Lentils are known for being a good source of protein, increasing energy, helping with digestion, maintaining good cholesterol, and so many other important dietary needs. So, of course, these inciting benefits make me want to cram as much lentil’s into my diet as possible. Although I enjoy a big bowl of Lentil soup now and then, my palette often longs for some variety. So I’m on a new hunt to conquer more lentil recipes without taking the easy way out and making soup. This recipe was my first attempt on this new journey. And damn – it is delicious!

I made a sub out of these with delicious meatballs but I don’t plan on stopping there. With the leftovers there are talks of spaghetti and ‘meatballs’ or ‘mostacholi’ bakes. Also, I cannot wait to make these again in appetizer form and serve them on cute little sticks with a Sweet Pepper Aoili or a cilantro dipping sauce. The options are endless with these little balls!

These do take a little time because there are several rounds of cooling processes but it’s totally worth it. And these freeze super well! The recipe below easily feeds 4-6 so if there are only 2 of you then I’d suggest freezing the rest for an easy spaghetti weeknight meal.

Lentil Meatball Subs

Adapted from The New York Time’s Wellness Blog

For the meatballs:

• 2 cups lentils
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 2 celery sticks, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 Tablespoon fresh thyme
• 3 Tablespoons tomato paste
• 8 ounces button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• 3/4 cup breadcrumbs

For the subs:

• Tomato Sauce (I used my homemade sauce)
• Baguette
• Gouda Cheese (fresh mozzarella would be wonderful too)
• Fresh basil or oregano, for garnish

Place the lentils in a saucepan with 8 cups of water. Let the water come to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes or until the lentils are soft but not falling apart. Remove from heat and drain. Let cool.

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium. Add the onions, carrots, and celery and let cook for about ten minutes (or until they begin to brown). Next, add in the garlic, thyme, and a little bit of salt. Let cook for another minutes. Add tomato paste and stir for three minutes. Then add in the mushroom and continue to cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed (about 15 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool.

Combine the cooled lentils with the cooked vegetable and add the Parmesan, eggs, and breadcrumbs. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease a 13×9 inch pan. Using clean hands, roll the mixture into golf ball size (smaller if you want to use them as appetizers) balls and place on greased baking sheet. Continue with the rest of the batter.

Bake for 30 minutes or until the meatballs start to brown on top.

To assemble: Take two pieces of baguette and slice them down the middle (but leave a little piece at the bottom still attached). Press the baguette open and stick slices of Gouda on each bottom followed by meatballs and sauce. Stick under the broiler for a minute or until the cheese has melted. Top with fresh basil or oregano and server fresh!

I served mine with Parmesan Thyme Sweet Potatoes and it was fantastic!

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:

 

This bread is not for the impatient. It has 2 rising cycles so I recommend whipping this up on the weekend when you are planning to be hanging around the house anyways. Or even if you weren’t planning on hanging out around the house all day maybe this can be your excuse? Don’t want to go visit that weird uncle you’ve been putting off seeing in St. Louis? Tell him you’ve got some bread to make that just can’t wait another weekend. He will…probably not understand but at least you’ll get some amazing bread out of it and your home will smell like a fresh bakery!

Homemade Pumpernickel Loaf

• 3/4 cup water
• 2 Tablespoons milk
• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 Tablespoon carraway seeds
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons instant coffee
• 1 teaspoon ground fennel seeds
• 1/4 cup cornmeal
• 3 Tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 Tablespoon coconut oil
• 1/4 cup warm water (no more than 110 degrees)
• 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 1/2 cup rye flour
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour

In a small saucepan, combine the water, molasses, milk, butter, caraway seeds, salt, instant coffee, and fennel seeds. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Whisk in the cornmeal and immediately remove from heat. Add the cocoa powder and coconut oil and stir until dissolved. Let the mixture cool slightly (set aside for about ten minutes).

Using a stand mixer with a bread dough hook, add the warm water, yeast, and sugar to the bottom of the mixing bowl. Let sit for about 5 minutes or until the yeast becomes foamy. Add in the rye flour, all purpose flour, wheat flour, and the cocoa cornmeal mixture and mix on low until combined. Turn mixer up to medium high and let mix for ten minutes.

