Just the Five of Us

Last night Mom and Dad decided to go on an impromptu date, so it was the four girls, Skippy and Kipling (the dogs), Star (the kitty), and I for dinner. It seemed as if I had an audience while I was cooking because the three oldest girls were sitting on the counter asking questions and chatting while I was cooking. The girls watched me prepare a Lemon Tart (their favorite). This consisted of a quick and easy tart shell, whipped up in the Cuisinart, cooled and filled with lemon curd. The lemon curd is a snap, so if you feel uncomfortable making tart shells, you can always buy one and fill it.

For dinner we had tacos, which always seems to go over well. We warmed some small tortillas, has a pack of shredded cheese, and I shredded some romaine hearts. Then we made:

Guacamole

3 ripe avocados, mashed
1 small clove minced garlic (I like to use a garlic press for this because it really mashes it)
Juice of 1 lime, and half a lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients. The guac is ready to serve immediately. If you need to wait a bit cover the top with plastic wrap so it doesn't brown and refrigerate.

Fresh Salsa

4 vine ripened tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup finely diced red onion,
2 T chopped parsley (you can use cilantro if you like it...I'm a hater)
1/4 of a jalapeno pepper, minced
1 t ground cumin
juice of 1 lime
a splash of olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients. Let sit for about 30 min at room temperature to marinte.

Taco Steak

Season a piece of skirt steak (sirloin flap) with salt and pepper. Rub taco seasoning generously on both sides. Either grill steak to desired doneness, or brown both sides on the stove and finish cooking in a 400F oven, flipping halfway. Time varies depending on size and thickness of meat.

Taco Fish

You'll need 4 Tilapia fillets (if you prefer to use another fish, go for it). Season 1 cup of medium grind cornmeal with salt and pepper. You can leave it like this or add half a packet of "fish taco seasoning" like we did. It can be found at your local natural market. Pour cormeal on a dish. Cover each side of fish generously with the cornmeal mixture. and pan fry unitl cooked through. About 3-5 minutes on each side.

These are all the yummy components to my really yummy tacos. Now I just need to find out how to get the girls to help me with the dishes!

Chinese Please

I popped into Whole Foods after work yesterday and they had very nice looking Norwegian salmon (I must have fish on the brain...) I bought about 1.25lbs from the belly and marinated for about 2 hours in my great Asian Salmon Marinade:

1/3c low sodium soy sauce, 1 T hoisin, juice of half a lemon, 2 T olive oil, 2t minced ginger, 2 minced garlic cloves, and 3 chopped scallions.

Then bake the fish at 375F for 25-30 minutes (less for a smaller piece) in an ovenproof skillet. If you are unsure if the fish is ready you can slide a fork between two flakes in the center of the piece. The fish should be just pink all the way through. Another great way to tell that it's getting there is that the fat from the fish will start rendering and sizzling in the pan, and the meat will feel firm (not hard) to the touch.

I served the fish with Brown "Fried" Rice

Cook 1c brown rice.

Saute:
1 large carrot, julienned
1 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
about 10 shiitake mushrooms, sliced

Toss in cooked rice and season with salt and pepper. Pour on a good dash of toasted sesame oil (until the taste suits you). Then create a well in the middle of the rice. Crack 2 eggs and scramble, then mix with rice. Voila!

I served the salmon and rice with sauteed snow peas garnished with toasted chopped almonds. If you prefer, the snow peas can be julienned as well and sauteed into the rice.

A Good Vegetarian Entree (Wheat Free)

So I have literally had some recipes in my Epicurious "Recipe Box" since 11th grade. I decided I would look through it to see if there was anything good to unearth. I found a recipe from Gourmet 2/92, which always sounded appealing to me, but I have never actually tried it. "Vegetable and Ricotta Stuffed Collard Rolls with Tomato Sauce" was finally getting it's chance in my repertoire, however as written is didn't seem right to me. With some changes though, it was delicious! Especially the next day. The "cheesy rolls," as we called them, are really a great way to get dark leafy greens into picky eaters. I will post the link to the recipe followed by the changes I made.

Cheesy Rolls

So, the sauce recipe was pretty good, except that it is really chunky. If you prefer that consistency then leave it as is. I pureed it. You can really use any sauce recipe you like, or if you're short on time use a pre-made sauce.

