I Can Haz Baking?

CHALLAH!!!

... oh yes, I can.

Over the weekend, I was feeling... puny. Weak. All around 'not myself'. By the time Sunday evening rolled around, well, I was wiped.

... and then I felt it.

A hankering for a hunk of challah.

If you haven't had challah (pronounced: HALL-uh) bread before, it is a  loaf of yeast-risen egg bread that is traditionally eaten by Jews on Shabbat, on ceremonial occasions and during festival holidays. Slightly sweeter than other breads, it is also a braided bread... meaning anywhere from 2 - 6 'strands' of dough are braided or twisted together to make this Awesome Loaf of Coolness. Or Hotness, if fresh from the oven.

I decided to make a honey and herb challah loaf, because that just seemed like a great idea, and it was. It really, really was. The soft sweetness of the honey melted through the lemony thyme and fragrant dill, and the little bit of sage I added made the entire kitchen smell like a holiday in the woods.

Braiding the dough was surprisingly easy! The hardest part of the process (aside from using a baby's medical thermometer and praying to the Carb Gods that the water for the yeast wasn't over 110 degrees F because, guess what?!, baby thermometers don't go above a 105) was rolling the three lumps of dough into equal strands. That's it. Then it's just a simple game of pinch/braid/repeat!

This was my first time baking bread on my own. I really enjoyed it!

Here's the recipe I used, with my modifications in italics:  

2 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1/2 cup honey
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 tablespoon salt
8 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons each fresh thyme, dill and sage, chopped

1. In a large bowl, sprinkle yeast over barely warm water. Beat in honey, oil, 2 eggs, and salt. Add the flour one cup at a time, beating after each addition, graduating to kneading with hands as dough thickens. Knead until smooth and elastic and no longer sticky, adding flour as needed. Cover with a damp clean cloth and let rise for 1 1/2 hours or until dough has doubled in bulk.
2. Punch down the risen dough and turn out onto floured board. Divide in half and knead each half for five minutes or so, adding flour as needed to keep from getting sticky. Divide each half into thirds and roll into long snake about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Pinch the ends of the three snakes together firmly and braid from middle. Either leave as braid or form into a round braided loaf by bringing ends together, curving braid into a circle, pinch ends together. Grease two baking trays and place finished braid or round on each. Cover with towel and let rise about one hour.
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
4. Beat the remaining egg and brush a generous amount over each braid. Sprinkle with poppy seeds if desired.
5. Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for about 40 minutes. Bread should have a nice hollow sound when thumped on the bottom. Cool on a rack for at least one hour before slicing.

What "Spring" tastes like

Oh, I so wish I could take credit for this (insanely simple) dish... and I guess I could, but I don't want to risk the wrath of the Karmic Food Police.

 

My grandma, Karol, lived in Westport, Washington for about three or four years while I was growing up... something that, even while short in duration, I still look back on as one of the best memories of my childhood. Grandma had a good-sized garden plot in her backyard, somewhere between her barn-turned-house (really!) and the horse ring, that had everything from tomatoes to sugar snap peas and more... but, honestly, my brain kind of stalls out after the sugar snap peas. I remember sitting on the back steps with my sister and processing a giant bucket of the verdant, crisp bites of nature.

... peel, open, skim 'em out.
... peel, open, skim 'em out.

We would usually discard the pods, so I was more than welcome to help myself to what I considered the best part.

Here's a recipe from Simply Recipes that I absolutely recommend that you make. Tonight. Or now.

Seared Sugar Snap Peas Recipe

• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: 10 minutes

Almost all the prep time in this recipe is taking the strings off the sugar peas. Once you have that done, the rest is easy.

Add to shopping list

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 pound sugar snap peas, strings removed
• 3-4 scallions or green onions, sliced on the diagonal
• Salt
• A pinch of sugar
• Zest of a lemon
• 3 Tbsp chopped fresh mint
• Black pepper to taste
• Lemon juice to taste

Method

1 Heat a large sauté pan on high heat for 1 minute. Add the olive oil to the hot pan and heat it until it shimmers, about 1-2 minutes. Add the sugar peas and toss to coat with the oil. Sprinkle salt over them and toss again. Allow to cook, undisturbed, for 1 minute.
2 Add the green onions and sprinkle with a pinch of sugar. Toss to combine. Let cook for 1 minute. Toss and cook untouched again, this time leaving everything undisturbed for 2 minutes.
3 Turn off the heat, mix in the lemon zest and mint, then add black pepper and lemon juice to taste. Serve at once.
Yield: Serves 4-6.

The Joys of Jiffy

Sometimes, you just need carbs.

Oh, I know we may claim to be over the KILLALLTHECARBS fad of the late '90s/early 2000's, but you and I both know that there is still a hefty side of guilt served up with every portion of carb-heavy food we nosh on.

Well, last night I was faced with the Working Mommy's Dilemma. After an eternity in the office, a killer commute home, and two little boys who thought "sleep" was more of a suggestion than a requirement, I found myself head-tilting at the clock on the oven as it blinked "9:27". My stomach growled. Man-Mate's stomach growled.

... and I was out of ideas.
A FIRST!!!

Luckily, I always (and I do, truly, mean always) keep boxes - plural - of Jiffy Corn Muffin mix in my pantry.

Oh, the joy...

Just seeing its cute, Americana packaging made me smile... and made my stomach growl, again, prompting me to hurry it up, already! as into the refrigerator I peered. Below is the resulting recipe - I hope you'll try it the next time you have an exhaustion/carb attack!

