Quinoa Croquettes

I made/invented these this evening. They were so yum. We ate them over a simple green salad with oil/vinegar/salt and green beans.

1 c. cooked quinoa
1 c. defrosted hash browns (uncooked, basically shredded potatoes)
1 egg
1/4 c. minced red onion
1/4 c. minced fresh parsley
1/2 t. cumin
1/2 t. dried oregano
3/4 t. kosher salt

Saute onions for a few minutes in olive oil until soft. Set aside to cool a bit.

Mix all ingredients (including onions).

Heat shallow pan. Add a few glugs of olive oil, heat. Toss 1/4 c. balls/patties into the oil, flatten. Cook until brown. Flip, repeat.

Serve!

juicing fun

yes! you too can juice the rind AND LIKE IT. :)

because Daphne asked, here are a few of my favorite raw juice recipes so far. i'll add to it if i come across a delicious new recipe. i like them best when they're very cold, so i refrigerated it for 30 minutes or put ice in it. hardcore juicers would tell you to drink it asap. you do whatever you like, just make sure to include the stems of your greens.

[PS - yes, you really do need an electric juicer for this. chop very roughly, the pieces only need to be small enough to put into the feed chute. for melons or very juicy fruit and greens, i've found i get more juice if i press the tamper down very slowly. you *could* probably do this in a vitamix and add water and ice to thin it, but i haven't tried that yet so attempt at your own risk.]

some recipes from jointhereboot.com

apple/beet/carrot
2 granny smith apples (unpeeled, cored)
2-4 beets, peeled
3-6 whole carrots, scrubbed but unpeeled (i cut the very top off)
4 c.(or to taste) spinach or kale
1" piece of peeled ginger

mexican jugo (this is not sweet, but is limey/peppery/cilantro-y.)
2 cucumbers, unpeeled
4 c. cilantro
1 lime, halved and unpeeled
1 poblano pepper, seeded and de-veined
1 golden delicious or granny smith apple

watermelon cleanser (best on an empty stomach, first thing in the morning)
1/4 med/large watermelon WITH rind (i cut the fruit away and chop the rind into pieces half as big as the one i'm holding in the picture)
1 lime, halved and unpeeled
thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled
this makes nearly a half gallon. i end up drinking this over a couple of mornings.

kermie
1 granny smith apple, cored but unpeeled
1 cucumber, unpeeled
3 c. spinach or kale or whatever green sounds good
1 lemon, halved and unpeeled
1" piece of peeled ginger

cantaloupe yum-yum
1 cantaloupe, seeded and peeled (that's right, no rind)
2 granny smith or golden delicious apples, unpeeled
6 kale leaves
6 swiss chard leaves (i didn't have these so i just did handfuls of spinach instead)

sunset
1 sweet potato (i'm going to peel mine)
1 carrot with peel
1 red pepper
2 beets, peeled
2 golden delicious apples, unpeeled
1 orange (i peel this unless it's organic. they gas oranges to make them orange. this doesn't happen with lemons and limes. fyi.)

leave a comment and tell us what you think about the recipe(s) you try! to your health, ladies. *clink*

(chili and) cinnamon rolls

i hear the trend nowadays is to serve cinnamon rolls alongside a bowl of chili. true? my mom served this pairing recently - real, warm, spicy comfort food.

cinnamon rolls, to me, aren't supposed to be stiff and dripping with cream-cheese frosting. the cinnamon rolls i had as a kid - at least every christmas morning - were my great-grandma's recipe: light, tender, almost melting in your mouth. (she was also famous for the flakiest pie dough that folks said 'had wings'. her pie crust has ruined me for any other pie...except that sour cherry pie cheryl made last summer. OH! but i digress.)


so if you're going to try your hand at this chili-and-cinnamon-roll trend, may i suggest this recipe? [you'll just have to get over the scant amount of vegetable shortening it calls for. one bite and you won't remember it anyway.]

Hazel's Cinnamon Rolls:

scald 1 c. milk (that's just til bubbles form around the edge of the pan), take off heat.

dissolve 2 pkgs active dry yeast in 1/2 c. warm water. (i add a small pinch of sugar to the bowl, too.)- don’t dissolve until milk is scalded.

to the slightly cooled scalded milk, add:
1/2 c. sugar
2 t. salt
1/4 c. shortening

stir together. add the yeast to the liquid mixture, then mix in:
2 beaten eggs
2 c. flour

mix well.
add 1 cup of flour at a time (up to 2 cups), beating into the dough. it may be wetter than you're used to - don't fret (yet)!
turn out onto well-floured surface & knead, adding flour (up to 1 more cup) as needed just until the dough is elastic (about 5 minutes).

place in greased bowl & cover; let rise til doubled, about 1-1.5 hours. (i set the oven to 170F, then turn it off before placing the dough bowl inside, covered with a barely-damp towel.
punch down dough; let it rest 10 minutes in the bowl.
melt two sticks of unsalted butter - have it on hand along with your cinnamon & sugar.
divide dough in half.
roll each half a 15” x9”ish rectangle.
brush dough somewhat liberally with butter, sprinkle with cinnamon & sugar generously, to taste.
roll up dought lengthwise; seal ends.
cut in half, then in half again. (each quarter should yield 3-4 cinnamon rolls.)
grease a 9x13 pan or two cake pans; pour melted butter in, and sprinkle some brown sugar in the bottom of pan.
put rolls in pan, spacing evenly.
cover & let rise til doubled, approximately 1 hour.
while rising on counter, preheat oven to 350F.
bake 12-15 minutes til lightly golden brown.
turn upside down on foil & empty pan immediately.
let cool; then wrap in foil. they also freeze well in the foil & a freezer bag.

