April (Baby! and Wedding!) Showers

Polenta Ricotta Honey Cake 

with Lemon Blueberry topping

{original recipe from vintage kitchen notes}

I had the pleasure of spending this past weekend with my five best friends from college. Simply put, these ladies are amazing. And inspiring. And fun. And creative. This reunion was full of many celebratory life moments, including pending nuptials, growing bellies, new homes, growing broods, health & happiness. Tea parties take center stage at our reunions. Whether at a fancy tea house (a la Alice's Tea Cup in NYC or Peacock Alley at the Willard in DC) or in pjs at home, tea parties truly feel indulgent. Baked treats accompanied by clotted cream & lemon curd are all requisites.

This time around, I tried to inject a bit of wholesome into the indulgent mix. This polenta ricotta honey cake had a nutty texture, providing a nice complement to the tangy blueberry topping. The cake was a bit crumbly but still nice & moist. We served this with a salmon & leek quiche and a spinach & toasted pine nut quiche, as well as a arugula based salad filled with spring greens & a goat cheese dressing. If you like a traditional Italian almond cake, this one is definitely worth trying. 

cake ingredients:
1 cup polenta or yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup ricotta
1/3 cup tepid water
3/4 cup honey
3/4 cup sugar
zest of 1 lemon
8 tbsp butter, melted & cooled
1 tbsp butter, cut into bits & chilled
2 large eggs

topping ingredients:
1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup light brown sugar

1.  pre-heat oven to 350F.

2. Line bottom of a 9 inch springform cake pan with parchment paper (I actually did without, and had no problem transferring the cake to a pretty serving tray afterwards). 

3. spray or butter the sides of the cake pan.

4. mix polenta, flour, baking powder & salt in a bowl.

5. beat the ricotta cheese with the water until it is a smooth, uniform texture. Add honey, sugar & lemon zest, continue to beat until smooth. 

6. gradually add the melted & cooled butter. then add the eggs, one at a time. continue to beat until mixture is smooth. 

7. slowly fold the wet ingredients in small batches into the dry ingredients until smooth. 

8. pour the mixture into the cake pan. dot the top of the batter with the bits of butter. 

9. bake for about 35 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

10. for the blueberry sauce, on the stovetop, mix blueberries, lemon juice & sugar. cook for about 5 minutes over low heat until the blueberries wrinkle & loose their shape.

11. transfer onto a cake platter. serve with the blueberry sauce & a dusting of powdered sugar. 

Tailgate Treats

Tailgate Season in Full Swing

This weekend marked another epic tailgate with Club Echa Panza. A pre-pre-tailgate kicked off a full day of festivities. At the pre-tailgate we ate Hebrew National franks on potato rolls with dijon mustard, compliments of our friend Steve. It hit the spot. The party carried on to the official tailgate, where the spread was amazing including huevos de toro (um yes, you are reading that right. no, I was not brave enough to try them). As round after round of meats & other treats were pulled off the grill I began to wonder how it could all be consumed. But as our namesake indicates, that proved an unfounded concern.  

Below, I feature two fantastic tailgate recipes, both were incredibly easy to pull together & I imagine they would be a welcome contribution to any get together during the up-coming grilling season.

Sausage & Cheese Stuffed Baby Bell Peppers

A rather large bag of baby bell peppers caught my attention on a recent trip to the grocery store. And as luck would have it, there was an enticing recipe on the back of the package. As a friend pointed out, no matter the source, a good recipe is a good recipe. So here goes, compliments of Bailey Farms of NC. 

Ingredients:

6 oz Italian sausage (without casing)

one dozen baby bell peppers

8 oz whipped cream cheese

4 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

4 oz spicy Monterey jack cheese

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 tsp cracked red pepper flakes

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 cup panko, plus more for topping

salt & pepper, to taste

1.  pre-heat oven to 350F. lightly grease a deep baking dish with a bit of olive oil.

2. brown sausage on the skillet top over medium heat. I used an Italian sausage, but next time around I will definitely use a variety with a bit more of a spicy kick.

3. slice baby bell peppers in half, length wise.

4. in a mixing bowl, combine cheeses, egg, seasonings & panko with the crumbled sausage.

