Showing posts with label Food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Food. Show all posts
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Monday, February 27, 2012
Is it A Soup or Is it A Stew?
BLACK BEAN + BUTTERNUT SOUP // Serves 4-6
Original Blog Post/ Recipe HERE with more photos.
Some of the measurements are pretty vague, but in a stew-like soup, perfection is not necessary. Taste as you go, add more spice if necessary but beware that both chipotle and cayenne are SPICY, so start small. You can cook your beans from scratch or use canned for the sake of time.
1 Tbsp. coconut or extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 a small head of cabbage, chopped (heaping 2 cups)
3 cups cubed butternut squash (sweet potato would be good too)
3 cups low sodium vegetable broth
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. cocoa powder
pinch of chipotle powder or cayenne pepper
2 cups cooked, black beans (about one can, rinsed and drained)
salt to taste
avocado, for garnish
cilantro, for garnish
// tortilla crispies //
3 corn tortillas
scant 1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. sea salt
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Sweet Potato Patties w/ Sour Cream and Chipotle Black Bean Salsa
via Lisa is Cooking
For the sweet potato patties: (Makes 34 small cakes)
2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into large chunks
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 green onions, both white and green parts, finely chopped
4-6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4-6 tablespoons butter
-Steam the sweet potato chunks for 15-20 minutes until completely tender, and then transfer to a colander and allow to drain until dry.
- Once very dry, place sweet potato chunks in a large mixing bowl and mash with a potato masher to break up chunks. Add flour and finely chopped green onions, and mix with your hands to form a smooth batter. Using your hands here is best so that it doesn’t become over mixed. In a food processor, the sweet potato mixture could quickly become gummy. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if needed. Once the mixture is smooth, and the flour and green onions are mixed in, you’re ready to fry. Note: the mixture should be sticky but not wet, so more flour may be needed.
- In a non-stick skillet, heat two tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and two tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Form round, flat cakes from about two tablespoons of batter per cake, and fry four or five at a time for three minutes per side until golden. Transfer finished cakes to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain and cool. Add more oil and butter to pan between batches as needed, and continue frying a few cakes at a time until all are ready for their toppings.
For the black bean salsa:
1 16 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1-2 chipotles in adobo, finely chopped
1 small, yellow bell pepper, small diced
¼ cup finely minced red onion
¼ cup cilantro leaves, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
¼ teaspoon salt
-Combine all salsa ingredients, starting with one chipotle, in a small bowl and stir to combine. Taste for chipotle heat and add more if desired, and taste for seasoning and add more salt if needed. Salsa can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator.
To assemble for serving:
½ cup sour cream
- Place sweet potato cakes on a serving platter and add a small dollop of sour cream to each. Top sour cream with a small spoonful of black bean salsa, and enjoy.
I wish I had a plateful of these right now. Yum.
I wish I had a plateful of these right now. Yum.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Mini S'mores Hand Pies Recipes
INGREDIENTS:
Crust:
1 box Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs (8 graham cracker squares, finely crushed)
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted
Filling:
1/2 cup marshmallow creme
2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened (1 oz)
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup chocolate chips
DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat oven to 425°F. Line cookie sheet with cooking parchment paper.
2. Unroll pie crusts. With 3-inch round cutter, cut 10 rounds from each crust. In small shallow bowl, mix cracker crumbs and 1/4 cup sugar. Brush both sides of pie crust rounds with butter; dip into crumb mixture to coat.
3. Place 10 coated pie crust rounds on cookie sheet. Stir together filling ingredients. Spoon about 1 heaping tablespoon filling in center of each of the 10 rounds. Place remaining pie crust rounds on top of the filling on each. Pinch edges to seal.
4. Bake 9 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store covered in refrigerator.
Recipe found @ Betty Crocker Recipes on Flickr. They certainly do look delicious, don't they?
