We had these potatoes a couple of weeks ago with the pot roast.  And we had them again on Monday night, which happened to be President’s Day.  We ate them with what was, hands down, the best salmon that I have ever made.  And possibly ever eaten.  That’s a bold statement, and I stand beside it one hundred percent.  That recipe is coming your way Friday, so stay tuned.  The meal was perfect after a holiday weekend which included some hiking on Saturday and a really long walk with Jazz on Monday.  The fact that he got to go to the park (twice) and Petco to pick out new toys all in the same weekend seemed to kind of blow his mind.

We're not sure what was under that tree, but he was going to find out! He was super muddy when all was said and done...

And he’s been exhausted ever since.  Definitely good news!

The whole ride home he was trying to stay awake to see what was going on, but had this funny sleepy expression on his face

Roasted potatoes are easy to make and you can find a recipe just about anywhere, this is just how I make them.  Feel free to experiment with different spices or find a different recipe.  There are only three steps.  Chopping, mixing, and roasting.  Then they’re ready to eat.  Easy peasy.  Grab potatoes, olive oil, garlic, dried rosemary, and some Italian seasoning. Keep your salt and pepper handy.  (Yes, Italian seasoning includes rosemary, but don’t skip the extra, it really makes the potatoes.)

Chop up some potatoes.  Baby red potatoes, or the even smaller ‘red creamers’ as they’re called at my grocery store, work great.  Small yellow potatoes would also work well, but I tend to steer clear of the full size potatoes, they just aren’t the same.  I cut them into fourths or eighths, depending on how big they are.  You want them to be bite-sized, small enough that they’ll get crispy on both sides.  Put them into a big bowl.

Now mince some garlic.  The other night we made probably a pound and a half of potatoes, and I used 2 cloves of garlic.  You can use garlic powder if you need, but it won’t be quite the same.  If you’re using whole dried rosemary leaves, give them a quick chop too.

Now put the garlic and rosemary into the large bowl with the potatoes.  Pour in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, start with two and add more if it doesn’t quite coat your potatoes.  Add a couple of shakes of Italian Seasoning, plus salt and pepper.  Toss the mixture together (or use a spoon, but that isn’t as much fun).  Pour them onto a baking sheet covered with aluminum foil, using a spoon or spatula to scrape out any oil and seasonings left behind.

Roast at 450 for roughly 30 minutes, stirring/flipping them halfway through.  When they’re done, they’ll be golden brown and the outsides will be crisp.  So easy!  Set them aside to cool until the rest of your meal is ready.

Don’t leave them unattended though, or you may come back to find the pan half-empty.  I don’t think this thievery can be blamed on the dog!

Garlic and Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

1 to 2 pounds small red or gold potatoes
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 tablespoon dried rosemary
roughly 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning (add more to taste)
2-4 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

1.  Heat oven to 450.  Wash potatoes, then cut into fourths or eights depending on size.  Put in large bowl.

2.  Mince garlic.  Roughly chop rosemary.

3.  Add garlic, rosemary, Italian seasoning, and two tablespoons of olive oil to bowl.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Toss to coat potatoes, adding more oil if needed.

4.  Spread potatoes out on baking sheet covered in aluminum foil.  Roast potatoes in oven for roughly 30 minutes, stirring halfway through so they cook evenly.  Serve!

Print Recipe for Garlic and Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

Roasted cauliflower?  I should have known it would be awesome.  Roasted cauliflower is a whole different ballgame.  It’s tender, flavorful, and anything but boring.  Add eggplant and garlic, and you’ve got a winning combo.

(I made this just for dinner for myself, not expecting to take pictures.  When I changed my mind I idn’t notice that things were strangely blurry until afterwards… sorry about that!)

This salad came together as a bit of an accident.  While I was at work last week, I was trying to figure out what I could make for dinner with what was already in my house.  The options were a baked pasta dish that I’ve been wanting to make for a while (but which I didn’t want to take the effort to put together), or something with the head of cauliflower that I bought while they were on sale.  Add in a bag of spinach and an eggplant, and I was off to the races.  This made a great meal, but it would also be a great side salad.

There are lots of recipes out there for cauliflower and eggplant, but they are almost always Indian in nature, flavored with curry.  This may be controversial, but I don’t love curries.  I have to be in just the right mood, and even then it’s usually chicken curry that I want.  So I decided to just roast the vegetables the same way that I usually roast cauliflower alone (with garlic), but stop short of getting really crispy, so that they would contrast nicely with the spinach.This doesn’t take much by way of ingredients.  Half a head of cauliflower (will easily feed two people), an eggplant, two or three cloves of garlic (I use a lot, but some might like less), spinach, olive oil, salt, pepper, and lemon pepper.  If you’d like to add cheese, you could add bleu cheese, feta or goat cheese.  The only dressing it needs is a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

Start by washing the eggplant and chopping it up into bite-size pieces.  Set them aside in a large bowl.

Now grab the cauliflower.  Cut off the green leaves at the base, then cut off as much of the thick stem as you can.

Once the stem is out, you can start to cut off the florets.  If you’re going to use the entire head of cauliflower, then just go to town.  Otherwise gently cut out the florets that you need.

Slice the florets into thick slivers, then slice each of those into thin pieces (maybe 3 or 4 per sliver).  Place into the bowl with the eggplant.

Mince the garlic cloves, or use a garlic press.  Toss the veggies with the garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, and lemon pepper.  Spread onto a baking sheet covered with aluminum foil, and roast in the oven until they start to turn golden, roughly 30 minutes.  Toss halfway through.  Feel free to roast them longer if you want crispier veggies.

When they’re done, pull out the veggies.  Plate over a bed of fresh baby spinach.

Add cheese if desired.  If you really want to go big, add some cooked crumbled turkey bacon or toasted nuts (walnuts, almonds, etc.).  Drizzle the salad with a little bit of balsamic vinegar and enjoy!

