guest post: fall fennel salad

This is a guest post from my friend Hannah, a fellow foodie and lover of earthy things. She's got so much creative energy I can hardly stand it, and she's another one of those rare people who will geek out about vegetables and dirt and nutrition with me. You can visit her over at her blog www.landfoodlife.com. Thanks Hannah!

While I profess to love vegetables, there are some that I would never buy for myself. And for better or for worse, those very vegetables regularly turn up in my CSA share from Mhonpaj's Garden. Last week it was fennel.

they look so relaxed

 Fennel's strong licorice flavor of has never pleased me. The last time I had to prepare its swollen leaf base, I roasted it with a mess of other vegetables for a Build-Your-Own-Pizza dinner.

that fennel in the upper right corner looks appetizing, does it not?

But it just could not compete with the other, far more delicious options, and was tough to boot. So when I got four bulbs in the last delivery, I sighed, and asked my sister-in-law if she wanted some. "I'm not sure," she said. "If you can tell me of a good way to make it, sure. My previous experiences with it left a lot to be desired."

Those words inspired me to take up the gauntlet once again. Luckily, a relative had sent me a copy of Mollie Katzen's Vegetable Dishes I Can't Live Without, which has several intriguing fennel recipes. I picked the only one without citrus (!), made a few modifications, and served it up.

"This is really good," my dinner partner said. Not once, not twice, but three times he gave this approbation.

I liked it, too. Crunchy, salty, savory, and sweet, this salad has it all.

fennel salad with apples, figs, and cheese

Fall Fennel Salad

adapted from Mollie Katzen's Vegetable Recipes I Can't Live Without

Yield: 4 servings.

2 fennel bulbs, very thinly sliced (about 2 cups)

scant 1/2 cup kalamata olives, quartered

6 dried Black Mission figs, slivered

1 Cortland apple, very thinly sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)

2 T olive oil

1+ T apple cider vinegar

Salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/2 cup sliver almonds, toasted

1/4 cup shaved Romano cheese

In a medium-sized bowl, toss together the fennel, olives, figs, and apples. Drizzle in the olive oil and apple cider vinegar and toss until everything is coated. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss again. Taste, adjust the flavors, then cover and refrigerate up to one hour.

Just before serving, sprinkle some more apple cider vinegar to taste and add the almonds and cheese shavings. Toss lightly but thoroughly, and serve immediately.

sweet & spicy oven-roasted chickpeas

With the beautiful fall weather we've been having these past few weeks has come a renewed desire to spend time in the kitchen--and I'm quite certain it has something to do with the arrival of the cool weather, but it also seems like maybe life is slowing down just a little bit, and there is more time for just sitting and sipping warm things and reading. More time to spend stirring, roasting, smelling, and tasting. Almost like the cool weather is a small reminder to take a step back, put on a sweater, and remember what it feels like to relax. Gosh it feels good.

I'm not sure if life really does slow down in the fall, that could be completely counterintuitive, given that school starts again, and vacations are over, but there is certainly something to be said about the comfort of routine and warm slippers. Or maybe it's just because I adore this season so much...so I somehow make myself more present. Not sure. Either way, I want to cook. Lots of things.

Now concerning these chickpeas, I've admittedly never been a big 'bean' person. Might be the texture?My mom never served beans when I was growing up, save for the occasional baked ones from a can, which are not awesome, let's be real. Having given beans more than a few chances on my own, I still can't say that I'm sold on them...I don't want beans on my burrito at Chipotle, wrinkle my nose at cold bean salads, and am more or less terrified of the refried variety. I do love hummus, which may be the exception, but the relationship really stops there.

Now beans can be a great source of protein and fiber, especially if they're prepared well, and they are dirt cheap, especially if you buy the dried kind in bulk, so they actually are pretty great. They are most easily digested and utilized by the body when you take the time to pre-soak them before cooking. Beans contain an array of important minerals in addition to their fiber and protein, so they really are an excellent thing to include in your diet. It's just a matter of making them attractive to the palate...

Claire's acorn squash she roasted with garlic and jalapeños...awesome.

