Impossible Scotch Eggs with Duel Dipping Sauces

 

Scotch eggs are probably the thing I've missed the most since I went pescatarian almost 13 years ago. If you're not familiar with this often overlooked pub favorite, it consists of ground meat (typically sausage) wrapped around a boiled egg and then fried to crispy brown deliciousness and often paired with a spicy mustard dipping sauce -- sounds pretty eggcellent amirite?! 

Persian Herb Chickpeas with Coconut Rice

Give (chick)peas a chance! 

My new favorite ingredient this summer has been lemon! I always avoided it in the past because I found it to be a tad overwhelming to the palate, however, paired with fresh herbs and the creamy coolness of yogurt, it really takes this meal to the next level! You can enjoy this as a light vegetarian dish or serve it with some lemon-herb marinated grilled chicken!

Roasted Cauliflower & Chickpea Soup

I am now experiencing that stereotypical "Oregon weather." A cool and constant misty rain - the type of weather that makes you wanna wear nothing but over-sized flannel shirts, thick woolen socks, and make every type of soup and stew imaginable. I LOVE it.

Japanese Mushroom Thin Crust Pizza

Last month my friend from China took me to explore Houston's China Town! I have always wanted to check it out ever since we moved here but I was scared I was gonna be that awkward American, stumbling around, and ordering all the wrong things so it was nice to have a guide. The Market was unlike anything I've ever seen, I suddenly felt like I was transported into one of those Andrew Zimmern shows and I was wandering through the market in Xian. I have never seen any place that takes the word fresh so literally, the seafood section was full of live fish, turtles, crawfish, frogs, you name it! Plus the produce section was a thing of beauty. I decided to play it pretty safe my first go-round (plus I had to choose things that would keep for some time in the car) so I chose some colorful greens called Amaranth, seasoned extra firm tofu, matcha candy, and these beautiful Brown Beech Mushrooms.

Since cheese (and pizzas for that matter) are pretty obsolete in Asian cooking this recipe is a bit of a stretch but I wanted to make something that was summery and light (also I was just realllyyy craving some pizza ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ . I used Parmesan and crumbled queso fresco (baaaad choice Annie) since I was trying to use up what I had in the fridge but of course it turned slightly rubbery because these cheeses aren't really known for there melting qualities. I made it again and I used a mix of goat and mozzarella and it was cheesy melty perfection.

I actually went all out and made my thin crust pizza dough but I wasn't really happy with the results (it turned out kind of sad and doughy) do I won't be sharing that recipe with you. I would recommend going to your local grocery and/or pizza store and buying some raw dough OR get this brand from World Market that is one of my faves OR if you have a really good thin crust recipe you could use that too...and uhhh tell me that recipe while you're at it.


Japanese Mushroom Thin Crust Pizza

makes on 12 inch pizza

3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (bunch) package Japanese Mushrooms, cleaned and cut lengthwise
1 TBS olive oil
1 tsp sesame oil
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1/4 cup high quality olive oil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried parsley
1 TBS fresh chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup goat cheese (or all mozzarella of that's more your thing)
1/2 cup mozzarella
more cilantro for garnish

1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a saute pan add olive oil and sesame oil and heat on medium low setting. Add shallots, garlic, and mushrooms and saute until soft.
2.In a mixing bowl whisk 1/4 oil with oregano, parsley, and cilantro.
3.To assemble, place dough on a pizza pan or stone, brush olive and herb mix over the surface. Sprinkle goat cheese and then mushroom mixture evenly on top.
4.Place in oven and bake until crispy on bottom and slightly brown around edges. Serve hot alone or paired with a salad.

Buttermilk Biscuits & "Sausage" Gravy

Whew, these last few months have been a blur of work, airports, travel and changes...or at least an attempt to change. I recently returned from a trip to Vegas! It was a wonderful crazy adventure but I'll save that for another post, this one is all about some killer biscuits and gravy!

Being from the south, you'd think I'd be a biscuit making beast by now but I realized I haven't actually made homemade biscuits since culinary school! I think people get intimidated at the thought of getting some dough on their hands but using a food processor makes this process super easy and even fun!

