by Krista | Dec 28, 2009 | Winter
Ohhh, it is GOOD to be home and back in my own comfy bed, but what a glorious Christmas! 🙂 I keep smiling when I think of it: my hilariously abysmal attempts at gaming with my brothers and sis-in-law (I am truly appalling!), singing hand in hand around and around the Christmas tree, and getting to talk to our middle brother Evan on Christmas Eve from somewhere in Afghanistan (missed you and Kendra so much, Ev!).
We had such fun playing Chicken Foot with the rellies, getting all teary-eyed at an inspiring concert, and laughing ourselves sick at the menfolk being ridiculous. 🙂 I loved our good visits, getting to cook together, and all the new memories and traditions we forged. Dear family o’ mine – I love you to bits! 🙂
Now it’s time to knuckle down and get back to daily life. After so many intricate and decadent dishes over the past few weeks, I am craving simplicity. And what could be more simple than a baked potato.
I’m a potato fiend and love all kinds: fingerlings, baby reds, Yukon Golds, but this week it was a big ol’ Russet. I like to scrub mine clean then slather them with olive oil and sprinkle with herbs and seasoning salt.
I roast them at 375 degrees for 1 1/4 hours so that they’re wonderfully fluffy and soft inside and the skins a bit crispy.
For toppings I use whatever I have on hand, from simple butter, scallions and Spike, to (my today favorite) butter, Spike, real bacon, and my decadent addition: Crispy Danish Fried Onions. Mmm, mmm good! Add a glass of white wine and it’s perfect warming fare for a frosty winter’s eve.
What is your simple food pleasure this week?
by Krista | Dec 25, 2009 | Winter
We arrived safe and sound at my brother and sis-in-laws house with a flurry of hugs and I love you’s and Merry Christmases. We’ve had such fun blending traditions from two different families into a truly novel, hilarious and memorable celebration.
Merry Christmas, dear ones! See you next week!
by Krista | Dec 24, 2009 | Winter
I’m bustling about doing laundry, tracking down my suitcase, and collecting the gifts I clean forgot to wrap. My brother Ryan arrived safe and sound last night from Amsterdam – YAY! In just a few hours I’ll meet up with him, Mums and Pa and we’ll drive four hours to my baby brother Dana’s house for some serious merry making with him, my sis-in-law Rachel and assorted rellies. I CAN’T WAIT!!! 🙂
In the meantime I continue to hustle with breaks for hazelnut hot chocolate (thank you, boss’s wife!!) and homemade peppermint marshmallow (thank you, La Donna!).
Happiest of Christmases to you, dear ones! 🙂 I leave you with a fairytale fashion post that inspired me today:
Joyeux Noel
Peppermint Marshmallows
(From Recipezaar)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
2 (1/4 ounce) envelopes unflavored gelatin
1 1/3 cups sugar
2/3 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup crushed peppermint candy
1/8 teaspoon salt
Directions:
- Into a small bowl, sift together the confectioners sugar and the cornstarch; line a 13X9 inch baking pan with non stick foil and spray foil with non stick cooking spray; sift 2 tablespoons of the sugar/cornstarch mixture into the pan, tilting to coat the pan; set the rest of the mixture aside for later.
- Place 2/3 cup water in a large bowl; sprinkle with gelatin; let soften for five minutes.
- In a medium heavy bottomed saucepan, heat sugar, corn syrup, candy pieces and salt over medium heat until sugar and candy pieces are dissolved, stirring occasionally; slowly mix into bowl with gelatin.
- Beat gelatin/sugar mixture on high speed with electric beater until light and fluffy, about 15 minutes; spread into prepared pan and smooth top; dust with 2 tablespoons of the reserved sugar/cornstarch mixture and let set at room temperature for 2 hours.
- Lift marshmallow block from pan using foil; with a wet knife, cut into six squares.
- Spread remaining sugar/cornstarch mixture onto a baking sheet; invert marshmallow blocks onto baking sheet and cut each square into 9 smaller squares.
- Toss marshmallows in sugar/cornstarch mixture ans set on a pan to set for an additional hour; store loosely covered at room temperature.
by Krista | Dec 23, 2009 | Winter
With lavish Christmas feasting ahead of us, the members of CEC decided that we would simplify things this week by sticking to a menu of enticing appies.
