Black Eyed Peas

Growing up we always had black eyed peas on New Years Day for good luck.  I have forgotten to make them the past few years.  This year I wanted to do a little spicy twist.  I knew that my kids wouldn't be a huge fan of eating black eyed peas right now, so I didn't worry about making them too hot.  

I took a bag of frozen organic black eyed peas and cooked them on the stove, just as the bag suggested.  

In a separate frying pan, I melted about a tablespoon of butter.  Added a few tablespoons of fresh minced garlic, half an onion chopped, a little salt and pepper and sauteed it for a few minutes.  Then I added chopped jalapeno peppers (about a tablespoon and a half, but you could add more or less depending on how hot and spicy you want it to be) and about a teaspoon of dried cilantro.  I sauteed that until the onions were clear and all the flavors had been cooking together, which was probably another three-five minutes.

I drained the black eyed peas, put them back in the pan and added the garlic, onion and jalapeno mixture.  I mixed it all up and then served it.  

This was a delicious side dish.  Throughout the week, I made spinach salads and added the black eyed peas to the salad.  It gave the salad an additional kick.

Sausage, Mushroom and Potato Gratin

I get Cooking Light magazine each month and I try to use at least one recipe from the magazine each month.  This recipe came out in the November issue.  

Here is the link:  Cooking Light, Turkey Sausage Mushroom and Potato Gratin

It was pretty good, but there just wasn't much to it.  If you want this to be a full meal then you need to add additional items.  

The recipe is pretty simple.  I decided to go to my local grocery store and they didn't have turkey sausage, so I just got regular sausage.

Instead of looking at the link here are the ingredients:

2 (4oz) hot turkey Italian sausage links, casings removed

1 tablespoon butter

3 cups chopped onions

4 oz sliced cremini mushrooms

1 1/2 pounds red potatoes, coarsely chopped

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 

1/2 cup chicken broth

3/4 cup shredded Swiss Cheese

2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

Heat oven to 400.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add sausage and saute for 5 minutes or until browned. Remove form pan, drain.  Wipe pan with paper towels.  Melts butter in pan.  Add onions and saute, add mushrooms and saute.  Add potatoes and salt and saute for 5 minutes or until potatoes are browned.  

Stir in sausage and broth.  Remove from heat, spoon into baking dish, top with cheese, cover and bake for 30 minutes.  Uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes or until golden.  

Finished product:

It tasted good, but I would liked to have added a lot more mushrooms, possibly cauliflower or additional other vegetables.  The meal was just lacking.  Next time I make this, I will either serve it as a side dish or add a lot more veggies to make it a more fulfilling meal.

Acorn Squash

My grandmother used to always make baked acorn squash in the fall, so making this dish always makes me think of my childhood.

This combines fall flavors and smells and is super easy to make.  I make mine in the microwave, so it is quick and easy, but you can bake it in the oven.  It will just take longer.  I know some people don't like cooking things in the microwave so it will just increase the cooking time.

Ingredients:

1 acorn squash
2 tablespoons butter
Raisins
Brown sugar
Chopped walnuts
Cinnamon

One whole acorn squash pricked with a fork.  Cook in microwave on high for 3-5 minutes until it is soft enough to cut in half.  Once soft, cut in half and scoop out all the seeds.  Prick the inside and edges of each half with a fork.  Put half of a tablespoon of butter in the bottom of each half.  Fill each side of the squash in a layer with the raisins first, then walnuts, then brown sugar.  Put the additional half tablespoon of butter on top of all the ingreidents and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Put in the microwave and cook until the brown sugar is melted and bubbly and the inside of the squash is soft and tender.  Then mixed everything up inside and eat.  It is delicious!

Brown Rice, Lentil and Vegetable Soup

I love this time of year when I can make tons of different soups.  I get inspiration from different receipes and then I usually just make up my own.  I found a recipe that included brown rice and brown lentils, but it seems very bland and plain because there were no additional vegetables.

This is a great fall soup that is also very healthy.  Here is what I made:

Use a big pot (like a dutch oven or something that can hold a lot of soup).


2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups white onion, chopped
1 tablespoon sugar

Heat the oil in the pan, add onions and sugar and cook for about 20 minutes until the onions are carmelized.


I love garlic so I tend to use a lot when I am cooking.

2 heaping Tablespoons of minced garlic.

Add to the onions and cook for about 3 more minutes.


1 cup white wine (if you have it)
Vegetable broth

Add to the onions and garlic.  I did not put an amount for the vegetable broth because I pour a lot in the pan.  Then when the other ingrediants are added, I add as much broth as I feel like having.  Sometimes I like a thicker soup and sometimes I like a lot more broth.  It is up to you.


1 cup brown lentils
1 cup brown rice

Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 50 minutes until the rice and lentils are cooked.


2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
Parsely
Basil
Salt and Pepper
Frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, peas, corn, lima beans, mushrooms etc.)

