Cranberry-Pear Pie with Ginger Snap Crumb Topping

Guess where I am right now? I am sitting -probably poolside, maybe even seaside - in San Diego. Right this very minute I might be grilling Lobster tail in the backyard, sipping an ice cold Horchata or devouring a double-double, animal style, from In-n-Out (yeah be jealous....of all the weight I am gaining while I am here). To me, Christmas was not meant to be spent freezing your ass off in the snow...it is best celebrated with ocean breezes, sunshine and fish tacos (omg! fish tacos!).

That being said, its also pretty fun celebrating with some traditional Christmas goodies on the big day. Maybe some glazed ham or a cheese ball? And definitely pie. This might just be the quintessential holiday pie. It is festive and colorful with in-season juicy pears, cranberries and a struesel-like Ginger Snap crumb topping that is to die for. Its the type of thing that is just asking to be enjoyed with a glass of fresh egg nog while watching The Muppets Christmas Carol.

This isn't complicated either. If you are doing some entertaining, you can easily make this pie the day before, store in the fridge, and just let it sit at room temp for a few hours before serving. It was delightful with a dollop of whipped cream and I am just guessing - going out on a limb here - that this would be simply devilish with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.


Enjoy and Happy Holidays everyone!!



Cranberry-Pear Pie with Ginger Snap Crumb Topping
recipe from Food & Wine

prepared Pie Dough
Egg Wash: 1 egg and 1 Tbsp milk, beaten

Topping:
1 cup Flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
12 gingersnap cookies*, crushed
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp salt
1 stick (113 grams) butter, melted and cooled

*I used the Scandinavian "Pepparkakor" cookies, which you can buy at Ikea or in the US you can also find them at Cost Plus World Market or similar stores. I also used more like 15 or 16 cookies.

Filling:
2 pounds (4 or 5) ripe Pears, peeled, cored, halved and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 1/2 cup fresh cranberries
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp fine lemon zest
1/2 tsp pure vanilla
3/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pie dough to a 12-inch round and fit it into a 9-inch glass pie plate. Trim the overhang to 1 inch, fold it under and crimp decoratively. Brush the rim with the egg wash and refrigerate the pieshell until chilled.

MAKE THE TOPPING: In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, gingersnap crumbs, ginger and salt. Stir in the melted butter until large crumbs form.

MAKE THE FILLING: Preheat the oven to 350° F (176 C). In a large bowl, toss the pears with the cranberries, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla. In a small bowl, toss the sugar with the cornstarch, then stir the sugar into the fruit.

Pour the fruit into the chilled pie shell (I found I had just a bit more than would fit). Pour the gingersnap crumbs onto the pie, carefully spreading them to the edge to cover the filling completely. Set the pie on a foil-lined baking sheet (in case stuff bubbles over). Bake on the bottom rack of the oven for 1 1/2 hours, or until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling; cover the pie loosely with foil if the top is browning too quickly. Let cool before slicing.

Cherry Drop Cookies

If there is one thing that means Christmas to me, it is these cookies. My mom has been making them for us and all our neighbors for as long as I can remember. Soft almond cookies with a little candied cherry right in the center - they are colorful, just slightly sweet and definitely addicting.

Where this recipe came from is somewhat of a mystery. There is a torn and tattered cookbook sitting on the back of my mom's shelf, the pages stained and dirty and falling out. Deep in the center of this old falling apart book is a recipe titled Cherry Drop Cookies by Nancy Weir. Who is Nancy? Where did this book come from? No one knows or remembers.

An important quality in Christmas Cookies is the ability to make them in bulk and make them quickly. These are a snap - and seeing as we have never made less than a triple batch of these cookies they are easy to make in bulk as well!


Cherry Drop Cookies
1 cup Margarine
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tbs milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almond extract
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
Candied red and green (we sometimes only do red) cherries, cut in half

In a large mixing bowl cream margarine and sugar with a mixer. Add eggs and beat until fluffy. Add milk, vanilla and almond extract - mix well. Add flour, baking powder and salt and blend thoroughly.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased or lined cookie sheets. Top each cookie with a cherry half. Bake at 375 F (190 C) for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. Cool on wire rack.

Cocoa Crinkle Cookies

While I am not much of a baker, I do love baking cookies. At this time of year, I just can't help myself either - I find myself wanting to bake dozens and dozens of cookies and give them to everyone I know. My first holiday season after I got married, I made these cookies on a whim and wouldn't you know it? They have totally become our holiday tradition.

