Jalapeno Cornbread

This is such a summery dish that can be made a number of different ways. As pepper season is coming into full-swing, you may be wondering what to do with all those garden left-overs. Although jalapenos are great in salsas, they can be added to this cornbread recipe to give an added kick! 

(Goya Canned Jalapenos do the trick)

In this recipe, I used both fresh and pickled jalapenos. Because not every one like spicy foods as much as I do, I had to adjust the recipe to give the bread a bite but no so much heat that your mouth is on fire. Using pickled peppers inside the bread while topping the batter with fresh jalapenos gave me the perfect balance of spices.
  
                                                                                                   
Ingredients:  

Yellow Corn Meal--- 1 C
All Purpose Flour--- 1 C
Baking Powder--- 3 Tsp
Salt--- 1 Tsp
Brown Sugar--- 1/4 C
Jalapeno Peppers (Pickled)--- 1 12oz Can
Milk--- 1 C
Egg--- 1 (Large)
Vegetable Oil--- 1/4 C
Garlic Powder--- To Taste
Chili Powder--- To Taste
Jalapeno Peppers (Fresh)--- 2
                                                                                                   

Begin by Preheating your oven to 400F. If using pickled peppers, slice into bit-size pieces.

In a large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients (Flour, Corn Meal, Baking Powder, Sugar and Salt)

In a separate bowl whisk egg, oil and milk until evenly stirred. Add jalapenos as well as wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until a smooth batter is formed.

Pour batter into a 7x7 baking dish that has been coated with non-stick spray. Using a spatula, even out the top of the cornbread. 

 For added flavor slice and remove seeds from fresh jalapeno peppers. Place slices on the top of the batter. Also season the top of the cornbread with extra brown sugar, chili and garlic powder. The sugar will caramelize and the chili will add a hint of red to the already colorful dish.

Bake at 400F for 20-25 minutes. Allow a few minutes for bread to cool before serving and enjoying!

Incan Stew

The easiest way to experience another culture is through their food! Lately, I've had such a travel bug and am looking to fill up my passport. By making these dishes, I get a literal taste of a certain country, region, or culture. 

The Inca Empire was a historic civilization found in modern day Peru. This country noted for it's beautiful scenery most notably from the Andes Mountains. The Incan diet is based on hardy vegetables and grains that can survive in the rugged, high-altitude climate. And as it turns out, Quinoa originated in Central and South America making this dish not only delicious but historical!

I would say this is a "stew" in name only. The potatoes and quinoa absorb most of the liquid so this dish is more like a side rather than a soup. Be sure to add the chipotle peppers- they add a smoky flavor that really steps up the taste!
                                                                                                   
Ingredients:

Sweet Potatoes--- 1.5 Lbs.
Quinoa--- 1.5 C
Chipotle Peppers--- 1 ( 7oz ) Can  
Water-- 3.5 C
Garlic Powder--- 1 Tbs.
Salt--- To taste
Pepper-- To taste 
                                                                                                   
Begin by peeling potatoes and cutting into bite-sized pieces. Prep chipotle peppers by slicing into small strips. 

In a large pot bring 2 cup of water to a boil. Add quinoa, reduce heat to a simmer, and cover your pot. Let quinoa cook alone for 5 minutes, then add potatoes, peppers and the remaining water.

Season with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stew is ready once quinoa is tender and has absorbed the majority of the water. Enjoy!

Honeydew Sorbet

Just in time for the 4th of July! Here's a cool, refreshing and colorful dish that is a fun alternative to the typical party fruit tray. 

                                                                                                   
Ingredients:

Honeydew--- 2 (Medium sized)
Water--- 1/2 C
Mint--- 2 Tsp.
Honey--- 2 Tbs.
                                                                                                   

Start by removing the seeds from inside the fruit. Cut honeydew into small pieces and place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Freeze for 3 to 4 hours.

Working in small batches, combine frozen honeydew, water, mint and honey and puree in a food processor until smooth like water ice. 

Pour pureed honeydew into a cake pan and let firm by freezing for an additional hour. 

Enjoy!

Gnocchi with Basil and Oil

The Recovery Kitchen is all about making things from scratch and much like the Homemade Pasta post, I had a go at making gnocchi by hand.

Some takeaways from making these little Italian dumplings:

1. They are really easy to make. It's pretty much mashed potatoes with flour.

2. Gnocchi are the Italian version of Slovak Halušky. I love drawing food parallels between two different cultures.

3. Unlike other pastas, gnocchi aren't all that labor intensive. In other words you don't have to be like my Great-Grandma who would spend all day making pasta in the kitchen. 

Overall, gnocchi are a delicious accompaniment to an Italian feast and can be enjoyed plain or smothered and covered in your favorite sauces!    
                                                                                                     
Ingredients:

Potatoes--- 1 Lb
All-Purpose Flour--- 3/4 C
Ricotta Cheese--- 1/4 C
Egg--- 1 
Basil (Dried)--- 1 Tbs
Salt and Pepper--- To Taste
Olive Oil--- 1 Tbs
                                                                                                     
Start by baking potatoes at 425F for about an hour. Remove potatoes from oven and let cool enough to handle. The skin should peel off easily and once the potatoes are peeled, mash in a large mixing bowl. To making the dough easier to work, try and mash any big potato lumps. 

To make the dough, gently knead in the flour, ricotta and a whisked egg. Season dough by working in salt, pepper and basil.

Once dough is formed, divide into smaller loaves and roll into long, narrow strips (almost like a kielbasa/sausage). Flour your knife and slice dough into small pieces (mine were about the size of dice).

