recipe_x_recipe_image.id,recipe.id,recipe.ts,recipe.title,recipe.ingredient,recipe.recipe_intronote,recipe.recipe_method,recipe.recipe_description,recipe.author,recipe.date_time,recipe.description,recipe.photography_credit,recipe.recipe_name,recipe.recipe_prep_time,recipe.recipe_cook_time,recipe.yield,recipe_image.id,recipe_image.ts
201,6128,"2017-09-25 04:44:28","Roasted Parsnips","1 1/2 pounds of parsnips, peeled and cut into 2 1/2 inch batons 4 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil Salt and freshly ground pepper 1/3 cup of stock - turkey stock, low-sodium chicken stock or vegetable broth (for vegetarian option)* 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened 4 teaspoons drained, bottled horseradish (how to make homemade horseradish) 1/2 Tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley 1/2 Tbsp minced chives 1/2 small garlic clove, minced. *If cooking gluten-free, use homemade stock or gluten-free packaged broth.","Note that parsnips at the end of the season (February vs. November) can have a woodier center, which no amount of cooking can soften. If this is the case with your parsnips, you might want to cut some of the center part out and discard before cooking.","1 Pre-heat oven to 400°F. In a large roasting pan, toss the parsnips with the olive oil, salt and pepper. (Use a roasting pan with sides no more than 2 inches high.) Add the broth, cover with aluminum foil and roast, stirring once or twice, until the parsnips are tender and the stock has evaporated or been absorbed, 20-45 minutes (depending on how tender the parsnips are to begin with). Check often to avoid their getting mushy - especially if they are to be reheated later. 2 Combine the softened butter with the horseradish, parsley, chives and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Toss the warm roasted parsnips with the horseradish-herb butter and serve. 3 The parsnips (with the oil, salt, pepper, and broth) can be pre-cooked in a covered container in the microwave for 5 minutes. Transfer to oven to finish cooking in a much shorter time. You may want to uncover them to help evaporate the liquid when in the oven.","Recently I had the pleasure of attending a fabulous class, taught by and in the home of local cooking maestra Evie Lieb. In the class we covered many dishes, but my favorite was the Roasted Parsnips with Horseradish-Herb Butter. I love these parsnips! Note to those who run from horseradish – try it anyway. I can’t distinguish the horseradish from the flavors of the parsnips and butter, and neither could my parents until I told them what was in it. The flavors of the ingredients are a perfect complement to each other. Do you have a favorite parsnip recipe? Please let us know about it in the comments. ~Elise","Elise Bauer",,"Parsnips roasted in butter and stock with parsley, chives, garlic, and a touch of horseradish.","Elise Bauer","Parsnips roasted in butter and stock with parsley, chives, garlic, and a touch of horseradish.",,,"Serves 4.",201,"2017-09-25 04:44:28"
202,6148,"2017-09-25 04:44:53","Spring Fava Bean Fennel Salad","2-3 lbs fresh fava beans (also called broad beans), yielding about 1 1/2 to 2 cups shelled beans Salt 1 small bulb fennel, thinly sliced (mandoline works well for this) 2 ounces Parmesan cheese, thinly sliced 10 fresh mint leaves, thinly sliced (chiffonade by stacking leaves and rolling them into a cigar shape, cut thin slices from the end) 2 scallions (green onions), sliced Extra virgin olive oil Lemon juice Freshly ground black pepper",,"1 Fava beans need to be shelled twice, first before cooking to remove the outer pod, then after cooking, to remove the tough membrane around the bean. To remove the outer pod, work over a large bowl and squeeze the bean with your fingers, bending the pod so that when it snaps, the bean inside shoots out into the bowl. Remove all the beans from their pods. 2 Add the beans to 2 quarts of boiling, salted water. Simmer the beans for a few minutes, until just tender. Use a slotted spoon to remove the beans from the pan and plunge into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking, and to shock the beans into a bright green color. Let the beans sit in the ice water for a minute or two, then drain them and remove the outer peel. 3 In a bowl combine the freshly peeled and cooked fava beans, the sliced fennel, and onions. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over the mixture, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Squeeze some lemon juice over the the salad (about a tablespoon), add the Parmesan and mint, and toss to mix. Garnish with fennel fronds and/or mint sprigs.","Fava beans are a gardener’s dream. The come up early in Spring, they’re easy to grow, and their roots fix nitrogen in the soil, helping to prepare the soil for vegetables planted later in the season. They are delicious, though you do have to work for it. Unless very young, the beans need to be shucked twice, first before cooking to remove the bean from the pod, and then after cooking to remove the tough outer membrane from the bean. Garrett was over the other day to help pick and shuck and we made this lovely spring salad with fava beans from my garden. Fennel and Parmesan are one of those weird but wonderful flavor combinations that work great alongside fava beans and mint . We still have plenty of favas growing in our garden. Do you have a favorite way of preparing them? (Hold the Hannibal Lector quote, thank you.) If so, please let us know about it in the comments.","Elise Bauer",,"Fresh fava bean salad with sliced fennel, mint, scallions, and Parmesan.","Elise Bauer","Fresh fava bean salad with sliced fennel, mint, scallions, and Parmesan.",,,"Serves 4.",202,"2017-09-25 04:44:53"
203,6154,"2017-09-25 04:44:56","Ham, Potato and Leek Soup","2 Tbsp unsalted butter 4 cups thinly sliced leeks, white and light green parts only 4 cups chicken broth* 2 large russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2 inch pieces 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper 2 cups ham, diced 1/4 cup cream or half and half (optional) Salt to taste 3 Tbsp fresh parsley, chives or dill, chopped *If cooking gluten-free use homemade chicken stock or gluten-free packaged broth.",,"1 Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks, cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chicken broth, potatoes and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. 2 Reduce heat; cover and simmer 25 minutes or until vegetables are very tender. Using a blender or food processor, working in batches, process until smooth. 3 Stir in diced ham and cream. Season to taste with salt. Garnish with parsley, chives or dill.","What to do with leftover Easter ham? If it’s still chilly where you are, warm up quickly with a simple potato leek soup with some added chopped ham. This is one of our standby recipes when we have extra ham because it’s so easy to make and it’s such good comfort food. You can choose to add the extra cream or not. You can purée the soup as directed for a smooth soup, or just a few pulses for something more chunky and rustic. Experiment as well with herbs or added cheeses. Suggestions from readers include using coriander (cilantro) instead of parsley, or adding some shredded Gouda.","Elise Bauer",,"Warm, creamy, filling soup with russet potatoes, fresh leeks, and chopped ham.","Elise Bauer","Warm, creamy, filling soup with russet potatoes, fresh leeks, and chopped ham.",,,"Serves 6",203,"2017-09-25 04:44:56"
204,6173,"2017-09-25 04:45:14","Chayote with Tomato and Green Chile","1 pound chayotes 6 ounces of roasted tomatoes (can use canned fire roasted tomatoes, or roast whole tomatoes on stovetop or under broiler until skin begins to blacken, do not remove skin but process whole) 1 clove garlic, chopped 2 Tbsp olive oil 2 Tbsp chopped onion 1 large green Anaheim chile (stem and seeds removed and discarded), chopped Pinch red chile pepper flakes 1/4 cup water Salt to taste 1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro 1/4 cup finely grated Monterey Jack cheese",,"1 The peel is tough and inedible when cooked, so peel the chayotes completely. (This may take a little doing, as the folds in the chayotes can make it difficult.) Cut the chayotes into 1/4-inch wide, 2 inch long julienned strips, including the core. 2 Purée the roasted tomatoes and the garlic in a blender, set aside. 3 Heat oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add the chopped onion and green chiles. Cook on medium heat until just soft, about 3-4 minutes. Add the tomato mixture, red chile flakes, and continue to cook 3 minutes more. Add the chayote, water, and salt to taste. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes. Add the chopped cilantro and cook for 5 minutes more. The chayote should be just tender, moist but not watery. 4 Sprinkle with grated cheese and serve.","Perhaps you too have noticed an odd, pale green, oblong is-it-a-fruit is-it-a-vegetable in your market and wondered what the heck it was, or what you could make with it. Actually I’ve known the name of it for a while&#8212chayote; one sees them often in Mexican markets out here, and Whole Foods carries them. But it wasn’t until a friend thrust one into my hand with the challenge “it’s good, I’d love to see what you make with it” that I actually set out to cook one. Chayotes, also known as “vegetable pears”, are related to zucchini, cucumber, and melons, and in a way, taste like a combination of all three. They are a staple of Mexico and Costa Rica, are high in vitamin C, low in calories, and are a good source of fiber. They can be eaten raw, or cooked, and like zucchini, fried, baked, broiled, sautéed, steamed, or mashed. The following recipe is based off of one from Diana Kennedy, who so often comes to the rescue when one is contemplating a Mexican ingredient. The dish reminds me of my mother’s summer zucchini, which is sautéed with onions and tomatoes, and served with cheese melted in. And like zucchini, the mild chayote is a lovely backdrop for the more flavorful ingredients. Do you have a favorite chayote recipe? If so, please let us know about it in the comments.","Elise Bauer",,"Julienned chayotes cooked with roasted tomatoes, onions, green chiles and cilantro.","Elise Bauer","Julienned chayotes cooked with roasted tomatoes, onions, green chiles and cilantro.",,,"Serves 4.",204,"2017-09-25 04:45:14"
205,6185,"2017-09-25 04:45:24","Mom’s Warm Potato Salad","2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes (about 3 large), cut into uniform 1/2 to 1-inch pieces 1/2 cup chopped celery 1/2 cup chopped red onion 1/3 cup chopped flavorful olives - green or Kalamata 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar 1/4 cup olive oil Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste","You can either cook the potatoes whole, and cut them after they are done (better retention of nutrients) or cook them already cut. My mother prefers to cook them already cut because they cook more evenly this way, and the cooking time is shorter.","1 Put potatoes into a saucepan, cover with an inch of cold water. Salt the water (about a teaspoon and a half for 2 quarts of water). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. Cover. Simmer for 10 minutes or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork. Drain well. 2 Put potatoes in a large serving bowl with the celery, red onion, olives, and parsley. Add the rice vinegar and oil while the potatoes are still warm, so they absorb the dressing. Add salt and pepper to taste. Adjust vinegar and oil to taste. Serve warm.","I don’t know about you, but summer around here has us making potato salads more often than in other seasons. This is the latest one my mother put together; my father has made her make it several times since, and my brothers have devoured it with raves for mom. No mayo, just a simple rice vinegar olive oil dressing.","Elise Bauer",,"Warm potato salad with Yukon Gold potatoes, celery, red onion, olives, parsley, and a simple rice vinegar vinaigrette","Elise Bauer","Warm potato salad with Yukon Gold potatoes, celery, red onion, olives, parsley, and a simple rice vinegar vinaigrette",,,"Serves 4 to 6.",205,"2017-09-25 04:45:24"
206,6186,"2017-09-25 04:45:30","Grits with Corn and Onion Greens","1 Tbsp olive oil 1 large white or yellow onion, grated 1 cup whole corn kernels, either frozen or freshly cut from the cob 2 cups whole milk 2 cups water Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 cup stone-ground grits or coarse-ground grits 2 tablespoons butter 3/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (about 3 ounces) 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 1/4 cup chopped fresh green onion greens",,"1 Heat the oil n a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the grated onion and cook, stirring, until transparent, about 2 minutes. Add the corn kernels and cook, stirring occasionally, until the kernels become soft, about 5 minutes. 2 Add the milk, water, and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Whisk in the grits, decrease the heat to low, and simmer, whisking occasionally, until the grits are creamy and thick, 45 to 60 minutes. Stir in the butter, Parmesan, parsley, and chopped green onions. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.","A dear friend of mine from Alabama called me recently and demanded to know, “why aren’t there any grits on your site?!” Uh, because I’m not Southern and I don’t know what the heck I’m talking about when it comes to grits and I can’t even try to fake it with our readers? Well, not knowing what we are doing has never stopped us in the past, and my dear ole dad found a recipe for grits he couldn’t pass up. This was so good I made him make it twice. What I have learned in researching grits is that people who grew up eating them are passionate about how they like them – white corn, hominy grits, with syrup for breakfast, etc. So, if you have a particular way that you like your grits, please let us know about it in the comments. By the way, according to NBC, Michael Phelps eats grits for breakfast, along with several fried egg sandwiches, an omelet, three slices of French toast, and a stack of chocolate chip pancakes. Breakfast of champions.","Elise Bauer",,"Savory grits with extra corn and green onion greens, Parmesan cheese, and parsley.","Elise Bauer","Savory grits with extra corn and green onion greens, Parmesan cheese, and parsley.",,,"Serves 6 to 8.",206,"2017-09-25 04:45:30"
207,6187,"2017-09-25 04:45:36","Potato Salad with Apples and Bacon","5 thick strips bacon 1 large red or yellow onion, chopped Salt 2 Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and cut in 1/2-inch dice 3 pounds small yellow Yukon Gold potatoes, quartered 4 green onions, thinly sliced, including the greens 1/2 cup olive oil 1/4 cup red wine vinegar 1/4 cup Dijon mustard 1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper",,"1 Combine the potatoes and enough cold water to cover by a couple of inches in a large saucepan. Add a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and cover the pan. Simmer for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork. Drain well. 2 While the potatoes are cooking, cook the bacon in a heavy-based skillet over medium heat. Once cooked, remove the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels. Reserve the bacon fat in the pan. Once the bacon is cool, chop it. 3 Cook the onion in the fat in the pan on medium heat, until softened and just starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the onion from the pan to a large bowl, set aside. Add the chopped apple to the bowl. 4 Add the potatoes and chopped bacon to the onions and apple. Add the green onions, olive oil, vinegar, mustard, and thyme. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve either warm, room temperature, or cold.","Summer is the season for cookouts and potato salad, isn’t it? Our standard potato salad usually includes pickle juice and hard boiled eggs. Here’s a completely different take on a summer potato salad, seasoned with mustard, bacon, and the taste that makes you smile with surprise when you bite into it, chunks of apple. My friend Heidi H made this potato salad for a group of us this week; it’s based on a recipe she found recently in the Boston Globe. Everyone who ate it loved the apple, bacon, mustard, potato combo.","Elise Bauer",,"Perfect summer potluck potato salad with Yukon Gold potatoes, bacon, onions, and chopped apple.","Elise Bauer","Perfect summer potluck potato salad with Yukon Gold potatoes, bacon, onions, and chopped apple.",,,"Serves 8.",207,"2017-09-25 04:45:36"
208,6189,"2017-09-25 04:45:40","Blueberry Peach Fruit Salad with Thyme","4 peaches 4 nectarines 1 cup of blueberries 2 teaspoons of fresh, chopped thyme 1 teaspoon of grated ginger 1/4 cup of lemon juice 1 teaspoon of lemon zest 1/2 cup of water 1/4 cup of sugar (depending on how sweet the fruit is, you may be able to skip all together) Or 1 tablespoon of agave syrup in lieu of water and sugar",,"1 If using water and sugar place them into a saucepot and bring to a boil and liquid is reduced by half into a simple syrup. Allow to cool. 2 Chop up the peaches and nectarines and place them in a bowl with the blueberries. Pour over the cooled simple syrup or agave syrup. Add the thyme, lemon juice, lemon zest, and ginger. 3 Stir and cover with plastic wrap, place in the fridge and allow to macerate for one hour. Serve.","Please welcome Garrett McCord who shares this delicious cancer-fighting fruit salad with us. ~Elise Recently my mom, Suzanne McCord, was diagnosed with breast cancer. I was surprised when I heard the news, my mother is in her early sixties, but is insanely active and healthy. The woman recently participated the AIDS lifecycle event; a 6 day, 550 mile bike ride. A few days after, she was off to Egypt and Russia. I get tired biking to work, and my last big trip was Napa which is only an hour away. In fact, her main concern after being diagnosed was that the surgery would get in the way of her bike riding. After hearing about mom, I went to work doing some research about ways I could help using what I know best – food. I wanted to put together something that was easy to prepare, full of flavor, and packed with cancer fighting vitamins and antioxidants. After a bit of research into cancer smart foods and what seemed to work well, I developed this recipe. This simple fruit salad works at the start of the meal or as a dessert. The fruit is lightly glazed with either a simple syrup or agave syrup. Ginger, a bit of lemon, and some savory thyme which pairs amazingly with summer fruits accents the tartness of the berries and the sweetness of the stone fruit. In recognition of my awesome, kicking cancer-butt mom, I’ve nicknamed this a Suzanne Salad.","Garrett McCord",,"Blueberry, peach, nectarine fruit salad seasoned with fresh thyme, ginger, and lemon juice.","Elise Bauer","Blueberry, peach, nectarine fruit salad seasoned with fresh thyme, ginger, and lemon juice.",,,"Serves 4-8.",208,"2017-09-25 04:45:40"