They have also become some of my all-time favorite cookies. First of all, they have a rich dark chocolate flavor which, as an unabashed chocoholic, is always going to appeal to me. Second of all, they have the awesome combination of texture that I love - just a tad crisp on the outside from the crunchy sugar but with a warm soft center. But most importantly - these cookies are insanely easy to throw together and look adorable. You can double, triple, even quadruple the recipe with no problem at all. You can make the dough ahead and freeze it. The finished cookies keep well, both fresh and frozen. They are the perfect candidate for a holiday cookie.

You can also make them sandwich cookies by spreading some of your favorite frosting in between two cookies -then roll the edges in crushed up candy canes (one of my personal favorite things to do). You could also roll the cookies in colorful sprinkles instead of granulated sugar for some added festiveness (not something I have tried, but have thought about doing). Make them with some super high quality cocoa and you won't want to do anything extra with them - just enjoy the flavor of the sweet rich chocolate!

Cocoa Crinkle Cookies
1 3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup good quality unsweetened cocoa powder (not dutch process)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (115 grams) butter
1 1/4 cup sugar, plus another 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla

Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a bowl.

Melt the butter in a medium to large saucepan over medium low heat and cool slightly. Add the 1 1/4 cup sugar and stir until smooth. Whisk in the eggs one at a time until well blended. Stir in vanilla.

Stir the soft butter mixture into the flour/cocoa mixture until just combined. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm - around two hours (you could also make this dough ahead of time and freeze. Let defrost in the fridge over night before using).
Line cookie sheets with parchment. Shape dough into even sized balls (I do around 1 and half inch wide). Place the 1/2 cup sugar in a bowl. Roll dough balls in the sugar then place on the cookie sheets around an inch and half apart. Bake for 12 minutes at 350 F (176 C). Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack.

Homemade Vegetable Stock

If you spend a few minutes looking around this blog, you might notice I make a lot of soup. Not only that, it seems like every recipe I make - be it soup or rice pilaf or you name it - requires chicken or veggie stock. This week, as I am planning my Thanksgiving preparations I realized I will probably need stock for just about everything I plan on making.

In the US, it never even occurred to me that I could make my own - it was just too easy to pick some up at the store (regardless of the extra cost) and I never really put any thought into the benefits of making my own - or the harm in buying it pre-made. Pre-made stock here is rare and expensive in Germany, so when I moved here I really had little choice but to figure out how to make it myself. Turns out, making stock at home is ridiculously simple and easy. I struggled the first few times I made it - it would be bland or watery - but I finally figured out exactly what works best.
Making your own stock means you get to control what goes in it - the types of vegetables and seasonings as well as the amount of sodium and fat. I have almost always preferred to use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock because it is lower fat, lower sodium and doesn't require consumption of an animal that is already grotesquely over-consumed. This broth is completely fat free and can be totally sodium free as well, if you choose (I chose to just add about one teaspoon of salt to the whole pot). It packs a ton of strong roasted veggie flavor - just like the stuff I used to buy at the store - and it cost me roughly 3 euros for eight whole cups of stock. Um, hello I used to pay 4 bucks for half that amount!!


Homemade Vegetable Stock
12 cups water
about 2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 red bell pepper
1 kilo carrots, chopped and not peeled
1 large yellow onion, quartered
1 large purple onion, quartered
1 lb/large bunch celery, coarse chopped (leaving the tight little leaves on)
5 or 6 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in half
2 bay leaves
pinch mustard seeds
salt

Put all the cut up vegetables (I don't roast the garlic, but that is up to you) in a roasting pan and roast in the oven for about 30 minutes at 400 F/200 C - until carrots just start to caramelize and peppers are just starting to get black spots (you don't want them overly charred, just barely roasted).

Remove from oven and transfer to a large stock pot. Add the garlic, black pepper, bay leaves and mustard seeds and a pinch or too of salt (optional).

Cover with the water then put the lid on the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and allow to boil/simmer for around one to one and half hours.

Strain through a fine-mesh strainer (or through cheesecloth if you want a really clean stock). At this point I will reserve the carrots to use in dog food (taking care there are no onions mixed in with them)(I can't stand letting any food go to waste). Let it cool and transfer to containers to freeze - I generally will freeze in one cup increments in small plastic containers, though sometimes I will do 3 or 4 cups in one since this is a good amount to defrost for soup. Make sure and label it, 5 months from now you might not remember what it is (though mine never lasts that long).

This recipe yielded me 8 cups of good strong vegetable stock.

