Years ago, when my niece Karen and her BFF Charlene were in high school, I told them about a baked lentil dish I had come across in Cooking Light magazine. “Make it for us,” they cried, “it sounds soooo good!” For one reason or another it was a long time before we finally found time for us all to have dinner at my place and eat the by-then fabled dish. The lentils had taken on an almost mythic quality. Every time we saw each other, the dish would come up “When are you going to make it for us, Judy? We can’t wait! It sounds so good!” they said in excited, quivery voices.
Yikes! I’d created two little lentil monsters! What if the lentils didn’t measure up to the larger-than-life quality that was being ascribed to them?
When the moment of reckoning came, they leaned in close, took a whiff and tasted. Dreamy looks spread across their faces. “Whoaaa, this is even better than we expected!”
Karen and Charlene are both doctors now- Karen, a resident in pediatrics and Charlene, a resident in internal medicine. This post is dedicated to them and all young women out there – hold on to that sense of wonder and love for life always.
And back to the lentils…
Always rinse and sift through for little pebbles. I like glass pie plates for this type of thing.
Adapt spice mix to your taste
Drain over bowl
Mix cooked lentils with raw diced onion directly in baking dish.
BBQ lentils in oven.
Done!
Baked Lentils – Barbeque Style
Ingredients:
4 c. water 2 c. dried brown lentils 1/2 t. salt, divided 1 c. diced onion 1/2 c. ketchup 1/4 c. maple syrup 1/4 c. mustard (Dijon or your favorite) 1/2 t. ground ginger 1/2 t. pure vanilla extract 1/4 t. ground allspiceDirections:
Preheat oven to 350°.
Combine water, lentils, and 1/4 t. salt in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes.
Drain lentils in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1 c. cooking liquid.
Combine lentils and diced onion in an 11×7-inch baking dish. Combine 1/4 t. salt, reserved cooking liquid, ketchup, and the remaining ingredients.
Pour ketchup mixture over the lentil mixture, stirring to combine. Bake for 1 hour, or until all liquid is absorbed.
Secret Ingredient
About 8 servings.
A Tale of Two Brownies – both classics – pure & simple. There are generally two overall brownie camps: the unsweetened chocolate camp and the cocoa camp. The cocoa version here uses the non-dairy method (read: canola or safflower oil). The unsweetened chocolate version (first recipe) utilizes a dairy product (read: butter).
Brownies and I have a strong emotional connection. I’ve always had a soft spot for them. But there was a particular period in my life about a decade ago that I simply could not have pushed through with any modicum of sanity without Brownies. Not eating brownies, okay, not just eating them, but making them too. I was dealing with a significant health issue, a kidney transplant (my third attempt, it’s been a very interesting journey) that was simply NOT working out after just a few months. Needless to say, there were a lot of long faces around me.
I had a choice. Do I join all the sad sacks? They’ll move on and I’ll be stuck in some woe-is-me pit. Nope. I refused to go down that road. Instead, I fixated on the cover of my current issue of Cooking Light. A glorious photo of a plate of brownies, which were being featured that month. I plotted. I planned. I obsessed. I was going to get me out of the hospital and MAKE them, by golly. And that’s what I did. As it turned out, that particular cover recipe wasn’t exactly my cup of tea (or square of brownie). But, no matter, I was hooked.
Do you notice one is cut in half? Hmmmm…
Mind you, before that time, I was a cook, not a baker. I wanted to spend my time in the kitchen making meals, not superfluous things like dessert. That’s what good bakeries were for. And in New York, where I was raised, and in LA, where I settled, there were plenty of those around. Boy, was I wrong. Little did I know, I had a new passion. Not for creating the fancy stuff, like Napoleans and Eclairs. No. That, I left to bakeries (still do, at least for now, ha ha – never say never).
It was the simpler, earthier stuff that was calling. Things like chocolate chip and oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, brownies, blondies, butterscotch bars, fruit crisps, cobblers, coffee cakes, quick breads and muffins. You get the picture, homey stuff, comfort stuff, soul-satisfying stuff. There was something about the process of making the brownies – mixing up the batter, baking it, taking in the aroma, cutting them, eating the crumbs (OK, the corners too).
Then sharing them, feeding them to friends, family,neighbors, the postal carrier. Watching them enjoy. Enjoying them myself. All in all, Life-Affirming Stuff.
Desserts were no longer superfluous. There was a whole new depth of satisfaction I hadn’t experienced before. Life is short. Home-made brownies were, and still are, ON the menu.
Coffee ice cream with brownies – a favorite combo
So express your love through the brownies you bake… for your family, for friends, for LIFE. Go ahead. Give it a try. Worked for me.
♥
The first recipe comes to us via Marion Cunningham ‘s (Combo Book) Good Eating: The Breakfast Book & The Supper Book. One would think I only own one cookbook. I have lots more. I do. Believe me, I do. But Marion has a way that calls me back again and again. I only reduced the sugar a bit and upped the ante on the vanilla.
How’d the cinnamon sneak in?
All together now
Marion’s Brownies
Ingredients:
2 oz. (2 squares) unsweetened chocolate 1/4 c. (1/2 stick) sweet unsalted butter scant c. sugar 1 egg 1/4 t. salt 1/2 c. all-purpose flour 1/2 c. walnuts, chopped 1 1/2 t. vanilla 1/4 t. cinnamon (optional-I added it on a whim)Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8″ square baking pan. Line pan with parchment and tuck into corners. Leave a bit of parchment hanging over edges so you can lift brownies out of pan when ready.
