An update on the Anti-Inflammation Diet & 30 Days to a Healthier You

Posted on March 21, 2012 by Lesley

The fine folks over at Lindsay Olives have an interesting promotion going on this month–30 Days to a Healthier You. They’re posting health tips on their facebook page every day and inviting readers to share tips as well.

I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to update you on my “anti-inflammation diet” AKA “the green tea diet.” So, how’s it going?

Not great. This will surprise almost no one, but there is no combination of garlic, green tea, and herbs that will reduce the inflammation in my shoulder (which is now frozen, incidentally). There is, however, one magic chemical compound that WILL reduce the inflammation in my shoulder: dihydrogen monoxide. Or as it is better known, water.

The cure for inflammation

Yes, water. Water is the key to reducing inflammation (and losing weight, if that’s your goal) in two different ways. First, in its liquid form, the consumption of adequate amounts of water help your body to perform correctly. Water helps the body flush the toxins that cause inflammation, including pollen, which is at record levels here in the southern U.S. right now. And if you’re taking an antihistamine, it’s particularly important to drink at least 64 ounces of water per day to avoid dehydration.

Also a cure for your inflammation

Second, in its solid form–ice–it’s particularly helpful in reducing inflammation due to injuries or stress (as noted by commenter Nicole). What happened to me was repeated strain on the rotator cuff that resulted in an inflammed shoulder joint. It’s now impinging (or pinching) a nerve. So certain movements cause me to lose control of my right arm temporarily as shooting pains extend all the way to the tips of my fingers. And there’s so much inflammation that movement is restricted. But mild exercises prescribed by my physical therapist, repeated icing, and drinking plenty of water is helping to reduce the swelling so far. I just need to stay consistent with it. I hope that in a few months or so of treatment, I can relax a bit. We’ll see.

Oh, and that 30 Days to a Healthier You promotion? It’s not just a nice way to learn some new things; there’s a giveaway involved, too. One lucky Facebook fan will win a $500 gift card! All you have to do is like Lindsay Olives and leave a comment on their wall with your favorite health tip (and mention that Lesley Eats referred you, which I believe is required to win). If you can’t think of a favorite, just browse the tips that fans have already posted! Be sure to do so before March 31! (Just remember–somebody has to win and you won’t win if you don’t enter!).

Posted in Events, Fun, News | 2 Comments

Persian Saffron Rice Pilaf with Almonds and Currants

Posted on March 13, 2012 by Lesley

I’ve mentioned many times before that my friend, Hedy (who is Persian) is a fantastic cook. And that Mr. Eats never turns down an invitation to dinner at her house because there will always be a spectacular meal.

persian_rice_pilaf

Barberries, cranberries, and sour cherries also work and are a bit prettier than currants.

Not long after I started my blog, I posted her recipe for baghali polo (or baghali polow) . With the exception of the dill and fava beans, it’s actually a good tutorial for making any type of Persian rice (polow), including basic saffron rice (adas polow). [If you're looking for a bit more detail (and some yogurt), this post also has a really good step-by-step tutorial for standard Persian rice.]  When you prepare the rice this way, you get a wonderful crunchy layer of rice on the bottom of the pot (tahdig). And you can add whatever bean, dried fruit, nut, and/or herb to make it different. One really nice combination she made had toasted slivered almonds and barberries.

saffron

You should really crush your saffron before trying to dissolve it. Oopsie.

The rice is wonderful, rich and flavorful, but the star of the show is the tahdig. It is so delicious. Some cooks will use a wider pot to maximize the size of the tahdig and minimize the fighting over it.

But it can take a while to get a proper tahdig. And when I made this Persian rice, I was in a bit of a time crunch, so I adapted a recipe to get a good pilaf in about 25 minutes. It’s really tasty (made more decadent by the butter), but I think Mr. Eats was disappointed by the lack of tahdig. Regardless, this makes a wonderful side dish. You can subsitute more olive oil for the butter if you do not eat butter. But the butter browns a bit, adding a more robust flavor to this shortcut.

persian_rice_pilaf

Yum!

