Smokehouse Chili Relleno

 

Say Cheese!

This recipe for chili relleno is so simple you really will be smiling. Technically relleno means “stuffed” with cheese but in this case our chilies are layered with it – to make things simple for you – hence all the smiling.

Prep time: 5 minutes; Cook time: 1 hour

Ingredients

·         12 oz. Smokehouse Organic Creamy Jack Cheese by Sierra Nevada Cheese Company

·         Four large Anaheim peppers

·         Fresh Red Salsa

I love to shop at our regional market, Haggen because of their diverse selection of original ingredients so I’d recommend their smokehouse jack and their fresh red salsa for this recipe– the smokehouse jack adds just a hint of smoky flavor and the cold salsa’s fresh and crispy jalapeños and onions make for the perfect complement to the hot, smoky taste of the melty relleno.

 

 

 

Directions

Cut off the tops of the Anaheim peppers and slice them down the middle. Remove seeds and set aside. Cut your smokehouse jack into thin strips. Coat a square or round glass pan with non-stick spray and line the bottom of the pan with half of your cheese. Place sliced Anaheim peppers on the top and then layer the remaining cheese on the peppers. Cover with tinfoil and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove tinfoil and bake an additional 15 minutes until cheese browns and bubbles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Serve with a healthy spoonful of fresh red salsa and smile, this time because it’s so so so delicious.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How to Make Sushi at Home

Sushi Rolls are a lot easier to make at home than you'd think. And they're A LOT CHEAPER than going to a restaurant, too.

When my brother James and I were in college we had a ritual every Sunday. It was called Sunday Sushi Sake Cinema night. He had learned how to make his own Sushi after having visited Japan on deployment in the Navy and since he had become vegetarian, we made some really amazing veggie sushi together. Who needs fish when you have ingredients like jalapeno, avocado, red pepper and cream cheese? Though this recipe is easily alterable if you want to add crab or salmon. Best when served with warm Sake, great company and a good movie.

Here are some essential ingredients that you can pick up at your local Asian Market:

1)      Calrose Rice

2)      Nori (get at least ten up to twenty sheets)

3)      Wasabi

4)      Rice Vinegar

5)      Sriracha Sauce if you like it spicy

6)      Soy Sauce

7)      Sushi Mat Roller. I’m sure this has a technical name. I don’t know what it is.

At the grocery store, get lost of yummy veggies. My favorites are:

·        Avocado (this is a must)

·        Jalapeno

·        Cucumber

·        A colorful Bell pepper

·        Sprouts

·        Marinated tofu

·        To make it non vegetarian, you could also get crab or sushi grade salmon or tuna

·        Cream Cheese

 

Directions

1)      Cook at least four cups of Calrose Rice. When fluffy, add a generous drizzle of Rice Vinegar and mix. Let rice cool a bit.

 

2)   While Rice is cooking, slice your ingredients thinly.

3)      Lay a sheet of Nori shiniest side down on the sushi roller. Spread rice evenly on Nori, leaving about an inch uncovered at the base of the roll.

4)      Spread with cream cheese (if you’d like) and top with yummy veggies. Add Sriracha sauce in a line if you want it spicy.

5)      Roll starting at the base of the veggies and tightly push down with your thumbs as you get closer to the end.

6)      Place on a cutting board and slice in one-inch pieces with a serrated knife. If knife gets gunky, dip it in a glass filled with hot water which will help it slice through the sushi better.

7)      Serve with dipping plates filled with Soy Sauce and use wasabi to your liking.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Homemade Croutons

 

This recipe is for you if you a) hate store-bought croutons and think they taste like cardboard and b) like easy recipes and c) love salad.

This is dedicated to you Missy, who, in a recent spaghetti and salad post, confessed your dire hatred for pre-packaged croutons. And it's totally your style because it’s frickin’ e-a-s-y!

All you need is some good bread. French bread, sour dough, crusty wheat, whatever. This is the perfect thing to do with day or two old bread. Cut it into 1 inch cubes and throw them in a plastic baggie. Shake the bread cubes with a generous drizzle of olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder and oregano or parsley. Spread them on a baking sheet and bake on 350 until golden brown. (the only hard part is you can't get busy and forget to watch them like I did, below. Good thing I had extra bread!) Pull them out and let them cool and harden. These last for at least a week stored in a sealed plastic bag so you can use them all week in your salads.

 

Cut...

 

Toss...

 

Burn... oops. Don't be like me. Let's try that again.

 

Perfect.

 

Clearly the Croutons are the star of this Caesar Salad.

 

 

 

To make the semi-homeade Caesar salad above, slice some romaine lettuce, roast some garlic (wrap a head of garlic in tinfoil and bake at 350 for 45 min, cool, then peel), add some grilled chicken, homemade croutons, a slice of lemon and toss with your favorite Caesar dressing.

