Waste Not

I cannot stand wasting food.  Maybe it was drilled into me at Sixth Grade Camp, where if we left even a scrap of edible food on our plates, points were deducted from our cabin (all the cabins were in competition, you see).  Maybe it's just something that got passed down to me from grandparents who were born into the Great Depression.  Either way, unless it is growing mold, or so past its expiration date that not even I can justify using it, I have a very hard time tossing food.

When I do finally toss it, I try to keep as much as possible out of the trash.  Our compost is full of inedible fruit and vegetable scraps, and the birds in the front yard have gotten an old potato and a quarter of a sliced apple that never got eaten.  Onion tops, carrot peelings and the tops of celery all become stock for soup.  But a new challenge has recently arisen:

Bread.

My boyfriend buys bread whenever he goes to the store.  He's decided he's not a big fan of sandwich bread (which keeps almost forever if you keep it in the fridge); he likes the artisan breads.  You know, the kind that go stale in two days.  The kind that you need to make into something, like sandwiches or croutons, before they become so hard they'd smash your bones if they fell on your foot.

So, I've been making lots of sandwiches, and lots of salads with croutons.  But the two of us just can't seem to make our way through the end of the bread before the dreaded staleness sets in.

That's why I've resorted to a freezer bag of bread ends.  It looks like this:

And ends up like this, with the aid of my beloved food processor:

I once tried to make homemade bread crumbs in the blender.  It worked, but not before I started to fear that the blender was going to spontaneously burst into flames.  So I'd recommend using the food processor.

I used to scoff at homemade bread crumbs.  Especially for things like meatball recipes, which, it has been my experience, actually work better with the very fine texture of store bought.  But for recipes like this delectable cauliflower dish, or on the tops of homemade macaroni and cheese, they truly make all the difference.  Once I've turned that freezer bag of bread into bread crumbs, I put the crumbs in a Tupperware and throw them back in the freezer, where they are ready whenever I may need them.

The moral of this little post is to waste not.  Turn that trash into treasure!  Or something cliched like that.  But whatever you do, eat some homemade breadcrumbs, golden and crunchy with salt and butter.  You won't regret it.

New Year's Eve Dinner Idea: Middle Eastern

CAUTION: This post contains profanity for the sake of humor.

When I was growing up, we had one ethnic restaurant in our town that wasn't a teriyaki joint - Hadi's, a Lebanese restaurant.  My family was slightly starved for culture, so we must have gone to Hadi's at least once a month for a few years.  Lebanese/Middle Eastern food has since become my comfort food - I love all the different lemony dips, the warm and floury pita bread, and the bright green parsley.  Lemon, garlic, sesame, and herbs form the foundation for many of the dishes.  And it makes for quite an impressive-looking spread:

This is a picture of the dinner Alyse and I prepared for our friends Kat and Vanessa (the same Vanessa of the Etsy shop hubuh) a couple of weeks ago.  Kat took this pic with her mobile and tagged it on facebook thusly:

In this photo: Kat, home-made tabouleh, Alyse, Alyse-fried falafel, BEER, pitas!, cukes and 'maters, Katherine, tzatziki sauce - HOME-MADE TOO BITCHES! feta - yum, home-made hummus.

I couldn't have said it better myself.

The only thing that wasn't homemade, I must admit, was the falafel - I made that from a mix (a tasty, tasty mix!).  But the hummus, tabbouleh, and tzatziki were homemade, and from recipes I created after much experimenting to recreate the tangy, exotic flavors of Hadi's from my childhood.  This would make a fantastic spread for a New Year's Eve Dinner Party!  It is easy to prepare, all the different foods go together, it is vegetarian, and it is easy to serve as finger food (minus the tabbouleh, which can be accommodated with a few small plates).  New Year's has always been a quieter holiday for me, and a quiet dinner with friends sounds just about right to welcome in 2011.  So make yourself some tzatziki, pop open a bottle of bubbly, and enjoy!

New Year's Eve Middle Eastern Dinner Party


To create a Middle Eastern-inspired spread, I served everything that Kat mentioned above, plus spanakopita for an appetizer.  Put out a platter of warm pita with all of the spreads (tzatziki and hummus), vegetables (sliced tomato and cucumber), falafel and tabouleh and let your guests go to town creating falafel sandwiches for themselves.

