Golden Beets

I am honestly not a fan of cooking beets in my kitchen, they are just WAY too messy- and they tend to stain EVERYTHING. Some members of my family do love them though. So, the compromise is the Golden Beet.
They are easy to make....

2 Bunches golden organic Beets, remove top leafy greens and save if you like, scrub clean

Preheat oven to 450
Place a sheet of tin foil on a baking tray, place the beets on top (drizzle with oils dash of salt and pepper if you like but remember you will still need to peel the beets later)

Wrap the beets if foil and cook in oven for 45-60 minuted depending on size of beets -

When beets are finished cooking (tender) allow to cool. When ready to use the beets peel and plate them - I suggest stacking them with avocado, radish and goat cheese like below, but they can be tossed into salads also.. enjoy!

Easter

A few years back I planted many beautiful daffodil bulbs at our home. They are beautiful and come up every year without replanting. The great news is that they also make for a very nice springtime/Easter table arrangement which is from the yard (which means its FREE). Simply find a nice vase or pitcher and arrange them as you see fit. The money you save on the arrangement can be used to splurge on special cakes and cookies at the bakery as I have done here.

New York Botanical Garden

First I would like to say That the weather has finally turned an bit nicer hear - so welcome springtime! This past week I was lucky enough to take a trip to the New York Botanical Garden. The pictures here are to inspire your own garden. I will add extra photos also on the Garden page.

Easy Slaw

Here is a super easy recipe for coleslaw. Its light, refreshing and not bad even if you are trying to diet.

1 bag shredded coleslaw mix or
4-6 cups shredded cabbage of your choice - you may want to shred a carrot also for color - I am using a bag mix because they are on sale this week in my area for 25 cents a bag! Now that is an inexpensive salad!
3/4 cup slivered almonds
1 cup dried cranberries or cherries

Combine all three ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

In a small bowl combine
1 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tbs sesame oil
and optional but nice if your are not dieting 2-3 Tablespoons of honey
stir to combine then toss with the slaw mixture

So easy, inexpensive, and tasty! You can also throw in some cooked shredded turkey, chicken or even cooked soy based meatless product for protein.

Rainbow Chard (and what to do with it)

Rainbow Chard is beautiful. If you cant find it you can use Swiss Chard. After the recipe I have listed a few ideas of ways to use the chard once it is cooked...

1 Bunch Rainbow or Swiss Chard, rinsed
2 TBS olive oil
3 cloves of garlic peeled and sliced thin
(3 or so TBS toasted nuts of your choice I am using Hazelnuts but you can skip the nuts if you wish)
2 TBS water
pinch of salt and pepper

First you will want to remove the stalk just below the leaf part. (** Please note the stalks can be chopped up into bite size pieces and simmered in water until tender this takes some extra time - others choose to just throw it out)

So after the stalk is removed place the leaves, the olive oil and the garlic in a deep saute pan, ideally a pan with a lid, turn your heat to medium and cook covered for 6-10 minutes. I turned the leaves several times to make sure the garlic was not burning. You can add a splash of water if the pan seems too dry. After cooking add nuts (optional)and salt and pepper to taste.

Serving suggestions:
1.Simply serve with crumbled cheese or cherry tomatoes
2.Stuff chopped mixture into baked potatoes
3.Stuff into calzones or serve on top of flatbread
4. Serve with cooked couscous, pasta or rice

Green Cauliflower for St. Patrick's day (or any day)

This is a healthy option for a side dish to go with my Slow Cooker corned beef (March 18 2008)

All of the colored varieties of Cauliflower can be cooked in the same manner - some unusual colors are a golden color, a beautiful shade of purple, and great for today green... Steaming helps retain the beautiful colors

1 Head of Green cauliflower ( if you can find it in you store by all means use regular white)
you must trim the leaves and cut it into florets.

1 cup water

2-3 tablespoons toasted nuts- pine nuts are great also hazelnuts and almonds would work well, just be sure to roughly chop the larger nuts to the size of pine nuts
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 Tablespoon olive oil
pinch of salt
cheese to crumble on top optional such as Parm or goat cheese

Place the florets and water in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on High for 8-10 minutes or until tender- I stopped the oven once during cooking and mixed the veg around.
Remove from oven and drain. Drizzle the lemon juice and olive oil over the top and sprinkle with salt nuts and cheese- serve- it cant get any easier than that right?

I just wanted to mention that if you search up at the top in the search box you will find my recipe from Tuesday March 18 2008 for Slow Cooker Corned Beef.

As a vegetarian option today I am also making cheese stuffed baked potatoes.
Hope you enjoy the day!

This week on the garden page I have mentioned some of my favorite seeds to buy for a kitchen garden - I hope this inspires you, the end of winter can be a bit gloomy, planning ahead for the kitchen garden bursting with basil and tomatoes is always a nice pick me up...

"healthy" Oatmeal Cookies

Another snowy day here in the northeast- at least it is a good day to stay inside and bake these yummy oatmeal cookies- what makes them healthy you ask? Flax seed- it sounds strange but I was able to buy it at a local drug store and most natural food stores would also carry it.


