Bruschetta ala Trader Joe's

I have a love hate relationship with Trader Joe's.  I love their food,
I hate that I can't buy it all.  I went in today to buy salad stuff.  I did buy salad stuff, and falafel, hummus, chicken satay, stir-fry vegetables, whole wheat sourdough bread and a lavender plant.  Now, overall my purchases were healthy, but do I really need a hundred little baby sweet tomatoes?  However, my cousin mentioned bruschetta....I love bruschetta.  Now I didn't have fresh basil leaves, but I had everything else, and I substituted with dry basil leaves...so go team!!  So using that sourdough bread and the cherry tomatoes, I bruschettaed (my word invention...add it to your Sara words!)  So bruschetta away!!!

Bruschetta with Tomato and Basil Recipe
INGREDIENTS
• 6 or 7 ripe plum tomatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 6-8 fresh basil leaves, chopped.
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 baguette French bread or similar Italian bread
• 1/4 cup olive oil
METHOD
1 Prepare the tomatoes first. Parboil the tomatoes for one minute in boiling water that has just been removed from the burner. Drain. Using a sharp small knife, remove the skins of the tomatoes. (If the tomatoes are too hot, you can protect your finger tips by rubbing them with an ice cube between tomatoes.) Once the tomatoes are peeled, cut them in halves or quarters and remove the seeds and juice from their centers. Also cut out and discard the stem area. Why use plum tomatoes instead of regular tomatoes? The skins are much thicker and there are fewer seeds and less juice.
2 Make sure there is a top rack in place in your oven. Turn on the oven to 450°F to preheat.
3 While the oven is heating, chop up the tomatoes finely. Put tomatoes, garlic, 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, vinegar in a bowl and mix. Add the chopped basil. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4 Slice the baguette on a diagonal about 1/2 inch thick slices. Coat one side of each slice with olive oil using a pastry brush. Place on a cooking sheet, olive oil side down. You will want to toast them in the top rack in your oven, so you may need to do these in batches depending on the size of your oven. Once the oven has reached 450°F, place a tray of bread slices in the oven on the top rack. Toast for 5-6 minutes, until the bread just begins to turn golden brown.
Alternatively, you can toast the bread without coating it in olive oil first. Toast on a griddle for 1 minute on each side. Take a sharp knife and score each slice 3 times. Rub some garlic in the slices and drizzle half a teaspoon of olive oil on each slice. This is the more traditional method of making bruschetta.
5 Align the bread on a serving platter, olive oil side up. Either place the tomato topping in a bowl separately with a spoon for people to serve themselves over the bread, or place some topping on each slice of bread and serve. If you top each slice with the tomatoes, do it right before serving or the bread may get soggy.
Makes 24 small slices. Serves 6-10 as an appetizer. Or 3-4 for lunch (delicious served with cottage cheese on the side.)

Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette

Original Recipe Yield 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Directions
1. Place the vinegar, onion, soy sauce, honey, sugar, garlic, and red pepper flakes into a blender. Puree on high, gradually adding the olive oil. Continue pureeing 2 minutes, or until thick.

Amazingly Delicious Healthy Smoothie

I have a confession.  I love chocolate.  I love fruit.  I love fruit and chocolate.  However, one of those things doesn't really help decrease the waistline, and increase healthiness.  BUT, I have found the perfect combination of chocolate, fruit, and healthiness!  Woohoo!!!  One of my favorite smoothies is a cup of skim milk with one frozen banana.  Today, I had a cup of dark chocolate almond milk with one frozen banana, blended together...and...bingo....deliciousness!!!!!!!!!!!!!  So, try to today!!!  It was one of the best dinners I have had this week!  :)

Peanut Butter Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

One of Aristotle's greatest questions was....is there such thing as
too much peanut butter?  The answer...not a chance.  I heart peanut butter, that is all I have to say about it.  My little brother Corey has long been the peanut butter cookie king, but as cookie princess, I was determined to conquer this monumental task of the perfect peanut butter cookie.  I think I did a pretty splendid job.  Go team!!  Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

Cream together:

1 cup shortening

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

Stir in:

1 cup peanut butter

Sift together:

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

½ teaspoon salt.

