Roasted Broccoli & Tempeh

It’s been a busy month. I moved just down the street to a new apartment, which seemed like it shouldn’t be all that much work , but I guess I didn’t give enough thought to the fact that the new place is on the third floor of a house. I don’t even want to think about the number of times I ran up and down the stairs, often with my far too many boxes of books. (I’m thinking I should perhaps go through my books and give some away. But that sort of feels like I’m giving away children. Or at least very good friends. So for now, all my books still live in this cozy, third floor nook. My patient significant other and now roommate asked me only once to see if I could part with some of my beloved books, but then quickly gave up. A good decision.)

The most “entertaining” moment of the moving operation occurred when we realized that my box spring was absolutely not going to fit up the stairs. Luckily I am blessed with generous landlords who figured out how to rig up a ladder and ropes and pull the darn thing up to the third floor porch. That’s way more than they needed to do, right?!

Part of moving meant that I needed to clean out the freezer. I made soup with stock, defrosted tomato sauce made last summer for pasta, moved half empty containers of ice cream to smaller ones, and chipped away at the frozen tempeh. In the fridge, I made my way through two cartons of eggs, poured out bad milk, and did my best to get creative with lots wobbly broccoli. Hence, today’s creation.

Sometimes cleaning-the-fridge-out meals are the ones that demand the most creativity – and occasionally result in wonderful stand-by dishes. In this dish, I love the taste of the slightly charred, crispy roasted broccoli. And I’m always a fan of fried tempeh. I’ve now made a few variations by adding a variety of toppings: a light dusting of parmesan cheese, some feta, a swirl of pesto (I used cilantro pesto), beans of any sort, or kale. I recommend you add whatever random leftovers you have sitting around and see what happens.

Roasted Broccoli & Tempeh

2 small heads of broccoli, cut into bite-size pieces.
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
salt
Tempeh, cut into bite-size squares
Half a red onion, sliced

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Meanwhile, prepare the broccoli. Toss the broccoli on a baking sheet with two generous pinches of salt and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Bake for 10 minutes, toss, and then for another 10 minutes.

2. Heat a pan with the other 2 tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat. When hot but not smoking, place tempeh in pan.  Fry for 5 minutes and then turn and fry the other side for 5 minutes. Add red onion, toss, and let cook for another few minutes until the onion softens.

3. Toss fried tempeh and onions with the roasted broccoli. Check the seasoning – you may want to add more salt at this point.

 

Pan-fried Chickpeas with Kale & Garlic

I grew up in a house where we ate dinner together every night. The kitchen was really the only place in the house where there were nonnegotiable rules: no elbows on the table; ask to be excused from the table; finish your glass of milk; avoid eating like there’s a fire nearby.

In the summer, we ate on our yellow and green sunflower-themed screened-in porch, the sun beating through the shades. Watermelon almost always followed the main course. After my parents built a patio in the backyard, we’d eat outside while trying to ignore the loud street just one house over and the neighbors’ lawnmowers. In the winter, we crowded at the little table in the kitchen. This kitchen had strawberry patterned wallpaper for many years and absolutely was not meant for a family of four. We made do.

My parents, my sister, and I are still close, even though it’s been 10 years since we lived under the same roof. I’m sure this is the case for many reasons, but I credit at least part of my family’s closeness to all those meals we shared. We spent our time together catching up on our days — I sharing every piece of gossip from my never-ending high school drama. I can’t help but wish that more people and families felt that sharing meals is important. Eating in front of the TV does not count as together time. You aren’t talking, exchanging information.

Think about it. If we put down our phones, cameras, computers for just 30 minutes at the end of every day and shared a meal with someone…how would that change our days? And change what’s on our plates? No mindless stuffing of whatever’s in the freezer and will heat up in the microwave in five minutes.

I actually do cherish my lunches at home, a meal I usually eat on my own. And I often struggle to follow my own little rules of eating undistracted, “unplugged” meals, let alone my mom’s table manners. I’m typically in the middle of working or would rather play on the computer than make the effort to put my computer aside and just sit or read. But I’m always happy when I make that happen during my lunches for one.

My lunches occasionally consist of reheated leftovers, but I prefer to throw together something simple from scratch. Sometimes a sandwich or quick soup, but mostly I use whatever vegetables I have on hand to make a warm salad. Yes, I don’t eat bread every day, as shocking as that may be. I thought that today I would share one of my favorite standby meals that does not involve bread.

