Thai Steak Salad with Sesame-Chili-Lime Cashews

Kate was putting together a delicious-smelling steak salad the other night for dinner, when I happened to show up early for girls night.  And being the sweetheart that she is, she fed me :)  A mound of fresh spinach, beautifully glazed grape tomatoes, perfectly seared medium rare steak, and a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  With really crusty bread.  It was to die for.

So it's not surprising that the next day when I was brainstorming dinner ideas, the first idea that came to mind was a steak salad.  I thought I better try something a little different though, just to keep things interesting.  But don't get me wrong, Kate's salad was perfect, and I will most definitely be copying her sometime soon!

I turned to my trusty recipe source: foodgawker.  I used to favor tastespotting, because their layout is just more aesthetically pleasing, but the search function on foodgawker is just so much better that it has become my default when I need cooking or baking inspiration.  Plus, it doesn't have the annoying adds interspersed throughout.

After just a few seconds of browsing through the "steak salad" search results, I found the recipe.  It was from HALF BAKED harvest; the beautiful photos (seriously, you need to go visit Tieghan's website to just to see the mouth-watering photo) and abundance of fresh ingredients just pulled me in.  Plus, this salad had cashews!

I basically follower her recipe to the t, just omitting the hard boiled eggs, the lemon grass (only because it's so tough... the flavor would have been a great addition!), and the Thai chilies (if they had been listed in the ingredients, I definitely would have included them, but I only noticed them afterwards, in her pictures).  I also substituted half of the baby kale with savoy cabbage, because I happened across it in the Loma Linda Market, and really just couldn't help myself.

The only thing I would change for the next time I make this:  Carsten and I are more into the veggies than the steak, so I only cooked one steak for the whole 4 person salad.  The downside: there wasn't enough hot meat to warm the salad.  This kind of salad really needs to be warm.  So next time, I would either add more steak, or very quickly sautée the whole salad in a giant wok before serving.  Or maybe just the greens....

Alright, here is the recipe, [slightly] adapted from HALF BAKED harvest:
serves 4 as a main dish, or 6 as a side
Ingredients
For the Cashews

1 tsp sesame oil

1/2 tsp chili powder

1 1/3 cups raw cashews

2 Tbs honey

zest of 1 lime

For the Dressing

2 limes, juiced + the zest of 1 lime

1 Tbs fish sauce

2 Tbs ponzu sauce (or soy sauce, but ponzu sauce is best and works better here)

3 Tbs sweet thai chili sauce

1-2 cloves garlic, minced or grate

1 Tbs fresh ginger, grated

3 Tbs tahini (sesame seed paste) (Tieghan suggested you can substitute peanut butter, if you prefer) 

For the Salad 

2 cups baby kale or other dark leafy greens 
2 cups savoy cabbage (or just use all kale) 
10 oz frozen shelled edamame 
2 carrots, julienned (to the best of your ability) 
1 bell pepper (red, yellow or orange), sliced thin 
1 cup fresh or frozen mango, chopped into chunk 
4 green onions, chopped 
3/4 cup fresh basil 
3/4 cup fresh cilantro 
1/2 cup fresh mint 
1/4 cup black and/or white sesame seeds, toasted (I used half and half)

Procedure 

For the Cashews 

Heat a small skillet over medium heat and add the sesame oil, cashews and chili powder, toss well. Cook over medium heat until lightly toasted and browned, about five minutes. During the last minute of cooking add in the honey (I used 2 tablespoons). Remove from the heat and add the lime zest and 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds. Toss well and set aside.

For the Rest 

Add the steak to a glass pyrex dish or gallon size ziplock bag.

In a glass measuring cup or bowl whisk together the lime juice + zest, fish sauce, ponzu sauce, sweet thai chili sauce, garlic and ginger (DON'T add the tahini yet!). Pour about 1/4 -1/3 of the dressing over the steak, cover or seal the bag and place in the fridge while you prep the rest of the salad, at least 15 minutes (the longer the better).

Meanwhile add the tahini to a small bowl and microwave until melted and smooth, about 15-20 seconds. Add the melted tahini to the dressing, whisk until smooth. Taste and add more tahini or sweet thai chili sauce to your liking, set aside.

Place the frozen edamame in a microwave safe bowl, and cover with water.  Microwave on high for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, until edamame is slightly warm.  Drain well.

