2012 New Ingredient Challenge

A summary of my 2012 New Ingredient Resolution Progress--my personal challenge to make recipes using ingredients I hadn't cooked with before.   I didn't complete all 52 weeks, but I got to 35, and that's 35 in the right direction.  There's still a lot of ingredients I want to be brave and try... like squid/octopus, caviar, goose, collard greens, lentils, etc. 

New Ingredients used in 2012:

Week 1: Persimmons  - Persimmon Bread and Persimmon Pudding
Week 2: Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas) - Hummus and Garbanzo Bean and Zucchini Salad
Week 3: Sea Scallops - Seared Scallops on Farfalle with Tomato-Cream Sauce
Week 4: Swiss Chard -  Rainbow Chard and Gruyère Quiche
Week 5: Liquid Smoke - Anne's BBQ Baby Back Ribs
Week 6: Cherimoya - Cherimoya Chiffon Pie
Week 7: Lobster, Polenta - Surf & Turf with Broccolini over Parmesan Polenta
Week 8: Eggplant - Eggplant and Zucchini Brown Rice Gratin
Week 9: Fresh Coconut - Tahitian Coconut Bread and Coconut-Crusted Tilapia with Mango Salsa
Week 10: Jicama - Pulled Pork Sandwich with Jicama Slaw
Week 11: Parsnips - Irish Parsnip-Apple Soup
Week 12: Bulgar - Tabbouleh
Week 13: Tangerines - Tangerine Beef with Snap Peas
Week 14: Edamame - Roasted Edamame Salad
Week 15: Prosciutto - Apple, Gouda, and Prosciutto Panini and Asparagus-Prosciutto Fettuccine Alfredo
Week 16: Pummelo, Tangelo - Seared Ahi Tuna on a Pummelo and Tangelo Salad
Week 17: Kale - Kale Chips  and Better Kale Chips
Week 18: Agave Nectar - Mango-Chipotle-Agave Chicken and Mexican Churro Balls with Agave Caramel Sauce and Agave Mint Limeade
Week 19: Spam - Pizza Spam Bake
Week 20: Ugli Fruit, Watercress - Ugli Duckling and Rosemary Potatoes
Week 21: Fennel - Shaved Fennel Salad
Week 22: Pluots - Grilled Pluot Salad and Dino Egg Crumble
Week 23: Chai Tea - Chai Tea Cookies
Week 24: Braunschweiger - Braunschweiger Melt
Week 25: Swordfish - Grilled Swordfish
Week 26: Pine nuts - Zeus Burgers
Week 27: Okra - Cajun Gumbo
Week 28: Purple Potatoes - Herbed Purple Potatoes and Roasted Garlic Mashed Purple Potatoes
Week 29: Mascarpone Cheese - Raspberry Tart
Week 30: Beauty Heart Radish - Radish, Cucumber, and Spinach Salad
Week 31: Bison - Grilled Bison Tenderloin with Herb Butter
Week 33: Pomegranate -  Pear and Pomegranate Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette
Week 34: Crab - Pan-Fried Crab Cakes with Lemon-Herb Sauce
Week 35: Tofu - Tofu Fried Rice and Tofu, Sobe, and Veggie Stir-Fry

Tofu, Sobe, and Veggie Stir-Fry

 Week 35 Featured Ingredient: Soba Noodles

I still had some tofu left, so I decided to try another recipe.  This one was really delicious.  Marinating the tofu gave it great flavor.  The sobe noodles, which are a Japanese buckwheat noodle, were really tasty.  I liked them a lot.  I used a lot of vegetables in my recipe to keep it healthy. 

Anne's Tofu, Sobe, and Vegetable Stir Fry
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 package (14 oz) firm or extra-firm tofu
1/4 cup sake (rice wine)
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil, divided
3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
8 oz soba noodles
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1/2 cup sliced scallions
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into small strips
2 cups snap peas
2 cups chopped fresh broccoli
2 cups chopped bok choy

Directions:
Cut tofu into 1/2" cubes.  Combine sake, soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon sesame oil in a shallow dish just large enough to hold tofu in a single layer.  Add tofu.  Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, turning once.

Cook noodles in a large pot of boiling water until tender, about 5 minutes.  Drain and rinse.  Place in a large bowl.

Put sesame seeds on a plate.  Remove tofu from marinade and toss cubes in the sesame seeds until coated.  Pour the remaining tofu marinade onto the noodles.   Heat 1 teaspoon sesame oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat.  Cook tofu until golden, about 3-4 minutes, turning once; add to noodles.

Heat remaining sesame oil in the skillet and add the garlic, ginger, and vegetables.  Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the veggies are crisp-tender, about 5-8 minutes.  Add to the noodles and toss to combine.   Serve immediately.

