Day 95.5- Dig These Bittersweet Chocolate, Pecan and Coconut Cookies

I know you'll all agree...after shoveling 20+ inches of snow for 4 hours, a couple of cookies aren't going to kill a girl. Hence, these beautiful, decadent cookies, whose original recipe comes from my favorite baking book, flour, by Joanne Chang.

I've adapted the recipe slightly, combining pecans and walnuts (because I didn't have enough pecans on hand), but other than a few procedural adaptations, I've stayed true to the recipe. These cookies are wonderfully crisp, full of nutty, chocolaty, coconuty flavor - and, the addition of oatmeal counter-balances any "I should be eating healthy food"  guilt you may have.  Hope  you dig them as much as we did!

Dig These Bittersweet Chocolate, Pecan and Coconut Cookies (Adapted from an original recipe- Chunky Lola Cookies - in flour)


1/2 cup plus 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup unbleached white flour
2/3 cup old fashioned rolled oats (quick is okay if it's all you have)
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1 1/4 cups pecan halves, toasted and chopped (I used half pecan, half walnuts because that's what I had)
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Using a stand mixer, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed for about 5 minutes, or until the mixture is light and fluffy. Stop the mixer a few times to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula. Beat the eggs and vanilla on medium speed for 2-3 minutes, or until thoroughly combined, being sure eggs and butter are well incorporated.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, oats, baking soda, and salt. Add the chocolate, pecans (and/or walnuts) and coconut and toss to combine. On low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter-flour mixture and mix just until the flour mixture is totally incorporated and the dough is evenly mixed.

Drop the dough in 1/4 cup balls onto a baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Flatten each ball slightly with the palm of your hand.*

Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown on the edges and slightly soft in the center. Let cool on the baking sheet for 15- 20 minutes or until they can be easily lifted with a spatula.

For best results, the flour cookbook suggests scooping the dough into an airtight container and letting it rest in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours or overnight.**

*I dropped them by tablespoon, and they still came out beautifully

** I didn't do this because we all wanted the cookies NOW, and they came out perfectly - next time I'll plan better!

Day 95 - Liberia - Chicken Peanut Stew with Collard Greens & Cabbage - Up Next, Libya

Chicken Peanut Stew with Collard Greens and Cabbage

After a long day of work, meetings, driving, shopping, laundry and walking the dog (that part was fun), it was a pleasure to come home and cook up a pot of Liberian Collard Greens and Chicken Peanut Stew. While it wasn't the most exotic or exciting of the many meals I've cooked thus far, it was simple and healthy, and that works for me.

Located on the west coast of Africa, Liberia is bordered by Sierra Leone, Guinea and the Cote d'Ivoire. Liberia's history is remarkable as it was founded and colonized by freed American slaves with the help of a private company, the American Colonization Society, in 1821. Liberia is Latin for the word "free." Tragically, in 1980, several civil wars erupted, from which the country has yet to recover financially. It is estimated that about 85% of Liberian's live on $1.25 per day.

Cuisine in Liberia is heavily influenced by African American as well an native cooking traditions. The country's hot equatorial climate is home to crops of cassava, peppers, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, ginger, palm oil and sugar cane.Greens along with rice and fufu are typically served alongside most meals which might consist of fresh, smoked or dried fish, beef or chicken, but in far less quantity than eaten in Western countries.

Chicken Peanut Stew (Adapted from Liberian Forum)

1 2-3 pound chicken, cut up
2 Tbsp. oil
6-7 cups water (depending on how thick you want the sauce, you can add a little less)
1 Tbsp. salt
3 Tbsp. peanut butter
2 tsp. tomato paste
6-8 sprigs parsley
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 potato diced

Brown chicken on both sides in oil in a large heavy pot. Add salt and water to pot and bring to a boil slowly, removing any scum from top with a slotted spoon. Simmer for 20 minutes. Mix peanut butter with 1/2 cup of the chicken stock and add back into the pot. Add remaining ingredients, cover and simmer very gently for about an hour, stirring occasionally.

