It’s become somewhat of a tradition to have at least one big family-style dinner each week at my house or the home of one of our friends. The habit began as an excuse to get together on weekdays, despite schedules that rarely permit all of us to be in one room at once. Now it’s become a weekly-anticipated event. We have fun dreaming up themes, taking turns cooking the main dish, and deciding what each person will contribute to the meal.
The best part is, my friends are good cooks (including one bona fide chef!) with wide-ranging specialties. I bring the bean-centric, heavily Middle Eastern fare, Molly reps the down-home Appalachian comfort food, Micah makes a mean slaw, Dawn’s got a flare for Asian and bananas foster, Zach is all about the Latin American stuff, and Nicole can’t really cook but always brings a bottle of wine.
Last Friday, we ventured to Zach’s for an enchilada feast complete with chicken and squash-kale enchiladas, spicy slaw, homemade refried beans, guacamole and flan for dessert. Every time we gather around the table, I think to myself that the company we keep amplifies the enjoyment of a good meal.
After a beautiful Sunday of respite from the Portland wintertime drizzle, we’re back to the doldrums again for as far into the future as the weatherman can predict. In response, this week’s meal will be a hearty chili with cornbread and warm apple crumble. Comfort food, and the kind of good company that does good things for the soul.
Speaking of big, collaborative, merry dinners, I’ll be thinking of you all on Thanksgiving and wishing we were all gathered ‘round the same table, toasting to another year of good fortune.
I snapped some photos with a friend’s camera, so I’ll post enchilada glamor shots when I can manage to commandeer his memory card! Love from 45 degrees North!
Monday, November 21, 2011
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Sharon's faux pho, a.k.a. "Pure Health Soup"
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp sesame oil + 2 tbsp for later
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp rice vinegar
¼ tsp tumeric, ginger, curry powder, cayenne pepper
Juice ¼ lemon
4 carrots sliced
1 zuchinni cut in half, peeled and sliced
1 cup bok choy (I try and use baby)
Some onion if on hand
1/3 red pepper cut in pieces
3 cans or 2 boxes chcken/veggie broth
Scallions sliced
Bean sprouts
Udon or rice noodles
Heat oils and spices in soup pan.. Add spices and stir until fragrant. Add carrot and onion (if using). Stir for a few minutes and then add the bok choy, soy sauce, rice vinegar , lemon, and stir a couple more minutes. Add broth and zuchinni and remaining sesame oil and let simmer for 30 min, mostly covered. Do not let boil.
Taste and add S&P if needed…perhaps a splash more soy, sesame, etc to taste.
Cook noodle according to instructions.
Place some cooked noodles in bowl and cover with soup. Garnish with scallions and bean sprouts.
Tastes and feels like you are eating pure health!!!
2 tbsp sesame oil + 2 tbsp for later
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp rice vinegar
¼ tsp tumeric, ginger, curry powder, cayenne pepper
Juice ¼ lemon
4 carrots sliced
1 zuchinni cut in half, peeled and sliced
1 cup bok choy (I try and use baby)
Some onion if on hand
1/3 red pepper cut in pieces
3 cans or 2 boxes chcken/veggie broth
Scallions sliced
Bean sprouts
Udon or rice noodles
Heat oils and spices in soup pan.. Add spices and stir until fragrant. Add carrot and onion (if using). Stir for a few minutes and then add the bok choy, soy sauce, rice vinegar , lemon, and stir a couple more minutes. Add broth and zuchinni and remaining sesame oil and let simmer for 30 min, mostly covered. Do not let boil.
Taste and add S&P if needed…perhaps a splash more soy, sesame, etc to taste.
Cook noodle according to instructions.
Place some cooked noodles in bowl and cover with soup. Garnish with scallions and bean sprouts.
Tastes and feels like you are eating pure health!!!
Heavenly harvest: Corn and squash chowder
Hello family!
Allow me to reinvigorate this blog with my most recent foodie foray. After the eggs and cheese in my fridge are exhausted (and after my birthday, because I want to go to my favorite pizza place to celebrate with a gooey pie and a cheese platter) I’m dipping my toes into veganism for a month! To prep, I’ve been experimenting with vegan recipes and I just hit a jackpot.
The last corn of the season was on sale at the farmer’s market, and the rainy day gave me a serious hankering for hearty, creamy soup. So I bought 10 ears and some peppers, then set my sights on corn chowder.
The result (which will not be pictured because I currently am without camera or computer) was the most decadent (and vegan!) corn chowder ever.
