Non-traditional holiday dessert

Thanksgiving 2018

This year, we didn't have a traditional family Thanksgiving and we celebrated Christmas early with only one of my siblings since my sisters weren't able to come home this year.  Just the 5 of us were in Palm Desert for Thanksgiving.  While we had a wonderful day and made some new family memories (including turducken which we will definitely repeat!), the kids were disappointed not to be with cousins and extended family.

Our dessert choices reflected our non-traditional year . . . no-one really wanted apple pie or pumpkin pie so I made this gingerbread pumpkin dessert and Big made a new recipe - a lemon lava cake.  Big loves lemon desserts, is really into baking lately, and came up with this idea.  We read several recipes online before determining that we didn't want one that was mostly white chocolate.  A lot of these take a chocolate lava cake and use white chocolate and lemon instead.  What we came up with turned out delicious . . . especially with some of our orange cranberry sauce from Thanksgiving dinner on top!  In the future, we thought of incorporating fresh blueberries or a blueberry sauce as well.

Recipe notes:  You can make your own lemon curd, or buy it.  We used the Trader Joe's one.  These amounts are little funky because I was converting from metric weights.

Lemon Lava Cakes (makes 6)
from Seasons and Suppers blog

7 T unsalted butter, softened (plus more for greasing the ramekins)
5 T white sugar (plus 1 T for dusting the ramekins)
2 eggs
2 T whole milk
1 tsp lemon zest
3/4 cup + 1 T all-purpose flour
6 T lemon curd

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Butter six ramekins and coat them with white sugar.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy.  Lightly beat the eggs and gradually add them to the bowl, beating all the time.  Add the milk and lemon zest.  Add the flour and incorporate well.

Fill each ramekin about 1/3 full of the batter.  Using a spoon, make a little well in the middle by pushing the batter away from the middle to the sides.  Place about 1 T of the lemon curd in the well you made, then cover the curd with more batter until the ramekin is 2/3 - 3/4 full. Repeat with remaining ramekins and place filled ramekins on a baking sheet.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the tops are golden and the cakes spring back when touched.  When you remove them from the oven, immediately run a knife around the edges of the ramekins before turning them out on to plates.  Serve right away.

Peppermint Shortbread Cookies

I meant to go backwards and post about our fall . . . along with some good recipes I've made . . . but sometimes going back is too hard.  So onward to the "most wonderful time of the year"!  I'm getting ready to bake this week and wanted to share this one from the Julienne cookbook that I really enjoyed last Christmas.  Before the recipe, here are some of our holiday antics (so far).

Christmas themed "Escape Game" -we made it!

Last year's preschool craft, measured to last year's height

Tree lighting fancy dinner with just our little

Christmas Carol performance - dressed to go onstage!

Decorating the tree

Sister love by the Christmas tree

Secrets with Santa

Journey to Bethlehem

Cooking with our friends from Hawaii who came to visit!

Peppermint Shortbread Cookies (makes 3-4 dozen)
From “Celebrating with Julienne”

3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 T (packed) golden brown sugar
1 extra large egg
1.5 tsp peppermint extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1/8 tsp. salt
2 oz bittersweet chocolate (60% cacao or more), chopped

Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy.  Beat in the egg, peppermint extract, and vanilla.  Add the flour and salt and mix until a soft dough forms.  Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces.  Roll each piece into a 1.5 inch diameter log about 4 inches long.  It works best to roll it on plastic wrap.  Then, wrap hte log with plastic and enclose completely.  Repeat with the remaining dough, forming 3 logs total. 

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until firm.Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.  Cut the logs crosswise into slices approximately 1/4 inch thick.  Arrange dough rounds on baking sheets and bake until light brown around the edges, about 5 minutes.  Cool for 5 minutes on baking sheets before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler and dip half of each cookie in the melted chocolate.  Let the chocolate set completely before storing in an airtight container.

Pineapple Cole Slaw

This summer my husband made lots of delicious ribs and it was a great way to feed a crowd when we had friends over.  I usually just make a big salad and have some fruit to go with it but one day I was inspired to make a new coleslaw as a side dish.  I like non-mayonaise based coleslaws and this one has a little creaminess from the greek yogurt but fits my criteria of "no mayo!"  The sugar is optional - if your pineapple is super sweet, you probably won't need it or miss it.  If you like a little kick, add the diced jalapeño.

