Any Kitchen Will Do

28 Jan 2013

Texan Macaroni and Cheese

I am evil. Really evil. I had a craving for one of my dishes of yore and just had to make it. I include here the evil and less evil versions of the recipe. A few years ago I had this idea to play around with food and enter cooking contests. The hankering did not last long and I never won anything, but experimenting with one particular dish holds some sweet memories for me. I have always liked macaroni and cheese, but am often disappointed in the lack Of flavor in some versions. I like sharp cheeses and some punch in the flavors soaked up by the pasta. Growing up we would have the Kraft version on Fridays in lent. It did not feel like much of the meatless sacrifice it may have been intended, although it was a variation on the protein rich meals we usually ate. When I decided to join a macaroni and cheese recipe contest I was determined to have it taste the way I loved. At the time my brother and I happened to be visiting my parents. We spent a crazy late night making at least three batches of the stuff, working to make sure the cheese sauce was smooth and the final baked results were not dry, but also not runny. We had a lot of fun, caught up on each others lives and finished off the leftover beer, among other things. I don’t get to spend much time with my brother these days, so it was a treat to share the kitchen with him. It was a marathon cooking and picture fest, which I hope did not keep our mom up too late. She probably enjoyed lying awake laughing at our conversations. I never asked. Here is the original, non-award winning recipe and a lower carbohydrate, wheat free version. They both work, but the non-wheat pasta version results in an extra nutty flavor from the quinoa, I think. Overall, the combined flavors of Mexican beer, cheese and the tomato/chilies remind me of the south Texas foods I grew up with. Totally appeased my comfort food hankerings and brought back great memories.

Texan Macaroni and Cheese

Wheat Version

1 pound elbow pasta
1 can tomatoes and green chilies
1 1/2 lb Sharp or Medium Cheddar Cheese, grated
5 oz goat cheese
12 oz Mexican beer (suggest Negro Modelo)
1 can condensed cream of celery soup
2 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp sea salt
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 large eggs
1 Tbsp butter (for baking dish)
1/2 lb Monterrey Jack Cheese, grated
1 tsp paprika
1/2 cup crushed tortilla chips (optional)

Cook pasta per package instructions for al dente and rinse with cold water. Drain well. Heat medium pot over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes and chilies, beer, goat cheese, cream of celery soup, salt and cumin. Stir until blended and heated through. Turn heat to medium-low. Gradually add Cheddar cheese, stirring occasionally until cheese is melted. Remove pot from heat. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Add pasta to cheese mixture and combine until pasta is well coated. In separate bowl mix together cream and eggs until eggs are well beaten. Gradually fold cream/egg mixture into pasta until thoroughly combined. Butter 9 x 13 baking dish. Pour pasta mixture into dish. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes in preheated oven. Remove dish from oven and sprinkle Monterrey Jack cheese over pasta, followed by sprinkling paprika, then tortilla chips (optional). Bake for an additional 18 – 20 minutes until the top cheese is bubbly and browning. Remove from oven and let rest for ten minutes before serving.

Non Wheat Version

1 pound wheat free elbow pasta (suggest quinoa version)
1 can tomatoes and green chilies
1 1/2 pounds Sharp or Medium Cheddar Cheese, grated
5 oz goat cheese
12 oz Mexican beer (suggest Negro Modelo)
¾ cups heavy cream
½ cup chicken or vegetable broth
1 Tbsp arrowroot flour
2 Tbsp butter
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 large eggs
1 Tbsp butter (for baking dish)
1/2 lb Monterrey Jack Cheese, grated
1 tsp paprika

The instructions of the recipe are the same except for one extra step. There are ingredients substituting the cream of celery soup that need to be added when the sauce is hot. Before turning off the heat and adding cheddar cheese to the sauce, add ¾ cup cream, broth, butter, arrowroot flour, salt and pepper. Using a whisk stir until the sauce is smooth. Continue with the recipe directions.

Posted in baked, casserole, cheese, Silver Spring Kitchen, tomato, wheat free | Leave a Comment

24 Jan 2013

2 Comments

Cornbread Without Corn

How do you get cornless cornbread? Don’t put corn in it! And aren’t they cute? Big D made some awesome chili the other day and of course cornbread goes great with chili. Alas, the wheat and corn in traditional cornbread aren’t the greatest foods in the world to consume. Over the holidays we tried some low carb, corn free versions of ‘corn’ bread to make stuffing. It was okay, but the flavor and texture was not as close as these tasty little muffins. We previously tried to copy cornbread texture with flaxseed meal which did a pretty good job, but I look forward to trying this version next time we make dressing. I cooked these up in a mini muffin pan and easily got 20 muffins out of one batch of batter and cooked them for only 20 minutes – one minute per muffin – go figure. They were a bit on the dry side, compared to actual cornbread I have made in the past, but we easily resolved that issue with a slather of butter on top. Poor us. I may also try to do some kind of ‘corn dog’ version for Little B with some sausages and a larger muffin pan. I will let you know how they turn out!