Smokey Cheddar & Cracked Pepper Corn Muffins

Ingredients

Two (2) packages of Jiffy Corn Muffin mix
Two (2) eggs
2/3 cup  - milk
1/2 TS - liquid smoke
1 1/2 cup - sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Black pepper grinder (no measurement here, do it to taste)
Kosher salt, to taste

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 400 F.
• Grease or paper-line a 12-count muffin tin
• In a medium mixing bowl, add the corn muffin mix, eggs, milk, liquid smoke, and 1/2 cup of cheese
• Stir to combine
• **Don't over-mix - you don't want glue. Some lumps are okay.
• Let the dough rest 3 - 4 minutes, then stir one more time
• Spoon in the dough to about halfway in each muffin cup
• Sprinkle the remaining cup of cheese equally over each portion
• Grind black pepper over each portion, to taste
• **I like to, you know, actually taste the black pepper, so I set it to a medium-grind and do about 3-4 turns per portion... probably coming out to 1/4 tsp. 
• Spoon remaining dough over each portion
• Sprinkle each with a pinch of kosher salt
• Bake at 400 F for 15 - 18 minutes, or until golden brown

Mid-Spring Spice-n-Rice

Between the fickle, on-again-off-again Seattle spring weather and a baby who, at 38 weeks, seems disinclined to acquiesce to any requests to leave the womb, I figured it was time for a little spice. Who knows? Maybe it would send some cosmic spark out into the world (and, in turn, my uterus) and start a little warmth.

The menu last night consisted of things that weren't necessarily seasonal - as is still my goal of this here blog-o-food - but, as I was thinking about it, the ingredients weren't entirely anti-seasonal, either. I think it was more of a "staple" dinner; things that we usually have in our pantries and refrigerators anyway, so why not use them up?

Mid-Spring Spice-n-Rice menu
Spicy Citrus Meatballs, Rice, and C&C Honey Cornbread

Spicy Citrus Meatballs
Ingredients
1 family-sized package of frozen meatballs
1 1/2 cup Johnny's Jamaican Me Crazy marinade
1 cup orange juice
3/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup water
3 Tbs brown sugar
2 Tbs cinnamon sugar

Directions
Place frozen meatballs in a 2 - 3 qt, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat.
Add marinade, orange juice, and ketchup and cover for 10 minutes allowing the sauce to come to a boil.
Stir gently, and add brown sugar before turning the heat down to medium-low, cover, and let simmer for 10 minutes.
Add cinnamon sugar, stir, and serve

Rice
Ingredients/Directions
Prepare rice as you typically would. For a family of four adults and one toddler - and planning on leftovers to make rice pudding with the next day - I use at least two cups of rice, four cups of water, and 2 tsp salt. I've found that Jasmine rice is the best all-around rice, but Basmati is also great! Bring the rice and water to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring regularly. When it comes to a boil, turn the heat down to a simmer, cover, and let stand for 18 - 22 minutes. Fluff with a fork, and serve.

C&C Honey Cornbread
Ingredients
1 box Krusteaz Natural Honey Cornbread mix (any honey cornbread mix will work)
1 egg
2/3 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 Tbs fresh cracked pepper
2 tsp salt
1 chipotle bouillon cube (find these in the ethnic food aisle)


Directions
Follow the directions on the box for preheating (400 degrees F.) and adding the first four ingredients
Evenly scatter the shredded cheese and stir into the batter before adding pepper and salt
Crush the chipotle bouillon cube in your hand, and mix into the batter
Follow the directions on the box for baking, depending on the pan/muffin tins you decide to use, let cool for 5 minutes, and serve.
(I buttered an 8x8 metal pan, which I've dubbed "The Cornbread Pan" since I've only ever used it for such, and baked the mix for 27 minutes.)


Start-to-finish, this dinner took 35 minutes and, even better (!), will provide dessert for tonight in the form of rice pudding. Sometimes, it pays not to plan!

Behind the scenes of Recipe-ville...

In order to give you some insight into who I am, aside from Cooker O' The Food, I decided to fill out one of the numerous personality surveys flitting around Facebook.

Read, enjoy, and prosper!

State your name for the record:
Krystal Ann (Pennington) Bishop... of which "Bishop" is used more than "Krystal", and usually of my own accord. What can I say? I have the hots for my husband, and his last name is cooler than my first name.


Identify your gender:
Mommy. (Which is to say "gender neutral" or, more accurately, "gender non-important".) (Although, given that I am, in fact, a mother... I guess it means that I have girl parts, which would lead me to believe that I am, or was at some time, female.)


Please state your birthdate:
Way Earlier Than Anyone Should Ever Have To Be Awake Unless They Are Bringing Me Coffee A.M. on October 20th, 1983.


Identify your place of birth:
Bethesda, Maryland... along with about 1.3 billion other Navy brats whose maternal units also played "Follow The Soldier".


Where do you live?
I am always fearful of this question; not for the ever-so-complex answer of "just south of Seattle, Washington", but because I can never seem to stop singing Seattle's praises and am, therefor, convinced that the overpopulation of every major and minor suburb of my amazing city is my direct fault.


Hair and eyes:
My current hair color is my favorite yet - a reddish brown (or brownish red?) that I owe entirely to my friend, Lyndsey, for her every-6-weeks battle against the black that it first presented itself. My eyes are kind of slutty, switching colors from blue to gray to hazel, depending on light refraction and blah-blah-blah... but are usually a blue-gray.


What is your preferred OS?
I love me some PCs. Like nerd-father, like nerd-daughter.


Do you use a mouse pad? How about a screen saver?
At work, a mouse pad is a must. Well, I suppose I could toss it... but then what would collect the different sugar flakes from my morning tasties? Nothing, that's what. At home, I use my effectively outdated laptop sans mouse. My screensavers are bubbles, always. 


What is your favorite color?
Blood red is a constant... it's just so damn pretty. Ooh, and that green-blue, hazy color that the water gets right before a storm; I'm fond of that one, too (just, apparently, not enough to actually figure out a name).