As for the gravy, you might be questioning my vegetarian ways but I think this can stand up to standard sausage gravy. I think the addition of mushrooms is vital just because it adds that savory, earthy quality that makes it more "meaty" even if you're not a mushroom fan I think you should still try it - being diced into tiny pieces I promise you, you're not even gonna notice. I tried my best to portray the right amount of measurements, when I am creating something in the kitchen sometimes I get a little carried away and just start adding things without measuring but it's always good to taste as you go and add more spice or saltiness depending on your personal preference.

Buttermilk Biscuits

makes 12

3 cups all purpose flour
2 TBS sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup (1 1/2sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 cup buttermilk

Directions:

1.Preheat oven to 425°F.

2.In food processor, pulse flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda to blend (be careful some flour might escape). Add pieces of butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Slowly pour in buttermilk while pulsing until evenly moistened.

3.Dump dough unto a lightly floured surface and dust top with flour and gently fold dough over on itself 5 or 6 times. Press into a 1-inch thick round. Cut out biscuits with a 2-inch cutter, being sure to push straight down through the dough. Place biscuits on baking sheet so that they just touch. Reform scrap dough, working it as little as possible and continue cutting. (Biscuits from the second pass will not be quite as light as those from the first, but hey, that's life.)

4.I like to brush additional buttermilk on top of each biscuit but that's optional. Bake until biscuits are golden brown on top, about 15 minutes. Cool slightly. Serve warm.

For the Gravy

1 and 1/2 cups of vegetarian "Meat" crumbles, I like THIS brand
4-5 button mushrooms, washed and diced small
1 medium sized onion, diced small
1-2 stalks celery, diced small
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp savory herb blend
salt and pepper
4 TBS butter (divided)
1/4 cup flour
1 cup milk
1/4 cup half and half
1-2 splashes of hot sauce (optional)

1.In a large sauce pan melt 1 TBS of butter, add onion, mushroom, and celery and cook on medium low heat until onions are translucent. Add meatless crumbles and spices (you may need to add 1 or 2 TBS of water if the mix becomes too dry). Cook until "meat" begins to brown.

2.Empty the meat and veggie mixture into a bowl and set aside. Using the same pan, melt 3 TBS of butter then slowly add flour, making a roux. Add milk/cream and whisk until smooth and it begins to thicken.

3.Add meat and veggie mix into the cream and mix thoroughly - add additional salt and pepper if needed (I used quite a bit of pepper)

I froze both the leftover gravy and biscuits and they kept nicely for a week wrapped up in the freezer.

Coconut Curry Tofu Noodle Bowl

It's THAT time of year again. The time where you're being pulled in 1,000 different directions - buying gifts, working holiday hours, decorating the house, posing awkwardly for Christmas cards - you know what I mean. This year is going to be the first year that Lewis and I will be away from family. Normally around this time, I would be helping my mom make enough Christmas cookies to sustain a small country so as you can imagine it's going to be quite the adjustment for me to scale down and only cook/bake for two this year.

While I do have plans to keep the tradition going and make some cookies this year, unfortunately making more practical things like dinner takes priority (although now I just envisioned having cookies for dinner and now I'm slightly disappointed). Curries or a stir fry are always my go-to emergency dinner. They pretty much use the same spices and flavorings and are always on the healthy side.

This is one of those "clean out the fridge" meals that with all the leftover and forgotten items combined, it somehow turns into the most delicious meal of the week. You could easily sub rice for noodles, broccoli and asparagus for peppers and zucchini, or chicken for tofu - whatever you prefer!


For the Coconut Curry Sauce:
1 TBS oil
1 medium sized onion, sliced thin
2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
2 TBS yellow curry paste
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 14-ounce can regular coconut milk
½ cup reduced sodium chicken or veggie broth (more or less depending on how thick you want your sauce)
3 TBS sugar
1 TBS hot chili paste (more or less depending on heat preference)
2 tsp fish sauce (if you don't have fish sauce you can just add an additional Tablespoon of soy sauce)
2 tsp sesame oil
2 TBS soy sauce
2 TBS chopped fresh basil
1 TBS of dried lemon grass

For the Bowls:
4 ounces Pad Thai noodles
1 tablespoon oil
half an onion, chopped
1 medium sized red pepper, sliced thin
1 cup sliced zucchini
1 block of tofu, cubed
squeeze of fresh lime
a handful of fresh basil for serving

Method

Tofu: I always cut and press my tofu before cooking. Place on a greased cooking sheet and bake in the oven at 350 degrees F until slightly brown and firm to the touch (about 20-30 min).