Apple Oatmeal Coffee Cake Muffins

I used to not be much of a baker. Something about measuring things precisely always intimidated me; I much preferred the creativity in cooking. But lately something has shifted. Somehow, I’ve found myself really enjoying following directions and always (almost) getting perfect results. Maybe I’m finally growing up.

The boys have started enjoying it too. They wake up on Saturday or Sunday mornings and ask me to make muffins, waffles, or banana bread. Ansen’s favorite was Amish Friendship Bread and I was really good about keeping a starter going for a while and then I finally failed at keeping it alive. So one morning when he woke up and asked for Friendship Bread, I had to break the news. No more friendship bread. But it got me looking through my Betty Crocker Cookbook for something Ansen would accept in its place and I found this amaze-ball recipe. I’ve made it several time since and I’m proud to say it has now taken the place of the Friendship Bread. And there’s no starter to babysit and keep cool but not too cool and massage/squash every day.

Apple Oatmeal Coffee Cake Muffins
(recipe from Betty Crocker)
Prep: 25 min; Bake: 20-25 Min for Muffins, 55 Min. for Cake

Ingredients
Oat-Streusel Topping (below)
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
¾ cup old-fashioned oats
½ cup stick butter, softened
1 cup buttermilk
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 large egg
1 ½ cups chopped apples (2 small)

Directions

1.      Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom and sides of two muffin tins (or for cake 9 x 9 x 2 inches)

2.      Prepare Oat-Streusel Topping; set aside

3.      Beat remaining ingredients except apples in large bowl with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in apples. Pour batter in muffin tins (3/4 full) or in pan. Sprinkle with topping.

4.      Bake 20-25 minutes for muffins or 55 minutes for cake until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Serve warm.

Oat-Streusel Topping

Ingredients 2 tablespoons butter, firm
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ cup old-fashioned oats

Directions

1.      Cut margarine into flour, brown sugar and cinnamon in medium bowl, using pastry blender or crisscrossing 2 knives until crumbly. Stir in oats.

 

 

 

 

 

 

How to Make Kale Salad

Kale is like, the most popular vegetable on the planet right now. If it could get an academy award it would. In fact, it deserves its own cover on People. Do you know why it’s so popular? Because it’s like, the best thing you could ever put in your body. But if you’re like most people, you might be wondering why you can’t jump on the kale bandwagon. What is it about this leafy green and purple that even tastes remotely good? I’m here to save the day and let you know there are lots of ways to make kale delicious—the easiest and one of the healthiest of which is to make a kale salad. And here’s how you do it.

1)      Grab a bushel of green or purple kale. I like to mix green and purple so I get one of each

2)      Wash

3)      Peel kale from the spines

4)      Mush kale all together on a cutting board and slice very thinly, as if you were making shredded iceberg lettuce (which has like, no nutritional value by the way)

5)      Put in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil

6)      Add the juice of half a lemon (or whole, depending on how much you’re making)

7)      Add course sea salt and pepper

8)      Take off your rings and get your hands in there. Massage that kale like you love it. Get the oil and lemon juice all up in those leaves. (This makes sure the kale is not dry and gross, and is a very important step in the process)

9)      Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese (freshly shaved is the best but as you see from my picture I used (gasp!) Kraft)

10)   To make a real meal out of it and be like an incredibly delicious restaurant my sister Linde takes me to in Reno called Campo, pile salad high on a plate and top with an over-medium fried egg. You have to trust me on this.
 

 

 

 

Other Kale Recipes on BATF:

Kale Recipes

Where's the Kale?

Vegan Kale Dish (and fantasy dessert)

All Kale Bacon!

Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Recipe

Obviously we love our Kale.

And, the top 10 reasons Kale is so damn good for you, according to www.mindbodygreen.com :

Kale is being called “the new beef”, “the queen of greens” and “a nutritional powerhouse.” Here are ten great benefits of adding more kale to your diet:

 

1. Kale is low in calorie, high in fiber and has zero fat. One cup of kale has only 36 calories, 5 grams of fiber and 0 grams of fat. It is great for aiding in digestion and elimination with its great fiber content. It’s also filled with so many nutrients, vitamins, folate and magnesium as well as those listed below.

 

2. Kale is high in iron. Per calorie, kale has more iron than beef. Iron is essential for good health, such as the formation of hemoglobin and enzymes, transporting oxygen to various parts of the body, cell growth, proper liver function and more.

 

3. Kale is high in Vitamin K. Eating a diet high in Vitamin K can help protect against various cancers. It is also necessary for a wide variety of bodily functions including normal bone health and the prevention of blood clotting. Also increased levels of vitamin K can help people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

 

4. Kale is filled with powerful antioxidants. Antioxidants, such as carotenoids and flavonoids help protect against various cancers.

