Some twenty years ago I took my first and only trip to New Orleans.  I wish I could say I was there with a lover or a friend, but instead it was purely a business trip.  It was in May, and it was hot and muggy.  We were hungry wandering the streets of New Orleans.  After a couple cocktails to cool down, and a couple turns down some side streets, we found it.  The smell of spice and sticky nights was drawing us into the darkened dinning room.  I had no idea of what to expect;  but, what was put in front of me was memorable and unforgotten.  Until now …..

Recipe:  Chicken Etouffee

© Denise for Chez Us, 2012. | Permalink | One comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Cajun, Chicken, Creole, Etouffee, New Orleans

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I remember how I learned to make butter at home.  It was purely by accident, and I was being “gently” reminded not to do it.

I was small, maybe 6 or 7.  I was at my grandmother’s house, hanging out in the kitchen while she made dinner.  I use to love hanging out in there, attempting to help in some way.  She was letting me make the whipped cream for dessert that night, and I was really excited about it.  You see she had this old hand mixer that I loved to play with.  I was whipping cream and eagerly waiting to start sprinkling in the sugar, all the while I was also tasting a little, here and there.  She kept saying, “don’t let it turn to butter”.  Butter?  My other guilty pleasure.  That is when I learned, if, I didn’t pay attention we would have a pot of butter instead of sweet cream.

I don’t make homemade butter that often.  If we are enjoying a special meal or some really fantastic baked bread, then I take the time to make butter.  What a WOW it is to serve guests, as well.  The other morning we had some fresh baked bread, so I decided it was time for some great butter to serve with our breakfast of soft boiled eggs.

It is really easy to make butter at home, and can be made right before serving.  If you have children, this is a fun project to get them involved in the kitchen.  You, must start with a high quality heavy cream, it makes a big different in taste.  Splurge on this.  And use a really good salt for seasoning.  That is that.  Simple.  Here, are step by step photo instructions for you to follow along.  Now go make butter.

Enjoy.

Recipe:  Homemade Butter

• 1 pint high quality heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon grey salt

 Step 1:  Pour the heavy cream into a mixing bowl.  Beating at medium speed (about a 4 on my mixer) for 3 minutes.

Step 2:  After about 3 minutes, you begin to get whipped cream.  Turn the speed up to a 6.

Step 3:  After 5 minutes the cream is beginning to turn yellow and is looking like butter.  Keep beating at about a 6.

Step 4:  The mixture is starting to breakdown and you can begin to see the “buttermilk” start to separate from the butter.  Continue beating.

Step 5:  About 12 minutes from starting you will have butter.  It will form a ball on the whisk attachment.

Step 6:  Drain the butter and then rinse.  Repeat the whisking process to extract more of the watery mixture, until there is only a small amount left.  It will only take a couple minutes.  Then rinse once more.  Let set in the sink about 5 minutes to drain.

Step 7:  Return the butter to the mixing bowl.  Add the salt.  At a medium speed, about a 4 on my mixer, mix until creamy.

Step 8:  Serve.  Eat.

© Denise for Chez Us, 2012. | Permalink | 7 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Back to the Basics, Butter, Cream, Heavy Cream, Homemade, Homemade Butter, How to make Butter

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We have a few friends who are now pregnant, and I thought it would be fun to create some cocktail recipes to have on-hand for when they come over.  Right?  I, mean, it isn’t fair that we are all sipping pretty drinks, and they have a boring glass of water or frizzy fruit water from the store.

This recipe is made using my new favorite simple syrup from the Morris Kitchen, the Preserved Meyer Lemon syrup (no, I am not working for them … just loving the product).  I have been making cocktails and baking with it like crazy.  It is insanely good.  As well I have been playing with Tomr’s Handcrafted Tonic and am really enjoying the clean taste that it adds to a simple cocktail.  If you cannot find it, use your favorite tonic, just skip the bubbly water.  We do use bubbly water, only because we make it at home, using the Penguin.  If, you don’t make your own, use club soda with the Tomr’s.  To make the cocktail more fun, I, added rosemary and some insanely delicious cocktail cherries (they are worth the price).  It is really that simple.  Really.

