Making Pasta

Making Pasta for my family? But why? because fresh home-made pasta is delicious! Puts the store bought dried stuff to shame.

Here’s my confession: I never really liked Pasta until I started making my own.  I would make sphaghetti for my family, then eat something else. I liked Ravioli and Lasagna, but the stuff that you just add sauce to? I hated it. Then I started making my own.

Not gonna lie to ya, it is time-consuming, and there’s probably better uses for my time. So worth it though.

Here’s a simple dough recipe I found at www.thejoykitchen.com

2C flour ( I used 1 C semolina, 1 C all purpose)
3 large eggs
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt

Basic gist:

Combine the dry ingredients, make a well in the middle, add the eggs and oil in the well.

Draw in the flour mix into the egg/oil mix.

Continue until the mix is well incorporated and you have a smooth elastic dough.

Let rest for 1 hour, then roll out and cut either into lasagna or any pasta shape you want. I use my pasta machine.

 

Banana Oat Muffins

In my previous post I showed you how to grind your own oat flour using a coffee grinder. Look what that oat flour turned into!

Easy-peasy banana oat muffins.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 mashed ripe medium sized bananas

Method:

Combine flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, soda, and salt.
In a large bowl, beat the egg lightly. Stir in the milk, oil, and vanilla. Add the mashed banana, and combine thoroughly. Stir the flour mixture into the banana mixture until just combined. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper bake cups, and divide the batter among them.
Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 18 to 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

No oat flour, no problem.

You know how a recipe sounds so much more exotic and not-doable if you don’t readily have some of the ingredients on hand? Yeah, I hate that feeling. I’m like, could you just tell me what else I can use if I don’t have that thing?

I had this recipe for Banana Oat muffins that looked good…except I didn’t have any oat flour like the recipe called for. Being smarter than the average bear, I figured, isn’t oat flour really just ground up Oatmeal? Like the oatmeal my kids wake me up every morning to make for them? Hell yeah it is…. BTW, the fancy schmancy crew like to also call it Colloidal Oatmeal, as if they don’t think we’d be smart enough to figure out that it’s just ground up Oatmeal.  I mean, it’s not as if there’s another species of Oats called “Colloidal’ or “Flour.” Well played, recipe writer, and ingredient namers, well-played.

Next time your super health nut muffin recipe calls for oat flour and you don’t have some on hand, fear not, for you have oatmeal on hand, I hope, you big dope…No really, you’re dope…ok I’ll stop now.

 

Pancit Canton noodles with chicken and Broccoli

This dish is yummy!

What’s even better? It’s very easy to make. I use the ever popular 3-2-1 Sauce recipe I found online.

pancit canton noodles with chicken and broccoli

3-2-1 sauce:

3 parts soy sauce (I like to use sweet soy sauce)
2 Parts Oyster sauce (or hoisin would do to)
1 Part sesame oil (this gives it that flavor!)

I don’t have any set amounts of anything, because that’s how I roll. Next time I make it I will try to get some proportions. I usually just assemble the following ingredients till it looks right to me.

2 Chicken Breasts raw, cubed
Carrots (usually about 1 cup)
Broccoli (about 2-3 cups)
1 large onion, sliced thin, separated
2 cloves garlic
Chicken broth, if needed for the noodles.

8oz of Pancit Canton noodles
sesame oil to pan fry

Method:

marinate the cubed chicken in the 3-2-1 sauce with the onions and garlic for at least 1 hour in the fridge
Pan fry in a little bit of sesame oil until cooked.
Add the vegetables and cook until tender but still firm.
This part is important ***Do not precook the noodles*** Add the dry noodles with the chicken and vegetable mix and cover.
The noodles will cook in the sauce. If it’s a little dry, add some broth to help further cook the noodles. It should be cooked within a few minutes.

Bon Appetit, for it will be delicious!

 

Turkey Burger Con Salsa y Aguacate

 

I hope this is worth my suffering…

Bread is my downfall. I never met a loaf of bread I didn’t like so I tend to eat a lot of it, which you will immediately be able to tell when you meet me in person. Anyway, I made this absolutely scrumptious turkey burger complete with Avocado slices and Garden Salsa…theeeeen, decided to skip the burger buns.  All part of my efforts to #eatlessbread.

Who am I kidding? that won’t last, but oh well. It was a delicious try.

Turkey Burger

Ingredients:

2 Ibs Ground Turkey

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 green pepper, finely chopped

4oz mushrooms, finely chopped

1 cup fresh spinach, finely chopped

1/2 C Italian style breadcrumbs

salt and black pepper to taste

Method:

Throw all the chopped veggies in a bowl with the ground turkey and mix well together. Form into Patties. Grill or cook on a griddle. Serve with some garden salsa and a couple of slices of ripe avocado.

Eat it on a bun…or not.

