African Peanut Soup

When I was living at Karinsplass in Minneapolis during college, I used to frequent a nearby grocery store Co-op for bowls of warm soup  and monster cookies. My favorite soup that they served was an African peanut stew; I always felt like it was my lucky day when that we being served up on a cold, blustery, Minnesota afternoon.

Seamus is on a little bit of a soup kick right now, which I have been thoroughly enjoying. I saw this recipe while browsing on the internet, and I showed it to Shea. He seemed intrigued, and decided that he was going to make the soup this week.

The soup turned out fantastic, and even better than I remember the soup that I originally fell in love with in Minneapolis. Seamus substituted one can of coconut milk with chicken broth, which I think lightened the soup up perfectly while still maintaining the richness of the peanut flavor.

African Peanut Soup

Courtesy of Kiersten at Oh My Veggies.com

ingredients

• 3 cups vegetable stock or water
• 2 (15-ounce) cans coconut milk
• 1 cup diced yellow onion
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 4 large garlic cloves, pressed or minced
• 1 teaspoon seeded and diced hot chile pepper
• 4 cups chopped sweet potato (1/2-inch pieces)
• 1 1/2 cups chopped tomato (1/2-inch pieces) or 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons sea salt, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon wheat-free tamari or other soy sauce (optional)
• 1 tablespoon Berbere spice mix (optional)
• 3/4 cup creamy or crunchy peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts, for garnish

instructions

1. Place the vegetable stock in a 3-quart pot over medium-high heat. Add all the remaining ingredients, except the peanut butter, cilantro, and peanuts, and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Remove about 1 cup of the liquid and place it into a small bowl. Add the peanut butter and stir until creamy. Return the mixture to the pot, stir well, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the cilantro, stir well, and garnish with peanuts before serving.

notes

Variations:

You can sauté the onion, celery, and garlic in 1 tablespoon of oil before adding the vegetable stock.

Replace the peanut butter with almond butter or other nut butter.

For a lighter soup, replace one can of coconut milk with an equivalent amount of vegetable stock or water.

Add 2 cups of chopped spinach, chard, or kale once the peanut butter is added.

Butternut Squash Casserole with Leeks, Prosciutto, and Thyme

It is certainly starting to feel like Fall in the Pacific Northwest, and that means it is time to eat more squash! If you know me, you know I love to eat squash. I will use any excuse I can to eat any kind of squash I can get my hands on. This dish actually incorporates several favorites of mine; bread pudding, leaks, squash... Yum!

Seamus and I have had another busy weekend hanging out with our good friend Dorothy who was visiting us from New Orleans. We decided to lay low for the rest of our Sunday, and this was the perfect recipe to make while hanging out together. It takes some time (you have to roast the squash and bake the casserole), but if you have the time, it is totally worth the day of delicious smells and tastes that are the result!

Butternut Squash Casserole with Leeks, Prosciutto, and Thyme

Courtesy of Justin Chappel at Food and Wine

INGREDIENTS

3 pounds butternut squash—peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped thyme leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3 leeks—white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise (about 4 cups)
6 large eggs
2 1/2 cups half-and-half
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
8 ounces baguette, crusts removed and bread cut into 1/2-inch dice
4 ounces thinly-sliced prosciutto, cut into thin strips

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 400° and butter a 9-by-13-inch baking ceramic baking dish. In a large bowl, toss the butternut squash with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and the thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Spread the squash on a baking sheet in a single layer and roast for about 25 minutes, until tender, tossing once halfway through. Let cool.
2. 
   
3. Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, melt the butter in the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the leeks and season with salt and pepper. Cook over moderate heat, stirring, until tender, about 20 minutes. Let cool slightly.
4. 
   
5. In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the half-and-half, cheese, 1 teaspoon of salt and a 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Stir in the bread and let stand for 10 minutes. Fold in the squash and the prosciutto. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and bake for about 1 hour, until lightly golden on top. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Thyme-Basted Pork Tenderloin with Oyster Mushrooms

Shea and I both had really hard weeks at work and we knew that we needed some comfort food on this Sunday evening. Shea had been eyeing this recipe for a couple of weeks, and I am glad he did. The earthiness from the mushrooms paired with the fresh herbs, perfectly cooked pork, and interesting garnishes make this an extremely special meal. Right after we finished eating we both agreed that this was a company-worthy recipe, and that we even make make it for my parents who are visiting us next week!