In a saucepan over very low heat, melt chocolate with the butter, stirring to blend. Alternately, in a medium glass bowl, melt chocolate with butter at medium power, stirring every 1/2 minute for a minute to a minute and a half. By stirring vigorously, you continue to melt the solids in the hot mixture. Either way, you can put the brownies together in one bowl/saucepan!
Let cool a minute and stir in sugar, egg, salt, flour, walnuts and vanilla.
Spread in prepared pan and bake for about 30 minutes, top should be cracked and firm to touch.
Remove from oven and cool about 5 minutes, then transfer brownies on parchment onto a rack. Place brownies onto piece of waxed paper to fit or onto cutting board and cut into squares.
Batter in!
Batter out!
The other recipe comes to us via my mom’s exercise class. One of the men in the class, a retired pediatrician, was celebrating a birthday and his wife was kind enough to send along a platter of her favorite quick and easy brownies, along with copies of the recipe. Guess who landed that recipe? We did!
Let’s go hiking!
A volcano with 4 mystery lakes
Stir until ‘tiny bubbles’ come up
shiny mix with nuts
Cut-ups
Dairy-Free Brownies
Ingredients:
¾ c. safflower/canola oil 4 eggs 1 ¾ c. sugar ½ c. cocoa ¼ t. baking powder 1 c. flour 2 t. vanilla 1/2 c. pecan or walnut pieces (optional)Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease a 9×13 pan.
Beat together oil and eggs in medium bowl (no need for mixer). Add sugar, cocoa, and baking powder and beat thoroughly. Gently mix in flour. Add vanilla.
Spread in pan with spatula. Sprinkle nuts over top, if using.
Bake 25 minutes or until set on top. Cool in pan on rack about an 1 hour before cutting. Makes 28-32 squares (depends on how petite you make them!).
bb NOTE: Do NOT overbake –brownies must still be moist when done.
Ahhh, chili. One of the great American comfort foods. Every region has a strong allegiance to its own version. All-meat, meat with beans, vegetarian, different beans, different meat. It goes on and on.
Now you need to understand this. My Novio is a meat guy. Not a meat and potatoes guy. A meat guy. His favorites include, but are not limited to, steak, meat loaf, burgers, short ribs, and my sister Anny’s beef brisket – if it’s on the menu at a family dinner, and it is her specialty, after all, you’re sure to bump into him at the buffet table.. What draws him, you ask? Take a lucky guess. Ding ding ding!
I, on the other hand, enjoy a more varied diet. Don’t get me wrong, I love lean red meat and even crave it at times. But I also love vegetables and like to have them pop up in all kinds of dishes in all kinds of ways. Thus this dish. Aiming to please both Novio and Novia of the household. And now, to please you too.
First, gather your ingredients and utensils, bowls and pan (a large, deep saute pan or a Dutch oven). I like using my wok-saute pan.
Black beans, pinto beans , red wine, tomatoes & a touch of cornmeal
I recently started adding cornmeal for not only complexity of flavor, but also for thickness.
Chop whatever needs chopping – first the veggies, and then while the chili simmers, the herbs.
Always onion and garlic, then add what you like…
In this case, carrots and red pepper. Or use red, yellow and orange peppers. Or carrots and zucchini. Or carrots and corn.
I begin by cooking the seasonings in hot oil just until fragrant, a minute or so. This step really enhances the depth of flavor in any dish.
Then I add the meat I’m using and saute quickly, breaking up the meat and continuing until most of the pinkness is gone. It will continue to cook along with the other ingredients.
As you cook meat, flatten it, then break it up.
I transfer the meat onto a glass pie plate (just because I like to). Then I add more oil to heat up and add the rest of the seasonings. All the chopped veggies go in at this point. After the veggies soften, I add the garlic.
happy veggies for chili
At this point, I return the meat back to pan as well as the tomatoes, wine, and all the other ingredients, including the beans. Simmer 45 minutes to 1 hour and you have yourself a delicious and satisfying chili.
Meat and veggies meet
Just 2 spoonfuls of cornmeal helps the chili along – in the most delightful way
Come & get it!
Why the moniker L.A. Turkey- Veggie Chili? Because I did develop this dish right here in L.A. and because L. A. has that health-conscious vibe going on.
He likes it! He likes it!
This man just happened to be in the right place at the right time.
L.A. Turkey-Veggie Chili
Ingredients: 1 lb. ground turkey 2 T. olive or grapeseed oil 2 t. cumin 2 T. chili powder 1/4 t. allspice 2-3 carrots, diced 1 large onion, chopped 1 green pepper, chopped (optional) 1/2 red pepper, chopped 1/2 orange or yellow pepper, chopped 4 cloves garlic, chopped 1 28-oz. can tomatoes with juice (or 2 14-oz. cans) 1/2 c. red wine or broth (chicken or vegetable) 2 T. stone-ground cornmeal 1/2 t. dried oregano 1 t. Worcestershire sauce (or more to taste) 1 t. dark brown sugar 1 14-oz. can pinto beans, drained and rinsed 1 14-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed salt & pepper 2 T fresh cilantro or parsley, choppedDirections:
Chop all veggies first. Season turkey with salt & pepper. Mix chili powder, cumin and allspice in small bowl.
Heat pan, then add 1 T. oil until hot. Add half the spices from the small bowl. Stir 1 minute with wooden spoon until fragrant.
Add meat and saute until just barely brown, flattening it in pan, then breaking it up. Depending on your preference, break into smaller or larger size chunks. Transfer to pie plate or dish.
Add another T. oil to pan, scraping up all bits. Add the remaining spices from small bowl. Saute i minute until fragrant. Add onion and cook for 2 minutes. Add all other vegetables, except garlic and saute 3-5 minutes until tender. Add garlic and saute 1 more minute. Season with salt & pepper.
