Kale, Lentil, and Roasted Sweet Potato Salad

Usually, when I don't blog for a while, it's just because I need a break from the blogging race. Trying to keep up with the trends and seasons can be so exhausting, that I just need some time to have a life again and decompress. Unfortunately, this recent break was not for those reasons. I've been dealing with the loss of a friend. A loss that was so unexpected and unimaginable, that I have found it hard to put fingers to the keyboard for purposes other than writing in my own private journals. In terms of dealing with death, I have been sort of lucky in life. I haven't lost too many people that I have been close to. As my sweet friend was laid to rest this weekend, I thought about how to deal with the loss of a loved one. Writing my thoughts down in journals has helped. Long walks, yoga, and Pilates have helped to alleviate some of the stress. Spending time with those that are close to me has been number one. I am also taking some comfort in cooking. Surprisingly, I haven't been craving sugary sweets or fattening "comfort" foods. Rather, I have been craving nourishing, vibrant food that helps me feel energized. That's not to say that some stress-relief baking hasn't been taking place, but above all of the cookies, I would rather have a salad much like this one. It is food's way of reminding me that even in the coldest times of my life, both literally and figuratively, there is brightness at the end of the tunnel.



Kale, Lentil, and Roasted Sweet Potato Salad
(Inspired by Familystyle Food)

*Notes: This salad is great warm or at room temperature. Massaging the kale takes some of the bite out of it, but it is not a necessary step.

Makes 2+ servings

For the roasted sweet potatoes and apples:
1 cup peeled and chopped sweet potatoes
1 medium Fuji apple, chopped
1 large shallot, chopped
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

For the dressing:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

For the salad:
4 cups roughly chopped kale
3/4 cup cooked French lentils, warm or at room temperature
2 tablespoons roughly chopped toasted walnuts

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Toss the sweet potatoes, apple, and shallot with the olive oil, salt, black pepper, and cayenne. Roast in an oven-safe dish or pan for 30 minutes or until fork-tender. Set aside to cool slightly.

While the sweet potatoes are roasting, mix together the ingredients for the dressing. Pour the dressing over the kale and massage the kale with your hands for five minutes. Toss the lentils with the kale.

Divide the kale and lentil mixture between two bowls or plates. Top each plate with the sweet potatoes and apples and then with chopped walnuts. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Printable Recipe

Baked Corn Dogs

Do you ever get those random cravings for foods you know you shouldn't be eating? Well normally when I get those cravings, I try and find a healthier way to satisfy them. This past week I have been amused reading the comments in Jezebel's Do You Have a Secret Culinary Life post. It is definitely comforting to know I am not the only one with questionable culinary habits when I am not cooking up something to share on this site. A lot of the comments mentioned hot dogs which of course got me craving hot dogs. I remembered these baked corn dogs I saw on Big Red Kitchen and Vanilla Sugar. I have been trying to organize/clean out my pantry in preparation for a party AND a move (busy month) and I found this box of corn muffin mix that I never used from a while back. These take about two minutes to mix together and will definitely satisfy any naughty cravings you may be having in a slightly healthier way.

Baked Corn Dogs
(Adapted from Big Red Kitchen and Vanilla Sugar)

Makes 3 servings

1-8.5 ounce package cornbread mix
1 egg
1/3 cup milk (I used skim)
1/4 cup shredded cheese
3 hot dogs
Ketchup and mustard for serving

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and lightly grease an 8x8 baking dish.

In a large bowl, mix together the cornbread mix, egg, milk and cheese and spread evenly in the baking dish. Place the hot dogs an inch or two apart in the pan. Bake 15-20 minutes until the cornbread is cooked through. Cool for a bit then use a sharp knife to cut around each hot dog, making sure it is surrounded by cornbread.

Printable Recipe

New Year's Eve Treats

Over the weekend, I shared with you some of the things I made for our NYE celebration at JenFinn's house. Now our lovely hostess is sharing some of the recipes that she herself made (girlfriend went ALL OUT!!). They were all really, incredibly delicious. I actually got to sample the brittle a couple of days before and my friend and I that got to eat it were craving it again later on. I loved the combo of not only sweet and salty, but spicy as well. Jen's thoughts on the brittle: it's very important to work very fast once you pour the candy on the cookie sheet. It gets hard really fast and I found myself stretching it out while it was still warm to make it thinner.



