Ham and Swiss Stromboli - Recipe #49

Having lived the saying ¨hell is two people and a ham¨, it has been a while since we've had any ham leftovers with which to make ham and cheese stromboli. Fortunately, we had leftovers from the small slice of ham I purchased from PCC for the arroz con pollo.

Being a fan of both bread and cheese, I highly recommend this recipe, which also gets the Trent seal of approval. I make it whenever we have ham available.

Ham and Swiss Stromboli

• 3 c. bread flour
• 1 c. warm water (100-110 degrees)
• 1 T. nonfat dry milk
• 1 T. olive oil
• 2 1/2 t. bread machine yeast
• 1 t. salt
• 1/2 t. dry mustard
• 1/2 c. (3 oz.) chopped ham
• 1/2 c. (2 oz.) cubed Swiss cheese (I used gruyere this time)
• 1 1/2 t. cornmeal
• 1 lg. egg, lightly beaten

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups. Follow manufacturers direction for placing flour and next 6 ingred. (through mustard) into bread pan and select dough cycle. Start machine.

Remove dough from machine. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 30 sec. Cover dough and let rest 10 min.

Roll dough into a 10x8¨ oval on a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle the ham and cheese onto half of oval, lengthwise, leaving a 1¨ border. Fold dough over filling and press the edges and ends together to seal.

Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper and dust with cornmeal. Place loaf, seam side down, on prepared pan. Make 3 diagonal cuts 1/4¨ deep across the top of the loaf using a sharp knife. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85 degrees), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 350. Uncover dough, brush with egg. Bake for 35 minutes or until browned. Cool slightly.

I served this with kale salad, which was a nice contrast to the richness of the meat and cheese.

Thursday Thought

The best things in life aren't things.

Attributed to tons of people, so I'm not going to single out just one

Merry Christmas! It's been just over a week since I last posted, which makes me feel like I've been missing in action, even though earlier in the year I would have thought nothing of it.

Right now, I'm at Trent's parents' house in the Tri-Cities. The sun has come out after a day of rain. I'm enjoying the quiet of the morning and the return of my energy after a few days of a mild cold. Over the past few years, we've been simplifying Christmas (though my side of the family has yet to follow suit). We began by drawing names and have transitioned to more simple handmade or consumable trifles, so that we can experience the joy of being together without so much of the stress of seeking out the perfect gift.

At the moment, I'm particularly grateful for my mom's health. She was hit by a car a week ago and spent most of the night in the emergency room. Fortunately, the car was going at a fairly low speed and the driver got out to keep her warm and safe as they waited for the paramedics to arrive. Her ankle's a little sore and she has a mild concussion, but it could have been so much worse.

I'm also enjoying how my new job gives me the opportunity to interact more with people - chatting with a little girl about her favorite Rainbow Fairies books, helping a young immigrant understand the book he is reading or finding directions for a lost traveler. I'm also thankful for the vacation time my job gives me to allow me to spend Christmas away from home.

Over the next few hours, more of the family will emerge from sleep and we'll open gifts, laugh, take pictures and eat brunch - with maybe a Christmas Day walk to throw in the mix. And when it gets to me a more reasonable time of day, I'll call my parents and siblings to let them know how much I miss them. I'm hoping to find a way to do a Google Hangout with some of them (though my mom is restricted from much computer use, so that may not end up happening).

Arroz con Pollo - Recipe #48

One of my go-to menu options at Azteca (though I haven't been in ages) is arroz con pollo. I always end up with leftovers for lunch the next day, since portion sizes are ginormous. This particular recipe was on the back of the Cooking Light page containing Chicken Biryani and I'm not entirely certain which recipe I clipped the page for. It is also entirely plausible that I wanted both of them. And in fact, there is one last recipe that I'll make in the near future from the same article.

My new job sometimes gets me home a little earlier from work, so I had enough time to make this as a weeknight supper, though it is a little lengthier than I usually attempt outside of the weekend. While I preferred the biryani, this was also delectable (and gave me plenty of leftovers). Though it calls for skinned chicken, I chose to skin it post cooking for better browning.

Arroz con Pollo

• 6 chicken drumsticks (about 1 1/2 lbs.), skinned
• 6 chicken thighs (about 1 1/2 lbs.), skinned
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 t. dried oregano, divided
• 1 T. vegetable oil
• 2 T. fresh lime juice
• 1 c. chopped onion
• 1/2 c. chopped green bell pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 t. ground turmeric
• 3/4 t. ground cumin
• 3/4 t. ground cumin
• 1 1/2 c. uncooked Arborio rice
• 1/2 c. diced ham
• 2 1/4 c. chicken broth
• 1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1/2 c. frozen green peas, thawed
• 1/2 c. chopped pimiento-stuffed green olives

Sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper and 1 t. oregano. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 8 minutes, browning on all sides (I cooked it a little longer as I've had some issues with undercooked chicken). Remove chicken from pan; drizzle with lime juice. Cover; keep warm.

Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic to pan. Cover, reduce heat to low and cook 10 minutes or until tender. Stir in 1/2 t. oregano, turmeric, and cumin, and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in rice and ham; cook 1 minute. Increase heat to medium. Add broth and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Add chicken, nestling into the rice mixture. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 18 minutes or until liquid is almost absorbed. Stir in peas; cover and cook 3 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand, uncovered, 5 minutes. Sprinkle with olives

Green Beans with Butter & Herbs (#46) and Steamed Mussels with Curry and Mint (#47)

After holiday parties and too many nights of leftovers, it was time to step up my game again with two loose recipes for one dinner. I purchased provisions at PCC, where the bagger kidded me that I could be French with my baguette and kale leaning tantalizingly out of my grocery bag and all the ingredients needed for mouclade (which according to the Cooking Light blurb is "from the region of France near La Rochelle, famous for its oysters and mussels").

Simply superb. This was one of my favorite dinners so far. The mussels were new to me (from a time in my life where I had discovered the joys of fresh shellfish from the Farmer's Market and clipped every promising-looking recipe to come my way), but I have made the green beans several times.

Green Beans with Butter and Herbs

• 1 lb. beans
• 1/4 c. red onion, finely chopped
• 3 T butter
• 2 T parsley
• 2 T fresh thyme
• 2 T tarragon/basil (I did 2 t. dried tarragon)
• 2 T chives
• salt/pepper
• lemon wedges

Bring large pot of salty water to boil. Blanch green beans 3-4 minutes, place in ice water bath, drain pat dry. Heat butter on medium-high in a large saute pan. Cook onions until translucent (2-3 min.). Add beans. Cook 2-3 min. more, stirring frequently. Add herbs, salt & pepper. Cook 1 min. more. Serve with lemon wedges.

(Use as many fresh herbs as you can, as they add a burst of flavor).

Steamed Mussels with Curry and Mint

• 1 1/2 t. curry powder
• 1 c. dry white wine (Muscadet for us, of course)
• 1/2 c. finely chopped shallots
• 4 pounds mussels
• 1/3 c. chopped fresh mint
• 2 T. whipping cream
• 1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper
• 12 (1/2-inch-thick) slices French bread baguette (about 4 ounces)

Cook curry in a small saucepan over medium heat 2 minutes or until toasted, stirring constantly. Remove curry from pan, set aside.

Bring wine and shallots to a boil in a large Dutch oven, cover and cook 5 minutes. Add mussels, cover and cook 5 minutes or until shells open. Remove mussels from pan with a slotted spoon, reserving cooking liquid, discard any unopened shells. Keep warm

Add curry, mint, cream and pepper to reserved cooking liquid in pan. Place pan over medium-high heat; bring to a simmer. Remove from heat. Divide mussels evenly among 5 large shallow bowls; spoon curry mixture over mussels. Serve with bread.

I made 2 lbs. of mussels instead of 4, since I don't think they taste as good as leftovers, but made the same amount of sauce.

Chicken Enchiladas and Yummy Beans (Recipes #44 & #45)

I'm slowing down a bit with the Recipe Challenge - in part because I have so many leftovers to eat and not much freezer space. For example, I have eaten this dinner 3 times so far and have enough for one more lunch portion of enchiladas and a few more servings of beans. It certainly makes meeting nights and choir night easier.