Notes: You really have to use basmati rice for this dish to turn out just right. It’s a long, slender grain which has a different “mouthfeel” from standard long-grain rice. Also, it’s important not to overcook it in the first step so that you don’t get sticky, gooey rice. What’s great about this rice is how the individual grains stay separated. Also, I’ve never had this rice without saffron, but I think it would be nearly as delicious without if if you don’t have any on hand.

Persian Rice Pilaf with Almonds and Currants
adapted from Food and Wine
serves 4-6

2 cups white basmati rice
4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup slivered almonds
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons sugar
½ cup dried currants (or cherries, golden raisins, or barberries)
¼ to ½ teaspoon crushed saffron threads
1 tablespoon water
additional salt and pepper to taste

Bring the four cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add salt and rice, lower the heat and simmer for 5- 10 minutes. Do not overcook. Rice should be slightly “al dente.” Drain the rice thoroughly and return to the sauce pan. Set aside.

Dissolve the saffron in the one tablespoon of water and stir into the rice.

Pre-heat the oven to 400F.

Brown the almonds over medium-high heat in a medium or large skillet. Stir frequently to prevent scorching. When browned, pour the almonds in a bowl and set aside.

In the same skillet, reduce the heat to medium and add the butter and oil. Then add the currants and sugar. Cook until the sugar has dissolved and the butter has browned a bit, stirring frequently (just a few minutes). Remove from the burner and set aside.

Spread half the rice in a casserole dish or other baking dish (at least 3 quarts). Pour half the butter mixture over the rice and sprinkle with half the almonds. Then spread the remaining half of the rice in another layer and pour over the remaining butter mixture and almonds.

Cover (with lid or aluminum foil) and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the rice is soft and there’s some browning around the edges. Season with salt and pepper to taste when serving.

 

Posted in Recipes, Side Dishes | 10 Comments

Pickled and Fried

Posted on March 2, 2012 by Lesley

I don’t like fried okra. I remember my mom making it as frequently as she could when I was a kid. She loved it. But she never made me eat it, thank goodness. I suppose because it’s not particularly good for you and that meant more for her. Kind of like how I don’t force french fries and mac and cheese on my kid. “Oh, you don’t want it? No problem. More for me.”

Because of my long-standing hatred of fried okra, I was dubious when some of my food blog (eatie) friends started talking about the fried okra that Smoke Et Al serves, noting how wonderful it is (and really not talking about much else). “You must try this okra.” (No.) ”But this is pickled first.” (So? Does that mean it won’t still be slimy and okra-tasting?) Yuck. My doubt remained despite learning recently that I kinda like pickled okra (thanks to The Wild Hare).

So, this (unseasonably warm) week, when the food trucks gathered for lunch in Centennial Park, I headed over to see my friends at Riff’s Truck. They are always willing to change a little bit up for me if there’s not already a vegetarian item on the menu. I had some no-chicken lettuce wraps (sounds no-great, right? Wrong—that ginger dressing is fantasticalamal. Anything would taste good with that dressing). I also got some sweet potato fries and fried plantains to share with Mini Eats.

And though that was quite a lot of food, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to tell all my friends that I still don’t like fried okra, even if it’s pickled first.

But noooooo, that will not happen. This fried pickled okra is really good. Great, even. Suprisingly great. And it comes with some smoked paprika (?) pepper (?) aioli (?) that they call ‘Bama white sauce. Whatever it is, it’s so good that Mini Eats dipped her fried plantains in it and then buried her face in the cup.

{photo removed}

Short version: my friends were not joking about this pickled and fried okra. It’s really that good. I didn’t have anything else from Smoke Et Al, though their menu indicates they are more than willing to accommodate vegetarians (yay!), so I may see what they can come up with the next time I’m out. Visit their website (or follow them on Twitter) to keep up with where they are and make plans accordingly!

Posted in Restaurant Reviews | 11 Comments

Pasta with Roasted Garlic and Butternut Squash Cream Sauce

Posted on February 14, 2012 by Lesley

A few weeks ago, I saw a tweet from the local Whole Foods about a recipe contest with roasted garlic. Contest? Ooh, let me check this out…yep, your “best recipe with roasted garlic.” At once, the gears in my head started grinding.

