vittles&such

Bake it. Do.

It’s too hot to bake. But if I don’t get some of it out of my system now, I fear my oven will be on hiatus until October or so. So to preempt its sabbatical, I baked last night. This recipe actually started out as coffee cake, but after tiny tweaking, and happy accidents, has evolved into soft, cakey cookie bars topped with crumbly cinnamon and pecan streusel. It’s breakfasty, right?

Pecan Crumble Bars

Makes up to 24 squares

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) softened butter
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 2 sticks (1 cup) softened butter
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1 Tbsp quality vanilla extract
• 2 cups flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• scant 1/2 cup half & half

1. Preheat oven to 325. Butter and flour a 9”x13” metal baking pan. (I like to use the wrappers from my butter. At room temp, plenty of it sticks to the paper, so I just turn it butter side down into my pan and spread it around.)
2. In a medium bowl, add the 1/2 cup softened butter, 1 cup flour, 1 cup brown sugar and 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Using a pastry blender, fork or wooden spoon, mix and mash until pea-size crumbles form and ingredients are mixed. Stir in the pecans.
3. In the bowl of a standing mixer, or in a large bowl, cream 1 cup of butter for about 30 seconds and then add the 3/4 cup brown and 1/2 cup granulated sugars. Cream until you see the butter starting to lighten in color a bit and getting fluffy, probably about 1-2 minutes. Add the vanilla and mix just until incorporated. Add an egg and mix just until incorporated and then repeat with the remaining egg.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the batter and continue mixing until incporated. Then add 1/2 of the half & half to the batter and mix. Then 1/3 of the flour mixture, following with the remaining half & half and then flour, being sure to mix after each addition.
5. Spread the batter evenly into your prepared pan. Top with the streusel, maxing sure all the batter is completely covered and no batter peaks through. Bake for 50 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. Allow to cool to room temperature in the pan and then cut into squares.

Vietnamese Chicken Salad.

I will never run out of new meals to make with leftovers. This one uses sesame dressing I made for another meal, which I tweaked to fit this dish, and yet again, grilled chicken. The flavors are great! And the leftovers soak up the dressing, becoming slaw rather than salad, and are even tastier!

Serves 2-3 as an entrée

• 8-10 wonton skins
• peanut oil
• 3/4 cup sesame dressing (recipe)
• 2 tsp fish sauce
• juice from one lime
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1/2-1 tsp sriracha
• 1 full chicken breast, seasoned with salt and pepper, or grill seasoning, grilled
• 8-10 romaine leaves, finely shredded
• 2 cups finely shredded green or napa cabbage
• 1 cup shredded of finely julienned carrots
• 1/2 a red bell pepper, julienned
• 1/2 an English cucumber, julienned
• 1/2 a green or just ripe mango, julienned
• 2 green onions, trimmed and thinly sliced on the bias
• 3 Tbsp basil chiffonade
• 3 Tbsp mint chiffonade
• 3 Tbsp minced cilantro
• 1/2 cup unsalted roasted peanuts, roughly chopped

1. Cut wonton skins into 1/4-inch-wide strips. Heat peanut oil to medium-high in a small sauce pot (to about 1/2 inch deep). Test the heat with one wonton strip … the oil should sizzle and bubble, but not smoke. If it sizzles, it’s ready for frying. Add 5-6 wonton strips at a time and fry until just golden and remove with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Repeat until all the wonton strips are fried. Set aside and allow to cool.
2. Whisk the fish sauce, lime juice, soy sauce and sriracha into the sesame dressing and adjust seasoning to taste.
3. Slice the chicken breast very thin and then chop up, so that it’s almost shredded. Add to a very large bowl.
4. To the chicken, add the lettuce, cabbage, carrots, bell pepper, cucumber, mango, green onions, herbs and peanuts. Add the dressing, whisking again just before, and toss the ingredients well. Just before serving, toss in the wonton strips, or use to top the salad once served.

Green Chile Chicken Ranch Pasta Salad

Cooling summer fare for hot summer days. This is another post-grilling meal, making use of leftover chicken. If you need a side dish instead, for a picnic or the first go-round of that BBQ, just leave the chicken out. Enjoy!

