Orange Leaf Yogurt, Tucson, AZ

As we left the office yesterday, friends invited me to join them for a visit to the new yogurt shop.  Orange Leaf was a treat, and I learned that I love Popping Bobas.  

They offered 14 different yogurt flavors and the widest array of toppings I've ever seen.

(The decorations give away the fact that we visited the week before Halloween.) 

The one that caught my eye was a bin of Popping Bobas; such an exciting addition - tapioca gel spheres filled with fruit juice.  They burst in your mouth - similar to giant caviar except they're sweet and fruity rather than fishy. 

Mushroom Risotto

The first time I tasted risotto, my brother ordered a truffle risotto and insisted that my husband and I try it.  A heavenly taste - very memorable.  Tonight was my first attempt at making risotto, and I'm declaring it a success - a rich and creamy side dish with layers of flavor and much more affordable than the version sampled in NYC.  .

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups low sodium chicken stock
8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, diced
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 shallot, diced
1 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine (I used a dry vermouth because that's all I had)
a pinch dried tarragon
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
truffle oil (optional)

Directions

• Warm chicken stock in saucepan.
• Add mushrooms and half of olive oil to another pan.  Brown mushrooms then remove from pan.
• Add remaining olive oil and shallot.  Cook until just translucent.
• Add rice, stirring until all of the grains are coated in oil.  Cook two minutes.
• Add wine and tarragon.  Cook until wine is absorbed.
• Add 1/2 cup warm chicken stock, stir, cooking until absorbed.  Repeat until all stock has been added.
• Return mushrooms to the pan, added cheese.
• Drizzle with truffle oil. 

Lefse - Norwegian Flatbread

Friends of mine are involved in The Sons of Norway, and every year their lodge makes Lefse for the Nordic Festival in Tucson.  They were kind enough to share the recipe and let me photograph them at work.  They make 100 dozen, and one year, sold out in just over 15 minutes. 

Thanks to Marge for sharing the recipe below, I think this may be a recipe that takes a lot of practice to get just the "right feel." 

Ingredients

5 pounds Russet potatoes, peeled & diced
butter, melted
half & half
sugar
salt
flour

Directions

First day:

• Boil potatoes until tender
• Drain
• Rice potatoes in ricer
• Place 4 cups of riced potatoes in a large bowl and add 1/2 cup melted butter, 1/2 cup half & half, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt
• Beat with electric mixer until blended, about 1 minutes
• Repeat until you've mixed all of the potatoes
• Put mixture in a large bowl; cover with a dish towel
• Refrigerate

Second Day:

• Put 4 cups potato mixture in a large bowl; add 1 cup flour, mix with hands.  Add additional flour until mixture is no longer sticky or sticking to hands.

• Repeat until all of the potato mixture is mixed with flour. 

• Shape into small balls about 1/3 cup in size.  Set balls on a cookie sheet covered with paper towels

• Lightly flour a cloth covered lefse board and lefse rolling pin with cloth sleeve.  Roll each ball the cloth covered boar into a 12 to 14 inch circle.
• Carefully loosen the dough with a lefse stick - using a sawing motion.

• Place the lefse dough on a griddle that has been heated to 450 to 475 degrees.  Turn the dough when it begins to brown
• Place the prepared lefse between 3 to 4 large dish towels, stack additional lefse on top to keep the lefse moist.  Always keep lefse covered.

• Before bagging the lefse, place 4 to 6 lefse on a towel.  Let set about 1 minute.  Fold into half and then in half again.  Place in zip-lock bag; refrigerate or freeze.  

I had to ask Marge where they got the fabric sleeves for the rolling pins and lefse sticks, etc. Depending on where you live, you might find these items in a specialty kitchen shop.  Since we're in the desert SW, she orders from a catalog.  They're also available from Amazon. 

Many-Splendored Quick Bread

Heavenly Cake Baker Submission #24

I had to cut myself a second slice to decide what to write.

This quick bread has zucchini, banana, carrot, nuts, oats - so very healthy.  The flavors are very light and would be perfect with a cup of tea.  That being said, the next time I make it, I will probably add more or darker sugar, maybe some chocolate chips or cinnamon.  The nuts are toasted and that really makes a difference; it brings out a richer, more complicated flavor. 

This seemed especially quick and easy to me.  I was going to be out of the house all day and had company coming for dinner, so I prepped everything I could before leaving.  When it was time to bake, all I had to do was combine the wet ingredients and grate the veggies.

Unlike my other blog posts, as part of the Heavenly Cake Bakers, I don't post recipes from this book on the Internet. One of the reasons for this baking group is to encourage readers to purchase the cookbook. That strategy worked on me! After follow the group's baking adventures for a couple of months, I ordered a copy from Amazon because I wanted join in.