Return turkey back to pan add stir through.
Pour in tomatoes, wine, Worcestershire. Bring to boil, then down to simmer. Sprinkle cornmeal, oregano and brown sugar over chili and stir through.
Simmer, with cover askew for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Adjust seasonings for heat level.
Serve with fresh herbs sprinkled on top. Serving options: with brown rice, short pasta, potatoes, pita chips, or simply by itself.
Also: Chili + Salad = Excellent Meal
Makes 6- 8 servings.
bb notes:
Be creative with your chili to make it yours. Think about using varied amounts of seeded and diced jalapeno, hot sauce, cayenne pepper, chipotle pepper, smoked paprika, and different types of chili powder.
I like using a combo of beans. I prefer black & pinto beans, but try any combo or just use one kind (pinto, kidney, white kidney, black).
… a quick and savory dinner.
Do you have friends who make salmon for dinner, like, A LOT?? And everyone is into healthy with a capital THHH. That’s great, I am too. But does it have to simply broiled, siempre siempre tamid tamid?? (if you recognized the two languages, pat yourself on the back!)
Don’t get me wrong. I ain’t complaining and I ain’t biting the hands that feed me (us) and I’m not even thinking of anyone in particular. AND I also love broiled salmon. But the other evening at dinner I mentioned the way I made salmon the night before and was really surprised to see the women quickly turn and gather ’round as if I was E.F. Hutton. Broiling-good. Marinating-good. Glazing-good. *Shmearing-good. All good. So here is a quick and savory shmear for you. Plus, a couple of sides that are wonderfully adaptable to what’s on hand.
*Shmear: from Yiddish, noun meaning a batch of the things that go together, most often as a spread. Also verb, as in, to spread.
I remembered long ago, a friend telling me that her husband and kids refused to eat chicken or fish UNLESS she slathered it with mayo before popping it in the oven. In thinking about what I could do quickly with what I had on hand, this came to mind.
- Slather=Excess
- Shmear=Moderation
- Shmear+Herbs+Lemon Juice=Delicious+ Healthy
That’s the New Math!
dill for salmon, dill for quinoa, dill for soup…
This gorgeously abundant bunch of dill was beckoning from the market…
Now this is a terribly complicated technique – one that is only practiced by the the most experienced of the experienced. Please pay close attention:
- Wash dill
- Pat dry.
- Lay on lightly greased baking pan in an arrangement that is pleasing to you.
highly complex and intricate step
That’s the kind of move I like.
Uh huh uh huh and that‘s the way, uh huh uh huh I like it, uh huh uh huh (slap me, Lulu, for the sake of the readership).
Uh, I’m back. Now to continue this highly complex procedure – if you’re feeling fancy, lay a few slices of lemon over the dill and then lay on the fish, drizzle with the tiniest bit of olive oil and add salt and freshly ground black pepper.
waiting for my shmear
The shmear is highly complex: a small amount of mayo mixed with a smaller amount of mustard, a few squeezes of lemon juice, salt and pepper and a little chopped dill (to further the featured herb-of-the-week theme). I know you can do it. Your dinner party guests will be highly appreciative (that’s right, Anat!). Other fresh herbs can be substituted: oregano, tarragon, rosemary. Stick with one and play it up.
an easy shmear for fish or chicken
And here comes an extra- we have LOTS of leftover freshly-ground horseradish from Passover (was that just a few weeks ago? seems like longer).
I got a wonderful tip this year (thanks, Joan) that Magee’s in the Farmers Market on Fairfax & Third not only grinds fresh horseradish for you around Passover, but for a nominal charge, will sell you the top of the horseradish root as well!
My Novio came home with three horseradish tops and they graced our Seder table along with everything else. The little green leaves, symbolizing hope and optimism, sprouting up from the gnarled root. Just like life – joy in hardship, hardship in joy.
Tender leaves come up from horseradish root
I tend toward the philosophical around holidays (ok, other times too).
So back to my simple meal (ha ha).
I have fresh horseradish around, so I used it by mixing it with a little mayo and a pinch of sugar. Ta-da! A horseradish sauce!
quick & easy horseradish sauce
And now for the quinoa…
By the way, if you’re doing a meal like this, think about getting all your ingredients chopped up first, cut up the squash, make the quinoa, roast the squash, assemble the fish dish and roast it last.
I sometimes toast the quinoa first, then bring to boil in seasoned water or a water/broth mixture, and simmer until water is absorbed (like rice).
seasoning the quinoa
cooking quinoa in brothy water
Herb blend with garlic, olive oil & lemon
Savory herbed quinoa
And onto the butternut squash…
Spice blend for butternut squash
There are a ridiculous number of ways to vary spices. Sometimes I use cinnamon with butternut squash. I use cumin all the time. And Garam Masala is a wonderfully warm and pungent blend of seasonings that’s not only a mainstay in curries but is a strong stand-alone. As you can see in the above photo, the Garam Masala has been in overdrive in my kitchen and is taking a moment for some much-needed rest.
One quick way to prepare veggies for roasting is to cut them up, toss in a plastic bag, add oil, then seasonings, close bag and shake. Then empty onto roasting pan in single layer and roast. I added a bit too much oil in my zeal so they didn’t brown the way I love but were delicious anyway.
roasted and seasoned butternut squash
And that, is a quick meal… in a lot of words!
