A Tribute to my Inspiration (and some special gnocchi!)

You know the saying when it rains, it pours? It may sound cheesy, but it's the only way I can think of to describe my last few weeks. After the whirlwind trip to Colorado for my sister's wedding, I came home to Chicago and settled in for one last week of studying before my certification testing on Saturday. There were a few days of busy calm, and then on Thursday I got a phone call that shook my world up. My mom had been in a serious car accident on her way to the airport, and was being transported to a major hospital in Saint Louis. For a couple horrible hours we didn't know a lot, and Joe and I hopped in the car to go down to see her. It was nothing shy of a miracle, but she came out of it with a broken pelvis and some broken ribs. She's having surgery as I type this, and will hopefully be home before too long. She's going to be off her feet for at least 2-3 months from what the doctors told my dad, which means there is a long road to recovery ahead. We're all so thankful that it is a recovery, though, and everyone is ready to jump in and help however possible.



Now, what does this all have to do with food? Plenty! If you've read many of my previous posts, you've most likely noticed that my mom has had a huge impact on my cooking. She is an amazing cook, and I credit her for inspiring so much of what I do in the kitchen. We love sharing recipes back and forth, and I've been slowly gathering the recipes that define my childhood.

A couple months ago I read about gnocchi alla Romana, or Roman style gnocchi, on The Wednesday Chef blog. Luisa's recipe looked quite tasty, but there was only one recipe I'd use for gnocchi alla Romana-- my mom's recipe! This dish was always a staple when she hosted dinner parties, usually with pork terderloin and some nice veggies. The gnocchi were fluffy and cheesy, and just a little crisp around the edges. Luisa's post reminded me that I hadn't had this style of gnocchi in years, and I immediately emailed my mom to request the recipe.


The recipe sat in my in box for a couple months, mostly because I gave up meat for lent and couldn't picture eating this dish without some sort of meat on the side. Then, it sat in my in box for long enough I kind of forgot it was there. After my mom's accident I was thinking about her all the time, and I realized it was the perfect opportunity to finally make her gnocchi. It was as good as I remembered it, and I soaked up memories of my childhood as the smells and tastes of this dish came back to me.



Gnocchi Alla Romana

from my wonderful mom!

This is a combination of a couple of recipes and some research! Originally my recipe didn’t have an egg in it. But I noticed that most of them do so I experimented and I think this is the best.

2 cups milk (whole milk)
2 cups water
(some recipes use all milk but I think this is just fine. See what you think and let me know)
½ tsp. salt (or a bit more)
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
1 cup semolina
1 egg
½ cup grated parmesan cheese.

Tear off a long sheet of foil and butter it well. Butter a 9x13 baking pan.

Combine milk, water, salt, and 4 Tbsp butter in saucepan and heat without boiling. When butter is melted, start stirring in the semolina. When all the semolina is in the pot, turn up the heat and bring to a slow boil, stirring. Cook, stirring, until smooth and very thick and stiff. Beat in egg.

Pour mixture out onto foil and smooth to a thickness of about ½ inch. Allow about an hour for it to set and cool.

Cut into 2” squares or rounds and place into butter dish, slightly overlapping. Dot with remaining 2Tbsp butter and sprinkle with ½ to ¾ cup parmesan cheese.

Bake at 350° until golden and bubbly – 50-60 mins.

A Brief Intermission

I have to put into writing that I'm going to take a couple weeks off from blogging. I have a busy few weeks coming up, with wrapping up job applications, studying for my certification tests, and traveling to Colorado for my sister's wedding. I always feel like I need to be blogging about the tasty creations that come out of my kitchen, but I need to officially stop pressuring myself for the next 3 weeks. I'll still be cooking, and promise to report back on anything worth sharing! See you in a few weeks!

