Cafe Johnsonia

Butternut Squash, Cranberry and Apple Bake

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey Johnson) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 19:58:00 +0000

It's been a very busy few weeks, and I'm glad to be back over here. I've got so much to tell you. But that will have to wait until tomorrow. :)

This is what I am bringing to the first Gojee Virtual Potluck. (Have you been over to gojee.com yet? Here I am!)

A few years ago my friend brought something similar to a cooking club dinner. It was so delicious and I couldn't find her recipe anywhere, so I made it up as I went along. I brought this to Thanksgiving dinner and then made it again last week. You'll be eating this like candy, I promise.

The holidays may be over, but that doesn't mean I'm tired of those flavors--orange, fresh herbs, spices. (Ask me in March.)

Before

After

Feel free to use sweet potatoes instead of butternut or another type of winter squash. Whatever you have on hand. Toss in some onions and garlic if you're feeling in the mood for something more savory. The leftovers are soooo good over mixed greens. My favorite way was tossed with cooked quinoa with a little chimichurri drizzled over the top. (It wasn't as strange as it sounds.)

Butternut Squash, Cranberry, and Apple Bake

1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed
2 cups (about 1/2 bag) fresh or frozen cranberries, rinsed (don't thaw if frozen)
3-4 apples, peeled and cored, cut into cubes
juice and zest of 1 orange
2 Tbsp. maple syrup
2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil plus more for baking dish
1-2 Tbsp. fresh herbs, finely minced (sage, thyme, rosemary)
pinch of cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg
salt and pepper

Whisk together in a very large bowl, orange zest and juice, maple syrup, olive oil, herbs, and spices (if using). Add the butternut squash, cranberries and apples. Toss to coat.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Generously grease a 9" by 13" or two smaller baking dishes (I used an 8 by 11" and 8" square) with olive oil. Spread the squash, cranberries, and apples evenly in the baking dish. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.

Bake for about 30-45 minutes or more until the squash is tender, the cranberries have split open and released their juice. Serve warm or room temperature.

Makes enough for 6-8 people. Use leftovers the next day over mixed greens with your favorite vinaigrette and a sprinkling of toasted pecans.
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Starting on Thursday, January 26, check out other potluck dishes fellow gojee contributors shared. Go to gojee.com and enter “gojeepotluck” into I Crave. You can also follow #gojeepotluck on Twitter.

I'll be back tomorrow with an Alt recap. (It was so much fun!)

Smoky Black Bean Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey Johnson) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 22:59:00 +0000

I've been attempting to be more organized when it comes to cooking. I'm making beans in the slow cooker and freezing them for later. I'm actually making and sticking to grocery lists. The leafy greens are being used and not going to waste as I forget they are in my fridge...does that ever happen to you?

I made 3 lbs. of black beans yesterday and as I was measuring them into giant ziploc bags, I started hankering for some black bean soup. In one of my vegan cookbooks, I found a recipe for a Smoky Black Bean Soup using a little bit of liquid smoke. I have some in my cupboard and I loved the idea of adding it to the soup. So I came up with my own soup recipe according to what I had on hand and wanted in the soup and added the liquid smoke. If you hate the flavor of liquid smoke (I usually do), then feel free to leave it out. If you eat meat and want to add some here, by all means do. I think a little ham or bacon would be fantastic added to this.

Smoky Black Bean Soup

6 cups cooked black beans (about 4 regular sized cans, drained)
1 tbsp. canola oil
1 onion, diced
1 large carrot, finely diced
1 large stalk celery, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
32 oz. undrained whole or diced tomatoes in juice (I used a quart of tomatoes I bottled from my garden)
1 vegetable bouillon cube plus water to make 2 cups (or 2 cups vegetable stock)
1/2 tsp liquid smoke (I used mesquite)
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. paprika (not the spicy kind)
salt, to taste
Diced avocado and thinly sliced radishes, for garnish

In a large pot, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Cook until softened. Add the cumin and paprika and cook for a minute or two longer, until fragrant. Add the black beans, tomatoes, vegetable broth and liquid smoke. Simmer until thickened. Remove about 1/3 of the soup and puree the remaining 2/3 using an immersion blender or in batched in a regular blender. Add the 1/3 back to the pot. Simmer a little longer and taste. Adjust seasonings as needed.

Ladle into cups or bowls. Garnish, if desired.

Makes enough for 4-6 good sized portions.

Cranberry Mustard Pulled Pork (Slow Cooker)

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey Johnson) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 07:15:00 +0000

I'm over at Is This Really My Life? with a great slow cooker recipe for Cranberry Mustard Pulled Pork for all of you meat lovers out there. (Including my husband and children who happily smacked their lips after every bite.)

Make and Takes Spotlight Page

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey Johnson) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 21:39:00 +0000

I've been writing for Make and Takes for a few years now. I love, love, love Marie and her site. I've been meaning to post about a recent addition to Make and Takes, the spotlight page. It works like Tastespotting and Foodgawker, only it's for crafts, home projects, and recipes.

Anyone can submit a link. I love perusing the different pages. I've found some great recipes and fun crafts to do with the kids over the holidays. I'm super excited to see the Valentine's Day spotlights. Click here to submit your link.

While we're on the subject of Make and Takes...check out my lastest post, Rich Meyer Lemon Curd. That jar pictured below is already gone. My family goes crazy for lemon curd.

And, I'll be back tomorrow with a recipe for spur-of-the-moment black bean soup I made for lunch today. I ate it while I was uploading and editing photos. It ain't pretty, but it sure was tasty.

Until tomorrow!

Quinoa Salad Soft Tacos (Vegan and Gluten-Free)

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey Johnson) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 19:02:00 +0000

I love the beginning of a New Year. Hello, 2012. I hope you're good to us.

This year I have made a few goals. The first one being: Simplify. And that means I've shortened my list to just a few goals instead of a laundry list.

Simplicity is something I've been craving. In my home, in my personal life, in my diet, etc., etc. I need to do a good housecleaning and let go of clutter I've been hanging onto--figuratively and literally.

So, once again I am making the goal to eat healthier. I did better last year at that goal than in years past. Somewhere around Halloween I gave into baking and holiday treats. I officially gave up gluten (again, for reals this time) in November. So now I'm officially ready to give up dairy. Little steps so I don't lose my mind. :)

I'm giving full-time veganism another try. I'm craving the simplicity of sticking to mostly fruits and vegetables, nuts, and gluten-free grains. I'm learning to listen to my body again and it's telling me it wants leafy greens and citrus right now. I dropped by Sunflower and stocked up for a healthy first week of 2012.

