Announcement: A Year in the Kitchen Cookbook!

As long as I've been cooking, I've had friends and family ask for recipes. I never knew what a cooking blog was, and thought about writing a cookbook. Then I found out about blogging, and decided it would be a cheaper, easier, and more far reaching route, so the cookbook idea fell by the wayside.

Since I found out we were moving, I've been thinking more and more about making a cookbook to have the first two years (thenewlywed years) documented. I also know people like my grandparents don't read the blog, but Grandma's always asking for recipes. And personally, I have many of my recipes in my head, but sometimes I can't remember my chocolate chip cookies and hate sifting through my blog, I'd rather have it in writing.

So... for the past 2 months, I've gone through my blog, picked out my original and most favorite recipes from the past 2 years, and turned them into a cookbook!
The book is in full color, photos of every recipe, a few meal collections, lots of photos of friends and family, and a little of my personal writing. It has over 100 original recipes, and will be ready to buy in about a month! I got my first copy a few days ago, and my sister is editing it for me, so it will be ready as soon as Kris gets her changes in!
I'll be selling it for around $30, with a discount for larger orders. I don't have the order form made up yet, hopefully sometime next week, and the first run of books will be in around October 1. I'll be taking pre-orders for a month, and then will order them in increments of 10 there after... but I'll keep you all posted.


Here's the cover photo, and then me with the first run copy of the book!

All moved in!

It's been 3 weeks since I posted, so I decided to give an update!
We left Bloomington on Monday, drove halfway to Jacksonville, stayed the night outside Atlanta, drove the rest Tuesday, and moved in Tuesday/Wednesday.
So far things are going ok. It's been exhausting moving in and getting things set up, but I'm just about finished. We only have had a few issues along the way...

1. I ran out of gas - My gas gauge is broken, and I pay attention to my mileage. When I was at 350 miles, I knew we'd need to stop, however we were in the beginning of a National Park, which was 25 miles long, so no exits! We made it to the exit ramp, and while waiting at the ramp, my car studdered and shut off. I tried to turn it on, and all the lights were flashing and it wasn't doing anything. I turned it off (still sitting on the exit ramp....) and waited, turned it back on and it went the 30 yards to the gas station... whew!

2. Our refrigerator isn't working - Since Tuesday when we moved in, it's been frozen up and maintenance here is quite slow, so we've been without a fridge for 3 days. They came this morning and worked on it, and will be coming again soon. Hopefully I'll get to cook tomorrow night, I've got some good ideas stored up!

So I'd say we're doing ok. Hopefully I'll be able to get out and do some stuff next week when I'm not waiting on comcast, maintenance, etc. all day long...

Here's my new kitchen, quite a bit smaller. It should just be a temporary apartment until I get a job and we buy a house, so I'll live!

I do like the black/white combo though, something to keep in mind. I also have bar seating, which is nice since we have little/no room for a kitchen table.

Bye, Bye, Bloomington!

On July 27, JJ and I will be moving to Jacksonville. It's going to be bittersweet for us. Over the past two years, I've really grown to adore Bloomington. It didn't start out that way, we knew we would only be here a couple years, and I didn't want to get attached. However, Bloomington is such a wonderful town, it's hard not to!
The city is about an hour south of Indianapolis... mixed right in with some cornfields. You wouldn't think it would be very diverse or exciting, but Bloomington is amazingly diverse in religion, ethnicities and interests. Mostly it's because of Indiana University, but Bloomington isn't just about the University... though it is a college town, someone not directly associated with IU (me) can still really enjoy living here.


What I love and will miss most about Bloomington is how open, diverse, green and alive it is! I was so suprised to drive around and see so many ethnic restaurants and grocery stores. I eat at chain restaurants from time to time, but I really prefer to eat at local places, and Bloomington has so many! I considered starting a seperate blog on reviewing Bloomington restaurants, but never got around to it. I've decided that for the next 2 weeks, since I'm not going to be cooking much (2/3 of my kitchen is packed up), I'm going to review many of the Bloomington restaurants we've been to over the past two years.


Now I know most people will never go to Bloomington, Indiana... it's not off any major highway, it's not really an entertaining city, but I highly recommend taking a little trip here just for the food!


So if you're not into restaurant reviews, you might want to skip over the blog for a few weeks, and when I get settled in Jacksonville I'll start cooking again, but for now this blog will be all about Bloomington restaurants!


This is from last fall when IU was still building the football stadium enclosure...





