Smoky Lime Quinoa Salad

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I recently hosted a spring baby shower for a close friend at my house. The soon-to-be Grandma’s house was being remodeled and I had no luck finding a cozy restaurant venue that would even return my calls. With just a few weeks to plan, I was excited and had the perfect brunch menu in mind! This party would make any Better Homes & Gardens feature look like child’s play. Then reality set in – my husband had to go out of town, I was on my own to get my home cleaned, decorated and the yard looking pretty (with a solid week of rain), I had to work the day before the shower, and of course I have my 20-month old daughter whose average speed is 95 mph. Fate intervened ­– in the form of the Grandma who offered to have the event catered.

Everything was perfect…we had a juice and mimosa bar, pretty cupcakes, fresh flowers everywhere and a wonderful and savory brunch spread delivered right to my door! It was all delicious, from the frittatas to the deviled eggs. But the biggest surprise was the vegetarian dish – a chilled, smoky, tangy quinoa salad. Of course I said, “I can make that!”

Quinoa (pronounced “keen-wah”) is one of the latest cooking trends. It’s a seed that looks like a grain, and it’s gluten-free and high in protein. Best of all, it cooks quickly and it’s available in most mainstream grocery stores near the rice and pasta. Since it easily takes on the flavor of whatever it’s seasoned with, it’s easy to adjust this recipe to your own tastes.

Smoky Lime Quinoa Salad

1 c. quinoa

2 c. water or broth

Juice from 3 limes (approx. 1/3 c.)

Zest from 1 lime

½ tsp. liquid smoke

1/3 c. olive oil

1 T. Dijon mustard

15 oz. can of black beans (rinsed and drained)

12 oz. bag of broccoli slaw

1 bunch of cilantro, finely chopped

Cook the quinoa and water or broth according to directions (depending on the brand, it may need to be rinsed prior). While it’s cooking, in a large jar or plastic container, mix the lime juice, oil, liquid smoke and mustard. Cover and shake the dressing until well blended.

In a large bowl, toss the slaw, lime zest, cilantro, black beans, cooked quinoa, and dressing until mixed. Chill for a couple of hours and serve as a side or main dish!

This makes great leftovers, but may need a bit more lime juice and liquid smoke added in if refrigerated more than a day. You can also use a mixture of shredded purple cabbage and carrots instead of the broccoli slaw. Try it alongside grilled fish or chicken this summer, or served with tortilla chips!

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Goat Cheese Stuffed Salmon

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When I first started my cooking site, I chose the tagline “I can make that!” because it’s something I often said when dining out, watching The Food Channel, and reading through magazines. I would enjoy something amazing and think to myself, “I can make this at home, but maybe add a little more of this and a little less of that and make it perfect for my taste.” Fast forward and here we have goat cheese stuffed salmon, inspired from a dish I had on my honeymoon a few years ago that combined layers of smoked salmon, goat cheese, herbs and olive oil as an appetizer served with crackers. I combined the same basic flavors and turned it into an easy main dish instead. You can even make the stuffing and spread ahead of time, then just assemble and cook on a busy spring night after work.

Goat Cheese Stuffed Salmon

Stuffing:

• 8 oz goat cheese

• 1-2 T. milk or cream

• 2 t. fresh chopped herbs (dill, tarragon, cilantro, lemon basil or your favorite)

• Salt & pepper to taste

Combine all of the above ingredients in a food processor until fluffy and smooth. Set aside,

Spread:

• 2 T. spicy or stone ground mustard

• 1 T. mayo

Combine until smooth, set aside.

Take 2 lbs. of fresh salmon and cut into smaller portions. If the slices are thick enough, slit the middle and stuff with the goat cheese filling. If the slices are thinner or odd shaped, fold them over the stuffing (secure with toothpick if necessary). Spread the mustard mixture on top, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake in large glass dish at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until the fish is still moist and flaky. Garnish with more fresh chopped herbs and serve with rice or grilled vegetables.

Try the stuffing with different cheeses, or in different fish (halibut or tuna).

These fillets are even good chilled as a sandwich the next day. I do love leftovers!