5. Fill each pepper half with a generous spoonful of the mix. 

6. line the greased baking pan with the filled peppers. sprinkle with panko.

7. bake for about 20 minutes. serve straight away or pack in foil for a tailgate or grilling party & re-heat on the grill. 

Yogurt Marinated Lamb Kabobs 

with Sweet Peppers & Red Onion

While I was on a roll, we happened to have some lamb chops in the fridge that were begging for attention. Again, these baby bell peppers proved all the inspiration I needed to pull together these kabobs. They were delicious. 

Ingredients:

8-9 wooden (or metal) skewers 

2 lamb chops

4-6 oz plain Green yogurt

2 roasted garlic cloves
5-7 dashes of worchestire sauce

1 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp cracked red pepper flakes

salt & pepper, to taste
1/2 large red onion, cut into 1 inch wedges

9 baby bell peppers, halved

1. if using wooden skewers, soak them in water for about 10-15 minutes. this prevents them from burning on the grill.

2. meanwhile, cut the lamb into 1 inch cube pieces. 

3. combine lamb with yogurt, roasted garlic, worchestire sauce & spices. let sit for about 20 minutes to tenderize.

4. remove the wooden skewers from the water & thread the lamb & veggies onto them. 

5. grill the skewers over indirect fire until the meat is fully cooked through.

6. serve with cold beer or red wine & enjoy!

St. Paddy's Day Weekend Recap

Corned Beef Hash with Root Vegetables
{recipe inspired by Martha Stewart}

Wow, what a weekend! We celebrated my mom's 60th birthday in true Irish fashion. Irish coffees -- spiked with Kahlua, Jameson & Baileys and topped with whipped cream. The Pogues playing in the background throughout the day, followed by traditional Irish jig music to cap off the evening. A house full of people & a gorgeous spread of food -- it was a celebratory occasion indeed. 

One of our contributions to the party was a corned beef hash we made with corned beef that we prepared late last week, as has become an annual tradition around this time of year. This corned beef has was a real crowd pleaser & was a great way to reinvent leftovers.

Last week, we followed Elise's baked corned beef recipe over at Simply Recipes. Honestly, we were a bit disappointed with the results - not sure what went wrong, but it was overly salty (even though we followed her boiling instructions) and it was a bit tough (perhaps this method lends itself to boiling out all of the fats that keep the meat moist?). I was raised on the annual ritual of corned beef & cabbage and this did not even come close to my mom's version. Next time around, we will surely revert back to boiled corned beef or slow cooker style. 

If you happened to make a corned beef this year & have any leftovers, I would highly recommend this corned beef hash. I would take this comforting dish any day over a corned beef sandwich!

ingredients:
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 parsnip, diced
1 heaping handful of parsley, finely chopped
~ 12 fingerling potatoes, diced
1 medium sweet potato, diced
3-4 turnips, diced
~12 baby carrots, diced
1 box low sodium vegetable stock
1 tbsp olive oil
1 sweet onion, diced
1 corned beef, diced
whole grain mustard (optional)
fresh ground black pepper, to taste

1. place garlic, parsnip, potatoes, turnips & carrots in a large cast iron skillet pan. pour vegetable stock to cover & bring to a boil. reduce heat, to a slow simmer until vegetables are tender to the touch of a fork.

2. drain vegetables, reserving 1/2-1 cup stock for later use.

3. heat olive oil in a large pan. add onions & saute until onions begin to brown. 

4. add vegetables & reserved cooking liquid. cook until vegetables begin to brown, about 25 minutes. stir in corned beef, chopped parsley, whole grain mustard & fresh ground black pepper. cook until beef is warmed.

5. serve with parsley to garnish or with a fried egg for a complete breakfast.

Tailgate Season!

Black Bean, Mango & Avocado Salad

And so it begins! This past weekend marked the first pre-season home game for DC United. Tailgating is a seasonal ritual for our Club Echa Panza, which proudly claims some fantastic cooks. Every tailgate boasts a worthy spread of grilled meats with a wide assortment of beers & other goodies. Anticipating that there would be protein options aplenty, this time around, I made a vegetarian salad. This black bean, mango & avocado salad is fantastic served taco style in a grilled tortilla & complements a wide array of grilled meats.