Tofu Fried Rice (2012- Week 34)

Week 34 Featured Ingredient: Tofu

Tofu--the ingredient that strikes fear in a Midwestern meat-and-potato sensibility.   It's been on my culinary to-do list all year and now that it's December, I figured I might as well bite the bullet and finally try it.  And guess what?  It wasn't bad at all!  And dare I say it--I actually liked this recipe!   It's not going to make me give up meat, but hey, at least I know I don't have to tear out the tofu pages of my cookbooks or wrinkle my nose in mock disgust.  I might even try it again.  Will wonders never cease.

Tofu Fried Rice
from The New Way to Cook Light Cookbook
378 calories/serving (1&1/2 cups)
Serves 4

Ingredients:
2 cups rice, cooked
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1 package (14 oz) reduced-fat firm tofu, drained and cut into 1/2" cubes
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup green onion slices
1 cup frozen peas and diced carrots, thawed
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons sake
3 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil

Directions:
Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add 1 tablespoon oil; swirl to coat.  Add tofu; cook 4 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally.  Remove from pan to a plate or bowl.  Add eggs to pan; Cook 1 minutes or until done, breaking the egg into small pieces.  Remove from pan and add to tofu.

Add remaining tablespoon of oil to pan; swirl to coat.  Add the onions, peas and carrots, garlic, and ginger; saute 2 minutes, stirring frequently.   Add cooked rice to pan; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. 

Mix together the sake, soy sauce, hoisin, and sesame oil.  Add the tofu, egg, and soy sauce mixture to pan; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Serve and garnish with sliced green onions if desired.

Pan-Fried Crab Cakes (2012 - Week 33)

Week 33 Featured Ingredient: Crab

I don't think I've worked with crab before, so I picked it as this week's mystery ingredient.  I decided to make a classic Crab Cake with a Lemon Herb Sauce.  The crab cakes were super delicious.  The sauce was just ok, but the cakes really didn't need it; they were flavorful enough on their own.  Why haven't I made these before?!

Pan-Fried Crab Cakes with Lemon-Herb Sauce

Adapted from The New Best Recipe Cookbook
Serves 4  (2 cakes/serving)

Ingredients:
1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat (with shells/cartilage removed)
4 scallions, green parts, minced (~1/2 cup)
1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup mayonnaise
salt and ground white pepper
1 large egg
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup vegetable oil
lemon wedges or dipping sauce

Lemon Herb Sauce:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2&1/2 tablespoons lemon juice from 1 lemon
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
1 large scallion, white and green parts, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
ground black pepper

Directions:
In a medium bowl, gently fold the crabmeat, peppers, scallions, herbs, Old Bay, bread crumbs, and mayonnaise, being careful not to break up the lumps of crab.  Season with salt and white pepper to taste.  Carefully fold in the egg with a rubber spatula until the mixture just clings together.  Add more crumbs if necessary.

Shape small clumps of the the mixture into a fat, round cake about 3" wide and 1.5" high.  Arrange on a baking sheet lined with waxed or parchment paper; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes (up to 24 hours).

Put the flour on a plate.  Lightly dredge the cakes in the flour.  Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking.  Gently lay the chilled crab cakes in the skillet and pan-fry until the outsides are crisp and browned, about 3-4 minutes per side.  Serve immediately with lemon wedge or dipping sauce if desired.

To make Lemon Herb Dipping Sauce, mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl.  Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes until ready to serve.  (Will keep in the fridge for several days)

Pear and Pomegranate Salad (2012- Week 32)

Week 32 Featured Ingredient: Pomegranates

Pomegranates are now in season for the holidays, so I decided to make a recipe using this fruit for our large Thanksgiving family gathering.   I was in charge of bringing a salad, so I found a delicious-looking salad recipe online that used both pomegranate seeds and pomegranate juice. 

The salad itself was really good.  My relatives seemed to enjoy it.  I strayed from the original recipe by adding spinach and green kale to the arugula instead of romaine and I left out the pistachios because I knew our gathering included at least one person with a nut allergy.  I liked the crunch and sweetness that the pears and pomegranate seeds added, and the crumbled feta had a nice soft contrast.  It was a nice balance and an elevated salad for a special occasion.

Regarding the vinaigrette, the original recipe called for pomegranate molasses.  I checked 4 different grocery stores, but it was clear that I wasn't going to find this strange ingredient anywhere.  So I decided to make this special molasses by reducing pure pomegranate juice.  It didn't work, mostly because I started with way too much juice in the pot.  I ended up using a couple tablespoons of the juice in the vinaigrette anyway, as is.  The vinaigrette was good, but I couldn't detect the pomegranate flavor.