This is a simple dish that I eat at least weekly. It doesn’t take much prep work, and the nutrient rich meal provides a good mid-day boost. I hope you enjoy this quick lunch as you sit at a table with just your plate, book, or friend.

Pan-fried Chickpeas with Kale & Garlic
inspired by this

I highly recommend using dried chickpeas. Canned chickpeas will get mushy and will not crisp as nicely as dried ones. Dried beans are simple to prepare: soak them overnight and then boil them for 1 to 2 hours. If you do use canned, rinse and dry thoroughly.

1/2 bundle of kale – clean, remove stems, and chop into long strips (I prefer dino, but any type will do.)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Approximately 1 1/2 cups chickpeas, or one 15-ounce can
3 cloves garlic
juice of 1 small lemon
zest of 1 small lemon
dash of nutmeg
pinch of salt

1. Heat oil olive in a wide pan. When hot, add beans in a single layer. Stir after a few minutes so the beans fry evenly. Cook until golden brown — about 8 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, prepare kale by removing the steams and chopping into long strips. Add kale to pan when the beans are sufficiently browned. Cook for just about 30 seconds before adding the garlic. Add garlic, dash of nutmeg, and a pinch of salt. Cook for another 30 seconds and remove from heat.

3. Last, stir in lemon zest and lemon juice.

serves 2

 

Sourdough Cinnamon Buns

It’s hard not to like cinnamon buns. The warm, sticky rolls are a wonderful way to start out a special day. And with these buns, the sourdough element adds a whole new twist. The flavor of the dough contrasts nicely with the sweet, buttery insides. These buns take a bit of planning — the dough is started the night before they’re baked with a quick mix of risen starter, flour, milk, sugar, vanilla, and melted butter. The next morning the cinnamon, brown sugar, and butter filling is prepared and the buns need another 45 minutes of sitting. So with some forethought, these cinnamon buns can be on your table with little hassle. I prefer them without a glaze, but if you so choose, icing can be whipped up in no time.

The dough after a night of rising -- notice how airy the dough is.

Rolled.

Sourdough Cinnamon Buns
adapted heavily from here

DOUGH
1 cup sourdough starter
2/3 cup milk
1 ½ tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp melted butter
1 tsp salt
2 cups flour, added gradually (1 cup all purpose and 1 cup whole wheat pastry)
½ tsp baking soda

FILLING
¼ cup butter — half added in the filling and half in the pie dish
2 Tablespoons cinnamon
½ cup brown sugar

Egg glaze — whip together 1 egg and 1 tablespoon of water

1. The night before you want to eat the buns, mix together the risen starter, milk, sugar, vanilla, and melted butter. Stir in the salt and 1 cup of the whole wheat pastry flour. Add enough of the remaining 1 cup of all-purpose flour to make the dough stiff. Turn out onto a well-floured surface and sprinkle the remaining flour and the baking soda onto the bread. Knead for 4 to 5 minutes. Add more flour if necessary.

2. Place in a buttered bowl. Turn once to butter the top. Cover and set in a warm place to rise overnight. An oven with the light on is a good place.

3. The next morning, punch down the dough and turn out onto a floured surface. Roll out into a rectangle, about 9×17 inches. Cut 1/8 cups of the butter into little pieces, sprinkling them across the rectangle. Add the cinnamon and brown sugar.

4. Roll up and cut into 1 inch slices. Arrange in a pie dish. Cut the remaining butter and scatter around the pan. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes to an hour. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

5. Before baking, prepare egg glaze and brush the buns. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes.

Granola Bars

Granola bars are a great snack to have on hand — Erin and I brought some to Italy and carried them many a place just in case we needed an energy boost. They’re also insanely easy to throw together. You can use a variety of nuts, dried fruit, oats — I like to keep mine relatively healthy and not overly sweet.  I want my granola bars to have the same consistency as Rice Krispie bars, without the sugar bomb affect. Gooey, sticky, crunchy, and chewy. Here’s one particular version that’s quite addictive. Peanut lovers will especially appreciate this take.