Enter my beautiful friend and fellow Spanish-speaking-artsy-food geek, Claire. The girl knows a thing or two about making good food, oh yes. I got to spend the afternoon playing in her kitchen the other day, and it was fantastic. I'm so lucky. I learned so much, and the time we spent was just lovely. These oven-toasted chickpeas are simply a revelation. They are so good. Ooh, and so easy! The sweet and spicy variation was what we went with this time, but you can really use any combination of spices, sweet or savory, tangy or spicy. They get crispy and chewy and salty and sweet...mmmm. Fabulous for snacking...and maybe even sharing. Thanks Claire, you're an inspiration :)

sweet & spicy oven-roasted chickpeas

You can use either canned chickpeas or those you cook yourself. For maximum nutritional benefit, pre-soak dried beans with a splash of vinegar, and cook them in boiling water. If you go for the canned ones, no worries, two 15-oz cans should equal roughly 4 cups. 

4 tablespoons olive or coconut oil
4 cups cooked chickpeas
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper*
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

If you're using canned chickpeas, drain them in a colander and give them a good rinse. Put them in a large bowl, add the olive or coconut oil and the next four ingredients and toss everything together really well--it works best when you use your hands, in my opinion.

Spread the chickpeas on a large baking sheet, and make sure there is enough room so they're not crowded--you want them to get crispy! You may also want to use foil on your baking sheet to help with the cleanup...just a suggestion of course.

Bake them in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, giving them a good shake after about 10 minutes, and making sure to keep an eye on them--they get toasty fast!

Try not to eat them all before they're cool, they get even better when they're more crispy!

*Like I mentioned, you can do whatever you want with the spices here. The next batch I make is probably going to have some curry spices and maple...just saying, you can go so may directions--be creative!

"we cannot cure the world of sorrows, but we can choose to live in joy."
-joseph campbell

--ginger

muffuletta

Not only has it been forever since I've written anything on here, it seems like it has been an eternity since I have had a minute to sit and take a breath and think, or just be. It's funny how life can get so full sometimes that you start to lose yourself if you're not careful...it's a dangerous spiral downward, and one that is so consuming that you don't realize what's happened until you've been sucked in and who you were starts to slip away. Priorities shift, and things that were important are all of a sudden disregarded or forgotten, like the people who matter, the hikes in the woods, the sunsets, the ability to take time and just rest. These are important things--the things whose significance or place should never waver, and I think I've really finally started to understand why.

It has been a great summer, but I think it's time to slow down a little, now that fall really is on it's way. It's time to remember and re-discover the things that make this life beautiful...time to find my creativity again. So here we go.

This post has been a very long time coming--it's not going to be current in really any way, but that's okay. I'm actually going to write about a wonderful trip I took earlier this year to southern California to visit one of my very favorite people in the world. Alyssa has lived in Pasadena for the past two years, and I finally had an opportunity to go out and visit her and see her world. The trip was lovely, refreshing and relaxing and just so good. Southern California is beautiful--there are flowers everywhere, just growing as they please, the sun shines nearly every day, and there are always peaches at the farmers market. I've always found that nothing renews my appreciation of God's creation quite like traveling. It is so amazing to see the different parts of the country and the world, and see how different nature can be. There is so much to see, so much to be in awe of. I had the sweet opportunity to go off on my own for a day and explore, so I headed to Santa Monica, got on Highway 1 and just started driving. The Pacific coast is gorgeous...the ocean is stunning. I could sit on the beach and watch the waves for days, I think. It's crazy to think just how big the ocean is. Made me feel so small.

This has been lengthy already, I know, and I apologize. I'll get to the part about the food soon, I promise. To preface that, though, the reason I had a day to myself during my "visit-Alyssa" time was because she had planned to spend that day with her man, to celebrate their anniversary. I'm not one to mess with love, so I had no trouble giving her up for such an occasion. I love being on my own sometimes anyway, so it was perfect. They had an entire day planned, and Alyssa had informed me that a picnic on the beach was one of the things they were going to do...so of course I asked her if she'd let me make them a picnic lunch. Luckily she trusts me.

