Creamy Sweet Potato Soup with Garlic, Chives, and Andouille Sausage

Nothing says comfort food for me like Soup. I have been making it a goal to try some new recipes with this season's ingredients. This soup is my new favorite. It pairs nicely with rustic bread on a cool evening, and is just the right combination of rich, creamy, sweet, and spicy. I highly recommend it. This is a gluten free recipe, which is easily adapted to suit your dietary preferences. Veggie and Vegan friends: see the bottom of the page for substitutions/adaptations. Because the meat is added in at the end after the soup has been made it is perfect for omnivores and vegetarians to share together! I challenge everyone to give it a try- it is not that complicated!

I love sweet potatoes. And I'm not talking about bright orange Thanksgiving "yams" that people drench in syrup or marshmallows and overcook once a year (gag). If you have a sweet potato aversion and that has been your only experience- hear me out. The tubers I am referring to are the buttery, subtle, sweet varieties of yellow and white sweet potatoes, such as my favorite- the Hannah Hannah variety. Organic option for this, and other white and yellow fleshed sweet potatoes are readily available in our area at this time of year.

Pictured above: two vintage advertisements for Louisiana Sweet Potatoes. Do an image search for "Vintage Sweet Potato Ads" if you have time, and take a look at some of these. They are pretty amazing examples of early 1900s fruit and veggie posters from the southern U.S. - with some beautiful art as well as some unbelievable Jim-Crow marketing campaigns.

Before we get cooking, if you are wondering what the difference between the commonly confused and mislabeled sweet potato and a yam is: most of the orange-fleshed tubers sold in the United States as "yams" are actually sweet potatoes. True sweet potatoes originated in the Americas, and are members of the Morning Glory family, distant relatives of the potato. True yams, long, cylindrical tubers which have origins in Africa and Asia, have scaly skin and are contemporary carbohydrate staples in Africa and the Caribbean. The title "yam" is used for marketing purposes in the United States to distinguish the sweet potato varietals with deep orange flesh. Sweet potato flesh can vary in color from white or beige to bright orange or yellow, or even purple. For pictures of yams vs. sweet potatoes and more information from a blogger who is very passionate about this topic you can visit:

http://youknowthatblog.com/2009/06/14/yams-are-not-sweet-potatoes/

As I do not eat pork I use an organic chicken andouille sausage. Andouille sausage and sweet potatoes are commonly featured in French-Cajun cooking in Louisiana, as well as other southern cuisine. This is the stuff Jambalaya is made of. Andouille sausage is traditionally a smoky and pork sausage made in a very specific way- I don't want anyone to lose their appetite so I'll be brief- but varieties of Andouille have probably been made in France for over 1,000 years. The recipes include wine, and unlike other sausages, utilize the stomach and entire digestive system of the pig. Although Andouille is traditionally mild, Cajun Andouille, which has been adopted in the United States, has a real kick. In the end, the chicken variety is a pleasing substitute that will not disappoint. Its use in this soup imparts a warm smoky flavor to the whole dish- perfect for a cozy autumn meal.

This creation is an adaptation with roots (hehe, food pun) as an Emerille Legasse recipe. Take caution not to overfill traditional blenders with hot soup. I ended up with a scald mark on my arm when the heat and steam within the very full blender led to increased pressure and an explosion of hot soup. Whoops. Good little science experiment which i won't be repeating. Blend in reasonably sized batches and pulse with care, or use an immersion blender. And now, for the recipe:

Creamy Sweet Potato Soup with Garlic, Chives, and Andouille Sausage

Cooking Time: about an hour Serves: About 6-8 large bowls of soup

Ingredients

Olive Oil

3 medium-large sweet potatoes (ex- organic Hannah Hannah sweet potatoes)

3 large links chicken andouille sausage, diced into quarter-inch cubes (or 2/3 lb ground andouille)

1 Cup onions, diced

3 cloves minced garlic

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 quart chicken broth

2/3 Cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon salt

Fresh ground black pepper

A handful of diced chives (3-4 Tablespoons)

Sour Cream

Directions

Step 1: Cut the sweet potatoes in halves, and coat in olive oil. Place them in a small baking dish and roast in the oven until soft all of the way through when pierced with a fork (45-55 minutes).

Step 2: Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, remove and discard the skin from the potatoes. Reserve the sweet potato flesh until ready to use.

Step 3: While potatoes are cooking, heat a 1 gallon stockpot over medium-high heat and add olive oil twice around the pan. Add the diced andouille to the pot and stir occasionally. Saute until the meat is well caramelized (crisped and deep golden-brown on the outside), ~ 6 minutes. Use a spoon to remove the cooked sausage from the pan and reserve- set aside in a small bowl.

Step 4: Add the onions and garlic, and a dash more oil if needed, and saute until golden and softened, ~4-5 minutes. Add the cayenne pepper and chicken stock the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer.

Step 5: Add the roasted sweet potatoes to the soup and stir, using a spoon to break apart into smaller chunks. Simmer for 10 minutes, then blend. This can be done with an immersion blender or in batches in a blender until smooth. Use care not to burn yourself. Return the soup to the pot, if necessary, and stir in the heavy cream. Season with the salt and black pepper. Stir in chopped chives and andouille sausage. Serve hot with a dollop of sour cream in the center of the bowl, alongside favorite bread (rosemary sourdough! woot woot!) and mixed greens (arugula and spinach with sunflower seeds in a light vinagrette).