209,6220,"2017-09-25 04:46:05","Twice Baked Potatoes","4 large russet potatoes, about a pound each Olive oil 1/2 cup sour cream 1/2 cup milk 2 Tbsp butter, softened 1 Tbsp cream Cheddar and bacon version 1 cup grated cheddar cheese 4 strips bacon 1/4 cup chopped green onion Blue cheese and chives version 1 cup crumbled blue cheese 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives 1/2 teaspoon salt",,"1 Bake the potatoes. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Scrub the potatoes clean under running water. Poke each potato in several places with the tines of a fork so that when the potatoes are cooking they don't explode. Rub the potatoes all over with a little olive oil. Place directly on the middle or top rack of the oven. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked through. They should give a little when pressed. If short on time you can bake the potatoes in the microwave, 10 minutes on high heat for 2 potatoes, 15 minutes for 4 potatoes. The skins of microwave baked potatoes aren't nearly as crispy, so you may want to rub a little olive oil on them and finish them in a conventional oven at 400°F for 10 minutes. 2 If you are including bacon as one of your mix-ins, while the potatoes are cooking, cook the bacon strips in a frying pan on medium low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, or until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Let cool. Crumble. 3 Allow the potatoes to cool to touch. Slice the top third lengthwise off the potato. Use a spoon to scoop out the insides, forming a potato ""canoe"", leaving about 1/4 inch of potato on the skin. Alternatively you can slice the potatoes in half, lengthwise. In this case you may want to bake an extra potato so that you will have more potato filling to mound into the potato boats. 4 Place the scooped out potato insides, sour cream, milk, cream, and butter into a large bowl. Mash with a potato masher. If you want a creamy texture, beat with an electric beater until desired consistency. Note, do not over-beat potatoes, they can turn glue-y. 5 Mix in the extras with the potatoes. Reserve some of the extras to sprinkle on the tops of the potatoes. Spoon fillings into the potato shells. Sprinkle with extra toppings. 6 Heat oven to 350°F. Place potatoes on a roasting pan and bake 15 to 20 minutes until heated through.","Sometimes deciding what to make for dinner comes starts with the inspiration of just one ingredient. A friend of mine sent us some wonderful blue cheese this week and my father decided that he wanted to make twice baked potatoes with it. Neither one of us has made stuffed potatoes in a while, so we ended up experimenting over several days with various combinations. We settled on two, one a classic twice-baked potato mashed with some combination of sour cream, milk, and butter, and mixed in with crumbled bacon, green onions, and grated cheddar cheese. The other combination uses our blue cheese with some chopped chives. The best thing about this recipe is that it’s wonderfully flexible. The amounts shown are a guideline, but really it’s up to your own imagination and taste. We like a creamy and fluffy potato stuffing, so we add cream and beat the potatoes with a hand mixer. Any combination of topping ingredients will do. Do you have a favorite twice-baked potato recipe? If so, please let us know in the comments.","Elise Bauer",,"Twice baked potato recipes. One with a cheddar cheese and bacon stuffing, the other with a blue cheese and chives stuffing.","Elise Bauer","Twice baked potato recipes. One with a cheddar cheese and bacon stuffing, the other with a blue cheese and chives stuffing.",,"1 hour, 45 minutes","Serves 4 to 6.",209,"2017-09-25 04:46:05"
210,6248,"2017-09-25 04:46:34","Vegetarian Banana Leaf Tamales","1 pound package of banana leaves, frozen or fresh (available at most Asian or Mexican markets) 2 pounds of already prepared tamale masa, or 3 cups masa harina (masa flour NOT regular corn meal) Note that prepared masa often has lard in it, so if you are going vegetarian on this recipe consider making your own masa from scratch, or buying a vegetarian prepared masa. Sauce Ingredients 3 dried ancho chilies 1 clove garlic 2 whole cloves 2 whole peppercorns Salt Olive oil Calabacitas (Mexican squash) Filling Ingredients Olive oil 1 cup chopped carrots (about 1 1/2 carrots) 1/2 cup chopped red onion (about 1/2 onion) 3 large cloves garlic, peeled and chopped 2 calabacitas (Mexican summer squash, can substitute zucchini), roughly chopped (1 1/2 cups) 2 plum tomatoes, cored and chopped (about 1 cup) 1 small bunch of spinach (about 15-20 leaves), rinsed, stems removed and discarded, chopped Salt 12 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, cut into 3"" x 3/4"" x 1/2"" pieces Special Equipment Needed A large stockpot with a steamer rack",,"Prepare the Masa If you have purchased prepared masa, you can skip this step. If you have masa harina (masa flour), add warm water to the masa harina, amount according to the instructions on the package. Stir to incorporate. Let sit for several minutes. Need the dough with your hands just enough so that all of the masa flour is incorporated. Prepare the Sauce See the instructions in this red chili sauce recipe for preparing the chili sauce with the ancho chilies. Before you start to handle chilies, either wear protective gloves or rub a little olive oil over your hands. Once you are finished handling chiles, wash your hands well with warm soapy water. Be careful not to touch your eyes if you've been handling chiles! 1 Use a sharp knife and make a cut down the side of each chile. Pry open the chiles and remove the seed pods and stems. Pull off any visible veins that run down the insides of the chiles. Reserve a few of the seeds if you need to add them later for more heat. 2 Heat a large skillet on medium heat. Flatten out the chiles and place them open-side down on the skillet. Press down on them with a metal spatula. After a few seconds turn the chiles over and cook them a few more seconds. Heat them only enough to soften them and to release their flavor, do not heat them to the extent that they would burn. 3 Place the chiles in a small saucepan and cover them with water. Bring the water to a boil and remove the pot from the heat. Let the chiles rest in the hot water for 10 minutes until they have softened. Alternatively, place the chiles in a bowl and pour boiling water over them, let them sit for 15 minutes, until softened. 4 Place the chiles and 1 1/2 cups of the chile soaking water into a blender. Add the garlic, salt, pepper, and ground cloves. Purée until completely smooth, a couple of minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Add more salt and/or chili seeds if needed. 5 Place a sieve over a skillet and pour the sauce into the sieve, pressing it through to the skillet. Heat the skillet and bring the sauce to a simmer. Add a tablespoon of olive oil. Simmer for 10 minutes, skimming off any foam. Remove from heat. Prepare the Banana Leaves If you are using frozen banana leaves (available at many Asian and Mexican markets), rinse them under warm water to defrost. Cut away the thick edges of the leaves. If you are using fresh banana leaves, also cut away the thick edges (and central stem if you are using freshly cut leaves). Note that you can cut off sinewy strips from the stem edge of the banana leaves to use as ties for the tamales. Rinse the leaves. Banana leaves may be brittle and tear when you try to fold them. One way I've heard of to soften them is to soak them in warm, salted water for about an hour. Another way to soften them which I have found effective, is to hold them over heat, either over a gas burner or a hot pan for a few seconds. Heat them only enough so that they turn color (brighter green) and soften. If you heat them too long, they will toast and become brittle again. Cut the banana leaves into rectangles about 8""x10"". Dry off with a towel. Prepare the Filling 1 Coat the bottom of a very large sauté pan with 1-2 Tbsp olive oil. Heat to high heat. Add the onions, garlic, and carrots. Sauté for a couple of minutes, stirring constantly. Then add the tomatoes and squash. Sauté for a couple more minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add the spinach and cook, stirring, until just wilted. Remove from heat. 2 Stir in 1/2 cup of chile sauce to the vegetables. Taste. Add more salt if needed. Assemble the Tamales Banana leaves have two sides. One side, the top of the leaf, is deep green and has somewhat thick ridges. The other side, the bottom of the leaf, is lighter green and is smoother. According to Diana Kennedy (and they guy I talked to at the local Mexican market) you will want to place the masa on the lighter green, smoother side of the leaf. (I've done it both ways and haven't found it making that big of a difference to the taste.) 1 Lay out the rectangle piece of banana leaf, light side up. Place a 1/4 to a 1/3 of a cup of masa on the center of the banana leaf. Press down on it with the palm of your hand to spread it out a bit. 2 Place a small bit (about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon) of the red chili sauce on the masa. Place a strip of Monterey Jack cheese on top. Scoop some of the vegetable mixture (1/4 to 1/3 cup) on top of the cheese and masa. 3 Bring together the two long sides of the banana leaf and fold over, tucking one edge over the other if you can (if not, don't sweat it). Fold the two remaining sides under the tamale. Secure with a piece of kitchen string, or with some of the long stringy pieces that you can cut from the stem edge of the banana leaves. You can also make ties by pulling off some long thin strips from the larger part of the banana leaf and tying them together to form a long enough strip with which to tie up a tamale. Or, you can skip the tying step all together and just fold them well. If upon your first attempt to wrap a tamale the banana leaf is too brittle and tears, you may need to soften the banana leaves by heating them first as mentioned earlier. Steam the Tamales 1 Place a steamer rack in the bottom of a very large stockpot. Add enough water to almost come up to the level of the steam rack, about 3/4 or 1 inch. Line the top of the steam rack with banana leaves. 2 Carefully place the tamales in layers on the bottom of the pan. When you have added all of the tamales, add another layer of banana leaves. Cover the pot. 3 Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Steam cook for approximately one hour. Makes approximately one dozen tamales.","Tamales are a Latin American favorite, a delicious filling surrounded by corn meal dough, and steamed until cooked. Most tamales that we have the occasion to eat here in the US are wrapped in corn husks, the method typical of central and Northern Mexico. In the more tropical areas of Mexico and Central America, you’ll commonly find tamales wrapped in banana leaves or plantain leaves, which have their own unique and subtle flavor. If you’ve never made tamales before, it’s a pretty long and involved process, which is why the making of them is so often a social event. Several dozens are made at a time, with the help of many hands. Tamales freeze well, so it makes sense to make more than you can eat at the time. The following process for making these wonderful banana leaf tamales was taught to me over several days by my good friend Arturo, who calls them “nacatamales”. I have since made them several times for our family with great results. This recipe is for a vegetarian filling, but you could also use a pulled pork or shredded chicken filling. The recipe makes about one dozen tamales; you can easily scale up the recipe. As Arturo says, !Delicioso!","Elise Bauer",,"Banana leaf tamales recipe. Tamale corn masa, stuffed with cheese, calabasitas squash, carrots, tomatoes, garlic, and chili sauce, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed.","Elise Bauer","Banana leaf tamales recipe. Tamale corn masa, stuffed with cheese, calabasitas squash, carrots, tomatoes, garlic, and chili sauce, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed.",,,,210,"2017-09-25 04:46:34"
211,6266,"2017-09-25 04:46:48","Baby Bok Choy with Sherry and Prosciutto","1 Tbsp vegetable oil 4 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced 6 heads baby bok choy, cut in half lengthwise 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt, more as needed 1/4 cup dry sherry 1/2 cup chicken broth 1 Tbsp soy sauce (use gluten-free soy sauce for gluten-free version of recipe) 1/4 teaspoon sugar 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with a tablespoon of cold water 1/3 to 1/2 cup of thinly sliced prosciutto cut into 1/4-inch strips, or finely chopped",,"1 Put the oil and garlic into a large, heavy-based sauté pan with a lid. Heat on medium high heat and cook, stirring frequently until the garlic begins to sizzle, about 1 minute. 2 Add the bok choy halves. Use tongs to turn the pieces in the oil. Season with salt. When the bok choy leaves begin to wilt, add the sherry, turning the pieces again. Add the chicken broth, soy sauce, and sugar. Reduce the heat to medium. Cover and simmer until the bok choy tops are wilted and the stalks are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the bok choy to a plate, leaving the cooking fluid in the pan. 3 Whisk the corn starch slurry into the cooking fluid. Simmer until liquid has thickened, about 30 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat and add the bok choy back to the pan. Add the prosciutto and toss quickly to coat the bok choy with the broth and mix with the prosciutto. Season to taste with salt. Serve immediately.","I admit, I am not the greatest fan of bok choy, perhaps as result of too many poorly done stir-fries during college. That said, my father made this recipe from Fine Cooking the other day and it was so good I made a trip to the store just to get more baby bok choy and had him make it again. Perhaps it’s the addition of sherry and prosciutto? Likely. Do you like bok choy? If so, what’s your favorite recipe?","Elise Bauer",,"Bok choy cooked with garlic, sherry, chicken broth, and prosciutto.","Elise Bauer","Bok choy cooked with garlic, sherry, chicken broth, and prosciutto.",,,"Serves 4 to 6",211,"2017-09-25 04:46:48"
212,6270,"2017-09-25 04:46:50","Puréed Roasted Parsnips","2 lbs parsnips, peeled, stringy cores removed, chopped (about 1 1/2 pounds after removing cores) 3 Tbsp butter, melted 1 1/2 cup water 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg Salt and pepper to taste",,"1 Preheat oven to 400°F. Peel parsnips, make a cut off the top of the fat end of each parsnip. This will show you extent of the inner core. Often this core is stringy and woody, especially at the larger end of the parsnip. When you are prepping the parsnips, cut around this core. 2 Place chopped parsnips in a medium sized bowl, add the melted butter and stir to coat. Lay out the parsnips on a roasting pan in a single layer. Roast in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, at 400°F, until lightly golden, turning the parsnips once half-way through the cooking. 3 Put cooked parsnips into a blender or food processor. Add 1 1/2 cups water, and pulse until puréed to the desired consistency. Add more water if necessary. Add nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste.","The easiest way to prepare parsnips is to slice them, steam them, and dress with butter and salt. However, to get the fullest, richest flavor from the parsnips, they should be roasted. The browning caramelizes the natural sugars in the parsnips. In this recipe we first roast the parsnips with some butter, then purée them with added water. It’s quite simple, but if you’ve never had parsnips this way, you’re in for a treat.","Elise Bauer",,"Caramelized roasted parsnips are pureed into a delicious mash, seasoned with butter, salt, pepper and a dash of nutmeg.","Elise Bauer","Caramelized roasted parsnips are pureed into a delicious mash, seasoned with butter, salt, pepper and a dash of nutmeg.",,,"Serves 4.",212,"2017-09-25 04:46:50"
