Sweet Potato Hash with Golden Beets

Unlike my dear friends on the east coast enjoying 80 degrees of glory, Seattle still hasn’t quite gotten the memo that springtime is here. There have been hints of sunshine and warmth, but it’s still a daily gamble when it comes to the temperament of our meteorological forces. Ready to look Mother Nature in the eyes and say, “Go ahead, rain on our hike. I dare you.”, we set out to Mount Si today.

Eight cold, rainy (and snowy) miles later, I concede. Mother Nature, you win. Hope you had your laugh. I suppose it is Mother’s Day, after all. Now can it be summer?

After a hot shower and reminding my body what it feels like to actually be dry, it was time to make dinner. On tap: something relatively easy to put together, nutritious, and warm. This is so simple and so delicious. It can easily be made vegetarian by swapping the chicken for tofu or foregoing the protein completely. Any other mild herb like parsley or thyme would also suit this dish well.

Sweet Potato Hash with Golden Beets
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium sweet potatoes, cubed
4 golden beets, scrubbed and cubed
3 chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch squares
2 tablespoons canola oil for cooking
1 small onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
3 sprigs fresh rosemary, minced

Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Toss cubed sweet potatoes and beets with olive oil. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast until tender (about 30 minutes).
Heat the canola oil in large pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook until just starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until garlic is fragrant, another 2 minutes. Mix in minced rosemary. If you’re using raw chicken, add to the pan and cook until chicken is white throughout.
Add roasted sweet potatoes and beets, and cook until all ingredients are mixed thoroughly. Season to taste with about ½ teaspoon salt and pepper.

Childhood in a cookie

I would like to thank my friend, Jessica, for having a birthday this week. And America for turning Cinco de Mayo into a holiday. And for any other excuse to get together with friends and celebrate.

OK fine, you’re right. We don’t ever need an excuse, do we?

Jessica has a sailboat and invited us to come celebrate her birthday on this lovely vessel. It was a hysterical outing, and thanks to the 12 layers of long underwear and wool we had donned, warm and intimate. She should have birthdays more often.

What better way to celebrate a birthday than to reconnect with your inner child?  That’s where this dessert comes in. Peanut butter and jelly is a foundational part of every child’s growing experience. Thank goodness I wasn’t born allergic to peanuts (my condolences to those less fortunate).

Let me tell you, I was disappointed with these bars when they first came out of the oven.  I thought they were dry and bland. Rather than throwing them out, I tossed them in the freezer overnight. Next day, they had transformed! Moist, and flavorful, it was like eating an entirely different cookie!  Warning--these guys are rich. I suggest cutting them pretty small.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars
Adapted from Food Network - Ina Garten

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

2 cups (18 ounces) creamy peanut butter

1.5 cups all-purpose flour

1.5 cups whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 1/2 cups (18 ounces) raspberry jam or other jam

2/3 cups salted peanuts, coarsely chopped

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease a 9 by 13 by 2-inch cake pan. Line it with parchment paper, then grease and flour the pan.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light yellow, about 2 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the vanilla, eggs, and peanut butter and mix until all ingredients are combined.
In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture. Mix just until combined.
Spread 2/3 of the dough into the prepared cake pan and spread over the bottom with a knife or offset spatula. Spread the jam evenly over the dough. Drop small globs of the remaining dough evenly over the jam. Don't worry if all the jam isn't covered; it will spread in the oven. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts and bake for 45 minutes, until golden brown. Cool and cut into squares.

Green Piece

This past week has included a lovely stint in Denver for a pediatrics conference, a submission of my first full thesis draft (!), and a butt-kicking “hike” (read: sprint) up Tiger Mountain.  

I’m struggling to find the best way to describe the conference, but I think if you imagine being in one building with 1000+ doctors, you can begin to get a picture of this experience. Egos, brains, and industry...oh my!

Following the conference with the thesis submission was exciting. Of course, receiving the feedback on the first draft might be less exciting. Until then, ignorance is bliss!

If success with doctors, research, and gravity was possible, mastering greens can’t be far off!

Friends, this is a yummy little number. It’s flavorful and filling, and it looks much more impressive than it is. This is going in my “make for other people” category of recipes. One note--it is a tad heavy on polenta. Next time, I might reduce the cornmeal and/or increase the volume of the filling. If you try it out and vary it up, let me know how it turns out!