Substitutions: For lighter/vegetarian/vegan option omit cream and cook with one additional potato to thicken, use soy-rizo instead of andouille. Substitute veggie stock or vegan bullion for chicken stock. For omnivores cooking to share with vegans/vegetarians, wipe/rinse pan and add new oil after sausage is cooked, and hold meet aside and add only to bowls of those who eat meat.

Autumn Dinner: Umbrian Lentil Stew, Salmon, & a Raspberry Salad (recipe)

Since returning from Vietnam, where the cuisine contains very little wheat and dairy, I have been trying to expand beyond my typical go-to dinners (some variety of pasta, with a side of bread) and have tried to think more consciously about the types of carbohydrates and side dishes in the meals I make. Don't get me wrong, I still love my homemade spaghetti and warm, rustic bread, but I want every part of the meal to be a conscious choice. This week I assigned myself a project. I decided to strive for maximum variety, and make sure the protein, carb, and veggies in each meal were unique, so that every single dinner this week was completely different. We had Israeli Cous Cous with fennel sausage and spinach in tomato sauce one night, a huge chef salad with various nuts, olives, hard boiled eggs, and blue cheese was another evening's dinner, and I followed that up with some long grain wild rice with lemon pepper cod and Greek salad. (Ok, ok, so the salads are a little repetitive- but organic greens have been on sale, and I've been using a different variety of lettuce or greens each night, and also a different dressing and additional fixings with each meal).

For tonight's dinner I bought some fresh, wild Sockeye Salmon from our market, and decide to try making lentils to serve along side. I bought a half-kilo (a little over one pound) of Umbrian Lentils- a tiny, multi-colored variety known for being smooth and light texture and flavor. They are grown organically in a traditional crop rotation schedule in the hills of Northern Italy. Aside from the unique yellow lentils in Ethiopian food, my last encounter with lentils was during my early childhood, and I really hated them. I remember the texture being mushy and terrible. This recipe was a nice surprise for me. Chris and I both enjoyed them, especially as a compliment to the salmon, and I will definitely try a variety of this dish again.

Lentil Stew

Ingredients

olive oil
1/4 C (1-2 slices) organic turkey bacon, diced
1 onion, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
1 carrot, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 large sprigs rosemary, finely chopped
all leaves from 3-4 large sprigs thyme
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tomato, chopped
salt and pepper
1/2 lb lentils
2-3 C chicken stock
salt and pepper

Step 1: Heat olive oil in a medium sized saucepan. Add diced turkey bacon.
(Traditionally this type of dish would call for pancetta. I don't eat pork, so I substitute turkey bacon. It is actually pretty darn close in flavor to real bacon. It is leaner and cooks to be crispier, which I like, and it is available in an organic, no nitrate added variety.) As the meat begins to brown, add diced vegetables (except tomato) and herbs. Cook for about 4-5 minutes, until very fragrant and vegetables are just starting to cook and soften.

Step 2: Add in tomato, cook for one minute more.

Step 3: Add in lentils, and stock. Simmer for 20-30 minutes, until lentils are cooked and just a bit soft, but still retain some bite. As lentil cook, you may need to add a little more stock. There should be a bit more liquid than lentils.

Step 4: Plate a large scoop of lentil stew, pair with salmon and salad.

Notes/ Varieties:
If serving as a whole meal, consider adding some extra turkey bacon and some mushrooms to round out the meal. Vegetarian version- Substitute mushrooms for bacon. Add extra tomato and vegetables. A similar, traditional Unbrian lentil dish is served with fried eggs on top.

Salmon

Ingredients
1 lb fillet of fresh salmon
lemon (juice)
salt
lemon pepper
2 Tablespoons butter
3 medium tomatoes, chopped

Step 1: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking dish with foil (I love recycled aluminum foil!), and place fish in dish with skin side down.

Step 2: Squeeze the juice from half of a lemon over the fish, then season with salt and lemon pepper. Chop 2 Tablespoons butter into small pats, and place them all over the top of the salmon fillet. Cover and surround fish with chopped tomatoes.

Step 3: Cook for 10-20 minutes (depending on thickness of fish), watch closely to make sure fish does not over cook.

Step 4: Plate alongside lentils and salad, serve and enjoy!

Salad

Ingredients

1 part organic raspberries
2 parts fresh seasonal greens (spinache, arugala, dandylion, butter lettuce, etc)
a light drizzle of balsamic vinagrette

Step 1: Combine ingredients in a bowl, toss together. Serve alongside lentils and salmon.

Good Morning Sunshine! Muffins (recipe)

Now that our chickens are finally getting the hang of things, I'm trying my hardest to use up the 4+ eggs we're getting each day. We also have some big crab apples up in the tree, and I wanted to put some of those into a recipe as well. This is how I used today's batch. Fresh fruit + Fresh Eggs = Good Morning Sunshine! Muffins (makes 12 large muffins- 219 calories/3g protein each)

Ingredients

2 eggs
1/2 C olive oil
1 C brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
a splash of fresh lemon juice
Fresh Fruit (2 C shredded sour apples + 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, or 1 1/2 C fresh berries)
2 C unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1.2 teaspoon salt



Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium sized bowl, stir together eggs, olive oil, brown sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice. When combined, add fruit, and stir until evenly mixed.
Step 2: In a small bowl stir together dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt). Fold dry ingredients into wet until just evenly mixed. Do not over stir.
Step 3: Use a large spoon to plop the batter into the cups of a muffin tin. Bake for about 20 - 25 minutes total, until still very moist- not browned- and a knife inserted into center comes out clean. Pull out at about 15 minutes before done, and add a dab of butter and sprinkle of brown sugar to the top of each muffin.

