Verde Poblano Enchiladas with Zucchini Rice

When people think of comfort food usually things like chicken soup, meatloaf & mashed potatoes come to mind. Call me strange, by enchiladas are most often the first thing I think of. I blame it on growing up in Texas. Every occasion, special or otherwise, called for a trip to the nearest Tex-Mex spot. Okay, I'll admit, chicken soup pops up too, but something about cheesy enchiladas just hits the spot when I need a pick-me-up.

Verde Poblano Enchiladas, for 410 corn tortillas

2 large poblano peppers

1 jalapeño pepper, sliced into rings

1/2 c. tomatillo salsa

1/4 c. sour cream

1/4 c. asadero cheese, grated

1/4 c. montere jack cheese, grated

1 tbsp. olive oil

Heat the broiler & char the poblanos until the skin blackens, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes. Place the peppers in a bowl covered with a dish towel & let cool. Turn the heat on the oven down to 400F.

Meanwhile, stack the tortillas on a plate & drizzle each with a bit of olive oil. Place a damp paper towel on top of the stack & cover with another place. Microwave the tortillas for 30 seconds, this will make them much easier to work with & keep the tortillas from cracking when you roll them.

Once the poblanos are cool remove the charred skin. It should be loose & come over relatively easily simply by peeling it. Slice the skinned peppers into strips about 1" long. Drizzle the remaining olive oil & a bit of tomatillo salsa in the bottom of a rectangular baking dish. Grab a warm tortilla & fill with a few strips of poblano, a sprinkle of asadero cheese, a sprinkle of monterey jack cheese & a small spoonful of salsa. Roll the tortilla tightly around the filling & place it seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat this process until all ingredients are gone.

When all of your enchiladas are rolled top with the remaining salsa, cheeses, sour cream, jalapeño rings. Bake until golden, about 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

Zucchini Rice, for 4

1 c. white rice

2 c. chicken stock

1 yellow onion diced

1 zucchini, grated

1 tbsp. olive oil

Over medium heat, drizzle a sauce pan with the olive oil & saute the onion until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the rice & cook until it turns opaque, another minute or so. You may need to drizzle a bit more oil in to keep the rice from sticking.

Add the stock & cook over low heat, covered until the liquid has absorbed, about 10 - 15 minutes. Once cooked, fold the zucchini in & let sit covered for about 5 more minutes.

Asparagus Cashew Stir-Fry

There are lots of things I love about a trip home to East Texas. Pretty rolling hills, big pine trees, family dinners, untapped thrift stores, swimming, but it's hard to beat the haul of home-grown produce my folks send me home with: bright bundles of asparagus & greens in the spring, blueberries, squash & ears of corn is the summer. Sadly their green thumbs weren't inherited. Right now I'm doing well to keep my little cherry tomato plant & a few herbs alive. In the mean time, I'm more than happy with their garden goodies.

Asparagus Cashew Stir-Fry, for 2-3

1 bundle asparagus, cut in 1" pieces

1 small nub of fresh ginger, minced

1 16 oz. carton of tofu, sliced in 1" strips

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 bunch green onions, sliced thinly

1 small bunch of fresh mint, julienned

1 small bunch of fresh basil, julienned

1 c. fresh spinach

2-3 tbsp. sesame oil

1 tsp. red pepper flakes

4 tbsp. hoisin sauce

1 lime, zested & juiced

Prepare white rice (I like Jasmine) according to package directions. Meanwhile, if your tofu comes packed in water (most does) drain it on a few paper towels or a dish towel. While the tofu drains, heat some sesame oil over medium heat in a pan or wok. Throw in the tofu & cook until golden tossing occasionally, about 4 minutes. You may need to do this in batches. Once cooked, set the tofu aside.

If needed, drizzle in a bit more sesame oil then add your asparagus, green onions, red pepper flakes & ginger. Once cooked through, about 2 - 3 minutes, add the garlic & cook 1 minute more. Add the spinach & cashews & cook until spinach wilts, about 1 minute. Throw the tofu back in then add hoisin sauce, lime juice & lime zest. Toss to combine. Top with fresh basil & mint & serve with rice.