We used chantrell mushrooms mixed with oyster mushrooms because it is Chantrelle season and we live in the Pacific Northwest. Both of the types of mushrooms were fabulous, but I have to admit that I am partial to Chantrelles and would probably use them exclusively the next time I make this meal.

Thyme-Basted Pork Tenderloin with Oyster Mushrooms

Courtesy of Food and Wine

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
• One 1 1/4-pound pork tenderloin
• Kosher salt
• Pepper
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds oyster mushrooms, trimmed and torn into 1-inch pieces
• 4 garlic cloves, 2 minced and 2 crushed
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 2 large thyme sprigs
• Toasted walnuts, for garnish
• Chopped shallot, for garnish
• Chives, for garnish
• Flaky sea salt, for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a 12-inch ovenproof skillet, heat the grapeseed oil until shimmering. Season the pork with salt and pepper and cook over moderately high heat until browned all over, about 5 minutes. Transfer to the oven and roast the pork until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 135°, 18 to 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a very large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in the olive oil. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and cook over moderately high heat, turning occasionally, until golden, about 15 minutes. Add the minced garlic and the parsley and cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat.
3. Set the pork over moderate heat. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter, the crushed garlic and the thyme to the skillet and cook until the butter is foamy. Baste the meat with the butter just until the butter browns, 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Transfer the pork to a cutting board and cut into thick slices. Spoon the mushrooms onto a platter, top with the pork and drizzle with the brown butter. Garnish with walnuts, shallot, chives and flaky salt and serve.
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Sea Trout and Baby Leeks with Crushed Potato and Tomato Butter

Things haven't slowed down for Seamus and me. Between our jobs, visitors (my parents were just here for my dad's birthday), and trips, we  have been rolling into Fall full-steam ahead.

Seamus busted out one of our favorite cookbooks for this recipe; in fact, Seamus thinks this might be the first cook book he ever had (his mom gave it to us as a gift for Xmas). We love Gordon Ramsay, and this cookbook is chock-full of great recipes. This one is no exception!

This dish is essentially a fancy potato salad, brown tomatoes, and fish with a delicious sauce. We had to make several substitutions (milk for cream, Italian seasoning for basil, apple cider vinegar for sherry vinegar), but it still turned out fabulous. Seamus and I were both grinning ear to ear as we ate this!

Sea Trout and Baby Leeks with Crushed Potato and Tomato Butter

Courtesy of Gordon Ramsay in "Gordon Ramsay Makes it Easy"

Ingredients
2 wild sea trout or salmon fillets, with skin, about 5 oz each
9 oz new potatoes, peeled
sea salt and pepper
4 oz vine-ripened cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
4 oz baby leeks, halved
few scallions, chopped
2 tbsp classic vinaigrette

Tomato Butter Sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
4 oz vine-ripened cherry tomatoes
1 tsp sherry vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp butter, diced
1 tbsp chopped basil

Directions
Check the fish fillets for tiny bones, score the skin side deeply, and set aside. Cook the potatoes in salted water until tender. heat the oven to 375 degrees F.

To make the tomato butter sauce, heat the olive oil in a small pan, add the tomatoes, and cook over low heat for 10 minutes. Transfer to a blender or food processor, add the sherry vinegar and sugar, and whiz to a puree. Pass through a strainer back into the pan. Add the cream and simmer for a few minutes. Whisk in the butter and basil, keep warm.

Put the tomato halves, cut side up, on a baking sheet. Drizzle with a little olive oil, and sprinkle with salt. Bake for about 5 minutes. Steam the leeks until tender.

Drain the potatoes, toss with a little olive oil over heat, then crush lightly with the back of a fork. Stir in the scallions and vinaigrette. Season to taste.

To cook the fish, heat a nonstick skillet and add the olive oil. Saute the fish, skin side down, for 3.5 minutes or until the skin is crisp, then turn and cook for 30 seconds only. Season lightly and rest in the pan for a few minutes.

Pile the crushed potato and leeks in the center of two warm serving plates and top with the fish fillets. Surround with the cherry tomatoes and serve the tomato butter sauce on the side.

Sesame-Spiced Turkey Meatballs and Smashed Chickpea Salad

Seamus and I have both been VERY busy this summer. Between our jobs, visitors, and gorgeous Seattle summer, we have barely had any time to just relax and spend time together in the kitchen. We both got home early from work tonight, so we thought it would be fun to try to make this meatball recipe together.

We stopped at the local fancy grocery store (Metro Mart) on our way home to look for Sumac spice, but unfortunately they didn't have it. I googled for substitutions, and decided to use a mixture of lemon rind and salt as a substitute in this dish.

