Stuffed

This month, the Creative Cooking Crew's challenge was to "Stuff it."

With the end of the month looming (where did the summer go?), I whipped up a "stuff it"-inspired meal: burrata-stuffed watermelon with a cucumber-mint salad as well as lamb burgers stuffed with goat cheese and sour cherry jam!

The creamy and salty burrata was a delicious counterpart to the crisp, sweet watermelon.  Cucumbers provided a nice little crunch, and the mint and serrano peppers rounded out the flavors.  The meal continued with a play on flavors and textures.  The juicy spiced lamb burgers paired well with the creamy goat cheese and sweet and tangy sour cherry jam.

Burrata-Stuffed Watermelon with Cucumber-Mint Salad
Recipe by Shannon

Stuffing the watermelon made for a fun presentation, but next time I'd just slice the watermelon and add burrata on top, followed by the cucumber salad!  Also- I debated making the cucumber salad with basil and adding some balsamic vinegar, think this would be another good option.

1 watermelon
1 ball of burrata
1 small cucumber, diced
1 serrano, finely diced
1-2 sprigs of mint, leaves removed
extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

Cut off the watermelon rind to form a rectangular shape larger than the ball of burrata.  Slice diagonally down the center of the rectangle to form two halves.  Cut out a hole on the inside of each half that will fit the burrata.  Place the burrata inside the watermelon halves to re-form the rectangle.  Mine stayed together pretty well, but you could always use a toothpick or two to hold it into place.

To prepare the salad, add the cucumber, serrano and chopped mint to a small bowl.  Add a bit of olive oil, then season to taste with salt and pepper.  Add salad to a large plate and place the burrata-stuffed watermelon on top.  Slice and serve.

Lamb Burgers Stuffed with Goat Cheese & Sour Cherry Jam
Recipe by Shannon
Yield: 3 burgers

These could also be prepared un-stuffed, as burgers with a goat cheese spread topped with sour cherry jam/compote.

1lb ground lamb (or grass-fed beef)
2-3t Penzey's lamb seasoning
1-2oz goat cheese
2-3t sour cherry jam (recipe to come)
for assembly: burger buns, lettuce (I used swiss chard), or greek yogurt

Add the meat to a bowl and season with lamb seasoning, salt and pepper.  Mix lightly, then divide into 6 equal portions.  Form into small patties, then top three of them with a chunk of goat cheese and bit of jam.  Top with the remaining three patties and purse together.

On a hot grill, cook the burgers for 3-4min/side on high heat.  I served these on small brioche buns with some swiss chard- but feel free to dress up as you see fit!



What's your favorite thing to stuff??  As always, thanks to Joan and Laz for hosting!  Be sure to check out the recap with many delicious stuffed dishes!

Broccoli Arugula Pesto

You know when you are at the grocery store and you buy lots of food with grand plans to cook it all?  And then one thing leads to another and you wind up not having time to cook it all before it goes bad?

Yeah, it happens.

Luckily so did this pesto.  An abundance of arugula got whipped up into this delicious pesto- which extended its life a bit and allowed me to use it as the base for a few more meals!  This is a trick I'll have to remember :)

Some of this pesto was used as a sauce for some homemade whole wheat pizza dough, and got topped with grilled veggies and fresh mozzerella.  The rest got turned into the pasta dish below- both were fantastic! Check out Nosh On.It for other clever ways to use this pesto!

Broccoli Arugula Pesto
inspired by My Darling Lemon Thyme
yield ~4c

Feel free to scale back, or adjust the ingredients based on what you have on hand.

3 heads broccoli, cut into florets
6T cooking water
3-4c arugula (I bet other greens would work well here too)
2 small cloves of garlic
1/4c shredded cheese (could try nutritional yeast if you want to keep it vegan)
1/2c pumpkin seeds (or other nut)
~1/4c extra virgin olive oil
salt
freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat.  Add a sprinkle of kosher salt and add broccoli.  Cook broccoli florets for 3-4 min.  Reserve ~1/2c cooking water and then plunge broccoli florets into a bowl of ice cold water.  Drain the broccoli and add to a blender or food processor.

