Three-Bean is Supreme!

When I was younger, I remember that my Mom really liked 3-bean salad. She'd buy it in little plastic containers, which were either circular or rectangular, and have it as a snack or with lunch. I can still smell the vinegary aroma that wafted into the air from that colorful dish. It tasted both sweet and sour the first time I tried it myself, probably years later. The trio of beans didn't look appetizing to me as a child but during college, I starting liking this dish a lot. And in the past few years especially, I have bought it from either Costco or the local grocery store, as the perfect healthful snack or complement to a salty meal.

Yesterday, Ken and I were scheduled to attend a potluck with our friends from Stephen Ministry. It took me all morning and a good portion of the afternoon to figure out what our contribution would be. For background, I love potlucks. I love the different dishes people bring and the anticipation of whether or not those dishes will go well together (they almost always do). I also love spending time with lots of people in one place, sharing life together through food and conversation.

Likewise, potlucks are a great venue for people to try out their cooking skills on others. For this very reason, it took me quite a while to decide on what dish to make. I had planned about a week ago to make one of Martha Stewart's famous six-or seven-layered pastel colored cakes, but then a day and a half ago, one of our friends shared that she wanted to bake a New York Cheesecake. In addition to that dessert, there was going to be a large chocolate Costco cake and cookies available. This meant no dessert from me, since I didn't want to overwhelm anyone, let alone myself, with too many dessert options. So, I did what I do in a lot of last-minute, anxiety-prone moments: I asked Ken to help me. He was very generous in offering support and pointed out that 'we have lots of fresh green beans in the fridge' and 'how about I use them for 3-bean salad'. One idea led to the next, and I started washing, chopping and then sauteing those green beans.

I found this recipe on allrecipes.com and adapted a couple things. The finished product is incredibly rich in flavor and was a hit at our potluck. I just ate one of the last few servings a minute ago and am sad to see our 3-bean salad supply dwindle. I hope you enjoy this recipe. It's a delicious vegan stand-alone snack or can be served with any number of salty meats if you desire. It's also great chilled and eaten outside during the summer!

3-Bean Salad

Adapted from Allrecipes.com
Serves 12+

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
3-4 cups fresh green beans, stems removed and sliced into 1/2" pieces

1/4 cup diced onion

2 cloves garlic, minced and partially crushed 

1/4 cup water

2 (15 ounce) cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
2 (15 ounce) cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced

1 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon ground dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Heat a 9" cast iron skillet or nonstick pan over medium heat. Once warm, add the olive oil and coat pan. Then add the chopped green beans and diced onion, cooking 6-8 minutes until green beans are bright and onions are caramelized. In the last minute of cook time, add the minced garlic to the pan. Pour 1/4 cup water into the pan and immediately cover the pan with a lid and set timer for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, turn the heat off and transfer the green bean mixture to a large bowl.

In that same bowl, combine the garbanzo beans, kidney beans, and celery and gently mix. In a separate bowl, whisk together the vinegar, oil, honey, mustard, black pepper, and salt. Pour dressing over the salad, and toss gently to coat. Cover, refrigerate at least 2 hours, and gently toss before serving.

Dutch Puff with Apple & Pear

Yesterday, Ken and I ate lunch with dear friends of ours and noticed their beautiful cast iron skillet cookbook, aptly named "The Cast Iron Skillet Cookbook" by Sharon Kramis & Julie Kramis Hearne. The bright green background paired with the sumptuous looking apple upside-down cake on the cover, immediately grabbed my attention. I want to make that, I thought to myself. It looked amazing. Our friends generously agreed to lend us their cookbook and this morning I decided to try it out.

When I visited Ken's family in Alaska for the first time three years ago, he made me my very first "Dutch Puff." And I've had fond memories of that shared breakfast every since. So, when I saw a basic recipe for a Dutch Puff in this cookbook, I had to indulge. Also, since I couldn't get that apple upside-down cake on the cover out of mind, I decided to alter the recipe to include sauteed apples and a fresh pear. I hope you will try my rendition of a Dutch Puff. Enjoy!

