tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46704640209698651892024-02-07T01:20:43.939-05:00Guerilla KitchenGenevievehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10284714172562540985noreply@blogger.comBlogger98125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670464020969865189.post-55995339613507933882012-03-06T20:46:00.003-05:002012-03-06T20:57:13.551-05:00Thin-Crust Pizza with Fresh Mozzarella, Veggies & Grilled Chicken<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My pizza-making <a href="http://genevievesguerillakitchen.blogspot.com/2011/11/pizza-with-fig-preserves-caramelized.html"><span style="color: purple;">experience</span></a> is quite limited. My pizza <i>eating</i> experience, however, is rather extensive, and since I know how good it can be, I figured it was time that I learn to make my own thin, crispy crust. </div><br />
There are tons of recipes and tricks for pizza crust floating around the internet, but the technique I used comes from "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/My-Bread-Revolutionary-No-Work-No-Knead/dp/0393066304/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1330993000&sr=8-1"><span style="color: purple;">My Bread: The Revolutionary No-Work, No-Knead Method</span></a>," by Jim Lahey with Rick Flaste. The book is fabulous, and I highly recommend it for really rich, flavorful bread with practically no effort. I've cut down his narrative a bit to give you the basic instructions, but his description is really helpful for novice bakers and general troubleshooting. This post might look like a lot of reading, but once you get the hang of it, whipping up a pizza crust will be easy peasey and totally worth it.<br />
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This crust recipe will make enough for two 13-by-18 inch pies. If you're not cooking for a crowd, store the other half of the dough in a well-oiled sealable plastic bag in the fridge for up to a day, or in the freezer for up to a month.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdbStSYM5BB5J49kXvLt3682X5hcmQVixy4iH1H7K2gtPO9pvcemcPa_Jb9R6xtjXYHdxMLSgGz9kig99MXvRoRUkGNTNR72tS0elSJMq_m1DPcL8gxMl9NC-NsJqnZ4wPahxtQ7G7iXc/s1600/dough.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdbStSYM5BB5J49kXvLt3682X5hcmQVixy4iH1H7K2gtPO9pvcemcPa_Jb9R6xtjXYHdxMLSgGz9kig99MXvRoRUkGNTNR72tS0elSJMq_m1DPcL8gxMl9NC-NsJqnZ4wPahxtQ7G7iXc/s320/dough.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Extra dough waiting to be frozen. And yes, those are artificial flowers in an upcycled wine bottle!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>If you freeze your dough, defrost in the fridge and bring it to room temperature before stretching.<br />
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<span style="color: #38761d;">Ingredients</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">Crust:</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">3 3/4 cups (500 grams) bread flour</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">2 1/2 teaspoons (10 grams) instant or other dry active yeast</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">3/4 teaspoon (5 grams) table salt</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">3/4 teaspoons plus a pinch (about 3 grams) sugar</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">1 1/3 cups (300 grams) room-temperature water</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">Extra virgin olive oil for pans, and sealable plastic bag, if you're storing some</span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d;">Toppings: </span>(in order of appearance)<br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">About 3/4 cup pizza or pasta sauce</span> (I used Walnut Creek tomato and basil organic pasta sauce, which was great)<br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">8 oz. ball fresh mozzarella, sliced into discs </span>(about 8)<br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">1-2 cooked chicken breasts, coarsely chopped </span>(I used some that I had marinated in basil & balsamic and grilled)<br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">1/2 small onion, thinly sliced</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">1/2 green bell pepper, thinly sliced</span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d;">Directions</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">1. In a medium bowl, stor together flour, yeast, salt and sugar. Add the water and using your hand or a wooden spoon, mix until blended, at least 30 seconds.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">2. Using a bowl scraper or rubber spatula, remove dough from the bowl onto a floured work surface. Gently form into a round ball, then divide the dough into two halves, spacing them 4 inches apart, and cover both with a moistened kitchen towel for 30 minutes.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">3. When you're ready to make your pizza, oil two 13-by-18 inch rimmed baking sheets. Pick up the dough, flip it over so it is floured side up, moist side down, and stretch the dough the length of the baking sheet. Using your palms, gently pull, press and stretch the dough to fill the entire bottom of the pan. (No need to make a crust or lip around the edge). Spread the dough as evenly as possible across the entire bottom of the pan, pinching together any holes that open up. If the dough sticks to your hands. lightly dust with flour or coat your hands with oil. (I prefer the oil method). Repeat with the other ball of dough, and top as you like.</span><br />
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Position a rack in the center of your oven, and <span style="color: #38761d;">preheat</span> it to 500 degrees. Spread on the sauce a little thicker around the edges, since they will cook and brown more quickly, and thicker sauce will slow that down a bit. Make sure the sauce isn't pooling anywhere, then add the <span style="color: #38761d;">toppings </span>in the order they're listed. <span style="color: #38761d;">Bake</span> for about 20 minutes, until golden around the edges, and <span style="color: #38761d;">serve</span>!<br />
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<span style="color: #38761d;">A Note about Bread Flour</span><br />
Jim Lahey is the guy who finally convinced me that high-quality bread flour was actually worth buying. I'd had some good results baking with all-purpose, but for a really good chewy bread or pizza crust, the extra protein in bread flour is essential. And I figure, if a bag of King Arthur bread flour is about $5, and with it I can bake four loaves of really excellent, easy-to-make bread, I'm still well below bakery prices for a product that is fresh, fabulous and totally home-made. And now that a simple pizza is part of my bread repertoire, I'm sticking with King Arthur. (And they're definitely not paying me to say that. Not yet, at least!)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivjAs5-sGlTWHzOzMuIFmrYMFw1bmARD74kIdFIF_YLX2PZLUslrz2hAY5ESL0MuylOTkhwDFsZXSrwjr1lwjUcPraveCuOuc5DX8mHtW5KedxClACdd2n0L55UV69Do3eC8lRCN6WYM0/s1600/uncooked+pizza_mess.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivjAs5-sGlTWHzOzMuIFmrYMFw1bmARD74kIdFIF_YLX2PZLUslrz2hAY5ESL0MuylOTkhwDFsZXSrwjr1lwjUcPraveCuOuc5DX8mHtW5KedxClACdd2n0L55UV69Do3eC8lRCN6WYM0/s320/uncooked+pizza_mess.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before baking</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD5ibDoXmHDulpr8AhsJI3fMWrhKzrjkp_MUIGRbvVJyHBckRtokSNcxjuB7K0uHxdhENd7laEOEjVtaHFTUp7m0_njOyN_XQAOSaf4xcq0UQdEoCkYdQVA3hFFh9gblhB5_RBMchnY98/s1600/pizza.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD5ibDoXmHDulpr8AhsJI3fMWrhKzrjkp_MUIGRbvVJyHBckRtokSNcxjuB7K0uHxdhENd7laEOEjVtaHFTUp7m0_njOyN_XQAOSaf4xcq0UQdEoCkYdQVA3hFFh9gblhB5_RBMchnY98/s320/pizza.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After, crispy and golden.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>You may have noticed that while my recipe says to thinly slice the peppers, my pictures tell a different story. In this case, the story is a lack of foresight that lead to big chunks of peppers that while delicious, cooked a bit too slowly and released a bit too much liquid to call this pizza a true raving success. That said, boy was it yummy - just a teeny bit soft in some places. Even with the slight excess of liquid, the crust was chewy and delicious. I think with thin slices, this pizza would be pretty close to perfect.<br />
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<b>Quote of the Day: <span style="color: #38761d;">Pizza is a lot like sex. When it's good, it's really good. When it's bad, it's still pretty good</span>. ~ Anonymous</b>Genevievehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10284714172562540985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670464020969865189.post-90001402419018179652012-03-03T21:46:00.003-05:002012-03-03T21:52:50.169-05:00Surprise: I'm Still Alive! And I Made Cheese Tortellini in an Alfredo Sauce!Hello readers!<br />
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It's been a while since my last post, and big things have been happening. I moved out to Western Massachusetts, and very soon afterward I became the newest full-time gallery assistant at the <a href="http://www.donmullergallery.com/"><span style="color: purple;">Don Muller Gallery</span></a>, in Northampton. Every day I get to support local and national artists, help people bring beautiful things into their lives, and have a lot of fun doing it. So while it's been a bit hard to find the time to blog, I've been busy with good things, and hopefully that counts for something!<br />
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With my new work schedule, I've become extra interested in satisfying dinners that I can throw together in just a few minutes. This Alfredo recipe, while not the healthiest thing on the planet, is a sauce that returns lots of creamy, hearty flavor for minimal time and effort. And after a long day, especially if you've barely stopped for lunch, tortellini really hits the spot. Seriously, I can't be the only person who at 8 AM thinks baby carrots, yogurt and a granola bar will be a good lunch. By 2 PM I'm usually cursing 8AM-Genevieve, and definitely looking for something filling come dinnertime.<br />
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I think that a traditional Alfredo involves all the creamy stuff I used and not a single veggie, but I added some frozen peas for color, and to slightly relieve the guilt factor. Very slightly. This recipe serves two, with some leftover sauce for lunch another day.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY9uzgsWZRsafdOdGYOBzvSDR1LPAoK-PcwllqVQIOPCuDEahOnyXF5O-jdGowXmrXp5DOnNdabWFZL-Q9eSk9cy41nnd5tjyJ1TQ_XMtvT_ZR1-CS1UQy-lziUd1MNmWV3WF0YJO08ws/s1600/alfredo1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY9uzgsWZRsafdOdGYOBzvSDR1LPAoK-PcwllqVQIOPCuDEahOnyXF5O-jdGowXmrXp5DOnNdabWFZL-Q9eSk9cy41nnd5tjyJ1TQ_XMtvT_ZR1-CS1UQy-lziUd1MNmWV3WF0YJO08ws/s320/alfredo1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="color: #38761d;">Ingredients:</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">1/4 cup butter</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">1/2 cup frozen peas</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">1 cup heavy cream</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">1 9 oz package cheese tortellini</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">1 clove garlic, crushed</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">1 1/2 cups grated Gruyere or Parmesan, or a combination (I used mostly Gruyere with about 1/4 cup of Parm)</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">1/4 cup chopped parsley (optional)</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">Directions:</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">1. In a large pot, cook pasta according to package directions. Add peas in last two minutes of cooking. Drain.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">2. While your pasta is cooking, in a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt your butter. Add cream, simmer for a few minutes, then add garlic and cheese, whisking constantly until heated through.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">3. Stir in parsley, if using, and pour over pasta and peas. Gently mix to combine, and serve immediately.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBMCTtZEoMNKwgcfJbxbESzk3IlmvoaC6tEoP-4oYyREKkr3wS5wbpW3Q8-cvfpornwdiRyIZvmH3v6dIU06_0rsqhIRkCPH12idZe6Xp29uSGpr-WxcauCqiIPp5b-M2R4dPdifBCjO4/s1600/alfredo2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBMCTtZEoMNKwgcfJbxbESzk3IlmvoaC6tEoP-4oYyREKkr3wS5wbpW3Q8-cvfpornwdiRyIZvmH3v6dIU06_0rsqhIRkCPH12idZe6Xp29uSGpr-WxcauCqiIPp5b-M2R4dPdifBCjO4/s320/alfredo2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>If I'd had a different sort of winter - one not full of master's theses and moving and job hunting - I like to think I might have a bag of home-made tortellini or ravioli in my freezer to use for something like this. But, things being what they are, I must admit that there are some pretty good packaged pasta options out there. So, haters gonna hate.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #38761d;">Quote of the Day</span>: Fettucini alfredo is mac and cheese for adults. ~<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitch_Hedberg"> <span style="color: purple;">Mitch Hedberg</span></a></b>Genevievehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10284714172562540985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670464020969865189.post-35289106651956202632012-01-13T20:29:00.002-05:002012-01-13T20:33:35.817-05:00Beer-Battered Fish Tacos with Creamy Chipotle SauceThe first time I had fish tacos was just this past September, in while in Aruba with my sister Allie. One evening after being totally exhausted from a fantastic snorkeling trip and not feeling much like venturing downtown for dinner, we headed down to the hotel's sports-themed bar/restaurant for a quick bite. We were very, <i>very</i> pleasantly surprised. Despite the corny ambiance we were fully impressed by their fish tacos, made with perfectly fried local fish and fresh, yummy toppings on white flour tortillas. Delish.<br />
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So, for some reason, I decided that I wanted to make some fish tacos of my own while still here on the Cape. Adventure!<br />
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The sauce is based off of my recipe for the spicy chipotle <a href="http://genevievesguerillakitchen.blogspot.com/2011/06/black-bean-bowls-with-brown-rice-sweet.html"><span style="color: purple;">dressing</span></a> that I used in my black bean bowls with brown rice and sweet corn salsa back in June. Basically you'll want to make the dressing in a food processor and add sour cream until you are happy with the texture - probably around three quarters of a cup or more. Since this will also cool down the spiciness of the sauce, it may take a little fiddling with to reach the level of spiciness that you're going for, but it's totally worth it. Also, this way you can make a signature sauce that's all your own.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqiALbMKYo0C5fkzh0FzYtRFD17IOqCpygdhQKvIU0wHBAO1u67oWMZ1KFegS7LxJ09Efb3nDw57gXvNRTpWzwSkIINN_Ngi1dzlw2Fo6tr3yHmrvGe1e-zrCfC1TIdBnEXcUNLxwGFUM/s1600/fish_tacos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqiALbMKYo0C5fkzh0FzYtRFD17IOqCpygdhQKvIU0wHBAO1u67oWMZ1KFegS7LxJ09Efb3nDw57gXvNRTpWzwSkIINN_Ngi1dzlw2Fo6tr3yHmrvGe1e-zrCfC1TIdBnEXcUNLxwGFUM/s400/fish_tacos.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crispy golden fried fish covered in sauce and toppings.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>This recipe serves 4 people.<br />
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<span style="color: #38761d;">Ingredients</span><br />
1 1/2 lb. fresh cod fillets, sliced diagonally into about 4 inch strips<br />
White flour tortillas (Not corn. That is a mistake that I very nearly made.)<br />
2 cups all-purpose flour<br />
1 12 oz. bottle of lager (I used Sankaty Light Lager made by Cisco Brewers on Nantucket, which I recommend.)<br />
Oil for frying (quantity will depend on the vessel you're using)<br />
1/2 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning or a "house seasoning" mix<br />
<br />
Oil for frying<br />
Slotted or basket spoon, wok or cast-iron dutch oven for frying<br />
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<span style="color: #38761d;">Directions</span><br />
1. Heat oil in your dutch oven or wok. If you have a thermometer for these purposes, you'll want it around 375 Fahrenheit. If not, you want it hot enough that if you add a drop of water, the oil sizzles and freaks out a little. Very scientific. (Another trick is to test the temperature with a cube of bread. If it browns within a minute, it's ready to go). Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350 Fahrenheit.<br />
2. Wrap your tortillas up in some aluminum foil and place in the oven. In a large bowl, pour out the beer. Sift 1 1/2 cups of the flour into the bowl, add house seasoning and whisk until just combined.<br />
3. Pat fish dry with a paper towel, season on both sides with salt and pepper and coat with beer batter. Dredge fish in remaining flour and slide into the oil.<br />
4. Fry fish until deep golden and cooked through, about 4 - 5 minutes. Transfer to baking sheet lined with paper towels and keep warm in oven, frying the remaining fish in batches.<br />
5. Serve fish with toppings and sauce on a small pitcher, gravy boat, or with a ladle, and the warmed tortillas.<br />