Sunday, February 5, 2012
The Queen of Hearts wants Lemon Tarts
While the mini tart shells are cooling, you can start working on your filling. It’s very simple. Whisk 4 whole eggs in a big bowl, add 2/3 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of sour cream and 1/2 cup of confectioners sugar. Whisk everything together and pour it into the mini tart shells with a measuring cup. Bake the mini tart shells in the oven at 325 degrees for about 15 – 18 minutes. Now you’re ready to make the whipped cream. Again, very simple. Put 1 cup of cold heavy cream in a big bowl. Add 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons of light brown sugar. Beat the mixture with a hand mixer until it becomes thick and makes a soft peak. Your whipped cream is done. Full recipe including instructions for tart shells here.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Shabby Chic - A Time to Cook Kitchen Decor Ideas 2012
2012 - one of my resolutions was to cook and bake more. I have very little natural domestic leanings so everything I do in the kitchen is a real effort, but with time I can learn to enjoy myself in the kitchen. Maybe it's time to redecorate like this?!
Friday, January 13, 2012
Patiently Waiting for Pizza
I popped a couple of Totino's frozen Party Pizzas in the oven for lunch. My mom and I love them. We always get triple cheese and add some toppings. Today I added feta cheese, green olives and the pimentos from the salad olives. The oven was preheated to 450 and I cooked them directly on the second from the bottom oven rack for 13 minutes. I used the wooden rack puller/pusher twice.
This was a perfect cold weather Friday lunch without leaving the house. Webster enjoyed a crusty bite from each of us.
This was a perfect cold weather Friday lunch without leaving the house. Webster enjoyed a crusty bite from each of us.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Craving Plain Food
I don't know about you, but nothing tastes good to me except fresh fruit and green vegetables. This must be my body's way of recovering from all the fancy rich food I've been eating lately. I had my first office meeting of the year yesterday and I took some candy for the agents to enjoy so it wouldn't tempt me at a weak moment.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Cranberry and Chocolate Squares
Made for each other -- that's the contrasting flavors of tangy-sharp cranberries and sweet chocolate.
DIY Self-Rising Flour: In a one cup measure, place 1-1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt, then fill to top with flour. Mix well and store in an airtight container if not used right away.
You probably have all of these ingredients on hand right now. Don't these look delicious? I was too lazy to type everything so I just photographed the recipe from my book:
COOKIES irresistible biscuits, brownies and bars by Hilaire Walden published by Hermes House in 2002
Do you cook for your dogs?
Today's breakfast was kibble topped with hot sweet potatoes and leafy left-over brussels sprouts from last night's dinner.
Webster whined while I took the picture of their bowls with my iPhone. Piggy just danced around silently. He has the fastest tongue in the east. This meal got 5 stars *****
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Gingerbread Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches -- Yum!
No recipe. Just a great picture I found. You could use any Christmas cookie shape. Don't these look good? via
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Yummy Looking Holiday Drink
I have no idea what this is but I want it right now. I've had a very busy day so far...my mom had a "well" checkup this morning and then I entered super highway land to get my car inspected. I stopped at the bank to cash a check after the doctor and left the money on the kitchen counter so I couldn't stop anywhere for a bite of lunch. I'm back home now and the cupboards are literally bare and I dread the thoughts of food shopping. But I don't see how I can possibly put that chore off for even one more day so I'm off again. I wish I had one of these drinks for mood and energy.
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Stove Top Saturday Night Supper
Everything cooked on top of the stove in stages in the same vintage cast iron wok: one split Cornish hen, stuffing and brussels sprouts. Easy and delicious. Pumpkin pie with whipped cream for dessert. I love one-dish meals because of the quick cleanup. Enjoy the rest of the weekend.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Butterscotch Shortbread Cookies [Recipe]
Lee's Butterscotch Shortbread
Recipe adapted from Lee Schiring and an ancient Jane Austen Society of Puget Sound Newsletter
yields: 2-4 dozen, depending on size
keeps: 3 weeks or longer, in an airtight tin
The only slightly tricky bit to these is judging doneness, as the dough is already brown from the sugar. There's quite a time range given, below, as I'm terribly uneven in rolling my dough. A few tips, then, to aid: note the sight and scent cues below to determine doneness. Also, note that the oven temp is unusually low, giving you more wiggle room than most cookies—if in doubt, give them a few more minutes. Finally, these biscuits are best slightly overdone than underdone: the end result should be crisp, not yielding. And if, after cooling, they're still tender in the center, a return to the oven (5-10 minutes) will correct that, spit-spot.