Leeks and greens...so pretty!

Polenta Gratin With Leeks, Swiss Chard And Gruyere

From NPR-Going With Whole Grains
Makes 6 servings
6 cups water
2 teaspoons salt
1 3/4 cups yellow cornmeal
1 cup grated Gruyere (I had mozzarella on hand, and it worked great as a substitute)
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 leeks, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 bunch Swiss chard, washed and chopped, with the rib removed
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper

Directions:
To make the polenta, bring the 6 cups of water to a boil in a heavy large saucepan. Add the salt. Gradually whisk in the cornmeal. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the mixture thickens and the cornmeal is tender, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Add half of the Gruyere. Remove from heat.
Meanwhile, in a frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the leeks and rosemary and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the chard, the wine and a few tablespoons of water, stirring well to coat with oil. Add more water as necessary until the chard is wilted and soft.
In a 3-quart gratin dish, spread half of the polenta, then top with the leek-chard mixture. Sprinkle the rest of the Gruyere over the top. Spoon the remaining polenta over the chard, smoothing with a spatula. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and Parmesan.
Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes or until the gratin is hot and bubbly.

Stuffed

Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don’t.  Sometimes you feel incredibly motivated to cook up beautiful feasts, sometimes you don’t.

With inspiration and time running low, but still seeking a homecooked meal, stuffed peppers are hard to beat. I made this version with odds and ends that have been patiently been sitting in my fridge/cupboard waiting to be used, but you can easily mix and match to make all sorts of combinations. Quinoa, spinach, and olive oil are a nice combination. Bulgur, feta, and sundried tomatoes are another. My general formula is: peppers + grain + seasoning + vegetable = yum.

Orzo-Stuffed Peppers

¾ cup orzo
3 cups chicken broth
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup marinara sauce
1 cup broccoli cooked florets, chopped
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tbsp oregano
1 tsp red pepper flakes
2 bell peppers

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Boil chicken broth and add orzo, cooking ~5 minutes or until orzo is not quite done.
3. While orzo is cooking, remove the stems and seeds from the bell peppers. It is sometimes helpful to cut a very thin layer off of the bottom of the peppers in order to help them stay standing as they cook.
3. Drain orzo, pouring leftover broth into an 8x8 square baking pan.
4. Mix orzo with the rest of the ingredients, and spoon into the hollowed bell peppers (depending on the size of your peppers, you might need a third pepper).
5. Place stuffed peppers onto baking pan, cover with foil, and cook about 45 minutes or until peppers are tender.

Passover Feast

Growing up, Passover was one of those holidays that seemed like an ancient form of torture to a child. The smells of delicious food would hover in the room as you were forced to sit through a lengthy seder in which food played a very minimal role.  

Needless to say, as an adult, my friends and I took the full liberty of foregoing the traditional ceremony in favor of eating first and celebrating by way of enjoying some fantastic company.  I can’t even tell you how much food we had. Or ate. Oy.  I’m still full this morning! Since all of the recipes were so delicious, I couldn’t pick which to share...so you get them all!

Also, a quick note-
Charoset is a traditional apple and nut dish that is used in the Passover ceremony as a symbol of the mortar that the Israelites used to hold bricks together while they were enslaved in Egypt. It plays a fairly prominent role in the Seder. But really, it’s just delicious and worth eating any time of year. Liberally.

Ashkenazic-Style Charoset

3 medium Gala or Fuji apples, peeled, cored, and finely diced (food processor works great)
1 1/2 cups walnut halves, lightly toasted, cooled, and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup sweet red wine
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar

Directions

In large bowl, stir together all ingredients. Store, covered, at room temperature until ready to serve.

Moroccan Roasted Carrot Salad with Chard and Parsley
From A Passover Dinner Gets a Mediterranean Makeover

3 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into 3-inch chunks
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
Salt
1/2 cup olive oil (divided)
2 bunches Swiss chard, stems removed, leaves roughly chopped
1 bunch Italian (flat-leaf) parsley, washed and roughly chopped
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 clove garlic, pressed or finely minced
1 teaspoon honey
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Arrange the carrots on a rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle with cumin, paprika, a generous pinch of salt and 1/4 cup of the olive oil (add more if necessary to coat the carrots well). Toss to coat. Roast, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are soft and caramelizing on the edges (about 30 minutes). Remove from the oven and place the carrots on a serving dish.

