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.

Fall Comfort Food

With the cool, wet weather, I've been hunkering down and focusing on my loose recipes that feel the coziest, as well as ones that use ingredients that I've already got in the house, though I have had to make a few grocery store trips for supplemental ingredients.

Since Sunday's post, I've prepared three recipes and an additional one is in the oven as I type. None of them are completely new, but hey, it is in the middle of the week. New recipes are better saved for weekends.

Monday's dinner was speedy and delicious, though not particularly healthy:

Linguine with Smoked Salmon in Cream Sauce 

(another recipe from Better Homes & Gardens Pasta Cookbook)

• 8 oz. dried linguine, fettuccine or spaghetti (this would have been the perfect time to use the second half of my lemon pepper pasta if it had not gone fuzzy around the edges - fortunately, I had dried pasta in the cupboard)
• 6 oz. sliced smoked or fresh salmon (I've made it with both, but this time used smoked, as it is much faster)
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced (1/4 c.)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 T butter
• 1 c. whipping cream
• 1 T fresh dill or 1 t dried dill
• 1 t finely shredded lemon peel
• 1/4 t pepper
• 2 T grated Parmesan
• Fresh dill springs (opt.)

Cook pasta. Drain; keep warm. Meanwhile, cut salmon into thin strips; set aside.

For sauce, in large skillet cook green onion & garlic in butter till tender. Add salmon & cook for 1 minute. Stir in whipping cream, dill, lemon peel and pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cook at gentle boil about 5 min. or until thickened slightly. Remove from heat.  Add cheese. Toss pasta and sauce.

Yes, it is decadent, but the lemon peel helps cut some of the richness. The recipe says it serves 4, but we often just have dinner and leftovers for one person's lunch.

Dinner was so simple, I had plenty of energy to bake dessert - a chocolate cookie recipe that I copied down from some former coworkers at the Wallingford Library. With such a short commute, I used to bring baked goods to work a couple of times a month. Now - not so much.

• 2 1/4 c. flour
• 2/3 c. unsweetened cocoa (I used Dutch-processed cocoa, which let me omit the baking soda)
• 1 t baking soda 
• 1/4 t salt
• 1 c. butter, softened
• 3/4 c. granulated sugar
• 2/3 c. firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 t. vanilla
• 2 eggs

One coworker added 1 c. of dark chocolate chips and 1 c. of toffee bits, while another added "tons" of white chocolate chips and "tons" of toffee bits. I chose 1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1 c. toffee bits this time, but I've made it both other ways and they are always delicious.

Combine first 4 ingredients in a bowl. Beat butter and next 3 ingredients in medium speed until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Gradually add flour mixture, beating at low speed until blended. You can change to using a strong wooden spoon at this point. Stir in chocolate chips and toffee. Do a better job of blending than I did, as my first cookies were heavy on chocolate and toffee, while my last cookies had virtually none.

Drop dough by heaping tablespoons onto parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until puffy. Cool on baking sheet 2 minutes, then remove to wire racks to finish cooling.

Cooks way too many cookies for two people, so I brought some to work for the first time in ages.

Last night we ate Spicy African Peanut Stew, originally printed from the Peas and Thank You website that has since been shut down. I chose not to make it in the slow cooker this time around, which actually made it more delicious, as the peanut butter spread more evenly throughout the stew. I also added both 1/2 c. of red lentils and 1/2 c. of quinoa, instead of one or the other. I only had about 1 1/4 c. of broth, so I added soy milk until I had 2 c. liquid. And I totally skipped the stevia - that's one ingredient that kind of freaks me out, plus the sweet potato is sweet enough to forego any extra sweetener. So hearty and satisfying both last night and for this afternoon's lunch.

Tonight we dine on Beet & Beet Green Gratin. I roasted the beets last night to make it a little faster from start to table. We've had this a few times, but not for a couple of years. I like the fact that it uses both beets and beet greens, as I'm forever composting slimy beet greens. I have the best of intentions, but never actually use them for anything.

What comfort food recipes have you been preparing?

Recipes 10-13

I have to credit the Loose-recipe Challenge for getting me out of a cooking rut. When I get home from work, I neither the time or the inclination to go to the grocery store, but the Challenge is getting me to shop ahead, meaning more variety throughout the week.

