Coconut Curry Hummus

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Hello! Absentee Kristy here. I’m still around and cooking, although nothing notable in the past busy year! When I started this site, it was with the intention of “I can make that!” If I found something I loved at restaurants or elsewhere, I wanted to be able to make something similar at home and share with everyone. Lately, I’ve been obsessed with coconut curry hummus – so much more interesting than just plain hummus! At $4.99 a pop for a small container, I’m also obsessed with saving money.

I set off to replicate this delicious snack so here’s my take on it.

Coconut Curry Hummus

1 15.5oz can of garbanzo beans, drained

1/4 c. tahini

2 T. olive oil

1 T. agave syrup

1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed

3 T. dried, shredded coconut

1 t. kosher salt

juice from 2 limes

1/2 t. turmeric

3 t. curry powder

1 t. garlic powder

1/2 t. cumin

1/4 t. ground ginger

Crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne

Directions; In food processor, blend tahini and lime juice for 1 minute or until fluffy. Drizzle in olive oil and agave syrup. Drain beans and heat in microwave for 1.5 minutes on high, stirring once or twice. Add them to the tahini mixture along with remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth and fluffy. Taste test and add more salt, curry or lime juice until it’s to your desired taste and texture. Add pinch of cayenne or pepper flakes if you like it spicier. Refrigerate then enjoy with pita chips, carrots, or spread on sandwich wraps.

Tuna Two Ways

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I had some amazing food on our trip last year to Italy. Ironically, ­I expected to have some of the best pizza, pasta and pesto that I’ve ever experienced, but was disappointed. Instead, I ate some of the best risotto, salads, seafood, cured meats and cheeses! There was a common theme running through my favorites – simple, fresh and using local ingredients. During our trip, we either stuffed ourselves at a meal with several large courses, or we ate too much as we grazed our way throughout the day with antipasti (appetizers) or piattino (small plate) delights.

The last stop of our adventure was attending Expo Milano 2015 (World Expo). The theme of this world exposition was “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life.” We explored the pavilions of many countries, making a few indulgent stops at the specialty wine (and Nutella) booths. On the second day, we were lucky enough to be part of a small group shuffled in to see a cooking demonstration with a top-notch Italian chef that was famous and highly skilled, but unknown to us. I’m still not sure why we were selected since the rest of the audience seemed to be VIPs. Regardless, we enjoyed watching him. I couldn’t understand everything he was saying, but I noted the interesting ingredients he used in the savory seafood dishes we sampled. Almost a year later, I tried to recreate them using just my memory and notes I kept on my phone. I was about 90% successful – they didn’t taste exactly like the famous chef’s, but I was happy with the results. I also had to make up my own name for them because I don’t recall he didn’t call them by any specific name. Try it yourself and as the chef noted, feel free to add more or subtract ingredients until you like the taste of it (yes, I did understand that part of his demo)! I still have a few more delicious dishes from the trip that I’m trying to recreate. Perhaps those will warrant a future post. Buon appetito!

Tuna Two Ways (Appetizer)

For either recipe, cut ¾ – 1 lb. fresh Ahi tuna steaks (approximately 2 steaks) into cubes.

Spicy Tuna

In a large bowl, mix the following together:

1 T. toasted sesame seeds

2 T. balsamic vinaigrette

2 T. soy sauce

Hot chile sesame oil (a few drops or more to taste if you like it spicy!)

½ t. toasted sesame oil

Add the cubed tuna and toss until coated. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

 

Summer Tuna Salad

1 large grapefruit

½ of a 13.75 oz. can of quartered artichoke hearts, roughly chopped

¼ c. julienned sun-dried tomatoes in oil, roughly chopped

½ fennel or celery root, chopped

Seasoning salt to taste

Slice top and bottom off grapefruit, then cut the peel off in sections. Cut the segments out from the membrane, cut into chunks, and put in a large bowl with any excess juice. Add the chopped artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, fennel root, tuna chunks, and seasoning salt to taste. If you like more zip, you can add chopped dried hot red peppers, red pepper flakes or dried chili pepper “threads” if you can find them in specialty stores. You can also add chopped picadew peppers for extra zest. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Both of these tuna dishes are great appetizers, side dishes or a light lunch with fresh vegetables, bread, olives or risotto.