Enjoy warm. I made a batch of each type. 3 large apples from our tree produced about 2 cups of grated apple. The apple muffins were sweet and tasty- really nice to eat warm. The berry muffins are a little tart- not too sweet, and get a little bit more fluffy. Next time, I'm going to try pumpkin/pine nut muffins. Good Morning Sunshine!

Berry Muffins next to Apple Muffins

Reagan's Seafood Bisque (recipe)

I made this bisque after adapting a couple of classic recipes to include more vegetables and cut down on heavy cream. I wanted a soup that had more lean protein in it, and ended up deciding to add a final step, of adding in my favorite types of seafood after the bisque has been pureed. This is a rich, delicious soup that goes wonderfully with fresh bread, and any fresh, seasonal seafood and herbs that you have on hand.The whole prawns create the base for this dish, but aside from that, you can add just about any favorite fish or shellfish. I chose to use shrimp, lump Dungeness crab meat, and Alaskan cod. I also used fresh thyme and parsley from the garden. This recipe creates a giant crock pot of soup- I made it this way so that I could share it with friends, and freeze small containers to pull out for a quick meals down the road. If you are planning to make just enough to serve a family for one night, I would cut the recipe in half- which would then fill up a 4 qt saucepan rather than a crock pot, and easily serve 6 people as a main dish (and would give you 12-16 small cups of soup for side dishes/appetizers).

Ingredients

1 yellow onion
1 medium leek, chopped
1 bulb fennel, chopped
3 Tablespoons olive oil
4 Tablespoons butter
2 cans peeled, diced tomatoes, drained
1 small can tomato paste (around 5-6 Tablespoons)
1 cup Oloroso sherry
1 pound medium sized, whole, shell on, prawns
1 cup uncooked Basmati rice
4 cups heavy cream
4 cups half-and-half
2 cups vegetable stock
8 sprigs parsley & sprigs thyme- tied with cooking twine
2 teaspoons crushed, dried bay leaf
2 teaspoons crushed, dried basil
fresh ground salt and pepper
8 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
a few pinches of cayenne pepper
1 pound shrimp-I like the cooked, peeled, deviened shrimp meat (looks like tiny baby shrimp)
1/2 pound lump Dungeness crab meat
1/2 pound fillet of Alaskan Cod

Tools needed: Blender (standard or emulsion) and large crock pot

Step 1: Heat butter and olive oil in a large crock pot over medium heat. Add onion, leek, and fennel. Cook until translucent (about 8 minutes).

Step 2: Add tomatoes and tomato paste. cook until most of the liquid from the tomatoes has evaporated (about 6 minutes). Add sherry, and simmer until reduced by half (about 10 minutes). Count your whole shell on prawns, and write the number down. This will help you later when you need to remove all of them from the soup.

Step 3: Stir in prawns, rice, cream, half-and-half, and vegetable stock. Bring to a simmer. Add bundle of fresh herbs, as well as dried basil and bay leaf. Simmer gently, stirring every few minutes, for 25 minutes. Add lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and salt and pepper to taste. Continue to simmer for 20 minutes more (total time simmering = 45 minutes).


Step 4: Remove herbs and whole prawns. Discard. Puree soup in a blender. You could also use an emulsion blender or a food processor. I just have a small blender, and I ended up needing to blend two batches (about 90 % of the soup). The bisque can be served at this point. If adding seafood such as crab, shrimp, cod, halibut, shellfish, scallops, etc. follow step 5.


Step 5: After pureeing, return soup to crock pot, over medium heat. Add cod, shrimp and crab (or desired seafood). Simmer for a final 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently. If adding fish, flake into small pieces with a wooden spoon as you stir.

Step 5: Garnish with sprigs of parsley, and serve with warm bread. Enjoy!

Italian Wedding Soup with Homemade Meatballs (recipe)

Today a friend gave us a ton of greens from a weekly produce basket. I decided to try and use them by making homemade Italian Wedding Soup, with fresh greens, Israeli couscous, and homemade meatballs. I have never made meatballs before, and even though I was winging it, I was really happy with how they turned out. The quality of meat makes such a huge difference. We have been getting our meat from the UC Davis Meat Sale. Every couple of weeks UC Davis offers meat from their animal sciences program for sale. It is extremely fresh (slaughtered and butchered on site), and raised naturally- free of unneccessary antibiotics. The animals are raised in small numbers and recieve vetrinary care from UCD. The meat is SO delicious, and ground beef goes for about $2/pound. I just made up the recipe as I went along, and added what I happened to have, so I thought I'd share the basics here:

Ingredients for Meatballs:

fresh ground beef (2.5 lbs)
1 sweet yellow onion, finely diced
2 fresh eggs
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 Tablespoon red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons garlic pepper
2 teaspoons dried basil, crushed
freshly ground salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl, using hands. When evenly mixed, use hands to shape into small meatballs. Each one should be about 2 tablespoons worth of meat mixture. This recipe should make enough to completely fill 2 cookie sheets. Bake until cooked through (~8-12 minutes).