Simple Supper: Black Bean Tostadas with Radishes & Cilantro Onion Relish

We used to eat a simple version of these guys all the time when I was a kiddo. A crunchy tostada with refried beans & cheese never failed to please me. I guess I haven't changed too much because I am still endlessly happy with this modest meal. The building blocks are the same: tostada, beans, cheese but you can add anything you like from that point. Spicy radishes & loads of cilantro-onion relish are my favorite things to pile on. Throw a cold beer in the mix & you're got a perfect simple supper.

Black Bean Tostadas with Radishes & Cilantro-Onion Relish, for 2

4 fresh corn tortillas

1/4 c. vegetable oil

salt to taste

1 can refried black beans*

4 tbsp. queso fresco (can be found in most Mexican grocery stores), crumbled

1 c. romain or ice-burg lettuce, julienned (sliced thinly)

1 - 2 radishes, sliced thinly

1 ripe avocado, sliced thinly

1 - 2 tbsp. scallions, chopped

1 - 2 tbsp. pickled jalapeños

salt to taste

Heat the beans up over medium heat. *If you want to give them an extra oomph throw in a tbsp of bacon fat. Decadent? A bit, but it makes a huge difference. While the beans are heating, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high/high heat until it begins to look glossy & water sizzles when it hits the surface (you can test this by simply flicking a drop off of your finger - careful to keep those digits away from the hot oil!). This should take about 2 minutes. Once the oil is hot add the tortillas, one at a time, & cook until golden & crisp, about 30-45 seconds per side. Set the tortillas aside to drain on a paper towel or bag & salt them while they're still warm.

Once your beans are warm & your tortillas crisped up you're ready to assemble. Layer as you like, but I prefer a scoop of beans topped with queso fresco, avocados, lettuce, radish slices, pickled jalapeños & a bit of cilantro-onion relish (recipe below).

Cilantro-Onion Relish, yields approximately 1 1/2c.

1 yellow onion, minced

1/2 c. fresh cilantro, minced

1 lime, juiced

Chop the onion & cilantro as finely as you can. Mix together on the cutting board & give them one more quick chop. Toss in a bowl with lime juice. This will keep in the fridge for up to a week & is great on beans, tamales, eggs & tacos.

Kitchen to table time: 15 - 20 minutes

Simple Supper: Spaghetti with Kale

It snowed!! Real, actual snow... in Texas... in central Texas! Granted it was scarcely an inch, but here that's enough snow to shut down the city. Don't ask me why, but we just can't handle this snow stuff. Last night while waiting for the "inclimate weather" to hit, I made a big batch of Spaghetti with Kale to get us through the storm. With a kick of red pepper & an extra hearty boost from the kale, this spaghetti really did the trick. Good thing I made a double batch since we're "snowed in."

Spaghetti with Kale, for 2

adapted from Real Simple, Feb '11

1/2 lb. whole wheat spaghetti or capellini

1 small bunch kale, coarsely chopped & stemmed

1 yellow onion, diced

4 - 5 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 can diced tomatoes (fire roasted if you can find it)

1/4 c. tomato sauce

1/4 c. red wine

1 tsp. red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1/4 c. grated parmesan

salt & pepper to taste

Boil the spaghetti according to package directions. Drain & reserve 1/4 c. of pasta water. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium head in a large, deep saute pan or pot. Add the onions & saute until golden, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, oregano & a tsp. or so of salt & pepper, saute 1 minute longer. Add the kale & cook until wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the wine & cook 1 minute, until reduced. Toss in the can of diced tomatoes & tomato sauce & simmer for a few minutes. Add the pasta & reserved water, toss to coat & serve with grated parmesan.

Kitchen to table time: 20 minutes, tops

Beet & Fennel Soup with Greek Yogurt

Considering this photo was the first tidbit shared here in months I figured I'd share the simple recipe that goes along with it. Why not, right? I'm sure with this nasty winter weather that is plaguing most of us right now you'd love nothing more than to curl up with a bowl of hot soup. Ok, maybe I'm projecting. Maybe it's just me that wants a hot bowl of pretty, warm, creamy, rich soup in my belly. I bet it's not though.