Mahi Mahi in Brown Butter

I'm always looking for yum food that I can make in under 30 minutes. Tonight we hit the jackpot. You will not be disappointed.

1. Go to Trader Joes and buy their frozen fillets of Mahi Mahi. Let defrost overnight in fridge.

2. melt 3 T. better in skillet over med. low to med. heat.

3. Pat fillets dry with paper towels and toss them into a plastic zip lock bag. Add 1/2 c. flour, salt and pepper. Seal and shake.

4. Observe butter until it is just turning brown. Add fillets (make sure you shake of excess flour first). Set timer for 3 minutes and don't move them.

5. Flip fillets with spatula, set timer for 3 minutes again and also add 3 T. lemon juice and a bit of zest if you have it. Swirl to incorporate and continue the cooking.

6. Check for doneness by inserting fork in fillet. If it easily separates, remove right away and serve. If not, keep cooking and keep a close eye.

7. Serve!! They should be browned and dripping with lemon butter sauce.

salted caramels

my Christmas gift to you, whocaresians near & far. the *new* and *improved* recipe, with a *bonus* thrown in a the end!

*ready?*

;)

Salted Caramels

1 c. heavy cream
5 T. unsalted butter
1 t. kosher salt*, plus extra for sprinkling (*see note below ingredients)
1/4 c. water
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. molasses or light corn syrup
1/2 t. vanilla extract

*note about salt: there is a difference between morton kosher salt (it's easier to locate) and 'nicer' kosher salt like the diamond crystal brand (can find it at Penzey's Spices)...morton's is crumbly, while diamond crystal's is flakier. i've made it both ways and the flakier kosher salt is what i prefer (it's not much more expensive at all), and looks nicer on top of the caramels. that said, use either.


1. Line an 8" square baking pan with parchment, allowing it to drape over two sides. Grease the paper well. (I've also just used a glass pan and greased it really well.)

2. In a small saucepan, combine the cream, butter and 1 t. of salt to a simmer over medium heat. Turn off the heat and set aside.

3. In a deep saucepan, combine 1/4 c. water, sugar and corn syrup or molasses, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stirring occassionally, boil until the mixture is a warm golden brown, if using corn syrup. If using molasses, boil til a candy thermometer reaches 250 F.

4. When the sugar mixture is complete, stir the cream mixture and slowly add it to sugar mixture. Use care - it will bubble up violently. Stir in the vanilla and cook over medium-low heat until your candy thermometer reaches 248 F. Stir constantly - this will take up to 20 minutes.

5. Very carefully pour the caramels into your prepared pan, sprinkle with salt (I wait til it's cooled for about half an hour in the fridge), refrigerating for a few hours, until firm.

6. When the caramel is cold, pry the sheet from the pan onto a cutting board and cut into long strips. Cut each strip into little squares. (I can usually get 4 dozen out of one pan)

*note - using molasses not only give these caramels more depth of flavor, but makes them a bit softer and much easier to cut.

7. Cut parchment or freezer paper into 4x5 inch pieces and wrap each caramel individually, twisting the ends. Store in the refrigerator.

And now, as promised, here's a quick recipe for homemade corn syrup, if you dare:

Light Corn Syrup

2 c. white sugar
3/4 c. water
1/4 t. cream of tarter
dash salt

Combine all ingredients in large pan. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cover for 3 minutes to get sugar crystals off side of pan. Uncover & cook until reaches soft ball stage on a candy thermometer. Stir often. Cool and store in covered container at room temp. It will keep for up to 2 months and makes almost 2 cups.

New Fall Soup

This really hit the spot last night. It was so easy and so yummy.

Butternut Squash Soup

Saute the following in 1 T. butter for 5 minutes:
1 roughly chopped onion
1 chopped carrot (don't bother peeling)

Add:
3 c. chicken broth (or veggie broth)
1 apple, peel and chunked
1 butternut squash, peeled and chunked.

Simmer/boil for 10-15 minutes with lid on.

Add: 2 heaping t. of Chaat Masala (i bought this at the INdian grocery on our Spice Crawl)

Puree with an immersion blender. Enjoy!!

Peach Skillet Cake

skillet cake, in the skillet

skillet cake, a la mode, with coffee

I made this with fresh peaches from Wenninghoff's.  It just sounded old-timey and good.  And, it was.

Fruit/caramel layer:

• 1 can of peach slices (I used 2 fresh peaches, peeled)
• 1/4 c. butter
• 1 c. brown sugar

Batter:

• 1/3 c. butter
• 2/3 c. sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 t. ginger (I used powdered)
• 1 1/2 c. flour
• 3 t. baking powder
• 1/4 t. salt
• 2/3 c. milk

Drain peaches (if app.). Melt butter and brown sugar in 10" iron skillet (mine is larger, but i reduced the baking time to 25 min and it worked out just fine).  Heat until sugar is dissolved.  Remove from heat.  Place peach slices in sunburst effect.

Make batter: Cream butter and sugar.  Beat in eggs.  Combine ginger, flour, baking powder, and salt.  Stir to mix.  Gently pour into skillet over peach slices.  Bake in preheated 350 oven for 35-40 minutes (adjust according to pan size) or until tests done.

Immediately turn upside down onto large serving plate (or cutting board, in my case, b/c of my pan size.  This is likely to be a two-person job and requires good communication/coordination).

The result is a lovely cake that's not too sweet, topped with a gooey layer of fruit and caramel.  The cake has a cornbread-like texture.  Super yummy.  Would be great for breakfast too!