Phew! The holidays kicked my butt this year. How did my parents do this? Better yet, WHY did they do it??
Although I try to post only the best of my kitchen attempts, here are some of my absolute favorites from last year. I mean the ones I crave & want to make again & again.
Happy New Year to you!!
1. Gardener’s Pie (vegetarian version of Shepherd’s Pie): This is always a huge hit. I took it to a Christmas pot luck this year and got so many compliments from vegetarian & non vegetarians alike.
2. Best Coffee Cake in the World There are no surprising ingredients in this but it’s simply delicious. Perfect for a special brunch or to warm up a chilly Sunday morning.
3. Kermit Smoothie (green smoothie) Want to sneak a handful of spinach into your family’s gullets? Try this! So yummy, easy & fun.
4. Blueberry Lara Bars. A healthy, yummy & portable snack. Perfect for hiking or just to carry in your purse (or man purse) to keep the munchies at bay.
5. No Knead Bread. If you’ve never made bread before I strongly encourage you try this one! It takes less than 5 minutes to prep and is so rewarding! There’s something wonderful about the smell of bread baking in your home.
6. Glory Bowl. After the holidays many people (ahem, THIS person) feel compelled to eat a little, shall we say, “lighter?” Although this dish contains many light elements the rice & dressing make it so satisfying. I had serious doubts about it when my dear friend Kinga recommended it but now it’s one of my favorites. Try it!! I mean it, really! I wouldn’t put it up here if it weren’t super yummy.
7. Red Velvet Cupcakes. Make these for Valentine’s Day! Or use green food coloring and make them for St. Patrick’s Day.
8. Simple Caesar Salad. This is a cheater’s version of caesar salad. Oh garsh sometimes I crave caesar salad so much but don’t want to get involved with raw eggs & anchovies etc. This is a satisfying remedy when you’re short on time. Now that I make this I find most restaurant salads disappointing. Totally reminds me of an ex boyfriend’s mom (who happened to be an excellent cook) answering the waiter’s “How is everything?” with a tragic look followed by her New York accented, “Mine’s bettah.”
9. Chocolate & Butterscotch Chip Cookies. After trying many recipes, I have to say that these are my favorites for both simplicity & results. Because of the cornstarch they end up a bit pale and can trick you into thinking they aren’t done but they are soooooo sooooooo sooooooo (sooooo) good. Every time I make them I have to double the recipe b/c of all the greedy hands snitching them off the cooling racks (G!!!).
10. Vegetable Pot Pie. I just realized I have a few “best _____ in the WORLD” recipes. Do I exaggerate? Or am I just hungry? Anyway, this pot pie was a sleeper hit! I always loved pot pies. From the nastiest to the high end restaurant ones. But I was tired of paying $5.00 for a tiny Amy’s vegetable pot pie, plus I thought I could feed more than 1 person with a lot less packaging. This recipe takes almost 3 hours to make but is TOTALLY worth it! YUM.
11. Broccoli Gribiche. Last year I started making some dishes from Heidi Swanson’s “Super Natural Every Day” and this was one of the hits. I seriously didn’t make ONE bad dish from that cookbook and still use it every week. This is a surprisingly hearty, satisfying yet tasty meal that can be a main or side. The simple ingredients make it a no-brainer!
12. Moscow Mule. Alcohol is a good way to end a list/night/year so here is a simple, tasty drink that we enjoyed time & again mostly during the summer. Our friend Trish introduced us to them last June when we stayed at her house in Denver. We drank them all summer. Not all day but you know what I mean.
I hope you enjoy these recipes & for all the best to you in 2013!
Did you grow up eating those delicious Swanson frozen pot pies? I sure did! We loved those little things. Since last year I thought about trying my hand at a homemade vegetable pot pie. I thought I’d have to adjust a chicken pot pie recipe but then I found Ina Garten’s!