Pear and Pomegranate Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette
(Anne's Recipe-- adapted from Food 52 Online)
Serves ~8-10

Salad:
4 cups fresh baby spinach
4 cups fresh baby arugula 
2 cups fresh green kale
3 ripe pears, cored and cut into 1/2" cubes
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
3 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
pomegranate vinaigrette

Pomegranate Vinaigrette:
1 large shallot, chopped
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses (reduce 1/2 cup pomegranate juice to a thick syrup)
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepepr
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Directions:
In a small bowl, combine the shallot, pomegranate molasses, vinegar, salt, and pepper and whisk until the salt is dissolved. Whisk in the olive oil and let vinaigrette stand at room temperature until salad is assembled.

Combine the greens, pears, and half of the pomegranate seeds in a large bowl.   Crumble half of the goat cheese over the ingredients in the bowl.  Whisk the vinaigrette until uniform and add a little bit to the salad, gently tossing to coat to your liking. Crumble the remaining cheese over the salad and sprinkle the remaining pomegranate seeds over the top. Serve immediately.

Grilled Bison Tenderloin with Herb Butter (2012 - Week 31)

Week 31 Featured Ingredient: Bison

Oh, give me a home where the buffalo roam.... onto my plate.   This was another find at the Farmers' Market, and I'm so glad I tried it.   We grilled the bison tenderloin medium-rare (because that was the recommendation) and it was super juicy and tender and spectacular.  The Essence spice rub was delicious on the steak--I highly recommend it-- and the herb butter gave it that little extra creamy buttery yumminess.   I decided to buy Emeril's Essence Seasoning at the store, but there's also a recipe to make your own.
  
Grilled Bison Steaks with Herb Butter

Recipe from Food Network Channel - Emeril Lagasse
 

Ingredients

1/4 cup vegetable or olive oil

1/4 cup Essence, recipe follows

4 bison steaks 

Herb Butter, recipe follows

Directions

In a small bowl, combine the oil and Essence on a plate and mix into a paste. Spread both sides of the steaks completely with the mixture. Place in a shallow dish, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours. Remove from the refrigerator and bring the meat to room temperature before grilling, about 30 minutes.

Preheat the grill. Slice the butter into 1/2-inch thick pieces and keep refrigerated until ready to use.

Place the steaks on the grill and cook to desired temperature, about 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. During the last 2 minutes of cooking, place 1 to 2 pats of herb butter on each steak.

NOTE: Bison will naturally be a darker red than beef.  As bison cooks more quickly than beef, it is best to measure the thickness to cook:

1 inch thick - Rare: 6 to 8 minutes, Medium: 8 to 10 minutes

1 1/2-inch thick - Rare: 8 to 10 minutes, Medium: 10 to 12 minutes

2 inches thick - Rare: 10 to 12 minutes, Medium: 14 to 18 minutes

Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):

2 1/2 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons salt

2 tablespoons garlic powder

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano

1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.

Yield: about 2/3 cup

Herb Butter:

1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves

2 tablespoons chopped fresh lemon thyme or thyme leaves

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a medium bowl, cream together all the ingredients. Place on a large sheet of plastic wrap. Fold the plastic wrap over the butter and pushing in as you go, roll into a tight cylinder, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Refrigerate until firm. (The butter can be refrigerated for up to 1 week, or frozen for up to 1 month.)

Yield: 6 ounces 

Herb Butter

Radish, Cucumber, and Spinach Salad (2012 - Week 30)

Week 30 Featured Ingredient:  Beauty Heart Radish

I made my first trip to the Milwaukee Winter Farmers' Market at the State Fair Park.  There were lots of excellent veggies in sight, but this one really caught my eye when I saw the vibrant pink color inside.  I'd never seen a radish like that.  I found a recipe online and changed it up by adding spinach and orange bell peppers to add more color and nutrition.   I liked this salad.  The Beauty Heart Radishes were very mild and basically added crunch and a pretty color.

 

Radish, Cucumber, and Spinach Salad with Dill Vinaigrette
Adapted from Martha Stewart Living

Ingredients:

1 cucumber, halved lenghwise, thinly sliced

1 large Beauty Heart Radish, thinly sliced

1 orange bell pepper, cut into thin strips
4 cups fresh baby spinach

zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 garlic clove, crushed
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:
Put cucumber, radish, bell pepper, spinach, and lemon zest in a medium bowl, and add cheese. Whisk together lemon juice, vinegar, dill, sugar, and garlic in another medium bowl, whisking until sugar has dissolved; season with salt and pepper. Whisk in the oil in a slow, steady stream until emulsified. Add vinaigrette to cucumber mixture; toss well.  Refrigerate salad in an airtight container up to 1 hour.