213,6280,"2017-09-25 04:46:56","Eggplant Lentil Stew with Pomegranate Molasses","One 1 1/2-pound globe eggplant (or enough eggplants for 1 1/2 pounds) Salt 1/2 cup brown lentils Water 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 medium onion, finely chopped 4 medium garlic cloves, minced 2 medium tomatoes, chopped 2 long green chiles, such as Anaheims—stemmed, seeded and coarsely chopped 2 Tbsp chopped mint leaves 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper 1/4 cup pomegranate molasses",,"1 Partially peel the eggplant so it has lengthwise stripes, then cut it lengthwise into 4 slices. Score each slice on 1 side in a crosshatch pattern. Cut each slice crosswise into 3 pieces and set on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt. Let stand for 1 hour. 2 In a small saucepan, cover the lentils with 2 inches of water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to moderate and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain the lentils. 3 Coat a small (3-quart) enameled cast-iron casserole with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. In a bowl, toss the onion with the garlic, tomatoes, green chiles, mint, tomato paste, crushed red pepper and 2 teaspoons of salt. 4 Rinse the eggplant and pat dry. Spread 1/2 cup of the vegetable mixture in the casserole and top with half of the eggplant. Cover with half of the lentils and half of the remaining vegetable mixture. Top with the remaining eggplant, lentils and vegetables. Pour the remaining olive oil around the side and over the vegetables, then drizzle with the pomegranate molasses. 5 Heat the stew until the liquid in the stew is simmering. Cover and cook over low heat until the eggplant is very tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.","A few weeks ago I was wondering what to do with the end-of-season eggplants, tomatoes, and chiles from our garden and stumbled across this recipe from Food and Wine, which also calls for pomegranate molasses. The recipe comes from the coastal town of Antakya, Turkey. The ingredients are layered and not stirred, so the flavors of the different ingredients stay distinct. The stew is best when made ahead and allowed to mellow for a few hours before serving. I thought it needed just a touch of honey, which I will probably add next time.","Elise Bauer",,"Turkish lentil stew recipe with eggplant and pomegranate molasses.","Elise Bauer","Turkish lentil stew recipe with eggplant and pomegranate molasses.",,,"Serves 6",213,"2017-09-25 04:46:56"
214,6282,"2017-09-25 04:46:59","Polenta Sausage Mozzarella Casserole","4 Tbsp olive oil 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes 1 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano 1 yellow onion, chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 teaspoon fennel seeds 1 pound sweet Italian sausage (removed from casings) 2 pounds of prepared polenta, 1/2-inch slices if using prepared polenta in a tube (can use one recipe of creamy polenta, leave out the cream cheese) 1/2 pound (8 ounces) fresh mozzarella, sliced into 1/4-inch slices","This recipe is for a ""sweet"" version of this casserole, meaning not spicy. For a picante version, use hot Italian sausage and use red pepper flakes instead of the fennel seeds.","1 Heat 3 Tbsp of olive oil in a large (2-3 qt) saucepan on medium heat. Add the sliced onion and sausage and sauté, stirring often, until the meat is browned. Add the garlic, salt, pepper, and fennel seeds to the sauté pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Add the tomato, cover the pan, lower the heat to medium, and simmer for 20 minutes. 2 While the sauce is cooking, coat the bottom of a 9x13-inch lasagna or gratin pan (a pan that can handle the heat of a broiler) with a 1 Tbsp oil. Add the cooked polenta (or slices) to the pan. Coat the top of the polenta with a little more olive oil. Broil the polenta about 4 inches from the heating element until golden brown and crispy, about 10-15 minutes. 3 Pour sauce over broiled polenta, then arrange mozzarella slices over the top and return the casserole to the broiler. Broil until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes before serving.","My father found this recipe in a recent Sunset Magazine and it sounded so good he just had to try it. He even made the polenta from scratch instead of using the store-bought prepared version which the original recipe called for. (How cool is that?) Polenta with an Italian sausage tomato sauce, topped with Mozzarella – of course it was great. You can substitute turkey sausage for the Italian sausage or even skip the sausage and use chopped zucchini instead for a vegetarian option. Here is our slightly-modified-from-the-original version.","Elise Bauer",,"Italian sausage casserole with polenta, Italian sausage, tomato sauce, and Mozzarella cheese.","Elise Bauer","Italian sausage casserole with polenta, Italian sausage, tomato sauce, and Mozzarella cheese.","10 minutes","35 minutes","Makes 6 servings.",214,"2017-09-25 04:46:59"
215,6288,"2017-09-25 04:47:13","Sherry Potatoes","1 lb russet potatoes, scrubbed clean, sliced into 1/4-inch slices 1/4 cup butter (1/2 a stick), melted 1/4 cup dry sherry Salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley",,"1 Preheat oven to 375°F. 2 Arrange potato slices in layers in a gratin pan or baking pan, sprinkling salt and pepper over each layer. Pour sherry over the potatoes. Pour the melted butter over the potatoes. Make sure the potatoes are well coated. 3 Bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes or until potatoes are cooked, but not mushy, and they are slightly browned on top. Remove from oven, sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley.","We recently had sherry potatoes (potato slices baked in sherry and butter) at Selland’s, our favorite local cafe. They were so good that we spent many tries attempting to recreate them in our kitchen. I scoured the Internet looking for a recipe but only came up with some German sites that mentioned sherry potatoes, but no recipe. We have, however, finally arrived at a method that works, and recreates the divine potatoes we enjoy so much at the cafe. It’s very simple, baking sliced potatoes in butter and dry sherry, salting generously, and sprinkling on a little parsley. The dry sherry truly enhances the flavor of the butter.","Elise Bauer",,"Sherry potatoes, thinly sliced russet potatoes baked in the oven with butter and dry sherry.","Elise Bauer","Sherry potatoes, thinly sliced russet potatoes baked in the oven with butter and dry sherry.",,,"Serves 4.",215,"2017-09-25 04:47:13"
216,6293,"2017-09-25 04:47:21","White Bean and Vegetable Soup","2 15-oz cans cannellini or white kidney beans (or 1/2 lb dried beans, soaked overnight in water), drained 1 Tbsp olive oil 1/2 large yellow onion, chopped 1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme 2 garlic cloves, minced 1/8 head of green cabbage, cut into 1/2 inch pieces 1 cups chopped fresh tomatoes 2 celery stalks, cut into 1/2 inch pieces 1 1/2 carrots, cut into 1/2 inch pieces 5 cups (or more) vegetable stock or canned vegetable broth 1 medium potato, cut into 1/2 inch pieces 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil 1/4 head of red cabbage, cut into 1/2 inch pieces 2 zucchini or summer squash, cut into 1/2 inch pieces 2 teaspoons salt 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese Tabasco sauce (optional)","Adapted from Bon Appetit magazine.","1 Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, thyme, and garlic. Sauté 5 minutes. Add green cabbage, tomatoes, celery, and carrots. Sauté 10 minutes. 2 Add beans, 5 cups of stock, potatoes, and basil. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for one hour. 3 Add red cabbage and zucchini. Add salt. Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes longer. Stir in cheese. Sprinkle in a a dash of Tabasco hot sauce if you want to give the soup a little zip. Serve with ground pepper and bread.","Is it that time of year yet for hearty soups? Maybe, maybe not. In any case, this one is a family favorite, combining a potpourri of colorful vegetables with the creamy texture of white beans.","Elise Bauer",,"Hearty white bean soup with onions, cabbage, tomatoes, celery, carrots, potato, squash, broth, and Parmesan cheese.","Elise Bauer","Hearty white bean soup with onions, cabbage, tomatoes, celery, carrots, potato, squash, broth, and Parmesan cheese.",,,"Serves 4-6.",216,"2017-09-25 04:47:21"
217,6301,"2017-09-25 04:47:31","Warm Green Bean and Pancetta Salad","2 medium sized ripe tomatoes 3 Tbsp sherry vinegar (a mild, flavorful wine vinegar) 2 teaspoon honey 1/4 pound thinly sliced pancetta 3 Tbsp olive oil 3/4 pound of fresh green beans, ends trimmed, strings removed (if any), halved if very long Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (Parmigiano Reggiano) shavings, chopped",,"1 Core the tomatoes. Slice them in half horizontally and gently squeeze out most of the seeds and juice. (Alternatively, you can use your fingers to gently remove the seeds and pulp from the tomatoes.) Chop the tomatoes into 1-inch pieces. Set aside. 2 In a small bowl, mix the honey and sherry vinegar. Set aside. 3 Heat a large sauté pan to medium heat. Cook the strips of pancetta in batches until golden and crisp. Let drain on a paper towel set over a plate to absorb the excess fat. Discard all but 1 Tbsp of the fat remaining in the pan (don't put down the drain or you'll clog your drain when the fat cools). Add 3 Tbsp of olive oil to the pan, set aside. Chop the pancetta. 4 Bring a medium saucepan of generously salted water to a boil. Add the beans and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain the beans. Put beans into a large serving bowl. Add the tomatoes. 5 Heat the oil in the skillet that was used to cook the pancetta on medium heat. Whisk in the vinegar honey mixture. Turn the heat up and continue to whisk as the mixture boils and blends. Pour out the hot dressing on to the beans and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the chopped pancetta and Parmesan and toss.","Now this is a salad made for summer – fresh garden green beans, ripe tomatoes, Parmesan, and pancetta. You can substitute bacon for the pancetta, but if pancetta is available, we recommend using it. The flavor works marvelously well with the other ingredients.","Elise Bauer",,"Warm green bean salad with pancetta, tomatoes, and Parmesan cheese.","Elise Bauer","Warm green bean salad with pancetta, tomatoes, and Parmesan cheese.",,,"Serves 4.",217,"2017-09-25 04:47:31"
218,6339,"2017-09-25 04:48:22","Golden Beets and Brussels Sprouts","2 medium sized golden beets 10 brussels sprouts, trimmed of rough outer leaves and cut in half 2 teaspoons salt 1 shallot, peeled and sliced 2 Tbsp olive oil 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped 2 Tbsp almond slivers, toasted Salt and freshly ground pepper","This recipe can easily be scaled up to serve more people.","1 Boil or roast the beets: The beets take the longest to cook so start them first. Either boil them in water in a small saucepan for 45 minutes (or how ever long it takes to get them tender), or wrap them in foil and roast them in the oven at 350°F for an hour fifteen minutes or until done. Roasting will give you better flavor, but takes longer and uses a lot more energy (unless you are already cooking something in the oven). When done, set the beets aside to cool for 10 minutes, then peel and chop them into 1 x 1/2 inch chunks. 2 Toast the slivered almonds: While beets are cooking toast your almond slivers if you are starting with raw almonds. Just heat a skillet to medium high heat and put in the almonds. Stir frequently with a spatula. When the almonds begin to brown, remove from pan into a small bowl. Let cool, set aside. 3 Blanch the brussels sprouts: Also while the beets are cooking, prepare the brussels sprouts. Bring 1 1/2 quarts of salted water (2 teaspoons salt) in a medium saucepan to a boil. Add the brussels sprouts to the water and blanch them for 2-3 minutes. They should be almost all the way cooked through. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking. Set aside. 4 Cook the shallots, add beets and brussels sprouts: In a medium sized skillet heat 1 Tbsp olive oil on medium heat. Add the shallot slices and cook until translucent, a few minutes. Add another tablespoon of olive oil and raise the heat to medium high. Add the sprouts and beets to the pan, along with the thyme and mix well. Salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 1 minute more, stirring. Remove from heat and serve. Can serve warm or at room temperature.","Here’s a recipe for those of us who love both beets and brussels sprouts. (Isn’t it pretty?) I love beets in practically anything, but if you mix red beets with other foods, those foods will turn red as well. Golden beets keep their vibrant orange color without staining their neighbors, making them welcome companions for our brussels sprouts. A little thyme, some shallots and olive oil are all you need to bring the dish together.","Elise Bauer",,"Beautiful golden beets and Brussels sprouts. Roasted or boiled golden yellow beets with parboiled Brussels sprouts, sautéed together in olive oil, shallots and thyme, and topped with toasted almonds.","Elise Bauer","Beautiful golden beets and Brussels sprouts. Roasted or boiled golden yellow beets with parboiled Brussels sprouts, sautéed together in olive oil, shallots and thyme, and topped with toasted almonds.","10 minutes","55 minutes","Serves 3-4.",218,"2017-09-25 04:48:22"
219,6350,"2017-09-25 04:48:28","Chipotle Bean Tostadas","The Beans 2 Tbsp olive oil or grapeseed oil 1 medium onion, chopped 1 teaspoon ground cumin About 4 cups of cooked pinto beans, drained (either freshly made or 2 15-oz cans) 4 teaspoons of Chipotle Tabasco Sauce (definitely do not use regular Tabasco sauce, only the Chipotle kind) Salt The Tostadas 1/2 cup high flash-point vegetable oil, such as grapeseed oil, peanut oil, or canola oil 1 dozen corn tortillas Salt 1 cup of crumbled Cotija Queso Seco (Mexican farmers cheese) or you can use feta cheese 1 cup finely diced fresh tomato 1/2 cup thinly sliced red radishes 1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves Optional Iceberg lettuce, thinly sliced and sprinkled with vinegar and salt Guacamole Sour cream",,"1 Prepare the beans by sautéing onions in oil until softened in a large, thick-bottomed skillet. Add ground cumin and cook an additional 30 seconds. Add the beans, a teaspoon of salt, and a cup of water. Use a potato masher to mash the beans into the pan, until the consistency of (somewhat lumpy) mashed potatoes. Cook for a few minutes on medium hight heat until water is absorbed. Stir in the Chipotle Tabasco sauce and season to taste with more salt if needed. Remove to a warm burner out of the way, cover. 2 To prepare the tortillas, heat the oven to 200°F. Line a baking pan with paper towels and place next to the stove. Heat 5 Tbsp of oil in a small skillet on medium high heat, until the bubbles form immediately when you insert the edge of a tortilla in it. Using tongs, place a tortilla in the hot oil and let cook until golden brown on both sides, about 30 seconds per side. You can use a metal spatula to flatten down the tortilla while cooking. Use tongs to lift the cooked tortilla out of the pan, allowing the excess oil to drip off of it, back into the pan. Place the cooked tortilla on the paper towels to absorb more of the oil. Sprinkle a little salt onto each warm tortilla. Do each tortilla one at a time this way. As you fill up a baking pan, put the pan in the oven to keep the tortillas warm. Add more oil as needed. Carefully monitor the oil temperature. Don't let it get too hot, or the tortillas will burn, or too cool - they won't fry up crisp enough. 3 To serve, arrange the cheese, cilantro and tomatoes in separate small bowls. Put beans into a serving dish. Bring out the tortillas by batches, keeping the rest warm in the oven. Let people spread beans on to their tortillas and add sprinkle on the cheese, cilantro and tomatoes for each tostada. Optional additions are sliced lettuce, guacamole, sour cream, and salsa (though with the chipotle, you probably don't need any more heat).","Tostadas are toasted or fried corn tortillas, topped with a layer of refried beans and other things such as cheese, lettuce, and salsa. Growing up, my mother made tostadas or tacos for us at least once a month, the main difference being that tostadas are flat, crispy, and layered with beans, and tacos are folded and usually without beans. This food is kid heaven – messy, choose your own topping, and incredibly tasty. This month we found a recipe in Fine Cooking for Smokey Refried Bean Tostadas. This recipe called for a slightly different approach to the beans – they suggested adding cumin and Chipotle Tabasco sauce. The chipotle added such a terrific smokey chile flavor to the beans, no salsa was needed on the tostadas. I think they are the best refried beans we’ve ever had. We make our beans from scratch, so I don’t know how it would taste with canned beans, but the smokey flavor of the chipotle is wonderful. To cook the tortillas, we love to use grapeseed oil. Grapeseed oil is a very light oil with a high flash or smoke point, which means that you can get it pretty hot before it starts to burn, making it easier to cook with. It is also very healthy, high in many essential fatty acids. It is not widely available, but beginning to get more available in grocery stores. We get ours at the local Raley’s grocery store (California chain).","Elise Bauer",,"Tostada recipe with toasted or fried tortillas topped with a layer of chipotle flavored refried beans, cotija cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, radishes, and salsa.","Elise Bauer","Tostada recipe with toasted or fried tortillas topped with a layer of chipotle flavored refried beans, cotija cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, radishes, and salsa.",,,"Serves four.",219,"2017-09-25 04:48:28"
