Because it feels more November than February: Pumpkin Muffins with Crunchy Sugared Walnuts
February 22, 2012
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This weather is lovely, but truly creeping a lot of us out here in NYC. We’ll probably be just shy of 60 degrees today, in the last week of February! Is the seasonal confusion driving my craving for pumpkin muffins? Or perhaps from watching the Crawley family of Downton Abbey take their afternoon tea over and over again? I’ve definitely been heating the tea kettle more often and sipping the English Breakfast. And sure enough, I shared an (amazing) ginger-lemon-honey tea and cranberry scone with Georgia this morning (Balthazar scone, tea, at De Luxe cafe Park Slope). Baking quick breads at home, cutting crusts off my daughter’s sandwiches…my oh my. Where is Mrs. Patmore to teach me to bake a Christmas pudding then light it on fire?Pumpkin Muffins with Crunchy Sugared Walnuts*
*Perfect for high tea with your 20-month old
- 1 cup pumpkin (canned or fresh pureed)
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 3 Tbsp canola oil
- 1 Tbsp molasses
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (1/4 tsp cloves, 1/4 tsp ginger, 1 tsp cinnamon)
- 1/2 cup milk (your preferred milk, I used reduced fat)
- 1 1/2 cups whole grain pastry flour (can substitute whole wheat flour for all or half, if desired)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup whole walnuts, chopped
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 Tbsp turbinado (raw) sugar
- Preheat oven to 400.
- In a large bowl whisk the pumpkin, eggs, brown sugar, oil, molasses, salt, spices, and milk.
- In a small bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Add all at once to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Scoop batter evenly into the cups of a greased or paper-lined 12-cup muffin tin (I use unbleached parchment paper muffin liners). Sprinkle each cup evenly with walnuts, then cinnamon, then sugar. Bake 10 minutes, rotate 180 degrees, then continue to bake another 8-10 minutes or until the center springs back when lightly touched. Let cool 5 minutes in pan, then remove to wire rack to cool completely.
Adapted from the King Arthur Flour Pumpkin Leaf Muffins recipe
A Quiche Kick
February 1, 2012
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The little one is back to eating with her usual gusto after about 10 days of fruitarianism. Georgia contracted a virus (along with half of Brooklyn) and her appetite shrunk to bird-like levels…a peck of blueberry here, a tiny suck of clementine there. She wanted nothing to do with a picture-perfect bowl of healing chicken soup, Brancaccio’s chicken & fregola, which ended up being my happy source of nourishment after wiping snot for days on end.
So after a rousing morning of Music Together, I attempted to feed Georgia a non-fruit meal for the twentieth or so time. We picked up a generous slice of spinach-mushroom-cheddar quiche from Park Slope’s Parco and it was gone within minutes. So, whether the appetite light went on at that moment, or my kid appreciates a good quiche, we were going to have quiche again, and soon!
If your kid is not especially fond of scrambled eggs, or vegetables f0r that matter, quiche’s creamy custard texture may be appealing. I used a whole wheat pie crust, reduced-fat milk, large eggs, and our usual fridge cheese. Most parents with (non-allergic) toddlers keep milk, cheese & eggs stocked, so consider keeping a frozen pie crust on hand for an impromptu meal. We used and really like the whole wheat pie crust from Fresh Direct. Both of these recipes went over like gangbusters with our sweet, and now about 95% healthy, 19-month old. Enjoy!
*Baking directions are the same for both quiches
Bacon, Spinach, Tomato & Goat Cheese Quiche (‘BST Goat’)
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
- tiny pinch of nutmeg
- 2 oz fresh goat cheese
- 10 oz frozen organic chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
- 8 cherry tomatoes, quartered (about 1/2 cup)
- 3 oz bacon (about 4 thin slices), cooked and crumbled
- 1 whole wheat, all-natural pie crust (9″), fresh or thawed
Broccoli, Roasted Pepper & Aged Cheddar Quiche
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
- tiny pinch of nutmeg
- 1/2 cup (2 oz) grated aged cheddar cheese
- 1 -1/2 cup cooked & seasoned bite-sized broccoli florets
- 1/4 cup small-diced roasted red bell pepper (jarred & drained is fine)
- 1 whole wheat, all-natural pie crust (9″), fresh or thawed
- Preheat oven to 375. Whisk together eggs, milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg in a large bowl.
