In Jennie's Kitchen

lentil burgers + crispy oven fries

The sun is shining. Since I'm convinced I run on solar energy, this is a good thing. We may be getting some wet weather tomorrow, but for today, I will soak up the sun. I'll let it radiate and recharge me for this busy week ahead. Right now I'm doing some oatmeal raisin cookie recipe testing. I'll keep you posted, but so far it's smelling quite good in the house. And speaking of cookies, I'm off to a luncheon today for Glad to Give to help raise awareness about childhood cancer (the story behind this cause is very touching, so stay tuned for more news soon). Speaking of helping children, New York City food bloggers, you can join in the spirit of loving thy neighbor and join the national food bloggers bake sale on April 17th to benefit Share Our Strength.

The week is devoted to children's causes, now that I think about it. On Friday, I'm helping support my friend Julia at a luncheon she's organized for R Baby, a foundation focused on improving pediatric emergency care. Every child deserves a fighting chance from the beginning. Without them there would be no future. So, can you do me a big favor this week?  Take a few minutes to learn about each of these causes, and join me in lending a helping hand, whether it's volunteering your time, baked goods or making a donation.

And with all this busyness, what am I cooking this week? I started off with homemade gnocchi last night baked in a tomato basil sauce and topped with generous amounts of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Tonight will likely be chicken noodle soup—I'm thinking cheddar and apple paninis will go great with it (although I just found out it's Dr. Seuss' birthday and reserve the right to make a spinach & pancetta frittata as an Italian homage to green eggs and ham). At some point this week, I'm sure I'll be making these lentil burgers too (yes, finally, the recipe is below!). I hope you're not tired of my going on about lentils. They really are an inexpensive alternative to meat and good for you too!

It sure looks like the real thing, right? And that City of Roses egg-based mustard you see below is perfect for dipping the oven baked fries or smearing on your lentil burger.

lentil-ricotta "meatballs"

Ever have the feeling your best wasn't good enough...even when you know you gave it all you had? When can you feel good about just letting go?

That was the feeling I walked away with today. I've been a caretaker most of my life. I saw things kids should never see. I felt things kids should never feel. I've put up barriers to protect myself, but every now and then they come crashing down. These are good walls. Trust me. I've been through therapy. I've had my say and confronted the people who caused me pain. The walls are there because sometimes after you surrender to the situation, you need to shore yourself up to let the healing begin.

And through it all, I smile. It's is not a fool's smile, though. A co-worker once asked me many years ago how I stay so upbeat—I'm legendary for my chipper personality contrary to the blue mood I'm in at the moment. I still believe what I told him back then. There are two ways to wake up in the morning. In a good mood or a bad one. It seems a no-brainer which choice to make. If I don't hold out hope that each day has some good in it, why bother wake at all?

I know my life is so rich. I am aware of that every morning I go into my girls' room and gently wake them. The way the Virginia pops up in her crib, all sleepy-eyed and joyfully squeals "Mama" is better than a steaming cup of coffee. The smell of Isabella's morning breath. Well, call me crazy, but I've loved it ever since she was a baby.

So what does this all have to do with lentil ricotta "meatballs" you're wondering? Well, nothing...and everything. See, if I hadn't take a risk and tried the unthinkable then they wouldn't exist. The idea blossomed out of thrift. If you've been reading this blog for a while, you know my feelings about buying clean meat. The stuff free of antibiotics, added hormones and pasture-raised, the way cattle was meant to live. Well, that comes at a price of about $8 a pound here in New York City. And while I'm okay with that price and really believe it is fair, it means we don't eat meat every day. In fact, we only eat it once or twice a week as a main protein. More often, it's stretched out in dishes like a bolognese. 

A few weeks ago I set out to do the unthinkable. I challenged myself to make a meat-free meatball that could match, if not rival, the tender, moist memory ingrained in my tastebuds from my regular beef and pork recipe. Well, this one is a keeper my friends. Look at the pictures if you need proof. It looks like a meatball. It smells like a meatball. Most importantly, it tastes like a meatball...and it's made with lentils.

slow roasted tomato soup

 

TGIF. The end of the work week. Well, a mother's work is never really done. That's something we all know from either experience, or watching our own. I'll be busy baking cakes for the Mr.'s big birthday this weekend. Oh, and making these amazing ribs (I can even say they're award winning). Did I mention he also requested fried chicken? So, 20 of our friends, kids in tow, will be helping us celebrate this very important birthday (it's a half century folks) on Super Bowl Sunday.