Tzatziki (Greek Yogurt Sauce)


1/2 cup - 3/4 cup plain yogurt (Greek or some other thick yogurt works best)
2 cloves garlic
1/2 - 1 lemon's worth of lemon juice
1 handful fresh dill
1/2 English cucumber (peeled or unpeeled, your choice)
Salt and pepper

1. Slice the 1/2 cucumber in half lengthwise and remove seeds, if any, by running your pinkie finger down the center.  Shred the cucumber using a hand grater.  Salt the cucumber lightly and place in a mesh sieve over a bowl or the sink so that the excess cucumber juice can drain.  (You may want to do this up to a few hours in advance so you get rid of as much liquid as possible - but if you don't have a few hours, it will still taste great.)

2. Finely chop the dill.  Smash the garlic using the back of a large chef's knife and peel.  Mince the garlic very finely.  One trick that works well is to chop the garlic once, then sprinkle with a little salt and, using the flat part of the knife, grind the salt into the garlic to make a paste.

3. In a medium-size bowl, combine the yogurt, garlic, and dill.  Squeeze in the juice of half the lemon; taste, and add as much of the other half as desired.  Squeeze out as much of the cucumber liquid as you can, then add the cucumber to the mixture.  Stir and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Best served as a sauce for the falafel, or as dip with warm pita bread.

Tabouleh


Tabouleh is traditionally an herb salad, so if it is authentic, the ratio of herbs to grain should be about two to one.

1 cup bulgur wheat
1 cup parsley leaves
1 cup dill leaves
1/2 - 1 lemon's worth of lemon juice
1- 2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tomato
Salt and pepper

1.  Bring 2 cups of water to a boil.  Add the bulgur wheat, reduce heat, and stir occasionally until the grain has absorbed all the water and tastes done (if too chewy, add a little more water).  Once cooled, transfer the grain to a medium-size bowl.

2.  Finely chop the parley and the dill.  Chop the tomato into 1/4 inch pieces.  Add the herbs and tomato to the bulgur wheat.

3.  Squeeze the lemon juice into the salad to taste.  Stir in the olive oil.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve at room temperature.

Hummus


There are a frillion grocery store hummuses on the market now, but I really like being able to control what goes into mine - I like plenty of lemon and garlic and a creamy, smooth consistency.  All of the measurements in this recipe are basically to taste - the secret to getting hummus the way you want it is to taste as you go along.

1 medium can chickpeas
3-6 heaping tablespoons of tahini (available in most grocery stores these days)
3-5 garlic cloves
2 lemon's worth of juice
Olive oil
1/4 teaspoon cumin
Salt and pepper

1. Rinse and drain the chickpeas.  Smash the garlic cloves with the flat part of your chef's knife and remove the peel. Run your knife through the garlic once.

2.  In a food processor, add the chickpeas, garlic, splash of oil, and a big pinch of both the salt and the pepper.  Run the food processor until the garlic has been incorporated into the chickpeas and the chickpeas have broken down.

3.  Add the first 3 tablespoons of tahini, the juice of 1 lemon, the cumin, and another splash of olive oil.  Run the food processor until these combine and the mixture begins to look creamy.  Taste and add, according to your own tastes, more tahini, lemon juice, salt, pepper, or oil (or all of these).  Run the food processor until the mixture is smooth and at the desired consistency.  To serve, sprinkle the hummus with paprika and chopped parsley, drizzle with olive oil, and present it on a platter with warm wedges of pita bread.

Turkey Stock

Well, hello there!  Why yes, I did survive Turkey Day!  The food was delicious and well-received by all, the house looked well enough, and both my family and my boyfriend's family got along!  It truly couldn't have gone any better.

And, in true don't-waste-anything-if-you-can-help-it fashion, I made some tasty turkey stock!  I hope all of you out there with Turkey carcases did or are planning on doing the same!  Here's my basic poultry stock recipe - homemade stock is great for risottos, soups, stews, gravy, you name it.  Works with rotisserie chicken bones, too!  I usually just keep a freezer bag of vegetable peelings in the freezer for when it comes time to make the stock, and throw those in.

I hope you all had a lovely holiday, and even that if you didn't, the stress has hopefully subsided now!

