Caramelized Cinnamon Pears

Perhaps, properly, this post should be entitled Caramelized Cinnamon Pears, Happy New Year, and the Tale of an Overgrown Burrito...

The past few days have been such a glorious whirlwind that I scarcely know where to begin! Perhaps I should start by noting how happy I am that Scott and Elise have generously allowed me to blog away on their computer, so I can share our adventures nearly in real time! After a much needed bit of sleeping-in on Monday morning (as we had stayed out until 3AM Sunday night; eeek!) and a cup of very dark coffee, we set off for our yearly holiday splurge tradition - burgers and chips at Judice Inn. One of the things I like about our Judice Inn treat is that their burgers are a traditional, "old-fashioned" size, much like the hamburgers my grandmother used to make, considered "small" by today's standards, and just the right size for a moderately portioned treat.

I'm not usually a huge potato chip fan, but for a total splurge experience it's impossible to resist the local Louisiana classic Zapp's Crawtators - spicy and insanely crunchy!

Following our splurge-worthy lunch on Monday, today we sought something equally festive but lighter - a black bean burrito on a whole wheat tortilla (complete with brown rice, grilled onions, and a bit of guacamole, of course). Rather than each ordering a small burrito, we decided to economize and share a single medium-sized burrito. Except... the lady composing our burrito at the lunch-style counter was a bit new at her position, for it was only when the manager came flying over, exclaiming "What are you doing?" that she or we noticed the mammoth size to which our "medium" burrito had mutated...

Suffice to say, the two of us were able to finish barely a third of just one half of the burrito, wrapping up the rest to tote home for several more delicious meals!

Rewinding time to Sunday night, though, while Zach and his cousin Ed were outside grilling a glorious collection of squashes and mushrooms, I was puttering about in Ed's kitchen in search of an idea of a speedy dessert... Behold, who knew canned pears could create such a gloriously caramelized sauce? Scarcely even a recipe, but oh so delicious, light, and enchantingly just a bit sweet without being cloying, these pears are also perfect for the uncomplicated, dreamy pace of vacation-holiday mode...

The pears are especially delightful atop my grandmother's 1-2-3-4 Cake...

Or, raptures of raptures, Scott's homemade French vanilla ice cream...

Ahhhh, vacation... and the blissful excitement of wedding planning... :-)

Happy New Year, Y'all!!

Caramelized Cinnamon Pears

1 T light, nonhydrogenated vegan margarine or butter

1 (29 oz) can pear halves in light syrup

2 T honey or agave syrup

1 T cinnamon

~ In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the vegan marg or butter. As soon as the melting is almost complete, pour in the pear halves with their syrup.

~ Bring the syrup to a simmer, while gently cutting the pear halves into quarters with a spatula.

~ Stir in the honey or agave and the cinnamon, and continue to simmer the pears, stirring constantly, until the syrup has reduced and thickened enough that it clings to the spoon.

~ Serve the pears warm, either by themselves, topped with a bit of whipped cream, or on top of cake or ice cream!

On the blog this time last year... Garlic Mashed Potatoes!

Spinach and Olive Salad with Guacamole

Merry Continued Christmas Weekend! I arrived safe and sound in Louisiana after spending some extended quality time in both the Atlanta and Dallas airports, where my planes were delayed as the result of, surprisingly, not wintry weather as I had suspected, but an absent flight crew! I'm not exactly sure how two airports, on the same day, managed to misplace two entire flight crews, but by the time I arrived in the Lafayette, Louisiana airport, somewhat delirious from a long night at work and from being awake for more than 48 hours, I was no longer concerned with the mysterious whereabouts of pilots that day - I was simply thankful to be out of an airport and in a nice warm home with Zach and his family! Despite my repeated efforts via cell phone to ensure that Zach's family didn't delay the Christmas festivities until I arrived, I walked through the door to find all the gifts still festively wrapped and everyone gathered around to greet me. Every year I am always so touched by the kindness and warmth of Zach's relatives, and as I stepped inside and hugged everyone I felt so blessed to be welcomed into this family. Thank you to everyone in Zach's family for a truly magical surprise!