Y’see, I’ve been eating a lot of garlic since starting my “anti-inflammation diet” and I think it’s been a big help (moreso than the green tea). So I had garlic on hand to spare. But what to do with it that’s really good and unique? I wanted something that would stand out in the crowd of recipes, but nothing too complicated. I looked around the kitchen, spotted a butternut squash and I was on my way. But not a soup. Oh no, butternut squash soup? So done. A pasta sauce! And so this was born.

I posted the recipe and kept my fingers crossed. There was a lot of good competition. I thought for sure I’d be bumped out in favor of some of the more exotic and omnivorous entrants. But then I found out that I’d made it to the final two! That this lovely person who tests recipes had made my cream sauce and loved it! What a thrill! Here are the notes:

Lesley Eats’ simple, healthy pasta sauce is so silky and rich you won’t even notice, let alone miss, the butter found in creamy sauce rivals. The roasted garlic and butternut squash make for a happy pair and cooking the two together melds the flavors beautifully. The final flourish of grated Parmesan sets this dish apart — don’t skimp on it! Seconds were requested around the table. Note: a 2 1/2 pound butternut squash will provide more than enough for a pound of pasta, so freeze the rest of the sauce for another quick meal.

So making it to the finals was pretty awesome. But then I needed to win. There was a $100 gift card to Whole Foods at stake. So I appealed to all my friends on Twitter and Facebook and I’m happy to report that with all your help, I won! I could not have done it without you all.

THANK YOU!

So here’s the recipe. It’s also viewable on the Whole Foods site as well as a nice little Q&A they did with me before I knew that I’d won (I admit I might’ve been a little more loquacious afterward).

Pasta with Roasted Garlic and Butternut Squash Cream Sauce
Serves 4-6

Ingredients
1  medium butternut squash
2  bulbs garlic
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup milk (unflavored soy milk or coconut milk can be substituted)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon herbs de provence
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 pinch cayenne
pepper to taste
1 pound dried penne pasta (this is also good over ravioli or tortellini)
1/4 cup finely grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

Pre-heat oven to 400F.                             

Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Place cut side down in about a 1/2 inch of water in a large dish, poke holes in the skin with a fork and roast for 45 minutes (or until soft and the skin is browned).                           

Meanwhile, peel the garlic bulbs until just one thin layer of skin remains (but bulbs stay intact) and cut a small segment off the top of each bulb. Drizzle half the olive oil over each bulb and wrap in aluminum foil. Place in the oven with the squash when there’s 30 minutes left to cook.                               

When the squash and garlic have finished cooking, remove from the oven and set aside to cool (approximately 10-15 minutes). 

Peel the skin off the squash and place in a large bowl. Remove the individual cloves of garlic from each bulb and add to the squash. Add the remaining ingredients and puree (with an immersion blender, mixer, or food processor). Add pepper (and more of the listed seasonings, if necessary) to taste.                               

Cook pasta according to directions (al dente) and drain. Spread the sauce over the pasta and top with grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese.   

Posted in Entrees, Fun, News, Recipes | 10 Comments

Apple Muffins

Posted on February 9, 2012 by Lesley

This recipe is an adaptation of an adaptation. Actually, a second edition of an adaptation of an adaptation! But let me back up just a bit.

I had some apples in the fridge that were a tad less than crisp, so I was looking for something interesting to do with them. I was thinking apple soup or another savory dish, but apple cider muffins kept popping up when I consulted the google. And man, those sounded good. One problem: I didn’t have any apple cider.

apple muffin imageSo I found this recipe over at Smitten Kitchen, adapated from a King Arthur flour recipe. I had everthing I needed on hand and–bonus–I could use the whole wheat flour that’s been darkening my pantry and ruining breads for the last two months. I added some allspice in order to get some of that cider spice (and a little vanilla because everything is better with vanilla) and made some really tasty muffins. But something was missing–they were light and fluffy and very yummy but just not very satisfying. There was some weight and toothiness I wanted that I wasn’t getting.

