you know the desert island game, right? where you pick one food that you could live on forever if you were stranded on a desert island? well, tacos are my desert island food. i know that’s cheating a little bit, because there are so many taco ingredients. but how could i ever decide between beans, tortillas, avocado, or salsa?

i just couldn’t decide between those four items. but since i’ve talked about beans extensively on this site (black beans, garbanzos, white beans, you name it!), and i’ve talked a lot about avocados, i think it’s time to chat about salsa. (i promise to post about tortillas soon, too.)

my all-time favorite salsa is a fresh pico de gallo, one that my sister and dad picked up on a field trip to wilder ranch many years ago and we’ve been making ever since. it’s super easy to make, turns out slightly different (but still delicious!) every time, and is a great addition to tacos, burritos, scrambles, guacamole. not to mention that it’s fantastic on its own with tortilla chips. it’s a little spicy, but you can use less jalapenos or more than the recipe calls for, depending upon your spice preference.  so what are you waiting for? ditch that stuff in the jars and go make this salsa!

one year ago: tofu skewers and peanut sauce
two years ago: pizza dough

pico de gallo

yields approx 2 cups of salsa

• 3 tomatoes, diced (and seeded if you prefer)
• 2 tomatillos, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 jalapeno, membrane and seeds removed, and minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1/2 bunch cilantro, minced
• salt and pepper to taste
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1. toss the tomatoes, tomatillos, onion, jalapeno, garlic, lime juice, and cilantro in a bowl and toss
2. add salt and pepper to taste, and serve!

ok, so let’s get down to business. i bet you’re wondering what the heck muhammara is, right? well, it’s a delicious bell pepper, walnut, and molasses dip. it’s spicy and sweet and incredibly satisfying. what it’s not is lovely to photograph. the photos all turned out sort of blah. but the dip is so amazing that i couldn’t refrain from sharing the recipe with you.

one of my dearest friends, k, gave me super natural cooking, by heidi swanson, for my birthday last year, and i’ve been cooking my way through the amazing recipes ever since. i love the variety of grains, veggies, and unique ingredients that heidi uses in her recipes, and this one’s no different. i never would have thought to combine the ingredients in this recipe, or to use pomegranate molasses…or even that pomegranate molasses existed.

the recipe in the cookbook suggests that you serve muhammara with grilled tofu, mushroom, onion, and lemon skewers, and i think that’s a great suggestion. i also think that serving it with pita chips or cut veggies is an excellent choice. as is eating the dip plain with a spoon. wait, did i really type that? that never happened. really….

but i think you get the point – when you’re ready to try making an extremely versatile and delicious dip, ignore the hummus recipes (even though i’m particularly fond of this one), and go for muhammara!

one year ago: carrot oat coconut cookies

muhammara

yields 2 cups of dip
modified from 101 cookbooks and super natural cooking, both by heidi swanson

• 1T chili pepper flakes
• 1/2t salt
• 1/2t ground cumin
• 3/4c walnuts
• 1c whole wheat bread crumbs
• 1/4c olive oil
• 2T pomegranate molasses (or 1T molasses and 1T pomegranate juice or just 2T molasses)
• 1/4c tomato paste
• 1 jar roasted red bell peppers (12 oz after draining, 15oz before. thanks for the tip, k!)
• 1/4 – 1/2c warm water
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1. in a food processor, blend the red pepper flakes, salt, cumin, walnuts, bread crumbs, olive oil, pomegranate molasses (or molasses and juice, or molasses), tomato paste, and red bell peppers until smooth.
2. add warm water as needed – you want the dip to be the consistency of hummus. sometimes i don’t need to add any water, but other times i need to add the full 1/2c…you’ll know what’s right when you’re blending up the dip!

serving suggestions

• to make this a full meal, i like serving the muhammara with couscous (ie fake tabouli) salad and Heidi’s kabobs (i simply broil mine in the oven for 25 minutes, instead of bbq’ing them…)
• to keep it a side dish, serve with pita chips and/or cut veggies, and enjoy!

happy st patrick’s day, everyone! to celebrate mike’s and my irish heritage, we decided to make two easy dishes with traditional irish staples: oven roasted potatoes and coleslaw.

