Chocolate Mousse Torte

from a French cookbook

Our family's Christmas Eve tradition

(a great gluten free option- but not fat free or sugar free by any means!!)

For the chocolate cake:
10 oz. semisweet choc. chopped
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut up
8 eggs, separated
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
chocolate curls to decorate

For the ganache:
1 cup heavy cream
8 oz. semi sweet chocolate, chopped
2 TBSP unsalted butter, softened.


1. Preheat oven to 350. Lightly butter two 8-9 in. springform pans or loose based cake pans and line the bases with buttered wax paper. (Do you not have these? You could using regular-- I've just never made this recipe, so I'm not sure if it would come out ok)

2. Melt choc. and butter in saucepan over low heat, stirring lots. Remove from heat and whisk in egg yolks until blended. Pour into large bowl.

3. In a clean bowl, using a mixer, beat the egg whites slowly until frothy. Add the cream of tartar, increase the speed and continue beating until they form soft peaks, then stiffer peaks that just flop over a little at the top.

4. Stir a large spoonful of white into the chocolate mixture to lighten it, then fold in the remaining white until they are just combined (a few white streaks do not matter).

5. Divide about two-thirds of the mousse between the two prepared pans, smoothing the tops evenly, and tap gently to release any air bubbles. Chill remaining mousse.

6. Bake for 30-35 min. until puffed; the cakes will fall slightly. Cool on a rack for 15 min. then remove the sides of the pans and let cool completely. Invert the cakes on to the rack, remove the cake pan bases and peel off the paper. Wash the cake pans.

7. To assemble the cake, place one layer, flat side down in one of the clean pans. Spread the remaining mousse over the surface, smoothing the top.  Top with the second cake layer, flat side up. Press down gently so the mousse is evenly distributed. Chill for 2-4 hours or overnight.

8. To make the ganache, bring the cream to a boil over med-high heat. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate all at once, stirring until smooth. Beat in the softened butter. set aside for about 5 min. to thicken slightly (it should coat the back of a spoon in a thick smooth layer).

9. Run a knife around the edge of the assembled cake to loosen it, then remove the sides of the pan.  Invert the cake onto a wire rack, remove the base and place the rack over a baking sheet. Pour the warm ganache over the cake all at once, tilting gently to help spread it evenly on all surfaces. Use a spatula to smooth sides, decorate the top with the chocolate curls, then allow to set. YUMMMMMO

Green Posole

No picture yet.. my camera battery died. But boy was this delicious, and the kids ate it up.

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound fresh tomatoes (I used small heirloom)
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced medium
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for serving
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley
• 1 ounce baby spinach leaves (1 cup)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 6 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
• 2 cans (15 ounces each) hominy, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• Coarse salt
• Grated Monterey Jack cheese, for serving

Directions

1. Put tomatoes, onion, garlic, parsley, cilantro, spinach, cumin, oregano, allspice and two cups of broth in a blender. And blend until smooth.
2. Pour mixture into a large pot; stir in 4 cups broth, hominy, and black beans. Bring to a boil over high; reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until slightly thickened, 45 minutes. To serve, stir in lime juice, season with salt, and sprinkle with cheese and cilantro.
   

Roasted Chicken & Butternut Squash Soup

From Everyday Food Magazine

• 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• 1 medium butternut squash (about 2 1/2 pounds), peeled, seeded, and diced medium
• 1 small yellow onion, diced medium
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth or water
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (I used lime juice and really liked it)
• Fresh cilantro (optional- but highly recommended!)

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet, toss together chicken, squash, onion, and oil; season with salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer and roast until squash and chicken are cooked through, about 30 minutes.
2. Transfer chicken to a plate and let cool. Transfer squash and onions to a medium pot and add broth, cumin, and coriander. Bring to a simmer over medium-high. With a potato masher or back of a wooden spoon, mash some vegetables until soup is thick and chunky. Discard skin and bones from chicken; cut meat into small pieces and add to soup. Stir in lemon juice; season to taste with salt and pepper. To serve, top with fresh cilantro, if desired.

Breakfast Quinoa

I don't remember where I found this, but it's one of  my favorite breakfasts.

2 C. milk
1 C. quinoa, rinsed
1-3 TBSP brown sugar (depending on how sweet you want it)
dash of cinnamon
1 C. fresh blueberries
toasted wlanuts (optional, but ups the nutrition)

1.) Bring milk to a boil. Add quinoa, return to boil, reduce heat to low and simmer covered about 15 minutes.
2.) Stir in sugar and cinnamon. Continue simmering, covered for about 8-10 more minutes, or until the grains have soaked up all the milk.
3.) Add the blueberries and stir.

Vanilla Bean Cake

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Asparagus, Snap Pea, and Avocado Pasta

from Everyday Food Magazine

This is delicious!! And I can't wait to make it when the asparagus and the peas are at the farmer's market.