Butternut Squash, Spinach, and Wheat Berry Salad

If you are a regular food blog reader, you have maybe seen a variation of this recipe before. Cate of Cate's World Kitchen first called it to my attention, and the original recipe was posted by Molly of Orangette. I had some wheat berries that I thought would make a great addition, and through googling I discovered Kevin from Closet Cooking had already successfully tried a version of this salad with wheat berries. I ended up mostly following Kevin's recipe, but added in spinach like the original recipe called for.

I knew Joe would have questioned my judgment if I served the simple spinach, butternut squash and chickpea salad for dinner. Adding the wheat berries was a perfect way to add some heft to the salad, creating a healthy and filling dinner entree. We both loved this, and found the chilled salad made excellent lunchtime leftovers. I'm going to try to stop cooking with butternut squash now that we're getting closer to spring... but I might have to make this one more time before the cutoff!


Butternut Squash, Spinach, and Wheat Berry Salad
Adapted from so many other great bloggers!
(makes 4 servings)

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 pound squash (peeled, seeded and cut into bite sized pieces)
2 1/2 cups cooked wheat berries
1 can (15 oz) chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
1/4 cup red onion (chopped)
2 tablespoons cilantro
4 cups fresh baby spinach
1/4 cup tahini, lemon and yogurt dressing

Directions:
1. Toss the squash in the oil, salt and pepper to coat.
2. Bake in a single layer in a preheated 400F oven for 30 minutes flipping once in the middle.
3. Mix the warm squash with the spinach so that the spinach wilts. Add the wheat berries, chickpeas, red onion and cilantro and toss with the dressing.

Tahini, Lemon and Yogurt Dressing

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons tahini
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup cup Greek yogurt (or regular plain yogurt)
1 clove garlic (finely minced)
salt and pepper to taste
½ to 1 cup water

Directions:
1. Mix everything and add water to get it to the desired consistency.

Spring Vegetable and Bean Soup

Hi, remember me? I used to blog, and then I started working far too much! I don't have a day off until Sunday, and I will have worked 13 days in a row at that point. When it rains, it pours, right? Between school, babysitting, and the Chopping Block I've been going non-stop. I have managed a couple good meals when I've had a brief quiet moment at home... but I can't take any credit for this one. I had to work from 8 am to 7 pm on Sunday, so Joe volunteered to cook dinner. I love when he does that! It is so nice to come home to a warm and freshly made meal like this after such a long day of work.

I love that this soup was so healthy, but still satisfying. I had eaten chips with guacamole and gougeres for lunch (busy day at work!), so I was dying for a healthy meal for dinner. This soup replaced all the nutrients I'd been lacking during the day, and gave me energy to help Joe bottle our latest batch of homebrew before hitting the sack. I think the only change Joe made was extra seasoning at the end-- extra salt and acid was needed to kick up the flavor. A fantastic soup for this time of year, as we slowly transition to springtime weather.

Spring Vegetable and Bean Soup

from Jamie's Food Revolution by Jamie Oliver

2 carrots

2 celery stalks

2 medium onions

2 cloves of garlic

1 3/4 quarts vegetable stock

olive oil

1 15 oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

2 cups cauliflower florets

2 cups broccoli florets

7 cups (7 oz) spinach leaves, roughly chopped

2 large ripe tomatoes, quartered

sea salt and freshly ground pepper

extra virgin olive oil

Peel and slice the carrots. Chop the celery and onion, and peel and dice the garlic. Put the broth in a saucepan and heat until boiling. Put a large saucepan on medium heat and add 2 Tbsp olive oil. Add all your chopped and sliced ingredients and mix together with a wooden spoon. Cook for around 12 minutes with the lid askew, until the carrots have softened but are still holding their shape, and the onion is lightly golden.

Add the boiling broth to the vegetables in the pan. Add the cannellini beans, cauliflower, broccoli, and tomatoes. Stir well, and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes with the lid on. Add the spinach right before serving, and cook for 3o seconds. Remove the pan from the heat. Season with salt and pepper (and some white wine vinegar if you want), and ladle the soup into bowls. Finish the soup with a drizzle of olive oil, and serve with garlic bread.