Sesame-Spiced Turkey Meatballs and Smashed Chickpea Salad

Courtesy of Deb Perelman in the Smitten Kitchen Cookbook

Ingredients

Meatballs
1 pound ground turkey
2/3 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon table salt
1 large egg
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
Pinch of cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
Olive oil to coat pan

Directions

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Combine all of the meatball ingredients in a medium bowl with a fork, breaking up the clumps of meat until the ingredients are evenly distributed. Form turkey mixture into golf ball sized balls and arrange them on a tray. Wet hands help them from getting sticky.

Heat a generous slick of oil in a large ovenproof saute pan with a lid. Brown the meatballs in batches, being careful not to crowd the pan or nudge them before they are nicely browned. Transfer the meatballs to a paper towel lined tray and continue to brown all meatballs.

Discard the oil and wipe all but a thin layer from the pan. Return all of the meatballs to the pan, and transfer to preheated oven. Bake until a thermometer read an internal temperature of 160 to 165 degrees, or about 10-15 minutes.

Salad Ingredients

1 and 3/4 cups cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
one handful of pitted, halved, and very thinly sliced green olives
1/2 teaspoon ground sumac, plus more for garnish
Chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 small clove garlic, minced
pinch of cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon table salt
olive oil

Directions

Mix everything but the olive oil in a small to mid-sized bowl. Very lightly smash the chickpea mixture with the back of a fork. Dress the chickpea with a drizzle of olive oil and stir to combine. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Khao Phat Muu

When Seamus and I were considering moving out to the Pacific Northwest, we decided to take a trip to Portland to check it out. We had a fabulous time there hanging out in the bars, restaurants, and parks, and one of our favorite experiences was eating at Andy Ricker's Thai restaurant called Pok Pok. From the drinking vinegar to the chicken wings to the amazing ambiance, we had a great time. When I saw Andy's cookbook at our local library, I knew that I needed to check it out!

Many of the recipes in this book are extremely complicated, filled with obscure ingredients and multiple steps. This recipe is simple, yet delicious. It reminded Shea and I both of the classic take-out Chinese fried rice, but with a fresher and (obviously) Thai spin on it. Suffice to say, I loved it!

Khao Phat Muu

Courtesy of Pok Pok by Andy Ricker

Ingredients
1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce
1 teaspoon Thai thin soy sauce
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
Pinch ground white pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large egg at room temperature
1 ounce peeled small shallots, preferably Asian or very small red onions halved and sliced with the grain (about 1/4 cup)
11 grams peeled garlic cloves halved lengthwise and lighting crushed into small pieces (about 1 tablespoon)
4 ounces boneless pork shoulder, sliced against the grain into approximately 1/8th inch think bite-sized pieces
2 cups Kaho Hom Mali (Jasmine rice); preferable day-old
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions, lightly packed, plus a pinch for finishing
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped cilantro, lightly packed

To serve alongside
8 or so 1/4 inch think slices of firm cucumber
1 lime wedge
Phrik Naam Plaa (Fish sauce-soaked chilies)


Directions
Combine the fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and pepper in a small bowl and stir well.

Heat a wok over very high heat, add the oil, and swivel it in the wok to coat the sides. When it begins to smoke, crack in the egg (it should spit and sizzle violently and the whites should bubble and puff) and cook without messing with it until all but the center of the whites have set, about 15 seconds. Flip the egg (it is fine if the yolks break) and push it to one side of the wok (up the wall of the wok is fine). Add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring them (but not the egg) often, until they have lightly browned, about 1 minute.

Add the pork, stir everything together well, and stir fry (constantly stirring, scooping, and flipping the ingredients) until the pork is no longer pink on the outside, about 30 seconds.

Add the rice and stir fry, breaking up the egg a bit, for 30 seconds. Add the fish sauce mixture (add a splash of water if needed to make sure nothings left behind in the bowl) and continue to stir fry until the pork is just cooked through and the flavors have permeated the rice, a minute or so more.

Turn off the heat, stir in the 2 tablespoons of green onions, and transfer the rice to a plate. Top with the cilantro and remaining green onions, and serve with the cucumber slices on the edge of the plate, the lime wedge for squeezing, and the fish sauce soaked chilies in a small bowl to spoon on top.

Pulled Pork Lettuce Wraps

I made this dish for my brothers, Jamila, and Matt a couple of weeks ago, and I have STILL been thinking about how delicious it was. It smelled and tasted so good that we all gobbled it up before I could even snap a picture of it , so there won't be a picture included in this post until I make this recipe again (which I think will be quite soon).

