Scrumptious Pumpkin Pancakes

I still had some pumpkin puree in the freezer that was leftover from the holidays and was thinking it was about time to either use it or lose it. Since the gingerbread pancakes turned out so well last fall, I decided to try my hand at making pumpkin pancakes. As usual, I consulted a few recipes and then combined what I liked from each and left what I didn't. This resulted in thick, dense cakes with a subtle spice and pumpkin flavor that was enhanced by the maple syrup.

Note: Due to the density of the cakes I had to play with my stovetop settings (and sacrifice a few cakes in the process) to ensure that the insides were cooked through without burning the outsides. Using a cast iron skillet, I ended up keeping my burner at a setting of 3.

2 C all-purpose flour
4 Tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp ground allspice
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 C milk
1 C pumpkin puree
1 egg
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger and salt in a medium sized bowl. In a separate larger bowl, mix together the milk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar. Stir the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture just enough to combine.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Laddle the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Cinnamon Espresso Bars

I was looking for something easy and light to make for a work gathering and came across this recipe on the Eat Better America website. The bars turned out great, but didn't have enough coffee flavor for my taste. I made a few alterations and posted the new recipe below.

Bars
1 C packed brown sugar
1/3 C butter or margarine, softened
1 egg
1 1/2 C all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp instant espresso coffee (dry)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 C water

Cinnamon Espresso Glaze
1 C powdered sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
4 to 5 tsp cold espresso coffee or strong coffee

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan with shortening or spray with cooking spray; coat with flour. In large bowl, beat brown sugar, butter and egg with electric mixer on medium speed until blended, or mix with spoon. Stir in remaining bar ingredients. Spread in pan.

Bake 20 to 22 minutes or until top springs back when touched in center.

Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix all glaze ingredients with spoon until smooth and thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle over bars while warm. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

We've had a cold snap recently, like most of the country, so I have been in the mood for some comfort food. I've never made chicken and rice soup, but it sounded like it would hit the spot. I consulted a few recipes, took what I liked from each, left what I didn't, and came up with the recipe below. I was very pleased with the results (see the notes below if you prefer a thinner soup). Serve with Mom's Beer Bread - delish!

Ingredients:

4 C chicken broth (I used turkey stock I made & kept in the freezer after Thanksgiving)
1 C water
3 boneless chicken breast halves
1 (4.5 oz) pkg Uncle Ben's Long Grain and Wild Rice Original with seasoning packet
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 small cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 C all-purpose flour
5 Tbsp butter
2 C 2% milk


In a large pot over medium heat, bring broth to a boil. Add chicken and reduce to a simmer. Cook until chicken is no longer pink in the center, about 15 minutes. Remove chicken from broth, reserve broth, and shred the chicken into bite sized pieces.

Return the chicken to the broth and add water. Bring just to boiling, then stir in rice, reserving seasoning packet. Cover and remove from heat.

In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper and flour.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in contents of seasoning packet and veggies until mixture is bubbly. Reduce heat to low, then stir in flour mixture by tablespoons, to form a roux. Whisk in milk, a little at a time, until fully incorporated and smooth. Cook until thickened, 5 minutes.

Stir milk mixture into broth and rice. Cook over medium heat until heated through, 10to 15 minutes.

*The soup was very thick, almost like porridge. If you like a thinner soup add more water or stock. You could also substitute lower fat milk to make it lighter and to create a thinner base.

Mom's Beer Bread

My mom used to make beer bread to serve with stew on cold winter nights. It's a hearty bread that has hints of bitter and sweet flavors. Since it only takes an hour to make it's the perfect accompaniment to your favorite soup or stew.

Ingredients:
3 C self-rising flour
3 Tbsp sugar
1 (12 oz) can or bottle light beer
1 Tbsp butter

Preheat oven to 375. Combine all ingredients until fully incorporated. Turn into a nonstick bread pan, and bake for 50 minutes. Melt butter and brush over the top of the bread. Turn the oven off and return bread to the oven for another 10 minutes.

Wheat Berries with Roasted Veggies

I've been itching to use wheat berries again, but have had trouble finding anything enticing on the web or in my cookbooks. I came across some yummy looking salads, but since it's so cold outside I was hoping for something warm. I had the most delicious vegetarian yorkshire pudding with wheat berries, artichoke and mushrooms last spring while visiting Chicago and wanted to recreate it. Sadly, I didn't have the ingredients on hand and was not willing to venture out in the cold to the grocery. Instead, I used the items I had on hand and came up with the following. You can take or leave the gravy, I made it thin and thought it added a little something to the veggie/grain mixture. Let me know what you think!