Continuing with the wonderful vacation spirit, today was filled with glorious relaxing,

(Zach and Miss Kitten napping... :-)

along with chatting and catching up, spoonfuls of transcendental homemade ice cream that Scott concocted in his new ice cream maker, and, for supper, scrumptious gumbo and Zach's father's famous salad. This is the salad which inspired Zach to call me on his second day in Louisiana for the express purpose of raving about a salad - and for a salad to merit its own phone call places lofty standards upon this bowl of verdant delights indeed. Zach and Mr. Alden (Zach's father) recreated the salad tonight, and Zach watched with anticipation as I gathered up my first forkful of tender spinach leaves, tangy marinated olives, crispy carrot, creamy guacamole, and a sprinkling of spinach vinaigrette dressing. Oh. My. Goodness. As much as I love salads, I've never been rendered speechless by a salad before - until now. The flawless melding of flavors and textures, the creamy, tangy, and piquant explosion of tastes... Now, I fully understand why Zach phoned me with such superlative tones. Truly, this is a salad worthy of a phone call... and a plane ride, no matter how long... or even a long drive... or a journey via hang glider... for this is the salad of a lifetime!

**Spinach and Olive Salad with Guacamole**

For the Olive Salad: (This provides plentiful leftovers for future salads, sandwiches, etc)

1 1/2 cups minced pimento stuffed, pitted green olives

1/2 cup minced, pitted black olives

1 cup minced pepperoncini peppers

1 T finely minced capers

1/8 cup thinly sliced celery

1/4 cup minced roasted red peppers

1 T minced parsley

1/2 tsp granulated garlic

1 T minced chives

3 T red wine vinegar

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

For the Guacamole:

2 ripe avocados

2 T lime juice

1 tsp chili powder

Sea salt to taste

For the Spinach Vinaigrette: (You'll have plentiful lovely leftovers of the dressing as well!)

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 T red wine vinegar

1 cup baby spinach leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

For the base of the salad:

8 cups baby spinach leaves

1 cup chopped baby carrots

8 oz cherry tomatoes

1/2 cup chopped red cabbage

~ To make the olive salad, which needs to be prepared ahead of time, stir all the ingredients together well, place in a jar or other well sealed container, and let everything marinade together in the fridge for at least 24 hours.

~ To make the guacamole, mush the avocado together with the lime juice and chili powder to make a smooth paste, then season with salt to taste.

~ To make the spinach vinaigrette, blend the olive oil, vinegar, and spinach together in a food processor until nice and smooth, then season to taste with salt and pepper.

~ To assemble and serve the salad, toss all the "base" ingredients together in a large bowl. Add a few generous spoonfuls of olive salad and a gentle drizzle of spinach vinaigrette, and toss again to distribute the dressing. Finally, add the guacamole in dollops, and toss once more very lightly. Alternatively, you can also create a salad buffet and allow everyone to assemble all the ingredients in their individual bowls!

Christmas Eve... Double Dark Chocolate Cookies

I have one more tour of duty at work to complete, and then, on Christmas morning, right after my Christmas Eve work shift, I drive straight to the airport... and for the next week I'll be on glorious, glorious vacation with Zach in Louisiana!

I might not be able to download photos or blog while I'm away (although I'll certainly try, and you can be sure I'll be happily reading all of your wonderful blogs!) so if I don't have the opportunity to post again until after Christmas and possibly even until after the New Year, I want to take this moment to wish each of you a Merry Christmas, a beautiful, peaceful, glorious, and delicious holiday season, and a New Year full of blessings. I also, with all of my heart, want to thank you all for bringing such inspiration, light, and joy into my life, every single day! I am so incredibly grateful for your friendship!

Thus, in the spirit of holiday cheer, I simply cannot resist sharing this recipe for gloriously gooey, dark-chocolaty cookies... :-) One of the many things I'm looking forward to over vacation is baking plentiful Christmas cookies, as I fully believe the season for Christmas cookies can extend all the way to New Years!

I'm quite certain I shall start baking with these sticky, soft, gooey cookies, which are a current favorite of ours... They may not be the most prudent cookies I've ever made, but their health profile is still rather spiffy with whole wheat flour, raw turbinado sugar, and egg whites. Additionally, Zach just called and told me about a glorious salad recipe he learned yesterday, so we shall thus plan on fixing salads and cookies for everyone... After all, the art is the in balance, right?

Double Dark Chocolate Cookies

1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup dutch process cocoa powder

1 cup light, nonhydrogenated vegan margarine

1 1/2 cup raw turbinado sugar

1 tsp vanilla

4 egg whites, beaten

1 (12 oz) package dark (at least 60% cacao) chocolate chips

~ Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

~ Gently stir together the whole wheat flour, all purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder.

~ Beat the vegan marg, turbinado sugar, and vanilla until creamy.

~ Add the eggs to the sugar mixture, and beat until well mixed.

~ Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring until just combined.

~ Fold in the chocolate chips.