Ingredients

• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 pound asparagus, ends trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths
• 1 pound sugar snap peas, strings removed
• 1 pound bow-tie pasta (farfalle)
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 ripe avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint, parsley, or basil
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan or pecorino cheese, plus more for serving, if desired

Directions

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook asparagus until bright green, about 2 minutes. Add snap peas; cook 30 seconds. With a slotted spoon or a small sieve, scoop out vegetables; transfer to a bowl.
2. Return water to a boil; add pasta and cook until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta water; set pasta aside in colander.
3. In pasta pot, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add asparagus, snap peas, and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing, until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter, cooked pasta, avocado, herbs, cheese, and reserved pasta water. Toss to combine; season with salt and pepper. Serve topped with additional cheese, if desired.

Lentil salad

 

 From http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2009/05/recipe-for-lentil-salad-with-green.html

Lentil Salad with Green Olives, Red Bell Pepper, Green Onion, and Greek Oregano
(Makes 4-6 servings, recipe created by Kalyn)

1 cup brown lentils
1 T + 1 T fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 T + 1 T balsamic vinegar
1 T + 3 T olive oil
1 red bell pepper, diced small
1 jar (6 oz.) green olives
3/4 cup sliced green onion
1/2 tsp. sweet paprika
3/4 cup finely chopped Greek Oregano (I always use dry-- maybe 1 TBSP or so- season to taste)
salt/fresh ground black pepper to taste

Put lentils in pan with 3 cups water, bring to very low simmer, and let cook until lentils are soft. (This will be about 30 minutes, but cooking times can vary quite a bit depending on how fresh the lentils are, so just keep tasting until they're soft.)

Dump lentils into a colander and let drain about 15 minutes, then toss with 1 t each of olive oil, fresh lemon juice, and balsamic vinegar. Let lentils marinate in the fridge for a few hours if you have time. (You can skip the marinating step if you're rushed, but at least toss the warm lentils with the oil, vinegar, and lemon and let them marinate while you prep other ingredients.)

Chop red bell pepper and green onions and place in medium-sized plastic or glass bowl. Coarsely chop olives and add to bowl.

Mix together remaining 1 T lemon juice, 1 T balsamic vinegar, and sweet paprika, then whisk in 3 T olive oil. Add marinated lentils to ingredients in the bowl and gently combine with dressing. (You may not need all the dressing, depending on how wet you prefer your salads.)

Finely chop Greek Oregano with chef's knife and gently stir into salad. Season to taste with salt and fresh ground black pepper.

This will keep in the refrigerator for a few days.

Lindsey's Clumpy Granola

I tweaked this to try and make it taste like Lindsey's store bought granola.

1 1/2 cups slivered almonds
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1 cup quick cooking oats
1 cup rice crispies
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup unrefined sesame oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
dash of nutmeg
dash of coarse salt

1 cup raisins

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and cover a cookie sheet with foil.
2. Mix the dry ingredients in a big bowl (nuts, oats, crispies, coconut, seeds).
3. In a small bowl whisk together the wet ingredients and spices (honey, oil, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt).
4. Pour the wet over the dry- set the small bowl aside for later use.
5. Stir all the ingredients really really well, to coat the dry with all the honey/oil.
6. Pour it onto the cookie sheet and spread it around with a wooden spoon so it's in an even layer.
7. Put it in the oven and set the timer for 7 minutes.
8. Meanwhile, if you want plump soft raisins, put the cup of raisins in the bowl you used for the honey/oil (the bowl will most likely have left over cinnamon and honey in it, so I like to use the same bowl). And cover the raisins with water. Let them soak while the granola bakes. If you don't care to plump up your raisins, skip this step.
9. When the 7 minutes is up, take the granola out of the oven and stir it around with your wooden spoon. Put it back in the oven and set the timer for another 7 minutes. Repeat this process three more times so you've cooked your granola a total of 28 minutes and stirred it a total of 4 times.
10. Take the granola out when it's a nice golden brown color and smells toasty.
11. Leave it on the cookie sheet to cool and harden- I leave mine out for almost an hour so it's cooled off.
12. While the granola's cooling you can drain the raisins and put them on a towel to dry.
13. When the granola is cool break it up into clumps- as big or small as you want. With the smaller pieces it's handy to just pick up the foil, fold it, and let the granola slide into a container- that's why I like to use foil.
14. Toss the granola with the raisins and store in an airtight container.
15. Yum.

Black Bean and Rice Cakes

From Everyday Food Magazine

Ingredients

• 2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 large scallions, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 3/4 cup cooked brown rice
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro, plus leaves for serving
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a food processor, pulse half the beans with scallions  and cumin until a chunky paste forms. In a large bowl, combine bean puree with rice and remaining beans; season with salt and pepper. Divide mixture into eight 3-inch-wide patties. (To freeze, wrap individually in plastic and freeze up to 2 weeks; thaw before cooking.)
2. Brush a rimmed baking sheet with oil; place in oven to heat, 5 minutes. Carefully place patties on hot sheet; bake until bottoms are golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through. Let rest on sheet 5 minutes before removing.
3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine yogurt, cilantro, and lime juice; season with salt and pepper. Serve patties topped with yogurt sauce and cilantro leaves.