This salad is based on a quinoa salad from a new cookbook I received last year. (That I ~~love~~ adore.) I posted the recipe over at Make and Takes last summer. Eat this as a salad or as a filling for soft tacos as I have here. Either way is equally satisfying.

Basically, I was hungering for something fresh after the last few weeks of too much sugar and dairy. This fit the bill. I got a bit of creaminess from the avocado and beans, the fresh crunch from the shallots and green pepper. The bright, slightly sweet burst of juice from the orange, and a little bit of spice from the cumin and chili powder.

Quinoa Salad Soft Tacos

1 cup cooked quinoa

3/4 to 1 cup cooked black or another kind of bean (or used canned)

1 small orange, peeled, sectioned and cut into pieces

1 small avocado, diced

1/2 green or yellow pepper, diced (about 1/2 cup)

1 small shallot, finely diced or 3 green onions, sliced

juice of 1 lime

1/4 tsp each: ground cumin and chili powder

1 small bunch baby spinach, washed well and thinly sliced (any tender green would be fine)

a few corn tortillas (homemade are best, but I've used store-bought here)

Mix together all the ingredients and serve folded in a corn tortilla.

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Also on the menu this week:

Kale and Potato Soup with Gluten-Free Biscuits (we actually ate this last night for dinner and lunch today)
Roasted Golden Beets with Beet Green and Parsley Pesto
Winter Minestrone Soup topped with leftover pesto
Chopped Salad with loads of fresh veggies
Radicchio-Radish Salad (possibly with apples and raisins or this salad, still deciding)
Roasted Butternut Squash, Cranberry, Apple Pecan Bake (I made this for Thanksgiving and it was fabulous)

What are your goals this year? What are you eating this week?

Two Favorite Christmas Cookies: Pfeffernusse and Chocolate Gingerbread

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey Johnson) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 20:03:00 +0000

These are two of our very favorite Christmas cookies--Pfeffernusse and Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies. The Pfeffernusse is by far my husband's favorite cookie of all-time. We've tried a few recipes and settled on the one below from Joy of Cooking.

My favorite are the Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies from Martha Stewart. I played around to make them gluten-free and vegan. Some of you, I'm sure, don't think it's possible to make delicious vegan, GF cookies. These are the cookies that will shatter that. I'll admit I haven't adapted some recipes successfully. But this one I have. And what a miracle. :)

A tip I've learned while experimenting is that most GF cookies I've adapted from non-GF cookies do not spread in the oven so much. I've learned to add a little less GF flour. Chilling the dough seems to help with any stickiness. The original recipe didn't have eggs in them anyway, so I didn't need to alter anything there. Coconut oil took the place of butter. Canola oil or vegan margarine would do nicely. I don't love shortening, but if that's what you like, use it.

Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies
adapted from Martha Stewart (original here)
Makes about 3 dozen

1 3/4 cup GF flour mix (I used this one)
1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 cup organic extra virgin coconut oil
1 Tbsp. freshly grated ginger
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup organic agave nectar (I like Xagave)
1/4 cup unsulphured black molasses
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. very hot water
1 1/2 cups dairy free semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup granulated sugar, for rolling

Sift flours and dry spices together.

Whisk coconut oil, sugar, agave, molasses and fresh ginger together. Using an electric mixer, add the dry ingredients a little at a time until combined. Mix the baking soda and hot water. Beat into the dough. Add the chocolate chips. Cover and chill until cold. (Dough will be sticky.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop about 1 Tbsp. pieces of dough out of the bowl and roll to form a ball. Roll the ball in the granulated sugar and place on the cookie sheet. Gently press down on the dough. Bake for about 12 minutes, or until cookies are set. Transfer to a cooling rack and store in an airtight container.

Pfeffernusse. Apparently they are my daughters favorite Christmas cookie too. Her dad thought she was kidding when she asked for a spicy, "sugar" cookie. She ate every last crumb and asked for another. We looked at each other in astonishment. Never have our children liked spicy, grown-up cookies.

These cookies embody everything I love in holiday baking--orange, spices, molasses, almonds...and a little brandy. (Don't worry, it seems to evaporate as the dough sits. No one's getting drunk off these. Ha, ha.)

Most recipes for pfeffernusse don't spread quite this much. You'll see them much smaller. We kind of like them this way. You can add more flour if you prefer a thicker, denser cookie--more like a peppernut, as they are named.

One batch never seems to make enough, so we double or triple it. The cookies get much better as they sit and will stay good for a month, maybe more. I'm not sure if they've ever lasted that long though.

Pfeffernusse (Peppernuts)
from Joy of Cooking
Makes about 5 dozen 1" cookies

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 cup plus 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper (we used finely ground white pepper)
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt (we used 1/4 tsp.)
1/4 cup slivered blanched almonds, finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped candied orange zest (we used store-bought or homemade with success)
1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
3 Tbsp. light or dark molasses
3 Tbsp. brandy (it doesn't have to be the good stuff)
1/2 to 2/3 cups powdered sugar, for dusting baked cookies

Whisk the dry ingredients together and set aside. Whisk the molasses and brandy together and set aside.

Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolk and beat well.

Stir in the almonds, candied orange zest and lemon zest.

Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients alternating with 1/2 of the liquid, ending with the dry ingredients.

Cover the dough and chill for at least 3 hours or up to 2 days to allow flavors to blend.

To bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or grease well.

Pull off pieces of the dough (we do about 1 Tbsp. for larger and 1/2 Tbsp. for smaller) and roll into 3/4" balls. Space about 1-inch apart on baking sheets. Bake, one sheet at a time, rotating the sheet halfway through baking time, for about 12-14 minutes or until cookies are faintly tinged with brown on top and slightly darker at the edges.

Transfer cookies to a cooling rack to cool for a few minutes and then roll the cookies in the powdered sugar. (We put the powdered sugar in a large ziploc bag for this step.) Let cool completely. (If freezing baked cookies, don't dust with powdered sugar until they've been thawed.)
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What are your favorite holiday cookies?

Spiced Tembleque de Coco with Orange and Pomegranate

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey Johnson) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 15:51:00 +0000

I've fallen completely in love with coconut milk. I loved it enough before, but now it's official.

I bookmarked this recipe in Joy of Cooking a long time before I stopped eating dairy. We've had a lot of sickness at our house the last two weeks, so instead of making the Pumpkin Souffle, I made pudding. My husband said his mother used to make a nice warm pudding when he'd come down with a cold as a kid. I ate a little bowl of this warm and it was definitely comforting.