Recipe:  Rosemary Preserved Lemon Spritzer

1 ounce Preserved Meyer Lemon Syrup

2 ounces Tomr’s Tonic 

3 ounces bubbly water  or club soda

1 spring rosemary

cocktail cherries

Rub the rim of a cocktail glass with the rosemary.  Then remove about 2 inches of the rosemary from the bottom of the sprig, to make a little stem.   Thread three cherries onto the stem.  Mix rest of the ingredients together in the glass.  Garnish with the rosemary.  Serve.  Drink.

Need more inspiration for the weekend:

Blood Orange Margartias

Ginger Rose Sparkler

Pomegranate Mint Spritzer - non alcoholic

© Denise for Chez Us, 2012. | Permalink | 4 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Cocktails, Non-Alcoholic, Preserved Meyer Lemon Simple Syrup

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We are not big sliced bread eaters.  Though you will definitely find many baguettes making their way into our kitchen.  The reason we aren’t into sliced bread, is because, we haven’t found any that really makes us want to eat a whole loaf.  Bread should be like sex;  you want more and more!

Recently, Lenny was listening to NPR, when Dorie Greenspan came on.  He anxiously called in, to chat with Ms. Greenspan about my obsession with Tuesdays with Dorie, and how he had to put a stop to it because he has no self control.  Dorie sounds just as adorable as I imagine her in person.  It was great fun listening to them chit chat;  I was a bit envious!  After, that conversation, I suddenly had the bug to bake.  It has been forever since I participated with TWD, and since I have been given the big boot out of the club, I bake on my own these days.

We had some delicious homemade nutella laying around the house, and I knew that the only thing that would go perfectly with it was hot out of the oven brioche.  I turned to my trusted baking book  and flipped through all the sweetness until I found what I was hungry for.  I, love Dorie’s recipes, as they are always right on.  If, the recipe says it will take 2 days, it will take two days.  If, it says it will feed 6 people, it will feed 6 people.  You will always hear me preach about how this is the one basic baking book every one should own.  It’s true.

Back to the brioche.  This is a great recipe.  The dough is silky and buttery.  The crumb is perfect;  not to lose nor too tight.  The flavor is slightly yeasty and not overly sweet;  perfect for sandwiches.  Dorie’s recipe makes 2 large loaves.  I decided to use the adorable brioche pans I brought back from Paris.  The recipe made a dozen mini brioche and two small loaves.  The amount was perfect as the minis barely lasted two days, and the loaf was nearly gone by the third day.  Lucky, for us, I was able to sneak a loaf into the freezer before someone gobbled it up.  For the record, that someone was not me.  The only other change I made to the recipe;  I added a healthy dose of fresh blood orange zest and a sprinkling of lemon sugar (only on the minis).  You can only imagine how wonderful the bread smelled while baking.  Can’t you?  The citrus undertones went really nicely with the Nutella.  I can say with certainty this will become our new “sliced” bread over at Chez Us.  Perfect toasted and perfect on its own.

Recipe:  Brioche

*recipe submitted with permission from Dorie Greenspan

** the dough should e made 1 day ahead and then shaped and baked the next day.  

• 2 packets active dry yeast
• 1/3 cup just-warm-to-the-touch water
• 1/3 cup just-warm-to-the-touch milk (whole)
• 3 3/4 cups ap flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature but still slightly firm
• 1 tablespoon blood orange zest – this is optional

