tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40143572612512084232024-03-13T04:35:46.551-07:00D'licious DishDelicious Dishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12898795711884179184noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4014357261251208423.post-30340067794429213472011-12-09T13:01:00.000-08:002011-12-09T13:24:02.305-08:00A Foodie's DiscoveryI stumbled upon a food blog that has excellent recipes. It has inspired me completely, and I have been cooking all week. I made a few of them, see pictures below, and have enjoyed everything! Moreover, I am inspired by my friend's, Julie and Amelia, weekly dinners that I attend.<br />
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The blog is <a href="http://www.acouplecooks.com/">here</a>. I first made <a href="http://www.acouplecooks.com/2011/11/mashed-potatoes-with-kale-and-garlic/" target="_blank">Mashed Potatoes w/Kale and Garlic</a>, which was epically decadent and soooo good!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-z8mjaNpGWeU/TuJ4vT7o9HI/AAAAAAAAAIk/Scu6uGbNHZU/s1600/butternutsqsoup.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-z8mjaNpGWeU/TuJ4vT7o9HI/AAAAAAAAAIk/Scu6uGbNHZU/s320/butternutsqsoup.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.acouplecooks.com/2011/10/simple-butternut-squash-soup/" target="_blank">Simple Butternut Squash Soup</a> (made w/Christopher)</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q3rg_qc1G9A/TuJ4wRtZwcI/AAAAAAAAAI0/FxF0z7SODyo/s1600/tomalmondspread.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q3rg_qc1G9A/TuJ4wRtZwcI/AAAAAAAAAI0/FxF0z7SODyo/s320/tomalmondspread.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://www.acouplecooks.com/?s=tomato+almond+spread" target="_blank">Tomato Almond Spread</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O-Sx3eIHOrQ/TuJ4v91DauI/AAAAAAAAAIs/eG7YvCRNnQU/s1600/kale+salad.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O-Sx3eIHOrQ/TuJ4v91DauI/AAAAAAAAAIs/eG7YvCRNnQU/s320/kale+salad.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.acouplecooks.com/2011/11/tuscan-raw-kale-salad/" target="_blank">Tuscan Raw Kale Salad</a>, with Tomato Almond Spread on crackers</td></tr>
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Note on the potatoes: I recently made Colcannon, an Irish potato recipe and very similar to the one linked above. It, of course, was made with cabbage, and I added garlic to enrich the dish. It was very comforting. But hey, I'm Irish!</div>Delicious Dishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12898795711884179184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4014357261251208423.post-28130802173822935712011-05-02T09:08:00.000-07:002011-05-02T09:38:25.280-07:00CALLALOO STEWI went with many of you to Jamaica last year- there we tried many new foods. Brittany says that Jerry made us callaloo but unfortunately I have no recollection of that. I rediscovered this dish in my Jamaican cooking class- I am not stealing their recipe since there are copyright laws against reposting their recipes... I have tweaked it to make it easier/more accessible. Callaloo refers to a leaf veggie- amaranth or taro Xanthosoma. Here in the NW you can use any green leafy veggie such as kale, spinach, chard or collard greens. Traditionally it's used as a side dish or as a gravy for other foods but I am LAZY- I eat it as a stew with a side of cornbread. Also, I don't measure things for this- do what's right for you.<div><br /></div><div>Pork chunks: I use a large handful of bacon</div><div>Onion, one, chopped</div><div>Garlic cloves, five to infinity, minced</div><div>Habenero pepper, one, minced</div><div>Fresh thyme, handful</div><div>Fresh chives, handful, chopped</div><div>Green leafies, 2-3 cups, chopped</div><div>Sea meats, handful, I use one can of crab meat but you can use lobster or conch (haha where you gonna find conch here?)</div><div>Squash, one half of a cooked butternut squash, cubed, freeze other half for later</div><div>Okra, one bag of frozen chopped</div><div>Coconut milk, one can</div><div>Chicken broth, two cups</div><div>Salt & pepper to taste</div><div>Lime to taste</div><div>Hot sauce to taste</div><div>brb I'm eating a bowl of this for breakfast...</div><div><br /></div><div>Ok, I'm back. Get a big soup pot, put it over medium heat, put a pat of butter in there and cook your pork meats. Drain fat from pork meats. Add aromatics (onion, garlic, herbs, pepper) and saute/sweat them. (Pardon my cooking grammar) Add greens and squash, cook for a few minutes. Add sea meats, coconut milk and chicken broth, simmer and stir. ADD THE OKRA LAST. People hate okra because it's mushy and slimy- and it only gets mushy and slimy if you let it. You are in control of your okra! Put it in last so that it heats up enough but stays crunchy. This whole mess should look like a stew. Taste it. Maybe it needs more salt and pepper. Serve in bowl with lime wedge, more hot sauce (I use habanero hot sauce) and with whatever starch suits your fancy. Oops I forgot to take a photo... that's probably for the best since it's ugly... but D'LICIOUS</div>Delicious Dishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12898795711884179184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4014357261251208423.post-11134147497916110732011-05-02T08:22:00.000-07:002011-05-02T09:04:50.527-07:00Beer Fest<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fY_fXWh5jmw/Tb7SmuMHd-I/AAAAAAAAAHw/pXN-GnsrYLc/s1600/Teriaki.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fY_fXWh5jmw/Tb7SmuMHd-I/AAAAAAAAAHw/pXN-GnsrYLc/s320/Teriaki.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602146549171189730" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yvlyReWsEdw/Tb7Qpzvx25I/AAAAAAAAAHQ/zWK4ye6bVME/s1600/Block%2B15.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yvlyReWsEdw/Tb7Qpzvx25I/AAAAAAAAAHQ/zWK4ye6bVME/s320/Block%2B15.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602144403179297682" /></a><br />Hi all, <div><br /></div><div>I ate pretty much everything on the planet in April and I haven't posted anything! I also went to two beer festivals in Portland: the Spring Beer & Wine Fest and Portland's Cheers to Belgian Beers. I highly recommend going to any beer fest that's not on the</div><div> waterfront or in the Convention Center. The Belgian beer tasting was in a metal craft warehouse where they make the vats for breweries for fermenting beer. Genius! 40 beers on tap! Each tasting bringing you closer to forgetting what beer you're drinking! I went with a new friend of mine and I made him take photos. This first beer on the left here is Block 15 Brewing Co.'s St. Macarius. 