I love making pancakes in the morning with my family. On Saturday mornings, I feel like I'm deep in the woods in a log cabin when I'm mixing the batter. I found a recipe in the most recent Bon Appetit magazine for Blackberry Farm's famous Griddle Cakes. They were a perfect fit coming from the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee to the first real spring day in Northwest Wisconsin.
I didn't have all of the ingredients on hand, so I substituted the called-for buckwheat flour with regular white flour. It probably would have been worth the trip to the grocery store. Without the buckwheat, the pancakes took on more of cornbread taste than what I had imagined. They were still very good, however, buckwheat is a crucial ingredient.
Of course, I used a cast-iron skillet which made the process somewhat lengthy.
Ingredients:
1 large egg
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 cup oat flour
2/3 cup yellow cornmeal
1/3 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup white flour (this where buckwheat belongs...)
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
Vegetable oil (for skillet)
Friday, April 26, 2013
Friday, November 16, 2012
Salsa Time
I quickly put together a few varieties of salsa because we had some friends over. It was the perfect treat to set out on the center island in the kitchen. We enjoyed each others company while munching on chips and salsa. Having three choices of salsa kept everyone busy going from one to the other. The bright colors not only made for a delightful looking centerpiece, it was as all very delectable, too.
Sweet Mango Salsa
8 tomatoes
1 green pepper
1/4 red onion
4 oz olives
1 mango
1 bunch green olives
2 cloves garlic
cilantro
salt
sugar
olive oil
* everything chopped into small cubes
Mild Salsa
8 tomatoes
1/2 green pepper
5 mini sweet peppers (from a bag)
3 oz tomato paste
1 clove garlic
cilantro
salt
garlic salt
olive oil
* all ingredients in food processor
Black Bean and Corn
5 oz frozen corn
1 can black beans (rinsed)
1/4 red onion
3 mini sweet peppers (from a bag)
cilantro
salt
olive oil
Sweet Mango Salsa
8 tomatoes
1 green pepper
1/4 red onion
4 oz olives
1 mango
1 bunch green olives
2 cloves garlic
cilantro
salt
sugar
olive oil
* everything chopped into small cubes
Mild Salsa
8 tomatoes
1/2 green pepper
5 mini sweet peppers (from a bag)
3 oz tomato paste
1 clove garlic
cilantro
salt
garlic salt
olive oil
* all ingredients in food processor
Black Bean and Corn
5 oz frozen corn
1 can black beans (rinsed)
1/4 red onion
3 mini sweet peppers (from a bag)
cilantro
salt
olive oil
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Sunday Soup Day: Chicken, acorn squash and salsa verde chili
Yesterday was the Autumn Equinox, which means it is officially fall. Fall is strewed with change. The weather, scenery and food come full circle at the end of September each year.
This week, Sunday Soup Day featured the first batch of chili this season. I don't make traditional chili. I experiment with ingredients and seldom repeat recipes. In fact, I don't like following recipes on Sundays. I imagined a healthier, whiter chili than what my dad eats at deer camp. I thought of chicken, squash and random vegetables and salsa verde (green salsa).
The end result was unequivocally the best chili I've ever had. Liz agreed. Because fall is change, I am now going to be repeating and following this recipe on future Sundays.
Here it is:
3 chicken breasts (cooked in olive oil separately)
1 yellow onion
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
3 cloves garlic
1 large can of diced tomatoes
1 jar of salsa verde (Guy Fieri brand)
1 can Cannelini beans/white beans
1 can chili bean in mild sauce
1 medium-sized acorn squash
chili powder
chopped cilantro
topped with cheese - a lot of cheese
This week, Sunday Soup Day featured the first batch of chili this season. I don't make traditional chili. I experiment with ingredients and seldom repeat recipes. In fact, I don't like following recipes on Sundays. I imagined a healthier, whiter chili than what my dad eats at deer camp. I thought of chicken, squash and random vegetables and salsa verde (green salsa).
The end result was unequivocally the best chili I've ever had. Liz agreed. Because fall is change, I am now going to be repeating and following this recipe on future Sundays.
Here it is:
3 chicken breasts (cooked in olive oil separately)
1 yellow onion
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
3 cloves garlic
1 large can of diced tomatoes
1 jar of salsa verde (Guy Fieri brand)
1 can Cannelini beans/white beans
1 can chili bean in mild sauce
1 medium-sized acorn squash
chili powder
chopped cilantro
topped with cheese - a lot of cheese
Friday, October 14, 2011
Turkey and Quinoa Meatloaf
I have a cute little chime that rings on my Blackberry each time I get a new e-mail. I'm captivated by the sound. Sometimes it's a parent inquiring about Victory, an update on a blog that I follow, online account statements, unimpressive coupons and sale offers, a random piece of spam from someone in my contacts who had their account hacked, etc. I also receive an e-mail each weekday from AllRecipes.com. I usually delete them immediately because I have a long list of recipes to make on my wish list. Turkey and quinoa meatloaf caught my attention, though.
I read a few of the reviews and went for it. I added chopped green peppers and a little bit of cinnamon. The quinoa works very well as a replacement for bread and gives it a nice texture. Plus, it's a superfood.
This particular recipe made the meatloaf a little spicy. It definitely had a "kick," but it seemed like it was needed to add the necessary flavor. Ground turkey and quinoa both tend to be on the flavorless side. Combined with these ingredients, though, made for a fantastic meatloaf. All of this came from that simple little chime.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup quinoa
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 large clove garlic, chopped
1 (20 ounce) package ground turkey
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon Jalapeno pepper hot sauce (Trader Joe's brand)
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon water
Directions:
Bring the quinoa and water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender, and the water has been absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion and green pepper; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute; remove from heat to cool.