Glaze

• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon water

1. Put the yeast, water and milk in the bowl of a stand mixer and, using a wooden spoon, stir until the yeast is dissolved.
2. Add the flour and salt, and fit the mixer with the dough hook.  Toss a kitchen towel over the mixer, covering the bowl as completely as you can – this will save you and the kitchen from being showered in flour.
3. Turn the mixer on and off in a few short pulses, just to dampen the flour, then remove the towel, increase the mixer speed to medium low and mix for a minute or two, just until the flour is moistened.  At this pint you will have a fairly dry, shaggy mass.
4. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula, set the mixer to low and the the eggs, followed by the sugar and the orange zest (if using zest).
5. Increase the mixer sped to medium and beat for about 3 minutes, until the dough forms a ball.  Reduce the speed to low and add the butter in 2 tablespoon size chunks, beating until each piece is almost incorporated before adding the next.  You will have a dough that is very soft, almost like a batter.  Increase the speed to medium-high and continue to beat until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 10 minutes.
6. Lightly butter another bowl and transfer the dough to it, cover with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature until nearly doubled in size, about 40 – 60 minute, depending on how warm your room is.
7. Deflate the dough by lifting it up and around the edges and letting it fall with a slap into the bowl.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator,.  Slap the dough down in the bowl every 30 minutes until it stops rising, about 2 hours, then leave the covered dough in the refrigerator to chill overnight.
8. The next day, butter and flour two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch loaf pans.
9. Pull the dough from the fridge and divide it into 2 equal pieces.  Cut each piece of dough into 4 equal pieces and roll each piece into a log about 3 1/2 inches long.  Arrange 4 logs crosswise in the bottom of each pan.  Put the pans on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat, cover the pans lightly with wax paper and leave the loaves at room temperature until the dough almost fills the pans, 1 to 2 hours.
10. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400.
11. Beat the egg with the water.  Using a pastry brush, gently brush the tops of the loaves with the glaze.
12. Bake the loaves until they are well risen and deeply golden, 30 – 35 minutes.  Transfer the pans to racks to cool for 15 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the pans and turn the loaves out onto the racks.  Invert again and cool for at least an hour.
13. Serve. Eat

Using a brioche pan – minis (makes 12 minis and two smaller loaves)

1. Follow step 9 above, but divide the dough in two halves;  one half for these minis and the other half for two small loaves.  Or use the dough for only minis.  If you are like me you would have to bake a dozen, then repeat.
2. Butter 12 3 1/2 inch wide brioche pans.  Divide the half into 12 equal pieces.  Follow these instructions on making your mini brioche, from step 6 – 9.  After brushing with the glaze, lightly sprinkle with sugar, if you desire.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 – 20 minutes.  Let cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then remove the brioche to a wire rack to finish cooling.

© Denise for Chez Us, 2012. | Permalink | 3 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Baking, Bread, Brioche, Dorie Greenspan

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We been enjoying a few rainy days this week, which meant it was time to make some comfort food.  Besides getting my baking groove back, (more about that soon) I was really into making polenta.  I love polenta as it is a filling addition to vegetarian meals.

Polenta is a staple in our pantry and I adore using it in place of cornmeal.  I love the gritty texture, and the depth it adds to dishes.  I, use it often, when making pizza crust, as it prevents the crust from sticking to the baking sheet.  It also makes a wonderful, sweet or savory breakfast dish.  Really.  Breakfast.  But, we aren’t going to go there today, saving that for another day.  *smile*

I was playing around with some mushrooms, and half way through the development of a new recipe, I decided polenta would be a great addition.  Sometimes, I add cheese to my polenta recipes, but not often.  This time I had some Taleggio in the fridge and thought it would make a flavorful addition to a bowl of creamy polenta.  Don’t be afraid of cooking with Taleggio.  The aroma is strong, but the flavor is very mild.  It is a bit tangy and ultra creamy.  It was perfect.  In fact, it was so flavorful, that the polenta didn’t really need anything else.  Just pass a spoon ….

Recipe:  Taleggio Polenta

• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 1/2 cup polenta
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 ounces taleggio, rind removed and cut into cubes

In a saucepan, over medium, heat the stock, just until it is hot.  Add the salt.  Gently sprinkle in the polenta, while whisking with the other hand;  this will prevent lumps.  Add the butter, whisk.  Turn the heat to a very low simmer.  Cook for 20 minutes until the polenta is creamy.  You will need to stir it often to prevent sticking.  Remove from the heat and whisk in the taleggio until creamy.  Serve.  Eat.