Add cooking water, arugula, garlic, cheese and pumpkin seeds.  Blend, while drizzling in olive oil until you reach your desired consistency (I used about 1/4c).  Store in the refrigerator for a few days or freeze.

Broccoli Arugula Pesto Noodles with Shrimp and Goat Cheese
recipe by Shannon
Serves 4

1 pkg soba noodles (mine was 8.8oz)
1-1 1/2c broccoli arugula pesto
4oz goat cheese
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1lb uncooked frozen shrimp

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Salt the water, then add the soba noodles.  Cook pasta until al dente, adding in the frozen shrimp for the last 3 minutes of the cooking time.  My total cooking time was ~8min.  Reserve a bit of cooking water before you drain the pasta and shrimp.

[Whether or not you separate the shrimp from the pasta is completely up to you.  I did for picture and portioning purposes, but there's really no need.]

Add pasta back to the pot and add pesto and a few tablespoons of cooking water.  Mix until noodles are well coated, adding more cooking water if it looks dry.  Top noodles with goat cheese, tomatoes and shrimp.

Do you have a go-to use for food that's on it's last legs?

Mashed Potato Pizza

Sometimes you have to taste something to believe it's a good thing.

Before I tried it, I kind of thought putting mashed potatoes on pizza was a bit of carb overkill.  But after tasting it while on a trip to New Haven, CT, I realized I might have to reconsider.  Sure, it's got some carbs.  But boy was it delicious!

The version I recreated at home has a thin, whole wheat crust, crispy turkey bacon, and just a little cheese to round things out.  Perfect when served alongside a nice green salad :)  It's all about balance!

Mashed Potato Pizza
inspired by BAR
yield:  2 thin crust pizzas

pizza dough  (for a quick, no-rise dough I used this recipe)
extra virgin olive oil
roasted garlic mashed potatoes, see below
1 pkg (8oz) Applegate Farms turkey bacon, cooked until crispy and chopped into pieces
4oz cheese (I used a mix of sharp cheddar and toscano)

Preheat oven to 450.  If you're using a pizza stone, put it in the oven to heat up as well.

If you've made the mashed potatoes ahead of time (suggested), heat them up until warmed through.  Have the remaining ingredients ready to go.  Roll out half of the dough.

Once the pizza stone and oven are preheated, remove stone and add rolled out dough.  Working quickly, brush with olive oil and top with a thin layer of roasted garlic mashed potatoes.  Add ~1/2 the crispy bacon and cheese, then bake for 12-15 min, until cheese is bubbly and starting to brown.

Repeat with remaining dough.  Slice and serve!

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Yield:  enough for 3 pizzas, or 3-4c

1lb 12oz yukon gold potatoes
1 small head of roasted garlic
2T butter
1oz cream cheese
buttermilk

Dice potatoes evenly and put into a large pot.  Cover with cold water and bring to a boil over high heat.  Cook until potatoes are pierced easily with a fork (time will depend on the size of your dice).  Drain and return to the pot.  Add roasted garlic cloves, butter, cream cheese and mash well.  Add buttermilk, a splash at a time, until you've reached your desired consistency- thin enough to be spreadable on a pizza, but still with some body.



If you haven't already heard...  I'm riding in the Pan Mass Challenge this year for my mom and other family members and friends who have had cancer.  To help raise money for pediatric oncology research, I'm organizing a virtual bake sale June 10-12.  If you would like to donate a baked good, please check it out- I won't be able to do it without your help!!

BLT {Blueberries, Leeks & Toscano}

This month the Creative Cooking Crew is at it again, this time working their magic on the BLT sandwich!  Our challenge: create a new sandwich around ingredients that start with the letters BLT but are not bacon, lettuce and tomato.

When I started brainstorming ideas, I used some Blueberry jam as my inspiration.  Of course, this wasn't just any blueberry jam, but a savory version, complete with balsamic vinegar and rosemary.  My sandwich quickly become a BLT grilled cheese...

