Fajitas, French-style bread with dipping oil and Sweet Corn Soup

First up, a delicious fajita combo that makes for a quick and easy dinner.  Slice up some steak (or chicken if you'd rather), onions and green peppers with a splash of oil, salt, peppers, chili powder, paprika, bouillon, onion powder, minced garlic, cayenne pepper and cumin.  Load into a small tortilla with avocado slices and sour cream (I may have overdone it a little...), and you've got yourself a good dinner.

Next up, a french-style bread and a couple ideas for dipping sauces.  For the dough, start off by combining 3C warm water, 2C bread flour, 2C whole wheat flour, 2T honey and 2.25T activated yeast into a well-mixed soup, and let rise for about an hour.  Mix in about 2.5C bread flour, 1C whole wheat flour and 4t salt, then kneed well.  Let rise another hour, then form into loaves.  To make the loaves (I made 3 loaves out of this recipe that each can serve 2-4 people) stretch the dough into a square, roll tightly and pinch the seams.  Let rise another 30 minutes to an hour, then slash the loaf and bake at 425 for 10 minutes and then turn the oven down to 375 for another 35 minutes or until nicely browned.  Wonderful right out of the oven, especially dipped in olive oil with Balsamic vinegar, Parmesan cheese, fresh herbs or garlic.

Finally, a tasty sweet corn soup.  Boil 4C milk, 4C chicken stock, 6-12 ears of fresh sweet corn with the kernels cut off, 2t salt, 1t sugar half an onion, 5T butter, 1T flour, pepper, cumin, cayenne pepper, cardamom and salt in a stockpot for about an hour, then puree with an immersion blender until the desired consistency.

Scallion Pancakes, Sweet Potato Mash, Veggie Pizza, Noodle Casserole, Chocolate Bacon and Avocado Breakfast Wrap

Today we clear out the backlog that's been building up, and I've got some interesting dishes today.

To start off, scallion pancakes.  Make a dough with 2C flour and 1C boiling water, let rest for an hour or so, and divide into 4 balls.  For each ball, roll into a large flat pancake, spread with sesame oil.  Roll up the pancake into a long tube, then twist the tube into a cinnamon-roll-looking-thing, then re-roll out into a pancake.  Again brush with sesame oil, then sprinkle with green onions.  Roll into a long roll, then into the cinnamon roll, then roll out again, then fry in a pan on each side until golden brown.  Slice, then dip in equal parts soy sauce and rice vinegar with ginger and sugar to taste.  A tasty appetizer that can make an attractive setting.  Via http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2011/04/extra-flaky-scallion-pancakes-recipe.html

Next we have an easy sweet potato, bourbon and walnut mash.  Combine 4 pounds boiled sweet potatoes, 4T butter, 1/2C milk, 1/4C maple syrup, 4T bourbon, 2t cinnamon, 1t allspice, 1t nutmeg and 1C roasted walnuts.  Blend with an immersion blender, and it makes for a fantastic side with tons of flavor.  Via http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Bourbon-Walnut-Sweet-Potato-Mash-240406

For an easy dinner with whatever's in the fridge, look no further.  On either a pita or tortilla, spread some tomato sauce, then layer whatever you've got in the fridge.  I sauteed eggplant and zucchini in olive oil and balsamic and added those.  Then, add mozzarella and bake until the cheese is melty and golden brown.  Healthy and easy.

A quick casserole that, while not necessarily healthy, will feed a lot of people.  Combine 4 cut up chicken breasts, 2C milk, 2C condensed cream of celery soup, 1C cheese (fake, cheddar, whatever!), 2 onions, 4+ cups of pasta and herbs to taste in a casserole dish.  Let sit in the freezer overnight, then bake at 350 for an hour.  I also added carrots and some random other stuff I had left in the fridge.  Via http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/tracis-chicken-noodle-casserole/Detail.aspx

Next up, a decadent treat.  Bake bacon on cooling racks at 375 for 8 minutes, then blot well.  Flip, then sprinkle with an even mixture of brown sugar, chili powder and black pepper.  Bake for another 8 minutes (or until crispy and the sugar has caramelized), then let cool.  Finally, brush with nutella.  Extremely decedent, unique and has all sorts of flavors going on.  I brought it into the office and it was split half loved it, half weren't crazy about it.  Via http://www.bellalimento.com/2011/02/05/sweet-spicy-bacon-coated-with-nutella/

Any my attempt at an artistic shot of the ingredients...