Black Bean Veggie Burgers

On Monday evenings, runners, walkers, kids in strollers and wagons, and the occasional dog  gather on the patio at Maynards Market & Kitchen in the refurbished train depot.  They follow a path through historic downtown Tucson, returning to the patio by 7 PM in time for prizes to be awarded - Meet Me at Maynards t-shirts, caps, and gift certificates.  Many of the restaurants offer discounts to participants, urging them to linger downtown.

My sister and I have made this our Monday night tradition lately; after the walk, we pick up a $4 black bean veggie burger in the market before heading home - my inspiration for this recipe.  Live music wafting over the patio, the occasion train roaring by, hanging out with like-minded souls who decided to leave the couch and get some exercise, it's a great weekly event.  Thanks to the Southern Arizona Roadrunners for making it happen. 

One of the things you'll hear asked if you decide to join us is, "what do MMM athletes do on Monday night?"  The appropriate response is "GET OUT!!!"

I must admit that I've served store bought veggie patties in my home to vegetarians, but I think I'll stick with these in the future - so much more flavor, and the most difficult part is washing the food processor.  

Adapted from: Allrecipes

Ingredients

15 ounce can black beans (or 1 1/2 cups cooked black beans), drained
3 cloves garlic
1/2 onion, quarter
1/2 red bell pepper, quartered
1 egg
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon chili sauce
3/4 cup bread crumbs
vegetable oil

Directions

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  
• Combine all ingredients except oil in food processor, run until well combined but not totally smooth.  
• Line a cookie sheet with foil, brush with vegetable oil.  
• Form the bean mixture into four patties.  I sat a 3-inch round (they'll spread a little as they bake) cookie cutter on the sheet pan and used it as a form, filling and packing the bean mixture.  Smooth off the tops, lift off the cookie cutter.  
• Brush the tops with oil.  
• Bake 10 minutes, flip burgers, brush tops with oil, bake 10 more minutes. 
• Serve on a bun with the usual burger condiments. 

Shrimp - Tofu Pad Thai

I don't do much Asian cooking, so this may be the start of something new.  I wanted to try my hand with Pad Thai, my usual from Pei Wei.

Being a novice, I bought two kinds of rice noodles from my local Asian market - a precooked package from the refrigerator case and a package of dried.  I followed the directions below with the dried noodles and worried that they were too al dente after the soaking time, so I opened the precooked package.  After pinching off a bit a precooked noodle, I opted to take my chances with the dry noodles - the precooked had no flavor and the texture seemed mushy.  I shouldn't have worried.  The dry noodles continued to hydrate during cooking and absorbed the flavor of the sauce - definitely the way to go.  

Adapted from: Allrecipes.com

Ingredients

8 ounces dry rice noodles (rice sticks)
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 onion, diced
2 teaspoons minced garlic
12 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
6 ounces extra firm tofu, diced and drained
2 eggs, light beaten
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup fish sauce
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/2 pound bean sprouts
1/2 cup peanuts, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon red chili sauce

Directions

• Soak the noodles in cold water for 15 minutes.  Drain; cover with hot water.  Soak for 15 more minutes.  Drain; rinse in cold water.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add onion and cook, stirring, until translucent. 
• Add garlic, shrimp and tofu; cook until shrimp is pink.  
• Add eggs, stirring until set.
• Whisk together ketchup, fish sauce, sugar, lemon juice, and vinegar; add to pan.
• Add noodles, bean sprouts, peanuts, and cilantro.  Cover, cook until noodles are tender, about 5 minutes. 
• Stir in chili sauce.

Serves: 4 - 5

Molten Chocolate Souffle and Lava Cakes

Heavenly Cake Baker Submission #23

I've tasted lava cakes before, but this is my first attempt at making them.  My silicon cupcake pan may be larger than 4 ounces.  I made six rather than seven.  I think that maybe I should have made only six ganache balls rather than nine, just to keep the proportion correct.   Molding the ganache in a plastic wrap lined egg carton was a great trick.

The flourless cake came together easily - much easier than the cakes I've been watching my HCB pals prepare the last couple of weeks.  The batter was spooned into prepared pans with a little ganache "egg"' on top.

They came out of the oven with a slight crack, just as they should.

I only have the one shot of the cake ready to eat.  Before I could snap another, the cream melted and ran down the warm cake.  The flavor was a nice contrast to the intense chocolate, but maybe ice cream would have been a better choice for longevity and photo ops. 

