Fit For a Royal Wedding....No More Waitie Katie Brunch!

Well Happy Friday everyone!! I was so excited to post today about the Royal Wedding, and I most definitely got up at 4:45 to watch all of the festivities!  I couldn't wait to see her dress (GORGEOUS!!!) the bridesmaids (PRECIOUS!!!) and the balcony wave (TWO KISSES!?! PRICELESS).  The whole thing was wonderful, and totally worth running on a few less hours of sleep!  In my new cookbook, Gwyneth Paltrow's My Father's Daughter, there is a delicious and very pretty "tea party" worthy recipe for Lalo's Cookies.  They are wheat and almond cookies filled with fruity jam and go perfectly with freshly brewed tea or coffee.  I hope you like them, I made them a few days ago to ensure I would have the perfect Royal Wedding Brunch on this glorious day (I know, I know, alitttttttle dramatic....)

A few ingredients.......For the almonds, if you have a foodprocessor its easy to pulse them until they are ground up, or you could chop slivered almonds on the cutting board!

 1C real maple syrup.....

 1 tsp cinnamon.......

 1tsp salt......

 1tsp vanilla (not in the original recipe)

 combine all ingredients with 4c Wheat Flour (recipe acutally calls for barley flour but I had wheat already) and 3 cups ground almonds......stir together....

 create about 1 1/2 TBS balls (recipe called for 1TBS sized) and lay on a greased cooksheet.  Gently press the middle of the dough to form a well for the jam....

 Pick your favorite jam, I used Bonne Maman Strawberry Preserves....

 And fill the well with the jam....

 Bake on 350 for about 20 minutes and Presto! "lalo's cookies" Thanks Gwyneth!! (shes lives in London so I'm sure she'd approve of what I ate them for....)

 Fit for a Royal Wedding (or at least fit for watching the Royal Wedding Watching from my room...)

Inspired by Lalo's Cookies...the way I made them....
4c Whole Wheat Flour
3c ground Almond Slivers
1tsp salt
1tsp vanilla
1tsp Cinnamon
1c Maple Syrup
Favorite Jam/Jelly/Preserves

Preheat Oven to 350.  Combine flour, almonds, salt, vanilla, cinnamon, and maple syrup in a large mixing bowl.  On a greased cooksheet, roll dough into 1 1/2TBS rounds.  Press center with thumb.  Fill in center with Jam. Bake for approx 20 minutes...makes about 40 cookies!

Almost Summer Corn Chowder

I have to admit that Corn is probably one of my all-time favorite vegetables, and right now, fresh ears of corn are 3 for $1.00 at the grocery store!!!  So I decided to find a recipe that incorporates corn (since I have already grilled it at least three times since it has been on sale!)  I recently bought a new cookbook, Gwyneth Paltrow's My Father's Daughter, and it is filled with great recipes most of which you can make vegan if you choose!  When browsing through my new find, I came across a recipe for Corn chowder that looked delicious, and had to try it! I decided to put my own spin on it and add some of my own ingredients, but it is definitely inspired by Gwyneth's!!  So while Ben studied away in his room (even though I interrupted him as many times as there are pictures in this blog to help take the perfect photo) I cooked away in the kitchen on this new recipe! This is also the most detailed of the pictures, but of course, I forgot the main picture of all of the ingredients, OOPS!....I hope you enjoy!!

Start with clean the corn...the way I do it is to cut off both ends......

 then peel the husks off over a "garbage" bowl.....

 then cut the corn off the cob....but keep the cobs for later in the recipe....

 You should have six fresh ears of cobs, cut and trimmed

 Next, dice your onion, this is how I dice mine....Start by cuting off both "ends" of the onion (the end with the roots, followed by the opposite end) Then cut the onion in half from end to end. Now that you have your onion half your knife through the center of the onion...

 Then run your knife vertically through the onion in about 1/2 inch sections.....

 then dice the onion, with your knife facing left to right of the onion......hahah does this make sense!?!

 Now for your garlic....To easily peel garlic, put the clove under your knife and hit the back of your knife with the palm of your hand, then peel and dice.....

 Put onion and garlic in a soup pot with 3TBS of olive oil, 1/2TBS Thyme, 1/2TBS salt, 1/2TBS pepper.....

 Let saute until on medium high heat until onions are garlic are slightly soft, about 3 minutes....

