Grow Your Own Sprouts

Update. Well, here's a recipe, but I didn't have the same ingredients, so I just did this:

Finely chopped/minced 1/4 onion, 4 mushrooms, one carrot and stems of bok choy sauteed in sesame oil until tender. Added a little salt and microplaned ginger. Turned off heat and added finely chopped leaves from bok choy, basil, and sprouts.

Dipping Sauce: equal parts soy sauce and water. Dash of rice vinegar and a little ginger.

Now that I have tofu I'll add that in. Apparently you just smoosh a block of extra-firm.

I'm so glad my friend Wendy gave me the idea to grow sprouts. Such an easy, cheap way to keep anti-oxidant and protein rich veggies on hand. I thought it would be great for Eli to learn about seeds, watch their development, and be able to enjoy the fruits of his (minimal) labor very quickly. These took 3 or 4 days and were so simple to grow. Soak overnight, and rinse every 12 or 24 hours. Piece of cake since the perferated top (cheese cloth, special lid, or mesh) which allows air in also makes rinsing and straining quick.

Last night they went into this pot-sticker filling. Sorry, no picture of the final product, we at them too fast. I wonder if Brian even noticed there was no meat.

Play Dates

I told him he had to hold hands in the road, so he ran up and grabbed Curt's instead of mine.

It's warming up around here and it must be bringing us all out of a cold weather induced hibernation. Eli's had 4 play dates scheduled in the last week. He's been missing his buddies, asking for them daily. It's fun, this new stage; they're like little chatterboxes when they get together, not even listening to each other, just yakking away. Must be filling each other in about the long winter.

I made one of my go-to recipes for the occasion and I thought I should share it. I would bring treats to nursery and was looking for another recipe for something healthy, easy, enticing to youngsters, and soft enough for the small ones. The two times I brought them the different nursery leaders asked for the recipe.

Playgroup Granola Bars

• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup wheat germ
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup raisins (or any dried fruit, I like to change things around)
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup honey (sometimes I just do all brown sugar and add water to get moist enough)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil (substitute applesauce to make super-healthy)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 
  

Paper plate adds a nice touch, don't you think.

Add wet ingredients to dry and stir until moistened. Spread in greased 9x13 pan and bake for 30 or so minutes at 350 until edges start to brown.

Tomatoes with Fresh Herb Vinaigrette

It's been a while since I was excited enough about food to post a recipe. This weekend these tomatoes helped pull me out of my pregnancy-induced hatred of food. Besides two slices, I ate the whole plate myself, thrilled that something finally tasted good and food wasn't just a drab necessity to keep nausea at bay.

I found this dressing last summer on a recipe website, but couldn't hunt it down this year, so here's my take on it. It has to be good if I love it even without the fresh mozzarella to make caprese. I must warn you, I don't measure, so these are approximate and should be adjusted to your own taste. Garlic is key, and you must have some good bread to sop up the good sauce at the end.

Tomatoes with Fresh Herb Vinaigrette

3 Good Tomatoes (on the vine or homegrown-DON'T REFRIGERATE!) sliced
2 Cloves Garlic, minced finely
1 Tsp. Lemon Juice
1 Tbsp. Vinegar (Red Wine or Balsamic)
1 Pinch Salt
2 Pinches Sugar (add more if to vinegary for you)
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil (whisk other ingredients as you add this)
5 Leaves Basil, sliced and sprinkled just before serving (or try Thyme or chives, as long as its fresh)

Hope this sounds good to other people and not just a crazy pregnant lady.

P.S. Just made an appointment for next week to see what the baby is.

