mi vida en guete

Cranberry Banana Bread

2012-11-14T06:59:00.003-08:00

Cranberry Banana Bread

Thanks to Joy the Baker, with a twist

Ingredients

4 ripe small to medium bananas, mashed

1/3 cup canola oil

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp cardamom

pinch of ground cloves
1 tsp baking soda

pinch of salt

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup fresh cranberries, chopped

1/2 cup pecans, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Mix the mashed bananas with the oil in a large bowl.

3. Add in the sugar, egg, and vanilla.

4. Add in the spices.

5. Add in the baking soda and salt.

6. Add in the flour.

7. Add in the cranberries and pecans, stirring until just incorporated.

8. Pour batter into greased loaf pan, bake for 1 hour. Cool on cooling rack.

Chocolate Toffee Bit Cookies

2012-09-13T06:20:00.000-07:00

Chocolate Toffee Bit Cookies

from Foodie Memoirs, with a few modifications

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup toffee bits

1/2 cup slivered almonds

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy.

2. Beat in eggs one at a time to butter mixture; add vanilla.

3. Mix flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda together in separate bowl.

4. Add flour mixture to butter mixture in several batches until just combined.

5. Mix in toffee bits and almonds.

6. Chill dough in fridge for 20 minutes.

7. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto lined baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes until the outside of the cookie is set.

8. Move cookies to wire rack to cool.
Makes 48 cookies.

Peach and Raspberry Pie

2012-09-08T17:14:00.000-07:00

I love peaches. Every summer, I wait for them to come to the market, so I can bite into a ripe peach and have the lovely, sweet juice run down my chin. So, at the tale end of summer, I bought my last quart and decided to make pie. The raspberries add tartness and a beautiful color.

Peach and Raspberry Pie

Ingredients

(makes 1 9-inch pie)

Pie Dough

2 cups all-purpose flour

5 Tbsp powdered sugar

1 cup unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes

5-6 Tbsp ice cold water

Pie Filling

1 quart peaches, peeled and sliced (see We are not Foodies for an easy tutorial on peeling)

1/2 pint of raspberries, washed

1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup sugar

1. Using pastry cutter or food processor, combine flour, powdered sugar, and butter until the mixture forms coarse crumbs the size of peas.

2. Drizzle the ice water into the dough mixture, adding until the dough just comes together.

3. Divide dough in half, wrapping each disk in plastic wrap. Chill in fridge at least 30 minutes before use.

4. Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Mix peaches and raspberries with flour and sugar.

5. Roll out one dough disk to ~13 inches in diameter. Drape into 9-inch pie pan.

6. Fill pie pan with peach mixture.

7. Roll out second dough disk to same size (if you want to make a lattice top like I did, Simply Recipes has a great tutorial) and place it on top of the pie. Trim edges to 1/2-inch overhang and crimp together.

8. Bake for 20 minutes. Turn oven down to 350 degrees F and bake for an additional 30 minutes.

9. Cool on a wire rack.

Mango Banana Smoothies

2012-06-19T12:23:00.001-07:00

Summer is here, and that means warm temperatures, which means (for me, at least) that the idea of eating a hot meal is less than appetizing. While rummaging through the fridge to see if I could happen upon something I wouldn't need to cook, I found my stash of frozen bananas, and had an idea - a smoothie! It was just the ticket to keep cool (and it helps you get your 5 fruits and veggies a day!).

Mango Banana Smoothies
Makes 2 8-oz servings
2 frozen bananas, peeled and cut into pieces
1 mango, peeled and chopped
1/3 cup skim milk
1 tsp honey

1. Add all ingredients to blender. Blend until smooth. Pour into cups and serve.

All-American Potato Salad

2012-06-02T15:14:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, my friend Maddie was kind enough to start off the BBQ season with a Memorial Day weekend BBQ at her place. While she was doing the grillin', she asked us to bring sides. In my opinion, you can't have a true American BBQ without potato salad, so I made sure we were in the clear by bringing some. It was a hit among our friends, I hope it will be with yours!

All-American Potato Salad

Based on Ina Garten's Potato Salad

Ingredients

3 lb baby red potatoes

2 Tbsp + 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 Tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup minced fresh dill

1 Tbsp whole-grain mustard

1Tbsp dijon mustard

2/3 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup celery, chopped

1/2 cup red onion, chopped

salt and coarse-ground pepper

1. Place potatoes in pot of well-salted water. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to simmer and cook until just fork tender (about 15 minutes). Drain.