In a large bowl add the kale, cabbage, edamame, carrots, bell peppers, mango chunks, green onions, basil, cilantro, and mint. Give it all a good toss.

Heat a grill or grill pan to high heat.  Once hot sear the steak for 3-4 minutes, flip and sear another 3 minutes or until your desired doneness is reached. Remove the steak and allow to rest 5 minutes. Slice steak thinly against the grain and add to the salad. Add the dressing, cashews, and remaining sesame seeds. Toss to coat and massage the dressing into the veggies for 1-2 minutes.  Serve warm.

 

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Meatballs... and Raspberry Tarts

"These meatballs are really good!"

I never, never thought I'd hear those words come out of his mouth.  And as one who loves a good meatball or meatloaf, I was delighted.  Carsten found this recipe at the ever-trusted smitten kitchen, and it is definitely a keeper.

We've made them twice now, and it seems like spaghetti and meatballs will continue to be our go-to dinner menu when we have a couple over for dinner, and had enough time to cook together.  The boys are in charge of making the pasta - they've got it down to a fine art, so who am I to come in and mess that up?  And the girls are in charge of the meatballs and sauce.  The guys can cover the salad, and the girls are all over the dessert.  Dessert is, after all, my favorite part to make.

This time, we had the Sharps over for dinner, and for dessert we made raspberry tarts.  I finally got to pull out the cute little individual tart pans that Mom got me a while ago.  I'd been waiting and waiting for the perfect opportunity to use them :)  I just threw together a whole wheat pie crust, then Michelle and I filled the tarts with a combination of whipped cream, mascarpone cheese, a couple spoonfuls of an italian sparking wine, a tablespoon of powdered sugar, and some lemon zest.  Then we piled them with fresh raspberries.  Yumm.

But as good as dessert was, the fresh pasta and homemade meatballs were the star of the evening.

Ingredients
serves about 8
1 lb lean ground beef
1 lb italian sausage (unwrapped)
3-4 slices bacon
1 1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/3 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 egg
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste
1 teaspoon onion powder

Procedure
In a large skillet, cook the bacon until almost crispy.  Set the bacon aside to cool, leaving the grease in the pan.  Finely chop the bacon, and combine it with the ground beef, italian sausage and breadcrumbs.  Mix with your hands until well combined.  In the bacon grease, sautée the onion and garlic, then add to the meat mixture, again leaving the grease behind in the pan.  Whisk the egg, then add it to the meat, along with the parsley, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and onion powder.

Form the meat into 2-inch balls.  Set the pan with the bacon grease over low heat, and add as many meatballs to the pan as you can, without having any touching each other.  Cover, and let them cook for a couple minutes on each side.  You want them to brown, but you also want them to cook fully before they burn on the outside!  When cooked, remove from the pan and let drain on a paper towel.  Continue cooking in batches until all meatballs are cooked.



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Avgolemono: Lemon Chicken Soup

Two meals that I only ever tasted once during my childhood stick out vividly in my mind to this day.  They were that good.  First, an incredible peanut soup that I had at a friend's house.  Her mom set steaming bowl in front of me, and I'll admit, I was wary... peanut soup?  It was unlike anything I had ever tasted before, and it was amazing.  The second was also a soup.  And it was also at a friend's house.  My best friend growing up had the most amazing cook for a mother.  And I spent so much time at her house that I started calling her mom Auntie Suzanne.  One day she set a bowl of lemon chicken soup in front of me, and I've dreamed about it ever since.

Yesterday Carsten requested soup for dinner.  He knows I love soup, and they are relatively quick to throw together.  When I don't follow a recipe though, my soups all turn out about the same: delicious but not entirely exciting when you just ate it a week prior ;)  So I decided to look for a recipe, and Auntie Suzanne's lemon chicken soup immediately came to mind.  I have no idea why it has taken me this long to try to make it.  It's maybe the easiest soup I've ever made, and if you're craving soup on a hot summer day, this one is refreshing, even though it's piping hot.  I found this recipe at Katie at the Kitchen Door, and adapted it only very very slightly.  Enjoy!