One big change that I did make is that I substituted the corn and peppers in the filling for sauteed onion, mushroom and zucchini, all diced finely. It fits WAY better with the recipe in my opinion. Also a pinch of nutmeg really kicks everything up (not to sound like Emeril).

Also, there is all this business in the recipe about cooking the rolls and then removing them to reduce the sauce. I found this to be totally unnecessary. Instead I just flipped the rolls halfway through cooking and sprinkled them with some grated parm. Then I just cooked them until the cheese was browned and bubbly.

Apple Crisp with Fingertip

So, no I did not have any sort of McDonald's-esque finger in my food incident. However, my brief hiatus is due to the fact that I peeled a sizable chunk of my finger off on Tuesday while peeling apples to make Apple Crisp. Man did I regret buying the family a brand new peeler!

Anyway...what I did manage to make on Tuesday was a wonderful marinade for chicken thighs and a small piece of sirloin that we grilled up for lunch the next day. The chicken actually really benefited from marinating overnight, however just a few hours will also suffice.

Garlic Lime Marinade

5 garlic cloves, minced
Juice of 4-5 limes (about 1/2-3/4 cups)
1/4 c honey
2 t ground cumin
1 T chili powder
A heavy pinch of salt

Give the marinade a taste to make sure that the flavors are balanced...you may need to add a touch more honey. Pour over meat and refrigerate for 2 hours to overnight.

The meat will taste best if grilled, however a pan-fry will also work well. I was planning to serve this with beans and rice (black and brown...a healthy version), and a Latin inspired salad. Due to the trip to the ER I never really got there, but hopefully I'll get a recipe up for that soon! More to come...stay tuned.

Chicken Nuggets and French Fries

Ok...admittedly not the healthiest, but with a few changes this guilty pleasure meal can be really tasty and not too bad for you. It's a crowd-pleaser, for big and little kids alike.

Chicken Schnitzel

You'll need 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves to feed 4 adults. Split the breast in half horizontally, and pound thin between two pieces of plastic wrap. Be careful not to pound holes into it!

Set up a breading station: 1 plate seasoned flour, 1 plate of 2 beaten eggs and 1 plate of seasoned breadcrumbs. Take one pounded piece of chicken and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Cover the chicken with flour, shaking off excess. Do the same with the egg, then cover with breadcrumbs. Repeat with other pieces of chicken

In a large skillet, heat 1-2 T olive oil over high heat. Cook chicken until golden brown on both sides and cooked through. This may need to be done in batches. Chicken can be kept warm in a 250 F oven until ready to be served.

Pommes de Terre Saute

This is one of the family's favorite dishes. Both the girls and the dad's get really excited when they can smell them coming from the kitchen.

All you do is peel and dice (about 1/4 to 1/2 inch) 3-4 russet potatoes. Cook them over medium high heat until they are browned and cooked through, stirring frequently. I like to use both olive oil and a little butter to cook them, and make sure they are well seasoned with salt and pepper. When the potatoes are done they should look like hash browns, just smaller.

I served this seemingly indulgent meal with a salad made of blanched green beans, halved cherry tomatoes, toasted almonds, and goat cheese dressed with a shallot Dijon balsamic vinaigrette. Yummy.

For dessert I made a raspberry walnut upside-down cake which was SO easy. See "Cranberry Walnut Upside Down Cake" on www.epicurious.com and sub frozen raspberries for the cranberries.

Happy Cooking!

Home Gardening

This weekend some friends and I will be prepping a small plot in my backyard to plant veggies. We are all very excited. It's a great way to promote sustainability as well as a fun activity to share with others. Some friend of mine posted this website on Facebook. It's a great beginner guide and has lots of links to other resources. Check it out! Planting a garden is easier than you think, and how fun is it to eat you own veggies?

http://coolfoodscampaign.org/your-tools/garden-guide/

Lentil, Sausage and Kale Soup

Yesterday the girls and I were making Hamentaschen (Purim cookies), so I had to come up with a dinner that I could just throw in a pot and cook while we were doing our project. Soup seemed like a perfect idea since the prep is easy and fast. I served the Lentil, Sausage and Kale Soup, with garlic and thyme braised, peel-and-eat artichokes, a simple salad, and a loaf of crusty bread. Easy!