2. Toss potatoes with 2 Tbsp of the apple cider vinegar and the olive oil in a large bowl. Cover with a clean, dry kitchen towel and allow to steam 15 minutes.

3. Mix together dill, mustards, the remaining Tbsp of vinegar, mayonnaise, and buttermilk in a large bowl.

4. When potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut into halves/quarters. Fold into mayonnaise mixture. Fold in celery and red onion.

5. Cool in fridge about 2 hours before serving to allow flavors to meld.

Arnold Palmer Sorbet

2012-05-21T18:07:00.000-07:00

Arnold Palmer Sorbet

1 cup water
1 cup sugar

zest from 1 white grapefruit

juice from 1 white grapefruit

juice from 2 lemons

4 black tea bags

1. In saucepan, bring water and sugar to boil, then reduce heat to simmer until dissolved.

2. Turn off heat. Steep teabags according to the brand's directions. Remove teabags.

3. Combine juice, zest, and sugar mixture. Let cool.

4. Freeze according to your ice cream maker's directions, or alternatively, put in freezer in a freezer-safe container, stirring every 30 minutes until frozen through.

Spicy Salsa Verde

2011-11-03T18:37:00.000-07:00

Several weeks ago, I started making my own salsa because all of my favorite spicy peppers had showing up at the farmer's market and for some reason we had a bunch of corn tortillas lying around in the freezer waiting to become chips. The hubs has endured many salsas with tomatoes as a base (his least favorite fruit), so when I found tomatillos, I knew that this salsa would be right up his alley.

This is a recipe that is easy to tweak to your liking and spice level - just increase the tomatillos and decrease the jalepeños and serranos (or throw in a habanero if you're a glutton for punishment!). I prefer roasting to boiling the ingredients because I think it gives the salsa more depth of flavor, but you could boil them if you're too impatient for your oven to heat up!

Spicy Salsa Verde

Ingredients

4 tomatillos, husks removed and washed

2 pasilla peppers, tops removed

2 jalepeños, tops removed

2 serranos, tops removed

3 garlic cloves, unpeeled

1/2 lime, juiced

1/4 cup cilantro, stems removed

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place peppers, tomatillos, and garlic on a lined baking sheet.

2. Roast approximately 20 minutes until the skins of the peppers and tomatillos have blistered, monitoring the garlic so that it doesn't burn.

3. Once the peppers are cooled, place all ingredients in a blender or food processor with the lime juice and cilantro. Blend until smooth.

4. Enjoy! Try not to eat it all at once.

BBQ Chicken Pizza

2011-10-16T17:23:00.000-07:00

Ever since I made Pizza Margherita for the hubs, we became a little pizza obsessed. As in, pesto and artichoke pizza, prosciutto and basil pizza, and our latest concoction, BBQ chicken pizza. One night, the hubs made a BBQ dry rub for grillin' some chicken breasts, and leftover chicken led to the most beautiful 'za idea the next night. Don't wait to try this one - it's fast, easy, and oh so delicious.

BBQ Chicken Pizza

Ingredients

12 oz pizza dough, either frozen or homemade

1/3-1/2 cup BBQ sauce, either store-bought or homemade (such as this yummy concoction from JoytheBaker)

4 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/2 bell pepper, sliced

1/4 red onion, sliced

1 cooked chicken breast, sliced

1. Preheat oven to 550 degrees F, warming pizza stone in oven.

2. Spread BBQ sauce over crust, leaving at least a 1/2 inch border around the edge.

3. Sprinkle mozzarella over sauce.

4. Place chicken, pepper, and onion over cheese.

5. Remove hot stone from oven and place pizza on stone. Bake for about 8 minutes, until crust is crispy on the edges. Slice and serve.

*If you want extra-thin crust, poke a few holes in the dough with a fork before adding the toppings.

Raspberry and Plum Galette

2011-10-09T15:32:00.000-07:00

For the hub's birthday, we decided to celebrate in true midwestern fashion and go apple picking. Along the way, we saw a sign that said "berry picking" and concluded that taking home a bushel of apples, a dozen apple donuts, and a pound of honey would not be enough. We pulled into a the driveway of a lovely little house, and sure enough, someone was sitting there with empty pint crates, and told us that for $3.50 a pint we could pick as much as we liked. Of course, we took home way more than we could ever stuff into our faces... so this galette became Jason's birthday cake.