Stir in the above.  Add as much parsley, basil, salt and pepper as you desire.  I added about half a bag of frozen mixed vegetables, but you could add as much as you want.  I let this soup sit on low heat for about an hour or so, it helps to enhance the flavor.


Also, when I am eating it I add a little jalapeno tabassco sauce for an additonal kick.  It is delicious.  

Best Caramel Brownies

I wish I took a picture after I made these, but we ate them so fast.  Plus I made Dave take them to work the next day because I didn't want them around the house.  They were way too tempting.  They are super rich and decadent.  Delicious!  The recipe called for the use of walnuts, but I don't like nuts in my brownies, so I omitted those.  

Caramel Brownies

2 cups sugar

3/4 cup baking cocoa

1 cup canola oil

4 eggs

1/4 cup 2% milk

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

1 cup chopped walnuts, divided

1 package (14 oz) caramels

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk

1.  In a large bowl, beat the sugar, cocoa, oil, eggs and milk.  Combine the flour, salt and baking powder; gradually add to egg mixture until well blended.  Fold in chocolate chips and 1/2 cup walnuts.

2.  Spoon two-thirds of the batter into a greased 13-inch x 9 inch baking pan.  Bake at 350 for 12 minutes.

3.  Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat the caramels and condensed milk over low heat until caramels are melted.  Pour over baked brownie layer.  Sprinkle with remaining walnuts.

4.  Drop remaining batter by teaspoonfuls over caramel layer; carefully swirl brownie batter with a knife.

5.  Bake 35-40 minutes longer or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with moist crumbs (do not over bake).  Cool on a wire rack.  

Fresh Peach Cake

Another delicious Ina Garten recipe.  

1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar, divided

2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup sour cream, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 large, ripe peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced

1/2 cup chopped pecans (I don't use the nuts)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9-inch square baking dish.  

Beat the butter and 1 cup of sugar for 3 to 5 minutes on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy.  With mixer on low, add the eggs, one at a time, then the sour cream and vanilla, and mix until the batter is smooth.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Slowly add the dry ingredients to the batter and mix just until combined.  

In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and the cinnamon.  

Spread half of the batter evenly in the pan.  Top with half of the peaches (I put all the peaches in the middle), then sprinkle with two-thirds of the sugar mixture.  Spread the remaining batter on top, arrange the remaining peaches on top (like I said I only put them in the middle), and sprinkle with the remaining sugar mixture and the pecans.  

Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Serve warm or at room temperature.  

It is delicious.

The first time I made it I put the peaches on top, but I like it better when I put all the peaches in the middle.  I thought it kept it moister.  

Warm French Lentils

I love to use Ina Garten, aka. Barefoot Contessa recipes.  They are always delicious.  I find that sometimes they are a little too salty, so I always cut the salt down quite a bit.  I also like to make changes to recipes and add additional ingredients or cut ingredients to make the recipes more simple.  

Here is her actual recipe:

2 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup good olive oil

1 leek, white and light green parts, sliced 1/4 inch (Trader Joes carries frozen already sliced leeks.  They are great to use in this recipe and soups)

2 carrots 1/2 inch diced (I use a lot more)

1 teaspoon minced garlic (I use about 2 teaspoons or a little more)

1 cup French green lentils

1 whole onion, peeled and stuck with 6 whole cloves (I did this one time and it was great when I made my own lentils, but when I buy pre-cooked lentils I just chop up the onion and use it as part of the stir fried vegetables)

1 white turnip, cut in half (I used this once, but I don't use it anymore)

1 teaspoon unsalted butter

4 teaspoons Dijon mustard (I use the stone ground kind)

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon kosher salt (this is WAY too much)

1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and add the leek and carrots, cook over medium heat for 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute and set aside.

Please the lentils, 4 cups of water, the onion with the cloves, and the turnip in a large saucepan and bring to a boil.  Lower the heat, add the leek and carrots and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes or until lentils are almost tender.  Remove and discard the onion and turnip and drain the lentils.  Place them in a medium bowl and add the butter.

Whisk together the 1/4 cup of olive oil, the mustard, vinegar, salt, and pepper.  Add to the lentils, stir well, and allow the lentils to cool until just warm, about 15 minutes.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve.

So that is Ina's recipe.  Here is how I simplified it:

Chop up celery, carrots, onion, leeks and use pre-minced garlic.

Whisk the oil, vinegar, mustard, a little salt and pepper and put to the side:

I use prepared lentils when I don't have time to cook my own.  Trader Joes carries a pre-cooked and refrigerated lentils.  All you do is cut open the package and dump into a bowl.

Saute the celery, onions, carrots and leeks in olive oil until warm and the carrots are tender but not super soft.  I like my vegetable to be a little crispy still.  Finally add the garlic and let cook for another minute or so:

Add the vegetables with a little butter to the lentils:

Mix the vegetables with the lentils and then add the dressing.  Mix everything up and you have a great side dish or meal.

It has tons of flavor and the longer it sits in the fridge the more the flavors blend together and it tastes delicious.