Category Archives: Food/Wine

Gourmet S’mores

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Gourmet s'mores vessel.

Gourmet s’mores oven.

I picked up some mallows from Madyson’s Gourmet Marshmallows in Sumner a few weeks ago, and I was SO excited to make gourmet s’mores using the peanut butter/chocolate chip stuffed fluffs.

I mean…you guys…s’mores are the ultimate, and these homemade marshmallows are life changing.  Our family has always used fudge stripe cookies instead of grahams.  The group officially decided that the ultimate s’more is a fudge stripe smeared with peanut butter and a Madyson’s stuffed mallow.

It would be SO cute to have a s’more station at a rustic wedding featuring the fluffs.

S’more? S’more what?

xx

-h

Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies

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As a kid, my grandmother always had cookies at her house.  My parents didn’t keep junk food in the house, let alone cookies, so going to Grandma Jeanne’s always meant we would get to have either a ginger snap or oatmeal cookie after lunch.  A couple years ago I made this Bon Appetit Chewy Triple Ginger Cookie Recipe and it was delicious, but pretty labor intensive given the amount of ingredients.  Recently, I picked up the Tom Douglas Dahlia Bakery Cookbook and marked the recipe for Old Fashioned Molasses Cookies with Fresh Ginger.  Last night I combined parts of both recipes for these Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies.

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Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies

-3/4 cup (1.5 cubes) unsalted butter
-1 cup light brown sugar
-1 large egg
-1/4 cup molasses
-2 teaspoons fresh ginger peeled and grated
-2 cups flour
-2 teaspoons baking soda
-1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1/2 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger

In a stand mixer using the paddle attachment cream butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add molasses, egg, and fresh ginger and mix to combine.  In a separate bowl whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together.  Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and combine.  Add the crystallized ginger and mix until evenly dispersed.

Refrigerate dough for at least an hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Pour 1/2 cup of sugar in the raw (or regular white sugar if you don’t have coarse kind) in a bowl.  Form 3/4 inch balls of dough with your hands and roll in the sugar.  Place on parchment lined cookie sheets 2-3″ apart and squish down with your hand so the ball is flattened.

Bake for 7-8 minutes or until golden brown and set around the edges but slightly soft in the center.

Tip: If dough starts to get soft while you are putting on cookie sheets, return to fridge until it’s set again.

These would make great ice cream sandwiches – put a scoop of chocolate ice cream between 2 cookies and wham bam, delicious dessert!

Enjoy!

xx

-h

Sunday Dinner: Stuffed Peppers

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I usually like to make something for dinner on Sunday night that will have enough leftovers to be my lunch for the week.  Whatever I make sets the tone for the week and it’s nice to not have to think about throwing something together or resorting to unhealthy choices during the day.  This weekend was relaxing but active, so I wanted comfort food.  Stuffed peppers have always been one of my favorite dishes that my mom makes, but through the years I’ve added a few twists of my own.

1000 Wonderful Things_Stuffed Peppers

 

Stuffed Peppers

-Preheat oven to 350.

Ingredients
– 3 bell peppers
– 1 package ground turkey
– 1 package frozen Trader Joe’s brown rice – they sell this in boxes in the frozen section and they come in individually microwavable packages.  It cuts the brown rice prep time down to 3 mins instead of an hour.  You can also use regular brown rice of course, cook according to directions.
– 1 small can corn
– 1/2 onion chopped
– 1 can tomato soup mixed with 1/2 can milk or about a 1.5 cups of pre-made tomato soup (I like the Pacific kind in the box).
– grated cheddar cheese

-Wash and de-seed 3 bell peppers (red is my favorite, but if you prefer green, yellow, or orange go for it) and cut them in half hot-dog ways – see above photo.
– Brown the turkey and drain off excessive fat.
– Meanwhile microwave the frozen rice, or if you’re using normal brown rice, cook that.
– In the same pan you used for the turkey saute the onion until it’s translucent and has softened.
– Add the drained corn to the onion and sauté.  Sprinkle with about 2 teaspoons of cumin and 1 teaspoon chili powder.
– In a big bowl mix the turkey with the onion and corn and add the rice.  Taste it at this point and if it needs more flavor add more cumin and chili powder.
– Arrange the pepper halves in a baking dish and fill them with the turkey, rice, onion, and corn mixture.
– Gently pour the tomato soup over the top of the peppers letting it fill in the crevices, it’s okay if it spills over a little.

