Friday, September 14, 2012

Simply, Splendid Salsa

This reason is not any different from any other salsa that you will find on the web but I figured that I would share in case no one realized just how easy it was to make salsa!

Salsa:
2-3 medium sized ripe, but firm tomatoes, diced (I do not seed them but feel free to do so)
1 green onion, chopped
1/2 c chopped, fresh cilantro
1-2 sliced of pickled jalenapnoes
1 small lime, juiced
salt
  1. Place chopped tomatoes in a bowl and sprinkle with salt then let sit while you prepare the rest of the ingredients;
  2. Drain off most of the liquid from the tomatoes, add remaining ingredients (including lime zest but be careful not to add too much because it will make it bitter).
If you can help yourself, this is best if you wait about 15 minutes to give the flavors time to meld. However, no one will hold it against you if you can't because this stuff is pretty amazing and I have actually eaten this as a meal with some chips, but also goes really well with poached eggs or tacos.
Poached egg with lime hollandaise sauce and fresh salsa

Enjoy!

Homemade Tomato Sauce

I am not really much of a gardener, quite the opposite really, but despite the uncharacteristic weather for the northeast this year (warm winter/spring, heavy rains followed by extremely warm and dry weather) Mother Nature decided to give me a break.






On top of having tons of cucumbers that I either ate, pickled or donated, I had TONS of tomatoes, which is absolutely fine by me. There is nothing eating a tomato straight from the vine while it is still warm from the summer sun... I digress... While eating a fresh tomato is great, they are many other things that you can make with them including salsa, bruschetta and, of course, tomato sauce.

I have actually attempted to make sauce before using other people's recipes and the end result was far from desirable (lacked body, too much of some other ingredient such as sugar/vinegar, or it was far from tasty). However, this time I decided to go with my instincts and keep it simple, aka "throw it in the pot and hope for the best," and this time it all worked out! Not only was it tasty but it was a big hit as well as versatile. 

I want to stop you now before I get into the recipe and say that this is NOT like some secret Italian family recipe and it is NOT like a jar that you are going to get off the shelf. What it IS is a very simple recipe that highlights the tomatoes and can be an excellent base for many other meals such as chili, meatball subs or spaghetti sauce where you add other vegetables... the possibilities are endless!

Tomato Sauce:
1 medium onion, diced
1 red pepper, chunked
1-2 TB fresh garlic, finely diced
4-5 lbs tomatoes
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried parsley
salt and pepper, to taste

Almost there! See how it has already reduced
quite a bit from the original height?
  1. Heat safflower oil over medium heat then add onions and cook until slightly brown;
  2. Add red peppers and cook until soft then add garlic and cook until fragrant;
  3. Start adding tomatoes in batches, you want the temperature to come back up in between additions;
  4. Once all the tomatoes are added, sprinkle with salt and bring to a boil;
  5. Add herbs and pepper then reduce to a simmer;
  6. Continue to cook, stirring frequently until most of the water has evaporated, but not so much that the tomatoes are starting to stick to the bottom;
  7. Set a blender basin in a warm water bath to bring the temperature of the glass up then add the mixture in batches, blending until smooth;
  8. Return to the pot and continue to cook until sauce has reached desired consistency.
  9. You can use this sauce right away of store in an airtight container in the fridge for about a week. I did jar some of mine, but I am not advanced enough in that are to be giving advice. Either way, I hope you enjoy!
Bad picture but yummy sauce :-)


Chili with Quinoa and Sweet Potato

Nothing welcomes fall quite like a bowl of chili. However, having family members whom have food sensitivity, makes eating high fiber foods such beans, less than magical. I saw this recipe on Pinterst and had to give it a try with a few modifications (I omitted beans and added grass-fed ground beef) and it was and instant hit for the whole family!

Chili
Safflower oil
Small onion, diced
Small green pepper, diced
1 lb grass-fed ground beef
Medium sweet potato, cubed
1 TB cumin
1 TB ancho chili powder
1c Homemade tomato sauce
4c Veggie Broth
1c Quinoa
*Optional: Avacado, sour cream, plain yogurt and/or cilantro
  1. Heat safflower oil over medium heat then add onions until translucent and starting to brown.
  2. Add green peppers and cook until soft then add raw hamburger and cook thoroughly. 
  3. Add sweet potato and cook for 5 minutes then add spices, making sure to coat mix well;
  4. Add tomato sauce and bring back up to heat then add broth and increase heat to high.
  5. Once boiling, add quinoa, reduce heat to a simmer and stir uncovered ever 5 minutes until quinoa is cooked (about 20 minutes). If you find that the mixture is getting thick before quinoa is cooked add cover.
  6. Remove from heat and cover for 15 minutes to let flavors marinate. 
  7. Top with you favorite chili condiment and enjoy! Perfect the day after or on those cool fall days!


