Appetizer

Entries Tagged as 'Appetizer'

Mango Cucumber Salsa

5.22.2013

It’s finally time! After five loooong, cold months – fresh produce is back! And I’m not talking about those root vegetables that taste like dirt (sorry, beets. You just don’t do it for me). I’m talking about spinach that was picked earlier that day and strawberries that were carried on a truck from down the street.

This salsa is great in it’s simplicity. It’s wonderful when produce is so fresh that you don’t need a ton of added ingredients. Dip this salsa in tortilla dips or use as a topping for tacos, veggie burgers, or anything else that sounds delicious!

Cucumber Mango Salsa

1 mango, peeled and diced (pit removed)
1 red chili pepper, diced
1/2 english cucumber, diced
1 teaspoon cumin
juice from half a lime
10 mint leaves, chopped
squirt of sriracha (optional, add if you’d like to add a hint of heat)

Combine the mango, pepper, cucumber, cumin and mint in a bowl. Squeeze the lime juice over the salsa and stir until everything is coated. Season with salt and sriracha.

Dark Chocolate Chunk Angel Food Cupcakes with Brandied Strawberries

4.20.2013

If you are a regular around here you may have noticed my usual ‘Searchable Saturday’ post missing these last two weeks. I am currently re-vamping that weekly column and will hopefully have it back in the coming weeks. To hold you over until it’s back, feel free to find my weekly inspirations over on Pinterest.

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I learned all my baking techniques backward. Instead of learning the basics right off the bat – I dove right into vegan baking after moving into my first kitchen. This means I can whip up a Vegan Chia Latte cupcake like no one’s business but often times still feel lost when trying to make a traditional cake…like one that involves 4 sticks of butter and 3 pounds of powdered sugar (do people actually put that much butter in a single recipe?!).

I’ve begun working backwards and am try to get a grasp on as many aspects of baking as possible (branching out from vegan and gluten free). So, while wondering through the bakery section of my co-op the other day, I realized I’ve never made angel food cake from scratch. It’s something that has always been so easily accessible to me going up that I never really gave a thought to where it came from. Perhaps from a box? Or from the grocery store bakery? But what about homemade – had I ever really had homemade angel food cake? I was beginning to doubt I had. And something needed to be done about it.

I began doing research (AKA searched google) and discovered my challenge for making angel food cake would be whipping the egg whites until ‘soft peaks formed‘. I had read that term before and only accomplished it one other time – when making The Butterscotch Roll Up Cake for this little blog’s birthday. I remember being SUPER intimidated by this term and watching many youtube videos before trying it myself. I had successfully accomplished making those ‘soft peaks’ but had pretty much steered clear of any recipe with this step in it since. However, the rest of making angel food cake seemed SO simple with its few ingredients and minimal steps that I knew I could shy away no longer.

In the end, the soft peaks term was nothing to fear. I used this handy visual guide from TheKitchn to make sure my egg whites were whipped properly and boom – the cupcakes turned out light and fluffy! Oh, and delicious. The chocolate chunks sank to the bottom because of the light batter but it made an amazing angel food sandwich – with dark chocolate on the bottom, boozy strawberries on top, and angel food cake in the center.

Dark Chocolate Chunk Angel Food Cupcakes with Brandied Strawberries

Brandied Strawberries:

1/2 pint strawberries, sliced
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 Tablespoon brandy

For the cupcakes:

3/4 cup powdered sugar, divided
1/2 cup all purpose flour
5 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 dark chocolate chunks (or regular chocolate chips)

For the frosting:

1/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 Tablespoons milk

Slice the strawberries and place them in a bowl with the brown sugar and brandy. Cover and place in the fridge while you prepare everything else (try to let them sit in their for at least an hour).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and slightly grease a 12 muffin pan.

In a small bowl, combine the flour and 1/4 cup powdered sugar. Set aside.

Add the 5 egg whites to your stand mixer bowl and beat until foamy. Next, add the cream of tartar and salt and turn the mixer up to high. Gradually add in the remaining 1/2 cup of powdered sugar and then vanilla extract. Beat until soft peaks form.

Next, fold in the flour mixture in three additions. Try to keep the batter as light and fluffy as possible and doing it in three additions will help not to weigh it down. Keep folding until everything is incorporated.

Transfer batter to the prepared muffin tins and bake for 15 to 18 minutes. You can tell they are done if the center is browned and bounces back slightly when you touch it.

Remove from heat and transfer to a cooling rack (I’ve read that you should place them face down on the cooling rack so they don’t sink – I didn’t have a problem with them sinking but would recommend you do this step just in case).

To make the frosting: Use a mixer to beat the butter until creamy. Next, add in the powdered sugar and vanilla and continue beatings on medium speed. Add milk a tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached.

Drain the strawberries of any excess sugar liquid (or reserve it to drizzle on top).Once the cupcakes are cooled, frost them and top with brandied strawberries.

Homemade Mustards: Honey Curry & Beer Thyme

4.16.2013

As spring approaches, I get the “grilling craving”. You know what I’m talking about – where not only the smell of blooming flowers is in the air but also the smell of charcoal and kabobs. This is usually also the time of year that I get the urge to make a new condiment. For me, condiments will always be associated with summer outdoor cookouts. A veggie dog is just not the same without relish, ketchup, and mustard. But woah, have you seen all the preservatives that reside in your standard ketchup bottle? Its a sight for sore eyes!

This is usually why I like to make a few batches of homemade condiment to last me through the summer. Two years ago I posted about Ketchup, last spring was Barbecue Sauce, and this time around I am trying my hand at Mustard. The idea, for me, is that if I make it in the spring then I’ll have the condiments around in the fridge for grill outs and social gathering all summer long.

I’m pretty excited about this mustard because it will last in your fridge for up to 3 months. That means months of veggie dog toppings and Brie Grilled Cheeses! In addition, it makes plenty to share and you get to show off your fancy cooking skills to all your friends. What’s a better conversation starter than ‘Oh, here is where I put that homemade mustard. Yup, I said homemade’ ?

The trick for these recipes is to use enough vinegar that you get a bit of tang with each bite but also don’t use so much that the vinegar becomes overpowering (which can happen pretty quickly). Also, another thing to note, is that whole mustard seeds are super spicy. Like…way more spicy than most people ever realize. This means that you may need to add LOTS more sweetener at the end to get the desired flavor profile you are looking for. Don’t be afraid to mix in some more honey or agave to make it sweet. Or even more curry powder or thyme if you aren’t tasting the added ingredients as much as you’d like. Homemade cooking is all about experimenting so play around with this recipe and figure out what works best for your taste palette.

Homemade Honey Curry Mustard

1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup brown mustard seeds
1/4 cup yellow mustard seeds
1 Tablespoon chopped shallots
1 Tablespoon honey (plus more for the end)
1/2 Tablespoon curry powder
salt

Homemade Thyme Beer Mustard

1/2 cup beer
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup brown mustard seeds
1/4 cup yellow mustard seeds
1 Tablespoon chopped shallots
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
salt

For both or either recipes: Place all ingredients for each recipe into two separate bowls (or just use one bowl if you are only making one of the mustards). Cover and let sit in the fridge overnight.

The next day, transfer everything to a blender and blend until desired consistency is reached (I like to keep a few mustard seeds whole but do whatever fits your fancy). Taste to season and add more honey if it’s too spicy or salt/pepper to help bring out the flavors.

Eat right away or transfer to an airtight jar and keep in the fridge for up to 3 months.

