Ratatoullie

Today was the second cooking demo of the season at my local farmer's market. I really enjoy talking food with people, and mingling with the farmers afterward when I do my shopping! One of the best things about sharing recipes with the market goers is inspiring new ways to enjoy foods (or fostering courage to try new foods)!

It's the perfect time of year, here in Michigan, to enjoy Ratatoullie. A traditionally sautéed dish, my ratatoullie recipe involves roasting--roasted vegetables are beautiful, flavorful, and absolutely delicious! Plus, it's a lazy way to prepare vegetables--just chop, roast, then eat! (I was initially inspired by this recipe online: http://m.allrecipes.com/recipe/18411/ratatouille, and adjusted it to my liking.)

Ingredients

1 zucchini, halved and sliced

1 yellow squash, halved and sliced

2 C mushroom, sliced

2 tomatoes, halved and sliced

1 eggplant, cubed

1 bell pepper, 1/2 inch squares

1 onion, sliced

1 head garlic, minced or chopped

2-4 tbsp olive oil

Salt to taste

Pepper if preferred

Oregano and basil to taste 

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. (If cooking with stoneware like I do, place it in the oven to preheat for a few minutes.)

2. Sauté 2 tbsp oil and garlic for about five minutes. Toss the eggplant around until coated. (If you prefer larger pieces of eggplant, cook a few minutes.)

3. Place contents of pan and other vegetables and spices into 9x13 baking dish. Add remaining oil, mix around to coat veggies. 

4. Bake 30-40 minutes. Don't stir. If you notice water glistening at the base of the pan, it's done! (Remove the dish before too much water leaves the vegetables, as it will act to steam the veggies, leaving them soggy instead of perfectly roasted.)

Serve!

This dish makes a nice accompaniment to any meat, or can be used to top pasta or rice if you eat grains. (Forego pasta or rice if you're keeping it Paleo.)

Bruschetta

8 Roma (or 4 Beefsteak) tomatoes, peeled, de-seeded, and diced
1/4 - 1/2 head of garlic, minced
1/4 red onion, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
2-4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped (or 2 tsp dried)
1 tsp organo (or 1 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped)
sea salt & black pepper to taste

1. Combine ingredients in covered container, stir or shake well
2. Refrigerate 4-12 hours prior to serving for best results (taste improves as it marinates)

Easy, and SO delicious!

This bruschetta makes a great salsa, or can be used to top spaghetti squash instead of using a sauce!

If you're not adhering to a gluten-free or Paleo diet, feel free to warm a baguette in the oven and serve the bruschetta over top, old school!!

Quick jam: strawberry

My son is on a produce strike, and this includes fruits. It's insane, as he used to eat berries as if they were going out of style. At one point I couldn't even keep berries in the house. And now - nothing. He won't eat anything. BUT, he loves jam. Only problem is that most everything I can find in the stores has added sugar or pectin, etc. So, I decided to make my own. I recalled a recipe in "OMG. That's Paleo?" for cherry jam, which called for coconut oil, cherries and honey. So I omitted the honey, used strawberries instead, and made my own strawberry jam!

Ingredients
1 pound strawberries (quartered, stems removed)
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp honey

Instructions

1. Melt coconut oil in saucepan
2. Add the strawberries, and stir periodically to keep from burning 
3. Cook and stir 20-30 minutes
4. Place in an 8-ounce jar or other sealed container, and store in the fridge

The strawberries begin to cook down quickly - I snapped this photo after about one minute of cooking!

Bright-colored jam! No sugar added. Beautiful. Fragrant. DELICIOUS!!

Lazy-ass applesauce

I buy produce from door to door organics on a weekly basis, except in the summer when my garden is producing. One of my latest favorites is their ten-pound box of imperfect apples for $6.99 - what a steal! This week I bought two boxes (ahem, twenty pounds of apples)! I picked the worst twenty apples (which weren't really even that bad, perhaps one to two bruises each, and/or a mark or two) of the two boxes to use for applesauce. I have about forty apples remaining, and will make at least one more batch of applesauce, perhaps two.

I have two wee guys at home, and hence don't have time to hang out with a double broiler all day making applesauce. When I bought a ten pound box of apples a few weeks ago, I asked some ladies from a parenting forum to share the quickest way to make applesauce. One person replied with a crock pot recipe, and I was sold!