Cornbread Without Corn

2/3 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup butter
8 large eggs
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking powder

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Whisk together the coconut flour, salt, and baking powder. In another bowl, beat the eggs. Whisk in the melted butter. Add the coconut flour mixture to the egg/butter mixture and stir to combine until it forms a wet dough mixture. Divide the batter among 12 greased muffin tins or 20 mini muffin tins. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool before removing from pan, or burn your fingers by removing them immediately from the pan to split and melt butter on the halves before eating them too soon and burning your tongue.

Adapted from the recipe here.

Posted in baked, bread, coconut flour, eggs, muffins, Silver Spring Kitchen, wheat free

20 Jan 2013

Creamy Vegetable Bake

I am constantly trying to find new ways to prepare high fiber vegetables. There is only so many times a week I can chew on raw broccoli and cauliflower, no matter how good they are for me. Big D made a big, chipotle spiced pork roast in the crock pot the other day. I wanted some baked veggies to go along with it to balance the spicy. Of course I turn to a creamy, buttery sauce. I threw in a little turmeric for flavor and color. The vegetables did a good job of not taking away from the smokey chiles while also keeping my tongue from burning too much. Little B still prefers her broccoli ‘trees’ straight out of the freezer. Although I hoped she would like this baked version, which she did not find appealing, I am not going to complain. Someday she may not like broccoli. For now I will just smile and keep buying the bags of frozen green trees she can reach on her own with the help of the little red kitchen stool.

Creamy Vegetable Bake

1 crown broccoli
½ head cauliflower
½ head cabbage
1 small onion
½ cup butter, melted
½ cup heavy cream or half and half
¼ cup yellow mustard
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp turmeric
1 tsp sea salt
Salt to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Chop vegetables into bite size pieces. Mix vegetables together in a 9×13 baking dish. In a medium bowl combine butter, cream, mustard, garlic, salt and turmeric. Whisk until well combined. Pour sauce over vegetables and toss until coated. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 15 – 30 minutes until vegetables are of preferred softness. We like them slightly crunchy. Serve immediately and make sure the sauce is drizzled over the top.

Posted in baked, cauliflower, side dish, Silver Spring Kitchen, vegetables, wheat free | Leave a Comment

16 Jan 2013

2 Comments

Blogiversary with Cheese Stuffed Jalapenos

A year ago today I started this blog. Before doing so I thought about it a lot. I wondered how I would feel if it exploded with popularity, or if most interest would be from spammers. Would I want to continue it if either happened? Well, now I know. Spammers love me and I have a rather quiet following. My reaction is that I love doing it. Another thing I discovered over the past year is that I got a lot more out of blogging than I expected. I looked forward to discovering new recipes, documenting old ones and giving Little B experiences in the kitchen, like my parents did for me. The past 12 months were full of changes – I ended one job, started another, moved across the country, lived in four different abodes, said good-bye to family and friends in a number of different ways, then sought out meeting and getting to know new ones. I like my day job, but it lacks the creative outlet I crave, just as my previous full time work did. I don’t have a problem with the absence. My job fills a need for me to be challenged to solve big problems, while protecting separately the things I love. It may be wimpy of me, but I have always hesitated to rely on my passions to support a living. I think I fear it being taken away from me. The last time I tried to do so we got a new addition to our family – Little B – who influenced a change in the direction I was going and who has given me a new passion. My interest in a little, bustling catering business was not a good fit with a newborn. I don’t regret putting it to the side, for Little B is turning into quite the sous chef, the future looks bright for her and with her. Concentrating on my weekday job, knowing that Little B and Big D and cooking comes before and after it is working really well for now. Big D and I go with the flow in life, as always. Cruising the world on a sailboat full time is a ways off, but we are moving in that direction. Until then, I plan to embrace life, watch Little B grow and hold hands with Big D. I could not ask for more right now. When I looked back in the 123 blogs I did over the past year I was surprised to discover I did not start blogging sooner. I am actually an introvert, so doing the blog is stepping outside of my shell and it feels good. A whole year of yumminess. I see how my eating habits have evolved and how much better I feel without the sluggishness I get from high carbohydrate food. I also see how life experience, even over such a short period of time, changed how I approach things and find joy in small routine stuff that is easy to overlook. Oh, wait, this thing is supposed to be about food, too! I pondered for a while about what to make for this blogiversary. I considered doing something fancy and complicated, but that is not where I am right now. What I came up with is quite a gem. Today’s recipe is consistent with our low carbohydrate, wheat free leanings, and made with no concern whatsoever to what Little B likes. This is for me and Big D, who has been so supportive of my creative outlet, especially with tweak suggestions and acting as guinea pig. Spicy and cheesy and addictive these are. Thanks for visiting my blog. I hope you enjoyed your visit as much as I enjoyed preparing it for you, and please return soon!

