Dark Chocolate Raspberry Clafouti

I am blessed to have a high tolerance for challenges (and I probably seek them out more than I should!), because this has been a challenging year indeed. I've already told y'all about my grandfather's struggle with cancer, and I am endlessly grateful for all your kind words. I am so relieved to be able to report that he is still striving along, and, improbably but truly, making positive strides towards recovery. He has awed his family and his doctors alike with his positive attitude - his doctor remarked that Grandee remains the only patient he's seen respond to a cancer diagnosis by saying firmly "great, we've figured out what's wrong - now we can fix it so I can get better!"

I am trying to keep Grandee's optimistic world view uppermost in my mind as I swim, sometimes with long and confident strokes, more frequently with flaling, frog-like gestures, through the most grueling educational experience of my life, and, most of all, as we deal with some health issues of our own that has brought us to the inside of more doctors' offices than we thought we would ever see at our relatively young age.

As we await the news of medical tests, and continue studying together, working, sweeping the floors, and praying, I've had to make some small changes. The laundry may not be folded as precisely, but I'm learning to be thankful that it's just clean and fresh. Our meals are more impromptu, and, I think, all the more joyous for that fact. The garden needs weeding, but I'm watching those weeds patiently and knowing that there will be a time for them - and in the meantime, they are a beautiful sign of the much needed rain we've finally received. And, sadly, I've had to take a sebatical from my beloved Daring Bakers... While I was with the incredible baking group for only a few challanges, I had to finally realize that I needed to wait a while until the right time to rejoin occurs... So, I will still be faithfully and eagerly visiting the Daring Bakers Blogroll each month to view the glorious baking triumphs - and I will look forward to rejoining in the near future.

In the meantime, we still continue to bake! I truly believe that foccusing on the fundamentals helps to get us through the most trying times, and ensuring comforting, nourishing meals is infinately soothing and stabilizing. I've been baking lots of hearty muffins lately, and I shall eagerly share our new favorite blueberry muffin recipe in the near future, but a few days ago I took the most glorious, classically lavish combination of dark chocolate and raspberries... and turned it into a blissfully breezy, light and healthful dessert (that's quite good for breakfast too!)

Even in the tense times, may we always celebrate - and remain ever-grateful that we are able to do so.

Dark Chocolate Raspberry Clafouti

3 cups raspberries, fresh or frozen and unthawed
1 cup dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate
2 eggs
2 egg whites
1 cup milk or soymilk
1 T lemon juice
3/4 cup flour
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup raw sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon

~ Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9" pie pan with cooking spray.
~ Scatter the raspberries and chocolate chips in the pie pan.
~ In a food processor, blend all the remaining ingredients until well blended and smooth.
~ Pour the batter over the raspberries and chocolate chips.
~ Bake for 55 to 65 minutes - until golden, and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
~ Serve warm or cool, with whipped cream...

Take some polenta... & some garlic... & some rosemary...

Sometimes the most luxurious meals are the simplest. Along the same lines, while weekends out and about, or hosting dinner parties festive and cozy alike, are undeniably fabulous, sometimes a quiet "weekend in" can be exceptionally special.

After studying all day on Saturday, Zach suggested the perfect Saturday evening: "let's do a little cooking, have a little wine, and watch the Olympics." The meal we ultimately splurged on seemed even more elegant because of its impromptu nature: polenta fries and rosemary garlic steaks. We rarely eat stakes, both because it's heavy nature isn't exactly what we feel we should consume on a daily basis, and because, simply, we can't afford it, but every once in a while an unplanned steak makes us feel like we've turned our kitchen table into a palace.

The supper we ultimately prepared last night was so simple in its assembly it doesn't even require a recipe, just a narrative -

Zach sliced some prepared polenta, a bit firmer in nature than the polenta we make from scratch, and hence more attuned to our purposes (and which took us 15 minutes to find in the grocery store because no one understood what the heck we were looking for), and tossed the polenta wedges with a splash of olive oil, a sprinkling of basil, and some salt and pepper. Into a nice, toasty 450 degree oven they went to bake for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, I, uncharacteristically, was preparing the steak (amazingly, this was the first steak I'd ever cooked - on the rare occasions we fix them, steaks have always been Zach's specialty). So, with a bit of trepidation, I coated both sides of the steak with 2 T minced garlic, 2 T fresh rosemary, picked from our back garden just moments before, and a generous dose of salt and pepper, then wrapped up the dish and slid it into the fridge to marinate for 30 minutes.

