Third time's a charm... right? (Coconut Pound Cake)

We decided to put up new curtains a couple of weeks ago.
Bought the rod...
... it was too short.
Took it back and bought another rod (the right length this time).
It was missing a piece.
Took it back and got one more...
it fit and worked.

Third time;s a charm.


It was time to get a new dining table.
Er... get our own dining table, instead of using a hand-me-down one.
It arrived.  We opened the box.  The screws were loose and the table was broken.
Called, complained, and waited for a new one.
The reviews were all 4 1/2 stars or above...
Excellent packing, no loose screws, but broken top.
We are waiting for another one.
Which will be perfect, they assured me...

Third time's a charm.

Made a recipe the other day.
Didn't have all of the ingredients, so I thought would substitute.
The pictures were amazing.
The taste was good.
The texture was awful.

Made another recipe after that.
The texture was good.
The taste was pretty darn incredible (my husband feel in love with me even a bit more, I think...)
The pictures?  They are the ones you see here.
Not terrible, but good.
Just Ok.
But I want more than OK.  I want GOOD and GREAT and YES, I AM PROUD OF THESE pictures.

Next time, it is going down.  Beautiful pictures and a fabulous taste to accompany it.  How do I know?

Because third time's a charm.

(Seriously, though, MAKE THIS.  Trust me, OK?  Ok.  Thank you.)

Coconut Pound Cake
Recipe adapted from Everyday Food, Oct. 2012
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ingredients

• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk mixed together with 1 teaspoon of white vinegar
• 1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut, toasted, divided
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar

directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 4 1/2-by-8 1/2-inch loaf pan. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, using a mixer, beat butter and granulated sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy, 8 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed. Add vanilla, then eggs, one at a time, beating well and scraping down bowl. With mixer on low, add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with two 1/2-cup additions buttermilk, and beat until combined. With a rubber spatula, fold in 1 1/4 cups coconut.
2. Transfer batter to pan and bake until a skewer inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 60 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet, 1 hour. Remove cake from pan and let cool completely on rack. (Store at room temperature, wrapped in plastic, up to 4 days.)
3. Whisk together confectioners' sugar and remaining 2 tablespoons buttermilk. Drizzle over cake and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup coconut.
   
   

   COST: $4.39  COST PER SLICE (10): $0.44

Dinner in a Flash: Salmon with Fennel, Bell Pepper, and Orange

BEFORE (above)...

Twenty minutes from start to finish.  I kid you not.

Chop some veggies and fruit, throw on some salmon, sprinkle salt and pepper, and then broil.  Drop some olives on top and... that's it!  Dinner is done in flash.

Who knew healthy eating could be so fast -- and delicious?!

AFTER (below)... 

Don't thank me, thank Everyday Food.  Unfortunately, they no longer have a print version of their magazine (yes, a tear almost slid down my cheek...), but I hear they are keeping the love of good, wholesome food alive online.  I will for sure be following along.  You should, too.  Either way, I will be eating good tonight... :)

Salmon with Fennel, Bell Pepper, and Orange

Recipe from Everyday Food, Dec. 2012

Prep: 10 Min    Total Time: 20 min    Servings: 4

ingredients

• 1 navel orange
• 1 large bulb fennel, cored and thinly sliced, 1/4 cup fronds reserved
• 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 skinless salmon fillets (4 to 6 ounces each)
• Salt and pepper
• 1/3 cup pitted black olives, quartered

directions

1. Heat broiler, with rack 8 inches from heat. Grate 1 tablespoon orange zest, then cut orange into wedges. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss together orange zest and wedges, fennel, bell pepper, and oil and arrange in an even layer. Add salmon and season vegetables and salmon with salt and pepper. Broil until vegetables are browned in spots and salmon is opaque throughout, 8 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with olives and fennel fronds to serve.
   ( You can eat the cooked oranges (peel and all) or squeeze the juice over the fish.)

COST: $10.40   COST PER SERVING (4): $2.60

Have yourself a very peary Christmas! (Butternut Squash and Pear Soup)

It's all done.  Christmas shopping that is.  A pile of gifts are to my right and a heap of wrapping paper is to my left.