The other day I realized I had most of the ingredients, the weather was cool (a great day to use the oven!), G was planning on getting our Christmas tree… Doesn’t a comforting pot pie sound good on a cold tree-decorating night?
Bea went down for a late nap around 2:30 so I started this baby at 3 thinking I’d be done around 4 or so. Boy was I wrong! Making a pot pie from scratch, at least for me, took 3 HOURS!! (Although there’s no reason I shouldn’t have known since it says it clearly on Ina Garten’s recipe.) In fact, when it didn’t look like it’d be cool enough for the GRUMPY kids I had to make them some pasta RIGHT QUICK since they couldn’t wait.
So, if you feel like trying this I recommend you try it on a lazy Saturday or Sunday afternoon when you don’t have to be anywhere. It’s totally worth it.
To make the pie crust you need:
CRUST INGREDIENTS:
3 c all-purpose flour
1.5 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 c vegetable shortening (yes, Crisco! I think you could use butter instead.)
1/4 lb cold, unsalted butter, diced
1/2-2/3 c ice water
1 egg beaten with 1 TBSP water (do this RIGHT after assembly & before baking)
Flaked sea salt & cracked black pepper (I just had coarse sea salt)
Make the dough first as it needs to chill for at least 30 minutes in the fridge. **NOTE: you can always buy pre-made dough if you are short on time!**
Whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder in a large bowl OR mix in your food processor (I don’t *yet* have a food processor.) Add Crisco (vegetable shortening) & butter and cut with a pastry cutter (or pulse about 10 times if using food processor) until you have pea-sized bits. (Bumps?)
Important: do not overwork the dough! I just started making pie dough for the first time last month and have learned the hard way. I also learned what happens when you *think* you forgot to double the amount of water for a double recipe but you actually didn’t forget. VERY tough dough.
But I digress…
If you’re doing this by hand, add the ice water and knead just enough to make the dough come together. By food processor, the same idea: process JUST until it comes together. Using your hands form a ball, wrap in plastic & refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Now you’re ready to start your filling. You’ll need:
By the way: these vegetables are not set in stone. You can use whatever you have on hand: green beans, broccoli, asparagus tips etc.
FILLING INGREDIENTS:
4 TBSP butter
4 TBSP olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1 fennel bulb, top & core removed, thinly sliced crosswise
1/2 c all-purpose flour
2-1/2 vegetable stock (or vegetarian chicken flavored bullion)
1 TBSP Pernod, Vermouth or white wine
1 pinch saffron threads (optional)
1-1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
3 TBSP heavy cream
1-1/2 c potatoes, diced (about 1/2 lb)
1-1/2 c carrots, peeled & diced (4 carrots)
1-1/2 c butternut squash, peeled & diced
1 c frozen corn
1/2 c peas
While the dough’s chilling, chop all your vegetables! This is not as bad as it sounds. Though it isn’t good.
Dice your potatoes too. Great news: you don’t need to peel them. But I would give them a quick scrub. Throw them in a pot of water so they don’t turn black.
Now, heat your oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the butter.
Add the onions & fennel, stirring to coat with the fats. Cook for about 10-15 minutes or until translucent. Add flour, lower heat & cook for another 3 minutes stirring to coat evenly.
Now, for the stock, use good vegetable stock OR, in a pinch, as I usually am, I use this:
Add the stock, booze (optional!), saffron, salt & pepper bringing to a boil.
Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the heavy cream & season to taste with more salt & pepper.
Now boil the potatoes in salted water for 10 minutes. When they are fork tender (but not mushy!) lift out with slotted spoon (save the water!) and add the hard veg (i.e. carrots, squash) and boil for 5 minutes. Drain well. Add the potatoes and all other vegetables (including parsley) to the sauce and stir to combine.
You are finally ready to assemble your pie!
In my typical fashion, I didn’t even think about what dish I’d actually bake these in until I was ready to put the whole kit & kaboodle into a dish. D’OH!