Classic Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Its amazing to me, even now, that I even wanted to make this soup - never mind the fact that I had been seriously craving it ever since we had our first snow (whimper) and never mind the fact that I absolutely loved it. Cause see - I used to hate broccoli, and I used to especially hate this soup.

As an adult, I have come to appreciate broccoli - even love broccoli. At some point in time, I even came to love Broccoli Cheddar soup. I think the first time I really gave it a chance was during my summer working at Quiznos. You would think having to take large frozen containers of this soup and defrost it every morning and stir it every hour and serve it to a million and one people would actually make me hate it. But somehow it had the opposite effect and my horizons were broadened (I know I know, at a fast food restaurant!).

Of course, I have since learned that Broccoli Cheddar Soup can be a million times better than that stuff I had to take out of the freezer every morning, and it doesn't have to be complicated either. This soup is absolutely perfectly delicious. Not only that - it is super simple to make and doesn't have any heavy cream or "real cheese" (as we lovingly call the blocks of processed gooey orange stuff). It is filling and comforting and only requires a few inexpensive ingredients, which might just make it the perfect comfort food.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup
1 head of Broccoli (approx 500g) chopped into very small florets
2 to 4 Tbs butter
1 medium onion, finely diced (about 2 cups diced onion)
3 garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed
salt and fresh coarse-ground black pepper
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups low-fat milk (I used 1.5 percent)
1/2 cup flour
3 cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese, finely shredded (do not use pre-shredded cheese!!)

In a heavy stockpot, melt the butter on medium heat. Add the diced onion and a couple pinches of salt and saute until the onions are very tender and just beginning to brown - around 10 minutes.

Stir in the garlic and plenty of black pepper and let cook for about one minute. Stir in the broccoli and let cook for another minute or so.

Add the broth and raise heat just a tad, stir well then cover and let come to a slow boil. Let simmer, covered, for around 5 to 10 minutes or until broccoli just starts to become tender.

Whisk the flour into the milk, making sure no clumps or grains remain. Slowly stir this into the soup. Reduce heat to medium-low and continuously stir until soup has gotten nice and thick - around 3 to 5 minutes.

Reduce heat again, to low, and stir in the cheese by the handful, stirring until all the cheese is melted into the soup. Taste and salt/pepper as necessary (or even more cheese!). Stir over low heat for just a minute or two more, then serve warm :)

PS - this was about the 10th time I tried making a broccoli cheese soup, each previous time being a total disaster, even when following someones recipe - grainy, too watery, cheese doesn't melt well, not broccoli enough, not cheesy enough and on and on. I finally figured out that simple is best, cheddar cheese is best, flour and milk are essential to get the right texture, and using pre-shredded cheese will result in a horrible grainy disgusting mess. You know, just to keep it real. But hey, I am learning!

Apple & Maple Pulled Pork

I grew up eating BBQ pulled pork sandwiches, but it wasn't until I lived in Hawaii and met the joy that is Kalua pig, that I really came to understand what a wonderful thing pulled pork is. Even with very little extra seasoning, the marbled and tender pork butt will just fall apart and have a delicious flavor all its own.


In this case however, the seasoning is pure Autumn goodness - but in a way that is not limited to the season. A single apple, a bit of pure maple syrup, and just a tad bit of chilies gives this a sweet but slightly spicy flavor. The final result is tender and juicy, but not watery or overly sticky. Its full of flavor without being full of fat or sugar.

Pulled pork is such a simple concept that can be done in so many different ways, too. Its great for a barbecue or for a quick weeknight meal or even for a dinner party. It goes great with cabbage (another one of my favorite cheap ingredients), or rice, on a bun or with potatoes. Its easy, stupidly cheap, and extremely difficult to mess up. Of course, that is my favorite part about it. Its like a guaranteed win every time. I love making it for parties because I can prepare everything the day before and put it in the fridge, then, four hours before the party I stick it in the oven and go about the rest of my preparations. Its also great for making ahead then freezing in individual sized portions for quick sandwiches or as an add-in for recipes later on.

Maple & Apple Pulled Pork
3 lbs pork shoulder/butt (in Germany: around 900 grams Schweinerollebraten aus der schulter and remove the netting from the outside, or some butchers carry large portions of schweineschulter)
1 cup apple cider vinegar
about 4 Tbs Canadian Steak Seasoning
1/2 tsp dry ground mustard
1/2 tsp ground Paprika
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1/2 cup diced red onion
1 Tbs diced roasted green chilis (I use the Ortega brand...something I bring from the US - in Germany could use some diced up Pepperoni's maybe, or even Jalapeno) (can use more if you really want some spiciness, I just wanted a hint of spice)
1/4 cup pure Maple Syrup
1 medium apple, peeled & cored and sliced into rings

Place the pork into a dutch oven and pour in the apple cider vinegar. Add the dry spiced, garlic, onion and chilies. Drizzle the Maple syrup over then top with apple slices.