Blogiversary Cheese Stuffed Jalapenos

6 large jalapenos, halved lengthwise and seeded
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
4 ounces ham, finely diced
1 tsp garlic powder
½ cup finely shredded Mexican cheese blend

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine cream cheese, garlic and ham together. Fill the jalapeno halves with the mixture. Sprinkle with the Mexican cheese blend, gently pressing it into the filled halves. In a baking sheet or dish arrange the jalapenos so there is some space between them. Bake for about 20 minutes until cheese is melted and browning, possibly drizzling down the sides of the jalapenos.

Posted in baked, cheese, garlic, Silver Spring Kitchen, wheat free

13 Jan 2013

Sugar Free Hot Chocolate Mix

Sitting on the balcony on a foggy, cold winter night there is nothing finer than a cup of hot chocolate and warm cookies while curled up under a thick blanket. In the process of watching my carb and sugar intake I miss the most the lovely smooth taste of that hot chocolate during the winter. Not any more. I finally found a sturdy combination of sweetener and cocoa that satisfies my hot chocolate craving for being not to sharp or too sweet, while avoiding a total diet ruination. I got the idea here, but tweaked it. The mix can go with whole milk for Little B, with coconut milk for Big D, or combine water and heavy cream for my favorite version. It is rich and smooth and I don’t even miss the marshmallows. I occasionally squirt a bit of peppermint whipped cream on top, but it is not really needed. Can you tell I am excited?! Try these yummy cookies along with it – they go great dipped in the cocoa! Making the mix also gave me an excuse for using a silly storage set up I saw on Pinterest – the top of a grated cheese container fits on a one-pint canning jar. How cool is that?! It keeps the mix dry and makes it easy to measure. The instructions on the side are convenient and serve as a gentle reminder about how to get the right proportions. Yes, I have a label machine that Big D laughs about…mostly I have it because of a kid in preschool – her name in permanent marker just isn’t right sometimes. Get it? Write…right. Okay, I will stop.

Sugar Free Hot Chocolate Mix

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp pure stevia powder (equivalent to 1 1/2 cups pure cane sugar)
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

For making a drink pick one of the following liquid combinations:
1 cup milk, or
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk, or
1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup heavy cream, or
1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup heavy cream, 1/4 cup coconut milk

In blender add cocoa powder, stevia, salt and nutmeg. Blend on high until sweeteners and cocoa are well combined. Store in airtight container at room temperature. For a cup of hot chocolate you will need 1 cup of liquid. I have experimented with the different liquid combinations listed above. To make cocoa combine 1 Tablespoon of cocoa mix with 1/2 cup of liquid until dissolved. Add the additional 1/2 cup of liquid and stir. Heat for 60-90 seconds until hot. Stir one more time. Enjoy!

Posted in chocolate, Silver Spring Kitchen, Uncategorized, wheat free | Leave a Comment

07 Jan 2013

Acorn Squash Bread

I bought a big, beautiful acorn squash a week or two ago. We have leftovers from the holidays filling the refrigerator and freezer, so in the process of figuring out what to do with the squash, I realized we were running low on goodies for Little B. Additionally, she was to begin a new preschool soon and we needed to stock up on portable wheat free snacks for her. And on top of THAT, I got an awesome new mini loaf plan as a gift and was itching to break it in. To make a bread that has some sweet and savory I included nuts and spices. Of course, relying on coconut flour and eggs to beef up the protein was a must. Little B likes this stuff a lot, and this particular squash was sweet, so the squash/snack/loaf pan goals were met with one recipe. Three birds, one stone. Big D bit into it and groaned – in a good way – it reminded him of his grandmother’s banana bread, and it had no bananas. Now THAT is a compliment!