Ingredients for Soup:

free range chicken broth
Vegetable bouillon cubes
1 pound organic Crimini mushrooms, diced
several large bunches freshly picked seasonal greens (you could use any- I used chard, kohlrabi, mustard greens, arugula, spinach, bay leaf, and a few varieties of lettuce)
Israeli couscous (I used around 2 cups, dry, for a huge stockpot of soup)


For soup:

Put a stockpot on the stove, and fill with 50% free range chicken broth, 50% water. Bring to a boil. Add vegetable bouillon cubes (Use the amount of water added to broth to determine number of cubes- ratio on package, usually 2 cups per cube).
Add diced Crimini mushrooms, simmer for 5-10 minutes. Add choped greens and bay leaves, cook for another 5 minutes. Add Isreali couscous, cook for a final 5 minutes.

Vegetarians can eat soup plain (if you are eating with people who don't like to use chicken broth, you can use veggie stock exclusively), meat eaters can add meatballs as desired. A bowl of soup with 4 meatballs is well balanced. Garnish bowls of soup with parmesan cheese, and serve with freshly baked rustic bread.

Quick and Easy Banana Bread (recipe)

This is a nice recipe for those forgotten bananas that are starting to look a little spotty:

Ingredients

3 ripe bananas
1 Tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 stick butter
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

Step 1: Preheat oven to 325. Grease a 9 x 3 bread pan.

Step 2: Peel bananas, and place them into a small bowl. Add cinnamon and milk, and use a fork to mash mixture together until evenly mixed and creamy.

Step 3: In a mixer bowl, beat butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then, add the banana mixture, stirring well until evenly mixed.

Step 4: Add dry ingredients, and mix until flour has disappeared, then stop. Transfer into baking pan. Bake until cooked through and a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean (1hour to 1hour 15 minutes).

Step 5: Allow to cool for 15 minutes, then enjoy warm!



Variations: add crushed walnuts, dried cranberries (or both) with dry ingredients. Enjoy with honey or butter on top.

Next time I make it, I am going to try brown sugar instead of granulated, and crumble some on the top... we'll see how it turns out!

Cooking Up Comfort Food: Ground Beef Stroganoff (recipe)

Chris and I were both under the weather over the past few days. This is one of my favorite dishes to fight a cold- quick and easy to make, warm, inviting, and with ingredients like black pepper, onion, garlic, and spicy brown mustard to boost the immune system and clear the sinuses. In this version I substituted ground beef for the traditional Stroganoff's strips of beef tenderloin because it is what I had on hand, and is cheaper. (To stay on the cheap but avoid factory farms, I like the organic, grass fed, ground beef now carried at Costco)



Ingredients

12 oz egg noodles
1 lb ground beef
freshly ground salt and pepper
garlic powder
3 1/2 Tablespoons butter
1 Tablespoon flour
1 cup beef stock
1 onion, sliced very thinly
3 Tablespoons sour cream
1 teaspoon spicy mustard
(We like Sierra Nevada's Porter&Spicy Brown)

Step 1: In a pot or large saucepan bring water to boil, and add egg noodles. Cook until just tender, still slightly firm (3-5 minutes). When noodles have cooked, drain and set aside.

Step 2: While noodles cook, season ground beef with freshly ground black pepper, sea salt, and garlic powder (~2 tsp) to taste. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Melt 2 tablespoons butter. As butter starts to foam, add onion. Cook for one minute, then add beef. Use a wooden spoon to periodically stir beef and break into small pieces. As soon as beef is just cooked, remove from heat (do not overcook. Meat should remain moist, not dark brown and crumbly).

Step 3: In a saucepan melt 1 1/2 Tablespoons butter. Whisk in 1 Tablespoon flour until smooth. Add 1 cup beef stock, and bring to a simmer. Whisk for 1-2 minutes as sauce thickens. Reduce heat. Once sauce has stopped bubbling, add sour cream and mustard. Stir into sauce until texture and color are smooth and even. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Step 4: Pour sauce over ground beef and onions. Toss with egg noodles. Serve hot.

Variations: Sliced mushrooms can be added in with onions and lightly browned before beef is added.

Saturday Morning Coffee Cake with Raspberries (recipe)

I made this recipe up in an attempt to create a coffee cake that would stay very moist and spongy, have lots of crumbly topping, and serve as a complete meal. This coffee cake is by no means health food, but by incorperating lots of natural yogurt and fresh raspberries it is more nutritional than traditional coffee cake. See the end note for variations.

Ingredients:

3 1/3 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 sticks butter
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups yogurt
(I like Stonyfield farms organic, low fat yogurt in either plain or vanilla flavor. It is the best yogurt you will ever eat, and is more healthful and cow-friendly than other varieties.)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries



Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 baking pan, and set aside.

Step 2: Prepare streusel. In a small bowl combine 1 stick butter (8Tbl) melted, 1 cup flour, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, and 1/4 tsp salt. Use a fork, and stir ingredients together until crumbly. Pea sized balls of streusel should form. Set aside.


Step 2: Mix dry ingredients for coffee cake. In a small bowl stir together 2 1/3 cup flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt. Set aside.

