7-Layer Mexican Tortilla Pie

If there's one visual trick that makes me want to eat a food, it would have to be layering. I don't care if it's a dip, a cake, or a sardine-ketchup pudding, if it has layers, it needs to get in mah belly. There's something so showy and almost whimsical about a stratum of food on top of food, like a circus pyramid or an awesome architectural feat. So when I was browsing Allrecipes.com recently and found that not only is there a Mexican entree I have yet to eat, but that it also has LAYERS, I knew it had won a spot on our weekly meal plan. 

While it may not be a traditional Mexican dish, this 7-layer tortilla pie is certainly a fun way to use Mexican flavors. Cheesy, gooey, and salsa-y, with not too much spice, this was a hit even with my kids. And with its two types of beans (black and pinto), corn, and fresh tomatoes, I think you may actually reach your RDA of fiber in one meal by eating it. So check that off your bucket list. 

The other great thing about this recipe is that, with relatively inexpensive ingredients, one pie feeds a small army. When friends of ours came for dinner the other night, we fed both of our families (4 adults and 6 kids) with just one of these. Hooray for fiber and yummy Mexican flavors and layers--LAYERS FOR EVERYONE!!!!

7-Layer Mexican Tortilla Pie
(Adapted from Allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:

2 15-oz. cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 c. salsa
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 c. frozen roasted corn, thawed
1/2 c. tomatoes, diced
1/4 c. cilantro, chopped
3/4 tsp. taco seasoning (see here for how to make your own)
7 (8-inch) flour tortillas
2 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese 
diced tomatoes and cilantro for garnish, if desired

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Wrap tortillas in foil and bake 8-10 minutes. Leave tortillas in foil until you are ready to assemble the pie.

2. Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, mash the pinto beans. Add 3/4 c. salsa and garlic cloves and stir to combine.

3. In another bowl, combine black beans, roasted corn, tomatoes, cilantro, taco seasoning, and remaining 1/4 c. salsa. 

4. Place 1 tortilla in the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan (or a pie plate). Spread 3/4 c. of the pinto bean mixture over tortilla to within 1/2 an inch of the edge. Sprinkle with 1/4 c.. shredded cheddar. Place another tortilla on top and spread with 2/3 c. black bean mixture, topping with 1/4 c. shredded cheddar. Repeat these layers two more times. Cover with remaining tortilla, spread with remaining pinto bean mixture, and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Top with cilantro and diced tomatoes, if desired.

5. Cover with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 40-50 minutes. Slice into wedges.

Serves 6 generously.

Spicy Pan-Fried Noodles with Tofu

It's rare that one dinner gets made twice in two weeks at our house--or even twice in a month. I'm too fond of variety (and of trying new recipes) for that to happen very often. But every once in awhile a dinner recipe comes along that makes me want to make it EVERY. DAY. Like these spicy pan-fried noodles with tofu: 

I gave these a try a couple of weeks ago on a Friday when our family was gathered around the TV for our semi-monthly Family Movie Night. It's kind of a shame I was in the kitchen cooking during part of the movie, because it was Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Across the Second Dimension. I may have mentioned before that Phineas and Ferb is, in my opinion, the greatest kids' show of all time. I've actually thought about getting on Twitter just so I could stalk follow Dan Povenmire, one of the show's creators. Anyway, since I made this delicious meal to the sounds of the movie in the background, I now associate the tantalizing blend of lime, brown sugar, and Sriracha with the voice of Dr. Heinz Doofenschmirtz (AKA the best character in the best kids' show of all time).

Fast forward two weeks to our next Family Movie Night. I had been craving these noodles so much since the Phineas and Ferb movie night, I decided to bend my usual rules and make them again. Now I'm going to associate their taste with a combination of Dr. Doofenschmirtz and Judy Garland's Somewhere Over the Rainbow, because this time around we watched The Wizard of Oz. So that's a weird mental picture. 

Regardless, I stand by my fortnight-long craving for these spicy noodles and tofu. They are absolutely restaurant quality, like something you'd get at Pei Wei (and then order every time you go there from here to eternity, like I do with their honey-seared chicken). For little ones or picky palates, the spice level can be adjusted by scaling back the Sriracha. I also realized after making this twice that it happens to be vegan. So there's that, too, if that floats your boat. Or if it doesn't, forget I said it and enjoy this meal for the spicy-sweet deliciousness it is!