You, on the other hand have worked hard, right? I bet you deserve some rest and relaxation this weekend. So, it's only fitting to leave you with a recipe that doesn't require too much heavy lifting. Now if you've planned in advance, then you already have some homemade bouillon ready to go and hopefully haven't eaten all the parmesan skillet croutons (thankfully, they are quick and easy enough to make in case you did). You're ready to make the easiest, tastiest tomato soup.

homemade manicotti

  

I try to never go back on my word. It's one of the tenets of parenting. You must keep your promises (which is why it's also important to be careful what promises you make!). Well, I know I teased you with my last post on Parmesan Skillet Croutons. I said it was the start of a mini-series in baby steps in cooking that would lead to a velvety, comforting rich tomato soup. That was before i found out that my recipe for homemade manicotti was a finalist over at Food 52. So, please forgive me for my little white lie. I promise next week to come back with a recipe for homemade bouillon (baby step #2). But, today, let's talk about these tender pasta crepes filled with creamy tufts of fresh ricotta cheese and lightly dressed with marinara sauce.

I can't recall the first time I tasted homemade manicotti, but the experience left an indelible impression on my tastebuds. I'd never been a fan of them, and that was likely because the commercially manufactured ones are belly bombers. My family never made them from scratch.

Then one day I found myself in the kitchen with the urge to make them myself. I started by making some fresh ricotta. It's incredibly easy, so give it a try. If you pressed for time, then it's okay to buy it, but make sure it's fresh—you'd just be doing yourself a disservice otherwise. And don't forget about the marinara sauce. Surprisingly, I've never posted my recipe, so here's the short version.

pizza for project 365

I'm easing into the New Year with some photos of last night's dinner. I've been making pizza for over 15 years, and there's always room to learn a few new tricks. While I live right across the street from the infamous Lucali's, I haven't dined there in about two years. Why pay $24 for a pie when I can come pretty darn close to recreating the results in my own kitchen?

I used this recipe but nixed the food processor and decided to mix the dough, using 2 cups of the flour, in a bowl with a wooden spoon. I kneaded in the remaining flour, and what a wonderful way to relax it proved to be. I know no-knead dough is all the craze right now, but frankly, I loved connecting with my meal in such a primal way.

thanksgiving countdown

Today I found myself strolling through the Union Square Greenmarket after finally meeting Julia. It thrills me to meet twitter friends in real life, and is even more rewarding when they turn out to be as wonderful in person. I'd made note on my pass through the market before we met of a bread stand, Buon Pane. The sourdough baguettes looked beautiful and they were my back up plan if I didn't feel up to walking to Balthazar to get the very necessary ingredient for my stuffing.

I got home, baguette in hand from Buon Pane (it was too cold and windy to walk to Soho) and diced it into cubes after cleaning up dinner (beef stew over hand-cut pappardelle if you're interested). This will probably be my last post this week so I have ample time to finish up work and get started on the rest of my Thanksgiving prep work. Curious about the menu? Yeah, I thought so. The main course is turkey...of course (ha, get it, course? Imagine the poor Mr. who has to laugh at my jokes).

I don't brine and I'm not into fancy glazes. Frankly, I've never had a dry bird by stuffing a heart attack's load of butter under the skin and roasting on high heat for about 30 minutes, then reducing 75 degrees or so for the rest of the roasting time. I know you want exact temperatures but in all honesty in changes every year. I usually pull my Fannie Farmer cookbook off the shelf to gauge roasting temps and times. The turkey is just one thing I refuse to stress about and maybe that's why it always comes out looking gorgeous and tasting phenomenal. As for the rest of the menu, there'll be an antipasto platter, broccoli, smoky creamed kale, apple pie, candied nuts if I have time, and the rest of the edible cast goes something like this:

Dorie's biscuits - may even use some rendered leaf lard!

Here's a quick & easy homemade bread recipe too.

sweet potato, ricotta and leek souffle

These cubes will become stuffing with a recipe from memory.

Perhaps this will be the year I write it down!

It's filled with herbed sausage, carrots, celery, onions, pecans or chestnuts

depending on my mood, some eggs and seasonings.

 

caramel pecan pumpkin pie

You could even start the meal with this velvety butternut squash soup. And, if you're skipping sweet potatoes for some old fashioned ones, here are some great tips from Jen Schall on making the perfect mash:

Type - The type of potatoes you choose will make all of difference.  Starchy potatoes like Russets (often called Idaho potatoes) or Yukon Gold potatoes yield nice, fluffy mashed potatoes. Avoid using red potatoes or new potatoes that tend to be waxy and lower in starch.