B- blueberries (in the form of a savory blueberry jam with balsamic vinegar and rosemary)

L- leeks (sauteed in a little butter and lightly seasoned with salt and freshly ground pepper)

T- Tuscano (Tallegio or Triple Cream Brie were other top contenders)

The sweetness from the blueberry jam and sauteed Leeks were nicely balanced by  some sharp notes from Tuscano cheese.  This was one delicious sandwich!

Thanks again to Laz and Joan for hosting and be sure to check out the roundup on Lazaro Cooks next week!

Roasted Date Salad

As soon as I saw this salad I knew I'd be making it.  Warm, roasted dates?  Yes, please :)  I adapted it just a bit, based on what I had in my refrigerator and couldn't have been more pleased.  This is definitely one to add to your repertoire!

Roasted Date Salad
adapted from Spoon Fork Bacon
yield:  4 side salads

6-7 Medjool dates, pitted and cut in half lengthwise
2T balsamic vinegar
1t extra virgin olive oil, divided
3oz proscuitto
4-6c arugula (could also use mixed greens)
2oz goat cheese, crumbled
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375deg.

In a small bowl, whisk together balsamic vinegar and olive oil.  Add dates and toss until dates are well coated.  Add to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for ~10min.  Set aside until they're cool to the touch.  Roughly chop the warm dates into smaller bite-size pieces.

Crisp up the proscuitto either in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat or in the oven along with the dates. Set crispy proscuitto on paper towels to cool.  Once cool to the touch, crumble the proscuitto.

Add greens to a large bowl and toss with 1-2T balsamic vinaigrette dressing (if you don't have some on hand, try this recipe).  Lightly season with salt and pepper, toss again and then divide greens between 4 plates.  Top with the chopped dates, crispy proscuitto bits and crumbled goat cheese.  Serve!

With my love of bacon-wrapped, goat-cheese stuffed dates, I'm surprised I hadn't tried warm dates on anything else!  Have you done anything fun with dates lately??

Fregola Salad

I have never had preserved lemons before, but somehow I had this overwhelming urge to make them with some meyer lemons.  And then they sat in my fridge.  For a year before I finally decided to even taste them!

What I discovered is that it tasted...  like a meyer lemon.  Ha.  I guess I expected it to taste a little more pickled, but it was quite mellow.  Maybe it's just my batch?  Either way, I'm looking forward to using the rest of them :)

Fregola w/Butternut Squash & Preserved Lemon
adapted from Dave Lebovitz
Serves 2 as a side

1c diced butternut squash
1/4 onion, peeled and minced
1/2c fregola
1/2 preserved meyer lemon
1T golden raisins
1T dried tart cherries
1/8t ground cinnamon
1/4c chopped flat-leaf parsley
2T chopped pistachios (or pine nuts), toasted (optional)

Preheat oven to 400deg.

Toss butternut squash with a drizzle of olive oil and spread in a single layer on the baking sheet.  Sprinkle with coarse sea salt and a few grinds of black pepper.  Bake for ~20min, until tender.

While the butternut squash is roasting, bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.  Add fregola and stir.  Cook until tender, but still firm to the bite, ~10-12min.  Drain and place in a medium bowl.

Heat a small pan over medium low heat.  Add onions and cook until transluscent, 3-5min.  Transfer to bowl with fregola.

When the butternut squash is done cooking, add 1/2c roasted butternut squash to bowl with fregola and onions.  (If there's any extra, go ahead and eat it!)

Remove flesh from the preserved lemon and rinse with water.  Mince the lemon rind and dried cherries, then add them both to the bowl.  Add raisins, cinnamon and parsley, then mix well to combine.  Taste and adjust seasoning.  Top with nuts, if desired.


Have you ever tried preserved lemons??

Easy Butternut Soup

I'm not sure you've noticed, but...  I (finally) joined Pinterest.  If we hadn't passed December 21, 2012, I would've thought the world ended ;)  You can follow my pins to see what's caught my eye on other food blogs.  I also created a board with recipes that I've made and loved but haven't had a chance to share with you here (most recently southwestern chicken spaghetti squash salad and mushroom bourguignon).

