Foodmomiac

Successful New Dish: Lentil Potato Salad

On Saturday night, we decided to stay in and cook dinner. Dylan was at a sleepover, so it was just me and the two guys. We had some prime ribeye steaks from Costco, so we knew that would be the focus, but it was up to me to come up with a side dish. My first instinct was some sort of potato dish. Unfortunately, when I checked our potato supplies, I realized that we only had one pound of potatoes which wouldn't be enough. It was time to get creative.

When Michael and I went to Paris last month, I spent an hour in G. Detou, one of the world's most amazing grocery stores. One of the treats I came home with was a tin of French de Puy lentils: 

 

Lentil de Puy are a great treat if you've never tried them (and you don't need to buy them in Paris - they are available at many specialty grocery stores in the U.S. - I have even purchased them at Whole Foods). They keep their shape and texture when cooked. Typical lentils get soft and mushy, which is great when you are making a soup and stew, but not ideal when you want the lentils for a salad. 

So, back to my story. I had one pound of potatoes and I had the lovely tin of lentils. I decided to combine a couple of recipes from The New York Times Cookbook; a Mediterranean lentil salad and a French potato salad. French potato salads are served slightly warm or at room temperature and are made with olive oil instead of mayonnaise. They are much more suited to cold weather than the standard mayo-based varieties.

The salad was easy to prepare and delicious. I hope you love it as much as we did!

Lentil Potato Salad

1/2 cup de Puy lentils
1 pound new (red) potatoes, scrubbed and cut into a 1/4 inch dice
1 Tb onion, finely minced
Vinaigrette of your choice (I used this one) 
2 carrots, finely diced
2 stalks celery, finely diced
salt and pepper to taste 

Combine lentils with three cups of water in a pot. Bring to a boil and cook for 15 - 20 minutes (you want them tender but not mushy). Drain and set aside.

Cover potatoes with cold water in a pot and bring to a boil. Cook until tender. Drain and place in a large bowl. Toss with the minced onion and a few splashes of vinaigrette. Allow the vinaigrette to soak in a bit. Taste. If there is no flavor, add some more (the potatoes soak up quite a bit - by dressing them while they are warm, you insure great flavor). 

Add the carrots and celery and lentils. Toss with more vinaigrette and the salt and pepper, tasting as you go. This is a very flexible recipe - you will want to play around with it until it is seasoned to your tastes.

Enjoy!

FoodKIDiac: Guest post by Dylan - Baked Acorn Squash

My favorite dish lately has been baked Acorn Squash it is SO delicious! It is fun and easy to make! I was able to make it all by myself, actually. Today we had it with chicken and a nice little salad! It is such a great comfort food and it adds a little sweetness to your dinner! I guarantee that you will LOVE this dish! Acorn squash is probably the best fall dish you can ask for! Today my Dad built a fire in the fireplace so it was really nice and cozy in our house.

I could eat acorn squash forever! You HAVE to try this dish!

Here is the link to the recipe I used:

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/classic_baked_acorn_squash/

 

 

The Monday Night Dinner that Garnered a Standing Ovation (Lamb Meatballs and Mujadara)

The title of this post is no exaggeration. Shortly after declaring it, "the best meal you have cooked in five years," Michael told the kids they should give me a round of applause. And then Dylan stood up on the bench in the kitchen to turn that round of applause into a full out standing o. This is NOT the norm in my household, but damn, it was definitely satisfying.

Dinner was an old favorite that I hadn't made for years (mujadarah) along with a new dish that I tried for the very first time (lamb meatballs). The lamb recipe has a gajillion steps, so I am just going to link to it rather than adapt it and repost here. Click here for amazing lamb meatballs.

I will, however, share with you the recipe for Mujadara. This recipe comes from David Rosengarten, a chef who was a very big deal on the Food Network back in 1996 when I worked there. (He also wore a ridiculous amount of makeup when recording his shows, so when he'd swing by the cubicles to talk to the "little folk," we always ended up laughing over his oompa loompa face as soon as he left.) 