*Please note that the mustard seeds are like a sponge and will absorb any liquid around them so if your mustard becomes dry from sitting in the fridge, just add a few teaspoons of water to reach your desired consistency again

Macaroni Salad

4.10.2013

For me, the biggest parts about giving up certain foods is the association. I doubt any [sane] person would pass up a piece of their favorite chocolate cake. Why? Because that slice taste more than just delicious. It triggers a reminder of the gitty feeling they used to get when they woke up on their birthday as a child. It triggers that memory of friend and family standing around while they opened presents. It triggers the smell of their grandma after giving her a big hug goodbye. It’s so much more than about the endorphins that our bodies create from the chocolate. It’s about the associations.

That is why I could never give up macaroni salad. It is what we always ate at grill outs when I was a child. There was something about the unique tang from the mayonnaise that has always stuck with me. For me, it triggers those memories of being around friends and family. And catching fireflies in my jar at dusk. The smell of the grill and of the sunset. It’s a calming feeling that comes over me when I take a bite and its a feeling I don’t want to forget.

Perhaps for me, the reason the association is so strong is because I don’t “cook” with mayonnaise very often. Or eat it in my daily diet at all. That is to say, when I do taste it then it brings me back to those summer days.

I was tempted to call this ‘healthified’ macaroni salad but I decided that would be misleading. It would still be healthier to munch down on some slices of fresh fruit. Or some grilled veggies and hummus. Or a big spinach salad with sliced almonds. But it is slightly healthier than the one you are going to pick up from the deli. I didn’t want to alter this recipe too much or remove the mayonnaise (probably the unhealthiest part) because I wanted it to taste exactly like I remember it. With that being said, I did only make HALF the amount of dressing most recipes called for and the pasta still absorbed the flavor just as well. And I added a few extra veggies for good measure. But other than that, this recipe is going to taste exactly like it did back when your father would pick it up from the deli.

Don’t worry – there will be lots of ‘new’ and seasonal salads to come in the summer months here on VV but I had to get this traditional one out of my system. Go on, why don’t you whip this up and feed your inner child as well?

Do you have any associations with food that you could never let go off?

Macaroni Salad

adapted from Old Time Cooking Recipes

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (I used whole wheat and couldn’t tell)
1 small onion, chopped (tip: let the chopped onion sit in water for 10 minutes to take the bite out of it)
4 celery stalks, chopped
3 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 tablespoons pickle relish
1 cup mayonaisse (I like the Mayo made with Olive Oil but use whatever you have on hand)
1 teaspoons white vinegar
1/4 cup sugar (keep the sugar out in case you want to add more at the end if you like it a little sweeter)
1 1/2 tablespoons yellow mustard
dash of salt
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds

Cook macaroni according to package directions.

To make the hard boiled eggs: Place the eggs in a small saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, let simmer for one minutes and then remove from heat. Cover and let sit in the warm water for 12 minutes.

Combine the macaroni, onion, celery, eggs, bell pepper, and carrots in a large serving bowl. In another bowl, make the dressing by combining the relish, mayo, vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt, and celery seeds. Fold the dressing into pasta/veggie mixture. Stick in the fridge for at least an hour before serving.

Once chilled, check for flavor. Adjust flavor by adding more salt, sugar, or pepper.

Serve at your next grill out or bring to a friends house (this serves 4+).

Kale, Tomato, & Garlic Breadsticks

3.19.2013

These breadsticks are a product of a frustrating juicer clean up experience. And by frustrating I mean the twenty minutes I spent scrubbing it’s inside parts trying to get green stains out. And then the other twenty minutes I spent scrubbing the kitchen counter to remove the orange carrot stains. And then finally the last ten minutes which consisted of scorching my hands with hot water trying to get all the last bits of color off of my own hands. Through this process I kept thinking to myself ‘Never again will I wait until my lunch break to clean up my morning juice’ which then was followed by thoughts of ‘these stains are crazy. Does it stain the inside of my stomach like this?’ and then ‘I bet this is how they make that fun colored pasta’ and finally ‘wait..I bet I could make fun colored doughs!’

And there you have it. The next day I set out of make dye juices out of carrots, kale, and beets. I didn’t end up following through the the beet one though…I know it would have made the most beautiful color dough but I couldn’t do it. I can not stand the smell of beets (let alone the taste) and knew the sticks would go straight to the trash if I even attempted to try it. And then my hands would smell like beets. And my beet stained hands would be reminders of the horrible earthy smell [sorry, beet lovers. I can not relate to you on this one]. I also ended up wanting a deeper red than the carrot juice gave so I ended up using tomato paste which worked wonders. And lastly, I played around with all sorts of toppings – poppy seed, garlic, parmesan, sesame seeds, and fresh herbs. The results were an array of fun colored breadsticks all with individual flavor profiles. No two sticks the same…which made it challenging to not want to sample them all.

All in all – my favorites were the kale poppy seed, tomato paremsan, and garlic thyme ones. These would make pretty party appetizers or go along perfectly with pizza. In fact, the basic dough recipe is my favorite pizza dough so you could totally just double that part and use half the dough for pizza. Just saying – I’ll take any excuse to eat pizza.

Make these thicker if you like your breadsticks doughy and soft. I personally was going for a cracker feel so I made them thin and let them sit out for a few hours.

Garlic, Tomato, & Kale Breadsticks

1 package active dry yeast
3+ cups all purpose flour
1 cup warm water
1 teaspoons salt
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
a bunch of kale
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tablespoon olive oil
assortment of toppings (sesame seeds, poppy seeds, parmesan, garlic, herbs, spices, etc)

Whisk together the yeast, 1 Tablespoon flour, and 1/4 cup warm water and let stand for ten minutes or until the yeast has become a thick foam.

Stir together 1 1/2 cups of flour and salt. Add yeast mixture and the rest of the water (3/4 cup) and stir until smooth. Add another half a cup of flour and mix. If the dough is sticking to your hands then it’s too moist so add a bit more flour and if it’s too dry then add a bit more water (try to keep on the stickier side since you’ll be adding a bit more flour as you knead).

Transfer dough to a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes. Place dough in a greased bowl and cover with a damp towel. Let dough rise for an hour or until it’s doubled.

While it’s raising, press washed kale through a juicer to create a few tablespoons of juice.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Divide the dough into 3 equal parts and keep the two parts you aren’t working with covered in the bowl (this will help the dough from drying out).

On a floured surface, fold in the minced garlic to the first part of the dough. Knead the dough until garlic is speckled throughout. Roll the dough into a 9×13 rectagle and use a cookie cutter to cut 5 long strips. Pick up a strip, twist it, and transfer to a greased cookie sheet. Repeat with the rest of the strips.

On a very floured surface (this is important because we are going to be adding more liquid to the dough which will make the dough sticky and will most likely need to be adding more flour), place another 1/3 of the dough and pour 1 tablespoon of kale juice over it. Start folding the dough into itself and add more kale juice (1 tablespoon at a time) until the dough is at your desired color consistency. Make sure to add more flour if the dough starts to get too sticky.

Roll out the dough into a 13×9 rectangle and cut into 5 strips with a cookie cutter. Twist each strip by hand and transfer to your greased baking sheet.

Lastly, knead 1 tablespoon at a time of the tomato paste into the rest of the dough. Knead until the color is evenly distributed (adding more paste if you want a darker color) and roll out into a 13×9 strip. Cut into 5 pieces, twist each piece by hand, and transfer to a greased baking sheet (you may need to start a second sheet at this point).

Brush 1 tablespoon olive oil over the top of the sticks and top with desired toppings. Cook for 20 minutes or until golden at the top.