Spicy Pan-Fried Noodles with Tofu

(Adapted from Fine Cooking)

Ingredients:

1/4 c. soy sauce

3 Tbsp. packed brown sugar

2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

1 1/2 Tbsp. Sriracha, adjustable to taste

2 large cloves garlic, minced

3 Tbsp. vegetable or peanut oil, divided

14 oz. extra-firm tofu, pressed as dry as possible and sliced into 3/4 inch cubes

5 carrots, peeled and sliced into 1 1/2 inch long matchsticks

1/4 c. shallot, minced

16 oz. cooked Udon noodles*

2-3 c. green cabbage, thinly sliced

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, Sriracha, minced garlic, and 2 Tbsp. water. Set aside.

2. In a large non-stick skillet, heat 1 Tbsp. of oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add tofu, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until golden brown on all sides, about 7-10 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.

3. Off the heat, add another 1 Tbsp. oil to the pan. Return to heat and add sliced carrots, cooking and stirring occasionally 3-5 minutes or until tender and browned in spots. Transfer to bowl with the tofu. 

4. Off the heat, add the remaining 1 Tbsp. oil to the pan. Add shallot and return to heat, sauté about 1 minute, then add cooked noodles. Saute 2-3 minutes until noodles have browned in spots. Stir the sauce and carefully add it to the pan. Toss well to coat and cook and stir until the sauce reduces to a sticky glaze, about 2 minutes.

5. Return tofu and carrots to the pan. Add sliced cabbage and toss until heated through. 

Serves 4.

*To make preparation faster and easier, consider using microwavable steam-pack noodles such as these:

Microwave while carrots are cooking in the skillet--voila! Instant cooked noodles!

Zucchini Cheddar Fritters

Tomorrow marks the halfway point of my summer school chemistry class, which I (perhaps foolishly) figured I could "knock out" over the summer and put behind me as I progress in my nutrition degree. Whoa, did I have another thing coming. As it turns out, "Fundamental Chemistry" is no hippety-hop down the primrose path of the periodic table. The last four weeks have been a brain-bending blur of memorizing chemical nomenclature, struggling to recall math principals I haven't used since high school, and spending my mornings doing things like decompose potassium chlorate. Gradually my comprehension has caught up with the material and I finally feel like I get most of what we're doing......for now. 

In the meantime--and when you're in an intensive 8-week chemistry class, there's not a whole lot of meantime--at least cooking serves as a stress reliever. And it's especially a boost when what I'm cooking takes wholesome ingredients and turns them into something delicious. Which is its own kind of chemistry, right? Making these zucchini cheddar fritters the other night was a simple pleasure that went a long way toward shaking off some of the stress of summer school. Their soft-on-the-inside, crispy-on-the-outside texture, plus the yin-yang balance of sharp cheddar with mellow zucchini is is one of those food gestalts that is more than the sum of its parts. My only concern is whether to call them fritters or pancakes. Or pitters or francakes.

Well, it's been a nice little break--now back to molecular mass and stoichoimetry! Maybe someday I'll be able to share about the chemistry of cooking. After all, that's the best kind.

Zucchini Cheddar Fritters
(Adapted from Allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:

1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. sugar
2 1/2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
3 c. grated zucchini
1/2 c. grated onion
1 1/4 c. shredded cheddar cheese
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
salt and pepper, to taste
Additional vegetable oil for pan-frying

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Add 2 1/2 Tbsp. vegetable oil and mix with a fork. Texture should be slightly lumpy.

2. In a large bowl, combine zucchini, onion, and cheddar. Stir in eggs, paprika, garlic powder, and flour mixture until evenly distributed. Season with salt and a few grinds fresh-cracked pepper.

3. Heat additional vegetable oil (about 2 tsp.) in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once oil is hot, scoop batter by 1/4 cups into skillet, smoothing the tops to flatten to about 3/4 inch height. Cook 3-4 minutes, then flip and cook 3-4 minutes on the other side. Repeat with any remaining batter, using additional vegetable oil if necessary.

Serve with ketchup, sour cream, or any other dipping sauces you enjoy! 

Serves 4-5.