Dutch Puff, with Apple & Pear

Adapted from "The Cast Iron Skillet Cookbook"
Makes 3+ servings

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons butter
1 large apple, sliced
1 large pear, any variety, sliced
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole wheat or all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk

Topping (optional):
3 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar or brown sugar
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425-degrees. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a 9 to 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add apple slices and saute for 3-5 minutes, until lightly browned. (Reserve the pear; it is not sauteed.) Transfer apple slices to bowl once browned.

In a separate medium size bowl, mix the eggs, vanilla, milk and flour until just blended (about 5-10 seconds with a stand-up mixer or by hand.) Set aside.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter on the cast iron skillet. Once butter is melted, turn off burner and remove skillet from heat. Pour the batter into the skillet and arrange the apple and pear slices around the pan, alternating each fruit as you lay down the pieces onto the batter.

Place the skillet in the oven and bake until the top puffs up and is lightly golden, about 20-25 minutes. Watch closely after 20 minutes, so as not to over bake.

When the dutch puff is done, drizzle butter over the top, then sprinkle with lemon juice and dust with powdered or brown sugar. Cut into wedges and serve immediately.

Feel free to add any other favorite topping, such as toasted walnuts, yogurt or whipped cream.

Note: I prefer to use whole wheat flour and whole milk in the batter, along with a very ripe pear. My finished product was superb because of these ingredients. 

Hearty Lentil Soup

If you were to ask me what Ken and I eat most, I would likely respond, "Lentil Soup." It's one of our all-time favorite meals since it's easy to make, inexpensive and a simple, hearty vegetarian and gluten-free meal (if you make it with water or vegetable broth.) We've doctored up this basic recipe at times to include potatoes, squash, chard, collard greens, or sausage. This recipe has gotten us through two winters as a married couple living on a conscientious budget. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. Feel free to use this recipe as a base for many other creative lentil soups!

 

Lentil Soup with Smoked Paprika

by Mark Bittman, "How to Cook Everything"
makes 8 servings

Ingredients:
3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 onions, chopped
2-3 carrots, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 celery stalks, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 cups lentils, washed and picked over
2 bay leaves
2 tsp. smoked paprika
10-12 cups vegetable, chicken or beef stock, or water
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt

Directions:
Put the oil in a large, deep pot over medium eat. When hot, add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, just a minute or two. Add the carrot and celery and keep cooking and stirring until brightly colored and hot, about 2-4 minutes. 

Add the lentils, bay leaf, smoked paprika and stock (or water); sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender, about 30-45 minutes. (At this point, you may cool and refrigerate the soup, covered for up to 2 days; reheat gently.) Add more stock if the soup is too thick. Just before serving, taste, sprinkle with salt and more pepper if needed, and serve. This soup is great paired with rolls or a sandwich.

Note: We like to freeze some of the soup in large yogurt containers so that we can pull it from the freezer anytime the fridge is sparse. Enjoy!

Peanut Brittle: A Childhood Favorite

A few weeks back, a friend asked me to include some gluten-free options. Since I grew up loving brittle candy, I thought I’d include this recipe I recently stumbled upon. It’s ridiculously easy, requires few ingredients, and looks lovely packaged and given as a gift. Enjoy!

I like to store Peanut Brittle in a glass jar.

Peanut Brittle

by Mark Bittman, "How to Cook Everything"

Makes about 1 pound of brittle

Ingredients:

Unsalted butter or nonstick spray for the baking pan

2 cups sugar

1/3 cup water

2 cups roasted peanuts, salted or unsalted

Pinch of salt if you’re using unsalted peanuts

Directions:

Use the butter to grease a baking sheet, preferably one with a low rim.