Step 3: Mix together wet ingredients for coffee cake. In a small bowl, or in a large measuring cup, Stir together 1 1/2 cups yogurt and 1 tsp vanilla extract. set aside.

Step 4: In a mixer bowl combine 1/2 stick butter (4Tbl) softened, and 1 cup sugar. Beat on high speed, until very fluffy (2-3 minutes). Add eggs, one at a time.

Step 4: Add wet and dry ingredients into mixer slowly. First add half of dry ingredients, then half of yogurt mixture, then add the second half of the dry ingredients and second half of the yogurt mixture. Mix well after each addition.

Step 5: Gently stir in 1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries, and 1/2 of streusel mixture with a spatula. These ingredients should be distributed evenly through batter, but berries and streusel crumbles should remain mostly intact.


Step 6: Pour batter into the greased 13 x 9 inch pan. Use a spatula to smooth batter and make sure it is evenly distributed across pan. Sprinkly remaining streusel over the top of the cake.

Step 7: Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, until cake is lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Step 8: Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Serve warm, with favorite French pressed coffee. Enjoy!


Variations: Nuts, especially almonds or diced walnuts, can be added to the streusel topping. Raspberries can be omitted, or traded for any other fresh berries.

Paws-itively Delightful Dog Treats (Recipe)

Scout and Luke know that if they want to be in the kitchen while I'm cooking they have to "go to bed" and wait politely in their baskets in the corner. They are eager taste testers and floor cleaners, and love to have a front row seat any time I'm trying out a new recipe, and I've yet to find a more appreciative or forgiving audience. This recipe is especially for our furry friends- and even our dainty and selective foster dog gives these puppy treats her wag of approval. If you'd like to let your pooch try them out, they will be for sale outside of the Davis Food Co-op tomorrow afternoon as part of a bake sale to benefit the victims of the Haiti earthquake. If you can't make it, but still want to try the cookies, this recipe is about as easy as it gets, and lacks the preservatives, additives, and sodium in commercial dog treats- your dog will thank you!

Scout's Favorite Peanut Butter Puppy Treats

(Makes about 100 medium-sized cookies)

Ingredients:

2 cups whole wheat flour

2 tablespoons baking powder

2 cups peanut butter
1 cup plain, all natural yogurt

1 cup milk

(substitute organic ingredients if you so desire!)

Step 1: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Set out two medium sized bowls.

Step 2: In one bowl, stir together flour and baking powder. In the other bowl, stir together milk, yogurt, and peanut butter.

Step 3: Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, stirring at first, then mixing with hands. Add small handfuls of flour until dough is no longer sticky, and has a smooth, spongy texture.

Step 4: use a rolling pin to roll dough 1/3 inch thick. Use cookie cutters to create dog treats of different shapes and sizes.

Step 5: Place the cut out treats on a baking sheet, and bake until they the cookies are golden-brown (~15 minutes)

Step 6: Get your dog to show off some tricks, and then reward her with a delicious treat!

A 'Super Bowl' di Arancini (recipe)

On Sunday we headed off to watch the Super Bowl with some friends. As an appetizer, I decided to make Arancini. Arancini means "little oranges" in Italian, and they are the dish I miss the most since since moving home from Italy. The breaded balls are traditionally filled with risotto and cheese, but sometimes contain meat (sausage or pancetta) or vegetables (such as peas or diced mushrooms). The arancini in Italy were about the size of real oranges- a single one would be enough for lunch, and I liked how the rice, cheese, and entire meal came in such a tidy and delicious package. It was nice to order one and be able to eat it single handed while walking down the street. They were easier to find in southern Italy-Napoli and Siracusa, but I remember eating them in Rome as well, and I have never found anything quite the same in America. I actually love arancini so much that I was afraid to make them- it's intimidating to try and replicate something so wonderful, and I wasn't sure I would actually be able to make them hold together and fry them without ruining them. Well, the good news is- it can be done! Since I was attempting appetizers, I settled on the simple risotto and cheese varity, and made them about the size of golf balls, rather than the baseball sized ones I remember so fondlly. They were not as daunting as I imagined, and were worth the effort! The recipe below is for the small, vegetarian arancini that I just described. I plan to try large ones with different fillings next.

Arancini
(makes 20-25 individual balls)

Ingredients:

Several cups of Olive oil
or alternate cooking oil (not extra virgin- it becomes bitter when used with high heat)
2 shallots, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 teaspoons dried basil leaves, ground
freshly ground salt and pepper
1 1/3 cup dry Arborio rice
2 cups vegetable stock
2 cups water
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups breadcrumbs
Provolone cheese, diced into 1/2 inch cubes (20-25 total)

Step 1: Heat a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Add olive oil, once around the pan. Saute shallots, dried basil, salt, pepper, and garlic (until fragrant, with shallots turning translucent ~2 minutes), then add dry rice. Stir, mixing shallots, garlic, oil and rice, and continue to cook for 2 minutes more.

Step 2: Add 1 cup vegetable stock. Turn heat to medium-low, and simmer. Stir constantly, until liquid is nearly gone. Then add the next cup of vegetable stock. Continue to stir, and reduce liquid once more. Then add water, 1 cup at a time, continuously stirring until liquid is nearly absorbed. (you can reduce 4 cups of stock if you prefer, but I didn't want it to be too salty) Risotto should be creamy, but individual grains of rice should be just tender- not mushy. The whole process of reducing and stirring to cook risotto should take about 20 minutes.