Stir in:

1 pckg of peanut butter chips

Stir dry ingredients into the creamed mixture.  Add peanut butter chips. Roll into one-inch balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet.  Press each cookie with back of sugared fork to make crisscross.  Make in oven at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes or until light brown.

Calabacitas

I made this the other day, to go along with green chili enchiladas.  I didn't end up taking a picture of the final product, but it was pretty, and delicious.  Of course, it had cheese...how could it not be delicious?!!  So have some cheesy, squashy fun!!!  I did :)

Calabacitas Prep and Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:

• 1 medium onion, cut in half and sliced thin
• 4 medium cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 cups zucchini , diced into ½ -inch cubes
• 2 cups yellow squash, diced in ½-inch cubes
• 1/2 cup sweet corn
• 4 oz can of diced green chili (I added chili's I broiled and chopped)
• 1 TBS + 3 TBS chicken or vegetable broth
• 3 TBS fresh chopped fresh oregano (or 1 TBS dried oregano)
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• *Optional: drizzle with olive oil before serving

Directions:

1. Slice onion and chop garlic and let sit for at least 5 minutes to bring out their health-promoting benefits.
2. Prepare all the vegetables.
3. Heat 1 TBS broth in 11-12 inch stainless steel skillet. Healthy Sauté onions in broth over medium heat for about 5 minutes stirring frequently, until translucent. Add garlic and sauté for another minute.
4. Add zucchini, yellow squash, remaining broth, green chili, corn and cook for another 3 minutes or so until vegetables are tender, stirring often. Add cheese and continue to cook for another couple of minutes.
5. Stir in herbs, salt, and pepper.

Making up for the creme brulee

So...although I am crediting the creme brulee for my best 5 mile run (okay there was some walking in there, but more running) in awhile...I know it has actually been my commitment to running, hiking and walking 6 miles a day and watching what goes in this little mouth.  I saw this lentil/brown rice recipe on the Today show, and I have been wanting to marinate chicken and make some fajitas.  So I did them both, and, well didn't eat it with a tortilla...is it not a fajita then?  Well, whatever....it was fabulous, and made me feel good.  So enjoy your health!!!

Lentils and rice, with or without pork

 

(I did not cook with pork, or some of the spices... and I added a tablespoon of chicken bouillon)

Mark Bittman

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 large carrot, chopped
• 4 ounces bacon or sausage, chopped, optional
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups lentils, rinsed and picked over
• 1 cup long-grain brown rice
• 3 or 4 bay leaves
• Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish

Preparation

Put the oil in a large, deep saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add the onion, celery, carrot, and meat if you're using it and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to become tender and the meat begins to brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and some salt and pepper and cook for another minute or 2.
Add the lentils, rice, bay leaves, and 5 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat so the liquid bubbles gently and cover.
Check the rice and lentils after 30 minutes. If both are tender and the liquid is absorbed, the dish is ready. If either is not tender, add enough more liquid to keep the bottom of the pot moist, cover, and cook for a few more minutes. If the rice and lentils are soft and there is much liquid remaining (which is unlikely), raise the heat a bit and cook, uncovered, stirring once or twice until it evaporates. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary and serve, garnished with parsley.

Serving Size

Chicken Fajitas


 

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (1 to 1 1/4 lb.), cut into thin strips 2 tablespoons oil 1/3 cup water 1 green bell pepper, cut into strips 1 medium onion, sliced Marinade...store bought, or apple juice....I used a combo of mango marinade and citrus juice. Marinate chicken in fruit juices for 24 hours

1. COOK and stir chicken in hot oil in a large nonstick skillet 5 minutes on medium-high heat.  Mix, water, green pepper and onion; cook and stir on medium heat 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.

 

The Sinfulness of Creme Brulee

There is nothing quite like creme brulee....creamy...sweet...with a glassy, crunchy top....it makes me happy!  Oh and you get to burn things!!!  Bonus!  So go out today and buy a propane torch (just a little one) and get your sweet on.

