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Monday

18

November 2013

4

COMMENTS

Christy’s Homemade Granola Bars

Written by , Posted in Baking, Breakfast, Fruit, Grains, Guest Posts, Kid-Friendly, Quick and Easy, Snacks, Vegetarian

My friend, Christy, is an inspiration to me. She’s a great cook. A really great cook. She makes healthy foods taste great! She’s a homemade savvy, down to earth, super awesome friend.

She and her husband, Rick, are instilling great eating habits in their four kids. They don’t do much in the way of processed foods. I applaud and admire this. They don’t tell their kids they can’t have anything processed, or occasional treats. But, the majority of their food is made by Christy.

I admire this!

Christy gladly shared her favorite recipe for Granola Bars. They are a staple in their home. I’m going to make them as soon as I finish typing this post, to eat the rest of this week, and to take with us to Paris (I’m writing this way in advance… no working for me while we’re away!!).

Happy Eating!

Christy’s Homemade Granola Bars
 
Author: Christy Durrance (adapted from Kitchen Stewardship)
Cook time:
Total time:
Ingredients
  • ½ c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • ½ c. peanut butter (or other nut butter)
  • 1 c. honey
  • 1 t. vanilla
  • 4 ½ cups old-fashioned oats
  • 1 c. oat flour (or whole wheat flour)
  • 1 t. baking soda
  • ¼ c. wheat germ, optional
  • ¼ c. flax seed meal, optional
  • 2 cups total of any combination of the following extra goodies (or anything else that sounds good to your family in a granola bar): Chopped nuts (walnuts, almonds, pecans, etc.)
  • Seeds (sunflower, sesame, pumpkin, etc.)
  • Chocolate chips
  • Chopped, dried fruit (cranberries, raisins, cherries, apricots, etc.)
  • Unsweetened coconut flakes
  • Cocoa powder (up to ¼ cup)
Instructions
  1. Place butter through vanilla in bowl of stand mixer. Using a mixer with paddle attachment, beat on medium speed until smooth.
  2. Add old-fashioned oats, flour, baking soda, wheat germ (optional), and flax seed meal (optional), and continue to beat with mixer until oats are broken up into smaller bits.
  3. At this point, add 2 cups total of any combination of the extra goodies.
  4. Press firmly into a 9×13 pan. Bake at 325 degrees F for 15-18 minutes until lightly golden. Let cool completely before cutting into bars (I often cover and put in the fridge for a few hours which makes cutting a bit easier). Best stored in the refrigerator or freezer, though they travel just fine.
 

 

Friday

15

November 2013

6

COMMENTS

Chicken Pot Pie – In the Kitchen with Rachel O – Video

Written by , Posted in Baking, Dinner, Herbs, In the Kitchen with Rachel O, Leftovers, Main Dishes, Meat, One Dish Dinners, Potatoes, Poultry, Vegetables

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It’s cold. It’s fall. It’s the perfect weather for Chicken Pot Pie.

I would, I could, I will eat it any time of year. But, I especially love to eat cozy foods when the weather co-operates.

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Chicken Pot Pie is one of my favorites. That might be why I have made it twice, once on each show. 😉 You can see the original here.

I don’t know if I’ve ever not liked it. I mean, can you really go wrong with a flaky crust (I used Aimée’s recipe this time, yum!), sautéed veggies, and a creamy sauce?! You are shaking your head no too, right?

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I would almost be happy just to look at it. Even the one I made for the most recent show, as ugly as I made it (I had some trouble crimping the crust… I think I need more practice), still looked amazing. But, then you cut into it… Steam pours out and you get a whiff. Oh that filling… And you know that you have to eat it right away. Something this good just can’t be made to wait.

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Happy Eating!

