Spanish Brunch

Menus inspired by Spanish tapas are ideal for breakfast and brunch and you probably already know tapas make great cocktail party fare.  What I like about a Spanish brunch is that most of it can be prepared ahead, like Italian antipasti, so host and guests can enjoy a leisurely morning.  This mix and match menu works well for vegetarian and meat-eating guests as well as picky younger eaters.  Here’s the menu:

Spanish Tortilla 

(egg-based torte with potatoes and parsley)
Spanish cheese platter with Jamon Serrano and Fresh & Dried Fruits
Meson Mushrooms
Pan Tomat
Patatas Bravas (fiery potatoes)
Assorted Pastries

Cava or Sangria

Orange Juice, Coffee, Tea, Hot Chocolate

Spanish Tortilla
Spanish tortilla, closely related to the frittata, is the brunch centerpiece.  Infused with potatoes, onion, parsley and sometimes  chorizo sausage,  it can be made a day ahead.  If you are not confident making one yourself, you can easily make it as a frittata by making a big egg scramble that is finished in the oven instead of flipped pan to pan in the old style to finish it.  Or if you have a Spanish restaurant in town, order one or two and reheat them.  (You can even order one from LaTienda.com.) 


Tortilla tastes good hot but is very at home room temperature or just warmed through.  Slice the round torte the classic way—in bite-sized squares and serve with toothpicks or slice into wedges like a quiche or pie. 

Another way to get the flavors of Spanish tortilla is to bake mini crustless quiches in large muffin cups or 1/2 cup ramekins.  For each mini-tortilla  combine 1 egg, 1/4 cup diced boiled potatoes, two tablespoons chopped onion sautéd in olive oil and a teaspoon of chopped fresh parsley.  Add a bit of salt and pepper and pour into well-oiled muffin cups.  Bake in a 325˚F oven for 15 minutes until egg is cooked through (not jiggly as in quiche).  Don’t skimp on the oil in the muffin cup since it is part of the tortillas’ distinctive flavor and will allow the mini-tortilla to slip out easily. 

If you have unsalted potato chips in the house, follow famed Spanish chef Ferran Adrià's method (popularized here by Chef Jose Andres) and replace the cooked potatoes with lightly crushed chips.  Let the mixture sit 10 minutes before baking to allow the eggs to soften the potato chips.   Ever since I tried this method, it is my go to tortilla ingredient.  

Spanish Cheese Platter
A platter of ham and cheese is an easy accompaniment now that Spain’s Jamon Serrano (dried ham) and Manchego cheese are widely available.  Chorizo sausage is also a good fit on a platter if not used in the tortilla.  Be sure to get the cured type that requires no cooking.  Set out small bowls of olives and Marcona almonds and garnish the platter with dried or fresh figs.  Fresh sliced cantaloupe would not be out of place here also.

Meson Mushrooms
I learned to make grilled mushrooms the Spanish way by watching the grill master at a meson (tapas house) beneath the Plaza Mayor in Madrid.  He would not give out the recipe but I think I got the gist of it pretty well via many enjoyable repeat visits.  Meson mushrooms are simply grilled mushroom caps with a chunk of cured chorizo in the center cavity.   When they come off the grill, finish them with a good squeeze of lemon juice and fresh parsley.  Don’t skimp on the parsley. And make sure it is fresh not dried. The herb is much loved in Spain and once you taste it in tortilla and meson mushrooms you will appreciate the terrific pop of “green” flavor it brings to more subtle egg and mushroom dishes.   These mushrooms can be prepped ahead and baked instead of grilled in a 400˚F degree oven for 12-15 minutes.  Finish with lemon juice and parsley as with the grilled version.

Pan Tomat
Pan Tomat is a specialty of the Barcelona and the Catalan region of Spain.  Guests can prepare these themselves from a shared plate.  Set out slices of lightly toasted rustic bread, halved fresh garlic cloves and halved small tomatoes.  Guests rub the garlic and tomato over the rough surface of the toast (warm or room temperature) to infuse the bread with a light, fragrant coating of juice and pulp.  Full flavor extra virgin olive oil is drizzled on top.  Be sure to use a Spanish olive oil for a robust olive flavor in these dishes.  You may be lucky enough to have a wide selection in your market but if not, I like Goya extra virgin olive oil for most Spanish dishes.  Pan tomat is Spain’s answer to garlic bread and it goes perfectly with tortilla and platters of ham and cheese.

Patatas Bravas
Of all the items on the menu, this one may show up again at your next Super Bowl party.  These are for every hash brown and steak fry lover in the house.  They get their name from the spicy tomato-based dipping sauce.  Use small new potatoes or larger ones cut in quarters and halves. First boil a batch until just tender.  Drain and toss with olive oil then roast in a hot oven (alongside the mushrooms) turning occasionally until all sides are crisp.  Serve lightly salted with a simple tomato sauce (not marinara) and a  shot of hot sauce.  (If you’d like a sweeter version, mix ketchup with hot sauce.)  Make them as hot as you and your family likes.  The potatoes can also be dipped in a good mayonnaise spiked with sherry vinegar.

Beverages
Any combination of the list below will match the meal:
Cava (Spain’s sparkling wine)
Orange juice
Sangria—white or red
Hot chocolate, coffee, tea

Fruits
Oranges—sliced on a platter
Sliced cantaloupe
Dried fruits

Pastries
Churros are fried tubes of dough rolled in sugar and are sold on street corners in Spanish cities.  They are beginning to be seen here but the pre-packaged ones are not fresh tasting.  An alternative is to pick up fresh donuts.  Cream-filled ones are very Iberian but small donut holes coated in simple cinnamon sugar are also a good (and lighter) choice. 

New Year’s is a nice time to throw an impromptu cocktail party or a brunch.  Or perhaps a leisurely breakfasts with just family.   Happy 2011^

Chocolate Stocking Report

Dark chocolate is very popular in this household.  Our siblings know this and treat us to some truly special ones at this time of year. 

This year we received a stockingful of dark chocolate bars to sample and compare.  It’s every chocoholic’s dream holiday.  We try to restrain ourselves and only sample one or two at a time.  It helps us keep the nuances of flavor clear and our heads from spinning.  So far we have broken into three bars and thought we had a clear favorite.  Today there was a split decision.  As we sample we are contemplating what to cook with the briefcase-sized brick of semi-sweet chocolate sent by another sibling.  Grated semi-sweet chocolate in hot milk makes very nice hot chocolate.  I have several fondue recipes floating around that would put the giant bar to good use.  A neighbor told me that the chocolate cake she recently baked for a crowd required a full two pounds of chocolate.  I think I’m set for any eventuality.  And then there are the profiteroles we made the other day that only require freshly made fudge sauce as a topping. 

I won’t divulge the winner of this year’s dark chocolate competition but I do encourage you to set up a sampling too.  It may be too late for stockings, but New Year’s is around the corner and a tray or table stocked with a variety of chocolates is fun for guests.  Many people like to sip red wine with really dark chocolate.  Others like a snifter of rum or brandy.

Chocolate isn’t the only food that lends itself to party sampling.  Now that craft-level caramels and toffees are popular and abundant, you can create a sampling of salted caramels, chocolate-covered  toffee, dulce de leche cheesecake and butterscotch brownies either homemade or from speacialty stores.  On the savory side, a salsa tasting or cheese sampling is very easy.  Pick a theme to create a focus, like goat cheeses or blues and dig in.  It’s a great way to find a new favorite.

Special thanks to Diana, Jim, Julia, Liam, Chester and Bill.  This blog entry would not have been possible without you.

Holiday Bread Pudding

This is a festive and light holiday dessert that combines several seasonal favorites.   Cinnamon-sugar, almonds and sliced pears nestle into a loaf of eggnog infused bread pudding. We like ours with raisins but dried cranberries or cherries make the season bright too.  Leftovers make a terrific post holiday “French toast.”  Individual slices can be re-heated in the oven or grilled then dusted with extra cinnamon or powdered sugar. 

Bread pudding using an eggnog base makes sense since eggnog is basically a custard—milk, eggs and sugar.  If you have homemade eggnog leftover from a party, this is a good use for it.  You can also use store-bought eggnog.  Since the eggnog is cooked in the dessert, there is no raw egg in this recipe.

At this time of year it is easy to find fruited breads or ones made with eggs like challah, pannetone and paska.  You can use regular cinnamon-raisin bread for this recipe (or even regular bread) but if you have some day old holiday bread, pick that.  This recipe uses about half a loaf of most breads.  