Italian food pavilion (right of the tower) at Expo Milano 2015. Image (c) 2015 Kristy Kummer-Pred

Quesokopita with Cilantro Pesto

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One of the reasons I started my website cookingwithkristy.com was because I wanted to see if I could re-create delicious food I had eaten in restaurants without being a full-fledged chef. I decided to extend this idea when my husband recently brought home what looked like a quesadilla from the store along with three different kinds of dips for it. It really was a flat version of Spanakopita, which is a savory, Greek, layered dish made with spinach, feta cheese and pastry crust. I’ve also had this in many restaurants, but it often lacks flavor and is less than savory.

After following the instructions to cook the spinach “quesadilla” (which basically was only reheating it), and sampling it with each of the three dips, I found my favorite combination and challenged myself to try and cook something even better. I searched the web – there are a million different recipes for spanakopita and pesto, so I just picked out all my favorite ingredients and seasonings, simplified the cooking and assembly, and came up with the recipe below. Although it doesn’t look like what came home from the grocery store, it can be eaten with no utensils and tastes MUCH better! I even gave it a new name based on my dear love of quesadillas, and now Spanakopita!

To save time while making this, you can make the pesto the night before and refrigerate, or make it first and just set aside for serving. You can also chop the garlic, leeks and herbs prior.

Quesokopitas With Cilantro Pesto

1 lb. package of fresh spinach

2 T. olive oil

1 leek

2-4 cloves of garlic

¾ oz. package of fresh mint, leaves separated from stems

¾ oz. package of fresh dill, with the thick stems removed

6 oz. crumbled feta cheese

2 eggs, beaten

16 oz. package frozen filo or phyllo dough (found in freezer section near the desserts)

salt & pepper to taste

spray olive oil

nutmeg

Take out one roll of filo dough & follow directions on package for defrosting & bringing to room temperature. Clean the leek, cut off & discard the dark leafy parts. Cut the rest in chunks & put in a food processor with the garlic or chop finely. In a very large frying pan, heat the olive oil & sauté the leeks & garlic until soft, about 4-5 minutes. Add in the spinach, a couple of handfuls at a time, cooking & tossing with tongs until it’s wilted down & dark green. Remove from the pan & put in a colander over a bowl. Press out the excess liquid & let cool.

In the meantime, put the dill & mint in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. Add to the cooled spinach mixture, along with the feta, eggs, salt & pepper. Stir until well mixed and set aside.

Line two cookie sheets with a piece of parchment paper. Open the package of filo and take two sheets of it. Spray with olive oil, put on the cookie sheet, and repeat 4 times until there are 8 layers. Put some of the spinach filling on half of the filo and fold over the rest. Spray the top with more olive oil and sprinkle with nutmeg. Repeat until there are four “quesokopitas.” Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes until lightly browned and flaky. Remove, cool slightly, and cut each into quarters. Serve while warm with the Cilantro Pesto (or plain).

dill + mintspinach mixturespinach mixture spread on filoQuesokopita with Cilantro Pesto

Cilantro Pesto

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4 bunches of fresh cilantro

¾ c. olive oil

1 c. pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

1 c. shredded 3-cheese Italian mix (Parmesan/Asiago/Romano)

Juice from 3 fresh limes

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

salt & pepper to taste

Microwave the pumpkin seeds in a glass bowl for 2 minutes on high to toast them. Toss or stir, then microwave again another 2-3 minutes until lightly toasted. Cut the majority of stems off the bunches of cilantro & put into food processor (if your processor is smaller, you may need to only put in half the cilantro at first). Add the pepitas & remaining ingredients & process until smooth. Add the rest of the cilantro if necessary & more salt & pepper or lime juice to taste.

Note: This recipe makes a decent sized batch. You can freeze extra easily and use later tossed in hot pasta or with rice. This pesto is delicious on spanokopita, with any traditional pasta or ravioli, or just on toasted bread. Try it with other nuts such as almonds, pine nuts, or walnuts.

 Cilanto, pepitas and cheeseIMG_1974IMG_1984

 

Baked Arancini

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A few years ago, I met a friend for happy hour at a Portland restaurant that served arancini. I had never had it or even heard of it, but I immediately fell in love with those little fried balls of risotto. Arancini is said to mean “little oranges” in Italian and originated in Sicily. I’ve tried them at a few different places and vowed to try making them myself someday. I even asked my mom who is part Italian if she ever had them or possessed some ancient family secret recipe, but she had not and did not.

