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Greek-style quinoa with avocados

Posted in Recipes, tagged , , , , , on July 14, 2011| 1 Comment »

Bowl of avocados and quinoa

I love light, filling, refreshing meals in summertime. This dish was exactly that. Stephen thought it was good, but he would’ve preferred something a little meatier. I, however, couldn’t get enough of it! When you’re making it, it looks like it might not taste very good, but that first bite transforms it into a thing of beauty. It’s really quick and easy, and it’s really cheap as well.

Ingredients

I got the recipe from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. I had been wanting to make it for a long time, and I finally got around to it. It’s definitely a keeper!

  • 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa (I got mine from the bulk section in Sprouts.)
  • 1 cup water (I got this from… the faucet. Way less exciting.)
  • 2 roma tomatoes, seeds removed and finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup shredded fresh spinach
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped red onion (I probably used closer to 1/2 cup)
  • 2 Tbs lemon juice
  • 2 Tbs olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 avocados, sliced (and seeded and peeled…). I actually cut mine into bite-size pieces.
  • 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese (ok, by now you should know that I rarely measure cheese. You can wing it on this one.)

The recipe called for 2 avocados, but I would actually go for 3 next time. I love avocados, so I wanted them to have a bigger role in the meal. It’s technically supposed to make 4 servings, but I split the quinoa into 3 servings and used the avocados on only 2 of them; that’s why the photo at the top has so much avocado!

Directions

Quick and easy!

  1. Bring quinoa and water to a boil in a saucepan, then reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes (liquid should be absorbed).
  2. Place cooked quinoa in a bowl and mix in tomato, spinach, and onion.
  3. Whisk lemon juice, olive oil and salt in a separate small bowl. Pour over quinoa mixture and mix.
  4. Add avocado and feta cheese.
  5. Try not to eat the entire bowl in one sitting.

If you’re making this ahead of time, brush the avocado slices with lemon juice to keep them from getting brown.

The remaining serving with no avocados:

Bowl of Greek quinoa mixture

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

Posted in Recipes, tagged , , , , on July 1, 2011| 2 Comments »

Slice of chocolate peanut butter pie

Let me introduce you to one of the simplest equations in the universe:

Chocolate + Peanut Butter = BLISS

I’m glad we’ve got that settled. No variables here. Refer to my post on the Chocolate Peanut Butter Shake with No Ice Cream for my feelings on the subject.

So I was making this pie a few weeks ago, and Stephen inquired as to why I hadn’t blogged about it yet, because I was depriving the world of a great treasure. Except he didn’t use those exact words about the treasure. But he was right – I needed to pass it along! (You can thank him later.) It will make your taste buds yodel and do the polka, which is kind of cool since I’m pretty sure I didn’t know how to do the polka. Or yodel, for that matter.

Chocolate and peanut butter. Such a beautiful thing.

Ingredients

The original recipe came from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook, but of course I always make a few adaptations.

Crust

  • 1 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (You can buy them pre-crumbled, or just put some whole graham crackers in a large ziploc bag and mash them until they’re crumbs)
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/3 cup melted butter

Filling

  • 1 8-oz package cream cheese, softened (I use Neufchâtel cheese, which is usually right next to the cream cheese and will probably say something like “1/3 less fat than cream cheese” on the package)
  • 3/4 cup peanut butter (I use creamy, but crunchy works)
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 Tbs milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup whipping cream (as in, heavy whipping cream – NOT “whipped cream.” You’ll find it in the store next to the half-and-half)
  • 2 Tbs powdered sugar
  • 3/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate pieces (I have actually never used these. I’ve always just used regular-size and chopped them up, or I’ve used squares of baker’s chocolate and chopped/shaved it really small. But if you get them small it will save you some work and some dishes!)

So I know it looks like a lot of ingredients, but it’s really not. I just apparently talk a lot in my comments after each ingredient.

Directions

This really is embarrassingly easy.

  1. For the crust, mix all 4 ingredients and press the mixture into the bottom and sides of a pie pan. Bake at 350° F for 5-7 minutes. Let it cool while making the filling.
  2. For the filling, beat the cream cheese and peanut butter in a large mixing bowl until smooth. Add the 1 cup powdered sugar, milk and vanilla, beating until combined.
  3. Beat the whipping cream and 2 Tbs powdered sugar in a separate bowl until peaks begin to form and stand by themselves (NOW it’s whipped cream). Gently mix about 1/3 of the whipped cream mixture into the peanut butter mixture, and then mix in the rest, along with the chocolate pieces.
  4. Spoon the mixture into the pie crust and smooth the top. Sprinkle the top with any remaining chocolate. Cover and chill until set, about 2 hours (unless you put it in the freezer because you can’t wait any longer, in which case it takes significantly less time).
I would eat that even without something in it:
Chocolate graham cracker pie crust
The humble beginnings:
Peanut butter and cream cheese in the mixing bowl
It’s coming together:
Blended peanut butter and cream cheese
Whipping cream, post-whip:
Whipping cream in a mixing bowl
Chopped up pieces from a couple of baker’s squares of chocolate:
Chopped-up chocolate
It really is a thing of beauty:
Angled view of chocolate peanut butter pie
P.S. Please excuse the TERRIBLE lighting; I got the urge to make it long after natural light was no longer available…

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Memorial Day Menu: Part 3 – Orange julius

Posted in Recipes, tagged , , , , on June 19, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Fresh orange julius smoothie

A lot has happened since Memorial Day, aka my last blog post. A week and a half in Canada? A wedding? Another wedding? Insanity? I’ll take a little of each, please.

