Kale chips are an easy and savory way to get some greens into the whole family’s life. And so easy! Grab a bunch of Lacinato kale, strip the leaves off the stems by hand and chop/rip them right into a colander. Rinse and let the leaves drain while gathering your other ingredients and preheating the oven to 350.
Once they’re drained, toss them onto a foil-lined baking sheet with the following: 1 tbsp Lemon Juice 2 tbsp Olive Oil A couple dashes of something salty, like, well Salt, or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos A sprinkling of Smoked Paprika (optional) Bake for 5 minutes, then stir them/turn them as much as possible, and resume baking for another 5-8 minutes. Keep an eye on them so they don’t burn! These are a great complement to soups, parties or just an afternoon when you are craving a (healthier) salty snack. My kid loves them.
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I’ve mentioned before that my dad is one of the world’s great pie makers, which fascinates people because how many fathers make pies? I don’t know how he got onto it, but he sure does love to do it. I think it’s sort of meditative.
I stayed with him over Christmas and asked to go through the whole process with him, to practice and watch his little finesse tricks. It was fun because a) he has a giant kitchen with lots of gadgets, b) he acted as my “prep cook” and got everything out and ready for me and c) he has a working dishwasher that makes cleaning up a lot easier than in my kitchen. I learned that when he’s making pies he keeps his ancient Betty Crocker cookbook out to follow along. Adorable. Also, I should mention that this is one of my favorite desserts in the world. I made it for my birthday party the other night and everyone was more interested in the cake so I got the whole pie to myself which is just so much better because I get to reap the rewards of all my hard work. Graham Cracker Crust (The crust is a slight variation on the crust I make for the Dutch Apple Pie) 9 sheets Graham Crackers (or one of the little internal packages in a box) 6 tbsp butter, melted ¼ cup sugar Preheat oven to 375*. Put crackers in a ziploc bag and seal well, smashing with a rolling pin until crumby. Transfer to a medium bowl, and add butter and sugar, mixing with your hands if necessary to integrate. Transfer the cracker and butter combination into a pie pan and press down evenly until it looks like a pie shell. Bake for about 8-10 minutes. Let cool before filling. Slice three bananas onto the cooled crust. Filling 2 cups Milk 1/3 cup Flour ¾ cup Sugar ¼ tsp Salt 3 Egg Yolks 2 tbsp butter 1 tsp vanilla Put milk, flour, sugar and salt in a sauce pan, mix well and turn on medium heat. Stir occasionally, and bring to a boil. Stir consistently for two minutes (my dad even sets a timer). Temper in the egg yolks by adding a little of the mixture to the eggs, then pour everything back into the pan. Stir for another two minutes, or until thick. Add butter and vanilla and stir again. Remove from heat and pour onto banana-filled crust. Set aside to cool. Whipped cream ¾-1 cup whipping cream Whip in a mixer until fluffy. Dollop on top of pie once it has set. Good gracious it’s been awhile since I’ve posted. It’s not like I haven’t been cooking, maybe it’s just that I’ve been cooking the old standards for awhile. I do that a lot—buy the staples that’ll make a few easy dinners and appetizers so that I always know I’ll have something on hand.
One of those things is the Lemon Curry Hummus I always make, filled with protein and easy to take to parties. But I’ve been making it so long that I decided it was time to swap it out for something new and exciting. A friend told me about this easy white bean dip from Giada de Laurentiis. She’s the queen of easy and delicious and I always feel fancy cooking her food. That being said, I took this on our annual hut trip in December along with some pita chips (sturdier than crackers when you’re getting stuffed in a backpack with 30 pounds of other goodies). True to form, it was easy and delicious. 1 15 oz can Cannellini Beans, drained and rinsed (these are also called White Kidney Beans, I’ve learned) 2 cloves Garlic 2 tbsp Lemon Juice 1/3 cup Olive Oil 1/4 -1/2 cup Fresh Parsley Salt and pepper to taste Put all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth. (You can also use an immersion blender, but I found that it tends to chop up the parsley a little too finely and you end up with a green white bean dip, which confuses people.) Put in a fancy bowl and serve with pita chips, homemade or otherwise. This is one of those dishes that I try in every Thai restaurant I go to, hoping it will be the fresh, non-greasy, non-fishy version I dream of. My friend M came to town last week and I finally bit the bullet and tried it. This recipe is a great at-home version, easy, tasty and healthy.