Next up is the Wild Mushroom Macaroni with Three Cheeses and Truffle Oil. As regular readers of this blog know, I am huge fan of the mac and cheese so I gobbled this right up (as did everyone else at the party). Jen's thoughts: It definitely has a spicy bite to it, so if you don't like spicy, you should go easy on the chili flakes...also if you aren't big fans of rosemary, you can either omit it or just half it (I like it and find it reminds me of the holidays, so I used it all)!


Last, but certainly not least, this gorgeous Hazelnut Crunch cake. This was really good and light which was surprising considering how decadent it looks. How awesome does that hazelnut brittle look? It's like stained glass. The cake was so good, you would never have guessed it came from a box!!





Sweet and Spicy Nut Brittle
(From Wilton)

Makes about 1 1/2 pounds of brittle

1 cup cashews, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup pistachios, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
2 1/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup water

Preheat oven to 325°F.

In medium bowl, combine cashews and pistachios. In small bowl, mix oil, hot pepper sauce, chili powder, kosher salt, and cayenne pepper. Drizzle spice mixture over nuts; stir to coat evenly. Spread nut mixture onto cookie pan in a single layer.

Bake 10 to12 minutes stirring once after 5 minutes. Remove from oven; spread nut mixture over paper towels to cool completely. Place cooled nuts into medium bowl; set aside.

Line 12 x 18 in. cookie pan with parchment paper. Generously grease paper with butter; set aside. Meanwhile, over medium-high heat, combine sugar and water in medium saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. (Use pastry brush dipped in water to wash sugar crystals down on sides of saucepan.) Continue cooking, without stirring, 20-30 minutes until sugar mixture turns deep amber in color and Candy Thermometer registers 300ºF. (Carefully watch sugar mixture, as it can quickly turn from amber to dark brown.)

Once sugar mixture reaches 300ºF, remove from heat; using greased wooden spoon, stir in nuts. Immediately pour brittle mixture into prepared pan. Using greased, large angled spatula, spread sugar mixture as thinly as possible. Cool completely. Break brittle into pieces.

Wild Mushroom Macaroni and Three Cheeses with Truffle Oil
(From What We're Eating)

1 1/2 cups sliced crimini mushrooms
1 1/2 cups sliced shitake mushrooms
2 tbsp oil or bacon fat
1 1/2 tbsp sherry vinegar
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
3 cup whole milk, warmed
4 oz herb chevre, crumbled
4 oz sharp cheddar, shredded
4 oz Parmigiano Reggiano, separated in 2 2oz piles
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
2 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
1 tsp fresh sage, minced
2-3 tbsp white truffle oil, depending on how strong you like it (yes, this is some rich mac-n-cheese)
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup panko
10 oz cavatappi pasta
kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place a large pot of water over high heat and cover. Place a large saute pan with 2 tbsp oil or lard over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the mushrooms to the pan and saute for 7-10 minutes or until the mushrooms are fully cooked and slightly caramelized. Toss or stir occasionally. Season with a pinch of kosher salt and black pepper then deglaze the pan with sherry vinegar. Allow all of the vinegar to cook out, then remove the mushrooms from the pan and set aside.

Begin the cheese sauce. Add 4 tbsp butter to a medium-sized sauce pan and place the pan on the stove over medium heat. Once all the butter is melted and hot, whisk in 4 tbsp flour. Cook the flour, whisking, for about 30 seconds , just long enough to get rid of the raw flour taste, but not long enough for the flour to start caramelizing. Add the thyme, rosemary, sage, and red pepper flakes. Continue stirring and allow the herbs to saute for about another 30 seconds. Slowly pour in the milk while whisking continuously, so the roux and milk incorporate smoothly and there are no lumps. Allow the bechamel to come to a simmer (it won’t gain it’s full thickness until it does), stirring occasionally.

While waiting for the sauce to come to a simmer start the pasta. Liberally salt the pot of boiling water, almost to the point it tastes like sea water. This may take a few handfuls of salt . Add the pasta to the water and cook the pasta for a minute or two less than the suggested time on the box.

Once the bechamel has reached a simmer, stir in the chevre, cheddar, 2oz of parmigiano, and truffle oil until all the cheese has melted. Turn off the heat and and taste the sauce for seasoning levels. Season with salt and pepper as necessary. In small mixing bowl, mix together the panko and remaining 2oz of Parmigiano Reggiano.