© Denise for Chez Us, 2012. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Creamy, Polenta, Side Dish, Taleggio

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Confession – we sucked at our yearly cleanse this year.  We started strong;  then we crumbled.  It started with a little glass of wine, then meat, then baking!  We became addicted to these cranberry scones.  That is the problem with keeping packets of frozen cranberries in the freezer;  it is kind of like the devil lurking over your shoulder.

Then I spied fresh blueberries at the market.  Reasonably priced even.  I bought a few packets.  We juiced them.  We kept them in bowls around the house.  They were like nature’s candy.

Then I took a walk through our new little compound and spied not one, but seven neglected Meyer lemon trees.  I came home, grabbed a shopping bag and journeyed back to those neglected trees.  I came home with so many lemons, that I was not sure what to do (first).

Then Maggie sent us a care package.  Hmmm …. Lemon Sugar!  There was only one thing that popped into my mind;  scones.  So there you have it, our cleanse flew out the door just as quickly as that Lemon sugar flew in.  I started baking, not one, but batches of scones.

Blueberries, Meyer lemons and sugar are like the perfect ménage à trois.  Blueberries create little pools of jammy fruit when baked.  The sweet, sugary dough cradles each burst of fruit, pefectly.  Meyer lemons add a heavenly scent to the baking sugar.  Flaky but not dry.  Moist but not soggy.  Perfect!

What are you waiting for?  You know you want a little spring time in your kitchen, and this is the perfect recipe.

*notes:  I have not used frozen fruit;  but, if I did I would drain them in a colander, very well, before mixing with the flour

Recipe:  Blueberry Meyer Lemon Scones

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, + 2 tablespoons
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 oz Irish butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1/8 cup Meyer lemon zest
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 egg
• Lemon Sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425.  Line a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper.

1. In a food processor combine all of the dry ingredients, except the 2 tablespoons of flour.  Add the zest, give a whirl to mix.  With the food processor running, add pieces of butter, a couple at a time, and pulse until pea sized.  Continue adding the butter until you use all of it.  Add the heavy cream and sour cream.  Pulse until the dough comes together.
2. While the dough is mixing, sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour over the blueberries, gently fold.  Add the blueberries to the dough mixture and give a quick pulse.
3. Remove the dough from the food processor, and put the dough on a lightly floured surface.  Knead the fruit, gently into the dough.  Pat into a circle, about 3/4 inch thick.  Cut into triangles, I made 8 but you can make them a bit smaller or larger.  Place onto a baking sheet, with space between each one.
4. Make an egg wash with the egg and a tablespoon of water.  Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the tops of the scones with the egg wash, and sprinkle a little lemon sugar on each top.
5. Bake for 25 – 30 minutes, until the scones are golden brown on the tops.  Remove from the oven.  Let cool for 5 minutes.
6. Serve.  Eat.

© Denise for Chez Us, 2012. | Permalink | 12 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Baking, Blueberries, Blueberry, Lemons, Meyer Lemons, Recipe, Scones

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Nutella is a guilty pleasure, and one that does not make an appearance all that often at our house.  To be honest, I do not think I have ever bought a container of it.  Usually we enjoy it when we are wandering the streets of Paris.  It is the perfect afternoon pick-me-up while jaunting around town, in and out of museums or shops.

We have two very good friends who make Nutella.  Megan stuffs her homemade Nutella between sheets of buttery pastry dough to create pop tarts.  Danielle, surprises her friends with sweet little pots of Nutella during the holidays.  Ever since, we first tasted their versions, I have talked about making it at home;  but, never have.  Until now.   National Nutella Day, is today, and I could not think of a better recipe to make than homemade Nutella.  This sweet treat would also be perfect for your Valentine!  I know a few of ours will be getting it.

After doing some research, I found that this sticky but delicious journey would be easy to make as well as pleasurable.  Nutella was first created in the 1940s during a chocolate shortage.  A pastry maker by the name of Pietro Ferrero stretched chocolate by thinning out his recipes with the addition of ground hazelnuts.  It became Europe’s “peanut butter”.  If, Nutella did not have such a high sugar content, the nutritional value would be very similar to peanut butter.  The fat comes from the hazelnuts, which is healthier than that double cheese burger you have been eyeing.  And making it at home gives you more control over what will actually be in your recipe.  Think of this recipe as a healthy version of Nutella.