Deb, Toby and I busied ourselves prepping our various dishes while Darren assembled a bevy of tasty bits for us to snack on: wonderfully greasy Italian sausage, mild prosciutto-wrapped cheese log and a strapping Dubliner cheese with stout, zesty Kalamata olives, chocolate-coated, almond-covered toffee that Darren swore he slaved over all day. We’re pretty sure that’s a whopper though (was it the mischievous grin that betrayed him?) since he didn’t have it before he went to Trader Joe’s and DID have it upon his return. Amazing the things that guy can whip up in his car! 😉
Deb made beautiful potato appies topped with cheesy sour cream, real bacon and scallions. Toby made two kinds of zucchini – both of them deeeelicious! The first was pan fried zucchini with olive oil and garlic topped with Parmesan for the gluten-free member of our group. The second was crispy, oven baked zucchini with a savory cheesy crust. And I made cute little gluten-free, crustless quiches studded with mild green chilies and bits of sausage.
We were quite pleased with ourselves for managing to actually time things to be ready at the same moment. I think this may have been a first. 🙂 Armed with glasses of cold Riesling, we settled on couches, chairs and floor to visit and nibble. Twas a lovely way to ring in the holidays.
Happy eating, dear ones!
Deb’s Philly Mini Potato Bites
(From All Recipes)
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds new potatoes
1/2 cup Philadelphia Herb & Garlic Cream Cheese Spread
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons Kraft 100% Parmesan Grated Cheese
2 tablespoons Oscar Mayer Real Bacon Bits
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Directions:
- Place potatoes in large saucepan; add enough water to cover. Bring to boil on medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
- Meanwhile, mix cream cheese spread, sour cream and Parmesan cheese; cover. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Drain potatoes. Cool slightly. Cut potatoes in half; cut small piece from rounded bottom of each potato half. Place, bottom-sides down, on serving platter. Top each with 1 teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle evenly with bacon bits and chives.
Toby’s Breaded ‘n Baked Zucchini Chips
(From Recipezaar)
Ingredients:
2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4 ” slices
1 egg, mixed with
2 tablespoons milk
1 clove smashed garlic
1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 450°.
- Combine egg, milk and garlic in a shallow dish and set aside for about 15 minutes to let flavors combine.
- Combine breadcrumbs, cheese, parsley and pepper in another shallow dish.
- Dip zucchini slices into egg mixture, then into crumbs and place on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
- Bake for 10 minutes, then turn over and bake for 5 minutes more or until brown and crispy.
by Krista | Dec 22, 2009 | Winter
The sun was setting over the Adriatic as our merry band of travelers left Bosnia behind and drove up into the hills and along the coast to Croatia.
The drive was spectacular, wending along rocky, flowered hillsides that plunged down to the sea. The shimmering water and pearled sky were a welcome respite after our emotional journey through war-battered Bosnia. I felt my spirits lift as I stared out to sea and cool evening breezes rushed in through our open windows.
There were seven of us – Trish, Viss, Stace, Nat, Ben, Ryan and me – taking a 9 passenger van on a 10-day driving tour of the Balkans. It was both exhilarating and exhausting and we slept like rocks that night, too tired even to eat, except for my poor brother Ryan. He had acquainted himself with the angry end of a sea urchin whilst on a late night swim, and had feet and one hand full of stingers. Youch!
The next morning we packed up and drove to Dubrovnik, an exquisite port city aptly named the pearl of the Adriatic.
We arrived early, sharing the cobbled streets of the Old Town with locals bustling to work.
We bought fresh bread, pastries and hot chocolate, then strolled happily through the streets, stopping in little shops to admire handmade jewelry, glistening bottles of wine and, my favorite, rack upon rack of soft pashminas in rich jewel tones threaded with gold.
Some of us decided we simply had to take a boat ride, so we haggled with a wonderfully bossy woman with wild gray hair, and clambered aboard with her silent-as-the-grave hubby for our own private tour. If I close my eyes now I can feel the rocking of the boat underfoot, the sun toasting our shoulders and noses, the gloriously cool breezes buffeting our hair and faces as we motored outside the city walls and around a wind-swept island ringed with rocky outcroppings.
 As much as I loved the boat ride (and it was marvelously fun!!), one of my favorite parts of Dubrovnik was the open air market we discovered.