Pear and Cinnamon Eggnog Holiday Bread Pudding
Ingredients
6-8 slices of raisin, paska or challah bread  (4 cups of 1/2 inch cubes)
(1/2 cup raisins if bread does not have raisins already)
12 ounces eggnog
2 eggs
1 ounce rum or brandy (optional)
1/4-1/3 cup sugar*
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
dash salt
1 pear, cored and sliced (peel if thick skinned)
2 tablespoons sliced almonds
1 tablespoon cinnamon sugar

Method

1. Lightly oil a 9x5 loaf pan with canola oil.  
2. Place bread cubes in a wide bowl.  
3. Combine eggnog, eggs, liquor if using, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a smaller bowl or 2-cup measuring cup. Whisk with a fork to break up eggs and combine thoroughly.  
4. Pour eggnog mixture over bread cubes and toss lightly to cover all the bread with liquid. Move bread cubes to the prepared pan and press slices of pear into pudding so that slices are 2/3 submerged.  
5. Sprinkle top with almonds and cinnamon sugar.   (Bread pudding may be covered and refrigerated at this point overnight or for several hours.) 
6. Now, preheat oven to 375˚F.  (If you have not stored the bread pudding, waiting while the oven preheats will give the bread cubes time to absorb the liquid.)  
7. When oven is pre-heated, bake bread pudding, uncovered, for 45 minutes.  Test in the center with a skewer for doneness.  Pudding is done when skewer comes out clean but still moist (no uncooked egg mixture on skewer) and pudding pulls away from sides of pan.  Let bread pudding rest about 10 minutes before serving. 

Serve slices warm with a scoop of plain , whole yogurt, whipped cream or ice cream and if desired a teaspoon of maple syrup.  Keep leftovers refrigerated. 

*Eggnog recipes vary.  Some are sweeter than others.  Test your mixture by using the lower amount of sugar and heating a bread cube doused with a few teaspoons of the eggnog mixture.  (Microwave on low for 30-45 seconds or until egg is cooked through).  Taste the cooked egg and bread and adjust for sweetness.

Holiday Whipped Cream

Whipped cream for cakes, pies and other desserts that can hold up to holiday travel and buffets if stabilized with a bit of gelatin.  A touch of gelatin prevents the cream from separating and “weeping” into a puddle, much like the sad look of an aging snowdrift. 

Adding gelatin is an easy step and mostly relies on having some plain gelatin powder in the pantry.  The technique is detailed below and if you don’t have the necessary ingredient, I’ve just discovered that mixing some softened cream cheese into whipped cream has a similar stabilizing effect (and tastes divine with chocolate or pumpkin desserts.  (Good with fruit pie too.)

Your whipped cream will hold up for hours but still needs to be refrigerated since it remains a dairy product. 

Cream Cheese Stabilized Whipped Cream
Makes about 1 cup (recipe may be doubled)

1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 ounce cream cheese, softened

Method

1. Combine the cream, sugar and vanilla in a medium mixing bowl and whip with a balloon-style wire whisk or a hand held mixer until cream is thick and holds a peak. 
2. In a small bowl combine softened cream cheese with a large spoonful of whipped cream.  This will lighten the cream cheese and allow you to fold it into the whipped cream more easily. 
3. Gently fold cream cheese mixture into whipped cream.  Refrigerate until ready to use. 

Activated Gelatin

 Gelatin- Stabilized Whipped Cream
Makes 2 cups
(This is a commercial recipe used by bakeries).

1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
4 teaspoons water
1 cup whipping cream
3 tablespoons granulated sugar (add more to taste, up to 1/4 cup)
1/2 -1 teaspoon vanilla

Method

1. Combine gelatin and cold water in small saucepan and let sit until thickened. 
2. Once gelatin has thickened, place pan over low heat, stirring constantly just until gelatin dissolves. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly while you whip the cream.  
3. Combine the cream, sugar and vanilla in a large mixing bowl and whip with a balloon-style wire whisk or a hand held mixer until cream is slightly thickened. 
4. Lower the speed and gradually add gelatin to whipped cream mixture (or fold in gelatin if whipping by hand). 
5. Raise speed and whip at high speed until whipped cream becomes stiff and holds peaks. 

Cakes iced with whipped cream must be kept refrigerated.

Now that you have mastered softening and using gelatin, you may be interested in making you own fruit gelatin and mousse desserts.  Just follow the directions on the box.

Pumpkin Dip

I’ve been playing with variations of pumpkin dip that are savory enough to serve with pita chips, crackers and carrot sticks but also taste good with sliced apples and grapes.   The first version used a traditional sour cream and mayonnaise base and got some subtle sweetness from a home-made pear chutney.  It needed a bit more sophistication to make it to the grown-up table but is a fun way to include a kid-friendly food with the appetizers on Thanksgiving.  The next version added roasted red pepper and was, well, not good.  The last version used fewer ingredients and balanced simple sweet and spicy flavors with the fresh pumpkin taste.  This final recipe can be adjusted for sweeter palettes or fired up for those it like a little heat. It is not very heavy (no eggs or mayo) so won’t ruin any appetites but will keep any growling stomachs quiet before the main meal. 

Pumpkin Dip
Makes a little over 1 cup

Ingredients
1/2 cup pumpkin puree (canned fine)
1/3 cup cottage cheese
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons apricot fruit spread (or jam)
1 tablespoon sour cream
large pinch dried red pepper flakes (more to taste)

Method

1. Combine all ingredients in a small food processor or blender. The cottage cheese will whip up into a smooth and light dip base for the other ingredients.  If you do not have a small appliance to really whip it, substitute ricotta cheese.
2. Pour into a small bowl.  Cover and chill until needed.  
3. Serve with grapes, sliced apples, carrots, celery, crackers or chips.

Every recipe developer needs an audience.  I give thanks to my tasters who gamely sampled several dips and gave excellent comments and tasting notes.  Enjoy, and feedback welcome.

How to Roast Fruit, Fish and Meat

Roasting is a ridiculously easy cooking technique.  It takes little supervision or fuss.  That makes it perfect at this busy time of year.  And you can cook several items at once. A roasted entrée with sides of roasted vegetables is a great combination.  You can even finish the meal with roasted fruit served with ice cream and a drizzle of chocolate or caramel sauce.

Fruit roasts at a lower temperature than other dinner elements so I roast the fruit first.  I use chef Jeremy Tower’s method.  He roasts halved pears and apples rubbed with a tiny pinch of salt on beds of sugar (about 1/8 inch deep) on a parchment-lined, rimmed cookie sheet.  It takes about an hour at 350˚F.  Fruit is done when it is easily pierced with a sharp knife and the sugar is caramelized.  Slip a spatula under the fruit and set it on a large dish to cool.  Serve sliced fruit for dessert or breakfast with yogurt and granola or put sliced, roasted fruit in a salad with some dried cranberries and blue cheese.  Roasted fruit keeps for several days refrigerated.  It is a good "make ahead" item or a great way to have your oven do double duty when something else is in the oven at 350˚F. 

To roast vegetables, crank the stove to 425˚F and chop a medley of vegetables into bite-sized pieces.  Good combinations are peeled winter squash, potatoes, beets and carrots with a thin coating of olive oil, salt and pepper plus some sprigs of thyme or rosemary.  Or try chopped cauliflower, celery, broccoli, mushrooms and zucchini dressed with olive oil, crushed garlic clove and low-sodium soy sauce.  Place the vegetables on a foil lined metal roasting pan or glass baking dish.  If you’d like the vegetables to steam first, cover with foil for the first 20 minutes then remove the top foil, stir the vegetables and roast for another 20-30 minutes until they are tender and lightly browned. Brussels sprouts rank as our favorite when roasted.  Steam halved sprouts with a bit of water until tender then toss drained sprouts with olive oil, salt and pepper and place on a roasting pan.  Roast for about 15 minutes at 425˚F, turning occasionally.  Don’t discard the little leaves that will inevitably fall off during steaming.  These roast up into little crispy chips that act as an instant garnish to the finished dish.

What to roast alongside your vegetable medleys?  Thick fillets of fish like sea bass, haddock, tuna or salmon would be nice with soy sauce-infused roast vegetables.  Add the fish during the last 10-15 minutes of roasting.  Fish only needs minimal prep.  I like a touch of olive oil or butter with good squeeze of lemon.  On white fish, chopped tomato (fresh or sun-dried in oil) and chopped parsley are good flavor builders.  For the meatier fish, tuna and salmon, a light glaze of low-sodium soy sauce or miso is terrific.  No need to turn fish over during roasting. It is ready when the meat flakes. 

