tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87856953320330872212024-03-13T10:08:26.048-05:00Let food be thy medicine...This blog is about the adventures of cooking and baking in small apartment kitchens while in an accelerated RN-MSN program.Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02214821903590366101noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785695332033087221.post-10748241172384515632011-09-14T09:41:00.000-05:002011-09-14T09:41:23.430-05:00Southwestern QuinoaThis post is going to be a bit short, but I spent most of last week sick and take boards tomorrow (the giant test over ALL of nursing, no biggie!), which adds up to a decided lack of cooking on my end this last week. So I thought I'd follow up my last post with another quinoa recipe- this time, with a Southwestern twist to it. Over the last few years that I've been using quinoa, this has tended to be the recipe I use most, since it requires a little less cooking time and I've run into fewer people who dislike these flavors than the Greek flavor or eggplant texture (crazy, I know, but they're out there!). If you want to add a little extra protein, a grilled chicken breast that was marinated in a chili-lime sauce was a welcome addition for the carnivore in my life.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ItZ_hQykO5Q/TnC8J8eknLI/AAAAAAAAAdI/IA9dZYCzzaw/s1600/DSC01008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ItZ_hQykO5Q/TnC8J8eknLI/AAAAAAAAAdI/IA9dZYCzzaw/s400/DSC01008.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>The one thing that made a very big difference in this recipe was adding fresh cilantro. It's not something I always have on hand, so it's often forgotten by the time I get this made. I came across a <a href="http://www.gourmetgarden.com/">Gourmet Garden</a> tube of cilantro when I was in the grocery store getting ingredients and decided to give it a shot- <i>absolutely</i> worth the money. Fresh spices always make a huge difference in how a dish tastes, and the tube varieties make it much easier to store them without the risk of wilting before you get it all used.<br />
<br />
<b>Southwestern Quinoa</b><br />
Serves 4-6<br />
<br />
2 cups quinoa, rinsed<br />
1 can black beans, rinsed<br />
1 can corn, rinsed (can also use fresh or frozen)<br />
1/2 red onion, chopped<br />
1 red pepper, diced<br />
1 green pepper, diced<br />
4 tomatoes, diced<br />
3 cloves of garlic, minced<br />
Cilantro, salt, pepper, & paprika, to taste<br />
1 Tbs each, lemon and lime juice<br />
1 avocado, diced<br />
Non-fat Greek yogurt and shredded cheddar cheese, for garnish<br />
<br />
1. Rinse and add quinoa to 4 cups boiling water. Stir, cover and simmer on med-high until liquid is absorbed. Set aside to cool.<br />
2. In a large mixing bowl, combing the black beans, corn, vegetables and garlic.<br />
3. Add lemon and lime juice, season the mixture to taste.<br />
4. Spoon quinoa into a bowl or onto a plate and cover with vegetable mixture.<br />
5. Top with diced avocado, Greek yogurt and cheese, if desired, and enjoy!Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02214821903590366101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785695332033087221.post-47976493648717181132011-09-07T19:00:00.000-05:002011-09-07T19:00:54.691-05:00Greek-style QuinoaAs I mentioned a few posts back, I succumbed to peer pressure sometime in July and decided to start training for my first half-marathon. I ran cross country way back in high school (starting to quickly realize how long ago that really was!), so I've put in a few long runs in my lifetime, but can safely say that I haven't run 8+ miles since those workouts 10 years ago! Luckily, the bulk of my training is taking place during boards studying and the month afterwards, when I really don't have many responsibilities (responsibilities... or excuses?) to get in the way of my training plan. Thankfully, as much as I dislike that winter follows fall, Iowa took a decided turn into fall temperatures this weekend, which makes long runs outside much easier to deal with.<br />
<br />
What this means on the foodie side of things is paying better attention to what I eat - this sort of training requires quality food. Quinoa (pronounced keen-wa) is one of my favorite ingredients- similar to rice, it's easy to cook while prepping veggies and provides a blank canvas as far as taste goes. Quinoa is also a complete protein, which is hard to come by for us vegetarians. To date, I've only used quinoa for savory lunch/dinner dishes, but I'm eager to throw some cinnamon-sugar, raisons and almonds in it and try it for breakfast as the temperatures start dropping. Quinoa can be used in place of pretty much any grain - rice, pasta, etc, to add protein and fiber (quinoa has double the protein and fiber of rice!) to your meals without being as high in carbs as the other options.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uTiHbr3ffZM/TmgFJOdpx-I/AAAAAAAAAdE/SDiuMgYvNuA/s1600/DSC01007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uTiHbr3ffZM/TmgFJOdpx-I/AAAAAAAAAdE/SDiuMgYvNuA/s400/DSC01007.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div><a name='more'></a></div>Cooking quinoa the same as cooking rice, the only difference being that you <b>must</b> rinse the quinoa for several minutes before cooking. After that, it's an easy 2:1 ratio for boiling liquids:quinoa, and stir occasionally to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. For enhanced taste, you could use vegetable or chicken broth in place of water, or saute onions and garlic in a little olive oil before adding the water to boil - that way the flavors are cooked into the quinoa to start, rather than sitting on the surface. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_H02KtYVkYA/TmgA79gglvI/AAAAAAAAAc0/NuHEXFep6ac/s1600/DSC00819.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_H02KtYVkYA/TmgA79gglvI/AAAAAAAAAc0/NuHEXFep6ac/s400/DSC00819.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NDDDr-I2130/TmgCL6iRIXI/AAAAAAAAAc8/wi3K4Ifkhhk/s1600/DSC00823.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NDDDr-I2130/TmgCL6iRIXI/AAAAAAAAAc8/wi3K4Ifkhhk/s400/DSC00823.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Greek-style Quinoa</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Serves 4-6</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 cup quinoa, rinsed</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 Tbs olive oil</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">4 cloves of garlic, minced</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1/2 red onion</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">3 tomatoes, chopped</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 medium eggplant, chopped into 1"cubes</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 Tbs cumin</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 Tbs fresh dill, plus more for garnish</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Salt and pepper to taste</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Greek yogurt to top, if desired</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil, then add the quinoa. With heat on medium-high, cover and simmer the quinoa until very little moisture is left in the pan, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and allow to cool.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2. While the quinoa is cooking, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and onions, sauté until the onions are almost translucent.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">3. Add the eggplant and chickpeas, adding more olive oil or water as needed (the eggplant soaks up fluids like crazy!). Season with cumin, dill, salt and pepper.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">4. After 5-8 minutes, add the tomatoes. Continue cooking the mixture until everything is warmed through, but before the tomatoes become stew-like.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3B4EP9Y4Joo/TmgEUTvGKvI/AAAAAAAAAdA/ZPs4EpF6KDk/s1600/DSC01001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3B4EP9Y4Joo/TmgEUTvGKvI/AAAAAAAAAdA/ZPs4EpF6KDk/s400/DSC01001.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">5. Serve the eggplant, chickpeas and tomatoes over the quinoa. Add a dollop of greek yogurt and a sprinkling of dill to top off the dish, if desired. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*This dish is great both warm and cold, so it transitions very well from summer to fall and winter.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div><br />
</div>Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02214821903590366101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785695332033087221.post-36981911545593513872011-08-29T23:15:00.000-05:002011-08-29T23:15:55.249-05:00Arugula-Blueberry-Gorgonzola SaladI meshed this salad together from several different recipes I came across during my post-graduation week-of-nothingness bliss. I'd never thought to put blueberries in a salad before seeing this recipe, and was a little apprehensive about it even while making it. Pancakes, cereal, yogurt, baked goods, by the handful... sure, blueberries are awesome. But mixed in with peppery arugula and intense gorgonzola? Turns out they add just enough sweet, creaminess to the salad to tone down the other intense flavors and really pull the salad together.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tLy79WFNOA8/TlxjoUGJTRI/AAAAAAAAAco/upmm5Ft_fFs/s1600/DSC00996.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tLy79WFNOA8/TlxjoUGJTRI/AAAAAAAAAco/upmm5Ft_fFs/s400/DSC00996.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div><a name='more'></a>Blueberries are one of my favorite fruits, and a flavor that signals to all taste buds to put on their swimsuits, because it's summer! While the evening temperatures are starting to dip down a little more, twilight seems to be creeping in earlier and I've spotted the first batch of squash showing up at the farmer's market, I'm staking my claim to enjoy summer just a little bit longer with these sorts of flavors before finally giving over to fall. This salad pairs fantastically with those last few grill-outs of the summer, without being as heavy as some of the more traditional summer creamy potato or pasta salads. Luckily, Iowa weather generally throws up some early-August temps well into the middle and end of September, so I hopefully won't have to swap my sundresses for tights and scarves for at least another month!</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Arugula-Blueberry-Gorgonzola Salad</b></div><div>Serves 4-6</div><div><br />
</div><div>For Salad:</div><div>4 cupes arugula, washed</div><div>1 cup almond slivers</div><div>1 pint blueberries, rinsed and picked over</div><div>2 red peppers, washed and cut into 1" pieces</div><div>8 oz Gorgonzola cheese</div><div><br />
</div><div>For dressing:</div><div>2-3 Tbs olive oil</div><div>2 Tbs good quality balsamic vinegar</div><div>1 tsp honey</div><div>1-2 tsp lemon juice</div><div>2 cloves garlic</div><div>1 Tbs water</div><div>Salt and pepper, to taste</div><div><br />
</div><div>1. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, honey, lemon juice, garlic and water. Each vinaigrette dressing turns out a bit different, to start adjust quantities until it tastes right to you.</div><div>2. Tear the arugula into bite-sized pieces and combine in a large bowl with the almonds and red peppers.</div><div>3. When ready to serve, add the blueberries and dress the salad, tossing only enough times to distribute the dressing - be careful not to over-toss and breakdown the blueberries.</div><div>4. Top with Gorgonzola to taste and enjoy!</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-D6EF7rP8fg0/Tlxi9LZezdI/AAAAAAAAAck/tM3mzs1QgM4/s1600/DSC00994.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-D6EF7rP8fg0/Tlxi9LZezdI/AAAAAAAAAck/tM3mzs1QgM4/s400/DSC00994.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><br />
</div></div>Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02214821903590366101noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785695332033087221.post-12432732144831970332011-08-23T09:41:00.000-05:002011-08-23T09:41:29.968-05:00Grilled Peaches & PineappleEish, somehow three weeks have passed since graduation and my last post. And what have I been doing with myself, you ask? Well, mostly studying all day, every day for boards. That coupled with training for my first half-marathon in October has pretty well kept me shockingly busy, or I'm just lazy with the time left over after a full day of lectures, 100+ pages of textbook reading and miles of running. Either way, I'm back and have a bunch of recipes to post to get you through the end of summer (seriously, where did it go?! I'm quite irked about this!) and into the awesomeness of fall.<br />
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Grilling fruit is a really great way to utilize an already fired up grill at your end-of-the-summer dinners, or possibly carry over into tailgating season, without heating up the house to bake something. Perhaps the weather is different where you are, but August in Iowa tends to run in the 90s, both for temperature and humidity, so heating up the apartment more is something I avoid as much as possible! As usual, I forgot to take my camera to get some finished shots of this delicious, juicy dish, so this picture is courtesy of the website Learn How To Cook.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WJskp63nyuk/TlOu1YDyiCI/AAAAAAAAAcE/yMAQojLpcpk/s1600/Peaches+grilled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WJskp63nyuk/TlOu1YDyiCI/AAAAAAAAAcE/yMAQojLpcpk/s400/Peaches+grilled.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><a name='more'></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i14PItCvcxY/TlO6DbDOb4I/AAAAAAAAAcM/ERdPJYxwSsA/s1600/DSC00986.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i14PItCvcxY/TlO6DbDOb4I/AAAAAAAAAcM/ERdPJYxwSsA/s400/DSC00986.JPG" width="223" /></a></div>One of the things I miss most about my old apartment is the lack of a deck, which also means the lack of space for plants and a grill. So when Brian and I set up a dinner party with our friends Ashley and Tom at their new condo, complete with a grill, I wanted to attempt to give grilling peaches a try. I've grilled the pineapple before, but I liked the peaches way, way better. End of summer peaches have so much sweetness and drippy, messy moisture to them that they're a great dessert all on their own- and it gets kicked up a few notches when you coat them in honey, soak them in bourbon and then throw them on the grill!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Previously, I've soaked the pineapples in rum prior to grilling, but I discovered I only had a small amount left. So I cashed the Captain Morgan I had left in the pineapple and used bourbon to complete both the pineapple and peaches. I think the bourbon is probably a better flavor match for the peaches anyway, since the combo made fantastic <a href="http://foodbethymedicine.blogspot.com/2010/09/handheld-peach-pies.html">hand-held pies</a> last football season. You pretty much prep the pineapple the same way as the peaches, though cutting up a pineapple can seem tricky if you've never done it before, so I included some pictures!<br />
<br />
<b>Grilled Peaches & Pineaple</b><br />
Serves 4<br />
<br />
4 ripe peaches, halved and pitted<br />
1 fresh pineapple<br />
Honey<br />
Bourbon or rum, if desired<br />
Cinnamon, to dust over peaches<br />
<br />
1. Coat the peaches with a small dollop of honey.<br />
2. Prick the insides of peaches with a fork to aid them taking up the bourbon. Place them, insides-down, in a container and pour in enough bourbon to cover the bottom of the dish/peaches.<br />
3. Dust tops of peaches with cinnamon. Cover and let sit 1-4 hours, until ready to grill.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_ewy6zFInEg/TlO6dk1ZRGI/AAAAAAAAAcQ/2lGSbTBECy4/s1600/DSC00991.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_ewy6zFInEg/TlO6dk1ZRGI/AAAAAAAAAcQ/2lGSbTBECy4/s400/DSC00991.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>4. Cut and discard the top and bottom off the pineapple. Then cut the sides off, aiming to cut just far enough into the fruit to ensure no brown-spikes are left.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2aiOlJnwkQw/TlO67ZxtGLI/AAAAAAAAAcU/VkbPY0EHA00/s1600/DSC00990.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2aiOlJnwkQw/TlO67ZxtGLI/AAAAAAAAAcU/VkbPY0EHA00/s400/DSC00990.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>5. Cut the pineapple fruit off the core, then slice into ~1" wide strips.<br />
