Toasted Marshmallow Shakes

Hold on to your hats, people.  I'm about to give you the very recipe for delight.  It will put a twinkle in your eye and a skip in your step and I'm not talking about showtunes.  I'm talking about this: Toasted Marshmallow Shakes.  Whatever you are doing, stop it immediately.  It's time for an ice-cold glass of toasty marshmallow goodness.  Thank you, Spike Mendelsohn, our lives have been forever changed.

Go here for the recipe.

Godspeed.

Under the Weather

Dear Summer Cold,

Please GO AWAY!! I hate you and your stupid face.  I need to be able to breathe through my nose and to hear through my right ear.  I am tired of this sore throat and the sneezing and the coughing.  Do you know what this all means?  That's right.  I can't cook.  Well, I could...but then the rest of the world would become infected.  I can't cook and cooking makes me happy.  You stupid summer cold.  Why did you have to show up NOW just as my blog was starting to get good?  You're just so mean, you summer cold. 

In hate,
Bethany

 PS: All I want is THIS:

Maybe my husband will make it.

Vegetable Tomato Sauce

I'm in love.  With this lady.  She inspires me to make delicious food, to try things I may not have attempted had it not been for her, and to say things that sound Italian like: "mangia mangia!" and "delizioso!" Basically, she turns me into a total goof, but isn't that what love is all about?!  Inspired by her simple sauce recipe, I made my own version of veggie-laden tomato sauce that was a huge hit.  It makes a ton, so you can freeze some and have it again when the weather cools.  (It's cool in Duluth, but I'm aware that, at least, the rest of Minnesota is in a bit of a heat wave.)  That being said: the sauce.

Vegetable Tomato Sauce

1/4 c. olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

3 large cloves garlic, grated (or finely minced)

2 ribs celery, diced

2 carrots, peeled and diced

2 (32 oz) cans whole, peeled tomatoes

1 bunch fresh basil, shredded and chopped

2 dried bay leaves

1 t. sugar

2-3 dashes hot sauce

pinch red pepper flakes

salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add onions and garlic and saute until soft and translucent.  Add chopped carrot and celery, season with salt and pepper.  Saute until all veggies are soft, about 5 minutes.

Add tomatoes, basil, bay leaves, sugar, hot sauce, and red pepper flakes.  Cover and let simmer for about 30-40 minutes until tomatoes start to break down.

Working in batches, if necessary, transfer approximately 4 cups of sauce to blender and puree.  Add to sauce and stir.  Continue to let simmer for another 30 minutes.  This recipe yields about 8 cups of sauce.  After removing the amount you would like to freeze, stir in cooked farfalle (or pasta of your choice) and a handful of shredded parmesan. 

ENJOY!!

Turkey Pot Pie Burgers

Burgers.  The quintessential summer meal.  They're easy, they taste good, they go well with cheese. Bam! Done!  Inspired by this little lady, I made my own version of the turkey pot pie burger.  I halved the amount of burger ingredients.  (We like quarter pound burgers in this house.)  Also used less butter in the sauce and added parmesan cheese.  (What's a burger without cheese, afterall?)

Turkey Pot Pie Burgers

1 lb. ground turkey

2 T. chopped fresh chives

2 T. chopped fresh dill

2 T. chopped fresh parsley

1 1/2 T. dijon mustard

1 small onion, diced

2 carrots, peeled and diced

2 ribs of celery, diced

3 T. unsalted butter

1 T. flour

2 c. low-sodium chicken stock

1/4 c. shredded parmesan

salt and pepper

2 english muffins, halved and toasted

Combine turkey, fresh herbs, and mustard with your hands.

Form into patties (makes 4)

Grill the patties over low heat for 5 minutes per side, twice.  (That is, 5 minutes on a side, flip, 5 minutes on a side, flip, repeat...) Total grill time: 20 minutes.

While the meat is grilling.  Dice onion, carrot, and celery.

Melt butter in large saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add veggies.  Saute until softened (about 7-8 minutes).  Sprinkle flour over veggies.  Whisk to incorporate.  Add 2 c. (one can) of chicken stock.  Stir.  Reduce heat so that liquid will simmer rather than boil.  Let stand until sauce thickens (about 3-4 minutes).

Add parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste.  Put your english muffins in the toaster.

Bring the meat in off the grill.  Place a turkey patty on top of a lightly toasted muffin half and pour the pot pie sauce on top of the patty.

Enjoy!!

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

There was a movie out a few years ago called You Don't Mess With the Zohan.  Basically, I don't recommend this movie, but, in it, all of the characters were completely obsessed with hummus.  I can understand this obsession, especially after I discovered Roasted Red Pepper Hummus.  I, too, would dip my glasses, my toothbrush, my neighbor in this dip.  I first had this as an appetizer at the home of my husband's aunt and uncle.  It was presented with toasted pita chips that had been brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with rosemary and with a platter of crudites. I immediately went home and started searching online for a similar recipe.  I found two things: a recipe for hummus, just regular-joe hummus, and a recipe for roasted red pepper aioli.  I decided to combine the two and, voila, Roasted Red Pepper Hummus.  (Don't be afraid if you find yourself wanting to jump in the dip and go swimming around in it with your mouth open.  This reaction is completely normal.) 