Beet & Fennel Soup with Greek Yogurt, for 6-8

adapted from Bon Appetite, January 2010

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 large fennel bulb, chopped, fronds reserved

1 1/2 tsp. fennel seeds

2 large beets, peeled & cut into small cubes

2 c. low sodium chicken broth

1 c. plain greek yogurt, plus more for serving

fennel fronds, for garnish

Heat the olive oil in a deep stock pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, fennel & fennel seeds & saute until the veggies soften, about 5 minutes. Add the cubed beets & stir to coat. Add the chicken broth & bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low & simmer until beets are tender, about 20 minutes. Puree soup with an immersion blender, if you have one, or in batches in a blender. Return to the same pot & add the greek yogurt. Season to taste with salt & pepper & warm through. Garnish with fennel fronds & a bit more yogurt & if you're hungry & big hunk of crust bread.

Simple Supper: Ravioli with Caramelized Fennel & Red Onion

Fennel grows wild on the hills near us. Walking around you smell clean ocean air, eucalyptus & a crisp note of anise; quite different from the heat, dust & occasional hint of oak or moss you grab back in central Texas. You can pick the wild fennel & nibble on it too. It tastes perfect, almost like licorice. Though I never was much of a licorice fan, somehow, despite that fact, it tastes right.

Ravioli with Caramelized Fennel & Red Onion, for 2 - 3
1 package prepared ravioli (cheese, spinach, or mushroom work well)
1 large red onion, sliced
2 bulbs fennel, whites only, sliced thinly (reserve a few fronds for garnishing)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp. olive oil
salt to taste
pepper to taste
2 - 3 sliced prosciutto, sliced thinly (optional)

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Once warm, toss in the onions & fennel & salt them. Cook until the begin to caramelize, about 15 minutes, then toss in the garlic & cook 5 minutes more. Salt & pepper to taste.

While the onions & fennel caramelize, prepare the ravioli according to package directions (usually boil for 5 minutes or so). Top the raviolis with the onions, fennel, a few fennel fronds, & if you like, prosciutto.

Kitchen to table time: 25 - 30 minutes

One year ago: Sweet Pea, Spinach & Basil Bisque

Butternut Squash & Fennel Strata

The streets are soaked. Our carpet seems to be waterlogged. The windowpanes outside are flecked with rain. Olive, our dog, is perpetually wet. It's been raining for a week straight. I'm not complaining. I love rain, but most Californians don't. They have no clue what to do with themselves when it rains. It's apocalyptic. Where's the sun!? Why has it forsaken us!? The rain took such a toll I was even given a day off due to "weather." After wallowing in the couch for far too long I peeled myself off & made something. A strata. That is, an egg-y, cheese-y casserole of sorts. I gushed over eggs before. So I won't do it again. Well, I won't do it much. I'll just say, try this one.


Butternut Squash & Fennel Strata, for 6 - 8
adapted from Smitten Kitchen & Gourmet
1 small butternut squash, peeled, cubed & boiled
1 large bulb fennel, sliced finely
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1 small loaf French or Italian bread, cubed in 1-inch cubes
2 c. coarsely grated Manchego
1 c. finely grated parmesan
1 c. milk
9 large eggs
2 tbsp. Dijon mustard


Sauté onion in butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper & nutmeg and continue cooking for one minute. Stir in fennel & pre-cooked* butternut squash & sauté a moment longer. Remove from heat and set aside.

Spread one third of the bread cubes in a well-buttered 3-quart gratin dish or other ceramic baking dish. Top with one-third of bread cubes, one-third of squash/fennel mixture and one-third of each cheese. Repeat layering twice with remaining bread, veggies & cheese.

Whisk eggs, milk, mustard and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper together in a large bowl & pour evenly over strata. Cover with plastic wrap and chill strata for eat least 8 hours or up to a day.

