Rhubarb Custard Pie

Some friends asked if we wanted some rhubarb. I said yep and my husband went to get it.  He came back with a ginormous pile! I processed and froze most of it...but not all of it! One of my favorite pies is rhubarb custard pie. It is super easy and a delicious way to get your veggies? I added a pistachio for no real reason but to do something different.  It is just fabulous without it, and I am not sure it added anything to it, but it looked interesting and pretty and that is important...right?
I am back to using my mom's pie crust recipe. I have tried others, but they just don't do the job as well as this one!

Rhubarb Custard Pie
1 unbaked pie shell
3-4 cups of rhubarb, cut up into nice little pieces
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 eggs beaten to within a inch of their lives
1 cup heavy whipping cream, ya boy!!
3 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp salt

Put the rhubarb in the pie shell.
Mix all the other ingredients together and pour over the rhubarb (yes, it is seriously that simple)
Bake for 10 minutes at 400 and then lower to 350 and cook another 40.
Pull it out and cool and put vanilla ice cream on it and devour!

When I use my frozen rhubarb I will make sure it is thawed and patted extra dry and maybe add another tablespoon of flour.

Pie Crust
Combine
2 1⁄2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 cup shortening
Cut into flour with a pastry cutter or knife until it looks like cornmeal
Combine
1⁄4 cup cold water
1 Tbsp vinegar
1 egg, beaten
Add liquids to dry ingredients with a fork until dough sticks together. Divide into two balls. Place ball
between two pieces of waxed paper. Place upside down pie pan on top of rolled out dough and flip over.
Remove last piece of waxed paper. Fit loosely into pan and trim edge 1⁄2 to 1 inch beyond edge. Crimp
edges with fingers. Fill and bake according to recipe. If baked pie shell is needed, prick bottom and sides
well with a fork and bake at 375 degree for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Yield: 2 9-inch
pie crusts.

Buttery Onion Soup

You heard me. Butter+Onion+Soup...oh and + mozzarella cheese....this is what heaven tastes like. That sounds weird, but whatever. It is sooooo goooood! I have always liked french onion soup, but I have to say I love this onion soup even more! So if you like soup and butter, and onions aaaaaannnndddd mozzarella cheese...then here you go!

Buttery Onion Soup

2 cups thinly sliced onions ( I used sweet onions)
1/2 cup of butter, cubed
1/4 cup flour
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups milk (I replaced some with cream...boy howdy)
2 cups mozzarella cheese (you can use less if you are boring)
salt and pepper until it tastes awesome
I also added a couple dashes of savory, because it smelt good.  Other herbs would be great in it also. experiement a little. 

• In your favorite soup pot...cook onions in the butter on low heat until tender and transparent, about 20 minutes. I always add a dash or two of salt also. Because I love the to taste test and tast testing buttery salted onions is like majorly rad. 
• Stir in the flour and cook for another minute. Slowly add broth and milk; cook and stir over medium heat until bubbly. Reduce to low and add cheese, salt, pepper and other herbs. Stir until melted but do not boil.
• See that was easy!!
• 
  

Roasted Chicken in my Oven makes me Happy!

I always loved buying a rotisserie chicken. They were hot and tasty and you could make a wonderful bone broth with them. Out here in rural r us, reasonably priced groceries are just not as available. I started buying whole chickens at Costco and freezing them to roast in the oven.  I had been using a very good recipe from Barefoot Contessa, but then this one came up from New York times that caught my eye. It said to use rhubarb, but I didn't have any, but I had blackberries and thought they might go well with chicken....and boy howdy they did! So my husband declared this chicken a triumph and bonus it made an incredible broth for what become chicken noodle soup. So Bon Appetite!

Roast Chicken with Blackberry Sauce

For the Chicken:
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
3/4 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 large garlic clove, grated or minced
1 whole chicken, cleaned out (which means reach in that cavity and pull out the neck and gizzards..so gross)
3 thyme sprigs (I just used dried thyme..but I am going to plant lemon thyme and use that!)
1 purple onion, sliced into rings, salted and put to the side.