220,6355,"2017-09-25 04:48:33","Roasted Green Beans with Onions and Walnuts","1 lb green beans, stem ends snapped off 1/2 medium yellow or red onion, cut into 1/2 inch thick wedges 1 Tbsp olive oil Salt and pepper 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon honey 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme 2 medium thin-sliced garlic cloves 1/3 cup toasted chopped walnuts",,"1 Place rack in middle position, preheat oven to 450°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil or Silpat. Spread the beans and onions on the baking sheet. Drizzle the beans with olive oil and use your hands to coat the beans evenly. Sprinkle the beans with 1/2 teaspoon of salt, toss to coat, and distribute in an even layer. Roast for 10 minutes. 2 While roasting the beans, combine the balsamic vinegar, honey, thyme, and garlic slices in a small bowl. 3 After the beans and onions have roasted for 10 minutes, remove from oven. Drizzle the vinegar honey mixture over the beans and onions; use tongs to coat evenly. Put back in the oven and continue to roast until onions and beans are dark golden brown in spots and beans have started to shrivel, about 12-15 minutes longer. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to serving dish, sprinkle with toasted chopped walnuts, and serve.","Here is a flavorful alternative to boiling your beans – roasting them with a balsamic vinegar honey coating, topped with toasted walnuts.","Elise Bauer",,"Oven roasted green beans, drizzled and cooked with balsamic vinegar, honey, thyme, and garlic.","Elise Bauer","Oven roasted green beans, drizzled and cooked with balsamic vinegar, honey, thyme, and garlic.",,,"Serves 4.",220,"2017-09-25 04:48:33"
221,6356,"2017-09-25 04:48:37","Curried Squash and Pear Soup","1 butternut squash (about 2 3/4 pounds) 1 tablespoon butter 2 cups chopped peeled Bartlett pear (about 1 pound) 1 1/2  cups thinly sliced onion 2 1/3  cups water 1 cup pear nectar 2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans vegetable broth* 2 1/2  teaspoons curry powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 cup half-and-half 1 small Bartlett pear, cored and thinly sliced If cooking gluten-free, use gluten-free broth.",,"1 Preheat oven to 375°. 2 Cut squash in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membrane. Place squash halves, cut sides down, on a baking sheet; bake at 375° for 45 minutes or until tender. Cool. Peel squash; mash pulp. Set aside 3 1/2 cups pulp, reserving remaining squash for another use. 3 Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chopped pear and onion; sauté 10 minutes or until lightly browned. 4 Add squash pulp, water, and next 5 ingredients (water through pepper). Bring to a boil; partially cover, reduce heat, and simmer 40 minutes. 5 Place one-third of squash mixture in a blender; process until smooth. Pour puréed mixture into a large bowl; repeat procedure with remaining squash mixture. 6 Return squash mixture to pan; stir in half-and-half. Cook over low heat 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Ladle soup into bowls, and garnish with pear slices.","Tis the season for squash and pear. My friend Lorenza gave me this recipe back in the spring, when neither were in season. I finally made it last week, and it was lovely! Similar to the spicy pumpkin soup I made the other day, but with a distinctive pear flavor. You can add a thin slice of bartlett pear to each serving, or cut up a pear in small pieces and mix them into the soup for added sweetness.","Elise Bauer",,"Butternut squash soup with pears, and seasoned with spicy curry.","Elise Bauer","Butternut squash soup with pears, and seasoned with spicy curry.",,,"Serves 8 (serving size: 1 1/4 cups)",221,"2017-09-25 04:48:37"
222,6365,"2017-09-25 04:48:50","Turnip Potato Soup","6 Tbsp unsalted butter 4 medium onions, thinly sliced 3 pounds fresh, young turnips, peeled and thinly sliced 1 1/2 pounds of Russet baking potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced Salt 6 Cups of chicken stock 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley for garnish","The older the turnip, the longer it takes to cook and the more strongly flavored and bitter it is. Look for small, young turnips, they'll be only slightly bitter and actually quite sweet.","1 Sauté the onions in butter: In a large, heavy, thick-bottomed pot, melt the butter on medium heat until it foams. When the butter foam subsides, add the onions and cook until translucent but not browned, about 5 minutes. 2 Add turnips, potatoes, salt, cover and cook: Add the sliced turnips and potatoes and stir to coat with the butter. Add 2 teaspoons of salt, cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the turnips and potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. 3 Add chicken stock: Add the chicken stock and increase the heat to bring to a simmer. Cover partially and cook over medium heat until the turnips and potatoes are very tender, about 10 minutes. 4 Purée the soup: Working in batches, purée the soup in a blender until completely smooth. Return the soup to the pot and season with salt and freshly grated nutmeg. Ladle the soup into shallow bowls and garnish with the parsley before serving.","Church book sales are a great way to pick up cookbooks at bargain prices. Ours was last weekend and we found the Food and Wine Magazine’s 1999 Annual Cookbook for a dollar. What a deal! Most of the recipes in the book look ridiculously complicated, taking hours of preparation and needing ingredients that one might have difficulty finding even at Whole Foods. This one however, is simply turnips, potatoes, onions, stock, and butter. Unassuming, but surprisingly and exceptionally good, especially considering that the main ingredient is turnips. Don’t get me wrong, I love turnips. I have found however that most people don’t. There’s something about the blend of flavors in this soup that take the edge off of the bitter turnip flavor and produces a thick and creamy soup, yet without any cream.","Elise Bauer",,"Turnip and potato soup recipe, an unassuming but surprisingly good soup with simply turnips, potatoes, chicken stock, butter and onions.","Elise Bauer","Turnip and potato soup recipe, an unassuming but surprisingly good soup with simply turnips, potatoes, chicken stock, butter and onions.","15 minutes","50 minutes","Serves 8",222,"2017-09-25 04:48:50"
223,6366,"2017-09-25 04:48:52","Celery Root Salad","1/2 cup mayonnaise 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice 2 Tbsp chopped parsley 1 lb celery root - quartered, peeled, and coarsely grated just before mixing 1/2 tart green apple, peeled, cored, julienned Salt and freshly ground pepper",,"Combine the mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice and parsley in a medium-sized bowl. Fold in the celery root and apple and season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour.","Also known as celeriac remoulade, this salad is a refreshing accompaniment to seafood dishes and very easy to make. Celery root looks like a giant turnip, but tastes more like a cross between celery and jicama. The result is a cool coleslaw-like salad without the taste of cabbage. Yum! Sacramento chef Evie Lieb prepared this salad to go with the panko-crusted salmon in our recent cooking class. The two tricks are to 1) use a rubber mallet to help get the chef’s knife through the hard celery root, and 2) use a food processor, not a hand grater to do the grating.","Elise Bauer",,"Celery root salad recipe, also known as celery remoulade, with celery root, green apple, and a mayonnaise Dijon dressing.","Elise Bauer","Celery root salad recipe, also known as celery remoulade, with celery root, green apple, and a mayonnaise Dijon dressing.",,,,223,"2017-09-25 04:48:52"
224,6623,"2017-09-25 04:49:36","Braised Onions","1 pound pearl onions, about 1 inch in diameter Butter Chicken stock or water (or vegetable stock for vegetarian option) Salt and pepper Sugar (for brown-braised onions)",,"1 Blanch the onions in boiling water for one minute. Drain and rinse in cold water to stop cooking. Slice off the ends; slip off the skins. If you are using frozen pearl onions, defrost and drain them before the next step. 2a For ""white-braised"" onions: Put onions in one layer in a saucepan with chicken stock or water coming up halfway. Add 1 Tbsp butter, season lightly, cover, and simmer slowly 25 minutes, or until tender. 2b For ""brown-braised"" onions: Before braising, sauté peeled onions in one layer in butter until lightly browned. Then add liquid, salt, and 1 teaspoon of sugar; cover and simmer slowly 25 minutes, or until tender. 3 Uncover, boil off excess liquid, and fold in another Tbsp of butter if you wish. For ""creamed"" onions add some heavy cream to white-braised onions when they are just tender. Simmer several minutes until thickened, basting.","Braised onions are the side of choice with beef Bourguignon but they are also wonderful with roast beef and other stews. Trader Joe’s sells a pack of multi-colored pearl onions that cook up beautifully as braised onions. The catch? You have to peel them, which requires blanching first, then cutting off the ends so you can slip off the peels. You can of course skip this first step by using pre-peeled frozen pearl onions. I can tell you that if you do choose the blanche and peel approach, it is well worth it. These onions are delicious. You can prepare braised pearl onions two ways – “brown braised” in which the onions are first sautéed in butter to brown, or “white braised”, in which the onions are simply braised then cream is often added and reduced.","Elise Bauer",,"Pearl onions braised with butter and chicken stock, great side dish for roast beef or stews.","Elise Bauer","Pearl onions braised with butter and chicken stock, great side dish for roast beef or stews.",,,"Serves 4.",224,"2017-09-25 04:49:36"
225,7299,"2017-09-25 04:50:40","Bread Soup (Panade) with Onions, Chard, and Mushrooms","12-14 ounces day-old rustic bread, cut into 1-inch cubes Olive oil Salt 1 Tbsp butter 2 cups thinly sliced onions (sliced vertically, from tip to root) 1 tablespoon minced garlic 6 to 8 ounces cremini or button mushrooms, sliced 1/4-inch thick 10 to 12 ounces fresh chard, rinsed 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme) 1/2 cup hearty red wine 1 tablespoon honey 2 quarts stock (chicken, beef, or vegetable, use vegetable stock for vegetarian option) 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese","This soup really shines with homemade stock, especially homemade vegetable stock. I do not recommend using boxed or canned veggie stock for this recipe.","1 Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Toss the cubed bread with a little olive oil, sprinkle with a little salt. Arrange bread on a baking sheet and toast for 20-30 minutes (check timing!) or until nicely browned. 2 While the cubed bread is in the oven, prepare the onions. Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil and the butter on medium heat in a 5 to 7 quart Dutch oven. Add the onions and stir to coat with the butter and oil. Cook gently, stirring occasionally for 10 to 15 minutes. If the onions begin to dry out at all, lower the heat. They should begin to caramelize and lightly brown. Add the garlic, cook for a minute more, remove from heat. 3 While the onions are browning, heat a large sauté pan on medium high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms. ""Dry"" sauté them (sauté without any added fat) until they release their moisture and are lightly browned. 4 Cut away the tough central stems of the the chard leaves (discard, compost, or use for another purpose). Cut across the leaves into 1-inch wide strips. 5 Remove half of the browned onions from the Dutch oven and set aside. Spread the remaining onions evenly over the bottom of the pot. Layer over with half of the chard and half of the browned mushrooms. Sprinkle with pepper, half a teaspoon of salt, and thyme. Put down a layer of toasted bread cubes. Add the remaining onions, chard, and mushrooms. Layer on top the remaining bread cubes. 6 Mix together the honey and wine, until the honey is dissolved. Pour over the bread mixture. Pour the broth over everything. 7 Scatter the top evenly with the grated cheese. 8 Cover the pot with foil (not the lid) and seal it around the edges. Cut 4 or 5 vent holes in the top. Put it in a 350°F oven. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes. Serve immediately, digging into the layers to get a bit of everything for each portion, or let cool and refrigerate, covered. To reheat, gently simmer a portion until hot. Plate and garnish with additional cheese and thyme.","Although at first glance it may not look like it, with our Northern California sunny skies and green lawns, winter truly is here. The leaves have all fallen. The fish in the pond are half asleep. Several of the lettuces in the garden have succumbed to frost, while the chard and parsley thankfully are thriving. It’s still, quiet, and chilly most days. Perfect weather for a hearty soup. Even though this bread soup is meatless (if you use veggie stock), it is thick and filling. In fact, it’s really more of a stew than a soup. The bread absorbs much of the liquid. It’s called a panade, or panada, from the Latin base “pan” for bread. The recipe is based on one introduced to me by my friend Ann Martin Rolke, cookbook author, Sacramento local, and co-founder along with Amber Stott, of the California Food Literacy Center, a recently formed non-profit with the mission to help us understand the impact of our food choices. Although it looks a bit involved, the soup is fairly easy to make. Much of the prep can be done while you are toasting the bread cubes. You brown onions and mushrooms, and layer them a couple of times in a Dutch oven with chopped fresh chard and the toasted bread croutons. Add plenty of stock, and some honey sweetened wine. Top everything with grated Parm and into the oven it goes. An hour and a half later, a rich, thick beautiful stew. Enjoy!","Elise Bauer",,"Rustic, hearty, thick bread soup with onions, chard, mushrooms, thick Italian or French loaf bread, and Parmesan.","Elise Bauer","Rustic, hearty, thick bread soup with onions, chard, mushrooms, thick Italian or French loaf bread, and Parmesan.","15 minutes","1 hour, 30 minutes","Serves 6.",225,"2017-09-25 04:50:40"
226,7303,"2017-09-25 04:50:45","Fennel Gratin","2 pounds fennel bulbs (3 lbs with fronds), about 3-4 bulbs Salt 3-4 Tbsp olive oil 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (about 2 ounces) 1/2 cup bread crumbs (herbed or plain) 2 teaspoons fresh thyme 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (about 2 ounces) Chopped fennel fronds, for garnish",,"1 Cut off the fronds and stems of the fennel and save them for another dish; they are a great addition to stocks and broths. Cut the bulbs in quarters, then 1-2 inch pieces; discard the woody cores. 2 Grease a casserole pan or gratin pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil and preheat the oven to 375°. 3 Boil the fennel in a medium pot of salty water for 5-6 minutes, or until the fennel is just about tender. Drain well and toss with a tablespoon of olive oil. 4 Mix the parmesan, thyme and bread crumbs, then mix half of that mixture with the fennel. Add the fennel to the casserole in an even layer. Top with the mozzarella cheese, then the rest of the parmesan-bread crumb mixture. Drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil over the top. 5 Cover the casserole and bake for 20 minutes. Take the cover off and bake until the cheese is well browned, about 15 more minutes. Let the gratin rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped fresh fennel fronds.","I never used to know what to do with fennel, but these days, I can’t get enough of it. Fennel is the most wonderfully versatile vegetable. You can slice raw fennel thin and serve it with a little shaved Parmesan for a crisp salad. Or you can plop it in the oven with a little balsamic and roast it until it gets sweetly caramelized. Fennel has a special affinity for Parmesan, and in this simple gratin fennel wedges are tossed with breadcrumbs, Mozzarella and Parm, and baked until golden brown. A lovely side for lighter fare, such chicken or fish, and would also work well as a dressy side for a holiday meal. Fennel gratin just out of the oven, cooling on the stovetop","Elise Bauer",,"Baked fennel with olive oil, mozzarella and parmesan cheeses, bread crumbs and fresh thyme.","Elise Bauer","Baked fennel with olive oil, mozzarella and parmesan cheeses, bread crumbs and fresh thyme.","15 minutes","45 minutes","Serve 6-8 as a side dish.",226,"2017-09-25 04:50:45"
227,7371,"2017-09-25 04:50:47","Carrot Soufflé","2 lbs carrots, peeled, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds Salt for salting cooking water 1 cup whole milk 1 cup Saltine cracker crumbs 3/4 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese 1/3 cup minced onion 1 Tbsp room temperature unsalted butter 1 teaspoon Kosher salt 1/8 teaspoon cayenne 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 3 large eggs","This soufflé isn't nearly as touchy as a traditional soufflé. In fact it's hard to mess up. It barely puffs up, which means it doesn't deflate that much either. You might want to experiment a bit with the seasonings, such as some ginger, ground or fresh minced, some thyme, maybe a little orange zest, or a pinch of coriander. You might also try substituting all or some of the carrots with parsnips. Just remember the better the inputs, the better the results. A good use of carrots from the farmers market, or organic carrots which tend to be sweeter and more flavorful.","1 Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 2-quart baking dish and set aside. 2 Place carrots in a saucepan and cover with an inch of water. Add about 1 teaspoon of salt to the water. Bring to a boil and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the carrots are tender. Strain the carrots and purée in a food processor or with an immersion blender. 3 Place carrot purée in a large bowl. Slowly add in the milk, a little at a time, whisking after each addition so that the mixture stays smooth, not lumpy. Mix in the saltine cracker crumbs, the grated cheese, onion, butter, Kosher salt, cayenne, and black pepper. 4 In a separate bowl, whip up the eggs until frothy. Then whisk them into the carrot purée mixture. 5 Transfer the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until puffed up a bit and lightly golden.","Okay, if you are like me, you’ll hear the word “soufflé” and think, “too much work, too hard.” Let me assure you that not only is this carrot soufflé as easy as they come, it’s gobsmacking good. My father made a half batch a couple weeks ago and the three of us devoured it within minutes. He then made a full batch a few days ago, left for an hour and returned to find a third of it gone (that would be my doing). “Hey, you know it serves eight!” Uh huh. Or just the three of us. The rest was gone by the end of the day. Dad found the recipe in a recent issue of House Beautiful. The recipe credit goes to Sam Beall, author of The Blackberry Farm Cookbook: Four Seasons of Great Food and the Good Life. Other than its impossible-to-screw-up-ness and over-the-top deliciousness, I also love how easily this recipe lends itself to adaptations. I want to make a parsnip version of it (maybe with a bit of horseradish and parsley). Or one could dress it up further with a touch of ginger or thyme.","Elise Bauer",,"Easy-to-make carrot soufflé with carrots, milk, saltines, cheddar cheese, butter, and eggs.","Elise Bauer","Easy-to-make carrot soufflé with carrots, milk, saltines, cheddar cheese, butter, and eggs.",,,"Serves 8.",227,"2017-09-25 04:50:47"