Ingredients
(serves 2, with maybe a bit for leftovers)

6 cups chicken broth (I use low sodium)
2 chicken legs
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed or finely minced
1/2 cup brown rice
1 can cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 eggs, separated, at room temperature
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
salt and pepper to taste (I didn't feel the need to add any salt)

Procedure
In a large pot over medium-high heat, combine the chicken broth, chicken, minced/crushed garlic, and brown rice. Bring to a boil, then cover, and reduce to a simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until both the rice and the chicken are fully cooked – the rice should be tender and the chicken should be cooked through, with no pink in the middle when you cut into it.

Remove the chicken from the pot and place on a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones, discard skin and bones, tear meat into bite-sized pieces, and set aside.

Beat the egg white with a whisk in a medium bowl until it is white and thick. Lightly beat the egg yolk, then add the egg yolk to the beaten egg white and whisk together. Slowly pour the lemon juice into the egg mixture as you whisk. The mixture should be pale yellow and fairly thick. Slowly add a thin stream of the hot broth-rice mixture to the egg-lemon mixture, whisking the eggs vigorously as you do so, to temper the eggs, using about 2 cups of the broth mixture. Pour the tempered egg-lemon mixture back into the pot, whisking the soup as you do so. Continue to stir, and add the chicken pieces, chickpeas, and dill to the pot. Cook over low heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring, to heat all ingredients through and slightly thicken the soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve hot.


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Stuffed Chicken and Sautéed Radishes with Peach Arugula Salad

We just got home from our vacation in Spain with all of the married Hamanns - including the newlyweds, who joined us straight from their honeymoon!  As a family, we spent a few days on the beach in Sitges and a week in Barcelona, enjoying the sun, beautiful sites, and amazing seafood... probably too much of it.

Now that we're back, Carsten is into full-on study mode for Boards part 2.  He's got a strict schedule he follows, including his breaks for lunch and exercise and dinner.  That's my job for this month: making him a yummy and healthy dinner each night.  Full of veggies and protein.  It's only been one week, but I'm enjoying the challenge of coming up with a delicious and healthy well-rounded meal day after day.  As we normally eat vegetarian when it's just the two of us, it's proved even more challenging to mix up the protein sources...

Tonight was definitely a success.  I know, because he suggested I blog it ;)

The stuffed chicken I adapted from a recipe I found at From Calculu∫ to Cupcake∫.  Maybe I was drawn to it because I relate to math and baking name, or maybe it was just the mouth-watering picture, that looks like anything but a boring chicken breast.

The sweet sautéed radishes I found over at The Endless Meal.  The fabulous photographs are definitely what got me on this one.

And the peach salad I threw together because I was lucky enough to find some fabulous peaches at the grocery store.  I could eat this salad all day... it's like a healthy dessert.

Stuffed Chicken
Ingredients
serves 2
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 oz cream cheese (I used fat-free)
4 oz frozen spinach, thawed
4 oz mushrooms, chopped into small 1/4-inch pieces (I used mini porcini mushrooms)
1 Tbs drained and chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1 tsp cooking olive oil
salt and fresh black pepper to taste
paprika
any other seasoning of your choice

Procedure
Let the spinach thaw enough to separate out 4oz.  Return the remaining spinach to the freezer for later use.  Place the chicken on parchment paper, and using a meat tenderizer mallet, pound each chicken breast until about 1/4 inch thick.  Fold the paper over the chicken, and place in the fridge until ready to use.
Add olive oil to a pan over medium heat, and sautée the mushrooms until most of the moisture has been released and evaporated.  Add the sun-dried tomatoes and the cream cheese, and stir until the cheese is melted and well-incorporated.  Squeeze all of the liquid out of the spinach, and add it to the pan.  Mix well, and add salt and pepper to taste.  Set aside to until cool enough to handle.
Remove the chicken from the fridge, and evenly distribute half of the filling onto one end of each breast.  Roll up the breast, taking care not to let the stuffing fall out the sides.  Secure the chicken with tooth picks or kitchen twine.
Drizzle or spray each roll with a little olive oil, then sprinkle with salt, pepper, paprika, and any other seasoning you desire.  Return chicken to the fridge until ready to cook (you can prepare these up to a day in advance).

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Place chicken rolls on a baking sheet, and bake until chicken is fully cooked but still moist, about 15 minutes.  Remove tooth picks or twine before serving.


