An Obsession with Nepali Fermented Radish Pickles (Mula Ko Achar) Encouraged by the Royal Nepal Restaurant

Sel Roti with Mula Ko Achar

My husband's aunt and uncle live in the Del Rey area of Alexandria, Virginia. They found a favorite new restaurant and were super excited to share lunch at the Royal Nepal with us. One of my favorite ways to start a meal is to break bread and the Royal Nepal seems to agree with me. A meal at Royal Nepal starts with a basket of sel roti which is kind of like a rice batter donuty funnel cake. It is sweet, chewy and most delicious with off set by some mula ko achar. At first bite my husband became enamored with these chili, turmeric and mustardy fermented carrots and daikon radishes. After a few bites he asked me if I could figure out how make these at home.

The Royal Nepal is a farm-to-table concept but has very refined aspects which many would not expect from an old strip center location. The three 
c0-owners of Royal Nepal come from some of DC's most well known restaurants, think Blue Duck Tavern, and the lessons learned in those locations are infused into the Royal Nepal. 

Goat Momo

You can chose from locally raised lamb chops, goat or wild boar or buffalo momo (dumplings), or delicious to duck confit fried rice. The polished wood tables are dressed up with colorful linens and the windows which wrap the restaurant are filled with mason jars full of fermenting mula ko achar. 
In order to fulfill my husband's gastronomic wishes I tried making mula ko achar and last night we ate some for the first time. Since he really liked it, I share with you the recipe I used.

mula ko achar

INGREDIENTS

• 2 large carrots
• 2 medium daikon radish
• 5 cloves of thinly sliced garlic
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/4 cup mustard oil (may substitute canola oil)
• 2 teaspoon mustard powder
• 2 teaspoon red chili powder (may add more or less per taste)
• 1 Quart Mason Jar

INSTRUCTIONS

1.     Cut daikon radish and carrots into pieces like small fries.

2.     In a large bowl combine salt, turmeric powder, daikon, and carrots.

3.     Arrange daikon and carrot pieces on a cookie sheet or cooling rack to draw out excess water out. I set my cooling rack in a cookie sheet on my dining room table in the sun for a few hours. Drain the excess water and pat dry with a paper towel.

4.     Transfer radishes and carrots into a bowl add oil, mustard powder, garlic,  and chili pepper. Mix well so the pieces are thoroughly covered with the oil and spices.

5.     Place mixture in the quart mason jar gently pushing between layers. Make it as compact as possible and remove excess air bubbles which may appear in between the layers.

6.     Allow jar to sit in the sun for at least 2 weeks, longer if you desire stronger and more sour pickles.

7. Once ready, store it in a cool place or in the refrigerator if you want to stop the souring process.

Aushak aka Afghan Ravioli

Gandana

One of my favorite Afghan dishes is aushak. They are essentially Afghan ravioli that are filled with leeks and a meat, usually lamb. It's usually served with yogurt mint sauce. This recipe has a cheat using store bought wonton wrappers instead of making your own dough. Some people confuse aushak to mantoo (mantu). The basic difference between the two dumpling dishes is that the aushak is boiled and served with a meat sauce on top while mantoo is steamed with the meat mixture inside the dumpling. You would think this is not a big deal but the meat is cooked differently in each recipe, which of course makes the dishes taste very different.

I was taught that aushak is traditionally filled with gandana which is a member of the onion family with a mild flavor and an appearance similar to leek or green onions. Although you can find gandana in some specialty markets, I substitute with leeks but I know other people who use garden variety green onions.

My father can be a bit of a picky eater but I thought I would make aushak as an appetizer one evening when I invited my parents over to dinner. I was happy to see my father gingerly take one to try, tried it, and immediately went back for more. 

Meat Sauce

1/2 pound ground lamb (you can substitute with ground beef or turkey)
1 finely diced onion
3 cloves of finely diced garlic
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground mace or nutmeg
1 teaspoon finely diced fresh ginger
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup of water (you might not need it all)

Saute onions in olive oil until soft. Add beef, garlic, coriander, mace, and ginger and saute until cooked. Add 1/2 a cup of water and simmer slowly until the water is reduced by half. Stir in the tomato sauce, add salt and pepper to taste, and simmer for five more minutes. Add water if the mix starts to look dry. It should be thicker than spaghetti sauce but still have some moisture to it. Cover and set aside in refrigerator. The meat will absorb the flavors while resting

Yogurt Sauce

1 cup Mediterranean style yogurt
1 teaspoon chopped garlic (2-3 cloves)
1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine ingredients, cover, and set aside in refrigerator. You want to use a very thick yogurt for this. A Greek style yogurt would work well too, or take your favorite plain yogurt and drain it in a cheesecloth to thicken it.