5.9% ABV Belgian-style dark chocolate. I voted it the best, very bright, no aftertaste, not too syrupy, easily you could use it as a dessert beer and pair with berry pie.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>The next beer we loved (see upper right) is Buckman Village Brewery's La Petite Mort (or at least I think so... my sun-fried brain only scribbled one illegible clue for photo #2) 5.0% ABV dark saison. Does it look like teriyaki to you? You can distinctly taste ginger, brown sugar and soy sauce- all elements of teriyaki. WILD! It didn't taste out of place even, it was very drinkable... easily paired with Asian food... which we did at the Koi Fusion cart- overrated Korean taco-cart fusion. It's not my favorite because it's greasy and expensive for cart food. We had a bulgolgi bbq beef burrito with kimchi and salsa verde- not impressive until I got to the butt of the burrito- maybe that's where all the kimchi and sauces shimmied down.</div><div> </div><div><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7NMW0PVG11Y/Tb7UOE6bzwI/AAAAAAAAAH4/ZKfMNgjT3wc/s400/last%2Btwo.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602148324797566722" /></div><div>Alright, here's the final two beers we tried. I can't say for sure what they are because these were the final tastings when we were already drunk but I'll do my best. I think the one on the left is Old Market Pub & Brewery's Trappist Le Blonde Inlenet- 8.2% ABV Belgian-style golden. I gave it a minus sign. The one on the right is Philadelphia's Flemish Amber- 4.7% ABV... it has a plus sign. When you go beer tasting I recommend using a more sophisticated beer rating system. </div><div><br /></div><div>I don't know when the next beer festival is but I hope it's not for a long time! </div><div><br /></div>Delicious Dishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12898795711884179184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4014357261251208423.post-38525908257158486522011-04-25T15:35:00.000-07:002011-04-25T16:21:15.852-07:00Plantain Breakfast TacosHey food friends. My name is Julie, and I'm a newcomer to this blog, but certainly not new to loving good food. I cook the majority of my meals, and make a very conscious effort to use only local and organic ingredients. Last summer I read the book The Omnivore's Dilemma, by Michael Pollan, and it kind of changed my life...or at least the decisions I make about the food I cook. I try to cook and eat seasonally, and get almost all of my produce at the Ballard farmer's market; for everything else I trot over to PCC. I may seem like a food snob, but I'm just trying to participate in supporting local and sustainable foods and businesses...and am not afraid to talk about it. I love to eat out and try new restaurants, but when it comes to what I prepare at home, I've got to feel good about all of the ingredients, not cut corners on prepared or processed foods, and try to make everything from scratch. Yep, food snob.<br /><br />On another note...I recently returned from a trip to Yelapa, Jalisco, Mexico. My roommate and I stayed with a friend who lives there for a week and soaked up the sun, swam in the ocean, and cooked a lot of good food with all fresh local ingredients. A LOT OF TACOS. The most successful (and simply delicious) recipe we came up with was a breakfast taco, that I would like to share with you:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Plantain Breakfast Tacos </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tL9jTrHH-Bs/TbX_GMCOysI/AAAAAAAAAGg/ctSBJcBCMdk/s1600/IMG_1035.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 274px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tL9jTrHH-Bs/TbX_GMCOysI/AAAAAAAAAGg/ctSBJcBCMdk/s320/IMG_1035.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599662193479961282" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">with Black Beans, Tomatillo Salsa, and Lime Sour-cream</span><br /><ul><li>2 plantains, sliced into thin rounds</li><li>4 tomatillos, diced</li><li>1 large tomato, diced</li><li>1 onion, diced</li><li>1 cup of black beans</li><li>2 local eggs</li><li>2 fresh tortillas, warmed up in a skillet<br /></li><li>1/2 cup of sour-cream</li><li>1 small lime</li><li>salt and pepper to taste<br /></li></ul>Lightly saute the plantain in a sweet/light cooking oil, (we used coconut oil as it is everywhere in Mexico, but I'm sure vegetable oil would be fine), until the starches began to break down a bit; set aside.<br /><br />If using dried black beans, soak overnight in water, then simmer for an hour 'till beans are fully cooked. Set aside.<br /><br />Lightly saute the tomatillos, tomatoes, and onion in olive oil for a few minutes, just enough to bring out the flavors a bit more, salt and pepper to taste.<br /><br />Cook the two eggs over-easy, poached, or fried. Any method that leave the yolks a bit runny is best in my book..<br /><br />To make lime sour-cream: squeeze the juice of one small lime into your sour-cream, mix thoroughly.<br /><br />Assemble your breakfast tacos:<br />Layer your tortillas on a plate, top with plantains, black beans, tomatillo salsa, and eggs on top. Spoon a dollop of the lime sour-cream to finish, and get ready for some mouth-watering goodness. I recommend using a knife and fork, this dish tends to spill out and get messy...but is so worth it.<br /><br />Until next time..adios amigos!Delicious Dishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12898795711884179184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4014357261251208423.post-88560895979852816652011-04-25T10:12:00.000-07:002011-04-25T12:14:50.965-07:00Food for Thought<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=UTF-8"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2VQ2fABbpHY/TbWxUs3T40I/AAAAAAAAAFw/2ZxUPu91xGo/s320/IMG_0891.JPG" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599576680903729986" /></div></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OJltD7TaOss/TbW0cx6OpwI/AAAAAAAAAF4/NCE0OUGn1g8/s1600/IMG_3140.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a>I eat out quite a bit, especially lately as I started a new job and have been juggling the schedule. I'm sure you can relate or at least recognize, when you are busy you tend to eat out more frequently. So here are some good eats that I recommend. To the left we have an egg hash courtesy Smith's which is a bar with impressive bar food. We have spinach, carrots, potatoes, chanterelles and a poached egg on top. I will definitely replicate this.<div>
