Three Bean and Barley Soup

     Thanksgiving is over and it's already time to go back to work.  It's time to get back to healthy eating and forget the pie and desserts until Christmas time.  The last thing I wanted to do was spend a lot of time in the kitchen this weekend, so of course I pulled out the slow cooker.  It took 3 minutes to throw everything in and lunch is covered for the week.

Three Bean and Barley Soup

Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 can black beans
1 can great northern beans
1 can kidney beans
1/2 cup barley
4 cups vegetable broth
2 cups water
1 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tbsp cumin
1/2 tbsp oregano
1/4 tsp salt

Method
1. Combine all ingredients in a large crock pot.  Cook on high for 4-5 hours, stirring occasionally.

Thanksgiving Brussels Sprouts

     When my Grandma reclaimed Thanksgiving dinner, I have to admit I let out a little sigh of relief.  Preparing such a variety of food is a huge undertaking.  I still committed to making my favorite Cooking Light apple pie recipe and our new favorite veggie, brussels sprouts. 

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Maple Balsamic Drizzle

Ingredients
Cooking Spray
2 lbs Brussels Sprouts, trimmed and cut in half (if large)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp maple syrup

Method
Preheat oven to 450 degrees
1. Toss Brussels Sprouts with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Place in a baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.  Bake for 20 minutes, stirring occassionally.
2. Combine the balsamic vinegar and maple syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Bring to a boil and stir continuously.  Continue cooking for about 3 minutes.
3. Remove sprouts from the cooking pan and transfer to a serving dish.  Drizzle with the balsamic maple syrup topping before serving.

The Taste Test
     Like I said before, I am new to Brussels Sprouts.  This vegetable has never been a staple at our Thanksgiving dinner but this dish was a huge hit with everyone and boy did we have a variety of people around the table! 
     It is always nice bringing my family together with Arnauld's.  His mom and my Grandma get along like long lost best friends.  They reminise about their time back in their "country".  Grandma shares stories about Italy and Marie shares stories from Haiti, but it's as if they are talking about the same place.  I think Grandma just appreciates a fresh set of ears for all of her stories.  As always, we all have so much to be thankful for everyday and it is nice to take the time to reflect on our many blessings on Thanksgiving. 

Thanksgiving Salmon

     This was our first Thanksgiving not eating turkey.  I have never been a turkey fan, but I was a little worried how Arnauld's experience would be without turkey.  Luckily he volunteered to make salmon based on a recipe from the executive chef at his work.  Yes, I said executive chef.  Arnauld never makes lunch for work because they have an amazing cafeteria.  I am sometimes jealous of the lunches that he describes to me.  No wonder he is often unimpressed with my meals...

Honey Walnut Salmon

Ingredients
1 lb salmon
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp standard poultry rub
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup syrup
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

Method
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
1.  Using salmon portions, rub with olive oil and sprinkle with the poultry seasoning.  Place the fish on hot grill to sear and mark.  Rotate fish 90 degrees to create diamond markings.  Just a couple of minutes on each side. 
2. Remove fish and place on a baking sheet for oven.  
3.  In a dry frying pan, toast walnuts on medium heat.  Remove them from the heat and toss them with  honey and syrup mixture.
4.  Place the mixture on the fish and finish off in the over for about 10-12 minutes.

The Taste Test
    This was a very tasty dish!  Arnauld did a great job replicating this recipe and an even better job cleaning up after himself when he was all done.  We both agreed that the salmon was a little on the dry side, so maybe a little less grill or oven time next time.

Quinoa and Pistachios

     A quick little pre-Thanksgiving dinner.  I had originally planned to make this dish as part of our Thanksgiving dinner instead of stuffing.  This recipe came from November's Cooking Light and is suppose to be stuffed in acorn squash.  Well our Thanksgiving plans changed when my Grandma insisted on hosting Thanksgiving, even after I claimed the holiday.  Last year I hosted because my Grandma was in Italy.  It worked out nicely, because both my family and Arnauld's could all celebrate together and we didn't have to split the day.  But it seems that everything will work out this year, because good old Gram invited Arnauld's family to dinner too.  In the end my Thanksgiving stuffing turned into a pre-Thanksgiving dinner. 

Quinoa and Pistachios

Ingredients
1/2 cup quinoa
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup crumbled feta
1/4 cup pistachios, roasted and salted
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp red wine vinegar
pinch of red pepper flakes

Method
1. Bring quinoa and 1 cup of water to a boil in a small saucepan.  After the water begins to boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes.
2. Fluff the quinoa in a large bowl, using a fork.  Stir in pistachios, parsley, feta, oil, vinegar, and red pepper flakes. 