Step 3: Set risotto aside in a bowl or dish and let it cool to around room temperature. Add eggs, and 1/2 cup breadcrumbs to risotto, stir to evenly mix. Pour 2 cups breadcrumbs into a bowl for breading.

Step 4: Run hands under water until just damp. Pick up a small handful of risotto-egg mixture in one hand. Gently squeeze it and form it into a golf ball sized sphere that will hold its form. Take one cube of cheese, and press it into the center of the ball. Pinch/pat risotto into place to fill hole. Roll stuffed risotto ball in the bowl of bread crumbs, coating with a thin but even layer. Place ball onto a dish or cookie sheet. Repeat this process, making a total of 20-25 arancini. It works best to rinse/dampen hands between each ball.

Step 5: Place a sauce pan over the burner, and fill with olive oil so that the oil is about 1 1/2 - 2 inches deep. Heat over medium heat to around 350 degrees. I don't have a thermometer for this- but I know the temperature is correct when small bubbles are continuously rising, and the balls immediately sizzle when dropped into the oil. The balls should not be falling apart or sticking to the bottom (oil is too cool). They also should not be blackening, and the oil should not be smoking, popping, or emiting a burning/stinky smell (too hot).

Step 6: Cook arancini in batches. Gently drop 4-5 arancini into the oil, and cook for 2-3 minutes. They need to cook all of the way through, and the cheese needs to melt. The outside should become crisp and firm. Use metal tongs or a slotted spoon to remove arancini from the oil, and place them on a plate, on top of a couple of paper towls to drain any excess oil. The arancini should be golden brown, with a crispy shell.

Step 7: Allow to cool for 1-2 minutes atop paper towels. Serve hot (cheese inside should be melted). If you are not going to eat/serve immediately, heat the oven to 200 degrees, and put a baking dish or tray inside as you start to cook the arancini. After they have drained for a couple of minutes, transfer them to the warming dish inside of the oven until you are ready to serve them or take them to your party. Enjoy!

(A guy at an Italian deli once told me that these also reheat in the microwave fairly well- but I didn't try it because there weren't any left).

variations: as mentioned above, you can make any type of risotto for this recipe. I have had arancini with mushroom risotto and with lemon-Parmesan risotto before. Red pepper flakes, pesto, or sage are nice herbs for seasoning. They are also good stuffed with peas, sausage, or other favorite foods.

Acclimation and Beer

I'm spoiled rotten. Why? Because every delicious thing that you have and will read on here has been tasted, savored and enjoyed by yours truly. Something I'm very grateful for and indeed, I do my duty of the dishes after every meal. Which yes, is not an equal trade but Reagan is happy with it and I'm good with that. However, there comes the rare occasion I actually cook. Sure I'll grill some meat on the BBQ as part of a meal but sometimes I get ambitious and decide to try something new. Below I've included a brief update about those "busy dogs" of ours and some foods I've prepared for our little family. I hope you enjoy.
Acclimation
After dog class last weekend, Reagan and I had a little chat about our most genius and deviant little dog, Luke. Named of course, for his knack for escaping from any attempted confinement. Lucas has come a long way, from the Costco 8lb packs of pastas that were pulled off of a counter and shredded throughout our entire apartment to the occasional and apparently tasty SOS pad he has consumed when provided an opportunity. Yes, he even is a model project for his dog class. His trainer often tells defeated dog parents of how a dog so defiant, smart and close to death was rescued and through hard work and perseverance brought back to be an *almost* model dog citizen. A tribute to Reagan's hard work no doubt. However, as we discussed when leaving the class last weekend, overall he has improved by leaps and bounds, but we also wondered, how much have we changed our expectations along the way? Have we become acclimated to a constant state of anxiety ridden behaviors that we have no choice but to think of as normal? How have we changed our behavior in the time that we have changed his?

It is with no doubt clear to any dog owner that most of the problems dogs have are a manifestation of our inconsistent or confusing behaviors, however, by training ourselves we shape our dogs' behavior into how we would like them to be trained. Last week I realized that Luke had also taught me a new trick that I was not consciously aware of. Previously, finding a brown box on my door step has always been a good thing. Whether a new shiny go-fast car part or a batch of good luck with finals cookies from Mom, a brown box on your doorstep is a little like a surprise Christmas (even when you know what it is.) So when I came home last week and saw the brown boxes outside our door, grabbing my key and hurrying inside leaving the packages outside to discover the destruction within. It hit me, what once was an innocent surprise has become a warning: Someone has knocked on our door, the dogs have freaked, your house may or may not be intact on the other side of this door, enter at your own risk...

The destruction actually wasn't so bad. All they managed to get their paws on was a Costco pack of paper towels that we thought was out of reach (though you can never underestimate package delivery induced psychosis.) Only one roll had been removed and distributed with great precision throughout the house and Lucas had donned a tutu fashioned out of the plastic wrapper. I'm not sure how this tutu would help him protect our house but I appreciate the fact he's trying to do something. . . It would appear that Luke is now Pavlov and I am his dog.