Acorn Squash Bread

1 cup cooked, mashed acorn squash
½ cup walnuts
6 eggs
½ cup olive oil
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
½ cup coconut flour
¼ cup golden flaxseed meal
1 cup granular erythritol
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In blender combine squash, walnuts, eggs, oil and vanilla. Blend until smooth and nuts are broken up to around the size of little peas. In mixing bowl combine flour, meal, erythritol, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add blended ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until well mixed. Pour batter into greased bread pan or mini loaf pan(s). Bake for 40 – 50 minutes if making one large loaf, or 25 – 30 minutes for mini loaves. The bread is done when the loaves look set (no longer liquid) and the edges begin to brown. Let cool in the pan before removing. Breads made with coconut flour need to cool before they are set enough to remove from pans, but making sure the pans are greased well make the removal process easier.

Posted in baked, bread, cinnamon, coconut flour, eggs, flaxseed, nuts, Silver Spring Kitchen, snack, squash, wheat free | Leave a Comment

04 Jan 2013

Cilantro Pesto

We had a bundle of cilantro sitting in a water jar on the counter. Since I kill it every time I try to grow/regenerate it, I tend to overstock on it when I find it fresh cut in the store. It was starting to look sad, even with its water, which meant it needed to be used pretty soon. The stuff goes from perky to slimy and brown pretty quickly when it starts to go, so I had to act fast. Big D was grilling steaks for dinner, so what could I do with cilantro. Hmmm….cilantro, steaks, cilantro, steaks….I know! I remembered a cilantro sauce from a restaurant I went to years ago in Denver, I think it. Maybe it was Boulder. Instead of basil they used cilantro for pesto. I decided to whip up some cilantro pesto to drizzle on top of the wonderfully seared rare steaks. It helped me use the cilantro instead of leaving it to go bad, and I could not imagine it being uncooperative with the grilled meat. I was right, I must say. The pesto worked great with the steaks, and the leftovers also worked great on pork loin. Another plus was the pesto kept much better in an airtight jar in the fridge compared to un-pesto cilantro would have done sitting on the counter. Double score!

Cilantro Pesto

1 bunch fresh cilantro, most thicker stems removed
1/4 – 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic
1/4 cup pecan halves
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 jalapeño, seeds removed
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp lime Juice

Add all ingredients except oil to blender or food processor. Purée until blended, then slowly drizzle oil into mixture. Scrape sides and blend more until everything is about the same size. Use immediately or chill until about an hour before serving. Room temperature is the best for serving.

Posted in cilantro, garlic, lime, nuts, sauces, Silver Spring Kitchen, wheat free | Leave a Comment

30 Dec 2012

Meaty Fritatta

Yep. We are on a run of two meals a day. Not because we are watching calories or anything, but because we are having big holiday lunches or dinners, or leftovers of big holiday lunches or dinners, so any other meals are simple and small. For example, we have quick plates of eggs and greens, or a plate of antipasto because of a big meal happening later. Here is a meal that can use leftover meats and will keep you filled until “the” big meal later. A fritatta is easy to put together while also giving you (aka, me) a few minutes sit and sip some coffee while it cooks, but before digging in. Besides the holiday balancing of big meals, this is something we have on weekend mornings when we are not exactly sure what to do for the day. It is a great time to sit and ponder what we are going to discover in the world with Little B. The awesome part these days is that Little B is very vocal about what she wants to do, and not do, so having a conversation with her about our activities while brunch cooks is pretty darned cool.

Meaty Veggie Fritatta

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
½ sweet onion, finely chopped
8 ounces sausage, roughly chopped
8 ounces ham or bacon, roughly chopped
1 cup broccoli, finely chopped
8 eggs
¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried parsley
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
2 cups shredded cheese, a combination of cheddar, colby jack, monterrey and pepper jack

In large frying pan add oil over medium heat. When oil is hot add garlic and onion. Cook until they begin to brown. Add sausage, ham and broccoli. Toss and cook until broccoli begins to wilt. In medium bowl while meat is cooking add eggs, basil, oregano, parsley, cumin, salt and pepper. Whip until eggs yolks and whites are combined and spices are mixed up. When meat is ready add eggs and stir until meat mixture and eggs are combined. Turn heat down as low as possible and sprinkle cheese on top. Cover pan and cook for ten to fifteen minutes, until eggs are set and cheese is melted all the way to the middle. Remove from heat and leave covered for about ten minutes. Uncover and slice into wedges. Serve with fresh fruits and vegetables.

