I order my veggie lo mein with extra veggies and it arrives to table with maybe an extra shred of cabbage. And that’s not at one restaurant. It appears to happen a lot. I place my order and always request more of said veggies. Maybe an extra broccoli floret or piece of green onion arrive and that’s it. With a big old tangle of noodles. My Novio and I exchange looks. What’s up with that?
And you know, I’ve tried ordering a plate of veggies along with the noodles with the intent of combining the two. It’s not the same. The sauces don’t seem to be compatible.
I love noodles.
But I love veggies too.
One solution. Next time you want double veggies with your noodles, go home.
Do it yourself. Grab some garlic and ginger.
We want our veggie:noodle ratio to be 2:1? Let’s just do it!
Oh, and my apologies if I misled you. This is by no means an authentic lo mein recipe. Simply a dish that satisfies me and is Asian-inspired when I’m craving something just like this.
DOUBLE VEGGIE LO MEIN
Ingredients:
6 oz. uncooked egg noodles (or spaghetti, thin spaghetti, or your choice of noodle- if long, broken in half) 2 T. vegetable oil (canola, safflower or grape seed) 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 small knob ginger (about 1″), either grated or cut into very small matchsticks 1 onion, thinly sliced half-circles 1 stalk celery, sliced, on the diagonal (not mandatory, but it looks nice) 1 medium or 2 small carrots, thinly sliced on the diagonal (see above note) 1 cup broccoli, cut-up 1/2 lb. mushrooms, thinly sliced 2-3 c. shredded cabbage (Savoy, Napa or green- I used Savoy)Sauce:
1 T. low-sodium soy sauce 1 t. water 1 T. rice wine vinegar 1 t. sugar 1/2 t. cornstarch (optional) 1 t. toasted sesame oilOptional Toppings:
2 green onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal 2 T. cilantro leaves 1 T. roasted cashews 1 T. black sesame seedsThat’s what I used. Peanuts would also be good- as would regular sesame seeds.
More veggie possibilities: (Use some type of cabbage – it works well with the noodles)
chopped kale spinach red pepper strips baby corn different types of mushrooms Chinese broccoli snap peasDirections:
Cook noodles according to package directions.
Mix sauce ingredients except, sesame oil, in a small bowl. If you like it thick, add 1/2 t. of cornstarch and whisk in.
Heat a large pan and add oil. Cook onions for 2 minutes. Add all the rest of the vegetables and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Cover and steam with sauce for 2-3 minutes or to your liking. Taste and adjust sauce ingredients to your liking. Add toasted sesame oil and toss.
Either toss noodles with veggies in pan or serve noodles in individual bowls, with the vegetables over them and your choice of toppings.
Makes 2 hefty main dish portions or 4 sides.
bb Note: Do you keep your little bottle of sesame oil in the fridge? It is a great idea to do this with all specialized oils; it keeps them from getting rancid quickly. So take that little bottle of sesame oil along with the walnut oil and put them in the fridge!
TIP: Whole Foods carries an Organic Soy Ginger Sauce (house brand) that’s lower in sodium than soy sauce, has a nice, thick consistency and has great flavor. Use it in place of the soy sauce and vinegar and add sesame oil at end of cooking.
We just never know the impact our actions will have on others.
This past weekend I joined the Food Bloggers LA (love this group) monthly meeting on all things kale. Local growers were on hand giving away kale, greens and chard (thank you to Jan of Cut & Clean Greens) and blood oranges (thanks Nancy of Melissa’s Produce). Chef Garrett was there to demo kale salad-making.
He also prepared kale margaritas for us. Delicious- I kid you not.
No wonder our intrepid organizers dubbed it Kale-a-palooza!
The kale dishes were inspired. Believe me, I never saw my Novio enjoy so much kale in one sitting (of course, me too). Everything from peanut soba noodles with kale to (no, not a typo) kale brownies.