Meanwhile, this soup!  I can't believe I haven't already shared this soup with you.  It is a staple here and is so easy this barely qualifies as a recipe.  Nevertheless it's a great recipe to have in your book when time is short.

Topped with a swirl of greek yogurt and sprinkling of chives

Easy Butternut Squash Soup
Serves 2-4

1 butternut squash (or other variety)
Fresh herbs (rosemary or thyme work well)
goat cheese, if desired
stock (any kind will do)

Step 1: Roast your favorite squash- I usually cut a butternut squash in half, and then roast (flesh side down) at 400deg until it's easily pierced by a fork.  If you have any fresh herbs, feel free to throw them with the squash (I often put some rosemary in the cavity of the butternut squash).

Step 2: Once the squash has cooled, scrape out the flesh and blend with some stock (may have to do this in batches).

Step 3: Add squash to a large pot and heat over medium heat.  I always throw in some goat cheese and stir until melted, but it's completely up to you.  Use stock to create your desired consistency.

Step 4:  Ladle into bowls to serve.  Garnish as you like, with a drizzle of chili oil, a swirl of greek yogurt, chopped herbs or even savory granola!

Served with savory granola

Savory granola was a pretty new concept for me, but I got really excited as soon as I came across it.  I've tried two recipes so far and this one from Clotilde was the favorite.  This savory, salty granola is fabulous on soup, but can also pass as a snack on its own.  I can't wait to try it on salads or even roasted veggies!


Have you ever tried savory granola??  What's your go-to recipe for an easy lunch or dinner?

Spicy Stout Mustard

Why didn't anyone tell me how easy it is to make mustard??  As my taste buds have grown up matured, mustard has become a favorite way to add a little flavor to sandwiches and dressings.  Easy enough to do after work, you simply combine all the ingredients in a jar and let it sit for a day, and then blend in your food processor!  You don't even need to can it, as it will last a good 6 months in the fridge.

Due to the high proportion of brown mustard seeds, this version has a kick- feel free to use more yellow mustard seeds if you'd like to mellow it.  So far I've tried it on sandwiches and homemade soft pretzels, but I can imagine it to be a fantastic addition to a grilled cheese with apples, ham and gruyere/cheddar!

Spicy Stout Mustard
slightly adapted from The Taste of Oregon
yield:  ~3 1/2c

12oz Pretty Things Babayaga (a winter ale whose malt gets smoked on rosemary)
1 1/4c brown mustard seeds
1/4c yellow mustard seeds
1c red wine vinegar
1T kosher salt
1t freshly ground black pepper
1/4t ground cinnamon
1/4t ground cloves
1/4t freshly ground nutmeg
1/4t ground allspice

Combine all ingredients in a large glass container and cover with plastic wrap.  Let the mixture sit at room temperature for 1-2 days to allow the mustard seeds to soften and flavors to meld.

Add mixture to a food processor and blend until seeds are coarsely ground and mixture begins to thicken, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.  Transfer to clean jars with lids.  Refrigerate for up to 6 months.

*I attempted to can the mustard using these instructions and upon doing so wound up with a mustard-y water bath and jars of dried out mustard.  Thus, I wouldn't recommend it.  If you want to try to seal canning jars, I'd suggest 1/2" headspace and processing just a few minutes...  but I'm not an expert!


Have you ever made your own mustard?  If so, do you have a favorite recipe?

Best of 2012

As we enter the second week of 2013, I wanted to recap some of the highlights from my kitchen last year.  It's always fun to browse through old posts and remember how many tasty things you've eaten :)

1.  The most viewed post here on Tri to Cook published in 2012 was my Kale Basil Pesto.  As kale has taken the place of spinach as my favorite green, it finds itself into many dishes here!  I enjoyed it on pasta as well as pizza, and know that it'll be made as soon as I have another prosperous basil plant!

2.  I finally crossed one item off my kitchen bucket list when I made macarons for a friend's baby shower.  These Red Velvet Macarons were filled with an amazing cinnamon cream cheese buttercream that was the perfect accompaniment to the cocoa-kissed shells.