 

Sweet & Spicy Penne

Sweet & Spicy Penne

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It was a dark, stormy weeknight…I worked all day, picked up my toddler from daycare, and rushed home to make dinner for my friend and I. Of course my friends are used to me trying new recipes on them, so I got two thumbs up on this one. Even my daughter loved the leftovers! And it all started from a light recipe that I had torn out months ago and altered with all of my favorite things (mushrooms, sausage, extra cheese…so much for the “light” part of it). Oh, and the recipe was dated 2011 – it only took me a few years to try and customize it. But it’s definitely a keeper!

One box of whole grain penne pasta, cooked according to directions & drained

1 (16 oz) jar of marinara sauce

1 pkg. (5-6) Italian flavored turkey sausages

1 c. roasted red peppers, chopped

1 small individual container of plain Greek yogurt

1 c. fresh basil, chopped

1 c. fresh mushrooms, roughly chopped

1-2 tsp. Red Hot Sauce or Tabasco (to taste)

salt & pepper, to taste

Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, to taste

Slice open the turkey sausages and remove the filling. Toss the casings, and saute the crumbled filling in a large skillet over medium heat until cooked through. Drain off the excess liquid and put back in pan. Add the marinara sauce, peppers, and mushrooms. Heat thoroughly and until mushrooms are tender. In a separate bowl, slowly spoon about 1 cup of the sauce into the yogurt to temper it. Then add back into the sauce. Add the basil, along with hot sauce, salt and pepper to taste. Toss the sauce with the cooked pasta and top with cheese. Serve immediately.

Goes great with Cheesy French Bread!

 

Episode 1: Make Ahead Breakfast Burritos

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(Video Coming soon)

Episode 1: Make Ahead Breakfast Burritos

1 dozen large flour tortillas

1 dozen eggs

1 T. Milk

2 c. shredded cheddar or pepper jack cheese Other fillings: cooked hashbrowns, chopped peppers, mushrooms, spinach (cooked and squeezed dry), turkey bacon, ham cubes, etc.

Blend eggs and milk together. Cook in large skillet over medium heat until dry and scrambled. Set aside to cool. Cook other ingredients per directions and also set aside to cool.

Tear off 12 pieces of tin foil. Set a tortilla on it, sprinkle with 1 T. shredded cheese, 2 T. Scrambled eggs, and any other ingredients (don’t overstuff). Fold in sides of tortilla while rolling up. Hold and roll in the tin foil. Place several in plastic bag to store in freezer.

To heat up, remove from foil, wrap in paper towel, and microwave on high for 1.5-2 minutes, until heated through. Enjoy!

Tea-Infused Chocolate Truffles

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Perfect for Valentine’s Day, and so easy! I tried these out on a very gracious audience today at the Bauman Farms ladies tea and I think they liked them. Not too many leftovers. The only bad thing is that I forgot to take a photo!

Tea-Infused Chocolate Truffles

(2) 4-oz bittersweet chocolate bars (chopped into small bits)

(2) 4-oz semi-sweet chocolate bars (chopped)

2/3 cup heavy whipping cream

4 tea bags (spiced cinnamon chai, vanilla caramel or other favorite flavors)

Unsweetened cocoa powder, cinnamon and/or toasted ground toasted almonds

 In a small saucepan, bring the cream just to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and put in the tea bags. Cover and brew 5-8 minutes. Remove the tea bags and squeeze out excess cream.

In a medium-sized microwave safe bowl, pour the cream mixture over the chocolate bits and stir. Microwave on high for 40 seconds. Stir and if it’s not smooth, microwave 10-20 seconds more if needed. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.

Scoop the chocolate “dough” by level tablespoonfuls and roll into balls. Roll in the cocoa powder with a bit of cinnamon, and/or nuts. Store in airtight container in refrigerator. Serve chilled or slightly below room temperature. Can also be frozen up to 2 weeks.

Notes:

• Try berry or fruit flavored teas!

• If you prefer a stronger flavor, use more tea bags.

• Use cinnamon or vanilla powder mixed with the cocoa powder depending on the tea flavor you use.