My brother and I met the sweetest old lady who could hardly speak a lick of English but positively beamed at us when we approached her table. 🙂 I surveyed her display of sugared fruits and nuts and settled on a bag of crystallized orange peel. She giggled at my attempts to communicate, took my hand and helped me count out the right coins. On a whim I asked if she would have her picture taken with me and she grinned broadly and pulled me in tight, her meaty arm wrapped snugly around my waist. We parted with a big, squeezy hug and she stood waving good bye, still beaming, as we passed out of sight.
I’ve been hoarding that crystallized orange peel since May, waiting for just the right recipe to use it in. I found it when I decided to make Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle the other day. The gingerbread recipe called for crystallized ginger, but I didn’t have any so I turned to my Croatian stash, parceled out just enough and quickly tucked the rest away for another day.
I ground up the crystallized orange peel, added it to the batter, and popped the gingerbread into the oven. It was delicious: moist, dense, with the ginger and orange playing beautifully off each other.
Each bite reminded me of that gorgeous day in Dubrovnik, and the delightful people who made it so memorable.
Happy eating, dear ones!
Gingerbread
(adapted from Whole Grain Baking)
Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp molasses
1 large egg
1 cup coconut milk (I didn’t have buttermilk)
1/2 cup minced, crystallized ginger (I used crystallized orange peel)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease and flour a 9-inch square pan.
3. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
4. In a separate bowl, stir together the butter, sugar, egg, molasses and coconut milk.
5. Stir in the flour mixture until the batter is evenly moistened.
6. Stir in the crystallized orange peel.
7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the center is set, 45-50 minutes. remove from oven and cool on rack for 15 minutes.
8. Serve warm.
by Krista | Dec 21, 2009 | Winter
It’s been one of those seasons when everything seems to hit at once: medical situation, car needing to be fixed, unexpected bills, you name it, it’s happened! 🙂 As a result, this week I was left to plan meals with only what I had on hand. I confess I got a little panicky, wondering how on earth I’d be able to stretch everything, but somehow it all worked out. After my initial AAAH!!! – I’ve been having a grand time experimenting, seeing what marvy things I can make from bits of this and that. 🙂
Soup is always a winner in such circumstances and thankfully I had some broth – chicken and beef. Rummaging around in my fridge I also found a 1/2 bunch of kale, two potatoes, a bit of celery, an onion and, from the pantry, a handful of barley.
I sauteed the onion and celery in a skiff of vegetable oil, adding in the kale after a few minutes. When the kale was nice and wilted I covered the lot with the two different broths. Admittedly, the mixed broth was an accident, but it tasted fantastic! 🙂
When the broth began to boil I added in the potatoes and barley and simmered everything together until it was a dense stew with a good, strong broth. Rather nervously I tasted a spoonful and was delighted to find that it was delicious! I downed a bowl then and there and was so pleased to have something yummy and nourishing for the days ahead. 🙂
On the weekend my friend Kat came over for dinner – I made garlicky mashed potatoes and she brought a gorgeous roast that we stuffed with garlic and rosemary and slow-cooked in wine and bay leaves for a couple of hours.
When she insisted I keep the leftovers I was thrilled to bits, especially when I found a jar of roasted red peppers and a can of artichoke hearts in my pantry.
I mixed them together with the roast beef, some dry mustard, two eggs and a bit of cream and made a savory tart with a whole grain herbed crust.
I’ve learned some good lessons through all this:
1 – Necessity really is the mother of invention.
2 – Always keep basics on hand. You never know when you might need them. 🙂
Happy eating, dear ones! 🙂
Kale Potato SoupIngredients:
2 potatoes, diced
1 onion, chopped
2-3 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 bunch kale, chopped fine
1/2 cup barley
6 cups broth
Directions:
1. Saute onion, celery and potato in bit of vegetable oil until onion and celery are clear.
2. Add kale and cook until leaves are glossy and wilted.
3. Cover with broth and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Add barley and simmer another 20 minutes.
5. Serve hot.
Roast Beef Tart with Roasted Peppers
Ingredients:
1 9-inch par-baked tart crust (use 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom)
1 cup cubed roast beef
1 can artichoke hearts, drained
1 jar roasted bell peppers, drained
2 eggs
1/4 cup cream
1/2 tsp-1 tsp dry mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1. In a bowl combine eggs, cream, dry mustard, salt and pepper, stir until well-mixed.
2. Add beef, artichoke hearts and peppers, stir gently until coated.
3. Pour into par-baked tart crust and bake at 375 for 30-40 minutes until filling is set.
4. Serve cold or warm.