Stir the turkey, cooked quinoa, onions, green pepper, tomato paste, hot sauce, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire, egg, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until well combined. The mixture will be very moist. Shape into a loaf on a foil lined baking sheet. Combine the brown sugar, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire, and 1 teaspoon water in a small bowl. Rub the paste over the top of the meatloaf.
Bake in the preheated oven until no longer pink in the center, about 50 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 160 degrees F(70 degrees C). Let the meatloaf cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Directions from:
Turkey and Quinoa Meatloaf Recipe from AllRecipes.com
I read a few of the reviews and went for it. I added chopped green peppers and a little bit of cinnamon. The quinoa works very well as a replacement for bread and gives it a nice texture. Plus, it's a superfood.
This particular recipe made the meatloaf a little spicy. It definitely had a "kick," but it seemed like it was needed to add the necessary flavor. Ground turkey and quinoa both tend to be on the flavorless side. Combined with these ingredients, though, made for a fantastic meatloaf. All of this came from that simple little chime.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup quinoa
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 large clove garlic, chopped
1 (20 ounce) package ground turkey
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon Jalapeno pepper hot sauce (Trader Joe's brand)
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon water
Directions:
Bring the quinoa and water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender, and the water has been absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion and green pepper; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute; remove from heat to cool.
Stir the turkey, cooked quinoa, onions, green pepper, tomato paste, hot sauce, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire, egg, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until well combined. The mixture will be very moist. Shape into a loaf on a foil lined baking sheet. Combine the brown sugar, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire, and 1 teaspoon water in a small bowl. Rub the paste over the top of the meatloaf.
Bake in the preheated oven until no longer pink in the center, about 50 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 160 degrees F(70 degrees C). Let the meatloaf cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Directions from:
Turkey and Quinoa Meatloaf Recipe from AllRecipes.com
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Chobani yogurt pancakes
I usually purchase the large container of vanilla flavored Chobani Greek yogurt because we go through it so quickly. As I was scooping some out the other day, I noticed a recipe on the side for Chobani yogurt pancakes. Since I make pancakes a fairly regularly my kids, I thought it was the perfect recipe to try.
I followed the ingredients list very carefully because I couldn't quite grasp what yogurt would do to pancake batter. It was thicker and much stickier than I'm used to. I added close to an extra 1/4 cup of milk because I didn't trust that pancakes would cook through entirely. In the end, I don't think it made much difference.
We ate them with maple syrup, but I kept envisioning the berry syrup on the table at Perkins. I think fruit would go very well these pancakes, whether if it was syrup, jam or fresh strawberries. Fruit will definitely be in the plan next time. Regardless, these pancakes were simply fantastic.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups (12 oz) Vanilla 0% Chobani Greek Yogurt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
Combine dry ingredients. Whisk wet ingredients, pour into dry mixture, and stir just until combined. Over medium-high heat scoop 1/4 cup batter onto skillet per pancake. Flip when bubbles appear. Cook until golden brown.
I followed the ingredients list very carefully because I couldn't quite grasp what yogurt would do to pancake batter. It was thicker and much stickier than I'm used to. I added close to an extra 1/4 cup of milk because I didn't trust that pancakes would cook through entirely. In the end, I don't think it made much difference.
We ate them with maple syrup, but I kept envisioning the berry syrup on the table at Perkins. I think fruit would go very well these pancakes, whether if it was syrup, jam or fresh strawberries. Fruit will definitely be in the plan next time. Regardless, these pancakes were simply fantastic.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups (12 oz) Vanilla 0% Chobani Greek Yogurt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
Combine dry ingredients. Whisk wet ingredients, pour into dry mixture, and stir just until combined. Over medium-high heat scoop 1/4 cup batter onto skillet per pancake. Flip when bubbles appear. Cook until golden brown.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Sunday Soup Day: Pumpkin Turkey Chili, v2.0
This is the first repeat recipe that I've featured on this blog. It's that good. Any time people talk about chili, inevitably, I end up raving about my pumpkin turkey chili. I made it a handful of times last year and will probably make it a few times this fall.
I LOVE making soup. There's something about it that brings me peace and comfort. I get very focused when I'm in my kitchen. Chili is a little different, though. It allows for me to be less focused because, basically, I just put all of the ingredients in the pot, make sure the meat is cooked then eat it. In this particular chili, the pumpkin replaces the tomato paste usually used to make chili. It's the same consistency, but I think it's much better tasting and suitable for October.
I highly recommend this recipe, as I always do on this blog. It's a great potluck choice because it will create a buzz among the guests. It's also extremely tasty and good for you. I likely wouldn't post it if it wasn't.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 chopped onion
1 chopped green bell pepper
1 chopped red bell pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 pound ground turkey
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 can pumpkin puree
1 can Cannelinni beans
1 can kidney beans
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and other seasoning to taste
I LOVE making soup. There's something about it that brings me peace and comfort. I get very focused when I'm in my kitchen. Chili is a little different, though. It allows for me to be less focused because, basically, I just put all of the ingredients in the pot, make sure the meat is cooked then eat it. In this particular chili, the pumpkin replaces the tomato paste usually used to make chili. It's the same consistency, but I think it's much better tasting and suitable for October.