With 10 minutes of cooking left for the polenta fries, I heated a skillet over medium heat, coated it with cooking spray, and introduced the steaks. Just 6 minutes on each side, and the skillet was ready to come off the heat so the steaks could "rest" for 5 minutes. I've been told that the resting period allows the juices to redistribute throughout the steak so they don't run out upon slicing, so I diligently set the steaks aside for their nap while I quickly stir-fried some peas, corn, and green beans with a generous dose of garlic.

When the moment of truth arrived, Zach pronounced the steaks perfect, infused with plentiful rosemary flavor and just the right degree of garlic piquancy. I pronounced the polenta oven-fries perfectly crispy on the outside and tender on the inside... and we toasted each other with a glass of Zinfandel, and pronounced ourselves (or at least that night's culinary endeavors) thoroughly perfect.

P.S. In case you're wondering how I'm going to keep my pledge to include a vegetarian and non-vegetarian version of every recipe, and offer a vegetarian alternative to the above steak recipe, my answer is, without hesitation, tempeh! Tempeh, marinaded in garlic and rosemary, and sauteed in a bit of olive oil? Yes, please...

Humble Food: Shepherd's Pie

I grew up with one of the endless possible variants of Shepherd's Pie - the ultimate, soothing, hearty potato-y comfort food.

My version is a bit different than my mother's - I removed the pie crust to make a lower fat version, and substituted a potato crust instead, and I sprinkled in the unlikely addition of cilantro, just because cilantro makes me happy (it doesn't take much, does it? :-) - but, flavor differences, aside, scooping up a bite of potatoes, cheese, crisp veggies, and hearty smoky flavors all in one still makes me feel just as cozy inside, a couple of decades later...

Shepherd's Pie

6 potatoes, cooked and cut into chunks

1 cup milk or vanilla soymilk
2 T light vegan margarine

3 oz turkey bacon, chopped into 1" pieces OR 3 oz smoked tempeh, chopped into 1" pieces

6 oz extra lean ground beef OR 6 oz soy crumbles
1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup bell pepper strips

1 1/2 cups corn kernels

1/2 tsp oregano

2 tsp cilantro

salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup shredded cheddar-jack cheese

~ Preheat the oven to 350. Coat an 8X8 baking pan with cooking spray.
~ Bring the milk or soymilk to a simmer, then pour it into a mixing bowl with the potatoes, some salt and pepper, and the vegan marg. Coarsely mash the potatoes by hand, then set aside to firm up a bit.
~ In a large skillet coated with cooking spray, brown the bacan or tempeh and the ground beef or soy crumbles.
~ Once the browning has been achieved, add the onions and garlic, and saute over med-high heat until the onions are translucent, then add the bell peppers, corn, oregano, and cliantro, and saute until the veggies are just tender-crisp. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

- Spread a 1/2" layer of the mashed potatoes across the bottom of the baking pan. Scatter the onion/bacon/corn mixture on top, then spread the rest of the mashed potatoes on top as the final layer.
~ Bake for 25 minutes, scatter the cheese on top, and bake for a final 5 minutes to melt the cheese... Mmmmm...

'Twas the Night Before Clinicals...

I never thought I would devote so much thought power to scheduling time for the day to day activities of life. Several weeks after beginning clinical rotations in the hospital, I am still flailing about in search of the 36 hours that disappear between entering the hospital at 6:30 AM on Wednesday morning, and emerging around 7:30 PM Thursday night. For all you medical students (especially my wonderful guy, of course :-), chiropractic students, (hats off to you, Adam! :-), etc, who undergo grueling 60 to 80+ hour clinical work weeks, you have my utmost respect!

Oddly enough, though, the hours in the hospital are not necessarily what I find most challenging - it's the endless quest for time in which to wash our laundry, keep our house clean, study, study some more, and and continue working at the job that actually pays me!

At this point, you probably think I am merely merely venting... but there is a method to my rambles. Among the other joys of new challenges, an especially hectic schedule inspires inventive creativity in the kitchen! On Tuesday night, I turned to the standby of whole wheat pasta in order to create a "one dish" meal for supper. Almost a meal in itself already, packed with fiber and protein, whole wheat pasta is an ideal base for on-the-fly supper improvisation. Add some veggies, a wee bit more protein, and your meal is complete... and, last Tuesday, I rather distractedly followed just that very MO only to fill our plates with a gloriously fresh, flavorful dish that startled me with how scrumptious a nearly instantaneous dish could be (concocted while unloading the dishwasher with one hand, stirring the pasta sauce with the other, and turning the pages of my textbook with whichever hand happened to be free at the time!)