Form the dough into a ball and transfer to greased bowl. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place for two hours or until doubled in size (it’s very cold in the Midwest this week so it took my dough two hours but it may take less if it’s warm and cozy in your home).

Transfer dough to a floured surface and knead for a few minutes. Place dough on a parchment lined baking sheet and cover again with a kitchen towel. Let rise for another hour.

Fill a water bottle with water and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut two diagonal strips in the bread and stick in the oven. Spray the bread several times with the water bottle during the first 15 minutes of the baking process (this will help to keep the bread moist). Bake altogether for an hour.

Enjoy fresh topped with spicy mustard or try out my grilled cheese.

One of my 2013 goals was to eat less processed food so I started my new journey today with some homemade bread. And not just any homemade bread – pumpernickel bread! Have you ever made pumpernickel bread before? I always knew that the flavor was complex but I was blown away by the flavor profile of this bread. We are talking coffee, chocolate, cornmeal, and molasses all going into this wonderfully delicious loaf. I’ll be posting the recipe for the bread tomorrow so make sure to check back if you are interested in making your own!

As for today? How about a seriously dangerous grilled cheese recipe? Like peanut butter and jelly, pumpernickel bread and spicy mustard were made for each other. There is something about the tangy mustard that lightens up the complexity of pumpernickel perfectly. Then throw in some sweet pear and melty brie? Irresistible! I thought keeping brie around the house was hard enough…now with this sandwich option it is going to be straight up impossible.

This recipe is like the winter version to my fall Apple, Brie, Arugula and Fig Grilled Cheese but with a bit more tang and less sweet. It still hits the spots with the salty/sweet pulling at your tastebuds and leaves you wondering why you would ever make a grilled cheese without brie again.

Pear, Brie, & Spicy Brown Mustard Grilled Cheese on Pumpernickel

Makes 2

• 1/2 pear, sliced
• 4 slices of pumpernickel bread
• 3 Tablespoons of spicy brown mustard
• 6 small slices of brie (or however many fit across on the bread)
• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil

Assemble the sandwiches by putting brown mustard on two pieces of the bread and then topping with slices of pear, brie, and the other slices of pumpernickel.

Add the butter and olive oil to a skillet and heat over medium. Once the butter has melted, add the sandwiches and cover. Let cook until the bottom is browned (check often because stoves all heat at different temperatures!) and flip. Cook on the other side until browned.

Serve warm with a salad or some tomato soup!

On that note, I have not had a chance to cook anything fancy or extensive this week (see: Butternut Squash Soup with Goat Cheese Croutons or Muesli Bread) but that doesn’t mean that a girl just doesn’t eat at all! So here is a recipe for one of my favorite types of grilled cheese that is so simple yet a “treat yo ‘self” delight (Parks and Recreation, anyone?).

Also! Did you guys check out the giveaway that I’m hosting? It’s lasting through the week and I’d love for you to enter for a chance to win!
Lastly, I’m going to very vague about the measurements for this recipe since it should be total personal preference. I like mine on the sweeter side so I add a bit more fig jam but do whatever your taste buds are feeling!

Brie, Apple, and Fig Jam Grilled Cheese

• 2 slices of thick, rustic bread
• 1 apple, thinly sliced
• arugula
• fig jam
• butter
• brie, sliced

Spread butter on one side of the bread and fig jam on the other. Place the apple slices, arugula, and brie on top of the jam and sandwich them between the bread.

Place on a skillet over medium heat and cover with a lid. Let cook for about 5 minutes on each side (also, this will depend on how fast yours brown and how crispy you like your bread).

***Note: If you have some extra time, feel free to soften the apples up first by sauteing them in the pan before-hand for a minute or two

This recipe was basically meant for me. We started out this spring with massive ambitions for our garden. We planted lavender, cucumber, peppers, tomatoes, oregano, basil, mint, corn, rosemary, and spinach. But between the extensive heat wave that was July, moving into a new home halfway through the summer, and Tuko’s digging habits…we pretty much ended up with basil and tomatoes. Ah well, better luck next year.

With that being said…I love the flavor combination of tomato and basil so when she sent me this recipe, I knew I was going to love it. Using fresh herbs and vegetables from the backyard make the meal even more satisfying.