Pineapple Coleslaw (makes 6 cups)

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (nonfat is ok)

1 T white wine vinegar

1 T rice wine vinegar

3 T pineapple juice (from canned pineapple or fresh)
juice of 1 lime
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
2 cups pineapple bits (diced fresh or from a can, drained)
5 cups shredded green cabbage
salt and pepper to taste
jalapeno, diced (optional)
1 T raw sugar (optional)

Whisk together yogurt, vinegars, pineapple juice, lime juice, salt and pepper, jalapeño and sugar (if using) until well-blended.  Toss with the onions, pineapple, and cabbage.  Refrigerate for at least an hour.  Mix in the cilantro before serving.

Cooking Class: Part II

When the girls wanted to make lasagna as part of the cooking class, I decided we would learn two things:  how to make a marinara sauce (instead of using a jar) and how to layer a lasagna.  That way, they could use those two skills to make different kinds of pasta and to make variations on a traditional lasagna.  We made two pans at once so there was lots of hands on layering for everybody.  Here's a link to the lasagna on this blog which we used as a base recipe, just with a homemade sauce:  Lasagna

The second lesson in "sauce" was the homemade salsa.  I'll do a pico de gallo or black bean salsa sometimes, but a smooth basic salsa is something I basically never do.  Living in an urban area with Trader Joe's and Sprouts within a mile of me, I have lots of great salsa on hand all the time.  It was good to make a batch and realize how easy and satisfying it is to make your own.  We sliced corn tortillas with a pizza slicer and baked them to make our own chips too!  My husband split the batch of salsa in half and since we didn't have a jalapeño, he sautéed some red pepper flakes in olive oil until crispy and added that mixture to his half to make a spicy salsa.  Yum!

Both of these recipes were chosen for being "kid-friendly" in terms of the cooking method and the taste.  When you're building sauces around canned tomatoes, I think the quality of the canned tomatoes matters.  I spent a little more and bought a little higher quality than I might for other types of recipes.  Let me know what your kids are cooking!

Basic Marinara Sauce (makes about 3 cups)

1 T olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 28 oz can tomatoes (I used whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes)
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. salt
1 T dried Italian seasoning (can substitute fresh herbs)

In a large pot, saute the onion in the olive oil until the onion is translucent.  Add the garlic and saute about one minute more.  Add the tomatoes and crush them with your hands or against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon as you add them.  Add the seasonings and stir.

Bring to a boil over medium high heat, reduce to a simmer and simmer for about 20 minutes.  Remove the bay leaf.

Easy Blender Salsa (makes about 4 cups)

1 (15oz) can fire roasted tomatoes with green chiles (with liquid)
1 (15oz) can petite diced tomatoes (with liquid)
1/2 small onion, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1.5 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. salt
1 lime, juiced
1/3 cup chopped fresh tomatoes

Add all ingredients to a blender (works best if you do it in the order they're listed).  If you have a food processor, that would work as well.

Pulse to combine then blend on medium speed, gradually increasing until high speed until texture is nearly smooth.

Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.  Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Cooking Class

I've attended many cooking classes but I've never taught one myself.  This was very informal and more of a way to entertain 5 girls in a condo for an entire day with one of their favorite activities.  I asked my girls and their two friends to give me a list of things they wanted to make or learn to make and then we had to pare it way down.  The menu they handed me looked like this:

Appetizers:  Salsa and Chips
Main Course:  Lasagna
Side Dishes:  Salad, Chicken kebobs
Dessert:  Coconut Cookies and Vanilla cake with marshmallow mousse, butter cream frosting, and candy

I had some equipment issues (mainly that I have no mixer and one oven) so we adjusted the dessert to coconut bars and chocolate marshmallow fudge,  but I left the rest of the menu the same.

Our 4 main concepts were mis en place (the French phrase for having everything in its place and ready to use before you begin cooking), reading recipes, cleaning as you go, and timing.  I told them the main challenge of cooking a meal as opposed to one dish is timing everything so that it's done at the right time and you don't need to have multiple things in the oven at one time.  Originally, I planned to do the chicken kebobs in the oven since I don't really grill, but they wanted to grill so J took over that part and gave them a little grilling lesson while the lasagna was in the oven.

A couple of my take aways from the day . . .
* Kids really will eat things that they themselves help to make.  It might only be a bite, but they will try new stuff
* Some of the basic ideas that we have known for a long time (which "tool" will work best for the job, how to measure dry vs wet ingredients) are new and need to be explained very simply
* I should trust my kids to do more cooking at home on a regular basis

We made 6 recipes in 8 hours and honestly, all of it turned out delicious.  It was a lot of cleaning all day (the floor, the counters, washing pots), but totally worth it.  They all had a blast and felt really proud of their efforts at the end of it.

