Thai Coconut Curry Soup

I love Pinterest.  It keeps me organized (in an otherwise very unorganized life) with ideas that I'd like to implement someday.  Many of them will remain that way: someday.  But you know you have to act on a recipe when you've pinned it more than once--that's what happened with this soup.  I saw it a few months ago, made it, and liked it, but thought it needed more depth and more flavor.  I then promptly forgot all about it until a couple of weeks ago when I pinned it...and then realized that it was the same soup!  This time I got it right, though.  My daughter loved it, and although it could have been a tad spicier for me, it was just right for the kiddos.  It's an easy soup and comes together easily.  Make a double batch if you want leftovers because my family finished the whole pot in one sitting!

Thai Coconut Curry Soup
Adapted from Chef Michael Smith
Serves 4-6

2 14-ounce cans coconut milk
1 1/2 tablespoons green curry paste
1/2 tablespoons red curry paste
1/2 serrano chile, minced
1/2-3/4 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 carrot, peeled and shredded
1 tablespoon lemongrass (from the tube--this is the only way I can get it!  If you want to use fresh lemongrass, check out the original recipe for the amount and how to use it.)
2 tablespoons fish sauce
Zest of 3 limes
Juice of 2 limes
2 teaspoons dark brown sugar, packed
1 inch fresh ginger, grated on a microplane or minced finely
1 cup snow peas, sliced into 1/2" pieces
1/2 cup red bell pepper, thinly sliced into 1" pieces
1 1/2 cups bok choi, chopped
3 green onions, sliced, a handful of green parts reserved for garnish
4 ounces rice noodles
1 bunch cilantro, chopped, a small handful reserved for garnish
Soy sauce, to taste

Heat a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat.  Open the cans of coconut milk and scoop the heavy cream-like part off into the pot.  Add the curry pastes and serrano chile, cooking until the curry paste is incorporated and the mixture starts to sizzle.  Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is cooked through.

Add the rest of the coconut milk, chicken broth, carrot, lemongrass, fish sauce, lime zest and juice, brown sugar and ginger.  Simmer on low to medium heat for about 20 minutes.  Add the snow peas, bell pepper, bok choi, and green onions and cook for a couple of minutes.  Turn off the heat and add the noodles, submersing them gently under the liquid.  Let sit for about 5 minutes.  (Rice noodles do not need to cook like pasta; they just need to rehydrate.)

Add the cilantro and soy sauce to taste.  Serve hot, sprinkled with green onion and cilantro.

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Sorghum Granola [Secret Recipe Club]

Every month I look forward to trying out new recipes from other bloggers who are part of the Secret Recipe Club.  There's just something about the surprises involved that I love--I don't know who has cooked from my blog, and the other blogger doesn't know that I've been assigned to them until reveal day.  And this month I got an even bigger surprise...I was assigned a vegan blog: We Heart Vegan!  My family has a pretty strong love affair with bacon and sausage, so it's pretty unlikely that we'd go as far as changing our diet to a vegan one, but I've always been fascinated with the vegan lifestyle, partially because of all of the interesting ingredients used to balance the diet.

I wasn't sure that I'd find something that my family would dive into when I was assigned the blog, but Brittany and Julie do a great job at making their recipes simple and accessible for all diets.  I really wanted to make their Black Bean and Avocado Salsa, but I've been traveling a lot this month, and I was just scared it would go to waste, so I settled on something a little more storage- and travel-friendly: Omega Granola.  I'm not sure my version would fit into the Omega part of that title, but what I ended up with tasted delicious!  I had never made my own granola before, and I'll definitely think twice before buying it in the store.  It was an easy process and tasted so much fresher than what I typically buy.

As I mentioned, I did make a few adjustments.  I had a hard time finding some of the ingredients in our local grocery store, so I just omitted them.  I also adjusted the nut ratios since I'm a picky nut eater.  And finally, I used Kentucky's version of molasses: sorghum.  I've never used this ingredient before, but happened to pick some up the week before, so decided to use it.  It's not quite as strong in flavor as molasses is, but it was a great substitution!  (If you're not sure what sorghum is, you can find out more here or check out fellow Kentucky Food Blogger Rona Roberts' book, Sweet, Sweet Sorghum.)

I will be making this again for sure...and I thank We Heart Vegan for introducing me to the vegan lifestyle so gently and beautifully!

Sorghum Granola
Adapted from We Heart Vegan
Makes about 5 cups

1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
1/6 cup uncooked red quinoa (regular would be fine here too)
1 small ripe banana, mashed
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/6 cup sorghum
Pinch of Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
3 tablespoons sunflower seeds
3 tablespoons chopped pecans
2 tablespoons golden raisins
2 tablespoons dried cranberries

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.  Cover a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the oats and quinoa evenly on the sheet.  Place the sheet in the oven and cook for 10 minutes.

Stir the oats/quinoa and add the nuts and seeds.  Toast in the oven for 6 more minutes.  While the granola is toasting, prepare the wet ingredients.  In a small bowl, combine the mashed banana, sesame oil, vanilla, sorghum, salt, and cinnamon.  Once the granola has toasted for 6 minutes, pour the wet mixture over and add the raisins and dried cranberries.  Mix until most of the granola is wet.  Bake for another 12 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let the baking sheet cool on a cooling rack for at least 10 minutes or until the granola becomes crunchy.  Once it's cooled, break apart (using the parchment paper to help) and store in an airtight container.  This will last a while in the cupboard.  (Mine is going on two weeks and is completely fresh still.)