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This <span style="color: #38761d;">batter</span> is, in a word, fantastic. With the Sankaty Light Lager we used our batter came out light and crispy, without overwhelming the delicious, flaky white fish. I would recommend this for any kind of fried fish or seafood that you feel like beer-battering. The <span style="color: #38761d;">toppings</span> are up to your own artistic license. I served them with shredded red cabbage, thinly sliced red onion, guacamole, a wedge of lime and the chipotle sauce, but they would also be delicious with a corn salsa, diced peppers and onions or even cucumber, if you're feeling adventurous.<br />
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My only caveat with this dish is the work involved. There is nothing difficult about the frying - the battering and cooking are all pretty simple - but you will almost certainly want an extra set of hands to help scoop out the cooked fish strips and transfer them to the baking sheet. Fortunately my Mom was there to (enthusiastically) do everything that my batter-covered hands were much too gunky to do. So grab a friend or two, some fresh fish and a beer and make some yummy, crispy tacos!<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Quote of the Day: <span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Chance is always powerful. Let your hook always be cast; in the pool where you least expect it, there will be fish</span>. ~ Ovid</span></b></span>Genevievehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10284714172562540985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670464020969865189.post-85958839488543602782012-01-11T19:23:00.025-05:002012-01-11T20:53:20.389-05:00Pastitsio from Amy Sedaris' book I Like You: Hospitality Under the InfluenceI sometimes describe pastitsio as "Greek lasagna," since it has all the principal parts: pasta, tomatoey sauce, ground meat, cheese, and rich creamy goodness holding it all together. But pastitsio, in all of its Greek fabulosity, is something special. The name comes from the Italian pasticcio, a type of baked savory pies which may contain meat, fish, or pasta. Many Italian versions include a pastry crust, and some include béchamel similar to the cream sauce in pastitsio. The word pasticcio comes from pasta and means 'pie.' Anyway, it's great for potlucks and get-togethers, and is a great cold-weather comfort.<br />
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Though there are many variations on pastitsio originating from the Mediterranean region (and even from Egypt), this recipe is Amy Sedaris' Greek family recipe. And I think its fantastic. For many other fantastic recipes and lots of vintage-themed humor, check out her book, <i><span style="color: #38761d;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Like-You-Hospitality-Under-Influence/dp/0446696773/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326333166&sr=8-1"><b>I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence</b></a></span></i>. As you probably would have guessed, I wasn't paid to say that.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfe4db1I6riCMLmMXse4wuAkMm_a714H3xwltJAlYwJc8uZ3UMzR313h9F-mDcLLxuqIl-xY-N-cHd1QuE7AsjbWJ99eWgqELAWB7BF9jXzV2k9RxWsf80F4wNY7NHMvgATH_fCrYmVk8/s1600/pastitsio1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfe4db1I6riCMLmMXse4wuAkMm_a714H3xwltJAlYwJc8uZ3UMzR313h9F-mDcLLxuqIl-xY-N-cHd1QuE7AsjbWJ99eWgqELAWB7BF9jXzV2k9RxWsf80F4wNY7NHMvgATH_fCrYmVk8/s320/pastitsio1.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
As you can tell, pastitsio is NOT light on fat or calories, but that's why it's so great for sharing with a crowd. With a salad or a veggie, a small piece is plenty satisfying. This recipe makes a large dish; enough for 6-8 people, I would say.<br />
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<span style="color: #38761d;">Ingredients</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #274e13;">Macaroni</span><br />
1 (16 ounce) package ziti pasta<br />
5 tablespoons butter<br />
3/4 cup parmesan cheese or kefalotiri<br />
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg<br />
salt and pepper<br />
3 eggs, lightly beaten<br />
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<span style="color: #274e13;">Meat Sauce</span><br />
1-1 1/2 lb ground beef<br />
1 onion, chopped<br />
1 crushed garlic clove<br />
3 tablespoons olive oil<br />
1 small can tomato paste<br />
1/2 cup red wine<br />
8 ounces beef broth or stock<br />
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped<br />
1/2 teaspoon sugar<br />
salt and pepper<br />
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<span style="color: #274e13;">Cream Sauce</span><br />
1/3 cup butter<br />
1/2 cup flour<br />
3 cups milk<br />
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg<br />
salt and pepper<br />
1 egg<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">Directions</span><br />
<br />
1. Preheat oven to 350°F<br />
2. In a large pot, boil and drain your ziti, return to pot. Melt butter. Pour over ziti and toss. Add 1/2 cup of the cheese, the nutmeg, salt and pepper. Save a little of the cheese to sprinkle over the top before baking. Toss again and set aside. Let it cool a little before adding the eggs. Toss well.<br />
3. To make meat sauce, brown meat in a frying pan until almost fully cooked. Drain off the fat and set the meat aside. Fry onion and garlic in oil. Add meat and remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.<br />
4. To make the cream sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour and cook until smooth. Add milk all at once and bring to a boil, stiring constantly. Add nutmeg, salt and pepper. Let it cool, then stir in th beaten egg.<br />
5. Add 1/2 cup of this cream sauce to the meat sauce and mix.<br />
6. To assemble, use a 13x9x3 inch oven dish, buttered. Spoon 1/2 of the macaroni evenly on the bottom, then top with the meat sauce. Cover that layer with remaining macaroni. Pour on cream sauce and spread over the entire top. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top and bake until a little brown, about 45 minutes.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5qgdj_-Ne-jd3Ksfud56HgMb5FiONbteFiHKOSdYvHHqhh4YyNZ8b1ELQpcjo0DHBCqR6jDWoasCzDMa0ER2npmUnnAL2g9DhbeVU9jNhyX_cZkrcZyn_sNU5-M_goQTlU1pXoXAn2yg/s1600/past2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5qgdj_-Ne-jd3Ksfud56HgMb5FiONbteFiHKOSdYvHHqhh4YyNZ8b1ELQpcjo0DHBCqR6jDWoasCzDMa0ER2npmUnnAL2g9DhbeVU9jNhyX_cZkrcZyn_sNU5-M_goQTlU1pXoXAn2yg/s320/past2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
We had our pastitsio with steamed veggies, and a salad with Greek vinaigrette (made by Mom) and a sprinkling of Feta. I followed Amy's winning recipe exactly, except for one thing. Instead of using ground beef alone, I used a "meatball mix" - a combination of ground beef, pork and veal that imparts a slightly more complex flavor. I'm not hating on the all-beef version, though. It's a classic, and I'm sure somehow my mixed-meat-method is offensive to the authenticity of the Greek dish. Overall I wouldn't even say that the difference is noticeable, so I would use what I hand on hand. Either way - Yum. I recommend pairing it with a robust red wine.<br />
<br />
<b>Quote of the Day: <span style="color: #38761d;">Tomato and oregano make it Italian; wine and tarragon make it French; sour cream makes it Russian; lemon and cinnamon makes it Greek; soy sauce makes it Chinese and garlic makes it good</span>. ~ Jenny Morris</b><br />
<br />
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; vertical-align: baseline;"></div>Genevievehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10284714172562540985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670464020969865189.post-85073536964993899612012-01-06T15:01:00.001-05:002012-01-06T15:06:05.379-05:00A Somewhat Belated "Happy New Year" from the Guerilla KitchenHello and Happy 2012 to you all! I'm a little late to the party, I know, but better late than never, I hope. (And it's still 2012, after all.) I hope you had a festive holiday season with friends and family, and that you watched A Charlie Brown Christmas at least as many times as I did. (Four).<br />
<br />
As for many of you, the holidays were a busy, yet enjoyable time for Brady and myself.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb1bFWX0OmtKgI5W7kdMT5tJh-o8zDVJvacOyMclXvEb3AQJiKPLxrVtfY8dqu1mXrYHa9fYy19CtAqqB-Yd0772OOig1K9ZFEBT47JtpXwogUZBuTkHZkqmtp3XoPFOZ69sxOUAf6q0o/s1600/xmaseve.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb1bFWX0OmtKgI5W7kdMT5tJh-o8zDVJvacOyMclXvEb3AQJiKPLxrVtfY8dqu1mXrYHa9fYy19CtAqqB-Yd0772OOig1K9ZFEBT47JtpXwogUZBuTkHZkqmtp3XoPFOZ69sxOUAf6q0o/s320/xmaseve.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Allie and I traditionally spend Christmas Eve with our Dad, Vince, the zany-looking fellow you see here. Naturally Allie's manfriend Sebastian is the guy taking the picture.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXvAVICEZk14tkzMJABGyap4e_RYPS6k4gfLzJ7iok7g346Et4dq4sJ_0kr1TgLrlUrT0ZmDYJjrDJC3DL8gfKSY5fecetVn6626M7UwvllAFXc-PpJg1V7t00QUn_gfmYLYbHlIZySo4/s1600/tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXvAVICEZk14tkzMJABGyap4e_RYPS6k4gfLzJ7iok7g346Et4dq4sJ_0kr1TgLrlUrT0ZmDYJjrDJC3DL8gfKSY5fecetVn6626M7UwvllAFXc-PpJg1V7t00QUn_gfmYLYbHlIZySo4/s320/tree.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of these packages contained fun, fabulous new kitchen gadgets for the GK. Like a hand mixer! No more creaming butter and sugar by hand for THIS lady!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>New Year's was spent in Boston with our dear family friend Kathy, who has been gracious enough to host us in all or multitudes (Allie, Sebastian, Brady, Dad and myself) for four straight years now. Between all the visiting, gifting and eating, we've been fairly booked solid until just recently, but we wouldn't have it any other way. Though we are still on the Cape with my family for the time being, we will be heading back to western MA within a week, so we are enjoying the best of the place while we can.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3g3ulUqRgmBoRN7QXLYUvRPvQQnTB2ivB_ujM90HjtsM-3fhnM5ruNbWns63jyWgMsmOuMEiGGverIRHXh_Kf6qpTpegUSlA_zQI1cjt5k3JyHRwBao3zkGs0VyiLulfiy2pqIJT8SXk/s1600/marsh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3g3ulUqRgmBoRN7QXLYUvRPvQQnTB2ivB_ujM90HjtsM-3fhnM5ruNbWns63jyWgMsmOuMEiGGverIRHXh_Kf6qpTpegUSlA_zQI1cjt5k3JyHRwBao3zkGs0VyiLulfiy2pqIJT8SXk/s320/marsh.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We've taken some great walks through woods, marshes and colonial cemeteries. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDMqQFbMBQXYRumxLgtcnwFEOU9KIxs5a7YSzloi_SOpJOtwhYK9U-Y2kUtJK59rPhvc147qYGhImF5xdK-dMAtmYIVuLhygrePD3pXwGvo063twtgS_taBW7gc8fmdAUle-xvh-0S_4Y/s1600/brush.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDMqQFbMBQXYRumxLgtcnwFEOU9KIxs5a7YSzloi_SOpJOtwhYK9U-Y2kUtJK59rPhvc147qYGhImF5xdK-dMAtmYIVuLhygrePD3pXwGvo063twtgS_taBW7gc8fmdAUle-xvh-0S_4Y/s320/brush.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cape Cod is lovely in the winter, don't be fooled by its summer-only reputation.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Obviously, "the best of Cape Cod" involves seafood, so expect some fresh food posts for the brand new year! <b><span style="color: #274e13;">Coming soon:</span></b> fish tacos (probably beer battered), Amy Sedaris' killer pastitsio (not seafood but still fab), and basically anything that I can cook in my extremely glamorous new lidded three-ply aluminum Le Creuset saute pan. And as always, I'm open to requests and suggestions, so have at it!<br />
<br />
All photo credit for this post goes to my very talented future brother-in-law, Sebastian Ebarb of <a href="http://sebastianebarb.com/"><span style="color: purple;">Sebastian Ebarb Design</span></a>.Genevievehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10284714172562540985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670464020969865189.post-85484708568193307372011-12-23T21:44:00.003-05:002012-01-06T14:29:23.770-05:00Fun & Festive Cake PopsHello readers! As many of you know, while this week has ended with cozy family holiday time, it began with a move from Philadelphia to my new home in western Massachusetts and a bit of chaos in between. All went smoothly, though, and now I am happy to be on Cape Cod with my loved ones for the holidays.<br />
<br />
... But lets get back to the reason we are all here. Food.<br />
<br />
Every year for the last 7 Christmases or so, my sister Allie and I have baked, dipped, or otherwise assembled a seasonal treat for our extended family members as low-cost, high-cheer-impact Christmas gifts. We've made many types of treats, from <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/343455/lemon-ginger-drop-cookies"><span style="color: purple;">ginger lemon cookies</span></a> the first year to pretzel rods dipped in chocolate and rolled in chopped pistachios, but we always have a riot of a time working together in the kitchen. In pretty festive packaging, even the simplest sweets make very welcome gifts. This year we thought we would try something new and adventurous, the cake pop. Also known as cake balls or cakesicles, they happen to be very trendy at the moment, stealing some thunder from the fading cupcake craze.<br />
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We began with the very clever and simple <a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/tips-techniques/how-to-make-cake-pops-078637"><span style="color: purple;">technique</span></a> described on The Kitchn (not a typo). But, rather than making our cake from scratch, we turned to the good people at Trader Joe's. Basically, this method involves baking a cake, crumbling it up, making a simple cream cheese frosting, and combining the two into tasty little morsels on sticks. We baked two batches each of TJ's Truffle Brownie Mix (dipped in milk chocolate) and Vanilla Cake & Baking Mix (dipped in white chocolate), decorated with festive silver and gold <a href="http://www.kitchenkrafts.com/dragees-silver-4-oz-/p/IN0285-SLV/"><span style="color: purple;">dragees</span></a> and crushed candy canes. You could decorate your pops with sprinkles, coconut, colored sugar, mini marshmallows, or even mini M&Ms. These are so much fun to make, gift and eat.<br />
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Since most of us are baking for a crowd this time of year, this recipe is for two boxes of mix and enough frosting to glue it all together.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">Ingredients & Supplies:</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">2 boxes Trader Joe's Truffle Brownie Mix or Vanilla Cake & Baking Mix (these each call for butter, eggs, and milk, so read the package before you finalize your shopping list)</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">2 cups confectioner's sugar</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">4 tablespoons butter</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">8 oz. cream cheese, softened</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">About 1 tablespoon milk (or more, as needed)</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">12 oz. dark, milk or white chocolate for dipping (you can use meltable chocolate, found at craft stores, or regular bar chocolate with a small square of edible wax optional for a more melt-resistant shell)</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">Cardboard or plastic lollipop sticks (get these at Michael's, A.C. Moore or other craft stores; may need to be cut to size)</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">Cookie sheets or trays</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">Wax or parchment paper</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">Cookie and/or cake decorations of your choice</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">Directions:</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">1. Bake your cake according to the package directions. (In a large baking dish, you can bake both boxes at once). Let cake cool completely, ideally overnight.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">2. Using two forks or your hands, break the cake up into fine crumbs. (We did forks then hands).</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAigjSgEkynhFmsrxZw_aGKV0Wzv6P3EXVzQF63_9pvrfZ8qOMJGFaqTZtzQMaPE-K1JC5m445DsXCL0eTpE_SaoO436DUIRlZ-LrhBkiadFXc0jRa6KxKWma1uvSjz1RGmu3y-64e8uE/s1600/cake_hands.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAigjSgEkynhFmsrxZw_aGKV0Wzv6P3EXVzQF63_9pvrfZ8qOMJGFaqTZtzQMaPE-K1JC5m445DsXCL0eTpE_SaoO436DUIRlZ-LrhBkiadFXc0jRa6KxKWma1uvSjz1RGmu3y-64e8uE/s320/cake_hands.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="color: #38761d;">3. In a separate bowl, whip together the butter, sugar, milk and cream cheese until smooth. Pour into the cake crumbs and mix with a spoon. [Note: If using the brownie mix, add about 2/3 of the icing, mix, and check texture. The full frosting recipe may not be needed.] Continue mixing with your fingers, until frosting is fully incorporated into the cake.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">4. Try rolling the dough into a ball. If it is malleable and holds its shape (as it should be), it's ready to go. If it is too dry, add milk a teaspoon at a time until the dough is easy to mold. When the dough is ready, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm. Dough can be refrigerated for up to three days.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">5. To make your pops, first line 3 or 4 baking sheets with wax paper or parchment. Take about a tablespoon of dough, roll it into a smooth ball. Insert the stick and place ball on paper-lined baking sheet. As you fill up the sheets, stick them in the freezer to harden the balls.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">6. To decorate your pops, melt the chocolate (and wax, if you're using it) in a double-boiler on the stove, or in the microwave, taking care not to over-heat it. Dip the ball in, and place back on the papered baking sheet. Dip in sugar, chopped nuts, or coconut, or sprinkle with your decoration of choice.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFZc4UVyrUAVFvo-trSzZ9gcbqDB3AnAH7knCWNMSgfvBu9gdzpgtV_h_qAGKsLktqOQkSiMZFCcOBK21fxrYcBsI90dx5aHT_gDNxX-egmtMqNF0oA_XY0TmheShx3gltiBKeC7pnrRE/s1600/toppings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFZc4UVyrUAVFvo-trSzZ9gcbqDB3AnAH7knCWNMSgfvBu9gdzpgtV_h_qAGKsLktqOQkSiMZFCcOBK21fxrYcBsI90dx5aHT_gDNxX-egmtMqNF0oA_XY0TmheShx3gltiBKeC7pnrRE/s320/toppings.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gold and silver dragees and smashed candy canes for decorating.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDfO-qFhlBUAVQNI7yLN6u5L6TNGr02GPHOO19bLSpnc2iBHSyFXpzE01XkGG8hcBb8Lh8bzoYDynHwB582iG7axkL-Dtu-NhDFsbAYghyphenhyphenFmHYL2iajL2vBJdlahiT_uHzYpkKRVEBiUM/s1600/pops_silver.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDfO-qFhlBUAVQNI7yLN6u5L6TNGr02GPHOO19bLSpnc2iBHSyFXpzE01XkGG8hcBb8Lh8bzoYDynHwB582iG7axkL-Dtu-NhDFsbAYghyphenhyphenFmHYL2iajL2vBJdlahiT_uHzYpkKRVEBiUM/s320/pops_silver.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So pretty!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="color: #274e13;">[A Note about Decorating: Since you want your sprinkles or what-have-yous to stick well to the chocolate before it hardens, we found that the best assembly method was for one person to do the dipping and the other to do the decorating, trading jobs occasionally.]</span><br />
