Spring is in the Air...Finally!

If you've been following my blog lately, or the national news for that matter, then you know winter hasn't exactly had mercy on Boston (and this is coming from a girl from Colorado). It seems like every week there is a storm brewing. Punxsutawney Phil didn't know what he was talking about when he said Spring would come early (which I guess is why they are suing him. Yes, you heard me. Someone is suing a groundhog? Who does that?)

But, alas, Spring is here. Well, sort of. Spring will be here when we breach 60 degrees, but I'll pick my battles. My first indication that Spring was coming was a little ski trip we took last weekend to Shawnee Peak in Maine. The snow was that light, semi-slushy mix that is the epitome of "Spring Skiing." We also went night skiing and I didn't freeze my face off (the Hot Irish Nut I got in the ski lodge may have been part of the reason). And, we got a major discount on our lift tickets, something that would have never happened during peak ski season (aka, winter).

With Spring in the air, I have been searching for seasonal recipes. I always welcome the change of seasons because I get to switch up my recipes (and my wardrobe, but let's not make this a fashion blog).     With Spring comes some of my favorite green vegetables (think peas, green beans, artichokes, and asparagus). Going back through my Pinterest archives, I came across this Spring treat: Pesto Orecchiette With Chicken Sausage. The perfect blend of veggies, meat, and pasta all in one comforting bowl. And this dish came together is about 30 minutes. Easy as 1, 2, Spring!

Start by putting a large pot of water on to boil. Meanwhile, trim your green beans and cut into 1" pieces (asparagus would work well in here too. You want about 1 cup of either). When the water reaches a boil, salt it (if you roll like that) then add in your pasta. The recipe calls for Orecchiette which I couldn't find at the store, so I used medium shells. Any short cut pasta (i.e: not spaghetti or linguini) would do. The shorter cuts have nooks and crannies for the peas to get stuck in, which isn't by any means essential but you have to admit it's kinda cute. FYI: I used about 2/3 of the box and it still made 4+ servings, so adjust accordingly. 

While the pasta is cooking, get your chicken sausages cooking. I used hot Italian chicken sausage, but in hindsight I wish I would have used a pre-cooked variety (like al frescos or Aidells). The pre-cooked ones stand up better when you cut them into rounds, plus they come in some very intriguing varieties. Use one link per serving (4 links if you're making the whole box of pasta). 

Cook the pasta according to the package directions (usually about 8-10 minutes) and add your green beans and peas (about 1 cup) during the last 2-3 minutes of the cooking process. Before you drain the pasta and veggies, take out about a cup of the cooking liquid. Mix this cooking liquid with your pesto (1/3 - 1/2 cup or so) in a big serving bowl. Feel free to use store bought pesto, or see the pesto recipe below). Add in your drained veggies and pasta, toss with parmesan cheese and voila! You've got yourself a healthy one-pot Spring treat!

Momma Grabe's Pesto

In a food processor, combine the following: 

• Fresh Basil (about 2 cups)
• 2 Cloves Garlic
• Toasted Pine Nuts (1/4 cup, toast them up over low heat in a small skillet)

Stream in Extra Virgin Olive Oil until smooth (you'll probably use about 1/2 cup)

Remove from food processor and fold in shredded parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste. 

Easy as pie. Or pesto. Enjoy!

Mountain Getaway

As predicted, my blog has taken a back seat to the other demands of life. And while I haven't exactly starved, you haven't been missing much by way of new and exciting kitchen endeavors. It's been incredibly cold here in Boston, so the only thing that sounds good are big pots of chile and spaghetti. So not blog-worthy.

This week is "February Vacation" for Boston Public Schools, something we never had back in Colorado. Sure, we had Spring Break in March, but Boston has that, too. February Vacation is just bonus week off. And while I should be doing my taxes or getting ahead on lesson plans and school work, I have filled my days off catching up on Top Chef episodes and dreaming of a warmer tomorrow (did I mention it's been cold here?)