So while planning an upcoming trip to Italy which includes a stop at the world’s fair Expo Milano 2015 – ironically advertised with the theme “Food is Life!” – I also started researching different arancini recipes just to see how common they were and different variations. Although they are traditionally fried, I didn’t want the mess so I baked them in the oven. They turned out just as delicious and lighter tasting than the heavier fried version. They do take a little bit of time, but it’s a great way to use up leftover risotto if you have any. Buon appetito!

Mushroom Risotto

(3) 14-oz cans low-sodium chicken broth

1 oz. dried mushrooms (a mix of porcini, crimini, shiitake, and oyster is delicious), cut into small pieces OR 2 c. finely chopped fresh mushrooms

1 large shallot, finely chopped

1 tsp. finely chopped garlic

1 T. olive oil

1 c. uncooked arborio rice

1/2 c. dry white wine such as chardonnay

1/2 c. fresh grated 3-cheese blend (parmesan, romano, asiago)

freshly chopped basil and/or thyme to taste

sea salt & fresh ground pepper to taste

Put the rice in a strainer over a large glass bowl or measuring cup. Pour the broth over the rice to rinse the starch off. Microwave the broth 2-3 minutes until hot, then add in the mushrooms (if using dehydrated ones) and set aside.

In a large deep frying pan, heat the olive oil, onion & garlic over medium heat until soft and slightly browned, stirring frequently. Carefully add in the rice (watch out for popping!) and wine. Cook it 2 minutes, stirring continuously, then reduce heat to medium. Strain the mushrooms out of the broth and set them aside.

Gradually add the broth to the rice mixture, 1/2 cup a time until it is absorbed each time and before adding more. With the last portion, add in the asparagus and mushroom pieces. Cover and cook 8 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep from sticking. When all the liquid is absorbed and mushrooms are tender, remove from heat. Stir in the cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. Spread in a shallow dish and refrigerate until cooled. Can make this the day before making the arancini.

Arancini

Risotto (recipe above or your own favorite version)

1-1/2 c. Italian style Panko bread crumbs

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1-1/2 c. flour

Spray olive oil

Fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/2″ cubes

Marinara sauce

Line 2 cookie sheets or baking pans with parchment paper and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the panko, beaten egg and flour all into separate shallow bowls. If being served as a main dish, use an ice cream scoop for approximately 3″ rounds. If being served as an appetizer, then a smaller scoop will make approximately 2″ rounds. Wet your hands with cold water or use gloves, then form the chilled risotto into small balls with a piece of mozzarella in the center. Roll in the flour, then the egg, then the panko, being sure to coat the entire piece and set on the baking sheet. Repeat until you’ve used all the risotto. Spray the arancini with the olive oil spray and bake approximately 20 minutes or until crispy. Warm up the marinara sauce and drizzle over the arancini just before serving.

If you love these and want a few more variations to try, click here.

arancini IMG_4984

 

 

Sweet & Spicy Pecans

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Sweet & Spicy Pecans

1 16-oz pkg. (4 c.) pecan halves or your favorite mixture

¼ c. brown sugar

3 T. butter

1-2 tsp. Tabasco sauce

2 T. chopped fresh rosemary, finely chopped

Sea salt

In large frying pan, melt the butter and brown sugar together. Add the pecans and toss until all the sugar is melted and nuts are toasted. Add in the rosemary and remove from heat. Mix in the Tabasco and sea salt to taste. Spread out on parchment paper in a single layer to cool. Store in a tightly sealed container. Try this with other herbs and various hot sauces! Makes a great holiday gift, too.

 

Crispy Smashed Spuds

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Everyone knows how I love spuds! I created this after tasting something similar at a great local restaurant. When I looked up ideas online, there are a million ways to do them, but all of them involve boiling the potatoes first, then grilling or frying to get that crispy edge. Yum….

1 lb. baby Yukon Gold or red potatoes*

1 tsp. salt

¼ c. olive oil*

¼ c. chopped fresh rosemary

1 T. Montreal Steak Seasoning

½ tsp. liquid smoke

Clean potatoes and place in medium cooking pot. Cover with cold water and add 1 tsp. salt. Bring to a boil, and cook potatoes until fork-tender. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Let cool until just warm. Toss in a large bowl with olive oil, seasoning and rosemary. Lightly smash down potatoes until about ½-1” thick. Cook on electric grill or BBQ over medium-high heat until skins are crispy. Serve immediately. Note: the smaller the potatoes, the better they “smash.”

