Ugh...

I apologize for the length between posts lately. Camden and I have been hit by the flu and my appetite is just now returning. As a result, obviously, I am trying to muster up some motivation to cook and blog. I have been taking it easy with things like spaghetti, etc. So, nothing too horribly exciting for now. But, I will be back, hopefully tomorrow.

Ugh.

We have been hit by the flu bug, so I'll be taking a short break this week.

I believe this will be my last Ellie Krieger recipe for a little while. I have exhausted this book the past few months and have tried just about every recipe. I will definitely continue to cook some of the tried and true recipes I discovered. I made this crisp for dessert one evening. It was fantastic topped with some frozen yogurt. Warm, comforting recipes are exactly what I have craved for the past few very cold months. I love fruit crisp of any sort. It is perfect when you do not want to fuss with a pie.

I am so glad to see Spring time back again. I find myself wanting salads more and more and I'm totally getting the itch to grill. So, I doubt this recipe will be repeated for quite some time. New books have also arrived for me to cook my way through now. I wonder if I'll ever stop buying cookbooks?

On another note, Carla[not me!] at Chocolate Moosey awarded me with the following awards. She is too sweet and we happen to share a very great name. Thanks Carla! Am I supposed to pass this one to someone now?

A Light Lunch

[We have a guest blogger today: The Hub]


I love eggs. From my head, down to my... you get the point. What's better than the gooey, barely cooked yolk of a chicken's egg oozing into your other food, providing a delectable sauce? Well, nothing - which is why I decided that it would go perfect with my sesame-crusted asparagus spears, & roasted mushrooms and garlic cloves. Seasoned with some crushed red pepper [and a few secrets from Penzey's], and then topped with freshly grated parmesan, this dish was a winner - even with our little ones.

[Mmm... I think I'll go make this now, since Carla bought white asparagus!]

Coconut Sandwich Cookies

I married a man with no tastebuds. When I first married him, he professed to dislike a number of things. Many of which, I found out later, he never bothered to even try. He just claimed he did not like them to avoid pressure. In this ever expanding list of dislikes included coconut.

So strange, what is not to like about coconut? It's fairly sweet naturally, it's a fruit, and can be used for an amazing number of things besides being edible. I was amazed to see all of the things they could do with a coconut in Guam.

Of course, now, he has grown up some and enjoys a plethora of odd food items. Many of which, I at times, can not stomach(escargot, anyone?). I am so glad he gives things a try now.

I always know I can rely on Everyday Food to deliver something quick that highlights a few simple ingredients. I have yet to see a lengthy recipe in their pages. The other night I was wanting something sweet, quick, and different than chocolaty desserts. These sandwich cookies were just perfect for dessert the other night. They provided just the right amount of sweetness and one was very satisfying.

The dough does not spread as much as I had anticipated, so, next time I think I may reduce to amount of dough I use for each cookie. The coconut in the dough lent a little bit of chewiness and they stayed good for a few days in the refrigerator. I will be repeating this again since our whole family enjoyed them so much.




Coconut Sandwich Cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 package (7 ounces) sweetened shredded coconut
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Creamy Vanilla Filling (see below)

Preheat oven to 350, with racks set in upper and lower thirds. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. Place 1/2 cup coconut into a small bowl; set aside. Place remaining coconut in a food processor; pulse until coarsely ground. Set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat butter with sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture and ground coconut; mix just until combined.

Drop dough by level tablespoons onto two baking sheets, 1 to 2 inches apart.(Next time I would probably try a little less than a tablespoon) Bake until lightly golden around the edges, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Dividing evenly, spread filling on flat side of half the cookies; sandwich with remaining cookies. Roll edges in reserved coconut, and chill until ready to serve.

Creamy Vanilla Filling

Using an electric mixer, beat 1/2 cup (1 stick) room-temperature unsalted butter until light and fluffy. With mixer on medium, beat in 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, scraping down bowl as necessary. Add 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; increase speed to high, and beat until filling is light and fluffy, 5 minutes. Makes about 1 cup.

Balsamic Flank Steak with Polenta and Roasted Tomatoes

I do not know if you are like me. I subscribe to a handful of magazines and look forward to the time of the month they arrive. It typically takes me a while to look through them and some I eagerly thumb through marking off recipe after recipe. Others, I put on the shelf and never look back. This was not the case with March's Everyday Food.

This has always been one of my favorite magazines; but recently, I had not been feeling it. March arrived and it had the feel of Spring, which I guess I have been needing in this cold weather. I instantly found recipe after recipe I wanted to prepare. As of now, I have prepared seven recipes out of the magazine-all winners, with four more planned. Which considering the size of this little magazine is pretty spectacular.