I tweaked it a bit from the original recipe that Angie sent. She originally had it set up as an appetizer but it was the only one eating so I figured I would make it into a meal for one and throw everything onto a piece of delicious, crusty bread.

This is one of those recipes that you can tweak to your liking…if you love tomatoes then put extra tomato and not so much cheese or vice versa. I’m not going to give amounts so you can totally take charge and make this recipe your own.

Caprese Sandwich

• 1 piece of crusty bread (I used a slice of whole wheat from a local bakery)
• Cream cheese
• tomato, sliced
• basil, sliced
• Fresh mozzarella, thickly sliced
• balsamic vinegar + olive oil (mix equal parts together to make sauce)
• Salt/Pepper, to taste

Toast the bread to your liking. Spread cream cheese and then top with tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil. Drizzle with balsamic/oil mixture and salt/pepper.

Enjoy in the morning with a cup of tea or as an afternoon snack.

Mmmmm.

Make sure to check out Angie’s mouth watering blog and expect more delicious recipes to come soon from this collaboration!

Anyhow, It’s been too long since I blogged about focaccia (since last fall, to be exact). It’s one of those breads that we eat within the first two hours of it being baked because it’s just that good. And eating a whole loaf of bad is just not that good for you. So I try to resist as much as possible only make it on special occasions. The special occasion this time was that I hadn’t made it in a while and had beautiful mini heirloom tomatoes…that’s good enough, right?

This bread is delicious by itself, used with sandwiches, dipped in oils, or served with soup.

Roasted Tomato Focaccia

• 2 teaspoons yeast
• 1 cup warm water
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1 Tablespoon salt
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup olive oil

For the topping:

• 10 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup red onion, sliced into long strips
• 2 Tablespoons fresh thyme
• Salt/Pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, minced

In a large mixing bowl, combine the water and yeast. Let sit for five minutes or until it becomes foamy. Next, add in the sugar, salt, olive oil, and flour (add 1/2 cup of flour at a time). Use your hands (or a mixer with a dough attachment) to knead the dough for five minutes or until the dough has come together (add more flour if it’s sticky and add more olive if it’s too dry).

Grease a bowl, place the dough inside, and cover with a clean dish range. Let sit for an hour in a warm place or until it’s doubled in size.

Grease a sheet pan with olive oil (I used a 9×12 pan so that our bread is thick enough for sandwiches but use whatever works best for you) and roll the dough out onto a floured surface. Fit the dough into the pan and let rise for another 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. While it is rising the second time, prepare the toppings. Heat a tablespoon of olive in a skillet over medium heat-low. Add in the onions and sauté until just starting to caramelize (about 10-15 minutes).

Make dimples in the dough with your fingers and top the bread with olive oil, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and thyme. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until the bread has browned at the top and the cherries have roasted.

Serve warm with every meal!

Anyways, as an attempt to keep my boyfriend from breaking up with me from a veggie overload, I’ve tried to expand and get as creative as possible with our sandwiches this week. The other day I whipped up these oven toasted hoagies and they will for sure become a new staple in my lunch routine. So perfect because you can use whatever veggies you have on hand and then load them with the melted cheese and tangy dressing.

As usual when I post a sandwich suggestion, feel free to substitute whatever veggies and cheeses you think sound good.

Veggie Hoagies

• 2 ciabbata buns
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 bell pepper, sliced
• 1/2 onion, sliced
• 5 button mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tomato, diced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano (or 1 Tablespoon fresh)
• 1 teaspoon dried basil (or 1 Tablespoon fresh)
• 4 slices of Swiss cheese (or whatever cheese you prefer- omit if vegan)
• 1/4 cup Italian dressing
• salt/pepper
• tin foil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place the sliced ciabbata rolls on a ungreased cooking sheet and stick them in the preheating oven for 5 minutes (or until they start to become toasted).

In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium. Add the onions and saute for about five minutes. Then add the peppers, mushrooms , basil, oregano, salt, and pepper and saute for another 10 minutes or until all the veggies have softened.

Divide the cheese and dressing between the two rolls. Top with the veggie mixture and the tomatoes. Spray tin foil with cooking spray and wrap the sandwiches in two pieces.

Bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese has completely melted.