We were able to take advantage of the wintery weather last weekend when we went up skiing to Killington, Vermont. The conditions were great (for New England- I will always be a ski snob partial to my Rocky Mountain moguls) and the town of Killington was very quaint (and crowded- I guess that's what people do for February Vacation in the Northeast). Aside from skiing (and the Aprés Ski hot tub), the highlights of my weekend were food-related (go figure). The first came in the form of Buffalo Chicken Dip (also Aprés Ski). If you've never had Buffalo Chicken Dip, go directly to the store, buy the ingredients, and make a batch- NOW. It's really that good, if you like Buffalo Chicken, that is. If you don't like Buffalo Chicken, then I'm not sure if we can be friends anymore. Because from now until eternity (eternity being the day I find a better dip) if you come over to my house for any reason- be it the Super Bowl, the Oscars, a Tuesday night- there will be Buffalo Chicken Dip.

The best thing about Buffalo Chicken Dip (BCD, from here on out) is how easy it is to make. All you need is 2 cups chicken (leftover, Rotisserie, canned, whatever you have) 8 ounces cream cheese (use low fat if you like. In fact, do use low fat because you will eat the entire bowl of dip and I don't want to be responsible for your weight gain. I have BCD related weight gain of my own to worry about.) 1/2 cup ranch dressing (see aforementioned low-fat comment) 1/2 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, jack, any non-pretentious cheese will do- don't be throwing Brie into the BDC. No offense, Brie, I still love you and all of your pretentiousness. This just isn't your scene) and finally 1/2 cup FRANKS Red Hot Sauce (no substitutions, please. The BCD recipe is on the bottle of Franks. Do not betray him). Speaking of betrayal, the original BCD recipe calls for blue cheese dressing and blue cheese. I don't agree with cheese being blue, so I (an everyone I've met who makes BCD) uses good ol' ranch and cheddah'. We're not trying to impress anyone here.

Once all your BCD fixins' are mixed, bake it in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes, or until bubbly. Use tortilla chips as your dippers. You could use carrots and celery, too. I'll let you make that call. Whatever you're dipping, prepare to be amazed.

You know what goes really great with Buffalo Chicken Dip? An ice cold beer! You know who makes really good ice cold beer? Long Trail Brewing Co. in Bridgewater, VT., conveniently located just 15 minutes east of Killington, making it the perfect end to your ski weekend (I should do their advertising).
All jokes aside, Long Trail does make great beer, supposedly with the "best water in Vermont!" We opted out of skiing on Sunday because it was too cold (note: third reference to how cold it is here) so we got a head start back to Boston and stopped in at Long Trail Brewing Co. on the way home. We weren't the only ones that had that bright idea, but it ended up being a great detour. The brewery is essentially a restaurant with an awesome waiting area. While waiting for our table, we took the self-guided brewery tour, enjoyed a beer by the outdoor fire, enjoyed another beer inside the heated tent...we were at a brewery after all. I can't say no to good, inexpensive brew.  The food was good too, notably the soups. Mike had the chili, which was apparently really good (so good that I didn't even get to smuggle a bite!) And I had the Cheddar Ale Soup (made, of course, with Long Trail Ale). It was the perfect ending to a great weekend away. Cheers!

Welcome, Twenty-Thirteen

Happy New Year (only 9 days late...) I'm off to a busy start so far- Student Teaching 21 5th Graders, two classes at the University, spinning, intermittent wedding planning. My lack of time (and income) might put a damper on my blog but perhaps I'll feature some low-budget quick fix meals (crock pot recipes anyone?). But before I get all Debbie- Downer on you (cue the jingle), let me recount a few foodie wins from the last days of 2012.

