Category Archives: easy

Visiting California | Turkey Chili with White Beans

March 13, 2012 –

I’m in a new room right now. It’s nearly empty but for this computer and the table at which I’m sitting. It’s refreshing. It’s different. The only thing that is the least bit familiar is this computer and the pitter patter of rain on the windows.

The rain was sort of a surprise this morning. It followed so closely on the heels of an entire week of sunshine here in California. I didn’t welcome it either. My body and mind were not nearly ready to let go of the warmth. I suppose, however, it’s a good thing. I needed to write and there is no better environment for this task. I know how to write in the rain. I know how to do lots of things in the rain. I’m sort of an expert at being soaking wet after living in Seattle for so many years.

Turkey Chili with white beans Recipe

This past week was wonderful. Really wonderful. Maeve slept through the night the very night we landed in this fair state. She continues to do so. I think this place agrees with her. We found her a vintage train set at a rummage sale in Sausalito. We hiked through the Marin Headlands and watched droves of hummingbirds defy gravity. We took Maeve to the playground where I used to play as a girl. She was thrilled to find a bird taking a bath in a fountain. She also discovered a brand new slide, sandbox, and swingset. And, despite a bout in the emergency room for a case of conjunctivitis, she is full of joy and wonder. There are so many new things to see and do.

I can’t say I cooked a great deal since we arrived here, but I did manage to make this chili. In fact, it’s sort of hard to believe I’m mentioning it here for the first time. This was the season of chili in our home. I am obsessed with the stuff. And, in particular, I’m obsessed with this recipe for turkey chili with white beans. Oh sure, I tried several other recipes this winter. I even tried a recipe for lamb chili. That was good. In fact, all the recipes were good. Some of them even managed to rise to the level of deliciousness. However, not a single one of those heaping bowls of beans and meat managed to come close to this recipe. What makes it so special is the perfect combination of spices. This turkey chili is spiced with hints of cumin, cinnamon, and cocoa powder. Yes, cocoa powder! The white beans are mild and tender. They nearly melt in your mouth as they marry so beautifully with the hunks of lean turkey meat.

This chili boasts a wonderfully complex mix of flavors you will love. You might even thank me because this one is easy. I mean it. The ease with which you can throw together this meal is unfathomable. The pay-off is extraordinary.

The season for chili isn’t over, my friends. I’m just getting started.

Turkey Chili with white beans Recipe

Turkey White Bean Chili

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 medium onions, chopped

1 and 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 and 1/2 pounds lean ground turkey

1/4 cup chili powder

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes

3 cups beef stock or canned beef broth

1 8-ounce can tomato sauce

3 15-ounce cans small white beans, rinsed, drained

Chopped fresh cilantro

Plain low-fat yogurt or light sour cream

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onions; sauté until light brown and tender, about 10 minutes. Add oregano and cumin; stir 1 minute. Increase heat to medium-high. Add turkey; stir until no longer pink, breaking up with back of spoon. Stir in chili powder, bay leaves, cocoa powder, salt and cinnamon. Add tomatoes with their juices, breaking up with back of spoon. Mix in stock and tomato sauce. Bring to boil.

Reduce heat; simmer 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add beans to chili and simmer until flavors blend, about 10 minutes longer. Discard bay leaves. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium-low heat before continuing.)

Ladle chili into bowls. Garnish with cilantro and sour cream.

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Starting Anew | Garlic Confit

March 5, 2012 –

If you were starting anew in a fresh kitchen, what would you take with you? What would you create from scratch? I am quite serious. I ask in earnest. Just imagine a kitchen that is empty. Oh sure, there are some cabinets, a sink, a refrigerator, and an ordinary gas stove. Otherwise, it’s a blank canvas. You might as well have tumbleweeds twirling about through the empty spaces.

It is hard to know where to begin. There are the spices that fill your cupboards, the different types of yeasts, flours, dried beans, and salts. But what other things do you use that might be overlooked? Preserved lemons for the refrigerator? Chicken stock in the freezer? Condiments collected over many many moons? The odd can of white beans or chickpeas in the pantry for the spontaneous hummus craving.

When I left the dormitory in college and moved into my first apartment, I had a mug and a sorry piece of tupperware. That was it. I didn’t own anything else that might be of any use in a kitchen and I had absolutely no idea where to start. The only good thing about the situation was my cluelessness. My excitement to begin real adult life far outweighed any anxiety over the task of stocking a kitchen. My first trip to the grocery store was a total disaster. I didn’t have a list. I headed for the condiment aisle first.

I realize it sounds strange to begin in the condiment aisle, but I had no guidance. What I had was a picture in my head of all the kitchens I knew. Those kitchens of loved ones, friends, and the parents of friends, all had one thing in common. The refrigerators were overflowing with condiments. Mustard. Mayonaise. Ketchup. Soy sauce. Jars of salsa with of various levels of spiciness. Most people’s refrigerators were so full of condiments the doors rattled when they swung wide open. This was what I knew.

