Weekend Baking: Pumpkin Tahini Loaf

Pumpkin tahini loaf is my new favorite. So much so that I've already made it twice in one week! Yes, we eat a lot of pumpkin bread.  If tahini sounds like a bizarre ingredient for pumpkin bread, don't overthink it - just try it, you will be amazed! I felt like it added a noticeable extra oomph of flavor which was very satisfying.  

I made a few slight changes to the recipe to made it a tiny bit healthier, such as substituting 1 cup of coconut sugar and only 1/4 cup white sugar, and opting for coconut oil instead of vegetable oil.  I didn't have black sesame seeds on hand, but we made due with a ample helping of white sesame seeds. Overall, delicious!  

image/acozykitchen

A little spice

Believe it or not, I had never sampled true Indian food until last Saturday. I went with a friend to a local Indian restaurant, and we ordered a few of the staple dishes, my favorite of which was chicken tikki masala, a creamy tomato curry served over rice. A little recipe hunting, and turns out...it's not too hard to make at home.

Chicken Tikki Masala

Marinade:
1 cup plain yogurt
2 TB lemon juice
2 t. ground cumin
2 t. ground pepper
2 t. ground red pepper or less
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. salt
1 piece (1-inch long) ginger, minced

Sauce:
1 TB unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic minced
2 t. ground coriander
1 t. ground cumin
1 t. paprika 1 t. garam masala
1/2 t. salt
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation:
Mix marinade, pour over chicken cubes and let marinate for an hour or so. Cook chicken cubes on skewers on the grill outdoors or a Foreman grill indoors.
For sauce, melt butter on medium heat, add garlic, cook one minute. Stir in coriander, cumin, paprika, garam masala and salt. Stir in tomato sauce. Let simmer 15 minutes. Stir in cream and simmer to thicken, about 5 minutes. Add in the cooked chicken cubes and sprinkle in cilantro. Serve over rice.

recipe/epicurious
image/optusnet

Show-And-Tell: Part 2

I always appreciate a good food blog. I convince myself that I will recreate these delicious, mouthwatering recipes tomorrow...or the next day...or perhaps next week, basically hoping that one day in this century, I will find the time and have the necessary ingredients available to make it happen.

A new food blog I've been scoping out is You Say Tomato...I Say Tomato. A smattering of entrees, appetizers, soups, and desserts...all of which fall into my category above (recipes I one day hope to use)...Guinness & honey spare ribs, thai noodle soup, and cannolis...oh my!
image/yousaytomatoisaytomato

March Madness Munchies

With the NCAA Final 4 just around the corner, I'm anticipating get-togethers with friends to watch the final big games (my money is on underdog UCLA). Since sporting matches always call for comfort, stick-to-your-ribs fare, I scouted out some killer recipes that go hand-in-hand with an edge-of-your-seat evening.

Kicked Up Chicken Wings with Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce

Emeril Lagasse, 2002

Ingredients:
2 1/2 pounds chicken wings, tips removed and cut in half at joint, rinsed and wiped dry

1/2 cup red hot pepper sauce

1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 cups vegetable oil, for frying

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon Essence, recipe follows

Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce, recipe follows

Directions:
In a large shallow, non-reactive bowl combine the chicken, hot sauce, pepper, and salt, and toss well to combine. Cover the chicken with plastic wrap, refrigerate, and let marinate, for at least 1 hour, and up to 3 hours. In a heavy pot, heat the oil to 360 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and 2 tablespoons Essence. Remove the chicken from the marinade and add to the flour 1 at a time, tossing to coat evenly. Add the chicken in 2 batches to the hot oil and cook, turning occasionally, until brown on all sides and cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the chicken wings from the fryer with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with the remaining Essence and serve immediately with Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce.

Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):

2 1/2 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons salt

2 tablespoons garlic powder

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano

1 tablespoon dried thyme
Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container. Yield: about 2/3 cup

Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce:

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup heavy cream

8 ounces blue cheese

1 teaspoon hot red pepper sauce

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire

1/2 teaspoon salt

Place all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and process on high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Pour into a decorative bowl.

Enjoy with friends!

recipe/foodnetwork-emeril

image/recipecottage

Just Fondue It

Another way to put that Irish stout to good use! Rich and hearty and undoubtedly Irish, this Irish cheddar and stout fondue would be an ideal appetizer for St. Patrick's Day dinner.

Irish Cheddar and Stout Fondue

Prep: 30 minutes; Total: 45 minutes
Servings: Makes 6 first-course servings.

Ingredients

2 cups 1- to 1 1/2-inch-diameter red-skinned potatoes halved
2 cups cauliflower florets

2 cups very small brussels sprouts

2 apples, cored, cut into wedges

1 pound Irish cheddar cheese grated

2 1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour

3/4 cup (or more) Irish stout (such as Guinness)

6 tablespoons frozen apple juice concentrate thawed

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Preparation

Steam all vegetables until tender, about 15 minutes. Arrange vegetables and apples around edge of large platter.Meanwhile, toss cheese with flour in large bowl. Bring 3/4 cup stout, juice concentrate, and mustard to simmer in large saucepan over medium heat. Gradually add cheese mixture, stirring constantly, until cheese is melted and smooth, thinning with more stout, if desired. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer fondue to bowl. Place in center of platter with vegetables.