Noodles: Place a pan of water on medium heat, bring to a boil. Add noodles and cook 4-5 min. Place cooked noodles in ice water until ready to use (this will prevent them from sticking together).

Sauce: Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onions, peppers, and zucchini. Cook for 10 min. then add spices (curry, ginger, cinnamon) as well as sesame oil and soy sauce - stir fry for 3-5 minutes. Add the coconut milk, sugar, chicken broth (start with 1/4 cup), chili paste and fish sauce. Simmer for 15 minutes or so while you prep the rest of the ingredients - it should thicken slightly.

Assembly: When the curry has thickened add the noodles and tofu. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lime and fresh basil garnish.

Roasted Radishes with Orange & Thyme

Lately I have been experimenting with foods I don't normally eat, enter the radish.

This small colorful root veggie can be sliced in salads, pickled in sandwiches, and braised in butter. Personally I have had it only a couple of times as a garnish on a sandwich or taco but it has never been the star of the plate.

I don't know why but I have never even thought of roasting these red beauties which is odd considering some of my favorite forms of veggies are in their roasted form. I decided to keep it simple and toss them in some orange infused oil, thyme, salt, and pepper. Roasting at a high heat brought out a totally new flavor and texture, they were not nearly as strong and peppery as their raw form and it made them rather enjoyable! I think next time I will pair them with rainbow carrots and maybe drop the orange oil and sub it for butter. I also read that you can use the radish tops to accompany them but I had already removed them so it was too late to try it this time around.

Roasted Radishes with Orange & Thyme

serves 1-2

1 bunch radishes, thoroughly washed, stems removed, and halved
1 TBS olive oil (I used orange infused oil)*
course salt
Black pepper
1-2 sprigs German thyme (or regular thyme)

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 400°F. Brush large heavy-duty rimmed
baking sheet OR cast iron skillet with olive oil.

2.Cut radishes lengthwise in half and place in medium bowl.
Add about 1 tsp olive oil and toss thoroughly to coat, add thyme sprigs.
Place radishes, cut side down, on prepared baking sheet;
sprinkle lightly with coarse salt. Roast until radishes are
crisp-tender, stirring occasionally, about 18 minutes. Season
to taste with more coarse kosher salt, if desired.

3.Serve as a side with pork, lamb, or enjoy by themselves.

*Note - if you don't have orange oil you could as 1/4 tsp orange zest before baking.

Chickpea & Tempeh Sunbutter Curry Over Jasmine Rice

I probably should be packing a box or working on my finals right now but it seems the internet has other plans...Upon this highly distracting internet adventure, I realized whilst perusing my recipe lists that I had not included a recipe with tempeh...I've had some killer tempeh dishes at places like The Bee's Knees and the late Amy's Cafe but despite my pescatarian lifestyle I don't actually cook with this ingredient often...

Tempeh is essentially made from the same ingredients as tofu just processed in a different way. Since tofu is made from soy milk, it has lighter texture than tempeh which is fermented whole soy beans. Because of it's more substantial texture, tempeh also has a higher amount of protein and fiber per serving (boy, I bet all this talk about yummy fermented soy beans and fiber has you really psyched to try this stuff - trust me, it's better than it sounds).

I will say that I think still prefer the taste and texture of tofu, but I am still willing to experiment with this ingredient. As far as the sunbutter twist, it happened to be the only thing in our pantry even slightly resembling peanut butter, you could also sub out cashew butter too if you have a peanut allergy.

Chickpea & Tempeh Sunbutter Curry Over Jasmine Rice

serves 2-3

2 cups cooked Jasmine rice
1 TBS coconut OR vegetable oil
1 small onion, finely sliced (about 1 cup)
1 tsp minced garlic
1 red bell pepper, diced small, seeds removed
2 tsp dried basil
1 TBS Peanut butter OR Sunbutter
1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
1 package of tempeh or tofu cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 (14-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 TBS yellow curry powder
2 tsp paprika
Squeeze of fresh lime juice (about 2 tsp)
Salt to taste

Sliced green onions and toasted sunflower seeds for garnish (optional)
1/4 soy sauce mixed with 1 TBS honey (for marinade)

Directions:

1.In a sauce pan heat oil on medium heat, add onion and saute until translucent. Add peppers and garlic and cook for at least 6 min.

2.Marinate tempeh in soy sauce and honey - set aside.