I ended up using 2 small casserole dishes (for personal pot pies) and 1 medium sized casserole dish. I have no idea why I don’t have photos of the assembly. It might be due to two small children clamoring for food, any food, while I assembled them.
Bake on a cookie sheet for 1 hour or until top is lightly browned and filling is bubbling.
Make the dough first as it needs to chill for at least 30 minutes in the fridge.
Whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder in a large bowl OR mix in your food processor. Add Crisco (vegetable shortening) & butter and cut with a pastry cutter (or pulse about 10 times if using food processor) until you have pea-sized bits.
Important: do not overwork the dough!
If you’re doing this by hand, add the ice water and knead just enough to make the dough come together. By food processor, the same idea: process JUST until it comes together. Using your hands form a ball, wrap in plastic & refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
While the dough’s chilling, chop all your vegetables!
Dice your potatoes too. Great news: you don’t need to peel them. But I would give them a quick scrub. Throw them in a pot of water so they don’t turn black.
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the butter.
Add the onions & fennel, stirring to coat with the fats. Cook for about 10-15 minutes or until translucent, stirring occasionally. Add flour, lower heat & cook for another 3 minutes stirring to coat evenly.
Add the stock, booze (optional!), saffron, salt & pepper bringing to a boil.
Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the heavy cream & season to taste with more salt & pepper.
Boil the potatoes in salted water for 10 minutes. When they are fork tender (but not mushy) lift out with slotted spoon (save the water!) and add the hard veg (i.e. carrots, squash) and boil for 5 minutes. Drain well.
Add the potatoes and all other vegetables (including parsley) to the sauce and stir to combine.
Preheat oven to 375.
Assemble pie: add vegetable filling to casserole dish (you can use 1 large one or 4 small ones or really whatever you want). Roll out dough and cut to fit the top of your casserole with enough left over to cover the lip of the dish. Brush pie crust with the egg wash before placing in oven.
Bake on a cookie sheet for about an hour or until crust is golden brown & filling is bubbling.
Notes
If you are short on time you can always buy pre-made dough. Also, if you really hate Crisco, just replace that amount with more butter.
Here’s a healthier potato for the holidays. It’s still soooooo tasty!! Even if you can’t bring yourself to forgo mashed potatoes (I can’t) - try these this winter. They’re a cinch!
You’ll need:
INGREDIENTS:
12 small round potatoes
olive oil
salt to taste
black pepper to taste
rosemary (yes, you guessed it – to taste)
These are VERY simple.
Preheat oven to 450.
Set a medium-large pot of water to boil.
Add 2 generous pinches of salt to the water.
Ok, now add the potatoes carefully, carefully so nobody gets hurt. Boil them till the potatoes JUST get tender. You should be able to stick a fork in them without too much trouble. Immediately drain them at that point.
Drizzle olive oil across a cookie sheet (make sure it has sides!) & brush to cover. Place the potatoes down as you would cookie dough – with plenty of spreadin’ space around them. Using a potato masher, gently push down on them, flattening them somewhat.
They need to still be in one piece when you are done. Drizzle or spray olive oil over the tops of them. Sprinkle salt & pepper to taste as well as the rosemary.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until they are browned and slightly crispy at the edges.
Just before I got married I had an early mid-life crisis and flew down to South America for a few months. The traveling changed my life for the better. Besides doing without a lot of things I thought I needed, long bus rides gave me time to STOP. Working as an animation producer just prior had not helped me learn to deal with stress and a racing mind. These 8 hour bus rides gave me time to stare out the window – which was a good thing. Was there an actual physiological change that occurred? I DO think so! For the first time in years I felt calm & relaxed. I wasn’t thinking about what I “should” be doing with my free time. Sometimes at the various bus stops vendors would hop on to sell food. A plastic baggie of coconut water, chips (homemade??) or maize (what you call corn) on the cob. The corn (called “elote”) was always my first choice! A large ear of corn in foil, open the foil to find a nice hunk of white cheese and a wedge of lime. Yum yum yum!!