<br /><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=UTF-8"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lGbA_Of9cUo/TbWrxuEZq0I/AAAAAAAAAFQ/B8MfYjfHYcw/s320/benny.JPG" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599570582373509954" /><div>Here we have the eggs benedict vegetarian with a side of potatoes from Portage Bay Cafe in</div><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=UTF-8"><div>Ballard. I have tried eggs benedict at The Dish, Smith, Glo's and Hattie's Hat.While I enjoy the</div><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=UTF-8"><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=UTF-8"><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=UTF-8"><div>dish almost anywhere, I have found I like PBC's the best. Granted, Hattie's makes their hollandaise with cream cheese which is lovely, but the hollandaise at PBC understands my taste bud's needs.<meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=UTF-8"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QEyscFHWI3Y/TbWrxfJ77CI/AAAAAAAAAFI/lMv434cyKDA/s320/eggs.JPG" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599570578370194466" /><div>
<br /></div><div>Goat Cheese Omelette at PBC. By the look on Ross' face, I can tell it was a good choice for him. Not only does he love omelette's but him and goat cheese are best friends. This was a perfect combination of love of food meets well combined and prepared food.</div><div>
<br /></div><div><meta charset="utf-8"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MEB_hqGWabE/TbWxUbJ0z2I/AAAAAAAAAFo/G6gXbJt5HkU/s1600/IMG_0362.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MEB_hqGWabE/TbWxUbJ0z2I/AAAAAAAAAFo/G6gXbJt5HkU/s320/IMG_0362.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599576676149546850" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 239px; " /></a></div><div>The peach tart at Besalu cafe in Ballard is a sweet treat that is my favorite and believe me, when you live close to this place you end up trying most of their baked goods. I haven't yet captured a picture of the onion and gruyere pastry as I eat it too quickly. If you haven't been here yet you are sorely missing out. If you visit Seattle, this is a must stop on your tour.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Moving away from restaurant dishes into homemade, I have to include these interesting and innovative items. As Easter was yesterday, I was working and missed a family celebration known at Bacon Fest, where 6 lbs. of bacon and a slew of delightful dishes are laid down to be devoured. After work, I was delivered not only the chocolate covered bacon with sea salt, but some of my favorite chocolate silk mousse pie, which you will see next. The c.c.bacon was all Aunt Joan, and man she is a chef extraordinaire, and I have not given her enough credit for all the wonderful things she has made!</div><div>
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<br /></div><div>Chocolate Silk Mousse Pie. Concocted by the famous cousin Christopher who bestowed his pie knowledge upon me. I am eternally grateful and this is a treat worth the work it takes to make it. My friend and coworker, after trying this pie yesterday, said she was a ruined woman and she wouldn't be able to stop thinking about it. She asked me what she should do and I offered to attempt to make it with her. I'll keep you informed when that happens.</div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">
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<br /></div><div><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=UTF-8"><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=UTF-8"><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=UTF-8"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Lm7EVmuZGOg/Ta4m78-T18I/AAAAAAAAAD0/F5q9UJJHgGs/s320/IMG_0987.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597454198289717186" /><div style="text-align: left;">2 TPSP butter</div><div style="text-align: left;">2 onions, <b>r</b>oughly <b>c</b>hopped</div></div><div style="text-align: left;">2 carrots, <b>rc</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">2 potatoes, peeled and <b>rc</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">2 cloves garlic, minced</div><div style="text-align: left;">3 cups water</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 Bay leaf</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 TBSP dried parsley</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/2 tsp dried thyme </div><div style="text-align: left;"><meta charset="utf-8">2 cups milk</div><div style="text-align: left;">Salt</div><div style="text-align: left;">Pepper</div><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=UTF-8"><div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">When chopping onions I recommend a pair of these chemistry goggles:</div><div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><meta charset="utf-8"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CrfeLRwanQY/Ta4sQ1zOwzI/AAAAAAAAAEk/CEPuM696giw/s320/IMG_0989.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597460054699590450" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 239px; " /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Melt butter in large pot over medium heat, add onions for 5 mins. Add garlic for a minute and then add carrots, potatoes, water, salt, bay leaf and thyme. Simmer for 30 minutes.</div><div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><meta charset="utf-8"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NWkZovp-b7E/Ta4sqvCWKnI/AAAAAAAAAEs/QcVRrCcl7s8/s320/IMG_0992.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597460499560540786" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 239px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Remove bay leaf. Puree ingredients with a hand blender or in small batches with food processor or blender. Stir in milk and season with salt and pepper resulting in the pretty color below.</div><div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><meta charset="utf-8"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4nMxeMBTbbU/Ta4tOZ64e1I/AAAAAAAAAE0/1qfkyOJMd-M/s320/IMG_0995.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597461112367381330" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 239px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Enjoy with a side of bread and dip delectable slices in olive oil and vinegar or right into the soup! </div><div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=UTF-8"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S8NnNXzIYKo/Ta4r0eIAYMI/AAAAAAAAAEc/Na9qo5t1pNs/s320/IMG_0993.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597459567307940034" /></div>Delicious Dishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12898795711884179184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4014357261251208423.post-40791626588552595242011-02-18T09:12:00.000-08:002011-02-18T12:47:37.054-08:00Easy Pumpkin PieSince pies are in this year, I thought I would post my pie endeavor from last fall.