What is your favorite hobby?
Until I can find a way to read obsessively and cook new recipes at the same time (without singeing my arm hair again), the two are tied.


What are your favorite TV shows?
Between Jeopardy, Wipe Out, and anything ever seen on The Food Network, I'm fairly set in my ways. Now, if they would just bring back Gilmore Girls...


What is your favorite smell?
Wood fires. Baking bread. Vanilla and salt water, together. My husband when he has been working with metal all day. My son after a bath. Way too many 'dirtied vanilla' scents to list.


What is the best feeling in the world?
A coffee buzz while smelling a new book.


What is the worst feeling in the world?
Holding my son down while the nurse sticks him with a needle, and seeing that look of total betrayal in his tear-filled eyes.


What are your favorite things to do on the weekends?
Read, eat while reading, read about cooking things to eat, cook, snuggle, Seattle (it's a verb now, thanks), and write.


What is one vain thing about yourself of which you are proud?
With the (much needed) help of weight loss surgery in 2006, I've lost over 185 lbs of "oh, that's just not healthy"/"Ick"/"life-stealing fat"... and now I have curves instead of rolls. Okay... there are still some rolls...


What is your ultimate vacation spot?
Disneyland still wins this title for me, as it is the only place I have been to that has allowed me to completely, totally immerse all of my senses in a fantasy world.


What is the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning?
How my son managed to get into that particular sleeping position... and why it took me so long to notice his knee in my right eye.


Do you get motion sickness?
Oddly enough, only during my period. Please don't ever call it "that time of the month", or apply other pithy sayings meant to cover up what is, duh, a medical necessity for the survival of our kind. You may, however, call it "THE CURSE FROM THE BOWELS OF HELL", if you'd like.


Pen or pencil?
Unless I'm doing some mathematical problem (read: a gun is to my head and someone is holding my family hostage), I use a pen. A blue pen, preferably. If I am working on a story, however, I will probably be typing.


How many rings before you answer the phone?
I guess it depends on how much I like my current ringtone. I've been known to let someone call and call... and call... because the song that plays as a result of their need to contact me is just too damn catchy. (Probably not the nicest thing to do, though... sorry.)


What are your favorite foods?
Fresh seafood (especially Dungeness crab, red snapper, mussels, scallops, and Copper River salmon), Thai peanut sauce, fresh baked bread with butter and honey, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, creme brule, nacho cheese sauce (with little-to-no real cheese involved), Doritos, deep-fried Twinkies, gravies, quiche, and coffee. It IS a food.


What is your number one pet peeve?
Any form of a superiority complex.


Do you sleep with stuffed animals?
As my 2 1/2 year old son is currently - and for the foreseeable future-ly - occupying the bed I share with my husband, we have two incarnations of Bobo, the monkey. One has a microchip with our voices saying something sappy, imbedded in his left leg... the other has Velcro on his hands so that he can 'hug' you. Both are Bobo, and both end up under my head as makeshift pillow-adjustments.


If you could have any job you wanted, what would it be?
I would be a multi-published author, and co-owner/operator/cook-person of a cafe.


What is on your bedroom walls?
An insanely creepy felt picture covering a gaping hole, and a cork board with outdated pictures of family and friends. Oh, and cat hair, because that stuff gets EVERYWHERE.


What are your favorite movies?
The Princess Bride, Zombieland, Hot Fuzz, episodes 4 - 6 of Star Wars, The Notebook, Fantasia, Cinderella, and anything NOT starring one SpongeBob SquarePants.


What's under your bed?
Small pieces of luggage, a few socks, broken glass from a middle-of-the-night-meatloaf-sandwich-craving-gone-wrong, a Brobee doll, and my husband's wedding suit in a garment bag.


What is your favorite number?
Twenty.


Marvel or DC?
Marvel, hands down... even though my favorite villianess (Poison Ivy) is a DC girl.


What one thing do you wish more people already knew?
How to drive in the rain. It's not as hard as you make it out...

Feelin' Quiche-y

 

... as if one slice would ever be enough

Sometimes, you just want to drown your sorrows in a plate of food.
When those 'sometimes' roll around, it's best to (1) step back from the ledge, (2) put down the box of Mac & Cheese, and (3) think 'swimsuit season' before giving yourself a mental shake, and heading to your fridge for reinforcements!

Yesterday was one of my 'sometimes', and THANK GOD I have being 31 weeks pregnant to blame it on. Another thing to be thankful for? An abundance of culinary odds-n-ends in my fridge and cabinets! I instantly knew what I wanted to make... and make it I did.

Ladies & Gentlemen... 

Scrappy Sunday Quiche

Ingredients
4 cloves of garlic, unpeeled
2 Tbsp butter, divided
Pinch of salt
5 eggs
1 1/2 c. heavy cream
1/4 c. 2% milk
1 c. mozzarella & provolone cheese blend, shredded
1 1/4 c. medium cheddar cheese, shredded
1 Tbsp black pepper
4 tsp salt, divided
1 Tbsp hot sauce
1 Tbsp dill
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 small, sweet onion (or 1/2 large) like Walla Walla or Texas Sweet, chopped large (1'' pieces or so)
6 thin asparagus stalks (or 3 large), sliced on the bias
2 Tbsp lemon pepper
1/4 c. Marsala wine
6 oz. ham, chopped into 1'' cubes (or smaller)
3 green onions, chopped
2 frozen pie shells