Lemon-Dill Orzo with Chickpeas and Artichokes

I have a friend who used to say in the summer that she had "broken up" with her oven. It's a mental image I've carried with me for years. I always picture this friend engaged in a painful split from Mr. Kenmore Oven. She tells him she can't take the heat. First he wheedles, then he sends flowers, makes promises--he even bakes cookies. He writes love letters to prove his emotional range. She resists, ignoring him each time she walks through the kitchen, flaunting her new-found relationship with no-cook meals in his shiny metal face. But we know where this cat-and-mouse game ends when fall rolls around. Every year she comes running back to his warmth--how could she stay away when he's SO HOT??--and the sizzling romance resumes. (Are you rolling your eyes at the oven puns yet?) 

Awful oven puns aside, I get what my friend means. The to-oven-or-not-to-oven question is a seesaw many of us who love to cook tend to ride as seasons change. It seems counterintuitive to heat a metal box to 450 degrees in the middle of your house when every other effort you make all day is to stay cool. So while June hasn't started off too terribly here in the Phoenix area (no temps soaring over 110--that's what we call moderate), I still feel the pull to keep the oven off and serve something closer to air-conditioned room temperature.

When we tried this vegetarian orzo salad last night, it hit the non-piping-hot spot. The recipe does, admittedly, use the stovetop to boil the orzo, but 15 minutes on the range beats a lasagna in the oven for an hour, and the end result is a refreshing blend of cool flavors perfect for a warm day. It's packed with:

• Chickpeas for fiber and protein (see my ode to the nutritional value of chickpeas here)

• Feta for a non-fatty cheese indulgence (the Pasta Salad Code of Ethics states that every pasta salad needs a cheese indulgence) 

• Artichokes for veggie goodness including additional fiber and Vitamin C

• Fresh dill, lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil to add flavor without overdoing it on calories and fat (in keeping with the ideology of the Mediterranean diet).

Put them all together and you have a quick, light one-dish dinner or a hearty potluck side. So, sorry, Mr. Oven. Like my friend, I'm off for my annual summer fling without you. Or at least a few days' break...you know I still need you for cookies.

Lemon-Dill Orzo with Chickpeas and Artichokes
(Adapted from Cooking Light)

Ingredients:

1 1/4 c. uncooked orzo
1/2 c. sliced green onions
3/4 c. crumbled feta cheese
1 14-oz. jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
5 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill
2 15-oz. cans chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans), drained
1/4 c. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. cold water
scant 3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. minced garlic 

Directions:

1. Cook orzo according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water.

2. In a large bowl, combine cooled, rinsed orzo, green onions, feta, artichoke hearts, dill, and chickpeas.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, water, salt, and garlic. Drizzle over pasta mixture and toss gently to coat.

Serve immediately or refrigerate.

Serves 5-6 as a main dish, 8-10 as a side dish.

Spiced Red Lentils

In my last post, I shared about what I had learned from writing a research paper on the multifunctional spice turmeric and its many potential medicinal uses. Today I thought I'd share a real-life example of how to incorporate turmeric into your diet. (Because turning research into dinner always sounds like a good idea.) This red lentil side dish was a real sleeper hit at our house. It's a classic example of don't-judge-a-book-by-its-cover--I mean, how often do we expect something that looks like a pot of rust-colored mush to turn out to be full of restaurant-quality deliciousness? Not often, yes? But that's just what happened the night we gave this recipe a try. 

As for myself, I would never have started cooking with lentils if it hadn't been for a half-finished bag my vegetarian brother left at our house after one of his visits. Being a neurotic food-user-upper, I knew I had to find a purpose for the remaining legumes in the bag. But how to do so was kind of a mystery to me, because prior to that, my only mental associations with lentils had been the following: 

1.) Thinking of them as "those tiny beans that people from other countries eat" (my inner 'Murica coming out)

and

2.) The line in the musical Funny Girl: "When a girl's incidentals are no bigger than two lentils, well, to me that doesn't spell success." (Don't tell my husband that quote or he's gonna start using it about me).

So figuring out how to cook and serve lentils was a real education. And as it turns out, a useful education, since turmeric is such a health-beneficial spice. (Again, see that last post.) As discussed in that post, turmeric is best absorbed by the body when paired with black pepper. This red lentil dish does so with a 2:1 ratio of turmeric to pepper. 

Looks like they like each other. Turmeric and pepper, sittin' in a tree...