1 C wheat berries
2 1/2 C broth (I used the turkey broth I made after Thanksgiving)
2 medium sweet potatoes, sliced in wedges
1 crown broccoli, cut into individual clusters
1/2 medium onion sliced in wedges
1/4 lb green beans, snapped in half
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Place broth in a pot with a lid and bring to a boil. Once the broth is boiling, add the wheat berries. Cover and simmer for 50 minutes.

In the meantime, place sweet potatoes and onion in a shallow baking dish or roasting pan. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with 1/2 of the olive oil. Place in oven and roast for 20 minutes. Add broccoli and stir. Roast for another 15-20 minutes. Add green beans and stir. Roast for another 10 minutes.

Strain wheat berries saving broth for gravy. Stir wheat berries into veggies. Serve over gravy.

Gravy
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
3/4 C stock left after wheat berries finish cooking
Salt & pepper to taste

Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over moderate heat, then add flour to make a roux. Cook roux, stirring for about 2 - 3 minutes. Add stock, whisking constantly to prevent lumps and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in salt and pepper.

Sour Cream Pumpkin Bundt Cake

I had quite a bit of leftover canned pumpkin in my freezer after the holidays and found this awesome recipe on the The Very Best Baking website. It was delicious and moist and stayed fresh for several days when stored covered in the fridge. I will definitely making this again next fall!

Ingredients

Struesel
1/2 C packed brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground allspice
2 tsp butter

Cake
3 C all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 C granulated sugar
1 C (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
4 large eggs
1 C canned pumpkin
1 container (8 oz.) sour cream
2 tsp vanilla extract

Glaze
1 1/2 C sifted powdered sugar
2 to 3 Tbsp milk

PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan.

FOR STREUSEL:COMBINE brown sugar, cinnamon and allspice in small bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender or two knives until mixture is crumbly.

FOR BATTER:COMBINE flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Beat granulated sugar and butter in large mixer bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add pumpkin, sour cream and vanilla extract; mix well. Gradually beat in flour mixture.

TO ASSEMBLE:SPOON half of batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle Streusel over batter, not allowing Streusel to touch sides of pan. Top with remaining batter. Make sure batter layer touches edges of pan.BAKE for 55 to 60 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in cake comes out clean. Cool for 30 minutes in pan on wire rack. Invert onto wire rack to cool completely. Drizzle with Glaze.

FOR GLAZE:COMBINE 1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar and 2 to 3 tablespoons milk in small bowl; stir until smooth.

Gingerbread Pancakes

If you ever find yourself in Austin, TX be sure to stop by Magnolia Cafe for breakfast. No matter what you order you won't be disappointed, but I highly recommend trying the gingerbread pancakes. I love them so much I went on a mad hunt to find the recipe, fortunately Food Network made that easy for me. I've made a few modifications since I like my gingerbread to have a little stronger taste. I accompanied the pancakes with apples, fresh from the farmer's market, that I sauteed in a little butter and cinnamon - yum!

Ingredients
3 eggs
1/4 C brown sugar
1 C buttermilk
1/2 C water
1/4 C brewed coffee
2 1/2 C white unbleached flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 1/2 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 Tbsp ground ginger
1 1/2 Tbsp ground nutmeg
4 Tbsp butter or margarine, melted

In a large bowl, mix eggs and brown sugar until well combined. Add buttermilk, water and brewed coffee, and stir to combine. In another large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Add the liquid ingredients to the flour mixture and stir just until combined. Stir in the melted butter.

Grease a griddle or heavy skillet. Heat griddle or skillet over medium-high heat and then add the batter, by ladle-fulls. Cook until little bubbles appear around the edges of the pancake, and then flip. Cook on the second side until golden brown and cooked through in the middle. Serve immediately.

I'm back!

After a 2 month hiatus from blogging, I'm back! Although I got quite busy with work and training my new pup I continued cooking and saving recipes. I've got a lot to share so in the next few weeks I plan to post some of the great fare I've made over the past few months. Happy and healthy eating in 2010!