ATK Classic Crème Brulee

4 cups heavy whipping cream

2/3 cup granulated sugar

Pinch salt

1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise

12 large egg yolks

8-12 teaspoons turbinado or demerara sugar

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat over to 300 degrees.

2. Combine 2 cups cream, sugar, and salt in medium saucepan; with paring knife, scrape seeds from vanilla bean into pan, submerge pod in cream, and bring mix to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally to ensure that sugar dissolves.  Take pan off heat and let steep 15 minutes to infuse flavors.

3. Meanwhile, place kitchen towel in bottom of large baking dish or roasting pan and arrange eight 4- to 5- ounce ramekins (or swallow fluted dishes) on towel.  Bring kettle or large saucepan of water to boil over high heat.

4.  After cream has steeped, stir in remaining 2 cups cream to cool down mixture.  Whisk yolks in large bowl until broken up and combined.  Whisk about 1 cup cream mix into yolks until loosened and combined; repeat with another 1 cup cream.  Add remaining cream and whisk until evenly colored and thoroughly combined.  Strain through fine-mesh strainer into 2-quart measuring cup or pitcher ( or clean medium bowl); discard solids in strainer.  Pour or ladle mix into ramekins, dividing it evenly among them.

5.  Carefully place baking dish with ramekins on oven rack; pour boiling water into dish, taking care not to splash water into ramekins, until water reaches two-thirds height of ramekins.  Bake until centers of custards are just barely set and are no longer sloshy and digital instant-read thermometer inserted in centers registers 170-175 degrees, 30-35 minutes for shallow fluted dishes.  Begin checking temperature about 5 minutes before recommended time.

6.  Transfer ramekins to wire rack; cool to room temperature, about 2 hours.  Set ramekins on rimmed baking sheet, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours or up to 4 days.

7.  Uncover ramekins; if condensation has collected on custards, place paper towel on surface to soak up moisture. 
Sprinkle each with about 1 teaspoon turbinado sugar (1 ½ teaspoons for shallow fluted dishes); tilt and tap ramekin for even coverage.  Ignite torch and caramelize sugar.  Refrigerate ramekins, uncovered to re-chill, 30-45 minutes (but no longer); serve.

* You can substitute 2 teaspoons vanilla extract instead of vanilla beans, just whisk into yolks in step 4.

Pork Chili Verde

It has been forever since my last blog.  I did a lot of cooking during the holiday, but didn't get it posted. I might try to catch up eventually...however, I am not baking for a little while, trying to be good for a little bit.  Today, I got my bountiful basket and had tomatillos, and chilis. While talking to a friend it was suggested I try pork chili verde.  So here it is!!  It is delicious and pretty easy!

Pork Chile Verde

Ingredients

• 4 pounds pork butt or shoulder, trimmed of fat and cut into 2-inch cubes*** I didn't cut it up, I just cooked it whole, so that I could shred the meat. 
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Flour for dredging
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3 yellow onions
• 2 green bell peppers, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 Anaheim or Poblano chiles, cut into 1-inch cubes***I did one of each!! :)
• 2-3 jalapenos, seeds removed, and finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 1/2 pounds tomatillos, roasted, peeled and chopped
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons coriander seeds, crushed and soaked in a scant amount of water
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 bunch cilantro leaves, cleaned and chopped
• 4 cups chicken stock

Directions

Season the pork meat generously with salt and pepper, lightly flour. Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium high heat and brown pork chunks well in small batches, on all sides. Lift pork out of pan and place in a wide soup pot. Discard fat and place the onions and peppers in the same skillet and sweat over moderate heat, stirring occasionally until limp, about 5 minutes. Add all of the chiles and cook an additional 3-4 minutes, then add the garlic and cook 1-2 minutes more.
Add the Sauteed vegetables, chopped tomatillos, dried herbs and cilantro to the meat, cover with the chicken stock and bring up to a boil and reduce to a slight simmer. Cook for 2-3 hours uncovered or until the pork is fork tender.
Adjust the seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with red rice for a delightful contrast.