Dumplings

1 package wonton wrappers

1 large leek or 2 small leeks, trim off the roots and the course dark green part of the tops, chop leeks finely.

1 handful cilantro (optional)
1 teaspoon dried chili flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten and mixed with a teaspoon of water

Using the filling very sparingly, I was able to use up almost an entire package of wonton wrappers. If you want to use up the whole bag and make more substantial aushak, I would multiply this recipe by 1.5. Combine all the ingredients except the wrappers and the egg. Let rest for ten minutes, then gently squeeze out the liquid. Put a teaspoon of filling on a wrapper, dab the edges of the wrapper with a thin layer of egg, fold the wrapper onto itself to form a triangle, and press firmly to seal.

The best way to ensure a tight seal is to press down one side of the triangle and then gently roll your palm over the aushak starting with the sealed side and over to the unsealed side. As you roll your palm over the aushak, gently squeeze out the air from around the filling, being careful not to squeeze more liquid out of the filling. Seal the other side of the triangle. Set on a lightly floured baking sheet, and repeat until you run out of filling. Cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap until ready to cook. You can also freeze the aushak on the tray, then put them all in a zip loc bag in the freezer for a few months.

Boil two quarts of water, slightly salted (a teaspoon or two should do it). Turn the water down to a gently rolling boil, and cook the aushak until translucent. If you're boiling fresh aushak made with thin wonton skins, it should take only two or three minutes. Frozen aushak will take up to five minutes. To serve, heat the meat sauce but not the yogurt sauce. Drain the cooked aushak and arrange them on a warm plate. Dab all over with both sauces (or make stripes) and serve immediately.

A Bistro Full of Worldly Food and Conversation in Bozeman, MT

As most of my readers/followers know, I enjoy good food, open-minded conversation, and culture. I was elated when I was able to find all of these in one spot in Bozeman, MT. Earlier this week, my husband and I traveled to Bozeman for a small vacation. I explained to my husband that Bozeman is an odd cross roads of Montanans, college students (MSU) who think they know everything, ski bums, tourists, Jews (largest Jewish population in the state), and the VERY wealthy (the Gates &  Timberlakes have houses in the area). So this mini-vacation should be interesting to say the least. Tonight we dined at South 9th Bistro.

Last night I got to eat some good food but had to overhear an impaired college student (you could smell the marijuana coming off him) try to mansplain (I say this because he kept hushing his female date when she attempted to engage in conversation about the topic) about how bad it was that Trump acknowledged Jerusalem as being the Capital of Israel and Zionism would be the downfall of humankind. When his date asked about his thoughts on the implications of Trump's acknowledgement in relation to the fact that it was the Brits who essentially decided historical land would be Arab (Palestine) vs Jewish (Israel), he shushed her and said she was politically incompetent.

I tell you this backstory because tonight I was able to enjoy upscale and delicious food while over hearing intellectual and open-minded conversations by both the restaurant personnel and customers. We started our evening by being hosted by the owner who was pleasant and ensured we understood that it meant a lot to him that we chose to spend our evening in his establishment. We were seated next to a lovely older couple who recently moved from Park City, Utah (but were originally from AZ and NJ) and considered the Bistro their "#1 place to eat in Bozeman." I was asked about where I got my my Sorel snow boots (it had snowed at least an additional 3-4" today) as her husband had been teasing her to get boots higher than ankle height.

So during a conversation that started over snow boots I learned about where they were originally from, where they just moved from, that they loved eastern Montana from years of attending horse sales, what their favorite foods were at the Bistro, and that the owner also baked the desserts for the restaurant (more on that later).

On the other side of the room I could here a table discussing llamas seen downtown that they took pictures of. They were in fact alpacas as my husband and I saw them earlier as well. They were ridiculously soft and I wanted to take home Cpt Jack Sparrow (the pirate colored one) to snuggle and make blankets from his soft coat.

The other nearby table of four was an interesting group of four, whose conversations, besides the food dialogue intrigued me. The Russian perceptions of the world which came from a man whose appearance said East Asian but whose accent said British. His understanding and first hand account of the USSR and Putin was interesting to hear. They also discussed the Arabic lands of the Middle East/Levant, as well as the British overtaking of the America's and it's impact on the "Indian People". Those conversations all happened while also talking about the wine, the lamb shank, the scallops, and beef bourguignon! It also happened in a polite polite and respectful way (unlike the prior night).

