Chocolate Cookie in a Cast Iron Pan

This started out as a red velvet cookie. Not wanting to buy a bunch of red food dye and trying to pass this off as healthy, I used beet juice! You can buy this at the store or, if like me you want to have beets with dinner, simmer peeled and quartered beets for approximately 40 minutes, reserving the dyed water. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite make the red velvet that I was looking for, but I was still left with a tasty, chocolate cookie that I could say had vegetables in it!

I also liked this recipe because it gave me yet another reason to love the cast iron pan that Merideth got me for Christmas! Previously using it for “steak Sundays”, I loved the pan’s versatility and the giant cookie it let me create. Next time, I think I’ll find an excuse to celebrate (Happy Tuesday?) and frost it.

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 egg
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup beet juice

Instructions

1. Preheat over to 350F.
2. Blend butter and sugars with mixer until well combined and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla until well combined and set aside.
3. Combine flour, cocoa, salt, and baking soda. Slowly stir into wet ingredients.
4. Add chocolate chips and beet juice.
5. Pour into cast iron skiller (flouring is not necessary) and smooth batter.
6. Bake for 40 minutes, or until toothpick or fork comes out clean when poked in the middle of the cookie.

Quick Tofu Fried Rice

Last week, I tripped while running….and broke my fall on my phone. I lost all my pictures from recent road trips, my cat and dog, and the pictures from this dinner date! Fortunately, I make this fried rice all the time for weeknight dinners, so the simple ingredients and time weren’t too hard to track down to remake the recipe for photoshoot (and Friday night dinner!) purposes.

I really only have two “go-to” starches for my easy week night dinners: potatoes roasted in a one-pan meal, and rice from an automatic rice cooker. Since I also have a lackadaisical attitude towards measuring ingredients (this blog has been a special challenge for my “pinch of this” attitude), I usually end up with more rice then I need. Luckily, that leftover rice can be turned into a delicious meal the next day! If you’re more disciplined with measuring ingredients than me, some cooked rice chilled for at least half an hour (sometimes I put it in the fridge) will dry the rice enough to be fried.

Like a lot of our other recipes, this one is versatile and can be used with whatever ingredients you have on hand. Different toppings that I have used in the past include peas, diced carrots or celery, ginger, and sriracha.

Ingredients

Fried Tofu

1/2 block of tofu – Use more if desired, though you may have to fry in batches

2 tbs sesame oil

Fried Rice

2 cups cold, cooked rice

2 tbs sesame oil

3 cloves garlic

3-4 tbs rice vinegar

3-4 tbs soy sauce

1 1/2 tbs ginger

1 tbs powdered porcini mushrooms (or 80z sliced mushrooms)

1/2 tsp white pepper (or ground black pepper)

Chile pepper, cilantro, lemongrass to taste (optional)

2 eggs

1 tbs sesame seeds, optional

Instructions

Fried Tofu

1. Unpack tofu and “press”- I usually do this between two plates over my sink with a soda (or wine) bottle on top of the plate – something heavy! Press for about half an hour to remove excess liquid from tofu.
2. Slice tofu into thin, bite-sized rectangles (about 1/2 in. thick).
3. Heat sesame oil in wok or flat griddle over medium heat. Carefully arrange tofu on surface and use spatula to “squish” the pieces. It should make a shrill sound as the moisture is further removed (this is normal!). Repeat several times over 3-4 minutes, or until the shrill sound is less intense.
4. Carefully flip tofu. It should be golden-brown. Squish with spatula for another 2-3 minutes. Remove from pan to a plate and set aside.

Fried Rice

1. Add second part of sesame oil to wok and heat over medium-high heat. Mince garlic and saute until golden.
2. Add rice and separate with spatula to spread evenly throughout pan. Fry for about 2 minutes. If using fresh mushrooms, add these now as well.
3. Add 3 tbs of soy sauce and rice vinegar to pan and stir to coat rice. If necessary, add a bit more of each to fully cover rice (but give it a minute to absorb to be sure!)
4. Add spices and stir throughout.
5. Finally, stir in baked tofu and any additional vegetables until heated through.
6. Create a well in the middle of the fried rice and add both cracked eggs. Allow to heat until the whites begin to become translucent. Scramble eggs throughout rice until fully cooked.
7. Serve with sesame seeds for garnish as desired.

French Toast Casserole

Breakfast is my favorite meal! Add some mimosas and some good friends, and brunch is the highlight of any day. Merideth and I made this on our beach weekend, and I served it again for a rainy Netflix marathon when Hurricane Hermine pushed us inside on Labor Day Weekend. Both times, this was a hit! Quick prep means that you can get the casserole in the oven and, if you’re like us, push play on your Saturday morning cartoons!

