Southwest Skillet Ensemble

Last week I was having a hot, mental debate over whether to fix Heather Bakes, Mexican Quinoa Casserole or my trusty Cuban Black Beans & Quinoa for dinner. I'm not very good at decisions, so I decided to combine the two. The outcome? A-mazing!

Southwest Skillet Ensemble

3 - Cloves  Garlic

1 - Small Onion

1 - Green Bell Pepper

1 - Medium Zucchini

1 - Medium Yellow Squash

1/2 Teaspoon - Crushed Red Pepper

1 - Large Can of Diced Tomatoes

1 - Can of Black Beans

1 Cup - Quinoa

1 Cup - Water

1 Teaspoon - Cumin

1 Teaspoon - Oregano

Salt & Pepper to Taste

***Optional: 1 Cup - Shredded Cheese (of your choosing)

- Chop Veggies

- Sautee veggies in jumbo skillet 'til soft, and almost fully cooked

- Add Spices

- Add tomatoes, beans, quinoa, and water (don't drain the tomatoes and beans--you'll need the juices for the quinoa!)

- Stir to combine, and bring to a boil

- Reduce temperature to low/medium-low and cook for approximately 30minutes or 'til quinoa is fully cooked

***Optional: Top with shredded cheese and place in 350F oven for several minutes 'til cheese if melted and gooey.

Sweet Potato Fries & Avocado Reubens

Rational I am not, so it should really come as no surprise that I hate sweet potatoes, but I Love sweet potato fries (or SPFs if you will). Frozen ones are meh, some restaurant ones are OK, but homemade ones, dear readers, are the best you'll ever have. I think the biggest advantage to homemade SPFs is that you're totally in control--the sweet potato is your oyster, or let's say mussel, I don't like oysters either. Anyway, you can cut them to any thickness and you can make them sweet, savory, spicy, or all of the above! Below is how I made them last night, but like I said, feel free to change it up as your tastebuds see fit.

Sweet Potato Fries

3 - 5 Medium Sweet Potatoes

1/4 Cup - Canola Oil

1 Tablespoon - Sesame Oil

1 Tablespoon - Salt (I prefer Kosher or Sea)

1 Teaspoon - Garlic Powder

1 Teaspoon - Basil

1/4 Teaspoon - Cayenne Pepper

- Preheat oven to 400°F

- Wash SPs and butcher into whatever shapes you desire. You can peel them if you like, but I prefer to leave the skins on.

- Place SPs in gallon-sized ziploc bag, add oils & spices, seal bag, and shake 'til everything is thoroughly coated.

- Using a large slotted spoon, scoop SPs onto rimmed baking sheet and spread them around as much as possible.

- Bake for 30-40 minutes or until you've reached desired crispiness.

In my book, SPFs are the main course and anything else on the plate is a sideshow; however, these avocado reubens gave the SPFs a run for their money!

Avocado Reubens
Adapted from the Skinny Bitch in the Kitch, Reuben-esque

Rye Bread

Thousand Island (preferably homemade)

Avocado

Sauerkraut (fully drained)

Swiss Cheese

- Toast bread

- Place on baking sheet

- Slather one half with Thousand Island

- Lay several generous slices of avocado on "dressed" side of bread

- Mound the other slice of bread with kraut
- Top with one (or two, I won't judge) slice(s) of swiss cheese
- Place under broiler 'til cheese is fully melted
- Assemble sandwich and attempt to eat without making a giant mess--good luck!

Hachis Parmentier Végétarien

Hachis Parmentier Végétarien

(Blogger Fail: So, I actually wrote this post last week and thought I'd hit the publish button. Oops!)

As the temperature dropped well below freezing, comfort food was a must on Monday night's dinner menu. Then again, I also didn't want to venture out  to the grocery store. I surveyed my kitchen stock, and decided to peruse Dorie Greenspan's Around My French Table, to see what the French had in mind for a stick-to-your-ribs dish with relatively few ingredients. I'm a sucker for anything with a picture, and the photo of the Hachis Parmentier in the book almost made me forget just how frigid it was outside. Hmmmmm, but did I have the ingredients?

The original recipe called for braised beef and sausage, of which I had neither. The "bonne idée" note on the side, however, suggested using ground beef and sausage (of which I still had neither), but that got me thinking....I did have a couple of bags of soy crumbles in the freezer. I figured that by adding the right spices (Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme à la Scarborough Fair) I could mimic both the savory beef and spicy sausage flavors, and concoct a vegetarian version of this traditional French comfort food. So, does my picture above make you feel all warm and comforted?