I highly recommend this recipe, as I always do on this blog. It's a great potluck choice because it will create a buzz among the guests. It's also extremely tasty and good for you. I likely wouldn't post it if it wasn't.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 chopped onion
1 chopped green bell pepper
1 chopped red bell pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 pound ground turkey
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 can pumpkin puree
1 can Cannelinni beans
1 can kidney beans
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and other seasoning to taste
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Sunday Soup Day: Vegetable and Wild Rice with White Beans
Our day was jam packed with activity from the moment the sun came up. So, needless to say, I was strapped for time on the preparation of my soup. In fact, I didn't even know what I was going to make until half time of the Packers game, which meant getting groceries was out of the picture.
We had onions, carrots and green peppers, so I sauteed them in my lovely Dutch oven with olive oil. I poured water into the pot so it covered the vegetables and added cooked wild rice. I had to add a little more water because the rice was going absorb some of it. I also had a can of Cannelinni beans (white beans), so I added the entire can for a little extra protein.
Everything turned out very well. The wild rice was a very good addition, as were the beans, because they gave the soup substance and provided extra color and texture. I used many of the seasonings that I usually do, so it had a familiar taste, but it was better than normal because very little was expected from it. I'm getting pretty good at this. ;)
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 green pepper
1 onion
4 oz carrots
6-10 oz water
2 cups cooked wild rice
1 can Cannelinni beans (rinsed)
Seasoning to taste
We had onions, carrots and green peppers, so I sauteed them in my lovely Dutch oven with olive oil. I poured water into the pot so it covered the vegetables and added cooked wild rice. I had to add a little more water because the rice was going absorb some of it. I also had a can of Cannelinni beans (white beans), so I added the entire can for a little extra protein.
Everything turned out very well. The wild rice was a very good addition, as were the beans, because they gave the soup substance and provided extra color and texture. I used many of the seasonings that I usually do, so it had a familiar taste, but it was better than normal because very little was expected from it. I'm getting pretty good at this. ;)
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 green pepper
1 onion
4 oz carrots
6-10 oz water
2 cups cooked wild rice
1 can Cannelinni beans (rinsed)
Seasoning to taste
Friday, September 30, 2011
Shrimp and Garbanzo Beans with Tomatoes and Pesto
It's already been a few days since I made this, but it's important that I share it with everyone. For "refrigerator clean out" day I threw together a keeper. We had a bag of frozen shrimp in the freezer so I let my imagination wander and came away with a simple and fantastic meal that is probably closest to the Italian dish Gamberi con Ceci e Pomodorini Secchi al Profumo. I know you're thinking I sound like a legitimate chef after name dropping that one, but I looked up shrimp and garbanzo beans recipes to see if what I did had ever been done before and of course my Italian ancestors apparently have.
I sauteed onion and garlic and added the shrimp. After 5-10 minutes, I set this aside and sauteed diced tomatoes (in a can). I wasn't very excited about the tomato juice that was in the can so I rinsed them in a strainer. I added a small amount of garlic and basil seasoning to the tomatoes and then set them aside, too. Finally, I sauteed the chickpeas in olive oil. Since it was refrigerator clean out, I pulled out a jar of pesto and added two large spoonfuls to the chickpeas. Once the pesto was fully incorporated, I added the garlic shrimp and tomatoes and mixed them together.
We couldn't believe how well this turned out. I kind of looked like a genius putting this one together on short notice and using only the things we had in the kitchen. I'm planning on making this the next time we have visitors. It can be a main or side dish. I would imagine more vegetables could be added, however, there was something about the simplicity that made it as good as it was.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
1 16 oz bag of frozen shrimp (cooked)
1 8 oz can of diced tomatoes in juice (rinsed)
1 8 oz can of garbanzo beans/chick peas (rinsed)
2 "spoonfuls" of pesto
seasoning to taste
I sauteed onion and garlic and added the shrimp. After 5-10 minutes, I set this aside and sauteed diced tomatoes (in a can). I wasn't very excited about the tomato juice that was in the can so I rinsed them in a strainer. I added a small amount of garlic and basil seasoning to the tomatoes and then set them aside, too. Finally, I sauteed the chickpeas in olive oil. Since it was refrigerator clean out, I pulled out a jar of pesto and added two large spoonfuls to the chickpeas. Once the pesto was fully incorporated, I added the garlic shrimp and tomatoes and mixed them together.
We couldn't believe how well this turned out. I kind of looked like a genius putting this one together on short notice and using only the things we had in the kitchen. I'm planning on making this the next time we have visitors. It can be a main or side dish. I would imagine more vegetables could be added, however, there was something about the simplicity that made it as good as it was.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
1 16 oz bag of frozen shrimp (cooked)
1 8 oz can of diced tomatoes in juice (rinsed)
1 8 oz can of garbanzo beans/chick peas (rinsed)
2 "spoonfuls" of pesto
seasoning to taste
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Sunday Soup Day: Edamame and Sauteed Vegetable
Welcome back! It's been way too long since I've written about the things that have happened in my kitchen. It took until the 3rd week of the NFL season before I was able to get back to what we love most about Sundays: soup.
To start the Sunday Soup Day season, I chose to be creative and made an edamame and sauteed vegetable soup topped with Parmesan cheese and freshly baked bread. It was a splendid choice for today and it set a very high standard for the soups that will follow.
To start, I cooked some vegetables in olive oil using my Dutch oven. Oh, I've missed using my Dutch oven. After the vegetables were cooked, I strained, put on the cutting board and finely chopped them. I combined 9 cups of vegetable broth and the chopped vegetables and brought the soup to a boil before taking it off the burner and letting it cool so I could puree it in the blender.