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Green Salad with Poached Egg, Bacon and Champagne Vinegar and Walnut Oil Vinaigrette

The idea of the French bistro is the epitome of delicious French food.  Most people don't realize that bistro food is delicious because of its simplicity.  Take beef bourgignon: basically a beef stew cooked in red wine.  Or steak au poivre: just a good steak covered in peppercorns and grilled with some french fries.  One of my favorites, though, is the salade Lyonnaise: frisée or other salad greens with bacon and a poached egg.  It's taken me years to realize that bistro food can easily be made at home.  

And last night I finally jumped the hurdle that was stopping me from making this particular dish--the dreaded poached egg.  And you know what?  It was really quite simple!  I promise that I'll share my technique with you as soon as I can, but today I'm going to share the salad recipe with you, which is also really quite simple.  It takes only about 15 minutes to assemble, and you'll be rewarded with the crisp freshness of a salad with a tart and nutty vinaigrette, salty bacon and the rich gooeyness of a perfectly poached egg.

Paired with some crusty French bread and a glass of dry French rosé, and you'll have a French bistro meal on your table in no time!

Green Salad with Poached Egg, Bacon and Champagne Vinegar and Walnut Oil Vinaigrette
Serves 1
Cook's Notes: You'll have plenty of vinaigrette left to dress your salads for the rest of the week.  Feel free to scale down the recipe if you don't want leftovers.

For the salad:
1-2 cups fresh salad greens
2 strips bacon, cut into 1/2" strips and cooked until crispy
1 egg, poached
Flaky sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Vinaigrette:
1 ounce (about 1/8 cup) champagne vinegar (or a little more if you like your vinaigrettes a little more acidic, like I do)
1 ounce (about 1/8 cup) fresh lemon juice (about the juice of one lemon)
1/4 tsp Kosher salt
10 grinds of black pepper
1 clove of garlic, pressed or finely minced
1 tsp fresh dill, finely chopped
3 ounces (about 1/4 + 1/8 cup) walnut oil
3 ounces (about 1/4 + 1/8 cup) mildly flavored extra virgin olive oil (Don't use your best olive oil here...you want the walnut oil to shine in this vinaigrette.)

To make the vinaigrette:
Combine all of the ingredients in your salad dressing shaker and shake until combined.  (Alternatively, you can whisk the ingredients in a small bowl.)  Taste and add more salt, vinegar or oil until it reaches your desired taste.  Let it sit on the counter for about 15 minutes (which should be about the time it takes to crisp your bacon and poach your egg).

To assemble the salad:
Place the greens in a wide-mouthed bowl.  Toss with enough dressing to coat.  Sprinkle with the bacon bits.  Add the poached egg and sprinkle with a little sea salt and pepper.  Eat immediately.

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Potato and Zucchini Salad with Dill

Last week while in Marksbury Farm Market, I saw some local zucchini begging me to buy it.  Strange since I'm not zucchini's biggest fan.  It must have known that I needed to branch out and continue trying it, and somehow it ended up in my shopping bag.  When I got home, however, I wasn't really sure what to do with it.  We had decided to grill that night, and I just love potato salad when grilling, so I thought I'd throw together what I had on hand into a potato and zucchini salad.  It was a hit...even with my potato-salad-averse husband.  This salad is really very simple and could be extremely versatile.  You could try throwing in some other veggies, but if you get a talking zucchini like I did, it might get a little envious.  ;-)

__________________

As a side note, I wanted to let you know about a fun culinary event happening in Louisville, Kentucky tomorrow (May 2nd).  Chefs Cat Cora and Anthony Lamas (of Seviche in Louisville) will be doing a cooking demonstration at Macy's Oxmoor.  RSVPs are requested, so jump on over to the website to find out more info!

Potato and Zucchini Salad with Dill
Serves 6

4-5 medium gold or red potatoes, chopped
1 small zucchini, trimmed, halved lengthwise and sliced thinly
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions, both white and green parts
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
3-4 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh dill, minced
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Boil the potatoes in salted water until fork tender.  Drain and cool on a cookie sheet.

Place cooled potatoes, zucchini, and onions in a bowl.  Mix sour cream, mayonnaise, 3 teaspoons lemon juice, dill, salt and pepper in a small bowl.  Taste and add more lemon juice and/or salt to taste.  Mix the dressing in with the vegetables gently.  Refrigerate for at least two hours before serving.

Serve cold.

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From-Scratch Chicken Pot Pie [Secret Recipe Club]

***Don't forget to enter my giveaway for 7 two 7 glass garden markers! The contest ends on Friday, April 27th.

It's Secret Recipe Club time again!  I drew Art from My Table, and I'm so glad I did.  My family had a tough time picking just one recipe to try: my daughter picked Pumpkin Oatmeal, I wanted Sparkling Cranberry Brie Bites, and my husband wanted Chicken Pot Pie.  My husband won out, mostly because I wasn't hosting a party for the Brie Bites and because we needed an extra dinner last week, but those other recipes are on my list to make in the near future!  

