These have been a big hit this month. I am posting this especially for my Aunt Stephanie.
Cream Cheese Roll-ups
Prep:
1 onion into slivers
2 bell peppers into thin slivers
(optional sweet add-in) Smallest Can Crushed Pineapple well drained or mince the sliced ones yourself (easier to drain)
On Medium-High Heat:
2 tbsp canola oil
2 tbsp olive oil
After oil is hot, salt onions and throw them in oil. Stir occasionally, letting onions cook for 3 or 4 minutes before adding bell peppers. Let onions and bell peppers cook together for another 4 or 5 minutes, stirring every minute or so.
In a bowl:
Stir warm peppers and onions mix into 8oz of cream cheese
Squirt about a tablespoon (or more) of Siracha Chinese Chili Sauce into mixture
Spread into tortillas, roll into pinwheels, slice and serve.
Monday, December 26, 2011
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
This One's For Kaite: Fancy Rice Pilaf
It has been way too long since I posted, but I love this blog. I think of it as a life-long pursuit. KMS asked for the recipe to this little (or huge) dish, it was a hit at a recent Charlotte Street sponsored performance by the Black House Improviser's Collective where both of our fabulous men performed.
If you are hungry and in a hurry, ditch the technique and just go for the fastest way you can get it done. It's gonna be good no matter what. I am converting this recipe from a huge improve batch, 44 0Z cup of rice (thank you QuikTrip for 44 oz ice teas) and 88 oz of water. This is my best guess about how that converts to something reasonable for a family dinner...
2 tbs vegetable oil
2 tbs olive oil
1 medium red onion
1 medium sweet yellow onion
1 tbs iodized salt
-Dice onions into medium/small size. (the smaller the faster they will cook)
-Sprinkle salt over onions and toss around with your hands
-Heat Oil on medium high heat in 3 quart saucepan. (You are looking for the oil to start rippling. Test with a few onion pieces to make sure they really sizzle when you throw them in.
-add onions slowly, think of them as six small portions. Throw in first portion waiting until all the water has sizzled out of the most recent batch and they have begun to show a bit of browning. Scoot the cooking onions to the side, let your oil collect and heat up for about 30 more seconds, throw in an additional batch and repeat the process. Should take about ten minutes. When you are done, some of your onions will be tiny and caramelized, others will still be a bit crunchy and the red ones will still have some color.
3 cloves fresh garlic
2 cups dry rice (I used Egyptian Rice from the Al Habashi Mart in River Market)
-scoot all of your onions over, let the oil collect up and heat up for about 30 seconds,
-throw in pressed or minced garlic.
-after 45 seconds or if it starts to brown at all, mix in with onions
-throw in the dry rice.
Scrape as many onions and garlic bits off the bottom and let the rice soak up some of the oil and get a bit toasted. Maybe 90 seconds of constant stirring.
4 cups water
pinch sea salt
-add water, scrape anything sticky off the bottom, bring water to a boil, turn down to bare simmer, cover pot and cook to specifications for your chosen rice.
1/3 cup Pecans
1/4 cup Cashews
1/4 cup Hazelnuts
1/4 cup pistachio meat
Pinch sea salt
1 tbs dark brown Sugar
1 tbs butter or olive oil
-Toast nuts in broiler. This takes about 3 minutes, DON'T WALK AWAY, open oven every 45 seconds or less. Stir around so that the sugar and salt will candy the nuts a bit.
-Let the nuts cool for about 5 or 10 minutes
-Mortar and Pestle the nuts, crushing some and leaving other bits to be large
1/2 cup zante currants (tiny dark colored raisins; Al Habashi or the midtown Marsh's Sunfresh both carry them)
-Throw in the zante currants on top of the rice once it is fluffy but before it has finished cooking. This steams and plumps up the currants.
-Once Rice is finished, mix in the nuts, add salt and/or olive oil to taste
and....
YUM!