Collard Greens and Cabbage (Adapted from Liberian Forum)

1 bunch collard greens, washed and cut into small pieces
1/2 lb. bacon, cut into 1-2 in pieces (ham hocks can be substituted)
1 large onion, sliced
1 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. crushed red pepper
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 cabbage, cut into 8 wedges
1 quart water

Saute bacon until browned, than add  onions and spices and saute until onions are golden. Add collard greens and water, then correct seasoning. Cook for 15 minutes until vegetables are tender. Strain before serving.

Final Assessment: Both the chicken stew and collard greens were tasty and easy to make. The hot pepper flakes added to the greens and cabbage gave them a nice kick. The chicken stew could have been a little thicker, so I decreased the amount of water in the original recipe. A straight forward and satisfying meal indeed.

Citrus Quinoa Salad with Toasted Almonds Recipe

The most challenging thing about quinoa is learning how to pronounce it, "keen-wah." After that, it's smooth sailing. A super healthy Peruvian "grain," quinoa is as delicious as it is healthy. While quinoa tastes and cooks as if it were a grain, it's actually a seed and has a light, mild flavor and somewhat chewy and creamy texture. It does a wonderful job of absorbing the flavors in dressings or vinaigrettes. Think of it as a healthier version of couscous that you can serve hot, at room temperature or cold.

I used to visit a shop on Grant Avenue in North Beach that had lots of vintage ephemera. The postcard that said "California, land of fruits and nuts" always cracked me up. Fruits and nuts. You have no idea. California is such a magnet for weirdos, and I mean that in a good way. As an agricultural state, we also happen to have lots of actual fruits and nuts. We are the top agriculture state, and the nation’s sole producer (99 percent or more) of a large number of specialty crops, including almonds, artichokes, dates, figs, grapes, raisins, pistachios, clingstone peaches, dried plums, sweet rice, pomegranates and walnuts, according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture.

I used the sunny California combination of almonds and tangerines in this salad, but you could use segments of navel orange, clementines or any other sweet citrus fruit. This salad is good at room temperature. It would make a perfect accompaniment to grilled fish or roast chicken, but it would also be a good potluck dish. You could go even more "California" and serve it piled high in an avocado half. It will keep for a day or so, but it best eaten soon after you make it.

Note:This recipe calls for the juice and zest of half a lemon. Zest the lemon while it's still whole, then cut it in half and juice it.

Citrus Quinoa Salad with Toasted AlmondsServes 4

Ingredients

1 tangerine, peeled, seeded and cut into chunks (remove as much of the membranes as you can)
1 cup white quinoa, rinsed well
1/2 lemon, preferably organic
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium scallions, thinly sliced
1 Tablespoon flat leaf parsley, minced
1/4 teaspoon sriracha, or more to taste
2 Tablespoons thinly sliced toasted almonds

Instructions

Rinse the quinoa thoroughly, then toast it in a dry pan over medium heat for a few minutes until it is fragrant.

In a medium saucepan, bring 1 3/4 cups water, the quinoa, and 1/2 tsp. salt to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is translucent and tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Spread out the quinoa on a baking sheet to cool to room temperature.



Finely grate the zest from the lemon and then squeeze the juice into a mixing bowl. Add the olive oil, scallions, parsley and sriracha. Fold in the quinoa and tangerine pieces, season to taste with salt and top with almonds just before serving.

Enjoy!