Directions
1. Place unpeeled garlic on a square of aluminum foil, and top with 1 Tbsp of butter, and a pinch of salt. Make into a pouch, and place in the oven on 400 F. while preparing the quiche.
2. Combine eggs, cream, milk, cheeses, black pepper, 2 tsp salt, hot sauce and dill in a large bowl. Whisk to thoroughly combine, then set aside.
3. Heat vegetable oil and remaining butter in a medium skillet over medium heat, and add onion. Saute for five minutes before adding the asparagus, lemon pepper, and remaining salt, then saute another three to five minutes until the asparagus starts to soften.
4. Add the Marsala, and turn the heat up to Medium-High to reduce the liquid.
5. Remove the garlic from the oven, and turn the oven down to 350 F. Open the aluminum foil to allow the garlic to cool.
6. Once the liquid has reduced in the pan, divide the onions and asparagus between the two frozen pie shells, being sure to spread the ingredients around evenly.
7. Divide the cubed ham between the two pie shells, reserving ~12 cubes for the topping.
8. Remove the garlic from its skin, and finely chop before adding to each of the pie shells.
9. Divide the egg and cheese mixture between the two pie shells.Top with the reserved cubes of ham and the green onions.
10. Bake in the oven for 50 - 60 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a knife comes out clean when inserted in the middle.

Krystal's "Screw you, winter!" dinner

The Reason:
Winter has reigned long enough. With spring starting tomorrow (THANKYOUSWEETLORDJESUS), and an abundance of produce from Full Circle Farm at my disposal, what better reason to throw together a new recipe?


The Menu:
Caribbean Tilapia with Carrots and Onions
Parmesan and Sweet Onion Couscous
Winter Must Die punch


The Ingredients and Directions:
Caribbean Tilapia with Carrots and Onions
Ingredients:
1/2 cup - apricot & pineapple preserves
1/2 cup - Johnny's "Jamaican Me Sweet Hot & Crazy" marinade (found at Costco)
1 1/2 cup - tropical fruit juice (I used a guava/pineapple/peach/passion fruit/banana blend)
1/2 cup - Yoshiba's Sweet Teriyaki sauce
1/4 cup - soy sauce
3 tbsp - agave nectar
4 frozen tilapia loins, thawed (also found at Costco)
4 medium-sized carrots, chopped to 1'' pieces
1/2 of a large, Walla Wall onion, also in 1'' pieces
3 cloves of garlic, minced
4 thin slices of lemon
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. To make the marinade, combine first six ingredients in a small mixing bowl and whisk together.
3. Place tilapia, carrots, onions, and garlic in a large, Ziploc freezer bag, and pour marinade over them.
4. Marinate for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
5. Place tilapia in a 13x9''  baking dish, place one slice of lemon on each, and (using a slotted spoon), place marinated vegetables around the fish.
6. Cover with foil, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil, return to oven, and bake an additional 10 minutes until fish is flaky.

Parmesan and Sweet Onion Couscous
Ingredients:
2 boxes of Parmesan couscous (found at Safeway or other main grocery stores)
2 1/2 cups of broth (I used 2 cups of vegetable broth and 1/2 cup of chicken broth)
5 tbsp - butter, divided 2:3 (I used a Red Chile, Shallot and Lime compound butter that I had made)
1/2 of a large Walla Walla onion, diced fine
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbsp - lemon pepper
2 tbsp - salt
3 tbsp - agave nectar
Directions:
1. Prepare couscous according to package directions, using stock in place of water, and increasing the butter to 2 tbsp.
2. Saute the remaining ingredients in a medium, non-stick skillet until the onions are translucent.
3. Add the onions and garlic to the couscous, and stir to combine.

Winter Must Die punch
**I only made one glass, but it's amazing... so, multiply the ingredients by however many people you will be serving.**
Ingredients:
1/2 of one lemon, plus two slices
4 ice cubes
8 oz - tropical juice blend
8 oz - orange, pineapple, banana juice
Directions:
1. Place two ice cubes in the bottom of a tall glass, then the two slices of lemon, then the remaining two ice cubes.
2. Squeeze the 1/2 of one lemon into the glass, and add the rind to the glass as well.
3. Add the tropical fruit juice blend.
4. Add the orange/pineapple/banana juice.
5. Stir, add straw, sip, and shake your fist at winter.

Too Busy to Shop?

Yes... I've been a bad, bad blogging foodie/mommy/wife/worker/student/cook/daughter-in-law/friend... it's been THREE MONTHS since my last post!

I am... ashamed.

But I'm back on the wagon!

Today, I was reading a blog entry by the insanely talented crab & bee on their CSA delivery. Ok, so it's more like a few words and a couple of pictures... but the produce in those pictures? Fan-tab-u-lous. My fingers started twitching as I imagined the fun I would have at looking up recipes to try out on my poor, unsuspecting family.

What is a CSA?
'CSA' stands for "Community Supported Agriculture", and is a way to not only provide a steady supply of  local, entirely seasonal produce to your family, but to support your local farmers.
Two Birds? Meet my friend, One Stone.

How do you get the goods?
In the case of the farm I'm buying through - Full Circle Farms (Carnation, WA) - you have the option of scheduling a weekly/biweekly home delivery, or picking up from a specified location near you. Typically, it costs a little less to go the pick-up route but, for convenience sake (HEY... I'm 7 months pregnant with Boy #2, okay??), I'm going with the home delivery.

What ARE the goods?
Depending on the farm, you can get a wide variety of seasonal produce (veggies, fruit, and herbs), as well as some 'extras'; things like eggs, milk, and (my husband's favorite) freshly slaughtered animal (meat, people). Need an example of what is available? Here you go...:

Basil

Beans (Dry)

Beans (Green)

Beets

Berries

Bok Choy

Braising Mix

Broccoli

Brussels Sprouts

Cabbage

Carrots

Celery

Celeriac

Chards (Swiss)

Chicories  (Escarole and Frisee)

Collard Greens

Corn

Cucumbers

Dandelion Greens

Eggplant

Fennel

Greens  (Arugula and Mizuna)

Herbs

Kale

Leeks

Lettuce, Head

Lettuce, Baby Heads

Melons

Mustard Greens

Onions

Parsnips

Parsley

Peas

Peppers

Potatoes

Radicchio

Radish

Salad Mix

Scallions

Spinach

Summer Squash

Sunchoke

Tomatillos

Tomatoes

Purple-Top Turnips

Winter Squash

Not bad, huh?