Beer of the Season
The package which had incited the frenzy restored my prior happy feelings about brown paper packages as it contained my first shipment of Reagan's Christmas present to me, a beer of the season sampler. Featuring my favorite of the four, a Mercury Brewing Company ale from Ipswich, Massachusetts. The Ipswich Nut Brown Ale an English brown ale that isn't overdone with too much sugar and much better taste than a similar ale like a Newcastle brown. They also included a good English pale ale from Mercury and then two nice brews from the Mendocino Brewery, the Black Hawk Stout and Red Tail Lager. I'm impressed with the quality of the beers and am eagerly anticipating the next shipment.

Fugassa
As I mentioned before, Reagan does work late and occasionally she has to put up with my cooking. One thing I made recently that I was particularly pleased with was some fugassa. Fugassa as my Grandparents call foccacia in their Sant'Olcese dialect, is downright delicious and the other day when missing family, I decided to make some from scratch. My grandmother makes it for me with salt and olive oil because that is how I love it, but you can add all kinds of olives, onions and cheeses to it. For this batch I made them both with salt and olive oil but cut some fresh rosemary from our garden to mix into the dough of the second loaf. Buonissimo!



Ingredients

1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
4 cups bread flour, plus extra for dusting
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
optional- freshly diced rosemary leaves

Step 1: put the warm water into a warmed bowl, add yeast, and stir to dissolve. Let stand 3 minutes, or until foamy.
Step 2: add the salt and sugar, stir to combine. Add the flour and olive oil mix, first with a spoon, then using your hands, until the dough comes together into a ball that no longer sticks to your fingers.
Step 3:transfer dough ball to a work surface and knead for 10-15 minutes, occasionally dusting the dough with flour until the ball is smooth and firm.
Step 4: Lightly oil the large bowl. Place dough inside, and cover with a clean dishtowel. Put the bowl into a warm area and let rise for 2 hours.
Step 5: Punch the dough down and divide it into 2 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball. Return to the bowl, cover, let rise for 30 minutes.
Step 6: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Oil 2 baking sheets (11 x 17). Place each dough ball onto a baking sheet. Flatten it to fit the sheet. (I would let it rise again here, though I didn't this time.) Using your fingers, poke indentations across the entire surface of each piece. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with fresh, chopped rosemary leaves.
Step 7: Bake for 14-15 minutes, until golden brown on top and bottom. Serve warm.


Pizza
Just pictures tonight, but Reg had to work late, and so dinner was on me. The always reliable pizza. MmmMmm.

Marinated New York Steaks & Wild Rice, with Mushrooms in a Red Wine and Cream Reduction (Recipe)

A rich and flavorful meal for 4. The mushroom sauce is the highlight- so tasty that it can be made to compliment many other dishes. Check out the links to favorite brands- chosen for their high quality and good flavor, but also because they are environmentally responsible / ecologically sustainable.

(for vegetarian version, see footnote)



Ingredients

Steaks and Marinade:
4 New York steaks
1 diced shallot
2 cloves minced garlic
olive oil
favorite red wine (dry)
2 splashes Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, diced
freshly ground salt and pepper

Rice:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup dry wild rice
1 cup stock
1 cup water

Mushrooms and Sauce:
4 tablespoons butter
1 lb mushrooms (shiitake, baby bella, or favorite), cleaned and sliced
freshly ground salt and pepper
2 shallots sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, diced
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 cup red wine (dry)
3 tablespoons cream

Step 1: Make marinade. Mix together diced shallot, minced garlic, 2 tablespoons olive, red wine, Worcestershire sauce, and freshly ground salt and pepper in a baking dish or large pyrex container with a cover. Coat steaks thoroughly (I like to use a sealed pyrex because I can flip the container every 15 minutes or so and make sure the tops of the steaks get coated well). Marinade steaks at room temp for 1 hour, or in refrigerator for several hours.

Step 2: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 cup of dry wild rice. My favorite is Lundberg wild blend Toast rice in oil until lightly browned, then add 1 cup water and 1 cup stock (I like to use Pacific Natural Foods Organic Free Range Chicken Broth- available by the case at Costco) Reduce heat, cover, and cook rice until liquid is absorbed.

Step 3: Make the mushrooms in sauce. Heat a large skillet or saute pan over medium-high heat. Add 3 tablespoons butter. When foam begins to subside, add mushrooms. Spread into a thin layer, and saute for 5 minutes. Toss/stir periodically until mushrooms are golden brown. Season with salt and pepper, then add 1 tablespoon butter, shallots, garlic, rosemary and thyme. Saute for 2-3 minutes, then add red wine. Simmer and stir, reducing wine until only 1-2 tablespoons of liquid remain. Add cream, and remove from heat. Stir until mushrooms in sauce have a pleasing, even, brown and creamy consistency. Cover dish to keep warm, and set aside.

Step 4: Grill steaks (medium-rare). The grill master of the house used his new Weber Baby-Q Grill to make these lovely steaks.



Step 5: Serve- Plate steaks next to a scoop of wild rice. Top steaks/rice with mushrooms and sauce. I serve with a salad of fresh romaine lettuce in a light blue cheese dressing. Enjoy!

Variations: For a vegetarian dish, skip steaks. Use a vegetable stock when cooking rice. Double the mushrooms and sauce. Grill or saute several bunches of cleaned and trimmed asparagus, brushed lightly with a mixture of minced garlic and olive oil. Serve mushrooms over wild rice with asparagus on the side.