More fruity quinoa salads

Quinoa Salad with Pears, Baby Spinach & Chickpeas and Maple Vinaigrette from Gluten Free Goddess

Quinoa Salad with Grapes from the Kitchn

Pineapple Quinoa Salad with With Sweet Curry Vinaigrette from Poor Girl Eats Well

Quinoa Salad with Mango & Herb Marinated Shrimp from Well Fed

Day 94! Lesotho - Curried Potatoes and Onions (Kerrie-aartappels en Uie) and Greens with Pumpkin Seeds - Up Next, Liberia

Greens with Pumpkin Seeds and Curried Potatoes with Onions

Tonight's meal from the South African country of Lesotho features simply prepared vegetables as the stars of the show. True to my goal of cooking less meat in 2011, I chose two dishes typical of Lesotho's cuisine, which, eaten in combination provided a satisfying and healthy meal. Nothing fancy or complicated, just healthy, tasty vegetable dishes. Okay, I will admit that the meatatarian males in my house whined with such pathetic persistence, that I caved and fried some chicken cutlets just to shut them up. I, on the other hand, was perfectly happy with vegetables as the main course.

Located in the southern part of the African continent, Lesotho is officially known as the Kingdom of Lesotho. The country is a completely landlocked enclave, surrounded by South Africa. Translated, Lesotho means "Land of the people who speak Sesotho." Like many African countries, 40% of the people of Lesotho live below the poverty line, some subsisting on as little as $1.25 (U.S.).

Cuisine in Lesotho is heavily influenced by the Malay culture. Spicy curries, chutneys, pickled fish, pork and lamb kabobs are typical fare. As in many African countries, carbohydrates such as maize, cassava, rice and plantains are common staples. Peanut based stews, eggplant, tomatoes and spinach are also commonly eaten throughout the country.

Greens with Pumpkin Seeds (Adapted from Celnet)

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 small bunch of scallions, thinly sliced into rings
1 lb (package) spinach - or any cooking green - roughly chopped
2 zucchini, roughly chopped
4 Tbsp. pumpkin seeds
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a pan, add the onion and fry gently for about 4 minutes, or until soft. Stir in the scallions, spinach, zucchini and pumpkin seeds, then season to taste with salt and black pepper. Cook gently over very low heat until zucchini are done and the spinach has wilted (about 8 minutes)

Curried Potatoes and Onions (Kerrie -aartappels en Uie) - (Adapted from Celnet)

3-4 potatoes, in small dice
1 large onion, sliced
4 Tbsp. butter
1 1/2 cups beef stock
1 Tbsp. curry powder
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. flour
Salt and pepper to taste

Fry the onion in the butter until lightly browned, then add the potatoes and stir occasionally until they are warmed through. Add all the dry ingredients and the lemon juice to the stock then pour this mixture over the vegetables. Cook and stir until the sauce has thickened and then cook for about 5 minutes more until potatoes have softened.

Final Assessment: Two lovely and simple vegetable dishes, I'd eat any time, any day. The pumpkin seeds add a nice crunchy touch to the spinach and zucchini dish. The curry potatoes were very good, with a nice combination of sweet and spicy. Both can be served alongside meat, rice and chutney.

Day 93.5 - Savory Kale, Potato & Parsnip Pie (Vegetarian)

Kale, Potato and Parsnip Pie

Several days ago, an intriguing  post from NPR popped up in my Facebook feed.  Written by Bonnie Wolf the Editor of NPR's Kitchen Window, the piece boldly stated that the trendy and much revered cupcake would be summarily replaced by pie in 2011. Well, it's about time. Now, don't get me wrong, I love a good cupcake as much as the next person, but they're just so...so...precious. Pie, on the other hand, is straight-up pioneer food. To make a good crust, one has to have both a strong hand and a light touch. I like that.  Moreover, Wolf writes, the new "glam" vegetable of 2011 is kale. I adore Kale. Its beautiful, frilly, dark green leaves verily beckon me to make something healthy. Plus, who doesn't like to be seen in the check-out isle with big leafy bunches of greens draped over the sides of their basket - even if there is a rogue bag of Cheetos hidden beneath. How many vegetables can you name that make you feel and look good?

I do some of my best thinking late at night and, as I so often do when I have an idea, I woke my husband out of a deep and peaceful sleep to share it. What did he think about kale pie, I wanted to know. The man is a saint, and with one bleary eye open, he sweetly responded, "sounds good, honey, why don't you make it..." Why not indeed.