I put the base back into the Dutch oven (which was a great soup by itself). I added pasta rings and the edamame and cooked it until the pasta was soft. Of course, I topped each bowl with Parmesan cheese, which happened to be a key component to the finished product. The fresh bread helped, too.
On Friday, I decided I was going to go with edamame soup. I visualized something light green (like split pea). I even thought about trying to include coconut milk, but ended up going in an entirely different direction. When the tomatoes were cooking, I was a little scared because it was clearly not going to be green. The pureed mixture was close to orange, but the edamame was perfect despite the color. I really enjoyed this soup and I'm excited to try a few other things with edamame in the near future.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 28-oz can of diced tomatoes (drained)
1 large onion
3 oz carrot
2 garlic cloves, chopped
4 oz baby bella mushrooms, chopped
9 cups vegetable broth (Trader Joe's organic)
4 large fresh Italian parsley sprigs
6 oz pasta rings
3 cups frozen edamame
seasoning to taste
fresh grated Parmesan chesse
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Spring vegetable minestrone
It's been way too long since I've posted on Kevin Eats. I've made some wonderful meals and created some great new recipes over the past few months, I promise. My latest soup - spring vegetable minestrone - has motivated me to write another entry. I hope this re-ignites my desire to share what is happening in our kitchen more often.
I've made a lot of different soups and I'm very proud of my Italian heritage, so I'm kind of surprised that I had never tackled minestrone before today. To be honest, I usually choose "the other" soup on the menu when minestrone is offered which is why I'm very pleased with the one I made. It was extraordinary.
As always, I used my Dutch oven and sauteed onions and garlic with extra virgin olive oil. I added paprika (the key to the minestrone flavor), salt and pepper. Once the onions were translucent, I incorporated tomato paste followed by beef broth. While the soup was cooking, I diced a yellow squash, sugar snap peas, spinach, tomatoes and added it to the soup with a can of cannellini beans. I also used a lot of garlic and basil seasoning.
I constantly tasted the soup as it was cooking and added seasoning until it was just right. When served, it was topped with grated Parmesan cheese. Simply. Wonderful.
Ingredients:
1 onion
3 cloves garlic
4 tsp paprika
1 can tomato paste
1 box Trader Joe's Organic Beef Broth
1 yellow squash
4 oz. sugar snap peas, trimmed
1 tomato
2 oz. spinach
1 can Progresso cannellini beans
salt, pepper, garlic and basil seasoning to taste
I've made a lot of different soups and I'm very proud of my Italian heritage, so I'm kind of surprised that I had never tackled minestrone before today. To be honest, I usually choose "the other" soup on the menu when minestrone is offered which is why I'm very pleased with the one I made. It was extraordinary.
As always, I used my Dutch oven and sauteed onions and garlic with extra virgin olive oil. I added paprika (the key to the minestrone flavor), salt and pepper. Once the onions were translucent, I incorporated tomato paste followed by beef broth. While the soup was cooking, I diced a yellow squash, sugar snap peas, spinach, tomatoes and added it to the soup with a can of cannellini beans. I also used a lot of garlic and basil seasoning.
I constantly tasted the soup as it was cooking and added seasoning until it was just right. When served, it was topped with grated Parmesan cheese. Simply. Wonderful.
Ingredients:
1 onion
3 cloves garlic
4 tsp paprika
1 can tomato paste
1 box Trader Joe's Organic Beef Broth
1 yellow squash
4 oz. sugar snap peas, trimmed
1 tomato
2 oz. spinach
1 can Progresso cannellini beans
salt, pepper, garlic and basil seasoning to taste
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Butternut squash ravioli with sage brown butter sauce
One of the most memorable Italian dishes I've ever had was at my favorite Italian restaurant, Tucci Bennuch in the Mall of America. I had sweet potato gnocchi with a butternut squash sauce. It was amazing. I loved the sweet squash taste with pasta and "Italian flavor." I've contemplated making something similar many times (I actually made a great sweet potato pasta sauce once, yum).
I bought butternut squash ravioli at Trader Joe's and tried to think about what would accompany it best. I decided that it needed to be in the spirit of November, so I combined butter, toasted walnuts, dried cranberries and sage into a newly created sauce that was extremely rich is flavor. It was a perfect match and had a nice feel of fall with the natural sweetness of squash.
We decided that this is something that we'll have again and would love to make in the future with friends for a nice dinner.
Sauce (measurements are approximate, I didn't actually measure the ingredients):
1 stick butter
1 tablespoon sage leaves
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup toasted walnuts
1/4 cup dried cranberries
salt and ground pepper to taste
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Sunday Soup Day: Pumpkin turkey chili
Happy Halloween! Halloween is an exciting day because we get to eat so many sweet treats, but we rarely speak of Halloween "meals." I believe this day has the potential to be a wonderful family fun day because of the dressing up and trick-or-treating together. So, why not enjoy a great family meal together, too? This is one (of many) of my ideas on how to change the culture for this festive day. From this point forward, we're going to enjoy a great family meal together on Halloween.
I suspect these meals that I'll be making on Halloween each year will have a Halloween theme. They should. I associate pumpkins with Halloween more than anything else, so it's fitting that I would make something with pumpkin. Being that it's also Sunday Soup Day, how about pumpkin turkey chili?
I think chili is very straight forward and fairly easy to make. It's not sophisticated, that's for sure. Meat, tomatoes and beans is all that's required and people add seasoning to make it distinctive. I added onion, green pepper, red pepper, ground turkey (healthy alternative to ground beef) and threw in some white beans alongside the kidney beans. For this particular chili, the pumpkin was the special ingredient.