ROASTED SALMON WITH DILL & HORSERADISH SAUCE
Ingredients:
olive oil, a few drizzles fresh dill. 4-6 whole sprigs lemon slices 1- 1/2 lb. salmon 1 T. mayonnaise (best-quality) 1 t. Dijon mustard juice of 1/2 lemon 1 t. dill, choppedDirections:
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Cover baking dish in aluminum foil for quick clean-up. Lightly grease pan with olive oil or cooking spray.
Wash whole sprigs of dill, pat dry and lay in pan. Place 4-6 thinly sliced lemon slices over top. Lay salmon over the dill/lemon. Drizzle a tiny bit of olive oil over top and a small amount of salt & pepper.
Mix mayo, lemon juice, small amount of salt & pepper in little bowl. Add chopped dill.
With back of spoon, shmear (see definition above!) mayo mixture over fish.
Bake uncovered in oven for 14- 16 minutes until just firm to touch. Remove from oven and lightly tent with foil for a few minutes.
Optional:
Garnish with lemon slices, cucumber slices or both.
Instead of dill, try using fresh rosemary, cilantro, oregano, thyme, fennel tops (looks like dill, smells like licorice) or tarragon.
Goes well with horseradish sauce below.
Easy Horseradish Sauce:
2 T. mayo
2 t. freshly grated horseradish (or more or less to taste)
a pinch or two of sugar
Mix to combine. Serve as a side with fish.
(Can use prepared white horseradish -experiment with the amount needed.)
Savory Herbed Quinoa
Ingredients:
1 c. quinoa 1 t. olive oil 1/2 t. broth concentrate(Better than Boullion) 2 c. water (or use 1/2 water and 1/2 broth and omit broth concentrate) 1 green onion, thinly sliced 2 T. fresh herb mix- Italian parsley and dill, finely chopped 1 garlic clove, chopped 1 T. olive oil juice of 1/2 lemon salt & pepperDirections:
Heat a little olive oil in pan and toast quinoa, stirring a bit for 2-3 minutes, until it gets fragrant and toasty, Pour water/broth into saucepan and bring to boil. (If you’re in a rush, place quinoa, oil, and water/broth in saucepan and bring to a boil.) Cover (askew) and simmer on low/moderate heat for 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat source, cover and let it rest until water is absorbed. Fluff with fork and place in bowl.
Mix chopped fresh herbs with olive oil and garlic. Add to quinoa. Add lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.
bb notes:
Experiment with herbs and savory ingredients when preparing quinoa, just as you can with couscous, Israeli couscous (LOVE IT), brown rice or other grains. Instead of green onion, try minced shallot or red onion. Add toasted pine nuts or sliced almonds, or toasted and chopped pecans, walnuts or pistachios. Keep your mix simple so that individual flavors can shine.
Roasted Butternut Squash
Ingredients:
1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed olive oil salt & pepper 1 t. granulated garlic (or garlic powder) 1/2 t. cumin 1/2 t. Garam MasalaDirections:
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
Place cubed butternut squash in plastic bag. Add just enough oil to moisten (gently pour a little oil at a time, think in terms of teaspoons). Add seasonings, close bag and toss well to combine. Tumble squash onto roasting pan and spread in single layer.
Roast for 25 minutes, stirring halfway through, until just starting to brown.
Option: As an alternate, toss squash with oil and seasonings right in pan – your hands, clean of course, are your most effective kitchen tool. If that’s not your thing, use two spoons and pretend you’re tossing a salad.
Use this technique with all types of veggies and seasonings. Roasting times and temps will vary.
Recipes above make 4-5 servings.
Asparagus season is here!
In keeping with the bb philosophy, my favorite methods of preparation for asparagus are super-simple and healthful.
I love to:
- roast them- tossed with a little olive oil and salt and pepper in a 400 degree oven for 10-12 minutes
- bake them – in an aluminum foil packet with a squirt of lemon juice, a bit of olive oil and a little seasoning in a 375 degree oven for 15–18 minutes
- saute them – quickly, with a little olive oil and a little seasoning, until just barely tender
- steam them – actually, more often than not, that’s quasi-steam them because I tend to not want to pull out the steamer pot. I do this for broccoli and a little fresh ginger, green beans, and carrots too. I put about an inch and a half of water in a large saucepan, add a splash of olive or grape seed oil to the water, a little salt & pepper (do you notice a pattern here?) and sometimes a split clove of garlic. I bring said water to boil, throw in the asparagus, bring water back just to the boil, cover, askew (a bit like my personality) and lower heat and steam gently for a few minutes, 2-3 for skinny, 4-5 minutes for the chubbier guys.
Chubbies
Peel the fibrous bottoms
When I remember, I peel the bottoms of the chubby asparagus. That eliminates those fibrous strands that get stuck in your teeth – most unpleasant – and makes cutting at the table much easier. I used to prefer the skinnies, thinking they were more tender, but when I peel the chubbies, I like those more.
Semi-steaming asparagus
Sometimes, I feel festive and want to do a bit more once the asparagus is finished.
A holdover from the past that’s still got a hold on a segment of the population is Hollandaise sauce- that thick pale yellow sauce poured over vegetables – comes to mind in connection with special occasions or dressing up. Yikes– that’s a super-duper rich mayo! Lots of egg yolks and melted butter is what’s in there. And if we’re going to use this stuff, my vote is let’s lessen it significantly in meals and use it instead in moderation for wonderful baked goodies (translation: dessert). Are you with me?
Vinaigrette for asparagus
The nominees
And the winners are…
Egg-slicer doing double-duty as a chopper
A lean, clean and super flavorful vinaigrette enriched with a few choice tidbits over heavy ho-hum-daise? Don’t even have to think about that one. And that’s no yolk.
