Cheesy Zucchini Enchiladas

 

I've made this recipe twice with (/for) Dave, and it's pretty easy, and deliciously cheesy. The original recipe is supposedly a "Weight Watcher's" recipe, but just add some extra cheese and non-low-carb tortillas, and you're golden.


Ingredients:

• cooking spray
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 medium scallions, chopped
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 2 medium zucchinis, grated
• kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
• 1 1/2 cups grated mexican blend cheese (or as much as you wish)
• 4 large tortillas
• chopped scallions (optional for garnish)
• chopped cilantro (optional for garnish)

Enchilada sauce:

• 1 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp chipotle chilis in adobo sauce (optional for more heat - I just used 2 chilis)
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1/4 tsp chipotle chili powder (to taste)
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth
• kosher salt and fresh pepper to taste

For the enchilada sauce: in a medium saucepan, spray oil and sauté garlic. Add chipotle chile, chili powder, cumin, broth, tomato sauce, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Set aside until ready to use.

Spray a baking dish with nonstick spray. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a medium nonstick skillet, sauté garlic and scallions in olive oil over medium heat for about 3 minutes; add zucchini, salt and pepper to taste and cook about 4-5 minutes.  

Remove from heat and add 1/2 cup(ish) cheese; mix well.

Divide zucchini between in each tortilla, roll and place seam side down in baking dish. 

Top with enchilada sauce and remaining cheese and bake until hot and the cheese is melted, about 20 minutes.

Serve with chopped cilantro, scallions, and sour cream if you wish.


Original recipe here

Red Velvet Rose Cake

 

Finally, I have conquered the layer cake. A few weeks ago I was looking for red velvet cupcake recipes, and stumbled upon this rose cake. I took it as a challenge.

I came home for Easter weekend and planned to do a lot of baking with my mom - and figured this was as good a time as any to experiment with a. another layer cake and b. frosting roses. My roses don't look nearly as great as the ones in the blog article that I found, but hey, it was my first try. And I'm not very artistic. (If you're going to try this, look at the number of roses Casey has on her cake - and try to use that same number and pattern. Also, I had a lot of extra frosting, so don't be shy when putting frosting between the cakes!)  Original recipe here

Beet and Avocado Salad (Mark Bittman style)

 

I am a horrible person, and I have never cooked beets before. They scare me. However, after tackling the red velvet today, I thought I could handle some red beets.

I bought the beets from Market Basket (aka hell) yesterday, and the only kind they had were called "Candy Cane" beets, and I was curious as to why (they looked normal on the outside, maybe just a bit more pink than most). But, once I cut into them, it was obvious why they were named "Candy Cane!"

 

I am so excited to cook beets more often now that I know how easy they are to cook. Beets are definitely on my list of top 5 favorite foods (maybe I'll actually make one of those someday). MB's recipe called for cooked beets, either boiled or roasted. I chose the roasting method, as MB advised this was the way to get the best flavor. It was great because after roasting them, the skin just peeled off by hand, so there was no messy peeling involved.


Ingredients:

4 small beets or 3 large beets
2 avocados, ripe but firm, peeled, pitted, and diced
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
salt and pepper
one small red onion, diced
1 tarragon leaf, minced (*I bought tarragon and realized it smelled like anise, which I hate, so I left this out)

Heat oven to 400F. Wash beets, wrap in aluminum foil, and place on a baking sheet. Bake the beets for 45-90 minutes, or until a knife can be inserted with light pressure.

Allow beets to cool, then peel skin off (should come off by hand). Chop beets and layer with avocados.

For the vinaigrette, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. According to MB, you need to put this in a blender, but I just stirred by hand and it was fine. Add the onion to 1/2 cup of the vinaigrette, and pour over the salad.


(Recipe from Mark Bittman's "How to Cook Everything Vegetarian")

Granola

After making the red velvet cupcakes (see below), I realized I needed to make more granola to bring to work. Granola is so simple to make I don't know why anyone buys it. I found this recipe on Tastespotting, obviously, and this was the second time I made it. I added some extra almonds than the recipe calls for, but otherwise followed all of the other ingredients. (NOTE: Remember to stir the granola, as it will burn!)