Is it just me or was Christmas kind sneaky this year?  Seriously, it feels like it came out of nowhere.  Not that I am complaining.  I adore Christmas.  The lights, the music, the laughter, the story of a baby born long ago... it truly is the most wonderful time of the year.

Some other things I love about Christmas:

Peppermint everything
The smell of Christmas trees
Mannheim Steamroller

Wreaths on the door
Rain coming down (yes, rain and not snow... California!)
Giving presents

Fudge
Christmas cookies
Mistletoe

What a minute -- I have never actually been kissed under the mistletoe before!  Guess I better grab that many of mine and make some Christmas magic happen! ;)

And last, but not least, SOUP!  It has always been one of my favorite dishes, and I hope it forever more shall be...

How about you?  What are your favorite things from this season?

BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND PEAR SOUP
Recipe from Everyday Food, Dec. 2012

ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced large
• 1 small butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled, seeded, and diced large
• 2 pears, peeled and diced large
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt
• Chopped fresh chives, for serving

directions

1. In a medium pot, heat oil over medium-high. Add onion and cook until translucent, 6 minutes. Add squash, pears, and 4 cups water; season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce to a rapid simmer and cook until squash is soft, 20 to 25 minutes.
2. In batches, fill a blender halfway with soup and puree with yogurt until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids), transferring to a clean pot as you work. Season with salt and pepper; serve with chives and a drizzle of olive oil.

COST: $$4.42   COST PER SERVING (6): $0.74

It's KALE Day! Woot-woot! (Kale Hand Pies)

Do you know what today is?  It's Kale Day!

I know, I know.  That is a silly thing to be excited about.  Kale, Tiffany?  Really?

Yes, really.  We LOVE kale in our family.  Blame it on the Brazilian, but we love kale.

In honor of this very special day, I made some kale hand pies.  This was seriously one of the most time consuming recipes I have made recently.  And my kitchen was covered in flour afterwards.  But our taste buds and bellies were happy, so it's all good.  ALL good.

As the kale lovers we are, we have lots of great kale ideas:

Click any picture to be taken to the recipe.

White bean soup with kale and chicken sausage

Kale and cheddar biscuits

Kale quesadillas

Potato and kale pancakes

Kale and spinach green smoothies

Chicken and kale casserole

Sauteed kale with garlic

I told you we love kale ;)

Recipe adapted from Everyday Food, November 2011

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups unbleached flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for rolling
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fine salt
• 1/2 cup ice water
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 10 ounces (about 1 1/2 links) sweet Italian sausage, casings removed (I used chicken sausage)
• 1 medium onion, diced medium
• 1 tart apple, such as Granny Smith, peeled and diced medium
• 1 bunch kale (3/4 pound), tough stems and ribs removed, leaves coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup cranberries
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• Egg yolk, for brushing

Directions

1. In a food processor, pulse flour, butter, and salt until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining. With machine running, sprinkle with 1/4 cup ice water; pulse just until dough holds together when squeezed (if necessary, add up to 1/4 cup more water, 1 tablespoon at a time); do not overmix. Form dough into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate 30 minutes (or up to overnight).
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add sausage and cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 6 minutes. Add apple, kale, and cranberries and cook until kale is almost tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; season with salt and pepper.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to an 1/8-inch thickness. With a large round cookie cutter or small bowl, cut out eight 6- to 7-inch rounds (reroll scraps if necessary). Place 1/2 cup kale mixture in center of each round and fold over filling to form half-moons. With a fork, press edges firmly to seal. Place pies on baking sheets and brush with egg yolk.
4. Cut a small vent in each pie and bake until golden brown and crisp, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Let cool slightly on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Cook's Note

To save time, use store-bought rolled pie dough to make the crusts for these hand pies.

COST: $7.28   COST PER PIE (8): $0.98

Turkey-and-Onion Paprikash

It's late.  I'm tired.  You're tired.  Let's keep this short and sweet.