• 1 lb of gemelli, rotini or farfalle
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 full chicken breast, seasoned with salt and pepper, or some grill seasoning, grilled, cooled and diced
• 2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 3 Tbsp minced red onion
• 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
• 1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained
• 6 strips of cooked bacon, crumbled
• 1 medium jalapeño, seeded and minced
• 1/4 cup finely minced cilantro
• 6 Anaheim green chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded and very finely minced
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 3/4 cup Sour Cream
• 1/4 cup buttermilk (more as needed)
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp ground coriander
• cider vinegar (optional)

1. Cook your pasta until al dente, but in the last 3-4 minutes of cooking time, add your peeled whole garlic cloves to the pot. When your pasta has finished cooking, drain and rinse it with cold water and reserve the garlic cloves.
2. Add the garlic cloves to a mortar and pestle with a couple of pinches of salt and grind until you have a paste. Alternatively, you can mash your garlic and salt on your cutting board using the broad side of your knife.
3. In a large mixing bowl, add the garlic paste, jalapeño, cilantro, green chiles, mayo, sour cream, buttermilk, sugar, cumin, coriander, several pinches of salt and several grinds of fresh black pepper. Whisk vigorously until combined and taste for seasoning, adjusting sugar and salt to your taste (it should be a tiny bit on the salty/sour side, so add a splash or two of cider vinegar if it needs more tang). If you’d like a thinner dressing (but remember it has to cling to the salad ingredients), add more buttermilk to thin it out.
4. Once your dressing is to taste, add the pasta, chicken, tomatoes, red onion, corn, black beans and bacon. Fold the salad ingredients into the dressing and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Summer Fresh

It may be spring, but I’m grillin’ like it’s 96 degrees. I love grilling. Not just the gathering: the friends and family, the picnic or poolside fun, the frosty beers or icy lemonade and sweet tea … I also love grilling because it makes meals so easy and infinitely tasty. When the weather’s right, I plan a grilled meal for the weekend and I always, ALWAYS grill extra meat and/or veggies to get a jump on weekday dinners, especially on hot summer days when i loath using my stove. My stove was on for less than 10 minutes for these vegetarian beauties. Enjoy!

Grilled Squash Tacos with Pico de Gallo Gremolata and Creamy Chipotle Tomato Puree

2 servings

• grilled yellow squash slices from 1 squash, diced
• grilled zucchini slices from 1 zucchini, diced
• a few grilled yellow onion slices (about 1/2 a small onion), diced
• 1 large clove of garlic, minced (1/4 tsp separated out)
• 1/4-1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 Tbsp butter or a drizzle of olive oil
• 4 corn tortillas
• 1/2 a fresh roma tomato, seeded and minced
• 1/4 cup finely minced cilantro
• 1/4 tsp citrus zest (I used a mix of lime and grapefruit)
• 2 Tbsp finely minced walnuts
• 1 green onion, minced
• a drizzle of walnut or olive oil
• 1 chipotle en adobo
• 2 canned (or fresh roasted, peeled and seeded) roma tomatoes
• 2 Tbsp heavy cream
• 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• 4 oz queso fresco (or feta) crumbled
• 1 small ripe avocado, sliced

1. Assemble the gremolata: In a small bowl, mix together the minced tomato, cilantro, zest, walnuts and green onion. Add the drizzle of oil and a couple of pinches of salt and mix. Set aside.
2. Make the puree: In the measuring cup of an immersion blender, puree the 1/4 tsp of reserved garlic, the chipotle and a bit of the adobo sauce, the 2 tomatoes, heavy cream, lime juice, sugar and 1/4 tsp salt. Puree until smooth and then check for seasoning, adding more lime juice, sugar or salt to your taste.
3. Heat a skillet to medium and add the butter and the garlic. Saute for 1-2 minutes. Add the diced squashes and onion and saute another 2-3 minutes. Add cumin and salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.
4. Heat corn tortillas over a medium-low flame for 60-90 seconds each, alternating sides of tortilla.
5. Stir gremolata and check seasoning, adjusting salt to taste.
6. To serve, layer 2-3 Tbsp of vegetable mixture in a tortilla, top with cheese, avocado slices, 2-3 tsp of gremolata and a healthy drizzle of puree. Serve with lime wedges.

(Some leftover grilled shrimp would make a nice nonvegetarian addition.)

Freshen. Lighten.

The best, easiest carpet powder there is. I try to minimize the chemicals I use around the house, especially on the floors (where my 2-year-old beagle makes his world). Instead of using harsh powders to clean and freshen my carpet (where my 2-year-old beagle makes his world), I use this. Takes a few minutes and is super inexpensive.

• 2 cups baking soda
• 20-30 drops of home-fragrance or essential oil

Add drops of oil to the baking soda and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Mash and stir the drops in well with a fork and pour into a container for shaking. Sprinkle onto carpet and allow to sit for at least 10 minutes. Vacuum.