Raspberry Tart (2012- Week 29)

Week 29 Ingredient of the Week: Mascarpone Cheese

On the Food Network Channel, all the chefs are always using Mascarpone cheese, and I kept wondering if I was missing out on something.  Is it the same as cream cheese? Something better?  I just had to find out.  But I never saw it in the cheese or dairy section at the grocery store.  And then, while I was shopping for some Gruyère cheese for my Chicken Cordon Bleu, it suddenly appeared, hidden in the exotic cheese section near the deli!  So I whipped out my iPhone and searched for a recipe using this new ingredient.  This recipe caught my eye because it looked simple and because raspberries were on sale this week!  Woo hoo!

Jeremy and I enjoyed this dessert, although I made the crust way too thick.  I should have just thrown out half of the dough I made instead of trying to press ALL of it into the pie plate.  It was still good, but with just a thinner crust, it would have been perfect.   So... how did the mascarpone differ from regular ol' cream cheese?  Jeremy said he didn't notice.  I definitely tasted a difference, although it's hard to explain.  The mascarpone tasted a little sweeter, a little creamier.  I liked it.

Tart de Framboises au Mascarpone (Raspberry Tart)

Ingredients:
2/3 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup ground almonds
1&3/4 cups sifted flour
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 egg
9 ounces mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
4&1/2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pound fresh raspberries
chopped pistachios (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350ºF.  Grease a pie plate (or six 4" tart pans) with butter, then dust with flour.

In a bowl, stir 2/3 cup confectioners' sugar and ground almonds together until well combined. Mix in the flour, then stir in the unsalted butter and egg.  Mix until the dough is smooth and pliable, then form into a ball and place into the freezer for about 15 minutes.  Roll out dough and pat into the prepared pan.  Bake at 350º for about 20 minutes.  Let cool. 

In a bowl, whisk together the mascarpone cheese, yogurt, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla until the mixture is thick and smooth. Spoon the mascarpone filling onto crust; arrange raspberries on top of the filling in an attractive low mound.  Sprinkle each tart with pistachios if desired.  Refrigerate at least 15 minutes before serving.

Roasted Garlic Mashed Purple Potatoes

I decided to make myself a sit-down dinner while I watched a Chopped marathon on the Food Network Channel tonight, so I made a half-batch of this recipe for mashed purple potatoes from Eating Well.  It was just okay.  I liked my recipe for the herbed purple potato wedges a lot more.

Roasted Garlic Mashed Purple Potatoes
from Eating Well
139 calories/serving

Ingredients:
1 head garlic
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
10 multi-branch sprigs fresh thyme (about 1/3 ounce)
2 pounds purple potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/2 cup low-fat milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, or to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400° F.  Rub off excess papery skin from garlic head without separating the cloves. Slice the tip off the head, exposing the cloves. Place the garlic in a small baking dish, such as a bread pan. Drizzle with oil and lay thyme sprigs around it. Cover with foil. Roast until very soft, 30 to 45 minutes. Uncover and let cool. 

About 15 minutes before the garlic is done, cook potatoes in a pot of boiling water until tender, 8 to 12 minutes. Drain well.  Return the potatoes to the pot. Squeeze the garlic cloves out of their skins into the potatoes. Strain the oil through a fine sieve over the potatoes, pressing on the solids (discard the thyme). Add sour cream, milk, salt and pepper; mash to desired consistency.

Fox Point Salmon and Herbed Purple Potatoes (2012 - Week 28)

Week 28 Featured Ingredient: Purple Potatoes

I know, I know-- it's just a potato.  But they're purple!  And the chefs on the show Chopped are always using purple potatoes, so I, too, wanted to give them a try.  After a little research, I discovered that purple potatoes date back 7000 years ago to the Peruvian Andes, where they were reserved only as a treat for Incan Kings.  So they must be special, hey? Turns out they are loaded with flavonoids and antioxidants, making them healthier than the average spud.   These antioxidants have been shown to have anti-cancer and heart-protective effects, as well as immune-boosting benefits and protecting against age-related memory loss.   :)

I decided to herb the potatoes with what I call my "Scarborough Fair" combination-- parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme.  If it works in the song, it should work on food, right?  It did.  The potatoes were delicious.   Taste-wise, I guess they reminded me of red potatoes, but different in a way that is hard to describe.  Maybe slightly sweeter?

For the salmon, we baked it using Penzey's Fox Point seasoning.  Yum. :)


Anne's Herbed Purple Potatoes

1/2 to 1 lb purple potatoes, quartered
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
~1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced
~1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
~1 teaspoon chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper

In a large mixing bowl, combine the potatoes, oil, and herbs until evenly coated.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Place potato wedges, face up, on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil.  Bake at 400ºF for ~20 minutes until edges are brown and crispy and inside is fork-tender.