Chellie cooks, writes and photographs for Art from My Table, and does a magnificent job of creating delicious-looking, yet accessible food.  And her Chicken Pot Pie is one of these recipes.  I made a few changes to suit my tastes, but her recipe is a great base recipe to experiment with.  This is definitely going into my regular rotation of meals...even my picky two year old ate the filling!

Because I wanted  to eat this for a busy mid-week meal, I prepared the pies in individual ramekins and froze them.  I added about 15 minutes of cooking time for the frozen pies.  This worked wonderfully--I popped the pies in the oven after work and then ran outside to play with the kids on a beautiful spring afternoon.  Go check out the original recipe for the base recipe and for a large pie; my instructions below are for 6-inch ramekins.

From-Scratch Chicken Pot Pie
Adapted from Art from My Table
Makes three large individual portions

Cook's Note: If you'd like to freeze these for later use, throw them in the freezer, and when they are frozen through, wrap tightly in foil.  When you are ready to cook them, just throw them in the oven and cook for about 15 minutes longer.

1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup onion, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cups chicken stock
2/3 cup whole milk
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
2/3 lb. cooked chicken breast, chopped
3 cups vegetables (I used equal amounts of green beans, peas, carrots, fennel.  Fresh or frozen work well here.)
2 green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
Pastry for two nine-inch pie crusts (I used Alice Waters' recipe from The Art of Simple Food, and will continue to use it for this recipe.)

Prepare the crust: Butter three 6-inch individual ramekins.  Line the ramekins with pie crust, cutting off excess with a sharp knife.  Roll out three portions that will cover the entire top of the ramekin and set aside.  (Because you are using ramekins instead of a large pie tin, you may need to incorporate the excess bits and reroll the crust to have enough to cover all three.)  Place the ramekins in the refrigerator until you're ready to fill them.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Prepare the filling: In a large saucepan, melt the butter.  Add the flour, onions, salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring, for about 1-2 minutes or until the mixture becomes bubbly.  Stir in the wine and cook until incorporated.  Add the chicken stock, milk, thyme and rosemary, stirring until thick and bubbly.  Add the cooked chicken and vegetables.  Taste for seasoning.  Add salt or pepper to taste.

Remove the ramekins from the refrigerator.  Scoop the filling into the ramekins until they are completely full.  Cover each pie with your pre-rolled crust.  Pinch the edges so that the crust is sealed.  Cut vents in the top of each crust.

Place your ramekins on a rimmed cookie sheet.  Place in the oven and start checking on your pot pies after about 25-30 minutes.  (They could take up to 45 minutes to cook, but it's good to start checking early so they don't burn.)  They are done when the crusts are golden brown and the insides are bubbling.  Remove from the oven and let rest for at least 15 minutes.

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Green Chile Enchiladas

***Don't forget to enter my giveaway for 7 two 7 glass garden markers! The contest ends on Friday, April 27th.

The other day I was telling someone that cooking Mexican food comes naturally to me.  I think it was growing up in Southern California that did it.  Mexican food was a staple in my diet growing up, and then living in San Diego during and after college just solidified those flavors in my head.  I know that different regions of Mexico offer different dishes and flavors, so I'm just calling my recipes the SoCal version of Mexican food.  :-)

Enchiladas are one of my favorite foods, period.  I don't remember learning how to make them...it's just stuck in my head as a recipe.  Basically a filled corn tortilla smothered in chili sauce and cheese and then baked, it's Mexican comfort food at its finest.  The stuffing variations are endless, but my favorite is seasoned chicken with pepperjack cheese--spicy and filling and luscious all rolled into a corn tortilla...yum!

Green Chile Enchiladas
Serves 6 (at least!)

Cook's Note: This is more of a method than a recipe.  Feel free to play with your fillings or leave the meat out for a vegetarian version.  This recipe also freezes well.  Just wrap well in foil and then bake a few minutes longer straight from the freezer.  (Be careful if using a glass pan--it could crack if placed in the oven straight from the freezer.  If using glass, let the enchiladas thaw a little before baking.)

2 small chicken breasts, about a pound's worth
1 bottle of beer
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp Kosher salt
A couple of grinds of pepper
1/2 of a large block of pepperjack cheese, shredded
Corn tortillas
1 large can of green enchilada sauce (found in the Mexican aisle of your grocery store)

Place the chicken breasts in a saucepan.  Add the bottle of beer and add enough water to cover the chicken by a couple of inches.  Heat to a simmer and cook until the breasts are completely cooked through, about 10-20 minutes.  Remove the breasts from the liquid and set aside to cool.  Once cooled, shred the chicken using your fingers or two forks.  Add the cumin, paprika, chili powder, salt and pepper and mix to combine.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat the tortillas in the microwave between a damp towel just until heated through, about 30 seconds.  Remove from the microwave, taking care not to burn yourself, and set aside.  Pour the enchilada sauce in a wide-mouthed bowl.  One by one, dip the tortilla into the sauce until completely covered.  Let the excess drip off into the bowl and then place the tortilla into your baking dish.  Spread about one tablespoon of chicken in a straight line across the middle of the tortilla.  Add about a tablespoon of cheese, and then roll the tortilla.  (The tortilla might rip a little.  This is okay.)  Push against the edge of the baking dish and then repeat with the rest of the tortillas until you can't fit any more. Pour about a half of a cup to a cup of the remaining enchilada sauce over the top of the enchiladas, until all enchiladas are lightly coated.  Sprinkle with pepperjack cheese.