Serve warm with chips or coleslaw or whatever sounds yummy!

I had my last final yesterday afternoon which meant I was going to study all day…or at least that was my plan until it decided to be 80 and sunny outside. So, to compromise, we had a picnic in my backyard to take a break from my studies (which eventually turned into my just studying outside the rest of the day).

We were, surprisingly, able to enjoy our sloppy joes in peace because Tuko was too distracted by all the squirrel action going on in the trees around us.

Wyatt was so into his Joe that he managed to scarf down 3 in a row (hungry boy).

Veggie Sloppy Joes

Adapted from A Couple Cooks

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1 celery stock, diced
• 1- 15 ounce can of kidney beans
• 1-15 ounce can of pinto beans
• 2 cups of tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• squirt of srichacha sauce
• dash of fresh ground pepper
• buns
• garnish with [vegan] cheese

In a skillet, heat up the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and celery and saute for about five minutes or until they start to soften. Then add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until it has reached a desired consistency.

Lather in between a bun and top the mixture with cheese.

Serve with chips or corn on the cob or coleslaw. And enjoy on a fun colored blanket outside with your favorite people (and animals)!

This dip was ridiculously easy to make and I was hoping to save it for upcoming lunch sandwiches this week but I already ate half of it with wheat thins! I used some mini sweet peppers I had lying around but feel free to use regular sweet peppers instead (I’d say use two). This sauce would be really great on grilled burgers or hot dogs and I can only imagine that this will be made again and again this summer.

• 6 – 7 small sweet peppers, any color (I stuck with red so that the end product would be a solid color)
• 3 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• dash of salt/pepper

First, roast the peppers: Preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Place bell peppers on a foil lined baking sheet and brush 1 tablespoon of olive oil onto the peppers. Roast for 10 minutes on each side (or until each side is very browned). Place in a plastic bag for 5 minutes and then remove skins.

Add the peppers along with the rest of the olive oil, mayo, garlic cloves, salt, and pepper to a small food processor (or blender). Pulse until everything is well incorporated (about five minutes). Season more with salt/pepper.

Serve with french fries, crackers, vegetables, on sandwiches, or whatever you have lying around in your fridge that needs a layer of sauce on it!

a few ideas of what to dip into it.

Anyways, I begin with the first sauce as a homemade version of my absolutely favorite type of  sauce ever: BBQ! There is something about bbq that just compliments so many things…the fact that it’s tangy and can be sweet or spicy just counteracts all those hardy grilled goods. This version is exceptionally tangy with a subtle kick of sweet.

I have a new blog (as a side project to this one, of course!) on the horizon that I am collaborating on with my friend Kristin. We had a meeting last night which actually just turned into us making this barbecue to lather all over Mexican style tempeh tacos. Mmmmm, Not only did the tacos turn out amazing but this recipe made enough sauce for us both to walk away with about 4 cups each. So you are warned…this sauce makes a lot and be prepared to be cooking with it for weeks after! Or whip this up when you have a big grill out coming up to serve to your guests. Nothing is better than fresh condiments on grilled goods!

DIY Barbecue Sauce

Adapted from Ina Garten’s recipe

• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• I can of tomato paste, 6 ounces
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 cup honey
• 1 cup Dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
• 2 Tablespoons chili powder
• 2 Tablespoons ground cumin

In a large saucepan, heat the vegetable oil over low and add the onions and garlic. Cook for ten minutes or until the onions are translucent.

While those are cooking, mix together all the rest of the ingredients in a bowl. Add the mixture to the onions when they are ready and bring to a simmer. Let simmer for 30 minutes.

Lather all over tacos, pizzas, veggie burgers, and everything else.

Store in the fridge if using within a couple of weeks or freeze some for future use (or give some away to your amazing Ma or grumpy neighbor or whoever’s day you are trying to make).

See, aren’t they? Well anyways, I’ve been determined to start ‘Saucy Saturday’s’ and something keeps coming up. Like these carrots. How could I not immediately make a recipe with them instead? And I decided on a slaw so two condiments in one day just is too much. Oh well, I shall try again next week.