Monday, September 10, 2012

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Ginger-Cream Cheese Filling

Not only do I love fall because I can wear comfortable clothes without sweating to death, but I can make all things pumpkin and seem normal. By the time December comes around, I go into pumpkin overload! However, these whoopie pies are the perfect introduction to the season: the cakes are moist, firm and the filling perfectly sweet with a hint of spice from the ginger. I was happy with the consistency of the filling in terms of fluff but I found it a bit grainy and I didn't want to add milk in fear that it would turn into a glaze. I also found it helpful to put filling in the frdge until I need it so that it did not melt.

Cakes:
3c All purpose flour
1tsp baking soda
1tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1TB ground cinnamon powder
1TB ground nutmeg powder
2c packed brown sugar
32 oz of organic, canned pumpkin pie filling (I use a can and a half)- this comes pre-spiced so adjust dry ingredients to your taste
1c coconut oil
2 large eggs
1TB Vanilla
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Place dry ingredients, including brown sugar, in the mixer and sift until completely mixed.
  3. Add canned pumpkin, oil, eggs and vanilla.
  4. Continue to beat on medium until mixed well, scraping bowl often.
  5. Use a small ice cream scoop or large table spoons to drop dough onto cookie sheets and bake 15 minutes then let cool on the pan.
Filling:
1 stick of butter, cubed and chilled
Pinch of salt
1/2 c cream cheese, chilled
2c powdered sugar
1tsp fresh ground ginger
  1. Beat butter and salt on medium heat until creamed.
  2. Add cream cheese and beat on medium-high until fluffy.
  3. Add sugar and continue to beat on high until well combined then add ginger. I get mine in a jar that is pre-ground but you can use fresh as well.
  4. Continue to beat the heck out of it on high until it is very fluffy. If it is warm out, you may need to put it in the fridge to chill and resume beating. 
Assemble pies by taking a spoonful and sandwiching between two cakes. Best right away but left overs, if there are any, are good for a week in the fridge (let come to room temp before eating).

GF Banana Whoopie Pies with Fluffy Peanut Butter Filling

So I have been on hiatus planning some things that I will blog about later and I'll get right to the point and post some of this summer's creations. One thing I love to make is whoopie pies, and if you are from the northeast like I am, you know that there is a science to the perfect one. You need to have a fluffy cake that is the perfect balance between fluffy, but not too dry, and moist, but not too fudgey. Then the filling needs to be fluffy, but gritty, and flavorful, but not too sweet.

When we found out my husband was having trouble with gluten, I thought that my baking life was over. Years of perfected recipes were lost to food allergies. However, that is not the case. It took a little while but I was finally able to find a combination that makes whoopie pies that are close to the original and no one can really tell the difference. These would be vegan except for I used butter in the filling.

Cakes:
2c of all purpose GF Flour
1tsp of xanthum gum
1tsp baking soda
1tsp salt
3 very ripe banana
1/4c coconut oil, melted
1/4c apple sauce
1tsp vanilla
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  2. Sift together dry ingredients and mix together wet ingredients in separate bowls.
  3. Create well in center of dry ingredients and add wet into it and mix quickly. The dough will thicken as it sits, so you want to get it mixed quickly. It will look like think play dough.
  4. Scoop by the tablespoonful onto cookie sheets (I do two sheets at a time).
  5. Start by baking 7 minutes (one sheet top rack and other the bottom rack), then alternate and continue baking an additional 7 minutes.
  6. Remove from oven and let sit on sheets for at least 15 minutes while cakes firm. 
Filling:
1 stick of butter, cubed and chilled
pinch of salt
1/2c peanut butter
2c powdered sugar
1TB milk (if necessary)
  1.  Whip butter and salt in mixer on medium until creamy.
  2. Add peanut butter and continue to beat until fluffy (should lighten in color)
  3. Add sugar and beat on medium until fluffy. If filling is still dry/stiff, add milk and beat on high until fluffy.
To assemble cakes, take a spoonful of filling and sandwich between two cakes. Best if consumed right away, but you can keep left overs in the fridge up to a week and let reach room temp before eating.

Hope you enjoy! I'll post more flavors soon!