In my research, I found out that a typical amount of turmeric in the dietary supplements people take to experience its health benefits is between 400 and 600 milligrams. With this in mind, I was curious--how much benefit would be gained from eating this red lentil dish with only a 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric in it? A half teaspoon doesn't sound like a lot. Would it be at least the same as one dose of turmeric in supplement form? To find out, I had to do a little finagling involving my food scale. Since a teaspoon is a measurement of volume and milligrams are a measurement of weight, they don't convert. The half teaspoon had to be weighed to determine how its content might compare to a supplement. 

See, honey, that food scale is good for something!

The verdict? One half teaspoon of turmeric is equivalent to 2 grams (my spoon weighs 18g--don't get too excited), or 2,000 milligrams. So if you ate the entire batch of spiced red lentils (good for you in the turmeric department, bad for you in the bathroom department) you would get a whopping five times the capsule amount. But if you, like a normal person, eat a regular serving--say, 1/5th of the recipe--you'll get about as much as if you took one turmeric supplement. As someone who would rather eat than take a pill, I call that good news. While I don't expect it to keep me from getting cancer, it's a nice way to incorporate a health-beneficial spice into my diet from time to time. Maybe over the long term, it will work some magic.

But I digress. The important thing is mainly that these lentils are incredibly, aromatically delicious. Served with a tortilla-crusted tilapia and a drizzle of red pepper-shallot aioli, they were HEAVEN. My husband talked about this dinner for days afterward. I could also see them pairing well with grilled chicken or pretty much any Indian dish. Give them a try even if you think you don't like turmeric--your taste buds and your health will thank you.

Spiced Red Lentils

(Adapted from Myrecipes.com)

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. butter

1/2 onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

28 oz. chicken or vegetable broth

1 1/4 cups red lentils, thoroughly rinsed

1/2 tsp. turmeric

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/4 tsp. black pepper

salt to taste

Chopped basil for garnish, if desired

Directions:

1. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté about 6 minutes or until onion is tender. Add broth, lentils, turmeric, cumin, and pepper.

2. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender and have absorbed the broth. Season with salt to taste and garnish with basil, if desired.

Makes 5 cups.

Creamy Margherita Quinoa Bake

The first time I ever made this for dinner, my husband said, "This is probably one of the best things you've ever made." I was stunned. (And possibly a little insulted--a quinoa bake? What about all those fancy cakes I've made, or herb-marinated tilapia with mango salsa? Or my chicken pot pie?) But as I kept eating, I had to agree. This initially unassuming quinoa bake is in fact a consummately delicious comfort food. With stretchy mozzarella, fresh tomatoes bursting with flavor, and strips of basil, it's pretty much all the things you love about a margherita pizza in creamy casserole form. As if margherita pizza could be improved upon! But for a little something different, I think I actually prefer this dish to the pizza of the same name. (Pause here for horrified gasp.)

Speaking of margherita pizza, have you ever wondered who Margherita was? I have, but maybe that's because I spend approximately 90% of my mental energy thinking about food. Supposedly, back in 1889, a Neapolitan pizza maker was commissioned to make a pizza in honor of Queen Margherita, who was visiting Naples. (Um...I want to live in a country where people get commissioned to make pizzas.) He created three different pizzas--two of which have apparently been lost to history--and the queen was thrilled with the one that represented the colors of the Italian flag: red, green, and white. Thus was the pizza named Margherita, and thus did Margherita go down in history as Queen of Pizza, which is probably the greatest honorary title ever bestowed on a human being.

So for a little twist on an Italian classic (that happens to be gluten-free, if you're into that sort of thing), give this one a whirl. With a green salad, it's a tasty dinner that has won my heart, and my husband's--and probably would win the Queen of Italy's, too.

Creamy Caprese Quinoa Bake

(Adapted from Half Baked Harvest)

Ingredients:

1 c. uncooked quinoa

3 Tbsp. tomato paste

1 1/2 c. tomato-basil pasta sauce

1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 c. heavy cream

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

scant 1/2 tsp. salt

scant 1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 1/2 c. shredded mozzarella, divided

1 1/2 c. grape tomatoes, sliced lengthwise, divided

12 large basil leaves, chiffonaded, divided

Directions:

1. Thoroughly rinse quinoa in a fine-mesh sieve. Drain. Place quinoa in a large saucepan and cover with 2 cups water. Heat to boiling, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside in a separate container. Wipe the pot clean to be used later in the recipe.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3. In the same large saucepan, heat tomato paste and pasta sauce until warm. Stir in Parmesan, heavy cream, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat and mix in cooked quinoa until well combined. Add half the mozzarella, half the sliced tomatoes, and half the basil leaves, stirring to combine.