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Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until peppers are soft.  In the last 5 minutes of baking sprinkle with grated cheese and cook until melted.

1000 Wonderful Things Stuffed Peppers

 

Let cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.

I love these because they are very easy to change according to what you have in your fridge or cupboard.  I’ve added chopped black olives, mushrooms, green chilies, chopped spinach, or chopped tomato to the insides mixture before, all with great results.

There will probably be quite a bit of filling leftover, I usually freeze part of it or just put in the fridge and use for tacos, add it to chili, or just eat it straight.

Looking forward to a low-key week on my end with lots of running, gym and yoga time.

xx

-h

Slider Cook-Off and Lamb Burger Recipe

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Last weekend, we hosted a slider-off at our house.  Four recipes, four completely different sliders.  We had a blast and everyone took it pretty seriously, which meant there was a lot of smack talking. My dad, Sarah, my cousin Chas, and I all cooked.

My dad made smoked pork with tomato/apple aioli.

Sarah made mac & cheese with tomato/bacon jam.

Chas didn’t think the competition was as serious as everyone else did so he brought jalapeno/cheddar beef burgers with bbq sauce.

And I made a take on a gyro with lamb, tzatziki, and tomato.

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Lamb sliders:

– 2 lbs ground lamb
– 2 tablespoons minced fresh mint
– 2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano
– 2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme
– 1/4 cup crumbled feta
– 1 egg
– salt and pepper

Mix together and put in the fridge for at least 20 mins so the flavors can meld.  To cook put a splash of oil in a heavy bottom skillet and make 2 ish oz patties. Fry 2-3 minutes each side until cooked to desired doneness.

Serve on a slider bun with tzatziki:

– Grate cucumber and sprinkle with salt (this will bring out moisture)
– 2-3 tablespoons minced fresh dill
– 1/2 cup sour cream
– 3/4 cup plain greek yogurt
– 1 glove minced garlic
– splash of lemon juice

Using a cheese cloth squeeze all the liquid out of the cucumber and mix with the other ingredients until blended.  Keep in fridge and let flavors meld.

Serve the burger on slider bun with a dallop of tzatziki and slice of tomato.

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Have a great weekend!

xx

-h

My favorite things about Nairobi

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As a begin to pack my things and prepare for the journey home, I have been reflecting about the things I like about Nairobi.  The truth is, it’s a hard place to love.  With a nickname like, “Nairobbery” you are constantly on the lookout.  The upcoming election brings fear of the reoccurring violence Kenyan elections are known for.  Luxury weekend getaways such as Mombasa and Lamu have become notorious unsafe places for travelers.  The city is filthy and littered with garbage and holds the absolute worst traffic known to man.  Despite all this, I have found things that I really love about this place…

  • Mangos are not seasonal, in fact they are good all the time.  Once you get the hang of how to cut into them, you are golden.

