Baked Black Bean Dip

Are you ready for some football???   If you're in need of a quick and easy dish for a superbowl spread (or any other gathering), look no further.  This twist on a traditional seven-layer dip came together in minutes and after a short stint in the oven to melt the cheese, was ready to serve with tortilla chips.

I used a prepared salsa that already had onions, garlic and jalapenos, but you could always use some chopped tomatoes and lightly sauteed onions and garlic.  Adjust the heat levels to your own taste as well, adding an extra jalapeno or hefty shake of cayenne pepper.

If you don't have smoked paprika on hand, you could get the smokiness by adding in a chipotle pepper and a bit of adobo sauce when blending in the food processor.   This will bring some heat as well, so be careful when adding the cayenne!

One last note on texture.  I made this dip pretty smooth, if you're looking for a dip with a little bit goin' on, feel free to reserve some of the beans before blending together.  These can be mashed lightly with a fork and folded in by hand after the rest of the ingredients are well-mixed.  Adding some corn after blending the dip could also be a way to get some more texture.

Baked Black Bean Dip
Recipe by Shannon
Serves a crowd

2 16oz cans black beans (or 1 29oz can), rinsed and drained
1/2c Pace Mild Picante Sauce*  (or your favorite salsa)
1/2c 2% greek yogurt
1/4-1/2t cumin
1/4-1/2t smoked Spanish Paprika
dash cayenne
dash salt
juice of 1 lime
2-4oz grated cheese (I only had gruyere on hand, but cheddar or monterey jack might work better!)
scallions or herbs for garnish
tortilla chips for serving (Lime and Red Hot Blue Corn chips worked especially well)

Combine beans, salsa, greek yogurt, spices and lime juice in the bowl of a food processor.  Blend until smooth and ingredients well incorporated.  Taste and adjust seasonings.  This can be prepared ahead of time, simply refrigerate and then bake when ready to serve.

Preheat oven to 400deg.  Transfer bean dip into a baking dish (I used my 1qt au gratin dish).  Top with grated cheese and bake in preheated oven 15-20min, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.  Garnish with chopped scallions or herbs (parsley or cilantro) if you remember ;)  Serve with tortilla chips.

*I received a sample of Pace Picante Sauce at no cost as a part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program.  Thanks for inspiring this appetizer!


Will you be watching this Sunday (either the game or the commercials)?   Favorite get-together appetizer?

A Bite of the Tropics

Snow.  Again.

To distract me a bit, I thought it was time for a taste of the tropics to transport us somewhere we don't need to shovel again!   When I was home for the holidays, my mom had some dates she wanted to use.   I took it as a mission to put them to good use ;)

Sugarplums dipped in chocolate

We tried some Sugarplums, since visions of them were already dancing in our heads!   I thought the orange zest in these would pair nicely with a hint of chocolate, so we dipped them in a little semisweet chocolate ;)

Choc-Dipped Fruit-Nut Balls

I loved the combination of dried fruits in Molly's Chocolate-Dipped Fruit-Nut Balls, which look like little acorns with their semisweet chocolate hats ;)

Pecan Pumpkin Pie Bites

These Pecan Pumpkin Pie Bites were my mom's favorite!!    I'm not normally into traditional pumpkin pie, but these are little nuggets of heaven :)   Be sure to check out Lauren's recipe, the only thing we did differently is to roll them in unsweetened coconut instead of pecans!

Tropical Balls

Inspired by the bag of macadamia nuts my mom had, I came up with this version to transport us to a warmer climate...

Tropical Bites
Recipe by Shannon
Yield 20-24

heaping 1c roasted, salted macadamia nuts
2/3c dates, pitted and roughly chopped
1/4c unsweetened coconut
1t agave (or more)
1/2t vanilla extract
zest of 1 lime
1/2t lime juice (or more)
white chocolate, for dipping  (I used ~1/2c white choc chips)

Pulse macadamia nuts in a food processor until they have been chopped.   Add dates, coconut, 1t agave, vanilla and lime zest, then mix until mixture is well-blended.  Taste, and add lime juice (or agave) until the mixture starts to ball up.