Trent's been working late a lot this week, eating dinner at work, so it was the perfect time to make Kale Pasta aka Linguine with Pancetta & Swiss Chard. This is one of the recipes that is in regular rotation - maybe a little too regular for the husband, who prefers saucy pasta. Neither of us is particularly fond of swiss chard, so I've only made this with kale, usually my favorite variety, Red Russian, though this time I used lacinto.  While I usually use bacon from Skagit River Ranch, this time I had some prosciutto and a fancy salami left over from a homemade pizza kick. This time I used half a container of fresh lemon pepper fettuccine from La Pasta. With just one person eating, there was plenty left over for lunch the next day.

I've started ordering for my CSA box based on the Recipe Challenge also. This Thursday, I received leeks and potatoes, so that I could fulfill my cravings for coziness on cold days through Potato Leek Soup. I use vegetable broth instead of chicken, homemade from veggie ends both for frugality and to assuage some of my environmental guilt. This time, I had an extra parmesan rind, so I tossed it in as well - my love of cheese and butter make it unlikely that I will ever be a vegan. I served the soup as the precursor to garlic cheese focaccia - timing was tricky that night and the soup takes about 35-40 minutes while the bread takes two hours. Fortunately, Trent was able to join me this time, though he was so tuckered out after the long week that he fell asleep before the focaccia was done, so he missed me leaning over the oven like the witch in Hansel and Gretel as the warmth filled the chilly kitchen. He did, however, hear me cackle as the dough was rising, that I wished that I could crawl into the 85 degree oven to take a nap.

On Saturday it was time to try a loose recipe that I'd printed out three years ago, but never cooked - Spicy Garlic Cashew Chicken, also from Simply Recipes, a blog that I discovered when I was doing 20 for 2.0 at work back in 2007. My boss at the time advised me to add it to my RSS feed. I took her advice and never looked back. This calls for either grilling or broiling the chicken thighs, so I was tempted to wait until the return of grilling season. It looked so yummy though that I could not resist and other than the incessant shriek of the smoke detector, which regularly goes off when I use the broiler, I was glad I did. We both agreed that it's a keeper. My new rule for the Challenge is that I need to make at least one new recipe per week, until they run out, as this past week many were repeats.

We braved the rain today to sail to Bainbridge Island, where now that summer is officially over, the lunch hours at Bainbridge Bakers have reverted to the 2 p.m. kitchen closing. Though the wind was in our favor and we fairly flew across the Sound without needing to tack once, we were discouraged to arrive at 2:15. Happily, this time around the server offered to serve us chowder if we didn't mind a paper cup instead of real dinnerware. He even scouted around the kitchen for extra sourdough bread for us to sop the soup with. My idea of heaven, especially when you add in the mocha and shared "doughnut muffin". I felt like one of the cool kids blogging on my laptop (first time with it away from home), after we finished our quota of two Bananagrams games.

We had another quick crossing on the way back, but the late lunch made me a little less ambitious for tonight's dinner: Lemony Mushroom Risotto. In Ruth Reichl's debut novel Delicious, there's a character who calls the magazine's restaurant hotline to complain about the way the recipes turn out, as there's a money back guarantee. But she never makes the recipe as written, making numerous substitutions. I've made this recipe enough that I never make it quite as written either. This time around, I used shitake mushrooms instead of the called-for combination of dried and fresh mushrooms (though my homemade veggie broth did have stems from white mushrooms) and I added in the broth a cup at a time, which allowed me to disappear from the kitchen long enough to change out of my sailing clothes, rather than babysitting it for 18 minutes of continuous stirring. We sipped a glass of Beaujolais as we dined while listening to the movie soundtrack for the Meg Ryan/Kevin Kline flick French Kiss.

Thirteen recipes down - I'm about a tenth of the way there. I'm enjoying reading the comments about which recipes you're planning to make.

Macaroni Memories - the challenge continues

Before I started kindergarten, I ate macaroni and cheese every single day - sometimes twice a day. Okay, looking over that sentence it can't possibly be true, but it certainly feels true.