3 links of your favorite sausage (I used Boulder Italian)
1 T olive oil
half a large onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup green lentils
2 t ground cumin
1 carton chicken broth (use a low sodium broth...I like Pacific)
4 cups water
1/2 large bunch of kale, discard ribs and slice
1 sweet potato, diced
a splash of sherry vinegar
juice of half a lemon
1 T your favorite salsa (I love Frontera chipotle)
salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a large pot. Pull bite-sized sausage pieces out of casings and brown over high heat. Transfer to a plate for late use. Turn heat to medium and toss in onions. Cool until softened. Toss in garlic, lentils and cumin, seasoning with salt and pepper. Saute for a few minutes and add broth, water and sausage. Stir, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Add kale and sweet potato, stir to wilt the greens. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Add vinegar, lemon juice and salsa. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Friday Night with the Ladies

Last Friday since the husbands were away Jennifer invited her best friend for dinner. Including me, there were 8 girls and 1, 2 year old boy (we joked that we would be eating him for dinner!) Since I was feeding mostly children I wanted to make something simple that I know they would eat.

I decided to fire up the grill. I bought a 2 lb. piece of grass-fed London Broil (top round) for about $6 dollars. This, along with a block of tempeh, thrown in the same marinade fed all 9 of us perfectly. What a deal! Here is the my Steak Marinade recipe:

5 garlic cloves, smashed
a big pinch of salt
2 t Dijon mustard
1/4 C Balsamic vinegar
1 T soy sauce
1 t honey

Meat can be marinated from 2 hours to overnight.

As an accompaniment I made Sweet Potato Moons. This is a big hit with the kids...always.

Cut 1 sweet potato (the white kind) 1 yam (the orange kind) into half moon pieces, about a 1/2 in thick. Toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, and whatever fresh herbs you have lying around. Spread the potatoes in a even layer on a sheet pan and bake until browned and tender in a 425 F oven for about 30-40 minutes, flipping half way through.

This, served with steamed broccoli (little trees) and a simple salad makes a delicious and healthy meal.

I have to admit we did kind of ruin the "healthy" part of the meal at the end. I, upon request, made profiteroles for dessert. I made pate a choux (extremely easy) and piped the batter in little circles to make cream puffs. These, filled with vanilla ice cream and drenched in homemade chocolate sauce were incredible! I hesitate to post the recipe, since it is not my own, but I will direct you to the recipe I used upon request.

Cheers and good eating!

Happy Friday

I thought I would just check in even though yesterday was not a cooking day for me. It consisted of chicken pesto pizza, gelato (Glacier is made fresh daily in Boulder...sooo good), and the BBC mini-series of Jane Eyre. Yes I am a dork, I know.

At about 7:30 I received a call from the mom up in the mountains where I cook.

"I was just calling to tell you that I warmed up the left over chickpea curry from last week. I didn't even offer any to Phoebe (the 6 year old), but she got her own bowl and had literally 5 helpings."

As she was telling me this I was debating whether to her that the chickpeas were probably a day or two past their prime (I will let her know today). What I did tell her was how good that made me feel! These girls spent the first several months I cooked for them refusing anything that wasn't pasta or "pomme de terres saute (fried potatoes)." Now I am "their favorite person who comes to the house and cooks." Just goes to show, a little patience and persistence really goes a long way.

Back to the Food

Last night we had a very simple and delicious meal. I set up a sushi bar for the children: cooked brown rice, julienned carrots, peppers, avocado and nori sheets. The girls had a blast assembling their own sushi rolls (though the floor was a but messy) and got a nutritious meal.

I also tossed together a quick stir-fry for the adults. To do so thinly slice up your favorite veggies (I used onion, garlic, shiitake mushrooms, bell pepper, carrot, broccoli and kale), protein (chicken, shrimp, beef, tofu, tempeh) and saute with Stir-Fry Sauce:

3 T Soy Sauce
1 T rice vinegar
1 T honey
2 t sesame oil
2 t minced ginger
1 t cornstarch

This is a quick and healthy dish that goes great over brown rice or quinoa. I sauteed strips of mochi in butter and drizzled them in maple syrup for dessert. What a hit!

Know What You're Eating

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/04/dining/04cert.html?ref=dining

There was a very interesting article yesterday in the NY Times(link above), which highlights that the Organic seal has nothing to do with food safety. I often take for granted that people who chose to eat organic understand what they are paying more money for, but the truth is that most people haven't graduated with a Food Studies degree.