Basic Poultry Stock


Turkey or chicken carcass, meat and skin removed (a little skin is okay)
1 onion (or, the skin and ends the onion)
2-3 large carrots, unpeeled (or, the peels of several carrots, and their tops)
3-4 stalks celery
1 handful parsley, stems and all (great when you have extra parsley that's getting a little yellow)
1 handful dill, stems and all (optional)
2-3 sprigs fresh thyme (great way to use up those extra herbs from the holiday feast!)
5-6 whole black peppercorns

Add all ingredients to your largest stock pot.  Fill to cover with water; place over medium-high heat and let simmer 3-4 hours, until vegetables are completely cooked through and the stock is a lovely golden color.  Occasionally skim the scum off the top with a spoon.  Strain the stock into a bowl to collect the solids (all the vegetables and bones); discard the solids and place the stock in the fridge overnight.  Skim the rest of the fat off the top of the stock the next day.  Place stock in the freezer for homemade stock whenever you need it!

Grandma's Foolproof Cranberry Sauce

Turkey day is drawing nigh, people.  And I'm hosting this year.  9 people.  This is my first time hosting.

Gulp.

I have at least one recipe, however, that is completely foolproof.  My grandmother's cranberry sauce.*  Because if there wasn't cranberry sauce on Thanksgiving, there is a strong probability my family would riot.

Grandma has been making Thanksgiving dinner for nearly 50 years.  And it is perfect.  And I can't top that.  So I decided to go a different direction with some of the other favorite dishes.  Instead of Grandma's sausage stuffing, I'm making a wild rice stuffing.  Instead of herb-roasted turkey, I'm doing apple-cider-brined turkey.  Because if I were to make Grandma's stuffing, for example, it would be good, don't get me wrong, but not AS good as it would be if Grandma made it.  Because she's been making it for fifty years, you see.  And I haven't.

But her cranberry sauce.  It is so easy.  No one can say it isn't just as good as Grandma's.  Because it will be.

I test ran the recipe this week, partly because I couldn't believe how easy it was.  It was easy, people.  And there is even a secret ingredient.  An apple.  WHAT?!  An apple in cranberry sauce?  That's what makes it foolproof, you see.  The apple keeps it from being too mouth-puckeringly cranberryish, if you know what I mean.  My grandma invented this recipe.  She's a smart woman.  Trust the apple.

While I am going to make another batch closer to the big day, now I have a perfect topping for my morning oatmeal.  Told you this stuff was good.

Grandma's Foolproof Cranberry Sauce


*I neglected to take a picture of the finished product.  But you know what it should look like.**

**If you don't know what it should look like, go to Google images and type in, "cranberry sauce."  Yep.  That's what it should look like.

1 bag whole fresh cranberries

1 apple (Granny Smith is best)

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

Heat the sugar and the water until the sugar is dissolved, over medium heat.  Sort and wash the cranberries.  Chop up a whole apple (excluding the core of course).  Add both the cranberries and the apple to pot.  You can tell when the cranberries start to get done because they pop.  Stir occasionally, you’ll see when it starts to look done.  Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.  

Berry-Mint Smoothie

This isn't so much a recipe, as a strong suggestion.  Throw some mint in your smoothie.

Have you seen the commercials for this gum?

A link if you want a lot of this gum

In the commercial, the members of a focus group all start screaming about how the gum shifts flavors from berry to mint, and to calm one another down, they throw water in each other's faces.  While I haven't tried the gum, I'm not sure the experience would be quite as potentially-assault-inducing as the commercial would make it seem.

It did get me thinking, though.  Why not just have berry AND mint together?  (I know there are gums out there that do that, but stay with me here, people.)  And lo, the berry-mint smoothie was born.

Also because I had leftover mint from another recipe and I hate, HATE, wasting herbs, as they are quite expensive.  And I am a cheapskate.

I'm an uncomplicated-smoothie-ingredient kind of woman.  I don't care for bananas in my smoothie at all, and I could take or leave the myriad of juice combinations they present to you at smoothie shops.  I like my smoothies with berries, yogurt, and soy or regular milk, more like a healthy milkshake.  And now, with mint, as it adds that unexpected and delicious twist to your drink.  But if you like all the fruit juices and bananas, go for it.

