Taking it easy...

It's been a few days since my last post, and for good reason.  Mama has taken a mini vacation.  No, I didn't fly to an exotic locale or get lost on a country road, I simply took a break from the kitchen.  It's no fun to cook when no one's around to enjoy what you've made.  Last night was the first I've had my boys home to make dinner for.  I wanted something simple to ease my way back in to the groove, so I decided to roast veggies....put 'em in a pan an forget about life for a while...well, an hour.  But that was enough to get my kitchen mojo back!  Here is the dish we had last night. Marinated Roasted White Veggies was served on Israeli couscous with butternut squash bisque and a variety of vegetarian burgers.

Marinated Roasted White Veggies

1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
1/2 sweet onion
10 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 lb potatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces

(marinade)
1/4 c worcestershire
1/4 c white cooking wine
1/8 c olive oil
1/3 c balsamic vinegar
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp thyme

Combine all veggies in a 9x13 dish. Combine all marinade ingredients. Pour over veggies.  Cover and put in fridge for 1 hour.  Pour off most of marinade, leaving about 1/4 cup in baking dish. Bake 450 for 1hour or until potatoes are cooked through, stirring every 15 mins or so. Serve alone or over your favorite grain or pasta.

Hot Spuds in the City

 I have never personally been a fan of spicy food.  I like to taste things. So, a spicy dish can ruin my taste buds for an entire evening.  I have recently tried to be more open minded with spice and find myself incorporating peppers into my recipes.  This interesting side dish is an adaptation of a Tapas recipe.  The measurements are approximate, as I create it as I go, then try to remember what I did. Not very scientific, but I never claimed to be Einstein...I'm a much better cook :)


Hot Potatoes

1.5 lbs new potatoes, skin on/boiled, cut into 1/2 or 1/4
1/4 c olive oil
5 tbs olive oil
3 tbs sundried tomatoes
2 tbs garlic, chopped
dash cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tbs sherry vinegar
1/2 tsp paprika (I used smoked)

Heat 1/4 c olive oil in skillet.  Add potatoes and fry on med until golden brown.  Meanwhile blend together in food processor' or chopper' last 7 ingredients until well incorporated.  Put mix in med sized bowl.
Remove potatoes from oil and drain on paper towels.  Put potatoes into bowl with sauce, mix well.  

My Spicy Valentine

After taking a day off to celebrate with my own Valentine, I am back in the kitchen, cooking up a hot dish to spice up your holiday.  At a wonderful little restaurant in downtown Baltimore, I had a divine meal that included chili shrimp.  It was perfectly cooked and perfectly spiced.  Here is my own version... 

Chili Shrimp with Broccoli and Barley

1 lb med shrimp, peeled & deveined, tails on
1/4-1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp red chili/pepper flakes
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
2 Tbs minced garlic
steamed broccoli (I use a steam bag)
cooked barley (1 cup barley, 2 cups veggie broth)

Heat oil in skillet.  Add chili, paprika, and garlic, stir around pan.  Add shrimp, cook until opaque.  Add broccoli to pan. Saute with shrimp until coated in spice-infused oil.  Serve on top of barley.

Simple meal, tasty results! Enjoy!

Chilly morning, cozy thoughts....

Sitting here, drinking my Yogi tea, wondering about what I'd be doing this morning if I were somewhere else, someone else....If I had it my way I would have been up hours ago planning my next creation.  Something warm, sweet and gooey.  Luckily for me (and you) I don't have to reach far.  Like most of my recipes, this one can be adapted to your taste...pick a different bread or fruit, omit the alcohol, or use more.  Whatever your favorite flavors, this treat is sure to please...for dessert, or breakfast!


Stephanie's Amaretto-Banana-Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding
1 loaf Challah bread, cut into 1in pieces
2 bananas, cut into 1/2in chunks
2C heavy cream
1C sugar, plus 2T for bananas
4 large eggs
1T vanilla
6T amaretto
2T butter
1 bag chocolate chips

Preheat oven 350. Grease med baking dish or loaf pan.

In a frying pan, melt butter, 2T sugar, and 2T amaretto. When melted, add bananas. Saute until golden brown. Set aside.

In a large bowl mix cream, 1C sugar, eggs, vanilla, and 4T amaretto, until well blended. Fold in bread, chocolate chips and sauteed bananas. Let sit for at least 5 mins for bread to soak liquid. Pour into baking dish.

Place dish towel in a roasting pan. Place baking dish on top. Pour enough water in roasting pan to cover 1/2 of baking dish. Put in preheated oven. Bake for 1 hour or until knife in center comes out clean. Cool on rack.

Warm your belly...

On these cold winter days we've been having, my mind wanders to food.  Memories of making hot chocolate and baking pies in the depths of winter bring about a much needed warm, fuzzy feeling.  The days of sitting around my grandmother's round kitchen table in the middle of a black and white checkerboard floor, feeling like Alice in her own personal wonderland, have long since past.  Now that I am a mother, I have tried to recreate the same sense of wonder in my own family.  The creative wheels started turning the other night and this is the end result :

Sweet Cherry Soup with Almond Dumplings

Soup -
16oz bag frozen sweet cherries
1 c cran-raspberry juice (or any clear fruit juice you have)
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbs cornstarch (mixed into 2 Tbs juice or water)

Dumplings -
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp almond extract
dash of salt
dash of sugar

Bring soup ingredients to boil in a large sauce pan.
Reduce heat and simmer, covered for 10 minutes.
While soup is simmering, make dumpling mix.
After 10 mins, add cornstarch mixture to soup, return to boil. Drop dumpling mix by teaspoon into boiling soup, cover. Cook 10 minutes, or until top of dumplings are dry. Serve hot with yogurt or sour cream.