Dressed-Up Asparagus
Ingredients:
1 lb. chubby asparagus, with ends trimmed and peeled 3 T. olive oil 2 scant T. champagne vinegar (or a good white wine vinegar or lemon juice) 1 t. Dijon mustard pinch (or two) of sugar 1 scallion, chopped (or 1 T. minced shallot) 1 T. chopped fresh herbs (I used Italian parsley and dill here) salt & pepper 2 t. capers 2 hard-boiled egg (scroll down for a bonus on hard-boiling eggs)Directions:
Hard boil eggs and chop. Set aside.
Wash and trim chubby asparagus. Steam for 5 minutes until just tender (or to your liking). Pull out of water and set on serving dish.
Make sauce by whisking olive oil, vinegar and mustard in small bowl. Add salt, pepper and pinch of sugar. Add chopped onion or shallot and herbs. Taste to adjust seasonings.
Pour across center of asparagus. Sprinkle drained capers and chopped hard-boiled eggs over sauce.
Serve as a side for 4 people or as a light lunch for 2-3.
bb note:
Experiment with your vinaigrette ingredients. If too tangy, you can add a pinch of sweet. Start with a little less tang and add more. Remember, it should have a little zip before you toss it with your veggie/salad. Try the recipe once with lemon juice and the next time with your favorite white vinegar.
Fresh herb ideas: Italian parsley, oregano, basil, dill, tarragon, chives (if no green onion).
Which do you prefer?
ps How many times did I type olive oil in this post? Yes, some might say just type EVOO (I may be a tad dull at times, but it took a moment to register the first time I saw it). I don’t know, but it smacks a bit like waving your country club membership at have-nots. Not my cup of tea.
This bonus is adapted from Russ Parsons of the Los Angeles Times. I love him.
Making a Nearly-Perfect Hard-Boiled Egg
(He said “Perfect”. Does perfection really exist? I’m reluctant to make these claims.)
Take eggs out of fridge for a few minutes to take the chill off them. Place in WIDE (this is important) saucepan so that eggs don’t go bumpity-bumpity into each other. Put in enough water to cover eggs. Bring to a boil, turn off heat and let sit there for 20 minutes. That’s it.
Now here come possible variations based on a little snooping.
- keep on heat source
- remove from heat source
- keep cover on
- take cover off
- let sit for 10 or 15 or 20 minutes
Give each egg a quick tap on counter to crack before placing in a bowl with ice water. If you’re not going to use them right away, put them in ice water without cracking and store in fridge for up to 3 days before using.
I’ll be testing all of these variations out in the near future. Novio and I will pretend we’re on the $10,000 Pyramid – jumping up and down shrieking, “Things that have to do with hard-boiled eggs!!!” – NOT – we don’t jump.
Whew! I’m happy to be back to bb and you. For a couple of weeks before the holidays, there was a whole lot o’ cleaning, cooking and bakin’ goin’ on. It’s catching up now (nap demanded high-priority status today) – I have new post on my To-Do list – and you should have seen the LISTS these past couple of weeks – it works for me so long as I agree with myself that some items will just casually stroll on over to the next list. Looks like new post was one of the strollers.
So without further ado, I present to you, drum roll, please, The Layered Meat Loaf. At dinner at my sister’s house some time back, she mentioned that she’d eaten at the home of a great cook and one of the things served looked like a marble meat loaf. Marble cake, okay. But meat loaf? Do you take a knife and swirl it through? That may work for cake batter but I had trouble visualizing the application of this concept to meat. Maybe clumps of different mixtures placed in the pan? Hmmm.
So I tried a layered concept, using ground turkey and lean ground beef.
Veggies for light and lively loaves
Side by Side by Meat Loaf
I added different ingredients in each, emphasizing color contrast. Shredded carrots for the turkey, chopped parsley for the beef. Onion and garlic into both.
But I had another idea and wanted to experiment with something egg eye-catching for the buffet table.
Peek-a-boo, we see you
When I was little, my mom would sometimes make a meat loaf with a hard-boiled egg hiding inside. Wow, did I love to get a slice with a surprise perfectly beautiful sunny yellow center, surrounded by snowy white. I watched her put it together, but it always felt like a great prize to get one of those slices.
Gentlemen, start the oven
Little golden meat loaf with the glaze on the top!
Serving layered meat loaf
LAYERED MEAT LOAF
Ingredients:
1-1 1/4 to 1 1/2 lbs. ground turkey 1 to 1 1/4 lbs. lean ground beef 2 eggs 1/4 c. old-fashioned oatmeal (matzoh meal for Passover) 2 T. ketchup 1/2 carrot, shredded 1 small white potato, shredded or grated (squeeze out excess water) 1/2 white or yellow onion, chopped or grated 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 T. fresh Italian parsley, chopped (can substitute 1/2 – 1 t. dried herbs- experiment!) 2 t. cumin 1/2 t. ground ginger 1/4 t. cayenne pepper salt & pepper 2 hard-boiled eggs extra ketchup for top of loaf (1-2 t.) 1/4 t. maple flakes or brown sugar for sprinkling on loafOptional: can substitute 1 T. of flax seed meal for part of the oatmeal (disregard this note for Passover)
Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 375°. Spray a 9″ loaf pan with light cooking spray.
Shred or grate veggies and chop fresh herbs. Place turkey and beef in 2 separate bowls. Mix turkey with 1/2 the onion, 1/2 the garlic, one egg, oatmeal or matzoh meal, 1 T. ketchup, 1 t. cumin, salt & pepper, and all the shredded carrot. Mix beef with the remainder of the onion and garlic, shredded (or grated) potato, chopped parsley, 1 egg, ketchup, 1 t. cumin, ginger, cayenne, salt & pepper.
