Turkey Black Bean Chili

Despite the rest of the country suffering from a deep freeze, the year has gotten off to an insanely warm start here in So Cal. I have had to turn on my air conditioner almost daily to cool my apartment down when I get home and yesterday at the farmers market everyone was wearing shorts and t-shirts (as evidenced by this adorable pic of Raul). In spite of these facts, I have been craving chili lately. I am trying to clear some room in my freezer so this was a great way to use up the turkey I had leftover from the Italian Wedding Soup. There were many, many recipes to sift through for chili, but not a lot for black bean chili so I had to come up with something I liked on my own. For my first try, I think this came out pretty well. I love spice and this came out smoky and tangy and full of wonderful flavors. Lucky for me, I have plenty of leftovers for my work lunches this week because I know the flavors will come together even more and be even better.


Turkey Black Bean Chili
(By Esi)



Makes 2.5 servings

8 ounces ground turkey meat (93% lean)
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
7 ounces fire roasted tomatoes in their juices
1 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons Aleppo pepper
2 chipotles in adobo, chopped
1-15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste
Tortilla chips, shredded cheese, sour cream, green onions, etc for garnish.

In a large saute pan or Dutch oven heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add the turkey. Use the back of the spoon to break up the turkey meat. Season lightly with salt and pepper and cook until the turkey is cooked through. Remove the turkey from the pan with a slotted spoon.

Add the onions to the pan and cook until they have softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, cumin, Aleppo pepper, and chipotle. Stir to combine adjust seasoning as necessary. Add the turkey, black beans, and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and let the mixture simmer for about 30 minutes. Serve warm with whatever garnishes you like.

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Winter Fruit Salad with Whole Wheat Orzo and Arugula

Well my first week of the 10 in 10 challenge went pretty well. I have already been going to the gym 4-5 days a week since last summer, but I have intensified my workouts and I am eating way better and drinking less wine. Hopefully I continue on the straight path and with dishes like this it shouldn't be too hard. The other day I had a particularly difficult training session. In fact, I am still feeling it right now although I was able to power through yesterday and do day 2 of couch to 5K. I told ya'll I'm on a mission. Anyway, I was so happy to have this recipe to fuel my afternoon. Diana has been on a quinoa kick lately. I went through my quinoa kick last year so I wanted to mix it up a bit and try something different. Plus, my quinoa was looking a little funky. I had a great trip to the Hollywood farmers market last weekend and picked up many goodies, including all the stuff for this salad minus the oil, vinegar, dijon, and salt and pepper. As regular readers know, I like to keep my blog and ingredients as fresh and local as possible. Having year-round farmers markets not only makes it easy, but it keeps costs down since I am on a pretty tight budget. I sort of suck at segmenting oranges, and I only picked up one so I added some clementines to the mix. Last year my fruit obsession was pomegranate, this year it's clementines. I can't get enough of those little cuties. Since I had just picked up some whole wheat orzo, I used that in place of the quinoa and a bit of the clementine juice to replace my orange juice. This salad is awesome. It's fruity and filling and easy on the wallet. It will have you feeling full without weighing you down and it's perfect to recharge after a hard workout. I couldn't get enough. I am ready for week two and looking forward to new challenges the 10 in 10 will bring.



Winter Fruit Salad with Whole Wheat Orzo and Arugula
(Adapted from Diana Takes a Bite)



Makes 2 servings

Salad
1 cup cooked whole wheat orzo, at room temperature
2 shallots, sliced
1 cara cara orange, segmented and juices reserved
2-3 clementines, peeled and separated
1 fuyu persimmon, cut into chunks
1-2 handfuls pomegranate arils
2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
2 handfuls arugula

Dressing
1/2 teaspoon clementine zest
3 tablespoons citrus juice (In this case from the cara cara orange and the clementines)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Salt, pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice shallots into thin rings and then roast (without oil) until crispy (approximately 20-30 minutes).

Whisk together the ingredients for the dressing and season to taste.