I don't remember everything that made it into the picnic basket, but what I will share is the sandwich I made for Alyssa and Nathaniel--something called a muffuletta. He loves olive tapenade, and for some reason I knew that was one of the defining characteristics of a muffuletta, so I think that might have been where the idea came from. I had never made or eaten one before, it was just something that I had apparently tucked away in my mind along with the rest of my random food-geek knowledge. The sandwich used an entire loaf of sourdough bread, lots of tapenade, and plenty of meat, cheese, and arugula. It was gorgeous, and it was really easy to cut into wedges and wrap in foil for the picnic basket...I'm totally making this for a picnic sometime. Oh, and if I remember right, they liked it quite a bit. I think I might get another chance at making them dinner sometime...I sure hope so. I'd love to go back for a visit.

Muffuletta
recipe adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

You can be awesome and make your own tapenade from scratch, but since I wasn't in my own kitchen, I opted for the pre-made Trader Joe's stuff, which was still really great. Just saying, there's always the option if you're feeling ambitious.

Ingredients

1 (1lb) round bread loaf, preferably sourdough
4 oz thinly sliced ham
4 oz thinly sliced mortadella
4 oz thinly sliced salami
4 oz sliced provolone
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
arugula leaves
prepared olive tapenade

Cut the top part of the bread off (about the top 1-inch or so) and set aside. Hollow out the bottom and top halves of the bread loaf to make room for all of the goodness. Spread plenty of tapenade onto the bottom of the bread and also onto the cut side of the bread top. Layer the meats and cheese at least twice in the bread bottom. Top it off with the onions, arugula, and more of the tapenade.

Carefully replace the top of the bread loaf and either refrigerate or cut into wedges immediately for serving. I think the sandwich might actually get a little better with time as the oils from the tapenade have a chance to soak into the bread a little bit. Either way, enjoy!

"Blessed are they who see beautiful things in humble places, where others see nothing."
--Camille Pissarro

homemade nutella

Well hello there. Sorry it's been so long...I think my creativity took a little hiatus. I knew I was missing something, though. It's on its way back. And I have fueled its return with chocolate. Oh yes.

Have you ever had Nutella? The stuff seems to be turning up everywhere these days...its a craze. Or something. I don't really like it. Yeah, I'm being serious--I didn't even think I liked hazelnuts at all until last year sometime. Have you ever eaten one of those fancy-looking dark chocolate-hazelnut Ritter Sport bars? Ooh, well I was lucky enough to receive one as a gift, and it changed my life. Hazelnuts + dark chocolate = glorious.

The Nutella you buy in the store is just so sugary, though...it barely tastes like hazelnuts at all, or chocolate for that matter, and if you know my palate at all, you know that really sweet just doesn't do it for me. I also tend to be wary of odd ingredients, like reduced minerals (?) and whey, so store-bought Nutella just doesn't do it for me. But the idea...chocolate and hazelnuts together? Ahh, it's such a good one. So if I can't get it the way I want it, I'll make my own--this is what I decided.

(Also, this is how my brain works most all of the time, this was just a good example)

So this Nutella? There are so many good things about it...so many. First of all, it is delicious--super chocolatey and fabulous. It is good for you--lots of good cocoa and hazelnuts with coconut oil and a little honey to sweeten it up. Healthy! For real! It's super easy--all it takes is a few good ingredients and a food processor. Ten minutes. And it goes with so many things...its versatile. It can be eaten any time of day!

What am I going to do with this stuff? Hmmm...well besides eating it with a spoon, I can think of some things I'd like to try....and yes, s'mores is one of them. How did you know? It is excellent slathered on graham crackers...and on ice cream...and with pretzels...and bananas...mmmmm



homemade nutella

Like I said, I don't like things particularly sweet, so when I made this I didn't use much honey to sweeten it. You can add as much as you'd like, though, just taste as you go and sweeten it to your liking. Second thing--don't skip the hazelnut-roasting step, it really brings out their nutty flavor and helps everything really meld together beautifully. 


ingredients


1 cup hazelnuts
1/4-1/3 cup cocoa
5 tablespoons honey
4-5 tablespoons coconut oil, gently melted and cooled
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

directions


Preheat the oven to 350.