Galettes are one of my favorite desserts because you can fill them with whatever fresh, seasonal fruit is available - cherries in the spring, berries in the summer, apples in the fall. Even better, this dough doesn't need to be chilled so you don't even have to think ahead. Go ahead - try it out! You won't be disappointed.

Raspberry and Plum Galette

Inspired by The Weeknight Cook

Ingredients

Dough

1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter, cold, cut into cubes

1/4 cup ice water

Filling

2 cups raspberries, washed

2 plums, diced

1 Tbsp lemon juice

2 Tbsp flour

4 Tbsp sugar

1. Combine flour and salt in food processor, pulse to mix.

2. Add in butter, pulse until butter becomes crumbs the size of peas.

3. Add in water slowly until dough just comes together.

4. Roll out dough into 13-inch round, then transfer onto baking sheet.

5. Mix filling ingredients together.

6. Spoon filling onto dough, leaving a 2 inch border around the edge.

7. Fold the edges over the filling.

8. Bake at 425 degrees F for 25 minutes, until the dough is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.

9. Serve warm, with whipped cream, ice cream, or both!

Baked Oatmeal with Plums

2011-09-10T15:19:00.000-07:00

The end of the summer is fast approaching, and I am savoring every last moment, especially the summer fruits. This summer especially, I fell in love with plums, and bought them in quarts from the farmer's market. As always happens, my eyes were bigger than my stomach and the fruit ripened before I could eat them all - cue this recipe. Perfect for a lazy Saturday morning in your PJs (just how the hubby and I enjoyed it!), because if you mix it in an oven-safe bowl, there is no cleanup!

If you want it to be an extra-special breakfast-in-bed, split this recipe evenly into two individual ramekins before baking.

Baked Oatmeal with Plums

Originally from ericksonblog.com, with a few spice tweaks

Ingredients

2 ripe plums, diced

1 cup oats

2 cups milk

3 Tbsp honey

1/2 tsp cinnamon

pinch of cardamom

pinch of salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Combine all ingredients in an oven-safe bowl. Bake 30 minutes.

Serves 2

Pizza Margherita

2011-08-06T20:19:00.000-07:00

Hi friends!

Well, third year got the best of me. Cooking has been slow since clerkships began, but I am recommitting myself to the kitchen, beginning with this pizza. I was walking through my local farmer's market today, and the basil and ripe tomatoes begged to come home with me. As soon as I got home, a craving for pizza struck, and I thought - what could be a better use of my farmer's market goodies?

Like any pizza recipe, this is easily changeable to your liking. Tell me what you made in the comments!

Pizza Margherita

Ingredients

12 oz pizza dough, either frozen or homemade (I used a homemade whole wheat dough recipe found at EatingWell)

1/3-1/2 cup tomato puree, homemade or canned

1 roma tomato, sliced

4 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded

15 fresh basil leaves

1 Tbsp parmesan cheese, shredded, if desired

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees fahrenheit, warming pizza stone in oven.

2. Spread tomato puree over crust, leaving at least a 1/2 inch border around the edge.

3. Sprinkle mozzarella over tomato puree.

4. Place tomatoes and basil over cheese. Garnish with parmesan, if desired.

5. Remove hot stone from oven and place pizza on stone. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until crust is crispy on the edges.

Soy and Lime Chicken Kabobs

2011-06-07T06:53:00.000-07:00

It is finally SUMMATIME! After a long winter and rainy spring, the weather has turned and the beach-goers are out in full force, mocking the hubs and me while we sit inside and study for exams and write papers. To get our vengeance, we decided to grill for dinner the other night, and turned to a recipe that we first tried out on our friends last summer at a BBQ party that was a hit. Whip up this marinade in the mañana, put it in the fridge for the day, and you won't be sorry. I promise. Try it with a margarita and you'll forget you have to go to work tomorrow.

Better yet, do all of this on Friday. Then you won't have to go to work tomorrow.

Soy and Lime Chicken Kabobs

Ingredients

6 chicken breasts, cubed

Juice and zest of 1 lime

2 Tbsp olive oil

3 Tbsp soy sauce

4 Tbsp honey

2 cloves of garlic, minced

Assorted veggies: bell pepper (chopped into chunks), cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, onion (chopped into chunks)

1. Mix ingredients for marinade together. Place cubed chicken and 3/4 of liquid in a bowl and marinade for 4 hours to overnight.