Small or individual cuts of meat like a hot roasting oven. Try pork tenderloin marinated in slurry of a tablespoon of mustard, 1-2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce and 1/2 cup water (pat dry before roasting). Pork tenderloin takes 18-22 minutes at 425˚F.  Test with a meat thermometer for an internal temperature of 160˚F.  Thick cuts of steak can be roasted too.  Sear both sides of seasoned steaks in a skillet with a little oil until nicely browned and then place the (oven-proof) skillet in the oven to finish.  Rare (135-140˚F) takes just 8-10 minutes more for a one and half inch thick steak.  Medium about (150˚F) 12 minutes and well-done (160-165˚F) is ready in 15 minutes.  Remember to let the meat rest before cutting and serving. 

Whole chickens need to roast at lower temperatures but dark chicken parts can stand a higher heat in a roasting pan with a light coat of oil and a little water or broth.  Plan on 20-30 minutes for thighs/leg quarters.  They are ready when the internal temperature reaches 165-170˚F.  Your oven may run hot so start checking at 20 minutes using a meat thermometer.  If the outside is browning too fast, cover loosely with foil.

Roasting is a pure foods method that allows food to taste like itself.  Use a light touch with seasonings to keep the main ingredient’s flavor forward.  And if you oven has room, save yourself some time (and lower your energy bills) by cooking a double batch of vegetables or meat.  Use the vegetables in soup or mixed with grains the next day.  Slice the extra meat for sandwiches and skip the cold cuts for a few days.

Calcium Loading

The New York City Marathon is one of the city’s big fall events.  Runners enjoy an annual pasta meal the night before the big race.  Everyone knows its called “carb-loading” and it helps lean marathoners go the distance without depletion. 

There’s another race that more if us are involved in, the slightly longer marathon to maintain strong bones throughout our lives.  While marathoners are carb-loading, you can be calcium-loading. 

Calcium-loading is a mindful approach to getting calcium at as many meals as possible every day.  The body can only absorb about 500 mg of calcium at a time but the recommended daily amount is between 1,000-1,500 mg for most adults.  Taking a calcium supplement is recommended for many women but keeping up with the dosage can be taxing.  Take it all at once and most is lost to the body.  Try to take a pill at every meal and risk forgetting. Healthy bones are too important to neglect so here is a plan to keep calcium flowing through your system via- surprise- food.  Many low fat options make this possible for all but the lactose intolerant.  Add a few of these to your routine on a consistent basis and your doctor may suggest cutting back on the supplements.

There are choices at every meal and snack opportunity:

Breakfast
Coffee Latte—Get you caffeine with a bigger shot of milk and add 33mg calcium for every ounce (regardless of fat content).   I like strong hot coffee with at least 1/3 of the mug filled with milk.  That’s almost 100 mg* and plenty of caffeine.

Hot Chocolate-- Don't feel guilty about a morning hot cocoa.  If you can make it yourself,  it's likely you'll get out the door with less sugar and fewer calories than a coffeehouse special latte.  Hold the marshmallows.

Orange Juice—you can buy calcium-fortified versions but plain is also a contributor at 52 mg. calcium in 4 ounces.

Egg- one large egg contributes 27 mg calcium to your morning.  (Note: over 90% of the calcium is in the yolk.)

Yogurt- dollop it on oatmeal, which itself contributes about 85 mg of calcium in a cup, eat it plain or in a breakfast parfait with fresh or stewed fruit and a handful of low fat granola.   Eight ounces provides from 300-500 mg of calcium  (check the label on your favorite).

Cream cheese- replace butter with an ounce of regular or low fat cream cheese on toast, muffins, rolls and bagels.  Skimp on that huge bagel by cutting it in half but don’t cheat yourself out of the nutrition-rich cheese.   It also delivers a nice quantity of protein, keeping you satisfied through the morning.  One ounce gives you 25+ mg calcium bonus over butter or jams.  Mix in some cinnamon or a teaspoon of maple syrup for a terrific pancake or whole wheat waffle spread. 

Almond butter is a second option on breakfast breads.  It tastes good with cream cheese or on its own.  One tablespoon gives you 43 mg of calcium.

Smoothies made with low fat milk, plain yogurt and fruits including banana as a thickener make a quick breakfast protein shake.  Here’s a seasonal recipe that tastes like pumpkin pie:

Pumpkin Smoothie:
Serves 1

Ingredients
1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/3 cup pureed pumpkin (canned is fine
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method

1. Shake all ingredients together in a lidded jar with a few ice cubes or, if doubling the recipe, mix it up in a blender. 

Lunch
Beverage of choice: Milk- your kids are (perhaps) having a glass of milk with their school lunch.  Maybe you should try it too.  Skim milk goes well with a sandwich and adds a big boost of both calcium and protein to your day.

Cheese please- Diet guides often recommend peeling the cheese off a sandwich to lower calories.  Instead, add a slice of your favorite hard cheese and lose a slice of bread to create an open face sandwich.  One ounce of most hard cheese provides between 100-200 mg calcium with only about 100 extra nutrient rich calories. If you can’t get out of your own way on the calories front, enjoy low-calorie versions of cheddar, Swiss and many others.  Melted is really good!

Spinach salad- Toss a cup of baby spinach leaves into your next midday salad and scoop up an extra 30 mg of calcium with just 7 calories. 

And while you’re at the salad bar, reach for chick peas.  You’ll add 43 mg calcium for every half cup (143 calories and 6 grams of protein makes your salad a main dish).

Snacks
Cottage Cheese- Once considered “diet food” only, cottage cheese is still a great side or satisfying snack with melon or pineapple.  Now it’s also used by savvy cooks in dip and baked pasta recipes. 

Cheese, Glorious Cheese- When you snack well it feels satisfying, not hunger-inducing.  An ounce of cheese can get you through to dinner and if you are not serving something with calcium it’s the perfect pre-dinner appetizer or elegant dessert with fruit. At about 100-140 calories per ounce it competes with most energy bars.

Chocolate milk—Com’n, you know you like it.  You can grab one on the go or whip one up at home.  If you are making chocolate milk at home, add a drop of real vanilla extract to enhance the deep chocolate flavor and reduce the amount of sugar needed.

Nuts- One ounce of nuts goes farther than you’d think to curb your appetite and add calcium.   Almonds 75 mg calcium, 1 ounce = 22 nuts, brazilnuts 45 mg calcium, 1 ounce = 6 nuts. Pistachios 31 mg calcium, 1 ounce = 49 nuts, walnuts 28 mg calcium, 1 ounce = 14 nuts.

White beans- two ounces contributes 20 mg calcium.  Mash beans up with a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil and dried rosemary, salt and pepper to taste.  Celery, carrots, steamed green beans, asparagus, and cauliflower are all calcium-contributing dippers.

Edamame (soy beans) 1 cup =261 mg

Dinner
Many vegetables are a surprising source of calcium.  Half cup of cabbage or bok choy provides 190 mg calcium, broccoli 33 and okra 65 each.  A cup of cooked spinach provides 250 mg calcium and collard greens are at close second at 226 mg per cup serving. 

Go Au Gratin: One ounce of grated Parmesan has 110 calories and a whopping 313 mg calcium.  Cheese and broccoli casserole is suddenly more meaningful.  Try it with a low-fat version of cheddar and a dusting of grated Parmesan.   See below for a fast and freezable broccoli-cheese-rice casserole.  (Even rice has a respectable amount of calcium.)

Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole
Serves 4 as a side

Ingredients
2 cups cooked rice
3 cups steamed broccoli
1/2 cup sliced, steamed celery
6 oz vegetable or chicken broth
1 /4 cup lite mayo
2 T sour cream
1/3 cup each grated mozzarella and cheddar
1/2 cup Parmesan, divided

1. Preheat oven to 350˚.  Spray a large casserole dish with spray oil.  
2. In a small bowl, slowly whisk mix broth into mayonnaise and sour cream a bit at a time to form a thick sauce.  
3. Add grated mozzarella and cheddar and half the Parmesan.  Set aside.
4. Place rice and vegetables in prepared casserole.  
5. Pour cheese mixture over and toss to combine.  
6. Cover and bake 20 minutes until heated through.  
7. Remove cover, sprinkle on remaining Parmesan cheese and bake another 5 minutes until cheese is melted.

Fish like salmon and sardines load on the calcium.  Three ounces give your between 300 and 350 mg calcium.  Finish fish with a sprinkling of sesame seeds.  12 grams provides 80 mg, calcium.  (Make your favorite tuna recipe with canned salmon to boost mid-day calcium. A three ounce serving of canned salmon packs 234 mg calcium.