In a small bowl, combine salt, ground coriander, lemon zest, ginger, pepper and garlic. Rub it all over chicken, including inside the cavity and under the skin. Stuff Thyme springs into the cavity (or just shake some dried herbs in it)

Place chicken in pan, and marinate, uncovered, in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or preferabley overnight (I did 3 hours and it was awesome)

When ready to roast the chicken, heat oven to 425 degrees....that's hot baby...generously pour olive oil over the chicken. Put blackberry sauce on top of the chicken.  Roast for 20-25 minutes and then lower the temperture in the oven to 400 degrees. Place onions around the chicken. Roast for another 25 -30 minutes until the skin is golden and the internal temperature in the breast registers 165 degrees.
Let rest for as long as you can stand it up to 10 minutes. Slice and add gather the blackberry sauce as a garnish. mmmmmm.....

Blackberry Sauce
1/2 cup blackberries, crushed
1/8 cup chicken broth
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/8 teaspoon lemon thyme

Boil together. and simer until thick.  5 minutes.

I am not adding a picture, cuz the ones I took look terrible...but I will add one when I do it again.

Chicken Pot Pie for the Family

                                   Chicken Pot Pie

You know what I love? Yes, I do love that, and that and yes, lots of things…but I really love chicken pot pie! Just ya, soooo good. Luckily my family likes it also, so whenever I have leftover chicken, I make an excuse to make chicken pot pie. So tonight, I am making chicken pot pie (yes, I am just typing chicken pot pie as much as possible)

Planting taters!

Of course I like anything that starts with sautéing an onion, garlic and various and sundry vegetables. Sometimes I add potatoes from the huge bags that keep showing up from generous famers, but I didn't this time. I don't know why? I got to watch them plant potatoes last week in the field next to me! So cool. So anyways...here we go!

Recipe and stream of consciousness commentary:

In a large saute pan on medium heat add:

1 teaspoon of oil and a pat of butter (I just love the taste of vegetables and butter)

½ onion, chopped (and if you can hunt and gather it from a field near by your house, go for it …ps it was legal they had already harvested…we just hunted and gathered what was leftover)

2 garlic cloves, minced or pushed through that cool garlic press thing…I guess it is called a garlic press, who knew?Probably you...

Sauté those for a bit and then add:

3 carrots peeled and diced

3 celery stalks, chopped

½-1 cup of peas (just depending on your love of peas and how much is left over in the freezer

Once all these veggies are soft and fragrant (ps I add a pinch of salt to them as they cook down)

Add:

¾ cups of flour and stir it into the vegetables for a minute

Stir in:

 2 cups of chicken broth

½ cup milk (I had some sour cream so I put a dollop of it in also

Add salt and pepper to taste and viola! You made your own cream of chicken soup with vegetables!

Turn to medium-low and stir until thick and bubbly. If too think add some more milk and cream.

Add 2 cups of shredded or diced chicken and stir baby stir.

Pour into pie crust. Add top crust and put 4 slits in the top so it won’t explode.

Cook at 425 degrees for 30-40 minutes, and leave it warming in the oven until your husband comes home from work.

 

Butter Pie Crust

I usually make a different pie crust that you can find on here somewhere. But, I didn’t have shortening and did I mention I love butter…so I am trying this one.

It works for one 9-inch double pie crust…aka the top and the bottom, or two bottoms or two tops

Start with 2 ½ cups flour

Add:

1 teaspoon of salt

1 Tablespoon sugar (the recipe says optional…whatever, sugar is never optional in my world)

Mix it a bit and add:

1 cup very cold butter, cut into ½ inch cubes

Use a pastry cutter thing or a couple of knives and cut the butter into flour mixture until crumbly and pea size

Add 8 tablespoon of ice water

Press the dough into itself using a rubber spatula. The crumbs should begin to for larger clusters. The dough should start holding together.