Peanut Butter Granola Bars

4 cups oats
1/2 cup peanuts
3/4 cup unsalted peanut butter
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoon oil
chocolate to taste

1. Mix oats and peanuts together. Toast at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes. Toss halfway through and keep an eye on the mixture — it’s easy to burn.

2. Mix peanut butter, honey, and oil together in a small saucepan. Heat on a medium heat while constantly stirring. Stir until smooth, about 5 minutes.

3. In a large bowl, combine the toasted oats and peanuts with the liquids. Mix together and then put in a 9×13 pan.

4. Flatten and evenly distribute bars using a piece of parchment paper. The bars will be hot, so the paper will protect your hands.

5. Cool in the fridge for at least an hour before cutting.

Roasted Vegetable Galette

I’ve been eyeing this recipe for some time, so when I found myself with a few free hours yesterday afternoon, I gathered the ingredients I didn’t have on hand and got to work. Chopping and then roasting the vegetables took a bit of time, but it was absolutely time well spent. Erin, upon sampling a few hours later, said it was one of the best things I’ve ever made. She may be partial, but as modestly as possible, I can say that I wholeheartedly agree. The carrots, parsnips, beets, and butternut squash are roasted with rosemary and olive oil. Added is an entire head of roasted garlic. The rich, roasted vegetables are a delightful mix of sweet flavors. Add a bit of goat cheese to the mix and a flakey, butter-based crust…well, you should try it. It’s exactly the right dish for a cold winter night.

Roasted Winter Vegetable Galette
Galette from the New York Times and crust from Mark Bittman

The crust in the original recipe is completely different — an olive flecked crust with no butter. I’m sure it’s delightful, but olives aren’t my favorite and it’s hard to resist this reliable, easy-to-throw-together crust I’ve detailed below. I should also note that the original recipe says to peel all the vegetables. I typically think that’s unnecessary, but do as you wish (the exception being butternut squash which should be peeled).

Crust:

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into about 8 pieces
3 tablespoons ice water, plus more if necessary

Filling:

1 1/2 cups diced carrots (3 medium)
1 1/2 cups diced parsnips (3 medium)
1 1/2 cups diced peeled butternut squash (1/2 medium)
1 cup diced beet (1 medium)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 head garlic
3/4 cup crumbled creamy goat cheese, divided
1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water for glazing

1. Prepare the crust: Combine flour and salt in food processor. Pulse several times. Add the cut butter. Grind until a crumb-like substance forms. Add in 3 tablespoons ice cold water and pulse again. Add more tablespoons of water until a ball of dough forms. Chill dough in a plastic wrap in fridge for at least 30 minutes or in the freezer for 10.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

3. Prepare filling: Combine chopped carrots, parsnips, squash, beet, 1 tablespoon oil, rosemary, salt, and pepper in a large bowl and toss to coat. Next spread the vegetables on the prepared baking sheet.

4. Cut off the top of a head of garlic. Wrap it in square of foil with a sprinkle of water. Add the packet to the baking sheet. Roast the vegetables, stirring every 10 minutes. The vegetables should be tender and lightly browned. The garlic should be soft. This should take about 35 minutes.

5. Transfer the roasted vegetables to a bowl. Unwrap the garlic and let it cool briefly. Squeeze the garlic into a small bowl, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, and mash with a fork. Add the mashed garlic to the bowl. Toss to mix. Add 1/2 cup goat cheese and toss again.

6. Assemble galette: Roll the dough into a rough 14-inch circle about 1/4 inch think. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray and place the dough on it. Arrange the roasted vegetables in the middle of the dough, leaving a 2-inch border all around. Fold the border up and over the filling to form a rim, pleating as you go. Scatter the remaining 1/4 cup goat cheese over the vegetables.

7. Stir egg and water quickly and then brush lightly over the crust.

8. Bake the galette at 400 degrees until the crust is golden, about 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes and serve warm.

Serves 4 as a main dish

Cornbread

My mom and dad made cornbread here and there when I was a kid, but I don’t remember ever being over the moon about it. I continued my cornbread ambivalence through college, never choosing the bread in my college dining hall. This all changed a year ago with a visit to two friends in Oakland.