Sweet Sautéed Radishes
Ingredients
serves 2-3
1 bunch of radishes, about 10 in total
1/2 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp butter
1 Tbs honey
1 Tbs sherry vinegar (or vinegar of your choice)
dash of sea salt

Procedure
Twist the leaves off the radishes and wash the radishes well. Thinly slice 2 radishes into rounds and set them aside. Then cut the remaining radishes in half lengthwise. Wash the leaves well, place them in a large bowl and set them aside.
Heat the olive oil in a cast iron or non-stick frying pan over medium high heat. Add the radishes, cut side down, to the pan. Sautée them for 3-4 minutes, or until the bottoms are brown. Remove them from the pan and place them in the bowl with the radish greens.
In a small sauce pan, heat the butter, honey, vinegar and salt over medium heat.  It will come to a boil.  Cook until the glaze thickens, then pour the glaze over the sautéed radishes and radish greens.  Toss well to coat.
Transfer the sautéed radishes and greens to a serving plate, scatter the thinly sliced radishes around the plate and sprinkle the top with a little extra sea salt.


Peach Arugula Salad
Ingredients
serves 2
2 handfuls arugula
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1 Tbs crumbled goat cheese
1 ripe peach, peeled and chopped

olive oil
balsamic vinegar

Procedure
Assemble the ingredients on two plates in the order listed, top with a light drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

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Crustless Spinach Quiche

Photo Credit: Jay Eads

Last month, my dearest Oma passed away.  She came into my life when I met Carsten, and she adopted me as another one of her granddaughters when Carsten and I were married.  Every minute I had with her over the last seven years was treasured.  There was more love and selfless generosity, more adventurous spirit and zest for life packed into that one tiny lady than I'm likely to find in another person in this lifetime.

On Easter weekend, every single family member joined together to celebrate her life, and the moments we were blessed enough to share with her.  Many emotional tears were shed, and laughs were expelled as we reminisced over our memories.  The morning of the memorial service, everyone gathered at Uncle Gregg's house for a family breakfast.  This recipe I discovered there, and I've slightly adapted it (adding spinach), just to fit my personal taste.  But this quiche will always remind me of that family gathering.

Ingredients
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
3/4 cup milk
1 1/4 cup cottage cheese
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground mustard
1/4 tsp salt
5 eggs
6 oz cream cheese (low fat works just fine!)
6 oz Jarlsberg or Emmental cheese, shredded
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 10oz pkg frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed to remove all moisture

Procedure 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium low heat. Whisk in the flour until smooth, then gradually add the milk while continuing to whisk. Bring up to medium heat, and continue to stir.  When it begins to bubble, continue to cook for 2 minutes, until thickened. Remove from the heat and let cool for 15 minutes. 

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the cottage cheese, baking powder, mustard and salt. In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat eggs. Slowly beat in the cream cheese, then cottage cheese mixture and roux (butter/flour/milk mixture) until well combined. Fold in the Jarlsberg and Parmesan, then the spinach.

Pour into a greased 9 inch pie pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting. Serve warm.



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Red Wine Beef Stew

 
The Holiday season this year was just what I'd hoped for: lots of quality time with friends and family, and just enough relaxation and time to myself at the end that I feel rejuvenated and ready to go back to work/school tomorrow.  The Christmas festivities began the weekend after Thanksgiving.  I had the house to myself, Carsten was at the hospital working hard.  I turned on the Christmas music and pulled the Christmas boxes out of the attic.  I sang along and decorated the house to my hearts content - taking a break only to head out a buy a few more things.  Maybe next year we'll get our first Christmas tree, but this year I decided to fill my house with poinsettias instead - a little trick I learned from my mother-in-law.  A fast and easy way to bring the feeling of Christmas into the house without the hassle of a tree.  But don't get me wrong, I love Christmas trees.  Love them.  Next year, hopefully.  I also bought - don't hate me for this - pine cones.  I know, I should be ashamed, especially as an Oregonian.  And I was.  Knowing how many times I've tripped over pine cones on my runs, it felt utterly stupid to be paying for a little bundle of them.  But I wanted them to decorate with, and I wanted them then.  *sigh*  forgive me.

Needless to say, my home soon felt and smelled like Christmas, and I was eager to fill my house with friends.  The last week of school, we had a Christmas dinner party with my classmates.  I prepared a delicious lentil stew (with homemade chicken stock) and a mouth-watering red wine beef stew.  My first beef stew ever.  I was a little nervous, as a bad beef stew can be pretty awful, so I read through many recipes until I came up with a combination of a few recipes that I thought would be good.  At the end of the night, the pot was scraped clean, so I'll count this one as a success.  Unfortunately, I only remembered to snap one picture, and it was long before the stew was completed.