Here's one recipe I'd like to share . . . it was a new one to me and turned out so good.  My husband said he's prefer this to brownies.  They are like a coconut blondie and the texture and flavor was just perfect.

I'll post more of our recipes from that day in a future post.

Chewy Coconut Bars (makes a 9x9 pan)
from Cookies and Cups blog

1/2 cup butter
2 cups light brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup flour
1.5 cups sweetened flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9x9 pan with foil and coat with nonstick baking spray.

In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium low heat.  Once it's melted, continue cooking until it comes to a boil and starts to brown, stirring constantly so the butter doesn't burn.  Reduce heat slightly and cook until the butter is an amber color.  Remove from heat and stir in the brown sugar until completely combined (it won't dissolve).  Using a rubber spatula, stir in the eggs, vanilla, and salt.  Then, stir in the baking powder and flour and stir until fully incorporated.  Last, stir in the coconut.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until golden.  The edges should pull away from the pan and look crispy and the center will be barely set.  The original recipe said 20 minutes but this took me closer to 35.  After 20 -25 minutes, check it every 5 minutes or so.  Cool completely before slicing into bars.

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

In addition to jumping off things and exploring marine life in its natural habitat, we've also been eating lots of fresh fish sashimi and poke this summer.  I joke that Little is going to turn into Ahi tuna or get mercury poisoning but the other two don't love the raw fish so much.  When we had friends over, I tried these lettuce wraps.  They reminded me a little of the ones at PF Changs.  They were super easy, healthy, and quick to the table so I have a feeling they'll go into regular rotation around here.  You could sneak some extra veggies into the mix (shredded zucchini?) or add some extra spice (sriracha) because it's a good base recipe.  I used butter lettuce leaves but iceberg or romaine would work or you could make the filling and put it over rice.  If you're GF, check your hoisin and use a GF soy sauce.

Chicken Lettuce Wraps (serves 4)
from Every Day with Rachel Ray 2014

1 lb ground chicken
1 carrot
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large head lettuce, leaves separated
4 scallions, whites and greens chopped
1/4 cup Hoisin sauce
1 T soy sauce (low sodium)
2 T vegetable oil

In a small bowl, combine hoisin, soy sauce, and 1/3 cup water.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add 1 T of vegetable oil and the chicken and cook until chicken is browned (about 5 minutes).

Reduce heat to medium and add the carrot and remaining 1 T of vegetable oil.  Cook for 2 minutes then add the garlic and the scallion whites and cook an additional minute.  Stir in the hoisin mixture and continue to cook until the sauce thickens, another 1-2 minutes.

To serve, place some of the mixture in a lettuce leaf and top with some of the scallion greens.

Best ever!

I started this post a few months ago and when I logged back in to edit it, I was tempted to delete the photos and move to something more recent but these are too cute . . . I just couldn't!  Mini is off to kindergarten this fall and I'm feeling pretty sad about the baby / toddler / preschool part of family life being over.  These photos were from our last Mommy & Daddy day at preschool before her graduation, a sweet art project her teacher made, and her ballet lessons.  She's ready to move on and very excited to start kindergarten in September, and I know she'll be fine, but I'll miss having a little buddy at home with me a few mornings a week!

Now on to the food . . . trust me when I tell you that this meal was one of the best ever.  I savored each bite and have been thinking about it ever since.  This summer, we've been eating a lot of fish and veggies, and very little Italian food so I've been craving these flavors.  One of the great hacks I have found with the Instant Pot is how fast things like spaghetti squash (and baked potatoes, artichokes, etc) can cook.  This recipe was such a winner that I will be making variations on it.  Forever.  

Spaghetti Squash Pizza Bowls (serves 4)

from Cookie and Kate blog

2 medium to large spaghetti squash
extra virgin olive oil
4 medium garlic cloves, minced
6 packed cups baby spinach
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups marinara sauce
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
chopped fresh basil (optional)
other pizza toppings (sausage, pepperoni, veggies) - also optional

With a sharp knife, cut off the tip and end of the spaghetti squash.  Stand it on end and slice it through from top to bottom and divide it in half.  Repeat with the other squash.  Scoop out the seeds with a large spoon and discard them. Drizzle the inside of each squash with about a teaspoon olive oil and rub it all over the inside.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Bake for 40-60 minutes, until the cut sides are turning golden and the interiors are easily pierced through with a fork.  Take the squash out and leave the oven on.

While the squash is cooking, cook the spinach.  In a large skillet over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon olive oil.  Add the garlic and saute for about a minute.  Add the spinach and stir until it's wilted.  Set aside.