Take half the beef mixture and spread over the greased loaf pan. Next, spread half the turkey mixture. Place the two hard-boiled eggs, lengthwise in loaf pan, allowing a little room between the two, and nestle them a bit into the meat (forget to hard-boil the eggs? go now!). Repeat the layering with the remaining beef and then the remaining turkey.
Using the back of a spoon, coat the whole surface with a very thin layer of ketchup and sprinkle a bit of maple flakes (or brown sugar) over the top.
Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until browned and firm to the touch. Remove and loosely tent with foil (I do this all the time). Let rest at least 15 minutes before slicing.
serves 10
Option: For the holiday, I made 3 Double-Decker Meat Loaves in mini-loaf pans (served 12). Here’s how:
- I used 3 hard-boiled eggs
- put the whole beef mixture in the bottom of each loaf pan
- nestled an egg in each
- topped it with the turkey mixture
- spread a little ketchup over the top
- baked them in a pre-heated 375° oven for 50 minutes or until firm
- called it a day
Going Double-Decker
These little joy-filled clusters are crowd-pleasers. They up the happiness quotient at any Passover dessert table. The original recipe comes to us courtesy of Judy Zeidler and her wonderful book, The Gourmet Jewish Cook. For those of you not acquainted with matzoh farfel, they’re simply matzoh that have been all broken up, placed in a box and sold for your use in all manner of Passover dishes – from a dizzying variety of kugels to these little wonders.
Matzoh - matzah - matza -spell it any way
Judy Zeidler melts chocolate, then combines it with toasted matzoh farfel and toasted pecans.
nice 'n toasty
here come duh nuts
I also like to add some raisins to make my family happy, especially Bill, my brother-in-law (more like the best brother I could hope for). I’ve also tried this recipe with other kinds of nuts, coarsely chopped almonds or walnuts. Sometimes I use unsweetened coconut as in the version below.
Jump right in - the chocolate's warm
Snowy coconut swirling in
I’ve tried cut-up apricots too, but I’d rather dip the ends of dried apricots in good melted chocolate. The flavor and texture of the apricots comes through a lot better that way.
Stir until blended
clusters in cups or stand-alone... your choice
Once you try these you just might jump up and down and yell Matzoh Farfel repeatedly until you find yourself screaming FATSO MARFEL!!
Okay. Who is Marfel and why are you calling him a fatso? And on a holiday about physical and spiritual redemption, no less!
Never mind. Have another and take your seat so we can get back to the Seder.
Spooning
Crunchy chewy chocolaty clusters
CHOCOLATE MATZOH FARFEL CLUSTERS
Ingredients:
14-16 oz. good semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate 2 c. matzoh farfel, toasted 1 c. chopped pecans (or walnuts or almonds), toasted 3/4 c. raisins, dark or golden 1/4 c. unsweetened coconut (optional)Note: If allergic to nuts, up the amount of raisins to 1 1/2 cups.
If not making for Passover, broken-up saltine-type crackers (toasted?) would probably work as a substitute for the matzoh farfel.
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°. Toast matzoh farfel on a large, ungreased baking sheet for 5 minutes. Add nuts, toss with matzoh farfel and place in oven for 5 more minutes, or until nuts are fragrant. Don’t leave the kitchen, as nuts have an uncanny tendency to burn the minute you turn your back on them.
Coarsely chop the chocolate with a sharp knife. Do this by holding the knife by both ends and slowly pushing down as you gently rock the knife back and forth. Have I made you crazy? I apologize. It’s actually fun to watch chocolate break off in shards. Who knows? You may be inspired to take up ice sculpting.
Put half the chocolate in a large glass bowl and microwave at half power for 1 minute. Stir vigorously with a spoon and add the remaining chocolate, continuing to stir. If not fully melted, place in microwave at half power for 30 seconds more. Stir until smooth. It may need an additional 30 seconds, however the rapid stirring of the melted chocolate is a very gentle way to fully melt the chocolate without it turning an ashen shade of gray. That we don’t want. Add matzoh farfel, nuts, raisins and optional coconut, and mix thoroughly. Spoon mixture onto a waxed paper or foil-lined baking sheet, or into ruffled paper candy cups. Refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes. To serve, peel clusters off the waxed paper and place on platter, or simply serve in the candy cups.
Optional: Once the clusters are on a baking sheet or in cups, sprinkle a tiny bit of sea salt over the tops (and/or a little grated unsweetened coconut -I found some this year that was much finer than the shredded variety). The sea salt was a BIG hit and the coconut looked very pretty.
Makes about 40 clusters. Will keep in fridge for at least a week, but chances are they’ll mysteriously disappear long before then.
Food fads come and go. Of course they do, that’s why they’re called fads, for goodness sake. But chicken soup? That’s a classic that’s not going anywhere!. It’s like a rock! It may be a liquid but you know what I mean, and I think you do. Enough said? Say no more!
This is, more or less, my Mom’s basic recipe from way back. I add more of all the vegetables.
Up the veggie count, up the flavor
No skin, less fat
My Mom’s a fan of including parsley root in the soup pot which is not always so easy to locate but adds a a very nice aromatic sweetness.
tie up herbs with kitchen twine for easy removal
My mom and sister are from the school of restraint… they believe in straining the soup when it’s done and cooled and then serving the broth clear with a little slice of carrot and some fine noodles (I also like small bow ties or orzo or another delicate pasta shape) or a matzoh ball (or 2). I don’t want to say goodbye to all those lovely vegetables (never can say goodbye, oh no no) so my M.O. is to slice up the carrots, celery, and keep bits of onion and turnip in the soup as well as chunky or shredded chicken, in addition to said matzoh balls. For Passover, we omit noodles and keep the matzoh balls.