I was initially attracted to this recipe because it was apparently inspired by Momofuku head chef David Chang, who Shea and I both love. I'm also a fan of lettuce wraps in general, so I figured I had to give this dish a try.

When I was first preparing the pork for the slow cooker, I thought that I misunderstood the recipe because of the large amount of salt and sugar that you rub onto the meat. Seamus reassured me that we were doing everything right, and advised me to trust the recipe. And boy, am I glad he did! The pork was perfect completely on its own, and with the added sauce that is included in this recipe, this dish is fabulous.

Pulled Pork Lettuce Wraps

Courtesy of Cooking Light, July 2015 issue

Ingredients

2 tablespoons sugar 

2 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt

1 (2 1/2-pound) boneless pork shoulder, trimmed

1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger

2 tablespoons sherry or white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 

2 tablespoons unsalted chicken stock (such as Swanson)

1 tablespoon gochujang (Korean chile paste)

1 1/2 teaspoons lower-sodium soy sauce 

1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions

30 Boston lettuce leaves (about 2 heads) 

1 cup thinly sliced radishes

Lime wedges (optional) 

Preparation

1. Combine sugar and salt in a small bowl. Place pork in a large bowl; rub evenly with sugar mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

2. Preheat oven to 300°. Place pork on a rack set inside a roasting pan. Place pan in oven; bake 4 hours or until a thermometer registers 210°, basting occasionally with drippings. Remove from oven; let stand 30 minutes. Shred pork with 2 forks.

3. Combine ginger and next 5 ingredients (through soy sauce), stirring with a whisk. Stir in onions. Reserve half of sauce. Toss shredded pork in remaining half of sauce. Divide pork evenly among lettuce leaves. Top with radishes; drizzle with reserved sauce. Serve with lime wedges, if desired.

Cornmeal-Dusted (cat)Fish Sandwiches with Tangy Slaw

It's summer time in Seattle, and nothing says summer time like fried fish! We have been eating a fair amount of fish and chips lately (there is a great place called Seattle Fish Co. right near our new apartment), and I swear there is nothing better than a well cooked fish and chips.

I was flipping through a Cooking Light magazine (which, by the way, I am not 100% sure how I started getting), and I saw this recipe for a friend fish sandwich and thought it looked yummy and slightly healthier than my Fish and Chips. We made it tonight with Rockfish instead of Catfish, and we loved it! A little dab of hot sauce on the end really brought this sandwich to a whole new level.

Cornmeal-Dusted (cat)Fish Sandwiches with Tangy Slaw 

Courtesy of Cooking Light July 2015 Issue

Ingredients
4 (5 ounce) catfish fillets (we used Rock Fish)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 and 1/2 tablespoon coarse cornmeal
2 teaspoons canola oil
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons canola mayonnaise
2 teaspoons stone-ground mustard
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup shredded red cabbage
1 cup shredded green cabbage
1/2 cup thinly sliced green apple
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
4 Kaiser rolls, lightly toasted

Directions
1. Sprinkle fish with 1/4 teaspoon pepper and salt. Sprinkle with cornmeal. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil; swirl to coat. Add fish to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until done. Set aside and keep warm.

2. Combine cider vinegar, mayo, mustard, sugar and remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add green cabbage, red cabbage, sliced apple, and red onion; toss to coat. Place 1 fillet on bottom half of each Kaiser roll. Top each serving with about 1/2 cup slaw and top half of roll.

Creamy Zucchini Fettuccine

I have finally started my new job, which means no more sleeping in, going on long walks in the neighborhood, and going to the grocery store 5 times a day. It also means that now that Shea and I are both working (yay!), we don't have as much time to prepare dinner in the evenings when we get home.

We found this recipe from our new favorite cooking resource, Good and Cheap. If you haven't checked this online book out yet, you simply must. It is full of great recipes that are healthy and don't break the bank. This recipe is no exception. It is extremely simple in its ingredients and execution, but this pasta shines in the simplicity. We served it with egg noodles instead of fettuccine, which I think added to the delicate sauce and sweetness of the zucchini. Give it a try!

Creamy Zucchini Fettuccine

Courtesy of Leanne Brown from Good and Cheap

Ingredients
½ lb fettuccine
 4 tbsp butter
 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
 ½ tsp chili flakes
 2 small zucchini, finely diced
 1 lemon, zested
 ¼ cup cream
 ½ cup Romano or Parmesan, grated
 salt and pepper fresh
 basil, finely chopped (optional)

Directions
Bring a pot of water to boil over high heat. Salt the water liberally. This is how pasta gets salted, so don’t be shy! Most won’t end up in the pasta.