To give the dumplings that classic gnocchi look, roll on the back of a fork to give them a nice pattern and rounded shape.

On the stove, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add gnocchi to the pot and let cook until they float to the top of the water. Because they are so fresh, it'll only take 1-2 minutes for the gnocchi to cook.

Strain from water and top with your favorite sauce or simply with basil, grated Parmesan and oil!

French Onion Soup

The French style seems to be the most elite type cooking in the culinary world. I love trying these recipes because while they can be challenging, they are very rewarding in the end. My sister LOVES French Onion Soup (according to her, it's her favorite type of soup) and with "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" in hand, I decided to channel my inner "Child" and try this dish.

Overall, it's a really easy dish- just saute onions and add broth. Of course it's the garnishes that make the meal so be sure to top your soup with a baguette and Gruyere cheese. Although some may be hesitant to try an Onion soup, the sweetness of the wine and meatiness of the stock perfectly balance out the strong onion flavor.
                                                                                                     
Ingredients:
Sweet or Yellow Onions (sliced)--- 3 C
Butter--- 3 Tbs
Olive Oil--- 2 Tbs
All Purpose Flour--- 2 Tbs
Salt and Sugar--- Pinch of each
Beef Stock--- 1 Qt (32oz)
White Wine (Pinot Grigio)--- 1/2 C
Baguette 
Gruyere Cheese (grated)--- 1 C
                                                                                                   
Begin by cutting onions into thin slices. In a large saucepan, heat oil and butter until melted. Saute onions for 15 minutes on low heat. Season with salt and sugar (Julia says the sugar helps brown the onions) Cover pot to keep onions tender and moist. 

Add flour to onions and stir for 3 minutes until they thicken. In a separate pot, bring stock to a boil. Remove onions from heat and pour stock into the large saucepan. Return the saucepan to heat and bring to a gentle simmer. Allow about 30 minutes for the soup to simmer.

In the meantime, preheat oven to 375F. Slice baguette into thick pieces, drizzle olive oil over bread and roast for 30 minutes until baguette is dried & golden brown. 

Remove soup from from heat and ladle into an oven safe bowl. Place toasted baguette on top of the soup and cover with the grated Gruyere cheese. Place bowl in oven and bake for 20 minutes so the cheese melts into soup.   

Enjoy and Bon Appetit!

Eggplant with Garlic Sauce

I've been craving a vegetable stir-fry dish for a while now and with summer, it's good time to experiment with different veggies. I love finding unique flavors to dress-up these veggies and this Asian-inspired garlic sauce blends nicely with the sweet ginger to give the eggplant a sweet and salty bite. 

This side is a great base to build off of. It can be an easy vegetarian dinner with the addition of tofu just as easily as grilled chicken can be added to give it an extra punch of protein!
                                                                                                     
Ingredients: Serves 2

Eggplant (cubed)--- 1 Lb 
Onion (sliced)--- 1/2 C
Ginger (minced)--- 1 tsp
Olive Oil--- 2 tbsp

For the Garlic Sauce:

Water--- 1/2 C
Garlic Powder--- 2 tbsp
Corn Starch--- 2 tsp
Soy Sauce--- 1/4 C
Oyster Sauce--- 2 tbs
Pepper Flakes--- 1 tsp
                                                                                                     
To prepare the eggplant, slice and salt in order to draw the moisture to the surface. Let water rise to the surface of the eggplant for at least 30 minutes. Pat dry with a paper towel and cube eggplant into bite-sized pieces.

Chop onion and ginger (be sure to remove the skin off the ginger!) and combine with eggplant in a large mixing bowl.

Mix water, garlic powder, soy & oyster sauces as well as pepper flakes. In a small pot bring liquid to a rolling boil, stirring occasionally until the garlic powder dissolves. Stir in corn starch until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat.

In a large frying pan or wok, saute eggplant, onion and ginger until tender. Add a generous amount of garlic sauce to the pan and coat the eggplant.   

Serve over rice and enjoy!

             

Date and Nut Quick bread

I love cooking with ingredients I've never used before and to be honest, I ate dates only once before I making this bread. I found that they are kind of like a mild prune that has a subtle sweetness.

In total this bread took less than an hour to make and turned out to be a hit! My Poppop said it's a great treat to go with coffee so I'd recommend making this for a special weekend breakfast or brunch. Feel free to add more fruit/nuts to the recipe- I included walnuts for a salty crunch to balance the sweet and tender dates.
                                                                                                     
Ingredients:  

Dates (Pitted)--- 2 C
Walnuts (Chopped)--- 1 C
Butter (Softened)--- 1/4 C
Water (Boiled)--- 1 C
Brown Sugar--- 1/2 C
Egg (Large)--- 1
All-Purpose Flour--- 1.5 C
Baking Soda--- 1 tsp
Baking Powder--- 1 tsp
Salt--- 1 tsp
Vanilla Extract--- 1 tbsp
                                                                                                    
Preheat the oven to 350F and bring water to a boil. Slice dates into small pieces and combine with baking soda in a small mixing bowl. Once water is boiling, remove from heat and pour over the dates. The baking soda will react with the warm water.

In a large mixing bowl combine butter, egg and brown sugar and whisk until smooth. Add flour, baking powder, salt and vanilla. Mix evenly. Once the water has cooled add the date/water/baking soda mixture along with the walnuts to your batter.

Grease a bread pan and pour batter until pan is about half-way full. Bake at 350F for 40-45 minutes. Let cool before serving and enjoy!