Cover and cook for 4 to 4 1/2 hours (until meat is soft and falling apart) in a 375 F (190 C) oven. About half way through the cooking time check on it and stir it up/break the meat apart a bit and I find this helps in coaxing into the 'pulled' status. I also will do this once about 30 minutes before it finishes (and lets be honest i might just drizzle a bit more maple syrup at this point too. If your meat seems way dry or bland you can put in a bit more apple cider vinegar and spices as well). You could also do this in a slow cooker on low for around 8 hours.

The apples and onions etc will kind of just melt into the meat. When you remove from oven break apart/ stir with a large fork or spoon until it becomes a nice pulled apart consistency and everything is mixed together nicely.

Serve on rolls with rotkohl or cole slaw (kraut salat) or just as is (maybe with some steamed rice, mashed potatoes or polenta).

Meatloaf with a Honey-Chipotle-Balsamic glaze

I love the show Mad Men. Do you watch it? The early 1960s fashion, decor and general aesthetic in it are completely fascinating to me. In almost every episode, the quintessential desperate housewife Betty Draper, in heels and an apron, is feeding some kind of kitschy, fattening American comfort food to the kids or to Don. Things like Ambrosia salad, Tuna Casserole, and Meatloaf.


Ahh, Meatloaf. It really gets a bad rap - probably because so often its bland, dry, tough, and smothered in the devil of all substances, ketchup (shudder). The fact is though, when done right meatloaf can be positively delicious - full of subtle flavors and offering a simple, rustic comforting meal on a fall or winter night. Its not something I would make often, as I try to keep my meat eating to a bare minimum, but its a great treat every now and again.

This meatloaf is definitely delicious - just a hint of spiciness with sweet rich flavors like balsamic and red wine. They key is not overwork the meat while you combine everything together and to get a good, coarse ground beef. You won't see any ketchup in this recipe either - instead I used a thick potent tomato paste from Italy combined with local honey. It is to die for fresh out of the oven, and is pretty amazing heated up on a sandwich the next day as well.

Meatloaf with a Honey-Chipotle Balsamic glaze
3 cups fresh bread crumbs (I take about 3 or 4 slices of whole wheat bread broken into pieces and pulse in the food processor a few times)
1 egg, whisked
1000g Ground beef (or about 2 to 2 1/2 lbs)
1/2 cup red wine
1 yellow onion, minced
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
5 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed
6 Tbs tomato paste
1/3 cup honey
2 tsp dried oregano, divided
2 tsp dried thyme, divided
1 tsp dried basil
1 pinch dried crushed sage
salt and fresh ground pepper
olive oil

for the glaze:
1/4 c. honey
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbs. Chipotle in adobo (for this, I take one of the little cans, remove seeds from the peppers and make it into a paste in the blender and keep in my fridge, then use 2 tbs of this paste)

First, marinate the meat. In a large bowl, combine the red wine with the ground sirloin. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Cover and let marinate for around 30 minutes. I let it sit out on the counter while I prep everything else so the meat can come to room temperature.

Next, saute your veggies. Heat a bit of olive oil in a skillet and add the carrots and onions. Saute for around 8 minutes over medium low heat, until the veggies soften. Add the garlic, sage, and 1 tsp each of oregano and thyme. Cook for another 2 minutes or so, until garlic is combined and fragrant. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Now make your breadcrumbs. Take about 3 cups fresh bread crumbs and season with the basil and 1 tsp each of oregano and thyme. Put the crumbs in nonstick skillet or frying pan over high heat and toss until just toasted. Remove and let cool.

Whisk together 1/3 cup honey with the 6 Tbs tomato paste. Now everything is ready to mix in with the meat. In a very large bowl, mix the sauteed veggies, the honey/tomato sauce and the breadcrumbs and a whisked egg and mix it all together gently just until combined (unfortunately using your hands is really the best way to combine everything with the meat).

Pack the meat mixture into a loaf pan (if it doesn't fit or you don't have one, just shape into a loaf on a baking sheet covered with parchment).

Whisk together the honey, balsamic vinegar and chipotle for the glaze. Pour a bit over the top of the meat loaf and use a brush to spread it over the rest. Use about 3/4 of the glaze at this point. The glaze isn't super sticky, so it may drip down into the loaf or around the sides, which is awesome because its flavor :)

Put the loaf in center of the oven and cook at 350 F (180 C) for about 1 hour. Remove and apply the rest of the glaze about half way through the cooking.