Happy Birthday November!

    It's that time of the month again....time to celebrate all of the November birthdays at school.  It feels like I just finished October's cake but a quick look at the calendar proved that November is flying by.  This month I opted for cupcakes since I had pulled this recipe for Chocolate Filled Sweet Potato Cupcakes from my November Better Homes and Gardens magazine.  This little treats filled our house with sweetness...a sneak preview of all the goodness that will come with Thanksgiving baking later this week.

Chocolate Filled Sweet Potato Cupcakes

Ingredients
2 cups flour
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 lb sweet potatoes; roasted, peeled, and mashed
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
24 Hershey Kisses, unwrapped

Frosting
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1 cup (minus 2 tbsp) unsalted butter, sofened
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
1. Line two cupcake tins with parchment paper or cupcake liners.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Set this aside.
3. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter for about 30 seconds.  Add sugar and beat until fluffy.  Set the mixer to low and beat in the eggs, one at a time.  Stir in the sweet potato, milk, and vanilla and beat on low until combined.
4. Add the flour mixture and stir until just combined.
5. Fill the prepared cupcake liners until they are 3/4 full.
6. Bake 5 minutes and then remove cupcakes from the oven.  Add one Hershey Kiss to each cupcake, point side up.  Push the Kiss about halfway into the mixture.  The Kisses will slowly sink into the cupcakes as they continue to bake.  Return the pans to the oven and bake for 14 additional minutes.
7. Remove cupcakes from the oven.  Allow to cool about 10 minutes in the pan before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. For the frosting, bring about 1 inch of water to a simmer in a medium saucepan.  Place the chocolate chips in a glass bowl over the simmering water.  Use a rubber spatula to stir until the chocolate is smooth and melted.  Remove and allow to cool for 15 minutes.
9. With an electric mixer, beat the chocolate for 30 seconds on low.  Next beat in the butter, 2 tablespoons at a time.  Add the sugar and beat until smooth.  Frost each cupcake.

The Taste Test

     I always say that whatever you put in the staff room, people will eat.  I know I have just popped my head in, from time to time, to see if there are any treats for a quick pick me up.  I hope that when some of my colleagues stick their heads in, their days are brightened by the sight of my homemade treats.  I guess it's a good sign, that this is the third month I have baked birthday cakes and each day when I go back to retrieve my plates, there is nothing left.  I heard some positive reviews for these cupcakes.  I sampled the cupcake I cut in half for the picture above and thought that the gooey frosting was complimented nicely by the cake.  These weren't hard to make, however, there were a lot of steps so this was not a quick recipe.  Also, I think that the recipe called for a bit too much butter in the frosting.  Adding a full cup of butter to the chocolate chips left the frosting kind of runny.  I had to add extra powdered sugar. 

Sole Amandine with Shredded Brussels Sprouts

     My mission this week is to kick my cooking blues to the curb and not allow myself to be lazy when it comes to making dinners.  Recently, I made a dinner that neither Arnauld or I would eat. Maybe it had to do with the way my nose wrinkled after I sampled the dinner or the not so appetizing smells that permeated the entire house.  Either way, the dish went right down the garbage disposal.  Arnauld hit the nail right on the head when he said something along the lines of, "I can totally tell when your heart just isn't in what you're cooking."  There are days that my only goal is to get something on the table, usually quickly with little regard to who has to eat my creations.  The real kicker is, that despite my lack of effort, I still get upset when Arnauld isn't completely enamored with dinner- like "How dare you not like that dinner I just whipped up?" 
     So tonight I decided to put my heart back into the kitchen.  In the process I rediscovered that dinner doesn't have to take hours to prepare in order for it to be healthy and delicious.  My goal tonight was to create, dare I say it, something that we would actually want to eat.  Mission accomplished.

Sole Amandine with Shredded Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients
1 cup Brussels Sprouts, thinly sliced
2 sole fillets
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 1/2 tbsp Smart Balance Butter, divided
3 tbsp slivered almonds

Method
1. Toss Brussels Sprouts with salt and pepper.  Steam them over boiling water until they are tender, about 4-5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, season the fish with salt and pepper.
3. Heat the oil and half of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Cook the fish, turning once.  This should take about 2 1/2-3 minutes total.  The fish should be browned and cooked through.  Remove the fish to a plate with the sprouts.
4. Remove any leftover fat from the skillet and add the remaining butter and almonds.  Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir until the almonds are golden, about 1-2 minutes.   Spoon the almonds over the fish and Brussels Sprouts.