And now to bid goodbye to my first kitchen. MY kitchen. Something I've been so excited about for so long, my own kitchen... It was wonderful, I made so many great meals and had SO many crazy baking weekends. I think that stove saw more action in 2 years than some see in a lifetime!

Blueberry Scones

Yes, another Blueberry recipe! I still have about 5 pounds to go... so look for a few more!
I love scones, I wish they weren't so fattening! I googled and found this recipe from Martha Stewart. I don't think I've ever used one of her recipes before, so this was a first.
I have to say, not very impressed! I think my blueberries are a bit tart, but these scones weren't sweet at all! Now I know, I am used to Starbucks scones and they tend to be sweeter than most, but only having 3 tbsp. of sugar in the whole recipe just wasn't enough. I did use organic raw sugar, but it shouldn't really matter what kind of sugar is used.
I think next time I'll look for another recipe with just a bit more sweetness!
Blueberry Scones by Martha Stewart

A decision has been made!

It's announcement time! I know I've made inuendos to packing and getting ready to move, and some people have asked where, but I never answered... because we didn't know!
In all honestly, this move is so ironic to us. With Athletic Training, you move where the jobs are. Since our parents are in Cincinnati, OH and St. Augustine, FL, we told them the chances of us living near them would be slim to none. Well, of course the two places he interviewed and had the best chance at a job were Cincinnati and St. Augustine!


This morning JJ got an offer from Flagler College in St. Augustine, and took it! We will be moving down there July 28/29! I'm still in shock I think! We'll start looking at houses right away in the Jacksonville area... JJ promised I could have lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, avocado and a few other types of trees when we get a house.
And.... we'll be living just a few miles from the beach!!!!


So the blog might be slow for a while while we get things figured out, but in a few months, it will be awesome because I'll be in a new house with an awesome kitchen -that's #1 on my list for potential houses!


Now I'm off to find a new job... cooking or accounting????

Tofu Curry Skewers with Curry Dipping Sauce

Last weekend, JJ and I went to Cheeseburger in Paradise to finally use the gift card we got at Valentines Day from my parents (thanks, Mom and Dad!) I saw the grilled chicken satay with curry dipping sauce, which sounded somewhat healthy, so that's what I went with. I got the teriyaki broccoli as my side and a house salad, and it was a good meal, but I thought it was really expensive for CIP standards (about $15!) It was definitely something I could make at home, but since we had a gift card, I wasn't too upset about it. I probably won't go back there and get it, from now on I'll make it at home. However, I have to say their Paradise Beach Ale is a great beer!


I've been trying to clean out the pantry, and I had a can of coconut milk I got from my last trip to Trader Joe's. I also had just enough curry powder to make a marinade and the dipping sauce. I am really limiting my meat to maybe once a week, so I made tofu skewers for me and chicken for JJ. I served this with broccoli steamed and tossed in TJ's Island Soyaki.

Tofu Curry Skewers with Curry Dipping Sauce

1 block of organic extra firm tofu, drained and pressed overnight

1 15 oz. can light coconut milk

1 garlic clove, grated

3 tbsp. curry powder, divided

1 tbsp. teriyaki or soy sauce

salt and pepper

juice of 1 lime

1 tbsp. brown sugar

Dice tofu into 1" cubes.

Add half of the coconut milk to a plastic storage dish.

Add the grated garlic, 1 tbsp. curry powder and soy/teriyaki sauce.

Shake well or whisk. Add tofu, shake again.

Marinade for a few hours.

Skewer tofu cubes.

Heat a grill pan or griddle over medium-high heat.

Spray with EVOO spray, place skewers on and cook for 3-5 minutes per side, or until golden brown.

While skewers cook, add remaining coconut milk to a small saucepot. Bring to a simmer.

Add 2 tbsp. curry powder, brown sugar, salt and pepper. Whisk until smooth.

Remove from heat, just before serving, squeeze in lime juice.

Sour Cream Blueberry Pancakes

With impending rain, heat, and bugs, Vickie and I decided to go blueberry picking at 7am. We picked for about an hour, so when I got home around 8:30, JJ was still in bed. I was ready to dive into the berries, and thought I might lure JJ out of bed with some pancakes. I had already packed up all my cookbooks and didn't feel like looking up a recipe, so I just made one up. I wanted to make it something special, with a twist or two, so I added lemon zest and sour cream, and rather than have maple syrup (because we were out) I made a lemon blueberry sauce. These pancakes were fluffy and delicious, but the berries got so hot, when we bit into them the juice burned our mouths - be careful!