Remove mixture from the bowl and roll into balls, ~1" in diameter.  Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or a silpat.

Melt white chocolate in a double broiler over low heat.  Dip balls in chocolate and place back on parchment-lined sheet.  Place somewhere cool (outside works, if you've got as much snow as we do ;)) until chocolate hardens, then store in the fridge in an airtight container.  Enjoy, one at a time!  Or two, I won't tell!

Ask the Locals Guide: The Sundance Resort and Park City, Utah

The Sundance Film Festival screens hundreds of films from January 20-30. Local insiders know that during the festival, the slopes are less crowded than usual. While filmgoers crowd the theaters, restaurants and bars, skiers enjoy shorter lift lines and uncrowded runs. I don't ski but I do eat. For those who are going to watch films, here are some suggestions about where to eat. 

With heavy snow falling in Atlanta and New York City where it isn't wanted, there's comfort knowing that snow is also accumulating on ski slopes, where it belongs.

At the foot of Utah's Wasatch Mountains, dozens of world-class ski resorts are within easy driving distance of Salt Lake International Airport.

The mountains make an impression the minute visitors land at Salt Lake International Airport. In summer or winter, the white capped peaks are evidence that this is rocky mountain country or, as the state logo has it, "Life Elevated."  Salt Lake City itself is over 4,000 feet, so don't be surprised if you are a little light-headed until you acclimate.

It is no surprise that an area devoted to active winter recreation also has good restaurants where visitors can cozy up to a warming fire and a good meal.

At Robert Redford's Sundance Resort, the only stand-alone ski resort in Utah, the pleasures of the mountain aren't limited to the ski slopes. Staying in one of the ninety-five cottages or in a mountain home puts a visitor up close and personal with the native spruce and pine trees growing close to the buildings.

Even the recently completed Redford Convention Center all but disappears in a thicket of trees, which makes it an ideal location for corporate retreats, weddings, and family celebrations.

Skiers riding the ski lift to the back mountain can stop at Bearclaw Cabin, a warming hut with a panoramic view of the Wasatch Mountains and the Heber and Utah Valleys below. The menu is limited to hot drinks, soup, and sandwiches but given the setting, that seems perfect.

Having completed their runs, skiers visit the Owl Bar, kick back and listen to country music, have a round of drinks and enjoy freshly made snacks, including the house cured pickled eggs and beef jerky.

For full-course, sit-down meals there is the upscale Tree Room and the more informal Foundry Grill, with a fireplace and wood-burning pizza oven warming the room.

Knowing their customers want well-prepared, comfort food, both menus offer dishes that feed the body and warm the soul, like mustard rotisserie chicken, crusted pork on the bone with mashed potatoes and broccolini, braised black cod in carrot miso broth, halibut with rice and vegetables, roast loin of Utah elk flavored with blackberry jus, baby back ribs and cole slaw, and ratatouille with vegetables and quinoa.

With the meal finished and the table cleared, there's no rush to leave. The desserts will hold diners a few minutes longer before sending them off to bed, dreaming not only of sugar plumb fairies but about Executive Chef Mark Shoup's dessert menu of caramel apple pie with mascarpone ice cream, pear cobbler with almond crumble, or banana split with bricks of chocolate and vanilla ice cream topped with a melange of strawberries, walnuts, caramel and chocolate sauce on a plate coated with Chantilly cream and, oh yeah, a split banana.

For anyone achey from too much physical exertion on the slopes, massages are available at the Spa. At the Sundance Resort, fireplaces seem to be everywhere, including the Spa's quiet room, where it is easy to get lost staring at the logs, crackling and hissing as they are consumed by the flames. In the warmth of the quiet room, visitors sit and calculate the comparative benefits of another day of skiing weighed against the pleasures of a late breakfast in the Foundry Grill and relaxing with a good book in front of the fire.