I also made a delicious gingerbread cake (recipe here) and a scrumptious maple whipped cream topping (recipe here), and garnished it with pomegranate seeds.  Dessert was just as appreciated as the stews - but I forgot to take any pictures :(

Ingredients
2 lbs stew beef, but into 1-inch chunks

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 3 tablespoon + more if you need it olive oil 1 medium-sized chopped yellow onion 4 medium-sized carrots, peeled and chopped 2 large yams (sweet potatoes), washed and chopped 4 clove garlic, crushed 1 handful of fresh parsley or 2 tablespoons of dried 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme 12-14 ounces of red wine, something you would drink 1 cup low sodium beef stock (I only had vegetable and used that) 3 tablespoon apple cider vinegar - See more at: http://kneadtocook.com/slow-roasted-beef-stew/#sthash.7DVTItgE.dpuf

3 Tbs all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
3+ Tbs olive oil (more as needed)
1 medium sweet onion
4 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
1 lb potatoes, peeled and chopped (about 4 medium)
3 medium parsnips, peeled and chopped
5 cloves garlic, crushed
a few sprigs of fresh rosemary
a few sprigs of fresh thyme
1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
2 cups red wine (something you would drink - it's nice to have an extra bottle to drink with the meal)
1-2 cups low sodium beef stock
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

Procedure
place beef pieces in a colander and rinse with cold water.  Pat dry with paper towels.  In a large ziploc bag, combine flour, salt, paprika, and black pepper.  Shake to mix, then add the beef pieces.  Shake to evenly coat all the meat.
Meanwhile, heat 3 Tbs olive oil in a Dutch oven on the stove over medium heat.  If you don't have a Dutch oven, you'll need a heavy bottom stew pot.  When the oil is nice and hot, but not quite smoking, carefully add a layer of beef - you'll need to work in batches.  Brown the beef on all sides, then remove and set on a plate lined with paper towels.  Once all of the meat is browned, you'll have a tick brown crust on the bottom of your pan.  That's where all the flavor is!  To keep all this good flavor in, add the apple cider vinegar to the pot, and scrape the botton until all little brown bits are loose.  Be careful of the steam!
Add the meat back into the pot, along with all the other ingredients (using just 1 cup of beef stock).  Stir and reduce the heat to low.  Let the stew cook for 2.5-4 hours, stirring frequently to prevent burning.  Check the liquid level periodically, adding more stock or wine as need be.  The meat should be falling apart and the vegetables tender.

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3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 3 tablespoon + more if you need it olive oil 1 medium-sized chopped yellow onion 4 medium-sized carrots, peeled and chopped 2 large yams (sweet potatoes), washed and chopped 4 clove garlic, crushed 1 handful of fresh parsley or 2 tablespoons of dried 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme 12-14 ounces of red wine, something you would drink 1 cup low sodium beef stock (I only had vegetable and used that) 3 tablespoon apple cider vinegar - See more at: http://kneadtocook.com/slow-roasted-beef-stew/#sthash.7DVTItgE.dpuf

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 3 tablespoon + more if you need it olive oil 1 medium-sized chopped yellow onion 4 medium-sized carrots, peeled and chopped 2 large yams (sweet potatoes), washed and chopped 4 clove garlic, crushed 1 handful of fresh parsley or 2 tablespoons of dried 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme 12-14 ounces of red wine, something you would drink 1 cup low sodium beef stock (I only had vegetable and used that) 3 tablespoon apple cider vinegar - See more at: http://kneadtocook.com/slow-roasted-beef-stew/#sthash.7DVTItgE.dpuf

BBQ ribs

We had a wonderful Christmas break back home in Oregon with my family.  Lots and lots of family time, which is what I miss all year round and what I look forward to every time I get to go back.  Just a few days before Christmas, we got to celebrate Uncle Rob's birthday with nearly all the Kooimans and Selvens.  What better way to celebrate than around the dinner table?

We decided to make bbq pork ribs, along side my favorite kale salad and some roasted heirloom baby potatoes and heirloom carrots.  Mom made the most delicious blueberry pie for dessert.  None of us are blueberry pie fans, but everyone LOVED the one mom made. yum.