3.  In the battle of the baby macarons, I have to say that the Lavender Macarons with Honey-Vanilla Mascarpone were my personal favorite, with a combination of flavors that are in perfect harmony.  There's not much else I can say about these, except that you should make them!!

4.  I combined a few more of my favorite things when making this Egg Roulade-  goat cheese, sweet potatoes, avocado and black beans make their way into an egg wrapper for one of my favorite brunch dishes this past year.  Easier than it looks, this makes an impressive dish to serve to guests!

5.  My Butternut Apple Bruschetta truly celebrates the cooler seasons and absolutely deserves to be on a Best-Of list.  Fabulous for parties, especially since the toppings can be prepared ahead of time!

Photo credit to Cara!

7.  Perhaps 2012 should be renamed the year of enchiladas, as these Butternut Black Bean Enchiladas were only one of the several varieties I made!  Stuffed with a mixture of black beans and kale, then smothered with a butternut squash-based sauce, these are definitely a way to ring in the new year. 

6.  When I dreamed up my Apple BBQ Sauce, I didn't imagine it to be as successful as it was, but it was good enough that I made another batch or two before tomato season ended!  This year I'll have to make a large batch and store some in the freezer so I can use it all year long.  I used it as a sauce for herbed turkey meatballs, pizza and even a few batches of enchiladas!

8.  Something happened this year that I never really dreamed as possible (at least not while I was in the 30-34 age group).  On a chilly morning at a sprint triathlon not too far away I finished first in my AG, qualifying me for nationals this year.  I knew my performance was solid during the race, but had no idea what was in store!

9.  This popular post could have had two titles- 'Ideas for your Superbowl Party' or 'How to Cater a Party for 40'.  Last holiday season I convinced my parents to let me cater the party they had for friends and my dads' colleagues.  I had fun planning and executing with the help of my family!

10.  Since I love all things almond, and go through cinnamon like there's no tomorrow, I couldn't wait to play with the concept of a horchata.  These Horchata Cupcakes, filled with dulce de leche were a delicious end to a dinner date with good friends.

11.  You guys love dishes that can do double-duty as much as I do!  I combined sweet potatoes and red lentils to create a party appetizer over the weekend and then morphed it into a soup for lunches during the week.

12.  I'm a huge fan of cocktails that work well both virgin and alcoholic, especially when it seems like everyone I know is pregnant these days ;)  This Pomegranate Vanilla Punch was absolutely delicious, no matter whether you added some bubbly or not!

I have no idea what 2013 has in store, but I know it'll be quite the ride!!

Kale & Brussels Salad

Welcome 2013!

You're welcome for not posting a cookie recipe ;)  Although I do have one that I can't wait to share with you, I decided to get the year started with a healthy, delicious salad.  During the colder months, I tend to go for hearty greens and like to include something warm...  probably because I'm always cold.

The brussels sprouts were a new addition to this salad, a regular in my kitchen, and I like adding a little variety to the greens.  The toppings depend on what vegetables get roasted each week, and sometimes I even remember to add goat cheese and toasted pecans!

Kale & Brussels Salad w/Butternut Squash
inspired by Joanne & Brandi

3c butternut squash cubes
1 head kale
12oz brussles, trimmed
pomegranate arils

For the dressing:
3T extra virgin olive oil
2T grade B maple syrup
2T white balsamic vinegar
1t dijon
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 400deg.

Add butternut squash to a bowl and toss with a drizzle of olive oil, coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Spread onto a baking sheet and bake for 20-30min, or until tender.

While the squash is roasting, prepare the salad greens.  Wash and de-stem the kale, then tear into pieces or roughly chop.  Add kale to a large bowl.  Thinly slice the brussels sprouts and add them to the kale.  Prepare the dressing by adding ingredients to a small bowl (could also use a measuring cup or shake up in a tightly sealed jar).  Pour dressing over greens and toss well to combine.  Set greens aside.

Once the squash is roasted, remove from the oven.  Plate salad greens, then top with butternut squash and pomegranate arils before serving.

What's your favorite kind of salad in the winter months??  Did you make any resolutions for 2013?