Tempeh Tacos with Spinach, Corn, and Goat Cheese

I love creative combinations for tacos, and this quick recipe from Real Simple fits the bill perfectly. I'm sometimes underwhelmed with the simplicity (aka blandness) of some Real Simple recipes, but a little extra seasoning made this dish flavorful and so easy to pull together! I originally planned to serve this filling in homemade tortillas, but we got caught up shopping on State Street got home later than I expected. I scored TWO Juicy Couture hoodies for a total of $40, though, so I think it was worth sacrificing homemade tortillas this time around. This filling was so good, and Joe and I kept raving about it after each bite. That's a really good sign, isn't it? Imagine how good this would be with fresh corn and homemade tortillas in the summer!

Tempeh Tacos with Spinach, Corn, and Goat Cheese
Adapted from Real Simple Magazine

Ingredients

* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 package tempeh, crumbled
* 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
* 1 teaspoon cumin
* 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
* kosher salt and black pepper
* 1 10-ounce package frozen corn (2 cups), thawed
* 1 5-ounce package baby spinach (about 6 loosely packed cups)
* 8 small flour tortillas, warmed
* 3/4 cup crumbled fresh goat cheese (3 ounces)
* 3/4 cup store-bought refrigerated salsa

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tofu, chili powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes.
2. Add the corn and cook, tossing, until heated through, about 2 minutes. Add the spinach and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper and toss until wilted.
3. Fill the tortillas with the tofu mixture, goat cheese, and salsa.

If you live anywhere near us, save some effort and buy fresh guacamole from Harvest Time. It is better than I've ever made by myself! Then you can spend that extra time and energy making margaritas! Just make sure to invite me over, ok?

Irish Brown Soda Bread

I have 50% Irish blood running through my body, so this time of year I start feeling all sorts of cultural pride. I had a lot of Irish experiences growing up, with a step dancing sister, a bag piping brother (sorta Scottish, I know), and a father obsessed with tracing his Irish ancestry. We got to take a couple trips to Ireland when I was younger, and I have such fond memories of exploring the Irish countryside with my family. I know all six of us have a fond spot for anything Irish.

My brother played the bagpipes at our wedding, as we exited the Cathedral. It was awesome!

Last weekend I was visiting my sister in Colorado, and she pulled a loaf of this bread out for breakfast one morning. She must have been reading my mind, because I'd seen this recipe from Bon Appetit on the flight to Denver, and I was planning to make soda bread as soon as I got back to Chicago. Her version was so good, however, that I ended up looking it up online. This recipe for Brown Soda Bread is from Cooking light, and it was dense, healthy, and just subtly sweet. It is amazing for toast in the morning, with just a little butter melted on top. I imagine it's also excellent for sandwiches, especially with smoked salmon. The best part? It's QUICK, and so easy! Just toss the ingredients together, then go study abstract algebra for an hour while it cooks. Or I guess you could watch TV, or do something a little more fun!

This is a page from the scrapbook I made in high school. Thankfully I didn't save any dorky pictures of myself from this trip to Ireland in 1999. I'm sure my parents have plenty, but there is no way they're getting on this blog!

Next weekend my mom and other sister will be in town for a concert (Flogging Molly! Another important part of any Irish American youth's experience!), and I am sure I'll make this again. Now I just need to think of a vegetarian meal to make for St. Patrick's day... any suggestions? (Also, did I mention we gave up meat & seafood for lent? That's why there have been so many vegetarian recipes lately. We're doing ok, but the other day I was totally craving a chicken burger, thanks to Annie!)

Have a great weekend everyone!


Brown Soda Bread
from Cooking Light, March 2010

* Cooking spray
* 11.25 ounces whole-wheat flour (about 2 1/2 cups)
* 2.25 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1/2 cup)
* 1/2 cup steel-cut oats (such as McCann's)*
* 2 tablespoons brown sugar
* 1 tablespoon wheat germ*
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 2 cups low-fat buttermilk
* 1 large egg, lightly beaten

1. Preheat oven to 325°.

2. Coat a 9 x 5–inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Line the pan with parchment paper, and coat with cooking spray.