Mujadara

1 cup green or brown lentils
1 quart cold water
3 large white onions, sliced into thin half moons
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup basmati or jasmine rice
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. allspice

Bring the lentils to a boil in the cold water and then turn the heat down to simmer. Let them cook for about 25 minutes or until they are just about tender. Reserve 1.5 cups of cooking liquid (you likely won't be able to reserve this much, but you can just make up the difference with fresh water), and drain the lentils.

While the lentils are cooking, cook the onions in olive oil until they get nice and soft (the original recipe calls for five minutes, but this took me at least 10). Pull out 1.5 cups of the onions and set them aside. Cook the rest of the onions until they are caramelized and verging on crispy (again, they say five minutes, but it was more like 10 or 15). Drain these on a paper towel and set them aside.

In that same saucepan, add the cooked lentils, the reserved liquid, the softened onions (not the caramelized ones), the rice, salt and allspice. Cook this over low heat, covered, until the rice is tender, which should happen in about 20 minutes. Serve topped with caramelized onions. Sit back while your family applauds your efforts.

My Favorite Kale Salad

I just loved this salad. I feel like it is a LITTLE bit of a cheat because the kale isn't raw (it is lightly steamed), but it is just delicious, and I prefer the steamed texture, especially with the crunchy sunflower seeds on top. Once again, I got this recipe from my amazing Harvest Moons Farm CSA.

Kale Salad

1 bunch kale
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 medium clove garlic
1 Tb. extra virgin olive oil
 salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup crumbled feta (ricotta salata would work here too)
1/8 cup sunflower seeds 

Mince the garlic finely, and let it sit for five minutes (apparently this enhances its health-promoting properties - who knew??). Fill a steam with about three inches of water and let it come to a boil over medium high heat. While that's happening, chop your (cleaned and stemmed) kale into 1/2 inch wide slices, and then cut it again crosswise, so you have some nice bite-sized pieces. Once the water is boiling, add the kale to the steamer and cover it, steaming for a total of five minutes.

Transfer the kale (while still hot) to a salad bowl and toss it with the garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper and extra virgin olive oil. Let come to room temperature and serve topped with the feta and sunflower seeds. 

Note: I ate an entire bowl of this myself one day for lunch, so if you are preparing this for a crowd, you might want to multiply the recipe accordingly.

 

The Foodmomiac Summer Salad Dressing

I adapted this recipe from one that was shared in the Harvest Moon Farms CSA newsletter. They send me the newsletter every week, and for every item that is going to be in my CSA box, they provide a recipe. This one seemed too simple to be a stand-out, but I am in love. It is the perfect light vinaigrette for a hot summer day.

The agave syrup was my addition, as the originally recipe called for sugar. If you don't have agave syrup (available at health food stores like Whole Foods), feel free to go back to sugar or try maple syrup.

Simple Vinaigrette

1 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tb plus 2 tsp. sherry wine vinegar (you can also use red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar)
2 tsp. ground black pepper
2 tsp. agave syrup
2 tsp. sea salt

Combine all of the above ingredients in a salad cruet or a jar with a lid, and shake very well to combine. Store in your refrigerator for up to a month. Remove about 30 minutes before use to give the oil enough time to warm up (the dressing will separate in the fridge since it is homemade and doesn't have any stabilizers). 

Back to School Week! (and Foodmomiac's homemade Ranch dressing)

Good morning all. It is 6:15 and I have already been up for two hours. I appeared on the local CBS morning show this morning at the ungodly hour of 5:40. The good news is that my kids' lunches are all made for the day because I prepared them yesterday so that I could bring them on air to demonstrate some of my favorite tricks.

I know that many of you in other cities started school a few weeks ago, but in honor of OUR first week I thought it would be fun to feature a good school lunch recipe every day. Today I want to share my recipe for Ranch Dressing. This was adapted from a recipe I found in Bon Appetit in 1999, and everyone in my family loves it. If your kids are obsessed with dipping things in Ranch, it is great to have this around. It will last for about a week in the fridge, so if you make some on Sunday, you'll have plenty to last all five school days - I pack it in small Tupperware or Rubbermaid containers and also pack some cut-up veggies. I am not a big fan of bottled Ranch, but this stuff is so good I am often tempted to eat it with a spoon. 