And finally, a quick, delicious breakfast.  Put a tortilla in a dry pan, add some shredded mozzarella, heat till it melts, then add half an avocado and a scrambled egg.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Tasty, filling, and delicious!

Curried Carrot Soup, English Muffin Bread and BBQ Chicken Pizza

Today we've got an awesome soup, bread the brings back memories of years past and a tasty variation of pizza.

To start off, a curried carrot soup that masquerades as a healthy soup, is absolutely delicious and has a healthy kick.  To make, saute 1 chopped onion in a bit of oil or butter in a large soup pot.  When nicely softened and translucent, add 2lb chopped carrots, 1 peeled and chopped potato (or sweet potato), 4C stock (I like 'Better than Bouillon' in a pinch), 1.5+T curry powder, a 1+inch piece of fresh peeled and sliced ginger, and plenty of salt and pepper to taste.  Then, simmer for 25 minutes or until everything is nice and soft.  Blend with an immersion blender (ones with plastic tips might melt; I recommended metal ended ones) and add cream cheese or cream to taste (I added a full 8oz package of cream cheese).  Blend really well so that it becomes a creamy solution, and you have one gourmet, easily freezable, absolute delicious soup that has a nice healthy kick.  Experiment with different curries for totally different flavors; the one I used I picked up at a market in Vietnam.  Based on http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/curried-carrot-soup/Detail.aspx

Next up, a very easy bread that, when toasted, tastes exactly like a fresh English muffin, which I had all the time when I was younger.  To make, combine 3C flour (AP or bread), 1/2T white sugar, 1t salt, 1/8t baking powder, 1C milk, 1/4C water and 2 1/4t activated yeast in a bowl and mix.  Kneed for a minute or two or until well combined, then put in a greased loaf pan and sprinkle with cornmeal.  All it needs is a toasting and some butter, and you've got one delicious snack.  Also freezes well sliced.  Via http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/grandmas-english-muffin-bread/Detail.aspx

Finally, a suggestion for the Neapolitan pizza dough recipe I posted a while back.  Boil and shred some chicken thighs and mix with BBQ sauce.  Spread BBQ sauce on the pizza (all the way to the edge gives the crust awesome flavor), then sprinkle the shredded chicken, cilantro, lots of red onion, green onion and mozzarella cheese.  Yum!

Beef and Cabbage Stir Fry with Peanut Sauce, African Peanut Stew, Ricotta and Olive Stuffed Bread, Orange Beets, Stuffed Chicken Breast and Spicy Boozy Mousse

Today we have a larger collection of recipes.  The first two make great dinners for a couple nights, and the rest combine to make an amazing night's dinner.  Stick with me till the end; I finish with an incredible dessert.

First up today, we have a Beef and Cabbage Stir-Fry with a Peanut Sauce, which makes for a decently healthy dinner, and makes it quite simple to eat half a cabbage.  To make, saute 3 cloves garlic and 1lb thinly sliced steak in a bit of hot oil until barely pink.  Then, saute 1 small head cabbage, thinly sliced cabbage in a bit of oil with a bit of water until it wilts, then add the cooked steak back in.  Whisk 1/4C peanut butter, 1/3C orange juice, 3T soy sauce, 1T rice vinegar and 2t sugar together and pour over everything, and serve topped with peanuts.  Makes a good dinner that's quite simple, healthy and tasty; but this is the weakest of this batch of recipes.  Via http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/beef_cabbage_stir_fry_with_peanut_sauce.html