<br />
Please enjoy this fantastic video of the cake-pop making process, made by my future brother in law Sebastian Ebarb of <a href="http://sebastianebarb.com/" style="color: purple;">Sebastian Ebarb Design</a>. It features overly dramatic Trans-Siberian Orchestra music chosen by yours truly, and hand-modeling appearances by both Allie and myself. (Photos in this post are also his handiwork).<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" mozallowfullscreen="" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/34151153?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="400"></iframe><br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/34151153">Cake Pop</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user5802939">Sebastian Ebarb</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
<br />
We way underestimated the total number of sticks we would need, so we ended up with some cake "bites" that can't really be called pops. Still, they are just as delicious as they are adorable. You will probably need about 50 sticks, to be on the safe side.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpMeXufYgu-vL1O35UzEMwUQEUM1VnCT8fG2K6yFWoIfaUjWA_5t3WWJXo_CdvR5VCastyzbTN_URuzfnBF5PG7gG8JCL0L7_lpTHOQ-0FXLVZVS0gSSHOs8rtMHEPHCDhspQzaPelGzw/s1600/pops.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpMeXufYgu-vL1O35UzEMwUQEUM1VnCT8fG2K6yFWoIfaUjWA_5t3WWJXo_CdvR5VCastyzbTN_URuzfnBF5PG7gG8JCL0L7_lpTHOQ-0FXLVZVS0gSSHOs8rtMHEPHCDhspQzaPelGzw/s320/pops.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pops in process. The naked vanilla ones look a lot like plain donut holes!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>After the slight snap of biting through the chocolate shell, you reach the super moist, rich center. These can be frozen, but don't refrigerate them or the chocolate shell will get weepy and strange. Of course, these are meant as an occasional treat, so indulge in moderation, but "tis the season," so whatever.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #274e13;">Happy Holidays</span></b>, everybody! With love from my kitchen to yours,<br />
Genevieve<br />
<br />
UPDATE: It was unfair of me to talk of festive packaging and not show you what ours looked like all ready to be gifted, so here is a glimpse:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaO-K2m7zcwFJ5fqu6RKWktikSysFkJ_qKyHwFPLkV0kIBD3Isk72gzbvUSsXOvAD4HM4EHp8Vlu3PIRkrJr6Az84Z4_j93dJ4DYYTnPOtw3zaM_mCnRnUjYrgYQNXOUFbsTyDjFJ7MH4/s1600/pops_packed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaO-K2m7zcwFJ5fqu6RKWktikSysFkJ_qKyHwFPLkV0kIBD3Isk72gzbvUSsXOvAD4HM4EHp8Vlu3PIRkrJr6Az84Z4_j93dJ4DYYTnPOtw3zaM_mCnRnUjYrgYQNXOUFbsTyDjFJ7MH4/s320/pops_packed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Genevievehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10284714172562540985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670464020969865189.post-46290993797493889862011-12-06T21:15:00.004-05:002011-12-06T21:30:00.991-05:00White Bean & Andouille Sausage Stew from the Crock Pot<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">So, to get it out of the way (and, okay, because I'm really happy about it) I would like to share with you all that I've finished my master's degree! I am a Master of Science! What a world. And, since the next big steps for me are moving back to MA to be with Brady in two weeks and starting the hunt for my first real job in the New Year, for the sake of my short-term sanity I've chosen to focus on the Holidays with my family and on all the delicious things I can cook before that "What next?" moment comes. </span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></div><br />
When I was a kid, I didn't like a lot of food. I know how unlikely that now seems, but for a while there around ages 8-10, one of the only things my Mom could make that I would always eat happily was her soup made with kale, sausage (maybe kielbasa?), and other delicious things that I have since forgotten. In a sense, I think the details of the recipe are less important than how gleeful I felt when I ate it, and how she enjoyed making something that I loved so much.<br />
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This recipe is a variation on a theme: I added white beans and tomatoes and swapped the kale for other veggies, but the substantial texture and subtle spiciness of the sausage remains. Of course, you could easily add chopped kale or collard greens in the last 30 minutes or so of cooking, but I am myself just coming off a bit of a kale binge (is that even a thing?) so I decided to go a slightly different route.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9FkhHFtAmFfAcuVm13UaZwnmKXQNyNjlV9qYWk76YCUeyt3osza0Q0RTGS04eL8ChD_fJO5183TwlQAt7riw8XeyJqIYOdL7CCe-U8HA_qfCQvlz_vBxrZySMYWu1EcpsYlhWyJrLGpY/s1600/sausage_stew.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9FkhHFtAmFfAcuVm13UaZwnmKXQNyNjlV9qYWk76YCUeyt3osza0Q0RTGS04eL8ChD_fJO5183TwlQAt7riw8XeyJqIYOdL7CCe-U8HA_qfCQvlz_vBxrZySMYWu1EcpsYlhWyJrLGpY/s320/sausage_stew.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It is SUPER HARD to photograph steamy food.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Ingredients:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">About 1/4 lb. Andouille (or other smoked) sausage links, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">1/4 cup dry white beans, sorted, rinsed and soaked overnight, or 1 15 oz. can prepared white beans</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes, with or without green chiles</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">1 (above) can of water (if you are using dry beans, add another 1/2 can)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">1 stalk celery, chopped</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">1 medium onion, chopped</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">1 clove garlic, smashed</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">1 tablespoon mixed dry Italian herbs</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">1 bay leaf (optional)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">1 dried chili pepper (optional)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Salt and pepper, to taste</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">[Written for a 2 qt. crock pot]</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Directions:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">1. Combine all ingredients in crock pot and cook on "low" for about 4-6 hours if you used prepared beans (more like 8-10 if you're using dry-soaked beans), or on "high" for about 4 (or more like 6 if, you guessed it, you're using dry beans), or some combination of high and low until beans and veggies are tender. The exact time will depend on your machine.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">2. If necessary, remove the lid for the final hour or so of cooking to reduce liquids.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">3. Remove bay leaf and serve with butter and a good crusty bread. (If you're looking for a super no-knead, healthy, rustic bread recipe to make with your soup, check</span> <a href="http://genevievesguerillakitchen.blogspot.com/2011/04/bread-experiment.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">this</span></a> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">out).</span><br />
<br />
The great thing about smoked sausage (besides the fact that it is sausage, and that it is smoked) is that since its fully cooked, you just need to be sure it is well-heated and it's ready to go. But better still, when you slow cook smoked sausage like this, it lends such great flavor to your soup without a ton of different seasonings. Win-win. As a different twist, you could use chorizo, the "with green chiles" tomato option, serve topped with fresh cilantro and some shredded cheese, and if you happen to have some corn chips on hand, you've made grown-up taco soup.<br />
<br />
Maybe it is my imagination, but it seems to me that while I've been living alone (and especially now that it is winter) my posts have been mainly about easy, comforting food. In so doing, I hope I haven't strayed too far from the other part of my mission, of cooking and writing about healthy food. But, GK is also about my life, which heaven knows is a moving target. It's sort of crazy to me that I've been sharing my kitchen exploits with you all for the majority of my life as a graduate student. I guess the moral of the story is, life is short. Way too short not to eat well.Genevievehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10284714172562540985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670464020969865189.post-55994849100596125992011-12-04T10:12:00.008-05:002011-12-04T15:10:47.189-05:00Super Easy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread from Two Peas & Their PodHey everybody! I know I haven't been the most attentive of bloggers lately, but if its an acceptable excuse... I've finished my master's thesis! And in two days, my graduate school experience will be over and I'll be packing up to move to MA. So life is good, and I feel like writing about delicious treats.<br />
<br />
I made this pumpkin and chocolate chip bread for the first time this Thanksgiving, and I have to say, it's kind of the perfect Holiday bread. It's great with coffee for a breakfast treat, or with dessert. Did I mention it's super easy, and this recipe makes three super-moist 9"x5" loaves? If you're looking for something new to make this Christmas, this is a good egg. So to speak. Though there are actual eggs in it, too. And if you bring a loaf to a friend or relative's house, you will be very popular. This is experience speaking.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCHzZh7v89kqtBfxDFC2-pGdOJCKKsnxwSjocBh02Tz40Iiaonbw1a3eON90XeCH7f1iNx6W-jgTFPmzl-mHnxiWQiUQQiRecDScvWdz3_Ot4bzYwwUtlixTu_jiIFSY3JZWySYetDNvo/s1600/pumpkin_bread.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCHzZh7v89kqtBfxDFC2-pGdOJCKKsnxwSjocBh02Tz40Iiaonbw1a3eON90XeCH7f1iNx6W-jgTFPmzl-mHnxiWQiUQQiRecDScvWdz3_Ot4bzYwwUtlixTu_jiIFSY3JZWySYetDNvo/s320/pumpkin_bread.jpg" width="217" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Thanksgiving baking workshop! Photo credit to the fantastic Kathy Koplik.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>This <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><a href="http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/pumpkin-chocolate-chip-bread/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">recipe</span></a> </span>came from a really fun blog, Two Peas & Their Pod. I made mine according to the recipe (unbelievable, right?) and I wouldn't change a thing:<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Ingredients:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">1 tablespoon ground cinnamon</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">1 tablespoon ground nutmeg</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">2 teaspoons baking soda</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">1 1/2 teaspoons salt</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">3 cups granulated sugar</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">1 15 oz. can pure pumpkin puree</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">1 cup canola oil</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">2/3 cup water</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">1 teaspoon vanilla extract</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">4 large eggs</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Directions: </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray three 9x5 inch loaf pans with cooking spray and set aside.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">2. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">3. In a large bowl, combine sugar, pumpkin, canola oil, water, vanilla, and eggs. Mix until smooth.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">4. Slowly blend in flour mixture. Fold in chocolate chips. Evenly divide batter between the three loaf pans.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">5. Bake for 60 minutes, or until browned and a toothpick comes out clean. Remove loaves from oven and cool in pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes. With a knife, go around the bread and loosen the loaves. Remove from pan and cool completely before slicing.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">*Note-this recipe makes a lot of bread, so be prepared to share or put a loaf in the freezer for later.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4MNXViAy8X2zfxwVK2ikw7y7pVdw4wxg9d24b6X1iDPqs5Y-k0MCb3WKmzejviPjYRoDZBBtx7KVSSdHXh5gGvqXEZhnE7SYlnQAd08KxQYGrKzZsodJspCDt08x7jI-MzEd27LUk7ek/s1600/pumpkin-chocolate-chip-bread-recipe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4MNXViAy8X2zfxwVK2ikw7y7pVdw4wxg9d24b6X1iDPqs5Y-k0MCb3WKmzejviPjYRoDZBBtx7KVSSdHXh5gGvqXEZhnE7SYlnQAd08KxQYGrKzZsodJspCDt08x7jI-MzEd27LUk7ek/s320/pumpkin-chocolate-chip-bread-recipe.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Photo credit to Two Peas & Their Pod</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
The recipe kind of speaks for itself. I'm pretty sure this will become a regular Thanksgiving thing for me, but it would also be perfect for any winter celebration.<br />
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<b>Quote of the Day: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">There's nothing better than a good friend, except a good friend with chocolate</span>. ~ Linda Grayson, the Pickwick Papers</b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
EDIT: I suspect this would also be delicious using raisins instead of the chocolate chips, if you're not the chocolate type.Genevievehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10284714172562540985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670464020969865189.post-64585993604793615102011-11-19T21:37:00.001-05:002011-11-19T21:39:32.107-05:00Aunt Lauren's Vegetarian Crock Pot Mushroom & Kale Stew with QuinoaWay back in Crocktober, my lovely aunt Lauren (also the creator of <a href="http://genevievesguerillakitchen.blogspot.com/2011/06/aunt-laurens-fruit-nut-quinoa.html?spref=fb" style="color: purple;">this</a> yummy fruit and nut quinoa idea) sent me her recipe for a crock pot stew involving fresh sliced mushrooms, a variety of dried mushrooms, kale, parsnips and quinoa for serving. She even mailed me a big box of dried mushrooms to make it with - is that sweet, or what? And while Crocktober is over, my love for the crock pot is not, so I'm going to share her recipe with you anyway.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijknMEbllbOrVtUNP0kP12i8bL6k8c8DX8SQzydh9FmTCcNIiY2iNzZvj8KR_BzAEbl89U_QewdkBnKXdwSxIPitq2k188k01uYSpQoGyIOa1Sl-45pTR1-fDJ3FX3TforXT8d1Hjff7Y/s1600/mushroomstew.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijknMEbllbOrVtUNP0kP12i8bL6k8c8DX8SQzydh9FmTCcNIiY2iNzZvj8KR_BzAEbl89U_QewdkBnKXdwSxIPitq2k188k01uYSpQoGyIOa1Sl-45pTR1-fDJ3FX3TforXT8d1Hjff7Y/s320/mushroomstew.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Because I'm using a teeny 2 qt machine and we are pretty sure that hers is a 5-quarter, I cut her recipe in half. 2 quarts is kind of absurdly small, I realize, so it might make more sense for you to use the original, so I'll give you her original measurements:<br />
<br />