Roasted Cauliflower and Eggplant Salad

Serves 2 (main) to 4 (side dish)

1/2 head cauliflower, sliced into small slivers
1 eggplant, chopped into bite-size pieces
3 tablespoons olive oil (enough to cover veggies)
2-3 cloves garlic (to taste)
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
salt and pepper

Baby spinach
Crumbled cheese- bleu cheese, feta or goat cheese
Balsamic vinegar

1.  Heat oven to 450 degrees.  Mince the garlic finely, or use a garlic press.

2.  In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower and eggplant with the olive oil, garlic, lemon pepper, and some salt and pepper to taste.  Don’t skimp on the salt.

3.  Spread the vegetables on a baking sheet covered with aluminum foil.  Roast in the oven until they are golden on both sides, roughly 30 minutes.  Toss them halfway through.

4.  Plate the vegetables on a bed of spinach while still warm.  Top with cheese and drizzle with Balsamic vinegar.  Enjoy!

Print Recipe for Roasted Cauliflower and Eggplant Salad

If you can’t find Biscoff Spread, try Trader Joe’s.  I hear that they sell something called Cookie Butter that is essentially the same thing, and may be easier to find.

I decided that it would be nice and simple if I could find a way to turn a peanut butter cookie recipe into a Biscoff Spread cookie recipe.  They are essentially of the same texture and consistency.  After some experimentation, the result was deemed delectable, and I’m happy to share it!

I find that when I’m baking, it’s especially important to collect all of my ingredients ahead of time, since it’s so much more exacting than cooking.  Grab everything you’ll need, and have your measuring spoons/cups handy.  Biscoff Spread of course, baking soda and baking powder, one stick of butter, one egg, brown sugar, vanilla, and spices (cardamom, ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon).  Flour and white sugar are in the red containers.

One of the benefits of peanut butter cookies is that they are easy to put together.  A few ingredients make a delightfully tasty cookie.  Although these cookies have more ingredients (because I decided to spice them), they remain simple to put together.  They turned out beautifully, lightly spiced and melt-in-your mouth good, particularly when warm.  Next time I may add more ginger, but that’s just because I really like ginger-y baked goods (I even add extra ginger to gingerbread mix).

Start by creaming the butter and Biscoff Spread together in a large bowl with an electric mixer.  You could use a stand mixer, but it isn’t really necessary for this recipe.

Next beat in the sugars, white and dark brown, and the baking soda and baking powder.  I use dark brown sugar in this recipe because it imparts a flavor that is heavier in molasses, but you could easily use light brown sugar instead.  Biscoff Spread is extremely sweet, so I cut down on the sugars in my favorite peanut butter cookie recipe slightly by measuring out the half cup, then scooping out two tablespoons.  Beat them in until the sugar is fully incorporated and the batter is smooth.

Add the spices, egg, and vanilla.  Mix in until combined.

Begin to slowly add in the flour.  I added 1/4 cup at a time, so that I could mix it in slowly without it ending up all over the kitchen.  If it gets too heavy at the end use a wooden spoon, but I had no trouble getting it all with the mixer.  Scrape the dough into the center of the bowl with a spatula, then cover and set it in the refrigerator to chill for at least an hour.

Heat oven to 375.  When oven is preheated, spoon tablespoon sized balls of dough onto a parchment paper covered cookie sheet, and press with fingers to flatten slightly.  I like small cookies, but you could make these larger if you’d like. Keep the dough cool until it’s time to bake. 

Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until they are golden brown on the bottom.  Remove from oven and cool.

Enjoy with a glass of milk!  Store in an airtight container.

Spiced Biscoff Spread Cookies

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup Biscoff Spread
1/2 cup minus two tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 cup minus two tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup flour

1.  Cream together butter and Biscoff Spread in a large bowl with an electric mixer.

2.  Add granulated and brown sugar, and the baking soda and baking powder to the bowl, and mix together.

3.  Blend in egg, vanilla, spices and salt.

4.  Slowly add in flour.  If the dough becomes too heavy for the electric mixer, switch to a wooden spoon.  Use a spatula to scrape the dough from the sides of the bowl, then cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.

5.  Heat oven to 375.  Spoon tablespoon sized balls of dough onto a cookie sheet covered in parchment paper.  Flatten slightly with your fingers.  Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden brown.  Don’t overcook; the centers should remain slightly soft.  Remove from oven and cool.  Enjoy!

Print Recipe for Spiced Biscoff Spread Cookies

When I first found the Pioneer Woman’s pot roast recipe, I decided that we must be soul mates, because just like she makes so clear, I think that potatoes which have been cooked for four hours with a roast come out tasting less than appealing.  I took her agreement for approval, and immediately stopped cooking potatoes in my pot roast.  I used her recipe for inspiration as I rethought my old pot roasts, and came up with a new recipe which I’ve become quite fond of.  The boyfriend was a fan too, hushing me so that he could better savor the roast while we ate.  I took it as a sincere compliment!

This isn’t the easiest roast to make, I suppose, in part because it still takes multiple dishes, but once it is prepped, it requires no attention until it is done.  In my opinion, a pot roast that has been seared, along with its vegetables, has a deeper flavor, so I go ahead and sear everything before it goes into the crock pot.  Well worth it, but if you’re in a real hurry you could skip that step.

Start by collecting all of the ingredients.  A roast, onions, garlic, carrots, parsnips (if you’ve never tried them they are like lightly colored sweet carrots), and turnips.  Those make up the hearty base of my roast, I’m partial to vegetable heavy roast.  Then for the liquid you’ll want a can or bottle of beer and some beef broth, plus a dash of Worcestershire sauce.  This is not the recipe for low-salt beef broth because the salt creates flavor, but if you are on a low salt diet go for it.  The flavor gets finished off with salt and pepper, plus thyme, oregano, rosemary, a smattering of crushed red pepper, and a small bit of cocoa powder for richness.

As usual I forgot things, this time it was the rosemary, Worcestershire Sauce, and crushed red pepper. The parsnips and turnip are already peeled here.