Note: I definitely did not have Mirin and rice vinegar on hand…but now I do and I’m hoping I’ll be more likely to make this in the future! The noodles were easy too—Annie Chun’s even has “pad thai” noodles on the shelf at Whole Foods. Sauce: 1/4 cup Soy Sauce 2 tbsp Rice Vinegar 1-2 tbsp Hot Sauce (I used Sriracha and it was plenty spicy) 1 tbsp Mirin (sweet rice wine) 1 tbsp Maple Syrup Noodles: 1 tbsp Vegetable oil 2 cups Shiitake Mushroom Caps, thinly sliced (about 5 ounces) 1 cup Carrot, grated 1 clove Garlic, minced 1 pound Extra-Firm Tofu, drained and cut into 1/2-inch cubes 1 cup light Coconut Milk 1 cup fresh Bean Sprouts 1 cup Green Onion tops, sliced 1 cup fresh Cilantro, chopped 1/3 cup dry-roasted Peanuts 8 oz. Wide Rice Stick Noodles, cooked and drained 1 Lime, cut into wedges Preparation To prepare sauce, combine first 5 ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu, cook for a few minutes on one side, then flip and cook until both sides are light brown. Add mushrooms, carrot, and garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add sauce and tofu; cook 1 minute. Stir in coconut milk; cook 2 minutes. Stir sprouts, onions, cilantro, peanuts and noodles; combine well and cook 1 minute. Serve with lime wedges. Makes about 5 servings Check out 30 Days 30 Ways with Macaroni and Cheese for more amazing takes on this old classic. 1 lb short-cut pasta, such as Gemelli 3 oz Black Truffle Butter 1/2 cup all-purpose Flour 1 quart Whole Milk, heated 1/4 cup Brown Mustard 12 oz Wisconsin Gruyere Cheese, grated 4 oz Wisconsin Sharp Cheddar, grated 4 oz Wisconsin Fontina, grated 1 tsp freshly ground Black Pepper 1-1/2 tbsp salt 3 slices Rye Bread 1 tbsp Butter 1 tsp Garlic Salt Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare pasta according to package directions, removing it from the water a minute or two before cooking time to make sure it’s appropriately al dente. Drain pasta and set aside. While pasta is cooking, toast the rye bread. When finished, lightly butter toast, then coarsely chop and throw in the food processor. Add garlic salt and pulse until bread is crumby. Set aside. Empty the quart of milk into one large saucepan, on medium-high heat. Stir occasionally. In another large saucepan, melt the truffle butter. Once liquid, stir in the flour. Cook for a few minutes, stirring continuously, until butter and flour are thick and creamy. Slowly begin whisking in the hot milk until you have one great white sauce, then add the mustard and combine. Pour mixture into a large bowl with gruyere, cheddar and fontina and combine. Season with salt and pepper, then add drained pasta. Mix well, then transfer to a 13x9 casserole dish. Top with bread crumbs and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the sauce is bubbly and the crumbs are golden brown. Serve nearly immediately. I had this little combo at a tapas joint in Victoria, British Columbia. I’ve never made pesto, so I decided to try it with my favorite herb ever, cilantro. You can top it with other things too (Feta? Tomatoes?) but I loved the combo of apples and walnuts, especially with the lime to give it that Latin flair. This recipe makes two 12-inch pizzas, so you can experiment with different toppings. One other note: Make sure you get good parmesan, since it tends to out-flavor a lot of other things in the pesto.
I made it with my classic pizza dough recipe, though I used Hodgson Mill’s 50/50 Flour that’s half whole wheat and half white flour, ideal when you want just a little wheatiness. Dough 1 cup of warm water 2½ tsp Active dry yeast (1 package) 2½ to 3 cups Flour 2 tbsp Olive Oil ½ tsp Salt In the food processor, using the blade, place 1½ cups of the flour, water, and yeast and mix. Add the oil, salt, and remaining flour (a little at a time–you may not need it all) and mix. Place the dough in a lightly oiled 2-quart bowl (i.e. spray with Pam) and cover it with plastic wrap and let it rise until it doubles in size, usually about an hour. Meanwhile, start making the toppings. Cilantro Pesto 1 bunch Cilantro leaves ¼ cup Parsley leaves 2 cloves Garlic, coarsely chopped 2 tbsp Pine Nuts 1/8 cup Parmesan, grated ½ cup Olive Oil Juice of half of a Lime Salt and freshly ground black pepper Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Remaining toppings 1 Granny Smith Apple, sliced thinly –OR- 1 Roma Tomato, sliced 8 oz. Smoked Mozzarella, shredded ½ cup Walnuts, crumbled ½ Lime After dough has risen, divide it into two parts, cover and let rest again for 15 minutes. Roll out the two balls on a cookie sheet or pizza stone, topping each with half of the pesto, mozzarella, apple slices, and walnuts. Bake at 500* for 10-15 minutes, until it’s golden brown. Let sit for a few minutes, squeeze with lime juice, and serve. Serves about four people. They're all the rage this year, right? I've never loved brussels sprouts, but I guess it's all in the cooking. My friend Carolyn raved about this recipe, especially the smoked paprika, which I went out and bought specifically for this dish. Man oh man is it good! I even put some in with some tomato sauce and pasta.