228,7393,"2017-09-25 04:51:02","Sweet Potato Mash with Mint","3 lbs light yellow sweet potatoes (boniato if you can get them), peeled, cut into 2 inch chunks 1/4 cup olive oil 1/2 cup to 1 cup (or more) water 1/4 cup minced onion 1/2 small garlic clove, minced 1/4 cup chopped mint leaves, packed, (about 30-40 leaves) 2 Tbsp minced cliantro, packed Salt Sugar 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract",,"1 You can cook the sweet potatoes by either roasting or boiling. To roast, rub olive oil all over the pieces, sprinkle lightly with salt, and put them in a roasting pan, cook at 425°F for 40 minutes, until cooked through and lightly browned. To boil, put in a saucepan and cover with an inch or two of cold water. Bring to a boil, add 1/2 teaspoon salt, reduce heat and simmer for about 15-20 minutes, or until a fork easily pierces through the pieces. 2 Place cooked sweet potato pieces in a large bowl, add olive oil, mash with a potato masher until completely mashed. Slowly add water, stirring with a wooden spoon until the sweet potatoes reach desired consistency. 3 Stir in the onions, garlic, mint, and cilantro. Stir in vanilla extract. Add more salt, and maybe a little sugar if you want, to taste.","If you’ve been following our Simply Recipes updates on Twitter then you know that I recently spent a week in the Bahamas with several other food bloggers at the Club Med Food and Wine Festival (more on that soon). As we were being wined and dined, and treated to amazing 6 and 7 course meals every night I kept my eye out for ideas and recipes that might work well for us at home. The first night’s dinner was spectacular (you can see a list of menus here on Jaden’s site), and included fresh caught wahoo fish served on top of a boniato mint mash. As good as the fish was, I could have skipped it completely and just had a huge plate of the sweet potatoes, they were so good. Boniato is a sweet potato popular in the Caribbean, light in color, and fluffy when cooked. The chef who prepared the mash was Chef Sean Bernal of The Oceanaire Seafood Room Miami, who recalled to us how his grandmother in Puerto Rico would make him boniato sweet potato with onions and mint. Chef Sean generously shared with us how he prepared the mash, the trick he said was to roast the sweet potatoes so that you get the richness of flavor from the caramelization of the sugars in them. I prepared a couple batches, one boiled and one roasted, and I agree that the roasted approach produces more flavor, but it also takes longer to cook and uses more energy, so if you have time, yes, roast, but if not, boiling works fine too. The real surprise was the combination of the sweet potatoes, crunchy raw chopped onions, and mint. I never would have thought to put mint with sweet potatoes, but it’s a great combination. Regarding the boniato sweet potato. I think they are pretty easy to come by in places like Florida, but our local Whole Foods doesn’t carry them. So I used a Japanese variety of a pale yellow sweet potato instead, which worked fine. (Apologies to Chef Sean, but we make do with what we have, right?) Another surprising touch was the addition of just a little bit of vanilla, it made the mash seem even creamier. I honestly can’t remember if Sean added sugar or not, but if you like your sweet potatoes to be sweet, you can add a little to taste (I think we added one teaspoon for the whole 3 lb batch.)","Elise Bauer",,"Sweet potatoes cooked and mashed with onions, mint, cilantro, garlic, and olive oil. Puerto Rican boniato recipe.","Elise Bauer","Sweet potatoes cooked and mashed with onions, mint, cilantro, garlic, and olive oil. Puerto Rican boniato recipe.",,,"Serves 6.",228,"2017-09-25 04:51:02"
229,7398,"2017-09-25 04:51:09","Polenta Casserole with Fontina and Tomato Sauce","2 Tbsp olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped 1/2 cup chopped celery 1/4 cup finely chopped carrots 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes (with basil if you have it) 1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano (or 1 Tbsp fresh, chopped) 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil 4 cups water 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup polenta, or coarse cornmeal 2 cups grated Fontina cheese","If fresh basil isn't available, make the sauce with canned whole tomatoes that have basil included. Muir Glen has an excellent product that we often use. If you prefer mozzarella over fontina, feel free to substitute.","1 Heat olive oil in a large saucepan on medium heat, add the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook until onions are translucent and carrots just tender (5-10 minutes). Add the garlic and cook a minute more. Add the tomatoes and their juice (break up tomatoes as you put them in), parsley, and oregano. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat and cook for 15 minutes, uncovered, until sauce is reduced to about 3 cups. Mix in fresh basil, season to taste with salt and pepper. 2 In a large saucepan bring a quart of water to a boil, add a teaspoon of salt. Slowly whisk in the polenta. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring often, until thick and cooked through, about 10 minutes. 3 Prepare a baking dish, brush 8x8x2 pyrex or ceramic baking dish with olive oil. Spread 1/3 of the sauce over the bottom of the dish. Pour half of the polenta over the sauce. Sprinkle with half of the cheese. Pour another third of the sauce over the cheese. Pour the remaining half of the polenta over the sauce. Sprinkle with remaining cheese, cover with remaining sauce. Let stand for 2 hours at room temperature. 4 Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake until completely heated through, about 25 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.","We came across this baked polenta recipe in an old Bon Appetit issue, and used up the last of our garden basil to make it. The recipe comes from an article on a unique Tuscan farm, Spannocchia, a working farm “eco” retreat, noted for its artisanal salumi. The casserole was delicious, and the farm looks even more intriguing. I love the idea of being able to hang out in a Tuscan kitchen taking cooking classes for vacation, don’t you?","Elise Bauer",,"Baked polenta with fontina cheese, basil and tomato sauce.","Elise Bauer","Baked polenta with fontina cheese, basil and tomato sauce.",,,"Serves 6.",229,"2017-09-25 04:51:09"
230,7435,"2017-09-25 04:51:25","Spicy Corn Fritters","Dipping Sauce 3/4 cup rice vinegar 1/2 cup sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons red chili pepper flakes 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 large clove garlic, minced Fritters 1 cup flour 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground coriander 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1 egg, lightly beaten 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1/2 cup water 2 cups of corn kernels, (see steps for cutting corn from a cob) cut from 3 large cobs (or frozen corn, defrost and drain first) 4 large scallions or green onions, finely sliced (about half a cup) 1/4 cup chopped cilantro Grapeseed, canola, or peanut oil (a high smoke point oil) for frying",,"1 Make the dipping sauce by combining all of the sauce ingredients into a small saucepan. Cook on medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to medium high, let boil for 5-10 minutes or so, until the mixture becomes somewhat syrupy. Remove from heat and let cool. The sauce should continue to thicken as it cools. If it becomes too thick, you can add a little water to it to thin it out a bit. 2 Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, ground coriander, and ground cumin in a medium bowl. Add egg, lemon juice and water. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until smooth. Add the corn, onions, and cilantro. Stir until just combined. 3 Heat a large frying pan on medium high heat. Add enough oil to generously coat the bottom of the pan. When oil is hot (shimmering not smoking), spoon about 2 heaping tablespoons worth of fritter batter into the pan to form one fritter, patting it down with the back of the spoon as soon as it is in the pan. Work in batches. Leave about 1/2 inch between the fritters in the pan. Let cook about 2-3 minutes on each side, flipping the fritters when they are nicely browned on one side. When browned on the other side, remove the fritters to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the excess fat. Add oil as needed to keep the bottom of the pan well coated. Note that the fritters will likely splatter a bit as you are cooking. So, either use a screen splatter guard, or wear long sleeved clothes while you cook. Serve immediately with the sweet chili dipping sauce.","What would be your dream diet? You know, the diet in which you could really eat anything you wanted, and as much as you wanted. If you asked me at dinner tonight, I would have to say, spicy corn fritters. Yep, the corn fritter diet. (Haven’t you heard of it?) Just pile ’em on. One bite of freshly made fritters made with farm fresh corn, dipped in a sweet chili sauce, and nothing else seems even remotely appealing. Of course, a few weeks of nothing but corn fritters and you’re on the road to pellagra, but one can dream, can’t one?","Elise Bauer",,"Zesty, spicy corn fritters, served with a sweet chili sauce. Step-by-step instructions with photos.","Elise Bauer","Zesty, spicy corn fritters, served with a sweet chili sauce. Step-by-step instructions with photos.",,,"Makes approximately 16 fritters.",230,"2017-09-25 04:51:25"
231,7484,"2017-09-25 04:51:40","Scalloped Turnips","4 Tbsp butter 1/2 cup thinly sliced onions 4 cups peeled, thinly sliced turnips 2 Tbsp flour 1 teaspoon salt Freshly ground black pepper 3/4 cup milk 1/3 cup cream",,"1 Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 1-quart casserole. Melt 1 Tbsp butter and lightly sauté onions until just wilted. 2 Layer a third of the sliced turnips in the casserole dish; top with a third of the onion; sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of flour, 1/3 teaspoon of salt, and one grind of pepper; pat with dollops from 1 tablespoon of butter. Repeat this layering twice. 3 Mix milk and cream together and pour over the turnips. Cover and bake in a 350°F oven for 30 minutes, then remove cover and bake for another 30-45 minutes, or until tender and bubbly.","Okay, so not everyone loves turnips as much as we do. But even if you aren’t the biggest fan of that radishy root, this recipe might just turn you around. Not surprisingly, cream, butter and onions bring out the savory best in turnips. Recipe is adapted from one of my favorite veggie cookbooks – The Victory Garden Cookbook. This is a very simple casserole with layers of thinly sliced turnips and sautéed onions, dotted with butter, and doused in milk and cream. It works best with tender young turnips, as they are less bitter than larger, older turnips. But in either case the milk and cream will help offset any bitterness from the turnips. You bake them until they are tender, bubbly and browned.","Elise Bauer",,"Baked scalloped turnips. Sliced turnips and onions baked in milk and cream with salt and pepper.","Elise Bauer","Baked scalloped turnips. Sliced turnips and onions baked in milk and cream with salt and pepper.","20 minutes","1 hour, 15 minutes","Serves 6.",231,"2017-09-25 04:51:40"
232,7518,"2017-09-25 04:51:50","Orange Blossom Carrot Salad","1 lb carrots (with small cores) peeled and coarsely grated 1/2 cup golden or crimson raisins 1/4 cup olive oil 2 Tbsp honey 2 Tbsp + 2 tsp freshly juiced lemon juice 2 Tbsp + 2 tsp orange flower water 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, or more to taste Salt and pepper, lightly sprinkled to taste Chopped fresh mint for garnish",,"Combine all the ingredients except mint. Chill in refrigerator several hours or overnight. Serve garnished with slivers of mint leaves.","Some dishes depend on one special ingredient, the absence of which gives you something rather ordinary, the inclusion of which creates something extraordinary. This is one of those dishes. This carrot salad comes from the Middle East, and depends on the addition of orange flower water, which like rose water, is often used in Middle Eastern cooking. Orange flower water is distilled from bitter orange blossoms and is used to flavor drinks, salads, and desserts. Local chef Evie Lieb made this salad in our cooking class this week and I don’t think I’ve ever tasted carrot salad so exotically delicious. You can get orange blossom or orange flower water at a Mediterranean market. Whole Foods also carries it.","Elise Bauer",,"Middle Eastern carrot salad. Shredded carrots and golden raisins dressed with honey, lemon and orange blossom water.","Elise Bauer","Middle Eastern carrot salad. Shredded carrots and golden raisins dressed with honey, lemon and orange blossom water.","15 minutes",,"Serves 6-8.",232,"2017-09-25 04:51:50"
233,7525,"2017-09-25 04:51:52","Creamed Turnips","3 pounds turnips 6 black peppercorns 6 whole cloves 2 bay leaves 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus 1 teaspoon 1/2 cup heavy cream 2 Tbsp unsalted butter 1 teaspoon white pepper Freshly grated nutmeg to taste","We have used older, larger turnips for this recipe. Older turnips are stronger in flavor, more bitter, and drier than young turnips. If you use younger, smaller turnips, they may be sweeter and a bit more watery, so you might want to use less cream. If the turnips are too bitter for your taste, try adding a little sugar at the end to balance the bitter.","1 Peel and cut the turnips into large chunks. In a large saucepan of boiling water, add the tablespoon of salt, the peppercorns, cloves and bay leaves. You may want to tie the spices into a sachet or cheesecloth bag — this makes it easier to remove them later. Boil turnips until tender, 15 to 20 minutes, then drain and remove the spices. 2 Return the turnips to the pot they boiled in and add the cream. Turn the burner to medium-low. Bring this to a gentle simmer and mash the turnips with a potato masher. Add the white pepper, the teaspoon of salt and freshly grated nutmeg to taste and serve at once.","People either love turnips or they hate them. And if they love them, it was probably an acquired taste. I can still remember making a face when thinking I was biting into a yummy potato in one of my mother’s stews I had speared a turnip instead. Yet this dish is another proof point that almost all things taste better with butter and cream.","Elise Bauer",,"Mashed, creamed turnips recipe with turnips, milk, butter, cream, cloves, and nutmeg.","Elise Bauer","Mashed, creamed turnips recipe with turnips, milk, butter, cream, cloves, and nutmeg.","5 minutes","25 minutes","Serve 6-8 as a side dish.",233,"2017-09-25 04:51:52"
234,7623,"2017-09-25 04:51:59","Smoked Salmon and Goat Cheese Toasts","8 oz soft fresh goat cheese 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh thyme 2 teaspoons of grated lemon peel 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper 2 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil 30 thin slices French-bread baguette 12 oz thinly sliced smoked salmon Thinly peeled lemon peel strips from one lemon, cut into tiny slivers* *Use a sharp vegetable peeler to peel wide strips from a lemon. Probably the peel from just half of one lemon will do. Take a metal spoon and scoop out and discard any white pith that is under the peels you've removed. The pith is bitter. Then slice the peel into tiny slivers. If you do this part in advance, cover with plastic wrap so the strips do not dry out before you put them on the salmon.","If you have access to goat cheese that is packaged already mixed with herbs, you can use that instead of the plain goat cheese and herbs called for here.","1 Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix first goat cheese, herbs, lemon zest, and black pepper in a small bowl to blend. Set aside. (The cheese mixture can be mixed a couple of days ahead of time.) 2 Brush oil over both sides of bread. Arrange bread in single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake until bread is just crisp, about 5 minutes on each side. (You can prepare the toasts a couple hours in advance.) 3 Spread cheese mixture over toasts. Top with salmon, trimming to fit. Garnish with lemon peel strips. Arrange on platter and serve.","These smoked salmon goat cheese toasts are among my favorite appetizers to prepare as they are so easy to put together, and taste fabulous. Always a huge hit with guests. One ingredient that makes a difference is the sliver of lemon peel on each piece of salmon. It’s that added zing from the lemon peel that perks up and completes each bite.","Elise Bauer",,"Salmon toasts recipe with smoked salmon slices over herbed goat cheese on toasted crostini bread rounds. An easy, crowd pleasing appetizer.","Elise Bauer","Salmon toasts recipe with smoked salmon slices over herbed goat cheese on toasted crostini bread rounds. An easy, crowd pleasing appetizer.","10 minutes","20 minutes","Makes about 40 pieces.",234,"2017-09-25 04:51:59"