Why go the CSA-route?
Ever since my husband and I participated in our first crop-share - Whistling Train Farms (Kent, WA) - this last September to December, I've been looking for more opportunities to cook for my family. Sounds simple enough, doesn't it?
Monday: Dinner
Tuesday: Dinner
Wednesday: Dinner... you get the point.
The issue isn't what meal to make, but what ingredients to use. I am still determined to only use seasonal vegetables and fruits, unless they're frozen - some of the frozen produce out there has as many, if not MORE, nutrients in it than their fresh cousins in the produce aisle. In the two months since our winter farm share ended, I've found myself growing a taaaaaaad apathetic when it comes to our evening meal. By knowing that you've paid (or are currently paying) for produce for a set amount of time (average is about 10 weeks), it puts more pressure to actually USE what you're paying for. Not only that, but supporting the local farmers of your community seems like something that would earn you some pretty hefty karma points...

Christmas Tree Soup

The only thing I love more than participating in a holiday tradition is creating a new one - whether intentionally, or completely by accident. Last night was probably one of the best "accidental tradition creations" I've ever had!

While my mother-in-law and husband were out looking for a Christmas tree (in lovely Seattle-rain fashion), I dove head-first into my first pureed soup, with all the vegetables coming from our weekly farm share! It was a little daunting, I admit, when I was trying to figure out what I wanted the main flavor to be; Did I want to go exotic? Spicy? Ginger-y? Sweet? Did I want to do as my father-in-law not-so-subtly hinted at and add meat and, if so, what kind? What do I serve with it? Should I leave any texture to the soup and, if so, how much and with what? Will the food processor do a good enough job, or will this come out looking like semi-solid baby food?

As it turns out, I needn't have worried. The mix of vegetables in and of themselves were amazing, and lent a lot of flavor to the soup just by roasting them... and the vegetable stock and wine that I used were perfect. *sigh*

So, here's the final recipe that I came up with while my husband showed our almost two year old son what struggling with Christmas trees looks like:

Ingredients
1 acorn squash
6 medium carrots, peeled
1 large turnip, peeled
1 medium beet, peeled
1 small head of garlic, peeled
Canola oil
Salt and pepper
2 Tbs butter
1 large yellow onion
2 Tbs salt
2 tsp dried ginger
1 Tbs dried sage
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp nutmeg
pinch of red pepper flake
1 tsp chipotle hot sauce
1/2 cup red wine
3 cups of vegetable stock
2 red potatoes, peeled
1/2 cup of heavy cream

Method
Preheat the oven to 415 degrees
Chop the squash, carrots, turnips and beet into roughly the same size chunks, and place on a cookie sheet along with the peeled garlic (leaving the cloves whole).
Drizzle with the Canola oil, and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.
Roast in the oven for 10 minutes (if you have a "speed back" option, 15 - 20 if you don't).
Meanwhile, finely chop the onion and saute in the butter on medium high in a medium, heavy-bottomed soup pot, adding the spices once the onion has begun to soften.
Take the vegetables out of the oven, and turn them over for even roasting.
Turn the heat on the spiced onions down to medium-low, and sweat for 5 minutes.
Add the wine and chicken stock to the onions, stirring quickly to get the browned bits off the bottom of the pot.
Chop the potatoes into roughly 1'' pieces, and add to the pot, increasing the heat to high. Boil for 5 - 10 minutes, or until mostly tender.
Remove the vegetables from the oven, and place in the food processor and pulse until they all are mixed together fairly well, then add the potatoes and some of the onions from the pot. (It's okay if some of the liquid from the pot gets in to the vegetables.) Pulse together well, until a fairly smooth texture is achieved; you may need to scrape the sides of the processor bowl on occasion.
Carefully add the pureed vegetables to the liquid in the pot, and stir to combine with the liquid.
Once combined, add the heavy cream and taste for seasoning.
Serve while hot!

Serving Suggestions
I made cornbread muffins, which were excellent alongside this soup. You could really serve any kind of bread, although sourdough might be a bit heavy.

Holiday Potluck? I'm in!

Sunday saw the return of the New Hope Ministries Annual Pre-Thanksgiving Potluck... and the return of my favorite, guilty pleasure... Stove Top Stuffing, in a Costco-sized box. Oh, the glory...

Unfortunately, it also meant the return to my yearly contribution - Jello salad. Now, let me get this out in the open: No matter what I do to this creature, it comes out tasting amazing. Yes... I AM that good! However, my attempts at making it in a nice, pretty mold have failed miserably.

2008: I forgot to put it in the fridge. I was 8 months pregnant... that's my excuse.

2009: My husband tried to remove the mold before it was ready - even after telling him "IT'S NOT READY!" - and guess what landed on the floor?

2010: It was perfect! The jello came out of the mold without a hitch, and landed just sliiiiightly off-center on the serving tray. I was ready to let it go, but a friend of mine tried to help... and the whole thing broke apart. *sigh* Well, that's why I made a second, smaller one! That one didn't break, and stayed gorgeous.