Tembleque in English means trembling. I chose to make individual puddings rather than a large one. The original recipe calls for oiling a mold and turning it out onto a platter--trembling I'm sure--for a more dramatic presentation. These little puddings didn't tremble too much, but they were sure delicious.

I infused the coconut milk with whole spices and a few strips of orange zest. Feel free to leave them out if you'd rather have a plain coconut pudding. I also halved the recipe.

If you want to make one big pudding, double everything and put it in an oiled 1 1/2 quart dish. Proceed with the directions as written. A big pudding would be a fantastic addition to any holiday dessert table or as a deceptively light dessert following a holiday dinner.

The creamy coconut was great with the tart, juicy burst from the pomegranate arils and mandarin oranges. I would have loved to have fresh slices of mango with this too. Any fruit would be fantastic here.

Enjoy!

Spiced Tembleque de Coco (Coconut Milk Pudding)
adapted from The Joy of Cooking

2 1/2 cups coconut milk
3-4 Tbsp. Xagave nectar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
3 whole cloves
2-3 allspice berries
2 green cardamom pods
1/2" piece peeled ginger, cut into four 1/8" slices
2-3 strips of orange zest (removed with a vegetable peeler, orange part only)
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
For serving--orange segments and pomegranate arils

Sift cornstarch and whisk with salt in a medium bowl. Add the agave nectar slowly, followed by 1/4 cup of the coconut milk. In a pan, heat the remaining coconut milk with whole spices. Bring to a simmer and turn off heat. Let steep for at least 30 minutes. Strain and whisk into cornstarch mixture. Pour back into the saucepan and bring to a boil. Whisk constantly and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and pour into four 8 oz. bowls. Press plastic wrap on the surface and chill until cold.

under construction...

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey Johnson) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 19:16:00 +0000

I'm redesigning my template, so pardon the strange look.

Pear, Chocolate, Hazelnut Tart (Gluten-Free)

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey Johnson) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 17:20:00 +0000

A few weeks before Thanksgiving I gave up gluten again. I was really wondering if I could be strong enough to resist all of my favorite Thanksgiving fixin's that weren't GF. I made a plan so it would be easier to be good. I looked for recipes on my favorite GF blogs so that I could be prepared with things on hand to take with me or eat before we went anywhere. If I didn't, I knew I'd feel left out or tempted to cheat.

I have not cheated once! I'm so proud of myself. It's been over a month and not one indiscretion. Not even a tiny one. It's been hard. But I find that I'm not craving sweets or wheat anymore. That is a huge step. And I feel soooo much better. Going completely vegan will help too. (I'm almost there!) It's kind of strange, but I almost feel like I've had to mourn the loss of eating the things that make me ill. I had to say good-bye to them after really seeing what a difference it makes to NOT eat them. That's going to be a separate post one of these days.

Pie has never been my favorite dessert. I make a few each year for special occasions and to please my husband who adores pie. Tarts, however, are different. They aren't that different from pie, but in my mind they are much more enjoyable. Anyone else feel like that?

Anyway, I saw Aran's Forelle Pear, Chocolate and Pistachio Tartlets a few days before Thanksgiving and knew that's what I wanted to make as my GF dessert.

I adapted it a bit according to what I had on hand. For instance, I only have on big tart pan, so no tartlets. I also didn't have hazelnut flour on hand for the crust, instead I used ground almonds. I did have a little leftover hazelnut praline, which is basically ground candied hazelnuts. I used that for the filling instead of pistachios and left out some of the honey. Instead of coconut milk, I used heavy cream because I had some that needed to be used.

Everyone seemed to love this tart. It was so grown-up and sophisticated. I love chocolate and pears together. The only thing I will change the next time I make this (and believe me, there will be a next time), is to use ripe pears. It was my mistake to use underripe pears. I thought they'd keep their shape better, but soften as they baked. Not so. They stayed crunchy. Not terrible, but not what I was going for.

Another winner from Aran! Everything I've made from her blog has been spectacular. It's making this GF transition much easier.

Definitely the prettiest tart I've ever made. :)

Chocolate, Pear, and Hazelnut Tart

Makes one 9-10" round tart

Chocolate Almond Crust

adapted from Aran Goyoga (original here)

4 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature

1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 egg

3/4 cup superfine brown rice flour*

1/4 cup buckwheat flour

1/4 cup finely ground almonds

3 tablespoons tapioca starch

3 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

In the bowl of a stand mixer or using a hand mixer and a medium bowl, beat the butter and sugar with the paddle attachment on medium speed until light, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix until combined.

In a small bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients. Add them to the butter mixture and mix until the dough comes together. Turn it onto your work surface and form it into a disk. Wrap it in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Dust your work surface with a little bit of superfine brown rice flour. Place the dough on top and, with a rolling pin, roll it to 1/8 inch thickness. (I rolled the dough between a pastry mat and plastic wrap.) Make sure to keep turning the dough while rolling to ensure it does not stick to the surface. If it cracks, pinch it back together.

Fit into a 9-10" round tart pan. Patch any cracks. Evenly trim any overhanging dough. Chill the dough for 20 minutes while preparing the filling.

*To make this with wheat flour, substitute all-purpose flour for the brown rice, buckwheat and tapioca starch.

Pear and Hazelnut Filling

adapted from Aran Goyoga (original here)

4 pears, peeled, cored and thinly sliced (I used medium-sized Bartlett pears)

2 large eggs

2 tablespoon good-quality honey (I used only 1 Tbsp.)

2 tablespoons finely chopped hazelnuts (I used hazelnut praline, similar to this recipe)

1/2 cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 375F. Arrange the sliced pears over the chocolate crust.

In a bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients and pour over the pears. Bake the tart for 30-35 minutes until golden and filling has just set.

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I've more treats to share with you over the next few days. Don't forget to enter the giveaway for the cookbook! Click here to enter.

Potato Chickpea Masala Rava Dosas with Hot Cilantro Chutney

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey Johnson) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 07:00:00 +0000

This is my new favorite condiment--Hot Cilantro Chutney from Bollywood Chutneys.

The Johar family began packaging and selling the Hot Cilanto Chutney last year and have plans for five other chutneys. (I can't wait!) They sent me an e-mail wondering if I'd be interested in trying some. I said yes because Indian food is my absolute favorite. I think my husband was even more excited about it.

I made one of my favorite go-to recipes, Rava Dosas with Potato Chickpea Masala from Gourmet, to have with the cilantro chutney. (Don't know what a dosa is? Let me enlighten you. Click here.)