Next up is an absolutely awesome African Peanut Stew.  Saute 2-3lbs of chicken thighs and/or legs, 1 sliced large onion, a 3-inch piece of minced ginger and 6-8 minced garlic cloves in a pan with a bit of oil, in stages if necessary.  Add 2-3 lbs chunked sweet potatoes, 1qt chicken stock, 1 15oz can crushed tomatoes, 1C peanut butter1C peanuts, 1T coriander, 1t cayenne pepper to the chicken and onion in a stock pot, and simmer for ~90 minutes, or until the meat shreds easily and the potatoes are tender.  Shred the chicken well and add salt and pepper to taste; there should be a nice peppery taste.  Add in 1/5-1/2C cilantro, and serve.  Also quite good cold.  Another way that this soup is very good is blended; I took a portion of the soup and pureed it with an immersion blender, and it turned into an extremely creamy and complex soup that was just awesome.  Via http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/african_chicken_peanut_stew/

Next up we have the first course of an awesome dinner; a Ricotta and Olive stuffed Bolso bread.  To make the dough, combine 3+C flour (half all purpose, half bread) with 1T proofed yeast, 1 1/4C milk, 1T honey, 2t salt, 2t melted butter, 1t ground oregano, 1/2t basil and 1/2t crushed rosemary, and kneed until smooth and well combined.  Let rise for at least an hour, or until doubled.  Meanwhile, make the filling.  Combine 1 egg, 1/3C grated cheddar, 1/3C sliced green olives, 1/2lb ricotta cheese, 1/4t salt, 1t dried oregano, 2 cloves minced garlic, 2+T finely chopped sun-dried tomato and 1/2C grated Parmesan.  Once the dough has risen, roll out into a large square on semolina flour, and spread the filling down the center third.  Using kitchen shears, cut diagonal slits down each edge (with the same number on each edge) that are ~1/2'' wide.  Fold a flap up at the top and bottom, then alternate sides, braiding the sliced dough to form what you see in the picture.  Brush with egg wash (an egg beaten with a bit of water), then bake on a stone at 350 for ~45 minutes.  Makes a bread that is great cold or warm, and makes a quite attractive loaf.

The freshly made loaf

And the cut loaf, showing the filling

Next up, a simple recipe for roasted beets.  Wrap cleaned and trimmed beats in tin foil, and bake at 375 for about an hour.  Unwrap, then peel immediately under running cold water (the outside will get cool enough to handle while under the tap, and the inside will stay hot.  Beets suck to peel before baking).  Then, slice 75% of the way down in slices, spread the wings and drizzle with orange juice and orange zest that has been reduced by half.  Beets are naturally sweet, and adding the juice just accentuates the natural flavors.  Via http://www.lemonsandlavender.com/2011/02/hasselback-style-roasted-beets-with.html

Next up, we have a spinach stuffed, bacon wrapped chicken breast which, besides being quite large and impressive looking, are quite tasty.  Start off by thoroughly flattening 3-4 chicken breasts with a meat hammer.  The thinner you can get them the better (I may have used a regular hammer to help; I suggest a layer or two of plastic wrap over the chicken while you beat it.  Prepare the filling by combining 1 package chopped frozen spinach with 2/3C ricotta, 1/2C shredded pepper-jack cheese, 4 cloves minced garlic, 2T lemon juice, black pepper, salt and 2/3C sliced and sauteed mushroom caps.  Fill the flattened chicken with the mixture, then wrap with 3 pieces of bacon to secure and place in a baking dish.  Bake for 35 minutes at 375, then broil for 5-10 minutes to crisp the bacon.  Make sure not to overcook it, as overcooked chicken gets dry.  Consider pouring some white wine in the bottom of the baking dish to add moisture and flavor to the oven as it cooks.  They end up being quite large, and exceedingly tasty.  Via http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/spinach-stuffed-chicken-breast/Detail.aspx

The wrapped chicken

And cut open revealing the deliciousness within

Finally, a absolutely jaw-droppingly amazing mousse that has the consistency of rich custard and the flavor of a decadent spiced dark chocolate bar.  To make, combine 2 eggs, 3/4C milk, 3T dark rum, 1T maple syrup, 1/2+t cinnamon and a pinch chili powder in a bowl and mix well with an immersion blender.  Melt 6oz good chocolate (I used dark Ghirardelli chips) and add in 3T strong brewed coffee, then slowly pour that into the other ingredients while running the blender.  Continue blending for a bit until nice and frothy, then distribute into ramekins and chill for at least a couple hours.  Absolutely amazing; I have no other words for it.  Via http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/dessert/recipe-spicy-boozey-mousse-041125

So there you have it, enough for dinners for at least a week and enough for a nice dinner party.  Enjoy!