******

Fox Point Salmon

2 fillets of salmon (6-8oz)
1 teaspoon Penzey's Fox Point Seasoning
1 tablespoon butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 lemon

Preheat oven to 375º.  Grease a baking sheet or line with aluminum foil.  Place salmon, skin side down, on sheet.  Sprinkle with Fox Point Seasoning.  Arrange butter pieces over the fillets.   Squeeze the juice from the lemon over the fish.  Cover with foil and bake at 375º for about 10 minutes (until the internal temperature of fish reaches 145º).

Cajun Gumbo and Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce (2012 - Week 27)

Week 27 Featured Ingredient: Okra

We had a Cajun-style cooking night at our house.  The Gumbo was good, but really spicy.  It was right at my threshhold of what I can tolerate.  It really cleared out the sinuses--we needed a box of tissues at the table.  Now that I'm typing the recipe, I noticed my mistake.  I was only supposed to use 2 tablespoons of the Cajun Spice Blend, not the ENTIRE batch. HAH!  It was more like a soup than my photo shows because the juice is at the bottom of the bowl. This recipe made WAY more than what Jeremy and I can eat by ourselves, so if I made it again, I'd cut the recipe by half.  Despite the long ingredient list, it was really easy to make.  The bread pudding also made a very large portion, but I didn't mind because it was super delicious.  Like, REALLY good.  MMmmm.  I bet it would be good for breakfast too.  The Jack Daniel's Bourbon sauce was an excellent addition.

Emeril's Shrimp and Okra Gumbo with Cajun Spice Blend

Ingredients:
1/4 cup canola oil
3 tablespoons whole wheat flour
2 cups chopped yellow onions
1 cup chopped green bell peppers
1 cup chopped celery
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon cayenne pepepr
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
salt and pepper
1 pound Andouille sausage, sliced into 1/2-inch coins
1 pound small okra, stem ends trimmed and sliced 1/2-inch thick
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 cup tomatoes with their juices
5-10 cups fish stock (depending on how soupy you want it)
2 pounds medium (26-30 count) shrimp, peeled, deveined, and chopped
2 tablespoons Cajun spice blend (see recipe below)
rice or quinoa for serving

Cajun spice blend:
1 tablespoon cayenne
2 tablespoons chopped dried basil
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon paprika
(Mix all ingredients in a bowl until well combined.  May be kept in resealable jar for up to 6 months)

Directions:
 In a large stock pot over medium heat, add the canola oil and flour.  Stir mixture until it begins to turn a medium brown color, similar to peanut butter (this should take about 10 minutes).  Add the onions, green peppers, and celery, and cook until the veggies are soft, about 4 minutes.  Add the bay leaves, cayenne, and thyme.  Season with salt and pepper.

Next, add the sausage, okra, garlic, tomatoes, and fish stock and bring to a simmer.  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 45 minutes.

Season the shrimp with the Cajun spice blend in a medium bowl and add to the stock pot.  Stir and cook until the shrimp are cooked, about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and take out bay leaves before serving.   Serve immediately over rice or quinoa.

 *******

Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce for 2

(There was plenty for 3-4 people!)

Ingredients:
Day-old stale bread (~6 slices), chopped into 1" cubes
2-3 large eggs
1&1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1-2 tablespoons raisins
1/4 cup chopped pecans
Whiskey Sauce:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons whiskey or bourbon

Directions:
Butter a 3-cup capacity glass baking dish or individual ramekins.  Arrange the bread cubes in the dish(es).  Toss in a pinch of raisins to your liking. Whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Pour this mixture slowly over bread and press the cubes down into the custard.  Sprinkle the pecan pieces on top.  Let it soak while you preheat the oven to 325º.

Place the dish(es) on a baking sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes.  It's done when the edges are light brown, the middle is slightly puffed, and the eggs aren't runny when a toothpick is inserted.  While it cools, make the sauce.

Melt the butter, sugar, and cream together in a small saucepan over low heat.  Once the sugar is dissolved, turn off the heat and stir in the whiskey.  Serve the sauce warm over the bread pudding.
 

Zeus Burgers (2012- Week 26)

Week 26 Ingredient of the Week: Pine Nuts

With the summer season winding down, we wanted to get good use of our grill before the snow starts flying.  I found this Greek-inspired recipe in the Taste of Home Grill It! magazine.  As a bonus, the recipe includes pine nuts which I've never cooked with before, so it's this week's featured ingredient. We couldn't really taste the nuts or feta much, but we did get that spinach flavor from the burger.  Grilling kept the burger juicy and the sauce complemented the burger well.