The taste was spectacular. I'll be honest, though, I didn't taste the pumpkin as much as I was hoping. It's probably better that way since that pumpkin flavor isn't for everyone. It had just a "hint" of pumpkin that gave it a very curious taste. I was very pleased with how it turned out. Try it.
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 chopped onion
1 chopped green bell pepper
1 chopped red bell pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 pound ground turkey
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 can pumpkin puree
1 can Cannelinni beans
1 can kidney beans
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 dash salt
I suspect these meals that I'll be making on Halloween each year will have a Halloween theme. They should. I associate pumpkins with Halloween more than anything else, so it's fitting that I would make something with pumpkin. Being that it's also Sunday Soup Day, how about pumpkin turkey chili?
I think chili is very straight forward and fairly easy to make. It's not sophisticated, that's for sure. Meat, tomatoes and beans is all that's required and people add seasoning to make it distinctive. I added onion, green pepper, red pepper, ground turkey (healthy alternative to ground beef) and threw in some white beans alongside the kidney beans. For this particular chili, the pumpkin was the special ingredient.
The taste was spectacular. I'll be honest, though, I didn't taste the pumpkin as much as I was hoping. It's probably better that way since that pumpkin flavor isn't for everyone. It had just a "hint" of pumpkin that gave it a very curious taste. I was very pleased with how it turned out. Try it.
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 chopped onion
1 chopped green bell pepper
1 chopped red bell pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 pound ground turkey
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 can pumpkin puree
1 can Cannelinni beans
1 can kidney beans
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 dash salt
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Pumpkin Pancakes
Ahh, the power of pumpkin. If you think pumpkins are just for carving, then you're missing out, and there's much more to pumpkin than pie. This year, there is shortage of canned pumpkin, so get it while you can (especially if you're planning on making a pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving) and make these simple and sensationally seasonal pumpkins. Pumpkin is loaded with fiber and vitamin A (immunity-booster).
Combine all of the ingredients and below, cook on a griddle and enjoy with pure maple syrup. Everyone will love them.
Ingredients:
2 cups of dry pancake mix (I used Sturdiwheat original pancake mix)
3 Tbsp dark-brown sugar
2 1/2 tsp pumpkin-pie spice
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup canned pure pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 Tbsp vegetable oil, plus more for the griddle
Pure maple syrup
More pumpkin recipes to come in the next few weeks, especially soup!
Friday, October 22, 2010
Citrus sweet potato mash
Liz and I were watching Rachel Ray on Monday and she was making a very fun and unique sweet potato dish that I had to try. Unfortunately, it didn't turn out for us as well as it did for Rachel. If I make some adjustments in the future, I'm sure it will be great.
The idea was as simple as could be. Cook some sweet potatoes, add lemon zest and the juice of one lemon, add some honey and salt and mash it together. In fact, it was so simple, it took less time to make than traditional sweet potato mash with all of the milk and/or cream. However, I only used two sweet potatoes with one lemon and that was way too much citrus for our taste.
Lucky for me, the rack of ribs was done to perfection and melted off the bone and our steamed vegetables still had some crunch (I often over-steam them and they become too soft), so we still had some great food. I need to look at the Rachel Ray website so I have the right potato-to-citrus ratio. I know it will be wonderful if I get the ingredients right because even though the lemon took over this time, there was a hint of greatness with the honey.
The idea was as simple as could be. Cook some sweet potatoes, add lemon zest and the juice of one lemon, add some honey and salt and mash it together. In fact, it was so simple, it took less time to make than traditional sweet potato mash with all of the milk and/or cream. However, I only used two sweet potatoes with one lemon and that was way too much citrus for our taste.
Lucky for me, the rack of ribs was done to perfection and melted off the bone and our steamed vegetables still had some crunch (I often over-steam them and they become too soft), so we still had some great food. I need to look at the Rachel Ray website so I have the right potato-to-citrus ratio. I know it will be wonderful if I get the ingredients right because even though the lemon took over this time, there was a hint of greatness with the honey.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Sunday Soup Day: Peanut Chicken Stew
I think I decided that I'm most interested in creating soups with an ethnic flair. Don't get me wrong, the chicken noodle soup that I made last time was out of this world, but I'm most comfortable experimenting with new flavors.
This week I used an idea from allrecipes.com and made my own version of African chicken stew. It included a variety of African spices (cummin, coriander, etc.), chicken, sweet potatoes, beans, veggies and peanut butter. That's right, peanut butter.
Here's how it went: I cooked the chicken (breast and thigh meat) in my Dutch oven first then removed it and sauteed the vegetables with spices. Then I added chicken broth, garbanzo beans, diced tomatoes and more spices before finally putting the chicken back in the pot and adding the peanut butter.
There was so much flavor in this soup I still can't describe it accurately. The spices gave it a non-American taste with a little kick. I'm sure my dad wouldn't like it. The combination of breast and thigh meat made for a hint of a gamey taste, which I like because you can tell it's homemade. The peanut butter reminded me of a Thai dish, but combined with everything it made for a unique dish that I'm almost certain you'd find in a small village in West Africa.
I make enough soup each Sunday for 10+ people because we always have visitors, but this weekend it was just me. I'm not complaining because I've had a few extra bowls already this week and I'm still enjoying the superfluity of flavors.
If you're reading this blog, do yourself a favor and make this soup! I'd love to hear what you think about it.