And here comes the unexpected delight of the day for me. When we were getting into the car, one of the participants approached me to say she’d be checking out my blog. Turned out Rene Lynch is a food writer for the LA Times. Something connected in my mind. “Wait a minute,” I said, “Are you the one who wrote the piece last summer on Erika Kerekes and how she helped organize Food Bloggers LA along with Dorothy Reinhold and Patti Londres?” She smiled, “That was me.” (To view the article, click here.)
I had to hug her. It was through her article that I first learned of the group and knew immediately it was something I wanted to be a part of. Rene couldn’t believe how her article impacted me.
But there was more. I looked at her and said, “Ya know, a couple of years ago, there was a feature article in the Food Section on Ree Drummond’s Pioneer Woman (an insanely popular blog).” I knew zip about the world of food blogging and was experiencing some big bumps in my road. I told Rene that I remember putting that article aside because it was something that was really exciting to me.
Rene looked at me intently. “That was my piece too.”
“Oh My God!” This time I grabbed her and hugged her and kissed her. “You helped open the next chapter in my life!” It was clear that she was moved. She had touched me and my life’s path, not once, but twice. And last weekend, I had the rare opportunity to touch her in return.
And, so, on to kale.
I found out that, though most people discard the center rib of each leaf, that’s actually where most of the potassium hangs out. As with chard, you can easily use it in your cooked dishes by sauteing it first, let’s say with shallots or onions, and adding the leaves a bit later.
Kale has an affinity for a variety of seasonings. I wanted something warm, so I chose ginger and Garam Masala.
Braising the kale in wine, whether white or red, gives the dish a wonderful depth of flavor.
Simple, quick and delicious
BRAISED KALE WITH CANNELLINI BEANS
Ingredients:
1 bunch kale 2 T. olive oil 1 shallot, thinly sliced 1/2 t. ground ginger 1/2 t. Garam Masala pinch of sugar 2 T. chicken or vegetable broth 1/2 c. white wine (red wine is delicious too!) 1 15-oz. can cannellini beansDirections:
Rinse kale leaves and dry (it’s fine if a bit of water clings to the leaves). Tear or cut greens along either side of the center rib and chop into bite-sized pieces. You can also do it the other way, cutting up kale and then rinsing.
Heat large saute pan and then add olive oil. Put pinch of sugar and seasonings into heated oil- salt, pepper, ginger and Garam Masala. Allow to cook on medium heat for one minute.
Add thinly sliced shallots and saute until tender, about 3 minutes.
Add kale in batches, allowing it to wilt a bit and toss with the sliced shallot.
Add broth and wine. Bring up to a boil, lower heat to medium-low and cover. Cook about 15 minutes, or until kale is cooked through.
Add cannellini beans and cook until heated through.
Serves 4 as a side; 2 as a main.
Happy Judy
What’s up with this nice (ok, mischievous) Jewish girl from the Bronx having a hankering for grits??? I cannot tell you, all I know is it’s there. Yankees can like grits too, even crave them. So creamy, so gooood.
This craving probably has something to do with my craving in the past few weeks for anything that looks and feels like porridge. Grits, brown rice farina, cream of wheat, oatmeal. Call me Goldilocks. Probably has something to do with the fact that I have been dealing with a stubborn case of bronchitis that does not seem to want to leave the premises. Hence the strong desire to send something down that is warm, soothing and comforting. Hello solar plexus, I’m here to warm you up. Howdy tummy. You’re about to feel good. Hello small intestine and you too over there, you big intestine, you – I’ll be very easy on you.
Grits are made from dried corn and have been around for, well, since people figured out how to dry grain.
Now that ↑ was a very dopey sentence. Excuse me, it’s all that pesky coughing.
White corn grits and yellow corn grits are also known as polenta and are basically coarsely-ground bits of corn (better sentence).