Traveling between Sundance and Park City, locals know to leave time for a stop in Heber City to time-trip back to the 1960s at the Holiday Lanes (565 N. Main Street) to bowl a few games and have a burger, fries and shake. Come early enough and there may be homemade pie.

The Dairy Keen, "Home of the Train," is also on Heber's Main Street. Hamburgers are the specialty but the menu also includes fish and chicken with lots of treats for kids who love watching the model train that circles the inside of the store.

Park City has restaurants to satisfy just about anyone's budget or taste. Affordable family-owned restaurants serve pizza, hamburgers, salads, Mexican food, sandwiches, barbecue and sushi. If you crave fast food, you can find Macdonald's, Burger King and Subway.

Half a block from the Park City Town Ski Lift, High West Distillery & Saloon advertises itself as "the world's first and only ski-in gastro distillery." Taking advantage of the recently liberalized liquor laws, High West offers tastings of wines and spirits in a converted three-story house, with a spacious, family style restaurant on the ground floor in what was once a garage for horses and, later, automobiles.

The spirits served at High West are highly rated by whiskey aficionados. Although High West does produce some of their spirits in the 250-gallon copper still near the entrance, the aged whiskeys are not distilled on the site but are blends of whiskeys sourced from other distillers.

What is distilled at High West are clear spirits, ones not aged in oak barrels. The result is Silver Oat Whiskey and Vodka 7000, both of which are worth trying for their smoothness and unique flavor. In addition to drinks served in the saloon, bottles of spirits can be purchased in the small package store near the entrance.

Many of Park City's better restaurants, coffee shops and popular bars are located on Main Street, the center of the city's commercial life with stores selling tourist souvenirs, clothing, native crafts, the work of local artists, and the fun, interactive Park City Museum.

Insider's Tip: In the lobby of the Park City Museum, pick up a copy of the restaurant coupon book with discounts for local restaurants and attractions. Don't overlook the Park Record which sometimes has an even better selection of discounts.

At the bottom of Main Street, Robert Redford's Zoom specializes in large plates of hearty, well-prepared food. Ribs and coleslaw, herb roasted chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy, burgers, sandwiches, grilled fish, risotto, Caesar salads, mac n' cheese, onion rings, hot soup, and fresh salads fill out the menu.

Half way up Main Street, the Java Cow Cafe & Bakery is a local favorite for breakfast pastries, espresso beverages, sandwiches, and crepes. In summer, the homemade ice creams are a big seller, along with the hundreds of t-shirts featuring the Java Cow logo.

Nearby, Cafe Terigo, an intimate restaurant, has a wine bar in the inviting entrance way, a main dining room and two upstairs dining rooms, which are mostly used for parties, receptions and family celebrations.

The menu sticks to basics: soups, salads, sandwiches, grilled meats and fish, pastas and desserts. Run by husband and wife, Ed (he's the chef) and Debbie (she's the maitre d') Axtell, Terigo, as locals refer to it, is a family affair. The dining room has the friendly feeling of your home, only better, because someone else is doing the cooking. Save room for their most popular dessert, the bread pudding with butter rum sauce, pine nuts and dried cranberries. It's a keeper.

350 Main, a sprawling restaurant-bar, is a gathering spot for locals and tourists alike. Taking a global approach, chef Michael LeClerc is influenced by the cuisines of Mexico, Indonesia, India, Italy, Japan, France, and the American Southwest.

Locals crowd the bar ordering from the $6.00 tapas menu, focusing on the Ahi and Hamachi Tower, a tasty treat that goes well any of the drinks on the signature martini and cocktail list.

Something of a local legend, Bill White owns half a dozen popular eating establishments, as varied as one can imagine. Upscale Grappa, at the top of Main Street in a converted house, is well-known for quality meals in a homey setting. While the Windy Ridge Cafe and Bakery zero in on perfecting a salad-pasta-sandwich-comfort food menu in a cozy, unpretentious, country cafe setting.