~ Drop the batter by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets, and bake for 10 to 12 minutes - until the cookies are just beginning to set around the edges.

~ Allow the cookies to cool slightly, then transfer them to wire racks to cool completely. Of course, they're incredibly delicious warm as well... :-)

On the blog this time last year... Cannelloni with Mushroom Cream!

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year, Y'all!!

Bruschetta-Mozzarella Meatloaf/Veggie-loaf

Firstly, thank you all so much for you incredibly kind, compassionate, and uplifting comments on my last post... I am so grateful for your friendship, and your inspiration...

Zach just left for Christmas vacation in Louisiana, where I'll join him a week from now. In the meantime, I'm still in Georgia, as I have to work nearly every night this week, including the night shift on Christmas Eve. Lest I sound like I'm complaining, though, I am truly more than happy to work on Christmas Eve - our children are of the four-legged, furry variety, and thus I'm content to take the holiday shift in order that my co-workers with kids can spend Christmas Eve with their children. Additionally, at the end of this long, work filled week, I can look forward to hopping on a plane, being reunited with Zach, and having a few days of vacation to spend back in Louisiana! Since I started my now not-so-new job these are the first official vacation days I've taken, so, needless to say, I'm thoroughly excited.

In the meantime, though, I'm at home by my lonesome, missing Zach... I'm also thinking ahead to January, when I'll have to miss Zach for an entire month, as he'll be out of town on a rural family medicine clinical rotation. Sorrowful sigh... I'm trying to think positively and constructively, though, and as I promised Zach I would fix him lots of homemade meals he can keep in his apartment freezer for his month out of town, I decided to start working on Zach's freezer-suppers right away!

Since my friend Jen has told me many times how well meatloaves keep in the freezer, the very first dish I fixed this morning (Zach had to get up at 5AM for his long drive, so I decided to make the most of the early morning...) was the glorious meatloaf recipe recently posted by Kristen of EatingRD! Kristen writes such an incredible blog, filled with fantastic information about nutrition and fitness along with gorgeous photos of her luscious, healthful recipes, and as soon as I read her meatloaf recipe yesterday my instantaneous response was "I must make that immediately!" Kristen actually stuffed hers with mozzarella cheese, making a gloriously dramatic presentation, but as I wasn't sure how well the stuffed center would fare in the freezer I just grated the cheese and stirred it in with the rest of the mixture, and the little bit I sampled before whisking the rest off in Ziploc bags was dreamily delicious! I also fixed a veggie version, using Morningstar Farms soy crumbles (I'm sure TVP would work beautifully as well), and the veggie version simply needed an extra egg to hold the loaf together and emerged every bit as scrumptious! One batch of the recipe makes 3 large-ish loaves or 4 to 6 mini loaves, so between the veg and the non-veg batch I now have 6 big loaves tucked away in the freezer for Zach! Thank you Kristen, for this fabulous recipe - and I know Zach thanks you as well!

So, for now, I count the hours until I can see Zach again next week... and in January, while we're miles apart once more, I will be comforted by the knowledge that he has nourishing meals, made just for him with love, awaiting him every evening, as a little whisper from home...

Bruschetta-Mozzarella Meatloaf/Veggie-loaf

(Adapted from Kristen's amazing recipe...)

2 lbs lean ground beef OR 2 lbs vegetarian soy crumbles, such as Morningstar Farms
12 oz. bruschetta mix (Kristen used Trader Joe's brand, and of course I agree with her... :-)
1/3 cup rolled oats
1 egg, beaten (if you're using ground beef) OR 2 eggs, beaten (if you're using the veggie soy crumbles)
1 cup grated part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated low-fat cheddar cheese
3 T dried minced onion
2 T Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp garlic powder
6 T ketchup

~ Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with foil.
~ In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef or soy crumbles, the bruschetta mix, oats, egg(s), mozzarella cheese, and cheddar cheese until well combined.
~ Stir in the dried onion, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste.
~ Shape the mixture into 3 oval loaves on the baking sheet, pressing gently but firmly with your hands to make a tight loaf.
~ Spread the ketchup across the tops of the loaves.
~ Bake until the inside temperature reaches 155 degrees for the beef version, or until the veggie version is golden brown on the outside and heated through on the inside. Remove the loaves from the oven, and let them sit for 10 minutes to allow the inner temperature to rise just a bit more.
~ Serve warm...