And they needed that because I wanted to make these for my friend, Beth. Beth just had a baby and our friend, Amanda thoughtfully set up a program to keep their family fed during this very hectic time. But there were two issues: 1) I’ve chatted with Beth’s husband on several occasions and I knew that anything I’d make for lunch or dinner would be just a side dish to him (bless his omnivore heart) and 2) I remember eating a lot of very unsatisfying cold bagels when Mini Eats was a newborn. She was nursing every two hours for a half-hour each time and there just wasn’t time to have a decent thing to eat. We were also quarantined for the first couple of months since she was nearly two months early.

apple muffin imageSo I thought that an easy-to-eat muffin that doesn’t need to be re-heated would be the perfect thing to make. But it needed to have some weight to it to get anyone through a two-hour interval. So for the second batch, I added half a cup of quick oats. Not a big deal, but it made a big difference!*

(*Um, yes, Beth, I ate a muffin. This recipe makes slightly more than the dozen I brought over. But they had to be tested first!)

Anyway, there are a couple of other minor changes I made. As usual, I used salted butter and still added the salt. It wasn’t too salty. I also used soy milk instead of buttermilk because that’s what I have at home. I have no idea how this affected the recipe, but I know that the muffins were still quite good. Also, after I cream the butter and sugar together, I just throw everything else in the bowl and let the KitchenAid do the work. I have yet to experience any real problem with this, but I will mostly copy the directions here from the original. But you should know it’s okay to take a shortcut if you want.

Need more convincing? These muffins are really easy to make. I don’t love peeling apples, but other than that, you go from zero to muffin pretty quickly and simply.

Whole Wheat Apple Muffins
Adapted from King Arthur Flour via Smitten Kitchen
Yield: 12-18
(I got 14 from the second batch)

Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup quick oats*
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon allspice
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 cup (1 stick, 4 ounces) butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed, divided into two 1/4 cups
1 large egg
1 cup (8 ounces) milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large apples, peeled, cored, and chopped into small cubes (about 2 to 2 1/2 heaping cups)

*If you have regular rolled oats, you may want to pulverize them a bit in your food processor to get them smaller or they may not get very soft during cooking.

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Grease and flour muffin cups and set aside.

Mix together the flours, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, allspice and cinnamon, and set aside. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugars until fluffy. Add the egg and mix well. Add the milk and vanilla and mix again. Then add the dry ingredients, mix and fold in the apple chunks with a spatula (by hand).

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups (to the top of the cup), sprinkling the remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar on top. Bake for 10 minutes, turn the heat down to 400°F, and bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool the muffins for 5 minutes in the tin, then remove them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

When the muffins first come out, the brown sugar on top is nice and crunchy. However, after storing in an airtight container, it is crunchy no more. These muffins are moist.

TWSS.

 

Posted in Breakfast, Desserts, Recipes, Snacks | 11 Comments

The Green Tea Diet?

Posted on January 30, 2012 by Lesley

Generally speaking, I avoid fad diets and all the hubbub surrounding them. I’m a fan of moderation. So I missed it when (apparently) last year, this anti-inflammation diet was all the rage. It will prevent and cure everything! Blah blah. Right.

But let me back up for a moment.

Several months ago, I tore or strained (not sure which) my rotator cuff (at the front part of the shoulder). I did so by overreaching under an entertainment center to retrieve a toy. It was excruciating. But I recovered enough to forget what happened. So a few days later, I reached into the back seat (from the front seat) of my car for yet another toy. Whoo boy. Not good.

But I recovered somewhat. Except that every time I reached a certain way, it felt like someone was dragging razorblades down my arm from my shoulder. So I went to the doctor (and then another).

green_tea

A green picture of green tea that someone else took. Please save me green tea!

Long story short, I need to reduce the inflammation in my shoulder that’s now causing pain and nerve problems. The medicines known as NSAIDS (ibuprofen, naproxen, etc) cause stomach irritation in me that is worse than the shoulder pain. And cortisone gives me ‘roid rage that is unacceptable outside, say a WWF wrestling match or a Wal-Mart on Black Friday.

So I turned to the google to see if there were some foods that would help reduce inflammation (and foods that may be aggravating it) as I know a number of people who battle with arthritis and chronic pain and have mentioned that some foods are triggers. And that was when I was avalanched by all sorts of hype. I don’t want hype; I just want to know if there’s something I can do (along with ice and physical therapy) to make my shoulder heal.