Chicken Pot Pie
Recipe Type: Main Dish, Dinner, Meat, Chicken, Poultry, Vegetables, Stove Top, Oven, Baking
Cuisine: American
Author: Rachel Oberg – De Ma Cuisine
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4-6
A classic comfort food, this Chicken Pot Pie is perfect for a cool fall evening.
Ingredients
  • 1 T olive oil
  • 1/2 C carrots, chopped or diced
  • 1 onion, chopped or diced
  • 1 C potatoes, chopped or diced
  • 1 C zucchini, chopped or diced
  • 1 t fresh savory, chopped
  • 1/4 t dried rosemary
  • 1/4 t dried thyme
  • 1/4 t dried oregano
  • 1/4 t dried parsley
  • to taste, salt
  • to taste, pepper
  • 3/4 C peas (frozen are fine)
  • 3-4 cloves garlic, diced
  • 1-2 T lemon juice
  • 1/2 t dijon mustard
  • 1 1/2 to 2 C cooked chicken, shredded
  • 2 T all purpose flour (or 1 T cornstarch for gluten free)
  • 1 1/2 C cold water (or stock)
  • 1/2 C milk
  • 1 pie crust
  • 1 egg white, beaten with a fork
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat oven to 375F.
  2. Heat ovenproof skillet. Add olive oil. Add carrots through pepper. Cook for 10-15 minutes, or until veggies are tender, over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.
  3. Add garlic, chicken, peas, dijon, and lemon juice. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
  4. Whisk flour (or cornstarch) and water. Add to pan. Bring to a boil and let it thicken for a few minutes. Add milk and cook a few minutes more, but do not boil.
  5. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
  6. Top with crust (be careful, the pan is hot) and crimp edges with fingers or a fork. Brush with egg white. Make three or four slits in the center of the crust.
  7. Place ovenproof skillet on a baking sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the crust is golden and flaky.

Wednesday

13

November 2013

3

COMMENTS

Hearty Butter Lettuce, Fruit, and Tuna Salad

Written by , Posted in Cheese, Fish, Fruit, Gluten Free, Lunch, Main Dishes, Meat, Quick and Easy, Salads, Sides, Thoughts, Vegetables

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This was one of those days when lunchtime was inspired. Usually, I make the quickest and easiest something or other‚ that I can eat at my desk. Often it’s PB&J, or almonds, fruit, and cheese. But today was different. I don’t really know why.

Whatever the reason, I thought of the head of butter lettuce (which I do believe is my new favorite kind of lettuce) that was waiting in the produce drawer. I hate it when I wait too long to use lettuce and it goes bad. That’s a sad sad fate.

Then all sorts of yummy toppings popped into my head.

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Tuna for protein. And almonds too, for the protein and the crunch. Chopped, so it seems like there are more.

Super ripe pears that just made it into the fridge yesterday, because I’d forgotten that they were hiding in a bowl. An apple. I ordered 10 pounds of apples two weeks in a row. It’s taking a while to get through them. I don’t mind.

I’m totally in love with peony grapes. I’m not crazy about how awkward it is to get the seeds out, so I halved them and scraped them out before tossing them into the salad.

We have a couple cucumbers in the fridge that need to be eaten. Cucumber is a nice accompaniment to tuna. Also adds a nice crunch. I love a good crunchy salad.

I like a few small chunks of cheese in a salad anything. Today I chose gruyère, because that’s what I had on hand. It’s my current best cheese. I have to cut just one or two slices when I eat it, or I can easily eat half the brick.

For the dressing, I made a simple vinaigrette, my go-to recipe. It has balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, dijon, and maple syrup.

Combining all of this was a good idea. I wasn’t sure how the fruit would go with the tuna. But, I loved it. There’s all sorts of sweet, savory, salty, acidic flavors going on. At one moment deep mellow, the next light and fruity. Oh, and it’s healthy. I love that healthy tastes great. No cardboard-like food for moi! And, bonus, there’s lots of tuna and dressing leftover, so it will be perfect for making a tuna sandwich for tomorrow’s lunch, and maybe another salad the following day.

If you don’t like tuna, some shredded chicken would be lovely. If you want to add croutons, I think that would be swell. If you don’t like gruyère, try an aged sharp cheddar.

This would go well with the Leek and Potato Soup that I made for dinner yesterday. I wanted to have some, but was just too hungry to wait for it to heat up. Maybe next time. 🙂

Happy Eating!

Hearty Butter Lettuce, Fruit, and Tuna Salad
Recipe Type: Main Dishes, Salads, Lunches, Fish, Cheese, Gluten-Free, Fruit, Vegetables, Quick and Easy
Author: Rachel Oberg – De Ma Cuisine
Prep time:
Total time:
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • Tuna: 1 can tuna
  • 1 t lemon balsamic vinegar (or 1 T lemon juice)
  • 1 T olive oil
  • pinch salt
  • pinch pepper
  • Dressing: 1/3 C balsamic vinegar
  • 1 t lemon balsamic vinegar (or 1 T lemon juice)
  • 1/2 T maple syrup
  • 1/2 t dijon mustard
  • to taste, salt
  • to taste, pepper
  • 1/3 C olive oil
  • Salad: 4 C butter lettuce, washed and torn
  • 2 slices cheese, chopped
  • 1 apple, chopped
  • 1 pear, chopped
  • 10 peony grapes, halved
  • 18 thin slices cucumber, peeled
  • 12 roasted and salted almonds, chopped
Instructions
  1. Combine tuna ingredients.
  2. Whisk together dressing, adding oil last – streaming it in slowly as you whisk, creating an emulsion.
  3. Make two salads. Place 2 C lettuce in a bowl and top with fruit, cucumber, cheese, nuts, and 2 T tuna. Drizzle with dressing. Repeat on second salad.