This chicken enchilada recipe is from Aubrey, one of my lifelong friends, given to me at my bridal shower. I wrote down that the bean recipe came from Joy the Baker, but I can't find it anywhere online - maybe it's from her cookbook?

Chicken Enchiladas

• 12 flour tortillas (6-8" in diameter - I only used 9)
• 4 chicken breasts (I used two ginormous ones instead)
• 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese
• 1 tsp. dried minced onion (I substituted a small chopped onion instead)
• 1 (20 oz.) can enchilada sauce
• 1 (8 oz.) package grated Jack cheese (I used pepper jack)

Cook chicken breasts in boiling water for about 15 minutes or until no longer pink inside. Spread 4-6b oz. of enchilada sauce onto bottom of 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Preheat oven to 375. Shred chicken with a fork. Mix in cream cheese and onion. Spoon mixture into tortillas, roll them, and place side by side into dish. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over top, cover with foil and bake 20 minutes. Then uncover, sprinkle with cheese and bake additional 10-15 minutes. Enjoy!

My modifications: I added chopped mushrooms to the filling, since I had some that I needed to use up and I didn't have a veggie dish planned with the enchiladas. Plus, we both love mushrooms. I added a couple of spoonfuls of adobo sauce from a can of chipotle peppers to the enchilada sauce for a smoky flavor. I added chopped green onions and cilantro on top when I sprinkled the cheese.

Yummy Beans

Soak overnight. Drain. Cover with 2" water. Add parsley stems, bay leaf, salt, pepper & chili or olive oil (really yummy with the chili oil, but I didn't have any on hand). Simmer & cook until tender. I'm fairly certain you could do this with any type of dried beans, but I used black beans. Yes, this is not very different from the directions on the back of the bag, but I do like the addition of the herbs and oil.

Quick-Baked Pasta Family Style - Recipe #43

In my normal meal routine, my goal is to have at least half of my dinners be vegetarian or pescatarian. The recipe challenge is throwing a wrench into that scheme, as I have now cooked most of my non-meat main course loose recipes. So far this month, I've eaten just one vegetarian dinner - but I plan to make up for it by using more of the side dish/dessert recipes as the month continues and making a few of the recipes from Bold Vegan, the book that inspired the Vegan Cooking Extravaganza with my mom (and written by some of my brother's friends).

But back to this decidedly non-vegetarian recipe...

My aunt and uncle really came through for me the year I asked for favorite recipes for Christmas. Strangely, I had not made a single one until now - probably because many of them call for one or two ingredients that I don't normally stock (and in some cases am not even sure of the best source for them). In this recipe it was the "good brown gravy" that scared me off. I have never made my own gravy (outside of a mushroom one) and I wasn't exactly sure what constituted "good". However, I took a leap of faith at the grocery store and bought a jar. This is also a far cry from the Cooking Light approach. Tasty, but probably not one that will go into my normal rotation (though Trent agrees I should make it again).

Quick-Baked Pasta Family Style (Frugal Gourmet)

• 2 T. olive oil
• 1 lb. lean coarse ground beef
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• 3/4 c. red marinara or spaghetti sauce (good way to use up the leftover sauce from manicotti-making)
• 3/4 c. good brown gravy
• 1/2 c. half and half
• 1/4 c. Parmesan or Romano cheese
• 1 t. dried whole oregano
• 1/2 t. dried wle. rosemary
• salt and pepper, freshly ground, to taste
• 3/4 lb. penne pasta
• Topping: 1 c. Mozzarella or Swiss cheese

Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Heat a large frying pan and add the oil, beef, and garlic. Saute until the meat is tender and then drain excess fat. Add all remaining ingredients except the cheese for topping and the pasta. Simmer the mixture while the pasta cooks until just barely tender. Drain the pasta and mix it with the sauce. Poor all into a 3 quart rectangular glass baking dish and top with the remaining cheese. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until all is bubbly hot.

Thursday Thought

If you have more projects than you have time for, you are not going to be an unhappy person....Things will come to you if you have the interest in the first place.

Eleanor Roosevelt, You Learn by Living

Today was my last day working in the building I've worked in for four years. I'll be starting a new job on Monday and tomorrow I have a retreat with my current work group to set priorities for 2015. Much of this week was spent on more projects than I had time for. (In fact, that's why I'm posting this after work, rather than my normal pre-work post). And even though I experienced a little anxiety that I couldn't get it all done, I have also felt privileged to have so many meaningful projects to participate in.

I am all for cutting back on unnecessary commitments, but the key to this quote for me, is to make sure that you are whenever possible following projects at work and at home that you have a genuine interest in. Therein lies happiness.

What I'm Reading Wednesdays

For over a month, I've had a draft for this blog posting. I've so enjoyed having one regular feature, that I thought I'd add in another alliterative day of the week. While this may end up being only an occasional feature, I now present the first "What I'm Reading Wednesday".

Somehow, I am in the middle of four books, which is not typical. Usually two to three is more my speed. One adventure read-aloud with Trent and another book for me (sometimes one fiction and one non-fiction at the same time).

In the Kingdom of Ice: The Grand and Terrible Polar Voyage of the USS Jeannette by Hampton Sides. I have an addiction to polar adventure. Fiction, non-fiction - it matters not - and I am love, love, loving this read-aloud which features a brave leader convinced by the best minds of the time that he will find a balmy polar sea at the North Pole and an eccentric newspaperman, who sponsors the expedition (and also sponsored Stanley's search for Livingstone).

Real Happiness: The Power of Meditation by Sharon Salzberg. I've read so much on the benefits of meditation and keep hoping that it will both calm my mind and lower my blood pressure - but I'm such a beginner that I can use all of the tips and encouragement I can get.

Working by Studs Terkel. On our way back from Shilshole one day, Trent turned up the radio saying, "I think you'd be interested in this". In honor of the 40th anniversary of the book of interviews of people from all different professions, they were playing an interview from a taxi driver. I was riveted and immediately placed the book on hold. Unfortunately, it lengthy with fairly tiny type, so I waited until the last day before running out of renewals to start reading and then promptly checked it out again.

The Ghosts of Tupelo Landing by Sheila Turnage. The one children's novel on my list, this one has tons of starred reviews and is on lots of end of year "best book" lists. Yes, there are a number of other kids books with spunky Southern orphans, but even so, there's something special about Mo LoBeau.

What are you reading?

Non-veal Paprikash - Recipe #42

The tour of my college cooking career continues. The summer between my sophomore and junior years, I moved to the campus apartments. I was eager to begin cooking more often, as the kitchen was shared with 5 other women, instead of dozens and I no longer had a dining plan. That Christmas, under my parents' tree was a copy of the November/December 1997 Cooking Light magazine, along with a promise of more to come to my mailbox (hooray for something other than bills and junkmail!)

I have made this recipe a number of times since then. The last time was about three years ago, when we had to move from our rental home and were waiting for our house to finally close. Our wonderful friends let us stay with them for two or three weeks and we had a number of meals together. I enjoyed alternating cooking with Emi (who is a fantastic cook). This is best made on a weekend or a day when you get home early from work, as it takes at least two hours from start to finish.

While the recipe is for Veal Paprikash, I have always made the substitution of boned sirloin steak or sirloin tip round roast. As I am no longer a broke college student, I also try to purchase ethical, high-quality ingredients whenever possible. I had quite a time of it at the grocery store, nearly succumbing to the 50 cent cans of broth before noticing that they had MSG and that the chicken broth had "chicken flavor" listed as an ingredient. I quickly changed my choice. Why is so much of our canned food or processed food not real food? Shouldn't the default for chicken broth ingredients be chicken, water, vegetables and maybe a few spices? [end of rant]

• 1 T. butter, divided (original called for margarine, which I avoid buying whenever possible)
• 1 (2 1/4 lb) lean veal tip round roast or boned sirloin steak cut into 1" pieces
• 1 1/2 c. sliced carrot
• 1 c. sliced onion
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 T. paprika
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1/2 t. pepper
• 1 c. low-salt chicken broth
• 1 c. fat free beef broth
• 1/2 c. dry white wine (I picked up some Muscadet from my local wine store, City Cellars. Trent still has some relatives in France that produce Muscadet. While we can no longer get the family wine in the U.S., it's still a go-to favorite.)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 c. sour cream
• 5 1/4 c. hot cooked medium egg noodles (3 1/2 c. uncooked)
• Chopped parsley (optional)

Melt 1 t. butter in a Dutch oven coated with cooking spray (or lightly oiled) over medium-high heat. Add meat; cook 5 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove meat from pan. Set aside.