And when you remove all the hype, what’s left is common sense (for the most part). Cut back on refined sugars, empty/simple carbs, highly-processed foods, dairy, and bad fats (animal fats as well as corn and other vegetable oils classified as OMEGA-6 fats). Eat whole grains, vegetables, OMEGA-3 fats (olive oil, fish), and a lot of flavorings/herbs and spices (garlic, ginger, chilis, cinnamon, rosemary, and just about every other one you can think of).

There were a few odd mentions, though. I read a few sites that noted avoiding the nightshade family would help—including potatoes and (gasp!) tomatoes. However, I choose to ignore this since capsaicin was listed as something that would reduce inflammation and it is a member of the nightshade family. Also, I’m not giving up tomatoes. Yet another site mentioned drinking green tea to reduce inflammation.

So, here’s what I’ve decided to do: reduce processed foods, refined sugars, dairy, and white flour and increase garlic, chili and herbs/spices intake. And green tea. So every time I think I’m hungry for a snack, I’m just going to make a cup of green tea (note to self: buy caffeine-free green tea). Mayhaps I will dub this the Green Tea Diet, catalog my (I hope) successes, and write a book!

Crap. I just googled “Green Tea Diet.” Seems I’m a bit late on this one, too. There goes my book deal. Regardless, stay tuned.

Posted in News | 11 Comments

Balsamic Onion Jam

Posted on January 19, 2012 by Lesley

Do you remember those tests in elementary school when the teacher would say to read through the whole problem before you start to answer? And it would end up being some trick and it was easy for the teacher to see who followed the directions? Funny, I loved those back then because I was great at following directions. And yet, (too) many years later, I rarely follow directions. And I don’t always read through a recipe before deciding (and starting) to make it.

Which is bad. Very bad. I learned this lesson the hard way not too long ago when making the first batch of balsamic onion jam.

Not a trick. This is the answer.

But let me start from the beginning. A local company, Perl Catering, has this wonderful balsamic onion marmalade (for non-locals, you can buy it in their Etsy store). I love this stuff. And I looked all over town for it just after Christmas to take to my sister-in-law for a hostess gift. But it was sold out. Everywhere. So I bought her something else and decided to make it myself.

I found this recipe, noted that I had everything I needed on hand, skimmed the instructions a bit and set about making it. And two and a half hours later, I had a really fantastic balsamic onion jam. That’s right–two and a half hours. I was exhausted. I was unamused. I was grumpy. Luckily, this stuff was truly delicious, so it was not time spent in vain.

But if I’d read more comprehensively, I would have noted a) the total amount of time and b) really, this was just caramelizing onions and then adding balsamic vinegar and sugar until it becomes a jam. And there are easier and faster ways to caramelize onions. The first step of which is not to have four onions in one skillet! Unless it is a giant electric skillet, which I do not have. Oh man, all the stirring and the waiting. Also, my method of caramelization cooks down the water in the onions before adding oil, which speeds things up.

But wait! That’s not all! Also, after two and a half hours, I got about 8, maybe 10 ounces of jam. A paltry amount. Though, to be fair, it was received by the hostess with glee as I had just enough left over from filling a small jar for her to serve it with dinner that night to the delight of all the guests. It really is that good. So, if you would like to have some for yourself, I present to you three options.

1. Make the balsamic onion jam according to this recipe. Get out your cooking Crocs and something with which to entertain yourself (hey, there’s a new cookbook from Love and Olive Oil! ETA: oops, it’s not out yet. Again, I did not read for comprehension. But I have previewed it and it is awesome.). You will love this jam.

2. Make this recipe instead, which is a variation:

Balsamic Onion Jam
yield 4-6 ounces

2 large onions, chopped into consistently-sized slices about 2 inches long and 1/4 inch wide
2-4 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons sugar*
1 tablespoon molasses (or an additional tablespoon of sugar)*
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
(* or use 5-6 tablespoons brown sugar)

Add the onions to your largest skillet and set heat to medium. Stir occasionally while the water from the onions cooks off. Reduce the heat to medium low and add one tablespoon of oil. Stir occasionally. When the onions become transluscent and soft, add another tablespoon of oil and cook (still stirring occasionally) until the onions are a a medium brown color (add more oil if the onions dry out a bit but haven’t softened/browned completely). This will take 20-30 minutes (or a bit longer). Reduce the heat to low and add the sugar, molasses, vinegar and salt and cook until thickened to a jam-like texture. Taste and add more sugar, vinegar, and/or salt as necessary. It should be equal parts sweet and savory.