Tofu, made from soy beans, is another way to add calcium.  A 4oz serving provides 150 mg calcium.  See if it’s in your favorite veggie burger. 

Not just for baked potatoes, dairy toppings can garnish steamed or roasted vegetables and thick soups.  Choose Greek yogurt, “yogurt cheese” or sour cream.  (To make yogurt cheese, drain a cup of plain yogurt in cheesecloth or a coffee filter for a few hours or overnight over a shallow bowl.)

Dessert
Puddings made with low fat and skim milk are a lovely treat every once in a while.  Chocolate pudding, vanilla pudding, rice pudding, tapioca can be made from scratch but are also available in low fat versions already prepared.

Yogurt—yes, for dessert.  We use it on fruit crisps instead of ice cream or whipped cream.  Try the plain, whole milk type (some brands have cream on top).  It is the perfect foil to sweet crisps. 

Close out a meal with a cheese and fruit platter or serve as a side to a soup meal.  Add some calcium-rich nuts like almonds to the platter too.  Keep cheese plates simple and portions in control.  An ounce of cheese is usually equivalent to the size of 3 dice.

The Cheese Plate  (calcium in one ounce)
Cheese          Calcium     Calories
Gouda              196           100
Fontina            154           109
Brie                   51             94
Cheddar          202            113
Goat Cheese      83           102
Swiss               221           106
Roquefort        185           103
Feta                 138             74

*Calcium content noted sourced from http://nutritiondata.self.com/

Vitamin D
Your body requires a supply of Vitamin D to help your system absorb and regulate calcium.  There are not many sources (fatty fish, meat and eggs).  One source is sunlight and it only takes 10-15 outdoors daily with face and arms exposed (no sunscreen) to obtain your fill. (A daily walk outside is another important bone strengthener.) Those who live in colder climates or who cannot be without sunscreen for that length of time can also get Vitamin D via fortified foods.

Apple Chips for Wine Night

It is my turn to bring the appetizers for Wine Night. We’ll be having pizza baked in the outdoor, wood fired oven that my neighbors built.  The wine is from the Finger Lakes region.  Dessert, a surprise. 

With pizza as the main coarse, the appetizer needs to be light.  No bready items and no anti-pasti or cheese that might come too close to imitating the pizza toppings. And, the appetizer needs to compliment the wine. 

It’s fall so roasted nuts and dried fruits come to mind as a nice foil to the dinner.  Guests can nibble and won’t get too full. Dried figs, apricots and dates will boost the flavors of the wines and roasted pecans, peanuts and almonds will balance some of the tannins of younger wines.

Apple chips dusted with herbs that compliment the wine will be the centerpiece of the appetizer spread.  Cinnamon-sugar scented chips are the usual flavor but my mix of dried mint, sage, black pepper and salt with a small amount of sugar will bring out the herbal notes in both the white and red wines being served and adds a sophisticated note to the apple flavor.  This is an easy recipe, but must be started early in the day.

Herbed Apple Chips
Ingredients
4 apples (note recipe can be halved if oven is not large enough for 4 sliced apples)
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon each dried mint and sage
1/8 teaspoon each salt and black pepper
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Method

1. Arrange racks in oven so that they are evenly spaced.  Check how many sheet pans you can fit on the racks.  One medium sliced apple will fill a large baking sheet. This will determine how many apple chips you can make at one time.  
2. Bring oven to 225˚F while you prepare the apples.  Line the baking sheets with parchment paper, silicone pads or waxed paper sprayed with a bit of vegetable oil.  
3. Slice apples 1/8” inch or less thick.  A mandolin or slide-slicer will make this easy.  
4. In a wide bowl toss sliced apples with lemon juice, sugar, herbs, salt and pepper.  
5. Lay apple slices on prepared baking sheets as close together as possible without overlapping.
6. Bake 20 minutes, then using a spatula carefully flip apples over.  Continue to bake at 225˚F for a total of 1 1/2- 2 hours, turning every 15-20 minutes until apples begin to brown and are quite dry.  (Apple chips should be crisp, not chewy.)
7. As chips are ready, remove them from the baking sheets and place on a cool baking sheet or board to cool completely.  Store in an airtight container.  You may recrisp these apple chips in a low oven, 15 minutes.

Food Fright (and a Fall Cookie Recipe)

Are you modeling fear of food behavior?  Scary.

 You know, that’s when someone is eating something unusual like raw oysters or roasted cactus and another diner comments, “Oooooh, gross!” Right while it’s in their mouths.  Children are picking up your signals.

If your eating habits and food outlook is limiting, your offspring can hardly be blamed for struggling too.

Your adventurousness and world knowledge is also being noted. Like when a food from a different culture is shown on TV, haggis for example, and someone squeals, “eeeew.” In many parts of the world people are not so removed from the source of their nutrition and have created dishes that extend a limited food supply.  Some of these become national dishes that use innards or blood to provide needed nutrients like the famous Spanish dish rinones al jerez (kidneys in sherry) or blood sausage (also know as black sausage.) Sometimes more of an animal is used than we are accustomed to and we find ourselves on the verge of saying something rude.  That’s bad manners in any culture. 

How about at a restaurant when an order includes, as loudly as possible, “NO ANCHOVIES!” No issues with asking for what you want or don’t want, but make sure you are not sending a message to the rest of the table about how you feel about people who don’t eat the same way as you.

Before you know it, you have both signaled and given permission to your children to say no to something new.  Now where’s the fun in that?

While researching this piece I came across lists of foods people posted online that was gross (to them).   Notice that many are distinct in texture, often the feature people find off-putting.  Also seafood and certain vegetables give some people pause.  Here were some surprising and not so surprising ones:

Carrots  (now that one surprised me)
Eggs
Asparagus
Avocado
Mayonnaise
Oysters
Sea urchin
Rare beef
Garlic cloves
Anchovies
Sardines
Hot dogs
Beets
Russian dressing
Sweet pickles
Green beans
Blue cheese
Cottage cheese
Buttermilk
Okra

Need I go on?  What some of us find repulsive the rest of us enjoy.  As an adult you don’t have to eat everything, but show good manners and let others enjoy.  And if there are children at the table, be mindful of the thoughts that might be creeping into their heads!

Skeletons in Your Closet? 
Many moms have shared this little secret with me: they keep cookies and salty snacks on hand because of the kids but they end up eating the stuff instead. So who's really asking for the junk food?  It’s the brave parent who isn’t spooked at clearing out the pantry.  If you want cookies, make some real ones. Show your children you don’t fear food because you are the one in control.   Here’s a recipe for a small batch that can be ready to eat in 1/2 hour:

Emergency Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Makes about 2 dozen

These have no butter so they are lower in fat.  Aside from one egg, everything can be stored in the pantry (including individual 1/2 cup portions of applesauce) so you can make these at a moment's notice.  We like the peanut butter variation that adds back in a bit of fat via crunchy, all natural peanut butter.  These cookies have a granola bar feel.   They are excellent with a glass of cold milk or a crunchy apple.  

Ingredients
1 c. flour
1 c. quick cooking oats
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 egg
1/2 cup applesauce
1 tsp. vanilla
Optional: 1/2 c. raisins, chopped nuts
Peanut Butter Variation: mix in 1/3 cup crunchy peanut butter with other mix-ins. 

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray cookie sheet or line with silicone pad. 
2. Combine all dry ingredients. 
3. Combine egg, vanilla and applesauce and stir into dry ingredients. Add mix-ins at this stage.  
4. Drop by teaspoon (or use a mini-cookie scoop) onto cookie sheet.  The cookies bake up in the shape you drop them so leave rounded or flatten with a fork moistened with water if you want a flatter cookie.  
5. Bake 10-12 minutes until bottoms are slightly browned.  Cool briefly before eating.  
6. Good warm or room temperature.  Store in an airtight container; eat within 2 days.

Happy Halloween!

Pure Foods Top 10

Its fun to look at the first year's history and discover patterns, uncover readers’ interests and wonder about how people become aware of a topic.  I was delighted with the range of blog topics that were popular in year one.  Here are the Top 10 (according to Google Stats):

Brownie Baked Alaska, 7/28/10
Summer Corn Salad, 7/21/10
All-American (Dinner menus from across the US), 8/22/10
Beyond Potato Salad, 9/01/10
A Less Scary Halloween, 10/26/09
No Apologies Chocolate Mousse, 9/17/10
Heat Wave Foods, 7/25/10
Foraging for Blueberries, 8/29/10
Pure Drinks Party, Pt 2 (Beers), 12/31/09
The Whole Enchilada, 10/12/10

That’s four under dessert/fruits, three in side dishes, two in the main dish category and one in beverages. 