4. Spray an 11 x 7 inch baking dish with cooking spray and pour quinoa mixture into the dish, smoothing the top with a spoon. Sprinkle the top with the remaining mozzarella and sliced tomatoes, pressing the tomatoes down slightly into the mixture. 

5. Bake in the preheated oven 15-17 minutes, then turn broiler onto high. Broil 1-2 minutes (75 seconds is the sweet spot in my oven). Top with remaining basil strips and let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 5-6.

Smile and say CHEEEEEEESE!

Simple Broccoli Quiche

It's been a little while since I last posted, and I'll tell you why. Of course, there's the usual busyness of life with family, school, church, and housework (not to mention keeping up with new Mad Men episodes!), which is enough to keep me from blogging, but last week there was something else that needed my attention:

My sanity. 

See, the week before last, all three of my kids had gotten sick--in the space of 24 hours, every single one of them was called home by the school nurse--and then of course I got it, too. Your basic someone-please-put-me-out-of-my-misery stomach flu. I got into bed at 7 PM that night and lay there for two or three hours just trying to pray myself out of it before I eventually fell asleep. Then, even once we all recovered, everybody was still in a funk. I'm fine overlooking cranky behavior when my kids are ill. I get it. It comes with the kid-sickness territory. But when the crankiness goes on for interminable days after the illness has dissipated, it's hard to take. I vented my frustration to my husband one morning after dealing with some pretty extreme attitude problems, and he reminded me that it had been quite awhile since I had taken a personal retreat...or, as he likes to call it, an Emergency Vacation.

Ever since my firstborn was a toddler, I've tried to get away about once a year for a couple of days of quiet, prayer, and generally doing what I want, not what I have to. It's wonderful tradition that always leaves me feeling refreshed and ready to get back to my real life. So when my husband brought it up, I didn't need much encouragement before I jumped up, grabbed my laptop, and started making plans. Within a couple of hours, I had booked two nights doing something I've always wanted to try: a farm stay. If you haven't heard of farm stays, they're pretty much exactly what they sound like: (drum roll please.....) staying on a farm. In this case, I checked out farmstayus.com and located a small family farm outside Prescott, AZ, two hours from my home, that has a condo-sized cabin available for rent. A few days later I found myself sipping my morning coffee on a porch overlooking a beautiful valley with the sounds of chickens clucking in the background. Three Sparrows Farm was absolute bliss. 

The porch.

If you've ever had a hankering to get away from it all (but still be within driving distance of civilization), you couldn't do much better than this place. A 2-acre property set on a hillside, 3 Sparrows has chickens, goats, and a donkey, all of which you are welcomed to feed, pet, and/or hold. (Except the donkey. Feeding and petting, yes. Holding, good luck.) 

Week-old baby goats. Gaaaaahh, the cuteness!

After two days of peace and quiet, including a hike up Thumb Butte and walking around downtown Prescott, I was totally pleased with my experience and definitely came home better equipped to deal with whatever life might throw at me. (Check out the farm and info about the farm stay at 3sparrowsfarm.com)

So, speaking of real life, let's get to the other reason for this post: Broccoli Quiche. Because what's the first things a mom has to do when she gets back from a trip? (I mean, after laundry?) Make dinner, of course! Quiche is one of my favorite go-to easy dinners, as I've mentioned here and here. Coming home from my getaway, broccoli quiche was a simple way to get dinner on the table without a lot of fuss. Served with roasted potatoes, it's a satisfying but not overpowering brunch for dinner. Or just brunch for brunch. In any case, tasty, packed with veggies, and great for take-to-work leftovers. 

Now that my 2015 Emergency Vacation is done, any recommendations for next year?

 Broccoli Quiche
(Adapted from Allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:

1 unbaked pie crust
2 Tbsp. butter
3 c. broccoli, chopped into florets
1/2 medium-large onion, chopped
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 c. shredded cheddar cheese
4 eggs
3/4 c. milk
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread pie crust in a 9-inch pie dish.