This summer I started making my version of elote.
I really don’t measure when I make this! You can adjust amounts to your liking.
INGREDIENTS:
- corn on the cob
- cotija cheese (or feta if you can’t find cotija)
- 1 lime cut into sections
- chili powder
- salt & pepper
- OPTIONAL: crema mexicana
It’s pretty simple. I shucked the corn, brushed it with olive oil & grilled for a few minutes, turning as it browned. Next time I’m going to peel back the husk & tie it with twine so that the husk can be used as a handle. Of course, you have to remove the silk regardless.
Now, this is optional: drizzle either crema Mexicana or smear with mayonnaise. Or skip this step altogether…I like this step because it is the glue that sticks all the tasty things you are about to drop onto the corn.
Dust with salt and chili powder over each ear (to your liking.)
Crumble cotija cheese over the corn. Cojita is a dry crumbly white cheese sort of like feta. Substitute feta if you can’t find cojita near you.
Drizzle either crema Mexicana or mayonnaise over corn.
Dust with salt & chili powder.
Crumble cotija cheese over corn.
Serve with lime wedges!
Notes
Try this: Peel husk back withOUT removing it, tie together with twine. Remove silk threads. Brush with olive oil & grill until darkened. You can now use the husk as a handle when eating! I’m going to try this next time…
Back from vakay with a longggg to do list. What the heck! Let me get you this yummy salad how-to – still good for those end of summer picnics & BBQ’s. I’m making it tomorrow for the last “Jazz on the Lawn” concert.
I ate something like this in July when I was up at Three Rivers swooning over the hard won success of my dear friend Chris Lynch & her writing partner Meg Howrey. You see, they not only sold their international thriller City of Dark Magic to Penguin Publishing, but they also got the thumbs up for the sequel! Go Lynchie & Meg!!! Two smart broads!
We ate this at a dinner party up there. I couldn’t get enough of this. Neen and I had been wandering aimlessly around Sequoia National Park all day and arrived late & ravenous. How polite of us. With Nina’s help, I tried to replicate it when I got home and I’m please with the result! This salad is so satisfying, tasty & hearty. It’s REALLY easy to make. The most time-consuming part is boiling the grain which takes about 45 mins.
Here’s all you need:
Salad:
1 1/2 c uncooked wheat berries or barley (barley is cheaper & easier to find but I was out)
8 oz feta (depending how much you like)
1/3 c sliced sun-dried tomatoes
1/4 c sliced kalamata olives
parsley to taste
1 avocado
Dressing:
1/4 c olive oil
2-3 TBSP balsamic vinegar
salt
pepper
1/4 c fresh squeezed orange juice (about half an orange)
First, cook your grain according to package directions. You can do this a day ahead and chill in the fridge. Just be sure to drain thoroughly first.
Now drain & chill the barley. You don’t want it hot when you combine your ingredients.
NOTE: I didn’t really measure anything. I just added ingredients and tasted. That’s partly why this is such a simple salad – you can add more of things you like or have.
Combine ingredients in a large bowl.
Stir to combine and add dressing ingredients.
Here’s a rough approximation of the dressing amounts:
1/4 c olive oil
juice of half an orange
2-3 TBSP balsamic vinegar
salt & pepper to taste
Whisk together dressing ingredients. Drizzle about half that on salad & stir to coat thoroughly. Taste & adjust, adding more dressing if needed. I don’t like a puddle of dressing at the bottom of my salad so I start light & add more. The barley will absorb the dressing but I liked this as leftovers for up to 3 days.
Don’t let Maddie’s excitement fool you. She didn’t dig this.
Jazz on the Lawn
Rogelio Mitchell & Friends
Sunday, August 26
5-7PM
Bring a picnic/blanket and/or low chairs!