I’ve only eaten this by itself so far and it is delicious! To be honest, I don’t ususually think of carrots being able to hold their own but they manage to shine in this yummy recipe. The citrus and cranberries give it a great sweet kick as well so I think I will be putting these on some veggie dogs later this week (and for sure on my usual veggie sandwiches). I hope to post a picture of them as condiments as soon as I try it out! Until then, they can handle themselves on their own.

PS psssssst, substitute the honey for agave nectar to make it vegan!

Carrot Slaw

• 1 pound carrots (or about 10 medium carrots), grated
• Juice of half an orange
• juice of half a lemon
• 1/2 cup crushed pecans
• 2 Tablespoons honey
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• Salt/pepper, to taste
• garnish with cilantro

Wash and grate the carrots.

Combine all ingredients together. Refridgerate for at least a half an hour so the flavors can blend.

Eat by itself or in a sandwich!

Here is the problem with that… I LOOOVE breakfast/brunch food. It’s the best food genre ever to exist. So since I limit myself to healthy energy boosters in the morning, sometimes I like to splurge for dinner. And eating this ridiculously delicious sandwich for dinner hit the spot. I highly recommend you to transform your indulgent breakfast ideas into dinner plans. It’s super fun to mix things up!

Also, this was extra exciting for me to make because it’s the first time I’ve ever poached an egg. I know, crazy! I’ve managed to tackle homemade cheese and DIY pierogies but have never poached an egg… ridiculous, I know. Glad to say it was super easy and I am rather sad that I didn’t tackle poached eggs sooner. Lastly, the gravy is vegan but obviously the egg is not. Feel free to make it vegan by omitting the egg or substituting with tofu.

Breakfast Sandwich

For Two

• 2 eggs, poached
• 2 English muffins
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1 tomato, large slices

Peppered Sage Gravy:

• 1/4 cup flour
• 3 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 2 cups almond milk (or regular)
• 4 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 Tablespoon butter

To poach the eggs: Bring a small saucepan of water to a slight boil. Add a dash of vinegar and put the egg in a small bowl. Drop the egg into the water and turn off the heat immediately. Let sit for 4 minutes in the water and scoop out with a spoon.

To make the gravy:

In a large skillet, whisk the flour, nutritional yeast, and milk together. Once it is a smooth consistency, add all the spices. Place the skillet over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Next, add in the butter and reduce to medium low. This is when you recruit someone to continuously stir the gravy while you start prepping the scramble. Cook the gravy until it is thick and feel free to add more salt/pepper.

Assemble: Toast the muffin. top with butter, tomato, avocado, poached egg, muffin top, and then lather in gravvvvvvyyy. (or as my boyfriend says…”ride the gravy train”…although that has nothing to do with it).

I realize a lot of you already know this but I live in a house of five girls but what you don’t know is that really translates to 6 girls, 2 boys, and a dog if you count all the baggage that comes along with college ladies (boyfriends, siblings, animals, etc). Anyways, my point is there is always SOMEONE around which is fantastic because I love the company but baking is one of my stress reliever and every once in a while I just want to bake in peace. Luckily, Saturday was one of those days where I took the kitchen all to myself. I woke up extra early because I knew that would give me time with two of my roommates being late sleepers, one being in Chicago, another in New York checking out Cornell for the fall, and my boyfriend at work. It was wonderful to just be able to put a vinyl on and go to work.

I love my breadmaker because it gives me the ability to just throw everything in the machine and come back at lunch to fresh bread for sandwiches but making it by hand is so simple and satisfying when you have the time. I realize it seems daunting thinking you have to plan for 3 hours to make this bread but really there is about 20 to 30 minutes of hands on time so when you are busy around the house anyways, letting it rise for an hour by itself is not a big deal. Anyhow, this bread is delicious and anyone who appreciates fresh bread with their sandwiches, I highly suggest making this recipe!

The recipe makes two 8×9 loaves of bread but since I only had one pan I made one loaf and 4 big sandwich rolls (yum!). The bread turned out super moist (still just as moist today – the day after!) and very hearty with the ever-so slightly hint of sweet from the honey.

Oatmeal Honey Buttermilk Bread

adapted from Confections of a Foodie Bride

• 1 3/4 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 3 Tbsp + 1 tsp honey
• 2 tsp yeast
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp salt

Combine 1 cup of oats and hot water in a bowl and let sit for 10 minutes or until the oats absorbs the water up.