Let rest for 5 or 10 minutes before cutting. You can slip the whole loaf out of the pan or just individual slices. There will be some juices - reserve them and spoon over slices of the meatloaf for best results. They will be sweet from the honey with just a bit of spice and are simply delicious :)

The Perfect Autumn Chili

This is Autumn in a bowl - the perfect thing to fill up on after a cold, crisp day raking leaves or visiting the apple orchard. The type of thing you want to eat after a long evening trick or treating or after sitting through extended regulation, in the rain on the cold metal bleachers as you watch your team pull out a win.

It is packed full of flavor from chipotle and ancho chilis. It is full of heartiness and nutrition from the black beans, kidney beans, and pumpkin. And it has a deep richness from the chocolate, espresso and dark beer. Its spicy and hearty, simple and inexpensive - all the things a good chili is supposed to be.

It has a lot of ingredients - but most of them are your average pantry staple making this pretty easy to prepare. It is also relatively healthy and low fat compared to your average chili. It is great over a baked potato, polenta, or rice. You can top traditionally with sour cream and shredded cheese if you like - I recommend trying shredded monterrey jack or crumbled cotija as an alternative to cheddar.



Hearty Autumn Chili
with pumpkin, black beans, and chocolate

1 large onion, chopped
1 heaping tsp. cumin seeds
5 cloves garlic, pressed
2 heaping tsp cumin powder
1 heaping tsp coriander
1 tbs dried chopped oregano
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 cup chili paste (see below)
1/4 cup espresso
.5 Liter dark beer
6 cups cooked black beans
2 cups cooked pumpkin puree
2 cans tomato chunks or diced tomatoes
1 cup water from soaking ancho chilies
50 g unsweetened chocolate
1/2 tbs cocoa powder
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
2 big tbs tomato paste
16 oz Kidney beans (drained)
salt (to taste)
olive oil

Chili paste:
2 big tbs chipotle paste (to make this, I take one small can of chipotles in adobo, remove all the seeds from the peppers (except for maybe one), and blend it up in a blender, sauce and all. I keep this in my fridge or freezer at pretty much all times. I find if I don't remove the seeds, its way too hot)
2 large dried ancho chilies, soaked in a cup or so of water for at least 30 minutes
1 tbs of the soaking water

First, make the chili paste. Take the soaked ancho chilies, remove the seeds, and chop up. In a blender or food processor, combine the chipotle paste, chopped ancho chilies, and a tbs of the soaking water. Pulse it until it is fairly smooth. Scrape it out into a small bowl and set aside.

Heat a few tablespoons olive oil in a large, heavy pot. Add onions, season with salt, and saute over medium heat until they start becoming clear (around 5 minutes) and add cumin seeds. Cook another 5 minutes or so (don't let onions brown).

Add garlic and let it saute for around 1 minute, then add cumin powder, coriander, dried oregano and cayenne pepper. Stir to combine and let cook for a minute or two more. Add espresso and stir.

Add the cooked black beans and combine. Stir in the chili paste, then pour in the beer. Let foam subside then stir to combine everything well. Stir in pumpkin, then tomatoes (with liquid) and the water from the ancho chilies. Stir everything well and let it heat up for a few minutes.

Stir in the pieces of unsweetened chocolate until they are melted and combined, then the sugar, vanilla, and tomato paste. Cover and let simmer on low heat for around 3o minutes.

Add kidney beans, then honey, then slowly stir in the cocoa powder. Stir up every thing real good, then let it simmer on low heat for around 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Taste and season with salt (or additional chili paste or cayenne pepper if you want more heat) as necessary.

Wild Mushroom & Leek Soup

As an artist, I am always thinking about the things that are catching my eye - those things that are a source of inspiration to me at the moment. It may be colors, patterns, or light at a certain time of day.

Right now, its Autumn that is inspiring me. Specifically - a sort-of storybook idealistic European Autumn with dense, fragrant woodlands full of changing leaves, cool brisk breezes, and warm sunlight peeking through the trees. Everything is beautiful shades of brown, taupe, burnt orange, mustard yellow and sage. In this idealized Autumn scene I have a basket in my hand and I am collecting blackberries, chestnuts and wild mushrooms.

Naturally, all those delicious wild mushrooms would just love to be a warm and soothing soup. A soup enjoyed in an over-sized arm chair in front of the hearth, a soft afghan over my lap and a good novel in my hand.