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. I prefer my pasta with some bite, so I drain the pasta just before it’s finished so it doesn’t get mushy when I add it to the vegetable pan to cook slightly more.

Meanwhile, melt a tablespoon of butter in a pan on medium heat. Add the garlic and chili flakes. Let them sizzle for 30 seconds to a minute, then add the zucchini. Stir the vegetables to coat them. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until some of the water has cooked off and the veggies are tender when stabbed with a fork. Young summer zucchini doesn’t need much cooking. Add the lemon zest. Stir!

Drain the cooked fettuccine and add it to the zucchini pan along with the rest of the butter, the cream, and most of the Romano cheese. Toss the fettuccine around the pan to get everything mixed. Add salt to taste and lots of freshly ground pepper. Top with a bit more cheese and serve immediately.

Pan-Roasted Salmon with Tomato Vinaigrette

We officially moved into our new apartment in West Seattle this weekend! The apartment is a good deal, and is actually probably one of the nicest apartments we have lived in for several years. One of my favorite things about the new apartment is the kitchen. While our kitchen isn't overly fancy, it does have granite counter tops, an oven/stove that works, and enough room for Seamus and me to both be working at the same time.

We made this dish to break in our new kitchen, and boy am I glad we did! Seamus cooked the fish perfectly, following the directions in the recipe exactly. It turned out so well that I think this is how we will be cooking our salmon every time in the future!

Pan-Roasted Salmon with Tomato Vinaigrette

Courtesy of Ted Allen via Food and Wine at http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/pan-roasted-salmon-with-tomato-vinaigrette

1. 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
2. 1 medium shallot, thinly sliced
3. 1 tablespoon drained capers
4. 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
5. Salt
6. 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
7. 4 center-cut salmon fillets with skin (about 7 ounces each)
8. Freshly ground pepper
9. 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
10. 2 tablespoons canola oil
11. 1 tablespoon minced parsley
12. 1 tablespoon chopped basil

1. Preheat the oven to 425°. In a bowl, toss the tomatoes with the shallot, capers, vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
2. In a medium ovenproof skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Season the salmon with salt and pepper and add it to the skillet, skin side up. Cook over moderately high heat until well-browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Carefully flip the fillets. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast until the salmon is cooked through, about 7 minutes. Transfer the fish to plates and pour off any fat in the skillet.
3. Place the skillet over moderate heat and add the tomato mixture along with the cumin, canola oil and the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Cook, scraping up any bits stuck to the skillet, until the tomatoes just soften, about 2 minutes. Pour the sauce over the salmon, sprinkle with the parsley and basil and serve right away.

Butternut Squash Salad with Farro and Pepitas

A lot has happened over the past couple of weeks. Seamus and I both got jobs (yay!), we are moving to a new apartment this week (yay!), and we both had birthdays (double yay!). As such, we have been eating out a lot lately, celebrating with friends and generally feeling good about life.

My job doesn't actually start until April 20th, so I have some time on my hands and should technically still be in saving-money mode. So Shea and I went to the store today to stock up on groceries for the week.

That being said, I have given myself some leniency on cooking almost exclusively out of "Good and Cheap", and decided to check out my favorite blog, Smitten Kitchen, to see if there were any recipes that looked good.  I was immediately drawn to this recipe for a squash and faro salad. Yummy and healthy? Count me in!

I made the dish with some quick-cook farro that I got at Trader Joe's, and substituted sunflower seeds for pepitas and feta cheese for ricotta salata. It turned out great!

Butternut Squash Salad with Farro and Pepitas

Courtesy of Deb Perelman at http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2012/10/butternut-squash-salad-with-farro-and-pepitas/

Ingredients
1 medium butternut squash (about 2 pounds)
5 to 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup semi-pearled farro (see Note up top)
1/3 cup toasted pepitas (I used, and love, the salted ones)
3 ounces ricotta salata or another salty cheese, crumbled or coarsely grated (about 3/4 cup)(omit to make vegan)
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Peel squash, then halve lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Cut squash into approximately 3/4-inch chunks. Coat one large or two small baking sheets with 2 tablespoons oil total. Spread squash out in single layer on sheet. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast until pieces are tender, about 30 to 40 minutes, turning them over halfway through the cooking time. Set aside to cool slightly.

While squash is roasting, cook farro in a large pot of simmering salted water until the grains are tender but chewy, about 30 minutes. (Since there are so many varieties of farro, however, if your package suggests otherwise, it’s best to defer to its cooking suggestion.) Drain and cool slightly.