The problem I have with Nutella is not the nuts nor the chocolate, but rather, the extraordinary amount of sugar that most recipes call for.  Don’t get me wrong, I like sweets, just not over sugary sweets, which I find Nutella is.  When I started out developing our Nutella recipe, I knew this would be the first area I would cut.  Most recipes call for powdered sugar and large amounts of it.  I decided to use unrefined sugar in small amounts.  I didn’t want the chocolate to over power the roasted hazelnuts, so I used a minimal amount of cocoa powder.  The cocoa nibs were added for texture.  As well I wanted our recipe to be a bit different, so I added cherry-wood smoked sea salt, and a small amount of roasted hazelnut oil to give the Nutella more depth.  It shined!

Why haven’t I attempted this sooner?  This recipe is so easy and so sultry you will also be wondering why you haven’t made it at home.  Besides enjoying it with merely a spoon, we enjoy a dab of Nutella on slices of baguette with a small sprinkle of Maldon salt.  Or simply wrapped in eggy crepes;  just like street food in Paris.

Happy Nutella Day! (scroll to the bottom for more Nutella Love)

Recipe:  Homemade Nutella

• 2 1/2 cups raw hazelnuts with skins
• 1/2 cup cocoa nibs – used scharffen berger
• 4 tablespoons unrefined sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder - we prefer scharffen berger
• 2 teaspoons roasted hazelnut oil
• 3/4 – 1 teaspoon cherry-wood smoked sea salt

Heat oven to 350.  Scatter the hazelnuts on a cookie sheet.  Bake for 15 minutes;  stir half way through.  The nuts will get very toasty, and the skins will blister.  Once the nuts are finished baking, remove them from the oven, and let set for 10 minutes.  Spread the nuts onto a cloth towel and roughly rub them back and forth to remove the skins.  Continue to do so until most of the skins are removed.  Some will be challenging, and that is okay, they add a nice texture to the finished recipe.  Put the nuts into a bowl and toss out the skins.  Let the nuts cool.

Process the nuts and cocoa nibs in a food processor, scraping down the sides occasionally, until the mixture is a very fine meal, about 5 minutes.  After a while, the mixture will form a ball around the blade.  Keep processing up to 7 minutes;  eventually, you will extract the oils and will have a butter mixture.

Add the sugar and cocoa powder;  process for 2 minutes.  Add the salt.  With the food processor running, slowly add the hazelnut oil, and continue processing for 3 more minutes.  Store the mixture in an airtight container, in the refrigerator, up to 1 month.

Nutella Love

• Nutella Brownies
• Nutella Chunk Cookies
• Macarons Craqueles Noisette-Chocolat
• Homemade Nutella
• Nutella Puff Pastry
• Nutella Banoffe Cream Pie
• Chocolate Nutella Caramel Filled Cookies
• Tuscan Nutella Meringue Tart
• Nutella Ravioli

© Denise for Chez Us, 2012. | Permalink | 15 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: chocolate nibs, Chocolate Shortage, Cocoa, French, Hazelnuts, Healthy, Homemade, National Nutella Day, Nibs, Nutella, Peanut Butter, Pietro Ferrero, scharffen berger, Valentine's Day

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I adore our friend Maggie, and one of the things I adore is that she always seems to find new and exciting foodie items.  Recently she reached out to us and was wondering if we would be interested in playing with some Morris Kitchen Syrups.  I had been dying to try out their syrups in our cocktail creations, and could not wait to try the Preserved Meyer Lemon Syrup.

