Orzo Salad - Recipe #66

After so much meat, it's time to take a break! With the unseasonably warm whether we've been having, I decided to pretend it's spring or summer and make salmon burgers and orzo salad. Orzo salad is one of my go-to recipes for picnics and barbecues as most pasta salads are too heavy with mayonnaise for my liking. This particular recipe comes from the July 2002 issue of Cooking Light. We had just enough this last time around to take it to work with sandwiches the next day.

Orzo Salad

• 3 c. hot cooked orzo (1 1/2 c. uncooked)
• 1 c. frozen peas
• 3/4 c. feta
• 1/4 c. parsley
• 3 T. balsamic vinegar
• 2 T. extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1/4 t. pepper
• 1 garlic clove

Combine in large bowl. Toss well to coat. Cover & chill one hour.

Can be served chilled or at room temperature.

Honsi-jou or Mu-ji Pork - Recipe #65

Wow! This recipe is both delicious and fun to make. Though it's a little complex, I was able to fit it in on a weeknight after Jeopardy (granted, we didn't eat until 9 or so, but I didn't start cooking until 8, so it's not that bad...) This recipe has languished in my blue recipe binder since my Aunt Rita gave it to me for Christmas several years ago. While I'm not sure if it is authentically Chinese, it certainly made me mourn the loss of the moo shu pork from Moon Temple, my local Chinese takeout place a bit less. While I made this alone, it would be great to do with friends or to enlist some kid help.

Honsi-jou or Mu-Ji Pork

• 1/2 lb. boneless pork
• 1 T. Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
• 1 T. soy sauce
• 1 t. sugar
• 4 T. peanut oil or flavorless vegetable oil
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 t. salt (I think this could be left out, as the soy sauce adds quite a bit of salt as is)
• 4 scallions, chopped (or green onions - though is there really a difference between scallions and green onions? I thought they were one and the same)
• 1 t. sesame oil
• 1 t. cornstarch
• Mandarin pancakes, warmed (recipe below)

Slice meat horizontally into paper-thin slices. (This works best when the pork is half frozen.) Then cut each slice into shreds about 1 1/2 inches long and 1/8 inch wide. Combine wine (I used the sherry, since I had it on hand), soy sauce, cornstarch and sugar; add the pork.

In a large wok or heavy skillet, heat 2 T. oil. Add pork mixture; stir-fry 5 minutes until browned. (You can also add sliced mushrooms if you want - which I did, specifically shitake) Push meat up sides of wok, add beaten eggs, salt and scallions. Stir eggs constantly until firm, then mi with remaining ingredients in wok. Stir in sesame oil. Serve rolled in warm mandarin pancakes (though you can cheat and use flour tortillas instead).

Traditionally, each guest spreads a pancake flat on his plate and places about 2 T. of the pork mixture along the center. The pancake is folded in half and tucked under. One end is folded over about 1 inch to enclose the filling and then the whole rolled into a neat cylinder that can be picked up with the fingers and eaten.

Po-Ping Mandarin Pancakes

Okay, this is the fun part. I was so enamored of this process where you press two circles together, cook them and then watch as they pull apart easily, presumably so that one side is firmer than the other or maybe just so they don't burn.

• 2 c. sifted all-purpose flour
• 3/4 c. boiling water
• 1 to 2 T. sesame seed oil

Sift flour into a mixing bowl, make a well in the center (has anyone noticed how this ¨making a well¨ step seems to have gone out of favor in more recent recipes? as well as the actual sifting of the flour - I lightly spooned the flour into measuring cups and leveled with a knife instead, as most recipes nowadays seem to call for). With a wooden spoon, gradually mix flour and water together until a soft dough is formed; on a lightly floured surface, knead it gently for 10 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and let it rest for 15 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a circle about 1/4 inch thick. With a 2 1/2 inch cookie cutter or a glass, cut out as many circles of dough as you can. Knead scraps together, roll out again and cut more circles. (My aunt keeps the circles under the towel to keep them from drying out.) Arrange circles side by side, brush half of them lightly with sesame seed oil, and sandwich-wise, place the unoiled ones on top of an oiled one. (Oil is the filling.) With a rolling pin, flatten each pair into a 6-inch circle, rotating the sandwich an inch or so in a clockwise direction as you roll so that the circle keeps its shape, and turning it once to roll both sides. Cover the pancakes with a dry towel.

Set a heavy 8 inch skillet over high heat for 30 seconds. Reduce heat to moderate and cook the pancakes, one at a time, in the ungreased pan, turning them over as they puff and little bubbles appear on the surface. Regulate the heat so that the pancakes become specked with brown after cooking them about 1 minute on each side. As each pancake is finished, gently separate the halves and stack them on a plate. Serve them at once or wrap in foil and refrigerate for later use. May be wrapped in foil and frozen.

