Filed under: Breakfast/Brunch, Main Dish, Rachelle Mee-Chapman, quick fix | Tags: breakfast, brunch, eggs, Main Dish, rachelle, tomatoes
I threw two parties this weekend: one for 15 11 year olds, and another serving dinner and dessert to 25 folks. Needless to say, I did NOT feel like cooking again come Monday night.
Alas, the children, they demand to be fed.
I had a bunch of leftover cornbread and wanted to make Katy’s Huervos Rancheros with Chorizo to go with it. But I didn’t have the right ingredients. So this is what came up instead. I bet you could do something like it with what you have on hand as well. Here’s the un-recipe:
Roasted Veggies: Put a couple halved, seeded bell peppers cut side down on a baking sheet. On the other half of the sheet put a row of asparagus. (I snap the ends. Some people peel.) Drizzle the asparagus with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Roast at 375 until the asparagus are bite-tender. Set aside. (They are fine room temp.) Keep the pepper in there until the skins blister slightly. Remove peppers and cool until you can just handle them. Pinch off the skins and discard. Slice.
“Emergency” Rancheros Sauce: In a skillet or saucepan heat olive oil. Sautee a some onions (I used green) and a couple cloves of crushed garlic. Add a can of stewed tomatoes (mine had peppers in it). Add 1/2-1 tsp cumin and 1/2 tsp chili powder. Adjust to taste.
Scramble up or fry some eggs and serve the whole feast with corn tortillas, chips, rice…whatever you have on hand. Have Yum.
Filed under: Main Dish, Rachelle Mee-Chapman, Soup, quick fix | Tags: beans, Main Dish, rachelle, Soup
Last night was our Annual Fall Chili Fest for the Autumnal Equinox. I try out a different chili every year, and this one got rave reviews from our guests. It goes well with easy Pineapple Salsa and Buttery Cornbread, both of which can be found here. Have yum!
Jamaican Black Bean and Rice Soup
(serves 10)
1/4 olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1-2 red bell peppers, finely chopped
2 tsp each cumin and oregano (adjust to taste)
2 tsp salt
4-5 cloves minced garlic
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
4 c veggi stock
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 1/2 cup cooked brown or white rice
2-3 T red wine vinegar (I use balsamic)
Toppings: sliced radishes, sour cream, limes, pineapple salsa
1) Saute onions, bells peppers, spices and salt in a large pot until onions are tender.
2) Add veggie stock. Add beans and tomatoes. Heat thru.
3) Right before serving, add cooked rice and heat thru. When soup is steaming add vinegar and adjust salt.
Tip: Only add enough rice to the amount you are planning to eat right away. Store rice and soup separately to avoid the rice breaking down into starch in your leftovers.
Filed under: Main Dish, Rachelle Mee-Chapman, Salads, quick fix | Tags: big salads, Main Dish, spinach
Too hot to cook? I’m a huge fan of “big salads.” (Remember how Elaine on Seinfeld always wanted to order “big salad.”) But sometimes you just can’t think of something yummy to put on your salad greens. My soulssitah Jen Payne to the rescue! Jen passed this great list of 101 Salads from the New York Times on to me, and I offer it now to you. (I understand #7 , the carrot blueberry salad is especially great.)
In the meantime, here’s one of my favorite combos: Strawberry Spinach Salad. Start with clean, dry baby spinach leaves. Toss in a couple hand full mint leaves. Add very thinly sliced red onions, chevre (goat cheese), and cashews. The lightest splash of olive oil and rice vinegar, or poppy seed dressing is nice.
It was Robert Frost who said that good fences make good neighbors. I always assumed that this meant you should have clearly delineated boundaries and not drag your neighbors into the family feuds, nor the other way around. But, then I read the rest of the poem, and it is the retelling of how Mr. Frost and his neighbor spend one day together each year repairing the fence between their lands. And I think perhaps the line refers to the fact that it is good to join with your neighbor, and undertake a task with mutual benefit that would be too large for either of you alone.
Last weekend I undertook such a task with my neighbor (the lovely Katy K) and we hosted a party for our coworkers. (Because Katy and I are friends, and neighbors, and coworkers all at the same time – there are precious few people in the world who can put up with that much of me, bless her soul.) Anyway, we decided to have a party in our shared backyard, and we decided to be lazy and make everyone else bring the food. All we supplied was sangria (and artichoke dip and two gallons of peach ice cream, just for kicks.) So three different sangria recipes were scouted, and three different bottles of wine were purchased, and three different sangrias were made – classic, berry, and basil peach. And by far, the best of these three was the basil peach. And so many people liked it and asked for the recipe that I thought I would put it here, so the regular Food Hero readers could see the results and a few new people could discover Food Hero.
The sangria was so good I made it again for a boat trip when the divine Rachelle came back for a visit from Denmark. And this time I was running late and made it in 10 minutes (no kidding). So from personal experience I can swear that the whole part about cooling for an hour afterwards is purely optional – just add more ice to the glass. And without further ado, basil peach sangria.