Berry-Mint Smoothie

Serves 1 (I'm the only one who drinks smoothies in this household)

1/2 cup frozen berries
5-6 mint leaves
2-3 heaping tablespoons yogurt, plain or vanilla (tip: if you used plain, as I did, you are definitely going to want to add a teaspoon or so of sugar.  I use brown sugar, as it works really well with the mint.)
Soy or 1% milk
Optional: half a banana, orange or apple juice

Combine all ingredients in a blender.  Add milk until ingredients are fully covered.  Turn on your blender and leave it running for a few seconds.  Add more milk as needed so smoothie is your desired consistency.  Garnish with mint leaf.  I imagine this would be great doubled, tripled or quadrupled for a breakfast party, just as long as it doesn't overwhelm your blender.

Confession

I have a confession to make.

I've been feeling less then inspired this week.

My boyfriend's been getting a lot of these for lunch:

Granted, that's a good-looking sandwich, with a thick-cut ham steak and swiss cheese, but still.

I did made some pretty fabulous and innovative food for a dinner party last week, including this prosciutto, fennel, and pomegranate salad (result: prosciutto and pomegranate are fabulous together, but next time I'd probably leave out the fennel), and this goat cheese, butternut squash, and penne pasta (in which I switched out the basil for sage, halved the amount of goat cheese, and doubled the amount of parmesan).  But beyond that, I've been cooking really simple food, like turkey burgers, pasta and jarred sauce, stir fry with rice.  I do love quick and simple food, but none of it has really been all that blogworthy.

Tonight, however, that changes - I'm having Alyse and her fiancee over for dinner, where I'm making a pork tenderloin roulade with wild rice dressing and a pumpkin custard for dessert.  Stay tuned for pictures!

Also, here's a sneak peak of the project I've been working on - any guess what it is?  (Your ability to guess might be obscured by the absolutely giant cat filling the frame.  That's Dexter.  Believe it or not, he is on diet food.)

Apple Cider Braised Pork Chops and Sweet Potato "Fries"

I was about a fourth of the way through my pork chop a few nights ago when I realized, "Wow!  This is actually pretty good!"  I sound surprised only because I invented this recipe from what I had on hand.  And so I share it with you.  I'm always looking for new ways to serve common cuts of meat (chicken breast, pork chops, skirt steak, you get the idea), and the pork chops with apples pairing is pretty classic.  This way makes the chops flavorful, juicy, and tender while also creating a pretty unique sweet-savory gravy from the braising liquid.

I paired the pork chops with  sweet potato "fries."  I say "fries" in quotation marks because I don't own a deep fryer, and I used a minimal amount of oil on the sweet potatoes themselves.  Instead, I cut them in the shape of fries and threw them in the oven at 500 degrees.  While you don't get the crispiness of fries, you do get some lovely delicious browned bits which are damn close enough as far as tastiness is concerned.  I used both the white-fleshed sweet potatoes and the orange-fleshed yams, which adds a pretty color contrast and a slight variety in flavor to the plate.  Sprinkle a little parsley on top, and you've got yourself a hearty autumn meal.

Apple Cider Braised Pork Chops


(Serves 2)

2 pork chops, either bone-in or boneless, trimmed of excess fat
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon butter
1-2 tablespoons flour
1/2 Walla Walla sweet onion, thinly sliced
1/2 Granny Smith Apple, diced
3/4 cup spiced apple cider (Trader Joe's brand works nicely)
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock (confession: I was out of stock so I used a bullion cube, which worked fine)
Roughly chopped flat leaf parsley
Salt and pepper

1.  Take the chops out of their packaging.  Dry slightly with paper towels and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.  This step is best done ahead of time; the chops can then be left to come to room temperature while you slice up your apples and onions.

2.  Add the 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil to a high-sided skillet or dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Once the skillet is good and hot, place both chops in the pan and allow to sear for 2-3 minutes a side for the boneless and 3-4 minutes a side for the bone-in, until there is some good brownness on the surface of the meat but the chops are still quite raw in the middle.

Mmm, gravy...

3.  Remove the chops and set aside.  Reduce heat to medium; quickly add the onions, saute for about thirty seconds, then add the extra small pat of butter and the flour, stirring to combine, until the onions are coated.  Add the vegetable stock and cider, scraping the bottom of the ban to deglaze any of the brown bits.  Add the chopped apples.  Bringing the liquid to a simmer, place the chops back in, so that the chops are about halfway submerged.  Simmer for about 10-12 minutes; when the chops are firm but not rock hard, they are probably done.  (You can always cut one open - if there is a slight, slight pink blush in the middle, they are ready).  Remove the chops and cover with foil.  Bring the braising liquid up to high heat to boil until it has reduced by more than half and the onions and apples are completely cooked through to make a gravy.  You could also puree the gravy with an immersion blender if you prefer a smoother consistency.  Spoon the thickened gravy over the chops and sprinkle with the chopped parsley to serve.