2. Marinade veggies in remaining liquid for 30 minutes.

3. Skewer, along with your favorite veggies, and grill on medium heat for 12 minutes, turning often.

Quinoa Granola

2011-05-26T09:38:00.000-07:00

Well, it has finally arrived - Step 1 crunch time. Step 1, for those of you not in medical school, it is the first of three exams required to become a licensed physician. It basically encompasses everything I have learned in the past 6 years of college and high school... so maybe I am a little stressed. And want snack-type comfort food. To munch on while I read about the ~~colon~~ heart. So to at least stop myself from eating all of the chocolate in the house (a real problem when you're married to a Swiss), I made myself some granola with quinoa in it. It's crunchy and sweet and full of protein from the quinoa, omega-3 fatty acids from the nuts, fiber from the oats, and vitamin E and folic acid from the wheat germ. Fiber and omega-3's are good for your heart because they lower cholesterol. Just make sure you don't use the instant kind - it's stripped of all that fiber goodness.

I'm learning from my ingredients, see? I didn't even procrastinate while making my breakfast. Nope.

Quinoa Granola

Ingredients

1 cup oats

1/4 cup red quinoa

1/4 cup yellow quinoa

1/2 cup slivered almonds

1/2 cup walnut pieces

1/2 cup coconut

2 Tbsp wheat germ (optional)

1/4 cup honey

3 Tbsp brown sugar

3 Tbsp canola oil

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup dried cherries

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Rinse both quinoas with water and drain.

3. Mix oats, both quinoas, almonds, walnuts, coconut, wheat germ, honey, brown sugar, canola oil, and cinnamon together until everything is well coated.

4. Spread granola out on baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes. Stir and bake for another 5-10 minutes, until browned.

5. Add in dried fruit and stir. Spread out granola and allow to cool. Break into delicious clusters. Store in air-tight container at room temp.

Strawberries with Balsamic Whipped Cream

2011-05-09T10:48:00.000-07:00

I am so ready for warm weather. So. ready. This winter/spring non-sense has got to go. But since the weather has only moderately cooperated (rainiest April on record? Come on!), I have turned to my meals for that summer feeling. Strawberries are finally coming in season again, and I have brought home more than my fair share. Breakfast, lunch, snacks, salads, desserts - they have found their way to my plate for almost every meal.

For dessert yesterday I suggested we have strawberries and cream, and my husband said, "Why don't we make balsamic whipped cream?" It had been so long since last summer I had completely forgotten that we found this recipe from SugarLaws and fell in love. The balsamic vinegar adds that little acidity to make the strawberries pop. Add a little mint to the strawberries or in the cream to make it even better. The best part? It's so easy! Less time for preparing means more time for eating. The PERFECT summer dessert.

Strawberries with Balsamic Whipped Cream

Recipe originally from SugarLaws

Ingredients
1 cup freshed strawberries, leaves removed

1 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 Tbsp of fresh mint, minced

1. Combine cream, sugar, and vinegar in a bowl. Beat on medium high for about 5 minutes, forming soft peaks (when you remove the whisk, the cream will make a peak that falls over).
2. Sprinkle strawberries with mint if desired (or alternatively, mix into whipped cream). Serve with whipped cream.

Banana and Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

2011-04-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

From my post on Peanut Butter Banana Bread several weeks ago, you all probably remember that I really like bananas and peanut butter. They go together like... cookies and milk. Which is perfect, because you can eat this cookie and have bananas, peanut butter, cookies, and a glass of ice-cold milk all at the SAME time.

If you are not the peanut butter lover that I am, I am sure that chocolate chips would also be good in this recipe. Or, if you want even MORE peanut flavor, use peanuts instead of walnuts. And, of course, you can leave out the nuts if it's not your thing. Other add-in ideas? Tell me in the comments!

Banana and Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

Originally from Simply Recipes, add-ins my own

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 egg, room temp

1 cup of mashed, ripe bananas

1 tsp baking soda

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground cloves

pinch salt

3/4 cup walnuts

3/4 cup peanut butter chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream butter and sugar. Add egg until the mixture is light and fluffy.

2. In a bowl, mix together the bananas and baking soda. Let sit 2 minutes (this will allow time for the two to react and make air for rising to happen).

3. Mix the bananas into the butter mixture.

4. Sift the flour, salt, and spices together in a separate bowl. Add to the banana-butter mixture, mixing until just combined.

5. Fold in walnuts and peanut butter chips.

6. Drop in dollops onto a parchment lined baking sheets. Bake 11-13 minutes, until golden on the top. Let cool on a wire rack.

(Makes about 30 cookies.)