Thursday Thought

¨When you look into a pool of water, if the water is still, you can see the moon reflected. If the water is agitated, the moon is fragmented and scattered. It is harder to see the true moon. Our minds are like that. When our minds are agitated, we cannot see the true world.¨

Jon Muth, Zen Shorts (as quoted in Sharon Salzberg's Real Happiness)

My mind has been racing a hundred different directions at once. Since I started my new job, I dream about work almost every night, journal about potential new projects and think about work when biking to work (only done it 7 times so far, but it still feels like an accomplishment for January). Though my thoughts are positive and an outcropping of the excitement I feel about new ideas generating, I wonder if I can see ¨the true moon¨ or ¨the true world¨. I'm actively working to calm myself (though perhaps that is an oxymoronic concept) and suspect that I'll move back into a groove as I return to some of my routines.

Baking or cooking complicated items seems to bring me back to the real world. How do you calm your mind when it races?

Lasagna with Bechamel Sauce - Recipe #64

Warning - this is not a weeknight supper, unless you have at least 4-5 hours of time available to you. Meat ragout is simmered on the stove in red wine and beef stock for 3-5 hours, filling the kitchen with savory scents. This is layered with a stove-top bechemel sauce and parmesan cheese before baking for about 40 minutes. This lasagna is for a slow food night, when you have all the time in the world to spend with friends or family. In the interest of full-disclosure, most of the time this is not the way I cook and eat (though I have great intentions), so this may be the only time I prepare this recipe. If I do make it again, I'll make a few corrections - add a little more parmesan and make sure that the top layer is well-moistened with sauce or cheese, as my top layer turned out much crispier than I like. I'm on a roll making recipes from my aunt. She and my uncle have taken a few cooking classes in Italy. This isn't labeled as being one of those recipes, but I like to pretend that it is.

Meat Ragout

• 2 lbs. ground beef, 7% fat
• 1 lb. ground pork
• 1 red onion
• 2 large carrots
• 1 stick celery
• some chopped Italian parsley (q.b. or whatever is best)
• 3-4 T. olive oil
• 1 large can tomatoes, crushed (24-26 oz.)
• 1 - 2 c. wine
• Salt and pepper
• one or two sage leaves (I substituted dried sage, even though I have a fresh sage source a few blocks away that I've been invited to use when needed)
• beef stock

Finely chop vegetables and simmer in olive oil over a lively flame, stirring often. When the vegetables have changed color and become translucent, add the meat, letting it brown on a high flame (no salt at this time; meat must lose its color).

Add a glass of red wine, simmer gently and leave to evaporate. Add tomatoes, salt and pepper.

Cook on low heat, occasionally adding stock, for at least 3-5 hours. Add sage leaves (if you want) 1/2 hour before the sauce is cooked. Sage darkens the color of the sauce. If you want strong sage, add with the vegetables; medium add before tomatoes and mild at the end.

Bechamel Sauce

• 4 c. milk
• 1/2 c. butter
• 1/2 c. flour
• white pepper
• nutmeg
• salt

Melt butter in pan. Add flour. Stir mixture well and allow to turn a light brown color. Add milk. Continue stirring until sauce begins to bubble. Cook for one minute longer and remove from heat. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Building the lasagna

Cook noodles in salted water. Drain noodles. Rinse with cool water and then dry on a towel. Spread some butter in bottom of 9¨ x 13¨ pan. Put in one layer of lasagna, ragout sauce, bechamel sauce, and parmesan. Recipe calls for doing this once more (my aunt usually makes three layers of lasagna). On top, add pats of butter and bake in a hot oven (about 400 degrees) for about 40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. 

Madison's Cafe Tomato Soup - Recipe #61

Comparing my paper list to actual blog postings, I realized that I skipped writing about this decadent tomato soup. Madison's used to be on Delridge, right after you exit the West Seattle Bridge (where the Skylark Cafe is now). Trent and I would go occasionally and though as a child I loathed tomato soup, there was something deliciously different about Madison's. I see now that it was lots of butter, half and half and whipping cream. I got this recipe from one of my West Seattle friends who wrote it down before they closed. I suspect that I either wrote down the recipe incorrectly or they skipped a step or two when passing it on, but it is still delicious. It is a bit spicy, but that's part of the charm.

Madison's Cafe Tomato Soup

• 1/4 lb. butter
• 4 c. chopped onions
• 2 c. chopped green pepper (I think red pepper would make for a redder color soup)
• 4 c. sliced mushrooms
• 1 1/2 T. flour
• 1 T. cayenne pepper
• 4 dashes Tabasco sauce
• 1 T. garlic powder
• 2 c. whipping cream
• 1 c. half & half
• 1 1/2 c. tomato sauce

Melt butter. Add onion, peppers, garlic & seasoning. Saute. Add mushrooms and saute. Add flour 1 mint. Add creams. Cook until thick, don't boil. Add tomato sauce, cook 15 minutes.

I used my immersion blender to puree the soup, as I think this was one of the steps that was left off (I don't remember the soup being particularly chunky). We served this with garlic focaccia.