3. Weigh or lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flours and next 6 ingredients (through salt). Combine buttermilk and egg; add to flour mixture. Stir just until combined.

Don't smooth the batter out too much; you want it a little rustic looking on top.

4. Spoon the mixture into prepared pan. Bake at 325° for 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Invert bread onto a wire rack; cool completely. Remove parchment; slice bread into 12 slices.

* I got my steel cut oats and wheat germ at Whole Foods, but I bet you could find them at a decent sized regular grocery store. I'd check the cereal aisle for both, or the bulk foods section. And pay attention to how much you need, because I have about 2 cups of extra steel cut oats! Guess I'll be searching for another recipe soon... or making this bread a lot more!

Perfect for breakfast toast.
(Also, perfect plates for blogging. Right Laura?)

Moroccan Style Stuffed Acorn Squash

I was first inspired to make acorn squash when I saw a recipe for quinoa and mushroom stuffed acorn squash at work. It was part of a vegetarian thanksgiving class, and I thought it sounded like something I'd enjoy making for a regular weeknight dinner. I grabbed the whole packet of recipes from that class, and managed to make the Sweet Corn and Gouda Bread Pudding as part of Thanksgiving dinner at my parents house. Then, I lost the recipes, and forgot all about acorn squash.

It didn't take long for it to come up again, though, when Cate blogged about Stuffed Acorn Squash in December. After that I felt like I saw acorn squash at every grocery store I went into, but I was always in a hurry, or already had a week's worth of meals planned. Trying acorn squash was always just one recipe below the weekly cut off. Finally, this week, I realized spring would be here before I knew it, and then I will soon be trading squash for asparagus and peas. The time had finally arrived; I would try acorn squash this week!

I searched the internet for various recipes, and ended up back where I started. Cate's recipe was a vegetarian adaption of a Martha Stewart recipe that had been blogged about multiple times, and Cate had already done the hard work for me. The bulgur was mixed with onions and garlic that had been sauteed with cinnamon and nutmeg, and the sweet and spicy smell was amazing! Joe and I were both practically drooling from the smell alone. The mixture was perfectly seasoned, and the golden raisins added the perfect touch of sweetness. A half squash paired with a salad was a perfectly balanced meal, satisfying and also really healthy. Make this before the weather becomes too spring-like, or else try to remember it for next fall when it'll really hit the spot!

Moroccan-Style Stuffed Acorn Squash

adapted by Cate's World Kitchen, from Arugulove, originally from Martha Stewart, October 2009

3 small to medium acorn squashes halved and seeded

1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 medium onion, finely chopped

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

2 tsp. course salt, divided

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup bulgur wheat

2 1/4 cups water

1/4 cup golden raisins

1/4 cup Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped

3 tbsp. toasted pine nuts

1 1/4 cups cooked or canned garbanzo beans

Preheat oven to 400 F. Place the squash halves cut-sides down in a greased 9×13 inch casserole dish or roasting pan. Bake until tender, 35 to 40 minutes.

While the squash is in the oven, heat the oil in a large saucepan with a tight-fitting lid over medium heat. Add the onions, cinnamon and nutmeg, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are very soft and fragrant (5 to 7 minutes) adding 2-3 tbsp of water after the first two or three minutes to keep the onions from drying out or burning.

Add garlic, and cook for an additional minute.

Add remaining teaspoon salt and the bulgur, and stir to combine. Add water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the pot sit covered for 5 minutes.

Fluff the bulgar with a fork, and add the raisins, parsley, pine nuts and garbanzo beans. Stir together to combine and adjust seasonings if necessary

When the squash is soft, take it out of the oven. Let it cool a little and scrape out enough of the flesh to form 1/4 inch thick bowls.

Mix the squash flesh into the bulgur mixture. Divide among squash halves, and return them to the oven. Bake until warmed through and tops are browned, about 12 to 14 minutes.

Serves 6.