Hummus and Chutney

For years I have been buying store bought hummus because it's quite tasty and you can find it locally made and organic (at least here in Denver),  why bother making it myself?  The answer….home made is SO MUCH BETTER!   I find this to be the case time and time again, we get use to our store bought sauces, dressings, marinades etc. and forget that making your own is not only easy and less expensive,  the flavor is unbeatable!  I happened to have a couple of cans of chickpeas just waiting to become something in my pantry when I heard Booby Flay say "tahini is a main ingredient in hummus...[which is just sesame seed butter], but you could also replace it with any other nut butter you'd like…"  This piqued my interest, I never have tahini on hand but almond butter?, yep got it.  I got in the kitchen and whipped up some of the best hummus I have ever tried! Since I was indulging in an episode of Booby Flay BBQ addiction and had about a millions cherry tomatoes laying around (from my beautiful garden) I also made his tomato chutney, which was equally delicious (freezes well to boot).

The recipes below are from Bobby Flay BBQ Addiction:
I replaced the tahini with almond butter and used ciabatta instead of flat bread.

Tomato Chutney:
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 pints grape tomatoes
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
Pinch of allspice
Pinch of cinnamon
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro


Hummus:
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 small yellow onion, finely diced
2 teaspoons mild curry powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne powder
Two 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained, rinsed and drained again
1/3 cup tahini
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 to 2 teaspoons honey
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Lemon juice, as needed
6 pieces naan
Canola oil, for brushing
Directions
For the tomato chutney: Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until very soft and slightly caramelized. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, 1/4 cup water, the vinegar, sugar, allspice, cinnamon and salt and pepper to taste and cook until the tomatoes soften and the mixture thickens, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro. Let cool to room temperature.

For the hummus: Heat the oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until soft. Stir in the curry powder and cook for 1 minute. Add 1 cup water and cook, stirring constantly, until the water has almost completely evaporated. Stir in the cayenne and cool briefly.

Put the chickpeas, curried onions, tahini, olive oil, honey and some salt and pepper in a food processor and process until smooth. Add the parsley and pulse to incorporate. Season with the lemon juice and more salt and pepper if needed.

Heat a charcoal or gas grill to high for direct grilling. Brush the naan with some of the canola oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill until golden brown on both sides and slightly charred.

Spread each piece of naan with some of the hummus and top with some of the chutney.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/curry-hummus-flat-bread-with-tomato-chutney-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback

Beautiful Granola

Oh granola how do I love thee, let me count the ways.  I love you on yogurt, ice cream, as a topping for fruit crisps, in bar form, and straight out of the bag into my salivating mouth!  Lucky for me I almost always have the ingredients around my house to whip up a batch go granolaey goodness.  One of my favorite things about granola is the way you can switch up ingredients and create a whole new flavor.  It's also a great way to use up nuts and grains that have been laying around in your pantry for far too long.  So go ahead make some granola and count the ways you love it!

My recipe was largely obtained from the Pioneer Woman herself, Ree Drummond (I am digging her recipes lately). To access her amazingly delicious granola recipe go HERE

The changes I made were the addition of 1/2c. dried berries, OJ replaced the apple juice, and white sugar replaced brown (because I was out of apple juice and brown sugar!).  In place of wheat germ I used 1/2c almond meal and 1/2c. ground flax seed.  Feel free to mix it up with whatever nuts and grains you like best.  To quote my daughter these bars are "yum, yum, in my tum, tum!!"

 All of my goodies eagerly awaiting the toasted oats and special sweet goo….

The aforementioned goo, a delicious blend of sugar, molasses, honey and vanilla.  Heated on the stove until sugar dissolves 

Toasted oats and it smells so good! 

 

Finished product, so delightful!

 Drooling yet?

After the bars cool completely in the pan I removed the foil and cut them into bars.

These can easily be broken up further into small chunks for other mass consumption.  I did most of mine in bars and chunked up about a pint.  These also freeze nicely, for later indulgence.

Hope you like them as much as we did! 

Tomato Tips

 I picked 48 medium tomatoes from my garden yesterday and 3 pints of cherry tomatoes, no exaggeration.  It can be easy to get overwhelmed this time of year when the gardens are really pumping out the goods.  Since I have not jumped into the canning world (yet) the freezer is my best friend and I have a few tips below for any of you wanting to preserve summer ripeness all winter long.  It doesn't get much better on a cold and snowy day to pull some tomatoes out of the freezer, close your eyes and dream of summer.  Move over San Marzano's, my freezer tomatoes will rock your socks off! 

TIP #1

Freezer tomatoes 

(to be used just like canned tomatoes)

This is one of my favorite ways to preserve tomatoes, because they are so versatile.  Set a large pot of water on the stove and heat to a slight boil.   Next, cut an X on the bottom of each tomato.  With a large slotted spoon gently place tomatoes in water,  they must be fully submerged.  Work in batches if you have lots of tomatoes (like me!).  Remove from water after 60 seconds. 