Place the enchiladas on the middle rack in the oven.  Bake for about 20-30 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and starting to get golden brown.  Remove from the oven and let rest for about 10-15 minutes. 

Serve with sour cream and/or guacamole.

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Summery Taco Salad

I always look forward to the warm weather of the spring and summer, not only because I grew up in the desert of southern California, but also because meals become simpler.  Although I enjoy the comfort foods of winter, summer cooking steals my heart.  I love the simplicity of what you can do with fresh ingredients--throwing together a salad is one of the simplest and freshest ways of cooking in my book.  I was excited last week, then, when my husband requested the first salad-as-a-meal of the year--taco salad.  This is the salad I grew up eating, and although I've changed up the ingredients somewhat, it's really my mom's recipe.  Thanks, Mom!

Taco Salad
Serves 4-6
Cook's Note: This is more of a guide than a flatout recipe.  Don't like ground beef?  Use chicken!  Do you have some fresh veggies from the garden?  Throw them in!  You get the idea... :-)

1 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon of your favorite taco seasonings (I use Penzey's Bold Taco.)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
6-8 cups of your favorite lettuce
1 tomato, chopped
1/4 cup diced red onion
1 avocado, chopped
1 can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1/2-1 cup pepperjack cheese

For toppings:
Crushed tortilla chips
Sour cream
Salsa

Cook the ground beef along with the taco seasoning, salt and pepper until well browned.  Strain the grease and set the ground beef aside in a bowl lined with paper towels to cool.

In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, tomato, red onion, avocado, kidney beans and cheese.  Place a serving of salad in a wide bowl and top with a handful of ground beef and crushed tortilla chips.  Dollop a bit of sour cream and some salsa on top, and mix until the salad is covered with the dressing.

Serve immediately.

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Spanish Rice and Eggs with Tomate Frito

"Yuck."  Or at least that's what my husband says every time I say I'm going to make this dish.  But hold your horses...Spanish Rice and Eggs is a little out of the ordinary, but it's delicious, warming and filling!  It takes all of about 20-30 minutes to make, and you probably have all of the ingredients in your kitchen right now.  How can you beat that?!

I learned how to make this dish when I lived in Spain.  The grandmother of the family I lived with would make this about once a week for our lunch, and I totally looked forward to that day each week like a kid looks forward to dessert.  That's how much I love this!  And to tip the scales, my daughter loves it as well.  So we have a 2 to 1 vote in our household, and I'm not inclined to count my husband's since he hasn't even tried it.  His loss. ;-)

So really, this is just rice layered with what the Spanish call "tomate frito" (fried tomato sauce) and an over-easy to -medium egg.  Go try it and let me know what you think so we can settle this family feud once and for all! 

Spanish Rice and Eggs with Tomate Frito
Serves 2

2 cups water
1 cup rice
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 15-ounce can unsalted tomato sauce
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Pepper
2 eggs

Put the water in a small saucepan, cover, and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, add the rice and garlic clove, cover, and simmer on very low heat for about 20 minutes or until the rice is done.

While the rice is cooking, place the tomato sauce and olive oil in a shallow pan.  Add salt and pepper to taste and cover.  Simmer on a low heat until your rice is ready.

When the rice is done, heat a small pan and spray with cooking spray or coat with a small amount of olive oil.  Fry the eggs to your desired consistency.  (I like my whites cooked all the way through, but my yolk runny for this dish.  Once the yolk mixes with the rice and tomato sauce, it makes a delicious creamy sauce for the dish.) Top with freshly-ground pepper.

Eat immediately and sop up the sauce with crusty bread.

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Homemade Cinnamon Apple-Pear Sauce (and How to Freeze It)

My kids absolutely love applesauce, but I rarely buy it because 1) I don't want any added sugar or preservatives when I serve my kids fruit, and 2) when you buy sugarless and preservative-free applesauce, it can get expensive.  When you throw organic into the mix (which we try to do whenever possible), you'd think you were paying for oil from the Middle East!  So a couple of weeks ago, I thought why not make it myself?  And then when I got to the grocery store, I found that pears were on sale, and grabbed some of those in addition to the apples.

It turns out that making your own applesauce is insanely easy.  And you can freeze it!  I made a big batch and froze half of it in a freezer Ball jar.  Next time, I'll have to make much more because both jars that I made disappeared in just a week!  Also, I think it would be much, much cheaper to make if you buy your apples and make it in the fall--better yet, take your kids out apple picking, and they'll do half the work for you!

Cinnamon Apple-Pear Sauce
Makes 4 cups
Cook's Notes: This can be scaled up or down to your preference.  I liked the ratio of two apples to one pear, but feel free to experiment!