Hachis Parmentier Végétarien

As Adapted from Dorie Greenspan's Around My French Table

3 - Cloves of Garlic (diced)
1 - Small Onion (diced)
2 - Bags of Soy Crumbles
1 Tablespoon - Parsley
1 Teaspoon - Sage
1 Teaspoon - Rosemary
1 Teaspoon - Thyme
1 Tablespoon - Tomato Paste
1 Cup - Vegetable Broth
*Salt and Pepper to Taste

2lbs - Potatoes
3/4 Cup - Milk
1/2 Cup Gruyère (grated)
2 Tablespoons - Parmesan or Asiago (grated)
1 Tablespoon - Butter (grated)

- Preheat oven to 400°F
- Sauté garlic and onions in a large skillet 'til onions become translucent.
- Add soy crumbles and spices to skillet, and cook 'til the crumbles are cooked.
- Stir in broth and tomato paste, and cook on medium 'til mixture thickens.
- Spoon "meat" mixture into a 9x13 casserole dish, cover, and set aside.

- Boil quartered potatoes (I leave the skins on) until you can poke them easily with a fork.
- When potatoes are cooked, add milk, and mash them using a potato masher, hand mixer, or immersion blender (my fave!).
- Spoon potatoes over meat mixture.
- Spread grated cheese over potatoes
- Top with shredded butter, and bake for 30minutes or 'til topping is golden brown.

Cuban Black Beans & Quinoa and Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes

Traditionally this dish is made with rice, but when I'm looking for that extra boost of protein I often substitute quinoa for rice. This recipe came from my friend Maren's in-laws, and I've probably made it at least once a month since her wedding 2 years ago.

Cuban Black Beans and Quinoa (or Rice)

1 - Medium Onion

1 - Green Bell Pepper
3 Cloves - Garlic
1 Can - Black Beans
1 Cup - Quinoa
2/3 Can - Water (you can add more or less water, depending on how juicy you like things)

- Finely chop onion, pepper, and garlic (I use my Tupperware Quick Chef which is the most amazing thing ever: I just throw veggies in and crank away!).

- Sauté vegetables in a medium skillet using several glugs of olive oil 'til onions are translucent.

- Add beans (juice included), quinoa, and water: stir to combine.

- Cover and simmer for approximately 30 minutes or until quinoa is fully cooked.

Since Tuesday was my Vegan Day for this week, I served the black beans & quinoa with some roasted cauliflower and  then I made these a-mazing cupcakes that I found via Tales from a Racey Kitchen for dessert. Below is the recipe for the cupcakes, adapted slightly from the original--this makes 1 dozen delicious cupcakes.

Red Velvet Vegan Cupcakes
Adapted from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World via Tales from a Racey Kitchen
1 1/4 Cup - Flour
1 Cup - Sugar
2 Tablespoons - Cocoa Powder
1/2 Teaspoon - Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon - Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon - Salt

1 Cup - Silk Vanilla Soy Milk
1/3 Cup - Canola Oil
2 Tablespoons - Red Food Coloring
2 1/2 Teaspoons - Vanilla Extract
1/2 Teaspoon - Almond Extract

- Sift together dry ingredients in medium mixing bowl.
- In another medium bowl, whisk together wet ingredients.
- Gently fold wet ingredients into dry, but be sure not to over stir!
- Grease a muffin tin (or use cupcake liners) and fill each one 2/3 full of batter.
- Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow them to cool completely before icing, but I won't judge you if you sample a plain one :)

For the icing I vegan-ized my grandmother's famous red velvet cake icing, and it actually turned out really well!

Nana's Red Velvet Cake Icing, Vegan-ized*
5 Tablespoons - Flour
1 Cup - Silk Vanilla Soy Milk
1 Cup - Sugar
1 Cup - Vegetable Shortening
1 Teaspoon - Vanilla Extract
1 Tablespoon - Lemon Juice (optional)

- In a double boiler cook the flour and milk (adding milk gradually), stirring constantly 'til mixture thickens.
- Set flour & milk mixture and side and let it cool.
- Beat Sugar, shortening, and vanilla in a medium mixing bowl until sugar fully dissolves.
- Beat in flour/milk mixture.
- Add in lemon juice if desired, and beat until you've reached your desired consistency.

*For the regular version just use regular milk instead of soy and butter in lieu of shortening.

Ramp Pesto with Whole Wheat Penne & Cherry Tomatoes

Ramps--one of West Virginia's greatest natural resources, or at least I think so. If you're not familiar with ramps, they're similar to a leek or scallion in both appearance and strength of taste; however, their flavor is so distinct that you'll never mistake a ramp for any other vegetable.