Basil Peach Sangria
(from Gourmet July 2005)
1c loosely packed fresh basil leaves plus 8-10 sprigs.
¾ c sugar
¼ c fresh lemon juice – about one big lemon
2 cans peach nectar
1 bottle chilled dry white wine
1 large peach, peeled if desired, diced.
Put 1 cup basil leaves, sugar, and lemon juice into a small saucepan and bruise leaves by mashing with a wooden spoon. Add 1 can nectar and bring just to a simmer, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes, then pour through a sieve into a pitcher. Discard basil leaves. Stir in wine, peach, remaining can nectar, a basil sprigs. Chill at least 1 hour. Serve over ice.
A few notes on the recipe. I bought one of the big tubs from the store and that was enough for two pitchers. I think the little flat tubs would not quite be enough, so either buy a big tub or two little tubs and plan for a few leftovers. I find peach nectar in the fruit juice aisle of the store, although sometimes it’s in with Mexican food. I really would pick a drier white wine for this – the peach nectar and the sugar give it plenty of sweetness and a sweet wine would just send it over the top. We used chardonnay.
Filed under: Breakfast/Brunch, Katy K, quick fix | Tags: eggs, shiitake mushrooms
The next time you are in the mood for something a little different at breakfast time try Stir-Fried Eggs with Shiitake Mushrooms. This dish is delicious and a little exotic. The aroma is wonderful. It is a slight modification of a recipe in Low Carb 1-2-3 by Rozanne Gold. This interesting cookbook consists entirely of three-ingredient recipes for all times of a day but I added a fourth ingredient to this breakfast. Stir-frying shiitake mushrooms in toasted sesame oil lends a more substantial “meaty” element to simple scrambled eggs. I top it all with some sliced Canadian bacon because I think the tang complements the flavours and makes it more of a meal – but you can always keep it vegetarian if that’s what you like. Rozanne Gold calls this dish suave. According to the dictionary this adjective means “having a sophisticated charm”. I quite agree.
Ingredients (per serving)
2 eggs
1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
3 big shiitake mushrooms
1 slice of Canadian bacon
Slice the mushrooms. Fry some Canadian bacon until turning golden and a little crispy in places. Slice the bacon into batons (a little bigger than matchsticks which are a little bigger than a julienne). Mix eggs with a splash of water using a fork or whisk. I think adding a little water to scrambled eggs makes them more tender when they are cooked (more tender than when you use milk, I find). Heat the sesame oil over medium heat in a nonstick pan, add mushrooms and cook until they soften a little, about 2-3 minutes, add some salt and pepper, and continue to cook until soft. Add the whisked eggs and cook, stirring, until scrambled to the right consistency. Serve on a warm plate with the sliced bacon scattered on top.
Filed under: Baked Goods/Desserts, Katy K, quick fix | Tags: fresh fruit dessert
Another winner from the Low Carb 1-2-3 cookbook by Rozanne Gold. I have been having good luck picking mangoes lately. They say to pick one that gives a little under your thumb and that isn’t wrinkly. I picked an organic one that fit this description at the local food co-op and the cashier gave it to me for free because he thought it was bruised. I left it on a shelf where I keep my tomatoes for a couple of weeks, and then I prepared this recipe. It turned out to be a great mango, in flavor, color, texture…and price!
Ingredients
Fresh mango
shredded coconut
cardamon and/or cinnamon
Toast the coconut over high heat in a pan, stirring constantly. As soon as they are as toasted as I want, I pour them out of the pan onto a cold plate to stop the toasting process. Slice the mango into attractive pieces. I found that using a serrated knife (bread knife) was helpful because it bites into the skin of the mango instead of sliding off. Put the mango on the cutting board on an edge. Use the serrated knife to cut close to the pit and slice off a “cheek”. Use a paring knife to make vertical slices in the cut side of the cheek (the goal is to not cut through the skin but it’s okay if you do a little). Then use a spoon to remove the slices of mango from the
peel. I found it useful to remove one slice at a time with the spoon (see right). Arrange the mango slices on a plate, sprinkle with some cardamon and/or cinnamon, and scatter the toasted coconut on top. I used a very little cardamon (for an exotic hint) and more cinnamon. I also used a tea strainer to sprinkle the spices, lightly and evenly. The mango tastes delicious with the coconut and spices. It feels like a really indulgent dessert – even without ice cream!
Filed under: Breakfast/Brunch, Rachelle Mee-Chapman, quick fix | Tags: baked oatmeal, breakfast, food hero, oatmeal
This recipe is from one of my brother’s in-law, Shane P. I adore it with diced peaches. My daughter Cate doesn’t like baked fruit, so I just sink the diced peaches (or apples, or nectarines) into half of the pan. Eat it straight or in a bowl with a little cream and a sprinkle of brown sugar.
3 eggs, lightly whipped
1/2 c honey
1/4 c vegetable oil
1 1/2c milk
3/4 T baking powder
2 t cinnamon
3 c rolled oats (not instant)
1/2 c raisins (opt)
Lightly whip eggs with fork or whisk. Add remaining ingredients. Pour into greased 8×8 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until the center doesn’t jiggle. Have Yum!