2. In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add onions, garlic, and broccoli and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft and broccoli is bright green. Spoon vegetables into prepared pie crust and sprinkle with mozzarella and cheddar.

3. In a medium bowl, beat eggs, then mix in milk, salt, and pepper. Pour egg mixture over vegetables and cheese.

4. Bake 40-45 minutes or until eggs are set in the center. (Check quiche frequently throughout baking time, as it is notoriously finicky about how long it takes to set.) Cool at least 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Serves 4-5 as a main dish.

Fig, Pear, and Goat Cheese Salad with Toasted Cinnamon-Pecan Vinaigrette

Have you ever had a really unforgettable meal at a restaurant, then gone back anticipating having it again, only to find it's been taken off the menu? Or worse yet, that the recipe's been changed and what you order is not nearly as delicious as what you remember? There's a popular restaurant in Phoenix called La Grande Orange I've been to only a couple of times and enjoyed. Once I got a salad there with a truly spectacular pecan vinaigrette. While nuts have been growing on me for the last few years (you know, figuratively, not literally), I have historically not been their biggest fan. This dressing, though, was a revelation. Sweet, rich, and complex--this dressing probably gets alllll the ladies. I've thought about it frequently since our last visit to La Grande Orange. Imagine my disappointment, then, looking up the LGO menu recently and not seeing it listed! 

Well, I couldn't let it go at that. I had to at least Google and tinker around to try to recreate a version of it (if not call LGO's chef and tearfully beg for the recipe). The dressing on this salad is the result. Since I don't actually remember LGO's salad itself, just the vinaigrette, I chose ingredients I tend to like with sweet dressings: dried figs, pear slices, goat cheese, and arugula for a little spicy kick. I must say the whole picture of flavors came together dee-liciously. I might have even liked my homemade pecan vinaigrette with its touch of cinnamon even better than the restaurant version, if you can believe it. So here it is, the salad with the  most delicious vinaigrette ever--and possibly the longest name ever. If this were in a cookbook, I'm pretty sure my editor would make me cut some words out of its 11-word title. 

Fig, Pear, and Goat Cheese Salad with Toasted Cinnamon-Pecan Vinaigrette
(Dressing adapted from Food.com)

Ingredients:

Salad:

8 c. arugula
4 oz. crumbled goat cheese
1 ripe pear, thinly sliced
4 oz. dried figs, sliced in half

Dressing:

1 c. chopped pecans
1 Tbsp. olive oil
Cinnamon, to taste
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. honey
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar

Directions:

1. Assemble salad ingredients on a platter or in a large bowl.

2. Toast the pecans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread chopped pecans on a baking sheet. Drizzle with the 1 Tbsp. olive oil and sprinkle cinnamon over top. Bake 3-5 minutes, checking at 3 minutes for doneness. The nuts should look dark brown but not burnt.

3. To make vinaigrette, whisk together Dijon and honey. Slowly whisk in olive oil, then balsamic vinegar. Stir in cooled toasted pecans. If you like a more emulsified texture, give the whole thing a few pulses with an immersion blender.

4. Toss salad with pecan vinaigrette, or serve on the side.

Serves 4.

Chickpea Salad Wraps

Ah, the humble chickpea! The little legume that could. If you're not familiar with chickpeas, you may have heard them called by their alternate name, garbanzo beans. You know, like Ronald Reagan's lesser-known cinematic hit:

Or if that doesn't ring a bell, they're also called Bengal grams, Egyptian peas, cecis, ceces, or chanas. Having so many different names could have to do with the fact that they've been around for over 7,500 hundred years, making them one of the oldest cultivated legumes on earth. Take that, Ancient Grains Cheerios!

Fortunately for all of us, chickpeas were not lost to antiquity and have continued to be cultivated to this day. Now you can find them in the grocery store in cans and dried in bags, or in this delicious lunch entree. (Or quick dinner entree, depending on your day.) On my perpetual quest to find more hearty vegetarian meals, I count these chickpea salad wraps as a watershed discovery. They're filling, flavorful, and pack a nutritional punch that is not to be trifled with. A half cup of chickpeas alone contains over 20% of your daily value of protein and an impressive 8 grams of fiber. 