 

No Syrup Required – Savory Pancakes & Eggs

I fell in love with savory pancakes about 3 summers ago. Up until that summer it never occurred to me to combine the yummy goodness of breakfast sides into the pancake.  Shut the front door!

It all began when My Mister learned how to make pancakes. He felt so confident in his pancake making skills, he challenged a couple of friends to a pancake-off.  He didn’t count on was Khia! (an old college friend of mine, who jumped into the fray). She totally turned the contest upside down with her suitcase full of magical pancake ingredients. One bite  of her delectable savory pancake and  we all knew who won.

Well played, Khia, well played. My man came in 3rd out of 3 contestants (still a sore subject around here). I gained a new twist on the old pancake.

It would be another 3 years before I attempted a recipe on my own, since I never got around to asking Khia! for her recipe. But I discovered that It really was as simple as adding in my mix-ins into my tried and true pancake recipe.

Although my original pancake recipe is not that sweet, I cut down the usual amount of sugar by 1/3 to further reduce the sweetness. Sugar is still needed in this batter for its browning properties. That’s how you get that golden brown crust.

So here is my recipe:

Pancake:

dry ingredients

1 1/5 Cups all purpose flour
2 Tbsp white sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2tsp salt

wet ingredients:

1 3/4 buttermilk (I never have buttermilk on hand, so I mix white vinegar and regular milk to get ‘buttermilk’. Approximately 2Tbsps vinegar in a Pyrex meauring cup, and then topped up with milk to reach the 1 3/4 mark)
2 Eggs
3 Tbsps Butter, melted

mix-ins:

approximately 1/3C each of:
Green Onions
Shiitake Mushrooms
Yellow Grape Tomatoes
Green Peppers
Red Peppers
Smoked Turkey
salt and spices to your taste (I used italian seasoning)

Method

1. Chop/Dice your mix-ins, like so:

2. Sautee the mix-ins in a small stir-fry pot, with EVOO, until just a little tender (about 2 minutes). Set aside.

3. Mix up your batter.
a. Combine the dry ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl, preferably with a pour spout. Lightly mix with a wire whisk to blend ingredients.

b. Add the eggs to the milk/vinegar mixture (or buttermilk). Whisk with a wire whisk to blend.

c. Add the milk/vinegar (or buttermilk)/egg mixture to the dry ingredients. Just lightly run the whisk through the mixture to combine. Make sure to incorporate all the flour in the corners of the bow.
Do not whip, this will develop the gluten in the flour. You don’t want this, unless you like tough pancakes, in which case, I worry about you…

d. Add in the melted butter and incorporate thoroughly.

e. Add in the sauteed mix-ins and incorporate for even distribution.

f. Cook pancakes like regularly. Flip over when large bubbles form on top, like so:

Serve with fried egg, some fruit, maybe some bruchetta, and hopefully a Mimosa. Breakfast, Lunch, Brunch or Dinner, it’s aaaallll good!
Bon Appetit.

What’s for Lunch? Turkey Veggie Wrap

 

Nutrition Packed and filling, this wrap will give you the energy you need to get through the afternoon. The spicy gingery Peanut Sauce Dressing provides a perfect balance to the cold veggies.

Besides lunch, it’s also a great finger food for get-togethers.

 

Ingredients:

Baby Mixed Greens, chiffonade (I use a mixture of radicchio and romaine lettuces, sold as a ‘baby italian mix’)

Iceberg Lettuce, chiffonade, – The nutritional value of iceberg lettuce is debatable, but I like the crunch.

Cucumbers, cubed.  I ran out cucumbers when I made this, so it is not pictured, but I usually add them because I like the crunch.

Red Peppers, cubed. Adds a slightly sweet flavor

Deli Turkey, Chiffonade – You veggie-types can omit this altogether or substitute cubed tofu, fo-turkey (yes I made this up) or anything else you want.

Avocado Slices – just because I think no sandwich is complete without the rich buttery flavor of avocados.

The Wrap: Spinach-Herb 10-inch Tortilla

 

The Dressing:

I used House of Tsang Bangkok Padang Peanut Sauce. I get mine from Kroger.

Or you could mix together:

smooth peanut butter + sweet soy sauce + grated ginger  to get the same effect.

Method:

Mix up the above ingredients and lay out on your tortilla. Drizzle the dressing on top, like so:

 

Fold up and wrap like a burrito. For those who are not sure how to, here:

 

Slice in half, tie with a toothpick if you want, and voila!

Bon Appetit, it’s time to eat!

Kale Fried Rice

Like most of the world, one of my new year’s resolutions ‘habits to add’ is to eat healthier. Not that I have a bad diet, but having just reached a milestone birthday ***ahem, old lady status, ahem***, I am even more vigilant about what goes into my body. Food just seems to want to pack all its belongings and settle in for an extended stay, nahmeen? If you’re gonna have company camping out in your temple, it might as well be good company, right?