6. Place pineapple in a container and cover the bottom with rum or bourbon. Cover and let sit 1-4 hours, until ready to grill.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">7. Place fruit on the grill, turning ever 5-10 minutes to ensure they don't stick. <b>Watch for flare-ups that can occur if/when alcohol drips onto the flame!</b></div>8. Fruit is done when tender. Pineapple will likely finish before peaches, as they are thinner pieces.<br />
9. Serve directly from the grill and enjoy!Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02214821903590366101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785695332033087221.post-38088814005004775042011-08-01T11:03:00.001-05:002011-08-01T19:09:45.101-05:00Strawberry-Rhubarb Bars, and Graduation News!Hello again! Sorry for the brief hiatus, but life here's been a tad crazy with some very big, exciting changes. For starters - I graduated on Friday!!!! After 18 months of extreme sleep deprivation, countless missed social events, more stress and tears than most of us care to claim, my entire class and I received our Masters in Nursing. A particularly special part of the day was the pinning ceremony that preceded actual convocation (symbolizing the change from student to practicing nurse), in which my almost 4-year-old cousin Ellie pinned me. What makes this moment so incredible is that Ellie was born with a severe heart defect, requiring three open heart surgeries - the most recent of which almost took her from us. But those sad, terrifying days are behind us and my happy, gorgeous little miracle girl took her job of pinning me very seriously. Just the week before I mentioned to her that I had to go to the hospital the next day to work, to which she replied "but you can't be a nurse until I pin you!" <br />
<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mOINe-gLRo4/TjdALX_OJkI/AAAAAAAAAcA/2qNRRpx7Cpw/s1600/ellie+pinning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mOINe-gLRo4/TjdALX_OJkI/AAAAAAAAAcA/2qNRRpx7Cpw/s400/ellie+pinning.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>To add to all the graduation excitement, I had two job interviews last week! I interviewed at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics Neonatal ICU and Peds ICU. Either job would be an incredible opportunity and I was thrilled to get both interviews. I'll hopefully hear back early next week, until then I get to spend this week doing <i>absolutely. anything. I. want.</i> .... very, very odd concept! The top of my list being to finish re-doing the living room decor, read at least one book and cook like crazy before I have to start studying for boards next week. I've long been hinting at a revamped blog, so hopefully that will also come into being here soon -- new chapter of life, new blog look.<br />
<div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k2iGMTi0tuc/TjbL5HHC9QI/AAAAAAAAAbw/PQYzQajK98Q/s1600/DSC00889.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k2iGMTi0tuc/TjbL5HHC9QI/AAAAAAAAAbw/PQYzQajK98Q/s400/DSC00889.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Tq1J1nNvooM/TjbMORSzdEI/AAAAAAAAAb0/opnsiTb6Eqk/s1600/DSC00892.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Tq1J1nNvooM/TjbMORSzdEI/AAAAAAAAAb0/opnsiTb6Eqk/s400/DSC00892.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's quite fitting that this is the post-graduation recipe I'm posting, as it comes from one of the girls in my program. I did add strawberries to what were originally just rhubarb bars, and they were very popular when I took them to the hospital! I love the flavor combination you get mixing sweet strawberries with tart rhubarb, and the little bit of corn starch is an important ingredient to help absorb the extra water the strawberries add. If you're looking to make this healthier, you can use an egg substitute, decrease the amount of sugar and/or play around with a butter substitute for the crust (though I advise caution on this- I've had little luck with crusts using anything other than real butter!)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wuQhQ2UrFuU/TjbOMCcqH7I/AAAAAAAAAb8/jJWTQwcf2TM/s1600/DSC00941.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wuQhQ2UrFuU/TjbOMCcqH7I/AAAAAAAAAb8/jJWTQwcf2TM/s400/DSC00941.JPG" width="400" /></a></div></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: left;"><b><u>Strawberry-Rhubarb Bars</u></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><u>Crust</u></div><div style="text-align: left;">1 cup Butter</div><div style="text-align: left;">2 cups Flour</div><div style="text-align: left;">3/4 cup Powdered Sugar</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">4 cups Rhubarb, rinsed and chopped</div><div style="text-align: left;">2 cups Strawberries, rinsed, hulled and chopped</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><u>Filling</u></div><div style="text-align: left;">5 Eggs</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 1/2 cups Sugar</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/2 cup Flour</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/2 tsp Salt</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 tsp Corn Starch</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hIlhtW6Nx1Y/TjbNMDfIumI/AAAAAAAAAb4/8T7Fj2A2LNo/s1600/DSC00893.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hIlhtW6Nx1Y/TjbNMDfIumI/AAAAAAAAAb4/8T7Fj2A2LNo/s400/DSC00893.JPG" width="223" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">1. Preheat the oven to 350º and grease a 9"x13" pan.</div><div style="text-align: left;">2. Mix ingredients for the crust and press into the bottom of the pan. Bake for 15 minutes then remove from oven.</div><div style="text-align: left;">3. While crust is baking, chop rhubarb and strawberries. </div><div style="text-align: left;">4. In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, sugar, flour, salt and corn starch.</div><div style="text-align: left;">5. Spread the fruit evenly over the crust, then pour the filling over the top.</div><div style="text-align: left;">6. Bake an additional 30-35 minutes, until the filling is set.</div><div style="text-align: left;">7. Allow to cool and set up, then slice and serve!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02214821903590366101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785695332033087221.post-46874178407033214072011-07-15T16:14:00.000-05:002011-07-15T16:14:55.279-05:00Mint Summer Fruit Salad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This was my third dish for the baby shower, my new favorite fruit salad and a little something to maybe entice you to try making over the weekend. I'd never really worked with mint before, but it was exciting to have a good reason to buy a bunch of it at the Farmer's Market that weekend. Plus mint is a fantastic summer flavor! Even though I was a bit nervous about it beforehand, it got rave reviews from everyone at the shower and I highly recommend it!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rGvXz92-zAs/Thbgsy8oZrI/AAAAAAAAAZQ/RMV1JfYueZ4/s1600/DSC00907.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rGvXz92-zAs/Thbgsy8oZrI/AAAAAAAAAZQ/RMV1JfYueZ4/s400/DSC00907.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: left;">This salad takes about 20 minutes to put together, but is a great option for a summer side-dish because it looks and tastes like more work went into it than did. If you don't have a food processor, you can cut the mint leaves into smaller portions and try using a coffee grinder. I only recently acquired a food processor, as my mom was getting rid of the smaller of her two, and I was SO thankful to have it when it comes to making things like this (or anything that requires chopped nuts). You can usually find small food processor options at 2nd hand stores or garage sales, as well as reasonably priced in many stores - and I highly recommend it if you're going to be doing a lot of cooking. The amount of time and frustration I could've saved myself by buying one earlier isn't something I want to think about too much - but seriously, 100% worth it!<br />
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Fun side-note: while I finally have a backlog of recipes and pictures to share, so that I'll hopefully be able to keep my weekly-post goal. But even still, the more the merrier. My friend Jo is going to try her hand at being a guest author- help keep recipes, perspectives and the narrative fresh. I think she'll hopefully be posting something soon, so get excited and keep your eyes peeled!</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w19tz6r4_Us/Thbg7e4EDpI/AAAAAAAAAZU/t5oPJrAGObM/s1600/DSC00902.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QIexrBamO2M/ThbhKL3xwwI/AAAAAAAAAZY/Bdc4JIjPviI/s1600/DSC00904.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QIexrBamO2M/ThbhKL3xwwI/AAAAAAAAAZY/Bdc4JIjPviI/s320/DSC00904.JPG" width="179" /></a><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w19tz6r4_Us/Thbg7e4EDpI/AAAAAAAAAZU/t5oPJrAGObM/s320/DSC00902.JPG" width="179" /> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"></span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Mint Summer Fruit Salad</b> from <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Summer-Fruit-Salad-with-Mint-Sugar-109657">Epicurious</a> </div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Serves 6, 20 minutes prep time</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Ingredients:</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1/4 cup fresh mint</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">3 Tbs sugar</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 1/4 lb blackberries</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">3 firm, ripe nectarines, pitted and cut into 1/3" thick wedges</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1/2 lb seedless green grapes</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1. Pulse mint and sugar in a food processor until finely ground.</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2. Prepare and combine fruit in a large bowl, careful not to breakdown the berries by over-stirring</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">3. Sprinkle mint+sugar over the fruit and toss gently to combine.</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">4. Let stand at least 5 minutes, then serve!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DM4WXgB3PhY/ThbhXzk8UdI/AAAAAAAAAZc/3NRYTEHb9GA/s1600/DSC00905.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DM4WXgB3PhY/ThbhXzk8UdI/AAAAAAAAAZc/3NRYTEHb9GA/s640/DSC00905.JPG" width="355" /></a>Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02214821903590366101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785695332033087221.post-65344355593557484412011-07-11T20:15:00.000-05:002011-07-11T20:15:04.864-05:00Spinach-Feta Flatbread Bites with TzatzikiA few months ago I received an email from TastingTable with a recipe for Spinach-Feta Cigars, a twist on the Greek grape-leaf wraps, which sounded delicious but I decided it was a recipe worth saving for an event rather than to whip up for a random dinner. Aaaand then life got really busy and various social events like dinner parties and game nights stopped happening, nevermind the general lack of time to make something slightly more complicated than throwing random veggies in a bowl and dousing them with olive oil, vinegar and calling it a 'dinner salad'. But these bite-sized tastes of Greece were definitely worth holding on to the recipe for!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IUW_gBh0HZ0/ThbfpQQWwNI/AAAAAAAAAZE/YmEGQw4w7DM/s1600/DSC00909.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IUW_gBh0HZ0/ThbfpQQWwNI/AAAAAAAAAZE/YmEGQw4w7DM/s400/DSC00909.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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Co-hosting a baby shower for my friend Michaela with a few of my favorite nursing girls gave me a great reason to pull out this recipe. As you can see, we had quite a spread- pretty impressive given that half of us had been working night shifts before the event!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nAdHecscoIQ/ThbhvaL0WOI/AAAAAAAAAZg/4W3fnOSQ-_E/s1600/DSC00912.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nAdHecscoIQ/ThbhvaL0WOI/AAAAAAAAAZg/4W3fnOSQ-_E/s400/DSC00912.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A few of the blogs my aunt sent me, which I mentioned in my last post, are event-centered blogs, and boy did they give me tons and tons of ideas for future showers - when I'll hopefully have both more time and money. For some awesome inspiration, check out <a href="http://eatdrinkpretty.com/">Eat Drink Pretty</a> (and the myriad of sites and blogs the genius Jenna links to), as well as <a href="http://bumpsmitten.com/">Bump Smitten</a> for more baby-kid themed events. And even if you aren't a frequent hostess, it's still just a lot of fun to look at possibilities and the fact that most of this is diy- which means that *technically* I could pull off such things!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lJlAlU-Ls3g/ThuSQWnZDqI/AAAAAAAAAZw/aLGiOukjBog/s1600/DSC00924.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lJlAlU-Ls3g/ThuSQWnZDqI/AAAAAAAAAZw/aLGiOukjBog/s400/DSC00924.JPG" width="322" /></a></div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OX6Het8c3Ro/ThuSAigFTZI/AAAAAAAAAZs/2XbCefLk4jg/s1600/DSC00927.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OX6Het8c3Ro/ThuSAigFTZI/AAAAAAAAAZs/2XbCefLk4jg/s400/DSC00927.JPG" width="334" /></a><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A very fun day was had by all at the shower, and lots of adorable baby girl things were oooo-ed and awww-ed over. Truthfully, the reason I changed up the recipe and used pita bread rather than filo dough and wrapping them up according to the original recipe was because I made the rookie mistake of forgetting you have to thaw filo dough for at least overnight. So when I was scrambling to finish my 3 dishes and running across town to find filo dough 45 minutes before the event, I was a little stuck- but nobody there knew these were adapted, and they were well-liked, so it all worked out!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Spinach-Feta Flatbread Bites with Tzatziki</b>, adapted from <a href="http://www.tastingtable.com/entry_detail/chefs_recipes/3912">Spinach Cigars with Tzatziki</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Serves ~8</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><u>Tzatziki</u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 1/2 Tbs seedless cucumber, finely diced</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1/2 tsp fresh garlic paste (~2 cloves)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1/4 tsp ground cumin</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 tsp fresh dill, finely chopped</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 Tbs yellow onion, finely chopped</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 Tbs fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">salt & white pepper, to taste</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><u>Spinach-Feta Filling</u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">4 cups baby spinach</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1/2 cup crumbled feta</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 Tbs finely chopped shallots (1/2 shallot)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1/2 tsp fresh dill, finely chopped</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 tsp cumin</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Fresh lemon juice</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 whole wheat pita, halved </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Melted butter to coat pita</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1. Make the tzatziki: fold cucumber, garlic paste, cumin, dill, onion, olive oil and lemon juice into the yogurt. Season to taste with salt and pepper, cover and store in the refrigerator for the flavors to develop.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2. To make the filling; bring a large pot of water to boil and prepare an ice bath. Blanch the spinach for 10 seconds, then transfer to the ice bath.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">3. Remove the spinach and place in a clean towel, wring out as much liquid as possible and roughly chop the spinach, then place it in a bowl. Add feta, shallots, garlic, dill, cumin and lemon juice, season with salt and pepper and fold to combine. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">4. Melt the butter while preheating the oven to 400º. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">5. Place the pita on a baking sheet, coat with butter and spread filling evenly to the edges. Bake for 6-8 minutes, until the feta starts to melt.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">6. Remove and allow to cool slightly, cut into bite-sized pieces. Dot each piece with tzatziki and serve!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6qjqNbumh7A/Thbf8b4i1EI/AAAAAAAAAZI/J9pbML1FrdQ/s1600/DSC00910.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6qjqNbumh7A/Thbf8b4i1EI/AAAAAAAAAZI/J9pbML1FrdQ/s400/DSC00910.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02214821903590366101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785695332033087221.post-21272118796806958522011-07-01T13:12:00.000-05:002011-07-01T13:12:23.242-05:00Blackberry-Mint LemonadeWith temperatures reaching above 100º this week in Iowa, and a heat index well above that, I thought a refreshing beverage post was in order, especially with the long holiday weekend ahead! I have to credit my aunt Mary with leading me to this particular blog - she sent me a big list of them, which was wonderfully entertaining for my last night shift of clinicals when my baby was actually being good and sleeping most of the night. This recipe takes a little bit of prep time to make the mint syrup and let it cool, but is definitely worth it. The lemonade got rave reviews at the baby shower I co-hosted last weekend, and the leftovers were equally delightful when mixed with vodka for a breezy summertime drink on a very sweltering night.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K0r2_oSqPjk/Tg4I30UUQeI/AAAAAAAAAY8/oFH4PVqlhb0/s1600/lemonade+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K0r2_oSqPjk/Tg4I30UUQeI/AAAAAAAAAY8/oFH4PVqlhb0/s400/lemonade+3.jpg" width="297" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: left;">I apologize that the pictures are a little off from my usual - I forgot my camera when we were finishing off the left-overs, so my boyfriend was nice enough to snap a few shots with his iPhone so there was a least some photographic evidence! If you follow the link to the blog where I originally found this recipe, there are much prettier pictures. I highly recommend using mint leaves, as fresh as you can get them (ahem, farmer's market!). While fresh berries are currently at their cheapest right now, I opted to save a little money and use frozen blackberries for this recipe, which turned out great, since it wasn't as crucial as a fruit salad to have the fresh variety. They add flavor and texture while being mini-ice cubes!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UbV4q1sjiMg/Tg4Nokjj0LI/AAAAAAAAAZA/zggJlWJ81eM/s1600/DSC00900.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UbV4q1sjiMg/Tg4Nokjj0LI/AAAAAAAAAZA/zggJlWJ81eM/s400/DSC00900.JPG" width="223" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Blackberry Mint Lemonade</b>, adapted from <a href="http://savorysweetlife.com/2011/06/blackberry-mint-lemonade/">SavorySweetLife</a> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Serves 8</div><br />
3 cups water<br />
1 cup sugar<br />
18 mint leaves, torn<br />
2 cups frozen blackberries<br />
ice<br />
3 mint sprigs<br />
4 cups natural store-bought lemonade (definitely spend the extra $1 for the good stuff- taste is important!)<br />
mint sprigs to garnish<br />
2 cups vodka, (or to taste) if desired<br />
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1. Bring the water and sugar to a boil in a small pan, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.<br />
2. Turn off the heat, add the torn mint leaves and stir. Allow the syrup to cool.<br />
*If in a hurry, separate the syrup into 2 or 3 containers to cool faster<br />
3. Add blackberries to a blender or bowl (if using a wand blender - but watch splatters!). Pour mint syrup through a strainer into the container, discard mint leaves.<br />
4. Pulse on low speed, just enough to break up the berries but not puree them.<br />
5. Combine the berries/mint syrup with lemonade, pour over a pitcher half-full of ice and 3 mint leaves.<br />
6. If desired, add vodka and stir to combine. Add more ice if desired before serving and enjoy!Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02214821903590366101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785695332033087221.post-90141134202527364472011-06-21T14:08:00.000-05:002011-06-21T14:08:29.275-05:00Summer Vegetable Pasta<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For those of us still struggling through grad programs, summer is rarely the exciting, relaxing break that most other students look forward to. My crazy schedule leads to long pauses in posting, while all the medical students I know are pulling out their hair and having coniptions over their impending boards exam. To be fair, it is a pretty big test, and I'm sure I will be the same way when I get ready to take them in August. With that in mind, I decided to make dinner for my friends Lara and Chris the week of their boards exam to try and help them out a bit - it's crazy how even the basics of feeding yourself seem like a time-sucking requirement rather than a welcome break when you're ear deep in textbooks</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I had big plans for lots of Farmer's Market veggies in this, however my clinicals schedule has made it impossible for me to attend all by 2 of the markets so far this summer. So I instead settled for what looked good at the grocery store, and even though it wasn't Market-based, it was still pretty darn delicious- both for study food and general dinner.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3Eg1IdlqzqM/TfiRXktlsEI/AAAAAAAAAYk/cGIkkp_hp8k/s1600/DSC00862.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3Eg1IdlqzqM/TfiRXktlsEI/AAAAAAAAAYk/cGIkkp_hp8k/s400/DSC00862.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: left;">Part of the fun of summer cooking is the availability of fresh, in-season veggies in a rainbow of colors - which means plenty of choices for tastes, textures and vitamins! This was mostly thrown together as I want, so feel free to substitute other veggies in, depending on your tastes and what's available. I added the pine nuts and Gorgonzola cheese to create a little crunch and slight salty-bitterness to it, but feel free to leave either out or try some feta if you looking for something less intense. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">And if you haven't, go check out your local Farmer's Market!! Get to know the vendors, take some samples and enjoy it -- not only is local food a better option for many reasons, but it's a really great way to be a part of a community. I found this to be especially important when I was a college student in a different city. It's easy to feel disconnected and like you're a visitor, but going to events like these gives you a sense of belonging.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yLEhEil3KME/TfiSdbb-WaI/AAAAAAAAAYo/Y-8RgRQzqv8/s1600/DSC00854.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yLEhEil3KME/TfiSdbb-WaI/AAAAAAAAAYo/Y-8RgRQzqv8/s400/DSC00854.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Summer Vegetable Pasta</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Serves 6-8</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 box of wheat pasta, choose your favorite shape!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 red pepper & 1 yellow pepper, sliced into ~1" squares</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 bunch of green onions, diced</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">4 cloves of garlic, minced</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">4 cups arugula</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1/4 cup pine nuts</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Olive oil</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Salt, pepper, paprika, oregano, to taste</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Gorgonzola cheese, to taste</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1. Bring water to a boil and boil the pasta until desired texture. Drain, rinse with cold water and set aside.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2. While pasta is boiling, rinse and cut up the peppers, onions and mince the garlic. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">3. Slice the green onions and soak them in a bowl of water - this helps get the dirt out of the middle grooves. Drain before using.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">4. In a pan, start to brown the garlic in olive oil over medium heat. Add the peppers and pine nuts. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">5. When the peppers become slightly softened, add the green onions.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VtVO8QoH-58/TgDrljQ_UyI/AAAAAAAAAY4/01ZfbYz_Wc4/s1600/DSC00859.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VtVO8QoH-58/TgDrljQ_UyI/AAAAAAAAAY4/01ZfbYz_Wc4/s400/DSC00859.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">6. Cook over medium heat for ~5 minutes, seasoning to taste.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">7. In a large bowl, combine the pasta and veggie mix. Add the arugula. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">8. Top each serving with the desired amount of Gorgonzola and enjoy!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02214821903590366101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785695332033087221.post-92212815995435063492011-05-24T22:32:00.001-05:002011-05-24T22:51:54.762-05:00SangriaThe temperatures are finally starting to climb, the sun is now out well past dinner, and I've seen lots of slip-n-slides adorning lawns -- all the signs of impending summer are there. The warm temperatures often force those of us who keep the red wine vintners in business to switch to something that can be chilled, either white wines or beers. While I'm not about to say anything negative towards these fermented beverages- there are certainly nights when a cold beer is the best thing on the planet, winos with a preference for reds need a way to keep our palates sated. Enter: chilled, fruity sangria!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HDsj9FIooK0/Tdv967_07wI/AAAAAAAAAYU/uudgJzuju-g/s1600/DSC00851.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400px" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HDsj9FIooK0/Tdv967_07wI/AAAAAAAAAYU/uudgJzuju-g/s400/DSC00851.JPG" width="223px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><a name='more'></a>If you googled 'sangria recipe', you would probably find hundreds of different versions -- just as every Italian family has their own tomato sauce recipe, so every Spanish family has their own sangria recipe. This particular recipe came from my language teacher the summer I lived in Salamanca, Spain, finishing my Spanish minor. The summer I spent in Salamanca was utterly fantastic- the food, my roommates, ridiculous adventures. I very highly recommend studying and traveling abroad to EVERYONE. It's always worth the money. Always!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-elPUdiKd0P8/Tdv-lK82U9I/AAAAAAAAAYY/hG8wGnqPB98/s1600/salamanca.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300px" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-elPUdiKd0P8/Tdv-lK82U9I/AAAAAAAAAYY/hG8wGnqPB98/s400/salamanca.jpg" width="400px" /></a></div>Before I get too nostalgic for Salamanca and my former roommates/host mom, I should probably give you the recipe. This is best when made the night before, so the fruit flavors have lots of time to both permeate into the wine/liquor mix and also to soak up some of the alcohol. Getting ahold of some of the boozey fruit is usually a hot commodity when this recipe goes to parties, but fair warning that it is po-tent! I made the mistake once of grabbing a few pieces for breakfast when my fridge was empty during my undergrad career, being a sangria neophyte and assuming the fruit wouldn't be too strong... I have no idea what happened in lecture that day. Zip. Zero. Zilch. But I do remember being very amused!<br />
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Quick note before I turn you over to the recipe: there're going to be some changes coming to the blog - better layout, more user-friendly, and while I will be the primary auther, Andrew and a few other friends will hopefully pop-in from time-to-time as guest authors. None of these updates should affect your ability to get a recipe fix, so keep checking back!<br />
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<b>Sangria</b><br />
Makes 1 large pitcher<br />
<br />
2 bottles of Spanish Rioja wine<br />
*You can use any red wine, but keep in mind that the fruit/brandy won't cover up a cheap, subpar-tasting wine!<br />
2 oranges<br />
1 apple<br />
2 peaches<br />
2/3 cup brandy<br />
1/3 cup sugar (may add more to taste- just make sure it dissolves first!)<br />
Couple dashes of cinnamon<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LQb2_z3ttN0/Tdv_3zrLUYI/AAAAAAAAAYc/eP8UnBvabyY/s1600/DSC00845.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LQb2_z3ttN0/Tdv_3zrLUYI/AAAAAAAAAYc/eP8UnBvabyY/s320/DSC00845.JPG" width="179px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1. Pour wine, brandy, cinnamon and sugar into pitcher. Stir until sugar dissolves.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2. Wash and slice fruit into 1" rectangular pieces (or just try and keep them uniform).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">3. Carefully add fruit to the pitcher. Stir to mix throughout the wine.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">4. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Salud!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cS5_453WPl8/TdwBF_hdIzI/AAAAAAAAAYg/AfwGsZeR6qc/s1600/DSC00849.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400px" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cS5_453WPl8/TdwBF_hdIzI/AAAAAAAAAYg/AfwGsZeR6qc/s400/DSC00849.JPG" width="223px" /></a></div>Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02214821903590366101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785695332033087221.post-43513780033180884832011-05-16T11:39:00.000-05:002011-05-16T11:39:09.284-05:00Grown-up Mac'n'CheeseAs far as comfort foods go, there are very few things (possibly none) that are better than macaroni and cheese. This particular concoction is a far cry from the boxed versions where you mix some questionable-looking yellow powder with butter and milk and it somehow creates "cheese". Not that the boxed version doesn't have it's place - I have some very fond memories of it from when I was little, and it's an undergraduate finals week staple, but there are times that call for an improved version. <br />
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For the last two weeks, my extended family has been living in the hospital with my little 3 1/2 year old cousin as she fights incredibly hard to recover from her 3rd open heart surgery. Anyone who's spent any time hospitals knows how fast the food gets gross and old, much less every meal for almost two weeks striaght. So when they let me bring them some dinner, I was excited to step up and bring them some solid comfort food that wasn't deep-fried and stomach-ache inducing - and thus, a more grown-up version of the ultimate comfort food was born!<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DbLrEREWUDs/Tc1_dzhzD1I/AAAAAAAAAYA/iriETEr04cY/s1600/DSC00844.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223px" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DbLrEREWUDs/Tc1_dzhzD1I/AAAAAAAAAYA/iriETEr04cY/s400/DSC00844.JPG" width="400px" /></a></div><a name='more'></a> When asked about their comfort food preferences, most people are going to say something warm, a little salty, and carb-oriented. This recipe most definitely fits the bill and is pretty much a warm serving of happy if you're having a crappy day, it's chilly and rainy outside or you just need a little dietary pick-me-up. It takes less than 1 hour to make, which includes grating the cheese - and yes, grating the cheese fresh does make it taste better. If you're in a rush though, I'd recommend the pre-grated and sealed varieties, usually found in the same coolers as the specialty cheeses. <br />
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For the carnivores who frequent my blog, there's never any debate about bacon being one of the most delicious foods/flavors that can be used and it adds some flavor depth to this recipe. It's also easily omitted though, to make the recipe vegetarian-friendly. A very important note: do NOT add salt!! The hard, aged cheeses and the bacon have enough saltiness between them to add the desired flavor, but adding more would quickly border on too salty.<br />