If you are hungry and in a hurry, ditch the technique and just go for the fastest way you can get it done. It's gonna be good no matter what. I am converting this recipe from a huge improve batch, 44 0Z cup of rice (thank you QuikTrip for 44 oz ice teas) and 88 oz of water. This is my best guess about how that converts to something reasonable for a family dinner...
2 tbs vegetable oil
2 tbs olive oil
1 medium red onion
1 medium sweet yellow onion
1 tbs iodized salt
-Dice onions into medium/small size. (the smaller the faster they will cook)
-Sprinkle salt over onions and toss around with your hands
-Heat Oil on medium high heat in 3 quart saucepan. (You are looking for the oil to start rippling. Test with a few onion pieces to make sure they really sizzle when you throw them in.
-add onions slowly, think of them as six small portions. Throw in first portion waiting until all the water has sizzled out of the most recent batch and they have begun to show a bit of browning. Scoot the cooking onions to the side, let your oil collect and heat up for about 30 more seconds, throw in an additional batch and repeat the process. Should take about ten minutes. When you are done, some of your onions will be tiny and caramelized, others will still be a bit crunchy and the red ones will still have some color.
3 cloves fresh garlic
2 cups dry rice (I used Egyptian Rice from the Al Habashi Mart in River Market)
-scoot all of your onions over, let the oil collect up and heat up for about 30 seconds,
-throw in pressed or minced garlic.
-after 45 seconds or if it starts to brown at all, mix in with onions
-throw in the dry rice.
Scrape as many onions and garlic bits off the bottom and let the rice soak up some of the oil and get a bit toasted. Maybe 90 seconds of constant stirring.
4 cups water
pinch sea salt
-add water, scrape anything sticky off the bottom, bring water to a boil, turn down to bare simmer, cover pot and cook to specifications for your chosen rice.
1/3 cup Pecans
1/4 cup Cashews
1/4 cup Hazelnuts
1/4 cup pistachio meat
Pinch sea salt
1 tbs dark brown Sugar
1 tbs butter or olive oil
-Toast nuts in broiler. This takes about 3 minutes, DON'T WALK AWAY, open oven every 45 seconds or less. Stir around so that the sugar and salt will candy the nuts a bit.
-Let the nuts cool for about 5 or 10 minutes
-Mortar and Pestle the nuts, crushing some and leaving other bits to be large
1/2 cup zante currants (tiny dark colored raisins; Al Habashi or the midtown Marsh's Sunfresh both carry them)
-Throw in the zante currants on top of the rice once it is fluffy but before it has finished cooking. This steams and plumps up the currants.
-Once Rice is finished, mix in the nuts, add salt and/or olive oil to taste
and....
YUM!
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Fish and Chard
Mollie Katzen's Rainbow Chard
The above NPR link is a favorite recipe at our house, and since I grow chard in the garden, we have lots of opportunities to eat it every summer.
Last Night I combined this recipe with my own fish and tomato dish, and a match made in heaven created a lovely new edition to the world....
2 Thick Frozen Fish Fillets (Tilapia, Mahi Mahi, Salmon or probably many others)
2 tbs olive oil
Slivered Onions
Salt and Pepper to Preference
-Put fish in pan
-top with onions and oil
- for 1/2 an hour on low heat in the oven, maybe turn over once.
-Turn oven up to 400 degrees. Wait about 5 minutes to let it heat.
Let the onions start to sizzle in oil.
1 or 2 lemons, 1/3 cup fresh juice
-Pour Juice over sizzling onions and oil, let some lemon evaporate cook for another 15 minutes.
High Quality Tomatoes, a generous portion of fresh chunks (see my slide show pictures for size idea)
-Exactly when you are pulling the fish out, and while the liquid is still boiling hot, toss in the tomatoes and stir around in hot oil.
Let cool for for a couple of minutes, serve over greens (chard or other favorites) or along side potatoes.
This fish soaks up so much lemon, oil and onion juice that you can over cook it and its still good. But I make no claim to be good at cooking meat or fish. I like everything well done.