Corn and Bean Salad with Greek Yogurt

After all the weekend festivities and a beautiful week of Chanukkah-latkes, Zach and I both felt the need for a particularly light dish for supper - something with enough fiber and protein to be a main dish, but still uncluttered, cleansing, uncomplicated. A quiet dish, content on some nights to be a side dish, yet also a gentle and nourishing meal all in itself...

On an unrelated, but sobering note, one of my patients passed away on Tuesday night. In the whirlwind past 7 months since I started my first job as a nurse, this is the first time that one of my patients has died. His family had written orders for him not to be resuscitated, and he departed peacefully, talking to his wife just moments before closing his eyes. I know that the death of my patients is a natural, normal part of life, and an unavoidable part of my profession, but I still can't help but feel a bit strange, and even guilty, for continuing on with my days in a normal fashion. I know that even with the best possible care I cannot change the outcome for every single one of my patients, yet I still feel as though something should halt, something should appear changed in the air, in the images around me, in acknowledgment that a life has ended. Yet still, sorrowful as I am, I draw comfort from the knowledge that the universe does continue on, cyclically, bringing sunrises and supper-times across the globe as we each, in our own small way, live out our lives.

And so, in our kitchen last night, I fixed us a simple supper, thankful for the scent of onions and the cool stone tiles beneath my feet...

Corn and Bean Salad with Greek Yogurt

2 T dried minced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T light, nonhydrogenated vegan marg or butter
1/2 cup vegetable broth
4 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen
1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, drained
1/2 tsp paprika
4 T chives
1/4 cup fat free Greek Yogurt

~ In a large skillet or pot over medium heat, saute the dried minced onion and the garlic in the vegan marg or butter for just a minute or two - until the dried onion has softened and just started to brown.
~ Pour in the broth, then stir in the corn and pinto beans. Allow the mixture to simmer until most of the broth has reduced down to very little liquid and the corn and beans are tender.
~ Stir in the paprika and chives, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for a minute or two more.
~ Stir in the Greek yogurt, and heat through.
~ Serve warm!

On the blog this time last year... Israeli-Style Collard Greens!

Happy Birthday Zach!

Yesterday, December 13th, marked the occasion of Zach's Birthday!

A month ago or so, I asked Zach if I could plan a day of surprises for his birthday, and he bravely said yes! :-)

(Even Ruby wanted to help plan the festivities... :-)

We began the day with brunch at Front Page News, a downtown Atlanta restaurant famous for their New Orleans style brunch. We had spent at leisurely morning at home, complete with Zach's present unwrapping (I was so excited about giving him his presents, I was very glad he wanted to open them right away! :-), so by the time we arrived at the restaurant it was properly lunchtime, which seemed the perfect occasion for Zach to try the shrimp po'boy, which was fabulous...

I opted for the brown rice jambalaya with soy-sausage, which, while it wasn't nearly as good as Zach's homemade jambalaya, was still scrumptious nonetheless!

Needless to say we both needed to-go boxes, because we had to save room for our next stop... Tea and birthday cake at my parent's condo! :-)

The next event was a total surprise for Zach... I took him to a local "green," organic spa for a massage! I've only had a massage once in my life, and was completely enthralled with the experience, so I was quite excited for Zach to get to have the full relaxation treatment on his birthday. I specifically picked this spa because they also have more of a medical, physical therapy focus which I knew would appeal to Zach's scientific side... and sure enough, he loved it! :-) Yay!

We spent the rest of the afternoon browsing through used book shops, then Zach suggested Tex-Mex for dinner, leading us to the best enchaladas we've ever tasted...

Our last stop of the night was the biggest surprise of all... For the past few months Zach has been mentioning that he's never been to a comedy club, and hinting that perhaps we should try out some live comedy, so I surprised him with front and center tickets to the fun and funky Laughing Skull Lounge!

Naturally, of course, I couldn't allow Zach's birthday to arrive without baking him a birthday cake! :-) Since we'd already had cake with my parents, though, Zach elected to save the cake I'd baked him until tonight, and since I'm a huge fan of continuing the celebration, I happily agreed with Zach's excellent suggestion. Now, those of you who have read about previous Zach-days might already recall that Zach's favorite cake, and long-standing birthday cake, is Red Velvet. This year, though, I decided on a little twist - a Mocha Velvet cake, with a vanilla-cappuccino glaze!