In the bowl of your mixer, add in 1 tbsp of honey with 1/4 cup warm water and sprinkle the yeast on top; let sit for 5 minutes so the yeast can react to the water.

Next, add in the soaked oats, buttermilk, oil, 2 tbsp honey, oil, whole wheat flour, all purpose flour, and salt. Turn the mixer (with the bread hook) on low until everything is combined and then turn up to medium for 10 minutes.

Place dough in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap for one hour or until it doubles in size.

Wait, go play with your puppy, do some dancing to David Bowie, wait.

Tuco helping me bake

Place the dough onto a floured surface and knead for about five minutes to get the air bubbles out of it. Divide the dough in half and place in two oiled pans (or form into circles if you’re making rolls). Mix the remaining tsp of honey with 1 tsp of very hot water and brush on top of the loaves. Sprinkle the remaining oats on top.

Let sit for about 30 minutes to let it rise a bit more.

Preheat oven to 375. Cook the loaves for 20 to 25 minutes and the buns for 15 to 20 minutes.

Enjoy hot with butter or make sandwiches like I did below!

wishing I had some avocado

The chowder was delicious. I honestly have never hard wild rice soup before. This whole thing came about because I was at the store awhile back and saw the wild rice gleaming at me from the bulk section. It’s so colorful and vibrant and I’ve never tackled a recipe with it so I decided purchasing some would be a good challenge. Unfortunately, it sat on my shelf for the next three months before I decided that this avoidance had to come to an end. I looked up recipes with wild rice in them and came across dozens of patties, salads, thanksgiving sides, and soups.

I was sold on the idea of soups but most of them used meats and the “vegetarian” ones were just blander versions of the original. I decided to take one of the meat recipes and completely revamp it for all your vegetarian needs!

I was nervous that I’d end up with a flavorless soup myself but this was not the case. It was so delicious! And thank goodness at that because it made enough leftovers for me to eat it three times a day for the next two weeks (AKA I may suggest cutting this recipe in half if you aren’t looking for a large amount of yummy leftovers).

Wild Rice Chowder

• 1 cup wild rice, rinsed
• 2 cups water
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onions
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup flour
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 potatoes, cubed
• 3 carrots, sliced
• 1 tsp. dried thyme leaves
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 2 cups half and half
• 2 cups meatless crumbles
• salt and pepper, to taste

Bring the two cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the rice and let simmer for 30 minutes or until the rice is tender. Remove from heat and set aside (do not drain so the rice can absorb up the excess water!)

In a large cooking pot, heat the olive oil up over medium heat. Add the onions and saute for about five minutes. Then add the garlic and saute for another minute.

Next, add in the flour and stir constantly for a minute. Then add the broth and whisk until a milk mixture is created. Add in the potatoes, carrots, thyme, and nutmeg. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes.

Next, add in the corn and meatless crumbles and simmer for another 20 minutes (or until the vegetables are tender). Then add the half and half and cooked rice and stir until everything is warmed up and creamy.

Serve warm in cute animal mugs with yummy sandwiches!

We also made these simple and delicious sandwiches to go with the soup! Enjoy!

Open Faced Grilled Cheese

• Half a baguette, sliced in half length-wise
• 1 fresh tomato, sliced
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon dried basil
• 2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 4 slices of Swiss cheese (or however many to your liking)
• salt and pepper, to taste

Turn your broiler on low (if you have two options). Combine the olive oil, basil, oregano, and salt/pepper in a small bowl. Lather the bread pieces evenly with the mixture.

Top with the tomatoes, swiss, and then garnish with a few a bit more dried basil.

Broil for only a few minutes (I don’t want to give exact times because everyone’s broiler is so touchy and different). I would just turn the light on and watch it until the top gets brown. No more than 2 or 3 minutes.

Enjoy with yummy soup and your favorite porch spot!

Nom Nom.

Tuko being so cute and good while we enjoy our picnic on the porch!

Today was one of those days for me. I woke up to my alarm at 8, got up to make coffee and find my puppy slippers, and crawled back into bed. Instead of spending my Tuesday morning working out and going to classes, I’ve spent the whole morning watching photo tutorial videos on lynda.com and playing with my food. It’s a great feeling to take some time for myself and do things at my leisure.