This is grilling weather.

And though I’ve got a few potato salads up my sleeve, sometimes you just want something a little different. This is what I make when the weather turns warm. It’s so easy. It’s a great, quick side, whether or not a smoking grill is part of the plan. I make a couple of different versions. Here’s the latest.

Grilled Cauliflower & Tomato Bread Salad w/Fried Capers

• 1/2 of a loaf of ciabatta, pugliese or other quality rustic-style bread (preferably stale)
• 2 garlic cloves
• Olive oil
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• salt & pepper
• 1 small head of cauliflower
• 2 large ripe Roma tomatoes
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 4 oz ciliegine (cherry-sized fresh mozzarella)
• 2 Tbsp fresh basil chiffonade
• Zest of 1/2 a lemon
• 2 Tbsp brined capers, drained and patted dry with paper towels

1. Slice ciabatta into 1-inch slices. Smash the garlic cloves with the broadside of your knife. Peel and cut one of the cloves in half, if one didn’t break open. Using the garlic halves, rub both sides of ciabatta slices vigorously, like you’re grating cheese and the bread is your grater. Drizzle both sides of bread lightly with olive oil and set aside.
2. Throw the smashed/cut garlic cloves into a large mixing bowl. Add 1/2 cup of red wine vinegar and 3 Tbsp olive oil. Add 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper. Whisk lightly. Slice cauliflower, vertically, into 1-inch-thick steaks. If some florets break off, that’s ok. Just try to keep them in large clusters. Add them to the bowl of marinade and very gently toss to coat. Slice tomatoes in half, lengthwise and add to the marinade. Allow to marinate for 20-30 min, gently tossing periodically.
3. When ready to grill, remove vegetables from marinade. Discard any small bits of remaining cauliflower from the bowl and add the onions, mozzarella, basil and zest to the bowl. Toss and taste for seasoning, adjusting salt & pepper, and then refrigerate. (You want it to be a little on the salty side.)
4. Heat your grill or grill pan and grill bread until toasted on both sides. Grill cauliflower until nicely charred and just beginning to get tender (you want it to still have bite). And grill tomatoes for 1-2 minutes, turning once in the process.
5. Chop bread and veggies into 1/2-inch chunks and toss together with the marinating cheese and onions. Drizzle in a little more olive oil and taste again for seasoning and adjust. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. When ready to serve, heat an inch of olive oil in a small saucepan to medium-high heat. Add the capers and allow to fry for 1 minute or so (they open up and look like caper popcorn). Transfer them to paper towels to drain well. Toss them into the bread salad and serve.

Cubicle Cuisine: The Office Scramble

On an average weekday, I barely wake in time to shower and run a brush through my hair … much less cook breakfast. Instead of spending extra $$ on a fast-food breakfast, or opting for work-friendly fare like instant oatmeal or cold cereal, I make this. It’s quick, easy, fresh, healthy and cheap — everything a good weekday breakfast should be. If you have a microwave and coffee mug sitting around in your office kitchen, you NEED to try this!

• 1 egg
• splash of cold water or half&half
• couple of dashes each of salt & pepper
• 2-3 Tbsp frozen spinach (frozen bell pepper strips, chopped green chile or precooked sliced mushrooms work well … I’ve also used leftover veggies from the previous night’s dinner)
• 1-2 Tbsp shredded or crumbled cheese (cheddar, goat cheese, jack, feta, whatever you like … just be mindful of the salt content)
• 1 Tbsp cooked meat, like bacon, sausage crumbles or shredded chicken (optional)
• Cooking spray (butter flavor or olive oil)

1. Spray a standard coffee mug with a little cooking spray. You don’t need to overdo it … just a spritz or two to make things easy.
2. Crack the egg into a bowl or a second coffee mug, if no bowl is available. Add the water or half&half, and the salt and pepper, and whisk well with a fork.
3. Add the spinach and cheese (and meat, if using), and stir in gently, just enough to distribute the ingredients.
4. Pour the mixture into the prepared mug. Using a paper plate to cover the mug, microwave for about 90 seconds. Empty the contents of the mug onto the plate you used to cover it with, and if you see any runny egg left, microwave for another 15 seconds or so, or until you see that the egg is no longer runny and is fully cooked.
5. Top with salsa, hot sauce or eat it the way it is!