Fall Harvest

With the official arrival of Fall my thoughts always turn to harvests. Nothing says harvest like root vegetables, savory herbs, and farm fresh meats. So I decided to make a Tuscan Style Roast Loin of Pork and Sweet Potato and Apple Casserole. The sweet potato dish is a staple in my Fall and Winter cooking, but I wanted to try something different with the tenderloin this time. I was so pleased with how moist and tender the pork was; it will definitely be one of my turn-to recipes in the future. Enjoy!

Tuscan Style Roast Loin of Pork
(adapted from The Williams-Sonoma Cookbook: The Essential Recipe Collections for Today's Home Cook)

2 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme or 1 Tbsp dried
1 Tbsp chopped fresh sage or 1 1/2 tsp dried
1 very large or 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
Freshly ground sea salt and freshly ground pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil, or as needed
1 boneless pork loin roast, 2-4 lb, trimmed of excess fat

In a small bowl, make an herb paste by mixing together the thyme, sage, garlic and 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, and enough oil to make a thick paste; you may need more or less than 2 Tbsp.

Score the top of the roast in 1 or 2 places. Rub the herb paste all over the meat and let stand at room temperature for at least 15 minutes or up to 1 hour before cooking (I let mine stand for 1 hour), or cover and refrigerate overnight. Bring the roast to room temperature, if necessary, before cooking.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil a roasting pan just large enough to hold the pork. Place the pork in the pan, fat-side up , and roast 45 minutes, or longer if needed. Test for doneness using an instant-read thermometer or by cutting into the meat. Loin of pork should be removed from the heat when the internal temperature reaches 150 degrees F or when the meat is slightly pink at the center. (This is key, I pulled my roast out of the oven just as it reached 150 degrees). Let rest, tented loosely with aluminum foil, for 10 minutes, slice and serve.

Sweet Potato and Apple Casserole
(adapted from Noteworthy: A Collection of Recipes From the Ravinia Festival)

2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
1/4 lb butter, melted, divided
1/3 C plus 2 Tbsp light brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp dry sherry
1/4 C dark corn syrup
1 tsp cinnamon
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, sliced

Cook potatoes until tender. Cool slightly.

In mixer bowl or food processsor puree potatoes with 5 Tbsp butter, sugar, salt, sherry, corn syrup, and cinnamon. Spread half of the puress in a greased 9-inch baking dish (I use a round, clear baking dish so you can see the layers). Layer half of sliced apples over puree. Repeat both layers, ending with apples on top. Brush top layer of apples with remaining 3 Tbsp butter. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

May be assembled, covered, and refrigerated over night. To bake, bring to room temperature. Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

This is fairly close to the original recipe (I changed the preparation of the potatoes before boiling them). When I made it with the tenderloin posted above I made additional alterations. In order to cut the sweetness I omitted the corn syrup and used Pink Lady instead of Granny Smith apples. I also cut out the sherry and reduced the amount of butter used by about half. It was perfect with the pork.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

The weather turned cool here this weekend, so I'm on a soup kick again. I was going to make a nice pot of chili, but based on the ingredients I had on-hand I decided tortilla soup would be a better option. So, I pulled out the old google machine and stumbled upon a version of the recipe below. Of course, I made some adjustments based on my taste preferences and the items I had available. The results were yum-o!

Soup Ingredients
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 med. onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, sliced
2 chipotles in adobo sauce, minced
1 Tbsp chili powder
2 tsp kosher salt
6 C chicken broth, low-sodium canned
1 C corn kernels, fresh or frozen and thawed
1 C black beans
1 ripe tomato, chopped
1 med. green pepper, chopped
3 C shredded cooked chicken
1 C cilantro leaves
1/4 C freshly squeezed lime juice

Chicken Ingredients
3 chicken breast halves
Cooking spray
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic salt
2 Tbsp adobo sauce from chipotle peppers

Directions

Preheat oven to 375. Spray 9x9 glass baking dish with cooking spray. Season chicken breasts with cumin, chili powder, garlic salt and adobo sauce. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until no longer pink in the middle. Remove from oven and cool slightly. Shred chicken into bite sized pieces.

Next, heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, chipotle, chili powder, and salt and cook until the onion softens, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth, bring to a boil, reduce the heat slightly, and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Add the corn, black beans, and green pepper and cook for 5 minutes more.