Allow tomatoes to cool.  Gently peel off the skins of each tomato and place on a parchment or foil lined baking sheet.   Place in freezer until tomatoes are completely frozen (think, mini bowling balls).

Once tomatoes are frozen remove from pan and double (or even triple) wrap them.  I wrap in saran wrap then place in a freezer bag, then another freezer bag (this helps prevent freezer burn).  Label and store in freezer for up to 6 months!  Use in soups, marinara, braising, crock pot recipes…the list goes on and on and on!

TIP #2

Oven roasted cherry tomatoes

 Set oven to 250 degrees. Thoroughly wash and and dry your cherry tomatoes (I have about 3 pints here).  Halve them and toss with olive oil (about 2T.) salt and pepper 3 whole peeled cloves of garlic, and 1t. of dried thyme.  You could add any type of herbs here but I would suggest using dried herbs because of the duration of time in the oven. 

Place tomatoes and garlic on a foil or parchment lined baking sheet.  Make sure they are in a single layer.  Use 2 sheets if needed.  Place in the oven for 3-4 hours.  You are looking for very little juice to be left in the tomatoes.  They should be chewy and delightfully sweet.

These taste just like candy and are great in salads, on sandwiches, soup garnish,  and whatever else you would add sun dried tomatoes to.  Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or place in an airtight container for 3+ months in the freezer.

Snacky, snack

It is our ritual after my daughter wakes up from her nap, to indulge in a little snack (I often partake as well). One particular day while asking the munchkin what she wanted she said,

"a strawberry smoothie please."

I replied with  "I don't have any strawberries, only a banana." 

She looked at me for a moment and replied "Can I have a banana and ella smoothie?" 

Now I have no idea what an "ella" is so I asked her and she replied, "that chocolatly stuff!" (spoken in her most annoyed toddler voice)  

"OH! you mean Nutella!" 

"yes" she replied, "ella."

She's brilliant, right?  Never in all my smoothie making days have I thought about sticking a spoonful of Nutella in there.  And bananas and nutella?  A total dream come true! So without further ado, I bring you a delicious "chocolatly" snack in smoothie form!

Ingredients:

1 banana -(I used a frozen one)
1/3c. milk
1/3c. plain greek yogurt
1 heaping tablespoon nutella
2t. ground flax seed (optional)
4-6 ice cubes

Add all ingredients into a blender and viola!
**TIP**Another great option for this smoothie would be to add a couple tablespoons of old fashioned oats, they will thicken the smoothie and add a nutritional boost.

Perfect Summer Sandwich

Well you just gotta love a good summer sandwich!  This one was too pretty to be a lonely image in my iPhone, and I felt the need to share it with the world!  Locally made ciabatta, homegrown tomatoes with some market goodies and you have one hell of a taste sensation.  So go ahead and put a bit of summer freshness between some rustic bread and see what you come up with!

Summer Ciabatta Sandwich (recipe makes 2 large sandwiches)

Ciabatta- cut lengthwise about 1/3 loaf per sandwich (picture above is 2/3 a loaf)

1 - small sweet Onion cut into 1/2in rounds - grilled

1- zucchini sliced thinly lengthwise- grilled

4- slices cooked bacon (leave off for veggie eaters it will still be awesome!)

1 c. of arugula

2-3oz. of thin sliced fresh mozzerella

1- med tomato sliced thin

3T tomato relish (chutney or pepper jam would be great too!)

olive oil

salt and pepper 

Lightly coat the onions and zucchini with a bit of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Place on grill, or indoor grill pan around 3 minutes per side (until the veggies have nice dark grill marks but are still slightly crisp).  Remove from grill, add halved ciabatta to the grill and lightly toast, about 3-5 minutes. 

Set oven to broil (or use your grill).

Assemble sandwich.  Spread tomato relish on top and bottom of sandwich.  On the bottom half of the bread place zucchini, onions, bacon, mozzarella.  Place both ciabatta halves on a foil lied baking sheet and set in the broiler for 2-3 minutes (until the cheese melts).  Remove from oven, place tomatoes, arugula, and ciabatta to top.  Cut into portions and dig in!!

  

Leftover Makeover

I often find myself eating dinner leftovers for lunch the next day.  Sometimes food even tastes better the next day, like soups and pastas.  I tend to get pretty sick of looking at them, however, when they are still staring me in the face after a day or two.   Sometimes disguising it all as a new meal is just the key to avoid wastefulness and trick your non leftover eating husband into enjoying it all over again.  Simple roasted veggies and chicken make for a salad the first night, then do double duty in a cozy braised white bean dish the next. These two meals are as delicious as they are inexpensive and easy. Do enjoy.