Drama aside, here's the recipe (as I fiddled with it, at least):

Sparkling Jello Salad

INGREDIENTS
1 box of Raspberry Jello
1 box of Berry Fusion Jello (Blackberry would also work)
2 cups of raspberries
1 cup of canned mandarin oranges (the sweetness is needed, so definitely used canned)
4 cups of water
4 cups of Ginger Ale, very cold

DIRECTIONS
Heat the water to boiling in a medium pot.
In a large bowl, add the boiling water to the jello and stir for 2 minutes to fully combine.
Add the Ginger Ale, but only stir ONCE - this will keep all the sparkly bubbles intact
Pour into your jello mold of choice, or leave in the bowl
    - I had to use one large mold, and one small.
Add the raspberries and mandarin oranges, scattering around the jello evenly
Refrigerate for 4 hours, until fully set

Late Summer Blueberry Crumble

What's better than gobbling down handful after handful of fresh blueberries? How about picking them yourself, sneaking a few (okay... a LOT from the bucket as you go), and watching your toddler do the same! 

My Grandpa BoBo (term of endearment, I swear) lives on a blueberry farm in Olympia, Washington. Every summer, as kids, we would drive down and spend a day... or two... picking as many blueberries as we could. Grandpa would then weight them - the bigger berries, the better, though! - and pay us for our labor. Of course... all of the smoked salmon, hot peppers, and various blueberry dishes were payment enough for me!


This summer, my husband and I took our 20 month-old son down to the farm with the rest of my family for a supremely glorious late-summer afternoon of berry picking. Not only did we find THE BEST blueberries ever, but we got to catch up with my parents, siblings, nieces and nephews, while sharing some of my past with our little guy. It was awesome. 


Here is a recipe - adapted as noted - that I found on AllRecipes.com, thanks to my iPhone's "AllRecipes Dinner Spinner" app. I made it last night, and it's already half-gone...

Late Summer Blueberry Crumble Bars

Late Summer Blueberry Crumble Bars Recipe
(Adapted from AllRecipes)
Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar (plus extra 1/2 cup for blueberries)
• I used 1/2 cup white and 1/2 cup light brown for extra flavor (and 1/4 cup white, 1/4 cup brown for the blueberries)
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 Tbsp. nutmeg
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract (plus 1 tsp. for the blueberries)
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 4 cups fresh blueberries (frozen is fine - it's what I used and prefer, as they hold their shape better)
• 3 Tbsp. cornstarch
• Enough cinnamon sugar for dusting

Method:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9×13 inch pan (I used cooking spray - worked great!).
In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup sugar, 3 cups flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking powder.  Use a  pastry cutter to blend in the butter, egg and vanilla. Dough will be crumbly. Pat half of dough into the prepared pan so that the entire bottom is covered and one, even layer.
In another bowl, stir together the sugar, vanilla, and cornstarch. Gently mix in the blueberries. Sprinkle the blueberry mixture evenly over the crust. Crumble remaining dough over the berry layer. Dust the crumble with cinnamon sugar.
Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until top is slightly brown. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

Review:
This was my first ever Crumble! My mom made them every summer when we were kids, so I knew I loved them, but the thought that I could make one of my own never entered my head. This recipe fit in immensely well with my "Eat Seasonally" mantra, and it also was low-egg... something that I have to be careful of with my son's egg allergy. It stays moist, but has a flaky, crumbly top (go figure, right?), and would loan itself to many different fruits. I'm already contemplating a strawberry-chocolate version...

Bring on the Zuc!

Have zucchini you can't get rid of?
(Well, first, give me some!)
Need a refreshing summer-time recipe, perfect for the not-so-hot Seattle days of August-September?

All credit for this recipe goes to SimplyRecipes.com... and to Google, for magically delivering it to me on my iGoogle homepage this morning.

Spicy Zucchini Soup Recipe

If you are using extra large zucchini, scoop out and discard the seeds first. And if the skin is thick or tough, peel it and discard the peels.

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 jalapeno chile (seeds, stems and ribs removed), chopped
• 3 chopped garlic cloves
• 2 pounds chopped zucchini (skin on)
• 1 1/2 cups chopped day-old bread
• 3 cups chicken broth (use vegetable broth for vegetarian option)
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• Salt
• Pepper

Method

1 Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and jalapeno chile and sauté for 4-5 minutes until the onions are translucent, but not browned. Add the garlic and zucchini and sauté for another 3-4 minutes, stirring often. Sprinkle with salt.
2 Add the bread, broth, and water, and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 20 minutes.
3 Remove from heat. Add the mint and cilantro (if using). Purée in a blender or food processor until smooth, working in batches if necessary. Or use an immersion blender.
4 Return the soup to the pot. Add the lemon juice, and salt, and pepper to taste.
Garnish with lemon wedges and sprigs of mint or cilantro.
Serve hot or chilled. Keeps for a week in the fridge.

Serves 4.

Hot Weather = Cool Food

Seattle's summer came late, as usual... arriving on July 5th. With it, a mini heat-wave has descended upon our green city, leading me to bring out any/all warm weather recipes for my family that I can find.

Your local supermarket can be pretty hit-or-miss when it comes to finding local and/or seasonal produce... heavy on the "miss" if you're completely honest. A lot of the stuff you'll find in there has been shipped across the country (or the world), frozen, or packed full of preservative and/or pesticides. Then there are those rare moments when... *insert choir of angels singing here*... you luck out.

Last night was my lucky night!

I stopped by Safeway on the way home, and they had the biggest, freshest, most AMAZING watermelons I have ever seen! Already wanting to try out a recipe for watermelon & cucumber salad, I was able to form an entire meal around this delectable treat... and my family LOVED it!

Last night's dinner:

 - Hawaiian-style baked Tilapia
 - Watermelon & Cucumber Salad
 - Corn on the Cob

1. Hawaiian-style baked Tilapia

5 frozen Tilapia loins, thawed
1 TS salt
1/4 c. Soyaki Sauce (Trader Joe's)

Preheat the oven to 400 (F). Spray a nonstick baking sheet with cooking spray, and lay out the Tilapia. Sprinkle with salt, then pour the Soyaki marinade over the fish. Bake, uncovered, for 35 minutes or until the fish is nice and flaky.