Start with the vegetables.  Cut the onions in half, cut off the tops and bottoms, and peel off the skin and outer layer.  Wash the carrots extremely thoroughly, trimming spots if necessary, but no need to peel them.  Wash and peel the parsnips.  Chop both into large pieces, roughly two inches.  Wash and peel the turnip, and cut it into pieces roughly the same size as the carrots and parsnips.

In a large pot, heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil until extremely hot.  Add the vegetables in one sort at a time, allowing them to brown on the outside.  They don’t need to cook through, just gain some color.  I never did this before finding the Pioneer Woman’s recipe, and can’t believe how much flavor I was missing out on!  Set them aside when they’re brown.

Next move on to the roast.  The roast is clearly the most important piece of the puzzle.  Chuck roast is what I generally use, but I’ve also had good luck with round roast.  For just myself and the boyfriend I only use a 2 1/2 pound roast, but this recipe would work for up to a 5 pound roast.  Although you’ll need a bigger crock pot.  Or fewer vegetables.  Prepare the roast by seasoning it on both sides with salt and pepper.

Add more oil to the pan if necessary, then brown the roast on all sides.  Use tongs to hold it up while you brown the sides.  Remove from pot and place directly in your crock pot, set on low with a splash of broth and beer inside.

Here it is seared on one side. I haven't seared the edges yet. The brown bits on the bottom of the pan are what you'll whisk up in the next step- great flavor is held in those crispy bits.

Turn up the heat on the pot on the stove top again.  Pour in some of the beer and a splash of beef broth, and use a whisk to scrape the brown stuff out of the bottom of the pan.  Add all of the spices and whisk together.

Now turn your attention back to the crock pot.  Pour all of the lovely juices, spices and brown bits from the pot into the crock pot.  Add beer.  For my small roast, I used about half a beer.  If it had been a less strong beer (such as Yuengling or a light beer), I may have used more.  Add enough beef broth to cover the meat.  (If you decide to make this on the stove, the liquid should cover roughly 2/3 of the meat, working on the assumption that your pot will be a wider vessel than the crock of a crock pot.)

Add in all of the vegetables, onions, garlic, carrots, parsnips, and turnip pieces to the crock pot or large pot.  Add extra liquid if you feel the need, better to have too much than not enough.

Can you spot the roast? It's hiding under all the great veggies...

Cover the crock pot and cook on low for roughly 8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hrs.  The roast is done when it can be pulled apart with a fork, and is cooked all the way through.  The vegetables should be tender enough to be speared by a fork.  Alternate cooking method for oven included below.

Knife not even needed.

Plate some of the beef and vegetables, and pour some of the juice over the top.  Serve with potatoes. I served this with roasted red potatoes, which are super easy to make and only take about half an hour to make.  Or you could serve with mashed potatoes, as the Pioneer Woman suggests.  Or baked potatoes.  You really can’t go wrong with meat and potatoes.  Enjoy!

Pot Roast
Inspired by the Pioneer Woman Cooks, January 2008: Perfect Pot Roast

1 chuck roast, 2 1/2 – 5 pounds (other roasts fine, choose one with lots of marbling)
2 yellow onions
3 cloves of garlic
7 small carrots, washed thoroughly
3 parsnips, washed and peeled
1 turnip (roughly 1/2 pound) peeled and washed
olive oil
1 cup to 12 oz beer
2-3 cups beef broth
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon thyme
1 1/2 tablespoon rosemary
1/2 teaspoon cocoa powder
dash of crushed red pepper

1.  Halve onions, remove skin and outer layer.  Peel garlic cloves.  Chop carrots, parsnips, and turnip into two inch pieces, preferably bite-size.

2.  Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot.  Get out a crock pot as well.*

3.  Brown all of the vegetables (onions, garlic, carrots, parsnips and turnips) in the olive oil on all sides in batches.  Onions and garlic in one, carrots and parsnips in another, then finally the turnips.  Set aside in a bowl when done.

4.  Add an extra tablespoon of oil to the pan, then brown the roast on all sides. Set roast directly into a crock pot turned onto low with a splash of beer and beef broth.

5.  Add a splash of beer and beef broth to the pan, and use a whisk to scrape up the brown pieces in the bottom of the pan.  Add all of the spices and whisk it together.  Pour over the roast in the crock pot.  Add liquid until roast is at least 2/3 covered (for a small roast use 1/2 beer, 1 full beer for 5 pound roast).  Add tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce.

6.  Add all of the vegetables to the crock pot.  Cover with a lid.  Cook on high for 3-4 hours, or on low for 8-10 hours, in part depending on the size of the roast.  Roast is done when it can be pulled apart with a fork.  Serve with potatoes: mashed, roasted, or baked.  Enjoy!

*Roast can also be made in oven, making this a one-pot dish.  Use a large oven-safe pot to brown the veggies and sear the meat.  After whisking up the brown bits, return roast to the pot and cover 2/3 of the way with liquid.  Add vegetables and cover.  Cook in oven heated to 275 for 3-4 hours.

Print Recipe for Pot Roast

One of my go to appetizers for a long time has been little slices of bruschetta topped with gorgonzola cheese and honey, heated until the cheese is melted and the bread is crispy.  But I wanted to try something new.  I found a recipe from Recipe Girl, and had to give it a try, it has the same basic flavors as my old standby, but with a classy twist.  This isn’t the quickest appetizer to make, so give yourself at least an hour and a half, although some of that time won’t be very hands on since the onions cook for like 40 minutes.  I’m breaking one of my cardinal rules and eating pears… and I have to admit that they were really good.

This appetizer is composed of puff pasty topped with bite-size pieces of pear, a small pile of balsamic caramelized onions, and a little bit of crumbled Gorgonzola cheese, baked and then drizzled with honey.  They were a hit at the party!