the oven roasted potatoes are my mom’s legendary “sue’s fries” – and they’re deliciously covered in olive oil, salt, pepper, and fragrant fresh herbs. all you have to do is slice them into bite-sized wedges, toss with the above mentioned ingredients, and voila – a fabulous side dish!

the coleslaw is a new recipe out of a cookbook i’ve often overlooked. my food processor made it a snap to grate the carrots, cabbage, and onion. then, you just have to stir in some mayo, lemon juice, poppy seeds, and honey. it’s important to let it chill overnight, so the flavors mingle…but you could always steal a few bites before putting it in the fridge. :)

no matter how you slice or grate it, you just can’t go wrong with potatoes and cabbage – they’re a great combo, and these two dishes are super simple and tasty!

may the luck o’the irish be with you today!

one year ago: waffles from scratch

sue’s fries

yields 4-6 side dish servings

• 6 red potatoes, sliced as indicated below
• 2-4T olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• parsley, chopped
• rosemary, chopped (optional)
• dash paprika
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1. preheat the oven to 350º
2. wash the potatoes and slice them in half, then into wedges – you can pick how big you’d like them to be, but it’s best if they’re all a similar size
3. put the slices into a 9″ x 13″ glass or ceramic pan
4. pour enough olive oil over the potatoes to coat them, then sprinkle with salt, pepper, parsley, rosemary, and paprika
5. toss all the ingredients together and cover with aluminum foil
6. place the pan into the oven and cook for 30-40 minutes, uncovering for the last 10 minutes of baking

coleslaw

yields 4-6 side dish servings
slightly adapted from simply vegetarian!

• 1 medium cabbage (either purple or green), grated
• 2 carrots, grated
• 1T grated onion
• 1/2c mayonnaise
• 2T lemon juice
• 1/2t salt
• 1/8t pepper
• 1T poppy seeds
• 1t honey
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1. mix all the ingredients above together
2. allow to chill 2 hours or overnight

i’m slowly starting to get back in the swing of things, though – i made my first normal (ie- not laden with sugar, butter, and other holiday staples) grocery list in weeks – so don’t worry, i will be picking up the posts around here.

for now, i’d like to share an appetizer that i read about on eating out loud. it’s a super quick and super delicious appetizer to serve at parties, especially when you’re hosting them, as you can pull them piping hot out of the oven as guests are arriving.

the pesto puff pastry rollies barely need a recipe, but i’ll include one below…and feel free to experiment with the filling, as i did by spreading jam on part of the puff pastry so i could serve garlic and onion free rollies to my mom.

one year ago: roasted veggies

pesto puff pastry rollies

yields a little over 2 dozen
borrowed from eating out loud

• 2 sheets of puff pastry dough, thawed
• 1/2c prepared pesto (i love the kind from trader joe’s)
• jam, if you would like to make sweet rollies
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1. preheat the oven to 400º
2. press one sheet of puff pastry into a rectangle the size of a piece of paper (about 8.5 x 11″)
3. spread 1/4c pesto (or substitute jam, if making sweet ones) over the puff pastry
4. roll each side of the puff pastry towards the middle, making a little rollie pretzel shaped log
5. cut the log into approx 12 pieces, each around 1″ wide
6. stick a toothpick through the rollie to help maintain its shape while baking
7. place the rollies on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes, until golden
8. repeat with the other puff pastry sheet

sometimes the best things are the most simple.

for instance, this cranberry relish is made from cranberries, an orange, and sugar. that’s it! oh, and you need a food grinder, too – which might make a lot of you decide not to make this relish, but i bet a food processor or blender would work almost as well.

ground cranberries and oranges comprise the quintessential holiday smell for me, and i look forward to making this super simple garnish every year.

what about you, dear readers – what’s your favorite thanksgiving recipe? is there something you just have to have at the thanksgiving table?

regardless of what you make or how you spend it, i hope you all enjoy some delicious food in good company this thanksgiving!