Spread the hazelnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet, and toast them in the oven for 8-10 minutes, or until they are fragrant and the skins are starting to blister--make sure to keep a close eye on them!  After they are removed from the oven, wrap them in a clean kitchen towel and rub to remove as much of the skin as possible. Allow to cool completely.

In a food processor, grind the hazelnuts until they start to form a paste. Add the cocoa, honey, vanilla, salt, and 2 tablespoons of the oil, and continue processing until the mixture is smooth and creamy, adding more oil as needed to achieve your desired consistency. Pour in a jar and keep it at room temp or in the refrigerator (it will get pretty solid if it is kept in the refrigerator, because of the coconut oil--it will soften up again at room temperature quickly, though). Proceed to eat with everything.

AB & my birthday cake...also fantastically chocolatey

spring! beautiful new life.

--ginger

baked pumpkin custards

So I have felt, for quite some time now, that I need (need) a set of ramekins--you know, those fancy little white dishes that you use to make individual creme brûlées or little molten chocolate cakes? Not that I am necessarily interested in being fancy, or even actually like molten chocolate cakes (I really don't think I do), but rather I think I am drawn to the idea of creating and baking small things, meant for one person at a time. Cute desserts, possibly.

Which means small.

If you know me well, you've probably heard this before, but I was informed by a friend of mine once, of an important difference between women and men, regarding the topic of using the word "cute."
"When men see something small," he told me, "they say 'look, that's small.' But when women see small things, they exclaim, 'oh look, that's so cute!'

So I thought about that, and have decided it is true. Women call small things cute. It's a fact. Women think little pumpkins are cute, they think small boxes and packages are cute, and although I don't necessarily agree, many women believe miniature dogs are cute. 

cats asleep in baskets are also cute...this is different

Anyway, back to what I was going to say.

I have been wanting ramekins so I can bake cute things in them (...maybe more just small, delicious things that I don't have to share?), but had recently found myself wondering whether little mason jars would work in just the same way...and look cooler, maybe? Plus, I happened to have some extras after Christmas, so it seemed like a good experiment, right?

Well, I did it, and it was a good experiment. Especially since it involved pumpkin and cream and ginger and maple syrup...i.e.some of the best things in life. And never mind that it is no longer fall, or really pumpkin season--I tend to believe that there is no such thing as a bad time for pumpkin. These are very delicious, yes. Oh, and definitely breakfast-worthy. Yogurt?

(little) Baked Pumpkin Custards
There are infinite ways to adapt these, it's a very forgiving recipe. I added some of the changes or subs I would make if I tried them again...which I will most definitely be doing. There are also two ways to go about making these--one way is quicker and more straightforward, and the other takes a bit more time, but results in a creamier custard...your choice, they'll be good no matter what.

1 15 oz. can pumpkin puree
1/4 cup brown sugar (or less, depending how sweet you want them--you can also use good maple syrup here)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger (actual fresh, minced ginger might also be really good)
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
pinch of cayenne (optional)
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup whole milk (1 1/2 cups of coconut milk would also be really fabulous here instead of the dairy)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs, slightly beaten

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees (F)

Easy method:  In a bowl, whisk together all ingredients

For the extra-creamy version:  Combine the pumpkin, salt, and spices in a saucepan and heat over medium-high. When the mixture comes to a simmer, continue cooking and stirring for another 5 minutes or so. It will thicken a bit and get darker in color. Reduce the heat and stir in the milk and cream. Take the pan off the heat and whisk in the vanilla and the eggs.

For both methods:  Divide the pumpkin mixture between 8 or 9 small 1-cup mason jars or ramekins, place together on a baking sheet, and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until they only jiggle slightly and a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Remove the custards from the oven and allow to cool completely at room temperature. Refrigerate until cold, and then devour at all times of the day, especially late at night or for breakfast!

Gingery whipped cream or plain yogurt make excellent accompaniments as well...just saying.

Oh, and this book is excellent. Like the kind that makes you laugh out loud when you're alone. Read it.