Put the sugar and 1/3 cup water in a small, deep pot over low heat. Cook, without stirring, until the sugar dissolves and starts to color. Keep cooking until the caramel turns golden but not dark brown, anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes, depending on your stove.

Stir in the peanuts and salt (if you’re using it) and immediately pour the mixture onto the greased baking sheet. Cool, then break into pieces. (If you like, you can score the brittle with a knife when it has solidified slightly but not yet turned hard; that way, it will break into even squares.)

Store in a covered container for as long as you would like.

Additional Options:

Chocolate: Drizzle or dip the hardened brittle in any kind of melted chocolate you like.

Peanut Brittle Popcorn:  Pop about ½ c. popcorn kernels and put them in a large bowl. Make the brittle and drizzle it over the popcorn while stirring to evenly coat it. 

I Love Bread Pudding, Naturally

This evening was my first go at making bread pudding and it went spectacularly! I never realized how easy this dessert was prior to today's experimentation. Bread pudding is basically french toast baked in a pan, and oh, how I love french toast! The best part is, you can use day-old bread or even a harder loaf from a few days to a week old (as long as there is no mold or other spoilage.) Last week, I baked a gigantic loaf of whole wheat cinnamon raisin swirl bread since my cousin was visiting from out of town. Ironically, we barely got through a few slices while he was here, with all our other cooking. So, this bread pudding came at the perfect time. I hope you enjoy this recipe! Feel free to substitute your bread of choice. Also, this recipe lends itself well to all different toppings, such as yoghurt, cottage cheese, whipped cream or even ice cream. Enjoy!

Cinnamon Raisin Bread Pudding
Adapted from Mark Bittman's "How to Cook Everything"
Makes 8 or more servings

Ingredients:
4 cups milk
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup plus one tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
pinch salt
1 medium loaf of cinnamon raisin bread, or other bread of choice (about 6-8 cups when torn)
5 large, free-range eggs

Directions:
Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Over low heat, in a small saucepan, warm the milk, butter, 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon, 1/2 cup of the sugar, vanilla extract and the salt, just until the butter melts. Meanwhile, butter an 8-inch square baking dish (glass is nice) and cut or tear the bread into bite-size pieces; they don't need to be too small.

Put the bread in the baking dish and pour the hot milk mixture over it. Let it sit for 8-10 minutes, occasionally submerging any pieces of bread that rise to the top. Beat the eggs briefly and stir them into the bread mixture. Mix together the remaining sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the top.

Set the baking dish in a larger baking dish and pour hot water in, to within about an inch of the top of the dish. Bake 40-50 minutes, until a thin-bladed knife inserted in the center comes out clean or nearly so; the center should be just a bit wobbly. Run under the broiler for about 30 seconds to brown the top a bit if you like. Serve warm or cold. This keeps best for a few days covered and refrigerated. Feel free to share this decadent dessert with friends or neighbors. I brought some downstairs to one of our neighbors and it went over quite well.

Here are some photos of the process:

Tuesday Morning Frittata!

This morning, I woke up a little before Ken and decided to try out one of the recipes my mother-in-law mailed us yesterday. (Thanks, Lmom!) Since I didn't have the bulk of the ingredients the recipe called for, I instead used whatever I found in the fridge. I'm sure you can do the same, or feel free to try my version below. This was my first go at making frittata and it was incredibly tasty and flavorful. You can scale down the ingredients, depending on how many servings you'd like to make. This recipe easily makes 5-6 servings.

A Tuesday Frittata

Ingredients:
1 tbsp. butter
1 medium bell pepper, diced (I used an orange colored one; red, green, yellow or orange is fine)
2 medium vine-ripened tomatoes, diced
2 c. fresh spinach, chopped
5-6 large eggs (I prefer free-range, grain-fed eggs)
1 c. shredded sharp white cheddar cheese (you can also use fontina)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 c. shredded pork (already cooked) or ham, sausage or other breakfast-type meat (*Note: I had some leftover shredded pulled pork in the fridge, so I used that. If you have bacon or another meat that is uncooked, cook it in a separate pan prior to adding into the frittata mixture.)