So I decided, you know what I need more of in my life? K-A-L-E. Yes, the green leafy stuff. The superfood that’s even more super than spinach, which I luurve. I never ate much kale (or collards for that matter) growing up, so it was a bit foreign to me. I recently designed a label for a good friend of mine who makes and sells these amazing spicy Kale Chips to local health food stores in her area. She sent me a sample, which of course I loved, and that inspired me to incorporate it into more meals. Be warned, there is more K-A-L-E in the future guys…

And so here it is, a recipe concoction I came up with. Unlike baking which is more of a precision experiment, cooking is more forgiving. With the exception of the rice, the proportions given are more of an approximation, so, add (remove) everything to your taste. 

Ingredients:

2 Cups Jasmine Rice, cooked.  *And by this, I mean two raw cups cooked, not 2 cups of cooked.*
3 eggs, scrambled and fried
2 carrots, sliced/diced
6 cups raw washed chopped kale *this is an approximation, remember, personal taste*
4 green onions, sliced
1 small white onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3-4 Tbsps. Sweet Soy Sauce (or to your taste)
1Tbsp. Low Sodium Soy Sauce (or to your taste)

The kale and carrots, READY!

Onions and Garlic, SET!

 

All sauteed and ready to GO! (I could eat this by itself, yum yum)

 

Method:

1. Cook the Jasmine rice according to package directions. (I don’t add salt, and I do 2C rice to 4C water. Your mileage may vary)

2. While the rice cooks, chop and prep your veggies.

3. Fry the eggs and set aside.

4. Saute the white onions and garlic for until the onions wilt and look slightly translucent. Add the carrots and Kale and saute until the kale wilts and shrinks a little, like the picture above. Season with the low-sodium soy sauce.

5. Add the rice and stir fry, combining everything together. Season with the Sweet soy sauce.

6. Toss in the fried eggs and green onions, and voila!

 

Bon Appetit, it’s time to eat!

party planning break

So this weekend is my big birthday bash in beautiful Colonial Williamsburg, and I am beyond EXCITED!

Being the last-minute girl that I am, the plans didn’t firm up in my head until last night when I couldn’t sleep. I wasn’t worried much about pulling everything together, since that’s how I work best is under pressure.

The food will be appetizers, no fuss, no muss. Thank goodness for Trader Joes, yay!

(The following pictures are just for inspiration, mine I’m sure will be much less perfect)

Source: thebridesuite.com via Dora on Pinterest

 

I pulled a turquoise, black and silver color scheme from my proposed outfit.

Source: curbly.com via Paige on Pinterest

There will be Balloons and tissue paper pompoms.

 

I plan on some DIY platters, as seen here:

Source: craftaholicsanonymous.net via Daniella on Pinterest

 

Source: google.com via Karen on Pinterest

Source: karaspartyideas.com via Olga on Pinterest

 

 

Oh, and lots and lots of wine, music and friends!

And so off to the thrift, dollar, and party stores I go!

See you next week with plenty of pictures! (hopefully)

Back to School…and some recipes

Pretty much sums up my state of mind.

Really, is it so wrong that I’m happy to have the “third and final” off to full-day-5-days-a-week-kindergarten?
Not really, I’m crying on the inside.

Anyway, this joyous occasion also means structured days, which means planning ahead for lunches and dinners.
I decided to get in front of it this year by doing what makes sense, planning meals for the week ahead. I spent the better part of yesterday sourcing new, delicious yet nutritious recipes for dinners and lunches. I won’t promise to post menus, daily, I promise.  But I do have for you today’s lunch menu for the kids. I hope it inspires you with new ideas beyond the ol’ PB&J. 

I got a little ambitious and decided to make homemade lunchables. They munchkins love lunchables, much to my chagrin. I am much to cheap to buy them. Here’s what I did:

Buttery club crackers ( I went for the rectangular ones since that was all I could find at my Aldi’s)
A big slab of sharp cheddar cheese, sliced into small rectangles
Honey smoked turkey from the deli, sliced thick

Bunch of grapes

Juice box

Homemade rice krispy treats

For the kindergartner, I have to provide an extra snack, as required by the school. I found this really awesome recipe on Her Royal Highness’ website.

“Sushi” Surprise

It’s super simple, and a great way to add get some nutrition into my junk-food loving boy. And no it’s not actually sushi (which my kids LOVE too, btw)

Ingredients

• 2 sandwich bread slices, flattened
• 4 cucumber and 4 carrot matchsticks, (each 6 inches long)
• Cream cheese spread, (3 tablespoons cream cheese mixed with 1 1/2 tablespoons sour cream)

Directions

1. Flatten bread slices with a rolling pin. Spread cream-cheese mixture over slices.
   Lay 2 carrot and 2 cucumber matchsticks at the bottom of each slice — let ends hand over edges.
   Roll up bread, pressing gently to seal, then cut each roll into 4 equal pieces.

 

img courtesy of www.marthastewart.com