--ginger

dark chocolate cupcakes with orange cream

Let's talk chocolate. It's a wonderful thing, yes it is. People swoon over chocolate, they desire it, they need it. Chocolate is sexy. Especially the dark kind...what is it about dark things?

Honestly, chocolate is even good for you, as in healthy. Like I'm sure you've heard of all the antioxidants you can get from chocolate, right? It is, of course, good for the mind as well as the body--I think I might have read somewhere that eating chocolate actually triggers the release of endorphins, you know, those feel-good chemicals that are associated with runner's high and love? Hah. Chocolate. It does that.

So since chocolate itself is so popular, of course people have dreamed up all kinds of interesting ways to use it. Odd ones, like mexican mole and chocolate-covered grasshoppers, and more reasonable uses, like pretty much everything else.

There have also been countless foods and flavors paired with chocolate--as if it isn't good enough on it's own, we've thought of so many things to combine with it. And oh, there have been some incredible successes--chocolate and peanut butter? Ooh. Yes. Chocolate and...caramel, mint, coffee, chipotle, hazelnuts, raspberries...this is where it gets sketchy for me though, as far as these combinations go. When we start pairing chocolate with fruit...I just don't know about this one. Chocolate-covered strawberries? Yuck. Do not like. Chocolate-covered pineapple (yes, they do that)? Nope. Ick. And oh my goodness, those chocolate-covered cherries with the white stuff inside? Disgusting. Disgraceful to the name of chocolate, if you ask me. Dark chocolate cake and raspberries is acceptable. Sometimes. But that's as far as I'll go.

I am writing all of this because you need to know that I have been suspicious of this orange and chocolate combination for some time. Fruit + chocolate does not equal fabulous to me, and I've never found this pairing to be any different. So I've never thought to play around with it myself. I somehow got it in my head the other day though, that maybe I could make it work...why? Don't know. Maybe it was because the cupcakes I was dreaming up weren't actually meant for me, but for others. Does this mean I take chances on my baking and experiment on unsuspecting victims? That is exactly what it means, yes.

But really, I think I actually liked the combination a little bit. Maybe. Hm, I think so. The cupcakes are a variation of my very favorite recipe for chocolate cake--called Black Magic Cake, and the orange cream/frosting was a product of the following:  deep-set dislike of the usual butter/sugar frosting, a love of tangy, creamy things (read: yogurt), and a lack of the cream cheese I was originally picturing. You'll like these especially if you like things that aren't too sweet--the flavors really come through. I think it worked. And my victims? They were pleased. It turned out to be a good experiment.

Black Magic Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 cups white sugar
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup strong brewed coffee
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup coconut oil (or vegetable oil)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 
  
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans or one 9x13 inch pan. 
• 
  
• In large bowl combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the center. Add eggs, coffee, buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Beat for 2 minutes on medium speed. Batter will be thin. Pour into prepared pans.
• 
  
• Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pans and finish cooling on a wire rack. 
• 
  
• **I split the batter into cupcakes, and they took around 20 minutes to bake, since they were so much smaller. 
• 
  
• 
  
• Orange Cream
• 
  
• Ingredients:
• 1 cup sour cream
• 3-4 tablespoons buttermilk (or whole milk)
• zest of one orange (all of it)
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 4-5 spoonfuls of powdered sugar...or honey--make it as sweet as you want
• 
  
• Mix everything together, try to resist the urge to eat it by the spoonful, and spread on your cupcakes. Or whatever else you fancy. Enjoy!
• 
  

 So these extra pictures are my best attempt at catching the small glimpse of winter we've had here in Minnesota this season. I'm not going to say I'm wishing for large amounts of snow, but it is very pretty, especially when it is new and untouched, and especially when

Ooh, and I have a gift for you, in the form of a stunning picture. This is Alaska. Gorgeous. I wish I could have been along to take this picture. I have nothing more to say.

• 
  
• 
  
• --ginger

home

...because so often pictures are worth more than words.

I hope you got to spend some time in a place you love this holiday season, and were really able to savor your time and the people there. Farewell 2011. Bring on the next year.

--ginger