Strain the pasta immediately once finished cooking. In a mixing bowl, toss the pasta, cheese sauce, and mushrooms together. Pour the macaroni and cheese into a deep glass or ceramic loaf pan and sprinkle the panko/Parmigiano mixture evenly across the top. Bake the mac-n-cheese in the upper part of the oven for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the topping is golden and the cheese sauce is bubbly. Serve hot. Enjoy!

*if you’re lucky enough to have a real truffle, feel free to substitute shaved truffle for the truffle oil!

Hazelnut Crunch Cake with Mascarpone and Chocolate
(From Giada De Laurentiis)

1 box chocolate cake mix

Crunch:

1 cup (about 4 1/2-ounces) hazelnuts, toasted and skinned
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup water

Filling:

2 (8-ounce) containers mascarpone cheese, room temperature
1 cup cream
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping:

1/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon orange zest

For the cake:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter and flour 2 (8-inch) cake pans. Prepare the cake mix according to package instructions. Divide the batter between the 2 cake pans and bake according to package instructions. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.

For the Crunch:

Place the toasted nuts close together in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir the sugar mixture until dissolved. Bring to a boil and let cook until the sugar is light brown, about 8 minutes. Let the bubbles subside then pour the caramelized sugar over the nuts. Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator and let the sugar nut mixture cool until hard, about 30 minutes. When the sugar nut mixture is hard and cool, top with another piece of parchment paper and pound into small pieces, or place the sugar nut mixture on a cutting board and cut into small pieces. Set aside.

For the filling:

Put the mascarpone cheese, cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla into a large mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer whip the cream mixture to soft peaks. Fold the Crunch mixture into the whipped cream.

For the topping:

Place the chocolate, sugar and zest in a food processor. Process the mixture until the chocolate is finely ground.

To assemble the cake:

Put 1 cake on a serving plate. Top with 1-inch of the whipped cream crunch mixture. Top with the second layer of cake and continue frosting the entire cake with the remaining whipped cream crunch mixture. Sprinkle the top and sides of the cake with the ground chocolate. Serve.

Stove Top Mac and Cheese

The last few weeks, I have been planning out most of the meals I will be consuming and writing about that week. This has been helping me stay more organized at the grocery store and farmers market and keep a better budget. Somehow, yesterday, I realized that for the rest of the week I only have baked goods on that list (making some treats for some friends). While gabbing with Tony all day yesterday...I mean working, I realized I didn't have any dinners or lunches planned. I have had a serious craving for mac and cheese lately. The weather here in SoCal has been more beach weather than fuzzy sweater weather which is usually when I crave such food, but when I came home last night and and there was a mac and cheese showdown on tv, I knew it was a sign that I had to make the cheesy goodness immediately if not sooner. I love a good baked mac and cheese, and even though it has "cooled down" from 91 to 86, turning on the oven did not sound so awesome. I wanted an easy stove top recipe and a little while ago I had bookmarked this recipe. The best part of it was that you can customize this recipe so many ways. I lurrrrve bacon in my mac and cheese and a little bit of onion and garlic flavor doesn't bother me either. If you are a macaroni and cheese purist, don't do these additions. I had some Fontina cheese leftover from the recipe you will see tomorrow so I used that in this recipe and added some extra-sharp cheddar as well. Measurements aren't super important, as long as the total amount of cheese is around four ounces. This was so creamy and good. Totally easy to prepare and would have been fast if I hadn't added the bacon and shallots. I loved this right out of the pot, but if I must confess, I really like mac and cheese out of the refrigerator as well.

Stove Top Mac and Cheese
(Adapted from Wandering Chopsticks)

6 slices bacon
1 shallot, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
Kosher salt
1/2 lb elbow macaroni
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups milk
Fontina cheese, shredded
Extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Cayenne pepper

In a large skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Set the bacon aside to drain on paper towels and crumble when cooled. Drain most of the fat from the pan and add the shallot and garlic. Cook until translucent and lightly season with salt and pepper. Stir the bacon back in to the onion mixture and set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook to al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain the pasta.

Meanwhile, in a large pot add the butter over medium-low heat. When the butter is half melted, add the flour and stir to combine. When the butter is completely melted, add the milk and cook for 5-10 minutes until the mixture has reached the desired thickness.

Add the cheese and a few dashes of cayenne to the bechamel and stir until it has melted. Add the bacon and shallot mixture to the cheese sauce and stir until combined. Add the drained pasta to the cheese sauce and stir until the pasta is well coated.