Zeus Burgers

Ingredients:
1 pound ~90% lean ground beef
1/4 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 tablespoon pine nuts, finely chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepepr
4-6 hamburger buns, split
Sauce:
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions:
To make sauce, in a small bowl, combine all the ingredients.  Cover and refrigerate until serving.

In a large bowl, combine the spinach, cheese, lemon juice, pine nuts, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper.  Crumble beef over mixture and mix well.  Shape into four to six patties.  (I made six smaller burgers and put them on small kaiser rolls)

Grill, covered, over medium heat for 5-7 minutes on each side until done.   Toast buns on grill for a minute to lightly brown and serve burgers on buns with reserved sauce.

Grilled Swordfish (2012 - Week 25)

Week 25 Featured Ingredient: Swordfish

I saw a recipe for Swordfish in a Grilling magazine and decided to make it this week's featured ingredient.  We chose a very simple marinade and recipe, but the swordfish steaks tasted great.  They were moist and flaky and really good.  We both enjoyed them.  I also made grilled vegetable kabobs marinated in Italian dressing, and I really liked the flavor the grill gave the veggies, but Jeremy wasn't a fan.  He thought the concept of veggies on a stick was "weird."  I think it's weird that I liked the veggies and he didn't.  Very odd indeed. 


Grilled Swordfish

8oz swordfish steaks
teriyaki sauce
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:  
Marinate swordfish in teriyaki sauce for at least 10 minutes.  Grill steaks over medium heat for 5-6 minutes on each side, basting frequently with melted butter, until fish flakes easily with fork.  Season with garlic powder and serve.

Braunschweiger Melt (2012 - Week 24)

Week 24 Featured Ingredient: Braunschweiger

This was disgusting.  I'm not a fan of Braunschweiger, but I give myself points for being brave enough to try it.  Jeremy didn't want to try this recipe, so I just made one sandwich. I had two bites and that was enough.  I don't recommend it, but here is the recipe.   It was kind of a "cheat" recipe for this week anyway because there wasn't much cooking involved.  I just wanted to try an unusual ingredient and this fit.   :P


Open-Faced Braunschweiger Melt

Ingredients:
1 half of an english muffin
1/2" slice braunschweiger liver sausage, from the tube
1 slice tomato
1 slice Velveeta cheese
1 tablespoon mayonnaise

Directions:
Toast the english muffin.  Spread mayo on the muffin.  Top with braunschweiger, tomato, and cheese.  Put on a baking sheet and broil in oven until cheese gets bubbly (3-5 minutes).  Don't enjoy.

Chai Tea Cookies (2012 - Week 23)

Week 23 Featured Ingredient: Chai Tea

Yes, tea as a food ingredient.  Why not?!  It was a work week for me so I needed to pick something fast and easy.  We're having a bake sale at work to raise money for our Relay for Life team, so I figured I might as well bake something.  I had no idea what chai tea tasted like, or whether cookies made with tea would be any good, but I was pleasantly surprised when I opened the tea pouch and smelled the contents.  I really liked the aroma of the spices.  After cooking, the cookies looked like a peanut butter cookie, but tasted somewhat like a gingersnap cookie.  I liked them.

Chai Tea Cookies
Taken from allrecipes.com
Makes ~4 dozen small cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup Chai Tea Latte Mix (~6 packets)
1&1/3 cups white sugar
2 eggs
3 cups flour
1 TBSP baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup white sugar for decoration

Directions:
In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, and chai tea mix until light and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time.  Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt; blend into the creamed mixture until all of the dry has been absorbed.  Cover the dough and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 400ºF.  Roll the cookie dough into walnut-sized balls and roll in sugar.  Place the cookies onto a greased cookie sheet about 3 inches apart and flatten slightly using a fork.  Bake for ~8-10 minutes until the edges begin to brown.  Cool on wire rack.

Grilled Pluot Salad & Dino Egg Crumble (2012 - Week 22)

Week 22 Featured Ingredient: Dinosaur Eggs (Pluots)

 I went to the grocery store intending to make a Thai Star Fruit Tropical Salad, but the store didn't have any Star Fruit in stock.  What they DID have were 5 or 6 different varieties of a fruit they were calling Dinosaur Eggs.  HUH?!  I had never seen them before, but they looked a lot like a plum.  Turns out they are a hybrid fruit--a pluot, a cross between a plum and an apricot.  Different varieties were different colors, ranging from yellowish to deep purple.  They had samples available, so I tried a slice --or two or three (yum!), and promptly put a couple different varieties in my cart.

Now, Jeremy and I just bought a grill-- and when I say "just", I mean Jeremy was taking it out of its box and putting it together while I was at the grocery store discovering dinosaur eggs.  (I am SOOO excited about all the new grilling options that have now opened up for me...!!)   So, I decided I wanted to GRILL everything for our meal.. including the pluots... why not?!  I found a cool salad recipe online, and it was pretty delicious.  I really liked the dressing.   And then I came up with my own quick pluot crumble recipe for dessert because I had accidentally grilled too many pluots.  Yum again.