Sweet Potato "Fries"


1 sweet potato
1 yam
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons pepper
2 teaspoons onion powder

1.  Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.  (No, that's not a typo - a really hot oven makes for really brown fries.)

2.  Peel the sweet potato and yam.  Cut into fry-sized sticks.

I used two pans for a single layer.  Mmm, leftovers.

3. On a baking sheet or a 13 x 9 pan, toss the "fries" with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil, the salt, pepper, and onion powder.  You could also add any other spices you think might be delicious.  Spread the fries out so they are in a single layer.

4.  Bake the fries, stirring occasionally, for 20-35 minutes, depending upon how brown you want the fires to be.  Taste the fries once they are out of the oven to see if additional salt is needed; sprinkle with parsley and enjoy.

Thursday Feature: Coveted Crafts

Every Thursday, Dexter & Dinah will feature a new crafter/artisan whose works are handmade.

Hi Crafters!  Where did the week go?  It has certainly been busy here!  There's been much cooking and crafting - stay tuned for a recipe this weekend and a new biweekly feature on Monday!  Today's Coveted Crafts is this rustic cutting board from RedOnionWoodworks.  I have two cutting boards but I'm always wishing I had a third.  In addition to combining function (the hole for hanging in the kitchen is great) with beauty (love the natural edge), this cutting board is from lumber salvaged from industrial logging operations.  I want I want...

Everyday Natural Edge Cutting Board 183

Happy Thursday Crafters!

Vegan Pear and Apple Crisp

All right, waistline.  It’s just me and you.  (Cue Western shoot out music – you know the tune.)  We’re going to duke it out.  Even though the holidays are coming (Butter!  Cream!  Gravy!  Oh my!), I’m going to win.  Especially since Alyse and I have been training all this month for our first ever 5k!  (Yes, we were the girls in the back of the junior high P.E. class who never volunteered for any sort of organized sports team.  It’s how we met, actually). 

I’m also going to win in the battle over my waistline because I’m creating delicious, lower-fat alternatives to my fall favorites.  (Ellie Krieger is my fave Food Network personality, after all.)  I love, love me an apple crisp, but usually the crisp topping is loooooaded with buttah.  Recipes for vegan baked goods aren’t necessarily healthier when it comes to fat content - those vegan muffins I love at one of my favorite cafés are full of all kinds of oil.  But this crisp topping, with only four tablespoons of trans-fat free oil, is relatively guilt free.  I’m also always looking out for vegan recipes for my dad.  He’s been lactose intolerant for a few years – with butter being the number-one thing that upsets him.  He’s been griping over how much he misses crisps, so the next time he and Mom come over, I’ll wow them with this number.

This crisp, served warm, is bubbly, spicy, and sweet, the perfect way to follow up a walk through red and yellow leaves.  The pears give it something unexpected, and the lemon adds a little brightness to the heft of the maple syrup.  Is it as indulgent as one made with butter (you’re probably asking)?  No.  But that’s why we put a smidge of ice cream on it.*  It is dessert, after all.

*I realize this makes it not vegan.  But, per my suggestion below, you can use a soy or rice ice cream to keep it vegan.    

Vegan Pear and Apple Crisp

Serves 6 (or, erm, 4, if you’re having your girlfriends over for dinner)

Inspired/Adapted from Joy the Baker

For the fruit:

1 1/2 cups fresh apples (about 3 apples), peeled, cored, and chopped into chunks (I used a Gala, Granny Smith, and Golden Delicious)

1 cup fresh pears (about 2 pears), peeled, cored, and chopped into chunks (I used Bosc pears)

2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice (juice of half a lemon)

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon zest (zest of half a lemon)

2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch of nutmeg

Pinch of ginger

Pinch of cloves

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

For the crisp topping:

3 cups old fashioned oats

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 Tablespoons canola oil

4 Tablespoons maple syrup

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 Tablespoons water

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

2.  In a baking dish, combine the apple and pear chunks and toss with flour, spices, lemon juice, lemon zest, and maple syrup.  Set aside while you assemble the crumble topping.