Dosas with Potato Chickpea Masala, Palak Daal, Basmati Rice

We loved the chutney on the dosas. (Technically these aren't rava dosas, because I made them without semolina flour.) It added a little extra spice and tang. I love this stuff. I stirred a spoonful or two into the palak daal we had on the side.

I keep thinking of other ways to use it--add to a marinade, mix with yogurt for a delicious dip, a spicy addition to a basic vinaigrette, a spoonful on top of soup...I need another jar. Sophistimom used hers to make guacamole. I don't think we have to limit ourselves to Indian food here. :)

You can find Bollywood Chutneys at select stores in New York, or online. It would be a fun gift for anyone who loves Indian food.

Rava Dosas with Potato Chickpea Masala
from Gourmet

For masala filling:

1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
1/3 cup dried grated unsweetened coconut
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 (3-inch) fresh jalapeño, coarsely chopped, including seeds
1 (2 1/2-inch) piece peeled ginger, coarsely chopped
3 garlic cloves, smashed
1 tablespoon curry powder (I used Patricia Wells' recipe from this book)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 3/4 cups water, divided
1 large onion, chopped (about 3 cups)
1 (15-to 19-ounces) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup frozen peas (do not thaw)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Hot Cilantro Chutney, for serving

For rava dosas: (I'm working on the perfect gluten-free dosa, I'll share it when I've perfected it.)

1/2 cup semolina flour
1/2 cup rice flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups water
Vegetable oil for brushing

Make Masala filling:

Peel potatoes and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Transfer to a bowl and cover with cold water.
Toast coconut in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and wipe out skillet. Toast cumin seeds in skillet over medium heat, shaking skillet frequently, until fragrant and just a shade darker, about 30 seconds. Transfer to another small bowl. Reserve skillet.

Purée jalapeño, ginger, and garlic in a blender with curry powder, cinnamon, turmeric, oil, 1/4 cup water, and 1 teaspoon salt until smooth. Transfer purée to skillet and cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until thickened slightly, about 1 minute. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften, about 8 minutes.

Drain potatoes, then add to onion mixture with cumin seeds and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are barely tender, about 10 minutes.

Add chickpeas and remaining 1 1/2 cups water, scraping up any brown bits, then briskly simmer, covered, until potatoes are tender, 16 to 20 minutes more. Add peas and cook, covered, until just tender, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in toasted coconut and cilantro.

Make dosas while potatoes cook:

Whisk flours, cumin seeds, salt, and water in a bowl.
Generously brush a 12-inch nonstick skillet with oil and heat over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Pour 1/2 cup batter into skillet, swirling until bottom is coated. Cook, undisturbed, until dosa is set and edges are golden, about 2 minutes. Flip using a rubber spatula and cook dosa until underside is golden in spots, about 1 minute more. Transfer to a plate. Make more dosas with remaining batter, stacking and covering loosely with foil to keep warm. To serve, spoon masala filling into dosas.

Cooks' note: Masala filling, without coconut and cilantro, can be made 6 hours ahead and chilled. Reheat before stirring in coconut and cilantro.

Eat Vegan On $4 a Day: Millet Crunch and A Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey Johnson) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 18:00:00 +0000

{Please see the bottom of this post for giveaway information.}

This giveaway is now closed. The winners are: Rebecca and I'm h.mac. Hooray!

A few months ago I received Eat Vegan On $4 A Day by Ellen Jaffe Jones to review. I was excited to read it because I have been trying to get back to better eating habits and we are on an incredibly tight budget. Win-win.

I opened the package right away and thumbed through it. Then I took it as reading material when we went on a long drive. As I read the introductory chapters, I found myself going, "Yes! This is why I started eating more plant-based foods!"

Ellen Jaffe Jones started eating a plant-based diet to help alleviate some health issues--the same reason I have. But this book isn't just for vegans or vegetarians thinking of making the jump to eating vegan. It's for anyone who is interested in their health and adding more veggies and/or removing some animal products from their diet. And the best part is that it shows that you don't have to break the bank to do it.

Read more »

Eat Vegan On $4 A Day: Peanut Butter Smoothie

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey Johnson) — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 07:00:00 +0000

Smoothies have become my breakfast of choice most days. I have been so busy with various things that drinking my breakfast while I'm working has been a wonderful solution. If I don't start the day out with a good breakfast, it's almost certain the day won't go as well. See? Your mom was right!

This recipe comes from the newly released book, Eat Vegan On $4 A Day by Ellen Jaffe Jones.

I've made chocolate peanut butter smoothies before, but never really tried PB and fruit together in a smoothie. I liked the flavor combination of the apple and peanut butter--one of my favorite afternoon snacks.

I subbed unsweetened almond milk for the rice or soymilk called for in the recipe. You could sub any non-dairy milk, or if you're not off dairy, use cow's milk. I sprinkled the top with a little cinnamon, which I liked. I shared this with my daughter and fellow smoothie lover. We both really liked it. It was a nice change from the green smoothies and juice I usually drink for breakfast. I do think next time I'll add a bit more peanut butter. I used a pretty big apple and the peanut butter flavor wasn't as pronounced as I would have liked. But all in all, not a bad smoothie.

Check back on Monday for another recipe from Eat Vegan On $4 A Day and my review.

Peanut Butter Smoothie
from Eat Vegan On $4 A Day by Ellen Jaffe Jones

8 ice cubes
1 apple, cored and chopped
1/2 cup rice milk or soymilk
1 tablespoon unsalted natural peanut butter (chunky or smooth)
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Put all the ingredients in a blender. Turn the blender on low speed and gradually increase to high speed, processing until smooth.

Tip: If the apple flavor is too tart, add a few pitted dates, grapes, or raisins, or a frozen banana.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this cookbook to review.

Gourmet Holiday Special Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey Johnson) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 18:49:00 +0000

Have you seen this yet!?

I've been missing Gourmet. No, I don't have a smart phone to get the Gourmet Live app. I just have to console myself with old issues that are careworn and loved and the occasional release of special issues. (And the revamped Bon Appetit.)

I was given the opportunity to download a free pdf of this special issue. I love it. I love it so much I'm going to go get the hardcopy as soon as possible. I have bookmarked my old issues with my favorite recipes and I was happy to see some of them in this issue, along with over one hundred other new-to-me recipes. But, the best thing is that it's full of tips and menus too. They've saved us all the work! There are menus for Thanksgiving (next year!), Christmas and Hanukah. There are tons of tasty dessert recipes. Cocktails, appetizers, main dishes, etc, etc, etc. You'll love it.