 Now add your corn kernals and saute another 5 minutes.....

In all of my dicing pictures I forgot to take pictures of 1 russet potato peeled and cubed, add the potato when you add the corn kernals.....

 Next add 4c vegetable broth......

 1/12 c Soy Milk (or Milk)....

 Add reserved corn kobs......and let simmer for 30 minutes!

 While soup is simmering, make your crustini/crouton/toasted bread....slice a French Baguette on the diagonal....

 Brush each pice with olive oil....

 And a crushed peeled garlic clove.....and cook in the oven on 350 for about 10 minutes but check it often.....

 After approx 30 minutes....take one cup of the soup and blend in a blender, or if you have an immersion blender (as shown in picture) blend still leaving the soup chunky-ish....

 And serve with your bread (I told you to watch it carefully....I obviously did not...)

Almost Summer Corn Chowder

3TBS olive oil

6 ears of corn

1/2 white or yellow onion, diced

2 garlic cloves diced

1 russet potato diced

1/2TBS Thyme

1/2TBS Salt

1/2TBS Pepper

4c Vegetable Broth

1 1/2c Soy Milk or Milk

Heat olive oil over a medium high heat in a soup pot.  Add onion, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper and saute for 3 minutes.  Add corn kernals and potato and saute another 5 minutes.  Add vegetable broth, milk, and corn kobs.  Cover and let simmer for 30 minutes.  Remove one cup of the soup and blend, then add back to pot and serve!  (if you cannot find fresh corn on the cob 1 bag of frozen corn would work, and also add 1tsp of corn starch to the liquid to help thicken)

Croutons/Crustini

french bread

olive oil

garlic clove

pinch of salt

pinch of oregano (optional)

Slice baguette diagnoally and brush with olive oil and garlic clove.  Align on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and oregano.  Cook in oven at 350 degrees for approx 10 minutes or until golden brown.



Hearty Healthy Hummus

Lately, I have been buying a TON of hummus! It is a healthy snack that I can eat with veggies, get lots of protein from and not feel guilty! Yesterday I decided to look at the ingredients on the packaged hummus and holy moly, it has alootttt of ingredients and preservatives I can't even pronounce! So, I decided it was cheaper and healthier to make it myself and YUMM-O it was GOOD!  You can eat hummus on a sandwhich or pita, as a dip with veggies or crackers, as a side to your salad, it's really a very versatile, hearty and healthy snack!! Hummus really is so easy, give it a try I doubt you will be disappointed!


This recipe calls for very few ingredients, so you know it has to be good for you!!

 Drain your chickpeas/garbanzo beans, save the liquid from the beans for later use....

 1/4 cup tahini (basically peanut butter but made with sesame seeds instead of peanuts) *Also, this is the most expensive ingredient in mix (at about 8.99) but its worth it and will last you for at LEAST 4 batches of hummus!

 Two to Three cloves of garlic.....

 A drizzle of olive oil (approx 2 TBS)

 The juice of four lemons.....

 Wiz on the food processor or blender, and use the reserved chick pea liquid until a smoothe consistency forms.....

 Continue to add liquid until mixture is smoothe.....

 Serve with crackers, cucumbers, bell peppers, any veggie u like! (Notice I got a new cookbook, Move over Julia Child there's a new cook in town!)

Enjoy!

Hummus

2 Cans of Chickpeas/Garbanzo beans drained (reserve the liquid)

1/4c Tahini

3 cloves of garlic peeled

4 lemons (the juice of)

1/2TBS salt

2TBS olive oil

Veggies and crackers for dipping

Add drained chickpeas, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, salt and olive oil to a food processor or blender.  Put lid on and blend adding reserved liquid as needed to get the ingredients moving and smoothe. Enjoy as a spread, dip or dressing! (to make it look fancier I like to top mine with a drizzle of olive oil and paprika)

mmm mmmm PEEPS!

Let me just tell you alittle something about Peeps, I have never ever in my life craved a Peep until last year when I gave up all sweets for lent! I would pass them by in the Easter isle at the grocery store and all of the sudden I HAD TO HAVE ONE! Because I am such a thoughtful wife, I decided to make my husband cupcakes and cover them in Easter goodies........I didn't even lick the icing!

Ben did not seem to think these looked that appetizing......I guess it's because he had not given up sweets from lent and like a normal person, he doesn't look at peeps and drool! ha!!