3.Add spices to onion mix (adding more oil if needed) and toast spices until fragrant. Add coconut milk and mix. Add sunbutter, chickpeas, and tempeh, and let sit on medium low heat for 10-15 min, stirring often. Add basil and cook until chickpeas are tender. Finish with lime juice and serve atop jasmine rice.

Christmas Lima + White Bean Turkey Southwest Chili (Vegetarian Option as Well)

This is one of those "get rid of everything in your fridge and pantry" meals, don't you love those? Never has freeing up some space in your home been so deliciously rewarding.

It all started with the Christmas Lima. Lewis and I have been eyeing these for years now, with their bright red and white appearance we thought it would be the perfect dish to make Christmas day - yeahhhh with a four hour drive and family craziness beans were the last think on our minds come Christmas so there they sat, alone and unused.

We finally used half and made some traditional southern style beans n' greens, these beautiful beans are slightly nutty in flavor with a firm texture, and although their color isn't nearly as vibrant when cooked, they still brought something unique to the table.
This time around, I wanted to try and incorporate them into a different dish (plus we had left over navy beans from this dish) . If you don't have the time to use dried beans you can always sub out the traditional red kidney beans for this recipe - just reduce the cooking time.

I did my best to record measurements whilst making this chili but because I used dried beans it required a little more liquid, I added about 1 cup of chicken stock - if you're using canned beans instead I would start off omitting the chicken stock and then if it's too thick for your liking you can always add the stock later on.

Christmas Lima + White Bean Turkey Southwest Chili

serves 3-4

1 (28oz) cans of crushed tomatoes
1 (14.75oz) can of whole yellow corn, drained
1 medium sized onion, diced small
1 TBS olive oil
1/2 tsp minced garlic
16oz of ground turkey (for the meat eaters - I used 85/15 and drained most of the fat)
1 cup dried Christmas limas (that have been soaked overnight)
1 cup dried white navy beans (that have been soaked overnight)
2-3 TBS red chili powder
1 tsp paprika
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
salt and black pepper to taste
splash of hot sauce (optional)
1 cup chicken broth (or vegetable broth - if needed)
Shredded cheese, sour cream, and chopped green onions for garnish

Directions:
1. In a sauce pan, cook the turkey until no pink is showing (because I made 2 kinds of chili I kept my meat separate) season with salt and pepper. In a large stock pot, heat olive oil on medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent. Add garlic and cook for about 2 min. (I added some fat from the turkey for extra flavor). Add spices and mix on heat for about a minutes (this toasts the spices and enhances flavor).

2.To the onion garlic spice mix, add tomatoes, corn, beans, and 1 cup chicken stock. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Lower heat, cover and cook for about 35-50 min. stirring every 10 minutes or so.

3.Serve hot, garnish with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, and green onions.

Dried Christmas Limas

*Christmas lima picture from Zursun Idaho Beans

Crispy Tofu Rice Noodle Bowl

Noodle bowl - never have two words sounded so tantalizing. I am practically drooling.

As you know, I have never been discrete of my love of all things influenced by Asian and Thai flavors. Whenever I am exploring a new town and I'm looking for something to eat, I am always immediately attracted to anything with Noodle in the name...Noodle House, House of Noodles, The Happy Noddle - doesn't matter, there's a 99.9% I will probably eat there.

There's just something about that beautiful medley of textures and flavors coming together, not to mention the heavenly smells. Rice noodles, when seasoned properly are slightly chewy and a perfect vessel for pretty much any protein or veggie. I stir fried mine in a sweet and savory sauce with a touch of spice with some chili sauce. Forget everything you'be ever heard about bland, tasteless tofu!

Crispy Tofu Rice Noodle Bowl

serves 3 really hungry people

1 package of extra firm tofu, diced, marinated, and cooked
2 cup steamed edamame
1 cup diced or shredded carrots
1 small onion, sliced thin (is it necessary to have both green onions and regular onions? Nope, I just really like onions...)
3 green onions stalks, diced
1-3 eggs
olive oil
1 cup peanuts, chopped (for garnish)
rice noodles (14oz. package)

For the sauce...
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons low-salt soy sauce
1-2 tsp spicy chili paste
1-2 TBS Hoisin sauce
3 tablespoons sesame oil
1 TBS honey
1 tsp fresh lime juice

To find out how I make my tofu taste awesome, check out some tips HERE

1.Prepare rice noodles by soaking in cold water for about 8 min. Drain and set aside.

