Tortilla Soup Redux

Since I moved to the south,  I see tortilla soup on almost every menu, but usually with chicken. I had a mean craving for it, and hadn't made it in quite some time- This recipe was originally published on my blog back in 2010!! So, here is my new and improved homemade veg version, now with a make-your-own broth!!! Hopefully, it will bring as much comfort as this heartwarming movie I've never seen.

Ingredients:
-olive oil
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
-Tomato paste- 1/2 tsp
-black beans, rinsed
-1/2 white onion
-1/2 red onion
-3 cloves garlic
-1/2 jalapeño, seeds in for heat, out if not.
-1/2 red bell pepper
-tortillas
-cumin
-salt
-fresh ground pepper
-sliced avocado
- cilantro
-corn kernels, rinsed
-1 lime

Directions:

Preheat over to 425 Degrees.

1. Pour a small amount of olive oil in a large soup pot. Sweat the garlic and onions over low heat. Once they turn translucent, add in the jalapeño and continue to cook over low heat.

1A. While the onions and garlic cook down, put 2 or three tortillas into the oven, and cook for about 5 minutes. Remove and let cool.

2. Once the peppers, onion, and garlic are fragrant and soft, add in the tomato paste, cumin, salt and pepper. Continue to cook for a few more minutes.

3. Add in the stock, beans, corn, red pepper, and cilantro. Bring to a boil.

4. Turn soup to simmer. Add in lime juice.

5. Cut tortilla and avocado into strips. Stir the tortilla strips into the soup.

6.Taste and adjust seasonings.

7. Serve soup and garnish with the avocado.

Herb Butter

Some things in life are so amazing. Herb butter is one of them. Let's be specific: BUTTER is an amazing thing- and as soon as there are flavors in it- with garlic, or chive, or parsley... well, that's just so right, it's wrong. The best part is that it is super easy to whip up, keeps well in the fridge for a looooong time (I've already kept it 'too long' and it's still delicious) and can make any weeknight meal a little more special.


Ingredients:
1 stick butter
Herbs of choice: chives, parsley, basil, sage


Directions:
1. Melt the butter in a medium pot over low heat. Do not allow to boil.
2. Stir in the herbs until submerged completely into the butter.
3. Allow to simmer on very low heat for about 20 minutes.
4. Pour the butter and herbs into a sieve, allowing it to drain through to a container below.



5. Press the herbs to extract the last bit of flavor (and precious butter- I treat it like liquid gold!!)
6. Refrigerate. The butter will separate into a clear solid block on top and a creamy-looking block on the bottom of the container. Use just the clear part.

As always, thanks to Ronna Welsh who originally showed me the light and taught me how to clarify butter and flavor it with this method!!!!!

Kale Caesar Salad

Lately, I have seen this item on menus, and can't help ordering it! I never thought I'd like kale cooked, let alone raw, but it's delicious. The contrast of the slightly bitter and tough leaf with the citrus of the lemony caesar dressing and the salty cheese is just awesome! And a great source of vitamins, to boot!

Ingredients:
Lascinato "Tuscan" Kale (Also sometimes called dinosaur kale- roar!)
Aged Parmesan or Pecorino Cheese, shaved
Croutons
salt & pepper

Dressing:
2 cloves of garlic, very finely mashed into a paste with 1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (Half a lemon)
1/2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Generous tsp plus Worcestershire sauce (this helps fill in for the anchovy flavor, but really, there is no replacement- if you aren't adverse, just use anchovies!!)
2 tbsp mayonnaise (I use this instead of a raw egg.)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Oregano & Parsley

Whisk ingredients together, adding olive oil last. Adjust to taste.


Directions:
1. Remove the rib from the center of each kale leaf, fold, and then slice into thin ribbon strips (Chiffonade).
2. Whisk the dressing ingredients in a bowl and pour over the salad, toss thoroughly.
3. Top with the freshly shaved cheese, salt and pepper as needed, and croutons.

Tomato Provencal

       
   Tomato is my favorite thing. Therefore, stuffing tomatoes with other delicious ingredients, is a very good thing. So, tonight's quick and easy dinner went like this...

Ingredients:
3-6 Medium tomatoes
salt and pepper
gruyere, parmesan, or other good melting cheese
1-2 small garlic cloves, minced
olive oil
herbs- Chives, green onion, parsley, oregano or basil
breadcrumbs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cut the top off each tomato and set aside. Scoop out the insides and the seeds into a bowl. Set the tomato shells into a baking dish.
In a small sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add in the garlic and herbs and sauté. Melt the cheese into the mixture.
Pour the hot mixture into the tomato shell, sprinkle with the bread crumbs, the salt and pepper, and a bit of olive oil. Set the tops into the dish with a little olive oil and cook those too, for about 25 minutes.