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<br />
<strong>Grown-up Mac'n'Cheese</strong><br />
Makes 6-8 servings, depending on appetites<br />
1 hour prep & cook time<br />
<br />
1 box of pasta shells<br />
5oz Gruyére cheese<br />
8oz Parmigiano Reggiano cheese<br />
8oz Romano cheese<br />
1/2 red onion, diced<br />
4 cloves of garlic, minced<br />
6 slices of bacon<br />
Pepper, parsley & paprika, to taste<br />
<br />
1. Preheat the oven to 350º and bring a large pot of water to a boil.<br />
2. Add the entire box of pasta to the water. Boil until slightly al dente, then drain and rinse with cold water.<br />
3. While the pasta is cooking, dice the onion, mince the garlic and start shredding the cheese.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ljMoNC53j2Q/TdFSQahjYyI/AAAAAAAAAYI/-z1b7_Kp3GI/s1600/DSC00825.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ljMoNC53j2Q/TdFSQahjYyI/AAAAAAAAAYI/-z1b7_Kp3GI/s400/DSC00825.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>4. Cook the bacon until it is crispy. Pour off the grease halfway through, so it actually crisps rather than cooking in its own fat.<br />
5. After the bacon is crispy, remove it but don't get rid of the grease in the pan (should be enough to coat the pan but not any standing grease). Add the onions and garlic and sauté until the onions turn translucent, ~5 minutes.<br />
6. Add the pasta to the onions and garlic, turn off the heat and stir to combine. The shells will pick up some of the bacon, onions and garlic pieces, which helps your flavor mix evenly throughout the dish.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-36ermmK7FBI/TdFSjDCpoNI/AAAAAAAAAYM/J2l2u1jqzfY/s1600/DSC00828.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-36ermmK7FBI/TdFSjDCpoNI/AAAAAAAAAYM/J2l2u1jqzfY/s400/DSC00828.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>7. Season the pasta with pepper, parsley and paprika, or any other spices you're wanting. Remember that this is an entire box of pasta, so a heavy-hand in seasoning isn't a bad thing -- but NO salt!<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: medium; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: medium; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: medium; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: medium; clear: both; text-align: left;">8. Grease your baking dish, then alternate layers of pasta and cheese into your baking dish.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: medium; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: medium; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: medium; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: medium; clear: both; text-align: left;">9. Bake for 15-20 minutes, depending on the depth of your baking dish, until the cheese melts and starts to bubble. Remember that everything in the dish is already cooked, so you're just trying to melt the cheese all the way through the dish.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: medium; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: medium; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: medium; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: medium; clear: both; text-align: left;">10. Remove and let cool for 10 minutes, then serve and enjoy!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XpagMrLwa_E/TdFS3QfDhbI/AAAAAAAAAYQ/J_8kNL0u0V8/s1600/DSC00840.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XpagMrLwa_E/TdFS3QfDhbI/AAAAAAAAAYQ/J_8kNL0u0V8/s400/DSC00840.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02214821903590366101noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785695332033087221.post-52136028218458226192011-05-10T13:36:00.000-05:002011-05-10T13:36:45.019-05:00Green Beans with Pine NutsSorry about the brief hiatus last week- I had big plans for cooking and then a cold knocked me flat on my butt for the early part of the week and an overnight shift on Wednesday and my sister's graduation over the weekend pretty well took out the rest of my week. So, in an effort to keep up with my 1-post-per-week resolution, you'll be getting two posts this week!<br />
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I'm starting with these green beans because it's 90º in Iowa City right now (aaa-mazing!) and fresh green beans are one of the foods that always taste like summer to me. Bright color, crisp snap and with farmer's markets across the country starting this last week, they're now easy and economical to find.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>This is a fairly quick and easy recipe, washing and trimming the beans takes about as long as cooking them does! Obviously fresh beans are delicious enough that you can eat them plain (which I quite often do, sometimes not really bothering with the fork) but the pine nuts and blood orange olive oil-balsamic vinegar reduction gives them a little more depth and fancies them up with very little extra work or time. The credit for the pine nuts actually goes to my boyfriend, who added them when he made dinner for me a few months back.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jf08uKg0BN0/TcmADOlwA0I/AAAAAAAAAXc/pmtn82H-wOo/s1600/DSC00834.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jf08uKg0BN0/TcmADOlwA0I/AAAAAAAAAXc/pmtn82H-wOo/s400/DSC00834.JPG" width="223" /></a></div>And yes, you did see that correctly -- I use a blood orange olive oil on these, which gives them a little kick of citrus to balance out the nuts and sweetness of the balsamic vinegar. I love stumbling across small, locally-owned businesses that absolutely rock, and <a href="http://allspiceonline.com/">allspice</a> in downtown Des Moines, IA is definitely one of those places. I wandered in on St. Patrick's Day this year, after enjoying the parade and a few beverages, and almost never came out because I couldn't make up my mind between their incredible array of spices and gourmet olive oils and vinegars. In the end, I put my money down on a bottle of blood orange olive oil and 18-year aged balsamic vinegar, which I've been using as often as possible since obtaining them! If you're in the area, definitely check them out or visit their site online!!<br />
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<b>Green Beans with Pine Nuts</b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
Fresh green beans, rinsed and ends snapped off<br />
Pine nuts<br />
Blood Orange Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO and a little fresh-squeezed orange juice will taste similar)<br />
18-Year Traditional Balsamic Vinegar (you can substitute any balsamic vinegar, but the nice the quality, the better the taste!)<br />
3 cloves of garlic, minced<br />
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1. Bring water to a boil with a steamer-colander in the pan. Add the bean and boil for 3-5 minutes, or until they're bright green but still have a crispy snap to them.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Kf4a-hOMA8Q/TcmD8wSlFGI/AAAAAAAAAXg/u-Vppf8Fvf4/s1600/DSC00835.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Kf4a-hOMA8Q/TcmD8wSlFGI/AAAAAAAAAXg/u-Vppf8Fvf4/s400/DSC00835.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
2. Remove and drain. Rinse or soak in cold water to stop the bean from continuing to cook.<br />
3. In a pan, combine the olive oil, vinegar, pine nuts and garlic on medium heat until garlic just starts to cook.<br />
4. Add beans and reduce heat to low-medium. Coat the beans with the reduction and continue to stir occasionally until everything is well heated and the olive-oil/vinegar mix sticks to the beans rather than being a sauce, ~5 minutes.<br />
5. Serve and enjoy!<br />
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</div>Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02214821903590366101noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785695332033087221.post-50449823498889719162011-04-27T09:18:00.001-05:002011-04-27T09:23:25.299-05:00Healthy Banana-Nut MuffinsDon't let the 'healthy' tag on these muffins dissuade you from trying these muffins. They're moist, chewy, filling and delicious, all for 157 calories and 2.2g fat per muffin -- the perfect easy breakfast to grab on your way out the door, rather than skipping (tsk, tsk) or grabbing donuts or something worse later. They also provide a nice balance of legit food for those of us raiding our Easter baskets for some pre-breakfast treats while waiting for the coffee to finish. These even get the boyfriend stamp-of-approval, and he has very little patience for deliciousness trade-offs in favor of lower calories, which I can fully support.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0aKTus5VHOk/Tbgk45TXaHI/AAAAAAAAAXQ/ZSh7bC8QqTw/s1600/DSC00813.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0aKTus5VHOk/Tbgk45TXaHI/AAAAAAAAAXQ/ZSh7bC8QqTw/s400/DSC00813.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><a name='more'></a>These muffins were a little on the dense, rather than light and airy, side of things, which could be attributed to the whole-wheat pastry flour I was using. They certainly weren't too dense, and added to them being filling while still moist, but you can substitute in some white flour if you want a different texture. These muffins keep for about a week in an air-tight container at room temperature. They also freeze well, if you're making a big double-batch and won't eat them all in a week.<br />
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As the weather gets warmer and clothing becomes a little less forgiving, I'm intending to start shifting my posts from delicious baked goods to things that won't require so much cardio time to undo these things. I'm all for indulging on occasion, but 80% of the time I'm much more veggie-based than butter-based, so time to shift the focus a bit -- but no worries, if I keep up posting each week, there'll still be plenty of space for spring and summer desserts. Too many delicious fruits are coming into season to not utilize them!!<br />
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<b>Healthy Banana-Nut Muffins</b><br />
Adapted from <a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Lower-Fat-Banana-Bread-II/Detail.aspx">Allrecipes.com</a><br />
Takes ~15 minutes prep time, makes 12 muffins or 1 bread pan<br />
<br />
2 Eggs<br />
2/3 cup Sugar<br />
2 Bananas, very ripe and mashed<br />
1/4 cup Applesauce<br />
1/3 cup Milk, nonfat -- soymilk worked just fine<br />
1 Tbs Canola or Olive Oil<br />
1 tsp Vanilla Extract<br />
1 3/4 Cups Whole-Wheat Flour<br />
2 tsp Baking Soda<br />
2 tsp Cinnamon<br />
1 tsp Nutmeg<br />
1/2 tsp Salt<br />
1/3 cup Walnuts, chopped<br />
<br />
1. Preheat oven to 325º, spray muffin or bread pan with non-stick spray and dust with flour.<br />
2. In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar until light and fluffy, ~5 minutes.<br />
3. Beat in bananas, applesauce, milk, oil, and vanilla.<br />
4. Sift in flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Stir flour mixture into wet ingredients until just blended -- muffins are best when not over-mixed. It's not cake batter, it's supposed to have a few lumps!<br />
5. Fold in walnuts, pour batter into the prepared pan.<br />
6. Bake ~15 minutes for muffins, 1 hr for bread pan, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick into the center comes out clean.<br />
7. Turn out of pans onto cooling rack and let cool completely -- or smear some butter on them and enjoy hot!!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A-z2Ik-E5KI/TbglYrJ7jWI/AAAAAAAAAXU/iQ6VlNTEKII/s1600/DSC00816.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A-z2Ik-E5KI/TbglYrJ7jWI/AAAAAAAAAXU/iQ6VlNTEKII/s400/DSC00816.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02214821903590366101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785695332033087221.post-65899866562220148062011-04-19T13:43:00.000-05:002011-04-19T13:43:28.921-05:00Hazelnut-Dark Chocolate Shortbread Sticks This recipe is actually a throw-back to my Christmas baking but I never got around to posting it, and luckily it's not a flavor that is strongly tied to any holidays. The combination of crunchy shortbread made with hazelnuts and a coating of dark chocolate on the outside provides the perfect vehicle for dunking in your morning coffee, tea or munching on them sans beverage.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-W8mo6PPxcPo/Ta3MXziiajI/AAAAAAAAAW4/bgwnluu4jiE/s1600/DSC00693.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-W8mo6PPxcPo/Ta3MXziiajI/AAAAAAAAAW4/bgwnluu4jiE/s400/DSC00693.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: left;">This recipe is fairly straightforward and easy to execute. A food processor and parchment paper are going to be your best friends for these little morsels -- it takes forever and is frustrating to hand-chop the round hazelnuts, and parchment paper is hugely helpful in keeping things from sticking during both the baking and chocolate-drying. These guys are great to give as gifts because they're easy package and who doesn't like hazelnuts mixed with chocolates?? There's a reason Nutella is often consumed with a spoon by many people I know! For those of us with crazy schedules, the cookies can be made 2 days ahead of time. Just store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature and cover them in chocolate when you get the time.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7lY3JR_F5aA/Ta3WD5uFCxI/AAAAAAAAAXI/LzqdF8AIc8g/s1600/DSC00689.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7lY3JR_F5aA/Ta3WD5uFCxI/AAAAAAAAAXI/LzqdF8AIc8g/s400/DSC00689.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Just a quick note before the recipe you're now drooling in anticipation for. Our final clinical rotation assignments were released last week, and I'm in the Neonatal ICU (NICU)!!! Really excited about this, and it takes a huge strain off the job-seeking that will happen in the next few months because it will give me the experience with kids to apply for pediatric nursing jobs :) With a new round of clinicals gearing up, I'm going to make a much greater effort to be more timely with my updates -- aiming for every week, but every two weeks on the outside. So, wish me luck caring for the teeny-tiny humans and look forward to more frequent recipes!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Hazelnut-Dark Chocolate Shortbread Sticks</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">Adapted from <a href="http://epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Hazelnut-Shortbread-Sticks-231311">Epicurious</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Makes ~20 sticks </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><u>Dough</u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 cup Flour</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1/2 tsp Baking Powder</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1/4 tsp Salt</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1/2 cup Unsalted butter, room temperature</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1/3 cup Sugar</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1/2 cup Hazelnuts, husked and finely ground</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 tsp Vanilla Extract</div><br />
<u>Chocolate-Coating</u><br />
4oz High-quality Dark Chocolate (better quality <i>does </i>mean better taste!)<br />
1/3 cup Hazelnuts, husked and coarsely chopped<br />
<br />
1. Preheat the oven to 325º and position oven rack in the center position.<br />
2. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.<br />
3. Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt in a medium bowl.<br />
4. In a separate bowl, beat butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in 1/2 cup hazelnuts and vanilla.<br />
5. Add dry ingredients and beat until just combined.<br />
6. Shape ~1Tbs dough into 3-inch-long logs and place on baking sheet 1-inch apart.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iVSidT-6yC4/Ta3U2FnLEhI/AAAAAAAAAW8/mYZo7jDdrqM/s1600/DSC00690.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iVSidT-6yC4/Ta3U2FnLEhI/AAAAAAAAAW8/mYZo7jDdrqM/s400/DSC00690.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>7. Bake cookies until light golden brown around the edges, ~20 minutes. Times may depend on your oven, so check every so often!<br />
8. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.<br />