Serve warm or let sit overnight for a cracker-like texture.
Song Pairing:

Parmesan Thyme Sweet Potato Fries

3.15.2013

I go through phases with food. I’ll make General Tao Tofu for dinner once a week for a month straight and then forget about it for a year. Same goes for Chili. And Enchiladas. And sweet potato fries. My problem with sweet potato fries is that I love them so much that I’ll eat an entire sweet potato in one sitting. I will be in love with every bite. And then start to feel a little stuffed. And then a little pain. And then swear to myself that I’ll never make them again because I can’t resist eating all of them.

My reasoning last night was to make them for both Wyatt and I…so I would have no choice but to eat a portion controlled amount. But then Wyatt was late for dinner…and I started picking at the fries. And before I knew it there was only a time portion left. So then I had to eat them all to cover up the fact that I even made them to begin with [let alone the fact that I ate 80% of them]. So, alas, my plan backfired. And I will probably not make these for another 6 months because I tell myself I have a good amount of self control. And then these come into my life and that goes right out the window.

Baked Parmesan Thyme Sweet Potato Fries

1 large sweet potato, washed and cut into long chunks
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
salt / pepper
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
1/4 – 1/2 cup shredded parmesan (depending on how cheesy you like your fries)

[If you have the time then I recommend soaking the sweet potato chunks in water for about an hour and pat dry. This helps wash out some of the starch and results in crispier fries.]

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Whisk together the garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss with the sweet potatoes and then transfer to a baking sheet. Cook for 30 minutes or until crispy (flip halfway through). Cooking time will vary depending on how think you cut your fries.

Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with parmesan and thyme. Let sit for five minutes or until the parmesan has melted onto the fries. Serve with ketchup or a tangy aoili sauce.

Heart Shaped Polenta Crostini with Roasted Tomato & Goat Cheese

2.08.2013

I’m not very into doing ‘holiday themed posts’…or…. maybe I’m just not good at them? ‘Ms. Bah! Humbug!’ over here. I’ve done a few Thanksgiving recipe suggestions and a Christmas post here and there but as for anything else? Meh, not really. St. Patrick’s Day? When is that again? Labor Day? Too busy playing at the lake to worry about the internet. 4th of July? I’ll be the girl preppin’ tofu with a beer in hand by the grill (and not a laptop in sight). It’s just never been my thing to make a recipe based on it’s color scheme (hello red, white, and blue… fruit salad?!), shape (4 leaf clover cut outs aren’t even that cute! What is that…a pot leaf?), or any other gimmicky food trend. Buuuut…on that note, here I am with a Valentine’s day post. Why? I honestly don’t know. When pink everything started showing up on my Pinterest feed a few weeks ago, I was totally appalled. ‘Oh noooo. Heart and pink everything? No way. Nah uh.’

But then I kind of started getting obsessed with the idea. I started imagining all my food in heart shapes… the marshmallows in my hot cocoa, the setian cutlet I served for dinner. And then the pink and red hallucinations started coming… pink colored orange juice and red oatmeal. I finally came to terms with the fact that this was my mind subconsciously telling me ‘You are taking on this Valentine’s Day challenge and you will come up with something clever to try’. Okay okay okay. So I opened up my pantry and this is what came out…

But, wait..before we go any farther, I should warn you that I’m a bit bitter when it comes to Valentine’s Day. I have a boyfriend…a boyfriend I’ve had for the past 3 Valentine’s days which is…I guess cool and all. BUT there are so many fun ‘single ladies’ activities that go down on February 14th that I cannot help but feel a bit left out. Last year I lived with 4 single girls and they decided to throw a ‘Single Ladies Party’. Guess who was the only one NOT invited? Yup, that’s me. And you know what? If I was invited then I would have made these. Because these are the perfect little bites for a party and they are cute and themed and oh so delicious. Those girls’ lose, obviously. Anddd…if anyone feels like inviting me to their Vday celebration this year, I will leave my boyfriend at home and come baring a tray full of these.

Just sayin’. It might be fun. And you won’t be disappointed by these little bites. Or my company. Hopefully.

Heart Shaped Polenta Crostini with Roasted Tomatoes & Goat Cheese

1 tube of prepared polenta
2 ounces goat cheese
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
~1 teaspoon milk
1 Tablespoon sage, chopped
15 cherry tomatoes
1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
Salt / Pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Mix together the tomatoes, 1/2 Tablespoon olive oil, and a little salt / pepper. Put on a cookie sheet and roast for 15 to 20 minutes (depending on how soft you like your tomatoes).

Cut the polenta into 15 slices and use a heart shaped cookie cutter to cut out the heart shapes. Set aside the leftover plenta for another use (goes perfect under eggs).

In a small bowl, combine the goat cheese, cream cheese, and milk (you may have to add more milk depending on how stiff the mixture still is. You want it to be thin enough to spread). Set aside.

In a large skillet, Heat olive oil over medium. Add the polenta hearts and cook until browned (time will depend on how hot your skillet it). Flip over and let brown on the other side.

Remove from heat and place on a tray. Top each polenta heart with goat cheese mixture, sage, a little more pepper, and one roasted cherry.

Serve warm and to all your lonely friends [or loving couples].

Song Pairing:

Vegan Stuffed Brunch Biscuits

2.04.2013

The title of this post is a bit misleading. These biscuits are not actually stuffed with real vegans…unlike how you probably read it the first time. There was just no easy way to throw a title together for this. I could have put ‘Stuffed Breakfast Biscuits’ but then people would have wondered where the eggs and sausage was? Or I could have wrote ‘Tofu Scramble Scones’ but that would have seemed like the tofu goes along side the scones… which is not correct either. What I really wanted to put was ‘Peppered Gravy & Tofu Hash Scramble Stuffed Biscuits That Are Vegan’ but oh goodness…look at how long that title is. I don’t think that title would have fit on one line…and maybe not even on two. So I settled for ‘Vegan Stuffed Brunch Biscuits’…I am sorry if it’s misleading and you conjure up thoughts of cannibalism instead of wonderfully flaky, warm biscuits oozing with peppered gravy and filling tofu goodness. See!? Do you see why it took me 20 minutes to settle on a title for this post?

I guess it makes up for the fact that it took about 20 seconds to know that I wanted to make these. I love the Morningstar breakfast sandwiches as a treat every now and then but couldn’t help but wonder…could I make fresh ones that are probably 10000xxx times better? After searching around on the web and failing at finding any recipes that matched the vision in my head, I decided to make it up myself. This recipe is a mutant product of my favorite tofu scramble recipe and tomato scones recipes found in Isa’s Vegan Brunch. And a simple peppered gravy recipe that we often times to turn when we need some thick and flavorful gravy in a hurry. And then I threw in some hashbrowns because…welll…what is breakfast without hash browns?

So…in turn, this recipe is Delicious? Yes. Freezable? Yes. Easy to prepare the night before? YES. Portable? YES. Everything you’ve ever wanted in a breakfast rolled into one pocket of deliciousness? YESSS. Why would you not make these for a vegan potluck or freeze a batch for a quick breakfast on the go?!

Vegan Stuffed Brunch Biscuits

For the Gravy:

1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 Tablespoon Earth Balance
1 1/2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
1+ teaspoon salt / pepper

For the Tofu Scramble:

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 block extra firm tofu, drained
1/4 cup diced onion
2 garlic clove, minced
1/8 cup nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 Tablespoon water
Salt / Pepper
1/4 cup diced tomatoes, optional (because I like lots of veggies)

For the Biscuits:

3 cups all purpose flour
2 Tablespoons baking powder
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1/2 russet potato, diced very small

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add in the potatoes. Cook until they are soft but not mushy (about 10 minutes depending on how small you diced them).

