culinary exploration

After seeing Steph’s post about Ezekiel tortillas, I got super excited.  I mean, Ezekiel tortillas??  I’m in heaven.  THEN… I noticed the linked recipe to her filling of choice.  I die.  Black bean and butternut squash burrito filling.  YUM!  I can see myself eating this filling in a number of ways. 

Can’t wait to whip this up in my fancy kitchen in my new apartment! 

gnomesweetgnome:

#1 I’m looking forward to with the weather change…. Lasagna Soup. You better fucking believe this dish is coming back into rotation.

This isn’t actually the #1 thing I’m excited about but it’s on the list. YES THERE IS A LIST. I love Fall so much.

OH MY GOSH… Lasagna Soup!?  Where has this been all my life?? 

(via vneckandacardigan) 

OATMEAL PEANUT BUTTER SQUARES

Must make these ASAP!

Every time I have an out-of-town visitor come to Chicago, the obvious food request is deep dish pizza.  I prefer Lou Malnati’s over Gino’s… what about you?

Have you ever dared to eat raw, uncooked kale?  I never thought it would be tasty because kale is such a bitter green before it’s cooked down.  When I saw an episode of Aarti Party on Food Network where she made a “massaged kale salad” I figured I had better try it first before I could say if I did/didn’t like it. 

With heavy doubt in tow, I bought some locally grown kale from the farmer’s market and went for it.  Apparently the mixture of olive oil, acidic lemon juice and constant massaging for 2-3 minutes breaks up the fibers in the kale to trick it into thinking it has been cooked!  The mixture of the hearty kale with the sweet mango and crunchy pepitas was a great combination of flavor AND texture.  It has become my favorite thing to bring to work for lunch.  

Here’s the recipe.  Try it out and see for yourself how delicious it is!

MASSAGED KALE SALAD

INGREDIENTS:
1 bunch kale (black kale is especially good), stalks removed, leaves thinly sliced
1 lemon, juiced
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
Kosher salt
2 teaspoons honey
Freshly ground black pepper
1 mango, diced small (about 1 cup)
Small handful toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds), about 2 rounded tablespoons

DIRECTIONS:
In large serving bowl, add the kale, half of lemon juice, a drizzle of oil and a pinch of salt.  Massage until the kale starts to soften and wilt, about 2-3 minutes.  Set aside while you make the dressing.

In a small bowl, whisk remaining lemon juice with the honey and lots of freshly ground black pepper.  Stream in the ¼ cup of oil while whisking until a dressing forms, and you like how it tastes.

Pour the dressing over the kale, and add the mango and pepitas.  Toss and serve immediately. 

SUN-DRIED TOMATO RISOTTO

My first attempt at making risotto was definitely worth all the work.  It’s not that it’s even difficult to make, it’s just time-consuming and I got VERY impatient.  Despite all the mixed feelings during the cooking process (and the sore arm from constant stirring) I was extremely pleased with the outcome.  Rich tomato flavor meets the creamy succulence of the self-producing “sauce” in this extra starchy rice. 

Risotto is one of those great blank canvases of cooking.  Once you learn get a good grip on that base recipe, you can add many different proteins, veggies and spices to create your own dish.  I was inspired by this recipe, but didn’t need 6 servings - so I just followed the “Milanese style” risotto recipe on the bag of arborio rice I picked up from the store and added in my twists.  Here is how it turned out:

INGREDIENTS:
2 T. butter
1 T. olive oil
1 small onion, minced
2 t. crushed garlic
1 c. arborio rice
6-8 sundried tomatoes packed in oil, minced
1 c. dry white wine (I used Pinot Grigio)
4 c. low-sodium chicken broth
1 c. water (more if needed)
1 c. grated parmesan
salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS:
First, heat the broth in a sauce pan and keep on low heat on a burner near the pan you will make your risotto in.

Melt butter and olive oil in a dutch oven over medium heat.  Add onion and garlic, sautee until soft and tender, about 4-5 minutes.

Add the rice to the pan, stir to coat the rice and toast for a few minutes.

Add the sundried tomatoes and wine.

Turn down heat to medium-low and stir until most of the wine is absorbed by the rice.  Then add the heated broth in batches, about one cup at a time, letting each batch of broth be absorbed by the rice before adding the next batch of broth.  Make sure to continuously stir the rice as it absorbs each cup of liquid!!

Repeat adding the broth and stirring until the rice has absorbed the last cup of liquid and taste-test the rice.

The rice is fully cooked when it is soft, yet has a slight bite (similar to al dente pasta).  If it is still crunchy, add water in the same manner as the broth - one cup at a time as the rice absorbs it.  Remove the risotto from heat and add the parmesan cheese.

Add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve immediately, sprinkled with more parmesan and some dried basil.

HOME MADE APPLE BUTTER

My family has always been a big fan of apple butter.  It’s good on toast, mixed in yogurt, oatmeal or cottage cheese.  So when I saw this recipe on Skinny Taste - I knew I had to make some as Christmas gifts.  The recipe is so easy because most of the leg work is done by a slow cooker.  The spices are just enough for added flavor, but not too overpowering.  Just the way I like it!

INGREDIENTS:
2½ lbs. (6 large) apples, peeled, cored, finely chopped (I used honeycrisp and gala)
½ c. white sugar
½ c. light brown sugar
1 t. ground cinnamon
⅛ t. allspice
⅛ t. nutmeg

DIRECTIONS:
Place the apples in a slow cooker. Top with sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg and mix well.

Cover and cook on low 10 hours, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thickened and dark brown.

Uncover and puree with an immersion blender.

Cook on high uncovered for another 1-2 hours.  Spoon into sterile jars or containers and refrigerate.

Jalapeño Popper Dip

Since I love poppers so much, I’m guessing I’ll love this dip from Our Best Bites!  I’d add some bacon on top though…