For me, fish is flaky, burgers are gray in the middle, and pork is NEVER pink.
The above NPR link is a favorite recipe at our house, and since I grow chard in the garden, we have lots of opportunities to eat it every summer.
Last Night I combined this recipe with my own fish and tomato dish, and a match made in heaven created a lovely new edition to the world....
2 Thick Frozen Fish Fillets (Tilapia, Mahi Mahi, Salmon or probably many others)
2 tbs olive oil
Slivered Onions
Salt and Pepper to Preference
-Put fish in pan
-top with onions and oil
- for 1/2 an hour on low heat in the oven, maybe turn over once.
-Turn oven up to 400 degrees. Wait about 5 minutes to let it heat.
Let the onions start to sizzle in oil.
1 or 2 lemons, 1/3 cup fresh juice
-Pour Juice over sizzling onions and oil, let some lemon evaporate cook for another 15 minutes.
High Quality Tomatoes, a generous portion of fresh chunks (see my slide show pictures for size idea)
-Exactly when you are pulling the fish out, and while the liquid is still boiling hot, toss in the tomatoes and stir around in hot oil.
Let cool for for a couple of minutes, serve over greens (chard or other favorites) or along side potatoes.
This fish soaks up so much lemon, oil and onion juice that you can over cook it and its still good. But I make no claim to be good at cooking meat or fish. I like everything well done.
For me, fish is flaky, burgers are gray in the middle, and pork is NEVER pink.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Cold Berry Pie
Well, this pie is just awesome, but I have no idea about measurements. I make it different every time. So use your judgement and personal tastes.
Cook and Cool your Pie Crust.
(I've used several different ones, from a grahm cracker crust, to home made spelt crust, or yesterday I used a pilsbury rollout and bake one)
So Lets Say:
2 cups fresh berries, or 1 1/2 cup frozen berries for filling "gel"
Boil this down in a saucepan with a squeeze of lemon and a couple tablespoons of sugar (to taste) cornstarch will make it even more jelly like.
Then, 3 cups of fresh berries and/or cherries.
Mix berries and jelly stuff in a large bowl and stir around while jelly is still quite warm but not right off the burner.
Pour mixture in pie crust and chill in frige for a few hours or freezer for about an hour.
My friend Jesse asked for this as a birthday dish, it was a hit!
Cook and Cool your Pie Crust.
(I've used several different ones, from a grahm cracker crust, to home made spelt crust, or yesterday I used a pilsbury rollout and bake one)
So Lets Say:
2 cups fresh berries, or 1 1/2 cup frozen berries for filling "gel"
Boil this down in a saucepan with a squeeze of lemon and a couple tablespoons of sugar (to taste) cornstarch will make it even more jelly like.
Then, 3 cups of fresh berries and/or cherries.
Mix berries and jelly stuff in a large bowl and stir around while jelly is still quite warm but not right off the burner.
Pour mixture in pie crust and chill in frige for a few hours or freezer for about an hour.
My friend Jesse asked for this as a birthday dish, it was a hit!
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Improv Crepes
Last night I baked some salmon, then I raided the fridge/freezer for a way to serve it.
Here is the random list of things I had in the freezer...
Mushrooms
Artichokes
Onion
Italian Cheeze (romano)
Basil
Jelly
Honey
Pepper Sauce
Vinegar.
I layered some crepes in the bottom of the pan, then filled it with salmon and artichokes.
I sauteed mushrooms in olive oil, made a rue with flour, stirred in 1/2 and 1/2 until I had a veggie gravy, added some dry basil, then melted a bit of the hard italian cheeze for a sauce.
I poured this sauce over the first layer of crepes, salmon, and artichokes.
I made a second layer of crepes and topped it with Brie Cheese and the following sauce mixture:
2 parts Jelly (I had pomegranite, raspberry, and blueberry jelly on hand)
1 part honey
1/4 part chili sauce
1/4 part cider vinegar
Then I melted the brie under the broiler, and... Amazing improv dinner from random groceries I had on hand.