Given the mountain setting, Wahso is an unexpected treat--an Asian grill. Wahso doesn't so much fuse Asian and Western cuisines as it respects both, pulling the best out of each tradition with the result that Duck Breast "A L'Orange" gets the Peking treatment and ginger scented lentils accompany the Morgan Valley Lamb.

Another, different kind of fusion happens at Chimayo where French and Mexican cuisines embrace as happily as a newly wedded couple. In many of the dishes, Mexican heat enlivens classic French sauces. Pan seared sea scallops are enveloped with a Blood Orange and Jalapeno Beurre Blanc sauce. A rack of lamb eschews mint in favor of the sweet heat provided by a guajillo chile and cumin demi-glace.

A good wine list is supplemented with a selection of quality tequilas and imaginative riffs on the margarita, including one flavored with pomegranate, which might have been too sweet but proved to be light and flavorful.

Park City is cowboy country, so it's natural to expect to eat some barbecue. But only at Chimayo are spareribs marinated all day in a chipotle marinade As with many restaurants in the area, local game animals are proudly served as bona fides of locally sourced meat. In the hands of chef Arturo Flores, elk, which can be chewy, is meltingly tender and flavored with bacon, peppercorns, sesame seeds, and a green chile Béarnaise.

For the appetizers, soups and salads, there are Italian-Mexican combinations in the fried calamari served with lime cilantro and lemon chipotle aiolis and the goat cheese and mozzarella chile relleno with a poblano pumpkin seed pesto. But mostly the starters menu focuses on familiar Mexican favorites which are prepared with the freshest of ingredients: ceviches, queso fundido, duck enchiladas, guacamole and shrimp, tortilla soup, avocado salad with papaya and vegetables with a pasilla chile vinaigrette.

All too often culinary combinations mean propping up the weakness of one cuisine with the strengths of another. When a chef has classic cooking skills and a great palate, fusion means discovering the best of each and bringing new awareness to old favorites. That's what happens at Chimayo.

So if you are spending time around the Wasatch Mountains expect to enjoy great scenery, world-class skiing, and excellent meals.

Butternut & Kale Lasagna

Butternut squash and kale are two of my favorite things in the winter.    I feel like I've been combining them everywhere, so don't be surprised if you see them again soon :)

I prepared the butternut squash puree and kale ahead of time, then made the pasta the day of.  If you're using homemade noodles, be sure not to roll them out too thin.   I did, and they disappeared into the lasagna.  Wasn't the end of the world, but I would've liked them a little thicker to hold up a bit more :)

Butternut & Kale Lasagna
Recipe by Shannon
Yield:  9"sq pan

2-3c roasted, pureed butternut squash*
~1T extra virgin olive oil
1 head kale, washed and destemmed, then roughly chopped
1 lg garlic clove, minced/pressed
1/2 onion, diced
1 batch homemade egg pasta, or other lasagna noodles  (check here for my recipe, I did a batch to serve 2)
1T butter
2T white whole wheat flour
1/4c porcini mushroom broth (reserved from the last time I reconstituted mushrooms, but you can use more milk)
1 1/2c milk
4oz goat cheese
1/2t salt
1/8t pepper
1/4t freshly grated nutmeg

The kale for the lasagna can be prepared a day or two ahead of time.   Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat.  Add onion and kale, cover and cook for ~5min.  Remove cover and stir, continue to cook for another 5min or so until kale has wilted and onions softened.  Add garlic, stir and cook a few minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside.  Refrigerate until preparing the lasagna.

To make the goat cheese sauce, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add flour and whisk, cooking for 1-2min.  Whisk in broth and milk and cook 5-10min, until it starts to thicken.  Remove from heat and crumble in goat cheese.  Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and whisk until goat cheese melts into sauce.  Keep over very low heat so it doesn't thicken as you assemble the lasagna.

