Coming Soon

Thanksgiving came and went.  Holiday fellowships on the weekend have begun.  Busy nights filled with dance practice, holiday concerts, and other events have led to quick meals like pasta and chicken tenders. Needless to say, most of my "real" cooking has been geared toward these types of events.  However, I have finally perfected my granola recipe.  I have also developed a killer dip recipe.  Both will be posted shortly. 

Come back soon.

Variations on the BLT

First things first.  I've decided to stop saying,"first I, then I, after that I..." as part of the recipe steps.  I think it sounds boring.  Instead, I am going to number the recipe steps like a regular cookbook.  I hope it's easier reading for you.

Now let's move on to tasty things.  I came up with these two sandwiches from two totally different sources.  The first began with a riff on a sandwich I had on a trip to New York two years ago.  I had gone to Miro Cafe, near the corner of Broadway and Broome in SoHo.  Let me say the menu is full of all sorts of goodies, and I had a hard time choosing.  I finally settled on the #12, a veggie sandwich comprised of grilled eggplant, fresh mozzarella, tomato, basil leaves, and a vinaigrette on a flatbread.  Delicious (and it wouldn't make me sleepy during my afternoon conference meetings!).

Last week while planning meals, I was trying to decide what to do with the veggies I had purchased from the farmer's market. I had already used some of them for side dishes and all, but I wasn't sure of how to use the rest.  Then the Miro sandwich came to mind.  I decided to roast the veggies in the oven to create a version of the sandwich.  I also had some bacon that needed to be used up, so why not? 

Roasted Veggie BLT
(Makes about 6 sandwiches)

You will need:

1/2 large carrot

1/2 large zucchini

1 beefsteak or slicing tomato

1 small onion

1 small roasting potato

1/2 a package of bacon

1 garlic clove, grated
1/2 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Cheese (your choosing, sliced)
Bread

Procedure:
1. Place the bacon on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 until desired crispness.  While the bacon is cooking, slice the veggies.  (I used a mandolin to make this go much quicker.  You can probably use a food processor, too.)  I layered the tomatoes and zucchini between paper towels to soak up some of the liquid so they would roast better.

 

2. Take the bacon out of the oven and drain on paper towels.  Place the veggies on baking sheets.  (Put the thicker veggies on one sheet since they will take a bit longer to cook.  I put the carrots, potatoes, and onions on one sheet; tomatoes and zucchini on the other.)  Combine 1/2 cup of olive oil and the grated garlic; brush the veggies.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper before putting in the oven.  Bake about 20 minutes or until the veggies start to dry out and brown on the edges.

 

 

3. In the last few minutes of cooking, toast the bread for the sandwiches.  After taking the veggies out of the oven, layer them on the toasted bread.  Top with the bacon, sliced cheese, lettuce, and the condiment of your choice.

 

 

For the second version of the BLT, I was trying to think of a different way to have breakfast for dinner (my children's favorite).  I decided to add an egg to the sandwich instead of the roasted veggies.  You can scramble or fry your egg; we cook ours sort of like an omelet. 

 

 

 

Good for breakfast. Or lunch. Or dinner. Or a midnight snack. Your choice.  Enjoy! 

Meatballs and Sauce

Two days ago I decided to make meatballs, much to my son's delight.  (He is a huge fan of meatballs on any given day, and this was just icing for him!)  I also decided to make the pasta sauce, as I had a recipe rolling around in my head for several days.  Below you will find the results.

Meatballs
I made these first because they took longer to cook.  Here is what I used:

 

In the bowl:



3 pounds ground beef, 85/15 mix
1 cup bread crumbs
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 small onion, grated
2 cloves garlic, grated
2 eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

I combined all of the ingredients in a large bowl until everything was incorporated.  (Take care not to overwork the meat during this process.) 

Seeing as this is my son's favorite, he learned how to beat an egg and roll meatballs.  My daughter took over the task of scooping out the meat with a small ice-cream scoop.  After scooping and rolling, we ended up with about six dozen meatballs; so many that we had to put them into two pans.

I baked these in the oven at 350 degrees for about half an hour.  While they were baking, I began the pasta sauce. 

Pasta sauce
Here is what I used:

What I used:

Olive oil
1/2 small onion, grated (I used the other half of the onion used to make the meatballs.)
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes (I had pear tomatoes in my pantry; you can use any whole tomato.)
1 28-ounce can tomato puree
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
3 tablespoons sugar
Salt and pepper to taste*
* I generally don't use much salt in my cooking, so adjust to your taste.

I sauteed the onion in olive oil, then added in the garlic and red pepper flakes.  When the onions were translucent and the garlic tender, I added in the tomato puree and whole tomatoes.  Then I used a potato masher to break the tomatoes down for a chunky sauce.  I then added the Italian seasoning, sugar, salt, and pepper. 

I vented the lid of the pot, turned the heat to low, and let the sauce simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring every few minutes to prevent burning.

Once the half hour for the meatballs was up, I put them in the sauce and allowed the sauce to continue simmering an additional 15 minutes, stirring frequently.  (Be careful when stirring the sauce, so you don't break up the meatballs.)

