Full Moon Brownies October 29, 2007

7 ounces dark (55% cacao) chocolate bar – flavored with: ginger if possible
1 stick unsalted butter
3 Tablespoons cocoa powder
3 large eggs
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 Tablespoon vanilla
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced
3/4 cup mini marshmallows
1 cup all-purpose flour

Preheat 350F. Butter 8-inch square baking pan, line with 2 pieces of aluminum foil perpendicular to each other to enable you to lift the brownies out of the pan with ease after they have been cooked. Place chocolate and butter in a medium metal bowl and set over simmering water. Stir occasionally until melted and whisk in cocoa powder until smooth, set aside. In a mixing bowl, briefly whisk together eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt, about 30 seconds. Add warm chocolate mixture, ginger, and marshmallows and then mix in flour just until combined, be careful not to overmix. Pour batter into prepared pan and cook for 35 minutes. When finished let brownies cool for at least one hour before removing from pan. Cut into 1-inch squares and share. Brownies can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated up to 5 days.

Granola using coconut oil October 26, 2007

I made this granola late this morning. It is similar to Heidi Swanson’s recipe from her new book. It has all the foods that are good for you: walnuts, pumpkin seeds, honey, and coconut oil, though you can interchange the nuts and fruit. Try to use organic ingredients if you can.

4 cups regular rolled oats
1 1/2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
1 cup raw walnuts, halved or quartered
1/2 cup unsalted raw sunflower seeds
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1/3 cup Turkish apricots, quartered
grated zest of 1 orange
juice from 1/2 orange
1/2 cup clover honey
1/4 cup unrefined coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Preheat 300F. Combine oats, coconut, walnuts, sunflower seeds, orange zest, and salt in a large bowl. Meanwhile, combine honey, coconut oil, and orange juice in a small saucepan and stir over low heat until uniform and liquified. Pour over oat mixture. Spread into 2 shallow baking dishes and bake for 20 minutes, stirring at the half-way point. Add pumpkin seeds and continue to bake, stirring every 10 minutes, for another 15 minutes. Remove from oven, add apricots and place in a large bowl to cool. Stir every once in awhile until completely cooled. You may wish to put the bowl on a wire rack to aid in cooling. Store airtight in the fridge if you think it will take you longer than a week to eat, or at room temperature if you will eat it within 3 or 4 days.

Turnip Gratin October 25, 2007

Gourmet 2007

1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
1 1/4 pounds turnips, trimmed and left unpeeled
1/2 Tablespoon chopped thyme
1/2 Tablespoon savory
1 teaspoon kosher salt
scant 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Preheat 450F. Melt butter in ovenproof large skillet, then cool. Slice turnips paper-thin, then arrange one third of slices, overlapping tightly, in skillet, keeping remaining slices covered with dampened paper towels. Sprinkle about a third of thyme, savory, kosher salt and cayenne. Make 2 more layers. Cook, covered, over medium heat until underside is browned, about 10 minutes. Add cream and cook, covered, until center is tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle evenly with cheese, then bake, uncovered, until golden and bubbling, 10 to 15 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Soba Noodles with Carrots, Crispy Tofu and Toasted Sesame Seeds October 21, 2007

8 ounce package soba noodles
1 Bosc or Bartlett pear
2 Tablespoons olive oil
a 1/2 pound piece firm or extra firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch by 1/4-inch sticks
3 shallots, sliced thin
a 2-inch piece of chopped peeled fresh ginger
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 Tablespoons tamari
1 Tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted at 350F for 4 minutes

Gluten-Free Blueberry and Raspberry Crisp October 17, 2007

This is my own version of a gluten-free fruit crisp. I’m making it to follow tonight’s Butternut Squash Risotto. It is Fall and I don’t think there could be a more perfect meal to enjoy after a day of domestic duties and walking the dog through the leaves and brisk air.

Fruit:
1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries, thawed
1 1/2 cups frozen raspberries, thawed
1/4 cup natural cane sugar
1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon arrowroot powder

Crisp:
3/4 cup Gluten-Free All-Purpose Baking Flour, from Bob’s Red Mill
3/4 cup quick cooking oats
1/3 cup natural cane sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
pinch of sea salt
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup plain yogurt

Bake at 400F in a 8-inch square baking dish for 20 to 25 minutes.

Kasha October 17, 2007

Kasha (Toasted Buckwheat)

2 cups water
1 stick cinnamon
1 cup kasha
1 pinch salt
honey, brown sugar, or maple syrup

Simmer on low heat for 12 to 15 minutes.

Tapenade October 17, 2007

1/2 pound black olives
4 anchovy fillets
2 Tablespoons capers
1 garlic clove
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon grated orange zest
8 sprigs thyme
4 Tablespoons olive oil

Process all except olive oil. Add oil and pulse a few times more to form a cohesive but still coarse paste.

Tuna and Olive Spread October 17, 2007

1 cup French brine-cured black olives
2 Tablespoons capers, drained
2 Tablespoons dry red dwine
2 plump cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
7 ounces tuna in olive oil, not drained
1 to 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Chili Nuts October 17, 2007

Gourmet October 2007

I was pleasantly surprised by this recipe. You ask…fish sauce? Yes, fish sauce. But it doesn’t taste fishy. I used Thai Kitchen’s brand, which happens to be gluten-free if that is a concern. My co-workers at Swedish loved it…a nice 2AM snack for when our moms and babies decide it’s time to sleep =). You could easily double this recipe, in which case it would be good to use 2 pie plates.

1 cup unsalted dry-roasted peanuts
2 Tablespoons Asian fish sauce
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne

Preheat 350F. Stir together all chili nut ingredients in a metal pie plate. Bake, stirring occasionally until liquid is absorbed and nuts are coated with spice mixture and dry, no more than 8 to 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.

Almond Citrus Olive Oil Cake October 17, 2007

Source – Giada De Laurentiis

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons orange zest, or more if desired
2 teaspoons lemon zest, or more if desired
1/4 cup whole milk
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2/3 cup slivered, toasted almonds (doing it yourself is best)

Preheat 350F. Lightly grease an 8-inch cake pan. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl to blend. Using an electric mixer, beat the sugar, eggs, and zests in a large bowl until pale and fluffy. Beat in the milk. Gradually beat in the oil. Add the flour mixture and stir just until blended. Lightly stir in the almonds. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to rack to cool for 15 minutes. Remove cake from pan and sift powdered sugar over the cake.