To make the scramble: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium. Add onions and saute until soft (about five minutes). Add garlic and saute for another minute. Next, crumble the tofu and add into the skillet along with the cooked potatoes. Saute until the tofu has browned and add in the water, tumeric, salt, pepper, nutritional yeast, and cumin. Saute for another five minutes or until the water has evaporated (if the tofu seems dry then add a bit more water and let it cook down). Remove from heat and stir in the tomatoes.

To make the gravy: combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan and whisk constantly over medium heat until thickened (about ten to fifteen minutes). Season with more pepper (if necessary) and pour over the tofu scramble. Mix until everything is combined.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

To make the biscuits: Place all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir together. Make a well in the center of the bowl and add wet ingredients. Fold dry into wet until a soft dough has formed. Flour a surface and roll out half of the dough into an inch thick (make sure to keep everything very well floured because the dough is super sticky). Cut out desired biscuit sizes using a biscuit cutter and then flatten the dough to about 1/2 inch (you can use your rolling pin or your hands here). Place a heaping tablespoon of the tofu/gravy mixture in the center and fold the edges into each other until you’ve made a sealed round ball. Transfer to a greased cooking sheet. Roll out the rest of the dough and repeat.

[This is where you can wrap them in an airtight container and stick in the fridge overnight if you are preparing ahead of time]. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until the tops are firm and the insides are warm.

Enjoy hot or freeze for later breakfasts!

Quinoa Nuggets

1.30.2013

I don’t handle cold weather well. Period. If it’s below 50 degrees then I don’t want to go outside. I just don’t. And the idea of taking off my slippers // long underwear? Oh no. No way am I having any part in that. So, needless to say, the winter encourages a lot of ‘vegging out’ time. And by ‘vegging out’ I don’t mean consuming my weight in healthy dark greens and carrot sticks (I wish). I mean sitting on the couch for more hours than I am going to admit and snacking on anything within reach.

My solution to not gaining [too much] extra weight in these dark months? I don’t buy potato chips. Or mozzeralla sticks. Or anything that was once fried and then frozen / packaged (for that matter). If I want a snack then it means I am going to have to get off my butt and make something. The usual options are fresh popped popcorn or hummus. But sometimes I feel inspired and get really creative with my snacks. This was one of those instances. And guess what? It was totally worth the extra work.

These little nuggets are crispy, easy, delicious, and super filling. Feel free to play around with the filling and experiment with what you have in your fridge. I dipped them in my honey bourbon barbecue sauce but I bet some homemade ketchup or aioli would be fantastic as well.

quinoanuggets

Quinoa Nuggets

1 1/2 cups of dried quinoa, rinsed thoroughly
3 cups water
1 cup shredded carrot
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 green onions, chopped
2 Tablespoons fresh sage, minced (any herb will do)
2 large eggs
1/2 cup crumbled feta
2 Tablespoons flour
Salt/Pepper

Bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Add quinoa, cover, and let simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for five minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease two cooking sheets. In a large, beat the eggs. Add in the remaining ingredients (including the quinoa) and mix until incorporated. Scoop a tablespoon of the mixture onto cookie sheets and repeat with the rest of the batter.

Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Serve with some yummy sauce!

Winter Bruschetta

1.16.2013

Oh man, I have been hit with spring fever. Between planning a March getaway trip and drooling over spring fashion, I am ready to be on a warm beach with a beergarita! And let me tell you – this is the worst possible time to be struck with this spring fever. Not only is vacation still 2 months away but it’s also been in the 20s here all week (and plans to stay that way).

So how in the world do I cope with this spring fever without quitting my day job and moving down to Austin, Texas where the sun always shines (that is a bit of an exaggeration but you know what I mean)? Well, let’s figure this out. What do I miss? Fresh Bruschetta, high-waisted shorts, laying in the grass with our tape player, and lake days. I can’t really think of a way to imitate laying in the grass…unless, of course, if I wanted to snuggle my hair into our huge cacti collection that resides in the kitchen (OUCH!). But I can drag Wyatt on winter lake picnics with warm soup and Mexican hot cocoa. And I can layer up with some tights and knee high socks under my shorts. Done and done. Now, onto the bruschetta? Gahhh…could you imagine traditional bruschetta in January? So filmy and flavorless…yuck. But what if we used winter vegetables? Like sweet potatoes and onions? And still stuck it on a warmed and buttered baguette? Now we are talking!

Winter Bruschetta

1 fresh baguette, sliced into 1 inch thick pieces
1 large sweet potato or small butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1 onion, cut into large chunks
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded (omit to make vegan)
2 Tablespoon fresh sage, chopped + divided
Salt/Pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large oven safe pan, toss together the sweet potato or squash, onion, garlic cloves, half the sage, salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoon olive oil. Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the squash/potato can be pierced nicely with a fork (but does not become mushy). Remove from oven and let cool while you prepare the bread.

To prepare the baguette: Brush the remaining olive oil on the baguette slices and top with cheddar cheese. Place under the broiler for a minute or two or until the cheese / bread is toasted. Top the bread with the potato/squash mixture and serve warm. Garnish with leftover age or, for a sweeter version, drizzle with honey.

Let’s get through the winter with Mikal Cronin:

Cheddar Corn Biscuits

12.05.2012

How has your week been going? Mine has been fine but I know it’s been a little quite around here. I’ve done a bit of traveling this week and have more to go which is a nice change of pace but can also be exhausting. It’s the type of exhausting that makes me want to just curl up on the couch with my leftover chili and watch Veronica Mars (corniest 90s show ever but we are addicted) all night. Sorry VV, you take up too much energy for me right now.

But I promised and I usually like to be a girl of my word. So here I am! And as I promised, here is the buttery and addictive biscuit recipe that complaints that healthy Black Bean & Wheatberry Chili recipe perfectly. If you missed the chili recipe, it’s featured on The Kitchn today so hop on over and check it out!

We even used leftover biscuits to make biscuits and gravy with Wyatt’s favorite Sage Gravy! Mmmmm. And I have a feeling that breakfast sandwiches are in our very VERY near future. Breakfast for dinner? Well hello evening plans!

Cheddar Corn Biscuits

2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup frozen corn (or fresh!)
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), cubed
1 cup buttermilk (I made my own out of the milk I had on hand)

Grease a baking sheet (it may take 2 sheets depending on how thick you make the biscuits). In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, salt, sugar, black pepper, baking powder, and baking soda. Next, add in the butter and use your hands to incorporate the butter into the dough until it resembles a coarse meal.

Next, fold in the cheese, onions, and corn. Finally, add the buttermilk and mix until just combined (don’t over mix or the dough will become tough).

Transfer dough to a slightly floured surface and roll out to about an inch thick (more or less depending on how you like your biscuits) and use a cookie cutter or glass to circle cut outs. Transfer to prepared baking sheet and repeat with the rest of the dough.

Stick the cookie sheet (with the prepared dough) into the fridge and preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Let the biscuits chill while it is preheating because the cold butter will help to make the biscuits flakier.

Bake for about 25 minutes (mine took 30 but my oven ALWAYS takes longer than what a recipe recommends so check often).

Serve warm with soup or gravy or by themselves with a little butter!