While squash is roasting and farro is simmering, in a small bowl, whisk together sherry vinegar, water, 1/2 teaspoon table salt and granulated sugar until sugar and salt dissolve. Stir in onion; it will barely be covered by vinegar mixture but don’t worry. Cover and set in fridge until needed; 30 minutes is ideal but less time will still make a lovely, lightly pickled onion.

In a large bowl, mix together butternut squash, farro, red onion and its vinegar brine, the crumbled cheese and pepitas. Toss with 3 tablespoons of the remaining olive oil, use the 4th one only if needed. Taste and adjust seasonings. Eat now or later. Salad keeps in the fridge for up to a week

Crustless Vegetable Quiche

I love quiches, but I never make them because I always think about how much work it is to make a pie crust. This recipe is great because instead of a pie crust, you coat the bottom of your pan with sauteed onions (which is better than a pie crust anyways!). 

My grandma Kate used to always make "Baked Eggs" when we would go to visit her as small children. I LOVED baked eggs, and eventually started to ask my mom to make them at home, and then even further down the line started making them in my own apartment. This recipe has some of the same elements of Baked Eggs that I love (quiche-like consistency, brown and melty cheese), but replaces the white bread with vegetables making it way more healthy. 

Another great thing about this recipe is that you can use whatever kind of vegetables and/or cheese you have in the house. I used broccoli and cheddar because it is such a classic combo, but I could imagine this being terrific with peppers, mushrooms, spinach, and a whole host of other goodies. 

Crustless Vegetable Quiche

Courtesy of "Good and Cheap" by Leanne Brown

Ingredients

1 tbsp butter 

1 large onion, sliced into half moons

 3-4 cups chopped vegetables 

8 eggs 

1 cup milk

 1 cup cheddar or other cheese, grated 

tsp salt

 ½ tsp black pepper

Directions

Set the oven to 400 °F. 

There are two ways to make this quiche. If you have a cast-iron or other oven-proof skillet, you can make the quiche right in the skillet. This cuts down on dishes. Otherwise, start with a regular skillet and later transfer everything to a pie plate to bake. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add your onion slices and sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper over them. Cook the onions until they are golden brown and starting to caramelize. If your pan is oven-proof, simply remove it from the heat and spread the onions evenly across the bottom. Otherwise, butter a pie plate and scoop the onions into it, creating an even layer on the bottom. The onions add a crust-like texture and a bit of crunch. 

A note on vegetables: For things like broccoli, cauliflower or winter squash, I suggest steaming or cooking them before adding them to the quiche to ensure they’ll be fully cooked. For tomatoes, zucchini, spinach or any other quick-cooking vegetable, just use them fresh. Spread the vegetables evenly over top of the onions. The dish or pan should look fairly full. In a bowl, use a fork to lightly beat the eggs with the milk, cheese, salt, and pepper, just enough to break up the yolks and whites. 

This is a savory custard mixture. Pour the custard over the vegetables and onions and enjoy watching it fill in all the free spaces. 

Bake the quiche in the oven for 1 hour. Once the surface is lightly brown all the way across, it’s fully cooked. Let the quiche cool for about 20 minutes, then slice into wedges and serve with a side salad.

Beef Stroganoff

I love beef stroganoff, even though I rarely make it or eat it. We had some friends over for this dish, and it was funny how everyone associated beef stroganoff with Hamburger Helper. I think that is most people's memory of this creamy, meat-y, noodle-y dish. This version blows that version out of the water. Whatever preconceived notions you may have about stroganoff, throw them out the window and get ready for a comforting bowl of goodness!

I never really realized it before, but beef stroganoff is basically a beef stew with the addition of sour cream and mustard, served over noodles. We had a delicious smelling beef stew bubbling on our stove top, and I was decidedly nervous about adding sour cream and mustard to something that already tasted and smelled so great. Shea slowly added each ingredient though, stirring carefully not to break the sauce, and it ended up creamy, tangy, and perfect.

Beef Stroganoff

Courtesy of "Good and Cheap" by Leanne Brown

Ingredients
1 lb beef chuck or other cut
 salt and pepper
 2 tbsp butter
 2 onions, chopped
 2 large carrots, chopped
 1 tbsp flour
 2 tsp paprika
 4 cups water
 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
 1 lb mushrooms, chopped
 1 lb egg noodles
 ½ cup sour cream
 3 tbsp mustard

Directions
Chop the raw beef into bite-sized pieces and season generously with salt and pepper. Melt half the butter in a large saucepan on medium heat. Toss in enough beef to cover the bottom of the pan. You may need to cook the meat in two batches, depending on the size of your pan. Brown the meat on all sides, then set it aside on a plate.