To start, collect all of your ingredients.  This is the perfect time to pull the puff pastry out to let it thaw, as it will take about the same amount of time thawing at room temperature as it will take to caramelize the onions.  You’ll need roughly four large sweet onions and two firm ripe pears (I used D’Anjou), plus a box of puff pastry, balsamic vinegar, honey, Gorgonzola cheese (which I forgot in the picture because I’m spacy), and salt and pepper.  You will also need a little bit of olive oil and butter for the onions.

Put the puff pastry sheets out to thaw on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper.  Turn over after roughly 20 minutes to ensure that they thaw evenly.

Start by slicing the onions.  Cut the onions in half from stem to end, then cut off the top and bottom of each half.  Slice the onions as thin as possible.  It will look like too many onions, but don’t stop slicing.  They cook down considerably when you caramelize them.

In a large skillet (12-inch, or two smaller pans), heat roughly 3 tablespoons of butter and one of olive oil.  When the butter and olive oil are hot, add the onions, tossing with a set of tongs to make sure they are all covered with the oil/butter mixture.  Lower the heat to just under medium (I used setting four).

The onions will need to cook for roughly 40 minutes.  Turn them occasionally to make sure that they are cooking evenly and not burning.  If you had to use two pans, combine the onions as soon as they have cooked down enough to do so.  The onions will start to turn brown and caramelized on the bottom.  Stir them so that the other onions pick up that color, rather than letting it burn to the pan.  When the onions have begun to take on a uniformly golden color, pour in 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar and stir/toss to combine (I used tongs for the whole process).

The onions are golden, with some dark brown spots. Perfect.

Since the pan is hot the vinegar will bubble and sizzle, becoming quite fragrant.

Let the onions cook for another ten minutes or so, allowing the balsamic vinegar to reduce and really soak into the onions.  When done, season with salt and pepper and remove from the heat to cool.

During the last 10 or 15 minutes of the onions cooking, heat the oven to 375 and start to slice the pears.  Slice them thinly, removing the cores and base and stems.  Chop those slices into small pieces.

The puff pastry should be thawed by now, so move the second sheet to a separate cookie sheet covered in parchment paper.  Unfold both sheets, and use your fingers or a rolling-pin to smooth out the creases.  Cut the sheets into rectangles, roughly 2 inches by 3 inches, separating the rectangles slightly so that they don’t cook into each other.

Top each rectangle with 2 or 3 pieces of pear, then cover the pears with the balsamic onions.  Sprinkle some Gorgonzola cheese on top of each rectangle as well (add as much or little as you like).  Bake the squares for 25-30 minutes, checking them a little early to make sure they aren’t burning.  This batch was done right at 25 minutes.

Drizzle with honey right before serving.  Serve warm!  Enjoy.

Pear, Caramelized Onion, and Gorgonzola Puff Pastry Bites
Recipe Adapted from Recipe Girl, May 2006: Pear and Blue Cheese Pastry Triangles

4 large sweet yellow onions, sliced as thinly as possible
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
2 firm ripe pears
1 box puff pastry (2 sheets) thawed at room temperature
4-7 ounces of crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
honey to drizzle over tops

1.  Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet (12 inches if possible, or two smaller pans.  When hot, add the onions and toss with tongs to coat evenly with oil and butter.  Let onions cook until golden brown, tossing occasionally so they don’t burn, roughly 30 minutes.

2.  Heat oven to 375.  When the onions are uniformly golden, add 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar and stir.  Allow to cook for another 10 minutes, letting the onions absorb the vinegar as it reduces.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Remove from heat to cool.

3.  While the onions finish cooking, slice the pears thinly, remove cores and stems.  Chop into small pieces.

4.  Unfold the puff pastry onto cookie sheets covered with parchment paper.  Use fingers or a rolling-pin to smooth out creases.  Cut the pastry sheets into rectangles (roughly 2 inches x 3 inches) with a pizza or pastry cutter, or sharp knife.  There should be roughly 18 pieces per sheet.  Separate the pieces slightly so they won’t bake together.

5.  Top each piece with a couple of pieces of pear, a heap of onions, and some Gorgonzola crumbles.  Bake in heated oven for roughly 25 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown.

6.  Drizzle pastry bites with honey and serve warm.  Enjoy!

Print Recipe for Pear, Caramelized Onion, and Gorgonzola Puff Pastry Bites

This chocolate pie is extremely rich, so rich that you only need a small piece to feel full and satisfied.  But I won’t judge you if you have more than one.  Or if you eat the rest for breakfast, as a friend of mine who will remain unnamed did last week… just be prepared for an early morning sugar high if you do so!

I’ve been saving this recipe for a few days, in part because I was still questioning my sanity for having chosen to try this recipe again the same weekend as the Super Bowl.  I really don’t know what I was thinking.  And also because I decided it was well-suited for the weekend before Valentine’s Day.  But I’ve been eying this recipe ever since I got the cookbook for Christmas (Thanks sis!), and when it turned out this time, I just couldn’t wait anymore.

If you have a special event coming up, a dinner party or a birthday party, I would definitely suggest this pie.  One of the biggest perks of this pie is that you make 90 percent of it a day ahead of time, so all that you need to do the day of the event is make the whipped cream topping and add any chocolate shavings or cocoa powder you might like.  And even that can be done in the morning, then put it back into the refrigerator until you’re ready to eat it.  That will help the whipped cream set as well, so that it doesn’t all slide off as you slice the pie.

Start with your pie crust.  This pie needs a partially blind baked crust.  If you’d like to make your own pie crust, I suggest following this tutorial from The Pioneer Woman Cooks, put together by a friend of hers named Pam who happens to be a pie crust genius.  Personally I use all butter when I make pie, but if you can get a hold of all natural lard like she talks about then go for it.  I used a store-bought crust this time (gasp!), in part because I was at the boyfriend’s house to make this pie, and didn’t have enough arms to carry everything that I needed up there.  (We found out the hard way that this is one thing that just can’t be made in my dollhouse kitchen.)  Even without a homemade crust it was delicious!

