Roasted Delicata Squash Boats

I can't believe it took me so many years to jump on the delicata squash bandwagon!  When I bought them at the farmer's market, the guy ringing me up said they were "the new kale".  Well alrighty then, I'm sold.

Cut ends off one large squash and slice lengthwise down the middle.  Scoop out seeds (do I really have to list this step??), smear with butter, and roast at 400 for 30-40 minutes.  You can put them right on the rack in the oven.

Meanwhile:
2 chicken breasts
1 sweet onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can chopped tomatoes
4 T Zatarain's Creole Mustard
1-2 T spicy brown mustard (start light, add more for more kick)
1-2 T maple syrup (to taste - start light then add more if you want a little more sweetness)
1 t Spike seasoning
1 t dried thyme
fresh cracked pepper to taste
Shredded parmesan

Saute onions & garlic in olive oil til translucent.  Add chicken breasts and tomatoes (do not drain - rinse can with a tiny bit of water and add to pan for liquid) and simmer until chicken is cooked.  Remove chicken to a wooden cutting board, turn heat off or to low.  Shred chicken with two forks or chop finely.  Add chicken back to pan, add remaining ingredients (mustards, etc), stir together, and taste to see if more heat or sweetness is needed.  Simmer for a few more minutes.  By this time, squash should be done. Turn oven on to broil.  Place squash halves on baking sheet, stuff with chicken mixture, top with shredded parmesan, and brown under the broiler until bubbly.  Yum!

Lactation Cookies

When my daughter was just a few weeks old, I found this recipe somewhere on the interwebs for "lactation cookies", that promised to boost milk supply for nursing mamas.  Boy, did these things work.  The only drawback is that they are so delicious, I couldn't stop eating them!  Considering the individual ingredients, they can't possibly be "light" in calories - but nursing mamas need extra calories, right?  Right??

Anyhoo, no need to be a nursing mama to enjoy these amazing cookies.  My husband stole plenty of them as a matter of fact.  If you are nursing, I can't promise they'll boost supply, but they'll certainly boost mood!  Cookies are happiness.

Preheat oven to 350

3/4 c flour (I used 1/2 c almond flour & 1/4 c coconut flour)
2 c oats
1 t baking soda
3/4 t salt (original recipe called for 1 t, but they turned out a bit salty so I reduced it)
3 T brewer's yeast
1 c ground flaxseed (3/4 c also works well)
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c brown sugar

3/4 c almond butter
1/2 c butter
1/3 c water
2 eggs
2 t vanilla

Handful each - chocolate chips & chopped nuts (optional)

Blend dry ingredients together (top section); beat wet ingredients together in separate bowl (bottom section).  Mix both dry & wet together, then stir in choco chips & nuts.  Drop by big ol' spoonfuls onto greased sheet or parchment-lined sheet, bake at 350 for 12-14 mins or until lightly tanned.  Enjoy :-)

Rustic No-Knead Bread

This bread is all over the interwebs, and for good reason:  it's damn delicious.  And damn easy!  They all source back to one guy, Jim Lahey of New York's Sullivan Street Bakery.  His recipe is very basic and utilizes a Dutch oven to bake the bread.

This variation is my favorite though, because it makes extra dough, which you "ferment" in the refrigerator for up to a week.  Who doesn't love freshly baked bread on a moment's notice??

No Knead Crusty White Bread (from King Arthur Flour)

• 3 cups lukewarm water
• 6 1/2 to 7 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour*
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons instant yeast

Use 32 ounces of flour by weight - 6 1/2 if scooping flour out of container.
Mix everything together in a giant bowl and let rise for 2 hours at room temp, covered.  Dough will be sticky & messy.   After 2 hours, put dough in fridge for up to a week.
When you're ready to make bread, preheat oven to 450 with a lidded Dutch oven inside.  While preheating, place a hunk of dough on a sheet of parchment paper and let rise for a while.  Once oven is preheated, remove Dutch oven, place bread (on parchment) inside of Dutch oven, cover, and bake for 15-20 minutes.  After 15-20 minutes, remove lid, and bake uncovered another 15-20 minutes (or until browned slightly).

That's it!  So stinking easy.

Banana "Ice Cream"

This Paleo-ish diet I've been on, as I've mentioned, hasn't been too difficult.  Mainly because I don't have a sweet tooth.  Every once in a while though, especially in the summer, I crave something sweet and cold.  Those are the days I wish I wasn't lactose semi-intolerant (lactose averse?), because ice cream is really the best thing to cure that craving.  Luckily, somewhere (probably Pinterest) I stumbled upon this crazy idea to make "ice cream" out of frozen bananas - and it really is the next best thing to the real thing.