In recent years ramps have found their way into upscale restaurants, but long before that wee Richele was out in the woods digging ramps with the fam.That's right dear readers, true West Virginians don't buy ramps at a store, you go out in the woods (preferably near a "crick") and dig them up yourselves. 



Mom, Me, PopPop, and Granny

Pictured right you'll find me with my mother and grandparents (the former residents of Spring Maples) out on a dig. My mother informed me that I had nothing less than 3 pairs of shoes with me, so looks like that whole shoe addiction thing has been an issue for quite some time.



Anyway, ramps don't pop up 'til Spring, at which time I will post LOTS of ramp recipes. In the mean time, I was digging through my freezer and discovered some ramps that I blanched and froze last spring and forgot about 'til now. Ramps in January? Yes please!

I wasn't sure how the frozen ramps held up, so I decided to make a ramp pesto which was pretty amazing. I kept it simple and paired it with some whole wheat penne and sliced tomatoes. Select family members were a little weirded out by the initial color of the pesto, but once they tasted the final ensemble they shut up--mainly because they were stuffing their mouths full of pesto-coated penne.

 Ramp Pesto

3 Cups - Ramps

1/3 Cup - Soy Nuts

2/3 Cup - Asiago Cheese

2/3 -1 Cup - Olive Oil 

- Pulverize ramps, soy nuts, and cheese with an immersion blender or in a food processor or normal blender.

-Drizzle in olive oil while blending.

- Add salt and pepper to taste.

to make the rest of the dish....

-Halve a pint of cherry or grape tomatoes and sautee 'til slightly soft.

- Prepare pasta as directed.

- Combine pasta, pesto and tomatoes, and toss 'til pasta is thoroughly coated in pesto.

- Top with remaining shredded cheese.

As a bonus, here's another picture from my ramp-digging adventure :)



Wee Richele circa April 1984



Putting it to Pen: My 2011 Goals

Many people set resolutions, but I prefer to set goals. There are many things I hope to accomplish in 2011, but I will--come hell or high water--at minimum do the following:

1. Overhaul the Downstairs Bathroom: When I first moved into Spring Maples 2 years ago one of the first things I did was rip the ugly wall paper off the bathroom walls; however, that is where the bathroom remodeling ended. The downstairs bath isn't huge, and I already have some ideas in mind (which Garnet Hill seams to read, but that's OK because they're having a HUGE sale), but I'll post more on that once I commence renovating.

2. Go Vegan One Day Per Week: I'm doing this for two reasons--first, for health reasons (I am a cheese fiend and actually consume far too much) and second, to expand my cooking horizons. I love milk and cheese and butter, so don't worry, I'm not actually giving them up for good.

3. Run a 10K and Finish a 5K in Under 30min: I love running and can actually run decent distances, but boy am I slooooooow. I have a plan, though, really I do! I bought a digital watch with a timer, and I've started keeping a training log on RunnersWorld.com that's pretty nifty. I've also set some reward points  for myself (don't judge) i.e. if I run [insert number] miles in January, I can treat myself to a new piece of running gear from Lululemon. Hey, we all have our own motivators--most of mine involve shopping!

Throughout the year, I'll blog about my progress as I deem it relevant/interesting. For instance, today is my first Vegan day! So far, so good. I had some Silk soy milk with my espresso this morning, an apple & peanut butter for lunch, and I have a Larabar for a late afternoon snack. For dinner tonight I'm going to make my friend Katie's Amazing 7 Can Soup with just a few tweeks. This soup is delicious, filling, and it re-heats beautifully. Below is the recipe and how I've adjusted it to be Vegan-friendly.

Katie's Amazing 7 Can Soup

1LB - Ground Meat or Soy Crumbles (I didn't use either)
1 Package - Taco Mix
1 Package - Powdered Ranch Mix ( I also left this out and just added chili powder, cumin, garlic, and basil
1 Can - Rotel
1 Can - Corn
1 Can - Diced Tomatoes
3 Cans - Beans of Your Choosing (I used Kidney, Cannelini, and Pinto)
1 Can - Water

- If you're using some form of meat or soy crumbles, brown them in a large stock pot and when cooked sprinkle with seasoning packets.

- Dump in the rest of the ingredients.

- Bring to a slight boil, reduce to medium-low and cook for about 20 minutes or until thorougly heated.

- Top with crushed tortilla chips and shredded cheese if desired.