While ‘taking time for myself’, I found these owl recipe cards as I was perusing my usual blog site favorites this morning (find them right here to be exact: My Owl Barn) and thought they were too cute not to play with. Plus, I’m a huge sucker for anything vintage and owl related. I just cannot help myself. And  by ‘I can’t help myself’ I mean that this then created an artistic snowball effect where I wanted to make something cute and simple so I could fit the recipe on this cards. And then my morning took off from there.

If you wanted to, you could do a themed breakfast with a heart cut out (for Valentine’s day…which is coming up. hint hint nudge nudge at my boyfriend) or a birthday cake cutout or Christmas themed or whatever you’ve got to work with (cook cutter wise). It’s cute and simple so why not be a little creative in the kitchen next time you have a few minutes to whip up some eggs and toast? Enjoy!

________________________________________________________________

Wednesday night dinners are often a challenge when I’m not in the mood for box mac and cheese or another quesadilla. At this point in the week, the leftovers from weekend culinary adventures are gone and, aside from various staple ingredients, I’m left with ends and scraps of some very odd ingredients. This is when I ask myself WWMD? What Would Mom Do? My mother can’t follow a recipe to save her life but hand her four seemlying random ingredients, half a tuperware container of leftover whatever, and a glass or two of red wine and it’s magic! So, with a glass of wine (or in this case a beer: Dirty Helen Brown Ale from the Barley Island Brewing Company), I did my best to channel my mother and this is what I came up with:

Magic! Actually, just a really yummy, veggie-full sandwich. But to a hungry girl that can sometimes seem like magic. Especially when you get a big bite of sweet sautéed onions and mushrooms combined with the savory, sharp kick of blue cheese, and a nip of wine and black pepper. Yum!

Sandwich a la WWMD

• 4 T. olive oil
• 1 small onion
• 4 or 5 baby bella mushrooms (or whatever the heck you’ve got. These were the last of one of my stranger impulse-buys.)
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary (Why are fresh herbs sold in the most frustrating quantities!)
• ½ cup of frozen spinach
• a sploosh of dry white wine (I know. This isn’t a real unit of measure. Just say to yourself “Sploosh!” while you’re pouring the wine and that’ll be enough)
• 3 T. crumbled blue cheese
• 1 pita pocket, halved
• salt and black pepper to taste

Throw the olive oil and the roughly diced onions and mushrooms into a saucepan and sauté at medium hear for about 5 minutes. Then add the fresh rosemary. Keep cooking at medium heat, stirring occasionally, until things start to get brown and soft. Add the frozen spinach; no need to thaw it or microwave it, just toss it in! When the spinach has defrosted, add the salt and pepper to the degrees that you enjoy and sploosh the white wine. Cook until the wine is absorbed or evaporated. (Say no to soggy sandwiches!) While this is happening toast the pita pocket. Once the veggies are ready and the pita pockets have popped, (ha! Alliteration is awesome.) you’re good to go. Throw those veggies into the pocket with the crumbled blue cheese and enjoy!

Anyways, this week has kicked my ass. Between switching to working full days, having classes from 9 to 9 on my days off, my boyfriend’s birthday (which was yesterday and was a success. Cake-recipe-post soon), and tonight I have to go to Indianapolis to support my boyfriend’s band…I have had noooo time for cooking or grocery shopping or sleeping. BUT this blog is not here for me to complain so I love my life and am hoping to do some major catch up with it this weekend. New header is currently in the making and lots of recipes will be made this weekend as well!

Okay.. these oatmeal molasses rolls. I made them expecting a sort of dessert roll (you know. buttery, cinnamon roll-esk) but they were really just savory dinner rolls with the slightest hint of molasses sweet. And damn, they were amazing. Soft, melt in your mouth and full of flavor. I would recommend serving them as a side to a pasta dish or even meat (if you swing that way) or soup. I served them with a yummy bowl of Annie’s Chickenless noodle soup and it was perfect.

Oh also, make these on the weekend or super ahead of time. Since they don’t involve the bread machine, there is a lot of rising time (on two separate occasions) so prep the dough the night before or start in the AM so you can check back on the dough through out the day. I adapted this recipe from Food52 which is a plethora of bread recipes so browse it sometime if you are as dough loving as me. And I promise promise promise they will be worth the extra effort!