THIS my friends is why I love food! It is while engaging in the act of breaking bread and sharing wine where our human differences but most importantly our similarities become so apparent!

To be able to order perfectly prepared garlic buttery escargot from a waitress who could recommend Californian, Italian, or French wines from personal understanding and has an accent that ringed as if she was from either Ireland/Tasmania/South Africa with a bit of time in New York or New Jersey was just what my heart and mind needed. And the atmosphere of the Bistro told me it would be okay if I asked the owner or her where she was from. Her accent sounded of various locations, which to me meant a more vast experience in our amazing world.

Obviously a food blog has to discuss the analysis of the food as well so for those who are not into delicious snails...here goes. My husband ordered the 160z Cognac marinated ribeye with fresh made mac & cheese  and sautéed spinach. I ordered the bone in 22oz rosemary and red wine demi glace lamb shank with garlic mashed red potatoes and grilled asparagus.

The ribeye was ordered medium rare (the standard in MT) and had a buttery mouth feel. From an earlier post, my regulars know my husband has a thing for mac & cheese. He said this was tasty but had a bit of "tang" too it, so he asked me to taste. I could tell the cheese (at least tonight) was a bit nutty, had some white cheddar tang with some sweetness. My guess would be a Dubliner cheese. It is not a "typical" mac but none the less delicious. The spinach had a fresh green color and taste. My preference would be a squeeze of fresh lemon to the spinach to compete with the richness of the ribeye and mac. For me, richness is the nuanced intense flavour created by the properly cooked fatty ribeye or the cheese in the mac. So this nuance could mean that my want for lemon is unnecessary for others.

The lamb shank was cooked to perfection. The rosemary and red wine demi glace wasn't over powering so you could still taste the flavor of the meat, which to me is important. I am not a fan of soft asparagus and these still  had their crispness which I enjoyed. They were lightly coated in the olive oil they were prepared in with just a hint of salt and pepper. The potatoes were garlic creamy goodness.

Now for the desserts. They are hand prepared by the owner, Hank. We had a pleasant conversation about learning family recipes and keeping on those traditions through cooking and baking for others. When you taste the desserts you can tell they are prepared with a caring and appreciative heart. 

We ordered "The Black Beast" because my husband is an immense chocolate fan. For those who might be like me and not a fan of chocolate or marzapan let me tell you that neither were overwhelming. The flavors presented did not fight each other on the palette.

I would be remiss if I did not to tell you about the muffled oohs, aahs, & mmmms that could be heard from the other tables as they enjoyed their "Crack Tart", "Brioche Bread Pudding",  and the "Chocolate Espresso Mousse." 

If you are in the Bozeman area I highly recommend you make your way over to the South 9th Bistro.

Pumpkin Protein Muffins with Honey Goat Cheese Frosting

Fall is one of my favorite seasons but not because I am a pumpkin spice latte type. Crisp air, sweaters, football, stews & chili, and squash make me happy. My husband and I are eating healthier by trying not to skip breakfast. So I adapted some recipes to come up with these delicious and healthy pumpkin protein muffins with honey goat cheese frosting. Each muffin with frosting has roughly 12 grams of protein and only 169 calories.

Pumpkin Protein Muffins

Ingredients

1 large egg
1 large egg white
¼ cup pure pumpkin puree
1 large banana , cut into chunks
½ cup all-natural almond butter
¼ cup pure maple syrup
2 scoops favorite vanilla whey protein powder (mine is 27g of protein per scoop)
½ tsp . baking powder
½ tsp . ground cinnamon
¼ tsp . sea salt (or Himalayan salt)
1 dash ground nutmeg

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Prepare twelve muffin cups by lining with muffin papers or coating with spray.

Place egg, egg white, pumpkin, banana, almond butter, and maple syrup in blender; cover. Blend for 30 seconds.

Add protein powder, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg; cover. Blend until smooth.

 

Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups.

Bake 16 to 18 minutes, or until golden brown and tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

Transfer muffins to rack to cool.

Honey Goat Cheese Frosting

For this goat cheese frosting, you can use Chèvre goat cheese or try full fat cream cheese or neaufchatel cheese. Whichever you use, make sure it is full fat and softened to room temperature.