Market tip: Sharp white cheddar is a great substitute for the Irish cheddar.

image+recipe/bonappetit

An Irish Float

How cool is this - the cocktail version of a root beer float. A heaping scoop of vanilla ice cream topped with your favorite Irish stout (in this case Guinness). The ice cream works as a sweetener to the rich beer, resulting in a delicious, drinkable dessert.

Scoop ice cream into a pint glass, and pour in enough stout to fill it. One pint of ice cream and one 12-ounce bottle of beer will yield 2 servings.

image+recipe/marthastewart

A Dash O'Green

In keeping with my "green" theme, here is a mouthwatering savory tart with a dash o'green. Can't wait to try this recipe! Yum...

Asparagus-Ricotta Tart with Comte Cheese

1 sheet frozen puff pastry (half of 17.3-ounce package), thawed
1 egg, beaten to blend
1 pound slender asparagus spears, trimmed
1/2 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 ounces thinly sliced soppressata or other salami, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2/3 cup grated Comté cheese (about 3 ounces), divided

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Roll out pastry on floured surface to 13x10-inch rectangle. Cut off 1/2-inch-wide strip from all 4 sides. Brush strips on 1 side with some of beaten egg, then press strips, egg side down, onto edges of pastry to adhere, forming raised border. Brush border with egg; reserve remaining beaten egg. Transfer to baking sheet. Chill while preparing filling.

Steam asparagus just until crisp tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer to bowl of ice water to cool. Drain. Cut off top 2 to 3 inches of asparagus tops; set aside. Coarsely puree remaining asparagus stalks in processor. Add remaining beaten egg, ricotta, 3 teaspoons oil, and salt; process until thick puree forms. Transfer to bowl; stir in salami and 1/3 cup Comté cheese; season with pepper. Spread mixture evenly over pastry. Sprinkle with remaining 1/3 cup Comté cheese. Toss asparagus tips with remaining 1 teaspoon oil; arrange tips over filling.

Bake tart until filling is set, about 25 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Market Tip: Comté cheese is a semifirm, Gruyère-style cow's-milk cheese. It is available at some supermarkets, cheese shops, and specialty foods stores.

image+recipe/bonappetitviaepicurious

Sweet Potato Fry

Sweet potato fries appear to be new trendy, healthier alternative to French fries. The last time I was in LA for my friend Lindsay's birthday, she took me to The Counter, a popular Santa Monica gourmet burger bar, where sweet potato fries were the fries du jour, and delicious they were!

Imagine my surprise when my fave Food Network Star - Giada De Laurentiis - whipped up a recipe of "Sweet Potato Fries with Basil Salt and Garlic Mayonnaise." Not only do they sound amazing, but perfect for a summer BBQ or picnic. Try your hand at these!

Sweet Potato Fries with Basil Salt and Garlic Mayonnaise

5 sweet potatoes, cut into about 1 by 5-inch "fries"
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the sweet potato "fries" on a foil-lined baking sheet and toss with the olive oil. Bake until golden, about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile combine the basil, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. In another small bowl combine the mayonnaise, garlic, and lemon juice, and stir to combine.

When the sweet potato fries come out of the oven, sprinkle with the basil salt. Serve with the garlic mayonnaise alongside for dipping.

image+recipe/foodnetwork

Lovely Lavender

I love this Martha Stewart recipe for lavender champagne. While it may be a bit premature for a winter soirée, I'm thinking it would be perfect for my friend Sarah's upcoming bridal shower. To indulge..take a sip, close your eyes, click your heels, and perhaps you'll suddenly materialize in the South of France...here's hoping!

Lavender Champagne
Makes 16

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon dried lavender
• 4 bottles (750 mL each) dry Champagne or sparkling wine, chilled
• Fresh lavender sprigs, for garnish
  

Directions

1. Bring sugar and 1/2 cup water to a boil in a saucepan, stirring to dissolve sugar. Stir in dried lavender. Remove from heat. Let cool completely. Strain out lavender. Refrigerate syrup until ready to serve (up to 1 month).
2. Pour about 6 ounces Champagne and 1 1/2 teaspoons syrup into each flute. Garnish each with a lavender sprig.

recipe and photo/Martha Stewart

Mac & Cheese

I have a weakness for comfort food. Hearty, fattening, but oh-so-delicious foods we hate to crave, but can't help but devour. I am a sucker for French fries, mashed potatoes, rocky road ice cream, apple pie...but especially great mac and cheese. And while no one can beat my Mom's homemade recipe, Beecher's "World's Best" Mac and Cheese is pretty extraordinary. Available at Beecher's Handmade Cheese store in Pike Place Market, mail order via website, and sold in Pasta and Co. stores, this mac and cheese is absolute heaven! In fact this mac and cheese is so famous, it has even been featured on the Today Show, and next, The Martha Stewart Show this coming Tuesday, January 29th. Beecher's own Kurt Dammeier will join Martha in the kitchen to whip up a batch of "World's Best" Mac & Cheese.

If you haven't had a taste, I would highly recommend it, you won't be disappointed!

images Beecher's Handmade Cheese