This recipe uses peanut butter, banana, and chocolate chips, but could allow for other combinations as long as the milk/egg mixture is maintained. Next time, I’m thinking blueberries, or maybe some seasonal pumpkin spice!

Ingredients

1 loaf day-old challah bread, cubed

3 bananas, sliced

3/4 cups chocolate chips

Milk/Egg Mixture

1/4-1/2 cup milk of your choice (I have used almond and traditional milk, both good!).

1 tsp cinnamon

3/4 cup peanut butter

6-7 eggs

Salt

Depending on how large the loaf is, you may need additional milk/egg mixture to saturate the bread.

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and grease 9×13 pan.
2. Combine chocolate chips, bananas, and bread. Don’t worry if the chocolate chips settle on the bottom!
3. Blend milk, peanut butter, eggs, and cinnamon until smooth. I recommend using a blender, but a whisk can work if one is unavailable.
4. Pour egg and milk into bread, and fold until well coated.
5. Bake all ingredients in 9×13 pan for approximately 35 minutes, and serve with powdered sugar or syrup, if desired.

 

Summer Dishes: Veggie Burger

As the summer is getting into full swing, I am always craving to be outside this time of year. It’s the season to have a party in the backyard with friends gathered around the patio and the smell of meat on the grill. Unfortunately, Amanda and I are apartment bound at the moment and don’t quite have the backyard for epic grilling as our parents do. So, we wanted to cook a few dishes that remind us of all the tastes of summer while still being able to use our own kitchens. When I think of summer foods, burgers on the grill are one of the first things that comes to mind. How could I compete though with that chargrilled flavor that only fire (which I didn’t have) could provide? So, I wanted to make something that was still a burger, but with a twist. I’m also feeling the consequences of my structureless diet as of late, so I wanted to make something that might have a bit extra to freeze for later, and wouldn’t mess with my waistline. So, I present to you: The sweet potato and black bean burger! I had never had a veggie burger of any sort before this, and I must say, this is something I’m going to add to my regular meal rotation for sure.

 

To make this you will need:

2-3 small sweet potatoes, peeled, cooked and mashed (I prefer to steam mine)

2 cups soaked  and rinsed black bean (canned will work)

3/4 cups of oats

2 eggs

1/4 cup red onion

1/2 cup bell pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

• Add oats to food processor and process until a powdery/floury consitency
• Combine onion and bell pepper in food processor and pulse until blended
• Mix sweet potato, black beans, onion/bell pepper mixture, egg and spices in a bowl and combine with your hands
• Roll handfuls of the mixture into balls and flatten to form a patty-repeat until you have 8 patties about 3/4″ thick.
• Place patty in a pan and cook on each side for 2-3 minutes until browned.
• Enjoy on your favorite bun (I used a pretzel bun), with some avocado or whatever makes you happy!
• 

Chicken Tikka Masala

 

Indian food is my favorite cuisine – the flavors are so complex and warm. Chicken tikka masala is a great introductory dish for someone unfamiliar with Indian cuisine. The familiar tomato based sauce and glorious spicy smell will win over even the most suspicious and picky eater! This recipe is an adaptation from Christine Ha’s Recipes from my Home Kitchen, which Merideth got me for Christmas this past year! An “adaptation” because it has my new favorite secret ingredient: fenugreek! When I was in Boston earlier this spring, I happened to grab a barstool next to a Nepalese chef visit for “research” (excellent excuse to tour Boston’s culinary scene!). I told him about my favorite tikka masala dish and he gave me three suggestions: 1) marinate the chicken overnight instead of the hour that this recipe instructs; 2) don’t discard the marinade when adding in the chicken; and 3), use fenugreek! I added 1 tablespoon to have a similar balance with the other spices.

Ingredients

1 cup plain yogurt

1 tablespoon lemon juice

4 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground red pepper (I substituted red pepper flakes once, but I don’t recommend it since the flavors do not blend as well).

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon peeled, minced ginger (I typically grate it)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

salt

 

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into cubes

2 tablespoons butter

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon paprika

1 1/2 cups tomato sauce

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Top with cilantro (optional)

 

Instructions

1) In large bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons of the cumin (half), red pepper, pepper, ginger, cinnamon, and salt. Add the chicken and marinate overnight (or at least one hour).

2) In a large saucepan, melt the butter, stir in garlic, and cook. Add paprika , remaining cumin, and salt to taste. Stir in the tomato sauce and cream and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the sauce thickens.

3) Add the chicken to the simmering sauce for an additional 10 minutes. Serve over basmati rice. I also serve it with fresh baked naan (more info on naan to come)!

Wine Pairing

For this dish, we paired with a nice merlot. Not toobold, but complimented the flavors nicely with it’s slightly spicy flavor and hints of berries–it matched the spiciness of the dish while  also adding calming notes between bites.