Ranch Dressing

3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup lowfat buttermilk
2 tablespoons powdered cultured buttermilk blend (this stuff, available in the baking aisle of most markets)
4 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (my favorite is a combination of dill and parsley - the dill is a must)
1-1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1-1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Combine all ingredients in a bowl with a whisk or a fork. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Special Announcement: I am running the Chicago Marathon on 10/10/10 in support of Healthy Schools Campaign. I am on the board of this amazing not-for-profit, and have pledged to raise $1,000. Please help me meet my goal - even $5 helps! To donate, visit my fundraising page.

Huge Success - Homemade Granola!

Last year, I decided that I'd make my own granola. Michael fell in love with the granola at our favorite breakfast place near my mom and step father's house in Massachusetts, and there is simply nothing store bought that even comes close.

For some reason, when I made the granola last year, I decided to follow Mark Bittman's recipe. Now, don't get me wrong. I love Mark Bittman, and I love most of his SAVORY recipes. But for sweet stuff? I just never have success. So... I made some mediocre granola last year, and then I gave up.

When I spotted Molly Wizenberg's granola recipe in last month's Bon Appetit, I was intrigued. It was made differently from Bittman's version, and her description of its wonders was VERY convincing. I decided to give it a try. One of the perks of her recipe is that it encourages a lot of experimentation.

I made my first version yesterday, and I absolutely adore it. I already have ideas for riffs on the recipe next week, and I think I might cook it for 5-7 minutes less, but other than that, it is total breakfast (or snack) perfection.

Best Homemade Granola

3 cups rolled oats
1 cup raw pecans, smashed up
3 tablespoons wheat germ
2 tablespoons flax seeds
1/3 cup raw pumpkin seeds
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup honey
2 tablespoons canola oil

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Dump the first nine ingredients into a giant bowl and combine well with your hands, making sure the brown sugar breaks up. In a small saucepan, heat the honey and the oil until it is smooth and liquidy. Add the honey mixture to the oats and stir until the dry ingredients are all coated.

On a large baking sheet lined with a silicon baking mat or parchment paper, spread out the granola into a thin layer. Bake for 30-40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so. Pull out of the oven and press down to set a bit. After the granola is cool, break it up into chunks and place into an airtight container.

Serve with milk or (my favorite) plain Greek yogurt, topped with fresh berries.

Recipe for the Easiest Bread Ever: Beer Bread

Back when we lived in Toledo, I made beer bread all the time. I'd make it from a mix that I bought from Tastefully Simple. We loved it, but the mix was kind of expensive for what it was, and when we moved to Chicago, we lost all of our Tastefully Simple connections, so I just put beer bread to the back of my mind.

And, then, I found a recipe for it (from scratch) on Chow.com. I made some modifications (of course), but hey! It's the same stuff I used to make back in T-Town and I don't need any mix. Score!

Beer Bread

3 cups all purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar (I used Turbinado - sugar in the raw)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 bottle beer (I used Guinness tonight, but you can use anything you like)
1 stick butter melted (this is actually optional, but yum)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Combine the first five ingredients. Add half of the butter and combine again. Pour half of the remaining butter in the bottom of a loaf pan. Add the batter and top it with the rest of the butter. Bake for one hour.

Uber Healthy Soup That Your Kids Might Very Well Eat: Nutty Vanilla Sweet Potato and Kale Soup

I've known Kath from Kath Eats for many months now (we frequently hire her to write articles on our clients' sites), but for some reason I've never tried one of her recipes until now.

What was I thinking?? We are always trying to be more healthy, and she uses the most fabulous ingredients. Consider this a lesson learned. Go make this soup!

Some changes I made (because I'm allergic to following recipes exactly):

- I peeled the sweet potatoes
- I used curry powder instead of Garam Masala
- I think I used too many sweet potatoes (I didn't pull out my scale), so I thinned the soup with two cups of chicken broth (veggie broth would have been fine too)
- I think raisins are evil, so I didn't use any, and I didn't use any shredded coconut either (not quite so evil, but I'm not a fan)

Dylan declared this the best soup she ever had. Max liked everything about this except the kale, but I think he was confused, because he actually DOES like kale, but I think he thought I said it was "cow." And, quite frankly, he also likes cow, so the whole thing was bizarre.