Pull the saucepan from the heat and stir in the tomato, chicken, cilantro, and lime juice. Stir to combine.

Serve with crushed tortilla chips, sour cream, and/or shredded chihuanhua cheese. Garnish with fresh sliced avocado or a lime wedge.

Eggplant & More Eggplant

My garden was a little slow to produce veggies this summer, but by the end of the season I had tomatoes, peppers and particularly eggplants coming out of my ears! It's relatively easy to find things to do with tomatoes and peppers, but there's only so much you can do with eggplant. I made grilled eggplant, eggplant parmesan, pasta with eggplant, etc., etc. I was beginning to get tired of the blasted eggplants, but I couldn't stand to see them go to waste. So, I started searching websites and cookbooks, but to no avail. Then, finally, I remembered that I loved moussaka the first time I tried it and had a vague recollection of there being eggplant in it... or were those peas? Well, after a little more searching I discovered that moussaka does in fact contain eggplant, and even better, I had all of the other necessary ingredients on hand. So I set to work, and was pretty pleased with the outcome. I'll list the recipe below as it was originally posted, but I would recommend cutting down on the custard and adding a little more tomato.

Moussaka

Recipe from FoodNetwork.com

EGGPLANT
2 lg eggplants (about 2 3/4 pounds), unpeeled and cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch slices
1/2 C extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

MEAT SAUCE
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 med. yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb ground beef
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp ground allspice
Pinch of ground cloves
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus to taste
Freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 C whole, peeled, canned tomatoes (with puree), roughly chopped
1 bay leaf

CUSTARD SAUCE
5 Tbsp unsalted butter
6 Tbsp all-purpose flour
3 C whole milk, room temperature
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
Pinch of ground nutmeg
1 lg egg
2 lg egg yolks
1/2 C dried breadcrumbs
3 Tbsp Pecorino Romano

Bake the eggplant: Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Brush the eggplant slices on both sides with the oil and lay on 2 small or 1 large foil-lined baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with foil and bake until the eggplant is soft, about 25 minutes. Set aside covered.

Make the meat sauce: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the beef, oregano, allspice, cloves, and cinnamon. Break the meat up into small pieces and season with the 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes. Lower the heat to medium and cook, stirring, until just cooked but still slightly pink inside, about 1 minute more. Add the tomato and bay leaf and bring to a simmer. Cover, and cook until the sauce is thickened and fragrant, about 20 minutes.

Make the custard sauce: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until smooth. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and add the milk, salt, and nutmeg. Return to the heat and while whisking constantly, bring to a boil. Simmer 2 minutes. Transfer the sauce to a bowl and stir to cool. When the sauce is cool, whisk in the egg and yolks.

Assemble the moussaka: Lower the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush a 9 x 13 x 2-inch casserole dish with the oil. Scatter the breadcrumbs over the bottom of the pan. Lay half of the eggplant in the pan, overlapping the slices if needed. Cover with half of the meat sauce and smooth with a rubber spatula. Repeat with the remaining eggplant and meat sauce. Pour the custard sauce over the layered mixture and smooth with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle with the Pecorino Romano and bake, uncovered, until lightly browned and the custard is set, about 1 hour.

Remove the moussaka from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon or spatula to serve.

Asian Inspired Barbeque

It seems that Fall is quickly approaching so I decided it would be un-American not to take on last stab at the summer barbeque, but sadly I wasn't in the mood for traditional barbequed foods. So, I whipped out the handy google machine and found this recipe for Asian Barbeque Chicken. I modified it slightly, substituting ginger for the recommended curry powder and using chicken breasts instead of thighs, but wow was it moist and flavorful!

As an aside, does anyone know why barbeque is sometimes spelled barbecue? I recently visited Texas and even noticed the variabilty there. I prefer the q, myself.

Asian Barbeque Chicken
Adapted from Cooking Light

1/4 C packed brown sugar
1/4 C low-sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp ginger powder
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Lime wedges (optional)
Cooking spray

Combine first 6 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag; add chicken. Seal and marinate in refrigerator 4 hours, turning occasionally.

Prepare grill.

Remove chicken from bag, reserving marinade. Place marinade in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute.

Place chicken on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 20 minutes or until done, turning and basting frequently with the marinade. Garnish with lime wedges, if desired.