Remove the dough from the bowl and place in a mound on a semi clean surface. Kidding! It should be mostly clean and move the magazines and mail a little further away from where you plopped the dough, or they will be doughy too…maybe a friend had this experience. Perhaps.

Work the dough just enough to form a ball. Cut ball in half and wrap in plastic wrap and put in the fridge

When thou art ready to roll, place the dough on a lightly floured surface. I like to put it on parchment paper, cut parchment paper is the bomb and make it easier to transfer to a pie pan without a disaster. (See title of blog)

Roll, roll, roll that dough until nice and round. Make sure it fits upon the pan and slowly slide in on. (you can sing the entire last sentence to the tune of row, row, row your boat…just sayin’)

For better directions see the originator of the recipe at:

https://www.inspiredtaste.net/22662/flaky-pie-crust-recipe/

Blackberry Pavlovas and me

I have never ever not ever heard of a pavlova until...duhn duhn duhn duhn...Great British Bake-off. I still didn’t plan on making one because if it was on GBBO (wonder if that is the acronym they use or if it’s GBBo or GBB-O WTBBCS...we the bomb cooking show) it is probably over my head. Nevertheless, after each episode I go through and Pinterest the heck out of stuff they made...cuz dreams.

So back to the today...sort of...I made my own pasta last week. It uses a lot of egg yolks and I had a egg whites left over...what to do with them?? Hmmmm.... google how to use egg whites? Great idea. It says pavlovas....go to Pinterest and see if you pinned any after GBBO? Another superb idea....ahhhh yes...there it is! 

So in conclusion, I decided on this pavlova recipe and it was so much easier than I imagined and so much more difficult to eat cuz...it’s crispy and marshmallowy and blackberry-creamy. So what I’m saying is...make it and revel in the messy deliciousness! Ps pavlovas were named after Anna Pavlova a Russian Ballerina...but why tho’?

Yes, I used my finger to clean the extra cream off the plate...it’s the right thing to do. The wrong thing is I didn’t get all of it!

Pavlova with blackberry compote from fifteen spatulas

1/2 cup egg whites at room temperature (for seriously and I was unbelievably patient and did get it to room temp. Go me!)

1/8 tsp cream of tartar

1/8 tsp salt

1 cup granulated sugar 

1.5 tsp red or white wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chantilly Cream (aka whipped cream with vanilla)

1 cup heavy whipping cream (I accidentally grabbed half and half and had to run out in the middle of cooking pavlovas to grab cream!😮)

1 Tablespoon sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Blackberry compote (aka cooked berries with sugar)

12 oz blackberries (or whatever berries you have or desire!)

1 Tablespoon sugar (the author said optional...hahaha)

1 Tablespoon of lemon juice

Zest of lemon (I didn’t do this because I used bottled juice) 

To make he pavlova:

First position

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and use parchment paper to line a baking sheet cuz parchment paper is the bestestestest.

Second position:

Whip those egg whites....with the cream of tartar and salt. Stand, hand or real hand mixer...whatever just mix until foamy. About 60 seconds for those using electricity.

Third position (do you get me hilarious reference to ballet yet?)

Time for the rest of the stuff! Add sugar, cornstarch, vinegar and vanilla and whip on high until it is irresistibly glossy with stiff peaks.

Plié (hey, it only takes one person to think I’m funny and I count as 1)

Take a big soup type spoon and get a big ol’ dollop of this silky, creamy stuff and make a nice round nest. Swirl it and make it look purty. Only about 1.5 inches tall and 3 or 4 inches across.  You should be able to make six.  Try to keep them far apart from each other because honey, they grow! 

Allégro

Bake these puppies aka pavlovas for 10 minutes and then turn down the oven to 300 degrees and cook for another 40 minutes (and if you need to run out and buy your heavy cream, now is the time)

The pavlovas will expand turn lightly toasty tan and crack a bit.