Spiced Sweet Potato Hummus

11.26.2012

Did everyone [From the US] have a wonderful long weekend? Are you all busy Cyber Monday shopping for the best holiday deals instead of working right now? Don’t worry. I won’t tell! I would be as well but I spent all my money on Black Friday (yup – I’m one of those that goes out at Midnight to save myself 50 bucks). Ah well. It’s all part of the adventure, right?

Oh! Please disregard the shamble that is my ‘recipes’ page right now. It’s in the process of being re-vamped and should hopefully be back to normal tomorrow. Cool? Cool and thanks for being so patient!

Anyhow, wanna talk hummus? Remember when I made that amazing Spicy Jalapeno Corn Hummus? Damn, that stuff was sooooooo good. Well, I’m back with more funky flavors and this one might take the cake. The soft sweet potatoes create the perfect texture for a creamy and flavorful dip. Seriously, this stuff is crazy good. And smother it on top of those homemade Sesame and Poppyseed Crackers and you are golden!

Impress your guests at your next holiday party with not only homemade crackers but homemade dip as well! Or save it all for yourself….that is what I did.

Spiced Sweet Potato Hummus

Adapted from Spoon Fork Bacon

1 large sweet potato, cubed
2 cups cooked chickpeas (I made mine from dried beans but feel free to use canned)
4 Tablespoons tahini
2 Tablespoons olive oil (you may need more if the hummus comes out thick)
2 garlic cloves, minced
Juice from 1/2 a lemon
1 Tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon sriracha
dash of nutmeg
dash of cinnamon
Salt/Pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Lower to medium low and add in the sweet potatoes. Cook until softened (about 10 to 15 minutes). Strain and let cool.

In a large blender or with a food processor, blend all the ingredients together until a desired consistency is reached. Taste and add more olive oil if dry, more sriracha if not spicy enough for you, or more lemon juice to bring out the flavors more.

Serve with homemade crackers!

Sesame & Poppyseed Crackers

11.23.2012

…And it’s over. All the planning, cooking, over-eating, and family time is done. Now…time for a detox. Haha, Just kidding! Time to start planning for December holidays!

These crackers are awesome with some homemade hummus (sweet potato hummus recipe to follow soon!), baba ganoush or with that leftover brie from Thanksgiving (who are we kidding…who ever has leftover brie?!).

Anyhow, these make several dozen so plan to serve them at a holiday party (Ugly Sweater party, anyone?) or nibble away at them slowly as long as they are stored in an airtight container for up to two weeks. Easy, right?

Also, feel free to get creative with the seed combinations. I used Sesame and Poppy because that is what I had on hand but feel free to use all sesame or flaxseed or sunflower…whatever you are feeling!

Sesame & Poppyseed Crackers

adapted from Salty Snacks

2 cups all purpose flour
1/8 cup poppy seeds
1/8 cup sesame seeds
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup olive oil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and lightly grease a baking sheet.

Combine the flour, seeds, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the water and olive oil. Fold dry ingredient into wet until combined (don’t overmix or it’ll become tough!)

Roll out in sections (I divided my dough into 4 parts) using either a rolling pin or your pasta maker. If using rolling pin, I would just roll as thin as possible or until desired thickness. Cut squares out of the dough using a cookie cutter and move prepared squares to the baking sheets.

Working in batches, cook for 12 minutes or until browned and crisp. As this round is baking, prepare more crackers with the rest of your dough. Repeat until all the dough has been prepared and cooked.

Let cool completely, serve with dips, or transfer to an airtight container for up to two weeks.

VV’s Thanksgiving Suggestions

11.15.2012

Okay. So I’m not gonna lie. I am starting to get REALLY excited about Thanksgiving. Not only does it mean a 5 day weekend (!!!) but also implies copious amounts of amazing food. My mother emailed me the final menu for the big day this morning and now all I can think about is mushroom gravy, purple mashed potatoes, and Cappuccino chocolate cheesecake. I helped curate the menu (with recipes from some of my favorite blogs like Love & Lemons, SpoonForkBacon, and JoyTheBaker) and cannot wait to spend an entire day cooking in the kitchen.

Anyhow, while my spirits are high on Tofurkey, I thought I’d share a few VV recipes that would be perfect for your big Thanksgiving day!

1. Oatmeal Molasses Rolls – Soft, gooey, and irresistible when fresh out of the oven

2. Glazed Honey Mustard Brusses Sprouts - tangy and crunchy will help bring variety to your meal

3. Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Pops – perfect little appetizer when entertaining guests! Super mobile, bite size, and delicious!

4. Roasted Carrots with Hazelnut & Rosemary - cooking with wine always makes things fancier, right? And these colorful carrots will for sure stick out on your holiday table!

Also, if you feel like adventuring outside of VV, I highly recommend checking out some of these thanksgiving recipes:

Collard Greens & Blue Cheese Salad (The Healthy Foodie)

Honeycrisp Bourbon Cider (SpoonForkBacon)

Parsnip Gratin with Gruyere (Feasting at Home)

Autumn Brittle (Adventures in Cooking)

Bailey’s Salted Caramel Chocolate Pie (She Wears Many Hats)

Rosemary & Vegetable Soup with Rustic Bread

11.13.2012

Well, I think I’ve finally accepted that winter is here and we won’t be experiencing any more 70 degree days. Ah, this a very bittersweet realization. On one hand, it means endless cups of chai tea, lazy mornings under the covers with favorite novels, all day bake-a-thons, and soup soup soup. On the other hand, this means six more months before lake adventures, cross country road trips, and waterfall picnics.

And with this new acceptance comes a soup recipe! I’ve already made a few soups this season (see: curried butternut squash soup) but the weather had me craving a hardly soup packed full of starchy potatoes and earthy flavorings. This soup did the trick! Along with some simple (and delicious) rustic bread, this soup filled us up and will be making leftover appearances for the next two days!

As for the rustic bread…so simple and soft with a crisp outer crust. I’ve discovered (after trying it for the first time with my Muesli Bread) is the trick to REALLY delicious bread baking is to have a pot of steaming water under the bread while it’s cooking. This helps keep the bread soft and full of moisture. Oh so delicious! Perfect side to this soup. And let’s be honest, the only reason we even make soup is for an excuse to make homemade bread to go with it. Right? Or is that just me?

So what I am are trying to say is you should embrace that the cold and darkness is forcing you to stay inside and spend a few hours in your kitchen…perhaps whipping up this comforting and hardy dish?

Rosemary & Vegetable Soup with Rustic Bread

For the bread:

3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 1/4 teaspoon of active yeast
1 1/2 cup lukewarm water

For the soup:

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 potatoes, cubed
1 cup white wine
1 cup water
5 cups vegetable broth
4 celery stalks
4 springs of rosemary
2 cans of fire roasted tomatoes (14 ounces)
1 bunch of kale, washed and chopped (with stems removed)
Salt/Pepper

Start with the bread: In a small bowl, combine the yeast and water and let sit for five minutes (this will give it some time to start foaming and activating). In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the water/yeast mixture. Mix until combined (the batter will be VERY sticky – don’t worry! It’s suppose to be like this). Place in an oiled bowl and cover with a towel. Let rise in a warm place for an hour. [Start on the soup while this is rising]

Once it has doubled in size, knead the dough a few times and move to an oiled baking sheet. Let rise on this sheet for a half an hour. Sprinkle with flour and preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place a cast iron skillet or pan on the bottom rack of the oven and let it heat during the preheating process. Once the oven is ready, place the dough (on the baking sheet) on the top shelf of the oven and pour a cup of warm water in the skillet below (it will steam and this is exactly what we want to happen). Let cook for 40 minutes or until golden brown.

