iron and wine - boy with a coin

black bean and butternut squash burritos

Adapted from oh she glows.

Ingredients:

2 cups butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1/2 cup uncooked rice (yields: 1 1/2 cups cooked)
4 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 red pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
One 15-oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed
3/4 cup shredded cheese
tortillas

Toppings of choice: sliced avocado, salsa, sour cream, spinach/lettuce, cilantro, etc.

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pour 2 teaspoons olive oil onto baking sheet, spreading it out. Lay squash chunks in one layer and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast  for 30 minutes, or until tender, turning the pieces occasionally so that they brown evenly.
2. Cook rice.
3. In a large skillet over medium heat, add remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil, onion, red pepper, and minced garlic. Sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add in salt and seasonings and stir well.
4.  Add black beans and cooked rice and sauté for another 10 minutes on low.
5. Add roasted squash to the skillet and stir well. Add cheese and heat another couple minutes.
6. Add filling to tortilla along with desired toppings. Wrap and serve. Leftover filling can be reheated the next day for lunch in a wrap or as a salad topper.

avocado, tomato and mango salsa

Combine:
1 mango
1 avocado
4 medium tomatoes
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, minced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro (optional)
3 cloves garlic

Then stir in:
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 cup red onion
3 tablespoons olive oil

Refrigerate 30 minutes before serving.

pancake syrups

My three favorite ways to top pancakes and waffles:

Buttermilk Syrup
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons corn syrup
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions: In a large saucepan (larger than you think because it bubbles up quite a bit), stir together the sugar, buttermilk, butter, corn syrup, and baking soda. Bring to a boil and cook for 7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.

Apple Cider Syrup
2 cups apple cider
1 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup butter

Directions: In a small saucepan, stir together the cider, sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, and cinnamon. Bring to a boil and simmer until syrup thickens (just a minute or two). Remove from heat and stir in the butter until melted.

Orange Syrup
1 1/2 cups orange juice
1 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup butter

Directions: In a small saucepan, stir together the orange juice, sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil and simmer until syrup thickens (just a minute or two). Remove from heat and stir in the butter until melted.

vampire weekend - step

coconut rice with black beans, plantains, and mango salsa

This is a dinner that seems both simple and exotic at the same time. It's your basic rice & beans--the perfect vegetarian meal--plus some fun and flavorful additions. It also works well for picky kids who want to make their own plates. Serves 6.

Adapted from Herbivoracious.

For the rice:

• 2 1/4 cups rice
• 1 thirteen-ounce can coconut milk 

For the beans:

• 2 cans black beans
• 1 cup chicken or veg broth (or water)
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• salt to taste

For the salsa:

• 1 ripe mango, cubed
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
• 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup finely diced red onion
• 1 handful cilantro
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

For the dish:

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil or vegetable oil
• 2 ripe plantains, peeled and sliced into generous 1/4″ thick coins
• Kosher salt
• 1 ripe avocado, sliced
• 1 mango, cubed
• 1 handful cilantro, chopped
• 1 lime cut into quarters

1. For the rice: Cook the rice in your usual way, on the stovetop or in a rice cooker, but replace one can’s worth of water with the coconut milk.
2. For the beans: Drain and rinse beans. Add broth, cumin, oregano, and salt, then simmer for 10 minutes.
3. For the salsa: Roughly puree all ingredients in a blender. Just 10 seconds or so should be enough, to retain some texture. Taste and adjust seasoning.
4. To complete the dish: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When it is shimmering, add the plantains in a single layer. Fry, until brown on one side, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side until browned and tender, about two more minutes. Sprinkle with Kosher salt.
5. To serve, you may either divide the rice among bowls and top with the beans, salsa, plantains, avocado, mango, and cilantro, or serve all of the ingredients separately and let diners make their own. Pass the lime quarters to squeeze over the finished plate as desired.

butternut squash soup with ginger

Soup season is ending, I know, but we've had a rainy couple of weeks and this recipe has recently become a favorite of mine. I like to top it with spicy roasted chickpeas or crispy fried onions.

Recipe from Alton Brown.