Makes about 24-26 cookies
Preheat your oven to  350

In a large mixing bowl you will need to combine
1 cup all purpose flour
1 TBS ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons organic cold milled flax seed
1/2 cup brown sugar

In another large bowl or a stand mixer add
1/2 cup regular sugar
1 stick plus 3 tablespoons room temp butter
mix these two ingredients on high speed until no lumps then add
1 large egg
2 Teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups oats
mix to combine then add in the dry ingredients from the first bowl
mix then lastly add in
1 cup raisins

scoop onto 2 siplat or parchment lined baking sheets - I used a 1" scoop but using a tablespoon per cookie soul be fine Bake for about 18 minutes rotating the cookie trays once during cooking Enjoy!

Very easy chocolate mousse for Valentines day

This mousse is super easy & fast to prepare...

2 bars of Giradelli semi sweet chocolate - 4 oz each
16 oz of heavy whipping cream

Break the chocolate into chunks and melt on MED power in the microwave for about a minute at a time, stir and repete until all of the chocolate is melted.

In a mixer whip cream until medium to stiff peaks form. Fold melted chocolate into cream and chill until ready to serve.

Roast Mushrooms

I am always looking for new ways to make my life a little easier during the hectic week. I have found that making some things ahead (such as pesto) and having them on hand can do just that. Here is a simple recipe for roast mushrooms. They are easy enough to make... use them in soups, risottos, to top pizzas or add to sandwiches or serve with creamy polenta on a cold winter night.

Preheat oven to 400
Place 2 pounds of mushrooms on a sheet tray ( I like a mixture of 1 pound white button mushrooms and 1 pound of other mushrooms such as a gourmet mushroom mix)
drizzle with olive oil (about 2 tablespoons)
season with salt pepper
Add other seasonings- about a tablespoon (by that I mean your choice of grated ginger or thyme or basil or sesame seeds, or maybe a spice rub that you like)

Toss together and roast for about 30 minutes...

once cooled store in fridge until needed

My Pantry

I am inside today because of the very cold weather... so I thought now would be a great time to add a "my pantry page" - you can click on the link and use the list as a checklist to make sure that you have everything you need for these cold winter days...

no blogs for a while

So as you may see this bog has not been active for a bit of time... We remolded our kitchen which took up quit a large amount of time. That is my first excuse.

My second is that in the remodeling period my family has changed and grown. One person has become a vegetarian and another has been on a strict low carb diet. Humm... as far as cooking that left me wondering- what is left to cook?

In all of my web searching for vegetarian and other healthier meal choices I realized that if I started up my blog again maybe I could help others who are also out there looking for the same type of foods. The objective here is to encourage sharing new meal ideas. Many may be "flexitarian" to include meat and non meat eaters alike.

The comforts of home concept is mainly about embracing and enjoying home decorating and cooking, and in that spirit trying to include meals for those family members on "greener" diets. Enjoy!

Chicken Bruschetta

I know this seems like a funny dish to suggest right before the holidays. Ironically, I like it a lot because its light and easy and might help you to save some calories for those big holiday dinners.

Bruschetta topping:
1-1 1/2 cups heirloom tomatoes (they might seem like a summer item but many heirloom tomato plants still have fruit on them and its November!)- roughly chop
1 cup pitted black olives, roughly chopped
1/4 cup good olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons of fresh pesto if you have it or a few minced basil leaves
1/4 teaspoon sherry vinegar
Combine all of the bruschetta ingredients into a medium size bowl and set aside.

Chicken:
1 pound of very thin sliced chicken breasts(scaloppini), seasoned on both sides with salt and pepper
Brush a grill pan with a little oil and place the pan on high heat. When hot, cook the chicken for about 2 minutes per side or until cooked through. top with bruschetta topping and serve.

Victors clams

Victors clams
My friends husband made this delicious dish last month at a Loire Valley wine tasting night. It was so yummy and perfect for a summer dinner. Serve with some crusty French bread.

100 small clams---that's how many he used that night and he rarely cooks less
1 1/2 sticks of butter
Lots of minced garlic (probably about 6 cloves)
1 bottle of white wine

Make sure the clams are clean and rinsed. Place the clams in a large oblong or rounded pot. Place the butter, in chunks or slices, on top of the clams. Add garlic and about 1/2 the bottle of wine. Heat until it comes to a boil and simmer for approximately 15 minutes or until the clams open, which indicates they are done. As the clams are simmering, add more wine if necessary.

Kitchen project

I must admit that this week has been much more about kitchen appliances than about cooking. We have just embarked on a project of redoing our kitchen. A few weeks ago most of the stress was from the cabinetry and all of the surrounding choices. This week we are up to choosing stone, and finding fixtures.
As far as the granite goes, I have so far chosen a granite that seems to match the hues in my dogs coat. It's funny how we tend to gravitate toward colors that we are familiar with. Most of the week was spent going back and forth about the tile on the floor. The designer suggested travertine which I was not for, due to the amount of cooking (and mess making) that I tend to do. We then went to the more stain resistant porcelain tile and began a quest to find a "stone like" porcelain. I think we may have finally settled on something that wont "compete" with the granite but then, anything can change. At the moment we have chosen a Bordeaux granite.

the next challenge is faucet fixture- who knew there were so many options?