Gimme Some Pig!

When my cousin was little she would often ask if she could have "pig" for dinner. She loved "pig" in most any variety, ham, tenderloin, chops, etc. I must say I too feel her affinity for the illustrious pig. In fact, here is one of my favorite pork recipes.

Baked Pork Chops with Parmesan-Sage Crust
Adapated from Bon Appetit Magazine

1 1/2 C breadcrumbs (fresh or premade)
1 C freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces)
1 Tbsp dried rubbed sage
1 tsp grated lemon peel
2 lg eggs
1/4 C all purpose flour
4 bone-in center-cut pork loin chops (each about 1 inch thick)
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 425°F. Mix breadcrumbs, cheese, sage and lemon peel in pie dish. Whisk eggs in medium bowl to blend. Place flour on plate; season generously with salt and pepper. Coat pork chops on both sides with flour; shake off excess. Dip chops into eggs, then coat on both sides with breadcrumb mixture.

Melt butter with oil in heavy large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork chops to skillet and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer skillet with pork to oven. Bake until pork chops are crisp on the outside and meat thermometer inserted into pork registers 150°F, about 20 minutes.

These chops turn out so tender and juicy. I prefer to serve them with homemade macaroni-and-cheese and haricots verts.

Fall is right around the corner!

If this round of cool temps we've been experiencing is any indication I believe fall is on it's way, and I couldn't be happier about it. Don't get me wrong, I love long summer days, but the cool breezes and beautifully colored leaves of fall are my absolute favorites. Snuggling on the couch with a warm bowl of soup, stew or chili while listening to the roar of a football crowd can't be beat. Since the football season is well underway the only thing missing is some belly warming fare; thus, I've decided to post some recipes from my recent ventures in soup making. The best thing about them is that most stews and soups can be frozen for up to 4 months, so they can be enjoyed throughout the fall and winter.

Black Bean Soup with Andouille Sausage

I went to our local farmer's market yesterday and was thrilled to find fresh organic andouille sausage. However, once I got home I wasn't exactly sure what to do with it. I had planned to remove it from the casing and add it to the burgers I was making for dinner, but alas, the sausage was pre-cooked. Thus, I decided to add it to one of my favorite soups and was thrilled with the outcome.

1 lb bag of black beans or 2 (15 oz) cans, drained
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes with jalepeno peppers
1/2 lb diced andouille sausage
1/2 C diced onion
1/2 C diced celery
1/2 C diced carrots
1/2 C diced bell peppers, a variety of colors
1 tsp ground cumin
2 bay leaves
juice of 1 lime
Salt and ground black pepper
1/4 C chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Bring 5 cups of water to a boil, add black beans and cook for 2 minutes. Remove pot from heat, cover and let stand for 1 hour. After 1 hour, drain the beans.

In a slow cooker, combine beans, broth, tomatoes, sausage, onion, celery, carrots, peppers, cumin, bay leaves, and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and black pepper. Mix well. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Add cilantro and lime juice.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream and sliced avocado.

Zuppa Toscana

My boyfriend loves the Zuppa Toscana from the Olive Garden Restaurant, but we rarely eat there. Last week I surprised him by whipping up a pot of the soup. I made some adjustments to the recipe I found on-line to make it a little lower in fat and less oily. The result was a success!

Zuppa Toscana
1 lb. spicy turkey sausage, crumbled
1/2 lb. smoked bacon, chopped
1 qt. water
(2) 14.5 oz. cans (about 3 2/3 cups) chicken broth
2 lg. russet potatoes, scrubbed clean, cubed (skin on)
2 garlic cloves, peeled, crushed
1 medium onion, peeled, chopped
2 cups chopped swiss chard
1 C. soy cream
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
salt and pepper, to taste
Freshly grated parmesan cheese for garnish

In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown sausage, breaking into small pieces as you fry it; drain, set aside.

Cut fat off of bacon and brown in a skillet over medium-high heat. Drain bacon and set aside.

Place water, broth, potatoes, garlic, and onion in a pot; simmer over medium heat until potatoes are tender. Add sausage and bacon to pot; simmer for 10 minutes. Add kale and cream to pot; season with red pepper. Add salt and pepper to taste; heat through.

Garnish with freshly grated parmesan cheese. I served the soup with a crusty rosemary bread.