<div style="color: #38761d;">Ingredients:</div><div style="color: #38761d;">5 medium parsnips, peeled and chopped into 1-inch chunks </div><div style="color: #38761d;">4 large leaves kale, cut lengthwise and chopped </div><div style="color: #38761d;">2 cups veggie stock (or chicken)</div><div style="color: #38761d;">2 tbsp cornstarch blended with hot water, as needed (about 2/3 cup)</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1 1/2 large onions, chopped, or a bag of peeled "pear onions" from Trader Joe's</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1 8 oz box sliced fresh mushrooms </div><div style="color: #38761d;">1 cup of mixed dried mushrooms </div><div style="color: #38761d;">1 can reduced fat cream of mushroom soup </div><div style="color: #38761d;">1 smashed garlic clove</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1 1/2 large onions, chopped, or a bag of peeled "pear onions" from Trader Joe's</div><div style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #38761d;">Cooked quinoa, for serving</div><div style="color: #38761d;">Fresh parsley, coarsely chopped, for serving</div><div style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #38761d;">Directions:</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1. Break your dried mushrooms up into smaller pieces (so you don't need to chop them later), and soak in 2 cups hot water for about 5 minutes. Drain, pouring carefully so as to remove grit while leaving mushroom liquor.</div><div style="color: #38761d;">2. Combine all ingredients except kale, cornstarch and water in the crock pot. Cook on "low" for 8-10 hours. </div><div style="color: #38761d;">3. One and one half hours before serving, add kale. A half an hour later, stir in cornstarch and water mixture. Leave the lid cracked and continue to cook for about another hour to hour and a half to thicken.</div><br />
Lauren is a very smart woman. The changes I made were more logistical than creative - So, just so you know, if you come home around 8:30 hungry and tired from work, you can turn the crock to "high" to hasten broth-thickening while you cook your kale with the quinoa on the stovetop instead of leaving that extra time for everything to cook together in the crock. It is probably better Lauren's way, but life happens. The only "creative" change I made to her recipe is adding a little fresh parsley for garnish, which I do recommend.<br />
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If you know where to find dairy-free cream of mushroom soup, you can easily make this vegan. And, if you're not the hugest fan of parsnips (like I know Brady isn't), you can use cubed potato instead. And I have to say, now that I know how easy and convenient is is to cook with dried mushrooms, and the rich flavor you get from the variety, I think I'll be working my way through this box in short order.<br />
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<b>Quote of the Day: <span style="color: #38761d;">I travel the world, and I'm happy to say that America is still the great melting pot - maybe a chunky stew rather than a melting pot at this point, but you know what I mean</span>. ~ Philip Glass</b>Genevievehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10284714172562540985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670464020969865189.post-16836119867038639902011-11-12T19:19:00.006-05:002011-11-13T18:40:13.645-05:00Pizza with Fig Preserves, Caramelized Onion, Goat Cheese, and Cured Meats Optional<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>There is an incredible pizza place in Boston, on Beacon Hill, called <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/figs-boston"><span style="color: purple;">Figs</span></a>. They make a pizza that is out of this world, with sweet-tart, seeds-and-all fig preserves, caramelized onion, fresh cheeses (and prosciutto optional) on a yummy thin crust. I've only eaten it twice in the past two years, but I still have dreams about it, and I'm only partially joking. Sadly, most of us cannot live in Boston, though it is still on my personal Bucket List. But for now, I thought I would take a stab at a very liberally interpreted make-it-yourself version that anybody could put together, using pre-made pizza dough, goat cheese, caramelized onions and prosciutto or bacon, if you like. <br />
<br />
For starters, I don't think I can write a better <a href="http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/how_to_caramelize_onions/" style="color: purple;">tutorial</a><span style="color: purple;"> </span>on caramelizing onions than Elise at SimplyRecipes.com, so I won't burden you with a paraphrased version. It takes a while, but it's very straight foward. I love onions any way I can get them, but caramelizing is such a simple way to bring out their natural sweetness. The only change I made to Elise's instructions is the addition of a smashed garlic clove about ten minutes into the cooking time, which you can remove before assembling your pizza, if you don't like the idea of getting a mouthful of roasted garlic. I hear some people don't like that.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbS1SiZv1VMgGr13MIOc85GvTjUhaVsp5dng4q_Yfsg56s5xASGDgAOcbXvsUXAJwMByow728MyB6T9JtFg-dJ2LkJBlg-23pTBJ6_OAnh-nh46MxeC2rEIxuCZSp-PVbZIwSmhorvEig/s1600/Fig_pizza.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbS1SiZv1VMgGr13MIOc85GvTjUhaVsp5dng4q_Yfsg56s5xASGDgAOcbXvsUXAJwMByow728MyB6T9JtFg-dJ2LkJBlg-23pTBJ6_OAnh-nh46MxeC2rEIxuCZSp-PVbZIwSmhorvEig/s320/Fig_pizza.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div style="color: #38761d;">Ingredients</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1 ball pizza dough, or 1 roll-out sheet of thin-crust pizza dough</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced </div><div style="color: #38761d;">1 clove garlic, smashed</div><div style="color: #38761d;">About 3-4 tbsp fig preserves (I used Kadota Fig Preserves made by Trappist; there are several common kinds of figs, but any sort will work)</div><div style="color: #38761d;">3-4 ounces goat cheese, cut into chunks</div><div style="color: #38761d;">Slices of prosciutto or large crumbles of cooked bacon or pancetta (optional and to your taste)</div><div style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #38761d;">Directions</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1. Caramelize your onions, adding the garlic about 10 minutes in. If you're using bacon or pancetta, cook that now, too.</div><div style="color: #38761d;">2. Spread or roll out your pizza dough, and spread with fig preserves. Sprinkle with chunks of goat cheese, and add slices of prosciutto or large crumbles of bacon if you're using meat, and onions. Do not ignore the corners!</div><span style="color: #38761d;">3. The exact cooking instructions will depend upon the dough you've chosen. Canned, roll-out crusts may require a brief pre-baking before toppings are added. A refrigerated dough that you flatten out yourself may not tell you this, but it will also work much better with a few minutes of pre-cooking before toppings are added. </span><br />
<br />
Wow. Now that this pizza came out so deliciously well, I am not ashamed to tell you that I used a canned, Pillsbury thin-crust roll-out dough. So, don't feel bad if you want to do the same. You're in good company. And also you won't get super-frustrated and perfectionist-ey like I do every time I try to stretch pizza dough, so there's that.<br />
<br />
I'm still not entirely sure whether Figs uses a simple fig puree or a fig preserve, and obviously bacon cannot compete with prosciutto, but let's be honest. This is still a delicious pizza. It's an absolute confection. If it were one of the seven deadly sins, this pizza would be "lust." As Brady put it, it is "both carnal and sweet at the same time." Yes, he was definitely talking about the pizza.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy50SUTW-NZTceBuG-8YVWfZrFiLxCclej31rMEo_IQa189Vt1Qad-kgFRBddojVvW8wiuNFhwXGeu3JaqMSRgwJWEicRtUyrE5RKPKmlFxyazBakEWMNE_mLG0-yWhEOGi6FQG8G-QRE/s1600/Table_pizza.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy50SUTW-NZTceBuG-8YVWfZrFiLxCclej31rMEo_IQa189Vt1Qad-kgFRBddojVvW8wiuNFhwXGeu3JaqMSRgwJWEicRtUyrE5RKPKmlFxyazBakEWMNE_mLG0-yWhEOGi6FQG8G-QRE/s320/Table_pizza.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Serve this baby with a salad of mixed baby greens, thinly sliced red peppers and a balsamic vinaigrette, and you will not be disappointed. We enjoyed our dinner with a beer from one of the best local breweries in our area, Cabin Fever Ale (a medium-bodied, English-style pale ale) made by the Berkshire Brewing Company. Any beer with a nice balance of rich malt and hoppyness will be a great match.<br />
<br />
EDIT: If this pizza looks good to you, you'll also enjoy this <a href="http://genevievesguerillakitchen.blogspot.com/2011/07/double-decker-pear-havarti-alfalfa.html" style="color: purple;">Double-Decker Pear, Havarti and Alfalfa Sprout Sandwich on Cinnamon Raisin Bread</a>.Genevievehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10284714172562540985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670464020969865189.post-30147630723998702062011-11-12T16:41:00.004-05:002011-11-14T23:35:37.281-05:00Spiced Apple Cider from the Crock PotTo tell the truth, this was intended to be the last post of Crocktober. But, as we found ourselves in MA with no power on that particular day, the cider didn't quite happen. So here it is, a bit late, but hopefully better late than never.<br />
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This afternoon I set up the crock before we took off for an Autumn drive-then-walk in the woods, and it was warm and yummy by the time we got back. And what could be nicer to come home to? Also the apartment still kinda smelled like bacon from this morning. A pretty winning combination, if you ask me.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi49m0jzwhWvg3_TusGsod1fHUGCb2J-uum7zVr-mKGrcaa6IdH1Qb9hWbU8bSq4TMm85aRKGoSQbY2YnaSUC0FsILGfHc5i3kOYJCoZoStkH4VwIql5PEGgtiia1umjK-4N9Jn2EsiAI0/s1600/Waterfall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi49m0jzwhWvg3_TusGsod1fHUGCb2J-uum7zVr-mKGrcaa6IdH1Qb9hWbU8bSq4TMm85aRKGoSQbY2YnaSUC0FsILGfHc5i3kOYJCoZoStkH4VwIql5PEGgtiia1umjK-4N9Jn2EsiAI0/s320/Waterfall.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was a pretty nice walk.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> This cider is seasoned with yummy fall spices, tangerine zest, and just a little bit of honey. If you're craving a sweet, coffee house-style cider, try Crockpot 365's Crock Pot<a href="http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2011/01/quick-and-easy-caramel-apple-cider.html"> <span style="color: purple;">Caramel Apple Cider</span></a>, which is made with caramel syrup. Of course, buying a pre-mixed tin of mulling spices is never a bad idea (many of which can be used both for cider and for red wine), but the odds are pretty good that you already have everything you need for my version.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiUBzKaFSbhalwVwFo2E54iX1hBnq9j5n1Vq9JaLS25RnAUKvYRco_rdDJcPcWECkso_hx6RuZTAnAHCBqoJJVYZ-CKO9fr12s4Z1naP73W-GpKkZCy9ThrFmPwiD0rvruMslfFY7Nf38/s1600/cider_crock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiUBzKaFSbhalwVwFo2E54iX1hBnq9j5n1Vq9JaLS25RnAUKvYRco_rdDJcPcWECkso_hx6RuZTAnAHCBqoJJVYZ-CKO9fr12s4Z1naP73W-GpKkZCy9ThrFmPwiD0rvruMslfFY7Nf38/s320/cider_crock.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Setting up the 5-quart crock.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: #38761d;">Ingredients</div>1/2 gallon unsweetened apple cider (this is an estimate; we had a gallon jug that was maybe a little more than half full)<br />
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (to taste)<br />
1 tbsp honey <br />
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg<br />
1 pinch each ground allspice and ground cloves<br />
Grated zest of 1 ripe tangerine or orange<br />
<br />
<div style="color: #38761d;">Directions</div>1. Combine all ingredients in crock pot, and heat on "low" for 2-4 hours, or until cider is well-warmed and flavors have diffused. (If you're squeamish about the zest solids, you can pour it through a wire strainer to get the bulky stuff out but leave the spices behind).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnGFuA6Eepl_gmpvBhqrKWbqE0lMh7bG4PsaU_-AcNFbHPd43bI7yoVwLUDq673pDe2PXMzQfQf-PK3uFbi5gYfROHlE_WPtEyBXcSzwnWXLza_hAdZrKchNumV61tQCMVt6-L-tV3Gr4/s1600/Cider.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnGFuA6Eepl_gmpvBhqrKWbqE0lMh7bG4PsaU_-AcNFbHPd43bI7yoVwLUDq673pDe2PXMzQfQf-PK3uFbi5gYfROHlE_WPtEyBXcSzwnWXLza_hAdZrKchNumV61tQCMVt6-L-tV3Gr4/s320/Cider.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is so seasonal I almost can't stand it. Almost.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Of course, this being a chilly Autumn night, we eventually turned our spiced cider into - as my Dad would say - an "adult beverage" with spiced rum. This would be a great party beverage, too. Just heat it up a couple of hours ahead of time, then keep on the "warm" setting with a ladle at the ready, either as a festive punch or an equally festive non-alcoholic beverage. (I don't know whether or not the alcohol would cook off, but I think I would add the rum just before serving, just to be sure). <br />
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<b>Quote of the Day: <span style="color: #38761d;">An apple a day keeps the doctor away</span>.</b> ~ Dreamt up by American apple growers in the 1900s who were concerned that the temperance movement would cut into their hard cider sales. [<a href="http://www.beverages.cc/english_proverbs/quotes.htm" style="color: purple;">Source</a>]Genevievehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10284714172562540985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670464020969865189.post-11399736276323456662011-11-11T21:55:00.002-05:002011-11-12T11:18:09.135-05:00Thanksgiving Essentials: Honey-Sweetened Cranberry Sauce and Maple-Whipped Sweet PotatoesHello readers! So, I know it's been a while, but this weekend I find myself in western MA with Brady - which means a real kitchen with all my gadgets and an actual food audience - so it it seemed like a good time to jump on the holiday bandwagon. This was very fortunate timing for Brady, as his MAT colleagues had a lovely Thanksgiving potluck shindig this weekend as well. I would like to think that I did him a favor cooking two things for us to bring, but I've missed cooking for people other than myself, so I can't act like it was some huge hardship. <br />
<br />
And also.. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for the complete lack of photos in this post, but those of you who have ever tried to cook something and bring it to a party still warm can relate: those last few minutes getting out the door are a bit nuts. So you will just have to believe me when I tell you that the sauce and the potatoes were both colorful and lovely. Or better yet - make them yourself if you don't believe me!<br />
<br />
<div style="color: #cc0000;">Cranberry Sauce (Vegan)</div>I am not ashamed to admit that usually, can-shaped cranberry sauce is my preference. I love the stuff. But, when arriving at somebody's house for a party, I thought cranberry jell-o might be considered a bit.. gauche. So, here is a simple recipe that is cool, refreshing, festive, and a great relish compliment to all those rich holiday sides. This makes a rather large batch, since I was serving about 12 people, but can be easily halved:<br />
<br />
Ingredients<br />
2 12-oz bags fresh cranberries<br />
1 1/2 cups water<br />
1/2 cup 100% orange (pulp is ok), cranberry juice (not cocktail), or tangerine juice<br />
1 tsp grated orange or tangerine zest <br />
3/4 cup honey<br />
<br />
Autumnal spices - ground cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, allspice, etc (optional) <br />
<br />
Directions<br />
1. In a medium-to-large saucepan, combine water, zest and honey, and bring to a boil.<br />
2. Rise cranberries, picking out any shriveled or ugly-looking berries, and add once liquid is boiling. Bring back to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook uncovered for about 10 minutes. (You can also add a dash of cinnamon or nutmeg, or a pinch of ground clove or allspice at this step, if you want to).<br />
3. Remove from heat and cool fully at room-temperature, then refrigerate for up to one week. (Sauce will thicken as it cools).<br />
<br />
The orange adds a more mellow citrus flavor to the tart cranberries, and with the honey it is a nice balance of tart and (barely) sweet. I had tangerines on hand, so I used the juice and zest from one in place of the orange, which worked out great. And of course, I certainly feel better about using honey than a refined white sugar. If you can be convinced to deviate from the can-shaped variety, I recommend it!<br />
<br />
<div style="color: #cc0000;">Sweet Potatoes (Vegetarian)</div><div style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;">This recipe comes from Martha Stewart's impossibly-perfect-yet-so-elegantly-simple recipe for</span> <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/331745/maple-whipped-sweet-potatoes" style="color: purple;">Maple-Whipped Sweet Potatoes</a><span style="color: black;">, which calls for oven-roasted potato flesh and a few staple additions </span><span style="color: black;">to make some seriously beautiful potatoes with minimal effort. </span><span style="color: black;">Again, this is a pretty big batch, but close to all of it was eaten by 12 people:</span></div><br />
Ingredients<br />
7-8 medium sweet potatoes<br />
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted<br />
1/4 cup pure maple syrup<br />
Coarse salt and ground pepper<br />
<br />
Directions<br />
1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Prick sweet potatoes all over with a fork; about 6-8 times each.<br />
2. On a rimmed baking sheet, bake potatoes until very tender when stabbed with a fork, about 1 hour. When cool enough to handle, halve the potatoes lengthwise, and scoop out the flesh, discarding the skins.<br />
3. Transfer potato flesh to a food processor, add butter and syrup, and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, and serve warm.<br />
4. (Or, if you're in a party-travel situation, transfer sweet potatoes to a large covered baking dish, cover with aluminum foil, wrap in clean cotton dish cloths, and hope they stay mostly-warm through the 20 minute drive to the party. If needed, you can always reheat them, uncovered, later on).<br />