** Delicious served with pineapple salsa on a bed of greens or over multigrain chips.

Orange and Yogurt Tart

from Everyday Food Magazine

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup raw almonds
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• Coarse salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled)
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
• 2 teaspoons powdered gelatin (from a 1/4-ounce packet)
• 1/2 cup half-and-half
• 1 1/2 cups plain Greek yogurt (2 percent)
• 1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 3 medium navel oranges

Directions

1. In a food processor, pulse almonds, granulated sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt until finely ground. Add flour; pulse to combine. Add butter and pulse until mixture is crumbly and holds together when squeezed. Press crumbs in bottom and up side of an 8-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Freeze 15 minutes. (To store, cover and freeze, up to 1 month.)
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place tart pan on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until crust is golden brown and set, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack 10 minutes, then remove tart ring and let cool completely.
3. In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over 2 tablespoons cold water and let stand 5 minutes. In a small saucepan, warm half-and-half over medium. When it begins to steam, add gelatin mixture and stir until dissolved, about 1 minute. In a medium bowl, whisk together yogurt, brown sugar, and pinch of salt. Stir warm half-and-half mixture into yogurt mixture. Pour filling into cooled tart shell and refrigerate until set, 2 hours (or up to 1 day).
4. With a sharp paring knife, slice off ends of oranges. Following curve of fruit, cut away peel, removing as much white pith as possible. Slice oranges into 1/4-inch-thick rounds and remove any seeds. Just before serving, arrange orange slices on top of tart.

** I did not like the gelatin texture of the filling. It freaked me out- much like jello does. I will try again with a cream/custard filling because the crust is awesome and the flavors are all really good together. Plus, it's beautiful. Here's a custard filling I found that I will try next time in place of the gelatin yogurt filling.

• • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1/4 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into pieces

  1. Make the pastry cream: Combine milk, vanilla bean pod and seeds, and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
     
  2. Whisk together egg yolks, cornstarch, and remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar in a separate bowl. Slowly add 1/3 cup milk mixture to the egg mixture, whisking to combine. Add egg-milk mixture back to the pot, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a mixing bowl, and beat in butter with paddle attachment until combined and cream has cooled, about 5 minutes. Strain into a bowl. Place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the cream, and refrigerate for 2 hours.
     3.  Beat chilled pastry cream with paddle attachment until smooth, about 30 seconds. Set aside. Whip heavy cream using the whisk attachment until stiff peaks form. Carefully fold whipped cream into pastry cream.
     4.  Spread cream into cooled tart shell using a small offset spatula. Arrange citrus segments in a circular pattern around the tart. Serve cold.

Chocolate Chip Muesli Cookies

 Adapted from Bob's Red Mill Muesli Bag. 

Whisk the following in a bowl:
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3 TBSP flax seed
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Mix the following in a separate bowl:
2/3 cup pearsauce (homemade is ideal- it takes about 2 pears warmed up with a bit of water and mashed)
1 TBSP butter
a good long squirt of honey
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 egg

Stir the dry into the wet. Then mix in 1 heaping cup of muesli (I prefer Bob's Red Mill) and chocolate chips. Drop on a silpat in heaping tablespoons. Bake ay 375 degrees for 10-12  minutes. Makes 20-24 cookies depending on how big the heaps are.

Sauteed chicken with herbed soba

from Everyday Food

• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves, plus more for garnish
• 1 cup fresh parsley
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1 teaspoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 12 ounces chicken cutlets
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 package (8.8 ounces) soba (Japanese buckwheat noodles)

Directions

1. In a food processor, finely chop scallions, cilantro, parsley, garlic, and ginger with vinegar and 1 tablespoon oil. Transfer to a bowl.
2. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Season chicken with cayenne, salt, and pepper. Working in batches, cook, turning once, until opaque throughout, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer chicken to a cutting board; let cool 5 minutes, and thinly slice. (OR-- just boil the chicken and shred)
3. Cook soba according to package instructions. Drain; toss with herb mixture. Serve chicken with soba; garnish with cilantro.

Curried Lentils

from my sister (I don't know where she got it)

2 C. dry lentils, picked over and rinsed
28-30 oz. chicken or vegetable broth
1 1/2 C. water
1 1/2 C chopped carrots
1 1/2 C chopped onion
1 C sliced celery (I use 2 cups because I like celery)
3 tsp. curry powder
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 tsp freshly grated ginger or 1/4 tsp. dried ground ginger
1/8 fresh pepper
1 8 oz. carton plain yogurt
1 medium tomato, diced
1 TBSP snipped fresh parsley or cilantro
pita wedges or naan to serve

1. In a large saucepan combine everything except the yogurt, tomato and parsley/cilantro. Bring to a boil, reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 30 minutes or until tender.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium mixing bowl stil together the yogurt, tomato and parsley or cilantro. Serve over lentil mixture.
3. Dip pita or naan into it. Devour.