Unlike my other blog posts, as part of the Heavenly Cake Bakers, I don't post recipes from this book on the Internet. One of the reasons for this baking group is to encourage readers to purchase the cookbook. That strategy worked on me! After follow the group's baking adventures for a couple of months, I ordered a copy from Amazon because I wanted join in.

Hash Browns

I feel like I've just been given the secret of the universe - how to make good hash browns at home.  Thanks to Elise for posting on Simply Recipes.  I didn't follow her dad's technique exactly, but it certainly put me on the right path.

I love hash browns, but seldom make them because they never seem to turn out well.  I've never been able to get that brown crust that you find in restaurant hash browns. 

My husband and I were discussing the possibility of making hash browns on Sunday morning.  He asked if you're supposed to soak them in water.  I'd heard of doing that with some potato dishes so I suggested we google it.

Well, the secret of the universe is that you don't want to add water to your hash browns before cooking, you want to take it out!

Ingredients

2 - 3 Russet potatoes, peeled and grated
3 tablespoons. canola oil
salt and pepper

Directions

• Spread grated potatoes on a dish towel (dish towels may end up with purple stains from the potatoes) or several layers of paper towels.  Top with another dish towel or paper towels.  Roll up the towels and give them a twist to squeeze out as much moisture as possible.  
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in frying pan.  Add potatoes, spreading them evenly, 1/2 to  3/4 in thick.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Cook over medium high heat, for 5 to 7 minutes, until brown.
• Flip potatoes, add remaining tablespoon of oil to pan.
• Cook until this side is also brown.

Mulled Beer - Hot Spiced Beer

Hot beer?  Spicy beer?  I wasn't sure that I'd be a fan, but after moving beyond my initial shock at the idea, I enjoyed this several times last fall at Brovaria.  Think of it like as something similar to mulled wine; a warm drink, not too sweet, for chilly days.  This year, I thought I try making my own. It turned out even better than I expected.

I just made a small amount, using one large bottle of a hefeweizen (I think it was .5 liter) - just multiply the amounts below based on the number of servings needed.

Ingredients

1 large bottle Hefeweizen, such as Franziskaner
1/2 cup orange juice
1 cinnamon stick
2 whole cloves
1 tablespoon honey
1 slice each - orange, lemon, apple

Directions

Combine ingredients, warm over low heat, covered, for 30 to 45 minutes.  Serve warm, garnish with orange slice. 

Yields: about 3 cups

Oktoberfest Menu

My sister has volunteered with Arizona Greyhound Rescue for many years, and I though it would be fun to host a fundraising dinner for AGR in honor of her birthday.  Our date was set for Ocotber 2nd, which led to our Oktoberfest menu.

My sister suggested I use these note cards from etsy for the invitations.  

My parents, who make their own beer and wine, were kind enough to supply us with German wines, complete with one of my sister's greyhounds on the label.

Appetizers

Soft pretzels with honey mustard

Candied almonds

German beer and wine

Orangina

Main Course

Currywurst (brats and turkey kielbasa)

Red cabbage

German potato salad

Dessert

Chocolate peanut butter bacchanal

Apple-crumb coffee cake

Chilaquiles (Tortilla Casserole)

I saw a coworker prepare Rick Bayless' Chilaquiles years ago.  He made the red sauce from scratch - cooking and simmering half the day. 

Other than a brief conversation this afternoon, that's my only exposure to chilaquiles.  I don't claim this is as authentic as master chef Rick Bayless' recipe, but it is quick and easy, and it's very tasty.  It feels a little decadent, essentially having chips and sauce for dinner, but hey, it's Friday!    

(Like all casseroles, this is a great way to use up leftovers - a little shredded meat and/or vegetables would be a great addition.) 

Before baking - too much sauce :(

Ingredients

2/3 of a 22 ounce bag of tortilla chips
8 ounces queso fresco
2.25 ounce can sliced black olives
2-28 ounce cans red enchilada sauce
Shredded lettuce
Mexican crema, for garish
 

Directions

• Fill casserole dish (I used a 9 x 3 round) 1/3 full with chips, top with 1/3 of olives, and crumble 1/3 of cheese over the top. 
• Repeat for two more layers. 
• Add sauce to fill dish. (Mine were a little soupy, so next time I'll fill to within an inch of the top; may also use more of the bag of chips - crushing them to fit in the pan.) 
• Bake at 350 for 45 to 60 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and top begins to brown. 
• Cool for 10 minutes before serving on lettuce.
• Garnish generously with crema; it helps to mellow the enchilada sauce.   

Note
If you can't find queso fresco, substitute Monterrey jack or cheddar.  Sour cream thinned with a little milk can take the place of the Mexican crema.