gallo meant. I was expecting something about tomatoes, but she told me it translates to beak of a rooster. We researched a little more and found a few explanations for this, one is because of the color of the tomatoes, another is because of the spice, it’s like a rooster biting your tongue, and last is because it was traditionally eaten with the thumb and forefinger, echoing the actions of a rooster. Now who knew that?!

Pork Shredded Soft Tacos, Red Cabbage Slaw, Guacamole, and Pico de Gallo

Pork:

1/3 lb. pork tenderloin

½ bottle of Lawry’s Baja Chipotle Marinade

2 cups chicken stock

Cabbage Slaw:

½ head red cabbage, sliced thin

1 red bell pepper, sliced thin

2 tbsp. red wine vinegar

1 tsp. honey

Juice of 1 lime1

tsp. coriander

Salt and pepper

Pico de Gallo:

2 tomatoes, diced

¼ red onion, diced

2 tbsp. cilantro, minced

½ lime, juiced

½ jalapeno, seeded and minced

Salt and pepper

Guacamole:

1 avocado, mashed

½ jalapeno, seeded and minced

½ lime, juiced

¼ tsp. cumin

Flour tortilla shells Place the pork, half the bottle of marinade, and chicken stock in a slow cooker. Turn on high for 4 hours, or low for 8.

For Slaw – Mix all ingredients except cabbage in a bowl, add cabbage and toss to coat.

For Pico de Gallo – Mix all ingredients in a bowl.

For guacamole – mix all ingredients in a bowl, keep covered so it doesn’t brown.

When ready to serve, warm tortillas in the microwave in a damp paper towl.

Remove pork from the crock pot, shred in a bowl, and toss with ½ cup more of the marinade.

Spoon pork into taco, top with slaw, pico de gallo, and guacamole.