This recipe really fit that bill. It is low-fat yet still very rich and filling and right now with all the mushrooms in season its easy on the pocket book as well. This makes a great main dish but would also be a beautiful first course at a dinner party (followed of course by things like roasted pumpkin, sweet corn and warm apple and pear desserts).


Wild Mushroom & Leek Soup
350 g Chanterelle Mushrooms, chopped (about a cup and half)
350 g Baby Bella/Cremini Mushrooms, sliced (about 5 or 6 cups after sliced. These are just called Brown mushrooms in Germany)
2 large Leeks, chopped - white parts only (about 3 and half cups after chopped)
5 cloves of garlic, pressed
1 teaspoon dried chopped Rosemary
1 teaspoon dried chopped Thyme
3 Tbs flour
1/2 cup Red wine
2 cups Beef or vegetable broth
3 cups water
1/2 cup 2 percent milk (you can of course use cream instead - just use much less and add it just as you are taking the soup off the heat. Or you can just leave this out and make this vegan as well)
Olive oil
Salt and Pepper


Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the chopped leeks and season with a bit of salt. Let saute for around 10 minutes or so. Add the baby bella mushrooms and let saute for around 3 minutes. Add Chantarelles, herbs, garlic, and season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine and let saute for another 3 to 5 minutes.

Sprinkle in the flour and stir until combined and coating all the vegetables. Add the red wine and let simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the broth and water. Raise heat until soup just comes to a boil, then reduce and let simmer uncovered for around 30 minutes. Stir in the milk and let simmer for another 10 minutes or so. Serve warm.

I topped this with caramelized shallots and Chantarelle mushrooms, which gave it a little something extra. Would also be good with toasted hazelnuts and a thick hearty whole grain bread to soak up the broth.

Simple & Spicy Black Bean Soup

I love cheap and easy recipes. Like, more than any other kind of recipe. I like to make things that cost next to nothing, feed me multiple times, and can be made all in one pot with only a handful of ingredients.


And lets face it, just about everyone right now is trying to learn how to be a bit more frugal, right? Whether you are facing a lay off or are just trying to pay off loans or are saving for a rainy day, its nice to not spend all of your cash on food. I love food - cooking is one of my main hobbies - but I still wish I could spend less money on it. And most days I don't really feel like spending any effort on it either.


This is one of the mains reasons I love both beans and soup. Beans are cheap and versatile, there are like a million different kinds, and soup goes a looong way. I like to make a large pot of soup and freeze all the excess in individual sized containers for fast and easy meals later on. This is one of my brainless week-night go-to soups - its ridiculously simple using just a few ingredients from my pantry (which makes it that much easier on the cash flow) and easy to make and clean up. Its just a simple thick and slightly spicy soup; you can dress it up with sour cream or crema, cotija cheese, rice or polenta, and it can stay in the freezer for up to six months.


See HERE for some of my other favorite soup recipes.

For more info on beans, including tidbits on nutrition, frugality and preparation and storage - check out this awesome post on Phytophiliac.

Black Bean Soup
1 lb black beans, soaked overnight
1 large yellow onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
1 tbs lime zest
3 tbs cumin
1 tbs chili powder
1/2 tbs cayenne
1/4 cup lime juice
1 heaping tbs sliced pickled jalapeños (of course you could use fresh peppers instead - but I tend to just use things I always have in my pantry, and this is one of those things)
4 cups chicken or veggie stock, 2 cups water
olive oil
salt and pepper

In a large stock pot, heat a few tbs olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper, and saute until soft - around 10 minutes. Add the garlic and lime zest and saute until fragrant, around 1 minute. Add cumin, chili powder, cayenne, jalapenos, and lime juice. Let combine for around 30 seconds. Add the black beans and toss together.

Add the liquid and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer, uncovered, for around 3o minutes, then cover and simmer for another one and a half hours or until beans are very soft and liquid has reduced somewhat. Stir occasionally and keep an eye on it - sometimes you might need more water. (I know this sounds like a lot of cooking time, but you can just get it simmerin' and then go about your business)

Taste and season as necessary. Blend with an immersion blender (or in a blender in batches) until smooth. Serve warm with any of the following: baguette, polenta (my favorite), a scoop of rice, sour cream or crema, fresh cilantro, crumbled cotija cheese. So many ways to liven it up :)

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Growing up, we moved around a lot, which usually meant we lived really far away from the Grandparents. I don't have a lot of memories of my Grandma because of this - she died when I was just 13. The memories I do have revolve around food - especially the never ending supply of homemade Oatmeal Raisin Cookies in the basement. I used to love sneaking down there and eating as many as I could.