Red Quinoa and Orange Salad

2011-04-13T07:50:00.000-07:00

Dear friends,

I wanted to say sorry for my long absence. Between exams, spring break, more exams, and many failed recipes, I hit a bit of a blog slump. But I am back, (somewhat) rested, and ready to share some more delicious recipes with all of you!

You may remember a while ago when I told you how much I like quinoa. Maybe I gushed a little. Well, to prove to you that it truly is a diverse seed in addition to being healthy, here is another recipe including my favorite superfood. This salad is cool and refreshing - a perfect look towards summertime (and trust me, the fact that I was wearing a wool coat last week means I am trying to look for summer wherever it may be). I can absolutely see it tagging along to our picnics and BBQs, which will occur as soon weather decides to cooperate with the current season.

But Jess, what's the difference between white and red quinoa? I think that red quinoa is a bit more nutty and earthy in flavor than white, which in this salad balances out the sweetness of the fruit. However, if you only have white on hand, that will certainly work in this recipe. Nutritionally, they are very similar, and red quinoa is also a complete protein like it's white counterpart.

Lastly, I wanted to apologize for the poor picture quality - it was late by the time we finished cooking, and I was hungry! I will try to update it soon with a better picture taken during the day.

A few other notes on the recipe: I didn't have scallions on hand last night, so I made it without and it was still delicious. I certainly plan on making it again with scallions because I think the savory element would round out the flavors of the salad. Red onion would also be a great substitute if you're looking for a little extra zing. While I used dried currants in this recipe, the original by Gwen included dried tart cherries, which I think would also be delicious - I just didn't have them on hand. Lastly, I used Trader Joe's Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar in the dressing, but a plain champagne vinegar, or even rice wine vinegar (which would increase the tang) would be good substitutes. Go wild!

Red Quinoa and Orange Salad

Lightly adapted from Pen and Fork

Serves 4

1 cup red quinoa

2 cups water

1/2 tsp salt

2 medium oranges

Zest of 1 orange

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup dried currants

1/4 cup walnuts, toasted

3 scallions, cut on bias

1 Tbsp prune liqueur (optional)

2 Tbsp orange juice

1 Tbsp orange muscat champagne vinegar

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Rinse the quinoa. Add quinoa water, and salt to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and cover; steam for 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork. (If you need it to cool down faster, spread over a baking sheet.)

2. Zest one orange and set aside.

3. Peel the orange and cut into segments (a great tutorial on how to supreme an orange, if you've never done it, is also provided by Pen and Fork). Cut each segment in half and set aside. Keep the pulp.

4. Squeeze the remaining juice out of the pulp into a sauce pan. Add the prune liqueur, cranberries, and currants. Bring just to a boil, and then turn off the heat. Allow dried fruit to steep, stirring occasionally.

5. Whisk the OJ, vinegar, olive oil, and zest together. Add salt and pepper to taste.

6. When the quinoa is cool, add all ingredients together: dressing, dried fruit, walnuts, and scallions. Serve.

Peanut Butter Banana Bread

2011-03-15T16:18:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, my freezer was overflowing with ripened bananas and I was trying to come up with as many things as I could to get rid of them. (Also, I was procrastinating because I didn't want to study... sound familiar?) I stumbled upon this recipe from Joy at Joy the Baker, and I was in love, and also astonished I hadn't thought of it before. It's one of my favorite flavor combos from when I was a kid - a PB and banana sandwich - in quick-bread form. How can you go wrong with that? The answer is you can't.

While I have included Joy's original recipe, when I made it, I didn't have flaxseed or peanuts, and the bread was still moist and delicious. She also suggested chocolate chips, which sounds like a great idea if you're in need of a treat!

Peanut Butter Banana Bread

From Joy the Baker

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas

1/3 cup plain or vanilla flavored fat-free yogurt
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
3 Tbsp butter, melted
2 eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup ground flaxseed meal
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp allspice
1/4 cup dry roasted peanuts, chopped

1. Place rack in center of oven, preheat to 350 degrees. Grease/flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
2. In large bowl, combine dry ingredients: both flours, flaxseed meal, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and allspice.
3. In medium bowl, mix wet ingredients: mashed banana, yogurt, peanut butter, and melted butter. Whisk, then add both sugars and eggs. Whisk until there are no lumps.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Fold together until the dry ingredients are combined. Fold in the nuts.
5. Pour the batter into the greased pan. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick poked in the center comes out clean.