The Inspiration Board

Black Bean, Mango & Avocado Salad 

with Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette

ingredients:
1 can black beans
1 mango, sliced
1 avocado, diced
1 tomato, diced
1 bunch cilantro, coarsely chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cumin
1/2 lime, juiced + more to taste
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
salt & pepper, to taste
1 tsp honey (optional)

1. place the beans in a colander & rinse thoroughly, until the water runs clear. then place the beans in a large mixing bowl.

2. one trick to cutting up a mango is to be mindful of the pit, which is a flat-ish oblong shape in the center of fruit. holding the mango upright with the fat, stem side down, cut the mango into thirds in line with the oblong shape. you will have 2 thick outer pieces with lots of fruit, and one center piece with the pit and a rim of skin around the outer edges. see here for a pictorial. add diced mango to the beans.

3. as with the mango, cutting an avocado is made a lot simpler when mindful of the pit. I always cut the avocado lengthwise in half. the large center pit should slide right out, or you can use a small paring knife to ease it out or if feeling extra fancy a large santoku knife to tap the pit & remove it in one fell swooping motion. with the skin still in tact, I dice the fruit, then use a large spoon to scoop the fruit out of the skin. see here for a pictorial. add diced avocado to the beans & mangoes.

4. fold the chopped tomatoes gently into the beans, mangoes and avocados.

5. whisk together the cilantro, olive oil, cumin, lime juice, & spices. taste to adjust. the mangoes add a natural sweetness to this salad, but if the dressing is tasting a bit acidic, you may want to add a drizzle of honey (~1/2-1 tsp) to the dressing to round out the flavors. 

6. serve in warmed tortillas taco style & add some grilled chicken, shrimp or even steak should you feel so inclined. this is also delicious as an alternative to a 7 layer dip with tortilla chips. for a more complete meal, serve over coconut rice. 

Quesadillas

Broccolini, Shallot & Parmesean Quesadilla

Quesadilla is such a fun word to say, you know the drill full pronunciation of the "L"s. But perhaps more importantly, this is a really fun food to eat. It is easy to pack a variety of vegetables into a quesadilla & the melted, cheesy goodness can right even the worst of days. This is comfort food at its finest.

ingredients:
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 bunch broccolini, hard ends trimmed off
1 shallot, sliced
1 clove garlic, sliced
1/4 block parmesean cheese, shredded 
2 flour tortillas (we used whole wheat, flex seed variety)

1. warm the olive oil over medium heat. add broccolini, shallot & garlic. saute until shallot begins to brown a bit. set aside sauteed vegetables in a bowl.

2. place one of the tortillas into the same pan. if there is not enough of an oil sheen, add a sprinkle or two of olive oil more to coat the pan. as the tortilla toasts, pack the sauteed vegetables on top of the tortilla. then add shredded cheese to cover vegetables. top with the second tortilla.

3. wait for the cheese & vegetables to set and for the bottom of the tortilla to begin to brown before flipping. timing here is everything, but the more the ingredients have had a chance to set, the easier it will be to flip.

4. use a wide spatula to flip the quesadilla & allow the other side to crisp. once ready, I use a pizza cutter to slice the quesadilla into smaller pieces.

Its a Wrap

Dumpling Party

These dumplings really set the tone for a fun, interactive evening with a small group of friends. Involve your guests in prepping ingredients, wrapping the dumplings, tending to the crackling fire & ensuring everyone has a drink in hand. Below I offer a vegetarian pumpkin version along with a pork sausage version. At your next get together why not serve these along with other Asian inspired snacks, including edamame & shumai.

Thai-Spiced Kabocha Pumpkin Dumplings

Remember the soy braised Kabocha Squash we made recently? It is quite plentiful, so we roasted the other 1/2 of the squash with a sprinkle of olive oil & salt. The roasted squash scoops out quite nicely & saves well. Half of the squash provided enough filling for two rounds of these for two different parties.

ingredients:

1/2 kabocha squash, roasted

1/3 can coconut milk (feel free to use lite)

1 tsp Thai red curry paste

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 inch piece ginger, minced

2-3 drops fish sauce

1 package wonton wrappers (we used nasoya brand)

1 egg white

1. pre-heat oven to 350F to roast kabocha squash with a sprinkle of olive oil & salt. cook until squash is soft to the touch of a fork.

