In Jennie's Kitchen

caramelized onion dip

I've been making small changes to the big picture in terms of eating these days. If there's one thing motherhood has taught me, it's patience. While I'm not perfect in that department, watching the way my girls have hit big milestones is proof that some things just have to happen at their own pace. I've come to accept that's the case for losing these last few baby pounds. I'm not a quit-cold turkey sort of gal. What I can do, though, is take baby steps. I've added more smoothies to my breakfast routine, as well as swapped bagels for a poached egg with fruit and whole grain toast—a good balance of protein and fiber. Come the weekend, I break out the bacon for Sunday brunch.

Snacking is the tough part. I love salty and sweet things, so while the Mr. watched the Jet game last weekend, it gave me an excuse to revisit an old friend: onion dip. While I've never bought a packet of onion soup, I'm not shy about digging in when I'm at someone else's house. True the ingredients itself aren't full of fat and calories, and I can certainly substitute fat-free sour cream, but in the end all I'd be left with is a chemical-laden snack.

oven-dried potato and apple chips

A couple of weeks ago we packed the kiddies in the car and went apple picking to our favorite orchard in Pomona, NY. The Orchards at Conklin is a real treat for many reasons, but most of all because it's really close—less than hour from our Brooklyn home. The inflatable kids' rides are a tie with the wonderful little country store (ok, so not really a tie—I love the shop and the kids love the mini-amusement feeling).

Mango Hummus + Island Time

Is it really Friday? I'm so thankful to have a busy work schedule given the economy and job market but I'm always torn between the sunny outdoors and air-conditioned confines of the home office. I've got some haricot vert and fingerling potatoes that I hope haven't passed their prime, along with a few tomatoes from the farmers' market, so I'm going to make something out of them for lunch. Before I do that, though, I wanted to post that mango hummus recipe I tweeted about a few weeks ago. I created it for Role Mommy as a back-to-school lunch snack. As I suspected, the mango lent a sweet undertone followed by a hint of spice from the garlic. It also doubles as a sandwich spread, and I used it on that eggplant and manouri cheese panini last week.

This is my last week before leaving for the sandy shores of Cape Cod. I cannot wait to switch my internal clock to "island time". I've got some great guest bloggers joining starting August 24th, so get ready for some extra company in the kitchen. September is also shaping up to be quite busy with the added project of editing and recipe testing a cookbook (specifics are top secret for now, and it's not my own, but a fun assignment nonetheless) and this little thing called BlogHer Food in San Francisco at the end of the month. I'm going to lay-low this weekend and maybe make my six-year-old's favorite breakfast on Sunday, buttermilk pancakes or perhaps some French toast bread pudding, while catching up with the morning news shows and Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me. See you all on Monday.

   

Mango Hummus
Makes about 2 cups

One 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
½ cup diced mango (about half a mango)
1 clove garlic, sliced
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Add chickpeas, mango and garlic to the workbowl of a food processor. Pulse until mixture forms a thick paste. Season with pepper. Slowly drizzle in olive oil and process until hummus is smooth and creamy about two minutes.

Zucchini Parmesan Hummus

Waste not, want not has never been more important than today. Between the economy and general state of the planet, I view each meal as a gift to be savored and enjoyed. That being said, I sometimes go overboard at the farmer’s market this time of year. It’s hard to look at the bounty of fruits and vegetables and not get carried away. Last week I bought some zucchini that I’d planned to use in a frittata. They sat in the vegetable crisper for a few days. Fearful they’d go to waste, I sliced them and roasted with some olive oil, salt and pepper, intending to play around with some roasted zucchini muffin recipes.

A few days after that, the guilt became overwhelming. Between the normal breakfast, lunch and dinner routines, mountains of work, and the two kidlets, I never had the time to make those muffins. Then I found inspiration yesterday in Mark Bittman's column in the New York Times. He mentioned a friend of his purees whatever leftover side veggies he has on hand to make a dip. 

It happened to be lunchtime and I'd been staring at this can of chick peas I took out to make hummus. And so, my recipe for Zucchini Parmesan Hummus was born, giving that roasted squash a tasty new lease on life. It was the perfect lunch with some slices of toasted baguette, and I know it’ll also make an elegant appetizer at my next dinner party.