Not having a huge grill outside, we opted for the [mostly] oven method for the ribs - a technique we'd never tried before, but one that has become our favorite.  Not only did it seem easier than doing it all on the grill, it tasted amazing.  And with Carsten's homemade bbq sauce on top, it was perfect.

Spice Rub
Ingredients (all measurement are approximations)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup paprika
1 Tbs black pepper
1 Tbs salt
1 Tbs chili powder
1 Tbs garlic powder
1 Tbs onion powder
1 tsp cayenne
some Italian Spices
Cocoa powder

BBQ Sauce (adapted from a smittenkitchen recipe)
Ingredients (makes about 6 cups)
1 1/2 cups yellow onion, very finely chopped 1 Tbs minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
12 oz tomato paste (2 6-oz cans)
1 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup honey
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 cup hoisin sauce
2 Tbs chili powder
1 Tbs ground cumin
1/2 Tbs crushed red pepper flakes
2-3 oz unsweetened baking chocolate
brown sugar, to taste

Procedure
In a large saucepan on low heat, saute the onions and garlic with the vegetable oil for 10 to 15 minutes, until the onions are translucent but not browned. Add the rest of the ingredients, except for the brown sugar. Simmer uncovered on low heat for 30 minutes.  Add brown sugar to taste, and continue to simmer for 10 minutes.  Use immediately or store in the fridge.

BBQ Ribs
Procedure 
Start with good quality pork baby back ribs.  We found ours at Costco - plenty for 10 people.  Let meat sit at room temperature for about 45 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 300 degrees.  Remove the thick membrane on the bone side of the ribs.  Mix all of the rub ingredients together in a small bowl, then rub it over both sides of the meat.  Using large aluminum foil, tear off two sheets, about 6 inches longer than the rack of ribs.  Place them, shiny side down, on the counter, then lay one rack of ribs in the middle of the foil.  Fold the foil around the meat to seal it, making sure to turn seems up, so that juice doesn't drip all over your oven.  Repeat with remaining racks.
Place the ribs in the oven and cook for 2 - 2 1/2 hours.  Check at 2 hours.  When the meat starts pulling away from the bone, it's done.
Remove meat from the oven, and take out of the foil.  At this point, we cut each rack into three or four portions, to make grilling [and serving] easier.  Heat your grill to medium high.  Brush both sides of the ribs with bbq sauce, then grill fro 2-5 minutes on each side, until the sauce is bubbling and the meat is crisping ever so slightly.  Serve immediately.

Uncle Rob's 54 mile birthday run!

We joined him for a bit!

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Roasted Veggie "Fries"

 

This is our go-to meal when we have our dinner and movie date nights at home: a mound of vegetables that taste absolutely delicious.  They have that crispness that tricks your taste buds into thinking they're enjoying some deep-fried yumimness , but in reality, it's just a bunch of good-for-you ingredients baked to perfection.   And there's even some hidden protein in the Greek yogurt and eggs!

 

These "fries" can be dipped in pretty much anything.  Carsten and I tend to lean towards bbq sauce and, my favorite, ranch with sriracha.  Marinara sauce would be another good option.

This recipe isn't, however, a perfect science.  Each time we make it, it's a little bit different, as we don't have an exact recipe.  We just throw things together, depending on what we have and what we feel like.  So feel free to use any vegetables that you have in your fridge!  Our favorites: eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms, asparagus, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, and tomatoes. We've also recently tried okra, and it was delicious!

Ingredients
enough vegetables to fill you up - for the two of us, we usually pack two baking sheets full (and I mean pack)

about 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 or 2 eggs
about 1 Tbs lemon juice
liquid - milk  or beer

2 parts flour
2 parts cornmeal
1 part bread crumbs
spices to your liking (e.g. paprika, cumin, chili powder, oregano, coriander, etc)

Procedure
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  Lightly spray two baking sheets with oil.
Cut longer vegetables (eggplant, zucchini) into long strips, about 1 cm thick.  Asparagus and green beans need only to be trimmed of their ends.  Any other vegetables can be sliced into 1 cm thick slices (mushrooms, tomatoes), or into bit size pieces (broccoli, cauliflower).  In a bowl (we like to use a bread loaf pan), combine yogurt, eggs and lemon juice.  Whisk to combine.  Add enough liquid so that the mixture will thinly coat the vegetables.  (You'll get the hang of the consistency you want quickly).  In a separate bowl (or loaf pan), combine the flour, cornmeal, breadcrumbs and spices.
Coat each veggie in the yogurt mixture, then in the flour mixture, then place on the pan.  (This goes quickly if two people are working together.  If you're alone, you can speed up the process by throwing all the veggies and the yogurt mixture into a freezer bag and shaking it until everything is coated evenly).  Spritz everything lightly with oil, then bake until golden brown and crispy.  This usually takes about 45 minutes, but we always check them at 35.