Grapefruit

Wednesday Eli and I were perusing the aisles of our new favorite grocery/produce store when I saw a crazy good deal on Texas grapefruit, they were surprisingly normal-sized. I remembered that Brian likes the juice from this particular citrus fruit and decided to get 8, should make a pitcher full. I got home and had juiced one when my crazy conscience, which has even come to scold me for throwing away trash, reminded me I could do something better with those peels. Then I remembered.
The summer after my sophomore year of college I lived in one of my favorite places, my grandma's house in Santa Barbara. I was supposed to help take care of my grandpa who has Parkinson's, but I ended up spending most of my time in the kitchen making meals, baked goods, fresh pasta, and, a couple of times, candied grapefruit rind. My grandma recommended it since it was something she at as a child and she had a tree in the front yard. My sweet little grandpa loved them too and they didn't last long, even the quite bitter batch.
Here I was, acting like I too had grown up during the Depression, not being able to throw away rinds. Another example. Ever since Brian's grandma told me how, after having a roast chicken, she would save the bones to make broth, I can't even throw a chicken carcass away without doing the same. So, after $1, 8 grapefruits, many cups of sugar, and many more hours spent, I ended up with juice for Brian and pounds of candy for my grandparents. It was a bit of work, but totally worth it. For a faster version of the candies to follow, just peel the zest off lemon, orange, or grapefruit and bring to a boil in some water and then rinse in cold water. They will be ready to candy.

Candied Citrus Peels

Peel, including the white pith, firm and shiny skinned lemon, orange, or grapefruit (I cut them in fourths for uniformity). In saucepan, cover peels with cold water and slowly bring to boil and let them simmer for 10 minutes. Repeat this process many times, my cookbook says 3-5, but I must have done at least 8 to get as much of the bitterness out as possible. I've read that it isn't all supposed to come out, it's supposed to be a little bitter. To candy, cut them in slices and add back to pan with 1/4 Water and 1/2 cup Sugar for every cup of peel (8 grapefruit gave me 5 cups). Let the sugar water boil away, stirring periodically. At this point you can lay them all out on foil to cool, but I coated each one in sugar and let them dry on cookie racks before storing in an airtight container.
You can eat them plain, garnish desserts, cut and add to fruit cakes, or dip orange ones in chocolate (the ones to the left aren't mine).
Hope my Grandparents like them in their spiffy new Ikea canister. Let me know if you're brave enough to try or have had some before, I would love to hear.

Bulgogi: Eli Tested, Mother Approved

We love all the Korean food that we've encountered thus far, but the following recipe is for our absolute favorite dish. Bulgogi, which means "fire meat" is thinly sliced, marinated beef in a lettuce wrap with rice. (Above is an authentic table setting with myriads of side dishes, they must like washing dishes.) Pretty much every person that has ever eaten at our house has had bulgogi and everyone seems to love it, even the Gochujang, a uniquely spicy red paste dotted on sparingly. The meat cooked on a table top grill (I'm sure you can use your electric griddle), which makes it a fun choice for entertaining. Guests can cook their own meat as they eat. I'm afraid Eli doesn't afford us such leisurely eating, so I brown the meat ahead of time and we just dig in.
I'm not sure if Eli likes it so much because I especially craved it while pregnant with him, but he stuffed himself silly last week when we made this for dinner. He was like a ferocious animal, eating straight off the plate, bypassing utensils or hands and grabbing meat off our plates and from the serving bowl. We've never seen him eat so much (in Oregon, 1 shrimp was a dinner), he even ate the rice and lettuce that go along with the meat. Let's just say I was pleased, since his scrawniness is one of my motherly worries. And now for the recipe that has worked miracles:

Broiled Beef Bulgogi (serves 4)

4 Scallions, coarsely chopped
3 Garlic cloves, minced
1 TBSP Toasted Sesame Seeds
3 TBSP Soy Sauce
2 tsp. rice wine
1 TBSP Sesame Oil
2 TBSP Sugar
Pepper to taste
1 LB thinly (no more than 1/4") sliced against the grain filet mignon (if your boss is coming for dinner), or sirloin, round stake, or london broil. (I'm sure your friendly neighborhood butcher can cut a roast for free on his fancy machine if you want to make your life easier, otherwise, freeze the meat for an hour to make slicing easier).

Combine all the ingredients and let marinate for at least 1 hour. Preheat broiler or barbecue (brush on vegetable oil if its not a non-stick surface, otherwise, don't use at all) and cook meat in batches, one layer at a time- this is crucial for searing and flavor, Brian's too impatient and cooks it all at once and it turns soggy. Should only take 30 seconds/side.