I use a mix of dried chickpeas and black beans, so I can't mistake them for beans for eating

To partially blind bake the crust, I followed the directions from the Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook (brilliant Christmas gift- thanks sis!), which is also where this pie recipe comes from.  To blind bake the pie, heat the oven to 325.  When you’ve rolled out your pie crust, place it in the pie plate and fit it in place, trimming any excess dough.  Don’t worry if there’s small holes, just patch it with the trimmed pieces.  Place a piece of parchment paper over the dough, and fill it with pie weights or dried beans, enough to at least cover the bottom of the pie, best if they are a little higher around the sides.  This will keep the dough from puffing up significantly and from shrinking too much.  I use dried beans because they are WAY cheaper and can be used over and over again.  Just keep them separate from your other beans so that you don’t forget and try to eat them…  The book called for baking for 10 minutes with the baking beans/weights, and 10 minutes without.  The dough was still just barely undercooked when it was done, which is perfectly partially baked.

While the pie crust is baking, get all of your ingredients ready.  The recipe called for chopped dark chocolate, but I used Ghirardelli Bittersweet Chocolate Chips, and they were perfect.  If you use those chips, 5 oz. is half a bag, or roughly 1 3/4 cups (I weighed them to be sure).  If you chop your own chocolate or use a different brand make sure that you measure properly.

Brown sugar, eggs, chocolate, butter, corn syrup, vanilla, and heavy whipping cream

Next, you will need to melt the chocolate, butter and corn syrup together.  To do this you will need a double boiler pot, or a glass bowl that fits over the top of a medium size pot.  Heat water in the pot to a simmer, then place either the glass bowl or double boiler top so that it rests on the top of the pot.  The bottom of the bowl should NOT touch the water.Stir the chocolate above the simmering water until the steam has melted all of the chocolate, butter and corn syrup.  Mix to be sure that all three ingredients are fully incorporated, then set aside to cool slightly (if you pour it into the pudding base while hot it will scramble the eggs).

Meanwhile, in another bowl, you are going to mix the eggs, brown sugar and vanilla.  Place them into a large bowl or stand mixer, and beat on low until combined.

Once the eggs and sugar are well-mixed and the chocolate mixture has cooled slightly (you should be able to touch it without it burning your finger), mix the chocolate into the eggs and sugar as well.  Mix them with the electric mixer or stand mixer on low, without over mixing.  It shouldn’t take long to have it all combined.

Once the chocolate is combined, pour the pudding mix into the partially baked pie crust, and smooth out.

Bake the pie at 325 for 35-40 minutes.

When done, the top of the pie with be firm, with a crust of sorts, but the middle will still have a slight ‘wobble’ to it.  The book suggests checking the pie at 30 minutes to make sure that the pudding filling or crust aren’t burning.  Our pie took the full 40 minutes to cook (after 35 it was still extremely wobbly, at 40 it was a very slight wobble).  Let the pie cool completely, then cover and refrigerate overnight.

The following day, preferably at least an hour before you want to serve the pie, make the whipped cream to top the pie.  The first time I made this pie, I made the whipped cream plain, just like the recipe called for.  It was good, but I felt like it was missing something.  So the second time I added a tiny bit of vanilla and powdered sugar.  Both were good, but I like the second version a little bit better.

To make the whipped cream, all that you need to do is beat 1 1/2 cups of whipping cream in a bowl until it forms soft peaks.  That means that when you turn off the electric mixer and pull it out of the bowl, the whipped cream will stand up on its own and lightly curl over at the top.  If you aren’t sure if it’s done keep mixing… it will only become stiffer, which won’t mess up the whipped cream, just give the pie a different texture.

The color isn't great here, but you can see the light peaks... they're starting to fall over, but can stand on their own

When the whipped cream is done, spoon or pour the whipped cream over the pie, and smooth it across the top.  Then you can decorate the top with dark chocolate shavings or cocoa powder.  Or both… totally up to you!  To easily shave chocolate without it chipping off, run your finger over the edge of the chocolate bar a couple of times to warm it up, the run the bar across a vegetable peeler or cheese grater.  Then sprinkle them over the top of the pie.

Refrigerate the pie for at least another hour, chilling the pie will help the whipped cream set, and make slicing the pie far easier.  Serve and enjoy!

Mississippi Mud Pie
Recipe Adapted from the HummingBird Bakery cookbook

5 oz. bittersweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate (1 3/4 cups or 1/2 bag of Ghirardelli Bittersweet Chocolate Chips)
3 1/2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
6 large eggs
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pie crust, partially blind baked

1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon powdered sugar

shaved bittersweet chocolate or cocoa powder for decorating

1.  Heat oven to 325 degrees. Partially blind bake pie crust (10 minutes with baking beans/weights, 10 minutes without).  Set crust aside.

2.  Place chocolate, butter, and corn syrup into a glass bowl, or the top of a double boiler.  Place over a pot of simmering water, being sure not to let the bowl touch the water.  Leave until the chocolate is completely melted, stirring occasionally until smooth.  When done, remove from the heat until it cools slightly.

3.  While the chocolate is cooling, mix the eggs, vanilla and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer, or in a stand mixer.  Beat thoroughly until completely combined.

4.  When the chocolate has cooled slightly, mix into the egg mixture slowly with the electric mixer on low.  Mix thoroughly until combined, but don’t over mix.

5.  Pour the pudding mixture into the partially baked pie crust, and bake at 325 for 35-40 minutes.  Check occasionally in the last 10 minutes to be sure that it isn’t burning.  When the pie is done, the top will be firm (a crust will have formed), but the center will wobble slightly.  Let pie cool completely, then cool in the refrigerator overnight.

6.  The next day, pour the whipping cream, vanilla, and powdered sugar into a large bowl, and beat until soft peaks form.  When done, spoon and spread over the pie and top with chocolate shavings or cocoa powder.  Chill until ready to serve.