 Add the onions and carrots to the pan and cook until the onions become translucent. Sprinkle with the flour and paprika, then cover with water. Drop the meat back in the pot. Cover the pot with a lid, but leave it askew so the steam can escape. Cook on medium-low heat for 2 hours. This process will make the beef tender and turn the water into beef stock. If you’re using a less tough cut of beef, you don’t need to cook nearly as long. Simply brown the meat, then substitute the water for 1 cup of beef stock and cook for 20 minutes. It’s a lot quicker, but of course tender meat is more expensive!

Meanwhile, in another pan on medium heat, melt the rest of the butter. Add the garlic and cook for about a minute. Add the mushrooms and toss to coat them with garlic and butter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Let the mushrooms cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they brown and shrink. Turn off the heat and taste. Add salt and pepper as needed.

Cook the noodles (or any pasta) according to the package instructions. Try to time it to coincide with finishing the stew. Check on the beef. If the water has reduced to approximately a cup of thick, flavorful liquid and the beef is tender, it’s done! If not, let it cook a little longer. Once it’s ready, stir in the mushrooms, sour cream, and mustard. Turn the heat down to low to keep it warm until the pasta is ready. Once again, taste and add more salt, pepper, and paprika if needed. Put the noodles into bowls and top with the stew. Sprinkle a little paprika over top

Chicken with Lemongrass (Ga Xao Xa Ot)

While spending 4 months in South Dakota, Seamus and I were predominantly the beneficiaries of my Mom's fantastic cooking. My mom specializes in gourmet sandwiches, roasting meats, Italian food, etc., but she doesn't cook a lot of Asian foods typically. Every once and a while Seamus and I would cook something that we learned from our Thai cooking class for my parents. I was always worried that they wouldn't like it because it is so different from what they normal eat, but every single time we made something, both my Mom and my Dad loved it. In fact, my Mom loved our Asian cooking so much that she  gave me The Complete Asian Cookbook for Christmas this year.

The Complete Asian Cookbook  is a 700 page encyclopedia of recipes from all over Asia. It includes gorgeous full-colored pictures and detailed descriptions of ingredients and cooking methods. If you are looking to add just one cookbook to your shelf about Asian food, I would recommend this book.

This is the first time I cooked out of this new book. I was worried that our lemongrass wasn't fragrant enough when I was cutting it up, but the flavor came through perfectly in the finished dish. The addition of sugar and fish sauce near the end of the cooking paired with the lemongrass flavor gave this dish the taste that you would expect in any Vietnamese restaurant. I also added some snap peas to our dish, just for a little extra color and a serving of veggies. Enjoy!

Chicken with Lemongrass

Courtesy of "The Complete Asian Cookbook" by Charmaine Solomon

Ingredients

1 lb chicken (cut into stir-fryable pieces)
3-4 stems lemongrass, white part only, thinly sliced
3 spring onions, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra to taste
2 tablespoons oil
1-2 fresh red chilies, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup roasted peanuts, finely chopped
2 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons fish sauce

Directions

Gently bruise the lemongrass using a mortar and pestle. Please the lemongrass in a bowl with the spring onion, salt, pepper and chicken and toss well to combine. Set aside for 30 minutes.

Heat the oil in a wok or large heavy-based frying pan over medium heat. Add the chicken mixture and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add the chili and stir-fry for a further 10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Add the peanuts, season with the sugar and extra pepper and stir well. Add the fish sauce and toss to distribute evenly, then serve with rice or noodles.

French Onion Soup

I was out running errands, and when I came back into the apartment I was met with the sweetest, most delicious smell. Seamus was making French Onion Soup! Neither of us had ever made this soup before, but we were just talking about how we don't eat French food very often (because it is so often expensive), and when we saw it in our "Good and Cheap" cookbook, and thought we would give it a try.  I wasn't around when Seamus cut the 6 large onions for this recipe, but I have to think that the delicious smells and tastes were worth the tears!

Seamus used 6 large onions while making this recipe and served it with some stale bread and melted cheese. Perfect!