<br />
<br />I made this delicious <a href="http://www.pickyourown.org/pumpkinpie.php">pumpkin pie</a> from scratch (minus the <a href="http://www.pickyourown.org/piecrust.php">crust</a> b/c I was tight on time) and it was mostly, incredibly easy. The hardest part was cutting the sweet pumpkin in half. I had a great time making it and especially, eating it. I shared it with people too of course, to their enjoyment.<div>
<br />The pictures below were inspired by the original recipe website but I have condensed the instructions:
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<br />Yields 1 10" pie or 3 small pies.
<br />
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ab_LtxXWqQ0/TV7Z6dr8z6I/AAAAAAAAADc/fPXDyOEXNMY/s1600/IMG_0532.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ab_LtxXWqQ0/TV7Z6dr8z6I/AAAAAAAAADc/fPXDyOEXNMY/s320/IMG_0532.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575132987155861410" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ingredients:</span>
<br />Crust
<br />Sweet Pumpkin (makes 3 cups cooked)
<br />1 cup sugar
<br />1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
<br />1 tsp ground cloves
<br />1 tsp ground allspice
<br />1/2 tsp ground ginger
<br />1/2 tsp vanilla extract
<br />1/2 tsp salt
<br />4 large eggs
<br />1.5 cans (12 oz ea.) of evaporated milk
<br />
<br />Cut pumpkin in half and scoop out insides. Feel free to sift out the <a href="http://www.pickyourown.org/pumpkinseeds.php">seeds</a> and toast in the oven. Remove stem.
<br /><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=UTF-8"><div style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0c9hUaCeS_I/TV7BtHNUpYI/AAAAAAAAACc/iapu5CP4z00/s320/IMG_0533.JPG" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 239px;" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575106369504454018" border="0" /></div>Next cut the halves into halves and place in a double pot steamer. Steam for 20-30 minutes on medium heat. Can steam in a microwave for the same amount of time, just add some water to the microwave safe bowl.
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<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k1DwAiSsC9Y/TV7WyuWBSEI/AAAAAAAAADE/1fe4HoExK-w/s1600/IMG_0536.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k1DwAiSsC9Y/TV7WyuWBSEI/AAAAAAAAADE/1fe4HoExK-w/s320/IMG_0536.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575129555653445698" border="0" /></a>
<br /><div style="text-align: left;">Scoop out the cooked pumpkin and puree. Add remaining ingredients to pureed pumpkin. Pour into pie crust. Bake at 425 F for the first 15 minutes and then decrease to 350 F and back another 45-60 mins. or until clean when stuck with a knife.
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<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KmHm60YlRMA/TV7XJSPFCOI/AAAAAAAAADM/paBWULzluyI/s1600/IMG_0538.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KmHm60YlRMA/TV7XJSPFCOI/AAAAAAAAADM/paBWULzluyI/s320/IMG_0538.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575129943245129954" border="0" /></a>
<br /><div style="text-align: left;">Tada! Feel free to use a crust protector and then make slits in the center of the pie with a knife for kicks and giggles.
