Red Lentil Soup with Pea Puree

I never, ever, tire of soup. This one was created using stuff in my pantry, vegetable drawers, and freezer. I used harissa just for fun, but paprika would work here just as well.

1 C red lentils
4 C veggie broth
4 small Yukon potatoes, chopped
1 small onion and 3 garlic cloves sauteed in a drop of oil
2 carrots
1 red bell pepper
1 t harissa or paprika

Cook until soupy and whirl in a blender.

In the meantime:
1 C frozen peas
some basil and parsley
salt and pepper
1/4 C sour cream
2 T milk

high speed blender : add milk until it's pouring consistency.

Spice Rack Challenge: Cinnamon: Mushroom Moussaka

I may have gone off the proverbial eggplant deep-end with this recipe. If you have been reading this blog for any length of time, you know I love eggplant. I promise I will refrain from using eggplant on the blog for a few months. Just please allow me to tempt you with one last eggplant recipe here… and yes, there’s cinnamon in there – in fact, it is the signature flavor of moussaka…. besides eggplant.

(To check out the other Spice Rack Challenges I have participated in click: mace, basil, coriander,  cardamom, mint, dill, …. To check out the various Spice Rack Challenge Round Ups, click on Mother’s Kitchen here. )

Straight from Moosewood Cookbook (another favorite of mine, along with eggplant) – I present three of the loveliest layers of flavor you will ever eat: Mushroom Moussaka.

1.       Peel and slice 3 medium eggplants about ¼ inch thick. Salt the slices and layer them in a colander. Allow the salt to draw out the bitter juices of the eggplant. (about 20-30 minutes).

2.       While the eggplant and salt are doing their thing, start on the mushroom layer. Saute 2 cups of chopped onions. Add 2 pounds of sliced mushrooms and cook together till nice and golden and soft. Add about 5 cloves of chopped garlic also.

3.       Add a 14 ounce can of diced tomatoes with all the liquid and 6 ounces of tomato paste. Spices include 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon basil and lots of black pepper. Stir and cook. Stir and cook. It will get nice and thick.

4.       Add 1 C fresh parsley, ½ C bread crumbs and ½ C parmesan cheese to the mushrooms. Mix well and set aside. That layer is done!

5.       Rescue the eggplants from their salt bath. Pat them dry with clean towels. Bake them in 375 degrees for about 20-30 minutes till super soft. They can pile on top of each other on the baking sheet. Another layer done!

6.       While the eggplant is baking, work on the Béchamel layer. Melt 3 T butter. Add 4 T flour. Whisk and cook, whisk and cook. Slowly pour in 2 ½ C hot milk (I use skim). Whisk and cook for about 8 minutes. Add 2 T more of flour. Whisk and cook. Add 1 C Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of nutmeg. Whisk and cook. The sauce should be thick and smooth.

7.       Ready for the famous moussaka layers? Oil a huge casserole dish and start the layering: ¾ of the eggplant, then all the mushroom sauce, then the remaining eggplant, then all the béchamel sauce. Sprinkle the top with bread crumbs and a bit more Parmesan. Bake in a 375 degree oven for about 30-40 minutes.

8.       Allow to cool for a while before cutting (unlike me) to get a great layered effect when you serve it.

Some thoughts: I made this on a Tuesday. I get crazy menu ideas sometimes and get in the mood for a ‘big’ meal on a work day. But you know what? Making this for my family is not really all that ‘big’ to me; I love getting creative in the kitchen and I find ‘big’ cooking to be very relaxing. I mean, look what I created!! It’s beautiful – you have to admit that, even if you don’t like eggplant!

This is a huge recipe, so be prepared for leftovers. My hubby thought it was a bit saucy and could have used some rice. I loved it as is and happily ate it that night and for lunch for the next few days!

So what about you and eggplant? Lover or hater?

PS – I was just looking around the internet at other Moosewood Mushroom Moussaka recipes to find a handy link for you and they are super easy to find. Click away. But what I notice is that most of them out there use eggs in the béchamel sauce, which means that those recipes come from an older version of the Moosewook Cookbook. I use and love the revised edition.

Hey- is anyone out there up for a Moosewood Cookbook Challenge in the coming year??? You know, maybe make something from one of the famous Moosewood cookbooks once a month and round them up here? Let me know!  