This entire process will take about an hour to an hour and a half.

3. Pay your $5 for a jar of balsamic onion marmalade from Perl Catering (available directly from them online or at the Farmer’s Market, at Lazzaroli’s and at the Turnip Truck). Frankly, this is your best option. The price is hardly more than the cost of ingredients, not to mention your time. And it’s very, very good. Spread it on some bread. Maybe have it with a little brie. Eat it straight from the jar. It’s really that good.

No, really. Just buy it. That’s what I will do from now on. I’ve confronted the challenge and won, albeit after a long while. So I can claim victory and move on. And tell you not to waste your time.

And now you have reached the end of this post. Turn your paper over and wait for your gold star.

Posted in Recipes, Side Dishes | 12 Comments

Balsamic Cranberry Jam

Posted on January 10, 2012 by Lesley

I remember a few years ago when my mom made cranberry sauce from scratch for the first time. Neither of us had any idea it was so easy. Seriously, here’s a recipe. (Spoiler alert: cranberries, water, sugar, cook 10 minutes). It’s truly embarrassing how many years we ate canned cranberry sauce without knowing any better.

She and I still disagree on how it should be made, though. She’s a purist. Little more than a few walnuts added to it. Me, I’m a fan of adding mandarin oranges.

Anyhoo, this year I had some leftover berries and the need for something with some oomph to accompany brie at a tiny little affair to celebrate the arrival of a tiny little dude (code for a sip-and-see). But I didn’t want sauce, per se. A jam! But no oranges…hmm…balsamic vinegar? It goes well with strawberries, so why not? Guess what–it’s good! So here’s a little recipe for some balsamic cranberry jam. It’s a little tart, a tiny bit sweet and with just a hint of balsamic flavor. You could use this in place of your average holiday cranberry sauce or year-round with cheese, cream cheese, on toast or with some sliced apples or pears (if you want to be healthy…and I do…I guess).

Balsamic Cranberry Jam
yield: about 10-12 ounces

1/2 cup water
6 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries (half a bag of fresh)
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons brown sugar*
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Bring water and cranberries to a boil. Reduce heat when the berries split, add salt, brown sugar and balsamic vinegar and simmer until desired thickness (stirring occasionally). About 15 minutes.

I used brown sugar instead of white because I like the molassess-y taste and thickness. You can use regular sugar, but it may not be as jammy.

 

Posted in Breakfast, Recipes, Side Dishes | 8 Comments

Spritz Cookies aka Spritzgebäck

Posted on December 20, 2011 by Lesley

Last year after Christmas, I treated myself to a cookie press. I only make cookies around Christmas, so I finally liberated it from its box to make Spritzgebäck–Spritz cookies–a German cookie so named because you shape them with a cookie press (or some other extruder).

Since I don’t have a German mother, I consulted Frau Google for a good recipe. You’d think there wouldn’t be that many, but there are and there are ever-s0-slight differences that can have a huge effect on the final cookie. I settled on a combination of two recipes (from Betty Crocker and allrecipes.com) and pored over dozens of reviews. I’m happy to report that the cookies are good! Very good! I dare say this is the very best spritz cookie recipe!

A few tips for the first-time spritz-maker, though:
1.  Chill the cookie sheets before spritzing. Either in the refrigerator, freezer or outside (if it’s cold and clean). I didn’t chill my dough, just the sheet and I had no problems with the dough expanding out of shape or not sticking to the sheet well at all.
2.  Do not overdo it with almond flavor. I used an almond emulsion and it still borders on fakey taste. Almond is a tricky flavoring.
3. Think about lemon instead. I really like the lemon/vanilla ones I made a lot. But I love lemon cookies. LOVE. I also did an orange-cardamom combo that was okay, but not great.
4.  Use good butter. Kerrygold, Cabot, Organic Valley–these are all good butters. A locally-made butter is even better, particularly if it’s fresh. Don’t use butter that’s been sitting around a while. Why? The butter flavor is the most prevalent in this cookie. If you don’t use good butter, you’ll know it.
5. You can use (less) regular sugar if you’d like, but the powdered sugar really creates a little pillow of a cookie that just melts in your mouth.
6.  Decorate with sprinkles beforehand by smoothing over a tiny bit of water to keep them in place. Or decorate after baking by dabbing the cookies with a little corn syrup first.
7. I acutally divided the dough into quarters to experiment with colors and flavors. It was easy to dial back the amount of extract and food color and add in to the small batches. I just pressed the dough out on plastic wrap and dropped on the liquids and rolled it up and turned it until the flavor and color was consistent.