To make the soup: Heat the olive in a large stockpot over medium. Add in the onions and cook for about five minutes (or until translucent). Next, add in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Add cubed potatoes and celery and then season with salt / pepper. Next, combine in the tomatoes, rosemary (throw them in whole and then take out the twigs at the end), white wine, water, and vegetable stock. Bring the mixture to a bowl, cover, and lower to a simmer. Let simmer for about 40 minutes or until the potatoes are soft.

Once ready to serve, chop the kale and add at the last moment (this keeps the kale a little crispy) and season again with salt/pepper.

Serve warm with fresh bread!

Moody Monday // Bannock Bread

11.05.2012

So I started my day a bit bummed out. In addition to it being Monday (yuck), I also received some news that my designer working on the new blog layout had some family things come up and she will not be able to follow through on my redesign! It’s a total shame and sort of got me down (I had been looking forward to this redesign since September!). However, after much consideration, I have come to the conclusion I was meant to do this one myself. I started this blog as a creative outlet and for me to hand off one of the biggest parts of the creative process for a blog (designing it!) seems a bit silly. Yes, it’s going to take many hours of drinking ginger-lemon tea and watching youtube videos to figure out how to transfer all my information into a self-hosting site and to learn what the html code is…for well, pretty much everything…. but it will be a rewarding learning experience. I had been feeling in a bit of a blog rut lately and this will be good to step back from my daily posting routine and a chance to get creative on a different level.

Anyhow, enough about that – how was your weekend? I picked up the What Katie Ate and Homemade Winter (I made those delicious Gingerbread muffins from her last book!) for some weekend inspiration. This recipe for bannock is out of the Homemade Winter book and it was oh so delicious with some butter and strawberry jam. Think a hybrid of a savory scone and crumbly pancake. Got it? Now you want to make some? Okay, cool. Here is the recipe:

Bannock Bread

adapted from Homemade Winter

2 cups all purpose flour
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons butter, cold and sliced
1 cup buttermilk (I made my own)

Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Next, cut in the butter and slowly add the buttermilk until the mixture is just combined (don’t overmix!).

Heat a skillet over high heat and melt a tablespoon of butter and then turn down to medium-high heat. Form the sticky dough into a large ball and place on the skillet (flatten it a bit but not so much that it’s touching the edges). Let cook on that side for about 5 minutes (turn down the temperature a little bit if it’s cooking too fast – I almost burned mine the first time around) and then flip to cook on the other side for another 5 minutes.

Remove from pan and let cool slightly. Serve with butter and jam or cream cheese or syrup or whatever you can find that looks tasty in your fridge!

Homemade Caramel Corn

10.25.2012

When I was in middle school, I would sometimes go to work with my Ma in the mornings and then walk to school [since it was right down the street]. This meant that there was about an hour where I would just be hanging out around her office doing “homework” (which was actually just me distracting her or going through the stuff in her office). My favorite time of year to be around was after the holidays because she would have lots of edible gifts that she received from employees/clients. Chocolate bars were a popular choice but as a little kid, I was always drawn to the GIANT tin of popcorn that had a tiny paper divider splitting the caramel and cheese popcorn [when you are little - everything is cooler when it's in mass quantities]. I always liked taking the divider out and mixing the two flavors…which was probably my first introduction to the ‘sweet/salty’ combination. [and look at me now! 10 years later and I can't imagine eating caramel without some big hunks of sea salt on top!]

Anyhow, so fast forward to present [~ 10 years later]: We’ve been having weekly movie nights on Thursdays which has given me a chance to make some treats for guests. Popcorn seems like the likely suspect for a movie night so immediately I thought of my Ma’s caramel popcorn recipes (which was actually my Grandma’s). These stuff is amazing…I mean..melt-in-your-mouth, can’t-stop eating-until-it’s-gone amazing. I tweaked the recipe slightly to fit what I had in my pantry and used agave nectar instead of corn syrup (sorry, Ma) but it was just as fantastic as I remember.

The moment that the popcorn came out of the oven and the sweet caramel smell filled my kitchen, I started nibbling at it… like, uncontrollably nibbling at it. And then before I knew it…a large chunk of the popcorn was gone (and the guests had not even arrived). I started pondering if this amount of popcorn was going to be enough (don’t get me wrong…it makes a ton of popcorn…but this stuff was good and I didn’t want it to be gone before the movie even started). So I started brainstorming ways I could make it last longer and that is when I remember the old cheese/caramel mix. Boom! Perfect. I [sort of cheating...] ran down to the co-op and bought a bag of cheesy popcorn [I know, I SHOULD have made it from scratch...but to be fair...I could not find any recipes that could truly capture that cheesy, powdery texture that the store-bought has. And...at least I went organic with it!]

And thus, the popcorn was a hit! It was [almost] gone before the movie started but lasted long enough for everyone to get their fill. The point of my story? Well 1. I like to ramble and 2. plan for the fact that you may eat half of it beforehand and 3. include the cheddar popcorn or just eat the caramel corn by itself…it will be irresistible regardless.

Homemade Caramel Corn

2/3 cup corn kernels
vegetable or canola oil (amount depends on the size of your pot)
1 cup brown sugar
1 stick of butter, melted
1/8 cup agave nectar
pinch of cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
salt

store-bought cheddar cheese popcorn, optional

First, pop the popcorn! You can either use your favorite method or follow mine. In a large pot with a lid, pour oil until it just coats the bottom. Place two kernels into the pan and heat over medium (with the lid on) and wait until the kernels pop (this will let you know the oil is ready). Once they pop, immediately add the rest of the kernels and stick the top back on. Shake the pot back and forth across the burner (this will be loud and a workout for your arms – both are good for ya!) and continue to shake until all the popcorn has popped (shaking will keep the popcorn from burning). Remove from heat once all the popcorn has popped and set aside.

Preheat oven to 225 degrees. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, butter, agave, and cream of tartar. Bring to a boil and boil for five minutes while stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in the baking soda.

Pour the heated mixture over popcorn and stir until all the popcorn is coated. Transfer popcorn to two cake pans or 1 baking sheet (if using baking sheet, make sure not to spill it in the oven!). Cook for 2 hours and stir every 30 minutes.

Enjoy warm with all your friends!

Apple Latkes

10.17.2012

Latkes for dinner?! Yes, please! My family is very German and every December we go up to the German market (Christkindlmarket) which takes place in downtown Chicago. The market runs for the whole month of December and people from all over Germany fly in to sell authentic goods which include candies, food, music, and decor items. To me, Christkindlmarket consists of warm mulled cider, loads of German chocolate, and potato pancakes lathered in apple sauce or sour cream (also known as latkes!). And although the chocolate is…well chocolate (need I say more?) and the cider is alcoholic enough to warm you from the inside out…it’s the latkes that get me oh so excited every year. There is nothing better than warm, fried potatoes lathered in apple sauce (this may sound weird to non-Germans but have you tried it? It really is amazing!).

Okay, that is enough day dreaming about winter already (yuck, what was I thinking?!). Not my fault though…I totally got the new ‘Thanksgiving’ edition of the Food Network Magazine in the mail today. Too warm out to be thinking about Mushroom Gravy and Stuffed To-furkeys? I’d say so. But, a craving is a craving so in an attempt to cool down my potato latke need…I made a fall version! Apple latkes! What a perfect idea! I, of course, did not top them with applesauce (wayyy too much apple in there) but did lather them in butter and maple syrup (since anything in pancake form has the right to be enjoyed with maple syrup. period.)