one year ago: sweet and sour cabbage w/tempeh

cranberry relish

• 1 lb cranberries, washed and picked through
• 1 large valencia orange
• 2c sugar
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1. grind cranberries in a meat grinder or food processor
2. quarter orange and grind
3. stir in sugar
4. decant into jars and allow to sit for a day or two
5. enjoy as a garnish!

why is stuffing relegated to thanksgiving? i absolutely love stuffing – delicious bread coated in sage, celery, and (in this case at least), lots of other yummy ingredients – but i usually only make it on the fourth thursday in november.

to be honest with you, i realized why i rarely make stuffing during the course of making this recipe. it’s kind of time consuming. and only part of a meal, so you have to figure out what else to serve with it.

but lengthy process and entree necessities aside, this is one fabulous stuffing recipe. i loved that it incorporates the sweetness of maple syrup along with the spiciness of red pepper flakes. the smell of fresh sage, parsley, and celery are also there, reminding you that it’s not too big of a deviation from the classic recipe. and it made the whole house smell amazing for days after we made it (most likely because we were still eating it!). so will i be making this stuffing for t-day? absolutely! will i make it again before thanksgiving ‘10? probably not, unless i have some long winter weekends at home to fill, or family members make a special request.

what are the rest of you eating for thanksgiving? can you believe it’s only a few weeks away? is this stuffing going to make your menu?

cherry, almond, and apple stuffing

adapted from vegetarian times
yields 10 generous side dish servings

• 6c whole wheat bread cubes
• 6c oat bread cubes
• 3/4c almonds, chopped
• 5T olive oil
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 4 celery stalks, sliced
• 2 apples, peeled and diced
• 3T fresh sage, chopped
• 3T fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/2t red pepper flakes
• 1/2t pepper
• 1/2t ground nutmeg
• 2T maple syrup
• 2T balsamic vinegar
• 1/2c dried cherries
• 3 vegetable broth
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1. preheat oven to 225º
2. spread the 12c of bread cubes out on a baking sheet, and bake 40 minutes to dry them out
3. while the bread is baking, grease a 13×9″ baking dish
4. heat a large saute pan on the stove, and toast the almonds in the pan for 5-10 minutes until just starting to turn darker in color
5. dump the almonds into the greased baking dish, wipe out the pan with a paper towel, and pour the olive oil into the pan
6. saute the onion in the oil 5 minutes, then add celery and saute for another 3 minutes
7. add apples, sage, parsley, red pepper, black pepper, and nutmeg, then allow to cook 5 more minutes
8. add the maple syrup and balsamic vinegar to the pan, give it a good stir, then turn off the heat
9. once the bread is done, increase the oven temp to 350º, and place the bread into the greased backing dish with the almonds
10. add the cherries and the apple/celery/onion mixture and stir well
11. pour the broth over the top, then cover with aluminum foil and cook for 40 minutes
12. enjoy!

full disclosure to you, internet: mike and i weren’t looking for a black bean soup recipe when we found this one, nor have we ever made black bean soup before. we just wanted to make some cornbread, and figured we had to eat something else alongside the cornbread to make it a complete meal.

so when we stumbled across this recipe in a favorite cookbook, we decided to try it, but we weren’t expecting much. but, oh, this recipe! it’s absolutely scrumptious! it’s a finish the entire bowl, feel full and satiated, and yet still want more soup. it has the perfect amount of spice, savoriness, and creaminess from blending most of the soup together. i love thick soups, but don’t like using dairy or a thickening agent (cornstarch, flour, etc) to obtain the ideal consistency. conversely, i love using a simple immersion blender (that’s moved with me from my davis years on – i’m attached to it!) to blend the rich flavors already existing in a soup you simmer for 30 minutes.

while the black bean soup’s awesomeness was a complete surprise to us, the cornbread wasn’t a surprise at all – it’s a stand-by dish that turns out delicious every time. i copied this recipe from my mom’s recipe box on one of my first trips home from davis about 10 years ago, and have followed her lead of making it with soup as soon as the weather starts getting chilly (and i overcome my denial that the seasons are actually turning). the best thing about the combination of these two dishes – besides forming a complete protein – is that they take just about the same time to make. once the soup has reached its simmering point,  mix together the cornbread, put it in the oven, and voila, a yummy, hearty, and wintery two-part dinner will be ready at almost exactly the same time. enjoy!