6 large apples, peeled and roughly chopped
3 large pears, peeled and roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Place all of the ingredients in a pot.  Heat over medium heat until the juices release and start bubbling.  Turn the heat down to medium-low and cook for about 20-30 minutes or until the pears and apples are soft.

Using a hand blender or a tabletop blender/food processor (in small batches), blend until smooth.  Let cool and either refrigerate or freeze, depending on when you'll use it.  It should last about a week in the refrigerator, but several months in the freezer.

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Herbed Flatbread Pizza with Arugula, Sundried Tomato and Ricotta Salata

Earlier this week, I promised to tell you what I did with the flatbread I made for the Secret Recipe Club...and here it is!  It's based on a pizza that I absolutely loved to eat when I lived in Strasbourg, and I've
always wanted to recreate it.  When the bread came off of the grill, I realized that I had most of the ingredients in my kitchen to make it, so I did!  The one thing that was missing was actual truffles, but I did have some truffle oil that I sprinkled on top, and I think that did the trick without putting me into debt!  :-)

If you've never had salad on a pizza, you're missing out.  It's refreshing and filling at the same time...and only takes a few minutes to prepare.  This would really be a perfect light dinner or lunch during the hot summer months when making pizza in your oven sounds like a form of torture.

Herbed Flatbread Pizza with Arugula, Sundried Tomato and Ricotta Salata
Serves 1
Cook's Notes: If you don't have truffles or truffle oil, you can always substitute a little of the sundried tomato oil for the truffle oil to add a little more flavor.

1 portion of flatbread
1 cup arugula
1-2 tablespoons sundried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
1/8 cup ricotta salata, shredded
Salt and pepper, to taste
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Truffle oil, optional
Fresh parmesan cheese

If your flatbread is not fresh off the grill, place it under the broiler for a few minutes to warm up and crisp slightly.  Remove to a plate.

In a bowl, toss the arugula, sundried tomatoes, and ricotta salata.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Sprinkle with a little balsamic vinegar and olive oil and toss to coat lightly. 

Place the salad on top of the flatbread and sprinkle a few drops of truffle oil and shred a little bit of parmesan cheese over the top.    Cut into manageable portions and enjoy!

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Grilled Herbed Flatbread [Secret Recipe Club]

That's right, folks: Secret Recipe Club is back!  The SRC took a break last month, and I truly missed it!  If you recall, the organizers at SRC secretly assign each blogger another blog to cook from each month.  I love this way of discovering new blogs and recipes...and this month I was assigned Melissa's Cuisine.  Melissa is a newlywed in her early 20s who just decided to start cooking with more whole ingredients!  What better blogger to pair me with???  :-)  Although she has a ton of great recipes, I was immediately drawn to her relatively simple flatbread recipe.  I did make a couple of changes with flour and seasoning, but kept to the rest of her recipe.  It turned out great, and the whole family loved it.  She suggests serving it with dipping oil, which would be great, but I used it as a platform for recreating a pizza I used to eat in Strasbourg, which I'll post about later this week. And trust me...you don't want to miss that recipe!

Grilled Herbed Flatbread
Adapted from Melissa's Cuisine
Makes 4 large flatbreads
Cook's Notes: These can be made by hand as well as in your stand mixer.  I used my stand mixer, so the instructions are for that method.  For the hand-mixed method, see Melissa's recipe.

2 1/4 teaspoons yeast
1 1/4 + 2 Tablespoons warm water
4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
3/4 teaspoons Kosher salt
3 cups all-purpose unbleached white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons bouquet garni (or your favorite herb mix)

Sprinkle the yeast in the bowl of your stand mixer.  Add the water and let stand for a few minutes until the yeast starts to bubble.  Stir in 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, the salt and flour and mix on low until the dough comes together.  Add the herbs.  Using your dough hook, knead the dough for about 5 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.

Form the dough into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl.  Cover with a clean towel and set in a warm place until it has doubled in size, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.  Deflate the dough by punching lightly with your fist.  Divide the dough into 4 pieces.  (At this point, you can put the dough in baggies and put it in the refrigerator to use on a different day.  If you do refrigerate the dough, take it out about 30 minutes before proceeding to the next step to let it come to room temperature.)

Place one of the balls on a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes or until it becomes smooth and elastic again.  Let the dough rest for a few minutes.  Using your hands or a rolling pin, flatten the dough into disks about 1/8 or 1/4 inch in thickness.  Brush with olive oil and sprinkle a little sea salt over the top.

Heat your grill over medium heat.  (I used a stovetop griddle.)  Place the flatbread, olive oil side down, on the grill and cook for about 5 minutes or until you can see golden grill marks.  Brush the other side with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.  Flip the bread and cook another few minutes until that side has golden grill marks as well. 

If using for dipping, cut into pieces and serve warm.  If saving for later use, let them cool on a cooling rack.

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Gazpacho Salad

I'm baaaaack!  Yes, I had a lovely time in Europe, and yes, I'll post a few pictures as soon as I can, but can I just tell you that after almost three weeks in Central Europe, I am totally craving vegetables!  Our food was delicious as we traveled, but our veggies were limited to making appearances in soups and almost always as the side of potatoes to our meals.  By the end, I just wanted a giant plate of salad. 