 

Monday

11

November 2013

2

COMMENTS

Vegetable Stock Tutorial – Storage Tips

Written by , Posted in Soups, Storage/Prep, Vegetables, Vegetarian

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One of the ways that I love to save money is by making my own stock. So far, my favorites are vegetable stock and chicken stock. Veggie stock gets made from those sad sad items in the produce drawer that just didn’t get eaten. They are about to go bad and need to be used up so they don’t end up in the compost. Chicken stock gets made from the bones, giblets, and skin from a whole chicken (which is how I usually buy them).

Today, let’s talk about the veggie version.

It’s easy.

It will save you money.

It will feel like you’re wasting less produce, because you are.

Oh and bonus, you control what goes in it. I don’t salt my stocks. I leave them pure and simple, and add salt when I’m making the soup.

Whatever your reason for wanting to do it, here’s what I’ve learned to do.

I find some veggies, a few herbs, some water, and a large pot. Most any veggies will do. I’ve used broccoli and cabbage, carrots and parsnips, lettuce ends and kale stems… If you’ve got it, it can probably be stock.

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Cover the veggies with water. You can always add more later if you need to, but make sure there’s a good amount. Then it’s going to cook away for an hour or so.

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That’s it. You just made vegetable stock.

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If you want to go a step further in the responsible consumer arena, you could use water that you’d used to boil pasta to make your stock. Or water that you’ve used to boil potatoes, or cook beans… Sure, it will be a little bit different, but why not?! And then, an extra extra step, let your dog eat the boiled veggies. Our dog, Brando, loves them (which is weird because he usually prefers his veggies doused in bacon grease).

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Making our own stock is a great way that we can save money, use our resources wisely, and to be even more responsible with our food. Less waste, more taste. Let’s do this!

Vegetable Stock
Recipe Type: Stock, Soup
Author: Rachel Oberg – De Ma Cuisine
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 8.5 Cups
Ingredients
  • 3 carrots, roughly chopped
  • 4 radishes, quartered
  • 2 summer squash, quartered
  • 1/2 sweet pepper, chopped
  • 1 lettuce end
  • 3-4 garlic ends and peels
  • 1 lemongrass end
  • 1 sprig fresh sage
  • 1 t dried rosemary
  • 2 T dried parsley
  • 1 sprig fresh savory
  • bunch fresh chives
  • 8-12 C water
Instructions
  1. Place all ingredients in a large soup or stock pot. Cover with water.
  2. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil.
  3. Uncover and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 45-60 minutes.
  4. Strain and let stand to cool on counter for about 30 minutes.
  5. Refrigerate until completely cool and then freeze in freezer safe containers with date and amount written on a label).
Notes
Feel free to substitute with other veggies that you have on hand.

 

Friday

8

November 2013

0

COMMENTS

#TimAndRachGoToParis2013 – Bon Voyage

Written by , Posted in Thoughts, Travel

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There is a city that Tim and I have been wanting to visit together for as long as we’ve been married. There are actually a few, but one in particular that has held a special place in our hearts: Belle Paris.

I remember dreaming about it when we were first married, living in our tiny bungalow (ahem, which was definitely larger than our current home…). We had an old blue jar with a label that read “Paris”. We would put a few dollars in every once in a while, intending to store away enough to take this trip.

Seven years later, it’s time.

We are celebrating our 7th wedding anniversary (a few weeks late). Celebrating life together. Celebrating our love of food.

How we have waited and waited…

We’re excited for croissants, for the markets, and the Fromagerie where they will help us choose a cheese to go with our bread and wine. I’m anxious to try out my rusty French… I had 12 years of French classes. I hope I remember something more than bonjour and je veux une baguette s’il vous plaît (although I just checked my grammar in a translate app and it said that I wrote, “I want a wand please”… um…)! I haven’t taken a French class in 14 years. This could be interesting!

With that, we will give the keys to the house sitter and bid the dog adieu…

On y va… Au revoir!

(Now that we’re back, parts one, two, three, and four of our #TimAndRachGoToParis2013 adventures.)

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