Beef Stew

While I'm all for variety in my diet, I've recently come to appreciate cooking in larger quantities.  The more meals I can get out of an hour of cooking, the better!  As the temperatures start to drop, warm meals become the norm and soups/stews have been making an almost weekly occurrence.  This soup surprised me with its flavors, and because I so badly wanted to share it with you I snuck a quick picture before I brought the last serving to work for lunch!

Beef Stew w/Sweet Potatoes and Mushrooms
adapted from Joy the Baker
Serves 6

Feel free to use fresh mushrooms if you have those on hand!

3/4c white whole wheat flour (AP or whole wheat pastry will also work)
1 1/4lb stew beef (local, grass-fed if you can), cut into 3/" chunks
1/4c extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
6 cloves of garlic, minced/pressed
3T tomato paste
1/2c red wine  (or beer)
3 medium sweet potatoes, diced
100g/3.5oz diced dried mushrooms (I used a medley from Job Lot)
1 bay leaf
3t fresh thyme, coarsely chopped (or 1t dried)
1T worcestershire sauce
8c broth (I used a mix of beef and vegetable)
1T sugar
salt and freshly ground pepper
cooked whole wheat couscous, for serving (if desired)

In a ziploc bag, add flour and season with a big pinch of salt and pepper.  Add diced beef and close the bag.   Shake until all the beef is lightly coated in flour mixture and set aside.

Heat 2T olive oil over medium heat in a large dutch oven.  Add beef in a single layer (it all might not fit) and cook until browned on each side.  Repeat with remaining beef, then remove from the pan and set aside on a plate.

Add 2T oil to the dutch oven and heat over medium-low.  Add onions and carrots and cook until onions are translucent, ~8min.  Add garlic and cook for another minute or two before adding tomato paste.  Stir well and cook another minute before deglazing the pan with wine, scraping off the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Add the sweet potatoes, dried mushrooms, bay leaf, thyme, worcestershire sauce and beef.  Cover with stock.  Turn the heat to low and gently simmer slightly covered for ~45min, until the veggies are cooked through.

Taste and add 1T sugar, then season with salt and pepper, adjusting as necessary.  Serve over couscous (or other grain), if desired.


Why not throw a batch of this on the stove, and while it simmers away whip up a batch of cookies?  Perfect December weekend if you ask me :)

Fall Chicken Enchiladas

Y'all were right about that apple barbecue sauce, it made a terrific pizza!  Take your favorite dough, top with apple BBQ sauce, pulled chicken or pork, sliced red onion, thinly sliced apples and a nice sharp cheddar.  Done!


Another great use for the sauce?  Enchiladas.  I recently tried out a fall-themed variation of the mexican dish with stellar results.  I'd fully recommend making a double batch (what I actually did) and freezing some for a hurricane rainy day.

Butternut Apple Chicken Enchiladas
Serves 4-6

4c poached chicken, shredded or cubed
1c cooked chickpeas
2c roasted squash cubes (I used cheese squash, but choose your favorite varietal)*
2c shredded kale (or more)
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1 batch apple BBQ sauce
6-8oz sharp cheddar, shredded
8 whole wheat tortillas

Preheat the oven to 375deg.

In a large bowl, combine chicken, chickpeas, squash, kale, onion, 1c shredded cheese and ~3/4c barbecue sauce.  If the mixture looks a little dry, add a bit more sauce.  Set mixture aside while you prepare the baking dish.  Spray a 9x13 pan with nonstick spray, or spread a little bit of sauce along the bottom.

Add a heaping 1/2c filling mixture to each tortilla and roll up.  Transfer to the baking dish.  Once all the tortillas have been filled, top evenly with the remaining sauce and top with the rest of the cheddar.  Bake for 20-25min, until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbly.

*To roast the squash, I cubed the mixture and roasted at 400deg until the edges had browned and started to caramelize.

Which would you make first, the pizza or enchiladas?

If you haven't done so already, don't forget there's still time to enter my giveaway!!

Apple BBQ Sauce

When the nights start getting a bit cooler and I start reaching for a jacket in the morning as I leave for work, I usually get really excited.  Fall is one of my favorites, with the milder temperatures, changing colors on the trees...  and apples!  This year I've been a bit hesitant to embrace fall, holding the last of the peaches, tomatoes and corn tight.  Until now.

hosted by 5 Star Foodie & Lazaro Cooks!