French Onion Soup

Courtesy of "Good and Cheap" by Leanne Brown

Ingredients

4lb onions, any type 
4 cloves garlic
2 tbsp butter
2 bay leaves
8 cups beef broth
1 and 1/2 cups cheddar, grated

1 tbsp vinegar, any type (optional)
3 tsp salt
6 slices bread

Directions

Chop each onion in half lengthwise, peel them, then cut them into half- moon slices. These big slices are fine since you’re cooking the onions for so long. Slice the garlic as well. Melt the butter in a large pot on medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, and bay leaves. Cover the pot with a lid and leave it for 10 minutes. When you come back, the onions should have released a lot of moisture. Give them a stir. Pour in the vinegar and put the lid back on. Cook for 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes. When the onions at the bottom start to stick and turn dark, add a splash of water to unstick them. Don’t worry, the onions aren’t burning, just caramelizing. The water helps lift off the sticky, delicious, sweet part!

Once the onions are very dark and about a quarter the volume they once were, add all the water and a bunch of salt and pepper. Cover the pot again, turn the heat down to low, and let it simmer for another hour. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Ladle the soup into bowls. Now it’s time to make cheese toast! If you want classic French onion soup— with the toast directly in the soup, which makes it a bit soggy—place a piece of bread on top of each bowl of soup, sprinkle with cheese, then heat the bowls under your oven’s broiler until the cheese is bubbly.

Everyday Yellow Dal

This was not one of my most organized cooking experiences. Seamus and I have moved to an area where Trader Joe's is the nearest grocery store, so while we were shopping, I couldn't find yellow split peas. I decided to substitute with yellow lentils instead. I was flustered by this substitution at first (for some reason this small substitution made me think I need to change everything about the dish), but eventually got everything together in order to make a good dish.

For the lentil substitution, follow the directions for cooking the lentils on the package rather than following the directions as they are listed below. It turned out great, and made me wonder why I don't eat lentils more often!

Everyday Yellow Dal

Courtesy of "5 Spices, 50 Dishes" by Ruta Kahate

Ingredients
1 cup yellow split peas, soaked in cold water for 1 hour
3 cups water
1 large tomato cut into 8 wedges
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
5 large cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon coriander seeds, finely ground
3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 cup minced cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon salt

Drain the split peas and place in a large saucepan. Add the fresh water and tomato and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until the peas are tender, 45 minutes- 1 hour. Pick out any tomato skins and whisk the dal to emulsify it. Keep warm over low heat.

Make the tadka: Heat the oil in a medium skillet over high heat. When the oil beings to smoke, add the cumin seeds, covering the pan with a lid or spatter screen. After the seeds have stopped sputtering, add the onion and garlic and saute over medium heat until most of the onion has turned dark brown, about 5 minutes. Add the coriander, turmeric, and cayenne, stir, and pour the onion mixture over the dal. Add the cilantro, butter, and salt to the dal and simmer for another 5 minutes. serve hot.

Good and Cheap Jambalaya

Well, we finally made it to Seattle! After a 4 month layover in Yankton, SD, and a harrowing drive through the mountains of Idaho, we arrived. We have a 3-month sublet near the University, and are going to use these 3 months to get settled and hopefully find jobs.

But because we don't have jobs yet, we are trying to live and eat on a budget. As such, we have been trying to be very careful about our meal planning and grocery shopping. We have also found a great resource for cheap recipes called "Good and Cheap". It is an online cookbook developed for folks who are living on a budget of $4 a day for food. This recipe comes from it, and probably many more that I post in the future will too (at least until I get a job!).

Speaking of this recipe, I loved it. I used homemade chicken stock that included a jalapeño, so it had a good kick to it. I also added some leftover roasted chicken from the night before to make it a little bit more hardy. But this recipe really works; it has that great cajun flavor I crave!

Vegetable Jambalaya

Courtesy of Good and Cheap by Leanne Brown

Ingredients
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped 3 stalks celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 bay leaves
1 tsp paprika
1⁄2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce
3 cups vegetable broth or chicken stock
leftover meat, tofu, or beans 
1⁄2 small green chili, finely chopped 2 large tomatoes, chopped

1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper 1⁄2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp salt
3⁄4 cup long grain rice
(I also used Tony Chachere's for that New Orleans flavor)

Directions
Start with the oil in a large high-sided saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, pepper, and celery, then cook for about 5 minutes, until they become translucent but not brown.
Add the rest of the ingredients except for the rice and broth. Let everything cook for about 1 minute to let some of the tomato juice release.
Add the rice and slowly pour in the broth. Reduce the heat to medium and let the dish cook until the rice absorbs all the liquid. It should take about 20 to 25 minutes.
If you’re using any of the additions, throw them in at about the 15-minute mark to let them warm up.