... isn't that EASY?!

2. Watermelon & Cucumber Salad

1/2 c. white vinegar

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 TS red pepper flakes

Salt

8 cups seedless watermelon, cubed

4 English cucumbers, peeled and chopped

1/2 red onion, finely chopped
3 stalks of celery, chopped
1/4 c. sweet chili sauce

Combine vinegar, sugar and pepper in saucepan. Bring to a boil; boil 1 minute, remove from heat and cool. Slice cucumbers and toss with 1 tsp of salt. Let sit in colander for 30 minutes. Pat dry. Just before serving toss watermelon with salt in a large bowl. Add cucumbers, red onions, celery, pepper syrup, and sweet chili sauce and toss. (recipe adapted from: http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/327/WatermelonCucumber_Salad13199.shtml)

See you in the kitchen....!

- Krystal

End-of-Spring Spontaneity Dinner

One of the first foods that comes to mind when I think of spring is:

What can I say? It's a charmer.
In my continuing effort to cook as season-mindful as possible, I've found that just listening to your gut (every pun intended) is the best resource. We naturally crave lighter meals in warm weather, and tend to prefer heartier, warm dishes in the fall and winter. What a considerate body you have! That's why asparagus is such a great spring-time vegetable; it not only tastes great, but has the fiber that our bodies are missing from the other 'light' spring foods, or the heavier, meatier items we consume in the colder months.

The Dinner:
Panko-crusted Chicken
Sauteed parsnips, asparagus, and garlic stalks
Yellow mashed potatoes

The Recipe(s):

Panko-crusted Chicken

... well, I bought it from Whole Foods, already seasoned and ready to go. I know, I know, I cheated! Unfortunately, I received my just rewards for said cheatery, as the only thing the chicken had going for it was its crispy topping. The bird itself was dry, and the seasoning in the crust was bland. I have learned my lesson.

Sauteed parsnips, asparagus, and garlic stalks

• 3 large parsnips, peeled and cut diagonally into 1/2'' slices
• 1/2 bushel of asparagus, trimmed at the 'natural point'
• 1/2 bushel of garlic stalks
• 1 TS butter
• 3 TS herb flavored olive oil
• 2 TS soy sauce
• 1/4 c. Soyaki Sauce (Trader Joe's... so good)
• 1/3 c. chicken stock
• salt and pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Once the butter has melted, add all of the veggies, and toss them to evenly coat in the oil/butter mixture. Saute for 3 minutes. Add the soy sauce, and saute for another 2 minutes. Add the Soyaki and chicken stock, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

** It may seem like too much chicken stock, but trust me; the veggies absorb most of it,
and the rest is turned into a really nice, thick coating thanks to the sugars in the Soyaki sauce. **

Yellow mashed potatoes

• 5 large yellow potatoes
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 6 TS butter
• 1/4 c. milk
• 2 TS freshly ground salt
• 3 TS freshly ground garlic pepper

 Peel the potatoes, and chop into 1 - 2'' chunks all roughly the same size. Place in a pot, and cover with chicken stock. Bring to a boil. When the potatoes are tender (stab them with a fork to tell), drain them and put them immediately back in the hot pot. Add the butter and milk, and mash them to your desired consistency. Add salt and pepper.

** Putting the potatoes back in the hot pot helps to evaporate any left-over
moisture that makes the potatoes seem gummy or mushy. **

The Verdict:
Well... everyone ate it - that's usually a good sign. My 18 month-old even picked up the chicken from his father's plate and gnawed on it until it was gone!
In the future, I would, again, make the chicken myself instead of letting Whole Foods do the work for me. It would have been worth the additional 2 - 5 minutes of prep-work for better flavor.

Sweet Cherry Crostata di Ricotta

Ingredients:
* 1 pie crust (can be found near the cookie dough in the refrigerated section)
* 3 tablespoons raspberry jam
* 1 can cherry pie filling
* 1 cup ricotta cheese
* 1 egg
* 2 tablespoons sugar



Directions:

* Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
* Unroll pie crust and place on parchment-lined baking sheet.
* Spread raspberry jam around the edges of the pie crust, leaving the middle of the crust completely empty.
* Spread the cherry pie filling into the middle of the crust, up until the edge where the jam is.
* Randomly place tablespoon-sized dollops of ricotta over the cherry filling.
* Fold in the edges of pie crust over the filling.
* In a small bowl, beat the egg and brush over pie crust so that it is evenly distributed.
* Sprinkle the crust with sugar.
* Bake for 20 minutes, until crust is golden and filling is puffed slightly.
* Remove to a wire rack, cool 10 minutes.

MEEEEAT!

So... meat. Have to have it, gotta love it, wouldn't-be-a-meal-without-it, meat.

Did you know that even MEAT is a seasonal food?

If we take a moment to think about it, it makes sense. Let's look at salmon, which is an ideal example of a seasonal protein. While yes, you can find them any time of the year, there are certain times that the local variety will be better than others (and you ARE eating locally now, aren't you...?). Salmon start bulking up in the winter months, getting ready for their epic up-stream battles spawn in the spring and early summer. If they are Atlantic salmon, they will likely survive this trip and make their way back out to the ocean for Round Two. If they are Pacific salmon, however, this will be their last hurrah... but hey, at least they get to go out spawning, right?
Anyway, this herculean effort of swimming hundreds of miles from ocean to spawning grounds in the spring and early summer produces a firm but flaky flesh on our fishies, while still maintaining high levels of amino acids and peptides that our bodies need. But if you go after a salmon once they have spawned, and have exhausted themselves from the journey, you may literally find yourself with rotting fish-flesh, as they tend to die-off once they have completed their procreational goal.