9. Using a double boiler (or a metal bowl nested on/in a saucepan of simmering water) stir dark chocolate until melted and smooth, then remove from over the water.<br />
10. Place 1/3 cup hazelnuts in a small bowl or plate.<br />
11. Dip one end of cookie into melted chocolate, then roll in chopped hazelnuts and return to *cool* parchment paper on drying rack. Repeat with remaining cookies, let stand 1 hour (until chocolate is set)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02214821903590366101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785695332033087221.post-2777780427663435232011-04-10T18:32:00.001-05:002011-04-10T18:43:43.464-05:00Perfect Spring Sandwich, or SaladThis post is a bit belated, but with several oral surgeries in the last few months between my boyfriend and myself, most of the food currently happening has been of the mushy-soft texture. In addition to lots of dental work, I just finished up my last shift in the burn unit one week ago. Not only does this mean that I'm 110 days away from graduation (!!), but also that my next rotation will determine the jobs I'm eligible to apply for next year. Most importantly, whether or not I get a pediatric rotation determines if I'm able to apply for pediatric nursing jobs, which is what I've <i>always</i> known I want to be. Even people who don't know me well realize very quickly that I belong in pediatrics, and if an adorable baby is around, that 'very quickly' turns into a few microseconds. Wrapping up my time in the burn unit was bittersweet. I learned SO MUCH in just 125 hours, it's really incredible to think back to January and where my skills and comfort level was and how far I've come. The things I saw and treated in the burn unit don't lend themselves well to a food blog, so I'll leave you with one of the best moments I've had thus far in my nursing career.<br />
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About a month ago, I had an evening shift with three very emotionally taxing patients, the kind of night that ends with a lot of tears, chocolate and wine. But a week later, one of those patients, a young adolescent, was having their last shower/wound check before being discharged to go home. As I stopped to say hi and see how she was, her mom asked to take a picture of her daughter with me, thanking me for caring for her daughter and their family during such a hard time. Taking the picture with my patient and talking with her and her mom was easily one of those crystalizing moments of 'yep, this is exactly where I belong', which is unbelievably exciting to experience and very important to hold on to when school's taking everything I've got.<br />
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Sorry for the long divergence, but this is supposed to be a food + nursing school blog, and I really wanted to share that with whoever is reading out there. Alright, so back to awesome food! The recipe for this sandwich came from TastingTables email updates, and it combines some of my favorite spring ingredients into a delicious Mediterranean-style sandwich. The eggplant and artichokes form the basis of the filling, and are a filling-enough combination that nobody left feeling hungry or wishing there'd been meat on the sandwich. The sun-dried tomatoes add a little bit of a sweet, olive-y taste, which is well matched by the mild pepperoncini spice and the tart Feta cheese. Sandwich all that between a thick, crusty loaf of sourdough bread with some hummus schmeared on it and you've got one impressive entrée.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pPHuYeQqL80/TaI4DQrVb4I/AAAAAAAAAWs/SyCnaiZ_WKQ/s1600/DSC00809.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pPHuYeQqL80/TaI4DQrVb4I/AAAAAAAAAWs/SyCnaiZ_WKQ/s400/DSC00809.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<a name='more'></a>This is by no means a *clean* sandwich. This is a shovel the insides off the baking pan and off your plate, pick up dropped bits with your fingers, very messy sandwich- but that almost makes it more gratifying once it's finished. If you're looking for something a little lighter on carbs or that travels easier, the filling is delicious over a bed of spinach. Or you can throw the spinach in and saute it with the filling for the last few minutes and then serve it over Quinoa if you want lower carbs and higher protein (I'll do a post very soon about the awesomeness and versatility of Quinoa, so keep checking back!). Any way you serve it, this is a great combination of flavors and really good for you as well -- lots of vitamins, omega-3s, and filling up on veggies!<br />
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<b>Spring Artichoke-Eggplant Sandwich</b><br />
Adapted from <a href="http://tastingtable.com/ecs/5200.htm?sid=0">Tasting Table</a><br />
Makes 4-6 servings, ~30 minutes<br />
<br />
3 Tbs Extra-Virgin Olive Oil<br />
1 small Eggplant, roughly chopped<br />
2 14-oz cans of Artichoke Hearts, roughly chopped<br />
1 large loaf of Sourdough Bread, halved lengthwise<br />
3 Pepperoncini, thinly sliced<br />
1/4 cup Sun-Dried Tomatoes, roughly chopped<br />
1/4 cup Feta cheese, crumbled<br />
1 cup hummus<br />
<br />
1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF and cover a baking pan with tin foil, to help with clean-up later.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wxgm8U4M4p8/TaI9WF366kI/AAAAAAAAAWw/TW7QipyKHk8/s1600/DSC00805.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wxgm8U4M4p8/TaI9WF366kI/AAAAAAAAAWw/TW7QipyKHk8/s400/DSC00805.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>2. In a large skillet, heat olive oil on medium. Add the eggplant and cook for ~5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it starts to turn brown.<br />
3. Add the artichokes and continue cooking for ~2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they're lightly browned.<br />
4. Place the bottom half of the bread on the lined baking sheet. Spread the eggplant and artichokes over the bread, then top with the pepperoncini, tomatoes and feta.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gDoSWB8EANk/TaI9vshZEFI/AAAAAAAAAW0/l2pfVtQdwXY/s1600/DSC00808.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gDoSWB8EANk/TaI9vshZEFI/AAAAAAAAAW0/l2pfVtQdwXY/s400/DSC00808.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>5. Spread hummus over the top half of the bread and place on top of the sandwich, pressing gently to close.<br />
6. Bake the sandwich for ~8 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and the filling is warmed through.<br />
7. Transfer to a cutting board and slice into 4-6 pieces, depending on appetites and desired serving sizes. Serve immediately!Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02214821903590366101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785695332033087221.post-17869885571747728972011-02-26T15:42:00.008-06:002011-02-26T15:44:52.713-06:00Vertical Pear Walnut & Gorgonzola SaladWinter, you have very much overstayed your welcome! Three weeks ago, I spend over an hour digging my car out from shoulder-high snow drifts and two weeks ago I got to celebrate my 25th birthday with a little frostbite, thanks to the -15º temperatures (not windchill, but<i> temperatures</i>!). In past years, once my birthday has come and gone, I'm about done with February and winter in general, but this year I had to stick with winter at least week longer for Valentine's Day. Previous Valentine's Days were observed with eating chocolate, drinking wine and watching <i>Blade:Trinity</i> with my girlfriends, but being in a new relationship meant this was the year to actually embrace the gooey-ness of the day. Being only a week after my birthday, for which I was spoiled for an entire week, I decided to tackle the V-day plans with a go big or go home attitude!<br />
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Now, of course I wouldn't be content with either making reservations at a restaurant or cooking up some heart-shaped mac-n-cheese. Nope, after a few weeks of searching through recipes and every romantic menu I could find on a food-related website, I finally nailed down my menu the morning of: this salad, steak and salmon with roasted potatoes and a raspberry-chocolate truffle tart. Cue panic! After an amusing trip to the grocery store (lots of frantic and confused looking guys wandering around with what was left of the chocolate and roses selection), I spent the afternoon spinning around my kitchen like a crazy person. Luckily everything turned out well and dinner went off without too much of a problem, save for a dessert that was delicious but managed to be an aesthetic mess! This salad, however, was definitely the most impressive looking of the courses.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-UAnWtJXgINE/TWlzvlHyhiI/AAAAAAAAAWo/RQtjyG_9HD4/s1600/DSC00789.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-UAnWtJXgINE/TWlzvlHyhiI/AAAAAAAAAWo/RQtjyG_9HD4/s400/DSC00789.JPG" width="222" /></a></div><br />
<a name='more'></a>I came across this recipe last fall, when pears are actually in season, but never had a good event to try and make such a show-stopping salad until recently. Given the mild panic I was in while trying to get everything done for dinner, I was very pleasantly surprised to find that this salad requires relatively little time and effort for such an impressive looking final product. If you aren't a gorgonzola person, which I really wasn't until I tried this recipe, goat cheese makes a good substitution. The goat cheese keeps the texture similar with out the... bite? of gorgonzola, or <i>blue cheese</i> if you're really adventurous with your cheeses (I'm way too chicken to try the blue stuff!).<br />
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This pieces to this salad can easily be put together ahead of time and then assembled when it's salad time, just make sure that you brush the pear slices with lemon juice (so they don't brown) and don't toss the vinaigrette dressing with the greens/walnuts/gorgonzola until it's game time (or the greens get wilty).<br />
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<b>Vertical Pear Walnut & Gorgonzola Salad</b>, adapted from <a href="http://thenotvicechefblog.com/?p=1922">The Novice Chef Blog</a><br />
Makes 4 salads<br />
<br />
4 Smooth-Skinned Pears<br />
1/4 cup Walnuts<br />
1/4 cup Gorgonzola Cheese<br />
4 cups(ish) Spinach or Baby Greens Mix<br />
<br />
Vinaigrette dressing:<br />
1/4 cup Olive Oil<br />
1/8 cup Balsamic Vinegar<br />
Lemon Juice, to taste<br />
salt, pepper, basil to taste<br />
<br />
1. Whisk together the ingredients for the dressing and let sit, covered, <b>not</b> refrigerated. The 2:1 olive oil to vinegar ratio is very subjective, change things up to fit your taste.<br />
2. Wash and slice the pears horizontally with 3 or 4 slices. Cut off a thin sliver of the bottom, just to create a flat surface.<br />
3. Cut out the core of each pear slice and scoop out any core from the bottom slice. Brush with lemon juice.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-wGqh3bthUh8/TWlyUuF7D2I/AAAAAAAAAWk/ku0ckF3yFjc/s1600/DSC00785.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-wGqh3bthUh8/TWlyUuF7D2I/AAAAAAAAAWk/ku0ckF3yFjc/s400/DSC00785.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>4. Combine the walnuts, gorgonzola cheese and greens. Toss with the vinaigrette dressing until evenly coated.<br />
5. Reassemble the pear with the salad between the pear layers. Some salad can also be poked into the o-rings of the pear slices where the cores used to be.<br />
6. Serve and enjoy! Feel free to not correct your guests when they compliment you and assume it was a long and complicated process.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-YZvGH2nQsT8/TWlt72FxaqI/AAAAAAAAAWg/Roa8qE1xhB4/s1600/DSC00792.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-YZvGH2nQsT8/TWlt72FxaqI/AAAAAAAAAWg/Roa8qE1xhB4/s400/DSC00792.JPG" width="222" /></a></div>Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02214821903590366101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785695332033087221.post-51820039626523309202011-01-07T16:39:00.000-06:002011-01-07T16:39:28.743-06:00Cheddar-Jalapeño-(Bacon) Cornbread MuffinsHey, it's been a whole year since this little blog came into being! Easily one of the crazier years of my life, but I've enjoyed cooking my way through it and sharing that with anyone kind enough to stop by and read the recipes. So a big thanks to anyone reading this, as there isn't much of a point without an audience :) Now, back to cooking!<br />
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These muffins were originally conceived for the Iowa-Penn State tailgate, to go along with a very formidable batch of venison chili. While my first attempt at these had several major problems, I made them again for a dinner party a few weeks ago and they were very well received. I split the batch into two halves, one that included bacon and one without for the vegetarians in attendance.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_L1OkWQZWfKE/TSc_oJj7nVI/AAAAAAAAAWE/pObFuLDQv9I/s1600/DSC00688.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_L1OkWQZWfKE/TSc_oJj7nVI/AAAAAAAAAWE/pObFuLDQv9I/s400/DSC00688.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><a name='more'></a>These muffins became an idea while I was watching the Food Network while at the gym (yes, I watch cooking shows while running... it's the only place that has cable!). This recipe doesn't come from any one show or chef, but is a combination of several, which is part of why I like watching the Food Network so much. Even when I don't follow their recipes exactly, it gives me great ideas for new things to try and ways to change up old recipes.<br />
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A few words/suggestions for this recipe. One, and most importantly, be <b>really</b> careful when handling and chopping jalapeños! The oils on these will stick around on your fingers/cutting board/knifes and can do some serious damage if you get them on your face or in your eyes. To avoid this, I know some people who wear plastic disposable gloves when prepping jalapeños, which is certainly the safest option. Otherwise, just make sure to wash your hands very, very, VERY thoroughly -- and it doesn't hurt to throw some salt on with the soap, to exfoliate a bit and really get all the oil out of the finger grooves. Additionally, this recipe can easily be made in a 9x13" pan for square cornbread servings instead of muffins, I just prefer my cornbread in muffin-form.<br />
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<b>Cheddar-Jalapeño-Bacon Cornbread Muffins</b><br />
<b></b>Makes 2 dozen muffins or a 9x13" pan<br />
<br />
3 cups all-purpose flour<br />
1 cup yellow cornmeal<br />
1/4 cup sugar<br />
2 Tbs baking powder<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
2 cups milk<br />
3 large eggs, beaten<br />
2 sticks unsalted butter, melted<br />
2 cup shredded sharp-cheddar cheese<br />
~3Tbs jalapeños, seeded and finely chopped (I use ~3 medium sized jalapeños for some extra kick)<br />
<br />
*Optional: bacon, cooked until crispy and then chopped. 7 pieces was enough for this 1/2 batch, but it's really up to you how much to throw in!<br />
**If using bacon, omit the salt!<br />
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1. If using bacon, cook the bacon in a skillet on the stove. It will be necessary to drain the grease halfway through cooking, in order for the bacon to crisp as it continues cooking.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_L1OkWQZWfKE/TSdNMeaNaiI/AAAAAAAAAWI/1FxMxuyFbO0/s1600/DSC00679.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_L1OkWQZWfKE/TSdNMeaNaiI/AAAAAAAAAWI/1FxMxuyFbO0/s400/DSC00679.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
2. Remove bacon from the pan and let cool/drain a plate covered with a few layers of paper towels.<br />
3. Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.<br />
4. In a smaller bowl, whisk the milk, eggs and butter together.<br />
5. If using bacon, chop into very fine pieces.<br />
6. Using a wooden spoon, stir the went ingredients into the dry, until most lumps are dissolved but <b>don't</b> over-stir!<br />
7. Stir in the cheese, jalapeños and bacon bits (if desired) until evenly distributed.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L1OkWQZWfKE/TSdNzkzkKdI/AAAAAAAAAWM/YDVRopG3lwk/s1600/DSC00682.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L1OkWQZWfKE/TSdNzkzkKdI/AAAAAAAAAWM/YDVRopG3lwk/s400/DSC00682.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>8. Allow the mix to sit at room temperature for ~20 minutes. During this time, preheat the oven to 350º and grease whichever baking pan you're using.<br />