Turkey-and-Onion Paprikash.  It's like stroganoff, but turkey.  And paprika.  Try it.  It's gooood.  Very good.  And quite fun to say.

Goodnight!

Recipe adapted from Everyday Food, September 2012
PREP TIME: 25 minutes        TOTAL TIME: 25 minutes       YIELD: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 pound turkey cutlets, halved horizontally
• Salt and pepper
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 4 roma tomatoes, diced small
• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• Cooked egg noodles, for serving
• Dill, to sprinkle on top

Directions

1. Pat turkey dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
2. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high. In batches, cook turkey until cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
3. Reduce heat to medium, then add onion, tomatoes, and remaining 2 tablespoons butter; cook until onion has softened and tomatoes have broken down, 6 minutes. Add paprika and cook 1 minute.
4. Add broth and cook, stirring, until slightly thickened, 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream. Return turkey to pan along with any accumulated juices. Sprinkle with dill and serve over noodles.

Cook's Note

This recipe works well with chicken cutlets as well.

COST: $11.43   COST PER SERVING: $2.85

Served with a side of cooked kale, about $3.00 per plate

Orange Glazed Chicken

A few nights ago I tried a new chicken recipe.  You know, I wasn't so sure it would turn out that great.  OJ concentrate with Worcestershire sauce -- among other odd ingredients -- just seemed a little, I don't know, CRAZY.  But the picture in Everyday Food just looked so good, so I needed to try.

Well...

we had it again tonight.  So, yes, it was good.  Very good.

I just did this recipe straight as the magazine said, except I did not use hot sauce.  Feel free to add it if you want, but trust me, it is good without.  Here -- I even found their video on how to make it to share with you at the end of this post.

ORANGE GLAZED CHICKEN

Recipe from Everyday Food, June 2012

Ingredients

• 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 cup thawed orange juice concentrate
• 1 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons light-brown sugar
• 4 teaspoons white-wine vinegar
• 4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons hot sauce

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees, with rack in upper third. Season chicken with salt and pepper and arrange, skin side down, on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until deep golden brown and cooked through, 45 to 50 minutes, flipping halfway through.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine 1 teaspoon salt, juice concentrate, ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook until mixture has thickened, 18 to 20 minutes.
3. Heat broiler. Transfer chicken to a large bowl, add glaze, and toss to coat. Drain off fat from sheet. Return chicken to sheet and broil until sauce is bubbling and chicken is dark brown in spots, 1 to 2 minutes.

COST: $12.75    Cost per serving (4): $3.19

PLUS SMALL SALAD & GARLIC BREAD: $3.89 per serving

Peaches & Cream Bundt Cake and a little bit of fireworks...

After my failed attempts at making something wonderful and patriotic for the celebration yesterday, I finally had success.

Yes, finally.

This bundt cake came not only after the un-popsicles, but also after spilling a whole bunch of flour all over my just-cleaned kitchen (grr!) and discovering that I was missing a key ingredient and was presently car-less so I couldn't go get it.  However, that missing ingredient was sour cream and I wrote post a few months back for my Brazil-dwelling friends who wanted to know how to cook some of these sour-cream laden recipes sans sour cream, as they don't have it in Brazil.  This post came in handy for me yesterday.  I tried on of the ways that Google had shared with me awhile back, and you know what?  It worked!  So much so that it was the first dessert gone at the BBQ yesterday, and I was able to celebrate my country in style...

I think the 4th of July is about the five-F's: FRIENDS

FAMILY & the FLAG


FOOD

and, everybody's favorite, FIREWORKS!

I hope you all had a great time celebrating with your loved ones yesterday!  Bummer to those of you in San Diego... my favorite city in America really let you down.  Want a little pick-me-up?  Try some of this cake.  It screams "American Summer!" at the top of its lungs.