Here’s the estimated recipe:
-10 ears corn
-4 poblano peppers
-2 red peppers
-an onion
-1 delicata squash
-2 cups coconut milk (the drinkable stuff from a carton, not the stuff you use for curry)
-3 cups almond milk
-water to desired consistency
-salt to desired ... saltiness
-about 2 T red chili flakes
-1 t chili powder
-garlic powder to taste
-turmeric for a little color
-savory to taste
Saw the raw corn off the cob and throw it in the pan along with the minced onion, peppers and cubed squash (no need to peel delicata – the skin is edible). Add the liquids and bring to boil. Simmer until all vegetables are cooked, then if you have an inversion blender, blend until the broth becomes thick, but chunks of veggies still remain. If you’ve got a regular blender, put about 1/3 of the broth in to puree. Add the spices and cook another few minutes, then serve with a sprinkling of chili-dusted popcorn or roasted pumpkin seeds on top.
Allow me to reinvigorate this blog with my most recent foodie foray. After the eggs and cheese in my fridge are exhausted (and after my birthday, because I want to go to my favorite pizza place to celebrate with a gooey pie and a cheese platter) I’m dipping my toes into veganism for a month! To prep, I’ve been experimenting with vegan recipes and I just hit a jackpot.
The last corn of the season was on sale at the farmer’s market, and the rainy day gave me a serious hankering for hearty, creamy soup. So I bought 10 ears and some peppers, then set my sights on corn chowder.
The result (which will not be pictured because I currently am without camera or computer) was the most decadent (and vegan!) corn chowder ever.
Here’s the estimated recipe:
-10 ears corn
-4 poblano peppers
-2 red peppers
-an onion
-1 delicata squash
-2 cups coconut milk (the drinkable stuff from a carton, not the stuff you use for curry)
-3 cups almond milk
-water to desired consistency
-salt to desired ... saltiness
-about 2 T red chili flakes
-1 t chili powder
-garlic powder to taste
-turmeric for a little color
-savory to taste
Saw the raw corn off the cob and throw it in the pan along with the minced onion, peppers and cubed squash (no need to peel delicata – the skin is edible). Add the liquids and bring to boil. Simmer until all vegetables are cooked, then if you have an inversion blender, blend until the broth becomes thick, but chunks of veggies still remain. If you’ve got a regular blender, put about 1/3 of the broth in to puree. Add the spices and cook another few minutes, then serve with a sprinkling of chili-dusted popcorn or roasted pumpkin seeds on top.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
A potpourri of culinary notes
So again, the blog has gone stagnant. Not for want of delicious meals I
hope, but rather because, like me, you’ve all beeen too busy cooking,
eating and making merriment to find the time to blog about it! It’s Sunday evening and I'm working a slow cops shift, so I’m taking the time for a rundown.
Miso mayo: If you haven't, I suggest you try this! A friend recently turned me on to it. It's essentially the taste of miso soup with the consistency of mustard, and it's amazing on veggies, in potato salad, or just smeared on bread (plus a thousand other uses).
Porchside livin': It's true what they say. Despite nine months of hellish gray skies and rain (hellish by some people's opinion. I think Portland is lovely year-round), this city has the greatest summers. I've been caught up in a love affair with PDX summertime and, by association, my front porch. Countless lazy evenings have been spent skipping "dinner" alltogether and instead walking to the grocer's for a chunk of cheese, a tub of hummus, a fresh loaf of crusty bread and a pack of beer as dark as the coming night itself. Add a generous bowl of almonds and rice crackers, raid the fridge for some dipping veggies, and you're golden. Take up residence in an Adirondack chair with a westerly view, include a couple of friends to share the sunset, and you've got my heaven. When we get sick of the porch, this scenario is carried out on Mt. Tabor, a quarter-mile down the street and the best sunset-gazing spot in this city (imho).
Viva la BBQ: These have also become a regular occurrence around here, and each one is better than the last. Moreso since Erin sent me a rockin' Motown CD, adding a dance party element to the food-making. Last week, while Jess (my college roommate and member of my all-time-favorite-people list) was in town, we had the most successful one yet. I made a chili-lime slaw and caprese pasta salad, roomie Micah and his brother made fingerling potato salad and roasted corn with homemade habanero sauce. They grilled a chicken and some burgers, and I made portabello mushroom patties. A few friends brought the obligatory watermelon, chips and beer, and our new neighbors wandered over too! We lingered on the porch well past midnight, then headed to our favorite watering hole only to find it was closed on this particular Sunday. Hilarity ensued as we continued our search, not wanting the night to end quite yet. The only bar open was Toms, a crusty place that fits the definition of watering hole to a T. We had one drink, took the long way home, dug into the leftovers and talked 'til we couldn't keep our eyes open any longer. Long live summer, long live barbecues.