3 c old fashion oats
3/4 c sliced almonds (I used 1 cup)
1/4 c packed sweetened coconut
1/4 c packed dark brown sugar (I used light brown sugar)
2 T butter, melted
1/8 c canola oil
1 t vanilla extract
1 T agave nectar (or more if you want it more sweet)
1 t of cinnamon
pinch of salt

Toss all ingredients together in a bowl.  Spread out onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 350 for about 20-25 minutes, stirring granola every few minutes to ensure an even toast throughout.

Original recipe here

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

 

Today was a beautiful Sunday in Cambridge, so I took the opportunity to run around Fresh Pond with Dave, but afterward I was itching to bake some cupcakes. I went to "Cupcake Camp" (http://www.cupcakecampboston.com/) last Wednesday with some friends from work, which was basically an all-you-can-eat-cupcake-extravaganza. I've been trying to stay away from the cupcake craze (why are cupcakes better than cake?!) but at Cupcake Camp, I nearly died and went to heaven upon tasting a red velvet cupcake. I've never been a huge red velvet fan, but this cupcake was chocolately and moist, and was pure bliss.

Yesterday, I went to HomeGoods (my favorite store on Earth) to purchase a mini cupcake tin, and after driving through annoying Somerville traffic and picking out the perfect cupcake tin, I got to the register and realized I had forgotten my wallet! Not the greatest start to a Saturday. I thought about going back yesterday or today, but couldn't bring myself to it. Therefore, I was left with making normal-size cupcakes. Sad. 

Anyway, I am happy to say my first red velvet-making experience was not a disaster, like my first layer cake experience. I somehow managed not to dye anything in the kitchen red (after using an entire bottle of red food dye). The batter was beautiful (see below....)

At my apartment, one of my roommates has a hand mixer, but I usually don't use it because the lowest speed is pretty strong (and therefore generally causes any liquid to cover the kitchen). Normally, to cream butter and sugar I just melt the butter in the microwave and then stir in the sugar. However, for this recipe the batter was pretty lumpy, so I had to use the hand mixer. The mixer was also helpful for the frosting.

BUT great news!!! Yesterday, the KitchenAid Classic stand mixer was on sale for $179 at Macy's, and my mom picked one up for me in Salem, NH (no sales tax!!). It is sitting and waiting for me at home in Andover, where we will happily unite in less than a week when I am home for Easter. I can't wait.

Now, after that long-winded talk about cupcakes, here's the recipe....

For the Cupcakes
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup sugar
1 egg
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2½ tablespoons red food coloring (I used one 1 oz bottle of it, which is 2 tablespoons)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup buttermilk (or milk and lemon juice or vinegar, see how to)
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1½ teaspoons distilled white vinegar

For the Frosting
1 stick butter, at room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2½ cups confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions

For the Cupcakes:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Turn mixer to high and add the egg. Scrape down the bowl and beat until well incorporated.

In a separate bowl mix together cocoa powder, vanilla and red food coloring to make a thick paste. Add this to the batter, mixing until completely combined. You may need to stop the mixer to scrape the bottom of the bowl, making sure that all the batter gets color.

Turn mixer to low and slowly add half of the buttermilk. Add half of the flour and mix until combined. Scrape the bowl and repeat the process with the remaining buttermilk and flour. Beat on high until smooth.

Turn mixer to low and add salt, baking soda and vinegar. Turn to high and beat a few more minutes.
Divide the batter evenly into the lined pan and bake for 20-25 minutes (12-15 for minis), or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, and then place on a cooling rack to cool completely.


For the Frosting:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the butter and cream cheese on medium-high speed until well incorporated and smooth, about 3 minutes. Scrape the bowl down as necessary. Add the vanilla and mix to combine. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the confectioners’ sugar until all is incorporated. Increase the speed and whip until the frosting is light and fluffy, scraping the bowl as necessary.

Original recipe here

Quinoa Salad with Smoky Lime Dressing

 

Another quinoa recipe! I make quinoa pretty often because I like it a lot more than rice and it is packed with protein (which I am generally lacking since I am a vegetarian). This recipe is even easier than the one I posted previously with black beans and corn - and it only takes about 20 minutes to make!

1 cup quinoa
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon low-sodium teriyaki sauce or soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
1 small garlic clove, finely chopped 

Place the quinoa and 2 cups water in a medium saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil.
Lower heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed. Stir in the green onions, black-eyed peas, and cilantro.