Peaches & Cream Bundt Cake

Recipe adapted from Everyday Food, June 2012
(a Brazil-friendly version)

• Prep Time 15 minutes
• Total Time 1 1/4 hours + cooling
• Yield Serves 16

Ingredients

• 3 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
• 3 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 3-4 peaches, peeled, pitted, and diced small
• 2 1/4 cups sugar
• 6 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 1/4 cup sour cream OR 1 cup milk mixed with 1 teaspoon white vinegar & 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• Whipped cream (optional)
• All-purpose flour

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 14-cup nonstick Bundt pan. Whisk together 3 cups flour, baking soda, and salt. Toss peaches with remaining 2 tablespoons flour to coat. In a large bowl, using a mixer, beat 2 sticks butter and 2 cups sugar on medium-high until fluffy and pale yellow. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. With mixer on low, add flour mixture in 2 additions, alternating with sour cream/sour cream alternative, and beat until combined. Fold peaches and vanilla into batter and transfer to pan. Tap pan firmly on counter several times to remove any air bubbles and smooth top.
2. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 1 hour. Transfer pan to a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet; let cool 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, melt remaining 1 stick butter. Combine remaining 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon. Using an offset spatula or small knife, loosen cake from pan, then invert onto rack. Working in sections, brush cake with butter and sprinkle liberally with cinnamon sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature, with whipped cream if desired.

Cook's Note

Cover and keep at room temperature, up to 3 days.

Cost (without whipped cream): $8.79      COST per serving (16): $0.55

Delicious and cheap?  Just the way I like it! 

Not Barefoot in the Kitchen -- Kale Quesadillas

Did you know that green is my favorite color?  Well, it is.  I like a lot of colors, but my absolute most favorite is green.  Which is one of the reasons I like Spring so much.  St. Patrick's Day is never a really big deal to me but I do appreciate the fact that everything gets to be green on that day. 

Look at my smile.  There is no denying my love for this color of life that is surrounding me!  That's because good things come in green: grassy fields, palm trees, money... see? 

And kale.  Kale comes in green, too.

That makes it a perfect ingredient for St. Patrick's Day food. 

I know a lot people don't really like it, but in Brazil they looooove kale.  I have never met a Brazilian who doesn't like it.  In fact, I never even knew what it was until I was there and had lots of couve served to me.  For all I knew it was a vegetable native to that land of plenty.  It wasn't until my husband desperately needed some (or so he said) that I searched around and found out that it was sitting in my local grocery store all along.  Silly me.

Something else that is green that I am loving is this top.  I have had it for about a year now, but it is still one of my favorites.  And the belt... the best part is that the it came with the shirt.  For $17 at Love Culture I got not only a cute top but an incredibly useful and sassy belt, too.  Then I was able to save some green ;)

Belts have become all the rage lately.  Well, I guess not just lately, they come and go as all fashion does, but right now they are quite popular.  I don't own all that many, three actually, but these three have served me well. 

My first was this one:

Yes, I call it the Santa belt because, as you might be able to see, it looks like the belt Santa wears around his bowl-full-of-jelly-belly. 

Then I got the one you see in today's pictures.

My everything belt.  It has found a prominent place in my wardrobe.

And last, but definitely not least, is my favorite:

Yeah, I name my belts... but you must admit, this one is kind of Madonna-ish with it's little studs and all.  I got it at H&M, and Madonna is actually one of their designers, so who knows... it might actually be a "Madonna Belt".

The thing I like about belts is this: they are one simple thing you can do that make your outfit go "almost there" to "complete".  I must thank my friend and colleague Patricia for encouraging me to start using them in my attire.  She has a great eye for accessories, one that I am trying to develop.  But I am learning.  Like with this headband.  It is something that is so simple, yet makes a big difference.  And it was only $5 at Charlotte Russe.  What a steal!

So back to that other green... the kale.  I was flipping through the latest issue of Everyday Food and saw this little header:  "More ways to give kale kid appeal" and under it were some great ideas:

1. Tear, toss with oil, and bake for crisp chips                (check!  Did that last October.  Yum.)
2. Replace some basil with blanched kale when making pesto
3. Add sauteed kale to grilled cheese or quesadilla

I didn't even need to go on.  Sure, the list had a few more, but I honed in on what I wanted: kale quesadillas.