Here, at last, is Part 3 of our Memorial Day menu. Orange julius!

***

By the way, if you missed my previous post, I’m splitting our Memorial Day Menu into several posts:

***
This was one of my favorite treats growing up, and now it’s a household staple for Stephen and I as well. Orange julius (orange cream smoothie) is really quick, more delicious than you could ever imagine, AND it’s somewhat healthy!  That’s a win in my book for sure.

Ingredients

By the way… the only thing I have EVER measured out in this recipe is the milk, and even then I don’t do it every time. In fact, on my actual written “recipe,” the only ingredient with a listed measurement is the milk.

So basically, what I’m trying to say is, I made up all the numbers in this recipe. I figured that might be better than telling you to just throw a bunch of stuff in there until it looks good.

  • Ice
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/2 can of orange juice concentrate (frozen)
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (I usually use a little more, but I love vanilla)
  • 1-3 Tbs sugar, depending on taste

If you keep a couple cans of orange juice concentrate on hand in your freezer, you should have everything you need to whip up a quick batch of this fabulous smoothie. You will become any guest’s favorite person ever.

Directions

The trick is to blend the ice and milk for a few seconds to get the ice into smaller pieces before adding everything else. It’s no big deal if you don’t do it that way, but it helps guarantee smoother results.

  1. Pulse the milk with a few big handfuls of ice in the blender.
  2. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.

One batch makes enough for 2-4 people, depending on how big your cup is. Stephen and I have no problem finishing off one batch, but we live in Texas, where it’s currently 104° F outside. (Though in the interest of full disclosure, our orange julius consumption is by no means limited to the summertime.)

And to wrap up the Memorial Day Menu series, you get an exclusive, behind-the-scenes peek at the wreckage in my kitchen after all that frenzied cooking!

My messy kitchen after cooking

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Memorial Day Menu: Part 2 – Soft pretzels

Posted in Recipes, tagged , , , , on June 1, 2011| 4 Comments »

Soft warm pretzels

There’s something special about pretzels.

No, not the tiny hard ones you buy in a bag (though they do have their place!). I’m talking about the big, warm, soft, salty variety that makes you want to live in a pretzel shop. My friend Andrea and I decided that not only can soft pretzels end wars and cure world hunger, they also make the PERFECT snack. What more could you want in a food?

I found them on one of my favorite blogs, Annie’s Eats, and then my friend Tram made them and posted about it on her blog, Momma Bird’s Kitchen. I’d been wanting to make them for months, and I finally got my chance.

Mine aren’t as cute and little because (A) It was really hot outside, and I was going back and forth to Stephen and the grill outside by the pool, and (B) I was in a huge hurry and juggling corn cobs and dishes and a spastic timer. And also because I wanted to eat them and didn’t want to waste time making them look pretty. Thus, I ended up with the “rustic” look. That I intended them to have all along. Ahem..

***

By the way, if you missed my previous post, I’m splitting our Memorial Day Menu into several posts:

***

So, without further ado (who am I kidding? There’s always plenty of ado when I’m around), the Glorious Pretzels of Peace and Love.

Ingredients

You really don’t need any special ingredients! That’s awfully exciting for someone on a budget (though you do need a hefty amount of baking soda…).

For the dough:
  • 1 1/2 cups warm water
  • 1 Tbs sugar
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 2 1/4 tsp. instant yeast
  • 4 1/2 cups flour
  •  4 Tbs butter, melted
  • A splash of vegetable oil for greasing the bowl
The original version calls for kosher salt or at least big chunky pretzel salt, but I didn’t have any. It didn’t really affect the flavor, but it sure would’ve been prettier with the right salt.
For finishing:
  • Cooking spray or silicone pan liners
  • 10 cups water
  • 2/3 cup baking soda
  • 1 egg yolk, beaten with 1 Tbs water
  • More salt for sprinkling

Directions

The actual baking process is pretty quick, but you do have to let it rise. Also, I only have a hand mixer. I don’t have a stand mixer with a dough hook. If you do, use it. If not, work harder and still end up with delicious pretzels.