For one serving:
1 banana, peeled, frozen

Misc additions:
Raspberries
Sliced strawberries
Chopped almonds
Almond butter
Honey (if you want it sweeter)
Unsweetened cocoa powder

Throw the banana in the food processor with the blade attachment and whirl away, til it's fully creamed.  You can add the cocoa at this point to make it like chocolate ice cream, or any of the other misc additions to blend them in.  Or add them afterward for a little chunkiness.

So far I've tried freezing the banana both ways - with the peel on, and peeling it first before freezing.  Freezing with the peel on seemed to keep the banana from getting too hard; when I peeled it first, it was more difficult to cream in the food processor.  It just took longer, and at one point I had to stick it in the micro for 15 seconds to soften up.  But, freezing with the peel on was messier, because it was a little tricky getting the peel off of the frozen banana!  I think from here on out I'll stick to peeling them first, just because I don't like the messy/sticky hands.

Best Beet Salad

Clearly there's more to this salad than just beets, but I needed a good name.  It didn't really have one before.  This has got to be in my top 5, if not top 1, favorite salads of all time.  What makes it so good is all the flavors that are going on - savory, salty, sweet, and tangy.  Plus it's great for using up leftover roast beef, or steak (if you have any that is)!

Vary ingredients to your taste:
Beef - either roast or steak, preferably grilled, sliced up.  Ground is not recommended.
Beets - chopped in 1/2" pieces, salted, oven roasted for 20 minutes at 425.
Onions - sliced, sauteed in olive oil til caramelized - Vidalia are best (the sweeter the better)
Arugula
Balsamic vinegar

I prefer a large amount of caramelized onions in my salad bowl, along with a heavy handed pour of balsamic.  The arugula can't be substituted - it lends a peppery bite that reduces your need for seasonings.  And this really is much better when the steak (or roast) is grilled beforehand, and the beets are roasted to a caramelly goodness.  I could eat this every day!

Option:  Throw the beets with some butter or grapeseed oil in heavy-duty foil, seal up, and throw on the grill while the steaks are cooking.  Depending on the heat of the grill they may need a lot more time for roasting than when cooking in the oven.

Turkey Muffins

I know this sounds gross but trust me, they aren't.  They were a HUGE hit here and will definitely be on heavy rotation.  These are the easiest things to make and I'm bummed I never thought of this before Pinterest came around.  Damn you Pinterest for overwhelming me with your amazing ideas!

1 lb lean ground turkey or chicken (*can also grind your own in the food processor so you know what you're eating...)
1 large egg (optional)
2 big handfuls spinach leaves, chopped
1/2 large sweet onion, like Vidalia, finely chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
S/P

Preheat oven to 350 and spray a muffin pan with non-stick spray.  In a bowl, combine all ingredients thoroughly.  Shape into 12 balls, and place in muffin pan.  Throw it in the oven for about 30 minutes; check with a meat thermometer before removing from oven (160 degrees) - bake longer if temp isn't up there yet.  Good browning is a must for better flavor.

Serving ideas:  asparagus, arugula salad, watercress soup, steamed spinach

*To grind your own:  Buy boneless/skinless fresh cuts of turkey or chicken, chop down into 2" chunks (to make them easier to fit), and toss them in the food processor with the blade attachment.  Pulse til the meat is ground down, but not mush.  This is a great option for anyone who doesn't own a KitchenAid grinder attachment.  Thanks to my friend Staci for giving me this smart idea!

Duck with Port Reduction, Polenta, and Greens

For whatever reason, the only time of year I eat turkey is in November & December. I never think to buy it any other month. And in November and December, I never think of anything other than turkey. This year I wanted to try something different though, instead of the usual turkey, so I bought a duck from New Seasons - intending to roast it for a "family" dinner. It didn't work out that way, so I made it on a random Sunday for just myself and Brandon.
Years ago I visited one of my favorite restaurants in Portland, Tabla, and ordered the duck. It was amazing - made with figs and some sort of reduction (I don't remember what), and served with a Bordeaux (don't remember which one). It was insane. Anyone who knows me knows that I'm a giant fan of a great pairing, and the combination of rich duck, sweet figs, the tart reduction, and the Bordeaux sent me into a tailspin. I have craved it ever since, so couldn't wait til I had a day to try to make it myself! I only wish I could remember which Bordeaux we had.
After a few searches through various recipe websites, I put together the reduction served with our duck. It is more traditional to use dried cherries or orange with duck....but my trip to the store resulted in no cherries, no other dried fruit in stock except prunes (!). I also picked up an orange for zesting. The results were definitely worth making again - in a few weeks, as this is really rich!