Melt remaining butter in pan over medium heat. Add carrot, onion and garlic; saute 10 minutes or until tender. Stir in flour, paprika, salt and pepper. Add broths, wine and bay leaves; stir well. Return meat to pan and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until tender, stirring occasionally. Discard bay leaves. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream. Cook over low heat 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve over noodles, garnish with parsley if desired.

Meatless Monday - Cheese Manicotti - recipe #41

Whew - another blast from the past. Trent and I ate this recipe on our first Valentine's Day together as a couple back in 1997. To make it extra-romantic, I baked it in a heart-shaped pan. Interestingly enough, I bought the same brand of pasta, which had a virtually identical recipe on the back, except the more recent recipe doubled the eggs, salt and nutmeg and cut the pasta sauce by a 1/2 cup.

I also said good bye to some untried recipes and it was surprising how painful it was to do, considering I've never made them and I had good reason to let them go. One was a new focaccia recipe that called for a pizza stone (which I don't have and don't feel the need to purchase) and baking at 500 degrees (which always makes the smoke detector go off). The other was a crockpot dressing from a coworker, when I don't ever host a turkey dinner and don't have a large enough crockpot. Plus, when I asked this year if she made it she said she had found a healthier recipe online that was just as tasty.

Cheese-Filled Manicotti

• 1 package (8 oz.) manicotti
• 1 container (15 oz.) ricotta cheese
• 2 c. (8 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 egg
• 1 T. chopped parsley
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1/4 t. pepper
• 1/8 t. nutmeg
• 2 c. (8 oz.) spaghetti sauce

Prepare pasta as directed on package; drain. Rince with cold water, drain and arrange in single layer to fill. Meanwhile, mix ricotta cheese, 1 1/2 c. mozzarella, 1/4 c. Parmesan, egg, parsley, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Spoon mixture into manicotti shells. Sprinkle remaining cheese; Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until hot (I upped it to 400, as it was baking with bread, and reduced the time to 20-25 minutes). Makes 4 servings.

Pizza Night - Spicy Garlic Chicken Pizza (Recipe #39) and Italian Dressing (Recipe #40)

Trent and I met my freshman year at the U.W. in Haggett Hall. Every Friday night was pizza night, which ranged from delicious to barely edible (depending on the cook and how long it had been under a heat lamp). In my sophomore year, I moved to Hansee Hall, where every room was a single and they had more convenient cooking facilities. It may have been there that I first cooked this pizza recipe, courtesy of the Boboli pizza shell wrapping via our friend Ryan (who jokingly predicted that we would get together weeks before we did).

This used to be in the rotation far more often, but now I generally prefer to make my own pizza crust. For nostalgia (and the Recipe Challenge's) sake, I went with the traditional version. And while in pizza nights of yore we didn't worry about vegetables too much, this time I made Italian dressing for our baby greens. I picked up the dressing recipe after buying a "gorgeous Manhattan Cruet" from my sister's Southern Living at Home party, when she lived in an apartment on Alki (I miss that apartment - it was great for watching fireworks displays - but I digress...) I will recycle the recipe, as I have plenty of cookbooks with alternate Italian dressing recipes that seem fairly similar.

Spicy Garlic Chicken Pizza

• 1/2 c. sliced green onions, divided
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 T. rice vinegar or white vinegar (I have always used the rice vinegar)
• 2 T. soy sauce
• 1 T. olive oil or vegetable oil
• 1/2 t. black pepper
• 3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halve, cut into 1/2" pieces (with the super-sizing of chicken breasts, I usually use only two and have meat covering virtually every inch of the pizza)
• 1 T. cornstarch
• 1 Italian breadshell (12")
• 1/2 c. Monterey Jack cheese (shredded)
• 1/2 c. Mozzarella cheese (shredded)
• 2 T. pine nuts or sliced almonds (this was the first time ever using these - and I went with the almonds)

In a large bowl, combine 1/4 c. of the green onions with garlic and next 5 ingredients. Add chicken, stirring to coat. Let stand 30 min., then drain, reserving marinade. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large skillet, heat 1 T. oil and add chicken. Cook 3 min. or until done, stirring constantly (it always takes far longer than that for me). In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and reserved marinade; stir well. Add to chicken; cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Spoon over breadshell. Top with cheese and bake 12 min. Remove from oven; top with remaining green onions and nuts. Return to oven and bake 2 more minutes.

Italian Dressing (from Southern Living Ultimate Cookbook)

• 1/2 c. vegetable oil
• 2 T. white vinegar
• 2 T. lemon juice
• 1 t. sugar
• 1/2 t. dry mustard
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1/4 t. dried Italian seasoning
• 1/8 t. pepper

Combine all ingredients in a jar. Cover tightly, and shake vigorously; chill thoroughly. Shake before serving. Serve over salad greens.

Curried Split Pea Soup (in the Slow Cooker) - Recipe #38

This time of year I bring out the slow cooker almost weekly. On choir nights, I have 20-30 minutes between when I arrive home and when I need to head out the door again (we used to start 15 minutes earlier, so time was even tighter). Since I don't get home again until 9 or 9:30, it is imperative that I have something quick and easy - or even better, something already hot and ready to go.

Curried Split Pea Soup (originally from The Best Slow Cooker Cookbook Ever)

• 16 oz dried green split peas
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 6 c. boiling water
• 2 1/2 T curry powder
• 6 carrots, peeled and chopped (this time around, my carrots were jumbo-size, so I used 3 - I probably could have cut back further to 2)
• 2 celery ribs, chopped (my celery ribs were skinny, so I used 4)
• 1/4 t. seasoned salt (I have Johnny's on hand to feed my love of popcorn)
• 1/4 t. pepper
• 1 c. chopped Canadian bacon (opt.)

Mix ingredients (except 1/2 T. curry powder) in slow cooker.

Cover and cook on low 9-10 hours. Stir in remaining 1/2 T. curry. Add more seasoned salt & pepper to taste.

Easy-peasy!

I don't have many slow cooker recipes in my rotation, but this is one of the best. 

Gruyere and Green Olive Rolls - Recipe #37

"Are you going to be around the dock later today?" I asked my librarian friend, who recently moved aboard a sailboat, after a chilly run around Green Lake. "We're testing out our new inflatable kayak and I could bring you some of the bread that I'm making."  She informed me that indeed, she'd be at home most of the day. We finished our coffee at Revolutions and parted ways, as I knew it was time to pop the rising loaf into the oven.

This recipe for Gruyere and Green Olive Rolls was not originally a part of the recipe challenge, but I've now decided that any new loose recipe obtained during the time period of the challenge must be included. And it looked good enough to rival the savory rolls from Hiroki. I'd meant to make it the prior Sunday for breakfast, forgetting that it calls for overnight rising. Blast! But this time, I had carefully set out the dough the night before in eager anticipation.

Trent was off at Grandma's house, fixing the sound on her television, which had mysteriously disappeared after Thanksgiving (causing no end of worry that she would miss Jeopardy - or that her troubleshooting phone call with Trent would make us miss Jeopardy). I placed the four, enormous rolls in the oven and entertained myself while they baked. As they baked up, a delicious odor permeated the living room, which only strengthened when I took the ooey-gooey rolls out.

Though the recipe said that you could split a roll, we each ate one ourselves for lunch. We decided to avoid the 30 knot winds, by postponing our trip to Shilshole to another day. That is where my conundrum began. The rolls were so tasty, I wondered if perhaps no one would be at the boat the next day. Or maybe I could "forget" to bring one to the dock. Fortunately, the more generous side of my nature won out (but just barely). I will have to bake these rolls again sooner, rather than later, possibly substituting ingredients (adding prosciutto or using blue cheese instead to mirror some of our favorite Hiroki treats).