In this recipe, you can pretty much mess around with the ingredients in any amount you like. I am infamously gluttonous in my fondness for mayo, so I prefer to add that with a bit of a heavy hand, but you could always cut back. Same goes for any of the other ingredients--except the chickpeas themselves, and the lavash, assuming you intend to eat it as a wrap and not straight out of the bowl. Though I won't say you won't be tempted...

Chickpea Salad Wraps
(Inspired by Allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:

2 15-oz. cans chickpeas/garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 c. onion, diced fine
1/3 c. celery, diced fine
1/2 c. mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp. dried dill weed
salt and pepper, to taste

4 whole wheat pitas or lavash bread

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, mash chickpeas until they reach a consistency you like. (I prefer them to still be a bit chunky, not too smooth.)

2. Add all remaining ingredients except pitas and mix, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Serve in pitas or lavash wraps.

Serves 4.

Sweet Potato Goat Cheese Galette

Every year I take time before the holidays to plan our White Elephant Christmas party menu as meticulously as time and an Excel spreadsheet will allow. It's typically a buffet of 7-9 appetizers and sides (plus dessert), and I attempt to include something for everyone: meat-lovers, vegetarians, gluten-free, whatever. As I brainstorm about what constellation of items to serve, I try to think of foods that strike me as interesting and classy. Somehow I always manage to end up with at least one recipe that calls for goat cheese. Maybe I need to get with the times, but any appetizer made with goat cheese just seems fancy to me. (I know, 1999 called. It wants its party food back.) Maybe this is how my grandmothers felt about Jell-O in 1955. Or anything with the word "mousse" in it, like shrimp mousse or the ever-popular "ham mousse ring." Does that just scream ELEGANCE, or what? I do wonder if in fifty years I'll look back at my Christmas party menus and cringe. Goat cheese? WHAT was I thinking??

But for now, I do love me some delicious, creamy chèvre, and any appetizer that relies heavily upon it. Like this sweet potato goat cheese galette. (P.S. Can I also earn some fanciness points for making something called a "galette"?) Actually, a galette is just "a food prepared and served in the shape of a flat round cake." In this case, sweet potatoes are thinly sliced and stacked in layers, alternating with goat cheese, parmesan, and a sautéed shallot-olive-oil-thyme mixture to give the effect of a flat round cake. A delicious, savory cake that pairs well with roasted meats or as a stunner on the Christmas/New Year's party circuit. I know I'll be serving it again. 

Sweet Potato Goat Cheese Galette
(Adapted from Fine Cooking)  

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 c. finely chopped shallots
1 1/4 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled (about 3-4 sweet potatoes)
2 tsp. coarsely chopped fresh thyme leaves
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
1 c. crumbled goat cheese

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan, combine olive oil and shallots. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce to a low simmer and cook 2 minutes or until shallots are softened but not browned. Remove from heat and let cool.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat the bottom of a 9-inch tart pan (a pie plate will work in a pinch) with cooking spray. If using a tart pan, place it on a baking sheet lined with foil.

3. Slice the sweet potatoes as thinly as possible, about 1/16th inch. In a large bowl, toss the potato slices with the cooled olive oil mixture and fresh thyme until potatoes are well coated. 

4. Beginning at the outside edge of the tart pan, cover the bottom of the pan with one layer of sweet potatoes, making slightly overlapping rings. Sprinkle some kosher salt over the whole layer, then a quarter of the Parmesan and a quarter of the goat cheese. Repeat two more times until you have three layers of sweet potatoes, salt, Parmesan, and goat cheese. Top the last layer with any remaining cheese.

5. Bake on the foil-lined baking sheet in the preheated oven 40-45 minutes or until a fork easily pierces potatoes all the way through. (The top layer of goat cheese will brown a bit--this is okay.) Cool 10-15 minutes and slice into wedges.

Serves 4-6 as a side dish.

Parsley-Parmesan Whole Roasted Cauliflower

Stop. Everything. There is an awesome way to roast cauliflower that I need to make you aware of. Did you have any idea you could roast the WHOLE THING? Like the entire head of cauliflower? Well, I didn't--or at least, I did, but then I forgot. Like many a shiftless Pinterest user, I pinned something about this concept awhile back and then proceeded to not look at it for several months. Then for some reason tonight as I was contemplating how to make cauliflower to accompany a pork roast, that lovely image of a whole cauliflower roasted in all its cerebral-looking glory sprang back into my mind. Was it secretly difficult, I wondered? Was there some secret to why Western civilization has not evolved to cook cauliflower this way? Nope and nope (or I don't actually know about the second one. The Illuminati could have its reasons for keeping the general public away from whole roasted heads of cruciferous vegetables. They're weird like that.)

