Hummus Pancakes

I told you I did something a little crazy with the root veggie hummus I had made.  And I don't even know whether this falls under breakfast, lunch or dinner.  Maybe it's best as brunch or breakfast for dinner!

I've had pumpkin pancakes, so I thought, why not put another type of vegetable puree in there?  Thus the birth of these root veggie hummus pancakes.

It took awhile to figure out how to serve them...  I wasn't quite sold on the idea of maple syrup (although you never know), so I drew on traditional hummus flavors instead.  Turns out, the Lemony Tahini Dressing almost stole the show!

Root Veggie Hummus Pancakes
Serves 2

1/2c + 2T flour (white whole wheat or AP)
3/4t baking powder
1/4t baking soda
1/4t salt
1/2c milk (dairy or nondairy)
1 egg
1T oil
1/3c root veggie hummus
Lemon Tahini Dressing, recipe below

Add dry ingredients to a medium bowl (flour through salt) and mix until well combined.  Add remaining ingredients and stir together (some lumps will remain, but you shouldn't see any dry ingredients).  Make pancakes on a preheated skillet or nonstick fry pan over medium heat.   I made pancakes using 1/4c batter for each and made 8.  If you do this in batches, you can keep extras in a warm oven, under foil, or in the microwave to stay warm.  Serve with Lemon Tahini Dressing.

Lemon Tahini Dressing

My dressing came out a bit thin, so I adjusted the recipe below to give it a little more body.  Feel free to tweak it according to your own tastes.

1T finely diced scallion or red onion
1T chopped parsley (or cilantro)
1 small garlic clove, pressed or minced with a pinch of salt
1 1/2T lemon juice
1T tahini
1T warm water
1T extra virgin olive oil

Add all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together until well combined.

What are the craziest pancakes you've ever had? 

Friday Fluffer - Been Single Too Long?

Minka Kelly photo credit.

You know you've been single too long when:

a.) You start criticising Minka Kelly's choice of shoes instead of contemplating her vagina.

b.) You imagine the check-out chick is your "date" and you are the John.

c.) Grilled cheese on toast and a pickle seems a reasonable first dinner date.

d.) Daydreams turn from sexy Bahamas weekends to Cops marathons.

e.) Smokers start to look (and smell) attractive.

f.) When someone says "stocking" you think of Christmas.

g.)You read the long-term care insurance pamphlets in doctors' waiting rooms.





Bottoms Up, Single Slices.

PB Chocolate Cheesecake

I teased you with photos of this dessert when I reviewed the cheesecake pan (only 2 months ago), so I thought it was finally time to share the recipe before a weekend you might be entertaining!   Rich and delicious, a small slice was sufficient to satisfy most!   No need to mention where I fell ;)

I sliced it at home with a warm serrated knife, making sure to get enough slices for our everyone in our ever-growing lab, so I tried it two ways.  At work I served it unadorned, and you could pick up notes of the salty peanut-y pretzels in the crust.  However, peanut butter being one of my favorite things, I loved it dressed up as in the photo below :)   Your choice!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cheesecake
slightly adapted from coconut & lime
Serves 12-20

A cheesecake that's not too sweet, you can play up its chocolate-y-ness by serving as is or bringing out the peanut butter flavor with a swirl of peanut butter on top or chopped peanuts-- your choice!   Or swap out the PB pretzels for chocolate cookie crumbs in the crust and top it with fresh raspberries...  ooh, the possibilities!

1 1/2c peanut butter pretzel crumbs (1/3-1/2 bag of TJ's brand)
2T butter, melted
1-3T unsweetened applesauce

2/3c cocoa powder
1 1/4c sugar
2 pkg Nufatchel (1/3rd less fat cream cheese), RT
1t vanilla extract
4 1/2oz 70% dark chocolate, melted & cooled slightly (I might use less next time)
1 16oz container 2% greek yogurt, RT
4 eggs, RT (I used egg whites/substitute for 2 eggs as I ran out of eggs!)

Preheat oven to 350deg.

Mix together pretzel crumbs and butter.  Add in enough applesauce until the mixture is fully moistened and it holds togetherwhen you squeeze a small amount between your fingers.  Press into the bottom of a springform pan.  Bake for 10min, then cool completely on a wire rack.  Turn oven down to 250deg.

In a stand mixer, slowly cream together cocoa powder, sugar, cream cheese and vanilla extract.   While this is mixing, melt chocolate in a double broiler over med-low heat.  Once no chunks remain and all chocolate has melted, remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.  Add to sugar and cream cheese and mix well.  Add in the eggs and vanilla and beat thoroughly.

Pour filling into cooled crust and let sit a few minutes.  Tap the pan on the counter to encourage any bubbles to rise to the surface.  Bake for 2hrs at 250deg.  Remove and place on a wire rack.  Run a knife or spatula around the outside edge of the cheesecake to help prevent any cracks from forming as the cheesecake cools.  Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for a few hours.  Serve with a drizzle of peanut butter or chopped salted peanuts, if desired.

 

What's your favorite flavor of cheesecake?

Root Veggie Hummus

I keep meaning to let you know that I finally wrote an About Me page!  Check it out and let me know if you have any questions.  My recipe index has also been updated, including the more recent recipes I've created and links to others I've tried and enjoyed.

Ok, on to today's recipe, which happened to be born from a kitchen goof.  I was steaming some butternut squash and parsnip while doing a few other things (what's new?), and let them cook too long, to the point of mushy.  No longer good for their original purpose, I came up with this root veggie hummus. 

Root Veggie Hummus
Recipe by Shannon

2c cubed (peeled) butternut squash
1c cubed (peeled) parsnip
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained (peel them if you want a really smooth texture)
1/4t kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/2t cumin
1/4t freshly grated nutmeg
dash cayenne
1-2T liquid (cream, coconut milk or extra virgin olive oil)

Steam butternut squash and parsnip cubes until they are soft and have lost integrity, or they fall apart when you test them with a fork.  Combine cooked squash and parsnips with remaining ingredients (except liquid) in food processor or blender and process, adding liquid until hummus is smooth and has reached desired consistency.

This dip was good as a traditional hummus, with crudite or tortilla chips (although I'd advise against Red Hot Blues).   It also worked extremely well as an omelet filling, and I'd imagine it'd make some killer ravioli.   Hmm, hummus ravioli...  that sounds awesome.

I did something else a little crazy with this hummus, but you'll have to wait for that to show up in a later post ;)

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.