Seriously. Please try this. It’s so much better than bad oatmeal or starving until lunch time. It never gets boring: I’ll use different veggies and cheese, and sometimes, when I’m feeling industrious on a Sunday, I’ll mix up a seasoning blend for it.

Enchiladas Suizas (stuffed with Chicken Chile Verde)

Crockpot cooking. I’m usually not much of a fan. But I found a great crockpot recipe for Chicken Chile Verde awhile back and have tweaked it to my own liking … but then came the task of what to do with the results. Here’s what I did.

• 8 oz sour cream
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 5-6 roasted, peeled and seeded anaheim green chiles (or 2-3 roasted, peeled and seeded poblanos)
• 1/2-1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• 1/8 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
• salt and white pepper to taste
• 10-12 corn tortillas
• canola oil
• 2 cups mixed shredded cheese (Muenster and Queso Fresco), 1/2 cup reserved
• About 2 1/2 cups Chicken Chile Verde* (drained of its liquid)

1. Preheat the oven to 375.
2. In a blender, mix sour cream, broth, cream, chiles, cumin, garlic and onion powders, sugar and nutmeg. Purée until smooth. Taste for seasoning and add salt and white pepper to taste (I used about 3/4 tsp of salt and several pinches of pepper). In a large baking dish (I used a 9”x13” casserole), spread about 1/3-1/2 cup of the sauce to coat the bottom of the dish, and set the rest of the sauce aside.
3. Heat a small skillet to medium-low to low, adding canola oil to 1/4-inch deep. When the oil is hot enough to fry but not sizzle, gently fry a corn tortilla, about 15-20 seconds each side; let excess oil run off into the skillet and then transfer the tortilla to a cutting board or plate. Tortilla should be pliable rather than crisp.
4. Place 2-3 Tbsp of Chicken Chile Verde horizontally along the center of the tortilla and top with a layer of the shredded cheeses. Roll by folding one end toward you and slightly tucking the edge under the filling, and then folding to cover the remaining edge. Place the enchilada, seam side down, in the baking dish and then repeat the process until the filling has been used up and/or the baking dish is full (you should end up with about 10-12 enchiladas).
5. Pour the reserved sauce over the enchiladas (you may end up with extra sauce … the enchiladas should be covered but not drowned), and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until sauce is simmering and cheese has just begun to brown.

*I didn’t tweak the recipe I found at the Two Peas & Their Pod blog too much, but I’ll be making it again in the near future and will post my recipe then!

Sesame Tuna Cakes with Sriracha Cream | Cucumber Rice Salad

Sesame Tuna Cakes with Sriracha Cream

makes 6 patties

• 2 cans of tuna, well drained and flaked (I used one can albacore and one can of chunk light)
• 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 beaten egg
• 1/2 small red bell pepper, minced
• 3 green onions, minced
• 3 Tbsp minced cilantro
• 3 Tbsp mayo
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 5-6 grinds black pepper
• several dashes of fish sauce
• juice from 1/2 a lime
• 1/2 tsp of sesame oil
• up 1/2 cup sesame seeds, for coating
• canola or peanut oil & sesame oil for frying
• 2 Tbsp mayo
• 2-3 tsp half and half
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• dash of fish sauce
• 1-2 tsp sriracha
• squeeze of lime juice

In a mixing bowl, combine the tuna cake ingredients (the first 12 listed). Mix well. Form six equal patties. Gently coat each patty with sesame seeds. Refrigerate the patties for at least 30 minutes to an hour.

When you’re ready, set a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Coat the bottom with canola or peanut oil and a drizzle of sesame oil. Fry the tuna patties, 2-3 at a time so as not to crowd the skillet, for 2-3 minutes on each side. When golden, remove to paper towels to drain.

Sriracha Cream: Mix all sauce ingredients until smooth. Add more soy and sriracha to taste … the sauce should be rich and spicy, but not too salty. Add enough half and half to make the consistency thin enough to drizzle.

Cucumber Rice Salad with Ginger Dressing

• 1 cup uncooked rice (basmati or sushi rice)
• 1/2 cucumber, peeled and finely diced
• 1 carrot, peeled and finely diced
• 2 green onions, finely diced
• 1/3 cup finely diced jicama
• 1 red jalapeño, seeded and finely minced
• 2 Tbsp minced parsley
• 1 rounded tsp grated ginger
• 3 Tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp water
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• juice from half a lime
• 1/4 cup sesame oil

Cook rice according to package directions (omitting any salt or oil suggested). Allow rice to cool slightly while prepping remaining ingredients.