Texture - To get perfectly smooth and creamy mashed potatoes, try using a potato ricer or a food mill to mash the potatoes.  If you prefer a chunkier texture, go for a wire masher and mash by hand.  To avoid the dreaded “wallpaper paste” potatoes, be sure not to over-mash, since this will break down the starches and create a pasty potato.

Taste - Think beyond the traditional butter and milk in your potatoes this year.  Experiment with new flavors like bacon, sour cream and chives, roasted garlic, or even jalepeño!

Need something sweet for your weekend brunch plans? How about my apple cranberry crumb cake, apple allspice muffins, or cinnamon buns? I'm happy to be on call for other Thanksgiving questions, and the best way to get a quick response is on twitter. 

Lastly, the most important thing to remember while getting ready for Thanksgiving is it's about being grateful for all we have every day of our lives. So, don't sweat it if a side or two aren't piping hot, and who cares if you're pie crust is a little imperfect? Look at each and every person sitting at your dinner table. They are there because you share a special connection. For me the holidays are about creating memories and traditions for my daughters. Before I truss the turkey, I'll be making a donation to Share Our Strength: Share Your Season to help end childhood hunger. I hope you'll join me. Have a very happy holiday, and see you next week.

Baked Fish Tacos + My (favorite) Kitchen Addiction

One more week left of my Cape Cod vacation, and this next post seems perfect with all the local fish I've been indulging in—it's courtesy of today's guest blogger Jen Schall over at My Kitchen Addiction. Jen's recipes are easy, delicious and can we talk about her photography chops? My husband keeps asking for her pop tarts, so I'm adding them my "to bake" list when we get back (unless you want to send some UPS Jen!).

-Jennifer

***

In the last year or so, I have developed a love for fish tacos.  Whenever I see them on a restaurant menu, I can't help myself... I just have to order them!  The unfortunate thing about fish tacos, though, is that the fish is typically deep fried.  While I think that deep fried fish is absolutely delicious, deep frying is one culinary skill that I have chosen not to master.  If I were to master the art of deep frying, I'm afraid my waistline may never recover, so I have chosen to leave it to the professionals.

Enter panko bread crumbs. These Japanese bread crumbs are made from bread with no crust, producing a lighter and crunchier bread crumb than the traditional breadcrumbs that we are all familiar with.  And, they stand up well to baking instead of frying!  Using the panko bread crumbs, I have managed to reproduce many of my favorite fried foods in a much healthier, baked form. Even my beloved fish tacos!

My favorite fish tacos, when eating out, are from the Houlihans in Hershey, PA. They are topped with both a chipotle mayo (which I always think tastes more like sour cream) and a sweet honey-cumin dressing as well as napa cabbage and pico de gallo.  I love the flavors, but when I am cooking at home, I like to keep things simple.  After all, I don't have a whole kitchen full of cooks to do my prep and cleanup!  Instead of tackling two separate sauces and other toppings, I combined the flavors of the two sauces in a creamy honey chipotle slaw that I use to top each fish taco.  It's quick, easy, and (in my opinion) a pretty close substitute for the real thing when I'm cooking at home!

The recipe yields four large fish tacos (two pieces of fish in each taco), with some extra slaw left over.  If you prefer smaller tacos, you could use smaller tortillas and place only one piece of fish in each taco, yielding eight.  The remaining honey chipotle slaw can be kept in the refrigerator, and will do double duty as a side dish or as a topping for your favorite sandwich (I think it would be especially delicious with grilled chicken).

- Jennifer Schall
www.mykitchenaddiction.com

Baked Fish Tacos

4 tilapia fillets, cut in half lengthwise
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 cups cabbage, shredded
1 cup red onion, finely chopped
1 cup carrot, shredded
Handful fresh cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon chipotle pepper in adobo, chopped or mashed
4 ounces sour cream
1/4 cup honey
Juice from 1/2 lime
4 flour tortillas (fajita size)
Additional lime wedges and cilantro for garnish (optional)

Preheat the oven to 425°F.  Cover a large baking sheet with a piece of aluminum foil, and spray with cooking spray.  Set aside.

In three separate shallow dishes, set up the breading stations.  In the first dish, combine the flour and the chili powder.  In the second dish, beat the eggs.  Place the panko breadcrumbs in the third dish.  Season each of the three dishes with salt and pepper.

Prior to breading, season each piece of fish (on both sides) with salt and pepper.  Then, dip each piece of fish in the flour and shake off any excess.  Transfer to the egg mixture, coating all sides, and allowing any extra to drip off.  Finally, place the piece of fish in the panko bread crumbs and coat evenly, gently pressing the bread crumbs into the egg coating. Place the piece of fish on the baking sheet and repeat until all of the fish has been breaded.  To avoid messy, clumpy fingers when breading, use one hand for the dry ingredients and one hand for the wet ingredients (I always use my right hand for the dry ingredients, and my left hand for the wet ingredients).  As long as you can keep your hands straight, which can be easier said than done, you can avoid breading your fingers along with the fish!