Start assembling the lasagna by pouring enough sauce to cover the bottom of a 9" sq pan.  Add a little sauce on the bottom of the pan and then start layering!  Two sheets of pasta to cover the bottom of the dish, spread around ~1/4c squash, a sprinkling of kale and a spoonful of sauce.  Repeat until you've used all of your ingredients (or you've filled your pan!).  Top last layer with noodles and the rest of the goat cheese sauce.

Bake in a preheated 375deg oven for ~25min, until cooked through and bubbly.  Let cool 10-15min before serving to allow lasagna to set up.

*Roasted at 350deg for 1-1 1/2 hrs, flesh scooped out and pureed in a blender or food processor.

Goo-mah

My friend George has a goom. Perhaps I should capitalize that: my friend George has a Goom.

I know this because she arrived during our second drink this evening, a delightful woman of engaging conversation and charming manners.

Men have taken mistresses since they were first able to sneak away and inveigle themselves up the skirts of other women. No surprise there. But a certain kind of man takes a mistress - or two - and I'm wondering why.

For George, I'm pretty sure it's because of his distant marriage. That's no excuse, of course, but he'd be on the lookout for interested women no matter his marital status. Somewhere in his DNA lies the predisposition to move beyond social norms. Look, and take.

Just as there are certain men who take a long-term mistress, so there are women who oblige. In George's case, it's a long-term sexual liaison with no expectation of anything more. They're both satisfied with furtive social meetings, like tonight, and equally hidden sexual congress.

Under the Wombat Rule that no-one does anything for nothing, it's clear that they're both getting something from all this. And not for the short term, either.





Bottoms Up, Tony Soprano.

Cookie Swap v.2

Last night I hosted another post-holiday craziness cookie swap!  We ended up with a smaller group than last year, but still had a good time catching up over some delicious treats.

Smoky Tahini Peas, Crab-Stuffed Mushrooms, Moroccan Chickpeas

I wanted to make a few light, savory appetizers to accompany good conversation :)  Since I had a busy week in lab, my aim was to use things I already had in my kitchen and wouldn't take too long to prepare.  I ended up with peas in a smoky tahini dressing, crab-stuffed mushrooms and Moroccan spiced chickpeas.

We had quite the sweet lineup:
     Meyer Lemon Shortbread from Jen (Tiny Urban Kitchen)
     Almond Macaroons w/Chocolate Ganache from Elina (Healthy & Sane, Russian Bites)
     my Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Roll Cookies
     Pretzel and Graham Cracker Chocolate Bars from Kerstin (Cake, Batter & Bowl)
     Lemon Ricotta Cookies from Bridget (Yogurt & Berries)
     Peanut Butter Butterscotch Rice Krispie Treats from Cara (Cara's Cravings)

Cara, Kerstin, Jen, Bridget, Elina and I

I had an awesome time with these ladies, maybe you'll be able to attend next year?

Project Baby Food

No, it's not what you think ;)   Have you noticed the string of freezer-friendly meals I've been posting?   Maybe I should've started with this post, but there was a method to my madness!  When I found out my cousin and his wife were expecting their first little one, I came up with the bright idea to prepare some food for them to have on hand when Caleb arrived.

Luckily I managed to get my act together and was able to hand off a cooler-full of goodies to the parents-to-be with a few weeks to spare.   I included print outs of the recipes, with cooking instructions and any extra ingredients highlighted.   They seemed pretty excited, and I sure hope it has come in handy amidst all the feeding and sleepless nights!

Be sure to check out the following recipes if you're ever looking to stock your freezer...
Turkey Chili w/Kale
Bean Burritos
Kale & Spinach Strata
Red Lentil Soup
Pumpkin Black Bean Enchiladas



Do you have a favorite freezer meal??

Friday Fluffer - Worst Lovers

Photo credit

We're all supremely fond of generalizations and unfair national slights. Which is why I've resurrected the results of a poll from a couple of years ago.

Fifteen thousand women were (allegedly) asked about the sexual skills of men organized by country. I guess the premise is that culture creates good or bad bonkers.



