Monthly Archives: February 2012

Feb 29 2012
2 Comments
Vegetarian, We Eat Well

Citrus Marinated Tofu with Onions & Pepper atop a Fresh Spinach Salad

Last year, our friends the Juliano’s gifted a subscription for Bon Appétit® magazine to us. I was so excited when they told me, mostly because of the fabulous food photos I’d get to admire and try to emulate. Admittedly, I was afraid the recipes would be beyond our abilities. I was wrong… the recipes are beyond MY abilities, but not Jon’s. The kid is a whiz in the kitchen.

Last night, he combined a recipe for Citrus-Marinated Tofu with Onions and Peppers with a fresh spinach salad adorned with walnuts and pears. Perhaps the best part about the dish was the dressing he made by blending the remaining marinade from the tofu with cilantro and honey. This salad tastes so fresh. The flavor combinations are out of this world. I am adding it to the list of potentials for The Ginger Kitchen Food Truck menu.

Citrus Marinated Tofu with Onions and Peppers

served over spinach, topped with walnuts and pears

  • 3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
  • 2/3 cup fresh lime juice
  • 1/4 cup minced garlic
  • 3 1/2 tsp. ground cumin, divided
  • 3/4 tsp. smoked paprika, divided
  • Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
  • 1 1 lb. block medium (not firm) tofu, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices
  • 4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 Tbsp. honey
  • 1 medium red onion, cut into 1/4 inch thck rounds
  • 3 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, cut into 1/4 inch think slices
  • 4 cups spinach
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1 pear, diced

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil. Combine 1/4 cup cilantro, lime juice, garlic, 3 tsp. cumin, and 1/2 tsp. paprika in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Pour 1/2 cup of marinade into a resealable bag. Add tofu. Seal bag; shake to coat. Let marinate at room temperature, turning occasionally, for 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, transfer remaining marinade to a blender. Add 1/4 cup cilantro, 2 Tbsp. oil, and honey, puree until smooth. Season sauce with salt and pepper.

Combine onion and peppers in a large bowl. Toss with remaining 2 Tbsp. oil, 1/2 tsp. cumin, and 1/4 tsp. paprika. Seaosn with salt and pepper.

Drain tofu. Season both sides with salt and pepper and place in a single layer on one side of prepared sheet. Spread vegetables in a single layer opposite tofu. Roast, stirring occassionally until vegetables are tender and tofu is lightly browned, 20-25 minutes.

Prepare eat plate with a layer of spinach. Divide tofu, onions and peppers among plates, drizzle with sauce, and top with walnuts and pears. Garnish with remaining 1/4 cup cilantro.

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Feb 14 2012
3 Comments
We Eat Well, We Live Well, We Play Well

We aren’t ashamed… We love Valentine’s Day

Yes, we are one of those couples. And no, we are not newlyweds. This year, we will celebrate our 10th anniversary (12 years together if you count the dating years), and I’d like to think we are just as giddy and ooey gooey about each other as we were back in the day. If our Valentine’s Day gifts for each other are any indication, I’d say we are doing okay.

Recently, there’s been a lot of talk about the rise of Pinterest, and I gotta say, I am a fan. The site helped me find some creative ways to express my gratitude for family members at Christmas time, and it didn’t fail me for Valentine’s Day either. I created a Valentine’s Day board and “pinned” creative ideas for months. I was able to reference that board and choose a handful of things to do for Jon and here is the result.

Yes, each piece of fruit has a tag attached with a corny saying written on it: “ORANGE you glad we met?” “You make me BANANAS!” “You are the APPLE of my eye.” “We’re the perfect PEAR!” I also created the card using a printable card site I discovered on Pinterest. So many good ideas, so little time.

Jon, oddly enough, also used Pinterest for inspiration for my gift… though indirectly. A few weeks ago, while browsing the site, I found the picture below and exclaimed: “This would make me deliriously happy!”

Unbeknownst to me, Jon stored this idea and adapted it for my Valentine’s Day gift, adding pancakes in the shape of giraffes, which he had to practice several times in advance. What a cutie! Does he know me or what?

Finally, I drew inspiration from Pinterest once again to make these fun Marshmallow pops for my co-workers. Easy and yummy! I followed the directions on the original site and added my own embellishments.

 

Did you do anything special for your loved ones today? I’d love to hear about it. I can’t be the only one who adores this holiday.

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Feb 13 2012
2 Comments
Vegetarian, We Eat Well

Guacamole Bites with Hot Wasabi Mayo

A few weeks ago, I found a recipe for baked guacamole fries on Pinterest and couldn’t wait to try them; however, when I proceeded to make them, I discovered my avocados were too ripe and mushy! Clearly, this was a kitchen disaster, but thinking quickly, I improvised and created a fun, easy-to-make appetizer: Guacamole Bites with Hot Wasabi Mayo.

Ingredients:

  • 2 avocados
  • 1/2 onion, diced
  • 1 tbsp. lime juice
  • 2 tbsp. cilantro, chopped
  • 1 cup panko crumbs
  • vegetable oil, for frying
  • 1 cup mayo
  • 3 tbsp. wasabi

Preparation:

Remove avocado from skin and remove pit. Smash avocados and stir until creamy and free of lumps. Mix in diced onions, lime juice and cilantro. Begin heating vegetable oil on the stove in a heavy pan. Using a spoon and your fingers, form avocado mixture into 1 1/2 inch balls. Roll the balls in panko crumbs and drop into hot oil until golden brown, remove and place on a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb excess oil. Mix mayo and wasabi in a bowl. Serve guacamole bites with a side of the wasabi mayo.