6. Cool for 20 minutes in the pan before removing and cooling completely on a wire rack.

Spicy Stir Fry Marinade

2011-03-07T20:44:00.000-08:00

Last week was exam crunch time for me, so fast and easy dinners were all I could muster. To make matters worse, our fridge was... sparse, to say the least. Monday, I found turkey thighs, a bell pepper, and an onion. The solution? Stir fry. I just chopped up the meat, marinated it for about 20 minutes, and then sautéed over medium heat until cooked through. Remember to cook the meat in fresh oil - if you try to use the marinade to cook in, you will have a nice, completely burnt pan-bottom from the soy sauce caramelization. You can use whatever protein and veggies you like, and serve with your favorite starch. Simple, right?

Spicy Stir Fry Marinade

Adapted from Kayte's Ktichen

1/4 cup soy sauce (I used a low-sodium variety)

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 tsp red chili flakes

1/2 tsp ginger

1/4 tsp cayenne

3/4 tsp cumin

3 garlic cloves, minced

Pepper to taste

1. Mix all marinade ingredients together in a bowl.

2. Chop up protein (tofu, chicken, turkey, or beef) into roughly the same size. Marinade for 10 minutes. (If also adding veggies, chop into roughly the same size, split marinade in half, and marinade the veggies for the same amount of time).

3. Warm 2 Tbsp olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Cook protein through, about 6-10 minutes.

4. Remove protein. Add veggies, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

5. Add back cooked protein and warm through. Serve over rice or other starch.

Quinoa-Stuffed Bell Peppers

2011-02-23T14:57:00.000-08:00

Several months ago, my husband and I took a trip to Chile. Thank goodness we spent the days hiking, because I fell in love with all of the fresh fruits, veggies, and seafood. One of the other things I fell in love with is quinoa. If you've never had it/heard of it, it's a seed that's often prepared and eaten similar to rice, it's gluten-free, and has a balanced set of amino acids, so it's a complete serving of protein on its own! Quinoa is delicious, easy to make, and good for you. And it's incredibly versatile - it can easily become breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert. How can you go wrong?

So in the search to continue eating quinoa when we got home, we stumbled upon a recipe for quinoa-stuffed bell peppers and fell in love from goodLife {eats}. These things are AWESOME - super filling, healthy, and tasty. A sure-fire winner.

Quinoa-Stuffed Bell Peppers

Adapted from goodLife {eats}

Ingredients

3/4 cup quinoa

1 1/2 cups carrot, grated

1 3/4 cups water

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 celery ribs, chopped

3-4 chipotle peppers, chopped

1 Tbsp ground cumin

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 15 oz can of diced tomatoes, drained

1 15 oz can of black beans, rinsed and drained

1 1/2 cups pepper Jack or Colby-Jack cheese, grated

4 large bell peppers, halved lengthwise and ribs removed

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Add quinoa, carrots, and water to pot. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until quinoa is tender, about 20 minutes (the edges of the seeds will become white and the centers will become clear).

3. Heat oil in sauce pan over medium heat. Add onion and celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add cumin and garlic, cook for an additional minute. Add tomatoes and chipotle peppers and cook 5 minutes more or until most of liquid is evaporated.

4. Add onion mixture, black beans, and 1 cup of the cheese to the quinoa. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Stuff each half-pepper with a heaping 3/4 cup of the quinoa mixture and place into baking dish. Pour the tomato liquid in the bottom of the dish. Cover with foil, bake 40 minutes.

6. Sprinkle tops of peppers with remaining cheese. Cook 15 minutes more, until tops are browned. Let stand 5 minutes. Enjoy!

Mushroom Risotto

2011-02-16T07:01:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,

I feel that we are far enough in this blog for me to reveal something about myself: I love risotto. A lot. Perhaps my love borders on obsession, but I don't care. It's delicious. It's versatile. You can dress it up or dress it down. Any way you make it, it's always going to be a treat.

Risotto is one of those dishes that needs a lot of attention and care. It can't be rushed. The arborio grains need to be cooked low and slow, all the while being carefully watched and stirred, so that they can release their maximum starchy goodness and make a creamy, luxurious sauce. It shouldn't be chocolates for Valentine's Day, but risotto, because risotto is a true labor of love (and you're going to love the result!). Go ahead - make it for that special someone.

Have I waxed poetic enough yet? OK, maybe you won't feel as strongly as I do, but seriously - try this dish. It's good.

This recipe is for mushroom risotto, but practically any substitutions can be made. A few the hubs and I have done: crab meat and lemon, asparagus, butternut squash. Don't forget to tell me what you try!