2.In a mixing bowl, add the sauce ingredients and whisk to make a dressing. In a wok (or sauce pan) heat oil then add sliced onions, cook until translucent then add the garlic and carrots. Once carrots are tender, add cooked edamame and cook for 3 min. Add noodles and mix, then add sauce mixture and stir fry (you might have to add more water to prevent noodles from sticking together).

3.Meanwhile, fry the eggs in a large non-stick frying pan on a medium heat with a lug of olive oil until cooked to your liking (I like mine with a runny yolk). Divide the noodles between bowls, pop an egg on top of each one, and serve drizzled with chilli sauce for that all-important added kick. Sprinkle with green onions and chopped peanuts.

Variations: You could also use buckwheat noodles in place of rice, they take longer to cook but provide more flavor. Feel free to add any other fresh seasonal veg, or leftovers you have in the fridge.

Rebollita (Reboiled Italian Cabbage Soup)

Things are finally starting to settle down around here...

It always seems surreal when you're looking forward to something so much and then it comes to an end. With both Lewis and I working all the time, we were highly anticipating our Christmas mini-vaca. We woke up Christmas morning (the first time in our own place) made breakfast and opened presents then headed down to Florida to visit family.

There, I got to eat some of my Mom's famous Christmas cookies (Anise cookies, Chocolate Dipped Shortbread , Candy Cane Crisps, and Snowballs) followed by a feast over at Lewis's house. We spent the next three days sleeping until noon, visiting all our favorite local spots, and spending time with friends and family - it was perfect.

Which brings me to this soup, which I made a couple of days before we left (you might remember the leftover cabbage from the Minestrone) I didn't want to make a plain old cabbage soup so I was excited when I found this recipe for Rebollita. This soup is kinda freaky because it uses pureed beans to thicken the soup and contains soaked toasted bread for added texture. It definitely took some time to make, but with all these textures and flavors from the vegetables, it is sooo worth the wait!

Ribollita

serves 10-12
(Need to prepare the night before eating)

2 cups dry cannellini beans
4 cups water
3 (32 ounce) cartons chicken broth (seems like a lot but it definitely needs it)
5 cloves garlic, minced
4 sage leaves
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup olive oil
1 small onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 large stalks celery, chopped
1 medium sized russet potato, peeled and cut into chunks
1 1/2 cups cabbage, coarsely chopped
3 stalks of Rainbow chard, trimmed and chopped
1-2 cups spinach (or you could use kale), trimmed and chopped
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
12 (1/2-inch-thick) slices French bread, lightly toasted
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese for topping
1/2 cup olive oil

Directions:

1.Sort and rinse the beans before placing them in a large pot with the water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook 5 minutes. Turn off heat, cover, and let stand 1 1/2 hours. Drain.

2.Place the beans, chicken broth, garlic, sage leaves, bay leaves, and salt in a large pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer until beans are tender, about 2 hours. Cool. Remove 1 cup of beans. Discard the bay leaves and sage leaves. Blend the remaining bean mixture with a hand mixer until smooth. Set aside.

3.Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions; cook and stir until transparent, about 10 minutes. Combine the carrots, celery, potatoes, cabbage, chard, and spinach with the onions. Stir in the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover, and cook until greens have wilted, stirring at least once, about 20 minutes.

4.Stir in the pureed bean mixture, and cook 40 minute until the mixture thickens. Stir in the reserved beans. Adjust seasonings to taste. Add the toasted bread slices; cook until bread is soaked, about 10 minutes longer. Cool, and refrigerate overnight.

5.Reheat the soup over low heat until heated through, about 20 minutes. Serve each serving garnished with 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.

*Recipe adapted from Josie

Hearty Minestrone Soup

I like my soup how I like my men, easy and low maintenance.

This soup is awesome because almost all the flavor you need come from the ingredients, you just throw it all in a pot and let it simmer as opposed to those other needy soups that keep nagging for your attention, constantly complaining about how they need to be stirred and seasoned. One thing I noticed is how much this soup absorbs liquid over night (even though I covered it whilst cooking) so I added an extra cup of chicken broth to prevent said absorption. With that being said, I must say this soup is delicious and super satisfying (this coming from the woman who lived off this stuff for a week and didn't get sick of it).