Thanks to Natasha & Laz, apples are the star of this month's makeover!  As I slowly came around to fall produce and started consuming honeycrisps daily, I started thinking about the challenge.  And thinking.  And drawing blanks.  While I do like to mix things up when it comes to apples, they're usually baked.  Exhibit A: an apple pie with a rosemary crust & gruyere crumble and Exhibit B: an apple pie with a gingersnap crust and bacon crumble.  Even this chilled apple soup is not to be missed.  This time I went savory.

apple bbq sauce, herbed turkey meatballs, cheddar

This time, I made an apple BBQ sauce to accompany some herbed turkey meatballs.  The results were pretty fantastic, and I can't wait to use my leftover sauce!

Apple BBQ Sauce
adapted from the Leftover Queen & Food In My Beard
Yield:  ~2c

1T extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced/pressed
3 apples, peeled, cored & roughly chopped (I used 2 cortland and 1 granny smith)
4 roma tomatoes, cored & diced
1/4c maple syrup
1/4c molasses
1/4c + 1T cider vinegar
2T lemon juice
2T ketchup
1T tomato paste
1T worcestershire sauce
1 chipotle in adobo
1/2t salt
freshly ground pepper, to taste
1t coriander
2t cumin
1t smoked paprika
1t mustard powder

In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add onions and saute a few minutes, until they become translucent.  Add the garlic and apples, and stir well.  Continue to cook over medium heat ~5min.  Add the remaining ingredients, stir well and cover.  Simmer for 20-30min, until apples have softened and flavors have had time to marry.  Carefully transfer to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth (could also use a hand blender).  Taste and adjust seasonings, perhaps it might need a little more salt, a kick of some hot sauce, or a little more acid/sugar.

I served this with herbed turkey meatballs and a slice of cheddar, but it would also be fantastic on some pork.

How would you use this apple BBQ sauce?  I have 1c left and need some more ideas!!

Stuffed Poblanos

I love grocery shopping in with a car.  Hopefully I'll never carry another watermelon [and got knows what else] 10 blocks back to my apartment.  (Happened more than once in Philly)

This meal was inspired by a recent trip to my new farmers market, where we picked up some delicious corn, poblanos and grass fed beef, to go along with 20lbs of field tomatoes.  After cooking up a double batch of tomato jam (which is now award-winning!), I got to work on these peppers.  The filling is deliciously spiced with a little heat from the poblanos...  a phenomenal dinner, especially when paired with some tomato crisp.

Stuffed Poblanos
adapted from Choosy Beggars
Serves 6

1T extra virgin olive oil
1/2 sweet or red onion, chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
1lb grass-fed ground beef
1 1/2T tomato paste
1t chili powder
3/4t cumin powder
1T dried mexican oregano
dash of dried cinnamon (mine was no more than 1/8t)
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 ears of corn, kernels removed
~4oz farmers cheese (Cotija, queso fresco, or even goat cheese would work)
6 poblano peppers
1/2c shredded Cheddar or Jack cheese for topping, if desired (I was out)

Preheat the oven to 425deg.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat.  Add onion and cook until translucent, but not browning.  Stir in the garlic and cook for a minute or two, until fragrant.  Crumble in the ground beef and use a spatula to break up the meat as it cooks.  Once everything is nicely browned, you might need to drain off some fat.  Add in tomato paste and spices, stir until well coated.  If the cheese you are using is salty, be sure to use a light hand when seasoning the beef here- you can add more later if you need!  Mix well and let the beef mingle with the spices for a few minutes.  Add the corn and cook 3-4 min.  Remove from the heat and transfer mixture to a large bowl.  Crumble in the cheese and stir to combine.