Michael and I traveled south 6 hours to Wilmington, DE where we spent the holiday with his family. I really enjoyed Wilmington- practical and charming. And some of the best restaurants I've been to. Despite an unexpected blizzard, we went to Orillas Tapas Bar in downtown Wilmington for my birthday (also known as the day after Christmas). We were some of the only guests that night (because of the aforementioned blizzard, not because Orillas isn't amazing). Our waiter was a self-proclaimed professional (waiter, that is) and provided tasteful comic relief. And the food was superior. Some may say tapas with a twist. The menu offered all of the Spanish staples one craves (Patatas Bravas, Tortilla Espanola, Gambas al Alijjo...hungry yet?) but with their own spin on them. Our favorites of the night were shrimp and jalapeno ceviche with a buttered popcorn topping (Mike is really into ceviche since Peru) and the lamb meatballs (albondigas to the Spaniards). And let me not forget the Cava Sangria. No tapas meal is complete without a pitcher of the fruit-and-wine concoction, and Orillas has one step up on the classic with their sparkling rendition. Cava (Spanish sparkling wine from the Catalonia region), brandy (to amp up the booziness- it was my birthday after all), mint and strawberries. All muddled together into a refreshing batch of Sangria. I hope to recreate this myself, and so long as my efforts as successful, I will get back to you.

Another hidden gem we found in Wilmington was Culinaria in North Wilmington. This place was seriously a hole in the wall. Very unassuming, smack-dab in the middle of a strip mall, but with the ambiance and cuisine of an Italian eatery in the heart of Tuscany. I tried the Rigatoni Bolognese- veal and beef sauce atop al dente rigatoni and topped with ricotta crema. Oh. Em. Gee. I must have been pretty immersed in my meal because, quite honestly, I don't remember what anyone else had. Well, until dessert hit the table. If you ever make it to Culinaria, please do not leave without getting dessert. And if you enjoy coconut even in the slightest, get the coconut creme pie. Or the peanut butter pie. Or the lemon creme pie. Or maybe a slice of each? You can always doggy-bag it!

Even though we did eat out quite a bit during our holiday in Delaware, we did turn out many delicious meals ourself, too! Chili and cornbread, Roasted Turkey with Sweet Potato Gnocci and Braised Brussel Sprouts, Grandma's Famous Pecan-Rum Rolls, Cherry Pie...Yes, I caved and made a cherry pie for Christmas dessert. Not my favorite pie, not cherry season, just a good old-fashioned desire to please my fiance (who, in case you cannot connect the dots, loves loves LOVES cherry pie). I'm hoping the Christmas compromise will mean I get my way with the wedding cake (read: no cherry pie for the wedding cake...OK, maybe a cherry on top...)

Christmas Cherry Pie

4 cups frozen cherries (if you happen to be making this when cherries are actually in season, you can use fresh- but that requires pitting and a lot more money...)
1 cup white sugar
4 tablespoons cornstarch (I used more for a thicker filling)
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 teaspoon almond extract (you don't have to do this, but it makes it amazing!)
2 pie crusts (make them yourself, buy them pre made, whatever floats your cherry pie)

Add cherries (fresh or frozen) to a saucepan over medium heat. Cover. Let cook about 5 minutes or until some liquid had escaped. Meanwhile, mix the sugar and cornstarch together. Add this, almond extract, and lemon juice to the hot cherries. Turn the heat to low and continue to cook until the filling has reached desired consistency. If it becomes to thick, add a little water. Too thin, add a little cornstarch. You can add more sugar, lemon, or almond extract to taste, too (I may have...) Let the filling cool.

While the filling is cooling, prepare your pie crusts (if you're using pre-made pie crusts, the box will tell you exactly what to do, if you're making your own pie crusts...shouldn't you know what to do? Because I'm not a make-you-own-pie-crust type of gal). Pour the filling into the prepared pie crust, dot with butter, then top with the second pie crust. Pinch the edges of the crusts together, make a few slits at the top, sprinkle with sugar, and bake in a 375 degree oven for about 50 minutes. Keep your eye on it though- mine got a little too cooked (probably because of all the mimosas...see above photo). After an initial conniption fit, I got over it. And it still tasted pretty darn good, even for cherry pie (wink, wink).

I hope your holidays were as lovely (and filling!) as mine, and I hope your 2013 is off to an incredible start! Cheers!