black bean soup

adapted from the one-dish vegetarian: 100 recipes for quick and easy vegetarian meals, by maria robbins
yields 6 servings

• 2T olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 stalks of celery, diced
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 8 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2t red pepper flakes
• 1t cumin
• 4c water
• 4 15oz cans of black beans, rinsed and drained
  
• 2 vegetarian bouillon cubes
• salt and pepper to taste
• limes, cilantro, and salsa to garnish
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1. heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat
2. saute the onions for 2 minutes, until translucent
3. add celery, carrots, and garlic, sauteing for 2 more minutes
4. add red pepper flakes, cumin, water, bouillon cubes, and black beans
5. bring the pot up to a simmer, cover the pan, and simmer for 30 minutes (this is when you should start making the cornbread!)
   
6. scoop 2c of the beans, carrots, celery, and onions out of the pan and into a small bowl
7. use an immersion blender (or pour into a regular blender) and puree until the soup is thick
8. add the reserved veggies and beans back into the soup and season with salt and pepper to taste
   
9. serve with cilantro, limes, and salsa (and cornbread, if you wish)
   

cornbread

yields 9-16 pieces, depending upon how you slice it

• 1c flour
• 1/4c sugar
• 1/2t baking soda
• 1/2t baking powder
• 1/2t salt
• 1c cornmeal
• 1c (soy) milk
• 1 egg
• 1/3c butter, melted
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1. preheat oven to 350º and grease an 8″ x 8″ pan
2. combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cornmeal together in a mixing bowl
3. add soy milk and egg and stir to combine, then add melted butter and stir until completely combined
4. pour into greased pan and bake for 30 minutes, until the cornbread springs back when pressed off-center or a toothpick comes out clean

the summer is flying by so quickly! i have a ton of great recipes to share with you to utilize the beautiful produce this season brings, but i’ve been so busy having fun (see the pics from my birthday) and spending time outdoors that i haven’t been posting as regularly as i’d like (although i’ve been cooking more than ever!).

for example, i made this pasta salad for a bbq potluck we had with friends to celebrate the fourth of july. was that really two weeks ago? is that possible?

regardless of the speed with which the summer is flying by, you must pause for a second and make this pasta salad! it is absolutely delicious and refreshing, with bright citrus, spicy garlic and green onions, and sweet cherry tomatoes.

i think i first had this pasta at my sister-in-law’s graduation party way back in 2006. since then, it’s become a staple side dish with our friends, one that gets suggested almost every time a salad or potluck is mentioned. this time around, however, my sister helped me change the recipe a bit by adding honey, a little more mustard, and vinegar to the dressing to round out the biting flavors of fresh lemons and raw garlic. and by jove, it turned out fantastic! so fantastic that i don’t think i’ll tweak the recipe again…well, at least not this summer. enjoy the latest adaptation below!

lemon feta tomato pasta salad

adapted from epicurious
yields about 10 side dish servings

mole is one of the most amazing sauces i’ve ever consumed. it has such a complex flavor – spicy, sweet, rich, and above all, absolutely delicious on any taco, burrito, tamale, tortilla, enchilada, or even nachos! despite the amazing taste and flexibility of the sauce, mole is not something that looks amazing in pictures. trust me, on this one though, because once you try it, i’m sure you’ll be back for seconds…and thirds.

there are hundreds of mole-creation lores out there. the one that always sticks in my brain (i think it’s the one my mom used to tell me when we made mole on christmas eve) is set in a convent in the middle of winter. the nuns got word that a priest would be stopping there for dinner on his travels, so they turned their cupboards out and threw everything they had into the pan. out of this, they created the most amazing and complex sauce that i have ever tasted (can you tell that i love this stuff?).

so, as you can tell from this story, this isn’t a seasonal or particularly fresh recipe. but you probably have most, if not all, of the ingredients on hand, and that is priceless when you’re in a pinch to make something delicious and don’t have the time or desire to run to the store.

