RECIPE FORTY FIVE: Saturday December 23rd - Amish-style baked oatmeal

BACK STORY:
A gathering with the Bon women (and families!) wouldn't be complete without trying a new recipe to serve to a large group without testing out first. But this worked out great, thanks to a recommendation from Jennica.

NOTES:
While this calls for pesky baking ingredients, it actually came together quickly and deliciously. I added three apples (not two) and used HoneyCrisps (because why would you use any other kind of apple? though I think Granny Smith or another tart apple would work well here). The kids helped me "measure" so everything was an approximation of what it called for. We also baked it about 45 minutes and upped the oven at the end for a crispy finish.

STARS: 
4 out of 5. Quite delicious and easy to make - you could even mix the dry ingredients together for an easier prep for a big group. 

RECIPE:
https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/amish-style-baked-oatmeal-with-apples-raisins-walnuts.html

Ingredients

• 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant)
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1 cup walnuts or pecans, divided
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for greasing the dish
• 2 tart yet sweet baking apples, such as Honey Crisp, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks (about 2 cups)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease an 8 or 9-inch baking dish with butter.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the oats, brown sugar, 1/2 cup of the nuts, raisins, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Mix well.
3. In another bowl, break up the eggs with a whisk; then whisk in the milk and vanilla until well combined.
4. Add the milk mixture to the oat mixture, along with the melted butter.
5. Scatter the apples evenly on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Pour the oatmeal mixture over top and spread evenly. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup nuts on top. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until the top is golden and the oats are set. Serve warm or at room temperature.

RECIPE FORTY FOUR: Tuesday December 19th - mustard deviled eggs

BACK STORY:
I wanted to make this for Schmieg Family Christmas but ran out of time, so used the hard-boiled eggs from Sunday to make for the Snoopy gathering on Tuesday instead.

NOTES:
I have never made deviled eggs before and this is SOOO easy. The downside is peeling hardboiled eggs, but Deb insists if you let them sit for a few days they'll peel easier. Also, who cares if they look weird as long as they taste delicious? Which this does. I added a bit more of everything since I made 12 (well, 11) eggs instead of 6. I also used Greek yogurt instead of mayo and though it seems to be a bit drier, it didn't seem to make a different with taste. 

STARS: 
4 out of 5. A bit messy to put together and somewhat time consuming with the eggs and the peeling etc, but actually quite easy and delicious. Make again for another party!

RECIPE:
From the Smitten Kitchen cookbook.

RECIPE FORTY THREE: Sunday December 17th - crispy egg

BACK STORY:
I wanted to eat an egg with my latke waffles and this "recipe" was linked on the Smitten Kitchen website with the latke recipe so I tried it!

NOTES:
This is basically how I make a fried egg - cook the oil hot, throw the egg on, let it sizzle. Even though the recipe didn't call for it I did turn the egg over, but I'd like to try it without that to let the yolk goo a bit. Very delicious but I'm not sure you need a recipe for it!

STARS: 
5 out of 5. Easy and what I was already doing.

RECIPE:
https://smittenkitchen.com/2014/10/the-crispy-egg/

1 glug olive oil or cooking fat of your choice
1 egg, any size
Salt, pepper, herbs, spices or hot sauce, or all of the above

Over a high flame, heat a skillet for a full minute. Add a glug of oil and let it heat until it just begins to smoke, another 30 seconds. Add your egg, reduce the heat to medium-high, and step back; it’s going to hiss and sputter and basically be the most wildly dramatic thing to happen at breakfast in a long time. Within a minute, it should get brown at the edges but don’t touch or move it. Let it cook until the white looks fully opaque, another 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Shimmy a thin metal spatula under the egg, gently loosening any stuck parts. Transfer to whatever you’re serving it on (toast, latke waffles, fried rice, home fries, a plate), shower it with seasonings, herbs and spices of your choice and waste no time digging in. Repeat as needed.