- Place the pie pan on a baking sheet with sides. Sprinkle cheese over the bottom of the pie crust. Sprinkle over vegetables, and meat if using. Evenly pour over egg mixture.
- Bake in center of oven for 20 minutes. Rotate tray 180 degrees and bake until the center is just set, another 20-25 minutes. Cool quiche on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Betty White’s 90th Birthday Soup
January 21, 2012
Smokin' Hot 'Golden' Squash Soup
Did you cook anything in honor of the legendary Betty White this week? I made a super spicy & smoky butternut squash soup on Tuesday, which just happened to coincide with my favorite (after Sophia) Golden Girl’s 90th birthday. For all the smokin’ hot 90-somethings…this one’s for you Betty, and my Grandmother Florence (who has you beat at 92).
Smokin’ Hot ‘Golden’ Squash Soup
Makes around 2 quarts, 4-6 servings
- 2 T Extra Virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 T tomato paste
- 1/2 tsp hot smoked paprika (up to 1 tsp for more heat)
- 6 cups cubed butternut squash
- 4 cups water
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 cup plain whole milk or Greek yogurt
- In a 4-qt pot, heat oil to medium and cook onion until soft, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1-2 minutes. Add tomato paste and stir until it begins to darken slightly, a few minutes. Add the hot smoked Paprika and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
- Add the squash, water, and 1/2 tsp salt; stir. Bring to a boil. Lower heat to simmer and cook uncovered 30 minutes. Puree with immersion blender or traditional blender (if using traditional blender, allow space for steam to escape out of lid). Add additional salt to taste.
- Garnish each bowl with a spoonful of yogurt, and a sprinkle of smoked paprika if desired.
Cranberry, Coconut & Cinnamon Granola
January 17, 2012
No one has been snacking on this granola more than our cold-stricken toddler–she is refusing all food but fruit and milk and is partial to these dried cranberries. I’m hopeful every time she pulls out a cranberry, some oats cling to the sides for extra sustenance.
I grew up eating cinnamon in my yogurt, so I’m enjoying this cinnamon-laced granola with a few scoops of plain whole milk yogurt (stealing my daughter’s yogurt is OK when she’s sick and can’t protest). Try some extra shakes of cinnamon on top, it will make you happy when the winter weather does not.
Granola with Dried Cranberries, Coconut and Cinnamon
makes 10 cups
- 6 C old-fashioned oats
- 2 T butter, melted
- 1/4 C canola oil
- 2/3 C honey
- 1/3 C maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 T sesame seeds
- 1 C chopped almonds
- 1/2 C flaked coconut
- 1 C dried cranberries
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Preheat oven to 300. In an extra-large mixing bowl, mix the oats, butter, oil, honey, maple syrup, vanilla, sesame seeds, nuts, coconut and cranberries. Sprinkle with the cinnamon and salt and combine.
- Line two large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and lightly coat with cooking spray. Divide granola between the two sheets & spread in an even layer to corners. Bake for 15 minutes; rotate pans front to back and top to bottom. Bake another 10 minutes then check for color. When evenly golden, remove from oven and stir granola with spatula. Cool on pan. Once completely cool, transfer to an airtight container.
A Bean-y Baby
January 9, 2012
5-way chili, Cincinnati-style
We had another new word over the holidays: BEE, as in bean, and our toddler says it loudly and proudly. If I remember correctly, she decided she loves beans and Brussels Sprouts on the same day, which is a lot of health for one small GI tract.
For New Years Day I made Cincinnati-style chili. I first tasted this Midwestern chili last year while recipe testing and loved it. If you are new to this style, it has a ground beef base, the unique seasonings of cinnamon and cocoa and is served over spaghetti with grated cheddar on top. This is your classic “3-way” chili. You can also top it with chopped onion (“4-way”) and kidney beans (“5-way”). It is cooked down to a thick, sauce-like consistency…from what I’ve read, also perfect for topping hot dogs.