Print Recipe for Mississippi Mud Pie

Heidi Swanson, the author of the blog 101 Cookbooks and several cookbooks (such as Super Natural Every Day, which I have and love), is a natural foods star, and I frequently look to her when I’m in search of inspiration for a good, clean, healthy recipe.  If you haven’t before, you should check out her site.  Ok, on to the salad.

I ate this salad as dinner, then again cold for lunch (it refrigerated really well).  It would also be great as a side dish, particularly alongside salmon or baked tofu.  Honestly, I think that this would be great however you’d like to eat it.  Just make it, and feel good about all of the wonderful greens you’re getting in one meal!

Green beans, asparagus, broccolini, parmesan, lemon, shallot, olive oil, pine nuts and slivered almonds

This isn’t a traditional lettuce salad.  The original recipe called for asparagus and broccolini.  I was happy to find broccolini in season at the grocery store, and I also added fresh green beans, because I love them.  The dressing she makes includes lemon juice, olive oil, a shallot, and toasted pine nuts, all of which I had handy and happen to love.  I added some toasted slivered almonds as well, because I like the mellow flavor and extra crunch which they add.  The last part of the recipe is the only one that I changed, because I simply don’t like radishes.  So I took them out.  But something was missing, so I suggest that you add some bite-size pieces of thinly sliced jicama.  Or radishes, if you like them.  I just added a tiny bit of Dijon mustard to the dressing to give it some zip, making up for some of the flavor lost by taking out the radishes.  I used a lot more greens than her recipe called for, so you may notice that my dressing recipe calls for more of the liquids.

Keep the dog busy with a bone!

To make the salad, start by putting together the dressing.  Put the slivered almonds and pine nuts into the oven or a pan on the stove top for a few minutes to toast.  Remove them from the heat when they are fragrant and slightly browned.  Then mince the shallot very finely.

Put the shallot into a bowl with the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.  Whisk together.  Lightly chop the pine nuts and almonds.  There will likely be extra dressing, so you can keep it in a jam jar.  Set it aside.

Now prep the salad.  Wash all of the vegetables thoroughly, then chop into bite-size pieces.

Heat up some olive oil and a pinch of salt in a large skillet.  I used a twelve-inch to fit all of the vegetables, but you might be able to get away with a ten-inch.  When the pan is hot, add all of the vegetables and toss them well to ensure that they are all covered with oil.  Cook with a lid on for approximately 1 minute.  Taste, cook further if necessary.  The vegetables should be crisp-tender and bright green, you don’t want to over cook them.  They should need no more than 3 minutes over medium-high heat.

Remove the vegetables from the heat, and add the zest of one lemon.  Top with dressing (and jicama or radishes) and toss well.  Add some of the toasted nuts and finish with Parmesan grated on the largest size.  Enjoy!

If you are making this and expect to have leftovers, I would only put the dressing and toppings on what you are eating immediately, and keep the rest separate.  Then prep all of the leftovers when you eat them, to keep the vegetables crisp.

Crisp Green Vegetable Salad
Adapted from 101 Cookbooks, May 2009: Asparagus Salad

Juice of 1 lemon
Large pinch of salt
Small pinch of black pepper
4-5 tablespoons of olive oil (taste to test, will depend on size of lemon)
1 small shallot, minced finely
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
¼ cup slivered almonds, toasted
½ cup radishes or jicama, thinly sliced bite-size pieces

Shaved Parmesan to taste
1 bunch asparagus
1 bunch broccolini
½ of a small bag of trimmed and washed green beans

1. Prep salad dressing- mince shallot finely and whisk together with the lemon juice, salt, black pepper, olive oil and mustard.  Set aside.
2. Chop all of the green vegetables into bite-size pieces.  Heat a large dollop of olive oil in a large skillet.  When hot, add all of the vegetables and toss to cover evenly with olive oil.  Cover and cook for 1 to 3 minutes, removing from heat as soon as vegetables are slightly tender, but still crisp and bright green.
3. Toss salad with dressing and radishes or jicama, top with toasted nuts and Parmesan.  Serve!

Print Recipe for Crisp Green Vegetable Salad

To add some extra flavor, I used sausage (just plain, not sage flavored) instead of ground beef, then added a combination of spices that included smoked paprika, chile powder, cumin, brown sugar, and cayenne pepper.  Since I don’t like ketchup, I used tomato paste instead, and I added a small sprinkling of breadcrumbs at the top for crunch.  If you are on a gluten-free diet, just leave those out.  Also, if you like this spice mix but want a vegetarian option, drain and heat up a can of black beans to replace the sausage.  I’ve also made them this way and they were good, although you may want to add more paprika and chile powder.

The cumin is really hard to see, but it's the little spice bottle... sorry about that!

I just love those little bitty dishes, they’re great for measuring spices ahead of time so that you can just dump them in when you’re ready for them.  Also, don’t be alarmed by the GIANT can of diced tomatoes, I just didn’t have a small one.  You only need half of a regular sized 14 oz. can (drained), plus 1/4 cup of the juice.

First cook the rice, because it’s likely to be the most time-consuming step.  I used brown rice, and for 4 peppers you’ll need 1/2 cup of rice.  Just cook it according to the directions on the bag, and set aside in a large mixing bowl when it’s done.  You can do this ahead if you’d like.  In fact, if you know that you’ll be pressed for time, you could make all of the stuffing ahead of time and refrigerate… I would just heat it up in the microwave before stuffing the peppers to cut down on the baking time.

Next, prep the garlic, onion and bell peppers.  Put a large pot of water on to boil, and heat the oven to 350.  The garlic should be minced really finely and the onion chopped… or diced if you prefer really small pieces of onion.  For the pepper, you will want to cut off roughly 1/2 an inch from the top of each pepper (I think it helps to have all the peppers roughly the same size, so cut off more if you need to).  Once you can remove the top, take out the core, the membranes, and rinse out any seeds that are being stubborn.  If your peppers are really uneven on the bottom and won’t stand up, slice a tiny bit from the bottom so that it stands evenly.  Just be sure not to cut all the way through to the hollow portion.  We can’t be wasteful, so take the tops of the peppers and cut the stem out.  Chop up what’s left and set it aside (you can see mine in the back here).