Last night, I wanted something simple to go alongside the Spanish tortilla I was making, and I initially thought of making a gazpacho soup.  But then I remembered that we're in Kentucky in the middle of winter, and gazpacho is best made with off-the-vine tomatoes.  So I settled for a gazpacho salad.  Best in the summer, but totally worth the extra money for those red, red grape tomatoes in the winter. And best of all?  My kids loved it!  Score! 

Gazpacho Salad
Cook's Notes: To tone down the onion flavor a little, soak the chopped onion in ice water for at least 5 minutes.  Drain and use.  This salad would also taste great with fresh herbs, such as cilantro or flat-leaf parsley, thrown in.

1 pint of grape tomatoes, halved (or any other ripe, tasty tomato, cut into chunks)
1/2 English cucumber, cut into quarters lengthwise and then into chunks
3/4 large green bell pepper, cut into 1/2" pieces
1/4 small red onion, peeled and chopped finely
1 large clove garlic, smashed
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Sherry vinegar (red wine vinegar would work too)
Salt and pepper to taste

Place the olive oil and garlic in a small pan and heat gently until the garlic just starts to brown.  Remove from the heat and strain the olive oil into a heat-proof bowl to cool.  Discard the garlic.

Combine all of the vegetables in a large bowl.  Add a couple of teaspoons of vinegar and a couple of tablespoons of olive oil.  Add the salt and pepper and mix.  Taste and adjust the seasonings, oil or vinegar to taste.  Let stand for at least 30 minutes at room temperature.  Serve with crusty bread to mop up the dressing!

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[Guest Post] Quinoa Salad Recipe Kentucky Style

Our last guest blogger is Joyce from Friends Drift Inn.  I haven't known Joyce for long, but I think everyone who knows her would agree that she's quite a spitfire and knows her way around the kitchen, both her own (in her barn!) and of chefs around the state.  She hosts a regular column in the Appalachian News Express and has been published in several regional magazines.  She also loves bourbon, like a true Kentucky gal!  Joyce is going to share a winter quinoa salad made with Kentucky (yes, Kentucky) soy sauce.  Thanks, Joyce!

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When Mindy sent out the S.O.S. for guest bloggers, I was quick to respond.  Sometimes I bite off more than I can chew.  Some exciting developments at Friends Drift Inn Farm-to-Table have had me so distracted that I almost forgot my hat!  [Giggles]  Mindy, hope this post is better late than never!

As a farmer, I am always intrigued by heirloom vegetables and grains.  Where did they come from?  How did they survive into modern times?  What can we do to preserve their unique genetic markers in the purest way possible?

Quinoa, pronounced keen-wah, is one of the most ancient of grains.  Actually, it’s not a grain at all being more closely related to beets and spinach by family ties.  My cousin Jennie introduced me to the “exotic” offering last year.  Because it is grown in a remote area, the genetic material is believed to be very pure.  Your "vote," by purchasing quinoa, can keep this remarkable "super grain" in our contemporary lexicon and hopefully into the next generation.

Quinoa was revered by the Incas as “The Mother Grain.”  In modern times it is treasured by those pursuing a gluten-free lifestyle.  The taste is similar to a rice or couscous.  The mild flavor lends itself to palate pairings from around the globe.  In the summer I favor a quinoa salad with tomatoes and a Mediterranean-style presentation.  In the depths of winter when the only tomatoes available are grown in greenhouses, I change up the menu adding depth and dimension with Soy Sauce and Asian-inspired dishes. 

Quinoa is found on my grocery shelves here in remote Appalachia, so I assume you can find it anywhere.  In our stores, it most often is found in the gluten-free section.  I use a processed Quinoa which does not require a pre-soak to remove the bitter saponin seed coat.  Read the cooking directions on your product to be clear on pre-soaking instructions. 

Quinoa Salad Recipe Kentucky Style
Friends Drift Inn

1 cup quinoa
2 cups stock (I use chicken)
1 cucumber peeled and finely chopped
¼ cup of mint leaves finely chopped plus some left intact for garnish
¼ cup of toasted almonds
1 teaspoon orange zest
¼ cup of Bourbon Barrel Foods Soy Sauce

Method
In a heavy saucepan, add quinoa and stock.  Bring up to a rolling boil.  Reduce to simmer and cover with lid.  Cook about 15-20 minutes until liquid has been absorbed.  The “grain” will look like little “C’s” as it expands.

Remove from heat and let cool.

In a cute salad bowl combine all ingredients and toss.  I generally let this stand overnight for best flavors.  Garnish with mint leaves.  I serve this on our appetizer table quite frequently.  Vegetarians and meat-eaters alike enjoy the unique texture and taste. 

Photo courtesy of the guest blogger.

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[Guest Post] Vegetarian Mulligatawny Soup

I met Melissa from My McDonald Meal back in February of this year when a group of us toured the local butcher shop and meat processing plant Marksbury Farm, and soon thereafter she became one of the first members of the Kentucky Food Bloggers Association.  Her blog is filled with tons of family-friendly and healthy recipes, and I've had a great time getting to know her and her cooking style.  Go over and check her out!  Thanks, Melissa, for offering this guest post while I'm away in January!