I served ours “5-way,” wanted the full experience. My daughter ate it layer by layer–savoring the beans, tossing the onions, and shoveling in the spaghetti–while the rest of us dug in our forks and twirled for a perfectly-layered bite.
Cincinnati Chili
(adapted from whatscookingamerica.net)
- 1 large onion, finely chopped (reserve half for topping)
- 1 # grass-fed ground beef, 85% or leaner
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 T chili powder (1 tsp regular chili powder+ 2 tsp Penzey’s Arizona Dreaming, an ancho-chipotle-jalepeno blend)
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 T unsweetened cocoa
- 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
- 1 T Worcestershire sauce
- 1 T cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup water
- 12 oz dried spaghetti
- 4 oz sharp cheddar cheese, finely grated
- 1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, rinsed, room temperature
- In a large frying pan (12″), saute half of the onion, beef, garlic and chili powder until beef is just cooked. Break up beef to as fine a mince as possible.
- Add the rest of the ingredients (through water) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook uncovered 1-1 1/2 hours, or until sauce has thickened, but is still thin enough to coat pasta.
- Cook spaghetti according to package directions and divide onto 4 plates. Spoon chili over spaghetti and top with cheese, reserved onions and beans.
Hey Dal Face!
May 21, 2011
Red Lentil Dal with Garden of Eve spinach
Since learning that BPA is in the lining of most canned foods–and not wanting to serve it up to my baby along with her beans–I’ve begun cooking more dried legumes. Specifically, the red lentil. It cooks quickly, practically purees itself and provides protein, fiber, iron and folate. Here are two red lentil recipes I gladly eat alongside my little one:
Red Lentil Dal with roots & greens
Red lentils are thickened with root veggies and get their green hue from fresh spinach (organic spinach came from our winter CSA share with Garden of Eve farm). Packs a good amount of Indian-spiced heat. Freezer-friendly!
- 1 cup red lentils
- 1 medium sweet potato, diced
- 1 large organic golden potato, diced
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
- 2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
- 2 cups fresh organic spinach, chopped
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ginger
- 1/2 tsp curry powder or Garam Masala
- Add lentils, potatoes and onion to a medium pot. Add 3 cups water and the salt and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer and cook about 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
- Add peas, carrots, spinach and spices and cook until carrot is tender and the lentils are a stew-like consistency, about 20 minutes. Stir in a pat of butter or drizzle of olive oil, if desired.
- If serving to baby, use an immersion blender to puree to desired consistency.
Lentil Quinoa Banana Bars (not pictured)
These bars were one of baby’s very first finger foods and could stand in for a meal in a pinch. In my opinion, they are what snack bars should aim to be–balanced nutrients, faintly sweet, unprocessed and portable.
- 1/2 cup red lentils
- 1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
- 1 cup mashed banana
- 5 Tbsp flour (unbleached, whole wheat, or gluten-free variety)
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- In a 2 qt saucepan, bring 3 cups water to a boil. Add lentils and quinoa and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
- In a small bowl, mix banana, flour and cinnamon. Add cooled lentil mix. Spread into an oiled 8″x8″ baking dish and bake at 350 for about 20 minutes. Cool, cut into bars, and store in the refrigerator or freezer. Cut into bite-size cubes if serving to baby.
(Both recipes are adapted from Baby Bistro)
Oooh Mommy! Umami!
May 6, 2011
Umami & Egg Pizza Pie
I’ll be celebrating my first Mother’s Day this year, and the cliche of eating off of a tray in bed sounds downright appealing. Not sure what my husband has up his sleeve, but do have my doubts that he could man a stove while wrangling our active 10-month old. (The “hot breakfast” is always a dual-parenting endeavor at our house).
So, that’s where this recipe comes in. Quick, yet impressive, it’s a breakfast pizza with warm, runny farm-fresh eggs and the umami paste, Taste No. 5.