I used red peppers and green ones, and it worked out perfectly.  The red ones were slightly smaller, perfect for my appetite, and the green ones which were more the boyfriend’s size.  We were both perfectly satisfied after one pepper each!

When the water in your pot boils, add the prepped peppers (say that 3 times fast) and cook them for three minutes.  You can do this in batches if you need to.  Remove them to a colander or a plate covered with paper towels to drain.  The residual heat will finish cooking the peppers while they drain, so don’t worry if they still feel quite crisp.

Next, heat olive oil in a large skillet.  A tablespoon should be enough, but add more if you think the onions are going to burn.  Once the oil is hot, add the onions and saute until they are translucent.  Add the garlic and let cook for roughly 30 seconds to 1 minute, until garlic is fragrant but not yet browning.  Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up as you go.  When the sausage is almost done, add all of the leftover pepper pieces, and allow them to cook down slightly while the sausage finishes browning.

In hindsight, you could add all of the spices here, and let them cook into the sausage and peppers for a deeper flavor, but I didn’t think of that.  So while the meat and peppers cook, add all of the spices to the bowl that holds the rice we cooked earlier (start with two dashes of cayenne pepper).  Also add the drained diced tomatoes, 1 cup of shredded cheese, and salt and pepper.  And when the sausage and peppers are done throw them in as well!

Mix all of that good stuff together, and then stop to taste.  If you prefer spicier foods, then add more cayenne pepper.  Otherwise it should be ready to go.  The brown sugar really helps to pull together the flavors and keeps the spice from overwhelming the taste buds.  When it’s seasoned to your liking, place the peppers into a greased baking dish, and stuff them to the top with the filling.  Don’t fret if you have extra filling left over, just heat it up later and put it in a tortilla… it makes for a delicious burrito.

Now take the 1/4 cup of reserved tomato juice and place it into a small bowl.  Add two tablespoons of tomato paste and mix it together.  Pour the liquid evenly over the peppers.  Assuming that there are no holes in the bottom of your peppers, this will keep them moist during baking.  Sprinkle each pepper with cheese and breadcrumbs, and put them into the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until they are warm and the cheese and breadcrumbs are melted and browned on top.

Serve and enjoy!  If you love hot sauce, try these with chipotle hot sauce.  Oh, and they would be delicious with cornbread.

Spicy stuffed bell peppers
Inspired by the Classic stuffed pepper recipe from the cook’s illustrated cookbook

1/2 cup brown rice
4 red or green bell peppers
1 yellow onion
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 lb sausage
1 cup shredded cheese (Monterey Jack, ‘Mexican 4 cheese blend,’ or Mozzarella)
7 oz diced, canned tomatoes (drain and reserve 1/4 cup of juice)
1 tablespoon chile powder
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon cumin
cayenne pepper to taste
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
olive oil
shredded cheese and breadcrumbs to sprinkle over top

1.  Cook rice according to directions on package.  When done, set aside in large mixing bowl until later.

2.  Prep peppers, cut off 1/2 inch and remove core, membrane and rinse out any remaining seeds.  From piece removed from top, cut out stem, then chop up the remaining pepper pieces.  Set aside.

3.  Heat oven to 350 and grease shallow baking dish.  Put a large pot of water on to boil, adding salt to the water.  When water boils, cook peppers for three minutes.  Remove to colander or plate covered in paper towel to drain.

4.  Heat olive oil in large pan on stove top, saute onion until translucent.  Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until fragrant but not browned.  Add sausage to pan and cook, breaking up like ground beef as it cooks.  When nearly done, add the leftover pepper pieces and cook until sausage is done and peppers are softened.

5.  Add spices, tomatoes, cheese, and sausage/pepper mixture to the mixing bowl which holds the rice.  Mix together.  In small bowl, mix together reserved tomato juice and tomato paste.

6.  Place drained peppers in greased baking dish.  Stuff completely with filling.  Pour tomato juice/paste mixture evenly over all peppers.  Sprinkle lightly with cheese and breadcrumbs.

7.  Bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes.  When done, they will be browned on top and warm all the way through.  Enjoy!

Print Recipe for Spicy Stuffed Bell Peppers

Salsa, chiles, Velveeta, jalapenos, two types of soup and chips. Sausage isn't pictured here because I forgot, get a one lb package, such as Bob Evan's.

There isn’t much healthy about this dip… unless you count the fact that spicy foods might have the ability to speed up your metabolism.  But it’s the Super Bowl, and nutrition shouldn’t count.  Just eat salads all next week

Start by putting the jar of salsa, the can of chopped chiles, and the two cans of soup (one cheese and one tomato) into the crock pot, then turn it on to low.  A note on the cheese soup, you can easily use plain cheddar cheese soup.  But if you live in an area  where Campbell’s Fiesta Nacho Cheese soup is available, you should definitely use it.  Personally I bring several cans back to DC with me every time I go to Indy.  It adds a really nice bit of spice to the dip, although if you want a mild dip just stick with plain cheddar.

Not the prettiest step, but definitely worth it!

If you know that you like spicy things, add 6 or 8 jalapeno pepper slices (chop them up first) to the pot.  If you aren’t sure about the spice, you can always wait and add the jalapeno at the end after you’ve had a chance to taste the dip and see how it is.

Next, take the block of Velveeta and slice it into cubes, roughly one to two-inch cubes.  This will help the cheese melt a bit faster, and make it easier to mix everything up.  Toss those in the crock pot too, and stir everything together.

Now cook your sausage in a pan on the stove top.  I use spicy sausage (not spicy sage, just spicy), but you could also use original sausage.  Cook it up, making sure to break it up as you go.  When there is no pink left, drain the sausage and add it to the pot as well.  I used Bob Evan’s Zesty Hot Sausage, and there was almost nothing to drain.

Or, even better, convince your boyfriend to cook the sausage so you can take action shots!