We're making the Spiced Pumpkin Souffles with Bourbon Molasses Sauce for dessert on Sunday night. I can't wait. Believe it or not, it will be my first attempt at souffles. My little girl sat on my lap while we scrolled through the pretty pictures. She pointed at the souffles and said, "THAT! That's what I want you to make." My kids--the little epicures. :) I shall make them, photograph them, and report back.

Check it out. It's on newsstands until January 2, 2012. I've also seen it a few places online. But I'm sure any grocery or retail store with a magazine section will have it.

I'll be back Monday with some great recipes, a cookbook review and I'll be dishing about my new favorite Indian chutney. See you then!

Disclosure: Sure it was a free download, but I'm hitting up the news stand for my own hardcopy so I can splatter it and hold it in my hands while I'm doing my holiday cooking this month. I promise to only share things with you that I recommend and would buy for myself.

Items of Interest.

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey Johnson) — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 22:23:00 +0000

Is it really October 19th?! Where is October going?

I've been super busy with work and kids and other things. So I haven't been over here much.

This is what I've been up to while I've been away from you, Dear Readers. (I miss you!)

*Watching the mountains turn gorgeous shades of orange, red, and yellow right before my eyes.

*Tying my 3 yr old's pink sneakers. :)

*Being on KUTV2 News last Wednesday making a fabulous Roasted Butternut Squash Wheat Berry Salad.

Taken by my sister Heidi with her cell phone. :)

*Getting a haircut--about 8" of hair gone!

*Posting about my love for Brown Butter and a Slow Cooker Beef Roast with Fennel at Make and Takes.

image from Jennifer Johnson

*Preparing to teach another seasonal cooking class with my favorite, favorite, favorite Jen Johnson from Delightful Delicacies on Saturday. (Won't you join us?)

*Enjoying taking care of my friend's gorgeous black cocker spaniel, Harry. (Even though he peed on my down comforter last night. And even though I only discovered it at 11:30 pm. And even though he woke me up at 1:30 AM to go outside.)

*Working my little heart out for Jacob's Cove. The new greenhouse is almost finished! Hooray! Also, the food is fantastic. Pictured above: the new rows of beets, carrots, salad greens, and other yummy pesticide free produce.

Picture from our trip 3.5 yrs. ago to Hancock Shaker Village in Massachusetts.

*Canning jam, peaches, and tomatoes as quickly and efficiently as I can. (Stay tuned for a yummy plum jam recipe despite the season being over.)

And this afternoon marks the beginning of Fall Break. Whew. It's time for a little break, I say.

What have you been up to? I really have missed being over here.

Make and Takes: Salad Nicoise

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey Johnson) — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 14:51:00 +0000

I have been soooo busy the last few weeks. I apologize, but I am yet again directing you elsewhere for a recipe. Hopefully things will slow down a little and I'll be back with more consistent posts.

Salad Nicoise? Do you want some? I think it's the perfect end-of-summer salad, considering we are now officially two days into autumn. :)

Find it here at Make and Takes

The Good Bean

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey Johnson) — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 18:00:00 +0000

Have you tried roasted chickpeas yet? I saw them all over blogland and never tried making them. We eat chickpeas all the time, it just wasn't something I'd made the effort to make. So I was interested in trying out the new roasted chickpea snacks from The Good Bean.

They come in four flavors: Cracked Pepper, Sweet Cinnamom, Sea Salt, and Smoky Chili & Lime. I'm hard-pressed to say which was my favorite, but probably the Cracked Pepper. My husband really liked the Chili & Lime, my girls, of course, loved the Sweet Cinnamon. The Sea Salt was good too, but we liked the extra flavor punch from the spices.

In fact, the only complaint anyone had was my husband. He said the only thing that could be better is if they had a really spicy curry flavor. But he says that about everything. :)

We are definitely going to stock up on these to take with us on trips across the country or across town to the park. I love that they are an easy, tidy snack that instead of being simply empty calories (like some goldfish crackers I could name), are full of fiber, protein and other nutrients. They are as satisfying as they are delicious. And the best part of all--they are gluten-free and vegan. Any of you who have food sensitivities or kids that do, these are perfect for you.

If you see them in your local market, snag a bag or four and give them a try or you can also visit their online shop.

For more info about The Good Bean you can visit their website, follow them on Twitter or "Like" them on Facebook.

Disclosure: The fine people at The Good Bean sent our family four complimentary bags of roasted chickpeas to try. My opinions are my own and I only review products I think you, my dear reader, would like. And you'll love these. I really wish we had another four bags in the cupboard right now....

Make and Takes: Fresh Peach Ice Cream

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey Johnson) — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 14:00:00 +0000

I'm over at Make and Takes today with my new favorite peach ice cream recipe. Head on over. :)

Cream of Fennel and Zucchini Soup with Fennel Pollen

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey Johnson) — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Fennel became one of my favorite vegetables a few years ago. We like to buy a bulb or two every so often as a special treat. It's not always easy to find at the grocery stores here in Utah like it was when we lived in New York. Sadly, all the fennel I planted drowned in our heavy spring rains. I was so excited when what I thought was fennel started poking up in random places in my garden. I made my husband laugh because every day I'd run in and say, "I think it's fennel! Yesterday I thought it was dill, but I'm sure it's fennel today." Then the next day, "Oh. I think it's really dill." They look exactly alike when they first start growing. And then there was the chard/beet uncertainty. We've finally decided it's chard after much debate with each other and our neighbors. :)

But back to fennel. People either love it or hate it. Me? I had to slowly warm up to that delicious anise-y flavor. I really like it fresh, like in these salads using fennel and orange. And warmed up in sauces or roasted, or in soups...there are so many ways to eat fennel. Did I mention that it's super healthy too?

Ocean Mist Farms in California sent eight large fennel bulbs for our family to enjoy. This creamy soup is the first thing we made. I'd been wanting to make a cream of fennel soup and adding zucchini just seemed like a natural thing to do. Zucchini and fennel go very well together. So, courtesy of Ocean Mist Farms and my neighbor's garden, we had a tasty soup.

That lovely yellow dust is as magical as pixie dust. It's fennel pollen. Up until a few weeks ago, I'm sorry to say, I didn't know a thing about fennel pollen, let alone how to use it in the kitchen. It sort of special and expensive. You can find it online from several websites, and if you're in Utah, Caputo's Market is the place to go. Fennel pollen tastes like fennel on steroids. It's incredible. If you don't have it, no worries. You can use toasted fennel seeds or roughly chopped fennel fronds instead.