Ingredients

8 oz goat cheese softened to room temperature 1/4 cup raw honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-2 teaspoons milk (coconut, nut, cow, or goat milk works great, soy milk hasn't worked for me though)

Instructions

Place the goat cheese, honey, and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl. You can use a hand or  stand mixer. Beat on medium speed.

Add milk one teaspoon at a time until the frosting reaches desired creaminess. 

Spread immediately on cooled muffins. The muffins and frosting hold up well in the refrigerator so you can choose to frost all at once or the morning of eating.

Overfishing: Decling Seafood Stock is a Reality

Wild fish stocks have steadily declined around the world. Much of this is due to the worldwide increased popularity of sushi. One particular favorite sushi fish is declining, the bluefin tuna. The red belly meat of the bluefin tuna was used as cat food in Japan. Ironically, it wasn’t until Westerners began to develop a hankering for sushi in the 70s and started to gobble up toro that the Japanese gave it a try. They too got hooked & the world started to see more and more bluefin tuna on sushi menus worldwide.

Unfortunately, bluefin tuna are reproductive late bloomers & aren't mature to reproduce until almost 8 years old. The increased demand for bluefin & their late reproduction has led to something near a 90% decrease in the bluefin population. As foodies we must eat responsibly & demand global policies for responsible farming/harvesting/fishing/ranching/hunting. If we don't, the food and world we love won't exist for future generations to enjoy. 

Please read the article, A sushi master's lament

 

Homemade Cream of Whatever...

Many people use cream of mushroom/tomato/potato/chicken/celery for their favorite holiday recipes. However, back in the day my grandparents made many of these "cream of whatevers" for use in their favorite dishes. Below is the basic recipe for a thick white sauce base to make your own "cream of whatever." As I have some dear friends who are gluten intolerant/allergic or lactose intolerant, I have included information on how to adjust appropriately.

Basic White Sauce:

3 Tablespoons butter or oil
3 Tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
dash of pepper
1-1/4 cup liquid, milk or stock

Melt butter or oil in saucepan. Stir in flour and seasonings. Cook over medium heat until bubbly. Add liquid slowly, stirring with wire whisk to prevent lumps. Cook until thick. Makes 1 cup or 1 can of condensed soup.

Tomato Soup: Use tomato juice for the liquid. Add dashes of garlic, onion powder, basil and oregano.

Chicken Soup: Use chicken broth for half the liquid. Add 1/4 t. poultry seasoning or sage.

Mushroom/celery/chive soup: Saute 1/4 C chopped mushrooms, celery or chives and 1 T minced onion in butter before adding flour.

Gluten Free Suggestion:  Use a gluten-free flour (rice, tapioca, etc.) or cornstarch instead of flour. 

Lactose Free Suggestion: Use stock rather than milk & oil rather than butter.

Sugar Cardamom Shortbread Cookies

These are delicious & I haven't been able to improve on them. So I'm just going to share directly.

http://www.sweetpaulmag.com/food/brown-sugar-amp-cardamom-stamped-shortbread-cookies

A Way to a Man's Heart DOES Include Keeping His Tummy Happy

When my husband and I first started dating he admitted that he was not that into the "food scene" and that due to a tonsil removal his taste was still a bit off. I informed him that I could be labeled a "foodie" and that I very much love to cook. So throughout our dating period he opened his mind to trying new things and even asked to take a few cooking classes together. In true cook fashion, I told him that he needed to take a knife skills course BEFORE we took any cooking classes. We did that course together, he bought a beautiful chef's knife and has been my soux chef by my side in the kitchen ever since.

There are still some foods that my husband adores and I want to make from scratch for him. One of those is mac & cheese. You may even say that my husband has a thing for mac & cheese. And by "thing" I mean if it is on the menu and he has never had it from the diner/restaurant/vendor before, he MUST try it. As much as I love to cook, I haven't made mac & cheese from scratch in like a decade. I certainly don't want to screw it up for the first time I make some for my husband so I have been tinkering with recipes when he has been out of the area for work.

Not everything I do is from scratch and I still hold Kraft boxed mac & cheese near to my heart. I enjoy it with some sriracha on top and it gives it just a bit of heat. My husband has now taking a liking to that technique as well. So knowing that I made this as my first attempt at a good recipe with some heat. It also seems like a great base for fresh cooked and crumbled bacon or shredded chicken or pulled BBQ pork or carnitas!