235,7752,"2017-09-25 04:52:20","Crunchy French Toast","2 or 3 slices of bread, cut into quarters 1 cup cornflake cereal 2 large eggs 1/3 cup milk 1/2 teaspoon all-purpose flour 2 drops of vanilla Butter and pancake syrup",,"1 Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or Silpat. 2 Put the bread pieces on a lined baking sheet into the warming oven (it does not need to be at full temperature) to toast lightly for 5 minutes. Cool the bread completely. 3 Seal the cornflakes in a heavy plastic bag. Crush them with a rolling pin to the size of rolled oats. Pour into a pie pan or a shallow dish. Set aside. 4 In a large bowl, whisk to mix the eggs, milk, flour and vanilla until blended. Be sure there are no lumps of unmixed flour. Pour into a pie pan or shallow dish. In batches, lay the bread pieces in the egg mix. Soak about 1 minute on each side in the egg mixture. Be careful not to rip the bread. 5 Place the bread pieces in the cornflake crumbs. Coat both sides with the crumbs. Place on the lined baking sheet. 6 Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes on one side. Then flip over with tongs or a spatula and bake another 5 to 10 minutes, until the crumbs begin to turn brown. Eat warm with butter and pancake syrup.","On a recent visit with my goddaughter Piper and her sisters Alden and Reilly, the girls surprised me one morning by making me their favorite version of French toast for breakfast – a “crunchy” French toast coated with corn flakes (actually a Corn flakes like cereal with dried blueberries in it) and baked in the oven. The three sisters, ages 4, 7, and 9, did everything to prepare this meal, while I sat astounded, watching them, lifting not a finger to help. These little French toast squares were actually quite good, especially with butter and real maple syrup. The recipe comes from a book they received for Christmas – Kitchen for Kids. Thank you girls! (More photos)","Elise Bauer",,"Kid-friendly, crunchy French toast, made with sliced bread, eggs, milk, vanilla, and coated with crunchy cornflakes crumbs.","Elise Bauer","Kid-friendly, crunchy French toast, made with sliced bread, eggs, milk, vanilla, and coated with crunchy cornflakes crumbs.",,,"Makes 2 or 3 servings.",235,"2017-09-25 04:52:20"
236,8400,"2017-09-25 04:52:35","Rabbit Cacciatore","One 2 1/4 lb rabbit, cut into 6 to 8 pieces Salt and freshly ground pepper 3 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1 Tbsp dried) 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried) 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (Wondra flour works great) 2 Tbsp olive oil 1/2 cup chopped onion 2 cloves garlic, minced 2/3 cup chopped mushrooms 3 cups of chopped, very ripe tomatoes (or canned plum tomatoes) 2 red bell peppers, seeded, cut into 1-inch cubes 1 bay leaf 16 salt-cured olives, black or green, pitted","Whole rabbit is much more difficult to part out than a whole chicken. If you can, have your butcher cut it for you.","1 Sprinkle the rabbit pieces generously with salt and pepper. Rub half of the thyme leaves into the pieces, then sprinkle with flour to lightly coat. Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium high. Place the rabbit pieces in the pan in a single layer. Do not stir. Cook for 2-3 minutes on one side until lightly browned, then turn the pieces and brown on the other side for a minute or two more. Remove the rabbit pieces to a dish to set aside. 2 Reduce heat to medium. Add onions to the pan, cook for 1 minute. Then add garlic, bell pepper, and mushrooms, cook for a couple minutes more. Add the rosemary and the remaining thyme. Add the rabbit back into the pan. Cover with chopped tomatoes and bay leaf. Reduce heat to medium low; cover the pan and cook for 35 minutes. 3 Uncover the pan, add the olives. Increase heat to high and cook for several minutes to boil off excess moisture and reduce the sauce. When the liquid has reduced by half, check the seasoning, add salt or pepper to taste, remove from heat and serve. Serve with rice, pasta, or potatoes.","The first time I had rabbit, I was 19, visiting a friend’s grandparent’s ranch in Cuernavaca, Mexico. They raised rabbits, among other things, and I was asked to go outside and pick out a few from the hundreds in their pens. Not knowing why I was asked to perform this task, I picked out the cutest ones I could find. An hour later I was mortified when I went in the kitchen and saw those rabbits, skinned and sticking out of a huge steaming pot on the stove. The menu for lunch that day was rabbit stew, and we were having a feast with my friend’s extended family. White linens, silver, fine china, 20 people assembled at an impressively long dining table. Out of politeness, and my complete lack of fluency in the language (if I had been more fluent I might have found a way out of this situation) I took a bite. It was absolutely delicious. From that point on, I loved rabbit. People often compare the taste of rabbit to chicken. I think it has the texture of chicken, particularly of chicken thighs or legs, but it really doesn’t taste like chicken. It has its own wonderful taste. Years ago it was much more common to cook rabbit, and more easy to find it at a butcher shop. But these days, in the era of chicken and supermarkets, you likely need to go to a specialty market to find some. This rabbit recipe is an easy to make cacciatore, or a “hunter style” stew, which is typically made with either chicken or rabbit.","Elise Bauer",,"Rabbit, browned first in olive oil, then braised with onions, garlic, red bell peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, and herbs.","Elise Bauer","Rabbit, browned first in olive oil, then braised with onions, garlic, red bell peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, and herbs.","15 minutes","50 minutes","Serves 4-5.",236,"2017-09-25 04:52:35"
237,8547,"2017-09-25 04:52:44","Crema di Limoncello","10 lemons 1 (750-ml) bottle Everclear (a quality vodka will do if you can't find it) 8 cups (1.9 liters) whole milk 5 cups sugar (1 kilogram or 2.2 pounds) 1/2 vanilla bean, seeds and pod cheesecloth bottles",,"1 Zest the lemons using a lemon zester or the fine groove side of a grater. (Save the zested lemons and use them for some of our great lemon recipes!) Place the zest and the Everclear in a container and allow to infuse in a dark, cool place for a week. After a week has passed strain the liquid through the cheesecloth into a very large glass, stainless steel, or ceramic bowl. 2 In a large stockpot or sauce pan, warm the milk, sugar, and vanilla bean seeds and pod over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, until dissolved. Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature (this will take a few hours). Discard the vanilla bean (wash it and save it for another use) and strain the mixture through the cheesecloth. 3 Combine the Everclear infusion with the sweet milk and stir together. Pass through a colander lined with cheesecloth to catch any solids. Funnel into bottles and store in the freezer. Be sure to leave room in the bottles for the mixture to expand if it freezes to avoid an explosion. Use within six months. Serve small amounts in chilled glasses.","With the warming weather, our lemons are practically falling of the trees. Here’s a lovely way to use them, homemade limoncello from guest contributor Garrett McCord. Enjoy! ~Elise Limoncello is a traditional digestif (a drink served after the meal to theoretically aid in digestion, but also an excuse for another nip) served throughout Southern Italy, particularly in the area surrounding the Gulf of Naples. It’s produced by infusing a strong alcohol with the zest of plenty of lemons and then adding sugar, resulting in a sweet, floral, and citrusy spirit. It’s a bright and memorable end to a genial meal with friends and family. While there are many producers who have been making it for years, many families make their own. And why not? It’s so easy to do! This particular, modern limoncello recipe was taught to me by my friend, Dennis Kercher, an adept home chef who for years ran a popular underground restaurant here in Sacramento. He infused his liquor, Everclear being the best choice for its liver-shockingly high alcohol content and ability to adopt flavors, with lemons and then blended it with milk and sugar. He always served it at the end of the meal chilled – almost frozen – in tiny ice cold glasses that could hold no more than perhaps an ounce. An ounce was more than enough. It was gloriously rich, almost like melted ice cream, with a kick that could send you to the moon (or at least home in a taxi). I’ve adapted the recipe a bit by making it a bit stronger and adding a vanilla bean to give it a sweeter, creamier, rather indulgent flavor. Feel free to use regular lemons or Meyer lemons, though I use the regular lemons for their more assertive presence. This is a simple drink to keep on hand for yourself, for guests, or give out as gifts.","Garrett McCord",,"Homemade limoncello. A favorite Italian digestif, rich as custard and strong enough to knock you down. Everclear infused with plenty of lemon zest then swirled together with milk, sugar, and vanilla.","Elise Bauer","Homemade limoncello. A favorite Italian digestif, rich as custard and strong enough to knock you down. Everclear infused with plenty of lemon zest then swirled together with milk, sugar, and vanilla.",,,"Makes a little more than 3 quarts.",237,"2017-09-25 04:52:44"
238,8550,"2017-09-25 04:52:55","Homemade Sassafras Root Beer","Several roots (including some green stems) from sassafras saplings, about 30-40 inches worth of 1/4-inch thick roots (enough to fill one cup when you chop them into 1/2-inch pieces) 4 cups water 2 cloves 1/2 teaspoon anise seeds (can sub fennel) 4 allspice berries 1-inch of stick cinnamon 1/4 cup molasses 1 cup sugar 2 quarts soda water","Hank likes to add a drop or two of mint extract to the sassafras syrup, which adds a nice note.","    1 Scrub the roots clean of any dirt. Cut the roots into 1/2-inch long pieces. (The roots can be tough, if you have a pair of pruning shears, they work great to cut the roots.) If you have a few green stems, you can include them too, but you should have mostly roots. Cut up as much as you need to fill one cup. Put the roots into a small pot and cover with 4 cups of water. Add the cloves, anise seeds, allspice berries, and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and simmer for 25 minutes. Add the molasses and simmer for 5 minutes more. Remove from heat. 2 Strain through cheesecloth or a fine mesh sieve lined with a paper towel. Rinse out the pot. Return the liquid to the pot. Add the sugar, heat until just a simmer and the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and let cool. 3 To assemble the root beer, fill a glass with ice cubes, add the syrup and soda water in a 1:2 ratio, so 1/3 cup of syrup to 2/3 cups of soda water. Add more soda water if you want it more diluted, add more syrup if you want it stronger.","Every summer I head east to spend some time with my goddaughter Piper and her sisters Alden and Reilly on the Massachusetts shore south of Cape Cod. In what has now become a yearly tradition, we dig for clams to make stuffies, pick rose hips for rose hip jelly, and gather sassafras roots for homemade root beer. Credit for the root beer goes to Hank Shaw who taught me all about how to make root beer from sassafras on one of his return trips from the east coast. Sassafras grows wild all over the eastern United States and Canada and was the traditional root for what we call root beer here. Before I get into the details about how to identify the plant and how to make the root beer, a disclaimer is in order. The key ingredient in sassafras is safrole, which the FDA banned for commercial use in food in the early 60s because studies found that rats fed enormous amounts of the stuff developed cancer or liver damage. But here’s the rub. According to a government agency that extrapolates human exposure needed based on rodent carcinogens (see the links below the recipe), if you drank a sassafras root beer a day, you would still have much less carcinogenic risk than if you drank beer or wine. You would have to drink a LOT of this stuff over a long period of time for there to be a problem, and at those amounts, the sugar in that much root beer would probably be much more toxic for you than the safrole. So remember my mom’s advice, “all things in moderation”. Disclaimer over. So, if you’ve decided to dance on the wild side and join us in this sassafras adventure, you’ll need to find some sassafras. (Apologies to the westerners among us, you won’t find sassafras growing out here, it only grows in the east.) Hank has a great explanation on his site as to what to look for. The sassafras plant grows to be a small bushy tree, that likes the shade under the canopy of larger trees. We found our sassafras plants right at the edge of the backyard where it met a wooded area. You can usually find three shapes of leaves on the plant, single oval-ish leaves, mitten-shaped leaves, and leaves with three-lobes. The plants do resemble young oak trees, but the key difference is in the leaves. You’ll find two or three different shapes of leaves growing on a sassafras. The plants tend to grow in clumps. Look for seedlings a few feet high. They’ll be the easiest to pull and their roots the easiest to cut. Once pulled, rinse off the dirt, wrap the roots in a paper towel and store in a plastic bag in the fridge until you are ready to make your root beer. If you have any doubts as to whether or not you have picked sassafras, just break a stem and smell it, or smell the roots. They smell just like root beer. Alden next to a perfectly sized sassafras sapling, and my nephew Austin holding the root. Traditionally root beer is fermented, hence the word “beer”. Our version is not fermented, but you could do that if you wanted to. Here’s a great blog post by Vaughnshire Farm on how to make fermented sassafras root beer. Our version is much more simple. Just boil the roots with some spices and molasses, strain, add sugar, and store as a syrup. Mix the syrup with soda water to make the root beer. My friend and Simply Recipes contributor Steve-Anna grew up making sassafras root beer this way in Alabama. How about you? If you grew up making sassafras root beer, please tell us about it in the comments.","Elise Bauer",,"A recipe for homemade root beer made with the roots of sassafras plants, spices, and molasses. Non-fermented version.","Elise Bauer","A recipe for homemade root beer made with the roots of sassafras plants, spices, and molasses. Non-fermented version.","10 minutes","30 minutes","Makes about 2 1/2 quarts.",238,"2017-09-25 04:52:55"