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

1 (15 oz) can chick peas, drained and rinsed

1 (4 oz.) jar roasted red bell peppers, in oil

1/2 of large lemon, juiced

1 1/2 T. tahini (sesame paste)

6 cloves garlic, grated (or finely minced)

1 t. rosemary (I use fresh, but dried is fine too)

1/2 t. cumin

1/2 t. cayenne pepper

1/4 t. coarse salt

Place all ingredients together in blender and process until mixture is smooth and fluffy.  Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving. 

Here is what Dan and I like to do with the dip:

1. Spread pita with hummus.

2. Top with crumbled feta cheese.

3. Place shredded grilled chicken and grilled onions atop cheese.

4. Add lettuce.

5. Wholesome dinner.

6. Awesome.

Holy Guacamole!!

What's better on a sunny summer day than an ice cold beer and some chips and guac?  If you said Nothing, we can be best friends.  My guacamole is pretty kick a**.  It's my standard "bring-to-a-party" fare and it's commonly requested by friends and frenemies alike.  (I don't think I actually have frenemies, but I really wanted to use that word in a sentence....)  Anywho, the guac.  What started out as a nice measured recipe from one of my besties in the world, has now turned into my own science experiment of avocado goodness.  I tried this last time to take note of amounts, but guac is always best if you just taste as you go.  *Sidenote: guacamole is not photo-friendly....

Guacamole de Bethany

Combine all ingredients in bowl:

8 ripe avocados, cut in half, pitted, and flesh removed

2 lemons, juiced

(I place a sieve over the bowl and squeeze directly into the avocado)

1 medium onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, grated (or finely minced)

3 T. coarse salt

3 T. fresh ground black pepper

1 T. hot sauce

hefty pinch of cumin

2 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced

1 bunch cilantro, chopped

I use a big meat fork to mix it all together.  Also, a word about the lemons - traditionally, limes are used.  I like lime juice in my guac, but lemons give a much brighter taste and will keep all that avocado from turning brown during the party.  Rock the lemon. 

Malted Milk Cookie Love

I hate to brag, but...... MALTED MILK COOKIE TART!!!! 

Thank you, Bon Appetit, for the love.

Ok, seriously.  Malted Milk Cookie Tart?  It's chewy and chocolate-y and tastes like love.  Yes, it sure does.  Brought it to a bonfire party last night and it turned normal, personable humans into territorial beasts.  Success!

Here is the recipe.

MALTED MILK COOKIE TART

(adapted from Bon Appetit magazine)

1 1/2 c. flour

1 c. malt powder

1/2 c. sugar

1 t. coarse salt

1 c. unsalted butter, cut into little pieces, room temp.

1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 c. malted milk balls, coarsely chopped

 (I got the ones from the bulk candy bins - bigger than Whoppers!)

Preheat oven to 325°F.  In processor, pulse flour, malt powder, sugar, and salt. Add butter; pulse until moist clumps form.  (Your processor bowl will be full - take caution.)  Transfer dough to work surface; gather into ball.  Press evenly onto bottom of 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom. (If you do not have a tart-pan, a pie plate will work equally well.) 

 

Bake crust until evenly golden brown, about 40-45 minutes.  Scatter chocolate chips over the crust; let stand 5 minutes to soften, then spread melted chocolate over hot crust.

Sprinkle malted milk balls over.  (I chopped mine in the food processor.)  Cool completely. (I put mine in the freezer.)  Remove tart from pan and cut into wedges.  ENJOY!!

Summer Lovin'

I love summer so much I want to marry it.  It allows for grilling and for fresh veggies and for sunshine and for fireworks and for icy drinks on the patio and for my pasty skin to become tan (if you squint and view me in the shade...)  Oh summer, how I love you.  Let's always be best friends. 

Inspired by some recent Farmers' Market finds and a bowl of lemons that I have in my kitchen, here is the recipe for Lemon Garlic Veggies on the grill with Bacon-Wrapped Turkey Tenderloins.  (I cheated and bought the meat at the grocery store.)

LEMON GARLIC VEGGIES

1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed

4 large carrots, peeled, chopped, & parboiled (about 7 min.)

1 pint baby tomatoes, rinsed

1/4 c. olive oil

juice from 1 large lemon

3 cloves garlic, grated (or finely minced)

palmful each coarse salt and fresh ground pepper

1 bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped

Toss all veggies with olive oil, lemon juice, grated garlic, salt & pepper.

Chop some fresh parsley.  Add to veggies.  (Mine is from my herb garden.  Yep, turns out my thumb is rather greenish afterall.)

Grill for about 7-10 minutes.  (I parboiled the carrots before grilling...)

Marinate the turkey for at least an hour in italian dressing.  (See mom, not only am I not always as complicated as you think I am, but I learned something from you as well.)  Grill 10 minutes per side.  (Flip every 5 minutes or so...this will let the turkey get cooked evenly.)  Nobody wants to eat rare turkey.  Obviously you should adjust the grilling time if your meat is too pink. 

 ENJOY!