These little pancakes were awesome. They were flavorful, moist, fluffy, and full of fall spices. I would recommend these for a crisp fall breakfast served up with a batch of mimosas (or if it’s too early for you to start drinking then why not some sparkling cider?).

PS I had never been to the Christkindlmarket website until today – woah! I promise there are no giant fairies in wigs or bad typography to be found! Just lots of chocolate, alcohol, and fried foods.

Apple Latkes

1 egg
2/3 cups plain yogurt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
dash of nutmeg, cloves, and allspice
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 cup grated apples, about 2 apples (peeled and grated) – spritz a little lemon juice to keep from browning if you peel ahead of time
Vegetable oil

Whisk together the eggs and yogurt. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices, and sugar. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add in the egg/yogurt mixture and apples. Fold everything together until incorporated.

Oven medium heat, warm enough oil so that there is a thin layer of oil in your skillet. Add about a 1/4 cup of mixture into the hot oil (I cooked 3 at a time but it will depend on how big your skillet it) and make the latkes in batches. Let them cook for about 4 minutes on each side (this will completely depend on how hot your oil is so watch them closely and adjust accordingly). Repeat with the rest of the batter.

Serve warm with lots of butter and maple syrup!

Moody Monday /// Maple Glazed Acorn Squash

10.15.2012

Good Afternoon! I am feeling particularly moody today because I am just not ready for the weekend to be over. Luckily, I spent all weekend doing things I wanted to do….hiking, exploring, cooking, baking, yoga[ing], etc. On Saturday, Wyatt and I took the afternoon to explore some new shores along Lake Monroe. We have our normal spot that we always adventure to in the summer to bask in the sun, play our favorite tapes, and dip our bodies into the lake. However, now the weather is too cool for that we decided to spend our time walking along the shores and taking in the beautiful fall leaves, crisp breeze, and sound of the water against the rocks. It was such a perfect way to spend the afternoon.

And, on the way back into town we stumbled upon an abandoned water-slide (how random is that to just find a giant water slide in the woods?). It was built out of cement and runs 400 feet. After some research, we discovered it was an old attraction from the 70s that was quite popular back in its day but was eventually shut down because of larger theme parks that opened up in the area. It’s too weird to think that we have probably passed by this place dozens of times and never thought to look closely.

Anyhow, here are a few pictures from the adventures (some really weirdly saturated photos…they transferred from my phone weirdly…but I kind of like it. Look at how blue Wyatt’s sweater is in the last one!):

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And, as usual, to go with my Moody Monday Theme…I will be keeping the recipe super simple today! This roasted acorn squash is perfect to go with any weeknight stew or even as a side at your next holiday dinner. Just take ten minutes to prep and then pop in the oven for an hour while you prep the rest of dinner! So easy!

I should let you know…this recipe may be simple but this side is packed full of flavor. The drizzle of maple syrup helps bring out the natural sweetness that shines through when roasting squash. It’s the perfect side to counteract that savory main dish.

Maple-Glazed Acorn Squash

adapted from SpoonForkBacon

1 acorn squash, center removed and
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 Tablespoon sage, chopped
1/4 cup maple syrup
salt, to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Slice the acorn squash into equal slices and place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toss with olive oil, brown sugar, sage, and salt.

Bake for 40 minutes (and flip halfway through). Drizzle maple syrup over the squash and cook for another 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and serve warm!

Fall Quinoa Salad with Apples, Pecans, and Cranberries

10.11.2012

Good Morning! I know I’ve already mentioned this in previous posts but have you checked out Chickpea magazine yet? I am so excited that they have officially starting shipping out the fall issue this week. I cannot wait to snuggle up on the coach with my puppy and a big mug of chai tea while I swoon over this issue’s recipes and articles!

Anyhow, today I am sharing a recipe for a quinoa salad. Do you like quinoa? Did you try that Southwestern Quinoa Salad I posted about awhile back? If you have not tried it, I highly recommend checking this grain (is it a grain or a seed?) out. It has such a unique, light and filling texture//taste that it really is hard to explain. This salad is super simple and easy to make so this would be a great introduction to quinoa for you. The hint of cinnamon counteracts the tart apples to make a flavorful and filling side dish.

Fall Quinoa with Apples, Pecans, and Cranberries

1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
3/4 cup water
1 tart apple, diced (sprinkle a little lemon juice on the apple chunks to keep from turning brown)
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1/4 cup dried cranberries (or cherries or whatever else you like dried!)

For the dressing:

2 Tablespoon olive oil
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
dash of cinnamon
salt/pepper

Bring the water a boil in a small saucepan. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and add in the quinoa. Cover and let simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and “fluff” the quinoa with a fork.

Whisk together all the dressing ingredients in a bowl and add to cooled quinoa. Mix in the apple, pecans, and cranberries into the quinoa.

Serve warm or chill in the fridge until ready to serve.

Feta and Chives Beer Bread

10.08.2012

I’ve been feeling very inspired today. Do you ever have those days where you go to check your “inspiration feed” [mine is bloglovin' but any sort of RSS feed is what I am referring to] planning to look for ten minutes and then one blog leads to another which leads to an idea which leads to lots of online “reasarch”? Of course you do…I mean you are on a blog right now reading this and there is a good chance if you stumbled upon VV that you were also on some sort of blog journey at one point.

Anyhow, I stumbled upon ‘Going Home To Roost’s’ monthly membership (that is only 5 dollars, might I add) where you get weekly newsletters filled with tutorials, e-courses, designs, etc. This led to me (of course) signing up and reading her e-courses triggered thoughts of the classes that I’ve taken in the past (Blogging Your Way and A Beautiful Mess) so the afternoon turned into lots of reflecting on concepts and ideas that were brought up in those classes. Anyhow, I bring this up because you should hop on over to Going Home To Roost if you are looking for some inspiration and consider signing up for her monthly plan. A lot of bloggers say that paid subscription for extra content in the way of the future for bloggers. It’s sort of a cool concept (who doesn’t like exclusivity?) and at 5 bucks a month…I bet we could handle it!

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And now, let’s talk about food. This is probably one of the easiest recipes I have/will ever posted. I’ve actually made beer bread way more than any food blogger should EVER admit [ but it's totally not my fault!] I could make the fanciest truffle pasta or elegant french soup with Gruyere croutons and Wyatt would reply “are we having beer bread with that?”. Seriously, anything that you can dip bread in…he requests beer bread as the side. I’ve made fresh baguette and seasonal Foccaccia but he always goes back to asking about the beer bread. And so here we are, it’s probably the trashiest American bread to ever exist but it’s SO easy (no rise time) and actually can be rather addicting.

Another thing that is great about beer bread is its super versatile. I added feta and chives because that is what I had on hand but in the past I’ve added sun-dried tomatoes, basil, oregano, sage, cheddar, etc etc. The options are pretty endless! All you have to do is think of a combine that goes well together and do it!

So whip this up next time you are planning to spend hours making a soup (so then you don’t ALSO have to worry about an elaborate bread to go with it) or need some spongy bread for warm gooey grilled cheese.

Beer Bread with Chives and Feta

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
pinch of salt
1 12-ounce beer
2 ounces feta, crumbled
1/4 cup chopped chives

Preheat oven to 375 and grease a small loaf pan. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and sugar. Add in the beer and stir until just combined. Fold in the feta and chives.

Cook for 50 minutes or until the top is crusty.

Serve warm with soups and sandwiches!