While the meatballs and sauce were simmering, I boiled penne pasta.  When the pasta was al dente, I drained it and prepared the bowls.

Dinner was tasty.  My son had seconds. :)

Falafel

Sorry for the delay; I was under the weather for a few days and made some simpler meals (frozen chicken tenders, anyone?).  Then Sandy appeared and I was in "cook ahead in case of a power outage" mode (granola and stuff that wouldn't need to be heated).  We did lose power, but it came back on several hours later.  After that our water smelled a little funny for a few days, so we used the water I boiled pre-Sandy for food prep.  Now we're back on track.

A day or so before Sandy hit, I decided to try out a falafel recipe from one of my cookbooks, The Essential Mediterranean Cookbook, published by Bay Books.  I'm not sure if the book is in print anymore, as I've had it for a few years.  It's simply a compilation of food from the Mediterranean region of the world: France, Spain, Greece, Italy, Northern Africa, Turkey, and the Middle East.  This recipe came from the Middle East section.

I gathered the ingredients, with the exception of the broad beans the recipe called for; I substituted white beans because I don't know where I can find broad beans in my neck of the woods.  I haven't seen them anywhere.  I also added dill to the recipe because I was out of some of the other herbs.  It didn't really make a difference in flavor.  Here's the ingredient list:

1 cup each chickpeas and white beans, soaked overnight
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon each of dill and parsley

(The original said to add 3 tablespoons fresh coriander leaves, 2 teaspoons ground coriander, 3 additional garlic cloves, and 1/2 cup fresh parsley.  I didn't have the coriander or parsley, and thought the extra garlic would have been a bit much, so I adjusted.  I have also added a bit of lemon juice in previous test runs; it reacts with the baking soda to produce a lighter cake.)

In the food processor, I combined the beans, onion, and garlic until smooth.  Then I added the remaining ingredients until a thick paste formed.

I then shaped the mixture into patties.  First I scooped them out with a small ice-cream scoop, then formed them into patties much like you would a hamburger.  (Hint:  Use the scoop because it's important that the patties are about the same size so they cook evenly.  Wet your fingers before forming; the mixture is sticky and the water will keep it from sticking to your hands.)  As the patties were formed, I placed them on a cookie sheet.  Once all the patties were formed, I placed the sheet in the refrigerator for about half an hour to firm up.

While the patties were in the fridge, I prepared the other ingredients: sliced lettuce and tomatoes, crumbled feta cheese, caramelized onion (my addition), sour cream, and ranch dressing (my childrens' addition, as they don't like tzatziki sauce).  And the vehicle to carry all of these wonderful flavors?  Flour tortillas. ("Tortillas?!?" you ask.  Yup.  The first falafel I ever ate was at a Middle Eastern restaurant in Baltimore.  It was on a flour tortilla or something very similar.   I've also had falafel in pita pockets and on flatbread. Yummy no matter what they're in.)

When the half hour was up, I took the patties out of the fridge and began heating oil in a large sauce pot.  (I prefer high sides when frying foods; keeps the splatter down.)  When the oil was hot (test by dropping a bit of flour or a cube of bread into the oil and checking to see how quickly it fries), I fried the patties in batches until they were golden brown on all sides.  Then I drained them on paper towels set in a metal pan.  (I use metal to keep the food warm until the food is served.)

 
When all of the patties were finished, each sandwich was assembled with three falafel and the toppings of one's choosing.  I chose everything.

I wasn't sure how my children would take to this recipe because we've had some failures with boxed mixes in the past. (Trust me, don't buy them.  This is so much tastier.)  I'm happy to report that they both had seconds and my son called dibs on the leftovers for lunch the next day. 

For those of you who would like the tzatziki sauce recipe to go on your falafel, here it is, exactly as it appears in The Essential Mediterranean Cookbook:

2 Lebanese cucumbers
13 ounces Greek yogurt
4 cloves garlic, crushed
3 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
chopped fresh mint for garnish

1. Cut the cucumbers in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds with a teaspoon and discard.  Leave the skin on and coarsely grate the cucumber into a small colander.  Sprinkle with a little salt and leave to stand over a large bowl for 15 minutes to drain off any bitter juices.
2. Meanwhile, stir together the yogurt, garlic, mint, and lemon juice in a bowl.
3. Rinse the cucumber under cold water, then, taking small handfuls, squeeze out any excess moisture.  Combine the cucumber with the yogurt mixture and season to taste.  Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.  Garnish with mint.  Can be served as a dip with flatbread or as a sauce for seafood or meat.

Enjoy!

Zucchini and Potato Pancakes

So I finally used the zucchini I bought at the farmer's market.  I came across a recipe for zucchini pancakes in a book I found at the library last week.  The author, Joy Wilson, also has a food blog full of all kinds of yummy recipes.  Check it out.

For the pancakes, which sort of came out like hash browns, I needed zucchini, potatoes, onion, eggs, flour, salt, pepper, garlic, baking powder, and oil.

I grated the potato and zucchini in the food processor and placed the mixture in a strainer in the sink.  This way the liquids could drain out while I sauteed the onions and garlic in the olive oil.