239,8555,"2017-09-25 04:53:02","Hot Chocolate","Basic Hot Chocolate 4 cups of whole milk 8 ounces of chocolate (60% cacao, preferably) 3 teaspoons of powdered sugar 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract 1/8 teaspoon of salt",,"1 Finely chop the chocolate into small pieces. The pieces have to be able to dissolve easily in the liquid. 2 Place the milk into a small, thick-bottomed pot on low heat and bring to a low simmer. Whisk once in a while to ensure that the milk doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. 2a If you plan to steep herbs or spices, add the herbs or spices to the milk, bring to a simmer then take off heat and allow to steep for 10 minutes. Strain the liquid then place back into the pot and return to a simmer. 3 Add the vanilla, powdered sugar, salt, and chocolate and whisk vigorously until the chocolate has melted. 3a If using liquors add them to the chocolate. 4 Heat for another 4 minutes, constantly stirring. Serve. Add a dollop of whipped cream if you want. Favorite Variations Steep a vanilla bean and a cinnamon stick in the milk while simmering. After whisking in the chocolate and letting it rest and reheat, cool it down a tad with a small bit of cream and throw some orange zest on top to perk it all up. Very Parisian. A teaspoon of Chinese five spice does wonders and gives it a slightly oriental kick. A fabulous twist on hot chocolate. Another viable alternative is Chai spice for something a bit more familiar. Some edible lavender and lemon zest in white hot chocolate are aromatic and perfect for anyone with a sweet tooth. I like rum in my hot chocolate. Rum is good.","Come in from the cold and take the chill off with a warm cup of hot chocolate! Please welcome guest author Garrett McCord as he takes us through a hot chocolate tutorial. ~Elise Hot chocolate is one of those things that spoil you forever. Once you make it at home you just can’t go back to those ready-go packets of hot cocoa anymore. It’s like comparing homemade truffles to a Hershey’s bar from last year’s Halloween. It’s just not even a contest. Real homemade hot chocolate is thick, rich, and the real essence of what chocolate in a glass on a cold day should be. How is hot chocolate different from hot cocoa? Hot chocolate is basically like drinking a melted candy bar; the chopped chocolate contains cocoa butter which makes it richer and smoother. Cocoa is powdered and contains no cocoa butter and thus very little fat. It also contains dried milk, sugar, and added flavors. This is the real stuff, and once you try it you may never want drink hot cocoa again! The recipe here serves four, it may not look like a lot but believe me it’s very rich and one cup is more than enough for a single person. Chocolate to Use If you plan to make good hot chocolate, it helps to start with quality chocolate. Scharffen Berger, Guittard, and Valrhona are great choices if you can find them where you are. I suggest using bittersweet or semisweet chocolate. Bittersweet has little sugar added to it so you’ll get a more pure chocolate taste. Semisweet works too, and usually has more sugar added to it than bittersweet. What about those cacao percentages? The higher the cacao percentage (noted on the chocolate package) the more chocolate solids are in the product, and therefore the higher intensity of chocolate flavor. Semisweet is usually 35-40% cacao, bittersweet up to (and sometimes higher than) 75%. 100% cacao is unsweetened chocolate, which is fine for baking, but you probably don’t want to use it for hot chocolate. Milk chocolate already has milk solids added to it and has a very low (about 20%) cacao percentage. Milk, Soy, or Water? Whole milk lends to the creaminess and sweetness of hot chocolate, but feel free to use lowfat or nonfat milk if you prefer. For a thicker, richer hot chocolate, switch out 1/4 cup of milk for cream. Soy milk is an alternative if you are lactose intolerant. Use unflavored or vanilla soy milk. Believe it or not, you can use water instead of milk (though most people use milk). Water allows the chocolate to show off its true flavors and unique characteristics, however you lose the creamy feel and taste when you don’t use milk. Spices & Herbs Experiment with spices and herbs to create unique flavors with your hot chocolate. Centuries ago the Aztecs made hot chocolate with vanilla and chili peppers. Today Mexicans enjoy hot chocolate with cinnamon. Many flavors can be added to chocolate, such as the classic flavors of peppermint and orange. You might also try lavender, bay leaf, or star anise. Brew spices into the milk (or soy milk or water) during the initial heating process. After the milk is steamy, strain out the spices and herbs and return the hot, flavored milk back to the pan and add the chocolate as you normally would. Liquors A small addition of liquor is a fun way to warm the body on a cold night. About 1 to 1 1/2 ounces of liquor is the right amount per cup of liquid being used. Most any favorite liquor will work. Dark chocolate with a dark Guinness is a perfect combo. Cinnamon or peppermint schnapps with hot chocolate are classic companions. Kahlua and chocolate makes for a sort of mocha-esque treat that you won’t find at your local coffee shop. A popular way to drink hot chocolate in Canada, according to some of my northern relatives, is to add a bit of whisky and (real) maple syrup. Whipped Cream Regardless how you make it, I think whipped cream makes hot chocolate (or anything really) better. Feel free to use an extract such as vanilla or anise to flavor the whipped cream. Once dolloped onto your drink a small sprinkling of nuts, cocoa powder, or ground spices is a great way to add flavor and pump up the presentation. My best advice to creating your perfectly flavored hot chocolate is to make it as you like it. Feel free to experiment as I doubt friends and family will mind being subjected to cup after cup of chocolate.","Garrett McCord",,"Keep warm with homemade hot chocolate! Discussion of chocolate types. Recommendations for variations.","Elise Bauer","Keep warm with homemade hot chocolate! Discussion of chocolate types. Recommendations for variations.",,,"Serves 4.",239,"2017-09-25 04:53:02"
240,8558,"2017-09-25 04:53:15",Nocino,"30 green English walnuts (do not use American black walnuts), early enough in the season so that they are easily cut with a knife 2 cinnamon sticks 5 whole cloves 1-inch piece of vanilla bean Zest of one lemon, cut into strips using a vegetable peeler 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar 1 liter vodka Other recipes I've found use orange peel instead of lemon, use spices such as mace, or include grappa. The next time I make nocino I may try the orange peel and even add a little star anise.","The juice from the walnuts will permanently stain anything it touches, so you might want to wear gloves while cutting them. Wash down the cutting board as soon as you are done cutting the walnuts.","1 Rinse and pat dry the walnuts. Cut them into quarters with a sharp chef's knife or cleaver. Be careful as you are cutting them; if you've waited too late in the season to pick them, their shells may have begun to harden and cutting through them may be a little dicey. Watch your fingers. 2 Put walnuts, spices, zest, sugar, and vodka into a large glass container. The vodka should cover the walnuts. Cover and shake to mix well. Store for 6 weeks, shaking daily. As the days go by you will notice that the color of the nocino gets darker and darker. 3 When you are ready to bottle, remove the walnuts and solids with a slotted metal spoon. (Again be careful where you do this as the walnuts and the nocino will stain.) Strain the liquid through several layers of cheesecloth into glass bottles. (I've seen recipes that call for straining the liquid through coffee filters which I think would work fine too.) Cork tightly. According to David, nocino will last for several years if stored in a cool, dry place. The nocino will initially be rather bitter, but it will mellow over time. It's best at least a year after it was first bottled.","Recently I hosted several Sacramento area food bloggers over for a potluck. Late in the afternoon, after most of the guests had left and the die hards remained, I pulled out some nocino, a spicy, sweet, slightly bitter walnut liqueur that I made a couple years ago to share with the group. The recipe comes from our favorite Parisian man-about-town David Lebovitz, from his terrific book, Room For Dessert. David recommends using nocino to flavor custards, or to pour over vanilla ice cream. We had ours straight. To any other group of my friends, tasting homemade nocino would be a novelty at best. To this group, it was an inspiration. A few friends looked around the yard and noticed that our walnut trees had plenty of perfectly young green walnuts on them. A few minutes later, one group was off to the store to buy a gallon of vodka. The other group was on ladders picking the young walnuts within reach. In short order, our kitchen was filled with cooks, chopping walnuts, parsing out sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and other ingredients to different glass canning jars. A nocino party! One of the guests even noticed churro remnants on the kitchen ceiling (that’s another story) and knocked them down. Regarding nocino. It’s an Italian liqueur made with unripe walnuts, still soft in their green husks. The time to make nocino is in late May, early June, when the shells have still not yet hardened. I’ve never seen green walnuts at any market, easier to find a friend with a walnut tree. You can also make green walnut pickles with the nuts, and even vin de noix or walnut wine.","Elise Bauer",,"Instructions for making nocino, a spicy, sweet Italian walnut liqueur, made from green, undeveloped walnuts.","Elise Bauer","Instructions for making nocino, a spicy, sweet Italian walnut liqueur, made from green, undeveloped walnuts.",,,"Makes about 1 quart.",240,"2017-09-25 04:53:15"
241,8566,"2017-09-25 04:53:43","Mint Tea with Lemon Verbena","Lemon verbena 1/2 cup of fresh mint leaves (not the stems, they're bitter), rinsed, lightly packed (about 20 leaves) 1/2 cup of fresh lemon verbena leaves, rinsed, lightly packed (about 10-15 leaves) 2 cups of water",,"Bring a pot of fresh water almost, but not quite to a boil. Put the mint and verbena leaves in a teapot. Pour the hot water over the leaves. Let sit for 3-5 minutes. Strain into tea cups.","A while ago I ordered some herbal tea at the Chez Panisse Café in Berkeley. The tea arrived in a large, clear, glass teapot, filled with green leaves and hot water. The tea was lovely – light, lemony, minty. After we finished it, my curiosity got the best of me and I started fishing out the leaves from the pot, wondering what was in this tea anyway? Our server noticed this odd behavior and quickly came to the table offering to provide us with fresh leaves. “These leaves here are mint, but what are these long green ones?” I asked. “Lemon verbena,” was the answer and she happily addressed my battery of questions about this herb. Lemon verbena is a bushy shrub that grows quite well in Northern California. It originally comes from South America, but has been cultivated in Europe since the 1600s. It has a strong lemon scent and is used to add a lemon flavor to many dishes. In anticipation of making my own verbena mint tea, I planted some this spring. True to expectations, the not-yet-a-bush plant is thriving. Here’s the method for making simple mint tea with lemon verbena:","Elise Bauer",,"Refreshing herbal tea made with fresh lemon verbena and mint leaves.","Elise Bauer","Refreshing herbal tea made with fresh lemon verbena and mint leaves.",,,"Makes 2 cups.",241,"2017-09-25 04:53:43"
242,8568,"2017-09-25 04:53:57","Old Fashioned Pink Lemonade","1 1/4 cup sugar (if using unsweetened cranberry juice, 1 cup if using sweetened) 4 cups water (divided) 1 cup cranberry juice 1 cup lemon juice",,"1 Make a ""simple syrup"" by heating sugar and 1 cup of the water in a small saucepan until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat. 2 Stir together the remaining water, cranberry juice, lemon juice and simple syrup. Make adjustments to taste. Chill for an hour, or add ice to cool.","I was inspired by reading this post at Weddings and Food to make some pink lemonade today. Isn’t it pretty? I think it is a little pinker than what we used to get frozen in the can growing up. Why is pink lemonade so much more appealing than regular lemonade? Doesn’t the canned stuff just has food dye in it to make it pink? I haven’t bought it in decades so don’t really know. This version, with a gentle addition of cranberry juice is the perfect refreshing cooler for a hot summer day.","Elise Bauer",,"Old fashioned pink lemonade with fresh squeezed lemon juice, simple syrup of sugar and water, and cranberry juice for color.","Elise Bauer","Old fashioned pink lemonade with fresh squeezed lemon juice, simple syrup of sugar and water, and cranberry juice for color.",,,"Serves 6.",242,"2017-09-25 04:53:57"
243,8668,"2017-09-25 04:54:20","Un-Cobb Salad","Romaine lettuce, chopped cross-wise in 1-inch strips (or favorite salad greens) Grilled skinless, boneless chicken breast, chopped Mango, peeled and chopped (see how to cut a mango) Avocado, seeded, peeled, chopped (see how to cut and peel an avocado) Tart apple, peeled and sliced Dried cranberries Vinaigrette or your favorite salad dressing The Hard Rock Cafe ""anti-cobb"" salad also has strawberries and supremed orange segments.",,"Arrange lettuce on a serving platter. Arrange other ingredients in sections on top of the lettuce. Drizzle on salad dressing of choice.","Like chicken caesar, Cobb salad is one of those standard salads that you can find on practically any American restaurant menu. It’s a “composed” salad with avocados, bacon, chicken, hard boiled eggs, and tomatoes. The only problem is that sometimes, just sometimes, you want something a little lighter. Perhaps you had bacon and eggs for breakfast, and you don’t feel like having more at lunch. This was the dilemma we found ourselves in during a recent trip to Washington DC, wanting a substantial salad for an evening meal, but without all that bacon. We found a great solution at the Hard Rock Cafe in D.C., in the form of their “Anti-Cobb” salad. Instead of bacon, eggs, and tomato, the Hard Rock salad included mango, apple slices, and dried cranberries. Perfect! The following recipe is based on that salad, and is more of a guideline than a precise recipe. I haven’t given any amounts, because it really depends on how much you want to make, and how much of any one of the ingredients you might want in the salad.","Elise Bauer",,"Composed salad with grilled chicken breast, avocado, apple, mango, and dried cranberries.","Elise Bauer","Composed salad with grilled chicken breast, avocado, apple, mango, and dried cranberries.","15 minutes",,,243,"2017-09-25 04:54:20"
244,8685,"2017-09-25 04:54:38","Tomato, Cucumber, Purslane Salad","1 large cucumber, peeled, quartered lengthwise, seeds removed and discarded, then chopped 1 medium tomato, chopped 1 bunch purslane, thick stems removed, leaves chopped, resulting in about 1/2 cup chopped purslane 1 minced seeded jalapeno chile pepper 2-3 Tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice Salt to taste","Especially good served with grilled seafood.","Combine all ingredients in a serving bowl. Salt to taste.","For the last few years my garden weeding routine has included the pulling up of a thick-stemmed ground cover plant with little yellow flowers that takes over the pathways around the garden beds. It’s pretty actually, but to the gardening books it’s considered a weed. What a lot of these books don’t tell you is that purslane, the “weed” in question, is being sold at farmers markets to chefs for $7 a pound. Not only is it edible, something like crunchy, not-as-spicy watercress, but it is packed with vitamins, minerals, and even Omega 3. In Mexico it is cultivated, between rows of corn in cornfields. Called “verdolaga” in Spanish, it is used in many dishes, in salads, or cooked with braised pork. So, this year I decided to just let it grow, and my garden stepping stones are now surrounded by a blanket of green purslane, which so loves the room to spread it has happily crowded out the crab grass. I can make a salad in my hands with it, some Thai basil and Sun Gold tomatoes. The following purslane salad recipe comes from my Mexican friend Arturo Vargas, who chopped up the leaves (discarded the thick stems) and tossed them in with some cucumber, tomato, jalapeño, lemon juice, and salt. We at the salad for lunch alongside some quesadillas. Cool, crispy, and refreshing. If you too are incorporating purslane into your cooking, please let us know in the comments how you are using it.","Elise Bauer",,"Wild purslane salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, jalapeño chile, lemon juice and salt. Ensalada de Verdolaga.","Elise Bauer","Wild purslane salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, jalapeño chile, lemon juice and salt. Ensalada de Verdolaga.",,,,244,"2017-09-25 04:54:38"
245,8711,"2017-09-25 04:54:50","Arugula Corn Salad with Bacon","4 large ears of corn 2 cups of chopped arugula (about one bunch) 4 strips of bacon, cooked, chopped 1/3 cup chopped green onions 1 Tbsp olive oil 1 Tbsp white wine vinegar 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste",,"1 Cook the corn ears, in their husks, either on the grill for a smokey flavor, or by steaming in a large covered stock pot with an inch of boiling water at the bottom of the pot, for 12-15 minutes. Let the corn cool (can run under cold water to speed up the cooling), remove the husks and silk. I recommend cooking the corn in the husks for the added flavor that the husks impart. If you boil or steam the corn ears after you've already husked them, or if you cook them in the microwave, reduce the cooking time by a few minutes. 2 To remove the kernels from the cobs, stand a corn cob vertically over a large, shallow bowl. Use a sharp knife to make long, downward strokes, removing the kernels from the cob, as you work your way around the cob. Note: it may help to work over a low table, to be in a better ergonomic position to cut the cobs this way. 3 In a medium sized bowl, mix together the corn, chopped arugula, bacon, and onions. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, salt and pepper, and cumin. Mix dressing into salad just before serving. Taste and add more vinegar if necessary to balance the sweetness of the corn.","This is a salad of bold flavors, but somehow they all manage to work together well. Sweet corn tossed with peppery arugula, bacon, onion, cumin, and wine vinegar to balance the sweet corn, and you have stimulated all the major tastes your tongue can perceive. If you have a grill, and the time, I highly recommend grilling the corn (in their husks) for this recipe; the smokey flavor just can’t be beat.","Elise Bauer",,"Peppery corn salad with freshly cooked corn, arugula, bacon, green onions, and cumin.","Elise Bauer","Peppery corn salad with freshly cooked corn, arugula, bacon, green onions, and cumin.",,,"Serves 4.",245,"2017-09-25 04:54:50"
246,8777,"2017-09-25 04:54:55","Smoked Salmon and Gruyere Grilled Cheese Sandwich","1/2 Meyer lemon, thinly sliced, seeds removed 1/2 teaspoon salt 8 slices French bread 4 ounces smoked salmon 4 ounces Gruyere cheese, sliced or shredded 1 Tbsp chopped chives Butter",,"1 In a small saucepan bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Add a half teaspoon of salt. When the salt has dissolved, add the slices of lemon to the pan, layering them down flat in the pan. Let water boil away until it is almost all gone and there is just a thin syrup left in the pan. Do not stir while cooking. Remove from heat. 2 Heat a large cast iron pan on medium high heat. While the pan is heating, arrange the sandwiches (next step). 2 Lay out 4 slices of bread. On top of them layer slices of smoked salmon, cheese, and chives. Use a fork to lift the lemon slices out of the pan and add one large lemon slice to each sandwich. Top with a second layer of bread. 3 Butter the top bread slices generously with butter. Once the pan is hot, place the sandwiches in the pan, butter side down. Lower the heat to medium. Let cook for a few minutes until the bottom of the sandwiches are well toasted. 4 Butter the top side of the sandwiches in the pan. Use a metal spatula to flip the sandwiches over. Press down on the sandwiches with the metal spatula. Let cook until the bottom of the sandwiches is nicely browned. If the cheese isn't melting, turn the heat to low, cover the pan and let cook for a few minutes more.","Many moons ago my friend Dennis Kercher shared with me his favorite grilled cheese sandwich – one with smoked salmon, Gruyere, and lemon confit made from preserved lemons. I finally got around to making this fabulous sandwich, but instead of using preserved lemons (most people don’t have those sitting around), I boiled Meyer lemon slices down in salted water. Very tasty, and a great way to use up any smoked salmon left over from a weekend brunch.","Elise Bauer",,"Toasty grilled Gruyere Swiss cheese sandwich with smoked salmon and Meyer lemon.","Elise Bauer","Toasty grilled Gruyere Swiss cheese sandwich with smoked salmon and Meyer lemon.",,,"Makes 4 sandwiches.",246,"2017-09-25 04:54:55"