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Creamy Pesto

Its been a fun and relaxing weekend, and productive at the same time - the best kind of weekend!  This afternoon we finally got the blinds put up in our windows.  After a year and eight months in this house, we now have window treatments.  Sorry neighbors, it should have happened earlier, I know.  But now the house looks that much more like a home, and I love it :)

Installing the blinds was easy, but five windows later, Carsten and I had definitely worked up an appetite.  I opened the fridge, looking for inspiration for dinner.  There it was, a beautiful piece of smoked salmon.  I thought pasta with a creamy sauce, some fresh arugula and smoked salmon sounded just about prefect - except that Carsten doesn't like cream sauces.  So I decided to go the pesto route instead, and as somewhat of a compromise, I made it a slightly creamy pesto.  I adapted a recipe I found here.  Whole wheat penne pasta with green beans and mushrooms, smothered in creamy pesto, with fresh arugula and smoked salmon on top.  Perfect.

You know you've succeeded when everyone goes back for seconds... and then some.

Ingredients
1 cup basil, packed - I mean really packed.
1 1/2 Tbs olive oil
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 Tbs lemon juice
2 oz. cream cheese

Procedure
Put all ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth.  Adjust seasoning and lemon juice to taste.

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Goodbye Dathan Niçoise Salad

It was wonderful having the brother with us for the month of August, reminiscent of the college days when we all lived in such close proximity.  It was sad to see him go.  I decided to make a special meal in honor of his last week with us :)

I found this beautiful recipe for Niçoise salad here at Feasting at Home.  I've been wanting to cook fish for a while now, and it seemed like the perfect occasion, and this salad looked light and summery.  I made a few tiny changes here an there, but for the most part, I followed Sylvia's recipe.

Miss you already Dathan!

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Bruschetta

In honor of Carina and Jamie's birthdays, we decided to throw a party - so that they could meet most of our good friends and because we just can't help ourselves.  We will throw a party for nearly every occasion.  Any excuse to have our friends over and enjoy some good food with some quality company, we'll take it!  This time we decided to make it bruschetta themed.  We were inspired by one of our favorite restaurants in Phoenix: Postino Wine Cafe.  Every time we go there, we get four different kinds of bruschetta, and their combinations are mouth watering!

My sisters and I went to a few different grocery stores to pick up tons of different topping options.  We, in part, followed a few recipes we discovered online that looked delicious, but we also let ourselves be inspired by the interesting produce we discovered at Trader Joes (pea sprouts, champagne grapes, etc.)

It made for a beautiful spread.

Here are the recipes I found online - each of them tasted amazing.  A few of them I adapted as I saw fit :)

Gorgonzola, Golden Raisin, and Arugula
Adapted from here
Ingredients
1/2 cup Mascarpone cheese
1/3 cup Gorgonzola cheese (more or less, to taste)
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup Marsala Wine
Arugula
Procedure
Mix the Mascarpone cheese with the Gorgonzola.  Use more or less Gorgonzola, as you see fit.  I'm not a big fan of strong blue cheese, so I tend to use less.  In a small sauce pan, combine the raisins and Marsala.  Cover, and let simmer until raisins look nice and plump.  Add more wine if necessary.  You should end up with plump golden raisins, with very little liquid remaining. Spread the cheese on toasted bread, top with a generous amount of raisins, and finish with fresh arugula.

Farmers Cheese, Beet Green and Arugula Pesto, and Crispy Pancetta
Adapted from here
Ingredients 

Fresh Farmers Cheese
Pancetta
Pesto (recipe here, only I added a few handfuls of arugula in with the beet greens, as well as the juice of half a lemon)
Procedure
Crisp the pancetta in a skillet over medium high heat - as you would with bacon, only don't cook quite as long. Spread some farmers cheese then beet green arugula pesto atop toasted bread.  Top with crispy pancetta.