1/4 c. Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions:
Preheat broiler.

Melt butter in heavy caste iron or other broiler-proof nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add bell pepper and saute a few minutes, until tender. Add tomatoes and spinach. Reduce heat to low-medium. Cook until spinach is lightly wilted.

Meanwhile, mix eggs, 3/4 c. cheddar cheese, salt, and pepper in medium bowl. Add egg mixture to skillet, pouring over entire pan, encasing the vegetables. Sprinkle cooked meat across the egg mixture in the pan. Cook until the egg mixture is almost set and small bubbles form on the top, about 3-4 minutes.

Remove skillet from heat and sprinkle the remaining 1/4 c. cheddar cheese and Parmesan cheese over the top. Then, place the frittata in the oven and broil until it puffs up and cheese begins to turn golden, about 3-4 minutes.

Cut into wedges and serve alongside fresh fruit and toast. (We had a slice of my caramelized onion bread with the frittata this morning. I will post that recipe separately.) Enjoy!

Triple Berry Scones with Flax

This morning I had an inkling for warm, homemade scones. I knew that I’d be grabbing coffee with one of my friends mid-morning and the thought of a fresh berry scone alongside a piping hot cup of coffee seemed rather fantastic. So, I rose out of bed a little before 6:30 a.m. and spent a few quiet minutes reading through Philippians over my cold bowl of cereal. “Fresh scones,” I thought to myself, as I pondered what “imitating Christ’s humility” could look like in my every day. I want to be a person who gives generously to others and looks “not only to [my] own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4).

Then it dawned on me...I have so much freedom in Christ, to share my gifts and resources with others, especially in baking. The other day, one of my friends shared how “baking is ministry of its own”. I like the idea of that, especially because I love baking. My desire to share homemade goods with others comes naturally. It’s an outpouring of my heart. On that note, here is a recipe I developed for homemade scones, based on skimming through multiple online recipes along with Mark Bittman’s “How to Cook Everything” and then deciding what I wanted to use and omit. I admit—my version of scones is much simpler than the more wordy recipes I came across this morning. I hope you enjoy it!

Triple Berry Scones with Flax
Makes 7-10 scones, depending on size

Ingredients:

1 ¼ c. all-purpose flour

½ c. ground flaxseed

½ c. whole wheat flour

2 tbsp. sugar

4 tsp. baking powder

5 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into small chunks

2 eggs (I prefer free range, organic grain fed)

¾ c. whole milk

1 ½ tbsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 ½ c. berries (fresh or frozen work great; I used a combination of blueberries, raspberries and blackberries)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In food processor*, combine flours, flaxseed, sugar and baking powder. Pulse until combined. Slowly add pieces of butter through top feed tube, while food processor is on. (Using the feed tube is the safest way to do this.) When the mixture looks crumbly, turn the food processor off.

In a separate large bowl, combine the eggs, milk, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Blend slightly (breaking up the yolks) but do not over mix.

Transfer the crumbly flour mixture from the food processor into the large bowl with the liquid mixture. Add the berries. Gently mix until combined, being carefully not to break the berries as the scones will look like vibrant plato. (Note: this is not an issue for me, as I like brightly colored food.)

With your hands, gently knead the dough a few times. Then drop the dough onto a greased cookie sheet, shaping into scone-like triangles. Feel free to get creative here, or you can simply make “drop scones” that are round in shape.

At this point, I lightly brushed the tops of my scones with one egg white, then sprinkled sugar on top. This step is optional but makes the presentation that much more dramatic—lightly browned, crisp tops are very attractive.  

Bake the scones at 425 degrees for 7-10 minutes, watching carefully. Scones are done when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for a few minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

**Note: you can make these scones by hand as well, it just gets a little messier when you are combining the chunks of butter, as you need to crumble it with the flour mixture by hand.