Fava Beans with Seared Mushrooms and CousCous

     Ryan and I returned to one of my all-time favorite restaurants right before we left NY: Daniel. They offer a vegetarian tasting menu, which was seven courses of sheer glory. One of the dishes that stood out to me was a fava bean and mushroom dish, which I have been craving ever since! So, tonight, I decided to take a stab at it. I have to say, it was not as refined as Monsieur Boulud's, but daaaaaaamn it was tasty and flavorful! And best of all, the combination of hearty mushrooms and the chewy fava bean meant that it felt like an entree and was very hearty and satisfying!!

I have to admit I haven't done much fava bean eating before this.  Perhaps it was the challenge of not knowing how to get the little pods out, or maybe it was a leftover childhood impression of them being grainy, chewy, and bland. But no more! Follow the easy steps below to get your beans, and then cook away!

Prepare Fava Beans as follows:

1. Along the back of the bean, there will be a string spine. Pull it down to "unzip" the pod.

2.  You will notice immediately that the pods have a thick outer shell that still needs to be removed.

3. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Put the beans in to boil for approximately 30 seconds.

 4. Remove the beans and rinse or submerge in cold water. This will stop the cooking process. Set on a cutting board, and by pinching the end , the inner pod will squeeze out. This is quite fun.

                             


5. Et Voila, You have fava beans, ready to eat or cook!

                                        Fava beans & Seared Mushrooms with CousCous

Ingredients:

Fava beans, prepared as above

A mix of mushrooms, such as baby bella, portobello, shitake, etc.

butter

olive oil

stock

white wine (I like vino verde... never cook with wine you won't drink!)

fresh herbs such as sage, parsley, and rosemary, chopped

5 medium size cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped

2 medium shallots, peeled and sliced

salt and pepper

Squeeze of lemon

1 package of couscous, prepared according to directions on box

1. Over medium heat, melt between 1/4 and 1/2 stick of butter. Let garlic and shallots sweat, turning translucent. Don't allow to brown or burn. Stir and lower heat. Add in herbs and a bit of olive oil, and crush the herbs into the oil/butter mixture.

2. Turn the heat all the way up to high and add in the mushrooms. Sear, allowing to brown and reduce. Lower heat back down to medium, and add in white wine, enough to cover the mushrooms, and allow to cook off.

3. Add in fava beans and stock and allow to cook for a few more minutes. Squeeze lemon on top, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and taste to adjust flavors. If you used less butter in the beginning, you may want to "monter au beurre"- or allow a small amount of butter to melt over the dish at the end. Serve over the couscous and enjoy.

Roasted Figs with Honey and a French Salad

Oh yum! Fresh figs are amazing. Better yet: roasted, and topped with honey... and stuffed with cheese.... and served with a delicious salad....oh my!

Ingredients:
5-10 Figs, split into halves
olive oil
salt and pepper
balsamic vinegar
honey
goat, gorgonzola, or ricotta, for filling
pancetta (optional, for those that eat meat)
herbs: thyme or rosemary



Directions:

1. Split figs in half. Drizzle with olive oil and use hands to rub around the whole fig. Salt and pepper, and splash with balsamic vinegar.
2. Set oven to 325 degrees and bake for 10 minutes, until figs are runny with juice.
3. Turn off oven and top each fig with desired cheese, more pepper, herbs, and drizzle of honey.

For the Salad:

Ingredients:
Mixed delicate and bitter Greens (such as endive, radicchio, dandelion, baby spinach, etc)
Strawberries or cherry tomatoes
walnuts (optional)

French Mustard Vinaigrette
Shallot, finely chopped
Red Wine Vinegar, 1-2 capfuls
About 1 tsp of Dijon or Champagne Mustard, Grainy or smooth
salt & pepper
Olive Oil

Whisk the mustard, shallot, and vinegar together in a bowl. Slowly stir in the olive oil. Salt and pepper, taste, and adjust flavors.

Serve the figs with the salad and enjoy!!

Bean Curd with Bok Choy and Shitake Mushroom

Did you know 'Bean Curd' and tofu are synonymous? It took me a while to realize that this was the same ingredient on many Chinese menus. This is a simple and delicious dish, and the earthy shitake compliments the delicate bok choy. I love using pre-made bases from the weekend in my weeknight meals- hence the red pepper coulis (leftover from making pizzas- and then used again in some eggs... and now finished off here) and the garlic stock (the water was left over from boiled garlic I used in garlic and chive butter).