RECIPE FORTY TWO: Sunday December 17th - latke waffles

BACK STORY:
I had leftover sweet potatoes and found this recipe for potato latke waffles and thought - what a good way to repurpose this food! And it was.

NOTES:
I deviated wildly from this recipe,  using the leftover curry sweet potato recipe instead of grating new potatoes. Otherwise everything is the same, and so easy and delicious. I made quite a few extras to freeze and toast for eating later. Putting the fried egg on top added an extra element of protein, and while the sweet potatoes added a unique flavor I thought it was great. DON'T OVERLOAD THE WAFFLE MAKER.

STARS: 
3 out of 5. A good way to use up potatoes for a quick and easy breakfast (or breakfast-for-dinner).

RECIPE:
https://smittenkitchen.com/2014/09/latke-waffles/

2 large or 4 medium (2 pounds or just under 1 kg) Russet or baking potato, peeled
1 medium onion (about 6 to 8 ounces), peeled
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons (about 9 grams) table or fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (80 grams) all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
Nonstick spray, for waffle iron
2 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped, for garnish (totally optional)

Heat oven to 350. Lightly oil a large baking sheet and set aside.

In a food processor or on a box grater, coarsely shred the potato and onion. For longer strands, lay the potato sideways in the chute of your food processor. Transfer grated mixture to a bowl lined with a fuzz-free dishcloth (linen is great here) or cheesecloth. Pull up the sides of the cloth, forming a bag of grated ingredients, and twist it until you’ve squeezed out all of the excess liquid. Let stand for 1 to 2 minutes, then squeeze out one more time.

Discard the liquid in the bowl, then add wrung-out shredded potato and onion to it. Sprinkle baking powder, salt and several grinds of black pepper over mixture and stir with a fork until it distributes throughout the shreds. Add flour, and again, stir into the potato-onion mixture until the pieces are evenly coated. Crack eggs on top; use your fork to break up the yolks and stir them so that they’re evenly distributed through the batter.

Heat your waffle iron to high heat. Once hot, coat lightly with a nonstick spray. Heap some latke mixture on top and spread it into an even layer. Cook until the latkes are a nice, deep golden brown underneath. (I found that the bottom colors better than the top, but you’ll even this out in the oven.)

Transfer to oiled baking sheet, paler side down, and place in warmed oven. Continue with remaining latke batter. Keep latke waffles in oven until crisp (about 5 to 10 minutes), or until all the other parts of your meal are ready.

Serve with applesauce or sour cream, latke-style, or breakfast-style, with eggs and bacon. Sour cream is pretty good with the eggs, too. Chives make it pretty.

RECIPE FORTY ONE: Sunday December 17th - roasted cauliflower with pumpkin seeds brown butter and lime

BACK STORY:
When searching through Smitten Kitchen's website for recipes for Schmieg Family Christmas, this one caught my eye. I didn't end up making it for the holiday but did eat it later that night!

NOTES:
I love cauliflower so much, and while I wasn't sure about the other ingredients - browned butter and pumpkin seeds don't rank high on my list of desired foods - I was willing to give it a try. And it was quite good, an example where the total was a sum of more than the parts. The cooking butter was weird at first (I tried margarine but the smell was terrible so I dug out a stick of butter that had probably been in the fridge for a while) and that, combined with a whole lime's worth of juice, made all the difference.

STARS: 
3 out of 5. Good, different, interesting flavors for my usual roasted cauliflower meal!

RECIPE:
https://smittenkitchen.com/2016/11/roasted-cauliflower-with-pumpkin-seeds-brown-butter-and-lime/

• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil, divided
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large or 2 small heads of cauliflower (about 2 1/4 to 2 3/4 pounds)
• 2 tablespoons (30 grams) unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup (30 grams) hulled pumpkin seeds (sold as pepitas) (see note above)
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or less to taste
• Juice of half a lime (about 1 tablespoon)
• Handful chopped fresh cilantro, parsley or chives

Heat oven to 450°F. Coat a large rimmed baking sheet with just over 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Sprinkle the sheet with salt and pepper. Trim cauliflower and cut into 1/2-inch slices. Arrange in a single layer on baking sheet, then drizzle with remaining scant 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with more salt and pepper. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until underside is deeply browned. Carefully flip pieces and roast until dark brown and crisp on second side, about 15 to 20 minutes longer.