3.  In a separate bowl, combine the oats, flour, salt, and spices.  In a small bowl whisk together the oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and water.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and blend with a fork.  Make sure all of the dry ingredients are moistened by the oil and maple syrup mixture. 

4.  Spoon the crisp topping over the fruit in the shallow baking dish and pat down slightly with the fork.  Bake for 45 minutes, or until the topping looks crisp-like and the apples are completely cooked through.

5.  Allow to cool for a few minutes.  While the crisp is still quite warm, scoop a small dollop of vanilla ice cream or something suitably ice cream-like (one of those soy or rice ice creams or some frozen cool whip).  Consume immediately. 

Serving suggestion – reheat leftovers and serve with a scoop of sweetened vanilla yogurt the next day for breakfast!  How can you anyone dislike dessert that doubles as breakfast?

Easy Plum Compote

So, I didn't end up making a kuchen with the rest of the plums.  But I did make a quick, single serving of plum compote to serve over this buttermilk cake.  A compote/sauce like this is incredibly easy to make - fruit, water, sugar, optional spices, simmered over medium heat until the fruit starts to break down, the sugar dissolves, and some of the water evaporates, leaving you with a thick, tart, plummy compote which pairs perfectly with a simple, every day vanilla cake, as the crumb absorbs the sauce.  It's really the perfect weekday dessert.  Enjoy!

Easy Plum Compote


6-7 Italian plums, pitted
1/4 cup water
1-2 tablespoons sugar
Pinch of cinnamon (optional)

Put all of the ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Bring to a simmer and stir with a wooden spoon, crushing the plums with the spoon.  Reduce heat to medium low; simmer gently until skins of the plum have given the compote a jewel-like color, all sugar has dissolved, and the plums have completely broken down, about 10-15 minutes.  For a thicker compote, simmer longer.  Serve with vanilla/yellow cake of your choice.

Easy Plum Tart

My parents brought me back a box of produce from Green Bluff Farms the last time they visited Eastern Washington.  There were apples, pears, and  a large handful of small, almond-shaped Italian plums.  I've been working my way through the apples and pears - a wedge of sharp cheddar cheese and a sliced-up apple is one of my favorite snacks on a crisp October day - but I was a bit stumped as to what to do with the plums.

When we were growing up, Mom would make plum kuchen.  Kuchen is a kind of German cake.  Mom would put a layer of cake in the pan, slice the plums and layer them in neat rows, and sprinkle a cinnamon and sugar mixture over the top, which made the top of the cake crispy and a little caramelized once it had been baked.  Mom learned how to make it from her Mom, and so on.  While I love plum Kuchen and will probably make a small one with the rest of the plums, I wanted to do something a little different, more of a nod to my love of French food and culture.  And this Easy Plum Tart was born.

It really is easy.  Puff pastry from the freezer section of the grocery store, a little plain yogurt, sweetened with brown sugar and spiced with cinnamon (I really love the taste of cinnamon with plums after growing up with Mom's kuchen), some sliced plums and a liberal sprinkling of powdered sugar, and you got yourself a sweet but still tart dessert with buttery, flaky layers of pastry that would be a showstopper at any dinner party or late morning brunch with your friends.  Just make sure to have enough on hand.  

Easy Plum Tart

1 egg, beaten

2/3s of a sheet of puff pastry, defrosted

1 heaping tablespoon plain yogurt

3/4 teaspoon brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

6-8 Italian plums

Powdered sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Grease a baking sheet.  Place the puff pastry on the baking sheet.

2. Pit and slice the plums into thin wedges.

3. In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, brown sugar, and cinnamon.  Spread the yogurt over the puff pastry in an even layer, leaving at least a half-inch edge of puff pastry uncovered.  (Leaving this edge uncovered is important so that the puff pastry will rise when it bakes).  

4. Arrange the plums in neat rows so that most of the yogurt is covered.

5. Using a brush or your fingertip, dab the edges of the puff pastry with the egg wash.  (This will ensure the puff pastry turns a lovely golden brown.  Throw the rest of the egg in with your scrambled eggs the next morning.)  

6. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes, or until the plums are tender and the puff pastry is golden brown.  Using a sifter, sprinkle liberally with powdered sugar.  Cut and serve immediately.