Bake the fish for approximately 15 minutes, turning once.  The outside of the fish will be golden and crisp, and the inside will be moist and flaky.

 

While the fish is baking, prepare the slaw.  In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, onion, carrot, and cilantro.  In a separate small mixing bowl, whisk together the chipotle pepper in adobo, sour cream, honey, and lime juice.  Once combined, pour over the cabbage mixture.  Use a pair of tongs to toss the slaw, evenly coating the cabbage mixture with the dressing.



To assemble the tacos, place two pieces of fish on each tortilla and top with the honey chipotle slaw.  If desired, garnish with additional lime wedges and cilantro leaves (the lime wedges work well to prop up the edges of the tacos).  Serve immediately, and enjoy!

Polenta Pizza

The Mr. teases me incessantly about my Twitter addiction. It's on my laptop, on my Blackberry and when they come out with TweetBrain, I'll likely have that chip installed, but only if it has a five second delay—I wouldn't want every thought broadcast.

Frankly, I've "met" so many amazing bloggers. Some have become IRL friends and there others I'm excited to meet one day. Michelle from Brown Eyed Baker is one I'm hoping to meet at one of the upcoming food blogging conferences. Her recipes always make me hunger for the next post. After reading about her polenta pizza, you'll see what I mean.

-Jennifer

***

Polenta Pizza

by Michelle Norris from www.browneyedbaker.com

Polenta is a dish that is near and dear to my heart, as my grandmother always prepared it the night before Thanksgiving when members our family arrived from out of town to celebrate the holiday. The polenta was always prepared the same way (“mush”-style) and always had a choice of two toppings: red meat sauce or fried sausage and bacon. You really can’t go wrong either way and I’ve switched back and forth between both, although I do love  my bacon, so I typically lean toward the bacon and sausage topping. Until making this polenta pizza, I had never eaten polenta prepared in any way but the traditional soft, “mush” style. In fact, it has only been in the last couple of years that I have encountered recipes for polenta being set in the refrigerator and then cut and prepared a second time – baked, fried, grilled, you name it. Perhaps it has become the twice-baked potato of Italian fare?

The thing that is absolutely superb about this recipe is that it is so versatile and, like a regular pizza, you can make it to suit your individual tastes. Think of it as a pizza crust that you can top however you like (which is truly what it is!). Rub some herb oil on the crust and top with fresh mozzarella, basil and tomatoes. Or spread your favorite pizza sauce on top and pile on your toppings. The possibilities are endless. This is also a great dish to keep in mind when you need an appetizer. Top it however you’d like and cut into bite-size squares – perfect for setting out on a platter – no forks needed! You can control how thin or thick the polenta “crust” is by the size pan that you use. For this recipe I used an 11x16” pan that created a thin and crispy crust. You could go for something smaller for a thicker, more substantial crust.

 
Polenta Pizza with Spinach, Mushrooms, Bacon & Tomatoes
 
Makes 4 generous portions
 

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, more for pan

1/2 cup whole milk

2 1/2 cups water

Salt

1 cup coarse cornmeal

Freshly ground black pepper

5 strips of bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled

10 ounces cremini mushrooms, chopped

2 cups baby spinach

1 roma tomato, sliced

1 cup shredded fontina cheese

1. Brush a layer of olive oil on a pizza pan or cookie sheet. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine milk, water and a large pinch of salt. Bring just about to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and add cornmeal in a steady stream, whisking all the while to prevent lumps from forming. Turn heat to low and simmer, whisking frequently, until thick, 10 or 15 minutes. If mixture becomes too thick, whisk in a bit more water; you want a consistency approaching thick oatmeal.

2. Stir 1 tablespoon oil into cooked cornmeal (polenta). Spoon it onto prepared pan, working quickly so polenta does not stiffen; spread it evenly to a thickness of about 1/2 inch all over. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, cover baking sheet with plastic wrap and put it in refrigerator until it is firm, an hour or more (you can refrigerate polenta overnight if you prefer).

3. Heat oven to 450 degrees F. Put polenta in oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until it begins to brown and crisp on edges. Meanwhile, put one tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until they have released all of their moisture, about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to take the mushrooms out of pan; set aside. Add spinach to skillet and sauté until it releases its water and pan becomes dry; sprinkle with salt and pepper.