Penne with Acorn Squash and Pancetta

I have a not so fun day ahead. For me, when times are dark, I take comfort in this song and a nice bowl of something warm and comforting doesn't hurt either. I bookmarked this recipe a while back because of the acorn squash. I have been cooking so much with butternut that I thought it would be a nice change. I finally got around to picking up the acorn squash at the farmers market the other day and I knew I wanted to try this recipe this week. It takes a bit of time so don't start it when you're really hungry, but definitely try it at some point. I didn't change the recipe too much from the original except I added some shallots and used less pancetta than was called for. I think the next time I make this (and there will definitely be a next time), I will puree the squash to make more of a smooth sauce. A bowl of this pasta, a warm blanket, a glass of wine and a favorite tv show are all I need to bring me back to a more positive place. And of course, this song:



Penne with Acorn Squash and Pancetta
(From The Kitchn)

Penne with Acorn Squash and Pancetta
serves 4

1 acorn squash
1 small head of garlic
1/2 pound penne
2 teaspoons olive oil, plus more for coating squash and garlic
4 ounces pancetta, diced
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chicken or vegetable stock
1 teaspoon chopped, fresh rosemary
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

Slice the squash in half and remove the seeds with a spoon. Cut each half crosswise into wedges, about 1/2-inch thick. Toss the wedges with a splash of olive oil until coated, and spread on a baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper.

Slice the top off of the garlic head so that the tops of the cloves are exposed. Drizzle on a bit of olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and wrap in aluminum foil. Place on the edge of the baking sheet with the squash.

Bake the squash and garlic for about 30 minutes, turning the squash once, until it is soft and slightly caramelized. (Depending on how big the head of garlic is, it may take longer. Leave it in the oven while you peel and chop the squash.)

Allow the squash to cool slightly. In the meantime, bring a pot of salted water to boil (for the pasta). Then, peel each wedge of squash and cut into large chunks.

Heat the 2 teaspoons of olive oil over medium heat in a medium stock pot or large, wide sauce pan. Sauté the pancetta until most of the fat is rendered and the meat is crispy, about 15 minutes. About halfway through, cook the pasta.

When the pancetta is finished cooking, remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the shallots to the pan and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the broth, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom. Stir in the rosemary and about four cloves of the roasted garlic, mashing them up in the liquid with the back of a spoon or spatula.

Add the chunks of squash and pancetta to the pan. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1/2 cup of the cooking water, and add the pasta to the squash/pancetta mixture. Toss everything to coat, then stir in the Parmesan. Add a bit of the pasta water if the mixture seems too dry.

Barefoot Bloggers: Grown Up Mac and Cheese

Obviously, as evidenced by my membership in Barefoot Bloggers, I have a deep love and affection for Ina Garten. Now I have the feeling that I want to marry her and have her babies. I don't think I have ever tried a single recipe of hers that hasn't been simply wonderful. Our first September recipe was chosen by Heather of Randomosity and the Girl. This is something that I wasn't really looking forward to making. While everyone else in the country is boasting about cooler temps and fall, the weather has finally decided to turn summer in Southern California and it's been hot and humid the last few weeks. It's cooled down the last few days, but I made this over last weekend's 90 degree temps. Also, this recipe called for three different kinds of cheeses. Normally, this is something I am totally up for, but due to my dwindling bank account (I need to find a better paying job...and/or a sugar daddy) and the fact that I am not the hugest fan of blue cheese, I decided to leave that one out. Instead, I just increased the amounts of Gruyere and cheddar, but other than that, this was one of the few recipes I actually followed almost to a tee. Ina says this should be served in two serving dishes, but this made enough food to last me for days. It is definitely not something that should be made if you're on a diet, or even think about going on a diet because just thinking about this recipe may cause you to gain ten pounds. Luckily, I don't make mac and cheese very often so I didn't feel horribly guilty about eating this. It takes a bit of time to make and dirties quite a few dishes. I strongly suggest that while it's baking, you clean up the dirty dishes. Visit the Barefoot Bloggers blogroll to see how everyone else's mac and cheese turned out.

Grown Up Mac and Cheese
(Adapted from Ina Garten)

4 ounces center cut bacon
Vegetable or extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
2 cups elbow macaroni or cavatappi
1 1/2 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
4 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated
Pinch nutmeg
2 slices white sandwich bread, roughly chopped (I used ciabatta and it was great)
2 tablespoons freshly chopped basil leaves

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

Place a baking rack on a sheet pan lined with aluminium foil 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 a splash of oil into a pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, about 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, slowly add the hot milk and cook for a minute or 2 more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere and cheddar, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg (I forgot the salt and pepper and it was fine). Add the cooked macaroni and crumbled bacon and stir well. Pour into 2 individual size gratin dishes or an 8x8 baking dish.