1 pound Brussels Sprouts, washed and cut in halves 1 tbsp Butter 1 Onion, cut into big wedges 1/2 clove Garlic, chopped into big pieces Salt Pepper Smoked Paprika Preheat oven to 425*. Sweat the onion and garlic in butter, about 4-5 minutes. Add brussels sprouts and saute for a minute more, adding salt, pepper, and paprika. Transfer to a large cookie sheet, and roast, uncovered, for 35 to 40 minutes. Serves 4-6. Last weekend we went on a hut trip with a bunch of friends (20, to be exact). The huts in Colorado's 10th Mountain Division System are amazing--comfy beds, great wood-burning stoves, and kitchens stocked with pretty much everything you need to make a great dinner. While some people think it's easier to just bring in the dehydrated stuff (and keep your pack lighter for the several-mile snowshoe/ski in), I think the meals are an important part of the whole experience.
We divided our 20-some into groups, and my group was responsible for dinner one night. As we brainstormed interesting options, I came across a lentil soup recipe from Food and Wine mag. The ingredients were simple enough, and I thought I could tweak it to make it tastier without the smoked turkey the original recipe called for. We chopped the veggies ahead of time in the food processor and brought them up in well-sealed bags. Here's what I ended up with--the most amazing lentil soup I've ever had! It got great reviews from the hungry hut-trippers, too. 1 tbsp Olive Oil 3 Garlic cloves, minced 2 Celery stalks, finely chopped 2 Carrots, finely chopped 1 Onion, finely chopped 3 Tomatoes, chopped 1 small can Tomato Juice 1 Bay Leaf 4 Rapunzel Vegetable Bouillon Cubes (or other good veg version) 2 quarts Water 1 cup Green Lentils 4 small Red Potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick Salt and freshly ground pepper In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic, celery, carrots, and onion. Saute until soft, stirring often, about 7 minutes. Add tomatoes, juice, bay leaf, bouillon cubes, water, and lentils. Mix thoroughly, and allow soup to come to a boil. Partially cover, and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for one hour, stirring once in awhile, until the lentils are tender. Add the potatoes, season with salt and pepper, and cook for about 10 minutes, until potatoes, too, are soft. Remove bay leaf before ladling out into small bowls. We served with some amazing rosemary-sourdough grilled cheese sandwiches...a perfect and hearty combination. An old classic, but with a fresher twist. Try making your taco seasoning mix with easy ingredients you’ve probably got around the house. Whip up your own guac, too. Recipes below.
1 16 oz. can Refried Beans (make sure they’re veg!) 1 package Taco Seasoning Mix* 8 oz. Sour Cream (or Greek Yogurt) 8 oz. Guacamole** 1 cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded 1 cup Salsa 1 4 oz. can Diced Green Chiles 2 large Green Onions, sliced 1 small can Sliced Black Olives 1 cup fresh Cilantro, chopped Combine beans and seasoning mix in a small bowl. Spread on the bottom of square baking dish. Top with sour cream/yogurt, then guacamole, cheese, salsa, green chiles, green onions, and black olives. *Taco Seasoning Mix 6 tsp Chili Powder 5 tsp Paprika 4 1/2 tsp Cumin 3 tsp Onion Powder 2 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder 1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper Mix all ingredients until well blended. You only need about 7 tsp of this mix to equal a package, so pack up the rest in a tightly sealed container and save for later! **Fresh Guacamole 1 ripe Avocado 1 tsp Lemon or Lime Juice Dash Garlic Salt 4 Cherry Tomatoes, diced 3 tbsp Red Onion, diced 3 tbsp fresh Cilantro, minced Smash everything together. Add additional salt to taste. For my bf's birthday a few weeks ago I wanted to do something a little different, a little more autumn-like for dessert. We had some cream cheese frosting left over from a previous cupcake experience, so for mine, I used store-bought and mixed in the maple syrup. But you can also make it from scratch, ala Martha Stewart (where the original cupcake recipe is from), at the bottom.
Cupcakes 2-1/4 cups Flour 2 tsp Baking Soda 2 tsp Ground Cinnamon 1/2 tsp Ground Nutmeg 1 tsp Salt 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened 1-1/2 cups Sugar 2 large Eggs 1 tsp Vanilla Extract 4 cups coarsely grated Green Apples, such as Granny Smith (about 1-3/4 pounds) Peel apples, then grate on a standard grater. Put grated apples in a sieve to allow some of the juices to drain. Preheat oven to 350*. Line muffin tins with paper liners and set aside. Whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl, and set aside. In an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, mix butter and sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Reduce speed to low, and mix in apples. Add flour mixture and mix until just combined. Divide batter among lined cups, filling 2/3 of the way; bake until tops are springy to the touch, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting/icing with cream cheese frosting. Frosting 8 oz. Cream Cheese, room temperature 8 tbsp (1 stick) Unsalted Butter, cut into pieces, room temperature 1 cup Powdered Sugar 1 tsp Vanilla Extract 1 tbsp Pure Maple Syrup Place cream cheese in a medium mixing bowl. Using a rubber spatula, soften cream cheese. Gradually add butter, and continue beating until smooth and well blended. Stir in powdered sugar, and continue beating until smooth. Add vanilla and maple syrup, and stir to combine. You can either use as is and frost cupcakes, or heat up in microwave for 30 seconds to make a runny icing that can be drizzled over the top. |
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