Beet, Garlic Labneh, and Beet Green and Arugula Pesto
Adapted from here
Ingredients  

1 cup plain Greek yogurt
3 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp salt
3 large beets, with greens attached
Pesto (recipe here, only I added a few handfuls of arugula in with the beet greens, as well as the juice of half a lemon)
Walnuts
Procedure
Remove the beet greens, and set aside for the pesto.  Roast beets in the oven at 350 for about 30 minutes.  You want the beets to be slightly tender, but still slightly crunchy.  When beets have cooled, peel them (a potato peeler works well), then slice them into even slices.  I used a mandolin on the thickest setting.  Combine the garlic and salt in a mortar and pestle.  Grind into a paste.  Add it to the Greek yogurt and stir well to combine.  Store in the fridge for about an hour, to meld the flavors.  Make the pesto according to the recipe above.  I included arugula and lemon juice, for lack of enough beet greens, and for flavor.  Spread toasted bread with the Labneh (greek yogurt mixture you just made!).  Top with a couple beet slices, a dollop of pesto, and a few walnuts. 

Brie, Apple, and Bacon Onion Chutney
Adapted from here and here
Ingredients
Brie Cheese
sliced Granny Smith Apple (about 1/4" thick)
Bacon Onion Chutney (recipe here)
Procedure
Top toasted bread with a slice of Brie, apple slices, and a generous scoop of the bacon onion chutney.


Sweet Ricotta, Strawberry, and Chocolate
Adapted from here
Ingredients
2/3 cup Ricotta cheese
1/3 cup Mascarpone cheese
1 Tbs powdered sugar
1/4 tsp ground vanilla bean (optional, but makes it delicious and so pretty!) found here
sliced strawberries
dark chocolate shavings
Procedure
Mix all ingredients except the chocolate and the strawberries.  Spread onto toasted bread, top with strawberry slices, then sprinkle with chocolate shavings.


A few things I set out on the table that weren't from any of these recipes:
- chopped tomatoes tossed with cubed fresh mozzarella and fresh basil
- sliced fresh figs
- Jarlsberg cheese
- whole grain mustard
- balsamic vinegar reduction
- honey
- marionberry jam
- pomegranate jelly
- pea sprouts
- champagne grapes
- Parmesan cheese 


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Hamann Manicotti

Ingredients

1 egg, beaten

15 oz Ricotta cheese

1/4 lb. mozzarella cheese grated

3 Tbs of Parmesan Cheese

1 Tbs of sugar

1 Tbs of parsley, dried or fresh

1 8 oz box of manicotti shells
26-36 oz pasta sauce

Procedure
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl combine egg, cheeses, sugar and parsley. Fill the uncooked manicotti shells with filling. Pour enough pasta sauce to cover the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking pan. Lay the filled manicotti shells on top of the pasta sauce. Pour enough pasta sauce to cover the shells. Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove aluminum foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes. If desired, sprinkle some grated mozzarella over the pan before returning it to the oven for the last 10 minutes.

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A Hamann Family Recipe

Butternut Squash and Red Onion Casserole

Ingredients
1 butternut squash, skinned and cubed
1 cup spinach
1 head of garlic
2 red onions, sliced
2 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs butter
3 jalapenos or other spicy pepper
1 Tbs dried Thyme or a couple of sprigs fresh
Salt and Pepper to taste
Assorted spices
1 cup whole milk
2 eggs, beaten
6-8 oz grated cheese, any kind will do
1 cup cheerios, crushed

Procedure
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bring a pot of water to boil. Add squash and boil for 8-10 minutes. Add spinach to boiling water for the last couple of minutes. Drain pot and set aside squash and spinach. In a large saucepan sauté the onions and garlic in the olive oil. Combine squash, spinach, spices, butter, peppers, eggs, milk and most of the cheese. Mix until combined and pour into a 9 x 13 baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and garnish with cheerio crumbs and remaining cheese. Bake for another 15 minutes.

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Adapted from here.

Basic Pizza Dough

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups flour

2 1/4 tsp yeast

2 Tbs olive oil

1 tsp salt

1 Tbs sugar

1 cup warm water

Desired Toppings

Procedure

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl combine flour, yeast, salt, and sugar. Add oil and water. Form into a ball and roll out to desired shape. Place on greased, corn meal dusted baking sheet or pizza pan. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven. Top as desired. Bake for 20-30 minutes or as desired

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