While the carrots are roasting, bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt generously. Place a large bowl of ice water in the sink. Add the chard to the boiling water and cook until tender but still bright green, about 3 to 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the chard to the ice water to stop the cooking (this step is optional, but locks in the bright green color).

Drain the chard and pile it on top of the carrots. Top with the parsley. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil, lemon zest and juice, garlic and honey. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. Pour over the salad, toss to coat, and let sit at room temperature for a few hours to allow flavors to integrate before serving.

Flourless Orange-Almond Cake with Ginger
From A Passover Dinner Gets a Mediterranean Makeover

2 large oranges (or 3 smallish oranges)
2 cups almond meal
1/4 cup candied ginger, minced
1 cup granulated sugar, plus 2 tablespoons (divided)
6 large eggs
1 cup heavy cream
Dash vanilla extract (optional)
1 cup orange marmalade

Directions
Place the oranges in a pot, and cover with water by a few inches (the oranges will bob around, but that's OK). Simmer until the oranges are totally soft, about 1 hour, turning them occasionally so that all sides are simmered (this will not smell as lovely as you'd think it would). Drain, and let cool.

While the oranges are cooling, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch springform pan.

Chop the boiled oranges into large pieces, discarding any seeds. Place the oranges, skin and all, into a food processor, and process until the oranges are finely minced. Add the almond meal, candied ginger and 1/2 cup of the sugar; process until combined.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs and 1/2 cup of the sugar on high speed until light and thick enough to form a ribbon when the mixture falls from the beater (this can take up to 10 minutes). Gently fold in the orange mixture until just combined. Pour into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and bake until a tester comes out clean and the top springs back when lightly touched, about 1 hour. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before removing the ring.

Before serving, whip the cream, vanilla and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar to medium-soft peaks. Spread the cream over the top of the cake. Stir the marmalade to loosen it up, then spread it over the cream.

Spring Holidays

What an eventful past few weeks it has been! I’ve visited four states, seen lots of old friends, celebrated anniversaries, weddings, birthdays, and had myself a grand old time. But all of this high-living has kept me away from the kitchen! So when Easter and Passover coincided this year, it seemed like a ripe opportunity to get back to it. And get back to it, I did!

First up: Easter cheesecake
Next on the docket: Passover Charoset, a roasted carrot salad, and an orange-almond cake with ginger that will knock your pretty little striped socks off.

Also, some exciting news. I have decided to take a fellowship in Washington, DC! 

Easiest Cheesecake You’ll Ever Make

Crust
1 1/2 cups finely ground graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

Directions
1. Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, melted butter or margarine, and cinnamon until well blended . Press mixture into an 8 or 9 inch pie plate.
2. Bake at 350F for 8 minutes. Cool.

Filling
Ingredients:
2 (8 ounce) containers low fat cream cheese, softened
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 graham cracker pie crust

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Mix in the eggs and vanilla extract until lightly and creamy; pour into the prepared crust.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until the center jiggles evenly when the cake is shaken lightly. Refrigerate 1 hour before serving.

Battling with collards

Collards, let's talk. You're healthy. You lower cholesterol, prevent cancer, and fill me up with loads of vitamins. You're even cheap, to boot.  I *really* want to like you. But you're bitter. Oh, so bitter. Maybe you didn't get hugged enough as a child.

I've tried them a million ways, grudgingly choking them down each time, but I think I might have found a keeper with this recipe. The acidity of the tomatoes and the flavor from the spicing helps mask the bitterness of the collards. Only taking about 30 minutes to make, this can easily be thrown into the weekday rotation of 'easy to whip up when you're feeling whipped' meals.

Collards with lentils, tomatoes, and Indian spices

Adapted from Whole Foods, Serves 4

Ingredients
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 heaping tablespoon garam masala
1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
1 bunch collard greens, thick stems removed and leaves sliced into 1-inch-thick ribbons
1 cup lentils

Directions
Bring 1/2 cup water to a simmer in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and cook 5 minutes or until onion is translucent. Stir in garam masala and cook 1 minute. Add tomatoes and their juices with 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in collards. Cover and simmer 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine lentils and 2 cups water in a medium pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook about 20 minutes or until lentils are tender (green lentils will take longer than red). Stir lentils into skillet with collards and serve.