Puree the remaining ingredients together in a food processor; pour over quinoa and stir to coat with dressing. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Original recipe here 

Chilled Avocado and Cumber Soup

Here's another Tastespotting find - I promise I'm going to branch out soon! I have Mark Bittman's "How to Cook Everything Vegetarian," and I'm going to start making some recipes from there.

Anyway, I made this chilled soup in honor of springtime, specifically the fact that I can turn off the heat and start to open windows! It was very refreshing and cool, not at all like a winter soup. I didn't think it tasted great before it chilled, but once complete with the diced cucumbers and onion, it was delicious.


Ingredients needed for 8 servings (each about 2/3 cup):

• 1 can (12 fluid ounces) evaporated lowfat 2% milk
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 large or 3 small ripe avocados, peeled and dice
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sliced unpeeled cucumber
• 1/3 cup snipped fresh dill
• Diced cucumbers, finely chopped red onion and chopped fresh dill for garnish (essential!)

Combine evaporated milk and vinegar in small bowl; let stand for 15 minutes.

Place avocados, water, evaporated milk mixture, 1 cup cucumber and 1/3 cup dill in a food processor, and blend until smooth. Season with coarse salt and ground black pepper. Cover; refrigerate for 1 hour (can be made up to 4 hours in advance).

Pour soup into eight small bowls or glasses; garnish with cucumber, red onion and dill.

NOTE: eat this soup within a day or two after making it, since the avocado will cause the soup to turn brown (just like having cut avocado in the fridge)

Original recipe here 

Lemon, lime and garlic shrimps

This recipe has become a favorite of mine and Dave's, and it is really simple, especially if you use frozen shrimp. We usually just make pasta with this dish and put the shrimp dish on top - the pasta tastes really great with all of the olive oil, parsley, and lemon and lime zests.

4 Tbsp Olive Oil
150 g Peeled Large Prawns, thawed if frozen, pat dry
3 Cloves Garlic, peeled and chopped
Zest of 1 Big Lime
Zest of 1 Lemon
½ tsp Chili Flakes
3 Heaped Tbsp Chopped Flat-Leaf Parsley
1 Tbsp Breadcrumbs
Sea Salt to taste
Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste
1 Tbsp Unsalted Butter

Pasta (I usually use ziti)  
Lemon and lime wedges



Preheat oven to 425˚F.
 
Place the olive oil in a baking dish large enough to fit the prawns in a single layer. Warm the oil in the oven for about 5 to 6 minutes or until the oil is hot.

Meanwhile, toss the prawns with all the ingredients except the butter.

Remove the baking dish from the oven and add the prawns in the hot oil and scatter the butter on top. Return to the oven and bake for another 8 to 10 minutes or until the prawns are just cooked. Season the prawns lightly with sea salt if necessary and serve immediately with lemon wedges on top of the pasta. 

Original recipe here 

Baking FAIL.

So, I got a bit overconfident in my baking abilities and decided to make my FIRST layer cake for a work-friend's birthday.
BAD IDEA. I usually do fine trying new recipes, but this was a whole different process than I've ever tried before. Should have stuck with a plain pan-cake (ha, ha).

I found this great moist chocolate cake recipe on foodess.com, and it looked simple enough. The cake-making part was very easy, but when it came to taking the cakes out of the pans, there was epic failure. The cakes stuck to the bottom of my greased non-stick pans and crumbled everywhere.

I tried to fix the problem by covering everything in frosting, but this didn't work out too well.....

I had to make 2 batches of frosting to cover all of the madness, and by the end I had a counter covered in powdered sugar/cocoa powder/lots of crumbly cake, and a cake that looked like a big mound of I-don't-know-what.

Thankfully, everyone at the office thought the cake was delicious, as did I, but this recipe is going to get another shot. I bought 2 circular cake pans, and I WILL make the layer cake work!!