Spice Rack Challenge: Mace -- Scalloped Potatoes Au Gratin – the best of both worlds

Traditionally, scalloped potatoes have tons of butter and cream and no cheese at all. It’s Au Gratin potatoes that are cooked in a cheese sauce. I decided to combine the two recipes and I came up with the absolute BEST potato casserole I have ever had!!! Truly, The Best of Both Worlds.  And the bonus part – mine are made with NO butter, NO cream and very little cheese! Believe me, you will not miss them. And the mace? A perfect, perfect spice – warm, unexpected and totally great with the gruyere…. But I am getting ahead of myself…. Follow along…..

Slice 3 pounds of Yukon Gold potatoes ¼ inch and simmer them for about 8 minutes or until they are tender. Whisk ¼ C flour into 3 Cups low-fat milk (2%) over low heat. Weird, I know.

While the potatoes are simmering away, bring the milk to a slow boil, stir a lot and believe it or not, it gets nice and thick….Add lots of black pepper, salt to taste and ¼ t mace (the Spice Rack Challenge of the month). Also add 1 C of grated Gruyere cheese.

Arrange about ½ of the potatoes in a greased 9 X 13 casserole; pour over ½ of the beautiful sauce. Make another layer of potatoes and sauce.

Sprinkle with another ¾ C gruyere. Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes. Broil for a few minutes to get a nice crispy top. Let all that delicious sauce absorb into the potatoes...  SO GOOD! SO GOOD!

I literally ate my way through this entire casserole…. with no guilt because it’s not very high in fat/calories.

(printable recipe)

One Year Ago: Brisket ( I wish I gave this one a better name.... like BEST Brisket)
                        Cannoli Ice Cream Cake (Super easy and super impressive. I make it for company.)

Spice Rack Challenge: Cumin (Edamame Hummus with Spiced Pita Chips)

My camera did no justice to the beautiful, beautiful color of this dip - trust me!

As you may know, I am participating in a monthly Spice Rack Challenge, hosted by Mother’s Kitchen. Her post announcing cumin as August’s spice is especially fun and interesting…. What do chickens, Ann Arbor and cumin have in common? Click here to find out!  

If you are a cumin lover (like me) then you will absolutely LOVE this dip and these pita chips. Both recipes can be found on  www.finecooking.com . Originally from Ellie Krieger, you know they will be excellent! We polished all this off in one day and I will definitely be making more soon.

Here’s what you need for the dip:

2 C edamame (I used fresh. You can also use frozen and cook according to package directions)

1 C silken tofu, drained

½ t salt

Black pepper to taste

1 ½ t cumin

3 cloves garlic

¼ C olive oil

1/3 C fresh lemon juice

Place everything in a food processor and blend until very smooth. (Do you know the trick of dropping the garlic cloves into the processor while it is running? The result is very finely minced garlic. No one wants to bite into a big piece of raw garlic, right?)

Here’s what you need for the chips:

6 whole wheat pita breads, cut into 6-8 wedges and split

¼ C olive oil

2 t cumin

1 t ground coriander

½ t cayenne pepper

1 t garlic powder

½ t black pepper

½ t salt

Combine the oil and spices in a bowl. Add the pita bread and use your hands to mix it well. Bake on 2 baking sheets at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. Turn the chips over after 7 minutes. 

(printable recipes)

One Year Ago: Pesto (need I say more?)

Spice Rack Challenge : Basil

Chapter One:

Search around for a great way to use basil – of course it must be paired with other summer essentials: tomatoes, zucchini and eggplant.

Chapter Two:

Settle on Cornmeal-Crusted Roasted Ratatouille Tart…… directly from Food Network website and Ellie Krieger (one of my favorite TV personalities)

Chapter Three:

Go to the garden and see that there are only TWO basil plants this year…… spend some time wondering how that happened. Not enough for homemade pesto, sigh……. Will I have to purchase basil?? Horrors…..Is there still time to plant more? 

Chapter Three and a half:
Looking for a super way to use tons of basil? click here for my pesto recipe.

Chapter Four:

Make a trip to the health food store for corn meal.

Chapter Five:

Gather the simple ingredients and study the recipe. (Ellie Krieger’s recipes sometimes have way too many steps, but they are always worth the effort.)

 Chapter Six:

Make the crust.

Chapter Seven:

Bake with foil and beans.