Enchilada Casserole variation - Recipe #63

Several recipes ago, I cooked a chicken enchilada recipe which began with boiling chicken breast. This casserole recipe started the same way and while it differed in other ways, what with the chicken marsala and the previous chicken enchilada recipe, it felt like it wouldn't be breaking the rules to fix one of the suggested variations, rather than the original recipe (though I'll post the recipe as given to me). This is another from my aunt that I had not made since receiving it. Since my aunt and uncle lived in Dallas for several years, I feel like they know Tex-Mex food, though I don't think this is terribly authentic. I realized that since I typically don't buy enchilada sauce, I didn't have a preferred brand, but I now know that Las Palmas is not it. Ultimately, we both enjoyed the casserole and will make it again sometime after my meat sabbatical.

Enchilada Casserole

• Corn tortillas (medium size package - about 12)
• Enchilada sauce, 2 cans (either the 28 oz. can sizes were too large or this is just way more sauce than I needed)
• Colby-jack cheese or preferred
• Chicken (cooked and shredded, may be lightly seasoned if desired or you can use pre-cooked chicken strips or chunks)
• Sliced black olives (small can)

Start chicken boiling (spices may be added to the water if desired). Usually takes 30 minutes to an hour.

After chicken is finished, cool. Shred, removing all fat and bones. Start some oil in a frying pan (enough to coat the pan plus a little more, add as needed. I used a non-stick skillet, but I think that the texture would have been better if I hadnt). Prepare a plate with a few paper towels on it to absorb excess oil. With tongs, slowly dip tortilla into hot oil on both sides (tortilla should be pliable, not crispy). This takes a few seconds per tortilla. Place on plate to drain. When finished, open cans of enchilada sauce and place contents into clean frying pan. Warm sauce over medium heat. Dip each fried tortilla in the sauce on both sides, letting excess drip back into pan. Place on separate plate. Grate cheese. In casserole dish, layer tortillas, cheese, chicken and black olives. May refrigerate until ready to use. Heat in 350 degree oven until hot, and cheese is melted, 30-45 minutes.

Variations:

• use Herdez green chile sauce instead of red sauce
• use cheddar or Monterey jack cheese
• use beef, cheese and onions (which I did) or other filling

Sunday Supper - Chicken Marsala - Recipe # 62

A brand-new-to-me recipe! In college, I went to Italian restaurants far more often and one of my go-to dinner orders was Chicken Marsala. I've experimented with a couple of other recipes in the past, but nothing that's become a regular in the dinner rotation. This particular recipe is another of the ones from the Christmas of Recipes, from my aunt. While it was completely delicious, the bouillon cubes made it fairly salty, so next time I make it, I might skip the salt in the seasoning - or cut the bouillon in half. This was surprisingly easy to prepare. While it suggests serving it with long grain wild rice, we had it with mashed potatoes instead. Trent found it delicious, but also made the comment, ¨this is a lot more meat than we usually eat¨. Too true, and I am starting to miss my more-regular vegetarian/vegan meals. I've got ingredients for two more Recipe Challenge dinners and then I'll take a bit of a meat break (I've got plenty of side course, dessert or appetizer recipes to prepare in the meantime).

Chicken Marsala

• 4 whole chicken breasts, boned and split
• 1/2 c. butter
• Seasoned flour (oregano, thyme, salt, pepper, marjoram)
• 1/4 lb. mushrooms
• 2 beef bouillon cubes
• 1/2 c. boiling water
• 2 oz. Marsala wine
• 3 T. lemon juice

Melt butter; dredge chicken in flour and brown; add mushrooms; mix bouillon cubes and boiling water; add wine and lemon juice; pour over chicken and simmer uncovered 12-15 minutes until tender (I used a meat thermometer to tell me when it was done - it was pretty thick and took a bit longer than the recipe called for).

Orange Cardamom Cake - Recipe #60

So apparently I have a fantasy self that bakes cakes. Several years ago, I asked on my Grandma-required Christmas list for a cake carrier. Actually, it made an appearance a few years in a row before I finally found one under the tree. ¨What? Do you constantly find yourself needing to bring cakes places?¨ my aunt teased. I believe I've used it 2-3 times in the time that I've owned it. But that may change, due to the Loose Recipe Challenge. For a person who bakes cake once or twice a year, I have a surprising number of cake recipes on file. Not surprisingly is how rarely I prepare any one of them (usually relying instead on the Betty Crocker Cookbook or the Americas Test Kitchen Cookbook).

Cake gets a bit of a bad rap. We opted to have cheesecake at our wedding, and at my brother's they served pies, both of us thinking, ¨no one really likes wedding cake anyway¨. At a recent retirement party, I skipped the cake altogether after asking a coworker, ¨is it worth it?¨, the answer being a resounding ¨no!¨ Somewhere along the road, Costco or grocery store cake became the norm and cake became my dessert of last (or near last) resort. But a homemade cake can be a thing of beauty, which (apart from a few pieces that stuck to the pan before I pressed them back into the cake as a whole), this Orange Cardamom Cake from the December 2007 issue of Cooking Light was.