Hearty Minestrone Soup

serves 3-4

4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (15-ounce) can white (cannellini or navy) beans, drained
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 cup onion, chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
2 bay leaves
Salt and ground black pepper
2 cups cooked ditalini pasta (I used mini penne because it was the high fiber kind)
1 medium zucchini, chopped
2 cups coarsely chopped cabbage

Directions:

1.In a large soup pot (or slow cooker), combine broth, tomatoes, beans, carrots, cabbage, celery, onion, thyme, sage, bay leaves, and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and black pepper. Cover and simmer on low heat for 3-4 hours, stirring occasionally.

2.Thirty minutes before the soup is done cooking, add pasta and zucchini. Cover and cook 30 more minutes. Remove bay leaves and season, to taste, with salt and black pepper. Ladle soup into bowls and sprinkle Parmesan (or sharp cheddar) cheese over top.

Curry Butternut Squash and Pear Soup (Vegan Option)

Don't you love it when "happy accidents" happen in the kitchen.

The plan was to make butternut squash apple soup - I was in the kitchen, apron on, tunage playing, getting into the zone when I reached my hand in the fruit bowl only to find that I unkowingly devoured the last apple days before. Crap. With not enough squash to make a plain squash soup and no car to go to the store I was stuck - the only fruit in our house were three under ripe Barlett pears (which I had been saving to make a tart). And then, it hit me...apples are sweet and... pears are sweet so what's the big deal? Time to sacrifice that tart in the name of soup!

I have previously confessed my love of curry so you shouldn't be surprised at the savory - sweet combo. This soup blew my expectations! The sweetness of the roasted squash and pears meld perfectly with the savory back heat of the curry. you can easily adjust this recipe to fit a vegan diet too, just note the parentheses in the recipe!


Curry Butternut Squash and Pear Soup

serves 4-5

1 (2 pound) butternut squash
2 firm Bartlett pears, peeled and diced
1 TBS coconut oil
1 small onion, diced fine
1/2 tsp ginger powder
1 TBS yellow curry powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp ground thyme
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
4 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
1/2 cup half and half (or soy milk)
salt and pepper to taste
sour cream and thyme to garnish (no sour cream for vegans obviously)

Directions:

1.Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut squash in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membrane. Rub squash down with a little vegetable oil, salt, and pepper. Place squash halves, cut sides down, on the prepared baking sheet. Roast in preheated oven until very soft, about 45 minutes. Scoop the pulp from the peel, and reserve.

2.Melt coconut oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion, cook and stir until the onion is soft, about 10 minutes. Add spices and toast until fragrant, about 2 min. Pour the chicken broth into the pot, and bring to a boil. Stir in the pears and the reserved squash, and simmer until the pears are very soft, about 30 minutes.

3.Pour the soup into a blender, filling the pitcher no more than halfway full. Hold down the lid of the blender with a folded kitchen towel, and carefully start the blender. Puree in batches until smooth (or you can use an immersion blender which is 1000 times more convenient). Return the soup to the pot, stir in the half and half (or soy milk), and reheat. Add salt and pepper to desired tastes.

Heirloom Tomato Tart with Fresh Basil, Ricotta, and Balsamic Fig Drizzle

It astounds me sometimes how beautiful food can be. Just a plain old tomato can come in so many different colors and provide unique flavors and textures depending on the variety. I think that's what originally attracted me to food, being an artist first and foremost, it seems natural that I was attracted to visually pleasing food...

Parmesan & Asparagus Herb Crustless Quiche

When I saw this beautiful asparagus on sale, I HAD to nab some up.

Asparagus and I haven't always been the best of friends, in fact, I just started liking this vegetable within the past couple of years. Let's face it, asparagus isn't the best smelling veggie in this world and the flavor can be overpowering at times but if you get a good batch and cook it just right, these little green spears are hard to beat.

As a kid I always remember asparagus being bland and super stringy, which can easily happen if you leave the butts on! I always take one spear and gently bend it in half, the spear should break off, this naturally tells you where the "butt" part starts and gives you a good idea about just how much you need to trim for the rest of the bunch. With this recipe, I decided to leave the crust of this quiche because I was feeling lazy to reduce the calories and make it lighter for summertime. I am also taking full advantage of my herb garden before the cool fall and winter months take over. This quiche was super tasty, with the flavor of fresh parsley, asparagus, and golden brown baked Parmesan bits in every bite, I am willing to bet this will convert any asparagus hater.