While cauliflower roasts, in a small skillet over medium heat, melt butter, then reduce heat to medium-low and add pumpkin seeds. Stirring the whole time, cook until butter becomes light brown and smells toasty, about 4 to 6 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes, then add lime juice and season with salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes to taste.

Arrange cauliflower on a serving platter and drizzle with dressing. Serve topped with herbs.

RECIPE FORTY: Sunday December 17th - walnut pesto

BACK STORY:
I went looking for a late-minute recipe to bring to Schmieg family Christmas, and this caught my eye as being quick and easy to prepare. 

NOTES:
This lived up to what I needed - something easy and fast - and was good tasting to boot. We arrived late to Schmieg Christmas so despite my sign, most of the toast went uneaten. I still thought it tasted great and ate most of the leftovers later that same night. When making in the future I'd cut back on the oil and put in more sherry (the "splash" kept me from adding more, but a tablespoon or more would be fine and could help cut the oil).

STARS: 
4 out of 5. Fast and easy and could be a good side if people were into it!

RECIPE:
https://smittenkitchen.com/2009/12/walnut-pesto/

Walnut Pesto Crostini
Adapted slightly from Jody Williams at Gottino in the West Village

Makes a dozen or so toasts

1 cup shelled walnuts, even better if you toast and cool them first
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 small garlic clove, peeled and crushed
3 sprigs of thyme, cleaned
Salt
Small splash of sherry vinegar (I used a generous splash and felt it dominated too much; go easy)
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons minced sun-dried tomatoes (oil or dry-packed will both work)
1 loaf country bread, or a baguette, sliced

In food processor, coarsely grind walnuts, cheese, garlic, thyme, salt and vinegar. Stir in oil and tomatoes.

Grill or toast bread. While hot, top each slice with a heaping teaspoon of pesto.

RECIPE THIRTY NINE: Sunday Dec 3rd - Fiery sweet potatoes

BACK STORY:
I read this before Thanksgiving but two other people brought sweet potatoes so I decided to make it another time. Curry + sweet potatoes = delicious, right?

NOTES:
This recipe took forever to make and wasn't particularly delicious. The sweet potatoes were good but the red curry flavor was diluted and while tasty, wasn't worth the effort. 

STARS: 
2 out of 5. This involved lots of extra prep for barely discernible flavor change.

RECIPE:
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1012865-fiery-sweet-potatoes

INGREDIENTS

• 5 pounds sweet potatoes
• 1 cup canned coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste
• ½ cup dark brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Preparation

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Bake potatoes on sheet pan until very soft, about 75 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel and mash.
2. In a small saucepan, heat coconut milk with curry paste over low heat. Mix coconut milk mixture, half the sugar, half the butter and salt into potatoes. Keep warm until ready to serve, or cover and refrigerate up to two days.
3. At least 30 minutes before serving, heat oven to 425 degrees. Put potatoes in a baking dish, cover with foil and bake 20 minutes. Uncover, dot with remaining butter and sugar and broil until brown and crusty, checking often to prevent scorching.

RECIPE THIRTY EIGHT: Friday November 24th - spicy peanut stew with ginger and tomato

BACK STORY:
Thought this looked like a good cold-day meal. I actually made it on a warm rainy day after opting outside!

NOTES:
This was a long, complicated recipe, but the flavors were good. First it calls for the eggplant to be soaked in salt, which seemed unnecessary as I'm not sure what benefit that did. I didn't use a shallot but instead just the one onion for step 2 and 3. I tried to follow the other instructions but chose not to emulsify the peanut butter, just dropped it into the pot. I also didn't have any cilantro or peanuts so skipped the garnishes. Overall the meal was very flavorful, but took over an hour to prepare so probably something that needs to be made on a cold winter weekend!