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<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PknONuTu7Qc/TV7Ukq2K0ZI/AAAAAAAAAC8/KjJtQxemwIo/s1600/IMG_0540.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PknONuTu7Qc/TV7Ukq2K0ZI/AAAAAAAAAC8/KjJtQxemwIo/s320/IMG_0540.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575127115173122450" border="0" /></a>
<br />Posted by: <span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">Brittany</span>
<br /></div>Delicious Dishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12898795711884179184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4014357261251208423.post-84504879718838017342010-10-11T18:46:00.000-07:002010-10-14T15:25:14.194-07:00Southwestern Sweet Potato & Quinoa SaladChow fellow food lovers!<br /><br />My name is Brittany and I am one of the several food loving people who will be contributing to this blog.<br /><br />First you should know that my food obsession is Quinoa. It's a fantastic grain full of protein. I need this protein as I'm a pescatarian (vegetarian that eats fish-sometimes people hear Presbyterian). I have made several different quinoa dishes but I got stuck on one for a while. Mediterranean Quinoa which consists of red onion, feta, kalamata olives, avocado, red pepper and quinoa. It comes with a dressing, optional of course, consisting of: olive oil, chopped garlic, a little mustard, white balsamic vinegar (also regular balsamic can be used) white wine, salt and pepper. I have tried to make it for most of my friends just because I love it so much.<br /><br />This time I tried a recipe out of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0764524836/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=076452514X&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0YTN1BP3E6HS53WJZ6KD">How to Cook Everything Vegetarian</a>, which by the way is an amazing bible type cook book for vegetarians. Everything I have made out of this book has been divine. It doesn't have pictures which freaked me out a bit but I totally got used to it and LOVE it. It also offers an alternate recipe within a recipe. I'll explain.<br /><br />The recipe I chose was Sweet Potato and Quinoa Salad. As I read it, I realized I was missing some ingredients. But at the end there was an alternate version! Southwestern Sweet Potato & Quinoa Salad, which I had all the ingredients for. Convenient.<br /><br />To speed up your cook time, cook sweet potatoes at the same time as quinoa. Peel the sweet potato and dice it into 1/2 inch or smaller pieces. Cook it in boiling salted water to cover until tender, about 15 minutes; drain.<br /><br />Just in case you haven't made quinoa yet, it is a two to one deal: 2 cups broth or water to 1 cup quinoa. Boil broth or water, add quinoa, cover and turn down to medium heat for 15 minutes. Now salad sometimes implies cold but whenever I make quinoa anything it's always warm. But it would be fantastic cold.<br /><br />Add these ingredients to quinoa and stir:<br />1 large or 2 medium sweet potatoes (I used 1 small and that sufficed)<br />salt<br />1/4 cup minced shallot<br />1 avocado<br />1/4 tsp cayenne, chili powder or hot red pepper flakes<br />1 bell pepper (we used a purple pepper from the Ballard Farmer's Market)<br />freshly squeezed lime juice (I used the lime I had which about 1/4 of it was missing)<br />1/4 cup olive oil<br />1/4 cup minced cilantro<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_LYufNjk1L6g/TLeBOtBzTSI/AAAAAAAAACE/fTWEc9CDO0A/s1600/photo%282%29.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_LYufNjk1L6g/TLeBOtBzTSI/AAAAAAAAACE/fTWEc9CDO0A/s320/photo%282%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528029157225876770" border="0" /></a>Delicious Dishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12898795711884179184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4014357261251208423.post-59912082335916851882010-05-23T10:47:00.000-07:002010-05-23T12:00:27.079-07:00Almost Vegan Tamale PieHello - It's Lauren again!<br /><br />Let's get real a minute - tamales are okay. They're high maintenance and you could take them or leave them. That's why I still haven't tried to make real tamales - I expect I would screw them up in some fundamental way.<br /><br />Tamale PIE, on the other hand, sounded much easier to me. That's the recipe I've made four times now and I like it a lot. I actually don't put Tapatio on it most of the time, because it's got a different flavor to me. More...earthy? Authentic? (I'll let you decide)<br /><br />This recipe is from a cookbook called The Accidental Vegan. I was browsing the vegetarian section of a used bookstore when a lady turned to me and recommended this book. "Everything in it that I've tried has turned out delicious!" Or something like that. I thanked her and started carrying the book around. I felt obligated - she was watching me! So the purchase was actually more forced than voluntary, but I could do it for just $6.<br /><br />You start off with 1/2 a batch of <strong>Red Chile "Salsa"</strong> (I put it in quotes because I don't really consider it a salsa - more of a sauce). I always make a full batch so I can make a second Tamale Pie after I finish the first, but you may as well test it out first - half batch.<br /><br />Ingredients:<br /><br />6 ancho chiles (I've always found there to be just 6 ancho chiles in the bag. They are dried poblano chiles)<br />3 medium tomatoes<br />1/2 bunch cilantro<br />3 tablespoons red wine vinegar<br />1 teaspoon sea salt (Remember, it's a vegan cookbook. Regular salt does just fine)<br /><br />Soak the chiles in boiling water for 10 minutes. When finished, remove the seeds if you can't take the heat! Puree ingredients in a food processor/blender. I use my immersion blender and it does just fine. Set this mixture aside for now.<br /><br />Next, for the actual <strong>Tamale Pie</strong>, you will need:<br /><br />2 cups water<br />1 tablespoon olive oil<br />1 teaspoon sea salt<br />2 cups masa harina or masa mixta (flour made from corn, basically? I found it in a huge bag, hidden in the "ethnic food" section of QFC)<br />10-12 dried tomatoes (I think that's how many came in the bags I typically found hidden in the produce section - 24 sundried tomato halves)<br />3 canned chipotles and their sauce (You will never just find 3 - another reason I always make two pies and just split the can between them)<br />2 cups cooked black or pinto beans<br />1 tablespoon red wine vinegar<br />1 teaspoon sea salt<br />1/2 batch Red Chile Salsa<br />Cheese, to taste (It's for the pie's topping, so you'd want at least 1/2 cup - it actually called for faux cheese, to make it vegan, but come on.)