 

5. Kale is a great anti-inflammatory food. One cup of kale is filled with 10% of the RDA of omega-3 fatty acids, which help, fight against arthritis, asthma and autoimmune disorders.

 

6. Kale is great for cardiovascular support. Eating more kale can help lower cholesterol levels.

 

7. Kale is high in Vitamin A. Vitamin A is great for your vision, your skin as well as helping to prevent lung and oral cavity cancers.

 

8. Kale is high in Vitamin C. This is very helpful for your immune system, your metabolism and your hydration.

 

9. Kale is high in calcium. Per calorie, kale has more calcium than milk, which aids in preventing bone loss, preventing osteoporosis and maintaining a healthy metabolism. Vitamin C is also helpful to maintain cartilage and joint flexibility

 

10. Kale is a great detox food. Kale is filled with fiber and sulfur, both great for detoxifying your body and keeping your liver healthy.

 

Holiday Side Dish: Butternut squash with pear, pecans & blue cheese

Here's Kirsten's delicious side dish!

For the side dish, I slightly adapted a recipe I found on Pinterest by adding pear. It just seemed like it needed a little something extra! This recipe comes together really quickly, especially if you prep the squash in advance. Enjoy & happy holidays!

Butternut squash with pear, pecans & blue cheese

(adapted from Nigella Express)

serves 6-8

4 1/2 cups butternut squash

4 pears

2 tablespoons olive oil

6 stalks fresh thyme

1 cup pecans

1 cup blue cheese

1. Preheat oven 425° F

2. Peel the squash, cut it half and scoop out the seeds. Cut the squash into 1-inch pieces. Cut the pears into 1-inch pieces.

3. Put the squash and pears into a roasting pan with oil and strip about 4 stalks of thyme of their leaves and sprinkle over. Roast for about 30-45 minutes or until tender.

4. Once out of the oven, remove to a bowl and scatter the pecans and crumble the cheese over top, tossing everything together gently.

5. Check the seasonings and add the last couple stalks of thyme, torn into small sprigs to decorate.

So yummy and festive! 

Holiday Appetizers: Apricots with basil-goat cheese and almonds & Pomegranate Avocado Salsa

The Beauties definitely know how to set a weekend agenda. Santa, please bring me another weekend filled with delicious food & drinks, and a full day at the spa, with a little dancing at the Brick thrown in for good measure.

I arrived late for the Christmas dinner feast, so I was glad my cooking responsibilities were limited to appetizers and a side dish, especially since I was mostly looking forward to catching up with the Beauties and enjoying Megan’s cocktails. I can vouch that these recipes didn’t require me to set down my drink for very long.  Thank goodness.

I discovered this recipe for an apricot appetizer in Sunset magazine and it has become one of my staples. The combo of savory/sweet + cheese is hard to turn down.

And what is there to say about the avocado salsa except it has avocado, so of course it’s decadent and amazing. Plus the addition of pomegranate makes it just about as festive as your favorite holiday sweater.

Apricots with basil-goat cheese and almonds (from Sunset magazine)

Makes 40 appetizers

4 ounces fresh goat cheese such as Laura Chenel, at room temperature

About 2 tsp. milk

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil

40 dried apricots

40 salted almonds, preferably Marcona

2 teaspoons honey

1. Mix together cheese, 2 tsp. milk, and basil with a wooden spoon until spreadable. Thin with more milk if necessary.

2. Spread a heaping 1/4 tsp. cheese on each apricot and top each with an almond.

3. Drizzle with honey.

Pomegranate Avocado Salsa

makes about 2 cups

1 small shallot, chopped

1 large avocado, diced

juice of one lime

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

1/2 cup pomegranate seeds

salt and pepper to taste

*If you like spicy foods, you could add a diced jalapeno to the mix!

Place chopped shallot, avocado, lime, and cilantro in a small bowl and stir to combine. Add pomegranate seeds and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Mandarin Orange Blue Cheese Salad

It’s pretty typical that all six of us don’t get together unless Megan is in town. She’s sort of like the Movie Star amongst us, flitting here and there on yachts, dining at places like Italy, Greece, and Aspen, and experiencing the beauty of a world the five of us could only imagine. Yes, she does have to work hard, clean up and prepare food for rich people, but to the rest of us being a stewardess on a yacht seems like a pretty glamorous life. So when she does make time in her schedule to come home to Washington State we can’t help ourselves but plan a big get-together complete with lots of laughter, trashy magazines, spa time, and what else…. Hmmm… it feels like I’m missing something here. Oh yeah! FOOD!