Veggie Soup

Here's yet another recipe from my aunt Michelle, maybe she needs to have a food blog! I love this recipe because I was able to make it with ingredients I had on hand from my vegetable and herb gardens. Also, whenever I have the opportunity I make and freeze chicken broth so I always have some available when I need it. Thus, I was able to make this soup without going to the grocery - gotta love that!

Soupe au Pistou

Soup
2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 leeks (white & pale green parts only), thinly sliced
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
5 1/2 C chicken broth, or 1-48 oz can chicken broth
1- 15 1/2-19 oz can white or cannellini beans
6 small to medium Roma tomatos peeled and diced, or 1- 14 1/2 oz can diced tomatoes
2 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and diced
1 medium squash, quartered lengthwise and diced
1 dried bay leaf
1 tsp fresh thyme, or 1/2 tsp dried
1/2 lb green beans, cut into 1 inch pieces (~1 1/2 C)

Warm oil in a stock pot over medium-high heat. Add leeks, cooking about 3 minutes, until softened, stirring. Add garlic, cook 30 seconds more, stirring. Season with salt and pepper.

Stir in next 7 ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes, uncovered. Add green beans, simmer 6-8 minutes longer until tender. Serve with 1 Tbsp pesto in each bowl.


Pistou
Pistou = Pesto

2 c loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1/3 c pine nuts
2 medium cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 c extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground salt and pepper

Place the basil, pine nuts, garlic, cheese, salt and pepper in the bowl of a food processor. With the motor running, slowly pour the oil through the tube. Stop the motor when you have a thick, slightly chunky paste.

Brownies!

I don't do much baking these days, so you know when I do it's for something or someone I really love. In this case I was motivated by both my love of brownies and my love for my boyfriend. This is a fantastic, quick, easy recipe for brownies from scratch. They are heart healthy, but you wouldn't know it from the taste of them. Enjoy!

Sugar Dusted Mocha Brownies
Adapted from American Heart Association Low-Fat, Low-Cholesterol Cookbook

Vegetable oil spray
1/2 C all-purpose flour
1/2 C unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
4 Tbsp light stick margarine
1 Tbsp instant coffee crystals
1 C sugar
Egg substitute equivalent to 2 eggs, or 2 eggs
1/4 C prune baby food
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly spray an 8-inch square cake pan with vegetable oil cooking spray.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder. Set aside.

In a medium sauce pan, melt the margarine over medium-low heat. Stir in the coffee crystals until dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Using a wooden spoon, stir the sugar, eggs, prunes and vanilla into the coffee mixture. Fold the cocoa mixture into the sugar mixture until well combined.

Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake uncovered, for 18-20 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the middle comes out almost clean.

Cool brownies in the pan on a wire rack. Sift confectioners' sugar over the brownies.


Tips: I used a tea steeper to sift the sugar over the brownies.
These brownies are cake-like so they are really tastey when served with ice cream.

Wheat Berry Delight

I have been reading about the wonders of Wheat Berries and have been searching my local grocer for weeks to locate them. I was eager to put this grain to use. You see, wheat berries are a whole grain, meaning the grain is left intact so the nutrients do not oxidize. A cup of cooked wheat berries has about 300 calories and is packed with fiber, protein and iron. When boiled, cooked wheat berries have a chewy bite and subtle nutty, earthy flavor. They’re sturdy enough to handle bold salad dressings and still delicate enough to taste delicious with some milk, honey and cinnamon. There are two varieties of wheat berries, red and white. The red tend to be a little heartier and require longer cooking times.

Wheat berries can be used in other forms as well. Those who are industrious grind them into whole wheat flour for baking, or if you like sprouts you can add a little water to them and watch them grow. The sprouts are loaded with vitamin E, a cell-protecting antioxidant, and magnesium, which is good for healthy bones and muscles.

Finally, after visiting my mother in Chicago, I found the illustrious grain at Whole Foods. I was so excited to have nutritional powerhouse in my hot little hands that I immediately set to work. Over the past few weeks I've been testing them out and here are two of the better recipes I've come up with.