When shallots are done, mix orzo, persimmon, pomegranate seeds, orange segments and arugula with the dressing. Plate, then top with the shallots and feta cheese.

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Maple Bacon Biscuits

I remember a few months ago when Raul told me about the amazing baked goods he had just consumed from Huckleberry in Santa Monica. Then I saw a glowing review from Diana and then Cathy posted these biscuits so I knew it was a matter of time before I made them. Once I got my new fridge up and running, I couldn’t wait to get in the kitchen and cook up a storm. Maybe I was out of practice, but these were very time consuming. I almost considered skipping the last step of the maple drizzle, but I am glad my laziness did not get the best of me. I freaking LOVED THESE! There is smokiness from the bacon, sweet maple, and the soft crunch of the coarse sea salt sprinkled on top. None of the flavors overwhelms each other and they all work in perfect harmony. I wanted to eat all of them, but like a good friend (and someone who knows better), I took them to Raul’s for New Year’s eve and to let the vultures have at. I definitely understand why there is always a line in front of Huckleberry.



Maple Bacon Biscuits
(Slightly adapted from LA Times, as adapted from Huckleberry Cafe)



Makes about 24 biscuits

12 ounces bacon bacon, cut into 1/2 -inch pieces
3 1/2 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, cut into 1/2 -inch cubes
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup, divided
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk
1 egg
1 tablespoon heavy cream
Coarse sea salt

In a medium frying pan, cook the bacon over medium heat until cooked but not crispy, 10 to 12 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate or pan to cool and drain excess fat.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Using a pastry cutter or fork, cut in the diced butter, until it resembles small peas. Stir in the bacon, then one-fourth cup plus 2 tablespoons of maple syrup and the buttermilk until the dough just comes together (it will still be clumpy). Don't overwork the dough.

On a lightly floured surface, gently press or roll the dough to 1-inch thickness. Cut the biscuits using a 2-inch round cutter; you should have 24 biscuits. Place 12 biscuits on each of two parchment-lined baking sheets, spaced 2 inches apart. Chill the trays in the refrigerator just until the biscuits are cold, about 10 minutes.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. While the biscuits are chilling, prepare the egg wash: In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and cream. Brush the chilled biscuits with egg wash and top each with a pinch of coarse sea salt.

Bake the biscuits until they just begin to brown, about 25 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven. Quickly drizzle 1 teaspoon of the remaining maple syrup over each biscuit, then place the tray back in the oven for 3 minutes more. Serve while still warm.

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Sriracha Chicken Wings

During my holiday break, I basically prepped for the 10 in 10 Challenge by eating whatever I wanted. I also worked out a lot so I didn’t really put on weight, but it wasn’t exactly the healthiest diet. One of my indulgences was these chicken wings. I hadn’t planned on doing another wing recipe so soon after the Garlic-Sizzled wings, but these sounded too good to pass up. They aren’t totally bad for you, but they aren’t exactly loaded with health benefits. For some reason, whenever I turn on my oven in my teeny apartment, the smoke alarm goes off. It went off four times while making these wings, but it was worth the annoyance. I adore spice and these wings have a ton of it. If you’re a wimp, reduce the amount of Sriracha, but please don’t leave it out. The sauce is sweet, smoky, and definitely spicy. It’s the kind of spicy that stays on your lips for long after you’re done eating. You can eat this sauce with just about anything so go ahead and cook up extra and toss it with your eggs, serve it with some chips or even a steak if you desire.



Sriracha Chicken Wings
(Slightly Adapted from White on Rice Couple)



Makes 2-3 generous servings

2 pounds chicken wings
Salt and pepper
4 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup diced onion
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup Sriracha hot sauce
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray lightly with canola spray.

In a large bowl, toss the wings with 2 teaspoons of oil and a large pinch of salt and a large pinch of pepper. Spread chicken wings out onto the baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, then flip chicken wings over and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until fully cooked and crispy brown.