Sour Cream Blueberry Pancakes

1/4 c. light sour cream
1 c. milk (we have 1%)
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 c. unbleached AP flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1 c. blueberries


Syrup:
1 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. brown sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 c. blueberries


Preheat a griddle over medium heat.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together milk, sour cream, egg and vanilla.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, lemon zest and brown sugar.
Add wet ingredients to dry and fold together. Add in blueberries and fold again.
Butter or spray griddle, ladle pancake batter onto griddle about 1/4-1/3 c. at a time.
When pancakes bubble up, flip (about 5 minutes).
Cook for another 3 minutes or so, and plate.
This recipe makes about 8 pancakes.


Heat a saucepan over medium, add butter, melt. Add brown sugar, bring to a bubble.
Add lemon juice and blueberries, cover and simmer until a thick sauce develops, about 5-10 minutes.
Pour over pancakes, serve with whipped cream if desired.

Blueberry Crumb Coffee Cake

When I first got Baking, From My Home to Yours, by Dorie Greenspan, I was amazed at how many recipes had photos. I hate cookbooks that don't have photos because I am such a visual person. When I flipped to the page that had this Blueberry Crumb Coffee Cake, I dog earred the page and knew I'd be making it at some point.

I seriously considered it for my TWD week when I was part of the group, but I know blueberries can be hard to find and expensive in the off season, so I went with the WONDERFUL banana marble loaf.

Well I'd forgotten about the recipe until I was packing up my cookbooks on Friday and saw it. Since I was going blueberry picking on Saturday, it seemed like fate. I made it as soon as I could! This recipe was good, the cake was nice, but it's the crumbs that make it something special! My cake was a bit dry, and I only cooked it for 50 minutes, so I don't know that I'd go as long as Dorie says to.

I also didn't have walnuts, so I used rolled oats instead. I think the oats made the crumble even more delicious and healthier! I served this with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.

Blueberry Crumb Coffee Cake

by Dorie Greenspan

For the Crumbs:

5 tbsp unsalted butter at room temp

1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup light brown sugar (packed)

1/3 cup all purpose flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup rolled oats

For the Cake:

1 pint blueberries

2 cups plus 2 tsp all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp freshly ground nutmeg

2/3 cup sugar

grated zest of 1/2 lemon

3/4 stick (6 tbsp) unsalted butter at room temp

2 large eggs, at room temp

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350.

Butter an 8-inch square pan and put it on a baking sheet.

To make the crumbs:

Put all the ingredients except the nuts in a food processor and pulse just until the mixture forms clumps and curds and holds together when pressed.

Scrape the topping into a bowl, stir in the nuts and press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface.

Refrigerate until needed.

To make the cake:

Using your fingertips, toss the blueberries and 2 tsp of the flour together in a small bowl just to coat the berries; set aside.

Whisk together the remaining 2 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Working in the bowl of a stand mixer or in another large bowl, rub the sugar and zest together with your fingertips until the sugar is moist and aromatic.

Add the butter and, with the paddle or whisk attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat the sugar with the butter at medium speed until light, about 3 minutes.

Add the eggs one by one, beating for about 1 minute after each addition, then beat in the vanilla extract.

Don’t be concerned if the batter looks curdled — it will soon smooth out.

Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture and the buttermilk alternately, the flour in 3 parts and the buttermilk in 2 (begin and end with the dry ingredients.)

You will have a thick, creamy batter.

With a rubber spatula, gently stir in the berries.
Scrape the batter into the buttered pan and smooth the top gently with the spatula.

Pull the crumb mix from the fridge and, with your fingertips, break it into pieces.

There’s no need to try to get even pieces — these are crumbs, they’re supposed to be lumpy and bumpy and every shape and size. Scatter the crumbs over the batter, pressing them down ever so slightly.
Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until the crumbs are golden and a thin knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Transfer the cake to a rack and cool just until it is warm or until it reaches room temperature.

Blueberries '09!

It appears as though I've made blueberry picking on July 4th a tradition! Last year I did it with my mom in Cincinnati, and this year, I went with my friend Vickie. I was a good little picker, check out the berries!


After eating about a pound yesterday and having the worst stomach ache last night, I've decided to maybe do some more baking and cooking with them rather than just eat them all (though I did just add a huge handful to my oatmeal...)


Anyway, any favorite blueberry recipes I haven't tried? I'm thinking about making Dorie's blueberry coffee cake, maybe some scones and/or muffins... I made some pancakes yesterday, that recipe will be up soon!