A BOWL OF PIPING HOT GRITS: Down home and delicious:
- eat it with a pat of butter swirled in
- sprinkle it with brown sugar on top or a bit of maple syrup and splash it with milk
- spoon grated cheese over the top and blend it into creamy goodness
When it comes to cheese, I love something with some nuttiness to it, like a Gruyere or my new crazy favorite Manchego (did I say I love Manchego? It’s my favorite -I even love the name). Or go with something with more of a bite, like an aged Cheddar.
close to Manchego
Making a bowl of grits or any type of porridge involves a slow meditative stir with a wooden spoon and, if needed (and it is so needed right now) a long slow inhalation of the steam emanating from the pot.
Excuse me, I think I have to go make myself another bowl.
CREAMY GRITS WITH CHEESE
Ingredients:
2 c. water (check label on your grits- could be a 3:1 ratio of water to grits) 1/4 t. salt 1/2 c. grits pat of butter -optional (oh, go for it) 2 T. cheese, gratedDirections:
Bring water and salt to a boil.
Slowly stir in grits with a wooden spoon and continue to cook for about 10 minutes until desired consistency. As with any cooked cereal or porridge, it will thicken as it sits in the pot.
If using the quick-cooking variety, it will take about 5 minutes to absorb the water. Check the cooking instructions of the type of grits you’re using.
Remove from heat and stir in a pat of butter.
Place grits in serving bowls and and sprinkle cheese over the top. Swirl in and serve hot.
Oh, it is soooo pleasing…
Serves 2.
MUST MENTION: I LOVE BOB’S RED MILL PRODUCTS! Their grits are no exception.
Click here to check out their website. I know you’ll enjoy learning about Bob and taking a video tour of the plant. I know I did!
I’m not sure what I was thinking when it was my Novio’s birthday celebration. I kept thinking I needed more desserts. It was also his brother’s and his niece’s birthdays, so the house was going to be filled with family members and loved ones. Novio kept saying, “Relax. I’ll bet only about half the people are going to come.” I kept adding more desserts to the mix, probably because I was channeling the spirit of every Jewish mother in the city of Los Angeles and beyond.
I discovered the recipe for these little treasures in the Penzeys Spice Shop in Santa Monica. These will be a good addition, I thought. They were. They flew off the platter, and the guests were asking for more. Novio didn’t even get to have one. Oh, well, we’ll just have to make another batch. Can you wait till Valentine’s Day, N?
This s a surprisingly straightforward recipe.
First, pull out that pastry blender. Don’t have one? Your hands will work fine to achieve that desired crumbliness. Just so long as you don’t take too long – the heat of your hands will soften the butter too much.
This texture will work well to press into the pan for the crust.
Next, prepare the cheesecake filling.
Throw some chopped nuts over the reserved cocoa mixture.
Who says you need a fork to eat cheesecake?
PS Everyone came.
Cocoa Streusel Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients:
1 3/4 c. flour 1 c. powdered sugar 1/2 c. cocoa powder 1 8 oz. package low fat cream cheese, room temperature 1 14 oz. can sweetened low fat (or nonfat) condensed milk 1 egg 1 t. pure vanilla 1/2 c. chopped walnuts (optional)Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°.
In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar and cocoa.
Cut in cold diced-up butter with pastry blender until mixture is crumbly.
Reserve 2 cups of the mixture for the topping.
Press remaining mixture into the bottom of an ungreased 9″ x 13″ pan.
Bake crust for 15 minutes. While crust is baking, beat cream cheese until fluffy.
Gradually beat in condensed milk, until smooth. Add egg and vanilla and mix well.
Pour cream cheese mixture over the crust. If you are using walnuts, combine them with the 2 cups of the reserved cocoa mixture. Sprinkle over the top of the cream cheese filling.
Bake for 25 minutes, or until bubbly around edges.
Cool, and cut into 24 bars. Store in refrigerator.
Hit me with a double.
My gang of food bloggers was planning a cookie (and all manner of holiday treats) swap. Bring in lots of cookies, donate to a good cause, take home lots of other cookies. Sounds good.