Ingredients:
Bok Choy
Shitake Mushroom, stems removed and lightly washed
carrots, peeled and cut into round
chicken or vegetable stock
water (If you happen to have some garlic stock or mushroom stock, even better)
salt & pepper
Red Pepper Coulis (finely chopped red bell pepper, garlic, and onion, strained)
soy sauce or tamari
honey
olive oil
fresh grated ginger (a thumb-size piece, peeled)
firm tofu, patted dried and cut into pieces

Directions:

Lay the bok choy on the bottom of a baking pan, making a bed of greens. Top with the tofu, shitake mushroom, and carrot pieces. Pour on the red pepper mixture, then the garlic and chicken stock- enough to fill the baking dish about 1/3 to 1/2 way. Drizzle with olive oil, honey, and soy sauce. Grate ginger on top. Salt and pepper. Stir together, and bake at 325 degrees for about 30 minutes. Great with noodles or jasmine rice!!

Pasta Primavera

This is an awesome spring and summer dish!! I had some pesto already made (see my recipe here- and threw that into the mix!)

Ingredients:
Yellow squash
Broccoli
bell pepper
tomato
black pepper and salt
white wine
garlic butter or olive oil
Chicken Stock
spoonful of cooking water from pasta
Pesto (or if not handy, chopped fresh basil, garlic, and shaved pecorino and parm cheese)
Twisty pasta (The shape IS important- you want something with nooks and crannies to catch the sauce) Boiled in salted water, left a little extra al dente

Directions
Melt the butter or olive oil in a large saute pan. Put all the veggies in the pan, and stir until soft. Splash with chicken stock and white wine, and allow to cook off. Season. Stir in pasta, splash of cooking water, and the pesto (or the herbs, cheese, and garlic). Stir. If not using prepared pesto, add additional olive oil if need be.

Black Bean Soup

Recently, I've had not one, but two different black bean soups that were fantastic. This one is inspired by a young chef I met on our leadership retreat (where the food was just phenomenal the whole time)- He gave me the idea for cutting down on the cooking time and enhancing the aromatic flavors by making a roux!! Brilliant!!

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
1 small red onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, split in halves
1 leek or shallot
Generous shake of chili powder
Generous shake ground cumin
2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 cup green or red salsa
salt & black pepper
Half a lime
Sour Cream
chopped fresh cilantro
Chopped avocado and radish
tortilla chips

Directions:
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Turn down, add onion, leeks and garlic and cook slowly, stirring, until fragrant and translucent. Add in handful of cilantro and cook into the aromatics and oil, crushing until soft and fragrant. Sprinkle lightly with flour and stir to thicken into a roux.

Meanwhile, Mash half the black beans in a bowl and set aside.

Season with chili powder, salt and pepper, cumin and cook, stirring, 1 minute more. Add stock, whole and mashed beans, salsa and lime.

Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer.

Transfer half the soup to a blender and puree or use a hand blender to puree slightly (use caution when pureeing hot liquids). Stir the puree back into the pot. Serve garnished with sour cream, radish, avocado, tortilla chips, and cilantro, if desired.

Baked Tofu with Peanut Sauce

I love, love, love peanut sauce. But since I quit eating chikinz, I need to get my own satay on! This recipe is so simple to throw together, and you can add in or leave out the spice- I made it for my one year old niece and nephew, sans heat, and it was a big hit with the grownups and toddlers, too!

Ingredients:
3/4 cup water (It will look like more than you think you want, but trust me, it will quickly cook off) (I also sometimes used stock and water in combination)
1/2 cup 'natural' style peanut butter and 1/4 cup roasted nuts (creamy alone is great, but a handful of nuts or a chunky blend adds great texture)
2 Tsp tamari or soy sauce
1 Tsp apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons honey
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp ginger, peeled and grated
1/2 tsp dried cayenne, shake of red pepper flakes, or 1 small Thai chili pepper or 1-2 tsp red chili paste/sauce (Like Siracha)
Squeeze fresh lime
fresh cilantro, garnish
salt, to taste
tofu, patted dry and cut into cubes or rectangles

Preparation:
In a food processor, blend peanut butter, half the peanuts, garlic, tamari, chili, vinegar, lime and water. Blend together. Stir in the remaining peanuts and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Set the tofu in a baking dish, and pour the mixture on top. Turn and coat the tofu. Bake for about 25 minutes.