Chapter Eight:

Bake longer without the foil and beans.

Chapter Nine:

Sautee shallots.

Chapter Ten:

Thinly slice all the tomatoes, zucchini and eggplant. 

Chapter Eleven:

Slowly roast the veggies.

Chapter Twelve:

Allow everything to cool.

Chapter Thirteen:

Layer all the goodness - veggies, cheeses, basil– beautiful really…. 

Chapter Fourteen:

Bake and serve with couscous salad.

Review:

We absolutely loved the layered veggies in this tart, but did not enjoy the crust. It was too dry and ‘corny’ for our taste.  This recipe only calls for 2 T butter and 2 T oil in the crust, whereas in other crusts there in an entire stick of butter and sometimes even more fat (cheese, or whatever.) So, if you’re looking to curb calories, this crust is fine. If you’re looking for a flaky bite, search for a different crust. If you want a delicious combination of roasted veggies, look no further.

  

Epilogue:

When the recipe says use 1/3 of an eggplant and a medium zucchini, you are left with these sad leftovers….. what to do? Roast them and put them on a pizza?

One Year Ago:
Oatmeal Bread - I make this all the time
Tomato Appetizer Pie - a summer classic

(printable recipe can be found here)

Spice Rack Challenge: Mint

Well, I feel like I might be cheating on this month’s challenge…..

 1) I really don’t like mint. I only use it in a few things.

 2) Because I don’t like it, I didn’t even want to learn about it (that’s lame, I know)

3) I live in a small town with a small grocery store, so no hope for fantastic fresh herbs, just the          pre-packaged stuff.

 4) I have always wanted to taste a Mojito….. so, there was no real challenge for me this month!  

            Just a nice, warm, happy feeling after working on and tasting this delish drink.

Here’s what you need:

Fresh mint

Fresh lime

A bit of sugar (Next time I will leave out the sugar - rum is already sweet)

Light rum

Soda water

Ice

Here’s what you do:

Muddle the mint, lime and sugar. I used a large glass and a wooden spoon.

Add ice, rum and soda water. I strained my drink (well, drinks – plural….) into my favorite glass. Look at that gorgeous color.

Beautiful! Keep messing with the quantities until you get it how you like it. Practice makes perfect, right? 

Spice Rack Challenge: Coriander

I had a hard time with this one. (I guess that’s why it’s called a ‘challenge’ eh?) Searched around through my many cookbooks and all over the internet. Almost landed on a coriander bread from Betty Crocker. It has coriander, ginger, cinnamon and orange zest: my kind of flavors.

 I also considered a coriander seasoned grilled chicken breast with a mango-orange salsa – doesn’t that sound fresh tasting?

I haven’t used bulgur in my cooking in a few years, so this Coriander Tabbouleh Salad was just the ticket. Thanks to my friend, Sue, who passed this recipe on to me! Now I need all your best bulgur recipes so I can get to the bottom of the bag of bulgur in my pantry!

Place 1 Cup bulgur in a bowl with ¼ C olive oil. Pour over 2 C boiling water, cover and allow to sit for 15-20 minutes. (This was the recommended method, but you could always follow the directions on the package and add the olive oil to the dressing….. )

In the meantime, whisk ¼ C lemon juice, 1 T coriander, 1 T fresh grated or minced ginger root, 1 t dried mint, salt and pepper to taste.

When bulgur is tender, add dressing and 1 English cucumber (seeded), 1 C chopped green onion, and 1 C fresh parsley.

Couldn’t be easier! Very lemony and satisfying. 

I have another favorite salad recipe here on the blog that used coriander 

(one of my first blog posts…. )

Couscous Chickpea Salad. 

Now that I have made this tabbouleh, I can say that the couscous salad needs lots  more coriander!

Just a random photo of the meal my teenage sons made on Mother’s Day: hamburgers on the grill with sharp white cheddar cheese, fresh steamed green beans and these wonderful roasted smashed potatoes. Thanks boys! Mom loves you!