WORLD'S WORST LOVERS:

1. Germany (too smelly)

2. England (too lazy)

3. Sweden (too quick)

4. Holland (too dominating)

5. America (too rough)

6. Greece (too lovey-dovey)

7. Wales (too selfish)

8. Scotland (too loud)

9. Turkey (too sweaty)

10. Russia (too hairy)

And just for fun,

WORLD'S BEST LOVERS

1. Spain

2. Brazil

3. Italy

4. France

5. Ireland

6. South Africa

7. Australia

8. New Zealand

9. Denmark

10. Canada




Bottoms Up, Critics.

Pumkin Black Bean Enchiladas

Enchiladas are not something I grew up eating, so they're relatively new to me.  Tacos, burritos sure, but enchiladas?  Not so much.   I guess I need to make up for lost time ;)

In these enchiladas, the black bean-chipotle filling is balanced with a creamy pumpkin sauce.   They have a little kick, so dial back the chipotle if you're not into that sort of thing.  I've included directions for preparing and freezing the dish ahead of time, so it's great to make some now and have more for later ;)

Pumpkin Black Bean Enchiladas
Adapted from Bob & Everyday Food
Serves 4-6

1 15oz can pumpkin puree
2 1/2c water
2 lg garlic cloves, minced
2t salt
1/4t black pepper
1/8t ground cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)
1t chili powder
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2c 2% greek yogurt
1 chipotle w/1-2t adobo sauce
1/4c chopped baby leeks (or scallions)
10-12 6" corn tortillas
grated sharp cheddar cheese for the top (3/4c or so)

Add pumpkin, water, garlic and spices (salt, pepper, cayenne and chili powder) to a blender and puree until smooth.

Add 1c black beans to the bowl of a food processor, along with the yogurt and chipotle and adobo.  Process until smooth and transfer to a bowl.  Add in the rest of beans and leeks/scallions and stir to combine.

Pour 1c pumpkin sauce into baking dish (either a 9x13 dish or 1/2c into 2 smaller ones), you really just need to coat the bottom of the dish.

Wrap corn tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for ~1min to soften.   Mound filling on tortillas (3-4T), one at a time, and roll up.  Place, seam side down in the baking dish.

If you're going to freeze the enchiladas to serve at a later date, cover surface with saran wrap and a layer of foil.  Pour the rest of the pumpkin sauce in a freezer-safe container and place the enchiladas and sauce in the freezer.  Don't forget to label them!

To bake unfrozen enchiladas, pour pumpkin sauce over enchiladas and top with shredded cheese.  Bake in preheated 400deg oven and bake for 25-30 min, until cheese has melted and sauce is bubbly.  Let cool a bit before serving.

To bake frozen enchiladas, thaw the pumpkin sauce in the refrigerator the night before (or thereabouts) you want the enchiladas.  When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 400deg.   Remove the enchiladas from the freezer and remove plastic wrap.  pour thawed pumpkin sauce over enchiladas, cover with foil and bake for 30min.  Remove foil, top with shredded cheese and bake uncovered for another 30min, or until bubbly and cooked through.  Let cool a few minutes before serving.

Ok, so they don't quite photograph well, but they tasted delicious!!

Are you an enchilada fan?

Charm is Over-rated

Picture credit

Observations of the qualities women choose in men:

~ charm is over-rated, as is persistence.

~ the ability to take charge and swift decision-making are useful abstract qualities.

~ height and dress sense are valuable physical assets.

~ sexual skill is of middling importance.

~ either youthfulness OR mature mastery are equal attractors.

~ being a kind of benign dictator works a treat.

~ uniforms, of a military bent, or a nice suit, make a difference.


Romantics like me don't stand a chance in front of this. A man who communicates, has a sense of humour and is self-deprecatory is SO underwater in the dating game, like so much by-catch.

Wherever did I get the idea that these things were valuable?




Bottoms Up, Survivors.