A few pantry notes before we cut to the chase. Soaking and cooking chick peas fresh is wonderful but how many of us really have the time (remember, I said I have two kids, right?). There are many good-quality canned options out there. One of my favorites is from a local store called Sahadi's. Unlike other brands which can be mushy and unappealing, the beans are "al dente" and retain their shape, almost like making them yourself. 

Let's also talk olive oil. Two store brand favorites are from Trader Joe's. There's a California reserve, which they were out of stock this week. My back up fave is the Sicilian Selezione, pictured below. I also keep, Lucini on hand for those special occassions, like garnishing this hummus with a swirl on top. (A big thanks to Lucini for providing a sample of their Fig & walnut Savory Balsamic Artisan Vinaigrette in the Food Fete media bags—it was divine). This weekend I'm buying more zucchini and even they sit in the fridge for a few days, at least I'll have a quick way to shed the guilt and yummy way to use 'em up.

Zucchini Parmesan Hummus
Makes about 2 cups

1 cup chick peas, drained & rinsed
1 cup roasted or grilled zucchini
Freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Add the chick peas, zucchini, lemon juice, cheese, salt and pepper to the food processor bowl attachment on your Cusinart Stand Mixer. Process until mixture forms a chunky paste, about 45 seconds. Slowly drizzle in oil and continue processing until hummus becomes smooth and creamy, one to two more minutes. Serve with cut up vegetables, crackers, pita or slices of baguette.

Related Links

Zucchini Muffins

Going Nuts

This past holiday season, I decided to make something special for the kitchen as a gift for my clients, family and friends. I had no idea what a delicious hit these candied nuts would be. My five-year-old gobbled them up and more than one friend said it made for tasty travels on their holiday vacation. My daughter's teacher even asked if she could buy some from me.

There do good, there's no reason to shelve the recipe until December. In fact, they're perfect for gift giving anytime of year. I made a batch to give out to the teachers and school crossing guards for today's last day of school.

Jennie's Cocoa Candied Nuts
Makes 3 cups
One taste and you'll be glad to know this recipe can easily be doubled or tripled. You can even swap cumin or curry for the paprika for a Middle Eastern spiced treat.

½ cup brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
1 large egg white, at room temperature
1 Tablespoon cold water
One pound assorted nuts

1. Preheat oven to 300ºF. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
2. Add the sugars, salt, cinnamon, paprika and cocoa to bowl of the food processor attachment of your Cuisinart Stand Mixer. Pulse until there are no chunks remaining.
3 .In a large bowl, whisk egg whites and water until frothy but not stiff. Add nuts and stir to coat well. Sprinkle sugar mixture over nuts and toss, or stir with a rubber spatula, until evenly coated.
4. Divide nut mixture onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through. Let cool for a few minutes; break up any large pieces. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place, for up to two weeks. 

Homemade Granola + Bars

I'm a simple girl, so store bought granola—even the high-end bakery stuff, never quite measures up. Check the coconut and wacky flavors at the kitchen door, and leave the clusters there too. Oats, nuts, dried cranberries or raisins with just a touch of sweetness is what I want. The baby loves oatmeal, so I usually always have old fashioned oats in the pantry. Skip the prepackaged ones and go to the bulk foods section of your market. At my local health food store, organic ones only cost $1.39 a pound (they used to be 99 cents until food prices skyrocketed). Dried cranberries and almonds are usually sold in bulk too. Keep those staples along with brown sugar, maple syrup, vanilla bean and cinnamon on hand and you'll be able to make homemade granola in the same time it takes to get dressed and go shopping for the packaged stuff.

You may want to consider making this in a double batch too, so you can keep the fun flowing with homemade granola bars. A lot of bar recipes call for honey and or corn syrup to bind the mixture while some even require eggs. Agave nectar and brown rice syrup were my winning combination. And when you're feeling sinful, sprinkle some crushed bar bits into vanilla ice cream (try using this one and just swap out the cookie dough with one cup of crumbled granola bar pieces). Another sweet treat: keep reading to the end of this post for a cool free giveaway.

MY GRANOLA

Makes about seven cups plus a few husband-size handfuls.

Formerly named Jennie's Granola, the Mr. renamed this recipe, so please get your karaoke mic ready. Chopping nuts is quick and easy using a food processor—my Cuisinart mini-prep is perfect for small jobs like the 1 1/2 cups of almonds in this recipe.