Gruyere and Green Olive Rolls

For the Starter:
• 1 1/4 cups unbleached bread flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast (mine says for bread-machines on it, but it works the same way)
• 1/2 cup warm water
For the Dough:
• all of the starter
• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons to 1 1/4 cups lukewarm water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 1/2 cups unbleached bread flour
• 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
For the Filling:
• 2 1/2 cups grated Gruyère cheese (I used a combo of Gruyère, sharp white cheddar, and another swiss cheese - you really don't need quite this much cheese, I would probably use a little less next time - even the picture in the original Joy the Baker posting does not appear to use quite this much)
• 1 cup sliced green olives
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1. To make the starter, mix the 1 1/4 cups flour, salt, yeast, and 1/2 cup water in a large measuring cup or small bowl. Mix till well combined; the starter will be very dry. Cover and let rest overnight at room temperature.
2. To make the dough, combine the risen starter with the water, salt, flour, and yeast. Stir until thick and well combined in a bowl then dump onto a well floured work surface to knead by hand until soft and smooth, about 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let it rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until doubled in size. 
4. Gently deflate the dough, and pat and stretch it into a 3/4"-thick rectangle, about 9" x 12". Use your finger tips and hands to stretch out the dough. Sprinkle with the grated cheese and olives.
5. Starting with a long side of the dough, roll it into a log, pinching the seam to seal. Place the log, seam-side down on a lightly floured surface.
6. Gently cut the log into four crosswise slices, for mini-breads. Place them on a 9x13-inch pan, cut side up. Use your fingers to press the rolls down and spread them open a bit to more fully expose the cheese.
7. Cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel and let it rise for 1 hour until it's puffy but not necessarily doubled in size. (I got distracted at coffee and it probably rose a little more than it needed to). Towards the end of the rising time, place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 425°F.
8. Lightly brush loaves with egg wash.
9. Place in the oven to bake.
10. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the loaves are a very deep golden brown. Remove them from the oven, and cool on a rack.
11. Slice into wedges. The recipe suggests serving warm with mustard, though I skipped the mustard. Rolls will last, well wrapped at room temperature for up to 4 days. They are best reheated gently in the oven or toasted before serving.

Thursday Thought

I’m curious, I love life. Until I am buried, I want to live. That’s it.

Diane von Furstenberg quoted in The Seattle Times

After reading this recent Seattle Times article, I'm eager to read von Furstenberg's book, The Woman I Wanted to Be. From the portrayal in the article, she seems to be vital, engaged, interesting and constantly learning - the kind of woman I want to be. Not to mention that fact that I am a big believer in any kind of clothing, like the wrap dress, that looks chic, but feels like you're wearing a bathrobe...

Family Recipes - Cinnamon Flop - Recipe #36

When Trent and I first started spending Thanksgivings and Christmases together, I asked if there were any family traditions that he would miss by spending the holiday with my family. He mentioned cinnamon flop, a simple recipe handed down from generations, so I have taken over making this when we are far from his family. This Thanksgiving was my family's turn to spend the holiday with us, so I made sure to have the ingredients for Cinnamon Flop on hand. I first got the recipe from Trent's aunt on an extended-family trip to Myrtle Beach. It's written on a post it found in the time-share with the phrase "Don't let anybody kid you, It's the gift that counts!". I've fixed this for book club getaways, as well as my sister and brother-in-law. It is best served with bacon, eggs, and a fruit salad.

• 1 c. sugar
• 2 c. flour
• 2 t. baking powder
• 3 T melted butter
• 1 c. milk
• brown sugar and cinnamon

Combine all ingredients except brown sugar and cinnamon. Put in a greased baking pan (mine is about 9x13). Sprinkle a top with cinnamon and brown sugar. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until done (mine always takes 5-8 minutes longer).

Trent's mom has made this vegan and gluten-free, but I think the traditional version really is best.

Meatless Monday - Quick-fix Sweet Potato, Spinach, Fire-roasted Tomatoes and Peanut Butter Soup - Recipe #35

I am so in love with savory sweet potato stews. It's no coincidence that three of my favorite vegan recipes include this nutritional powerhouse. This recipe is faster than any of my others, making it perfect for a weeknight or a low-stress dinner with friends. Another keeper from the Healthy Librarian - and one that I actually follow to the letter (well, except the ground ginger that I used this time around in place of the fresh when I realized I was out and the regular soy sauce, rather than reduced-sodium). This time around I served it with buttermilk biscuits fresh from the oven.

Enlightened Quick-Fix Sweet Potato, Spinach Fire-Roasted Tomatoes, and a Bit of Peanut Butter Soup

• 1 large sweet onion, finely chopped
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
• 1 T. fresh grated ginger
• 2 t. ground coriander
• 1/4 t. cayenne
• 1 14.5 oz. can of Muir Glen Fire-Roasted Crushed Tomatoes
• 2 T. low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/3 c. creamy peanut butter
• 4 c. of low-sodium veggie broth + 1/4 c. to help saute the vegetables, if necessary (mine was homemade)
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 c. unsweetened non-dairy milk (this time I used soy, but I often use almond)
• 4 c. of fresh baby spinahc
• 2 T. chopped peanuts (opt.)

Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sweet potato. Cover and cook until softened, 5 minutes. Check halfway through to stir, and add a little big of broth if the vegetables are sticking.

Stir in ginger, coriander and cayenne. Add tomatoes and soy sauce.

In a small bowl, combine the peanut butter with 1 c. of the broth, stirring until smooth. Smooth the peanut mixture into the soup, then add the remaining broth and season to taste with the pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the vegetables are tender, 10-15 minutes.

Stir in the nondairy milk and spinach and cook until the spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes.

Serve hot, sprinkled with some chopped peanuts.

Serves 6, which means that we've had lots of yummy leftovers!

Moroccan Chicken Tagine - Recipe #34

Wow - I've been holding on to this recipe since 1997 - it may have even been from the very first magazine that I received with my gift subscription. I'm glad I also held off a little on blogging about it, as my opinion changed last night when we reheated the leftovers. My original verdict - very flavorful veggies, but the chicken was bland and could have used both seasoning and browning in the pan (with skin) before being placed in the oven. Trent pronounced it "passable" or "decent" or some other bland adjective that does not scream out "keep this recipe for the future".

Last night I got home about a half an hour late after getting stuck on the wrong side of the train tracks, missing my normal bus home, followed by being told by the next bus driver that I couldn't bring my folding bike onto the bus ("he's whacko", said the next driver, who reported it to a supervisor when we reached the bus station). Anyway, any creative thoughts of turkey pot pies or shitake mushroom pizza were crushed. We watched Jeopardy and I popped these leftovers in the oven (I hate the texture of microwaved chicken). Three-quarters of an episode of MasterChef Junior later, we emerged from the basement to the delectable smell of spiced onions and chicken. Somehow after marinating in the leftover chickpea and onion mixture and baking for an additional 30 minutes the chicken had soaked up the flavor we craved. Saved from the recycle bin, which is good, because I've got a heck of a lot of Moroccan seasoning leftover.

Moroccan Chicken Tagine

• 5 t. cumin seeds
• 5 t. coriander seeds
• 2 1/2 t. whole allspice
• 5 t. ground nutmeg
• 2 1/2 t. ground ginger
• 1 1/4 t. ground red pepper
• 1 1/4 t. ground cinnamon
• 1 t. olive oil
• 8 c. vertically sliced onion (about 2 lbs.)
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 1/2 t. sugar
• 1/2 t. black pepper
• 1 (10 1/2 oz.) can low-salt chicken broth
• 1/4 c. raisins (we omitted)
• 4 chicken thighs (about 2 lbs.), skinned
• 1 (15 1/2 oz.) can chickpeas, drained
• 4 c. hot cooked couscous

Place first 3 ingredients in a spice or coffee grinder; process until finely ground. Combine next cumin mixture with next 4 ingredients; set aside.

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and salt; cover and cook 10 minutes. Add 1 t. spice mixture, sugar and black pepper; cover and cook 15 minutes.

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Add broth, and cook, uncovered, 30 minutes. Add raisins, chicken and chickpeas; cover and bake for 30 minutes. Serve with couscous.