This tart was inspired by a number of sources, primarily by Katie Quinn Davies' Sweet Sour Cream Apple Tart.  

Green Beans and Sugar Snap Peas with Candied Ham

I find that a new kitchen makes me hesitant to improvise in my cooking.  While I have tried recipes which were new to me, including Martha Stewart's Macaroni and Cheese (scrumptious!) and a Morrocan Chicken Tagine (flavorful and exotic!), I hadn't really created any new recipes of my own, until tonight.  And while it is just a side dish, and a fairly simple one on that, it's tasty, and it's nice to be able to call this one mine.

Necessity was the mother of this invention, as the amount of fresh vegetables in the fridge were dwindling and a full dinner should always have something from the veggie family in my mind.  I originally thought, "Roasted carrots!"  But then remembered that my boyfriend doesn't like them (sigh).  I wanted something hearty, that would taste like the beginnings of fall, which is what we are experiencing in Seattle these days.  (Do you ever suddenly look up near the end of September and realize the leaves are changing colors?  Even if it has been happening right in front of me for some time, there's usually a moment where I think, "Wow!  What lovely leaves!").  This recipe combines some of the flavors of holiday ham and the crispness of fresh green beans.  Since we had some sugar snap peas I threw them in as well, though just green beans would be fine.  Served with baked risotto and some roasted chicken, this is a great side dish to welcome in the fall.  Since my significant other has never been one to turn down a meal with pork, this was a hit.  

Green Beans and Sugar Snap Peas with Candied Ham

1/2 ham steak, diced

1 large handful green beans, ends      trimmed

1 small handful sugar snap peas, ends  trimmed

1 tablespoon olive oil

1-2 teaspoons dark brown sugar

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil.  While it is reaching the boil, prepare another bowl with an ice bath.  When the water is boiling, add salt liberally, then throw in the green beans and sugar snap peas.  Blanche for about 1 minute, just to increase the green color and remove the squeakiness of the beans; remove with a strainer and place immediately in the ice bath.  Remove from the ice bath and dry completely (this is important so that the water doesn't splash when it hits the hot oil later).

2.  In a good-size skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil.  When the olive oil is shimmering, add the ham; the ham should sizzle when it hits the pan (you want it to be good and crispy).  Sprinkle the brown sugar over the ham and stir to coat.


3.  Once the ham has cooked for a minute or two and has that wonderful golden-brown look to it, add the green beans.  The heat will essentially sear the green beans, and this will happen very quickly, so don't walk away, lest they burn.  Stir the green beans, let sit a very brief moment, then stir again.  Once the green beans have a little color to them from the searing (as Anne Burrell says, "Brown food tastes good!") remove the green beans from the heat; taste a bean, season with salt accordingly, and serve immediately to your pork-obsessed significant other.  

Pantry Staple Recipe: Vegetarian Beer Chili

Alyse and I were talking recently about cooking more vegetarian food at home.  It's hard to find healthy, tasty vegetarian recipes that have enough protein without tofu, since a certain man (ahem) won't eat it (unless he doesn't know it's there).  My mom made chili a lot while my brother and I were growing up, always served over rice.  We come from German stock in my family, and we ate a lot of meat - I can't remember ever having a chili which wasn't based on ground beef.  Mom's chili was a tomato based chili with black and kidney beans in addition to the ground beef.  And lots of tasty spices.  (Hi, Mom!)

Once I struck out on my own, though, and learned a little more about the impact of meat on the environment, I decided to cut some meat out of my diet.  (I really like meat so I didn't cut it all, I just decided to eat less).

For a long time my standard kitchen-sink chili was just a vegetarian version of my mom's, except I served it with cornbread.  It was a good, but a smidge on the watery side.  Then I tried my friend Josh's chili.  Josh's chili featured ground chuck and beer.  There were onions, bell peppers, and chipotle peppers in Adobo sauce.  The beer enhanced the umami flavors of the beef, so the chili was earthy and spicy.  The beer added something that plain old tomatoes don't.  Josh's chili was also rich.  Very rich.  The reason the chili was so rich was that Josh finished it off with a roux, which is a mixture of butter and flour which has been roasted/toasted/cooked to bring out the nuttiness of the flour and the butter.  I knew what my vegetarian chili was missing.