Filed under: Main Dish, Rachelle Mee-Chapman, quick fix | Tags: bacon, potato, Soup
submitted by rachelle
This is an affordable, filling and comfortable soup — perfect for a cold day. Plus, you won’t have any complaints at the dinner table from the kiddos. Have Yum.
Comforting Potato Soup
6 strips of bacon, sliced into strips
1 lb thin skinned potatoes, cubed
1 c chopped onion
2 c chicken stock plus 1c chicken stock (to use in step 3)
3 T flour
salt and pepper for taste
1/4 c fresh chopped parsley
Liven up this soup with toppings. Anything that would taste good on a baked potato will be yum on this: shredded cheddar cheese, chives, sour cream, and of course, lots of fresh ground black pepper.
1) In the bottom of a large stock pot, fry the bacon over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper plate. Leave bacon drippings in the pan.
2) Saute onions in bacon drippings until softened. Add potatoes and broth to pan. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce to low and simmer, stirring occasionally until potatoes are tender. (About 10 minutes.)
3) I always have a hard time adding flour without creating lumps so I usually use this method. Heat one cup of broth in glass bowl or large pyrex measuring cup. Sprinkle in flour a little at time while whisking, whisking, whisking. Then add this roux to the soup. If it’s too thick, just add more warm broth or hot water.
4) Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in parsley just before serving. Sprinkle on top and add other toppings.
Filed under: Baked Goods/Desserts, Breakfast/Brunch, Rachelle Mee-Chapman, Tips, quick fix | Tags: baked goods, banana bread, chocolate chips, muffins
submitted by rachelle
Here in Denmark, chocolate chips are a precious commodity. People ship them to us at high postage costs and carry them to us in suitcases. We reduce the amount we put into our cookies, and dole them out into pancakes just four chips per flapjack. When I mention putting chocolate chips into my famous orange-chocolate scones, the Brits in my cooking club look at me askance. Clearly, the love affair with the humble chocolate chip is a uniquely American phenomenon.
That being said, this Chocolate Chip Banana Bread recipe is my favorite thus far. It’s here straight from my favorite cooking magazing, Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food. I’ve included the baking time for muffins below. Have Yum!
1 c mashed banana (3 medium)
1/4c vegetable oil
1t orange zest (how to grate proper orange zest here)
1/2 t salt
1t baking soda
1 c sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2c all-purpose flour
1/2 c semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 c chopped walnuts (optional)
Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour a 6 cup loaf pan, or a 12 cup muffin tin. (If you use the muffin tin, you will have enough batter to do a 12 mini muffin tin as well.)
In a large bowl, mix bananas and wet ingredients. Add dry ingredients, stirring until just mixed. Add chocolate chips and walnuts.
Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean: 70-80 min for loaf, 20-25 min for muffin, 12-15 for mini muffins. If the loaf browns too quickly, cover loosely with tin foil. Cool loaf for 12-18 minutes in pan before turning out and cooling completely on a rack.
Tip: Banana bread is best with ‘fresh’ over-ripe bananas. But if you want, you can freeze your soft bananas for later and it will still be nice. Just peel the bananas and freeze them in batches of 3 or 4 in a ziploc freezer bag. To defrost, put the bag into a large bowl and allow them to melt. Pour off some of the accumulated liquid before using, or your batter might be too runny.
Filed under: Main Dish, Rachelle Mee-Chapman, quick fix | Tags: butternut, pumpkin, Soup, worchestershire
Submitted by Rachelle: Australian Pumpkin Soup with Pine Nuts
Australian Pumpkin Soup
In graduate school, my part-time job was to cook soup for the entire school once a week — 300 people! It was an international grad school, and we tried to cook foods from some of different countries that were represented in the student body. One of my classmates from Australia taught me how to make this ‘pumpkin’ soup — what we in the States call butternut squash. It’s a bit of a sweeter soup with a nutty taste and interesting flavor from the worchestershire. When Barbara, a new friend from South African managed to scare up some butternut squash here in Denmark I was quick to whip out this recipe. It’s one of my favorites.
2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and chopped
4-6 c vegetable or chicken stock
2 onions, chopped
2 T olive oil
1/2 t nutmeg
black pepper and salt to taste
1 -14oz can creamed corn
1-3 T worchestershire sauce
Optional: slice almonds or pine nuts
1) Use a good vegetable peeler to peel squash. Cut in half. Remove seeds. Chop into roughly 1 inch pieces.
2) Put stock and squash in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook 15-20 minutes or until tender.
3) Using an immersion blender, puree squash and stock. An immersion blender is one of the best tools you can have in the kitchen. But if you don’t have one you can do this in a blender in small batches. It can be helpful to hold the lid down with a potholder to prevent the steam from forcing off the lid.
4) In a skillet, saute onions in olive oil, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
5) Put onions mixture in the stock pot with squash/stock and add worchestershire and corn. Gently heat through. Adjust seasonings. Serve topped with toasted nuts.