2. once cooked, let squash cool until easy to handle. once cool, scoop the cooked squash from the shell - the skin should peel off very easily. 

3. mix in coconut milk, curry paste, garlic, ginger & fish sauce until you have formed a very thick paste.

4. Fold into wontons according to these four easy steps below:

Step 1:

Fill each wonton wrapper with a spoonful of filling

Step 2:

Fold over the wonton wrapper into a triangle 

& using your finger seal with egg white

Step 3:
Press triangle ends together to form a dumpling shape 
& seal with egg white

Step 4:
Line on a greased baking sheet & 
brush dumplings with remaining egg white

4. bake for about 9-12 minuted until the edges have slightly browned

Maple Pork & Red Pepper Dumplings

ingredients:

1/2 red pepper, diced

1/2 white onion, diced

1 tsp olive oil

1/2 tube maple pork sausage (without casing)

1 package wonton wrappers (we used nasoya brand)

1 egg white

1. saute the red pepper & onion in olive oil until the onion begins to brown

2. add the sausage & cook through until browned on all sides

3. set aside the pork until it is cool enough to handle

4. fill the wonton wrappers following the 4 steps above & bake for about 9-12 minuted until the edges have slightly browned

Lately Snacking On: Onion Dip

Caramelized Onion Dip

Does anyone else have childhood memories of beige onion dip served alongside a bowl full of Fritos scoops? I was always a sucker for that combination. Here is an updated (perhaps more grown-up) take on onion dip. This one foregoes the onion soup packet instead using caramelized onions as the base. 

Caramelizing onions is a purposefully slow process to bring out the natural candy-like sweetness of the onions. It takes about 45 minutes for the sugars in the onions to fully breakdown & caramelize, but this is a pretty easy, hands-off process, I managed a shower and a few other household chores in the mean time.

ingredients:

1 large onion, sliced
1 tbsp olive oil

8 oz sour cream

4 oz whipped cream cheese

2 sprigs thyme, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp Tony Chachere's cajun seasoning
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
salt & pepper, to taste
yield: ~1.5 cups

1. add onions & olive oil to a large non-stick skillet pan over low heat, lightly salt & feel free to add a couple grinds of fresh ground pepper. stir to coat the onions with olive oil.

2. keep an eye on the onions to make sure they do not dry out, if so, make sure the heat is on the lowest possible setting and feel free to add a little water into the pan.

3. the onions will cook for approximately 45 minutes until they are richly browned. they will loose their original shape & will shrink down to about 1/5 their original size in this process. 

4. once onions are ready, remove from heat & let cool.

5. combine caramelized onions, sour cream, cream cheese, thyme, garlic, cajun seasoning, and red pepper flakes. 

6. serve with thinly sliced wheat baguette or a hearty multi-grain cracker.

Leftover Caramelized Onions Suggestion:

Caramelized onions freeze well and are convenient to have on hand for homemade pizzas, tarts, or pastas, even sandwiches, omelettes and salads. You could easily caramelize 2+ onions with the intention of having leftovers.

Classic with a Twist

Deviled Eggs 

Deviled eggs are as classic as they are versatile. Serve these up as appetizers at a cocktail or dinner party, or present them in a brunch or tea party spread. As always, experimentation & creativity on these presentations is encouraged.  

Deviled Eggs with Feta, Sun-Dried Tomato & Parsley

ingredients:

6 hard cooked eggs

2 oz feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, diced
handful or half bunch of fresh Italian flat leaf parsley, minced
1.5 tbsp mayo

2 tsp medium to hot yellow mustard

salt & pepper to taste

1. place eggs in a large pot of salted water & bring water to a rigorous boil. dial back heat to a slow, rolling boil. cook for about 10-17 minutes. theories on how to make the perfect cooked egg are plentiful (as seen here and here), i tend to "listen" for their readiness, when the eggs begin to beat against the side of the pot with a gentle patter, i consider them done. 