Masoor Dal aur Band Gobi aka Red Lentils with Cabbage

One of the things I miss about living D.C. is Rasika--my favoritest Indian restaurant ever. My options for Indian cuisine are rather limited here in Wild, Wonderful West Virginia, so I decided if I wanted Indian I was just going to have to cook it myself.

I picked up some lentils the last time I was at Martin's Farm Market, and I still had some cabbage and onions from Tudor Hall, so this recipe from Madhur Jaffrey via Smitten Kitchen seemed to fit the bill. I knew I was going to have to run to the store to fetch some spices and considered picking up some frozen Naan(let's be honest, what is an Indian meal sans Naan?!). Then, I thought about it some more and decided to attempt my baking my own from an About.com recipe. I made slight adaptations to both the Naan and the lentils, but these recipes really don't need any tweaking--they're amazingly delicious and I'm super excited about leftovers tonight!

Masoor Dal aur Band Gobi

1 1/4 Cup - Red Split Lentils (masoor dal), picked over, washed and drained

5 Cups - Water

1/2 Teaspoon - Turmeric

5 Tablespoons - Oil (olive, canola, or even butter will work)

3 Cloves - Garlic

1- Onion

1 - Small Head of Cabbage

1 - Large Can of Diced Tomato

*Salt and Pepper to Taste

- Put the lentils and water into a heavy pot and bring to a boil. Remove any scum that collects at the top.

- Add the turmeric and stir to mix.

- Cover, leaving the lid very slightly ajar, turn heat down to low, and simmer gently for 1 1/4 hours. Stir a few times during the last 30 minutes.

- When the lentils are about 15 minutes from being done, break out a jumbo skillet (I have a Pampered Chef monster) and slowly heat oil.

- Add minced garlic to oil, sautee for a few minutes, and then add sliced onion and shredded cabbage.

- Sautee the cabbage and onion mixture until cabbage and onions start to brown, sprinkle in cumin, salt, and pepper.

- Combine cooked lentils and cabbage mixture (I put everything in my jumbo skillet, but the original recipe recommends cooking everything in the lentil pan).

- Stir in diced tomato and cook on medium-low for several minutes to allow flavors to meld together.

Whole Wheat Naan

1 Packet - Yeast
2 Teaspoons - Sugar

3/4 Cup - Warm Water
2 Cups - Whole Wheat Flour
1 Teaspoon - Salt
1/4 Cup - Crisco

3 Tablespoons - Plain Yogurt

- In small bowl mix water, yeast, and sugar 'til sugar and yeast dissolve.

- Cover bowl with a towel and let rest for 10 minutes 'til foamy layer forms on top of mixture.

- In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour and salt. Add yeast water, yogurt, and Crisco and mix 'til combined (feel free to use your hands towards the end)

- Coat another medium bowl with oil, place dough in bowl and turn to evenly coat.

- Cover bowl with towel and allow to rise in a warm area for about 1 hour or until the dough has doubled.

- Preheat oven to 450°F

- Tear off golf ball-sized pieces of dough, place on pizza stone or stoneware baking sheet and use your fingers to stretch into desired shape. If you'd like sprinkle with garlic and parsley at this point.

- Adjust the oven rack to the 2nd from the top, and insert naan.

- Bake 13 minutes or until browned on top.

Stripetti Squash Gnocchi Skillet Ensemble

I consider myself a winter squash connoisseur of sorts, so when I first spotted Stripetti Squash at Orr's Farm Market, I knew I had to try it. The Stripetti was labeled as a sweet potato-spaghetti squash combo, so while intrigued, I had no clue what to expect texture-wise, which would obviously affect the preparation. After some googling, I gave up on Stripetti-specific recipes and decided to just try something new. I found several recipes for gnocchi made with Butternut squash, but I thought why not swap in Stripetti instead?

I ended up using this recipe from Active Life Cooking and the Stripetti was my one and only substitution. This was my first attempt at making gnocchi, and while it may not be the prettiest, it's the tastiest, or at least I think so. At first I was a little apprehensive about the Cannellini beans--I didn't really see what they'd offer the dish; however, I added them, and they are an absolute must!

Words of wisdom?

1. Good luck halving the Stripetti: I recommend a chainsaw.

2. If you don't have an immersion blender, add one to your Christmas list.

3. An average size Stripetti makes a TON of gnocchi. I filled 2 cookies sheets and still only used about 1/3 of the dough, so I froze the rest.

Below are pics from start to finish, but they really don't do the flavor of this dish justice. I know that it's time consuming and somewhat labor intensive, but trust me: it's worth the effort.

 Good luck saving room for dessert ;)