The Taste Test
     I never really gave Brussels Sprouts a chance.  I always just assumed I wouldn't like them, given their reputation.  Well last weekend, Arnauld came home with some roasted sprouts from Whole Foods and I loved them!  Tonight while picking something up for dinner, I picked up a bunch.  Although I wasn't really sure what to do with them, I was excited to eat them.  While at the store, I also picked up some sole- a random choice which could have been disastrous.  Lucky for me, I found a recipe  on epicurious.com that called for Brussels Sprouts and sole.  What are the chances?  It was fate and with that I am rejuvenated for the time being.

Tofu Chili with Butternut Squash

     I should rename my blog The Lazy Cook.  My drive to cook has really fallen lately and I have had little motivation to make anything.  I don't think I made dinner once last week.  Arnauld was working late and I had something to do almost every day after school.  The fact that it is pitch dark at 5:30 doesn't help either.  I have the winter blues already and it's only November!  When searching for something to make for lunch this week, I based my search on ingredients that I had on hand, including a butternut squash.  My other keyword was...crock pot!  I just wanted to throw something in the pot and walk away from the kitchen as fast as I could.  As I threw one ingredient after another in and then lined the top with tofu, I reminded myself that I would actually have to eat this concoction...yikes!

Tofu Chili with Butternut Squash

Ingredients
1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 package of mushrooms, watched and sliced
1 large onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 tbsp Cayenne pepper
3 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp chili powder
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp cumin
1 package of extra firm tofu, drained and cut into slices
2 tbsp cornmeal
shredded cheddar cheese

Method
1. Toss the mushrooms, squash, onion, celery, tomatoes, chickpeas, cayenne pepper, chili paste, chili powder, honey, and cumin into the crock pot.  Stir everything together and press the veggies into an even later with the back of a wooden spoon.
2. Place the tofu slices on top of the vegetables, being careful that none of the pieces touch the sides of the crock pot.
3. Cover and cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 5 hours.  About 20 minutes before the end of the cook time, stir in the cornmeal to thicken the chili.
4. Serve with shredded cheddar cheese.

The Taste Test
      The crock pot is amazing.  It transformed my random mix of ingredients into a tasty and satisfying lunch.  You would never be able to identify just what is in this lovely chili dish, but the only thing that really matters is that it tastes pretty good.

Guest Post: Best Pumpkin Muffins Ever

     Here is a recipe from my pal Heather.  She cleverly posts her favorite recipes on her Facebook page and puts the recipe in the caption space.  She posted this recipe a long time ago and my mom made them for breakfast this morning.  Luckily, she invited me over for a sample.  Delicious!

Best Pumpkin Muffins Ever

Ingredients
3 1/3 c. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
3 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground ginger


Mix dry ingredients and add:
1 c. oil
4 eggs
2/3 c. water
2 c. pumpkin (one 15 oz. can is also fine)

Fill muffin tins three-quarters full and bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool.

Frosting:
1 package of cream cheese
1/4 cup softened butter
1lb confectioner's sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla

Mix until blended and spread atop cooled muffins. Sprinkle on a little cinnamon and enjoy! Bring them to parties and witness everyone flip out over how tasty they are. :)

Caramel Stuffed Apple Cider Cookies

    Have you ever heard of an apple cider cookie?  I hadn't, so when I stumbled upon this recipe, on The Cooking Photographer, it immediately had me intrigued.  This week we will host another Literacy Team meeting in the Reading Room, so this recipe came at a perfect time.  My Grandma is also having our family over for lasagna so I plan to bring some of these sweets there as well.  I have a feeling that winter is going to hit us before fall really has a chance to show it's face this year.  Making all of these fall inspired dishes makes it seem a bit more fall like, even though the temperatures keep feeling reaching for 70 degrees.

Caramel Stuffed Apple Cider Cookies

Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 box Alpine Instant Spiced Apple Cider Mix
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
3 cups flour
1 bag of caramels, cut in half

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
1. Line rimless cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. Beat together the butter, sugar, salt, and all 10 packets of apple cider mix in a large bowl, using a mixer.  The mixture should be smooth and fluffy.
3. Beat in the eggs and vanilla and then the baking powder and baking soda.  Next add the flour and mix to combine.
4. Use a cookie scoop to drop the dough onto cookie sheets.  Flatten the dough slightly with your fingers and place a piece of caramel in the middle.  Arrange the dough so that it covers the caramel.  Place cookies 2 inches apart.
5. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are golden.  After taking the cookie sheets from the oven, slide the parchment paper onto the counter so that the cookies can cool.