Umami is a Japanese word meaning deliciousness and is thought to be the fifth taste after sweet, salty, sour and bitter. In one tube of Taste No. 5, you get a combination of tomato, garlic, anchovy paste, black olives, balsamic vinegar, porcini mushrooms, parmesan cheese, olive oil and a touch of sugar and salt–!!! They say umami is the flavor that makes your mouth water, and what Mom doesn’t deserve that? Need I also mention it’s pizza, so Mom can eat with her hands, in bed, while someone else rubs her feet.
Mommy’s Umami Pie
- 12″ frozen thin-crust cheese pizza, whole wheat if available
- 1 cup loosely-packed baby spinach
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tsp Taste No. 5 umami paste
- 2 Tbsp fresh-grated Parmesan cheese
- Follow cooking directions on the pizza package. Before placing in oven, carefully crack the eggs onto the pizza, spacing evenly.
- About 2-3 minutes before pizza is finished add the spinach, it should just wilt. Test the doneness of the eggs–you want the whites fully set up, and the yolks to jiggle a bit (do NOT over-cook, you want the egg yolk to be warm and runny when eaten).
- Remove pizza from oven, dot with the umami paste and sprinkle with the cheese. Slice into thirds, one egg per piece. Serve right away.
“Diet for a Small Palate”
April 10, 2011
"A blueberry pincer grasp meets the World's Smallest Egg Sandwich"
Seems the last time I posted, peaches were in season–could that be right?
Georgia is nearly 10 months old with a fine-tuned pincer grasp. I’ve been busy cooking for two sleepy grown-ups and one small mouth; but, documenting it all on the other hand…
New blog rules. Less chatter, more recipes. Or maybe just recipes. And more for the finger-fooding, puree-smearing set.
Some quick stats to catch us all up:
- Baby G is roughly 17#, nearly walking, and just sprouted her first tooth.
- Her Mom receives roughly 5 consecutive hours of sleep per night. More than the President (I think), but less than her husband.
Grass-fed Beef Balls
Today’s Recipe: Meatballs-In-Law
Inspired by my husband’s Grandmother’s “Christmas Meatballs.” I like that the original recipe is wheat-free, gluten-free and egg-free, so I’ve kept it that way. Georgia loves to suck the sauce off the meatballs, then stuff into her mouth. Makes 20 (1 1/2″) meatballs
- 1# 85% lean grass-fed beef
- 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (or gluten-free oats), coarsely ground in a coffee grinder
- 1/4 cup minced onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 T organic milk
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 2 T olive oil
- 28 oz. can whole peeled tomatoes, coarsely ground using a food mill or processor
- 1 T balsamic vinegar
- 1 T Worcestershire sauce
- 2 T brown sugar
- Gently mix the beef, oats, onion, garlic, milk, salt and pepper in a large bowl (using a clawed hand works best). Form into roughly 20 meatballs.
- Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and cook on all sides until a deep brown, about 2-3 minutes per side; transfer to a plate. Remove excess fat from pan, leaving just a sheen behind. Add tomato puree, vinegar, Worcestershire and sugar, stirring up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil. Add the meatballs and stir to coat with sauce; reduce heat to simmer. Cook uncovered about 25 minutes, turning the balls every 5 minutes.
- Test meatball’s temperature on your lip before serving to an infant. Serve with some chopped up steamed vegetables.
Ingredients: Bananas
Strawberry and Fresh Mint
38 weeks into pregnancy and the ice cream cravings have finally hit hard. Vanilla Haagen Dazs with smashed Chocolate-Vanilla “Trader” Joe-Joe’s followed a solid week of Dr. Pepper floats.
My birthday dinner at Purple Yam (Ditmas Park, Brooklyn) concluded with Halo-Halo, a Philippine iced desert with sweet beans, palm seed, cocogel, agar agar, coconut sport and jackfruit topped with flan and purple yam ice cream. Wowzers. Forget about 8-ingredient desserts at home. I whipped up the following (pictured) in 5-10 minutes from 1-2 ingredients.