1 4-5 lb duck
Salted butter, divided
4-5 cloves garlic, sliced or smashed, divided
1 large yellow onion, rough chopped
2-3 celery stalks, rough chopped
kosher salt; pepper

1 orange (zest - strips)
12-15 prunes
Bottle of good Ruby Port

4 c Pacific chicken stock
1.5 c polenta
salt

1 large bunch collard greens, washed, trimmed, coarsely torn


Stuff duck with chopped onion, smear a tiny bit of butter over skin and sprinkle with S&P, and roast per directions in a roaster filled with remaining onion, garlic, 4-5 of the prunes, celery, and some of the orange zest. (Add enough water to the pan to prevent scorching, 1 c or so.)
While duck is roasting, place a couple strips of the orange zest and the rest of the prunes in about 2 c of the ruby port to soak, and then start on the polenta. Simmer til it is extremely thick. When cooled a bit, spread on foil to about 3/4-1 inch thick, and place another foil layer on top. Smooth polenta into an even square shape and refrigerate to firm up. Remove from fridge about 15 mins prior to duck being done to bring to room temp.
After duck has completed roasting, remove from oven and let rest. While duck is resting, prepare port reduction by simmering about 4 T butter in a pan. Add garlic, salt & pepper, and the soaked prunes. Add a bit more port, and reduce til thickened to a good sauce. Remove all prunes and garlic before serving.
In a side pan, steam collard greens on low temp with salt & pepper. Stir occasionally. At the same time, slice polenta into even square shapes, and fry in a bit of butter (or Pam) til crispy. Both should be done around the same time.

Serve polenta slices topped with greens, and duck with a couple tablespoons of reduction drizzled over. An inexpensive Bordeaux was perfect with this!
I really want to try the port reduction the next time we bust out the grill, with a good T-bone or other quality steak - I think that would be an amazing pairing, like a Balsamic reduction only sweeter. Can't wait til summer....


**Save the rendered duck fat in the freezer for future use on a turkey

Gyro Madness

Sometimes I think I have Greek, Turkish, or Lebanese in my bloodline somewhere....as much as I love the food, it would make sense. I could eat hummus for breakfast (actually I have). I would eat eggplant daily. If cucumber grew year-round, it would be in my belly every day. And anyone who reads this blog knows, I put garlic in every dinner.

Unfortunately, this style of cuisine is one of Brandon's least favorite. With the exception of gyros, he could go the rest of his life without ever eating anything from the Mediterranean again. So once in a great while I sneak in something lemony, garbanzo-y, garlicky, and as close to Lebanese as I can get! Tonight's dinner was a triumph though, if you ask me, because I think it may have turned Brandon around. Both of us went crazy over how good it was - nothing was processed, the meat was local, and the hummus turned out beautiful. With the exception of the fry bread "pitas", I'd say it was pretty healthy too! One warning though - this is a very labor-intensive meal, so it's probably best made on a Saturday or Sunday with ingredients purchased in advance.  If you love good homemade food, this is completely worth the effort.


1 lb elk, lamb, beef, or chicken
Cumin, Cayenne, S/P, and/or "Greek seasoning" blend

Hummus:
1 1/2 c dry garbanzo beans
1 bunch parsley, divided
Tons of garlic, divided
1/4 c Tahini past
Olive oil
2 lemons
Salt & Cumin

1 red onion, sliced, divided
1 cucumber
2 Roma tomatoes
Feta cheese

Plain Greek-style yogurt

Fry Bread Pitas:
4 c flour
1 1/2 t salt
3 t baking powder
3 T sugar
2 T shortening or cold butter
1 1/4 c cold milk

24-48 hours in advance: Soak dried, sorted garbanzo beans in hot water - maintain temp between 120-140 degrees by rinsing a few times a day - this makes beans MUCH easier to digest (it really works).

Day of - morning:  Take whatever meat you're using from the fridge, season, and throw it in the slow cooker along with some of the garlic & red onion.  Set the timer to finish cooking an hour or two prior to mealtime.