Orange Cardamom Cake

• Cooking spray
• 3 c. plus 1 T all-purpose flour
• 2 c. sugar
• 1 T. baking powder
• 1 3/4 t. ground cardamom
• 1/2 t. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 t. salt
• 3/4 c. fresh orange juice
• 2/3 c. canola oil
• 1 T. grated orange rind
• 2 t. grated lemon rind
• 1 t. vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs

for the glaze:

• 1 c. powdered sugar
• 4 1/2 t. fresh orange juice
• 1/2 t. fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To prepare cake, coat a 10-inch tube pan or Bundt pan with cooking spray; dust with 1 T. flour. Set aside (I did not end up using the entire tablespoon of flour, but as I mentioned, my cake stuck a bit to the pan)

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cardamom, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in center of mixture. Add 3/4 c. orange juice, canola oil, orange rind, lemon rind, vanilla and eggs to flour mixture; beat with a mixer at low speed until well combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally.

Spoon batter into prepared cake pan, spreading evenly. Bake at 350 for 55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean (mine took at least 70 minutes, but my silicone pan often takes longer than the recipe states - so does my oven, come to think of it). Cool in pan 5 minutes on a wire rack, remove from pan.

To prepare glaze, combine 1 c. of powdered sugar, 4 1/2 t. orange juice, and lemon juice in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Drizzle glaze over warm cake; cool cake completely on a wire rack.

We ate this cake for days afterwards, including as a pre-Bed and Breakfast breakfast for me (since I was up hours before breakfast was served) and a post-Whidbey Island hike for Trent. 

White Bean Soup with Peppers and Bacon - Recipe #59

When the wind howls and sheets of rain soak you as you arrive home, it is time for soup! I hadn't made this one from the January 2000 issue of Cooking Light for a while - mostly because I have very little patience for cooking beans. This time, I just soaked them overnight instead of using the quick-cook method mentioned in the recipe. I set the bread machine on the fast cycle, so that we'd have plenty of sopping fodder.

White Bean Soup with Peppers and Bacon

• 1 1/2 c. dried navy beans
• 5 bacon slices
• 2 c. chopped red bell pepper
• 2 c. chopped onion
• 1 c. chopped carrot
• 1 t. sugar
• 1 t. onion powder
• 1 t. garlic powder
• 1/4 t. black pepper
• 1/8 t. ground red pepper
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 (16-oz) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 c. chopped fresh parsley

Sort and wash beans; place in a large Dutch oven. Cover with water to 2 inches above beans; bring to a boil, and cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 1 hr. Drain beans (I skipped this entire process by setting out the beans to soak in the morning before leaving for work).

Cook the bacon in pan over medium heat until crisp (I can never seem to get it as crisp as I'd like). Remove bacon from pan; crumble and set aside. Add bell pepper and the next 8 ingredients to drippings in pan; saute 10 min. or until browned. Stir in the broth, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add beans. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour or until beans are tender.

Place 3 c. of the bean mixture in a blender and process until smooth. Return the pureed mixture to pan (I got an immersion blender for Christmas this year and used that instead). Stir in bacon and parsley.

Thursday Thought

How we spend our days is of course, how we spend our lives.

Annie Dillard, as quoted in Carrie Bloomston's The Little Spark: Thirty Ways to Ignite Your Creativity

I've been trying to spend my days - especially those in the work week, when it is most difficult - the way I want to spend my life - with meaningful work that makes a difference in people's lives, eating good food, moving my body, spending time with friends. When I look back on my life, I won't reflect fondly on my Facebook likes or television shows (even my beloved Jeopardy) or time-wasting meetings, so why spend my days on those activities?

Lemon Squares - Recipe # 58

I knew that I wanted to bring a treat along for a lunch gathering with friends. I was waffling between Lemon Squares or an Orange Cardamom Cake, when my pantry made the decision for me. After preparing Mini Cranberry Panettones the previous day, I had 1 1/2 - 2 cups of flour left. The cake called for 3 cups, while the lemon bars only required 1. When I arrived at lunch, one of the other couples shared that lemon bars were their absolute favorite dessert (one that they sometimes decide to hoard, rather than share with others), so I didn't feel too bad about the choice.

This particular recipe is a classic and one that I received from my mother-in-law several years back. She often includes it in Christmas cookie deliveries. This year, each of us got to request one type of cookie from the Christmas Elf and this was the type that Trent chose (he was nice enough to share them with me).

The first time I made lemon bars (with a different recipe) they stuck in the pan, so I've been hesitant to repeat the experience. These came out like a dream and will definitely occur in the dessert rotation more often.

Lemon Squares

• 1 c. four
• 1/2 c. butter
• 1/4 c. powdered sugar

Cream butter and sugar, then mix in flour. Press into 8¨ or 9¨ square pan. Bake for 20 min. at 350 degrees.