After a little bit of experimentation, I came up with the recipe below.  It is a marriage of my mother's chili (black and kidney beans, a can of stewed or crushed tomatoes) and Josh's chili (different kinds of peppers and a bottle of beer).  And I don't even miss the meat.  This chili simmers for a few hours and is finished off with a fairly young roux to thicken it right at the end.  It's best made on a lazy Sunday when you have time to throw together some skillet cornbread while the chili is simmering.   And it's even better for lunch the next day.  Just don't let your significant other have it all.

Vegetarian Beer Chili


This recipe is quite flexible and can be tweaked in any way you would like, which is why I'm fairly unspecific regarding the weight of each can.  If you like things really spicy, add more chipotle peppers, but be careful - when the chili cooks down these flavors will be concentrated.  If you like it really spicy, you could add some cayenne, though it really isn't necessary.  A teaspoon of ground coriander may also be a nice addition.

Note on the peppers: while fresh peppers would be nice, I really don't think you'll need them, due to the amount of time the chili is simmered.  Your budget will thank you - this bag of frozen bell pepper strips costs a fraction of the price of fresh peppers, clocking in at a $1.69 at Albertson's.

For the chili:

1 large onion, peeled and chopped
1 bag frozen pepper strips
2-3 tablespoons chili powder (about a full palm full)
1 1/2-2 tablespoons cumin (about 2/3s of a palm full)
1/2 can chipotle peppers in Adobo sauce
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can stewed or crushed tomatoes, no seasonings added
1 beer - any beer you happen to have in the house is fine, but the darker the better
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the roux:


2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour

1. In a large stockpot (I'm pretty partial to my pride and joy, my Le Creuset stock pot) over medium heat, coat the bottom of the pan with a tablespoon or two of olive oil.  Add the onions and sweat them.  While they are cooking, open the package of  peppers, drain the liquid (reserving it for later), and run your knife through the peppers on the cutting board a few times so they are in bite-size pieces.  Add to the onions and cook for about 5 minutes, until the onions are  no longer opaque.

2. Add the chili powder and cumin; sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.  Let the spices cook with the onions and peppers for 2-3 minutes so the spices can toast a little.

3. Run your knife through the chipotle peppers (careful about how many!  See note above) and add to the peppers and onions with what sauce is on the cutting board.

4. Add the beans, tomatoes, and beer.  Bring to a boil briefly and then reduce to a low simmer.  Cook for 1-2 hours, until the beer has cooked off and the chili has thickened to your desired consistency.

5. In a small saucepan over medium low heat, melt the butter.  (If you are feeling really indulgent, throw an extra tablespoon in there).  Let the butter melt fully and add the flour.  Stirring constantly, watch the flour and the butter to make sure they do not burn - the roux will turn a golden brown (or a deep golden brown if you have the patience).  Add the roux to the chili immediately and stir.

6. Serve the chili hot with cornbread and fixings of your choice, including sour cream (I use yogurt), shredded cheddar cheese, onion, and/or cilantro leaves.

Cookbooks

Katherine here. There have been a lot of changes in my life and Alyse's life over the past few months. I just moved into a new (rented) house with my boyfriend, Ryan, after graduation. Seeking employment in this economy has been a challenge, to put it politely.  Alyse just got engaged and is pursuing her degree while working.  It's comforting to have our craft and cooking projects to keep us occupied and grounded.


One of my favorite things about the new house is my kitchen. Notice how I said "my" kitchen and not "our" kitchen. Ryan is banned from the entire area, as a trail of dirt and grime seems to follow him around like a lost puppy. As a result, it's my choice to arrange the kitchen however I please, and one of the first things I did was to put my cookbooks on the counter.

This is only a fraction of my cookbook collection - mostly the ones that were near the top of the boxes we've unpacked thus far. These were all gifts from my mother and grandmother. There are some classics in there, namely a vintage copy of the Moosewood Cookbook. There are also cookbooks which were far more in vogue back when my mother first bought them - is anyone using their microwave to prepare meals these days instead of to just warm up leftovers? - and cookbooks geared towards healthy, low calorie meals (is that a hint that I need less junk in the trunk, Grandma?). There's something pleasant about having these books near me as I putter around - it's nice to know that if ever the urge to try a new recipe strikes me, I'll be armed and ready, internet or no internet.

Fellow crafters, where do you keep your cookbooks?