Prepare your peppers for stuffing by cutting them to a 'T'.  Cut along the top stem-end of the pepper about halfway around.  From the center of that, cut down the length of a pepper.  Carve out the seeds with a knife or spoon.  Stuff the meat mixture into the peppers and transfer them to baking pan or casserole dish.  Bake for ~20min, until they're blistered and soft.  If you'd like, you can top them off with a bit more cheese- just sprinkle them with cheddar/jack and return to the oven for another few minutes, until cheese has melted.

What would you have made with poblanos, corn and ground beef?

Tomato Crisp

Earlier this summer I happened upon a grow box full of basil, thyme, parsley, arugula and a solitary tomato plant.  Its previous home in lab left a bit to be desired and I didn't expect too much when I brought it to my apartment.

Little did I know...

that all it needed was to be outside!  It has been going gangbusters since, the arugula flourished, and the basil and thyme have continued to be strong producers.  The tomato plant has now survived two moves and I have my mom was nice enough to jerry-rig some supports for the towering plant.

This dish has been on my mind since last summer, and I knew that once I had enough of my tomatoes I was going to make it!!  A week's worth of collecting tomatoes from the plant, plus some golden cherry tomatoes from the farmers market for a little variety, and you've got yourself a winning side dish folks.

Tomato Crisp
adapted from Joanne & Martha
serves 6

While the tomatoes are definitely a little sweet, the acidity of the grape tomatoes here helps keep in on the savory side.  The parmesan and olive oil in the crisp topping help add a savory note as well.

For the filling:
1T extra virgin olive oil
1T unsalted butter
2 small yellow onions (I used 1 yellow & 1 sweet), thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1t chopped fresh thyme
2 1/4lb cherry tomatoes
2 1/4T white whole wheat flour (or AP)
1/4t red pepper flakes
1t kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

For the crisp topping:
3/4c whole wheat panko breadcrumbs (could use fresh)
3/4c rolled oats
1/4c chopped walnuts (or any other nut)
1/4-1/2c finely grated Parmesan or Grana Padano
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
1T melted butter
2T extra virgin olive oil

In a large skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil and butter.  Once melted, add the onions and stir to coat.  After cooking 2-3min, lower the heat to medium-low and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are nicely caramelized.  Add in the garlic and thyme and cook until another minute or two, until fragrant.  Remove from the heat and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 375 and spray a 9" square baking pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, toss the tomatoes with the flour, spices and cooled caramelized onions.  Pour into the prepared baking dish.

In a smaller bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, oats, walnuts and cheese.  Add a dash of salt (kept it light-handed due to the cheese) and a few grinds of black pepper and mix well.  Pour in melted butter and olive oil and mix until well combined.  If the mixture looks too dry, add a little more olive oil.  Sprinkle the topping mixture on top of the tomatoes and bake in a preheated oven for 45-50min, until it is nice and bubbly and the topping has started to brown.  Serve warm or room temperature.

Seriously, don't you want to dig right in?

Savory Blueberry Jam

It's tough to write a blog post when you've been gone for so long!  Life's been a little crazy this summer, but I'm hoping things settle down soon.  I have a few things to share in the meantime, and hopefully there won't be too many more crickets.

So long as you're not sick of berries yet this summer, I'd head to the market and pick up some of the wild blueberries I've been seeing.  Then bring them home and whip up a batch of Blueberry Jam w/Rosemary & Balsamic!  [Please forgive the lack of pictures, my camera was probably hidden by boxes]  After my favorite recipe from last year, I had to try another sweet and savory fruit jam.  While it might not be as good as my tomato jam, it has made for some fantastic dishes in my kitchen.  

The first came when brainstorming what to do with scallops from our Fish Share.  I warmed some jam a bit on the stove (over low heat) and thinned it with a little water (could use broth) until it reached the desired consistency- not too thin, not too thick ;)  Served over simply seared scallops (no butter/wine sauce), you have one tasty dish!

As this savory blueberry would be a fabulous accompaniment to a cheese tray, I also found it to be phenomenal in a grilled cheese made with a combination of cheddar and cave-aged gruyere.  Looking at these pictures again makes me want to crack open another jar...  hopefully I'll be able to hold off and save what's left for gifts!

blueberries and melted cheese...  yum

What would you do with a jar of blueberry jam with rosemary and balsamic vinegar??