The package arrived, just as I had imagined it;  wholesome and beautiful.  I have a thing for simple, clean, and interesting packaging, and Morris Kitchen drew me in.  Sometimes you can tell by the cover, how wonderful it will be.  I slowly opened the cap, waiting for the perfume to grab me;  it didn’t disppoint.  Immediately, I could smell the Meyer lemons with a hint of the sea.  Then I poured a small drop onto my finger tip, and slowly swirled it into my mouth, letting every last drop linger for a couple seconds.  It was perfect;  sweet, salty and tart.

That first drop had me, and rum, gin, vodka, tequila;  all sorts of cocktail combinations started to whirl through my mind, but the one that kept coming back was Mezcal. The thought was so intense that I could almost taste it, even before making it;  smokey, sultry and salty.  Like the end of the day, laying in the sand on an exotic beach.

Recipe:  Preserved Meyer Lemon Cocktail 

Eat Boutique sells Morris Kitchen syrups in their amazing cocktail gift box – a wonderful gift, but you will want one for yourself!  As well you can head over to Morris Kitchen to find out how to purchase their syrups;  they have three flavors, Ginger, Apple Cider and Preserved Meyer Lemon.  They are also great to cook with.

** reminder:  if you love to keep updated on fun cocktail venues as well as recipes, we partnered with Liquor.com and you can sign up for their newsletter on Chez Us – off to your right, you will see the widget.  Their newsletter is full of full cocktail related news.

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Being a regular reader, you know that I don’t usually post recipes that match up with “current” events.  Well, that may change, if I can get my cooking act together!  HA!

It has been one of those days.  I have been wasting the afternoon, looking through food blogs, peeking at Tastespotting, and what have I found?  Great Super Bowl ideas.  So, I thought I should share some of our favorites, as well as some favorites I have just discovered.

We, okay, Lenny made this hearty chili last week.  It is so good, that I wish I had a bowl of it now, instead of the diced up pears I am eating.  This chili recipe is full of meat;  two kinds to be exact, as well as three kinds of beans.  All that is left to make this recipe complete is your favorite chili toppings, icy cold beers and some killer margaritas.  Guarantee if you make this for your Super Bowl party this weekend, you will be the star chili maker.  It is really rock’n (did I just say that).

Recipe:  Lenny’s Nuevo Meaty Chili

Other recipes that would be great to serve during the Superbowl

Chicken Spring Rolls - I am so making these

Crunchy Chicken Wings

Asian Inspired Chicken Wings

Spicy Tomato Sauce Chicken Wings

Baked Chicken Wings with Octo Vinaigrette

Bacon Wrapped Chicken Wings

Spicy Peanut Butter and Pepper Jelly Chicken Wings

Queso Dip - lived on Queso when I was recently in Austin;  LOVE

Crocker Pot Chicken Santa Fe – if I had a slow cooker, I’d be making this too

Baked Jalapeno Poppers

Super Bowl Sandwiches

Edamame Meyer Lemon Dip

Baked Kale Chips

Avocado Fries - they have to be heathy;  right?

© Denise for Chez Us, 2012. | Permalink | 6 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Black Beans, Chickpea, Chilies, Hearty, Homemade, Johnsonville Sausage, Kidney Beans, Meaty, Recipe, Spicy

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Now, that we are working from home more often, I am always looking for quick and easy lunch ideas.  I don’t want to rely on making sandwiches, salads or just soup;  a little variety would be nice.  Lentils are a great go-to legume when your body wants something healthy, warm and filling.  As well they make a great addition to a vegetarian meal.

I recently wrote about making your pantry healthy during 2012, one item that can always be found in ours is lentils.  Lentils are perfect in recipes from salads to egg dishes and are a good source of protein.  If you aren’t familiar with lentils, you should be.  Lentils are legumes that tend to have a nutty flavor.  They grow in pods that have two to three seeds in them.  The seeds are sold whole or split and hulled, and they do not need to pre-soak before cooking, like a lot of legumes do need to do.  Lentils come in an assortment of colors, from black to red.  Green and brown lentils are the most common in the US, they hold their shape when cooked, and go really well in soups.  Then there are French green lentils, which are small, and hold their shape when cooked.  They have a slight peppery taste and are great in salads.  Orange and red lentils break down when cooked and are a bit softer.  They are often used in Middle Eastern dishes.  For this recipe, I used orange lentils, which, I think are great in curry based dishes.