With two children under six at home and a new mortgage to pay off, Mom's cooking was often fast and always frugal. I can recall us breaking the mold a few times with a fried egg sandwich or creamed tuna, but we always went back to our standard, often accompanied by steamed broccoli.

Now when I talk to people about macaroni and cheese, which does happen upon occasion, most of them have one of two versions in their heads - a fancy baked macaroni with bechemel sauce or boxed macaroni (Kraft if they were lucky or one of a number of cheaper store-brand cousins or the ugly stepsister generic in its white box with stark lettering). Our macaroni was neither of these. Our macaroni and cheese was the recipe taken to the most basic elements of macaroni and medium cheddar cheese - at least at lunchtime. Dinner might mean macaroni and cheese with hamburger (just add ground beef!) or if Papa was cooking, he might add sauteed onions, extra cheese powder (which used to be sold near the green canister parmesan cheese, though I don't think they sell it anymore) and maybe ham or sausage. And oh, the noodles! While we did sometimes have the standard elbow noodles, we might also experiment with rotelli, seashells and wagon wheels - the most fun of all.

Aubrey and Ashley, our next-door neighbors (and lifelong friends) ate macaroni and cheese from a box - occasionally even the iconic blue box with yellow-orange lettering). Oh how I coveted their bright orange noodles. I always hoped to be invited over to share in the boxed glory. They, in turn, schemed to dine on "homemade" macaroni with us.

One of our first attempts at independent cooking involved macaroni and cheese next door. Picture three little girls (I think Ashley was still too young to participate), ranging in age from 5 to 7. As the oldest, I have witnessed the process more often than the others and consider myself something of an expert. Our moms chat in the living room. The timer goes off and I announce that the noodles are done, so it is time to put the cheese in. Erin, my sister, is inwardly convinced that we've skipped a step, but either doesn't speak up or I ignore her completely (what do younger sisters know?). The cheese goes into the macaroni and piping hot water. At this point in our lives, neither family can afford to waste food, so Nancy (the mom next door and my second mom), with her can-do spirit adds some broccoli and calls it cheese soup.  I'm still not sure why we didn't at least drain it after the fact, as cheese and water do not a rich, cheesy sauce make.

I've made macaroni and cheese many times since then - I'm the only one of my siblings that still does - and I've never again forgotten to drain the water. Usually, I try some sort of variation - using fancy cheeses, adding Albacore or canned salmon, carrots or peas, sauteed onions and breadcrumbs. Recipe # 9, Pasta Twists with Beer-Cheese Sauce hearkens back to my childhood, but with a little extra zing. While I hadn't made it recently, it is one that I've made often enough to know which additions and substitutions work for us. Below is the modified version for your dining pleasure. The original also cups for 1 zucchini, but Trent is not a fan and I also prefer the savory addition of onions. Note that you will likely be required to drink beer as the accompanying beverage, as the recipe uses just 1/4 cup. This comes from the Better Homes and Gardens Pasta Cookbook - probably the second cookbook I ever purchased. The book and I have since parted ways, but not without me copying down a few recipes first.

No pictures this time around. While I was certain the camera would realize that the battery was freshly charged and work again, alas it did not. And of course the Chromebook takes better shots of cook posed with finished product than cook in the midst of chopping, stirring and draining. Any suggestions for a replacement camera?

Pasta Twists with Beer-Cheese Sauce

serves 4

• 8 oz. corkscrew macaroni
• 2 medium carrots, bias-sliced (1 c.)
• 1 c. fresh whole mushrooms, quartered (white or brown is fine)
• 1/2 an onion, thinly sliced
• 1-2 links of your favorite sausage, sliced (this is added from the original recipe - I usually use Andouille or kielbasa, so if yours is not precooked, you'll want to change the timing a bit)
• 2 T. butter
• 2 T. all-purpose flour
• 1 c. milk (I use whichever kind I have on hand and don't worry about fat content)
• 1/4 cup beer
• 3/4 c. extra sharp cheddar cheese

Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain; keep warm.

In large skillet, cook vegetables in butter until almost tender and add sausage. Cook until sausage is heated. Stir in flour. Add milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir one minute more. Add beer and heat through. Remove from heat. Gradually add cheese, stirring until just melted. If desired, add salt and pepper.