In sauce pan, heat 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil over medium heat and add onion. Cook until the onions are browned, but not golden, then add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add ketchup, sriracha hot sauce, vinegar, fish sauce and cumin.

Stir well and let simmer for about 3 minutes. Taste and season with salt as needed. Remove from heat and set aside. After chicken wings have finished baking, toss wings in sauce. Serve warm.

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Healthy Recipe Ideas

So when you see my next few recipe posts, you will probably understand why I wanted to post some healthy recipes for the start of the new year. Actually, I have another reason. I am participating in Lori's 10 in 10 challenge for the new year. I normally don't do big resolutions for the new year, but this challenge inspired me and is helping me keep in line with some of my 101 goals as well. I am hoping to come up with some healthy recipes, exercise even more than I have been lately, and generally have a healthy approach to this new decade. I know some people out in the world are just getting started with these goals so I wanted to post some of my favorite recipes to help you out!!

For me, the key ingredient in a healthy dish is that it has to be hearty. If the dish makes me feel full, I won't crave the bad stuff later in the day. Here are a few that are healthy and won't have you craving the unhealthy things after you eat them:

Italian wedding soup: I could hardly believe that this Ina Garten recipe was not only healthy, but so fulfilling. Subbing chicken and turkey in for the meatballs and baking them lightens them up, but it sure doesn't make them skimp on flavor. For an even better twist, use a bit less pasta and make the pasta you use, whole wheat and load up on those vegetables that are called for in the recipe. You'll be full in no time.



Boiled lemon was something new for me when trying this salad, but it was so worth it for this Saffron Chicken with Boiled Lemon and Green Beans.



I'm not a vegetarian, but for two years I only ate vegetables and fish and I still enjoy many vegetarian and vegan meals. Here are some favorites:

Carrot, Fennel and Orange Soup is great, plus it uses local favorites for the winter. If you're in a climate like southern California where it's currently warm and sunny, it's very refreshing and won't make you feel like you need to run twenty laps after you consume it.



I love combining vegetables with fruits and making them into a salad and serving with some healthy grains. This cherry and asparagus salad is a perfect spring time treat:



Sometimes I just go to the farmers market and pick up whatever inspires me. I loved making this Greek-inspired salad with spelt berries. So summery and fresh.



Much of my cooking is definitely inspired by the seasons. For those living in the colder climates where fresh vegetables are sparse, winter squash should be readily available and stuffing it with sausage makes a warm and satisfying meal.

From Dishing Up Delights

My first meatball making experience was filling and so amazing. I am kind of craving this again, like right now.

From Dishing Up Delights

Root vegetables are so in season right now! If you're not tired of them, try them in a simple and amazing quinoa salad.

From Dishing Up Delights

Just because you're eating healthy does not mean you have to skimp on desserts. Check out these gorgeous figs with ricotta. Or how about some homemade yogurt sorbet to rival Pinkberry? Treats like these won't have you reaching for a Snickers bar if you have a sweet tooth.

From Dishing Up Delights

From Dishing Up Delights

With these recipes, eating healthy is definitely easy. I hope everyone's new year is off to a wonderful start!

Daring Bakers: Gingerbread House

The December 2009 Daring Bakers’ challenge was brought to you by Anna of Very Small Anna and Y of Lemonpi. They chose to challenge Daring Bakers’ everywhere to bake and assemble a gingerbread house from scratch. They chose recipes from Good Housekeeping and from The Great Scandinavian Baking Book as the challenge recipes.



I hope everyone is well and you're all recovered from your New Year's Eve celebrations. Mine was a fantastic low-key evening which is exactly what I wanted. As usual, I am late with my DB challenge. Even though I have been off work and had plenty of time the last two weeks, my fridge debacle kept me from getting a lot of cooking done. However, it's a new year folks. I have a new fridge and I am about to start a new decade of my life. Perhaps from now on I will even be on time with my Daring Bakers challenges...don't hold your breath.