I really have no memory of eating Oatmeal Raisin Cookies at any other time in my childhood, and to this day I cannot even see one without thinking of my grandma and her basement full of goodies. Every now and again I will think of my Grandma's cookies and get a hankering to make some of my own.
Unfortunately this isn't my Grandma's recipe (I have no idea where I would even find that!) But they still have that delicious baked raisin taste that reminds me of her. They are chewy on the inside, just a tad crunchy on the outside, warm and hearty and perfect for Autumn. The key to this recipe is really two things - the type of sugar, Muscovado, which is a pure unrefined cane sugar (brown sugar but without Molasses) and the fresh grated Nutmeg. They both add a warm spiciness to the cookies that make them absolutely delicious.


Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
115 g Butter (about 1/2 cup), softened (just leave it out of the fridge for an hour or two)
2/3 cup Muscovado sugar (you should be able to find this at any whole food or organic grocery)
1 egg, at room temp
3/4 tsp Vanilla Extract
3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
fresh grated nutmeg (about 1/4 tsp)
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup raisins

Cream together butter, sugar, egg and vanilla with an electric mixer.

Whisk or sift together the flour, soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the butter mixture.

Stir in the oats and raisins until well combined. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for an hour or two.

Preheat oven to 175 C (350 F).

Drop the dough in small rounds onto parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until just browning on the edges.

"I Need Chocolate Now" Cake

Sometimes I will have some big plan for a post on here. Which usually means I have some big plan for dinner. Like for Teriyaki Salmon, or maybe Eggplant Parmesan. Then, life happens. I get tired, Cory works late.....or I start pms-ing and decide I want to eat cake instead of make dinner.

More to the point - chocolate cake. It happens. A lot. Usually I will make chocolate chip cookies because they are fast and I can just eat the dough when its like, a serious emergency. Which it sometimes is. What? I am not ashamed. Sometimes, I need sugar and chocolate and I need it NOW.

But this time, I needed chocolate. And more chocolate. And I kinda really wanted it in the form of a bread-shaped cake substance. I figured if I am craving something my body is just trying to tell me something right? Shouldn't I listen?

At any rate, this worked marvellously to make my day a whole lot better. Its simple and it freezes well and its packed with chocolate, just like I like it. It would be great for a tea time snack or a dessert. I am thinking Death by Chocolate - a slice of this topped with chocolate ice cream and covered in hot fudge. Whip cream is optional.


Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cake
1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 Tbs Cocoa Powder
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup milk
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 F / 180 C. Butter all sides of a loaf pan.

Mix together butter and sugar with an electric mixer. Add the eggs one at a time, then mix in vanilla and cocoa powder.

Whisk together Flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Add half of this to the butter mixture and combine. Stir in the rest until well combined. (side note: I had the slightest inkling to just stop here and make some kind of cookie-ish creation with the dough at this point. I might still try it sometime)

Stir in the milk a little bit at a time, then mix with an electric mixer until smooth (I did it this way to prevent everything flying all over my kitchen when I turned the mixer on. Feel free to adjust as necessary)

Stir in the chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and cook in oven for 30 minutes to an hour (sorry for the crazy time window but it just depends on your oven. I cooked for 30 minutes in my convection oven and that was just about right. Use the toothpick method if needed)

Let cool for 20 minutes or so before removing from pan. I recommend an additional 20 minutes before slicing.

Coloroful Quinoa Salad

I don't how it took me so long, but I just discovered Quinoa, and it is awesome. If you aren't already acquainted, please allow me introduce you to this beautiful little seed which dates back to Pre-Colombian Andean civilization. Now, I am not an expert in nutrition (want one? Check out the Whole Food Whole Family blog), but this little seed is a super source of complete protein, high in fiber, high in iron - all things we humans really need.

Not only is Quinoa super good for you, it tastes amazing. I love the texture. You can use it as a replacement for rice, couscous and other grains (it is Gluten Free) and its super fast and easy to make.
This dish isn't just healthy because of the Quinoa either. I had all these beautiful violet and yellow carrots I got at the market (which for some crazy but awesome reason were only 1 euro for about 2 kilos worth), some left over zucchini, and tomatoes sitting in my fridge. Combining them all in this salad makes it a powerhouse of vitamins and other nutrients.