• 2 eggs
• 1 c. sugar
• 1/2 t. baking powder
• 1/4 t. salt
• 2 T. lemon juice

Beat for 3 min. until light and fluffy. Pour over a hot crust. Bake 25 minutes more. Sprinkle with powdered sugar when cool and cut into squares.

Saturday Sweets - Mini Cranberry Panettones - Recipe #57

Driving down to Shilshole last week for lunch with friends, I laughed at my incoming text, ¨:) your buns were amazing.¨ The buns in question? Mini Cranberry Panettones from the December 2004 issue of Cooking Light. One of my favorite holiday treats of a few years back, though now it's been ages since I've purchased any, was panettone from Trader Joe's. These were even better.

While they take plenty of time - three hours of rising and about 20 minutes of baking - they are well worth it as a weekend brunch treat to share with friends (or gobble down on your own). The recipe calls for a jumbo (1 cup) muffin tin, though I substituted normal size and made 12 instead of 6, figuring that my muffin tins held about 1/2 c. per muffin. After they finished baking, I looked back at the original recipe and saw that it claims you can make the recipe in traditional muffin tins for a yield of 18 by trimming the parchment paper to 2 1/2 x 6 inches, and shortening the baking time (as I did) to 20 minutes.

Mini Cranberry Panettones

• 2 packages dry yeast (about 4 1/2 t.)
• 1 1/4 c. warm water (100-110 degrees)
• 5 3/4 c. all-purpose flour, divided
• 3/4 c. sugar
• 7 T. butter
• 1 T. finely chopped fresh orange rind
• 1/2 t. salt
• 2 large eggs
• 2 1/2 c. sweetened dried cranberries
• 1/4 c. finely chopped crystallized ginger
• cooking spray
• 2 T. sliced almonds

Dissolve yeast in water in a large bowl; let stand 5 min. Lightly spoon 1 1/4 c. flour into dry measuring cups, level with a knife. Add to yeast mixture, stirring with a whisk to combine. Cover; let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 1 hour.

Combine sugar, butter, rind, and salt in a large bowl; beat with a heavy-duty stand mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Add eggs, beating until combined; beat in yeast mixture. Lightly spoon 4 c. flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add 4 c. flour to egg mixture, beating at medium speed until smooth. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 3 minutes); add enough of remaining flour, 1 T. at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel sticky - I did not end up needing all of the remaining flour). Knead in cranberries and ginger until well incorporated.

Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Coat 6 (1-cup) muffin cups with cooking spray. Cut 6 (5 x 12-inch) strips of parchment paper; place paper in muffin cups to extend 3 inches from the top of the muffin cups. Divide dough evenly among the muffin cups. Lightly spray each muffin with cooking spray; sprinkle evenly with nuts. Let rise in a warm place 1 hour or until doubled in size.

While muffins rise, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake muffins at 375 for 25 minutes or until lightly browned.

Thursday Thought

¨It was a wonderful thing you did....Don't undervalue it because it came easily.¨

My Real Children by Jo Walton

It's just too easy to fall into the trap of appreciating other people's skills and abilities more than your own. We deflect compliments, pointing out that someone else can do it better or faster or that it's not a big deal. But sometimes, we just need to sit back and let praise sink in. Sometimes a wonderful thing really is effortless. And just because something is hard, doesn't automatically make it admirable or worth doing.

Pilaf with Chicken, Spinach and Walnuts - Recipe #56

Sometimes in life, you need to be flexible. So it is also with dinner. I got home from work intent on making mushroom penne from Vegan Casseroles. Unfortunately, I had forgotten that one of the key steps in making the sauce is soaking raw cashews for at least two hours.

As it was already 6:45, that was not really an option - so I looked at the other ingredients that I'd gathered for the Recipe Challenge, specifically to prep for chicken pilaf, from the same Cooking Light issue with the Chicken Biryani and Arroz con Pollo. The recipe called for leftover roasted chicken or a rotisserie chicken from the supermarket, but that seemed like cheating, so I had two chicken breasts waiting in the wings to be roasted. I seasoned them with a little olive oil, salt and pepper, popped them in the oven and then looked over the rest of the recipe. Cinnamon stick - check; basmati rice - check; walnuts - check; chicken broth - yep, 1/2 a cup or so left from the White Rice with Sherry. Let's see, how much does it call for -  1 can (14 oz.). Blast!

A quick call to Trent to request an emergency grocery store trip. No answer. Maybe we could just go out to eat - but how disappointing would that be to arrive home, smell dinner and be told, ¨sorry, we can't actually eat any of it today¨. Inspiration struck - I would simmer some homemade vegetable stock while the chicken roasted and combine it with the chicken broth. Problem solved, dinner served within 5-10 minutes of Trent's arrival home.