9. Spoon the batter into the muffin tins or spread evenly across the 9x13" pan.<br />
10. If making muffins, check at 12 minutes -- they're done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If using a 9x13", bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the toothpick comes out clean.<br />
11. Allow to cool completely or cool for 5-10 minutes and then serve warm.Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02214821903590366101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785695332033087221.post-84055741077737167442011-01-02T13:59:00.000-06:002011-01-02T13:59:11.211-06:00Irish Cream Hazelnut FudgeBeing that it's January 2nd, I realize that posting my Christmastime baking recipes, most of which require sugar, butter, cream and all manner of deliciously bad things, may not be going over so well with some New Years resolutions. Well... this one isn't going to be any different, but I will get back to making food that doesn't require a lot of gym time soon!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_L1OkWQZWfKE/TSDSF2_9DFI/AAAAAAAAAV0/qGd7QFynVTI/s1600/DSC00699.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_L1OkWQZWfKE/TSDSF2_9DFI/AAAAAAAAAV0/qGd7QFynVTI/s400/DSC00699.JPG" width="223" /></a></div>There are always a few staples that I look forward to having each year during the Christmas baking season. The peanut butter cookies with chocolate kisses, frosted sugar cookies in various shapes, rum balls, Buckeyes, and fudge! Fudge is by far my favorite 'find' every year, because it was the one thing I've never been able to make, so it was always a welcome treat when someone else brought it to parties. Fudge is also a favorite because it's so versatile -- there are as many flavors of fudge as there are bakers to make them. And because fudge is usually so intense that only little pieces are a good idea, I usually manage to sample a large number of options.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
This was the first time I've ever been successful in making fudge. I tried once or twice many years ago, but a handful of things went wrong and I was always left with a large pan of ice cream topping when it didn't set up. Truthfully, I'm not always the best at reading and following directions, so I sort of threw everything into the double boiler and hoped for the best, which almost resulted in a giant, messy disaster. Moral of the story -- fudge only works when you follow the directions and do things in order!!<br />
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That being said, this was absolutely delicious and I'm very proud of my first successful batch of fudge. It does have alcohol in it, so gauge your audience if there are kids around -- my own personal thought is that there isn't enough to really do anything except add flavor, but that's definitely a parental call. Also, if you don't have a double boiler, you can easily create one by putting a bowl in a pan of boiling water, just be very careful of splashing water -- burns aren't fun!<br />
<br />
<b>Irish Cream Truffle Fudge</b>, adapted from <a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Irish-Cream-Truffle-Fudge/Detail.aspx">AllRecipes</a><br />
<br />
4 cups semisweet chocolate chips (2 bags)<br />
1/4 cup butter<br />
3 cups powdered sugar<br />
1 cup Irish Cream liqueur<br />
1 1/2 cups chopped hazelnuts<br />
<br />
1. Butter an 8x8" pan, or something of similar size.<br />
2. In the top half of a double boiler, melt the chocolate chips and butter until soft enough to stir.<br />
3. Stir in the powdered sugar and Irish cream until smooth.<br />
4. Stir in the nuts.<br />
5. Spread mixture into the buttered pan and lay a sheet of plastic wrap over the top, press and smooth the top down.<br />
6. Refrigerate until firm, 1-2 hours at least.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L1OkWQZWfKE/TSDXiYBGcxI/AAAAAAAAAV4/hSomug5bz6c/s1600/DSC00697.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L1OkWQZWfKE/TSDXiYBGcxI/AAAAAAAAAV4/hSomug5bz6c/s400/DSC00697.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02214821903590366101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785695332033087221.post-50477218949015321162011-01-02T12:22:00.000-06:002011-01-02T12:22:49.451-06:00Chocolate-Peanut Butter Surprise CookiesAs I'm sure is very apparent by now, I'm a big fan of chocolate. 'Big fan' may be a gross understatement, but I'm reasonably certain it's in my DNA... in fact, whenever someone in my family is jonesing for some chocolate, we're often lovingly teased that our Hellman-side is showing. Obviously it's not shocking at a woman is down with chocolate, but even more than just straight chocolate, I think the person who first decided to combine chocolate and peanut butter should be given as many accolades as possible. It's a magical combination!<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
In my search for the best chocolate and peanut butter combination, these cookies ranked shockingly high and may be my favorite new cookie recipe from 2010. On the outside, they appear to just be chocolate cookies dusted in sugar, but biting in to them reveals a creamy, peanut butter center. I originally made these in attempt to impress a new romantic interest, and as that's turned into a relationship<i> and</i> they were a huge hit at a Christmas/Festivus party, they come highly recommended!<br />
<br />
<b>Chocolate-Peanut Butter Surprise Cookies</b> from <a href="http://penniesonaplatter.com/2010/12/01/chocolate-peanut-butter-surprise-cookies/">Pennies on a Platter</a><br />
Makes ~ 2 dozen cookies, depending on how large you make them<br />
<br />
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour<br />
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa<br />
1/2 tsp baking soda<br />
1/4 tsp salt<br />
1/2 cup sugar (plus more for dipping)<br />
1/2 cup packed brown sugar<br />
1/2 cup unsalted butter, slightly softened<br />
1 tsp vanilla<br />
1 egg<br />
1/4 cup peanut butter<br />
<br />
3/4 cup peanut butter<br />
3/4 cup powdered sugar<br />
<br />
1. Preheat oven to 375º.<br />
2. Stir flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt together.<br />
3. In a separate bowl, beat sugar, butter and 1/4 cup peanut butter together until smooth.<br />
4. Add vanilla and egg, beat to combine.<br />
5. Gradually stir in flour mixture, then set aside.<br />
6. In a different bowl, cream powdered sugar and 3/4 cup peanut butter together until smooth.<br />
7. To create cookies, flatten a large Tbs of dough into a circle using your hands.<br />
8. Place a small amount of peanut butter filling mixture in the center of the chocolate dough.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L1OkWQZWfKE/TSDBZAbkQII/AAAAAAAAAVg/mQnpwsiiWSg/s1600/DSC00669.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L1OkWQZWfKE/TSDBZAbkQII/AAAAAAAAAVg/mQnpwsiiWSg/s320/DSC00669.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>9. Wrap the chocolate dough around the peanut butter filling, pinch ends together to seal.<br />
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10. Roll the cookie into a smooth ball, roll in sugar and place on a cookie sheet.<br />
11. Using the bottom of a glass, slightly flatten the cookies.<br />
12. Bake for 7-9 minutes (my oven needed closer to 10-12 minutes), do not over bake!<br />
13. Let cool completely on wire rack.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L1OkWQZWfKE/TSDB3vFiF5I/AAAAAAAAAVo/P-AI834vdCo/s1600/DSC00672.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L1OkWQZWfKE/TSDB3vFiF5I/AAAAAAAAAVo/P-AI834vdCo/s400/DSC00672.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02214821903590366101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785695332033087221.post-25692100059690341862011-01-02T11:51:00.000-06:002011-01-02T11:51:41.197-06:00Chocolate-Candy Cane CookiesHello! I know I promised lots of recipes over Thanksgiving, but somehow that week moved very fast and by the next time I had a second to look up and breathe, final were done. Crazy! I'm now just under 7 months away from graduating, which is very exciting. But you're not really reading this to hear about my adventures in nursing, you're here for delicious recipes, so I'll get to it.<br />
<br />
I spent the entire first week of my break baking and going to dinner parties... rough life, I know :) I discovered these cookies last year when I first started procrastinating for school by looking at cooking websites and blogs, and they've been a huge hit. The chocolate cookies aren't so sweet that they're cloying or make your teeth hurt, and the peppermint frosting adds a punch of sweet. Plus, it's like a dessert breath mint!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L1OkWQZWfKE/TSCxWIy8haI/AAAAAAAAAVQ/TkLO83UWW5o/s1600/DSC00695.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L1OkWQZWfKE/TSCxWIy8haI/AAAAAAAAAVQ/TkLO83UWW5o/s400/DSC00695.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<a name='more'></a>The first several times I made these cookies I didn't pay particularly close attention to the size of my cookie wafers, and they turned out to require ~5 bites to eat. Which isn't bad, but it's a lot of cookie and can be messy with the crushed candy cane outside, so I'd recommend trying to keep the dough to around 1 Tbs or less. Also, the easiest way I've found to crush the candy canes is to put them in a plastic bag that seals and beat on them with a rolling pin. It helps keep things mostly contained, otherwise you're likely to find minty shards in every nook and crevice of your kitchen for a long time to come.<br />
<br />
<b>Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies</b> from <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/holidays/christmas/christmascookieschocolatecandycanes/recipes/food/views/CHOCOLATE-CANDY-CANE-COOKIES-233372">Epicurious.com</a><br />
Depending on size of cookies, makes between 12-18 sandwich cookies<br />
<br />
For Cookies:<br />
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour<br />
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder<br />
1/4 tsp salt<br />
1 cup sugar<br />
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature<br />
1 egg<br />
<br />
For Filling:<br />
1 cup + 2 Tbs powdered sugar<br />
3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature<br />
1 tsp peppermint extract<br />
*Can add 2-4 drops red food coloring if desired<br />
<br />
1/2 cup crushed candy canes/hard peppermint candies<br />
<br />
Instructions:<br />
1. Whisk flour, cocoa and salt in a medium bowl.<br />
2. In a larger bowl, beat sugar and butter until well blended, then beat in the egg. Add dry ingredients to the wet and beat until blended. Refrigerate dough for 1 hour.<br />
3. Preheat oven to 350º and line baking sheets with parchment paper.<br />
4. Roll ~1 Tbs of dough into a smooth ball and place on cookie sheet 2 in apart.<br />
5. Using the bottom of a glass, flatten each ball (edges will crack a bit).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_L1OkWQZWfKE/TSC4jz1c2_I/AAAAAAAAAVU/xlKvILUaY8A/s1600/DSC00678.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_L1OkWQZWfKE/TSC4jz1c2_I/AAAAAAAAAVU/xlKvILUaY8A/s320/DSC00678.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>6. Bake ~11 minutes, or until cookies don't look wet.<br />
7. Cool on sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to cooling racks and cool completely.<br />
<br />
While the cookies are cooling, make the filling:<br />
<br />
1. Beat powdered sugar and butter until well blended.<br />
2. Add peppermint extract, and food coloring if desired, and beat until well blended.<br />
3. Spread filling generously over flat side of 1 cookie, up to the edges, and then squish another cookie on top to create a sandwich.<br />
4. Place crushed candy canes on a plate.<br />
5. Roll the edges of the cookie sandwiches in crushed candy, so it sticks to the frosting<br />
*If candy pieces aren't sticking, add more frosting just to the outside rim of the cookies.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L1OkWQZWfKE/TSC57c-BxwI/AAAAAAAAAVY/E-XZfEpyHlI/s1600/DSC00696.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L1OkWQZWfKE/TSC57c-BxwI/AAAAAAAAAVY/E-XZfEpyHlI/s400/DSC00696.JPG" width="223" /></a></div>Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02214821903590366101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785695332033087221.post-35050256144530971832010-11-24T15:29:00.001-06:002010-11-24T15:31:39.440-06:00Thanksgiving Roast TurkeyHoly crap, it's Thanksgiving week already. Sorry for the long hiatus in posting recipes, life pretty much imploded from all angles, so I haven't had a chance to get posts up. Fear not, however -- I've still been baking and cooking, so hopefully I can get some recipes up rapid-fire.<br />
<br />
This last weekend was the 3rd annual Thanksgiving dinner I've hosted with friends. I started this my first fall back in Iowa City, mostly because it always looked like so much fun when it happened on sitcoms. Dumb, I know, but occasionally dumb ideas turn out to be delicious traditions! Most family holidays have a milieu of undercurrents running through them and while you love them all, you can't pick your family. Close friends, however, are the family you do get to pick. This isn't a mushy, bffs never fight idea. In fact, this has been one of the most difficult few months I've been through with a few friends -- but at the end of the day, you still choose the family you want at the table and, despite the obstacles, every one of us was there.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L1OkWQZWfKE/TOw_9c94csI/AAAAAAAAAUM/8tj0uE52JRA/s1600/DSC00626.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L1OkWQZWfKE/TOw_9c94csI/AAAAAAAAAUM/8tj0uE52JRA/s400/DSC00626.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<a name='more'></a>Enough gooey sentimentalism, on to the star of most Thanksgiving tables: the turkey! This was the 3rd year I've been in charge of roasting the bird, but the first year I made it without a turkey bag. If you're at all skittish, buy a package of turkey bags and follow the directions -- it's fool-proof. Promise! This year I decided to roast it outside the bag, as warming plastic allows it to leach into your food, which isn't my thing. In addition to an aversion to serving plastic at my table, I also won't serve antibiotics and growth hormones. I dispense those during my clinical rotations, they can stay there. So I picked up my free-range, organic, 15-pound bird from the local co-op two days before the dinner.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L1OkWQZWfKE/TO2CxH1WvQI/AAAAAAAAAUg/5lbVw8gQvCk/s1600/DSC00629.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L1OkWQZWfKE/TO2CxH1WvQI/AAAAAAAAAUg/5lbVw8gQvCk/s320/DSC00629.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>One of the most important things you can do to ensure your bird turns out well is make sure it's totally thawed before you start messing with it the day of. While it makes some people nervous, I followed the suggestion of my father, which is to thaw the bird in a cooler with a spoon to prop the lid open just slightly. Terrelle the turkey was in the cooler for around 36 hours when I put him back in the fridge, and there were still crystals on the inside when I started rinsing him out the next day, so a far cry from risking salmonella. I'd recommend checking on the bird every 8 hours if you try this method, because once it's mostly thawed, the turkey needs to go back in the fridge (on a baking pan, if you don't want gross pink slime everywhere!).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_L1OkWQZWfKE/TO2DIaDWqxI/AAAAAAAAAUk/oIOXVj8grFs/s1600/DSC00615.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_L1OkWQZWfKE/TO2DIaDWqxI/AAAAAAAAAUk/oIOXVj8grFs/s320/DSC00615.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
There are around 8 bazillion recipes online for how to roast at turkey. After looking through roughly 1/4 of them, I decided on a cross between Alton Brown's and Ina Garten's roast turkeys. Alton's was very well reviewed, but requires brining, which was a little more work than I had time for and was going to require a lot more work to make the gravy. To combine the two, I used Ina's recipe for getting my bird ready and Alton's for cooking times and temperatures. A word of warning -- starting the bird at 500º gives it a beautiful golden brown look, but creates a lot of smoke, so have your range fan on high and a window open. My turkey took almost an hour longer than the time I allotted for it, so make sure to leave yourself plenty of time. Luckily nobody minded eating at 8:15 instead of 7:30.... but not a good idea if you're trying to impress people!<br />