Late afternoon:  Start beans on stove - bring to low boil, then immediately turn down to simmer and leave covered. Simmer for an hour or two.  If water evaporates, add more hot water.  Take a bite at about the one hour mark to test and make sure they're fully cooked - since you're just making hummus, it's ok if they get a little overcooked.  Remove from heat as soon as they're done and allow to cool.  Try not to eat all the beans testing them.

While beans are simmering, make the "fry bread pitas" - blend all dry ingredients together in a large bowl.  Take about 2 cups of it (no need to be exact) and toss it in a food processor.  To the food processor, add your shortening or butter, and pulse til it forms pea-sized bits.  Work quickly, as you don't want the butter or shortening to warm up.  Transfer to the bowl, blend with the remaining dry ingredients (use a couple knives if you wish, old-school home ec style).  Add the cold milk a little bit at a time, stirring between each pour, til fully blended.  Dig in with your clean hands to mix, and form a ball.  Cover with plastic wrap, and stick it in the fridge for at least a half hour.

Now chop your veggies into bite-sized pieces, and set aside in the fridge for later.  Act like your own sous chef.

At this point, strain and rinse your beans in cool water.  Add them to the food processor, and whirl away to the consistency of, well, hummus.  You may need to process in batches.  Add the garlic (pre-minced is best, and add as much as you like - the more the better), tahini, salt & cumin, the juice of two lemons (more or lest to taste), and about half the parsley.  Blend thoroughly, leave the food processor running, and drizzle some olive oil into the mix.  I'd estimate you'd add about 1/4-1/2 c of olive oil, but you be the judge - you want the olive oil and lemon to thin down the consistency a bit so just eyeball it.
After all batches have been processed and transferred to the bowl, mix it all together with a big spoon and give it another taste test.  Need more lemon?  Squeeze 'er in now & blend.  More salt?  Now's the time to throw it in.  Hummus does require a larger-than-expected amount of both cumin and salt, fyi.

Ok, you ready to give up yet?  Told you this was labor-intensive!

Set aside the hummus, grab the fry bread pita dough from the fridge, and heat up some oil in a skillet to about medium/medium-high.  About a half inch or so of good quality veg oil works best.   Roll out palm-sized balls of dough to about 6-8 inches diameter.  Fry each one til golden, then place on paper towels to drain.  Buying pita bread at the store is much easier, but doing it this way is WAY MORE FUN. Amirite?

By this time, you should have meat that is done, hummus made, veggies & cheese ready, and some fry bread pitas hot & ready to eat.  Remove the meat from the slow cooker and set on a plate; slice it up for serving on top of the fry bread pitas with a dollop of your homemade hummus, veggies, feta, parsley, yogurt, and a squeeze of lemon if you're funky.  It's a big process, but trust me when I say that the flavor is so much better than buying all the pre-made parts from the store.  Plus, you know exactly what you're NOT getting - no preservatives, no excess sodium & fat, no processed junk.

I only wish I had some good pictures to share!!

Yummi Biscotti

I love dunkable food. Especially when it's dunkable into coffee, one of my required daily nutritional items. So imagine my excitement when I came across a recipe for Biscotti that was super easy - way easier than the last time I made it.
For some reason, the last time I made Biscotti, it ended up being a three hour ordeal; I think because the recipe called for way too much flour (which made the dough WAY to stiff) and a long-n-low bake. Nightmare.
This time, there was very little kneading involved, and intermittent bakes at about 335-ish. I say "ish" because my oven is a little hot and I had to turn it down a bit :-). But the dough in this recipe is easier to handle and the bakes a bit shorter.
Here is the end result:


The recipe:

4 eggs
2 egg whites
2 t vanilla
(if you have almond extract, reduce vanilla by half & add 1 t almond)
4 1/2 c flour
2 c (scant) sugar
1 1/4 c almonds
1 1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
Mix all together; knead about 10 times or so. Turn onto a jellyroll pan (I greased mine), flatten to about 1", and bake at 325-335 for 30 mins.
Remove, cool 10 mins, and slice into 1" sections. Lay each on a cut side & bake another 10-15 minutes. When this side is done baking, turn each one over to the other cut side and bake another 10-15 minutes.
I actually left them in the oven after turning it off to help them dry a bit more, since they still seemed a bit moist & chewy. I prefer my Biscotti hard & crunchy for even better dunkability!