247,8778,"2017-09-25 04:54:57","Liverwurst Sandwich","2 slices Liverwurst 2 slices white or rye bread Lettuce Mayonnaise",,"Spread bread slice with mayonnaise (and mustard if you prefer), layer on the lettuce and liverwurst slices, top with bread slice.","“Eww! Liverwurst!” Thus went a familiar refrain when we were kids and instead of peanut butter and jelly we opened up our lunch box to a liverwurst sandwich. No one, and I mean no one, would trade their sandwich for ours. Even now, just say the word “liverwurst” to an unsuspecting friend and watch their reaction. Sigh. I suspect that if it were called “saucisse de foie de porc” (sausage of pork liver) we wouldn’t have had such a problem with it. But with the combo of “liver” (not every kid’s favorite meal) and “wurst” (sounds a lot like “worst”, as in the worst sandwich ever), we were not predisposed to like it. Thank goodness we are grown-ups now with more sophisticated palates and an openness to revisit the food prejudices of our youth. (Right? One can only hope.) Seriously, liverwurst tastes a lot like pâté, and is usually made with pork, including up to 20% pork liver. Prepared well, it is absolutely delicious. The question is can you even find it in the stores anymore? We recently found some fantastic liverwurst a local German sausage maker (Morants in Sacramento). Underwood is a brand I remember growing up, though I don’t know how available it is these days. Liverwurst sandwiches are typically made with rye or whole grain bread, mustard, and onions. Personally I would skip the onions, unless perhaps they are pickled red onions, as the liverwurst is strong enough in flavor and often has onions ground into it. We always had these sandwiches on white bread growing up, so that’s what I use now, but with Italian or French loaf.","Elise Bauer",,"Classic liverwurst sandwich with German liverwurst pork sausage, lettuce, bread, and mayonnaise.","Elise Bauer","Classic liverwurst sandwich with German liverwurst pork sausage, lettuce, bread, and mayonnaise.","3 minutes",,"Makes one sandwich.",247,"2017-09-25 04:54:57"
248,8976,"2017-09-25 04:55:20","Creole Potato Salad","2 pounds Yukon gold or new potatoes, scrubbed clean (peel on or off, your choice), cut in 1 to 2-inch chunks 6 hard-boiled eggs, coarsely chopped 1 small onion, chopped 2 stalks celery, diced 1 green pepper, diced 2 tablespoons cider vinegar 1 teaspoon sugar 1/2 cup Creole mustard 3/4 cup mayonnaise (less or more to taste) Salt Cajun seasoning, for garnish","This is a great make-ahead salad, as extra time chilling in the refrigerator helps the flavors sink into the potatoes.","1 Place potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold water by an inch. (If you haven't already hard boiled the eggs, you can boil the eggs with the potatoes.) Bring to a boil and add about a teaspoon of salt. Lower the heat to a simmer and cover. Cook until the potatoes are fork tender, about 10 minutes. Drain in a colander. 2 While you are boiling the potatoes, mix the sugar, vinegar, mayonnaise and mustard in with the celery, peppers and onion in a large bowl. 3 While the potatoes are still warm, gently mix them in with the dressing. Stirring them in while warm will allow the potatoes to soak in the seasonings better. 4 Gently fold the chopped hard boiled eggs into the potato mixture until well combined. Taste the potato salad and add salt to taste. Put the salad in the fridge for at least an hour before serving. Serve chilled, garnished with paprika or Cajun seasoning.","Every summer BBQ deserves a good potato salad. This one is on our agenda for the weekend, how about you? Creole potato salad, by the way, hails from Louisiana where people are never too far from their Tony Chachere’s or Zatarain’s. The distinguishing feature of creole potato salad is “creole mustard”, which has a unique spicy taste with chiles, molasses, and herbs. I was able to find a jar at our local Raley’s grocery store here in Sacramento, so I’m guessing that it’s not too hard to find in other parts of the country.","Elise Bauer",,"Spice up your summer BBQ with a Creole potato salad, seasoned with spicy creole mustard.","Elise Bauer","Spice up your summer BBQ with a Creole potato salad, seasoned with spicy creole mustard.",,,"Serves 6-8.",248,"2017-09-25 04:55:20"
249,9145,"2017-09-25 04:55:42","Boiled Peanuts","1 pound of raw ""green"" peanuts (not the color green, but fresh raw peanuts which are called green peanuts) 1/4 cup kosher salt (or 2 Tbsp table salt) 4 cups water Optional seasoning 2 Tbsp Old Bay Seasoning, smoked paprika, shrimp boil mix, or even star anise","You can easily double or triple or quadruple the recipe ingredients. The longer the peanuts cook, or sit in the salty water, the saltier they will become. Also the longer the peanuts cook, the softer the shells will become. Some people prefer their peanut shells soft and almost chewy, some prefer a little firm so you can pry open the shells. If you are making boiled peanuts for the first time, work with a small batch (like the one pound recipe that follows). If they end up too salty, use less salt the next time. If you like them softer, cook them longer. The inside nuts themselves should be completely soft. If crunchy or crisp, they need to cook longer.","1 Thoroughly rinse raw unshelled peanuts in water. 2 Put water, salt, seasoning, peanuts in a large stockpot. Bring to a low boil. Cover and reduce the heat just enough to maintain a low boil. Boil for 2 to 3 hours or longer (some boil their peanuts all day), until peanuts reach desired level of softness. 3 Drain. Eat up within a couple of days. Boiled peanuts don't save as well as dry.","Before there was edamame in this country, there were hot boiled peanuts, which according to my Southern friends, are a staple in much of the South. Boiled peanuts are just raw peanuts that have been boiled in salted water for hours. Great with beer or a cold soda, these salty soft peanuts are totally addictive. A little messy too, given that the shells absorb some of the water which can squirt out at you when you bite into them to get the nut out. People usually eat them outside where you can toss the shells and not worry about the salt water dribbles. The season for raw peanuts is May through November; my pal Garrett picked these up for me this week at the local farmer’s market. Now every time I post a traditional Southern recipe I get a little pit in my stomach because I’m not Southern and I’m sure I’m going to mess up how I write about the recipe. So here to help me with this one is my very Alabama BFF Steve-Anna Stephens: I can’t even hear the words “hot boiled peanuts” without hearing ’em doled out in a thick Southern drawl. When Elise told me she was experimenting with a boiled peanut recipe, I immediately conjured up an image of a 50 gallon drum, situated over a fire pit in the dirt on the side of the road in Alabama – filled with steaming saltwater, and peanuts in the shell. You used to could get (yes, I meant to write that) a bag of peanuts for about fifty cents. I like to crack the boiled shell between my teeth and slurp the peanuts into my mouth. There’s usually a little saltwater left in the shell, so, believe it or not slurping is the more polite option over squirting saltwater on an innocent bystander. Now I can’t decide which is better, Elise posting a grits recipe or a recipe for hot boiled peanuts! So there you have it, from a true lady of the South. Most people I talked to just boil their peanuts in plain salt water. Some add seasonings, I think a traditional seasoning (if you are going to use anything in addition to salt) is shrimp boil seasoning. I used a combination of smoked paprika and Old Bay which was quite tasty.","Elise Bauer",,"Traditional Southern hot boiled peanuts. Raw peanuts boiled in salt water for a salty, shell-shucking-worthy snack.","Elise Bauer","Traditional Southern hot boiled peanuts. Raw peanuts boiled in salt water for a salty, shell-shucking-worthy snack.","5 minutes","2 hours, 30 minutes",,249,"2017-09-25 04:55:42"
250,9249,"2017-09-25 04:55:51","Cold Tomato Summer Vegetable Soup","6 fresh, ripe tomatoes, seeds removed (cut tomatoes in half, squeeze out seeds into a sieve over a bowl to catch the juice, use the juice, discard the seeds), chopped 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, chopped fine 1 red bell pepper, chopped fine 2 stalks celery, chopped fine 1 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 teaspoons sugar 2 zucchini, chopped fine 1/2 medium sweet onion, chopped fine 1-2 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 3 cups tomato juice (in addition to the juice made when you squeezed the tomatoes above) 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 2 Tbsp olive oil 1/4 cup sherry vinegar 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano (or pinch of dry) 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth Hot sauce if needed","Note, dad says to chop the zucchini finer than what is pictured in the photo.","Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Use the additional tomato juice to thin the soup to desired consistency. Adjust seasonings to taste. Better the next day.","My father made this cold tomato and zucchini soup the other day. “Don’t call it gazpacho.” “Why not? It looks like gazpacho, but with some zucchini.” “It’s my soup. I made it up. It’s not gazpacho. Don’t call it gazpacho.” “Okay dad, whatever you say.” So instead, my brother Eddie has named it “The Farmer’s Market in a Soup”. And, given that dad brought home every ingredient except the seasonings and broth from our local farmers market, the name makes sense. It is a wonderfully cool, fresh soup for a hot summer day. Just don’t call it gazpacho.","Elise Bauer",,"Cold tomato vegetable soup, made with fresh, uncooked tomatoes, zucchini, cucumber, red bell pepper, celery, sweet onion, and garlic. Perfect for a hot summer day.","Elise Bauer","Cold tomato vegetable soup, made with fresh, uncooked tomatoes, zucchini, cucumber, red bell pepper, celery, sweet onion, and garlic. Perfect for a hot summer day.",,,"Serves 8.",250,"2017-09-25 04:55:51"
251,9715,"2017-09-25 04:56:02","Thanksgiving Pie Recipes",,,,"“How many pies should we bake, dad? There are only 5 of us for dinner.” “Two.” “Two?” “Two. Because there is nothing better on God’s green earth than apple pie for breakfast.” “Ah yes, of course.” We are making two apple pies for Thanksgiving this year, both with cranberries. The plan is for me to make make the pie dough on Wednesday and for dad to make the pies on Thursday morning, before the turkey goes in. For those of you still deciding what pie(s) to make, assembled is a collection of Thanksgiving pie recipes from Simply Recipes, and links to several delicious sounding recipes from other food blogs. And you? Are you making a favorite pie for the big day? What’s your Thanksgiving pie strategy? Thanksgiving pie recipes on Simply Recipes Old Fashioned Apple Pie Sour Cream Apple Pie with Streusel Topping Cranberry Apple Pie Apple Cranberry Currant Crumble Pie Old Fashioned Pumpkin Pie Chiffon Pumpkin Pie Pecan Pie Caramelized Nut Tart Sweet Potato Pie with Pecan Topping Thanksgiving pie recipes on other food blogs Nutmeg Maple Cream Pie from Deb of Smitten Kitchen Sweet Potato Cheesecake from Lisa Fain, the Homesick Texan Spice-kissed Pumpkin Pie from Super Natural cook Heidi Swanson of 101 Cookbooks Sweet Potato Pie by Barbara of Tigers & Strawberries Butterscotch Pie from Best Room in the House Chocolate Pumpkin Pie from Nic of Baking Bites Apple and Quince Pie from Cookie Baker Lynn Honey Pumpkin Pie by Alanna of A Veggie Venture Gluten-free Pumpkin Pie from Shauna the Gluten-free Girl","Elise Bauer",,"Collection of links to fabulous Thanksgiving pie recipes - apple pies, sweet potato pies, pumpkin pies, pecan pies.","Elise Bauer","Collection of links to fabulous Thanksgiving pie recipes - apple pies, sweet potato pies, pumpkin pies, pecan pies.",,,,251,"2017-09-25 04:56:02"
252,9720,"2017-09-25 04:56:03","Thanksgiving Planning",,,,"Thanksgiving is coming upon us. In the last month I’ve actually twice bought and cooked a whole turkey just to make sure we had the instructions right and some decent photos for my mom’s Roast Turkey recipe. (Her method – cook the bird breast side down.) Here’s a list of some of our favorite Thanksgiving recipes as well as some ideas from other food blogs. Thanksgiving recipes from Simply Recipes: Roast Turkey Turkey Stuffing Turkey Soup Spicy Cranberry Sauce with Pinot Noir Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes Classic Baked Acorn Squash Green Beans with Almonds and Thyme Brussels Sprouts Apple Cranberry Pie Pecan Pie Old Fashioned Pumpkin Pie More recipes from the complete list Thanksgiving ideas from other food blogs: A collection of Thanksgiving Vegetables from Alanna of A Veggie Venture Cranberry and Dried Cherry Sauce from Nicole of Slashfood Sage, Walnut, and Dried Fig Stuffing from Heidi of 101 Cookbooks Roasted Butternut Squash with Rosemary and Balsamic Vinegar from Kalyn of Kalyn’s Kitchen Sweet Potato Pie from Barbara of Tigers and Strawberries Sweet Potato Apple Casserole from Food Musings Word’s Best Green Been Casserole from Alanna of A Veggie Venture Pumpkin Cheesecake from Stacey of Just Braise Baked Sweet Potatoes with Ginger-Molasses Butter from Basic Juice","Elise Bauer",,"Plan your Thankgsiving meal with Thanksgiving recipe ideas from Simply Recipes and other food blogs.","Elise Bauer","Plan your Thankgsiving meal with Thanksgiving recipe ideas from Simply Recipes and other food blogs.",,,,252,"2017-09-25 04:56:03"
253,10752,"2017-09-25 04:56:11","Tuna Casserole","12 ounces wide egg noodles 1 Tbsp salt 8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms 1 medium onion, chopped 2 Tbsp butter 2 cups chopped broccoli (about 1/2 lb) 2 (6-ounce) cans tuna, drained 1 (10 3/4 oz)can Campbell's cream of mushroom soup 2 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese 1/3 cup milk 1 Tbsp cream Salt and pepper to taste 1 cup crushed potato chips",,"1 Cook the noodles and broccoli: Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large (6 qt) pot, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Add a tablespoon of salt. Return to a boil. Add noodles. Cook uncovered on high heat on a rolling boil. Just before pasta is al dente, (firm but cooked through, earliest cooking time minus 2 minutes), add the chopped broccoli to the pasta and cook for 2 more minutes. Drain in a colander and set aside. 2 Sauté mushrooms: While the pasta is cooking, dry sauté the mushrooms in a frying pan on medium high heat (no need to add butter or oil, mushrooms will cook in their own juice). When mushrooms have given up their moisture (about 5-10 minutes), remove from heat and set aside. 3 Cook the onions: After the pasta is done and is draining in a colander, heat a large oven-proof pan on medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the onions and cook them until translucent. 4 Combine pasta, broccoli, mushrooms, tuna, can of mushroom soup, cheese, milk, cream: Add the pasta and broccoli mixture back into the pot; stir in the mushrooms. Stir in the tuna, can of cream of mushroom soup, grated cheese, milk and cream. Add salt and pepper to taste. 5 Top with crushed potato chips: Spread crushed potato chips over the top of the mixture. 6 Bake: Cook for 20 minutes at 400°F in the oven, until the topping has browned.","My father and I have been reminiscing lately about my mom’s tuna casserole, the one she used to make in the 60s, with cream of mushroom soup, broccoli, lots of cheese, and a crushed potato chip topping. Mom has only the vaguest recollection of a tuna casserole (“I think it had broccoli in it.”) In fact, today she said she had no memory of it at all. Did she really make it? Or are dad and I remembering something instead from a school cafeteria? In any case, I attempted to reproduce it for today’s lunch, in honor of the weekend and long forgotten family traditions. Entering our pantry for the first time in 20 years was a can of Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom Soup (really must use this one, no other will do.) Also, I used Kettle potato chips – very good quality. The verdict? Yes, it’s just what you want in a classic tuna casserole! Filling, cheesy, crunchy topping, not too tuna-y. The visiting picky eater kids (okay, not that picky, thank God) had three servings.","Elise Bauer",,"Retro comfort food tuna noodle casserole topped with crushed potato chips, and made with canned tuna, egg noodles, mushrooms, broccoli, cream of mushroom soup, and cheddar cheese.","Elise Bauer","Retro comfort food tuna noodle casserole topped with crushed potato chips, and made with canned tuna, egg noodles, mushrooms, broccoli, cream of mushroom soup, and cheddar cheese.",,"55 minutes","Serves 6",253,"2017-09-25 04:56:11"