Here is the random list of things I had in the freezer...
Mushrooms
Artichokes
Onion
Italian Cheeze (romano)
Basil
Jelly
Honey
Pepper Sauce
Vinegar.
I layered some crepes in the bottom of the pan, then filled it with salmon and artichokes.
I sauteed mushrooms in olive oil, made a rue with flour, stirred in 1/2 and 1/2 until I had a veggie gravy, added some dry basil, then melted a bit of the hard italian cheeze for a sauce.
I poured this sauce over the first layer of crepes, salmon, and artichokes.
I made a second layer of crepes and topped it with Brie Cheese and the following sauce mixture:
2 parts Jelly (I had pomegranite, raspberry, and blueberry jelly on hand)
1 part honey
1/4 part chili sauce
1/4 part cider vinegar
Then I melted the brie under the broiler, and... Amazing improv dinner from random groceries I had on hand.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Crepe Tower
I started making crepes a couple of months ago. Jessica, a coworker, had mentioned a new creperie in town and after looking at their menu online... I was inspired to get going in my kitchen. I stuck to desserts on the first few rounds. (Thanks Jessica)
On Friday, the office finally took a trip over to Chez Elle, so I got to see all kinds of crepes, and their special crepe griddle, which made me a bit jealous, not gonna lie. I was out hunting for ideas.
On Saturday night, Sabrina and Natasha came over for dinner, and I decided to do a crepe tower... a layered crepe lasagna sort of dish.
I used Julia Child's Bechamel Cheese sauce recipe with eggs as a guideline for mine. (No, this is not another Julia Child blog, it just doesn't make sense to consult anyone else on french cooking)
So for the Bechamel,
I combined the Flour with Mexican Crema and blended it with my immersion blender to get out all the lumps (a whisk will do) I added the butter and continued to break up the lumps with the immersion blender until the mix was simmering. Then I added a whisked bowl of 1 egg and 2 egg yolks. Finally, I melted shredded mozzarella and added nutmeg, pepper and chili sauce. The Mexican Crema and Mozzarella cheese were my own substitutions for milk and swiss cheese.
To make the tower I started layering crepes with bechamel and a topping as if I was stacking 15 skinny pizzas together. There were:
(all layers had a thin spread of bechamel sauce)
2 carmelized onion layers
2 sauteed mushrooms and wilted spinach layers
2 sauteed artichoke layers
1 roasted asparagus layer
1 pesto layer
2 layers: 1/2 chicken and 1/2 salmon
l layer of Brie Cheese (to hold the salmon/chicken in place on top)
I baked the tower in the oven for about 20 minutes, topped with the leftover bechamel and some fresh tomatoes for garnish.
This is an extremely rich dish. But lovely.
For Dessert:
I made the italian canolli filling (ricotta chees mixed with chocolate shavings, almonds and agave syrup)
We had one canolli crepe and 1 Nutella filled crepe with candied pecans. The dish was topped with blackberries and shared by all 4 guests.
We spent about 40$ for 4 single crepes at Chez Elle on Friday. I fed 4 people for 40$. But I have leftover.
8 or 10 servings of artichokes (costo marinated bulk buy)
9 organic eggs (costco bulk buy)
Most of the rest of a Nutella Jar (costco bulk buy)
2/3 flat of bulk baby bella mushrooms (costco bulk buy)
5 or 6 servings of tomatoes (costco bulk buy)
1/3 bunch of asparagus
Nealy 1 pound of Brie Cheese
9 Organic Free Range Chicken Breasts
Plus nearly 1/2 of the tower. We had some for lunch and will have more with dinner tonight. I refreshed the leftovers by drizzling Meican Crema and pesto over the top.