Jalapeno Mac & Cheese
SERVES 6 -8
1½ hours | 30 min prep

• 1 lb noodles of your choice
• 1/2 lb cream cheese, melted
• 1/2 lb cheddar cheese
• 2 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1/3 cup flour
• 8 tablespoons butter, melted 
• 2 or 3 small jalapeno peppers, thinly diced or sliced (I only used two & had plenty of heat)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon cajun seasoning
• 4 tablespoons breadcrumbs (for topping)

1. Cook the pasta according to its directions on the box/bag. Drain and set aside. 
2. In a saucepan melt butter over low heat then add cream cheese and mix until smooth.
3. Add heavy cream and whisk it in slowly.
4. Mix in Cheese, stir until cheese is completely melted.
5. Mix in Jalapeños, Salt, Black Pepper, Cajun Seasoning, and Flour.
6. Continue whisking until all ingredients are completely mixed.
7. Grease a casserole dish and layer bottom of pan with half of the cooked macaroni.
8. Gently pour half the mixture over noodles.
9. Add another layer of noodles and another layer of cheese mixture.
10. Sprinkle top with bread crumbs. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
11. Uncover and bake for another 20 to 30 minutes or until golden brown on top.

A Recipe that is Near and Dear to My Heart: Bulgogi BBQ

I have studied martial arts for several decades. My Grand Master taught me far more than the martial art mindset and self-defense. One was cooking some of his favorite recipes including charcoal grilled bulgogi. I have so many fond memories when I cook bulgogi; sitting in his kitchen learning about his family/Japanese/Korean history while cooking, summer TaeKwonDo and Judo camps and the over 25 years I had him in my life. 

I was taught that delicious bulgogi is dependent on three main things: a good cut of beef, a delicious marinade, and the method you use to cook it. 

First, a good cut of beef always makes for delicious bulgogi: sirloin, tenderloin, or skirt steak are my usual choices. You still can make good bulgogi without these choice cuts. It’s very important to choose marbled beef. Cut the beef thinly against the grain to make it easier to chew. If you are not comfortable with a knife ask your butcher to cut the cut thinly for you.

Secondly, the marinade: the marinade in this recipe is the best that I’ve yet developed & is a variant of what I was taught by my martial arts Grand Master. As I’m constantly experimenting with recipes, I may still develop a better one but this is darn tasty. Also, if you can’t find a Korean pear, use ripe bosc pear: 1 small bosc pear for 1 pound of beef is good.

Thirdly, when we talk about the best cooking methods, grilling over charcoal will always be the best. This is because the marinade, juices and fats drip off the meat onto the coals, burn up there, and then come back to the beef in a wonderful smoke that covers the meat with flavor. You can’t beat charcoal for bulgogi.

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

• 1 pound of beef tenderloin, sliced thinly into pieces ½ inch x 2 inches and ⅛ inch thick
•  VEGETARIAN ALTERNATIVE:  You’ll need 10-12 large dried shiitake mushrooms. Add a few white mushrooms if you like them as well.

Marinade (for 1 pound of beef):

• ½ cup of crushed pear
• ¼ cup onion purée
• 4 cloves of minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 1 chopped green onion
• 2 tbs soy sauce
• 2 tbs brown sugar (or 1 tbs of brown sugar and 1½ tbs rice syrup)
• a pinch of ground black pepper
• 1 tbs toasted sesame oil
• several thin slices of carrot

Directions

1. Mix all the marinade ingredients in a bowl.
2. Add the sliced beef and mix well.
3. Keep it in the fridge and let it marinate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight for a tougher cut of beef.
4. You can grill, pan-fry, or BBQ right after marinating.
5.  Serve with ssamjang (Korean spicy dipping sauce), rice and a delicious kimchi.

For Vegetarians:
Use the same marinade above and replace beef with mushrooms

1. Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in warm water for several hours until they’re soft.
2. Squeeze out any excess water and slice each mushroom thinly.
3. Slice some white mushrooms, carrot, and onion.
4. Mix all of it together in the marinade.
5. Grill, pan-fry, or BBQ.

Southwest Chicken & Quinoa Mason Jar Salad

I convinced my boyfriend (now husband) that mason jar salads were a great way to plan a week's worth of healthy lunches. It took several months for him to be convinced and now he is hooked. He lives quinoa & so I decided to try a quinoa and chicken breast southwest style salad/burrito bowl to break away from his routine.