Cream of Fennel and Zucchini Soup with Fennel Pollen

2 fennel bulbs, stalks and fronds removed, thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
4-6 cups homemade chicken broth
2 medium zucchini (no larger than 8"), cut into 1/4" rounds
1 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper, to taste
fennel pollen, for garnish

Place sliced fennel and onion into a large pot. Cover with the chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Cook until fennel and onion are softened. Add the zucchini and continue simmering for a few more minutes, until zucchini is cooked through. Puree in blender or use an immersion blender. Add the heavy cream. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

To serve, ladle into wide, shallow bowls and sprinkle with fennel pollen.

Makes about 4 large servings.

(p.s. My husband wanted me to say that this is more of an appetizer as his manly appetite was not satisfied by a simple bowl of soup. I say serve it along side a salad and add bread for a light summer or early fall dinner.)

Thanks to Ocean Mist Farms for the fennel they sent our family to try. We've loved every bite!

Peach Lavender Fool

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey Johnson) — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 18:11:00 +0000

As soon as peach season ends, I'm eagerly awaiting its return. Peach season is my very favorite time of year.

Two weeks ago the first freshly picked peaches from my favorite local stand, Allred Orchards, became available. (Believe me when I say that my eyes filled with tears as I turned into the parking lot.)

We've already visited Allred Orchards three or four times since they opened for the season. We are on our third half-bushel box. On Saturday afternoon I stopped by on my way home to snag another and all that was left were a few 1/2 peck bags. Before I knew it, they were all getting snatched up and quickly grabbed the last one and a gallon of their frozen apple juice from last year's apple crop. (Once the peaches are gone, we pacify ourselves with Allred Orchards fresh apples and apple juice. Oh, how I love that place.)

I was washing dishes yesterday afternoon. I had some fennel soup simmering away on the stove and I was dreaming about how I wanted to eat those delectable fuzzy peaches for dessert. My mind wandered to my herb garden that is slowly coming back from the dead. The winter was hard on it. The lemon thyme finally came back and I judiciously snip tiny bits to use every other day or so. My poor lavender is barely hanging on. Lavender and peaches. That sounded perfect. My lavender didn't bud much this year, but I have some I bought from Penzey's awhile back, so all was as it should be.

Then my mind wandered back into the kitchen and into the fridge where a half-gallon of heavy cream was waiting to be used. Half-gallon? That's the way it should be purchased in the summer for ice cream, panna cotta, and fools. I'm a fool for a good fool. And I set my heart on making a Peach Lavender Fool for dessert. Fresh peaches, a pinch of lavender buds, a little lemon juice and sugar to sweeten. Perfect.

My little kids didn't care for this grown-up dessert. My son, Fritz, has hated peaches since the first time I gave him peach puree when he was a baby. Oh, how he cried when he realized the white fluffy stuff in the tea cups was not vanilla ice cream, but whipped cream with peaches. My girls tasted it and asked if they could have homemade peach ice cream instead, which I gave them. Then my husband and I sat down and enjoyed out dessert without our children dipping their spoons into our cups. It worked out just fine for everyone. Except Fritz who is still asking when I'm going to make him some vanilla ice cream. Soon, I say.

If you don't like lavender, omit it or substitute some fresh thyme or rosemary. If you are like my son and hate peaches, sub strawberries or raspberries. Or any summer fruit--I'm thinking plums would be out-of-this-world.

This makes four, 1-cup servings, unless you are like us, then it's only 2 servings. :)

Peach Lavender Fool

2 large peaches, peeled and diced, about 2-3 cups total
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar, divided
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 tsp. culinary lavender
1 cup heavy cream, very cold

In a medium bowl, combine the peaches, 1/4 cup sugar, lemon juice and lavender. If desired, use a potato masher to mash the peaches a bit. (If you want to puree the peaches, don't add the lavender until after.) Cover and place in refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

In a large bowl, beat the very cold heavy cream with 2 Tbsp. sugar until stiff peaks form. Place in fridge until ready to serve.

Just before serving, fold 1 cup of the peaches into the whipped cream being careful not to over stir or deflate the cream. Divide the fool into four serving bowls and top with remaining peaches.

Yield: Four, 1-cup servings.
_________________________________________________________

More recipes using lavender:

Blueberry-Lavender Ice Cream
Lavender Limeade
Lavender Heart Sugar Cookies

SLC Foodie Cooking Class

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey Johnson) — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 21:10:00 +0000

In case you hadn't heard, there's a fun cooking class happening this Saturday, August 13, 2011 in Salt Lake City. Local foodies Becky, Jen, and Melissa are teaming up for a Fruits and Veggies on the Grill Class.

image via williams-sonoma.com

The menu sounds fantastic--all of the goodness of summer, using local produce from Jacob's Cove Heritage Farm in Orem.

*marinated vegetable kebabs
*grilled corn in the husk
*three grilled pizzas--pizza margherita (tomatoes, basil, mozzarella), peach and arugula with cambozola, and roasted root vegetables with smoked gouda
*summer melon and grilled pineapple salad
*cashew vanilla ice cream with strawberry tomato dessert sauce

Click HERE to register.

Also, if you happen to go to the Downtown Farmers Market in Salt Lake City on Saturday, be sure to stop by the Jacob's Cove booth and mention "SLCFoodie" for $1.00 your purchase, or keep an eye out for flyers from SLCFoodie for more local coupons and promotions.

Sourdough-Sour Cherry Bread Pudding

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey Johnson) — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 19:58:00 +0000

It's summer and I don't usually make bread pudding in the summertime. I save it for those chilly nights when we bump up the thermostat and pull our sweats on, and snuggle up with a good BBC show.

But thinking about that makes me hot and want to jump up and turn my a/c on a little higher. :)

I've been negligent this year when it comes to local cherries. I haven't bought a single one. Usually by now we'd be on our fourth or fifth giant bag and be almost cherried-out and ready to move on to plums and peaches. I got busy, you know how it is.

Sunday afternoon, as I looked at a stale loaf of artisan sourdough bread, I mused aloud that it would make an amazing bread pudding if only I had some cherries. My astute husband observed that we still had a bottle of sour cherries I picked up a few months ago on sale (and just had to have), and he asked why I couldn't use those.

So I did. We had cream that was about ready to expire in the fridge and a bunch of eggs. The rest is history...including the leftovers which my husband ate for breakfast this morning.

I gilded the lily by adding vanilla ice cream on top and a cherry sauce made out of the reserved liquid from the bottle. All in all, I think it hit the spot for a Sunday night in the hot month of August.

This recipe got a gold star rating from my husband, who doesn't bestow the honor lightly on just any old recipe. Then he hinted that I could make this again very soon.