Man Wrangler

Picture Credit

Wine and company bend my mind towards unfeasible projects. The most recent of these - pursuant to Friday night's conversation - is the idea of a Man Wrangler.

Every single person complains of the lack of prospective partners at some point. It's natural. The older we are, the more human nature works against us. Not only do we tend to be more picky, but so does everyone else. (SO unfair if you ask me. OTHER people should be able to see through my faults, but I reserve MY right to discriminate immoderately.)

AND there is that semi-trailer of life baggage that keeps following us around. As soon as I think I dropped that thing at a parking depot somewhere, I turn around and DAMN! - there it is again. As much as we might want to be the tractor part ONLY of the tractor-trailer, that sneaky thing keeps finding us.

My complaint is that wherever I go, it's always a brodeo. (Noun credit: Mr Nights.) Like a man in a desert, all I see is sand in the form of dudes. However, opportunity is often found by turning adversity upside-down. (Invert, always invert.)

What I should be doing is creating my own database of men with whom I can hook up whatever single women I know. Use the law of supply and demand to my advantage, by making ME the go-to guy for single ladies around town, that's the plan.





Bottoms Up Matchmakers.

Red Lentil Soup

If it looks like this outside your window...

... you should warm up with this red lentil soup!

Red Lentil Soup...  I need to iron my napkins!

And yes, it freezes too :)

Energy Drinks

Picture credit, Samantha, archetypal hotness.

My friend Samantha and I had drinks tonight. She's looking as foxy as ever, which does nothing to explain why it's been nearly three months since last we took wine.

Or maybe it does.

If you're a single guy (like me) and a single woman (like Sam), there's an energy surrounding the two of us, like any energetic non-related couple. We share singlehood and all the mysteries THAT presents, for better or worse. We're like brothers-in-arms in the dating wars.

Sam's friend Maria happened along, so your humble correspondent was now surrounded by primo tail - not to disparage the ladies. Men think of all kinds of stuff in terms of meat and lobster metaphors. Surf and turf isn't simply a dining concoction.

I asked Maria to name the five qualities she sought in any man with whom she might share a future. She said:

:-> honesty
:-> integrity
:-> morality
:-> ability to communicate
:-> extremely hot bod

One of these is not accurate.

The point is that every woman wants - in a man - the opposite of those characteristics she's been stung by in previous men. No surprise, and no obvious insight into human nature there. What's troubling is by working to find the opposite of what attracts us, we go all around the world...and end up in exactly the same place.





Bottoms Up, Samanthas.

Greens Strata

I love a good breakfast dish.  And after seeing the same strata pop up on two of my favorite blogs, I knew it would be made in my kitchen...  eventually ;)

What I did discover, is that this can be frozen!  I prepped the recipe below in two baking dishes (a 9" square and 3" square), baking the smaller one right away and freezing the larger one.    Provided a portable breakfast when I needed it, and another portion to enjoy with loved ones!

Kale & Spinach Strata
adapted from Gourmet, as found on Smitten Kitchen and Eggs on Sunday
serves 8-12

A perfect blend of my two favorite greens, this strata was hearty and comforting.    A great way to start off the day, but perfect for any meal as it can be reheated!

1 10oz bag frozen spinach, thawed
1 head kale, washed
1 medium onion, diced
1T butter
1t salt, divided
1/2t black pepper, divided
1/4t freshly grated nutmeg
8c cubed bread (I used Nature's Pride Honey Wheat)
4-5oz finely grated cave-aged gruyere (~1 1/4c)
2 3/4c milk
1c egg whites (or substitute)
6 eggs
2T whole grain Dijon mustard

De-stem kale leaves and roughly chop, set aside.   Squeeze thawed spinach dry (using a dish towel or paper towels), and roughly chop.