I’d already come up with an idea for Cranberry Pistachio Blondies (check out a previous post) and I wanted to contribute another something special. What to do, what to do? Rugelach! Yes! And with a special cream cheese dough that is just too sinful to eat and to tempt loved ones with more often than once a year. I know of several versions but for this batch, I turned to Ina Garten who can be trusted in these matters. Though it’s not exactly a family recipe, it is to me because Ina is, in my mind, kind of like family.
The dough is a butter-cream cheese dough. The only way I can hold my head up is to use low-fat cream cheese. Neufchatel is a cream cheese that has a third less fat. That’s not a brand name; it’s a type of cream cheese. It’s excellent for baking and you won’t miss that extra 33 1/3% fat. Not one iota.
Rationalization #7,018: (spoken to self) Yes, that’s a lot of butter but it makes 4 dozen! And I’m only eating …. fmfum (inaudible mumble).
Pulse the fruit preserves a bit in the food processor to make them more spreadable. Some of the rugelach will be apricot; others will be sour cherry.
I like my bench knife. Way more fun than a bench press.
Wrap each in plastic and let them hang out in the fridge a while. Pull one section out a time as you roll the dough and set up the rugelech.
Spreadable preserves on the dough. And here comes more good stuff.
Looks like we’re making dessert pizza!
But we’re not.
Almost-crescent moons… too much of a hurry to get them in the oven…
Hey! Wait for me!
RUGELACH
thanks to Ina Garten’s, Barefoot Contessa Parties! (with a little tweaking)
Ingredients:
8 oz. package low-fat cream cheese, at room temperature – I like to use Neufchatel cream cheese 8 oz. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature 1/4 c. sugar, plus 6 T. more sugar 1/4 t. kosher salt 2 t. pure vanilla 2 c. flour 1/4 c. light brown sugar 1 1/2 t. ground cinnamon 3/4 c. raisins 1 c. walnuts, finely chopped 1/2 c. apricot (or sour cherry or fig) preserves, pureed in mini food processor 1 egg beaten with 1 T. milk, for egg washDirections:
Cream the cheese and butter, using a stand mixer, until light and fluffy.
Add 1/4 cup sugar, salt and vanilla.
With the mixer set on low speed, add flour and incorporate until just combined.
Plop the dough out onto a well-floured board or surface and roll into a ball.
Cut ball into quarters, wrap each piece in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.
To make the filling, combine 4 T. sugar, the brown sugar, 1/2 t. cinnamon, the raisins and walnuts.
On a well-floured board, roll each ball of dough into a 9-inch circle. Do this one at a time, leaving the others in the fridge until using them. You can use your hands to pat the dough out, if you prefer.
Spread the dough with 2 tablespoons of fruit preserves and sprinkle with 1/2-cup of filling.
Cut the circle into 12 equal wedges – by cutting the whole circle into quarters, then each quarter into thirds.
Starting with the wide edge, roll up each wedge and gently shape into a crescent moon.
Place rugelach, points tucked under, onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Chill for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°.
Brush each rugele with the egg wash.
Combine 2 T. sugar and a scant teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle over the tops.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack and let cool.
Makes 4 dozen.
NOTE: Rugelach freeze very well. Freeze a batch that are unbaked. Defrost completely before baking as described above.
My last post gave you the lowdown on latkes – potato or otherwise. In the previous post I offered up some mini parsnip potato latkes plus a de-briefing on my season of potato pancake-making. (All this can be applied to the making of Fritters too.) Kind of like a What I Learned Over My Summer Vacation except it was a What I Learned Over A Good Chunk of Time in My Kitchen Making Latkes. Yikes. If you’re intrigued, click here.
I really can’t give potato latkes their just do without calling attention to Sweet Potato Latkes or Pancakes. Okay, maybe this isn’t the best metaphor, because I never cared for Barbie (and I do love potato pancakes) but a LOT of people love Barbie, so here goes. You see, I DID love Barbie’s younger cousin Skipper.