Pumpkin Cake Roll - Recipe #33

Pumpkin season is still in full swing. I've been saving up a sugar pumpkin from my CSA for something special and pumpkin cake roll is definitely worthy of my little cutie gourd. This is another of the recipes that Trent's mom passed onto me, though it sounds as though it is not one of their family traditions (at least he didn't remember having it frequently if at all). This certainly would also go quite well with canned pumpkin and would take a bit less time.

I'm not sure that this will go into my regular autumn baking rotation, though I'll likely bake it again in the future. While the shape is a novelty, it is just a bit more complicated than a regular cake, pie or quick bread.

• 3 eggs
• 1 c. sugar
• 2/3 c. pumpkin
• 1 t. lemon juice (I forgot about this until the cake was already in the oven - oh well)

Beat the eggs on high for 5 min. Gradually add the sugar, then stir in pumpkin and lemon juice.

• 3/4 c. flour
• 1 t. baking powder
• 2 t. cinnamon
• 1 t. ginger
• 1/2 t. nutmeg
• 1/2 t. salt

Stir together, then add to pumpkin mixture. Spread into a well greased and floured (or line with parchment paper) jelly roll pan (I used my beloved silpat, but probably would not in the future, as the textured surface makes it a little harder to remove from the cake). Top with 1 c. finely chopped walnuts. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 min. While still warm, turn out on towel sprinkled with powdered sugar. From the narrow end, roll towel and cake together. Cool and gently unroll to remove towel.

Filling:

• 1 c. powdered sugar
• 6 oz. cream cheese (I used Neufchatel because I'd been planning to use it with one of the Cooking Light recipes)
• 4 T. margarine (I used butter, of course)
• 1/2 t. vanilla

Beat until smooth. Spread filling on inside of loose cake roll, reroll and chill (I recommend that you do this in something other than the towel to keep it from drying out in the fridge). Freezes well.

Thanksgiving Thursday Thought

Don't Hesitate

If you suddenly and unexpectedly feel joy,

don't hesitate. Give into it. There are plenty 

of lives and whole towns destroyed or about

to be. We are not wise, and not very often 

kind. And much can never be redeemed.

Still, life has some possibility left. Perhaps this

is its way of fighting back, that sometimes

something happens better than all the riches

or power in the world. It could be anything,

but very likely you notice it in the instant 

when love begins. Anyway, that's often the

case. Anyway, whatever it is, don't be afraid

of its plenty. Joy is not made to be a crumb.

"In the Darkness" by Mary Oliver from Swan

Happy Thanksgiving! I'm thankful for the unexpected joy that I've been feeling over the past days, weeks, months. On Tuesday morning, which was a bit wet and drizzly, I heard myself say aloud, "It's a beautiful day", which was not true in the traditional sense. But I have friends, family, meaningful work, good health and fulfilling hobbies. And so I will give into the joy and experience every morsel of it, not worrying about what will happen in the future. Life is not perfect, but it doesn't need to be.

What are you thankful for today?

Sugar-frosted Cardamom Braid - Recipe #32

Cardamom is one of my new favorite spices. A little more mysterious than cinnamon or nutmeg. Perfect for sweet or savory. Most mornings, I add a sprinkling of cardamom seeds to my loose Assam tea with a splash of milk for a quick and easy chai substitute. This Sugar-frosted Cardamom Braid (from the December 2004 issue of Cooking Light) was my first time baking with it as the star ingredient, but I knew I was in for a treat, as one of my friends makes this Finnish treat regularly. I was a little skeptical of the label "sugar-frosted", as it is merely a combination of turbinado sugar and an egg white/water wash.

Another recipe that I would both make again and recommend to others, though the dough is sticky enough that your hands end up a big flour-y mess. On the plus side, you get to test your skill with dough braiding. Perfect for a snack, coffee break or breakfast treat.

1 1/3 c. 2% milk
1/2 c. granulated sugar
2 T butter
2 T grated lemon rind
1/2 - 1 t ground cardamom
1/2 t salt
4-4 3/4 c all purpose flour, divided (I think I used a little more and the dough was still sticky)
1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 t)
1 large egg
cooking spray/oil
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
1 T water
1 T turbinado sugar

Combine first 6 ingredients in a heavy saucepan over low heat. Cook 5 minutes or until sugar dissolves and a thermometer reads 115 degrees, stirring frequently. Remove from heat.

Lightly spoon flour into measuring cups, level with a knife. Combine 2 1/2 c. flour and yeast in a large gowl, stirring well with a whisk. Add milk mixture and egg; beat with a heavy-duty stand mixer at low speed 30 seconds or just until blended. Increase mixer to medium speed; beat 2-3 minutes. Gradually add 2 c. flour; beat at low speed until mixture forms a ball.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 8 mint); add enough of remaining flour, 1 T at a time to prevent dough from sticking to hands. Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray (I used a little bit of oil), turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in warm place (85 degrees), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size (Press 2 fingers into dough. If indentation remains, dough has risen enough - I needed a little extra time). Punch dough down; cover and let rest 5 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Divide dough into 3 equal portions, shaping each into a 20-inch rope. Pinch ends together at one end to seal. Braid ropes on a lightly floured surface; pinch loose ends to seal. Place braid on a baking sheet covered with cooking spray (or I just use my Silpat). The braid should be about 15 inches long. Cover and let rise 30 minutes or until doubled in size.

Combine egg white and water; brush over top of loaf. Sprinkle turbinado over loaf. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until golden and loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from oven, cool on a wire rack.

Indian Food Bonanza Continues - Indian Style Rice #31 (plus bonus Dal Recipe)

Two things contributed to my decision to cook Indian Style Rice and Madhur Jaffrey's Lentils with Garlic and Onions for dinner: we still had naan that needed to be used and (more importantly) we had all of the other ingredients on hand. So yummy! Trent noted that while the rice was better than plain rice, it wasn't terribly noticeable as we poured the lentils on top. Regardless, I highly recommend both recipes. I also find that the texture of the rice is amazingly fluffy.

Indian Style Rice

2 c. Basmati rice

8 c. water

2 t. salt

2 cloves

2 cardamom pods

one 2-inch piece of cinnamon

3 T. vegetable oil

1/2 t. dark mustard seeds (I used yellow mustard seeds)

1/2 t. cumin seeds

1/4 t. chile flakes

1 medium onion, chopped

3 chopped garlic cloves

1/4 t. turmeric

Rinse rice in a sieve with cool water until the water runs clear. Soak in cool water for 30 minutes. Drain.

Bring 8 c. water and the salt to boil in a large pot. Add rice and stir. Add cloves, cardamom and cinnamon (if you don't have a stick of cinnamon or cardamom pods, you can add a dash of either with the cumin later on) and simmer for 10 minutes. Test to see if rice is done. When finished, drain into a colander and rinse with cold water to stop it from cooking. Remove spices and discard.

In a large pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the mustard and cumin seeds and the chile flakes. Cook until the mustard seeds start popping, then add onion. Saute until onion begins to brown (5-7ish minutes).

Add garlic and saute another 2-3 minutes. Add rice and mix well. Sprinkle turmeric over the rice and mix well. Cook for another 3-4 minutes, stirring often.

Serves 4-6 (Trent said to me, "That's a lot of rice!")

Lentils with Garlic and Onion

4 T. vegetable oil (I never use quite that much)

1/2 t. whole cumin seeds

4 gloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped

1 med. onion, chopped

1 c. lentils, washed and drained

3 c. water

1 t. salt

1/8-1/4 t. cayenne pepper

Heat oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. When hot, put in cumin seeds. A few seconds later put in garlic. Stir and fry until they turn a medium brown color. Add onion. Stir until onion pieces begin to turn brown around the edges. Put the lentils and the water in. Bring to a boil. Cover, turn heat to low and simmer for about an hour or until lentils are tender (I usually use red lentils, which only take 15 minutes, though you can simmer for longer if you really want to). Add salt and cayenne. Stir and simmer gently for another 5 minutes.

Notice that with all the garlic involved, we have nothing to fear from vampires!

Meatless Monday - Panang Curry - Recipe #30

I discovered the Healthy Librarian a few years back. While she is now much more prolific on Facebook than her blog, there is still a wealth of yummy vegan recipes to be found there. She is avoids oil and fat as much as possible and often lightens recipes. I sometimes heavy them up again, depending on what ingredients I have on hand. This time I made a hybrid of Panang Curry from the source recipe and The Healthy Librarian's Enlightened Panang Curry - but you can do whatever works for you. With kale and sweet potatoes, this curry has me swooning. It says that it serves 4, but I think that is with extremely generous portions.