The next day, let it stand at room temperature for 30 minutes while preheating the oven to 350°F. Bake strata, uncovered, in middle of oven until puffed, golden brown, and cooked through, 45 to 55 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

*To pre-cook the butternut squash, peel it & cut it into 1" or so cubes. Boil in water or chicken stock for 7 - 9 minutes, or until fork tender.

One year ago today: Spiked Cauliflower Macaroni & Cheese

Spicy Green Bean & Tofu Curry

I used to be a vegetarian. For five years I was meat free. With the exception of the first week. I thought tuna fish didn't count, so I ate it. Every day. For a week. I never missed meat much. Every now & then I would get pangs for a good eel roll or brisket sandwich, but who doesn't? During my veggie tenure I plowed through many a box of tofu, but since I haven't paid much attention to the stuff. I missed it.

Spicy Green Bean & Tofu Curry, for 2 - 3
1 block extra firm tofu, cubed
1 medium handful green beans, steamed
1 c. baby spinach
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. sesame oil
1 tbsp. gram marsala*
1 tbsp. curry powder*
1 tbsp. cumin*
1 bay leaf
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeño, sliced with seeds
1 small nub ginger, peeled & minced
salt to taste
2 c. cooked jasmine or basmati rice

Plus:
1 - 2 tbsp. yellow curry paste
1/4 - 1/2 c. coconut milk
OR
1/2 c. prepared yellow curry sauce (such a Trader Joe's Yellow Curry)

Cube & drain the tofu in between a few paper towels (weight it on top with a plate or cutting board for the best drainage). Menwhile, in a medium saute pan heat the oil with all of the cumin, curry powder, gram marsala & a bay leaf. *This may seem like quite a lot of spices, but they absorb into the oil making a sauce of sorts. Once the oil is heated, add the tofu cubes & fry for about 2 minutes on each side. Set aside.

While the tofu is frying, blanch the green beans in a bit of boiling water. While the green beans are blanching, add the garlic, ginger & jalapeño to the oil & cook for about 1 minute. Drain the beans then add them to the oil. Add the spinach as well. Cover & cook until the spinach wilts, about 3 minutes, then add the tofu, & either coconut milk & curry paste OR prepared curry sauce. Serve over rice.

One year ago today: Pastel Azteca & Buttery Basil Eggplant & Mushroom Stir-Fry

Simple Supper: Parmesan Polenta with Eggs and Roasted Mushrooms

Why are eggs so fantastic? I'm convinced they have magical powers. They can be incarnated so many different ways. Scramble, fry, poach, you know them all, I'm sure. Until recently I never considered an egg as a topping, so to speak. Now I'll plop a fried egg on top of most anything: salads, pastas, stir-frys. Runny yolks are especially impressive over this earthy polenta dish.

Parmesan Polenta with Eggs and Roasted Mushrooms, for 3
courtesy of The Kitchn
1 lb mushrooms
1/8 c olive oil
1/4 tsp. pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. coarse salt
1/2 c. polenta
1 c. milk
1 c. water
pinch salt
1/2 c. shredded Parmesan or Romano cheese
3 eggs
chives for garnish

Preheat oven to 475. Chop mushrooms into 1/2 inch pieces then toss mushrooms with oil, pepper flakes, and salt on a baking sheet. Spread in single layer and roast until browned, about 10 mins.

Meanwhile, whisk polenta, milk, water, and salt together in saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, covered. After reaching a boil, turn heat to low and let sit with lid cracked for 15 minutes.

While polenta is cooking, heat nonstick skillet over medium heat and crack the eggs so that they are sunny side up. Cook about a minute and then add a few tablespoons of water to the skillet. Water will sizzle - cover so the yolks steam and set to your liking.

Mix Parmesean into polenta, plate on a dish, spoon mushrooms over and top with egg. Garnish with snipped chives. Eat and enjoy!