When the 40 minutes are up, turn off the oven but prop open the door and let the pavlovas slowly cool in the oven ( and don’t keep opening and closing the oven door because you keep forgetting you are leaving it open on purpose and remembering you are leaving it open and then forgetting again...maybe true story)

Chantilly cream and a pretty face...or something 

Pour the cream into a bowl and mix it until thick and then add the sugar and vanilla and mix until you can’t stand it any longer and have to taste test it...I mean until it forms nice soft peaks that need to be tested repeatedly with your finer...I mean spoon, I mean...just lick the beaters.

Blackberry Compote (not to be confused with compost)

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and cook on medium for 8-10 minutes until soft and juicy. I also mashed them down.

Now for the fun part...Plating!

Place each fancy pants pavlova onto a plate. Dollop your delicious chantilly cream on top and then add the compote. Ta-da!

Now you feel all fancy and stuff!

Ps we eventually used a knife to cut through the marshmallowy inside. Just a tip!

Let me know if you try it!

https://www.fifteenspatulas.com/pavlova-with-white-zinfandel-blackberry-compote/

Roasted Sweet Potato and Chickpeas

I pinned this recipe from http://avocadopesto.com/2014/07/20/sweet-potato-chickpea-salad-gluten-free-vegan/  because I love, Love LOVE roasted sweet potato.  I made a few changes, but it is delicious!  So enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 medium sweet potato, peeled, and diced,
• 2 tablespoon coconut oil
• salt, pepper, to taste
• 1 tsp ground cumin (or to taste)
• ½ medium red onion, diced
• 2-4 cloves garlic minced
• large handful parsley or cilantro, chopped
• 1 lemon, zested
• ½ a lemon, juiced

Instructions

1. Heat pan over medium heat and add oil. Cook diced sweet potatoes until lightly browned on all sides and cooked through. Add salt, pepper to taste and half the cumin powder .  Remove the sweet potatoes and add the chickpeas to roast. 
2. In a large bowl , garlic, onion, and parsley.
3. To the bowl add the sweet potato, chickpeas with the lemon juice and zest,
4. Toss to combine. Add additional olive oil (up to one tablespoon -- optional).

Vegetable Quiche

I had a friend at work give me a piece of the quiche that she made.  It was so good, and then I got the craving for more!   I happen to be watching my parent's house while they were out of town, which means that I am the collector of the chicken eggs.  Then, someone at work donated a bunch of hatch chilies, so I grabbed a handful and I grabbed all the other vegetables I had in my house and voila...quiche!!!  Now I have something to eat for lunch all week!  woohoo!!!


Vegetable Quiche

2 pie crusts
10 eggs
3/4 cup greek yogurt
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese

1/3 of an onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves minced
1 tomato chopped
2 handfuls of spinach, kale or other leafy green (I used one that had spinach, kale and collard greens)
1/3 of a red bell pepper chopped
1/2 cup chopped roasted green chilies
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add onion and red bell pepper to the oil. Saute for 3-4 minutes, add garlic and saute another minute. Add spinac, tomato and green chilies and cook just until spinach starts to wilt. Turn off heat and set aside. Spinach will continue to wilt.
3. Place Greek yogurt in a large bowl and whisk until smooth. Add eggs, two at a time, whisking after each addition until smooth. Add grated cheese and salt and pepper to taste.
4. Pour egg mixture into prepared quiche dish. Top with spinach mixture (much of the spinach mixture will sink into the eggs).
5. Bake in a preheated oven until eggs have set, about 35-40 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
   
   
   
   
   
   
    

Caramel Banana Pancakes

Caramel Banana Pancakes ....did I just say caramel banana pancakes??? Oh yes, yes I did...I had them this weekend at IHOP and couldn't rest until I had made them.  So, who wants to be my best friend?  I have some to share!!  oh, sweet mother of sweetness.