<br />
These were super, super tasty, and got lots of compliments. And it's not exactly quick, but definitely easy, and surprisingly light in texture. I did end up reheating them quickly when we arrived, but that's more because we got lost on the way than anything else. They were keeping my lap quite toasty until that third wrong turn...<br />
<br />
<br />
We had a great evening with some great people, and as potlucks go it was exceptionally "lucky" - everybody brought something delicious that they had made, the hostess roasted a beautiful turkey, and a good time was had by all. Enough to make you thankful to know good people, even if you don't know them all that well. Thanksgiving success.Genevievehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10284714172562540985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670464020969865189.post-30117787745955165122011-10-31T21:22:00.001-04:002011-11-11T23:23:31.483-05:00A Farewell to CrocktoberHello readers!<br />
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How quickly <b style="color: orange;">Crocktober</b> seems to have flown by - at least for me. It's been a lot of fun, and I hope some of my recipes will bring you some cozy crock pot joy this fall and winter.<br />
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And speaking of winter...<br />
<br />
Some of you may remember that I promised you all a crock pot recipe for spiced apple cider before the end of the month. Well, nature had a different plan, and while I was visiting Brady in MA this weekend we got nearly a foot of snow overnight and lost power for over 24 hours. Clearly we survived, but the storm put a pretty big wrench in my cooking plans for the weekend, so the cider will have to wait. I'm also working on a fig preserve, goat cheese and caramelized onion pizza that will be popping up on GK around the time of my next visit to MA, less than two weeks from now. So good things come to those who wait.<br />
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This post is also a bit of a disclaimer. As many of you know, I am THISCLOSE to finishing my Master's Degree at Drexel University. The last month or two will be fully hectic while meeting all my thesis requirements, so while I hope to provide the occasionally entertaining-and-possibly-enlightening post, they will surely be much less frequent until after the New Year. So bear with me, keep your ideas coming, and keep your fingers crossed for me!<br />
<br />
GenevieveGenevievehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10284714172562540985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670464020969865189.post-8303948923049620952011-10-24T22:01:00.002-04:002011-10-24T22:16:10.440-04:00Crocktober: Mediterranean Chickpeas with Roasted Beets from the Crock PotI cooked two different things! At once! In the same crock pot! And since its the start of cold and flu season, one of those things is perfect for your daily dose (overdose?) of antioxidants and other healthy things. Enjoy it with crumbled feta and fresh parsley on top.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtqsZViN5LqSkXUqMcHFhabw9zB-L1RMQ-RnqY2Esfntgk68i6v-6xFGqwVWyE2z5TCoRCH4MXtv2frN4TcuHfn8gKbbpFTbU0VLyBkMGsf_n9JQznv9IPEfqT4hUg67grfXWHRBpnucU/s1600/chickpeas_beets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtqsZViN5LqSkXUqMcHFhabw9zB-L1RMQ-RnqY2Esfntgk68i6v-6xFGqwVWyE2z5TCoRCH4MXtv2frN4TcuHfn8gKbbpFTbU0VLyBkMGsf_n9JQznv9IPEfqT4hUg67grfXWHRBpnucU/s320/chickpeas_beets.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beet juices will stain like no other, so don't make this dish when wearing.. I don't know.. a wedding dress?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Even I am getting a bit tired of stew, which is why I adapted a chickpea stew recipe involving balsamic onions and black olives to cook with as little liquid as possible, so it's more of a bean dish than a soupy one. The beets cooked on top of the chickpeas, just sliced in half and laid on top. This wasn't my original plan. I was going to do little Hersey's-kiss-type packets for the beets, but guess who forgot to get aluminum foil? I still think that the packet plan would work out great - a theory that I will test another day.<br />
<br />
<div style="color: #38761d;">Ingredients:</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1 bunch beets (usually 4 bulbs), trimmed and thoroughly washed</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1 cup dry chickpeas (or about 2 cups canned or prepared chickpeas)</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1 tsp brown sugar</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1 tbsp balsamic vinegar</div><div style="color: #38761d;">A couple tablespoons coarsely chopped black or kalamata olives</div><div style="color: #38761d;">2 tsp dried oregano </div><div style="color: #38761d;">Feta cheese and fresh parsley for serving </div><div style="color: #38761d;">Salt and pepper</div><div style="color: #38761d;">Olive oil</div><div style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #38761d;">Aluminum foil (optional)</div><div style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #38761d;">Directions: </div><div style="color: #38761d;">[PREP: If you're using dry chickpeas, sort and rinse them thoroughly, then soak in plenty of water in the fridge overnight or for up to 24 hours, changing the water at least twice in this time. If you're using canned or prepared beans, just rinse and drain before adding them to the crock.]</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1. Heat about 1 tbsp of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, add onions and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in brown sugar, cover and cook until golden brown, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.</div><div style="color: #38761d;">2. Add oregano and a couple tablespoons of water, and cover again until onions are deep golden brown (about another 15 minutes). Stir in balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper, and an additional couple tablespoons water. Cover the pan and cook until the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat. Stir in tomatoes and olives. </div><div style="color: #38761d;">3. Spray your crock insert and pour in chickpeas, adding the onion mixture on top. </div><div style="color: #38761d;">4. Thoroughly wash your beets. (You can peel yours if you want to, but I didn't).</div><div style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #38761d;"><span style="color: purple;">Option 1</span>: Cut pieces of aluminum foil that are large enough to completely wrap up each beet without much excess, taking care to be sure that they (probably) won't let any liquid in. Plop the packets on top of the chickpeas. </div><div style="color: #38761d;"><span style="color: purple;">Option 2</span>: Slice your beets in half vertically, and rest them cut-side-down on top of the onion mixture.</div><div style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #38761d;">Cook on high for about 4-6 hours, or until your chickpeas are tender and your beets are done. (Your beets are done when you can insert a knife into the top through the thickest part of the bulb with no resistance).</div><div style="color: #38761d;">5. Remove beet packets or halved beets, and stir chickpeas in with onion mixture. Transfer chickpeas to a covered serving dish or individual bowls, (if you did packets, cut beets into wedges and) serve on top or alongside of the chickpeas. Garnish with feta and fresh parsley.</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGwuaNrHcNpyhmAxUWveyPMo7_x2UHQhyphenhyphen2h5I6-oWg-Ipx96rYfGIPUxWNqrnq3utzq6D6A5idCSjE0u5xp1KzfSSlWs_zLAio1o3yvXUy4F5gRiF1qM2B5FvUrUlvBK-TNd509kCwLu8/s1600/beet_chickpea_big.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGwuaNrHcNpyhmAxUWveyPMo7_x2UHQhyphenhyphen2h5I6-oWg-Ipx96rYfGIPUxWNqrnq3utzq6D6A5idCSjE0u5xp1KzfSSlWs_zLAio1o3yvXUy4F5gRiF1qM2B5FvUrUlvBK-TNd509kCwLu8/s320/beet_chickpea_big.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretty.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I am sure that my instructions about cooking with dry beans versus canned are probably tiresome for some readers, but every once in a while I get the mental image of somebody soaking canned beans (and ending up with hopeless mush) or trying to cook dry black beans (famous for their slow cooking) and ending up with tiny little rocks even after a full day of cooking. I hope that the dry-to-cooked measuring conversions are workable. Maybe I'm secretly trying to get you all to switch to dry beans. It's a conspiracy to save you money. Spoooky!<br />
<br />
This will likely be my last post until next weekend, but I'll be back with a crock pot spiced apple cider recipe before Crocktober is out. This theme thing has been working for me. Hm, what rhymes with November...<br />
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<b>Quote of the Day: <span style="color: #38761d;">Beets are the most intense of vegetables. The radish, admittedly, is more feverish, but the fire of the radish is a cold fire, the fire of discontent, not of passion. Tomatoes are lusty enough, yet there runs through tomatoes an undercurrent of frivolity. Beets are deadly serious</span>. ~ Tom Robbins</b>Genevievehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10284714172562540985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670464020969865189.post-71867067773799812392011-10-22T21:19:00.003-04:002011-10-22T23:33:27.665-04:00Crocktober: Vegan Sweet Potato and Pinto Bean ChiliAfter an unexpectedly long shift at my retail job this evening, I'm feeling a little short on poetic banter, but that doesn't mean that this recipe isn't a good one. The spice factor is totally up to you, but personally I'm a bit heavy-handed with them, so my three teaspoons of chili powder were probably more like "heaping teaspoons." Do whatever makes you happy.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-18tYrPHYQTvlcVQpAKvhCJFN2IG9RDFCRX4z3LtPcE6Xo06bBPFzdV7yXjZeUW6MQOpAwGhvwd7ZX88GpZiUDlTglQTYZCElNSuCL5cZ8zzP9rGVLYMtuRI6l4oBnb-ZZXx1GbPxLDw/s1600/pinto_sweetp_crock_chili.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-18tYrPHYQTvlcVQpAKvhCJFN2IG9RDFCRX4z3LtPcE6Xo06bBPFzdV7yXjZeUW6MQOpAwGhvwd7ZX88GpZiUDlTglQTYZCElNSuCL5cZ8zzP9rGVLYMtuRI6l4oBnb-ZZXx1GbPxLDw/s320/pinto_sweetp_crock_chili.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="color: #38761d;">Ingredients:</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1 cup dry pinto beans (2 1/2 cups prepared)</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1 large sweet potato or yam, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch-ish cubed </div><div style="color: #38761d;">1 cup water </div><div style="color: #38761d;">1/2 onion, chopped</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes with jalapenos</div><div style="color: #38761d;">2 tsp orange or tangerine zest</div><div style="color: #38761d;">3 tsp chili powder</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1/4 tsp paprika</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)</div><div style="color: #38761d;">Pinch ground allspice (optional)</div><div style="color: #38761d;">Fresh cilantro leaves, torn, for serving </div><span style="color: #38761d;">Salt and pepper, to taste (I used about 1/2 tsp seasoned salt)</span><br />
<div style="color: #38761d;">Cooking spray</div><div style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #38761d;">Directions:</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1. If you're using dry beans, sort, rinse, and soak them in the refrigerator overnight (or for up to 24 hours) in plenty of water. Change the water at least twice in this time. If you are using canned or pre-cooked beans, just skip this step and rinse them well just before you add them to the crock.</div><div style="color: #38761d;">2. Combine everything but the cilantro in a sprayed crock, and cook on low for 7-9 hours or high for 4-5. Serve with some fresh cilantro on top.</div><br />
Easy peasy. I don't have a zester (or a grater, for that matter) so I used a vegetable peeler to peel off just the outer skin of my tangerine (no white stuff!) and minced it, which I think worked just fine.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuIqEF2y4y7z-kWFUsVbRZUr-MrsqhRnyWtCVN3o8Dau-qPjWylaBoWPGpRxpZDVEzck3CGaJYaJzCvspEITDsiJZFNDoA0j7TwSwkS_Z471H2e7Bnnb6u9olZdLwP0937WFsX1xpSEUs/s1600/pinto_sweetp_stew_big.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuIqEF2y4y7z-kWFUsVbRZUr-MrsqhRnyWtCVN3o8Dau-qPjWylaBoWPGpRxpZDVEzck3CGaJYaJzCvspEITDsiJZFNDoA0j7TwSwkS_Z471H2e7Bnnb6u9olZdLwP0937WFsX1xpSEUs/s320/pinto_sweetp_stew_big.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> The only significant thing I would change about this is to alter the bean-to-potato ratio by adding another sweet potato. In my 2 qt machine another sweet potato wouldn't have fit, but in a larger crock it would. As a technical thing, I might add the sweet potatoes a couple of hours into the cooking time, in the future. Even with dry beans that had been soaking for about 20 hours, the sweet potato was done well before the beans were. I also think this would be yummy with butternut squash instead of the sweet potato.<br />
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If you're not bound to the "vegan" thing, this would be yummy with some grated cheese on top. <br />
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<b>Quote of the Day: <span style="color: #38761d;">Said Aristotle unto Plato, "Have another sweet potato?,"Said Plato unto Aristotle, "Thank you, I prefer the bottle."</span> ~ Owen Wister (1860-1938), American novelist</b>Genevievehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10284714172562540985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670464020969865189.post-70949436475822794572011-10-18T21:51:00.003-04:002011-10-19T13:43:27.588-04:00Crocktober: Idiot-Proof Crock Pot Beef Stew<span style="font-size: small;">A hot bowl of stew is one of the things I look forward to the most about cold weather. And I hope I'm not the only one - I've got a post about sweet potato and pinto bean chili coming up at the end of the week, so stay tuned for that.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5CPOCF-FLg8aBYvj14aaQTwHtAN6yMcKR4O8edeRr5HUUBHV3OOXifK2CNg1PWb47qCKD0inTVNcyJVt2oGuwiwUUA3eujOQB9-XG2IhiygfeHBEiOLercm-6KRGBkILtmqigBFoYrWY/s1600/beef_stew_macro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5CPOCF-FLg8aBYvj14aaQTwHtAN6yMcKR4O8edeRr5HUUBHV3OOXifK2CNg1PWb47qCKD0inTVNcyJVt2oGuwiwUUA3eujOQB9-XG2IhiygfeHBEiOLercm-6KRGBkILtmqigBFoYrWY/s320/beef_stew_macro.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"> I know that this looks like a long list of ingredients, but most of these things are seasonings or staples that you probably have sitting in a cabinet already. Obviously this logic is flawed, but I always consider these things freebies. And anyway, if you asked 50 different people what they put in their beef stew, they would probably all give you a different combination of ingredients, so it's totally up to you. </span><br />