Roasting the entire head takes somewhat longer than roasting florets, and of course you don't get browning on as much surface area, but I'd say the interesting presentation makes up for those drawbacks. (Never thought you'd need a pie server to serve cauliflower, right?) Plus, even as a veggie caramelization devotee, I felt the flavor combination of parsley, parmesan, and mustard was a nice change from the near-blackened version I usually make.  With Halloween right around the corner, the only way I can think to improve it is to find some way to make it look even more like a brain. How's that for a healthy Halloween treat?

Parsley-Parmesan Whole Roasted Cauliflower
(Adapted from Food Network)

Ingredients:

1 head of cauliflower
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 Tbsp. dijon mustard
salt and pepper, to taste
1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. dried parsley flakes
2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Position an oven rack in the bottom of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees.

2. Remove the leaves from the cauliflower, then trim the stem so the cauliflower can sit flat. Place the head in a 9" round cake pan (or a roasting pan/cookie sheet--I just liked the way it fit so snugly in a round cake pan).

3. In a small bowl, mix olive oil and dijon mustard. Brush all around the outside of the cauliflower. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

4. Roast in the preheated oven until tender and browned, about 50 minutes.

5. Let the cauliflower sit for a few minutes. Mix dried parsley and Parmesan, then sprinkle to cover. Cut into wedges and serve.

Serves 5-6 as a side dish.

Spinach Feta Quiche

Sometimes in this stage of life I feel like so many of my friends and family members are having babies that Target should just hand me a pack of diapers and onesies every time I pass through their automatic doors. (And take the 30 bucks right out of my wallet.) In the last month and a half, our extended family has welcomed one new niece and one new nephew. Then there's also my cousin who's pregnant, my good friend, my other good friend, and basically 80% of my Facebook friends, it seems. For me, it's fun to visit friends and loved ones with itty bitty newborns....and then hand them back to mom or dad to deal with because that stage of life is DONE for me!!! *Insane cackle* 

I jest. God only knows whether my husband and I will ever have any more children.* (*Official Catholic cover-your-butt statement.) But it is such a blessing to watch so many friends with growing families, and--maybe my favorite part--to bring them meals. This past week I was slated to take dinner to my brother-in-law and sister-in-law, whose little girl had arrived a few days before. When taking a meal to new parents, I always try to stick to the following rules:

--Reasonably healthy (nursing moms need good nutrition)

--Travels well (as much as I love soup, it does not pass this test)

--No dishes need to be returned (because this is a hassle for everyone)

--Nothing too crazy (I'll save my Jellied Boar Snout recipe for another time)

There are many dinners that meet these criteria, but one of my favorites is this spinach feta quiche. You may have noticed, if you are a human being who eats solid food, that spinach and feta are a Mediterranean Dream Team. 

 

So it will probably come as no surprise to you that this spinach feta quiche is delicious. But I will tell you, having tried MANY such combinations in my many years as a quiche eater, that this one is far and away the best I've ever had. The addition of cheddar kicks it up a notch to cheesy, spinachy, herby bliss. And while it meets all the above standards for a great meal to take to new parents (baked in a disposable aluminum pan so no dishes need be washed or returned), it could also just as easily make a pretty brunch item or dinner for vegetarian guests. Any way you slice it--literally--this is one you don't want to miss.

Spinach Feta Quiche
(Adapted from Allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp. butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, chopped
1 10-oz. package frozen spinach
1 6-oz. package herb and garlic crumbled feta cheese
1 c. shredded Cheddar cheese, divided 
1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust
4 eggs, beaten
3/4 c. milk
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Saute garlic and onion in the butter until lightly browned, 7-10 minutes. Stir in spinach, feta, and 1/2 c. cheddar and heat through. Season with salt and pepper. Pour into pie crust.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Pour over spinach mixture.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Sprinkle the top with the remaining 1/2 c. cheddar and bake an additional 35-40 minutes until set in the center. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

Serves about 5 as a main dish.