Make the caramel sauce and pudding ahead of time…but they do not need to be cooled.  For each serving cook two pancakes.  Put two tablespoons of vanilla pudding between the pancakes.  Add a tablespoon of caramel sauce if you are a wimp, and two tablespoons if you appreciate sweet, buttery caramel sauce, to the pancake.  Put half of the caramel sauce on the top pancake, slice a half (or more) of a banana on top of the caramel sauce and then the rest of the caramel sauce drizzled over the bananas.  Add a dollop of reddi whip (if you have any) to make it fancier and fun.  Then BANG!!  You are a pancake rockstar!!!!!

 

ATK Best Buttermilk pancakes

Ingredients

White Flour, 2 cup
Granulated Sugar,2 tbsp
Salt, ½ tsp
Baking Powder, 1 tsp
Baking Soda, ½  tsp
Buttermilk,, 2 cups
Greek Yogurt or sour cream ¼ cup
1 egg

Butter , 3 tbsp, melted

 Directions

Wisk flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, & baking soda together in a medium bowl.
In second medium bowl, wisk buttermilk, sour cream, eggs & melted butter.
Make well in middle of dry ingredients and pour in wet: gently stir until just combined (batter should remain lumpy with a few streaks of flour) DO NOT OVER MIX!
Allow batter to sit for 10 Mins (DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP!!!)

Heat skillet to around 350, or large pan on the stovetop.  Using 1/4 cup for measuring, portion batter on to pan. Cook until edges are set, first side is golden brown, and bubbles on surface are just beginning to break, (2-3 mins)
Flip and continue to cook for 1-2 mins longer

Caramel Sauce Recipe

Ingredients

·         1 cup sugar

·         6 Tbsp butter

·         1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Method

1 First, before you begin, make sure you have everything ready to go - the cream and the butter next to the pan, ready to put in. Making caramel is a fast process that cannot wait for hunting around for ingredients. If you don't work fast, the sugar will burn. Safety first - make sure there are no children under foot and you may want to wear oven mitts; the caramelized sugar will be much hotter than boiling water.

2 Heat sugar on moderately high heat in a heavy-bottomed 2-quart or 3-quart saucepan. As the sugar begins to melt, stir vigorously with a whisk or wooden spoon. As soon as the sugar comes to a boil, stop stirring. You can swirl the pan a bit if you want, from this point on. Note that this recipe works best if you are using a thick-bottomed pan. If you find that you end up burning some of the sugar before the rest of it is melted, the

Quick Vanilla Pudding

2 cups milk

½ cup white sugar

3 Tablespoons cornstarch

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 Tablespoons butter

Directions

1.       In medium saucepan over medium heat combine sugar, cornstarch and salt slowly add milk and whisk. In a. Continue to cook and stir until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Do not boil. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and butter. Pour into serving dishes. Chill before serving.

 

Orange Chicken Stir-fry

I saw this recipe and guess what I had in my fridge...fresh citrus!  woohoo!  I also I am back to being able to cook and wanting to cook with lots of vegetables.  So, my fridge is loaded with veggies and ready for veggie cooking extravaganza! I used broccoli, asparagus, french green beans, red bell peppers, zucchini and served it with a buckwheat soba noodles.  So stir fry friends, stir fry.

Citrus Chicken and Vegetable Stir-Fry

modified from: Alice Currah is the publisher of popular food blog, SavorySweetLife.com

Ingredients

• Sauce:

• 3/4 cup orange or other citrus juice
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce (I used sweet soy sauce)
• 2 tablespoons  vinegar (it calls for rice vinegar, but I don't like rice vinegar, so I used what I had)
• 1 tablespoon orange zest

 

• 2 large cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger or 1/2 tsp powdered ginger
• optional sweetener like sugar, honey, agave, etc.