Mushroom RIsotto

Serves 4

Red or white wine, about 1/2 cup

1 oz dried mushrooms, such as porcini or oyster

6 cups vegetable or chicken stock

1 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

2 cups arborio rice

1 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

1. Reconsitute the dried mushrooms in either red or white wine - use just enough to cover them. Wait at least 20 minutes, until they are soft. Chop and set aside.

2. Place the stock in a pot on medium to warm.

3. Melt the butter and warm the oil in a large saute pan. Add the onion and cook until softened and translucent.

4. Add the rice, coating well with the butter/oil mixture, and cook until the outside of the rice grain becomes translucent, about 1 minute.

5. Add the white wine, cooking down until the liquid is almost completely absorbed.

6. Add a ladelful of the warmed stock, stirring, until the liquid is almost completely absorbed. Continue until you have about 1 cup of stock left.

7. Add the mushrooms. Add another ladelful of stock as above. Taste the rice - if it is still chewy, add another ladelful of stock and cook as before. If not, take off the heat.

8. Add parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to taste

Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Soup

2011-02-12T09:51:00.000-08:00

Hello friends! Last week, it was freakishly cold due to the blizzard of the century, so naturally it meant that I made a warm soup to keep the two of us cozy during the storm. I turned to a recipe I found a couple of years ago in the NYT that fast became a staple in our household because of the great flavors and how easy it is to make. Even better, it's pretty healthy! Both sweet potato and butternut squash are full of vitamins, minerals, and protein.

Also, who can resist that color? A perfect pick-me-up when the winter skies are grey.

A few tips on the recipe: I usually use ground ginger, but only because I don't often have fresh ginger around. I also usually mix half veggie or chicken stock and half water, and I think it doesn't lose a lot of flavor from using 6 full cups of stock.

Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Soup

Originally from the New York Times

Serves 6

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger or 1 tsp dried ground ginger

1 pound butternut squash, peeled and diced

1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

1 medium-size Yukon gold or russet potato, peeled and diced

6 cups water, chicken stock, or vegetable stock

Salt to taste

1. Heat the oil in a heavy soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the ginger and stir together until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the squash, sweet potatoes, regular potato, and water or stock, and bring to a simmer. Add salt to taste, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 45 minutes, or until all of the ingredients are thoroughly tender.

2. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup (or you can put it through the fine blade of a food mill or use a regular blender, working in batches and placing a kitchen towel over the top to avoid splashing). Return to the pot and stir with a whisk to even out the texture. Heat through, adjust salt and add pepper to taste.

Roasted Garlic and Cheddar Buttermilk Biscuits

2011-02-07T10:00:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago I promised you all the recipe for the biscuits pictured with my Spicy Turkey Chili, so here we are. The recipe come from an episode of Barefoot Contessa (an afternoon staple in my house), but I thought that I would add a little more flavor (as Ina loves to say) by adding some roasted garlic. Not only are they a perfect addition to a spicy, hearty chili or stew, the roasted garlic adds a sweet, caramelized flavor that melds perfectly with the sharp bite of the cheddar.

In order to ensure that you all have perfect biscuits, I wanted to share this tip: when making any dough, especially if you want it to be light and flaky, it's really important that the butter (and in our case, buttermilk) is cold. The flaky deliciousness of a good biscuit is due to the creation of steam when the dough is placed in the hot oven, and you don't get that if the butter and buttermilk are warm. Overworking the dough, either when mixing it or rolling it out, will also warm it up - so only mix as much as is necessary.

Roasted Garlic and Cheddar Buttermilk Biscuits

Adapted from Ina Garten's Cheddar Buttermilk Biscuits

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1Tbsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp salt

12 Tbsp cold butter, cut into cubes

1/2 cup cold buttermilk

1 egg

1 cup extra-sharp yellow cheddar, grated

3-4 cloves of roasted garlic (approximately 1/2 Tbsp), chopped (to learn how to make your own, try Elise's recipe at Simply Recipes)

1 egg, beaten with 1 Tbsp water

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a small bowl, toss the shredded cheddar cheese in a sprinkling of flour (this will keep the cheese from clumping together). Set aside.

3. Put flour, baking powder, salt in bowl. With mixer on low, add butter one cube at a time and mix until you have pea-sized lumps.