Take the baked squash and fluff up the interior to make the insides spaghetti like.  Divide the spinach and the parmesan cheese among the 4 squash halves and stir them together with the spaghetti-like strands until combined.  Season to taste with salt.  Spread marinara sauce over each half.  At this point, you can top with mozzarella or you can add other "pizza" toppings - cooked sausage, pepperoni, other veggies.  Then, top with mozzarella.

Return squash to 400 degree oven and bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and brown.  Sprinkle with fresh basil, more parmesan, (red pepper flakes) and serve!

When I bake . . .

Baking is my first cooking love, and it's something I rarely do anymore.  When I bake, I eat what I baked.  And, I don't just try or sample, I keep eating and eating and eating.  So, usually I bake for a special occasion when I'm taking it to someone else's house or entertaining.  A few weeks ago we had a rare weekend with no real plans and I was in a baking mood.  I took a recipe from the Emily Bites blog and made a few changes to use some Meyer lemons we had that were ripe and some blueberries in the refrigerator.  They were delicious!  And, with the exception of 3 of them, I think I ate them all.

They look like muffins but you have to think about them like baked oatmeal because that's really the consistency.  If you use GF oats, they are gluten free.   If you do Weight Watchers, they are 2 points apiece under the new plan.

Lemon Blueberry Oatmeal Singles (makes 12)
adapted from Emily Bites

2 c. old fashioned rolled oats
1/3 c. packed brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 egg
1 egg white
1/2 c. unsweetened almond milk
3/4 c. plain fat free Greek yogurt
2 T freshly squeezed lemon juice (I used Meyer lemons)
zest of one large lemon
1 cup blueberries

Preheat oven 350.  Lightly spray a muffin tin with cookie spray.

Whisk together the egg white, egg, almond milk, yogurt, lemon juice and zest in a large bowl.  Add the dry ingredients and stir until blended together.  Stir in the blueberries.  Spoon the mixture evenly between 12 muffin cups.  Bake for 20 minutes or until the oatmeal is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Springtime!

We are taking advantage of the warm weather by jumping in the pool, climbing trees, riding bikes, and spending as much time outside as possible!

I made this in the crock pot the other night and it went over pretty well with the family.  The kids could pick out what they didn't like and mostly ate the chicken and sausage pieces and white rice separately.  The flavors were good and it was easy to toss in the slow cooker and come home to cooked dinner a couple of hours later.  I suggest serving it over white or brown rice and serving it with some hot sauce on the side.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Sausage Creole (6 servings)
from Skinny Taste

1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into pieces
9 oz chicken Andouille sausage, sliced into rounds
1 cup chopped onions
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chicken broth
1 can diced tomatoes
3 oz tomato paste
1/2 cup tomato sauce
2 tsp creole seasoning
dash of cayenne pepper

Place everything in the slow cooker.  Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.

3sp/1 cup

Instant Pot (Kid) Flop

My kids are quite the food critics and will often voice their opinions in a constructive way (this is good but too spicy, I don't like this together with that) but not this time.  I made a new instant pot recipe which I could barely get them to taste and paired it with potstickers which they've loved in the past but also would barely taste this time around.  Sigh.

I, however, was a big fan.  I like cooked cabbage, I like egg rolls, and I've wanted to try a "deconstructed egg roll" recipe for awhile.  It was quick, nutritious, and tasty.  I made some plain chicken potstickers for the girls but the Trader Joe's Chicken Cilantro Wontons for me.  This would be a good low-carb side dish with the previous short rib recipe, with grilled fish, or even with sashimi.  If you use a GF soy sauce and teriyaki sauce, it would be gluten free.

Deconstructed Egg Roll (in an instant pot) makes 6 cups
from You Brew My Tea blog

4 cups shredded cabbage
2 cups shredded carrots
2 cups bean sprouts (I used fresh but you could use 1 can, drained and rinsed)
1/2 cup broth (chicken or vegetable)
2 tsp sesame oil
1/4 low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup Teriyaki sauce
2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
salt and pepper to taste after cooking

In a bowl, mix the broth, sesame oil, soy sauce, teriyaki, ginger and garlic.

Pour broth in the bottom of your instant pot.  Pour in cabbage, carrots, and bean sprouts.  Cover with the sauce mixture and stir it all together.  Set to manual / pressure cook and cook for 7 minutes.  Do a quick release and remove lid.  Stir well and taste.  Add salt and pepper if desired.