Italian wedding soup

The first time that I had this soup was when I was a college student in New York. I think I had gotten a small cup of takeout soup from Dean and Deluca and brought it back to my dorm room. Instantly, I fell in love with the soup, not just the romantic name, but also the warm comforting broth and hearty vegetables. Here, quantities are approximate and feel free to vary the soup based on what you have on hand.

2-3 cups mini meatballs ( I make them ahead and throw them in frozen, thus the soup is almost effortless, use any meatball rec., fully cooked)

2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 medium yellow onions, peeled and fine dice
2-3 small carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
2-3 stalks celery, roughly chopped
3 Quarts chicken stock
1-2 heads of escarole (about 1 1/2-2 pounds) tough stems removed and roughly chopped
3/4 cup pastina pasta (optional)
salt and ground pepper for seasoning
grated parmesan cheese for serving

Start by warming you oil over medium heat in a 5 quart Dutch oven or pot, once warm add the onions, carrots and celery and reduce heat to medium low. Cook for 7 minutes, stirring often. Add the chicken stock. Then, bring to a boil, add the frozen mini meatballs and escarole. Simmer 10 minutes. Add in the pastina and cook another 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper as needed. serve with grated cheese.

Lamb Shanks with an Asian Flair

With the amount of sports that my children do during the Summer time, it was a nice change to come home to this slow cooked meal. Lamb shanks seem like a winter dish, but with a nice salad in place of starch, this is perfect in summer as well. If making it in the winter, I like these served with a simple risotto. Please note that the hoisin, soy and sweet red chili sauce all came from the Asian section of my regular grocery store.

2-3 Tablespoons Canola or vegetable oil
3 medium to large lamb shanks, seasoned with salt and ground pepper
2-3 medium size, peeled and thinly sliced yellow onions
2" knob of fresh ginger, grated
1 head of garlic, (13 cloves) peeled and minced
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons honey
zest and juice of 2 lemons
1/2 cup water
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
5 Tablespoon Hoisin sauce
1/4 cup Thai sweet red chili sauce

To Finish sauce(optional) you will need 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water, salt, pepper, fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon.

Start by warming you oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the seasoned lamb shanks and sear until all sides are golden (about 3 minutes per side)- Add lamb shanks to slow cooker pot.

Reduce heat to medium low. Add the onions and cook for about 3-5 minutes or until onions are tender. Add the ginger and garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add the vinegar and cook while scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan for 1-2 minutes. Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker.

Add to the slow cooker the honey, lemon juice and zest, water, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, and red chili sauce.

Cook on high 5 hours.

The lamb shanks can be eaten as is but I like to strain the liquid, discard the solids, and place the liquid into a saucepan. Combine 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water and add it to the pan. Bring liquid to a boil and adjust seasonings with, salt, pepper and fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon

Wild Rice with leeks, dried apricots and hazelnuts

This is a great side dish and its simple enough to make. You will cook the wild rice and while its cooking you can prepare the other items that will be folded into the rice once it is fully cooked.

Rice:
8 oz of wild rice- this is just a little more than a cup
2 1/3 cups water or stock

Place the water into a non stick sauce pan (I am using about a 4 quart). Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Add in the rice and cover the pan. Reduce the heat to medium low (or to a simmer) and cook the rice, covered, for 45-50 minutes. Remove the lid and continue to cook the rice over high heat until all of the extra liquid has been cook off, this should take about 8 minutes of cooking, while stirring often.

Add in:
3 medium leeks, cleaned and sliced into 1/8" slices- you will then, sauté the leeks in
1 tablespoon oil for about 5-8 minutes over medium heat.
1 cup toasted hazelnuts
3/4-1 cup of dried apricots, roughly chopped
a hand full of dried cranberries
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
large pinch of kosher salt- to taste but 1 like about 1/2 tablespoon or more

Simply fold these ingredients into the rice and serve.

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

This is basic pizza dough but with some whole wheat flour added in. I have tried to switch my family over to mostly whole wheat products. Regular pizza dough is easy enough to find in the frozen section of most markets, but it isn't always as easy to find frozen whole wheat pizza dough.

To Start:
3/4 teaspoon yeast ( I am using a rapid rise)
1 cup warm water
1 cup white flour
1 teaspoon honey

Also:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup white flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
extra flour as needed (1/8-1/4 cup)

1 medium mixing bowl brushed lightly with oil


Mix the yeast, water, flour, and honey together in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Combine with a spoon until the mixture looks lumpy. Cover loosely with a kitchen towel and let mixture rest 30 minutes.

Combine the wheat flour, 1/2 cup white flour and salt. Pour into the stand mixer bowl and kneed for about 5 minutes until mixture is springy and elastic. Add more flour if dough seems wet.

Turn dough out into a bowl which has been brushed with a little oil. Form dough into a "ball" shape then, cover and let dough rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes to 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Form dough into pizzas, top with toppings and bake.