This recipe is really simple to make, and you can have lunch (or dinner) on the table in 35 minutes.  I cook the lentils, until they are slightly soft, as I like them to hold their shape a bit.  If you like yours a bit softer, cook for an additional 10 minutes.  The seasoning I use is a madras curry powder, which is a bit spicy.  If you don’t like a lot of heat, use a more mild curry powder.  Right before serving I stir in a generous amount of spinach, which not only adds gorgeous color but also added fiber, making this a really healthy go-to meal.  If you would like to add some protein, a poached egg is a wonderful addition.

Have you tried lentils?  If so, which one is your favorite?  Do you have a favorite lentil recipe? 

We have a couple fun give aways and you have until January 31, 2012, to play along.

Recipe:  Curried Lentils and Spinach

• 1 small shallot, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 cup red lentils
• 2 teaspoon curry powder
• 3 cups vegetable stock
• 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
• kosher salt to taste
• 2 cups spinach
• 1/4 cup sour cream

In a dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the shallot, stir, and cook for 3 minutes.  Turn down the heat to low, add the garlic, 1 teaspoon curry powder and lentils.  Stir.  Cook for 1 minute.  Add 1/4 cup tomatoes;  freeze the reminder of the tomatoes in a freeze-able container, for later use.  Add the stock, and stir.  Cover with a lid, that is slightly tilted, and cook for 25 minutes.  Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.  You may have to add a little more stock.  While the lentils are cooking, mix the sour cream with the remainder 1 teaspoon of curry powder.  Before serving, stir the spinach into the lentils, stir until wilted;  about 1 minutes.  Season with salt.  Serve with the sour cream.  Eat.

© Denise for Chez Us, 2012. | Permalink | 6 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Black Lentils, Brown Lentils, Curry, Green Lentils, Lentils, Meatless Monday, middle eastern, Orange Lentils, vegetarian

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A New Year!  New Beginnings!  And for a home-chef, that means a Clean Pantry!  In our case, it is a new pantry to boot.  This is the first time in our adult lives, that we actually have a pantry.  Remember our tiny 20 sq. ft. kitchen?  We only had one big cupboard, which kept all of our pantry items, as well as dishes.

Now we have a six shelve pantry to fill, I have vowed not to overstock it with things we would never use.  I have also dedicated only three shelves to ingredients.  Just because we have space now, I refuse to over-stock the kitchen with food items that we don’t use, and that will go to waste.

We were thrilled when Whole Foods reached out to us about contributing to their event, Win Pantry Staples for a Year.  The premise behind their event is that you can stock the pantry with healthy and affordable items for $50;  enough items to create 14 meals.  All you have to add is some fresh ingredients and spices.  Fifty dollars may not seem like a lot of money to stock your pantry;  but, if stick to buying their brands and/or shopping in the bulk area, that money will go far.  I shop the bulk area very often, as I have control over how much of an item I need, and I only buy what I will be using.  As well, their brand items are a lot less than “other store” brand items.

Here, is their list of items that will help you stock your pantry:

• 1 lb black beans
• 1 lb lentils
• 1 lb quinoa
• 2 lbs brown rice
• 2 (32-oz) boxes vegetable broth
• 2 (32-oz) box chicken broth
• 1 lb rolled oats
• 2 cans cannellini beans
• 1 lb orechiette pasta
• 1 lb pasta, your favorite kind
• 1 can black beans
• 1 jar unsweetened applesauce
• 1 (32-oz) box unsweetened almond milk
• 1 (5-oz) can tuna
• 3 (15-oz) cans diced tomatoes
• 1 package no-oil sun-dried tomatoes
• 1 jar pasta sauce

Recipe:  Curried Lentils with Spinach

Recipes from Whole Foods using their pantry items.

Thank you, Whole Foods, for providing this giveaway!