1 1/2 T. vegetable oil
1/2 c. finely chopped shallots
1 T grated fresh ginger
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 c. peanut butter (I prefer creamy, but use your own favorite)
2 t. turmeric
1 t. ground cumin
1 t. Thai red curry paste
1 1/2 c. water
1 (14-oz) can coconut milk (I often use lite coconut milk supplemented by almond milk instead of the coconut milk/water mixture)
1 1/2 T. lime zest
2 T. brown sugar or maple syrup
2 t. sea salt
1 (14-oz) package extra firm tofu, drained and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 bunch kale, cut or torn into bite size pieces
1 T. fresh lime juice
1/4 c. roasted cashews (roast in 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes)
1 1/2 c. frozen peas

Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add shallots, ginger, and garlic and let cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in peanut butter, turmeric, cumin, and curry paste and let cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Whisk in water (or your favorite non-dairy milk), coconut milk, lime zest, brown sugar, and salt until combined. Add tofu, sweet potato and kale, and bring to a boil. Let simmer, covered, for 30 minuets, or until sweet potatoes are fork tender. Add in peas & cook for about 2 minutes more or until peas are hot. Stir in lime juice and adjust seasoning to taste. Garnish with cashews and serve over rice, quinoa or couscous.

What is your favorite curry recipe?

The Comfort of Routine

On Friday night, I got home and discovered that our house had been broken into. Not much was taken - some cash and (possibly) Trent's passport, checkbook and some expired codeine. Oh yeah, and my sense of security. I hate the idea of someone marching through my bedroom, rifling through my assorted papers and peering into desk drawers and decorative boxes, tracking in leaves and needles from our backyard. Whoever it was did lock the door behind them, which caused a bit of puzzlement.

I was a bit shaken up, butterflies in my stomach and mind racing. My good friend who I'd originally planned to go out to dinner with came over to keep me company while waiting for Trent and the police officer to arrive. As I was showing her the "evidence", I was a bit embarrassed and shamed by how much of the messiness was due to our own end of the week clutter that I didn't want to clean up until the police report in case I destroyed some important clue.

But Saturday was a brand new day. I woke up, ate my oatmeal with chia seeds, almonds, dried cranberries, cinnamon and nutmeg. I sat in the glow of my magic light box. I wrote my morning pages, checked my email, posted a blog entry and decided to go on a trail run that I'd registered for, but that I'd almost talked myself out of due to the necessity of guarding and securing the house. Gradually, my mind calmed, both from the distraction and the reminder that life goes on.

When I returned home, I stopped by our local bakery and coffee shop for lunch and coffee to go, where my favorite barista listened sympathetically and gave us a free coffee.

And then I cleaned and tidied and made our place our own again - folding laundry, changing the sheets, recycling papers, sweeping and cleaning the bathroom. Not fun per se, but enormously calming and satisfying. At the same time, Trent was closing up the broken cat door and securing the side door to prevent someone from getting in a second time (and he also recycled tons of papers).

At 4 p.m. I shifted gears and went back to the recipe challenge making Sugar-frosted Cardamom Braid and Indian-style rice to go with dal from one of Madhur Jaffrey's cookbooks and some nan acquired from the free table at work. But those are topics for another blog post. The kneading, chopping and stirring was so comforting and meditative that I'm almost back to normal self (though I am thinking that maybe we should consider getting a dog as a deterrent to further break-ins).

What routines center you?

Quick and Easy Pumpkin Bread - Recipe #29

As an aspiring minimalist, I prefer experience gifts or consumables to most other types of objects (with some noted exceptions). One year for Christmas, I asked members of my family and Trent's family to give me some of their favorite family recipes. Trent's mom and I looked through her recipe box for those that looked most delectable to me and then she printed them out on recipe cards with cute food-themed stickers. Quick & Easy Pumpkin Bread is one of those recipes. I pulled it out recently to go with the pumpkin craze of the season. Initially I poured the batter into two small loaf pans, but they didn't look full enough, so I switched to one big one that was overly full. I'm not sure how long I actually baked it - more like an hour than the 15-20 minutes that the muffin option would have been. We ate slices of pumpkin bread for tea time and breakfast for several days. I don't normally use mixes anymore, but in this delicious case, I made an exception.

1 pkg. spice cake mix
3 lg. eggs
1/3 cup water
1 can pumpkin, 15 oz.
1/3 cup oil
1 cup chopped nuts (optional - I used walnuts, my go-to baking nut)

Blend all ingredients until moistened, then beat for 2 min. at medium speed. Add chopped nuts if desired.

Fill greased loaf pans or muffin tins 3/4 full. Bake at 350 degrees until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 15-20 min. for muffins, longer for loaf pans.

What is your favorite quick bread recipe?

Chicken Biryani - Recipe #28

Last year I worked a temporary job as managing librarian of a small branch. At the time, we were in the midst of shifting our staffing model, so I ended up filling a lot of the scheduling holes by putting myself in for two-three evenings a week. I prefer to eat dinner with Trent (and he was usually able to tide over his hunger until I got home), but we relied on a lot of Trader Joe's Indian Food for those few months. Twenty minutes from start to finish for the rice, ten minutes for pakora burgers, five for naan and 1.5 minutes for our box of choice (usually Madras Lentils or Jaipur Vegetables).

Those days are over, but Indian food is still one of my favorite cuisines. Now I've got a little more time to spend chopping and simmering, but I had still never made Chicken Biryani, a recipe I clipped from the March 2004 issue of Cooking Light.

I highly recommend this recipe. So far, it is one of our favorites and the fragrance of the saffron, cinnamon, cardamom, curry and ginger is divine.

3 cups water
2 t. salt, divided
1/4 t. saffron threads, crushed
1 1/2 c. uncooked basmati rice
1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 t. vegetable oil
1 c. chopped onion
2 t. curry powder
1 t. minced peeled fresh ginger
1/2 t. ground cardamom
1/8 t. ground red pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 serrano chiles seeded and minced (these are the rogue chiles from our earlier grocery trip)
1 c. plain whole-milk yogurt (supposedly low-fat yogurt will curdle)
1/2 c. golden raisins (Trent is a raisin-hater, so I omitted these)
1/2 c. chopped dry-roasted cashews
1/4 c. fresh cilantro

Bring water, 1 t. salt, and saffron to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add rice and cinnamon stick to pan. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Discard cinnamon stick.

Sprinkle chicken with 1/2 t. salt. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, saute 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove chicken from pan, cover and keep warm. Add onion and 1/2 t. salt to pan.

Cover, reduce heat to low and cook 10 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Add curry and the next 5 ingredients. Cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add yogurt, stirring with a whisk. Cook 3 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Add chicken and raisins (if using). Cook 4 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Add rice. Stir well to combine. Sprinkle with cashews and cilantro.

Serves 6.

Thursday Thought

"Maybe the desire to make something beautiful is the piece of God that is inside each of us."

Mary Oliver - "Franz Marc's Blue Horses" in Blue Horses*

I don't know how I decided to place Mary Oliver's latest poetry collection on hold - probably from the Publisher's Weekly review - but I'm so glad I did. I love the way so many of her poems connect to the natural world, mortality or art.

*If you click through the link, you can listen to the poet reading her work.

Embracing My Irish Heritage - Cabbage-and-Yukon Gold Potato Casserole - Recipe #27

Oh humble peasant food, how do I love thee? I adore potatoes in all their many forms - mashed, roasted, fried, baked (though that is probably my potato of last resort these days) and of course, gratins and casseroles. Add a little cabbage, and you've got a perfect autumn dish.

I'd been eyeing Cabbage-and-Yukon Gold Potato Casserole for a while - long enough to ensure that I'd have potatoes, garlic and cabbage on hand from my CSA and eggs from one of my coworker's chickens. On the way home from the QFC with the cheeses and milk, I stopped by my neighborhood Pea Patch, where one of my church friends told me I was welcome to pick her sage whenever needed.