2 Tablespoons butter

3 cups old fashioned oats

1 1/2 cups almonds, chopped

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 vanilla bean — split lengthwise, beans scraped and seeds reserved

1/3 cup brown sugar (light or dark is fine)

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 1/2 cups dried, sweetened cranberries

1. Preheat oven to 300ºF. In a deep skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add oats and saute until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add almonds, salt, cinnamon and vanilla bean seeds. Stir well. Sprinkle brown sugar over mixture and pour in syrup. Stir well, making sure mixture is coated. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet.

2. Bake for 30 minutes, until granola is golden and fragrant, stirring halfway through. Let cool completely. May be stored in an air-tight container for up to one week—but it never last that long in my house.

JENNIE’S GRANOLA BARS

Makes twelve 1 ½” x 3 ½” one ounce bars

If using store bought granola, be sure to read the ingredient label. Just because it says granola doesn’t mean it’s healthy. The first few ingredients should be oats, nuts and dried fruits if they are included. Avoid any that have high fructose corn syrup or partially hydrogenated oils.

1/4 cup brown rice syrup

1 Tablespoon agave nectar

1 teaspoon canola oil

2 Tablespoons packed brown sugar

2 ½ cups granola (one that includes nuts and dried fruits)

1. Preheat oven to 350º.  Combine the brown rice syrup, agave nectar, canola oil and sugar in a small, heavy bottom pot. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer for two minutes, or until the sugar is completely dissolved.

2. Add granola to a large heat-proof bowl. Pour syrup mixture over granola, stirring well with a non-stick rubber spatula. Using same spatula, spread mixture into a greased 8”x8” glass baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes, or until slightly golden. Remove from oven and let cool at least 30 minutes. Cut into 12 bars and transfer to a metal rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

RELATED LINKS

Make Your Own Yogurt (Eggs on Sunday)

Premium Vanilla Ice Cream 

GIVEAWAY ALERT

It's no secret that I develop recipes for Cuisinart. Today I get to pass a great benefit along to all of you. Cuisinart is giving away a 4-cup Mini-Prep Food Processor to one lucky reader at In Jennie's Kitchen. So what do you have to do? Just leave a comment answering this question: how many attachments are available for the Cuisinart Stand Mixer? (hint: you can find the answer here).

FINE PRINT: Please only one comment per person. Duplicates will be deleted for fairness. Prize can only be shipped to an address within the 48 contiguous United States. Contest ends at 11:59 pm on Thursday, and the winner will be chosen using random.org.

 

***Updated 6/19/09 - Congratulations to Ginavon on winning the Cuisinart 4-cup mini-prep! Thanks to everyone for participating.***

Romesco

Periodically a dish comes along that's the talk of the town, garnering praise from coast to coast. In the case of romesco, that adoration spans continents. A traditional sauce from the Catalonia region of Spain, the recipe for romesco varies from family to family. The one common thread is its use in the spring onion feast called a Calçotada during the spring. Calçots, similar in taste to young spring onions, are charred over an open fire, then dipped into romesco and eaten. Here in the states, spring scallions will have to suffice.

It's also the perfect condiment for roasted meats and fish, or simply served with toasted slices of bread, securing its place on your menu year-round. Keep your pantry stocked with the necessary ingredients and you'll be ready to greet guests or dress up dinner in less than 30 minutes.

Recipes vary widely in both preparation and ingredients. I decided to combine the best of techniques and ingredients and streamline it for busy lifestyles. Almonds are a must in all romesco recipes but it's the type of almond that makes the difference. Marcona almonds, native only to Spain, are worth the trip, and hefty price tag, to your local specialty food shop. They're tenderer than American cultivated almonds and have a milder, nutty flavor. The other key ingredient is Nora peppers, again native to Spain. They are sweet, earthy, and intense, adding an incomparable flavor. You can find them online at La Tienda and Amazon. I was lucky enough to find them in my local specialty shop, Stinky Bklyn, on Smith Street in Carroll Gardens. 

As for technique, using sun-dried tomatoes saved me time from roasting fresh ones in the oven. Same goes for using jarred, roasted red peppers (De Lallo makes a great roasted red pepper that's plump and packed in it's own juice not drenched in oil). Once you make your first batch of romesco, there's no looking back. The flavor will linger on your tongue, leaving you wanting just one more bite. Thankfully it's as quick to make as it is to eat!