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  • Every ex-patriot wants to be your friend.  They have all been there – in a foreign place where they know no one – it’s like a secret society where everyone is nice.  I love it.  They all have connections all over the world too, so they say things like, “if you ever go to…call me and I’ll have my friend show you around”.  So in return to you friendly people – call me if you come to Seattle.
  • I have met more people from more different places in the last three months than I have my entire life.  Here are the origins, from what I can remember, of the people I’ve met here (I’m sure I’m forgetting some):
    • Bulgaria, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Poland, South Africa, Ethiopia, Uganda, Somalia, Tanzania, Spain, Ireland, New York, California, Tennessee, Sweden, Japan, Virginia, Austria, Germany, France, Zambia, Namibia and Rwanda
  • Outside of the city, it’s really beautiful.  You see more exotic (and some not-so-exotic) animals than you can in a zoo.  Let me see if I can name all the ones I’ve seen:
    • Elephants, Rhinos, Flamingos, Monkeys, Baboons, Zebras, Antelope, Gazelles, Geckos (in my house!), Ostriches, Horses, Camels, Lizards, Giraffes, Cows, Cats, Dogs, Chickens, Goats and Donkeys
  • A lot of things you can buy are benefitting something.  For example:
    • The bag I referred to in the What’s Not to LOVE? post I did last week gives proceeds back to the fishermen and their community in Lamu, Kenya.
    • Kenana Knitter Critter creates charming designs using all-natural homespun wool bought from local Kenyan women.  Money earned by Kenana Knitters goes directly to the women who are able to improve the quality of life for themselves and their families through knitting adorable critters such as this owl-
Knitter Critter Owl

Knitter Critter Owl

    • Pendeza Weaving is a company that uses handspun yarn from locally grown organic cotton, sheared wool and silk to create amazing textiles.  Purchasing their products supports the Pendeza Weaving Project which helps to keep a child free from malnutrition, enable a child access education, enable the girl child access sanitary towels, enable a family access to clean drinking water, enable those living with HIV/AIDS access proper nutrition to boost their immunity, save the environment and decrease global warming and provide descent housing to the destitute community members of rural Bondo.
    • Proceeds from Mara wine go helping Kenyan women provide food, shelter and education to their families.  Proceeds can also help support their entrepreneurships.
Mara Wine - with wine jewelry!

Mara Wine – with wine jewelry!

  • There are some truly unique and fantastic gates and driveway entries around.

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  • They have the highest quality coffee company – Dormans Coffee – in the world…though I might be bias!
  • Chai tea.  To follow up on the recipe from Chai on my Mind posted a couple months ago, I’ve learned that for the extra chai kick to your tea to add cinnamon and cardamon.
  • Stoney soda.  It’s a ginger soda with a zing!  Delicious!

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  • Did I mention charming co-workers who bring me bananas?
Joseph and I

Joseph and I

There are lots of things I really like about Nairobi and the above only scratches the surface.

xo

-s

Lemon Blueberry Coffee Cake

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I’ve had a stash of frozen blueberries that I kept adding to over the summer. So, this week, when I cleaned out the freezer, I found my blueberries and instantly remembered pinning this breakfast cake recipe from Alexandra’s Kitchen. I had a lemon that needed to be used, so I did what anyone with an inkling for blueberry coffee cake would do, I started zesting.

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I had thawed the blueberries, and then coated them in flour, per Alexandra’s recipe.

IMG_1938I got half way through the recipe and realized I was out of vanilla extract. But, I had some vanilla beans leftover from making Kahlua (recipe to come). So I scraped one bean in (about equal to 1 tsp of vanilla extract).

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I got the vanilla beans from Beanilla.com, they’re pricing is significantly less then a supermarket or Costco. Shipping was fast, and there are a ton of options. When I scrape a bean into a recipe, I like to take the outside part and put it in a bottle to make homemade vanilla extract. To make extract, you simple take sections of a bean (scraped or not) and put them in a bottle or jar and cover with cheap vodka. Let it soak for 6-8 weeks and gently shake the bottle once a week to disturb the contents. The longer you let the extract sit, the more intense the flavor will become. I like to just add whatever extra bean parts I have over time. This would also make a great gift!

Anyways, back to blueberries and lemons, oh my! My favorite part of any coffee cake is the crispy/flaky top and edging, and by sprinkling a little extra sugar over the top, this is achieved beautifully.

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Additionally, I ended up baking the cake for a total of about 45 mins.

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Enjoy, and thanks Alexandra for the delicious recipe!

xx

-h