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<div style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ingredients:</span></div><div style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: small;">3-4 carrots, peeled and sliced </span></div><div style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: small;">3/4 lb. stew beef, cut into 1-inch-ish cubes</span></div><div style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes </span></div><div style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 14.5 oz can beef broth or stock, or water</span></div><div style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: small;">1/2 onion, diced (I would have used a whole one but realized that it probably wouldn't fit)</span></div><div style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 medium-sized potato, chopped</span></div><div style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 clove garlic, smashed </span></div><div style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce</span></div><div style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 tsp dry Italian herbs, or dry oregano</span></div><div style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: small;">1/2 tsp ground black pepper</span></div><div style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: small;">1/2 tsp paprika</span></div><div style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: small;">Pinch ground allspice or ground clove </span></div><div style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: small;">A couple teaspoons of flour, or 1 tsp of cornstarch</span></div><div style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: small;">Salt (to your taste) </span></div><div style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: small;">10 3/4 oz can reduced sodium condensed cream of mushroom soup (optional; you could also use another flavor, like cream of tomato)</span></div><div style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: small;">Directions:</span></div><div style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: small;">1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, paprika, allspice, salt, and pepper. Add beef and toss to coat.</span></div><div style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: small;">2. In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown beef on the outside and drain off any excess fat.</span></div><div style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: small;">3. In your sprayed crock pot combine beef, broth, onions, carrots, tomatoes, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, dry herbs and potato. Cook on low for about 8-10 hours, or high for about 4-5, or until your veggies are tender.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Note: If you want to, add a 10 3/4 oz can of condensed cream of mushroom soup about 20 minutes before serving. This is totally optional, but I would recommend it if you like a creamier stew broth. I added half a can that I needed to use up, and I recommend it.</span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">I used "extra lean" stew beef, whatever that means, but you could use any cut of beef that you feel like, cut into pieces. Obviously you wouldn't want to use an expensive cut since it will be cooking all day. And for crock pots, cheap cuts are just fine. It'll still come out juicy and yummy. I used carrot and potato, but you could also use celery.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpMZTr68NYQo0zU9Lm1iH4KLfYqsCPzqMlS5SDxtmUPKPAki6YLzrAodnIYFzZG6-SdNVUmjelrU4B44ytK_znc1IcxpoPZOTwwDohtZf7j6utXJp5n1HUvkCHUQxWSJOjQNL9Ow_OpnA/s1600/beef_stew_big.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpMZTr68NYQo0zU9Lm1iH4KLfYqsCPzqMlS5SDxtmUPKPAki6YLzrAodnIYFzZG6-SdNVUmjelrU4B44ytK_znc1IcxpoPZOTwwDohtZf7j6utXJp5n1HUvkCHUQxWSJOjQNL9Ow_OpnA/s320/beef_stew_big.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"> Normally I am not a big fan of "fat free" this and that, mainly because I always wonder what they put in there <i>instead</i> of fat, but I'll be real. Fat free broth was on sale this week, so that's what I used, and though I can't really crunch the numbers, between the "extra lean" beef, veggies, and low-sodium-fat-free beef broth, I have to think that there are much less healthy beef stews out there. Most recipes that I've read also call for higher beef-to-veggie ratio.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">This stew is incredibly easy, and after 9 hours, it was REALLY yummy. I think that little bit of the cream of mushroom soup went a long way toward giving the broth more body and substance. And now I have beef stew for days. Maybe a lot of days. Fine with me. My only regret is that all of my bread-baking accoutrement are in another state. If you're the baking type, this is a golden opportunity.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Quote of the Day: <span style="color: black;">"<span style="color: #38761d;">Talk of joy: there may be things better than beef stew and baked potatoes and home-made bread --- there may be</span>." ~ David Grayson, "Adventures in Contentment" (1907)</span></b></span>Genevievehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10284714172562540985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670464020969865189.post-49990975141061615672011-10-15T19:15:00.002-04:002011-10-15T19:21:35.627-04:00Crocktober: Crock Pot Tuna Noodle CasseroleTo me, the word "casserole" loosely translates to "food you eat after a funeral." I can't fully explain this. I've only been to two funerals ever, and there were no casseroles at either. (Italians prefer Bloody Marys). I think it might have something to do with a rather hilarious book I read sometime in junior high entitled "Being Dead is No Excuse: The Official Southern Ladies' Guide to Hosting the Perfect Funeral," by Gayden Metcalfe and Charlotte Hays. (Keep in mind, this book is also full of recipes that perfectly fit the title.) I guess that's quite appropriate, since casseroles are a rather comforting food. But just to be clear, nobody died. I just felt like making casserole.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxRveUrhyD-p0qSIFfQN0mFiUZ9Mzte6XuT-Xzbak9bHab7IwSS5RjiTr8u3Y1Dhvptzuo0PL6-n-abNtwetgMGxBrxSlwa-L5XsB_86GrSasngBGp3BwoIjJIeQnC_5XYI-pyxQBbwg0/s1600/tuna_casserole_macro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxRveUrhyD-p0qSIFfQN0mFiUZ9Mzte6XuT-Xzbak9bHab7IwSS5RjiTr8u3Y1Dhvptzuo0PL6-n-abNtwetgMGxBrxSlwa-L5XsB_86GrSasngBGp3BwoIjJIeQnC_5XYI-pyxQBbwg0/s320/tuna_casserole_macro.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>It seems to me that a lot of tuna noodle casserole recipes call for something crunchy - crumbled chips, or crackers, or crispy fried onions - but I went with melty Swiss cheese instead. But you could always crumble something crunchy on top right before you serve it. <br />
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This recipe is perfect for a 2-quart crock, and makes about 3 entree-sized servings. I layered my ingredients in the order below, but I think as long as you've got half of the noodles on top and half on the bottom, it will work out fine. You could also mix everything together, but I think layers are kind of fun. Of course, the layers turned out to be a total bust in the serving process, but anybody who has ever made a casserole in their lives probably could have told me that they would be. Oh well.<br />
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Compared to many of the recipes I've shared with you all this<span style="color: orange;"> </span><b style="color: orange;"> Crocktober</b>, this one cooks in no time at all, and would make a yummy lunch on a cold day. <br />
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<div style="color: #38761d;">Ingredients:</div><div style="color: #38761d;">3 cups egg noodles, uncooked</div><div style="color: #38761d;">2 cans tuna, drained</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1 10 3/4 oz. can condensed cream of mushroom soup (reduced sodium) </div><div style="color: #38761d;">3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1/4 large onion, chopped</div><div style="color: #38761d;">2 tablespoons milk </div><div style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #38761d;">Grated Swiss cheese (optional)</div><div style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #38761d;">Directions:</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1. Cook noodles according to package directions and drain, reserving a couple tablespoons of the water. Add the milk and condensed soup and mix in with the noodles.</div><div style="color: #38761d;">2. Spray your crock, and spoon in about half of the noodle mixture, covering the bottom of the crock as evenly as possible. Layer in half of the onion, then the tuna, then the other half of the onion and the peas. Add the rest of the noodle mixture on top.</div><span style="color: #38761d;">3. Cook on low for about 2-3 hours or high for about 2. (This is really just to heat it through. As soon as it's hot and you're hungry, it's time to eat). If you're using Swiss, add it about 20 minutes before serving.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq387mfn5ZumbPYASg6pj5yPCpBe8EKnpYxNiJMcVmwxpbeo93SSIrdpGD32SYAdP-PaV0QYgOpOqHgAMp7u6yHgqDajXCXdjZ3-gND6oj0cLXF0YrOW5t0NRVt0KzSWB_qNCJi5p5W3A/s1600/tuna_noodle_casserole_big.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq387mfn5ZumbPYASg6pj5yPCpBe8EKnpYxNiJMcVmwxpbeo93SSIrdpGD32SYAdP-PaV0QYgOpOqHgAMp7u6yHgqDajXCXdjZ3-gND6oj0cLXF0YrOW5t0NRVt0KzSWB_qNCJi5p5W3A/s320/tuna_noodle_casserole_big.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>So, I'm not really sure how I feel about this. Overall it was yummy, and with the peas I at least felt like I was pretending to have a green vegetable with dinner, but the onions were a little "fresh" for my taste. In the future I think I might quickly sautee them for just a couple of minutes before adding them to the crock. I can't complain about the flavor though. That part gets high points. I don't think this is going to go into my menu rotation, really, but I feel it's a classic, and I'm sure I'll be making it again someday. Hopefully not for a funeral.<br />
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<b>Quote of the Day: <span style="color: #38761d;">I refuse to believe that trading recipes is silly. Tuna fish casserole is at least as real as corporate stock</span>. ~ </b><b style="color: purple;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Grizzuti_Harrison">Barbara Grizzuti Harrison</a></b>Genevievehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10284714172562540985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670464020969865189.post-33701828222801922812011-10-12T21:05:00.001-04:002011-10-12T21:06:09.081-04:00Crocktober: Vegan French Market Soup and a Holiday Shopping Hint<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_LRC-iw-395nFjMeXIlT-LwBQ-qvYqYtYqrg2thUA_Pi2a_NQxJiVE0sphhCFFXh8yxrRjNfiMAceMnUfGwwjUtyudWigiqw0yqaGd-XW78lyrX5SXv-3tRRjJk_VjJadBiJ69R5DBcY/s1600/french_market_soup1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_LRC-iw-395nFjMeXIlT-LwBQ-qvYqYtYqrg2thUA_Pi2a_NQxJiVE0sphhCFFXh8yxrRjNfiMAceMnUfGwwjUtyudWigiqw0yqaGd-XW78lyrX5SXv-3tRRjJk_VjJadBiJ69R5DBcY/s320/french_market_soup1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> I might have lied when I said that crock pot <a href="http://genevievesguerillakitchen.blogspot.com/2011/10/crocktober-marinara-sauce-from-crock.html" style="color: purple;">marinara</a> was the easiest crock pot recipe I would be sharing with you this <b style="color: orange;">Crocktober</b>. The only real effort involved with this soup is remembering to rinse and soak the beans ahead of time. (And no, this post doesn't end with a list of things I want for Christmas).<br />
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Traditional French Market Soup involves a ham hock, but I made it once with the hock, and didn't feel like it added all that much, so this time I skipped it. But, you can add a smoked hock if you want to, or even thick-cut bacon. The traditional method also tells you to soak your beans overnight in a dutch oven, which sounds like a very bad idea for those of us with cast-iron dutch ovens, but if you want to do it by the book you can find a recipe <a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/french-market-soup-mix-4718" style="color: purple;">here</a>. <br />
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...But you're here to read <i>my</i> version (right?) so here it is:<br />
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<div style="color: #38761d;">Ingredients: </div><div style="color: #38761d;">about 8 oz. canned tomatoes (I used diced, without any added herbs or garlic)</div><div style="color: #38761d;">2 tablespoons lemon juice</div><div style="color: #38761d;">Salt, and a hefty pinch ground black pepper</div><div style="color: #38761d;">Fresh thyme, for garnish (optional)</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1 cup mixed dried beans (1/2 of 1 lb "16 bean soup" package; mine also had a little barley in it)</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1/2 clove garlic, minced (I know 1/2 seems weird, but 1 is too much)</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1/2 large onion, chopped</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1 dried chili pepper or fresh pepper, diced </div><div style="color: #38761d;">1 quart water</div><div style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #38761d;">Directions:</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1. Sort and thoroughly rinse the beans. Soak in plenty of water in the fridge overnight or for up to 24 hours, changing the water at least once in this time. When you're setting up your crock pot, rinse them one more time before they go in.</div><div style="color: #38761d;">2. Place everything but the thyme in a crock pot, and cook on low for 8-10 hours. Turn to high to cook for another 3 hours or so, or as needed until beans are tender. (Mine cooked for 8 hours on low, plus about four hours on high. Basically forever. Plan accordingly). Garnish with thyme, and serve with butter and a crusty bread, if you want.</div><div style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #38761d;"><span style="color: black;">I am grateful for the timing of Crocktober. I just started an internship on Wednesdays at a museum in Center City, which involves kind of a weird commute and often draining days, but being in crocking mode has made it so easy to come up with yummy dinners that I can have basically ready by the time I get home. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNBmI0TFMQxJBjVG89e_in0eVF8Bqg9ZpWYto8QMrs46ltznmKanFlKXYcHQu2KKHM9hlOHo8tSHlm9WyElHZDmwfHaMMipwj-VFqlCJHTIhvPiPXZ1HLs9WRhy3hiQ99aSaGFBNxTEXM/s1600/french_market_soup2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNBmI0TFMQxJBjVG89e_in0eVF8Bqg9ZpWYto8QMrs46ltznmKanFlKXYcHQu2KKHM9hlOHo8tSHlm9WyElHZDmwfHaMMipwj-VFqlCJHTIhvPiPXZ1HLs9WRhy3hiQ99aSaGFBNxTEXM/s320/french_market_soup2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Making your own bean mix is easy, inexpensive, and actually makes a super-cute gift. Just combine 1 lb. of each of the following (or your own variation):<br />
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<div style="color: #134f5c;">dried navy beans</div><div style="color: #134f5c;">dried pinto beans</div><div style="color: #134f5c;">dried great northern beans</div><div style="color: #134f5c;">dried green split peas</div><div style="color: #134f5c;">dried yellow split peas</div><div style="color: #134f5c;">dried black-eyed peas</div><div style="color: #134f5c;">dried brown lentils</div><div style="color: #134f5c;">dried baby lima beans</div><div style="color: #134f5c;">dried large lima beans</div><div style="color: #134f5c;">dried black beans</div><div style="color: #134f5c;">dried red beans</div><div style="color: #134f5c;">dried soybeans</div><div style="color: #134f5c;">pearled barley</div><br />
... Yep, that will make you about 13 pounds of bean soup mix.<br />
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BUT! Packaged in ball mason jars with a recipe printed on a pretty card or tag, its quite visually pleasing. This mix will fill 14 2-cup jars, which around the holidays is nice to have on hand for coworkers, family friends, or teachers, and according to my math comes out under $1.10 worth of beans per jar. If you want to go all out - maybe for a housewarming gift, joint holiday present, or even a wedding gift for a special couple in your life - you could make a nice gift package with the jar of beans, printed recipe, bag of dried chilies and a crock pot. Perhaps with a gift card to a bakery? Voila!<br />
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Crock pots vary widely in size and in price, but from all of my internet sleuthing it seems that the only real difference between the cheap ones and the pricey ones is the option to pre-set cooking times rather than relying on a switch. This recipe fits perfectly in a 2-quart crock, which you can easily get for $20 or less. (I know because I got mine from the Home Depot website for $18.) And don't get all nervous if your intended recipient isn't much of a cook. This recipe is so stupidly-easy-yet-delicious-in-its-simplicity that it will appeal to cooks and non-cooks alike. Also my mantra for holiday shopping this year is "thoughtful but cheap," so this idea is definitely appealing!Genevievehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10284714172562540985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670464020969865189.post-91119142766911373752011-10-10T19:59:00.004-04:002011-10-10T21:05:47.848-04:00Crocktober: Chicken Breast with Swiss Cheese & Cranberry Stuffing<div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">For a lot of people, when they think of crock pots, they think of a variety of weird canned goods bubbling away mysteriously in some big clunky ceramic jobber. Hopefully if you read this blog you already know that there is a huge variety of things you can cook in a crock pot. But sometimes the best solution to the question of "what sort of sauce will I cook this chicken in?" is one of those old-timey canned products. I did use low-sodium cream of celery, so I only feel slightly goofy about it. And can I just say, I had <i>no idea</i> that there were so many "condensed cream of xfood" options. The soup aisle was like one epiphany after another. Some were better than others. Cream of mushroom! Useful! Cream of... Shrimp? As a fan of seafood and an even bigger fan of any food that is not disgusting, I want to die.</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: inherit; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghgNxviXPa1VItYFo9EWOHDk7mpOfy7LyaCzJ_SZt80ySQYnjwaPxNsn8grAN8m8TrGjZigPHVhLoxvDIqeFBr6j3FjIPPFMEOWitfHD1VjpZlhNZzYPtQTbWw4WgSiobdS-z_VRa5u6M/s1600/chicken_stuff_macro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghgNxviXPa1VItYFo9EWOHDk7mpOfy7LyaCzJ_SZt80ySQYnjwaPxNsn8grAN8m8TrGjZigPHVhLoxvDIqeFBr6j3FjIPPFMEOWitfHD1VjpZlhNZzYPtQTbWw4WgSiobdS-z_VRa5u6M/s320/chicken_stuff_macro.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">This came out golden and juicy and deeelicious.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ingredients:</span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed </span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">2 tablespoons milk</span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">1-2 tablespoon(s) butter, melted</span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 10 3/4 oz. can condensed cream of celery soup (reduced sodium if possible; you could also use cream of chicken or mushroom)</span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 cup whole wheat croutons (I made mine; if you make your own, you'll need about three slices of bread)</span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">1/4 cup dried cranberries (I used Craisins infused with 100% pomegranate juice) </span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">1/4 cup chicken or veggie broth </span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">1/4 cup Swiss cheese, shredded (or to your taste)</span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Salt and pepper</span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Cooking spray</span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Directions:</span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">1. Spray or lightly oil your crock pot insert, and place chicken inside. Pour in broth, season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with Swiss cheese.