Desserts and fruits on top might concern some but I believe that a healthy relationship with this category marks the pure eater.  Knowing how to navigate our land of sweets is crucial and seeing desserts and snacks as an opportunity to add pure, good foods like dairy, fruit and nuts to a daily diet is a good step away from apologetic eating.  It was fun to see the Halloween entry so well read.  (Yes, there are plans for another terrifying Halloween-related entry coming up.)

At number two, side dishes are one of the great adventure spots on a plate and provide a gateway to sample new and pure foods and flavors and make slow but steady changes to our meals.

The main dish of the year was the recent Whole Enchilada. In fact recent posts have been beating out older ones at a rate that hints at readership growth.  That’s good news to this author.

I wasn’t sure beverages had a place in this blog.  I drink water on most days but even I referred back to the beer entry a few times over the past year when I wanted to sample something new.  Recently we’ve been sampling the growing selection of non-alcoholic beers, a very nice (and not sweet) alternative to a soft drink that also goes well with many dinner choices.

Thank you for being a part of the first year.  Your feedback has made it meaningful.

Nuts, to You

Nuts and seeds are finding there way into more of our meals.  Peanut or almond butter on a whole wheat waffle or oat pancake with banana slices is a favorite breakfast (especially on mornings when there are extra homemade pancakes or waffles in the freezer).  A 1/2 ounce of whole almonds (10-11) has fueled me between meetings for years, especially when I was on the road and a healthy meal might be more than a few miles ahead.

More recently, toasted nuts and seeds have been finding a place in our dinner salads.  They add the crunch of croutons but with extra nutrients. 

We eat salad most nights.  Keeping salad really simple is what makes it easy to serve consistently.  Torn lettuce plus 1-2 other items topped with nuts or seeds takes less than 5 minutes to put together.  It has been years since we had bottled salad dressing in the house because we keep that simple too—balsamic vinegar and olive oil, salt and pepper.  Small jar, replenish weekly.

We mix and match but get started with these combinations:

• Sliced almonds- nice in roasted beet and goat cheese salads or with orange slices over greens
• Walnuts or Pecans, chopped or whole- compliment salads with apples, pears or blue cheese
• Pistachios- taste great in salads with dried fruits like figs, cherries or cranberries
• Pumpkin seeds, hulled- happy in most salads and a fun addition to fall salads
• Sunflower seeds, plain or roasted- try them in a salad with avocados
• Pine nuts- sprinkle them onto a simple green salad with a basil infused oil or fresh basil leaves and shards of Parmesan cheese

One tablespoon of nuts per serving is quite generous in most salads.  Raw nuts are fine but if you have an extra 2 minutes, try toasting them to boost the flavor by warming their oils.  (I don’t toast pine nuts as they are very delicate and burn easily.)

Here are two methods. A batch can be made ahead:

Oven Roast Method
In a small roasting pan, use 1 teaspoon vegetable or olive oil for every 1/4 cup nuts.  Toss nuts with oil.  Leave plain or sprinkle on a favorite spice or a touch of salt.  Place in a 400˚ F oven and don’t walk away.  Nuts can burn quickly depending on their fat content so use a timer and stay close.  You’ll have warm toasty nuts in about 2 minutes.  If they need more time, add it in 15-30 second increments.
(Pumpkin time note: If you’d like to toast pumpkin seeds from a carved jack o’lantern, rinse them well in a strainer getting as much of the pulp off as possible.  Pat them dry with a dishtowel then proceed as above. Fresh pumpkin seeds will take longer then hulled ones. Count on 10-15 minutes and turning them a few times.  Don’t stray too far while they are roasting.)

Stove Top Method
This works best in an dry, iron skillet over medium-high heat.  A “dry” skillet has nothing added—e.g. no additional oil for this method.  Heat the skillet and add nuts (1 cup maximum at a time).  Stir gently and occasionally until nuts brown lightly and begin to release their volatile oils. Done.

We have family members with peanut and tree nut allergies so we limit out enjoyment to occasions when the coast is clear.  If you have a nut allergy, can you eat seeds? Some experts say yes, but beware of seeds that are processed where nuts may also be processed and there is a likelihood of cross-contamination.  Here’s more information: http://foodallergies.about.com/od/nutallergies/f/treenutsseeds.htm

You may want to try roasted chick peas in salads as a nut substitute if you are not allergic to legumes other than peanuts.  Drain and rinse a can of chick peas.  Pour onto a dishtowel to dry off beans a bit.  Pour beans onto a rimmed cookie sheet and toss with a tablespoon of vegetable or olive oil, some salt, paprika and/or cumin.  Roast at 400˚F for 15-20 minutes.  Check and stir a few times to prevent sticking.  Cool and keep in a airtight container: use within 3 days.

The Whole Enchilada

If you love enchiladas but not the fuss of rolling tortillas into neat rows, try this stacked version that always comes out looking great.  Extra filling ideas allow this dish to go vegetarian.  Use a one-quart souffle dish or any dish with high sides that fits the diameter of your corn tortillas. Like many casseroles, you can assemble it earlier in the day or cook it right away and freeze it for a later meal. 

Enchilada Casserole
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 15-oz can low sodium black beans, drained
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and sliced into thin strips
1 medium tomato, roughly chopped
2 T freshly chopped cilantro
1/4 lime
1 cooked whole chicken breast, shredded  (1 to 1+1/2 cups)
1/3 cup sliced black olives
1 10-oz can plain tomato sauce, low sodium
1 teaspoon chipotle powder
optional: 1 peeled, chopped tomatillo, 1/2 small can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
4 corn tortillas
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 375˚F.  Lightly oil the casserole dish to prevent sticking.  
2. In a medium bowl combine corn, black beans, jalapeno pepper, tomato and cilantro.  Add a squeeze of lime and mix well.  Set aside.  
3. In a second bowl, combine shredded chicken with olives.  (Set aside about 5 olive slices for garnish.) 
4. In a shallow dish or pie plate wide enough to fit tortillas, mix together tomato sauce and chipotle powder.  If using tomatillos or a canned chipotles, combine the sauce in a blender and pour into shallow plate.  
5. Dip a tortilla in sauce so it completely covers and slightly softens the tortilla.  Spoon a bit of sauce on the bottom of the casserole and top with softened tortilla.  
6. Add half of the corn-bean mixture, 1/4 cup cheese and a second tortilla softened in sauce.  Add another spoonful or two of sauce then add entire chicken mixture to form next layer.  Sprinkle on another 1/4 cup cheese.  Add a bit of sauce if chicken looks dry.  
7. Create the next layer with a softened tortilla, the remaining corn-bean mixture and 1/4 cup cheese.  
8. Top with the last tortilla, softened in remaining sauce, the rest of the cheese and the reserved olive slices.  Pour remaining sauce over top. 
9. Cover casserole loosely with foil and bake at 375˚F for 25-30 minutes until center is hot, at least 150˚F.  
10. Remove foil and continue to bake, about 10-15 minutes longer until cheese has melted and sauce is bubbling. (Center of casserole should read 165˚F.)  Remove casserole from oven and allow to rest 10 minutes before cutting and serving.   
11. Serve alongside a bed of lettuce with a wedge of avocado and lime.  Garnish with fresh cilantro and a dollop of sour cream.  

Vegetarian version:
As a vegetarian casserole, this dish can be used as a main or side dish at a dinner with all types of eaters.  To create a vegetarian enchilada casserole, double the bean mixture and eliminate the chicken layer or replace the chicken layer with a mixture of thickly sliced and sauteed mushrooms, zucchini and peppers (hot or sweet, your choice) mixed with sliced olives and spiced with cilantro, oregano and a bit of cumin. 

Happy Anniversary!  Pure Foods Project blog celebrates its first anniversary today.

Fresh Soft Breadsticks

Serve breadsticks in a unique glass

This is mostly a passive recipe that requires a few minutes of your attention at the start and finish and rewards you with a batch of warm breadsticks.  Sprinkled with some grated Parmesan cheese, they make a simple soup or spaghetti dinner special or a nice coffee treat when dredged in a bit of cinnamon sugar.  Topped with some coarse salt, they will remind you of soft pretzels.  Serve them at a cocktail party with a honey-mustard sauce.  If you have never worked with yeast doughs, this is a good starter recipe. 