My goal, initially, in fixing this dish was to serve us something nourishing and delicious - and, perhaps, to prove to myself that there is always time for cooking. The result? A slightly spicy, lightly creamy, peppery sauce enveloping pasta and an assortment of fresh vegetables...

Our new favorite supper dish was created in 15 minutes. And I took a deep breath, and re-learned that there is always time to nourish yourself and the ones you love.

15 Minute Pasta Sauce

7 oz whole wheat pasta
5 slices turkey bacon, cut into 1/2" strips, OR 6 oz smoked tempeh, cut into 1/2" strips, plus 1 T of olive oil
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup peas, fresh or frozen and thawed
1/2 cup corn, fresh or frozen and thawed
1/2 cup sliced green beans, fresh or frozen and thawed
1/4 cup low fat sour cream

~ Cook and drain the pasta according to the package directions.
~ Meanwhile, cook the turkey bacon or tempeh in a large skillet over medium heat until browned and crispy around the edges. Remove the turkey bacon or tempeh from the skillet and set aside, and, if you are using the bacon version, pour any drippings out of the pan.
~ Increase the heat to medium high, and pour the tomatoes, with their juice, into that same skillet you were just using.
~ Stir in the salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder. Simmer for around 10 minutes, while the pasta finishes cooking, until the sauce is just beginning to thicken.
~ Reduce the heat to low, stir in the peas, corn, green beens, sour cream, and turkey bacon or tempeh, and season to taste with additional salt if you desire. Stir gently just until heated through, then stir in the pasta, and supper is served!

The Unfried Chronicles Continue...

There is a long list of cosmic mysteries that will probably never be solved in our lifetimes (which doesn't mean we shouldn't try!), and a myriad of little conundrums that muddle me on a daily basis, such as why advertising companies continue to believe with the utmost certainty that I actually will read the endless pieces of junk mail they send me, or why the item that I am searching for in my bookbag will always be on the very bottom, no matter how recently I put the item on top of everything else in the bag, or why our cat only wants to chew on the pencil that I am about to use, despite a large quantity of other pencils strewn about the house, or why fried rice needs to be fried.

Seriously, there are so many wonderful, deep flavors in a classic fried rice dish that I think it tastes just as delicious without the frying. We prepare a simple yet intense sauce, add lots of crisp vegetables, use brown rice for extra nutrition and it's nutty flavor, and saute some chicken or tofu for protein, and, there you have it! Chinese take out at home, all in one bowl, without a bit of frying required!

Fried Rice sans Frying (and take-out sans box!)

4 T toasted sesame oil
3 T rice vinegar
1/4 to 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
4 tsp raw sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce
8 cloves garlic, minced (yep, 8!)
1/4 tsp ground ginger
4 eggs, beaten (optional)
1 T canola oil
1 lb. skinless boneless chicken breast, cut into 1" cubes, OR 3/4 lb firm tofu, cut into 2" cubes
2 cups green beens or broccoli florets
1 cup shredded carrot
1 lb. asparagus, with the tough woody ends snapped off
2 cups brown rice, cooked according to package directions or in a rice cooker

~ To make the sauce, whisk together the first 7 ingredients and set aside.
~ If you want to include the eggs, coat a skillet with cooking spray and cook the eggs over medium heat, either omelet style or scrambled. If you fix an omelet, slice the finished product into 1" strips.
~ Steam the vegetables as you desire - popping them in a partially covered dish in the microwave is easiest.
~ Once you've removed the eggs from the skillet, increase the heat to medium high, add the canola oil, and saute the chicken or tofu until cooked through and brown on the edges.
~ Add the rice, vegetables, eggs, and sauce to the chicken or tofu, and stir briefly until everything is heated through!

Dutch Cocoa Olive Oil Cake

We spent blissful and busy days sightseeing, hiking, antiquing, and staring awe-struck into the most enormous RVs we had ever seen and would never be able to afford, but the very best part of Miss Sharon and Mr. Alden's visit this weekend were the many leisurely hours we all spent together in the kitchen, blending marinades, prepping veggies for the grill, and, of course, baking!

Zach grilled some gorgeous asparagus and cauliflower...

Mr. Alden sauteed an incredible mushroom and red wine sauce...