Potato Leak Soup, Swedish Meatballs and Hot-Chocolate Cookies

Today, we have a very simple and delicious Potato Leak soup, some Swedish meatballs that are just fantastic, and a cookie recipe with a bit of a kick!

First up, we have Potato Leak soup.  Now, the main things you need to make the soup are, not surprisingly, potatoes and leaks.  Depending how much soup you want, use about a 1:1 ratio of potatoes to leaks, and remember that only the white and light-green tender parts of the leak should be used (make sure to thoroughly clean the leak, I recommend halving it lengthwise and flipping through the layers under the faucet.  Crunchies are no fun).  Roughly cube the potatoes, and boil them along with the lightly sauted leaks in just enough water to cover them for about 30 minutes, or until tender.  At this point you can add pretty much whatever you want (or nothing) to change the flavor, but at minimum some salt and pepper.  I also added a couple strips of bacon, milk, oregano, basil and thyme.  Blend either with an immersion blender or standard blender, and enjoy!  Quick, easy and filling.

via http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/soup/the-perfection-of-simplicity-potato-leek-soup-076790

Next up we have a more involved recipe for Swedish meatballs.  One side of my family has a large Norwegian influence, and I remember having these at family gatherings, so they sold a special place in my heart.  Also, one of the main flavors is Cardamom, which also is in many things from my childhood.  To make the balls, combine 1 large grated (on a cheese grater) and sauteed onion with 5 slices of bread that have been well soaked in 3/4C milk and pulverized/shredded/broken into small pieces, 2 eggs, some combination of 2.5lb ground beef/pork, 2t salt, 1t nutmeg, 1t cardamom and 2t pepper until well mixed.  Make into smallish balls and set aside while you make them all.  Then, working in batches in a largeish saute pan, brown them on all sides in butter, starting out with 6T and adding more as needed on medium heat, so as to not burn the butter.  Once all the balls are browned and you've added whatever butter is necessary to top it off, add 1/3 cup flour and stir constantly until it's reached a coffee with cream color (make a roux).  Once it has reached an appropriate color, add 1 quart hot beef stock slowly.  The roux will stiffen and sputter when you first add stock, but will settle down (see pictures).  Add the meatballs to the pan in batches and let simmer for about 10 minutes covered to finish cooking them, and serve.  They melt in your mouth with delicious flavors; I recommend eating with toothpicks.
via http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/swedish_meatballs/

The meatballs after sauteing and before boiling

The sauce right after adding some stock - note the apparent chunkiness

...that dissolves into a creamy sauce

...with a tasty end product

Finally, we have some intensely chocolate cookies that have a bit of a kick.  To make the batter, combine  2 1/4C flour, 1/2+Cocoa powder, 2t cream of tarter, 1t baking soda, 1/2t salt, 2 sticks melted butter, 1 1/2C sugar, 2 eggs, 2t cinnamon and 1/2t chili powder.  Make into small balls, roll in a mixture of 1/4C sugar and 1/2t chili powder, then bake at 400 for about 10 minutes.  This is a different take on the chocolate cookie, and I am a huge fan of it.
via http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/mexican-hot-chocolate-cookies

Brandy Snaps, Brunch Bread, Chocolate Bean Bread and Meatballs

Today we've got a fancy cookie, a bacon, tomato and cheese bread, a delicious chocolate cake/bread that has garbanzo beans instead of flour and meatballs.