Soft Breadsticks Dough
Makes about 36 breadsticks

Ingredients
1 cup water, 100-110˚F
2 1/4 teaspoons yeast (1 packet)
large pinch of sugar
3 cups bread flour
optional toppings: grated Parmesan cheese, cinnamon sugar or coarse salt

Method

1. Start dough up to an hour and a half before you want to serve bread sticks.  Add 1 cup of water, 100-110˚F, to a large bowl.  Sprinkle yeast and sugar over water and stir lightly.  Let mixture sit for 5 minutes to allow yeast to bloom.  If you do not see a bloom cap forming over water within 8 minutes, your yeast may be old.  You will need to start again with fresh yeast.
2. When yeast has bloomed, stir in 2 cups of flour.  Turn a wooden spoon upside down to use the handle as a good mixer.  
3. When flour is incorporated, turn dough onto a floured board and begin to need, adding the last cup of flour in as you go.  On drier days, not all the flour will be required.  Knead dough for 8 minutes, until dough is elastic and no longer sticky.  Don’t worry too much if you are new to the process and not sure of the texture.   This is a very forgiving dough. 
4. Place dough in a medium bowl that has been lightly oiled.  Cover with a dish towel and place in a non-drafty spot at least 70˚K (near the stove works well).  Let dough rise 50 minutes, until doubled in size.
5. Preheat oven to 400˚F.
6. Punch down dough and let rest 15 minutes.  This will make the dough easier to roll out.  On a floured counter tip or board, roll out dough to into a large rectangle about 12” X 16”.  
7. Cut dough in strips about 1/2 inch wide to make 32 strips.  Twist the strips and fold them in half so that the two ends twist around each other or leave them long for a dramatic effect.  Lay each strip on a lightly oiled cookie sheet.  
8. For breadsticks, brush strips with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese before baking. For cinnamon sticks, brush with melted butter and cover with cinnamon sugar (2 parts sugar to 1 part cinnamon) before baking. For soft “pretzels,” brush with water and baking soda (dissolve 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda in a 1/4 cup water) and sprinkle with coarse salt before baking.  
9. Bake at 400˚F for 15 minutes, until nicely browned.  Remove from pan and cool just a few minutes before serving. 

Leftover breadsticks don’t keep well.  If you have leftovers or want to make a batch ahead, store them in the freezer and reheat them uncovered in a oven or toaster oven at medium temperature (300-350˚F) or about 10 minutes.

No Apologies Chocolate Mousse

At least once in your lifetime, eat like Julia Child.  Start by enjoying a real dessert.  If you are not allergic to eggs, make that dessert chocolate mousse topped with a dollop of real whipped cream.  Leave behind the store bought cookies, the mixes and the processed bars for one night and indulge in the real deal.  The trade up will leave you satisfied and possibly with fewer calories than a typical night’s indulgence as a result. 

Chocolate mousse is easy to make- very elemental- whipped cream, eggs and chocolate mixed with real butter and sugar.  Not only is it a simple pudding served with fruit and whipped cream, it also makes a wonderful cake frosting and can be frozen for later use (or strictly measured consumption).

I’ve made many versions of chocolate mousse but none is easier and tastier than the one from Julia Child’s book The Way to Cook (Alfred A. Knopf, 1989).  So with no additions or embellishments, here is her recipe:

Julia Child’s Chocolate Mousse
Serves six

Ingredients
8 ounces semisweet chocolate
1/4 cup strong coffee
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3 eggs, separated
1/4 cup fine granulated sugar (process regular granulated sugar briefly in a food processor to get a finer grain)
1 cup heavy cream

Method

1. In the microwave or over the stove, melt the chocolate in the hot coffee.  
2. Remove from heat and beat the softened butter into the chocolate mixture.  
3. Next mix in the egg yolks, one at a time.  
4. In a separate large bowl, beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks.  Continue beating while adding the sugar to the egg whites a few tablespoons at a time.  
5. n a medium bowl, beat cream until it forms soft peaks of whipped cream (not too stiff).  
6. To combine, pour the chocolate mixture down the side of the bowl of egg whites.  Fold them together using a large flexible spatula to cut down the middle of the egg whites and scoop up chocolate and egg white together.  Egg whites will deflate slightly; be patient, stay calm.  When mixture is almost blended, fold in the whipped cream. 
7. Transfer mousse into a large serving bowl or individual cups (wine glasses make a nice presentation).  Cover and chill mousse for a few hours before serving. 

 Congratulate yourself on mastering something new.  School's out for the day.

Our Blue Plate Special

Individual meatloaves make everyone feel special.  These are chili meatloaves with cheddar cheese melted on top.  Easy variations like this use a basic meatloaf recipe. 

Every few weeks we have the Blue Plate Special for dinner.  Meatloaf, mashed potatoes and green beans says “diner blue plate” to me but a meal this fine that exactly suits our tastes might be hard to find at just any diner. 

Creating a signature meatloaf that your family loves and may even get passed down to the next generation is not that difficult.  Meatloaf is very forgiving and allows much variation once you understand a few ratios.  It is also one of those dishes that will help you recognize and develop your personal taste.

Basic Meatloaf Recipe
Ingredients
1 cup milk- 1 cup total of liquid could also include tomato sauce, wine, ketchup, barbeque sauce,etc
1/2 cup bread crumbs—try fresh bread crumbs or ground instant oatmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
1/4 teaspoon each thyme, oregano (other herbs to try: sage, thyme, quatre epice, basil)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (also try 1-3 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce, brandy, soy sauce, anchovy paste)
1 1/2 pounds ground meat (beef or turkey sometimes with veal, pork, lamb combinations are common)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F. 
2. In a large mixing bowl, mix all ingredients except meat.  Let sit 5 minutes to allow liquid to absorb grains and flavoring.  
3. Add meat and mix quickly but well.  A light hand is useful in meatloaf making.  
4. Place meatloaf in a 9” x 5” loaf pan or form a free-standing loaf and place in a shallow roasting pan.  If covering with bacon or pancetta, wrap meatloaf at this stage.
5. Bake 350˚F for 30-40 minutes, then check temperature and carefully drain excess fat. 
6. If you are adding a topping, drain fat and pour your sauce over the top during the last 15 minutes of cooking. Meatloaf is finished when center of loaf reads 165˚F minimum. 
7. To allow easier slicing, let cooked meatloaf rest at least 10 minutes before cutting. 

Toppings
Tomato based: combine 1 cup plain tomato sauce with 1 tablespoon brown sugar and 1 teaspoon cayenne, ground chipotle chile or paprika.  Spoon over meatloaf. During last 15 minutes of baking.
Meat Gravy based: Retain about 1/4 cup of fat during cooking.  Make a quick roux with 1 tablespoon flour and add 2/3-1 cup beef or chicken broth to create a thick gravy.  Taste for seasoning and add slat and pepper.  Spoon over meatloaf when serving.
Chili Meatloaves: Use a combination of beef, turkey and pork for the ground meat and oatmeal for the grain.  Tomato sauce with cayenne or hot sauce is the liquid and cumin, chipotle chili and oregano plus salt and pepper provide the herbs and spices.  Form individual meatloaves and top with the tomato sauce topping above and thick slices of cheddar cheese the last 10-15 minutes of baking until the cheese has melted. 
  
Signature Meatloaf
Smart tips for creating your signature meatloaf: Test your mixture—combine all flavoring ingredients first using half the salt.  Combine with liquid and bread or grain. Use a small teaspoon to taste the flavor mixture.  If you like what you taste you are on the right track. Add the rest of the salt and the meat.  Mix thoroughly and scoop out a teaspoon-sized patty to cook in microwave (30 seconds on medium) or small frying pan.  When cooked completely through, taste again.  Sometimes more salt is needed or you may find you’d like to add more of one of the herbs.  Remember if you are serving meatloaf cold, a higher degree of seasoning is needed. 

Go Vegetarian
There is a fun website to help you build your own vegetarian loaf.  These loaves will satisfy big appetites and make really good sandwich fillings.  Once you try it a few times you will figure out the way the ratios work and be able to create more recipes without the guide.  http://www.veganlunchbox.com/loaf_studio.html

Beyond Potato Salad

It’s hard to resist good ole’ potato salad but there are some really tasty alternatives if you’ve had it at every summer cook out this year.  Just like potato salad, these salads taste great alongside sandwiches as well as all things grilled.  Try one out at your Labor Day get-together.


Wild Rice Salad
Serves 4-6
Nutty and citrus-infused, this salad is chock full of whole grains tossed with almonds, pumpkin seeds, orange sections, dried fruits and herbs.  Just the right amount of crunch and sweetness.  It goes with hearty sandwiches, grilled pork or burgers.  Add some sliced, grilled chicken to any leftovers for a complete bag lunch the following day.