Did you know that the cultivated carrots original color is Purple? They date back to the 900s in Afghanistan. Wild carrots are even more ancient - with seeds up to 10 thousand years old having been found. I love ancient food! This dish brings together all these super healthy and ancient foods in a beautiful colorful dish. It would make a great side dish, but we ate it as our whole meal and it was delicious and filling - and did I mention colorful? Everything turns a pinkish-purple color, combined with the greens and reds from all the veggies. I loved it!

Colorful Quinoa Salad
1 cup Quinoa
1 cup vegetable broth
1 cup water
2-4 tbs lemon juice
1-2 tsp lemon zest
2 tbs chopped fresh basil
1 tsp fresh thyme
3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
4 carrots (2 purple, 2 yellow or any mix of colors you can get your hands on), sliced into rounds
1 or 2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 cup chopped zuchhini (like half a normal sized zucchini)
1/2 cup chopped onion (about 1/4 of a large onion)
2 tbs tomato paste
1/4 cup white wine
olive oil
salt & pepper

First, drain the water out of your zucchini. Place in a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Let sit for 20 minutes or so, then pour off the excess water and pat dry.

In a medium saucepan, heat a bit of olive oil over medium heat. Add 2 cloves garlic, lemon zest and a pinch or two of salt. Saute garlic until fragrant and soft, but not yet browning. Just about one minute. Add 1 tbs of basil and cook for another 30 seconds to a minute. Add in the vegetable broth and water and bring to a boil. When it reaches a boil, add the Quinoa and 1 tbs lemon juice and give it a stir. Bring liquid back to a simmer, then reduce heat, cover and allow to cook until Quinoa has absorbed all of the liquid. Set aside.

In a large skillet, heat around 2 tbs olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and carrots and give it a stir. Cover and let cook for around 3 or 4 minutes. Uncover and stir. Add zuchinni and tomato and garlic. Let saute for another 10 minutes or so, until veggies have all gotten nice and soft and maybe just browning. Raise heat slightly and add herbs and let saute another minute or two, until it starts to brown. Add the white wine and cook until it reduces down. Add tomato paste and stir to combine it all together. Stir in Quinoa.

Remove from heat and enjoy :)

Upside Down Plum Cake

I have literally be wanting to make Upside Down cake for a year. It started sometime last fall when I came across this this recipe from David Lebovitz. So yesterday when I had some beautiful plums that were begging to be made into some kind of beautiful dessert I figured it was finally time.


Germany has a long tradition of Plum cake - every bakery is full of it this time of year - and all those cakes feature these Zwetsche plums, known as Italian Prune plums in the States. While this isn't a traditional German cake at all, I couldn't resist making these super ripe sweet plums into an upside down cake so that they would bake down in all the brown sugary goodness.

It is delicious - and pretty. You can eat it warm or at room temp - but if it you make it ahead of time don't flip it out of the pan. Refrigerate it in the pan, then rewarm in the oven and flip before serving.

You can of course use just about any fruit with this and it makes a great way to show off in-season goodies. I altered the recipe only slightly - I was using a smaller pan and found that I could use a lot less brown sugar and fruit. Oh - and thanks David for always including grams in your recipes!


Upside Down Plum Cake

For the fruit layer:
3 tablespoons butter (45g), salted or unsalted
1/2 cup packed (170g) light brown sugar
fruit: 5 plums sliced (I cut into eigths)

For the cake layer:

8 tablespoons (115g) unsalted butter
3/4 cup (150g) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature.
1 1/2 cups (210g) flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (125ml) milk (David recommended whole but I used 1 percent and it was fine)

1. Melt the 3 tablespoons (45g) of butter in an 8-inch cake pan. Add the brown sugar and cook while stirring, until the sugar is melted and begins to bubble. Remove from heat and let cool.

2. Once cool, arrange the fruit in a pinwheel design, in the center of circle of fruit I put one diced plum, skin side down (so that it would look perty when flipped over). Set aside.

3. To make the cake, preheat the oven to 350F. (190C)

4. Beat the 8 tablespoons (115g) of butter and sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add the vanilla, then the eggs, one at a time, until smooth.

5. Whisk or sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

6. Stir in half of the flour mixture with a spoon, then the milk, then the remaining dry ingredients. Do not overmix: stir just until the flour is barely incorporated into the batter.

7. Spread the batter over the fruit, then bake for 30 to 45 minutes to one hour (depending on the size of the pan, and the thickness of the batter and whether you are using a conventional or convection oven) The cake is ready when it begins to pull away from the sides of the pan and the center feels just set.

8. Remove from oven, let cool about 20 minutes, then place a plate on top, and wearing oven mitts, flip the cake out on to the plate, taking care, as there may be some hot caramel that might escape.