The Taste Test
    This recipe was suppose to make over 50 cookies but I don't have a cookie scoop so I think I made the cookies a bit too big.  I only made 33 cookies.  Oops.  I thought these cookies were going to be really tricky but they were relatively easy.  The cider mix gives the cookies a flavor that I've never tasted in a cookie before.  The caramel is a sweet surprise.  I wonder if there is a way to warm the cookies up so that the caramel is gooey even when the cookie aren't served right from the oven...

Roasted Cinnamon Sweet Potato White Bean Mash

     I'm going to start out by letting you know that this is a baby food recipe.  I had some crazy idea to try to make something with sweet potatoes and white beans and this is what I came up with.  I found the recipe on a blog called Take Back Your Table.   The blog is filled with delicious recipes and awesome pictures!  I can't wait to try more of the recipes.  Unfortunately, my picture of this mash doesn't look all that appetizing, but I promise that it tastes way better than it looks. 

Roasted Cinnamon Sweet Potato White Bean Mash

Ingredients
3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 1/2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 tsp cinnamon
1 can white beans (I used Cannellini but you can also use navy or butter beans)
salt and pepper to taste

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
1. Toss the potatoes and onion in the olive oil and bake for 30-40 minutes, tossing halfway through.  You should be able to easily stick a fork into the potatoes after baking.
2. Cool the potatoes and onion for a bit and then place them in the food processor along with the cinnamon, beans, salt, pepper, and a bit of water (if needed). 
3. Puree until the mixture reaches your desired consistency.

The Taste Test
If serving this dish to it's intended recipients, babies, leave out the onion, salt, and pepper.  You can serve this dish cool or warm to your favorite kids or as a dip, scooped up with pita chips.  I just ate it hot and it was delicious.  I think you could definitely serve this for Thanksgiving!

Potato Leek Soup

    I know I have made potato leek soup before but maybe I never posted it?  My blog is now my recipe book.  I refer back to it so often because it is so much easier than trying to remember where the original recipe might be.  My mom gifted me a bag of potatoes this week and my first thought was potato leek soup.  It is so simple and so delicious.  Mashed potatoes are one of my favorite foods but mashed potatoes for lunch is not always be best idea.  Potato leek soup is the next best thing!

Potato Leek Soup
Recipe adapted from www.skinnytaste.com

Ingredients
3 medium Russet Potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 bunch of leeks, cleaned and roughly chopped
1/2 large yellow onion, chopped
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
1/2 cup milk
4 cups vegetable broth

Method
1. In a large pot, melt the butter and stir in the flour using a wooden spoon.
2. Next add the potatoes, leeks, and onion along with the vegetable broth.  Bring this to a boil and the reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 20-25 minutes.
3. Use an immersion blender to blend soup to your desired smoothness.  Add milk, salt, and pepper-adjusting to your taste.

Happy Birthday Kenz! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Halloween Apple Crisp

     Another Halloween has come and gone.  The past four years have been a whole new Halloween experience for my family, thanks to my nephews.  This year they made it home from North Carolina just in time to trick or treat.  Last year, Halloween fell on a weekend and our spread was a lot more elaborate.  Halloween on a Monday didn't leave a lot of time for a frightening feast but the fun and family time was still more than we could hope for.
     This year Jaxson was an old pro at the Halloween thing.  He was prepped and ready to say "trick or treat" after ringing doorbells and then "thank you" after receiving his candy.  He gave the first few trick or treaters who stopped by our house a lesson, prompting them to say thank you before he would even hand over the goods.  Ace was very excited for trick or treating this year.  His face lit up every time he trotted down a driveway after receiving more candy in his pumpkin.  After a stroll around the neighborhood, we came home to warm apple crisp.  A sweet ending to a great night.

Apple Crisp

Ingredients
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
4 cups apples, cored and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/4 cup white sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
1. In a large bowl, toss apples with white sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
2. In a separate large bowl, combine the brown sugar, oats, flour, nuts, and butter.  Mix until the mixture resembles course breadcrumbs.
3. Place half of the oat mixture in a lightly greased baking dish.  Spread the apples evenly over this layer.  Top the apples with the remaining oat mixture.
4. Bake 40-45 minutes or until brown and bubbly.

Serve topped with vanilla ice cream.