Melt butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat.  Add onion and cook for 5-10min, until it begins to soften.  Add kale, cover and cook for ~5min.  Remove cover, stir and cook another 5min.  Stir in spinach and cook a few more minutes.  Season with 1/2t salt, 1/4t pepper and nutmeg.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray.  Spread 1/2 of the bread cubes in the bottom of the dish, followed by 1/2 spinach/kale mixture and 1/2 gruyere.   Repeat.

Combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl (milk, eggs and whites, Dijon, 1/2t salt and 1/4t pepper).  Whisk together and pour over strata.  Cover with plastic wrap or foil and chill in the fridge overnight (at least 8hrs).

When ready to bake, let strata stand at room temperature a bit (~30min).  Preheat the oven to 350deg.  Bake the strata, uncovered, in the middle of the oven for 45-55min, until puffed, golden brown and cooked through.  Let stand 5-10min before serving.

To freeze unbaked strata, cover with a layer of plastic wrap and then foil.  Freeze after chilling 8hrs, just be careful to keep it on an even surface until it has frozen!  When ready to prepare strata, bake unthawed (after removing plastic wrap and foil) at 350deg for 55-75min, until golden brown and cooked through.  Let stand 5-10min before serving.

Yin and Yang - Wombatgram #14

Vive la différence, all y'all.


Click on the Wombatgram to enlarge.




Bottoms Up Contrasters.

Wrap it Up

If your days have been anything like mine lately, you appreciate having easy dinner options when you get home late from work or the gym, or don't have much time/desire to cook.    Or are about to head out the door and want to grab something for lunch ;)

Luckily I came across tracy's post on freezer burritos and before I knew it I had some of my own stashed in the freezer.    The possibilities are endless here, get creative with your own combination of ingredients!!    If you end up with any leftover filling, it's easy to throw into some eggs the next morning for breakfast or keep as a snack.

Bean Burritos
adapted from Shutterbean
Yield:  ~12

1c rice
1 onion, chopped
chili powder
1 can diced tomatoes w/green chiles, drained
1-2T fresh chopped cilantro or parsley
1 can refried beans
1 can red kidney beans, rinsed & drained
1 bag frozen sliced onions and tri-colored peppers
greek yogurt (mixed w/some hot sauce, if desired)
10-14 burrito-sized flour tortillas (I used TJ's Habenero Lime)

Cook rice using your favorite method-- I combined my rice, chopped onion and a hefty shake of chili powder in my rice cooker along with some water and let it go to work.

After rice is cooked rice, add drained tomatoes and chopped herbs, mix well and set aside.  Prep the rest of your ingredients, including a pile of foil squares to wrap finished burritos in.

Wrap tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for ~1min until they are soft and pliable.  Remove one tortilla at a time and pile with fillings...  rice mix, refried beans, cheese, kidney beans, veggies and schmear of greek yogurt on the side.  Do the burrito wrap ;) (ends in, then roll up) and then wrap in foil.   Repeat until you've made all your burritos.  Label, then store in the freezer.

To reheat burritos, there are some options.  The quickest way is to unwrap the frozen burrito, wrap in a damp towel, and microwave for 2-3min on high (my microwave must run hot, as they were steamy after 2min).   If desired, crisp up the burrito in the oven or just let cool and eat.  Alternatively, place frozen, unwrapped burritos on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated 450deg oven for 40min, then remove foil and continue to bake for another 5-10min until crisp.


What's your favorite kind of burrito filling??

The Sundance Resort's Pear Crisp, Rich with Almonds

Chef Mark Shoup knows about cold weather. The executive chef at Robert Redford’s Sundance Resort in Utah serves up a lot of hot comfort food when hungry skiers sit down in the main dining room, the Foundry Grill.

High on his list of favorites is hot pear crisp topped with ice cream. If you’re counting calories, use whipped cream or yogurt instead.

Perfect by itself for a cold-weather afternoon snack or to end a meal, the crisp can be prepared a day ahead, kept in the refrigerator, and popped in the oven just thirty minutes before serving.

Chef Shoup was kind enough to let me post the recipe on Zesterdaily.