Congrats D…

Darian decided she wanted a new job- landed one her first day! Congratulations!!!

Job feel through- told her she had it and then gave it to someone else…good thing you don’t work there- I’d worry about them confusing my check with someone else. Remember: Good things come to those who wait (and those who beat the pavement!).

Lynne Rossetto Kasper’s Moroccan Harira Red Lentil Soup

Ingredients

  • Good tasting extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large onion (cut into 1/8-inch dice)
  • 1 small carrot (minced)
  • 1/3 cup tightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley stems and leaves (chopped)
  • 1/2 cup tightly packed fresh cilantro stems and leaves (chopped)
  • Salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 5 large garlic cloves (minced)
  • 2-inch piece fresh ginger (minced — about 2 tablespoons)
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 1/4 cup dried red lentils
  • 2 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika
  • 1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes and their liquid (pureed)
  • 8 cup low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth (enough to make a slightly thick soup)

Accompaniments:

  • 2 lemons (each cut into 6 wedges)
  • 12 or more dried figs (halved)
  • 12 or more dates
  • 3 tablespoon cumin (freshly ground if possible)
  • 3 tablespoon ground hot chile (Aleppo if possible)
  • 12 small phyllo pastries of honey and nuts
  • 2 tablespoon tightly packed fresh cilantro leaves (chopped)

Good tasting extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion (cut into 1/8-inch dice)
1 small carrot (minced)
1/3 cup tightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley stems and leaves (chopped)
1/2 cup tightly packed fresh cilantro stems and leaves (chopped)
Salt
1 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 large garlic cloves (minced)
2-inch piece fresh ginger (minced — about 2 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Coat the bottom of a 6-quart pot with a thin film of oil and set it over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, parsley, cilantro, and a little salt and sauté for 8 minutes, or until golden brown. Reduce the heat to medium-low; stir in the pepper, garlic, ginger, turmeric, and cinnamon and cook for 30 seconds.
1 1/4 cup dried red lentils
2 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes and their liquid (pureed)
8 cup low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth (enough to make a slightly thick soup0
Blend in the lentils, paprika, tomatoes, and broth. Bring to a gentle bubble, partially cover, and simmer for 45 minutes, or until the lentils have dissolved and the soup tastes rich and good. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add a little water is the soup is too thick.
2 lemons (each cut into 6 wedges)
12 or more dried figs (halved)
12 or more dates
3 tablespoon cumin (freshly ground if possible)
3 tablespoon ground hot chile (Aleppo if possible)
12 small phyllo pastries of honey and nuts
While the soup cooks, set out small plates for each diner with the accompaniments – lemon wedges, about 2 figs and 2 dates each, a little of the ground cumin and chile, and bite-sized pieces of pastry.
2 tablespoon tightly packed fresh cilantro leaves (chopped)
To serve the soup, sprinkle it with the chopped cilantro and ladle into bowls.

Busy week…

  • Kam’s team lost at East Rochester (who they beat at home).

  • Kelsie had her birthday movie party. She and some friends saw  ”Chip-wrecked”. They had great fun.

  • Karen and Linda are recovering. Linda from a very bad case of bronchitis and Karen from a head cold. Also baking lots of yummy things (see previous posts for pictures).

  • I want a brick oven at my home to cook with! We can all dream…

  • Speaking of dreams-I heard shouts all the way from Orchard Street after NY Giants won in OT! Super Bowl Baby!!!
  • What’s up with you?

Black Bean Salad with Corn, Red Peppers, Avocado & Lime-Cilantro Vinaigrette

Ingredients

  • 2 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 3 ears fresh corn, cooked, cooled and kernels cut off the cob
  • 2 red bell peppers, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons minced shallots (you’ll need one medium shallot)
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 9 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (I like Colavita)
  • 6 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon lime zest (be sure to zest limes before juicing them)
  • ½ cup chopped cilantro, plus more to garnish
  • 2 Hass avocados, diced

Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredients except avocados in a large bowl and mix well. Cover and chill for a few hours or overnight. Right before serving, add avocados and mix gently, being careful not to mash avocados. Garnish with a few sprigs of freshly chopped cilantro if desired. Serve at room temperature.

Mario Batali’s Broccoli Rabe, Potato and Ricotta Ravioli…

Ingredients

FOR THE FILLING:

  • 1 pound Fresh broccoli rabe (trimmed)
  • 1 pound Waxy golden potatoes (such as Yukon Gold- peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice)
  • 1 1/2 cups Fresh ricotta (drained)
  • 1/2 cup Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (plus more for serving)
  • 1/4 cup Extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup Semolina flour (for dusting)
  • 12 tablespoon Unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks)
  • 15 Fresh Sage Leaves
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Basic Pasta dough


FOR THE BASIC PASTA DOUGH:

  • 3 1/2 cups All-purpose flour (plus 1/4 for dusting)
  • 5 Extra-large eggs

FOR THE FILLING: Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Set up an ice bath nearby.
1 pound Fresh broccoli rabe (trimmed)
1 tablespoon salt
When the water is boiling, add 1 tablespoon salt. Then add the broccoli rabe and cook until very tender, about 6 minutes. Using a spider or a slotted spoon, transfer the rabe to the ice bath.
1 pound Waxy golden potatoes (such as Yukon Gold- peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice)
Add the potatoes to the boiling water and cook until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, and pass through a ricer or mash with a potato masher.
Once the rabe is cooled, drain and pat it to dry. Chop the rabe until it is almost a paste (you can do this in the food processor).
1 1/2 cups Fresh ricotta (drained)
1/2 cup Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/4 cup Extra virgin olive oi
Salt and pepper
In a medium bowl, combine the rabe, potatoes, ricotta, Parmigiano, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir well to combine.
Basic Pasta dough
1 cup Semolina flour (for dusting)
Roll out the pasta dough to the thinnest setting on a pasta machine, using a good dusting of the semolina between the resting sheets to maintain a good separation. Cut the pasta sheets into 4-inch squares. Place a scant tablespoon of the ricotta filling on a one half of each square, and then fold it over like a book to enclose the filling, forming a rectangle. Press the edges of the ravioli with your fingers to seal them. (The ravioli can now be frozen between sheets of parchment, sprinkled with semolina, until ready to cook.)
12 tablespoon Unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks)
15 Fresh Sage Leaves
Bring 8 quarts of water to a boil.  While the water is heating, heat the butter in a 14-inch sauté pan over high heat until the foam subsides and it begins to turn a light brown color. Add the sage and remove the pan from the heat.
2 tablespoon salt
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Add 2 tablespoons salt to the boiling water. Then add the ravioli, and cook until they are tender and cooked through (you should taste one to test it), about 3 minutes (a little more if frozen). Reserving 3 tablespoons of the cooking water, drain the ravioli. Add them to the pan containing the butter and sage. Add the reserved cooking water, and toss gently over high heat for 1 minute. Pour the hot ravioli onto a warmed platter, and serve immediately with Parmigiano grated over the top.
3 1/2 cups All-purpose flour (plus 1/4 for dusting)
5 Extra-large eggs
FOR THE BASIC PASTA DOUGH: Mound the flour in the center of a large board. Make a well in the middle of the flour, and add the eggs to it. Using a fork, beat the eggs. Then gradually incorporate the flour, starting with the inner rim of the well. The dough will come together when half of the flour is incorporated. Keep working the dough until all the flour is incorporated.
Start kneading the dough with both hands. Once you have a cohesive mass, remove the dough from the board, and scrape up and discard any leftover bits. Lightly flour the board and continue kneading for 6 more minutes. (You can do the whole dough process in a food processor, with a little less of the romance but a very similar result: Place the flour and the eggs in the bowl of the processor and pulse 15 times for 6 seconds at a time.) the dough should be elastic and a little sticky. Wrap it in plastic wrap and allow it to rest at room temperature for 50 minutes. Do not skip the kneading or resting portion of this recipe. (The wrapped dough can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 day.)
I am making this today…I’ll let you know how it turns out.
Well, for a first time- not too bad. Needed to cook the finished product a little longer and seal them a little better. I am taking the mixture that is left and making stuffed manicotti tomorrow with a béchamel sauce. We also  used an olive oil/garlic sauce which we like. Doesn’t take much but adds great flavor.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close…

Based on the novel by Jonathan Safran Foer, “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” is a 9/11 story told from a unique point of view. It is not about the drama of that dark day, rather, it’s about the aftermath of trauma, what people have to live with and get over, and all the things they can never get over. It deals with something important but intrinsically boring, people going through life in a low-grade fever of grief, loss and sadness.

Not what I thought it would be but I did like it for the grief process, showing the issues with Asperger syndrome and also the child’s creativity.

Baked Oatmeal To-Go…


adapted from Cooking Light; yields 12 “muffins”; originally posted here

2 c. uncooked oats (quick-cooking or old fashioned work)
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. craisins or other dried fruit
1 tbsp. chopped walnuts
1 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 c. skim milk (sometimes I use 2%)
1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce (jarred or homemade works)
2 tbsp. butter, melted
1 large egg beaten

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Spray muffin tin or line with paper liners and set aside.
2. Combine first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl.
3. Combine the milk, applesauce, butter, and egg.
4. Add milk mixture to oat mixture and stir well.
5. Using a 2-ounce trigger release ice-cream scoop, add oatmeal to the muffin tin. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until edges begin to brown.
6. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing, using an offset spatula to loosen. Serve or store covered in the refrigerator for up to a week. Heat for 1-2 minutes in the microwave.

The muffins were a little gooey when done but good flavor. The homemade applesauce was wonderful! True test- see how they hold up for a few days (will they get really dry?)

What a weekend…

We did puzzles, played with Bear, ate Oreo cookies, laughed, joked, watched football, saw “Joyful Noise”, ate out, ate in, had chocolate covered strawberries that stuck to the plate, drank lots of wine, had mimosas, laughed some more & had a GREAT time! Thank you Kay & Delaney for the best gift ever and Kris for the icing on top! I love you.

Winter travel…

Kay & Delaney were delayed this morning on their trip to Kansas City. Their 9:50 am flight left Rochester at 1:19 pm (above picture what it looked like when they finally left). She changed her connecting flight to 3:30 pm to arrive in Kansas City at 5:00 pm. Fingers crossed we get out of Detroit!

Made it to Detroit but missed the 3:30 pm flight to Kansas City. They are now on a 5:30 flight here…long day!

Oh no…the flight went to Minneapolis, then to Kansas City. The got into Kansas City at 8:30 pm. Their bags however just got here at 4:00 pm the next day.

Kris is now here with out incident!!!