• Stir-fry:

• 1 pound chicken tender cut into cubes
• salt and pepper
• 3 tablespoons corn starch
• 4 cups chopped vegetables such as broccoli, carrots, celery, mushroom, snap peas, red peppers, sweet potatoes ...whatever you have on hand.
• olive oil
• 1/2 cup medium yellow onion, chopped

Instructions

1. Blend all the ingredients for the sauce in a blender or food processor for 10 seconds.
2. Taste the sauce and add your choice of sweetener to your liking.
3. Blend again for a few more seconds.
4. Heat the sauce in a large skillet on medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Carefully transfer the sauce to a heat proof bowl.
5. Rinse the skillet clean.
6. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
7. Add the corn starch and massage the chicken with your hands.
8. If using fresh broccoli or green beans, boil the broccoli for 3-5 minutes until soft enough to pierce with a fork yet firm.
9. Transfer the vegetables to a plate lined with a paper towel.
10. Wipe down the skillet until dry.
11. Heat approximately 1 tablespoon of oil in the skillet on medium-high heat.
12. Cook the onion and chicken until the chicken is cooked through, approximately 3-4 minutes.
13. Add the remaining vegetables and stir-fry them together for 2 minutes.
14. Slowly add a few tablespoons of sauce while stirring the vegetables and chicken.
15. Continue to add the sauce a few tablespoons at a time, allowing about 15 seconds between each addition to allow sauce to slightly cook down.
16. Spoon the stir-fry over a bowl of hot rice or noodles. Serve immediately.

Why I will never buy another Granola Bar!

Yes, I made homemade granola bars.  They were easy and oh, so tasty!  I used almonds and cranberries, but I also want to make pecans and cherries or peanut butter and chocolate or ...whatever else I can think of.  So, if you like granola bars you have to try this!  Though, one tip, use parchment paper on the bottom or they will stick solid. 

Granola Bars

1 1/2 cups of rolled oats (I used 1 cup rolled oats and 1/2 cup steel cut oats)

1 cup chopped almonds (or other nuts)

1 cup dried cranberries (or other dried fruit)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup honey

 

 

Preheat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients. Spread into a well-greased pan. Bake for 10-20 minutes, depending on your crunch preference (the longer it cooks, the crunchier it gets). Let the granola cool before you cut it, or it will fall apart.

Salted Caramel Butterscotch Budino (Italian Pudding)

 

I went to a restaurant not long ago, with a several co-workers.  We were at a conference, and we were chatting it up when this dessert was set in front of us.  I took a bite and it was if I was on a white, fluffy cloud of pure sweet ecstasy.  So you know I had to try to find a recipe and recreate.  Here is what I found!!  It was delicious!!!  Really, really good.  I would probably use one of my other tried and true butterscotch pudding next time, but this was still fabulous.  It is not as difficult as it might seem at first, so give it a whirl and enjoy pure joy!!!

 

xoxo

***"From Chef Marcie Turney of Philadelphia's newest Italian restaurant, Barbuzzo."

 

Salted Caramel Butterscotch Budino (Italian Pudding)

Ingredients

Salted caramel

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon sea salt ( the flaky kind, plus more for garnish)
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Pudding

• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup ( preferably grade B)
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 1/2 cups half-and-half
• 1 eggs, large
• 2 egg yolks, large
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 cup whipped cream, for serving



Yes, Virginia, there is a reason I named it "kitchen of tasty....chaos :) 


















Directions

1. Make the salted caramel: In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring the sugar, corn syrup and water to a boil over high heat, swirling (not stirring) to caramelize evenly. When the caramel reaches a dark amber color (about 3 minutes), remove from the heat and carefully add the cream. (The mixture will foam up.) Add the butter, sea salt and vanilla and whisk to combine. Set aside and reserve.
2. Make the pudding: In a saucepan, combine the maple syrup, brown sugar, water and salt and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Simmer for about 5 minutes, until the mixture darkens slightly in color. Remove from the heat and whisk in the half-and-half until smooth.