Ingredients
2 cups cooked wild rice, cooled
1/4 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup dried apricots, chopped
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

2 oranges
Juice of 1/2 lemon
3 ounces olive oil
1/2 teaspoon low sodium soy sauce
Salt and black pepper
Optional: 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Method

1. In a medium-sized serving bowl, toss together rice, cherries, apricots, almonds, pumpkin seeds, parsley and cinnamon.  
2. Zest one orange and add to rice salad.  Peel and cut second orange in sections and add to rice salad. 
3. Make dressing by juicing zested orange. 
4. Mix lemon juice, olive oil and soy sauce into orange juice.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  If using red pepper, add at this stage. Pour over rice mixture and toss to coat.  
5. Chill until ready to serve. 

Celeriac Salad
Serves 6
This is a luxurious side salad with a mild mustard flavored sauce.  A great choice alongside fish and seafood.  What is celeriac?  Celery root.  This tastes good with sliced celery too but if you can find celery root it’s a revelation.  The dressing is also nice over pasta salads.


Ingredients

1 celeriac
Juice of half lemon
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Peel celeriac with a vegetable peeler.  Cut bulb in half and cut away any roots.  Turn each half onto its cut end and slice thinly.  Separate each half into quarters, turn onto the flat side again and cut slices to create matchsticks.  
2. Place in a medium bowl and toss with lemon juice.  
3. Combine mayonnaise, mustard and olive oil.  
4. Mix dressing with celeriac, taste and add salt and pepper as needed.   
5. Serve Celeriac Remoulade as a side or feature it on a bed of lettuce for a light lunch salad with a bit of bread and cheese.

Spain’s Russian Salad
Don’t even try to figure out the derivation of this salad, just enjoy it.  Theories are divided on why the Spanish named this salad after distant northern neighbors including one involving the use of winter vegetables—potatoes, carrots and peas—as a base.  The cooked vegetables are enrobed in a rich, flavored mayonnaise and sometimes shrimp or tuna, hard-boiled eggs, olives, celery and more are added.  Ample variations make this a good leftovers salad. 

Making your own mayonnaise is a culinary adventure every cook should try at least once but if you are serving this salad to guests who are very young, old or recently ill, stay away from raw eggs. I’ve created a variation that uses safer (and fast) store bought mayonnaise flavored with saffron and green-scented extra virgin olive oil.    Try a Spanish olive oil in this recipe for an authentic Iberian flavor.

Ensalada Rusa
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 pound thin-skinned potatoes
2 medium carrots
1/3 cup frozen or fresh peas
1/2 cup good quality real mayonnaise
1-2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
Large pinch saffron   (substitute 1/8 teaspoon each turmeric and Spanish paprika)
Salt and black pepper to taste

Optional
1 hard boiled egg
1-2 pimientos (or roasted red peppers) sliced in strips
5-6 green or black olives, sliced or left whole
1 can tuna packed in oil, drained
4-6 steamed shrimp, coarsely chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1/4 cup green beans, steamed and cooled
1 teaspoon capers

Method

1. Boil potatoes with skins on until tender.  When potatoes are almost ready, add peeled carrots (whole or cut in half).  
2. If using fresh peas add them to the cooking water during last minutes or two.  When vegetables are tender, drain and cool. (Traditionalists peel the cooked potatoes when cooled; purists may want to leave the skins on.)  If using frozen peas, add them to the drained hot vegetables so that they defrost while the cooked vegetables cool.  
3. Meanwhile make mayonnaise sauce by combining mayonnaise, olive oil, saffron and slat and pepper in a large bowl.  
4. When vegetables are cool, cut them into a large dice.  
5. Toss them plus any additional ingredients you are using with mayonnaise sauce.  
6. Cover and chill at least 2 ours before serving.  You may also make the base salad and add your extra ingredients as garnishes placed on the potatoes to form geometric patterns.

Pesto Potato Salad
Pesto adds an end of summer glow to potato salad.  Homemade pesto is easy (see June 20, 2010 blog entry) but you can use a pure prepared pesto sauce for this too.  Boil a few extra potatoes for dinner and make this salad from the leftovers the next day.  Cut the cooled potatoes into bite-sized pieces and mix in 1-2 teaspoons of pesto per potato.  Add a little extra virgin olive oil or mayonnaise to thin out the pesto a bit.  This will work on leftover baked or roasted potatoes too.  And you don’t have to wait for this one to cool—it tastes great hot or cold. 

Grilling out should be as easy on the cook as the grill master.  If you divide the tasks, you may have noticed that the day’s sous chef spends too much time indoors.  Instead of spending time in the kitchen preparing the sides, step out and enjoy the fun with everyone else.  These sides can be prepped ahead and given a final toss outdoors, where everyone can lend a hand.

Foraging for Blueberries

One of the easiest ways to get into pure foods is berry picking.  Blueberries are still a natural woodland crop in the northeast and beyond and are easy for even young children to spot.  Some people are a bit secretive about favorite blueberry bush tracts but ask around and eventually someone will clue you in.   One of my neighbors lets me forage in the back portion of her property where densely growing shrubbery yields a ready harvest.  

Bring small and large rinsed-out yogurt containers with covers, some water and snacks in a light backpack.  Give the small yogurt containers to children to fill.  (They will see progress quickly and if it tips the loss is minimal.)  Collect the crop in the large containers with covers or zip lock bags.

Enjoy blueberries in crisps, muffins and fresh fruit salads.  Freeze berries on cookie sheets (to prevent clumping) and then place frozen berries in freezer bags for mid-winter retrieval.  Perhaps Christmas morning blueberry muffins or oatmeal with blueberries instead of raisins?

Here are a few blueberry treats to eat now or freeze.  Granola Blueberry Crisp packs a blueberry pie taste without a heavy crust.  The ad hoc granola topping is hearty and spiked with almonds and oats so you won’t miss a thing.  My Blueberry Muffin recipe is inspired by the ones made at Boston department store Jordan Marsh until the early 1990’s.  I add lemon zest and cinnamon to the original and use buttermilk instead of regular milk for the liquid.  They are loaded with berries and bake up well in mini, regular or large muffin cups.  They also freeze beautifully. 

Granola Blueberry Crisp
Serves 2-3, recipe may be doubled

Ingredients
2 cups rinsed blueberries
Squeeze of lemon
2 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup quick cooking tapioca
Cooking spray oil

Granola Topping
1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup sliced almonds
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, sliced into 4-5 pieces

Method

1. Preheat oven to 425˚F.  Spray a shallow ovenproof casserole or pie plate with spray oil.  
2. Lightly mix the blueberries with lemon juice, sugar and tapioca in the casserole.  Let sit while you prepare the topping and the tapioca softens.
3. To prepare the topping, mix all dry ingredients in a medium bowl.  
4. Add butter and use your fingers to combine and coat the dry ingredients with the butter.   The warmth of your (very clean) hands will warm the butter and speed up combining the ingredients without breaking down the oats and almonds.  
5. Cover the blueberries with the granola topping.  
6. Bake at 425˚F for about 25-30 minutes until the blueberries are bubbling and the topping is crisp.  
7. Cool a few minutes before serving to allow the fruit to set.  Vanilla ice cream is nice with the crisp but give plain yogurt a try and you may never go back.  We like the type with cream on top for this dessert.  Less decadent that you’d think at about 130 calories per 8-oz container of yogurt.  You’ll need about 1/2 a container.  
8. To freeze, cool completely, cover top with tin foil and place crisp in a large zip lock bag. (Cover top and bottom with a double wrap of tin foil if you cannot fit it into a freezer bag.)  Freeze up to 6 weeks.  To re-heat, uncover crisp and place frozen crisp in a preheated 325˚F oven for 30-40 minutes until heated through.  If topping becomes too crisp while re-heating, cover loosely with foil. 

Blueberry Lemon Muffins
Makes 18 regular muffins, 10 jumbo or 2 1/2 dozen mini-muffins.
Mashing a portion of the berries into the batter and a light coating of sugar on top of each muffin before baking makes these nearly identical to the originals from Jordan Marsh.  I like my berries un-mashed and find the muffins sweet enough without the sugar topping but if you like a crunchy texture on top, give it a try.  Dusting the berries with flour keeps them buoyant in the batter so you will have berries in most bites instead of all at the bottom of muffins. 

Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick) at room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 cups white whole-wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Zest of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk (or 1/2 cup milk plus juice of 1/2 lemon)
2 cups fresh blueberries tossed with 1 tablespoon flour

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400˚F.  
2. Prepare muffin cups by lining with paper liners and spraying lightly with cooking oil spray.  
3. Cream butter with sugar in a large bowl.  With an electric mixer, beat at medium 2 minutes until light and fluffy.  
4. Add eggs, one at a time, beating continuously.  
5. In a smaller bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, lemon zest and salt.  
6. Add flour mixture to butter mixture, alternating with buttermilk.  
7. Fold in flour-dusted blueberries and scoop batter into prepared muffin cups.  
8. Bake at 400˚F for 30 minutes for regular muffins, 35-40 minutes for large muffins and 15-18 minutes for minis.  
9. Cool in tins for 10-15 minutes before removing and serving.  Muffins freeze well and keep for 2 months.

Fruit Salad
Don’t forget to add blueberries to fruit salads.  They make a colorful counterpart to almost any combination.  One of my favorites is with fresh apricots and bananas.  A sprinkling of fresh lemon zest is a wonderful secret ingredient in fresh fruit salads.  Use a microplaner/grater if you do not own a zester. 

Foraging Awareness
On the trail, be alert for other species that like berries.  Though they are usually out earlier than you, black bears are calorie loading at summer’s end in preparation for their winter sleep.   Making noise is not generally recommended in the woods if you want to see wildlife, but voices will often warn off this bear.  If you do encounter one, remember that they live in the wild and are not cuddly. They are as concerned for their cubs as you are for your children.  Make sure you are not in a line of sight between a mother and its cubs by steering yourself away.

All-American

The Little League World Series is in full swing.  The children of the world are staying with host families surrounding Williamsport, PA where the international event has been based for 64 years.   Like many foreign visitors who spend time at American tables, these children will sample the All-American hot dog and hamburger grill out.  It’s inexpensive and our answer to a fun meal that allows for a little creativity too.   In addition to beef burgers, we now regularly see buffalo, turkey and veggie burgers in backyards everywhere.   Hot dogs come in healthier varieties made with turkey, chicken and tofu and some exclude nitrates. Garden-ripe tomatoes and all kinds of domestic cheeses top burgers. Homemade chili, sauerkraut or even chopped salads are offered with franks.  Side dishes from the grill or prepared in advance put the household personality and heritage front and center.  Potato salads, slaws, relishes and fresh salads and grilled vegetables from the garden tell the story of the family’s tastes and traditions.

If you have international visitors and have done the hot dog/burger meal already, consider offering other “All American” meals that show off the diversity of our people and the range of our resources.  Here are a few regional menu ideas to introduce your foreign friends to dinner across America:

Northwestern Pacific
Grill thick salmon steaks and fresh asparagus and serve with sesame soba noodles. 
Celebrate the region’s fruit harvest that evokes the flavors of northwest wines with a pear and berry tart.
To Drink:  Iced Coffee

Southern Barbecue
This country loves ribs.  Serve them with collards, corn bread (or fresh biscuits) and cole slaw.  Southerners are great bakers so your choices are numerous for dessert.  I love pecan pie but in the summer a key lime pie will fit the bill too.
To drink: Iced Tea  (not too sweet please) or try a micro-brewed soda pop.
(See February 25, 2010 post for collards recipe.)

New England Shore Dinner
Simplify a clambake by steaming clams with lobster and linguica sausage.  Serve with Boston baked beans, corn on the cob and new potatoes.   Pay homage to the Toll House restaurant in Massachusetts with chocolate chip cookies for dessert or wow guests with a Maine blueberry crumble.
To Drink: Cranberry juice and seltzer

Southwestern Seduction
Make fajitas using a choice of grilled chicken, beef or veggies (zucchini or eggplant and Portobello mushrooms) dressed with roasted red and yellow bell peppers, caramelized onions and sautéed mushrooms.  Pass the guacamole, salsa and hot sauce.  Serve rice and beans on the side.  Brownies with cinnamon ice cream or cinnamon-spiked whipped cream complete the meal.
To drink: Watermelon Agua Fresca  (see August 14, 2010 post for more information about Aguas Frescas.))


West Coast Fusion
Start with steamed and lightly salted edamame served in their pods. Follow up with fish tacos made with grilled or breaded fish plus a creamy slaw and a little hot sauce on a warm corn or flour tortilla. California avocados make a great garnish or form the base of a simple salad with baby lettuces and citrus vinaigrette.  A huge and varied fruit bowl for dessert will remind everyone that much of the fruit we eat, dried or fresh, is grown out here. 
To Drink: Lemonade with a sprig of fresh mint

Prairie Home
A pork tenderloin with a cherry glaze or a classic meat loaf served with green beans and mashed potatoes is a heartland meal that is hard to find done well at a restaurant because its pure home cooking.  Finish up with an apple or cherry pie.  This is big dairy country so make dessert a´ la mode with a premium ice cream.
To drink: Milk flavored with chocolate or strawberries. 

Don’t wait to have friends over from France to show off our culinary wonders.  Have a staycation dinner this week that transports you to a favorite region of the country.


Note: Irresistible pun apology for swing and based.

Tall, Cool Drinks

There is so much more you can imbibe on a hot afternoon besides sweet tea and diet soda.  These alternatives tempt your taste buds and really quench your body’s thirst for something cool and hydrating.

To start, there is nothing like pure water and if it is not already a staple for you at meals, jazz it up with a squeeze of lemon or lime or try seltzer (not high sodium club soda).  Spritz up your seltzer with a shot of pure juice like orange or grape for a light and low cal cooler that will replace nutrients as well as most energy drinks and with a lot fewer additives.

Caribbean and Central American cultures have worked out some fantastic recipes for cooling drinks.  Aguas Frescas (cold-fresh waters) use high-water content vegetables or fresh tropical fruits to create colorful concoctions that can compete at any cocktail party fare.  Varieties include watermelon, cantaloupe, mango, tamarind, pineapple, strawberry and even cucumber and tomato waters.  Start with a frothy melon refresher like cantaloupe:

Cantaloupe Agua Fresca
For each cup of cantaloupe, rind removed and cut in chunks
1-2 teaspoons lime juice
1 teaspoon honey
1 cup cold water

Puree cantaloupe, limejuice, honey and water in a blender.  Puree for 45-60 seconds to break down all the melon pieces. Refrigerate or serve immediately over ice.

Horchata, cooling and restorative refreshment traces its origins to the Moors in Valencia, Spain.  Horchata was originally made from tigernuts (potassium-rich tubers called chufa) plus water and sugar.  Its many versions from Latin America use combinations of nuts, rice, water, milk, vanilla and cinnamon. Cooked rice is considered a good hydrator.  You can buy pre-made mixes but it is so easy to whip up your own pure version in a blender for a wonderful morning drink that your kids will like as a summer alternative to hot oat and rice cereals.  Use leftover brown rice for a horchata with nutty, rice pudding notes and extra fiber. 

Brown Rice Horchata
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon honey
4 cups water or 1/2 water and 1/2 low fat milk

Puree all ingredients in blender.  Strain or serve over ice. 
(Optional: Add a scoop of unflavored or vanilla protein powder for a breakfast drink with enough protein to pull you through the morning.)

Finally, herbal teas mixed with fruit juices allow you to create your own house blends. Who knows?  A big beverage company may show up at your door one day to license recipe made with the best stuff on the planet and, conveniently, at your house.  Here’s our house blend to get you inspired:

Our Pure Mango Sunsation Tea Drink
4 tea bags fruit herbal tea (try Bigelow Chamomile Mango or a peach variety)
1 pint (2 cups) water
1 cup pure Apple Juice

Steep tea in 1 pint of boiled water.  When cool, combine with 1 cup apple juice.  Serve chilled or over ice. 

And if you haven’t made lemonade or limeade from scratch in ages, pick up one of the new citrus squeezers to create no fuss fast lemonade.  Use scant amounts of honey, agave syrup or simple syrup to sweeten your lemonade.  Your taste buds will quickly adjust to the tarter flavor and your body will thank you.  Too much sugar feels draining in the heat.

Pure Lemonade
Juice of 2 lemons
2 teaspoons simple syrup
1 pint cold water

Combine all ingredients and taste.  Add more water or sugar to suit your taste.

Adults Only
Alcohol is not your friend in the heat so keep it light and go slow.  Alternate drinks with a tall glass of water and remember to eat, especially hydrating appetizers like grapes from the cheese platter and just about any vegetable off the crudite plate.  If wine and sweet cocktails feel too heavy, try a Lemon Whiskey Cocktail at your next summer gathering.   Add 1 ounce of Scotch Whiskey and 1/2 ounce of Drambuie to 2 pints lemonade for a light alcoholic drink fro grown-ups.  Tastes like a whiskey sour but not as sugary.