Ingredients
20 apples, minus bruises, cores and nibbles (be sure to remove all seeds)
1/2-1 C water
2 tbsp cinnamon

The carnage. I use that nifty little gadget there to core and slice the apples in one step. I leave the skins on, because it provides a nice color for the applesauce (pinkish). My mother-in-law strains her applesauce to remove the skins once it is finished cooking, but I don't mind the skins in my applesauce, and hence I leave them in. Feel free to strain as a last step if you wish, or peel prior to coring/slicing if you prefer.

Instructions

1. Add enough water to the crock pot that you have about a quarter-inch of water (to protect the apples from burning until they start to produce liquid)
2. Add those apples (minus cores and bruises, of course)
3. Add cinnamon (I used about 2 tablespoons - use as much or as little as you wish - you can always add more at serving time)
4. Put the lid on, cook on low for 6-8 hours. I stir them periodically (once every hour or two, if I'm around)

The finished product

Storage

I keep some in a pint or quart sized canning jar in the fridge, and also freeze some (in individual six-ounce-glass containers). I pull the frozen ones into the fridge the night before consuming - the applesauce freezes wonderfully!

fudge puddles

my sister's mother-in-law shared this recipe with me.  the recipe is rather simple, but is more time consuming than basic chocolate chip cookies.  there is nothing healthy about this delectable dessert, but your taste buds will surely approve :)

"wet" ingredients
1 C butter
1 C peanut butter
1 C sugar
1 C brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

dry ingredients
2.5 C flour
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

filling ingredients
12 oz milk chocolate
12 oz dark chocolate
2 cans sweetened condensed milk
2 tsp vanilla

cookie instructions

1. preheat oven to 350 F
2. mix wet ingredients
3. add dry ingredients - mix or cream together
4. place paper cups in tiny tart pan or cupcake pan 
5. add cookie dough
6. bake 15 minutes for mini tarts, or about 18 minutes for cupcake sized (or until browned)
7. remove from oven, and press each cookie with "tart smasher," creating a hollow space for filling



this is what i refer to as a "tart smasher" - there may be a proper term to which i am ignorant.   mine has a small end for mini tarts, and a large end for cupcake-sized tarts.

8. let cool - remove from pan to wire rack until about room temperature

filling instructions
either use a double broiler, or a stock pot + sauce pan - i use the latter and will proceed with those instructions

1. fill stock pot with enough water to cover sauce pan (i.e. add water to stock pot, and place sauce pan within, to determine proper amount of water).
2. set stock pot to high heat to boil water
3. combine all filling ingredients into sauce pan
4. once water is boiling, place sauce pan within
5. stir mixture continuously until well melted and consistent texture (20 minutes or so)
6. pour the hot filling into the hollowed cookies/tarts (i use a 4 cup pyrex glass measuring cup - i heat it in the boiling water, and then empty the contents of the sauce pan into it - be very careful not to burn yourself - you'll need a well insulated oven mitt, or, a rubber handle cover for a cast iron skillet).

here's a sample of the finished product (cupcake-sized).  i failed to take a photo while they were displayed beautifully on the cake plate, so this will have to suffice.

* these tarts freeze well!!!
** recipe makes about 3 dozen cupcake sized tarts, or 6-8 dozen mini tarts

käsespätzle

käsespätzle is german for cheese noodles, as far as i can tell :) i acquired this recipe from toby, who got it from his friend bernhard, both of whom are german.

ingredients
the legit, german-recommended recipe
750 kg flour
5-6 eggs
3 tsp salt
250 mL cold water
300 g shredded cheese
onion

i weighed my whole grain flour and ended up doing this
2 C whole grain pastry flour
2 1/2 C unbleached flour
5 eggs
3 tsp salt
250 mL water (250 mL is just about 8.5 ounces)
1 pound of emmentaler cheese (this is more like 450 g of cheese, but my rule of thumb is that you can never have too much cheese!!!!)

notes
1. i had intended to use whole grain flour only, but ran out, and hence switched to processed flour. but i am very happy with the results. if anything, i will use 2 1/2 C whole grain flour + 2 1/2 C processed flour when i make this next (to thicken it slightly)

2. as for cheese, the stinkier the cheese, the better! the emmentaler is stinky relative to something such as cheddar, but i plan to stink it up a bit more next time!