  1. Combine the water, sugar, salt and yeast in a large bowl. Mix on low speed until the yeast is dissolved. Add the flour and butter and mix just until it starts looking like dough. At this point, either switch to the dough hook and knead for about 5 minutes, OR flour your hands, stick ’em in and moosh them around for a while until the dough becomes more solid and smooth. Move the dough to a large bowl with a little vegetable oil drizzed in it. Turn the lump of dough once to coat the top with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for about 55 minutes (it should double in size). I put it in the trunk of my car. This is Texas, friends. I’m surprised it didn’t start baking in there.
  2. Preheat the oven to 450° F. Lay the silicone pan liners on 2 baking sheets, or spray both sheets lightly with cooking spray. Put the water and baking soda into a large saucepan and bring to a boil.
  3. Divide the dough into 8 pieces. Take one piece, roll it into a long rope, about 18-24 inches. Make a U-shape with the rope, twist it, and fold it back over to make a pretzel shape. Once you have all the dough shaped into pretzels, place one of them into the boiling water for about 30 seconds each. Fish it out of the water with a slotted skimmer and return it to the baking sheet before moving on to the next.
  4. Brush the tops of the pretzels with the egg/water mixture and follow with a light sprinkling of salt.
  5. Bake 12-14 minutes or until “dark golden brown.” Cool on a rack for about 5 minutes before serving. Or not:
Stephen sneaking a pretzel
We were going back and forth to the pool/grill, so Stephen took the golden opportunity to snatch a pretzel off the cooling rack. Please note the guilty look.

Next, I’d really like to try mini pretzels, cinnamon sugar pretzels and mustard pretzels. But not all at the same time. That would be weird.

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Memorial Day Menu: Part 1 – Buttery basil corn

Posted in Recipes on May 30, 2011| 3 Comments »

dish where corn used to be

…

What?

Oh yeah, that’s where the corn used to be before I remembered to take a picture of the final product. It was GOOD. In a delightful chain of events, my parents and brother came over yesterday, gave Stephen his birthday present early (a tiny little charcoal grill that we can actually use at our apartment!), and the next day was Memorial Day. Thus ensued the grilling frenzy.

I’m not going to jam our entire meal into one blog post, so I’ll spread it out. Here’s our Memorial Day menu:

The grilled chicken started out like this:
Stephen seasoning raw chicken thighs
And ended like this:
Chicken thighs hot off the grill

I think there was some marinating and grilling somewhere in there too. That was Stephen’s deal. YUM.

So I’ll be tacking the buttery basil corn in this blog post. The other dishes will follow in later posts. We got the corn recipe from a grilling recipe book my parents got for Stephen, called Patio Daddy-O at the Grill. The original recipe calls for 6 ears of corn, but we could only fit 3 on our grill (plus there are only, what, 2 of us?), so I’m going to use the measurements for what we did.

Ingredients

This is super cheap to make (especially when corn-on-the-cob is on sale at Walmart for $0.15 per ear!).

  • 3 ears of corn (don’t remove the husks!)
  • 1/2 stick butter, softened
  • 1/2 Tbs lemon juice
  • 1/2 Tbs chopped fresh basil (I used 4 leaves from the basil plant I’m growing in a pot. You could taste the freshness!)
  • Salt & pepper
  • Olive oil
  • 2 Tbs grated parmesan cheese
If I were to stick to the measurements (ha), it should’ve been 1/4 cup parmesan, but I used a little less.

Directions

I’ll tell you what we did, but I’ll also include directions for if you don’t have a grill. The grill added some excellent flavor, but it would still be good if you just boiled the corn instead.

Also, both Stephen and I usually cut our corn off the cob to eat it (does anyone else get some serious corn-between-the-teeth issues even after flossing multiple times? Or is it just me?). The original recipe just says to roll the corn cob in the butter mixture, but I’m going to tell you what I did instead.
  1. If grilling: Soak the corn (still in the husks) in water for about an hour so they don’t burn up on the grill. You may also want to rip off the stringy fluff at the very tip. If boiling: Remove the husks and strings and place in a pot. Fill with water to about 1 inch above the corn. Boil for about 10-15 minutes, cut off the kernels, then skip to Step 5.
  2. Mash together the butter, lemon juice & basil, and add salt and pepper to taste. Cover and place in the refrigerator until the corn is done. I’m a big believer in letting flavors have time to mix.
  3. Grill the corn, still in the husks, over medium-high heat for about 20-25 minutes, or until the husks are evenly charred all the way around.
  4. Remove the husks and strings from the corn, and cut close to the cob to remove all the kernels. To keep from getting charred husks all over my kitchen, I placed each corn cob in a plastic grocery bag while I removed the husks.
  5. Take the butter mixture out of the refrigerator and mix it up with the corn. Add the parmesan cheese and stir. Devour. We definitely ate 3 cobs’ worth of corn between the two of us.
Oh, the beauty that is seasoned butter. Before mixing:
stick of butter with basil, lemon juice, salt and pepper
After mixing:
Seasoned butter mixed up with basil, lemon juice, salt and pepper
Here is the charred corn:
Charred corn-on-the-cob from the grill
In their golden glory after taking off the husks:
Corn cobs with husk removed

… and that’s where this photo saga ends. We were so hungry by the time it was ready that I didn’t even think to take a photo. Oops. Buttery corn goodness with flecks of beautiful green basil. Use your imagination.

More Memorial Day Menu recipes to come!

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