So I went to one of my 2 go-to vegetable cookbooks, The Victory Garden Cookbook, by Marian Morash (the other is The Moosewood, of course). For years, the Morash's had a gardening/cooking show on PBS and from that show, sprang this cookbook. To my delight, when I flipped through my 23 year old dog-eared book, there on page 145 was a recipe for Kale Pie. The original recipe calls for sausage and ricotta, but since NPR declared that root vegetables are kicking meat to the curb in 2011,  I decided to forgo the sausage and heavy ricotta and substitute potatoes and parsnips to add sweetness and depth to the pie.

 Here's a video I made that shows you all the steps you need to make this lovely pie: http://how2heroes.com/videos/entrees/kale-potato-parsnip-pie

Kale, Potato & Parsnip Pie (Adapted from The Victory Garden Cookbook)
(Serves 6-8)

double recipe Tart Pastry
1 lb. kale
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 tsp. chopped garlic
4 eggs
1/2 cup diced potatoes
1/2 cup diced parsnips
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup grated Regiano Parmesan
1 tsp. sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup light cream
1 egg beaten with 1 tsp. water

Take one-half of the pastry and partially bake a 10-inch pie shell. Blanche kale, gently squeeze, and roughly chop. Saute in 2 tablespoons of the butter over high heat to evaporate moisture; set aside. In the same pan, saute the onions in the remaining butter until wilted; add garlic, potatoes and parsnips and stir until potatoes and parsnips are just tender but still crunchy. Combine with kale and cool.

Combine eggs, cheeses, salt, pepper and cream. Fold in the kale and potato/parsnip mixture. Pour into partially baked pie shell and over with a top crust made from the remaining dough. Crimp edges, cut decorative steam vents, and brush pastry with egg glaze. Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 1 hour.

Tart Pastry

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. salt
12 Tbsp. chilled butter (no, this is not a typo)
2 Tbsp. chilled vegetable shortening
1/4-1/3 cup ice water

Processor Method
Put flour and salt into bowl of a food processor. Cut butter into small pieces and add to processor along with shortening. turn processor on and process for 2-3 seconds to break butter into pea-size pieces. Add ice water little by little until dough forms a mass on the blades (about 15 seconds). Put on a floured working surface and knead with heal of hand a few times to work dough and smooth it. Shape into a 5-inch circle, cover with wax paper and chill for 2 hours.

To bake partially
Roll dough 3/16-thick and 2 inches larger than the buttered tart, pie or tartlet pans that you are using. Fit into pan, pressing excess dough slightly down the inside to make the sides thicker. Fashion a decorative edge. Prick pastry with a fork. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Butter aluminum foil slightly larger than the pan; place it buttered side down in the shell. Fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake at 425F for 8 minutes. Remove shell from oven, take out beans and foil, straighten up pastry edges if the have sagged, prick the bottom of the dough again. Return to oven for 2-4 minutes to just faintly brown and set the dough. Let cool for 15 minutes.

Final Assessment: Even the meataterians in my house scoffed this pie down. The potatoes and parsnips were a perfect substitute for heavy meat and ricotta. I might try adding toasted pine nuts next time. Make the dough the night before to save some time - the rest comes together very quickly. Really, really, really good!

Day 93! Lebanon - Ardishawki Mahshi - Stuffed Artichokes - Up Next, Lesotho

Ardishawki Mahshi - Stuffed Artichokes

I love artichokes in every way shape or form. And I love Middle Eastern food just as much, so when I came across several Lebanese recipes for stuffed artichokes, it was, as my kids aptly say, a no brainer. Oh, yeah, and the pine nuts - anything with pine nuts in it automagically makes it to my top 10 list. One of the nice things about this recipe is that it could easily be adapted to a vegetarian meal by leaving out the meat and substituting spinach, rice or even tofu.