<br />
<b>Thanksgiving Roast Turkey</b><br />
Adapted from <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/perfect-roast-turkey-recipe4/index.html">Ina Garten</a> and <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/good-eats-raost-turkey-recipe/index.html">Alton Brown</a><span id="goog_314162316"></span><span id="goog_314162317"></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a><br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients</b><br />
1 thawed turkey (15 pounds, for this recipe)<br />
1/4 cup butter (1 stick)<br />
1 lemon, zested and juiced<br />
3 tsp chopped fresh thyme<br />
<br />
1 large bunch of thyme<br />
1 lemon, halved<br />
1 onion, quartered<br />
3 heads garlic, halved crosswise<br />
Salt and Pepper<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L1OkWQZWfKE/TO1-tvGzPHI/AAAAAAAAAUQ/Le_IxjS3-SA/s1600/DSC00616.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L1OkWQZWfKE/TO1-tvGzPHI/AAAAAAAAAUQ/Le_IxjS3-SA/s320/DSC00616.JPG" width="179" /></a></div>1. Buy and thaw the turkey. Estimate 1-1.5lb/person, more for leftovers or very hungry guests.<br />
2. Preheat oven to 500º<br />
3. Melt the butter in a saucepan, adding the zest and juice of 1 lemon + 1tsp thyme leaves. Set aside.<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">*I probably used closer to 3 tsp thyme leaves and everyone loved the added flavor</div>4. Remove whatever is inside the turkey, rinse and pat the outside dry.<br />
5. Place the turkey in a large roasting pan. Salt and pepper the inside of the turkey.<br />
6. Stuff the turkey with a large bunch of thyme, the halved lemon, quartered onion and garlic.<br />
7. Brush the outside of the turkey with the butter mixture, then sprinkle with salt and pepper<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L1OkWQZWfKE/TO1_zoqyymI/AAAAAAAAAUY/qcsWCuvHzoY/s1600/DSC00622.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L1OkWQZWfKE/TO1_zoqyymI/AAAAAAAAAUY/qcsWCuvHzoY/s320/DSC00622.JPG" width="179" /></a></div>8. Roast the turkey for 30 minutes at 500º<br />
9. Turn the oven down to 350º and cover the center of the bird with a double-thick sheet of tin foil (avoid overcooking the light meat!).<br />
10. Roast the turkey until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reads 161º. A 14-16lb bird should take <i>around</i> 2-2.5 hours *total*.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>11. Remove the turkey and let it rest in the pan or on a cutting board for 20 minutes before carving.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L1OkWQZWfKE/TO2AOGKKzFI/AAAAAAAAAUc/-SQhVfNO72o/s1600/DSC00628.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L1OkWQZWfKE/TO2AOGKKzFI/AAAAAAAAAUc/-SQhVfNO72o/s320/DSC00628.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02214821903590366101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785695332033087221.post-84154072135225088352010-10-10T10:11:00.001-05:002010-10-10T10:11:47.465-05:00Cappuccino-Heath Chocolate CakeEvery so often, I crave chocolate. I'm not talking about something that can be fixed with a few Hershey's kisses, this craving requires a really obscene amount warm, gooey, dark chocolate. Granted, this is usually something women can identify with more than men, but I know more than a few guys who are happy to participate in chocolate-fix night.<br />
<br />
My favorite Dairy Queen blizzard used to be their Cappuccino-Heath version. In addition to chocolate, I loved the added texture of chewy toffee and hint of bitter coffee to balance out the cavity-inducing sweetness of the chocolate ice cream. So when I had an epic Iowa vs Penn State tailgate and a friend's birthday in the same week, I decided to get creative and turn a blizzard into a cake (much easier to share!) This isn't quite as death (or orgasm)-by-chocolate as many candy-based cakes are, but that actually works better because there are those people out there who don't want to require insulin to offset the cake sugar rush.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_L1OkWQZWfKE/TK9IbzElxEI/AAAAAAAAATk/jdV9JT-s0S4/s1600/DSC00542.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_L1OkWQZWfKE/TK9IbzElxEI/AAAAAAAAATk/jdV9JT-s0S4/s400/DSC00542.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
I took this idea from a previous baking of <a href="http://www.bakerella.com/got-milk-i-hope-so.../">this cake</a>, which was termed the "earthquake cake" at a recent game night. While adding an entire bag of Reese's minis are a fantastically excessive idea for the earthquake cake, my decision to add toffee bits to the cake batter was somewhat better in theory than practice. The problem is that toffee melts during baking, becoming a flat sheet of gooey-ness at the bottom of each cake layer. It worked out alright, but I would consider leaving out of the batter if you aren't looking for that type of sticky, chewy, gooey (or if your crowd has braces/loose teeth/false teeth).<br />
<br />
<b>Cappuccino-Heath Chocolate Cake</b><br />
<b>Dark Chocolate Cake batter</b>, adapted from <a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/dessert/recipe-dark-chocolate-cake-014696">The Kitchn's Dark Chocolate Cake</a><br />
Makes two 9" round cakes<br />
<br />
2 cups white sugar<br />
1 3/4 cups wheat pastry flour<br />
3/4 cup cocoa powder<br />
1 1/2 tsp baking powder<br />
1 1/2 tsp baking soda<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
2 eggs<br />
1 cup milk *or whipping cream, if that's all you have on hand :)<br />
1/2 cup vegetable oil<br />
2 tsp vanilla extract<br />
1 cup boiling water<br />
2 Tbs instant espresso powder<br />
1 bag Heath toffee pieces, if desired<br />
<br />
1. Heat oven to 350ºF, grease and flour your cake pans.<br />
2. Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl.<br />
3. Add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla to the dry mixture and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.<br />
4. Dissolve the espresso powder into the boiling water, then mix into the batter.<br />
*The batter will look thinner than usual cake batter, but no worries!<br />
5. If you want, add the bag of Heath toffee pieces and mix evenly, with a spoon, throughout the batter.<br />
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.<br />
7. Cool the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes before gently tapping the cakes out.<br />
*If you added the toffee pieces, run a knife around your cake edges several times during the cooling process, to avoid the toffee layer sticking to the pan.<br />
8. Let the cake cool completely before frosting.<br />
<br />
<b>Dark Chocolate Frosting</b><br />
<br />
6 Tbs butter, softened<br />
2 2/3 cup sifted powdered sugar<br />
1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa<br />
6 Tbs whipping cream (milk can be substituted, but the cream version is worth it)<br />
1 tsp vanilla<br />
<br />
1. Beat the butter with an electric blender, on medium, until fluffy.<br />
2. Combine powdered sugar and cocoa in a separate bowl. Combine cream and vanilla its own bowl.<br />
3. Alternating between the dry and wet ingredients, beat the sugar/cocoa and cream/vanilla in with the butter using a low speed.<br />
4. Ice the top of the bottom cake. Carefully place the 2nd cake directly on top.<br />
5. Frost the entire outside of the double layer. Sprinkle Heath pieces over the top and push onto the sides, if desired.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L1OkWQZWfKE/TK9JVw5b_6I/AAAAAAAAATo/qT4YxNnMhvw/s1600/DSC00545.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L1OkWQZWfKE/TK9JVw5b_6I/AAAAAAAAATo/qT4YxNnMhvw/s320/DSC00545.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02214821903590366101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785695332033087221.post-82948241454878757122010-09-29T11:37:00.145-05:002010-10-06T08:03:11.015-05:00Handheld Peach PiesAhh, fall is in full… well, change. The temperatures are swinging from warm to downright chilly, it’s getting dark earlier and the leaves are decorating my walk to class with vibrant reds and oranges. One of my favorite fall traditions is college football and tailgating, which has been going strong for several weeks now. If you’ve never had the good fortune of tailgating at a Big 10 school, you’re missing out! The entire west side of Iowa City pretty much shuts down, wears ridiculous black and gold clothes that often border on costume-esque, and anyone walking around who has the good sense to yell “Go Hawks!” is greeted with beer and food from complete strangers at tailgates in the near vicinity.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">Tailgating also provides a good reason to get creative with recipes for people who want to move beyond the typical hot dogs, chips and beer. I’ve been looking at this recipe for some time now and was just waiting for peaches to come into season. Luckily for me, peaches hit their prime right about the start of tailgate season, so I was able to put these together for the state consuming Iowa-Iowa State rivalry game.</span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L1OkWQZWfKE/TJONuPO0dTI/AAAAAAAAASg/23_bUtdZdAA/s1600/DSC00494.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L1OkWQZWfKE/TJONuPO0dTI/AAAAAAAAASg/23_bUtdZdAA/s400/DSC00494.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I will start by saying that these mini-pies are very delicious and look impressive, which gives the baker some bragging rights and lots of admiration from the inebriated friends trying them. I’m going to follow that up, however, with the reality of this recipe – it’s a huge pain in the a$*! I'm also going to throw in a quick apology for the awkward formatting on this post. After fighting it for two weeks, I decided putting the post up was more important than continuing to fight with invisible formatting gnomes that are messing things up!</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Cambria;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">From start to finish, this recipe takes between 5-6 hours to complete. There are many small steps that are followed with 1-2 hours of freezing/chilling time. With all the freezing time, it is possible to get things done in-between, but it’s still a long process and, honestly, I’m not entirely sold on being worth it. Unless handheld pie is necessary, I far prefer this recipe in normal pie form. This filling is far and away my favorite for peaches but I think it’s better in a pie pan with </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Cambria;"><b><a href="http://foodbethymedicine.blogspot.com/2010/04/nanas-apple-pie.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">this crust</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">,</span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Cambria;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> and the subsequent utensil requirement. I found this crust to be very sticky and difficult to work with, which makes sense for the shaping it goes through, but still frustrating. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Cambria;">Frustrations and time commitment aside, these little treats really were delicious and very well received, so I would still recommend it if you're looking for a handheld dessert option. While the crust is sticky, it worked perfectly for the folding and tasted light and delicious after the baking. As with every other recipe I've tried from the SmittenKitchen blog, this is in fact fool-proof. I ended up with enough peach filling left over to make a pie pan-sized peach crisp, so I've changed the amount of peaches the recipe calls for. I also upped the recommended amount of bourbon, since the original 1 tsp wasn't enough to leave even a trace of flavor.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Cambria;"><b>Bourbon-Peach Handheld Pies</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Cambria;">Adapted from SmittenKitchen</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Cambria;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Cambria;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">For the pastry:</span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Cambria;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour<br />
1/2 tsp. salt<br />
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces<br />
1/2 cup sour cream<br />
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice<br />
1/2 cup ice water</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> For the filling:<br />
1 pounds of peaches<br />
1/4 cup flour<br />
1/4 cup sugar<br />
Pinch of salt<br />
2 Tbs bourbon<br />
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />
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One egg yolk beaten with 2 tablespoons water (for egg wash)<br />
Coarse sanding sugar, for decoration</span> <br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> 1. To make the pastry, combine the flour and salt in a bowl. Place the butter in another bowl and put both bowls in the freezer for 1 hour. </span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Cambria;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">2. Remove the bowls from the freezer and make a well in the center of the flour. Add the butter to the well cut the mixture, using a pastry cutter, until it looks like coarse granules. </span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Cambria;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">3. Make another well in the center. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, lemon juice and water. Add half of this mixture to the well. </span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Cambria;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">4. With your fingertips, mix in the liquid until large lumps form. Remove the large lumps and repeat with the remaining liquid and flour-butter mixture. </span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Cambria;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">5. Pat the lumps into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. </span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Cambria;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">*If preparing ahead of time, the dough can be stored at this point for up to one month in the freezer. </span></b></span><b></b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_L1OkWQZWfKE/TKC3CB_VdFI/AAAAAAAAASo/o-Ik1bEyErg/s1600/DSC00483.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Cambria;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">6. Divide the refrigerated dough in half. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out one half of the dough to 1/8-inch thickness. </span></b></span></span></div></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Cambria;"><b> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">7. Using a 4" round cutter, cut circles out of the rolled dough. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">*You can use a biscuit cutter, large glass, fried-egg mold or any other circular device of your choosing.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">8. Transfer the circles to a parchment-lined baking sheet and place in the refrigerator to chill for about 30 minutes. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">9. Repeat the rolling, cutting, and chilling process with the remaining half of dough.</span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Cambria;"><b></b></span><br />
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<b><b><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">10. While the dough is chilling in the fridge, make the filling. Peel and chop the peaches into small bits (about 1/2" cubes), much smaller than you’d use for a regular-sized pie. </span></div></div></b></b></b><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">11. Mix them with the flour, sugar and pinch of salt, and add the bourbon and vanilla, if you wish.</span></div></div><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">12. Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature until just pliable, 2 to 3 minutes. </span></div></div><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">13. Spoon about 1-2 tablespoons filling (use a smaller amount if your cutter was 4") onto one half of each circle of dough.</span><br />