Now for the matzoh balls.
I use seltzer water and oil to make the matzoh ball mixture. Debates have occurred over the relative merits of using oil or water or both. People also like using a little chicken broth instead of water. I’m a centrist and use either oil & water or oil & soup.
Admittedly, it’s always a bit of an adventure to see if I’ll achieve the desired fluffy state. If anyone has a fool-proof method for achieving said fluffiness, please advise. But please don’t tell me to buy the mix… don’t want to do it.
Very simple ingredients
The first time I made my matzoh balls flecked with minced parsley, there was a hushed silence around the table. “What is this?” my Dad wanted to know, poking suspiciously at the little matzoh ball culprit. “They’re Springtime Matzoh Balls!” I enthusiastically replied.
Springtime matzoh balls waiting to jump into hot water
This water is seriously hot!
Since then, of course, matzoh balls have appeared on the scene with all kinds of added ingredients – a pinch of ground ginger or nutmeg, chopped fresh dill, to name a few. But I come from a family of purists and this messing with the straight-on version was considered just another example of one of my little quirks. Are you sure I wasn’t adopted, Mom? Oh well, I like to keep everyone on their toes.
My mom approves
CHICKEN SOUP WITH MATZOH BALLS
Soup Ingredients:
1 3-pound chicken, cut up 10 c. cold water 1 large onion, half cut in 2, and the remaining half chopped (you can also add the white part of a leek, sliced) 3 carrots, cut in thirds 2 stalks celery, cut in thirds (add 2-3 leafy tops, if you have them) 1 parsnip, cut in half 1 parsley root (optional) 1 small turnip, peeled and cut in half 3 cloves garlic, cut in half lengthwise 1/2 bunch Italian parsley 1/2 bunch dill salt & pepperDirections:
Place chicken in large pot or Dutch oven. Add the water. Add a little more to cover if you need to. Bring to a boil.
Lower heat to a gentle simmer. With a large slotted spoon, skim off any scum that may rise to the top (scram! you scum you!).
Add onions, carrots, celery, turnip, parsnip, parsley root (if you’ve got it) and garlic.
Using kitchen twine, tie parsley and dill together leaving a short length to tie around pot handle (don’t let that string anywhere near your heat source, please!). This will make it much easier to fish all those herbs out later.
Cook for 1-1 1/2 hours. When chicken is fully cooked after an hour, and you want to cook the soup longer to get it more flavorful, take the larger chicken pieces out so they don’t overcook along with a little soup to keep it moist. If you like some chicken in your soup like I do, you’ll put it back in once the soup is ready.
Remove soup from heat. Remove bouquet garni onto a shallow bowl or pie plate. Squeeze the very limp bouquet between 2 large spoons to get every bit of soup to return to pot.
Add salt and pepper. I don’t add lots of salt but this soup will take more salt than you think.
Let soup cool to room temperature, then refrigerate. Remove the fat that has hardened on top (see note below).
bb tip:
To skim fat, refrigerate soup overnight. When the soup is gelled by the next day, it’s far easier to skim. Simply take a large spoon and skim just under surface to remove all the congealed fat that’s magically risen to the top for you! What to do with the fat? I do what my Mom always directs: Put it in a plastic bag, knot the bag and throw it away. The fat is not good for the disposal or the kitchen pipes, not to mention our pipes!
NOTES:
Skinless chicken will yield a far less fatty soup. Leaving skin on yields more flavor, of course, but also more fat (even if you skim most of it).
Some people add 1/2-1 t. turmeric to ramp up the “golden chicken soup” look.
Chicken soup is ALWAYS better a few days after it’s made.
It’s easier to cut most of the veggies in large pieces first. After everything’s done and cooled, I remove what I don’t want (parsnip, some onion, celery tops) and slice up what I do want – diced turnip, sliced carrot and celery – and return to pot.
My mom adds 1/2 a boullion cube to soup pot in lieu of salt, but I don’t usually do that. Adding a teaspoon of Better -Than-Boullion in N0-Chicken or Vegetarian would work if you want to flavor stock further.
Cut or shred the larger pieces of chicken and return to soup OR save chicken for chicken salad. The bones with bits of chicken can be reserved for, as Julia Child used to say, “a private meal.”
Don’t put soup in fridge while it’s still warm and don’t leave it out all night. Not good.
Matzoh Balls
from Faye Levy’s Low-Fat Jewish Cookbook. Thank you, Faye.
1/4 c. packed fresh parsley leaves 2 large eggs 2 T. canola oil 1/2 t. salt 1/2 c. matzoh meal 2 T. plain sparkling water (OR 2 T. chicken soup)Chop parsley in food processor or chop finely by hand. Set aside.
Lightly beat eggs with salt and oil.
Add matzoh meal and beat until well-blended.
Beat in water (or broth), and then chopped parsley.
Cover bowl and place in fridge for 20 minutes.
Bring about 2 quarts salted water to a boil in a large saucepan.
With a small bowl of cold water beside you, wet hands and quickly roll about a teaspoon of the matzoh ball mixture between your palms into a ball and place on a plate.
Reduce boiling water to a simmer and using a rubber spatula, carefully slide balls one at a time into the water. Cover and gently simmer for 30 minutes.
Cover and keep warm until ready to serve. If preparing a day or two ahead, store matzoh balls in saucepan with some of the cooking liquid to cover and a little soup added for flavor. Reheat gently.