Pilaf with Chicken, Spinach and Walnuts

• 1 1/2 T. olive oil, divided
• 1 c. chopped onion
• 1 1/2 c. uncooked basmati rice
• 1 c. diced plum tomato (I used canned tomatoes, as they are out of season)
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 (14 oz.) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
• 1 (6 oz.) package fresh baby spinach
• 2 c. chopped roasted skinless boneless chicken breasts (about 2)
• 1/2 c. coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted
• 1 T. finely chopped dill

Heat 1 T oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, saute 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir in rice, and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in 1 1/2 t. oil, tomato, salt, broth, and cinnamon stick; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.

Stir in spinach; cook 2 minutes or until spinach wilts (took a little longer for me). Stir in chicken. Sprinkle evenly with walnuts and dill. Discard cinnamon stick.

This pilaf turns out a little crunchy, so if you like your rice softer, add some extra liquid to cook down. Most of the pilaf was great, but there were a few bites that were a little too al dente.

Meatless Monday (on Saturday) - Quinoa Corn Chowder - Recipe #55

I first tasted this chowder at book club. I no longer remember which book it was that we were(n't) discussing, but I still remember this offering from Colleen, a longtime friend and awesome cook. ¨The great thing about it, is that it calls for milk, but it doesn't matter if you have non-fat, 2% or whole milk - it all tastes great¨. I dashed off the super simple recipe to bring home and made it proudly. Sadly, Trent is not as much of a fan of corn chowder as I am (growing up, my favorite Chunky Soup was Chicken Corn Chowder, which I remember eating several cans of after having my wisdom teeth out or getting my braces tightened). So this recipe mostly languishes, either waiting for a day when I host book club or when we'll be eating separately. Thursday was that night - I had choir practice, so he went to see The Hobbit, part 3 at the Cinerama. I found the first three Lord of the Rings movies entirely too lengthy and had no desire to see the shortest book turned into three long movies.

I only had non-fat milk on hand this time around (I think I used 1% or 2% last time). If you make it, stick with the fuller-fat milks, as mine was a little watery. For the leftovers, I'm tempted to inaugurate my immersion blender (Christmas present from my Grandma). I think it will vastly improve the texture. If you had a little sausage or leftover chicken, either would be a tasty addition.

Quinoa Corn Chowder

• 2 c. water
• 1/4 c. quinoa
• 1/2 c. (or more) cubed, peeled potato
• 2 T. carrot, diced (I used more, while I think Colleen used less, as she's not a fan).
• 1/4 c. onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 c. corn (can be frozen)
• 2 c. milk
• 1 t. salt
• 1/2 c. parsley

Simmer quinoa, carrot, potato and onion in water 15 minutes. Add corn, bring to a boil and simmer another 5 minutes. Add milk, bring back to boil. Simmer a little longer and season to taste. Garnish with parsley.

Pork Roast (Recipe #54), White Rice & Sherry (#53) and Poppy Seed Dressing (#52)

While I was visiting my friend Aubrey yesterday, we talked about everyday happiness - the pleasure of lively conversation over a home-cooked meal after a neighborhood walk with some of your oldest friends. Of spending time with new babies or your parents. A kind of happiness that doesn't require fancy toys or money, but rather time, good friends and a positive attitude. I will say that my joy was also enhanced by the gift of an extra onion from Aubrey, as I realized that after spending quite some time in the grocery store, I neglected to buy an onion.

Yesterday's dinner of Pork Tenderloin, White Rice & Sherry and Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing boosted my everyday bliss - both in the preparation and the enjoyment of the meal itself. Trent's mom passed on the Pork Tenderloin recipe that she had received from her sister to me. The White Rice & Sherry came from one of my very first cookbooks, Classic Spanish Cooking with Chef Ef - while I said good-bye to the book itself, I kept this one recipe. The Poppy Seed Dressing recipe was obtained from a Southern Living at Home party that my sister hosted years ago in her apartment on Alki Beach. I bought a beautiful cruet, which I rarely use, and with it came three recipes. The pork was succulent, the rice flavorful and the dressing was a tad sweet - but I'll leave all the recipes for you to decide for yourself.

Pork Roast

• 1/2 c. soy sauce
• 1/2 c. dry sherry
• 1/2 clove garlic, minced
• 1 T. dry mustard
• 1 t. ginger
• 1 t. thyme, crushed
• 4-5 lb. boned, rolled and tied pork loin or pork tenderloin (I used a 1 lb. pork tenderloin with the same amount of marinade, though Trent was wistful at the thought of additional leftovers)

Marinate roast 2 to 3 hours or overnight. Roast on rack in shallow pan, uncovered, at 325 degrees about 50 min. per lb. until done. Add sauce last 45 min. and baste occasionally.