One of my favorite articles was a list of 50 no recipe meals. The Hub, which is true with most men, does not like to read directions. He sees a recipe as nothing but a list of directions for him to have to follow. He has a desire to cook, but on his own terms. This list was just perfect and filled with lots of great, quick, healthy ideas. We have decided we will choose a few for him to make so that he can have some dinner experience.


One of the meals I prepared this past week was the Balsamic Skirt Steak. It has been quite a while since we have had red meat in our home, so, I figured I'd toss things up a bit. I could not find skirt steak at the store, so went with flank steak. I discovered flank steak about two years ago thanks to one of Rachael Ray's recipes and it is one of my favorite cheap cuts of meat. It cooks quickly, requires minimal prep and tastes great. What is not to love?

This meal is definitely a winner. I made the recipe with no tweaks other than switching up the steak. The polenta did leave a little to be desired. I think next time I would amp up the flavor a bit. I don't think I salted it quite enough and I prefer polenta made with some milk à la Barefoot Contessa. The roasted tomatoes were a welcome relief to typically tasteless winter tomatoes.



The other great thing? It provided enough leftovers to throw together a great steak salad the next day for lunch.

Chocolate Mousse

As a perfect follow up to a light meal like the salmon mentioned in the last post; I need something light, yet, sort of rich. A friend of mine had recommended Ellie's Dark Chocolate Mousse. She had described it as not too sweet, so it sounded perfect. I omitted the brandy since I would be serving this to my kids and used regular cocoa, since that was what I had in my pantry.

The Hub is a huge fan of chocolate; even more so than me, which is somewhat odd. I knew he would appreciate this. After our meal, I brought it out and of course everyone's eyes widened. I opted not to tell them what was in it until the tried it. The Hub loved it and once I told him it was made from tofu, he loved it even more. He commented that it was rich, which I found funny since I did not think it was. Camden, being a typical four year old, obviously loved it as well. What kid does not like anything slightly resembling chocolate pudding? She has never been intimidated by tofu, which she affectionately calls "to-food". Maybe because she spent most of her earlier years in an asian-influenced culture, for which I am thankful. Roman had stuffed himself silly with salmon - since that seems to be his favorite, and finished only half.

This was definitely a winner and will be repeated in my family. It was a cinch to throw together and is somewhat impressive visually. I think it would be perfect following a dinner party when you want something light and non-fussy.

Roasted Salmon with Shallot Grapefruit Sauce

If someone were to ask me what I missed most about Guam; I probably wouldn't say the weather, although that would come to a close tie. I think it would have to be the fish. I used to be able to get a huge pound chunk of fresh tuna, salmon, etc. for around $10. Now, I know that sounds pricey, but it was FRESH! When I look back on that, then look at my "choices" here in the Midwest, I really ache for fresh good fish. Most people that know me well know I am not a huge fan of red meat or meat really. I prefer chicken, fish, seafood, or veggies. So, for me to not have access to seafood is somewhat detrimental. You see, before Guam, we lived on the Gulf Coast. But, the Hub is in the Air Force, maybe we should have gone with the Navy?

However, I suppose you make do with what you have. I found a fillet of wild salmon, frozen at the grocery store and decided I'd give it a try to see if it was palatable. And...it really was not.

Now, don't get me wrong, this was a very good recipe and I would LOVE to try it again with fresh salmon. I adored the sauce and everything about it. It is sooo pretty isn't it? But the fish, the actual star of the meal, well, the texture was just off. I am. so. spoiled. I guess you can't win them all. However, if you do happen to live somewhere remotely interesting and can get your hands on good salmon, I would highly recommend it!

Candy Bar Fudge

Want a quick treat that does not require you to heat up your oven and totally satisfies any sugary craving you may have times ten? If so, then this fudge totally fits the bill.

Very rarely do I ever want a candy bar, but when I reach for one, it's usually a Snicker's. This reminded me very much of a Snicker's bar.

Last weekend, we had some friends over for pizza. We were running short on time and I needed something for dessert. This seemed perfect. The oven was tied up with the pizzas and whatever I made had to be quick. I threw this together in about 10 minutes and let it chill while we ate. I had originally cut them larger not wanting to look skimpy. However, the turned out to be way too rich, so I cut them smaller. Really, a small cube will do you. This is the type of treat you are going to want to package up and share. The recipe came from the classic Better Homes and Gardens cookbook and can be found here.