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Mulligatawny! Nope, I'm not the soup Nazi from Seinfield. Instead I'm the coaxing mother trying to convince her daughters that this time they will like the soup!! Honestly, it would be kind of nice, though, to have the power of that guy from those episodes! His deep voice, stern eyebrows and intimidating demeanour. Hey- whatever it takes to get your kids to eat sometimes--right?

Anyway, I took what I thought was the base flavor of the Mulligatawny soup from our favorite Indian restaurant in town and added some other ingredients. If you look this soup up in Google you'll find many talking about a "peppery" based soup with some heavy ingredients and some saying that the real thing has to have chicken. Well--see what you think of this one instead. A little lighter, still peppery, and plenty healthy! Vegetarian and vegans will enjoy.

Vegetarian MulligatawnySource: My McDonald Meal

1 tbsp coconut oil
1 small white onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large potato, peeled and diced
4 carrots, cleaned and diced
1 cup diced green pepper
1 small tart apple, peeled and diced
1 cup red lentils, sorted and rinsed
1 cup canned chickpeas
6 cups vegetable stock
1 tsp turmeric
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp coriander
1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper, or to taste
1 cup light coconut milk

Directions
Heat the oil over medium high heat in a large stock pot. Add the onion, and celery and saute until softened. Then add garlic, ginger, curry, turmeric and cayenne and briefly stir for to season the oil. Add the carrots, potato, and apple. Allow to cook until softened, about 7 to 10 minutes.

Stir in the broth and chick peas; season with a salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce heat, cover and simmer the soup, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 20 to 30 minutes.

Add the coconut milk and either lower heat and gradually add small batches to a food processor or carefully use immersion blender to smooth out the texture. Bring back to a low heat and serve. Enjoy with cooked brown rice as a side or stir in with a tad of plain yogurt!

**Photos courtesy of the guest author.

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[Guest Post] Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Today is the first in my series of guest posts while I am traveling with my husband and 16 college students in Europe.  I'd like to introduce you to my first guest blogger: Danielle at A Day in the Life.  Her blog focuses on her life as a mother, travel, crafts, and most of all...food!  Go check her blog out and read on for her post about Broccoli Cheddar Soup!

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A few months ago, I posted about a group I had proudly become a part of, the Kentucky Food Bloggers. One of the creators of this group, Mindy, helped organize our first outing in conjunction with the Incredible Food Show and did an incredible job, I might add. When she asked for help filling in the blanks while she went overseas, I jumped at the opportunity to help!

Perfect for the cold months ahead, Mindy decided to steer her guest posters in the direction of warm soups. There's nothing that sounds more enticing to me in the winter than a warm bowl of soup. I'm more of the wholesome, throw-as-many-vegetables-in-as-you-can type of soup lover but I try not to discriminate.

One of my favorite food blogs is Annie's Eats because I've loved everything I've ever made from her site. Batting a thousand at any one site is practically unheard of for me, but with Annie I feel fairly confident that if she liked it, I will too.

I have had her Broccoli Cheddar Soup bookmarked for quite some time, but because neither of my boys' young stomachs were able to tolerate broccoli, I haven’t had the chance to try it. Well, now that I have graduated from being their sole source of nourishment, I practically crave broccoli after going without it for so long. This was the perfect opportunity for me to get to try this recipe.

This is such a wholesome and delicious soup! I enjoyed how you could taste so many various flavors in every bite. The broccoli was certainly present, as were the richness of the butter and the creaminess of the sharp cheddar. With broccoli having a rather pungent flavor, the sharpness of the cheese really helped to cut that and make it a very mild tasting soup.

The only thing I might consider doing differently next time would be to let the cheese sauce get a little thicker, or add less chicken stock. In all fairness, I didn't actually measure the chicken stock before pouring it in, so I might have been a little heavy handed in my pouring. The flavor is so good though--it really doesn't matter what the consistency is, you'll still want to lick the bowl!

I hope you enjoy and I hope you'll visit me at A Day in the Life. Happy and safe travels, Mindy!

Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Source: Annie's Eats 

Ingredients:
6 tbsp. butter, divided
¾ cup onion, chopped
1 cup carrot, chopped or shredded
4 cups small broccoli florets
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
½ tsp. onion salt
½ tsp. garlic powder
4 tbsp. flour
2 cups milk (I used a combination of skim and almond milk)
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste

Directions:
In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the onion to the pan and sauté until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add the carrots to the pan and cook a couple minutes more. Stir in the broccoli, chicken broth, onion salt and garlic powder. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.

In a medium saucepan, melt remaining butter. Add the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes until golden brown, whisking constantly. Whisk in the milk and cook until the mixture thickens and bubbles, about 5 minutes. Once the mixture has thickened, whisk in the cheese until completely melted. Remove from the heat and add the cheese sauce to the soup pot. Allow to simmer until warmed through and broccoli is tender. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. If desired, puree the soup with an immersion blender for a smooth texture.

Photo courtesy of the guest author.