The Banana Ice Cream recipe has been floating around the blogosphere and I was psyched to puree something in the food processor other than my usual hummus. Strawberry and Fresh Mint Pops were an excuse to play with the Zoku Pop maker and experiment with homemade mint simple syrup. Not to mention, you can find teeming quarts of Jersey strawberries, 2 for $10, at most farmer’s markets in the area. And they are just about perfect.
Banana Ice Cream (sans cream)
- 3-4 very ripe bananas, sliced and frozen in a single layer
- A food processor
- While still frozen, add banana slices to the food processor. Pulse until the bananas clump; using spoon, scrape banana clumps evenly around blade and continue to process until smooth.
- Magically, the clumps turn into a creamy, soft-serve-textured icy treat. Scoop and serve.
Strawberry and Fresh Mint Pops
- 2 cups chilled, or frozen and thawed ripe strawberries
- 1/4 cup mint simple syrup (recipe below)
- 2-4 Tbsp cold water
- In a blender, add strawberries and syrup and puree. Add water and puree until the mixture is thin enough to be poured into any ice pop molds.
- Pour into molds and freeze. Pops frozen in the Zoku are ready to eat in 10 minutes.
Fresh Mint Simple Syrup
(Good for a month in the fridge. Add to iced tea, bourbons, rums, melons and berries with tasty results.)
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups water
- 1 bunch mint–fresh from the farmer’s market is best–rinsed well
- Mix sugar and water in small saucepan (2 qt) and heat over med-low while stirring until dissolved. Syrup is ready when it goes from cloudy to clear. Remove from heat.
- Rub mint leaves between hands for a few seconds to release minty oils. Add a large handful of mint leaves to the pan of syrup; submerge leaves with spoon and let steep 30-60 minutes.
- Remove mint leaves. Transfer syrup to a glass Pyrex measuring cup and let cool. Store in an airtight glass bottle in refrigerator.
Second Wind Linguine
April 7, 2010
Linguine with Gulf shrimp, Asparagus and Basil
As they say on Broadway, the Fridge and Tunnel show has ‘gone dark’ these last few weeks. Turns out, at 29 weeks pregnant, I needed a vacation! But Mama’s back in Brooklyn and back in business.
So I call this dish, Second Wind Linguine. A well-rested chef is a recipe for inspiration, or at the very least, motivation to cook at home again. I thought I’d focus on one stand-out ingredient and chose fresh Colossal Gulf shrimp. So colossal in fact that I halved them lengthwise (a great trick when you need the appearance of 1# of shrimp with a 1/2# budget. Just sharpen your knife first).
I saved the shrimp shells–don’t pay extra for shelled shrimp–and sauteed the shells in olive oil to begin my saute. This is a great tip for developing deep seafood flavor without the time commitment of making stock. Simply remove the whole shells once they are crispy and you are left with a flavored olive oil. Working 2 pots at the same time, you will have dinner ready in about 15 minutes–enjoy!
Second Wind Linguine with shrimp, asparagus and basil
- 1/2 lb fresh Colossal Gulf shrimp, shells reserved, halved lengthwise
- 1/2 # dried linguine pasta
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 bunch asparagus, top 2″ cut into pieces (reserve stems for another use)
- 1/3 cup dry white wine (try a Pinot Grigio)
- 2 tsp unsalted butter
- 7-8 large basil leaves, sliced
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Bring a pot of salted water to boil for linguine. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large saute pan. Add shrimp shells and saute until crispy, 4-5 minutes; remove shells with tongs. Begin cooking pasta to al dente.
- Add garlic to saute pan and cook 2 minutes over medium-low heat, do not brown. Add asparagus and saute 30 seconds; season. Add wine and cover pan; cook 2 minutes. Uncover pan and add shrimp; cook until just curled and opaque, 1-2 minutes. Add butter and stir until melted into the pan juices. Remove from heat.
- Drain pasta and add to pan along with 3/4 of the basil. Toss with tongs to coat. Garnish with remaining basil.