So this morning I stumbed upon a a friend from college tumblir page and ran across her finding of a recipe for Peep S'mores!! I had to share!  S'more, Peeps Style!

I'll be back tomorrow with a recipe of my own! Until then, Adios!

Stay Tuned....

Hello All! I am just taking to post to let you know I have not been cooking this past week! I work at an accounting firm so needless to say, this past week and a half has been nuts!! I have already promised Ben a homemade meal tomrrow night so stay tuned for a new recipe!! Also, don't forget to vote for what cuisine you'd like a recipe from! Stay tuned.....

Spice it Up Lettuce Wraps

So last night I decided to mix it up a bit and make Asian food!  This is a recipe I've made many times before, and it was actually made for me first by my husband!  We also collected enough coupons from United Supermarkets to get a free Wok so I have been itching to try it out!  I promise we have made this before using a regular saute pan, so don't let my Wok comment scare u off! One thing about Asian food is there are alot of ingredients but don't let that scare you away, most of it is inexpensive and some is even optional!!  We made this recipe last night sans chicken, but you can definitely add the meat of you choice if you are so inclined, but like I've said in previous recipes, I highly doubt you will  miss the meat!! I served with this meal spring rolls (from a box but I am determined to make these myself soon!) and brown rice just to add some hearty-ness to it!  I hope you enjoy!!  Also, I've set up a poll to the right of this post, vote to let me know what type of food you would like me to make next!! So here it goes! Asian Lettuce Wraps......
**I have been taking these picture with my Iphone by myself so don't judge them hahaha it's harder than it looks to take pictures of yourself cooking, pouring, stirring, etc!


Asian inspired ingredients....

 Heat your pan to a medium-High heat and add 1TBS sesame oil and 1TBS olive oil (or whatever light colored oil you have on hand) Sesame oil is the ingredient that I think most makes it taste Asian....

 Add your veggies, I bought a fressh "stirfry" veggie mix and added carrots, garlic, and onion (the stirfry mix had shredded carrots, broccoli and snow peas...) and Add about 1/4c of Soy Sauce (mine says Shoyu but that just means "organic" soy sauce)

 Drizzle with Agave nectar or honey....about 1 and 1/2TBS

 Next add grated ginger, I found already grated ginger in the Asian foods section....Now let your veggies saute for about 10 minutes.....

 Add 1TBS of rice wine vinegar (I think Apple Cider Vinegar would work too)

 1TBS of Rice Cooking Wine (optional)

 While vinegar and wine cook down with the veggies, mix 1/2tsp cornstarch with 1/2c water and after 5 minutes add to veggie mixture....

 Continue to cook your veggies for another 10-15 minutes or until veggies are your desired softness....

 And serve in romain lettuce with rice and springrolls!

 I made tofu for mine inspired by a recipe on the Tofu box (email me if you want the recipe).....haha I know some of yall think I'm weird.....

 Ben definitely thought it was weird...so he opted to eat his with just veggies.....Enjoy!

Asian Lettuce Wraps

1TBS sesame oil (plus a drizzle for later if you prefer)

1TBS olive oil (or light colored oil)

(whatever mix of veggies you prefer)
Two large carrots sliced on the diagnoal
1/2 white onion sliced thinly
3 cloves of minced garlic
Bag of stir fry veggies consisting of snow peas, broccoli, and shredded carrots
1/4c Soy Sauce
1 and 1/2TBS of agave nectar or honey
1tsp minced ginger
1TBS Rice Wine Vinegar (or apple cider or white)
1TBS Rice Wine (optional)
1/2tsp corn starch
1/2c water
Whole romain lettuce leaves
Fresh Green onions for garnish (optional)
Sweet chilli sauce for dipping (optional)

Heat your Wok or Saute pan to medium-high heat.  Add sesame oil and olive oil.  Add all veggies and let saute for about 5 minutes.  Add soy sauce and ginger and Agave nectar (or honey) and let saute for another 5 minutes.  Deglaze (add haha) the pan with vinegar and rice wine and let cook another 5 minutes.  While cooking mix 1/2tsp corn starch with 1/2c water. Once dissolved, add mixture to veggies and let it cook for 10-15 minutes until mixture has thickened and veggies are cooked to desired tenderness.  Top romain lettuce with stir fry veggies and garnish with fresh green onions and dunk into your favorite asian dipping sauce!!