Coriander Crusted Cod (Recipe)

Coriander Crusted Cod with Smashed Garlic Potatoes in Creamy Dijon Sauce

This is a simple but satisfying dish for 4. I like coming up with light "hunter gatherer" meals- lots of veggies, fruits, greens, and lean protein elements such as nuts and seafood.



Ingredients


4 medium sized fillets of cod, or favorite fresh, white fish
2 Tablespoons coriander seeds
3 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon freshly ground salt
olive oil- twice around the pan
1/2 stick butter
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 whole large yellow potatoes (peel on)
4 Tablespoons sour cream
4 cloves garlic, minced

Step 1: Cut potatoes in half, and put in a large sauce pan. Cover with at least 1 inch water, and boil until easily pierced with a fork (~15 minutes)

Step 2: Meanwhile, grind together coriander seeds, salt, and pepper in a mortar and pestle. Spread a layer of ground spices over both sides of each cod fillet.

Step 3: Heat olive oil (twice around the pan) in a large skillet over medium heat. Add fillets to heated oil. Sear undersides until nicely browned (~2 minutes). Do not overheat. Oil should not be smoking or popping. Flip each piece of fish and cook for another 2-3 minutes, until just cooked through (fish should be moist throughout, and just turning opaque). Remove fish once cooked, and set aside- cover with foil to keep warm.

Step 4: Once potatoes are tender, drain water. Leaving skins on, place halved potatoes into a bowl. Mash together with sour cream and garlic. Salt and pepper to taste.

Step 5: Heat Dijon mustard and several squirts of freshly squeezed lemon juice in pan over medium heat. Add softened butter, stirring smooth. Do not overheat. sauce should be warm and creamy, but butter should not foam or sizzle.

Step 6: Scoop 1/4 of smashed yellow potatoes onto each plate. Set a piece of coriander crusted cod atop each mound of potatoes. Drizzle with mustard sauce.

Step 7: Serve with favorite veggies or salad. Pictured: mixed greens, shredded carrots, and walnuts, in a light vinaigrette.

Chicken Pot Pie (Recipe)

This recipe, a favorite in our house, makes one 13"x9" dish, or 4 individual pot pies in 16 oz souffle dishes (pictured). For vegetarian variation see footnote.

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts
3 cups chicken stock
1 stick butter
1/2 cup flour
1 cup whole milk (or cream/milk combination)
1 medium onion, diced
3 medium carrots, sliced into 1/4 inch thick rounds
2 stalks of celery, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 cup frozen peas
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 batch pie dough (enough for 2 large pie crusts)


Step 1: Poach 2 chicken breasts in stock. Place 2 large chicken breasts in a large saucepan. Add 3 cups chicken stock, and make sure chicken pieces are covered by at least 1/4 inch of liquid. (If you have added 3 cups stock and the chicken isn't covered, you can also stretch it by adding water until the pieces are submerged). Bring to a simmer, and cook over medium heat until chicken breasts are cooked through (around 10 minutes- less if pieces are small, longer if they are partially frozen or very large).

Step 2: Use tongs to remove chicken from poaching liquid, and set aside. Reserve the poaching liquid in a large bowl (there should be at least 2 1/2 cups of liquid remaining. If there is slightly less than 2 1/2 cups, add chicken stock to poaching liquid until you have 2 1/2 cups). When the meat is cool, shred or dice into bite sized pieces.

Step 3: Melt a half stick of butter in the saucepan over medium heat. When butter is melted an just begins to foam, add 1/2 cup flour, whisk until smooth. Cook flour/butter mixture for 1 minute, whisking vigorously.

Steps 4-6: Whisk in reserved stock (poaching liquid). When texture is even and smooth, add 1 cup whole milk (or substitute by adding 1/2 cup cream and 1/2 cup skim milk, this is what I usually do because that's what I have on hand). Be sure not to scorch, and stir constantly. Add cooked chicken pieces.

Step 7: Season with 2 pinches of grated nutmeg, a squirt of lemon juice, and freshly ground salt and pepper to taste. Set aside (this can be reserved in a large bowl).

Congratulations! You have just made creamed chicken. This is the main component in chicken pot pie, but is also a tasty dish in and of itself, and can be used in various other dishes.

Step 8: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare baking dish(es). Butter 13"x9" baking dish, or 4 individual souffle dishes. Roll out pie dough into pieces, one larger piece to fit inside of dish(es), and one to fit over top. Line buttered baking dish(es) with rolled pie dough.

Step 9: In sauce pan melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. When foam begins to subside, add vegetables- onion, carrots, celery, frozen peas, & parsley, stirring occasionally. Cook until just tender (onions will become translucent, ~ 5 minutes). Stir the vegetables into the creamed chicken.

Step 10: pour chicken mixture into prepared baking dish(es). Place pie dough over top, and tuck the edges in against the sides of pan. For a nicely browned top, dab a little bit of butter on upper crust. Bake until the chicken is bubbling and the crust is a nice golden brown (20-35 minutes).

Step 11: Serve and enjoy!



Variations: For a vegetarian dish: Begin at step 3. Add 2 1/2 cups vegetable stock instead of chicken stock/poaching liquid, to create a creamy vegetable base. Add 2-3 cups extra vegetables to dish- I recommend 1 1/2 cups diced, sauteed mushrooms, 4 cloves garlic - minced, 2-3 potatoes peeled and diced, and a few shallots, thinly sliced.

For ease of preparation and fewer calories, the bottom crust can be omitted.