I decided to go with Anna's recipe for the gingerbread because I was short on time and it was pretty straightforward. I decided to do a quarter of the recipe and I found the "blueprint" for my house over at Delectible Deliciousness.

The gingerbread was really easy to make. If you want the recipe, you can find it here on Anna's site. It got a little sticky because I chose to roll and cut out the shapes on a floured mat before transferring them to the baking sheet. The royal icing was pretty easy to make as well. The only change I made was to flavor it with vanilla extract instead of almond. In case you hadn't heard from the other bakers, that royal icing is like caulk. I was prepared to take it in my bathroom and fix some things in the tub. Mine was way too thick to pipe so I ended up rolling it and using it to piece the house together along with a bit of the simple syrup.

Assembling the house was a huge pain in the ass. I'm not going to lie, but after a few attempts I finally pieced together was you see above. I didn't do much in terms of decoration, but hey, at least I got it done. The other Daring Bakers were way more creative about this than I was. Check out their creations on the blogroll.

Best of 2009

Well, I am going to be honest with you all. I thought I was done with posts for 2009, but I couldn't let this year go by without posting some of my favorite recipes from this past year. Overall in life, the year was not so great, but blog-wise it was freaking FANTASTIC.

I celebrated my first year of blogging with a fabulous cake. Just because I mostly cook for myself, doesn't mean I don't take the time to enjoy delicious treats. Look how cute this mini slice of Perfect Party Cake is.



One of my goals at the beginning of the year was to purchase an ice cream maker and come up with fabulous flavors. Each one I tried was equally amazing, but I really loved the tart richness of this simple buttermilk ice cream. I can't wait to make it again...after I try many more flavors of course!



Another ice cream favorite was combining my favorite Girl Scout cookie into a frozen concoction. Need I say more??



I absolutely loved grabbing souvlaki late at night when I got to go to Greece a couple of years ago. Life was made much easier when I realized I could create it at home and so easily as well!



Strawberries are my favorite fruit and lucky for me I live in Southern California where they are plentiful and wonderful year round. I especially love using them in desserts such as the ever so simple, but oh so amazing buttermilk cake that made the blog rounds earlier this year.



I also love creating desserts with a combination of sweet and savory. This galette with a savory thyme crust and a sweet and tart lemon curd made even more perfect with local Gaviota strawberries was to die for!



How much more can be said about one of the best grilled cheese sandwiches I have ever made and had?!



One of the best things of the past year was having several opportunities to meet other food bloggers. I had such a blast with everyone and I am so looking forward to many more fun times with everyone!!!!



Food-wise it has been such a fun year, I am so excited to see what this new year and decade have in store. I hope you all enjoy a fun and safe New Years eve night and cheers for what is next to come!

Italian Wedding Soup

I have been wanting to make this type of soup for a year. I kid you not! Despite my refrigerator troubles, I decided to go ahead and make this yesterday. The one blessing in this whole mess is that my freezer still works so I was able to freeze the leftovers. Anyway, it was last winter when it got slightly chilly that I decided I really wanted to make an Italian wedding soup, but it never stays cold for too long here in the land of the lost, so I never got around to making it. It isn't really cold right now, but I have been craving something other than the frozen convenience foods I have been consuming lately. These meatballs could quite possibly be the best meatballs I have ever made. The spicy kick from the Italian sausage kept them interesting and using a higher fat turkey kept them moist without being mushy. Surprisingly, for an Ina Garten recipe, this is quite healthy and I made sure to add tons of extra spinach and only use a bit of the pasta called for in the original recipe. This is a great, hearty soup that won't weigh you down or have you feeling guilty after you eat it.