After I sauteed the onion and garlic, I let them cool a bit while I pressed the extra liquid out of the zucchini and potatoes.  Once that was finished, I added the mixture to a large bowl, then added the remaining ingredients (flour, eggs, salt, pepper, baking soda, and onion mixture) and mixed until just incorporated. 

When everything was mixed, I added a combination of olive and vegetable oils to a frying pan and heated the oil.  Once the oil was ready, I scooped out the mixture using a tablespoon and added it to the oil.

 After a few minutes, I turned the cakes over to brown on the other side.

I drained the cakes on paper towels, then placed them in the oven in a 13 by 9 pan to keep them warm while I cooked the other batches.  When the last cake was finished, I served the cakes with a side salad and crusty rolls.  My children chose to put ketchup on their cakes; I ate mine with sour cream and Tabasco sauce.

My children have already asked me to make these again.  I'm thinking of adding a bit of shredded carrot and/or a grated sweet potato to the recipe.  We'll see. 

Overall, the cakes were a hit, with all 10 being eaten that night.  (I may have to double the recipe next time!)

Spinach and Cheese Casserole

Yesterday I made what I call a Spinach and Cheese Casserole.  It's sort of like a savory bread pudding.  As I've made it over the years, I've adjusted the original recipe and created several variations.  This is one of the variations.

I don't have a picture for the ingredients this time; it was one of those days I changed my mind in the middle of what I was planning.  Here is what you will need:

5-6 slices of bacon
1 bunch of spinach, washed and trimmed
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, grated
1 tablespoon olive oil (eyeball it)
1 loaf Italian bread
12 eggs, beaten
2 cups milk
2 cups shredded cheese (I used a mix of mozzarella and sharp cheddar because that's what was in my refrigerator; use what you like.)

First I put the bacon on a cookie sheet lined with foil and baked until crispy.  While that was happening, I chopped the onion and grated the garlic.  I also cut the bread into 1- to 2-inch cubes and set aside in a large bowl.

Once the bacon was done, I put several spoonfuls of the drippings into a pan along with the olive oil.  I sauteed the onions in the drippings and oil until translucent, then added the spinach and the garlic.  (In the past I've also added a pinch of red pepper flakes at this point, but not yesterday.)  Once the spinach was wilted and the garlic lightly browned, I turned off the heat and set the mixture aside to cool. (You don't want to add hot things to your eggs; they won't like it very much!)

In a medium bowl, I beat the eggs until blended and added the milk.  I then chopped the bacon to be added and measured out the cheese.

In the bowl with the bread, I added the spinach mixture, the bacon, the cheese, and the egg mixture.  I then mixed everything with a large spoon until the bread was coated.  (Don't worry if it looks a little runny; the bread will absorb the extra liquid as it cooks.)

I turned the mixture into a greased (with cooking spray) 13 x 9 baking dish, making sure the mixture was in a single layer.

 I baked the casserole for about 40 minutes at 350 degrees.  (Check for doneness as you would a cake.)

Once I took the casserole out of the oven, I allowed it to sit for 10 minutes before cutting.  I served it plain.  (Although I have served it with a side salad or steamed vegetables at times.)

Variations of this recipe include: cheese and onions, cheese and bacon, spinach and cheese, and cheese.  I have used different kinds of cheese as well: mild cheddar, sharp cheddar, mozzarella, and "mac 'n' cheese" mix. 

It's a simple recipe that's easy on your pocketbook and creates a lot of servings.  My family of four ate it last night and tonight, with seconds for everyone.

Try it out and let me know what you think!  

A Taste of Morocco

Yesterday I broke out the crock pot for my take on a Moroccan dish called Chicken Tagine with Apricots.  The original recipe calls for chicken breasts to be browned in a frying pan with spiced butter (made with cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, and cayenne) and onions.  Chicken stock is then added along with fresh apricots and honey.  The dish is covered and allowed to simmer until the liquid thickens.  When finished, portions are served over couscous and sprinkled with slivered almonds.

Sounds yummy, right?

My version uses most of the same ingredients, sans the butter. 

Chicken thighs, onion, garlic cloves, lemon, olive oil, honey, apricots, and garam masala.



I use a spice mix called garam masala.  It has cinnamon, black pepper, cloves, coriander, and some other spices in it.  Technically, it is an Indian spice mix, but it has many of the same spices as ras el hanout, which is a Moroccan spice blend.  Since I couldn't find ras el hanout at the grocery store, I bought the garam masala.

I prepared the chicken for the crock put by taking the skin off the chicken thighs.  Then I put them in a bowl and added olive oil, about a tablespoon of garam masala, a grated garlic clove, and the zest of half a lemon.  I mixed everything together and let it sit while I sliced the onions and the lemon.

Once I sliced the onions, I put them in the crock pot to cover the bottom.  Then I added the chicken, two smashed garlic cloves, and the lemon.

 

 After three hours on high, I added the dried apricots and about a cup of honey.

After another hour, I served each portion with a side of steamed rice. 

 



 

 A tasty dinner with leftovers for the next evening.