Garnish with an additional squeeze of fresh lime and sprinkle of cilantro leaves!

Eggplant Romano

I have been wanting to try a non-breaded, non-fried eggplant dish that still captured the deliciousness of the parm, but without *some* of the calories.

Ingredients:
1 medium eggplant, peeled, sliced into rounds, salted, rinsed, and patted dry
Romano and Parmesan cheese (shredded or grated)
2-3 fresh romano tomatoes, sliced
fresh basil leaves
Panko or breadcrumbs
Olive oil
tomato sauce
oregano
fresh parsley
6 cloves garlic
shallot

Directions:
Peel eggplants, toss with lemon, and salt and allow to sit for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees when you rinse the eggplants.
Coat bottom of baking dish with layer of tomato sauce.
Place eggplant in pan. Top with slices of tomato, basil and parsley leaves. Sprinkle shallot and garlic cloves around in the sauce.
Sprinkle on cheese, oregano, and breadcrumbs, and top with salt and pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil.
Bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until sauce is bubbly and the breadcrumbs are toasted.

Braised Tofu

After experimenting with several methods, this is by far one of the easiest- and most flavorful!

1 package firm or extra firm tofu
soy sauce
chicken or vegetable stock-
1-2 cloves of garlic
1/2 shallot (optional)
thumb-size piece of ginger, peeled and grated
salt and pepper

Directions:

Preheat to 400 degrees.

Dry the tofu and slice or cube. Set in a baking dish. Sprinkle the garlic, ginger, and shallot around the tofu. Pour in water, stock, soy sauce, wine, and olive oil. The liquid should just be enough to create a shallow bath at the base of the tofu. Turn the cubes over several times to soak in the mixture.

Pearled CousCous Salad with Braised Leeks

Let's start with braised leeks. They are a delicious staple in any kitchen. Keep some on hand to stir in with scrambled eggs, or mix with ricotta cheese and stuff into homemade ravioli, or spread the mix on a cracker. Use them in any recipe that calls for shallot or onion. Throw it into some soups. Use on sandwiches with a little mayo. It is an awesome base!! Thanks to Ronna Welsch of Purple Kale Kitchenworks for introducing me to this magical recipe, and the versatility of this delicious veggie!!

Braised Leeks

Ingredients:
3-4 large leeks, or more, depending on how big of a batch you'd like
4 tblsp butter
salt
pepper
3 tbsp water
1/3 cup white wine
2 tbsp olive oil
herbs: as desired
10 coriander seeds (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325. Trim leeks to the light green part, and split in half. Clean well to get out all sand and dirt.

Place in a baking dish and top with butter. Add liquid ingredients to dish, and seasoning. Cover with tinfoil, cook about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Enjoy.


Pearled CousCous Salad:

Ingredients:
1 box prepared pearled couscous
salt and pepper
red or yellow bell pepper
broccoli
cherry tomato, cut in half
mushrooms
zucchini
braised leeks
(All veggies optional, mix and match as you please or by what is in your fridge!)

Directions:

1. Prepare the couscous as directed. Remove from heat, and stir in veggies and braised leeks. Salt and pepper to taste.

Sounds simple, tastes amazing!! The braised leeks act as a dressing, flavoring the whole thing!

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Ranchero Enchiladas

I love enchiladas. This is my latest- and my first take on a red sauce. Love the contrast of the black beans and the creamy sweet potato (THANK YOU KRISTEN FOR THE TIP TO PUREE THEM!!). Also, the combination of salty, spicy, sweet, and smokey! It is a bit of a beast to make, I just can't get the same flavors when I take short cuts, especially on steps like sweating the garlic and onions. I'd love for recipes in real cookbooks to be like mine, where they admit that it takes FOREVER to cook them down, if you want them to be truly tasty. Just saying.

Sauce
1 28-oz. can tomato sauce
2 ancho chiles in adobo sauce
handful of cilantro leaves
2 cloves garlic
1/2 white onion, or shallot
Shake chili powder
Shake dried oregano
Shake chipotle chile powder
shake cumin
salt & pepper to taste
(If I have a jalepeno lying around next time, or a green chile, I might add that too)


Filling
1 ½ lb. sweet potatoes, Roasted & Pureed, set aside
Extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, diced (1 cup)- or a shallots and onion combo
1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes (I use muir glen with smoked tomato and green chiles in it)
3 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
1 or 2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, drained and minced
1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
handful of cilantro
1 12-oz. round queso fresco, divided
Squeeze of lime
generous shakes of cumin and chili powder
salt and pepper to taste

Enchiladas
tortillas
lime wedges for garnish
1 avocado, sliced for garnish
½ cup sour cream, for garnish
Cilantro sprigs, for garnish

1. Roast the Sweet Potatoes at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes, until they are so soft the skin scrapes away easily.