Caprese Pasta Salad

We were invited to a July 4th party yesterday, and I was asked to make a pasta salad. I love making them, but I keep trying to make up new ones, and it's a challenge! I went to Sam's club to get a few things, and saw these pearl fresh mozzarella balls, and knew I had to get them and use them. I'd never seen them this small before! I also saw the tri-color tortellini there, so I decided to make a Caprese salad, but with tortellini. For the dressing, I used a thin pesto. This pasta salad was delicious and the pearl mozzarella balls were a hit!

Caprese Pasta Salad

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

1 c. pearl mozzarella balls (or diced fresh mozzarella from large balls)

1 lb. fresh tortellini

1 small red onion, sliced very thin

pesto:

4 c. fresh basil

1 large garlic clove, smashed

1/3 c. grated parmesan

salt and pepper

1/4 c. toasted pine nuts

1/3/-1/2 c. EVOO

Water or vegetable stock, to thin it more, if desired

Prepare pesto:

In a food processor, add basil, garlic, parmesan, pine nuts, salt and pepper.

Process to a fine mince, pulsing and running the machine as necessary.

Stream in EVOO and leave processor running.

Scrape down the sides, taste, adjust seasonings, add water or stock for a thinner dressing (this can also be added later)

Cook tortellini according to package, drain and cool to room temp.

Add mozzarella, tomatoes, onion and pesto to a large bowl. Toss to coat.

Add tortellini, toss to coat.

This pasta salad needs to be refrigerated, however is best to eat closer to room temperature.

Natural Hawaiian Pizza, Revisited

Everyday if I don't post something in my blog, someone asks me why. Occasionally it's because I went out to it, or made....gasp... a repeat! That was the case for tonight, but it wasn't totally a repeat. When I told my co-workers I just made a pizza, they said there had to be more to it than 'just pizza'. So ok, maybe they were right.... I made a big, fresh batch of marinara and a batch of homemade pizza dough, so this dinner was actually pretty involved!
Since I'm really working to eat clean and get out all processed food, I've switched my Hawaiian pizza up a bit. I used to buy canadian bacon - super processed. Now, I use Boar's Head prosciutto, which is a much healthier option in that respect. I also decided to throw my pineapple chunks in the food processor and pulse it to make a crushed pineapple, much easier to eat, but still fresh pineapple.
I also decided to use a ball of fresh mozzarella, which was outstanding! I'm trying to use it now as much as possible, but it does cost quite a bit more. So here is my more natural, healthy, clean version of Hawaiian Pizza!
Note, I use all organic produce if it's available, as well as organic canned tomatoes, EVOO, etc.

Natural Hawaiian Pizza

1/2 batch of Pizza Dough (I made a whole, the rest is in the fridge

1/4 batch of Zesty Marinara

1 ball of fresh mozzarella, shredded (8 oz)

1 c. fresh pineapple chunks

1/4 lb. Boar's Heat Prosciutto, sliced thin

1 tsp. Penzey's Pizza seasoning (or a mix of salt, pepper, dried onion, garlic, oregano, fennel seed, crushed red pepper)

Pizza Dough:
1 packet active dry yeast

1 tbsp. organic brown sugar or honey

1 c. warm water

3 c. organic unbleached all purpose flour (or 1.5 c. whole wheat and 1.5 c. all purpose)

Add water, yeast and sugar to a mixing bowl.
Let it sit for 10 minutes, yeast will bubble.
Turn the dough hook on and add in the flours.
If the dough is too sticky, add another 1/4 c. all purpose flour.
Let it knead for 5 minutes.
Cover with a damp towel and let it sit for 1 hour.

Punch down, cover, and proof for another 30 minutes.

Divide in half, wrap half the dough and refrigerate.

Zesty Marinara:

1 tbsp. EVOO
1 large yellow onion, minced
2-4 cloves of garlic, minced
Salt and Pepper
1 tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. fennel seed
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
½ c. dry red wine
2 28 oz. cans organic crushed tomatoes
1 15 oz. can organic tomato sauce
1 5 oz. can organic tomato paste
In a saucepot over medium low, add EVOO, onion and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Sweat onions and garlic for 5 minutes. Turn heat to high, add red wine, reduce by half, turn to low, add spices and tomatoes. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425.

Roll out dough, place on a sheet pan (dust bottom with cornmeal or semolina flour if desired)

Spread with 1-2 c. marinara, top with pineapple, mozzarella and finally prosciutto.

Sprinkle with pizza seasoning.

Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until golden brown and the bottom is crisp.