The quinoa & chicken give plenty of lean protein so you’re full until dinner. Greek yogurt serves as a healthier replacement for the sour cream found in traditional burrito bowls. Sweet potatoes and a healthy portion of bright power greens ensure you’re getting nutritious vegetables and superfood power. The whole lunch tastes really good too! If you’d like to make it vegetarian, just replace the chicken with beans. I actually meant to include black beans in my salads with the hectic weekend I completely forgot them. Our salads were delecious without but please feel free to add beans if you’d like!

Serving Size: 1 pint-sized mason jar

Ingredients

For the quinoa:
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
juice and zest of one lime, or 2 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

For the chicken:
2 large chicken breasts
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 tablespoon coconut oil or ghee

For the bacon: (optional)
2 pieces of thick cut bacon

For the sweet potatoes:
1 large sweet potato, washed, with both ends cut off
1 tablespoon residual bacon oil or coconut oil

Other ingredients:
3 cups chopped lettuce or power greens mix
5 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
3/4 cup shredded cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions

For the quinoa:
Add the quinoa, water, and salt to a medium sized pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat. When it has reached a boil, cover and cook for 20-25 minutes, or until the quinoa is soft and fluffy.

Set the quinoa aside to cool.
When it has cooled, add the lime juice, lime zest, and 1/4 cup chopped cilantro to the rice and stir to evenly distribute the ingredients. Taste, and add more lime or cilantro as needed.

For the chicken:
Dry off both chicken breasts thoroughly with paper towels, and season both sides of each breast using the 2 teaspoons of salt.
In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon coconut oil or ghee over medium-high heat until the oil is very hot.

Add the chicken breasts to the hot skillet, and cook for about 4 minutes on each side. Both sides should have a pretty brown sear to them.

When the chicken breasts are cooked all the way through, remove them to a cutting board to cool. Once they've cooled, cut the chicken into small chunks, about 1/2 square inch each.

For the bacon:
If you're going to add bacon to your salad, cook 2 slices of bacon as you normally would, until it is crispy enough to crumble. Reserve 1 tablespoon of bacon fat for the sweet potatoes.

For the sweet potatoes:
Cut up the sweet potato into tiny chunks, about 1/2 square inch each.
Heat 1 tablespoon of bacon fat (or, if you didn't use bacon, coconut oil) in your large skillet over medium heat.

When the oil is hot, add the sweet potato cubes. Sear the potatoes on all sides, stirring every 3-5 minutes.

When the potatoes have all browned on the outside, turn the heat down to medium-low, cover the skillet with a lid, and cook the sweet potatoes until they can be easily pierced with a fork. Set aside to cool.
To assemble the salads:

When all ingredients have cooled, you can begin to assemble your burrito bowl salads. Add 1 tablespoon of plain Greek yogurt to the bottom of each pint-sized wide mouth mason jar.

Top with about 2 tablespoons of sweet potato cubes.

On top of the sweet potatoes, add 3-4 tablespoons of the cilantro lime quinoa.
Layer 1-2 tablespoons of cheese over the quinoa, a little less than half a piece of bacon over the cheese, and a layer of chicken over the bacon. (To make this vegetarian, substitute 1 can of rinsed beans for the chicken and bacon and add a layer of beans here.)

Fill the remaining space in the mason jar with greens, and sprinkle some additional chopped cilantro on top before screwing on the lid.

Harissa Style Eggs in Purgatory

This simple egg dish, simmered in a fiery hot tomato sauce can feel like heaven after a hangover or if you are in need of a quick & yummy dish.

I bought a jar of Mina Harissa at the local grocery store. You can get it in mild or spicy. Harissa is a bright red Moroccan condiment that can be used with couscous, vegetables, meats or whatever you want, and also one of my favorites, Eggs in Purgatory. It's spicy and flavorful, made of a blend of six simple ingredients; red chili pepper, red bell pepper, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, vinegar and salt which also comes in a paste.

This is the type of dish you can have for breakfast, lunch or dinner. I will sometimes serve with with crusty bread, or any type of grain and call it a meal or double the portion and skip the starch if you are following a low carb or paleo diet. I also like to fry up some pancetta in the harissa for some added protein & taste. My boyfriend will add some sriracha on top of his for added kick.

Harissa Eggs in Purgatory

Ingredients:

1/2 tsp olive oil
2 tbsp minced red onion
14.5 oz can petite tomatoes
2 tbsp prepared Harissa (I used Mina) or more if you like it spicier
4 large eggs
salt and pepper, to taste
1 tsp fresh chopped parsley or chives

Directions:

Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add the oil then the onion and saute until golden, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, harissa, salt and pepper and increase the heat to medium-high and simmer until the liquid reduces a bit, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Reduce the heat to medium-low, carefully add the eggs, salt and pepper and cover. Cook until the top of the eggs set, about 4 to 5 minutes, or to your liking. Top with chopped fresh parsley or chives and serve.