Options:

• Try chopped cilantro, chives, thyme, oregano or garlic instead of rosemary.

• To prepare for a party, boil the night before, cool. Let come to room temperature and toss in olive oil and seasonings the next day just before grilling and serving (leave them whole, they’ll grill better the next day).

• Can also put in baking dish and oven to finish at 450 degrees, for 30-40 minutes. Or, fry on the stovetop on medium high heat for a few minutes on each side until crispy.

* Items available at Bauman Farms, www.BaumanFarms.com

Greek Meatballs with Cucumber Sauce

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This is a great dish to make ahead and can be made into small meatballs as appetizers or muffin size to serve as a main dish.

1 lb. very lean ground beef or ground sirloin

1 lb. lean ground lamb*

1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs

1 T. chopped fresh mint

1 T. chopped fresh thyme

½ – 1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. ground allspice

¼ – ½ tsp. crushed red pepper*

3 minced garlic cloves*

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Form into 1” or 1-1/2” size meatballs and place on parchment paper in baking dish or large cookie pan with raised edges. Bake at 450° for 10 minutes or until done. Can also cook in frying pan over medium heat until cooked thoroughly, and turning occasionally. Drain on paper towels if needed and cool slightly. Serve with cucumber sauce below.

Sauce:

1/2 c. plain fat-free Greek yogurt

½ cup crumbled reduced-fat feta

1 T. fresh lemon juice, divided*

2 large peeled & sliced cucumbers*

1 tsp. fresh mint, finely chopped

1 tsp. fresh thyme, finely chopped

salt & pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse to combine. Serve over meatballs.

Options:

• Add ½ c. finely chopped onion to the meat mixture

• Bake meat mixture in muffin tins to have individual serving sizes and easy leftovers. Press mixture into 8 large muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Bake at 450° for 8 minutes. Turn broiler to high; broil 3 minutes or until done.

• Make the meatballs the night before a party and just reheat in a crockpot on low or microwave (be careful not to overcook).

*These items are available at Bauman Farms, www.BaumanFarms.com

 

Fiesta Black Bean Dip

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With Cinco de Mayo and outdoor dining season coming up, try this simple recipe that uses only a few ingredients. The best part is that it’s easy to flavor it up even more to your specific taste and preferences.

Fiesta Black Bean Dip

2 (15 oz) cans of black beans, drained & rinsed

2-3 fresh limes

2 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. sea or kosher salt

In food processor, blend beans, juice from the limes, cumin and salt. Add more lime juice if needed for spreadable consistency and more salt or cumin if needed after tasting. Spread on plate and garnish (optional) with shredded cheese, chopped fresh cilantro and lime wedges. Serve at room temperature with taco or pita chips to dip and a scoop of sour cream and/or guacamole.

Options:

  • To add some zip, sprinkle on or blend in hot sauces such as Chipotle Tabasco, Aardvark Secret Sauce, or Frank’s Red Hot Sauce.
  • Layer on a deep plate or bowl with sour cream, salsa, guacamole, cooled & shredded chicken and shredded cheese for an easy and filling party dip.
  • Spread on a soft tortilla and wrap up with chopped chicken, shredded cheese and lettuce for a great lunch wrap.
  • Drizzle chile pepper olive oil on top or sprinkle with chile powder before serving for a hotter flavor.
  • Want a zestier flavor? Add chopped garlic or jalapenos!
  • Try it with shredded cheese blended in and warmed up in the oven or microwave.

 

Holiday Cheeseball

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My Aunt Rose used to make this every Christmas Eve for the family get-together at my grandma’s house. It’s best served slightly chilled with crackers.

Holiday Cheeseball

4 c. shredded cheddar cheese

6 oz. softened cream cheese

1/3 c. mayo

2 t. sherry flavoring

1 t. Worcestershire sauce

1/8 t. each of celery salt, onion salt, and garlic salt

1/2 c. chopped black olives

1/3 c. minced parsley

Combine all ingredients except olives and parsley with food processor or mixer until smooth. Stir in olives then cover and chill overnight or until firm. Shape into a ball or log shape and roll in the parsley to cover. Keep chilled until served.