My First Latkes

A couple weeks ago, before the first night of Hanukkah, I gathered with my future Sister-In-Law, Lisa, and her roommates and friends for a festive night of cookie baking (see below post), holidays movie watching (Love, Actually), and wine drinking (of course). But no Christmas celebration could be complete without...Latkes? Luckily, one of our crew was a Hanukkah celebrator (aka, Jewish) and delighted us with the best Latkes I have ever had. Actually, I think they were the only Latkes I have ever had, but I don't ever expect to have better Latkes. Latkes with a capital L, because they deserve proper-noun status.  Apparently the chef (the one and only Emily Josephs) got the recipe from Gwyneth Paltrow's blog, goop, but the Latkes she (Emily) turned out were way better (looking) than Gwyneth's (no offense, Gwyn). Let me paint you a picuture...hearty potatoes and crisp apples molded together into a perfect patty, then deep fried in oil until crisp and golden brown. It's like hash browns on steroids. But wait, there's more. Top the latkes (whoops, Latkes) with creme fraiche, smoked salmon, and dill. Put them alongside a salad of peppery arugula, lemon and Parmesan, and you have yourself Latke nirvana. Hyperbole? I think not. Try for yourself. How do you like them Latkes?

For those who celebrate it, happy (belated) Hanukkah! And thank you for your Latkes! 

Tis' the Season

I love the holidays. That stretch between Thanksgiving and Christmas is truly magical to me. I love the twinkling lights. I love the music. I'm one of those who listens exclusively to Christmas music from the day after Thanksgiving until Christmas Eve. I love the hustle and bustle of shoppers in the city. Finding that perfect gift. Wrapping presents. I love holiday movies. Christmas Vacation. Love Actually. Miracle on 34th Street. I love the anticipation of no work. No school. Being with your closest family and friends. I love holiday food. Egg nog. Gingerbread. The Ritz crackers that come in the shape of snowflakes and the Oreo cookies dipped in white chocolate. Snow-reos...


Most of all I love baking holiday cookies! Rolling out the sugar cookie dough (we used this recipe), getting covered in flour. Cookie-cuttering. Making snowmen and bells, stockings and stars. Eating the dough. Frosting them with red and green and sprinkles. No matter how ridiculous they turn out, they always look festive and taste delicious! And at the end of the night everyone has their favorite cookie that no one can eat...Mr. Snowman is mine.

                 

Thankful for Pinterest

Do you have Pinterest? You should get it if you don't. Then be prepared to have it consume any idle time you have. Actually, be prepared to have it also consume the time when you should be doing productive things...like homework, or cooking dinner, or paying attention to a story your fiancé is telling you. It's okay, fiancé, I wasn't listening to you because I was Pinteresting our wedding. (yes, Pinteresting is a word...just like Tweeting and Facebooking and Instagraming). 

If you have been living under a rock, Pinterest is a social photo sharing website where the user collects ("pins") photos and compiles them into themed files ("boards"). You can peruse others' boards and re-pin what you like, or you can pin photos straight from the web. Imbedded in each photo is the website from which it came from, so you can always get to the original source of the photo to buy it, cook it, do it, or see more like it....

Did I lose you yet? Let me paint you a little picture. You're enjoying a hot cup of coffee on a lovely Sunday morning in November wondering what you could bake today. You log onto Pinterest, scroll through the "Food & Drink" collection and stumble upon an enticing looking Pumpkin Coffee Cake that someone pinned. You click on the photo in order to see the recipe and realize that you have all the ingredients! After repinning the Pumpkin Coffee Cake photo so that you never, ever lose it, you get to work baking. An hour later, you are face to face with a cake that looks pretty close to the picture you just pinned. You cut a piece, you take a picture of it (because you know you'll blog about it later) and sink your teeth into it. You're speechless. It's incredible. A thousand words come to mind to describe this cake. But you don't need to use them. Because a picture is worth a thousand words. And it all started with a picture...

Melodramatic? I think not. Pinterest is that epic. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I am proud to say I am thankful for Pinterest this year. Pinterest has helped me start planning my wedding. It's fed many hungry tummys. It has brightened my day with adorable pictures of baby animals. And you should be thankful for it, too. Because without Pinterest you may have never know about the best Pumpkin Coffee Cake you will ever, ever eat!

Here is the link to the original blogger who posted this recipe: 

http://www.prettygoodfood.com/2012/02/pumpkin-coffee-cake-with-brown-sugar.html

Now, go create a Pinterest account!