Grilled Pluot Salad
Taken from Pig of the Month BBQ Website

Ingredients:
4 pluots, halved and pitted
olive oil for brushing
6oz bag of baby spinach
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
shallot, sliced (optional)
Dressing:
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup honey
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
pinch of salt and pepper

Directions:
Brush halved pluots with olive oil.  Place cut side down on grill.  Grill over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes.  Let cool and cut into wedges.   For the dressing, whisk all ingredients together.  Toss spinach with dressing (you may have a lot of leftover dressing).  Transfer salad to plates and top with pluot wedges and walnuts.

Anne's Quick Dino Egg Crumble

Ingredients:
pluots, pitted and sliced
panko bread crumbs
walnuts
cinnamon
sugar
ice cream or whipped topping (optional)


Directions:
Place pluot slices in a ramekin.  Combine other ingredients and sprinkle a little bit over pluots.  Bake in oven for 10-15 minutes.  Serve with ice cream or fat free whipped topping if desired.

Shaved Fennel Salad & Chicken w/ Red Pepper Aïoli (2012 - Week 21)

Week 21 Featured Ingredient: Fennel

Well, the chicken and aïoli sauce were excellent.  I probably wouldn't make the fennel salad again though.  It wasn't bad, but it just wasn't my thing.


Chicken with Red Pepper Aïoli and Shaved Fennel Salad
from Food Network Magazine
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
2&1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts (4-6 breasts)
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 bulbs fennel, trimmed and quartered lengthwise, plus 1 cup fronds
2 sprigs thyme
4 cloves garlic
kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
2 red bell peppers
1/3 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup fresh parsley

Directions:

Put the chicken in a large pot. Add the broth, olive oil, fennel fronds, thyme, garlic, 1/2 tablespoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, then add enough water to cover the chicken and turn the heat to medium low. Poach the chicken, turning occasionally and keeping the liquid just below a simmer, until just cooked through, about 30 minutes (a thermometer inserted into the center of a chicken breast should register 155-160ºF). Remove the chicken to a plate with a slotted spoon and let cool to room temperature.

Increase the heat to medium high and simmer the cooking liquid until the garlic is tender, about 5 more minutes; remove the garlic and set aside. Strain the cooking liquid; reserve 1/4 cup and set aside.


While the chicken is cooking, place the red peppers directly on a stovetop gas burner over high heat and char on all sides, turning with tongs, about 10 minutes. (If you don't have a gas stove, char the peppers on a baking sheet under the broiler, turning occasionally, about 12 minutes.) Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside, 20 minutes. Peel the skin off the peppers with your fingers; discard the stems and seeds and chop.


To make the Aïoli: Puree about three-quarters of the roasted red peppers in a blender with the mayonnaise, reserved garlic and 1 tablespoon lemon juice until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.


To make the Fennel Salad: Thinly slice the fennel bulbs (use a mandoline if you have one) and transfer to a large bowl. Finely chop the remaining roasted red peppers, then add to the bowl along with the parsley, the remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice and the reserved 1/4 cup cooking liquid; toss. Season with salt and pepper. Slice the chicken; top with the aïoli and serve with the fennel salad.

Ugli Duckling and Rosemary Potatoes (2012 - Week 20)

Week 20 Featured Ingredient: Ugli Fruit

I've seen this fruit in the store and wondered what it was like.  Now I know.  It tastes just like an orange.  This was a pretty good recipe.  The duck fat was nicely rendered, and the potatoes were a tasty accompaniment.  On a side note, I think this was the first time I've used watercress too.

Ugli Duckling

Ingredients:
Duck breast filets
salt and pepper
1 medium Ugli fruit, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon orange extract
small bunch watercress

Directions:
Season the duck with salt and pepper.  Heat a saute pan over medium heat for 3 minutes and then sear the duck filets, skin side down, for 10 minutes, covering pan.  Transfer the duck to a baking sheet, skin side up, and bake at 400º for 15-18 minutes until internal temperature of duck reaches 160º.

White duck is cooking, poach the Ugli fruit slices in a small pot with the sugar, orange juice, and extract, and heat to reduce and thicken the sauce.

Arrange duck on a plate over the watercress, garnish with Ugli fruit slices, and pour some of the remaining orange sauce over duck if desired.  Serve with potatoes.

Rosemary Red Potatoes

Ingredients:
1 pound small red potatoes, quartered
1/2 small onion, coarsely chopped
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1-2 teaspoons dried rosemary, crushed
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

Directions:
In a bowl, combine everything and toss to coat.  Transfer to a foil-lined baking pan and baked, uncovered, at 425º for 25-30 minutes until potatoes are tender and browned.