Mix everything together, put the lid on, and let it cook on low for several hours, stirring occasionally.

When it’s fully melted and the dip is warm all the way through, serve with tortilla chips.  It should take 2 1/2 hours on low, or 1 1/2 on high.  Just stir frequently if you’re cooking it on high.  Enjoy!

Super Bowl Cheese dip

1 2 lb package of Velveeta cheese (32 oz)
1 lb sausage, spicy or original
1 10 3/4 oz can cheddar or Fiesta Nacho soup
1 10 3/4 oz can tomato soup
1 16 oz bottle of chunky salsa, mild, medium or hot (I use medium)
1 4 oz can chopped green chiles
several jalapeno pepper slices chopped (to taste) (optional)

1. Empty the can of chiles, bottle of salsa, and two cans of soup into crock pot.  Add jalapeno peppers if desired.  Turn crock pot onto low.

2.  Chop the Velveeta into one or two-inch cubes.  Add to crock pot and stir to mix.

3.  Cook sausage in pan on stove top, breaking up as with ground beef.  Drain grease and add to crock pot.  Cover with lid.

4.  Let dip cook on low until all cheese is melted and dip is warm all the way through.  This should take several hours, make sure to stir occasionally so it doesn’t burn.  Add additional jalapeno peppers if needed.  Serve with tortilla chips.

Print Recipe for Super Bowl Cheese Dip

First, round up your ingredients.  Chicken broth, roughly 6 or 7 stems of kale (cut out the center stem and tear into pieces), a yellow onion, squash (hiding in the back, I just used the pre-cut stuff), sage, parmesan, and the farro of course.  Grab a bottle of wine (pour a glass if you nearly cut off your thumb chopping the kale, like I did), and olive oil and two garlic cloves, which I forgot to add to the photo.Now to get started.  Heat the oven to 375 degrees.  Toss your chopped butternut squash with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Place on a foil-lined baking sheet and put in the oven to roast for roughly 30 minutes, tossing the squash at least once.  When you can slice them easily with a knife they are done.  You can always eat a piece to verify.  Or two… whatever floats your boat.  (You could skip this step and just cook the squash with the farro, but I find that it gets a little bit too soggy, and you’ll need at least 1 cup more broth.)

Chop up an onion into large or small pieces, depending on your preference.  Mine were chopped pretty big, but I like onions.  Mince your garlic or get out your garlic press.  Start heating roughly two tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet (I used a twelve-inch pan, but you may be able to get away with a ten-inch one).  At the same time put a pot of water on to boil, which you will use to blanch the kale.  Kale is a very stiff leafy green (with tons of healthy superpowers), and I find it to cook down better if it is blanched before you put it in the ‘farrotto.’

When your oil is hot, add the onions and cook until they begin to turn translucent, then add the garlic.  Stir frequently so the onions and garlic don’t burn.  As soon as the garlic is heated and fragrant (1 or 2 minutes), pour in 1/4 cup of white wine and stir.  Let the wine cook down until it is almost fully evaporated, then add the chicken or vegetable broth.Let the broth heat to a low simmer, then add the farro.  You don’t want to boil the farro, so make sure to keep the temperature at or below medium, a simmer.  Stir occasionally.  If you are using dried sage, like I am, add it once the farro is mixed in so that it will have time to reconstitute slightly during the cooking process.  The great thing about fake risotto is that you add all of the liquid at once and let it cook slowly, so you don’t have to stand over it the entire time.  When the liquid is nearly 2/3 absorbed and the farro starts to puff up, keep a closer eye on it so it doesn’t burn to the pan.  It should take 30-40 minutes to completely absorb the liquid.

Nearly 2/3 absorbed here

When the pot of water boils (hopefully while the farro is simmering, so you don’t have to worry about tending to it), add your kale to the water for 30 seconds to a minute to blanch it, until it is bright green and softened slightly.  Drain into a colander.  This will soften the kale so that it’s easy to fold into the farro later, but also help it retain its bright green color, which it lost the time I simmered it with the farro for a longer amount of time (I really wanted to simplify the recipe, but it just didn’t work out).
When the liquid is 90% absorbed (don’t wait until the pan is completely dry, because it will scorch), add the blanched kale, the roasted squash, and roughly a quarter cup of parmesan (just enough for flavor).  Season to taste with salt and pepper, and toss until combined.  Remove from heat as soon as the parmesan melts and any remaining liquid has been absorbed.

Plate and eat!  You can always grate a little bit more Parmesan over individual plates for flavor, and if you’re serving this to a crowd you can also garnish it with extra pieces of kale.  Enjoy!

Farro with butternut squash and kale

3 cups (or 1 package) cubed and peeled butternut squash
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/4 cup white wine
2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable)
1 cup farro (or barley)
3/4 tablespoon dried sage
6 or 7 stems of kale, stems removed and torn into pieces
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat oven to 375.  Toss cubed squash with one tablespoon of olive oil , plus salt and pepper to taste.  Roast on foil covered baking sheet for roughly 30 minutes, or until easily pierced with knife, tossing/stirring at least once.

2. Put on a pot of water to boil (for blanching kale).  At the same time, heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet.  When heated, add the onions and cook until translucent.  Then add garlic and cook for one minute.

3. Add white wine to pan, and allow to cook until nearly evaporated.  Add broth to pan and allow to heat slightly before adding farro.  Bring broth to a simmer (do not boil farro).  Add the dried sage, and allow to cook until broth is fully absorbed, roughly 30-40 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, blanch kale in boiling water for 30 seconds to one minute, until bright green and tender.  Strain into colander, and let it rest until the farro is done cooking.

5. When liquid in the pan is almost entirely absorbed (90%), add the roasted squash, blanched kale, and 1/4 cup grated parmesan.  Season to taste with salt and pepper, stirring to incorporate all of the ingredients.  When the cheese has melted, all ingredients are heated through, and any remaining liquid is absorbed, remove from heat and serve.

Print Recipe for Farro with Butternut Squash and Kale