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<b><div style="display: inline !important; text-align: left;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">14. Quickly brush a little cold water around the circumference of the dough and fold it in half, so the other side comes down over the filling, creating a pseudo-football.</span></div></div></b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b></b></span></div><b><div style="display: inline !important;"></div><div style="display: inline !important; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b><div style="display: inline !important; text-align: left;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">15. Seal the mini-pie and make a decorative edge by pressing the edges of the dough together with the back of a fork. Repeat process with remaining dough.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b></b></span></b></span><br />
<b><b><div style="display: inline !important; text-align: left;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">16. Place the hand pies back on the parchment-lined baking sheet, and return to the refrigerator to chill for another 30 minutes.</span></div></div></div></div></b></b></div></div></b></span></div></b></b></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Cambria;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;">17. Heat oven to 375 degrees.</span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Cambria;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Cambria;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;">18. Remove the chilled hand pies from the refrigerator, cut a small slit in each and lightly brush with the egg yolk wash. Sprinkle sanding sugar generously over the pies, and place pies in the oven to bake.</span></div><b><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">19. Bake until the hand pies are golden brown and just slightly cracked, about 20 minutes.</span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Cambria;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">20. Remove the pies from the oven, and let stand to cool slightly before serving.</span></span></span></div></span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L1OkWQZWfKE/TKC7Mk47GfI/AAAAAAAAAS8/lIDjlpHVeD4/s1600/DSC00495.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L1OkWQZWfKE/TKC7Mk47GfI/AAAAAAAAAS8/lIDjlpHVeD4/s320/DSC00495.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Cambria;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">*In the very unlikely event that you have any leftovers to store, they store well in a sealed container with parchment paper between the layers (otherwise they can stick together).</span></b></span></div>Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02214821903590366101noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785695332033087221.post-37780569368391776622010-09-27T09:40:00.010-05:002010-09-27T18:24:53.194-05:00Pumpkin PorterAh, beer. As Homer says, the cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems.<br />
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It's definitely fall now in Chicago. The farmer's markets are exploding with harvest-season produce, most of it in gourd and pomme form. Apples and pumpkins from Michigan, acorn, butternut, and spaghetti squash from Illinois and Wisconsin, root vegetables from Indiana. There are even a few end-of-season cherry tomatoes hanging on stoically. Combine that with the chilly, damp weather and heavy leaden clouds floating over Lake Michigan, and it is apparent that fall has fallen. Which puts me in a brewing mood like none other.<br />
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I woke up in a particularly good mood on Saturday morning, because I knew I was gonna spend all day making beer. This particular recipe is especially time-consuming, because it involves roasting a whole pumpkin, mashing it up, and steeping it with the grains for 45 minutes. In light of that, this one needs an early start. I broke up the whole business a little by playing some Ultimate Frisbee, but that just made coming back to the brew and drinking a couple beers that much more enjoyable.<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: 130%;">Niclexa Halloween Ale</span><br />
</span><span style="font-style: italic;">(Adapted from <a href="http://www.dogfish.com/">Sam Calgione's</a> "Punkin' Porter")</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />
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</span>The name of this beer is in honor of Nicole Skurich and Alexa Nelson, two of my close friends from when I studied abroad in Germany. They lived together in Madison, WI during our senior year of college and hosted a big study-abroad reunion during Halloween weekend 2007. All of my close circle of AYFers showed up to that party, and it was one of my favorite weekends during senior year.<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Ingredients<br />
</span></span>1 (3-4 pound) baking pumpkin<br />
2 tsp Gypsum<br />
1 pound crushed Black Patent malt<br />
1.5 pounds crushed 6-row malt<br />
3.3 pounds Light liquid malt extract<br />
3 pounds Amber dry malt extract<br />
1 pound Dark dry malt extract<br />
1 oz. Brewer's Gold pellet hops (bittering)<br />
2 tsp. Irish moss<br />
1 oz. Cascade pellet hops (flavor)<br />
0.5 oz. Fuggles pellet hops (aroma)<br />
1 tsp Ground Allspice<br />
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon<br />
1 tsp Ground Nutmeg<br />
Wyeast 1728 Scottish Ale yeast<br />
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</a>1. Wash, gut, and skin pumpkin. Chop it into ~1 inch cubes and roast 1 hour at 350 degrees F. After it's done roasting, dump the chunks in a pot and cover them with water. Bring to a low boil for 20 minutes.<br />
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2. Dump the pumpkin chunks and water through a strainer, letting the water run into your brewpot. Mash the pumpkin with a potato masher and place in a muslin grain bag. Add ~1.5 gallons of water and steep 45 minutes at ~155 degrees F with the Black Patent and 6-row malts. (This is called "mashing" - the enzymes and sugars in the malt will steep out like tea, as will the sugars in the pumpkin; the enzymes in the 6-row malt should also convert some of the pumpkin starches to sugar during this process, increasing your yield and heightening the pumpkin flavor of the beer). After mashing, remove the grains and pumpkin and wash with ~2.5 gallons cold water (this is called "sparging," and aside from being an awesome word it will make sure that all the available sugars from the grains are in your wort).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzH18okUO7jZMcBU7KeZxBA6uVwdwJr9VinjBHWOzwiEmV_euzGkBrAH5iZ13N8gFjEyon0elnHIg5Dwl2BC3ycs4JIuCNMLeOt8c8C7c3K-Vgb_8MP6zYo76KBHfGmMDwEnbQLrsEQgw/s1600/Wort1.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521644657396322610" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzH18okUO7jZMcBU7KeZxBA6uVwdwJr9VinjBHWOzwiEmV_euzGkBrAH5iZ13N8gFjEyon0elnHIg5Dwl2BC3ycs4JIuCNMLeOt8c8C7c3K-Vgb_8MP6zYo76KBHfGmMDwEnbQLrsEQgw/s400/Wort1.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a>3. Bring the wort to a boil. When it starts to bubble, turn off the heat and stir in the liquid and dry malt extracts (stirring prevents clumping and burning to the bottom of the pot). Bring back to a boil and pre-boil for 5 minutes.<br />
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4. Add the Brewer's Gold pellets and stir. Start your 60 minute timer when you make this addition.<br />
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5. 20 minutes before the end of the boil, add the Cascade hops and Irish moss. Stir.<br />
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6. 7.5 minutes before the end of the boil, add the Cinnamon, Allspice, and Nutmeg. Stir to achieve homogeneity and to break up any clumps.<br />
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7. At the 60 minute mark, add the Fuggles hops and turn off the heat. Stir the wort for 2 minutes to build up a whirlpool and let sit for 10 minutes.<br />
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8. Chill the wort to ~75 degrees F. I used a wort chiller for the first time around - I'm borrowing it from my friend Chris, who taught me how to brew in the first place. For the uninitiated, a wort chiller is a coil of copper wire through which you run tapwater. You place it in the wort, turn on the faucet, and the water inside the coils soaks up the heat and dumps it into the sink. Instead of taking 3-4 hours, as with an icewater bath, it makes the cooling process last about 15 minutes. I sanitized the wort chiller by immersing it in the boiling wort 20 minutes before I turned off the heat.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSowvvfYyBrSRuaCdC1h2YEYJs3mcEwDBfaGjxAS_getkk1o_V9G6AiJYw-9U5ViEk1iP6ZrQi7YRAWnrTneP01b0aV9RYl_MmGRKL1LUMWvNcOooI2f73HzohdU_f4VUraWGvm_mnFzA/s1600/Wort+chiller.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521644659660577810" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSowvvfYyBrSRuaCdC1h2YEYJs3mcEwDBfaGjxAS_getkk1o_V9G6AiJYw-9U5ViEk1iP6ZrQi7YRAWnrTneP01b0aV9RYl_MmGRKL1LUMWvNcOooI2f73HzohdU_f4VUraWGvm_mnFzA/s400/Wort+chiller.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a>9. Pitch the yeast into the carboy and aerate for 1 minute. Maintain ~7 weeks at a temperature of ~65 degrees F. After 7 days (once primary fermentation is over), rack the beer off the pumpkin and yeast sediment to a secondary fermenter and let sit for 2 weeks.<br />
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10. Once your secondary fermentation is done, boil 3/4 cup corn sugar in 1 cup of water, add it to your beer, and bottle it. The beer should be ready to drink in about 2 weeks (on Halloween for me, if everything goes according to plan).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2xihb7D9h3bnq7hLdyodFm8PXerOPKosVpltShUnSf5OVztoRhXekXfmqK33hX-JdL71Minr6bm0y7d5d9KSxGOgR12y8RAVwP_D8Qo_M_d_dTv-_0dtTHFgiXcKrP3Cg5VZA65ftA5o/s1600/Carboy.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521644663733616658" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2xihb7D9h3bnq7hLdyodFm8PXerOPKosVpltShUnSf5OVztoRhXekXfmqK33hX-JdL71Minr6bm0y7d5d9KSxGOgR12y8RAVwP_D8Qo_M_d_dTv-_0dtTHFgiXcKrP3Cg5VZA65ftA5o/s400/Carboy.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Original Gravity:</span> 1.072<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Finishing Gravity:</span> -<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">ABV:</span> -<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">NOTES:</span><br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">9/27/10: I tasted the unfermented wort before pitching the yeast, and I can already tell this is gonna be a good beer. Lots of dark, coffee-like, malty flavor, with a finish of pumpkin pie and a lingering, pleasant bitterness from the hops. The fermentation took off right on schedule, about 12-15 hours after pitching the yeast. It's bubbling away happily underneath my desk.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785695332033087221.post-42281152402276011672010-09-17T10:36:00.001-05:002010-09-17T10:37:51.338-05:00Spicy Caprese Salad and Mediterranean Pasta<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;">A month or so ago, I stumbled across a foodie gem called Tasting Table. They have regional sections, so I'm not reading about recipes that are awesome with produce only in season elsewhere, as well as a national section. One of the weekly recipe emails that caught my eye was a new twist on the traditional <i>insalata caprese</i>. Not that I think there's anything wrong with the original -- dishes with 3 ingredients that stand the test of time usually have a reason-- but it's always fun to add a little spice and see what happens.</span></span></span><br />
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</span></span></span></span>This meal nicely spans the changing of seasons, combining the simplicity of the caprese salad (which always seems like a summer salad to me) with a warm, hearty pasta -- and all the ingredients are currently in season! I'm actually quite proud that almost all of the ingredients for this meal came from the Iowa City Farmer's Market, one of my favorite ways to spend a Saturday morning. I ended up having to buy the mozzerella cheese from the co-op because my cheese vendor wasn't at the market that morning. I personally always use Barilla PLUS for pasta, because of it's high protein, fiber and omega-3 content without tasting too hefty, but any pasta you prefer will work just as well. Hopefully this will inspire you to check out your own farmer's market if you've never been, or act as an impetus to go more regularly and get ingredients for dinner.<br />
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I used two banana peppers instead of the serrano chile the recipe called for, because those are what I found at the farmer's market. They did add a nice addition of flavor to the salad, though not as much spice as I was hoping. Moral of the story, if you aren't someone who loves feeling their lips tingle, stay with the banana peppers. If you're someone who scoffs at the word "mild", I would suggest finding more potent peppers. The Mediterranean pasta was made up as I walked through the market, though I wish I'd thought to buy kalamata olives to add more depth of flavor to the dish.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><b>Spicy Caprese Salad</b>, makes 4 servings<br />
Adapted from <a href="http://tastingtable.com/entry_detail/chefs_recipes/1944/Reimagining_the_caprese_salad.htm">TastingTable Chef's Recipes</a><span id="goog_1529753725"></span><span id="goog_1529753726"></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a><br />
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8 roma tomatoes, cut into bite-sized wedges<br />
10 cherry tomatoes, halved<br />
10 leaves of fresh basil, thinly sliced<br />
6 oz fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2" cubes<br />
3 Tbs olive oil<br />
1.5 Tbs red wine vinegar<br />
Salt and pepper, to taste<br />
Pinch of coarse sea salt<br />
2 banana peppers or 1 small serrano chile, thinly sliced<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_L1OkWQZWfKE/TJOEafeguLI/AAAAAAAAASA/1thYJmr0exs/s1600/DSC00472.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_L1OkWQZWfKE/TJOEafeguLI/AAAAAAAAASA/1thYJmr0exs/s400/DSC00472.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>1. In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.<br />
2. Add the mozzarella and sprinkle the basil over the top.<br />
3. Whisk together the olive oil and vinegar. Pour over salad mixture and gently toss.<br />
4. Sprinkle a pinch of course sea salt over the salad, add the pepper slices and serve!<br />
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<b>Mediterranean Pasta</b><br />
Serves 4-6<br />
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4 bell peppers, variety of colors, cut into ~1" pieces<br />
1 medium eggplant<br />
1 small onion, chopped<br />
2 cloves of garlic, minced<br />
8 basil leaves, thinly sliced<br />
olive oil!<br />
1 box of pasta, penne or farfalle are my preferences for a dish like this<br />
Parmesan or Romano cheese, for garnish<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L1OkWQZWfKE/TJOEk82FqiI/AAAAAAAAASI/-WInj_BBYQU/s1600/DSC00478.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L1OkWQZWfKE/TJOEk82FqiI/AAAAAAAAASI/-WInj_BBYQU/s400/DSC00478.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>1. Wash eggplant and chop into 1/2" cubes. Wash and chop the peppers into 1" pieces.<br />
2. Chop the onion and mince the garlic.<br />
3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the entire box of pasta, turn down the heat to medium-high to avoid boil-overs. Cook the pasta, covered, while continuing with the veggies, until the desired texture.<br />
Drain and rinse the past in cold water, set aside.<br />
4. Drizzle olive oil over a large skillet, saute onions and garlic on medium heat for a few minutes, taking care not to burn the garlic.<br />
5. Add the peppers and another drizzle of olive oil. Saute the peppers, stirring occasionally, for 5-8 minutes.<br />
6. Add the eggplant, basil and another drizzle of olive oil. Stir the mixture and cook for 5 minutes, then the skillet for another 5 minutes to help the vegetables cook all the way through.<br />
7. Pull the vegetables off the heat just before the eggplant gets soft, as it will continue to cook a tish once removed from the heat and soggy eggplant can be a turn-off for many people.<br />
8. Layer the vegetables over the pasta, top with fresh Romano or Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.<br />
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</div>Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02214821903590366101noreply@blogger.com0