Place the bread slices in a food processor and pulse until you have coarse crumbs. Add the basil and pulse 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 top.

Ice Cream Sandwiches

I had an annoying weekend. I was so pumped about having my own apartment for a month, but I still had to go out and do things on Saturday. Unfortunately, I didn't get to do those things, so I sat around and moped. And then I got to baking. I needed a way to release my frustration so I decided to do something that would relieve the tension. I had some cocoa powder left from when I made cupcakes for my birthday, and I originally thought I would make brownies, but then another recipe caught my attention. I decided to make ice cream sandwiches with my honey ice cream. These turned out amazing. I read the reviews first and decided to grind the cornmeal in a food processor to give it a more fine texture and the end result was a cookie that was crumbly and sweet, but not too sweet with just the right amount of chocolate mixed in. It was a perfect comfort food for a less than comforting day.

Italian Chocolate Sandwich Cookie
(Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis)

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (2 sticks)
2/3 cup sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cornmeal or polenta
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

To make the cookies, in a large bowl use an electric mixer to cream together the butter and sugar until light in color and fluffy. In another medium bowl stir together the flour, cornmeal or polenta, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and stir to combine using a wooden spoon. Place the dough on a sheet of plastic wrap. Press the dough into a 1-inch high round. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day.

Roll out the dough to between 1/8 and 1/4-inch thick. Use a 2 inch round cookie cutter (or a glass) to cut out the dough. Bake on a parchment lined baking sheet for 15 minutes. Place the baking sheets on a wire rack to cool cookies. Cookies can be made a day in advance.

To make the ice cream sandwiches:

Press a scoop of ice cream on one cookie. Top with another cookie and press down until ice cream reaches the edge of the cookie. Serve immediately.

Chipotle Mac and Cheese

This wonky So Cal weather (tornadoes in Riverside county?! flash floods in Orange county?!) has me longing for warm, comforting food. I grew up in a foreign household where things like mac and cheese only came out of that "blue box". My sister loved it...I thought it was the grossest stuff ever. My only other experiences with the stuff were greasy church buffets or the semi good stuff the moms of my friends made. I have only ever tried homemade mac and cheese one other time in college and the bechamel was beyond my comprehension at the time. Probably too many beer bongs. So a little over a month ago, I went to a beautiful wedding in the Bahamas and for dinner we had the best mac and cheese I have ever had. Lucky for me, the couple gave us the recipe. Ever since I saw another recipe for mac and cheese on Tastespotting, I had been longing to try this particular brand of cheese. As I am trying to be green and kosher food is almost as green as you can get, I was longing to try it. However, it was very frustrating trying to find out where they sell it. Then lo and behold, today I am at the grocery store about fifty steps from my apartment there it was!!! I did a mini dance in the store, but then had to restrain myself because of the weird looks I was getting. After I picked up the rest of my ingredients I headed home, but I was so tired I couldn't even think about cooking. I tried to take a nap, but failed. All I could think about was this mac and cheese. I used the original recipe from the Bahamas wedding, but added some of my own modifications. PS, this is not a super creamy, milky kind of mac and cheese so if that is what you're looking for...keep looking. However if you are looking for a super cheesy, oniony, bacony, smoky flavor - well, follow the recipe below!

Chipotle Mac and Cheese

16 oz Cavatappi pasta
8 oz Sugar River Cheese Company White Cheddar and Chipotle Cheese
2 oz shredded sharp cheddar
8 slices (or more if you want) of bacon - cooked and chopped into bite sized pieces
1 small or 1/2 large onion chopped
1/2 c of milk (normally I drink nonfat, but I used 2% in this recipe)
1 large egg
2 or 3 tbsp of butter
1 tsp of cayenne pepper
about 1/4 c of breadcrumbs
salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Boil pasta in salted water until it is well done - al dente. Drain well. Add the butter and milk and mix well. Then add the cayenne, bacon, chopped onion, and most of the 2 cheeses. Add more salt if needed. Mix until the pasta is well coated and then add the egg and mix again.

Grease an oven proof dish with a little butter and pour macaroni mixture into dish. Top with breadcrumbs and left over grated cheese and bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and crusty and all of the liquid is absorbed. Let sit for about 10 minutes before cutting into.