3 to 3 1/2 pounds butternut squash (one large one), seeded and quartered

butter, melted, for brushing

1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus 1 teaspoon

1 teaspoon ground white pepper, plus 1/2 teaspoon

3 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1/4 cup honey

1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Directions:

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the quartered squash onto a half sheet pan, brush the flesh of the squash with a little butter and season with 1 tablespoon of the salt and 1 teaspoon of the white pepper. Place in the oven and roast for 30 to 35 minutes or until the flesh is soft and tender.

Scoop the flesh from the skin into a 6-quart pot. Add the broth, honey and ginger. Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer, approximately 7 to 8 minutes. Using a stick blender (or transferring to a standing blender), puree the mixture until smooth. Stir in the heavy cream and return to a low simmer. Season with the remaining salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

freezer breakfast burritos

Adapted from the recipe here.

8 eggs
       optional: add spinach, tomato, onion, green or red pepper (fry the onion and peppers first)
       scramble with a splash of milk, salt and pepper to taste
hash browns (I double this recipe)
10 tortillas (less if they are large burrito size)
cheese

Start by preparing all of the ingredients. After the eggs and hash browns cool, layer about 1/8 cup hash browns, 1/4 cup eggs, and sprinkle with cheese on top. Adjust amounts for tortilla size.

Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and put them in freezer bags. To reheat, unwrap, and microwave for about two minutes.

coconut curry sauce with noodles and veggies

Adapted from Our Best Bites.

 

1 lb. linguine or rice noodles

5-6 cups of any fresh or frozen vegetables you choose, for example:

     

           1 12-oz. package of frozen stir fry vegetables

           1/2 cup green onions

           1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

           1 cup sliced mushrooms

 

1 tablespoon fresh, minced ginger

1 tablespoon fresh, minced garlic

1 can of coconut milk

2 tablespoons soy sauce

4 tablespoons sweet chili sauce (Thai style)

1 tablespoon curry paste

juice and zest of 1 lime

salt and pepper

 

Cook pasta according to the package directions. Whisk together the coconut milk, soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, curry paste, lime juice, and zest.

 

While the pasta is cooking, stir-fry the vegetables. Heat some oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the vegetables and stir-fry until they're just a few minutes short of being done (tender-crisp). Add ginger and garlic and cook until garlic is fragrant, about 3 minutes. Be sure to continue stirring constantly to prevent the garlic from burning.
 

Add the coconut milk mixture and heat until it begins to boil. Remove from heat and add the cooked noodles. Toss to combine and then allow the mixture to stand for 5 minutes. Toss again, season with salt and pepper to taste. Makes 6 large servings.

cheesecake lemon bars

Adapted from allrecipes.
Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar 3/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes* 4 eggs 1 1/2 cups white sugar 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon lemon zest 1/2 cup lemon juice 1 teaspoon lemon extract 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened 1 cup white sugar 2 eggs, beaten

Directions:

1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly butter a 9x13-inch baking dish.
2. Whisk together 1 1/2 cup flour and confectioners' sugar in a mixing bowl. Cut in the cold butter with a knife or pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press the crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared baking dish to form a crust.
3. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from oven, and set aside.
4. Whisk together 4 eggs, 1 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon flour, lemon zest, lemon juice, and lemon extract in a bowl. Pour lemon mixture into the prepared crust. Skim off any bubbles from the surface of the filling. Mix the cream cheese and 1 cup sugar in a bowl until well blended. Whisk in 2 eggs, then spread over the lemon mixture. The mixtures will separate during baking.
5. Bake in the preheated oven until the filling is set, about 30 minutes.

Optional: serve with mixed berries on top. 

*I followed this advice from the website: “I melted my butter for the crust to save time and the crust turned out perfect shortbread texture”. 

masala dosa

(Use this recipe for the dosa or buy pre-made mix in box.)

Soak 2 cups rice plus 3/4 cup urad dahl in water for 6 hours.

Blend in blender adding water until thin creamy batter; add 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon lemon juice.

Allow batter to sit in warm place for 12 hours. It will sour slightly.

 

Once you have your dosa batter, heat a non-stick skillet to medium-high.

Brush skillet with oil or ghee.

Using about a 1/3 cup for a 10-inch pan, swirl batter into pan, like making a crepe.