</span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">2. In a mixing bowl, combine soup and milk, and pour mixture over chicken as evenly as possible.</span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">3. Mix breadcrumbs with dried cranberries and add to crock.</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #38761d;">4. Pour melted butter over everything, cover, and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4ish. (Check the temperature of the chicken to be sure). An hour or so before it is expected to finish, stir stuffing and leave lid off for last hour of cooking to reduce, on high heat. (In my 2-quart crock pot, mine cooked for 2 hours covered, and one hour uncovered, on high the whole time).</span></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig-TSH9fNGFlIqGg6q87QfCjiSdRQ1HjAe_mGrdbTsJS4_3bt81G0MR-ANklKboeTvvHWBFsjGcN3ZaltRq5J6_YKnChn7peXoLLEjpbEPaZXV4yqEMZI0WFTxQIgiboKKP0pKRtJpY2c/s1600/chicken_stuffing_big.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig-TSH9fNGFlIqGg6q87QfCjiSdRQ1HjAe_mGrdbTsJS4_3bt81G0MR-ANklKboeTvvHWBFsjGcN3ZaltRq5J6_YKnChn7peXoLLEjpbEPaZXV4yqEMZI0WFTxQIgiboKKP0pKRtJpY2c/s320/chicken_stuffing_big.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">This isn't too much to look at, but it's super yummy.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> I have to admit, I messed this up a little. Not a lot, but I did. I forgot about the Swiss until the stuffing was in the crock, so I mixed it in with the breadcrumbs and cranberries instead of cheesing the chicken. This definitely changed things a bit, since I meant for the chicken to be cheesy rather than the stuffing, but I'm definitely not arguing with cheesy stuffing. It melted so completely that you just got sort of the "essence" of it without it be actually cheesy, which I consider a happy accident. </span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">This dish is definitely not the healthiest thing I've ever made, but it's super yummy and has a lot of homemade appeal. The recipe I've shared will definitely make more than one serving of stuffing. I seem to keep doing that. Oh well. </span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Quote of the Day: <span style="color: #38761d;">Stupidity is the devil. Look in the eye of a chicken and you'll know. It's the most horrifying, nightmarish and cannibalistic creature in the world.<span style="color: black;"> ~ </span></span><span style="color: black;">Werner Herzog </span></b></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">(German film producer, director) </span></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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</span></div>Genevievehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10284714172562540985noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670464020969865189.post-77813334395390520502011-10-08T19:13:00.004-04:002011-10-08T19:22:44.890-04:00Crocktober: Crock Pot Zucchini Boats with White Bean, Swiss, Tomato and Herb StuffingI hear tell of fabled <a href="http://www.liseed.org/roundzucchini.html" style="color: purple;">round zucchinis</a> that one can buy at certain places, but since I was unable to find the round variety I just hollowed out your average medium-size zucchini and made a stuffing with white beans, tomato, and parsley. The advantage of using your typical zucchini is that if you cut these into smallish pieces, they would made super cute appetizers. <br />
<br />
I don't know what my fascination lately is with stuffing food into other food. Maybe it's just that it's fun to do, cute to look at, or simply convenient. Whatever the motivation may be, stuffing food into other food works marvelously well in the crock pot. Also I (obviously) enjoy crocking things that most people might not think were crockable. This dish cooks much faster than your all-day crock-potters - about 3 hours on low - so it might be better suited as a weekend meal. Of course, like most crock pot recipes, you could also make this in the oven, but that would not be in keeping with the Crocktober theme and therefore I could not tell you about it until potentially much, much later. So I made in a crock pot, and so should you.<br />
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This recipe will be easier if you are using a larger crock than my 2-quarter, just in terms of surface area. If you have a bigger one, use that. I stacked mine, which was okay too.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIrsNFudaJR-tFQx6HzIz-Cs5PAMISD8QLwcHe6ZlQ9iIdgn3iG3sIkaipSS3ekXb2kUT6Z7NkYEi8XOKGGIfyqktFFEP-K-hn3ZjwRynOn-fVV885aeVfpZwPKYJYFpmbOEf_JH6zZU0/s1600/zux_boat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIrsNFudaJR-tFQx6HzIz-Cs5PAMISD8QLwcHe6ZlQ9iIdgn3iG3sIkaipSS3ekXb2kUT6Z7NkYEi8XOKGGIfyqktFFEP-K-hn3ZjwRynOn-fVV885aeVfpZwPKYJYFpmbOEf_JH6zZU0/s320/zux_boat.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> Obviously a can of beans, plus tomato and onion and pine nuts and all of this can't fit in the shell of one zucchini, but the leftover payout of this recipe - or really, the stuffing that doesn't fit - is a yummy bean salad. Things could be worse. But if you're not into that, I'd halve the stuffing recipe. And if you're making these to be cut up as appetizers, I'd cut down the bean-to-other-stuff ratio, upping the veggies and herbs. If you're serving them this way you might skip the cooking altogether, since of course cooking makes the shells softer.<br />
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<div style="color: #38761d;">Ingredients:</div><div style="color: #38761d;">I zucchini, sliced in half lengthwise, scooped out to leave about a 1/4 inch shell </div><div style="color: #38761d;">1 tomato, chopped and seeded</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1 15.5 oz. can white beans, thoroughly rinsed and drained (I literally used "white beans," but you could use cannellini beans or chickpeas, roughly chopped since they're big)</div><div style="color: #38761d;">2 tablespoons fresh parsley or basil, finely chopped, packed (I used parsley)</div><div style="color: #38761d;">2 tablespoons onion, minced</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1 (small) clove garlic, minced or pressed</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese (optional) </div><div style="color: #38761d;">1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted (about 2 oz.)</div><div style="color: #38761d;">Salt and pepper</div><div style="color: #38761d;">Nonstick cooking spray </div><div style="color: #38761d;">Balsamic vinegar (optional)</div><div style="color: #38761d;">Olive oil</div><div style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #38761d;">Directions:</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1. In a large bowl, combine tomato, beans, onion, pine nuts, parsley, about a tablespoon of olive oil, plenty of salt and pepper, and Swiss cheese, if you're using it. </div><div style="color: #38761d;">2. Spray or lightly oil your crock pot insert. Be sure that your zucchini will fit in the crock. If the boats need to be shortened, it is much simpler to do so at this point than to do it after stuffing.<br />
3. Spoon stuffing into the zucchini "boats," packing slightly, and rest them inside the crock. Cook on low for 2-3 hours.</div><div style="color: #38761d;">4. Carefully remove from crock and serve. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar if desired. </div><br />
A note about hollowing out the squash: It may seem like the best way to do this is to just take a spoon and scoop straight down the length of it, but it seems to me that there's a more effective way that is less likely to lead to dreaded Squash Breakage. Take a large spoon - like a soup spoon, not like a "Little Dipper" spoon - and take off just a thin strip from all the way down the pulpy section. Then, using the same spoon or a teaspoon, position the scooper parallel to the edge of the "boat" and scoop starting at the edge and moving toward the center. You can smooth it out afterward, but trying to take it all out at once will probably not work out very well.<br />
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Making this stuffing would have been a lot faster if I had my food processor here rather than in Western <a href="http://genevievesguerillakitchen.blogspot.com/2011/08/new-guerilla-kitchen-or-why-i-really.html" style="color: purple;">Massachusetts</a>. If you've got one, mince the garlic and onion with the parsley, salt and pepper and oil, then add the tomato (halved and guts scooped out), and finally the nuts and beans, which you can chop or not chop.<br />
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About 2 hours in, I realized that these were not as cheesy as I would have liked, so I sprinkled more on top to melt in the remaining cooking time, which worked out fine. Obviously it didn't take a whole hour for the cheese to melt, so you could do this at the last minute if you wanted to. It's not pictured, but I did end up adding Balsamic, which I think was a good call.<br />
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These were tasty! Just the right amount of richness, with the Swiss cheese and pine nuts, and very satisfying. Next spring and summer I think I'll be making the no-cook version on the regular.<b><br />
</b><br />
<b>Quote of the Day: <span style="color: #38761d;">Vulgarity is the garlic in the salad of life</span>. ~ Cyril Connolly</b>Genevievehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10284714172562540985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670464020969865189.post-13910171035346223262011-10-06T20:30:00.003-04:002011-10-06T23:35:29.543-04:00Crocktober: Bell Peppers Stuffed with Rice, Italian Sausage and Broccoli Rabe from the Crock PotThis dish is a great use for leftover rice and/or sausage, and besides maybe a side salad, it can be a complete meal in itself. I used white rice and sweet Italian turkey sausage, but you could use any kind that you like. I think wild rice with hot sausage would also be a good combination. You could also use leftover ground turkey, chicken, or beef. There is probably no reason that you couldn't use pork sausage or ground pork, I just wouldn't tell you to because personally I think it's gross. Couldn't tell you why. <br />
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I purposefully made extra stuffing, which cooked outside the pepper in the crock pot, for lunch the next day. (My expensive education at work, people!) Also in hindsight, I might add a tablespoon or so of lemon juice just to brighten up the bitterness of the greens. Still, yummy.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9VH7bbxcvOmCxwqWJ7PyGIrqxUxCHkCelMakvf1WyvaLEZCRYwEi9kelNh1yMzr6jAAxPtnV1WktfhesxwU_Crlr0JCScTDBNa3uxxruNdkqdq6xfy-PaAGVXzPLT-tK5iLRIDrCK6mk/s1600/stuffed_pepper_close.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9VH7bbxcvOmCxwqWJ7PyGIrqxUxCHkCelMakvf1WyvaLEZCRYwEi9kelNh1yMzr6jAAxPtnV1WktfhesxwU_Crlr0JCScTDBNa3uxxruNdkqdq6xfy-PaAGVXzPLT-tK5iLRIDrCK6mk/s320/stuffed_pepper_close.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="color: #38761d;">Ingredients:</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1 clove garlic, minced or pressed</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1 large bell pepper, any color<br />
1 small carrot, diced (optional) <br />
1 tablespoon butter, softened or diced</div><div style="color: #38761d;">2 cups cooked rice (2/3 cup before cooking)</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1/2 bunch broccoli rabe (leaves, broccoli bits and thin stems only - toss the thick ones), coarsely chopped</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1/3 cup chicken or vegetable broth or stock </div><div style="color: #38761d;">2-3 cooked sausages, sliced into 1/4 inch thick rounds and casings removed </div><div style="color: #38761d;">1/2 onion, diced</div><div style="color: #38761d;">Salt and pepper</div><div style="color: #38761d;">Cooking spray</div><div style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #38761d;">Directions:</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1. If you haven't cooked your rice, do so according to package directions. Ditto on the sausage.</div><div style="color: #38761d;">2. Spray the inside of your crock pot insert with nonstick spray. In a large bowl, combine rice, sausage, broccoli rabe, garlic, salt and pepper, carrot, butter, broth and onion. (You might want to use your hands). </div><div style="color: #38761d;">3. Cut the top out of the bell pepper, like you would a pumpkin. Discard seeds and pale inner membranes. If necessary, cut a thin slice off of the bottom so that the pepper stands up on its own. Spoon rice mixture into the pepper, pack until it's stuffed, and rest the lid on top. (I snapped my lid, by accident. Don't do that).</div><div style="color: #38761d;">4. Place the pepper (or peppers) in the crock pot, and spoon remaining stuffing (or as much as possible) into the space around the pepper. Cook on low for 4-6 hours or on high for 2-3. Dinner is ready when the pepper (and optional carrot) are tender.<br />
5. Carefully remove the pepper from the crock, and serve with extra stuffing on the side. <br />
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<span style="color: black;">Here's the thing. This recipe probably makes enough stuffing for at least 3 peppers, and even with filling in the space around mine, I still had some left over. Not that I'm complaining, since I am the queen of the Leftover Lunch, but... full disclosure, if you're dining solo, have some Tupperware handy. I used chicken broth, so the stuffing was a lot like solid chicken soup (plus sausage), which was definitely not unwelcome.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvzxJPgfmgE-J1S-TYlMumnnSHM5zb4PraAZzp2uSdI2DeAMxADybipswBNFBW_Bnhf3rPOvA1dwfw-EAlnyjzPW-CJrgN_OUQqboVI4IIghXIm3-NpPWbzu7sRrt2qN9a_WiaHIFv8_c/s1600/stuffed_pepper_big.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvzxJPgfmgE-J1S-TYlMumnnSHM5zb4PraAZzp2uSdI2DeAMxADybipswBNFBW_Bnhf3rPOvA1dwfw-EAlnyjzPW-CJrgN_OUQqboVI4IIghXIm3-NpPWbzu7sRrt2qN9a_WiaHIFv8_c/s320/stuffed_pepper_big.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <span style="color: black;">I feel like if you're using white rice, or another kind that cooks fairly quickly, you might be able to just cook it with the stuffing and not beforehand, with the addition of more broth or water. But I didn't try that soooo I can't promise you that that will work. As a matter of preference, when I use cooked sausages in dishes like this I like to remove the casing before adding them, just because I think sometimes they interfere with the texture, but that's totally up to you. </span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">You could make this deliciously Mexicaney using corn, black beans (canned or previously cooked), tomato, and some chorizo if you felt like it in with the rice, served with shredded cheese. Or you could use <a href="http://genevievesguerillakitchen.blogspot.com/2011/09/mushroom-barley-risotto.html" style="color: purple;">mushroom & barley risotto</a> and pine nuts on top. Or big, soft garlic-bread croutons and shelled fava beans. Or shredded cheddar and broccoli. And now I'm giving myself a headache. You get the idea.</span><br />
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</div>Genevievehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10284714172562540985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670464020969865189.post-16998346784096357742011-10-05T18:12:00.001-04:002011-10-05T18:13:49.216-04:00Crocktober: Marinara Sauce from the Crock PotEven though this is only the second recipe of <b><span style="color: orange;">Crocktober</span></b>, I'm gonna go ahead and declare this the absolute easiest crock pot recipe on the planet. Okay, there is that extra thing where you have to boil pasta, but you can make a very yummy home-made sauce while you're not even at home. I think that's pretty cool.<br />
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Sometime last winter, I called my (Italian-American) Dad to brag about having made my very first meat sauce. He was mildly impressed, but <i>I</i> was <i>super</i> impressed, because to me pasta sauce is a basic necessity vital for the survival of the human race. Perhaps this is a slight exaggeration, but I defy you to find a person who does not, or has never enjoyed spaghetti in a red sauce. You can't. They don't exist. <br />
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I used fresh parsley and basil with dried oregano, but you could use all dried herbs or all fresh. With the fresh herbs, add them just before serving. Subject them to all-day cooking and they will lose their oomph, and possibly disintegrate. Also, if you're anything like me, it might seem like a good idea to chop the herbs ahead of time so you can just toss them in the crock when you get home, but resist the urge. The flavor will be much more fresh if you wait, and premature chopping generally leads to browned leaves, which is just sad.<br />