This does take some time to prepare and bake, so it is not ideal for a weeknight. We had it as a main course, but I think it would pair nicely with a meat dish and salad. We have plenty leftover, so I predict that it will make a reappearance in my lunch.

Cabbage-and-Yukon Gold Potato Casserole (from Jan. 2000 Cooking Light)

3 c. sliced peeled Yukon Gold or baking potato (about 1 lb.)

8 c. (1-inch-thick) sliced green cabbage (about 1.5 lbs.)

1 T. butter

2 T. chopped fresh or 2 t. dried rubbed sage

1 garlic clove, chopped

1 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper

1/3 c. all-purpose flour

1 1/3 c. 1% milk (I used 2%)

1/2 c. shredded mozzarella

1/4 c. grated fresh Parmesan cheese

2 large eggs

1 large egg white (I skipped this and just used two smaller and one larger egg)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place potato in large Dutch oven and cover with water. Bring potato to a boil and cook for 6 minutes or until tender. Remove potato with a slotted spoon reserving cooking liquid in pan. Set aside potato in large bowl. Add cabbage to the cooking liquid and cook for 5 minutes. Add the cabbage to potato.

Melt butter in small skillet over medium heat. Add sage and garlic. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir the chopped sage mixture, salt and pepper into potato mixture. Spoon potato mixture into a 2 1/2 quart casserole dish greased or coated with cooking spray.

Combine flour, milk, and remaining ingredients and stir with a whisk. Pour milk mixture over potato mixture. Do not stir. Bake at 350 for 50 minutes or until casserole is lightly browned. Makes 6 servings.

Biscotti Bliss - Recipe #26

Immediately adjacent on the page to Snickerdoodle Biscotti, lies Cranberry-Chocolate Chip Biscotti, another new-to-me recipe. I gave Trent the choice of Pumpkin Cake, Beet Cake, brownies or biscotti. I breathed a sigh of relief when he chose the biscotti, since it required little effort. The recipe is similar to Snickerdoodle Biscotti, but the dough seemed a little more crumbly to me somehow. Maybe the extra ingredients sopped some of the moisture away from the flour.

I preferred this to the Snickerdoodle Biscotti - much as I love cinnamon, I am Team Chocolate all the way. As a bonus, I was able to finish up my bag of chocolate chips, as well as the last teaspoon of some almond extract purchased many years ago. I've been nibbling away at these at my desk at work along with my tea.

Cranberry-Chocolate Chip Biscotti

2 3/4 c. all-purpose flour

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. dried cranberries

1/3 c. semisweet chocolate chips

2 t. baking powder

1/8 t. salt

1 T. vegetable oil

1 t. almond extract

1 t. vanilla extract

3 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour (I'm assuming most people know how to measure out flour by spooning into measuring cups and leveling with a knife) and next 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Add to flour mixture, stirring until well-blended (dough will still be dry and crumbly). Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly 7-8 times. Divide in half. Shape each portion into an 8-inch-long roll. Place rolls 6 inches apart on a baking sheet covered with a Silpat or cooking spray. Flatten each roll to 1-inch thickness.

Bake for 35 minutes. Remove rolls from baking sheet. Cool 10 minutes on a wire rack. Cut each roll diagonally into 1/2-inch slices. Place the slices, cut sides down, on baking sheet. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees and bake for 10 minutes. Turn cookies over, bake an additional 10 minutes. Cookies will be slightly soft in the middle but will harden as they cool. If you like things extra crispy, you can bake them a little longer.

Making Do - Recipe #25

Last week's weather made us hungry for sailing. It is rare in Seattle to have both sun and wind and earlier in the week the forecast looked good, so we reserved Saturday for Rock Lobster. It did not look promising when at 10 a.m. the wind at West Point was 4 knots, gusting to 5, but by 11 a.m. it was a healthy 9 knots. We bundled up - me in my warmest sailing gear, which actually consists of clothing from other sports, snowboarding pants and warm bicycle jersey with long underwear beneath, two jackets, a scarf, winter hat and sailing gloves with actual fingers on them.

We chose Kingston as our destination, eagerly anticipating lunch at Axe Handle Cafe. We set off from Shilshole at high tide and admired the brightly-colored spinnakers from the boats participating in the Snowbird race series. A day that lovely screamed for a fleet of boats on the water. I called a friendly hello to a gull in the water, who screeched back at me. We raced another boat, Pendragon (two sailboats in the water is always a race), though they got further and further behind. We sipped Digest tea from the Harbor Herbalist from my battered steel grey thermos (more for the flavor than for any digestive properties). After about 2.5 hours of tacking, we made it to the marina at 3 p.m., where the dock had a thin layer of frost as we stepped down to moor Rock Lobster. The ferry Spokane from Edmonds had just arrived, so we were glad not to be dining at J'aime les Crepes (most of their seating is outdoors and a cold-fingered Kristin is not a happy one). Soup and sandwich combos were just what the doctor ordered. Just one round of Boggle this time, as it was getting close to sunset.

The dock was lit up by bright Seahawks-colored lights, as we hurried to leave. We noticed Pendragon at the dock - we really had been headed to the same destination, never a certainty in a pretend race. The return trip was downwind, just the way I like it, wind at our backs instead of our faces. A seal poked its head out of the Sound to bid us farewell, as we sailed off into the red sunset of night, truly a sailor's delight. The red and green lights of our bow reflected off the circus spinnaker, lending an eerie glow to the evening.The stars shone brightly as we gazed up to the windlass, monitoring the curl of the sail. The fickle wind picked up, then rested as the sail fought Trent for control. After about 1.5 hours, we were back at Shilshole, fingers numb, barely able to fasten the halyard shackle to the boom and tie the fenders to the deck, though somehow we ended up with our best docking experience in recent memory.

After such a momentous day, I initially suggested heating up a Costco frozen lasagna for dinner, but decided that something homemade would be more gemütlich, so Trent accompanied me to QFC to pick up dinner supplies. I had a list at home, but was certain I could remember everything for two meals - Chicken Biryani and Chorizo Mac and Cheese - without too much difficulty. Chorizo, skinless/boneless chicken thighs, Monterey Jack cheese, and two serrano peppers.

We arrived home, only to find that the serranos had been left behind. Sigh. I wonder how many times a store can sell the same jalapeno or ginger or garlic that is left in a basket or on the counter. We decided that for 4 cents we could wait until the next day to worry about getting more, since we were both tired out from the journey. So Chorizo Mac and Cheese it would be. Of course, as I looked more carefully at the recipe, I realized that I had just used up nearly all of the milk it called for and that it actually called for pepper jack cheese instead of the normal variety. Ah well, the cheese would have to do, as would the cream that I substituted for the milk, making for a thick and rich, but definitely not heart-healthy, sauce. It was a cozy, comfortable end to a chilly and exhilarating day.

How did you spend your weekend?

Meatless Monday Idea - Recipe #24

While I don't participate in any organized effort to eat vegetarian meals on a particular day of the week, one of my goals for the year was to eat at least half of my dinners as vegetarian/pescatarian, which is not terribly difficult to do. It also ends up being much better for leftovers, as meat seems to go bad much faster than veggies do.  But I digress.

On Thursday night, I cooked my twenty-fourth recipe of the challenge: Chickpea and Turnip Stew with Ethiopian Spices. This is amazingly flavorful and delicious - another keeper for a chilly night. Surprisingly, I had all of the spices necessary for the berbere mixture on hand, though I had to use my coffee grinder for the cloves and allspice. If you decide to make this recipe, be careful with the turmeric, as I found myself scrubbing yellow-orange fingerprints from the microwave buttons and countertops.

I don't frequently eat turnips, but the spicy flavor really makes the dish, though you can substitute potatoes if you prefer. I served this with quinoa and naan, because I think everything goes better with naan, though injera would be the more traditional option.

To truly get into the spirit, start with a coffee ceremony with friends and finish the evening dancing a traditional shoulder dance, the way I did the next night at the Neighborhood House fundraiser.

Snickerdoodle Biscotti - Recipe #23

Tuesday was Veteran's Day, a government holiday, which means that all of my friends in library land had the day off while most of the others were not as lucky. Trent thought that he probably did not have to go to work, but he wasn't completely sure.