Located in Western Asia, Lebanon is at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabic hinterland. The beautiful country sits on the shore of the Mediterranean sea and is bordered by Syria to its north and east and Israel to its south. Lebanon's rich history dates back some 7,000 years.

Due to its location, Lebanon boasts a wide variety of starches, fruits, vegetables and seafood. Lamb and goat  and chicken are eaten more frequently than beef and are most frequently grilled or baked. Garlic and olive oil are used in abundance and vegetables are often eaten raw or served pickled.

Stuffed Artichokes - Ardishawki Mahshi

4 large artichokes
1 1/2 cups ground lamb or lean beef (rice, spinach or tofu can be substituted)
1 cup minced onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup pine nuts
1 tsp. flour* (I don't know why, but every recipe I checked, used flour)
2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp. butter
2 Tbsp. freshly chopped parsley
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Cut off the artichoke stems close to the base. Remove tough outside leaves, then gently separate the leaves to form a cup. Using a pairing knife, remove as much of the choke from the center as possible, being careful not to cut through the heart. Rub each artichoke with a cut lemon and place in a bowl and sprinkle with a little flour until ready to cook.

Meanwhile, heat a few Tbsp. of olive oil and fry onions until just slightly golden. Add meat, pine nuts, garlic, parsley and season with salt and pepper.

Next, boil artichokes in about 2-3 inches of water for 15 minutes until tender. Arrange them in a shallow pan and stuff each artichoke with meat mixture, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Squeeze lemon juice over artichokes and dot with butter. Mix flour with half a cup of water and pour into the bottom of the artichoke pan. Bake in 350F oven for 15 minutes. Serve hot with rice.

Final Assessment:  This was a simple, delicious and beautiful meal. As I mentioned, the artichokes are sprinkled with flour and a flour/water mixer is added to the baking pan before baking, but I have NO idea why. Every recipe I looked at called for flour, so I used it, but I can't say that it made a difference one way or the other....maybe one of my wonderful readers can enlighten me!

Pomegranate Avocado Salad with Miso Dressing Recipe

Happy New Year! It's hard after the holidays not to want to take a break from all the indulgence and make sweeping resolutions. My diet resolutions this year are simply to eat more soups and salads. Sure, I'd love to eat healthy, exercise more and lose weight but I'm trying to be realistic.

When it comes to soup, there is no problem. I probably eat soup for dinner once a week. While I grew up eating salad every night, it's just not all that popular around my dinner table. I have a couple of ideas to shake things up. I am going to try to develop more interesting salad combinations and recipes. I am going to get creative with salad dressings and I am also going to try eating more salad for lunch.

This is a salad I served on New Year's Eve. It is very festive looking, don't you think? The salad is light and healthy, but has a good variety of flavors and textures. The Napa cabbage adds color and crunch, the pomegranate adds color but also sweetness, which is balanced by the saltiness of the miso dressing. The dressing uses white or shiro miso, which is less salty than other darker miso. I've added a few teaspoons of tahini which I always seem to have on hand for making hummus. I don't use it for anything else! Perhaps finding more uses for pantry staples should be another resolution...

Avocado Pomegranate Salad with Miso DressingServes 4-6

Ingredients

8 leaves Napa cabbage, shredded
8 cups mesclun or spring greens
1/2 cup pomegranate "seeds"
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced

Dressing
3 Tablespoons rice bran oil
2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
2 Tablespoons white miso
2 Tablespoons water
2 teaspoons tahini
1/4 teaspoon sugar

Instructions

Whisk together the salad dressing ingredients and taste for seasoning.

Toss the cabbage and greens and dressing to lightly coat. Garnish each serving with pomegranate and avocado. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

More pomegranate salad recipes:

Fruity Pomegranate Salad with Savory Soy Vinaigrette from White on Rice Couple

Spinach Pomegranate Salad with Apples and Walnuts from Pinch My Salt

Golden Beet and Pomegranate Salad from Simply Recipes

Nigella's Pomegranate, Onion and Coriander(cilantro) salad from Real Epicure