White Rice and Sherry

• 3 T. olive oil
• 1 small onion, peeled
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 3 1/2 c. chicken broth
• 1/2 c. dry sherry
• 2 c. uncooked rice
• 2 pimientos, chopped (I used to substitute green pepper instead - this time, I chopped pimiento stuffed olives, as I couldn't find pimientos at PCC)
• salt to taste

In a large casserole, heat the oil and saute the onion and garlic until the onion is wilted. Add the broth and wine and bring to a boil. Stir in the rice, pimiento and salt. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally until rice is semi-dry (I was not really sure what this instruction meant, so I ignored it - what does ¨semi-dry¨ mean?) Cover and simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes. Turn rice over with a fork from bottom to top and cook (covered) for about 10 minutes more. Serve with your favorite main dish.

Poppy Seed Dressing (From Southern Living Ultimate Cookbook)

• 1/2 c. white vinegar or red wine vinegar
• 1/3 c. sugar
• 1 t. salt
• 1 t. dry mustard
• 1 t. grated onion
• 1 c. vegetable oil
• 1 T. poppy seeds

Process first 5 ingredients in a blender 20 seconds. With blender on high, gradually add oil in a slow, steady stream. Stir in poppy seeds. Pour over fresh spinach or fruit.

Thursday Thought

¨Adults, however, do not give us permission to be our full selves. We subtly pressure each other not to deviate from the norm....The world never gives you permission to be brilliant. My advice? Do it anyway.¨

Your Perfect Presentation by Bill Hoogterp

Earlier this week, I got frustrated with all of the ¨New Year, new you¨ messages out there. Sure, it's fun to think about actions that might increase happiness, but I like the ¨old¨ or ¨current¨ me just fine. There are so many forces telling us that our true and authentic selves aren't good enough. I find that I like people who may be afraid but dare to be themselves anyway and that gives me permission to be myself as well - whether it is in a presentation for work or in my day to day life, singing on my bicycle, hula-hooping on a break or knitting outside on a winter morning. I don't know if that makes me ¨brilliant¨, but it does brighten my world just a bit.

What I'm Reading Wednesday

Well, working Friday - Tuesday certainly wreaks havoc on cooking new recipes and blog posting. I've had a wonderful day off full of friends and family and I currently have 3(!) recipes in progress. But until I've actually eaten them, I don't feel as though they are proper blog fodder, so to tide you over, here is a glimpse of what I've been reading.

Our current read-aloud is Kon-Tiki by Thor Heyerdahl, a classic non-fiction adventure of crossing the Pacific by wooden raft to try to prove that the South Sea Islands were populated by South Americans. We're only a chapter into it, but it's quite readable.

I'm about two-thirds finished with My Real Children by Jo Walton, which opens with Patricia, who is ¨very confused¨ in a nursing home facing dementia. She's got two sets of memories - one where she has four children and another with only three. In one world, Kennedy has been assassinated, in another there is nuclear fall-out from the bombing that Cuba did of Florida when the Cuban Missile Crisis becomes much worse. I am completely enjoying reading her histories of herself of Pat and Tricia as she lives through the fifties and sixties.

I just re-read Raven Boys and Dream Thieves before reading the third in the Raven cycle by Maggie Stiefvater, Blue Lily, Lily Blue. The first time I read Raven Boys, I was so enchanted that I didn't want to return it to the library, so I knew I had to go out and buy it. I haven't had the same reaction to the other two, but still like candy to me.

Ringing Out the Old Year with Chicken B'stilla - Recipe #51

Now that most of my friends have young children (and I have an early wake-up time), New Year's Eve is a more intimate affair. Last year, we ate at Eva (which closed a couple of months ago unexpectedly - so sad!) after making last minute reservations and watched the Space Needle fireworks from the comfort of our t.v. room. This year, I thought, what better way to end the year than with my most intimidating recipe challenge recipe of all (with the possible exception of the pickles that I'm sure will give us all botulism when I finally make them in the summer): chicken b'stilla from Dorie Greenspan's book Around My French Table.

The introduction promises a taste of Morocco, as well as quite a bit of prep time, but it looked divine - completely worthy of a fancy New Year's Eve meal at home. It was a very involved recipe, but also rewarding. Just a warning for those (like me) who have never used filo dough - it takes 5 hours to thaw, which is not reflected in the recipe directions (leading to a snack of a Christmas pear from my parents via Henry and David and popcorn, while watching Mad Men and allowing the b'stilla to cook before finally eating dinner at 9:30).

Chicken B'stilla

• 8 chicken thighs, preferably organic, skinned
• 2 large onions, coarsely chopped (as I had the mother of all onions, I only used one)
• 3 garlic cloves, split, germ removed, and chopped
• 3/4 t. ground ginger
• 3/4 t. ground coriander
• 3/4 t. ground cinnamon
• big pinch of saffron threads
• 2 1/2 c. chicken broth
• salt
• 3 T. fresh lemon juice
• 3 large eggs
• 2 T. honey
• freshly ground pepper
• 1 T. chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 T. chopped fresh parsley
• 8 sheets filo (each 9 x 14 inches)
• about 6 T. unsalted butter, melted
• 3 oz. sliced almonds (a scant cup), toasted and chopped
• Cinnamon sugar, for dusting

Put the chicken pieces, onions, garlic and spices into a Dutch oven or a large casserole and stir. Cover and let marinate for 1 hour at room temperature.