We rarely have tortillas in the house, but I did have lavash bread.  Kale and cheese were already in the fridge, as well.  In fact, all of the ingredients were in that "now what do I do with them?" phase that food goes through when you have more than you need for a recipe but no good idea of how to get rid of them. 

BINGO! 

I knew exactly how to get rid of them...

By Jove, we have a winner!  I just added a little Feta (also in that limbo stage that food lives in sometimes) and man oh man, it was good.  So good that we had it two days in a row.  And then right now as my husband asked what I was working on and I showed him he said, "Oh.... *drool*  that's GOOD!"

Kid appeal?  Shoot, this had adult appeal. 

There you have it folks, Kale Quesadillas.  An unexpected turn of events, but a highly welcomed one.  And green, perfect for this time of year.  Enjoy!


INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 pack lavash bread
• 1/2 bunch fresh kale
• Cheese -- your favorite
• 1/2 cup of Feta
• Spreadable butter
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• salt to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Chop the kale in to small sections.  Over medium heat, put the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet.  When warm, add kale and a dash of salt.  Stir occasionally until sauteed, about 5 minutes.  When finished, set kale aside and clean out skillet. 
2. Using lavash bread, kale, cheese, and feta, make quesadillas.  Put butter on the sides of the bread that will touch the pan to help grill.  At this point I am going to assume you know what to do... so go for it! :)

Cost: $5.68                   Cost Per Serving (4) $1.42

Add a salad on the side for a complete meal, and it is still under $2 per serving. 

Down Home Chicken & Dumpling Soup

Remember how I told you how much I love Martha Stewart's Everyday Food?  Well, there is a reason.  I have actually liked every single thing I have made from this little magazine.  Everything.  That is pretty impressive.  Sure, some I like more than others, but I would be willing to eat every single one again. 

This soup is no different.  Here is the thing:  This soup was not like wow-so-amazing good, but it definitely ahhh-I-am-satisfied-with-life good.  I guess that's what the name suggests, right?  Down home soup.  When I think of being "down home" I think of peace, comfort, and warmth.  This soup fits right into that.  And I even got to steal some lemons from the neighbors to make it happen.  I have been waiting for a chance to steal the lemons.  They just look so good...  (And as you will notice, the lemons are hanging over the fence.  I figure if they are on my side, they are fair game.)

I didn't do what Martha suggested and make my own soup broth.  I just pulled some bullion out of the cupboard.  And as for the shredded chicken, I just grabbed some pre-cooked chicken pieces out of the refrigerator section at Trader Joe's -- Parmesan Caesar style.  I read a review that this soup was bland, but not the way I cooked it.  No sirree.  Besides, anything with lemon tastes better, right?

And then I made dumplings.  From scratch.  Not from the Bisquick box.  Yeah, yeah, I know... that may not be a big deal for you, but it was my first time.  I remember a little less than a year ago I made dumplings for the first time with the Bisquick and I felt amazing.  And now from scratch, well, I guess you can say I am moving on up in the world.

Little side note -- I didn't have buttermilk.  However, a Google search allowed me to figure out that if you take regular mix (1 cup) and let a teaspoon of vinegar sit in it for five minutes, you get a buttermilk substitute.  So not only can I now make dumplings, but I can make buttermilk-substitute, too.  I am a smarty-pants, I tell ya.

Recipe from Everyday Food by Martha Stewart, Jan/Feb 2012

Yield Serves 6

 

Ingredients

• 10 cups broth
• 4 cups shredded chicken
• 1 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 ounce baby spinach, roughly chopped (1 cup)
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• Lemon wedges, for serving

 

Directions

1. In a large pot, bring broth to a simmer over medium-high. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. With a fork, stir in buttermilk and spinach to form a dough.
2. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls on top of simmering broth. Cover and cook until dumplings are cooked through, 7 to 10 minutes. Gently stir in chicken, season with salt and pepper, and cook until chicken is warmed through, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.

Cost: $7.65                   Cost Per Serving (6): $1.28