Lastly, I've been on a pickling spree. Sparked by a trip to the u-pick berry stand where they were also selling teeny-tiny cucumbers, I decided to give it a whirl. And it's surprisingly simple! There's a refrigerator recipe that requires no brining or sealing of the jar, so all you have to do is combine vinegar, salt, sugar, and your spice of choice (garlic and red chilies, anyone?), then pack the jar with pickles and let it sit for a few days. Vlasic ain't got nothin' on this.
It's also berry season, and I've been itching to make some blackberry jam infused with local lavender when I find the time. I'll keep y'all posted on how it goes!
PS: I brought some Sanders hot fudge home from Michigan to share with friends and coworkers. All agreed it's the best there is. Miss you all! Much love from my front porch.
Miso mayo: If you haven't, I suggest you try this! A friend recently turned me on to it. It's essentially the taste of miso soup with the consistency of mustard, and it's amazing on veggies, in potato salad, or just smeared on bread (plus a thousand other uses).
Porchside livin': It's true what they say. Despite nine months of hellish gray skies and rain (hellish by some people's opinion. I think Portland is lovely year-round), this city has the greatest summers. I've been caught up in a love affair with PDX summertime and, by association, my front porch. Countless lazy evenings have been spent skipping "dinner" alltogether and instead walking to the grocer's for a chunk of cheese, a tub of hummus, a fresh loaf of crusty bread and a pack of beer as dark as the coming night itself. Add a generous bowl of almonds and rice crackers, raid the fridge for some dipping veggies, and you're golden. Take up residence in an Adirondack chair with a westerly view, include a couple of friends to share the sunset, and you've got my heaven. When we get sick of the porch, this scenario is carried out on Mt. Tabor, a quarter-mile down the street and the best sunset-gazing spot in this city (imho).
Viva la BBQ: These have also become a regular occurrence around here, and each one is better than the last. Moreso since Erin sent me a rockin' Motown CD, adding a dance party element to the food-making. Last week, while Jess (my college roommate and member of my all-time-favorite-people list) was in town, we had the most successful one yet. I made a chili-lime slaw and caprese pasta salad, roomie Micah and his brother made fingerling potato salad and roasted corn with homemade habanero sauce. They grilled a chicken and some burgers, and I made portabello mushroom patties. A few friends brought the obligatory watermelon, chips and beer, and our new neighbors wandered over too! We lingered on the porch well past midnight, then headed to our favorite watering hole only to find it was closed on this particular Sunday. Hilarity ensued as we continued our search, not wanting the night to end quite yet. The only bar open was Toms, a crusty place that fits the definition of watering hole to a T. We had one drink, took the long way home, dug into the leftovers and talked 'til we couldn't keep our eyes open any longer. Long live summer, long live barbecues.
Lastly, I've been on a pickling spree. Sparked by a trip to the u-pick berry stand where they were also selling teeny-tiny cucumbers, I decided to give it a whirl. And it's surprisingly simple! There's a refrigerator recipe that requires no brining or sealing of the jar, so all you have to do is combine vinegar, salt, sugar, and your spice of choice (garlic and red chilies, anyone?), then pack the jar with pickles and let it sit for a few days. Vlasic ain't got nothin' on this.
It's also berry season, and I've been itching to make some blackberry jam infused with local lavender when I find the time. I'll keep y'all posted on how it goes!
PS: I brought some Sanders hot fudge home from Michigan to share with friends and coworkers. All agreed it's the best there is. Miss you all! Much love from my front porch.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
White wine in the summertime
Oh yes, family. As we all know, summertime is a white wine season. Seizing the opportunity to incorporate that adage into my cooking (okay, I'll admit part of the inspiration came from drinking wine while deciding what to make for dinner), I came up with this. For lack of a real name, I'll call it Greek white beans and vegetables in sherry reduction.
No cup-for-cup recipe, but here's the general idea:
A pound of white beans (I used cannellini, chickpeas and blackeyed peas)
A bunch of greens (kale, chard, spinach, whatever you've got)
A couple of carrots, a few stalks of celery, a bit of garlic, a big chopped tomato, a red pepper
A generous pour of sherry cooking wine and a less generous pour of white drinking wine (probably 1/2 to 2/3 cups total)
Probably 2-3 tablespoons of vinegar and a tablespoon of lemon juice
A generous sprinkling of Greek spice mix
Salt and pepper to taste
Cook the beans, reserving a little water afterward. Pour in the wine and spice, and throw in all the veggies except the greens. When that's all cooked, turn off the flame and throw in the greens. Wait 'til they wilt, then enjoy! I ate it plain, but it'd be good over a bed of pasta as well. No photos because we ate it all in one sitting.