To start off, we have Brandy Snap cookies, which are sugar shells filled with a brandy-infused whipped cream.  To make, combine 1 stick butter, 1/2C molasses, 1/4C sugar and 1/4C brown sugar in over medium heat (I used a cast-iron pan) stirring constantly until melted and combined, then allow to bubble for a minute or two, then turn off the heat.  Stir in 3/4C flour, 1/4t ground ginger, 1/8t salt and 1T+ brandy until just combined.
Drop about 1T dollops onto a Silpat (silicone baking sheet) to bake in a 325 degree oven.  I could only fit 6 cookies onto a half-sheet (13x18) pan, as they spread out a LOT, so dollop carefully.  Bake for ~15 minutes or until done (it took a couple tries for me to get the timing right; if you under-bake them, they end up soft and don't hold their shape, so can't be filled effectively), take out of the oven and let sit for about 2 minutes, then mold over the handle of a whisk or other small-ish round implement (I used a thin French rolling pin).  If you baked them correctly, they should harden quite quickly to a hard brittle sugar tube.  I tried putting them on a cooling rack for a minute or so before molding it, but they ended up cooling too quickly.  Putting them back onto the hot pan will re-soften them.  Make the cooked shortly before they are to be eaten and keep in a dry place, as you would any molded sugar.
To make the filling, blend 2C whipping cream, 1-2oz brandy and 1/3C sugar until it forms stiff peaks.  Fill the cookies with a pastry bag or zip-lock with the corner cut off very shortly before eating, and enjoy!  I estimate that you have at most 2 hours after filling before the cookies start dissolving, so unless you have a spoon handy, make shortly before eating.  Also, make sure that they aren't on any liquid (like melted whip cream), or the bottoms will disappear.  Incredibly delicious, not overly decadent, and fantastic looking.  Via http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/11/brandy-snaps/


Next up is a bread that's filled with bacon, cheese and tomatoey goodness!  To start off, make at least 6 strips of bacon and crumble well.  Then, combine 3C flour, 1T sugar, 1C water and 2 1/4T proofed yeast and kneed until smooth.  Add in 1T of reserved bacon grease, the bacon, 2T tomato paste, 2+ oz grated Monterrey Jack cheese and 1/2t salt and kneed until well combined.  Let rise for about an hour, or until doubled.  Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes, and you end up with a delicious and soft bread that's great on it's own, or as part of a dish (try removing some of the middle of a buttered slice and cooking it in a skillet with an egg in the void).  Also, to make a more tender crust, spray the oven with a water sprayer well a few times while cooking to maintain high humidity in the oven.  Via http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2011/01/bread-baking-tomato-cheese-and-bacon-bread.html














This is an extremely fudgy and chocolaty cake that's made with garbanzo beans, so you can pretend that it's good for you!  To make, combine 1 15oz can Garbanzos (drained and rinsed), 3 eggs and 1t vanilla in a food processor for about a minute.  Add in 5+oz melted chocolate chips, 1/2C sugar, 1/2t baking powder, 1/2t salt, 1t melted butter and 2T cocoa powder, and blend for an additional minute or so, until well blended and with a pudding-like consistency.  Bake at 350 for about an hour, or until a knife comes out clean.  The result is a really fudgey, decadent cake that is high in protein and not too bad for you (and you can't taste the beans at all). Via http://www.seriouseats.com/2011/01/chocolate-and-chickpeas-garbonzo-beans-cake-healthier-baking.html

Finally, a quick note on meatballs.  Our office had a competition a couple months ago, so I tried my hand (for the first time) making meatballs, and I think they turned out absolutely delicious.  I decided against going with just one recipe, so I just mixed together things that looked good.  For the balls themselves, I used unmeasured amounts of ground beef, seasoned breadcrumbs, caramelized onion, garlic, egg, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, Romano cheese, parsley, toasted onion powder, ranch dressing seasoning, apple cider vinegar and olive oil.  These were balled and browned in a pan, then glazed and baked.  For the glaze, I combined and reduced brown sugar, flour, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, raspberry jam and white wine.  They turned out really tasty, and took second in the office (to someone whose wife is a professional chef).  The picture is exceedingly unflattering, but the taste is what matters!