3. this recipe calls for a special tool, called a spätzle press. the first time i ever made käsespätzle, i used my potato ricer, but wasn't happy with the results (too thin). i do not (yet) have a spätzle press, so i used a cheese grater and a wooden spoon - i will explain the technique later. a colander is an option as well.

instructions
toby just provided the ingredients, and this is how i saw fit to execute:

1. put a large pot of water on to boil (approximately 1 gallon + of water)
2. beat 5 eggs with mixer
3. add flour one cup at a time, mix well
4. add 3 tsp salt
5. add the cold water
6. mix well. scrape sides. continue mixing while you move on to step 7
7. dice one medium sized sweet onion
8. shred the cheese

boil the spätzle
1. once the water is boiling, place the tool of choice (grater, colander, legit spätzle press) over the top of the pot of boiling water.

2. place a blob of dough on top of your press (cheese grater, colander, etc.), and move a wooden (or plastic) spoon (or other implement) back and forth across, until all of the dough has been pushed through. don't worry about the size of the noodles - my preference is variation in size and texture - just press the dough through.

3. continue working one blob of dough at a time until all noodles are in the pot. (stir the noodles in between blobs if you wish)

4. stir periodically.

5. cook for 5-10 minutes (the time required depends on the flour and noodle thickness - whole grain flour requires more time than processed flours)

6. remove from heat. strain.

prepare the dish
1. heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan, on medium-high heat

2. saute the onions

3. add the noodles and the shredded cheese

4. reduce heat to medium. mix well and continuously to avoid burning, until the cheese is melted.

5. serve and ENJOY!!!!

this makes an excellent side for any meat, and personally i enjoy it as a main dish with a lovely salad of greens, avocado, tomatoes, and vinaigrette dressing.

stuffed mushroom appetizer

my roommate from grad school made these once, using greek dressing, and oregano straight from greece :) i have modified the recipe slightly, and regardless of how many variations of this recipe i have made, it's always awesome!!

ingredients:
6 portobello mushroom caps (medium sized), cleaned, stems removed
1/4-1/2 C grape tomatoes, diced
1-2 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1/4 tsp fresh garlic, pressed
olive oil
balsamic vinegar

instructions:
1. preheat oven to 375F

2. place a small amount of olive oil in bottom of small baking dish

3. place mushroom caps in baking dish

4. fill each cap with diced tomatoes

5. sprinkle basil and garlic on top of tomatoes

6. drizzle olive oil & balsamic on top

7. bake for 30 minutes

8. serve hot!

*variations
a. sprinkle feta cheese (and/or parmesan) after removing from oven (not vegan friendly, of course)
b. use greek dressing or other vinaigrette of choice, in lieu of balsamic/oil
c. use oregano in place of, or in addition to, basil
d. easy to double, triple, etc. this recipe to serve a dinner party!

tomato puree

it's that time of the year where those with tomato plants find themselves overwhelmed with large quantities of the awesome fruit! i am envious of such people, as my yard is too shaded to foster growth of much other than weeds (and hence i bought tomatoes from the local farmer's market)! if you don't have the time to make sauce, salsa, or some other concoction, might i suggest something less time consuming? simply clean, cut, puree, and freeze them for future use.

1. if you're not a fan of the skins, then start by blanching the tomatoes and removing them:
-boil a pot of water
-place several tomatoes at a time in the boiling water for 10-30 seconds
-remove (w/ straining spoon) and immediately place in cool water
-easily remove and discard the peels!!

2. whether or not you keep the skins, the next step is to quarter them and cut away the cores. 3. prepare tomatoes to preferred consistency. depending on what you prefer to prepare at a later time, you may choose to fully puree the tomatoes (perhaps for a smooth marinara), or leave it chunky for salsa or textured sauces (or mix it up so that you have options)! a food processor is best for chopping it to a smooth liquid. or you can use a food processor on an intermittent setting to chop them slightly, or use a manual food chopper for the chunkiest cuts.

4. break out the quart-sized freezer bags, and label several of them (i use a description and the date).

5. find a container or bowl that will house the quart-sized bag, for support while filling. 6. i also recommend using a funnel - the one that i have for canning is perfect for filling the quart-sized bags! i always hold a corner of the bag to prevent it from collapsing during the fill, and then just ladle it in!