Parmesan & Asparagus Herb Quiche

2 TBS butter
1 bunch asparagus, diced, to yield 2 cups chopped asparagus
1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped, or more to taste
6 eggs
1/2 cup 2% milk
1 tsp. ground yellow curry (you could use Dijon mustard instead)
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Nonstick cooking spray

Directions:

1.Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 9-inch pie plate with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

2.Heat a large saute pan over medium heat, and add the butter. When the butter is bubbling, stir in the asparagus, and sauté it for 2 minutes. Add the herbs, sauté it for 1 more minute until it is fragrant, and remove the pan from the heat.

3.In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, curry, cheese, and salt until they are thoroughly combined. Pour into prepared pie plate. Place the asparagus in desired design or pattern.Bake it for 20 minutes, uncovered, until the quiche is set, or a few extra minutes if you want it a little browned. Serve it immediately or refrigerate it for up to 3 days, or let it cool, cover it tightly, and freeze it for up to 3 months.

Eggplant Parmesan Stack with Pecan Basil Pesto and Classic Tomato Sauce

I'm back! Sorry for my blogging hiatus - between traveling, finals, and starting a new job it's been a rough couple of weeks!
Lewis has been craving this classic Italian dish for weeks now and last night we randomly decided to pick up the ingredients to do so! When you think about it, eggplant is a pretty freaky food, never mind the name, it's texture and flavor are unlike any other in the vegetable world. What many people fail to do when working with this interesting ingredient is that you must sweat the eggplant to tenderize the the texture and reduce the naturally bitter taste. You can do this by salting each piece, then rinsing with cold water, this process also reduces the amount of oil absorption when frying. As for whether to peel or not to peel, I find that even though the skin contains valuable antioxidants, I find the texture a little to chewy for my liking, especially on the larger eggplants, but I will leave this up to you.

If you plan to make this please resist the urge to buy store bought tomato sauce, trust me. Making your own tastes soooo much better, plus you'll get the chance to dance around the kitchen drinking wine and singing along to "Mambo Italiano."

Eggplant Parmesan Stack with Pecan Basil Pesto and Classic Tomato Sauce

serves 2-3

For the Tomato Sause...

1 TBS garlic infused oil
1/2 of a large onion, diced small
1/2 cup red wine, such as lambrusco
1 (26oz) can of crushed tomatoes, I prefer THIS brand but you can't always find it so canned tomatoes will do.
1 leveled TBS of dried basil
3-4 chopped fresh basil leaves
salt and pepper
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese OR cream to finish

1.In a sauce pan, add garlic oil (or olive oil with 2 tsps chopped garlic) and heat over medium low. Add onions and cook until translucent. Add red wine, simmer, and reduce by half.
2.Add tomatoes, salt and pepper, and dried basil and cook on low heat, stirring periodically for about an hour (if you're using canned tomatoes you might have to cook sauce for longer since heat destroys that metallic taste).
3.Lastly, add cheese (or cream) and fresh basil )I even added some pesto to the sauce) and serve over each eggplant slice.

For the Pecan Basil Pesto...

1/4 cup pecans
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1/2 olive oil (could be more or less)
1 tsp garlic
3 TBS Parmesan cheese (could be more)
salt and pepper

1.In a food processor, blend basil, pecans, garlic, salt and pepper, and 2 TBS olive oil. While mixing add more oil until you achieve the desired texture. Add cheese and mix.

For the eggplant...
1 large eggplant, peeled (optional) and sliced about 1/2 inch thin
2 eggs, beaten with a splash of milk - in bowl
1 cup flour (with salt and pepper) - in bowl
1 cup Italian breadcrumbs - in bowl
enough oil to cover the bottom of a saute pan

1.Arrange the eggplant slices on a baking sheet and sprinkle generously all over with kosher salt. Set aside to let the bitter juices weep from the eggplant for about an hour. Transfer the eggplant to a colander in the sink, and rinse well under cold running water. Transfer eggplant to a work surface and blot very dry with paper towels.
2.Using the standard breading procedure, dust each eggplant slice with flour, then egg, then bread crumbs. When the oil in the pan reaches 400 degrees F. Working in small batches, fry the eggplant slices, turning once, until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per batch. Using tongs, transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet and season with salt to taste. Repeat with the remaining eggplant.

To assemble, take eggplant slice and top with sauce and cheese. Repeat. Add pesto on the side.