STARS: 
3 out of 5. Good flavor but time consuming. 

RECIPE:
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017949-spicy-peanut-stew-with-ginger-and-tomato

INGREDIENTS

• 1 medium-size eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne
• ¼ cup peanut oil
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced
• 2 inches fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• 1 to 2 jalapeño chilies, seeded and minced
• 1 onion, chopped
• ⅓ cup tomato paste
• 1 small (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, preferably roasted
• 4 cups vegetable stock or water
• ½ cup natural unsweetened peanut butter (creamy or chunky)
• 1 medium-size zucchini, 6 to 8 ounces, cut in quarters lengthwise, then sliced 1/2 -inch thick
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (1 to 2 lemons)
• ⅓ cup coarsely chopped cilantro leaves, plus whole leaves for garnish
•  Cooked rice, for serving
•  Chopped roasted salted peanuts, for garnish (optional)

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PREPARATION

1. In a colander, toss eggplant with 1 teaspoon salt; set aside for 30 minutes. Rinse, drain well and set aside. In a small bowl, combine cumin, coriander, turmeric and cayenne; set aside.
2. In a large pot, heat 3 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Add shallots and fry, stirring often, until soft, crisp and caramelized, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer shallots to a large bowl, leaving oil in pot. Raise heat to high and add eggplant. Cook, stirring often, until lightly browned and just tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer to bowl with shallots.
3. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to pot and heat over medium-high heat. Add ginger and chilies and cook, stirring for 30 seconds. Add spices and cook, stirring, 30 seconds more. Add onion and cook, stirring to scrape up any browned bits, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
4. Add diced tomatoes, stock or water, eggplant, shallots and a sprinkling of salt. Bring to a boil and cook 5 minutes. Place peanut butter in a medium bowl, add one or two ladlefuls of hot soup, and stir until emulsified, then pour mixture back into soup.
5. Reduce heat to a simmer, add zucchini, cover and cook 10 to 15 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Turn off heat and stir in lemon juice and chopped cilantro. Let cool slightly and taste; add salt if necessary. Serve in bowls with rice, garnished with cilantro leaves and chopped peanuts, if desired.

RECIPE THIRTY SEVEN: Friday November 24th - protein energy balls

BACK STORY:
Molly Martin brought these "energy balls" to work during an HR health day. I thought they were so great I asked for the recipe. 

NOTES:
This is incredibly easy and I plan to make to just keep a batch on hand for breakfast snacks, camping etc. It calls for an incredible amount of honey which is justified as it (along with the peanut butter) keeps everything together. I had to buy flax seed and chia seed but they both are worth it and you can get in bulk easily. I did not get ground flax seed, and after trying to grind it with my mortar and pestle, I gave up and just put the flax seed in whole. No complaints so far.

STARS: 
5 out of 5. Easy recipe, delicious, healthy, and transportable!

RECIPE:
from Molly Martin:

No Bake Energy Balls:
1 cup old fashioned oats
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup ground flax seed
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/3 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon chia seeds (optional)

Combine all ingredients. Cover and chill dough for 30 minutes. Remove dough and roll into balls. Enjoy!

RECIPE THIRTY SIX: Thursday November 23rd - sweet and sour cauliflower with golden raisins

BACK STORY:
I was looking for something to bring to Thanksgiving to complement my green salad and thought a roasted cauliflower would be perfect. If others didn't like it, more the better - leftovers for me!

NOTES:
This took a bit longer than planned but was still easy to make. The hardest thing was assembling some of the unique ingredients like the currants and raisins - not things I usually have on hand! I also chose to skip saffron and used turmeric instead. The flavors were delicious and a good combination. After cooking at home I reheated at Glynnis' house and so it got a little mushy - I'd skip this step and eat straight from the stovetop in the future. 

STARS: 
4 out of 5. Would be 5 stars except the call for ingredients I don't usually have. A delicious twist on cooked cauliflower, which always appeals! 