7. be sure to leave some head space - i typically fill the bag within a half inch from the bottom of the zip. 8. then zip up the bags, removing as much air as possible

9. place them flat in the freezer. (if you have a deep freezer, i find it easier first to freeze them on a flat shelf and then pile them up for longer storage subsequently). the next time you're ready to make a soup, salsa, or sauce, just throw the frozen pouches of your garden-fresh tomatoes into the fridge (or leave on a counter) the night before, and you'll be ready to go!!!

portobello mushroom "sandwich," with sides

i bought portobello mushroom caps when i made risotto, initially planning to chop them up along with the baby bellas. i then decided against it, stuck with the baby bells for the risotto, and dreamed up a little concoction for the portobellos.

the overall menu includes a bed of red & white quinoa adorned with a portobello "sandwich," a side of steamed russet potatoes with butter and basil, and a salad of greens, fresh cherry tomatos, cucumber, and yellow sweet pepper with trader joe's red wine vianegrette. and here's how to do it!ingredients (for two):
1/3 C quinoa (i mix red & white)
2 C salad greens (i prefer spinach)
1 large russet potato, washed, unpeeled, sliced
2 large portobello mushroom caps, washed and dried
1 red sweet pepper, cut in half, remove stem and seeds
salt
basil
garlic, dried & ground
freshly ground pepper
brie cheese (cut into thick "slices" that will cover mushroom)
free range organic butter slices
balsamic vinegar
olive oil

prepare quinoa & potatoes:
1. in rice cooker, add 1/3C quinoa, 1 C water, garlic, black pepper, and basil
2. place potato slices in steamer basket
3. turn that baby to cook and let it do it's thang!!

grill mushrooms and peppers:
1. fire-up the grill to medium heat setting
2. place mushroom caps and red pepper halves (inside facing up) on a plate, in a small pool of olive oil
3. fill mushroom caps with balsamic vinegar and a splash of olive oil, then add a bit of each to the peppers as well
4. place on middle shelf of grill (about 20 minutes - check periodically)

put it all together!!
1. make a bed of quinoa on the plate
2. place potatoes on plate, add a few slices of butter, sprinkle of salt, and a bit of basil
3. place salad items in the remaining space on the plate
4. place mushroom cap (top down) on the bed of quinoa
5. add brie to mushroom, push in slightly to facilitate melting!
6. place the red pepper half on top of the brie (inside of pepper facing down)
7. serve & enjoy!!!

*variation: add tofu! i had planned to include a layer of sauteed tofu to the portobello sandwich, but sadly the tofu in my fridge had expired. simply heat olive oil and fresh garlic over medium-high heat. slice tofu long ways, but rather thin, and fry until golden brown. add it to the mushroom after the brie!!

**vegan potential: just omit the brie from the mushroom (it really is quite delicious without the cheese), and substitute the butter on the potatoes for vegan butter, or your favorite herbal/oil seasoning!

mushroom risotto, take 1

ever since i enjoyed a most delicious risotto a few months ago while in amsterdam, i was determined to try to make it myself. i have heard people complain about the tedious nature of preparing risotto properly, but wasn't particularly turned off by that :) at a friend's going away party, i met the husband of one of my work friends. this gentleman, steve, just so happens to be a chef! one conversation about tomatoes led to another and i picked his brain about risotto. he was kind enough to offer up the following advice:

1. use vegetable stock in lieu of chicken
2. use arborio rice
3. add broth, reduce, repeat, and at the end, add your seasoning and such

i picked up the appropriate ingredients over the past 2 weeks, and finally gave it a go last evening. i scoured a few recipes online to get an idea for how much broth i would need, and i settled on planning for 8 cups. i also opted for store-bought organic veg stock this time, but intend to make my own in the future.

ingredients:
8 C veg stock
1.5 C arborio rice
2 C baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1/3 C parmesan cheese, grated
2 tsp minced garlic
4 tbsp butter (room temperature)
black pepper, freshly ground
olive oil

instructions:
1. warm the veg stock in a sauce pan, and keep it on low heat

2. heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, saute mushrooms until they soften, scoop mixture out into dish and keep to the side until the end

3. heat 1-2 tbsp olive oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat; saute the garlic, and add the rice

4. stir the rice continuously for 5 minutes, or stop once lightly browned

5. add veg stock, 1 ladle-full at a time, stir the mixture continuously until broth has been fully absorbed (do not let the mixture stick to the bottom of the skillet)

6. repeat step 5 over an over again, until the rice is al dente (approximately 20-30 minutes) - sample often :-) you'll notice the mixture becoming more and more starchy, which is a good indication that you are nearing the end

TIP: if you need to take a break, simply remove the skillet from burner (briefly), the come back and pick up where you left off

7. remove skillet from heat. add butter, parmesan cheese, ground pepper (to taste). mix thoroughly. add mushrooms.

plate it up, and top with a bit of parsley or basil, and serve!!

it serves 5-6 people, and overall (with prep and cook time) required approximately 45 minutes.

ENJOY!!

**vegan potential - just omit the parmesan cheese, and replace butter with vegan butter!!!