Drizzle oil around edges and wait patiently until edges turn brown and dosa is golden underneath.

Fill center with about 1/3 cup potato masala, fold edges over and transfer to a plate.

Serve (immediately) with sambar and coconut chutney. 

Potato Masala

3 tablespoons oil or ghee

1 teaspoon black mustard seeds

1/2 tablespoon minced green chili

2 medium sized yellow potatoes, peeled & cut into small pieces

1/4 head of cauliflower cut into florets

1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

Boil the vegetables until soft.

Heat oil in skillet to medium high.

Add mustard seeds and green chili; stir until seeds begin to pop.

Add boiled veggies and then stir in next 4 ingredients.

Simmer on low 10 minutes, then add lemon juice and cilantro.

Use to fill dosa.

sambar

2/3 cup split yellow pea (channa dal) soaked 3 hours

3 cups water

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1 tablespoon butter

Bring to a boil and then simmer until tender (approx. 30 minutes).

Meanwhile blend:

1/2 cup dried unsweetened coconut

1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup water

Blend until creamy; set aside.

Next heat:

4 tablespoons oil in skillet

Add:

1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/2 teaspoon minced green chili
12 curry leaves broken into pieces

When seeds begin to pop, add:

1 28 oz can whole tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon aesafatida

1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1 tablespoon tamarind puree
coconut puree from above

Simmer on low, breaking up tomatoes with a potato masher, about 10 minutes. Drain split yellow peas and add to sambar.

coconut chutney

1 cup dried unsweetened coconut

2-3 dried red chilies

1/4 cup peanuts

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1/2 bunch cilantro

 

Blend until creamy.

strawberry banana pancakes

Adapted from the stay for dinner blog.

Makes twenty 3” pancakes; serves 4

Ingredients

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 ½ cups milk (dairy or nondairy)

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2/3 cup mashed banana (2 large bananas)

1 cup chopped strawberries

Directions

Whisk the flours, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.

Whisk the eggs, vanilla, and milk in a small bowl. Pour into the flour mixture and stir just until combined. Add the mashed banana and stir to combine. Fold in the strawberries

Spoon ¼ cup of the batter onto a griddle or skillet set over medium heat that has been well coated with nonstick cooking spray. Flip after about 3 minutes, just as you notice bubbles forming around the edges of each pancake, and cook 2 minutes more. 

african chickpea curry

I changed this soup recipe into a thicker stew you can serve over rice. Serves 6.

2 tablespoons oil
1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green chili, seeded and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup veg or chicken broth
1 15 oz can chickpeas, drained
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
2 tablespoons curry paste or powder
1 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 14 oz can coconut milk
3 tablespoons peanut butter
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro or parsley

1. Heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and chili; cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute.
2. Add the broth, chickpeas, tomatoes, curry paste/powder, salt, and black pepper; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer gently, uncovered, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
3. Add the coconut milk, peanut butter and cilantro/parsley and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 5 minutes. Serve over rice.

greek lemon and feta couscous salad

Adapted from the stay for dinner blog.
serves 5-6
1 ¼ cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 box Near East Roasted Garlic and Olive Oil Couscous
1 lemon, juiced and zested
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
3 tablespoons finely chopped scallions
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 small zucchini, finely diced

Bring the chicken broth and olive oil to a boil in a medium pot. Add couscous and the roasted garlic spice pack. Stir, cover, remove from heat, and let sit for 10 minutes to allow the couscous to absorb the broth and then cool slightly.

Fluff with a fork, let stand for 5 minutes to cool, then toss the couscous with remaining ingredients. Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Side note: If you like tomatoes, I had this with fresh tomatoes on the side and they went so well together, I just combined them. You can get this brand of couscous at Costco. And MMMMM mmm.

oren lavie - her morning elegance

baked couscous

1 cup couscous
1 1/2 cups boiling vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28 ounce) can tomatoes, drained and diced (reserve 1/3 cup juice)
1 (10 ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 teaspoon basil
1/3 cup pine nuts
1 cut grated Munster cheese
pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Combine couscous, broth, and salt in a large bowl. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with fork.

2. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic and onion for 10 minutes. Add tomato and cook 10 minutes more, stirring frequently.