The point of this blog is not to preach, however I would like to leave you with this: If you are going to pay more money to buy organic foods shouldn't you take the time to educate yourself in what you are making an investment in? I truly believe that the quality of the food we consume makes a clear difference in nutritive value and taste, however this often means that you are buying produce from a non-certified organic farm the next town over, rather than from the organic section in the Safeway next to your house. Take the time to know where your food comes from. You will probably be paying less for groceries and supporting local and sustainable foodways.

Spiced Oatmeal Cookies

These are delicious. You can experiment with adding any dried fruit (or chocolate chip) you like. I used dried cranberries.

Spiced Oatmeal Cookies

Yields about 12 cookies

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Whisk together in a bowl: 1/2 + 1/3 cups flour, 1/2 t baking soda, 1/2 t salt, 1/2 t ground cardamom, 1/4 t cinnamon, and 1/8 t allspice.

In another bowl: Measure 1 cup of rolled oats and 1.2 cup dried fruit

Using a mixer: Cream 1 stick butter and 3/4 cup brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add 1 egg and mix until combined. Add 1/2 t vanilla. Add in flour mixture on a low speed until just combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add oat and fruit mixture until just combined. Place 1T dough balls spaced on a cookie sheet and flatten slightly with the palm of your hand. Bake cookies for 12-15 minutes. Let cool and store in an airtight container.

Osso Buco over Noodles with Kale Chips

Ok. First off I will admit that purchasing veal shanks (or even lamb shanks) is not economical. I bought 2 shanks at Whole Foods for $30. A little insane, but if you are looking for a special occasion meal, or want to impress someone this is an EASY dish to make. Three of the four girls (one is a vegetarian), who are not the world's best eaters, especially when it come to meat, kept asking for more. I adapted this recipe from the January 2003 issue of Bon Appetit.

Osso Buco

Rub: Mix 2 t salt, a total of 4 t chopped fresh herbs (I used rosemary and thyme), 1 t fennel seed, a generous grind of pepper, 1/2 t coriander and 1/2 t cumin in a bowl. Rub mixture over 2 veal shanks (can substitute lamb) and allow to sit while the rest of the braise is prepped.

The Rest: Prepare a mirepoix (1 chopped medium onion, 1 chopped celery rib, 1 chopped medium carrot). Chop 4 garlic cloves. Also prepare by the stove 1 strip lemon peel, 3 sprigs of thyme, 2 bay leaves, approx. 1 cup red wine, 1 opened can of diced tomatoes, 1.5 cups broth (and kind you have on hand, water will do as well)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Put 2T olive oil in a dutch oven over high heat and brown shanks on all sides. Set aside on a plate. Reduce to medium heat. Add onion and saute for 5 minutes. Toss in carrots and celery and saute for another 5 minutes. Toss in garlic and season with salt and pepper. Add wine, scraping all brown bits from the pan. Add the rest of the ingredients and give it a stir. Add back the shanks, cover and put in the oven for about 2 hours, or until the meat is tender and falling off the bone, flipping shanks half way through the cooking process. Serve in the pot.

Serve over brown rice noodles.

Kale Chips

Toss a head of lacinato kale in olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Lie kale in a single layer on a sheet pan and cook in a 250 F oven for about an hour, or until crispy, stirring occasionally.

Cookie recipe to come! If you have any questions or corrections don't hesitate to post!

Hello from The Mountain Chef

Hello all! My name is Naomi and I am a private chef for a family who lives just outside Boulder, CO. I hope to use this blog to document my menus and recipes. I have to dig back into my files a bit to post the yummy meals I've made over the past months so please be patient!

My philosophy is to create healthy and delicious seasonal menus, often including kid friendly foods. I have four picky eaters under 7, but they have been enjoying their kale, yams, and quinoa. I hope that everyone finds my recipes inspiring so more of you get into the kitchen. It's a lot easier and less time consuming than most people think, and SO gratifying to feed your family healthy and delicious meals!

We are planting a garden this spring to try to be as self sufficient as possible come summertime. This is a great opportunity for the children to dig in the dirt, while learning about where their food comes from. This afternoon I will throw some veal shanks into the oven for a one-pot dinner. It takes several hours to cook, but a very short time to prep. While it's in the oven the girls and I will be making play dough! Should be fun! Well, that's enough for now.

Cheers and good eating!