<br /><br />You'll also need a 9x13'' casserole dish.<br /><br />Yes, it sounds like a lot - it is! But it's good.<br /><br />Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.<br /><br />Bring the 2 cups water to a boil and add the olive oil and 1 teaspoon sea salt. I recommend using a medium saucepan for this, because when I use my 4 cup saucepan, the masa harina always comes out.<br /><br />Remove this from heat and immediately add the masa harina (I don't think you have to freak out about how long you're taking to mix in the harina - just don't wait for the water to cool). You're told to stir until it's smooth. I have yet to find that the masa harina is "smooth" after adding it to this amount of water. It's more clumpy, but it still works. If you want it to be smooth, add small amounts of water until then. But who knows what that will do to the end product.<br /><br />Spoon half of the masa harina into your casserole dish so that you cover the bottom and sides. I've never really tried to hard to get it to go up the sides and it still tastes good to me. The beans just tumble out a bit.<br /><br />Cook the dried tomatoes in about a cup of water for about a minute. Drain and chop them finely (easier said than done - I use a food processor). Add them to a bowl containing your black/pinto beans, vinegar, and sea salt.<br /><br />Chop the chipotles and add them to your bean bowl mix.<br /><br />Fill the "masa shell" you just made with this bean mixture. It may look something like THIS:<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_LYufNjk1L6g/S_l3d6PYodI/AAAAAAAAABk/YcZYJsJ53uk/s1600/IMG_0325.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 180px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474538177779245522" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_LYufNjk1L6g/S_l3d6PYodI/AAAAAAAAABk/YcZYJsJ53uk/s320/IMG_0325.JPG" /></a><br /><br />Cover this up with the rest of the masa harina mix by flattening handfuls of it and laying it across the top (like a puzzle). It's going to look stupid (see below), so don't try to make it perfect.<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LYufNjk1L6g/S_l5EXuT0gI/AAAAAAAAAB0/SOEqkIIn2uM/s1600/IMG_0326.JPG"><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 180px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474539938040238594" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LYufNjk1L6g/S_l5EXuT0gI/AAAAAAAAAB0/SOEqkIIn2uM/s320/IMG_0326.JPG" /></a></p><br />Top the pie with your freshly made salsa (see below - that's about half of a batch of salsa) and then with as much cheese as you want.<p><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LYufNjk1L6g/S_l5EJOYgjI/AAAAAAAAABs/nXFVVCCH2vY/s1600/IMG_0328.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 180px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474539934148231730" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LYufNjk1L6g/S_l5EJOYgjI/AAAAAAAAABs/nXFVVCCH2vY/s320/IMG_0328.JPG" /></a><br />Bake for 20-30 minutes, until the stop starts to brown. Serve. Eat. </p><p align="center"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 225px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474536043396086658" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LYufNjk1L6g/S_l1hrCyO4I/AAAAAAAAABU/BB-p3XgLY0k/s400/IMG_0333.JPG" /></p><p align="left">I've been looking at foodgawker.com all morning and then I went to write this post, so now I'm really hungry! It's time for me to scrounge for some food. Enjoy the recipe!</p><p align="left">Until next time...</p>Delicious Dishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12898795711884179184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4014357261251208423.post-13884091149201161552010-04-19T10:40:00.000-07:002010-04-19T19:13:25.234-07:00Chicken Noodle Soup From Scratch<div>Hello readers,</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Let me introduce myself. My name is Gina, I'm a nurse living in Portland, OR. I love to cook and bake in my free time. I mainly cook comfort foods and crock-pot dishes since it makes a week of lunches so easy! As for baking- it's mostly cookies. I love all baked goods, the "sweet-fats" but there's something about sinking your tooth into a cookie and getting that instant sugar rush that I love! My guiding motto for cooking is "work with what you got." No specialty ingredients, no special cook/bakeware. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Today, I bring you chicken noodle soup. My recipe is adapted from a local food blog I adore (<a href="http://bread-and-honey.blogspot.com/2008/07/chicken-stock-finally.html">http://bread-and-honey.blogspot.com/2008/07/chicken-stock-finally.html</a>) and from my go-to cooking reference <a href="http://www.allrecipes.com/">http://www.allrecipes.com/</a> (sorry, Martha, Rachel, and Julia.) This "recipe" is a guide. You can really add or omit whatever you want, however I don't know what you'd do if you're a vegetarian. This is a chicken-heavy soup. For this recipe there's a set of vegetables that will give all their nutrients to the stock and will become soggy and gross, and a second set of vegetables you add later that will be a little crisper and still have their nutrients. I guess this is why people eat it when they're sick- twice the "good stuff." The amount of veggies you add depends on how much you like eating them.<br /></div><br /><br /><div>Ingredients:</div><br /><ul><br /><li>1 "young chicken"</li><br /><li>1 lg onion, peeled and quartered</li><br /><li>3-4 lg carrots- 1-2 for the stock, 2-3 for the soup</li><br /><li>1 bunch celery- 2/3 bunch for the stock, 1/3 chopped up for the soup, reserve the leaves for later</li><br /><li>water- enough to fill pot</li><br /><li>3 bay leaves</li><br /><li>salt and pepper- freshly grind it, enough for your tastes</li><br /><li>poultry seasoning- to taste</li><br /><li>1- 8 oz package dry egg noodles (Ronzoni Healthy Harvest was on sale... thus I am using it)</li><br /><li>1/4 c chicken bouillon powder (I'm not using this, but you might want to)</li><br /><li>8 oz sliced mushrooms</li></ul><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_LYufNjk1L6g/S80LO3OLEiI/AAAAAAAAAA0/hpbgXVQK8CI/s1600/DSCF0626.