The Meal Plan
Sat (L) Me - out (S) Eggplant Napoleons
Sun (L) out (S) leftover eggplant napoleons
Mon (yoga/bkgrp/Legion) Asparagus and Pea Soup
Tues -leftover soup
Wed - Greens and Eggs
Thurs (yoga)- leftover soup
Fri - leftover greens and eggs
Lunches - turkey, cheese and apple sandwiches
Meeting - King Arthur Chocolate Cake
Chocolate Cake (King Arthur Flour)
I wanted something different for this weeks meeting; I've been making chocolate chip cookies and an oatmeal chocolate chip cake for just about everyone. But finding a basic chocolate cake recipe was proving to be a bit problematic, it seemed like I needed either buttermilk or sour cream, of which I had neither. And no, not enough milk to turn into buttermilk. This recipe was exactly what I needed.
I did use a basic butter/confectioner's sugar frosting and not the seven minute as recommended.
2 1/4 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
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| photo from King Arthur Flour.com |
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa, natural or Dutch-process cocoa
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup milk
1/2 cup coffee or water
4 large eggs
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease and flour your choice of pans: one 9" x 13" pan, two 9" round pans, or three 8" round pans.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cocoa, and sugar into a large mixing bowl.
Add the butter and mix at low speed for 1 minute. With the mixer running, add the oil and continue mixing until the mixture looks sandy, about 30 seconds more.
In a large measuring cup, combine the vanilla with the milk and coffee(or water), and add all at once to the dry ingredients. Mix for 1 minute at low speed, stop and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, then mix for 30 seconds more.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well at medium-high speed between additions.
Scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl, and mix for 30 seconds more. The batter will be thin.
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan(s) of your choice. Smooth out the tops of the layers with an offset spatula.
Bake for 34 minutes for a 9" x 13" pan, 28 to 30 minutes for 9" layers, and 24 to 26 minutes for 8" layers.
The cake is done when the top springs back when very lightly touched in the center, and the edges just begin to pull away from the edge of the pan. A cake tester inserted in the center will come out clean.
Remove the cake from the oven and let cool completely in the pan(s) on a rack before turning out of the pans to frost.
Cake layers can be wrapped and frozen for up to a month before frosting.
**More baking tips on the website. Follow the link above.
Green Shakshuka with Spinach, Chard and Goat Cheese&(Eating Well, April 2019) vegetarian
I admit, I have an affinity for cooked greens. I absolutely ADORE saag paneer. No, Shakshuka isn't Indian, but when I saw the picture, I knew I was going to be making this. Greens, eggs and goat cheese! I'm in heaven!
The thing that takes the longest in the simple dish, is chopping the spinach. Simplify - buy a bag or tow of pre-washed, prepared, large leaf spinach and save yourself the tedium of chopping and washing. Unless you have a garden bed full of fresh spinach...then, enjoy! Lucky you...
I forgot to buy a jalapeno, so I added some red pepper flakes to the frying oil at the start. Not quite the same heat, but adequate. I didn't have a 1/2 cup of chicken stock
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| Photo from Eatingwell.com |
1 large onion, finely chopped
12 ounces chard, stemmed and chopped
12 ounces mature spinach, stemmed and chopped
½ cup dry white wine
1 small jalapeño or serrano pepper, thinly sliced
2 medium cloves garlic, very thinly sliced
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
½ cup low-sodium no-chicken or chicken broth
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 large eggs
½ cup crumbled feta or goat cheese
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until soft and translucent but not browned, 7 to 8 minutes.
Add chard and spinach, a few handfuls at a time, and cook, stirring often, until wilted, about 5 minutes. Add wine, jalapeño (or serrano), garlic, salt and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until the wine is absorbed and the garlic softens, 2 to 4 minutes. Add broth and butter; cook, stirring, until the butter is melted and some of the liquid is absorbed, 1 to 2 minutes.
Crack eggs over the vegetables. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until the whites are set, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and sprinkle with cheese; cover and let stand for 2 minutes before serving.
Slow Cooker Chicken and Wild Rice Soup (Eating Well, April 2019)
Don't be deterred by the ingredient list. This is easy to assemble and then you walk away for several hours. I did simplify things a bit more: I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs because I hate finding little bone bits in my soup, and the soup is less "greasy" when done. I lightly roasted the garlic in the oil (warm oil and garlic at the same time, remove garlic) then seared the chicken in the infused oil. I de-glazed the pan with some stock/water and added all that flavor to the crock pot.
This was light, filling, and I loved the addition of the peas and asparagus. This would be good for company - make ahead and reheat even. This was a combination of supper and lunches, so it does reheat well. I did find it needed a little extra something, so I served with a bottle of hot sauce. Doesn't need much, but it upped the flavor for me.
Recommended. Serves about 8-10
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
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| photo from EatingWell.com |
7 cloves garlic, divided
6 cups unsalted chicken broth
1 medium leek, white and pale green parts only, sliced
1 large carrot, halved lengthwise and sliced ¼ inch thick
½ cup wild rice
1¼ teaspoons kosher salt
¾ teaspoon ground pepper
8 ounces asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1½ cups English peas, fresh or frozen (thawed)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon lemon juice
8 ( ½ inch thick) slices whole-wheat baguette, toasted
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, turning once, until deep golden brown, about 5 minutes total. Transfer to a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Finely chop 6 garlic cloves and add to the slow cooker along with broth, leek, carrot, wild rice, salt and pepper.
Cover and cook until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is tender, 3 hours on High or 6 hours on Low.
Add asparagus and peas to the slow cooker; cook on High, uncovered, until the vegetables are bright green and tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the shredded chicken, parsley, chives and lemon juice.
Halve the remaining garlic clove and rub the cut sides over both sides of toasts. Drizzle the toasts with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Serve the soup with the toasts.
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