Directions

3. In a large, heatproof mixing bowl, whisk the whole egg with the egg yolks and cornstarch until combined. Whisk in the maple-syrup-brown-sugar mixture in a slow, thin stream. Pour the mixture into the saucepan through a fine-mesh strainer and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it thickens to a pudding like texture, about 5 minutes.
4. Divide the pudding among four 8-ounce ramekins or small mason jars and top each with a quarter of the reserved caramel. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight. Sprinkle the top of the puddings with sea salt and a dollop of whipped cream before serving.

Happy, Healthy, Homemade Ramen

That's right, homemade ramen.  I was in the Asian food section of my local Fry's grocery store when I came across organic, wheat ramen. Sounded interesting to me, so I bought a pack.  It happened several days later I had food poisoning and was unable to eat solid type food for a couple days.  So, I made soup....ramen soup.  It doesn't look a bit like the ramen you are used to buying in the store, it was better, sooooooo much better and very, very, very simple.  So here is my feature presentation:


                                                         Sara's Simple Ramen Soup

1/2 onion, chopped
2  carrots, quartered and chopped
2 stalks of celery, halved and chopped
5 cups of chicken broth (or beef broth, or vegetable broth)
one bundle of ramen noodles (organic wheat)

In a medium pot, boil ramen noodles in water as directed on the package.

In another pan, saute onion in 2 tbsps of oil or butter until soft and fragrant.  Add carrots and celery.  When they are soft add the broth and cooked ramen noodles and simmer on low for 15 minutes.  As salt and pepper as needed. 

That's it!!!!  You could also shred a rotessiere chicken for more flavor and punch and other vegebables such as zucchini, peas, fresh green beans etc.  Have fun with it!

Kale...what do you do with Kale?

Every time I get a gigantic bunch of kale in my bountiful basket I ask myself this question...what do you do with kale???  Luckily there are these things called pinterest and food gawker.  I found two recipes that I didn't really have all the ingredients for, and made much more than little old me needed...but It gave me enough inspiration to create some of my own kale recipes.  I am only going to give you one of the recipes, because the other one was just a little bit too over the chaotic line to expose my fine friends to.  So, presenting the kale and egg bake!!!  dun duh da dun!!!!!  (sorry about the pictures, I was too lazy to find my camera, so went for the camera phone....)

Kale and egg bake

5 eggs

½ bunch of kale, chopped (get those stems out…they are bitter and tough)

1 tbs heavy cream

½ cup cheese ( use what is available, I used part sharp cheddar, part parmesan)

3 cloves of garlic minced

2 ounces chopped ham

Dashes of salt, pepper and I threw in some All

Chop and saute the kale and get it slightly wilted.  Once it is sauteed, mix all together and put into 4 individual ramekins.  Cook at 375 for 20 minutes.  Let cool for 5 minutes.  You can put some plastic wrap over the egg and ramekin and put in the fridge.  You can put it in the microwave for 1 -2 minutes…but no longer!!  

Enjoy!!

Strawberry Limeade Frozen Yogurt

Strawberry Limeade Frozen Yogurt...because I want to.

 Recipe courtesy the Neelys, modified

• 4 cups strawberries, hulled and chopped
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 lime zest
• 1 lime juiced
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt

Directions

A full 24 hours before you make your frozen yogurt, place your ice cream maker insert into the freezer.

Add all ingredients to a blender and puree.

Turn your ice cream machine on and pour in the chilled yogurt mixture. Churn until the mixture looks formed. about 20 minutes.

Place in the freezer for several hours until hard enough to scoop.