RECIPE:
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019027-sweet-and-sour-cauliflower-with-golden-raisins

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
•  Pinch of saffron or 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 large or 2 small cauliflowers, trimmed, cut into large florets, florets sliced 1/4-inch thick (about 1 1/2 pounds)
•  Salt and pepper
• ¼ cup light brown sugar
• ¼ cup currants
• ½ cup golden raisins
• ½ teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 to 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar, to taste
• 1 tablespoon snipped chives
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts, lightly toasted

•  

  Nutritional Information

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PREPARATION

1. In a large, heavy pot, warm olive oil over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add onions and cook, stirring, until softened and just turning golden, 5 to 8 minutes. Adjust the heat to prevent browning. Add saffron and stir to coat.
2. Add cauliflower, season generously with salt and pepper and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, uncovered, stirring frequently.
3. Add brown sugar, currants, raisins, lemon zest and juice, cider vinegar and 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar. Turn up heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until cauliflower is just tender, about 5 to 8 minutes more.
4. Remove pot from heat, taste and adjust the seasonings with salt and sherry vinegar. Set aside for at least 10 minutes (or up to 2 days, refrigerated) before serving.
5. When ready to serve, transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with chives and pine nuts. Serve hot or at room temperature.

RECIPE THIRTY FIVE: Monday November 20th - Indian Tofu with Spinach

BACK STORY:
Saw this (where else?) on the New York Times daily digest, and I decided to make it since I had all the ingredients (except spinach) already on hand.

NOTES:
This was actually a pretty easy recipe to make. I pressed most of the water out of the tofu using a towel and heavy water pitcher on top, then put the diced tofu squares into a wok to cook thoroughly. I didn't have fresh ginger so used powdered, which is definitely something to change when making it again. I also didn't mix the yogurt and cornstarch as the recipe recommended, but instead just scooped a spoonful of yogurt on the top when serving. 

STARS: 
4 out of 5. Easy and fast to make with all the right ingredients on hand, and tasty. 

RECIPE:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/projects/well/healthy-recipes/recipes/indian-tofu-with-spinach

INGREDIENTS

• ¾pound firm tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2tablespoons canola oil
• ½cup coarsely chopped shallot or red onion
• 4lengthwise slices peeled fresh ginger (2 inches long, 1 inch wide, 1/8 inch thick), coarsely chopped
• 1teaspoon cumin seeds
• ½teaspoon fennel seeds
• 2whole dried red chilies, like Thai, cayenne or arbol
• 1tablespoon coriander seeds, ground
• Salt to taste
• ¼teaspoon cayenne
• ¼teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1½pounds fresh spinach, stems trimmed at the end and washed in 2 changes of water, or 12 ounces baby spinach, rinsed
• ½cup drained yogurt
• ¼teaspoon cornstarch

Nutritional information per serving: 212 calories; 12 grams total fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 milligram cholesterol; 15 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 142 milligrams sodium; 15 grams protein

PREPARATION

• 1Drain the tofu on paper towels. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat in a wok or a large, heavy lidded skillet and add the tofu. Stir-fry until golden brown and remove from the heat.
• 2Combine the shallot or onion and the ginger in a food processor or mini-chop and blend until finely minced, almost a paste.
• 3Heat the remaining oil over medium-high heat in a wok or skillet and add the cumin seeds, fennel seeds and whole chilies. Cook, stirring, for about 15 seconds, or until the spices are fragrant and reddish-brown. Add the onion and ginger and stir-fry until it is lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add the coriander, salt, cayenne and turmeric, stir for about 10 seconds and add the spinach in batches, adding the next batch after the first batch wilts and stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze.
• 4Stir in the tofu, cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes, until the spinach is uniformly wilted and the tofu is warmed through.
• 5Whisk the cornstarch into the yogurt. Remove the pan from the heat, remove the chilies, and stir in the yogurt. Taste, adjust salt and serve with rice or other grains.