Romesco Sauce
Makes about 2 cups
Using a standard toaster is fine for preparing the bread. If you don't have a hearty white bread on hand, the "filling" from a baguette works well too.

½ ounce Nora peppers (about 2 peppers)
2 cloves garlic
¼ cup Marcona almonds
¼ cup hazelnuts, toasted and skins removed
1" thick slice of hearty white bread, crusts removed & toasted
6 sun-dried tomatoes, drained
½ cup roasted red peppers, drained
2 Tablespoons sherry wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1. Bring one cup of water to a boil; pour over peppers and let stand for 15 to 20 minutes, or until softened. Remove stem and seeds; set aside.
2. Add garlic, almonds, hazelnuts and bread to the bowl of a food processor; pulse until coarsely chopped.
3. Add tomatoes, Nora and roasted peppers, vinegar, paprika and salt. Process into a rough paste. With processor on medium speed, slowly pour olive oil through the feed tube and process until all ingredients are just combined. May be prepared 1 day in advance, chilled then brought to room temperature before serving.

Plantains 102

After my last plantains post, there was a flurry of email activity with my best friend (you know the one who taught me to make them in the first place). So, here's some backstory. There are two types of plantains you can buy: unripe and ripe. Let me start by clarifying that when you prepare the unripe, green ones by frying them up and smashing with a tostonera, they are called tostones.

Moving onto the second part of my plantain tutorial, I decided to give the ripened, yellowish-black ones a try based on Jeanise's preparation (said friend). I've never been a fan of them but I now know it's because I don't like them served split lengthwise. I much prefer small chunks, cut up and fried crispy golden in some canola oil.

 

They're a bit crunchy on the outside (especially with really ripe ones), and gooey inside when fresh from the frying pan (caution: they're obviously blazing hot too!).

 

Again, this is really no-recipe required. You can also create desserts from really overripe plaintains but we'll save that for another post. Jeanise even mentioned a Puerto Rican lasagna-like dish made with sweet plantains. I've yet to tackle that one. And feel free to chime in if you've got a favorite recipe too.

Easy Cheesy Crackers

I’ve never been one for fad diets. In fact, I’ve never been one for diets. Instead, I try to eat balanced meals, always remembering moderation is the key to a healthy lifestyle. That is except for the times I encounter a box of cheese crackers. If you’re a parent, then you likely have goldfish or cheddar bunnies lining the shelves of your pantry. If you think you’ll ever have kids, buy stock in Pepperidge Farm or Annie’s Organic. These snacks are addictive for both parent and child. An even easier, and tastier, alternative is to make your own.

The two main ingredients are butter and cheese, so go the extra mile when ingredient shopping.  Choose your cheddar, from mild to extra-sharp, depending on your preference. Reach for a creamy, premium brand butter—I’ve been enjoying Kerrygold these days. You’ll notice the difference in the look, taste and texture the minute you open the package. The extra cents will justify themselves on first taste.

Most recipes call for prepping the dough in a food processor. When I came across a technique from a recipe by Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock using an electric mixer, I knew it was the way to go. This way the cheese would stay in larger pieces instead of getting cut into the butter by the blades of the processor. I swapped seltzer for water in the original recipe figuring the carbonation would lighten up the texture even more. Another great tip for rolling these out is sprinkle top of the dough with flour and cover with a piece of wax paper. This creates a nice, smooth surface and prevents the dough from tearing or "crinkling". You can make these crackers a few days ahead and store in an airtight container, but they’re so darn good you’ll have a hard time keeping the container filled for long.

  

 

Get the full recipe at The Cuisinart Stand Mixer Blog.

Plantains 101

Making plantains is so easy it doesn't even require a recipe—it's all in the technique. I learned this one from my highschool best friend who's Puerto Rican. Akin to the double-fry method used for french fries, the slices are cooked in hot oil once until just before they become pale golden. I generally use canola oil since it's lighter and doesn't impart any flavor, but recently gave it a go with extra virgin oil and had equally delicious results.

They're then smashed thin using a tostonera (see pic 1). When I first started serving them up years ago, I'd use an empty wine bottle and give them a whack between two sheets of paper towels. Now I use the tostonera I got at the local Met Food for $2.

 

After you smash the plantains, fry them again for a couple of minutes on each side until they're deep golden and crisp. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate and season with salt. Serve hot.