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This recipe makes about 3-4 servings. (I'm a hungry person, generally, so I never know for sure what other people consider a serving to be). <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiKUkF1O6E8omOKW5PIjeCs9dqzOWdyorBYZCvRX6CVmW1sDU-TJm-QT5DPGFPz1cUWbqUeC7ngghru-rxE-CV6HutP-RwwAw337r_LlOd4dE0F8jUK8MYueRkrtIcDSPzzndt8rp0hyo/s1600/spaghetti_big.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiKUkF1O6E8omOKW5PIjeCs9dqzOWdyorBYZCvRX6CVmW1sDU-TJm-QT5DPGFPz1cUWbqUeC7ngghru-rxE-CV6HutP-RwwAw337r_LlOd4dE0F8jUK8MYueRkrtIcDSPzzndt8rp0hyo/s320/spaghetti_big.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: #38761d;">Ingredients:</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1 1-lb., 12 oz. can crushed tomatoes</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1 6 oz. can tomato paste</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1/2 cup fresh basil leaves (lightly packed), chopped</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves (lightly packed), chopped</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1 tsp dried Italian herbs (using the fresh ones above, this is optional but recommended)</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1/2 cup vegetable broth or stock</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1 tsp salt</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1/4 tsp ground black pepper</div><div style="color: #38761d;">2 cloves garlic, smashed </div><div style="color: #38761d;">1 cup onion, diced</div><div style="color: #38761d;">Grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese for serving (optional)</div><div style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #38761d;">Directions:</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1. Combine all ingredients except for the fresh herbs and cheese in a 2-5 qt crock pot. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours or high for 4-6 hours. </div><div style="color: #38761d;">2. Add the fresh basil and parsley.</div><div style="color: #38761d;">3. Serve (generously) over fresh, hot pasta (avoiding the garlic) and sprinkle with Parmesan or grated Pecorino Romano cheese.</div><div style="color: #38761d;">4. Gleefully slurp your spaghetti.</div><div style="color: #38761d;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-kMoDS_O1broL_lI5A-LGIXFmCzyiHEM9hyJx0fKx1ryYCmyXYK6vCrcZ1QjFPMMAphV4qAVyV-PkoJZVvJZYIDLfT1iN1SDHjQYXb48GQEvhPGUl2391kAhClfv5A_DgkevF5g9mFkw/s1600/spaghetti_macro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-kMoDS_O1broL_lI5A-LGIXFmCzyiHEM9hyJx0fKx1ryYCmyXYK6vCrcZ1QjFPMMAphV4qAVyV-PkoJZVvJZYIDLfT1iN1SDHjQYXb48GQEvhPGUl2391kAhClfv5A_DgkevF5g9mFkw/s320/spaghetti_macro.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My lens got a little steamy there on the left</td></tr>
</tbody></table>This recipe is a good base for an arrabbiata sauce. Just add red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, a whole dried chile, Sriracha or whatever you like to use to heat things up. <br />
<div style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</div>While I don't know the "rules" of marinara, I do know that you could add celery, carrots, or mushrooms to this sauce if you felt compelled. Celery and carrots are hearty enough to withstand all-day cooking, so it's one-step and you'll get lots of delicious flavor mingling. (Mushrooms are a little more delicate and should probably only cook about half that long). The only rule I <i>do</i> know is that since marinara is relatively thin in texture (compared to, say, a lamb ragu) it should be enjoyed with spaghetti, so save the tube-and-trumped-shaped pasta for the trapping of thick sauce, meat and veggies.<br />
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<b> P.s. </b>If you're in a pinch and don't have the time to make your sauce, Bon Appetit recently did a <a href="http://www.foodista.com/blog/2011/10/02/best-store-bought-tomato-sauce?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter" style="color: purple;">blind taste test</a> of store-bought tomato sauces, and Barilla Traditional Marinara came out on top.Genevievehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10284714172562540985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670464020969865189.post-67857667233580066852011-10-02T16:22:00.001-04:002011-10-02T16:24:52.454-04:00Crocktober is Here!Ciao readers! Sadly I don't have plans to share a recipe for today, but I would like to announce that it is officially <b><span style="color: orange;">Crocktober</span></b> in the Guerilla Kitchen. Naturally I didn't decide this before yesterday's <a href="http://genevievesguerillakitchen.blogspot.com/2011/10/crock-pot-acorn-squash-stuffed-with.html" style="color: purple;">crock-potted stuffed acorn squash</a> story went up, but now it's for real. Look forward to all-crock-pot-all-the-time posts from GK this month. Soups, stew, spiced cider, hot cereal and more stuffed squash are on the way, but I can appreciate a challenge and welcome any recommendations!Genevievehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10284714172562540985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670464020969865189.post-26570058982441851362011-10-01T20:57:00.006-04:002011-10-02T16:26:03.909-04:00Crocktober: Acorn Squash Stuffed With Walnuts & Dried FruitHappy <b><span style="color: orange;">October</span></b>, everybody! Welcome to my most favorite month. (December is more fun, but I look forward to Autumn weather all year round).<br />
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My Great Aunt Lois lived in upstate New York. As a kid that seemed like light years away from Cape Cod, but fortunately we saw her at least every 4th of July at my grandparents' house, about an hour from where my sister and I grew up. We didn't get to New York to visit her very often - only a couple of times that I can clearly recall - but I remember a few things about those visits quite well. For one, she was as sweet-yet-sassy a person as you could ever hope to meet, and she made a stuffed acorn squash that tasted practically like candy, stuffed with nuts, raisins and brown sugar. As a kid, they were the best-case-scenario of vegetables, and pretty fun to eat besides.<br />
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My Aunt Lois passed away about two and a half years ago, and while my Mother tells me that there is a written recipe for her acorn squash around, she told me that about ten minutes before I took mine out of the crock pot. Anyway, I'm certain that I didn't make these quite the way she would have. Still, I like to think she would be happy that I tried. For one thing, I'm sure hers were baked instead of cooked in a crock pot, but I'm still pretty sure that just about anything can be cooked in a crock pot. Sure and also fairly determined, to be fair. So bust out the crock pot already, it's Fall.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUcpK7LvYd40qudbAXULH-MkB8ZcfuGdZbWrY40hdqTPSCndbhb9IvxCXLTIeKv9093vO5a7c7hn5lwU1k9ntNY-f-XWhRrc11GPAJok1ElU7ZL7NYi7dZNqNexo_IwaBQTcp_nioN1ps/s1600/acorn+squash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUcpK7LvYd40qudbAXULH-MkB8ZcfuGdZbWrY40hdqTPSCndbhb9IvxCXLTIeKv9093vO5a7c7hn5lwU1k9ntNY-f-XWhRrc11GPAJok1ElU7ZL7NYi7dZNqNexo_IwaBQTcp_nioN1ps/s320/acorn+squash.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I cooked one acorn squash in my 2 quart crock pot. In a bigger machine you could do two or three at a time. You'll want to be sure that your squash stays upright, so you probably wouldn't want to do one little squash in a big 5-quarter or anything, though you could probably do it "open-faced," so to speak. The good news (for people with a big slow cooker but maybe not a lot of people to feed that day) is that this stuffing would also be super yummy in a butternut squash.<br />
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For an extra flavor boost, toast the walnuts first. Toasted walnuts are a great thing to have on hand for fall and winter recipes, anyway, so you might as well toast a bunch at once. I found out a bit late (ahem, MOM) that hers also had diced apple in there, which sounds fantastic and I will definitely do next time.<br />
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Since I made this for myself as a main dish, I added about 1 tablespoon of ground flax to the stuffing for extra protein, but this is totally optional. A little bulgur wheat, pearl barley, or soft whole-wheat breadcrumbs would also lend it more substance - just keep in mind that bulgur and barley will both expand significantly once cooked!<br />
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<div style="color: #38761d;">Ingredients:</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1 acorn squash</div><div style="color: #38761d;">2 tablespoons butter, softened</div><div style="color: #38761d;">2 tablespoon brown sugar (I used dark brown, but I'm sure light is fine too)</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (I used walnuts)</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1/3 cup raisins, dried cranberries, cherries, chopped apricots, or a combination (I used mostly raisins with a Trader Joe's mix of some dried cranberries and dried pomegranate seeds) </div><div style="color: #38761d;">Apple juice or cider, about a cup and a half (I used 100% juice)</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1 tsp cinnamon (I also sprinkled a little on while I was eating it...)</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1/4 tsp nutmeg</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1/4 tsp allspice </div><div style="color: #38761d;">1/4 tsp salt</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1/4 tsp ground black pepper</div><div style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #38761d;">Directions:</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1. Cut the lid off the squash, starting about an inch below the crown (the widest part, near the top) and save the lid. Scoop out the seeds and stringy guts. (The skins can be super tough. If yours is resistant, microwave the squash for a couple of minutes before cutting into it. And if you start the cut a little too high on the squash like I did, you might have to cut away a little of the flesh to get to the chamber). Cut the point off of the bottom so that it will stand up; just enough to create a flat spot. </div><div style="color: #38761d;">2. In a mixing bowl, combine spices, butter and sugar, then add in nuts, fruit and a teaspoon or two of the cider or juice and spoon the mixture into the squash, packing slightly. Rest the lid on top. (Don't worry if you have a little extra stuffing. Put it in your oatmeal tomorrow. Voila!)</div><div style="color: #38761d;">3. Spray the inside of the crock insert with nonstick cooking spray. Place squash inside, and pour in about a cup of juice or cider around (not in) the squash.</div><span style="color: #38761d;">4. Cover and cook on low for 5-7 hours or on high for 2-3 hours. When the flesh is fork-tender, carefully remove the squash and serve. (Mine was perfect after 6 hours on low)</span>.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDkFf4dChirKyIP5s8_b_mO4C8caxlbsu3afZZtX0vguOhHaT09oGN-Q62T-YhbegPfx-miCfoo4wA4-oI5q5xw56ftTPdJmx3tdDf80azGAkNSnRvKfu7uS-zFfcWLgTQxoWaqIcKPYE/s1600/acornsquashmacro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDkFf4dChirKyIP5s8_b_mO4C8caxlbsu3afZZtX0vguOhHaT09oGN-Q62T-YhbegPfx-miCfoo4wA4-oI5q5xw56ftTPdJmx3tdDf80azGAkNSnRvKfu7uS-zFfcWLgTQxoWaqIcKPYE/s320/acornsquashmacro.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
This is so, SO good. I can say that because it wasn't my idea. SO delicious. Definitely sweet though - you've got to be in the mood for it. But it's so tasty, so seasonal, and so freakin' adorable in its little acorn-shaped package. And obviously, you can cut back on the sugar and make up for it with spice.<br />
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There are probably a zillion different ways you could go with this idea, if you weren't so into the sugar-and-spice route. Rice with a little sage would also be a great base for a stuffing, or browned ground turkey, and with a little goat cheese sprinkled on top... Yum. So many possibilities. Why do I suspect that I'll be eating a lot of squash this year?<br />
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<b>Quote of the Day: "<span style="color: #38761d;">Autumn is a second spring where every leaf is a flower</span>." ~ Albert Camus</b>Genevievehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10284714172562540985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670464020969865189.post-80218181166802534272011-09-29T19:36:00.004-04:002011-09-29T21:10:06.068-04:00Mushroom & Barley RisottoSince it has been steamy and rainy in Philadelphia for about a thousand straight days, it doesn't quite feel like fall just yet, and I kind of wish it would just hurry up and get here. Still, I'm keeping the faith and since the sun actually did come out today, I felt like cooking a fall favorite that I started making at just about this time last year.<br />
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You'll be happy to know that this dish is much less annoying than your average risotto. Not that I'm hating on risotto; I respect and admire anyone with the patience to make a good one. Still there is really no need to stand over this, the barely version, adding the liquid one eye-dropper at a time, so you can do other things instead. Like call all your friends and tell them how yummy this smells while it's cooking, and how jealous they are that they're not having dinner with you tonight.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYEFE9BSJeLsOY27VULAVasnnQFP0bgom9Q1K7137dXx2p00bysQ0pMGn__oaZdEa85DdvfvDOTaMPQy242e6bfGjeq3LhiZTUUpNcVCaevBovU4s7j7_vWcJ-GmUDAAIfQqf7L3KHoNM/s1600/mush_bar_risotto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYEFE9BSJeLsOY27VULAVasnnQFP0bgom9Q1K7137dXx2p00bysQ0pMGn__oaZdEa85DdvfvDOTaMPQy242e6bfGjeq3LhiZTUUpNcVCaevBovU4s7j7_vWcJ-GmUDAAIfQqf7L3KHoNM/s320/mush_bar_risotto.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="color: #38761d;">Ingredients:</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1 8 oz. box of mushrooms, sliced, or 8 oz. assorted varieties<br />
1 bay leaf </div><div style="color: #38761d;">1/2 cup pearl barley</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1/2 large onion, finely chopped</div><div style="color: #38761d;">2-3 tsp fresh thyme leaves, plus one single sprig for serving</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1 14.5 oz. can or about 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock or chicken stock, low-sodium</div><div style="color: #38761d;">Salt & pepper </div><div style="color: #38761d;">2 tsp butter</div><div style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #38761d;">grated Parmesan for sprinkling (optional) </div><div style="color: #38761d;">about 1/4 cup of wine, white or red (optional and recommended)<br />
Toasted walnuts or pine nuts for sprinkling (optional and recommended) </div><div style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #38761d;">Directions.</div><div style="color: #38761d;">1. In a medium frying pan or sauce pan over medium-high heat, melt butter and saute onion and mushrooms until they release their juices and the juices have mostly evaporated. Add salt and pepper. Add wine, and continue to cook for about 2 to 3 minutes. <span style="color: black;">(This is my favorite part. It smells so good you practically want to climb inside).</span></div><div style="color: #38761d;">2. Add barley and bay leaf, and stir to toast the grains for about a minute. Once the barley soaks up the juices, add stock and thyme and bring to a boil. Turn heat down to low, cover and let cook until barley is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 20-25 minutes. <span style="color: black;">(About halfway through, check to be sure more stock is not needed.)</span></div><div style="color: #38761d;">3. To serve, plate and garnish with a single spring of fresh thyme and Parmesan. Serve with freshly ground pepper.</div><br />
I'm sure some people would yell at me for opening a lidded pan while it's cooking, but those people weren't around this evening. If there is too much liquid and the barley is ready, just simmer uncovered for a couple of minutes at the end.<br />
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It might seem weird to use red wine in a risotto, but it's what I had on hand so I tried it out, and it was completely delicious. There might be a rule against this, but if you're anything like me (meaning that you like things that are delicious), the rules are irrelevant. White wine might be better, but I'm not disappointed with how this turned out. I believe wine is necessary for a really great risotto, but I've made this dish without it in the past and while it's less attention-grabbing, it's still yummy. If you're not the boozing kind, don't fret; I'm pretty sure all the alcohol cooks off anyway.<br />
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The original recipe that I read for this dish many moons ago called for thyme and dried marjoram. Since then I've tried all thyme, mostly thyme and a little marjoram, and thyme and marjoram with a dash of dried, ground sage, and all have been delicious. The rich flavor of the sauteed mushrooms with the hearty chewiness of the barley and the herbs... Yum! You can't lose.<br />
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<b>Quote of the Day: </b><span class="sqq"><b>“<span style="color: #38761d;">In the age of acorns, before the times of Ceres, a single barley-corn had been of more value to mankind than all the diamonds of the mines of India</span>." ~ Henry Brooke</b></span><br />
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P.s. Good luck finding a quote about barley that isn't from the Bible. Weird. <br />
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Note: To veganize, use veggie stock, olive oil instead of butter, and obviously skip the Parmesan - but not the wine! You really need one or the other.Genevievehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10284714172562540985noreply@blogger.com0