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Slow-Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos

I absolutely love Mexican food!  One of the things I miss most about living in California is not being able to get mouth-wateringly good carne asada whenever I want.  There are good Mexican restaurants here in Kentucky, but they just don't compare to those hole-in-the-wall places I came to love in San Diego.  Mexican food has always been in my cooking repertoire, and it's one of those cuisines in which I feel confident when not using a recipe (except when making tamales!).  I make delicious green chile enchiladas (if I do say so myself), but I don't remember learning how to make them...I just know.

So, enter the humble taco.  I've always made tacos at home using hamburger meat, but last week while taking stock of my freezers (yes, I have multiple freezers), I realized that I have a ton of stew meat that I bought last fall from Marksbury Farm.  I immediately thought that done right, it could make some awesome taco meat...and I was right!  With five minutes of prep in the morning and about 10 minutes in the evening, you can have delicious and healthy tacos after a long day of work.  Who doesn't want that?!

Slow-Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos

Cook's Notes: I used a Porter as the beer of choice, but feel free to use any beer that tastes good to you.  Also, you can find queso fresco in the deli section or Mexican food refrigerated case at your local grocery store or at any Latin American specialty stores.  If you're not sure how to cut an avocado, see my tutorial.

Taco Meat:
2 pounds beef stew meat
1 bottle of dark beer
1 cup fresh or prepared salsa
1/2 onion, roughly chopped
2 large cloves garlic, chopped finely
1 heaping teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
Pepper, to taste

Toppings:
Corn Tortillas
Finely shredded cabbage
Sliced avocado
Thinly sliced radishes
Queso Fresco
Lime wedges

To make the taco meat:
Pat dry the stew meat and place in your slow cooker.  Add the beer, salsa, onions, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper.  Stir to mix.  If the meat isn't completely covered by liquid, add enough water to cover.  Set on low and cook for 8 hours.

Once the meat has cooked and is falling apart, remove to a rimmed baking sheet with a slotted spoon.  Taste the meat for any seasoning adjustments.  If you're happy with the texture of the meat, using a wooden spoon, press down on the chunks until the meat is shredded.  If you'd like the meat to be a little drier, place in a 400 degree F oven for about 15 minutes or until the meat is crispy enough for your taste.  If it gets too dry, add a little bit of the slow-cooker cooking liquid.  (When done, toss the remaining cooking liquid.)

To assemble the tacos:
Heat the tortillas on the stovetop (in a pan or on a griddle) or wrapped in foil in a hot oven.  To make each taco, layer two tortillas and add about two tablespoons of taco meat.  Top with crumbled queso fresco, radishes, avocados and shredded cabbage.  Serve with lime wedges to squeeze on top of each taco right before eating.

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Chicken, Apple and Gruyère Salad: A Light Meal for Beautiful Fall Days

Last week I was given a basket of apples by some friends.  My kids love to eat them as snacks, but I've been trying to incorporate them into our meals since there are just too many to eat before they start going bad.  This weekend, I was home alone with the kids, and since cooking while rounding up a five year old and an 18 month old can be dangerous, I decided to go simple with a salad.  It was a beautiful fall day...probably one of the last that a salad would be satisfying as a supper.  I came up with this salad with a chicken breast and leftovers in my fridge--the best kinds of meals in my opinion!  Feel free to add other goodies into the salad, but for this version, I kept it simple with lettuce, apples, gruyère cheese and chicken.

Chicken, Apple and Gruyère Salad
Serves 2 as a meal

1-2 chicken breasts (depending on how much you'd like to eat)
1 cup apple cider
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 Tbl red wine vinegar
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp dried thyme
2 Tbl olive oil
Lettuce, enough to fill a medium or large bowl (I used Red and Green Leaf, but use your favorite here.)
2 small apples, chopped
2 oz. gruyère cheese, shredded

Honey Mustard and Apple Cider Salad Dressing:
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp honey
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 Tbl apple cider
2 Tbl red wine vinegar
8-9 Tbl olive oil

In a large ziploc bag or in a shallow dish, combine the apple cider, dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, garlic salt, thyme and olive oil until completely incorporated.  Add the chicken breast(s) and completely coat with the marinade.  Place in refrigerator for at least two hours, but up to overnight, turning the breasts a couple of times to marinate well.

Heat your oven to 350 degrees F.  Heat an oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat and spray the skillet lightly with oil.  Add the chicken breasts and brown on both sides.  When the chicken is browned, cover the skillet lightly with foil and place in the oven for about 5-10 minutes (depending on the size of the chicken breasts), or until the breast is done and reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.  When the chicken is done, remove from the oven and place the chicken on a cutting board to rest and cool for at least 10 minutes.

While the chicken is cooling, combine the lettuce, apples and cheese in a large bowl.  Make the dressing by whisking the mustard, honey, salt, pepper, apple cider and red wine vinegar until they are completely combined.  Drizzle the olive oil slowly while whisking.  Taste.  If it's not sweet enough for you, add a little more honey.  If it's not tart enough for you, add a little more red wine vinegar.  If it's too tart, add a little more olive oil.  The flavoring on this dressing is up to you!

Toss the salad with the salad dressing until it is lightly coated, reserving a little dressing to drizzle over the completed salad.  Split the salad between the plates.

Slice the chicken and lay it nicely on each salad.  Drizzle with a little more salad dressing.  Serve immediately.

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