Ingredients:
2 pounds of chicken, cut into 1" cubes (breast and thigh meat)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 onion
1 sweet potato
2 stalks celery
5 ounces carrots
2 cloves garlic
1 carton low sodium chicken broth
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can garbanzo beans
2 ounces chopped spinach
1 small bunch green onions
3/4 cup natural chunky peanut butter (I used Smucker's)
1 teaspoon ground cummin
1 teaspoon ground corriander
1 teaspoon ground pepper
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon African seasoning (I bought it at TJ Maxx...)
This week I used an idea from allrecipes.com and made my own version of African chicken stew. It included a variety of African spices (cummin, coriander, etc.), chicken, sweet potatoes, beans, veggies and peanut butter. That's right, peanut butter.
Here's how it went: I cooked the chicken (breast and thigh meat) in my Dutch oven first then removed it and sauteed the vegetables with spices. Then I added chicken broth, garbanzo beans, diced tomatoes and more spices before finally putting the chicken back in the pot and adding the peanut butter.
There was so much flavor in this soup I still can't describe it accurately. The spices gave it a non-American taste with a little kick. I'm sure my dad wouldn't like it. The combination of breast and thigh meat made for a hint of a gamey taste, which I like because you can tell it's homemade. The peanut butter reminded me of a Thai dish, but combined with everything it made for a unique dish that I'm almost certain you'd find in a small village in West Africa.
I make enough soup each Sunday for 10+ people because we always have visitors, but this weekend it was just me. I'm not complaining because I've had a few extra bowls already this week and I'm still enjoying the superfluity of flavors.
If you're reading this blog, do yourself a favor and make this soup! I'd love to hear what you think about it.
Ingredients:
2 pounds of chicken, cut into 1" cubes (breast and thigh meat)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 onion
1 sweet potato
2 stalks celery
5 ounces carrots
2 cloves garlic
1 carton low sodium chicken broth
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can garbanzo beans
2 ounces chopped spinach
1 small bunch green onions
3/4 cup natural chunky peanut butter (I used Smucker's)
1 teaspoon ground cummin
1 teaspoon ground corriander
1 teaspoon ground pepper
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon African seasoning (I bought it at TJ Maxx...)
Friday, October 8, 2010
Sunday Soup Day: Chicken Noodle
Last weekend I went the easy route - chicken noodle soup. I've had my fair share of chicken noodle soup in my life. I remember my first experience was when I was very young and my mom made condensed off-brand chicken noodle soup with the tiny chicken chunks and thin, rubbery noodles. It was basically a bowl of msg. When I was in college, I graduated to the Campbell's Chunky Chicken Noodle which had "real" vegetables. Then, after meeting Liz, she told me that the Progresso Chicken Noodle soup was actually better for me. Not only was it better for me, it tasted better, too. My taste for chicken noodle soup has evolved since I was young, so it probably comes as no surprise that I would put some thought and effort into making a chicken noodle soup that went to a whole new level.
Through my obsession with making soup over the past two years, I haven't made chicken noodle all too often. To be honest, I've always thought it was "too simple" for what I have aimed for. Plus, I have difficulty finding noodles that work the way I want them to without becoming soggy and over cooked. I had a couple of ideas that I knew would make it worth my time now, though.
I sauteed onion, carrots, celery, green pepper and garlic in extra virgin olive oil until the onions were translucent. The carrots, celery and pepper still had some crunch to them. I cut the vegetables into large pieces because I wanted it to be very "hearty." After about 10-15 minutes of cooking the veggies, I added a store-bought container of chicken stock and a carton of chicken broth (I buy the Trader Joe's chicken broth because it is msg-free) and let the soup cook on low for a while. I once read that you shouldn't let your soup boil because it loses a lot of the nutrients.
The two most important ingredients were next. The noodles that I chose were Kluski Home Style Noodles (made by an Amish family). I was determined not to overcook them. The idea that I had for the chicken was to purchase a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, take off the skin and put all of the meat in the soup. It was the best idea.
The chicken had it's own salty flavor to it while the soup had a peppery taste (from the fresh ground pepper). The vegetables still had crunch to them and tasted like real vegetables. The noodles were done to perfection and somehow tied all the flavors together. I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't tell you that this was the best chicken noodle soup that I ever had. It was so easy to prepare and the end result was outstanding. I'm definitely not above making chicken noodle soup in the future.
Through my obsession with making soup over the past two years, I haven't made chicken noodle all too often. To be honest, I've always thought it was "too simple" for what I have aimed for. Plus, I have difficulty finding noodles that work the way I want them to without becoming soggy and over cooked. I had a couple of ideas that I knew would make it worth my time now, though.
I sauteed onion, carrots, celery, green pepper and garlic in extra virgin olive oil until the onions were translucent. The carrots, celery and pepper still had some crunch to them. I cut the vegetables into large pieces because I wanted it to be very "hearty." After about 10-15 minutes of cooking the veggies, I added a store-bought container of chicken stock and a carton of chicken broth (I buy the Trader Joe's chicken broth because it is msg-free) and let the soup cook on low for a while. I once read that you shouldn't let your soup boil because it loses a lot of the nutrients.
The two most important ingredients were next. The noodles that I chose were Kluski Home Style Noodles (made by an Amish family). I was determined not to overcook them. The idea that I had for the chicken was to purchase a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, take off the skin and put all of the meat in the soup. It was the best idea.