On Friday, the office finally took a trip over to Chez Elle, so I got to see all kinds of crepes, and their special crepe griddle, which made me a bit jealous, not gonna lie. I was out hunting for ideas.
On Saturday night, Sabrina and Natasha came over for dinner, and I decided to do a crepe tower... a layered crepe lasagna sort of dish.
I used Julia Child's Bechamel Cheese sauce recipe with eggs as a guideline for mine. (No, this is not another Julia Child blog, it just doesn't make sense to consult anyone else on french cooking)
So for the Bechamel,
I combined the Flour with Mexican Crema and blended it with my immersion blender to get out all the lumps (a whisk will do) I added the butter and continued to break up the lumps with the immersion blender until the mix was simmering. Then I added a whisked bowl of 1 egg and 2 egg yolks. Finally, I melted shredded mozzarella and added nutmeg, pepper and chili sauce. The Mexican Crema and Mozzarella cheese were my own substitutions for milk and swiss cheese.
To make the tower I started layering crepes with bechamel and a topping as if I was stacking 15 skinny pizzas together. There were:
(all layers had a thin spread of bechamel sauce)
2 carmelized onion layers
2 sauteed mushrooms and wilted spinach layers
2 sauteed artichoke layers
1 roasted asparagus layer
1 pesto layer
2 layers: 1/2 chicken and 1/2 salmon
l layer of Brie Cheese (to hold the salmon/chicken in place on top)
I baked the tower in the oven for about 20 minutes, topped with the leftover bechamel and some fresh tomatoes for garnish.
This is an extremely rich dish. But lovely.
For Dessert:
I made the italian canolli filling (ricotta chees mixed with chocolate shavings, almonds and agave syrup)
We had one canolli crepe and 1 Nutella filled crepe with candied pecans. The dish was topped with blackberries and shared by all 4 guests.
We spent about 40$ for 4 single crepes at Chez Elle on Friday. I fed 4 people for 40$. But I have leftover.
8 or 10 servings of artichokes (costo marinated bulk buy)
9 organic eggs (costco bulk buy)
Most of the rest of a Nutella Jar (costco bulk buy)
2/3 flat of bulk baby bella mushrooms (costco bulk buy)
5 or 6 servings of tomatoes (costco bulk buy)
1/3 bunch of asparagus
Nealy 1 pound of Brie Cheese
9 Organic Free Range Chicken Breasts
Plus nearly 1/2 of the tower. We had some for lunch and will have more with dinner tonight. I refreshed the leftovers by drizzling Meican Crema and pesto over the top.
Swiss Chard
Cheap and easy to grow in your spring garden!
Mollie Katzen's recipe from her book "Vegetable's I Can't Live Without" is amazing, I clearly remember the afternoon over 2 years ago when I heard her describe this recipe on NPR. Russell and I were driving to the farmers market. I bought Chard that day, and have made this recipe over and over again since that time. When ingredients vary, I sometimes add blue cheese, feta cheese, or goat cheese. And walnuts and candied pecans made a nice variation to the pine nuts.
I met a foodie out last night while watching a friends band. "Hi Angela"
I am posting this blog for her... and the link to the original NPR story which I often look up and forward or print for people.
Mollie's Rainbow Chard Decorated with itself and other recipes. I have used and adapted this the Brussels Sprouts recipe also.
Mollie Katzen's recipe from her book "Vegetable's I Can't Live Without" is amazing, I clearly remember the afternoon over 2 years ago when I heard her describe this recipe on NPR. Russell and I were driving to the farmers market. I bought Chard that day, and have made this recipe over and over again since that time. When ingredients vary, I sometimes add blue cheese, feta cheese, or goat cheese. And walnuts and candied pecans made a nice variation to the pine nuts.
I met a foodie out last night while watching a friends band. "Hi Angela"
I am posting this blog for her... and the link to the original NPR story which I often look up and forward or print for people.
Mollie's Rainbow Chard Decorated with itself and other recipes. I have used and adapted this the Brussels Sprouts recipe also.
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