Sourdough-Sour Cherry Bread Pudding

12 oz. stale artisan sourdough bread, cut into cubes
2 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup sugar
4 large egg yolks
2 large whole eggs
1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract
1 (24 oz.) bottle sour cherries packed in light syrup or water
Butter, for greasing pan
Granulated sugar for sprinkling, about 2 Tbsp.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter an 8" by 11" glass or ceramic baking dish. Place the baking dish into a rimmed roasting pan that has been lined with a dish towel. Bring some water to a rolling boil in a tea kettle or pot.

Meanwhile, heat the heavy cream in a small pan until very hot. Whisk the egg yolks, whole eggs, sugar and vanilla extract together in a large bowl. Slowly drizzle the hot cream into the eggs/sugar while whisking. This will temper the eggs and prevent curdling. Add the bread cubes to the large bowl and gently toss. Pour everything into the buttered baking dish.

Drain the cherries, reserving the liquid for the sauce. Evenly sprinkle the cherries over the top of the bread cubes and custard. Tuck them into any open spaces.

Carefully pour the boiling water into the roasting pan, making sure not to get any water into the baking dish. The water should come halfway up the sides of the baking dish.

Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes, checking to make sure it's still a little jiggly and not dry. About 10 minutes before baking time ends, sprinkle the top of the pudding liberally with 2 Tbsp. or more of granulated sugar.

Let the pudding cool in the roasting pan for about 10 minutes, or until the water is not longer scalding hot. Carefully remove the baking dish and let cool on a wire rack until ready to serve.

To serve, place a good spoonful of the pudding in a bowl, top with ice cream (if desired), and a drizzle of the cherry sauce.

Makes about 6-8 servings.

Cherry Sauce

1 3/4 to 2 cups of the reserved bottling liquid or juice
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp. cornstarch mixed with about 2 Tbsp. cold water to make a slurry

Bring the liquid and sugar to a boil. Slowly add the cornstarch slurry. Whisk constantly and let the sauce come to a boil for at least 1 minute, or until it thickens. Remove from heat and let cool until ready to serve. Store in a covered jar in the fridge for about 1 week. Use the remaining sauce as an ice cream topping.

M+T: Quinoa Salad With Spinach, Parsley, and Spring Onions

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey Johnson) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 13:56:00 +0000

Wow. Is it already August?! The days are flying by. Soon it will be autumn. I'm going to hold onto summer as long as I can. One of my favorite salads to make this summer has been this Quinoa Salad with Spinach, Parsley, and Spring Onions. I'm over at Make and Takes today with the recipe.

Follow me over, because this is one recipe you're going to love for sure.

Vinto Pizzeria

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey Johnson) — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 15:00:00 +0000

Ever since I first read about Vinto Pizzeria early last year, I have been wanting to try it. We live about an hour away from Downtown Salt Lake City, so it hadn't happened until last week Becky, also know as The Vintage Mixer or @slcfoodie on Twitter, put together a dinner for some of us local bloggers. (You can read her post here.)

It was really fun to see familiar faces and say hello to new and old bloggie friends--Annalise from Completely Delicious, Heather from the Salt Lake Examiner, Barbara from Barbara Bakes, Ryan from SLC Eats, Maria from Two Peas and Their Pod, Jenny and Matthew from SLC Cheap Eats, Mike from Foodie from Scratch, Marsha from About.com Salt Lake, and Kelley from Mountain Mama Cooks.

Vinto has won some local awards and most recently was featured in Sunset Magazine--pretty good for a restaurant that's only been around for two years, I say.

Did it live up to the hype? Why, yes, it certainly did.

The decor is really hip, fresh, and fun. Not too fancy, and not too casual. Perfect, in other words.

We were late, as usual. (Don't get me started on traffic and construction in Utah. It is never ending.) Everyone was so nice to us. We were able to catch up on the appetizers that we'd missed. But first we started out with some Italian sodas. I ordered peach and my husband ordered hazelnut. I'll tell you what, that's a good drink--one that I hope to recreate throughout the rest of the summer.

Becky joined us at our table and we discussed the Sorrel Soup made with potatoes and cream. Chef Clay makes sure to use as many local ingredients as he can, and he picked up some locally grown sorrel for this soup. If you've never had or even heard of sorrel, it's like a lemony spinach--including the bright acidity of lemon. It was refreshing and balanced out the richness of the creamy soup. Becky recreated it at home and I can't wait to try out her recipe.

Then our antipasti were brought out. Caprese Arrostito made with roasted San Marzano tomatoes, giant basil, and fior de latte mozarella; followed by Grilled Artichokes with wild arugula and a shallot vinaigrette. I could have a steady diet of those artichokes and never tire of them.

Mmm...I want some more artichokes right now.

Next came the Housemade Meatballs, which I did not try because they weren't gluten-free. My husband assured me they were incredible.

The chopped salads came out next. I was very excited to try the Verdura salad. My husband said it was the kind of salad I would make at home--an eclectic mix of ingredients that tasted really good together. (Thankyouverymuch.) Completely vegan and delicious. The lemon-basil vinaigrette was fresh and delightful.

The Italiana Chopped salad seemed to be the favorite of my husband--greens, chicken, pancetta (from Caputo's Market), pepper, tomatoes, cucumber, fontina with a red wine vinaigrette. It was very satisfying.

After the salads, the tantilizing smell of orange wafted by as the Fettucine Arancione was brought to the table. Again, I didn't try this, but Becky was smitten with it. A creamy orange citrus sauce with prosciutto sounds great, right?

Then it was time for the pizza--the moment I had been waiting for. I'm relatively new to eating gluten-free. I've been doing it on and off for about a year, but recently I've been more dedicated to it. It has been awhile since I've had pizza and I miss it. I almost told Becky I wouldn't be able to go to the dinner because I wouldn't be able to eat anything anyway. But I did a smart thing--I checked Vinto's menu online and saw that they had gluten-free pizza. So, I requested a little special treatment for the night. I had never tried GF pizza before, and there aren't a lot of places around here that do that. When I got to Vinto, Becky said they were excited to hear what I thought about the GF pizza because it's something they've been trying to get perfect for their GF customers.

I really like those kinds of details--it means a lot to know you are valued as a customer. Now, if the pizza had not been delicious, that might not have mattered quite so much, but it was delicious.

Now, when you go to Vinto, you won't be able to get a 3-in-one pizza. This was a special thing they did so I could taste the same varieties as everyone else. But, my advice is to go there and just order three pizzas. You'll want to try them all.