I left the grocery store that day with two enormous brown paper bags. They were ridiculously heavy. I had to readjust and set them down on the pavement repeatedly during the short walk back to my apartment. When I finally reached my front door, my arms were barely functioning. However, I managed to empty out the bags nearly immediately. I was motivated by pride, I suppose. I lined the sides of the refrigerator with glass bottles of all sizes. It was so satisfying in that moment. That satisfaction, however, was fleeting. I was hungry. There was nothing to eat. And my arms hurt.

I learned a thing or two from that experience and from the many years of nomadic life which followed. And, today, I find myself walking into a similar situation albeit briefly. I’ll be gone for a month. I leave behind about a million spice jars, the fresh herbs from my garden, my canned goods, my stock of beef and chicken broth, and countless other staples. There are a few things I will bring with me, of course. I’m going to share one of them with you today. It’s garlic confit.

Is this surprising? It might seem a bit out of the ordinary. I know how it sounds, but do you know how it tastes? It’s something to behold. It’s slightly salty and rich. The garlic is golden and roasted to perfection giving it that soft and nearly creamy texture. The pepper adds the softest bite and the bay leaves add the absolute perfect touch of earthiness. The flavors are so perfect yet complex. The possibilities that exist with this very simple condiment are endless. Consider roasted vegetables, soups, vinaigrettes, pastas, dips, tomato sauces. Garlic confit can be added to nearly anything to pump up the volume of a dish.

I hope you love it as much as we do. It’s going into the suitcase for certain.

And, while we are on the topic of packing, I must get to it. But don’t worry. I will still be posting. If you want to know where to find me, follow your nose. There is garlic in the air, I’m sure.

Garlic Confit (makes 3 cups)

3 cups garlic cloves, peeled

1 fresh bay leaf or 2 drived leaves

8 – 10 fresh thyme sprigs

Kosher salt, black peppercorns

About 2 cups blended oil (50% canola. 50% extra virgin olive oil)

Put the garlic cloves in a heavy, covered braising pan or Dutch oven. Add the bay leaf and thyme, a scant tablespoon kosher salt, and 15-20 peppercorns. Barely cover with the oil.

Cover the pan and braise in a 300 degree oven until the cloves are pale golden and very tender, about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cool it to room temperature,

Transfer the garlic and all of the oil to a sterilized jar. Press a square of plastic wrap down directly onto the surface of the oil. Place another square of plastic over the rim of the jar and twist on the lid or secure with a rubber band. With every use, replace the square of plastic that touches the oil and use a perfectly clean fork or tongs each time to prevent cross contamination from the surfaces of your kitchen. As long as the cloves are covered in oil, they will last for at least 3 weeks in the refrigerator.

Note: I halved this recipe and it worked out beautifully!

Source:How to Roast a Lamb.

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Cooking with Kids | Whole Wheat Pita Bread

February 29, 2012 –

This post is the first in a series I hope will be a long-standing one. I am calling it Cooking with Kids and I hope you will enjoy it. Once a month, I will invite a guest to discuss how he or she includes children in the kitchen. Most kids are a handful and cooking with them isn’t always easy. I hope these posts will inspire you to keep trying new things with your children. They have such nimble hands. We must use them!

Today’s Cooking with Kids post is by Phoebe Carpenter Eells. She is a teacher, blogger, wife, and the mother of two adorable boys. She’s also the genius designer behind these adorable children’s clothes and shop. She is an accomplished home cook to boot. Phoebe shares some great tips and her kid-friendly recipe for Whole Wheat Pita Bread.

Enjoy!

—–

I’m the mama of two boys, a sweet and spirited 3 1/2 year old and an eager 9 month old. Since having kids, many changes in daily life have taken place. One big one is the ever-changing continuum of cooking with them, or finding a way to cook without them. Whenever possible, I try to involve them in the cooking or baking process. I’m here to share one of my favorite kid friendly recipes, and a few tips for cooking with kids.

My cooking with kids tips:

Plan recipes that are kid-friendly. Baking is mostly knife-free and there are many kid-friendly options.
Set them up with their own “station” for rolling, measuring and stirring. Give them responsibilities with clear instruction.
If a recipe has to be just right, or is for a special event, rethink having kids help. You don’t want to be frustrated when your pitas aren’t round or your brownies have a finger mark in the center.
Go into it knowing that there will be a mess, and that’s ok. They are learning from every piece of the kitchen experience.
For the under two population, I love baby wearing while I cook or bake. Find a carrier (or carriers) that are conducive to the kitchen process.
Have fun, be silly and enjoy cooking with your little one(s)!

Note: I usually double this recipe and keep some dough in the freezer for later.

Pita Bread

1 package (or 1 tablespoon) active dry yeast

1 teaspoon sugar

1 1/2 cups warm water

1 teaspoon salt

3 1/2 cups flour (I have used white, whole wheat and half and half, all with great success) plus more for dusting

1 teaspoon olive oil

In a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the yeast, sugar and warm water. Let this sit while you wash your kiddo’s hands and set up their measuring station (5 to 10 minutes).