Viva Peru!

I took a little trip to Peru. Peru is beautiful. The people. The Andes. Machu Picchu. Everything about Peru is stunning. Indigenous people dressed up in colorful dress with their llamas by their side. Flute music blowing in the wind high up in the mountains. Snow capped peaks and rushing rivers. Sacred ruins. Dancing. Lima sunsets and crashing waves. Did you know Peru has 28 of the world's 32 microclimates? I didn't either. And I only went to two of them. If you want to be blown away, go to Peru. It is beautiful...

When I was in Peru, I also got engaged. That was the most beautiful thing of all. I got engaged atop Huayna Picchu- 8,920 feet above the sea. When you see a picture of Machu Picchu, look for the mountain in the background. That is Huayna Picchu. Then, look at the very top of the mountain. That's me! Getting engaged. So Epic and so beautiful. I am so lucky. And oh so happy!

The best things happen when you least expect them to. That is so, so true. 

Stop expecting and just embrace and amazing things will happen to you. I promise. 

OK so onto the food. I love going to new places and trying new food. If you like seafood, go to Lima. And order ceviche. They make it with lots of lime, cilantro, and red onion. It's so fresh. If you like things hot, ask for salsa picante. I didn't not get ceviche in Lima, so I don't have any more suggestions. 

When you're in the mountains, your eat mountainous things- like Alpaca and Guinea Pig. Alpaca is good. Guinea Pig is not. I technically didn't try the Guinea Pig, but that's because it's Guinea Pig. I did however carve the Guinea Pig because that's how they roll in Peru. Men serve the soup, women chop up the Guinea Pig. Then they lose their appetite and don't eat the Guinea Pig. They also eat lots of potatoes and fava beans and quinoa. I fell in love with quinoa. More about that in a bit...

I also fell in love with Pisco Sours, which is a more dangerous infatuation. What is a Pisco Sour, you may ask? Well it's Pisco, lime, simple syrup, and egg white. What is Pisco you may ask? It's a type of brandy made from grapes invented in Peru. Chileans might get made if they heard me say that. They think they invented Pisco. I don't really know. I'm just thankful someone invented it. Here is the recipe so that you can make one too!

3 parts Pisco (you could substitute vodka/ whisky/ amaretto, but then it wouldn't be a PISCO sour!)

1 part sugar syrup (which is one part sugar dissolved in one part water)

1 part lime juice (fresh squeezed, please!)

1 part egg white (i.e: one egg white = one part)

Blend all ingredients, shake with ice, strain and serve. To be a true Peruvian, you can garnish with a couple drops of bitters (but who really keeps bitters on hand?)

If you give someone a Pisco Sour, they're going to want a delicious Peruvian bowl of Quinoa Soup to go with it! 

You can add Quinoa to your favorite soup, or you can use my recipe! The nice thing about soup is that there are no rules. Put in what you have. Leave out what you don't. 

Prepare:

1 White Potato (peeled and cut into chunks) 

1 Sweet Potato (peeled and cut into chunks)

Yellow and/or Green Zucchini (cut into half rounds)

1 Red Pepper, 2 Celery Stalks, 1 Onion, 2 Carrots, 2 Cloves Garlic (diced)

2 Large Chicken Breasts (cut into large pieces)

Chorizo Sausage (cut into rounds- I only added this because I had it- it's yummy with or without)

Measure out: 

10 Cups Chicken Broth / Water Combo (whatever ratio works)

1 Cup Quinoa (read the box- you may need to rinse first)

In a large dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm a couple tablespoons of olive oil. Add the red pepper/celery/onion/carrot/garlic mixture and cook a couple minutes until soft and translucent. Spice up with cumin, saffron, salt, and pepper. Add the chicken and chorizo (if using), quinoa, potatoes, and liquid. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat. Simmer until the chicken is cooked through and starting to fall apart, about 20 minutes. Add the zucchini and cook about 10 minutes longer, or until the zucchini is just cooked (al dente). I topped the soup with cheese. You can top with cilantro. Whatever floats your boat. And don't forget your Pisco Sour!

Viva Peru!