I awoke at 4:15 (I think my internal clock was still on Daylight Saving Time), ate a guacamole and hummus breakfast sandwich and read a little before going back to bed at 5 to nap a bit before my running date. Brr, Green Lake was cold! After returning home, I decided that the best way to warm up myself and the house would be to bake Snickerdoodle Biscotti, a new-to-me recipe from the November 2000 issue of Cooking Light. The only fat comes from 1 T of oil and 3 eggs. This is a relatively easy recipe to make - though I ended up with far fewer than 30 biscotti.

Trent woke up during the last 20 or 15 minutes of baking time. I made breakfast for him (I really enjoy making breakfast for friends and family, so you have an open invitation to come visit, as long as you give reasonable advance notice). As he ate, he learned that indeed, he did have to go to work - but not without taking a few of these crispy treats with him.

I packed up a few to bring to the old neighborhood, where I visited with my forever-friend Aubrey and her new son. After lunch, we returned to her house for a tea/coffee and biscotti break, where they were pronounced delicious. This was a great alternative to going out to another business after the little one proclaimed it time to go home.

I brought a couple of others to my parents, who live across the street. We had a nice visit, and though I had another cup of tea, this time I left both cookies for them.

Cheesy Appetizer Crackers and Pasties (Recipes 21-22)

Book Club food was a hit. I cooked both a Recipe Challenge Recipe, Cheesy Appetizer Crackers, and a non-challenge recipe detour Vegan Baked Penne with Pumpkin Cream Sauce. Yes, I do recognize the oddity in serving a vegan recipe with one that is almost entirely based on change, but I contain multitudes! The verdict on the four-ingredient crackers: "it's just like sugar cookies, but with cheddar in place of the cheese". This was one that I'd never baked before, but picked up a copy of the recipe from the staff room table after a Staff Association event. The savory penne was a surprise to most of the guests and my husband, who originally said this would be the perfect recipe to make when he was not around.

Monday's dinner was pasties, an old-family recipe (from four generations total if you include this one!) that I received from Kim and Phil (good friends that I met in the dorms). Kim gave it to me at my bridal shower and then cryptically told me weeks later, "I think I gave you the wrong recipe". For whatever reason, I'd been content to just eat them whenever Phil baked them, but I'm so glad I finally got the corrected version (made with a combination lard/butter crust instead of the original two cubes of margarine). This may be my favorite recipe so far! One warning: do not look at your potatoes, decide that they are too small and use four instead of one. I ended up with so much filling that I made Shepherd's Pie the next day, which is certainly not the worst problem to have. Amount-wise, you'd probably also be better off with 4 oz. of mushrooms instead of 8, but mushrooms are awfully yummy.

Pasties

Cut together with pastry cutter or food processor until coarse like
cornmeal (or even coarser):

• 2 cups flour (heaping)
• 1/2 cup lard, 1/2 cup butter (I used a mixture of shortening and butter)

Stir in till forms into ball:

• 1/2 cup very cold water (if too sticky, add more flour)

Place ball in refrigerator to chill.

Pasty Filling:
Trim excess fat from and chop into 1/2 inch cubes:

• 1/2 lb. beef steak
• 1/2 lb. pork

Peel, chop & mix well with meat

• 1 carrot 
• 1 onion
• 1 potato 
• 1 small rutabaga
• 4-8 oz. sliced mushrooms

Stir into mixture:

• 1 tsp. salt 
• 1/2 tsp. pepper

Remove dough from fridge & cut into 8 parts. Roll out into circles and place 1/2 cup mixture onto dough. Fold dough & seal. Trim pasties. Place on lightly greased baking sheet. Bake 30-45 minutes at 400 degrees. 

Thursday Thought

"Anyone who isn't embarrassed of who they were last year probably isn't learning enough."

Alain de Botton, quoted in Austin Kleon's Show Your Work

Growing up, like most children, I was certain that when you reached a certain age, you would know everything there was to know. At the time, that was a comforting thought. Now it seems stifling. I'm so grateful to try new things - sometimes succeeding, sometimes failing. A year ago, I would never have guessed that I would have reinstated my blog and written sixty-ish postings.

What have you worked at learning this year?

Saturday Snack & Supper (Recipe 19 & 20)

I have two delicious recipes to share from yesterday - Chocolate Cherry Stout Bread and Tandoori Oysters - though I suggest that you don't eat them at the same meal.

I've made the Chocolate Cherry Stout Bread a number of times and I never tire of the plump dried cherries and ooey-gooey chocolate contained within. This is not a recipe for those who crave instant gratification, as it calls for an 8 hour waiting period from the time the beer, flour and yeast meet, until they marry the other ingredients. I thought that Pumpkin Beer would make a good seasonal alternative, but I went to the beer aisle in my local grocery store the day after Halloween, and pumpkin choices were few and far between, so I substituted a Rogue Chocolate Stout for the Guinness. I also used turbinado sugar rather than pearl sugar to sprinkle on top. If you make this recipe, I suggest eating it fresh from the oven or toasting in the toaster oven for maximum yummy-ness.

On a completely different note, I also tried out a new dinner recipe Tandoori Oysters with shucked oysters from Hama Hama, one of the University District Farmer's Market vendors. I have never mastered the art of shucking oysters, perhaps because it is so much easier (for me) to convince Trent to do it. But even though I made a half recipe, I did not think that he would enjoy shucking 12 oysters, even on a clear fall day. I did substitute regular yogurt (from my CSA) for the non-fat, as I had it on hand. Served with red wine, naan from Trader Joe's (sadly, they were out of the frozen, which has a better texture than their fresh), pakora burgers (aka Trader Joe's Masala burgers) with chutney and basmati rice. When pressed, Trent said that it might have been the favorite of the eight loose recipes prepared last week - though it was a tough call.

Today, I host book club, so I have a new batch of captive eaters to feed!

Old School Stroganoff

At my bridal shower, one of my favorite gifts was a recipe box, filled with recipes from friends and family. I have not been particularly good about actually making the recipes since then, but that's what the loose recipe challenge is all about.

This Beef Stroganoff recipe brings me back in time - when casseroles were concocted with a cream of mushroom (or chicken) base, ingredients that I probably haven't purchased in over a decade. But the recipe challenge demanded it, so off I went to PCC on the way home from a morning run. You cannot buy Campbell's red can cream of mushroom soup there, so I purchased some organic Pacific-brand instead (which felt a little out of keeping with the frugality of the original recipe).

This recipe came from Nancy (the mom in my macaroni story) and is great for an evening when you want to get dinner on the table in a flash:

• Cook thin strips of beef in a little oil.
• Add 1 pkg. dry onion soup mix (amazingly, we had some in our cabinet from something Trent or I made 7 or so years ago - I was super excited to find a use for this, since I don't think it will ever go bad)
• One can cream of mushroom soup
• One can of water, a little red wine and Worcestershire sauce
• Simmer while you cook the noodles (wide egg - I had rotelli on hand from the pasta twists with beer cheese sauce, so used that instead)
• At the last minute add 1 tub sour cream (another ingredient that was in the fridge, though I don't typically stock it) and drain noodles.

You will notice that there are no actual vegetables in the recipe, but I seem to have a requirement that each dinner recipe must contain at least 1/2 an onion, so I sauteed thinly sliced onion with the meat. If I had mushrooms, I would have added some of them as well.

What is your old school casserole of choice?

Thursday Thought

"Everything has boundaries. The same holds true with thought. You shouldn't fear boundaries, but you also should not be afraid of destroying them. That's what is most important if you want to be free; respect for and exasperation with boundaries."

Haruki Murakami, Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage

I've been a fan of Murakami since I first read The Wind-up Bird Chronicle. I don't know if I've enjoyed any of his others quite as much. Yesterday, I finished reading his latest, the tale of Tsukuru Tazaki who tracks down four formerly close high school friends twenty years after they asked him to cease contacting them. His sense of loss and subsequent stunting of his emotional development felt real and I enjoyed following his journey.

The above quote struck me. I am a person who appreciates boundaries. I like making rules for myself (as you may have noticed with the recipe challenge), but I also have an enormous respect for friends and family who have trampled some of society's boundaries, especially in regards to money and possessions.