The chicken had it's own salty flavor to it while the soup had a peppery taste (from the fresh ground pepper). The vegetables still had crunch to them and tasted like real vegetables. The noodles were done to perfection and somehow tied all the flavors together. I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't tell you that this was the best chicken noodle soup that I ever had. It was so easy to prepare and the end result was outstanding. I'm definitely not above making chicken noodle soup in the future.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Sunday Soup Day: Bunny Chow
Well, it's officially here. It's now football season and that means Sunday Soup Day is back! I've been anticipating a slight drop in temperature that would demand warm soup on lazy weekends. We got it this weekend and I took an adventurous route and created a fantastic soup that is new to our family: Bunny Chow.
Bunny Chow is a traditional curry dish that originated in Durban, South Africa in the 1940's. Legend says that the curry dishes were created for individuals outside of a famous vegetarian restaurant. The owner scooped his curry dish into hollowed-out pieced of bread, covered it with the remaining bread and wrapped it up. Because of the caste system, certain people groups were forbidden to eat with others, but the owner sent the chow to the "outsiders." It became popular and versions of the original Bunny Chow can be found at specialty restaurants all over the world. The word bunny is thought to have originated from the Sanskrit word Banijy (or Bania caste - an occupational title describing business people and traders).
I was watching the Food Network a few weeks ago and saw a version of Bunny Chow that reviewers raved about. It looked really good on screen so I took special note of it and quickly wrote down what I thought I saw inside and set out create my own version.
I knew that I wanted to include the following ingredients: chick peas/garbanzo beans, red peppers, green peppers, onions, ginger, curry, cream, tomatoes, coconut and cashews. I peeked at a few recipes online and realized I needed to add a jalapeno pepper, too. Then I stuck with what I saw on tv and went at it with no plan or recipe.
I sauteed the vegetables in some butter and added the curry and fresh ginger before adding chicken broth and half-and-half. I also added the coconut and cashews after the broth. Then, I added the beans and tomatoes. I used one of each of the vegetables mentioned and two cans of beans. I also threw in more seasoning before letting the soup simmer for about 15-20 minutes that included salt, garlic, corriander, fenugreek, black pepper and cumin.
It turned out so well I wish I had a clear recipe so I can make it again and help others make make it, too. It was an original and the Panera bread bowls added to the perfection. I think the spices may have been a little too much for my taste if the sourdough bread wasn't there to offset them. We sat with friends and ate the soup for almost an hour and we couldn't say enough good things about the food.
Bunny Chow is a traditional curry dish that originated in Durban, South Africa in the 1940's. Legend says that the curry dishes were created for individuals outside of a famous vegetarian restaurant. The owner scooped his curry dish into hollowed-out pieced of bread, covered it with the remaining bread and wrapped it up. Because of the caste system, certain people groups were forbidden to eat with others, but the owner sent the chow to the "outsiders." It became popular and versions of the original Bunny Chow can be found at specialty restaurants all over the world. The word bunny is thought to have originated from the Sanskrit word Banijy (or Bania caste - an occupational title describing business people and traders).
I was watching the Food Network a few weeks ago and saw a version of Bunny Chow that reviewers raved about. It looked really good on screen so I took special note of it and quickly wrote down what I thought I saw inside and set out create my own version.
I knew that I wanted to include the following ingredients: chick peas/garbanzo beans, red peppers, green peppers, onions, ginger, curry, cream, tomatoes, coconut and cashews. I peeked at a few recipes online and realized I needed to add a jalapeno pepper, too. Then I stuck with what I saw on tv and went at it with no plan or recipe.
I sauteed the vegetables in some butter and added the curry and fresh ginger before adding chicken broth and half-and-half. I also added the coconut and cashews after the broth. Then, I added the beans and tomatoes. I used one of each of the vegetables mentioned and two cans of beans. I also threw in more seasoning before letting the soup simmer for about 15-20 minutes that included salt, garlic, corriander, fenugreek, black pepper and cumin.
It turned out so well I wish I had a clear recipe so I can make it again and help others make make it, too. It was an original and the Panera bread bowls added to the perfection. I think the spices may have been a little too much for my taste if the sourdough bread wasn't there to offset them. We sat with friends and ate the soup for almost an hour and we couldn't say enough good things about the food.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Cinnamon French Toast
We've had a string of very hot days followed by two days of rain and this morning was the first "brisk" morning of the year. It's the first day of September and this month symbolizes a lot of firsts. The first day of school, the first football game (at all levels) and the first practice at Victory. It was also the first cool, lazy morning that required some quality home cooking. It also became Isaiah's first French Toast experience...and it won't be his last.
I anticipated a French Toast morning last night, so I bought some fresh made cinnamon bread from the bakery. I like an unsliced loaf of bread so I can determine how thick each piece will be.
I thought I would give Isaiah a real French Toast experience by breaking out the cast iron skillet. I coated the pan with butter and evenly spread the bread, soaked in batter, across the cooking surface. The smell of butter frying bread on an iron skillet is quite possibly my favorite aroma on Earth. It had our entire house smelling like a greasy spoon cafe.
The batter was very simple. I used four eggs, milk, a dash of salt and vanilla. We've been privy to using cage free organic eggs lately. It even allowed us to eat our eggs during the recent recall. I don't know if it's all in my head, but these eggs taste so fresh. They're definitely worth the extra dollar.
The French Toast was spectacular and we had a wonderful time eating breakfast as a small family. We even danced a little. Isaiah out-ate his mom, again. He loves breakfast, meaning I will be making a lot of French Toast for many years to come. I'm certainly not complaining.
I anticipated a French Toast morning last night, so I bought some fresh made cinnamon bread from the bakery. I like an unsliced loaf of bread so I can determine how thick each piece will be.