2. Meanwhile, start sweating the onions and garlic for the filling in a small amount of olive oil on the stove. If they begin to burn, add some veg or chicken stock.

3. While the sweet potatoes roast and the onions cook down, make the sauce in a cuisinart. Puree, taste, and adjust seasonings and heat. Reserve in a bowl.

4. Once the garlic and onions cook down, add the tomatoes, chipotle chile, cilantro, and simmer. Add black beans, and cook 5 minutes. Stir in half of queso fresco, and remove from heat.

5. Puree the sweet potatoes and set aside.

3. To assemble Enchiladas: Turn oven down to 350ºF. Spread 1/2 cup of Sauce in bottom of baking dish. Fill tortillas with Filling. Roll, and pack close together seam-side down in baking dish. Top with remaining Sauce and leaves of cilantro, and bake 25 minutes. Sprinkle with queso fresco and bake 5-10 minutes more, until cheese melts.

4. Adjust oven to broil. Broil Enchiladas 2-5 minutes, or until cheese is browned and bubbly. Be careful not to burn! Let rest 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with lime wedges, avocado slices, sour cream, and cilantro sprigs, if using.

I served this with a side salad of spinach.

Roast Eggplants with Lemon and Thyme

Delicious and beautiful!

Ingredients:
Baby italian eggplants, rinsed and split in half with stem in tact
1-2 large shallots
3 large cloves of garlic
olive oil
thyme
lemon
salt & pepper
mushrooms

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Use your hands to coat the eggplants with the olive oil. Place in a baking dish and surround with the garlic, mushrooms, and shallots. Sprinkle with the thyme, lemon, and salt and pepper.

3. Roast for about 40 minutes, until the flesh easily pulls away from the eggplant.

4. Scoop out and eat as a side or add to pasta!

Stuffed Portabello Mushroom with Couscous

(Photo: Veg Times)

Another excellent recipe adapted from the Vegetarian Times!

Ingredients:

2 large portobello mushrooms per person, stemmed
2-3 shallots (or leeks, or any other type of onion), thinly sliced
4-6 cloves garlic
Tablespoon of chopped fresh thyme
1 bag of Baby Spinach
Goat Cheese
Pine nuts
lemon
olive oil
salt and pepper
couscous (or Farro)
breadcrumbs

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 Degrees. Rub olive oil over the mushrooms and place on a baking sheet, gill side down. Roast 10 minutes, until mushrooms begin to soften, and then turn over.

2. Meanwhile, heat some olive oil in a large skillet over medium low heat. Sweat the garlic and
shallots or leeks slowly, until tender and translucent. Add in the thyme and continue to cook until the leaves soften into the oil. Add in handfuls of spinach and allow to wilt. Season with lemon, salt, and pepper.

3. Stir in goat cheese and pine nuts until the cheese melts. Fill mushrooms with mixture, mounding on top and packing filling down. Optional: top with breadcrumbs

4. Bake 25 minutes until filling browns.

5. Prepare couscous or farro according to the directions.

6. Prepare a green veggie side like asparagus or green beans, if desired.

7. To serve: spoon couscous or farro onto plate, and top with a mushroom and side of green veggies!

Dill Dip

Fresh Dill- Several generous handfuls
3 cloves poached garlic
salt and pepper- lots of pepper
1 shallot
small container greek yogurt
tablespoon mayo
1-2 tablespoons sour cream (if desired)
celery and other veggies, cut for dipping

I love cooking things that take only a handful of ingredients and a few minutes in the kitchen, and taste great! This recipe is one of those gems that I can whip up after work for an awesome snack.

Poached garlic:
I recommend poached garlic, rather than raw, to take some of the bite out, but leave the flavor. For the same reason, I prefer shallot to raw onion. To poach the garlic, peel and boil for about 10 minutes. I like to do large batches of this and leave it in the fridge, as well as mix it into butter and mayonnaise. I use it all the time!! Since the garlic will now be soft and mushy, I can spread it on toast, smash it in the bottom of a pan before I saute green beans or garlic, or mix it into mashed potato.