Hannukah in St. Louis

My boyfriend and I took our first holiday vacation together this past winter. It was great to be able to get two weeks away from work but what was even better was being able to spend time with each others families. Within the first 24 hours of being in St. Louis I was introduced to a couple dozen of my boyfriend's family and friends during his cousin's bar mitzvah.

The following day was a family Hanukkah party. As I knew we were going to be attending this family party and I had no clue what to bring or do, I brought a jar of home made cranberry & walnut chutney (Kosher made) so that I wasn't empty handed. I also traveled with my recipe for matzoh toffee. My boyfriend had already warned me that there would be several hungry family members. What I didn't quite understand was that by several, he meant about 50 or so. 

I was a bit overwhelmed for a few reasons. 1) there was no way I could remember everyone's names. 2) I hoped they liked me. 3) I'm not Jewish (by religion) and was a bit behind on the prayers. So now Hebrew is on the list of things to learn in 2015, as is tracking down a bit more information on the Jewish heritage that showed up on my DNA test.

To my great relief and happiness the chutney was a hit. I was asked for the recipe by several people. I normally serve this on top of cream cheese with Ritz crackers on the side. It also goes well with crusty bread, pork, and all sorts of other holiday yummies. I was so blessed to be welcomed into his family and can't wait to be able to share more meals & recipes with them in the years to come.

Cranberry & Walnut Chutney

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1/2 cup port or other sweet red wine
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 cup dried tart cherries
1 (12-ounce) package fresh cranberries
2/3 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind $
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
Orange rind strips (optional) $
Preparation

Combine first 4 ingredients in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Add cherries, and cook 1 minute. Stir in cranberries; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until cranberries pop. Remove from heat. Stir in walnuts, grated rind, and extract. Garnish with orange rind strips, if desired. Cover and chill.

Sriracha2go

It may be unlicensed but I have a lot of friends who will want this.

http://www.eater.com/2014/11/7/7173731/sriracha2go-is-the-most-adorabl-unlicensed-sriracha-experience-around

Easy Rustic Spanikopita

What I like about my spanakopita, besides the fact that it tastes very good, is that it's super healthy. I also like that it's quick and so easy to make that my boyfriend was excited to try to make it himself for us. Leftover slices can be eaten out of hand as the phyllo isn't as flaky but it is delicious! This recipe makes one 9-inch pie.

2 pounds fresh 'Power Mix' Greens (Kale, Spinach, Chard) or frozen version

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, minced

7 ounces Greek feta

3 large eggs

Salt and pepper to taste

8 sheets phyllo dough

4 to 5 tablespoons oil (olive or avocado)

1. Heat the oven to 350 F. Put the greens in a colander, wash, rinse and squeeze out as much water as you can. Finely chop & put in a large bowl and set aside.

2. Heat the 2 tbs olive oil in a pan and add the minced onion. Sauté for around 8 minutes, until the onion is fragrant and golden. Scrape the onion into the bowl of greens.

3. Crumble the feta into the bowl of greens. Add the three eggs, salt and pepper to taste. Then mix until all the ingredients are well-combined and the mass is relatively uniform. You will have little pockets of feta cheese here and there.

4. Lightly oil a 9-inch springform pan. Open the package of phyllo dough and lay a damp towel over the phyllo sheets. Working quickly, line the pan with one sheet of phyllo dough, then brush it lightly with some oil (olive or avocado). Layer another sheet on top and oil that. Repeat with all the sheets of phyllo until the springform pan is fully lined. Scrape the spinach mixture into the phyllo-lined pan and smooth the top. Fold the phyllo dough over the top of the pie (see photo above). Brush a little oil on the tops of the phyllo dough sheets.

5. Put the pan in the oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, rotating halfway through. The filling will be set and the phyllo golden-brown and crackling when the pie is done. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before removing the ring of the pan. Cut into slices and serve immediately. If cooled completely and then wrapped carefully in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, the spanakopita can be frozen for a few months.

Easy Pumpkin & Bacon Cinnamon Rolls

It's Fall & almost everyone is going crazy for pumpkin right now. Pumpkin everything; lattes, bread, pies, & even shower gel. So I decided instead of full on scratch baking that I would cheat a little. They were still pretty tasty!