Whisk together the dressing ingredients: ginger, vinegar, soy sauce, water, sugar, lime juice and sesame oil.

Put the warm rice in a mixing bowl and toss with the dressing. Add the remaining salad ingredients and combine. Check seasoning and adjust to taste. Chill for at least 1 hour.

A Quest for Mojo.

Pastry. When it comes to baking, my passion lies in pastry. But it’s so infrequent that I find myself rolling out a tender, flaky dough, that I have to relearn how to do it right each season (always spring for me — that eggy, herby, fruit-filled time when fresh ingredients beg pairing with a buttery foundation of pastry). With winter lingering, and spring playfully teasing us, this quiche is a segue between the two: winter ingredients in a springtime dish …

Sausage, Kale & Dubliner Quiche in a Cornmeal Crust

serves 6

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup of cornmeal
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 Tbsp cold butter, cut into cubes
• 3 Tbsp vegetable shortening, cut into cubes
• 3 Tbsp ice-cold water
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup diced onions
• 1 large clove garlic, finely minced
• 2 links hot Italian sausage (I use turkey sausage), casings removed (or just under 1/2 lb bulk sausage)
• 2 cups shredded kale (be sure to remove the ribs)
• 1/4 tsp each dried basil, thyme and oregano
• 5 eggs
• 1 cup whole milk or half and half
• 1/4 tsp dry mustard
• 1/4 tsp each dried basil, thyme and oregano
• dash of hot sauce
• 1/2 tsp salt
• several grinds fresh black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Dubliner (or Gruyère, sharp cheddar, Swiss or your favorite shredding cheese)

1. In a food processor, combine the flour, cornmeal and salt and pulse until well mixed. Add the butter and shortening and pulse until you have pea-size pieces forming. Sprinkle in 3 Tbsp of ice-cold water and pulse until a dough forms. You may need to add more water if your dough is not readily forming. Add a couple of tsp at a time until you find that it does. (Environmental humidity, or lack thereof, affects how much water you’ll need to add to your dough to make it come together. So if it’s a dry day or climate, you’ll likely need more than the 3 Tbsp.)
2. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead for a few minutes until it starts to come together and is pliable. (Cornmeal dough can be a little difficult to work with, as it wants to be crumbly rather than elastic like a full-flour dough. Just work it until it mostly comes together.)
3. Wrap your dough tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
4. Preheat your oven to 375. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 1 Tbsp of butter. Add the onions and garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes, until onions begin to turn translucent. Add the sausage and brown, 3-4 minutes, breaking the meat up into bite-size pieces as it cooks. Season with a couple of pinches of salt, several grinds of fresh black pepper, and the dried herbs. Add the kale and continue to saute until the meat is cooked through and the kale has wilted down but is still a deep green (careful not to overcook the kale). If you end up with brown bits at the bottom of your pan, deglaze it by adding 1/4 cup of chicken broth when you add the kale (most of the liquid should be gone by the time the kale is finished cooking). Take the skillet off the heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
5. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the five eggs and cup of milk/half and half. Whisk in the dry mustard, hot sauce, herbs, salt and pepper. Continue whisking vigorously for a minute or so. Set aside
6. After it’s been chilling at least 30 minutes, take your dough out of the fridge and roll out on a floured surface (if you have a rolling or pastry mat, it’d be a good idea to use it for this fragile dough … or you can use wax paper to line your rolling surface, though it makes rolling it out a little tricky). Begin by flattening your dough with your hands into a 1-inch thick disk and then start with your rolling pin in the middle and apply pressure away, out to the edges, turning as you go, to prevent sticking. Continue until you have a circle that is at least four inches wider that the width of your pie or quiche dish (I used a 10-inch wide quiche dish).
7. When your dough is wide enough, use your mat or the wax paper to transfer it very carefully to your dish. I found that it was easiest to slide a large cutting board under the wax paper. I then inverted the quiche dish over the dough and then flipped the entire dish-dough-paper-board sandwich over. Remove your board and mat or wax paper quickly and press the dough into the dish and up the sides. Trim off any selvage, leaving your crust flush with the edges of the dish. If you have any breakage, patch up cracks or holes with your dough trimmings and press well into the dish.
8. Scatter the sausage-kale mixture evenly over the crust, and then sprinkle the shredded cheese evenly over (reserving about 1/4 cup of the cheese). Give the egg mixture a quick whisking and pour gently into the crust. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top and put the dish into the oven. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the quiche has just a tiny bit of jiggle in the center. Allow the quiche to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.