Kitchen to table time: 20 minutes

One year ago today: Bourbon Hot Tea Toddy & Roasted Beet Salad with Seared Chicken Breast & Grilled Bread

Simple Supper: Spicy Soba Noodles with Kale & Mushrooms

Weather doesn't exist here. 70°, sunny, sparkly. Sunny always. It kind of throws you off. In January you'd expect to need a jacket or gloves or something. You don't really though. It's like living in an imaginary world. A Beach Boys/Eagles sort of world where everyone harmonizes & smiles a lot. I kind of like it. I kind of hate it. When chowing down on a bowl of spicy noodles a chill in the air helps. Chill or no, they were good.

Spicy Soba Noodles with Kale, for 4
1 package soba noodles
1 bunch of kale, chopped
2 spicy peppers (jalapeños, habañeros, etc.), minced
1 small nub of ginger, minced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. fish sauce
4 - 6 large white mushrooms, sliced
1/4 tsp. sesame oil
1/4 tsp. dried cilantro
salt to taste

Bring a pot of water to boil & cook the soba noodles, about 4 - 5 minutes. Drain & reserve a bit of the water.

Remove the stems from the kale & dice them. Coarsely chop the remaining kale leaves. Mince the ginger, peppers & garlic. Slice the mushrooms & dry saute them with a bit of salt in a heated pan until they've lost moisture, about 5 minutes. Then, toss in the remaining ingredients (kale, peppers, ginger, garlic, oil, soy sauce, fish sauce & cilantro). Cook until the kale is wilted then toss in the noodles. Add 1/8 c. of the reserved water & reduce over medium heat.


Kitchen to table time: 20 minutes

One year ago today: Blueberry Smoothie & A Fresh Pantry

Spinach, Pepper & Egg Salad

Is that an incredibly muscly Michael Cera next to me? Has he been cast in a super hero movie that I don't know about & been told to bulk up? What super hero would he be? A tender super hero. A tender, nerdy super hero. One who makes sharp cultural references & seems nervous most of the time. With muscles. No, probably not. But it least it keeps my mind of the fact that it looks like I peed my pants. I didn't. I just wore grey leggings to bikram yoga. It's 110 in here. I'm sweating.

This salad is packed with protein, isn't too heavy and is substantial enough to refuel after a sweaty work out with Michael Cera lookalikes. And it only takes a few minutes to stir up, so that doesn't hurt either.

Spinach, Pepper & Egg Salad, for 1
1 c. raw baby spinach
1/4 c. cooked pepper & onion*
1 egg
olive oil to taste
salt to taste
pepper to taste

Toss the pepper & spinach together & set aside. Meanwhile, fry the egg in a bit of oil until just done, about 3 minutes. Top the salad with the egg & a bit more oil, salt & pepper.

*2 small baby bell peppers & 1/4 - 1/2 yellow onion, cooked over low heat in a bit of oil & salt for about 20 minutes.

Chipotle Salsa

$900? $900. $900! That's how much money it costs to ship approximately 15 paintings of various sizes ranging from the very large to very small in 3 days from Southern California to Washington D.C. But, before we packed up Ray's precious cargo for his impending solo show & kissed good bye to a little chunk of our savings, we had a bon voyage party for his work. A preview of sorts. Pitchers of margaritas were consumed leading to philosophical waxing about the nature of painting & Ray's paintings specifically. To keep this chatter afloat brain food was necessary & to me, brain food is chips & salsa. Not the peppermints my 5th grade teacher passed out under the guise of brain food. Think about it, if there's a bowl of chips & salsa at a table couldn't you just sit there talking & munching until the bottom of the bowl shines through? I know I could (& have). So along with our strong (so we were told) margaritas, I whipped up a batch of this spicy, fresh chipotle salsa. Armed with excessive chips, we plunked down in Ray's studio & munched until the bottom of the bowl showed up ... or at least peaked through.

Chipotle Salsa, makes about 2 cups

3 roma tomatoes, coarsely chopped

1/2 poblano peppers, coarsely chopped

1 - 1/2 (depending on how hot you like it) canned chipotle pepper*

6 - 8 stalks cilantro

3 - 4 cloves garlic

1/2 red onion

2 tbsp. tomato sauce

1 1/2 tsp. cumin**

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

pinch of oregano

Combine all ingredients in a food processor & pulse until desired texture. Serve with tortilla chips.