1 can Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls (I get mine frome Trader Joe's)

5 bacon strips (as there are 5 rolls per can)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Place bacon strips in skillet and fry for 2-3 minutes until still soft but slightly cooked. Remove bacon and pat dry with
paper towels.

Pop open the can of rolls and unroll them into long strips. Lay one strip of bacon on each cinnamon roll strip, then roll them back up. Place each bacon roll in a greased pie pan.

Cook according to package instructions, then drizzle with icing from the package.

Bacon Baklava

Of course I can make Baklava in the standard way but bacon makes everything better!!

Ingredients

1/2 pound raw walnut pieces
1/2 pound raw pistachio meats
1 cup cooked and crumbled bacon (about 12 slices)
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 1/4 cup (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
1 package (16 ounces) phyllo dough, thawed
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 cup honey
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 cup orange flower water or rose water
Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F

In a food processor, pulse the nuts until they are ground, but not turned into meal. Add the bacon, sugar, and cardamom and pulse a few more times until the nut mixture is finely chopped and evenly blended.

Begin layering the baklava. Brush a jellyroll pan, or sheet pan with sides, generously with the melted butter. Unroll the phyllo dough and cover the sheets with a piece of plastic wrap and a damp towel. This keeps the sheets from drying out while you are layering the baklava. Read the package for detailed handling instructions.

Place a sheet of phyllo on the sheet pan and brush it with melted butter. Repeat with 6 more sheets of phyllo dough and butter for a total of 7 sheets. You do not have to cover every last inch of the phyllo with butter, but try and have it evenly dispersed between all of the layers. Spread 1/3 cup of the nut mixture evenly over the phyllo. Top the nuts with two more buttered sheets of phyllo. Continue sprinkling with 1/3 cup of the nut mixture adding two sheets of buttered phyllo until all of the nut mixture is used. Top with a final layer of 7 buttered phyllo sheets.

Use a sharp knife to cut the uncooked baklava into 24 diamond shapes. Bake the baklava until it is brown and crisp, 30-35 minutes.

While the baklava is baking, combine the water, sugar, and honey in a saucepan. Gradually heat the mixture until the sugar dissolves. Add the cinnamon stick and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat slightly and simmer for 25-30 minutes. Remove the pan from heat, add the orange flower water and cool slightly. Pour the syrup evenly over the baklava as soon as it comes out of the oven. Make sure you get the syrup in every crack and crevice. Leave to soak for several hours. Serve at room temperature and store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Eggs in Purgatory

So after I posted a picture of my breakfast on FB, my friends & family asked for a recipe. It's super easy & yummy!

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small clove garlic (peeled)
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon Harissa or Siracha
1 x 14 oz can diced tomatoes
½ teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)
2-4 large egg (as needed)
1 cup spinach (if you like)

Place the first six ingredients in a pan. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Add spinach & cook till wilted. Add eggs & cook till your preferred done-ness. It's that easy. I served with crusty bread.

May the 4th be with you

It's been awhile since I've been able post. This is not a recipe or restaurant post. Simply want to wish you all a Happy Independence Day. Be safe this weekend with your family & friends where ever you are.

I'm heading to a friend's for a BBQ. And I'm bringing this little nerdy crowd pleaser...

Happy Valentine's Day & Snow Day

It has been an adventure in snow here in the DC area. The original plan was to head down to Loundoun Grown; which is a local county food, wine, & spirits festival. However, since some of the roads had about 18" of snow to traverse through, plans to attend have been changed.

So my Valentine & I went grocery shopping and so I decided to put together an AWESOME charcuterie platter: Primus 2010 "The Blend" wine, dark chocolate covered cherries/coconut/banana chips/cranberries/blueberries, coco dusted almonds, salt n pepper pistachios, various grapes, blackberries, blueberry goat cheese, cranberry goat cheese, french brie, prosciutto, peppered salami, fresh baguette, brown buttered 3 cheese ravioli, marinate mozzarella balls, & various water crackers. 

A non-foodie post

I have been overly stressed for about six months now and it all came to a head in the last couple of months. You can see by my lack of posting that I have also not been out loving food or life. I ended up losing about 20lbs from stress in a little over a month. But I am happy to report that after offloading about 200lbs of life sucking stress (read ex) and grieving the loss of 2 family members who passed 2 days apart, that I have gained at least 10lbs back. I am getting back to loving life, to include good food and drinks. I look forward to the road ahead of breaking bread and sharing some wine.