This year we decided to spend an evening preparing a Christmas Feast, to, um, do our followers a favor and help them with some recipe ideas. I know, we are so selfless. We do this ALL for you. I was in charge of the salad. Can you believe it? Just the salad! So since I felt like I’d gotten off a little easy this time around I knew it couldn’t be any old salad. Which is why I chose my most favorite salad of all time, originally posted by my cousin Beth Sobel. Mandarin Orange Blue Cheese Salad. It was perfect for a Christmas Feast. Light, citrusy, a bit creamy and a little crunchy and sweet. It was just what we needed.

 

Because we were waiting for our honorary Beauty, Kirsten (Megan’s childhood friend and fellow foodie), to arrive at the cabin on the shuttle, we thought we’d start the evening off with the salad. Here’s my simplified recipe of the original below. (And for the original recipe, complete with instructions on making your very own caramelized pecans, click here.)



Here's the final product, paired with Apple Cider Honey Bourbon. Recipe coming soon...

 

Mandarin Orange Blue Cheese Salad serves 8

2 large heads Lettuce, chopped small
2 cans Mandarin Oranges
½ cup Scallions, sliced
1 cup (or more) Blue Cheese crumbles
1 bag Emerald Glazed Pecans
½ cup Poppy Seed Dressing
½ cup to 1 cup orange juice

Directions
Add all salad ingredients into a big bowl. Combine Orange Juice and Poppy Seed Dressing together and mix well. Toss.

Rachel and me. Obviously very proud of the salad.

 

 

 

"I hate when you are doing something and you think 'isn't there someone you can pay to do this?'  And you realize you are the person being paid to do this. My glamorous life!" - Megan Crosby

 

 

Red Beans and Rice

I’ve always wanted to make a red beans and rice type recipe that you hear all about from New Orleans.  The only trouble is I have children that won’t eat the spice and I am not a big fan of meat.  How do you accommodate the family?  Well here is what I came up with and I did the user-friendly Slow Cooker version.

In a skillet on Medium heat cook the:

Onion

Green Pepper

3-4 cloves of Garlic (garlic in everything for Rachel)

Trader Joe’s 21 Season Salute  or other spice favorites

(This is also where you would throw in some spicy cayenne pepper if you didn’t have kids.)

6 Chicken Sausages sliced up (or you could use the veggie dog substitute)

Throw the heated mix into your Slow Cooker along with the red beans.  (I used 2 cans but some better cooks soak their beans overnight.)  I also added 2 cups of cooked brown rice at this point, while others like to put their mix over the rice at serving time.

Very important!  Add 2+ cups of water (you could substitute broth) so it can simmer together.  I would add more depending on how long you are going to keep it in the Crockpot.

I’m sure my version doesn’t compare to the spicy, ham soaked original but I felt good about feeding my children something healthy and hot for the evening (plus you throw cheddar cheese on anything and they'll eat it!)  Those are the only two requirements.  The next night we ate leftovers (good with tortillas) after another full day of curriculum night, Walk a Thon, and work.

Here is a picture of Mason on the first night after a full day of school, piano lessons, soccer practice, and now eating standing up while doing homework.  This is the kind of month we are having.  I never thought I would be the family or mom that is signed up for everything.  We only do one sport at a time but things tend to all pile into one time/day and you end up saying yes to everything because you want things to go well for your children and follow through with your commitments.  I’ll let you know how that theory works out for me in the next year.

Roasted Cauliflower with Date Syrup

We were called out this month by Girl Has Thyme. Yes we've been slackers and yes you may get an influx of "ethnic" recipes before September wraps up!

This is a recipe from the Calilee Cooking School in Israel that was in Bon Appetit. And I need to state right off the bat, I didn't find date syrup, nor did I spend much time looking for it, but molasses worked as a great substitute. I told my mom I needed an "ethnic" recipe for this month and as she was browsing through her cooking magazines she suggested this one. I'm a big fan because I'm always looking for new exciting vegetable dishes (sometimes the same ol' salad every night just gets old) and this is a cool recipe because it can be served as an appetizer or side dish. It would go really well with Missy's piroshky recipe!

Roasted Cauliflower with Date Syrup

From Bon Appetit 

Ingredients: 

1 head of cauliflower (about 2 lb.), cored and broken into florets (I just bought a bag from Costco) 

2 tablespoons olive oil plus more for drizzling (I used coconut oil)  

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)

2 tablespoons (or more) date syrup or dark honey (I used molasses) 

2 teaspoons (or more) fresh lemon juice

Sea salt

 

  Directions

• Preheat oven to 500°. Place cauliflower on a baking sheet and toss with 2 Tbsp. olive oil or coconut oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast, tossing occasionally, until browned in spots and tender, about 20 minutes.
• Transfer cauliflower to a serving platter. Drizzle tahini and date syrup over. Sprinkle 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice over. Season to taste with sea salt. Drizzle with more olive oil and lemon juice, if desired.