1 cup salted butter
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/4 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
Heat oven to 300°. Cream butter, both sugars and salt, then add vanilla to combine. Scrape sides, then add flour, mixing just to combine.
Dust a clean surface lightly with flour, and roll dough 1/4" thick. Cut with desired cutters, and place on parchment-lined baking sheets, 1/2" apart (these cookies spread very little).
Bake 20-30 minutes, until cookies are fragrant, edges and bottoms are slightly darkened, and tops have lost their glossy look and taken on a matte finish. Cool cookies on sheet 15-20 minutes, then remove to rack to finish cooling. Cookies will firm up while cooking, and not be fully crisp until an hour or so after baking.
Recipe found @ remedialeating with lots of photos of children rolling and cutting these delightful cookies.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Morning Oatmeal
I was hoping to be able to capture the steam rising from my morning oatmeal but couldn't. It was rather awkward holding the bowl with one hand while manipulating my iPhone with the other. But I did it. A hot bowl of thick rolled oats with European style yogurt and a drizzle of agave nectar is a fine way to start your day. I'm off to an office meeting and should stop playing around and get ready. I'm so easily distracted. See you later.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Shabby Chic Modern Edge Jelly & Cake Wallpaper
The perfect modern Marie Antoinette paper for your walls featuring little pink jellies and cakes is available from Thornback & Peel through MyDecoBoutique
Thursday, August 4, 2011
My Shabby Chic Travels...Lake District Cumbria
I just returned from one of my six yearly visits to family in the Lake District UK. Whilst there the thought occurred to me to share some photos of shabby chic-ness I think you might like! The above is a typical house in the village of Beetham which is where my mother works.
This is Beetham Post Office - you would love it, the whole village is chocolate box perfect.
Most of my family members live in a small market town called Ulverston. It has cobbled streets, daily markets, an old town clock that chimes every hour and all the major times inbetween, weekly festivals...this is an example of one shabby shop there called Brambles.
Beetham Post Office have a nice line of handmade fairies hanging in the window...
I cheekily took some photos....
One of my favourite Ulverston tea rooms...there are plenty...is Gillams. If you want to see more Beetham and Ulverston photos they are available in my Flickr.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
My Smoothie Maker
Is nothing new and nothing fancy, but he sure is cute and he can make a mean smoothie.
My two older kids have three days of school left until they are off for the summer. This has been the first year that I have only had one child at home during the day and I have really enjoyed it. The little one and I have done some serious bonding. Now, I'm working on mentally preparing myself for having all three children home all day, everyday for the next ten weeks. Should be a interesting!
My four year old has become obsessed with making smoothies.
He's quite the picky eater, so when I find something healthy he actually likes, I run with it.
He likes to be very involved in the entire smoothie making process.
This morning, I let him pick out the fruits he wants to include.
We added some orange juice, ice and a scoop of protein powder.
Looks like it meets his approval.
My two older kids have three days of school left until they are off for the summer. This has been the first year that I have only had one child at home during the day and I have really enjoyed it. The little one and I have done some serious bonding. Now, I'm working on mentally preparing myself for having all three children home all day, everyday for the next ten weeks. Should be a interesting!
Monday, April 11, 2011
Shabby Chic Cupcake Ideas - Perfect for Easter!
Is cake your favourite food? It's certainly ours! There are so many fine examples of shabby chic cupcakes available at the moment here are some of the best...even if they are hand knitted like the one above!
These are perfect for Easter tea!
Romantic...
Floral...
Or even with a cherry on top...
Embellished with glitter and icing...
Chocolate...
Beautifully presented on a shabby chic style stand...
Or even back to shabby chic country basics, red and white!