Anyway, to make the dip:

In a food processor, scoop in the yogurt, the mayo and/or sour cream, throw in the garlic, roughly chopped shallot, the dill, and season. Blend, taste, and adjust.

Cut up radish, celery, carrot, etc, and eat! The best part: If you are using lowfat yogurt and only small amounts of mayo and sour cream, this is actually a super healthy, low fat dish!!

Black Sesame Noodles

Tonight I wanted to try a recipe from my newest cookbook: A Year In a Vegetarian Kitchen by Jack Bishop (Thanks Stacey & Austin for introducing us!). So I decided to try to make Black Sesame Noodles. It was deeeee-licious. Not too many changes, but a few Lora Dever touches here and there...!

Black Sesame Sauce
1/4 cup black sesame seeds
1/4 cup smooth natural peanut butter
2 medium garlic cloves
1 tablespoon grated fresh gingerroot
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup hot water
1/8 cup tamari (or 1/4 cup soy)
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

For Pasta:
Salt
linguine
1/2 medium cucumber, peeled and grated through a box grater
1-2 medium carrots, peeled and grated
3-4 medium radishes, grated
Diced red pepper
chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon toasted black sesame seeds (reserved from 1/4 cup, above)

Directions:

1. For pasta: Bring water to a boil in a large pot and salt generously

2. For the sauce: toast the seeds for a few minutes over medium heat, stirring, careful not to burn. Reserve 1 teaspoon of the seeds. Pour all the sauce ingredients into a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth.

3. Cook pasta until al dente. Drain and toss with the sesame sauce. Add cucumber, carrot, pepper, and radish. Salt, and top with reserved sesame seeds and cilantro.

I used the extra sauce for baked tofu, which made for an excellent marinade!!! Ryan paired it with some pork dumplings from a local chinese restaurant, also a super tasty idea!

Stuffed Poblano Peppers

This recipe is from my dad and stepmom, vis a vis Martha Stewart. I've made almost no changes- except to perhaps shake slightly more cumin on top, and leave some seeds in to kick up the spice. I've also paired it with a nice salad. Oh yes, and heed the warning below!!

Ingredients:
1 can(s) (28-ounce) whole tomatoes in puree
1 jalapeño chile, seeds in for heat, seeds out for a little less
2 small onions, chopped
3 clove(s) garlic, 2 whole, 1 minced
Coarse salt
Ground pepper
1 can(s) (19-ounce) black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup(s) yellow cornmeal
1 cup(s) shredded pepper Jack cheese
A really good shake of ground cumin
Handful of Cilantro leaves, garnish
sour cream, garnish, optional
4 large poblano chiles, halved lengthwise, stems left intact (for pretty, if you want), ribs and seeds removed

**** DO NOT TOUCH PEPPERS WITH YOUR HANDS --- YOU WILL DIE***** NO, REALLY. Put on gloves, or use sandwich bags- try not to touch the seeds. No amount of scrubbing will get the burn off your fingers- and then you will touch your eye, or nose, or mouth... and no bueno. You have been warned!


Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a blender, combine tomatoes in puree, jalapeño, half the onions, and 2 whole garlic cloves; puree. Season with salt.

Pour 3/4 of the sauce into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish; set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine beans, cornmeal, 1/2 cup cheese, remaining onions, minced garlic, cumin, and 3/4 cup water; season with salt and pepper.

Dividing evenly, stuff poblano halves with bean mixture; place on top of sauce in baking dish.

Sprinkle poblanos with remaining 1/2 cup cheese; cover baking dish tightly with aluminum foil.
Bake until poblanos are tender, about 45 minutes.

Uncover, and continue to cook until sauce is thickened slightly and cheese is browned, 10 to 15 minutes more. Let cool 10 minutes.

Garnish as desired and serve with yellow rice and avocado or mixed green salad with a cilantro-lime vinaigrette!!

Baked Haddock

Ryan and I loved the flaky, tasty, and light piece of fish this recipe created. But we didn't love the way our house smelled afterwards. I'd recommend making it on a day with the windows open, OR, as I discovered, have a batch of brownies ready to go in the oven to clear the air!!

Ingredients:
3/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon ground dried thyme
1-2 haddock fillets
1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C).
In a small bowl, combine the milk and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and thyme. Dip the haddock fillets in the milk, then press into the crumb mixture to coat. Place haddock fillets in a glass baking dish, and drizzle with melted butter.
Bake on the top rack of the preheated oven until the fish flakes easily, about 15 minutes.