The Meal Plan from 12/2
Sat (L) homemade pizza (S) pasty
Sun (L) leftovers (S) Squash and Quinoa chili
Mon (yoga) chili
Tues - chili
Wed (oil change) - Spicy Pork noodle soup
Thurs (yoga) - soup
Fri - soup
Lunches - potato and pea curry recipe from last week. (Yup, made it again!)
Pale Ale Pizza Crust (American Media Specials, Vol 19 No 77; Beer)
This has potential. I say that because I rushed this and used cold flour (a baking no-no) and that definitely affected the rise and baking. Yet, despite my oversight, this has good flavor and I think is worth making again. Correctly.
3 cups flour
1 cup pale ale
salt (I used 1/2-1 tsp-ish)
Pizza sauce
Shredded cheese
Pizza toppings
Preheat oven to 425*
Mix flour, salt and beer in a medium bowl.
Form into a ball. Make sure all flour is thoroughly mixed and dough is workable and not too dry. Add more beer if necessary.
Place in an oiled bowl. Cover bowl with a towel and let dough rise for 10 minutes.
Use a small amount of oil to lightly coat baking sheet
Spread dough out on baking sheet or pizza stone. Poke dough with fork every 1-2 inches. Cook in oven 5-10 minutes before topping.
Remove and top with sauce, cheese and toppings of choice.
Bake 8-12 minutes more or until dough is cooked and toppings are done.
Butnut Squash and Quinoa Chili (modified from America's Test Kitchen) vegetarian/vegan
Putzy. I think this was easily two hours from start to finish, probably a bit more as we had to tag-team cutting up our 10lb squash (not kidding). But two hours is probably about right. Cut your squash, roast the squash, puree some of the squash, saute the peppers and spices, cook the quinoa for 15-20 minutes, add the squash and simmer.
One noteable change - I subbed cashews for the peanuts. I did have to lightly toast the cashews in a cast iron skillet.
This makes a lot. Four dinners for two of us, might have been six dinners for two of us.
3 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into ½-inch pieces (9 cups)
 |
| photo from America's Test Kitchen |
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
Salt and pepper
5 cups water, plus extra as needed
¾ cup
1 large red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into ½-inch pieces
1 jalapeño chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk
1 cup prewashed white quinoa (I used tri-color)
¼ cup minced fresh cilantro or parsley
Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 450 degrees. Toss squash, onions, ¼ cup oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper together in bowl. Spread vegetables out in even layer over 2 rimmed baking sheets. Roast vegetables, stirring occasionally, until tender, 45 to 50 minutes, rotating and switching sheets halfway through roasting.
In food processor, process ½ cup roasted vegetables, 2 cups water, and ¼ cup peanuts until smooth, about 1 minute.
Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add bell pepper, jalapeño, and 2 teaspoons salt and cook until peppers start to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, ginger, cinnamon, coriander, cayenne, and ¾ teaspoon pepper, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Stir in remaining 3 cups water, tomatoes and their juice, coconut milk, and quinoa and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes.
Stir in pureed vegetable mixture and remaining roasted vegetables and let heat through, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Adjust consistency with additional hot water as needed. Sprinkle individual portions with cilantro and
Spicy Noodles with Pork, Scallions and Bok Choy (Eating Well, Dec 2019)
This is a recipe where you definitely need everything in place before you start. Once those rice noodles hit the water, the clock is ticking to get everything else cooked and ready. This is spicy, so if you are not keen on heat or there are little tastebuds, cut back (or omit) or sub curry paste.
The main thing I took away from this recipe is, not good for leftovers. Rice noodles turned into mush. Or at least mine did. Not the most appealing look even though it tasted fine. Recommened with some reservations.
Serves 4.
7 ounces thin rice noodles or rice sticks
 |
| photo from EatingWell.com |
1 head bok choy (about 1 pound), chopped, greens and whites separated
3 scallions, sliced, greens and whites separated
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
¼ cup
(subbed red curry paste)
1 pound ground pork
2 cups unsalted chicken broth
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari or soy sauce
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water
Crushed red pepper for garnish
Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside.
Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large flat-bottomed wok or cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add bok choy whites and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add bok choy greens and cook until wilted, about 1 minute more. Transfer all the bok choy to a medium bowl.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, scallion whites, ginger and chili-bean sauce (or chile-garlic sauce) to the pan. Add pork and cook, crumbling with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 3 to 5 minutes. Add broth, tamari (or soy sauce) and sugar. Mix cornstarch and water in a small bowl and add to the pan. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring, until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Stir in the reserved noodles and bok choy; cook, stirring, until heated through, about 1 minute. Serve topped with scallion greens and crushed red pepper, if desired.
Recipe Tip: Chili-bean sauce, a popular condiment used in Sichuan cooking, is made from fermented soybeans and broad beans, and red chiles. It adds heat and saltiness to these noodles. Look for it at Asian markets or online.
Madeleines (AllRecipes.com)
At some point in the recent past, I requested and received a Madeleines pan. I have a particular fondness for the chocolate dipped Madeleines at Starbucks, and realized that I can made the little delectable morsels at home.
I remember (and blogged) about a recipe by Clotilde of Chocolate and Zucchini fame. I also remember this was a multiple day affair with dense cold dough and a bit of frustration.
This weekend I was seriously craving some Madeleines, so I turned to Google and found one that can be made, baked and eaten, like, now. I had everything I needed on hand: flour, vanilla, confectioners sugar, lemon zest, baking powder, and butter.
Oh my cakey goodness! These were good. And so easy! And incredibly tasty right out of the oven with the hit of baked buttery cake-y deliciousness with a hint of lemon! I ate like six while still warm... This might have just become my go-to recipe. Start to finish? Maybe half an hour. Really. Recommended!
Made 22, 3" cakes.
 |
| photo from AllRecipes.com |
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 cup confectioners' sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease and flour twenty-four 3-inch Madeleine molds.
In a medium bowl beat eggs, vanilla and lemon zest with an electric mixer on high speed for 5 minutes. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar. Beat for 5 to 7 minutes or until thick and satiny.
Sift together the flour and baking powder. Sift one-fourth of the flour mixture over the egg mixture, gently fold in. Fold in the remaining flour by fourths. Then fold in the melted and cooled butter. Spoon batter into the prepared molds, filling 3/4 full.
Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are golden and the top s spring back. Cool in molds on a rack for 1 minute. Loosen cookies with a knife. Invert cookies onto a rack and cool. Sift confectioners' sugar over the tops or melt semi-sweet chocolate chips and dip the tips in the chocolate. Store in an airtight container.
No comments:
Post a Comment