4. Take polenta out of oven, sprinkle with fontina cheese, then spread spinach evenly on top of cheese and top with mushrooms, bacon and sliced tomato. Put pizza back in oven for two minutes, or until cheese begins to melt and the toppings are warmed through. Cut into slices and serve hot or at room temperature. Top with grated Parmesan cheese and crushed red pepper flakes, if desired.

(Recipe adapted from The New York Times)

Related Recipe

Pizza Fridays

Orange & Soy Glazed Salmon

 

Ahh, hello Friday. Nice to see you again. What better way to unwind than with a quick and easy dinner to greet the weekend (and a cocktail or glass of wine of course). I made this ridiculously easy salmon dish earlier in the week. I hardly ever buy salmon because it weighs too heavily on my conscience knowing how far it's traveled. I had two choices. One was a wild salmon from Nova Scotia for $23.99 a pound and the other was farm-raised from Iceland. I figured since my sustainable conscience was taking a blow, there was no need for wallet to suffer in solidarity. Then my fish monger offered up some valuable information. The farm-raised salmon was 100% organic. Not sure why they wouldn't just put that on the sign.

Pizza Fridays

 

One of the things I love about my Brooklyn neighborhood is the sense of community. You'd think living one apartment on top of another in a big city would drown out a sense of camaraderie and love thy neighbor feeling. Luckily, we found not only good friends but one couple in particular has weaved a special way into our lives. Our daughters share the same birthday, albeit one year apart. They have the same middle name. Vania and I have an older sister with the same name, spelled the exact same way (Marissa). And, as time passes—we've now known each other 4 1/2 years, we continue to find more of these similarities. I'm getting to the pizza, so just sit back and enjoy the story.

Until Vania started her medical residency last year (talk about juggle—she has a 5 year old and 2 1/2 year old too!), we used to have pizza fridays. We'd alternate apartments, order a few pies, let the kids play and watch a movie while we relaxed with some wine and chit chat. I miss those days. I miss Vania. They still live next door but life's gotten much busier. Tonight I'm making pizza (the dough's rising as I write), and thinking about the Kaspers. I'll be raising a glass to them as IRP and I curl up to our own ritual when the Mr. is away: mommy/baby movie night. Thankfully, some things never change in a world of constant movement. My girls will always be my babies, even when they have their own, so I'm going to check on that dough and shred some mozzarella now. I've got a date with a cute six-year old tonight. In the meantime, here's a how-to video to get started on your own movie and pizza night memories (it'll take a minute to load, so remember patience is a virtue).

See you in June!

BASIC PIZZA DOUGH
Makes one 16-inch round thin-crust pizza
You can make the dough in the morning and take it out as soon as you get home to begin the rise.  If you have a terracotta baking stone, use it for an extra-crispy crust.  The final amount of flour will vary each time you make the recipe depending on humidity and the temperature in your kitchen.

2 ¾ to 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp yeast
½ tsp salt
2 Tbs olive oil
1 cup warm water
non-stick cooking spray
1 ½ cups tomato sauce
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
any desired toppings

1. Preheat oven to 425º. Spray a 16-inch round pizza pan with non-stick cooking spray or brush with olive oil and set aside. If using a pizza stone, place it in the oven to preheat. Coat a glass or ceramic bowl with non-stick cooking spray or olive oil and set aside.

2. Add two cups of flour, yeast and salt to the bowl of your food processor. Pulse for 15 seconds to combine. Mix warm water and olive oil in a measuring cup. Pour liquid mixture into food processor using the feed tube and pulse just until dough comes together in a ball. If dough is still wet or sticky, add additional flour one tablespoon at a time and pulse again briefly to combine.

3. Sprinkle one-half cup of flour on a clean counter or large cutting board and knead dough.  Continue kneading additional flour if necessary, ¼ cup at a time, until the dough holds a fingertip impression. If it immediately pops back into a ball, then you need to add more flour. Place dough into coated glass bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap.  Place in a warm, dry place and let rise until doubled in size, about one to one and half hours.

4. Once dough has doubled in size, gently press dough into a circle in the coated pizza pans, being careful not poke any holes in the dough. Bake plain crust for five minutes. (TIP: you can prepare pizza to this step and freeze the prebaked crusts. When you're ready to make just take the frozen crust out and begin at step 5.)

5. Remove from oven and divide tomato sauce and spread on top of each crust. Evenly sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese over sauce and add desired toppings and return to oven. Cook for an additional 15 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cheese is golden and bubbly. Let sit for a minute or two before cutting. Serve immediately.

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