Giveaway Requirements:

• Answer the following question in the comments section:  How are you going to make your pantry “healthy in 2012?
• You may NOT enter using multiple email addresses. Automatic disqualification.
• Additional entries must leave a separate comment.
• Contest ends January 31, 2012 at 11:59 p.m. PST.
• Winner will be chosen via random.org and will be announced on February 1, 2012.  Winner will have 2 days to respond before being disqualified and a new winner chosen.

Extra Entries:

Additional entries can be earned by doing any of the following, giving you a total of 6 entries. Leave a separate comment for each of your entries.

1. Follow Chez Us and Whole Foods on Twitter and ReTweet the following message: Win a $50 Whole Foods gift card @chezus http://tinyurl.com/78f9lae  #giveaway – come back here and leave the tweet in the comments.
2. Become a fan of Chez Us on Facebook – come back here and leave a comment that you did so.
3. Become a fan of Whole Foods on Facebook - come back here and leave a comment that you did so.
4. Subscribe to the Chez Us RSS Feed “The Daily Dish” - come back here and leave a comment that you did so.
5. Subscribe to the Chez Us monthly newsletter “Culinary Capers” - come back here and leave a comment that you did so.

Disclosure: This post was written as part of my participation with Whole Foods Stock Your Pantry event. I was given $50 worth of staples to facilitate my review, as well as a $50 gift card to give to one of our readers.  All opinions expressed are my own.

The winner of the $50 Whole Foods Gift Card is Kristina of Former Chef!  Congrats Kristina.  Drop us an email with your mailing address and we will get you your gift card.  

© Denise for Chez Us, 2012. | Permalink | 63 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Stock Pantry, Whole Food

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The other day as I was driving to the market, I got to thinking about how most people adore summer time produce.  While all those heirlooms and juicy berries are sexy, I think musky root veggies, hard squash and juicy pears and apples are just as appealing.  I have definitely been taking advantage of all that winter has to offer, since coming back from the holidays.

I find that butternut squash is about one of the most  versatile squash out there.  I use them in everything from soups to baked goods;  they can be sweet or savory.  I love their rich color and firm texture. I was working on a few different butternut squash recipes the other day, and decided to take a snack break.  I had a gorgeous Comice pear sitting on the counter next to me;  I grabbed it and took a bite.  It was one of the juiciest I have ever had.  As I let the juice run down my lips and the gritty texture lingered on my tongue, I started thinking how it would be lovely mixed with the caramelized pieces of onion and butternut squash.  Keep in mind this is a huge step for me as I never mix sweet and savory when cooking.  I took rest of the pear, cut it into chunks and tossed it in.  The natural sugars started caramelizing instantly, and the sweetness of the pear started to soften the pungent onions.  After letting everything simmer with some rich vegetable stock, I pureed the mixture into a thick and rich, cream-free soup.  It was luscious.

This vegetarian soup recipe is rich, you don’t need much more to make a complete meal.  A little bread and a simple salad, and you have the perfect meatless meal.

What is your favorite soup recipe that combines sweet and savory?  

Have you entered our give-away?  No?  Hurry we are giving away a copy of the Plenty cookbook;  our favorite vegetarian cookbook.  

Recipe:   Butternut Pear Soup

• 1 butternut squash (about 1 1/2lbs), peeled, seeded and cut into cubes
• 1/2 yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 pear, seeded and chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, minced
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• kosher salt to taste
• black pepper to taste

In a dutch oven, over medium heat, warm the olive oil.  Add the onion and cook until soft;  about 3 minutes.  Add the butternut squash and pear, stir, and cook over low heat, until caramelized, about 15 minutes.  Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.  Add the garlic and the thyme, stir, and cook for 1 minute.  Add the stock, bring to a medium boil, stir and cover.  Bring the heat down to a low simmer, and let cook for 45 minutes.  Remove from the heat and let cook for 15 minutes.  Puree in batches in a food processor.  Return to the dutch oven and gently reheat for 10 minutes.  Serve.  Eat.

© Denise for Chez Us, 2012. | Permalink | 9 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Butternut Squash, Meatless Monday, pear, Savory, Soup, vegetarian

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