And in my somewhat unique (alright, odd -no,make that quirky) mind, Potato Pancakes are to Barbie as Sweet Potato Pancakes are to Skipper. Barbie, well-known, traditional. And if you know Skipper, you understand. A little fresher, lighter, more happening.
Written in mathematician language:
Potato Pancakes:Barbie ≈ Sweet Potato Pancakes:Skipper
I enjoy creative mathematics.
I like to use garnet yams for their exceptionally bright and happy color.
I use the shredding disc of the food processor because I really want the flavor and texture to stand out.
I decided to grate the onions.
I used a very heaping tablespoon (or large spoon) because I was going for a regular-sized (3″) pancake. Be sure pan is hot before adding oil and oil is hot before adding pancake(s).
All of my tips apply to these pancakes. You can experiment and grate in a small apple to the mix, maybe with a squeeze of lemon. Sweet potatoes and apples do go together beautifully. And that’s no metaphor. Or maybe it is.
SWEET POTATO PANCAKES
Ingredients:
4 large yams 1 small Russet/ Idaho potato (or any potato used for baking) 4 eggs 1 small (or 1/2 large) onion 1/2 t. baking powder 1/2 t. salt 1/4 c. flour freshly ground black pepper canola/grape seed/safflower oil for fryingDirections:
Shred yams and potato on the shredding disc of a food processor. Grate onion on the large hole of a box grater. Transfer to a large bowl.
If there’s lots of excess liquid, drain it off. Add baking powder, salt, pepper and beaten eggs. Sprinkle flour over mixture. Stir well. If the batter seems very loose, add another tablespoon of flour.
Heat a large skillet. Add 2 tablespoons oil and heat until oil shimmers.
Place pancakes in pan using a heaping tablespoon. Lightly flatten each pancake with the back of the spoon. Fry pancakes about 5 minutes, until edges are crispy. Fry 5 minutes more.
Use multiple pans or wipe frying pan with a paper towel after each batch. Add a bit more oil and heat for each new batch. Be sure to stir batter before spooning out more pancakes.
Keep warm on foil-lined baking sheets in a 250° oven until serving. These sweet potato pancakes also freeze well (see previous post).
bb NOTE: To do a lower-fat version: Fry pancakes only 3 minutes per side on medium/high heat (don’t go anywhere!). Then place pancakes on a foil-lined baking sheet(s) in a single layer and bake in a pre-heated 450° oven for 10-15 minutes.
How many servings do they make? Tough call. It depends on the size of the pancakes and how many people eat. This makes about 30 pancakes. But don’t quote me – they were being snatched up before I could actually count them.
Call them what you will. Potato pancakes. Latkes. I love them. And I’ve loved them ever since my Grandma first taught my then-14-year-old sister how to make them. Good thing too. Everyone else was working and by the following year, my Grandma would begin her journey with dementia. I was a 4-year-old at the time and I still remember the sound of the potatoes being quickly grated, the pungent aroma of the onion, the sizzle in the pan.
No matter how busy my sister gets (and believe me, we are talking about a perennially busy woman) she always finds time to whip up few batches of latkes over Chanukah. These days, she uses her food processor to grate the potatoes rather than the box grater she used to use. In either case, you have to work quickly so the potatoes don’t turn that pinky-brown color. That’s why latke-making is tailor-made for Annie. I don’t know anyone who works as quickly as she does.
I’m a bit different. I like to admire, taste, and take my time. I also like to tinker around with techniques and ingredients. Well, latke-making was on the agenda for me this season. Novio had a big birthday and the clan was all coming by to celebrate.
Yes, I had my family’s traditional grated (that’s small holes on the box grater) in store.
But I also wanted to mix things up a bit. I’d heard of throwing parsnips into the mix. Parsnips are one of the underdogs in the vegetable kingdom. Looks like a carrot, but it’s white, thrown into chicken soups a lot, but beyond that, a lot of people don’t really know what to do with them. If you get parsnips, you know they’re delicious roasted and mashed, and just may be terrific in latkes.