Turkey Chili

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Right after I had my daughter, my friend brought our family a big bowl of chili, homemade cornbread and salad. We ate that for a week and it was fabulous! I took her recipe and changed it up a bit so I could make it in the crockpot (don’t judge me, I have a toddler and no time now)!

Turkey Chili

1 T vegetable or olive oil

2 medium sweet onions, peeled and chopped finely (I prefer to cook with Walla Walla sweets)

1.5 lbs. ground turkey

Heat oil in large skillet. Add turkey and onion, cook thoroughly. Drain off liquid and set aside.

1.5 tsp. ground oregano

2 bay leaves

1 T. unsweetened cocoa powder

1.5 tsp. salt (can add more later to taste)

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

*chili powder to taste

(1) 28-oz. can whole tomatoes

2 c. low-sodium beef broth

(1) 8-oz. can tomato sauce

(3) 15-oz. cans small white beans, drained & rinsed

In a large crockpot, add the meat mixture and the rest of the ingredients. Stir and cook on low, 4-6 hours. Serve with a dollop of sour cream, shredded cheese, fresh chopped cilantro and/or hot sauce.

Notes:

• I left out the chili powder and it tasted fine to me, but I don’t like spicy foods.  You can also add Tabasco to taste during or after cooking.

• To save time, you can pre-cook the meat mixture the night before then refrigerate and all ingredients to crockpot the next day. Or, you can mix everything up, refrigerate the whole crockpot, and turn it on in the morning. I have also pre-cooked the meat and frozen it to use when needed.

• Try different kinds of beans (I accidentally bought garbanzos instead of white beans and it’s looking pretty good!) or a combination of ground turkey and ground beef or chicken.

Trinity Gumbo

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The key ingredient to making yummy & fast gumbo!

The key ingredient to making yummy & fast gumbo!

I call this “Trinity Gumbo” because Cajun cooking often uses the “Holy Trinity” of onions, green peppers and celery as a base, and because I use a combination of chicken, andouille sausage and shrimp. This is a great dish to make on a Sunday and eat throughout the week – it’s almost better as leftovers after the flavors all meld together! This recipe is a hybrid of one I got when I took a cooking class in New Orleans and one of the back of the key ingredient, Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Magic Gravy & Gumbo Mix.

Trinity Gumbo

2 green peppers, cored, seeded & chopped up finely

1 large onion, peeled & chopped finely

1 lb. celery, chopped finely

2 T. olive oil

2 T. butter or margarine

1 pkg. (12 oz.) andouille sausage, halved & sliced

Combine all of the above ingredients except andouille in a large saute pan over medium heat. Cook until veggies are very soft and starting to brown. Add andouille until it begins to curl at the edges.

1 lb. boneless chicken breasts or thighs, cubed

1 T. olive oil

While the Holy Trinity is cooking, in a separate saucepan, cook the chicken in the oil just until white.

8 c. low-sodium chicken broth

8 oz. Gravy & Gumbo Mix

2-3 bay leaves

1 lb. peeled & deveined shrimp (either tail on or off)

White rice (cooked according to instructions)

Heat the chicken broth with the bay leaves until almost boiling, then add in the gumbo mix, chicken, and Holy Trinity. Heat thoroughly, then just a few minutes before serving, add in the shrimp and heat until the shrimp are cooked, just a few minutes. Remove the bay leaves. To serve, place a big scoop of the rice in a bowl and ladle the gumbo over it. Sprinkle with file’ gumbo powder & enjoy!

Taco Soup

No-Fail Taco Soup

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There are so many delicious and convenient soups available now that it’s hard to justify taking the time to make it at home. The perks of making it yourself are that you can make enough to feed the family, take leftovers to work all week, AND probably still have enough to freeze and eat months later when you don’t feel like cooking! You can also season it to your own liking – many of the store-bought varieties are too high in sodium for my taste.

When you make soup at home, you can also add, leave out, or substitute ingredients easily. Below is my version of what we called “taco soup” growing up. It seems like everyone has their own favorite recipe, and if you look online, there are infinite ways to switch it up. I began calling this my “No-Fail Taco Soup” because it’s a basic recipe where you really can use whatever is in your cupboard or freezer, in whatever portions, season to your own tastebuds, add toppings afterward to flavor it even more, and it always turns out tasty!