Pizza Spam Bake (2012 - Week 19)

Week 19 Featured Ingredient: Spam

Jeremy came home with a can of Spam, so I decided I might as well use it.  This was a good recipe.  Can't go wrong with hiding the spam in a cheesy casserole.  In the future, I would use less cheese and more sauce.  I used Wisconsin Badger pasta... you can see the W-shaped red and white pasta if you look closely (well, more like pink and off-white).  :)

Pizza Spam Bake
Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:
1 (16oz) package elbow macaroni (or other pasta)
1 (12oz) can SPAM, cubed
1 cup Hormel Pepperoni, cubed
1 onion, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (16oz) jar pizza sauce
2 pinches salt
1 pinch pepper
1/2 tablespoon basil
1 teaspoon oregano
4 cups (16 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions.  Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute the Spam, pepperoni, and onion in oil until lightly browned.  In a large bowl, combine macaroni, Spam mixture, pizza sauce, and seasonings.  Slowly stir in 3 cups mozzarella cheese.  Transfer to a large casserole dish or 9x13" baking pan.  Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.   Cover and bake at 350º for 30 minutes.  Uncover and bake another 5-10 minutes.

Mango-Chipotle-Agave Chicken (2012 - Week 18)

Week 18 Featured Ingredient:  Agave Nectar

Happy Cinco de Mayo!
I went Agave Nectar crazy this week.  I saw it in the baking aisle of the grocery store and decided to use it this week since most Agave nectar is produced in Mexico and today is Cinco de Mayo.  Agave nectar is a liquid sweetener that comes from the Agave plant.   Anyway, here are my Cinco de Mayo recipes.... enjoy!!

Mango-Chipotle-Agave Chicken 

(on Cilantro-Lime Rice and Cumin Black Beans)

Ingredients:
Chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
mango, cut into strips
rice
cilantro, chopped
lime juice
black beans, rinsed and drained
ground cumin
 
Marinade Ingredients:
1-2 cups chopped mango
1 cup mango juice (I used Tropicana Orange-Mango juice)
2 tablespoons amber agave nectar
1 cup fresh cilantro
1 shallot, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (add an extra if you like lots of heat)
1 tablespoon adobo sauce
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper


Directions:
Throw all the marinade ingredients into a blender and puree it.  Reserve half the mixture, and pour remaining half into a large resealable plastic bag and put chicken breasts in the bag and massage until chicken is coated well.  Refrigerate and let marinate for at least 6-8 hours.

Remove chicken from bag and sear breasts in large skillet on medium-high heat for 2-4 minutes per side, depending on thickness of breasts (internal temperature of 160ºF).  Pour reserved mixture over chicken and let reduce in pan to get a nice sauce, occasionally basting chicken.

Cook the rice according to package directions and toss with chopped cilantro and lime juice (I have no idea how much I used... I just squeezed whatever I felt like).   Cook the black beans and stir some ground cumin in with them. Place rice and beans on plate, top with chicken and sauce, and garnish with mango slices.  Enjoy!

Mexican Churro Balls with Agave Nectar Caramel Sauce

Ingredients:
1 cup water
1/3 cup butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup flour (Note: I ended up using over 2 cups flour to make this batter work at all!)
4 eggs
canola oil, for frying
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (I used Penzeys Ceylon Cinnamon)

Caramel Sauce:
1&1/2 cups Agave nectar
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons butter
pinch sea salt

Directions:
To make donuts, in a medium saucepan, heat water, butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt over medium-high heat until the edges of the liquid start to bubble.  Add the flour all at once and stir briskly with a wooden spoon until well mixed. Remove from the heat and add eggs, one at a time, beating well with spoon after each.  The dough should look soft and glossy and retain a "hook" shape when the spoon is pulled from the dough.

Pour 1 to 2" of oil into a deep heavy skillet or pot.  Heat over medium heat.  Pipe dough (for crullers) or drop by spoonful (for balls) into the oil.  Don't overcrowd.  Fry, turning once, until golden brown.  Drain on paper towels.   Mix the sugar and cinnamon together and place in paper bag.  Drop a few donuts in bag and shake until coated.

For caramel sauce, mix all ingredients in saucepan over medium-high heat.  Cook 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  For a thinner sauce, add more cream.  Serve.  Store sauce in fridge.

Agave Mint Limeade

Ingredients:
1/2 cup lime juice
2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, crushed
2 tablespoons agave nectar
5 cups water
crushed ice

Directions:
Combine lime juice and mint leaves in blender.  Add agave nectar and water and stir.  Chill and serve with ice.