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Feb 08 2012
1 Comment
We Eat Well, whatzup Articles

whatzup Dining In- Corned Beef & Vegetables, just in time for St. Patty’s Day!

Often associated with St. Patrick’s Day, corned beef has been one of my favorite dishes since I was a little girl. In fact, it was my dish of choice for almost every birthday until I moved out of my parents’ house. My affection for the dish has not waned, and luckily, my husband likes it too, so it’s on regular rotation at our house. This is one of my favorite recipes, prepared and served with two fantastic dipping sauces and a side of hearty vegetables.

Here’s the article in its entirety.

Corned Beef & Vegetables

Ingredients:

  • 1 12-ounce bottle Guinness stout or other stout or porter
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
  • 2 whole allspice
  • 1 dried chile de árbol*, broken in half
  • Cheesecloth
  • 1 turnip, peeled, quartered
  • 5 medium carrots, peeled
  • 4 medium onions, peeled, halved
  • 1 large parsnip, peeled, cut into 2-inch lengths
  • ½ head of cabbage, quartered

*A thin, red, very hot three-inch-long chile; sold at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and Latin markets.

Preparation:
Place corned beef in large wide pot. Add stout and enough water to cover by 1 inch. Wrap cheesecloth around bay leaves, coriander seeds, allspice and chile, enclosing completely, and tie with kitchen string to secure. Add spice bag to pot with beef; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until beef is tender, about 2-¼ hours. Transfer beef to large baking sheet. Add vegetables to liquid in pot; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and boil gently until all vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to baking sheet with beef. Return beef to pot and re-warm, 5 minutes. Discard spice bag. Cut beef against grain into ¼-inch thick slices. Arrange beef and vegetables on platter. Serve with Horseradish Cream and Guinness Mustard.

Horseradish Cream Sauce

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 6 tablespoons prepared white horseradish (about 4 ounces)
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped dill pickle
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives or green onion tops

Preparation:
Whisk all ingredients in small bowl to blend. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Guinness Mustard Sauce

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup coarse-grained Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons regular Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons Guinness stout or other stout or porter
  • 1 tablespoon minced shallot
  • 1 teaspoon golden brown sugar

Preparation:
Whisk all ingredients in small bowl to blend. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

 

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Feb 06 2012
2 Comments
Adventures in Baking

Red Velvet Cake Truffles

Apparently, when I wasn’t paying attention, cake pops and cake balls became all the rage. I remember the first time I had one. It wasn’t too long ago at a friend’s bridal shower and it was love at first bite. I mean really, who doesn’t like an ooey gooey cake covered in chocolate? But I take issue with the name, so for the sake of this blog, we will not refer to them as “balls.” They shall be called truffles, because that just sounds fancy, and frankly, these things scream “fancy.”

For a long time, I allowed the cake truffle to remain a mystery. I didn’t want to uncover how the cake got into the chocolate- simply thinking about it blew my mind. I decided they just existed that way naturally. But then, I started seeing them popping up all over my favorite food blogs and then Pinterest, and my curiosity got the best of me. I had to know how they got the cake inside that chocolate. Turns out, it’s pretty easy. I read a few blogs to compare techniques and decided to try my hand at making some this past weekend.

I love red velvet cake (and I don’t throw around the word “love” lightly- red velvet is hands down my favorite cake flavor and I will go out of my way to consume it on a regular basis), so it was a no brainer for me to choose red velvet cake for my “insides.” I referenced a few blogs, mixing and matching the parts I liked best from each, went to the store, came home and got to work. Several hours later and a whole lot of mess in the kitchen, I had about a dozen beautiful red velvet cake truffles. And they taste even better than they look. My only issue now is NOT consuming every last one of them.

Ingredients:

  • 1 box of red velvet cake mix (I used Duncan Hines)
  • 1 container of cream cheese frosting
  • 2 packages of melting chocolate (I used milk and white chocolate)
  • 1/4 cup coconut or other embellishment

Preparation:

Prepare cake according to package instructions. Allow cake to cool completely. I put mine in the fridge to speed the process. Once cooled, cut off any hard or crusty edges. Crumble cake with your hands in a large bowl until it is broken down and fine. Mix in 1 container of cream cheese icing. I found it easiest to use my hands to do this even though it was extremely messy. Mix icing and cake until it has reached a consistency of a nice, even dough. Roll the mixture into 1/2 inch balls, using your hands, and place in the freezer until chilled but not frozen.

Melt chocolate according to instructions on the package. I used the microwave and it worked fine, but others may prefer a double broiler method. Once the chocolate is melted, remove the balls from the freezer and dunk them one by one into the chocolate until covered. This process is a bit tricky, but I discovered it’s easiest to dunk the balls in the chocolate and remove with a small fork, allowing the excess chocolate to drain off before placing them on a a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper until hardened. If you want to add embellishments to your truffles (I used coconut), you must do so immediately or the chocolate will harden and they won’t stick.

Voila! Done. Super fancy and super delicious!

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Feb 02 2012
1 Comment
Adventures in Baking

Oatmeal Scotchies with Coconut and Orange

I love it when Jon bakes. That’s really all I have to say.

Oatmeal scotchies are amazing as is, but these transcend any I’ve ever had. Jon added unsweetened coconut, which lends an incredible texture. Coupled with the hint of orange, these cookies are simply perfection.

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon orange extract
  • 3 cups quick or old-fashioned oats
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 1 2/3 cups (11-oz. pkg.) Butterscotch chips

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375° F. Combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in oats, coconut and morsels. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

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