Posted in breakfast, cheese, eggs, onion, parsley, Silver Spring Kitchen, Uncategorized, vegetables, wheat free | Leave a Comment

26 Dec 2012

Eggs and Greens

After all the effort put in to making holiday lunches and dinners, the last thing I want to do after a late or particularly celebratory evening (aka, one too many glasses of champagne), is make a big, fancy breakfast. To fill the tummy and make the breakfast last until said lunches or dinners, try some eggs and greens! The combination of protein and fiber will fill up your tummy and won’t take very long to throw together. You can always use fresh greens, but more cooking may be needed. We like keeping frozen greens in the freezer that were previously blanched, so a quick saute will make instant, hot veggies for us. We always, always have eggs around, so the combination is a no brainer. I like my eggs cooked medium so there is some firm parts to munch with the egg whites, while the runny part mixes up with the greens. Occasionally I will throw some leftover meat in with the greens if we are realllllly hungry, but it is not necessary to fill right up. Leftover ham could, potentially, result in a type of green eggs in ham, without the freakishly green food coloring added to the eggs. Yes, I have done such a thing to poor eggs, and they taste great if you close your eyes. Heh. If Little B is in a -particular- mood I may have to scramble instead of fry an egg for her, but she likes the greens regardless! Yay!

Eggs on Greens

3 Tbsp butter, salted
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 cups frozen collard greens, chopped
4 – 6 eggs
Salt and Pepper to taste

In a saute pan over medium high heat add 1 Tbsp butter. When butter is melted add garlic and toss until garlic sweats. Add greens and toss until wilted and heated through, about five minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and toss. Remove from heat, cover and set aside. The greens will continue to soften and keep warm, but not lose much more in the way of nutritional benefit. In another pan add 2 Tbsp butter over medium heat. When butter is melted crack all four eggs into the pan. Fiddle with the edges of the eggs so they don’t become one big four-eyed egg. Sprinkle with just a bit of salt. At this point you have two choices – flip or cover. After just enough time to let the eggs set, turn down the heat to low. You can either: 1) flip each egg separately and cook for another minute, or 2) if you don’t like flipping, just cover the pan for a minute or so, allowing the top of the eggs to set. Either way, poke the yolks gently to monitor speed of cooking, until they are cooked to desired doneness – soft, medium or hard. It is not my fault if you over poke and puncture the yolk, but how else will you determine how done it is? To plate, put a half the greens on a plate and flatten them a bit, then add two eggs. Serve and consume immediately.

Posted in eggs, garlic, Silver Spring Kitchen, vegetables, wheat free | Leave a Comment

23 Dec 2012

Dragon Fruit Frenzy

Dragon Fruit is the funkiest fruit I know. It is bright and crazy on the outside and and a neutral black, white and mild on the inside. It kinda tastes like kiwi fruit, but unlike the skin of the kiwi, you should shy away from eating the thick pink skin of the dragon fruit. With the single dragon fruit I got from the market I made two simple recipes – a fruit salad for Little B and a rather odd looking cocktail for myself. The meat of the dragon fruit can be sliced or cubed and looks really pretty with brightly colored fruit – in this case, strawberries. For my cocktail I did a margarita-type drink (I know, blasphemy for the margarita purist), and sipped it while having a nice green salad with shrimp. The whole meal felt kind of summery, which felt odd, since it is December, but very refreshing after some of the heavier foods we are eating lately. With my eyes closed the cocktail was soft and lovely. With my eyes open it looked like a gray sludge that tasted soft and lovely. I don’t know what to do about the color, but it tastes wonderful.

Dragon Fruit Frenzy

Strawberry Dragon Fruit Salad

½ dragon fruit, meat only, cubed
¾ cup strawberries, chopped
1 Tbsp lime juice

Combine dragon fruit cubes and strawberries. Drizzle juice over fruit and gently toss. Serve immediately or chill before serving.

Dragon Fruit Cocktail

½ dragon fruit, meat only
¼ – 1/3 cup tequila
½ lime, juiced
1 – 2 tsp truvia
6 cubes ice

Add 1 tsp truvia and remaining ingredients to blender. Blend on high until ice is broken up. The sweetness of the fruit can vary, so taste the cocktail and add more truvia to preferred sweetness. Serve immediately.

Posted in beverage, fruit, lime, salad, Silver Spring Kitchen, snack, wheat free | Leave a Comment