Oatmeal Molasses Rolls

• 1 packet of yeast (or about 2 teaspoons)
• 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 3/4 cup milk
• 3/4 cup rolled oats
• 3 Tablespoons molasses
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 egg
• 2 1/2 cups bread flour
• 2 sticks of butter +2 tablespoons of butter (to brush on top of rolls)

Phase ONE: Dissolve the yeast in a small bowl with the warm water. Set aside so that it can react and bubble and do it’s thing.

Heat the milk in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Once the milk has warmed up slightly, add the butter and stir until it has melted completely. Remove from heat and add in the brown sugar, oats, molasses, and salt. Stir until well combined then set aside to cool to luke warm temperatures.

Add the eggs to a large mixing bowl. Once cooled, add the milk mixture and the yeast mixture. Slowly add the flour until it creates a large ball and all the ingredients stick together. If it’s too sticky then add a tiny bit more flour. Place the dough in a greased bowl and roll it around until the ball is greased on all side. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 2 hours.

Wait. wait. Go play with kitty. Take your puppy for a walk. wait. read some of your favorite blogs. wait.

Phase TWO: Divide the dough into 12 balls and place in a greased, 9 inch pan. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter and coat the tops of the buns with it. Sprinkle with some extra rolled outs and then cover with a towel. Let rise (again, I know. I know.) for another two hours in a warm place.

Wait more. Read a book. Watch some Anthony Bourdain. wait more.

 Phase THREE: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes.

Serve warm with butter and honey.

Anyways, I am done defending myself and it’s time to get back to the point of this post. So this weekend we had an ice storm that basically had us locked in our house for the past two days. A positive to this is that I live with four friends so what do I need to even leave the house for? The negative to this was that we had a party last weekend and were lacking in alcohol (we made due with brass monkeys). the end, I spent alot of the weekend cooking, playing America trivia drinking games, and watching samurai movies. Overall, great way to escape from the ice and cold (if I do say so myself).

And to end the weekend I made this wonderful bread (AGAIN!) so that I can make some part 2 lunch sandwiches during the week. This is also an attempt to destress myself since I start my new position at the record label tomorrow (get my own desk and all!). Anyways, I’ve never had a “9-5″ job before (hey, I am only 22 and still in college) so this will hopefully make some lunch breaks less stressful by having the sandwiches already prepped.

Okay, too much talking and blabbing about my life in this post. Apologies. Please try this bread if you have a breadmaker. It’s super soft and the hint of spice from the jalapeno gives your sandwiches the perfect extra kick. And it has cheddar in it. Everyone knows that anything with cheese baked into it is going to be amazing. Come on, you know I am right.

Jalepeno Cheddar Bread

• 1/4 cup jalapenos, chopped and from a jar (reserve the brine)
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup lukewarm water
• 1/4 cup of reserved brine juice
• 1 cup cheddar, shredded
• 3 cups bread flour
• 1 packet of yeast (or 1 1/2 teaspoons)

Add into bread machine in the order listed. Press ‘Regular’ or ‘White’ mode and start.

Go off and play with your kitty, watch some Anthony Bourdain, or tend to your cactus collection for a few hours. When returning to your kitchen, there should be soft and warm homemade bread waiting for you to gobble up!

Oh and if you are looking for ideas to use the bread with, I suggest loading it up with every possible veggie you can find in your kitchen and topping it with some tangy honey mustard!

Here were my four favorites:

Veggie Stacker (top left): Lettuce, tomato, onion, green pepper, avocado, swiss, salt, pepper, dried basil, dried oregano, crushed garlic, roasted red pepper aoili on homemade jalapeno bread

Rich Girl’s PB&J (top right): Organic honey roasted almond butter, All Natural Strawberry Rhubarb jam on sprout bread

The Elegant Egg (Bottom left): Scrambled egg, pesto, swiss, salt, pepper on a homemade biscuit

Bohemian BLT (Bottom right): Lettuce, tomato, veganaise, Tempeh Bacon on homemade jalapeno bread

Glad to share my sandwich lust with you and hope to have some real recipes back up this weekend!