I used the large holes of the box grater for these parsnip-potato latkes. I didn’t want to use the food processor shredding disc, because I was making little babies, and didn’t want them to fall apart.
My family never uses baking powder and this is also where I strayed from longstanding tradition. These mini-latkes needed a little height, and baking powder would do the job nicely.
Using a teaspoon rather than a tablespoon, delivers the right size. I was after a 2-inch-wide latke.
Mini-latkes, before flattening with back of spoon
These were good enough to pass around on a platter with a tiny bowl of sour cream and another of homemade applesauce*.
My latke-making experience this year helped me develop a few latke-making tips that I happily will share with you following the recipe.
MINI PARSNIP-POTATO LATKES
Ingredients:
2 large potatoes 2 medium parsnips 1 small onion (or 1/2 large), grated 1/4 c. flour 1 t. baking powder 3 eggs, lightly beaten salt and pepper canola or safflower oil for fryingDirections:
Peel vegetables and grate them on the large holes of a box grater. Or, use the shredding blade of a food processor. In either case, squeeze the water out of the vegetables. Hands do a really good job for wringing the water out.
Transfer squeezed-out potatoes. parsnip and onion to a fresh bowl. Add baking powder, salt, pepper and lightly beaten eggs.
Add flour (or matzoh meal, if using) one tablespoon at a time, until mixture is just held together.
If eating the little ones that day, have the oven pre-heated to 250°. Line one or two baking sheets with foil and leave latkes to keep warm in the oven, once they are done, until needed. If you are making them ahead, disregard the previous two sentences and proceed to heating a large skillet (next line).
Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Once skillet is hot, add one to two tablespoons of oil and heat until oil is shimmering.
With a teaspoon, spoon batter into the hot oil and flatten each spoonful with the back of the spoon to make small latkes.
Cook for about 2 minutes a side, turning only once, until golden brown. Drain well on paper towels.
If preparing latkes in advance, place drained latkes on wax paper/lined baking sheets. Place in freezer for 20-30 minutes until hardened. Carefully place latkes in a large ziploc bag. When ready to use, take latkes out of bag and line them up in a single layer on a foil-covered baking sheet and bake in a very hot oven (425 or 450°) for 10 minutes.
Makes about 4-5 dozen mini-latkes.
*Bonus: Do you want to know how ridiculously easy homemade applesauce is? Peel and cut 4 sweet apples, by cutting 4 sections around the core, then dicing them into small chunks. Place in medium saucepan and add 2 tablespoons of water, with a bit of sugar(2-3 teaspoons). Depending on the sweetness of the apple, you may or may not need more sugar. You may not even need any sugar. Taste the apple and you’ll know. Trust. Cook apples in the saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes or until apples or tender. When the apples cool a bit, mash with potato masher to desired consistency. I like it a bit chunky. If using with latkes, keep the flavor pure. If making applesauce as a dessert, stick a cinnamon stick into the applesauce while it cooks.
LATKE-MAKING TIPS or A Latke De-Briefing:
- The general ratio for latke-making is one egg to one large potato. If using other veggies, consider the size of the veggies. For example, two medium parsnips to one egg.
- For thinner, crisper latkes, use a 3 egg:4 potato ratio.
- There are those, among them my grandma and my sister, who separate the eggs, beat the egg whites until stiff and fold them into the potato mixture. This produces a raised potato latke.
- The best way to keep your latkes warm is to place on a foil-lined baking sheet in a 200 or 250° oven until serving.
- Some people like their latkes from potatoes grated on a box grater, some shredded on a box grater. Some like them grated in a food processor, while others go for the shredding disc of a food processor. I generally like grated potatoes, but I have no problem with shredded potatoes, especially sweet potatoes.
- A little baking powder added to the potato batter will help keep the potatoes white and will help give the latkes a little rise.