*Can be found in the Mexican/Ethnic section of most grocery stores or at Mexican markets

**My dad swears by freshly ground cumin seeds for this salsa. You can easily substitute pre-ground cumin, but he's right, that little extra work to grind up a small handful of cumin seeds is worth it. To grin them you can use a molcajete, mortar & pestle, or even a clean (very clean!) coffee grinder.

Simple Supper: Walnut, Zucchini & Squash Ravioli

I keep trying to write this post about quick, yummy ravioli & I keep finding myself drawn away by the squealing television. "Let your sooouuul glooooo!" Is it possible for a movie to get funnier each time you watch it? You just can't beat early Edie Murphy. So, before the killer outfits, amazing colors & ridiculous characters of Coming to America pull me further away, let me tell you about this nice little dinner I made last night. With a tight budget, absolutely minimal time & a bare bones pantry this pasta supper was born from the depths of the freezer. A lonely package of ravioli lurked beneath several bags of frozen peas & an empty popsicle box just begging to make an appearance on the dinner table. Left over zucchini & squash from the previous night's pizza sautéed until soft teamed up effortlessly with buttery ravioli. A quick smattering of walnuts, basil & parmesan added a nice fresh flair to an otherwise rich dish & made a lovely little bowl of pasta - warm, cheesy & bright - something I could dive right into. Okay, now I'm tuning back into Mistaa Raandy Waaatsssoon.

Walnut, Zucchini & Squash Ravioli, for 2 - 3

1 package prepared ravioli of choice (cheese, spinach & mushroom all work well)

1/4 c. toasted walnuts

1/2 zucchini, sliced in rounds

1/2 squash, sliced in rounds

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 - 6 basil leaves, chopped

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 tbsp. goat cheese

1/4 c. parmesan cheese, grated

salt to taste

pepper to taste

Bring a salted pot of water to boil & prepare the ravioli according to package directions (about 5 minutes). Meanwhile, saute the garlic in half of the olive oil & a pinch of salt. Once fragrant (about 2 minutes) add the zucchini & squash & cook until soft (about 4 - 5 minutes). Add the drained ravioli, walnuts, basil, goat cheese & parmesan cheese. Toss to combine then salt & pepper to taste.

Kitchen to table time: about 15 minutes

Zucchini & Squash Goat Cheese Pizza

Every time a window popped open on my well-loved laptop this Smitten Kitchen recipe appeared; at least it felt that way. Friends emailed, facebooked, tweeted. I resisted. For a little while. But with its pretty yellow & green concentric circles, (or rows as the case may be) this pizza looked so fresh & fitting for a muggy summer night I finally caved. With a bottle of crisp wine & a green salad, quite the yummy little meal was made. So, if you didn't catch it on the first go round, here's another little reminder.

Zucchini & Squash Goat Cheese Pizza, for 4 - 6

adapted from Smitten Kitchen

1 prepared pizza crust

6 tbsp. goat cheese, softened

1/2 medium zucchini, sliced in thin rounds

1/2 medium squashed, sliced in thin rounds

1/2 tbsp. coarse sea salt

1 lemon, zested & juiced

6 - 8 basil leaves, coarsely chopped

drizzle of olive oil

flour for dusting

salt to taste

pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 450F. Roll your pizza dough into a thin rectangle & lay it on a tray or stone that has been dusted lightly with flour.

In a small bowl, stir together the goat cheese with the juice of half your lemon. Season it with salt and freshly ground pepper, and spread it over your pizza dough. Scatter fresh basil slivers over the cheese.

Arrange your squash & zucchini rounds over the goat cheese spread, overlapping them slightly & alternating colors if you like. Squeeze the juice of the second half of your lemon on top of you pizza, then drizzle with olive oil and finish with more salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until the edges of your pizza are golden brown. If you like, serve with a simple green salad & a crisp glass of white wine.