in addition to tons of mole stories, there are also hundreds of mole recipes out there. i picked this one because it can be made in just about 30 minutes (relatively short for mole), is completely vegetarian (most moles in restaurants and taquerias have a distinct chicken broth flavor), has the perfect balance of sweet and spicy, and has a good quantity of my favorite two ingredients – peanut butter and cocoa.  in addition to all of these fine reasons to make this recipe, you’ll find that it’s a little lumpy from the tomatoes and onions, which isn’t “normal” for mole, but which i thoroughly enjoy. if you don’t, feel free to blend the ingredients after the recipe is made with either a hand blender or regular blender if you prefer the smooth stuff.

mole sauce

adapted from vegetarian times, february 2006
yields 4c of mole, which can easily be spread over 12 servings of tacos (less if you’re using it for enchilada sauce)

• 2T vegetable (canola) oil
• 2 medium-sized onions
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/4c chili powder
• 2T brown sugar
• 3/4t ground cinnamon
• 1/2t cayenne pepper
• 1/8t ground cloves
• 15oz can diced tomatoes
• 3T cocoa powder
• 3T peanut butter
• 2c water
• salt and pepper to taste
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1. chop the onions and mince the garlic
2. heat oil in large pan over medium heat, then add onions and saute for 10 minutes
3. add garlic, chili powder (yes, you need 1/4c!), brown sugar, cinnamon, cayenne, and cloves, and saute for 2 minutes
4. add the diced tomatoes (do not drain), cocoa powder, peanut butter, and water and bring to simmer
5. simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until sauce has thickened
6. season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve on tacos, burritos, over enchiladas, or any other way that sounds good to you!

i’ve been on a quest for many years to find the perfect hummus. up until this year, the quest merely centered around store-bought hummus. it’s been a hard quest, replete with purchasing different types of hummus every week and then sampling them with veggies and pita chips – exhausting work, i tell you!

i finally narrowed down my favorite store-bought hummus, which comes from aunt nettie’s kitchen. it’s super fresh, still a little chunky, and has a perfect balance of lemony sourness and garlicky spiciness that dances on any vehicle you use to get it into your mouth.

after i resolved my inquiry and taste testing of the store-bought hummus options, i decided to move on to try to find the perfect hummus recipe. this proved to be quite a bit more difficult, as there are SO MANY hummus recipes out there!

most of the recipes i tested were ok – nothing amazing, but nothing too terrible to consume either. certainly none worthy of sharing with all of you.

but then! a month or so ago, my friends and i set off on a hike into the forest of nisene marks. during a snack break on the 10-mile trek, my good friend jamie (we go way back to junior high school!) pulled out a container of hummus and some veggies to dip. this homemade hummus, the result of jamie’s own experiments with making homemade hummus, was absolutely amazing. it had the perfect blend of spices and tartness and something else that i couldn’t quite put my finger on. when i pressed her for details, she shared her secret ingredient (and she’s also ok’d me sharing with you): ice cubes. i know, you’re thinking: “what can ice cubes do for hummus?” trust me, though, they transform a good hummus recipe into a fabulous one!

jamie was kind enough to not only share the secret ingredient with both me and all of you, but also to let me borrow the delicious recipe to blog it in its entirety. it’s a treasure of a recipe, one that i’ve made more times than i can count since she sent it to me, and one that completely replaces any thoughts of buying hummus at the store.

when i offered to bring veggies to our fifth-annual cinco de mustache party, i knew this dip would make the perfect compliment, as well as the perfect opportunity to photograph the process. i hope you borrow this hummus recipe, make it soon, and enjoy immensely!

jamie’s hummus

yields 2c of hummus

• 15oz can chick peas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
• 1-2 cloves garlic
• 1 lemon, juiced
• long drizzle of olive oil
• 2 ice cubes
• palm full of ground cumin
• palm full of cayenne
• palm full of ground coriander
• salt to taste
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1. add chick peas, 1 clove garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, ice cubes, cumin, cayenne, coriander, and salt in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth
2. taste the mixture and add more garlic or spices or salt as desired – just keep adjusting and adding until you love the taste
3. try not to eat all of the mixture while test-tasting, then serve with fresh veggies or pita chips