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462034273039749666" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_LYufNjk1L6g/S80LO3OLEiI/AAAAAAAAAA0/hpbgXVQK8CI/s320/DSCF0626.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><p>1.) Attack the chicken. I'm sure that there's a French, methodical way to do this but here's what I did: Slice down the chicken's chest, remove all the skin and fat that you can, and remove chicken breasts and freeze for later. Loosen up all the joints by freeing up skin and tendons then dislocate them all! Then cut the limb off and take the skin off, throw it in the pot. When the giblets fall out of your massacred chicken, throw them out. Rinse out the "cavity" just in case some digestive juices are left over. Put the cavity in the pot.<br /></p><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_LYufNjk1L6g/S80MDw0QihI/AAAAAAAAAA8/-nInzmXOb44/s1600/DSCF0628.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462035181853510162" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_LYufNjk1L6g/S80MDw0QihI/AAAAAAAAAA8/-nInzmXOb44/s320/DSCF0628.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><p>2.) Making stock: put chicken parts, onion, celery, carrots (I chopped the celery and carrots into big pieces) in a large stock pot and add enough water to cover everything and nearly fill up the pot. Bring to a boil, skim off the fat, add the bay leaves, then lower to a simmer for 4 hours. Strain the stock, throw out the dilapidated veggies and dig through all the meat- throwing out the cartilage, bones, skin and fat (unless you're into that)<br /></p><br /><p>3.) Now you have the stock and chicken bits. Add the poultry seasoning, fresh chopped carrots, mushrooms and celery, bring to a boil, add the egg noodles then lower to a simmer for 10-20 minutes (depending on how soft you want the noodles to be). Salt and pepper to taste. Mine didn't turn out as savory as I had hoped, so definitely try the bouillon. Otherwise, pretty delicious! Serve with multigrain crackers. </p><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_LYufNjk1L6g/S80NUJffrLI/AAAAAAAAABE/TJiLhon4kio/s1600/DSCF0632.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462036562866842802" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_LYufNjk1L6g/S80NUJffrLI/AAAAAAAAABE/TJiLhon4kio/s320/DSCF0632.JPG" border="0" /></a>Delicious Dishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12898795711884179184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4014357261251208423.post-66168620056365279952010-03-16T19:50:00.000-07:002010-03-23T13:21:59.025-07:00Mac 'n Cheese, please!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_LYufNjk1L6g/S6kgrckBUXI/AAAAAAAAAAk/yMVX-5CuSIU/s1600-h/Mac+%27n+cheese,+please.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 299px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_LYufNjk1L6g/S6kgrckBUXI/AAAAAAAAAAk/yMVX-5CuSIU/s320/Mac+%27n+cheese,+please.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451924754682433906" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_LYufNjk1L6g/S6kgB6bi9LI/AAAAAAAAAAc/u8-eIC3dFJo/s1600-h/Mac+%27n+cheese,+please.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">Hello there! I will also introduce myself: my name is Lindsey. I love chocolate (like, <i>love</i> love), and just food in general (duh). I love to cook and bake although recently I have been too tired from work to do much of it (lame excuse, I know). But when I'm really compelled by a recipe or idea I do it. I make it. And I love to!<br /></span></a><div><br /></div><div>I'm the kind of person who has a lot of internet tabs open all the time--I don't know why--it just happens. Like how clothes keep piling up on my floor (I swear it wasn't me) and how'd my desk get so messy? I just seem to have this habit of compiling things until the point of me getting really frustrated that I've compiled all those things and uggghh I gotta clean shit up. So. Here's what I do: I clean shit up (-ish). And I do that with my internet tabs too. When you have Stumble Upon it's <i>way</i> too easy to find all these interesting sites, and since I don't have time to look at them right away: I save that tab, open up a new one, etc. etc. They all collect atop my browser, and once I realize that I have to scroll right or left on my tab bar, well, that's when I know it's time to look and see what I've gotten myself into. And now I know it's too late to say "long story short" but it still sounds good, so: long story short, one of my saved tabs was a blog that had a macaroni and cheese recipe.</div><div><br /></div><div>I felt my calling. It was time to pursue my (immediate future) destiny.</div><div><br /></div><div>The result was pretty tasty.</div><div><br /></div><div>I manipulated the original recipe to fit my needs/wants/what I had in my fridge. I feel like you can do that with almost any recipe, and that way you put your own personal spin on things. Don't be afraid! Here's how it goes:</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Servings: 3-4 in 8x8 dish, double ingredients for 13x9</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Ingredients</b></div><div><ul><li>2 cups rotini (or similar pasta)</li><li>4 Tbsp butter (Salted Butter)</li><li>1-2 whole medium onions (depending on how onion-y you like it), <b><i>cut in half and sliced thin</i></b></li><li>5-7 slices prosciutto or pancetta</li><li>1/8 cup all-purpose flour</li><li>1 cup non-fat milk</li><li>1/4 cup half-and-half</li><li>1 whole egg yolk, beaten</li><li>salt n pepa, to taste</li><li>1 cup-ish of Quattro Formaggio cheese blend from Trader Joe's (parmesan, asiago, fontina, provolone) <b>-OR</b>- 1 cup-ish of similar cheese(s)</li><li>Bread crumbs (optional)</li></ul></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Preparation instructions</b></div><div> <p>Preheat oven to 350 degrees.</p> <p>Cook macaroni for half the time of the package instructions. Drain and set aside.</p> <p>Fry prosciutto/pancetta until slightly, but not overly, crispy. Set aside.</p> <p>Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet and then saute onions over medium-low heat for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown and soft. Set aside.</p> <p>In a pot, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Sprinkle in flour and whisk to combine. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat for 1 minute. Pour in milk and half & half, then cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until thick. Reduce heat to low. Add salt & pepper to taste.