Add chicken broth and 1 t. salt to pot and bring to a boil on high heat. Lower heat so liquid simmers, cover the pot for about an hour or until the chicken falls off the bone easily.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a bowl. Strain the rest, saving both liquid and onions. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove meat from the bones and cut into small cubes (or shred).

Pour broth into medium saucepan. Whisk in lemon juice, bring to a boil and cook until you have about 1 c. liquid (this will take a while). Reduce heat to low.

Beat the eggs with the honey, and, whisking continuously, pour into the broth. Heat, whisking constantly, until sauce thickens (about 5 minutes). Pull pan from the heat and season sauce with salt and pepper.

Stir the chicken and reserved onions into the sauce, along with the cilantro and parsley.

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil.

Place the filo sheets between sheets of wax paper and cover with a kitchen towel. Brush a 9-inch round cake pan (2" tall) with melted butter. Brush 1 sheet of filo with butter and center it in the pan so that the excess hangs over the edges. Brush another sheet and press it into the pan so that it's perpendicular to the first sheet. Place a third and then a fourth buttered sheet into the pan so that the form an X; the overhang from all of the sheets should cover the edges of the pan,

Sprinkle half of the almonds over the filo. Spoon in the saucy chicken, spreading it evenly across the pan, and top with the rest of the almonds. Fold the overhanging filo over the chicken.

Butter the remaining 4 sheets of filo, stacking them one on top of the other on the work surface. Cut out a 10 to 11 inch circle. Center the circle over the cake pan and gently tuck the edges of the dough into the pan. Brush the top of the b'stilla with a little butter and sprinkle with some cinnamon sugar. Place the pan on the baking sheet.

Bake the b'stilla for 20 minutes, then lower temperature to 350 and bake 20 minutes more, covering top loosely with foil if it gets to brown. Transfer to a cooling rack and let rest for about 5 minutes.

Lay a piece of parchment over a cutting board and have a serving plate handy. Turn the b'stilla out onto the parchment-lined board and then invert it onto the serving platter, so that it's right side up. Serve now, cutting into wedges or serve it warm or at room temperature.

So now I am left with 10 extra sheets of filo - any suggestions of what to do with them?

Cinnamon Rolls - Recipe #50

"So what would you think if I made cinnamon rolls for New Year's Eve breakfast," I asked Trent. The response was just what you would suppose - he was agreeable, saying he "wouldn't mind". This simple recipe was the perfect one to get me back in the recipe challenge groove. I'd already purchased any unusual ingredients earlier in the month, so I was ready to go. After Tuesday's dinner, I put the recipe together and then let it sit overnight in the fridge. To avoid getting "hangry", I ate a bit of granola and drank my tea while waiting for Trent to wake up and the dough to rise. Easy-peasy and delicious, though it has enough convenience ingredients that it feels like cheating - I typically make baked goods from scratch. While I got this recipe from Trent's mom, he doesn't remember having had it before, though it may have made some holiday brunch appearances in his childhood.

Cinnamon Rolls

• 16 to 24 Rhodes frozen dinner rolls (part of the reason I'd never made this was that I was unsure that I could purchase these, since I'd never noticed them in the grocery store - I thought maybe it was unique to the Mid-West or Eastern Washington. Turns out, they stock them at the local QFC).
• 1 stick butter, melted
• nuts, optional, broken into pieces if large (we had some extra pecans from preparation for an upcoming recipe, so I used them)
• 1 box butterscotch pudding mix, 3.5 oz. cook and serve variety
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1 1/2 t. cinnamon

Mix dry ingredients. Place rolls in cake, bundt, or angel food pan (I used a bundt pan, which made for a lovely presentation). Add nuts if desired. Sprinkle on topping. Pour butter over all. Let rise overnight in refrigerator. Remove the next day and let rise until doubled in size, may take 1 more hour (took 2 for me). Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes until lightly brown on top. Invert on plate while hot, letting syrup drip down onto rolls.

Perfect for a low stress, make-ahead holiday brunch.

Thursday Thought

¨Just put your body there....Because that's the expression of commitment and the rest will follow from that¨

Sharon Salzberg, Real Happiness

Happy New Year! Once again, we are inundated by advertisements extolling ¨be your best you¨ by using their product, following their diet or trying their workout. I don't make New Year's resolutions per se, but I do enjoy the feeling of a new start that comes with the change of each season.

Not surprisingly, Christmas (combined with a killer cold and random foot/ankle pain that started one morning for no discernible reason) has wreaked havoc on many of the good habits that I've built up, including meditation, morning exercise and even my beloved loose-recipe challenge. So with my ¨new start¨ granted by the turn of the calendar page, it's time for me to get back to it - just putting my body on the weight bench, in my running shoes or in the kitchen to see what follows.