Spritz Cookies aka Spritzgebäck
yields about 6 dozen

1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks)
1 1/4 cups confectioner’s sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted 
1/4 teaspoon salt (more if you use unsalted butter)
1 egg 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 to 1 teaspoon lemon extract (or almond extract)
food coloring (optional)
sprinkles and colored sugar (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 400ºF. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl until creamy. Mix in the flour, salt, egg, extract and a food color, if desired (start with 2-3 drops and add more as needed).

Roll a portion of the dough into a log and insert into cookie press. Spritz desired shapes on a chilled, ungreased cookie sheet. Decorate with sprinkles and sugar.

Bake 6 to 8 minutes until set, but not brown. Immediately remove to cool on a wire rack.

Posted in Desserts, Recipes | 4 Comments

Enchiladas: easier than you think

Posted on December 16, 2011 by Lesley

I’m ending Tomato Week II: Tomatwo with another super easy recipe that you can customize to suit your needs and tastes. The enchilada. The lasagna of Tex Mex cuisine. Which reminds me, I’ve gone around the world this week. Truly, tomatoes are beloved and featured in cuisines all over the world (as well they should be). Or, at least, in the areas where tomatoes can be grown easily (includes most places that are not my yard). Not sure that tomatoes figure heavily in Scandanavian cuisine (if you can call it that).

Anyway.

I don’t know why I don’t make enchiladas more often.  Probably the hardest/most time-consuming part is re-fatting the tortillas (which should be corn tortillas, in case you don’t know like that one contestant on Top Chef). And that’s not difficult at all. Here’s a recipe and instructions for re-fatting the tortillas.

Much like with lasagna, you can stuff just about anything into an enchilada. My favorite combination is black bean and sweet potato. But you can use any kind of bean you like (within reason) and a number of other vegetables. And cheese. Don’t forget the cheese.

Let’s brainstorm, shall we?

Beans/legumes: black beans, kidney beans, pintos, navy, white, pigeon peas, lentils, chickpeas, soybeans

Vegetables: sweet potatoes, butternut squash, acorn squash, yellow squash, zucchini, cabbage, shredded carrots, kernel corn, baby corn (why not?), broccoli, roasted peppers (yellow, red, green, chipotle, whatever), cauliflower, kale, chard, spinach, beets, parsnips, rutabagas (okay, I don’t know this for sure; I’ve never had a rutabaga. Or rhubarb, for that matter. But I like to say rutabaga. I’m saying it in my head right now.)

Other: mushrooms, fake meats, tofu, crumbled tempeh, seitan, quinoa, Israeli couscous, barley, cheddar cheese, queso blanco, goat cheese

Compulsory: diced tomatoes or salsa.

If I had any idea how to do such a thing, I would make an “enchilada generator” and use the above ingredients to populate a database to come up with unique enchilada fillings. Though you need a sauce, too for the top. I won’t advocate for a tomato-less enchilada (they need to be somewhere–inside or out), but I am not opposed to the topping of a creamy sauce. This avocado lime cream is uh-mazing on top of an enchilada. Salsa verde makes a good topping, too. But I usually just use plain tomato sauce and with cheese.

So, you’ve chosen your fillings, right? Mix them up in a bowl, spread them in the tortillas, roll them up and bake them until all the cheese is melted. Here’s a visual for you:

Fill. Roll. Bake.

So easy! Sit back and enjoy knowing you’d easily spend $5-8 on this if you got it in a restaurant…
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And now that this season’s Tomato Week is over, what did I miss? What are your favorite recipes with preserved tomatoes that gets you through the winter and spring?

Posted in Entrees, Recipes | 2 Comments