Combine the flour and salt in a separate bowl. I let my 3 year old dump the flour in after I measure it. Salt too. He loves it and it work on his ability to follow directions. (Remember tip #4 here)

Turn the mixer on low and add your flour little by little (I use a measuring cup as a scoop). You can allow your child to help here, but remember that mixers are machines and their hands are little. Supervise accordingly.

After the flour is incorporated, I lock the mixer and turn up the speed (distract kiddo here and watch your mixer, they scoot around at high speeds). Knead this way until the dough forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Pull your dough out and knead on a floured surface until it’s smooth and elastic (if you don’t have the time to knead you can throw it in the oiled bowl right here and it will be just fine. Kneading is a good kid friendly task if you do have time)

Put dough in a bowl coated with the olive oil. Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and let rise for 1 1/2 hours.

Heat oven to 500 degrees.

Punch dough down and divide into pieces (kiwi sized for the kids and the size of a small apple for adults). Roll out the dough on a floured surface (This is where my 3 year old loves to help, he’s getting quite good at rolling these out). The dough should be about 1/4-inch thick. Try to make the circle smooth, with no creases or seams in the dough, which can prevent the pitas from puffing up properly.

Bake on a hot pizza stone for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the bread puffs up like a balloon and is pale golden. Watch closely; they bake fast. Remove the bread from the oven and place on a rack to cool for 5 minutes; they will naturally deflate, leaving a pocket in the center. Wrap the pitas in a large kitchen towel to keep them soft.

Adapted from the Food Network

NOTE: If you would like to be considered as a guest for Cooking with Kids, please email me your ideas. I may not be able to get to every email, but I will do my best!

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On Baiting + Homemade Cheez-Its

February 16, 2012 –

homemade cheez-it recipe

On most days, my little girl is very reasonable and a great partner in most domestic escapades. She loves a trip to the park or the bookstore. She doesn’t complain when we pop into a thrift store or take the odd trip to Anthropologie. I’m not naive, however. I know this won’t last forever. There will come a day when Maeve is no longer a little girl. She won’t be grasping at my pant legs and crying out for mama.

She will decide it’s more fun to spend time with her friends or, better yet, to enjoy a long afternoon at the library reading ahead in all of her advanced textbooks. I will be a bit misty, but I will feign understanding. Or, will I?

As far back in my memory as I can recall, going shopping with my mother was boring. There was so much I wanted to do more than mill about a department store. I protested and protested. I hid underneath the racks and pulled all the tags off the clothes. I invented games and counted flecks on the carpet. It was torturous and I once got lost in a store on purpose to spice up our trip. It was fabulously exciting. Did you know there are little rooms in the employee area where the salespeople harbor lost children? It’s true. Everyone was kind and nice. There’s was candy there too. And, to make it all the more wonderful, they put out a dramatic call for my mother over the intercom. The attention was intoxicating. The punishment later that afternoon at home, however, was quite another story.

homemade cheez-it recipe

I know my mother either needed the company or was without an alternative. She didn’t use baby-sitters. I was her youngest and, therefore, often the child who was along for the ride. I’m sure this was hard for her, but, at some point, she hatched a method of luring me into submission on these trips. Food. That was her ploy. She knew me too well. If I agreed not to fuss and to join her on a shopping trip, there would be treats. Sometimes, it was thin mints or chocolate covered cherries. I loved both of these endlessly, but the best bait of all was a box of Cheez-It crackers. That might sound weird, but I am a salt and savory girl through and through.

I would eat those cheddar crackers until my throat was parched from the salt overload and my fingers were orange. They were, and still are, a favorite snack of mine. This is why I was delighted to come across a recipe for homemade Cheez-It crackers. It’s incredibly easy too. In fact, you likely have every ingredient in your cupboard at this very moment.

Today, I give you Cheez-Its. They’re perfectly salty, savory, and bursting with cheddar. They’re addictive too. Sure, it’s not gourmet fare. I imagine there are plenty of other stops on the internet where you can find your foie gras today. But, think about it. Many of you are probably going to need a good baiting technique someday. Your wee ones won’t always be so cooperative. Why not lure them with a homemade cheesy cracker?

I’m not sure it gets much better than this.

homemade cheez-it recipe

Homemade Cheez Its

8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely shredded

½ stick unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup all purpose flour

2 tablespoons ice water

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the cheddar, butter, and salt until soft and combined. Add the flour and mix on low speed (the dough will be dry and pebbly). Slowly add the water and continue to mix as the dough forms a ball.

Pat the dough into a disk, wrap tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Preheat the oven to 375˚F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Divide the dough into two pieces and roll each into a very thin (1/8 inch or less) 10 x 12-inch rectangle. Using a fluted pastry cutter or sharp knife, cut the rectangles into 1-inch squares, then transfer to the baking sheets. Use the tip of a chopstick to punch a hole into the center of each square.

Bake for 15-17 minutes or until puffed and browning at the edges. Watch carefully, as the high fat content of the crackers makes it a fine line between golden delicious and burnt. Immediately move the crackers to racks to cool.

Adapted from ReadyMade Magazine

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