I told you all of that to tell you this: Everything has a season; your fruits, your veggies, your fish/poultry/beef, everything. Hell, even your fashion has a season... not that some of you notice...

Here's a handy starting point (by no means exhaustive) to whet your appetite for a more careful selection of proteins (thanks to Delicious Living): 

Spring.

Emphasize lighter meats, like chicken, white-meat, and turkey. Fish is very moist, so in the damp spring months, it’s best cooked with techniques that don’t add liquid.
Best dishes: Grilled chicken breast, baked white fish, broiled salmon

Summer.

Eat less animal protein in general, and emphasize white fish and mollusks, which are cooling and moist. White-meat chicken is okay, especially if eaten cold.
Best dishes: Steamed mussels, lightly sautéed scallops, boiled shrimp, chicken salad

Fall.

You can begin to increase your intake of animal protein, and add some heavier selections, like dark-meat chicken and turkey or lean beef. Oily fish like salmon, tuna, and sardines are ideal now.
Best dishes: Broiled salmon, lean steak

Winter.

Dark, heavy meats cooked with more liquid bring warmth and moisture to the body during the cold winter months. Or choose fatty fish in thicker cuts to allow longer cooking times.
Best dishes: Roast beef, lamb stew, buffalo burgers, bouillabaisse


Whatever you decide to make, I hope that you will consider the benefits of eating seasonally!

- Krystal

Mac & Cheese for Mama, Please!

I like the idea of being able to eat what I want, when I want, and however I want... but, unfortunately, my *insert problem area here* doesn't always feel the same way - nor does my commitment to eating seasonally. Foods that are as hearty and rich as this recipe is should really be saved for the fall and winter seasons, when our bodies are naturally craving things with a little more "oomph", instead of the salads, grilled fare, and lighter options of spring and summer.

Even though I may strive to eat a healthy, balanced diet, there are some times when I just have to cave in and eat what I'm craving. I don't call it weakness, no... I call it "listening to my body". While not wise to do all the time, well, everything in moderation. So there.

Finally, this is a great recipe to make for a sick friend, or for new parents. It's comforting, hearty, and definitely something to sit back and enjoy before running to the nearest treadmill!

Ingredients

nocoupons

• 8 slices of thick-sliced bacon (I like peppered bacon for an extra kick)
• Vegetable oil
• Kosher salt
• 2 cups elbow macaroni
• 1 1/2 cups 2% milk (do NOT use nonfat!!)
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 6 ounces Brie cheese (rind removed), at room temperature
• 3 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated
• 2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• Pinch of nutmeg
• 1 bag of frozen sugar peas
• 1 cup Breadcrumbs
• 2 teaspoons red pepper flake
• 2 teaspoons paprika

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place a baking rack on a sheet pan and arrange the bacon in 1 layer on the baking rack. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the bacon is crisp. Remove the pan carefully from the oven - there will be hot grease in the pan! Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and crumble when it is cool enough to handle.

Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. Melt the butter in a medium pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or 2 more, until thickened and smooth.

Off the heat, add the cheeses - Brie, Cheddar, blue cheese - then 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
Add the cooked macaroni, crumbled bacon, and frozen sugar peas and stir well.

Pour into a baking dish.
Add 2 tablespoons of melted butter, red pepper flake, and paprika to the breadcrumbs and stir to combine. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the top of the pasta. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.

- Original recipe by Ina Garten, with modifications by Krystal Bishop

The Changing of the (dietary) Seasons

The idea of "eating seasonally" is something my husband and I have thrown around for the last few years. We usually toss ideas around, debate a bit, and end up with these questions:

1. How do you find out what's in season?
2. Where would you find what you're looking for?
3. Isn't it expensive... all those fresh fruits and vegetables?
4. Do cattle, poultry, and fish have "seasons"? If so, when's the best time to get them?
5. Can you still eat seasonally by shopping at a major grocery chain?

After losing nearly 200 lbs through weight loss surgery, hard work, and diet changes back in 2006, having a rapidly growing toddler, an abundance of local farmer's markets in the Seattle area, and a nearly obsessive love of cooking for my family... I decided to take the plunge and just DO it already.

Pretty words, to be sure... but how the hell do I put it into action? I mean, really; look at the title of this blog - it is't "So Much Free Time, So Tasty!", is it?

As with any lifestyle change - and yes, that is DEFINITELY what it's going to take - it is important to break things down in to manageable pieces.
Do I want to serve all organic, non-GMO food at every meal? Yes.
Is that going to happen overnight (or any time in the near future)? Ha. Not likely.

My goal for this season (spring) is to only make dinners that contain items that are in-season, barring of course spices, stocks, pastas and (for now), grains. That means that any fruits, veggies, and meats that I buy must be in-season... and, even more, preferably in-season in my state. There are so many reasons to eat local; less cost, fresher/riper produce, promotes the local economy, and it just plain tastes better.

So, there you have it - one busy mom's goal for her family, and their very hungry bellies. I would seriously encourage you to give seasonal eating a try, and see how it might benefit you and your families!

Stay Tasty,
Krystal

Homemade Tartar Sauce... for frozen fish sticks.

An original recipe, this was born when I finally acknowledged that the frozen fish sticks and tater tots that I was making for dinner weren't my most original meal items.

Ingredients:

~ 1 1/2 cup Mayonnaise (use mayo, not "whipped dressing" or Miracle Whip)
~ 1/4 cup sweet relish
~ 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
~ 1 tablespoon soy sauce
~ 1 teaspoon each pepper, dill, and lemon pepper
~ 1/2 teaspoon finely minced/grated garlic

Directions:

Stir everything together. Store in the fridge for an hour before serving to let the flavor set. (I've used it immediately, and it's still AWESOME!)