Moroccan Quinoa Salad

I started doing the Pintrest thing recently.  I only have recipes and ideas for first grade, but that consumes my life as is, so now it consumes my interneting.  I found this recipe that someone else had pinned.  I changed a few things, and will probably change things every time I make it, depending on what I have available.  It is really delicious, and extremely healthy.  I am well pleased.  I just won't mention that I have lemon cookies made and vanilla icecream in the works...ah well....can't be perfect all of the time!!!!  xoxo

Moroccan Quinoa Salad (slightly modified from Chef Dennis…who slightly modified it from someone else)

http://www.askchefdennis.com/2010/04/morrocan-quinoa-salad/

1 cup Quinoa

2 cups Water

1 16 oz can of Chick Peas drained

2 cloves of garlic finely chopped

A couple dashes cumin powder

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon Salt
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 zucchini sliced and roasted in the oven with olive oil and salt for 10 minutes, until brown on both sides
1/2 cup of dried cranberries
1/2 cup spicy pumpkin seeds (I got mine at sunflower market)

Start by cooking the Quinoa, first sear the grains just a little before adding the water, almost toasting them…start with a little olive oil in your sauce pan then add your Quinoa (depending upon what brand you are using you may need to rinse it first), just let it saute stirring it around for a minute or two, then add your water let it come to a boil, reduce the heat to simmer and cover for 15-20 minutes. When Quinoa is done fluff with a fork and allow to cool fluffing with a fork while cooling.
While the Quinoa is cooking, start your chick peas. Take a saute pan add the olive oil and garlic, let the garlic saute briefly then add chick peas and all of the seasonings and mix thoroughly. Allow the chick peas to pick up some color while they are cooking, turning then occasionally. Saute the Chick Peas for 10-15 minutes reducing heat if necessary. Chick Peas should have a nice golden brown color.
Add Quinoa to Chick Peas, with the rest of the ingredients, mix well and taste. You may re season to your taste.

Savory Lentil Soup

I went to Sunflower market today to get some ingredients for a Moraccan quinoa salad I want to make, however I realized while I was there....close to food...that I was sooooo hungry.  Instead of buying everything in the store, I went and bought a lentil soup from the hot soup counter.  It was delicious, so I bought french green lentils and decided to make my own lentil soup.  I have tried before, but haven't really enjoyed them.  I am too stinking picky. However, I kept playing with this until I loved it.  I like using the french greens because they are less earthy tasting...(I must have eaten too much dirt as a girl.) I didn't take any pictures, because lentil soup is unphotogenic.  Seriously it is.  But here is what I worked with, based off a recipe from the Sunflower recipe site.  Enjoy!!

Savory Lentil Soup

Ingredients

3 tbsp butter

3 tbsp vegetable oil

1/2  onion chopped very fine

1/3 cup prosciutto, shredded or shredded pancetta or unsmoked country ham

2 carrots chopped fine

2 stalks celery chopped fine

1 cup canned imported Italian plum tomatoes, cut up, with their juice

8 oz Lentils, dry

 5 oz barley

5 cups canned beef broth, homemade beef broth

1 can v8

1 dash salt to taste

(some suggested spices I used, but you may or may not depending on your tastes;    ½ tsp curry powder, dashes of cumin, oregano, basil, marjoram)

1 dash Black pepper, freshly ground, to taste

4252521Preparation

Put 2 tablespoons of the butter and all the oil in a soup pot, add the chopped onion and the pancetta, and turn on the heat to medium high. Do not cover the pot. Cook the onion, stirring it, until it becomes a deep gold.

Add the chopped carrot and celery. Cook at lively heat for 2 or 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the tomatoes with their juice, and adjust the heat so that they bubble gently, but steadily. Cook for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In the meantime, wash the lentils and barley in cold water and drain them. Add the lentils and barley to the pot, stirring thoroughly to coat them well, then add the broth, a pinch of salt, and a few grindings of pepper and other spices. Cover the pot, adjust the heat so that the soup cooks at a steady, gentle simmer, and stir from time to time. Generally, it will take about 45 minutes for the lentils to become tender, but each lot of lentils varies, so it is necessary to monitor their progress by tasting them. Some lentils will absorb more liquid than others. If necessary, add more broth while cooking or, if you are not using homemade broth, add water.

When the lentils are done, before turning off the heat, add the remaining tbsp of butter and swirl in the grated Parmesan. Taste and correct for salt and pepper. Serve with additional grated Parmesan for the table.