I baked a batch of our favorite "staple" homemade focaccia...

and, of course, we celebrated Miss Sharon's birthday with a chocolate cake! I love baking with olive oil, and one of my favorite combinations is the hint of a fruity flavor that olive oil brings, paired with the intense, dark piquancy of dutch process cocoa.

Hence, my favorite chocolate cake recipe...

Dutch Cocoa Cake with Olive Oil
2 cups raw sugar
1 3/4 cups flour
3/4 cup dutch process cocoa
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup 1% milk
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup boiling water

Frosting:
1/2 cup light butter blend with olive oil
2/3 cup dutch process cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup 1% milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup miniature chocolate chips

~ Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat two 8X8 baking pans with cooking spray and flour.
~ In a large mixing bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
~ Add the eggs, milk, olive oil, and vanilla, and stir until well blended.
~ Pour in the boiling water, and stir until just combined. The batter will be very thin and runny.
~ Divide the batter between the two pans, and bake for 35 minutes - until a cake tester emerges clean. Allow to cool in the pans, then invert the pans to remove the cake, and frost...
~ To make the frosting, melt butter, then stir in the cocoa until well blended. Alternately add the powdered sugar and milk in 3 batches, beating with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Fold in the vanilla and mini chocolate chips, and you're ready to bedeck the cake!

Back soon... With cake!

Zach's parents are in town visiting us for the weekend - welcome Mr. Alden and Miss Sharon! Hence, shall be "away" from the computer for a few brief days, all the while making long mental lists of the posts I want to write when I return! I am bound to have plenty of material upon which to write - we'll be sightseeing (when I should be studying :-),

antiquing,

(hopefully there will be more vintage pyrex in my near future...)

grilling asparagus,

and baking a glorious cake to celebrate Miss Sharon's birthday!

Speaking of which, more about that cake on Monday... ;-)

Welcome Home Pecan Pie

An entire week has passed, and I haven't posted??!! Without even a note to explain my absence... My apologies. I had no idea the time lapse had been so great until today. I hope, though, that some of you were able to guess the reason for my lack of computer time this week - Zach is home! On Friday, Zach returned from completing his Air Force officer's training. I was fortunate enough to witness his graduation ceremony, with pride and excitement and yes, even nervous jitters, and then Zach (and his enormous pile of dirty laundry! :-) was home at last. My respect for those whose loved ones are deployed overseas for a year or more at a time has multiplied infinitely, because I know how long and difficult even these relatively short 5 weeks have been while Zach's was away at the air force base where he received his training. Zach keeps telling me that I need to prepare for the likelihood of his possible deployment, after he finishes medical school, and I can only hope and pray that the world will be in a safer state then.

Pushing those thoughts aside for now, on to the celebration! I've been planning Zach's welcome home meal for weeks, of course, but Zach only had one request - pecan pie.

My grandmother's pecan pie has been a family fixture, present at every holiday and festive occasion for as long as I can remember, and I still recall how delighted I was when Zach first tasted my rendition of Grandma's pecan pie recipe and pronounced it the best pecan pie he'd ever tasted! It was early in our relationship, and I was poised across from him at the kitchen table, watching rather nervously as he took the first bite... Coming from the south, you see, where pecan pie is an institution, the quality of one's pie can basically be used to measure one's kitchen abilities as a whole. I guess I passed the pecan pie test, because I'm still happily making him pecan pies.

So when Zach walked through the door on Friday, I made sure there was a pecan pie sitting on the counter waiting for him...

Welcome home, Darlin'.

Pecan Pie

4 eggs
3/4 cup raw sugar
4 oz light butter blend or vegan margarine, melted
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup dark corn syrup
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
dough for one pie crust, rolled but not baked
approx. 1 cup pecan halves - enough to line the bottom of a 9" pie pan

~ Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
~ Beat the eggs well.
~ Whisk in the raw sugar, butter or vegan marg, salt, corn syrup, and vanilla until all the ingredients are well blended.
~ Line a 9" pie plate with the pie crust dough, pinching the edges at the top to form a scroll pattern (and, most importantly, a border at the top to help hold in the glorious filling).
~ Line the bottom of the pie dough with pecans, such that the dough is thoroughly covered but there is still only a single layer of pecans in most places.
~ Pour the batter over the pecans (the pecans will float and rise to the top, neatly glazed with a coating of the batter!)
~ Bake for 40 minutes - until the filling is just set. Allow to cool before serving, but once you've cut the slices they're lovely warmed up again just a wee bit...