Copycat's

Most people that know me know I tend to enjoy recipes, a little too much. I have a fairly large file of recipes on my computer that are copycat recipes from various restaurants. Why? I am not entirely sure, since I don't like many of these restaurants. I got to thinking about this the other day and cleaned up this file deleting those I knew I would NEVER use.

As I have mentioned before, we had a plethora of restaurants to choose from in Guam. Here...not so much. After spending days on end cooped up in a snowy home, you tend to get stir crazy. A few weekends ago, I had about reached my point. I had not left the house for five days, it was payday and I knew I NEEDED out. Where? It did not matter. So, we decided to bundle up the kids and head to Applebee's. I have not stepped foot in an Applebee's in almost three years. Sadly, most of the menu has not changed. I did not know what I wanted, I was just glad to be out. Finally, I settled on the Tequila Lime Chicken, now I believe it's called Fajita Chicken, or something like that. I don't know why but it tasted fantastic. The rice left a little to be desired, I honestly think it was Lipton's, you know those weird mixes you buy at the grocery store for 99 cents. I commented to the Hub that I probably could do this way better at home.

And so I did. And it was better, and I knew what was going in it. I can assure you, you will not see us at Applebee's again, unless I have had a severe case of cabin fever.

Blueberry Buckwheat Pancakes

Once again, another Ellie Krieger recipe is appearing in my kitchen. I have thoroughly enjoyed cooking my way through her book and have yet to find a dud. I was very interested in these pancakes after seeing the inclusion of buckwheat flour. I have never experimented with different types of flour. We really enjoy Japanese, soba noodles, which are also made with buckwheat. So, I figured it would be a safe assumption that we would enjoy these.

After scouring the city of Minot for buckwheat flour, I finally happened upon it at Marketplace Foods. In many ways I am very glad to be back in the states. However, at times, I feel like the midwest is more obscure than Guam ever was. Sometimes I have the most difficult time finding ingredients. For instance, last Christmas, my Mom wanted to make a coconut cake. We went to every store in this city looking for frozen coconut and not one store carried it. What is up with that? Thank goodness for the internet, I have placed more order's from Penzey's and other online stores since we moved here. Anyway, rant over - back to the pancakes.

We thoroughly enjoyed the flavor mixture of buckwheat and whole wheat flour. They made for a heavier, somewhat denser texture, but still remained somewhat fluffy. I had to use frozen blueberries unable to find fresh, which was not my first choice, but they did in a pinch. They filled us up for the morning and I did not find myself scouring for a snack before lunch time, which makes them a good choice when you need something more sustainable. While these do not have the certain special touch that the Pancakes with Strawberry sauce seemed to have; these were really great for when we want to change things up a bit on the weekend.




Blueberry Buckwheat Pancakes
from foodnetwork.com

Recipe By: Ellie Krieger
Serving Size: 6

Ingredients:
3/4 cup buckwheat flour
3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup nonfat milk
1 tablespoon honey
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 cups blueberries, divided
1/2 cup real maple syrup

Directions:

In a large bowl whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, beat together the buttermilk, non-fat milk, honey, eggs, and oil. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, mixing only enough to combine them. Stir in 1 cup of berries.
Preheat a large nonstick griddle or skillet over a medium flame. Ladle the batter onto the skillet with a 1/4-cup measure. Flip the pancake when it is golden brown on the bottom and bubbles are forming on top, about 1 1/2 minutes. Cook the other side until golden brown, about 1 1/2 minutes. Serve topped with more blueberries and the maple syrup.

Changes

I apologize for my extended absence. We had a rather crazy, yet relaxing week. The Hub was on leave, so we impulsively went out of town and have been living pretty leisurely. We also recently made the jump from PC to Mac; and let me tell you, I could not be happier. In addition, the Hub bought me a new camera, so I spent the week getting accustomed to my new toys. I still have a few pictures queued up from my older camera; and thankfully so, because the new one is really complicated. If anyone could offer any tips, I would be forever indebted.

Overall, this has been a really great week. We took things slow and easy, ate on our own clock, played with the kids, and slept in. These things do not typically happen in a family of four. But, like all good things - they must come to an end. Today, the Hub has returned to work and I sit alone sipping coffee, waiting for the kids to wake up.

Our time was nice while it lasted. However, we will have to be going back to our hurried lives - eating meals like above. This was a quick standby meal made before the Hub went on leave. Farfalle with crimini mushrooms, asparagus, and alfredo sauce. Nothing complicated, it speaks for itself and it tastes good.