4. Beat egg and buttermilk separately. Add to the flour mixture and mix just until combined.

5. Add the cheese and the roasted garlic to the dough, mixing only until incorporated.

6. Roll out the dough on a well-floured surface to a 10' by 5' rectangle. Cut 8 ways.

7. Place biscuits on to lined baking sheet. Brush with egg and water mixture. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until browned on top. Serve warm.

Meringues

2011-02-02T10:09:00.000-08:00

Over the winter break I discovered my husband has a weakness: meringues. His mom made a batch for New Year's Eve, and he must have eaten 5 or 6 every day after that. So I decided to surprise him and try them myself when we got home.

Meringues are a great dessert for a group because you can serve them buffet-style and let your guests top them with anything they like. I really like my meringues with a fruit syrup, especially raspberry or blackberry, and a little fresh mint. You could also do chocolate syrup, whipped cream, ice cream... And you can change up the recipe below - add a little cocoa powder, and you have chocolate meringues; add a little almond extract, and you've got a toasted almond meringue!

I should say that I happen to like mine a little marshmallowy inside, so the baking temperature and time will reflect that. If you like yours completely crisp (the most traditional method), then I have added a baking variation below. Also, do yourself a favor and use the parchment paper - you will have nice meringue croutons otherwise because they will NOT come off the baking sheet (trust me, I was dumb enough to try!). Lastly, in order to get beautiful, glassy stiff peaks, your eggs should be at room temperature before you start whipping - so plan ahead and take them out of the fridge, or if you forget (like I often do), place them in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes.

Meringues

Ingredients

4 large egg whites, at room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1 cup finely granulated sugar

1. Warm the oven to 275 degrees F. Prep a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper.

2. Add the egg whites, vanilla extract, and cream of tartar to a large bowl. Beat on medium until soft peaks form.

3. Turn the speed to high, and one Tbsp at a time, add the sugar. Beat until you have glassy-white stiff peaks.

4. Spoon the or pipe with a piping bag onto your parchment paper-lined baking sheet, making whatever shapes you like! Bake for 1 hour.

5. Let cool completely on the baking sheet, then serve with whatever toppings you like!

*For throughly crisp meringues: bake at 200 degrees F for 2 hours; then turn off the oven and let sit for several hours (or even overnight) to dry out completely inside.

Spicy Turkey Chili

2011-01-20T13:54:00.000-08:00

(Pictured with Roasted Garlic and Cheddar Buttermilk Biscuits - recipe to come soon!)

Dear Friends and Readers,

Happy 2011! I apologize that it has taken me so long after the holiday break to get myself back in gear. In addition to Christmas, New Year's, and lots of family, Jason and I celebrated our first anniversary. Needless to say, there was a lot of cooking and celebrating among all of those events! Throughout all of that, I have been thinking about all of you, and trying out some new recipes to share. So here we go, the first post of the new year!

As we spend Christmas with Jason's family, I didn't get my normal two week break in the middle of winter to build my vitamin D stores in the sunshine and warm weather in Arizona (where my family is from). Thus, when we returned home to even colder Chicago, I was in the mood for something hearty to warm me up. This chili fit the bill perfectly. It has the right amount of heat to fight off that winter chill.

Spicy Turkey Chili

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients

2 large onions, chopped

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 Tbsp minced garlic

2 carrots, diced

2 lbs ground turkey

1/4 cup chili powder

1 Tbsp ground cumin

2 Tbsp paprika

1 Tbsp oregano

1 tsp red pepper flakes (this can be adjusted to taste)

16 oz or 2 cups tomato sauce

16 oz or 2 cups turkey or beef broth

3 Tbsp cider vinegar

1 16 oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 16 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 of a roasted habanero pepper, deseeded and diced (can be omitted if desired)

sour cream and sharp cheddar cheese, shredded, to garnish

1. In a large pot (I used a 8.5 quart pot, but had room to spare), heat the oil over low heat and soften the onions, about 5-10 minutes.

2. Add the garlic and carrots, cook for 1 minute.

3. Raise the heat to medium and add the ground turkey. Salt and pepper the meat. Cook until no longer pink, about 10 minutes.

3. Add the chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute.

4. Add the tomato sauce, broth, and vinegar. Simmer covered for 35-40 minutes.

5. Add the kidney beans, black beans, bell peppers, and habanero. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Simmer 15 minutes for bell peppers to become tender.

6. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and some cheddar cheese on top. Enjoy!

Merry Christmas

2010-12-25T09:31:00.000-08:00

Dear friends,

I hope all of you are enjoying a lovely day with your family and friends, as we are! Frohe Weihnachten from Wengen, Switzerland!