Searchable Saturdays

10.06.2012

Tuko//Teekee//Taco and I waiting outside while Wyatt picked out a movie earlier this week. (ps- follow me on instagram: shellywest)

And here are a few things that inspired VV from around the web this week:

1. Made these tofu tacos for dinner the other night and they were FANTASTIC! The tofu was so flavorful and the avocado cream was smooth and filling!

2. This cute DIY on how to color dip your utensils is so adorable and simple! New weekend project? I think so!

3. This weekend we are sitting a cat who has more more instagram followers than Wyatt and I combined (x2). Totally weird.

4. Katrina did a store profile on a The General Store in San Fransisco and I want EVERYTHING in it. I LOVE the simplicity of the geometric wood blocks. How cool is that? And the abstract fruit and veggie posters? Yes, please!

5. One of my favorite recipe books ‘Homemade’ now has a sequel called ‘Homemade Winter’ which I CANNOT wait to get my hands on. I made these Gingerbread Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting from it last year and they were absolutely irresistible!

6. Not that I’ve started my Christmas list already but… I kind of have. I am dying to get my hands on this new iphone case and this jacket. Ah yeah, I’ve got the fall clothing bug.

7. And lastly, why is everything Joy the Baker makes so freaking irresistible? I’m not even that big of a donut fan…

Spicy Jalapeno Corn Hummus

10.02.2012

Heyyya! Happy gloomy, gloomy Tuesday. As a way to kick up this chilly and droopy day, I made some spicy hummus to warm you up! Well…I didn’t exactly make it for you. I made the hummus for myself but I do have the recipe to share with you so that you can make it too! It’s the perfect afternoon snack to fill you up and give your metabolism an extra boost (did you know spicy food does that? How cool!)

Anyhow, I’m off to do more logo design proofing followed by a lazy evening filled with warm apple cider and Parks & Recreation marathons.

Spicy Corn Jalapeno Hummus

1 jalapeno
2 cups cooked chickpeas
2 large ears of corn, kernels removed from the cobs (about 3/4 cup)
1 Tablespoon butter
2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons tahini
2 teaspoons lemon juice
salt/pepper to taste
sriracha, optional (if you like it super spicy – add a few drops at the end)

Roast the jalapeno however you’d prefer. I stuck mine over my gas stove (see photo below) but feel free to use the broiler as well.

Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the corn and saute for about 7 minutes or until they are soft and browned.

Combine, the jalapeno, corn, chickpeas, olive oil (start with 2 tablespoons and add more if it’s too thick), tahini, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a blender (or food processor). Mix until everything is incorporated and the desired consistency is reached (add more tahini or olive if it’s still too thick and adjust flavor to your liking with the salt/pepper/lemon juice).

Fold in some sriracha if you want an extra kick and serve with warm pita.

Chickpea Magazine // Stuffed Peppers with Goat Cheese & Corn

9.20.2012

I have some very exciting news for you guys! I am excited to announce that the new Chickpea Fall issue came out online today! I am even more excited to tell you guys that I have a 6 page spread in it! My article is about the lack of veganism in the United States Midwest and how Bloomington, Indiana is an exception to that. In addition, this issue is filled with mouth-watering fall recipes and gorgeous beach picnics. I don’t think I’ve ever fell in love with a magazine as much as I always seem to fall for Chickpea. They have such a hip aesthetic and beautiful photography that I wish my whole life could be lived through this magazine. Don’t believe me? Go check out a preview of the issue for free online or purchase a physical copy on their website.

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And now, back to business! Okay, remember yesterday when I made a deal with you that I get the rest of the week to still talk about yummy summer recipes? Well, today is not an exception and these delicious stuffed peppers are everything you want your beautiful {late} summer afternoons to be filled with. They are fresh, flavorful, and just the right amount of filling. I’d suggest to serve them with a grilled veggie burger or along side a stack of quesadillas.

Stuffed Peppers with Goat Cheese & Corn

2 bell peppers, sliced in half with the seeds removed
4 ounces of goat cheese
1 small onion, diced
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
2 cups sweet corn kernels
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon lime juice
1 Tablespoon cilantro, chopped

First, we must roast the peppers! You can either do this over a gas grill if you have one handy or in the oven under the broiler setting. I opted to do the broiler setting and just put them under the broiler on each side for about 5 minutes (but check often because broilers are tricky things and we don’t want your peppers burning to a crisp just because my broiler doesn’t get as hot as yours!). You want them to have blackened spots on both side. Remove from heat and stick in a plastic bag until they cool. Once cooled, remove and peel the burnt outer skin. Set aside.

While waiting for the peppers to cool, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium. Add the onions and saute for about 5 to 7 minutes or until they begin to soften. Add the garlic and saute for another minute. Then add the butter, corn, salt, and pepper. Saute for another 5 minutes or until the corn is cooked all the way through. Remove from heat and stir in the lime juice.

Divide the goat cheese evenly between the 4 pieces and spread along the inside. Top with the corn mixture and garnish with cilantro.

Serve warm and enjoy with a delicious beergarita!

Panzanella

9.19.2012

Okay, so I feel a bit behind the times posting a {gasp} tomato-themed recipe while the rest of the blog sphere is bustling with pumpkin flavored baked goods and spiced ciders. I guess this probably tells a lot about my character. I spent all summer dragging my feet and then the crisp, fall-feeling air kicked in last week was a slap in the face. It was a reminder that there are still plenty of summer produce recipes I wanted to conquer. So…here we are…scrambling at the last minute trying to fit every last possible heirloom tomato, sliver of basil, and piece of zucchini bread into my diet before the first frost comes. And thus, I am asking you to stick with me…give me THIS week (and maybe weekend) to get summer out of my system and I promise I will start fresh next week with pumpkin infused everything. Cool? Cool.

Anyhow, the main reason I probably took so long to make these recipe was coming to terms with using my day old bread in a salad. Don’t get me wrong….I loooove salads but old bread is meant for french toast. Everyone knows that! And the struggle between making a salad and french toast…was well not really a struggle for most of the summer. Sorry arugula but cinnamon and butter win every time. Well…every time up until now. After making this last week, I wish I had been more open to sharing my stale bread all summer long…maybe stocking up on twice as much bread to distribute evenly between sweet and savory. We could have come to some compromise had I known this was going to be pretty much the best salad ever to exist.

This recipe reminds me of a salad form of bruschetta (probably for good reason…you smart smart Italian chefs!). This is a huge relief for me because I LOVE the flavors of bruschetta but am not allowed to make it myself. I can’t make it myself because my old roommate and very very good friend makes the best bruschetta ever to exist. And this is probably due to the fact that she lived in Italy for a short period (and Belgium and South Africa and Jordan…sheesh, putting my cultural experiences to shame). Sooo… it’s awesome having a friend who can make pretty much the best summer dish ever but it means that my attempts are just pointless. And thus, this is a great alternative to trying to get my bruschetta fix without having to actually compete with Ella’s bruschetta.

Panzanella

1/2 loaf of old bread, sliced into 1 inch cubes
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 pepper, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/2 cucumber, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/2 red onion, cut into 1 inch cubes and soaked in cold water for 10 minutes
2 medium tomatoes, cored and chopped
1 Tablespoon capers
1/3 cup basil, roughly chopped

dressing:

1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
salt/pepper, to taste

To make the dressing: whisk all the ingredient together in a small bowl and set aside.

Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium. Add the bread and toss until it is completely coated. Saute until browned and crispy on all sides. Add salt and toss to coat. Remove from heat.

In a large salad bowl, combine the pepper, onion, cucumber, tomatoes, capers, and toasted bread. Fold in the capers and salad dressing right before serving.

Munch down.

How easy was that?