Italian Wedding Soup
(Adapted from Ina Garten)



Makes 4-5 servings

For the meatballs:
1/2 pound ground turkey (93% lean)
1/4 pound hot Italian chicken sausage, casings removed
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
2 teaspoons grated garlic
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving
1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the soup:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
1/2 cup diced carrots, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
1/4 cup diced celery, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
5 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup small pasta such as tubetini or stars
2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
6 ounces baby spinach, washed and trimmed

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

For the meatballs, place the ground chicken, sausage, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, Parmesan, 1/2 the egg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a bowl and combine gently with a fork. With a teaspoon, drop 1 to 1 1/4-inch meatballs onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. (You should have about 16-20 meatballs) Bake for 25-30 minutes, until cooked through and lightly browned. Set aside.

In the meantime, for the soup, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in a large heavy-bottomed soup pot. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and saute until softened, 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken stock and wine and bring to a boil. Add the pasta to the simmering broth and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the pasta is tender. Add the fresh dill and then the meatballs to the soup and simmer for 1 minute. Taste for salt and pepper. Stir in the fresh spinach and cook for 1 minute, until the spinach is just wilted. Ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle each serving with extra grated Parmesan if desired.

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Happy New Year and some things

Hello friends!! Well, unfortunately, I don't have a new recipe for you today. I am still dealing with my broken fridge situation and trying not to pull out my hair because my landlord is a lazy butt who refuses to deal with it. I am really, really hoping the situation is fixed today, but you never know. So instead, I wanted to take this time to wish everyone a happy early new year and tell you about a couple of things.

First, up, the ever so amazing Greg of Sippity Sup nominated me for a Homie over on one of my favorite websites, The Kitchn. I've never been nominated for anything (besides an embarrassing turn as homecoming princess in college) so it would be great if you could vote for me here.

In other awesome news, I have recently partnered with Springpad and their fabulous planners. Regular readers know that I am head over heels in love with Springpad's weekly meal planner. I use it to plan out what meals I will be making and also to generate my shopping lists. These help me stay planned and within budget (for the most part). Now you can click the "Spring It" button and add my recipes to your own meal planner. It's pretty awesome. I think you will love it as much as I do! Here's an example:


Lastly, I got a new camera!!! I am still learning how to use it and since I haven't been cooking I haven't had any practice with shooting food, but I am so excited and that also means I have another item to cross of my 101 list. Speaking of my list...I have been able to cross off quite a few goals and I am thinking of things to add for next year. Have you made any resolutions for the new year?

Salted Fudge Brownies

Merry Christmas Eve!!! I figured the last thing I would leave you with before the holiday couldn't be some manly chicken wings. If you're still searching for a delicious treat to make, I strongly recommend these brownies. I was given the task of coming up with a chocolately dessert to serve for my mom and sister this evening. I've been stressing about it for a week, but once I cam across this recipe, I knew my search was over. I loved the salty, crunchy contrast with the not too sweet brownies. However, I would make one change next time and add a bit of coffee flavor to the batter a la Ina Garten to bring out that amazing chocolate flavor even more. The brownies are just the way I like them, thick and fudgy and oh so decadent. Again, there is an amazing contrast with that sea salt in the batter. If you're a bit daring, sprinkle a bit more sea salt on the finished product. I promise, you won't be sorry. Alright, now it is really time to wish you all a happy holiday and a fabulous time with family and friends. I hope my Christmas miracle is a new fridge so I can bring you some fun things next week!



Salted Fudge Brownies
(Adapted from Food & Wine, December 2007)



Makes 16 servings

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon (approximately) coarse sea salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-inch square metal cake pan with foil, draping the foil over the edges. Lightly butter the foil.

In a large saucepan, melt the butter with the unsweetened chocolate over very low heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat. Whisking them in one at a time until thoroughly incorporated, add the cocoa, sugar, eggs, vanilla and flour. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Sprinkle the salt evenly over the batter. Using a butter knife, swirl the salt into the batter.

Bake the fudge brownies in the center of the oven for about 35 minutes, until the edge is set but the center is still a bit soft and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out coated with a little of the batter. Let the brownies cool at room temperature in the pan for 1 hour, then refrigerate just until they are firm, about 1 hour. Lift the brownies from the pan and peel off the foil. Cut the brownies into 16 squares. Serve at room temperature.

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