- Flour or matzoh meal is used to bind the batter, matzoh meal being the heavier choice, but, hey, it works for Passover.
- Always pre-heat the pan and get your oil very hot. This will yield a crisp latke.
- Another crispy tip: turn your latkes only once. Refrain from being flippant, or flip-happy (flappy). You will have soggy latkes on your hands and not know why. But now you do.
- Freezing latkes: this was the first year I did it and had excellent results. Fry latkes until just barely done, drain well on paper towels, place them in single layers on a foil-wrapped baking sheet(s) and freeze for a half-hour. Place in plastic zip-loc bags and store in freezer. To serve the latkes, take them directly from freezer to foil-lined baking sheets and bake in a very hot oven (425-450°) for 5-10 minutes, or until crisp.
Applesauce, please.
If you read my last post, you know I took my Novio to a very special B&B for his birthday.
Our room was beautiful and we enjoyed a terrific breakfast there…
The orange muffins had an amazing essence of orange. SOOO good! I found out that the recipe calls for using the whole orange – pith and all. Everything but the seeds. I don’t normally do this but I had to share the recipe before I actually tried it at home. So, dear readers – here it is with only the finished product at the inn to show for it. I’ll definitely make these little delights at home very soon.
Fresh Orange Muffins
Ingredients:
1 orange, quartered, seeds removed (with peel) 1/2 c. orange juice 1 large egg 1/2 c. unsalted butter 1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour 3/4 c. sugar 1 t. baking powder 1 t. baking sodaDirections:
Preheat oven to 400°. Spray a 12 muffin tin with light cooking spray and set aside.
Put orange quarters in blender (or food processor) with orange juice and process until pureed.
Add egg and butter to blender (or food processor) and combine. Pour into large bowl.
Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Add to orange mixture. Stir until just combined.
Fill muffin cups to 3/4 full.
Bake for 16-18 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand in muffin tin before removing.
Two Happy Guests
Thanks to everyone at the inn for a beautiful time, including home-baked chocolate chip cookies upon arrival, milk upon request to go with it, wine & cheese and the retrieval of a very special ring…
Thinking of Blondies again this time of year- they are so delicious in their original form but they are SO open to tinkering. I was getting ready for a holiday cookie swap with my new buddies who are part of Food Bloggers LA and thought cranberries and pistachios would make a great combo.
But it was also my Novio’s birthday – and it was a big one. I whisked him away for a 24-hour vacation at a terrific B&B called the Inn at Playa del Rey.
It was exactly what we needed. Plus the breakfast was delicious. The hosts were wonderful and gracious enough to share their recipe for Orange Muffins (coming soon).
And what does all this have to do with Blondies?? That’s what I was busy with right before we left…
First, I toasted the pistachios. I was in a hurry and used the first pan I could grab – the smallest. As you can see, the little fellas are a bit crowded. Use a larger saute pan. Once they’re fragrant, give them a rough chop.
Blondies! Starring Cranberries and Pistachios
and co-starring…
Blondie batters are very thick, like chocolate chip cookie dough. Thwack it into the center of your pan. I like the word thwack.
Smooth it out to either end with a spatula. Get those corners.
And presenting…
Whether you call these Congo Bars or Blondies or you’re new to the concept, dive right in and whip a batch. Share them and see how popular you become!
CRANBERRY-PISTACHIO BLONDIES
Ingredients:
1 c. unbleached flour 1/2 c. whole-wheat pastry flour 1 t. baking powder 1/2 t. salt 1 1/2 sticks sweet unsalted butter, room temperature 1 c. light brown sugar ( I use less sugar than in the original version because the cranberries have added sugar) 2 eggs, room temperature 2 t. pure vanilla 3/4 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips (the larger, the better) 1/2 c. white chocolate chips 1 c. pistachios, toasted and coarsely chopped 1/2 c. cranberriesDirections:
Preheat oven to 350°.
Whisk flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Set aside.
Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan or line with parchment paper (fold and crease the paper into the corners so you can spread the batter evenly).