Michael loved this soup with every fiber of his being. And, no, I am not exaggerating. He thanked me for it about three times.

Thanks Kath!

A New Recipe: Vegetarian Greek Lasagna

On Sunday morning, I drove to the Logan Square Farmers Market, and I bought three giant bags of gorgeous produce. Anything that looked great made its way into my tote bags. One of the farmers actually told me that I needed a sherpa. It was awesome.

When I got home, our Internet was down, so I had to get old school and look through my cookbooks for some recipes. I found some dinner ideas, picked up the rest of the ingredients at Trader Joe's, and was all set for the week ahead.

On Monday we had vegetarian congee made in the crockpot. Congee is a Chinese rice porridge. When made with chicken stock, it is amazing. Comforting, rich, delicious. Sadly, I used vegetarian stock instead. We are trying to avoid meat during the week, but next time I make congee, I think we'll make an exception and use the poultry stock. Congee made with veggie stock was vile.

Yesterday, the plain was to make a butternut squash and kale risotto. But, then I remembered that we had the kids' open school night and then a haircut appointment. We had frozen pizza (and I'll make the risotto tomorrow - the recipe looks really promising!).

Tonight, Greek Lasagna was on the menu. However, Michael developed a nasty flu/virus, so I had to cover for him in a three hour client meeting off-site. What to do? What to do? I decided to delegate. I left the recipe and the ingredients out on the counter and asked our new nanny Sammy to prepare the lasagna with the kids. It was delicious. Michael ventured out of his sick bed to eat three pieces, Max ate up with gusto, and I enjoyed it as well. The only naysayer was Dylie. She has just never liked lasagna of any variety, and this was no exception. (She prepared a Trader Joe's Green Curry for herself in the microwave).

The recipe is below, but let me first remind you that I'm posting every day for a month to raise money for Healthy Schools Campaign. Thank you so much to Lauren, Mir and Mamacita for their generous donations. We are off to a great start! If you'd like to help the cause, please click here and choose your donation amount. Every little bit helps.

Greek Lasagna (adapted from Moosewood Restaurant New Classics)

Tomato Sauce

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons dried marjoram (we omitted this, you could subtitute oregano if you like)
5 cups undrained canned whole tomatoes (we used 5 cups of Michael's dads homemade tomato puree)
1/3 cup chopped kalamata olives (we used less, because we didn't have that much around)
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill (we used 1.5 tablespoons of dried)

1 large eggplant, cut into 3/4 inch rounds
olive oil for brushing
3 eggs, beaten
2 cups cottage cheese
1 teaspoon ground fennel seeds (we omitted this)
3 cups grated feta cheese (we used slightly less because we didn't have enough)
12 uncooked lasagna noodles

In a medium pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onions. Saute for about five minutes. Add the garlic and majorum and cook for another few minutes. Add the tomatoes, cover the pot and bring it all to a simmer. Turn the heat down to medium low and add the olives, salt, pepper and dill (you can wait until the end to add the dill if you want maximum flavor).

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. While the sauce continues to cook, lightly oil a baking sheet and cover it with the eggplant slices. Brush each slice with olive oil and bake for about 15 minutes. Remove the eggplant from the oven and then turn it down to 350 degrees.

While the eggplant cooks and the sauce simmers, mix together the eggs, cottage cheese, fennel and 1 cup of the feta. Set this aside.

Lightly oil a large Pyrex baking dish (or other lasagna pan). Spread on two cups of the tomato sauce. Top this with one layer of noodles and then another cup of sauce. Layer on all of the eggplant, one cup of feta, another layer of noodles and another cup of sauce. Add the cottage cheese mixture, another layer of noodles, the remaining sauce and the last of the feta.

Cover with foil and bake for 45-50 minutes. Remove from the oven, take off the foil, and let it rest for 10-15 minutes. Serve with some crusty bread and/or a green salad.