2. to make your eggs easier to peel, immerse them in cold, iced water immediately for about 2 minutes after removing from the heat.

3. while the eggs are cooking, chop the feta, sun-dried tomatoes & parsley. fold them into the mayo & mustard.

4. once the eggs are cool enough to handle, tap the egg on the counter & roll it around to spread the crackle. peel the eggs. 

5. cut the eggs in half & with a small paring knife separate the cooked yolk from the egg white. 

6. add the yolks into the feta & mayo mixture. stir to combine.

7. spoon a generous amount of the feta mixture into each egg white half.

8. dust with fresh, cracked pepper, paprika or parsley, should you feel inclined.

Deviled Eggs with Edamame, Wasabi & Pickled Ginger

ingredients:

6 hard cooked eggs
1 cup frozen shelled edamame or pre-shelled edamame

1.5 tbsp mayo
.5 tsp wasabi paste
2 tbsp pickled ginger, diced
salt to taste

1.  place eggs in a large pot of salted water & bring water to a rigorous boil. dial back heat to a slow, rolling boil. cook for about 10-17 minutes (see notes above on estimating cook time). 

2.  in the last 2 minutes of cook time for the eggs, add edamame into the pot. edamame are ready when they plump a bit & float to the top. 

3.  immerse the eggs & edamame in cold, iced water immediately for about 2 minutes after removing from the heat.

4.  while the eggs are cooking, dice the ginger & mix the mayo & wasabi. wasabi is known for its harsh nasal heat, caution is urged here.

5.  once the eggs are cool enough to handle, tap the egg on the counter & roll it around to spread the crackle. peel the eggs & shell the edamame, if needed.

6.  cut the eggs in half & with a small paring knife separate the cooked yolk from the egg white. 

7.  add the yolks into the mayo & wasabi mixture. adjust heat level by adding more mayo or more wasabi if you are looking for more of a kick. fold in cooked edamame & salt mixture to taste.

8. spoon the edamame mixture into each egg white half. garnish with pickled ginger.

Light & Easy Week Night Dinners

Boston Bibb Lettuce Wraps

After party filled weekends throughout the holiday season, lighter week night dinners make for a nice break. Boston Bibb lettuce makes a great vehicle for wraps, as it has a perfect cup-like shape that holds up well to the weight of a variety of fillings. Experimentation here is encouraged - below are a couple of suggestions.

Crab Stick & Avocado Lettuce Wraps

ingredients:
1 head of Boston Bibb lettuce, leaves separated
1/2 package of fake crab stick, thinly sliced
1 avocado
2 carrots, peeled & thinly sliced
4 green onions, thinly sliced
cilantro for garnish

assemble & enjoy! 
hint: i find it works well to layer the avocado onto the lettuce first, as other ingredients will stick better

Shrimp & Grapefruit Lettuce Wraps

ingredients:
3/4 dozen cooked & peeled shrimp
1 avocado
2 carrots, peeled & thinly sliced
4 green onions, thinly sliced
~1/3 grapefruit, segmented, white pith removed
cilantro for garnish



assemble & enjoy! 
hint: again, i find it works best to layer the avocado first

Vietnamese Style Ground Beef Wraps

ingredients:
1/2 pound ground chuck
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 dash fish sauce
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp canola or vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 leek, cut into coins
2 carrots, peeled & cut into coins
cilantro for garnish


1. season beef with salt & pepper to taste

2. in a small bowl combine the soy sauce, lime juice, fish sauce & honey, set aside

3. add oil and garlic to a frying pan, bring to a low heat, swirl oil around the pan & cook until garlic softens a bit

4. add the ground chuck to the pan & brown on all sides, stir only as needed

5. remove cooked beef & put aside in a medium sized bowl

6. add leeks & carrots to same pan, while cooking add the soy sauce mixture

7. once carrots soften, add cooked beef into the pan & cook until flavors combine & sauce thickens slightly

8. assemble wraps and enjoy!

the real joy of these wraps comes in the endless possibilities of dipping sauces that enhance the flavors of the wraps. click here for some easy, Paula Deen inspired dipping sauces.