Toast pistachios in a dry skillet (heat skillet first) for about 4 minutes at medium heat or until just fragrant. Chop coarsely.
Cream butter and sugar by hand until very light and fluffy or beat for about 3 minutes using stand mixer. Add eggs, one at a time, and mix into butter/sugar mixture. Add vanilla.
Stir in flour mixture (low speed on stand mixer). Add chocolate and white chocolate chips, pistachios and cranberries.
Spread evenly in baking pan, from center outward.
Bake for 25 – 30 minutes, or until shiny and slightly cracked on top and feels firm to the touch. If they seem a bit undercooked, that’s okay. They firm up a little as they cool and you don’t want them overly hard. Place on rack to cool, then cut into squares or rectangles (cut an 8×4 grid or a 9×4 grid).
Makes 32 -36 bars.
Prepare yourself for the compliments.
I’ll be frank. Kale is a veggie that never really interested me. It just seemed too tough. Too fibrous. Too much work to chew. The few times I tried it, I hid my true feelings. A bit bitter for me… didn’t really want to voice my opinions while everyone was oohing and ahhing over it.
Besides, I still remember admiring pretty purple flower-shaped plants that happened to be called… you know it… ornamental kale. Well guess what?! Ornamental kale is edible! And if you treat it right, it will return the favor.
Ornamental and Edible too!
Prepared well, not only is it not bitter, it’s delicious! The flavor is amazing – deep, complex and earthy. Plus it’s loaded, yes I said loaded, with vitamins, minerals, and cancer-resistant properties.
It comes in different varieties and types – Curly and Black – Dinausar kale or Lacinato or Tuscan kale …
Black kale – milder than purple kale
Kale is considered by nutritionists to be one of the healthiest veggies on THE PLANET. Now that’s what I call a bold statement. Check it out for yourself in this article, The Truth about Kale, published by WebMD.
Use it in salads, soups, stews.
Chopped kale in turkey vegetable soup
Steam it. Saute it, roast it. I roast kale with a little splash of olive oil and sea salt. That’s it.
When roasted, they get crispy like potato chips. Also, like potato chips, you can’t eat just one. Novio, who initially claimed ZERO interest in kale, ate one kale chip and exclaimed, “These are senSAtional!” And if that ain’t a rec, I don’t know what is. Set out a bowl of these babies with wine before dinner and your friends will be very happy. And you won’t have any left.
Black kale before and after roasting.
Treat it as you would any dark green leafy vegetable. But know that when eaten raw it’s best chopped. Some people massage it with their hands to soften the fibers and generally relax it. You know. You get relaxed with a little massage too.
Kale’s got spunk. All the other leafy green vegetables quiver at the first sign of frost. Not our buddy kale. Kale thrives on frost! Its season is late fall to winter. Thank you, nature, for giving us kale.
I’ll be working with kale over the next several weeks. Look for the posts in between all manner of holiday baking adventures.
So get over yourself. Buy some kale!
Ready for snacking
KALE CHIPS
Ingredients:
1 bunch kale (any variety) 1 T. olive oil 1/4-1/2 t. sea saltDirections:
Preheat oven to 300°
Remove spine of each leaf by cutting up each side of the stem . Tear into bite-size pieces. Rinse and thoroughly dry .
Lay kale pieces on a large baking sheet. Toss with just enough olive oil to moisten. Sprinkle with salt. Spread pieces out in a single layer. They’ll shrink A LOT but don’t crowd the leaves – get an extra pan out if you need to.
Roast for about 18-20 minutes or to desired crispness. Don’t leave the kitchen after 10 minutes – they can quickly go from perfect crispness to overly done (translate: burnt). Place on rack to cool.
This a terrific nibble before dinner or as a snack. I’ve made several batches and they fly off the kitchen counter. If you should have any left, place in bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
NOTE: Some people roast kale at 400° for 10-12 minutes.
bumbleberry breeze 