Serve with romaine lettuce leaves, sticky rice (1/2 C. before cooking/person), and gochujang.
Not the most beautiful plate, but de-lish. It's so healthy, we always eat plenty and don't feel too bad about it.
I made it this time with chicken breast since beef is getting too expensive for my personal $1.99/lb limit. It was a good choice because Eli could chew it easier and therefore eat more.
I hope everyone makes this one, let me know how it goes. Or you can come over and we'll gladly make it for you, maybe even with filet mignon... maybe.

What About Korean?

Lets be honest. When it's time to make dinner or go out, you think tacos, pasta, burgers or maybe even Thai or Indian. But nobody ever thinks Korean. Except for us, of course. If you like garlic and spice, which anyone with taste buds on their tongue should, it's perfect.
So, the next time you're at the grocery store, pick up a couple of ingredients ubiquitous to all Korean dishes:

Garlic
Green Onion
Ginger (powder or fresh (which keeps perfectly in the freezer)
Sesame Oil
Sesame Seeds
Soy Sauce
Rice Vinegar
Rice Wine (if you dare)
And you already own rice (and it better not be Uncle Ben's), preferably short grain Asian, or we like Jasmin.

If you end up liking Korean, go on and buy: Korean chili powder, firm tofu, and kochujang.

One of my best presents to Brian was a Korean cookbook (wow, it's cheap on amazon) which we literally whip out every week. We have many favorites which I will share, the first being a seasonally appropriate.

Soy-Glazed Pumpkin (Yachaejorim)

8 oz. Pumpkin, peeled and cut in 1-inch cubes
1/2 C. Sugar (we find 1/4 C. to be enough)
2-inch piece of fresh Ginger, grated
6 TBSP Soy Sauce
Freshly ground Black Pepper
Toasted Sesame Seeds and Chives for garnish

Boil pumpkin for 2 minutes (we steam for a bit longer, should still be firm). Drain well, then put into a skillet. Add sauce and pepper. Heat slowly, stirring carefully, until the sugar dissolves. Then partially cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pumpkin is tender and glazed with soy syrup.
Garnish with sesame seeds and garlic chives.

Easy, huh? We often do this with acorn squash instead, but peeling it is the devil. Hopefully some of you will try these Korean recipes and love them as much as we do. If not, you'll just think we're crazy.

Pao de Banana

A recipe with a story is always more fun, right? In the Wellington Utah Relief Society cookbook that Brian's grandma gave him to bring on his mission to Brazil there is a post it with a recipe for banana bread. Elder Corrales, as I'll call him, often came across cohabitators that believed in the church and wanted to be baptized, but couldn't until they were legally married. They always said that the cost of a wedding is what stopped them, so Elder Corrales, wedding planner extraordinaire that he was, arranged for them to go to the courthouse for the pricey certificate and baked up a mean batch of banana bread for the celebration.


Pao de Banana

2 C. Flour
1 C. Sugar
1/2 C. Margarine
3 Eggs
3 Bananas
nuts
1 Bar Semi-Sweet Chocolate
1 tsp. Vanilla
Pinch Cinnamon
Pinch Salt


Mix sugar and margarine into paste. Add one egg at a time, beating between. Add vanilla and mashed bananas. add half of the flour, then baking soda, then flour. Add nuts, chocolate, and cinnamon. Bake on low for 80 minutes.
I'd say 350 and it takes a long time until a toothpick comes out clean.

Lucky for us and our neighbors he made some last night. The rest of the time he leaves the baking up to me, except my birthday cake, of course.

The Super-Vegetable

Our Beautiful cinderella pumpkin was the onset of my recent enthusiasm for all things squash. This morning at the farmer's market here in town I got even more excited over their beauty and variety. Some were red, green, white, grey, and even white with small veins of pink. These perfect vegetables are easily available, stay good for weeks or months on the counter, and are so healthy and versatile in dishes.
I never really cooked squash until Eli needed baby food and I was obsessed with feeding my prescious little one only the best food I could find. Although butternut is more mainstream, I learned that acorn squash (the little round dark green one with ridges) has much more fiber and is a bit sweeter. Yesterday I made a pureed soup of the two, my best yet:

1 Acorn Squash (halved and seeded)
1 Butternut Squash (halved and seeded)
Oil them a little so they don't dry out or stick to your roasting pan and bake, face-down, at 375 for 1 hour or so, until soft when poked. In the mean time saute:
3 Chopped Carrots
3 Ribs of Celery Chopped
1/2 Onion Chopped in
2 TBSP Oil
Until tender and add
2 Cups of Chicken Broth (I just add water and a bouillon cube) and simmer with any fresh herbs like parsley or thyme and a couple bay leaves.
Once the squash is done, scoop it out of the skin and into a blender with some of the broth and vegetables, leaving out the herbs. You may have to do it in batches and add milk or broth to thin out to desired consistency and salt to taste. I served with ribbons of fresh sage.

Now to other uses. This month in Better Homes and Gardens they had the idea of taking an apple corer to take polka dots out of multi-colored pumpkins and switching them around, so, for example, you have a white pumpkin with orange dots. Martha has plenty of ideas for pumpkins, here are some carving templates.
And don't throw away those seeds in those pumpkin guts, yesterday I learned they have many health benefits. With all their domestic uses, what's there not to be enthusiastic about?

Pollo Negro

Well, for last night's dinner I was dreaming of recreating the best grilled chicken from my favorite restaurant chain in California. Don't be fooled by the humble surroundings, Pollo Norteno, grills up the best chicken you've ever had. I found a close competitor's marinade recipe online since theirs is obviously Top Secret. Preparation began early. In the morning I started boiling pinto beans and got the meat marinating. In the afternoon made spanish rice, and tortillas. We even had fresh home-made salsa. Everything was ready for my pollo dreams to come true.
I guess I was over-confident in my cooking abilities, or just impatient, and decided to work the gas grill for the first time by myself. Brian would be home soon to finish things off. I knew from FoodTV to grill the chicken on low heat for a long time since it takes a while to cook and you don't want grease-induced flames burning the outside before the inside is cooked. I tried adjusting temperatures and moving the meat to the top rack. Apparently traffic was bad and Brian didn't get home until the chicken was black-the skin that is, but I was still sad since that's my favorite part.
Despite it's color, dinner was a hit. Eli was a maniac about all of it, especially the beans (here he is stealing some from my plate). The boys left to hang out with the Young Men from church and I planned to redeem myself by making tart to use up some of the raspberries (which Brian LOVES) that were on super-sale for $1/pack. I made a ground almond crust since it is easier to press a crumble into the tart pan rather than having to roll out finicky dough and filled it with a sinful concoction of raspberry, heavy cream, melted chocolate, and butter. Too bad everyone I know is trying to eat healthier, but if you have an anniversary, birthday, or change your ways, this is a luscious, simple dessert good enough to make anyone cheat on their diet. It took overnight to set, so it was actually breakfast. Poor me.

Clafouti- Perfect Summertime Dessert

Don't ask me how to pronounce it, but it's easy and quick to make, healthy, and delicioso. With some apricots getting wrinkly in the fruit bowl, I had to do something. I whipped out the Williams Sonoma baking cookbook and found this recipe, Apricot Clafoutis. It's basically a tart without the pastry; fruit and custard are baked in single serving ramekins or a 10 inch tart pan. I threw in some aging cherries to use them up and add some color. Apricots can often be dry, but when baked they are perfectly juicy and a little bit tart. I added a couple tablespoons of sugar and a couple of dashes of cinnamon to the fruit before placing in baking cups. The recipe makes a bit too much custard for only 4 servings, so I double the fruit and use all 8 of my ramekins. (I'll double the fruit below)

2 Pounds fruit seeded and cut into chunky bites(apricot, cherries, plums, or pears)
2Eggs
3/4 C. Milk
6 T. Sugar
1 t. Lemon Zest
1 t. Vanilla
1 Pinch Salt
1/3 C. Flour
Powdered Sugar for dusting
Preheat oven to 350, butter ramekins, and place them on cookie sheet. Drop in prepared fruit. In blender combine eggs, milk, sugar, lemon zest, vanilla, salt, and flour. Pour over fruit, dividing evenly among dishes. Bake 25-35 minutes until bubbling and tops are browned. Cool on wire rack and you can sprinkle with powdered sugar once cool.