1SP / half cup

Inspiration

What inspires you to make the food you make?  To try new recipes?  For the last year and a half, I've been more intentional about eating healthy (and, if I'm being honest, eating less).  It hasn't been the most inspiring since I don't bake as often or make many indulgent recipes.

But, for my birthday, my mom bought me an Instant Pot.  I've decided that sometimes having a new "toy" or a new method to experiment with is inspiring.  Last year, I got a spiralizer and I use it probably weekly.  I may not have bought myself an instant pot since I'm generally a late adopter but having a shiny new one as a gift got me cooking!  My sister gave me some invaluable tips and I got some recipes from a tennis friend and some cookbooks I found at the library.  I'm not yet ready to modify my existing recipes to work in a pressure cooker, but I've been using it a ton and really enjoying the Instant Pot experience.

One of the misconceptions about the instant pot is that it's, well, instant.  It's not.  There are things that cook much quicker than normal like the short rib recipe below but depending on the recipe, you also have to take in account the amount of time it takes to come up to pressure (about 10 minutes) and to release pressure (could be instant, could be 30 minutes or more).  So far, this recipe has been one of my favorites!  I served it with steamed white rice and some green veggies.

Five Spice Short Ribs  (serves 6)
from The Instant Pot Cookbook

6 boneless beef shortribs, trimmed
2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
kosher salt
2 T canola oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 (1 inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
2 T rice wine vinegar
1/2 cup beef broth
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 c. brown sugar (or raw sugar)

Preheat oven to broil.  Coat both sides of the shortribs with the five-spice powder and sprinkle with kosher salt.  Line a sheet pan with foil and place the short ribs on top.  Place under the broiler for 3 minutes each side. 

Preheat the Instant Pot by selecting "Saute."  Add the oil.  Saute the garlic and ginger for 2 minutes, or until starting to brown.  Add the vinegar and cook for 1 minute.  Select "Cancel" and add the broth, soy sauce, and sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves.  Add the ribs and secure the lid.

Select "Manual" and cook at high pressure for 35 minutes.  Once the cooking is complete, use a natural release.  This took about 20 minutes. 

Remove the ribs and place them back on the same foil & baking sheet.  Brush with he cooking liquid and broil again for 3 minutes per side to form a crust.

Meanwhile, select "Saute" on high heat and reduce the sauce by half.  After broiling, brush the ribs with the sauce again and serve with the extra sauce on the side.

(6sp)

Valentine's Day

I know it can be cheesy, but I've always loved Valentine's Day.  Having my birthday the day before didn't hurt when sometimes I had heart-shaped birthday cakes, heart themed birthday decorations, and an extension of the celebration.  My husband and I stopped eating out for Valentine's Day years ago and used to cook together to celebrate.  In recent years (because, you know, kids), this has changed too and now I try to make a special breakfast or dinner that the kids will enjoy.

This year, Valentine's Day was on a Wednesday when I didn't have work and I had a bye for tennis, so I had a little extra time on a school morning to make heart shaped pancakes with strawberries.  For dinner, I made a recipe I've been looking at for a little while . . . it was a big hit and I'll definitely make it again.  This is a lighter, healthier version of a one-pot comfort food and the flavors were rich and satisfying.  I liked how my kids could eat the parts (read: just the chicken or maybe some sausage) that they enjoyed.  I served it with a green salad and breadsticks.

Braised Chicken with Sausage & Peppers (serves 4)
original recipe from Serious Eats

6-8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
3-4 links sweet or hot Italian Sausage (I used mild Italian chicken sausage)
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 large red bell peppers, thinly sliced
2 T minced fresh sage leaves
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 cup sliced pepperoncini peppers
1/4 cup of the pick line liquid from the pepperoncinis
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken broth

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.  Heat some olive oil in a 4-6 qt Dutch Oven (or ovenproof skillet with a lid) over medium high heat and cook until each side is browned, about 8 minutes total.  Remove from pan and set aside.

Add the sausage links to the same pot and cook until well browned on each side, about 4 minutes total.  Remove from pan and cut each link in half.

To the same pot, add the onions and peppers.  You can add a little vegetable oil if there isn't rendered oil from the sausage.  Stir, scraping up browned bits, until the onion and peppers are soft and starting to brown.  Add garlic and sage and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Then, add pepperoncinis and their liquid, stirring and deglazing the pan.  Add the wine and cook until the liquid has reduced by half.  Add the chicken stock, give it a stir, and return the sausage and chicken to the pan.  Transfer to the oven and cook, covered, for 30 minutes.  Serve immediately, spooning the sauce over the chicken and sausage.