(frosting recipe here)

Tangerine Olive Oil Cake

 

Another fun excuse to bake: house dinners. My roommates and I were having a house dinner with the couple downstairs, and of course I volunteered to make dessert. I stumbled upon this Tangerine Olive Oil Cake recipe on tastespotting.com, and thought it was worth a try. I was about to tackle this at my apartment without a stand mixer, but thankfully I ended up at home that weekend and used my parents' KitchenAid mixer (this is one of those recipes that you really need it - I generally get by without one). The tangerines were delicious (I used honey tangerines), and I had some juice leftover that I just drank straight. Mmm. This is definitely a great bread recipe to try and it's good for entertaining if you want to impress guests with something they've never heard of. One note: definitely put aluminum foil over the bread when it's about halfway done cooking, because mine ended up bring pretty dark/almost burned at the end.

• 5-6 large tangerines (I used honey tangerines)
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 3/4 tsp kosher salt (or 1 1/2 tsp table salt)
• 5 large eggs
• 2 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups mild extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 350º and place rack in middle of oven, removing any racks above. Grease and flour two loaf pans, or one bundt or tube pan.

Finely grate the zest of 3 of the tangerines, and set aside. Squeeze enough of the tangerines to get 1 1/2 cups of juice (this will take 5-6 tangerines). Set juice aside.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a large bowl with a hand mixer), beat the eggs on medium-high speed for about a minute. Lower the mixer to medium speed, and slowly add the granulated sugar. Increase speed back to medium-high, and beat until the eggs are thick and pale, about 3 minutes.

On low speed, alternate adding the flour mixture and olive oil, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix just until the last bits of flour are combined. Add the reserved tangerine juice and zest, stopping to scrape down the bowl as necessary. Mix just until everything is well-combined; batter will be the consistency of a thick pancake batter.

Pour evenly into 2 loaf pans. Bake for about 1 1/4 hours, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean. Lay aluminum foil over the top of the loaves about halfway through baking, to prevent over-browning.

Remove finished cakes from oven, and transfer to a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool completely.

Tofu Stir Fry

So, I've been making stir fry for a couple years now without a recipe, but even after all the variations I came up with (beans, tofu, every kind of vegetable), I got sick of my once-favorite dish. I found this tofu stir fry recipe, and decided to try it since it has some of my favorite vegetables along with soy sauce and lime juice. It was really easy - the only thing I altered was that I used red chili flakes instead of fresh chilies because I couldn't find the fresh ones at the grocery store. Also - I followed the recipe and only used half of the red pepper, but it definitely would have been okay to use the whole thing.

3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
12 ounces firm tofu, patted dry, cut in 1/2-inch cubes
3 shallots, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 carrot, cut in matchstick pieces
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut in 1/2 inch thin strips
1 cup green beans, cut in 1 inch pieces
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh red chilies (or red chili flakes to taste)
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tbsp (25 mL) oil. Add tofu and stir-fry for 4 minutes, turning carefully, until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve.

Add remaining oil to wok. Add shallots and garlic and stir-fry for 1 minute. 

Add carrot, red pepper and asparagus and stir-fry for 2 minutes. 

Add soy sauce, lime juice, chilies, sugar and pepper and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Return tofu to wok and cook for 1 minute, or until combined and heated through.

Original recipe here

Shout-out for gluten free cookies

 

I like to find any excuse possible to bake, and lately that has mostly been for work meetings (you may think this is sad, but we have a pretty cohesive group working on Data Management for the BP oil spill, and we have fun). This past week we had the developers of our web site visiting, so of course I had to impress them with my baking skills. Per usual, I hit up http://www.tastespotting.com/, and found an easy recipe for flourless peanut butter cookies. I couldn't believe how easy these were, so they made for a fun after-work project. I doubled the recipe and used a whole can of peanut butter (which was a little less than 2 cups), but they turned out deliciously. 

2 cups peanut butter
1 1/3 cup sugar, plus extra for rolling
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 eggs
Chocolate, for drizzling (I used chocolate chips and melted them in the microwave)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium mixing bowl, cream together the peanut butter and sugar. It is much easier to do it by hand than to use a machine; just use a tough spatula. Mix in the baking powder and egg until evenly combined.

Form small balls and roll cookie dough in extra sugar. Place evenly on an ungreased baking sheet and flatten slightly with a fork. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for at least 5-10 minutes before moving to a cooling rack to cool completely. The cookies will be very fragile and need to harden before they can be moved. Drizzle with chocolate, if desired.