I thought I would give Isaiah a real French Toast experience by breaking out the cast iron skillet. I coated the pan with butter and evenly spread the bread, soaked in batter, across the cooking surface. The smell of butter frying bread on an iron skillet is quite possibly my favorite aroma on Earth. It had our entire house smelling like a greasy spoon cafe.
The batter was very simple. I used four eggs, milk, a dash of salt and vanilla. We've been privy to using cage free organic eggs lately. It even allowed us to eat our eggs during the recent recall. I don't know if it's all in my head, but these eggs taste so fresh. They're definitely worth the extra dollar.
The French Toast was spectacular and we had a wonderful time eating breakfast as a small family. We even danced a little. Isaiah out-ate his mom, again. He loves breakfast, meaning I will be making a lot of French Toast for many years to come. I'm certainly not complaining.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Spaghetti squash
I was watching the Today Show a few days ago and the health food expert that was demonstrating how to prepare healthy alternative meals talked about spaghetti squash. She said that you can eat it just like regular spaghetti with pasta sauce, butter or anything else over the top that you'd like. After she said it was fun for kids to eat, I knew I had to try it because I'm a kid-at-heart.
Liz was excited because she said she had heard people at work talking about spaghetti squash. She didn't know what it meant and admittedly had never heard of spaghetti squash. We eat butternut and acorn squash regularly, especially in the fall, but neither of us had ever had spaghetti squash. That night, I went to the grocery store and purchased a spaghetti squash. I cooked it tonight and we had it for dinner.
There are two ways to prepare it. You can place it in some water and broil it for about 20 minutes or microwave it for about 10 minutes. I chose to microwave it. It looked like any other squash when I took it out of the microwave until I started scrapping it out with a fork. I couldn't believe it...it looked just like spaghetti! Whoever named it didn't need much creativity.
We tried some of it with pasta sauce and some with buttered rice. It worked great with the rice. I've made squash risotto many times, so I new the combination of rice and butter would be money, but the marinara didn't work very well.
It was definitely fun, but Isaiah wasn't interested in it at all. Left alone, it was very bland and had far less flavor than butternut or acorn squash. It didn't bother me, though. I thought it was a lot of fun and will make it again.
Liz was excited because she said she had heard people at work talking about spaghetti squash. She didn't know what it meant and admittedly had never heard of spaghetti squash. We eat butternut and acorn squash regularly, especially in the fall, but neither of us had ever had spaghetti squash. That night, I went to the grocery store and purchased a spaghetti squash. I cooked it tonight and we had it for dinner.
There are two ways to prepare it. You can place it in some water and broil it for about 20 minutes or microwave it for about 10 minutes. I chose to microwave it. It looked like any other squash when I took it out of the microwave until I started scrapping it out with a fork. I couldn't believe it...it looked just like spaghetti! Whoever named it didn't need much creativity.
We tried some of it with pasta sauce and some with buttered rice. It worked great with the rice. I've made squash risotto many times, so I new the combination of rice and butter would be money, but the marinara didn't work very well.
It was definitely fun, but Isaiah wasn't interested in it at all. Left alone, it was very bland and had far less flavor than butternut or acorn squash. It didn't bother me, though. I thought it was a lot of fun and will make it again.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Lack of posts...
I'm making my second consecutive post apologizing for my lack of posts. I don't anticipate that I'm making my "followers" angry because those that do follow this blog understand that my summer months are quite different than those in the fall and winter in my world. Add to that the addition of another little Black a month ago and it goes without saying that experimenting in the kitchen has not been high on my priority list.
With that said, I'm starting to look forward to the change in the season soon. When the school year starts, so does my activity at work (Victory) and the weather begins to change. There is something about a brisk morning that gets me excited for cooking. Hot summer days almost do the opposite. I have created a few new recipes this summer, but we've eaten a lot of fresh vegetables (thanks to the Farmer's Market) and fruit plus done our fair share of grilling. We've also eaten a lot of pizza.
The one recipe that I recall from this summer that will be a mainstay in summers to come is a creative new cucumber salad. I made it once when Liz's parents were here and it was a hit. A few days later I made it for a picnic at my sister's house. It was a hit again. It contains cucumbers, garbanzo beans, tomatoes, minced onions and garlic with red wine vinager and olive oil and an abundance of fresh dill and grated peppercorns. I was "shooting from the hip," so I don't have an exact recipe for you, but throw it all in a bowl and try for yourself. It's a combination of ingredients that can't go wrong.
Oh yeah, another good one that I put together was edamame hummus. Yum.
With that said, I'm starting to look forward to the change in the season soon. When the school year starts, so does my activity at work (Victory) and the weather begins to change. There is something about a brisk morning that gets me excited for cooking. Hot summer days almost do the opposite. I have created a few new recipes this summer, but we've eaten a lot of fresh vegetables (thanks to the Farmer's Market) and fruit plus done our fair share of grilling. We've also eaten a lot of pizza.
The one recipe that I recall from this summer that will be a mainstay in summers to come is a creative new cucumber salad. I made it once when Liz's parents were here and it was a hit. A few days later I made it for a picnic at my sister's house. It was a hit again. It contains cucumbers, garbanzo beans, tomatoes, minced onions and garlic with red wine vinager and olive oil and an abundance of fresh dill and grated peppercorns. I was "shooting from the hip," so I don't have an exact recipe for you, but throw it all in a bowl and try for yourself. It's a combination of ingredients that can't go wrong.
Oh yeah, another good one that I put together was edamame hummus. Yum.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