Simple, huh? It's a painless do-ahead dessert and anything served a ramekin is classy, not to mention it's French. I'm just glad I have a figure-friendly dessert to give to friends that I know are trying to eat healthily. Maybe I should, but I sure don't feel guilty after a buttery tart and some ice cream.

Martha has some great seasonal fruit recipes (including Cherry Clafouti), although they are more complicated and extravagant, as usual.

Over The River And Through The Woods

To combat our loneliness (well, I don't know if Eli's lonely, but) yesterday we went to visit Brian's sweet little Mexican grandma a couple of hours away. It was our first road trip, just the two of us. We made it just fine (probably thanks to our worrying grandma's constant prayers) despite the deer-infested, curving two-lane highway under construction. Eli did well except for some crying over dropped toys and food that I couldn't hand him. It was well worth it. Once there, we were greeted by the sweetest little grandma with a table full of food, most important being the homemade tortillas and chili. We did not come empty-handed like we usually do. We brought grandma a bundt-shaped zucchini bread. The link for the recipe will follow, cuz it's a good one.
After lunch, Eli was up to the same monkey-business: chasing after cats with his stroller. It was nice to hear stories and look at pictures. I've never met someone more warm and sincere. I remember the first time I met her, I wasn't sure what to do after she said "I love you." If her kids/grandkids bring someone home, it's like they're a member of the family. By this morning Eli still wouldn't let her hold him, until he needed someone to put his shoes on so we could leave. Whenever it's time to go, she sends us home with home-made tortillas, whatever food she can spare, and some money "for hamburgers." I'm sure grandma won't mind me sharing the recipe for the tortillas she's been making for like 75 years, only using her hands to measure the ingredients:

2 1/2 C. Flour
1 T. Baking Powder
1 t. Salt
2 T. Grease (oil, shortening, bacon drippings, grandma would insist on lard)
1 C. Hot Water

To dry ingredients add grease, which doesn't have to incorporate fully, the hot water will do that. Add hot water. If it's dry or sticky, add a bit of water or flour. Get frying or cast iron pan hot on medium heat. Keep dough covered so it doesn't dry out and pull off pieces to make a ball 2 inches in diameter. Roll out (don't worry, it won't be a circle, not until you're a grandma) on floured surface or silpat, as thin as you can get it, about 1/8 inch and brown on either side in hot pan. Can be cooled and frozen in foil for later.
Now that I type directions out, it sounds pretty laborious, but it isn't. It's a nice treat and doable since tacos aren't much work anyway.

She was astonished when it came up that I make tortillas sometimes too. Uh oh. She might not make them for us anymore.


(About the Zucchini Bread, you can half the oil and put around 3/4 C. of pineapple juice, which I did because I had extra in the 20 oz. can of tidbits, which I broke up and used half of. I usually add chocolate chips to everything, but this time threw in craisins for color and a bit of tartness.)

Ratatouille

Comfort Food for me, I have realized, is what I have eaten in my favorite places, Santa Barbara and Switzerland. I never succeed in making perfect pork roast and pinto beans like my grandma, and last night I tried yet again to make ratatouille served over polenta like Heidi in Switzerland. It was my best attempt yet, the recipe coming from a great website that gives step by step direction (but has a limited number of recipes in its file). I will try and put some zucchini recipes up since the little green squash is in season and you either have a garden, a friend with a garden, or see them on super-sale at the grocery store. I don't know if normal people cook ratatouille, but I think we should all try it. It is inexpensive, healthy, and so hearty even Brian didn't miss the meat.
Luckily the polenta (or grits) turned out quite well; it can substitute noodles in any pasta dish. (I would use chicken bouillon instead of the salt used in the link and stir in a handful of Parmesan cheese and couple tablespoons of butter at the end.) The firm polenta and soft vegetables were supposed to be perfect for Eli, but he was done after 4 slightly coerced bites.
The tomato, eggplant, zucchini, and bell pepper don't have to be layered elegantly like in the movie, we just serve it like stew.
I'll admit, when we were eating dinner last night I felt a bit like Ego when he was transported to being a 6-year old boy in his mother's Provence kitchen just by taking a bite of Remy's ratatouille.