3. Stir into couscous and add reserved juice. Add basil, nuts, spinach, and pepper. Spread half in baking dish (11x7) and sprinkle on cheese. Top with remaining couscous. Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 30-60 minutes. 

*I get the couscous in a box that comes with pine nuts. Also, I didn't thaw and squeeze the spinach and it was fine.

sin fang - look at the light

bread pudding

6 cups cubed day old bread (crusty baguette type—most of a 1 lb loaf)
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar
6 tablespoons butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
any fruit (I use blueberries)

White Chocolate Sauce

5 ounces white chocolate (1 cup if using chips)

1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place bread cubes in greased 8-inch square dish and mix in fruit by hand.

2.  In a large bowl whisk eggs, milk, cream, sugar, butter, vanilla, and cinnamon. Pour over bread.

3. Bake uncovered for 50-60 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting.

4. Top each serving with white chocolate sauce: Melt white chocolate, cream, and vanilla in small saucepan over medium heat.

pinback- good to sea

In honor of the concert I'm going to tonight!

vegetable stir-fry

Adapted from Student's Vegetarian Cookbook.
Choose one of the following sauce recipes and serve over cooked rice or noodles. 
Serves 2-3.

Sweet and Sour Sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 tablespoons catsup
4 teaspoons sugar
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons cornstarch

Tangy Sauce
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons cornstarch

Stir-Fry
About 1 tablespoon of vegetable or canola oil.
2 cloves garlic
2-3 cups of whatever stir-fry vegetables you want (I don't measure really).
I use any combination of corn, peas, sugar snap peas, green beans, red or green peppers, carrots, broccoli, zucchini, or sprouts.
To make it an even quicker meal I sometimes just buy a big bag of frozen stir-fry veggies from Costco and use a few cups of that. 

1. Choose one of the sauces, and combine sauce ingredients into a small bowl.

2. Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and swirl it in the oil for a moment. Add the rest of the vegetables. Stir and fry for 3-4 minutes.

3. Stir the sauce and pour it over the vegetables. Stir and simmer for about 30 seconds or until the sauce thickens and the vegetables become glazed. Serve immediately. Garnish with chopped scallion if you desire.

pancake toppings

#1
1 cup vanilla yogurt
2 cups sliced peaches
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon or nutmeg
optional: replace peaches with 1/2 pint raspberries or mixed berries
Blend everything together. Makes 4-6 servings.

 #2
1 cup powdered sugar
1 package (8 oz.) whipped topping
1 package cream cheese
Blend. 

Use for pancakes, waffles, french toast, etc. I like both of these toppings together.

baked ziti

I am the only one in my house who will eat leftovers, which means a recipe that feeds 8-10 must be halved. This is my go-to recipe for Baked Ziti scaled down to an 8-inch square baking dish. It can easily be doubled for a 9x13-inch dish.

Serves 4-5

8 ounces cottage cheese (1 cup)
1 egg
1 1/2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 3/4 cup)
Table salt
8 ounces ziti (about 2 1/2 cups)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can tomato sauce
1/2 of a (14.5-ounce) can of diced tomatoes*
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon corn starch
1/2 cup cream
4 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/4-inch pieces (about 3/4 cup)

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk the cottage cheese, egg, and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan together in a medium bowl; set aside. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add 2 teaspoons of salt and the pasta; cook until the pasta begins to soften but is not yet cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and leave in colander.

2. Meanwhile, heat oil and garlic in a skillet until garlic is fragrant but not brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and oregano; simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Off the heat, stir in 1/4 cup of basil and the sugar; season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Stir the cornstarch and cream together in a small bowl, transfer to the now empty pasta pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat, add cottage cheese mixture, 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce and 1/2 cup of the mozzarella; stir to combine. Add the pasta and stir to coat with the sauce.

4. Transfer to an 8-inch square baking dish and spread remaining tomato sauce over the top. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup of mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

5. Remove foil and continue to cook until the cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown, about 30 minutes more. Cool for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with the last tablespoon of basil and serve.

* I know there's nothing more annoying than recipe that calls for a half can of something. Save your diced tomatoes for your breakfast omelets, add them to a curry, or top a bean burrito! Sorry. :)