No-Fail Taco Soup

1-1/2 lbs. ground meat (beef, turkey, chicken or a combination)

1 package of taco seasoning mix

1/2 or whole large yellow onion, peeled and chopped

(3) 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes

(2) 11 oz cans of southwestern style corn

(4) 15 oz. cans of beans (I prefer black, garbanzo, white, and kidney but you can also use pinto or all the same type)

1 T. cocoa powder

1 c. water or broth

In large skillet, brown the ground meat and drain off liquid and fat. Return to skillet and add taco season per the directions on packet.

Pour all the beans into a strainer and rinse off. Transfer beans to a large slow cooker and add the cans of corn and tomatoes with their liquid. Add in the cocoa, water or broth, and ground meat mixture. Stir and cook on low for 4-6 hours.

Serve warm and top with crunched up taco chips, sour cream, grated cheese, chopped onions, cilantro, hot sauce and salt or pepper to taste (I usually leave out the additional salt since the taco chips and cheese have enough).

Notes:

• If you like your soups peppier, add in a bit of ground chipotle in adobo sauce or a cube of chipotle powder, Tabasco or chili powder. Ground cumin adds a bit more authentic Mexican flavor.

• Try it with cubed beef stew meat, chorizo, or go vegan and add in chopped carrots and more tomatoes (add the taco seasoning in with the beans, and water or broth).

• To make a creamier version, add in a can of refried beans with 1-2 cans more water to your desired consistency, and/or a can of tomato sauce.

• Serve on top of baked potatoes with a bit of shredded cheddar and sour cream or with a chunk of cornbread on the side for a hearty dinner.

• You can also simmer this on your stovetop in a large soup kettle. All the ingredients are already cooked and you only need to heat it until hot, but the longer it simmers, the more the flavors meld together and the better it tastes!

 

Cranberry Orange Christmas Cookies

Cranberry Orange Christmas Cookies

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One of my favorite Christmas memories is spending time baking with my mom and grandma. We made traditional things like fudge, peanut brittle, shortbread cookies, and divinity. For years, the only thing I asked for from Grandma was her homemade cinnamon and root bear hard candy and peanut brittle. I hoarded it throughout the year!

When I was asked to help judge the cookie contest at Garden Gallery Iron Works in Hubbard last weekend, I quickly said yes! With a 14-month old baby, full-time retail job, and 6 days less between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year, I could still enjoy cookies without actually taking the time to do the baking myself. I had so much fun but it was tough for us to decide between 30+ entries! I was surprised at some of the unique ingredients used (bacon? Pinto beans and chili powder?) and how some of the traditional cookies were given a unique spin. After an hour of mulling everything over and re-tasting several finalists, we chose a winner! It was the one cookie all three of us kept talking about – it was so simple, but the flavors reminded all of us of the good old days and Grandma’s kitchen. I’m so happy to share this recipe and hope that it becomes part of your family tradition – I know it will soon be part of mine!

Cranberry Orange Cookies

By Korrin Petersen (Hubbard, OR)

1 c. softened butter

1 c. white sugar

½ c. brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. grated orange zest

2 T. orange juice

2 – ½ c. flour

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

2 c. dried cranberries (Kristy’s note: I used 1 c. because that’s all I had in the house and they turned out fine!)

½ c. chopped walnuts – optional

*Kristy’s addition: 1/4 cup candied orange peel added in at same time as the cranberries

Icing:

½ tsp. grated orange zest

3 T. orange juice

1 – ½ c. confectioners (powdered) sugar

Preheat oven to 375°. In large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until smooth. Beat in the egg until well blended. Mix in 1 tsp. orange zest and 2 T. orange juice. Combine the flour, soda and salt together, then stir into the orange mixture. Mix in cranberries and walnuts until evenly distributed. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets, at least 2” apart. Bake for 12-14 minutes.

For icing, mix together in small bowl the orange zest, juice, and powdered sugar until smooth. Drizzle on top of the cooled cookies and let stand until set.

 

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.