</p> <p>Beat egg yolk and drizzle 1/4 cup hot mixture into the yolks, stirring constantly. Stir to combine. Pour egg mixture into sauce and cook for another minute.</p> <p>Add cheeses and stir until melted. Add onions and prosciutto/pancetta and stir. Taste for seasonings and add more salt if needed. Add cooked rotini pasta and stir to coat. </p> <p>Pour into an 8x8 baking dish, sprinkle bread crumbs on top if you want (I didn't do this, although it would probably be delicious!). Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until sizzling and hot. Serve with vegetables so you don't feel too guilty. I threw some raw spinach in my bowl and mixed it in with the mac 'n cheese.</p><p>So good. So. Good.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Delicious Dishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12898795711884179184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4014357261251208423.post-90477455798677123412010-03-08T20:12:00.001-08:002010-03-08T21:10:50.249-08:00Bowties & Spicy Broccolette<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LYufNjk1L6g/S5XXg-J5gjI/AAAAAAAAAAM/dK75KwVgw4A/s1600-h/IMG_5123.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 343px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 226px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446496285814784562" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LYufNjk1L6g/S5XXg-J5gjI/AAAAAAAAAAM/dK75KwVgw4A/s320/IMG_5123.JPG" /></a><br /><div>Hello! This is Lauren and I'm here to kick off our new blog - Delicious Dish! We started this blog to discuss the one thing that keeps us from hating each other - food. We plan to discuss recipes we try, restaurants we go to, and whatever other food-related topics we feel like discussing. We all live on the West Coast, so we will mainly discuss Seattle, Portland, and San Francisco.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>To tell you a little about myself: I'm kind of new to cooking and baking, but I enjoy trying new recipes. I'm mostly drawn to healthy recipes for dinner and horrible-for-you recipes for dessert. I also like baking breads and am honing my skills in that area (it's complicated...especially with an oven that runs too hot and crazily). I love going to new restaurants, but it takes really good food for me to start raving about one.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I'm just going to get this out right now, before you think I have a problem I that hasn't been acknowledged: I love hot sauce. Specifically, Tapatio. I buy maybe four 32 ouncers a year. I have been known to consume it by itself, in the privacy of my own home where no one can shame me for it. I will probably talk about it as if it were my close friend.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Now, for my first topic. Dinner. I went searching through my collection of recipes and picked one that I tore from the Every Day with Rachael Ray magazine. I gave it a whirl - like I said, I'm kind of new to actual cooking. It actually went really smoothly. I actually read ahead to make sure I wouldn't have to rush to chop something in the middle of cooking something else. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Now, one of the letters to the editor complained that Rachael Ray's (RR) recipes were often bland. I have to agree that some of them are lacking (i.e. Cajun Chicken Fingers - put some Tapatio on that shit!), but Bowties & Spicy Broccoli Rabe was delicious and plenty flavorful for me. Maybe it was all the salt I accidentally ("accidentally"?) added. Please see the RR recipe below.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div><strong>Bowties and Spicy Broccoli Rabe with Crunchy Crumbs</strong></div><br /><div>Rachael Ray</div><br /><div>Serves 4; 15 minutes to prep; 35 minutes to cook</div><div></div><br /><div>1 head garlic</div><div>1 bunch broccoli rabe (about 1 1/4 lbs) - I used broccolette and I thought it went fine</div><div>1 lb farfalle (bowtie) pasta</div><div>1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil</div><div>1 red chile, seeded and chopped finely - I couldn't find this, so I used a serrano pepper...</div><div>1 dinner roll - I think any bread will do; I used an english muffin I made a few weeks ago</div><div>1 pint ricotta cheese</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>1. Fill a large saucepan three-quarters full with water. Add the garlic (separated into unpeeled cloves with the base of each clove trimmed), bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes; transfer the garlic to a plate. Reserve the saucepan of boiling water. Once the garlic is cool enough to handle, slip off the skins and halve lengthwise (I am just now seeing this "halve lengthwise" business...leave them whole if you feel rebellious!).</div><br /><div>2. Add the broccoli rabe to the boiling water and cook until the stems are just tender, about 5 minutes. Drain in a colander, then rinse with cold water until cool.</div><br /><div>3. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta until al dente.</div><br /><div>4. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat 1/4 cup olive oil over medium heat, add the garlic and cook, stirring, until lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the reserved broccoli rabe and cook, stirring, until heated through, about 2 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat, stir in the chile and transfer to a medium bowl. Wipe the skillet clean, then add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and warm over medium heat. Add 1 1/2 cups of the dinner roll breadcrumbs (I only crumbled about 1/4 cup, so I'll probably be missing out when I get to the last few plates of this dish - DO NOT SKIP THE BREADCRUMBS. I was going to skip them to save time, but they are really good in this dish) and cook, stirring, until browned and crisp, 3 to 4 minutes.</div><br /><div>5. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/4 cup cooking water, and return to the pot. Stir in the ricotta and reserved pasta water, then the broccoli rabe mixture; season with salt and pepper. Top with the crunchy breadcrumbs. </div><br /><div>If you don't think it's got flavor, just add more salt and pepper. Red chile flakes would have been good in here as well.</div><div></div><div>Over and Out!</div><div></div><div>Lauren</div>Delicious Dishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12898795711884179184noreply@blogger.com0