There were the three kinds--Margherita (fior di latte mozzarella, tomato sauce, and basil), Tuttabella (housemade sausage, caramelized onion, fresh tomato, garlic, roasted peppers, fontina, and fior di latte mozzarella), and Patate (sliced yukon gold potatoes, fontina, goat cheese, rosemary, wild arugula, and white truffle oil).

I was blown away with the deliciousness of these pizzas. The housemade sausage is worth the trip alone. Best sausage ever. The patate pizza is right up my alley and I loved every bite. What a great combination of flavors and textures.

The crust was fabulous. They really took great pains to find the perfect GF crust to make available to their customers. It isn't housemade, but they don't rip you off either. It's only an extra $2.50 per pizza. They give it to you at cost--no price gouging because you have a food allergy or sensitivity. Awesome.

The secret to their great pizza (besides great ingredients and a great chef)? The wood-fired oven.

What came out next?

Desserts. Oh, the desserts. We were able to try three different desserts--Butterscotch Budino, the Gelati-Sorbetti sampler, and the Vanilla Gelato with olive oil and grey sea salt. The basil gelato was out-of-this-world.

We got to meet the pastry chef, Amber and ask her some questions. Then I asked Chef Clay if I could see the gelato machine--a Capriani imported from Italy. Amber makes all of the sorbet and gelato fresh each day in small batches.

Left to right, back row: Orange Honey, Dark Chocolate Sorbet, Lemon Sorbet. L to R, front row: Basil, Fresh Strawberry, Chocolate Chip. Some of the best gelato and sorbet I've ever tasted.

While I recommend all of the flavors I tried, the orange honey and basil are my very favorites. I was in love with this machine and begged my husband to buy one for me. I even offered to trade in my car for one. :)

The vanilla with olive oil was surprisingly good. The olive oil was very fruity and the grey salt was nice in contrast with the sweet gelato and the fruity olive oil.

The budino (Italian for pudding) was addicting. I think I ate the most of the three of us at our table. I totally dig that kind of dessert and the salted caramel on the top was just right.

My hubby with Chef Clay.

Should you visit Vinto? The answer is a resounding YES. The food was spectacular. The prices are as fantastic as the food. We looked at the menu and had to rub our eyes because the prices are so good. You could easily eat our for under $20 for two people and not go away hungry. They even have a kids menu. The service was quick and friendly. The servers use a cool new high tech gadget when they take your order so that as they enter it in, the kitchen receives your order and starts to prepare your food immediately. No waiting around forever to get your food. A huge plus if you are eating out with small children. And if you aren't in a rush, then you can still get your food quickly and sit and leisurely enjoy your food. All around a great place to go.

Thanks to Becky and the people at Vinto for a great dinner. (And the leftovers for lunch the next day.) We will definitely be back again and again.

Should you want to visit, here is all the info:

Vinto

418 East 200 South

Salt Lake City, UT

801.539.9999

Like Vinto on Facebook

Weekend Plans.

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey Johnson) — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 01:18:00 +0000

Wow, it's Friday already?! The summer is flying by.

We have a holiday weekend here in Utah--Pioneer Day. We celebrate becoming a state and our Pioneer heritage. It's a fun, fun time to be in Utah.

Tomorrow my kids will take part of the Children's Parade in my town and then on Monday morning we'll stake out a claim for the Fiesta Days Grand Parade.

On Monday we'll head up north to Salt Lake City to swim with cousins and hopefully snag some more GF pizza at Vinto. (I am dying to tell you all about this place. It's my new fave.)

Hope you all have a good weekend. I'll be back next week with some fun posts and recipes. I also want to tell you about my cool new job with Jacob's Cove, a local farm and CSA. Good things all around. :)

Until then, my friends!

Fast Chicken Enchiladas with Green Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey Johnson) — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 15:00:00 +0000

A friend in need is a friend indeed. And sometimes you have friends who need a good meal brought to them. Furthermore, if you bring these enchiladas to a friend in need, they will be your friend indeed.

These are pretty special. (Come closer--they are super easy to make. Don't tell though. Tell everyone you spent hours slaving away.)

I like to use the poached chicken I posted about yesterday when I make enchiladas. You can't beat the flavor. Also acceptable is any leftover chicken you have--maybe you picked up a rotisserie chicken from Costco (great time-saving tip). Or maybe you haven't made it to the store all you've got is canned chicken. It's all good.

The choice of green enchilada sauce is up to you. My tomatillo plants have not produced mature fruit yet, so I used a can of green enchilada sauce made from chiles. Both are fantastic, but have different tastes. If you like the tangy flavor of tomatillo sauce, then by all means use it. In a pinch I will use bottle mild green salsa and proceed. But like I said, either is great.

Fast Chicken Enchiladas with Green Sauce

1 large (about 32 oz.) can of green enchilada sauce (mild or medium) or homemade
1/2 cup cream or sour cream (optional, but tasty)
10-12 white or yellow corn tortillas
a little canola oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
4 cups cooked, shredded chicken
1 tsp. dried Mexican oregano (don't sub Italian oregano, just leave it out)
1/2-1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, half minced and half whole for use as a garnish
2-3 cups shredded sharp cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

If using, mix whisk the sour or heavy cream into the enchilada sauce. Set aside.

Heat a little canola oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and cook, while stirring until it softens and starts to turn golden. Add the chicken, dried oregano, cumin and a few tablespoons of fresh cilantro. Add enough of the enchilada sauce to the chicken to make it moist, but not too saucy, about 1/2 cup.

Lightly grease a 9 by 13" or 8 by 11" baking dish. Ladle about 1/2 cup of the remaining enchilada sauce into the baking dish, tilting to make sure it covers the entire bottom.

To prepare the tortillas, brush a little canola oil (or use a non-stick cooking spray) onto 5 of the tortillas and put them onto the parchment-lined baking sheet. Put them into the oven for about 4 minutes, or until they soften. Remove them from the oven and place about 1/4-1/3 cup of the chicken onto each tortilla, top with a little cheese and gently roll. Place each rolled tortilla into the pan. Repeat with remaining tortillas and chicken. You should end up with between 10-12 enchiladas.

Ladle the remaining enchilada sauce over the rolled tortillas and top with all of the remaining cheese. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until you see bubbles around the edges and middle of the baking dish and the cheese has completely melted and turned golden.

Before serving, sprinkle the remaining cilantro leaves and sliced green onions over the top. Serve with extra sour cream, chopped tomatoes, sliced olives, shredded lettuce, or whatever you like on your enchiladas.

Serves 5-6 people.

We like black beans and rice on the side, as well as a salad or fresh fruit.