I went to Mount Holyoke College with these friends, so we plotted to spend a weekend together in their semi-new home in Oakland. Another college friend from Connecticut joined us and we spent a weekend doing exactly what we did in college. Watched YouTube videos, drank at the local watering hole, danced even though we were the only ones on the dance floor, and then rotted in bed the next morning before moving ourselves to a coffee shop to rot more. (To be fair, we also did school work in college. A lot of school work, actually. The library was the center of our social world.)

Mount Holyoke, our alma mater, is a lovely, albeit unique place. My Minneapolis friends sometimes roll their eyes when I go into Mount Holyoke talk. I guess it is just hard to describe what exactly it is that’s special about Mount Holyoke. All I know is that these ladies are absolutely the ones I’ll be drinking g&t’s with at age 80. Every five years, we’ll head back to the promised land of Western Massachusetts for the college reunions, carrying laurels to the grave of our long dead founder in our white garments, as is the tradition. Going to a women’s college is perhaps the best decision I’ve ever made.

Caitlin and Sarah, my Moho friends, fed us an eggplant, chocolate chili that weekend in California. It’s a chili I have not forgotten. The same goes for the warm, buttery, perfect cornbread made by Caitlin. I was impressed. My craving for cornbread hasn’t left me since.

Cornbread 
from Moosewood Cookbook

1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup buttermilk or yogurt
1 egg
3 Tbs. sugar or honey
3 Tbs. melter butter or margarine

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8 inch square pan, or a 9 or 10 inch cast iron skillet with butter or margarine.

2. Mix the dry ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl. Combine the wet ingredients in a small bowl separately.

3. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry, just mixing enough to throughly combine. Spread into the prepared pan.

4. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the center is firm to the touch. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

Bread Baking in Steps: Photos

My oven is working hard these days and yet I’m not writing much about my kitchen projects. I was on a roll in Italy — all that quiet time led to some writing. And working in the fields certainly led to lots of conversation. One day Erin asked me if I have any family recipes. I said no first, but then couldn’t stop thinking about all the recipes that my family does indeed make regularly.

I first thought of the macaroni and cheese family friends used to make for Thanksgiving to please the picky kids present. My sister and I adopted the recipe as our own and continue to make it from time to time. The mac & cheese calls for sour cream, cottage cheese, one egg, and cheddar cheese. It’s hard to go wrong with all that dairy, right? The crusty corners are the best part.

An even more regularly baked recipe at my home in Iowa was my grandma’s chocolate cake. All cakes should be like this one: rich, but not so rich that you can’t go back for a second piece. Moist and not at all dry, no matter how old. It is better on day two. We make this special cake for all family birthdays, and sometimes on other special occasions. One time I tried to make the cake for a friend I was visiting in California. She was celebrating her birthday, so I called my parents for the recipe and got to work. It would have probably been okay, but we hardly waited one minute for it to cool. The cake was described both as geological and as looking like buffalo shit. It still tasted wonderful.

But I digress from today’s purpose in blogging. I set out with the intention of writing about the process of baking bread. Bread, as I’ve mentioned, was regularly baked in my house growing up. My dad would time his errands so he could be home in time to knead and happily produced pizza crusts for his eager daughters. So when Erin asked me about family recipes, bread obviously came to mind.

Now my dad will call me to talk bread. How beautiful his most recent loaf is; what went wrong; and what he’d love to do next (build a brick oven?). We both marvel and appreciate the process of baking. Kneading the dough feels comforting and organizing my day around bread just seems to make sense. And need I say anything about that sweet, intoxicating smell of a baking loaf?

Today I thought I’d share a few photographs of the process of baking bread.

Ready for the first, short bench rest. Sourdough starter, flour, and water have been mixed together, but 50 more grams of water and 20 grams of salt will be added. This is enough dough for two loaves.

The first bench rest has finished and the final ingredients added. Ready for three hours of rising.

At this point, the bread has been rising for an hour and a half and has been "turned" 3 times. The dough has absorbed liquid and is becoming more elastic. I have now separated the dough -- this is enough for one loaf.

Bread after three hours of rising and turning. It is much easier to handle at this point.

The bread formed into a round shape with a lot of tension in the dough. The bread will now sit for 30 minutes.

After a 30 minute bench rest, the loaf has expanded. See how the hole at the bottom of the circle has expanded?

The bread has been shaped into its final form and will now rise for 3 hours and then be baked.

The bread has now risen for three hours and is upside down.

The final product.