 Day 1 - roasted fennel, butternut squash and chicken salad

Ingredients:

2 bone in, skin on chicken breasts

1 butternut squash- cut into bite sized pieces

2 fennel- green stems removed halved lengthwise and sliced into 1/2" slices

8 oz arugula

parmesan 

basic vinaigrette (go HERE for the recipe)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Rub the chicken with 2t olive oil, salt and pepper place on a baking sheet.  Toss the squash and fennel with 2T olive oil, salt and pepper to taste and place on a separate baking sheet making sure all the veggies are in 1 layer on the pan.  Roast the chicken and veggies in the oven for approximately 30 minutes, turning the veggies once.  Make sure to check your chicken with and instant read thermometer (160 degrees=done).  

Let chicken rest for 10 minutes, remove skin. Next remove meat from the bone and shred with your fingers or dice with a knife.  Set aside half of the chicken and veggies and store in an airtight container until tomorrows dinner.

In a large salad bowl combine the chicken, veggies, arugula and just enough dressing to coat the salad (serve the rest on the side).  Toss well to combine, shave parmesan on top.  Add some slivered almonds for a little crunch. Enjoy!

The mighty leftovers

Day 2- braised white beans with roasted veggies and chicken

Ingredients:

1/2 med onion diced

1 bunch of swiss chard, greens and stems separate (dice the stems and chop the greens)  use your leftover arugula instead of chard for extra savings!

2 cloves garlic

1t dried thyme

1c. chicken stock

1 can of navy beans drained and rinsed (or any white bean of your liking)

leftovers from last night

In a large nonstick skillet, add a swirl of olive oil and heat the pan to med heat.  Add onions, chard stems (if using), garlic, salt and pepper to taste.  Sauté for 10 minutes, or until veggies are tender. Add thyme and chard greens and sauté another 3-4 minutes until the chard is wilted.  Pour in chicken stock, bring to a simmer, add beans and leftovers.  Allow entire mixture to simmer together for 5-10 minutes, taste and season with more salt and pepper as needed.  Scoop into a bowl and enjoy!

Apple Cider Chicken

I saw this recipe on America's Test Kitchen a few weeks back. You know, that TV show on PBS with the akward guy in a bowtie?  Well I have to say I quite enjoy the show, but actually getting the recipe online is near impossible.  You have to sign up for a "free" 15 day trial, then if you forget to cancel, guess what?  You are the lucky winner of their magazine along with a big fat bill of $25 for 6 issues.  Let me tell you, this infuriates me, I despise being taken advantage of. You should have seen me in Rome when a cute Italian guy made me a bracelet and then demanded money for it, boy was I pissed. Whew, sorry for the rant, I digress.  While I will always be a supporter of PBS, America's Test Kitchen has left a rancid taste in my mouth.  Therefore I decided to take this apple cider chicken recipe into my own hands and recreate it.  My chicken dish is delightful.  Crunchy skin, juicy meat and sweet sauce with soft succulent apple chunks.  I encourage you to try it, no charge.

**Ingredients

1 whole chicken cut up- bone in, skin on, split into 4 breast halves, 2 thighs and 2 legs 

*learn how to break down a chicken here (save the rest for chicken stock) If you'd rather, you can use all thighs, breasts or legs as long as they are bone in, skin on.

Olive oil

1 small onion, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 t. dried thyme

1 1/2 c. apple cider

3T. cognac or brandy

2 small apples, diced into bite sized chunks (I used Fuji)

1T. apple cider vinegar

1T. butter (optional)

salt, pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Pat all chicken parts dry with paper towels (this insures crispy skin) and liberally salt and pepper each side.  Heat a 12" nonstick, oven proof skillet on med high heat with 1T. of olive oil.  Add chicken skin side down (pan should sizzle when doing this, if not, it's not hot enough). Let chicken cook for about 10 min on the skin side to get extra crispy.  Flip and cook other side of chicken for about 5 minues.  Remove chicken and set aside.  Drain some of the fat off from the skillet, you'll need about 1T. of fat left in the pan.  Add onions, garlic and thyme and cook until onions are soft, stirring often.  Add cider and brandy, salt and pepper to taste and bring to a boil letting mixture reduce 5 minutes and slightly thickened.  Return chicken to the pan, skin side up (liquid should not come up above the chicken skin) and add the apples to the pan. Put skillet in the oven and cook until chicken is cook through, about 10-15 minutes (or until instant thermometer reads 160 degrees).  Take chicken out of the liquid and let rest for 5 minutes.  Meanwhile whisk vinegar and butter into the skillet.  Serve chicken with a heaping spoonful of the cider and apple mixure, enjoy!

**Like most of my recipes, specific measuring is not my forte, so I encourage you to taste as you go!