Makes about 6 servings, recipe can be easily doubled.
Hey, how'd YOU get into the matzoh balls??
NEW & IMPROVED! Back in the days when I shopped in supermarkets all the time, it seemed that I couldn’t roll my cart a couple of feet down an aisle without cereal boxes, cookies, detergents, plastic wrap, whatever all practically yelling this slogan. What was so new & improved about them anyway? Fancier packaging?
A go-to glazing team
But these spicy glazed nuts, bb readers, are a nosh notch above my previous post in December 2011 (Party Goods: Will Bark for Nuts). Those nuts are delicious, no doubt, but this batch uses no added fat for the glaze. Usually glazed nuts require some type of fat, in the form of melted butter or oil for the glaze to stick. But since posting that last recipe, I spoke with a caterer (Jason Stroh) at a party who shared with me his favorite way to glaze nuts was with egg whites (of course, if you’re a no-eggs-eater, try this particular blend with 2 T. of canola oil). The egg whites seem to help all the delicious seasonings stick to the nuts even better.
This murky mix results in a beautiful glazed nut for your noshing pleasure
And you know how when you buy a new car, suddenly you see that car everywhere? You guessed it. Suddenly I was spotting recipes that used the egg white glaze over and over. Eliminate the added fat and incorporate some great-quality protein? Not a bad trade at all.
Highly addictive
SPICY GLAZED NUTS
Ingredients:
2 c. whole raw almonds 2 c. raw unsalted cashews 2 c. raw walnut halves 2 egg whites, slightly whisked 3 T. pure maple syrup 3 T. dark brown sugar 1/2 t. cinnamon 1/2 t. cumin 1/4 t. cayenne pepper 1-2 t. sea salt or kosher saltDirections:
Pre-heat oven to 350°. Roast the nuts for 8 minutes on a lined large sheet pan (use aluminum foil or parchment paper), stirring midway-through. Slightly beat egg whites, add all seasonings except salt and stir to combine (you can do this separately or in the bottom of the large bowl you’ll use for the nuts). Slide warm nuts into a large mixing bowl and pour sweet/spicy mixture over it. Coat the sheet pan with vegetable oil spray.
Spread the nuts in one layer (you may need 2 pans).Roast the nuts for 12-18 minutes, stirring twice with a large spatula, until nuts are glazed and golden brown. Sprinkle on about 1/2-1 t. of sea salt or kosher salt after 6 minutes – toss well. Do a second sprinkling of salt after 12 minutes – it really adds to the flavor. At this point,check if nuts are brown enough to your liking if if they need more time. Given, my oven, 18 minutes seems to do the trick (plus I like that number; it’s got a good vibe).
Cool, break up any clusters of nuts (this is where I have a hard time controlling sampling activity). The nuts keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks.
bb tip:
Choose a variety of nuts on hand or what you prefer. My favorites are almonds, walnuts, cashews and pecans. Other possibilities: pistachios, macadamias, peanuts.
Experiment with seasonings – taste to adjust sweetness, saltiness and heat. This is much more loose assembly than precise cooking!!
Pick your favorite nut mix
Blondies aka Congo Bars
This past weekend, my Novio and I went to hear a group that he’s crazy about, Bela Fleck and The Flecktones. He’s been raving about them for years and last weekend I finally learned why. Have I been living under a rock? The music they make is pure joy. Emotionally exhilarating and intellectually stimulating. Mostly instrumental, it just cannot be pigeon-holed into any particular genre. Jazz, bluegrass, fusion, classical, funk, world music – they flow from one to the other. These guys are geniuses. Bela Fleck plays the most awesome banjo (check him out, Lior!).
During the concert, I felt like I was alternately on this wonderful train or floating on a magic carpet. I found myself contemplating how we experience joy in life through our senses.
With food, if you’re into it like me, all of your senses are engaged. Open the door of any home where action is happening in the kitchen, and the delicious aromas hit you, baking or otherwise. Taste is another obvious one. But there’s also the musical pop of sauteing onions, the color riot at any farmer’s market and the touch of a fuzzy peach or an impossibly smooth eggplant.
I’ve been doing a lot of posts lately on delicious and healthful foods. Have you noticed my affinity for lentils this month? I’m either using up the beans in my kitchen or cleaning through my pantry or both.
Something deliciously desserty was in order. Blondies! Blondies (some people know them as Congo Bars) are bar cookies with endless possibilities for invention, just like Bela Fleck’s music. They can simply be a chocolate chip cookie in bar form. Or you can experiment with all sorts of variations in addition to or in place of chocolate chips: nuts, coconut, dried cranberries, dried cherries, white chocolate chips.
Lots of choices
Creaming butter & sugar
Love my Kitchen Aid!
Plop goes the blondie
Blondies, ready for launching
Does this look like the surface of the moon to you?
Here’s a blondies version I love:
and we’re cli-i-ming a stairway of Blondies
BLONDIES
Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. unbleached flour 1 t. baking powder 1/2 t. salt 1 1/2 sticks sweet butter, room temperature 1 1/4 c. light brown sugar 2 eggs, room temperature 2 t. pure vanilla ( the good stuff, always the good stuff) 1/2 c. (3/4 c. is wonderful) chocolate chips (I like the largest milk chocolate chips I can find) 1/2 c. white chocolate chips 1 c. pecans, coarsely chopped 1/2 c. unsweetened coconut (find it in the health foods section or a Whole Foods)Directions:
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).
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 chips, nuts and coconut.
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
Optional: Delete white chocolate chips and double the amount of chocolate chips to 1 cup.
bumbleberry breeze 