Wheat Berry Salad
1 C raw wheat berries
3 1/2 C chicken or vegetable broth, or water
Cooking spray
1 C Swiss chard
2 Tbsp minced leek
1/2 C. diced yellow squash
1/2 C. diced zucchini
2 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano
juice of 1/2 of a clementine
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
3 Tbsp olive oil
3 oz crumbled goat cheese
Salt & pepper, to taste

To prepare the wheat berries, place 3 1/2 cups broth (or water) in a medium sauce pan, bring to a boil. Add wheat berries and simmer, covered, for an hour. Uncover and continue cooking until all liquid has been absorbed and berries are beginning to burst and are chewy. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, coat a small saute pan with cooking spray and saute chard and leeks, over medium-low heat, until chard is wilted. Remove mixture from pan, coat pan again with cooking spray, saute squash and zucchini over medium heat until tender. Be careful not to overcook the vegetables, they should be tender, but not falling apart.

In a small bowl whisk together the clementine juice, vinegar, oil and oregano.

When the wheat berries are done cooking and have cooled for about 15-20 minutes combine them with the vegetables and dressing. Gently fold in the goat cheese. Salt and pepper to taste.

Wheatberry Stuffed Eggplant
1/2 C raw wheat berries
2 C chicken or vegetable broth, or water
2 Japanese eggplants
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red pepper, charred, peeled and diced (or about 4 slices from a jar of roasted red peppers)
1 C skinned, diced tomatoes
2 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
3 oz crumbled goat cheese, or feta
Salt & pepper, to taste
Cooking spray

To prepare the wheat berries, place 2 cups broth (or water) in a medium sauce pan, bring to a boil. Add wheat berries and simmer, covered, for an hour. Uncover and continue cooking until all liquid has been absorbed and berries are beginning to burst and are chewy. Set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 350.

Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise. Gently remove flesh from the center of each eggplant half; careful not to cut through the skin, leave about 1/2 inch of flesh around the edge. Dice the removed eggplant and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until tender, careful not to burn the garlic. Add the diced eggplant, roasted pepper, tomatoes, herbs, salt and pepper. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the wheat berries and continue to stir.

Spray the eggplant shells inside and out and place on baking sheet. Fill each shell with the wheat berry mixture and top with 1/4 of the cheese. Bake until golden brown, approximately 40 minutes.

Stuffed Chicken Breast with Mediterranean Tomato Sauce

I just made this last night for dinner and it was delicious! The quinoa was so good on its own you could easily have it as a side dish, but using it as a stuffing made this dish an almost complete meal. Serve it with some sauted veggies or a salad and you're all set.

Mediterranean Tomato Sauce

2 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp chopped leeks
3 Tbsp chopped garlic
2 lbs tomatoes, coarsely chopped or a 28-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes
1/2 tsp dried red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp cumin
ground sea salt

Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan. Add the leeks and garlic and sauté about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and seasonings including salt. Simmer for about 15 minutes or until thickened. Cool for about 5 minutes. Purée in a blender until smooth.

Stuffed Chicken Breasts

1/2 C quinoa
2 Tbsp olive oil
ground sea salt
1 C water
2 Tbsp minced leeks
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1/2 pound eggplant, cut into 1/4 -inch cubes
1 small red pepper, seeded, cored, roasted and diced
1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 oz goat cheese, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
freshly ground black pepper
4 -8-oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Bring 1 cup of salted water to a boil. Add the quinoa, bring back to a boil, and remove from the heat. Cover and steep for 5 minutes or until water has been absorbed. Uncover, fluff with a fork to separate the grains.

Heat 1 Tbsp of the olive oil in a medium sauté pan, add the leek and garlic and sauté for about 1 minute. Add the eggplant and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes or until soft. Add the red pepper and cumin and sauté for about 1 more minute. Remove from the heat, mix with the couscous, cilantro and goat cheese. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Preheat the oven to 375º F.

Divide the stuffing into 4 portions. Cut a pocket in the side of each chicken breast, the whole length of the chicken breast, and stuff it with about half of each portion of stuffing. Brush the breast with the remaining oil and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Roast the chicken breast for 25 to 35 minutes or until cooked through and nicely browned. Remove from the oven, cover with aluminum foil to keep warm and let rest for 2 to 3 minutes before serving.

Assembly: Pool some of the Moroccan Tomato Sauce on 4 dinner-size plates. Slice each chicken breast into 4 or 5 pieces and use a spatula to transfer them to the plates.

NOTE: The stuffing keeps these chicken breasts moist while they are cooking and they look beautiful when sliced.