Also, an update on the rhubarb situation (please ignore the weeds - it has been cold and rainy for weeks up here.... weeding must be done on bright sunny warm days if I'm involved). Any rhubarb recipes out there?

spice rack challenge - turkey burger with feta and dill

When I learned of April’s Spice Rack Challenge, hosted by Mother’s Kitchen Blog, I was thrilled because it gave me the chance to make tzatziki sauce, which I have always wanted to make. Plus, when I think of dill I think of feta, which is a good, good thing. After some poking around through my many cookbooks and taking a look around the internet, I landed on this version of Greek Turkey Burgers with AWESOME Tzatziki Sauce. Credit for the burger idea goes to one of my favorite TV personalities, Ellie Krieger.  Sorry, no fresh dill here in Michigan yet. We are hopeful for spring, but it's slow in getting here this year. I'm sure this entire meal would be kicked up a notch with fresh dill. 


Be sure to go to Mother's Kitchen and see the other Spice Rack Challenge entries.  They will be posted the last week of April. There are about 25 of us participating and the variety of recipes will surprise you. Last month I made a Cardamom Coffee Cake for the cardamom challenge. Wonder what the spice challenge will be for May? Stay tuned right here! 

Here’s what you need for the burger:

½ onion, diced

2 C fresh spinach, chopped

¼ C crumbled feta cheese

1 t dried dill

1 ¼ lb ground turkey

Salt and pepper

Pita bread, stuff to garnish the burger like tomato, cucumbers, lettuce, spinach, etc.

Here’s what you need for the tzatziki sauce:

8 ounces low-fat Greek style yogurt

¼ t dried dill

2 t fresh lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

1 English cucumber

Here’s what you do:

Sautee the onions until tender. Add the spinach and dill. Cook until all wilted, about 2 minutes. Add the feta cheese and set aside.

You can see best what to do next from the pictures. Divide the meat in 6 equal thin patties and place a heaping spoon of the spinach goodness on three of them. Top each burger with another patty and carefully press it all together. Use your fingers to press the two halves together to keep the goodness from falling out. This was kinda messy, but surprisingly, the burgers did not fall apart.

My tip of the day: Do Not Overcook Turkey Burgers!!!

In the meantime, make the heavenly tzatziki sauce. Another tip for you: peel, seed, grate and wring the cucumber in a clean tea towel before you add it to the sauce. It’s amazing how much liquid you will squeeze out of a cucumber!

You might also like: 

Boursin Cheese

Salmon Chowder

Hungarian Mushroom Soup

Orzo with Shrimp, Feta and Dill (you must try this!)

(printable recipe)

spice rack challenge – cardamom

I recently stumbled upon a fellow Michigan food blogger -Mother's Kitchen -  who has designed a really fun project called ‘Spice Rack Challenge.’ I’m on board a few months late, but excited to participate. Currently, there are 25 of us participating. Each entry must be posted the third week of the month, so you can look forward to reading about my spice adventures then.

Since I decided to join this group on the spur of the moment and the deadline for posting was looming, I went with something very easy and obvious for my first challenge – Cardamom Coffee Cake from the Moosewood Cookbook. I have made dozens of things from all the Moosewood cookbooks, but never this coffee cake before. Killed two birds with one stone on this one.

(you know the Julie and Julia movie, where Julie cooks every recipe in Julia Child’s cookbook, well I could do the same for the Moosewood cookbooks……. Do I hear another challenge?)

Here’s what you need – and don’t blame me about the pound of butter!

4 sticks of butter

2 C packed light brown sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

4 C flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 ½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

1 T cardamom

2 C sour cream

For the nut mixture:

¼ c light brown sugar

1 T cinnamon

½ C chopped nuts (I used pecans today)

Here’s what you do:

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy; add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla. I used the standing mixer for this part of the recipe only – the rest is better done by hand to avoid overbeating.

In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cardamom. Add this dry mixture to the butter mixture alternating it with the sour cream. (half the flour then half the sour cream, etc) Don’t overdo the mixing.

Spread 1/3 of batter in a well-greased bundt pan – I always highly recommend Pam for Baking! One of my favorite products on earth – and that’s a lot of products……

Then sprinkle half of the nut mixture over the batter. More batter, more nuts, end with batter….

Bake in a 350 degree oven for at least 1 ¼ hours. Cool in the pan before attempting to remove it. Some comments on the internet mentioned that the cake dries out all of a sudden if over baked, so watch it closely.

Place a baking sheet in the oven one rack lower than the coffee cake – it overflows while baking!!

I love bundt cakes and here’s the proof:

Blueberry Pound Cake

Spiced Rum Cake

Pumpkin Butterscotch Bundt Cake

(printable recipe)