No cup-for-cup recipe, but here's the general idea:
A pound of white beans (I used cannellini, chickpeas and blackeyed peas)
A bunch of greens (kale, chard, spinach, whatever you've got)
A couple of carrots, a few stalks of celery, a bit of garlic, a big chopped tomato, a red pepper
A generous pour of sherry cooking wine and a less generous pour of white drinking wine (probably 1/2 to 2/3 cups total)
Probably 2-3 tablespoons of vinegar and a tablespoon of lemon juice
A generous sprinkling of Greek spice mix
Salt and pepper to taste
Cook the beans, reserving a little water afterward. Pour in the wine and spice, and throw in all the veggies except the greens. When that's all cooked, turn off the flame and throw in the greens. Wait 'til they wilt, then enjoy! I ate it plain, but it'd be good over a bed of pasta as well. No photos because we ate it all in one sitting.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
In love with beets
Beets--I just can't get enough of them lately. Here is a simple, yet tasty recipe I've been enjoying:
Beets, Quinoa, and Goat Cheese Salad
3-5 beets, including green tops
oil
garlic
1/2 cup quinoa
1/2 cup goat cheese
1. Remove green tops and wash beets. Cover beets in water, bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer for about 40 minutes, or until beets can be pierced with a fork. Once beets are cooked, peel skins and dice into bit-size pieces.
2. Wash and chop about 1/3 cup of beet greens to saute.
3. Saute oil, garlic, and greens until wilted. Remove from heat. Add diced beets, quinoa, and cheese. Toss and serve.
Beets, Quinoa, and Goat Cheese Salad
3-5 beets, including green tops
oil
garlic
1/2 cup quinoa
1/2 cup goat cheese
1. Remove green tops and wash beets. Cover beets in water, bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer for about 40 minutes, or until beets can be pierced with a fork. Once beets are cooked, peel skins and dice into bit-size pieces.
2. Wash and chop about 1/3 cup of beet greens to saute.
3. Saute oil, garlic, and greens until wilted. Remove from heat. Add diced beets, quinoa, and cheese. Toss and serve.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Foraging; and an ode to egg salad
Hello family!
As of late, I've been getting into foraging. It started with a conversation with a coworker who'd experienced the unheard-of: Being let in on an acquaintence's secret morel location. We got to talking about morels (I hadn't known you could hunt them in Oregon), which segued into the topic of fiddleheads, and again onto dandelion greens and nettles.
The fiddleheads are no more, but there are plenty of nettles and dandelion greens in the park by my house. Last week, I brought some twine up to the park with me, and came back down with two big bunches of greens. I brought them home, checked the cupboard for whatever legume was on hand (in this case, it was split yellow peas) and threw them into a pot with some herbs fresh from my back yard. A true forager's feast! The tomatoes, I'll admit, came from a can.
On an unrelated note, a friend and I impulsively bought some Easter egg-dyeing kits (on clearance, of course) with the hope of using them for a rapture party. The party plans took off, but not the egg portion. As a result, I was left with a couple dozen hard boileds and zero motivation to use that egg dye. Solution: Egg salad! I can't remember the last time I had this, but I'm going to make a point to get into the habit.
Happy spring!
As of late, I've been getting into foraging. It started with a conversation with a coworker who'd experienced the unheard-of: Being let in on an acquaintence's secret morel location. We got to talking about morels (I hadn't known you could hunt them in Oregon), which segued into the topic of fiddleheads, and again onto dandelion greens and nettles.
The fiddleheads are no more, but there are plenty of nettles and dandelion greens in the park by my house. Last week, I brought some twine up to the park with me, and came back down with two big bunches of greens. I brought them home, checked the cupboard for whatever legume was on hand (in this case, it was split yellow peas) and threw them into a pot with some herbs fresh from my back yard. A true forager's feast! The tomatoes, I'll admit, came from a can.
On an unrelated note, a friend and I impulsively bought some Easter egg-dyeing kits (on clearance, of course) with the hope of using them for a rapture party. The party plans took off, but not the egg portion. As a result, I was left with a couple dozen hard boileds and zero motivation to use that egg dye. Solution: Egg salad! I can't remember the last time I had this, but I'm going to make a point to get into the habit.
Happy spring!
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