Mocha Velvet Cake with Vanilla-Cappuccino Glaze

½ cup light, nonhydrogenated vegan margarine
1 ½ cups raw turbinado sugar
2 eggs
2 T cocoa
2 oz strong brewed coffee
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
2 ¼ cups flour
1 ½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp vinegar

~ Grease and flour the sides of two 8X8" or 9" round cake pans. Line the bottom of the pans with parchment paper.
~ Cream together the marg and raw sugar.
~ Add the eggs, and beat well.
~ Make a paste with the cocoa and coffee, and add the paste to the sugar mixture.
~ Stir together the salt, vanilla, and buttermilk.
~ Add the buttermilk mixture alternately with the flour, starting and ending with flour.
~ Mix together the soda and vinegar, and immediately fold it into the batter.
~ Divide the batter between the two cake pans, and bake at 350 for 30 minutes - until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
~ Turn the cakes out of the pans immediately to cool on wire racks.
~ When the cakes are cool, split each cake horizontally into two layers with dental floss (Yep, dental floss! Best baking trick ever :-). Assemble the cake, spreading a bit of glaze between each later, then frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining glaze...

Vanilla-Cappuccino Glaze:
Cook 5 T flour, 1/4 cup strong brewed coffee, and 3/4 cup milk over medium heat while stirring constantly, until a thick paste forms. Remove the paste from heat, and beat with a fork or spoon until cool. Cream 1 cup light, olive-oil blend butter with 1 cup granulated sugar. Add 1 tsp vanilla and the flour paste, and beat until frothy. Yum... :-)


Thus, we did indeed continue the celebration tonight...

Truly, the celebration continues all year, though, because every day I am so incredibly grateful to have Zach beside me in life...

Happy Birthday, Darlin'!

Happy Chanukkah!

Happy Chanukkah, y'all! Tonight begins the 8 day Jewish holiday of Chanukkah, and despite my brave words about healthful holiday treats there is one indulgent dish my family always prepares during the holiday season: Latkes, also known as potato pancakes! Latkes are traditionally deep fried, but we do try to make them a bit healthier by simply pan crisping them in a little bit of olive oil. Nonetheless, I have to admit that this is a treat we only fix once a year... and latkes are totally worth the moment of indulgence!

This year, for the first time, my parents came to visit us for Chanukkah, and yesterday, in preparation for the start of the holiday, our kitchen was transformed into a latke factory!

My dad, washing the potatoes...

My mom, getting the olive oil ready...

Zach grating the potatoes...

Our family takes latke making very seriously, converting somewhere between 10 to 50 pounds of potatoes into crispy, oniony, savory, pancake goodness. During my senior year of college my parents threw a legendary Chanukkah party, magically fitting 75 people into their tiny farmhouse, and my father brought home two 50-pound sacks of potatoes, which, I do believe, took 13 hours to be metamorphosed, by my mother and I, into mountains of latkes.

This year, we settled for a mere 20 pounds of potatoes... Lest you think we've gone completely bonkers, cooking 20 pounds of potatoes for only 4 people, let me assure you that latkes freeze beautifully, and thus we decided to make extra so that Zach and I would be able to bring latkes to Zach's whole family over Christmas!

Zach grating still more potatoes... :-)

and me, flipping potato pancakes!

Our family's latkes recipe is very casual, and has never consisted of actual measurements. The technique is completely uncomplicated - simply place all the components together in a big bowl and mix, adding more of each ingredient until you achieve the right texture to form a nice round patty. Then, coat a skillet with a bit of olive oil, let your potato pancakes become golden and crispy, and... Enjoy the magic that emerges from the humblest of ingredients!

Astra's Family's Latkes (Potato Pancakes)

Potatoes
Matzah meal (or breadcrumbs, if matzah meal is hard to find)
Dried minced onion
Salt and fresh ground pepper
Olive oil

~ Using a food processor or other automated device, finely shred the potatoes.
~ In a large bowl, combine the potatoes with dried minced onion to taste (we like ours with lots of onion!).
~ Stir in enough matzah meal to hold the mixture firmly together when you try to form a patty in your hands.
~ Season to taste with salt and fresh ground pepper.
~ Pour 1/4" of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Begin forming 1/2" think patties from the potato mixture, pressing them firmly with your hands, and when the oil begins to shimmer, carefully slide the patties into the frying pan. Cook them until golden brown on each side, turning once, then transfer the patties to paper-towel lined plates. Serve immediately, nice and hot, with the two traditional toppings - sour cream and applesauce!
~ If you'd like to freeze some latkes, let them cool completely, then transfer to zip-top plastic bags and pop them in the freezer. To serve, thaw them in the fridge, then reheat in the oven at 350 degrees F. Ta da!

Zach and Dad, enjoying some well deserved down-time after all the latke-making!

Happy Chanukkah!